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15,813,270 | PENDING | Flow control system | The present invention relates to methods for operating and controlling flow control systems. The method includes sensing an actual medium flow through a pipe part and outputting an electrical signal indicative of the sensed actual medium flow; comparing the sensed medium flow with a set medium flow and outputting a control signal; using an orifice adjusting system to adjust an adjustable orifice in a pipe part in response to the control signal; and performing a correction of a characteristic curve. The method can include setting an upper limit for medium flow to Vmax wherein Vmax is less than a maximum medium flow. | 1. A method for using a central heating/cooling system comprising a plurality of consumer devices connected to a common source through a pipe system which provides for delivering a liquid medium, the consumer devices comprising heat exchange systems, water taps or heat exchange systems and water taps; the method comprising: distributing the liquid medium from the common source through the pipe system; controlling, by means of a control system, a flow of the liquid medium passing through a pipe part of the pipe system with at least one consumer device; sensing an actual medium flow through the pipe part with a flow sensor, and the sensor outputting an electrical signal indicative of the sensed actual medium flow to the control system; comparing the sensed flow with a set flow and outputting a control signal; adjusting an adjustable orifice in said pipe part by means of an orifice adjusting system in response to the control signal; and performing a real-time software-wise correction of a characteristic curve of the orifice adjusting system to compensate for pressure variations in said pipe part, wherein the steps of comparing the sensed flow with a set flow and outputting a control signal and performing a real-time software-wise correction of a characteristic cure of the orifice adjusting system are done by the control system. 2. The method of claim 1, further comprising: continuously adjusting the adjustable orifice and correcting the characteristic curve based on the sensed actual medium flow. 3. The method of claim 1, wherein the set medium flow varies between 0 and 100% Vnom, wherein Vnom is the maximum medium flow for the adjustable orifice. 4. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of sensing an actual medium flow through the pipe part comprises: sensing an actual medium flow through the pipe part at a point in front of the adjustable orifice. 5. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of sensing an actual medium flow through the pipe part comprises sensing an actual medium flow through the pipe part at a point behind the adjustable orifice and spaced by at least a quieting section for attenuating turbulence in the medium caused by the adjustable orifice. 6. The method of claim 1, wherein the orifice adjusting system comprises a three-way valve located at an intersection of a supply pipe of the pipe system, provided for supplying the medium from the common source to at least one of the consumer devices, and a bypass pipe bypassing the at least one consumer device. 7. The method of claim 1, wherein the method is performed without first calibrating the system. 8. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of determining heat delivered by a consumer device. 9. The method of claim 1, wherein the set flow is derived from a setting or from a central control unit. 10. The method of claim 1, wherein the flow sensor is an ultrasound flow sensor. 11. A method for operating a flow control system comprising an adjustable orifice in a pipe part which is adjustable between a zero medium flow 0 and a maximum medium flow Vnom, the method comprising steps: a) setting an upper limit for the medium flow to Vmax wherein Vmax is less than Vnom; b) sensing an actual medium flow through the pipe part and outputting an electrical signal indicative of the sensed actual medium flow; c) comparing the sensed medium flow with a set medium flow and outputting a control signal; d) using an orifice adjusting system to adjust the adjustable orifice in the pipe part in response to the control signal; and e) performing a correction of a characteristic curve of the orifice adjusting system over the new operating range up to Vmax. 12. The method of claim 11, wherein step e) of performing a correction of a characteristic curve of the orifice adjusting system comprises updating the characteristic curve to be accurate over the range of medium flow of 0 to Vmax. 13. The method of claim 12, wherein the characteristic curve is an equal-percentage characteristic curve in at least part of the range. 14. The method of claim 11, wherein the method operates a flow control system over a system with a plurality of sections and/or levels and the method compensates for pressure variations over each section and/or level. 15. The method of claim 11, wherein the step of performing a correction of a characteristic curve is performed using software. 16. The method of claim 11, further comprising: continuously adjusting the adjustable orifice over the range of medium flow of 0 to Vmax based on the sensed actual medium flow and the corrected characteristic curve. 17. The method of claim 11, wherein Vmax. is stored in a control unit. 18. The method of claim 11, wherein the orifice adjusting system comprises a system which adjusts a flow control valve. 19. The method of claim 11, further comprising a plurality of consumer devices comprising heat exchange systems, water taps or heat exchange systems and water taps; the method further comprising controlling flow of the liquid through the pipe part with at least one consumer device. 20. A method for operating a pressure-independent flow control system, the method comprising steps: a) sensing an actual medium flow through a pipe part and outputting an electrical signal indicative of the sensed actual medium flow; b) comparing the sensed medium flow with a set medium flow and outputting a control signal; c) using an orifice adjusting system to adjust an adjustable orifice in a pipe part in response to the control signal; and d) performing a real-time software-wise correction of a characteristic curve of the orifice adjusting system. | BACKGROUND The present invention relates to a flow control system for controlling a flow of a medium passing through a pipe part of a pipe system via which the medium is distributed from a common source to a plurality of consumer devices, according to the preamble of claim 1. In residential, and in particular in non-residential buildings, several applications are known which make use of a pipe system that distributes a medium from a common source to a number of consumer devices spread over the building. Such a pipe system may be a closed circuit, comprising a number of supply pipes connecting the common source with each of the consumer devices and a number of return pipes connecting each of the consumer devices back to the common source. This is for instance the case where the consumer devices are heat exchange systems. The pipe system may also be an open circuit, comprising a number of supply pipes connecting the common source with each of the consumer devices only, without return pipes connecting each of the consumer devices back to the common source. This is for instance the case in sanitary applications. Such a pipe system may also be a combination of a closed circuit and an open circuit. This is for instance the case when heating water is delivered from a common source to a number of heat exchangers, which are provided to heat up the rooms in the building, and to a number of water taps, which are provided to deliver heated water to the consumer. In such systems it is known to include control valves with an adjustable orifice for controlling the flow of medium to the respective consumer device. The position of the orifice determines the amount of medium passing through the consumer device per time unit. In heat exchange applications this means that the position of the orifice determines the amount of heat delivered from the heat exchanger to the room. However, the amount of medium passing through the consumer device is not only determined by the position of the orifice, but also by the pressure at which the medium is passed through the consumer device as well as by other influencing factors. This pressure differs depending on for example the distance between the common source and the consumer device. This is in particular the case in non-residential buildings, where the pipe system and the consumer devices are in most cases divided over a plurality of different floors in the building. The pressure at a specific consumer device may even vary over time, for instance as a result of closing or opening a valve in a pipe to one or more other consumer devices. In heat exchange applications, the closing of such a valve may lead to an increase of the pressure of the medium flowing to one or more of the other heat exchangers in the circuit and hence to a higher flow rate towards these heat exchangers and to an increase of the amount of energy/heat delivered by the heat exchangers to the respective room. This is not desired. Several systems were already developed to attempt to provide in a pressure independent control of the medium flow through a pipe system. WO-A-9206422 is for instance related to a system for automatically adjusting the medium flow to a set medium flow, independent of pressure variations between the entrance and exit of the heat exchanger. To this end the control system comprises a first medium flow control unit, set to a predetermined value, and a second medium flow control unit, that allows to create a variable pressure loss. The control system further comprises a mechanic drive mechanism for automatically compensating each detected variation of pressure loss between the entrance and exit of the heat exchanger by more or less closing the second flow medium flow control unit. The pressure difference between entrance and exit, and thus the set medium flow, is only set once. The control system has the disadvantage that only minor medium flow variations can be compensated, restricting the applicability range of the system. Another type of control system for pipe systems is known from U.S. Pat. No. 6,435,207. U.S. Pat. No. 6,435,207 describes a flow regulation control valve for setting and measuring volume flows in pipes. The flow regulation control valve comprises a shut-off member arranged in a flow chamber, for setting a desired flow state and a sensor arranged in or adjacent the flow chamber, for sensing a value representative of a flow through the flow chamber. The flow regulation control valve further comprises an evaluation unit which determines the flow from the value measured by the sensor and from the characteristic values of the section control valve which are stored in an electronic data store at the sensor. These characteristic values are valve specific. The adjustment of the flow through a section of the pipe system is done by manually adjusting the shut-off member of the flow regulation control valve until the desired flow is displayed in the evaluation unit. Such a control system has the disadvantage that the characteristic values of the housing are used to determine the actual flow rate. The characteristic values or characteristic curve of a control valve gives the correct relationship between the medium flow and the position of the control valve only at constant pressure. The system can be calibrated for use at a given nominal pressure, as a result of requiring the characteristic values of the control valve, only a narrow range of pressure variations can be accurately compensated for. U.S. Pat. No. 5,927,400 discloses a flow control system for controlling flow to a heat exchanger. The system comprises a turbine type flow sensor in which a turbine is driven by the flowing medium. The number of revolutions per time unit of the turbine is counted to measure the flow rate of the medium at the turbine. The sensor outputs a pulse signal created by magnets on the turbine, so the number of pulses per time unit is a measure for the flow rate. An evaluation unit, using preset characteristics depending on the flow range, compares the measured flow rate with a set flow rate, which is derived from a temperature setting, and operates a valve accordingly. The system has the disadvantage that its accuracy is poor, especially at low flow rates, again restricting the applicability range of the system. SUMMARY It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a widely applicable, pressure independent flow control system with accurate control of the flow rate over the whole of the applicability range. This is achieved according to the present invention with a flow control system showing the technical features of the the first claim. As used herein, with the term “medium” is meant any liquid, gas, smoke, aerosol, flowing solid or any mixture thereof or any other flowing medium known to the person skilled in the art. As used herein, “in front of device A” or “behind device A” respectively means “in front of device A, taken in flow direction of the medium” and “behind device A, taken in flow direction of the medium”. As used herein, with the term “heat exchange” is meant provided for heating and/or cooling. As used herein, with the term “consumer device” is intended any device which either consumes energy supplied via the medium or consumes the medium itself, including, but not being limited to a heat exchanger (heating and/or cooling) or a water tap. The flow control system of the invention comprises: a flow sensor for sensing an actual medium flow through the pipe part and outputting an electrical signal indicative of the sensed actual medium flow, a controller in communicative connection with the flow sensor, the controller being provided for evaluating the electrical signal indicative of the sensed actual medium flow with a value representing a set medium flow and outputting a control signal based on the evaluation, and an orifice adjusting system in communicative connection with the controller, the orifice adjusting system comprising a flow chamber with an adjustable orifice in the pipe part, the orifice adjusting system being provided for adjusting the adjustable orifice in response to the control signal of the controller. The value representing the set medium flow can be a desired flow value or a setting from which a desired flow value is derived, such as for example a desired room temperature setting. According to the invention, the flow sensor is arranged outside the flow chamber and has a static measurement principle based on a wave propagating in the medium. An analysis of the prior art has shown that the applicability range of the flow control systems is restricted by either taking a nominal pressure as centre point (variable pressure loss systems and systems using the characteristic flow curve), so that the system can only operate accurately in a small pressure range around this centre point, or by the type of sensor used. According to the invention, a flow sensor is chosen from a range of sensors which have a static measurement principle, i.e. without moving parts, which is advantageous in view of avoiding wear on the moving parts, risks of malfunction and the need for maintenance. Another advantage of a system which has a static measurement is that, for example with respect to a turbine type sensor, the pressure drop over the sensor caused by the measurement can be minimized. According to the invention, the flow sensor has a measurement principle based on a wave propagating in the medium. The wave can be an energy or electromagnetic wave or a wave induced in the medium. Examples are: ultrasonic flow sensors, in which ultrasonic transducers are used to induce and detect ultrasonic sound waves and thereby sensing the flow, vortex flow sensors, in which an obstruction is placed in the flow path to induce vortices in the medium, which propagate at a speed proportional to the flow rate, electromagnetic flow sensors, in which a magnetic field is applied to the pipe part, which results in a potential difference proportional to the flow velocity perpendicular to the flux lines. The physical principle at work is Faraday's law of electromagnetic induction. Among these, the ultrasonic flow sensor is preferred as it can achieve a high accuracy over a wide flow range. Vortex sensors are somewhat less preferred as the measurement principle requires a minimum flow rate of the medium in order to induce the vortices and the obstruction for inducing the vortices causes a slight pressure drop. Electromagnetic sensors are also somewhat less preferred in view of restricting applicability to media with electric conductivity, although they are very suitable for sanitary applications as drinking water is conductive. In the system of the invention, the flow sensor output is an electrical signal (analog or digital), which has the advantage of simplifying evaluation of the measured flow with the set flow, leading to a faster response time with respect to a mechanical system like the prior art system with the variable pressure loss. In the system of the invention, the controller makes an evaluation on the level of flow, i.e. directly compares the sensed flow (the output signal of the flow sensor) with the set flow (possibly derived from a setting). This can also contribute to a faster response time with respect to prior art systems, for example prior art systems in which energy consumption is evaluated to control the medium flow. In the system of the invention, the flow sensor is arranged outside, preferably spaced from, the flow chamber of the orifice adjusting system, so influence of the shape of the flow chamber, or other characteristics of the orifice adjusting system on the flow measurement can be avoided. As a result, the use of characteristics values, e.g. the characteristic curve of the adjustable orifice, can be avoided in controlling the orifice. Hence, the control can become truely pressure independent. Furthermore, the need for calibration of the system before use can be avoided. As a result, the flow control system can be used in combination with a wide range of different control valves or orifice adjusting systems. An advantage of the flow control system of the present invention is that the flow control system can be used to compensate large pressure differences. The pressure difference that can be compensated is only limited to the extent by which the adjustable orifice can be opened or closed. The orifice adjusting system is preferably constructed such that it has an equal-percentage characteristic curve, so that the adjustable orifice is more sensitive at lower flow rates than at higher flow rates. This equal-percentage characteristic curve can either be achieved by design of the shape of the parts forming the adjustable orifice or by the construction of the actuator which actuates one or more of these parts to adjust the orifice. For example, the actuator can be constructed to impart a larger relative movement in a first range starting at 0% opening of the orifice and a smaller relative movement in a second range above a given opening of the orifice. It has been found that the combination of a flow sensor of the type described above and an equal-percentage characteristic curve can lead to a highly accurate and widely applicable flow control system. In a preferred embodiment, the flow sensor is provided in front of the flow chamber. Because the medium in front of the adjustable orifice is less disturbed by the adjustable orifice than the medium behind the adjustable orifice, the sensor can be usually positioned more closely to the adjustable orifice than is the case with a sensor positioned behind the adjustable orifice. Hence, a more compact system can be achieved. In another preferred embodiment, the flow sensor is provided behind the flow chamber. In order to minimize disturbance of the measurement by flow turbulences caused by the adjustable orifice, the first flow measurement device is in this case preferably spaced from the adjustable orifice by at least a quieting section of predetermined length. The predetermined length depends on a number of factors, namely diameter of the pipe, pressure, flow rate etc. The flow sensor can be positioned in front of or behind (in case of a closed system) the at least one consumer device. Positioning the flow sensor behind the at least one consumer device can result in a better longer-term performance of the sensor, because the sensor operates in a lower temperature. Moreover, by positioning the flow sensor behind the consumer device, the sensor can be used to derive the amount of delivered energy by simply combining a measurement of the temperature in the return pipe and with the (known) temperature of the medium in the supply pipe. Positioning the flow sensor in the supply pipe of the system has the advantage that disturbance of the measurements by flow turbulences caused by the consumer device can be avoided even if the flow sensor is placed close to the consumer device. In a preferred embodiment, the sensor is an electronic sensor, more preferably an electronic flow measurement cell. Such a sensor is preferred because it can further decrease the reaction time of the flow control system. In a preferred embodiment, the flow control system comprises a communication link towards a central unit, so that certain measured or derived values, such as for instance the actual medium flow or a calculated consumption, can be communicated at each time to the central unit. Alternatively, a decentralized reading unit associated with each consumer device can also be used to provide consumption information to the user. The value representing the set medium flow can be input into the controller by any means considered suitable by the person skilled in the art, such as for instance through an external analogue signal, through a digital signal or through a wireless signal. The set medium flow can also be a factory preset, as well as other parameters in the controller, such as for example a maximum speed of the flowing medium. The set medium flow can be directly inserted or communicated by the consumer to the controller. The consumer may also insert or communicate a temperature or pressure value to the controller which corresponds to the desired medium flow value. In heat exchange applications for instance, the set medium flow will usually equal the desired medium flow value needed to obtain a certain temperature in the room. This set medium flow may be set decentralized, for each consumer/consumer device separately, or centralized, for each of the consumers/consumer devices at once. The set medium flow corresponds to the desired medium flow and varies between 0 and 100% Vnom, wherein Vnom is the maximum medium flow for a specific adjustable orifice. It is preferably possible to limit the range of possible medium flow values between Vmin and Vmax wherein Vmin is more than 0 and Vmax is less than Vnom. The driving unit can be any type of driving unit known to the person skilled in the art, for instance a motor. The controller will compare the actual medium flow received from the sensor with the set medium flow, and produce a control signal. This output signal is communicated to the driving unit, which adjusts the adjustable orifice until the actual medium flow equals the set medium flow. The flow control system according to the present invention is able to control a medium flow, but can additionally be used to determine and/or control other variables. As an example, but not being limited thereto, the flow control system can for instance be used to control the velocity of the medium flowing through the pipe part, such that it for example does not exceed a given value to avoid noise. Another example is to determine the heat delivered by the consumer device to the room, i.e. the energy use, from the actual flow measurement and an additional medium temperature measurement. This energy use may then be visualized decentralized or centralized. The different components of the flow control system according to the present invention may form one single unit or two or more different units. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The invention will be further elucidated by means of the following description and the appended drawings. FIGS. 1-13 and 16 show detailed views of several different embodiments of the flow control system according to the present invention. FIGS. 14 and 15 respectively show cross sections of preferred embodiments of a two-way valve and a three-way valve for use in flow control systems according to the invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION FIG. 1 shows a flow control system associated with a consumer device 7, in this case a heat exchange system, provided in a pipe part 6 of a pipe system. The pipe part 6 is part of a pipe system which is provided for distributing a medium from a common source 20 to a plurality of consumer devices. The flow control system comprises a flow sensor 1, a controller 2 and an orifice adjusting system 3, 4. The sensor 1 is provided for sensing an actual medium flow through the pipe part 6 and outputting an electrical signal indicative of the sensed actual medium flow. The controller 2 is in communicative connection with the flow sensor 1 and is provided for evaluating the electrical signal indicative of the sensed actual medium flow with a value respresenting a set medium flow and outputting a control signal based on this evaluation. The set medium flow is inputted in the controller directly or indirectly, for example by a user or a central control unit. The set medium flow can for example be derived from a desired temperature setting. The orifice adjusting system 3, 4 is in communicative connection with the controller 2 and comprises a flow chamber 11 (see FIGS. 14 and 15) with an adjustable orifice 12, by which the flow through the pipe part 6 can be adjusted. The orifice adjusting system 3, 4 is provided for adjusting the adjustable orifice 12 in response to the control signal of the controller 2. In this way, the controller can control by means of the orifice adjusting system the flow in the pipe part 6 towards the set medium flow. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the flow sensor 1 is provided in front of the orifice adjusting system 3, 4 and in front of the heat exchange system 7 with which the flow control system is associated. Alternatively, the flow sensor 1 can also be provided behind the orifice adjusting system 3, 4 and in front of the heat exchange system 7, as is shown in FIG. 2. In this case, the flow sensor 1 is spaced from the flow chamber 11 by at least a quieting section 13 of predetermined length for attenuating turbulence in the medium caused by the adjustable orifice 12. The flow sensor can further be provided behind the heat exchange system 7 as shown in a preferred embodiment shown in FIG. 16. In FIGS. 1 and 2 and 16, the adjustable orifice forms part of a flow control valve 4, which together with a driving unit 3 forms the orifice adjusting system. In FIGS. 1 and 2, the flow control valve is a two-way valve. In the embodiments shown in FIGS. 3-10, which will be described below, a three-way flow control valve is used. The adjustable orifice and the driving unit may be carried out in any other way deemed suitable to the person skilled in the art. The flow sensor 1 is a flow sensor with a static measurement principle, meaning that moving parts like for example a turbine are avoided. The static measurement principle is preferred, as it has been found that moving parts may lead to inaccurate measurements and require frequent maintenance. The measurement principle of the flow sensor 1 is not based on a moving part which is driven by the flowing medium, but on a certain wave which is induced in the flowing medium, for example ultrasonic waves by ultrasonic transducers (ultrasonic flow sensor), propagating vortices which are induced by an obstruction which is placed in the flow path (vortex sensor), electromagnetic waves by means of a magnetic field (electromagnetic flow sensor). Among these types of sensors, the ultrasonic flow sensor is preferred as it can achieve a high accuracy over a wide range. The orifice adjusting system 3, 4 is preferably constructed such that it has an equal-percentage characteristic curve, so that the adjustable orifice is more sensitive at lower flow rates than at higher flow rates. This equal-percentage characteristic curve can either be achieved by design of shape of the movable part 14, by means of which the orifice is adjusted, or by means of the actuator in the driving unit which moves the movable member, which can for example be constructed to impart a larger movement in a first range starting at 0% opening of the orifice and a smaller movement in a second range above a given opening of the orifice. In the two-way and three-way control valves shown in FIGS. 14 and 15, the equal-percentage characteristic curve is provided by the shape of the movable parts 14. In the preferred embodiments shown in FIGS. 3-10, the orifice adjusting system comprises a three-way control valve 4 located at an intersection of a supply pipe 15 of the pipe system, provided for supplying the medium from the common source 20 to one of the consumer devices 7, in this case again a heat exchange system, and a bypass pipe 16 bypassing the one consumer device, such that part of the medium flow can be directly transferred to the return pipe 17 back to the common source 20 and does not flow through the heat exchange system. As such, the three-way valve defines a first flow path for the medium from the common source 20 via the valve to the consumer device to the return pipe, and a second flow path from the common source 20 via the valve and the bypass pipe to the return pipe. Alternatively, the three-way valve may also be provided at the end of the bypass pipe, i.e. at the intersection between the bypass pipe and the return pipe, where the flows through the bypass pipe and the consumer device are rejoined. FIG. 3 shows a preferred embodiment of the flow control system comprises two flow sensors, a first flow sensor 1 in front of the three-way valve 4 and a second flow sensor 5 between the valve and the heat exchange system. The second flow sensor 5 is preferably also one with a static measurement principle based on a wave propagating in the medium, preferably of the same type as the first sensor. The first sensor measures the total flow through the supply pipe, the second sensor measures the part flowing through the heat exchange system. Both are communicatively connected to the controller 2, which controls the setting of the adjustable orifice by evaluation of the output signals of the sensors and the set medium flow. FIG. 4 shows a flow control system which is comparable to the one shown in FIG. 3, but wherein the second sensor 5 is provided along the bypass pipe. FIG. 5 shows a flow control system which is comparable to the one shown in FIG. 3, but wherein the first flow sensor 1 is provided along the return pipe at a position behind the intersection point between the bypass pipe and the return pipe. FIG. 6 shows a flow control system comprising a three-way control valve, with only one flow sensor 1 between the valve 4 and the consumer device 7. Here, the system may comprise an additional application, wherein the flow control system is used to influence, software-wise, the characteristic curve of the three-way control valve. Such a system may for instance be used to change a linear characteristic curve of the adjustable orifice in a non-linear characteristic curve or vice versa. This software-like correction of the characteristic curve can also be used in the systems shown in FIGS. 1-2, wherein a two-way valve is used. FIG. 7 shows another application of the flow control system according to the present invention. The flow control system shown in FIG. 7 comprises flow sensor 1 along the supply pipe in a position between the three-way valve 4 and the heat exchange system 7. The flow control system further comprises a first and a second temperature sensor 5, 6 for measuring the temperature of the medium at the entrance and the exit of the consumer device. These three measurements, i.e. the actual medium flow, the entrance and exit temperature, may then be transferred to a central unit 18, which is able to calculate the amount of energy exchanged by the heat exchange system. FIG. 8 shows a flow control system similar to that of FIG. 7, but wherein the temperature measurements and the actual medium flow are first being transferred to the controller 2, which then derives the amount of energy exchanged by the consumer device. This value may then be transferred to a central reading unit 18. FIG. 9 shows a flow control system similar to that of FIG. 7 or 8, wherein the flow sensor, the first temperature sensor and the controller are located at the entrance of the heat exchange system 7 and integrated into one and the same unit 19. Here, the central unit 18 communicates a desired temperature setting to the controller 2 of the unit 19, which determines the set medium flow from this desired temperature setting and the measurement of the first temperature sensor 5. The flow sensor 1 provides feedback if the actual medium flow corresponds to the set medium flow. The second temperature sensor provided at the exit of the consumer device communicates the exit temperature to the central unit 18. FIG. 10 shows a flow control system similar to that of FIG. 9, but wherein the integrated unit 19, comprising the flow sensor 1, the first temperature sensor 5 and the controller 2, is located along the return pipe 17 in a position behind the heat exchange system 7 and in front of the bypass pipe 16. FIG. 11, shows a flow control system wherein the flow sensor 1 comprises a combined flow measurement device (part A) and a temperature sensor (part B). Assuming that the temperature of the medium along the supply pipe remains substantially constant, a measurement of the temperature at the exit side of the heat exchange system allows determining the amount of energy exchanged by the heat exchange system. The exchanged amount of energy can be cooling, i.e. intake of energy by the consumer device, or heating, i.e. return of energy by the consumer device. FIG. 12 shows a flow control system similar to that of FIG. 3, wherein two two-way control valves 4, 7 replace the three-way control valve. The two two-way valves shown in FIG. 12 are each controlled by a separate driving unit 3, 8, which are controlled by a common controller 2. FIG. 13 shows a flow control system similar to that of FIG. 12, wherein the first flow sensor is moved from the supply pipe 15 to the bypass pipe 16, after the two-way valve 7. The different components of the flow control system are shown as separate components in FIGS. 1-13. However, it is possible that one or more of the components are integrated in one and the same housing. It is for instance possible to integrate the controller and the driving unit or the driving unit and the orifice adjusting system or any other combination considered suitable by the person skilled in the art. The flow control system according to the present invention, embodiments of which are shown in FIGS. 1-13 can also be used in a number of different applications. As an example, but not being limited thereto, the flow control system of the present invention can be used in a central heating system to individually control the medium flow through a number of heat exchangers, for example to compensate for pressure variations in the various pipes. An advantage of the flow control system of the invention is that the same flow control system can be applied throughout the central heating system, without need for calibration. The flow control system can also be used in sanitary applications, wherein water is distributed from a common source to a plurality of taps. The flow control system can be used to control the water flow to and through the taps in such a way that it is not dependent on pressure variations. When closing one or more taps, the pressure of the water passing through the pipe system at the position of the other taps, will increase. As a result, the actual water flow measured by the sensor of the flow control system will increase, as a result of which a difference between the actual medium flow and the set medium flow is detected. This results in a control signal communicated by the controller to the orifice adjusting system of the flow control system, as a result of which the adjustable orifice of the corresponding water tap will be closed to a certain extent until the actual medium flow meets the set medium flow. Another way of using the flow control system in sanitary applications is by using it to regulate the water hygiene by controlling the flushing process. When a tap is not used for a certain period of time, contamination can build up in the tap and the adjacent pipe part of the pipe system, which is of course not desired. It is known to provide the orifice adjusting system of a tap with a timer and to distribute the water on regular intervals through the pipe system in order to avoid contamination build up inside the pipe system and the tap. However, the current flushing processes do not provide in an accurate and normalized flushing process, since the amount of water used for the flushing process is dependent on the actual pressure of the water. The flow control system of the present invention can be used to normalize the amount of water used during the flushing process by controlling the water flow of the water during the flushing process to a set water flow. This can be understood as follows. Preferably, the flow control system is provided with a timer which monitors at each time the water circulation through a certain part of the pipe system. From the moment there is no or insufficient consumption of water at that pipe part, the flow control system will open the adjustable orifice and flush that specific pipe part. The amount of water used by the flushing process is measured and limited by the flow control system. Preferably, not only the flow of the flushing water is controlled, but also the temperature of the flushing water is controlled. By controlling the temperature and flow of the flushing water, the flow control system is able to provide in an effective and normalized flushing process. The controllers 2 of the various embodiments described above can be provided with wireless telecommunication means for communicating wirelessly with a remote control unit, by means of which a user can for example adjust a desired temperature setting in the controller, or directly a set medium flow, or read out data stored in the controller such as for example water or energy consumption in the associated consumer device. | <SOH> BACKGROUND <EOH>The present invention relates to a flow control system for controlling a flow of a medium passing through a pipe part of a pipe system via which the medium is distributed from a common source to a plurality of consumer devices, according to the preamble of claim 1 . In residential, and in particular in non-residential buildings, several applications are known which make use of a pipe system that distributes a medium from a common source to a number of consumer devices spread over the building. Such a pipe system may be a closed circuit, comprising a number of supply pipes connecting the common source with each of the consumer devices and a number of return pipes connecting each of the consumer devices back to the common source. This is for instance the case where the consumer devices are heat exchange systems. The pipe system may also be an open circuit, comprising a number of supply pipes connecting the common source with each of the consumer devices only, without return pipes connecting each of the consumer devices back to the common source. This is for instance the case in sanitary applications. Such a pipe system may also be a combination of a closed circuit and an open circuit. This is for instance the case when heating water is delivered from a common source to a number of heat exchangers, which are provided to heat up the rooms in the building, and to a number of water taps, which are provided to deliver heated water to the consumer. In such systems it is known to include control valves with an adjustable orifice for controlling the flow of medium to the respective consumer device. The position of the orifice determines the amount of medium passing through the consumer device per time unit. In heat exchange applications this means that the position of the orifice determines the amount of heat delivered from the heat exchanger to the room. However, the amount of medium passing through the consumer device is not only determined by the position of the orifice, but also by the pressure at which the medium is passed through the consumer device as well as by other influencing factors. This pressure differs depending on for example the distance between the common source and the consumer device. This is in particular the case in non-residential buildings, where the pipe system and the consumer devices are in most cases divided over a plurality of different floors in the building. The pressure at a specific consumer device may even vary over time, for instance as a result of closing or opening a valve in a pipe to one or more other consumer devices. In heat exchange applications, the closing of such a valve may lead to an increase of the pressure of the medium flowing to one or more of the other heat exchangers in the circuit and hence to a higher flow rate towards these heat exchangers and to an increase of the amount of energy/heat delivered by the heat exchangers to the respective room. This is not desired. Several systems were already developed to attempt to provide in a pressure independent control of the medium flow through a pipe system. WO-A-9206422 is for instance related to a system for automatically adjusting the medium flow to a set medium flow, independent of pressure variations between the entrance and exit of the heat exchanger. To this end the control system comprises a first medium flow control unit, set to a predetermined value, and a second medium flow control unit, that allows to create a variable pressure loss. The control system further comprises a mechanic drive mechanism for automatically compensating each detected variation of pressure loss between the entrance and exit of the heat exchanger by more or less closing the second flow medium flow control unit. The pressure difference between entrance and exit, and thus the set medium flow, is only set once. The control system has the disadvantage that only minor medium flow variations can be compensated, restricting the applicability range of the system. Another type of control system for pipe systems is known from U.S. Pat. No. 6,435,207. U.S. Pat. No. 6,435,207 describes a flow regulation control valve for setting and measuring volume flows in pipes. The flow regulation control valve comprises a shut-off member arranged in a flow chamber, for setting a desired flow state and a sensor arranged in or adjacent the flow chamber, for sensing a value representative of a flow through the flow chamber. The flow regulation control valve further comprises an evaluation unit which determines the flow from the value measured by the sensor and from the characteristic values of the section control valve which are stored in an electronic data store at the sensor. These characteristic values are valve specific. The adjustment of the flow through a section of the pipe system is done by manually adjusting the shut-off member of the flow regulation control valve until the desired flow is displayed in the evaluation unit. Such a control system has the disadvantage that the characteristic values of the housing are used to determine the actual flow rate. The characteristic values or characteristic curve of a control valve gives the correct relationship between the medium flow and the position of the control valve only at constant pressure. The system can be calibrated for use at a given nominal pressure, as a result of requiring the characteristic values of the control valve, only a narrow range of pressure variations can be accurately compensated for. U.S. Pat. No. 5,927,400 discloses a flow control system for controlling flow to a heat exchanger. The system comprises a turbine type flow sensor in which a turbine is driven by the flowing medium. The number of revolutions per time unit of the turbine is counted to measure the flow rate of the medium at the turbine. The sensor outputs a pulse signal created by magnets on the turbine, so the number of pulses per time unit is a measure for the flow rate. An evaluation unit, using preset characteristics depending on the flow range, compares the measured flow rate with a set flow rate, which is derived from a temperature setting, and operates a valve accordingly. The system has the disadvantage that its accuracy is poor, especially at low flow rates, again restricting the applicability range of the system. | <SOH> SUMMARY <EOH>It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a widely applicable, pressure independent flow control system with accurate control of the flow rate over the whole of the applicability range. This is achieved according to the present invention with a flow control system showing the technical features of the the first claim. As used herein, with the term “medium” is meant any liquid, gas, smoke, aerosol, flowing solid or any mixture thereof or any other flowing medium known to the person skilled in the art. As used herein, “in front of device A” or “behind device A” respectively means “in front of device A, taken in flow direction of the medium” and “behind device A, taken in flow direction of the medium”. As used herein, with the term “heat exchange” is meant provided for heating and/or cooling. As used herein, with the term “consumer device” is intended any device which either consumes energy supplied via the medium or consumes the medium itself, including, but not being limited to a heat exchanger (heating and/or cooling) or a water tap. The flow control system of the invention comprises: a flow sensor for sensing an actual medium flow through the pipe part and outputting an electrical signal indicative of the sensed actual medium flow, a controller in communicative connection with the flow sensor, the controller being provided for evaluating the electrical signal indicative of the sensed actual medium flow with a value representing a set medium flow and outputting a control signal based on the evaluation, and an orifice adjusting system in communicative connection with the controller, the orifice adjusting system comprising a flow chamber with an adjustable orifice in the pipe part, the orifice adjusting system being provided for adjusting the adjustable orifice in response to the control signal of the controller. The value representing the set medium flow can be a desired flow value or a setting from which a desired flow value is derived, such as for example a desired room temperature setting. According to the invention, the flow sensor is arranged outside the flow chamber and has a static measurement principle based on a wave propagating in the medium. An analysis of the prior art has shown that the applicability range of the flow control systems is restricted by either taking a nominal pressure as centre point (variable pressure loss systems and systems using the characteristic flow curve), so that the system can only operate accurately in a small pressure range around this centre point, or by the type of sensor used. According to the invention, a flow sensor is chosen from a range of sensors which have a static measurement principle, i.e. without moving parts, which is advantageous in view of avoiding wear on the moving parts, risks of malfunction and the need for maintenance. Another advantage of a system which has a static measurement is that, for example with respect to a turbine type sensor, the pressure drop over the sensor caused by the measurement can be minimized. According to the invention, the flow sensor has a measurement principle based on a wave propagating in the medium. The wave can be an energy or electromagnetic wave or a wave induced in the medium. Examples are: ultrasonic flow sensors, in which ultrasonic transducers are used to induce and detect ultrasonic sound waves and thereby sensing the flow, vortex flow sensors, in which an obstruction is placed in the flow path to induce vortices in the medium, which propagate at a speed proportional to the flow rate, electromagnetic flow sensors, in which a magnetic field is applied to the pipe part, which results in a potential difference proportional to the flow velocity perpendicular to the flux lines. The physical principle at work is Faraday's law of electromagnetic induction. Among these, the ultrasonic flow sensor is preferred as it can achieve a high accuracy over a wide flow range. Vortex sensors are somewhat less preferred as the measurement principle requires a minimum flow rate of the medium in order to induce the vortices and the obstruction for inducing the vortices causes a slight pressure drop. Electromagnetic sensors are also somewhat less preferred in view of restricting applicability to media with electric conductivity, although they are very suitable for sanitary applications as drinking water is conductive. In the system of the invention, the flow sensor output is an electrical signal (analog or digital), which has the advantage of simplifying evaluation of the measured flow with the set flow, leading to a faster response time with respect to a mechanical system like the prior art system with the variable pressure loss. In the system of the invention, the controller makes an evaluation on the level of flow, i.e. directly compares the sensed flow (the output signal of the flow sensor) with the set flow (possibly derived from a setting). This can also contribute to a faster response time with respect to prior art systems, for example prior art systems in which energy consumption is evaluated to control the medium flow. In the system of the invention, the flow sensor is arranged outside, preferably spaced from, the flow chamber of the orifice adjusting system, so influence of the shape of the flow chamber, or other characteristics of the orifice adjusting system on the flow measurement can be avoided. As a result, the use of characteristics values, e.g. the characteristic curve of the adjustable orifice, can be avoided in controlling the orifice. Hence, the control can become truely pressure independent. Furthermore, the need for calibration of the system before use can be avoided. As a result, the flow control system can be used in combination with a wide range of different control valves or orifice adjusting systems. An advantage of the flow control system of the present invention is that the flow control system can be used to compensate large pressure differences. The pressure difference that can be compensated is only limited to the extent by which the adjustable orifice can be opened or closed. The orifice adjusting system is preferably constructed such that it has an equal-percentage characteristic curve, so that the adjustable orifice is more sensitive at lower flow rates than at higher flow rates. This equal-percentage characteristic curve can either be achieved by design of the shape of the parts forming the adjustable orifice or by the construction of the actuator which actuates one or more of these parts to adjust the orifice. For example, the actuator can be constructed to impart a larger relative movement in a first range starting at 0 % opening of the orifice and a smaller relative movement in a second range above a given opening of the orifice. It has been found that the combination of a flow sensor of the type described above and an equal-percentage characteristic curve can lead to a highly accurate and widely applicable flow control system. In a preferred embodiment, the flow sensor is provided in front of the flow chamber. Because the medium in front of the adjustable orifice is less disturbed by the adjustable orifice than the medium behind the adjustable orifice, the sensor can be usually positioned more closely to the adjustable orifice than is the case with a sensor positioned behind the adjustable orifice. Hence, a more compact system can be achieved. In another preferred embodiment, the flow sensor is provided behind the flow chamber. In order to minimize disturbance of the measurement by flow turbulences caused by the adjustable orifice, the first flow measurement device is in this case preferably spaced from the adjustable orifice by at least a quieting section of predetermined length. The predetermined length depends on a number of factors, namely diameter of the pipe, pressure, flow rate etc. The flow sensor can be positioned in front of or behind (in case of a closed system) the at least one consumer device. Positioning the flow sensor behind the at least one consumer device can result in a better longer-term performance of the sensor, because the sensor operates in a lower temperature. Moreover, by positioning the flow sensor behind the consumer device, the sensor can be used to derive the amount of delivered energy by simply combining a measurement of the temperature in the return pipe and with the (known) temperature of the medium in the supply pipe. Positioning the flow sensor in the supply pipe of the system has the advantage that disturbance of the measurements by flow turbulences caused by the consumer device can be avoided even if the flow sensor is placed close to the consumer device. In a preferred embodiment, the sensor is an electronic sensor, more preferably an electronic flow measurement cell. Such a sensor is preferred because it can further decrease the reaction time of the flow control system. In a preferred embodiment, the flow control system comprises a communication link towards a central unit, so that certain measured or derived values, such as for instance the actual medium flow or a calculated consumption, can be communicated at each time to the central unit. Alternatively, a decentralized reading unit associated with each consumer device can also be used to provide consumption information to the user. The value representing the set medium flow can be input into the controller by any means considered suitable by the person skilled in the art, such as for instance through an external analogue signal, through a digital signal or through a wireless signal. The set medium flow can also be a factory preset, as well as other parameters in the controller, such as for example a maximum speed of the flowing medium. The set medium flow can be directly inserted or communicated by the consumer to the controller. The consumer may also insert or communicate a temperature or pressure value to the controller which corresponds to the desired medium flow value. In heat exchange applications for instance, the set medium flow will usually equal the desired medium flow value needed to obtain a certain temperature in the room. This set medium flow may be set decentralized, for each consumer/consumer device separately, or centralized, for each of the consumers/consumer devices at once. The set medium flow corresponds to the desired medium flow and varies between 0 and 100% V nom , wherein V nom is the maximum medium flow for a specific adjustable orifice. It is preferably possible to limit the range of possible medium flow values between V min and V max wherein V min is more than 0 and V max is less than V nom . The driving unit can be any type of driving unit known to the person skilled in the art, for instance a motor. The controller will compare the actual medium flow received from the sensor with the set medium flow, and produce a control signal. This output signal is communicated to the driving unit, which adjusts the adjustable orifice until the actual medium flow equals the set medium flow. The flow control system according to the present invention is able to control a medium flow, but can additionally be used to determine and/or control other variables. As an example, but not being limited thereto, the flow control system can for instance be used to control the velocity of the medium flowing through the pipe part, such that it for example does not exceed a given value to avoid noise. Another example is to determine the heat delivered by the consumer device to the room, i.e. the energy use, from the actual flow measurement and an additional medium temperature measurement. This energy use may then be visualized decentralized or centralized. The different components of the flow control system according to the present invention may form one single unit or two or more different units. | G05D70635 | 20171115 | 20180308 | 91348.0 | G05D706 | 1 | MCCALISTER, WILLIAM M | Flow control system | SMALL | 1 | CONT-ACCEPTED | G05D | 2,017 |
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15,815,223 | PENDING | CONTROL BODY FOR AN ELECTRONIC SMOKING ARTICLE | The present disclosure provides a control body adapted for use in an electronic smoking article. The control body includes a shell and a coupler that is adapted to connect the control body to a cartridge of an electronic smoking article. The coupler further is adapted to communicate a pressure reduction within the coupler to a pressure reduction space in the shell. Also positioned within the shell is an electronic circuit board having a pressure sensor attached thereto. The electronic circuit board can be positioned to be parallel to a central axis of the shell. A first end of the pressure sensor can be isolated within the pressure reduction space, and a second end of the pressure sensor can be in communication with a normal pressure space within the shell. One or more light emitting diodes can be attached to the electronic circuit board. At least a portion of the coupler can be light transmissive so that light from the LED is visible through the coupler. | 1-24. (canceled) 25. An electronic smoking article comprising: an elongated shell with an interior; an electrical power source within the interior of the elongated shell; an electronic circuit board within the interior of the elongated; a normal air pressure space within the interior of the elongated shell; a pressure reduction space within the interior of the elongated shell isolated from the normal air pressure space; an air pressure sensor attached to the electronic circuit board, the air pressure sensor having a first end that is in fluid communication with the pressure reduction space and a second end that is in fluid communication with the normal air space; an air inlet; and a pressure channel having a first end that is in fluid communication with the air inlet and a second end that is in fluid communication with the pressure reduction space. 26. The electronic smoking article of claim 25, further comprising wall positioned between the air pressure sensor and the air inlet, wherein the pressure channel extends through said wall. 27. The electronic smoking article of claim 26, wherein the pressure channel is integrally formed in the wall. 28. The electronic smoking article of claim 25, comprising a sealing member configured to form an air tight seal around the pressure sensor and the second end of the pressure channel and thus define the pressure reduction space. 29. The electronic smoking article of claim 25, wherein the electronic circuit board includes a microprocessor, and wherein the microprocessor is configured to establish electrical current flow from the electrical power source when the pressure sensor detects a reduced pressure in the pressure reduction space relative to the pressure in the normal pressure space. 30. The electronic smoking article of claim 25, wherein the electronic circuit board is positioned entirely within the normal pressure space. 31. The electronic smoking article of claim 25, comprising an aerosol precursor composition and a heater adapted to vaporize the aerosol precursor composition. 32. An electronic smoking article comprising: a first elongated shell defining a control body; a second elongated shell defining a cartridge; an electrical power source within the control body; an electronic circuit board within the control body; at least one light emitting diode (LED) attached to the electronic circuit board; and a coupler connecting the control body to the cartridge, the coupler including a light transmissive element through which light from the LED is visible exterior to the electronic smoking article. 33. The electronic smoking article of claim 32, wherein the control circuit is configured to cause the at least one LED to emit a defined lighting signal that corresponds to a status of the electronic smoking article. 34. The electronic smoking article of claim 33, comprising an input element, and wherein the control circuit is configured to cause the at least one LED to emit the defined lighting signal in response to an input from the input element. 35. The electronic smoking article of claim 34, wherein the input element is at least partially light transmissive. 36. The electronic smoking article of claim 32, comprising an aerosol precursor composition and a heater adapted to vaporize the aerosol precursor composition, the aerosol precursor composition and the heater being positioned within the cartridge. 37. The electronic smoking article of claim 32, further comprising: a normal air pressure space within the control body; a pressure reduction space within the control body isolated from the normal air pressure space; an air pressure sensor attached to the electronic circuit board, the air pressure sensor having a first end that is in fluid communication with the pressure reduction space and a second end that is in fluid communication with the normal air space; an air inlet defined at least partially by the coupler; and a pressure channel having a first end that is in fluid communication with the air inlet and a second end that is in fluid communication with the pressure reduction space. | FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE The present disclosure relates to aerosol delivery devices such as smoking articles. The smoking articles may be configured to heat a material, which may be made or derived from tobacco or otherwise incorporate tobacco, to form an inhalable substance for human consumption. BACKGROUND Many smoking devices have been proposed through the years as improvements upon, or alternatives to, smoking products that require combusting tobacco for use. Many of those devices purportedly have been designed to provide the sensations associated with cigarette, cigar, or pipe smoking, but without delivering considerable quantities of incomplete combustion and pyrolysis products that result from the burning of tobacco. To this end, there have been proposed numerous smoking products, flavor generators, and medicinal inhalers that utilize electrical energy to vaporize or heat a volatile material, or attempt to provide the sensations of cigarette, cigar, or pipe smoking without burning tobacco to a significant degree. See, for example, the various alternative smoking articles, aerosol delivery devices and heat generating sources set forth in the background art described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,726,320 to Robinson et al., U.S. Pat. Pub. No. 2013/0255702 to Griffith Jr. et al., U.S. Pat. Pub. No. 2014/0000638 to Sebastian et al., U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/602,871 to Collett et al., filed Sep. 4, 2012, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/647,000 to Sears et al., filed Oct. 8, 2012, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/826,929 to Ampolini et al., filed Mar. 14, 2013, and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/011,992 to Davis et al., filed Aug. 28, 2013, which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. It would be desirable to provide a smoking article that employs heat produced by electrical energy to provide the sensations of cigarette, cigar, or pipe smoking, that does so without combusting tobacco to any significant degree, that does so without the need of a combustion heat source, and that does so without necessarily delivering considerable quantities of incomplete combustion and pyrolysis products. Further, advances with respect to manufacturing electronic smoking articles would be desirable. SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE The present disclosure relates to materials and combinations thereof useful in electronic smoking articles and like personal devices. In particular, the present disclosure relates to a control body that can include one or more elements useful to improve the function thereof. The control body particularly can include an electronic circuit board therein that is configured for improved functioning of the device. For example, in some embodiments, the electronic circuit board is in an orientation that provides for improved communication between a pressure sensor and drawn air entering the device. This can incorporate a coupler element that includes an exterior opening that allows external air to enter the device and a pressure channel that communicates a pressure drop caused by the drawn air to an isolated segment of the device that includes a portion of the pressure sensor. Such coupler can particularly be useful to reduce or prevent passage of liquid from an attached cartridge through the coupler and into the control body and thus reduce or prevent contamination of the sensor or other electronic elements present in the control body. In some embodiments, a control body for an electronic smoking article according to the present disclosure can comprise an elongated shell with an interior, a proximal end, and an opposing distal end. A coupler can be present and can have a body end that is in engagement with the proximal end of the shell and can have an opposing connector end that is configured to releasably engage a cartridge. An electrical power source can be included as well as an electronic circuit board, which can be positioned within the shell interior between the electrical power source and the coupler. The electronic circuit board particularly can include a control circuit, which can comprise a microcontroller, a microprocessor, or the like, and any further control components suitable for controlling power delivery from the power source and any further functions of the device. Further, the shell can have a central axis therethrough from the proximal end to the distal end, and the electronic circuit board can be oriented parallel to the central axis of the shell. In further embodiments, the control body can comprise a pressure sensor attached to the electronic circuit board (i.e., is on the circuit board). The pressure sensor can be attached directly to the electronic circuit board, which can include a spacing factor, as further described herein. The shell interior of the control body can include a normal pressure space and a pressure reduction space, and a first end of the pressure sensor can be in fluid communication with the pressure reduction space while a second end of the pressure sensor can be in fluid communication with the normal pressure space. The body end of the coupler can include a wall, and the connector end of the coupler can have a central opening therethrough. Further, the coupler can include a pressure channel extending between a first end in fluid communication with the central opening and a second end that opens through the wall at the body end of the coupler to be in fluid communication with the pressure reduction space. In some embodiments, the pressure channel can be integrally formed in the coupler. The control body can comprise a sealing member configured to form an air tight seal around the pressure sensor and the second end of the pressure channel and thus define the pressure reduction space encompassing the opening at the second end of the pressure channel and the first end of the pressure sensor. Further, the sealing member can be in physical contact with an inner surface of the shell. The coupler can include an air inlet channel in fluid communication with the central opening therein. In some embodiments, the air inlet channel can be formed entirely within the coupler body. An air inlet aperture can be present in the exterior surface of the coupler and be in fluid communication with the air inlet. An ambient air flow pathway can extend from the exterior of the coupler (i.e., through the air inlet aperture), through the coupler body, and through the central opening. The control circuit of the control body can be configured to establish electrical current flow from the electrical power source when the pressure sensor detects a reduced pressure in the pressure reduction space relative to the pressure in the normal pressure space. In some embodiments, the electronic circuit board can be positioned entirely within the normal pressure space. In further embodiments, the control body can comprise at least one light emitting diode (LED) attached to the electronic circuit board. At least a portion of the coupler can be light transmissive such that light from the LED is visible through the coupler. Further, the control circuit can be configured to cause an LED to emit a defined lighting signal that corresponds to a status of the electronic smoking article. In some embodiments, the control body can comprise an input element. The control circuit can be configured to cause the at least one LED to emit the defined lighting signal in response to an input from the input element. The input element can be a manual input element (e.g., a pushbutton or touchscreen). In some embodiments, the input element can be at least partially light transmissive. The input to the LED also may be automatically generated by the control circuit in response to detecting a status of the smoking article. If desired, the control body can comprise an LED positioned at the distal end of the shell. In other embodiments, a control body for an electronic smoking article can comprise an elongated shell with an interior, a proximal end, and an opposing distal end. The control body further can comprise a coupler formed of an elongated body having a first end that forms a wall and that engages the proximal end of the shell and a second end that comprises a cavity configured to releasably engage a cartridge, wherein the coupler includes a pressure channel extending between a first end that is in fluid communication with the cavity and a second end that opens through the wall at the first end of the coupler, wherein the coupler includes an air inlet channel in fluid communication with the cavity and an air inlet aperture in an exterior surface of the coupler, and wherein the coupler has a longitudinal axis extending from the first end to the second end, and the first end of the pressure channel is spatially separated from the air inlet channel relative to the longitudinal axis of the coupler. The control body further can comprise one or more additional components, such as a power source, a microprocessor or other control component, or the like. In some embodiments, the first end of the pressure channel in the coupler can be spatially separated from the air inlet channel so as to be relatively nearer the second end of the coupler. In further embodiments, the present disclosure can provide an electronic smoking article. Such smoking article can comprise a control body as described herein and a cartridge comprising an aerosol precursor composition and a heater adapted to vaporize the aerosol precursor composition. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES Having thus described the disclosure in the foregoing general terms, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings, which are not necessarily drawn to scale, and wherein: FIG. 1 is a sectional view through an electronic smoking article comprising a control body and a cartridge; FIG. 2 is a sectional view through an electronic smoking article comprising a cartridge and a control body according to an example embodiment of the present disclosure; FIG. 3 is a sectional view through a control body of an electronic smoking article according to an example embodiment of the present disclosure; FIG. 4 is a detailed view of the proximal end of the control body illustrated in FIG. 3; FIG. 5 is a detailed view of the proximal end of the control body illustrated in FIG. 3 that also illustrates a sealing member; FIG. 6A is a cross-section through Line A-A of FIG. 5; FIG. 6B is a cross-section through Line B-B of FIG. 5; FIG. 7 is a partial sectional view of an electronic smoking article according a further example embodiment of the present disclosure showing a control body connected to a cartridge via the control body coupler and the cartridge base; FIG. 8 is a sectional view of the proximal end a control body of an electronic smoking article according to a further example embodiment of the present disclosure that illustrates an input element; and FIG. 9 is a perspective view of an electronic smoking article according to an example embodiment of the present disclosure showing a control body attached to a cartridge through a light transmissive coupler. DETAILED DESCRIPTION The present disclosure will now be described more fully hereinafter with reference to exemplary embodiments thereof. These exemplary embodiments are described so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the disclosure to those skilled in the art. Indeed, the disclosure may be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will satisfy applicable legal requirements. As used in the specification, and in the appended claims, the singular forms “a”, “an”, “the”, include plural referents unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. The present disclosure provides descriptions of aerosol delivery devices or smoking articles, such as so-called “e-cigarettes.” It should be understood that the mechanisms, components, features, and methods may be embodied in many different forms and associated with a variety of articles. In this regard, the present disclosure provides descriptions of aerosol delivery devices that use electrical energy to heat a material (preferably without combusting or pyrolyzing the material to any significant degree) to form an inhalable substance; such articles most preferably being sufficiently compact to be considered “hand-held” devices. An aerosol delivery device may provide some or all of the sensations (e.g., inhalation and exhalation rituals, types of tastes or flavors, organoleptic effects, physical feel, use rituals, visual cues such as those provided by visible aerosol, and the like) of smoking a cigarette, cigar, or pipe, without any substantial degree of combustion or pyrolysis of any component of that article or device. The aerosol delivery device may not produce smoke in the sense of the aerosol resulting from by-products of combustion or pyrolysis of tobacco, but rather, that the article or device may yield vapors (including vapors within aerosols that can be considered to be visible aerosols that might be considered to be described as smoke-like) resulting from volatilization or vaporization of certain components of the article or device. In highly preferred embodiments, aerosol delivery devices may incorporate tobacco and/or components derived from tobacco. Aerosol delivery devices of the present disclosure also can be characterized as being vapor-producing articles, smoking articles, or medicament delivery articles. Thus, such articles or devices can be adapted so as to provide one or more substances (e.g., flavors and/or pharmaceutical active ingredients) in an inhalable form or state. For example, inhalable substances can be substantially in the form of a vapor (i.e., a substance that is in the gas phase at a temperature lower than its critical point). Alternatively, inhalable substances can be in the form of an aerosol (i.e., a suspension of fine solid particles or liquid droplets in a gas). For purposes of simplicity, the term “aerosol” as used herein is meant to include vapors, gases and aerosols of a form or type suitable for human inhalation, whether or not visible, and whether or not of a form that might be considered to be smoke-like. In use, aerosol delivery devices of the present disclosure may be subjected to many of the physical actions employed by an individual in using a traditional type of smoking article (e.g., a cigarette, cigar or pipe that is employed by lighting and inhaling tobacco). For example, the user of an aerosol delivery device of the present disclosure can hold that article much like a traditional type of smoking article, draw on one end of that article for inhalation of aerosol produced by that article, take puffs at selected intervals of time, etc. Aerosol delivery devices of the present disclosure generally include a number of components provided within an outer body or shell. The overall design of the outer body or shell can vary, and the format or configuration of the outer body that can define the overall size and shape of the aerosol delivery device can vary. Typically, an elongated body resembling the shape of a cigarette or cigar can be a formed from a single, unitary shell; or the elongated body can be formed of two or more separable pieces. For example, an aerosol delivery device can comprise an elongated shell or body that can be substantially tubular in shape and, as such, resemble the shape of a conventional cigarette or cigar. In one embodiment, all of the components of the aerosol delivery device are contained within one outer body or shell. Alternatively, an aerosol delivery device can comprise two or more shells that are joined and are separable. For example, an aerosol delivery device can possess at one end a control body comprising an outer body or shell containing one or more reusable components (e.g., a rechargeable battery and various electronics for controlling the operation of that article), and at the other end and removably attached thereto an outer body or shell containing a disposable portion (e.g., a disposable flavor-containing cartridge). More specific formats, configurations and arrangements of components within the single shell type of unit or within a multi-piece separable shell type of unit will be evident in light of the further disclosure provided herein. Additionally, various aerosol delivery device designs and component arrangements can be appreciated upon consideration of the commercially available electronic aerosol delivery devices, such as those representative products listed in the background art section of the present disclosure. Aerosol delivery devices of the present disclosure most preferably comprise some combination of a power source (i.e., an electrical power source), at least one control component (e.g., means for actuating, controlling, regulating and ceasing power for heat generation, such as by controlling electrical current flow the power source to other components of the article—e.g., a microcontroller), a heater or heat generation component (e.g., an electrical resistance heating element or component commonly referred to as an “atomizer”), an aerosol precursor composition (e.g., commonly a liquid capable of yielding an aerosol upon application of sufficient heat, such as ingredients commonly referred to as “smoke juice,” “e-liquid” and “e-juice”), and a mouthend region or tip for allowing draw upon the aerosol delivery device for aerosol inhalation (e.g., a defined air flow path through the article such that aerosol generated can be withdrawn therefrom upon draw). Exemplary formulations for aerosol precursor materials that may be used according to the present disclosure are described in U.S. Pat. Pub. No. 2013/0008457 to Zheng et al. and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/536,438 to Sebastian et al., filed Jun. 28, 2012, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. Alignment of the components within the aerosol delivery device can vary. In specific embodiments, the aerosol precursor composition can be located near an end of the article (e.g., within a cartridge, which in certain circumstances can be replaceable and disposable), which may be proximal to the mouth of a user so as to maximize aerosol delivery to the user. Other configurations, however, are not excluded. Generally, the heating element can be positioned sufficiently near the aerosol precursor composition so that heat from the heating element can volatilize the aerosol precursor (as well as one or more flavorants, medicaments, or the like that may likewise be provided for delivery to a user) and form an aerosol for delivery to the user. When the heating element heats the aerosol precursor composition, an aerosol is formed, released, or generated in a physical form suitable for inhalation by a consumer. It should be noted that the foregoing terms are meant to be interchangeable such that reference to release, releasing, releases, or released includes form or generate, forming or generating, forms or generates, and formed or generated. Specifically, an inhalable substance is released in the form of a vapor or aerosol or mixture thereof. Additionally, the selection of various aerosol delivery device components can be appreciated upon consideration of the commercially available electronic aerosol delivery devices, such as those representative products listed in the background art section of the present disclosure. An aerosol delivery device incorporates a battery or other electrical power source to provide current flow sufficient to provide various functionalities to the article, such as resistive heating, powering of control systems, powering of indicators, and the like. The power source can take on various embodiments. Preferably, the power source is able to deliver sufficient power to rapidly heat the heating member to provide for aerosol formation and power the article through use for the desired duration of time. The power source preferably is sized to fit conveniently within the aerosol delivery device so that the aerosol delivery device can be easily handled; and additionally, a preferred power source is of a sufficiently light weight to not detract from a desirable smoking experience. One example embodiment of an aerosol delivery device 100 is provided in FIG. 1. As seen in the cross-section illustrated therein, the aerosol delivery device 100 can comprise a control body 102 and a cartridge 104 that can be permanently or detachably aligned in a functioning relationship. Although a threaded engagement is illustrated in FIG. 1, it is understood that further means of engagement may be employed, such as a press-fit engagement, interference fit, a magnetic engagement, or the like. In particular, connection components, such as further described herein may be used. For example, the control body may include a coupler that is adapted to engage a connector on the cartridge. Such couplers and connectors are further discussed herein. In specific embodiments, one or both of the control body 102 and the cartridge 104 may be referred to as being disposable or as being reusable. For example, the control body may have a replaceable battery or a rechargeable battery and thus may be combined with any type of recharging technology, including connection to a typical electrical outlet, connection to a car charger (i.e., cigarette lighter receptacle), and connection to a computer, such as through a universal serial bus (USB) cable. For example, an adaptor including a USB connector at one end and a control body connector at an opposing end is disclosed in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/840,264 to Novak et al., filed Mar. 15, 2013, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Further, in some embodiments the cartridge may comprise a single-use cartridge, as disclosed in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/603,612 to Chang et al., filed Sep. 5, 2012, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. In the exemplified embodiment, the control body 102 includes a control component 106 (e.g., a microcontroller), a flow sensor 108, and a battery 110, which can be variably aligned, and can include a plurality of indicators 112 at a distal end 114 of an outer body 116. The indicators 112 can be provided in varying numbers and can take on different shapes and can even be an opening in the body (such as for release of sound when such indicators are present). In the exemplified embodiment, a haptic feedback component 101 is included with the control component 106. As such, the haptic feedback component may be integrated with one or more components of a smoking article for providing vibration or like tactile indication of use or status to a user. See, for example, the disclosure of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/946,309 to Galloway et al., filed Jul. 19, 2013, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. An air intake 118 may be positioned in the outer body 116 of the control body 102. A coupler 120 also is included at the proximal attachment end 122 of the control body 102 and may extend into a control body projection 124 to allow for ease of electrical connection with an atomizer or a component thereof, such as a resistive heating element (described below) when the cartridge 104 is attached to the control body. Although the air intake 118 is illustrated as being provided in the outer body 116, in another embodiment the air intake may be provided in a coupler as described, for example, in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/841,233 to DePiano et al., filed Mar. 15, 2013. The cartridge 104 includes an outer body 126 with a mouth opening 128 at a mouthend 130 thereof to allow passage of air and entrained vapor (i.e., the components of the aerosol precursor composition in an inhalable form) from the cartridge to a consumer during draw on the aerosol delivery device 100. The aerosol delivery device 100 may be substantially rod-like or substantially tubular shaped or substantially cylindrically shaped in some embodiments. In other embodiments, further shapes and dimensions are encompassed—e.g., a rectangular or triangular cross-section, or the like. The cartridge 104 further includes an atomizer 132 comprising a resistive heating element 134 (e.g., a wire coil) configured to produce heat and a liquid transport element 136 (e.g., a wick) configured to transport a liquid. Various embodiments of materials configured to produce heat when electrical current is applied therethrough may be employed to form the resistive heating element 134. Example materials from which the wire coil may be formed include Kanthal (FeCrAl), Nichrome, Molybdenum disilicide (MoSi2), molybdenum silicide (MoSi), Molybdenum disilicide doped with Aluminum (Mo(Si,Al)2), and ceramic (e.g., a positive temperature coefficient ceramic). Further to the above, representative heating elements and materials for use therein are described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,060,671 to Counts et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,093,894 to Deevi et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,224,498 to Deevi et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,228,460 to Sprinkel Jr., et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,322,075 to Deevi et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,353,813 to Deevi et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,468,936 to Deevi et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,498,850 to Das; U.S. Pat. No. 5,659,656 to Das; U.S. Pat. No. 5,498,855 to Deevi et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,530,225 to Hajaligol; U.S. Pat. No. 5,665,262 to Hajaligol; U.S. Pat. No. 5,573,692 to Das et al.; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,591,368 to Fleischhauer et al., the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties. Electrically conductive heater terminals 138 (e.g., positive and negative terminals) at the opposing ends of the heating element 134 are configured to direct current flow through the heating element and configured for attachment to the appropriate wiring or circuit (not illustrated) to form an electrical connection of the heating element with the battery 110 when the cartridge 104 is connected to the control body 102. Specifically, a plug 140 may be positioned at a distal attachment end 142 of the cartridge 104. When the cartridge 104 is connected to the control body 102, the plug 140 engages the coupler 120 to form an electrical connection such that current controllably flows from the battery 110, through the coupler and plug, and to the heating element 134. The outer body 126 of the cartridge 104 can continue across the distal attachment end 142 such that this end of the cartridge is substantially closed with the plug 140 protruding therefrom. A liquid transport element can be combined with a reservoir to transport an aerosol precursor composition to an aerosolization zone. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the cartridge 104 includes a reservoir layer 144 comprising layers of nonwoven fibers formed into the shape of a tube encircling the interior of the outer body 126 of the cartridge, in this embodiment. An aerosol precursor composition is retained in the reservoir layer 144. Liquid components, for example, can be sorptively retained by the reservoir layer 144. The reservoir layer 144 is in fluid connection with a liquid transport element 136. The liquid transport element 136 transports the aerosol precursor composition stored in the reservoir layer 144 via capillary action to an aerosolization zone 146 of the cartridge 104. As illustrated, the liquid transport element 136 is in direct contact with the heating element 134 that is in the form of a metal wire coil in this embodiment. It is understood that an aerosol delivery device that can be manufactured according to the present disclosure can encompass a variety of combinations of components useful in forming an electronic aerosol delivery device. Reference is made for example to the reservoir and heater system for controllable delivery of multiple aerosolizable materials in an electronic smoking article disclosed in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/536,438 to Sebastian et al., filed Jun. 28, 2012, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Further, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/602,871 to Collett et al., filed Sep. 4, 2012, discloses an electronic smoking article including a microheater, and which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Reference also is made to U.S. Pat. Pub. No. 2013/0213419 to Tucker et al., which discloses a ribbon of electrically resistive mesh material that may be wound around a wick, and to U.S. Pat. Pub. No. 2013/0192619 to Tucker et al., which discloses a heater coil about a wick wherein the coil windings have substantially uniform spacing between each winding. In certain embodiments according to the present disclosure, a heater may comprise a metal wire, which may be wound with a varying pitch around a liquid transport element, such as a wick. An exemplary variable pitch heater that may be used according to the present disclosure is described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/827,994 to DePiano et al., filed Mar. 14, 2013, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Reference also is made to a liquid supply reservoir formed of an elastomeric material and adapted to be manually compressed so as to pump liquid material therefrom, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. Pub. No. 2013/0213418 to Tucker et al. In certain embodiments according to the present disclosure, a reservoir may particularly be formed of a fibrous material, such as a fibrous mat or tube that may absorb or adsorb a liquid material. In another embodiment substantially the entirety of the cartridge may be formed from one or more carbon materials, which may provide advantages in terms of biodegradability and absence of wires. In this regard, the heating element may comprise a carbon foam, the reservoir may comprise carbonized fabric, and graphite may be employed to form an electrical connection with the battery and controller. Such carbon cartridge may be combined with one or more elements as described herein for providing illumination of the cartridge in some embodiments. An example embodiment of a carbon-based cartridge is provided in U.S. Pat. Pub. No. 2013/0255702 to Griffith Jr. et al., which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. In use, when a user draws on the article 100, the heating element 134 is activated (e.g., such as via a flow sensor), and the components for the aerosol precursor composition are vaporized in the aerosolization zone 146. Drawing upon the mouthend 130 of the article 100 causes ambient air to enter the air intake 118 and pass through the central opening in the coupler 120 and the central opening in the plug 140. In the cartridge 104, the drawn air passes through an air passage 148 in an air passage tube 150 and combines with the formed vapor in the aerosolization zone 146 to form an aerosol. The aerosol is whisked away from the aerosolization zone 146, passes through an air passage 152 in an air passage tube 154, and out the mouth opening 128 in the mouthend 130 of the article 100. The various components of an aerosol delivery device according to the present disclosure can be chosen from components described in the art and commercially available. Examples of batteries that can be used according to the disclosure are described in U.S. Pat. App. Pub. No. 2010/0028766 to Peckerar et al., the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. An exemplary mechanism that can provide puff-actuation capability includes a Model 163PC01D36 silicon sensor, manufactured by the MicroSwitch division of Honeywell, Inc., Freeport, Ill. Further examples of demand-operated electrical switches that may be employed in a heating circuit according to the present disclosure are described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,735,217 to Gerth et al., which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Further description of current regulating circuits and other control components, including microcontrollers that can be useful in the present aerosol delivery device, are provided in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,922,901, 4,947,874, and 4,947,875, all to Brooks et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,372,148 to McCafferty et al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,040,560 to Fleischhauer et al., and U.S. Pat. No. 7,040,314 to Nguyen et al., all of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties. Reference also is made to International Publications WO 2013/098396 to Talon, WO 2013/098397 to Talon, and WO 2013/098398 to Talon, which describe controllers configured to control power supplied to a heater element from a power source as a means to monitor a status of the device, such as heater temperature, air flow past a heater, and presence of an aerosol forming material near a heater. In particular embodiments, the present disclosure provides a variety of control systems adapted to monitor status indicators, such as through communication of a microcontroller in a control body and a microcontroller or other electronic component in a cartridge component. The aerosol precursor, which may also be referred to as an aerosol precursor composition or a vapor precursor composition, can comprise one or more different components. For example, the aerosol precursor can include a polyhydric alcohol (e.g., glycerin, propylene glycol, or a mixture thereof). Representative types of further aerosol precursor compositions are set forth in U.S. Pat. No. 4,793,365 to Sensabaugh, Jr. et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,101,839 to Jakob et al.; WO 98/57556 to Biggs et al.; and Chemical and Biological Studies on New Cigarette Prototypes that Heat Instead of Burn Tobacco, R. J. Reynolds Tobacco Company Monograph (1988); the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference. Still further components can be utilized in the aerosol delivery device of the present disclosure. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,154,192 to Sprinkel et al. discloses indicators that may be used with smoking articles; U.S. Pat. No. 5,261,424 to Sprinkel, Jr. discloses piezoelectric sensors that can be associated with the mouth-end of a device to detect user lip activity associated with taking a draw and then trigger heating; U.S. Pat. No. 5,372,148 to McCafferty et al. discloses a puff sensor for controlling energy flow into a heating load array in response to pressure drop through a mouthpiece; U.S. Pat. No. 5,967,148 to Harris et al. discloses receptacles in a smoking device that include an identifier that detects a non-uniformity in infrared transmissivity of an inserted component and a controller that executes a detection routine as the component is inserted into the receptacle; U.S. Pat. No. 6,040,560 to Fleischhauer et al. describes a defined executable power cycle with multiple differential phases; U.S. Pat. No. 5,934,289 to Watkins et al. discloses photonic-optronic components; U.S. Pat. No. 5,954,979 to Counts et al. discloses means for altering draw resistance through a smoking device; U.S. Pat. No. 6,803,545 to Blake et al. discloses specific battery configurations for use in smoking devices; U.S. Pat. No. 7,293,565 to Griffen et al. discloses various charging systems for use with smoking devices; U.S. Pat. No. 8,402,976 to Fernando et al. discloses computer interfacing means for smoking devices to facilitate charging and allow computer control of the device; U.S. Pat. App. Pub. No. 2010/0163063 by Fernando et al. discloses identification systems for smoking devices; and WO 2010/003480 by Flick discloses a fluid flow sensing system indicative of a puff in an aerosol generating system; all of the foregoing disclosures being incorporated herein by reference in their entireties. Further examples of components related to electronic aerosol delivery articles and disclosing materials or components that may be used in the present article include U.S. Pat. No. 4,735,217 to Gerth et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,249,586 to Morgan et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,388,574 to Ingebrethsen; U.S. Pat. No. 5,666,977 to Higgins et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 6,053,176 to Adams et al.; U.S. 6,164,287 to White; U.S. Pat No. 6,196,218 to Voges; U.S. Pat. No. 6,810,883 to Felter et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 6,854,461 to Nichols; U.S. Pat. No. 7,832,410 to Hon; U.S. Pat. No. 7,513,253 to Kobayashi; U.S. Pat. No. 7,896,006 to Hamano; U.S. Pat. No. 6,772,756 to Shayan; U.S. Pat. No. 8,156,944 to Hon; U.S. Pat. No. 8,365,742 to Hon; U.S. Pat. No. 8,375,957 to Hon; U.S. Pat. No. 8,393,331 to Hon; U.S. Pat. App. Pub. Nos. 2006/0196518 and 2009/0188490 to Hon; U.S. Pat. App. Pub. No. 2009/0272379 to Thorens et al.; U.S. Pat. App. Pub. Nos. 2009/0260641 and 2009/0260642 to Monsees et al.; U.S. Pat. App. Pub. Nos. 2008/0149118 and 2010/0024834 to Oglesby et al.; U.S. Pat. App. Pub. No. 2010/0307518 to Wang; WO 2010/091593 to Hon; WO 2013/089551 to Foo; and U.S. Pat. Pub. No. 2013/0037041 to Worm et al., each of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. A variety of the materials disclosed by the foregoing documents may be incorporated into the present devices in various embodiments, and all of the foregoing disclosures are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties. The foregoing description of use of the article can be applied to the various embodiments described herein through minor modifications, which can be apparent to the person of skill in the art in light of the further disclosure provided herein. The above description of use, however, is not intended to limit the use of the article but is provided to comply with all necessary requirements of disclosure of the present disclosure. In various embodiments according to the present disclosure, an electronic smoking article, particularly a cartridge thereof, may include a reservoir housing, which can be used in addition to, or in the absence of, a porous medium. For example, a porous medium, such as the fibrous mat material, may be present inside the reservoir housing. Alternatively, the reservoir housing may form the reservoir in the absence of any porous medium inside the reservoir housing. Electronic smoking articles incorporating reservoir housings are particularly described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/087,594 to Chang et al., filed Nov. 22, 2013, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Any of the elements shown in the article illustrated in FIG. 1 or as otherwise described above may be included in a smoking article according to the present disclosure. In particular, any of the above described and illustrated components of a control body can be incorporated into a control body according to the present disclosure An exemplary embodiment of a smoking article 200 according to the present disclosure is shown in FIG. 2. As illustrated therein, a control body 202 can be formed of a control body shell 201 that can include a control component 206, a flow sensor 208, a battery 210, and an LED 212. A cartridge 204 can be formed of a cartridge shell 203 enclosing the reservoir housing 244 that is in fluid communication with a liquid transport element 236 adapted to wick or otherwise transport an aerosol precursor composition stored in the reservoir housing to a heater 234. An opening 228 may be present in the cartridge shell 203 to allow for egress of formed aerosol from the cartridge 204. Such components are representative of the components that may be present in a cartridge and are not intended to limit the scope of cartridge components that are encompassed by the present disclosure. Although the control component 206 and the flow sensor 208 are illustrated separately, it is understood that the control component and the flow sensor may be combined as an electronic circuit board with the air flow sensor attached directly thereto. Further, the electronic circuit board may be positioned horizontally relative the illustration of FIG. 2 in that the electronic circuit board can be lengthwise parallel to the central axis of the control body. The cartridge 204 also may include one or more electronic components 250, which may include an IC, a memory component, a sensor, or the like. The electronic component 250 may be adapted to communicate with the control component 206. The control body 202 and the cartridge 204 may include components adapted to facilitate a fluid engagement therebetween. As illustrated in FIG. 2, the control body 202 can include a coupler 224 having a cavity 225 therein. The cartridge 204 can include a base 240 adapted to engage the coupler 224 and can include a projection 241 adapted to fit within the cavity 225. Such engagement can facilitate a stable connection between the control body 202 and the cartridge 204 as well as establish an electrical connection between the battery 210 and control component 206 in the control body and the heater 234 in the cartridge. Further, the control body shell 201 can include an air intake 218, which may be a notch in the shell where it connects to the coupler 224 that allows for passage of ambient air around the coupler and into the shell where it then passes through the cavity 225 of the coupler and into the cartridge through the projection 241. A coupler and a base useful according to the present disclosure are described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/840,264 to Novak et al., filed Mar. 15, 2013, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. For example, a coupler as seen in FIG. 2 may define an outer periphery 226 configured to mate with an inner periphery 242 of the base 240. In one embodiment the inner periphery of the base may define a radius that is substantially equal to, or slightly greater than, a radius of the outer periphery of the coupler. Further, the coupler 224 may define one or more protrusions 229 at the outer periphery 226 configured to engage one or more recesses 278 defined at the inner periphery of the base. However, various other embodiments of structures, shapes, and components may be employed to couple the base to the coupler. In some embodiments the connection between the base 240 of the cartridge 204 and the coupler 224 of the control body 202 may be substantially permanent, whereas in other embodiments the connection therebetween may be releasable such that, for example, the control body may be reused with one or more additional cartridges that may be disposable and/or refillable. The coupler may further comprise a plurality of electrical contacts configured to contact terminals associated with the base projection. The electrical contacts may be positioned at differing radial distances in the cavity 225 of the coupler 224 and positioned at differing depths within the coupler. The depth and radius of each of the electrical contacts is configured such that the end of the terminals come into contact therewith when the base and the coupler are joined together to establish an electrical connection therebetween. For example, a first electrical contact can define the smallest diameter, a third electrical contact can define the greatest diameter, and a second electrical contact can define a diameter therebetween. Further, the electrical contacts can be located at differing depths within the connector relative to a connector end thereof. For example, a first electrical contact can be located at a greatest depth, a third electrical contract can be located at a smallest depth, and a second electrical contact can be located at a depth therebetween. The electrical contacts may comprise circular metal bands of varying radii positioned at differing depths within the coupler. See, for example, the electrical contacts illustrated in FIG. 4. In particular embodiments according to the present disclosure, the coupler utilized with the shell of the control body may be configured to provide for additional or improved functionalities, particularly in relation to communications between the coupler and a control component within the control body. This can arise from a desired configuration of an electronic circuit board within the shell in relation to the coupler. For example, referring to FIG. 3, a control body 302 useful with an electronic smoking article can comprise a shell 301 with an interior 303, a proximal end 322, and an opposing distal end 314. The control body 302 further includes a coupler 324 having a body end 324a in engagement with the proximal end 322 of the shell 302 and an opposing connector end 324b configured to releasably engage a cartridge. An end cap 311 is shown engaging the distal end 314 of the shell 302. The control body 302 also includes a battery 310 and an electronic circuit board 306 positioned within the interior 303 of the shell 301 between the battery 310 and the coupler 324. The electronic circuit board can include a control circuit, memory, microprocessors, and/or the like. As illustrated in FIG. 3, the shell 301 has a central axis extending along the length of the shell 301. In some embodiments, the electronic circuit board 306 can be oriented as illustrated in FIG. 3 to be substantially parallel to the central axis of the shell 301. In other words, the electronic circuit board can have a thickness and a length such that the length is greater than the thickness, and the electronic circuit board can be positioned lengthwise within the shell to be substantially parallel to the central axis of the shell. An electronic circuit board can be considered to be substantially parallel to the central axis of the shell when the alignment deviates from parallel by less than 45 degrees, less than 30 degrees, or less than 15 degrees. In such alignment, the functional surface(s) of the electronic circuit board to which working components may be attached face the shell wall, and thus the functional surface(s) of the electronic circuit board is substantially perpendicular to the central axis of the shell. In embodiments wherein an electronic circuit board is positioned substantially perpendicular to the central axis of the shell, the surface area of the electronic circuit board to which components may be attached can be limited. As illustrated in FIG. 3, however, positioning the electronic circuit board to be substantially parallel to the central axis of the shell makes a most efficient use of space within the shell and allows for an increased surface area for the electronic circuit board for attachment of components, such as a microprocessor, LED's, and other control components. The electronic circuit board 306 can include a pressure sensor 308 attached directly thereto. A direct attachment in this sense is intended to mean a connection whereby the pressure sensor can be electrically connected to the electronic circuit board via integrated components (e.g., pins) as opposed to a wired connection. Previous devices incorporating a pressure sensor and an electronic circuit typically have the pressure sensor spaced a significant distance from the electronic circuit board, and the electrical connection therebetween is formed using wires attached to the pressure sensor and the electronic circuit board. In the present configurations, the need for a wired connection between an electronic circuit board and a pressure sensor can be eliminated. This can reduce expense associated with hand soldering of wired connections and improve reliability associated with the assembly process. In some embodiments, a direct connection can encompass the use of an intermediate attachment element or spacer (e.g., a spacer attached directly to the electronic circuit board and a pressure sensor attached directly to the spacer). The direct attachment can mean that the electrical contacts or pins of the pressure sensor are in direct contact with the electronic circuit board although the body of the pressure sensor may be spaced apart from the electronic circuit board. A substantially direct attachment between the pressure sensor and the electronic circuit board can encompass any attachment whereby the body of the pressure sensor is spaced apart from the electronic circuit board by less than 50% of the diameter of the shell 301, less than 25% of the diameter of the shell, less than 10% of the diameter of the shell, or less than 5% of the diameter of the shell. For example, the spacing can 5 mm or less, 2 mm or less, or 1 mm or less. As illustrated, the pressure sensor 308 has a central axis extending between a first, free end and a second end attached to the electronic circuit board 306 (308a and 308b, as illustrated in FIG. 5). This central axis of the pressure sensor 308 is substantially perpendicular to the central axis of the shell 301. The positioning of the electronic circuit board is more clearly seen in the partial section shown in FIG. 4. As seen therein, the electronic circuit board 306 is positioned within the shell 301 between the battery 310 and the coupler 324 such that the lengthwise axis of the electronic circuit board is substantially parallel to the central axis of the shell. As such, the electronic circuit board 306 has a first end 306a that is adjacent the coupler 324 and a second end 306b that is adjacent the battery 310. The electronic circuit board may be at least partially within the coupler. As such, the electronic circuit board may be attached (e.g., interference fit, glued, or otherwise affixed) to the coupler. Alternatively, the electronic circuit board may be interconnected with the coupler through an intermediate attachment, such as the extension 361a of the first electrical contact 361 (as more fully discussed below). In the embodiment illustrated, the first end 306a of the electronic circuit board 306 is located within the coupler 324, and this can provide various advantages as is evident from the further disclosure herein. For example, such location can facilitate ease of connection between the electronic circuit board and the electrical contacts in the coupler. As seen in FIG. 4, a first electrical contact 361, a second electrical contact 362, and a third electrical contact 363 are provided as bands encircling the central opening 325 (or cavity) in the connector end 324b of the coupler 324. Visible in FIG. 4 is an extension 361a of the first electrical contact 361 extending between the contact and the electronic circuit board 306 and passing through the coupler 324. A second electrical contact extension and a third electrical contact extension also are present but not visible in the illustration. The orientation of the electronic circuit board also is beneficial in that the interior 303 of the shell 301 can be partitioned into different spaces or sections that can experience different pressures. For example, the shell interior can include a normal pressure space and a pressure reduction space. The normal pressure space can be maintained at ambient pressure and experience no significant change in pressure related to use of the control body in an electronic smoking article. Normal pressure can be maintained with an opening in the shell 301 to the surrounding atmosphere. For example, the end cap 311 can be arranged to allow communication between the normal pressure space of the shell and the surrounding atmosphere. Such pressure communication between the normal pressure space and the surrounding atmosphere can be facilitated with an opening located elsewhere on the shell 301 and/or around the connection of the coupler 324 with the shell. The pressure reduction space can be isolated from the normal pressure space, and the pressure within the pressure reduction space can be reduced below the pressure in the normal pressure space during use of the article (i.e., during draw on the article). In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 5, a first end 308a of the pressure sensor 308 can be positioned to be in fluid communication with the pressure reduction space 383, and a second end 308b of the pressure sensor can be positioned to be in fluid communication with the normal pressure space 373. In some embodiments, the pressure reduction space can be defined by a sealing member 380. For example, the sealing member can comprise a silicone rubber or like material. In some embodiments, the sealing member may be a cup seal. The sealing member 380 can substantially surround the perimeter of the pressure sensor 308 and be in a sealing contact therewith. As illustrated, the pressure sensor 308 is directly attached to the electronic circuit board 306, but the sealing member 380 does not extend completely down the length of the pressure sensor and thus does not form a sealing contact with the electronic circuit board. As such, the second end 308b of the pressure sensor 308 and the electronic circuit board 306 are positioned within the normal pressure space 373. This configuration is further seen in the cross-section of FIG. 6A where the pressure sensor 308 is directly attached to the electronic circuit board 306. The sealing member 380 surrounds the top and perimeter of the pressure sensor 308 but does not contact the electronic circuit board 306. The gap “Y” between the sealing member 380 and the electronic circuit board 306 maintains the second end 308b of the pressure sensor 308 within the normal pressure space 373 while the first end 308a of the pressure sensor is within the pressure reduction space 383. To ensure that the second end 308b of the pressure sensor 308 is maintained at ambient pressure, the direct connection of the pressure sensor to the electronic circuit board 306 can encompass a spacing factor, as otherwise discussed herein. As such, the second end 308b of the pressure sensor 308 may be prevented from forming an air tight seal with the electronic circuit board 306. Alternatively or in combination, an aperture 307 may be formed in the electronic circuit board 306 adjacent the second end 308b of the pressure sensor 306 to provide pressure communication between the second end of the pressure sensor and the normal pressure space 373. The coupler 324 also can include a pressure channel 385 that opens into the pressure reduction space 383. As illustrated in the embodiment of FIG. 5, the body end 324a of the coupler 324 includes a wall 324c that can include one or more openings or channels therethrough. For example, the coupler wall 324c can include the pressure channel 385 and apertures that accommodate passage of the electrical contact extensions. The body end 342a of the coupler 324 thus can be described has having a wall 324c through which the pressure channel 385 can extend. The connector end 324b of the coupler 324 has a cavity 325. The cavity 325 can be sized and shaped to receive a projection formed in the base of the cartridge (see FIG. 2). More particularly, the pressure channel can extend between a first end 385a that is in fluid communication with the cavity 325 and a second end 385b that opens through the wall 324c at the body end 324a of the coupler 324 to be in fluid communication with the pressure reduction space 383. The pressure channel can be integrally formed in the coupler, although other means of providing the channel also are encompassed. For example, a separate tube can be inserted through the coupler, or an aperture may be created in the coupler body. As seen in FIG. 5, the second end 385b of the pressure channel 385 can project into the interior of the shell 301, and the sealing member 380 can substantially surround the perimeter of the second end of the pressure channel. If desired, the second end 385b of the pressure channel 385 may be flush with the wall 324c at the body end 324a of the coupler 324, and a sealing engagement may be made between the sealing member 380 and the wall at the body end of the coupler around the second end of the pressure channel. Preferably, the sealing member 380 is configured to form an air tight seal around the first end 308a of the pressure sensor 308 and the second end 385b of the pressure channel 385. As such, the pressure reduction space can encompass the opening at the second end 385b of the pressure channel and the first end 308a of the pressure sensor 308. In some embodiments, the sealing member 380 can be in physical contact with an inner surface of the shell 301. In some embodiments, the coupler 324 can include an air inlet channel 388 that can be adapted to distribute drawn, ambient air through an electronic smoking article including the coupler. The air inlet channel 388 particularly can be in fluid communication with the cavity 325. Drawn, ambient air can enter the air inlet channel 388 through an air inlet aperture 389 that opens through the outer surface of the coupler. The configuration of the air inlet channel 388 is further illustrated in the cross-section of FIG. 6B where the air inlet channel extends across the diameter of the coupler 324 between a first air inlet aperture 389a and a second air inlet aperture 389b. The air inlet apertures open through the exterior surface of the coupler and provide an entry for ambient air to be drawn into the coupler to be distributed to other portions of an electronic smoking article utilizing the coupler. In other embodiments, the air inlet channel may extend only across a portion of the coupler, may be branched, may open to only a single air inlet aperture, or may open to more than two air inlet apertures. In certain embodiments, the air inlet channel can be formed entirely within the coupler body. In FIG. 6B, the pressure sensor 308 can be seen through the pressure channel 385. Also visible through the pressure channel 385 is the interior surface of the sealing member 380 that defines the pressure reduction space 383 at the first end 308a of the pressure sensor 308. The cross-section of FIG. 6B further illustrates three openings (386a, 386b, and 386c) through which the electrical contact extensions may pass. As seen in FIG. 5, the first end 385a of the pressure channel 385 extends beyond the air inlet channel 388 toward the connector end 324b of the coupler 324. In other words, the first end 385a of the pressure channel 385 is positioned closer to the connector end 324b of the coupler 324 than the air inlet channel 388. This configuration can be useful to prevent backflow of liquids or vapors into the control body. The first end 385a of the pressure channel 385 also can have a diameter that is smaller than the diameter of the second end 385b of the pressure channel. Similarly, the pressure channel 385 may increase in diameter from the first end 385a to the second end 385b thereof. In light of the above-described configuration, the coupler 324 may define an ambient air flow pathway therethrough. In some embodiments, the ambient air flow pathway can extend from the exterior of the coupler 324 (e.g., through one or more air inlet apertures 389), through the air inlet channel 388 in the coupler body 324, and through the cavity 325. The air flow pathway further can extend into a cartridge that is attached to the coupler (such as through a cartridge base, as shown in FIG. 2) and out of the cartridge, such as through an opening in an opposing end thereof (see element 228 in FIG. 2). The spatial relationship of the air inlet channel and the first end of the pressure channel is further illustrated in FIG. 7. As seen therein, a control body 702 is engaged with a cartridge 7042) via a coupler 724 on the control body and a base 740 on the cartridge. The coupler 724 includes a cavity 725 that receives a projection 741 on the base 740. As illustrated, the cavity 725 and the projection 741 each have a stepped configuration such that rings of successively smaller diameter are present in the cavity, and corresponding projection segments of successively smaller diameter are present on the base. The projection 741 includes an air flow entry 741a that seats in the cavity 725 of the coupler 724 proximate the air inlet channel 788. The coupler 724 further includes a pressure channel 785 having a first end 785a opening within the cavity 725 of the coupler and a second end 785b opening within the control body 702, particularly within the pressure reduction space 783. The first end 785a of the pressure channel 785 is spatially arranged relative to the air inlet channel 788 to be separated along the longitudinal axis of the coupler 724 (and thus also the shell 701 of the control body 702). The longitudinal separation can be at least about 1 mm, at least about 2 mm, or at least about 3 mm. When the cartridge 704 engages the control body 702, air draw on the mouthend of the cartridge (see element 130 in FIG. 1) causes air to enter the air inlet channel 788 of the coupler 724 through one or more air inlet apertures 789 and flow into the air flow entry 741a of the projection 741 from which the drawn air passes through the interior of the base 740 and into the cartridge 704. Air flow through the device thus can proceed from the air inlet channel 788 downstream toward the mouthend of the cartridge 704. The longitudinal separation of the first end 785a of the pressure channel 785 and the air inlet channel 788 is such that the first end of the air inlet channel is downstream from the air inlet channel. In other words, the first end 785a of the pressure channel 785 and the air inlet channel 788 are spatially arranged and separated such that the first end of the pressure channel is relatively nearer to the connector end 324b of the coupler. Likewise, when the projection 741 of the base 740 engages the cavity 725 of the coupler 724, the air flow entry 741 seats upstream in the cavity from the first end 785a of the pressure channel 785. As such, the distance between the air flow entry 741 and the first end 785a of the pressure channel 785 when the projection 740 engages the cavity 725 can be at least about 1 mm, at least about 2 mm, or at least about 3 mm. When draw on the device causing air to enter the air inlet channel 788 through the air inlet aperture 789 causes a pressure drop, such pressure drop is communicated to the cavity 725. The matched configuration of the cavity 725 and the projection 741 preferably does not substantially form an air tight connection therebetween. Thus, the pressure drop in the cavity 725 is likewise communicated to the pressure channel 785 from the first end 785a to the second end 785b and thus the pressure reduction space 783. Because of the spatial arrangement of the air inlet channel 788 and the first end 785a of the pressure channel 785, however, the air flow entry 741 of the seated projection 740 is sufficiently spaced apart from the first end of the pressure channel to prevent or reduce incidence of passage of liquid from the cartridge 704 through the base 740 and into the control body 702. In use, an individual may draw on the mouthend of a cartridge (which may include a mouthpiece), and air flow may be established along an air flow pathway, such as described above. Drawn air enters the air inlet channel through the air inlet aperture. The air inlet channel can present a restriction to the flow of air so that the pressure on the interior of the coupler is lower than ambient pressure (and thus lower than the normal pressure space within the control body shell). This reduced pressure is transmitted to the pressure sensor in the control body shell by the pressure channel formed in the coupler. In this manner, a pressure differential can be created across the pressure sensor between the first end of the pressure sensor in the pressure reduction space and the second end of the pressure sensor in the normal pressure space within the shell. More particularly, the control circuit can be configured to establish electrical current flow from the electrical power source when the pressure sensor detects a reduced pressure in the pressure reduction space relative to the pressure in the normal pressure space. Such electrical current flow can energize a heater in the cartridge to vaporize the aerosol precursor composition. By utilizing the pressure channel, air entering the coupler is not required to pass through the control body shell, such as would be required in devices having an air inlet formed in the shell of the control body. As noted above, the spatial arrangement of openings in the coupler can be beneficial in preventing passage of any aerosol precursor composition from a cartridge into the interior of the control body. When a cartridge is attached to the control body, any aerosol formed within the cartridge that is not withdrawn by the user can condense. Likewise, water vapor may condense within the cartridge and/or liquid stored in a reservoir within the cartridge may leak within the cartridge. In some instances, such liquids can pass from the cartridge through any air opening that is present to provide passage of drawn air from the control body to the cartridge. When an inlet for drawn air is present in the control body shell, the air flow passage between the air inlet and the cartridge necessarily extends through at least a portion of the control body. Any liquid passing out of the cartridge through the air flow passage thus can enter the control body where the liquid can contact the power source, pressure sensor, or control components of the device and cause damage to the control body. According to the present disclosure, however, when a cartridge engages the control body, the air flow entry on the projection of the cartridge's base is seated upstream from the first end of the pressure channel. Thus, any liquid passing through the air flow entry in the cartridge's base projection would only enter the air inlet channel in the coupler where it can pass out of the coupler through the air inlet aperture or simply flow back into the cartridge. Referencing FIG. 4, the electronic circuit board 306 can include a variety of elements in addition to the pressure sensor 308. As illustrated, the electronic circuit board 306 further includes a first light emitting diode (LED) 312a and a second LED 312b. A microprocessor, memory, and the like also may be present on the electronic circuit board. The electronic circuit board may include any elements suitable for establishing a control circuit suitable for controlling one or more functions of an electronic smoking article or the like. In some embodiments, one or more LEDs on the electronic circuit board may be adapted to emit light that is visible exterior to the control body. For example, at least a portion of the control body shell and/or the coupler can be translucent or otherwise light transmissive. The embodiment of a control body 802 illustrated in FIG. 8 comprises an electronic circuit board 806 positioned within a shell 801 between a battery 810 and a coupler 824. The electronic circuit board 806 is configured lengthwise such that it is substantially parallel with a central axis of the shell 801. The electronic circuit board 806 comprises a first LED 812a and a second LED 812b. Further, in the illustrated embodiment, the coupler 824 is light transmissive such that light from the first LED 812a and/or light from the second LED 812b is visible external to the control body through the coupler. The coupler may be formed, for example, from a translucent thermoplastic material. The control body 802 further can include an input element, such as a pushbutton 861, which can be adapted to activate power delivery from the power source in the control body to a heater, such as in an attached cartridge (see FIG. 2). The input element alternatively can be adapted to active a further control function of the device, such as described in greater detail below. As seen in FIG. 9, when the control body 902 is attached to a cartridge 904, the coupler 924 forms a visible ring around the smoking article 900. When an LED on the electronic circuit board is activated, light is emitted through the coupler ring, as shown by the arrows in FIG. 9. The light emitted can be decorative in nature. In some embodiments, the control circuit can be configured to cause at least one LED to emit a defined lighting signal that corresponds to a status of the electronic smoking article. The lighting signal can be defined by a color, a series of different colors, a blinking light of a single color or a series of different colors, or by a specified number of blinks of a light of a single color or a series of different colors. The status of the electronic smoking article can include any status associated with an electronic smoking article including, but not limited to battery power status, volume of aerosol precursor composition remaining in a cartridge, number of puffs remaining for a cartridge, a working status, an error code, heater activation, or the like. The control circuit may be configured to automatically activate the lighting signal upon detecting a defined input. For example, when a battery is depleted to half power, a power depletion input may be received by the control circuit, and the control circuit may cause an LED to emit a defined lighting signal to alert the user of the battery status. As a further, non-limiting example, a defined lighting signal may be automatically activated every time a user draws on the device and activates the heater. The control element may include programming for activating any number of lighting signals automatically in response to an input. The input may be an electronic signal that is automatically generated in response to programming of the control circuit. In some embodiments, the control body can include an input element. The input element, may be an element adapted for manual activation by a user. A pushbutton 961 as illustrated in FIG. 9 is an example of a manual input element. In other embodiments, a manual input element may be a resistive sensing device or a capacitive sensing device including, but not limited to, a touchscreen. A manual input element can provide an input or a plurality of inputs to the control circuit, which in turn transmits an input to an LED. The manual input may be adapted to provide one input or a plurality of different inputs to generate a lighting signal indicative of a status of the electronic smoking article. As a non-limiting example, a single push of a button or tap on a touchscreen may generate a lighting signal providing a battery status, and two rapid pushes of the button or taps on the touchscreen in succession may generate a lighting signal indicating the number of puffs remaining for a cartridge attached to the control body. The control element may include programming for activating any number of lighting signals in response to a variety of manual inputs to indicate a number of statuses of the device. In some embodiments, an input element (e.g., a pushbutton) can be at least partially light transmissive. As such, a lighting signal generated as discussed above may be visible through the input element as well as the coupler or instead of the coupler. For example, a lighting signal indicating one status may be visible through the input element, and a lighting signal indicating a second, different status may be visible through the coupler. If desired, an LED may also be positioned at the distal end of the control body shell (see element 212 in FIG. 2), and such LED likewise may be adapted to emit a lighting signal. Many modifications and other embodiments of the disclosure will come to mind to one skilled in the art to which this disclosure pertains having the benefit of the teachings presented in the foregoing descriptions and the associated drawings. Therefore, it is to be understood that the disclosure is not to be limited to the specific embodiments disclosed herein and that modifications and other embodiments are intended to be included within the scope of the appended claims. Although specific terms are employed herein, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation. | <SOH> BACKGROUND <EOH>Many smoking devices have been proposed through the years as improvements upon, or alternatives to, smoking products that require combusting tobacco for use. Many of those devices purportedly have been designed to provide the sensations associated with cigarette, cigar, or pipe smoking, but without delivering considerable quantities of incomplete combustion and pyrolysis products that result from the burning of tobacco. To this end, there have been proposed numerous smoking products, flavor generators, and medicinal inhalers that utilize electrical energy to vaporize or heat a volatile material, or attempt to provide the sensations of cigarette, cigar, or pipe smoking without burning tobacco to a significant degree. See, for example, the various alternative smoking articles, aerosol delivery devices and heat generating sources set forth in the background art described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,726,320 to Robinson et al., U.S. Pat. Pub. No. 2013/0255702 to Griffith Jr. et al., U.S. Pat. Pub. No. 2014/0000638 to Sebastian et al., U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/602,871 to Collett et al., filed Sep. 4, 2012, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/647,000 to Sears et al., filed Oct. 8, 2012, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/826,929 to Ampolini et al., filed Mar. 14, 2013, and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/011,992 to Davis et al., filed Aug. 28, 2013, which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. It would be desirable to provide a smoking article that employs heat produced by electrical energy to provide the sensations of cigarette, cigar, or pipe smoking, that does so without combusting tobacco to any significant degree, that does so without the need of a combustion heat source, and that does so without necessarily delivering considerable quantities of incomplete combustion and pyrolysis products. Further, advances with respect to manufacturing electronic smoking articles would be desirable. | <SOH> SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE <EOH>The present disclosure relates to materials and combinations thereof useful in electronic smoking articles and like personal devices. In particular, the present disclosure relates to a control body that can include one or more elements useful to improve the function thereof. The control body particularly can include an electronic circuit board therein that is configured for improved functioning of the device. For example, in some embodiments, the electronic circuit board is in an orientation that provides for improved communication between a pressure sensor and drawn air entering the device. This can incorporate a coupler element that includes an exterior opening that allows external air to enter the device and a pressure channel that communicates a pressure drop caused by the drawn air to an isolated segment of the device that includes a portion of the pressure sensor. Such coupler can particularly be useful to reduce or prevent passage of liquid from an attached cartridge through the coupler and into the control body and thus reduce or prevent contamination of the sensor or other electronic elements present in the control body. In some embodiments, a control body for an electronic smoking article according to the present disclosure can comprise an elongated shell with an interior, a proximal end, and an opposing distal end. A coupler can be present and can have a body end that is in engagement with the proximal end of the shell and can have an opposing connector end that is configured to releasably engage a cartridge. An electrical power source can be included as well as an electronic circuit board, which can be positioned within the shell interior between the electrical power source and the coupler. The electronic circuit board particularly can include a control circuit, which can comprise a microcontroller, a microprocessor, or the like, and any further control components suitable for controlling power delivery from the power source and any further functions of the device. Further, the shell can have a central axis therethrough from the proximal end to the distal end, and the electronic circuit board can be oriented parallel to the central axis of the shell. In further embodiments, the control body can comprise a pressure sensor attached to the electronic circuit board (i.e., is on the circuit board). The pressure sensor can be attached directly to the electronic circuit board, which can include a spacing factor, as further described herein. The shell interior of the control body can include a normal pressure space and a pressure reduction space, and a first end of the pressure sensor can be in fluid communication with the pressure reduction space while a second end of the pressure sensor can be in fluid communication with the normal pressure space. The body end of the coupler can include a wall, and the connector end of the coupler can have a central opening therethrough. Further, the coupler can include a pressure channel extending between a first end in fluid communication with the central opening and a second end that opens through the wall at the body end of the coupler to be in fluid communication with the pressure reduction space. In some embodiments, the pressure channel can be integrally formed in the coupler. The control body can comprise a sealing member configured to form an air tight seal around the pressure sensor and the second end of the pressure channel and thus define the pressure reduction space encompassing the opening at the second end of the pressure channel and the first end of the pressure sensor. Further, the sealing member can be in physical contact with an inner surface of the shell. The coupler can include an air inlet channel in fluid communication with the central opening therein. In some embodiments, the air inlet channel can be formed entirely within the coupler body. An air inlet aperture can be present in the exterior surface of the coupler and be in fluid communication with the air inlet. An ambient air flow pathway can extend from the exterior of the coupler (i.e., through the air inlet aperture), through the coupler body, and through the central opening. The control circuit of the control body can be configured to establish electrical current flow from the electrical power source when the pressure sensor detects a reduced pressure in the pressure reduction space relative to the pressure in the normal pressure space. In some embodiments, the electronic circuit board can be positioned entirely within the normal pressure space. In further embodiments, the control body can comprise at least one light emitting diode (LED) attached to the electronic circuit board. At least a portion of the coupler can be light transmissive such that light from the LED is visible through the coupler. Further, the control circuit can be configured to cause an LED to emit a defined lighting signal that corresponds to a status of the electronic smoking article. In some embodiments, the control body can comprise an input element. The control circuit can be configured to cause the at least one LED to emit the defined lighting signal in response to an input from the input element. The input element can be a manual input element (e.g., a pushbutton or touchscreen). In some embodiments, the input element can be at least partially light transmissive. The input to the LED also may be automatically generated by the control circuit in response to detecting a status of the smoking article. If desired, the control body can comprise an LED positioned at the distal end of the shell. In other embodiments, a control body for an electronic smoking article can comprise an elongated shell with an interior, a proximal end, and an opposing distal end. The control body further can comprise a coupler formed of an elongated body having a first end that forms a wall and that engages the proximal end of the shell and a second end that comprises a cavity configured to releasably engage a cartridge, wherein the coupler includes a pressure channel extending between a first end that is in fluid communication with the cavity and a second end that opens through the wall at the first end of the coupler, wherein the coupler includes an air inlet channel in fluid communication with the cavity and an air inlet aperture in an exterior surface of the coupler, and wherein the coupler has a longitudinal axis extending from the first end to the second end, and the first end of the pressure channel is spatially separated from the air inlet channel relative to the longitudinal axis of the coupler. The control body further can comprise one or more additional components, such as a power source, a microprocessor or other control component, or the like. In some embodiments, the first end of the pressure channel in the coupler can be spatially separated from the air inlet channel so as to be relatively nearer the second end of the coupler. In further embodiments, the present disclosure can provide an electronic smoking article. Such smoking article can comprise a control body as described herein and a cartridge comprising an aerosol precursor composition and a heater adapted to vaporize the aerosol precursor composition. | A24F47008 | 20171116 | 20180322 | 58828.0 | A24F4700 | 0 | AHMED ALI, MOHAMED K | CONTROL BODY FOR AN ELECTRONIC SMOKING ARTICLE | UNDISCOUNTED | 1 | CONT-ACCEPTED | A24F | 2,017 |
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15,815,645 | PENDING | VAPORIZATION DEVICE SYSTEMS AND METHODS | Vaporization devices and methods of operating them. In particular, described herein are vaporizer cartridges for controlling the power applied to a resistive heater. | 1.-20. (canceled) 21. An apparatus comprising: a cartridge having a longitudinal dimension from a top end of the cartridge to a bottom end of the cartridge, the top end opposite the bottom end, the cartridge having a first transverse dimension perpendicular to the longitudinal dimension, the cartridge having a second transverse dimension perpendicular to the longitudinal dimension, the second transverse dimension shorter than the first transverse dimension, the cartridge comprising: a storage compartment configured to hold a vaporizable material; a heating element configured to heat the vaporizable material to generate an aerosol; a first electrical contact exposed proximate to the bottom end; and a second electrical contact exposed proximate to the bottom end; and a vaporization device comprising: a power supply; a receptacle configured to receive and couple to the cartridge with the cartridge in each of a first orientation and a second orientation, the receiving and coupling comprising the bottom end of the cartridge being inserted into the receptacle; a third electrical contact disposed within the receptacle; and a fourth electrical contact disposed within the receptacle, wherein the third electrical contact is configured to electrically couple to the first electrical contact and the fourth electrical contact is configured to electrically couple to the second electrical contact to complete an electrical circuit, when the cartridge is coupled to the receptacle in the first orientation, wherein the third electrical contact is configured to electrically couple to the second electrical contact and the fourth electrical contact is configured to electrically couple to the first electrical contact to complete the circuit, when the cartridge is coupled to the receptacle in the second orientation, wherein the circuit comprises the heating element, the power supply, the first electrical contact, the second electrical contact, the third electrical contact, and the fourth electrical contact, and wherein the circuit is configured to provide current to the heating element in either of two current directions. 22. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the aerosol comprises the vaporizable material and air passing along an airflow path, wherein the airflow path comprises an air inlet passage having a first side formed by an exterior surface of the cartridge and a second side formed by an internal surface of the receptacle, when the receptacle receives and couples to the cartridge, and wherein the air inlet passage is configured to deliver the air to the heating element. 23. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the receptacle terminates in a top edge, wherein the air inlet passage extends from the top edge of the receptacle towards the bottom end of the cartridge, when the receptacle receives and couples to the cartridge. 24. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the first electrical contact and the second electrical contact are disposed in a first plane that is substantially parallel to the bottom end of the cartridge, and wherein the third electrical contact and the fourth electrical contact are disposed in a second plane that is substantially parallel to the first plane, when the receptacle receives and couples to the cartridge. 25. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the cartridge further comprises a wick, and wherein the heating element is disposed and configured to heat the wick. 26. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the wick comprises at least one of: a silica material, a cotton material, a ceramic material, a hemp material, and a stainless steel material. 27. The apparatus of claim 21, further comprising: a mouthpiece proximate the top end of the cartridge. 28. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein the mouthpiece comprises a condensation chamber in fluid communication with the heating element, and wherein the mouthpiece further comprises an aerosol outlet in fluid communication with the condensation chamber. 29. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein the condensation chamber is configured so that the aerosol is cooled, to a temperature between 35° C. and 70° C., before exiting the aerosol outlet. 30. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein the mouthpiece forms a cavity, wherein a first portion of the storage compartment is disposed inside of the cavity, and wherein a second portion of the storage compartment is disposed outside of the cavity. 31. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the aerosol comprises liquid particles having varying diameters and suspended in air. 32. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the cartridge comprises the vaporizable material, and wherein the vaporizable material comprises a nicotine formulation, a glycol, and a flavorant. 33. The apparatus of claim 32, wherein the glycol comprises vegetable glycerol, wherein the vaporizable material further comprises propylene glycol, and wherein a ratio of the vegetable glycerol to the propylene glycol is between about 80:20 vegetable glycerol to propylene glycol and about 50:50 vegetable glycerol to propylene glycol. 34. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the power supply comprises a rechargeable battery, wherein the vaporization device has a proximal end and a distal end opposite the proximal end, wherein the receptacle is disposed at the proximate end, wherein the vaporization device further comprises: a fifth electrical contact disposed at the distal end; and a sixth electrical contact disposed at the distal end, the fifth electrical contact and the sixth electrical contact configured to provide current to the rechargeable battery. 35. The apparatus of claim 34, further comprising: a charging cradle configured to receive and couple to the distal end of the vaporization device, with the vaporization device in each of a third orientation and a fourth orientation, wherein the charging cradle comprises: a seventh electrical contact; and an eighth electrical contact, wherein the seventh electrical contact is configured to electrically couple to the fifth electrical contact and the eighth electrical contact is configured to electrically couple to the sixth electrical contact, when the distal end of the vaporization device is coupled to the charging cradle in the third orientation, and wherein the seventh electrical contact is configured to electrically couple to the sixth electrical contact and the eighth electrical contact is configured to electrically couple to the fifth electrical contact, when the distal end of the vaporization device is coupled to the charging cradle in the fourth orientation. 36. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the shorter dimension along the second transverse dimension than along the first transverse dimension results, at least in part, in the cartridge being generally resistive to rolling when placed on an approximately horizontal surface. 37. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the storage compartment is configured so that the vaporizable material is visible through a surface of the storage compartment, and wherein the surface extends between the top end of the cartridge and the bottom end of the cartridge. 38. The apparatus of claim 37, wherein the surface is disposed within the receptacle, when the receptacle receives and couples to the cartridge. 39. A cartridge configured to be received within a receptacle of a vaporization device in each of a first orientation and a second orientation, the cartridge having a longitudinal dimension from a top end of the cartridge to a bottom end of the cartridge, the top end opposite the bottom end, the cartridge having a first transverse dimension substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal dimension, the cartridge having a second transverse dimension substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal dimension, the second transverse dimension shorter than the first transverse dimension, the cartridge comprising: a storage compartment configured to hold a vaporizable material; a heating element configured to heat the vaporizable material to generate an aerosol; a first electrical contact exposed proximate to the bottom end; and a second electrical contact exposed proximate to the bottom end, wherein the first electrical contact is configured to electrically couple to a third electrical contact within the receptacle and the second electrical contact is configured to electrically couple to a fourth electrical contact within the receptacle to complete an electrical circuit, when the cartridge is coupled to the receptacle in the first orientation, wherein the first electrical contact is configured to electrically couple to the fourth electrical contact and the second electrical contact is configured to electrically couple to the third electrical contact to complete the circuit, when the cartridge is coupled to the receptacle in the second orientation, wherein the circuit comprises the heating element, a power supply within the vaporization device, the first electrical contact, the second electrical contact, the third electrical contact, and the fourth electrical contact, and wherein the circuit is configured to provide current to the heating element in either of two current directions. 40. An apparatus comprising: a cartridge having a top end and a bottom end opposite the top end, the cartridge comprising: a storage compartment configured to hold a vaporizable material; a heating element configured to generate an aerosol; a first electrical contact comprising a first surface exposed proximate to the bottom end, the first electrical contact coupled to the heating element; and a second electrical contact comprising a second surface exposed proximate to the bottom end, the second electrical contact coupled to the heating element, the first surface and the second surface disposed in a first plane that is substantially parallel to the bottom end; and a vaporization device comprising: a battery; a receptacle comprising a cavity configured to receive the cartridge in each of either of a first orientation or a second orientation, the receiving comprising the cavity surrounding at least a first portion of cartridge proximate to the bottom end and the cavity not surrounding at least a second portion of the cartridge proximate to the top end; a third electrical contact comprising a third surface disposed within the receptacle; and a fourth electrical contact comprising a fourth surface disposed within the receptacle, the third surface and the fourth surface disposed in a second plane that is substantially parallel to the first plane when the cartridge is coupled to the receptacle in each of either of the first orientation or the second orientation, the third surface configured to electrically couple to the first surface and the fourth surface configured to electrically couple to the second surface to complete an electrical circuit when the receptacle receives the cartridge in the first orientation, the third surface configured to electrically couple to the second surface and the fourth surface configured to electrically couple to the first surface to complete the circuit when the receptacle receives the cartridge in the second orientation, the circuit configured to provide current to the heating element in each of either a first current direction or a second current direction, the circuit comprising the heating element, the battery, the first electrical contact, the second electrical contact, the third electrical contact, and the fourth electrical contact. | CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This patent application claims priority as a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/053,927, titled “VAPORIZATION DEVICE SYSTEMS AND METHODS,” filed on Feb. 25, 2016, which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/581,666, filed on Dec. 23, 2014 and titled “VAPORIZATION DEVICE SYSTEMS AND METHODS”, Publication No. US-2015-0208729-A1, which claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/920,225, filed on Dec. 23, 2013, U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/936,593, filed on Feb. 6, 2014, and U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/937,755, filed on Feb. 10, 2014. This patent application also claims priority to U.S. Provisional patent application No. 62/294,281, titled “SECURELY ATTACHING CARTRIDGES FOR VAPORIZER DEVICES,” filed on Feb. 11, 2016. Each of these applications are herein incorporated by reference in their entirety. INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE All publications and patent applications mentioned in this specification are herein incorporated by reference in their entirety to the same extent as if each individual publication or patent application was specifically and individually indicated to be incorporated by reference. BACKGROUND Electronic inhalable aerosol devices (e.g., vaporization devices, electronic vaping devices, etc.) and particularly electronic aerosol devices, typically utilize a vaporizable material that is vaporized to create an aerosol vapor capable of delivering an active ingredient to a user. Control of the temperature of the resistive heater must be maintained (e.g., as part of a control loop), and this control may be based on the resistance of the resistive heating element. Many of the battery-powered vaporizers described to date include a reusable batter-containing device portion that connects to one or more cartridges containing the consumable vaporizable material. As the cartridges are used up, they are removed and replaced with fresh ones. It may be particularly useful to have the cartridge be integrated with a mouthpiece that the user can draw on to receive vapor. However, a number of surprising disadvantages may result in this configuration, particular to non-cylindrical shapes. For example, the use of a cartridge at the proximal end of the device, which is also held by the user's mouth, particularly where the cartridge is held in the vaporizer device by a friction- or a snap-fit, may result in instability in the electrical contacts, particularly with cartridges of greater than 1 cm length. Described herein are apparatuses and methods that may address the issues discussed above. SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE The present invention relates generally to apparatuses, including systems and devices, for vaporizing material to form an inhalable aerosol. Specifically, these apparatuses may include vaporizers. In particular, described herein are cartridges that are configured for use with a vaporizer (e.g., vaporizer device) having a rechargeable power supply that includes a proximal cartridge-receiving opening. These cartridges are specifically adapted to be releasably but securely held within the cartridge-receiving opening of the vaporizer and resist disruption of the electrical contact with the controller and power supply in the vaporizer even when held by the user's mouth. For example, described herein are cartridge devices holding a vaporizable material for securely coupling with an electronic inhalable aerosol device. A device may include: a mouthpiece; a fluid storage compartment holding a vaporizable material; a base configured to fit into a rectangular opening that is between 13-14 mm deep, 4.5-5.5 mm wide, and 13-14 mm long, the base having a bottom surface comprising a first electrical contact and a second electrical contact, a first locking gap on a first lateral surface of the base, and a second locking gap on a second lateral surface of the base that is opposite first lateral surface. A cartridge device holding a vaporizable material for securely coupling with an electronic inhalable aerosol device may include: a mouthpiece; a fluid storage compartment holding a vaporizable material; a base configured to fit into a rectangular opening that is between 13-14 mm deep, 4.5-5.5 mm wide, and 13-14 mm long, the base having a length of at least 10 mm, and a bottom surface comprising a first electrical contact and a second electrical contact, a first locking gap on a first lateral surface of the base positioned between 3-4 mm above the bottom surface, and a second locking gap on a second lateral surface of the base that is opposite first lateral surface. A cartridge device holding a vaporizable material for securely coupling with an electronic inhalable aerosol device, the device comprising: a mouthpiece; a fluid storage compartment holding a vaporizable material; a rectangular base having a pair of minor sides that are between greater than 10 mm deep and between 4.5-5.5 mm wide, and a pair of major sides that are greater than 10 mm deep and between 13-14 mm wide, a bottom surface comprising a first electrical contact and a second electrical contact, and a first locking gap on a first lateral surface of the base positioned between 3-4 mm above the bottom surface, and a second locking gap on a second lateral surface of the base that is opposite first lateral surface. Any of these devices may also typically include a wick in fluid communication with the vaporizable material; and a resistive heating element in fluid contact with the wick and in electrical contact with the first and second electrical contacts. In general, applicants have found that, for cartridges having a base that fits into the rectangular opening of a vaporizer (particularly one that is between 13-14 mm deep, 4.5-5.5 mm wide, and 13-14 mm long), the it is beneficial to have a length of the base (which is generally the connection region of the base for interfacing into the rectangular opening) that is greater than 10 mm, however when the base is greater than 10 mm (e.g., greater than 11 mm, greater than 12 mm, greater than 13 mm), the stability of the cartridge and in particular the electrical contacts, may be greatly enhanced if the cartridge includes one or more (e.g., two) locking gaps near the bottom surface of the cartridge into which a complimentary detent on the vaporizer can couple to. In particular, it may be beneficial to have the first and second locking gaps within 6 mm of the bottom surface, and more specifically within 3-4 mm of the bottom surface. The first and second lateral surfaces may be separated from each other by between 13-14 mm, e.g., they may be on the short sides of a cartridge base having a rectangular cross-section (a rectangular base). As mentioned, any of these cartridges may include a wick extending through the fluid storage compartment and into the vaporizable material, a resistive heating element in contact with the first and second electrical contacts, and a heating chamber in electrical contact with the first and second electrical contacts. It may also be beneficial to include one or more (e.g., two) detents extending from a major surface (e.g., two major surfaces) of the base, such as from a third and/or fourth lateral wall of the base. The cartridge may include any appropriate vaporizable material, such as a nicotine salt solution. In general, the mouthpiece may be attached opposite from the base. The fluid storage compartment may also comprises an air path extending there through (e.g., a cannula or tube). In some variations at least part of the fluid storage compartment may be within the base. The compartment may be transparent (e.g., made from a plastic or polymeric material that is clear) or opaque, allowing the user to see how much fluid is left. In general, the locking gap(s) may be a channel in the first lateral surface (e.g., a channel transversely across the first lateral surface parallel to the bottom surface), an opening or hole in the first lateral surface, and/or a hole in the first lateral surface. The locking gap is generally a gap that is surrounded at least on the upper and lower (proximal and distal) sides by the lateral wall to allow the detent on the vaporizer to engage therewith. The locking gap may be generally between 0.1 mm and 2 mm wide (e.g., between a lower value of about 0.1, 0.2, 0.3, 0.4, 0.5, 0.6, 0.7, 0.8, 0.9, 1.0, 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.4, etc. and an upper value of about 0.4, 0.5, 0.6, 0.7, 0.8, 0.9, 1.0, 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.4, 1.5, 1.6, 1.7, 1.8, 1.9, 2.0, etc., where the upper value is always greater than the lower value). Also described are vaporizers and method of using them with cartridges, including those described herein. In some variations, the apparatuses described herein may include an inhalable aerosol comprising: an oven comprising an oven chamber and a heater for heating a vapor forming medium in the oven chamber to generate a vapor; a condenser comprising a condensation chamber in which at least a fraction of the vapor condenses to form the inhalable aerosol; an air inlet that originates a first airflow path that includes the oven chamber; and an aeration vent that originates a second airflow path that allows air from the aeration vent to join the first airflow path prior to or within the condensation chamber and downstream from the oven chamber thereby forming a joined path, wherein the joined path is configured to deliver the inhalable aerosol formed in the condensation chamber to a user. The oven may be within a body of the device. The device may further comprise a mouthpiece, wherein the mouthpiece comprises at least one of the air inlet, the aeration vent, and the condenser. The mouthpiece may be separable from the oven. The mouthpiece may be integral to a body of the device, wherein the body comprises the oven. The device may further comprise a body that comprises the oven, the condenser, the air inlet, and the aeration vent. The mouthpiece may be separable from the body. In some variations, the oven chamber may comprise an oven chamber inlet and an oven chamber outlet, and the oven further comprises a first valve at the oven chamber inlet, and a second valve at the oven chamber outlet. The aeration vent may comprise a third valve. The first valve, or said second valve may be chosen from the group of a check valve, a clack valve, a non-return valve, and a one-way valve. The third valve may be chosen from the group of a check valve, a clack valve, a non-return valve, and a one-way valve. The first or second valve may be mechanically actuated. The first or second valve may be electronically actuated. The first valve or second valve may be manually actuated. The third valve may be mechanically actuated. The third valve may be mechanically actuated. The third valve may be electronically actuated. The third valve may be manually actuated. In some variations, the device may further comprise a body that comprises at least one of: a power source, a printed circuit board, a switch, and a temperature regulator. The device may further comprise a temperature regulator in communication with a temperature sensor. The temperature sensor may be the heater. The power source may be rechargeable. The power source may be removable. The oven may further comprise an access lid. The vapor forming medium may comprise tobacco. The vapor forming medium may comprise a botanical. The vapor forming medium may be heated in the oven chamber wherein the vapor forming medium may comprise a humectant to produce the vapor, wherein the vapor comprises a gas phase humectant. The vapor may be mixed in the condensation chamber with air from the aeration vent to produce the inhalable aerosol comprising particle diameters of average size of about 1 micron. The vapor forming medium may be heated in the oven chamber, wherein the vapor is mixed in the condensation chamber with air from the aeration vent to produce the inhalable aerosol comprising particle diameters of average size of less than or equal to 0.9 micron. The vapor forming medium may be heated in the oven chamber, wherein the vapor is mixed in the condensation chamber with air from the aeration vent to produce the inhalable aerosol comprising particle diameters of average size of less than or equal to 0.8 micron. The vapor forming medium may be heated in the oven chamber, wherein the vapor is mixed in the condensation chamber with air from the aeration vent to produce the inhalable aerosol comprising particle diameters of average size of less than or equal to 0.7 micron. The vapor forming medium may be heated in the oven chamber, wherein the vapor is mixed in the condensation chamber with air from the aeration vent to produce the inhalable aerosol comprising particle diameters of average size of less than or equal to 0.6 micron. The vapor forming medium may be heated in the oven chamber, wherein the vapor is mixed in the condensation chamber with air from the aeration vent to produce the inhalable aerosol comprising particle diameters of average size of less than or equal to 0.5 micron. In some variations, the humectant may comprise glycerol as a vapor-forming medium. The humectant may comprise vegetable glycerol. The humectant may comprise propylene glycol. The humectant may comprise a ratio of vegetable glycerol to propylene glycol. The ratio may be about 100:0 vegetable glycerol to propylene glycol. The ratio may be about 90:10 vegetable glycerol to propylene glycol. The ratio may be about 80:20 vegetable glycerol to propylene glycol. The ratio may be about 70:30 vegetable glycerol to propylene glycol. The ratio may be about 60:40 vegetable glycerol to propylene glycol. The ratio may be about 50:50 vegetable glycerol to propylene glycol. The humectant may comprise a flavorant. The vapor forming medium may be heated to its pyrolytic temperature. The vapor forming medium may heated to 200° C. at most. The vapor forming medium may be heated to 160° C. at most. The inhalable aerosol may be cooled to a temperature of about 50°-70° C. at most, before exiting the aerosol outlet of the mouthpiece. Also described herein are methods for generating an inhalable aerosol. Such a method may comprise: providing an inhalable aerosol generating device wherein the device comprises: an oven comprising an oven chamber and a heater for heating a vapor forming medium in the oven chamber and for forming a vapor therein; a condenser comprising a condensation chamber in which the vapor forms the inhalable aerosol; an air inlet that originates a first airflow path that includes the oven chamber; and an aeration vent that originates a second airflow path that allows air from the aeration vent to join the first airflow path prior to or within the condensation chamber and downstream from the oven chamber thereby forming a joined path, wherein the joined path is configured to deliver the inhalable aerosol formed in the condensation chamber to a user. The oven may be within a body of the device. The device may further comprise a mouthpiece, wherein the mouthpiece comprises at least one of the air inlet, the aeration vent, and the condenser. The mouthpiece may be separable from the oven. The mouthpiece may be integral to a body of the device, wherein the body comprises the oven. The method may further comprise a body that comprises the oven, the condenser, the air inlet, and the aeration vent. The mouthpiece may be separable from the body. The oven chamber may comprise an oven chamber inlet and an oven chamber outlet, and the oven further comprises a first valve at the oven chamber inlet, and a second valve at the oven chamber outlet. The vapor forming medium may comprise tobacco. The vapor forming medium may comprise a botanical. The vapor forming medium may be heated in the oven chamber wherein the vapor forming medium may comprise a humectant to produce the vapor, wherein the vapor comprises a gas phase humectant. The vapor may comprise particle diameters of average mass of about 1 micron. The vapor may comprise particle diameters of average mass of about 0.9 micron. The vapor may comprise particle diameters of average mass of about 0.8 micron. The vapor may comprise particle diameters of average mass of about 0.7 micron. The vapor may comprise particle diameters of average mass of about 0.6 micron. The vapor may comprise particle diameters of average mass of about 0.5 micron. In some variations, the humectant may comprise glycerol as a vapor-forming medium. The humectant may comprise vegetable glycerol. The humectant may comprise propylene glycol. The humectant may comprise a ratio of vegetable glycerol to propylene glycol. The ratio may be about 100:0 vegetable glycerol to propylene glycol. The ratio may be about 90:10 vegetable glycerol to propylene glycol. The ratio may be about 80:20 vegetable glycerol to propylene glycol. The ratio may be about 70:30 vegetable glycerol to propylene glycol. The ratio may be about 60:40 vegetable glycerol to propylene glycol. The ratio may be about 50:50 vegetable glycerol to propylene glycol. The humectant may comprise a flavorant. The vapor forming medium may be heated to its pyrolytic temperature. The vapor forming medium may heated to 200° C. at most. The vapor forming medium may be heated to 160° C. at most. The inhalable aerosol may be cooled to a temperature of about 50°-70° C. at most, before exiting the aerosol outlet of the mouthpiece. The device may be user serviceable. The device may not be user serviceable. A method for generating an inhalable aerosol may include: providing a vaporization device, wherein said device produces a vapor comprising particle diameters of average mass of about 1 micron or less, wherein said vapor is formed by heating a vapor forming medium in an oven chamber to a first temperature below the pyrolytic temperature of said vapor forming medium, and cooling said vapor in a condensation chamber to a second temperature below the first temperature, before exiting an aerosol outlet of said device. A method of manufacturing a device for generating an inhalable aerosol may include: providing said device comprising a mouthpiece comprising an aerosol outlet at a first end of the device; an oven comprising an oven chamber and a heater for heating a vapor forming medium in the oven chamber and for forming a vapor therein, a condenser comprising a condensation chamber in which the vapor forms the inhalable aerosol, an air inlet that originates a first airflow path that includes the oven chamber and then the condensation chamber, an aeration vent that originates a second airflow path that joins the first airflow path prior to or within the condensation chamber after the vapor is formed in the oven chamber, wherein the joined first airflow path and second airflow path are configured to deliver the inhalable aerosol formed in the condensation chamber through the aerosol outlet of the mouthpiece to a user. The method may further comprise providing the device comprising a power source or battery, a printed circuit board, a temperature regulator or operational switches. A device for generating an inhalable aerosol may comprise a mouthpiece comprising an aerosol outlet at a first end of the device and an air inlet that originates a first airflow path; an oven comprising an oven chamber that is in the first airflow path and includes the oven chamber and a heater for heating a vapor forming medium in the oven chamber and for forming a vapor therein; a condenser comprising a condensation chamber in which the vapor forms the inhalable aerosol; and an aeration vent that originates a second airflow path that allows air from the aeration vent to join the first airflow path prior to or within the condensation chamber and downstream from the oven chamber thereby forming a joined path, wherein the joined path is configured to deliver the inhalable aerosol formed in the condensation chamber through the aerosol outlet of the mouthpiece to a user. Also described herein are vaporization devices and methods of operating them. In particular, described herein are methods for controlling the temperature of a resistive heater (e.g., resistive heating element) by controlling the power applied to a resistive heater of a vaporization device by measuring the resistance of the resistive heater at discrete intervals before (e.g., baseline or ambient temperature) and during vaporization (e.g., during heating to vaporize a material within the device). Changes in the resistance during heating may be linearly related to the temperature of the resistive heater over the operational range, and therefore may be used to control the power applied to heat the resistive heater during operation. Also described herein are vaporization devices that are configured to measure the resistance of the resistive heater during heating (e.g., during a pause in the application of power to heat the resistive heater) and to control the application of power to the resistive heater based on the resistance values. In general, in any of the methods and apparatuses described herein, the control circuitry (which may include one or more circuits, a microcontroller, and/or control logic) may compare a resistance of the resistive heater during heating, e.g., following a sensor input indicating that a user wishes to withdraw vapor, to a target resistance of the heating element. The target resistance is typically the resistance of the resistive heater at a desired (and in some cases estimated) target vaporization temperature. The apparatus and methods may be configured to offer multiple and/or adjustable vaporization temperatures. In some variations, the target resistance is an approximation or estimate of the resistance of the resistive heater when the resistive heater is heated to the target temperature (or temperature ranges). In some variations, the target reference is based on a baseline resistance for the resistive heater and/or the percent change in resistance from baseline resistance for the resistive heater at a target temperature. In general, the baseline resistance may be referred to as the resistance of the resistive heater at an ambient temperature. For example, a method of controlling a vaporization device may include: placing a vaporizable material in thermal contact with a resistive heater; applying power to the resistive heater to heat the vaporizable material; measuring the resistance of the resistive heater; and adjusting the applied power to the resistive heater based on the difference between the resistance of the resistive heater and a target resistance of the heating element. In some variations, the target resistance is based on a reference resistance. For example, the reference resistance may be approximately the resistance of the coil at target temperature. This reference resistance may be calculated, estimated or approximated (as described herein) or it may be determined empirically based on the resistance values of the resistive heater at one or more target temperatures. In some variations, the target resistance is based on the resistance of the resistive heater at an ambient temperature. For example, the target resistance may be estimated based on the electrical properties of the resistive heater, e.g., the temperature coefficient of resistance or TCR, of the resistive heater (e.g., “resistive heating element” or “vaporizing element”). For example, a vaporization device (e.g., an electronic vaporizer device) may include a puff sensor, a power source (e.g., battery, capacitor, etc.), a heating element controller (e.g., microcontroller), and a resistive heater. A separate temperature sensor may also be included to determine an actual temperature of ambient temperature and/or the resistive heater, or a temperature sensor may be part of the heating element controller. However, in general, the microcontroller may control the temperature of the resistive heater (e.g., resistive coil, etc.) based on a change in resistance due to temperature (e.g., TCR). In general, the heater may be any appropriate resistive heater, such as a resistive coil. The heater is typically coupled to the heater controller so that the heater controller applies power (e.g., from the power source) to the heater. The heater controller may include regulatory control logic to regulate the temperature of the heater by adjusting the applied power. The heater controller may include a dedicated or general-purpose processor, circuitry, or the like and is generally connected to the power source and may receive input from the power source to regulate the applied power to the heater. For example, any of these apparatuses may include logic for determining the temperature of the heater based on the TCR. The resistance of the heater (e.g., a resistive heater) may be measured (Rheater) during operation of the apparatus and compared to a target resistance, which is typically the resistance of the resistive heater at the target temperature. In some cases this resistance may be estimated from the the resistance of the resistive hearing element at ambient temperature (baseline). In some variations, a reference resistor (Rreference) may be used to set the target resistance. The ratio of the heater resistance to the reference resistance (Rheater/Rreference) is linearly related to the temperature (above room temp) of the heater, and may be directly converted to a calibrated temperature. For example, a change in temperature of the heater relative to room temperature may be calculated using an expression such as (Rheater/Rreference−1)*(1/TCR), where TCR is the temperature coefficient of resistivity for the heater. In one example, TCR for a particular device heater is 0.00014/° C. In determining the partial doses and doses described herein, the temperature value used (e.g., the temperature of the vaporizable material during a dose interval, Ti, described in more detail below) may refer to the unitless resistive ratio (e.g., Rheater/Rreference) or it may refer to the normalized/corrected temperature (e.g., in ° C.). When controlling a vaporization device by comparing a measure resistance of a resistive heater to a target resistance, the target resistance may be initially calculated and may be factory preset and/or calibrated by a user-initiated event. For example, the target resistance of the resistive heater during operation of the apparatus may be set by the percent change in baseline resistance plus the baseline resistance of the resistive heater, as will be described in more detail below. As mentioned, the resistance of the heating element at ambient is the baseline resistance. For example, the target resistance may be based on the resistance of the resistive heater at an ambient temperature and a target change in temperature of the resistive heater. As mentioned above, the target resistance of the resistive heater may be based on a target heating element temperature. Any of the apparatuses and methods for using them herein may include determining the target resistance of the resistive heater based on a resistance of the resistive heater at ambient temperature and a percent change in a resistance of the resistive heater at an ambient temperature. In any of the methods and apparatuses described herein, the resistance of the resistive heater may be measured (using a resistive measurement circuit) and compared to a target resistance by using a voltage divider. Alternatively or additionally any of the methods and apparatuses described herein may compare a measured resistance of the resistive heater to a target resistance using a Wheatstone bridge and thereby adjust the power to increase/decrease the applied power based on this comparison. In any of the variations described herein, adjusting the applied power to the resistive heater may comprise comparing the resistance (actual resistance) of the resistive heater to a target resistance using a voltage divider, Wheatstone bridge, amplified Wheatstone bridge, or RC charge time circuit. As mentioned above, a target resistance of the resistive heater and therefore target temperature may be determined using a baseline resistance measurement taken from the resistive heater. The apparatus and/or method may approximate a baseline resistance for the resistive heater by waiting an appropriate length of time (e.g., 1 second, 10 seconds, 30 seconds, 1 minute, 1.5 minutes, 2 minutes, 3 minutes, 4 minutes, 5 minutes, 6 minutes, 7 minutes, 8 minutes, 9 minutes, 10 minutes, 11 minutes, 12 minutes, 15 minutes, 20 minutes, etc.) from the last application of energy to the resistive heater to measure a resistance (or series of resistance that may be averaged, etc.) representing the baseline resistance for the resistive heater. In some variations a plurality of measurements made when heating/applying power to the resistive heater is prevented may be analyzed by the apparatus to determine when the resistance values do not vary outside of a predetermined range (e.g., when the resistive heater has ‘cooled’ down, and therefore the resistance is no longer changing due to temperature decreasing/increasing), for example, when the rate of change of the resistance of the heating element over time is below some stability threshold. For example, any of the methods and apparatuses described herein may measure the resistance of the resistive heater an ambient temperature by measuring the resistance of the resistive heater after a predetermined time since power was last applied to the resistive heater. As mentioned above, the predetermined time period may be seconds, minutes, etc. In any of these variations the baseline resistance may be stored in a long-term memory (including volatile, non-volatile or semi-volatile memory). Storing a baseline resistance (“the resistance of the resistive heater an ambient temperature”) may be done periodically (e.g., once per 2 minute, 5 minutes, 10 minutes, 1 hour, etc., or every time a particular event occurs, such as loading vaporizable material), or once for a single time. Any of these methods may also include calculating an absolute target coil temperature from an actual device temperature. As mentioned, above, based on the material properties of the resistive heater (e.g., coil) the resistance and/or change in resistance over time may be used calculate an actual temperature, which may be presented to a user, e.g., on the face of the device, or communicated to an “app” or other output type. In any of the methods and apparatuses described herein, the apparatus may detect the resistance of the resistive heater only when power is not being applied to the resistive heater while detecting the resistance; once the resistance detection is complete, power may again be applied (and this application may be modified by the control logic described herein). For example, in any of these devices and methods the resistance of the resistive heater may be measured only when suspending the application of power to the resistive heater. For example, a method of controlling a vaporization device may include: placing a vaporizable material in thermal contact with a resistive heater; applying power to the resistive heater to heat the vaporizable material; suspending the application of power to the resistive heater while measuring the resistance of the resistive heater; and adjusting the applied power to the resistive heater based on the difference between the resistance of the heating element and a target resistance of the resistive heater, wherein measuring the resistance of the resistive heater comprises measuring the resistance using a voltage divider, Wheatstone bridge, amplified Wheatstone bridge, or RC charge time circuit. For example, a vaporization device may include: a microcontroller; a reservoir configured to hold a vaporizable material; a resistive heater configured to thermally contact the vaporizable material from the reservoir; a resistance measurement circuit connected to the microcontroller configured to measure the resistance of the resistive heater; and a power source, wherein the microcontroller applies power from the power source to heat the resistive heater and adjusts the applied power based on the difference between the resistance of the resistive heater and a target resistance of the resistive heater. A vaporization device may include: a microcontroller; a reservoir configured to hold a vaporizable material; a resistive heater configured to thermally contact the vaporizable material from the reservoir; a resistance measurement circuit connected to the microcontroller configured to measure the resistance of the resistive heater; a power source; and a sensor having an output connected to the microcontroller, wherein the microcontroller is configured to determine when the resistive heater applies power from the power source to heat the resistive heater; a target resistance circuit configured to determine a target resistance, the target resistance circuit comprising one of: a voltage divider, a Wheatstone bridge, an amplified Wheatstone bridge, or an RC charge time circuit, wherein the microcontroller applies power from the power source to heat the resistive heater and adjusts the applied power based on the difference between the resistance of the resistive heater and the target resistance of the resistive heater. In any of the methods and apparatuses (e.g., devices and systems) described herein, the apparatus may be configured to be triggered by a user drawing on or otherwise indicating that they would like to begin vaporization of the vaporizing material. This user-initiated start may be detected by a sensor, such as a pressure sensor (“puff sensor”) configured to detect draw. The sensor may generally have an output that is connected to the controller (e.g., microcontroller), and the microcontroller may be configured to determine when the resistive heater applies power from the power source to heat the resistive heater. For example, a vaporizing device as described herein may include a pressure sensor having an output connected to the microcontroller, wherein the microcontroller is configured to determine when the resistive heater applies power from the power source to heat the resistive heater. In general, any of the apparatuses described herein may be adapted to perform any of the methods described herein, including determining if an instantaneous (ongoing) resistance measurement of the resistive heater is above/below and/or within a tolerable range of a target resistance. Any of these apparatuses may also determine the target resistance. As mentioned, this may be determined empirically and set to a resistance value, and/or it may be calculated. For example, any of these apparatuses (e.g., devices) may include a target resistance circuit configured to determine the target resistance, the target resistance circuit comprising one of: a voltage divider, a Wheatstone bridge, an amplified Wheatstone bridge, or an RC charge time circuit. Alternatively or additionally, a voltage divider, a Wheatstone bridge, an amplified Wheatstone bridge, or an RC charge time circuit may be included as part of the microcontroller or other circuitry that compares the measured resistance of the resistive heater to a target resistance. For example, a target resistance circuit may be configured to determine the target resistance and/or compare the measured resistance of the resistive heater to the target resistance. The target resistance circuit comprising a voltage divider having a reference resistance equivalent to the target resistance. A target resistance circuit may be configured to determine the target resistance, the target resistance circuit comprising a Wheatstone bridge, wherein the target resistance is calculated by adding a resistance of the resistive heater at an ambient temperature and a target change in temperature of the resistive heater. As mentioned, any of these apparatuses may include a memory configured to store a resistance of the resistive heater at an ambient temperature. Further, any of these apparatuses may include a temperature input coupled to the microcontroller and configured to provide an actual device temperature. The device temperature may be sensed and/or provided by any appropriate sensor, including thermistor, thermocouple, resistive temperature sensor, silicone bandgap temperature sensor, etc. The measured device temperature may be used to calculate a target resistance that corresponds to a certain resistive heater (e.g., coil) temperature. In some variations the apparatus may display and/or output an an estimate of the temperature of the resistive heater. The apparatus may include a display or may communicate (e.g., wirelessly) with another apparatus that receives the temperature or resistance values. The devices described herein may include an inhalable aerosol comprising: an oven comprising an oven chamber and a heater for heating a vapor forming medium in the oven chamber to generate a vapor; a condenser comprising a condensation chamber in which at least a fraction of the vapor condenses to form the inhalable aerosol; an air inlet that originates a first airflow path that includes the oven chamber; and an aeration vent that originates a second airflow path that allows air from the aeration vent to join the first airflow path prior to or within the condensation chamber and downstream from the oven chamber thereby forming a joined path, wherein the joined path is configured to deliver the inhalable aerosol formed in the condensation chamber to a user. In any of these variations the oven is within a body of the device. The device may further comprise a mouthpiece, wherein the mouthpiece comprises at least one of the air inlet, the aeration vent, and the condenser. The mouthpiece may be separable from the oven. The mouthpiece may be integral to a body of the device, wherein the body comprises the oven. The device may further comprise a body that comprises the oven, the condenser, the air inlet, and the aeration vent. The mouthpiece may be separable from the body. In some variations, the oven chamber may comprise an oven chamber inlet and an oven chamber outlet, and the oven further comprises a first valve at the oven chamber inlet, and a second valve at the oven chamber outlet. The aeration vent may comprise a third valve. The first valve, or said second valve may be chosen from the group of a check valve, a clack valve, a non-return valve, and a one-way valve. The third valve may be chosen from the group of a check valve, a clack valve, a non-return valve, and a one-way valve. The first or second valve may be mechanically actuated. The first or second valve may be electronically actuated. The first valve or second valve may be manually actuated. The third valve may be mechanically actuated. The third valve may be mechanically actuated. The third valve may be electronically actuated. The third valve may be manually actuated. In any of these variations, the device may further comprise a body that comprises at least one of: a power source, a printed circuit board, a switch, and a temperature regulator. The device may further comprise a temperature regulator in communication with a temperature sensor. The temperature sensor may be the heater. The power source may be rechargeable. The power source may be removable. The oven may further comprise an access lid. The vapor forming medium may comprise tobacco. The vapor forming medium may comprise a botanical. The vapor forming medium may be heated in the oven chamber wherein the vapor forming medium may comprise a humectant to produce the vapor, wherein the vapor comprises a gas phase humectant. The vapor may be mixed in the condensation chamber with air from the aeration vent to produce the inhalable aerosol comprising particle diameters of average size of about 1 micron. The vapor forming medium may be heated in the oven chamber, wherein the vapor is mixed in the condensation chamber with air from the aeration vent to produce the inhalable aerosol comprising particle diameters of average size of less than or equal to 0.9 micron. The vapor forming medium may be heated in the oven chamber, wherein the vapor is mixed in the condensation chamber with air from the aeration vent to produce the inhalable aerosol comprising particle diameters of average size of less than or equal to 0.8 micron. The vapor forming medium may be heated in the oven chamber, wherein the vapor is mixed in the condensation chamber with air from the aeration vent to produce the inhalable aerosol comprising particle diameters of average size of less than or equal to 0.7 micron. The vapor forming medium may be heated in the oven chamber, wherein the vapor is mixed in the condensation chamber with air from the aeration vent to produce the inhalable aerosol comprising particle diameters of average size of less than or equal to 0.6 micron. The vapor forming medium may be heated in the oven chamber, wherein the vapor is mixed in the condensation chamber with air from the aeration vent to produce the inhalable aerosol comprising particle diameters of average size of less than or equal to 0.5 micron. In any of these variations, the humectant may comprise glycerol as a vapor-forming medium. The humectant may comprise vegetable glycerol. The humectant may comprise propylene glycol. The humectant may comprise a ratio of vegetable glycerol to propylene glycol. The ratio may be about 100:0 vegetable glycerol to propylene glycol. The ratio may be about 90:10 vegetable glycerol to propylene glycol. The ratio may be about 80:20 vegetable glycerol to propylene glycol. The ratio may be about 70:30 vegetable glycerol to propylene glycol. The ratio may be about 60:40 vegetable glycerol to propylene glycol. The ratio may be about 50:50 vegetable glycerol to propylene glycol. The humectant may comprise a flavorant. The vapor forming medium may be heated to its pyrolytic temperature. The vapor forming medium may heated to 200° C. at most. The vapor forming medium may be heated to 160° C. at most. The inhalable aerosol may be cooled to a temperature of about 50°-70° C. at most, before exiting the aerosol outlet of the mouthpiece. In any of these variations, the method comprises A method for generating an inhalable aerosol, the method comprising: providing an inhalable aerosol generating device wherein the device comprises: an oven comprising an oven chamber and a heater for heating a vapor forming medium in the oven chamber and for forming a vapor therein; a condenser comprising a condensation chamber in which the vapor forms the inhalable aerosol; an air inlet that originates a first airflow path that includes the oven chamber; and an aeration vent that originates a second airflow path that allows air from the aeration vent to join the first airflow path prior to or within the condensation chamber and downstream from the oven chamber thereby forming a joined path, wherein the joined path is configured to deliver the inhalable aerosol formed in the condensation chamber to a user. In any of these variations the oven is within a body of the device. The device may further comprise a mouthpiece, wherein the mouthpiece comprises at least one of the air inlet, the aeration vent, and the condenser. The mouthpiece may be separable from the oven. The mouthpiece may be integral to a body of the device, wherein the body comprises the oven. The method may further comprise a body that comprises the oven, the condenser, the air inlet, and the aeration vent. The mouthpiece may be separable from the body. In any of these variations, the oven chamber may comprise an oven chamber inlet and an oven chamber outlet, and the oven further comprises a first valve at the oven chamber inlet, and a second valve at the oven chamber outlet. The vapor forming medium may comprise tobacco. The vapor forming medium may comprise a botanical. The vapor forming medium may be heated in the oven chamber wherein the vapor forming medium may comprise a humectant to produce the vapor, wherein the vapor comprises a gas phase humectant. The vapor may comprise particle diameters of average mass of about 1 micron. The vapor may comprise particle diameters of average mass of about 0.9 micron. The vapor may comprise particle diameters of average mass of about 0.8 micron. The vapor may comprise particle diameters of average mass of about 0.7 micron. The vapor may comprise particle diameters of average mass of about 0.6 micron. The vapor may comprise particle diameters of average mass of about 0.5 micron. In any of these variations, the humectant may comprise glycerol as a vapor-forming medium. The humectant may comprise vegetable glycerol. The humectant may comprise propylene glycol. The humectant may comprise a ratio of vegetable glycerol to propylene glycol. The ratio may be about 100:0 vegetable glycerol to propylene glycol. The ratio may be about 90:10 vegetable glycerol to propylene glycol. The ratio may be about 80:20 vegetable glycerol to propylene glycol. The ratio may be about 70:30 vegetable glycerol to propylene glycol. The ratio may be about 60:40 vegetable glycerol to propylene glycol. The ratio may be about 50:50 vegetable glycerol to propylene glycol. The humectant may comprise a flavorant. The vapor forming medium may be heated to its pyrolytic temperature. The vapor forming medium may heated to 200° C. at most. The vapor forming medium may be heated to 160° C. at most. The inhalable aerosol may be cooled to a temperature of about 50°-70° C. at most, before exiting the aerosol outlet of the mouthpiece. In any of these variations, the device may be user serviceable. The device may not be user serviceable. In any of these variations, a method for generating an inhalable aerosol, the method comprising: providing a vaporization device, wherein said device produces a vapor comprising particle diameters of average mass of about 1 micron or less, wherein said vapor is formed by heating a vapor forming medium in an oven chamber to a first temperature below the pyrolytic temperature of said vapor forming medium, and cooling said vapor in a condensation chamber to a second temperature below the first temperature, before exiting an aerosol outlet of said device. In any of these variations, a method of manufacturing a device for generating an inhalable aerosol comprising: providing said device comprising a mouthpiece comprising an aerosol outlet at a first end of the device; an oven comprising an oven chamber and a heater for heating a vapor forming medium in the oven chamber and for forming a vapor therein, a condenser comprising a condensation chamber in which the vapor forms the inhalable aerosol, an air inlet that originates a first airflow path that includes the oven chamber and then the condensation chamber, an aeration vent that originates a second airflow path that joins the first airflow path prior to or within the condensation chamber after the vapor is formed in the oven chamber, wherein the joined first airflow path and second airflow path are configured to deliver the inhalable aerosol formed in the condensation chamber through the aerosol outlet of the mouthpiece to a user. The method may further comprise providing the device comprising a power source or battery, a printed circuit board, a temperature regulator or operational switches. In any of these variations a device for generating an inhalable aerosol may comprise a mouthpiece comprising an aerosol outlet at a first end of the device and an air inlet that originates a first airflow path; an oven comprising an oven chamber that is in the first airflow path and includes the oven chamber and a heater for heating a vapor forming medium in the oven chamber and for forming a vapor therein; a condenser comprising a condensation chamber in which the vapor forms the inhalable aerosol; and an aeration vent that originates a second airflow path that allows air from the aeration vent to join the first airflow path prior to or within the condensation chamber and downstream from the oven chamber thereby forming a joined path, wherein the joined path is configured to deliver the inhalable aerosol formed in the condensation chamber through the aerosol outlet of the mouthpiece to a user. In any of these variations a device for generating an inhalable aerosol mmay comprise: a mouthpiece comprising an aerosol outlet at a first end of the device, an air inlet that originates a first airflow path, and an aeration vent that originates a second airflow path that allows air from the aeration vent to join the first airflow path; an oven comprising an oven chamber that is in the first airflow path and includes the oven chamber and a heater for heating a vapor forming medium in the oven chamber and for forming a vapor therein; and a condenser comprising a condensation chamber in which the vapor forms the inhalable aerosol and wherein air from the aeration vent joins the first airflow path prior to or within the condensation chamber and downstream from the oven chamber thereby forming a joined path, wherein the joined path is configured to deliver the inhalable aerosol through the aerosol outlet of the mouthpiece to a user. In any of these variations, a device for generating an inhalable aerosol may comprise: a device body comprising a cartridge receptacle; a cartridge comprising: a fluid storage compartment, and a channel integral to an exterior surface of the cartridge, and an air inlet passage formed by the channel and an internal surface of the cartridge receptacle when the cartridge is inserted into the cartridge receptacle; wherein the channel forms a first side of the air inlet passage, and an internal surface of the cartridge receptacle forms a second side of the air inlet passage. In any of these variations, a device for generating an inhalable aerosol may comprise: a device body comprising a cartridge receptacle; a cartridge comprising: a fluid storage compartment, and a channel integral to an exterior surface of the cartridge, and an air inlet passage formed by the channel and an internal surface of the cartridge receptacle when the cartridge is inserted into the cartridge receptacle; wherein the channel forms a first side of the air inlet passage, and an internal surface of the cartridge receptacle forms a second side of the air inlet passage. In any of these variations the channel may comprise at least one of a groove, a trough, a depression, a dent, a furrow, a trench, a crease, and a gutter. The integral channel may comprise walls that are either recessed into the surface or protrude from the surface where it is formed. The internal side walls of the channel may form additional sides of the air inlet passage. The cartridge may further comprise a second air passage in fluid communication with the air inlet passage to the fluid storage compartment, wherein the second air passage is formed through the material of the cartridge. The cartridge may further comprise a heater. The heater may be attached to a first end of the cartridge. In any of these variations the heater may comprise a heater chamber, a first pair of heater contacts, a fluid wick, and a resistive heating element in contact with the wick, wherein the first pair of heater contacts comprise thin plates affixed about the sides of the heater chamber, and wherein the fluid wick and resistive heating element are suspended therebetween. The first pair of heater contacts may further comprise a formed shape that comprises a tab having a flexible spring value that extends out of the heater to couple to complete a circuit with the device body. The first pair of heater contacts may be a heat sink that absorbs and dissipates excessive heat produced by the resistive heating element. The first pair of heater contacts may contact a heat shield that protects the heater chamber from excessive heat produced by the resistive heating element. The first pair of heater contacts may be press-fit to an attachment feature on the exterior wall of the first end of the cartridge. The heater may enclose a first end of the cartridge and a first end of the fluid storage compartment. The heater may comprise a first condensation chamber. The heater may comprise more than one first condensation chamber. The first condensation chamber may be formed along an exterior wall of the cartridge. The cartridge may further comprise a mouthpiece. The mouthpiece may be attached to a second end of the cartridge. The mouthpiece may comprise a second condensation chamber. The mouthpiece may comprise more than one second condensation chamber. The second condensation chamber may be formed along an exterior wall of the cartridge. In any of these variations the cartridge may comprise a first condensation chamber and a second condensation chamber. The first condensation chamber and the second condensation chamber may be in fluid communication. The mouthpiece may comprise an aerosol outlet in fluid communication with the second condensation chamber. The mouthpiece may comprise more than one aerosol outlet in fluid communication with more than one the second condensation chamber. The mouthpiece may enclose a second end of the cartridge and a second end of the fluid storage compartment. In any of these variations, the device may comprise an airflow path comprising an air inlet passage, a second air passage, a heater chamber, a first condensation chamber, a second condensation chamber, and an aerosol outlet. The airflow path may comprise more than one air inlet passage, a heater chamber, more than one first condensation chamber, more than one second condensation chamber, more than one second condensation chamber, and more than one aerosol outlet. The heater may be in fluid communication with the fluid storage compartment. The fluid storage compartment may be capable of retaining condensed aerosol fluid. The condensed aerosol fluid may comprise a nicotine formulation. The condensed aerosol fluid may comprise a humectant. The humectant may comprise propylene glycol. The humectant may comprise vegetable glycerin. In any of these variations the cartridge may be detachable. In any of these variations the cartridge may be receptacle and the detachable cartridge form a separable coupling. The separable coupling may comprise a friction assembly, a snap-fit assembly or a magnetic assembly. The cartridge may comprise a fluid storage compartment, a heater affixed to a first end with a snap-fit coupling, and a mouthpiece affixed to a second end with a snap-fit coupling. In any of these variations, a device for generating an inhalable aerosol may comprise: a device body comprising a cartridge receptacle for receiving a cartridge; wherein an interior surface of the cartridge receptacle forms a first side of an air inlet passage when a cartridge comprising a channel integral to an exterior surface is inserted into the cartridge receptacle, and wherein the channel forms a second side of the air inlet passage. In any of these variations, a device for generating an inhalable aerosol may comprise: a device body comprising a cartridge receptacle for receiving a cartridge; wherein the cartridge receptacle comprises a channel integral to an interior surface and forms a first side of an air inlet passage when a cartridge is inserted into the cartridge receptacle, and wherein an exterior surface of the cartridge forms a second side of the air inlet passage. In any of these variations, A cartridge for a device for generating an inhalable aerosol comprising: a fluid storage compartment; a channel integral to an exterior surface, wherein the channel forms a first side of an air inlet passage; and wherein an internal surface of a cartridge receptacle in the device forms a second side of the air inlet passage when the cartridge is inserted into the cartridge receptacle. In any of these variations, a cartridge for a device for generating an inhalable aerosol may comprise: a fluid storage compartment, wherein an exterior surface of the cartridge forms a first side of an air inlet channel when inserted into a device body comprising a cartridge receptacle, and wherein the cartridge receptacle further comprises a channel integral to an interior surface, and wherein the channel forms a second side of the air inlet passage. The cartridge may further comprise a second air passage in fluid communication with the channel, wherein the second air passage is formed through the material of the cartridge from an exterior surface of the cartridge to the fluid storage compartment. The cartridge may comprise at least one of: a groove, a trough, a depression, a dent, a furrow, a trench, a crease, and a gutter. The integral channel may comprise walls that are either recessed into the surface or protrude from the surface where it is formed. The internal side walls of the channel may form additional sides of the air inlet passage. In any of these variations, a device for generating an inhalable aerosol may comprise: a cartridge comprising; a fluid storage compartment; a heater affixed to a first end comprising; a first heater contact, a resistive heating element affixed to the first heater contact; a device body comprising; a cartridge receptacle for receiving the cartridge; a second heater contact adapted to receive the first heater contact and to complete a circuit; a power source connected to the second heater contact; a printed circuit board (PCB) connected to the power source and the second heater contact; wherein the PCB is configured to detect the absence of fluid based on the measured resistance of the resistive heating element, and turn off the device. The printed circuit board (PCB) may comprise a microcontroller; switches; circuitry comprising a reference resister; and an algorithm comprising logic for control parameters; wherein the microcontroller cycles the switches at fixed intervals to measure the resistance of the resistive heating element relative to the reference resistor, and applies the algorithm control parameters to control the temperature of the resistive heating element. The micro-controller may instruct the device to turn itself off when the resistance exceeds the control parameter threshold indicating that the resistive heating element is dry. In any of these variations, a cartridge for a device for generating an inhalable aerosol may comprise: a fluid storage compartment; a heater affixed to a first end comprising: a heater chamber, a first pair of heater contacts, a fluid wick, and a resistive heating element in contact with the wick; wherein the first pair of heater contacts comprise thin plates affixed about the sides of the heater chamber, and wherein the fluid wick and resistive heating element are suspended therebetween. The first pair of heater contacts may further comprise: a formed shape that comprises a tab having a flexible spring value that extends out of the heater to complete a circuit with the device body. The heater contacts may be configured to mate with a second pair of heater contacts in a cartridge receptacle of the device body to complete a circuit. The first pair of heater contacts may also be a heat sink that absorbs and dissipates excessive heat produced by the resistive heating element. The first pair of heater contacts may be a heat shield that protects the heater chamber from excessive heat produced by the resistive heating element. In any of these variations, a cartridge for a device for generating an inhalable aerosol may comprise: a heater comprising; a heater chamber, a pair of thin plate heater contacts therein, a fluid wick positioned between the heater contacts, and a resistive heating element in contact with the wick; wherein the heater contacts each comprise a fixation site wherein the resistive heating element is tensioned therebetween. In any of these variations, a cartridge for a device for generating an inhalable aerosol may comprise a heater, wherein the heater is attached to a first end of the cartridge. The heater may enclose a first end of the cartridge and a first end of the fluid storage compartment. The heater may comprise more than one first condensation chamber. The heater may comprise a first condensation chamber. The condensation chamber may be formed along an exterior wall of the cartridge. In any of these variations, a cartridge for a device for generating an inhalable aerosol may comprise a fluid storage compartment; and a mouthpiece, wherein the mouthpiece is attached to a second end of the cartridge. The mouthpiece may enclose a second end of the cartridge and a second end of the fluid storage compartment. The mouthpiece may comprise a second condensation chamber. The mouthpiece may comprise more than one second condensation chamber. The second condensation chamber may be formed along an exterior wall of the cartridge. In any of these variations, a cartridge for a device for generating an inhalable aerosol may comprise: a fluid storage compartment; a heater affixed to a first end; and a mouthpiece affixed to a second end; wherein the heater comprises a first condensation chamber and the mouthpiece comprises a second condensation chamber. The heater may comprise more than one first condensation chamber and the mouthpiece comprises more than one second condensation chamber. The first condensation chamber and the second condensation chamber may be in fluid communication. The mouthpiece may comprise an aerosol outlet in fluid communication with the second condensation chamber. The mouthpiece may comprise two to more aerosol outlets. The cartridge may meet ISO recycling standards. The cartridge may meet ISO recycling standards for plastic waste. In any of these variations, a device for generating an inhalable aerosol may comprise: a device body comprising a cartridge receptacle; and a detachable cartridge; wherein the cartridge receptacle and the detachable cartridge form a separable coupling, wherein the separable coupling comprises a friction assembly, a snap-fit assembly or a magnetic assembly. In any of these variations, a method of fabricating a device for generating an inhalable aerosol may comprise: providing a device body comprising a cartridge receptacle; and providing a detachable cartridge; wherein the cartridge receptacle and the detachable cartridge form a separable coupling comprising a friction assembly, a snap-fit assembly or a magnetic assembly. In any of these variations, a method of fabricating a cartridge for a device for generating an inhalable aerosol may comprise: providing a fluid storage compartment; affixing a heater to a first end with a snap-fit coupling; and affixing a mouthpiece to a second end with a snap-fit coupling. In any of these variations A cartridge for a device for generating an inhalable aerosol with an airflow path comprising: a channel comprising a portion of an air inlet passage; a second air passage in fluid communication with the channel; a heater chamber in fluid communication with the second air passage; a first condensation chamber in fluid communication with the heater chamber; a second condensation chamber in fluid communication with the first condensation chamber; and an aerosol outlet in fluid communication with second condensation chamber. In any of these variations, a cartridge for a device for generating an inhalable aerosol may comprise: a fluid storage compartment; a heater affixed to a first end; and a mouthpiece affixed to a second end; wherein said mouthpiece comprises two or more aerosol outlets. In any of these variations, a system for providing power to an electronic device for generating an inhalable vapor, the system may comprise; a rechargeable power storage device housed within the electronic device for generating an inhalable vapor; two or more pins that are accessible from an exterior surface of the electronic device for generating an inhalable vapor, wherein the charging pins are in electrical communication with the rechargeable power storage device; a charging cradle comprising two or more charging contacts configured to provided power to the rechargeable storage device, wherein the device charging pins are reversible such that the device is charged in the charging cradle for charging with a first charging pin on the device in contact a first charging contact on the charging cradle and a second charging pin on the device in contact with second charging contact on the charging cradle and with the first charging pin on the device in contact with second charging contact on the charging cradle and the second charging pin on the device in contact with the first charging contact on the charging cradle. The charging pins may be visible on an exterior housing of the device. The user may permanently disable the device by opening the housing. The user may permanently destroy the device by opening the housing. Additional aspects and advantages of the present disclosure will become readily apparent to those skilled in this art from the following detailed description, wherein only illustrative embodiments of the present disclosure are shown and described. As will be realized, the present disclosure is capable of other and different embodiments, and its several details are capable of modifications in various obvious respects, all without departing from the disclosure. Accordingly, the drawings and description are to be regarded as illustrative in nature, and not as restrictive. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is an illustrative cross-sectional view of an exemplary vaporization device. FIG. 2 is an illustrative cross-sectional view of an exemplary vaporization device with various electronic features and valves. FIG. 3 is an illustrative sectional view of another exemplary vaporization device comprising a condensation chamber, air inlet and aeration vent in the mouthpiece. FIGS. 4A-4C is an illustrative example of an oven section of another exemplary vaporization device configuration with a access lid, comprising an oven having an air inlet, air outlet, and an additional aeration vent in the airflow pathway, after the oven. FIG. 5 is an illustrative isometric view of an assembled inhalable aerosol device. FIGS. 6A-6D are illustrative arrangements and section views of the device body and sub-components. FIG. 7A is an illustrative isometric view of an assembled cartridge. FIG. 7B is an illustrative exploded isometric view of a cartridge assembly FIG. 7C is a side section view of FIG. 7A illustrating the inlet channel, inlet hole and relative placement of the wick, resistive heating element, and heater contacts, and the heater chamber inside of the heater. FIG. 8A is an illustrative end section view of an exemplary cartridge inside the heater. FIG. 8B is an illustrative side view of the cartridge with the cap removed and heater shown in shadow/outline. FIGS. 9A-9L illustrate an exemplary sequence of one assembly method for a cartridge. FIGS. 10A-10C are illustrative sequences showing the airflow/vapor path for the cartridge. FIGS. 11, 12, and 13 represent an illustrative assembly sequence for assembling the main components of the device. FIG. 14 illustrates front, side and section views of the assembled inhalable aerosol device. FIG. 15 is an illustrative view of an activated, assembled inhalable aerosol device. FIGS. 16A-16C are representative illustrations of a charging device for the aerosol device and the application of the charger with the device. FIGS. 17A and 17B are representative illustrations of a proportional-integral-derivative controller (PID) block diagram and circuit diagram representing the essential components in a device to control coil temperature. FIG. 17C is another example of a PID block diagram similar to that of FIG. 17A, in which the resistance of the resistive heater may be used to control the temperature of the apparatuses described herein. FIG. 17D is an example of a circuit showing one variation of the measurement circuit used in the PID block diagram shown in FIG. 17C. Specifically, this is an amplified Wheatstone bridge resistance measurement circuit. FIG. 18 is a device with charging contacts visible from an exterior housing of the device. FIG. 19 is an exploded view of a charging assembly of a device. FIG. 20 is a detailed view of a charging assembly of a device. FIG. 21 is a detailed view of charging pins in a charging assembly of a device. FIG. 22 is a device in a charging cradle. FIG. 23 is a circuit provided on a PCB configured to permit a device to comprise reversible charging contacts. FIGS. 24A and 24B show top and bottom perspective views, respectively of a cartridge device holding a vaporizable material for securely coupling with an electronic inhalable aerosol device as described herein. FIGS. 25A and 25B show front a side views, respectively, of the cartridge of FIGS. 24A-24B. FIG. 26A shows a section through a cartridge device holding a vaporizable material for securely coupling with an electronic inhalable aerosol device and indicates exemplary dimensions (in mm). FIG. 26B shows a side view of the cartridge of FIG. 26A, indicating where the sectional view of FIG. 26A was taken. FIGS. 27A and 27B show an exemplary vaporizer device without a cartridge attached. FIG. 27A is a side view and FIG. 27B shows a sectional view with exemplary dimensions of the rectangular opening for holding and making electrical contact with a cartridge. FIG. 28A shows a perspective view of a vaporizer coupled to a cartridge as described herein. FIG. 28B shows a side view of the vaporizer of FIG. 28A. FIG. 28C shows a sectional view through the vaporizer of FIG. 28B taken through the dashed line. FIG. 28D is an enlarged view of the region showing the electrical and mechanical connection between the cartridge and the vaporizer indicted by the circular region D. FIGS. 29A-29D illustrate side profiles of alternative variations of cartridges as described herein. DETAILED DESCRIPTION Provided herein are systems and methods for generating a vapor from a material. The vapor may be delivered for inhalation by a user. The material may be a solid, liquid, powder, solution, paste, gel, or any a material with any other physical consistency. The vapor may be delivered to the user for inhalation by a vaporization device. The vaporization device may be a handheld vaporization device. The vaporization device may be held in one hand by the user. The vaporization device may comprise a cartridge having one or more heating elements the heating element may be a resistive heating element. The heating element may heat the material such that the temperature of the material increases. Vapor may be generated as a result of heating the material. Energy may be required to operate the heating element, the energy may be derived from a battery in electrical communication with the heating element. Alternatively a chemical reaction (e.g., combustion or other exothermic reaction) may provide energy to the heating element. One or more aspects of the vaporization device may be designed and/or controlled in order to deliver a vapor with one or more specified properties to the user. For example, aspects of the vaporization device that may be designed and/or controlled to deliver the vapor with specified properties may comprise the heating temperature, heating mechanism, device air inlets, internal volume of the device, and/or composition of the material. In some cases, a vaporization device may have an “atomizer” or “cartomizer” configured to heat an aerosol forming solution (e.g., vaporizable material). The aerosol forming solution may comprise glycerin and/or propylene glycol. The vaporizable material may be heated to a sufficient temperature such that it may vaporize. An atomizer may be a device or system configured to generate an aerosol. The atomizer may comprise a small heating element configured to heat and/or vaporize at least a portion of the vaporizable material and a wicking material that may draw a liquid vaporizable material in to the atomizer. The wicking material may comprise silica fibers, cotton, ceramic, hemp, stainless steel mesh, and/or rope cables. The wicking material may be configured to draw the liquid vaporizable material in to the atomizer without a pump or other mechanical moving part. A resistance wire may be wrapped around the wicking material and then connected to a positive and negative pole of a current source (e.g., energy source). The resistance wire may be a coil. When the resistance wire is activated the resistance wire (or coil) may have a temperature increase as a result of the current flowing through the resistive wire to generate heat. The heat may be transferred to at least a portion of the vaporizable material through conductive, convective, and/or radiative heat transfer such that at least a portion of the vaporizable material vaporizes. Alternatively or in addition to the atomizer, the vaporization device may comprise a “cartomizer” to generate an aerosol from the vaporizable material for inhalation by the user. The cartomizer may comprise a cartridge and an atomizer. The cartomizer may comprise a heating element surrounded by a liquid-soaked poly-foam that acts as holder for the vaporizable material (e.g., the liquid). The cartomizer may be reusable, rebuildable, refillable, and/or disposable. The cartomizer may be used with a tank for extra storage of a vaporizable material. Air may be drawn into the vaporization device to carry the vaporized aerosol away from the heating element, where it then cools and condenses to form liquid particles suspended in air, which may then be drawn out of the mouthpiece by the user. The vaporization of at least a portion of the vaporizable material may occur at lower temperatures in the vaporization device compared to temperatures required to generate an inhalable vapor in a cigarette. A cigarette may be a device in which a smokable material is burned to generate an inhalable vapor. The lower temperature of the vaporization device may result in less decomposition and/or reaction of the vaporized material, and therefore produce an aerosol with many fewer chemical components compared to a cigarette. In some cases, the vaporization device may generate an aerosol with fewer chemical components that may be harmful to human health compared to a cigarette. Additionally, the vaporization device aerosol particles may undergo nearly complete evaporation in the heating process, the nearly complete evaporation may yield an average particle size (e.g., diameter) value that may be smaller than the average particle size in tobacco or botanical based effluent. A vaporization device may be a device configured to extract for inhalation one or more active ingredients of plant material, tobacco, and/or a botanical, or other herbs or blends. A vaporization device may be used with pure chemicals and/or humectants that may or may not be mixed with plant material. Vaporization may be alternative to burning (smoking) that may avoid the inhalation of many irritating and/or toxic carcinogenic by-products which may result from the pyrolytic process of burning tobacco or botanical products above 300° C. The vaporization device may operate at a temperature at or below 300° C. A vaporizer (e.g., vaporization device) may not have an atomizer or cartomizer. Instead the device may comprise an oven. The oven may be at least partially closed. The oven may have a closable opening. The oven may be wrapped with a heating element, alternatively the heating element may be in thermal communication with the oven through another mechanism. A vaporizable material may be placed directly in the oven or in a cartridge fitted in the oven. The heating element in thermal communication with the oven may heat a vaporizable material mass in order to create a gas phase vapor. The heating element may heat the vaporizable material through conductive, convective, and/or radiative heat transfer. The vapor may be released to a vaporization chamber where the gas phase vapor may condense, forming an aerosol cloud having typical liquid vapor particles with particles having a diameter of average mass of approximately 1 micron or greater. In some cases the diameter of average mass may be approximately 0.1-1 micron. A used herein, the term “vapor” may generally refer to a substance in the gas phase at a temperature lower than its critical point. The vapor may be condensed to a liquid or to a solid by increasing its pressure without reducing the temperature. As used herein, the term “aerosol” may generally refer to a colloid of fine solid particles or liquid droplets in air or another gas. Examples of aerosols may include clouds, haze, and smoke, including the smoke from tobacco or botanical products. The liquid or solid particles in an aerosol may have varying diameters of average mass that may range from monodisperse aerosols, producible in the laboratory, and containing particles of uniform size; to polydisperse colloidal systems, exhibiting a range of particle sizes. As the sizes of these particles become larger, they have a greater settling speed which causes them to settle out of the aerosol faster, making the appearance of the aerosol less dense and to shorten the time in which the aerosol will linger in air. Interestingly, an aerosol with smaller particles will appear thicker or denser because it has more particles. Particle number has a much bigger impact on light scattering than particle size (at least for the considered ranges of particle size), thus allowing for a vapor cloud with many more smaller particles to appear denser than a cloud having fewer, but larger particle sizes. As used herein the term “humectant” may generally refer to as a substance that is used to keep things moist. A humectant may attract and retain moisture in the air by absorption, allowing the water to be used by other substances. Humectants are also commonly used in many tobaccos or botanicals and electronic vaporization products to keep products moist and as vapor-forming medium. Examples include propylene glycol, sugar polyols such as glycerol, glycerin, and honey. Rapid Aeration In some cases, the vaporization device may be configured to deliver an aerosol with a high particle density. The particle density of the aerosol may refer to the number of the aerosol droplets relative to the volume of air (or other dry gas) between the aerosol droplets. A dense aerosol may easily be visible to a user. In some cases the user may inhale the aerosol and at least a fraction of the aerosol particles may impinge on the lungs and/or mouth of the user. The user may exhale residual aerosol after inhaling the aerosol. When the aerosol is dense the residual aerosol may have sufficient particle density such that the exhaled aerosol is visible to the user. In some cases, a user may prefer the visual effect and/or mouth feel of a dense aerosol. A vaporization device may comprise a vaporizable material. The vaporizable material may be contained in a cartridge or the vaporizable material may be loosely placed in one or more cavities the vaporization device. A heating element may be provided in the device to elevate the temperature of the vaporizable material such that at least a portion of the vaporizable material forms a vapor. The heating element may heat the vaporizable material by convective heat transfer, conductive heat transfer, and/or radiative heat transfer. The heating element may heat the cartridge and/or the cavity in which the vaporizable material is stored. Vapor formed upon heating the vaporizable material may be delivered to the user. The vapor may be transported through the device from a first position in the device to a second position in the device. In some cases, the first position may be a location where at least a portion of the vapor was generated, for example, the cartridge or cavity or an area adjacent to the cartridge or cavity. The second position may be a mouthpiece. The user may suck on the mouthpiece to inhale the vapor. At least a fraction of the vapor may condense after the vapor is generated and before the vapor is inhaled by the user. The vapor may condense in a condensation chamber. The condensation chamber may be a portion of the device that the vapor passes through before delivery to the user. In some cases, the device may include at least one aeration vent, placed in the condensation chamber of the vaporization device. The aeration vent may be configured to introduce ambient air (or other gas) into the vaporization chamber. The air introduced into the vaporization chamber may have a temperature lower than the temperature of a gas and/or gas/vapor mixture in the condensation chamber. Introduction of the relatively lower temperature gas into the vaporization chamber may provide rapid cooling of the heated gas vapor mixture that was generated by heating the vaporizable material. Rapid cooling of the gas vapor mixture may generate a dense aerosol comprising a high concentration of liquid droplets having a smaller diameter and/or smaller average mass compared to an aerosol that is not rapidly cooled prior to inhalation by the user. An aerosol with a high concentration of liquid droplets having a smaller diameter and/or smaller average mass compared to an aerosol that is not rapidly cooled prior to inhalation by the user may be formed in a two-step process. The first step may occur in the oven chamber where the vaporizable material (e.g., tobacco and/or botanical and humectant blend) may be heated to an elevated temperature. At the elevated temperature, evaporation may happen faster than at room temperature and the oven chamber may fill with the vapor phase of the humectants. The humectant may continue to evaporate until the partial pressure of the humectant is equal to the saturation pressure. At this point, the gas is said to have a saturation ratio of 1 (S=Ppartial/Psat). In the second step, the gas (e.g., vapor and air) may exit the oven and enter a condenser or condensation chamber and begin to cool. As the gas phase vapor cools, the saturation pressure may decrease. As the saturation pressure decreases, the saturation ratio may increase and the vapor may begin to condense, forming droplets. In some devices, with the absence of added cooling aeration, the cooling may be relatively slower such that high saturation pressures may not be reached, and the droplets that form in the devices without added cooling aeration may be relatively larger and fewer in numbers. When cooler air is introduced, a temperature gradient may be formed between the cooler air and the relatively warmer gas in the device. Mixing between the cooler air and the relatively warmer gas in a confined space inside of the vaporization device may lead to rapid cooling. The rapid cooling may generate high saturation ratios, small particles, and high concentrations of smaller particles, forming a thicker, denser vapor cloud compared to particles generated in a device without the aeration vents. For the purpose of this disclosure, when referring to ratios of humectants such as vegetable glycerol or propylene glycol, “about” means a variation of 5%, 10%, 20% or 25% depending on the embodiment. For the purpose of this disclosure, when referring to a diameter of average mass in particle sizes, “about” means a variation of 5%, 10%, 20% or 25% depending on the embodiment. A vaporization device configured to rapidly cool a vapor may comprise: a mouthpiece comprising an aerosol outlet at a first end of the device; an oven comprising an oven chamber and a heater for heating a vapor forming medium in the oven chamber and for forming a vapor therein; a condenser comprising a condensation chamber in which the vapor forms the inhalable aerosol; an air inlet that originates a first airflow path that includes the oven chamber and then the condensation chamber, an aeration vent that originates a second airflow path that joins the first airflow path prior to or within the condensation chamber after the vapor is formed in the oven chamber, wherein the joined first airflow path and second airflow path are configured to deliver the inhalable aerosol formed in the condensation chamber through the aerosol outlet of the mouthpiece to a user. In some embodiments, the oven is within a body of the device. The oven chamber may comprise an oven chamber inlet and an oven chamber outlet. The oven may further comprise a first valve at the oven chamber inlet, and a second valve at the oven chamber outlet. The oven may be contained within a device housing. In some cases the body of the device may comprise the aeration vent and/or the condenser. The body of the device may comprise one or more air inlets. The body of the device may comprise a housing that holds and/or at least partially contains one or more elements of the device. The mouthpiece may be connected to the body. The mouthpiece may be connected to the oven. The mouthpiece may be connected to a housing that at least partially encloses the oven. In some cases, the mouthpiece may be separable from the oven, the body, and/or the housing that at least partially encloses the oven. The mouthpiece may comprise at least one of the air inlet, the aeration vent, and the condenser. The mouthpiece may be integral to the body of the device. The body of the device may comprise the oven. In some cases, the one or more aeration vents may comprise a valve. The valve may regulate a flow rate of air entering the device through the aeration vent. The valve may be controlled through a mechanical and/or electrical control system. A vaporization device configured to rapidly cool a vapor may comprise: a body, a mouthpiece, an aerosol outlet, a condenser with a condensation chamber, a heater, an oven with an oven chamber, a primary airflow inlet, and at least one aeration vent provided in the body, downstream of the oven, and upstream of the mouthpiece. FIG. 1 shows an example of a vaporization device configured to rapidly cool a vapor. The device 100, may comprise a body 101. The body may house and/or integrate with one or more components of the device. The body may house and/or integrate with a mouthpiece 102. The mouthpiece 102 may have an aerosol outlet 122. A user may inhale the generated aerosol through the aerosol outlet 122 on the mouthpiece 102. The body may house and/or integrate with an oven region 104. The oven region 104 may comprise an oven chamber where vapor forming medium 106 may be placed. The vapor forming medium may include tobacco and/or botanicals, with or without a secondary humectant. In some cases the vapor forming medium may be contained in a removable and/or refillable cartridge. Air may be drawn into the device through a primary air inlet 121. The primary air inlet 121 may be on an end of the device 100 opposite the mouthpiece 102. Alternatively, the primary air inlet 121 may be adjacent to the mouthpiece 102. In some cases, a pressure drop sufficient to pull air into the device through the primary air inlet 121 may be due to a user puffing on the mouthpiece 102. The vapor forming medium (e.g., vaporizable material) may be heated in the oven chamber by a heater 105, to generate elevated temperature gas phases (vapor) of the tobacco or botanical and humectant/vapor forming components. The heater 105 may transfer heat to the vapor forming medium through conductive, convective, and/or radiative heat transfer. The generated vapor may be drawn out of the oven region and into the condensation chamber 103a, of the condenser 103 where the vapors may begin to cool and condense into micro-particles or droplets suspended in air, thus creating the initial formation of an aerosol, before being drawn out of the mouthpiece through the aerosol outlet 122. In some cases, relatively cooler air may be introduced into the condensation chamber 103a, through an aeration vent 107 such that the vapor condenses more rapidly compared to a vapor in a device without the aeration vent 107. Rapidly cooling the vapor may create a denser aerosol cloud having particles with a diameter of average mass of less than or equal to about 1 micron, and depending on the mixture ratio of the vapor-forming humectant, particles with a diameter of average mass of less than or equal to about 0.5 micron Also described herein are devices for generating an inhalable aerosol said device comprising a body with a mouthpiece at one end, an attached body at the other end comprising a condensation chamber, a heater, an oven, wherein the oven comprises a first valve in the airflow path at the primary airflow inlet of the oven chamber, and a second valve at the outlet end of the oven chamber, and at least one aeration vent provided in the body, downstream of the oven, and upstream of the mouthpiece. FIG. 2 shows a diagram of an alternative embodiment of the vaporization device 200. The vaporization device may have a body 201. The body 201 may integrate with and/or contain one or more components of the device. The body may integrate with or be connected to a mouthpiece 202 The body may comprise an oven region 204, with an oven chamber 204a having a first constricting valve 208 in the primary air inlet of the oven chamber and a second constricting valve 209 at the oven chamber outlet. The oven chamber 204a may be sealed with a tobacco or botanical and/or humectant/vapor forming medium 206 therein. The seal may be an air tight and/or liquid tight seal. The heater may be provided to the oven chamber with a heater 205. The heater 205 may be in thermal communication with the oven, for example the heater may be surrounding the oven chamber during the vaporization process. Heater may contact the oven. The heater may be wrapped around the oven. Before inhalation and before air is drawn in through a primary air inlet 221, pressure may build in the sealed oven chamber as heat is continually added. The pressure may build due to a phase change of the vaporizable material. Elevated temperature gas phases (vapor) of the tobacco or botanical and humectant/vapor forming components may be achieved by continually adding heat to the oven. This heated pressurization process may generate even higher saturation ratios when the valves 208, 209 are opened during inhalation. The higher saturation ratios may cause relatively higher particle concentrations of gas phase humectant in the resultant aerosol. When the vapor is drawn out of the oven region and into the condensation chamber 203a of the condenser 203, for example by inhalation by the user, the gas phase humectant vapors may be exposed to additional air through an aeration vent 207, and the vapors may begin to cool and condense into droplets suspended in air. As described previously the aerosol may be drawn through the mouthpiece 222 by the user. This condensation process may be further refined by adding an additional valve 210, to the aeration vent 207 to further control the air-vapor mixture process. FIG. 2 also illustrates an exemplary embodiment of the additional components which would be found in a vaporizing device, including a power source or battery 211, a printed circuit board 212, a temperature regulator 213, and operational switches (not shown), housed within an internal electronics housing 214, to isolate them from the damaging effects of the moisture in the vapor and/or aerosol. The additional components may be found in a vaporizing device that may or may not comprise an aeration vent as described above. In some embodiments of the vaporization device, components of the device are user serviceable, such as the power source or battery. These components may be replaceable or rechargeable. Also described herein are devices for generating an inhalable aerosol said device comprising a first body, a mouthpiece having an aerosol outlet, a condensation chamber within a condenser and an airflow inlet and channel, an attached second body, comprising a heater and oven with an oven chamber, wherein said airflow channel is upstream of the oven and the mouthpiece outlet to provide airflow through the device, across the oven, and into the condensation chamber where an auxiliary aeration vent is provided. FIG. 3 shows a section view of a vaporization device 300. The device 300 may comprise a body 301. The body may be connected to or integral with a mouthpiece 302 at one end. The mouthpiece may comprise a condensation chamber 303a within a condenser section 303 and an airflow inlet 321 and air channel 323. The device body may comprise a proximally located oven 304 comprising an oven chamber 304a. The oven chamber may be in the body of the device. A vapor forming medium 306 (e.g., vaporizable material) comprising tobacco or botanical and humectant vapor forming medium may be placed in the oven. The vapor forming medium may be in direct contact with an air channel 323 from the mouthpiece. The tobacco or botanical may be heated by heater 305 surrounding the oven chamber, to generate elevated temperature gas phases (vapor) of the tobacco or botanical and humectant/vapor forming components and air drawn in through a primary air inlet 321, across the oven, and into the condensation chamber 303a of the condenser region 303 due to a user puffing on the mouthpiece. Once in the condensation chamber where the gas phase humectant vapors begin to cool and condense into droplets suspended in air, additional air is allowed to enter through aeration vent 307, thus, once again creating a denser aerosol cloud having particles with a diameter of average mass of less than a typical vaporization device without an added aeration vent, before being drawn out of the mouthpiece through the aerosol outlet 322. The device may comprises a mouthpiece comprising an aerosol outlet at a first end of the device and an air inlet that originates a first airflow path; an oven comprising an oven chamber that is in the first airflow path and includes the oven chamber and a heater for heating a vapor forming medium in the oven chamber and for forming a vapor therein, a condenser comprising a condensation chamber in which the vapor forms the inhalable aerosol, an aeration vent that originates a second airflow path that allows air from the aeration vent to join the first airflow path prior to or within the condensation chamber and downstream from the oven chamber thereby forming a joined path, wherein the joined path is configured to deliver the inhalable aerosol formed in the condensation chamber through the aerosol outlet of the mouthpiece to a user. The device may comprise a mouthpiece comprising an aerosol outlet at a first end of the device, an air inlet that originates a first airflow path, and an aeration vent that originates a second airflow path that allows air from the aeration vent to join the first airflow path; an oven comprising an oven chamber that is in the first airflow path and includes the oven chamber and a heater for heating a vapor forming medium in the oven chamber and for forming a vapor therein, a condenser comprising a condensation chamber in which the vapor forms the inhalable aerosol and wherein air from the aeration vent joins the first airflow path prior to or within the condensation chamber and downstream from the oven chamber thereby forming a joined path, wherein the joined path is configured to deliver the inhalable aerosol through the aerosol outlet of the mouthpiece to a user, as illustrated in exemplary FIG. 3. The device may comprise a body with one or more separable components. For example, the mouthpiece may be separably attached to the body comprising the condensation chamber, a heater, and an oven, as illustrated in exemplary FIG. 1 or 2. The device may comprise a body with one or more separable components. For example, the mouthpiece may be separably attached to the body. The mouthpiece may comprise the condensation chamber, and may be attached to or immediately adjacent to the oven and which is separable from the body comprising a heater, and the oven, as illustrated in exemplary FIG. 3. The at least one aeration vent may be located in the condensation chamber of the condenser, as illustrated in exemplary FIG. 1, 2, or 3 . The at least one aeration vent may comprise a third valve in the airflow path of the at least one aeration vent, as illustrated in exemplary FIG. 2. The first, second and third valve is a check valve, a clack valve, a non-return valve, or a one-way valve. In any of the preceding variations, the first, second or third valve may be mechanically actuated, electronically actuated or manually actuated. One skilled in the art will recognize after reading this disclosure that this device may be modified in a way such that any one, or each of these openings or vents could be configured to have a different combination or variation of mechanisms as described to control airflow, pressure and temperature of the vapor created and aerosol being generated by these device configurations, including a manually operated opening or vent with or without a valve. The device may further comprise at least one of: a power source, a printed circuit board, a switch, and a temperature regulator. Alternately, one skilled in the art would recognize that each configuration previously described will also accommodate said power source (battery), switch, printed circuit board, or temperature regulator as appropriate, in the body. The device may be disposable when the supply of pre-packaged aerosol-forming media is exhausted. Alternatively, the device may be rechargeable such that the battery may be rechargeable or replaceable, and /or the aerosol-forming media may be refilled, by the user/operator of the device. Still further, the device may be rechargeable such that the battery may be rechargeable or replaceable, and/or the operator may also add or refill a tobacco or botanical component, in addition to a refillable or replaceable aerosol-forming media to the device. As illustrated in FIG. 1, 2 or 3, the vaporization device may comprise tobacco or a botanical heated in said oven chamber, wherein said tobacco or botanical further comprises humectants to produce an aerosol comprising gas phase components of the humectant and tobacco or botanical. The gas phase humectant and tobacco or botanical vapor produced by said heated aerosol forming media 106, 206, 306 may further be mixed with air from a special aeration vent 107, 207, 307 after exiting the oven area 104, 204, 304 and entering a condensation chamber 103a, 203a, 303a to cool and condense said gas phase vapors to produce a far denser, thicker aerosol comprising more particles than would have otherwise been produced without the extra cooling air, with a diameter of average mass of less than or equal to about 1 micron. Each aerosol configuration produced by mixing the gas phase vapors with the cool air may comprise a different range of particles, for example; with a diameter of average mass of less than or equal to about 0.9 micron; less than or equal to about 0.8 micron; less than or equal to about 0.7 micron; less than or equal to about 0.6 micron; and even an aerosol comprising particle diameters of average mass of less than or equal to about 0.5 micron. The possible variations and ranges of aerosol density are great in that the possible number of combinations of temperature, pressure, tobacco or botanical choices and humectant selections are numerous. However, by excluding the tobacco or botanical choices and limiting the temperatures ranges and the humectant ratios to those described herein, the inventor has demonstrated that this device will produce a far denser, thicker aerosol comprising more particles than would have otherwise been produced without the extra cooling air, with a diameter of average mass of less than or equal to about 1 micron. The humectant may comprise glycerol or vegetable glycerol as a vapor-forming medium. The humectant may comprise propylene glycol as a vapor-forming medium. In preferred embodiments, the humectant may comprise a ratio of vegetable glycerol to propylene glycol as a vapor-forming medium. The ranges of said ratio may vary between a ratio of about 100:0 vegetable glycerol to propylene glycol and a ratio of about 50:50 vegetable glycerol to propylene glycol. The difference in preferred ratios within the above stated range may vary by as little as 1, for example, said ratio may be about 99:1 vegetable glycerol to propylene glycol. However, more commonly said ratios would vary in increments of about 5, for example, about 95:5 vegetable glycerol to propylene glycol; or about 85:15 vegetable glycerol to propylene glycol; or about 55:45 vegetable glycerol to propylene glycol. In a preferred embodiment the ratio for the vapor forming medium will be between the ratios of about 80:20 vegetable glycerol to propylene glycol, and about 60:40 vegetable glycerol to propylene glycol. In a most preferred embodiment, the ratio for the vapor forming medium will be about 70:30 vegetable glycerol to propylene glycol. In any of the preferred embodiments, the humectant may further comprise flavoring products. These flavorings may include enhancers comprising cocoa solids, licorice, tobacco or botanical extracts, and various sugars, to name but a few. The tobacco or botanical may be heated in the oven up to its pyrolytic temperature, which as noted previously is most commonly measured in the range of 300-1000° C. In preferred embodiments, the tobacco or botanical is heated to about 300° C. at most. In other preferred embodiments, the tobacco or botanical is heated to about 200° C. at most. In still other preferred embodiments, the tobacco or botanical is heated to about 160° C. at most. It should be noted that in these lower temperature ranges (<300° C.), pyrolysis of tobacco or botanical does not typically occur, yet vapor formation of the tobacco or botanical components and flavoring products does occur. In addition, vapor formation of the components of the humectant, mixed at various ratios will also occur, resulting in nearly complete vaporization, depending on the temperature, since propylene glycol has a boiling point of about 180°-190° C. and vegetable glycerin will boil at approximately 280°-290° C. In still other preferred embodiments, the aerosol produced by said heated tobacco or botanical and humectant is mixed with air provided through an aeration vent. In still other preferred embodiments, the aerosol produced by said heated tobacco or botanical and humectant mixed with air, is cooled to a temperature of about 50°-70° C. at most, and even as low as 35° C. before exiting the mouthpiece, depending on the air temperature being mixed into the condensation chamber. In some embodiments, the temperature is cooled to about 35°-55° C. at most, and may have a fluctuating range of ± about 10° C. or more within the overall range of about 35°-70° C. Also described herein are vaporization devices for generating an inhalable aerosol comprising a unique oven configuration, wherein said oven comprises an access lid and an auxiliary aeration vent located within the airflow channel immediately downstream of the oven and before the aeration chamber. In this configuration, the user may directly access the oven by removing the access lid, providing the user with the ability to recharge the device with vaporization material. In addition, having the added aeration vent in the airflow channel immediately after the oven and ahead of the vaporization chamber provides the user with added control over the amount of air entering the aeration chamber downstream and the cooling rate of the aerosol before it enters the aeration chamber. As noted in FIGS. 4A-4C, the device 400 may comprise a body 401, having an air inlet 421 allowing initial air for the heating process into the oven region 404. After heating the tobacco or botanical, and humectant (heater not shown), the gas phase humectant vapor generated may travel down the airflow channel 423, passing the added aeration vent 407 wherein the user may selectively increase airflow into the heated vapor. The user may selectively increase and/or decrease the airflow to the heated vapor by controlling a valve in communication with the aeration vent 407. In some cases, the device may not have an aeration vent. Airflow into the heated vapor through the aeration vent may decrease the vapor temperature before exiting the airflow channel at the outlet 422, and increase the condensation rate and vapor density by decreasing the diameter of the vapor particles within the aeration chamber (not shown), thus producing a thicker, denser vapor compared to the vapor generated by a device without the aeration vent.. The user may also access the oven chamber 404a to recharge or reload the device 400, through an access lid 430 provided therein, making the device user serviceable. The access lid may be provided on a device with or without an aeration vent. Provided herein is a method for generating an inhalable aerosol, the method comprising: providing an vaporization device, wherein said device produces a vapor comprising particle diameters of average mass of about 1 micron or less, wherein the vapor is formed by heating a vapor forming medium in an oven chamber of the device to a first temperature below the pyrolytic temperature of the vapor forming medium, and cooling the vapor in a condensation chamber to a temperature below the first temperature, before exiting an aerosol outlet of said device. In some embodiments the vapor may be cooled by mixing relatively cooler air with the vapor in the condensation chamber during the condensation phase, after leaving the oven, where condensation of the gas phase humectants occurs more rapidly due to high saturation ratios being achieved at the moment of aeration, producing a higher concentration of smaller particles, with fewer by-products, in a denser aerosol, than would normally occur in a standard vaporization or aerosol generating device. In some embodiments, formation of an inhalable aerosol is a two-step process. The first step occurs in the oven where the tobacco or botanical and humectant blend is heated to an elevated temperature. At the elevated temperature, evaporation happens faster than at room temperature and the oven chamber fills with the vapor phase of the humectants. The humectant will continue to evaporate until the partial pressure of the humectant is equal to the saturation pressure. At this point, the gas is said to have a saturation ratio of 1 (S=Ppartial/Psat). In the second step, the gas leaves the oven chamber, passes to a condensation chamber in a condenser and begins to cool. As the gas phase vapor cools, the saturation pressure also goes down, causing the saturation ratio to rise, and the vapor to condensate, forming droplets. When cooling air is introduced, the large temperature gradient between the two fluids mixing in a confined space leads to very rapid cooling, causing high saturation ratios, small particles, and higher concentrations of smaller particles, forming a thicker, denser vapor cloud. Provided herein is a method for generating an inhalable aerosol comprising: a vaporization device having a body with a mouthpiece at one end, and an attached body at the other end comprising; a condenser with a condensation chamber, a heater, an oven with an oven chamber, and at least one aeration vent provided in the body, downstream of the oven, and upstream of the mouthpiece, wherein tobacco or botanical comprising a humectant is heated in said oven chamber to produce a vapor comprising gas phase humectants. As previously described, a vaporization device having an auxiliary aeration vent located in the condensation chamber capable of supplying cool air (relative to the heated gas components) to the gas phase vapors and tobacco or botanical components exiting the oven region, may be utilized to provide a method for generating a far denser, thicker aerosol comprising more particles than would have otherwise been produced without the extra cooling air, with a diameter of average mass of less than or equal to about 1 micron. In another aspect, provided herein is a method for generating an inhalable aerosol comprising: a vaporization device, having a body with a mouthpiece at one end, and an attached body at the other end comprising: a condenser with a condensation chamber, a heater, an oven with an oven chamber, wherein said oven chamber further comprises a first valve in the airflow path at the inlet end of the oven chamber, and a second valve at the outlet end of the oven chamber; and at least one aeration vent provided in said body, downstream of the oven, and upstream of the mouthpiece wherein tobacco or botanical comprising a humectant is heated in said oven chamber to produce a vapor comprising gas phase humectants. As illustrated in exemplary FIG. 2, by sealing the oven chamber 204a with a tobacco or botanical and humectant vapor forming medium 206 therein, and applying heat with the heater 205 during the vaporization process, before inhalation and air is drawn in through a primary air inlet 221, the pressure will build in the oven chamber as heat is continually added with an electronic heating circuit generated through the combination of the battery 211, printed circuit board 212, temperature regulator 213, and operator controlled switches (not shown), to generate even greater elevated temperature gas phase humectants (vapor) of the tobacco or botanical and humectant vapor forming components. This heated pressurization process generates even higher saturation ratios when the valves 208, 209 are opened during inhalation, which cause higher particle concentrations in the resultant aerosol, when the vapor is drawn out of the oven region and into the condensation chamber 203a, where they are again exposed to additional air through an aeration vent 207, and the vapors begin to cool and condense into droplets suspended in air, as described previously before the aerosol is withdrawn through the mouthpiece 222. The inventor also notes that this condensation process may be further refined by adding an additional valve 210, to the aeration vent 207 to further control the air-vapor mixture process. In some embodiments of any one of the inventive methods, the first, second and/or third valve is a one-way valve, a check valve, a clack valve, or a non-return valve. The first, second and/or third valve may be mechanically actuated. The first, second and/or third valve may be electronically actuated. The first, second and/or third valve may be automatically actuated. The first, second and/or third valve may be manually actuated either directly by a user or indirectly in response to an input command from a user to a control system that actuates the first, second and/or third valve. In other aspects of the inventive methods, said device further comprises at least one of: a power source, a printed circuit board, or a temperature regulator. In any of the preceding aspects of the inventive method, one skilled in the art will recognize after reading this disclosure that this method may be modified in a way such that any one, or each of these openings or vents could be configured to have a different combination or variation of mechanisms or electronics as described to control airflow, pressure and temperature of the vapor created and aerosol being generated by these device configurations, including a manually operated opening or vent with or without a valve. The possible variations and ranges of aerosol density are great in that the possible number of temperature, pressure, tobacco or botanical choices and humectant selections and combinations are numerous. However, by excluding the tobacco or botanical choices and limiting the temperatures to within the ranges and the humectant ratios described herein, the inventor has demonstrated a method for generating a far denser, thicker aerosol comprising more particles than would have otherwise been produced without the extra cooling air, with a diameter of average mass of less than or equal to 1 micron. In some embodiments of the inventive methods, the humectant comprises a ratio of vegetable glycerol to propylene glycol as a vapor-forming medium. The ranges of said ratio will vary between a ratio of about 100:0 vegetable glycerol to propylene glycol and a ratio of about 50:50 vegetable glycerol to propylene glycol. The difference in preferred ratios within the above stated range may vary by as little as 1, for example, said ratio may be about 99:1 vegetable glycerol to propylene glycol. However, more commonly said ratios would vary in increments of 5, for example, about 95:5 vegetable glycerol to propylene glycol; or about 85:15 vegetable glycerol to propylene glycol; or about 55:45 vegetable glycerol to propylene glycol. Because vegetable glycerol is less volatile than propylene glycol, it will recondense in greater proportions. A humectant with higher concentrations of glycerol will generate a thicker aerosol. The addition of propylene glycol will lead to an aerosol with a reduced concentration of condensed phase particles and an increased concentration of vapor phase effluent. This vapor phase effluent is often perceived as a tickle or harshness in the throat when the aerosol is inhaled. To some consumers, varying degrees of this sensation may be desirable. The ratio of vegetable glycerol to propylene glycol may be manipulated to balance aerosol thickness with the right amount of “throat tickle.” In a preferred embodiment of the method, the ratio for the vapor forming medium will be between the ratios of about 80:20 vegetable glycerol to propylene glycol, and about 60:40 vegetable glycerol to propylene glycol. In a most preferred embodiment of the method, the ratio for the vapor forming medium will be about 70:30 vegetable glycerol to propylene glycol. On will envision that there will be blends with varying ratios for consumers with varying preferences. In any of the preferred embodiments of the method, the humectant further comprises flavoring products. These flavorings include enhancers such as cocoa solids, licorice, tobacco or botanical extracts, and various sugars, to name a few. In some embodiments of the method, the tobacco or botanical is heated to its pyrolytic temperature. In preferred embodiments of the method, the tobacco or botanical is heated to about 300° C. at most. In other preferred embodiments of the method, the tobacco or botanical is heated to about 200° C. at most. In still other embodiments of the method, the tobacco or botanical is heated to about 160° C. at most. As noted previously, at these lower temperatures, (<300° C.), pyrolysis of tobacco or botanical does not typically occur, yet vapor formation of the tobacco or botanical components and flavoring products does occur. As may be inferred from the data supplied by Baker et al., an aerosol produced at these temperatures is also substantially free from Hoffman analytes or at least 70% less Hoffman analytes than a common tobacco or botanical cigarette and scores significantly better on the Ames test than a substance generated by burning a common cigarette. In addition, vapor formation of the components of the humectant, mixed at various ratios will also occur, resulting in nearly complete vaporization, depending on the temperature, since propylene glycol has a boiling point of about 180°-190° C. and vegetable glycerin will boil at approximately 280°-290° C. In any one of the preceding methods, said inhalable aerosol produced by tobacco or a botanical comprising a humectant and heated in said oven produces an aerosol comprising gas phase humectants is further mixed with air provided through an aeration vent. In any one of the preceding methods, said aerosol produced by said heated tobacco or botanical and humectant mixed with air, is cooled to a temperature of about 50°-70° C., and even as low as 35° C., before exiting the mouthpiece. In some embodiments, the temperature is cooled to about 35°-55° C. at most, and may have a fluctuating range of ± about 10° C. or more within the overall range of about 35°-70° C. In some embodiments of the method, the vapor comprising gas phase humectant may be mixed with air to produce an aerosol comprising particle diameters of average mass of less than or equal to about 1 micron. In other embodiments of the method, each aerosol configuration produced by mixing the gas phase vapors with the cool air may comprise a different range of particles, for example; with a diameter of average mass of less than or equal to about 0.9 micron; less than or equal to about 0.8 micron; less than or equal to about 0.7 micron; less than or equal to about 0.6 micron; and even an aerosol comprising particle diameters of average mass of less than or equal to about 0.5 micron. Cartridge Design and Vapor Generation from Material in Cartridge In some cases, a vaporization device may be configured to generate an inhalable aerosol. A device may be a self-contained vaporization device. The device may comprise an elongated body which functions to complement aspects of a separable and recyclable cartridge with air inlet channels, air passages, multiple condensation chambers, flexible heater contacts, and multiple aerosol outlets. Additionally, the cartridge may be configured for ease of manufacture and assembly. Provided herein is a vaporization device for generating an inhalable aerosol. The device may comprise a device body, a separable cartridge assembly further comprising a heater, at least one condensation chamber, and a mouthpiece. The device provides for compact assembly and disassembly of components with detachable couplings; overheat shut-off protection for the resistive heating element; an air inlet passage (an enclosed channel) formed by the assembly of the device body and a separable cartridge; at least one condensation chamber within the separable cartridge assembly; heater contacts; and one or more refillable, reusable, and/or recyclable components. Provided herein is a device for generating an inhalable aerosol comprising: a device body comprising a cartridge receptacle; a cartridge comprising: a storage compartment, and a channel integral to an exterior surface of the cartridge, and an air inlet passage formed by the channel and an internal surface of the cartridge receptacle when the cartridge is inserted into the cartridge receptacle. The cartridge may be formed from a metal, plastic, ceramic, and/or composite material. The storage compartment may hold a vaporizable material. FIG. 7A shows an example of a cartridge 30 for use in the device. The vaporizable material may be a liquid at or near room temperature. In some cases the vaporizable material may be a liquid below room temperature. The channel may form a first side of the air inlet passage, and an internal surface of the cartridge receptacle may form a second side of the air inlet passage, as illustrated in various non-limiting aspects of FIGS. 5-6D, 7C,8A, 8B, and 10A Provided herein is a device for generating an inhalable aerosol. The device may comprise a body that houses, contains, and or integrates with one or more components of the device. The device body may comprise a cartridge receptacle. The cartridge receptacle may comprise a channel integral to an interior surface of the cartridge receptacle; and an air inlet passage formed by the channel and an external surface of the cartridge when the cartridge is inserted into the cartridge receptacle. A cartridge may be fitted and/or inserted into the cartridge receptacle. The cartridge may have a fluid storage compartment. The channel may form a first side of the air inlet passage, and an external surface of the cartridge forms a second side of the air inlet passage. The channel may comprise at least one of: a groove; a trough; a track; a depression; a dent; a furrow; a trench; a crease; and a gutter. The integral channel may comprise walls that are either recessed into the surface or protrude from the surface where it is formed. The internal side walls of the channel may form additional sides of the air inlet passage. The channel may have a round, oval, square, rectangular, or other shaped cross section. The channel may have a closed cross section. The channel may be about 0.1 cm, 0.5 cm, 1 cm, 2 cm, or 5 cm wide. The channel may be about 0.1 mm, 0.5 mm, 1 mm, 2 mm, or 5 mm deep. The channel may be about 0.1 cm, 0.5 cm, 1 cm, 2 cm, or 5 cm long. There may be at least 1 channel. In some embodiments, the cartridge may further comprise a second air passage in fluid communication with the air inlet passage to the fluid storage compartment, wherein the second air passage is formed through the material of the cartridge. FIGS. 5-7C show various views of a compact electronic device assembly 10 for generating an inhalable aerosol. The compact electronic device 10 may comprise a device body 20 with a cartridge receptacle 21 for receiving a cartridge 30. The device body may have a square or rectangular cross section. Alternatively, the cross section of the body may be any other regular or irregular shape. The cartridge receptacle may be shaped to receive an opened cartridge 30a or “pod”. The cartridge may be opened when a protective cap is removed from a surface of the cartridge. In some cases, the cartridge may be opened when a hole or opening is formed on a surface of the cartridge. The pod 30a may be inserted into an open end of the cartridge receptacle 21 so that an exposed first heater contact tips 33a on the heater contacts 33 of the pod make contact with the second heater contacts 22 of the device body, thus forming the device assembly 10. Referring to FIG. 14, it is apparent in the plan view that when the pod 30a is inserted into the notched body of the cartridge receptacle 21, the channel air inlet 50 is left exposed. The size of the channel air inlet 50 may be varied by altering the configuration of the notch in the cartridge receptacle 21. The device body may further comprise a rechargeable battery, a printed circuit board (PCB) 24 containing a microcontroller with the operating logic and software instructions for the device, a pressure switch 27 for sensing the user's puffing action to activate the heater circuit, an indicator light 26, charging contacts (not shown), and an optional charging magnet or magnetic contact (not shown). The cartridge may further comprise a heater 36. The heater may be powered by the rechargeable battery. The temperature of the heater may be controlled by the microcontroller. The heater may be attached to a first end of the cartridge. In some embodiments, the heater may comprise a heater chamber 37, a first pair of heater contacts 33, 33′, a fluid wick 34, and a resistive heating element 35 in contact with the wick. The first pair of heater contacts may comprise thin plates affixed about the sides of the heater chamber. The fluid wick and resistive heating element may be suspended between the heater contacts. In some embodiments, there may be two or more resistive heating elements 35, 35′ and two or more wicks 34, 34′. In some of the embodiments, the heater contact 33 may comprise: a flat plate; a male contact; a female receptacle, or both; a flexible contact and/or copper alloy or another electrically conductive material. The first pair of heater contacts may further comprise a formed shape that may comprise a tab (e.g., flange) having a flexible spring value that extends out of the heater to complete a circuit with the device body. The first pair of heater contact may be a heat sink that absorb and dissipate excessive heat produced by the resistive heating element. Alternatively, the first pair of heater contacts may be a heat shield that protects the heater chamber from excessive heat produced by the resistive heating element. The first pair of heater contacts may be press-fit to an attachment feature on the exterior wall of the first end of the cartridge. The heater may enclose a first end of the cartridge and a first end of the fluid storage compartment. As illustrated in the exploded assembly of FIG. 7B, a heater enclosure may comprises two or more heater contacts 33, each comprising a flat plate which may be machined or stamped from a copper alloy or similar electrically conductive material. The flexibility of the tip is provided by the cut-away clearance feature 33b created below the male contact point tip 33a which capitalizes on the inherent spring capacity of the metal sheet or plate material. Another advantage and improvement of this type of contact is the reduced space requirement, simplified construction of a spring contact point (versus a pogo pin) and the easy of assembly. The heater may comprise a first condensation chamber. The heater may comprise more one or more additional condensation chambers in addition to the first condensation chamber. The first condensation chamber may be formed along an exterior wall of the cartridge. In some cases, the cartridge (e.g., pod) is configured for ease of manufacturing and assembly. The cartridge may comprise an enclosure. The enclosure may be a tank. The tank may comprise an interior fluid storage compartment 32. The interior fluid storage compartment 32 which is open at one or both ends and comprises raised rails on the side edges 45b and 46b. The cartridge may be formed from plastic, metal, composite, and/or a ceramic material. The cartridge may be rigid or flexible. The tank may further comprise a set of first heater contact plates 33 formed from copper alloy or another electrically conductive material, having a thin cut-out 33b below the contact tips 33a (to create a flexible tab) which are affixed to the sides of the first end of the tank and straddle the open-sided end 53 of the tank. The plates may affix to pins, or posts as shown in FIGS. 7B or 5, or may be attached by other common means such as compression beneath the enclosure 36. A fluid wick 34 having a resistive heating element 35 wrapped around it, is placed between the first heater contact plates 33, and attached thereto. A heater 36, comprising raised internal edges on the internal end (not shown), a thin mixing zone (not shown), and primary condensation channel covers 45a that slide over the rails 45b on the sides of the tank on the first half of the tank, creating a primary condensation channel/chamber 45. In addition, a small male snap feature 39b located at the end of the channel cover is configured fall into a female snap feature 39a, located mid-body on the side of the tank, creating a snap-fit assembly. As will be further clarified below, the combination of the open-sided end 53, the protruding tips 33a of the contact plates 33, the fluid wick 34 having a resistive heating element 35, enclosed in the open end of the fluid storage tank, under the heater 36, with a thin mixing zone therein, creates an efficient heater system. In addition, the primary condensation channel covers 45a which slide over the rails 45b on the sides of the tank create an integrated, easily assembled, primary condensation chamber 45, all within the heater at the first end of the cartridge 30 or pod 30a. In some embodiments of the device, as illustrated in FIGS. 9A-9L, the heater may encloses at least a first end of the cartridge. The enclosed first end of the cartridge may include the heater and the interior fluid storage compartment. In some embodiments, the heater further comprises at least one first condensation chamber 45. FIGS. 9A-9L show diagramed steps that mat be performed to assemble a cartomizer and/or mouthpiece. In 9A-9B the fluid storage compartment 32a may be oriented such that the heater inlet 53 faces upward. The heater contacts 33 may be inserted into the fluid storage compartment. Flexible tabs 33a may be inserted into the heater contacts 33. In a FIG. 9D the resistive heating element 35 may be wound on to the wick 34. In FIG. 9E the wick 34 and heater 35 may be placed on the fluid storage compartment. One or more free ends of the heater may sit outside the heater contacts. The one or more free ends may be soldered in place, rested in a groove, or snapped into a fitted location. At least a fraction of the one or more free ends may be in communication with the heater contacts 33. In a FIG. 9F the heater enclosure 36 may be snapped in place. The heater enclosure 36 may be fitted on the fluid storage compartment. FIG. 9G shows the heater enclosure 36 is in place on the fluid storage compartment. In FIG. 9H the fluid storage compartment can be flipped over. In FIG. 9I the mouthpiece 31 can be fitted on the fluid storage compartment. FIG. 9J shows the mouthpiece 31 in place on the fluid storage compartment. In FIG. 9K an end 49 can be fitted on the fluid storage compartment opposite the mouthpiece. FIG. 9L shows a fully assembled cartridge 30. FIG. 7B shows an exploded view of the assembled cartridge 30. Depending on the size of the heater and/or heater chamber, the heater may have more than one wick 34 and resistive heating element 35. In some embodiments, the first pair of heater contacts 33 further comprises a formed shape that comprises a tab 33a having a flexible spring value that extends out of the heater. In some embodiments, the cartridge 30 comprises heater contacts 33 which are inserted into the cartridge receptacle 21 of the device body 20 wherein, the flexible tabs 33a insert into a second pair of heater contacts 22 to complete a circuit with the device body. The first pair of heater contacts 33 may be a heat sink that absorbs and dissipates excessive heat produced by the resistive heating element 35. The first pair of heater contacts 33 may be a heat shield that protects the heater chamber from excessive heat produced by the resistive heating element 35. The first pair of heater contacts may be press-fit to an attachment feature on the exterior wall of the first end of the cartridge. The heater 36 may enclose a first end of the cartridge and a first end of the fluid storage compartment 32a. The heater may comprise a first condensation chamber 45. The heater may comprise at least one additional condensation chamber 45, 45′, 45″, etc. The first condensation chamber may be formed along an exterior wall of the cartridge. In still other embodiments of the device, the cartridge may further comprise a mouthpiece 31, wherein the mouthpiece comprises at least one aerosol outlet channel/secondary condensation chamber 46; and at least one aerosol outlet 47.The mouthpiece may be attached to a second end of the cartridge. The second end of the cartridge with the mouthpiece may be exposed when the cartridge is inserted in the device. The mouthpiece may comprise more than one second condensation chamber 46, 46′, 46″, etc. The second condensation chamber is formed along an exterior wall of the cartridge. The mouthpiece 31 may enclose the second end of the cartridge and interior fluid storage compartment. The partially assembled (e.g., mouthpiece removed) unit may be inverted and filled with a vaporizable fluid through the opposite, remaining (second) open end. Once filled, a snap-on mouthpiece 31 that also closes and seals the second end of the tank is inserted over the end. It also comprises raised internal edges (not shown), and aerosol outlet channel covers 46a that may slide over the rails 46b located on the sides of the second half of the tank, creating aerosol outlet channels/secondary condensation chambers 46. The aerosol outlet channels/secondary condensation chambers 46 slide over the end of primary condensation chamber 45, at a transition area 57, to create a junction for the vapor leaving the primary chamber and proceed out through the aerosol outlets 47, at the end of the aerosol outlet channels 46 and user-end of the mouthpiece 31. The cartridge may comprise a first condensation chamber and a second condensation chamber 45, 46. The cartridge may comprise more than one first condensation chamber and more than one second condensation chamber 45, 46, 45′, 46′, etc. In some embodiments of the device, a first condensation chamber 45 may be formed along the outside of the cartridge fluid storage compartment 31. In some embodiments of the device an aerosol outlet 47 exists at the end of aerosol outlet chamber 46. In some embodiments of the device, a first and second condensation chamber 45, 46 may be formed along the outside of one side of the cartridge fluid storage compartment 31. In some embodiments the second condensation chamber may be an aerosol outlet chamber. In some embodiments another pair of first and/or second condensation chambers 45′, 46′ is formed along the outside of the cartridge fluid storage compartment 31 on another side of the device. In some embodiments another aerosol outlet 47′ will also exist at the end of the second pair of condensation chambers 45′, 46′. In any one of the embodiments, the first condensation chamber and the second condensation chamber may be in fluid communication as illustrated in FIG. 10C. In some embodiments, the mouthpiece may comprise an aerosol outlet 47 in fluid communication with the second condensation chamber 46. The mouthpiece may comprise more than one aerosol outlet 47, 47′ in fluid communication with more than one the second condensation chamber 46, 46′.The mouthpiece may enclose a second end of the cartridge and a second end of the fluid storage compartment. In each of the embodiments described herein, the cartridge may comprise an airflow path comprising: an air inlet passage; a heater; at least a first condensation chamber; an aerosol outlet chamber, and an outlet port. In some of the embodiments described herein, the cartridge comprises an airflow path comprising: an air inlet passage; a heater; a first condensation chamber; a secondary condensation chamber; and an outlet port. In still other embodiments described herein the cartridge may comprise an airflow path comprising at least one air inlet passage; a heater; at least one first condensation chamber; at least one secondary condensation chamber; and at least one outlet port. As illustrated in FIGS. 10A-10C, an airflow path is created when the user draws on the mouthpiece 31 to create a suction (e.g., a puff), which essentially pulls air through the channel air inlet opening 50, through the air inlet passage 51, and into the heater chamber 37 through the second air passage (tank air inlet hole) 41 at the tank air inlet 52, then into the heater inlet 53. At this point, the pressure sensor has sensed the user's puff, and activated the circuit to the resistive heating element 35, which in turn, begins to generate vapor from the vapor fluid (e-juice). As air enters the heater inlet 53, it begins to mix and circulate in a narrow chamber above and around the wick 34 and between the heater contacts 33, generating heat, and dense, concentrated vapor as it mixes in the flow path 54 created by the sealing structure obstacles 44. FIG. 8A shows a detailed view of the sealing structure obstacles 44. Ultimately the vapor may be drawn, out of the heater along an air path 55 near the shoulder of the heater and into the primary condensation chamber 45 where the vapor expands and begins to cool. As the expanding vapor moves along the airflow path, it makes a transition from the primary condensation chamber 45 through a transition area 57, creating a junction for the vapor leaving the primary chamber, and entering the second vapor chamber 46, and proceeds out through the aerosol outlets 47, at the end of the mouthpiece 31 to the user. As illustrated in FIGS. 10A-10C, the device may have a dual set of air inlet passages 50-53, dual first condensation chambers 55/45, dual second condensation chambers and aeration channels 57/46, and/or dual aerosol outlet vents 47. Alternatively, the device may have an airflow path comprising: an air inlet passage 50, 51; a second air passage 41; a heater chamber 37; a first condensation chamber 45; a second condensation chamber 46; and/or an aerosol outlet 47. In some cases, the devise may have an airflow path comprising: more than one air inlet passage; more than one second air passage; a heater chamber; more than one first condensation chamber; more than one second condensation chamber; and more than one aerosol outlet as clearly illustrated in FIGS. 10A-10C. In any one of the embodiments described herein, the heater 36 may be in fluid communication with the internal fluid storage compartment 32a. In each of the embodiments described herein, the fluid storage compartment 32 is in fluid communication with the heater chamber 37, wherein the fluid storage compartment is capable of retaining condensed aerosol fluid, as illustrated in FIGS. 10A, 10C and 14. In some embodiments of the device, the condensed aerosol fluid may comprise a nicotine formulation. In some embodiments, the condensed aerosol fluid may comprise a humectant. In some embodiments, the humectant may comprise propylene glycol. In some embodiments, the humectant may comprise vegetable glycerin. In some cases, the cartridge may be detachable from the device body. In some embodiments, the cartridge receptacle and the detachable cartridge may form a separable coupling. In some embodiments the separable coupling may comprise a friction assembly. As illustrated in FIGS. 11-14, the device may have a press-fit (friction) assembly between the cartridge pod 30a and the device receptacle. Additionally, a dent/friction capture such as 43 may be utilized to capture the pod 30a to the device receptacle or to hold a protective cap 38 on the pod, as further illustrated in FIG. 8B. In other embodiments, the separable coupling may comprise a snap-fit or snap-lock assembly. In still other embodiments the separable coupling may comprise a magnetic assembly. In any one of the embodiments described herein, the cartridge components may comprise a snap-fit or snap-lock assembly, as illustrated in FIG. 5. In any one of the embodiments, the cartridge components may be reusable, refillable, and/or recyclable. The design of these cartridge components lend themselves to the use of such recyclable plastic materials as polypropylene, for the majority of components. In some embodiments of the device 10, the cartridge 30 may comprise: a fluid storage compartment 32; a heater 36 affixed to a first end with a snap-fit coupling 39a, 39b; and a mouthpiece 31 affixed to a second end with a snap-fit coupling 39c, 39d (not shown—but similar to 39a and 39b). The heater 36 may be in fluid communication with the fluid storage compartment 32. The fluid storage compartment may be capable of retaining condensed aerosol fluid. The condensed aerosol fluid may comprise a nicotine formulation. The condensed aerosol fluid may comprise a humectant. The humectant may comprise propylene glycol and/or vegetable glycerin. Provided herein is a device for generating an inhalable aerosol comprising: a device body 20 comprising a cartridge receptacle 21 for receiving a cartridge 30; wherein an interior surface of the cartridge receptacle forms a first side of an air inlet passage 51 when a cartridge comprising a channel integral 40 to an exterior surface is inserted into the cartridge receptacle 21, and wherein the channel forms a second side of the air inlet passage 51. Provided herein is a device for generating an inhalable aerosol comprising: a device body 20 comprising a cartridge receptacle 21 for receiving a cartridge 30; wherein the cartridge receptacle comprises a channel integral to an interior surface and forms a first side of an air inlet passage when a cartridge is inserted into the cartridge receptacle, and wherein an exterior surface of the cartridge forms a second side of the air inlet passage 51. Provided herein is a cartridge 30 for a device for generating an inhalable aerosol 10 comprising: a fluid storage compartment 32; a channel integral 40 to an exterior surface, wherein the channel forms a first side of an air inlet passage 51; and wherein an internal surface of a cartridge receptacle 21 in the device forms a second side of the air inlet passage 51 when the cartridge is inserted into the cartridge receptacle. Provided herein is a cartridge 30 for a device for generating an inhalable aerosol 10 comprising a fluid storage compartment 32, wherein an exterior surface of the cartridge forms a first side of an air inlet channel 51 when inserted into a device body 10 comprising a cartridge receptacle 21, and wherein the cartridge receptacle further comprises a channel integral to an interior surface, and wherein the channel forms a second side of the air inlet passage 51. In some embodiments, the cartridge further comprises a second air passage 41 in fluid communication with the channel 40, wherein the second air passage 41 is formed through the material of the cartridge 32 from an exterior surface of the cartridge to the internal fluid storage compartment 32a. In some embodiments of the device body cartridge receptacle 21 or the cartridge 30, the integral channel 40 comprises at least one of: a groove; a trough; a depression; a dent; a furrow; a trench; a crease; and a gutter. In some embodiments of the device body cartridge receptacle 21 or the cartridge 30, the integral channel 40 comprises walls that are either recessed into the surface or protrude from the surface where it is formed. In some embodiments of the device body cartridge receptacle 21 or the cartridge 30, the internal side walls of the channel 40 form additional sides of the air inlet passage 51. Provided herein is a device for generating an inhalable aerosol comprising: a cartridge comprising; a fluid storage compartment; a heater affixed to a first end comprising; a first heater contact, a resistive heating element affixed to the first heater contact; a device body comprising; a cartridge receptacle for receiving the cartridge; a second heater contact adapted to receive the first heater contact and to complete a circuit; a power source connected to the second heater contact; a printed circuit board (PCB) connected to the power source and the second heater contact; wherein the PCB is configured to detect the absence of fluid based on the measured resistance of the resistive heating element, and turn off the device. Referring now to FIGS. 13, 14, and 15, in some embodiments, the device body further comprises at least one: second heater contact 22 (best shown in FIG. 6C detail); a battery 23; a printed circuit board 24; a pressure sensor 27; and an indicator light 26. In some embodiments, the printed circuit board (PCB) further comprises: a microcontroller; switches; circuitry comprising a reference resister; and an algorithm comprising logic for control parameters; wherein the microcontroller cycles the switches at fixed intervals to measure the resistance of the resistive heating element relative to the reference resistor, and applies the algorithm control parameters to control the temperature of the resistive heating element. As illustrated in the basic block diagram of FIG. 17A, the device utilizes a proportional-integral-derivative controller or PID control law. A PID controller calculates an “error” value as the difference between a measured process variable and a desired SetPoint. When PID control is enabled, power to the coil is monitored to determine whether or not acceptable vaporization is occurring. With a given airflow over the coil, more power will be required to hold the coil at a given temperature if the device is producing vapor (heat is removed from the coil to form vapor). If power required to keep the coil at the set temperature drops below a threshold, the device indicates that it cannot currently produce vapor. Under normal operating conditions, this indicates that there is not enough liquid in the wick for normal vaporization to occur. In some embodiments, the micro-controller instructs the device to turn itself off when the resistance exceeds the control parameter threshold indicating that the resistive heating element is dry. In still other embodiments, the printed circuit board further comprises logic capable of detecting the presence of condensed aerosol fluid in the fluid storage compartment and is capable of turning off power to the heating contact(s) when the condensed aerosol fluid is not detected. When the microcontroller is running the PID temperature control algorithm 70, the difference between a set point and the coil temperature (error) is used to control power to the coil so that the coil quickly reaches the set point temperature, (e.g., between 200° C. and 400° C.). When the over-temperature algorithm is used, power is constant until the coil reaches an over-temperature threshold, (e.g., between 200° C. and 400° C.); (FIG. 17A applies: set point temperature is over-temperature threshold; constant power until error reaches 0). The essential components of the device used to control the resistive heating element coil temperature are further illustrated in the circuit diagram of FIG. 17B. Wherein, BATT 23 is the battery; MCU 72 is the microcontroller; Q1 (76) and Q2 (77) are P-channel MOSFETs (switches); R_COIL 74 is the resistance of the coil. R_REF 75 is a fixed reference resistor used to measure R_COIL 74 through a voltage divider 73. The battery powers the microcontroller. The microcontroller turns on Q2 for 1 ms every 100 ms so that the voltage between R_REF and R_COIL (a voltage divider) may be measured by the MCU at V_MEAS. When Q2 is off, the control law controls Q1 with PWM (pulse width modulation) to power the coil (battery discharges through Q1 and R_COIL when Q1 is on). In some embodiments of the device, the device body further comprises at least one: second heater contact; a power switch; a pressure sensor; and an indicator light. In some embodiments of the device body, the second heater contact 22 may comprise: a female receptacle; or a male contact, or both, a flexible contact; or copper alloy or another electrically conductive material. In some embodiments of the device body, the battery supplies power to the second heater contact, pressure sensor, indicator light and the printed circuit board. In some embodiments, the battery is rechargeable. In some embodiments, the indicator light 26 indicates the status of the device and/or the battery or both. In some embodiments of the device, the first heater contact and the second heater contact complete a circuit that allows current to flow through the heating contacts when the device body and detachable cartridge are assembled, which may be controlled by an on/off switch. Alternatively, the device can be turned on an off by a puff sensor. The puff sensor may comprise a capacitive membrane. The capacitive membrane may be similar to a capacitive membrane used in a microphone. In some embodiments of the device, there is also an auxiliary charging unit for recharging the battery 23 in the device body. As illustrated in FIGS. 16A-16C, the charging unit 60, may comprise a USB device with a plug for a power source 63 and protective cap 64, with a cradle 61 for capturing the device body 20 (with or without the cartridge installed). The cradle may further comprise either a magnet or a magnetic contact 62 to securely hold the device body in place during charging. As illustrated in FIG. 6B, the device body further comprises a mating charging contact 28 and a magnet or magnetic contact 29 for the auxiliary charging unit. FIG. 16C is an illustrative example of the device 20 being charged in a power source 65 (laptop computer or tablet). In some cases the microcontroller on the PCB may be configured to monitor the temperature of the heater such that the vaporizable material is heated to a prescribed temperature. The prescribed temperature may be an input provided by the user. A temperature sensor may be in communication with the microcontroller to provide an input temperature to the microcontroller for temperature regulation. A temperature sensor may be a thermistor, thermocouple, thermometer, or any other temperature sensors. In some cases, the heating element may simultaneously perform as both a heater and a temperature sensor. The heating element may differ from a thermistor by having a resistance with a relatively lower dependence on temperature. The heating element may comprise a resistance temperature detector. The resistance of the heating element may be an input to the microcontroller. In some cases, the resistance may be determined by the microcontroller based on a measurement from a circuit with a resistor with at least one known resistance, for example, a Wheatstone bridge. Alternatively, the resistance of the heating element may be measured with a resistive voltage divider in contact with the heating element and a resistor with a known and substantially constant resistance. The measurement of the resistance of the heating element may be amplified by an amplifier. The amplifier may be a standard op amp or instrumentation amplifier. The amplified signal may be substantially free of noise. In some cases, a charge time for a voltage divider between the heating element and a capacitor may be determined to calculate the resistance of the heating element. In some cases, the microcontroller must deactivate the heating element during resistance measurements. The resistance of the heating element may be a function of the temperature of the heating element such that the temperature may be directly determined from resistance measurements. Determining the temperature directly from the heating element resistance measurement rather than from an additional temperature sensor may generate a more accurate measurement because unknown contact thermal resistance between the temperature sensor and the heating element is eliminated. Additionally, the temperature measurement may be determined directly and therefore faster and without a time lag associated with attaining equilibrium between the heating element and a temperature sensor in contact with the heating element. FIG. 17C is another example of a PID control block diagram similar to that shown in FIG. 17A, and FIG. 17D is an example of a resistance measurement circuit used in this PID control scheme. In FIG. 17C, the block diagram includes a measurement circuit that can measure the resistance of the resistive heater (e.g., coil) and provide an analog signal to the microcontroller, a device temperature, which can be measured directly by the microcontroller and/or input into the microcontroller, and an input from a sensor (e.g., a pressure sensor, a button, or any other sensor) that may be used by the microcontroller to determine when the resistive heart should be heated, e.g., when the user is drawing on the device or when the device is scheduled to be set at a warmer temperature (e.g., a standby temperature). In FIG. 17C, a signal from the measurement circuit goes directly to the microcontroller and to a summing block. In the measurement circuit, an example of which is shown in FIG. 17D (similar to the one shown in FIG. 17B), signal from the measurement circuit are fed directly to the microcontroller. The summing block in FIG. 17C is representative of the function which may be performed by the microcontroller when the device is heating; the summing block may show that error (e.g., in this case, a target Resistance minus a measured resistance of the resistive heater) is used by a control algorithm to calculate the power to be applied to the coil until the next coil measurement is taken. In the example shown in FIGS. 17C-17D, signal from the measurement circuit may also go directly to the microcontroller in FIG. 17C; the resistive heater may be used to determine a baseline resistance (also referred to herein as the resistance of the resistive hater at an ambient temperature), when the device has not been heating the resistive heater, e.g., when some time has passed since the device was last heating. Alternatively or additionally, the baseline resistance may be determined by determining when coil resistance is changing with time at a rate that is below some stability threshold. Thus, resistance measurements of the coil may be used to determine a baseline resistance for the coil at ambient temperature. A known baseline resistance may be used to calculate a target resistance that correlates to a target rise in coil temperature. The baseline (which may also be referred to as the resistance of the resistive heater at ambient temperature) may also be used to calculate the target resistance. The device temperature can be used to calculate an absolute target coil temperature as opposed to a target temperature rise. For example, a device temperature may be used to calculate absolute target coil temperature for more precise temperature control. The circuit shown in FIG. 17B is one embodiment of a resistance measurement circuit comprising a voltage divider using a preset reference resistance. For the reference resistor approach (alternatively referred to as a voltage divider approach) shown in 17B, the reference resistor may be roughly the same resistance as the coil at target resistance (operating temperature). For example, this may be 1-2 Ohms. The circuit shown in FIG. 17D is another variation of a resistance measurement (or comparison) circuit. As before, in this example, the resistance of the heating element may be a function of the temperature of the heating element such that the temperature may be directly determined from resistance measurements. The resistance of the heating element is roughly linear with the temperature of the heating element. In FIG. 17D, the circuit includes a Wheatstone bridge connected to a differential op amp circuit. The measurement circuit is powered when Q2 is held on via the RM_PWR signal from the microcontroller (RM=Resistance Measurement). Q2 is normally off to save battery life. In general, the apparatuses described herein stop applying power to the resistive heater to measure the resistance of the resistive heater. In FIG. 17D, when heating, the device must stop heating periodically (turn Q1 off) to measure coil resistance. One voltage divider in the bridge is between the Coil and R1, the other voltage divider is between R2 and R3 and optionally R4, R5, and R6. R4, R5, and R6 are each connected to open drain outputs from the microcontroller so that the R3 can be in parallel with any combination of R4, R5, and R6 to tune the R2/R3 voltage divider. An algorithm tunes the R2/R3 voltage divider via open drain control of RM_SCALE_0, RM_SCALE_1, and RM_SCALE _2 so that the voltage at the R2/R3 divider is just below the voltage of the R_COIL/R1 divider, so that the output of the op amp is between positive battery voltage and ground, which allows small changes in coil resistance to result in measureable changes in the op amp's output voltage. U2, R7, R8, R9, and R10 comprise the differential op amp circuit. As is standard in differential op amp circuits, R9/R7=R10/R8, R9>>R7, and the circuit has a voltage gain, A=R9/R7, such that the op amp outputs HM_OUT=A(V+−V−) when 0≦A(V+−V)≦V_BAT, where V+ is the R_COIL/R1 divider voltage, V− is the tuned R2/R3 divider voltage, and V_BAT is the positive battery voltage. In this example, the microcontroller performs an analog to digital conversion to measure HM_OUT, and then based on the values of R1 through R10 and the selected measurement scale, calculates resistance of the coil. When the coil has not been heated for some amount of time (e.g., greater than 10 sec, 20 sec, 30 sec, 1 min, 2 min, 3 min, 4 min, 5 min, 6 min, 7 min, 8 min, 9 min, 10 min, 15 min, 20 min, 30 min, etc.) and/or the resistance of the coil is steady, the microcontroller may save calculated resistance as the baseline resistance for the coil. A target resistance for the coil is calculated by adding a percentage change of baseline resistance to the baseline resistance. When the microcontroller detects via the pressure sensor that the user is drawing from the device, it outputs a PWM signal on HEATER to power the coil through Q1. PWM duty cycle is always limited to a max duty cycle that corresponds to a set maximum average power in the coil calculated using battery voltage measurements and coil resistance measurements. This allows for consistent heat-up performance throughout a battery discharge cycle. A PID control algorithm uses the difference between target coil resistance and measured coil resistance to set PWM duty cycle (limited by max duty cycle) to hold measured resistance at target resistance. The PID control algorithm holds the coil at a controlled temperature regardless of air flow rate and wicking performance to ensure a consistent experience (e.g., vaporization experience, including “flavor”) across the full range of use cases and allow for higher power at faster draw rates. In general, the control law may update at any appropriate rate. For example, in some variations, the control law updates at 20 Hz. In this example, when heating, PWM control of Q1 is disabled and Q1 is held off for 2 ms every 50 ms to allow for stable coil resistance measurements. In another variation, the control law may update at 250-1000 Hz. In the example shown in FIG. 17D, the number of steps between max and min measureable analog voltage may be controlled by the configuration. For example, precise temperature control (+/−1° C. or better) maybe achieved with a few hundred steps between measured baseline resistance and target resistance. In some variations, the number of steps may be approximately 4096. With variations in resistance between cartridges (e.g., +/−10% nominal coil resistance) and potential running changes to nominal cartridge resistance, it may be advantages to have several narrower measurement scales so that resistance can be measured at higher resolution than could be achieved if one fixed measurement scale had to be wide enough to measure all cartridges that a device might see. For example, R4, R5, and R6 may have values that allow for eight overlapping resistance measurement scales that allow for roughly five times the sensitivity of a single fixed scale covering the same range of resistances that are measurable by eight scales combined. More or less than eight measurement ranges may be used. For example, in the variation shown in FIG. 17D, in some instances the measurement circuit may have a total range of 1.31-2.61 Ohm and a sensitivity of roughly 0.3 mOhm, which may allow for temperature setting increments and average coil temperature control to within +/−0.75 ° C. (e.g., a nominal coil resistance*TCR=1.5 Ohm*0.00014/° C.=0.21 mOhm/° C., 0.3 mOhm/(0.21 mOhm/° C.)=1.4 ° C. sensitivity). In some variations, R_COIL is 1.5 Ohm nominally, R1=100 Ohm, R2=162 Ohm, R3=10 kOhm, R4=28.7 kOhm, R5=57.6 kOhm, R6=115 kOhm, R7=R9=2 kOhm, R8=R10=698 kOhm. As mentioned above, heater resistance is roughly linear with temperature. Changes in heater resistance may be roughly proportional to changes in temperature. With a coil at some resistance, Rbaseline, at some initial temperature, ΔT=(Rcoil/Rbaseline−1)/TCR is a good approximation of coil temperature rise. Using an amplified Wheatstone bridge configuration similar to that shown in FIG. 17D, the device may calculate target resistance using baseline resistance and a fixed target percentage change in resistance, 4.0%. For coils with TCR of, as an example, 0.00014/° C., this may correspond to a 285° C. temperature rise (e.g., 0.04/(0.00014/° C.)=285° C.). In general, the device doesn't need to calculate temperature; these calculations can be done beforehand, and the device can simply use a target percentage change in resistance to control temperature. For some baseline resistance, coil TCR, and target temperature change, target heater resistance may be: Rtarget=Rbaseline (1+TCR*ΔT). Solved for ΔT, this is ΔT=(Rtarget/Rbaseline−1)/TCR. Some device variations may calculate and provide (e.g., display, transmit, etc.) actual temperature so users can see actual temperatures during heat up or set a temperature in the device instead of setting a target percentage change in resistance. Alternatively or additionally, the device may use measured ambient temperature and a target temperature (e.g., a temperature set point) to calculate a target resistance that corresponds to the target temperature. The target resistance may be determined from a baseline resistance at ambient temperature, coil TCR, target temperature, and ambient temperature. For example, a target heater resistance may be expressed as Rtarget=Rbaseline (1+TCR*(Tset−Tamb)). Solved for Tset, this gives: Tset=(Rtarget/Rbaseline−1)/TCR+Tamb. Some device variations may calculate and provide (e.g., display, transmit, etc.) actual temperature so users can see actual temperatures during heat up or set a temperature in the device instead of setting a target resistance or target percentage change in resistance. For the voltage divider approach, if Rreference is sufficiently close to Rbaseline, temperature change is approximately ΔT=(Rcoil/Rreference−Rbaseline/Rreference)/TCR. As mentioned above, any of the device variations described herein may be configured to control the temperature only after a sensor indicates that vaporization is required. For example, a pressure sensor (e.g., “puff sensor”) may be used to determine when the coil should be heated. This sensor may function as essentially an on off switch for heating under PID control. Additionally, in some variations, the sensor may also control baseline resistance determination. For example baseline resistance may be prevented until at least some predetermined time period (e.g., 10 sec, 15 sec, 20 sec, 30 sec, 45 sec, 1 min, 2 min, etc.) after the last puff. Provided herein is a device for generating an inhalable aerosol comprising: a cartridge comprising a first heater contact; a device body comprising; a cartridge receptacle for receiving the cartridge; a second heater contact adapted to receive the first heater contact and to complete a circuit; a power source connected to the second heater contact; a printed circuit board (PCB) connected to the power source and the second heater contact; and a single button interface; wherein the PCB is configured with circuitry and an algorithm comprising logic for a child safety feature. In some embodiments, the algorithm requires a code provided by the user to activate the device. In some embodiments; the code is entered by the user with the single button interface. In still further embodiments the single button interface is the also the power switch. Provided herein is a cartridge 30 for a device 10 for generating an inhalable aerosol comprising: a fluid storage compartment 32; a heater 36 affixed to a first end comprising: a heater chamber 37, a first pair of heater contacts 33, a fluid wick 34, and a resistive heating element 35 in contact with the wick; wherein the first pair of heater contacts 33 comprise thin plates affixed about the sides of the heater chamber 37, and wherein the fluid wick 34 and resistive heating element 35 are suspended there between. Depending on the size of the heater or heater chamber, the heater may have more than one wick 34, 34′ and resistive heating element 35, 35′. In some embodiments, the first pair of heater contacts further comprise a formed shape that comprises a tab 33a having a flexible spring value that extends out of the heater 36 to complete a circuit with the device body 20. In some embodiments, the heater contacts 33 are configured to mate with a second pair of heater contacts 22 in a cartridge receptacle 21 of the device body 20 to complete a circuit. In some embodiments, the first pair of heater contacts is also a heat sink that absorbs and dissipates excessive heat produced by the resistive heating element. In some embodiments, the first pair of heater contacts is a heat shield that protects the heater chamber from excessive heat produced by the resistive heating element. Provided herein is a cartridge 30 for a device for generating an inhalable aerosol 10 comprising: a heater 36 comprising; a heater chamber 37, a pair of thin plate heater contacts 33 therein, a fluid wick 34 positioned between the heater contacts 33, and a resistive heating element 35 in contact with the wick; wherein the heater contacts 33 each comprise a fixation site 33c wherein the resistive heating element 35 is tensioned there between. As will be obvious to one skilled in the art after reviewing the assembly method illustrated in FIG. 9, the heater contacts 33 simply snap or rest on locator pins on either side of the air inlet 53 on the first end of the cartridge interior fluid storage compartment, creating a spacious vaporization chamber containing the at least one wick 34 and at least one heating element 35. Provided herein is a cartridge 30 for a device for generating an inhalable aerosol 10 comprising a heater 36 attached to a first end of the cartridge. In some embodiments, the heater encloses a first end of the cartridge and a first end of the fluid storage compartment 32, 32a. In some embodiments, the heater comprises a first condensation chamber 45. In some embodiments, the heater comprises more than one first condensation chamber 45, 45′. In some embodiments, the condensation chamber is formed along an exterior wall of the cartridge 45b. As noted previously, and described in FIGS. 10A, 10B and 10C, the airflow path through the heater and heater chamber generates vapor within the heater circulating air path 54, which then exits through the heater exits 55 into a first (primary) condensation chamber 45, which is formed by components of the tank body comprising the primary condensation channel/chamber rails 45b, the primary condensation channel cover 45a, (the outer side wall of the heater enclosure). Provided herein is a cartridge 30 for a device for generating an inhalable aerosol 10 comprising a fluid storage compartment 32 and a mouthpiece 31, wherein the mouthpiece is attached to a second end of the cartridge and further comprises at least one aerosol outlet 47. In some embodiments, the mouthpiece 31 encloses a second end of the cartridge 30 and a second end of the fluid storage compartment 32, 32a. Additionally, as clearly illustrated in FIG. 10C in some embodiments the mouthpiece also contains a second condensation chamber 46 prior to the aerosol outlet 47, which is formed by components of the tank body 32 comprising the secondary condensation channel/chamber rails 46b, the second condensation channel cover 46a, (the outer side wall of the mouthpiece). Still further, the mouthpiece may contain yet another aerosol outlet 47′ and another (second) condensation chamber 46′ prior to the aerosol outlet, on another side of the cartridge. In other embodiments, the mouthpiece comprises more than one second condensation chamber 46, 46′. In some preferred embodiments, the second condensation chamber is formed along an exterior wall of the cartridge 46b. In each of the embodiments described herein, the cartridge 30 comprises an airflow path comprising: an air inlet channel and passage 40, 41, 42; a heater chamber 37; at least a first condensation chamber 45; and an outlet port 47. In some of the embodiments described herein, the cartridge 30 comprises an airflow path comprising: an air inlet channel and passage 40, 41, 42; a heater chamber 37; a first condensation chamber 45; a second condensation chamber 46; and an outlet port 47. In still other embodiments described herein the cartridge 30 may comprise an airflow path comprising at least one air inlet channel and passage 40, 41, 42; a heater chamber 37; at least one first condensation chamber 45; at least one second condensation chamber 46; and at least one outlet port 47. In each of the embodiments described herein, the fluid storage compartment 32 is in fluid communication with the heater 36, wherein the fluid storage compartment is capable of retaining condensed aerosol fluid. In some embodiments of the device, the condensed aerosol fluid comprises a nicotine formulation. In some embodiments, the condensed aerosol fluid comprises a humectant. In some embodiments, the humectant comprises propylene glycol. In some embodiments, the humectant comprises vegetable glycerin. Provided herein is a cartridge 30 for a device for generating an inhalable aerosol 10 comprising: a fluid storage compartment 32; a heater 36 affixed to a first end; and a mouthpiece 31 affixed to a second end; wherein the heater comprises a first condensation chamber 45 and the mouthpiece comprises a second condensation chamber 46. In some embodiments, the heater comprises more than one first condensation chamber 45, 45′ and the mouthpiece comprises more than one second condensation chamber 46, 46′. In some embodiments, the first condensation chamber and the second condensation chamber are in fluid communication. As illustrated in FIG. 10C, the first and second condensation chambers have a common transition area 57, 57′, for fluid communication. In some embodiments, the mouthpiece comprises an aerosol outlet 47 in fluid communication with the second condensation chamber 46. In some embodiments, the mouthpiece comprises two or more aerosol outlets 47, 47′. In some embodiments, the mouthpiece comprises two or more aerosol outlets 47, 47′ in fluid communication with the two or more second condensation chambers 46, 46′. In any one of the embodiments, the cartridge meets ISO recycling standards. In any one of the embodiments, the cartridge meets ISO recycling standards for plastic waste. And in still other embodiments, the plastic components of the cartridge are composed of polylactic acid (PLA), wherein the PLA components are compostable and or degradable. Provided herein is a device for generating an inhalable aerosol 10 comprising a device body 20 comprising a cartridge receptacle 21; and a detachable cartridge 30; wherein the cartridge receptacle and the detachable cartridge form a separable coupling, and wherein the separable coupling comprises a friction assembly, a snap-fit assembly or a magnetic assembly. In other embodiments of the device, the cartridge is a detachable assembly. In any one of the embodiments described herein, the cartridge components may comprise a snap-lock assembly such as illustrated by snap features 39a and 39b. In any one of the embodiments, the cartridge components are recyclable. Provided herein is a method of fabricating a device for generating an inhalable aerosol comprising: providing a device body comprising a cartridge receptacle; and providing a detachable cartridge; wherein the cartridge receptacle and the detachable cartridge form a separable coupling comprising a friction assembly, a snap-fit assembly or a magnetic assembly when the cartridge is inserted into the cartridge receptacle. Provided herein is a method of making a device 10 for generating an inhalable aerosol comprising: providing a device body 20 with a cartridge receptacle 21 comprising one or more interior coupling surfaces 21a, 21b, 21c . . . ; and further providing a cartridge 30 comprising: one or more exterior coupling surfaces 36a, 36b, 36c, . . . , a second end and a first end; a tank 32 comprising an interior fluid storage compartment 32a; at least one channel 40 on at least one exterior coupling surface, wherein the at least one channel forms one side of at least one air inlet passage 51, and wherein at least one interior wall of the cartridge receptacle forms at least one side one side of at least one air inlet passage 51 when the detachable cartridge is inserted into the cartridge receptacle. FIG. 9 provides an illustrative example of a method of assembling such a device. In some embodiments of the method, the cartridge 30 is assembled with a protective removable end cap 38 to protect the exposed heater contact tabs 33a protruding from the heater 36. Provided herein is a method of fabricating a cartridge for a device for generating an inhalable aerosol comprising: providing a fluid storage compartment; affixing a heater to a first end with a snap-fit coupling; and affixing a mouthpiece to a second end with a snap-fit coupling. Provided herein is a cartridge 30 for a device for generating an inhalable aerosol 10 with an airflow path comprising: a channel 50 comprising a portion of an air inlet passage 51; a second air passage 41 in fluid communication with the channel; a heater chamber 37 in fluid communication with the second air passage; a first condensation chamber 45 in fluid communication with the heater chamber; a second condensation chamber 46 in fluid communication with the first condensation chamber; and an aerosol outlet 47 in fluid communication with second condensation chamber. Provided herein is a device 10 for generating an inhalable aerosol adapted to receive a removable cartridge 30, wherein the cartridge comprises a fluid storage compartment or tank 32; an air inlet 41; a heater 36, a protective removable end cap 38, and a mouthpiece 31. Charging In some cases, the vaporization device may comprise a power source. The power source may be configured to provide power to a control system, one or more heating elements, one or more sensors, one or more lights, one or more indicators, and/or any other system on the electronic cigarette that requires a power source. The power source may be an energy storage device. The power source may be a battery or a capacitor. In some cases, the power source may be a rechargeable battery. The battery may be contained within a housing of the device. In some cases the battery may be removed from the housing for charging. Alternatively, the battery may remain in the housing while the battery is being charged. Two or more charge contact may be provided on an exterior surface of the device housing. The two or more charge contacts may be in electrical communication with the battery such that the battery may be charged by applying a charging source to the two or more charge contacts without removing the battery from the housing. FIG. 18 shows a device 1800 with charge contacts 1801. The charge contacts 1801 may be accessible from an exterior surface of a device housing 1802. The charge contacts 1801 may be in electrical communication with an energy storage device (e.g., battery) inside of the device housing 1802. In some cases, the device housing may not comprise an opening through which the user may access components in the device housing. The user may not be able to remove the battery and/or other energy storage device from the housing. In order to open the device housing a user must destroy or permanently disengage the charge contacts. In some cases, the device may fail to function after a user breaks open the housing. FIG. 19 shows an exploded view of a charging assembly 1900 in an electronic vaporization device. The housing (not shown) has been removed from the exploded view in FIG. 19. The charge contact pins 1901 may be visible on the exterior of the housing. The charge contact pins 1901 may be in electrical communication with a power storage device of the electronic vaporization device. When the device is connected to a power source (e.g., during charging of the device) the charging pins may facilitate electrical communication between the power storage device inside of the electronic vaporization device and the power source outside of the housing of the vaporization device. The charge contact pins 1901 may be held in place by a retaining bezel 1902. The charge contact pins 1901 may be in electrical communication with a charger flex 1903. The charging pins may contact the charger flex such that a need for soldering of the charger pins to an electrical connection to be in electrical communication with the power source may be eliminated. The charger flex may be soldered to a printed circuit board (PCB). The charger flex may be in electrical communication with the power storage device through the PCB. The charger flex may be held in place by a bent spring retainer 1904. FIG. 20 shows the bent spring retainer in an initial position 2001 and a deflected position 2002. The bent spring retainer may hold the retaining bezel in a fixed location. The bent spring retainer may deflect only in one direction when the charging assembly is enclosed in the housing of the electronic vaporization device. FIG. 21 shows a location of the charger pins 2101 when the electronic vaporization device is fully assembled with the charging pins 2101 contact the charging flex 2102. When the device is fully assembled at least a portion of the retaining bezel may be fitted in an indentation 2103 on the inside of the housing 2104. In some cases, disassembling the electronic vaporization device may destroy the bezel such that the device cannot be reassembled after disassembly. A user may place the electronic smoking device in a charging cradle. The charging cradle may be a holder with charging contact configured to mate or couple with the charging pins on the electronic smoking device to provide charge to the energy storage device in the electronic vaporization device from a power source (e.g., wall outlet, generator, and/or external power storage device). FIG. 22 shows a device 2302 in a charging cradle 2301. The charging cable may be connected to a wall outlet, USB, or any other power source. The charging pins (not shown) on the device 2302 may be connected to charging contacts (not shown) on the charging cradle 2301. The device may be configured such that when the device is placed in the cradle for charging a first charging pin on the device may contact a first charging contact on the charging cradle and a second charging pin on the device may contact a second charging contact on the charging cradle or the first charging pin on the device may contact a second charging contact on the charging cradle and the second charging pin on the device may contact the first charging contact on the charging cradle. The charging pins on the device and the charging contacts on the cradle may be in contact in any orientation. The charging pins on the device and the charging contacts on the cradle may be agnostic as to whether they are current inlets or outlets. Each of the charging pins on the device and the charging contacts on the cradle may be negative or positive. The charging pins on the device may be reversible. FIG. 23 shows a circuit 2400 that may permit the charging pins on the device to be reversible. The circuit 2400 may be provided on a PCB in electrical communication with the charging pins. The circuit 2400 may comprise a metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor (MOSFET) H bridge. The MOSFET H bridge may rectify a change in voltage across the charging pins when the charging pins are reversed from a first configuration where in a first configuration the device is placed in the cradle for charging with the first charging pin on the device in contact with the first charging contact on the charging cradle to a second charging pin on the device in contact with the second charging contact on the charging cradle to a second configuration where the first charging pin on the device is in contact with the second charging contact on the charging cradle and the second charging pin on the device is in contact with the first charging contact on the charging cradle. The MOSFET H bridge may rectify the change in voltage with an efficient current path. As shown in FIG. 23 the MOSFET H bridge may comprise two or more n-channel MOSFETs and two or more p-channel MOSFETs. The n-channel and p-channel MOSFETs may be arranged in an H bridge. Sources of p-channels MOSFETs (Q1 and Q3) may be in electrical communication. Similarly, sources of n-channel FETs (Q2 and Q4) may be in electrical communication. Drains of pairs of n and p MOSFETs (Q1 with Q2 and Q3 with Q4) may be in electrical communication. TA common drain from one n and p pair may be in electrical communication with one or more gates of the other n and p pair and/or vice versa. Charge contacts (CH1 and CH2) may be in electrical communication to common drains separately. A common source of the n MOSFETs may be in electrical communication to PCB ground (GND). The common source of the p MOSFETs may be in electrical communication with the PCB's charge controller input voltage (CH+). When CH1 voltage is greater than CH2 voltage by the MOSFET gate threshold voltages, Q1 and Q4 may be “on,” connecting CH1 to CH+ and CH2 to GND. When CH2 voltage is greater than CH1 voltage by the FET gate threshold voltages, Q2 and Q3 may be “on,” connecting CH1 to GND and CH2 to CH+. For example, whether there is 9V or −9V across CH1 to CH2, CH+ will be 9V above GND. Alternatively, a diode bridge could be used, however the MOSFET bridge may be more efficient compared to the diode bridge. In some cases the charging cradle may be configured to be a smart charger. The smart charger may put the battery of the device in series with a USB input to charge the device at a higher current compared to a typical charging current. In some cases, the device may charge at a rate up to about 2 amps (A), 4 A, 5 A, 6 A, 7 A, 10 A, or 15 A. In some cases, the smart charger may comprise a battery, power from the battery may be used to charge the device battery. When the battery in the smart charger has a charge below a predetermined threshold charge, the smart charger may simultaneously charge the battery in the smart charger and the battery in the device. Cartridge/Vaporizer Attachment Any of the cartridges described herein may be adapted for securely coupling with an electronic inhalable aerosol device (“vaporizer”) as discussed above. In particular described herein are cartridge designs that address the unrecognized problem of maintaining adequate electrical contact between a mouthpiece-containing cartridge and a rectangular vaporizer coupling region, particularly when the mouthpiece is held in a user's mouth. Any of the cartridges described herein may be particularly well adapted for securing to a vaporizer by including a base region that mates with the rectangular coupling region of the vaporizer, where the base unit fits into a rectangular opening that is between 13-14 mm deep, 4.5-5.5 mm wide, and 13-14 mm long. The base having generally includes a bottom surface having a first electrical contact and a second electrical contact. In particular, any of the cartridges described herein may include a first locking gap on a first lateral surface of the base, and a second locking gap on a second lateral surface of the base that is opposite first lateral surface. For example FIGS. 24A and 24B illustrate another variation of a cartridge similar to that shown in FIGS. 7A-15, discussed above, having a base region 2401 with at least one locking gap 2404 on the first minor lateral wall 2407. A second locking gap (not shown) may be present on the opposite minor lateral wall. One or both major lateral walls 2418 may include a detent 2421. Any of these cartridges may also include a mouthpiece 2409, which may be at an end that is opposite of the bottom 2422 of the cartridge, on which a pair of tabs (electrodes 2411) are positioned, shown in FIG. 24A (as previously described, above) bent over the distal end of the cartridge. FIGS. 25A and 25B show front and side views, respectively, of this example. In FIGS. 24A-25B the locking gaps 2404, 2404′ on either side are shown as channels in the side (lateral) walls. They may extend across the entire side wall, parallel to the bottom as shown, or they may extend only partially through and may preferably be centered relative to the width of the wall. In other variations the locking gap may be a divot, pit, opening, or hole (though not into the internal volume holding the vaporizable material). In general, the inventors have found that the vertical position of the locking gap may be important in maintaining the stability of the cartridge in the vaporizer, particularly in cartridges having a rectangular base region that is longer than 10 mm. Optimally, the locking gap may be between about 1 and 5 mm from the bottom of the base region, and more specifically, between about 3 and 4 mm (e.g., approximately 3.3 mm), as shown in FIG. 26A which indicates exemplary dimensions for the section through FIG. 26B. The cartridges shown in FIGS. 24A-24B also include a detent 2421 that is positioned between about 7 and 11 mm up from the bottom of the cartridge. The detent may help hold the cartridge base in the vaporizer, and may cooperate with the locking gap, but is optional (and shown in dashed lines in FIGS. 2A-25B. In FIGS. 24A-25B the cartridge base is also transparent, and shows an internal air channel (cannula 2505). FIGS. 27A-27B show another example of a vaporizer including a battery and control circuitry. FIGS. 27A and 27B also illustrate the mating region 2704. In this example, the mating region includes two detents 2706 that may mate with the locking gaps on the cartridge when it is inserted into the vaporizer. Exemplary dimensions for the mating region are shown. In this example the locking detents (which complement the locking gaps on the cartridge) are indentations that project into the mating region. These locking determent may be a ridge, pin, or other projection (including spring-loaded members). FIGS. 28A-28D show an example of a vaporizer 2803 into which a cartridge 2801 has been securely loaded. In FIG. 28A the cartridge has been snapped into position so that the locking gaps of the cartridge engage with the locking detents in the vaporizer. FIG. 28B is side view and FIG. 28C show a sectional view; an enlarged portion of the sectional view is shown in FIG. 28D, showing the base of the cartridge seated in the mating region of the vaporizer. With the cartridge secured as shown, good electrical contact 2805 may be maintained. Although the cartridges shown in FIGS. 24A-28D are similar, and include a proximal mouthpiece and distal base that are nearly equivalent in size, with the reservoir for the vaporizable material between them and the wick, resistive heater, heating chamber and electrodes at the distal most end (near the bottom of the base), many other cartridge configurations are possible while still securely seating into a vaporizer having the same vaporizer mating region shown in FIGS. 28A-28B. For example, FIGS. 29A-29D illustrate alternative variations of cartridges having similar electrode. In FIG. 29A the base region includes two projecting feet that include locking gaps, and the electrodes on the base (not shown) connect via electrical traces (e.g. wires, etc.) to a heating element, wick and the reservoir nearer to the distal end (not visible). In FIG. 29B the base extends further than 11 mm (e.g., 20-30 mm) and may house the reservoir (fluid storage compartment). Similarly in FIG. 29C the base region is the same as in FIG. 29B, but the more proximal portion is enlarged. In FIG. 29D the fluid non-base portion of the cartridge (more proximal than the base region) may have a different dimension. All of the variations shown in FIGS. 29A-29D, as in the variations shown in FIG. 24A-25B, may mate with the same vaporizer, and because of the dimensions of the base region, may be securely held and maintain electrical contact, even when a user is holding the device in their mouth. When a feature or element is herein referred to as being “on” another feature or element, it can be directly on the other feature or element or intervening features and/or elements may also be present. In contrast, when a feature or element is referred to as being “directly on” another feature or element, there are no intervening features or elements present. It will also be understood that, when a feature or element is referred to as being “connected”, “attached” or “coupled” to another feature or element, it can be directly connected, attached or coupled to the other feature or element or intervening features or elements may be present. In contrast, when a feature or element is referred to as being “directly connected”, “directly attached” or “directly coupled” to another feature or element, there are no intervening features or elements present. Although described or shown with respect to one embodiment, the features and elements so described or shown can apply to other embodiments. It will also be appreciated by those of skill in the art that references to a structure or feature that is disposed “adjacent” another feature may have portions that overlap or underlie the adjacent feature. Terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the invention. For example, as used herein, the singular forms “a”, “an” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will be further understood that the terms “comprises” and/or “comprising,” when used in this specification, specify the presence of stated features, steps, operations, elements, and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof. As used herein, the term “and/or” includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items and may be abbreviated as “/”. Spatially relative terms, such as “under”, “below”, “lower”, “over”, “upper” and the like, may be used herein for ease of description to describe one element or feature's relationship to another element(s) or feature(s) as illustrated in the figures. It will be understood that the spatially relative terms are intended to encompass different orientations of the device in use or operation in addition to the orientation depicted in the figures. For example, if a device in the figures is inverted, elements described as “under” or “beneath” other elements or features would then be oriented “over” the other elements or features. Thus, the exemplary term “under” can encompass both an orientation of over and under. The device may be otherwise oriented (rotated 90 degrees or at other orientations) and the spatially relative descriptors used herein interpreted accordingly. Similarly, the terms “upwardly”, “downwardly”, “vertical”, “horizontal” and the like are used herein for the purpose of explanation only unless specifically indicated otherwise. Although the terms “first” and “second” may be used herein to describe various features/elements (including steps), these features/elements should not be limited by these terms, unless the context indicates otherwise. These terms may be used to distinguish one feature/element from another feature/element. Thus, a first feature/element discussed below could be termed a second feature/element, and similarly, a second feature/element discussed below could be termed a first feature/element without departing from the teachings of the present invention. Throughout this specification and the claims which follow, unless the context requires otherwise, the word “comprise”, and variations such as “comprises” and “comprising” means various components can be co-jointly employed in the methods and articles (e.g., compositions and apparatuses including device and methods). For example, the term “comprising” will be understood to imply the inclusion of any stated elements or steps but not the exclusion of any other elements or steps. In general, any of the apparatuses and methods described herein should be understood to be inclusive, but all or a sub-set of the components and/or steps may alternatively be exclusive, and may be expressed as “consisting of” or alternatively “consisting essentially of” the various components, steps, sub-components or sub-steps. As used herein in the specification and claims, including as used in the examples and unless otherwise expressly specified, all numbers may be read as if prefaced by the word “about” or “approximately,” even if the term does not expressly appear. The phrase “about” or “approximately” may be used when describing magnitude and/or position to indicate that the value and/or position described is within a reasonable expected range of values and/or positions. For example, a numeric value may have a value that is +/−0.1% of the stated value (or range of values), +/−1% of the stated value (or range of values), +/−2% of the stated value (or range of values), +/−5% of the stated value (or range of values), +/−10% of the stated value (or range of values), etc. Any numerical values given herein should also be understood to include about or approximately that value, unless the context indicates otherwise. For example, if the value “10” is disclosed, then “about 10” is also disclosed. Any numerical range recited herein is intended to include all sub-ranges subsumed therein. It is also understood that when a value is disclosed that “less than or equal to” the value, “greater than or equal to the value” and possible ranges between values are also disclosed, as appropriately understood by the skilled artisan. For example, if the value “X” is disclosed the “less than or equal to X” as well as “greater than or equal to X” (e.g., where X is a numerical value) is also disclosed. It is also understood that the throughout the application, data is provided in a number of different formats, and that this data, represents endpoints and starting points, and ranges for any combination of the data points. For example, if a particular data point “10” and a particular data point “15” are disclosed, it is understood that greater than, greater than or equal to, less than, less than or equal to, and equal to 10 and 15 are considered disclosed as well as between 10 and 15. It is also understood that each unit between two particular units are also disclosed. For example, if 10 and 15 are disclosed, then 11, 12, 13, and 14 are also disclosed. Although various illustrative embodiments are described above, any of a number of changes may be made to various embodiments without departing from the scope of the invention as described by the claims. For example, the order in which various described method steps are performed may often be changed in alternative embodiments, and in other alternative embodiments one or more method steps may be skipped altogether. Optional features of various device and system embodiments may be included in some embodiments and not in others. Therefore, the foregoing description is provided primarily for exemplary purposes and should not be interpreted to limit the scope of the invention as it is set forth in the claims. The examples and illustrations included herein show, by way of illustration and not of limitation, specific embodiments in which the subject matter may be practiced. As mentioned, other embodiments may be utilized and derived there from, such that structural and logical substitutions and changes may be made without departing from the scope of this disclosure. Such embodiments of the inventive subject matter may be referred to herein individually or collectively by the term “invention” merely for convenience and without intending to voluntarily limit the scope of this application to any single invention or inventive concept, if more than one is, in fact, disclosed. Thus, although specific embodiments have been illustrated and described herein, any arrangement calculated to achieve the same purpose may be substituted for the specific embodiments shown. This disclosure is intended to cover any and all adaptations or variations of various embodiments. Combinations of the above embodiments, and other embodiments not specifically described herein, will be apparent to those of skill in the art upon reviewing the above description. | <SOH> BACKGROUND <EOH>Electronic inhalable aerosol devices (e.g., vaporization devices, electronic vaping devices, etc.) and particularly electronic aerosol devices, typically utilize a vaporizable material that is vaporized to create an aerosol vapor capable of delivering an active ingredient to a user. Control of the temperature of the resistive heater must be maintained (e.g., as part of a control loop), and this control may be based on the resistance of the resistive heating element. Many of the battery-powered vaporizers described to date include a reusable batter-containing device portion that connects to one or more cartridges containing the consumable vaporizable material. As the cartridges are used up, they are removed and replaced with fresh ones. It may be particularly useful to have the cartridge be integrated with a mouthpiece that the user can draw on to receive vapor. However, a number of surprising disadvantages may result in this configuration, particular to non-cylindrical shapes. For example, the use of a cartridge at the proximal end of the device, which is also held by the user's mouth, particularly where the cartridge is held in the vaporizer device by a friction- or a snap-fit, may result in instability in the electrical contacts, particularly with cartridges of greater than 1 cm length. Described herein are apparatuses and methods that may address the issues discussed above. | <SOH> SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE <EOH>The present invention relates generally to apparatuses, including systems and devices, for vaporizing material to form an inhalable aerosol. Specifically, these apparatuses may include vaporizers. In particular, described herein are cartridges that are configured for use with a vaporizer (e.g., vaporizer device) having a rechargeable power supply that includes a proximal cartridge-receiving opening. These cartridges are specifically adapted to be releasably but securely held within the cartridge-receiving opening of the vaporizer and resist disruption of the electrical contact with the controller and power supply in the vaporizer even when held by the user's mouth. For example, described herein are cartridge devices holding a vaporizable material for securely coupling with an electronic inhalable aerosol device. A device may include: a mouthpiece; a fluid storage compartment holding a vaporizable material; a base configured to fit into a rectangular opening that is between 13-14 mm deep, 4.5-5.5 mm wide, and 13-14 mm long, the base having a bottom surface comprising a first electrical contact and a second electrical contact, a first locking gap on a first lateral surface of the base, and a second locking gap on a second lateral surface of the base that is opposite first lateral surface. A cartridge device holding a vaporizable material for securely coupling with an electronic inhalable aerosol device may include: a mouthpiece; a fluid storage compartment holding a vaporizable material; a base configured to fit into a rectangular opening that is between 13-14 mm deep, 4.5-5.5 mm wide, and 13-14 mm long, the base having a length of at least 10 mm, and a bottom surface comprising a first electrical contact and a second electrical contact, a first locking gap on a first lateral surface of the base positioned between 3-4 mm above the bottom surface, and a second locking gap on a second lateral surface of the base that is opposite first lateral surface. A cartridge device holding a vaporizable material for securely coupling with an electronic inhalable aerosol device, the device comprising: a mouthpiece; a fluid storage compartment holding a vaporizable material; a rectangular base having a pair of minor sides that are between greater than 10 mm deep and between 4.5-5.5 mm wide, and a pair of major sides that are greater than 10 mm deep and between 13-14 mm wide, a bottom surface comprising a first electrical contact and a second electrical contact, and a first locking gap on a first lateral surface of the base positioned between 3-4 mm above the bottom surface, and a second locking gap on a second lateral surface of the base that is opposite first lateral surface. Any of these devices may also typically include a wick in fluid communication with the vaporizable material; and a resistive heating element in fluid contact with the wick and in electrical contact with the first and second electrical contacts. In general, applicants have found that, for cartridges having a base that fits into the rectangular opening of a vaporizer (particularly one that is between 13-14 mm deep, 4.5-5.5 mm wide, and 13-14 mm long), the it is beneficial to have a length of the base (which is generally the connection region of the base for interfacing into the rectangular opening) that is greater than 10 mm, however when the base is greater than 10 mm (e.g., greater than 11 mm, greater than 12 mm, greater than 13 mm), the stability of the cartridge and in particular the electrical contacts, may be greatly enhanced if the cartridge includes one or more (e.g., two) locking gaps near the bottom surface of the cartridge into which a complimentary detent on the vaporizer can couple to. In particular, it may be beneficial to have the first and second locking gaps within 6 mm of the bottom surface, and more specifically within 3-4 mm of the bottom surface. The first and second lateral surfaces may be separated from each other by between 13-14 mm, e.g., they may be on the short sides of a cartridge base having a rectangular cross-section (a rectangular base). As mentioned, any of these cartridges may include a wick extending through the fluid storage compartment and into the vaporizable material, a resistive heating element in contact with the first and second electrical contacts, and a heating chamber in electrical contact with the first and second electrical contacts. It may also be beneficial to include one or more (e.g., two) detents extending from a major surface (e.g., two major surfaces) of the base, such as from a third and/or fourth lateral wall of the base. The cartridge may include any appropriate vaporizable material, such as a nicotine salt solution. In general, the mouthpiece may be attached opposite from the base. The fluid storage compartment may also comprises an air path extending there through (e.g., a cannula or tube). In some variations at least part of the fluid storage compartment may be within the base. The compartment may be transparent (e.g., made from a plastic or polymeric material that is clear) or opaque, allowing the user to see how much fluid is left. In general, the locking gap(s) may be a channel in the first lateral surface (e.g., a channel transversely across the first lateral surface parallel to the bottom surface), an opening or hole in the first lateral surface, and/or a hole in the first lateral surface. The locking gap is generally a gap that is surrounded at least on the upper and lower (proximal and distal) sides by the lateral wall to allow the detent on the vaporizer to engage therewith. The locking gap may be generally between 0.1 mm and 2 mm wide (e.g., between a lower value of about 0.1, 0.2, 0.3, 0.4, 0.5, 0.6, 0.7, 0.8, 0.9, 1.0, 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.4, etc. and an upper value of about 0.4, 0.5, 0.6, 0.7, 0.8, 0.9, 1.0, 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.4, 1.5, 1.6, 1.7, 1.8, 1.9, 2.0, etc., where the upper value is always greater than the lower value). Also described are vaporizers and method of using them with cartridges, including those described herein. In some variations, the apparatuses described herein may include an inhalable aerosol comprising: an oven comprising an oven chamber and a heater for heating a vapor forming medium in the oven chamber to generate a vapor; a condenser comprising a condensation chamber in which at least a fraction of the vapor condenses to form the inhalable aerosol; an air inlet that originates a first airflow path that includes the oven chamber; and an aeration vent that originates a second airflow path that allows air from the aeration vent to join the first airflow path prior to or within the condensation chamber and downstream from the oven chamber thereby forming a joined path, wherein the joined path is configured to deliver the inhalable aerosol formed in the condensation chamber to a user. The oven may be within a body of the device. The device may further comprise a mouthpiece, wherein the mouthpiece comprises at least one of the air inlet, the aeration vent, and the condenser. The mouthpiece may be separable from the oven. The mouthpiece may be integral to a body of the device, wherein the body comprises the oven. The device may further comprise a body that comprises the oven, the condenser, the air inlet, and the aeration vent. The mouthpiece may be separable from the body. In some variations, the oven chamber may comprise an oven chamber inlet and an oven chamber outlet, and the oven further comprises a first valve at the oven chamber inlet, and a second valve at the oven chamber outlet. The aeration vent may comprise a third valve. The first valve, or said second valve may be chosen from the group of a check valve, a clack valve, a non-return valve, and a one-way valve. The third valve may be chosen from the group of a check valve, a clack valve, a non-return valve, and a one-way valve. The first or second valve may be mechanically actuated. The first or second valve may be electronically actuated. The first valve or second valve may be manually actuated. The third valve may be mechanically actuated. The third valve may be mechanically actuated. The third valve may be electronically actuated. The third valve may be manually actuated. In some variations, the device may further comprise a body that comprises at least one of: a power source, a printed circuit board, a switch, and a temperature regulator. The device may further comprise a temperature regulator in communication with a temperature sensor. The temperature sensor may be the heater. The power source may be rechargeable. The power source may be removable. The oven may further comprise an access lid. The vapor forming medium may comprise tobacco. The vapor forming medium may comprise a botanical. The vapor forming medium may be heated in the oven chamber wherein the vapor forming medium may comprise a humectant to produce the vapor, wherein the vapor comprises a gas phase humectant. The vapor may be mixed in the condensation chamber with air from the aeration vent to produce the inhalable aerosol comprising particle diameters of average size of about 1 micron. The vapor forming medium may be heated in the oven chamber, wherein the vapor is mixed in the condensation chamber with air from the aeration vent to produce the inhalable aerosol comprising particle diameters of average size of less than or equal to 0.9 micron. The vapor forming medium may be heated in the oven chamber, wherein the vapor is mixed in the condensation chamber with air from the aeration vent to produce the inhalable aerosol comprising particle diameters of average size of less than or equal to 0.8 micron. The vapor forming medium may be heated in the oven chamber, wherein the vapor is mixed in the condensation chamber with air from the aeration vent to produce the inhalable aerosol comprising particle diameters of average size of less than or equal to 0.7 micron. The vapor forming medium may be heated in the oven chamber, wherein the vapor is mixed in the condensation chamber with air from the aeration vent to produce the inhalable aerosol comprising particle diameters of average size of less than or equal to 0.6 micron. The vapor forming medium may be heated in the oven chamber, wherein the vapor is mixed in the condensation chamber with air from the aeration vent to produce the inhalable aerosol comprising particle diameters of average size of less than or equal to 0.5 micron. In some variations, the humectant may comprise glycerol as a vapor-forming medium. The humectant may comprise vegetable glycerol. The humectant may comprise propylene glycol. The humectant may comprise a ratio of vegetable glycerol to propylene glycol. The ratio may be about 100:0 vegetable glycerol to propylene glycol. The ratio may be about 90:10 vegetable glycerol to propylene glycol. The ratio may be about 80:20 vegetable glycerol to propylene glycol. The ratio may be about 70:30 vegetable glycerol to propylene glycol. The ratio may be about 60:40 vegetable glycerol to propylene glycol. The ratio may be about 50:50 vegetable glycerol to propylene glycol. The humectant may comprise a flavorant. The vapor forming medium may be heated to its pyrolytic temperature. The vapor forming medium may heated to 200° C. at most. The vapor forming medium may be heated to 160° C. at most. The inhalable aerosol may be cooled to a temperature of about 50°-70° C. at most, before exiting the aerosol outlet of the mouthpiece. Also described herein are methods for generating an inhalable aerosol. Such a method may comprise: providing an inhalable aerosol generating device wherein the device comprises: an oven comprising an oven chamber and a heater for heating a vapor forming medium in the oven chamber and for forming a vapor therein; a condenser comprising a condensation chamber in which the vapor forms the inhalable aerosol; an air inlet that originates a first airflow path that includes the oven chamber; and an aeration vent that originates a second airflow path that allows air from the aeration vent to join the first airflow path prior to or within the condensation chamber and downstream from the oven chamber thereby forming a joined path, wherein the joined path is configured to deliver the inhalable aerosol formed in the condensation chamber to a user. The oven may be within a body of the device. The device may further comprise a mouthpiece, wherein the mouthpiece comprises at least one of the air inlet, the aeration vent, and the condenser. The mouthpiece may be separable from the oven. The mouthpiece may be integral to a body of the device, wherein the body comprises the oven. The method may further comprise a body that comprises the oven, the condenser, the air inlet, and the aeration vent. The mouthpiece may be separable from the body. The oven chamber may comprise an oven chamber inlet and an oven chamber outlet, and the oven further comprises a first valve at the oven chamber inlet, and a second valve at the oven chamber outlet. The vapor forming medium may comprise tobacco. The vapor forming medium may comprise a botanical. The vapor forming medium may be heated in the oven chamber wherein the vapor forming medium may comprise a humectant to produce the vapor, wherein the vapor comprises a gas phase humectant. The vapor may comprise particle diameters of average mass of about 1 micron. The vapor may comprise particle diameters of average mass of about 0.9 micron. The vapor may comprise particle diameters of average mass of about 0.8 micron. The vapor may comprise particle diameters of average mass of about 0.7 micron. The vapor may comprise particle diameters of average mass of about 0.6 micron. The vapor may comprise particle diameters of average mass of about 0.5 micron. In some variations, the humectant may comprise glycerol as a vapor-forming medium. The humectant may comprise vegetable glycerol. The humectant may comprise propylene glycol. The humectant may comprise a ratio of vegetable glycerol to propylene glycol. The ratio may be about 100:0 vegetable glycerol to propylene glycol. The ratio may be about 90:10 vegetable glycerol to propylene glycol. The ratio may be about 80:20 vegetable glycerol to propylene glycol. The ratio may be about 70:30 vegetable glycerol to propylene glycol. The ratio may be about 60:40 vegetable glycerol to propylene glycol. The ratio may be about 50:50 vegetable glycerol to propylene glycol. The humectant may comprise a flavorant. The vapor forming medium may be heated to its pyrolytic temperature. The vapor forming medium may heated to 200° C. at most. The vapor forming medium may be heated to 160° C. at most. The inhalable aerosol may be cooled to a temperature of about 50°-70° C. at most, before exiting the aerosol outlet of the mouthpiece. The device may be user serviceable. The device may not be user serviceable. A method for generating an inhalable aerosol may include: providing a vaporization device, wherein said device produces a vapor comprising particle diameters of average mass of about 1 micron or less, wherein said vapor is formed by heating a vapor forming medium in an oven chamber to a first temperature below the pyrolytic temperature of said vapor forming medium, and cooling said vapor in a condensation chamber to a second temperature below the first temperature, before exiting an aerosol outlet of said device. A method of manufacturing a device for generating an inhalable aerosol may include: providing said device comprising a mouthpiece comprising an aerosol outlet at a first end of the device; an oven comprising an oven chamber and a heater for heating a vapor forming medium in the oven chamber and for forming a vapor therein, a condenser comprising a condensation chamber in which the vapor forms the inhalable aerosol, an air inlet that originates a first airflow path that includes the oven chamber and then the condensation chamber, an aeration vent that originates a second airflow path that joins the first airflow path prior to or within the condensation chamber after the vapor is formed in the oven chamber, wherein the joined first airflow path and second airflow path are configured to deliver the inhalable aerosol formed in the condensation chamber through the aerosol outlet of the mouthpiece to a user. The method may further comprise providing the device comprising a power source or battery, a printed circuit board, a temperature regulator or operational switches. A device for generating an inhalable aerosol may comprise a mouthpiece comprising an aerosol outlet at a first end of the device and an air inlet that originates a first airflow path; an oven comprising an oven chamber that is in the first airflow path and includes the oven chamber and a heater for heating a vapor forming medium in the oven chamber and for forming a vapor therein; a condenser comprising a condensation chamber in which the vapor forms the inhalable aerosol; and an aeration vent that originates a second airflow path that allows air from the aeration vent to join the first airflow path prior to or within the condensation chamber and downstream from the oven chamber thereby forming a joined path, wherein the joined path is configured to deliver the inhalable aerosol formed in the condensation chamber through the aerosol outlet of the mouthpiece to a user. Also described herein are vaporization devices and methods of operating them. In particular, described herein are methods for controlling the temperature of a resistive heater (e.g., resistive heating element) by controlling the power applied to a resistive heater of a vaporization device by measuring the resistance of the resistive heater at discrete intervals before (e.g., baseline or ambient temperature) and during vaporization (e.g., during heating to vaporize a material within the device). Changes in the resistance during heating may be linearly related to the temperature of the resistive heater over the operational range, and therefore may be used to control the power applied to heat the resistive heater during operation. Also described herein are vaporization devices that are configured to measure the resistance of the resistive heater during heating (e.g., during a pause in the application of power to heat the resistive heater) and to control the application of power to the resistive heater based on the resistance values. In general, in any of the methods and apparatuses described herein, the control circuitry (which may include one or more circuits, a microcontroller, and/or control logic) may compare a resistance of the resistive heater during heating, e.g., following a sensor input indicating that a user wishes to withdraw vapor, to a target resistance of the heating element. The target resistance is typically the resistance of the resistive heater at a desired (and in some cases estimated) target vaporization temperature. The apparatus and methods may be configured to offer multiple and/or adjustable vaporization temperatures. In some variations, the target resistance is an approximation or estimate of the resistance of the resistive heater when the resistive heater is heated to the target temperature (or temperature ranges). In some variations, the target reference is based on a baseline resistance for the resistive heater and/or the percent change in resistance from baseline resistance for the resistive heater at a target temperature. In general, the baseline resistance may be referred to as the resistance of the resistive heater at an ambient temperature. For example, a method of controlling a vaporization device may include: placing a vaporizable material in thermal contact with a resistive heater; applying power to the resistive heater to heat the vaporizable material; measuring the resistance of the resistive heater; and adjusting the applied power to the resistive heater based on the difference between the resistance of the resistive heater and a target resistance of the heating element. In some variations, the target resistance is based on a reference resistance. For example, the reference resistance may be approximately the resistance of the coil at target temperature. This reference resistance may be calculated, estimated or approximated (as described herein) or it may be determined empirically based on the resistance values of the resistive heater at one or more target temperatures. In some variations, the target resistance is based on the resistance of the resistive heater at an ambient temperature. For example, the target resistance may be estimated based on the electrical properties of the resistive heater, e.g., the temperature coefficient of resistance or TCR, of the resistive heater (e.g., “resistive heating element” or “vaporizing element”). For example, a vaporization device (e.g., an electronic vaporizer device) may include a puff sensor, a power source (e.g., battery, capacitor, etc.), a heating element controller (e.g., microcontroller), and a resistive heater. A separate temperature sensor may also be included to determine an actual temperature of ambient temperature and/or the resistive heater, or a temperature sensor may be part of the heating element controller. However, in general, the microcontroller may control the temperature of the resistive heater (e.g., resistive coil, etc.) based on a change in resistance due to temperature (e.g., TCR). In general, the heater may be any appropriate resistive heater, such as a resistive coil. The heater is typically coupled to the heater controller so that the heater controller applies power (e.g., from the power source) to the heater. The heater controller may include regulatory control logic to regulate the temperature of the heater by adjusting the applied power. The heater controller may include a dedicated or general-purpose processor, circuitry, or the like and is generally connected to the power source and may receive input from the power source to regulate the applied power to the heater. For example, any of these apparatuses may include logic for determining the temperature of the heater based on the TCR. The resistance of the heater (e.g., a resistive heater) may be measured (Rheater) during operation of the apparatus and compared to a target resistance, which is typically the resistance of the resistive heater at the target temperature. In some cases this resistance may be estimated from the the resistance of the resistive hearing element at ambient temperature (baseline). In some variations, a reference resistor (Rreference) may be used to set the target resistance. The ratio of the heater resistance to the reference resistance (R heater /R reference ) is linearly related to the temperature (above room temp) of the heater, and may be directly converted to a calibrated temperature. For example, a change in temperature of the heater relative to room temperature may be calculated using an expression such as (R heater /R reference −1)*(1/TCR), where TCR is the temperature coefficient of resistivity for the heater. In one example, TCR for a particular device heater is 0.00014/° C. In determining the partial doses and doses described herein, the temperature value used (e.g., the temperature of the vaporizable material during a dose interval, T i , described in more detail below) may refer to the unitless resistive ratio (e.g., R heater /R reference ) or it may refer to the normalized/corrected temperature (e.g., in ° C.). When controlling a vaporization device by comparing a measure resistance of a resistive heater to a target resistance, the target resistance may be initially calculated and may be factory preset and/or calibrated by a user-initiated event. For example, the target resistance of the resistive heater during operation of the apparatus may be set by the percent change in baseline resistance plus the baseline resistance of the resistive heater, as will be described in more detail below. As mentioned, the resistance of the heating element at ambient is the baseline resistance. For example, the target resistance may be based on the resistance of the resistive heater at an ambient temperature and a target change in temperature of the resistive heater. As mentioned above, the target resistance of the resistive heater may be based on a target heating element temperature. Any of the apparatuses and methods for using them herein may include determining the target resistance of the resistive heater based on a resistance of the resistive heater at ambient temperature and a percent change in a resistance of the resistive heater at an ambient temperature. In any of the methods and apparatuses described herein, the resistance of the resistive heater may be measured (using a resistive measurement circuit) and compared to a target resistance by using a voltage divider. Alternatively or additionally any of the methods and apparatuses described herein may compare a measured resistance of the resistive heater to a target resistance using a Wheatstone bridge and thereby adjust the power to increase/decrease the applied power based on this comparison. In any of the variations described herein, adjusting the applied power to the resistive heater may comprise comparing the resistance (actual resistance) of the resistive heater to a target resistance using a voltage divider, Wheatstone bridge, amplified Wheatstone bridge, or RC charge time circuit. As mentioned above, a target resistance of the resistive heater and therefore target temperature may be determined using a baseline resistance measurement taken from the resistive heater. The apparatus and/or method may approximate a baseline resistance for the resistive heater by waiting an appropriate length of time (e.g., 1 second, 10 seconds, 30 seconds, 1 minute, 1.5 minutes, 2 minutes, 3 minutes, 4 minutes, 5 minutes, 6 minutes, 7 minutes, 8 minutes, 9 minutes, 10 minutes, 11 minutes, 12 minutes, 15 minutes, 20 minutes, etc.) from the last application of energy to the resistive heater to measure a resistance (or series of resistance that may be averaged, etc.) representing the baseline resistance for the resistive heater. In some variations a plurality of measurements made when heating/applying power to the resistive heater is prevented may be analyzed by the apparatus to determine when the resistance values do not vary outside of a predetermined range (e.g., when the resistive heater has ‘cooled’ down, and therefore the resistance is no longer changing due to temperature decreasing/increasing), for example, when the rate of change of the resistance of the heating element over time is below some stability threshold. For example, any of the methods and apparatuses described herein may measure the resistance of the resistive heater an ambient temperature by measuring the resistance of the resistive heater after a predetermined time since power was last applied to the resistive heater. As mentioned above, the predetermined time period may be seconds, minutes, etc. In any of these variations the baseline resistance may be stored in a long-term memory (including volatile, non-volatile or semi-volatile memory). Storing a baseline resistance (“the resistance of the resistive heater an ambient temperature”) may be done periodically (e.g., once per 2 minute, 5 minutes, 10 minutes, 1 hour, etc., or every time a particular event occurs, such as loading vaporizable material), or once for a single time. Any of these methods may also include calculating an absolute target coil temperature from an actual device temperature. As mentioned, above, based on the material properties of the resistive heater (e.g., coil) the resistance and/or change in resistance over time may be used calculate an actual temperature, which may be presented to a user, e.g., on the face of the device, or communicated to an “app” or other output type. In any of the methods and apparatuses described herein, the apparatus may detect the resistance of the resistive heater only when power is not being applied to the resistive heater while detecting the resistance; once the resistance detection is complete, power may again be applied (and this application may be modified by the control logic described herein). For example, in any of these devices and methods the resistance of the resistive heater may be measured only when suspending the application of power to the resistive heater. For example, a method of controlling a vaporization device may include: placing a vaporizable material in thermal contact with a resistive heater; applying power to the resistive heater to heat the vaporizable material; suspending the application of power to the resistive heater while measuring the resistance of the resistive heater; and adjusting the applied power to the resistive heater based on the difference between the resistance of the heating element and a target resistance of the resistive heater, wherein measuring the resistance of the resistive heater comprises measuring the resistance using a voltage divider, Wheatstone bridge, amplified Wheatstone bridge, or RC charge time circuit. For example, a vaporization device may include: a microcontroller; a reservoir configured to hold a vaporizable material; a resistive heater configured to thermally contact the vaporizable material from the reservoir; a resistance measurement circuit connected to the microcontroller configured to measure the resistance of the resistive heater; and a power source, wherein the microcontroller applies power from the power source to heat the resistive heater and adjusts the applied power based on the difference between the resistance of the resistive heater and a target resistance of the resistive heater. A vaporization device may include: a microcontroller; a reservoir configured to hold a vaporizable material; a resistive heater configured to thermally contact the vaporizable material from the reservoir; a resistance measurement circuit connected to the microcontroller configured to measure the resistance of the resistive heater; a power source; and a sensor having an output connected to the microcontroller, wherein the microcontroller is configured to determine when the resistive heater applies power from the power source to heat the resistive heater; a target resistance circuit configured to determine a target resistance, the target resistance circuit comprising one of: a voltage divider, a Wheatstone bridge, an amplified Wheatstone bridge, or an RC charge time circuit, wherein the microcontroller applies power from the power source to heat the resistive heater and adjusts the applied power based on the difference between the resistance of the resistive heater and the target resistance of the resistive heater. In any of the methods and apparatuses (e.g., devices and systems) described herein, the apparatus may be configured to be triggered by a user drawing on or otherwise indicating that they would like to begin vaporization of the vaporizing material. This user-initiated start may be detected by a sensor, such as a pressure sensor (“puff sensor”) configured to detect draw. The sensor may generally have an output that is connected to the controller (e.g., microcontroller), and the microcontroller may be configured to determine when the resistive heater applies power from the power source to heat the resistive heater. For example, a vaporizing device as described herein may include a pressure sensor having an output connected to the microcontroller, wherein the microcontroller is configured to determine when the resistive heater applies power from the power source to heat the resistive heater. In general, any of the apparatuses described herein may be adapted to perform any of the methods described herein, including determining if an instantaneous (ongoing) resistance measurement of the resistive heater is above/below and/or within a tolerable range of a target resistance. Any of these apparatuses may also determine the target resistance. As mentioned, this may be determined empirically and set to a resistance value, and/or it may be calculated. For example, any of these apparatuses (e.g., devices) may include a target resistance circuit configured to determine the target resistance, the target resistance circuit comprising one of: a voltage divider, a Wheatstone bridge, an amplified Wheatstone bridge, or an RC charge time circuit. Alternatively or additionally, a voltage divider, a Wheatstone bridge, an amplified Wheatstone bridge, or an RC charge time circuit may be included as part of the microcontroller or other circuitry that compares the measured resistance of the resistive heater to a target resistance. For example, a target resistance circuit may be configured to determine the target resistance and/or compare the measured resistance of the resistive heater to the target resistance. The target resistance circuit comprising a voltage divider having a reference resistance equivalent to the target resistance. A target resistance circuit may be configured to determine the target resistance, the target resistance circuit comprising a Wheatstone bridge, wherein the target resistance is calculated by adding a resistance of the resistive heater at an ambient temperature and a target change in temperature of the resistive heater. As mentioned, any of these apparatuses may include a memory configured to store a resistance of the resistive heater at an ambient temperature. Further, any of these apparatuses may include a temperature input coupled to the microcontroller and configured to provide an actual device temperature. The device temperature may be sensed and/or provided by any appropriate sensor, including thermistor, thermocouple, resistive temperature sensor, silicone bandgap temperature sensor, etc. The measured device temperature may be used to calculate a target resistance that corresponds to a certain resistive heater (e.g., coil) temperature. In some variations the apparatus may display and/or output an an estimate of the temperature of the resistive heater. The apparatus may include a display or may communicate (e.g., wirelessly) with another apparatus that receives the temperature or resistance values. The devices described herein may include an inhalable aerosol comprising: an oven comprising an oven chamber and a heater for heating a vapor forming medium in the oven chamber to generate a vapor; a condenser comprising a condensation chamber in which at least a fraction of the vapor condenses to form the inhalable aerosol; an air inlet that originates a first airflow path that includes the oven chamber; and an aeration vent that originates a second airflow path that allows air from the aeration vent to join the first airflow path prior to or within the condensation chamber and downstream from the oven chamber thereby forming a joined path, wherein the joined path is configured to deliver the inhalable aerosol formed in the condensation chamber to a user. In any of these variations the oven is within a body of the device. The device may further comprise a mouthpiece, wherein the mouthpiece comprises at least one of the air inlet, the aeration vent, and the condenser. The mouthpiece may be separable from the oven. The mouthpiece may be integral to a body of the device, wherein the body comprises the oven. The device may further comprise a body that comprises the oven, the condenser, the air inlet, and the aeration vent. The mouthpiece may be separable from the body. In some variations, the oven chamber may comprise an oven chamber inlet and an oven chamber outlet, and the oven further comprises a first valve at the oven chamber inlet, and a second valve at the oven chamber outlet. The aeration vent may comprise a third valve. The first valve, or said second valve may be chosen from the group of a check valve, a clack valve, a non-return valve, and a one-way valve. The third valve may be chosen from the group of a check valve, a clack valve, a non-return valve, and a one-way valve. The first or second valve may be mechanically actuated. The first or second valve may be electronically actuated. The first valve or second valve may be manually actuated. The third valve may be mechanically actuated. The third valve may be mechanically actuated. The third valve may be electronically actuated. The third valve may be manually actuated. In any of these variations, the device may further comprise a body that comprises at least one of: a power source, a printed circuit board, a switch, and a temperature regulator. The device may further comprise a temperature regulator in communication with a temperature sensor. The temperature sensor may be the heater. The power source may be rechargeable. The power source may be removable. The oven may further comprise an access lid. The vapor forming medium may comprise tobacco. The vapor forming medium may comprise a botanical. The vapor forming medium may be heated in the oven chamber wherein the vapor forming medium may comprise a humectant to produce the vapor, wherein the vapor comprises a gas phase humectant. The vapor may be mixed in the condensation chamber with air from the aeration vent to produce the inhalable aerosol comprising particle diameters of average size of about 1 micron. The vapor forming medium may be heated in the oven chamber, wherein the vapor is mixed in the condensation chamber with air from the aeration vent to produce the inhalable aerosol comprising particle diameters of average size of less than or equal to 0.9 micron. The vapor forming medium may be heated in the oven chamber, wherein the vapor is mixed in the condensation chamber with air from the aeration vent to produce the inhalable aerosol comprising particle diameters of average size of less than or equal to 0.8 micron. The vapor forming medium may be heated in the oven chamber, wherein the vapor is mixed in the condensation chamber with air from the aeration vent to produce the inhalable aerosol comprising particle diameters of average size of less than or equal to 0.7 micron. The vapor forming medium may be heated in the oven chamber, wherein the vapor is mixed in the condensation chamber with air from the aeration vent to produce the inhalable aerosol comprising particle diameters of average size of less than or equal to 0.6 micron. The vapor forming medium may be heated in the oven chamber, wherein the vapor is mixed in the condensation chamber with air from the aeration vent to produce the inhalable aerosol comprising particle diameters of average size of less than or equal to 0.5 micron. In any of these variations, the humectant may comprise glycerol as a vapor-forming medium. The humectant may comprise vegetable glycerol. The humectant may comprise propylene glycol. The humectant may comprise a ratio of vegetable glycerol to propylene glycol. The ratio may be about 100:0 vegetable glycerol to propylene glycol. The ratio may be about 90:10 vegetable glycerol to propylene glycol. The ratio may be about 80:20 vegetable glycerol to propylene glycol. The ratio may be about 70:30 vegetable glycerol to propylene glycol. The ratio may be about 60:40 vegetable glycerol to propylene glycol. The ratio may be about 50:50 vegetable glycerol to propylene glycol. The humectant may comprise a flavorant. The vapor forming medium may be heated to its pyrolytic temperature. The vapor forming medium may heated to 200° C. at most. The vapor forming medium may be heated to 160° C. at most. The inhalable aerosol may be cooled to a temperature of about 50°-70° C. at most, before exiting the aerosol outlet of the mouthpiece. In any of these variations, the method comprises A method for generating an inhalable aerosol, the method comprising: providing an inhalable aerosol generating device wherein the device comprises: an oven comprising an oven chamber and a heater for heating a vapor forming medium in the oven chamber and for forming a vapor therein; a condenser comprising a condensation chamber in which the vapor forms the inhalable aerosol; an air inlet that originates a first airflow path that includes the oven chamber; and an aeration vent that originates a second airflow path that allows air from the aeration vent to join the first airflow path prior to or within the condensation chamber and downstream from the oven chamber thereby forming a joined path, wherein the joined path is configured to deliver the inhalable aerosol formed in the condensation chamber to a user. In any of these variations the oven is within a body of the device. The device may further comprise a mouthpiece, wherein the mouthpiece comprises at least one of the air inlet, the aeration vent, and the condenser. The mouthpiece may be separable from the oven. The mouthpiece may be integral to a body of the device, wherein the body comprises the oven. The method may further comprise a body that comprises the oven, the condenser, the air inlet, and the aeration vent. The mouthpiece may be separable from the body. In any of these variations, the oven chamber may comprise an oven chamber inlet and an oven chamber outlet, and the oven further comprises a first valve at the oven chamber inlet, and a second valve at the oven chamber outlet. The vapor forming medium may comprise tobacco. The vapor forming medium may comprise a botanical. The vapor forming medium may be heated in the oven chamber wherein the vapor forming medium may comprise a humectant to produce the vapor, wherein the vapor comprises a gas phase humectant. The vapor may comprise particle diameters of average mass of about 1 micron. The vapor may comprise particle diameters of average mass of about 0.9 micron. The vapor may comprise particle diameters of average mass of about 0.8 micron. The vapor may comprise particle diameters of average mass of about 0.7 micron. The vapor may comprise particle diameters of average mass of about 0.6 micron. The vapor may comprise particle diameters of average mass of about 0.5 micron. In any of these variations, the humectant may comprise glycerol as a vapor-forming medium. The humectant may comprise vegetable glycerol. The humectant may comprise propylene glycol. The humectant may comprise a ratio of vegetable glycerol to propylene glycol. The ratio may be about 100:0 vegetable glycerol to propylene glycol. The ratio may be about 90:10 vegetable glycerol to propylene glycol. The ratio may be about 80:20 vegetable glycerol to propylene glycol. The ratio may be about 70:30 vegetable glycerol to propylene glycol. The ratio may be about 60:40 vegetable glycerol to propylene glycol. The ratio may be about 50:50 vegetable glycerol to propylene glycol. The humectant may comprise a flavorant. The vapor forming medium may be heated to its pyrolytic temperature. The vapor forming medium may heated to 200° C. at most. The vapor forming medium may be heated to 160° C. at most. The inhalable aerosol may be cooled to a temperature of about 50°-70° C. at most, before exiting the aerosol outlet of the mouthpiece. In any of these variations, the device may be user serviceable. The device may not be user serviceable. In any of these variations, a method for generating an inhalable aerosol, the method comprising: providing a vaporization device, wherein said device produces a vapor comprising particle diameters of average mass of about 1 micron or less, wherein said vapor is formed by heating a vapor forming medium in an oven chamber to a first temperature below the pyrolytic temperature of said vapor forming medium, and cooling said vapor in a condensation chamber to a second temperature below the first temperature, before exiting an aerosol outlet of said device. In any of these variations, a method of manufacturing a device for generating an inhalable aerosol comprising: providing said device comprising a mouthpiece comprising an aerosol outlet at a first end of the device; an oven comprising an oven chamber and a heater for heating a vapor forming medium in the oven chamber and for forming a vapor therein, a condenser comprising a condensation chamber in which the vapor forms the inhalable aerosol, an air inlet that originates a first airflow path that includes the oven chamber and then the condensation chamber, an aeration vent that originates a second airflow path that joins the first airflow path prior to or within the condensation chamber after the vapor is formed in the oven chamber, wherein the joined first airflow path and second airflow path are configured to deliver the inhalable aerosol formed in the condensation chamber through the aerosol outlet of the mouthpiece to a user. The method may further comprise providing the device comprising a power source or battery, a printed circuit board, a temperature regulator or operational switches. In any of these variations a device for generating an inhalable aerosol may comprise a mouthpiece comprising an aerosol outlet at a first end of the device and an air inlet that originates a first airflow path; an oven comprising an oven chamber that is in the first airflow path and includes the oven chamber and a heater for heating a vapor forming medium in the oven chamber and for forming a vapor therein; a condenser comprising a condensation chamber in which the vapor forms the inhalable aerosol; and an aeration vent that originates a second airflow path that allows air from the aeration vent to join the first airflow path prior to or within the condensation chamber and downstream from the oven chamber thereby forming a joined path, wherein the joined path is configured to deliver the inhalable aerosol formed in the condensation chamber through the aerosol outlet of the mouthpiece to a user. In any of these variations a device for generating an inhalable aerosol mmay comprise: a mouthpiece comprising an aerosol outlet at a first end of the device, an air inlet that originates a first airflow path, and an aeration vent that originates a second airflow path that allows air from the aeration vent to join the first airflow path; an oven comprising an oven chamber that is in the first airflow path and includes the oven chamber and a heater for heating a vapor forming medium in the oven chamber and for forming a vapor therein; and a condenser comprising a condensation chamber in which the vapor forms the inhalable aerosol and wherein air from the aeration vent joins the first airflow path prior to or within the condensation chamber and downstream from the oven chamber thereby forming a joined path, wherein the joined path is configured to deliver the inhalable aerosol through the aerosol outlet of the mouthpiece to a user. In any of these variations, a device for generating an inhalable aerosol may comprise: a device body comprising a cartridge receptacle; a cartridge comprising: a fluid storage compartment, and a channel integral to an exterior surface of the cartridge, and an air inlet passage formed by the channel and an internal surface of the cartridge receptacle when the cartridge is inserted into the cartridge receptacle; wherein the channel forms a first side of the air inlet passage, and an internal surface of the cartridge receptacle forms a second side of the air inlet passage. In any of these variations, a device for generating an inhalable aerosol may comprise: a device body comprising a cartridge receptacle; a cartridge comprising: a fluid storage compartment, and a channel integral to an exterior surface of the cartridge, and an air inlet passage formed by the channel and an internal surface of the cartridge receptacle when the cartridge is inserted into the cartridge receptacle; wherein the channel forms a first side of the air inlet passage, and an internal surface of the cartridge receptacle forms a second side of the air inlet passage. In any of these variations the channel may comprise at least one of a groove, a trough, a depression, a dent, a furrow, a trench, a crease, and a gutter. The integral channel may comprise walls that are either recessed into the surface or protrude from the surface where it is formed. The internal side walls of the channel may form additional sides of the air inlet passage. The cartridge may further comprise a second air passage in fluid communication with the air inlet passage to the fluid storage compartment, wherein the second air passage is formed through the material of the cartridge. The cartridge may further comprise a heater. The heater may be attached to a first end of the cartridge. In any of these variations the heater may comprise a heater chamber, a first pair of heater contacts, a fluid wick, and a resistive heating element in contact with the wick, wherein the first pair of heater contacts comprise thin plates affixed about the sides of the heater chamber, and wherein the fluid wick and resistive heating element are suspended therebetween. The first pair of heater contacts may further comprise a formed shape that comprises a tab having a flexible spring value that extends out of the heater to couple to complete a circuit with the device body. The first pair of heater contacts may be a heat sink that absorbs and dissipates excessive heat produced by the resistive heating element. The first pair of heater contacts may contact a heat shield that protects the heater chamber from excessive heat produced by the resistive heating element. The first pair of heater contacts may be press-fit to an attachment feature on the exterior wall of the first end of the cartridge. The heater may enclose a first end of the cartridge and a first end of the fluid storage compartment. The heater may comprise a first condensation chamber. The heater may comprise more than one first condensation chamber. The first condensation chamber may be formed along an exterior wall of the cartridge. The cartridge may further comprise a mouthpiece. The mouthpiece may be attached to a second end of the cartridge. The mouthpiece may comprise a second condensation chamber. The mouthpiece may comprise more than one second condensation chamber. The second condensation chamber may be formed along an exterior wall of the cartridge. In any of these variations the cartridge may comprise a first condensation chamber and a second condensation chamber. The first condensation chamber and the second condensation chamber may be in fluid communication. The mouthpiece may comprise an aerosol outlet in fluid communication with the second condensation chamber. The mouthpiece may comprise more than one aerosol outlet in fluid communication with more than one the second condensation chamber. The mouthpiece may enclose a second end of the cartridge and a second end of the fluid storage compartment. In any of these variations, the device may comprise an airflow path comprising an air inlet passage, a second air passage, a heater chamber, a first condensation chamber, a second condensation chamber, and an aerosol outlet. The airflow path may comprise more than one air inlet passage, a heater chamber, more than one first condensation chamber, more than one second condensation chamber, more than one second condensation chamber, and more than one aerosol outlet. The heater may be in fluid communication with the fluid storage compartment. The fluid storage compartment may be capable of retaining condensed aerosol fluid. The condensed aerosol fluid may comprise a nicotine formulation. The condensed aerosol fluid may comprise a humectant. The humectant may comprise propylene glycol. The humectant may comprise vegetable glycerin. In any of these variations the cartridge may be detachable. In any of these variations the cartridge may be receptacle and the detachable cartridge form a separable coupling. The separable coupling may comprise a friction assembly, a snap-fit assembly or a magnetic assembly. The cartridge may comprise a fluid storage compartment, a heater affixed to a first end with a snap-fit coupling, and a mouthpiece affixed to a second end with a snap-fit coupling. In any of these variations, a device for generating an inhalable aerosol may comprise: a device body comprising a cartridge receptacle for receiving a cartridge; wherein an interior surface of the cartridge receptacle forms a first side of an air inlet passage when a cartridge comprising a channel integral to an exterior surface is inserted into the cartridge receptacle, and wherein the channel forms a second side of the air inlet passage. In any of these variations, a device for generating an inhalable aerosol may comprise: a device body comprising a cartridge receptacle for receiving a cartridge; wherein the cartridge receptacle comprises a channel integral to an interior surface and forms a first side of an air inlet passage when a cartridge is inserted into the cartridge receptacle, and wherein an exterior surface of the cartridge forms a second side of the air inlet passage. In any of these variations, A cartridge for a device for generating an inhalable aerosol comprising: a fluid storage compartment; a channel integral to an exterior surface, wherein the channel forms a first side of an air inlet passage; and wherein an internal surface of a cartridge receptacle in the device forms a second side of the air inlet passage when the cartridge is inserted into the cartridge receptacle. In any of these variations, a cartridge for a device for generating an inhalable aerosol may comprise: a fluid storage compartment, wherein an exterior surface of the cartridge forms a first side of an air inlet channel when inserted into a device body comprising a cartridge receptacle, and wherein the cartridge receptacle further comprises a channel integral to an interior surface, and wherein the channel forms a second side of the air inlet passage. The cartridge may further comprise a second air passage in fluid communication with the channel, wherein the second air passage is formed through the material of the cartridge from an exterior surface of the cartridge to the fluid storage compartment. The cartridge may comprise at least one of: a groove, a trough, a depression, a dent, a furrow, a trench, a crease, and a gutter. The integral channel may comprise walls that are either recessed into the surface or protrude from the surface where it is formed. The internal side walls of the channel may form additional sides of the air inlet passage. In any of these variations, a device for generating an inhalable aerosol may comprise: a cartridge comprising; a fluid storage compartment; a heater affixed to a first end comprising; a first heater contact, a resistive heating element affixed to the first heater contact; a device body comprising; a cartridge receptacle for receiving the cartridge; a second heater contact adapted to receive the first heater contact and to complete a circuit; a power source connected to the second heater contact; a printed circuit board (PCB) connected to the power source and the second heater contact; wherein the PCB is configured to detect the absence of fluid based on the measured resistance of the resistive heating element, and turn off the device. The printed circuit board (PCB) may comprise a microcontroller; switches; circuitry comprising a reference resister; and an algorithm comprising logic for control parameters; wherein the microcontroller cycles the switches at fixed intervals to measure the resistance of the resistive heating element relative to the reference resistor, and applies the algorithm control parameters to control the temperature of the resistive heating element. The micro-controller may instruct the device to turn itself off when the resistance exceeds the control parameter threshold indicating that the resistive heating element is dry. In any of these variations, a cartridge for a device for generating an inhalable aerosol may comprise: a fluid storage compartment; a heater affixed to a first end comprising: a heater chamber, a first pair of heater contacts, a fluid wick, and a resistive heating element in contact with the wick; wherein the first pair of heater contacts comprise thin plates affixed about the sides of the heater chamber, and wherein the fluid wick and resistive heating element are suspended therebetween. The first pair of heater contacts may further comprise: a formed shape that comprises a tab having a flexible spring value that extends out of the heater to complete a circuit with the device body. The heater contacts may be configured to mate with a second pair of heater contacts in a cartridge receptacle of the device body to complete a circuit. The first pair of heater contacts may also be a heat sink that absorbs and dissipates excessive heat produced by the resistive heating element. The first pair of heater contacts may be a heat shield that protects the heater chamber from excessive heat produced by the resistive heating element. In any of these variations, a cartridge for a device for generating an inhalable aerosol may comprise: a heater comprising; a heater chamber, a pair of thin plate heater contacts therein, a fluid wick positioned between the heater contacts, and a resistive heating element in contact with the wick; wherein the heater contacts each comprise a fixation site wherein the resistive heating element is tensioned therebetween. In any of these variations, a cartridge for a device for generating an inhalable aerosol may comprise a heater, wherein the heater is attached to a first end of the cartridge. The heater may enclose a first end of the cartridge and a first end of the fluid storage compartment. The heater may comprise more than one first condensation chamber. The heater may comprise a first condensation chamber. The condensation chamber may be formed along an exterior wall of the cartridge. In any of these variations, a cartridge for a device for generating an inhalable aerosol may comprise a fluid storage compartment; and a mouthpiece, wherein the mouthpiece is attached to a second end of the cartridge. The mouthpiece may enclose a second end of the cartridge and a second end of the fluid storage compartment. The mouthpiece may comprise a second condensation chamber. The mouthpiece may comprise more than one second condensation chamber. The second condensation chamber may be formed along an exterior wall of the cartridge. In any of these variations, a cartridge for a device for generating an inhalable aerosol may comprise: a fluid storage compartment; a heater affixed to a first end; and a mouthpiece affixed to a second end; wherein the heater comprises a first condensation chamber and the mouthpiece comprises a second condensation chamber. The heater may comprise more than one first condensation chamber and the mouthpiece comprises more than one second condensation chamber. The first condensation chamber and the second condensation chamber may be in fluid communication. The mouthpiece may comprise an aerosol outlet in fluid communication with the second condensation chamber. The mouthpiece may comprise two to more aerosol outlets. The cartridge may meet ISO recycling standards. The cartridge may meet ISO recycling standards for plastic waste. In any of these variations, a device for generating an inhalable aerosol may comprise: a device body comprising a cartridge receptacle; and a detachable cartridge; wherein the cartridge receptacle and the detachable cartridge form a separable coupling, wherein the separable coupling comprises a friction assembly, a snap-fit assembly or a magnetic assembly. In any of these variations, a method of fabricating a device for generating an inhalable aerosol may comprise: providing a device body comprising a cartridge receptacle; and providing a detachable cartridge; wherein the cartridge receptacle and the detachable cartridge form a separable coupling comprising a friction assembly, a snap-fit assembly or a magnetic assembly. In any of these variations, a method of fabricating a cartridge for a device for generating an inhalable aerosol may comprise: providing a fluid storage compartment; affixing a heater to a first end with a snap-fit coupling; and affixing a mouthpiece to a second end with a snap-fit coupling. In any of these variations A cartridge for a device for generating an inhalable aerosol with an airflow path comprising: a channel comprising a portion of an air inlet passage; a second air passage in fluid communication with the channel; a heater chamber in fluid communication with the second air passage; a first condensation chamber in fluid communication with the heater chamber; a second condensation chamber in fluid communication with the first condensation chamber; and an aerosol outlet in fluid communication with second condensation chamber. In any of these variations, a cartridge for a device for generating an inhalable aerosol may comprise: a fluid storage compartment; a heater affixed to a first end; and a mouthpiece affixed to a second end; wherein said mouthpiece comprises two or more aerosol outlets. In any of these variations, a system for providing power to an electronic device for generating an inhalable vapor, the system may comprise; a rechargeable power storage device housed within the electronic device for generating an inhalable vapor; two or more pins that are accessible from an exterior surface of the electronic device for generating an inhalable vapor, wherein the charging pins are in electrical communication with the rechargeable power storage device; a charging cradle comprising two or more charging contacts configured to provided power to the rechargeable storage device, wherein the device charging pins are reversible such that the device is charged in the charging cradle for charging with a first charging pin on the device in contact a first charging contact on the charging cradle and a second charging pin on the device in contact with second charging contact on the charging cradle and with the first charging pin on the device in contact with second charging contact on the charging cradle and the second charging pin on the device in contact with the first charging contact on the charging cradle. The charging pins may be visible on an exterior housing of the device. The user may permanently disable the device by opening the housing. The user may permanently destroy the device by opening the housing. Additional aspects and advantages of the present disclosure will become readily apparent to those skilled in this art from the following detailed description, wherein only illustrative embodiments of the present disclosure are shown and described. As will be realized, the present disclosure is capable of other and different embodiments, and its several details are capable of modifications in various obvious respects, all without departing from the disclosure. Accordingly, the drawings and description are to be regarded as illustrative in nature, and not as restrictive. | A24F47008 | 20171116 | 20180315 | 67573.0 | A24F4700 | 15 | MORENO HERNANDEZ, JERZI H | VAPORIZATION DEVICE SYSTEMS AND METHODS | UNDISCOUNTED | 1 | CONT-ACCEPTED | A24F | 2,017 |
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15,815,786 | PENDING | AUGMENTED REALITY SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR TELECOMMUNICATIONS SITE MODELING | Systems and method for augmented reality to visualize a telecommunications site for planning, engineering, and installing equipment include creating a three-dimensional (3D) model of a virtual object representing the equipment; providing the 3D model of the virtual object to an augmented reality server; providing a virtual environment representing the telecommunications site; obtaining the virtual object from the augmented reality server; and selectively inserting the virtual object in the virtual environment for one or more of planning, engineering, and installation associated with the telecommunications site. | 1. A method using augmented reality to visualize a telecommunications site for planning, engineering, and installing equipment, the method comprising: creating a three-dimensional (3D) model of a virtual object representing the equipment; providing the 3D model of the virtual object to an augmented reality server; providing a virtual environment representing the telecommunications site; obtaining the virtual object from the augmented reality server; and selectively inserting the virtual object in the virtual environment for one or more of planning, engineering, and installation associated with the telecommunications site. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the 3D model is created through steps of: obtaining data capture of a particular object for the virtual object; processing the captured data to create a 3D point cloud and generating a 3D mesh object; and providing multiple files to represent the 3D model to the augmented reality server. 3. The method of claim 2, wherein the data capture is via an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV). 4. The method of claim 2, wherein the captured data is processed by editing one or more of the 3D point cloud and the 3D mesh object. 5. The method of claim 2, wherein the multiple files comprise an object file, a material library file, and a texture file. 6. The method of claim 1, wherein the 3D model is created through steps of: creating the virtual object utilizing Computer Aided Design (CAD) software. 7. The method of claim 1, wherein the virtual environment is provided via a Web browser and the virtual object is selected and virtually inserted in the Web browser. 8. The method of claim 1, wherein the virtual environment is provided via a camera on a mobile device and the virtual object is selected and placed in the camera field of view. 9. A server configured for augmented reality to visualize a telecommunications site for planning, engineering, and installing equipment, the server comprising: a network interface and a processor communicatively coupled to one another; and memory storing instructions that, when executed, cause the processor to create a three-dimensional (3D) model of a virtual object representing the equipment; provide the 3D model of the virtual object to an augmented reality server; provide a virtual environment representing the telecommunications site; obtain the virtual object from the augmented reality server; and selectively insert the virtual object in the virtual environment for one or more of planning, engineering, and installation associated with the telecommunications site. 10. The server of claim 9, wherein the 3D model is created through instructions that, when executed, cause the processor to: obtain data capture of a particular object for the virtual object; process the captured data to create a 3D point cloud and generating a 3D mesh object; and provide multiple files to represent the 3D model to the augmented reality server. 11. The server of claim 10, wherein the data capture is via an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV). 12. The server of claim 10, wherein the captured data is processed by editing one or more of the 3D point cloud and the 3D mesh object. 13. The server of claim 10, wherein the multiple files comprise an object file, a material library file, and a texture file. 14. The server of claim 9, wherein the 3D model is created through instructions that, when executed, cause the processor to: create the virtual object utilizing Computer Aided Design (CAD) software. 15. The server of claim 9, wherein the virtual environment is provided via a Web browser and the virtual object is selected and virtually inserted in the Web browser. 16. The server of claim 9, wherein the virtual environment is provided via a camera on a mobile device and the virtual object is selected and placed in the camera field of view. 17. A non-transitory computer-readable medium includes instructions that, when executed, cause one or more processors to perform the steps of: creating a three-dimensional (3D) model of a virtual object representing the equipment; providing the 3D model of the virtual object to an augmented reality server; providing a virtual environment representing the telecommunications site; obtaining the virtual object from the augmented reality server; and selectively inserting the virtual object in the virtual environment for one or more of planning, engineering, and installation associated with the telecommunications site. 18. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 17, wherein the 3D model is created through steps of: obtaining data capture of a particular object for the virtual object; processing the captured data to create a 3D point cloud and generating a 3D mesh object; and providing multiple files to represent the 3D model to the augmented reality server. 19. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 18, wherein the captured data is processed by editing one or more of the 3D point cloud and the 3D mesh object. 20. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 18, wherein the multiple files comprise an object file, a material library file, and a texture file. | CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION(S) The present patent/application is continuation-in-part of and the content of each are incorporated by reference herein: Filing Date Serial No. Title Aug. 8, 2017 15/675,930 VIRTUAL 360-DEGREE VIEW OF A TELECOMMUNICATIONS SITE Oct. 3, 2016 15/283,699 OBTAINING 3D MODELING DATA USING UAVS FOR CELL SITES Aug. 19, 2016 15/241,239 3D MODELING OF CELL SITES TO DETECT CONFIGURATION AND SITE CHANGES May 31, 2016 15/168,503 VIRTUALIZED SITE SURVEY SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR CELL SITES May 20, 2016 15/160,890 3D MODELING OF CELL SITES AND CELL TOWERS WITH UNMANNED AERIAL VEHICLES FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE The present disclosure relates generally to augmented reality systems and methods. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to augmented reality systems and methods for telecommunication site engineering and planning. BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE Due to the geographic coverage nature of wireless service, there are hundreds of thousands of cell towers in the United States. For example, in 2014, it was estimated that there were more than 310,000 cell towers in the United States. Cell towers can have heights up to 1,500 feet or more. There are various requirements for cell site workers (also referred to as tower climbers or transmission tower workers) to climb cell towers to perform maintenance, audit, and repair work for cellular phone and other wireless communications companies. This is both a dangerous and costly endeavor. For example, between 2003 and 2011, 50 tower climbers died working on cell sites (see, e.g., www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontine/social-issues/cell-tower-deaths/in-race-for-better-cell-service-men-who-climb-towers-pay-with-their-lives/). Also, OSHA estimates that working on cell sites is 10 times more dangerous than construction work, generally (see, e.g., www.propublica.org/article/cell-tower-work-fatalities-methodology). Furthermore, the tower climbs also can lead to service disruptions caused by accidents. Thus, there is a strong desire, from both a cost and safety perspective, to reduce the number of tower climbs. Concurrently, the use of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV), referred to as drones, is evolving. There are limitations associated with UAVs, including emerging FAA rules and guidelines associated with their commercial use. It would be advantageous to leverage the use of UAVs to reduce tower climbs of cell towers. US 20140298181 to Rezvan describes methods and systems for performing a cell site audit remotely. However, Rezvan does not contemplate performing any activity locally at the cell site, nor various aspects of UAV use. US20120250010 to Hannay describes aerial inspections of transmission lines using drones. However, Hannay does not contemplate performing any activity locally at the cell site, nor various aspects of constraining the UAV use. Specifically, Hannay contemplates a flight path in three dimensions along a transmission line. Of course, it would be advantageous to further utilize UAVs to actually perform operations on a cell tower. However, adding one or more robotic arms, carrying extra equipment, etc. presents a significantly complex problem in terms of UAV stabilization while in flight, i.e., counterbalancing the UAV to account for the weight and movement of the robotic arms. Research and development continues in this area, but current solutions are complex and costly, eliminating the drivers for using UAVs for performing cell tower work. 3D modeling is important for cell site operators, cell tower owners, engineers, etc. There exist current techniques to make 3D models of physical sites such as cell sites. One approach is to take hundreds or thousands of pictures and to use software techniques to combine these pictures to form a 3D model. Generally, conventional approaches for obtaining the pictures include fixed cameras at the ground with zoom capabilities or pictures via tower climbers. It would be advantageous to utilize a UAV to obtain the pictures, providing 360-degree photos from an aerial perspective. Use of aerial pictures is suggested in US 20100231687 to Armory. However, this approach generally assumes pictures taken from a fixed perspective relative to the cell site, such as via a fixed, mounted camera and a mounted camera in an aircraft. It has been determined that such an approach is moderately inaccurate during 3D modeling and combination with software due to slight variations in location tracking capabilities of systems such as Global Positioning Satellite (GPS). It would be advantageous to utilize a UAV to take pictures and provide systems and methods for accurate 3D modeling based thereon to again leverage the advantages of UAVs over tower climbers, i.e., safety, climbing speed and overall speed, cost, etc. In the process of planning, installing, maintaining, and operating cell sites and cell towers, site surveys are performed for testing, auditing, planning, diagnosing, inventorying, etc. Conventional site surveys involve physical site access including access to the top of the cell tower, the interior of any buildings, cabinets, shelters, huts, hardened structures, etc. at the cell site, and the like. With over 200,000 cell sites in the U.S., geographically distributed everywhere, site surveys can be expensive, time-consuming, and complex. The various parent applications associated herewith describe techniques to utilize UAVs to optimize and provide safer site surveys. It would also be advantageous to further optimize site surveys by minimizing travel through virtualization of the entire process. As the number of cell sites increases, there are various concerns relative to site planning, engineering, and installation. New site construction requires approval from various stakeholders, i.e., local communities, governmental agencies, landowners, tower operators, etc. The trend in new site construction is toward aesthetically pleasing designs which attempt to conceal cell site components, e.g., disguising towers as trees, placing components on roofs in a concealed manner, etc. There is a need to accurately and effectively represent planned sites for the purposes of planning, approval, engineering, and installation. BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE In an exemplary embodiment, systems and methods using augmented reality to visualize a telecommunications site for planning, engineering, and installing equipment includes creating a three-dimensional (3D) model of a virtual object representing the equipment; providing the 3D model of the virtual object to an augmented reality server; providing a virtual environment representing the telecommunications site; obtaining the virtual object from the augmented reality server; and selectively inserting the virtual object in the virtual environment for one or more of planning, engineering, and installation associated with the telecommunications site. The 3D model can be created through steps of obtaining data capture of a particular object for the virtual object; processing the captured data to create a 3D point cloud and generating a 3D mesh object; and providing multiple files to represent the 3D model to the augmented reality server. The data capture can be via an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV). The captured data can be processed by editing one or more of the 3D point cloud and the 3D mesh object. The multiple files can include an object file, a material library file, and a texture file. The 3D model can be created through steps of creating the virtual object utilizing Computer Aided Design (CAD) software. The virtual environment can be provided via a Web browser and the virtual object can be selected and virtually inserted in the Web browser. The virtual environment can be provided via a camera on a mobile device and the virtual object is selected and placed in the camera field of view. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The present disclosure is illustrated and described herein with reference to the various drawings, in which like reference numbers are used to denote like system components/method steps, as appropriate, and in which: FIG. 1 is a diagram of a side view of an exemplary cell site; FIG. 2 is a diagram of a cell site audit performed with a UAV; FIG. 3 is a screen diagram of a view of a graphical user interface (GUI) on a mobile device while piloting the UAV; FIG. 4 is a perspective view of an exemplary UAV; FIG. 5 is a block diagram of a mobile device; FIG. 6 is a flowchart of a cell site audit method utilizing the UAV and the mobile device; FIG. 7 is a network diagram of various cell sites deployed in a geographic region; FIG. 8 is a diagram of the cell site and an associated launch configuration and flight for the UAV to obtain photos for a 3D model of the cell site; FIG. 9 is a satellite view of an exemplary flight of the UAV at the cell site; FIG. 10 is a side view of an exemplary flight of the UAV at the cell site; FIG. 11 is a logical diagram of a portion of a cell tower along with associated photos taken by the UAV at different points relative thereto; FIG. 12 is a screenshot of a GUI associated with post-processing photos from the UAV; FIG. 13 is a screenshot of a 3D model constructed from a plurality of 2D photos taken from the UAV as described herein; FIGS. 14-19 are various screenshots of GUIs associated with a 3D model of a cell site based on photos taken from the UAV as described herein; FIG. 20 is a photo of the UAV in flight at the top of a cell tower; FIG. 21 is a flowchart of a process for modeling a cell site with an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV); FIG. 22 is a diagram of an exemplary interior of a building, such as a shelter or cabinet, at the cell site; FIG. 23 is a flowchart of a virtual site survey process for the cell site; FIG. 24 is a flowchart of a close-out audit method performed at a cell site subsequent to maintenance or installation work; FIG. 25 is a flowchart of a 3D modeling method to detect configuration and site changes; FIG. 26 is a flow diagram of a 3D model creation process; FIG. 27 is a flowchart of a method using an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) to obtain data capture at a cell site for developing a three dimensional (3D) thereof; FIG. 28 is a flowchart of a 3D modeling method for capturing data at the cell site, the cell tower, etc. using the UAV; FIGS. 29A and 29B are block diagrams of a UAV with multiple cameras (FIG. 29A) and a camera array (FIG. 29B); FIG. 30 is a flowchart of a method using multiple cameras to obtain accurate three-dimensional (3D) modeling data; FIGS. 31 and 32 are diagrams of a multiple camera apparatus and use of the multiple camera apparatus in a shelter or cabinet or the interior of a building; FIG. 33 is a flowchart of a data capture method in the interior of a building using the multiple camera apparatus; FIG. 34 is a flowchart of a method for verifying equipment and structures at the cell site using 3D modeling; FIG. 35 is a diagram of a photo stitching User Interface (UI) for cell site audits, surveys, inspections, etc. remotely; FIG. 36 is a flowchart of a method for performing a cell site audit or survey remotely via a User Interface (UI); FIG. 37 is a perspective diagram of a 3D model of the cell site, the cell tower, the cell site components, and the shelter or cabinet along with surrounding geography and subterranean geography; FIG. 38 is a flowchart of a method for creating a three-dimensional (3D) model of a cell site for one or more of a cell site audit, a site survey, and cell site planning and engineering; FIG. 39 is a perspective diagram of the 3D model of FIG. 37 of the cell site, the cell tower, the cell site components, and the shelter or cabinet along with surrounding geography, subterranean geography, and including fiber connectivity; FIG. 40 is a flowchart of a method for creating a three-dimensional (3D) model of a cell site and associated fiber connectivity for one or more of a cell site audit, a site survey, and cell site planning and engineering; FIG. 41 is a perspective diagram of a cell site with the surrounding geography; FIG. 42 is a flowchart of a method for cell site inspection by a cell site operator using the UAV; FIG. 43 is a flowchart of a virtual 360 view method 2700 for creating and using a virtual 360 environment; FIGS. 44-55 are screenshots from an exemplary implementation of the virtual 360-degree view environment from FIG. 43; FIG. 56 is a flowchart of a virtual 360 view method for creating, modifying, and using a virtual 360 environment; FIGS. 57 and 58 are screenshots of a 3D model of a telecommunications site of a building roof with antenna equipment added in the modified 3D model; FIG. 59 is a flowchart of a scanning method for incorporating an object in a virtual view; and FIG. 60 is a flowchart of a model creation method for incorporating a virtually created object in a virtual view. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DISCLOSURE The present disclosure relates to augmented reality systems and methods for telecommunication site engineering and planning. With the augmented reality systems and methods, a user can incorporate three-dimensional (3D) objects into a virtual model via data capture from a phone, a tablet, a digital camera, etc. including a digital camera on an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV), small Unmanned Aircraft System (sUAS), etc. The systems and methods include techniques to scan objects to create virtual objects and to incorporate the virtual objects in existing views. For example, a cell tower and the like can be virtually placed in an augmented reality view. The systems and methods also include techniques for 3D model creation. Variously, the systems and methods can be used for a cell site or other telecommunication sites for planning, engineering, installation, and the like. Further, the present disclosure relates to systems and methods for a virtual 360-degree view modification of a telecommunications site, such as a cell site, for purposes of planning, engineering, and installation, and the like. The systems and methods include a three-dimensional (3D) model of the telecommunications site, including exterior and surrounding geography as well as internal facilities. Various techniques are utilized for data capture including the use of an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV). With the 3D model, various modifications and additions are added after the fact, i.e., to a preexisting environment, for the purposes of planning, engineering, and installation. Advantageously, the modified 3D model saves time in site inspection and engineering, improves the accuracy of planning and installation, and decreases the after installation changes increasing the overall planning phase of construction and telecommunication operations. Further, the present disclosure relates to systems and methods for a virtual 360-degree view of a telecommunications site, such as a cell site, for purposes of site surveys, site audits, and the like. The objective of the virtual 360 view is to provide an environment, viewable via a display, where personnel can be within the telecommunications site remotely. That is, the purpose of the virtual 360 view creation is to allow industry workers to be within the environment of the location captured (i.e., telecommunications cellular site). Within this environment, there is an additional augmented reality where a user can call information from locations of importance. This environment can serve as a bid walk, pre-construction verification, post-installation verification, or simply as an inventory measurement for companies. The information captured with the virtual 360 view captures the necessary information to create action with respect to maintenance, upgrades, or the like. This actionable information creates an environment that can be passed from tower owner, carrier owner, construction company, and installation crews with the ease of an email with a Uniform Resource Locator (URL) link to the web. This link can be sent to a user's phone, Virtual Reality (VR) headset, computer, tablet, etc. This allows for a telecom engineer to be within the reality of the cell site or telecommunications site from their desk. For example, the engineer can click on an Air Conditioning (AC) panel and a photo is overlaid in the environment showing the engineer the spaces available for additional breakers or the sizes of breakers being used. Further, in an exemplary embodiment, the present disclosure relates to systems and methods for verifying cell sites using accurate three-dimensional (3D) modeling data. In an exemplary embodiment, systems and method for verifying a cell site utilizing an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) include providing an initial point cloud related to the cell site to the UAV; developing a second point cloud based on current conditions at the cell site, wherein the second point cloud is based on data acquisition using the UAV at the cell site; detecting variations between the initial point cloud and the second point cloud; and, responsive to detecting the variations, determining whether the variations are any of compliance related, load issues, and defects associated with any equipment or structures at the cell site. Further, in an exemplary embodiment, the present disclosure relates to systems and methods for obtaining accurate three-dimensional (3D) modeling data using a multiple camera apparatus. Specifically, the multiple camera apparatus contemplates use in a shelter or the like to simultaneously obtain multiple photos for purposes of developing a three-dimensional (3D) model of the shelter for use in a cell site audit or the like. The multiple camera apparatus can be portable or mounted within the shelter. The multiple camera apparatus includes a support beam with a plurality of cameras associated therewith. The plurality of cameras each face a different direction, angle, zoom, etc. and are coordinated to simultaneously obtain photos. Once obtained, the photos can be used to create a 3D model. Advantageously, the multiple camera apparatus streamlines data acquisition time as well as ensures the proper angles and photos are obtained. The multiple camera apparatus also is simple to use allowing untrained technicians the ability to easily perform data acquisition. Further, in an exemplary embodiment, the present disclosure relates to systems and methods for obtaining three-dimensional (3D) modeling data using Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) (also referred to as “drones”) or the like at cell sites, cell towers, etc. Variously, the systems and methods describe various techniques using UAVs or the like to obtain data, i.e., pictures and/or video, used to create a 3D model of a cell site subsequently. Various uses of the 3D model are also described including site surveys, site monitoring, engineering, etc. Further, in various exemplary embodiments, the present disclosure relates to virtualized site survey systems and methods using three-dimensional (3D) modeling of cell sites and cell towers with and without unmanned aerial vehicles. The virtualized site survey systems and methods utilizing photo data capture along with location identifiers, points of interest, etc. to create three-dimensional (3D) modeling of all aspects of the cell sites, including interiors of buildings, cabinets, shelters, huts, hardened structures, etc. As described herein, a site survey can also include a site inspection, cell site audit, or anything performed based on the 3D model of the cell site including building interiors. With the data capture, 3D modeling can render a completely virtual representation of the cell sites. The data capture can be performed by on-site personnel, automatically with fixed, networked cameras, or a combination thereof. With the data capture and the associated 3D model, engineers and planners can perform site surveys, without visiting the sites leading to significant efficiency in cost and time. From the 3D model, any aspect of the site survey can be performed remotely including determinations of equipment location, accurate spatial rendering, planning through drag and drop placement of equipment, access to actual photos through a Graphical User Interface, indoor texture mapping, and equipment configuration visualization mapping the equipment in a 3D view of a rack. Further, in various exemplary embodiments, the present disclosure relates to three-dimensional (3D) modeling of cell sites and cell towers with unmanned aerial vehicles. The present disclosure includes UAV-based systems and methods for 3D modeling and representing of cell sites and cell towers. The systems and methods include obtaining various pictures via a UAV at the cell site, flying around the cell site to obtain various different angles of various locations, tracking the various pictures (i.e., enough pictures to produce an acceptable 3D model, usually hundreds, but could be more) with location identifiers, and processing the various pictures to develop a 3D model of the cell site and the cell tower. Additionally, the systems and methods focus on precision and accuracy ensuring the location identifiers are as accurate as possible for the processing by using multiple different location tracking techniques as well as ensuring the UAV is launched from the same location and/or orientation for each flight. The same location and/or orientation, as described herein, was shown to provide more accurate location identifiers versus arbitrary location launches and orientations for different flights. Additionally, once the 3D model is constructed, the systems and methods include an application which enables cell site owners and cell site operators to “click” on any location and obtain associated photos, something extremely useful in the ongoing maintenance and operation thereof. Also, once constructed, the 3D model is capable of various measurements including height, angles, thickness, elevation, even Radio Frequency (RF), and the like. § 1.0 Exemplary Cell Site Referring to FIG. 1, in an exemplary embodiment, a diagram illustrates a side view of an exemplary cell site 10. The cell site 10 includes a cell tower 12. The cell tower 12 can be any type of elevated structure, such as 100-200 feet/30-60 meters tall. Generally, the cell tower 12 is an elevated structure for holding cell site components 14. The cell tower 12 may also include a lighting rod 16 and a warning light 18. Of course, there may various additional components associated with the cell tower 12 and the cell site 10 which are omitted for illustration purposes. In this exemplary embodiment, there are four sets 20, 22, 24, 26 of cell site components 14, such as for four different wireless service providers. In this example, the sets 20, 22, 24 include various antennas 30 for cellular service. The sets 20, 22, 24 are deployed in sectors, e.g., there can be three sectors for the cell site components—alpha, beta, and gamma. The antennas 30 are used to both transmit a radio signal to a mobile device and receive the signal from the mobile device. The antennas 30 are usually deployed as a single, groups of two, three or even four per sector. The higher the frequency of spectrum supported by the antenna 30, the shorter the antenna 30. For example, the antennas 30 may operate around 850 MHz, 1.9 GHz, and the like. The set 26 includes a microwave dish 32 which can be used to provide other types of wireless connectivity, besides cellular service. There may be other embodiments where the cell tower 12 is omitted and replaced with other types of elevated structures such as roofs, water tanks, etc. § 2.0 Cell Site Audits via UAV Referring to FIG. 2, in an exemplary embodiment, a diagram illustrates a cell site audit 40 performed with an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) 50. As described herein, the cell site audit 40 is used by service providers, third-party engineering companies, tower operators, etc. to check and ensure proper installation, maintenance, and operation of the cell site components 14 and shelter or cabinet 52 equipment as well as the various interconnections between them. From a physical accessibility perspective, the cell tower 12 includes a climbing mechanism 54 for tower climbers to access the cell site components 14. FIG. 2 includes a perspective view of the cell site 10 with the sets 20, 26 of the cell site components 14. The cell site components 14 for the set 20 include three sectors—alpha sector 54, beta sector 56, and gamma sector 58. In an exemplary embodiment, the UAV 50 is utilized to perform the cell site audit 40 in lieu of a tower climber access the cell site components 14 via the climbing mechanism 54. In the cell site audit 40, an engineer/technician is local to the cell site 10 to perform various tasks. The systems and methods described herein eliminate a need for the engineer/technician to climb the cell tower 12. Of note, it is still important for the engineer/technician to be local to the cell site 10 as various aspects of the cell site audit 40 cannot be done remotely as described herein. Furthermore, the systems and methods described herein provide an ability for a single engineer/technician to perform the cell site audit 40 without another person handling the UAV 50 or a person with a pilot's license operating the UAV 50 as described herein. § 2.1 Cell Site Audit In general, the cell site audit 40 is performed to gather information and identify a state of the cell site 10. This is used to check the installation, maintenance, and/or operation of the cell site 10. Various aspects of the cell site audit 40 can include, without limitation: Verify the cell site 10 is built according to a current revision Verify Equipment Labeling Verify Coax Cable (“Coax”) Bend Radius Verify Coax Color Coding/Tagging Check for Coax External Kinks & Dents Verify Coax Ground Kits Verify Coax Hanger/Support Verify Coax Jumpers Verify Coax Size Check for Connector Stress & Distortion Check for Connector Weatherproofing Verify Correct Duplexers/Diplexers Installed Verify Duplexer/Diplexer Mounting Verify Duplexers/Diplexers Installed Correctly Verify Fiber Paper Verify Lacing & Tie Wraps Check for Loose or Cross-Threaded Coax Connectors Verify Return (“Ret”) Cables Verify Ret Connectors Verify Ret Grounding Verify Ret Installation Verify Ret Lightning Protection Unit (LPI) Check for Shelter/Cabinet Penetrations Verify Surge Arrestor Installation/Grounding Verify Site Cleanliness Verify LTE GPS Antenna Installation Of note, the cell site audit 40 includes gathering information at and inside the shelter or cabinet 52, on the cell tower 12, and at the cell site components 14. Note, it is not possible to perform all of the above items solely with the UAV 50 or remotely. § Piloting the UAV at the Cell Site It is important to note that the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is in the process of regulating commercial UAV (drone) operation. It is expected that these regulations would not be complete until 2016 or 2017. In terms of these regulations, commercial operation of the UAV 50, which would include the cell site audit 40, requires at least two people, one acting as a spotter and one with a pilot's license. These regulations, in the context of the cell site audit 40, would make use of the UAV 50 impractical. To that end, the systems and methods described herein propose operation of the UAV 50 under FAA exemptions which allow the cell site audit 40 to occur without requiring two people and without requiring a pilot's license. Here, the UAV 50 is constrained to fly up and down at the cell site 10 and within a three-dimensional (3D) rectangle at the cell site components. These limitations on the flight path of the UAV 50 make the use of the UAV 50 feasible at the cell site 10. Referring to FIG. 3, in an exemplary embodiment, a screen diagram illustrates a view of a graphical user interface (GUI) 60 on a mobile device 100 while piloting the UAV 50. The GUI 60 provides a real-time view to the engineer/technician piloting the UAV 50. That is, a screen 62 provides a view from a camera on the UAV 50. As shown in FIG. 3, the cell site 10 is shown with the cell site components 14 in the view of the screen 62. Also, the GUI 60 has various controls 64, 66. The controls 64 are used to pilot the UAV 50, and the controls 66 are used to perform functions in the cell site audit 40 and the like. § 3.1 FAA Regulations The FAA is overwhelmed with applications from companies interested in flying drones, but the FAA is intent on keeping the skies safe. Currently, approved exemptions for flying drones include tight rules. Once approved, there is some level of certification for drone operators along with specific rules such as speed limit of 100 mph, height limitations such as 400 ft, no-fly zones, day only operation, documentation, and restrictions on aerial filming. Accordingly, flight at or around cell towers is constrained, and the systems and methods described herein fully comply with the relevant restrictions associated with drone flights from the FAA. § 4.0 Exemplary Hardware Referring to FIG. 4, in an exemplary embodiment, a perspective view illustrates an exemplary UAV 50 for use with the systems and methods described herein. Again, the UAV 50 may be referred to as a drone or the like. The UAV 50 may be a commercially available UAV platform that has been modified to carry specific electronic components as described herein to implement the various systems and methods. The UAV 50 includes rotors 80 attached to a body 82. A lower frame 84 is located on a bottom portion of the body 82, for landing the UAV 50 to rest on a flat surface and absorb impact during landing. The UAV 50 also includes a camera 86 which is used to take still photographs, video, and the like. Specifically, the camera 86 is used to provide the real-time display on the screen 62. The UAV 50 includes various electronic components inside the body 82 and/or the camera 86 such as, without limitation, a processor, a data store, memory, a wireless interface, and the like. Also, the UAV 50 can include additional hardware, such as robotic arms or the like that allow the UAV 50 to attach/detach components for the cell site components 14. Specifically, it is expected that the UAV 50 will get bigger and more advanced, capable of carrying significant loads, and not just a wireless camera. The present disclosure contemplates using the UAV 50 for various aspects at the cell site 10, including participating in construction or deconstruction of the cell tower 12, the cell site components 14, etc. These various components are now described with reference to a mobile device 100. Those of ordinary skill in the art will recognize the UAV 50 can include similar components to the mobile device 100. Of note, the UAV 50 and the mobile device 100 can be used cooperatively to perform various aspects of the cell site audit 40 described herein. In other embodiments, the UAV 50 can be operated with a controller instead of the mobile device 100. The mobile device 100 may solely be used for real-time video from the camera 86 such as via a wireless connection (e.g., IEEE 802.11 or variants thereof). Some portions of the cell site audit 40 can be performed with the UAV 50, some with the mobile device 100, and others solely by the operator through a visual inspection. In some embodiments, all of the aspects can be performed in the UAV 50. In other embodiments, the UAV 50 solely relays data to the mobile device 100 which performs all of the aspects. Other embodiments are also contemplated. Referring to FIG. 5, in an exemplary embodiment, a block diagram illustrates a mobile device 100, which may be used for the cell site audit 40 or the like. The mobile device 100 can be a digital device that, in terms of hardware architecture, generally includes a processor 102, input/output (I/O) interfaces 104, wireless interfaces 106, a data store 108, and memory 110. It should be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art that FIG. 5 depicts the mobile device 100 in an oversimplified manner, and a practical embodiment may include additional components and suitably configured processing logic to support known or conventional operating features that are not described in detail herein. The components (102, 104, 106, 108, and 102) are communicatively coupled via a local interface 112. The local interface 112 can be, for example, but not limited to, one or more buses or other wired or wireless connections, as is known in the art. The local interface 112 can have additional elements, which are omitted for simplicity, such as controllers, buffers (caches), drivers, repeaters, and receivers, among many others, to enable communications. Further, the local interface 112 may include address, control, and/or data connections to enable appropriate communications among the aforementioned components. The processor 102 is a hardware device for executing software instructions. The processor 102 can be any custom made or commercially available processor, a central processing unit (CPU), an auxiliary processor among several processors associated with the mobile device 100, a semiconductor-based microprocessor (in the form of a microchip or chip set), or generally any device for executing software instructions. When the mobile device 100 is in operation, the processor 102 is configured to execute software stored within the memory 110, to communicate data to and from the memory 110, and to generally control operations of the mobile device 100 pursuant to the software instructions. In an exemplary embodiment, the processor 102 may include a mobile-optimized processor such as optimized for power consumption and mobile applications. The I/O interfaces 104 can be used to receive user input from and/or for providing system output. User input can be provided via, for example, a keypad, a touch screen, a scroll ball, a scroll bar, buttons, barcode scanner, and the like. System output can be provided via a display device such as a liquid crystal display (LCD), touch screen, and the like. The I/O interfaces 104 can also include, for example, a serial port, a parallel port, a small computer system interface (SCSI), an infrared (IR) interface, a radio frequency (RF) interface, a universal serial bus (USB) interface, and the like. The I/O interfaces 104 can include a graphical user interface (GUI) that enables a user to interact with the mobile device 100. Additionally, the I/O interfaces 104 may further include an imaging device, i.e., camera, video camera, etc. The wireless interfaces 106 enable wireless communication to an external access device or network. Any number of suitable wireless data communication protocols, techniques, or methodologies can be supported by the wireless interfaces 106, including, without limitation: RF; IrDA (infrared); Bluetooth; ZigBee (and other variants of the IEEE 802.15 protocol); IEEE 802.11 (any variation); IEEE 802.16 (WiMAX or any other variation); Direct Sequence Spread Spectrum; Frequency Hopping Spread Spectrum; Long Term Evolution (LTE); cellular/wireless/cordless telecommunication protocols (e.g. 3G/4G, etc.); wireless home network communication protocols; paging network protocols; magnetic induction; satellite data communication protocols; wireless hospital or health care facility network protocols such as those operating in the WMTS bands; GPRS; proprietary wireless data communication protocols such as variants of Wireless USB; and any other protocols for wireless communication. The wireless interfaces 106 can be used to communicate with the UAV 50 for command and control as well as to relay data therebetween. The data store 108 may be used to store data. The data store 108 may include any of volatile memory elements (e.g., random access memory (RAM, such as DRAM, SRAM, SDRAM, and the like)), nonvolatile memory elements (e.g., ROM, hard drive, tape, CDROM, and the like), and combinations thereof. Moreover, the data store 108 may incorporate electronic, magnetic, optical, and/or other types of storage media. The memory 110 may include any of volatile memory elements (e.g., random access memory (RAM, such as DRAM, SRAM, SDRAM, etc.)), nonvolatile memory elements (e.g., ROM, hard drive, etc.), and combinations thereof. Moreover, the memory 110 may incorporate electronic, magnetic, optical, and/or other types of storage media. Note that the memory 110 may have a distributed architecture, where various components are situated remotely from one another but can be accessed by the processor 102. The software in memory 110 can include one or more software programs, each of which includes an ordered listing of executable instructions for implementing logical functions. In the example of FIG. 5, the software in the memory 110 includes a suitable operating system (O/S) 114 and programs 116. The operating system 114 essentially controls the execution of other computer programs and provides scheduling, input-output control, file and data management, memory management, and communication control and related services. The programs 116 may include various applications, add-ons, etc. configured to provide end-user functionality with the mobile device 100, including performing various aspects of the systems and methods described herein. It will be appreciated that some exemplary embodiments described herein may include one or more generic or specialized processors (“one or more processors”) such as microprocessors, digital signal processors, customized processors, and field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs) and unique stored program instructions (including both software and firmware) that control the one or more processors to implement, in conjunction with certain non-processor circuits, some, most, or all of the functions of the methods and/or systems described herein. Alternatively, some or all functions may be implemented by a state machine that has no stored program instructions, or in one or more application specific integrated circuits (ASICs), in which each function or some combinations of certain of the functions are implemented as custom logic. Of course, a combination of the aforementioned approaches may be used. Moreover, some exemplary embodiments may be implemented as a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having computer readable code stored thereon for programming a computer, server, appliance, device, etc. each of which may include a processor to perform methods as described and claimed herein. Examples of such computer-readable storage mediums include, but are not limited to, a hard disk, an optical storage device, a magnetic storage device, a ROM (Read Only Memory), a PROM (Programmable Read Only Memory), an EPROM (Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory), an EEPROM (Electrically Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory), Flash memory, and the like. When stored in the non-transitory computer-readable medium, the software can include instructions executable by a processor that, in response to such execution, cause a processor or any other circuitry to perform a set of operations, steps, methods, processes, algorithms, etc. § 4.1 RF Sensors in the UAV In an exemplary embodiment, the UAV 50 can also include one or more RF sensors disposed therein. The RF sensors can be any device capable of making wireless measurements related to signals associated with the cell site components 14, i.e., the antennas. In an exemplary embodiment, the UAV 50 can be further configured to fly around a cell zone associated with the cell site 10 to identify wireless coverage through various measurements associated with the RF sensors. § 5.0 Cell Site Audit with UAV and/or Mobile Device Referring to FIG. 6, in an exemplary embodiment, a flowchart illustrates a cell site audit method 200 utilizing the UAV 50 and the mobile device 100. Again, in various exemplary embodiments, the cell site audit 40 can be performed with the UAV 50 and the mobile device 100. In other exemplary embodiments, the cell site audit 40 can be performed with the UAV 50 and an associated controller. In other embodiments, the mobile device 100 is solely used to relay real-time video from the camera 86. While the steps of the cell site audit method 200 are listed sequentially, those of ordinary skill in the art will recognize some or all of the steps may be performed in a different order. The cell site audit method 200 includes an engineer/technician at a cell site with the UAV 50 and the mobile device 100 (step 202). Again, one aspect of the systems and methods described herein is the usage of the UAV 50, in a commercial setting, but with constraints such that only one operator is required and such that the operator does not have to hold a pilot's license. As described herein, the constraints can include a flight of the UAV 50 at or near the cell site 10 only, a flight pattern up and down in a 3D rectangle at the cell tower 12, a maximum height restriction (e.g., 500 feet or the like), and the like. For example, the cell site audit 40 is performed by one of i) a single operator flying the UAV 50 without a license or ii) two operators including one with a license and one to spot the UAV 50. The engineer/technician performs one or more aspects of the cell site audit 40 without the UAV 50 (step 204). Note, there are many aspects of the cell site audit 40 as described herein. It is not possible for the UAV 50 to perform all of these items such that the engineer/technician could be remote from the cell site 10. For example, access to the shelter or cabinet 52 for audit purposes requires the engineer/technician to be local. In this step, the engineer/technician can perform any audit functions as described herein that do not require climbing. The engineer/technician can cause the UAV 50 to fly up the cell tower 12 or the like to view cell site components 14 (step 206). Again, this flight can be based on the constraints, and the flight can be through a controller and/or the mobile device 100. The UAV 50 and/or the mobile device 100 can collect data associated with the cell site components 14 (step 208), and process the collected data to obtain information for the cell site audit 40 (step 210). As described herein, the UAV 50 and the mobile device 100 can be configured to collect data via video and/or photographs. The engineer/technician can use this collected data to perform various aspects of the cell site audit 40 with the UAV 50 and the mobile device 100 and without a tower climb. The foregoing descriptions detail specific aspects of the cell site audit 40 using the UAV 50 and the mobile device 100. In these aspects, data can be collected—generally, the data is video or photographs of the cell site components 14. The processing of the data can be automated through the UAV 50 and/or the mobile device 100 to compute certain items as described herein. Also, the processing of the data can be performed either at the cell site 10 or afterward by the engineer/technician. In an exemplary embodiment, the UAV 50 can be a commercial, “off-the-shelf” drone with a Wi-Fi enabled camera for the camera 86. Here, the UAV 50 is flown with a controller pad which can include a joystick or the like. Alternatively, the UAV 50 can be flown with the mobile device 100, such as with an app installed on the mobile device 100 configured to control the UAV 50. The Wi-Fi enable camera is configured to communicate with the mobile device 100—to both display real-time video and audio as well as to capture photos and/or video during the cell site audit 40 for immediate processing or for later processing to gather relevant information about the cell site components 14 for the cell site audit 40. In another exemplary embodiment, the UAV 50 can be a so-called “drone in a box” which is preprogrammed/configured to fly a certain route, such as based on the flight constraints described herein. The “drone in a box” can be physically transported to the cell site 10 or actually located there. The “drone in a box” can be remotely controlled as well. § 5.1 Antenna Down Tilt Angle In an exemplary aspect of the cell site audit 40, the UAV 50 and/or the mobile device 100 can be used to determine a down tilt angle of individual antennas 30 of the cell site components 14. The down-tilt angle can be determined for all of the antennas 30 in all of the sectors 54, 56, 58. The down-tilt angle is the mechanical (external) down tilt of the antennas 30 relative to a support bar 200. In the cell site audit 40, the down-tilt angle is compared against an expected value, such as from a Radio Frequency (RF) data sheet, and the comparison may check to ensure the mechanical (external) down tilt is within ±1.0° of specification on the RF data sheet. Using the UAV 50 and/or the mobile device 100, the down-tilt angle is determined from a photo taken from the camera 86. In an exemplary embodiment, the UAV 50 and/or the mobile device 100 is configured to measure three points—two defined by the antenna 30 and one by the support bar 200 to determine the down tilt angle of the antenna 30. For example, the down-tilt angle can be determined visually from the side of the antenna 30—measuring a triangle formed by a top of the antenna 30, a bottom of the antenna 30, and the support bar 200. § 5.2 Antenna Plumb In an exemplary aspect of the cell site audit 40 and similar to determining the down tilt angle, the UAV 50 and/or the mobile device 100 can be used to visually inspect the antenna 30 including its mounting brackets and associated hardware. This can be done to verify appropriate hardware installation, to verify the hardware is not loose or missing, and to verify that antenna 30 is plumb relative to the support bar 200. § 5.3 Antenna Azimuth In an exemplary aspect of the cell site audit 40, the UAV 50 and/or the mobile device 100 can be used to verify the antenna azimuth, such as verifying the antenna azimuth is oriented within ±5° as defined on the RF data sheet. The azimuth (AZ) angle is the compass bearing, relative to true (geographic) north, of a point on the horizon directly beneath an observed object. Here, the UAV 50 and/or the mobile device 100 can include a location determining device such as a Global Positioning Satellite (GPS) measurement device. The antenna azimuth can be determined with the UAV 50 and/or the mobile device 100 using an aerial photo or the GPS measurement device. § 5.4 Photo Collections As part of the cell site audit 40 generally, the UAV 50 and/or the mobile device 100 can be used to document various aspects of the cell site 10 by taking photos or video. For example, the mobile device 100 can be used to take photos or video on the ground in or around the shelter or cabinet 52 and the UAV 500 can be used to take photos or video up the cell tower 12 and of the cell site components 14. The photos and video can be stored in any of the UAV 50, the mobile device 100, the cloud, etc. In an exemplary embodiment, the UAV can also hover at the cell site 10 and provide real-time video footage back to the mobile device 100 or another location (for example, a Network Operations Center (NOC) or the like). § 5.5 Compound Length/Width The UAV 50 can be used to fly over the cell site 10 to measure the overall length and width of the cell site 10 compound from overhead photos. In one aspect, the UAV 50 can use GPS positioning to detect the length and width by flying over the cell site 10. In another aspect, the UAV 50 can take overhead photos which can be processed to determine the associated length and width of the cell site 10. § 5.6 Data Capture—Cell Site Audit The UAV 50 can be used to capture various pieces of data via the camera 86. That is, with the UAV 50 and the mobile device 100, the camera 86 is equivalent to the engineer/technician's own eyes, thereby eliminating the need for the engineer/technician to physically climb the tower. One important aspect of the cell site audit 40 is physically collecting various pieces of information—either to check records for consistency or to establish a record. For example, the data capture can include determining equipment module types, locations, connectivity, serial numbers, etc. from photos. The data capture can include determining physical dimensions from photos or from GPS such as the cell tower 12 height, width, depth, etc. The data capture can also include visual inspection of any aspect of the cell site 10, cell tower 12, cell site components 14, etc. including, but not limited to, physical characteristics, mechanical connectivity, cable connectivity, and the like. The data capture can also include checking the lighting rod 16 and the warning light 18 on the cell tower 12. Also, with additional equipment on the UAV 50, the UAV 50 can be configured to perform maintenance such as replacing the warning light 18, etc. The data capture can also include checking maintenance status of the cell site components 14 visually as well as checking associated connection status. Another aspect of the cell site audit 40 can include checking the structural integrity of the cell tower 12 and the cell site components 14 via photos from the UAV 50. § 5.7 Flying the UAV at the Cell Site In an exemplary embodiment, the UAV 50 can be programmed to automatically fly to a location and remain there without requiring the operator to control the UAV 50 in real-time, at the cell site 10. In this scenario, the UAV 50 can be stationary at a location in the air at the cell site 10. Here, various functionality can be incorporated in the UAV 50 as described herein. Note, this aspect leverages the ability to fly the UAV 50 commercially based on the constraints described herein. That is, the UAV 50 can be used to fly around the cell tower 12, to gather data associated with the cell site components 14 for the various sectors 54, 56, 58. Also, the UAV 50 can be used to hover around the cell tower 12, to provide additional functionality described as follows. § 5.8 Video/Photo Capture—Cell Site With the UAV 50 available to operate at the cell site 10, the UAV 50 can also be used to capture video/photos while hovering. This application uses the UAV 50 as a mobile video camera to capture activity at or around the cell site 10 from the air. It can be used to document work at the cell site 10 or to investigate the cell site 10 responsive to problems, e.g., tower collapse. It can be used to take surveillance video of surrounding locations such as service roads leading to the cell site 10, etc. § 5.9 Wireless Service Via the UAV Again, with the ability to fly at the cell site 10, subject to the constraints, the UAV 50 can be used to provide temporary or even permanent wireless service at the cell site. This is performed with the addition of wireless service-related components to the UAV 50. In the temporary mode, the UAV 50 can be used to provide services over a short time period, such as responding to an outage or other disaster affecting the cell site 10. Here, an operator can cause the UAV 50 to fly where the cell site components 14 are and provide such service. The UAV 50 can be equipped with wireless antennas to provide cell service, Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) service, or the like. The UAV 50 can effectively operate as a temporary tower or small cell as needed. In the permanent mode, the UAV 50 (along with other UAVs 50) can constantly be in the air at the cell site 10 providing wireless service. This can be done similar to the temporary mode but over a longer time period. The UAV 50 can be replaced over a predetermined time to refuel or the like. The replacement can be another UAV 50. The UAV 50 can effectively operate as a permanent tower or small cell as needed. § 6.0 Flying the UAV From Cell Site to Another Cell Site As described herein, the flight constraints include operating the UAV 50 vertically in a defined 3D rectangle at the cell site 10. In another exemplary embodiment, the flight constraints can be expanded to allow the 3D rectangle at the cell site 10 as well as a horizontal operation between adjacent cell sites 10. Referring to FIG. 7, in an exemplary embodiment, a network diagram illustrates various cell sites 10a-10e deployed in a geographic region 300. In an exemplary embodiment, the UAV 50 is configured to operate as described herein, such as in FIG. 2, in the vertical 3D rectangular flight pattern, as well as in a horizontal flight pattern between adjacent cell sites 10. Here, the UAV 50 is cleared to fly, without the commercial regulations, between the adjacent cell sites 10. In this manner, the UAV 50 can be used to perform the cell site audits 40 at multiple locations—note, the UAV 50 does not need to land and physically be transported to the adjacent cell sites 10. Additionally, the fact that the FAA will allow exemptions to fly the UAV 50 at the cell site 10 and between adjacent cell sites 10 can create an interconnected mesh network of allowable flight paths for the UAV 50. Here, the UAV 50 can be used for other purposes besides those related to the cell site 10. That is, the UAV 50 can be flown in any application, independent of the cell sites 10, but without requiring FAA regulation. The applications can include, without limitation, a drone delivery network, a drone surveillance network, and the like. As shown in FIG. 7, the UAV 50, at the cell site 10a, can be flown to any of the other cell sites 10b-10e along flight paths 302. Due to the fact that cell sites 10 are numerous and diversely deployed in the geographic region 300, an ability to fly the UAV 50 at the cell sites 10 and between adjacent cell sites 10 creates an opportunity to fly the UAV 50 across the geographic region 300, for numerous applications. § 7.0 UAV and Cell Towers Additionally, the systems and methods described herein contemplate practically any activity at the cell site 10 using the UAV 50 in lieu of a tower climb. This can include, without limitation, any tower audit work with the UAV 50, any tower warranty work with the UAV 50, any tower operational ready work with the UAV 50, any tower construction with the UAV 50, any tower decommissioning/deconstruction with the UAV 50, any tower modifications with the UAV 50, and the like. § 8.0 Cell Site Operations There are generally two entities associated with cell sites—cell site owners and cell site operators. Generally, cell site owners can be viewed as real estate property owners and managers. Typical cell site owners may have a vast number of cell sites, such as tens of thousands, geographically dispersed. The cell site owners are generally responsible for the real estate, ingress and egress, structures on site, the cell tower itself, etc. Cell site operators generally include wireless service providers who generally lease space on the cell tower and in the structures for antennas and associated wireless backhaul equipment. There are other entities that may be associated with cell sites as well including engineering firms, installation contractors, and the like. All of these entities have a need for the various UAV-based systems and methods described herein. Specifically, cell site owners can use the systems and methods for real estate management functions, audit functions, etc. Cell site operators can use the systems and methods for equipment audits, troubleshooting, site engineering, etc. Of course, the systems and methods described herein can be provided by an engineering firm or the like contracted to any of the above entities or the like. The systems and methods described herein provide these entities time savings, increased safety, better accuracy, lower cost, and the like. § 10.0 3D Modeling Systems and Methods With UAVs Referring to FIG. 8, in an exemplary embodiment, a diagram illustrates the cell site 10 and an associated launch configuration and flight for the UAV 50 to obtain photos for a 3D model of the cell site 10. Again, the cell site 10, the cell tower 12, the cell site components 14, etc. are as described herein. To develop a 3D model, the UAV 50 is configured to take various photos during flight, at different angles, orientations, heights, etc. to develop a 360-degree view. For post-processing, it is important to differentiate between different photos accurately. In various exemplary embodiments, the systems and methods utilize accurate location tracking for each photo taken. It is important for accurate correlation between photos to enable construction of a 3D model from a plurality of 2D photos. The photos can all include multiple location identifiers (i.e., where the photo was taken from, height and exact location). In an exemplary embodiment, the photos can each include at least two distinct location identifiers, such as from GPS or GLONASS. GLONASS is a “GLObal NAvigation Satellite System” which is a space-based satellite navigation system operating in the radio navigation-satellite service and used by the Russian Aerospace Defence Forces. It provides an alternative to GPS and is the second alternative navigational system in operation with global coverage and of comparable precision. The location identifiers are tagged or embedded to each photo and indicative of the location of the UAV 50 where and when the photo was taken. These location identifiers are used with objects of interest identified in the photo during post-processing to create the 3D model. In fact, it was determined that location identifier accuracy is very important in the post-processing for creating the 3D model. One such determination was that there are slight inaccuracies in the location identifiers when the UAV 50 is launched from a different location and/or orientation. Thus, to provide further accuracy for the location identifiers, each flight of the UAV 50 is constrained to land and depart from a same location and orientation. For example, future flights of the same cell site 10 or additional flights at the same time when the UAV 50 lands and, e.g., has a battery change. To ensure the same location and/or orientation in subsequent flights at the cell site 10, a zone indicator 800 is set at the cell site 10, such as on the ground via some marking (e.g., chalk, rope, white powder, etc.). Each flight at the cell site 10 for purposes of obtaining photos for 3D modeling is done using the zone indicator 800 to land and launch the UAV 50. Based on operations, it was determined that using conventional UAVs 50; the zone indicator 800 provides significantly more accuracy in location identifier readings. Accordingly, the photos are accurately identified relative to one another and able to create an extremely accurate 3D model of all physical features of the cell site 10. Thus, in an exemplary embodiment, all UAV 50 flights are from the same launch point and orientation to avoid calibration issues with any location identifier technique. The zone indicator 800 can also be marked on the 3D model for future flights at the cell site 10. Thus, the use of the zone indicator 800 for the same launch location and orientation along with the multiple location indicators provide more precision in the coordinates for the UAV 50 to correlate the photos. Note, in other exemplary embodiments, the zone indicator 800 may be omitted, or the UAV 50 can launch from additional points, such that the data used for the 3D model is only based on a single flight. The zone indicator 800 is advantageous when data is collected over time or when there are landings in flight. Once the zone indicator 800 is established, the UAV 50 is placed therein in a specific orientation (orientation is arbitrary so long as the same orientation is continually maintained). The orientation refers to which way the UAV 50 is facing at launch and landing. Once the UAV 50 is in the zone indicator 800, the UAV 50 can be flown up (denoted by line 802) the cell tower 12. Note, the UAV 50 can use the aforementioned flight constraints to conform to FAA regulations or exemptions. Once at a certain height and certain distance from the cell tower 12 and the cell site components 14, the UAV 50 can take a circular or 360-degree flight pattern about the cell tower 12, including flying up as well as around the cell tower 12 (denoted by line 804). During the flight, the UAV 50 is configured to take various photos of different aspects of the cell site 10 including the cell tower 12, the cell site components 14, as well as surrounding area. These photos are each tagged or embedded with multiple location identifiers. It has also been determined that the UAV 50 should be flown at a certain distance based on its camera capabilities to obtain the optimal photos, i.e., not too close or too far from objects of interest. The UAV 50 in a given flight can take hundreds or even thousands of photos, each with the appropriate location identifiers. For an accurate 3D model, at least hundreds of photos are required. The UAV 50 can be configured to take pictures automatically are given intervals during the flight, and the flight can be a preprogrammed trajectory around the cell site 10. Alternatively, the photos can be manually taken based on operator commands. Of course, a combination is also contemplated. In another exemplary embodiment, the UAV 50 can include preprocessing capabilities which monitor photos taken to determine a threshold after which enough photos have been taken to construct the 3D model accurately. Referring to FIG. 9, in an exemplary embodiment, a satellite view illustrates an exemplary flight of the UAV 50 at the cell site 10. Note, photos are taken at locations marked with circles in the satellite view. Note, the flight of the UAV 50 can be solely to construct the 3D model, or as part of the cell site audit 40 described herein. Also note, the exemplary flight allows photos at different locations, angles, orientations, etc. such that the 3D model not only includes the cell tower 12, but also the surrounding geography. Referring to FIG. 10, in an exemplary embodiment, a side view illustrates an exemplary flight of the UAV 50 at the cell site 10. Similar to FIG. 9, FIG. 10 shows circles in the side view at locations where photos were taken. Note, photos are taken at different elevations, orientations, angles, and locations. The photos are stored locally in the UAV 50 and/or transmitted wirelessly to a mobile device, controller, server, etc. Once the flight is complete, and the photos are provided to an external device from the UAV 50 (e.g., mobile device, controller, server, cloud service, or the like), post-processing occurs to combine the photos or “stitch” them together to construct the 3D model. While described separately, the post-processing could occur in the UAV 50 provided its computing power is capable. Referring to FIG. 11, in an exemplary embodiment, a logical diagram illustrates a portion of a cell tower 12 along with associated photos taken by the UAV 50 at different points relative thereto. Specifically, various 2D photos are logically shown at different locations relative to the cell tower 12 to illustrate the location identifiers and the stitching together of the photos. Referring to FIG. 12, in an exemplary embodiment, a screen shot illustrates a Graphic User Interface (GUI) associated with post-processing photos from the UAV 50. Again, once the UAV 50 has completed taking photos of the cell site 10, the photos are post-processed to form a 3D model. The systems and methods contemplate any software program capable of performing photogrammetry. In the example of FIG. 12, there are 128 total photos. The post-processing includes identifying visible points across the multiple points, i.e., objects of interest. For example, the objects of interest can be any of the cell site components 14, such as antennas. The post-processing identifies the same object of interest across different photos, with their corresponding location identifiers, and builds a 3D model based on multiple 2D photos. Referring to FIG. 13, in an exemplary embodiment, a screen shot illustrates a 3D model constructed from a plurality of 2D photos taken from the UAV 50 as described herein. Note, the 3D model can be displayed on a computer or another type of processing device, such as via an application, a Web browser, or the like. The 3D model supports zoom, pan, tilt, etc. Referring to FIGS. 14-19, in various exemplary embodiments, various screenshots illustrate GUIs associated with a 3D model of a cell site based on photos taken from the UAV 50 as described herein. FIG. 14 is a GUI illustrating an exemplary measurement of an object, i.e., the cell tower 12, in the 3D model. Specifically, using a point and click operation, one can click on two points such as the top and bottom of the cell tower and the 3D model can provide a measurement, e.g., 175′ in this example. FIG. 15 illustrates a close-up view of a cell site component 14 such as an antenna and a similar measurement made thereon using point and click, e.g., 4.55′ in this example. FIGS. 16 and 17 illustrate an aerial view in the 3D model showing surrounding geography around the cell site 10. From these views, the cell tower 12 is illustrated with the surrounding environment including the structures, access road, fall line, etc. Specifically, the 3D model can assist in determining a fall line which is anywhere in the surroundings of the cell site 10 where the cell tower 12 may fall. Appropriate considerations can be made based thereon. FIGS. 18 and 19 illustrate the 3D model and associated photos on the right side. One useful aspect of the 3D model GUI is an ability to click anywhere on the 3D model and bring up corresponding 2D photos. Here, an operator can click anywhere and bring up full-sized photos of the area. Thus, with the systems and methods described herein, the 3D model can measure and map the cell site 10 and surrounding geography along with the cell tower 12, the cell site components 14, etc. to form a comprehensive 3D model. There are various uses of the 3D model to perform cell site audits including checking tower grounding; sizing and placement of antennas, piping, and other cell site components 14; providing engineering drawings; determining characteristics such as antenna azimuths; and the like. Referring to FIG. 2021, in an exemplary embodiment, a photo illustrates the UAV 50 in flight at the top of a cell tower 12. As described herein, it was determined that the optimum distance to photograph the cell site components 14 is about 10′ to 40′ distance. Referring to FIG. 21, in an exemplary embodiment, a flowchart illustrates a process 850 for modeling a cell site with an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV). The process 850 includes causing the UAV to fly a given flight path about a cell tower at the cell site, wherein a launch location and launch orientation is defined for the UAV to take off and land at the cell site such that each flight at the cell site has the same launch location and launch orientation (step 852); obtaining a plurality of photographs of the cell site during about the flight plane, wherein each of the plurality of photographs is associated with one or more location identifiers (step 854); and, subsequent to the obtaining, processing the plurality of photographs to define a three dimensional (3D) model of the cell site based on the associated with one or more location identifiers and one or more objects of interest in the plurality of photographs (step 856). The process 850 can further include landing the UAV at the launch location in the launch orientation; performing one or more operations on the UAV, such as changing a battery; and relaunching the UAV from the launch location in the launch orientation to obtain additional photographs. The one or more location identifiers can include at least two location identifiers including Global Positioning Satellite (GPS) and GLObal NAvigation Satellite System (GLONASS). The flight plan can be constrained to an optimum distance from the cell tower. The plurality of photographs can be obtained automatically during the flight plan while concurrently performing a cell site audit of the cell site. The process 850 can further include providing a graphical user interface (GUI) of the 3D model; and using the GUI to perform a cell site audit. The process 850 can further include providing a graphical user interface (GUI) of the 3D model; and using the GUI to measure various components at the cell site. The process 850 can further include providing a graphical user interface (GUI) of the 3D model; and using the GUI to obtain photographs of the various components at the cell site. § 11.1 3D Modeling Systems and Methods Without UAVs The above description explains 3D modeling and photo data capture using the UAV 50. Additionally, the photo data capture can be through other means, including portable cameras, fixed cameras, heads-up displays (HUD), head-mounted cameras, and the like. That is the systems and methods described herein contemplate the data capture through any available technique. The UAV 50 will be difficult to obtain photos inside the buildings, i.e., the shelter or cabinet 52. Referring to FIG. 22, in an exemplary embodiment, a diagram illustrates an exemplary interior 900 of a building 902, such as the shelter or cabinet 52, at the cell site 10. Generally, the building 902 houses equipment associated with the cell site 10 such as wireless RF terminals 910 (e.g., LTE terminals), wireless backhaul equipment 912, power distribution 914, and the like. Generally, wireless RF terminals 910 connect to the cell site components 14 for providing associated wireless service. The wireless backhaul equipment 912 includes networking equipment to bring the associated wireless service signals to a wireline network, such as via fiber optics or the like. The power distribution 914 provides power for all of the equipment such as from the grid as well as a battery backup to enable operation in the event of power failures. Of course, additional equipment and functionality are contemplated in the interior 900. The terminals 910, equipment 912, and the power distribution 914 can be realized as rack or frame mounted hardware with cabling 916 and with associated modules 918. The modules 918 can be pluggable modules which are selectively inserted in the hardware and each can include unique identifiers 920 such as barcodes, Quick Response (QR) codes, RF Identification (RFID), physical labeling, color coding, or the like. Each module 918 can be unique with a serial number, part number, and/or functional identifier. The modules 918 are configured as needed to provide the associated functionality of the cell site. The systems and methods include, in addition to the aforementioned photo capture via the UAV 50, photo data capture in the interior 900 for 3D modeling and for virtual site surveys. The photo data capture can be performed by a fixed, rotatable camera 930 located in the interior 900. The camera 930 can be communicatively coupled to a Data Communication Network (DCN), such as through the wireless backhaul equipment 912 or the like. The camera 930 can be remotely controlled, such as by an engineer performing a site survey from his or her office. Other techniques of photo data capture can include an on-site technician taking photos with a camera and uploading them to a cloud service or the like. Again, the systems and methods contemplate any type of data capture. Again, with a plurality of photos, e.g., hundreds, it is possible to utilize photogrammetry to create a 3D model of the interior 900 (as well as a 3D model of the exterior as described above). The 3D model is created using physical cues in the photos to identify objects of interest, such as the modules 918, the unique identifiers 920, or the like. Note, the location identifiers described relative to the UAV 50 are less effective in the interior 900 given the enclosed, interior space and the closer distances. § 12.0 Virtual Site Survey Referring to FIG. 23, in an exemplary embodiment, a flowchart illustrates a virtual site survey process 950 for the cell site 10. The virtual site survey process 950 is associated with the cell site 10 and utilizes three-dimensional (3D) models for remote performance, i.e., at an office as opposed to in the field. The virtual site survey process 950 includes obtaining a plurality of photographs of a cell site including a cell tower and one or more buildings and interiors thereof (step 952); subsequent to the obtaining, processing the plurality of photographs to define a three dimensional (3D) model of the cell site based on one or more objects of interest in the plurality of photographs (step 954); and remotely performing a site survey of the cell site utilizing a Graphical User Interface (GUI) of the 3D model to collect and obtain information about the cell site, the cell tower, the one or more buildings, and the interiors thereof (step 956). The 3D model is a combination of an exterior of the cell site including the cell tower and associated cell site components thereon, geography local to the cell site, and the interiors of the one or more buildings at the cell site, and the 3D model can include detail at a module level in the interiors. The remotely performing the site survey can include determining equipment location on the cell tower and in the interiors; measuring distances between the equipment and within the equipment to determine actual spatial location; and determining connectivity between the equipment based on associated cabling. The remotely performing the site survey can include planning for one or more of new equipment and changes to existing equipment at the cell site through drag and drop operations in the GUI, wherein the GUI includes a library of equipment for the drag and drop operations; and, subsequent to the planning, providing a list of the one or more of the new equipment and the changes to the existing equipment based on the library, for implementation thereof. The remotely performing the site survey can include providing one or more of the photographs of an associated area of the 3D model responsive to an operation in the GUI. The virtual site survey process 950 can include rendering a texture map of the interiors responsive to an operation in the GUI. The virtual site survey process 950 can include performing an inventory of equipment at the cell site including cell site components on the cell tower and networking equipment in the interiors, wherein the inventory from the 3D model uniquely identifies each of the equipment based on associated unique identifiers. The remotely performing the site survey can include providing an equipment visual in the GUI of a rack and all associated modules therein. The obtaining can include the UAV 50 obtaining the photographs on the cell tower, and the obtaining includes one or more of a fixed and portable camera obtaining the photographs in the interior. The obtaining can be performed by an on-site technician at the cell site, and the site survey can be remotely performed. In another exemplary embodiment, an apparatus adapted to perform a virtual site survey of a cell site utilizing three-dimensional (3D) models for remote performance includes a network interface and a processor communicatively coupled to one another; and memory storing instructions that, when executed, cause the processor to receive, via the network interface, a plurality of photographs of a cell site including a cell tower and one or more buildings and interiors thereof process the plurality of photographs to define a three dimensional (3D) model of the cell site based on one or more objects of interest in the plurality of photographs, subsequent to receiving the photographs; and provide a Graphical User Interface of the 3D model for remote performance of a site survey of the cell site utilizing the 3D model to collect and obtain information about the cell site, the cell tower, the one or more buildings, and the interiors thereof. In a further exemplary embodiment, a non-transitory computer readable medium includes instructions that, when executed, cause one or more processors to perform the steps of receiving a plurality of photographs of a cell site including a cell tower and one or more buildings and interiors thereof processing the plurality of photographs to define a three dimensional (3D) model of the cell site based on one or more objects of interest in the plurality of photographs, subsequent to receiving the photographs; and rendering a Graphical User Interface of the 3D model for remote performance of a site survey of the cell site utilizing the 3D model to collect and obtain information about the cell site, the cell tower, the one or more buildings, and the interiors thereof. The virtual site survey can perform anything remotely that traditionally would have required on-site presence, including the various aspects of the cell site audit 40 described herein. The GUI of the 3D model can be used to check plumbing of coaxial cabling, connectivity of all cabling, automatic identification of cabling endpoints such as through unique identifiers detected on the cabling, and the like. The GUI can further be used to check power plant and batteries, power panels, physical hardware, grounding, heating and air conditioning, generators, safety equipment, and the like. The 3D model can be utilized to automatically provide engineering drawings, such as responsive to the planning for new equipment or changes to existing equipment. Here, the GUI can have a library of equipment (e.g., approved equipment and vendor information can be periodically imported into the GUI). Normal drag and drop operations in the GUI can be used for equipment placement from the library. Also, the GUI system can include error checking, e.g., a particular piece of equipment is incompatible with placement or in violation of policies, and the like. § 13.0 Close-Out Audit Systems and Methods Again, a close-out audit is done to document and verify the work performed at the cell site 10. The systems and methods eliminate the separate third-party inspection firm for the close-out audit. The systems and methods include the installers (i.e., from the third-party installation firm, the owner, the operator, etc.) performing video capture subsequent to the installation and maintenance and using various techniques to obtain data from the video capture for the close-out audit. The close-out audit can be performed off-site with the data from the video capture thereby eliminating unnecessary tower climbs, site visits, and the like. Referring to FIG. 24, in an exemplary embodiment, a flowchart illustrates a close-out audit method 1350 performed at a cell site subsequent to maintenance or installation work. The close-out audit method 1350 includes, subsequent to the maintenance or installation work, obtaining video capture of cell site components associated with the work (step 1352); subsequent to the video capture, processing the video capture to obtain data for the close-out audit, wherein the processing comprises identifying the cell site components associated with the work (step 1354); and creating a close-out audit package based on the processed video capture, wherein the close-out audit package provides verification of the maintenance or installation work and outlines that the maintenance or installation work was performed in a manner consistent with an operator or owner's guidelines (step 1356). The video capture can be performed by a mobile device and one or more of locally stored thereon and transmitted from the mobile device. The video capture can also be performed by a mobile device which wirelessly transmits a live video feed, and the video capture is remotely stored from the cell site. The video capture can also be performed by an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) flown at the cell site. Further, the video capture can be a live video feed with two-way communication between an installer associated with the maintenance or installation work and personnel associated with the operator or owner to verify the maintenance or installation work. For example, the installer and the personnel can communicate to go through various items in the maintenance or installation work to check/audit the work. The close-out audit method 1350 can also include creating a three-dimensional (3D) model from the video capture; determining equipment location from the 3D model; measuring distances between the equipment and within the equipment to determine actual spatial location; and determining connectivity between the equipment based on associated cabling from the 3D model. The close-out audit method 1350 can also include uniquely identifying the cell site components from the video capture and distinguishing in the close-out audit package. The close-out audit method 1350 can also include determining antenna height, azimuth, and down tilt angles for antennas in the cell site components from the video capture; and checking the antenna height, azimuth, and down tilt angles against predetermined specifications. The close-out audit method 1350 can also include identifying cabling and connectivity between the cell site components from the video capture and distinguishing in the close-out audit package. The close-out audit method 1350 can also include checking a plurality of factors in the close-out audit from the video capture compared to the operator or owner's guidelines. The close-out audit method 1350 can also include checking the grounding of the cell site components from the video capture, comparing the checked grounding to the operator or owner's guidelines and distinguishing in the close-out audit package. The close-out audit method 1350 can also include checking mechanical connectivity of the cell site components to a cell tower based on the video capture and distinguishing in the close-out audit package. In another exemplary embodiment, a system adapted for a close-out audit of a cell site subsequent to maintenance or installation work includes a network interface and a processor communicatively coupled to one another; and memory storing instructions that, when executed, cause the processor to, subsequent to the maintenance or installation work, obtain video capture of cell site components associated with the work; subsequent to the video capture, process the video capture to obtain data for the close-out audit, wherein the processing comprises identifying the cell site components associated with the work; and create a close-out audit package based on the processed video capture, wherein the close-out audit package provides verification of the maintenance or installation work and outlines that the maintenance or installation work was performed in a manner consistent with an operator or owner's guidelines. In a further exemplary embodiment, a non-transitory computer readable medium includes instructions that, when executed, cause one or more processors to perform the steps of, subsequent to the maintenance or installation work, obtaining video capture of cell site components associated with the work; subsequent to the video capture, processing the video capture to obtain data for the close-out audit, wherein the processing comprises identifying the cell site components associated with the work; and creating a close-out audit package based on the processed video capture, wherein the close-out audit package provides verification of the maintenance or installation work and outlines that the maintenance or installation work was performed in a manner consistent with an operator or owner's guidelines. The close-out audit package can include, without limitation, drawings, cell site component settings, test results, equipment lists, pictures, commissioning data, GPS data, Antenna height, azimuth and down tilt data, equipment data, serial numbers, cabling, etc. § 14.0 3D Modeling Systems and Methods Referring to FIG. 25, in an exemplary embodiment, a flowchart illustrates a 3D modeling method 1400 to detect configuration and site changes. The 3D modeling method 1400 utilizes various techniques to obtain data, to create 3D models, and to detect changes in configurations and surroundings. The 3D models can be created at two or more different points in time, and with the different 3D models, a comparison can be made to detect the changes. Advantageously, the 3D modeling systems and methods allow cell site operators to manage the cell sites without repeated physical site surveys efficiently. The modeling method 1400 includes obtaining first data regarding the cell site from a first audit performed using one or more data acquisition techniques and obtaining second data regarding the cell site from a second audit performed using the one or more data acquisition techniques, wherein the second audit is performed at a different time than the first audit, and wherein the first data and the second data each comprise one or more location identifiers associated therewith (step 1402); processing the first data to define a first model of the cell site using the associated one or more location identifiers and processing the second data to define a second model of the cell site using the associated one or more location identifiers (step 1404); comparing the first model with the second model to identify the changes in or at the cell site (step 1406); and performing one or more actions based on the identified changes (step 1408). The one or more actions can include any remedial or corrective actions including maintenance, landscaping, mechanical repair, licensing from operators who install more cell site components 14 than agreed upon, and the like. The identified changes can be associated with cell site components installed on a cell tower at the cell site, and wherein the one or more actions comprises any of maintenance, licensing with operators, and removal. The identified changes can be associated with physical surroundings of the cell site, and wherein the one or more actions comprise maintenance to correct the identified changes. The identified changes can include any of degradation of gravel roads, trees obstructing a cell tower, physical hazards at the cell site, and mechanical issues with the cell tower or a shelter at the cell site. The first data and the second data can be obtained remotely, without a tower climb. The first model and the second model each can include a three-dimensional model of the cell site, displayed in a Graphical User Interface (GUI). The one or more data acquisition techniques can include using an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) to capture the first data and the second data. The one or more data acquisition techniques can include using a fixed or portable camera to capture the first data and the second data. The one or more location identifiers can include at least two location identifiers comprising Global Positioning Satellite (GPS) and GLObal NAvigation Satellite System (GLONASS). The second model can be created using the first model as a template for expected objects at the cell site. In another exemplary embodiment, a modeling system adapted for detecting changes in or at a cell site includes a network interface and a processor communicatively coupled to one another; and memory storing instructions that, when executed, cause the processor to obtain first data regarding the cell site from a first audit performed using one or more data acquisition techniques and obtain second data regarding the cell site from a second audit performed using the one or more data acquisition techniques, wherein the second audit is performed at a different time than the first audit, and wherein the first data and the second data each comprise one or more location identifiers associated therewith; process the first data to define a first model of the cell site using the associated one or more location identifiers and process the second data to define a second model of the cell site using the associated one or more location identifiers; compare the first model with the second model to identify the changes in or at the cell site; and cause performance of one or more actions based on the identified changes. In a further exemplary embodiment, a non-transitory computer readable medium includes instructions that, when executed, cause one or more processors to perform the steps of obtaining first data regarding the cell site from a first audit performed using one or more data acquisition techniques and obtaining second data regarding the cell site from a second audit performed using the one or more data acquisition techniques, wherein the second audit is performed at a different time than the first audit, and wherein the first data and the second data each comprise one or more location identifiers associated therewith; processing the first data to define a first model of the cell site using the associated one or more location identifiers and processing the second data to define a second model of the cell site using the associated one or more location identifiers; comparing the first model with the second model to identify the changes in or at the cell site; and performing one or more actions based on the identified changes. § 15.0 3D Modeling Data Capture Systems and Methods Again, various exemplary embodiments herein describe applications and uses of 3D models of the cell site 10 and the cell tower 12. Further, it has been described using the UAV 50 to obtain data capture for creating the 3D model. The data capture systems and methods described herein provide various techniques and criteria for properly capturing images or video using the UAV 50. Referring to FIG. 26, in an exemplary embodiment, a flow diagram illustrates a 3D model creation process 1700. The 3D model creation process 1700 is implemented on a server or the like. The 3D model creation process 1700 includes receiving input data, i.e., pictures and/or video. The data capture systems and methods describe various techniques for obtaining the pictures and/or video using the UAV 50 at the cell site 10. In an exemplary embodiment, the pictures can be at least 10 megapixels, and the video can be at least 4 k high definition video. The 3D model creation process 1700 performs initial processing on the input data (step 1702). An output of the initial processing includes a sparse point cloud, a quality report, and an output file can be camera outputs. The sparse point cloud is processed into a point cloud and mesh (step 1704) providing a densified point cloud and 3D outputs. The 3D model is an output of the step 1704. Other models can be developed by further processing the densified point cloud (step 1706) to provide a Digital Surface Model (DSM), an orthomosaic, tiles, contour lines, etc. The data capture systems and methods include capturing thousands of images or video which can be used to provide images. Referring to FIG. 27, in an exemplary embodiment, a flowchart illustrates a method 1750 using an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) to obtain data capture at a cell site for developing a three dimensional (3D) thereof. The method 1750 includes causing the UAV to fly a given flight path about a cell tower at the cell site (step 1752); obtaining data capture during the flight path about the cell tower, wherein the data capture comprises a plurality of photos or video, wherein the flight path is subjected to a plurality of constraints for the obtaining, and wherein the data capture comprises one or more location identifiers (step 1754); and, subsequent to the obtaining, processing the data capture to define a three dimensional (3D) model of the cell site based on one or more objects of interest in the data capture (step 1756). The method 1750 can further include remotely performing a site survey of the cell site utilizing a Graphical User Interface (GUI) of the 3D model to collect and obtain information about the cell site, the cell tower, one or more buildings, and interiors thereof (step 1758). As a launch location and launch orientation can be defined for the UAV to take off and land at the cell site such that each flight at the cell site has the same launch location and launch orientation. The one or more location identifiers can include at least two location identifiers including Global Positioning Satellite (GPS) and GLObal NAvigation Satellite System (GLONASS). The plurality of constraints can include each flight of the UAV having a similar lighting condition and at about a same time of day. Specifically, the data capture can be performed on different days or times to update the 3D model. Importantly, the method 1750 can require the data capture in the same lighting conditions, e.g., sunny, cloudy, etc., and at about the same time of day to account for shadows. The data capture can include a plurality of photographs each with at least 10 megapixels and wherein the plurality of constraints can include each photograph having at least 75% overlap with another photograph. Specifically, the significant overlap allows for ease in processing to create the 3D model. The data capture can include a video with at least 4 k high definition and wherein the plurality of constraints can include capturing a screen from the video as a photograph having at least 75% overlap with another photograph captured from the video. The plurality of constraints can include a plurality of flight paths around the cell tower with each of the plurality of flight paths at one or more of different elevations, different camera angles, and different focal lengths for a camera. The plurality of flight paths can be one of a first flight path at a first height and a camera angle and a second flight path at a second height and the camera angle; and a first flight path at the first height and a first camera angle and a second flight path at the first height and a second camera angle. The plurality of flight paths can be substantially circular around the cell tower. In another exemplary embodiment, an apparatus adapted to obtain data capture at a cell site for developing a three dimensional (3D) thereof includes a network interface and a processor communicatively coupled to one another; and memory storing instructions that, when executed, cause the processor to cause the UAV to fly a given flight path about a cell tower at the cell site; cause data capture during the flight path about the cell tower, wherein the data capture comprises a plurality of photos or video, wherein the flight path is subjected to a plurality of constraints for the data capture, and wherein the data capture comprises one or more location identifiers; and, subsequent to the data capture, process the data capture to define a three dimensional (3D) model of the cell site based on one or more objects of interest in the data capture. § 15.1 3D Methodology for Cell Sites Referring to FIG. 28, in an exemplary embodiment, a flowchart illustrates a 3D modeling method 1800 for capturing data at the cell site 10, the cell tower 12, etc. using the UAV 50. The method 1800, in addition to or in combination with the method 1750, provides various techniques for accurately capturing data for building a point cloud generated a 3D model of the cell site 10. First, the data acquisition, i.e., the performance of the method 1800, should be performed in the early morning or afternoon such that nothing is overexposed and there is a minimum reflection off of the cell tower 12. It is also important to have a low Kp Index level to minimize the disruption of geomagnetic activity on the UAV's GPS unit, sub level six is adequate for 3D modeling as described in this claim. Of course, it is also important to ensure the camera lenses on the UAV 50 are clean prior to launch. This can be done by cleaning the lenses with alcohol and a wipe. Thus, the method 1800 includes preparing the UAV 50 for flight and programming an autonomous flight path about the cell tower 12 (step 1802). The UAV 50 flight about the cell tower 12 at the cell site 10 can be autonomous, i.e., automatic without manual control of the actual flight plan in real-time. The advantage here with autonomous flight is the flight of the UAV 50 is circular as opposed to a manual flight which can be more elliptical, oblong, or have gaps in data collection, etc. In an exemplary embodiment, the autonomous flight of the UAV 50 can capture data equidistance around the planned circular flight path by using a Point of Interest (POI) flight mode. The POI flight mode is selected (either before or after takeoff), and once the UAV 50 is in flight, an operator can select a point of interest from a view of the UAV 50, such as but not limited to via the mobile device 100 which is in communication with the UAV 50. The view is provided by the camera 86, and the UAV 50 in conjunction with the device identifier to be in communication with the UAV 50 can determine a flight plan about the point of interest. In the method 1800, the point of interest can be the cell tower 12. The point of interest can be selected at an appropriate altitude and once selected, the UAV 50 circles in flight about the point of interest. Further, the radius, altitude, direction, and speed can be set for the point of interest flight as well as a number of repetitions of the circle. Advantageously, the point of interest flight path in a circle provides an even distance about the cell tower 12 for obtaining photos and video thereof for the 3D model. In an exemplary embodiment of a tape drop model, the UAV 50 will perform four orbits about a monopole cell tower 12 and about five or six orbits about a self-support/guyed cell tower 12. In the exemplary embodiment of a structural analysis model, the number of orbits will be increased from 2 to 3 times to acquire the data needed to construct a more realistic graphic user interface model. Additionally, the preparation can also include focusing the camera 86 in its view of the cell tower 12 to set the proper exposure. Specifically, if the camera 86's view is too bright or too dark, the 3D modeling software will have issues in matching pictures or frames together to build the 3D model. Once the preparation is complete and the flight path is set (step 1802), the UAV 50 flies in a plurality of orbits about the cell tower 12 (step 1804). The UAV obtains photos and/or video of the cell tower 12 and the cell site components 14 during each of the plurality of orbits (step 1806). Note, each of the plurality of orbits has different characteristics for obtaining the photos and/or video. Finally, photos and/or video is used to define a 3D model of the cell site 10 (step 1808). For the plurality of orbits, a first orbit is around the entire cell site 10 to cover the entire cell tower 12 and associated surroundings. For monopole cell towers 12, the radius of the first orbit will typically range from 100 to 150 ft. For self-support cell towers 12, the radius can be up to 200 ft. The UAV 50's altitude should be slightly higher than that of the cell tower for the first orbit. The camera 86 should be tilted slightly down capturing more ground in the background than sky to provide more texture helping the software match the photos. The first orbit should be at a speed of about 4 ft/second (this provides a good speed for battery efficiency and photo spacing). A photo should be taken around every two seconds or at 80 percent overlap decreasing the amount that edges and textures move from each photo. This allows the software to relate those edge/texture points to each photo called tie points. A second orbit of the plurality of orbits should be closer to the radiation centers of the cell tower 12, typically 30 to 50 ft with an altitude still slightly above the cell tower 12 with the camera 86 pointing downward. The operator should make sure all the cell site components 12 and antennas are in the frame including those on the opposite side of the cell tower 12. This second orbit will allow the 3D model to create better detail on the structure and equipment in between the antennas and the cell site components 14. This will allow contractors to make measurements on equipment between those antennas. The orbit should be done at a speed around 2.6 ft/second and still take photos close to every 2 seconds or keeping an 80 percent overlap. A third orbit of the plurality of orbits has a lower altitude to around the mean distance between all of the cell site components 14 (e.g., Radio Access Devices (RADs)). With the lower altitude, the camera 86 is raised up such as 5 degrees or more because the ground will have moved up in the frame. This new angle and altitude will allow a full profile of all the antennas and the cell site components 14 to be captured. The orbit will still have a radius around 30 to 50 ft with a speed of about 2.6 ft/second. The next orbit should be for a self-support cell tower 12. Here, the orbit is expanded to around 50 to 60 ft, and the altitude decreased slightly below the cell site components 14 and the camera 86 angled slightly down more capturing all of the cross barring of the self-support structure. All of the structure to the ground does not need to be captured for this orbit but close to it. The portion close to the ground will be captured in the next orbit. However, there needs to be clear spacing in whatever camera angle is chosen. The cross members in the foreground should be spaced enough for the cross members on the other side of the cell tower 12 to be visible. This is done for self-support towers 12 because of the complexity of the structure and the need for better detail which is not needed for monopoles in this area. The first orbit for monopoles provides more detail because they are at a closer distance with the cell towers 12 lower height. The speed of the orbit can be increased to around 3 ft/second with the same spacing. The last orbit for all cell towers 12 should have an increased radius to around 60 to 80 ft with the camera 86 looking more downward at the cell site 10. The altitude should be decreased to get closer to the cell site 10 compound. The altitude should be around 60 to 80 ft but will change slightly depending on the size of the cell site 10 compound. The angle of the camera 86 with the altitude should be such as where the sides and tops of structures such as the shelters will be visible throughout the orbit. It is important to make sure the whole cell site 10 compound is in the frame for the entire orbit allowing the capture of every side of everything inside the compound including the fencing. The speed of the orbit should be around 3.5 ft/second with same photo time spacing and overlap. The total amount of photos that should be taken for a monopole cell tower 12 should be around 300-400 and the total amount of photos for self-support cell tower 12 should be between 400-500 photos. Too many photos can indicate that the photos were taken too close together. Photos taken in succession with more than 80 percent overlap can cause errors in the processing of the model and cause extra noise around the details of the tower and lower the distinguishable parts for the software. § 16.0 3D Modeling Data Capture Systems and Methods Using Multiple Cameras Referring to FIGS. 29A and 29B, in an exemplary embodiment, block diagrams illustrate a UAV 50 with multiple cameras 86A, 86B, 86C (FIG. 29A) and a camera array 1900 (FIG. 29B). The UAV 50 can include the multiple cameras 86A, 86B, 86C which can be located physically apart on the UAV 50. In another exemplary embodiment, the multiple cameras 86A, 86B, 86C can be in a single housing. In all embodiments, each of the multiple cameras 86A, 86B, 86C can be configured to take a picture of a different location, different area, different focus, etc. That is, the cameras 86A, 86B, 86C can be angled differently, have a different focus, etc. The objective is for the cameras 86A, 86B, 86C together to cover a larger area than a single camera 86. In a conventional approach for 3D modeling, the camera 86 is configured to take hundreds of pictures for the 3D model. For example, as described with respect to the 3D modeling method 1800, 300-500 pictures are required for an accurate 3D model. In practice, using the limitations described in the 3D modeling method 1800, this process, such as with the UAV 50, can take hours. It is the objective of the systems and methods with multiple cameras to streamline this process such as reduce this time by half or more. The cameras 86A, 86B, 86C are coordinated and communicatively coupled to one another and the processor 102. In FIG. 29B, the camera array 1900 includes a plurality of cameras 1902. Each of the cameras 1902 can be individual cameras each with its own settings, i.e., angle, zoom, focus, etc. The camera array 1900 can be mounted on the UAV 50, such as the camera 86. The camera array 1900 can also be portable, mounted on or at the cell site 10, and the like. In the systems and methods herein, the cameras 86A, 86B, 86C and the camera array 1900 are configured to work cooperatively to obtain pictures to create a 3D model. In an exemplary embodiment, the 3D model is a cell site 10. As described herein, the systems and methods utilize at least two cameras, e.g., the cameras 86A, 86B, or two cameras 1902 in the camera array 1900. Of course, there can be greater than two cameras. The multiple cameras are coordinated such that one event where pictures are taken produce at least two pictures. Thus, to capture 300-500 pictures, less than 150-250 pictures are actually taken. Referring to FIG. 30, in an exemplary embodiment, a flowchart illustrates a method 1950 using multiple cameras to obtain accurate three-dimensional (3D) modeling data. In the method 1950, the multiple cameras are used with the UAV 50, but other embodiments are also contemplated. The method 1950 includes causing the UAV to fly a given flight path about a cell tower at the cell site (step 1952); obtaining data capture during the flight path about the cell tower, wherein the data capture includes a plurality of photos or video subject to a plurality of constraints, wherein the plurality of photos are obtained by a plurality of cameras which are coordinated with one another (step 1954); and, subsequent to the obtaining, processing the data capture to define a three dimensional (3D) model of the cell site based on one or more objects of interest in the data capture (step 1956). The method 1950 can further include remotely performing a site survey of the cell site utilizing a Graphical User Interface (GUI) of the 3D model to collect and obtain information about the cell site, the cell tower, one or more buildings, and interiors thereof (step 1958). The flight path can include a plurality of orbits comprising at least four orbits around the cell tower each with a different set of characteristics of altitude, radius, and camera angle. A launch location and launch orientation can be defined for the UAV to take off and land at the cell site such that each flight at the cell site has the same launch location and launch orientation. The plurality of constraints can include each flight of the UAV having a similar lighting condition and at about a same time of day. A total number of photos can include around 300-400 for the monopole cell tower and 500-600 for the self-support cell tower, and the total number is taken concurrently by the plurality of cameras. The data capture can include a plurality of photographs each with at least 10 megapixels and wherein the plurality of constraints comprises each photograph having at least 75% overlap with another photograph. The data capture can include a video with at least 4 k high definition and wherein the plurality of constraints can include capturing a screen from the video as a photograph having at least 75% overlap with another photograph captured from the video. The plurality of constraints can include a plurality of flight paths around the cell tower with each of the plurality of flight paths at one or more of different elevations and each of the plurality of cameras with different camera angles and different focal lengths. In another exemplary embodiment, an apparatus adapted to obtain data capture at a cell site for developing a three dimensional (3D) thereof includes a network interface and a processor communicatively coupled to one another; and memory storing instructions that, when executed, cause the processor to cause the UAV to fly a given flight path about a cell tower at the cell site; obtain data capture during the flight path about the cell tower, wherein the data capture comprises a plurality of photos or video subject to a plurality of constraints, wherein the plurality of photos are obtained by a plurality of cameras which are coordinated with one another; and process the obtained data capture to define a three dimensional (3D) model of the cell site based on one or more objects of interest in the data capture. In a further exemplary embodiment, an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) adapted to obtain data capture at a cell site for developing a three dimensional (3D) thereof includes one or more rotors disposed to a body; a plurality of cameras associated with the body; wireless interfaces; a processor coupled to the wireless interfaces and the camera; and memory storing instructions that, when executed, cause the processor to fly the UAV about a given flight path about a cell tower at the cell site; obtain data capture during the flight path about the cell tower, wherein the data capture comprises a plurality of photos or video, wherein the plurality of photos are obtained by a plurality of cameras which are coordinated with one another; and provide the obtained data for a server to process the obtained data capture to define a three dimensional (3D) model of the cell site based on one or more objects of interest in the data capture. § 17.0 Multiple Camera Apparatus and Process Referring to FIGS. 31 and 32, in an exemplary embodiment, diagrams illustrate a multiple camera apparatus 2000 and use of the multiple camera apparatus 2000 in the shelter or cabinet 52 or the interior 900 of the building 902. As previously described herein, the camera 930 can be used in the interior 900 for obtaining photos for 3D modeling and for virtual site surveys. The multiple camera apparatus 2000 is an improvement to the camera 930, enabling multiple photos to be taken simultaneously of different views, angles, zoom, etc. In an exemplary embodiment, the multiple camera apparatus 2000 can be operated by a technician at the building 902 to quickly, efficiently, and properly obtain photos for a 3D model of the interior 900. In another exemplary embodiment, the multiple camera apparatus 2000 can be mounted in the interior 900 and remotely controlled by an operator. The multiple camera apparatus 2000 includes a post 2002 with a plurality of cameras 2004 disposed or attached to the post 2002. The plurality of cameras 2004 can be interconnected to one another and to a control unit 2006 on the post. The control unit 2006 can include user controls to cause the cameras 2004 to each take a photo and memory for storing the photos from the cameras 2004. The control unit 2006 can further include communication mechanisms to provide the captured photos to a system for 3D modeling (either via a wired and/or wireless connection). In an exemplary embodiment, the post 2002 can be about 6′ and the cameras 2004 can be positioned to enable data capture from the floor to the ceiling of the interior 900. The multiple camera apparatus 2000 can include other physical embodiments besides the post 2002. For example, the multiple camera apparatus 2000 can include a box with the multiple cameras 2004 disposed therein. In another example, the multiple camera apparatus 2000 can include a handheld device which includes the multiple cameras 2004. The objective of the multiple camera apparatus 2000 is to enable a technician (either on-site or remote) to quickly capture photos (through the use of the multiple cameras 2004) for a 3D model and to properly capture the photos (through the multiple cameras 2004 have different zooms, angles, etc.). That is, the multiple camera apparatus 2000 ensures the photo capture is sufficient to accurately develop the 3D model, avoiding potentially revisiting the building 902. Referring to FIG. 33, in an exemplary embodiment, a flowchart illustrates a data capture method 2050 in the interior 900 using the multiple camera apparatus 2000. The method 2050 includes obtaining or providing the multiple camera apparatus 2000 at the shelter or cabinet 52 or the interior 900 of the building 902 and positioning the multiple camera apparatus 2000 therein (step 2052). The method 2050 further includes causing the plurality of cameras 2004 to take photos based on the positioning (step 2054) and repositioning the multiple camera apparatus 2000 at a different location in the shelter or cabinet 52 or the interior 900 of the building 902 to take additional photos (step 2056). Finally, the photos taken by the cameras 2004 are provided to a 3D modeling system to develop a 3D model of the shelter or cabinet 52 or the interior 900 of the building 902, such as for a virtual site survey (step 2058). The repositioning step 2056 can include moving the multiple camera apparatus to each corner of the shelter, the cabinet, or the interior of the building. The repositioning step 2056 can include moving the multiple camera apparatus to each row of equipment in the shelter, the cabinet, or the interior of the building. The multiple camera apparatus can include a pole with the plurality of cameras disposed thereon, each of the plurality of cameras configured for a different view. The plurality of cameras are communicatively coupled to a control unit for the causing step 2054 and/or the providing step 2058. Each of the plurality of cameras can be configured on the multiple camera apparatus for a different view, zoom, and/or angle. The method 2050 can include analyzing the photos subsequent to the repositioning; and determining whether the photos are suitable for the 3D model, and responsive to the photos not being suitable for the 3D model, instructing a user to retake the photos which are not suitable. The method 2050 can include combing the photos of the shelter, the cabinet, or the interior of the building with photos of a cell tower at the cell site, to form a 3D model of the cell site. The method 2050 can include performing a virtual site survey of the cell site using the 3D model. The repositioning step 2056 can be based on a review of the photos taken in the causing. In a further exemplary embodiment, a method for obtaining data capture at a cell site for developing a three dimensional (3D) thereof includes obtaining or providing the multiple camera apparatus comprising a plurality of cameras at a shelter, a cabinet, or an interior of a building and positioning the multiple camera apparatus therein; causing the plurality of cameras to simultaneously take photos based on the positioning; repositioning the multiple camera apparatus at a different location in the shelter, the cabinet, or the interior of the building to take additional photos; obtaining exterior photos of a cell tower connect to the shelter, the cabinet, or the interior of the building; and providing the photos taken by the multiple camera apparatus and the exterior photos to a 3D modeling system to develop a 3D model of the cell site, for a virtual site survey thereof. § 18.0 Cell Site Verification Using 3D Modeling Referring to FIG. 34, in an exemplary embodiment, a flowchart illustrates a method 2100 for verifying equipment and structures at the cell site 10 using 3D modeling. As described herein, an intermediate step in the creation of a 3D model includes a point cloud, e.g., a sparse or dense point cloud. A point cloud is a set of data points in some coordinate system, e.g., in a three-dimensional coordinate system, these points are usually defined by X, Y, and Z coordinates, and can be used to represent the external surface of an object. Here, the object can be anything associated with the cell site 10, e.g., the cell tower 12, the cell site components 14, etc. As part of the 3D model creation process, a large number of points on an object's surface are determined, and the output is a point cloud in a data file. The point cloud represents the set of points that the device has measured. Various descriptions were presented herein for site surveys, close-out audits, etc. In a similar manner, there is a need to continually monitor the state of the cell site 10. Specifically, as described herein, conventional site monitoring techniques typically include tower climbs. The UAV 50 and the various approaches described herein provide safe and more efficient alternatives to tower climbs. Additionally, the UAV 50 can be used to provide cell site 10 verification to monitor for site compliance, structural or load issues, defects, and the like. The cell site 10 verification can utilize point clouds to compare “before” and “after” data capture to detect differences. With respect to site compliance, the cell site 10 is typically owned and operated by a cell site operator (e.g., real estate company or the like) separate from cell service providers with their associated cell site components 14. The typical transaction includes leases between these parties with specific conditions, e.g., the number of antennas, the amount of equipment, the location of equipment, etc. It is advantageous for cell site operators to periodically audit/verify the state of the cell site 10 with respect to compliance, i.e., has cell service provider A added more cell site components 10 than authorized? Similarly, it is important for cell site operators to periodically check the cell site 10 to proactively detect load issues (too much equipment on the structure of the cell tower 12), defects (equipment detached from the structure), etc. One approach to verifying the cell site 10 is a site survey, including the various approaches to site surveys described herein, including the use of 3D models for remote site surveys. In various exemplary embodiments, the method 2100 provides a quick and automated mechanism to quickly detect concerns (i.e., compliance issues, defects, load issues, etc.) using point clouds. Specifically, the method 2100 includes creating an initial point cloud for a cell site 10 or obtaining the initial point cloud from a database (step 2102). The initial point cloud can represent a known good condition, i.e., with no compliance issues, load issues, defects, etc. For example, the initial point cloud could be developed as part of the close-out audit, etc. The initial point cloud can be created using the various data acquisition techniques described herein using the UAV 50. Also, a database can be used to store the initial point cloud. The initial point cloud is loaded in a device, such as the UAV 50 (step 2104). The point cloud data files can be stored in the memory in a processing device associated with the UAV 50. In an exemplary embodiment, multiple point cloud data files can be stored in the UAV 50, allowing the UAV 50 to be deployed to perform the method 2100 at a plurality of cell sites 10. The device (UAV 50) can be used to develop a second point cloud based on current conditions at the cell site 10 (step 2106). Again, the UAV 50 can use the techniques described herein relative to data acquisition to develop the second point cloud. Note, it is preferable to use a similar data acquisition for both the initial point cloud and the second point cloud, e.g., similar takeoff locations/orientations, similar paths about the cell tower 12, etc. This ensures similarity in the data capture. In an exemplary embodiment, the initial point cloud is loaded to the UAV 50 along with instructions on how to perform the data acquisition for the second point cloud. The second point cloud is developed at a current time, i.e., when it is desired to verify aspects associated with the cell site 10. Variations are detected between the initial point cloud and the second point cloud (step 2108). The variations could be detected by the UAV 50, in an external server, in a database, etc. The objective here is the initial point cloud and the second point cloud provides a quick and efficient comparison to detect differences, i.e., variations. The method 2100 includes determining if the variations are ant of compliance related, load issues, or defects (step 2110). Note, variations can be simply detected based on raw data differences between the point clouds. The step 2110 requires additional processing to determine what the underlying differences are. In an exemplary embodiment, the variations are detected in the UAV 50, and, if detected, additional processing is performed by a server to actually determine the differences based on creating a 3D model of each of the point clouds. Finally, the second point cloud can be stored in the database for future processing (step 2112). An operator of the cell site 10 can be notified via any technique of any determined variations or differences for remedial action based thereon (addressing non-compliance, performing maintenance to fix defects or load issues, etc.). § 19.0 Cell Site Audit and Survey Via Photo Stitching Photo stitching or linking is a technique where multiple photos of either overlapping fields of view or adjacent fields of view are linked together to produce a virtual view or segmented panorama of an area. A common example of this approach is the so-called Street view offered by online map providers. In various exemplary embodiments, the systems and methods enable a remote user to perform a cell site audit, survey, site inspection, etc. using a User Interface (UI) with photo stitching/linking to view the cell site 10. The various activities can include any of the aforementioned activities described herein. Further, the photos can also be obtained using any of the aforementioned techniques. Of note, the photos required for a photo stitched UI are significantly less than those required by the 3D model. However, the photo stitched UI can be based on the photos captured for the 3D model, e.g., a subset of the photos. Alternatively, the photo capture for the photo stitched UI can be captured separately. Variously, the photos for the UI are captured, and a linkage is provided between photos. The linkage allows a user to navigate between photos to view up, down, left, or right, i.e., to navigate the cell site 10 via the UI. The linkage can be noted in a photo database with some adjacency indicator. The linkage can be manually entered via a user reviewing the photos or automatically based on location tags associated with the photos. Referring to FIG. 35, in an exemplary embodiment, a diagram illustrates a photo stitching UI 2200 for cell site audits, surveys, inspections, etc. remotely. The UI 2200 is viewed by a computer accessing a database of a plurality of photos with the linkage between each other based on adjacency. The photos are of the cell site 10 and can include the cell tower 12 and associated cell site components as well as interior photos of the shelter or cabinet 52 of the interior 900. The UI 2200 displays a photo of the cell site 12 and the user can navigate to the left to a photo 2202, to the right to a photo 2204, up to a photo 2206, or down to a photo 2208. The navigation between the photos 2202, 2204, 2206, 2208 is based on the links between the photos. In an exemplary embodiment, a navigation icon 2210 is shown in the UI 2200 from which the user can navigate the UI 2200. Also, the navigation can include opening and closing a door to the shelter or cabinet 52. In an exemplary embodiment, the UI 2200 can include one of the photos 2202, 2204, 2206, 2208 at a time with the navigation moving to a next photo. In another exemplary embodiment, the navigation can scroll through the photos 2202, 2204, 2206, 2208 seamlessly. In either approach, the UI 2200 allows virtual movement around the cell site 10 remotely. The photos 2202, 2204, 2206, 2208 can each be a high-resolution photo, e.g., 8 megapixels or more. From the photos 2202, 2204, 2206, 2208, the user can read labels on equipment, check cable runs, check equipment location and installation, check cabling, etc. Also, the user can virtually scale the cell tower 12 avoiding a tower climb. An engineer can use the UI 2200 to perform site expansion, e.g., where to install new equipment. Further, once the new equipment is installed, the associated photos can be updated to reflect the new equipment. It is not necessary to update all photos, but rather only the photos of new equipment locations. The photos 2202, 2204, 2206, 2208 can be obtained using the data capture techniques described herein. The camera used for capturing the photos can be a 180, 270, or 360-degree camera. These cameras typically include multiple sensors allowing a single photo capture to capture a large view with a wide lens, fish eye lens, etc. The cameras can be mounted on the UAV 50 for capturing the cell tower 12, the multiple camera apparatus 2000, etc. Also, the cameras can be the camera 930 in the interior 900. Referring to FIG. 36, in an exemplary embodiment, a flowchart illustrates a method 2300 for performing a cell site audit or survey remotely via a User Interface (UI). The method 2300 includes, subsequent to capturing a plurality of photos of a cell site and linking the plurality of photos to one another based on their adjacency at the cell site, displaying the UI to a user remote from the cell site, wherein the plurality of photos cover a cell tower with associated cell site components and an interior of a building at the cell site (step 2302); receiving navigation commands from the user performing the cell site audit or survey (step 2304); and updating the displaying based on the navigation commands, wherein the navigation commands comprise one or more of movement at the cell site and zoom of a current view (step 2306). The capturing the plurality of photos can be performed for a cell tower with an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) flying about the cell tower. The linking the plurality of photos can be performed one of manually and automatically based on location identifiers associated with each photo. The user performing the cell site audit or survey can include determining a down tilt angle of one or more antennas of the cell site components based on measuring three points comprising two defined by each antenna and one by an associated support bar; determining plumb of the cell tower and/or the one or more antennas, azimuth of the one or more antennas using a location determination in the photos; determining dimensions of the cell site components; determining equipment type and serial number of the cell site components; and determining connections between the cell site components. The plurality of photos can be captured concurrently with developing a three-dimensional (3D) model of the cell site. The updating the displaying can include providing a new photo based on the navigation commands. The updating the displaying can include seamlessly panning between the plurality of photos based on the navigation commands. § 20.0 Subterranean 3D Modeling The foregoing descriptions provide techniques for developing a 3D model of the cell site 10, the cell tower 12, the cell site components 14, the shelter or cabinet 52, the interior 900 of the building 902, etc. The 3D model can be used for a cell site audit, survey, site inspection, etc. In addition, the 3D model can also include a subterranean model of the surrounding area associated with the cell site 10. Referring to FIG. 37, in an exemplary embodiment, a perspective diagram illustrates a 3D model 2400 of the cell site 10, the cell tower 12, the cell site components 14, and the shelter or cabinet 52 along with surrounding geography 2402 and subterranean geography 2404. Again, the 3D model 2400 of the cell site 10, the cell tower 12, the cell site components 14, and the shelter or cabinet 52 along with a 3D model of the interior 900 can be constructed using the various techniques described herein. In various exemplary embodiments, the systems and methods extend the 3D model 2400 to include the surrounding geography 2402 and the subterranean geography 2404. The surrounding geography 2402 represents the physical location around the cell site 10. This can include the cell tower 12, the shelter or cabinet 52, access roads, etc. The subterranean geography 2404 includes the area underneath the surrounding geography 2402. The 3D model 2400 portion of the surrounding geography 2402 and the subterranean geography 2404 can be used by operators and cell site 10 owners for a variety of purposes. First, the subterranean geography 2404 can show locations of utility constructions including electrical lines, water/sewer lines, gas lines, etc. Knowledge of the utility constructions can be used in site planning and expansion, i.e., where to build new structures, where to run new underground utility constructions, etc. For example, it would make sense to avoid new above-ground structures in the surrounding geography 2402 on top of gas lines or other utility constructions if possible. Second, the subterranean geography 2404 can provide insight into various aspects of the cell site 10 such as depth of support for the cell tower 12, the ability of the surrounding geography 2402 to support various structures, the health of the surrounding geography 2402, and the like. For example, for new cell site components 14 on the cell tower 12, the 3D model 2400 can be used to determine whether there will be support issues, i.e., a depth of the underground concrete supports of the cell tower 12. Data capture for the 3D model 2400 for the subterranean geography 2404 can use various known 3D subterranean modeling techniques such as sonar, ultrasound, LIDAR (Light Detection and Ranging), and the like. Also, the data capture for the 3D model 2400 can utilize external data sources such as utility databases which can include the location of the utility constructions noted by location coordinates (e.g., GPS). In an exemplary embodiment, the data capture can be verified with the external data sources, i.e., data from the external data sources can verify the data capture using the 3D subterranean modeling techniques. The 3D subterranean modeling techniques utilize a data capture device based on the associated technology. In an exemplary embodiment, the data capture device can be on the UAV 50. In addition to performing the data capture techniques described herein for the cell tower 12, the UAV 50 can perform data capture by flying around the surrounding geography 2402 with the data capture device aimed at the subterranean geography 2404. The UAV 50 can capture data for the 3D model 2400 for both the above ground components and the subterranean geography 2404. In another exemplary embodiment, the data capture device can be used separately from the UAV 50, such as via a human operator moving about the surrounding geography 2402 aiming the data capture device at the subterranean geography 2404, via a robot or the like with the data capture device connected thereto, and the like. Referring to FIG. 38, in an exemplary embodiment, a flowchart illustrates a method 2400 for creating a three-dimensional (3D) model of a cell site for one or more of a cell site audit, a site survey, and cell site planning and engineering. The method 2450 includes obtaining first data capture for above ground components including a cell tower, associated cell site components on the cell tower, one or more buildings, and surrounding geography around the cell site (step 2402); obtaining second data capture for subterranean geography associated with the surrounding geography (step 2404); utilizing the first data capture and the second data capture to develop the 3D model which includes both the above ground components and the subterranean geography (step 2406); and utilizing the 3D model to perform the one or more of the site audit, the site survey, and the cell site planning and engineering (step 2408). The method 2450 can further include obtaining third data capture of interiors of the one or more buildings; and utilizing the third data capture to develop the 3D model for the interiors. The obtaining second data capture can be performed with a data capture device using one of sonar, ultrasound, and LIDAR (Light Detection and Ranging). The obtaining first data capture can be performed with an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) flying about the cell tower, and wherein the obtaining second data capture can be performed with the data capture device on the UAV. The obtaining first data capture can be performed with an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) flying about the cell tower. The first data capture can include a plurality of photos or video subject to a plurality of constraints, wherein the plurality of photos are obtained by a plurality of cameras which are coordinated with one another. The 3D model can be presented in a Graphical User Interface (GUI) to perform the one or more of the site audit, the site survey, and the cell site planning and engineering. The subterranean geography in the 3D model can illustrate support structures of the cell tower and utility constructions in the surrounding geography. The method can further include utilizing an external data source to verify utility constructions in the second data capture for the subterranean geography. § 21.0 3D Model of Cell Sites for Modeling Fiber Connectivity As described herein, various approaches are described for 3D models for cell sites for cell site audits, site surveys, close-out audits, etc. which can be performed remotely (virtual). In an exemplary embodiment, the 3D model is further extended to cover surrounding areas focusing on fiber optic cables near the cell site. Specifically, with the fiber connectivity in the 3D model, backhaul connectivity can be determined remotely. Referring to FIG. 39, in an exemplary embodiment, a perspective diagram illustrates the 3D model 2400 of the cell site 10, the cell tower 12, the cell site components 14, and the shelter or cabinet 52 along with surrounding geography 2402, subterranean geography 2404, and fiber connectivity 2500. Again, the 3D model 2400 of the cell site 10, the cell tower 12, the cell site components 14, and the shelter or cabinet 52 along with a 3D model of the interior 900 can be constructed using the various techniques described herein. Specifically, FIG. 39 extends the 3D model 2400 in FIG. 38 and in other areas described herein to further include fiber cabling. As previously described, the systems and methods extend the 3D model 2400 to include the surrounding geography 2402 and the subterranean geography 2404. The surrounding geography 2402 represents the physical location around the cell site 10. This can include the cell tower 12, the shelter or cabinet 52, access roads, etc. The subterranean geography 2404 includes the area underneath the surrounding geography 2402. Additionally, the 3D model 2400 also includes the fiber connectivity 2500 including components above ground in the surrounding geography 2402 and as well as the subterranean geography 2404. The fiber connectivity 2500 can include poles 2502 and cabling 2504 on the poles 2502. The 3D model 2400 can include the fiber connectivity 2500 at the surrounding geography 2402 and the subterranean geography 2404. Also, the 3D model can extend out from the surrounding geography 2402 on a path associated with the fiber connectivity 2500 away from the cell site 10. Here, this can give the operator the opportunity to see where the fiber connectivity 2500 extends. Thus, various 3D models 2400 can provide a local view of the cell sites 10 as well as fiber connectivity 2500 in a geographic region. With this information, the operator can determine how close fiber connectivity 2500 is to current or future cell sites 10, as well as perform site planning. A geographic region can include a plurality of 3D models 2400 along with the fiber connectivity 2500 across the region. A collection of these 3D models 2400 in the region enables operators to perform more efficient site acquisition and planning. Data capture of the fiber connectivity 2500 can be through the UAV 50 as described herein. Advantageously, the UAV 50 is efficient to capture photos or video of the fiber connectivity 2500 without requiring site access (on the ground) as the poles 2502 and the cabling 2504 may traverse private property, etc. Also, other forms of data capture are contemplated such as via a car with a camera, a handheld camera, etc. The UAV 50 can be manually flown at the cell site 10, and once the cabling 2504 is identified, an operator can trace the cabling 2504 to capture photos or video for creating the 3D model 2400 with the fiber connectivity 2500. For example, the operator can identify the fiber connectivity 2500 near the cell site 10 in the surrounding geography 2402 and then cause the UAV 50 to fly a path similar to the path taken by the fiber connectivity 2500 while performing data capture. Once the data is captured, the photos or video can be used to develop a 3D model of the fiber connectivity 2500 which can be incorporated in the 3D model 2400. Also, the data capture can use the techniques for the subterranean geography 2404 as well. Referring to FIG. 40, in an exemplary embodiment, a flowchart illustrates a method 2550 for creating a three-dimensional (3D) model of a cell site and associated fiber connectivity for one or more of a cell site audit, a site survey, and cell site planning and engineering. The method 2550 includes determining fiber connectivity at or near the cell site (step 2552); obtaining first data capture of the fiber connectivity at or near the cell site (step 2554); obtaining second data capture of one or more paths of the fiber connectivity from the cell site (step 2556); obtaining third data capture of the cell site including a cell tower, associated cell site components on the cell tower, one or more buildings, and surrounding geography around the cell site (step 2558); utilizing the first data capture, the second data capture, and the third data capture to develop the 3D model which comprises the cell site and the fiber connectivity (step 2560); and utilizing the 3D model to perform the one or more of the site audit, the site survey, and the cell site planning and engineering (step 2560). The method 2550 can further include obtaining fourth data capture for subterranean geography associated with the surrounding geography of the cell site; and utilizing the fourth data capture with the first data capture, the second data capture, and the third data capture to develop the 3D model. The fourth data capture can be performed with a data capture device using one of sonar, ultrasound, photogrammetry, and LIDAR (Light Detection and Ranging). The method 2550 can further include obtaining fifth data capture of interiors of one or more buildings at the cell site; and utilizing the fifth data capture with the first data capture, the second data capture, the third data capture, and the fourth data capture to develop the 3D model. The obtaining first data capture and the obtaining second data capture can be performed with an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) flying about the cell tower with a data capture device on the UAV. An operator can cause the UAV to fly the one or more paths to obtain the second data capture. The obtaining first data capture, the obtaining second data capture, and the obtaining third data capture can be performed with an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) flying about the cell tower with a data capture device on the UAV. The third data capture can include a plurality of photos or video subject to a plurality of constraints, wherein the plurality of photos are obtained by a plurality of cameras which are coordinated with one another. The 3D model can be presented in a Graphical User Interface (GUI) to perform the one or more of the site audit, the site survey, and the cell site planning and engineering. In a further exemplary embodiment, an apparatus adapted to create a three-dimensional (3D) model of a cell site and associated fiber connectivity for one or more of a cell site audit, a site survey, and cell site planning and engineering includes a network interface, a data capture device, and a processor communicatively coupled to one another; and memory storing instructions that, when executed, cause the processor to determine fiber connectivity at or near the cell site based on feedback from the data capture device; obtain first data capture of the fiber connectivity at or near the cell site; obtain second data capture of one or more paths of the fiber connectivity from the cell site; obtain third data capture of the cell site including a cell tower, associated cell site components on the cell tower, one or more buildings, and surrounding geography around the cell site; utilize the first data capture, the second data capture, and the third data capture to develop the 3D model which comprises the cell site and the fiber connectivity; and utilize the 3D model to perform the one or more of the site audit, the site survey, and the cell site planning and engineering. § 22.0 Detecting Changes at the Cell Site and Surrounding Area Using UAVs Referring to FIG. 41, in an exemplary embodiment, a perspective diagram illustrates a cell site 10 with the surrounding geography 2402. FIG. 41 is an example of a typical cell site. The cell tower 12 can generally be classified as a self-support tower, a monopole tower, and a guyed tower. These three types of cell towers 12 have different support mechanisms. The self-support tower can also be referred to as a lattice tower, and it is free standing, with a triangular base with three or four sides. The monopole tower is a single tube tower, and it is also free-standing, but typically at a lower height than the self-support tower. The guyed tower is a straight rod supported by wires attached to the ground. The guyed tower needs to be inspected every 3 years, or so, the self-support tower needs to be inspected every 5 years, and the monopole tower needs to be inspected every 7 years. Again, the owners (real estate companies generally) of the cell site 10 have to be able to inspect these sites efficiently and effectively, especially given the tremendous number of sites—hundreds of thousands. A typical cell site 10 can include the cell tower 12 and the associated cell site components 14 as described herein. The cell site 10 can also include the shelter or cabinet 52 and other physical structures—buildings, outside plant cabinets, etc. The cell site 10 can include aerial cabling, an access road 2600, trees, etc. The cell site operator is concerned generally about the integrity of all of the aspects of the cell site 10 including the cell tower 12 and the cell site components 14 as well as everything in the surrounding geography 2402. In general, the surrounding geography 2402 can be about an acre; although other sizes are also seen. Conventionally, the cell site operator had inspections performed manually with on-site personnel, with a tower climb, and with visual inspection around the surrounding geography 2402. The on-site personnel can capture data and observations and then return to the office to compare and contrast with engineering records. That is, the on-site personnel capture data, it is then compared later with existing site plans, close-out audits, etc. This process is time-consuming and manual. To address these concerns, the systems and methods propose a combination of the UAV 50 and 3D models of the cell site 10 and surrounding geography 2402 to quickly capture and compare data. This capture and compare can be done in one step on-site, using the UAV 50 and optionally the mobile device 100, quickly and accurately. First, an initial 3D model 2400 is developed. This can be part of a close-out audit or part of another inspection. The 3D model 2400 can be captured using the 3D modeling systems and methods described herein. This initial 3D model 2400 can be referred to as a known good situation. The data from the 3D model 2400 can be provided to the UAV 50 or the mobile device 100, and a subsequent inspection can use this initial 3D model 2400 to simultaneously capture current data and compare the current data with the known good situation. Any deviations are flagged. The deviations can be changes to the physical infrastructure, structural problems, ground disturbances, potential hazards, loss of gravel on the access road 2600 such as through wash out, etc. Referring to FIG. 42, in an exemplary embodiment, a flowchart illustrates a method 2650 for cell site inspection by a cell site operator using the UAV 50 and a processing device, such as the mobile device 100 or a processor associated with the UAV 50. The method 2650 includes creating an initial computer model of a cell site and surrounding geography at a first point in time, wherein the initial computer model represents a known good state of the cell site and the surrounding geography (step 2652); providing the initial computer model to one or more of the UAV and the processing device (step 2654); capturing current data of the cell site and the surrounding geography at a second point in time using the UAV (step 2656); comparing the current data to the initial computer model by the processing device (step 2658); and identifying variances between the current data and the initial computer model, wherein the variances comprise differences at the cell site and the surrounding geography between the first point in time and the second point in time (step 2660). The method can further include specifically describing the variances based on comparing the current data and the initial computer model, wherein the variances comprise any of changes to a cell tower, changes to cell site components on the cell tower, ground hazards, state of an access road, and landscape changes in the surrounding geography. The initial computer model can be a three-dimensional (3D) model describing a point cloud, and where the comparing comprises a comparison of the current data to the point cloud. The initial computer model can be determined as part of one of a close-out audit and a site inspection where it is determined the initial computer model represents the known good state. The UAV can be utilized to capture data from the initial computer model, and the UAV is utilized in the capturing the current data. A flight plan of the UAV around a cell tower can be based on a type of the cell tower including any of a self-support tower, a monopole tower, and a guyed tower. The initial computer model can be a three-dimensional (3D) model viewed in a Graphical User Interface, and wherein the method can further include creating a second 3D model based on the current data and utilizing the second 3D model if it is determined the cell site is in the known good state based on the current data. In another exemplary embodiment, a processing device for cell site inspection by a cell site operator using an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) includes a network interface and a processor communicatively coupled to one another; and memory storing instructions that, when executed, cause the processor to, responsive to creation of an initial computer model of a cell site and surrounding geography at a first point in time, wherein the initial computer model represents a known good state of the cell site and the surrounding geography, receive the initial computer model; receive captured current data of the cell site and the surrounding geography at a second point in time using the UAV; compare the current data to the initial computer model; and identify variances between the current data and the initial computer model, wherein the variances comprise differences at the cell site and the surrounding geography between the first point in time and the second point in time. In a further exemplary embodiment, a non-transitory computer-readable medium includes instructions that, when executed, cause one or more processors to perform the steps of: creating an initial computer model of a cell site and surrounding geography at a first point in time, wherein the initial computer model represents a known good state of the cell site and the surrounding geography; providing the initial computer model to one or more of an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV), and a processing device; capturing current data of the cell site and the surrounding geography at a second point in time using the UAV; comparing the current data to the initial computer model by the processing device; and identifying variances between the current data and the initial computer model, wherein the variances comprise differences at the cell site and the surrounding geography between the first point in time and the second point in time. § 23.0 Virtual 360 View Systems and Methods Referring to FIG. 43, in an exemplary embodiment, a flowchart illustrates a virtual 360 view method 2700 for creating and using a virtual 360 environment. The method 2700 is described referencing the cell site 10 and using the UAV 50; those skilled in the art will recognize that other types of telecommunication sites are also contemplated such as data centers, central offices, regenerator huts, etc. The objective of the method 2700 is to create the virtual 360 environment and an example virtual 360 environment is illustrated in FIGS. 44-53. The method 2700 includes various data capture steps including capturing 360-degree photos at multiple points around the ground portion of the cell site 10 (step 2702), capturing 360-degree photos of the cell tower 12 and the surrounding geography 2402 with the UAV 50 (step 2704), and capturing photos inside the shelter or cabinet 52 (step 2706). Once all of the data is captured, the method 2700 includes stitching the various photos together with linking to create the virtual 360-degree view environment (step 2708). The virtual 360-degree view environment can be hosted on a server, in the cloud, etc. and accessible remotely such as via a URL or the like. The hosting device can enable display of the virtual 360-degree view environment for an operator to virtually visit the cell site 10 and perform associated functions (step 2710). For example, the operator can access the virtual 360-degree view environment via a tablet, computer, mobile device, etc. and perform a site survey, site audit, site inspection, etc. for various purposes such as maintenance, installation, upgrades, etc. An important aspect of the method 2700 is proper data capture of the various photos. For step 2702, the photos are preferably captured with a 360-degree camera or the like. The multiple points for the ground portion of the cell site 10 can include taking one or more photos at each corner of the cell site 10 to get all of the angles, e.g., at each point of a square or rectangle defining the surrounding geography 2402. Also, the multiple points can include photos at gates for a walking path, access road, etc. The multiple points can also include points around the cell tower 12 such as at the base of the cell tower, points between the cell tower 12 and the shelter or cabinet 52, points around the shelter or cabinet 52 including any ingress (doors) points. The photos can also include the ingress points into the shelter or cabinet 52 and then systematically working down the rows of equipment in the shelter or cabinet 52 (which is covered in step 2706). For step 2704, the UAV 50 can employ the various techniques described herein. In particular, the UAV 50 is used to take photos at the top of the cell tower 12 including the surrounding geography 2402. Also, the UAV 50 is utilized to take detailed photos of the cell site components 14 on the cell tower 12, such as sector photos of the alpha, beta, and gamma sectors to show the front of the antennas and the direction each antenna is facing. Also, the UAV 50 or another device can take photos or video of the access road, of a tower climb (with the UAV 50 flying up the cell tower 12), at the top of the cell tower 12 including pointing down showing the entire cell site 10, etc. The photos for the sectors should capture all of the cell site equipment 14 including cabling, serial numbers, identifiers, etc. For step 2706, the objective is to obtain photos inside the shelter or cabinet 52 to enable virtual movement through the interior and to identify (zoom) items of interest. The photos capture all model numbers, labels, cables, etc. The model numbers and/or labels can be used to create hotspots in the virtual 360-degree view environment where the operator can click for additional details such as close up views. The data capture should include photos with the equipment doors both open and closed to show equipment, status identifiers, cabling, etc. In the same manner, the data capture should include any power plant, AC panels, batteries, etc. both with doors open and closed to show various details therein (breakers, labels, model numbers, etc.). Also, the data capture within the shelter or cabinet 52 can include coax ports and ground bars (inside/outside/tower), the telco board and equipment, all technology equipment and model numbers; all rack-mounted equipment, all wall mounted equipment. For ground-based photo or video capture, the method 2700 can use the multiple camera apparatus 2000 (or a variant thereof with a single camera such as a 360-degree camera). For example, the ground-based data capture can use a tripod or pole about 4-7′ tall with a 360-degree camera attached thereto to replicate an eye-level view for an individual. A technician performing this data capture place the apparatus 2000 (or variant thereof) at all four corners of the cell site 10 to capture the photos while then placing and capturing in between the points to make sure every perspective and side of objects can be seen in a 360/VR environment of the virtual 360-degree view environment. Also, items needing additional detail for telecommunication audits can be captured using a traditional camera and embedded into the 360/VR environment for viewing. For example, this can include detailed close-up photos of equipment, cabling, breakers, etc. The individual taking the photos places themselves in the environment where the camera cannot view them in that perspective. For UAV-based data capture, the UAV 50 can include the 360-degree camera attached thereto or mounted. Importantly, the camera on the UAV 50 should be positioned so that the photos or video are free from the UAV, i.e., the camera's field of view should not include any portion of the UAV 50. The camera mount can attach below the UAV 50 making sure no landing gear or other parts of the UAV 50 are visible to the camera. The camera mounts can be attached to the landing gear or in place of or on the normal payload area best for the center of gravity. Using the UAV 50, data capture can be taken systematically around the cell tower 12 to create a 360 view on sides and above the cell tower 12. For step 2708, the 360-degree camera takes several photos of the surrounding environment. The photos need to be combined into one panoramic like photo by stitching the individual photos together. This can be performed at the job site to stitch the photos together to make it ready for the VR environment. Also, the various techniques described herein are also contemplated for virtual views. Once the virtual 360-degree view environment is created, it is hosted online for access by operators, installers, engineers, etc. The virtual 360-degree view environment can be accessed securely such as over HTTPS, over a Virtual Private Network (VPN), etc. The objective of the virtual 360-degree view environment is to provide navigation in a manner similar to as if the viewer was physically located at the cell site 10. In this manner, the display or Graphical User Interface (GUI) of the virtual 360-degree view environment supports navigation (e.g., via a mouse, scroll bar, touch screen, etc.) to allow the viewer to move about the cell site 10 and inspect/zoom in on various objects of interest. FIGS. 44-55 illustrate screen shots from an exemplary implementation of the virtual 360-degree view environment. FIG. 44 is a view entering the cell site 10 facing the cell tower 12 and the shelter or cabinet 52. Note, this is a 360-view, and the viewer can zoom, pan, scroll, etc. as if they were at the cell site 10 walking and/or moving their head/eyes. The display can include location items which denote a possible area the viewer can move to, such as the northwest corner or the back of shelter in FIG. 44. Further, the display can include information icons such as tower plate which denotes the possibility of zooming in to see additional detail. In FIG. 45, the viewer has moved to the back of the shelter, and there are now information icons for the GPS antenna and the exterior coax port. In FIG. 46, the viewer navigates to the top of the cell tower 12 showing a view of the entire cell site 10. In FIG. 47, the viewer zooms in, such as via an information icon, to get a closer view of one sector. In FIG. 48, the viewer navigates to the side of the shelter or cabinet 52, and there is an information icon for the propane tank. In FIG. 49, the viewer navigates to the front of the shelter or cabinet 52 showing doors to the generator room and to the shelter itself along with various information icons to display details on the door. In FIG. 49, the viewer navigates into the generator room, and this view shows information icons for the generator. In FIG. 50, the viewer navigates into the shelter or cabinet 52 and views the wall showing the power panel with associated information icons. In FIG. 51, the viewer looks around the interior of the shelter or cabinet 52 showing racks of equipment. In FIG. 52, the viewer looks at a rack with the equipment door closed, and this view shows various information icons. Finally, in FIG. 53, the viewer virtually opens the door for LTE equipment. FIGS. 54 and 55 illustrate the ability to “pop-up” or call an additional photo within the environment by clicking the information icons. Note, the viewer can also zoom within the environment and on the popped out photos. § 24.0 Modified Virtual 360 View Systems and Methods Referring to FIG. 56, in an exemplary embodiment, a flowchart illustrates a virtual 360 view method 2800 for creating, modifying, and using a virtual 360 environment. The method 2800 includes performing data capture of the telecommunications site (step 2802). The data capture can utilize the various techniques described herein. Of note, the data capture in the method 2800 can be performed prior to construction of the cell site 10, for planning, engineering, compliance, and installation. The entire construction area can be captured in a quick flight with the UAV 50. For example, the photos of the cell site 10 or recommended construction zone can be captured with the UAV 50, in a manner that the environment can be reconstructed virtually into a point cloud model using photogrammetry software. Once the data capture is obtained, a 3D model is created based on processing the data capture (step 2804). The 3D model can be created based on the various techniques described herein. Again, the cell site 10 here does not necessarily have the cell tower 12 and/or various cell site components 14, etc. The objective of the method 2800 is to create the 3D model where 3D replications of future installed equipment can be placed and examined. Once created from the data capture, the 3D model is exported and imported into modification software (step 2806). For example, the 3D model can be exported using a file type/extension such as .obj with texture files. The file and its textures are imported into a 3D design software where 3D modifications can be performed to the imported 3D model of already preexisting objects scanned and where new 3D objects can be created from scratch using inputted dimensions or the like. The modification software can be used to modify the 3D model to add one or more objects (step 2808). Specifically, the one or more objects can include the cell tower 12, the cell site components 14, the shelter or cabinet 52, or the like. That is, from the customer's specifications or construction drawings, equipment is added using their dimensions using the software. This can also be performed using a GUI and drag/drop operations. The modification software can add/combine the newly created 3D objects to the cell site or construction zone model at the correct distances from objects (georeferenced location) as illustrated in the construction drawings or client details. The model is then exported as a new 3D model file where it can be viewed by the customer in various 3D model software or web-based viewing packages where the additions can be viewed from any perspective they choose (step 2810). The modified 3D model can be utilized for planning, engineering, and/or installation (step 2812). The 3D model in its future replicated form can then be shared easily among contractors, engineers, and city officials to exam the future installation in a 3D virtual environment where each can easily manipulate the environment to express their needs and come to a unified plan. This process will allow construction companies, engineers, and local official to see a scaled size rendering of the plans (i.e., CDs—Constructions Drawings). Referring to FIGS. 57-58, in an exemplary embodiment, screenshots illustrate a 3D model of a telecommunications site 2850 of a building roof with antenna equipment 2852 added in the modified 3D model. Here, the antenna equipment 2852 is shown with a fence on top of the building roof, showing the proposed construction is obscured. This can be used to show the building owner the actual look of the proposed construction in the modified 3D model as well as other stakeholders to assist in planning (approvals, etc.) as well as to assist engineers in engineering and installation. § 25.0 Augmented Reality The augmented reality systems and methods allow a user to experience 3D digital objects through a digital camera such as on a mobile device, tablet, laptop, etc. The 3D digital objects can be created via photogrammetry or created as a 3D model. The user can project the 3D digital objects onto in a virtual environment including real-time in a view on a phone, tablet, etc. as well as in existing virtual environments. For example, the augmented reality systems and methods can be used in a battery and/or power plant installations such as in a cabinet or shelter. The augmented reality systems and methods can assist engineers, planners, installers, operators, etc. to visualize new equipment on site, to determine where installation should occur, to determine cable lengths, to perform engineering, to show the operators options, etc. The augmented reality systems and methods can include visualizing rack placements in shelters or head-end space for small cell applications with and without equipment already in the racks. The augmented reality systems and methods can be used to visualize outdoor small cell equipment, cabinets, cages, poles, node placements, etc. The augmented reality systems and methods can further be used for visual shelter and cell tower placements at new locations. Further, the augmented reality systems and methods can visualize antenna placements on towers, walls, ceiling tiles, building, and other structures. Advantageously, the augmented reality systems and methods can be used to show stakeholders (cell site operators, wireless service providers, building owners, the general public, etc.) the view prior to construction. Since the view is easily manipulable, the stakeholders can use the augmented reality systems and methods to agree on project scope in advance, with very little cost for changes as there are all performed in the virtual environment. This can lead to easier project approval and general satisfaction amongst the stakeholders. Referring to FIG. 59, in an exemplary embodiment, a flowchart illustrates a scanning method 2900 for incorporating an object in a virtual view. The method 2900 enables the creation of a 3D model of a virtual object which can then be placed in a virtual environment for augmented reality. As mentioned above, example use cases for the virtual object can include a cell tower, a shelter, cell site components on the cell tower, power equipment, batteries, or virtually any component that is added to the cell site 10. The method 2900 includes obtaining data capture and processing the captured data to create a 3D point cloud (step 2902). As described herein, the data capture can use various different techniques including the UAV 50 and the associated aspects. The captured data can include photos and/or digital video, with associated geographic information. The method 2900 can include editing the 3D point cloud, generating a 3D mesh of point, and editing the 3D mesh object if needed (step 2904). The editing can be performed to adjust the capture data. Once the 3D mesh object is finalized, the method 2900 can include processing the 3D mesh object file (.obj) with material library files (.mtl) and texture files to form a 3D model (step 2906). Steps 2902-2904 include the data capture and data processing to form the 3D model of the virtual object. The virtual object can be defined by the .obj file, .mtl file, and texture file together, such as in a folder or .zip file. Next, the 3D model is incorporated in an augmented reality server (step 2908). Here, the 3D model can be uploaded to the cloud for later retrieval and use. Once on site or at a computer with a particular area of interest in view, the method 2900 can include projecting the 3D model of the virtual object in the area of interest (step 2910). In an exemplary embodiment, the mobile device 100 can include an augmented reality app which can be activated and use the camera. The augmented reality app can obtain a virtual object from the cloud and project it to scale in the camera's field of view. In another exemplary embodiment, the virtual object can be added to a virtual environment on a computer, etc. including one viewed via a Web browser. Various other approaches are contemplated. This enables planners, installers, engineers, operators, etc. the ability to accurately visualize the virtual object in place before it is installed. Referring to FIG. 60, in an exemplary embodiment, a flowchart illustrates a model creation method 2920 for incorporating a virtually created object in a virtual view. The model creation method 2920 is similar to the method 2900 except it involves creating the virtual object without data capture. Here, a user can create 3D models using 3D Computer Aided Design (CAD) software or the like. The user is able to either create a new prototype model based on need, or to review spec drawings of an existing object and create a 3D model based thereon. This will be able to provide the user a model, if it is not available to scan. For example, this may be the case in a new cell tower 12, etc. The method 2920 includes creating a 3D model (step 2922). Again, this can be using 3D CAD software, etc. The 3D model is saved as a .obj file or other 3D model file type. The .obj file can be included with the .mtl file and texture file as above in the method 2900 and stored in the cloud. The method 2902 includes incorporating the 3D model in the augmented reality server (step 2924) and on sire or with the particular are of interest in view, projecting the 3D model in the area of interest (step 2926). Although the present disclosure has been illustrated and described herein with reference to preferred embodiments and specific examples thereof, it will be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that other embodiments and examples may perform similar functions and/or achieve like results. All such equivalent embodiments and examples are within the spirit and scope of the present disclosure, are contemplated thereby, and are intended to be covered by the following claims. | <SOH> BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE <EOH>Due to the geographic coverage nature of wireless service, there are hundreds of thousands of cell towers in the United States. For example, in 2014, it was estimated that there were more than 310,000 cell towers in the United States. Cell towers can have heights up to 1,500 feet or more. There are various requirements for cell site workers (also referred to as tower climbers or transmission tower workers) to climb cell towers to perform maintenance, audit, and repair work for cellular phone and other wireless communications companies. This is both a dangerous and costly endeavor. For example, between 2003 and 2011, 50 tower climbers died working on cell sites (see, e.g., www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontine/social-issues/cell-tower-deaths/in-race-for-better-cell-service-men-who-climb-towers-pay-with-their-lives/). Also, OSHA estimates that working on cell sites is 10 times more dangerous than construction work, generally (see, e.g., www.propublica.org/article/cell-tower-work-fatalities-methodology). Furthermore, the tower climbs also can lead to service disruptions caused by accidents. Thus, there is a strong desire, from both a cost and safety perspective, to reduce the number of tower climbs. Concurrently, the use of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV), referred to as drones, is evolving. There are limitations associated with UAVs, including emerging FAA rules and guidelines associated with their commercial use. It would be advantageous to leverage the use of UAVs to reduce tower climbs of cell towers. US 20140298181 to Rezvan describes methods and systems for performing a cell site audit remotely. However, Rezvan does not contemplate performing any activity locally at the cell site, nor various aspects of UAV use. US20120250010 to Hannay describes aerial inspections of transmission lines using drones. However, Hannay does not contemplate performing any activity locally at the cell site, nor various aspects of constraining the UAV use. Specifically, Hannay contemplates a flight path in three dimensions along a transmission line. Of course, it would be advantageous to further utilize UAVs to actually perform operations on a cell tower. However, adding one or more robotic arms, carrying extra equipment, etc. presents a significantly complex problem in terms of UAV stabilization while in flight, i.e., counterbalancing the UAV to account for the weight and movement of the robotic arms. Research and development continues in this area, but current solutions are complex and costly, eliminating the drivers for using UAVs for performing cell tower work. 3D modeling is important for cell site operators, cell tower owners, engineers, etc. There exist current techniques to make 3D models of physical sites such as cell sites. One approach is to take hundreds or thousands of pictures and to use software techniques to combine these pictures to form a 3D model. Generally, conventional approaches for obtaining the pictures include fixed cameras at the ground with zoom capabilities or pictures via tower climbers. It would be advantageous to utilize a UAV to obtain the pictures, providing 360-degree photos from an aerial perspective. Use of aerial pictures is suggested in US 20100231687 to Armory. However, this approach generally assumes pictures taken from a fixed perspective relative to the cell site, such as via a fixed, mounted camera and a mounted camera in an aircraft. It has been determined that such an approach is moderately inaccurate during 3D modeling and combination with software due to slight variations in location tracking capabilities of systems such as Global Positioning Satellite (GPS). It would be advantageous to utilize a UAV to take pictures and provide systems and methods for accurate 3D modeling based thereon to again leverage the advantages of UAVs over tower climbers, i.e., safety, climbing speed and overall speed, cost, etc. In the process of planning, installing, maintaining, and operating cell sites and cell towers, site surveys are performed for testing, auditing, planning, diagnosing, inventorying, etc. Conventional site surveys involve physical site access including access to the top of the cell tower, the interior of any buildings, cabinets, shelters, huts, hardened structures, etc. at the cell site, and the like. With over 200,000 cell sites in the U.S., geographically distributed everywhere, site surveys can be expensive, time-consuming, and complex. The various parent applications associated herewith describe techniques to utilize UAVs to optimize and provide safer site surveys. It would also be advantageous to further optimize site surveys by minimizing travel through virtualization of the entire process. As the number of cell sites increases, there are various concerns relative to site planning, engineering, and installation. New site construction requires approval from various stakeholders, i.e., local communities, governmental agencies, landowners, tower operators, etc. The trend in new site construction is toward aesthetically pleasing designs which attempt to conceal cell site components, e.g., disguising towers as trees, placing components on roofs in a concealed manner, etc. There is a need to accurately and effectively represent planned sites for the purposes of planning, approval, engineering, and installation. | <SOH> BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE <EOH>In an exemplary embodiment, systems and methods using augmented reality to visualize a telecommunications site for planning, engineering, and installing equipment includes creating a three-dimensional (3D) model of a virtual object representing the equipment; providing the 3D model of the virtual object to an augmented reality server; providing a virtual environment representing the telecommunications site; obtaining the virtual object from the augmented reality server; and selectively inserting the virtual object in the virtual environment for one or more of planning, engineering, and installation associated with the telecommunications site. The 3D model can be created through steps of obtaining data capture of a particular object for the virtual object; processing the captured data to create a 3D point cloud and generating a 3D mesh object; and providing multiple files to represent the 3D model to the augmented reality server. The data capture can be via an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV). The captured data can be processed by editing one or more of the 3D point cloud and the 3D mesh object. The multiple files can include an object file, a material library file, and a texture file. The 3D model can be created through steps of creating the virtual object utilizing Computer Aided Design (CAD) software. The virtual environment can be provided via a Web browser and the virtual object can be selected and virtually inserted in the Web browser. The virtual environment can be provided via a camera on a mobile device and the virtual object is selected and placed in the camera field of view. | G06T1705 | 20171117 | 20180315 | 99058.0 | G06T1705 | 1 | LETT, THOMAS J | AUGMENTED REALITY SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR TELECOMMUNICATIONS SITE MODELING | SMALL | 1 | CONT-ACCEPTED | G06T | 2,017 |
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15,817,013 | PENDING | DRINK CONTAINERS | Drink containers with mouthpiece assemblies having a dispensing configuration and a stowed configuration. A mouthpiece assembly defines a liquid passage through which drink liquid may be dispensed when the mouthpiece assembly is in the dispensing configuration and includes means for selectively restricting the flow of drink liquid through the liquid passage when the mouthpiece assembly is in the stowed configuration. In some examples, the means for selectively restricting the flow of drink liquid include a tube that at least partially defines the liquid passage and which includes a crimping region. The crimping region may be constructed of a resiliently and reversibly deformable material that is adapted to restrict the flow of drink liquid through the liquid passage when the mouthpiece assembly is in the stowed configuration. In some embodiments, the mouthpiece assembly includes a means for automatically releasing the mouthpiece assembly from its stowed configuration to a dispensing configuration. | 1. A drink container, comprising: a liquid container having a neck with an opening and having an internal compartment sized to hold a volume of potable drink liquid; and a cap assembly removably coupled to the liquid container, the cap assembly comprising: a base removably coupled to the neck of the liquid container and including a through-passage; a first catch structure coupled to the base; a mouthpiece assembly extending through the through-passage of the base and defining a liquid passage through which drink liquid from the liquid container may selectively flow, and further defining an inlet through which drink liquid in the internal compartment may enter the liquid passage and an outlet through which drink liquid from the internal compartment of the liquid container is selectively dispensed; wherein the mouthpiece assembly is configured to be selectively configured between a dispensing configuration, in which the liquid passage permits drink liquid to flow from the internal compartment at least into the liquid passage, and a stowed configuration, in which drink liquid is restricted from being dispensed from the liquid container through the liquid passage; wherein the mouthpiece assembly is biased to the dispensing configuration; and wherein the mouthpiece assembly comprises: a tube portion that defines at least a portion of the liquid passage for drink liquid to flow from the internal compartment to the outlet of the mouthpiece assembly; wherein the tube portion includes a crimping region constructed of a resiliently deformable material and adapted to prevent the flow of drink liquid through the liquid passage when the mouthpiece assembly is in the stowed configuration; wherein the crimping region includes opposing walls that are in contact with each other to seal the liquid passage within the crimping region when the mouthpiece assembly is in the stowed configuration; a rigid collar member that is pivotally coupled to a portion of the cap assembly and through which the tube portion at least partially extends; and a second catch structure adapted to be selectively engaged with the first catch structure to retain the mouthpiece assembly in the stowed configuration; and a user release mechanism adapted to automatically disengage the first and second catch structures upon actuation of the user release mechanism and thereby release the mouthpiece assembly to move via its bias from the stowed configuration to the dispensing configuration; wherein the cap assembly defines a stowing region sized to receive at least a portion of the mouthpiece assembly when the mouthpiece assembly is in the stowed configuration; wherein the user release mechanism includes a sliding member with a user engagement pad; wherein the user release mechanism is biased to urge the sliding member away from a position where the sliding member disengages the first and second catch structures; and wherein the sliding member is configured to slide relative to the base of the cap assembly to selectively disengage the first and the second catch structures. 2. The drink container of claim 1, wherein the user engagement pad extends through a wall of the cap assembly for selective engagement by a user. 3. The drink container of claim 1, wherein the sliding member is configured to slide relative to the base of the cap assembly within the stowing region to selectively disengage the first and the second catch structures. 4. The drink container of claim 1, wherein the rigid collar member includes the second catch structure. 5. The drink container of claim 1, wherein the tube portion includes structure for securing the tube portion to the rigid collar member and restricting relative movement between the tube portion and the rigid collar member. 6. The drink container of claim 1, wherein the mouthpiece assembly further includes a mouthpiece portion that includes the outlet and is constructed of the resiliently deformable material; 7. The drink container of claim 6, wherein the mouthpiece assembly includes mouthpiece-securing structure that secures the mouthpiece portion to the rigid collar member and restricts relative movement between the mouthpiece portion and the rigid collar member. 8. The drink container of claim 7, wherein one of the mouthpiece portion and the tube portion includes the mouthpiece-securing structure; wherein the mouthpiece-securing structure includes one or more of a channel and a depression; wherein the rigid collar member includes one or more of a lip, a flange, and a protrusion; and wherein the one or more of the channel and the depression defines a seat that engages and mates with the one or more of the lip, the flange, and the protrusion. 9. The drink container of claim 6, wherein the mouthpiece portion includes a bite-actuated mouthpiece; wherein the bite-actuated mouthpiece is selectively configured between an open configuration, in which the outlet is open and permits drink liquid to flow therethrough, and a closed configuration, in which the outlet restricts drink liquid from flowing therethrough; wherein the bite-actuated mouthpiece is biased to the closed configuration; and wherein the bite-actuated mouthpiece is selectively configured from the closed configuration to the open configuration responsive to a user biting upon opposed sidewalls of the bite-actuated mouthpiece. 10. The drink container of claim 6, wherein the mouthpiece portion and the tube portion are constructed as a unitary assembly of the resiliently deformable material. 11. The drink container of claim 1, wherein the mouthpiece assembly further includes an anchor portion that extends from the tube portion. 12. The drink container of claim 11, wherein the anchor portion has a greater exterior perimeter than the tube portion. 13. The drink container of claim 11, wherein the anchor portion and tube portion are constructed as a unitary assembly of the resiliently deformable material. 14. The drink container of claim 11, wherein the anchor portion defines a recess that is sized and shaped to engage and mate with corresponding structure of the base of the cap assembly. 15. The drink container of claim 11, wherein the anchor portion includes a projecting flange that provides a friction-fit arrangement with the through-passage of the base. 16. The drink container of claim 11, wherein the anchor portion is sized to restrict passage of the anchor portion through the through-passage and thus restrict removal of the mouthpiece assembly via a top side of the cap assembly. 17. The drink container of claim 1, wherein the crimping region at least partially biases the mouthpiece assembly to the dispensing configuration. 18. The drink container of claim 1, wherein the cap assembly further includes a pair of lateral guards that at least partially define the stowing region, and wherein at least a portion of the mouthpiece assembly is received between the pair of lateral guards when the mouthpiece assembly is in the stowed configuration. 19. The drink container of claim 18, wherein the cap assembly further includes a dust cover portion that extends between the lateral guards and which extends across the outlet when the mouthpiece assembly is in the stowed configuration. 20. The drink container of claim 1, wherein the rigid collar member includes a stop surface that does not engage the base of the cap assembly when the mouthpiece assembly is in the stowed configuration and that engages the base of the cap assembly when the mouthpiece assembly is in the dispensing configuration to define a dispensing position of the mouthpiece portion. | RELATED APPLICATIONS The present application is a continuation patent application that claims priority under 35 U.S.C. § 120 to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/398,569, which is entitled “Drink Containers,” was filed on Jan. 4, 2017, issued on Nov. 21, 2017 as U.S. Pat. No. 9,820,595, and which claims priority to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/479,962, which is entitled “Drink Containers,” was filed on May 24, 2012, issued on Oct. 10, 2017 as U.S. Pat. No. 9,782,028, and which claims priority to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/357,114, which is entitled “Drink Containers,” was filed on Jan. 21, 2009, and issued on Jun. 5, 2012 as U.S. Pat. No. 8,191,727. The complete disclosures of the above-identified patents are incorporated herein by reference. FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE The present disclosure relates generally to drink containers, and more particularly to drink containers with mouthpiece assemblies that have a dispensing configuration and a stowed configuration. BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE For some time, people have recognized the need to stay hydrated. Conventionally, many individuals carry drink bottles that contain water or other potable beverages. These bottles are typically formed from plastic or metal and include a cap. Some conventional drink bottles include a threaded or other neck from which a user drinks liquid contained in the drink bottle after removal of the cap. Some conventional drink bottles include a spout, or nozzle, from which the drink liquid may be drawn from the drink bottle without removing the cap of the drink bottle. Conventional spouts typically include a flexible straw or a rigid spout having an outlet through which drink liquid may flow. SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE Drink containers according to the present disclosure include a liquid container and a cap assembly with a mouthpiece assembly that is adapted to be selectively configured between a dispensing configuration, in which drink liquid may be selectively dispensed from the liquid container, and a stowed configuration, in which drink liquid is restricted from being dispensed from the liquid container. In some examples, the mouthpiece assembly includes a tube portion, at least a portion of which defines a crimping region that is constructed of a resiliently deformable material and that is adapted to restrict the flow of drink liquid therethrough when the mouthpiece assembly is in the stowed configuration. Some examples of drink containers according to the present disclosure further include a user-release mechanism that is adapted to automatically, upon user actuation, release the mouthpiece assembly from the stowed configuration to the dispensing configuration. In some examples, the mouthpiece assembly is biased toward the dispensing configuration and thus moves automatically under its bias upon release by the user-release mechanism. In some examples, the mouthpiece assembly includes a user-actuated mouthpiece, such as a bite-actuated mouthpiece, having an open position and a closed position. Such a mouthpiece may enable a user to selectively receive drink liquid from the liquid container via the mouthpiece assembly when the mouthpiece assembly is in the dispensing configuration and the user-actuated mouthpiece is in the open position. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration of a drink container according to the present disclosure with the drink container's mouthpiece assembly illustrated in a dispensing configuration. FIG. 2 is a schematic illustration of the drink container of FIG. 1 with the mouthpiece assembly illustrated in a stowed configuration. FIG. 3 is another schematic illustration of a drink container according to the present disclosure with the drink container's mouthpiece assembly illustrated in a dispensing configuration. FIG. 4 is a schematic illustration of the drink container of FIG. 3 with the mouthpiece assembly illustrated in a stowed configuration. FIG. 5 is a schematic illustration of at least a portion of a mouthpiece assembly according to the present disclosure. FIG. 6 is a side view of an illustrative, non-exclusive example of at least a portion of a mouthpiece assembly according to the present disclosure. FIG. 7 is an isometric view of an illustrative, non-exclusive example of a drink container according to the present disclosure including the mouthpiece assembly of FIG. 6, with the drink container illustrated with the mouthpiece assembly in its dispensing configuration. FIG. 8 is an isometric view of the drink container of FIG. 7 with its mouthpiece assembly in its stowed configuration. FIG. 9 is a top view of the cap assembly of the drink container of FIG. 7 with the cap assembly's mouthpiece assembly in its dispensing configuration. FIG. 10 is a top view of the cap assembly of FIG. 9 with the mouthpiece assembly in its stowed configuration. FIG. 11 is an isometric exploded view of the cap assembly of FIG. 9. FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional side elevation view of the cap assembly of FIG. 9 with the mouthpiece assembly in its dispensing configuration. FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional side elevation view of the cap assembly of FIG. 9 with the mouthpiece assembly in its stowed configuration. DETAILED DESCRIPTION AND BEST MODE OF THE DISCLOSURE Drink containers according to the present disclosure are schematically illustrated in FIGS. 1-4 and are indicated generally at 10. Drink containers 10 according to the present disclosure are designed to receive and selectively dispense to a user a volume of potable drink liquid. Illustrative, non-exclusive examples of drink liquids that may be used in drink containers 10 according to the present disclosure include such potable liquids as water, juice, sports drinks, milk, soft drinks, and the like. Drink containers 10 include a liquid container 12 and a cap assembly 14 having a unique mouthpiece assembly. Liquid containers 12 according to the present disclosure are adapted to receive and hold or otherwise contain up to a predetermined volume of drink liquid 22 for selective consumption by a user. Liquid containers 12 may include an open neck 20, through which drink liquid 22 may be selectively poured, or otherwise dispensed, into an internal compartment 24 of the liquid container, and from which the drink liquid may be selectively dispensed from the internal compartment to a user. It is within the scope of the present disclosure that neck 20 may (but is not required in all embodiments to) define the only opening through which drink liquid may be added to or removed from the liquid container. As discussed in more detail herein, when cap assembly 14 is operatively coupled to the liquid container, this selective dispensing of the drink liquid may be responsive to whether or not a mouthpiece assembly of the cap assembly has been configured to a dispensing configuration, and in some embodiments, whether a mouthpiece portion of the mouthpiece assembly has been configured to an open configuration. As used herein, “selective” and “selectively,” when modifying an action, movement, configuration, or other activity of one or more components or characteristics of a drink container according to the present disclosure, means that the specified action, movement, configuration, or other activity is a direct or indirect result of user manipulation of an aspect of, or one or more components of, the drink container. Liquid containers 12 may have any suitable shape and be formed from any suitable material or combination of materials to hold up to a predetermined volume of drink liquid. Illustrative, non-exclusive examples of suitable sizes, or capacities, of liquid containers 12 (i.e., volume of drink liquid 22 able to be received into a liquid container at one time) include 4 oz., 6 oz., 8 oz., 10 oz., 12 oz., 16 oz., 20 oz., 24 oz., 32 oz., 36 oz., 4-11 oz., 12-19 oz., 19-25 oz., 12-36 oz., 25-36 oz., and 10-70 oz. (with these illustrative examples referring to liquid (fluid) ounces of drink liquid that may be received at one time into an empty liquid container). It is within the scope of the present disclosure that liquid containers having different sizes, including sizes that are smaller than, larger than, or within the illustrative sizes and/or ranges presented above, may be used without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. An illustrative, non-exclusive example of a material that may be used to construct liquid containers 12 according to the present disclosure includes the TRITAN™ copolyester polymer developed by Eastman Chemical Company. Other illustrative, non-exclusive examples of materials that may be suitable for construction of liquid containers according to the present disclosure include polycarbonate and metal, such as aluminum. Further illustrative, non-exclusive examples are disclosed in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2006/0226110, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference. Liquid containers 12 may be (but are not required to be) rigid or at least semi-rigid and may include a bottom surface 26 such that a liquid container may be generally self-supporting, or free-standing. In such embodiments, drink containers 10 may be referred to as drink bottles. In some illustrative, non-exclusive embodiments, a liquid container 12 according to the present disclosure may be constructed of polyethylene or other material that permits the liquid container to be reversibly collapsed during use. Such an illustrative, non-exclusive example may permit opposing portions of the liquid container to be urged toward or even into contact with each other to reduce the volume of the liquid container and thereby aid in the dispensing of drink liquid 22 therefrom. In such an embodiment, the liquid container may be configured to return automatically to its prior configuration upon reduction of the pressure that was applied to urge the sides of the liquid container toward each other. Cap assemblies 14 according to the present disclosure may be adapted to be removably coupled to a liquid container 12 to cover, or otherwise enclose, the neck 20 thereof. When so coupled to a liquid container, a cap assembly 14 restricts drink liquid within the liquid container's internal compartment 24 from being dispensed from the drink container other than through a liquid passage 36 defined by the cap assembly. When this liquid passage is obstructed or otherwise closed or sealed, the cap assembly prevents drink liquid from being dispensed from the liquid container. Accordingly, any drink liquid in the internal compartment of the liquid container is prevented from being dispensed to a user or otherwise removed from the liquid container until either the cap assembly is uncoupled from the liquid container or until the liquid passage is configured by a user to a configuration in which drink liquid may flow therethrough. Cap assemblies 14 according to the present disclosure include a base 16 and a mouthpiece assembly 18. Furthermore, cap assemblies 14 define a liquid passage 36, through which drink liquid 22 may be selectively drawn, or otherwise dispensed, by a user from the internal compartment of an attached liquid container 12. Although not required in all embodiments, cap assembly 14 is typically removably coupled to liquid container 12, such as to neck 20 thereof, to permit selective and non-destructive removal and replacement (i.e., uncoupling and recoupling) of the cap assembly relative to the liquid container. For example, cap assembly 14 may be uncoupled from the liquid container to permit the liquid container to receive a volume of drink liquid, after which the cap assembly may be recoupled to the liquid container. Accordingly, drink containers 10 according to the present disclosure may include a coupling assembly 32, with the liquid container 12 including coupling structure 30 and the cap assembly 14 including coupling structure 28, which is adapted to selectively mate with coupling structure 30. In such an embodiment, neck 20 of the liquid container may include coupling structure 30, and base 16 of cap assembly 14 may include coupling structure 28. Coupling assembly 32 may provide a liquid-tight connection between the cap assembly and the liquid container. When such a connection is established between the cap assembly and the liquid container, the cap assembly may restrict liquid from being dispensed from the drink container other than through a through-passage 34 and/or a liquid passage 36 defined by the cap assembly. Illustrative, non-exclusive examples of coupling assembly 32 that may be incorporated into drink containers according to the present disclosure include (but are not limited to) threads, snap-fit arrangements, friction-fit arrangements, clasp arrangements, etc. Base 16 further includes a through-passage 34 through which the mouthpiece assembly 18 at least partially, if not completely, extends to enable the mouthpiece assembly to receive drink liquid from the internal compartment 24 of liquid container 12 and selectively permit the drink liquid to flow through the liquid passage defined by the mouthpiece assembly for dispensing to a user. Mouthpiece assemblies 18 according to the present disclosure define the liquid passage 36, through which drink liquid from the liquid container may be selectively drawn by a user. Mouthpiece assemblies 18 define an inlet 46, which is in fluid communication with the internal compartment of the liquid container when the cap assembly is coupled thereto, and an outlet 42, through which drink liquid from the liquid container may be selectively dispensed through the liquid passage to a user. Mouthpiece assemblies 18 may be selectively configured between a dispensing configuration 38, in which the mouthpiece assembly permits drink liquid to flow from the internal compartment of the liquid container (such as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 3) at least into the liquid passage of the mouthpiece assembly, and a stowed configuration 40, in which the mouthpiece assembly restricts the flow of drink liquid through the liquid passage to outlet 42 (such as illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 4). When operatively positioned to extend through the through-passage of the base, the mouthpiece assembly may be restricted from being removed therefrom, at least without first uncoupling the cap assembly from the drink container to permit access to the underside of the cap assembly. Mouthpiece assembly 18 may therefore be described as being anchored, or at least selectively anchored, to base 16 and/or to through-passage 34 of base 16. Additionally or alternatively, mouthpiece assembly 18 may in some embodiments be described as being configured to be non-destructively removed from through-passage 34 from the underside of the cap assembly but not from the top side of the cap assembly. As an illustrative, non-exclusive example, the mouthpiece assembly and the through-passage may have a friction-fit arrangement. As another illustrative, non-exclusive example, the mouthpiece assembly may include an anchor, or anchor portion, 86 that is sized so as not to fit through the through-passage of the base, such as by being too large to fit therethrough. Other configurations are also within the scope of the present disclosure. As illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 3, at least a portion of the mouthpiece assembly 18 (such as a mouthpiece portion 76 thereof) may project generally away from the base of the cap assembly when the mouthpiece assembly is in the dispensing configuration 38, and as illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 4, at least a portion of the mouthpiece assembly (such as a mouthpiece portion 76 thereof) may extend generally against, adjacent to, or otherwise along the base of the cap assembly when the mouthpiece assembly is in the stowed configuration 40. In the schematically illustrated examples of FIGS. 1-4, the mouthpiece assembly, or at least a portion thereof, is adapted to be pivoted by a user between the dispensing and stowed configurations. Other configurations are also within the scope of the present disclosure. For example, in some embodiments, a mouthpiece assembly may be configured to be selectively positioned within a range of dispensing positions. Mouthpiece assemblies 18 include at least a crimping region 44, which permits drink liquid to flow through liquid passage 36 when the mouthpiece assembly is in the dispensing configuration, and which prevents, or at least restricts, drink liquid from flowing through liquid passage 36 when the mouthpiece assembly is in the stowed configuration. For example, in some mouthpiece assemblies 18 according to the present disclosure, the crimping region may be constructed of a resiliently deformable material such that when the mouthpiece assembly, or at least a portion thereof, is pivoted, or otherwise folded, the crimping region of the mouthpiece assembly becomes crimped, or folded on itself, such that opposing walls of the crimping region come into contact with each other and effectively, or at least partially, seal the liquid passage within the crimping region of the mouthpiece assembly. When in such a crimped configuration, drink fluid is restricted or even prevented from flowing through the liquid passage from its inlet to its outlet due to the obstruction formed by the crimping region. Mouthpiece assemblies 18 according to the present disclosure are biased toward the dispensing configuration and therefore may be described as having a biasing mechanism 50. The bias of a mouthpiece assembly according to the present disclosure may be provided by the internal bias created by the material from which at least a portion of the mouthpiece assembly is constructed. For example, at least a portion of a mouthpiece assembly, such as crimping region 44, may be constructed of a resiliently deformable material. An illustrative, non-exclusive example of a suitable resiliently deformable material includes (but is not limited to) silicone. Additionally or alternatively, a biasing mechanism 50 may include at least one spring. Other configurations are also within the scope of the present disclosure. Cap assemblies 14 according to the present disclosure further include a mouthpiece securing mechanism 52 that is adapted to selectively retain the mouthpiece assembly in stowed configuration 40. Accordingly, a user of a drink container 10 may selectively configure, or move, the mouthpiece assembly from the dispensing configuration into the stowed configuration to prevent, or at least restrict, drink liquid from being dispensed from the drink container, for example, when not using the drink container, when transporting the drink container, or in other situations in which a user may wish to prevent drink liquid from being dispensed. When a user wishes to drink from the drink container and thus dispense drink liquid therefrom, the user may reconfigure the mouthpiece assembly from stowed configuration 40 to dispensing configuration 38. In some embodiments, the mouthpiece assembly may be biased to its dispensing configuration, such as by including a suitable biasing mechanism or structure. In such an embodiment, the mouthpiece assembly may be configured to move automatically via, or under, its bias to the dispensing configuration upon release from its stowed configuration. Mouthpiece securing mechanism 52 includes a first catch structure 54 and a second catch structure 56. First catch structure 54 may be coupled to, integral to, formed as part of, or otherwise disposed on or within the base or other portion of the cap assembly, and second catch structure 56 may be coupled to, integral to, formed as part of, or otherwise disposed on or within the mouthpiece assembly. Accordingly, first and second catch structures 54, 56 may be adapted to be selectively engaged, or mated, with each other to retain the mouthpiece assembly in the stowed configuration, as schematically illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 4. To permit the reconfiguring of the mouthpiece assembly from the stowed configuration to the dispensing configuration, cap assemblies 14 according to the present disclosure may (but are not required to) include a user release mechanism 60 that is adapted to automatically disengage the first and second catch structures from each other upon actuation of the user release mechanism and thereby release the mouthpiece assembly to move via its bias from the stowed configuration to the dispensing configuration. As schematically illustrated in FIGS. 1-4, the optional user release mechanism may therefore be tied to, or otherwise have a mechanical relationship with, the second catch structure of the base of the cap assembly. Additionally or alternatively, a user release mechanism according to the present disclosure may be tied to, or otherwise have a mechanical relationship with, the first catch structure of the mouthpiece assembly. Although schematically illustrated as part of the base of the cap assembly, a user release mechanism according to the present disclosure may also be part of, integral to, or otherwise disposed on, the mouthpiece assembly or the liquid container. Other configurations are also within the scope of the present disclosure. Cap assemblies 14 according to the present disclosure may further include (but are not required to include) a vent, or air return assembly, 64 that is adapted to permit air from external the drink container to enter the internal compartment 24 of the liquid container 12 without having to pass through the liquid passage 36 of the mouthpiece assembly 18. Vent 64 is illustrated as being implemented on the base 16 of the cap assembly 14, with the particular position and/or orientation of the vent on the base not being critical to a particular embodiment. Vent 64, when present, may include no valve or may include a valve, such as a one-way and/or a pressure-actuated valve. It is within the scope of the present disclosure that the vent, when present, may be implemented as part of the mouthpiece assembly or as part of or on the liquid container. Other configurations are also within the scope of the present disclosure. Illustrative, non-exclusive examples of vents that may be utilized with or incorporated into drink containers according to the present disclosure are disclosed in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2006/0226110, incorporated herein. Cap assemblies 14 according to the present disclosure may include (but are not required to include) a crimping portion 66 that is adapted to engage and crimp the crimping region 44 of the mouthpiece assembly. Additionally or alternatively, crimping portion 66 may be adjacent crimping region 44 of the mouthpiece assembly and adapted to engage and crimp the crimping region to prevent, or at least restrict, the flow of drink liquid through the liquid passage when the mouthpiece assembly is in the stowed configuration. That is, the crimping portion of the cap assembly may engage and facilitate the crimping region's folding upon and/or over itself when the mouthpiece assembly is reconfigured from the dispensing configuration to the stowed configuration. Crimping portion 66 may include any suitable structure, such as a lip, a flange, an edge, or any other structure that engages, either directly or indirectly, the crimping region of the mouthpiece assembly and facilitates crimping thereof when the mouthpiece assembly is reconfigured to the stowed configuration. For example, the crimping portion of the cap assembly may be defined by a portion, such as a lip or opening, of the through-passage 34. Other configurations are also within the scope of the present disclosure. Drink containers 10 according to the present disclosure may include an optional straw 68 that is integral to or selectively coupled to, either directly or indirectly, the mouthpiece assembly and that extends into the liquid container, such as to (or at least proximate) a lower (internal) region of the liquid container. When present, straw 68 may enable a user to draw drink liquid from the drink container via outlet 42 without having to tip the drink container so that drink liquid may flow into the liquid passage 36. For example, some users may prefer to draw drink liquid from the drink bottle without having to lift and tilt the drink container to the generally horizontal or even inverted configuration that would be used if straw 68 were not present. Additionally or alternatively, some users may prefer or find it easier to draw drink liquid from the drink container using straw 68 rather than having to lift and tip the drink container. Cap assemblies 14 according to the present disclosure optionally may include a collar member 70, as schematically represented in the example illustrated in FIGS. 3-4. In some embodiments, the collar member may be rigid or at least semi-rigid. In some examples of cap assemblies 14, the collar member 70, when present, may (but is not required to) be described as a component, or sub-part, of mouthpiece assembly 18. When present, the collar member may be pivotally coupled to the base or another portion of the cap assembly. In such examples, the cap assemblies may be described as including a hinge arrangement between the collar member and the base of the cap assembly such that the collar member together with at least a portion of the mouthpiece assembly may be pivoted from the stowed configuration to the dispensing configuration, as indicated by an arrow in FIG. 4, and vice versa. In such examples, the optional crimping portion 66 of the cap assembly may be defined by at least a portion of the collar member. In some examples, the collar member may be described as being external to the liquid passage defined by the mouthpiece assembly. Additionally or alternatively, collar members according to the present disclosure may surround, at least partially surround, encircle, or at least partially encircle a portion of the mouthpiece assembly, such as the crimping region of the mouthpiece assembly. Additionally or alternatively, collar members according to the present disclosure may include more than one discrete component, with at least one or more such discrete components being generally adjacent a portion of the mouthpiece assembly, including the crimping region of the mouthpiece assembly. Collar members according to the present disclosure also may be described as pivoting members or crimping members. In examples of drink containers 10 that include a collar member 70, second catch structure 56 of mouthpiece securing mechanism 52 may be (but is not required to be) integral to, part of, or otherwise disposed on the collar member. Additionally or alternatively, examples of drink containers according to the present disclosure that include collar member 70 may include a second catch structure 56 that is integral to, part of, or otherwise disposed on a portion of, or another portion of, the mouthpiece assembly. FIG. 5 schematically depicts an illustrative, non-exclusive example of a mouthpiece assembly 18, or at least a portion thereof, according to the present disclosure, which may be used with any drink container 10 and/or cap assembly 14 according to the present disclosure. As discussed, a mouthpiece assembly according to the present disclosure may optionally include a collar member. As illustrated and discussed, mouthpiece assembly 18 defines liquid passage 36 through which drink liquid may selectively flow, and further defines inlet 46 and outlet 42 of the liquid passage. FIG. 5 graphically illustrates that mouthpiece assemblies 18 according to the present disclosure (including those depicted in FIGS. 1-4) include at least a mouthpiece portion 76 and a tube, or tube portion, 78. Mouthpiece portion 76 includes outlet 42 and is adapted to permit a user to selectively receive and consume drink liquid from the drink container. Mouthpiece portion 76 may take a variety of configurations including (but not limited to) mouthpiece portions that include a user-actuated valve adapted to permit selective dispensing of drink liquid from the drink container, mouthpiece portions that permit a user to draw, or suck, drink liquid from the drink container, mouthpiece portions that permit a user to squeeze drink liquid from the drink container, and/or other configurations of mouthpiece portions. Illustrative, non-exclusive examples of mouthpiece portions, including bite-actuated mouthpieces, that may be utilized with or incorporated into mouthpiece assemblies according to the present disclosure are disclosed in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2006/0226110, incorporated herein. In examples of mouthpiece portions that include a user-actuated valve, such as a bite-actuated valve, the user-actuated valve may restrict dispensing of liquid from the liquid container even though the mouthpiece assembly may be in the dispensing configuration. When the mouthpiece portion includes a bite-actuated valve, which refers to a valve that is urged from a closed configuration to an open configuration by a user biting upon the valve (such as opposed sidewalls thereof) the mouthpiece portion may be referred to as a bite-actuated mouthpiece. Bite-actuated valves (and/or bite-actuated mouthpieces) are typically biased to a closed configuration, and thus automatically return from an open configuration to a closed configuration upon release of the compressive forces being applied thereto by a user, such as by a user's teeth and/or mouth. In examples of drink containers that include a collar member, as discussed, mouthpiece portions according to the present disclosure may (but are not required to) include structure 80 for securing the mouthpiece portion to the collar member. In some such examples, structure 80 may include one or more of a lip, flange, or other protrusion 82 adapted to engage and mate with a corresponding one or more of a channel or depression of the collar member, when present. Additionally or alternatively, structure 80 may include one or more of a channel or depression 84 that defines a seat for, and that is adapted to engage and mate with, a corresponding one or more of a lip, flange, or other protrusion of the collar member, when present. Accordingly, when assembled, structure 80 may restrict relative movement between the mouthpiece portion and the collar member and/or may restrict lateral translation of the collar member relative to the mouthpiece portion. Additionally or alternatively, other portions of mouthpiece assemblies, including the tube portion, may incorporate structure 80. Structure 80 may additionally or alternatively be referred to as mouthpiece-securing structure 80. Tube 78 defines at least a portion of liquid passage 36 for drink liquid to flow from the internal compartment of the liquid container to mouthpiece portion 76. Tube 78 may include crimping region 44, which, as discussed, may be constructed of a resiliently deformable material and be adapted to prevent, or at least restrict, the flow of drink liquid through the liquid passage when the mouthpiece is in the stowed configuration. In some embodiments, tube 78 may include or define inlet 46 of the liquid passage. In embodiments where the tube does not include or define the inlet of the liquid passage, the tube is in fluid communication with the inlet of the passage. As discussed, mouthpiece assemblies 18 according to the present disclosure may be adapted for selective anchoring, or coupling, to the base of the cap assembly and/or through the through-passage of the cap assembly. In some such examples, mouthpiece assemblies 18 may include structure for securing the mouthpiece assembly to the base of the cap assembly. For example, the mouthpiece assembly may include an anchor, or anchor portion, 86 that is adapted to prevent, or at least restrict, passing of the anchor portion through the through-passage of the base of the cap assembly. Anchor portion 86 may extend from tube 78 and/or may include a flange 88, at least a portion of which may be sized to prevent, or at least restrict, passing of the anchor portion through the through-passage of the base of the cap assembly. Additionally or alternatively, anchor portion 86 may extend into tube 78 and/or may define a channel, depression, or other recess 90 that is sized and shaped to engage and mate with corresponding structure of the base of the cap assembly. Anchor portion 86 may, but is not required to, define the inlet to the liquid passage through the mouthpiece assembly. Anchor portions 86 and/or tubes 78 according to the present disclosure may further include (but are not required to include) an, or an additional, tab, or flange, 92 shaped, sized, or otherwise adapted for a user to grasp and thereby remove the mouthpiece assembly from the base of the cap assembly. Mouthpiece assemblies that include such an anchor portion may be described as being configured to be selectively coupled to and decoupled from the base of the cap assembly via an underside of the base, and thus not from a top side of the cap assembly. Turning now to FIGS. 6-13, an illustrative, non-exclusive example of a drink container 10 according to the present disclosure and various component parts thereof are illustrated. Where appropriate, the reference numerals from the schematic illustrations of FIGS. 1-5 are used to designate corresponding parts of drink containers 10 according to the present disclosure; however, the examples of FIGS. 6-13 are non-exclusive and do not limit the present disclosure to the illustrated embodiment. That is, neither drink containers nor various component parts thereof are limited to the specific embodiment disclosed and illustrated in FIGS. 6-13, and drink containers according to the present disclosure may incorporate any number of the various aspects, configurations, characteristics, properties, etc. illustrated in the embodiment of FIGS. 6-13, of FIGS. 1-4, as well as variations thereof and without requiring the inclusion of all such aspects, configurations, characteristics, properties, etc. For the purpose of brevity, each previously discussed component part, or variant thereof, may not be discussed again with respect to FIGS. 6-13; however, it is within the scope of the present disclosure that the previously discussed features, materials, variants, etc. may be utilized with the illustrated embodiment of FIGS. 6-13. Similarly, it is also within the scope of the present disclosure that all of the component parts, and portions thereof, that are illustrated in FIGS. 6-13 are not required to all embodiments according to the present disclosure. An illustrative, non-exclusive example of a mouthpiece assembly 18, or at least a portion thereof, that may be used with drink containers 10 according to the present disclosure is illustrated in FIG. 6 and generally indicated at 118. Mouthpiece assembly 118 is illustrated without an optional corresponding collar member; however, it is within the scope of the present disclosure that mouthpiece assembly 118 may further include a collar member, such as any of the collar members disclosed elsewhere herein. Mouthpiece assembly 118 includes a mouthpiece portion 76 in the form of a bite-actuated mouthpiece 176, a tube 78, and an anchor portion 86. The bite-actuated mouthpiece, the tube, and the anchor portion collectively define a liquid passage 36, with liquid passage 36 including an inlet 46 and an outlet 42. Tube 78 includes a crimping region 44. As illustrated, bite-actuated mouthpiece 176 includes outlet 42, through which drink liquid may be selectively dispensed. FIG. 9 illustrates the bite-actuated mouthpiece in an open, or dispensing, configuration with the outlet open to permit drink liquid to be dispensed therethrough, for example, as configured when a user applies opposing forces thereto with his/her teeth and/or lips. Bite-actuated mouthpiece 176 also includes a pair of channels 84 (as perhaps best seen in FIG. 11) that are adapted to engage and mate with corresponding structure of a collar member. Anchor portion 86 includes a flange 88 sized and shaped to prevent, or at least restrict, mouthpiece assembly 118 from passing through a corresponding through-passage of a base of a cap assembly. Anchor portion 86 further includes three additional flanges, or ribs, 94 that are sized and shaped to provide a friction-fit arrangement with a through-passage of a corresponding base of a cap assembly. Anchor portion 86 also includes a tab 92 sized and shaped for a user to grasp and thereby remove the mouthpiece portion, the tube, and the anchor portion from a base of a corresponding cap assembly by urging the mouthpiece assembly downward and away from the underside of the cap assembly. The illustrative, non-exclusive bite-actuated mouthpiece 176, tube 78, and anchor portion 86 of mouthpiece assembly 118 illustrated in FIG. 6 are constructed as a unitary assembly of a resiliently deformable material. As illustrated, the mouthpiece portion has a greater exterior perimeter than the tube, and the anchor portion has a greater exterior perimeter than the tube and the mouthpiece portion. This unitary construction and the illustrative, non-exclusive relative sizes are not required in all embodiments, and other configurations are within the scope of the present disclosure. An illustrative, non-exclusive example of a drink container 10 including mouthpiece assembly 118 of FIG. 6 is illustrated in FIGS. 7-8, is generally indicated at 100, and may be referred to as a drink bottle 100. Drink bottle 100 includes a liquid container 12 in the form of a rigid bottle 112, and a cap assembly 14 indicated generally at 114. Cap assembly 114 is further illustrated in FIGS. 9-13 with FIGS. 7, 9, and 12 illustrating mouthpiece assembly 118 in a dispensing configuration, and with FIGS. 8, 10, and 13 illustrating mouthpiece assembly 118 in a stowed configuration. In the illustrative non-exclusive example of drink bottle 100, a portion of the mouthpiece assembly is adapted to be selectively pivoted between the dispensing configuration and the stowed configuration, and as discussed, may be biased to pivot automatically to the dispensing configuration when not restrained from moving under this bias. Cap assembly 114 of drink bottle 100 includes a base 116 that includes a vent 64 in the form of an air return assembly with a pressure-actuated valve, a mouthpiece assembly 118 that includes a collar member 70, and a user release mechanism 60. Cap assembly 114 of drink bottle 100 further includes a handle 202 that projects away from base 116 and that includes a pair of lateral guards 204 that at least partially define a stowing region 206. Stowing region 206 is sized and otherwise adapted to receive at least a portion of the mouthpiece assembly between the pair of lateral guards when the mouthpiece assembly is in the stowed configuration. In the non-exclusive example of drink bottle 100, stowing region 206 receives bite-actuated mouthpiece 176 and at least a portion of tube 78. When present, handle 202 may (but is not required to) define a closed perimeter, or boundary, 208 through which a lanyard, karabiner, belt, strap, user's finger, or other structure may extend to hold and/or retain the drink bottle in a selected position. Other configurations of cap assemblies and handles, including cap assemblies without handles, are also within the scope of the present disclosure. It is also within the scope of the present disclosure that other cap assemblies 14 and drink containers 10 may include a handle, including but not limited to the illustrative, non-exclusive example of a handle depicted in FIGS. 7-13. The illustrative, non-exclusive example of mouthpiece assembly 118 of drink bottle 100 includes an optional rigid collar member 70, which is generally indicated at 170. Rigid collar member 170 defines a through-passage 210 through which tube 78 and a portion of bite-actuated mouthpiece 176 extends. As perhaps best seen in FIGS. 12-13, through-passage 210 is defined by an opening 212 that is distal to the anchor portion of the mouthpiece assembly and an opening 214 that is proximal to the anchor portion of the mouthpiece assembly. Opening 212 is defined by a rim 216 that engages the bite-actuated mouthpiece assembly 176. That is, rim 216 engages and mates with channels 84 of the mouthpiece portion to effectively couple the rigid collar member to the mouthpiece portion and generally restrict lateral translation of the rigid collar member relative to the mouthpiece portion. Accordingly, when the rigid collar member is pivoted, at least the mouthpiece portion of the mouthpiece assembly pivots with it. Opening 214 of the rigid collar member is defined by a rim 218, which further defines a crimping portion 66. As discussed, crimping portion 66 is adjacent crimping region 44 of tube 78 of the mouthpiece assembly. Accordingly, when the rigid collar member is pivoted from the dispensing configuration to the stowed configuration, the crimping portion 66 engages and crimps the crimping region of the tube to thereby restrict the flow of drink liquid through the liquid passage when the mouthpiece assembly is in the stowed configuration, as perhaps best seen in FIG. 13. In the illustrated example, the crimping portion of the rigid collar member does not engage the crimping region of the tube when the mouthpiece assembly is in the dispensing configuration, as perhaps best seen in FIG. 12; however, it is within the scope of the present disclosure that the crimping portion of the rigid collar member does engage and even partially crimps the crimping region of the tube when the mouthpiece assembly is in the dispensing configuration, as long as the tube is not crimped to such a degree that drink liquid is prevented from flowing through the liquid passage when the mouthpiece assembly is in the dispensing configuration. The rigid collar member of drink bottle 100 is pivotally, or hingedly, coupled to the handle of cap assembly 114. Accordingly, handle 202 and rigid collar member 170 collectively define a hinge 230, which is indicated in FIG. 9. Lateral guards 204 each include a cylindrical depression 232 that is sized and shaped to mate with a corresponding cylindrical protrusion 234 extending from opposing sides of the rigid collar member, as perhaps best seen in FIG. 11. As discussed, cap assemblies 14 according to the present disclosure include a mouthpiece securing mechanism 52 that is adapted to selectively retain the mouthpiece assembly in the stowed configuration. As illustrated, the base of cap assembly 114 includes a first catch structure 54, and the rigid collar member 170 includes a second catch structure 56 that is adapted to engage and mate with the first catch structure when the mouthpiece assembly is in the stowed configuration. The first catch structure of cap assembly 114 includes a pair of cylindrical depressions 154 extending into the lateral guards 204 of the optional handle 202, and the second catch structure of the rigid collar member includes a pair of hemispherical protrusions 156 positioned and sized to mate with the depressions 154 and thereby retain the mouthpiece assembly in its stowed configuration upon a user configuring the mouthpiece assembly to its stowed configuration. The lateral guards of drink cap assembly 114 further include (but are not required to include) a pair of channels, or depressions, 236 that provide clearance for the hemispherical protrusions 156 to pass when the mouthpiece assembly is reconfigured from the dispensing configuration to the stowed configuration and the first and second catch structures are engaged. Channels 236 may also be described as ramps. When the channels 236 are present, the hemispherical protrusions of the mouthpiece securing mechanism will not be overly worn-down due to engagement and friction with the lateral guards through repeated reconfigurations of the mouthpiece assembly by a user. Cap assembly 114 of drink bottle 100 includes an optional user release mechanism 60, indicated generally at 160, and which is adapted to permit the reconfiguring of the mouthpiece assembly from the stowed configuration to the dispensing configuration. As perhaps best seen in FIG. 11, user release mechanism 160 of drink bottle 100 includes a sliding member 238. Sliding member 238 includes a user engagement pad 240 and an actuator, such as may be implemented and/or described as a generally planar portion 242, that includes a pair of tabs 244 that slide within a pair of corresponding channels 246 that extend into lateral guards 204 of handle 202. Sliding member 238 is configured to slide relative to the base of the cap assembly upon user actuation of the user release mechanism 160 (i.e., upon user engagement and translation of the user engagement pad 240). Planar portion 242 of sliding member 238 partially defines stowing region 206 together with lateral guards 204 of handle 202. Sliding member 238 also includes a pair of biasing members 250 that slide within channels 246, and which may be integral with the sliding member. Biasing members 250 may be described as springs or leaf springs and may include arcuate projections, or tabs, that are biased to the positions illustrated in FIG. 11. A pair of wedge-shaped tabs 252 is positioned within the channels 246, and when the sliding member 238 is caused to translate toward tube 78 of the mouthpiece assembly in response to user engagement and translation of the user engagement pad, biasing members 250 are compressed against the wedge-shaped tabs. When the user engagement pad is released by a user, the sliding member is biased, or springs, away from tube 78 of the mouthpiece assembly. Sliding member 238 includes a collar engagement portion 254 that is adapted to engage the rigid collar member and force disengagement of the first and second catch structures upon actuation of the user release mechanism (i.e., upon engagement and translation of the user engagement pad). The collar engagement portion 254 of drink bottle 100 is in the form of a tab that extends away from the planar portion. Accordingly, upon actuation of user release mechanism 160, the collar engagement portion engages rim 216 of the rigid collar member and forces disengagement of the first and second catch structures. Additionally or alternatively, a collar engagement portion according to the present disclosure may be adapted to translate relative to and wedge the rigid collar member so that the rigid collar member is forced to pivot. Pivoting of the rigid collar member thereby forces disengagement of the first and second catch structures and thus forces the mouthpiece assembly to reconfigure from the stowed configuration to the dispensing configuration due to the bias of the mouthpiece assembly. Sliding member 238 includes an optional depression 256 that extends into planar portion 242 and adjacent tab 254 (as perhaps best seen in FIG. 11). Depression 256 is sized and shaped to receive at least a portion of the rigid collar member when the mouthpiece assembly is in the stowed configuration. In addition, or in the alternative, to user release mechanism 160 providing a mechanism for releasing the mouthpiece assembly from the stowed configuration to the dispensing configuration, mouthpiece assemblies according to the present disclosure also may include (but are not required to include) another form of user release mechanism 60. For example, the rigid collar member of drink bottle 100 may include a user engagement portion 260 that, when the mouthpiece assembly is in the stowed configuration, is adapted to receive a user-imparted force that pivots the mouthpiece assembly and thereby forces disengagement of the first and second catch structures of the mouthpiece securing mechanism. User engagement portion 260 may be described as a user release mechanism 60, or at least a portion thereof, according to the present disclosure. Rigid collar member 170 of drink bottle 100 further includes an optional stop surface 262 that does not engage the base of the cap assembly when the mouthpiece assembly is in the stowed configuration but that does engage the base of the cap assembly when the mouthpiece assembly is in the dispensing configuration. Accordingly, the stop surface may thereby define a dispensing position of the mouthpiece portion. In other words, when the mouthpiece assembly is released from the stowed configuration, the stop surface may prevent the mouthpiece portion from pivoting beyond its intended position for dispensing drink liquid therefrom. Accordingly, the stop surface further prevents the tube of the mouthpiece assembly from folding over on itself, or crimping, in a direction opposite from the intended stowed configuration in which crimping of the tube is desired. Therefore, when a user is consuming drink liquid from the mouthpiece, the user may be prevented from accidentally restricting the liquid passage simply by imparting a pivoting force on the mouthpiece assembly away from the stowed configuration. As seen in FIGS. 12-13, straw 68, when present, may be sized to be received within at least a portion of the liquid passage 36 of the mouthpiece assembly in a friction fit arrangement. Other configurations are also within the scope of the present disclosure. The following lettered paragraphs represent non-exclusive ways of describing inventions according to the present disclosure. A. A drink container, comprising: a liquid container having a neck with an opening and having an internal compartment sized to hold a volume of potable drink liquid; a cap assembly removably coupled to the liquid container, the cap assembly comprising: a base removably coupled to the neck of the liquid container and including a through-passage; a first catch structure; a mouthpiece assembly extending through the through-passage of the base and defining a liquid passage through which drink liquid from the liquid container may selectively flow, and further defining an inlet through which drink fluid in the internal compartment may enter the liquid passage and an outlet through which drink liquid from the internal compartment of the liquid container is selectively dispensed, wherein the mouthpiece assembly is configured to be selectively configured between a dispensing configuration, in which the liquid passage permits drink liquid to flow from the internal compartment at least into the liquid passage, and a stowed configuration, in which the liquid passage restricts the flow of drink liquid through the liquid passage, wherein the mouthpiece assembly is biased to the dispensing configuration, and wherein the mouthpiece assembly comprises: a mouthpiece portion that includes the outlet; a tube that defines at least a portion of the liquid passage for drink liquid to flow from the internal compartment to the mouthpiece portion, wherein the tube includes a crimping region constructed of a resiliently deformable material and is adapted to restrict the flow of drink liquid through the liquid passage when the mouthpiece assembly is in the stowed configuration; and a second catch structure adapted to be selectively engaged with the first catch structure to retain the mouthpiece assembly in the stowed configuration; and a user release mechanism adapted to automatically disengage the first and second catch structures upon actuation of the user release mechanism and thereby release the mouthpiece assembly to move via its bias from the stowed configuration to the dispensing configuration. A1 The drink container of paragraph A, wherein the user release mechanism includes a mouthpiece assembly engagement portion adapted to engage the mouthpiece assembly and force disengagement of the first and second catch structures upon actuation of the user release mechanism. A2 The drink container of any preceding paragraph, wherein the mouthpiece assembly further includes a rigid collar member that is pivotally coupled to the base and which includes a crimping portion; wherein the crimping portion is adjacent the crimping region of the tube and external of the liquid passage, wherein the rigid collar member engages and crimps the crimping region to restrict the flow of drink liquid through the liquid passage when the mouthpiece assembly is in the stowed configuration. A2.1 The drink container of paragraph A2, wherein the rigid collar member includes the second catch structure, and further wherein the user release mechanism includes a collar engagement portion that is adapted to engage the rigid collar member and force disengagement of the first and second catch structures upon actuation of the user release mechanism. A2.1.1 The drink container of paragraph A2.1, wherein when the mouthpiece assembly is in the stowed configuration and upon actuation of the user release mechanism, the collar engagement portion is adapted to translate relative to and wedge the rigid collar member to force the rigid collar member to pivot. A2.2 The drink container of paragraph A2, wherein the rigid collar member is engaged with the mouthpiece portion. A2.2.1 The drink container of paragraph A2.2, wherein the rigid collar member does not engage the tube when the mouthpiece assembly is in the dispensing configuration. A2.2.2 The drink container of paragraph A2.2, wherein the mouthpiece portion includes a seat for the rigid collar member in which the rigid collar member engages the mouthpiece portion, wherein the seat restricts relative movement between the mouthpiece portion and the rigid collar member. A2.3 The drink container of paragraph A2, wherein the rigid collar member includes a user engagement portion, wherein when the mouthpiece assembly is in the stowed configuration and upon a user imparted force on the user engagement portion that pivots the rigid collar member, the first and second catch structures disengage and thereby release the mouthpiece assembly to move via its bias from the stowed configuration to the dispensing configuration. A2.4 The drink container of paragraph A2, wherein the rigid collar member includes a stop surface that does not engage the base of the cap assembly when the mouthpiece assembly is in the stowed configuration and that engages the base of the cap assembly when the mouthpiece assembly is in the dispensing configuration to define a dispensing position of the mouthpiece portion. A3 The drink container of any preceding paragraph, wherein the crimping region at least partially biases the mouthpiece assembly to the dispensing configuration. A4 The drink container of any preceding paragraph, wherein the mouthpiece portion and the tube are constructed as a unitary assembly of the resiliently deformable material. A4.1 The drink container of any preceding paragraph, wherein the mouthpiece assembly further includes an anchor portion extending from the tube, wherein the anchor portion is sized to restrict passage of the anchor portion through the through-passage of the base of the cap assembly. A6 The drink container of any preceding paragraph, wherein the cap assembly further includes a handle that projects away from the base of the cap assembly, wherein the handle includes a pair of lateral guards that at least partially define a stowing region that receives at least a portion of the mouthpiece assembly between the pair of lateral guards when the mouthpiece assembly is in the stowed configuration. A6.1 The drink container of paragraph A6, wherein the stowing region is at least partially defined by a portion of the user release mechanism. A6.1.1 The drink container of paragraph A6.1, wherein the user release mechanism includes an actuator that is configured to slide relative to the base of the cap assembly upon user actuation of the user release mechanism, wherein the stowing region is defined by at least the pair of lateral guards and the actuator of the user release mechanism. A7 The drink container of any preceding paragraph, wherein the mouthpiece assembly is configured to be selectively coupled to and decoupled from an operative position on the base of the cap assembly via an underside of the base but not via a top side of the base. A7.1 The drink container of paragraph A7, wherein the mouthpiece assembly further includes an anchor portion extending from the tube, wherein the anchor portion is sized to restrict passage of the anchor portion through the through-passage of the base of the cap assembly. A7.1.1 The drink container of paragraph A7.1, wherein the mouthpiece portion, the tube, and the anchor portion are constructed as a unitary assembly of the resiliently deformable material. A8 The drink container of any preceding paragraph, wherein the mouthpiece portion includes a bite-actuated mouthpiece. A8.1 The drink container of paragraph A8, wherein the mouthpiece portion and the tube are constructed as a unitary assembly of the resiliently deformable material. B. A drink container, comprising: a liquid container having a neck with an opening and having an internal compartment sized to hold a volume of potable drink liquid; a cap assembly removably coupled to the liquid container, the cap assembly comprising: a base removably coupled to the neck of the liquid container and including a through-passage; a mouthpiece assembly extending through the through-passage of the base and defining a liquid passage through which drink liquid from the liquid container may selectively flow, and further defining an outlet through which drink liquid is selectively dispensed, wherein the mouthpiece assembly is configured to be selectively configured between a dispensing configuration, in which the liquid passage permits drink liquid to flow from the internal compartment, and a stowed configuration, in which the liquid passage restricts the flow of drink liquid through the liquid passage, wherein the mouthpiece assembly is biased to the dispensing configuration, and wherein the mouthpiece assembly comprises: a mouthpiece portion including the outlet; a tube that defines at least a portion of the liquid passage for drink liquid to flow from the internal compartment to the mouthpiece portion, wherein the tube includes a crimping region constructed of a resiliently deformable material and is adapted to restrict the flow of drink liquid through the liquid passage when the mouthpiece assembly is in the stowed configuration, wherein the mouthpiece portion and the tube are constructed as a unitary assembly of the resiliently deformable material; and a rigid collar member pivotally coupled to the base and including a crimping portion adjacent the crimping region of the tube and adapted to engage and crimp the crimping region to restrict the flow of drink liquid through the liquid passage when the mouthpiece assembly is in the stowed configuration; a mouthpiece securing mechanism adapted to selectively retain the mouthpiece assembly in the stowed configuration; and a user release mechanism adapted to automatically release the mouthpiece assembly to move via its bias from the stowed configuration to the dispensing configuration. B1 The drink container of paragraph B, wherein the mouthpiece portion includes a bite-actuated mouthpiece. B2 The drink container of any of paragraphs B-B1, wherein the mouthpiece assembly further includes an anchor portion extending from the tube, wherein the anchor portion is sized to restrict passage of the anchor portion through the through-passage of the base of the cap assembly. B2.1 The drink container of paragraph B2, wherein the mouthpiece portion, the tube, and the anchor portion are constructed as a unitary assembly of the resiliently deformable material. B3 The drink container of any of paragraphs B-B2.1, wherein the rigid collar member is engaged with the mouthpiece portion. B3.1 The drink container of paragraph B3, wherein the rigid collar member does not engage the tube when the mouthpiece assembly is in the dispensing configuration. B3.1.1 The drink container of paragraph B3.1, wherein the mouthpiece portion includes a seat for the rigid collar member, with the rigid collar member engaging the mouthpiece portion therein, wherein the seat restricts relative movement between the mouthpiece portion and the rigid collar member. B4 The drink container of any of paragraphs B-B3.1.1, wherein the rigid collar member includes a user engagement portion, wherein when the mouthpiece assembly is in the stowed configuration and upon a user imparted force on the user engagement portion that pivots the rigid collar member, the mouthpiece assembly is released from the stowed configuration. B5 The drink container of any of paragraphs B-B4, wherein the rigid collar member includes a stop surface that does not engage the base of the cap assembly when the mouthpiece assembly is in the dispensing configuration and that engages the base of the cap assembly when the mouthpiece assembly is in the dispensing configuration to define a dispensing position of the mouthpiece portion. C. A drink container, comprising a liquid container having a neck with an opening and having an internal compartment sized to hold a volume of potable drink liquid; a cap assembly removably coupled to the liquid container, the cap assembly comprising: a base removably coupled to the neck of the liquid container and including a through-passage; a mouthpiece assembly extending through the through-passage of the base and defining a liquid passage, wherein the mouthpiece assembly is configured to be selectively configured between a dispensing configuration in which the liquid passage permits drink liquid to flow from the internal compartment for consumption by a user and a stowed configuration in which the liquid passage restricts the flow of drink liquid through the liquid passage, wherein the mouthpiece assembly is biased to the dispensing configuration, and wherein the mouthpiece assembly comprises: a mouthpiece portion including an outlet through which drink liquid from the internal compartment may be dispensed when the mouthpiece assembly is in the dispensing configuration; and means for selectively restricting the flow of drink liquid through the liquid passage when the mouthpiece assembly is in the stowed configuration; means for selectively securing the mouthpiece assembly in the stowed configuration; and means for automatically releasing the mouthpiece assembly from the stowed configuration to the dispensing configuration in response to a user input. C1 The drink container of paragraph C, wherein the mouthpiece assembly is a bite-actuated mouthpiece that is biased to a closed configuration through which drink liquid may not flow. C2 The drink container of any of paragraphs C-C1, wherein the mouthpiece portion and the means for selectively restricting are a unitary assembly of a resiliently deformable material. C3 The drink container of paragraph C2, wherein the mouthpiece assembly further includes an anchor portion, wherein the anchor portion is sized to restrict passage of the anchor portion through the through-passage of the base of the cap assembly, and wherein the unitary assembly includes the anchor portion. D. A mouthpiece assembly that defines a liquid passage through which drink liquid from a liquid container may selectively flow, comprising: a mouthpiece portion that defines an outlet to the mouthpiece assembly through which drink fluid may be selectively dispensed; a tube that defines at least a portion of the liquid passage for drink liquid to flow from the liquid container to the mouthpiece portion, wherein the tube is at least partially constructed of a resiliently deformable material; and an anchor portion extending from the tube, wherein the anchor portion is adapted to secure the mouthpiece assembly to a cap assembly of a liquid container; wherein one of the tube and the anchor portion defines an inlet to the mouthpiece assembly through which drink fluid may selectively enter the liquid passage. D1 The mouthpiece assembly of paragraph D, wherein the mouthpiece portion and the tube are constructed as a unitary assembly of the resiliently deformable material. D2 The mouthpiece assembly of paragraph D, wherein the mouthpiece assembly, the tube, and the anchor portion are constructed as a unitary assembly of the resiliently deformable material. D3 The mouthpiece assembly of any of paragraphs D-D2, wherein the mouthpiece portion has a greater exterior perimeter than the tube and the anchor portion has a greater exterior perimeter than the tube. D4 The mouthpiece assembly of any of paragraphs D-D3, wherein the tube includes a crimping region constructed of the resiliently deformable material and is adapted to restrict the flow of drink fluid through the liquid passage when the tube is crimped. D5 The mouthpiece assembly of any of paragraphs D-D4, wherein the mouthpiece assembly is configured to be selectively configured between a dispensing configuration, in which the liquid passage permits drink liquid to flow from the liquid container at least into the liquid passage, and a stowed configuration, in which the liquid passage restricts the flow of drink liquid through the liquid passage, wherein the mouthpiece assembly is biased to the dispensing configuration. D5.1 The mouthpiece assembly of paragraph D5, wherein the tube at least partially biases the mouthpiece assembly to the dispensing configuration. D6 The mouthpiece assembly of any of paragraphs D-D5.1, wherein the mouthpiece portion includes a user-actuated valve. D7 The mouthpiece assembly of any of paragraphs D-D6, wherein the mouthpiece portion includes a bite-actuated mouthpiece. E A cap assembly, comprising: a base adapted to be removably coupled to a liquid container and including a through-passage; and a mouthpiece assembly according to any of paragraphs D-D7 and extending though the through-passage of the base. E1 The cap assembly of paragraph E, wherein the mouthpiece assembly is configured to be selectively configured between a dispensing configuration, in which the liquid passage permits drink liquid to flow from the internal compartment at least into the liquid passage, and a stowed configuration, in which the liquid passage restricts the flow of drink liquid through the liquid passage, wherein the mouthpiece assembly is biased to the dispensing configuration; wherein the cap assembly includes a first catch structure; and wherein the mouthpiece assembly includes a second catch structure adapted to be selectively engaged with the first catch structure to retain the mouthpiece assembly in the stowed configuration. E2 The cap assembly of paragraph E1, wherein the cap assembly further includes a user release mechanism to automatically disengage the first and second catch structures upon actuation of the user release mechanism and thereby release the mouthpiece assembly to move via its bias from the stowed configuration to the dispensing configuration. E2.1 The cap assembly of paragraph E2, wherein the user release mechanism includes a mouthpiece assembly engagement portion adapted to engage the mouthpiece assembly and force disengagement of the first and second catch structures upon actuation of the user release mechanism. E2.2 The cap assembly of any of paragraphs E-E2.1, wherein the tube include a crimping region; wherein the mouthpiece assembly further includes a rigid collar member that is pivotally coupled to the base and which includes a crimping portion, wherein the crimping portion is adjacent the crimping region of the tube and external of the liquid passage, wherein the rigid collar member engages and crimps the crimping region to restrict the flow of drink liquid through the liquid passage when the mouthpiece assembly is in the stowed configuration. E2.2.1 The cap assembly of paragraph E2.2, wherein the rigid collar member includes the second catch structure, and further wherein the user release mechanism includes a collar engagement portion that is adapted to engage the rigid collar member and force disengagement of the first and second catch structures upon actuation of the user release mechanism. E2.2.1.1 The cap assembly of paragraph E2.2 or E2.2.1, wherein when the mouthpiece assembly is in the stowed configuration and upon actuation of the user release mechanism, the collar engagement portion is adapted to translate relative to and wedge the rigid collar member to force the rigid collar member to pivot. E2.2.2 The cap assembly of any of paragraphs E2.2-E2.2.1.1, wherein the rigid collar member is engaged with the mouthpiece portion. E2.2.2.1 The cap assembly of any of paragraphs E2.2-E2.2.2, wherein the rigid collar member does not engage the tube when the mouthpiece assembly is in the dispensing configuration. E2.2.2.2 The cap assembly of any of paragraphs E2.2-E2.2.2.1, wherein the mouthpiece portion includes a seat for the rigid collar member in which the rigid collar member engages the mouthpiece portion, wherein the seat restricts relative movement between the mouthpiece portion and the rigid collar member. E2.2.3 The cap assembly of any of paragraphs E2.2-E2.2.2.2, wherein the rigid collar member includes a user engagement portion, wherein when the mouthpiece assembly is in the stowed configuration and upon a user imparted force on the user engagement portion that pivots the rigid collar member, the first and second catch structures disengage and thereby release the mouthpiece assembly to move via its bias from the stowed configuration to the dispensing configuration. E2.2.4 The cap assembly of any of paragraphs E2.2-E2.2.3, wherein the rigid collar member includes a stop surface that does not engage the base of the cap assembly when the mouthpiece assembly is in the stowed configuration and that engages the base of the cap assembly when the mouthpiece assembly is in the dispensing configuration to define a dispensing position of the mouthpiece portion. E3 The cap assembly of any of paragraphs E-E2.2.4, wherein the mouthpiece assembly is configured to be selectively configured between a dispensing configuration, in which the liquid passage permits drink liquid to flow from the internal compartment at least into the liquid passage, and a stowed configuration, in which the liquid passage restricts the flow of drink liquid through the liquid passage, wherein the mouthpiece assembly is biased to the dispensing configuration; and wherein the cap assembly further comprises: a handle that projects away from the base of the cap assembly, wherein the handle includes a pair of lateral guards that at least partially define a stowing region that receives at least a portion of the mouthpiece assembly between the pair of lateral guards when the mouthpiece assembly is in the stowed configuration. E4 The cap assembly of any of paragraphs E-E3, wherein the mouthpiece assembly is configured to be selectively coupled to and decoupled from an operative position on the base of the cap assembly via an underside of the base but not via a top side of the base. In the event that any of the references that are incorporated by reference herein define a term in a manner or are otherwise inconsistent with either the non-incorporated disclosure of the present application or with any of the other incorporated references, the non-incorporated disclosure of the present application shall control and the term or terms as used therein only control with respect to the patent document in which the term or terms are defined. The disclosure set forth above encompasses multiple distinct inventions with independent utility. While each of these inventions has been disclosed in a preferred form or method, the specific alternatives, embodiments, and/or methods thereof as disclosed and illustrated herein are not to be considered in a limiting sense, as numerous variations are possible. The present disclosure includes all novel and non-obvious combinations and subcombinations of the various elements, features, functions, properties, methods and/or steps disclosed herein. Similarly, where any disclosure above or claim below recites “a” or “a first” element, step of a method, or the equivalent thereof, such disclosure or claim should be understood to include one or more such elements or steps, neither requiring nor excluding two or more such elements or steps. Inventions embodied in various combinations and subcombinations of features, functions, elements, properties, steps and/or methods may be claimed through presentation of new claims in a related application. Such new claims, whether they are directed to a different invention or directed to the same invention, whether different, broader, narrower, or equal in scope to the original claims, are also regarded as included within the subject matter of the present disclosure. INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY The drink containers of the present disclosure are applicable to the hydration fields, and are specifically applicable to portable drink containers from which users may selectively drink potable drink liquid. | <SOH> BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE <EOH>For some time, people have recognized the need to stay hydrated. Conventionally, many individuals carry drink bottles that contain water or other potable beverages. These bottles are typically formed from plastic or metal and include a cap. Some conventional drink bottles include a threaded or other neck from which a user drinks liquid contained in the drink bottle after removal of the cap. Some conventional drink bottles include a spout, or nozzle, from which the drink liquid may be drawn from the drink bottle without removing the cap of the drink bottle. Conventional spouts typically include a flexible straw or a rigid spout having an outlet through which drink liquid may flow. | <SOH> SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE <EOH>Drink containers according to the present disclosure include a liquid container and a cap assembly with a mouthpiece assembly that is adapted to be selectively configured between a dispensing configuration, in which drink liquid may be selectively dispensed from the liquid container, and a stowed configuration, in which drink liquid is restricted from being dispensed from the liquid container. In some examples, the mouthpiece assembly includes a tube portion, at least a portion of which defines a crimping region that is constructed of a resiliently deformable material and that is adapted to restrict the flow of drink liquid therethrough when the mouthpiece assembly is in the stowed configuration. Some examples of drink containers according to the present disclosure further include a user-release mechanism that is adapted to automatically, upon user actuation, release the mouthpiece assembly from the stowed configuration to the dispensing configuration. In some examples, the mouthpiece assembly is biased toward the dispensing configuration and thus moves automatically under its bias upon release by the user-release mechanism. In some examples, the mouthpiece assembly includes a user-actuated mouthpiece, such as a bite-actuated mouthpiece, having an open position and a closed position. Such a mouthpiece may enable a user to selectively receive drink liquid from the liquid container via the mouthpiece assembly when the mouthpiece assembly is in the dispensing configuration and the user-actuated mouthpiece is in the open position. | A47G192272 | 20171117 | 20180315 | 57918.0 | A47G1922 | 1 | POON, ROBERT | DRINK CONTAINERS | UNDISCOUNTED | 1 | CONT-ACCEPTED | A47G | 2,017 |
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15,817,088 | PENDING | SELECTIVELY PROVIDING CONTENT TO USERS LOCATED WITHIN A VIRTUAL PERIMETER | A present physical location of a mobile device can be identified based on wireless communication between the mobile device and at least one beacon. Responsive to determining that the mobile device is located at a particular physical location, location rules associated with the particular physical location and a user profile of a user of the mobile device can be retrieved, content to be made available to the mobile device based on the location rules associated with the particular physical location and the user profile can be selected, and at least one message can be communicated to the mobile device. The message can specify an authorization for the mobile device to access the selected content using at least one application installed on the mobile device, the message configured to be processed by the mobile device to access the selected content. | 1-20. (canceled) 21. A method, comprising: based on wireless communication between a mobile device and at least one beacon, identifying a present physical location of the mobile device; responsive to determining that the mobile device is located at a particular physical location: retrieving location rules associated with the particular physical location and retrieving a user profile of a user of the mobile device; selecting, using a processor, content to be made available to the mobile device based on the location rules associated with the particular physical location and the user profile; and communicating to the mobile device at least a first message, the first message specifying an authorization for the mobile device to access the selected content using at least one application installed on the mobile device, the first message configured to be processed by the mobile device to access the selected content. 22. The method of claim 21, wherein the determining that the mobile device is located at the particular physical location comprises detecting that the mobile device is present within a virtual perimeter defined at the particular physical location. 23. The method of claim 21, wherein the access to the selected content is only available to be initiated by the mobile device while the mobile device still is located at the particular physical location. 24. The method of claim 21, further comprising: detecting that the mobile device is no longer present at the particular physical location; and responsive to detecting that the mobile device is no longer present at the particular physical location, communicating at least a second message to the mobile device, the second message causing the mobile device to disable functionality that enables the user to access the selected content. 25. The method of claim 24, wherein the second message further causes the at least one application installed on the mobile device to close. 26. The method of claim 24, wherein the detecting that the mobile device is no longer present at the particular physical location comprises detecting that the mobile device has left a virtual perimeter defined at the particular physical location. 27. The method of claim 21, wherein the at least one application installed on the mobile device is enabled based on presence of the mobile device at the particular physical location. 28. A system, comprising: a processor programmed to initiate executable operations comprising: based on wireless communication between a mobile device and at least one beacon, identifying a present physical location of the mobile device; responsive to determining that the mobile device is located at a particular physical location: retrieving location rules associated with the particular physical location and retrieving a user profile of a user of the mobile device; selecting content to be made available to the mobile device based on the location rules associated with the particular physical location and the user profile; and communicating to the mobile device at least a first message, the first message specifying an authorization for the mobile device to access the selected content using at least one application installed on the mobile device, the first message configured to be processed by the mobile device to access the selected content. 29. The system of claim 28, wherein the determining that the mobile device is located at the particular physical location comprises detecting that the mobile device is present within a virtual perimeter defined at the particular physical location. 30. The system of claim 28, wherein the access to the selected content is only available to be initiated by the mobile device while the mobile device still is located at the particular physical location. 31. The system of claim 28, the executable operations further comprising: detecting that the mobile device is no longer present at the particular physical location; and responsive to detecting that the mobile device is no longer present at the particular physical location, communicating at least a second message to the mobile device, the second message causing the mobile device to disable functionality that enables the user to access the selected content. 32. The system of claim 31, wherein the second message further causes the at least one application installed on the mobile device to close. 33. The system of claim 31, wherein the detecting that the mobile device is no longer present at the particular physical location comprises detecting that the mobile device has left a virtual perimeter defined at the particular physical location. 34. The system of claim 28, wherein the at least one application installed on the mobile device is enabled based on presence of the mobile device at the particular physical location. 35. A computer program product comprising a computer readable storage medium having program code stored thereon, the program code executable by a processor to perform a method comprising: based on wireless communication between a mobile device and at least one beacon, identifying, by the processor, a present physical location of the mobile device; responsive to determining that the mobile device is located at a particular physical location: retrieving, by the processor, location rules associated with the particular physical location and retrieving a user profile of a user of the mobile device; selecting, by the processor, content to be made available to the mobile device based on the location rules associated with the particular physical location and the user profile; and communicating, by the processor, to the mobile device at least a first message, the first message specifying an authorization for the mobile device to access the selected content using at least one application installed on the mobile device, the first message configured to be processed by the mobile device to access the selected content. 36. The computer program product of claim 35, wherein the determining that the mobile device is located at the particular physical location comprises detecting that the mobile device is present within a virtual perimeter defined at the particular physical location. 37. The computer program product of claim 35, wherein the access to the selected content is only available to be initiated by the mobile device while the mobile device still is located at the particular physical location. 38. The computer program product of claim 35, the method further comprising: detecting that the mobile device is no longer present at the particular physical location; and responsive to detecting that the mobile device is no longer present at the particular physical location, communicating at least a second message to the mobile device, the second message causing the mobile device to disable functionality that enables the user to access the selected content. 39. The computer program product of claim 38, wherein the second message further causes the at least one application installed on the mobile device to close. 40. The computer program product of claim 38, wherein the detecting that the mobile device is no longer present at the particular physical location comprises detecting that the mobile device has left a virtual perimeter defined at the particular physical location. | BACKGROUND The present invention relates to communication networks and, more specifically, to providing network services. The use of tablet computers and smart phones (hereinafter collectively referred to as “mobile devices”) has grown significantly over the last decade and now is commonplace throughout the industrialized world. On mobile devices, users typically spend more time using mobile applications to access web based content than they spend using web browsers, and the disparity between mobile application usage and web browser usage continues to grow. This is because a well-designed mobile application typically delivers a superior user experience than a web browser. There are several reasons for this. First, mobile applications are much like desktop software in that they can store resources locally, whereas a web browser must retrieve all data for a website from a web server. In a mobile application, interface controls operate without the same lag time of websites, which require the transfer data back and forth between the web server and the web browser. Lastly, mobile applications also can tie into the functionality of the mobile device, which is not possible with a website being accessed via a web browser. SUMMARY A method includes, based on wireless communication between a mobile device and at least one beacon, identifying a present physical location of a mobile device. The method also includes, responsive to determining that the mobile device is located at a particular physical location, communicating to the mobile device at least a first message, the first message specifying at least one application to be disabled while the mobile device is present at the physical location. The method further includes, responsive to receiving from the mobile device a response to the first message indicating that the at least one application is disabled, authorizing, using a processor, the mobile device to establish presence on a network maintained for the physical location. A system includes a processor programmed to initiate executable operations. The executable operations include, based on wireless communication between a mobile device and at least one beacon, identifying a present physical location of a mobile device. The executable operations also include, responsive to determining that the mobile device is located at a particular physical location, communicating to the mobile device at least a first message, the first message specifying at least one application to be disabled while the mobile device is present at the physical location. The executable operations further include, responsive to receiving from the mobile device a response to the first message indicating that the at least one application is disabled, authorizing the mobile device to establish presence on a network maintained for the physical location. A computer program includes a computer readable storage medium having program code stored thereon. The program code is executable by a processor to perform a method. The method includes, based on wireless communication between a mobile device and at least one beacon, identifying, by the processor, a present physical location of a mobile device. The method also includes, responsive to determining that the mobile device is located at a particular physical location, communicating, by the processor, to the mobile device at least a first message, the first message specifying at least one application to be disabled while the mobile device is present at the physical location. The method further includes, responsive to receiving from the mobile device a response to the first message indicating that the at least one application is disabled, authorizing, by the processor, the mobile device to establish presence on a network maintained for the physical location. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is diagram illustrating implementation of a virtual perimeter. FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating an example of a communication system. FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating example architecture for a data processing system. FIG. 4 is a flow chart illustrating an example of a method of selectively providing access to a network. FIG. 5 is a flow chart illustrating an example of a method of selectively providing access to content. DETAILED DESCRIPTION While the disclosure concludes with claims defining novel features, it is believed that the various features described herein will be better understood from a consideration of the description in conjunction with the drawings. The process(es), machine(s), manufacture(s) and any variations thereof described within this disclosure are provided for purposes of illustration. Any specific structural and functional details described are not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a basis for the claims and as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to variously employ the features described in virtually any appropriately detailed structure. Further, the terms and phrases used within this disclosure are not intended to be limiting, but rather to provide an understandable description of the features described. This disclosure relates to communication networks and, more specifically, to providing network services. Several definitions that apply throughout this document now will be presented. As defined herein, the term “virtual perimeter” means a perimeter defined for a physical location wherein presence of a user or device within the physical region is detected via one or more electronic devices or systems. As defined herein, the term “physical location” means a location where a user may be physically present. Examples of physical locations include, but are not limited to, a building, a store, a restaurant, a coffee shop, a library, an airport, an airplane, a train, boat, bus, and the like. A physical location also may be a particular portion of a building, a store, a restaurant, a coffee shop, a library, an airport, an airplane, a train, boat, bus, and the like. As defined herein, a “physical location” is not a website, user forum or the like. As defined herein, the term “user” means a person (i.e., a human being). As defined herein, the term “mobile device” means a wireless computing device including at least one processor, memory elements, and at least one transceiver (or transmitter/receiver pair) configured to wirelessly communicate data. Examples of a mobile device include, but are not limited to, a tablet computer and a smart phone. As defined herein, the term “mobile application” means an application specifically configured to be executed by a processor of a mobile device. As defined herein, the term “content” means audio, video, images, multimedia and/or text configured to be communicated over at least one network for presentation to a user on a mobile device. As defined herein, the term “message” means digital data communicated between at least two devices over at least one network to convey digital information between the devices. A message may be carried in one or more packets or frames. As defined herein, a “message” is not a text message sent using the simple message service (SMS), a message sent using the Multimedia Messaging Service (MIMS) or an electronic mail (e-mail). As defined herein, the term “location rule” means a rule pertaining to users/mobile devices are authorized to access content based, at least in part, on whether the user/mobile device is physically present at a particular physical location. A location rule also can determine whether users/mobile devices are authorized to access content based on user profile data, content subscription levels, or any other applicable information. As defined herein, the term “user profile data” means data pertaining to users. A user profile can be created for each user of a particular system, and each user profile can include user profile data for a particular user. As defined herein, the phrases “presence on a network,” “presence on the network” and “network presence” mean a condition in which a device is connected to a network and able to send and receive data over the network. A series of messages typically are exchanged between a device and the network, for example during a handshake procedure, to authenticate the device. Once the handshake procedure is properly completed, network presence on the network is established for the device. As defined herein, the term “responsive to” means responding or reacting readily to an action or event. Thus, if a second action is performed “responsive to” a first action, there is a causal relationship between an occurrence of the first action and an occurrence of the second action, and the term “responsive to” indicates such causal relationship. As defined herein, the term “computer readable storage medium” means a storage medium that contains or stores program code for use by or in connection with an instruction execution system, apparatus, or device. As defined herein, a “computer readable storage medium” is not a transitory, propagating signal per se. As defined herein, the term “processor” means at least one hardware circuit (e.g., an integrated circuit) configured to carry out instructions contained in program code. Examples of a processor include, but are not limited to, a central processing unit (CPU), an array processor, a vector processor, a digital signal processor (DSP), a field-programmable gate array (FPGA), a programmable logic array (PLA), an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), programmable logic circuitry, and a controller. As defined herein, the term “automatically” means without user intervention. FIG. 1 is diagram illustrating implementation of a virtual perimeter 100 defined for a physical location. Presence of one or more mobile devices, such as a mobile device 110 used by a user 105, within the virtual perimeter 100 can be detected by one or more electronic devices or systems. For example, one or more beacons 120 can be deployed at the physical location to detect whether mobile devices 110 are present in the virtual perimeter 100, and thus present at the physical location. A beacon 120 can include a transceiver that transmits a wireless beacon signal. In illustration, the beacon 120 can include a Bluetooth® low-energy (BLE) transmitter or transceiver that transmits the beacon signal. In one arrangement, the beacon signal can include a universally unique identifier (UUID), which is an identifier that is unique to the beacon 120. The major value can be a value that identifies a local group of beacons that includes the beacon 120, for example if more than one beacon 120 is deployed at the physical location. The minor value can identify the beacon 120 within the local group of beacons 120. In this regard, using one or more beacons 120, the beacons 120 can define the virtual perimeter 100 for the physical location. When a mobile device 110 is in range of a beacon 120, the mobile device 110 can detect the beacon signal, for example via a BLE receiver or transceiver. The mobile device 110 can process the beacon signal, for example using a suitably configured application, to determine (or estimate) a distance of the mobile device 110 to the beacon 120. The mobile device 110 can determine (or estimate) the distance, for example, based on a strength of the received signal. The mobile device 110 can wirelessly communicate to the beacon 120 a response to the beacon signal. The response can indicate the determined (or estimated) distance of the mobile device 110 from the beacon 120. The response also can include a user identifier associated with the user of the mobile device 110, a media access control (MAC) address of the mobile device 110, or the like. FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating an example of a communication system (hereinafter “system”) 200. In accordance with the arrangements described herein, based on detecting presence of a mobile device 110 at a particular physical location, the system 200 can implement any number of processes. Such processes can include providing to the mobile device 110 access to a network maintained for the physical location based on the mobile device's presence at the physical location. The processes also can include providing to the mobile device 110 content 242 selected for the mobile device 110 based, at least in part, on the mobile device's presence in the physical location. The content 242 also can be selected based on a user profile associated with a user of the mobile device 110. Further, one or more applications on the mobile device 110 can be enabled and/or disabled based on the presence of the mobile device 110 at the physical location. For example, a subset of mobile applications on the mobile device 110 can be disabled based on the presence of the mobile device 110 at the physical location. Similarly, a subset of mobile applications on the mobile device 110 can be enabled based on the presence of the mobile device 110 at the physical location. The system 200 can include location authentication server 220. The location authentication server 220 can be communicatively linked to the beacon(s) 120 and detect the present physical location of one or more mobile devices, such as a mobile device 110, based on data received from the beacon(s) 120. For example, based on the determined (or estimated) distance of the mobile device 110 from the beacon 120, and the UUID, major value and/or minor value assigned to that beacon 120, the location authentication server 220 can determine whether the mobile device 110 is present at the particular physical location, and where at the physical location the mobile device 110 is present. For instance, the location authentication server 220 can determine to which beacon 120 the mobile device 110 is closest, and the distance, or estimated distance, of the mobile device 110 from that beacon 120. Moreover, based on information received from at least two beacons 120, the location authentication server 220 can implement trilateration to determine the location of the mobile device 110. The system 200 also can include a user profile data store 224. The user profile data store can store user profile data for a plurality of users, including the user of the mobile device 110. The user profile data can include user identifiers, user authentication information such as passwords, MAC addresses, and/or the like. The user profile data also can include user loyalty information. User loyalty information for a particular user can include, but is not limited to, information indicating the number of times the user has visited the physical location (e.g., an establishment), the frequency at which the user visits the physical location, the number of times the user has purchased goods/services at the physical location or from an entity associated with the physical location (e.g., business, organization, etc.), the frequency at which the user purchases goods/services, the value of goods/services purchased, information related to customer loyalty points that have been awarded to users, information related to credits that have been assigned to users, etc. The customer loyalty information also can include any other information indicative of the user's loyalty to the entity associated with the physical location. The system 200 further can include a location content authorization server 226. The location content authorization server 226 can interface with one or more content provider servers 240 that provide content 242 made available by the system 200 to mobile devices, such as the mobile device 110. The location content authorization server 226 can maintain, for example, subscription information for content 242 for which the entity associated with the physical location has subscribed. The location content authorization server 226 also can maintain a listing of such content 242, for example in a database or a suitable file. The location content authorization server 226 can periodically poll the content provider servers 240 to receive updates on content 242 that is available. For example, as new content 242 becomes available, and other content may become unavailable, the location content authorization server 226 can update the listing of available content. The location content authorization server 226 can publish a listing of the content 242, which can be accessed by a virtual perimeter driven content streaming server (hereinafter referred to as “content streaming server”) 230, which will be described. The content provider server(s) 240 can be servers of content providers who provide content 242 which may be desired by users of mobile devices 110. Such content 242 can be, for example, media provided by television networks, news networks, video on demand networks (e.g., Netflix®, Hulu™, etc.), digital magazines, etc. In this regard, the content providers can create and/or hold distribution rights for the content 242 that is made available by the system 200 to the mobile devices 110. The system 200 also can include a location rules engine 228. The location rules engine 228 can maintain location rules specific to the particular physical location. The location rules can define what content 242 is available to each of the mobile devices 110, for example based on the present physical location of each mobile device 110, user profile data associated with the respective user of each mobile device 110, a content subscription level of an entity associated with the physical location, etc. The location rules also can define requisite conditions for a mobile device 110 to establish network presence on the network maintained for the physical location. A requisite condition can be, for example, that a user is in good standing with an entity associated with the physical location, a time of day, a day of the week, or the like. The system also can include the content streaming server 230. The content streaming server 230 can interface with the location authentication server 220, the user profile data store 224, the location content authorization server 226 and the location rules engine 228 to determine whether respective mobile devices 110 are authorized to establish network presence on a network maintained for the physical location, and what content 242 is available to each respective mobile device 110. In illustration, responsive to the location authentication server 220 determining that a mobile device 110 presently is located at a particular location, the location authentication server 220 can communicate corresponding information to the content streaming server 230. Such information can indicate not only that the mobile device 110 is present at the physical location, for example within a virtual perimeter, but also a user identifier associated with the user of the mobile device 110 and/or a MAC address of the mobile device 110. The content streaming server 230 can access the user profile data store 224 to retrieve user profile information associated with the user of the mobile device 110. Based on the information received from the location authentication server 220 and the user profile information, the content streaming server 230 can determine whether the mobile device 110 is authorized to establish presence on the network maintained for the physical location. Such network can be, for example a local area network (LAN). The LAN can include, for example, a WiFi™ network. Responsive to determining that the mobile device 110 is authorized to establish presence on the network maintained for the physical location, the content streaming server 230 can communicate to the network a corresponding authorization. Responsive to receiving the authorization, the network can complete a handshake process with the mobile device 110 for the mobile device to establish presence on the network. Once the mobile device 110 has established presence on the network, the network can provide to the mobile device 110 a connection to the Internet. Responsive to the mobile device 110 establishing presence on the network, the content streaming server 230 can retrieve and process the user profile information of the user, the location rules, and a listing of subscribed content 242 (or subscription levels) to select content 242 to be made available to the mobile device 110. In illustration, the content streaming server 230 can consider a level of the user's loyalty when selecting the content. For example, if the user has never before made a purchase from the entity associated with the physical location, a subset of the content 242 that is subscribed to can be made available to the mobile device 110. The subset can include, for example, base content. If the user infrequently makes purchases, a larger subset of the content 242 can be made available to the mobile device 110. The larger subset can include, for example, base content and mid-level content. If the user frequently makes purchases, and thus is a highly valued customer, an even larger subset of the content 242 can be made available, or all of the content 242 can be made available, to the mobile device 110. Such content can include base content, mid-level content and premium content. In one arrangement, the determination of which content is base content, mid-level content and premium content can be based on subscription levels. In another arrangement, such determination can be made by a system administrator, for example a system administrator of the entity associated with the physical location. In another example, the variety of content 242 that is made available to the mobile device 110 can be determined based on where in the physical location the mobile device 110 is located. For example, if the mobile device 110 is located in a coach section of an airplane, a subset of the content 242 can be made available to the mobile device 110. If the mobile device 110 is located in a business class section of an airplane, a larger subset of the content 242 can be made available to the mobile device 110. If the mobile device is located in a first class section of the airplane, an even larger subset of the content 242 can be made available, or all of the content 242 can be made available, to the mobile device 110. Similarly, on a cruise ship, a mobile device 110 located in an economy cabin can be provided access to a subset of content 242, a mobile device 110 located in a deluxe cabin can be provided access to a larger subset of the subscribed content 242, and a mobile device 110 located in a suite can be provided access to an even larger subset, or all of the content 242. These are but a few examples of how the level of content 242 can be selected for various users, and those skilled in the art will appreciate that these examples can be applied to different floors of a building (e.g., a hotel), different rooms in a building, different sections in an arena, etc. In one arrangement, the content 242 available to each mobile device 110 can be based on subscription levels. For example, a first subscription level can include access to a subset of the content 242, a second subscription level can include access to a larger subset of the content 242, and a third subscription level can include access to an even larger subset, or all of the content 242. Accordingly, based on the specific location of a mobile device 110 within the physical location, the mobile device 110 can be assigned a specific subscription level. In a further arrangement, the content 242 that is made available to the mobile device 110 can be selected, based on the user profile of the user of the mobile device 110, to be content 242 relevant to the user's interests. For example, if the user has previously accessed content 242 via the system 200, data associated with the content 242 can be saved to the user's user profile. The data can indicate a genre of the content 242 accessed, specific publications accessed, etc. The content streaming server 230 can process this information to identify content 242 that likely will be of most interest to the user, and select that content to be made available for access by the mobile device 110. Responsive to determining which content 242 is to be made available to the mobile device 110, the content streaming server 230 can communicate to the location content authorization server 226 an identifier identifying the user and/or the mobile device 110, and a list of content 242 the user/mobile device 110 is authorized to access or a subscription level assigned to the mobile device 110. The location content authorization server 226 can communicate corresponding information to the content provider server(s) 240, for example directly or through a message broker. Responsive to receiving the information, the content provider server(s) 240 can identify the user of the mobile device 110 as a guest of the content delivery services they provide, regardless of whether the user has his/her own subscription(s) to the services. Further, the content provider server(s) 240 can make available to the mobile device 110 access to the content 242 the information indicates the user is authorized to access. If the user has his/her own subscriptions to the services, access to content 242 the user subscribes to also can be provided to the mobile device 110. Further, responsive to determining which content 242 is to be made available to the mobile device 110, the content streaming server 230 can communicate to the mobile device 110 at least one message via the network maintained for the physical location. The message(s) can specify an authorization for the mobile device 110 to access the selected content using at least one mobile application 210 installed on the mobile device 110. The message(s) can be configured to be processed by the mobile device 110 to activate the particular mobile application(s) 210 installed on the mobile device 110 to access the selected content 242 based on the authorization. The mobile application 210 can be, for example, a mobile application provided by the entity associated with the physical location. The user of the mobile device 110 can access the mobile application 210 from a website, or access the mobile application in another suitable manner, and install the mobile application 210 on the mobile device 110. Responsive to receiving the message(s) from the content streaming server 230, the mobile device 110 can automatically launch the mobile application 210. The authorization specified by the message(s) can be processed by the mobile application 210 to connect, via the network maintained for the physical location, to the content provider server(s) 240. Further, the mobile application 210 can communicate to the content provider server(s) 240 information identifying the user/mobile device 110. Optionally, the information also can indicate a subscription level. The content provider server(s) 240 can process the information to identify information received from the location content authorization server 226 pertaining to that user/mobile device 110, and identify the content 242 the mobile device 110 is authorized to access. Further, the content provider server(s) 240 can communicate to the mobile application 210 one or more messages indicating the content 242 the user/mobile device 110 is authorized to access. Responsive to receiving the message(s), the mobile application 210 can present a list of such content 242 to the user. For example, the mobile application can present the list on the display of the mobile device 110. The list can include various user selectable fields and/or controls which the user may choose to view information related to the content 242 (e.g., synopses, summaries, etc.) and to select the content 242 for presentation. Responsive to the user selecting a particular content 242 for presentation, the mobile application 210 can retrieve that content 242 from the content provider server(s) 240 via the Internet connection provided by the network maintained for the physical location. Presentation of the content 242 can be initiated by the mobile application 210. For example, the mobile application 210 can present the content 242, or the mobile application 210 can automatically launch another application to present the content 242. In one aspect, the mobile application 210 can augment other mobile applications already installed on the mobile device 110. For example, if the content 242 authorized to be accessed by the mobile device 110 based on the mobile device's presence at the physical location is content for which another application on the mobile device 110 is configured to present, the mobile application 210 can interface with such other application to make the content 142 available for presentation by such application. Moreover, the mobile application 210 can interface with such other application so that the other application can present to the user, via a user interface, an option to access the content 142. In one arrangement, access to the content 242 is only available to be initiated by the mobile device 110 while the mobile device 110 still is located at the particular physical location. For example, responsive to the beacon(s) 222 detecting that the mobile device 110 is no longer present at the physical location, for example the mobile device 110 has left the virtual perimeter, the location authentication server 220 can communicate a corresponding message to the content streaming server 230. In response, the content streaming server 230 can communicate, via the network maintained for the physical location, a message to the mobile application 210. Responsive to receiving the message, the mobile application 210 can disable functionality that enables a user to access the content 242 the mobile device 110 was authorized to access while being present at the physical location. In one aspect, the mobile device 110 may continue presenting content 242 the user has already accessed. In another aspect, the mobile application 210 can cease presenting the content 242, or close another application that is presenting the content 242. Further, the mobile application 210 can prevent the content 242 from again being presented until the mobile device 110 again is located at the physical location. In a further aspect, in response to receiving the message, the mobile application 210 can close. Further, the mobile application can remain closed until being automatically opened when the user again enters the physical location. On or more services can be installed on the mobile device 110 with the mobile application 210 to control when the mobile application 210 may be opened or closed. In a further arrangement, responsive to the mobile device 110 being present at the physical location, the content streaming server 230 can communicate to the mobile device 110 one or more messages that specify at least one application installed on the mobile device which is to be disabled while the mobile device 110 is located at the particular physical location. The message can be configured to be processed by the mobile device 110 to deactivate such application(s) while the mobile device still is located at the particular physical location. The mobile application 210, or a service installed on the mobile device 110, can be configured to process the message to deactivate the application(s). In one aspect, the content streaming server 230 may require deactivation of the specified application(s) prior to the mobile device 110 being authorized to establish presence on the network maintained for the physical location. In illustration, responsive to receiving the message, the mobile device 110 can prompt the user to confirm whether the user agrees to have the indicated applications deactivated. If the user agrees, the mobile application 210, or a service, can deactivate the specified applications and communicate a message to the network, for example during the handshake procedure, indicating the specified application(s) is/are deactivated. Such message can be forwarded to the content streaming server 230. Responsive to receiving the message, the content streaming server 230 can communicate an authorization for the mobile device 110 to establish presence on the network. In response, the network can complete the handshake process and the mobile device 110 can establish presence on the network, and the network can provide to the mobile device 110 Internet access. If the user does not agree to have the specified application(s) deactivated, the mobile application 210, or a service, can communicate a message to the network, for example during the handshake procedure, indicating the specified application(s) is/are not deactivated. Again, such message can be forwarded to the content streaming server 230. Responsive to receiving the message, the content streaming server 230 can deny access for the mobile device 110 to establish presence on the network. By way of example, certain organizations may not want pictures taken within their establishment. The message communicated to the mobile device 110 can cause image/video capture applications to be deactivated while the mobile device 110 is in that establishment. Similarly, a library may not want patrons of the library playing music and/or videos on their mobile devices 110 when the patrons are in the library. Accordingly, the message can be processed by the mobile devices 110 to disable playback of music and/or videos on the mobile devices 110. Still, other applications can be deactivated and the present arrangements are not limited in this regard. Further, the message(s) can specify a subset of applications on the mobile device 110 that may only be executed while the mobile device 110 is located at the particular physical location. The message can be configured to be processed by the mobile device 110 to deactivate at least one application, for example a subset applications, that are not authorized for use while the mobile device 110 is located at the particular physical location. In illustration, the proprietor of a coffee shop may only want patrons using certain mobile applications while in the coffee shop. For example, the message can specify certain music applications (e.g., Pandora®, Spotify®, etc.) and certain ebook applications (e.g., Kindle™, Nook®, etc.) that may be executed. The mobile application 210, or a service installed on the mobile device 110, can be configured to, responsive to receiving the message, deactivate any applications on the mobile device 110 that are not indicated in the message as being allowable for use in the establishment. In another aspect, rather than deactivating all other applications, the mobile application 210 or service can deactivate certain types of applications. For example, the message can indicate to deactivate all media playback applications other than the ones that are specified, or indicate certain media playback applications (e.g., YouTube™) that are to be deactivated. Again, the user can be prompted to indicate whether the user agrees to deactivation of certain applications. If the user agrees, the mobile application 210, or a service, can deactivate the specified applications and communicate a message to the network, for example during the handshake procedure, indicating the specified application(s) is/are deactivated. Such message can be forwarded to the content streaming server 230. Responsive to receiving the message, the content streaming server 230 can communicate an authorization for the mobile device 110 to establish presence on the network. In response, the network can complete the handshake process and the mobile device 110 can establish presence on the network, and the network can provide to the mobile device 110 Internet access. If the user does not agree, the user can be denied access to establish presence on the network. Assuming that one or more applications on the mobile device 110 have been deactivated while the mobile device 110 is located at the physical location, responsive to the mobile device 110 leaving the physical location, such applications can be re-activated. For example, responsive to the location authentication server 220 detecting, via the beacon(s) 120, that the mobile device 110 no longer is present at the physical location, the content streaming server 230 can communicate to the mobile device 110 a message indicating that any deactivated applications can be reactivated. Responsive to receiving such message, the mobile application 210, or a service installed on the mobile device 110, can reactivate such applications. FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating example architecture for a data processing system 300 configured to implement one or more of the processes described herein. The data processing system 300 can include at least one processor 305 (e.g., a central processing unit) coupled to memory elements 310 through a system bus 315 or other suitable circuitry. As such, the data processing system 300 can store program code within the memory elements 310. The processor 305 can execute the program code accessed from the memory elements 310 via the system bus 315. It should be appreciated that the data processing system 300 can be implemented in the form of any system including a processor and memory that is capable of performing the functions and/or operations described within this specification. For example, the data processing system 300 can be implemented as one or more hardware servers. The memory elements 310 can include one or more physical memory devices such as, for example, local memory 320 and one or more bulk storage devices 325. Local memory 320 refers to random access memory (RAM) or other non-persistent memory device(s) generally used during actual execution of the program code. The bulk storage device(s) 325 can be implemented as a hard disk drive (HDD), solid state drive (SSD), or other persistent data storage device. The data processing system 300 also can include one or more cache memories (not shown) that provide temporary storage of at least some program code in order to reduce the number of times program code must be retrieved from the bulk storage device 325 during execution. One or more network adapters 330 can be coupled to data processing system 300 to enable the data processing system 300 to become coupled to other systems, computer systems, remote printers, and/or remote storage devices through intervening private or public networks. Modems, cable modems, transceivers, and Ethernet cards are examples of different types of network adapters 330 that can be used with the data processing system 300. As pictured in FIG. 3, the memory elements 310 can store the components of the system 200 of FIG. 2, namely the location authentication server 220, the user profile data store 224, the location content authorization server 226, the location rules engine 228 and the content streaming server 230. Being implemented in the form of executable program code, these components of the system 200 can be executed by the data processing system 300 and, as such, can be considered part of the data processing system 300. Moreover the location authentication server 220, the user profile data store 224, the location content authorization server 226, the location rules engine 228 and the content streaming server 230 are functional data structures that impart functionality when employed as part of the data processing system 300 of FIG. 3. Moreover, any messages generated by these components also are functional data structures that impart functionality when employed as part of the data processing system 300 of FIG. 3. At this point it should be noted that, in one arrangement, the location authentication server 220, user profile data store 224, location content authorization server 226, location rules engine 228 and content streaming server 230 can be hosted locally, for example by one or more processing systems, such as the data processing system 300, at the physical location. In another arrangement, one or more of these components can be hosted remote from the physical location, for example by one or more processing systems. In such case, the beacon(s) 120 and network maintained for the physical location can be communicatively linked to the location authentication server 220, user profile data store 224, location content authorization server 226, location rules engine 228 and/or content streaming server 230 via one or more networks. Moreover, the location authentication server 220, user profile data store 224, location content authorization server 226, location rules engine 228 and content streaming server 230 can be configured to service more than one physical location. FIG. 4 is a flow chart illustrating an example of a method 400 of selectively providing access to a network. At step 402, a present physical location of a mobile device can be identified based on wireless communication between a mobile device and at least one beacon. At step 404, a determination can be made that the mobile device is located at a particular location. For example, a determination can be made that the mobile device is located within a virtual perimeter defined by one or more beacons. At step 406, a message can be communicated to the mobile device indicating at least one application to be disabled on the mobile device based on the mobile device being located at the particular location. Referring to decision box 408, a determination can be made as to whether a response to the message is received from the mobile device indicating the application(s) is/are disabled on the mobile device. If a response which indicates that the application(s) is/are disabled is received, at step 410, the mobile device can be authorized, using a processor, to establish presence on a network maintained for the physical location. If a response which indicates that the application(s) is/are disabled is not received, at step 412, authorization to establish presence on the network maintained for the physical location can be denied to the mobile device. FIG. 5 is a flow chart illustrating an example of a method 500 of selectively providing access to content. At step 502, a present physical location of a mobile device can be identified based on wireless communication between a mobile device and at least one beacon. At step 504, a determination can be made that the mobile device is located at a particular location. For example, a determination can be made that the mobile device is located within a virtual perimeter defined by one or more beacons. At step 506, location rules associated with the particular physical location and user profile data associated with the user of the mobile device can be retrieved. At step 508, based at least on the location rules and the user profile data, content assigned to the particular physical location can be identified. Further content that the mobile device is authorized to access via the network while the mobile device still is located at the particular physical location can be selected from the identified content. At step 510, at least one message can be communicated to the mobile device. The at least one message can specify an authorization for the mobile device to access the selected content using at least one mobile application installed on the mobile device. The message can be configured to be processed by the mobile device to activate the at least one particular mobile application installed on the mobile device to access the selected content based on the authorization, wherein the access to the selected content is only available to be initiated by the mobile device while the mobile device still is located at the particular physical location. For purposes of simplicity and clarity of illustration, elements shown in the figures have not necessarily been drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions of some of the elements may be exaggerated relative to other elements for clarity. Further, where considered appropriate, reference numbers are repeated among the figures to indicate corresponding, analogous, or like features. The present invention may be a system, a method, and/or a computer program product. The computer program product may include a computer readable storage medium (or media) having computer readable program instructions thereon for causing a processor to carry out aspects of the present invention. The computer readable storage medium can be a tangible device that can retain and store instructions for use by an instruction execution device. The computer readable storage medium may be, for example, but is not limited to, an electronic storage device, a magnetic storage device, an optical storage device, an electromagnetic storage device, a semiconductor storage device, or any suitable combination of the foregoing. A non-exhaustive list of more specific examples of the computer readable storage medium includes the following: a portable computer diskette, a hard disk, a random access memory (RAM), a read-only memory (ROM), an erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM or Flash memory), a static random access memory (SRAM), a portable compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM), a digital versatile disk (DVD), a memory stick, a floppy disk, a mechanically encoded device such as punch-cards or raised structures in a groove having instructions recorded thereon, and any suitable combination of the foregoing. A computer readable storage medium, as used herein, is not to be construed as being transitory signals per se, such as radio waves or other freely propagating electromagnetic waves, electromagnetic waves propagating through a waveguide or other transmission media (e.g., light pulses passing through a fiber-optic cable), or electrical signals transmitted through a wire. Computer readable program instructions described herein can be downloaded to respective computing/processing devices from a computer readable storage medium or to an external computer or external storage device via a network, for example, the Internet, a local area network, a wide area network and/or a wireless network. The network may comprise copper transmission cables, optical transmission fibers, wireless transmission, routers, firewalls, switches, gateway computers and/or edge servers. A network adapter card or network interface in each computing/processing device receives computer readable program instructions from the network and forwards the computer readable program instructions for storage in a computer readable storage medium within the respective computing/processing device. Computer readable program instructions for carrying out operations of the present invention may be assembler instructions, instruction-set-architecture (ISA) instructions, machine instructions, machine dependent instructions, microcode, firmware instructions, state-setting data, or either source code or object code written in any combination of one or more programming languages, including an object oriented programming language such as Smalltalk, C++ or the like, and conventional procedural programming languages, such as the “C” programming language or similar programming languages. The computer readable program instructions may execute entirely on the user's computer, partly on the user's computer, as a stand-alone software package, partly on the user's computer and partly on a remote computer or entirely on the remote computer or server. In the latter scenario, the remote computer may be connected to the user's computer through any type of network, including a local area network (LAN) or a wide area network (WAN), or the connection may be made to an external computer (for example, through the Internet using an Internet Service Provider). In some embodiments, electronic circuitry including, for example, programmable logic circuitry, field-programmable gate arrays (FPGA), or programmable logic arrays (PLA) may execute the computer readable program instructions by utilizing state information of the computer readable program instructions to personalize the electronic circuitry, in order to perform aspects of the present invention. Aspects of the present invention are described herein with reference to flowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams of methods, apparatus (systems), and computer program products according to embodiments of the invention. It will be understood that each block of the flowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams, and combinations of blocks in the flowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams, can be implemented by computer readable program instructions. These computer readable program instructions may be provided to a processor of a general purpose computer, special purpose computer, or other programmable data processing apparatus to produce a machine, such that the instructions, which execute via the processor of the computer or other programmable data processing apparatus, create means for implementing the functions/acts specified in the flowchart and/or block diagram block or blocks. These computer readable program instructions may also be stored in a computer readable storage medium that can direct a computer, a programmable data processing apparatus, and/or other devices to function in a particular manner, such that the computer readable storage medium having instructions stored therein comprises an article of manufacture including instructions which implement aspects of the function/act specified in the flowchart and/or block diagram block or blocks. The computer readable program instructions may also be loaded onto a computer, other programmable data processing apparatus, or other device to cause a series of operational steps to be performed on the computer, other programmable apparatus or other device to produce a computer implemented process, such that the instructions which execute on the computer, other programmable apparatus, or other device implement the functions/acts specified in the flowchart and/or block diagram block or blocks. The flowchart and block diagrams in the Figures illustrate the architecture, functionality, and operation of possible implementations of systems, methods, and computer program products according to various embodiments of the present invention. In this regard, each block in the flowchart or block diagrams may represent a module, segment, or portion of instructions, which comprises one or more executable instructions for implementing the specified logical function(s). In some alternative implementations, the functions noted in the block may occur out of the order noted in the figures. For example, two blocks shown in succession may, in fact, be executed substantially concurrently, or the blocks may sometimes be executed in the reverse order, depending upon the functionality involved. It will also be noted that each block of the block diagrams and/or flowchart illustration, and combinations of blocks in the block diagrams and/or flowchart illustration, can be implemented by special purpose hardware-based systems that perform the specified functions or acts or carry out combinations of special purpose hardware and computer instructions. The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the invention. As used herein, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will be further understood that the terms “includes,” “including,” “comprises,” and/or “comprising,” when used in this disclosure, specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof. Reference throughout this disclosure to “one embodiment,” “an embodiment,” or similar language means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment described within this disclosure. Thus, appearances of the phrases “in one embodiment,” “in an embodiment,” and similar language throughout this disclosure may, but do not necessarily, all refer to the same embodiment. The term “plurality,” as used herein, is defined as two or more than two. The term “another,” as used herein, is defined as at least a second or more. The term “coupled,” as used herein, is defined as connected, whether directly without any intervening elements or indirectly with one or more intervening elements, unless otherwise indicated. Two elements also can be coupled mechanically, electrically, or communicatively linked through a communication channel, pathway, network, or system. The term “and/or” as used herein refers to and encompasses any and all possible combinations of one or more of the associated listed items. It will also be understood that, although the terms first, second, etc. may be used herein to describe various elements, these elements should not be limited by these terms, as these terms are only used to distinguish one element from another unless stated otherwise or the context indicates otherwise. The term “if” may be construed to mean “when” or “upon” or “in response to determining” or “in response to detecting,” depending on the context. Similarly, the phrase “if it is determined” or “if [a stated condition or event] is detected” may be construed to mean “upon determining” or “in response to determining” or “upon detecting [the stated condition or event]” or “in response to detecting [the stated condition or event],” depending on the context. The descriptions of the various embodiments of the present invention have been presented for purposes of illustration, but are not intended to be exhaustive or limited to the embodiments disclosed. Many modifications and variations will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the described embodiments. The terminology used herein was chosen to best explain the principles of the embodiments, the practical application or technical improvement over technologies found in the marketplace, or to enable others of ordinary skill in the art to understand the embodiments disclosed herein. | <SOH> BACKGROUND <EOH>The present invention relates to communication networks and, more specifically, to providing network services. The use of tablet computers and smart phones (hereinafter collectively referred to as “mobile devices”) has grown significantly over the last decade and now is commonplace throughout the industrialized world. On mobile devices, users typically spend more time using mobile applications to access web based content than they spend using web browsers, and the disparity between mobile application usage and web browser usage continues to grow. This is because a well-designed mobile application typically delivers a superior user experience than a web browser. There are several reasons for this. First, mobile applications are much like desktop software in that they can store resources locally, whereas a web browser must retrieve all data for a website from a web server. In a mobile application, interface controls operate without the same lag time of websites, which require the transfer data back and forth between the web server and the web browser. Lastly, mobile applications also can tie into the functionality of the mobile device, which is not possible with a website being accessed via a web browser. | <SOH> SUMMARY <EOH>A method includes, based on wireless communication between a mobile device and at least one beacon, identifying a present physical location of a mobile device. The method also includes, responsive to determining that the mobile device is located at a particular physical location, communicating to the mobile device at least a first message, the first message specifying at least one application to be disabled while the mobile device is present at the physical location. The method further includes, responsive to receiving from the mobile device a response to the first message indicating that the at least one application is disabled, authorizing, using a processor, the mobile device to establish presence on a network maintained for the physical location. A system includes a processor programmed to initiate executable operations. The executable operations include, based on wireless communication between a mobile device and at least one beacon, identifying a present physical location of a mobile device. The executable operations also include, responsive to determining that the mobile device is located at a particular physical location, communicating to the mobile device at least a first message, the first message specifying at least one application to be disabled while the mobile device is present at the physical location. The executable operations further include, responsive to receiving from the mobile device a response to the first message indicating that the at least one application is disabled, authorizing the mobile device to establish presence on a network maintained for the physical location. A computer program includes a computer readable storage medium having program code stored thereon. The program code is executable by a processor to perform a method. The method includes, based on wireless communication between a mobile device and at least one beacon, identifying, by the processor, a present physical location of a mobile device. The method also includes, responsive to determining that the mobile device is located at a particular physical location, communicating, by the processor, to the mobile device at least a first message, the first message specifying at least one application to be disabled while the mobile device is present at the physical location. The method further includes, responsive to receiving from the mobile device a response to the first message indicating that the at least one application is disabled, authorizing, by the processor, the mobile device to establish presence on a network maintained for the physical location. | H04M172577 | 20171117 | 20180315 | 59893.0 | H04M1725 | 3 | DSOUZA, JOSEPH FRANCIS A | SELECTIVELY PROVIDING CONTENT TO USERS LOCATED WITHIN A VIRTUAL PERIMETER | SMALL | 1 | CONT-ACCEPTED | H04M | 2,017 |
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15,817,235 | PENDING | MINIATURE TELEPHOTO LENS ASSEMBLY | An optical lens assembly includes five lens elements and provides a TTL/EFL<1.0. In an embodiment, the focal length of the first lens element f1<TTL/2, an air gap between first and second lens elements is smaller than half the second lens element thickness, an air gap between the third and fourth lens elements is greater than TTL/5 and an air gap between the fourth and fifth lens elements is smaller than about 1.5 times the fifth lens element thickness. All lens elements may be aspheric. | 1. A lens assembly, comprising: a plurality of refractive lens elements arranged along an optical axis, wherein at least one surface of at least one of the plurality of lens elements is aspheric wherein the lens assembly has an effective focal length (EFL), a total track length (TTL) of 6.5 millimeters or less and a ratio TTL/EFL of less than 1.0, wherein the plurality of lens elements comprises, in order from an object side to an image side, a first lens element with positive refractive power, a second lens element with negative refractive power, and a third lens element, wherein a focal length f1 of the first lens element is smaller than TTL/2 and wherein a lens assembly F # is smaller than 2.9. 2. The lens assembly of claim 1, wherein the third lens element has negative refractive power. 3. The lens assembly of claim 1, wherein the plurality of refractive lens elements includes five lens elements. 4. The lens assembly of claim 1, wherein the focal length f1, a focal length f2 of the second lens element and a focal length f3 of the third lens element fulfill the condition 1.2×|f3|>|f2|>1.5×f1. 5. The lens assembly of claim 2, wherein the plurality of refractive lens elements includes five lens elements, and wherein a fourth lens element and a fifth lens element have different refractive power signs. 6. The lens assembly of claim 3, wherein a fourth lens element and a fifth lens element have different refractive power signs. 7. The lens assembly of claim 3, wherein a fourth lens element and a fifth lens element are separated by an air gap smaller than TTL/20. 8. The lens assembly of claim 3, wherein one of a fourth lens element and a fifth lens element is characterized by an Abbe number smaller than 30 and wherein the other of the fourth lens element and the fifth lens element is characterized by an Abbe number greater than 50. 9. The lens assembly of claim 5, wherein the third lens element and the fourth lens element are separated by an air gap greater than TTL/5, wherein the fourth lens element and the fifth lens element are separated by an air gap smaller than TTL/20, wherein one of the fourth lens element and the fifth lens element is characterized by an Abbe number smaller than 30, and wherein the other of the fourth lens element and the fifth lens element is characterized by an Abbe number greater than 50. 10. The lens assembly of claim 6, wherein the third lens element and the fourth lens element are separated by an air gap greater than TTL/5, wherein the fourth lens element and the fifth lens element are separated by an air gap smaller than TTL/20, wherein one of the fourth lens element and the fifth lens element is characterized by an Abbe number smaller than 30, and wherein the other of the fourth lens element and the fifth lens element is characterized by an Abbe number greater than 50. 11. A lens assembly, comprising: a plurality of refractive lens elements arranged along an optical axis, wherein at least one surface of at least one of the plurality of lens elements is aspheric, wherein the lens assembly has an effective focal length (EFL), a total track length (TTL) of 6.5 millimeters or less and a ratio TTL/EFL of less than 1.0, wherein the plurality of lens elements comprises, in order from an object side to an image side, a first lens element with positive refractive power and a focal length f1, a second lens element with negative refractive power and a focal length f2, and a third lens element with a focal length f3, wherein the focal length f1, the focal length f2 and the focal length f3 fulfil the condition 1.2×|f3|>f2|>1.5×f1, and wherein a lens assembly F # is smaller than 2.9. 12. The lens assembly of claim 11, wherein the third lens element has negative refractive power. 13. The lens assembly of claim 11, wherein the plurality of refractive lens elements includes five lens elements. 14. The lens assembly of claim 12, wherein the plurality of refractive lens elements includes five lens elements, and wherein a fourth lens element and a fifth lens element have different refractive power signs. 15. The lens assembly of claim 13, wherein a fourth lens element and a fifth lens element have different refractive power signs. 16. The lens assembly of claim 13, wherein a fourth lens element and a fifth lens element are separated by an air gap smaller than TTL/20. 17. The lens assembly of claim 13, wherein one of a fourth lens element and a fifth lens element is characterized by an Abbe number smaller than 30 and wherein the other of the fourth lens element and the fifth lens element is characterized by an Abbe number greater than 50. 18. A lens assembly, comprising: five refractive lens elements arranged along an optical axis, wherein at least one surface of at least one of the lens elements is aspheric wherein the lens assembly has an effective focal length (EFL), a total track length (TTL) of 6.5 millimeters or less and a ratio TTL/EFL of less than 1.0, wherein the lens elements comprises, in order from an object side to an image side, a first lens element with positive refractive power, a second lens element with negative refractive power, a third lens element and a fourth lens element, wherein the third lens element and the fourth lens element are separated by an air gap greater than TTL/5 and wherein a lens assembly F # is smaller than 2.9. 19. The lens assembly of claim 18, wherein the third lens element has negative refractive power. 20. The lens assembly of claim 18, wherein the fourth lens element and a fifth lens element have different refractive power signs. 21. The lens assembly of claim 18, wherein the fourth lens element and the fifth lens element are separated by an air gap smaller than TTL/20. 22. The lens assembly of claim 18, wherein one of the fourth lens element and a fifth lens element is characterized by an Abbe number smaller than 30 and wherein the other of the fourth lens element and the fifth lens element is characterized by an Abbe number greater than 50. 23. The lens assembly of claim 18, wherein a focal length f1 of the first lens element is smaller than TTL/2. 24. The lens assembly of claim 19, wherein the fourth lens element and a fifth lens element have different refractive power signs. | CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application is a Continuation application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/418,925 filed Jan. 30, 2017, which was a Continuation in Part application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/170,472 filed Jun. 1, 2016, which was a Continuation application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/932319 filed Nov. 4, 2015, which was a Continuation application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/367924 filed Jun. 22, 2014, which was a 371 of international application PCT/IB2014/062465 filed Jun. 20, 2014, and is related to and claims priority from U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/842,987 filed Jul. 4, 2013, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. FIELD Embodiments disclosed herein relate to an optical lens system and lens assembly, and more particularly, to a miniature telephoto lens assembly included in such a system and used in a portable electronic product such as a cellphone. BACKGROUND Digital camera modules are currently being incorporated into a variety of host devices. Such host devices include cellular telephones, personal data assistants (PDAs), computers, and so forth. Consumer demand for digital camera modules in host devices continues to grow. Cameras in cellphone devices in particular require a compact imaging lens system for good quality imaging and with a small total track length (TTL). Conventional lens assemblies comprising four lens elements are no longer sufficient for good quality imaging in such devices. The latest lens assembly designs, e.g. as in U.S. Pat. No. 8,395,851, use five lens elements. However, the design in U.S. Pat. No. 8,395,851 suffers from at least the fact that the TTL/EFL (effective focal length) ratio is too large. Therefore, a need exists in the art for a five lens element optical lens assembly that can provide a small TTL/EFL ratio and better image quality than existing lens assemblies. SUMMARY Embodiments disclosed herein refer to an optical lens assembly comprising, in order from an object side to an image side: a first lens element with positive refractive power having a convex object-side surface, a second lens element with negative refractive power having a thickness d2 on an optical axis and separated from the first lens element by a first air gap, a third lens element with negative refractive power and separated from the second lens element by a second air gap, a fourth lens element having a positive refractive power and separated from the third lens element by a third air gap, and a fifth lens element having a negative refractive power, separated from the fourth lens element by a fourth air gap, the fifth lens element having a thickness d5 on the optical axis. An optical lens system incorporating the lens assembly may further include a stop positioned before the first lens element, a glass window disposed between the image-side surface of the fifth lens element and an image sensor with an image plane on which an image of the object is formed. The effective focal length of the lens assembly is marked “EFL” and the total track length on an optical axis between the object-side surface of the first lens element and the electronic sensor is marked “TTL”. In all embodiments, TTL is smaller than the EFL, i.e. the TTL/EFL ratio is smaller than 1.0. In some embodiments, the TTL/EFL ratio is smaller than 0.9. In an embodiment, the TTL/EFL ratio is about 0.85. In all embodiments, the lens assembly has an F number F#<3.2. In an embodiment, the focal length of the first lens element f1 is smaller than TTL/2, the first, third and fifth lens elements have each an Abbe number (“Vd”) greater than 50, the second and fourth lens elements have each an Abbe number smaller than 30, the first air gap is smaller than d2/2, the third air gap is greater than TTL/5 and the fourth air gap is smaller than 1.5 d5. In some embodiments, the surfaces of the lens elements may be aspheric. In an optical lens assembly disclosed herein, the first lens element with positive refractive power allows the TTL of the lens system to be favorably reduced. The combined design of the first, second and third lens elements plus the relative short distances between them enable a long EFL and a short TTL. The same combination, together with the high dispersion (low Vd) for the second lens element and low dispersion (high Vd) for the first and third lens elements, also helps to reduce chromatic aberration. In particular, the ratio TTL/EFL<1.0 and minimal chromatic aberration are obtained by fulfilling the relationship 1.2×|f3|>|f2|>1.5×f1, where “f” indicates the lens element effective focal length and the numerals 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 indicate the lens element number. The conditions TTL/EFL<1.0 and F#<3.2 can lead to a large ratio L11/L1e (e.g. larger than 4) between the largest width (thickness) L11 and the smallest width (thickness) of the first lens element (facing the object) L1e. The largest width is along the optical axis and the smallest width is of a flat circumferential edge of the lens element. L11 and L1e are shown in each of elements 102, 202 and 302. A large L11/L1e ratio (e.g. >4) impacts negatively the manufacturability of the lens and its quality. Advantageously, the present inventors have succeeded in designing the first lens element to have a L11/L1e ratio smaller than 4, smaller than 3.5, smaller than 3.2, smaller than 3.1 (respectively 3.01 for element 102 and 3.08 for element 302) and even smaller than 3.0 (2.916 for element 202). The significant reduction in the L11/L1e ratio improves the manufacturability and increases the quality of lens assemblies disclosed herein. The relatively large distance between the third and the fourth lens elements plus the combined design of the fourth and fifth lens elements assist in bringing all fields' focal points to the image plane. Also, because the fourth and fifth lens elements have different dispersions and have respectively positive and negative power, they help in minimizing chromatic aberration. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1A shows a first embodiment of an optical lens system disclosed herein; FIG. 1B shows the modulus of the optical transfer function (MTF) vs. focus shift of the entire optical lens assembly for various fields in the first embodiment; FIG. 1C shows the distortion vs. field angle (+Y direction) in percent in the first embodiment; FIG. 2A shows a second embodiment of an optical lens system disclosed herein; FIG. 2B shows the MTF vs. focus shift of the entire optical lens assembly for various fields in the second embodiment; FIG. 2C shows the distortion +Y in percent in the second embodiment; FIG. 3A shows a third embodiment of an optical lens system disclosed herein; FIG. 3B shows the MTF vs. focus shift of the entire optical lens system for various fields in the third embodiment; FIG. 3C shows the distortion +Y in percent in the third embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION In the following description, the shape (convex or concave) of a lens element surface is defined as viewed from the respective side (i.e. from an object side or from an image side). FIG. 1A shows a first embodiment of an optical lens system disclosed herein and marked 100. FIG. 1B shows the MTF vs. focus shift of the entire optical lens system for various fields in embodiment 100. FIG. 1C shows the distortion +Y in percent vs. field. Embodiment 100 comprises in order from an object side to an image side: an optional stop 101; a first plastic lens element 102 with positive refractive power having a convex object-side surface 102a and a convex or concave image-side surface 102b; a second plastic lens element 104 with negative refractive power and having a meniscus convex object-side surface 104a, with an image side surface marked 104b; a third plastic lens element 106 with negative refractive power having a concave object-side surface 106a with an inflection point and a concave image-side surface 106b; a fourth plastic lens element 108 with positive refractive power having a positive meniscus, with a concave object-side surface marked 108a and an image-side surface marked 108b; and a fifth plastic lens element 110 with negative refractive power having a negative meniscus, with a concave object-side surface marked 110a and an image-side surface marked 110b. The optical lens system further comprises an optional glass window 112 disposed between the image-side surface 110b of fifth lens element 110 and an image plane 114 for image formation of an object. Moreover, an image sensor (not shown) is disposed at image plane 114 for the image formation. In embodiment 100, all lens element surfaces are aspheric. Detailed optical data is given in Table 1, and the aspheric surface data is given in Table 2, wherein the units of the radius of curvature (R), lens element thickness and/or distances between elements along the optical axis and diameter are expressed in mm. “Nd” is the refraction index. The equation of the aspheric surface profiles is expressed by: z = cr 2 1 + 1 - ( 1 + k ) c 2 r 2 + α 1 r 2 + α 2 r 4 + α 3 r 6 + α 4 r 8 + α 5 r 10 + α 6 r 12 + α 7 r 14 where r is distance from (and perpendicular to) the optical axis, k is the conic coefficient, c=1/R where R is the radius of curvature, and a are coefficients given in Table 2. In the equation above as applied to embodiments of a lens assembly disclosed herein, coefficients α1 and α7 are zero. Note that the maximum value of r “max r” =Diameter/2. Also note that Table 1 (and in Tables 3 and 5 below), the distances between various elements (and/or surfaces) are marked “Lmn” (where m refers to the lens element number, n=1 refers to the element thickness and n=2 refers to the air gap to the next element) and are measured on the optical axis z, wherein the stop is at z=0. Each number is measured from the previous surface. Thus, the first distance −0.466 mm is measured from the stop to surface 102a, the distance L11 from surface 102a to surface 102b (i.e. the thickness of first lens element 102) is 0.894 mm, the gap L12 between surfaces 102b and 104a is 0.020 mm, the distance L21 between surfaces 104a and 104b (i.e. thickness d2 of second lens element 104) is 0.246 mm, etc. Also, L21=d2 and L51=d5. L11 for lens element 102 is indicated in FIG. 1A. Also indicated in FIG. 1A is a width L1e of a flat circumferential edge (or surface) of lens element 102. L11 and L1e are also indicated for each of first lens elements 202 and 302 in, respectively, embodiments 200 (FIG. 2A) and 300 (FIG. 3A). TABLE 1 Radius R Distances Diameter # Comment [mm] [mm] Nd/Vd [mm] 1 Stop Infinite −0.466 2.4 2 L11 1.5800 0.894 1.5345/57.095 2.5 3 L12 −11.2003 0.020 2.4 4 L21 33.8670 0.246 1.63549/23.91 2.2 5 L22 3.2281 0.449 1.9 6 L31 −12.2843 0.290 1.5345/57.095 1.9 7 L32 7.7138 2.020 1.8 8 L41 −2.3755 0.597 1.63549/23.91 3.3 9 L42 −1.8801 0.068 3.6 10 L51 −1.8100 0.293 1.5345/57.095 3.9 11 L52 −5.2768 0.617 4.3 12 Window Infinite 0.210 1.5168/64.17 3.0 13 Infinite 0.200 3.0 TABLE 2 Conic # coefficient k α2 α3 α4 α5 α6 2 −0.4668 7.9218E−03 2.3146E−02 −3.3436E−02 2.3650E−02 −9.2437E−03 3 −9.8525 2.0102E−02 2.0647E−04 7.4394E−03 −1.7529E−02 4.5206E−03 4 10.7569 −1.9248E−03 8.6003E−02 1.1676E−02 −4.0607E−02 1.3545E−02 5 1.4395 5.1029E−03 2.4578E−01 −1.7734E−01 2.9848E−01 −1.3320E−01 6 0.0000 2.1629E−01 4.0134E−02 1.3615E−02 2.5914E−03 −1.2292E−02 7 −9.8953 2.3297E−01 8.2917E−02 −1.2725E−01 1.5691E−01 −5.9624E−02 8 0.9938 −1.3522E−02 −7.0395E−03 1.4569E−02 −1.5336E−02 4.3707E−03 9 −6.8097 −1.0654E−01 1.2933E−02 2.9548E−04 −1.8317E−03 5.0111E−04 10 −7.3161 −1.8636E−01 8.3105E−02 −1.8632E−02 2.4012E−03 −1.2816E−04 11 0.0000 −1.1927E−01 7.0245E−02 −2.0735E−02 2.6418E−03 −1.1576E−04 Embodiment 100 provides a field of view (FOV) of 44 degrees, with EFL=6.90 mm, F#=2.80 and TTL of 5.904 mm. Thus and advantageously, the ratio TTL/EFL=0.855. Advantageously, the Abbe number of the first, third and fifth lens element is 57.095. Advantageously, the first air gap between lens elements 102 and 104 (the gap between surfaces 102b and 104a) has a thickness (0.020 mm) which is less than a tenth of thickness d2 (0.246 mm). Advantageously, the Abbe number of the second and fourth lens elements is 23.91. Advantageously, the third air gap between lens elements 106 and 108 has a thickness (2.020 mm) greater than TTL/5 (5.904/5 mm). Advantageously, the fourth air gap between lens elements 108 and 110 has a thickness (0.068 mm) which is smaller than 1.5d5 (0.4395 mm). The focal length (in mm) of each lens element in embodiment 100 is as follows: f1=2.645, f2=−5.578, f3=−8.784, f4=9.550 and f5=−5.290. The condition 1.2×|f3|>|f2|<1.5×f1 is clearly satisfied, as 1.2×8.787>5.578>1.5×2.645. f1 also fulfills the condition f1<TTL/2, as 2.645<2.952. Using the data from row #2 in Tables 1 and 2, L1e in lens element 102 equals 0.297 mm, yielding a center-to-edge thickness ratio L11/L1e of 3.01. FIG. 2A shows a second embodiment of an optical lens system disclosed herein and marked 200. FIG. 2B shows the MTF vs. focus shift of the entire optical lens system for various fields in embodiment 200. FIG. 2C shows the distortion +Y in percent vs. field. Embodiment 200 comprises in order from an object side to an image side: an optional stop 201; a first plastic lens element 202 with positive refractive power having a convex object-side surface 202a and a convex or concave image-side surface 202b; a second glass lens element 204 with negative refractive power, having a meniscus convex object-side surface 204a, with an image side surface marked 204b; a third plastic lens element 206 with negative refractive power having a concave object-side surface 206a with an inflection point and a concave image-side surface 206b; a fourth plastic lens element 208 with positive refractive power having a positive meniscus, with a concave object-side surface marked 208a and an image-side surface marked 208b; and a fifth plastic lens element 210 with negative refractive power having a negative meniscus, with a concave object-side surface marked 110a and an image-side surface marked 210b. The optical lens system further comprises an optional glass window 212 disposed between the image-side surface 210b of fifth lens element 210 and an image plane 214 for image formation of an object. In embodiment 200, all lens element surfaces are aspheric. Detailed optical data is given in Table 3, and the aspheric surface data is given in Table 4, wherein the markings and units are the same as in, respectively, Tables 1 and 2. The equation of the aspheric surface profiles is the same as for embodiment 100. TABLE 3 Radius R Distances Diameter # Comment [mm] [mm] Nd/Vd [mm] 1 Stop Infinite −0.592 2.5 2 L11 1.5457 0.898 1.53463/56.18 2.6 3 L12 −127.7249 0.129 2.6 4 L21 6.6065 0.251 1.91266/20.65 2.1 5 L22 2.8090 0.443 1.8 6 L31 9.6183 0.293 1.53463/56.18 1.8 7 L32 3.4694 1.766 1.7 8 L41 −2.6432 0.696 1.632445/23.35 3.2 9 L42 −1.8663 0.106 3.6 10 L51 −1.4933 0.330 1.53463/56.18 3.9 11 L52 −4.1588 0.649 4.3 12 Window Infinite 0.210 1.5168/64.17 5.4 13 Infinite 0.130 5.5 TABLE 4 Conic # coefficient k α2 α3 α4 α5 α6 2 0.0000 −2.7367E−03 2.8779E−04 −4.3661E−03 3.0069E−03 −1.2282E−03 3 −10.0119 4.0790E−02 −1.8379E−02 2.2562E−02 −1.7706E−02 4.9640E−03 4 10.0220 4.6151E−02 5.8320E−02 −2.0919E−02 −1.2846E−02 8.8283E−03 5 7.2902 3.6028E−02 1.1436E−01 −1.9022E−02 4.7992E−03 −3.4079E−03 6 0.0000 1.6639E−01 5.6754E−02 −1.2238E−02 −1.8648E−02 1.9292E−02 7 8.1261 1.5353E−01 8.1427E−02 −1.5773E−01 1.5303E−01 −4.6064E−02 8 0.0000 −3.2628E−02 1.9535E−02 −1.6716E−02 −2.0132E−03 2.0112E−03 9 0.0000 1.5173E−02 −1.2252E−02 3.3611E−03 −2.5303E−03 8.4038E−04 10 −4.7688 −1.4736E−01 7.6335E−02 −2.5539E−02 5.5897E−03 −5.0290E−04 11 0.00E+00 −8.3741E−02 4.2660E−02 −8.4866E−03 1.2183E−04 7.2785E−05 Embodiment 200 provides a FOV of 43.48 degrees, with EFL=7 mm, F#=2.86 and TTL=5.90mm. Thus and advantageously, the ratio TTL/EFL=0.843. Advantageously, the Abbe number of the first, third and fifth lens elements is 56.18. The first air gap between lens elements 202 and 204 has a thickness (0.129 mm) which is about half the thickness d2 (0.251 mm). Advantageously, the Abbe number of the second lens element is 20.65 and of the fourth lens element is 23.35. Advantageously, the third air gap between lens elements 206 and 208 has a thickness (1.766 mm) greater than TTL/5 (5.904/5 mm). Advantageously, the fourth air gap between lens elements 208 and 210 has a thickness (0.106 mm) which is less than 1.5×d5 (0.495 mm). The focal length (in mm) of each lens element in embodiment 200 is as follows: f1=2.851, f2=−5.468, f3=−10.279, f4=7.368 and f5=−4.536. The condition 1.2×|f3|>|f2|<1.5×f1 is clearly satisfied, as 1.2×10.279>5.468>1.5×2.851. f1 also fulfills the condition f1<TTL/2, as 2.851<2.950. Using the data from row #2 in Tables 3 and 4, L1e in lens element 202 equals 0.308 mm, yielding a center-to-edge thickness ratio L11/L1e of 2.916. FIG. 3A shows a third embodiment of an optical lens system disclosed herein and marked 300. FIG. 3B shows the MTF vs. focus shift of the entire optical lens system for various fields in embodiment 300. FIG. 3C shows the distortion +Y in percent vs. field. Embodiment 300 comprises in order from an object side to an image side: an optional stop 301; a first glass lens element 302 with positive refractive power having a convex object-side surface 302a and a convex or concave image-side surface 302b; a second plastic lens element 204 with negative refractive power, having a meniscus convex object-side surface 304a, with an image side surface marked 304b; a third plastic lens element 306 with negative refractive power having a concave object-side surface 306a with an inflection point and a concave image-side surface 306b; a fourth plastic lens element 308 with positive refractive power having a positive meniscus, with a concave object-side surface marked 308a and an image-side surface marked 308b; and a fifth plastic lens element 310 with negative refractive power having a negative meniscus, with a concave object-side surface marked 310a and an image-side surface marked 310b. The optical lens system further comprises an optional glass window 312 disposed between the image-side surface 310b of fifth lens element 310 and an image plane 314 for image formation of an object. In embodiment 300, all lens element surfaces are aspheric. Detailed optical data is given in Table 5, and the aspheric surface data is given in Table 6, wherein the markings and units are the same as in, respectively, Tables 1 and 2. The equation of the aspheric surface profiles is the same as for embodiments 100 and 200. TABLE 5 Radius R Distances Diameter # Comment [mm] [mm] Nd/Vd [mm] 1 Stop Infinite −0.38 2.4 2 L11 1.5127 0.919 1.5148/63.1 2.5 3 L12 −13.3831 0.029 2.3 4 L21 8.4411 0.254 1.63549/23.91 2.1 5 L22 2.6181 0.426 1.8 6 L31 −17.9618 0.265 1.5345/57.09 1.8 7 L32 4.5841 1.998 1.7 8 L41 −2.8827 0.514 1.63549/23.91 3.4 9 L42 −1.9771 0.121 3.7 10 L51 −1.8665 0.431 1.5345/57.09 4.0 11 L52 −6.3670 0.538 4.4 12 Window Infinite 0.210 1.5168/64.17 3.0 13 Infinite 0.200 3.0 TABLE 6 Conic # coefficient k α2 α3 α4 α5 α6 2 −0.534 1.3253E−02 2.3699E−02 −2.8501E−02 1.7853E−02 −4.0314E−03 3 −13.473 3.0077E−02 4.7972E−03 1.4475E−02 −1.8490E−02 4.3565E−03 4 −10.132 7.0372E−04 1.1328E−01 1.2346E−03 −4.2655E−02 8.8625E−03 5 5.180 −1.9210E−03 2.3799E−01 −8.8055E−02 2.1447E−01 −1.2702E−01 6 0.000 2.6780E−01 1.8129E−02 −1.7323E−02 3.7372E−02 −2.1356E−02 7 10.037 2.7660E−01 −1.0291E−02 −6.0955E−02 7.5235E−02 −1.6521E−02 8 1.703 2.6462E−02 −1.2633E−02 −4.7724E−04 −3.2762E−03 1.6551E−03 9 −1.456 5.7704E−03 −1.8826E−02 5.1593E−03 −2.9999E−03 8.0685E−04 10 −6.511 −2.1699E−01 1.3692E−01 −4.2629E−02 6.8371E−03 −4.1415E−04 11 0.000 −1.5120E−01 8.6614E−02 −2.3324E−02 2.7361E−03 −1.1236E−04 Embodiment 300 provides a FOV of 44 degrees, EFL=6.84 mm, F#=2.80 and TTL=5.904 mm. Thus and advantageously, the ratio TTL/EFL=0.863. Advantageously, the Abbe number of the first lens element is 63.1, and of the third and fifth lens elements is 57.09. The first air gap between lens elements 302 and 304 has a thickness (0.029 mm) which is about 1/10th the thickness d2 (0.254 mm). Advantageously, the Abbe number of the second and fourth lens elements is 23.91. Advantageously, the third air gap between lens elements 306 and 308 has a thickness (1.998 mm) greater than TTL/5 (5.904/5 mm). Advantageously, the fourth air gap between lens elements 208 and 210 has a thickness (0.121 mm) which is less than 1.5d5 (0.6465 mm). The focal length (in mm) of each lens element in embodiment 300 is as follows: f1=2.687, f2=−6.016, f3=−6.777, f4=8.026 and f5=−5.090. The condition 1.2×|f3|>|f2|<1.5×f1 is clearly satisfied, as 1.2×6.777>6.016>1.5×2.687. f1 also fulfills the condition f1<TTL/2, as 2.687<2.952. Using the data from row #2 in Tables 5 and 6, L1e in lens element 302 equals 0.298 mm, yielding a center-to-edge thickness ratio L11/L1e of 3.08. While this disclosure has been described in terms of certain embodiments and generally associated methods, alterations and permutations of the embodiments and methods will be apparent to those skilled in the art. The disclosure is to be understood as not limited by the specific embodiments described herein, but only by the scope of the appended claims. | <SOH> BACKGROUND <EOH>Digital camera modules are currently being incorporated into a variety of host devices. Such host devices include cellular telephones, personal data assistants (PDAs), computers, and so forth. Consumer demand for digital camera modules in host devices continues to grow. Cameras in cellphone devices in particular require a compact imaging lens system for good quality imaging and with a small total track length (TTL). Conventional lens assemblies comprising four lens elements are no longer sufficient for good quality imaging in such devices. The latest lens assembly designs, e.g. as in U.S. Pat. No. 8,395,851, use five lens elements. However, the design in U.S. Pat. No. 8,395,851 suffers from at least the fact that the TTL/EFL (effective focal length) ratio is too large. Therefore, a need exists in the art for a five lens element optical lens assembly that can provide a small TTL/EFL ratio and better image quality than existing lens assemblies. | <SOH> SUMMARY <EOH>Embodiments disclosed herein refer to an optical lens assembly comprising, in order from an object side to an image side: a first lens element with positive refractive power having a convex object-side surface, a second lens element with negative refractive power having a thickness d 2 on an optical axis and separated from the first lens element by a first air gap, a third lens element with negative refractive power and separated from the second lens element by a second air gap, a fourth lens element having a positive refractive power and separated from the third lens element by a third air gap, and a fifth lens element having a negative refractive power, separated from the fourth lens element by a fourth air gap, the fifth lens element having a thickness d 5 on the optical axis. An optical lens system incorporating the lens assembly may further include a stop positioned before the first lens element, a glass window disposed between the image-side surface of the fifth lens element and an image sensor with an image plane on which an image of the object is formed. The effective focal length of the lens assembly is marked “EFL” and the total track length on an optical axis between the object-side surface of the first lens element and the electronic sensor is marked “TTL”. In all embodiments, TTL is smaller than the EFL, i.e. the TTL/EFL ratio is smaller than 1.0. In some embodiments, the TTL/EFL ratio is smaller than 0.9. In an embodiment, the TTL/EFL ratio is about 0.85. In all embodiments, the lens assembly has an F number F#<3.2. In an embodiment, the focal length of the first lens element f1 is smaller than TTL/2, the first, third and fifth lens elements have each an Abbe number (“Vd”) greater than 50, the second and fourth lens elements have each an Abbe number smaller than 30, the first air gap is smaller than d 2 /2, the third air gap is greater than TTL/5 and the fourth air gap is smaller than 1.5 d 5 . In some embodiments, the surfaces of the lens elements may be aspheric. In an optical lens assembly disclosed herein, the first lens element with positive refractive power allows the TTL of the lens system to be favorably reduced. The combined design of the first, second and third lens elements plus the relative short distances between them enable a long EFL and a short TTL. The same combination, together with the high dispersion (low Vd) for the second lens element and low dispersion (high Vd) for the first and third lens elements, also helps to reduce chromatic aberration. In particular, the ratio TTL/EFL<1.0 and minimal chromatic aberration are obtained by fulfilling the relationship 1.2×|f3|>|f2|>1.5×f1, where “f” indicates the lens element effective focal length and the numerals 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 indicate the lens element number. The conditions TTL/EFL<1.0 and F#<3.2 can lead to a large ratio L11/L1e (e.g. larger than 4) between the largest width (thickness) L11 and the smallest width (thickness) of the first lens element (facing the object) L1e. The largest width is along the optical axis and the smallest width is of a flat circumferential edge of the lens element. L11 and L1e are shown in each of elements 102 , 202 and 302 . A large L11/L1e ratio (e.g. >4) impacts negatively the manufacturability of the lens and its quality. Advantageously, the present inventors have succeeded in designing the first lens element to have a L11/L1e ratio smaller than 4, smaller than 3.5, smaller than 3.2, smaller than 3.1 (respectively 3.01 for element 102 and 3.08 for element 302 ) and even smaller than 3.0 (2.916 for element 202 ). The significant reduction in the L11/L1e ratio improves the manufacturability and increases the quality of lens assemblies disclosed herein. The relatively large distance between the third and the fourth lens elements plus the combined design of the fourth and fifth lens elements assist in bringing all fields' focal points to the image plane. Also, because the fourth and fifth lens elements have different dispersions and have respectively positive and negative power, they help in minimizing chromatic aberration. | G02B130045 | 20171119 | 20180503 | 68726.0 | G02B1300 | 1 | TALLMAN, ROBERT E | MINIATURE TELEPHOTO LENS ASSEMBLY | SMALL | 1 | CONT-ACCEPTED | G02B | 2,017 |
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15,817,688 | PENDING | SYSTEM FOR PROVIDING IDENTIFICATION AND INFORMATION, AND FOR SCHEDULING ALERTS | A device and system for providing identification and medical information are disclosed. The device includes a readable code that contains medical biographical information of the subject, a programmable reporter element that is programmed to electronically store at least one particular event relating to the subject, and a signal producing element functionally related to the programmable reporter element. The system includes collecting and storing medical biographical information of a subject, embedding the medical biographical information in a readable code of the device, and scanning the readable code of the device worn by or in the possession of the subject using an appliance to retrieve the medical biographical information of the subject. The medical biographical information allows medical professionals to obtain the subject's medical information in order to provide medical care. Also disclosed is an integrated system for alerting subjects to upcoming events related to their continued care. | 1-20. (canceled) 21. A method for assisting a practitioner to identify and provide appropriate care to a subject, comprising the steps of: collecting medical biographical information of the subject; storing the collected medical biographical information in a database, wherein the information comprises a medical history of the subject; embedding the medical biographical information in a readable code of a removable device; displaying the information; and developing a plan of medical care for the subject based on the retrieved medical biographical information and information obtained from the subject. 22. The method of claim 21, wherein the removable device is a solid state storage device. 23. The method of claim 22, wherein the information is displayed on an integrated display. 24. The method of claim 21, further comprising transmitting the retrieved medical biographical information to a medical facility that is designated to receive the subject. 25. The method of claim 21, further comprising the step of updating the medical biographical information of the subject after the subject's visit to the medical facility. 26. The method of claim 21, wherein the medical biographical information of a subject includes name, sex, date of birth, height, weight, blood type, allergies, sicknesses or medical conditions, use of prescribed medications, emergency contacts, test results and medical records. 27. The method of claim 21, wherein the medical biographical information is collected from one or more sources selected from the group consisting of the subject's doctor's office, medical facilities that the subjected visited in the past, and medical records or notes prepared or assembled by the subject. 28. The method of claim 21, wherein the care is at a medical facility. 29. The method of claim 21, wherein the practitioner is a medical professional. 30. A system for providing identification and medical information of a subject in a removable device, comprising: a database for collecting and storing medical biographical information of the subject, wherein the information comprises a medical history of the subject; a removable device comprising a readable code that contains medical biographical information of the subject; and an integrated display for displaying the information, wherein the retrieved medical biographical information allows a practitioner to obtain the subject's medical information in order to provide care. 31. The system of claim 30, wherein the removable device is a solid state storage device. 32. The system of claim 30, wherein the practitioner is a medical professional. 33. The system of claim 30, wherein the medical biographical information of a subject includes name, sex, date of birth, height, weight, blood type, allergies, sicknesses or medical conditions, use of prescribed medications, emergency contacts, test results and medical records. 34. The system of claim 30, wherein the medical biographical information is collected from one or more sources selected from the group consisting of the subject's doctor's office, medical facilities that the subjected visited in the past, and medical records or notes prepared or assembled by the subject. | This application is a Continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/173,331, filed on Jun. 3, 2016, which is a Continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/856,083, filed on Sep. 16, 2015, now U.S. Pat. No. 9,390,231, which is a Continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/458,877, filed on Aug. 13, 2014, now U.S. Pat. No. 9,165,335, which is a Continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/917,374, filed on Jun. 13, 2013, now U.S. Pat. No. 8,833,649, which is a Continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/313,821, filed Dec. 7, 2011, now U.S. Pat. No. 8,485,439, which is a Continuation-In-Part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/270,672, filed Oct. 11, 2011, now U.S. Pat. No. 8,181,862. The entirety of the aforementioned applications is incorporated herein by reference. FIELD This application generally relates to relates to a system for providing identification and/or information; in particular, medical information. The application further relates to an additional system for alerting a subject to upcoming events. BACKGROUND When a subject, to whom lacks the ability to effectively communicate needs urgent medical care, responders typically arrive at the scene within a short period of time without any information regarding the person in distress (i.e., subject). To properly provide medical care, the responders typically ask the subject relevant questions, such as current medications, allergies to medications, prior medical histories, i.e. surgeries, hospital visits, and other conditions. However, even if the subject is alert, he or she typically cannot provide accurate answers to such questions under the circumstances. Consequently, responders often provide urgent medical care without some medical history information. Likewise, after the subject is transported to a medical facility, doctors and other medical personnel at the hospital are not equipped with some of the medical history information regarding the subject, especially if the subject has never gone to the hospital before. Medical personnel may need to contact the subject's physician and/or other hospitals to get the needed information, which can cost time, and potentially life. Therefore, it is a great need for a system which can provide biographical information and allows medical professionals to obtain a subject's medical information. Additionally, there exists a need for such a system, wherein the system further comprises an integrated element that can remind the subject of upcoming events related to their care and alert practitioners when the subject fails to fulfill those events. SUMMARY One aspect of the present application relates to a removable device that is adapted to be worn or in the possession of the subject, wherein the device comprises: a readable code that contains medical biographical information of the subject, a programmable reporter element that is programmed to electronically store at least one particular event relating to the subject, and a signal producing element functionally related to the programmable reporter element. Another aspect of the present application relates to a system for providing identification and medical information of a subject in a removable device, comprising: a database for collecting and storing medical biographical information of the subject; a removable device that is adapted to be worn or in the possession of the subject, wherein the device comprises: a readable code that contains medical biographical information of the subject, a programmable reporter element that is programmed to electronically store at least one particular event relating to the subject, and a signal producing element functionally related to the programmable reporter element; and an appliance for scanning the readable code of the device worn by or in the possession of the subject to retrieve medical biographical information of the subject, wherein the retrieved medical biographical information allows responders to obtain the subject's medical information in order to provide care. Another aspect of the present application relates to a non-transitory computer readable medium providing instructions for providing identification and medical information, the instructions comprising: collecting and storing medical biographical information of a subject; embedding the medical biographical information in a readable code of a removable device that is adapted to be worn by or in the possession of the subject; scanning the readable code of the device worn by or in the possession of the subject using an appliance to retrieve the medical biographical information of the subject; wherein the medical biographical information allows responders to obtain the subject's medical information in order to provide medical care and wherein the device is not linked to a medical sensor and is worn by the subject in a non-hospital setting; and programming a reporter element that provides a signal to a functionally linked signal producing element to inform the subject of at least one particular event relating to the subject, wherein said programming is by a second system that electronically stores at least one particular event relating to the subject. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The detailed description will refer to the following drawings, wherein like numerals refer to like elements. FIG. 1 illustrates an embodiment of the system for providing identification and medical information. FIG. 2 is a flow charting illustrating an embodiment of the method for providing identification and medical information. FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating exemplary hardware components of the exemplary computer system or server for implementing embodiments of the system and method for providing identification and medical information. FIG. 4 is a representative schematic view of the elements of the removable device. DETAILED DESCRIPTION The following detailed description is presented to enable any person skilled in the art to make and use the invention. For purposes of explanation, specific nomenclature is set forth to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention. However, it will be apparent to one skilled in the art that these specific details are not required to practice the invention. Descriptions of specific applications are provided only as representative examples. The present application is not intended to be limited to the embodiments shown, but is to be accorded the widest possible scope consistent with the principles and features disclosed herein. One aspect of the present application relates to a removable device that is adapted to be worn or in the possession of the subject, wherein the device comprises: a readable code that contains medical biographical information of the subject, a programmable reporter element that is programmed to electronically store at least one particular event relating to the subject, and a signal producing element functionally related to the programmable reporter element. In particular embodiments, the device is not linked to a medical sensor and is worn by the subject in a non-hospital setting. In particular embodiments, said reporter element is programmed by a second system that electronically stores at least one particular event relating to the subject. In a further embodiment, the second system additionally alerts a medical practitioner if the subject fails to fulfill the event. In particular embodiments, the event is an appointment. In a further embodiment, said appointment is a medical appointment. In a still further embodiment, said medical appointment is selected from the group consisting of a physical examination, a physical therapy session, a mental examination and a mental therapy session. In another further embodiment, said appointment is a follow-up to a visit by the subject to a medical facility. In particular embodiments, the reporter element is programmed to issue a signal a predetermined time prior to the at least one particular event. In a further embodiment, the signal repeats or remains until the subject fulfills the event and the reporter element is reset. In a still further embodiment, the reporter element is reset by a medical practitioner. In particular embodiments, the device further comprises a tracking circuit that is capable of tracking the subject's location. In particular embodiments, the medical biographical information includes one or more of the subject's name, sex, date of birth, height, weight, blood type, allergies, sicknesses or medical conditions, use of medications, emergency contacts, and complete medical records. In particular embodiments, the device is a bracelet or a necklace worn by the subject. Another aspect of the present application relates to a system for providing identification and medical information of a subject in a removable device, comprising: a database for collecting and storing medical biographical information of the subject; a removable device that is adapted to be worn or in the possession of the subject, wherein the device comprises: a readable code that contains medical biographical information of the subject, a programmable reporter element that is programmed to electronically store at least one particular event relating to the subject, and a signal producing element functionally related to the programmable reporter element; and an appliance for scanning the readable code of the device worn by or in the possession of the subject to retrieve medical biographical information of the subject, wherein the retrieved medical biographical information allows responders to obtain the subject's medical information in order to provide care. In particular embodiments, the system further comprises a computer screen located in an emergency vehicle to display the retrieved medical biographical information. In particular embodiments, the system further comprises transmitting the retrieved medical biographical information to a medical facility that is designated to receive the subject. In particular embodiments, the medical biographical information is updated after the subject is treated at the medical facility. Another aspect of the present application relates to a non-transitory computer readable medium providing instructions for providing identification and medical information, the instructions comprising: collecting and storing medical biographical information of a subject; embedding the medical biographical information in a readable code of a removable device that is adapted to be worn by or in the possession of the subject; scanning the readable code of the device worn by or in the possession of the subject using an appliance to retrieve the medical biographical information of the subject; wherein the medical biographical information allows responders to obtain the subject's medical information in order to provide medical care and wherein the device is not linked to a medical sensor and is worn by the subject in a non-hospital setting; and programming a reporter element that provides a signal to a functionally linked signal producing element to inform the subject of at least one particular event relating to the subject, wherein said programming is by a second system that electronically stores at least one particular event relating to the subject. In particular embodiments, the computer readable medium further comprises instructions for resetting the reporter element after the subject fulfills the event. In a particular embodiment, the computer readable medium comprises instructions for displaying the retrieved medical biographical information on a computer screen located in an emergency vehicle when the subject needs medical care. In another particular embodiment, the computer readable medium comprises instructions for transmitting the retrieved medical biographical information to a medical facility that is designated to receive the subject. In another particular embodiment, the computer readable medium comprises instructions for tracking the subject's location using a tracking circuit located on the device worn by or in the possession of the subject. As used herein, a “medical sensor” refers to an appliance or apparatus that measures or monitors a dynamic bodily function, process or condition. Examples of medical sensors are those that measure or monitor heart rate, temperature, blood oxygen or other blood gasses, an electrocardiogram, or an electroencephalogram. As used herein, a “removable” device refers to an object or device that a subject or a person attending the subject can place on, or remove from, the body, clothing or an accessory (such as a wallet or in a purse or bag) of the subject at will. The removable device is adapted to be worn on a daily basis, at all times, or at only particular times chosen by the subject, such as, but not limited to, during sleep, exercise, at home, travel, work, outdoors, or indoors. A system and method are disclosed to assist a medical professional or responder to identify and provide appropriate medication and care to subjects unable to communicate for themselves in non-emergency or emergency scenarios. One aspect of the present application relates to a first system for providing identification and information. In a particular embodiment, as illustrated in FIG. 1, the first system 100 collects a subject's medical biographical information 110 from various sources, such as the subject's doctors' offices, medical facilities that the subject has visited in the past, and medical records or notes prepared or assembled by the subject. Examples of the subject's medical biographical information 110 include name, sex, date of birth, height, weight, blood type, allergies, sicknesses/medical conditions, use of prescribed medications, emergency contacts, as well as complete medical records if available. In a particular embodiment, the system 100 electronically stores the subject's medical biographical information 110 in a database of a computer system 120. In some embodiments, the subject's medical biographical information 110 stored in the database is updated by the subject's doctors or the subject as needed. The first system 100 embeds the stored subject's medical biographical information 110 in a readable code 132 of a device 130 that is worn by or in the possession of the subject 140. In some embodiments, the device 130 is a bracelet, pendant, key chain, fob, belt clip, dog tag, necklace, jewelry, button or other object that is worn by the subject. In particular embodiments, the device 130 is kept in the subject's wallet, purse or pocket. In particular embodiments, the device is water resistant, water proof or comprises a water proof coating or sheath that protects the readable code. In particular embodiments, the device is wear resistant, wear proof or comprises a wear proof coating or sheath that protects the readable code. In another embodiment, the device 130 is a card or a computer readable device, such as, but not limited to, a flash drive, solid state storage device, compact disc, or digital video disc (DVD). In particular embodiments, the readable code is contained on the removable device in electronic form. In other particular embodiments, the readable code is present on the removable device in a printed form. In further embodiments, the printed form may be in the form of a bar code, a binary code, a matrix code, pictogram or a quick response (QR) code. In some embodiments, the readable code is present on the removable device in both an electronic form and in a printed form. In some further embodiments, the data stored in electronic form and in printed form on the removable device is the same. In other further embodiments, the data stored in electronic form and in printed form on the removable device is different. In some embodiments, the readable code is. In other embodiments, the readable code is non-encrypted code. In still other embodiments, the readable code is a combination of encrypted code and non-encrypted code. In particular embodiments, a responder 150 uses an appliance 160 to scan the readable code 132 of the device 130 worn by, or in the possession of, the subject 140. In particular embodiments, the appliance 160 obtains the subject's medical biographical information 110, which may include, for example, the subject's name, sex, date of birth, height, weight, blood type, allergies, medical histories and conditions, sicknesses, use of prescribed medications, emergency contacts, as well as the complete medical records if available. In particular embodiments, the responder 150 is a paramedic, emergency medical technician (EMT), fire fighter, policeman/woman, medical professional, or care worker. The term “medical professional” or “medical practitioner” as used herein, includes any person who cares for the medical needs of a subject such as, but not limited to, a physician, surgeon, dentist, chiropractor, osteopath, nurse, nurse's aide, orderly or volunteer. In some embodiments, the appliance 160 is a handheld scanner. In other embodiments, the appliance 160 is a cellular telephone or a computer, including, but not limited to a laptop, pad or tablet computer. In particular embodiments, the appliance 160 includes an integrated display that displays the subject's medical biographical information 110 to assist the responder on the scene to provide care to the subject 140. In another embodiment, the obtained medical biographical information 110 is displayed on a computer or other appliance or equipment. In a particular embodiment, the appliance and/or display is located in an emergency vehicle 170. In another embodiment, the first system 100 transmits the medical biographical information 110 to a medical facility 180 that is designated to receive the subject 140. The designated medical facility 180 uses the medical biographical information 110 and the current medical needs of the subject 140 to develop a plan for medical care. In a particular embodiment, said plan for medical care is developed before the subject arrives at the designated medical facility 180. In a particular embodiment, the medical facility 180 is a hospital. In another particular embodiment, the medical facility 180 is an emergency room. In another particular embodiment, the medical facility 180 is an outpatient facility, including an outpatient urgent care facility. In another particular embodiment, the medical facility 180 is a clinic. In another particular embodiment, the medical facility 180 is a nursing home. In another particular embodiment, the medical facility 180 is a physician's office. In yet another particular embodiment, the medical facility 180 is a dentist's office. In particular embodiments, transmittal of the medical biographical information 110 and the current medical needs of the subject 140 to the medical facility 180 allows a medical professional 190 at the medical facility 180 to be prepared for the subject's 140 arrival. In particular embodiments, a medical professional 190 and/or responder 150 submits updated medical biographical information 110 to the database 120. In another embodiment, the subject submits updated medical biographical information 110 to the database 120. In particular embodiments, the updated medical biographical information 110 is automatically synced with data embedded in the readable code 132 of the device 130. In a particular embodiment, the device 130 comprises a GPS or other tracking circuit 134. In particular embodiments, the medical professional 190 tracks the location of the subject 140. In a particular embodiment, the distance and the travel time before arrival at the medical facility 180 is determined. In particular embodiments, the first system 100 is used for emergency circumstances. In other particular embodiments, the first system 100 is used for non-emergency circumstances. In a related embodiment, the non-emergency circumstance is transport of a subject 140 from one medical facility 180 to a different medical facility 180. FIG. 2 is a flow chart showing a non-limiting example of an embodiment of a method 200 for providing identification and medical information. In a particular embodiment, method 200 comprises the collection and storage of medical biographical information of the subject 204. In a particular embodiment, the medical biographical information is embedded in a readable code of a device that is adapted to be worn by or in the possession of the subject 206. In particular embodiments, an appliance reads the readable code 208 of the device 206 to retrieve the medical biographical information of the subject 204. In some embodiments, the retrieved medical biographical information 204 is displayed on a computer screen located in an emergency vehicle 210. In particular embodiments, the retrieved medical biographical information 204 is wirelessly transmitted to a medical facility that is designated to receive the subject 212. In some embodiments, the location of the subject is determined using a GPS tracking circuit located on the device worn by the subject 214. In particular embodiments, the medical biographical information 204 is updated by a medical professional or responder 216. In particular embodiments, as illustrated in FIG. 3, the system disclosed in the present application comprises a computer system or server 300 for implementing embodiments of the system 100 (FIG. 1) and method 200 (FIG. 2) for providing identification and medical information. In an exemplary embodiment, the computer system or server 300 is the computer system 120 of FIG. 1. In particular embodiments, the computer system or server 300 includes and executes software programs to perform functions described herein, including the steps of the method 200 described above. In other embodiments, computer system 300 is a mobile device that performs the steps of the method 200 described above. In particular embodiments. The computer system 300 connects with a network 318, to receive inquires, obtain data, and transmit information as described above. In some embodiments, the network is the interne. In other embodiments, the network is an intranet, WAN, or LAN. In an exemplary embodiment, the computer system 300 includes a memory 302, a processor 314, and, optionally, a secondary storage device 312. In some embodiments, the computer system 300 includes a plurality of processors 314 and is configured as a plurality of, e.g., bladed servers, or other known server configurations. In particular embodiments, the computer system 300 also includes an input device 316, a display device 310, and an output device 308. In some embodiments, the memory 302 includes RAM or similar types of memory. In particular embodiments, the memory 302 stores one or more applications for execution by the processor 314. In some embodiments, the secondary storage device 312 includes a hard disk drive, floppy disk drive, CD-ROM or DVD drive, or other types of non-volatile data storage. In particular embodiments, the processor 314 executes the application(s) that are stored in the memory 302 or the secondary storage 312, or received from the internet or other network 318. in some embodiments, processing by the processor 314 may be implemented in software, such as software modules, for execution by computers or other machines. These applications preferably include instructions executable to perform the functions and methods described above and illustrated in the Figures herein. The applications preferably provide GUIs through which users may view and interact with the application(s). In some embodiments, the processor 314 may execute one or more software applications in order to provide the functions described in this specification, specifically to execute and perform the steps and functions in the methods described above. Such methods and the processing may be implemented in software, such as software modules, for execution by computers or other machines. The GUIs may be formatted, for example, as web pages in HyperText Markup Language (HTML), Extensible Markup Language (XML) or in any other suitable form for presentation on a display device depending upon applications used by users to interact with the system 100. In particular embodiments, the input device 316 may include any device for entering information into the computer system 300, such as a touch-screen, keyboard, mouse, cursor-control device, microphone, digital camera, video recorder or camcorder. The input device 316 may be used to enter information into GUIs during performance of the methods described above. In some embodiments, the display device 310 may include any type of device for presenting visual information such as, for example, a computer monitor or flat-screen display, mobile device screen, or a printer. The display device 310 may display the GUIs and/or output from a software program. In particular embodiments, the output device 308 may include any type of device for presenting a hard copy of information, such as a printer, and other types of output devices include speakers or any device for providing information in audio form. Exemplary embodiments of the computer system 300 include dedicated server computers, such as bladed servers, personal computers, laptop computers, notebook computers, palm top computers, network computers, mobile devices, or any processor-controlled device capable of executing a web browser or other type of application for interacting with the system. In particular embodiments, the first system 100 and/or method 200 may use multiple computer systems or servers as necessary or desired to support the users and may also use back-up or redundant servers to prevent network downtime in the event of a failure of a particular server. In addition, although aspects of an implementation consistent with the above are described as being stored in the memory 302, one skilled in the art will appreciate that these aspects can also be stored on or read from other types of computer program products or computer-readable media, such as secondary storage devices 312, including hard disks, floppy disks, or CD-ROM; DVD or other forms of RAM or ROM. In particular embodiments, the computer-readable media may include instructions for controlling a computer system, such as the computer system 300, to perform a particular method, such as the methods described above. One aspect of the present application relates to a removable device that is adapted to be worn or in the possession of the subject, as exemplified in the non-limiting example shown in FIG. 4. The device 130 comprises a readable code 132 that contains medical biographical information of the subject, a programmable reporter 401 that electronically stores at least one particular event relating to the subject, and a signal producing element 402 functionally related to the programmable reporter element. In a particular embodiment, the removable device 130 that is adapted to be worn or in the possession of the subject consists of a readable code 132 that contains medical biographical information of the subject, a programmable reporter element that is programmed by a second system that electronically stores at least one particular event relating to the subject, and a signal producing element functionally related to the programmable reporter element. In a particular embodiment, the reporter element 401 is programmed to store data regarding at least one particular event relating to the subject and an algorithm for producing an alert signal in the signal producing element 402 to inform the subject of the at least one particular event relating to the subject. In a further embodiment, the alert signal is a light signal. In another embodiment, the signal is an audible signal. In yet another embodiment, the alert signal is a vibrating signal. In yet another embodiment, the alert signal is an alphanumeric display on a LED or LCD display. In yet another embodiment, the alert signal is a signal transmitted from the device to a caregiver or medical practitioner. In yet another embodiment, the device comprises two or more alert signals that are functionally related to the programmable reporter element, comprising two or more of the same type of alert signal or any combination thereof. In a particular embodiment, the reporter element is a separate element of the removable device 130 from the readable code 132. In particular embodiments, at least one signal producing element of the device is a transmitter. In a related embodiment, the reporter element signals notification of an upcoming event and/or an unfulfilled event related to the subject to a family member, friend, caregiver and/or medical practitioner. In a particular embodiment, the removable device further comprises a power source for the reporter element and the signal producing element. In a further embodiment, the power source is a battery. In a still further embodiment, the battery is rechargeable. In another still further embodiment, the battery is removable. In another further embodiment, the removable device further comprises a solar cell for recharging the power source. In a particular embodiment, the removable device that is adapted to be worn or in the possession of the subject consists of a readable code that contains medical biographical information of the subject, a programmable reporter element that is programmed by a second system that electronically stores at least one particular event relating to the subject, a signal producing element functionally related to the programmable reporter element, and a power source. Another aspect of the present application relates to a system for providing identification and medical information of a subject in a removable device, comprising: a database for collecting and storing medical biographical information of the subject; a removable device that is adapted to be worn by or in the possession of the subject, the device including a readable code that contains medical biographical information; and an appliance for scanning the readable code of the device worn by or in the possession of the subject to retrieve the medical biographical information of the subject, wherein the medical biographical information allows responders to obtain the subject's medical information in order to provide care and wherein the device is not linked to a medical sensor and is worn by the subject in a non-hospital setting, and wherein the device worn by or in the possession of the subject further comprises a reporter element that provides a signal to inform the subject of at least one particular event relating to the subject. In a particular embodiment, said reporter element is programmed manually. In another particular embodiment, said reporter element is programmed by a second system that electronically stores at least one particular event relating to the subject. In a further particular embodiment, the second system is the same as the first system. In another further particular embodiment, the second system is separate from the first system. In a particular embodiment, the at least one particular event is an appointment. In some embodiments, the appointment is a follow-up to a visit by the subject to a medical facility. In a further embodiment, the appointment is a medical appointment. In some embodiments, the medical appointment is selected from the group consisting of a physical examination, a physical therapy session, a mental examination and a mental therapy session. In another particular embodiment, the event is a reminder to schedule an appointment. In a particular embodiment, the reporter element is programmed to issue a signal a predetermined time prior to the event. In a related embodiment, the predetermined time is about one month prior to the event. In another related embodiment, the predetermined time is about two weeks prior to the event. In another related embodiment, the predetermined time is about one week prior to the event. In other related embodiments, the predetermined time is about 30, 28, 25, 21, 20, 15, 14, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2 or 1 day(s) prior to the event. In another related embodiment, the predetermined time is about 24, 18, 12, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, or 1 hour(s) prior to the event. In a particular embodiment, the signal repeats or remains until the subject fulfills the event and the reporter element is reset. In a particular embodiment, the reporter element is reset by the subject. In another particular embodiment, the reporter element is reset by a relative, friend or caregiver. In another particular embodiment, the reporter element is reset by a medical practitioner. In a particular embodiment, the reporter element is reset manually. In another particular embodiment, the reporter element is reset by resetting the second system. In another particular embodiment, the reporter element is programmed to issue an alert signal a predetermined time after the event if the event was not fulfilled or the reporter element was not reset. In a related embodiment, the warning signal is issued on a repeating basis. In a related embodiment, the predetermined time is 15, 30, 45 or 60 minutes after the scheduled time of the event. In another related embodiment, the predetermined time is 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 12, 18 or 24 hour(s) after the scheduled time of the event. In another related embodiment, the predetermined time is 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 14, 15, 20, 21, 25, 28 or 30 day(s) after the scheduled time of the event. In some embodiments, the reporter element is programmed to issue an alert signal before an event in addition to, if the event is not fulfilled by the subject, after said event. In particular embodiments, the signals before and after the event are the same. In other particular embodiments, the signals before and after the event are different. In a particular embodiment, if the subject fails to fulfill the event, the second system alerts a medical practitioner. The above description is for the purpose of teaching the person of ordinary skill in the art how to practice the present invention, and it is not intended to detail all those obvious modifications and variations of it which will become apparent to the skilled worker upon reading the description. It is intended, however, that all such obvious modifications and variations be included within the scope of the present invention, which is defined by the following claims. The claims are intended to cover the components and steps in any sequence which is effective to meet the objectives there intended, unless the context specifically indicates the contrary. | <SOH> BACKGROUND <EOH>When a subject, to whom lacks the ability to effectively communicate needs urgent medical care, responders typically arrive at the scene within a short period of time without any information regarding the person in distress (i.e., subject). To properly provide medical care, the responders typically ask the subject relevant questions, such as current medications, allergies to medications, prior medical histories, i.e. surgeries, hospital visits, and other conditions. However, even if the subject is alert, he or she typically cannot provide accurate answers to such questions under the circumstances. Consequently, responders often provide urgent medical care without some medical history information. Likewise, after the subject is transported to a medical facility, doctors and other medical personnel at the hospital are not equipped with some of the medical history information regarding the subject, especially if the subject has never gone to the hospital before. Medical personnel may need to contact the subject's physician and/or other hospitals to get the needed information, which can cost time, and potentially life. Therefore, it is a great need for a system which can provide biographical information and allows medical professionals to obtain a subject's medical information. Additionally, there exists a need for such a system, wherein the system further comprises an integrated element that can remind the subject of upcoming events related to their care and alert practitioners when the subject fails to fulfill those events. | <SOH> SUMMARY <EOH>One aspect of the present application relates to a removable device that is adapted to be worn or in the possession of the subject, wherein the device comprises: a readable code that contains medical biographical information of the subject, a programmable reporter element that is programmed to electronically store at least one particular event relating to the subject, and a signal producing element functionally related to the programmable reporter element. Another aspect of the present application relates to a system for providing identification and medical information of a subject in a removable device, comprising: a database for collecting and storing medical biographical information of the subject; a removable device that is adapted to be worn or in the possession of the subject, wherein the device comprises: a readable code that contains medical biographical information of the subject, a programmable reporter element that is programmed to electronically store at least one particular event relating to the subject, and a signal producing element functionally related to the programmable reporter element; and an appliance for scanning the readable code of the device worn by or in the possession of the subject to retrieve medical biographical information of the subject, wherein the retrieved medical biographical information allows responders to obtain the subject's medical information in order to provide care. Another aspect of the present application relates to a non-transitory computer readable medium providing instructions for providing identification and medical information, the instructions comprising: collecting and storing medical biographical information of a subject; embedding the medical biographical information in a readable code of a removable device that is adapted to be worn by or in the possession of the subject; scanning the readable code of the device worn by or in the possession of the subject using an appliance to retrieve the medical biographical information of the subject; wherein the medical biographical information allows responders to obtain the subject's medical information in order to provide medical care and wherein the device is not linked to a medical sensor and is worn by the subject in a non-hospital setting; and programming a reporter element that provides a signal to a functionally linked signal producing element to inform the subject of at least one particular event relating to the subject, wherein said programming is by a second system that electronically stores at least one particular event relating to the subject. | G06F19327 | 20171120 | 20180315 | 66771.0 | G06F1900 | 2 | LABAZE, EDWYN | SYSTEM FOR PROVIDING IDENTIFICATION AND INFORMATION, AND FOR SCHEDULING ALERTS | SMALL | 1 | CONT-ACCEPTED | G06F | 2,017 |
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15,817,752 | PENDING | DE-CENTRALIZED OPERATIONAL INDICATOR SYSTEM FOR A MATERIALS HANDLING VEHICLE | A materials handling vehicle comprises an operator compartment, forks that can be raised and lowered to carry a load, a power unit, an outward facing output module, and a controller. The outward facing output module comprises an indicator directed away from an operators' compartment of the materials handling vehicle. In operation, the controller receives information from at least one of a remote server, and electronics of the materials handling vehicle, via a materials handling vehicle network bus, where the received information is in regard to a task being performed by the materials handling vehicle. Also, the controller, responsive to detecting the task being performed, operates the indicator of the outward facing output module to provide situational awareness information with regard to the task. | 1. A materials handling vehicle comprising: an operator compartment; forks that can be raised and lowered to carry a load; a power unit; an outward facing output module comprising an indicator directed away from the operator compartment of the materials handling vehicle; and a controller that receives information from at least one of a remote server, and electronics of the materials handling vehicle, via a materials handling vehicle network bus, where the received information is in regard to a task being performed by the materials handling vehicle; wherein the controller, responsive to detecting the task being performed, operates the indicator of the outward facing output module to provide situational awareness information with regard to the task. 2. The materials handling vehicle of claim 1, wherein: the task is a pick operation; and the controller is operatively programmed to identify that the received information corresponds to the pick operation; wherein the controller operates the indicator of the outward facing output module to provide situational awareness information with regard to a status of the pick operation. 3. The materials handling vehicle of claim 2, wherein: the controller is operatively programmed to operate the indicator of the outward facing output module upon detecting that a vehicle operator has stepped out of the operator compartment to perform the pick operation. 4. The materials handling vehicle of claim 1, wherein the controller is operatively programmed to control the indicator of the outward facing output module when the controller determines that the materials handling vehicle has picked up the wrong pallet. 5. The materials handling vehicle of claim 1, wherein the controller is operatively programmed to control the indicator of the outward facing output module to convey information pertaining to an identity of a load on the forks of the materials handling vehicle. 6. The materials handling vehicle of claim 1, wherein the controller is operatively programmed to control the indicator of the outward facing output module to convey information when the controller determines that the operator performed the task improperly. 7. The materials handling vehicle of claim 1, wherein the controller is operatively programmed to control the indicator of the outward facing output module pertaining to at least one of a skill level of the operator of the materials handing vehicle, and an identification of the operator of the materials handling vehicle. 8. The materials handling vehicle of claim 1, wherein the indicator of the outward facing module comprises an illumination device. 9. The materials handling vehicle of claim 1 further comprising a garment that wirelessly pairs to the materials handling vehicle over a short range wireless connection, the garment including an output device that is controlled by the controller to provide situational awareness information. 10. The materials handling vehicle of claim 1, wherein the controller is operatively programmed to control the indicator of the outward facing output module to convey information based upon blending at least two vehicle operating characteristics. 11. The materials handling vehicle of claim 10, wherein the at least two vehicle characteristics include vehicle speed, and at least one of load on forks, obstacles, and warehouse location. 12. The materials handling vehicle of claim 1, wherein the controller is operatively programmed to control the indicator of the outward facing output module to convey information when the controller determines that the materials handling vehicle is due for a battery change. 13. Method of operating a materials handling vehicle comprising: providing an outward facing output module comprising an indicator directed away from an operator's compartment of a materials handling vehicle, the materials handling vehicle also having forks that can be raised and lowered to carry a load, and a power unit; receiving information by a controller on the materials handling vehicle, wherein the information is received from at least one of a remote server, and electronics of the materials handling vehicle, via a materials handling vehicle network bus, where the received information is in regard to a task being performed by the materials handling vehicle; converting, by the controller, the received information into situational awareness information relevant to the task; detecting, by the controller, that the materials handling vehicle is involved in performing the task; and operating, responsive to detecting the task being performed, the indicator of the outward facing output module to provide situational awareness information with regard to the task. 14. The method of claim 13, wherein: converting, by the controller, the received information into situational awareness information relevant to the task, comprises: detecting that the task is a pick operation; and controlling the indicator of the outward facing output module to provide situational awareness information with regard to a status of the pick operation. 15. The method of claim 13, further comprising: detecting that an operator of the materials handling vehicle has stepped out of the operator compartment to perform the pick operation. 16. The method of claim 13, wherein: converting, by the controller, the received information into situational awareness information relevant to the task, comprises: detecting that the task is to pick up a pallet, and that an operator has picked up the wrong pallet; and controlling the indicator of the outward facing output module to provide situational awareness information that the wrong pallet has been picked up. 17. The method of claim 13, wherein: converting, by the controller, the received information into situational awareness information relevant to the task, comprises: detecting an identity of a load on the forks of the materials handling vehicle; and controlling the indicator of the outward facing output module to provide situational awareness information of the identity of the load. 18. The method of claim 13, wherein: converting, by the controller, the received information into situational awareness information relevant to the task, comprises: detecting that an operator has performed the task improperly; and controlling the indicator of the outward facing output module to provide situational awareness information that the task has been performed improperly. 19. The method of claim 13, wherein: converting, by the controller, the received information into situational awareness information relevant to the task, comprises utilizing at least one of a rules engine and a state machine to process at least one variable stored by the materials handling vehicle according to a data object model associated with the materials handling vehicle. 20. The method of claim 19, wherein utilizing at least one of a rules engine and a state machine to process at least one variable comprises detecting at least one of a state of a select variable and a state change of the select variable. | CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15,446,329, filed Mar. 1, 2017, now allowed, which is a continuation of U.S. Pat. No. 9,617,134, filed Aug. 18, 2015, which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 62/039,138, filed Aug. 19, 2014, entitled DE-CENTRALIZED OPERATIONAL INDICATOR SYSTEM FOR A MATERIALS HANDLING VEHICLE, the disclosures of which are hereby incorporated by reference. BACKGROUND The present disclosure relates in general to the communication of operational information via an indicator system of a materials handling vehicle, and in particular, to systems and methods for de-centralizing the conveyance of operational information about a materials handling vehicle. Wireless strategies are being deployed by business operations, including distributors, retail stores, manufacturers, etc., to improve the efficiency and accuracy of business operations. In a typical wireless implementation, workers are linked to a management system executing on a corresponding computer enterprise via mobile wireless transceivers. For instance, in order to move items about a facility, workers often utilize materials handling vehicles, including for example, forklift trucks, hand and motor driven pallet trucks, etc. The wireless transceivers are used as interfaces to the management system to direct workers in their tasks, e.g., by instructing workers where and/or how to pick, pack, put away, move, stage, process or otherwise manipulate the items within a facility. As such, a facility such as a warehouse often has pedestrians, equipment operators, vehicle operators, etc., working in close proximity. BRIEF SUMMARY According to aspects of the present disclosure, a materials handling vehicle comprises an operator compartment, forks that can be raised and lowered to carry a load, a power unit, an outward facing output module, and a controller. The outward facing output module comprises an indicator directed away from an operators' compartment of the materials handling vehicle. In operation, the controller receives information from at least one of a remote server, and electronics of the materials handling vehicle, via a materials handling vehicle network bus, where the received information is in regard to a task being performed by the materials handling vehicle. Also, the controller, responsive to detecting the task being performed, operates the indicator of the outward facing output module to provide situational awareness information with regard to the task. According to further aspects of the present disclosure, a method is provided of operating a materials handling vehicle. The method comprises providing a an outward facing output module having an indicator directed away from an operators' compartment of a materials handling vehicle. Here, the materials handling vehicle includes an operator compartment, forks that can be raised and lowered to carry a load, and a power unit. The method also comprises receiving information by a controller on the materials handling vehicle, wherein the information is received from at least one of a remote server, and electronics of the materials handling vehicle. The information is received via a materials handling vehicle network bus, where the received information is in regard to a task being performed by the materials handling vehicle. The method yet further comprises converting, by the controller, the received information into situational awareness information relevant to the task. Also, the method comprises detecting, by the controller, that the materials handling vehicle is involved in performing the task, and operating, responsive to detecting the task being performed, the indicator of the outward facing output module to provide situational awareness information with regard to the task. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a de-centralized operational indicator system for a materials handling vehicle, according to various aspects of the present disclosure; FIG. 2 is a schematic representation of a fleet of materials handling vehicles operating in a wireless environment, according to aspects of the present disclosure; FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of a de-centralized operational indicator system installed on a side sit reach truck, according to various aspects of the present disclosure; FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of a de-centralized operational indicator system installed on a turret stock picker truck, according to various aspects of the present disclosure; FIG. 5 is a flow chart that describes an algorithm for implementing a de-centralized operational indicator system according to aspects of the present disclosure; and FIG. 6 illustrates workers in the vicinity of a materials handling vehicle, where the workers each wear a vest that communicates information between other workers and/or the materials handling vehicle. DETAILED DESCRIPTION Various aspects of the present disclosure provide a de-centralized operational indicator system for a materials handling vehicle. The de-centralized operational indicator system can be used to augment existing control displays (e.g., a dashboard) in a materials handling vehicle by placing an output device that communicates operational information in a position that is remote from the main control display/vehicle display console. As such, a dashboard mounted display can become secondary for certain types of information that will be conveyed by the de-centralized operational indicator system. Moreover, the de-centralized operational indicator system can provide new types of operational information that cannot be displayed by the conventional display console of a materials handling vehicle. As such, the de-centralized operational indicator system not only augments, but also extends the existing displays provided in a materials handling vehicle. The de-centralized operational indicator is also designed to enhance situational awareness for both the operator of the materials handling vehicle, and for targets such as pedestrians, equipment operators, equipment, vehicles, etc., that are proximate to the materials handling vehicle, by communicating information to both the vehicle operator, and to targets external to the materials handling vehicle. Referring now to the drawings and in particular to FIG. 1, a decentralized operational indicator system includes at least one operational indicator component 100. Each operational indicator component 100 includes a communication module 102 and at least one output module 104. The communication module 102 includes a vehicle interface 106, a controller 108, and an information system interface 110. Each output module 104 includes an output such as at least one illumination device 112. Each output module 104 may also include one or more additional devices 114, such as a speaker, haptic device, transmitter, or other information output capable apparatus. Communications Module: Turning now with specific reference to the communication module 102, the vehicle interface 106 is configured to communicate with at least one remote device. For instance, as illustrated, the vehicle interface 106 communicates with electronics 116 of a materials handling vehicle to which the operational indicator component 100 is attached. In this regard, the vehicle interface 106 may include buffers, amplifiers, conversion logic, communications circuits, and other circuitry to handle any conversions, transformations or other manipulations necessary to interface the controller 108 with the electronics 116 of the materials handling vehicle. For example, the vehicle interface 106 may comprise a vehicle bus interface, e.g., a Controller Area Network (CAN) bus interface, which electronically connects to a native vehicle network bus 118 (e.g., a CAN bus) to communicate with electronics 116 of the materials handling vehicle across the vehicle network bus 118. As will be described in greater detail herein, in this manner, information, e.g., about the operating state of the materials handling vehicle can be communicated to the vehicle interface 106, and hence to the controller 108, directly across the vehicle network bus 118. In illustrative implementations, the vehicle interface 106 is electrically coupled to a transceiver 120 to receive information from a remote server computer via a wireless connection. For instance, the vehicle interface 106 may communicate with a wireless communication device, which may be integrated into the communication module 102 or provided on the materials handling vehicle. With specific reference to FIG. 1, the vehicle interface 106 utilizes (e.g., via the vehicle network bus 118), a transceiver 120 to communicate with a remote server across a wireless infrastructure. The vehicle interface 106 may also interact with one or more remote wireless devices via the wireless communication device, such as another materials handling vehicle, an individual wearing a communications-equipped vest, a machine or appliance in the work environment, etc. The controller 108 receives the information obtained by the vehicle interface 106 and converts the received information to situational information regarding at least one of the materials handling vehicle and the environment in which the vehicle is operating. More particularly, controller 108 implements various logic algorithms and processing necessary to transform the information received by the vehicle interface 106 into commands to control the output module(s) 104, which communicate with the communication module 102 through the information system interface 110. As will be described in greater detail herein, the controller 108 controls the output module(s) 104 to provide de-centralized operational information to the operator of the materials handling vehicle. The controller 108 also controls the output module(s) 104 to provide information to external target(s), such as pedestrians, other equipment operators, workers, and others proximate to the materials handling vehicle, equipment, devices and other technologies that can sense, detect, read, scan or otherwise identify an output of the output module 104. The controller 108 includes a processor, any necessary memory (including program space, storage space, or both), and other necessary hardware to couple to the vehicle interface 106 and information system interface 110. The controller 108 can use the processor to implement a rules engine, a state machine, or other structure to control the output module(s) 104. Moreover, the controller can apply algorithms, computations, formulas, simulations and other processing techniques to determine when to issue a command to an output module 104. As an illustrative example, the controller 108 may be aware of the definitions of variables stored in a data object model of the corresponding materials handling vehicle. This data object model may be available either directly or indirectly over the vehicle network bus 118. Thus, the controller 108 can access the vehicle network bus 118 of the materials handling vehicle to extract data to populate the rules, to check for states or state transitions, to derive variables for formulas, etc. The controller 108 may also receive commands from the materials handling vehicle or from a remote server to initiate certain outputs, e.g., to address driving in a dark portion of a warehouse, to respond to an impact, etc. The controller 108 can also utilize wireless communications to receive updates or changes to the rules, etc., to remain current with the needs of the application. The information system interface 110 converts the output of the controller 108 into control signals suitable to interface with the output module(s) 104. In this regard, the information system interface 110 may include buffers, amplifiers, conversion logic, etc., to handle conversions, transformations or other manipulations necessary to interface the controller 108 with the output module(s) 104. The controller 108 maps, computes, transforms, processes or otherwise generates information based upon signals received at the vehicle interface 106, to control one or more output modules 104. The controller 108 may also map, compute, transform, process, or otherwise generate information based upon signals from a microphone, speaker, transmitter, etc., from one or more of the device(s) 114. Here, the signals processed by the controller 108 are received by the information system interface 110, which are communicated through the vehicle interface 106 to the materials handling vehicle (thus supporting bi-directional communication, i.e., I/O). The vehicle interface 106 may be discrete and independent from the controller 108. Alternatively, the vehicle interface 106 may be implemented using logical components that are integrated into the controller 108, e.g., through the use of a microcontroller or other suitable processor that includes built-in control technology. Likewise, the information system interface 110 may be discrete and independent from the controller 108. Alternatively, the information system interface 110 may be logical components that are integrated into the controller 108, e.g., through the use of a microcontroller or other suitable processor that includes built-in control technology. Output Modules: Each output module 104 interfaces with a corresponding communication module 102. In this regard, there is at least one output module 104 connected to a corresponding communication module 102. However, in alternative implementations, there may be multiple output modules 104 coupled to a single communication module 102. For instance, as will be described in greater detail herein, a materials handling vehicle may include a set (e.g., three to four) of the operational indicator components 100 surrounding an operator of the materials handling vehicle. In this example, there may be as few as one output module 104 per communication module 102. As another example, a materials handling vehicle may include a single communication module 102 that controls a set (e.g., three to four) output modules 104 that are arrayed around the operator of the materials handling vehicle. Moreover, each output module 104 may comprise a single output device, e.g., a single illumination device, multiple illumination devices that make up a single output device, etc. Each output module 104 may alternatively comprise multiple output devices. For instance, as will be described in greater detail herein, at least one output module 104 includes a first output device implemented as a first illumination device that is inward facing, and a second output device implemented as a second illumination device that is outward facing. By “inward facing”, it is meant that when installed on the materials handling vehicle, the first output device is oriented in a first direction that is detectable by an operator of the materials handling vehicle when the operator is within an operating compartment of the materials handling vehicle. For instance, where the first output device is a first illumination device, the first illumination device may be oriented in the first direction so as to direct light within the operating compartment of the materials handling vehicle. As a few illustrative examples, the first direction is generally facing an operator's station, such as an operator's seat for a sitdown rider, an operator's platform for a standup rider, or sit/stand operator area such as for a turret stock picker, etc. The first output device may alternatively be oriented in a first direction that is directed towards a current vehicle operator position, or other operator orientation provided within the materials handling vehicle. By “outward facing”, it is meant that when installed on the materials handling vehicle, the second output device is oriented generally facing away from the materials handling vehicle. For instance, where the second output device is a second illumination device, the second illumination device is oriented in the second direction so as to direct light outside of, and away from the materials handling vehicle. The outward facing illumination device provides situational awareness information from the materials handling vehicle to a target that is external to the materials handling vehicle. Examples of a target external to the materials handling vehicle include a co-worker in the vicinity of the materials handling vehicle, the vehicle operator that has stepped out of the operator's compartment and off the materials handling vehicle (e.g., to perform a pick operation), a pedestrian in the vicinity of the materials handling vehicle, equipment or warehouse features (such as racks, machinery, etc.) near the materials handling vehicle, etc. According to yet another example, the inward facing output devices and the outward facing output devices may be determined by conceptually constructing an imaginary circle around the vehicle. A tangent along the circle is selected. In this regard, output devices such as lights directed inward of the tangent are designated as inward facing output devices for the operator. Likewise, output devices such as lights directed outward of the tangent are designated as outward facing lights for targets external to the materials handling vehicle. Moreover, an output device need not be physically connected or otherwise physically wired to the materials handling vehicle. Rather, the output device may be integrated into a worker vest, glove or other wearable device. In this regard, the output device receives wireless information from the controller 108. Here, the communication module 102 may include a transceiver that the controller 108 can access. As another example, the controller 108 may be able to access one or more of the wireless transceiver(s) 120 on the materials handling vehicle. Thus, an outward facing output device can be an illumination device on the materials handling vehicle that directs light outward and away from the materials handling vehicle, an illumination device or other output device on a vest worn by the vehicle operator or other workers in the vicinity of the materials handling vehicle, etc. Likewise, it is possible to implement the same functionality using a first output module 104 that is configured to be inward facing and a second output module 104 that is configured to be outward facing. Each illumination device may be a Light Emitting Diode (LED). As another example, multiple LEDs or other suitable light emitting technology can be combined to form a single illumination device (e.g., multiple LEDs combined into a single light). In other example implementations, there are multiple independent illumination devices, e.g., multiple LED displays. This allows different lights to be dedicated to different types of information. In this example, the individual illumination displays may be stacked, e.g., as a light pole, which is oriented horizontal, vertical, or in other patterns. Alternatively, a single, color changing light (e.g., comprising one or more color changeable LEDs or different colored LEDs) can be utilized to convey different information by controlling the light to emit different colors at the appropriate times. As such, the first output device may comprise a plurality of lights. In this regard, the controller 108 is programmed to selectively control each of the plurality of lights such that each light, when illuminated, conveys different information intended for the operator of the materials handling vehicle. Likewise, the second output device may comprise a plurality of lights. In this regard, the controller 108 is programmed to selectively control each of the plurality of lights such that each light, when illuminated, conveys different information intended for a person remote from, but proximate to the materials handling vehicle. Still further, the illumination device may comprise a matrix of LEDs, an LED array, one or more LCD displays, a display screen, or any combination of the above. Moreover, other illumination technologies may be utilized. For instance, one or more output device can include a projector, filter, or other suitable device that casts an image onto the floor or other surface. The image may comprise a directional arrow, a message to pedestrians or equipment operators in proximity to the materials handling vehicle, etc. Also, the information may be directed to the operator of the materials handling vehicle, e.g., to designate a next location to travel to, to indicate to the operator when the operator has reached the next designation, an instruction, e.g., about an approaching intersection or section of a warehouse, etc. As still further examples, an illumination device may comprise a light “ring”, e.g., an array of lights that surround or partially surround a portion of the materials handling vehicle in a manner that the lights can be controlled to simulate or impart a sense of motion of the lights, e.g., using techniques such as flashing the lights in an ordered sequence, controlling light color, controlling light intensity or combinations thereof, to convey direction, speed, etc. As will be described in greater detail herein, at least one output module 104 is coupled to the information system interface 110 of a corresponding communication module 102, having a first output device and a second output device. The system is configured such that when installed on the materials handling vehicle, the first output device is oriented in a first direction that is detectable by an operator of the materials handling vehicle when the operator is within an operating compartment of the materials handling vehicle (e.g., generally facing an operator's position within the materials handling vehicle). The second output device is oriented in a second direction that is detectable outside of the materials handling vehicle. In this configuration, information is received by the vehicle interface 106 of the communication module 102 from materials handling vehicle electronics 116. The vehicle interface passes information to the controller 108, which includes programming configured to analyze the received information, generate a first control signal for controlling the first output device, and generate a second control signal for controlling the second output device (e.g., via the information system interface). In a more specific implementation, the first output device comprises a first illumination device and the second output device comprises a second illumination device. Under this configuration, the first illumination device is installed on the materials handling vehicle remote from the main control display, and is oriented in the first direction (the inward facing direction) so as to direct light within the operating compartment, and is thus visible to the operator of the materials handling vehicle when the operator is within the operating compartment of the materials handling vehicle. On the other hand, the second illumination device is installed on the materials handling vehicle remote from the main control display, and is oriented in the second direction (the outward facing direction) so as to direct light that is visible outside of the materials handling vehicle. Accordingly, operational information can be communicated to the operator of the materials handling vehicle via the first illumination device in a manner that is de-centralized (remote) from a control console/display of the materials handling vehicle. Moreover, the ability to control an illumination device simplifies the information that is conveyed, resulting in glanceable information that can bring about or otherwise enhance situational awareness of the operating environment. Moreover, information can be derived without requiring the vehicle operator to change focus from the work at hand. Likewise, operational information can be communicated to targets external to the materials handling vehicle. As noted in greater detail herein, targets may comprise persons or equipment (e.g., with sensing capability), which are proximate to the materials handling vehicle. For instance, persons may be notified of operational information via the second illumination device. Likewise, an output module 104 may broadcast, transmit, or otherwise communicate information, e.g., via propagating signals, illumination, etc., to target devices where applicable. This can bring about situational awareness with regard to the operation of the materials handling vehicle. Thus, the controller 108 can use the same information (e.g., from the electronics 116 of a materials handling vehicle) to derive a single message that is communicated to the first output device, the second output device, or both. As another example, the controller 108 can utilize the same information to derive two distinct/different messages (e.g., convey different yet related or non-related information), e.g., a first message for the first illumination device, and a second message for the second illumination device. As yet another example, the controller 108 can utilize different information to generate the same message for both the first display device and the second display device. Yet further, the controller 108 can utilize different information to generate different messages for both the first display device and the second display device. By way of example and not by way of limitation, upon approaching an intersection, the controller 108 receives an indication from the materials handling vehicle electronics 116 that there is a pedestrian in the vicinity. For instance, in an illustrative embodiment, the materials handling vehicle electronics 116 include an RFID reader, or other form of radio frequency (RF) receiver that can read a signal transmitted by a tag (e.g., RFID chip, RF transmitter, etc.) on the pedestrian. As such, the first illumination device may illuminate a red warning light to indicate the presence of the pedestrian. Where there are output modules 104 that surround the operator of the materials handling vehicle, a select light or group of illumination devices may be illuminated to provide direction information as to the direction of the pedestrian relative to the materials handling vehicle, to provide further situational awareness to the vehicle operator. Additional dimensions of information may also be provided, e.g., using blink rate, color, intensity, etc., to indicate a general distance of the pedestrian from the materials handling vehicle. As another example, the operator may be approaching a mandatory stop, e.g., at an aisle end, etc. An illumination device is utilized to remind the operator to stop at the appropriate location. Here, environmental based location tracking that is tied into the materials handling vehicle electronics 116 can identify the location of the materials handling vehicle, and the location of the oncoming stop location. The controller 108 can use this information with native materials handling vehicle information, such as speed, direction of travel, etc., to determine when to apply the warning via the illumination device. Moreover, the second illumination device (or devices oriented away from the materials handling vehicle) can convey the same information in the examples above, or the illumination device(s) facing away from the materials handling vehicle can convey different information. For example, the second illumination device may illuminate a white light directed towards the pedestrian. The white light directs the pedestrian's attention to the oncoming materials handling vehicle. As another example, the second illumination device may convey glanceable information pertaining to the speed of the materials handling vehicle, the direction of travel, a skill level of the operator of the materials handling vehicle, an identity of the vehicle, an identity of the operator, an identity of the content of a load on the forks of the materials handling vehicle, etc. Materials Handling Vehicle/Operational Indicator Component Interface: In illustrative implementations, the vehicle interface 106 communicates directly with materials handling vehicle electronics 116 across the vehicle network bus 118. The vehicle network bus 118 is any wired or wireless network, bus or other communications capability that allows electronic components of a materials handling vehicle to communicate with each other. In this regard, the vehicle network bus is local to the materials handling vehicle. As an example, the vehicle network bus may comprise one or more of a controller area network (CAN) bus, ZigBee, Bluetooth, Local Interconnect Network (LIN), time-triggered data-bus protocol (TTP), Ethernet, or other suitable communication strategy (including combinations thereof). As will be described more fully herein, utilization of the vehicle network bus 118 enables integration of the operational indicator component 100 into the native electronics 116 including controllers of the materials handling vehicle, and optionally, any electronics peripherals associated with the materials handling vehicle that integrate with and can communicate over the vehicle network bus. However, the vehicle interface 106 may alternatively communicate with the corresponding materials handling vehicle through other wired or wireless connections. In this manner, the materials handling vehicle electronics may couple to a mobile asset information linking device (see information linking device 38) as set out in U.S. Pat. No. 8,060,400, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference in its entirety. In illustrative implementations, the vehicle interface 106 also communicates directly or indirectly with one or more sensors 122 attached to the corresponding materials handling vehicle. Example sensors 122 include proximity sensors such as ultrasonic sensors, laser scanners, capacitive sensors, etc. A sensor 122 can also include a radio frequency identification (RFID) reader that can read RFID tags, e.g., embedded in the floor, in racks, on persons, on products, on work implements and other machines, etc. Example sensors 122 also include acceleration sensors, presence sensors, timers, proximity sensors and other sensor technologies. In exemplary implementations, the vehicle interface 106 further communicates directly or indirectly with a position/location/environmental tracking device 124 that provides position information of the corresponding materials handling vehicle, targets in the environment of the materials handling vehicle or both. Environmental tracking may be localized, e.g., relative to the materials handling vehicle, or fixed global positioning, e.g., relative to a warehouse or other location of operation. Thus, in an illustrative example, the vehicle interface 106 electronically connects to at least one sensor that is connected to the materials handling vehicle, which senses at least one of vehicle location (e.g., environmental based location tracking) and targets proximate to the materials handling vehicle (e.g., using proximity sensors such as an RF transmitter/receiver pair, RFID, capacitive sensor, ultrasonic sensor, etc.). The vehicle interface 106 may still further communicate directly or indirectly with other input/output devices 126, including for instance, a microphone, horn, audible tone, etc. Accordingly, an embodiment can include the vehicle interface 106 in data communication with any combination of materials handling vehicle electronics 116, a wireless transceiver 120, sensors 122, environmental tracking 124, and I/O 126. Remote Information Gathering: In illustrative implementations, the operational indicator component 100 is coupled to a transceiver 120 for wireless communication across a network infrastructure, e.g., based upon a wireless protocol, such as an 802.11. The ability to interact with a server facilitates the ability to analyze information external to the materials handling vehicle to make decisions as to how to operate the output module(s) 104, examples of which are described in greater detail herein. Referring to FIG. 2, an operational working environment 200 is schematically illustrated. The operational working environment includes a plurality of materials handling vehicles 202, implemented as forklift trucks (solely for purposes of illustration) that wirelessly communicate, e.g., via a transceiver 120 (see FIG. 1) to an access point 204. In this example, each materials handling vehicle 202 has installed thereon, one or more operational indicator components 100 as described with reference to FIG. 1. The access point 204 conveys the wirelessly communicated information through one or more intermediate devices 206, e.g., routers, hubs, firewalls, network interfaces, wired or wireless communications links and corresponding interconnections, cellular stations and corresponding cellular conversion technologies, e.g., to convert between cellular and tcp/ip, etc., to a materials handling vehicle application server 208. The materials handling vehicle application server 208 stores operational information in a database 210 and may communicate with other business servers 212 in a facility. The materials handling vehicle application server 208 may also communicate across the Internet 214 to a remote server 216, e.g., a server managed by the materials handling vehicle manufacturer, which may store data collected by the manufacturer and one or more facilities in a database 218. Thus, the transceiver 120 of FIG. 1 may be utilized as a bridge to exchange information between the controller 108 of the operational indicator component 100 and any of the materials handling vehicles 202, the materials handling vehicle application server 208, the business server 212, the remote server 216, or other device. As schematically illustrated in FIG. 2, a materials handling vehicle 202 typically operates in a warehouse or other environment in which the vehicle must maneuver in the presence of targets such as workers/pedestrians 220, stationary machines and equipment 222, other materials handling vehicles 202, as well as storage locations, and other objects in the operating environment. As such, according to aspects of the present disclosure, the operational indicator system 100 installed on each materials handling vehicle 202 provides information to both the vehicle operator and others working in the environment to raise situational awareness. In certain illustrative implementations, the workers 220, equipment 222, etc., communicate with the materials handling vehicle application server 208, which in turn, communicates relevant target location information to the materials handling vehicles 202. Alternatively the workers 220, equipment 222, etc., can be tagged, such as using RFID tags, transmitters, beacons or other suitable position determining, or environmental based location tracking devices so as to be sensed directly or indirectly by a materials handling vehicle 202 locally. Example Operational Indicator System: Referring to FIG. 3, a materials handling vehicle 302 includes the operational indicator system as described in FIG. 1; and the wireless communication features of the materials handling vehicle 202. The materials handling vehicle 302 is implemented as a “side-sit” forklift. In this exemplary implementation, there are four output devices 304, The output devices 304 may be implemented as individual instances of the operational indicator component 100 (e.g., four distinct instances), a communication module 102 coupled to multiple output modules 104, etc., as described more thoroughly with reference to FIG. 1. In this example, each output device 304 includes an inward facing output 306A, 306B, 306C, and 306D. Each output device 304 also includes an outward facing output 308A, 308B, 308C, and 308D. FIG. 3 illustrates the inward facing output 306A, 306B, 306C, and 306D and the corresponding outward facing output 308A, 308B, 308C, and 308D in the same housing. However, such need not be the case. In this example, the inward facing outputs face an operator's compartment, and more particularly, the operator's seat 310 in this example. Because the inward facing output 306A, 306B, 306C, and 306D surround the operator, the controller 108 (or controllers 108) control or are otherwise orchestrated to provide glanceable operational information, such as direction information, e.g., regardless of the direction of gaze of the vehicle operator. Moreover, intensity, color, or other controllable attributes can be utilized to convey other glanceable, yet actionable information. Still further, the inward facing output 306A, 306B, 306C, and 306D can generate sound, e.g., via speakers to provide direction information to the operator. As such, the inward facing output 306A, 306B, 306C, and 306D can be utilized to warn of quickly approaching vehicles that may otherwise be in the blind spot of the operator, to indicate the location of pedestrians or other targets in the vicinity of the materials handling vehicle, to indicate speed, etc. Because each operational indicator component 100 is tied to the vehicle electronics, e.g., via the CAN bus, via Bluetooth, etc., complex information can be organized into simple, concise outputs. For instance, speed as a function of load on forks can be conveyed with the inward facing output 306A, 306B, 306C, and 306D. Likewise, speed as a function of obstacles, warehouse location, or any number of other factors that can be integrated into a glanceable message can be conveyed with the inward facing output 306A, 306B, 306C, and 306D. As another example, if the operator drives through a turn at an excessive rate of speed, the inward facing outputs 306A, 306B, 306C, and 306D can convey a proper warning. For instance, where at least one output, e.g., 306A is an illumination panel, a warning message may be displayed, such as to “slow down”. Alternatively, a visual metaphor may be provided, such as a directional arrow that points up or down informing the vehicle operator how to alter vehicle speed as the materials handling vehicle approaches an intersection. Alternatively, where the inward facing outputs 306A, 306B, 306C, and 306D comprise lights, a selected color may be used to inform the operator that the vehicle speed is excessive. Still further, a light may provide an affirmation that the operator is performing a job properly. In this regard, the affirmation is implemented without requiring the operator to shift focus from the task at hand. Moreover, one or more lights may flash, change in intensity, change in color, generate a pattern, etc. that conveys information. For instance, the difference in permitted speed in the turn and the actual speed in the turn may be computed. Based upon the difference, the intensity of a light may be modulated, so that as the driver slows down or speeds up, the modulation changes accordingly to inform the operator. Still further, if the materials handling vehicle is equipped with environmental based location tracking, the vehicle will know that a turn is ahead before the vehicle reaches the turn. In this case, at least one inward facing output, e.g., 306A can begin to modulate, e.g., pulse, flash, glow, as the vehicle approaches the intersection, thus coaching the vehicle operator in proper vehicle operation in a manner that is glanceable. In another example, the inward facing outputs 306A, 306B, 306C, and 306D can inform the vehicle operator of the general location of a pedestrian. For instance, inward facing light 306D is illustrated as being behind and to the right of the materials handling vehicle. Thus, a pedestrian behind and to the right of the materials handling vehicle may be out of site of the vehicle operator. However, in an example configuration, the operational indicator system alerts the operator, e.g., by sounding a horn or issuing a command to a haptic device located proximate to the inward facing light 306D. Thus, even if the vehicle operator cannot see the inward facing light 306D in certain operating positions, the vehicle operator is alerted to the existence of a pedestrian behind and to the right of the materials handling vehicle (in this example). Notably, because the inward facing outputs 306A, 306B, 306C, and 306D are arrayed around the operator, a light from at least one of the inward facing outputs 306A, 306B, 306C, and 306D will be visible to the vehicle operator regardless of operating position. The outward facing output 308A, 308B, 308C, and 308D outputs are utilized to convey information to targets outside the materials handling vehicle 302. Because the materials handling vehicle 302 communicates with a server via one or more wireless connections, the conveyed information may relate to the operation of the materials handling vehicle 302, the vehicle operator, the task to be performed, or the environment in which the materials handling vehicle 302 is operating. For instance, the outward facing output 308A, 308B, 308C, and 308D can convey information about the speed of the vehicle, direction of travel of the vehicle, the intent of the vehicle to stop, accelerate, change directions, raise or lower forks, etc. The outward facing output 308A, 308B, 308C, and 308D can also convey information extracted from a server or otherwise obtained by the materials handling vehicle, e.g., the identity of the operator, the identity of the vehicle itself, the skill level of the operator, a shift, a team associated with the vehicle, etc. Still further, the wireless connection allows integration to a business server to obtain operational information, e.g., from a warehouse management system. This allows the controller 108 to communicate information via the outward facing output 308A, 308B, 308C, and 308D, about the assigned task or activity that the vehicle is engaged in. In general, the controller 108 (FIG. 1) can receive messages from the vehicle network bus of the materials handling vehicle 302. By using control maps pre-loaded into the controller 108 and by causing the controller 108 to execute a rules processing engine, the controller 108 can generate the necessary output signals to the output module(s) 104 to convey any number of advanced glanceable functions. The controller 108 may also detect changes in the state of vehicle information, e.g., by comparing previously stored state values against current state values. For instance, if a materials handling vehicle only stores or otherwise senses the current speed, then the controller may use memory to store one or more previous values to determine whether the vehicle is accelerating, decelerating, maintaining a constant speed, is stopped, etc. Moreover, the controller can use states or state change information to determine when to turn outputs (e.g., lights) on, off, when to change color, when to change intensity, etc. Still further, the controller 108 may receive commands, e.g., from the materials handling vehicle 302 via a remote server, to turn on a specific output or to turn off a specific output. For instance, a remote server may instruct the controller 108 to turn on or start flashing, a series of lights in response to detecting an impact, upon detecting that the operator picked up the wrong pallet, to inform an operator that a shift is over, to inform an operator that it is time for a scheduled battery change or planned maintenance, etc. Referring to FIG. 4, a materials handling vehicle 402 includes the operational indicator system as described in FIG. 1, and the wireless communication features of the materials handling vehicles 202. The materials handling vehicle 402 comprises a turret stock picker. In this implementation, the vehicle operator raises and lowers with the forks. As such, the illumination devices are provided in a more distributed manner. More specifically, the system includes an inward facing output 406A, 406B, 406C, and 406D that surround an operator's compartment 407. In this illustrative example, each inward facing output 406A, 406B, 406C, and 406D is illustrated as a light bar having a plurality of illumination devices, each illumination device separately controllable to convey different information. In the materials handling vehicle 402, the operator's seat can pivot, swivel or otherwise rotate. Moreover, the operator may stand up and even move about the operator's compartment 407. However, regardless of the operator activity, e.g., sitting, standing, etc., at least one of the inward facing outputs 406A, 406B, 406C, and 406D that surround the operator's compartment 407 will be directed towards the operator. In certain implementations, the rotational position of the seat is tracked by the materials handling vehicle electronics 116. Moreover, the position of the operator in the operator's compartment 407 is tracked by the materials handling vehicle electronics 116. That is, the electronics 116 on the materials handling vehicle 402 knows if the vehicle operator is standing, sitting, side facing, forward facing, etc. As such, this information may be utilized to generate intelligent decisions as to which one or more of the inward facing outputs 406A, 406B, 406C, and 406D is activated to capture the attention of the vehicle operator. Moreover, the operator orientation may be tracked so that dynamic behaviors such as changing operator orientation can be accounted for when directing information to the vehicle operator. The system also includes outward facing outputs 408A, 408B, 408C, and 408D that surround the operator's compartment 407. The system also includes outward facing outputs 408E, 408F, 408G, and 408H that surround a power unit 410 of the materials handling vehicle 402. In this regard, the outward facing outputs 408A, 408B, 408C, 408D, 408E, 408F, 408G, and 408H are implemented as light bars that extend generally vertical along the corners of the operator's compartment and power unit of the materials handling vehicle 402. This allows information to be conveyed external to the materials handling vehicle 402 regardless of whether the operator's compartment 407 is raised or lowered. Thus, FIG. 4 illustrates that output devices may be oriented in different directions, different heights and different parts of a materials handling vehicle. In this regard, the precise placement of the output devices will depend upon the situational awareness information to be conveyed. Otherwise, the system of FIG. 4 can implement any of the functions described more fully herein. Decentralized Indicator System Algorithm: Referring to FIG. 5, a flowchart illustrates an algorithm for implementing a decentralized information display on a materials handling vehicle, according to aspects of the present disclosure. In this regard, the algorithm implements a method 500 of providing situational awareness. The method comprises receiving, at 502, operational information about a work environment from a materials handling vehicle. As described in greater detail herein, this information is received by the controller 108 of the operational indicator system, and can include information about vehicle location, the location of targets in the vicinity of the materials handling vehicle, the state or status of the materials handling vehicle, or combinations thereof. The method 500 also comprises generating, at 504, a first control signal representing a first situational awareness message for an operator of the materials handling vehicle based at least in part, upon the received operational information. The first situational awareness message is embodied as control signals that control one or more output devices, e.g., lights, sounds, haptic devices, etc., that are directed in the “inward facing direction” as described more fully herein. The method 500 still further comprises generating, at 506, a second control signal indicative of a second situational awareness message for a target external to the materials handling vehicle based at least in part, upon the received operational information, where the second situational awareness message is different from the first situational awareness message. The second situational awareness message is embodied as control signals that control one or more output devices, e.g., lights, sounds, etc., that are directed in the “outward facing direction” as described more fully herein. The method 500 also comprises controlling, at 508, a first output device mounted on the materials handling vehicle using the first control signal, to output the first situational awareness message. The method 500 also comprises controlling, at 510, a second output device mounted on the materials handling vehicle using the second control signal, to output the second situational awareness message. In an illustrative implementation of the method 500, receiving, at 502, operational information comprises receiving at least one piece of operational information from a remote server, by a transceiver on the materials handling vehicle. The operational information may relate to the location of a target that is proximate to, but external to the materials handling vehicle. By way of example, receiving at least one piece of operational information from a remote server may comprise receiving the location of a pedestrian in the vicinity of the materials handling vehicle. Moreover, receiving at least one piece of operational information from a remote server may comprise receiving the location of a piece of equipment, such as receiving information about another vehicle operating in the vicinity of the materials handling vehicle. In further illustrative examples, receiving at least one piece of operational information from a remote server may comprise receiving an indication that the materials handling vehicle is approaching an area that requires a change in operation of the materials handling vehicle. For instance, receiving at least one piece of operational information may comprise receiving information that the materials handling vehicle is approaching an end of an aisle where a select one of a slow down and a stop are required. In still a further exemplary implementation, receiving operational information can comprise receiving at least one piece of operational information directly from a target that is proximate to, but external to the materials handling vehicle. For instance, the method may comprise communicating wirelessly with at least one remote garment (e.g., a vest) equipped with a transceiver, to obtain situational information that is utilized to determine whether to generate at least one of the first control signal and the second control signal. As another example, the method may comprise receiving at least one piece of operational information by electronics of the materials handling vehicle, which relates to the location of a target that is proximate to, but external to the materials handling vehicle, and receiving at least one previously determined (e.g., previously recorded) operational characteristic of the materials handling vehicle. For instance, a particular operator may have an assessed skill level of “2”. Moreover, a warehouse manager may determine that skill level 2 operators must not exceed 3 miles per hour when in the vicinity of a certain type of worker, e.g., a stock picker. In yet a further example implementation, the method further comprises receiving operational information, generating the first indicator control signal to generate a first output pattern using the received operational information, and generating the second indicator control signal to generate a second output pattern different from the first output pattern using the received operational information. For example, a speed sensor on a materials handling vehicle may indicate that the vehicle is slowing down. This may trigger the first indicator control signal to generate a first output pattern, e.g., a green light as the inward facing output. However, this may also trigger the second indicator control signal to generate a second output pattern different from the first output pattern. For instance, the second indicator control signal may cause the outward facing light to flash red informing a pedestrian that the vehicle is changing speed. As yet a further example, first operational information, e.g., environmental location based information, may indicate that the materials handling vehicle is approaching an intersection. Here, at least one inward facing output is controlled to warn the operator of the intersection. Moreover, second operational information different from the first operational information may be used to generate the second indicator control signal. For instance, the second operational information may comprise the speed and direction of the materials handling vehicle, which is used to illuminate the outward facing lights to alert a worker in the vicinity of the materials handling vehicle. In still another implementation, the method further comprises generating the first indicator control signal using first operational information and generating the second indicator control signal using second operational information that is different from the first operational information. For instance, the speed from a speed sensor on the materials handling vehicle can be used to inform the vehicle operator that the current operating speed exceeds a designated speed zone by illuminating a white light as an inward facing light, whereas travel direction may be communicated to the outward facing illumination device. The method may further comprise conceptually constructing an imaginary circle around the vehicle, selecting a tangent, designating lights directed inward of the tangent as inward facing lights for the operator, and designating lights directed outward of the tangent as outward facing lights for targets external to the materials handling vehicle. Referring to FIG. 6, a materials handling vehicle 602 includes an operational indicator system as described more fully herein. That is, the materials handling vehicle 602 includes multiple output modules 604 (analogous to output modules 104 described with reference to FIG. 1), which surround the vehicle operator. For instance, each output module 604 includes inward facing outputs 606 and outward facing outputs 608. Moreover, workers in the vicinity of the materials handling vehicle 602 each wear a communication-enabled vest 610. This can include the operator of the materials handling vehicle 602 as well. Each communication-enabled vest 610 includes a control area 612. The control area is illustrated generally in the shoulder area of the communication-enabled vest 610 for purposes of illustration only. The communication-enabled vest 610 also includes a communication area 614 that includes one or more illumination devices, e.g., an illumination panel, a haptic device, etc. The control area 612 includes in general, a processor 620 that is coupled to memory 622. The memory 622 can store programs and data collected by the communications-enabled vest 610. The control area 612 also includes a wireless module 624 coupled to the processor 620. For instance, wireless module 624 may include a Bluetooth transceiver for local communication with other communication-enable vests 610, with materials handling vehicles 602, etc. The wireless module 624 may also include a wireless transceiver, e.g., 802.11, for communication with a wireless infrastructure (including the materials handling vehicle 602) within a warehouse environment. As such, the communication-enabled vest 610 can communicate with the materials handling vehicle 602, with a remote server, or combinations thereof. Still further, in the example embodiment, the control area 612 includes sensors 626 that are connected to the processor 620. For instance, sensors 626 may include accelerometers, gyroscopes, etc. In this regard, the accelerometers can cooperate with the processor 620 to log operator movement, which is stored in the memory 622. The collected movement data can also be uploaded to a remote server, e.g., via the wireless module 624. The sensors 626 can also include a device such as a camera, tag, reader, or other technology, e.g., in the shoulder area of the vest, to facilitate environmental based location tracking of the worker. In an example, a camera cooperates with the processor, 620 to identify the position of the worker within the environment, e.g., a warehouse. In this regard, the materials handling vehicle 602 may also include a camera, tag, reader, sensor or other technology, to facilitate environmental based location tracking of the materials handling vehicle. Thus, complete environmental awareness of mobile targets can be realized. Moreover, where the operator of the materials handling vehicle 602 wears a communication-enabled vest 610, location awareness of the operator is preserved regardless of whether the operator is on or off the materials handling vehicle 602. Still further, in the example embodiment, a control area 612 includes input/output (I/O) 628 coupled to the processor 620. The I/O can include speakers near the shoulder area. The provision of speakers eliminates the need to wear a headset or other device that can obscure the hearing of the worker. The I/O can also include a microphone and necessary controls for the microphone. For instance, the microphone can cooperate with the processor 620 and wireless module 624 to implement remote communication. Still further, the control area 612 can include a light controller 630 that is coupled to the processor 620. The light controller 630 may be necessary to provide the appropriate drivers, buffers, protection circuitry, conversion circuitry, etc., to drive the illumination device(s) provided in the communication area 614. Each communication-enabled vest 610 also includes a communication area 614 that includes one or more illumination devices, e.g., an illumination panel, a haptic device, etc. As such, the communication-enabled vest 610 can communicate glanceable information to the operator of the materials handling vehicle 602. Moreover, the communication area 614 can provide actionable illumination in a manner analogous to that described with reference to the materials handling vehicle. That is, the communication area 614 can provide illuminated information to others in the vicinity of the worker, and/or the communication area 614 can provide illuminated information to the individual wearing the communication-enabled vest 610. As a few illustrative examples, a light ring in the communication area 614 can communicate a worker identification, a skill level of the worker, a task assigned to the worker, an indication that the worker completed (or missed) a productivity or other metric. In an example, the processor 620 receives from the wireless module 624, an indication that a materials handling vehicle 602 is approaching. As such, the processor 620 controls the light controller 630 to illuminate the communication area 614 in a manner that alerts the worker (and others around the worker) of the approaching vehicle. By way of example, assume that the materials handling vehicle is coming around a blind corner. Environmental based location tracking identifies that the worker wearing a communications-enabled vest 610 will be in the vicinity of the materials handling vehicle after the vehicle rounds the corner. As such, the communications-enabled vest 610 informs the operator about the oncoming materials handling vehicle. Moreover, the communication area 614 illuminates a message to the vehicle operator of the materials handling vehicle alerting the vehicle operator of the worker. Thus, the communication-enabled vest 610 augments the inward facing outputs of the indication system described more fully herein. Thus, while the communication-enabled vest 610 can augment the output devices of the operational indicator component 100, it can also operate autonomously of the operational indicator component 100 on a materials handling vehicle. Still further, the systems of the operational indicator component 100 and the communication-enabled vest can work together to communicate between workers and vehicle operators. Miscellaneous: The de-centralized operational indicator system for a materials handling vehicle expands outside the display typically provided on a conventional materials handling vehicle. Moreover, the de-centralized operator indicator system minimizes the need to glance at a display. Still further, the de-centralized operational indicator system facilitates the ability to convey operational information that was not natively supported in the original vehicle display. Also, the de-centralized operational indicator system facilitates situational awareness both for the operator of the materials handling vehicle, and for targets outside the materials handling vehicle. In illustrative implementations, light indicators and audio speakers surround the operator. Internal truck lighting is thus formed along the perimeter surrounding the operator. Moreover, light indicators can surround the outside of the vehicle. The light indicators can be controlled, e.g., through changing the color of the light in response to the actions of the forklift, e.g., turning, slowing down, raising or lowering forks, changing direction of travel, etc. The indicators can be utilized to communicate direction of travel, location of pedestrians, direction of other vehicles or equipment. The indicators can be utilized to provide operator training, e.g., by alerting the operator of a need to stop, slow down, etc., The indicators can be utilized to indicate when an operator performs a task properly or improperly, e.g., by illuminating a green light for a well executed blend operation or a red light for an improperly implemented blend operation. In example implementations, the indicators serve as an alert to the vehicle operator of operational issues associated with the materials handling vehicle or to issues with the assigned task, e.g., indicate that the operator is at the wrong pick location, etc. For instance, in an example implementation, the vehicle interface electronically communicates with a native vehicle network bus of the materials handling vehicle to receive information about the operating state of the vehicle directly across the vehicle bus, and accordingly, conveys information, either normal or abnormal, to the operator. As yet another example, the vehicle interface communicates with a processor on the materials handling vehicle that wirelessly receives information from a remote server computer via a wireless connection to convey information to the operator, e.g., to inform the operator that a battery change has been scheduled, that a shift is about to end, that a load is ready to be picked up, etc. In the examples provided herein, the controller converts the received information at the vehicle interface to situational information regarding at least one of the materials handling vehicle and the environment in which the vehicle is operating. This can further tie into information about the operator, the task being (or about to be) performed by the operator, etc. In this manner, the controller communicates first situational awareness information to a first output (e.g., a first illumination device), which is intended to inform the operator of the materials handling vehicle as to information relevant to the operation of the materials handling vehicle. Moreover, the controller communicates second situational awareness information to a second output (e.g., a second illumination device), which is intended to inform external targets near the materials handling vehicle as to information relevant to the operation of the materials handling vehicle. Here, the second situational awareness information may be the same as, or different from the first situational awareness information. Moreover, the first and second situational awareness information can be communicated simultaneously (or near simultaneously), or at different times, as the application dictates. Moreover, the external facing illumination sources can be utilized to communicate information to targets outside of the materials handling vehicle. For instance, the external facing illumination devices can be utilized to convey direction of the vehicle, vehicle proximity, vehicle operations, etc. As best illustrated with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4, there may be at least three output devices, the output devices positioned so as to surround the operator of the materials handling vehicle. For instance, four output devices are illustrated in FIG. 4, each output device having a plurality of lights. Similarly, the surrounding of the operator can be accomplished by one or more strings of output devices that surround or partially surround the operator. Moreover, the output devices may comprise an operator-oriented sound generator provided with each output module, which is oriented to direct sound into the operating compartment of the materials handling vehicle, and is thus intended to communicate situational information to the operator of the materials handling vehicle. Likewise, an external object warning sound generator may be provided with each output module, which is oriented to direct sound away from the materials handling vehicle, and is thus intended to communicate situational information to external targets remote from, but in proximity to, the materials handling vehicle. In another illustrative example, an LED array surrounds the power unit of a materials handling vehicle providing external lighting to show pedestrians and others in the vicinity of the materials handling vehicle the intention of the operator, e.g., to convey intent to turn, maintain or change speed or direction, brake, etc. In an example implementation, the output devices also communicate the intent of the operator to go to a particular location, such as where location tracking is utilized in concert with a warehouse management system. As still further examples, one or more output devices comprise a laser source. In this manner, lasers are used to project the path and direction of the materials handling vehicle. For instance, a laser can project ahead of the materials handling vehicle in the direction of travel to announce that the vehicle is coming, which may be particularly useful on blind corners. In a further example implementation, the color of a laser can change to indicate a change in truck condition, e.g., to indicate a need to slow down for a turn, or otherwise indicate an alteration in vehicle behavior. In yet another example, a laser can be utilized to locate the next pick location on the aisle floor in front of the operator. The controller is configured to control each output device independently to provide information utilizing different modes of movement, direction of movement, color transition, intensity transition, etc. to convey one or more pieces of information (potentially simultaneously) to both the operator and other targets external to the vehicle. The controller may be further configured to control each output device independently to provide direction information within the operating compartment, thus providing information intended for the operator of the materials handling vehicle, by controlling the first output (e.g., inward facing first illumination device) of each output module. Also, the controller may control each output module independently to provide direction information external to the materials handling vehicle, thus providing information intended for targets that are external and remote from, but proximate to the materials handling vehicle by controlling the second output (e.g., outward facing second illumination device) of each output module. Also, as noted in greater detail herein, the operational indicator system may be bidirectional, e.g., by including at least one microphone coupled to the controller for conveying voice commands from the operator of the materials handling vehicle to the communication module. In still further exemplary implementations, at least one of the first output device and the second output device is integrated into a wearable garment such as a vest that is in wireless communication with the communication module. Still alternatively, a wearable garment having a transceiver therein, may be used for wirelessly communicating information to the controller of the communication module. The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the invention. As used herein, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will be further understood that the terms “comprises” and/or “comprising,” when used in this specification, specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof. The corresponding structures, materials, acts, and equivalents of all means or step plus function elements in the claims below are intended to include any structure, material, or act for performing the function in combination with other claimed elements as specifically claimed. The description of the present disclosure has been presented for purposes of illustration and description, but is not intended to be exhaustive or limited to the invention in the form disclosed. Many modifications and variations will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. Aspects of the invention were chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the invention and the practical application, and to enable others of ordinary skill in the art to understand the invention for various embodiments with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. Having thus described the invention of the present application in detail and by reference to embodiments thereof, it will be apparent that modifications and variations are possible without departing from the scope of the invention defined in the appended claims. | <SOH> BACKGROUND <EOH>The present disclosure relates in general to the communication of operational information via an indicator system of a materials handling vehicle, and in particular, to systems and methods for de-centralizing the conveyance of operational information about a materials handling vehicle. Wireless strategies are being deployed by business operations, including distributors, retail stores, manufacturers, etc., to improve the efficiency and accuracy of business operations. In a typical wireless implementation, workers are linked to a management system executing on a corresponding computer enterprise via mobile wireless transceivers. For instance, in order to move items about a facility, workers often utilize materials handling vehicles, including for example, forklift trucks, hand and motor driven pallet trucks, etc. The wireless transceivers are used as interfaces to the management system to direct workers in their tasks, e.g., by instructing workers where and/or how to pick, pack, put away, move, stage, process or otherwise manipulate the items within a facility. As such, a facility such as a warehouse often has pedestrians, equipment operators, vehicle operators, etc., working in close proximity. | <SOH> BRIEF SUMMARY <EOH>According to aspects of the present disclosure, a materials handling vehicle comprises an operator compartment, forks that can be raised and lowered to carry a load, a power unit, an outward facing output module, and a controller. The outward facing output module comprises an indicator directed away from an operators' compartment of the materials handling vehicle. In operation, the controller receives information from at least one of a remote server, and electronics of the materials handling vehicle, via a materials handling vehicle network bus, where the received information is in regard to a task being performed by the materials handling vehicle. Also, the controller, responsive to detecting the task being performed, operates the indicator of the outward facing output module to provide situational awareness information with regard to the task. According to further aspects of the present disclosure, a method is provided of operating a materials handling vehicle. The method comprises providing a an outward facing output module having an indicator directed away from an operators' compartment of a materials handling vehicle. Here, the materials handling vehicle includes an operator compartment, forks that can be raised and lowered to carry a load, and a power unit. The method also comprises receiving information by a controller on the materials handling vehicle, wherein the information is received from at least one of a remote server, and electronics of the materials handling vehicle. The information is received via a materials handling vehicle network bus, where the received information is in regard to a task being performed by the materials handling vehicle. The method yet further comprises converting, by the controller, the received information into situational awareness information relevant to the task. Also, the method comprises detecting, by the controller, that the materials handling vehicle is involved in performing the task, and operating, responsive to detecting the task being performed, the indicator of the outward facing output module to provide situational awareness information with regard to the task. | B66F17003 | 20171120 | 20180329 | 65572.0 | B66F1700 | 0 | NWUGO, OJIAKO K | DE-CENTRALIZED OPERATIONAL INDICATOR SYSTEM FOR A MATERIALS HANDLING VEHICLE | UNDISCOUNTED | 1 | CONT-ACCEPTED | B66F | 2,017 |
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15,818,791 | PENDING | ROBOT FOR TRANSPORTING STORAGE BINS | The present invention concerns a remotely operated vehicle or robot for picking up storage bins from a storage system. The inventive vehicle or robot comprises a vehicle body, which vehicle body further comprises a first section for storing vehicle driving means and a second section for receiving any storage bin stored in a storage column within the storage system, a vehicle lifting device which is at least indirectly connected to the vehicle body in order to lift the storage bin into the second section, a first set of vehicle rolling means connected to the vehicle body in order to allow movement of the vehicle along a first direction (X) within the storage system during use and a second set of vehicle rolling means connected to the vehicle body in order to allow movement of the vehicle along a second direction (Y) in the storage system during use. The second direction (Y) is oriented perpendicular to the first direction (X). The inventive vehicle is characterized in that the second section comprises a cavity arranged centrally within the vehicle body. This cavity has at least one bin receiving opening facing towards the underlying storage columns during use. In addition, at least one of the two sets of vehicle rolling means is arranged fully within the vehicle body. | 1. A robot vehicle for transporting storage bins in a bin storage system, comprising a. A vehicle body, b. A plurality of rolling members attached to the vehicle body, arranged for traveling in a first and second directions along a plurality of rolling tracks of the bin storage system, said bin storage system being of the type comprising: i. A three-dimensional storage structure comprising a plurality of pillars which are positioned with internal distances and in a rectangular arrangement, wherein the rectangular arrangement of the pillars define storage columns for the storage of a plurality of vertically-stacked storage bins, ii. supporting rails arranged in a two-dimensional matrix on top of the pillars, said supporting rails defining rolling tracks arranged in a first direction and a second direction orthogonal to the first direction, the supporting rails further defining openings for the storage columns, c. A cavity arranged internally within the vehicle body arranged to receive a storage bin from a storage column. 2. A robot vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the cavity comprises a downwardly facing opening of essentially the same width and length as the openings for the storage columns. 3. A robot vehicle according to claim 2, wherein the vehicle body has a width and length such that a single robot vehicle essentially covers a single opening while retrieving a storage bin, whereby a second robot vehicle can traverse an adjacent column unhindered by a first robot vehicle. 4. A robot vehicle according to claim 3, wherein the rolling members are wheels. 5. A robot vehicle according to claim 4, wherein the wheels are arranged as a first set movable along the rolling tracks in the first direction, and a second set movable along the rolling tracks in the second direction. 6. A robot vehicle according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the robot vehicles are remotely operated and further comprise sensors for determining the position of the robot vehicles within the storage system while in use. | CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application is a continuation under 35 U.S.C. § 120 of U.S. application Ser. No. 15/632,441 filed 26 Jun. 2017, which is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 15/411,301 filed 20 Jan. 2017, which is a continuation of application Ser. No. 15/197,391 filed 29 Jun. 2016, now U.S. Pat. No. 9,656,802, which is a continuation of application Ser. No. 14/650,757 filed 9 Jun. 2015, now U.S. Pat. No. 9,422,108, which a US National Stage of international application PCT/EP2013/075671 filed 5 Dec. 2013. FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a remotely operated vehicle for picking up storage bins from a storage system as defined in the preamble of claim 1. The invention also relates to a storage system using the inventive vehicle. A remotely operated vehicle for picking up storage bins from a storage system is known. A detailed description of a relevant prior art storage system is given in WO 98/49075. Further, details of a prior art vehicle being suitable for such a storage system is disclosed in Norwegian patent NO317366. More specifically the prior art storage system comprises a three dimensional storage grid containing storage bins that are stacked on top of each other to a certain height. The storage grid is normally constructed as aluminium columns interconnected by top rails. A number of remotely operated vehicles, or robots, are arranged on the top rails. Each vehicle is equipped with a lift for picking up, carrying, and placing bins that are stored inside the storage grid. Such a prior art storage system art and prior art robot is illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, respectively. The storage system 3 comprises a robot 1 which is arranged to move on dedicated supporting rails 13 and to receive a storage bin 2 from a storage column 8 within a bin storing grid 15. The storage system 3 includes a plurality of such robots 1 and a dedicated bin lift device 50, the latter being arranged to receive a storage bin 2 from the robot 1 at the top level of the bin storing grid 15 and to convey the storage bin 2 down in a vertical direction to a delivery station 60. However, the prior art robot 1 shown in both FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 suffers from several important disadvantageous during their operation. Firstly, the particular design of the robot prevents access to all off the available storage columns in the storage system. Furthermore, this particular design may cause an undesirable high torque during lifting and transportation of storage bins, thereby creating potential instability problems, as well as a clear limitation of the robots maximum handling weight. An additional disadvantage caused by the prior art robot design is the fact that only one particular bin and one particular bin height may be accepted for each type of robot in order to ensure adequate stability. Finally, the presence of an integrated yoke/overhang in the upper part of the section receiving the storage bin necessitates an undesired speed reduction at the final stage of the lifting process performed by the yoke suspended vehicle lifting device. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The object of the present invention is to solve, or at least substantially alleviate, the above-described disadvantageous, that is to provide a vehicle/robot with higher stability properties, higher maximum handling weights, a more effective use of available space during operation and a less time consuming lifting and transporting process of storage bins. The above-identified objects are achieved by a remotely operated vehicle as defined in claim 1 and storage system as defined in claim 11. Further beneficial features are defined in the dependent claims. In particular, the present invention concerns a remotely operated vehicle or robot for picking up storage bins from a storage system. The inventive vehicle or robot comprises a vehicle body, which vehicle body further comprises a first section for storing vehicle driving means and a second section for receiving any storage bin stored in a storage column within the storage system, a vehicle lifting device which is at least indirectly connected to the vehicle body in order to lift the storage bin into the second section, a first set of vehicle rolling means connected to the vehicle body in order to allow movement of the vehicle along a first direction (X) within the storage system during use and a second set of vehicle rolling means connected to the vehicle body in order to allow movement of the vehicle along a second direction (Y) in the storage system during use. The second direction (Y) is oriented perpendicular to the first direction (X). The inventive vehicle is characterized in that the second section comprises a cavity arranged centrally within the vehicle body. This cavity has at least one bin receiving opening facing towards the underlying storage columns during use. In addition, at least one of the two sets of vehicle rolling means is arranged fully within the vehicle body. In order to allow easy entrance of the storage bin into the central cavity, its volume should be larger than the largest storage bin intended to be picked from the storage system. Likewise, the cross sectional area of at least one of the at least one bin receiving opening should be larger than the cross sectional area of the storage bin walls oriented parallel to the cavity opening(s). The vehicle may further comprise means for reversibly and selectively displacing either the first set of vehicle rolling means or the second vehicle rolling means away from an underlying vehicle support within the storage system during a change of vehicle direction between the first direction (X) and the second direction (Y). Furthermore, in an embodiment the first section may be arranged relative to the second section in such a way that the cross section of the vehicle parallel to the underlying vehicle support deviates from a quadratic shape. In a preferred embodiment the vehicle body covers less or equal to the lateral cross sectional area of one central storage column in the first direction (X) and covers the lateral cross sectional area of more than one central storage column in the second direction (Y) during use. In a more specific example the vehicle body extends beyond the lateral cross sectional area of the central storage column at both sides facing the second direction (Y), i.e. covering also some of the cross sectional areas of the adjacent storage columns extending in the second direction (Y). The degree of extension from the central storage column is preferably equal on both of these sides. Central storage column is defined as the storage column which is immediately below a robot when the latter has reached a position allowing pick-up of a storage bin. In order to inter alia allow high vehicle stability both sets of vehicle rolling means is preferably arranged symmetrically around the cavity, for example near the lower corners of the vehicle. At least one, and most preferably both, set(s) of vehicle rolling means may comprise at least four wheels. Other embodiments such as the use two perpendicular oriented caterpillar belts may be envisaged. Furthermore, both sets have an exterior design matching a corresponding exterior design on supporting rails constituting the vehicle support in order to provide increased lateral stability when interconnected. Such supporting rails would be arranged in a two dimensional matrix on top of a bin storing structure or grid, where the principal directions of both the matrix and the grid are congruent with the vehicle's first direction (X) and second direction (Y). The vehicle may advantageously also include position sensing means to allow measurements of the vehicle position within the storage system during use. This position sensing means may comprise a plurality of position sensors arranged in at least some of the positions on the vehicle body which would transverse the locations of vehicle support where the supporting rails are crossing, for example underneath the vehicle, close to its lower corners. The present invention also concerns a storage system which comprises a remotely operated vehicle in accordance with the above mentioned features, a vehicle support comprising a plurality of supporting rails forming a two dimensional matrix of guiding meshes, wherein the vehicle support is configured to guide the movements of the vehicle in the first direction (X) and the second direction (Y) during use, a bin storing structure or grid supporting the vehicle support comprising a plurality of storage columns, wherein each of the storage columns is arranged to accommodate a vertical stack of storage bins and wherein the main part of the bin storing structure coincides with positions on the vehicle support where the supporting rails are crossing, and a bin lift device arranged to convey a vehicle delivered storage bin in a direction perpendicular to the lateral plane of the vehicle support between the vehicle support and a delivery station. In a preferred embodiment at least some of the supporting rails arranged at the outer lateral border areas of the vehicle support form outer guiding meshes having reduced average cross sectional areas compared to the average cross sectional area of the remaining guiding meshes in the vehicle support. For example, the average reduced cross sectional areas of the outer guiding meshes may be about half of the average cross sectional area of the remaining guiding meshes in the vehicle support. In a particularly preferred embodiment these cross sectional areas of the outer guiding meshes are reduced only along the second direction (Y) of the vehicle support. The central arrangement of the cavity in the vehicle body relative to the second direction (Y) effectively remove the undesired torque, thereby improving the stability of the robot or vehicle. This arrangement also results in a lifting and transporting process having a weight distribution with a high degree of symmetry. Furthermore, the novel design allows the same vehicle to be used for lifting and transporting storage bins of heights significantly less than the cavity height (i.e. the height extending from the suspension points of the lifting device and to the lower edge of the vehicle) since the framework/body surrounding at least part of the bin receiving cavity effectively hinders any undesired bin reeling/wobbling. The presence of the cavity surrounding body also allows maintaining full or nearly full lifting speed almost all the way to its end position within the cavity, as well as initiation of stable bin transportations towards the delivery station prior to a fully completed bin lifting from a storage column. The protective body around the cavity also gives the possibility of starting a descent of the lifting device event prior to the time the vehicle has come to a final halt above the storage column in question. A significantly higher stability and time efficiency is thus achieved. By arranging at least one set of vehicle rolling means fully within the vehicle or robot body additional stability is obtained during the lifting process since the rolling means is situated closer to the storage bin to be lifted. Of the same reason this arrangement reduces the total load on the lifting device. Furthermore, the arrangement is more space efficient relative to the prior art robot illustrated in FIG. 2 since the roller means does not give any additional extensions in at least one of the two robots moving directions (X and Y). Production of smaller sized robots/vehicles is also rendered possible. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS These and other characteristics of the invention will be clear from the following description of a preferential form of embodiment, given as a non-restrictive example, with reference to the attached drawings wherein: FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a prior art storage system; FIG. 2 is a sectional view of a prior art robot or vehicle forming part of a storage system as illustrated in FIG. 1; FIG. 3 is a perspective base view of a remotely operated vehicle according to the present invention; FIG. 4 is a perspective top view of a remotely operated vehicle according to the present invention; FIG. 5 is a perspective top view of a robot assembly comprising a remotely operated vehicle according to the present invention, a storage bin and a fully enclosing cover, FIG. 6 is a perspective top view of a bin storing grid and a vehicle support in accordance with the present invention; FIG. 7 is a perspective side view of a bin storing grid and a vehicle support in accordance with the present invention; FIG. 8 is a perspective side view of part of a storage system in accordance with the present invention including a bin storing grid, a vehicle support and a remotely operated vehicle; and FIG. 9 is a schematic top view of a remotely operated vehicle moving on a two dimensional matrix of supporting rails. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION FIG. 1 is a schematic, partly cut perspective view of a storage system according to the prior art, and FIG. 2 is a sectional view of a corresponding prior art robot. Both figures have already been referred to earlier in the text. FIGS. 3 and 4 gives a perspective view in two different angles of the inventive robot 1 comprising a rectangular vehicle body or framework 4 with a cavity 7 centrally arranged within the body 4, a top lid 72 covering the top part of the body 4, a first set of four wheels 10 mounted inside the cavity 7 and in parallel to the interior walls of the body 4 and a second set of four wheels 11 mounted in parallel to the exterior walls of the body 4. The first and second set of wheels 10,11 are oriented perpendicular to each other. Further, the vehicle body 4 also includes side parts 5,5a,5b arranged on both sides of the cavity 7 along at least one of the robots 1 direction of movements. For the sake of clarity a Cartesian coordinate system is shown with its X, Y and Z axes aligned along the principal directions of the rectangular vehicle body 4. The size of the cavity 7 is adapted to contain necessary component for a lifting device 9 and to at least completely contain the largest storage bin 2 intended to be picked up by the robot 1. FIG. 5 gives a perspective view of a robot assembly where the body 4 is completely covered by an enclosing cover 73 comprising handles 74 and transmission means/control panel 75. The design of the enclosing cover 73 is adapted to the particular shape given by the body 4 and the protruding wheels 10. FIG. 5 also shows a small part of a storage bin 2 arranged fully inside the cavity 7 and a small part of the lifting device 9. The latter is preferably composed of inter alia four vertically moveable metal bands suspended on the cavity facing side of the top lid 72 in their upper ends and steering rods at the lower ends capable of being steered and fastened into adapted cavities/areas in the storage bin 2 to be picked. The structural principles of a grid assembly comprising a bin storing structure or grid 15, integrated supporting rails 13 constituting the vehicle support 14 and a grid supporting base 76 are illustrated in FIGS. 6 and 7. The grid 15 comprises a plurality of pillars being arranged with internal distances adapted to accommodate storage bins 2 to be stored in stacks inside the grid 15. The rectangular arrangements of four adjacent pillars therefore constitute a storage column 8. Both the pillars and the rails 13 may be made of Aluminium. As for FIGS. 3 and 4 a Cartesian coordinate system is shown aligned along the principal directions of the grid assembly to ease the understanding. The supporting rails 13 form a two dimensional matrix of rectangular meshes, and the cross sectional area of most of these meshes coincide with the cross sectional area of each storage columns 8 set up by the underlying grid 15. The meshes at the border area 17,18 of the vehicle support 14 (at both sides in direction Y) is illustrated with cross sectional areas smaller than the remaining meshes. The size of the border meshes 17,18 should preferably be adapted to the degree of extension beyond a central storage column 8a situated immediately below the cavity 7 of the robot 1 when the latter is in a position for initiating pick up of a storage bin 2 contained in the central storage column 8a (see FIGS. 8 and 9). In this way the robot 1 may reach all the storage columns 8 in the storage system 3, i.e. independently of the robot orientation in the Y direction. For example, if the robot 1 extends exactly over the cross sectional area of one central storage column 8a in the X direction and over ½ of the cross sectional area of the adjacent storage column 8b in the Y direction, the cross sectional area of the meshes 17,18 at the border area in the Y direction should be approximately ½ of the cross sectional area of the remaining meshes. The primary function of these border meshes 17,18 is thus to allow sufficient space for the robot 1 having the novel design. FIG. 8 shows the robot 1 in a lifting position above the central storage column 8a adjacent to the border area 17,18 of the grid assembly. The vehicle lifting device 9 is in this embodiment lowered a distance into the central storage column 8a in order to hook onto and lift up the underlying storage bin 2. As seen in the exemplary situation in FIG. 8 the robot 1, having the body 4 extended in the Y direction compared to the X direction, may be driven all the way to the edge of the grid 15 when the border area is designed with additional border meshes 17,18 with a Y directional width approximately ½ of the Y directional widths of the remaining meshes in the grid 15. To better illustrate the movement of the robot 1 on the supporting rails 13 constituting the vehicle support 14 some exemplary positions of robots 1 on a grid assembly is illustrated in FIG. 9. The thick arrows drawn in the centre of the robots 1 indicate allowed moving directions. When the robot 1 is situated with its cavity 7 exactly above a central storage column 8a, as is the case for the top left and mid centred robot 1, the arrangement of the supporting rails 13 allow movement in both X and Y directions. Any other positions on the grid assembly restrict the robot's 1 movement on the vehicle support 14 either in X direction (lower right robot 1) or in Y direction (top centered and bottom left robot 1). To allow determination of the robot position it is considered advantageous to equip each robot 1 with one or more position sensors 16, for example optical sensors. Such sensors should 16 preferably be mounted in one or more areas of the robot 1 which ensures that the sensors 16 have both non-obstructed view to the underlying supporting rails 13 and that they pass directly above or close to the positions on the vehicle support 14 in which the rails 13 are crossing. The readings from the sensors 16 may inter alia dictate the further movement of the robot 1 and/or the operation of the vehicle lifting device 9. All operations of the robot 1 are controlled by wireless communication means 75 and remote control units. This includes control of the robot movement, the vehicle lifting device and the position measurements. In the preceding description, various aspects of the apparatus according to the invention have been described with reference to the illustrative embodiment. For purposes of explanation, specific numbers, systems and configurations were set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the apparatus and its workings. However, this description is not intended to be construed in a limiting sense. Various modifications and variations of the illustrative embodiment, as well as other embodiments of the apparatus, which are apparent to persons skilled in the art to which the disclosed subject matter pertains, are deemed to lie within the scope of the present invention. LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS/LETTERS 1 Remotely operated vehicle/robot 2 Storage bin 3 Storage system 4 Vehicle body/framework 5 First section (of vehicle body)/component section/side parts 5a First section, left 5b First section, right 6 Vehicle driving means/motor unit 7 Vehicle storage space/second part/cavity/centrally arranged cavity 8 Storage column 8a Central storage column 8b Adjacent storage column 9 Vehicle lifting device 10 First set of vehicle rolling means/First set of wheels 11 Second set of vehicle rolling means/Second set of wheels 12 Bin receiving opening 13 Supporting rail 14 Vehicle support 15 Bin storing structure/grid 15 Position sensing means/position sensor 17 Left outer lateral border area of vehicle support/left border mesh 18 Right outer lateral border area of vehicle support/right border mesh 50 Bin lift device 60 Delivery station/port 70 Yoke/overhang 72 Top lid 73 Enclosing cover 74 Handles 75 Transmission means/control panel/wireless communication means 76 Grid supporting base | <SOH> FIELD OF THE INVENTION <EOH>The present invention relates to a remotely operated vehicle for picking up storage bins from a storage system as defined in the preamble of claim 1 . The invention also relates to a storage system using the inventive vehicle. A remotely operated vehicle for picking up storage bins from a storage system is known. A detailed description of a relevant prior art storage system is given in WO 98/49075. Further, details of a prior art vehicle being suitable for such a storage system is disclosed in Norwegian patent NO317366. More specifically the prior art storage system comprises a three dimensional storage grid containing storage bins that are stacked on top of each other to a certain height. The storage grid is normally constructed as aluminium columns interconnected by top rails. A number of remotely operated vehicles, or robots, are arranged on the top rails. Each vehicle is equipped with a lift for picking up, carrying, and placing bins that are stored inside the storage grid. Such a prior art storage system art and prior art robot is illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 , respectively. The storage system 3 comprises a robot 1 which is arranged to move on dedicated supporting rails 13 and to receive a storage bin 2 from a storage column 8 within a bin storing grid 15 . The storage system 3 includes a plurality of such robots 1 and a dedicated bin lift device 50 , the latter being arranged to receive a storage bin 2 from the robot 1 at the top level of the bin storing grid 15 and to convey the storage bin 2 down in a vertical direction to a delivery station 60 . However, the prior art robot 1 shown in both FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 suffers from several important disadvantageous during their operation. Firstly, the particular design of the robot prevents access to all off the available storage columns in the storage system. Furthermore, this particular design may cause an undesirable high torque during lifting and transportation of storage bins, thereby creating potential instability problems, as well as a clear limitation of the robots maximum handling weight. An additional disadvantage caused by the prior art robot design is the fact that only one particular bin and one particular bin height may be accepted for each type of robot in order to ensure adequate stability. Finally, the presence of an integrated yoke/overhang in the upper part of the section receiving the storage bin necessitates an undesired speed reduction at the final stage of the lifting process performed by the yoke suspended vehicle lifting device. | <SOH> SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION <EOH>The object of the present invention is to solve, or at least substantially alleviate, the above-described disadvantageous, that is to provide a vehicle/robot with higher stability properties, higher maximum handling weights, a more effective use of available space during operation and a less time consuming lifting and transporting process of storage bins. The above-identified objects are achieved by a remotely operated vehicle as defined in claim 1 and storage system as defined in claim 11 . Further beneficial features are defined in the dependent claims. In particular, the present invention concerns a remotely operated vehicle or robot for picking up storage bins from a storage system. The inventive vehicle or robot comprises a vehicle body, which vehicle body further comprises a first section for storing vehicle driving means and a second section for receiving any storage bin stored in a storage column within the storage system, a vehicle lifting device which is at least indirectly connected to the vehicle body in order to lift the storage bin into the second section, a first set of vehicle rolling means connected to the vehicle body in order to allow movement of the vehicle along a first direction (X) within the storage system during use and a second set of vehicle rolling means connected to the vehicle body in order to allow movement of the vehicle along a second direction (Y) in the storage system during use. The second direction (Y) is oriented perpendicular to the first direction (X). The inventive vehicle is characterized in that the second section comprises a cavity arranged centrally within the vehicle body. This cavity has at least one bin receiving opening facing towards the underlying storage columns during use. In addition, at least one of the two sets of vehicle rolling means is arranged fully within the vehicle body. In order to allow easy entrance of the storage bin into the central cavity, its volume should be larger than the largest storage bin intended to be picked from the storage system. Likewise, the cross sectional area of at least one of the at least one bin receiving opening should be larger than the cross sectional area of the storage bin walls oriented parallel to the cavity opening(s). The vehicle may further comprise means for reversibly and selectively displacing either the first set of vehicle rolling means or the second vehicle rolling means away from an underlying vehicle support within the storage system during a change of vehicle direction between the first direction (X) and the second direction (Y). Furthermore, in an embodiment the first section may be arranged relative to the second section in such a way that the cross section of the vehicle parallel to the underlying vehicle support deviates from a quadratic shape. In a preferred embodiment the vehicle body covers less or equal to the lateral cross sectional area of one central storage column in the first direction (X) and covers the lateral cross sectional area of more than one central storage column in the second direction (Y) during use. In a more specific example the vehicle body extends beyond the lateral cross sectional area of the central storage column at both sides facing the second direction (Y), i.e. covering also some of the cross sectional areas of the adjacent storage columns extending in the second direction (Y). The degree of extension from the central storage column is preferably equal on both of these sides. Central storage column is defined as the storage column which is immediately below a robot when the latter has reached a position allowing pick-up of a storage bin. In order to inter alia allow high vehicle stability both sets of vehicle rolling means is preferably arranged symmetrically around the cavity, for example near the lower corners of the vehicle. At least one, and most preferably both, set(s) of vehicle rolling means may comprise at least four wheels. Other embodiments such as the use two perpendicular oriented caterpillar belts may be envisaged. Furthermore, both sets have an exterior design matching a corresponding exterior design on supporting rails constituting the vehicle support in order to provide increased lateral stability when interconnected. Such supporting rails would be arranged in a two dimensional matrix on top of a bin storing structure or grid, where the principal directions of both the matrix and the grid are congruent with the vehicle's first direction (X) and second direction (Y). The vehicle may advantageously also include position sensing means to allow measurements of the vehicle position within the storage system during use. This position sensing means may comprise a plurality of position sensors arranged in at least some of the positions on the vehicle body which would transverse the locations of vehicle support where the supporting rails are crossing, for example underneath the vehicle, close to its lower corners. The present invention also concerns a storage system which comprises a remotely operated vehicle in accordance with the above mentioned features, a vehicle support comprising a plurality of supporting rails forming a two dimensional matrix of guiding meshes, wherein the vehicle support is configured to guide the movements of the vehicle in the first direction (X) and the second direction (Y) during use, a bin storing structure or grid supporting the vehicle support comprising a plurality of storage columns, wherein each of the storage columns is arranged to accommodate a vertical stack of storage bins and wherein the main part of the bin storing structure coincides with positions on the vehicle support where the supporting rails are crossing, and a bin lift device arranged to convey a vehicle delivered storage bin in a direction perpendicular to the lateral plane of the vehicle support between the vehicle support and a delivery station. In a preferred embodiment at least some of the supporting rails arranged at the outer lateral border areas of the vehicle support form outer guiding meshes having reduced average cross sectional areas compared to the average cross sectional area of the remaining guiding meshes in the vehicle support. For example, the average reduced cross sectional areas of the outer guiding meshes may be about half of the average cross sectional area of the remaining guiding meshes in the vehicle support. In a particularly preferred embodiment these cross sectional areas of the outer guiding meshes are reduced only along the second direction (Y) of the vehicle support. The central arrangement of the cavity in the vehicle body relative to the second direction (Y) effectively remove the undesired torque, thereby improving the stability of the robot or vehicle. This arrangement also results in a lifting and transporting process having a weight distribution with a high degree of symmetry. Furthermore, the novel design allows the same vehicle to be used for lifting and transporting storage bins of heights significantly less than the cavity height (i.e. the height extending from the suspension points of the lifting device and to the lower edge of the vehicle) since the framework/body surrounding at least part of the bin receiving cavity effectively hinders any undesired bin reeling/wobbling. The presence of the cavity surrounding body also allows maintaining full or nearly full lifting speed almost all the way to its end position within the cavity, as well as initiation of stable bin transportations towards the delivery station prior to a fully completed bin lifting from a storage column. The protective body around the cavity also gives the possibility of starting a descent of the lifting device event prior to the time the vehicle has come to a final halt above the storage column in question. A significantly higher stability and time efficiency is thus achieved. By arranging at least one set of vehicle rolling means fully within the vehicle or robot body additional stability is obtained during the lifting process since the rolling means is situated closer to the storage bin to be lifted. Of the same reason this arrangement reduces the total load on the lifting device. Furthermore, the arrangement is more space efficient relative to the prior art robot illustrated in FIG. 2 since the roller means does not give any additional extensions in at least one of the two robots moving directions (X and Y). Production of smaller sized robots/vehicles is also rendered possible. | B66F907 | 20171121 | 20180315 | 95961.0 | B66F907 | 2 | RANDAZZO, THOMAS | ROBOT FOR TRANSPORTING STORAGE BINS | UNDISCOUNTED | 1 | CONT-ACCEPTED | B66F | 2,017 |
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15,820,076 | PENDING | MEMORY MODULE WITH TIMING-CONTROLLED DATA PATHS IN DISTRIBUTED DATA BUFFERS | A memory module is operable in a memory system with a memory controller. The memory module comprises memory devices, a module control circuit, and a plurality of buffer circuits coupled between respective sets of data/strobe signal lines in a data bus and respective sets of the memory devices. Each respective buffer circuit includes a data path corresponding to each data signal line in the corresponding set of data/strobe signal lines, and a command processing circuit configured to decode module control signals from the module control circuit and to control the data path in accordance with the module control signals. The data path corresponding to the each data signal line includes at least one tristate buffer controlled by the command processing circuit and a delay circuit configured to delay a signal through the data path by an amount determined by the command processing circuit in response to at least one of the module control signals. | 1. A memory module operable to communicate with a memory controller via a memory bus, the memory bus including signal lines, the signal lines including a set of control/address signal lines and a plurality of sets of data/strobe signal lines, the memory module comprising: a module board having edge connections for coupling to respective signal lines in the memory bus; a module control device mounted on the module board and configured to receive command signals for a first operation via the set of control/address signal lines and to output module command signals and module control signals in response to the command signals, the module control device being further configured to receive a system clock signal and output a module clock signal; and memory devices mounted on the module board and configured to receive the module command signals and the module clock, and to perform the first operation in response to the module command signals, the memory devices including a plurality of sets of memory devices corresponding to respective sets of the plurality of sets of data/strobe signal lines; and a plurality of buffer circuits corresponding to respective sets of the plurality of sets of data/strobe signal lines, wherein each respective buffer circuit of the plurality of buffer circuits is mounted on the module board, coupled between a respective set of data/strobe signal lines and a respective set of memory devices, and configured to receive the module control signals and the module clock, the each respective buffer circuit including a data path corresponding to each data signal line in the respective set of data/strobe signal lines, and a command processing circuit configured to decode the module control signals and to control the data path in accordance with the module control signals and the module clock, wherein the data path corresponding to the each data signal line includes a tristate buffer controlled by the command processing circuit and a delay circuit configured to delay a signal through the data path by an amount determined by the command processing circuit in response to at least one of the module control signals. | CLAIM OF PRIORITY The present application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/426,064, to be issued as U.S. Pat. No. 9,824,035, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/846,993, now U.S. Pat. No. 9,563,587, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/952,599, filed Jul. 27, 2013, issued as U.S. Pat. No. 9,128,632, which claims priority to U.S. Provisional Pat. Appl. No. 61/676,883, filed on Jul. 27, 2012. Each of the above applications is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS The present application is related to commonly-owned U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/715,486, filed on May 18, 2015; U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/970,606, filed on Aug. 20, 2013; U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/504,131, filed on Jul. 16, 2009, now U.S. Pat. No. 8,417,870; U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/761,179, filed on Apr. 15, 2010, now U.S. Pat. No. 8,516,185; U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/287,042, filed on Nov. 1, 2011, now U.S. Pat. No. 8,756,364; and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/287,081, filed on Nov. 1, 2011, now U.S. Pat. No. 8,516,188; each of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. FIELD The disclosure herein is related generally to memory modules, and more particularly to multi-rank memory modules and methods of operation. BACKGROUND With recent advancement of information technology and widespread use of the Internet to store and process information, more and more demands are placed on the acquisition, processing, storage and dissemination of vocal, pictorial, textual and numerical information by microelectronics-based combination of computing and communication means. In a typical computer or server system, memory modules are used to store data or information. A memory module usually includes multiple memory devices, such as dynamic random access memory devices (DRAM) or synchronous dynamic random access memory devices (SDRAM), packaged individually or in groups, and/or mounted on a printed circuit board (PCB). A processor or a memory controller accesses the memory module via a memory bus, which, for a single-in-line memory module (SIMM), can have a 32-bit wide data path, or for a dual-in-line memory module (DIMM), can have a 64-bit wide data path. The memory devices of a memory module are generally organized in ranks, with each rank of memory devices generally having a bit width. For example, a memory module in which each rank of the memory module is 64 bits wide is described as having an “x64” or “by 64” organization. Similarly, a memory module having 72-bit-wide ranks is described as having an “x72” or “by 72” organization. The memory capacity or memory density of a memory module increases with the number of memory devices on the memory module. The number of memory devices of a memory module can be increased by increasing the number of memory devices per rank or by increasing the number of ranks. In certain conventional memory modules, the ranks are selected or activated by control signals from a processor or memory controller during operation. Examples of such control signals include, but are not limited to, rank-select signals, also called chip-select signals. Most computer and server systems support a limited number of ranks per memory module, which limits the memory density of the memory modules that can be used in these computer and server systems. For memory devices in such as a memory module to be properly accessed, distribution of control signals and a control clock signal in the memory module is subject to strict constraints. In some conventional memory modules, control wires are routed so there is an equal length to each memory component, in order to eliminate variation of the timing of the control signals and the control clock signal between different memory devices in the memory modules. The balancing of the length of the wires to each memory devices compromises system performance, limits the number of memory devices, and complicates their connections. In some conventional memory systems, the memory controllers include leveling mechanisms for write and/or read operations to compensate for unbalanced wire lengths and memory device loading on the memory module. As memory operating speed and memory density continue to increase, however, such leveling mechanisms are also insufficient to insure proper timing of the control and/or data signals received and/or transmitted by the memory modules. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a memory system including at least one memory module according to one embodiment. FIGS. 2A-2D are each a diagrams illustrating interactions among components in a a memory module according to certain embodiments. FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating one of a plurality of data buffers in a memory module according to one embodiment. FIGS. 4A-4B are each a diagram illustrating data and data strobe signal lines coupled to memory devices in a memory module according to certain embodiments. FIGS. 5A-5B are diagrams illustrating different numbers of memory devices that can be coupled to each data buffer in a memory module according to certain embodiments. FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a control circuit in a data buffer according to certain embodiments. FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating control signals from a module control device to a plurality of data buffers in a memory module according to certain embodiments. FIG. 8 is a timing diagram illustrating alignment of module control signals with respect to module clock signals. FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating a metastability detection circuit and signal adjustment circuit in a data buffer according to certain embodiments. FIGS. 10A-10C are diagrams illustrating a metastability detection circuit according to certain embodiments. FIG. 10D is a diagram illustrating a signal adjustment circuit according to certain embodiments. FIGS. 11A-11B are diagrams illustrating a metastability detection circuit and signal adjustment circuit, respectively, according to certain embodiments. FIGS. 12A-12B are a timing diagrams illustrating a write operation and a read operation, respectively, performed by a memory module according to one embodiment. FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating a delay control circuit in a data buffer according to certain embodiments. FIG. 14 is a diagram illustrating a DQ or DQS routing circuit in a data buffer according to an embodiment. FIG. 15 a diagram illustrating a DQS routing circuit having a delay circuit in a data buffer according to an embodiment. FIG. 16 a diagram illustrating a DQ routing circuit having a delay circuit in a data buffer according to an embodiment. FIG. 17 is a diagram illustrating a delay circuit in a DQ or DQS routing circuit according to an embodiment. FIG. 18 is a flowchart illustrating a method for data edge alignment according to embodiments. FIG. 19 is a diagram illustrating a control circuit in a data buffer according to certain embodiments. DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS A memory module according to one embodiment includes memory devices organized in groups, a module control device, and data buffers (DB). The data buffers are sometimes referred to herein as buffer circuits, isolation devices (I.D.) or load reduction devices. The memory module is operable to perform memory operations in response to memory commands (e.g., read, write, refresh, precharge, etc.), each of which is represented by a set of control/address (C/A) signals transmitted by the memory controller to the memory module. The C/A signals may include, for example, a row address strobe signal (/RAS), a column address strobe signal (/CAS), a write enable signal (/WE), an output enable signal (/OE), one or more chip select signals, row/column address signals, and bank address signals. The memory controller may also transmit a system clock signal to the memory module. In one embodiment, the C/A signals and the system clock signal are received by the module control device, which generates a set of module command signals and a set of module control signals in response to each memory command from the memory controller. The module command signals are transmitted by the module control device to the memory devices via module C/A signal lines, and the module control signals (referred sometimes herein as module control signals) are transmitted by the module control device to the buffer circuits via module control signal lines. The buffer circuits are associated with respective groups of memory devices and are distributed across the memory module at positions corresponding to the respective groups of memory devices. Thus, during certain high speed operations, each module control signal may arrive at different buffer circuits at different points of time across more than one clock cycle of the system clock. Also, each buffer circuit associated with a respective group of memory devices is in the data paths between the respective group of memory devices and the memory controller. Thus, the memory controller does not have direct control of the memory devices. In one embodiment, each group of memory devices include at least two subgroups, each subgroup including at least one memory device. Each buffer circuit is configured to select a subgroup in the respective group of memory devices to communicate data with the memory controller in response to the module control signals. Thus, the memory module can have more ranks of memory devices than what is supported by the memory controller. In one embodiment, each buffer circuit includes metastability detection circuits to detect metastability condition in the module control signals and signal adjustment circuits to adjust the module control signals and/or a module clock signal to mitigate any metastability condition in the module control signals. Further, in one embodiment, each buffer circuit includes signal alignment circuits that determine, during a write operation, a time interval between a time when one or more module control signals are received from the module control circuit and a time when a strobe or data signal is received from the memory controller. This time interval is used during a subsequent read operation to time transmission of read data to the memory controller, such that the read data arrives at the memory controller within a time limit in accordance with a read latency parameter associated with the memory system. FIG. 1 shows a system 100 including a memory controller (MCH) 101 and one or more memory modules 110 coupled to the MCH by a memory bus 105, according to one embodiment. As shown, the memory bus includes C/A signal lines 120 and groups of system data/strobe signal lines 130. Also as shown, each memory module 110 has a plurality of memory devices 112 organized in a plurality of ranks 114. Each memory module 110 further includes a module control circuit (module controller or module control device) 116 coupled to the MCH 101 via the C/A signal lines 120, and a plurality of buffer circuits or isolation devices 118 coupled to the MCH 101 via respective groups of system data/strobe signal lines 130. In one embodiment, the memory devices 112, the module control circuit 116 and the isolation devices 118 can be mounted on a same side or different sides of a printed circuit board (module board) 119. In the context of the present description, a rank refers to a set of memory devices that are selectable by a same chip select signal from the memory controller. The number of ranks of memory devices in a memory module 110 may vary. For example, as shown, each memory module 110 may include four ranks of memory devices 112. In another embodiment, the memory module 110 may include 2 ranks of memory devices. In yet another embodiment, the memory module may include six or more ranks of memory devices 112. In the context of the present description, a memory controller refers to any device capable of sending instructions or commands, or otherwise controlling the memory devices 112. Additionally, in the context of the present description, a memory bus refers to any component, connection, or groups of components and/or connections, used to provide electrical communication between a memory module and a memory controller. For example, in various embodiments, the memory bus 105 may include printed circuit board (PCB) transmission lines, module connectors, component packages, sockets, and/or any other components or connections that provide connections for signal transmission. Furthermore, the memory devices 112 may include any type of memory devices. For example, in one embodiment, the memory devices 112 may include dynamic random access memory (DRAM) devices. Additionally, in one embodiment, each memory module 110 may include a dual in-line memory module (DIMM). Referring to FIG. 2A, which illustrates one memory module 110 according to an embodiment, the module control device 116 receives system memory commands represented by a set of system control/address (C/A) signals from the MCH 101 via signal lines 120 and generates module command signals and module control signals based on memory commands from the system. The module control device 116 also received a system clock MCK and generates a module clock signal CK in response to the system clock signal MCK. The MCK signal may include a pair of complementary clock signals, MCK and MCK, and the module clock signal may include a pair of complementary clock signals CK and CK. Examples of the system C/A signals include, but are not limited to, Chip Select (or /CS) signal, which is used to select a rank of memory devices to be accessed during a memory (read or write) operation; Row Address Strobe (or /RAS) signal, which is used mostly to latch a row address and to initiate a memory cycle; Column Address Strove (or /CAS) signal, which is used mostly to latch a column address and to initiate a read or write operation; address signals, including bank address signals and row/column address signals, which are used to select a memory location on a memory device or chip; Write Enable (or /WE) signal, which is used to specify a read operation or a write operation, Output Enable (or /OE) signal, which is used to prevent data from appearing at the output until needed during a read operation, and the system clock signal MCK. Examples of module command signals include, but are not limited to module /CS signals, which can be derived from the system /CS signals and one or more other system C/A signals, such as one or more bank address signals and/or one or more row/column address signals; a module /RAS signal, which can be, for example, a registered version of the system /RAS signal; a module /CAS signal, which can be, for example, a registered version of the system /CAS signal; module address signals, which can be, for example, registered versions of some or all of the address signals; a module /WE signal, which can be, for example, a registered version of the system /WE signal; a module /OE signal, which can be, for example a registered version of the system /OE signal. In certain embodiments, the module command signals may also include the module clock signal CK. Examples of module control signals include, but are not limited to a mode signal (MODE), which specifies a mode of operation (e.g., test mode or operating mode) for the isolation devices 118; one or more enable signals, which are used by an isolation device to select one or more subgroups of memory devices to communicate data with the memory controller; and one or more ODT signals, which are used by the isolation devices to set up on-die termination for the data/strobe signals. In one embodiment, the module control signals are transmitted to the isolation devices 118 via respective module control signal lines 230. Alternatively, the module control signals can be packetized before being transmitted to the isolation devices 118 via the module control signal lines and decoded/processed at the isolation devices. Module control device 116 transmits the module command signals to the memory devices 112 via module C/A signal lines 220. The memory devices 112 operate in response to the module command signals to receive write data or output read data as if the module command signals were from a memory controller. The module control device transmits the module control signals together with the module clock signal CK to the isolation devices 118 via module control signal lines 230. As shown in FIG. 2, at least some of the memory devices in a same rank share a same set of module C/A signal lines 220, and at least some of the isolation devices 118 share a same set of module control signal lines 230. As shown n FIGS. 2A and 2B, each rank 114 includes N memory devices, where N is an integer larger than one. For example, a first rank includes memory devices M11, . . . , Mi1, Mi+1,1, . . . , MN, a second rank includes memory devices M12, . . . , Mi2, Mi+1,2, . . . , MN,2, and so on. In one embodiment, the memory devices 112 are also organized in groups or sets, with each group corresponding to a respective group of system data/strobe signal lines 130 and including at least one memory device from each rank. For example, memory devices M11, M12, M13, and M14 form a first group of memory devices, memory devices Mi1, Mi2, Mi3, and Mi4 form an ith group of memory devices, and so on. As shown, the isolation devices 118 are associated with respective groups of memory devices and are coupled between respective groups of system data/strobe signal lines 130 and the respective groups of memory devices. For example, isolation device ID-1 among the isolation devices 118 is associated with the first group of memory devices M11, M12, M13, and M14 and is coupled between the group of system data/strobe signal lines 130-1 and the first group of memory devices, isolation devices ID-i among the isolation devices 118 is associated with the ith group of memory devices Mi1, Mi2, Mi3, and Mi4 and is coupled between the group of system data/strobe signal lines 130-i and the ith group of memory devices, and so on. In one embodiment, each group or sets of memory devices are coupled to the associated isolation device 118 via a set of module data/strobe lines 210. Each group or set of memory devices is organized in subgroups or subsets, with each subgroup or subset including at least one memory device. The subgroups in a group of memory devices may be coupled to the associated isolation device 118 via a same set of module data/strobe lines 210 (as shown in FIG. 2A) or via respective subsets of module data/strobe lines 210 (as shown in FIG. 2B). For example, as shown in FIG. 2B, in the first group of memory devices, memory devices M11 and/or M13 form a first subgroup, and memory devices M12 and/or M14 form a second subgroup; in the ith group of memory devices, memory devices Mi1 and/or Mi3 form a first subgroup, and memory devices Mi2 and/or Mi4 form a second subgroup; and so on. The first subgroup of at least one memory device in each group of memory devices is coupled to the associated isolation device 118 via an associated first subset of module data/strobe lines YA, and the second subgroup of at least one memory device in each group of memory devices is coupled to the associated isolation device via an associated second subset of module data/strobe lines YB, as shown. For example, memory devices M11 and/or M13 form the first subgroup are/is coupled to the isolation device ID-1 via the corresponding first subset of module data/strobe lines YA-1, and memory devices M12 and/or M14 form the second subgroup are/is coupled to the isolation device ID-1 via the corresponding second subset of module data/strobe lines YA-2. In one embodiment, the isolation devices 118 are in the data paths between the MCH 101 and the memory module 110 and include data buffers between the MCH 101 and the respective groups of memory devices. In one embodiment, each isolation device 118 is configured to select a subgroup in the respective group of memory devices to communicate data with the MCH 101 in response to the module control signals, such that the memory module can include more ranks than what is supported by the MCH 101. Further, each isolation devices 118 is configured to isolate unselected subgroup(s) of memory devices from the MCH 101 during write operations, so that the MCH sees a load on each data line that is less than a load associated with the respective group of memory devices. In one embodiment, the MCH sees only a load associated with one memory device on each data/strobe signal line during write operations. In one embodiment, the isolation devices 118 are distributed across the memory module 110 or the module board 119 in positions corresponding to the respective groups of memory devices. For example, isolation device ID-1 is disposed in a first position corresponding to the first group of memory devices M11, M12, M13, and M14, and isolation device ID-i is disposed in an ith position separate from the first position and corresponding to the ith group of memory devices Mi1, Mi2, Mi3, and Mi4. In one embodiment, the first position is between the first group of memory devices and an edge 201 of the module board 119 where connections (not shown) to the data/strobe signal lines 130 are placed, and ith position is between the ith group of memory devices and the edge 201 of the module board 119. In one embodiment, the isolation devices 118 are distributed along the edge 201 of the memory module 110. In one embodiment, each isolation device 118 is a separate integrated circuit device packaged either by itself or together with at least some of the respective group of memory devices. In one embodiment, the module data/strobe signal lines 210, the module C/A signal lines 220, and the module control signal lines 230 include signal traces formed on and/or in the module board 119. As an option, memory module 110 may further include a serial-presence detect (SPD) device 240, which may include electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM) for storing data that characterize various attributes of the memory module 110. Examples of such data include a number of row addresses, a number of column addresses, a data width of the memory devices, a number of ranks on the memory module 110, a memory density per rank, a number of memory device on the memory module 110, and a memory density per memory device, etc. A basic input/output system (BIOS) of system 100 can be informed of these attributes of the memory module 110 by reading from the SPD 240 and can use such data to configure the MCH 101 properly for maximum reliability and performance. In certain embodiments, the SPD 240 and/or the control circuit 116 store module configuration information, such as: memory space translation code, memory address mapping function code, input and output signals timing control information for the control circuit 116, input and output signals electrical and logical level control information for the control circuit 116, etc. In certain embodiments, the SPD 240 contains a system view of the module 110 which can be different from an actual physical construction of the module 110. For example, the SPD 240 stores at least one memory operation parameter that is different from a corresponding memory operation parameter in a system memory controller setting. The SPD 240 may also store at least on data buffer operation parameter that is different from a corresponding parameter in the system memory controller setting. Thus, in certain embodiment, in the memory module 110, C/A signals representing a memory command are received and buffered by the module control circuit 116, so that the MCH sees only the module control circuit 116 as far as the C/A signals are concerned. Write data and strobe signals from the controller are received and buffered by the isolation devices 118 before being transmitted to the memory devices 112 by the isolation devices 118. On the other hand, read data and strobe signals from the memory devices are received and buffered by the isolation devices before being transmitted to the MCH via the system data/strobe signal lines 130. Thus, MCH 101 does not directly operate or control the memory devices 112. As far as data/strobe signals are concerned, the MCH 101 mainly sees the isolation devices 118, and the system 100 depends on the isolation devices 118 to properly time the transmission of the read data and strobe signals to the MCH 101. In certain embodiments, the memory module 110 is a dual in-line memory module (DIMM) and the memory devices are double data rate (DDR) dynamic random access memory devices (DRAM). In certain embodiments, the control circuit 116 includes a DDR register, and logic for memory space translation between a system memory domain and a module level physical memory domain. Such translation may produce address mapping, proper interface timing for the control signals to the module level physical memory domain, and a proper interface electrical and logical level for the control signals to the module level physical memory domain. As shown in FIG. 2C, in certain embodiments, the control circuit 116 transmits registered C/A and clock signals to the memory devices 112, and transmits module control signals and a registered clock signal (or module clock signal) to the isolation devices 118, in a fly-by configuration. As the speed of memory operations increase, issues can arise with respect to signal alignment for input, output delay variation due process, voltage and temperature (PVT) variations, synchronization with system memory controller interface, and phase drift accumulation during operation, etc. Electrical interface calibration drift during operation due to charge build up and timing interface calibration drift during operation due to environment change can also create issues. For example, load reduction mechanism in the isolation devices 118 would provide a single data bus interface to the respective set of memory devices, which is hidden from the system memory controller 101. Thus, a long sequence of interface timing training may be required due to limited controllability of the system memory controller 101 over the interface between the memory devices 112 and the associated isolation devices 118. Furthermore, interface signal alignment-drift after the initial training would not be easily detected by the system memory controller 101, which may cause silent system failure. Moreover, clock skew amongst the memory devices 112 and the associated isolation devices 118 due to the distributed architecture of the memory module 110 can cause synchronization issues. As the speed of memory operation increase, data period can become very close to the signal propagation delay time. Thus, such issues cannot simply be addressed by pipelining the data paths, as variation of the signal propagation time through I/Os becomes a very significant portion of a data period. To address at least some of the above issues, in certain embodiments, as shown in FIG. 2D, the control circuit 116 transmits registered C/A signals to the memory devices 112, and transmits the module control signals and the module clock signal to the data buffers 118, in a fly-by arrangement. The memory devices 112 do not receive the module clock signal from the control circuit 116. Instead, each data buffer 118 regenerates the clock that is used by the respective set of memory devices 112. Each Data buffer 118 is thus responsible for providing a correct data timing interface between the respective set of memory devices 112 and the system memory controller 101. Each data buffer 118 is also responsible for providing the correct control signal timing between the control circuit 116 and the respective set of memory devices 112. Thus, the memory module 110 in FIG. 2D allows a locally synchronized operation for each respective set of memory devices 112, which can correspond to a nibble or a byte of a DDR data bus between the memory module 110 and the system memory controller 101. Also, signal interface between each data buffer 118 and the respective set of memory devices 112 can be synchronized. In one embodiment, each data buffer 118 has a set of configurable operations, including, for example: programmable phase relationship between the clock it receives and the clock it regenerates, programmable phase adjustment for the data and data-strobe signals coupled to the memory devices 112, programmable phase adjustment for the data and data-strobe signals coupled to the system memory controller 101, programmable phase adjustment related to at least one control signal that is coupled to the control circuit 116. The locally synchronized operation also makes it easier for each data buffer 118 to perform self-testing of the associated set of memory devices 112, independent of the self-testing of other sets of memory devices performed by the other data buffers, as disclosed in commonly-owned U.S. Pat. No. 8,001,434, entitled “Memory Board with Self-Testing Capability,” which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. In certain embodiments, operations of the isolation devices 118 are controlled by the module control signals from the module control circuit 116, which generates the module control signals according to the C/A signals received from the MCH. Thus, the module control signals need to be properly received by the isolation devices 118 to insure their proper operation. In one embodiment, the module control signals are transmitted together with the module clock signal CK, which is also generated by the module control circuit 116 based on the system clock signal MCK. The isolation circuits 118 buffers the module clock signal, which is used to time the sampling of the module control signals. Since the isolation devices 118 are distributed across the memory module, the module control signal lines 230 can stretch across the memory module 110, over a distance of several centimeters. As the module control signals travel over such a distance, they can become misaligned with the module clock signal, resulting in metastability in the received module control signals. Therefore, in one embodiment, the isolation circuits 118 includes metastability detection circuits to detect metastability condition in the module control signals and signal adjustment circuits to adjust the module control signals and/or the module clock signal to mitigate any metastability condition in the module control signals, as explained in further detail below. Because the isolation devices 118 are distributed across the memory module 110, during high speed operations, it may take more than one clock cycle time of the system clock MCK for the module control signals to travel along the module control signals lines 230 from the module control device 116 to the farthest positioned isolation devices 118, such as isolation device ID-1 and isolation device ID-(n-1) in the exemplary configuration shown in FIG. 2. In other words, a same set of module control signals may reach different isolation devices 118 at different times across more than one clock cycle of the system clock. For example, when the clock frequency of the system clock is higher than 800 MHz, the clock cycle time is less than about 1.2 ns. With a signal travel speed of about 70 ps per centimeter of signal line, a module control signal would travel about 15 cm during one clock cycle. When the clock frequency increases to 1600 MHz, a module control signal would travel less than 8 cm during one clock cycle. Thus, a module control signal line can have multiple module control signals on the line at the same time, i.e., before one module control signal reaches an end of the signal line, another module control signal appear on the signal line. With the isolation devices 118 receiving module control signals at different times across more than one clock cycle, the module control signals alone are not sufficient to time the transmission of read data signals to the MCH 101 from the isolation devices 118. In one embodiment, each isolation devices includes signal alignment circuits that determine, during a write operation, a time interval between a time when one or more module control signals are received from the module control circuit 116 and a time when a write strobe or write data signal is received from the MCH 101. This time interval is used during a subsequent read operation to time the transmission of read data to the MCH 101, such that the read data follows a read command by a read latency value associated with the system 100, as explained in more detail below. More illustrative information will now be set forth regarding various optional configurations, architectures, and features with which the foregoing framework may or may not be implemented, per the desires of the user. It should be strongly noted that the following information is set forth for illustrative purposes and should not be construed as limiting in any manner. Any of the following features may be optionally incorporated with or without the exclusion of other features described. In one embodiment, as shown in FIG. 3, each group of signal lines 130 include a set of n data (DQ) signal lines 322 each for transmitting one of a set of data signals DQ0, DQ1, . . . , DQn−1, and at least one strobe (DQS) signal line 324 for transmitting at least one strobe signal DQS. Each set of module data/strobe lines Y include a set of n module data signal lines Y0, Y1, . . . , Yn−1 and at least one module strobe signal line YDQS. When the subsets of memory devices are coupled to the associated isolation device 118 via respective subsets of memory devices, each set of module data/strobe lines Y may include multiple subsets of module data/strobe lines, such as the subsets of module data/strobe lines YA and YB shown in FIG. 2B. Each subset of module data/strobe lines YA include a set of n first module data lines YA0, YA1, . . . , YAn and at least one first module strobe signal line YADQS; and each subset of module data/strobe lines YB include a set of n second module data lines YB0, YB1, . . . , YBn and at least one second module strobe signal line YBDQS. Each isolation device 118 includes a set of DQ routing circuits 320 coupled on one side to respective ones of the set of n DQ signal lines 322, and on another side to respective ones of the respective set of n module data lines, or respective ones of the respective subsets of module data lines, such as the first module data lines YA0, YA1, . . . , YAn and the second module data lines YB0, YB1, . . . , YBn. Each isolation device 118 further includes an ID control circuit 310 coupled on one side to the at least one DQS signal line 324, on another side to the one or more module strobe signal lines YDQS, or the first module strobe signal line YADQS and second module strobe signal line YBDQS. The ID control circuit 310 also receives the module clock signal CK and the module control signals via the module control signal lines 230, and outputs ID control signals 330 to the DQ routing circuits 320, including, for example, one or more enable signals ENA and/or ENB, and some or all of the other received, decoded, and/or otherwise processed module control signals, a delay signal DS, a read DQS signal RDQS, a write DQS signal WDQS, and a buffer clock signal CK0. Each DQ routing circuit 320 is configured to enable data communication between the respective DQ signal line 322 with a selected subgroup of one or more memory devices in response to the module control signals, as explained in more detail below. In certain embodiments, the ID control circuit 310 also provides a delay signal DS, which is used by the DQ routing circuits 320 to align read data output by the isolation device 118 with read data output by the other isolation devices 118, as explained in further detail below. In certain embodiments, the ID control circuit 310 regenerates a clock signal from the module clock signal CK, which can have a programmable delay from the module clock signal. The regenerated clock signal is used as the clock signal CK0 and a clock signal CKM that is provided to the corresponding set of memory devices, as explained in more detail below. The memory devices 112 are coupled to the isolation devices 118 via a same set of module data/strobe signal lines or different subsets of module data/strobe signal lines. For example, as shown in FIG. 4A, memory devices M11, M12, M13, and M14 in the first group of memory devices can be coupled to the isolation device ID-1 via a same set of module data lines Y-10, Y-11, . . . , Y-1n−1 and module strobe line Y-1DQS. In such embodiment, a subgroup in the group of memory devices can be selected by the isolation devices to communicated data with the MCH based on the phases of the data/strobe signals, which can be different with respect to different subgroups of memory devices. Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 4B, memory devices M11 and M13, which form a subgroup in the first group of memory devices, are coupled to the isolation device ID-1 via the module data lines YA-10, YA-11, . . . , YA-1n and module strobe line YA-1DQS and memory devices M12 and M14, which form another subgroup in the first group of memory devices, are coupled to the isolation device ID-1 via the module data lines YB-10, YB-11, . . . , YB-1n and module strobe line YB-1DQS. Memory devices coupled to the same isolation devices can be disposed on a same side or different sides of the memory board 119. Memory devices coupled to the same isolation devices may be placed side by side, on opposite sides of the module boards 119, or stacked over each other, and/or over the associated isolation device. Multiple memory devices having a data width that is less than a data width of the isolation devices 118 may be used in place of one of the memory devices 112, which has the same data width as that of the isolation devices. For example, as shown in FIG. 5A, two memory devices M11-1 and M11-2 may be used in place of the memory device M11. Each of the two memory devices M11-1 and M11-2 has a data width of 4, and together they act like a memory device M11 of a data width of 8. Thus, memory device M11-1 is coupled to the isolation device ID-1 via module data lines YA-10, . . . , YA-13 and module strobe line YA-1DQS-1 while memory circuit M11-2 is coupled to the isolation device ID-1 via module data lines YA-14, . . . , YA-17 and module strobe line YA-1DQS-2. In another embodiment, as shown in FIG. 5B, four memory devices M11-1 to M11-4 may be used as the memory device M11. Each of the four memory devices M11-1 to M11-4 has a data width of 4, and together they act like a memory device M11 of a data width of 16. Thus, memory device M11-1 is coupled to the isolation device ID-1 via module data lines YA-10, . . . , YA-13 and module strobe line YA-1DQS-1 while memory device M11-2 is coupled to the isolation device ID-1 via module data lines YA-14, . . . , YA-17 and module strobe line YA-1DQS-2, and so on. FIG. 6 illustrates the ID control circuit 310 in an isolation device 118. As shown, the ID control circuit 310 includes a clock buffer 610 to receive the module clock signal CK from the module control device 116, and to output a module clock signal CK0. The ID control circuit 310 further includes a strobe routing circuit 620 that are coupled on one side to the corresponding system DQS signal line 324 and on another side to the corresponding module DQS signal lines YADQS and YBDQS. The ID control circuit 310 further includes a receiver circuit 630 with respect to each of at least some of the module control signals (MCS) to receive a respective one of the module control signals. The ID control circuit 310 further includes a command processing circuit 640 that provides the received, decoded, and/or otherwise processed module control signals 330 to the DQ routing circuits 320 and the strobe routing circuit 620 either directly or after further processing, if needed. The received/decoded/processed module control signals may include, for example, one or more enable signals ENA and/or ENB that are used by the DQ routing circuits 320 and the strobe routing circuit 620 to selectively enabling data communication between the MCH 101 and one of the subgroups in the respective group of memory devices, with which the isolation device is associated. The strobe routing circuit 620 also buffers strobe signals received from either the MCH 101 or the memory devices 112, and output either a write strobe WDQS or read strobe RDQS to the DQ routing circuits 320. In one embodiment, the ID control circuit 310 further includes a delay control circuit 650 that receives one of the module control signals and either a data signal or a strobe signal and determines a delay amount to be used by the DQ routing circuit 320 and the strobe routing circuit 620. The delay amount is provided to the DQ routing circuit 320 and the strobe routing circuit in a delay signal DS. In a receiver circuit 630, the respective MCS is received in accordance with the module clock signal CK0. In one embodiment, receiver circuit 630 samples the respective MCS using rising (or falling) edges of the module clock CK0. Since the isolation devices 118 are distributed across the memory module 110 at positions corresponding to the respective groups of memory devices, the module control signal lines 230 that carry the MCS to the isolation devices can stretch over a distance of more than 10 centimeters, as shown in FIG. 7. As the MCS and CK0 travel along their respective module control signal lines 710 and 720, they can become misaligned with each other when they reach the input pins 730 of an isolation device 118. For example, a module control signal, like the MCS 810 shown in FIG. 8, can be perfectly aligned with the module clock signal CK, with a rising edge 801 of the module clock signal CK being at a center of a data eye 802, when the MCS signal and the clock signal leave the module control circuit 116. When the module control signal and the module clock signal reach an isolation device, however, their alignment can become shifted like the MCS 820 with respect to the CK signal, i.e., the rising edge 801 of the clock signal is near a left edge of a data eye of the MCS 820, barely providing enough set up time for proper sampling of the module control signal. Or, the module control signal, like the MCS 830, can be shifted with respect to the module clock signal such that a rising edge 801 of the clock signal is near a right edge of a data eye of the MCS, barely providing enough hold time for proper sampling of the module control signal. Or, ever worse, the module control signal, like the MCS 840, can be so shifted with respect to the module clock signal such that a rising edge 801 of the clock signal falls in the glitches 803 at the edge of a data eye of the MCS, meaning that the sampled results could be metastable. In one embodiment, as shown in FIG. 9, a receiver circuit 630 includes a metastability detection circuit (MDC) 910 to determine a metastability condition in a corresponding module control signal MCS0. In one embodiment, the MDC 910 generates at least one delayed version of the module clock signal CK and at least one delayed version of the corresponding MCS0. The MDC 910 also generates one or more metastability indicators and outputs the one or more metastability indicators via lines 912 and/or 914. The receiver circuit 630 further includes a signal selection circuit 920 that receives the module clock CK and the at least one delayed version of the module clock via signal lines 916. The signal selection circuit 920 also receives the corresponding MCS and the at least one delayed version of the corresponding MCS via signal lines 918. The signal selection circuit 920 selects a clock signal CKi from among the module clock CK and the at least one delayed version of the module clock based on one or more of the metastability indicators. The signal selection circuit 920 may also select an MCS signal MCSi from among the corresponding MCS and the at least one delayed version of the corresponding MCS based on at least one other metastability indicator. The receiver circuit 630 further includes a sampler or register circuit 930 that samples the selected module control signal MCSi according to the selected clock signal CKi and outputs the sampled signal as the received module control signal, which is provided to the command processing circuit 640 for further processing (if needed) before being provided to the DQ routing circuits 320 and DQS routing circuit 620. FIG. 10A illustrates an MDC 910 according to one embodiment. As shown, the MDC 910 includes a delay circuit 1012 that generates a delayed version MCS1 of the corresponding MCS0 by adding a predetermined amount of delay (e.g., 10 ps) to MCS0. MDC 910 also includes a delay circuit 1016 that generates a delayed version CK1 of the clock signal CK0 by adding a predetermined amount of delay to CK0. In one embodiment, CK1 is delayed from CK0 by about 1/10th of a clock cycle, e.g., 50-70 ps for an operating frequency of about 1600 MHz. The MDC 910 further includes a sampler circuit 1042 that samples MCS1 according to CK0 and outputs a sampled result A, a sampler circuit 1044 that samples MCS0 according to CK0 and outputs a sampled result B, and a sampler circuit 1046 that samples MCS0 according to CK1 and outputs a sampled result C. The MDC 910 further includes a logic circuit (e.g., a majority decision circuit) that generates metastability indicators Z1 and Z2 based on the sampled results A, B, and C. In one embodiment, Z1 is the result of a logic operation (e.g., an XNOR operation) on the sampled result, e.g., Z1=A⊕B, and Z2 is the result of another logic operation on the sampled results, e.g., Z2=B⊕C. Thus, as shown in FIG. 10B and Table 1 below, when a metastability condition of insufficient hold time occurs, i.e., a rising clock edge 1061 of CK0 is close to the right side of a data eye where gliches at the edges of the data eyes can make C unpredicatable, A and B can be in agreement (i.e., Z1 is true) while B and C are likely not in agreement (i.e., Z2 is false). FIG. 10 C illustrates a metastability condition when there is insufficient set-up time. As shown in FIG. 10C and Table 1 below, a rising clock edge 1061 of CK0 is close to the left side of a data eye where gliches at the edges of the data eyes can make A unpredicatable. Thus, A and B can be in disagreement so Z1 is false while B and C can be in agreement so Z2 is true. Not shown in the figures is the situation that all A, B, and C are in agreement, meaning that both the rising clock edge 1061 of CK0 and the rising clock edge 1062 of CK1 are near the middle of an MCS0 data eye so there is no metastability issues and both Z1 and Z2 are true, as shown in Table 1. FIG. 10D illustrates a signal selection circuit 920 according to an embodiment. As shown, in one embodiment, the signal selection circuit 920 includes a first multiplexor 1071 that selects between CK0 and CK1 based on the metastability indicator Z1, and a second multiplexor 1072 that selects between MCS0 and MCS1 based on the metastability indicator Z2. Thus, as shown in Table 1, where a metastability condition of insufficient hold time occurs, Z1=1 and Z2=0, and MCS1 is output from multiplexor 1071 while CK0 is output from multiplexor 1072. Sampler 930 thus samples MCS1 according to the rising edges of CK0. Thus, more hold time is provided to mitigate the metastability condition since MCS1 is shifted from MCS0 toward the right. On the other hand, where a metastability condition of insufficient set-up time occurs, Z1=0 and Z2=1, and CK1 is output from multiplexor 1071 while MCS0 is output from multiplexor 1072. Sampler 930 thus samples MCS0 according to the rising edges of CK1. Since CK1 is shifted from CK0 toward the right, more set-up time is provided to mitigate the metastability condition. TABLE 1 Metastability Detection and Signal Selection Sampler MS Output Indicators Signal Selection A B C Z1 Z2 MS Condition CK MCS D1 D1 D2 1 0 insufficient hold CK0 MCS1 time D1 D2 D2 0 1 insufficient set-up CK1 MCS0 time D1 D1 D1 1 1 no metastability CK0 MCS0 In the case when no metastability is detected, Z1=1 and Z2=1, and CK0 is output from multiplexor 1071 while MCS0 is output from multiplexor 1072. So, the unshifted module control signal is sampled according to the unshifted module clock signal. FIGS. 10A-10D illustrate a relatively simple implementation of the metastability detection circuit (MDC) 910 where only three different sample points are provided to detect metastability condition in the module control signal. In general, the MDC 910 may generate more delayed versions of the module clock signal CK0 and/or the corresponding module control signal MCS0, and may include more sampler circuits to sample any additional delayed versions of the module control signal according to either the module clock signal or one of the delayed versions of the module clock signal. For example, as shown in FIG. 11A, the MDC 910 can include a plurality of delay circuits 1102 that generate m delayed versions of MCS0, e.g., MCS1, MCS2, . . . MCSm, and m delayed versions of CK0, e.g., CK1, CK2, . . . , CKm. The MDC 910 can include sampler circuits 1104 that sample MCS0 according to CK0, CK1, . . . , CKm, respectively, and sampler circuits 1104 that sample MCS0, MCS1, MCS2, . . . MCSm according to CK0, respectively. The outputs of the samplers 1104 are provided to a logic circuit 1120, which determines a metastability condition in MCK0 based on the sampler outputs using, for example, a majority decision logic. The logic circuit 1120 outputs a first metastability indicator on line(s) 912 and a second metastability indicator on line(s) 914. FIG. 11B illustrates a signal selection circuit 920 according to an embodiment. As shown, in one embodiment, the signal selection circuit 920 includes a first multiplexor 1171 that selects between CK0, CK1, . . . , CKm based on the metastability indicator provided on line(s) 912, and a second multiplexor 1172 that selects between MCS0, MCS1, . . . , MCSm based on the metastability indicator provided on line(s) 914, such that the rising edges of the selected clock signal, e.g., Cki, are close to the middle of the respective data eyes in the selected module control signal, e.g., MCSi. The selected signals MCSi and Cki are provided to the sampler 930, which samples MCSi according to the rising edges of CKi. As stated above, in certain embodiments, since the isolation devices 118 are in the data paths between the MCH 101 and the respective groups of memory devices 112, the MCH 101 does not have direct control of the memory devices 112. Thus, conventional read/write leveling techniques are not sufficient for managing read/write data timing. In one embodiment, the isolation devices 118 includes signal alignment mechanism to time the transmission of read data signals based on timing information derived from a prior write operation, as discussed further below. FIG. 12A is a timing diagram for a write operation according to one embodiment. As shown, after a write command W/C associated with the write operation is received by the module control circuit 116 at time t1, the module control circuit 116 outputs one or more enable signals EN at time t2 in response to the write commands. The one or more enable signals are received by an isolation device 118 at time t3, which afterwards receives one or more strobe signal DQS from the MCH 101 at time t4. Note that the same enable signal may be received by another isolation device 118 at time t3′, which can be in a different cycle of the system clock MCK from the cycle which t3 is in. The time interval between t4 and t1 is consistent with a write latency W.L. associated with the system 100, and is controllable by the MCH 101 and knowable to the isolation device 118. The time interval between t4 and t3, referred to hereafter as an enable-to-write data delay EWD, can be determined by the isolation device 118 since both these signals are received by the isolation device. Based on such determination, the isolation device 118 can have knowledge of the time interval between t3 and t1, referred to hereafter as a command-to-enable delay CED, which can be used by the isolation device 118 to properly time transmission of read data to the MCH, as explained further below. FIG. 12B is a timing diagram for a read operation according to one embodiment. As shown, after a read command R/C associated with the read operation is received by the module control circuit 116 at time t5, the module control circuit 116 outputs one or more enable signals EN at time t6 in response to the read commands. The one or more enable signals are received by an isolation device 118 at time t7, which afterwards receives at time t8 read data signals (not shown) and one or more strobe signal DQS from the respective group of memory devices. Note that the same enable signal may be received by another isolation device 118 at time t3′, which can be in a different cycle of the system clock MCK from the cycle which t3 is in. Thus, the enable signals alone cannot be used to time the transmission of the read signals by the isolation devices 118. With knowledge of the time interval between t7 and t5, which should be about the same as the time interval between t3 and t1, i.e., the command-to-enable delay CED, in certain embodiments, the isolation device can add a proper amount of delay to the read data signals and the one or more DQS signal such that the read data signals and the one or more DQS signal are transmitted at time t9 by the isolation device to the MCH 101 via the respective group of data/strobe signal lines 130, with the time interval between t9 and t5 being consistent with a read latency R.L. associated with the system 100. The time interval between t4 and t3, i.e., the enable to write data delay EWD, is determined by the delay control circuit 650 in the ID control circuit 310, as shown in FIG. 6. According to one embodiment, as shown in FIG. 13, the delay control circuit 650 includes a peramble detector 1310 to detect a write preamble in the DQS, a flip-flop circuit 1320 having an enable input EN receiving one of the module control signals and a clock input CK receiving the buffered module clock signal CK0, and a counter circuit 1330 having a Start input receiving the one of the module control signals, a Stop input receiving an output of the flip-flop circuit 1320. Thus, the output of the counter circuit, i.e., the delay signal DS, would indicate a time interval from when the write preamble is detected and when the one of the module control signal is received. FIG. 14 illustrates a DQ or DQS routing circuit 320 or 620 according to an embodiment. As shown, the DQ/DQS routing circuit 320/620 includes a DQ/DQS pin 1401 that is coupled to the corresponding DQ/DQS signal line 322/324, a set of one or more DQS pins 1402 that is coupled to a corresponding module DQ/DQS line(s) Y/YDQS, or YA/YADQS and YB/YBDQS. The DQ/DQS routing circuit 320/620 further includes a write strobe buffer 1410 that buffers write data/strobe, and a write data/strobe receiver 1420 that samples the write data/strobe. The DQ/DQS routing circuit 320/620 further includes a plurality of write paths 1430 that are selectable or can be selectively enabled by one or more of the module control signals, such as the enable signals ENA and ENB. The DQS routing circuit further includes a plurality of read paths 1450 that are selectable by the one or more of the module control signals. Output from the selected read path is delayed in a delay circuit 1460 by an amount controlled by the delay signal DS, and sampled by a sampler circuit 1470. The sampled read data/strobe is transmitted by transmitter 1480 onto the corresponding data/strobe signal line 322/324 via the DQ/DQS pin 1401. FIG. 15 illustrates a DQS routing circuit 620 according to an embodiment. As shown, the DQS routing circuit 620 includes a first DQS pin 1501 that is coupled to a corresponding DQS signal line 324, a second DQS pin 1502A that is coupled to a corresponding module DQS line YADQS, a third DQS pin 1502B that is coupled to a corresponding module DQS line YBDQS. The DQS routing circuit 620 further includes a first write strobe path coupled between the first DQS pin 1501 and the second DQS pin 1502A and a second write strobe path coupled between the first DQS pin 1501 and the third DQS pin 1502B. The first write strobe path includes a write strobe buffer 1510 that buffers a write strobe, a write strobe receiver 1520 that samples the write strobe according to the buffered module signal CK0. The sampled write strobe is provided to the DQ routing circuits 320 as the write strobe WDQS. The first write strobe path further includes a first write strobe transmitter 1530A that transmits the write strobe to one or more memory devices 112 coupled to the module strobe line YADQS. The second write strobe path includes the write strobe buffer 1510, the write strobe receiver 1520, and a second write strobe transmitter 1530B that transmits the write strobe to one or more memory devices 112 coupled to the module strobe line YBDQS. The first and second write strobe transmitters, 1530A and 1530B, are controlled by two enable signals, ENA and ENB, respectively, such that the first write strobe path and the second write strobe path can be selectively enabled/disabled by the enable signals, ENA and ENB. The DQS routing circuit further includes a read strobe path coupled between the first DQS pin 1501 and a selected one of the second and third DQS pins 1502A and 1502B. In the read strobe path, a select circuit 1550 (e.g., a multiplexor) selects either a read strobe signal received via DQS pin 1502A or a read strobe signal received via DQS pin 1502B based on one or both of the enable signals ENA or ENB. The selected read strobe signal is delayed in a delay circuit 1560 by an amount controlled by the delay signal DS, and sampled by a sampler circuit 1570 according to the buffered module clock signal CK0. The sampled read strobe is provided to the DQ routing circuits 320 as the read strobe RDQS and is transmitted by transmitter 1580 onto the corresponding strobe signal line 324 via the first DQS pin 1501. FIG. 16 illustrates a DQ routing circuit 320 according to an embodiment. As shown, the DQ routing circuit 320 includes a first DQ pin 1601 that is coupled to a corresponding DQ signal line 130, a second DQ pin 1602A that is coupled to a corresponding module DQ line YADQ, a third DQ pin 1602B that is coupled to a corresponding module DQ line YBDQ. The DQ routing circuit 320 further includes a first write data path coupled between the first DQ pin 1601 and the second DQ pin 1602A and a second write data path coupled between the first DQ pin 1601 and the third DQ pin 1602B. The first write data path includes a write data buffer 1610, a write data receiver 1620 that samples write data according to the write strobe WDQS from the DQS routing circuit 620, and a first write data transmitter 1630A that transmits the write data to one or more memory devices 112 coupled to the module data line YADQ. The second write data path includes the write data buffer 1610, the write data receiver 1620, and a second write data transmitter 1630B that transmits the write data to one or more memory devices 112 coupled to the module data line YBDQ. The first and second write data transmitters, 1530A and 1530B, are controlled by two enable signals, ENA and ENB, respectively. Thus, the first write data path and the second write data path can be selectively enabled/disabled by the enable signals, ENA and ENB. The DQ routing circuit further includes a read data path coupled between the first DQ pin 1601 and a selected one of the second and third DQ pins 1602A and 1602B. In the read data path, a select circuit 1650 (e.g., a multiplexor) selects either a read data signal received via DQ pin 1602A or a read data signal received via DQ pin 1602B based on one or both of the enable signals ENA or ENB. The selected read data signal is delayed in a delay circuit 1660 by an amount controlled by the delay signal DS. The delayed read data signal is then sampled by a receiver circuit 1670 according to the read strobe RDQS from the DQS routing circuit 620, and transmitted by transmitter 1680 onto the corresponding data signal line 130 via the first DQ pin 1601. FIG. 17 illustrate a delay circuit 1560 or 1660 according to an embodiment. As shown, the delay circuit 1560 or 1660 includes a plurality of delay stages, such as delay stages 1710, 1720, and 1730, each delaying a read data or read strobe signal from the select circuit 1550/1650 by a predetermined amount. The delay circuit 1560 or 1660 further includes a select circuit 1740 (e.g., a multiplexor) that selects from among the read data or read strobe signal and the outputs from the delay stages according to the delay signal DS. The output of the select circuit 1740, is provided to the sampler circuit 1570 or 1670, either directly or after being buffered by a buffer circuit 1750. Thus, as shown in FIG. 18, in one embodiment, a memory module 110 operates in the memory system 100 according to a method 1800. In the method, during a write operation, one or more module control signals are received by an isolation device 118 from a module control circuit or module controller 116 (1810). The module controller 116 generates the one or more module control signals in response to C/A signals representing a write command from the MCH 101. The one or more module control signals are used to control the isolation device 118. For example, the one or more module control signals may include one or more first enable signals to enable a write path to allow write data be communicated to a selected subgroup of memory devices among the group of memory devices coupled to the isolation device 118. After a time interval from receiving the one or more first enable signals, write data DQ and write strobe DQS are received by the isolation device 118 from the MCH 101 (1820). In one embodiment, upon receiving the one or more first enable signal, a counter is started, which is stopped when the write data DQ or write strobe DQS is received. Thus, a time interval EWD between receiving the one or more first enable signals and receiving the write strobe signal DQS is recorded. Since the time interval between the arrival of the command signals from the MCH 101 and the arrival of the write data/strobe signal DQ/DQS from the MCH 101 is a set according to a write latency parameter associated with the system 100, the time interval EWD can be used to ascertain a time interval CED between the time when a command signal is received by the memory module 110 and the time when the one or more enable signals are received by the isolation device 118. The time interval CED can be used by the isolation device 118 to properly time the transmission of read data to the MCH 101, as described above and explained further below. As shown in FIG. 18, a delay signal DS is generated according to the time interval EWD (1830). Concurrent to receiving the write strobe signal DQS, the isolation device 118 also receives a set of write data signals DQ (1840). The received write data signals are transmitted to the subgroup of memory devices (1850), which are selected from the group of memory devices coupled to the isolation device 118 by the one or more first enable signals. During a read operation, another set of module control signals including, for example, one or more second enable signals, are received by the isolation device 118 from the module controller 116 (1860). The one or more second enable signals are generated by the module controller 116 in response to read command signals received from the MCH 101, and are used by the isolation device 118 to select a subgroup of memory devices from which to receive read data. Afterwards, a read strobe signal DQS and a set of read data signal DQ are received from the selected subgroup of memory devices (1870). To properly time the transmission of the DQS and DQ signals to the MCH 101, the DQS and DQ signals are adjusted (e.g., delayed) according to the delay signal DS, such that the DQS and DQ signals follow a read command by a time interval consistent with a read latency parameter associated with the system 100. In certain embodiments, especially the embodiments shown in FIG. 2D, the delay circuits 1560 and 1660 shown in FIGS. 15 and 16 are not needed to provide alignment of the read data. As shown in FIG. 19, the ID control circuit 310 includes a clock regeneration circuit 1920 that regenerates the clock signal CK received from the control circuit 116, according to the delay signal DS. The regenerated clock signals CK0 and CKM each includes a proper amount of delay as compared to the clock signal CK. The clock CK0 is provided to the strobe routing circuit 620 so that the strobe signals are properly timed to result in proper data alignment. The regenerated clock signal CKM is provided to the respective set of memory devices so that the respective data buffer 118 and the respective set of memory devices are locally synchronized. | <SOH> BACKGROUND <EOH>With recent advancement of information technology and widespread use of the Internet to store and process information, more and more demands are placed on the acquisition, processing, storage and dissemination of vocal, pictorial, textual and numerical information by microelectronics-based combination of computing and communication means. In a typical computer or server system, memory modules are used to store data or information. A memory module usually includes multiple memory devices, such as dynamic random access memory devices (DRAM) or synchronous dynamic random access memory devices (SDRAM), packaged individually or in groups, and/or mounted on a printed circuit board (PCB). A processor or a memory controller accesses the memory module via a memory bus, which, for a single-in-line memory module (SIMM), can have a 32-bit wide data path, or for a dual-in-line memory module (DIMM), can have a 64-bit wide data path. The memory devices of a memory module are generally organized in ranks, with each rank of memory devices generally having a bit width. For example, a memory module in which each rank of the memory module is 64 bits wide is described as having an “x64” or “by 64” organization. Similarly, a memory module having 72-bit-wide ranks is described as having an “x72” or “by 72” organization. The memory capacity or memory density of a memory module increases with the number of memory devices on the memory module. The number of memory devices of a memory module can be increased by increasing the number of memory devices per rank or by increasing the number of ranks. In certain conventional memory modules, the ranks are selected or activated by control signals from a processor or memory controller during operation. Examples of such control signals include, but are not limited to, rank-select signals, also called chip-select signals. Most computer and server systems support a limited number of ranks per memory module, which limits the memory density of the memory modules that can be used in these computer and server systems. For memory devices in such as a memory module to be properly accessed, distribution of control signals and a control clock signal in the memory module is subject to strict constraints. In some conventional memory modules, control wires are routed so there is an equal length to each memory component, in order to eliminate variation of the timing of the control signals and the control clock signal between different memory devices in the memory modules. The balancing of the length of the wires to each memory devices compromises system performance, limits the number of memory devices, and complicates their connections. In some conventional memory systems, the memory controllers include leveling mechanisms for write and/or read operations to compensate for unbalanced wire lengths and memory device loading on the memory module. As memory operating speed and memory density continue to increase, however, such leveling mechanisms are also insufficient to insure proper timing of the control and/or data signals received and/or transmitted by the memory modules. | <SOH> BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS <EOH>FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a memory system including at least one memory module according to one embodiment. FIGS. 2A-2D are each a diagrams illustrating interactions among components in a a memory module according to certain embodiments. FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating one of a plurality of data buffers in a memory module according to one embodiment. FIGS. 4A-4B are each a diagram illustrating data and data strobe signal lines coupled to memory devices in a memory module according to certain embodiments. FIGS. 5A-5B are diagrams illustrating different numbers of memory devices that can be coupled to each data buffer in a memory module according to certain embodiments. FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a control circuit in a data buffer according to certain embodiments. FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating control signals from a module control device to a plurality of data buffers in a memory module according to certain embodiments. FIG. 8 is a timing diagram illustrating alignment of module control signals with respect to module clock signals. FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating a metastability detection circuit and signal adjustment circuit in a data buffer according to certain embodiments. FIGS. 10A-10C are diagrams illustrating a metastability detection circuit according to certain embodiments. FIG. 10D is a diagram illustrating a signal adjustment circuit according to certain embodiments. FIGS. 11A-11B are diagrams illustrating a metastability detection circuit and signal adjustment circuit, respectively, according to certain embodiments. FIGS. 12A-12B are a timing diagrams illustrating a write operation and a read operation, respectively, performed by a memory module according to one embodiment. FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating a delay control circuit in a data buffer according to certain embodiments. FIG. 14 is a diagram illustrating a DQ or DQS routing circuit in a data buffer according to an embodiment. FIG. 15 a diagram illustrating a DQS routing circuit having a delay circuit in a data buffer according to an embodiment. FIG. 16 a diagram illustrating a DQ routing circuit having a delay circuit in a data buffer according to an embodiment. FIG. 17 is a diagram illustrating a delay circuit in a DQ or DQS routing circuit according to an embodiment. FIG. 18 is a flowchart illustrating a method for data edge alignment according to embodiments. FIG. 19 is a diagram illustrating a control circuit in a data buffer according to certain embodiments. detailed-description description="Detailed Description" end="lead"? | G06F131673 | 20171121 | 20180405 | 59108.0 | G06F1316 | 1 | SUN, MICHAEL | MEMORY MODULE WITH TIMING-CONTROLLED DATA PATHS IN DISTRIBUTED DATA BUFFERS | UNDISCOUNTED | 1 | CONT-ACCEPTED | G06F | 2,017 |
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15,820,195 | PENDING | Patron Service System and Method | A method provides for using a wireless patron unit within a venue and within a vicinity of the venue. The method includes providing at least one patron with a wireless patron unit by either permitting the at least one patron to temporarily use a provided wireless patron unit that includes at least one venue specific application program, or by providing at least one venue specific application program to the at least one patron for downloading into a patron-owned wireless communication device that can be used during the at least one patron's visit to the venue. The method also includes connecting the wireless patron unit to a server enabling communication between the wireless patron unit and the server, entering a patron order for at least one item or service provided by the venue into the wireless patron unit, and determining a current location of the wireless patron unit. | 1-20. (canceled) 21. A computer-implemented method executed by one or more processors of a mobile computing device, the method comprising: receiving, over a wireless communications channel and by the one or more processors, a venue-specific application; communicating, by the one or more processors, with a server system over the wireless communication channel to authenticate, based on a security protocol, a user of the venue-specific application on the mobile computing device; determining, by the one or more processors, a location of the mobile computing device at a first time based on one or more wireless signals; providing, to the server system, data indicating the location of the mobile computing device and order information, the order information indicating a user selection of an order option from the venue-specific application; determining, by the one or more processors, an updated location of the mobile computing device at a second time based on the one or more wireless signals; and providing, by the one or more processors, data indicating the updated location of the mobile computing device. 22. The method of claim 21, wherein the venue-specific application is a web-based application. 23. The method of claim 21, further comprising: receiving, from the server system, information about the status of a user's order; and causing the information to be presented on a display of the mobile computer device. 24. The method of claim 21, wherein the one or more wireless signals include Global Positioning (GPS) signals. 25. The method of claim 21, wherein the one or more wireless signals include WiFi signals or Bluetooth signals. 26. The method of claim 21, wherein the mobile computing device includes a touchscreen display. 27. The method of claim 26, wherein the user selection of the order options is received from the touchscreen display. 28. The method of claim 26, further comprising causing a menu of order options to be presented on the touchscreen display. 29. The method of claim 26, further comprising: receiving, from the touchscreen display, a user input indicating user payment information; and facilitating an electronic payment based on the user input. 30. The method of claim 21, wherein the wireless communication channel includes a WiFi network. 31. A computer-implemented method executed by one or more processors, the method comprising: providing, over a wireless communications channel and by the one or more processors, a venue-specific application to a mobile computing device; communicating, by the one or more processors, with the mobile computing device over the wireless communication channel to authenticate, based on a security protocol, a user of the venue-specific application on the mobile computing device; receiving, by the one or more processors, location information from the mobile computing device; determining, by the one or more processors, a location of the mobile computing device at a first time based on the location information; receiving, from the mobile computing device, order information that indicates a user selection of an order option from the venue-specific application; receiving, by the one or more processors, updated location information from the mobile computing device; and determining, by the one or more processors, an updated location of the mobile computing device at a second time based on the updated location information. 32. The method of claim 31, further comprising upon receiving an indication that an order is ready, providing the updated location of the mobile computing device to a delivery computing device to facilitate delivery of the order to the user. 33. The method of claim 31, further comprising identifying a computing system associated with the venue-specific application and providing the order information to the identified computing system. 34. The method of claim 31, wherein the venue-specific application is a web-based application. 35. The method of claim 31, wherein the location information includes Global Positioning (GPS) data. 36. The method of claim 31, wherein the location information includes WiFi location information. 37. The method of claim 31, wherein the wireless communication channel includes a WiFi network or a Bluetooth network. 38. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising: communicating with a server system over the wireless communication channel to authenticate, based on a security protocol, a user of a venue-specific application on a mobile computing device; determining, by the one or more processors, a location of the mobile computing device at a first time based on one or more wireless signals; providing, to the server system, data indicating the location of the mobile computing device and order information, the order information indicating a user selection of an order option from the venue-specific application; determining, by the one or more processors, an updated location of the mobile computing device at a second time based on the one or more wireless signals; and providing, by the one or more processors, data indicating the updated location of the mobile computing device. 39. The medium of claim 38, wherein the operations further comprise: receiving, from the server system, information about the status of a user's order; and causing the information to be presented on a display of the mobile computer device. 40. The medium of claim 38, wherein the one or more wireless signals include Global Positioning (GPS) signals, WiFi signals, or Bluetooth signals. | CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 13/073,368, filed on Mar. 28, 2011, which is a continuation of Ser. No. 10/665,525, filed on Sep. 19, 2003, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,945,477, which issued on May 17, 2011, which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/412,863, filed on Sep. 23, 2002, the disclosures of which are expressly incorporated herein by reference in their entireties. TECHNICAL FIELD This invention relates to systems and methods for providing services to patrons at resorts, stadiums, arenas, and other venues. BACKGROUND The world's leading luxury and upscale hotels, resorts, cruise lines, vacation destinations, and other public venues often differentiate themselves in a competitive market by promising and attempting to deliver exceptional service and convenience to their patrons, such as guests, customers, spectators, visitors, clientele, and other clients (hereinafter referred to collectively as “patrons”). Successfully delivering on the promise of outstanding service not only attracts repeat business, but can also generate greater revenue and increased profitability. At the same time, patrons that these properties attract have elevated expectations of service, including increased levels of attention, convenience, speed and control. The service delivery challenge for the resort is to attend quickly to patrons when the require service, to fulfill patrons' requests in a timely and efficient manner, and finally to locate a patron for delivery of their order. Despite their high expectations, patrons at luxury and upscale resorts currently face several inconveniences in ordering food, beverages, and other amenities and services while on the beach, at the pool and in other areas of the property. In many instances when patrons desire to place an order, they cannot find a staff member such as a server, a runner, a waiter, a waitress, beach attendant, recreational staff, an employee and other personnel (hereinafter referred to collectively as a “staff member”) of an establishment in the vicinity. Often the patron is unable to attract the attention of the staff member, or the staff member may be busy attending to another patron. Additional problems arise once the order is taken, as the staff member may proceed to take additional orders before submitting initial patron's orders for fulfillment. The result is a delay in entering the initial orders to the resort's computer system (assuming there is a basic computer system) and thus delaying preparation of the order as well. If a patron becomes tired of waiting for a staff member to take the order, the alternative is to walk, sometimes for great distances, to place an order for food, beverages, or services. Not only are patrons inconvenienced, but they also face the risks inherent in leaving children or personal belongings unsupervised and unprotected on the beach, pool deck, or other resort location. Once the order is prepared and ready for delivery to the patron, it can be a challenge for the staff member to remember where the patron is located or to find where the patron has relocated. Oftentimes the person who took the order is often not the same person who delivers the order, or the patron has moved and is not seated where the original order was taken. The result is that patrons experience further delay in having their orders delivered. Once a the item (such as a towel, beverage, food) has been delivered to the patron, and the staff member departs, any problem with the order (i.e., missing utensils or condiments, erroneous or ill-prepared items, etc.) requires the patron to chase after the staff member, walk to a service area, or wait for the staff member to return. Additionally, since a staff member has no way to know if a patron is interested in ordering food or beverages, staff members may periodically “check-in” with the patron as they circulate on the beach, pool, or other locations, which sometimes results in annoying disturbances for the patron, if the patron has no interest in placing an order. Furthermore, most resorts do not offer patrons the ability to purchase sundry items, reserve a tee time, tennis court, jet ski, or spa related appointments while seated at the beach or pool. In an attempt to address some of the aforementioned problems, a limited number of hotels are deploying centrally-located kiosks. Unfortunately, these systems require patrons to leave their seats and walk some distance to place an order at a kiosk location. Again, not only are the patrons inconvenienced, but they also face the risks inherent in leaving children or personal belongings unsupervised and unprotected on the beach, pool deck, or other resort location when having to order from the kiosk location. Additionally, kiosks do not enable the staff member to locate the patron for delivery of the order, thus requiring additional effort and further inconvenience to the patron if the patron must retrieve the order himself. Furthermore, in many instances there may be a line of patrons waiting to use a particular kiosk creating a further inconvenient experience for patrons when they attempt to place an order for themselves. Some manufactures have introduced POS (point-of-sale) systems for use by staff at restaurants, which may include wireless handheld terminals, as an extension of the POS systems. These handheld terminals enable staff to input and manage patron orders at a distance. Unfortunately, these devices typically only allow the staff member, to take and transmit the order on behalf of the patron. The patron must still wait for a staff member to arrive so that the patron may initiate an order. Additionally, these systems do not lend themselves in many areas of a resort. For example, there remains the problem of locating the patron in a pool or beach environment after the order is taken. This problem is further exacerbated when the staff member who took the order is not the same person who delivers the order. Thus, centrally-located kiosks for patron use and handheld POS devices for a staff member's use, both are of limited effectiveness and, thus do not fully address the problems of both the patron and the resort. The impact on the resort caused by these service failures is significant, and includes decreased patron satisfaction, higher costs through service inefficiencies, and missed opportunities to increase property revenues per patron, decreased repeat patron business, and decreased reputation/rating, etc. SUMMARY A patron service system and method is described herein with reference to several exemplary implementations. For example, in one described implementation, portable patron units are provided to patrons for use in a resort or other establishment. The portable patron units are mobile wireless devices that include interactive display screens. The portable patron units enable patrons to interact, order items, request services, browse information associated with the resort and/or other information, wirelessly. Portable staff units are provided to staff members for use in the resort or other establishment. The portable staff units are also mobile wireless devices that include interactive display screens. The portable staff units, enable staff members to view information about orders and/or requests entered by patrons made by the patrons wirelessly. The portable staff units can also display locations of the portable patron units to enable staff members to locate portable patron units when delivering items, servicing requests, etc. This implementation as well as others is described below when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The detailed description is described with reference to the accompanying figures. In the figures, the left-most digit(s) of a reference number identifies the figure in which the reference number first appears. It should be noted that the figures are not drawn to scale and are for illustration purposes only. FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating an exemplary patron service system suitable for use in a resort. FIG. 2 illustrates an exemplary portable patron unit. FIG. 3 illustrates an exemplary portable staff unit. FIG. 4 illustrates an example of a central unit within which application programs and other functionalities described herein can be either fully or partially implemented. FIG. 5 illustrates an exemplary display screen rendered on a display device of a portable patron unit. FIG. 6 illustrates an exemplary display screen presented to patrons on display device after selecting a beverage icon. FIG. 7 illustrates an exemplary display screen presented to patrons when ordering a beverage item. FIG. 8 illustrates an exemplary display screen rendered on a display device of a portable staff unit. FIG. 9 illustrates an exemplary display screen providing details about an order to a staff member. FIG. 10 illustrates an exemplary display screen on a portable staff unit for displaying locations of portable patron devices. FIG. 11 is a flow diagram that illustrates an exemplary method of operation associated with a portable patron unit. FIG. 12 is a flow diagram that illustrates an exemplary method of operation associated with portable staff unit. FIG. 13 is a flow diagram that illustrates an exemplary method of operation associated with a central unit. DETAILED DESCRIPTION Patron Service System FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating an exemplary patron service system 100 suitable for use in a resort 101. As used herein a “resort,” refers to hospitality venues, such as, but not limited to, hotels, motels, lodging centers, cruise ships, tennis resorts, camps, ski resorts, relaxation centers, inns, time-share communities, retirement communities, and any constituent parts of a particular resort, such as, but not limited to, restaurants, bars, pools, tennis courts, entertainment centers, ski slopes, beaches, spas, boating facilities, gift shops, retail locations, and so forth. Although patron service system 100 is described herein primarily in the context of being used in a resort, it should also be noted that patron service system 100 may be used in various other venues including, but not limited to, stadiums, arenas, retail locations, zoos, transportation centers, health care settings, convalescence centers, convention centers, country clubs, museums, gambling venues, sporting events, as well as any other entertainment, retail, and recreational environments. In one implementation, patron service system 100 is configured to service one or more patrons and staff members of resort 101. Patron service system 100 may include one or more portable patron unit 102(1), . . . , 102(N), one or more portable staff units 104(1), . . . , 104(N), a central unit 106, and one or more fulfillment center computers 108(1), . . . , 108(N). Patron service system 100 may form at least a portion of a network 110. Portable patron unit, referred to generally as reference number 102, is provided to a patron to use at resort 101 while at a pool, beach, spa, deck, lounge, or any other areas associated with resort 101. Portable patron unit 102 is a rugged mobile computer device with an interactive display device 114. Portable patron unit 102 uses wireless technology to transmit and receive information from other devices associated with resort 101. Accordingly, from the comfort of the beach, a pool lounge chair, or other various locations, a patron may view extensive menus of items, services, information, etc. that may be ordered from a user interface displayed on display device 114 of portable patron unit 102. A patron may order food, beverages, services, and so forth, by entering information into their respective portable patron unit 102. In one implementation, portable patron unit 102 may be attached with a secure locking mechanism (not shown) to a patron's lounge chair, table, and so forth by a staff member of the resort. Alternatively, portable patron unit 102 may be carried by the patron or may be affixed to their person such as to a belt or wristband. Display device 114 typically displays a user interface (to be described in more detail), which is easy to use, yet allows a great degree of choice and flexibility in accessing information. The user interface is designed to require minimal training for the patron to begin using the system. The user interface may display extensive menus of items, services, information, etc. that can be ordered or accessed and may include descriptions, pricing information, or other details. Information, such as property announcements and promotions, weather conditions, activity updates, etc., may also be displayed to the patron at the discretion of resort 101. The user interface may enable patrons to rapidly order standard menu items, while also allowing for extensive order customization. The user interface may also display items that the patron had previously ordered during the day or vacation period, making it easy to replicate previous orders (e.g., order “another round”). Daily specials, cross-sell, up-sell and other recommendations based on the patron's choices and any other sales and convenience features may be included in the user interface. The portable patron unit 102 may also display information relating to the status of any open order, open tab, etc. including the real-time status of any order and estimated time to that order's delivery. A patron may also use portable patron unit 102 to page a staff member, to receive personal attention from the staff member, request immediate delivery of a bill, etc. Portable patron units may also receive an electronic bill, permitting patrons to enter credit card information, or other payment information without the need for a staff member to physically deliver the bill. Bills may also be generated automatically without the need for a bill request, depending on the system. Portable patron unit 102 may offer a patron the ability to play games, access the Internet, receive and send e-mail, conduct two-way conversations, watch videos, watch movies, listen to music, among other features. The ability to conduct two-way conversations may assist in allowing the patron or a staff member to better communicate with each other in the event there is a question about an order, such as with a custom meal order. A portable staff unit, referred to generally as reference number 104, is a durable mobile computer device with an interactive display device 116 that uses wireless technology to transmit and receive information from other devices associated with resort 101, such as central unit 106. Portable staff unit 104 is provided to a staff member (such as a server, a runner, a waiter, a waitress, beach attendant, recreational staff, an employee and other personnel associated with an establishment (hereinafter “staff member”)) of resort 101 enabling the staff member to service patrons. Portable staff unit 104 may display information on patrons, including order status, which then can be used to service the patrons effectively and efficiently. For instance, portable staff unit 104 is configured to receive notification of open orders made by a patron including details of one or more pending orders. The portable patron unit 104 is designed to be mobile and carried with the staff member, such as with a serving tray, on a wristband, or affixed to a belt, etc. Portable staff unit 104 is capable of displaying information for the purpose of assisting the staff member to better service the patron. For instance, portable staff unit 104 may display a location of a particular portable patron unit 102. This feature may be useful in locating a patron that has placed an order or requested a service, so that a staff member can deliver the patron's order or service the request directly to the patron in an efficient and prompt manner. The portable staff unit 104 may also display information about the particular patron such as the patron's name, room number, previous orders, specific items ordered, billing status, preferences, special needs, and so forth. Such information may by useful to the staff member so they may address the patron by name and understand or anticipate the patron's needs, even without personally contacting the patron. Portable staff units 104 may also assist a staff member by displaying real-time information or actions performed by patrons on their portable patron units 102 as they are being performed, such as displaying the number of patrons browsing on their portable patron unit 102, displaying particular activities performed by a particular patron, etc. Such real-time information may prepare a staff member for future orders not yet received and give the staff member a head start on an order even though the patron may not have completed and submitted the order. Portable staff unit 104 may also receive page messages from a patron, indicating the name and location of a patron who requires immediate service or personal attention. Portable staff unit 104 may also be configured to perform all functions that a portable patron unit 102 can perform, such as placing an order, which allows a staff member to instantly transmit an order taken verbally if a patron prefers not to enter the order directly on the portable patron unit 102 or if a patron does not currently have a portable patron unit 102. A staff member can also “take over” an order from portable patron unit 102, and edit and transmit the order if a patron is having difficulty with the system. In terms of billing status, portable staff unit 104 can display open tabs, and when a patron has requested delivery of their bill, which can eliminate one of the more frustrating waiting periods in a patron's experience. In addition, a staff member can use portable staff unit 104 to perform administrative and patron and service functions, such as transferring a patron to another portable patron unit 102 if, for example, the patron wishes to relocate from the beach to the pool and the portable patron unit is locked to a piece of furniture (assuming the patron does not simply carry the portable patron unit with them). Central unit 106 is typically a server side computer, which controls wireless communication among portable patron units 102 and portable staff unit 104, and distributes content to portable patron units 102 and portable staff units 104. Central unit 106 also may serve as a gateway to other resort systems such as Point-of-Sale management software running on central unit 106 or other computers. Central unit 106 typically receives and authenticates orders made by portable patron units 102 and then routes the orders to an appropriate fulfillment center computer 108(1), . . . , 108(N) associated with a fulfillment center 109, such as a kitchen, bar, spa, gift shop, etc. Once the order is prepared, a staff member from the particular fulfillment center 109 alerts central unit 106, typically via a fulfillment center computer 108, which in turn alerts one or more portable staff units 104 that the order is ready for pickup and delivery to a patron. Central unit 106 also may transmit other information to the portable patron units 102 such as advertisements, messages, resort information, Internet access, and other information that may be transmitted in response to a patron's request or without a specific patron's request. Central unit 106 also may maintain a database 112 including data associated with a history of transaction data, patron preferences, patron profiles, and various other information. One or more programmable software applications 130 may execute on central unit 106 (i.e., one or more servers) when handling and servicing requests from client devices, such as portable patron unit 102 and portable staff unit 104. Programmable software applications 130 may also reside on one or more client devices (such as portable patron unit 102, portable staff unit 104 and/or fulfillment center computer computers 108). As shall be described in further detail, components of programmable software applications 130 may be configured to perform any one of a variety of different services associated with patron service system 100. Examples of services include: login verification for patrons using portable patron units 102; notification to portable staff units 104 that an item ordered by a patron is ready for delivery from a fulfillment center 109 to a patron; maintaining one or more databases 112 associated with patron service system 100; routing orders to appropriate fulfillment centers; providing food and drink menus to particular portable patron units 102; enabling patrons to order different items; and so on. The services can be combined with each other and with other applications to build intelligent interactive experiences on both the portable patron units 102 and portable staff units 104. Although only one central unit 106 is shown in the exemplary illustration, more than one central unit 106 may be deployed in patron service system 100. Additionally, some or all the functionality performed by central unit 106, may be performed in a distributed fashion by one or more portable patron units 102, one or more portable staff units 104, and/or one or more fulfillment center computers 108. In one implementation, network 110 includes one or more \Vi-Fi (wireless fidelity) hubs 111(1), 111(2), . . . , 111(N) that are IEEE 802.11 standard protocol compatible, such as standard versions 802.11b, 802.11g, etc. Accordingly, portable patron units 102, portable staff units 104, central computer 106, and fulfillment center computers 108 may communicate with network HO wirelessly. Accordingly, portable patron units 102 and portable staff units 104 are configured to communicate with other devices wirelessly, allowing them to move freely in designated areas of an resort 101, such as the beach, pool, lounge, etc. Typically, these designated areas are located within a reception range of approximately 400 feet in any direction of the one or more wireless hubs (such as hubs 111(1), 111(2), . . . , 111(N), which are referred to as “hot spots.” Network 110 may also use one or more other types of wireless networks, such as Bluetooth compatible networks, or future technologies. Network 110 may also include a combination of wireless-based and wired/optical based communication links. For instance, portable patron units 102 and portable staff units 104 may use wireless links to receive and transmit data, whereas fulfillment center computers 108 may use wired or optical links to access and transmit data. Additionally, it may also be possible for various devices to communicate directly with other devices without using network 110 as a communication link. For example, it may be possible for portable patron unit 102(1) to communicate directly with portable staff unit 104(1) via a wireless link 132. Network 110 may also include access to other networks, such as the Internet. Accordingly, portable patron units 102, portable staff units 104, central unit 106, and fulfillment center computers 108 are designed to either run or interface with one or more programmable software applications 130 that are programmable application components, that are reusable, and that interact programmatically over network 110 or through other communication links, typically through standard Web protocols, such as extensible markup language (XML), hypertext transport protocol (HTTP), and simple mail transfer protocol (SMTP). However, other means of interacting with over network 110 may be used, such as simple object access protocol (SOAP), remote procedure call (RPC) or object broker type technology. Thus, patron service system 100 offers a comprehensive and integrated solution to meet the needs of both the patron and a resort. Patrons benefit from faster service, greater control over their service, increased convenience, and improved personalized attention. Resort 101 benefits from the ability to enhance the patron's experience and increase patron satisfaction, the opportunity to generate higher incremental revenues, and the savings from faster and more efficient operations. Exemplary patron service system 100 is only one example of a computing system and is not intended to suggest any limitation as to the scope of use or functionality of the system. Neither should patron service system 100 be interpreted as having any dependency or requirement relating to any one or combination of components illustrated in the exemplary computing environment shown in FIG. 1. Having introduced exemplary patron service system 100 and its environments, it is now possible to describe patron service system 100 in more detail. Exemplary Portable Patron Unit FIG. 2 illustrates an exemplary portable patron unit 102. Portable patron unit 102 is typically a handheld device that may be carried by a patron, attached to a patron's lounge chair, table, other furniture, or attached directly to the patron, such as the patron's belt or a wristband. An outer protective casing, referred to as a packaging 202, is designed to be highly rugged, provide protection from the sun, saltwater, chlorine, sand, suntan lotion, spilled food, and/or drink. Such casing provides protection for any or all components of portable patron unit 102. Packaging 202 may be made of any number of materials including, but not limited to, plastic, metal, and/or wood. For example, in one implementation, packaging 202 is constructed of injection-molded high-impact polycarbonate designed to meet the EEC 529 IP 54 standards for water and dust/sand protection and may be configured into various shapes and sizes. Portable patron unit 102 includes a display device 114, which in one exemplary implementation is a touch-screen display device, which enables a patron to select or enter information by simply touching the screen. To provide excellent visibility to a patron, information is typically displayed large enough on display device 114 to enable a person suffering from mild myopia to view content on display device 114 without the aid of corrective lenses. For example, in one implementation display device 114 is a five-inch grayscale QVGA transflective, backlit touch-screen LCD (liquid crystal display) and font sizes are displayed big enough to readily view them on display device 114. Additionally, magnifying materials (not shown) may be used in conjunction with display device 114 to enlarge content displayed therein. Various other types of display screens, sizes, and shapes may be chosen to implement display device 114. Additionally, display device 114 can be implemented without the benefit of touch-screen technology and rely on other types of input devices such as a keyboard, buttons, input pads, etc., to enter information into the portable patron unit 102. Portable patron unit 102 also may include audio generators (such as one or more speakers not shown) for dissemination of audio content. The audio content may be in various forms and may be in conjunction with visual content. Other elements such as lights, LEDs, batteries, power supplies, charging connections, microphones, vibrating devices, antennae and so forth are also not shown in FIG. 2, but may be a part of the exemplary portable patron unit 102. Typically, portable patron unit 102 contains a control unit 201, which controls the operation of portable patron unit 102. Control unit 201 includes one or more processors 206 (e.g., any of microprocessors, controllers, and the like), which process various instructions to control the operation of portable patron unit 102 and to communicate with other electronic and computing devices. Control unit 201 can be implemented with one or more memory components (i.e., memory 216), examples of which include volatile memory 210 (e.g., a random access memory (RAM) and the like), and a non-volatile memory 212 (e.g., ROM, Flash, EPROM, EEPROM, a hard disk drive, any type of magnetic or optical storage device, and the like). The one or more memory components store computer-executable instructions in the form of program applications, routines, modules and other applications. Additionally, various forms of information and/or data can be stored in volatile or non-volatile memory. Alternative implementations of control unit 201 can include a range of processing and memory capabilities, and may include any number of memory components other than those illustrated in FIG. 2. For example, full-resource portable patron units 102 can be implemented with substantial memory and processing resources, or low-resource portable patron units 102 can be implemented with limited processing and memory capabilities. An operating system 222, such as Windows®CE operating system from Microsoft® Corporation or other operating systems, and one or more application programs 224 may be resident in memory 216 and execute on processor(s) 206 to provide a runtime environment. A runtime environment facilitates extensibility of portable patron unit 102 by allowing various interfaces to be defined that, in turn, allow application programs 130 to interact with control unit 201. The application programs 130 can include off-the-shelf program applications 224, such as a browser to browse the Web (e.g., “World Wide Web”), e-mail application to e-mail messages, and other off-the-shelf programs. The application programs 130 can also include one or more other programs configured to provide resort specific user interfaces including menus and information directed to patrons. Such application programs may include: an order/service application 226, a patron application 227, and an advertisement application 229. Each of these patron oriented application programs typically executes on processor(s) 206 and may be stored in non-volatile memory 212 and/or volatile memory such as some form of volatile memory 210. Order/service application 226 generally facilitates displaying interactive menus for ordering items, requesting services, and viewing information offered by resort 101 including viewing activities. Examples of items that may be ordered include, but are not limited to, food, beverages, rental equipment, and sundry items. Examples of services include, but are not limited to, requesting a bill, paging a staff person, scheduling a spa appointment, making a reservation, and so forth. Order/service application 226 also may facilitate displaying information associated with scheduling activities, which include but are not limited to, reserving a tennis court, reserving a tee time, requesting a boat, browsing and selecting tours, etc. Order/service application 226 also may prompt portable patron unit 102 to page a staff member when a patron selects a menu option, hard button, or other selection means, which activates a page mode. Patron application 227 generally facilitates authenticating a patron's credentials/identification when logging onto the system or prior to submitting an order or a request. Authentication may involve requesting that the patron enter a security code or provide a biometric sample, such as a fingerprint as a security measure when logging onto the system or placing orders. Patron application 227 also may facilitate receiving or displaying personal preference information, needs, or requests of the patron. Preference information, needs, or requests may include, but are not limited to, dietary restrictions, medical needs, emergency contacts, and so forth. Patron application 227 may also facilitate receiving and viewing personal as well as general messages, such as a phone message left for a patron, or an announcement from resort 101 of a scheduling change, such as a buffet opening delay. Advertisement application 229 generally facilitates displaying promotional messages and/or advertisements on display device 114. Advertisement application 229 may also facilitate displaying information such as cross-sell and/or up sell recommendations based on an item ordered and/or service requested by a patron. For instance, a cross-sell recommendation may include providing alternative or competing brands of food or drink, while an up sell recommendation may include offering a more expensive, promotional, or better quality food or drink as an alternative to what the patron may have selected. Other applications, routines, programs and modules may execute on processor(s) 206. For instance, a location module 231 executes on processor(s) 206 and resides in memory 216 and/or volatile memory 210. Location module 231 is typically a background program that transmits information in the form of one or more signals to enable other devices to determine where portable patron unit 102 is located. Additionally, other applications programs 130 operating in conjunction with control unit 201 of portable patron unit 102 may offer a patron the ability to play games, view and listen to music or videos, and conduct two-way conversations, etc., through one or more other application programs, routines, etc. For instance, with different storage offerings, games can be played from local memory 216 or from an online source provided by central unit 106 or via the Internet. Portable patron unit 102 may be configured to browse or access information from the Internet. Portable patron unit 102 also may include telephony access, such as Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) capability enabling a patron use the portable patron unit 102 to receive/make telephone calls, speak to other patrons or staff members, speak to a staff member in a fulfillment 109 and so forth. Accordingly, application programs 130 (such as application programs 224, 226, 227, and 229), as well as module 231 execute on processor(s) 206 and can be stored as computer-executable instructions in memory of portable patron unit 102. Although application programs 224, 226, 227, 229, and module 231 are illustrated and described as single applications or module(s), each can be implemented as one or more combined component applications or modules, and can be fully or partially received from other devices, such as one or more servers (e.g., central unit 106). For purposes of illustration, programs and other executable program components such as the operating system are illustrated herein as discrete blocks. However, it is recognized that such programs and components may reside at various times in different storage components of portable patron unit 102, or other components of patron service system 100, and may be executed by one or more processors that are not necessarily part of portable patron unit 102 (such as one or more processor(s) of central unit 106). Additionally, programs, such as application programs 224, 226, 227, 229, and module 231, are fully customizable. Control unit 201 may further include one or more communication interfaces 228, such as a Wi-Fi PC card (not shown), which enables control unit 201 to receive and transmit information wirelessly using 802.11 compliant protocols. The Wi-Fi PC card in conjunction with control unit 201 collectively forms a wireless communication unit configured to connect the portable patron unit to network 110. Although not shown in FIG. 2, it is appreciated that one or more antennae are used to emit and transfer signals from portable patron unit 102. An optional modem 230 facilitates communication with other electronic and computing devices via a conventional telephone line, or other type of connection such as cable. Control unit 201 may also include a content processor (e.g., processor(s) 206), which can include a video encoder and/or additional processors to receive, process, and encode recorded video signals including analog video signals, as well as television system digital video signals. For example, a content processor can include an MPEG-2 or MPEG-4 (Moving Pictures Experts Group) encoder that encodes MPEG video content and/or image data. The systems described herein can be implemented for any type of video encoding format as well as for data and/or content streams that are not encoded. Typically, video content and program data includes video data and corresponding audio data. One or more other processors, such as processor(s) 206, may generate video and/or display content that is formatted for display on display device 114, and generates encoded/decoded audio data that is formatted for presentation by a presentation device, such as one or more speakers (not shown) in display device 114. Processor(s) 206 can include a display controller (not shown) that processes the video and/or display content to display corresponding images on display device 114. A display controller can include a graphics processor, microcontroller, integrated circuit, and/or similar video-processing component to process the images. Control unit 201 also includes an audio and/or video output 240 that provides, or otherwise renders the audio, video, and/or display signals/data to display device 114. Video signals and audio signals can be communicated from control unit 201 to display device 114 via any suitable video links, such as a S-video link, composite video link, component video link, or other similar communication link. Although shown separately, some of the components of control unit 201 may be implemented in an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC). Additionally, a system bus (not shown) typically connects the various components within control unit 201. A system bus can be implemented as one or more of any of several types of bus structures, including a memory bus or memory controller, a peripheral bus, an accelerated graphics port, or a local bus using any of a variety of bus architectures. By way of example, such architectures can include an Industry Standard Architecture (ISA) bus, a Micro Channel Architecture (MCA) bus, an Enhanced ISA (EISA) bus, a Video Electronics Standards Association (VESA) local bus, or a Peripheral Component Interconnects (PCI) bus (also known as a Mezzanine bus). Additional components may be included in portable patron unit 102 and some components illustrated in portable patron unit 102 above need not be included. For example, a camera (not shown) could be added to portable patron unit, and modern 230 may not be included. Exemplary Portable Staff Unit FIG. 3 illustrates an exemplary portable staff unit 104. Portable staff unit 104 may be similar or identical to portable patron unit 102 in terms of physical hardware and packaging. Portable staff unit 104, nevertheless, may be implemented in various shapes and sizes, and may be configured to mount on a waiter's tray or include handles (not shown) to enable enhanced portability when carrying portable staff unit 104. Control unit 301 is similar to control unit 201 described above with reference to FIG. 2, and may use many of the same types of components. Control unit 301, however, may include different application programs 130 to provide a different runtime environment that is particularly suited for staff members of resort 101. For example, control unit 301 may include the following application programs 130: an order/service application 326; a patron information application 327; a real-time activity application 329; and a location application 331. Collectively, each of these program applications generate a user interface on display device 116 that enables a staff member to, for example, view details about a patron's order; determine a location of a portable patron unit; receive notification of when an order is ready for delivery and delivery to a patron; and view details about a patron, such as a room number, preference information of the patron and special needs or requests of the patron. For example, order/service application 326 generally facilitates displaying details of an order and/or a request, such as items ordered or type of services requested by a patron. Order/service application 326 also facilities displaying a notification indicating (i) when an order or request is ready for delivery to a patron from a fulfillment center 109, or (ii) when a patron has requested delivery of a bill or paged a staff member. Patron information application 327 generally facilitates displaying details about a patron, such as their name, room number, history, preferences, special needs/or personal requests, and so forth. Real-time activity application 329 generally facilitates displaying actions performed by patrons as they use their portable patron units 102 in real-time. For example, real-time activity application 329 may display a description of actions performed by a patron selecting items from a food menu as the patron selects the items in real-time on his/her portable patron unit 102. Location application 331 facilitates displaying real-time locations of a particular portable patron unit 102 to enable staff members to locate a particular patron when responding to a request or when delivering/serving an item. Accordingly, application programs 130 (i.e., 224, 326, 327, 329, and 331) execute on processor(s) 306 and can be stored as computer-executable instructions in memory of portable staff unit 302. Although application programs 224, 326, 327, 329, and 331 are illustrated and described as single applications or module(s), each can be implemented as one or more combined component applications, and can be fully or partially received from other devices, such as one or more servers, (e.g., central unit 106). For purposes of illustration, programs and other executable program components such as the operating system are illustrated herein as discrete blocks, although it is recognized that such programs and components reside at various times in different storage components of portable staff unit 104, or other components of patron service system 100, and may be executed by one or more processors that are not necessarily part of portable staff unit 104 (such as one or more processor(s) of central unit 106). Additionally, programs, such as application programs 224, 226, 227, 229, and module 231, are fully customizable. Other elements such as lights, LEDs, batteries, power supplies, charging connections, microphones, vibrating devices, antennae and so forth are also not shown in either FIG. 2 or 3, but may be a part of the exemplary portable staff unit 104. Exemplary Central Unit FIG. 4 illustrates an example of a central unit 106 within which application programs 130 and other functionalities described herein can be either fully or partially implemented. Central unit 106 can be implemented with numerous other general purpose or special purpose computing systems and/or configurations that may be suitable for use including, but are not limited to, personal computers, server computers, multiprocessor systems, microprocessor-based systems, network PCs, minicomputers, mainframe computers, distributed computing environments that include any of the above systems or devices, and the like. Application programs 130 may be described in the general context of computer-executable instructions, such as program modules, being executed by a computer. Generally, program modules include routines, programs, objects, components, data structures, etc. that perform particular tasks or implement particular abstract data types. Application programs 130 may also be practiced in distributed computing environments where tasks are performed by remote processing devices (e.g, portable patron units 102 and portable staff units 104) that are linked through a communications network or other network(s), such as network 110. In a distributed computing environment, program modules may be located in both local and remote computer storage media including memory storage devices. The components of central unit 106 can include, but are not limited to, one or more processors (or processing units) 404 and memory 406. Although not shown, a system bus typically connects the various components within central unit 106. Memory 406 represents a variety of computer readable media. Such media can be any available media that is accessible by central unit 106 (or processors 404) and includes both volatile and non-volatile media, removable and non-removable media. For instance, memory 406, may include computer readable media in the form of volatile memory, such as RAM and/or non-volatile memory, such as ROM. Memory 406 can also include other removable/non-removable, volatile/non-volatile computer storage media. Such examples include a hard disk drive (not shown) for reading from and writing to a non-removable, non-volatile magnetic media (not shown), a magnetic disk drive for reading from and writing to a removable, non-volatile magnetic disk (e.g., a “floppy disk”), or an optical disk drive for reading from and/or writing to a removable, non-volatile optical disk (not shown) such as a CD-ROM, DVD-ROM, or other optical media. Memory 406 and its associated computer-readable media provide non-volatile storage of computer readable instructions, data structures, program modules, and other data for central unit 106. Other types of computer readable media which can store data that is accessible by a central unit 106 can also be utilized to implement memory 406, examples of such include flash memory cards, CD-ROM, digital versatile disks (DVD) or other optical storage, random access memories (RAM), read only memories (ROM), electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), and the like. Any number of program modules can be stored in memory 406, including by way of example, an operating system 426, one or more application programs 130, other program modules 430, and program data 432. Each of such operating system 426, one or more application programs 130, other program modules 430, and program data 432 (or some combination thereof) may include an embodiment of application programs 130. Memory 406 may also include one or more databases 112 containing data and information enabling functionality associated with application programs 130. In one implementation, operating system 426 includes the Windows® XP operating system from Microsoft® Corporation. Other operating systems may be resident in memory 406 such as UNIX and/or Linux. A user can enter commands and information into central unit 106 via input devices such as a keyboard 434 and a pointing device 436 (e.g., a “mouse”). Other input devices 438 (not shown specifically) may include a microphone, joystick, game pad, satellite dish, serial port, scanner, and/or the like. These and other input devices are connected to processor 404 via interface and bus structures, such as a parallel port, game port, or a universal serial bus (USB). Staff members of a resort can enter programmable information into central unit 106 such as when updating and configuring menus, managing food and beverage menus, listing daily specials, defining serving zones of staff members, managing staff member assignments and deployment of portable staff units among staff members of resort 101, and other information to be displayed on either portable patron units 102 or portable staff units 104. A monitor 442 or other type of display device can also be connected to the central unit 106 via an interface, such as a video adapter 444. In addition to the monitor 442, other output peripheral devices can include components such as speakers (not shown) and a printer 446 which can be connected to central unit 106 via input/output interfaces (not shown). Central unit 106 can operate in a networked environment, or point-to-point environment, using logical connections to one or more remote computers, such as portable patron units 102, portable staff units 104, fulfillment center computers 108, network 110, hubs 111, and so forth. A network interface or adapter 454 may provide access to network 110, such as when network 110 is implemented as a LAN (local area network) 440 or WAN (wide area network). In a networked environment, such as that illustrated in FIG. 4, program modules and program applications 130 depicted relative to central unit 106, or portions thereof, may be stored in a remote memory storage device. By way of example, application programs 130 may reside on a memory device in portable patron unit 102, portable staff unit 104, etc. For purposes of illustration, application programs and other executable program components, such as the operating system, are illustrated herein as discrete blocks, although it is recognized that such programs and components reside at various times in different storage components remote or locate, and are executed by processor(s) of central unit 106 or remote devices. As mentioned above, memory 406 includes application programs 130 as well one or more databases 112. Application programs 130 that are utilized by both portable patron units 102 and portable staff units 104 (such as application programs 224, 226, 227, 229, 326, 327, 329, and 331) are generally managed and controlled by central unit 106. Database 112 generally includes data and information necessary to support application programs 130. For example, advertisement application 229 facilitates displaying promotional messages and/or advertisements on display device 114. Central unit 106 supplies the promotional messages and/or advertisements (the content) to portable patron units 102 in conjunction with advertisement application 229. Accordingly, central unit 106 acts as a server to client devices such portable patron units 102 and portable staff units 104. In a server role, central unit 106 supplies content to portable patron units 102 and portable staff units 104. The content is stored in memory 406 in the form of data that may be maintained in one or more databases 112. In one implementation database 112 is maintained by a Microsoft's SQL server 2000, although other database management systems may be used, such as IBM's DB2 database software, or off-the-shelf database management systems from other companies such as Sybase, Informix, and so forth. Memory 406 includes several application programs 130 particularly suited for central unit 106, and is used to potentially service other application programs or for providing management capability for central unit 106. For example memory 406 includes: a routing application 480, database application 482, a location application 484, a staff-input application 486, and POS interface 488. Routing application 480 generally facilities receiving orders and/or requests from portable patron units 102 and routing them to a fulfillment center computer 108 responsible for handling the order and/or request. Database application 482 generally facilitates storing and maintaining data in one or more databases 112. For instance, database application 482 may maintain menu items including descriptions of the items, prices, photos, etc. in database(s) 112. Database application 482 may also maintain a history of transaction data, patron preferences, etc. which can all be used for patron profile maintenance. Database application 482 may also maintain data associated with staff performance, such as the number of orders completed, time used to fulfill orders, etc. Typically, information maintained in one or more databases 112 may be accessed by various other program applications 130 when requested. Location application 484 facilitates locating portable patron devices 102 based on signals emitted by its control unit 201. Location application 484 may JO use 802.11 location finding technology to determine locations of portable patron devices 102 and relay their positions to portable staff units 104. In one implementation, location application 484 uses positioning technology developed by Ekahau, Inc. of Helsinki, Finland, such as Ekahau Positioning Engine (EPE), which is a Java-based positioning program that provides location coordinates of portable devices such as portable patron units 102 and portable staff units 104. Utilizing EPE's engine would enable central unit 106 to determine the location of portable patron unit 102 accurate to within three and half feet of the unit's actual location both indoors and outdoors. Accordingly, once a portable patron unit 102 is logged onto the system 100 and emits a wireless signal to hubs 111, central unit 106 would then be able to track the location of the portable patron unit 102 in real-time. This information can then be relayed to one or more portable staff units 104, which display the patron unit's location on a map associated with any area or zone being served by the portable staff units 104. Alternatively, global positioning technology could also be used to track the location of portable patron units 102. Staff-input application 486 enables staff members of resort 101 to enter information into central unit 106, such as daily specials, updates to menus, price changes, messages to staff members or patrons, security information, and so forth that is then stored in memory 406 (such as database 112) and may be utilized by applications 130. POS interface application 488 facilitates integrating POS and hotel management systems with central unit 106. For instance, in one implementation interface application 488 includes Application POS Programming Interfaces (APIs) that may serve as an interface layer between POS interface application 488 and other POS and hotel management systems. Alternatively, direct interfaces may be used in the event API technology is not available with POS and hotel management systems. Thus, application programs 130 (i.e., 224, 226, 227, 229, 326, 327, 329, 331, 480, 482, 484, 486, 488) may execute on processor(s) 404 and can be stored as computer-executable instructions in memory 406 accessible by central unit 106. Although application programs 130 are illustrated and described as single applications or module(s), each can be implemented as one or more combined component applications, and can be fully or partially received from other devices. For purposes of illustration, programs and other executable program components such as the operating system are illustrated herein as discrete blocks, although it is recognized that such programs and components reside at various times in different storage components of central unit 106, or other components of patron service system 100, and may be executed by one or more processors that are not necessarily part of central unit 106. It should be noted that central unit 106 may include other capabilities such as the ability to serve games, serve music, and/or videos to portable patron units 102. Central unit 106 may also act as an IP router switch enabling VoIP or Voice Over WiFi-capability between portable patron units 102 and other devices connected to network 110. Exemplary System Operation FIG. 5 illustrates an exemplary display screen 500 rendered on a display device 114 (FIG. 1) of portable patron unit 109. In particular, display screen 500 provides a user selectable menu, which enables the patron to browse information, request services, and/or order items as well as other functionalities. Display screen 500 forms part of a user interactive interface and includes a main menu 501 having selectable icons, such as a resort services icon 502, a resort activity icon 504, and a food/beverage menu 506. Selecting resort services icon 502 activates a mode of operation for portable patron unit 102 associated with order/service application 226 (FIG. 2), such as receiving information about the hotel, requesting non-food services, etc. Selecting resort activities icon 504 activates a mode of operation also associated with order/service application 226 (FIG. 2) such as displaying information associated with scheduling activities, which may include reserving a tennis court, reserving a tee time, requesting a boat, browsing and selecting tours, scheduling a massage, etc. Selecting food/beverage icon 506 activates a mode of operation also associated with order/service application 226 (FIG. 2) such as viewing a food or beverage menu, browsing nutritional information, ordering food or beverages, and so forth. As represented in FIG. 5, a patron has selected food/beverage icon 506. Accordingly, the next user interface to be displayed by control unit 201 (FIG. 2) will pertain to viewing food/beverage menus and/or ordering items associated with such menus. Portable patron unit 102 may include a button 508, an icon (not shown) on display screen 500, or other related selection means such as a switch, key, etc., that provides a means for a patron to prompt portable patron unit 102 to wirelessly page a staff member for immediate service. For example, pressing button 508 causes portable patron unit to select a paging mode associated with order/service application 226 (FIG. 2). Although only these three icons and button 508 are shown in FIG. 5, any combination of differing types of additional information can be included in display screen 500 to further enable a patron to interact with portable patron unit. For instance, display screen 500 may include additional icons associated with purchasing other products, viewing other information such as messages or browsing the Internet, conducting VOIP conversations, and so forth. Other selectable elements could be used, instead of, or in conjunction with icons such as a keypad/keyboard (not shown), a pointing device (not shown), and/or a mouse (not shown), etc. Additionally, one or more of the icons on display screen 500 may appear on other display screens/pages presented on display device 114. Accordingly, some or all of the icons may be displayed in different formats, in different screens, in different order, with different verbiage, etc. FIG. 6 illustrates an exemplary display screen 600 presented to patrons on display device 114 after selecting food/beverage icon 506 shown in FIG. 5 or maybe also after selecting a beverage menu icon (not shown). In particular, display screen 600 provides a user selectable menu, which enables the patron to browse information regarding and/or order items associated with ordering beverages. Control unit 201 facilitates display of display screen 600. Display screen 600 includes an exemplary beverage menu 602 for ordering blended drinks that may be selected after selecting a mixed drink icon or button (not shown). Beverage menu 602 may be one of several menus that a patron can access after selecting food/beverage icon 506 and several intermediate food or beverage menus may be selected by a patron before arriving at beverage menu 602. Beverage menu 602 includes particular beverage icons 604, prices associated with the a particular beverage, and a selectable control 606 within screen 600 to generate different beverage selection screens, such as by manipulating arrows in a selectable control 606 or by other screen selection/manipulation means such as tabs, buttons, etc. Additionally, the beverage choices may be depicted in several display windows. Also depicted in display screen 600 is an advertisement 608. Advertisements are generally generated by a mode of operation associated with advertisement application 229. The advertisement generation correlates (i.e. is appurtenant) to the item viewed or ordered by the patron, which in this example relates to buying three frozen margaritas for the price of two. The advertisement could also correlate to a service requested. Another advertisement 610 may be displayed in conjunction with advertisement 608 (although it may be displayed separately). In this example, advertisement 610 is a promotion message detailing a happy hour special. Although not shown in this example, the advertisement could also be displayed on display screen 600 or other screens to cross-sell and/or up sell recommendations based on an item ordered and/or service requested by a patron. For instance, a cross-sell recommendation may include providing an alternative or competing brand of margarita mix or an alternative type of alcohol. An up sell recommendation may include offering a more expensive, promotional, or better quality alcohol as an alternative to what the patron may have selected. Order another round icon 612 allows a patron to automatically order another round of drinks or other items previously ordered by selecting icon 612. Selecting icon 613 may display items that the patron previously ordered during the day, making it easy to view previous order and order one or more items based on the logged history. Although not shown, display screen 600 may also include selection items enabling a patron to customize orders, select condiments, select preparation method, select side dishes, etc. For instance, display screen 600 may display a flavor associated with a drink, the option to order the drink with or without salt, the option to order the drink with or without ice, and so forth. Each of the options presented typically relate to the item selected by the patron and can be tailored by a resort through the use of patron service system 100. It is noted that display screen 600 is only one example of screens that may be used in association with ordering items or requesting services. Additionally, one or more of the icons present on display screen 600 may appear on other display screens presented on display device 114. Accordingly, some or all of the icons may be displayed in different formats, in different screens, in different order, with different verbiage, etc. It is also appreciated that one or more portions of screen 600 are customizable and may not be presented in certain implementations. FIG. 7 illustrates an exemplary display screen 700 presented to patrons after selecting food/beverage items for order. In particular, display screen 700 provides a user selectable menu, which enables the patron to preview, correct or change selected items before actual submission of the order. Control unit 201 facilitates display of display screen 700. Display screen 700 may includes confirmation information 702. For instance, once the item or service is chosen and a patron indicates completion of the selection by touching confirmation icon 704, the patron may be prompted to enter security, identification or other information before the order/request is processed such as via information block 706. This is to ensure that the patron is authenticated before the order/request is accepted. In one implementation, the information is entered into information block 706 by interacting with a touch-screen. Alternatively, in other implementations this information may be entered via a keypad (not shown), or by other means such as by biometrics. The patron may preview an order before submitting it as via a preview area 712. To confirm the information displayed in preview area 712, the patron would select a “submit now” type of button or use some other tool or any other selection means. To cancel the order/request, the patron would select a cancel icon 708 or any other selection means. To correct or change information, the patron would select a correction icon 710 or any other selection means. Display area 714 may indicate real-time information relating to a pending order. For example, display area 714 may indicate that an order is currently pending in the kitchen and thus is not available for delivery by a waiter yet. Using display area 714, a patron may be kept abreast of the status of his order in real-time. A preference icon 716 may also be presented to a patron enabling a patron to input or view preference information associated with the patron including: special needs/requests of the patron; dietary restrictions; medical needs; and/or information associated with the patron from prior visits to resort 101. FIG. 7 is only an example screen. Some or all of the icons may be displayed in different formats, in different screens, in different order, with different verbiage, etc. Portions of display screen 700 are optional and may not be presented in certain implementations. FIG. 8 illustrates an exemplary display screen 800 rendered on a display device 116 (FIG. 1) of portable staff unit 104. Display screen 800 is used by staff members to view notifications 808 and other information associated with servicing patrons. For instance, in one implementation, display screen 800 includes selectable icons 802 (e.g., 810, 812, 814, 816, 818, 820, 822, 824, 826, 828, and 830), some of which display dynamic information. Dynamic information that a staff member may view on display screen 800 may include a quantity of patrons currently logged onto the system, the quantity of orders pending, the quantity of patrons located in certain areas of the resort, a quantity of patrons having requested their bills, a quantity of patrons currently preparing orders, and the quantity of patrons browsing on their portable patron units, etc. Control unit 301 facilitates display of display screen 800. Display screen 800 may include an icon listing the name of a staff member 804 recognized by patron service system 100 as using this particular portable patron unit 104. Display screen 800 may also include a date and time bar or icon 806. Display screen 800 may include a service request icon 810 indicating the quantity of patrons with a pending service request. The service request may involve a page from a patron for immediate service, or some other type of service offered by resort 101 to patrons. To ascertain details about one or more requests, the staff member would select icon 810 (i.e., touch icon 810), which would prompt a window or new display screen to appear on display device 116 that would describe specific details of the request. Display screen 800 may include a bill request icon 812 indicating the quantity of patrons with a pending bill request. If the bill request was pending, the staff member would select icon 812, which would prompt a window or new display screen to appear on display device 116 that may describe which patrons are requesting their bill, further details about bills, patron identification, itemized information, payment methods, etc. Display screen 800 may include a delivery notification icon 814 indicating how many orders are ready for delivery in fulfillment centers 109. If an order was ready for delivery, the staff member could select icon 814, which would prompt a window or new display screen to appear on display device 116 that would describe which orders were ready for delivery, and details of the orders, such as the fulfillment center 109 location of the prepared orders, the identification of the patron waiting to receive the order. Display screen 800 may also include an ordered notification icon 816 indicating how many non-service orders are pending. To ascertain details about the order, the staff member may select icon 816, which would prompt a window or new display screen to appear on display device 116 that would describe specific details about the pending order. Display screen 800 may include a real-time ordering notification icon 818 indicating how many patrons are currently ordering items. If a patron were in the process of making an order, the staff member could select icon 818 which would prompt a window or new display screen to appear on display device 116 enabling the staff member to view actions performed by the patron as they are performed by the patron in real-time when making an order. Display screen 800 may include a browsing notification icon 820 indicating how many patrons are currently browsing information on their portable patron units 102. To view what a certain patron is browsing, the staff member may select icon 820, which may prompt a window or new display screen to appear on display device 116 that would show or list details about the patron's activities in real-time. Display screen 800 may include a pool-online icon 822 indicating how many patrons are logged onto patron service system 100 and are located at the pool. In the exemplary illustration, 14 patrons are actively on-line. To ascertain details about the patrons on-line, such as their names, exact locations, and so forth, the staff member may select icon 822 (i.e., touch icon 822), which would prompt a window or new display screen to appear on display device 116 describing details about the patrons using portable patron units located around the resort's pool. Display screen 800 may include a beach-online icon 824 indicating how many patrons are logged onto patron service system 100 and are located at the beach. In the exemplary illustration, six patrons are actively on-line. To ascertain details about the patrons on-line, such as their names, locations, and so forth, the staff member may select icon 824, which would prompt a window or new display screen to appear on display device 116 describing details about the patrons using portable patron units located on the beach. Display screen 800 may include a menu icon 826, which when selected may prompt a window or new display screens enabling staff-members to view food and beverage menus. Accordingly, a portable staff unit 104 can perform ordering functions like a portable patron unit 102, such as placing an order, which allows staff members to instantly transmit an order taken verbally such as where a patron prefers not to enter the order directly on their portable patron unit 102. Menu icon 826 may also enable a staff member to “take over” an order from portable patron unit 102, edit and transmit the order, such as where the patron is having difficulty with the system. Display screen 800 may include a patron icon 828, which when selected would prompt a window or new display screens enabling staff-members to view information about particular patrons. Display screen 800 may include a staff/messages icon 830 that may flash or light-up indicating that the staff member has received a message or been paged. To ascertain details about the message, the staff member may select icon 830, which would prompt a window or new display screen to appear on display device 116 that describes details about the message. When a message is received, portable staff unit 104 may also vibrate or ring to alert the staff member of the message. FIG. 8 is only an example screen. Some or all of the icons may be displayed in different formats, in different screens, in different order, with different verbiage, etc. Portions of display screen 800 are optional and may not be presented in certain implementations. FIG. 9 illustrates an exemplary display screen 900 providing details about an order to a staff member. Display screen 900 is typically prompted after a staff member selects ordered icon 816. Display screen 900 may include information identifying the patron (902), such as the patron's name, room number, and seat-number (such as at a pool or in a restaurant or any other location information). Additional information may be provided, including a patron's preferences, history, special requests, medical requests, etc. Display screen 900 may also specify items ordered 904 such as a type of liquor, brand of water, etc. Control unit 301 (FIG. 3) facilitates display of display screen 900. A staff member may quickly locate the patron by selecting locate patron icon 906, which may prompt a map associated with resort 101 and the location of the portable patron unit 102 used by the patron. Once an order is delivered to a patron, a staff member may press order delivered icon 908, which prompts portable patron unit 104 to send a message to central unit 106 closing out the open order. A staff member may also return to the main menu by selecting icon 910. It should be appreciated that FIG. 9 is only an example screen. Some or all of the icons may be displayed in different formats, in different screens, in different order, with different verbiage, etc. Portions of display screen 900 are optional and may not be presented in certain implementations. FIG. 10 illustrates an exemplary display screen 1000 on portable staff unit 104 for displaying locations of portable patron devices. In this example, display screen 1000 is typically prompted after a staff member selects locate patron icon 906 (FIG. 9). Display screen 1000 may include a map 1002 associated with resort 101 and the location of the portable patron units 1002 indicated by dark blocks 1004, although other shapes, descriptions, etc., may be used to indicate locations of a patron, such as text, circles, blimps, and various other indicia. Non-shaded blocks, such as block 1006, indicate empty positions not occupied by portable patron unit 102, although any other item may be used to identify an empty position. Block 1008 includes an identifier, such as an X, which indicates a precise location of a particular portable patron unit 102 that has requested a service and/or an order that is to be delivered. Other identifiers may be used to indicate the relative location of a portable patron unit 102, or lack thereof, such as a bulls-eye, an arrow, a flashing block, and various other indicia. Pinpointing the location of a patron enables efficient and effective service of mobile patrons while in any areas of a resort. The relative location of the portable patron unit 102 can be dynamically displayed in real-time as the patron moves from one area of resort 101 to another area of resort 101, such as from the beach to the pool 1010. FIG. 10 is only an example screen. Some or all of the icons may be displayed in different formats, in different screens, in different order, and with different verbiage, etc. Portions of display screen 1000 are options and may not be presented in certain implementations. Control unit 301 facilitates display of display screen 1000. Methods for Patron Service System Methods for patron service system 100 may be described in the general context of computer-executable instructions. Generally, computer-executable instructions include routines, programs, objects, components, data structures, etc. and the like that perform particular functions or implement particular abstract data types. The described methods may also be practiced in distributed computing environments where functions are performed by remote processing devices that are linked through a communications network. In a distributed computing environment, computer-executable instructions may be located in both local and remote computer storage media, including memory storage devices. FIG. 11 is a flow diagram that illustrates an exemplary method 1100 of operation associated with portable patron unit 102. The order in which the method is described is not intended to be construed as a limitation, and any number of the described method blocks can be combined in any order to implement the method. Each of the operations and blocks may be optional and do not necessarily have to be implemented. Furthermore, the method can be implemented in any suitable hardware, software, firmware, or combination thereof. Exemplary method 1100 includes blocks 1102 through 1128. In block 1102, portable patron units are provided to patrons at a resort, stadium/arena, or other establishments. For example, in a resort environment, a portable patron unit 102 maybe provided to a patron at check-in, at various areas of the resort, such as arrival at a beach or pool area. The portable patron units may be fastened and locked to a chair, lounge, table, etc. Alternatively, patrons may carry the portable patron units. In block 1104, the portable patron unit is powered-on and connects wirelessly to a wireless network. For example, portable patron unit 102 connects to network 110 and is recognized by central unit 106. A staff member of resort 101 may enter a patron's room number using display device 114, verify the patron's name as displayed on display device 114 as retrieved from database 112 or another memory device such as a resort's Property Management System interface (not shown). At this point, the patron may choose a pin security code and verify the pin code for security purposes. In block 1106, the portable patron unit transmits signals wirelessly that enable one or more other devices to determine the location of the portable patron unit. For example, central unit 106 may receive coordinate information from network 110 based on calculations made from a signal received from the portable patron unit 102 with respect to and through one or more hubs 111. This coordinate information may be translated by the central unit 106, mapped to locations associated with resort 101, and sent to other devices (such as portable staff units 104) for display to enable staff members to locate the portable patron unit. In block 1108, information (also referred to as content) is displayed on portable patron unit 102. The information may include a user interface, display screens including menus, main menus, food and beverage menus, sub-menus associated with the main menus or food and beverage menus, such as specific drinks, appetizers, sandwiches, etc. The menus may offer the patron the ability to select a quantity of items desired, prices, selection of condiments, selection of side dishes, preparation methods, and so forth. A server side device, such as central unit 106, typically supplies the information (i.e., content) to portable patron unit 104. In block 1110, a patron may order items and/or request services via a portable patron unit 102 and transmit the order/request wirelessly to the network or directly to other devices via a point-to-point wireless connection. For example, a patron may order items and/or request services via a user interface on display device 114 of portable patron unit 102 and transmit the order/request wirelessly to network 1110. When the patron is satisfied with an order and/or request, the patron may press an icon or button, or other related mechanism, to transmit the order/request. In block 1112, if the patron has placed previous orders, the patron can access information about the previous order and can re-order any or all of the items. For example, a patron may select previously ordered icon 612 (FIG. 6) to automatically order another round of drinks. In block 1114, the patron may view preferences, special needs, or special requests displayed on the portable patron device. For example, portable patron unit 102 may display preference information, special needs/requests, and information from prior visits. Additionally, the patron 102 may enter preference information, special needs/requests and information into the portable patron unit 102 for future reference by central unit 106 or other devices associated with resort 101. In block 1116, prior to submitting or accepting an order the portable patron unit may request that the patron enter security information such as a PIN code previously selected and entered in to the system by the patron. This information is then verified and authenticated. Alternatively, other authentication measures could be performed. In block 1118, advertisements or promotional messages are displayed. The advertisements or promotional messages may be generated in response to items or services requested by the patron. For example, recommendations, promotions, and featured items can be displayed based on items selected by the patron. The advertisements or promotional messages may include displaying cross-sell and/or up-sell recommendations based on the items ordered and/or services requested by the patrons. The advertisements may not be related to any response or action performed by a patron. In block 1120, real-time status information about a pending order may be displayed. For example, a display area 714 (FIG. 7) may be generated on portable patron unit 102 providing real-time information relating to a pending order or request for service. In block 1122, paging a staff member or requesting immediate assistance is enabled. For example, a patron may select a “call service” type button, icon, or related mechanism, which prompts portable patron unit 102 to page a staff member for immediate assistance. In block 1124, bill requests are enabled. For example a patron may select a button, icon, or related mechanism, which prompts portable patron unit 102 to transmit a wireless signal requesting delivery of a bill. Alternatively, the patron may receive a virtual bill (i.e., electronic bill) on the display device 114 and approve payment of the bill without the assistance of a staff member. In block 1126, interactive games may be offered to patrons. For example, interactive games may be selected and played on the portable patron units 102, including games that utilize the Internet. Additionally, telephony access may be provided to patrons, such VoIP or voice over WIFI capability. In block 1128, movies, music and static photos may be offered and generated for the patron via portable patron unit 102. For example, portable patron units 102 are capable of displaying movies, playing music, displaying photos, etc. It is noted that the patron can press a touch-screen button to end a session and logoff network 110, or the portable patron unit may automatically power down and logoff the patron after period of time. It is also noted that program applications 130 such as off-the-shelf application(s) 224 (FIG. 2), order/service application 226 (FIG. 2), patron application 227 (FIG. 2), advertisement application 229 (FIG. 2) as well as location module 231 executing on processor(s) 206 (FIG. 2) and 408 (FIG. 4) and stored in memory 216 (FIG. 2) and 406 (FIG. 4) memory, may be implemented to perform one or more portions associated with method 1100. Accordingly, program applications 130 generate menus, user interfaces, guides, screens, etc. for display which enable a patron to navigate and perform activities, order items, request services, browse information (locally or remotely via the Internet), view movies, play and view interactive game selections, view and play music selections, conduct voice conversations, etc. Application programs 130 also enable a patron's transactions to be processed. FIG. 12 is a flow diagram that illustrates an exemplary method 1200 of operation associated with portable staff unit 104. The order in which the method is described is not intended to be construed as a limitation, and any number of the described method blocks can be combined in any order to implement the method. Some of the operations and blocks may be optional and do not necessarily have to be implemented. Furthermore, the method can be implemented in any suitable hardware, software, firmware, or combination thereof. Exemplary method 1200 includes blocks 1202 through 1226. In block 1202, portable staff units are provided to staff members at a resort, stadium/arena, or other establishments. For example, in a resort environment a portable staff unit 104 maybe provided to a waiter for use in a pool area, to another waiter servicing the beach, and so forth. Staff members may carry the portable staff units 104. In block 1204, the portable staff unit is powered-on and connects to a wireless network. For example, portable staff unit 104 connects to network 110 and is recognized by central unit 106. At this point, the portable staff unit may be logged onto network 110. Security authentication procedures may be performed when logging portable staff units 104 onto network 110. In block 1206, details about an order or request are displayed. For example, details of items associated with an order are displayed on display device 116 of portable staff unit 104. In block 1208, notifications indicating when an order or service request is ready for pickup from a fulfillment center 109 and delivery to a patron are received and displayed. For example, portable staff unit 104 receives notifications wirelessly that a patron's order (or potentially a service request) is ready for delivery and delivery to a patron. The notifications may be sent directly from fulfillment center computers 108 or via central unit 106. Once an order is delivered, the order may be closed by touching a button or other means of selection on portable staff unit 104 to indicate that the order has been delivered. In block 1210, details about a patron may be rendered and displayed. For example, portable staff unit 104 may display details about a patron including the patron's room number, preference information, special needs/requests, information associated with prior visits, notes made by other staff members about the patron, and so forth. In block 1212, the number of patrons using their portable patron units 102 are displayed. For example, portable staff unit 104 displays patrons logged onto network 110 and possibly their relative zone locations, such as the pool or beach. Portable staff unit 104 may limit the display to the quantity of patrons logged into the network in a particular zone of responsibility for a staff member. In block 1214, the actual location of a portable patron unit 102 may be determined and displayed on portable staff units 104 (or other devices) to enable staff members to quickly and efficiently deliver items ordered or services requested directly to a patron. In block 1216, the quantity of outstanding orders pending that have not been delivered and closed-out may be displayed on a portable staff unit 104. In block 1218, messages generated by the resort or staff members of the resort, patrons and potentially other entities, may be transmitted and displayed on portable staff units 104. In block 1220, portable staff units 104 may receive a notification of a page from a portable patron unit 102 that a patron is requesting immediate service, e.g., the patron has selected a call service button or any other type of paging mechanism on their portable patron unit 102. In block 1222, portable staff units 104 may receive and display menus (such as food and beverage menus) such as to enable staff members to view the menus, answer questions about the menu items, and/or take an order at the request of patron, etc. In block 1224, portable staff units 104, receives and displays a notification/page that a patron has requested their bill. In block 1226, the real-time activity of a patron performed on a portable patron device 102 is displayed on portable staff unit 104. It is noted that program applications 130 such as off-the-shelf application(s) 224, order/service application 326, patron information application 327, real-time activity application 329, and location application 331 executing on processor(s) 306 (FIG. 2) and 408 (FIG. 4) and stored in memory 216 (FIG. 3) and 406 (FIG. 4) are implemented to perform one or more portions of the functionality associated with method 1200. Accordingly, program applications 130 generate menus, user interfaces, guides, screens, and so forth for display which enable a staff member to service patrons, such as receiving orders, viewing order details, receiving the location of portable staff units, receive service requests, browse information, and so forth. FIG. 13 is a flow diagram that illustrates an exemplary method 1300 of operation associated with central unit 106. The order in which the method is described is not intended to be construed as a limitation, and any number of the described method blocks can be combined in any order to implement the method. Each of the operations and blocks may be optional and do not necessarily have to be implemented. Furthermore, the method can be implemented in any suitable hardware, software, firmware, or combination thereof. Exemplary method 1300 includes blocks 1302 through 1316. In block 1302, central unit 106 communicates with portable patron units 102 and portable staff units 104 as a server in a client/server relationship. In block 1304, central unit 106 distributes content to both the portable patron units 102 and portable staff units 104. The content may include menus for order items, services offered by the resort, advertisements, a history of an item previously ordered by a particular patron, preference information, special needs/requests and preference information associated with a patron, status of an open or request, and so forth. In block 1306, central unit 106 receives transaction information from the portable patron units 102 and portable staff units 104. The transaction information may include orders, requests for services, requests for a bill, etc. In block 1308, central unit 106 processes the transaction information by routing orders or requests to appropriate staff members or fulfillment centers to be carried out. Central unit 106 may also store the transaction information in databases 112 (FIG. 1). In block 1310, central unit 106 interfaces with POS computers such as fulfillment center computers 108 and hotel management systems. In block 1312, central unit 106 determines the location of portable units such as portable patron units 102 and sends details of the location (such as on a map) to portable staff units for display. In block 1314, central unit 106 verifies portable patron units 102 and portable staff units 104 as authorized devices and authenticates their users based on security codes. In block 1316, central unit 106 maintains a databases 112 necessary for servicing content to other units, such as maintaining transaction information, maintain menu information, descriptions, photos, prices, status of items (such as “sold out”), and so forth. A database 112 may also contain information to enable resort management to monitor performance of staff (such as how many orders have been serviced and/or time used to deliver and/or fulfill orders), average sale prices, best selling items, beverage to food ratios, abandoned orders, page views, and so forth. In block 1316, central unit 106 serves as an interface to other devices such as a gateway to the Internet or as an interface to POS systems, etc. It is noted that program applications 130 and data stored in memory 406 are implemented to perform one or more portions of the functionality associated with method 1300. Although some implementations of the various methods and arrangements of the present invention have been illustrated in the accompanying Drawings and described m the foregoing Detailed Description, it will be understood that the invention is not limited to the exemplary aspects disclosed, but is capable of numerous rearrangements, modifications and substitutions without departing from the spirit of the invention as set forth and defined by the following claims. | <SOH> BACKGROUND <EOH>The world's leading luxury and upscale hotels, resorts, cruise lines, vacation destinations, and other public venues often differentiate themselves in a competitive market by promising and attempting to deliver exceptional service and convenience to their patrons, such as guests, customers, spectators, visitors, clientele, and other clients (hereinafter referred to collectively as “patrons”). Successfully delivering on the promise of outstanding service not only attracts repeat business, but can also generate greater revenue and increased profitability. At the same time, patrons that these properties attract have elevated expectations of service, including increased levels of attention, convenience, speed and control. The service delivery challenge for the resort is to attend quickly to patrons when the require service, to fulfill patrons' requests in a timely and efficient manner, and finally to locate a patron for delivery of their order. Despite their high expectations, patrons at luxury and upscale resorts currently face several inconveniences in ordering food, beverages, and other amenities and services while on the beach, at the pool and in other areas of the property. In many instances when patrons desire to place an order, they cannot find a staff member such as a server, a runner, a waiter, a waitress, beach attendant, recreational staff, an employee and other personnel (hereinafter referred to collectively as a “staff member”) of an establishment in the vicinity. Often the patron is unable to attract the attention of the staff member, or the staff member may be busy attending to another patron. Additional problems arise once the order is taken, as the staff member may proceed to take additional orders before submitting initial patron's orders for fulfillment. The result is a delay in entering the initial orders to the resort's computer system (assuming there is a basic computer system) and thus delaying preparation of the order as well. If a patron becomes tired of waiting for a staff member to take the order, the alternative is to walk, sometimes for great distances, to place an order for food, beverages, or services. Not only are patrons inconvenienced, but they also face the risks inherent in leaving children or personal belongings unsupervised and unprotected on the beach, pool deck, or other resort location. Once the order is prepared and ready for delivery to the patron, it can be a challenge for the staff member to remember where the patron is located or to find where the patron has relocated. Oftentimes the person who took the order is often not the same person who delivers the order, or the patron has moved and is not seated where the original order was taken. The result is that patrons experience further delay in having their orders delivered. Once a the item (such as a towel, beverage, food) has been delivered to the patron, and the staff member departs, any problem with the order (i.e., missing utensils or condiments, erroneous or ill-prepared items, etc.) requires the patron to chase after the staff member, walk to a service area, or wait for the staff member to return. Additionally, since a staff member has no way to know if a patron is interested in ordering food or beverages, staff members may periodically “check-in” with the patron as they circulate on the beach, pool, or other locations, which sometimes results in annoying disturbances for the patron, if the patron has no interest in placing an order. Furthermore, most resorts do not offer patrons the ability to purchase sundry items, reserve a tee time, tennis court, jet ski, or spa related appointments while seated at the beach or pool. In an attempt to address some of the aforementioned problems, a limited number of hotels are deploying centrally-located kiosks. Unfortunately, these systems require patrons to leave their seats and walk some distance to place an order at a kiosk location. Again, not only are the patrons inconvenienced, but they also face the risks inherent in leaving children or personal belongings unsupervised and unprotected on the beach, pool deck, or other resort location when having to order from the kiosk location. Additionally, kiosks do not enable the staff member to locate the patron for delivery of the order, thus requiring additional effort and further inconvenience to the patron if the patron must retrieve the order himself. Furthermore, in many instances there may be a line of patrons waiting to use a particular kiosk creating a further inconvenient experience for patrons when they attempt to place an order for themselves. Some manufactures have introduced POS (point-of-sale) systems for use by staff at restaurants, which may include wireless handheld terminals, as an extension of the POS systems. These handheld terminals enable staff to input and manage patron orders at a distance. Unfortunately, these devices typically only allow the staff member, to take and transmit the order on behalf of the patron. The patron must still wait for a staff member to arrive so that the patron may initiate an order. Additionally, these systems do not lend themselves in many areas of a resort. For example, there remains the problem of locating the patron in a pool or beach environment after the order is taken. This problem is further exacerbated when the staff member who took the order is not the same person who delivers the order. Thus, centrally-located kiosks for patron use and handheld POS devices for a staff member's use, both are of limited effectiveness and, thus do not fully address the problems of both the patron and the resort. The impact on the resort caused by these service failures is significant, and includes decreased patron satisfaction, higher costs through service inefficiencies, and missed opportunities to increase property revenues per patron, decreased repeat patron business, and decreased reputation/rating, etc. | <SOH> SUMMARY <EOH>A patron service system and method is described herein with reference to several exemplary implementations. For example, in one described implementation, portable patron units are provided to patrons for use in a resort or other establishment. The portable patron units are mobile wireless devices that include interactive display screens. The portable patron units enable patrons to interact, order items, request services, browse information associated with the resort and/or other information, wirelessly. Portable staff units are provided to staff members for use in the resort or other establishment. The portable staff units are also mobile wireless devices that include interactive display screens. The portable staff units, enable staff members to view information about orders and/or requests entered by patrons made by the patrons wirelessly. The portable staff units can also display locations of the portable patron units to enable staff members to locate portable patron units when delivering items, servicing requests, etc. This implementation as well as others is described below when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. | G06Q300633 | 20171121 | 20180315 | 65099.0 | G06Q3006 | 18 | GOYEA, OLUSEGUN | Patron Service System and Method | SMALL | 1 | CONT-ACCEPTED | G06Q | 2,017 |
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15,820,370 | PENDING | CARTRIDGE FOR USE WITH A VAPORIZER DEVICE | Cartomizers (cartridges) that have a mouthpiece, a heater/vaporizer (e.g., heating element, wick), and a transparent/translucent tank (fluid reservoir) to hold the vaporizable material (typically a nicotine solution), in which the cartridge is flattened and has a window into the tank through the mouthpiece so that the liquid level is visible; the window can be an opening through the mouthpiece or it can be a notch up into the mouthpiece. A cannula (e.g., tube) runs through the tank, and connects the heater/vaporizer to an opening in the mouthpiece. | 1.-20. (canceled) 21. A cartridge for generating an aerosol, the cartridge comprising: a body including a storage compartment configured to hold a vaporizable material, the body having a first end and a second end opposite the first end, the body comprising a surface between the first end and the second end; a heating element configured to generate the aerosol, the generating of the aerosol comprising heating the vaporizable material; and a mouthpiece secured over the first end, the mouthpiece covering a first portion of the surface, the mouthpiece not covering a second portion of the surface, the second portion of the surface configured for insertion into a cartridge receptacle of a vaporizer device, the mouthpiece not covering a third portion of the surface, the third portion of the surface being visible when the second portion of the surface is inserted into the cartridge receptacle. 22. The cartridge of claim 21, wherein the mouthpiece is opaque, wherein the surface is transparent, and wherein the vaporizable material is visible through the surface. 23. The cartridge of claim 21, wherein the mouthpiece comprises a notch extending from the second end of the cartridge towards the first end of the cartridge, and wherein the third portion of the surface comprises an area between the notch and the second end of the storage compartment. 24. The cartridge of claim 21, wherein the cartridge receptacle has a notch extending from an opening of the cartridge receptacle at a proximal end of the vaporizer device, the notch extending towards a distal end of the vaporizer device opposite the proximal end, and wherein the third portion of the surface comprises an area between the notch and the first end of the storage compartment, when the second portion of the surface is inserted into the cartridge receptacle. 25. The cartridge of claim 21, wherein the heating element is disposed proximate to the second end of the storage compartment. 26. The cartridge of claim 21, further comprising a wicking material configured to contact the vaporizable material, wherein the heating element is disposed proximate to the wicking material. 27. The cartridge of claim 26, wherein the wicking material comprises at least one of: a silica material, a cotton material, a ceramic material, a hemp material, and a stainless steel material. 28. The cartridge of claim 21, wherein the second portion of the surface comprises a locking gap integral to the storage compartment, and wherein the locking gap is configured to mate with a locking detent within the cartridge receptacle, when the second portion of the surface is inserted into the cartridge receptacle. 29. The cartridge of claim 21, wherein the heating element comprises a resistive heating coil, and wherein the cartridge further comprises: a first heater contact electrically coupled to the resistive heating coil, the first heater contact configured to mate with either of a first receptacle contact within the cartridge receptacle or a second receptacle contact within the cartridge receptacle, when the second portion of the surface is inserted into the cartridge receptacle; and a second heater contact electrically coupled to the resistive heating coil, the second heater contact configured to mate with either of the second receptacle contact or the first receptacle contact, when the second portion of the surface is inserted into the cartridge receptacle. 30. The cartridge of claim 29, wherein the first heater contact and the second heater contact are configured to complete, when the second portion of the surface is inserted into the cartridge receptacle, an electrical circuit comprising a power source within the vaporizer device, the resistive heating coil, the first receptacle contact, and the second receptacle contact. 31. The cartridge of claim 21, wherein the body is non-cylindrical. 32. The cartridge of claim 31, wherein the body comprises four substantially rectangular surfaces between the first end of the body and the second end of the body, the four substantially rectangular surfaces exterior to the body. 33. An apparatus for generating an aerosol, the apparatus comprising: a vaporizer device comprising a cartridge receptacle; and a cartridge comprising: a body including a storage compartment configured to hold a vaporizable material, the body having a first end and a second end opposite the first end, the body comprising a surface between the first end and the second end; a heating element configured to generate the aerosol, the generating of the aerosol comprising heating the vaporizable material; and a mouthpiece secured over the first end, the mouthpiece covering a first portion of the surface, the mouthpiece not covering a second portion of the surface, the second portion of the surface configured for insertion into the cartridge receptacle, the mouthpiece not covering a third portion of the surface, the third portion of the surface being visible when the second portion of the surface is inserted into the cartridge receptacle. 34. The apparatus of claim 33, wherein the mouthpiece is opaque, wherein the surface is transparent, and wherein the vaporizable material is visible through the surface. 35. The apparatus of claim 33, wherein the mouthpiece comprises a notch extending from the second end of the cartridge towards the first end of the cartridge, and wherein the third portion of the surface comprises an area between the notch and the second end of the storage compartment. 36. The apparatus of claim 33, wherein the cartridge receptacle has a notch extending from an opening of the cartridge receptacle at a proximal end of the vaporizer device, the notch extending towards a distal end of the vaporizer device opposite the proximal end, and wherein the third portion of the surface comprises an area between the notch and the first end of the storage compartment, when the second portion of the surface is inserted into the cartridge receptacle. 37. The apparatus of claim 33, wherein the cartridge further comprises a wicking material configured to contact the vaporizable material, wherein the heating element is disposed proximate to the wicking material, and wherein the wicking material comprises at least one of: a silica material, a cotton material, a ceramic material, a hemp material, and a stainless steel material. 38. The apparatus of claim 33, wherein the second portion of the surface comprises a locking gap integral to the storage compartment, and wherein the locking gap is configured to mate with a locking detent within the cartridge receptacle, when the second portion of the surface is inserted into the cartridge receptacle. 39. The apparatus of claim 33, wherein the heating element comprises a resistive heating coil, and wherein the cartridge further comprises: a first heater contact electrically coupled to the resistive heating coil, the first heater contact configured to mate with either of a first receptacle contact within the cartridge receptacle or a second receptacle contact within the cartridge receptacle, when the second portion of the surface is inserted into the cartridge receptacle; and a second heater contact electrically coupled to the resistive heating coil, the second heater contact configured to mate with either of the second receptacle contact or the first receptacle contact, when the second portion of the surface is inserted into the cartridge receptacle, wherein the first heater contact and the second heater contact are configured to complete, when the second portion of the surface is inserted into the cartridge receptacle, an electrical circuit comprising a power source within the vaporizer device, the resistive heating coil, the first receptacle contact, and the second receptacle contact. 40. The apparatus of claim 33, wherein the cartridge receptacle is non-cylindrical, wherein the body is non-cylindrical, and wherein the body comprises four substantially rectangular surfaces between the first end of the body and the second end of the body. | CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This patent application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/257,748, filed Sep. 6, 2016 and entitled “CARTRIDGE FOR USE WITH A VAPORIZER DEVICE”, which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/581,666, filed on Dec. 23, 2014, and entitled “VAPORIZATION DEVICE SYSTEMS AND METHODS”, which claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/920,225, filed Dec. 23, 2013, U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/936,593, filed Feb. 6, 2014, and U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/937,755 filed Feb. 10, 2014. U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/257,748 also claims priority to U.S. provisional patent application 62/294,285, filed on Feb. 11, 2016 and entitled “FILLABLE ELECTRONIC CIGARETTE CARTRIDGE AND METHOD OF FILLING”, U.S. provisional patent application 62/294,281, filed on Feb. 11, 2016 and entitled “SECURELY ATTACHING CARTRIDGES FOR VAPORIZER DEVICES”, International Design Application No. 35/001,169, filed on Mar. 11, 2016 and entitled “ELECTRONIC VAPORIZERS WITH CARTRIDGES”, and International Design Application No. 35/001,170, filed on Mar. 11, 2016 and entitled “CARTRIDGES FOR AN ELECTRONIC VAPORIZER”. The disclosures of each of the above-identified applications are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE All publications and patent applications mentioned in this specification are herein incorporated by reference in their entirety to the same extent as if each individual publication or patent application was specifically and individually indicated to be incorporated by reference. FIELD Described herein are vaporizer apparatuses including cartridges and vaporizers (e.g., electronic inhalable aerosol devices or electronic vaping devices). In particular, described herein are compact cartridges that can be quickly and releasably secured into a vaporizer (also referred to herein as an electronic aerosol device), while containing a substantial amount of vaporizable material, allow sufficient cooling of the vapor and easily permit a user to accurately visually confirm the amount of vaporizable material within the cartridge. BACKGROUND Electronic cigarettes are typically battery-powered vaporizers that may be use, e.g., to simulate the feeling of smoking, but without tobacco. Instead of cigarette smoke, the user inhales an aerosol, commonly called vapor, typically released by a heating element that atomizes a liquid solution (vaporizable material or solution). Typically, the user activates the e-cigarette by taking a puff or pressing a button. Some vaporizers look like traditional cigarettes, but they come in many variations. Although mimicking the cylindrical look of traditional cigarettes may have marketing advantages because of a preexisting familiarity with this shape and potentially feel of the product, the cylindrical shape may not be optimal. Other shapes, including rectangular shapes, may offer advantages including a greater volume for holding the battery and vaporizable material, as well ease in handling and manufacture. Many of the battery-powered vaporizers described to date include a reusable batter-containing device portion that connects to one or more cartridges containing the consumable vaporizable material. As the cartridges are used up, they are removed and replaced with fresh ones. It may be particularly useful to have cartridges and apparatuses that have a non-circular cross-section to prevent rolling of the device when placed on a table or other surface. However, a number of surprising disadvantages may result in this configuration. For example the use of a cartridge at the proximal end of the device, which is also held by the users mouth, has been found to cause instability in the electrical contacts, particularly with cartridges of greater than 1 cm length. Further, there may be difficulties in determining the amount of vaporizable material within the cartridge, sufficiently cooling or otherwise processing the vapor generated by a heater located in the cartridge, and easily and quickly securing the cartridge into the vaporizer when force may be applied by a user's mouth at the proximal mouthpiece when a user holds the device either just by the mouth or using the mouth at the proximal end and a hand on the more distal body of the vaporizer. Described herein are apparatuses and methods that may address the issues discussed above. SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE The present invention relates generally to apparatuses, including systems and devices, for vaporizing material to form an inhalable aerosol. Specifically, these apparatuses may include vaporizers, cartridge for use with a vaporizer device, and vaporizers with cartridges. In particular, described herein are cartridges that are configured for use with a vaporizer having a rechargeable power supply that includes a proximal cartridge-receiving opening. These cartridges are specifically adapted to be releasably but securely held within the cartridge-receiving opening (also referred to as a cartridge receptacle) of the vaporizer and may be configured to resist disruption of the electrical contact with the controller and power supply in the vaporizer even when held by the user's mouth. Generally, the cartridges (which may also referred to as cartomizers) described herein may have a mouthpiece, a heater/vaporizer (e.g., heating element, wick), and a tank (fluid reservoir) to hold the vaporizable material (typically a nicotine solution), in which the cartridge is flattened and has a window into the tank through the mouthpiece so that the liquid level is visible; the window can be an opening through the mouthpiece or it can be a notch up into the mouthpiece. A cannula (e.g., tube) may run through the tank, and connect the heater/vaporizer to an opening in the mouthpiece. As will be illustrated and described below, the cannula forms a passage for the vapor from the heater to the mouthpiece, and typically passes through the tank so that it is surrounded by vaporizable fluid in the tank; this may help to regulate the temperature of the vapor within the cannula, providing a substantially improved vaping experience. The cannula may be visible through the window/notch. Although having the cannula visible in the window may obscure the view into the tank, it also helps provide a visual reference for the liquid level that makes it much easier for a user to get a quick and accurate understanding of the actual level of vaporizable material within the tank. In general, the mouthpiece may be opaque and may fit over the top/end of the transparent tank (storage compartment) and may be secured over the end of the storage compartment. This may allow the mouthpiece to form a lip or rim formed by the distal edge of the mouthpiece over the storage compartment that helps guide and helps secure the cartridge in the cartridge receptacle of the vaporizer. As mentioned, the (typically opaque) mouthpiece may also or alternatively have a cut-out region on the distal edge that is cut into a shape that may form a window into the tank to show the cartridge and fluid; the cut-out region may be any appropriate shape (e.g., square, rectangular, oval, semi-circular, or combinations thereof), and may match with another cut-out region on the upper edge (proximal edge) of the cartridge receptacle of the vaporizer. Any of these cartridges may also include a gap on the side of the cartridge to mate with a detent on the vaporizer. The gap (also referred to herein as a locking gap) may be a channel, pit, hole, divot, etc. in the sides of the elongate and flattened storage compartment. These gaps may act as a mechanical lock to secure the cartridge in the vaporizer, and may also provide tactile and/or audible \feedback (producing a click or snap) when the cartridge is properly seated in the cartridge receptacle so that there is a robust mechanical and electrical connection between the cartridge and the vaporizer. In general, the apparatuses described herein also include vaporizers and cartridges in which the cartridge is inserted into a cartridge receptacle at the proximal end of the vaporizer so that the mouthpiece projects out of the proximal end. Overall, the combined cartridge and vaporizer may have an elongate, flattened shape that prevents rolling when the apparatus is placed on a table or other flat surface so that is lying flat on the surface. As mentioned, the body of the vaporizer, and particularly the proximal edge of the cartridge receptacle, may include a notch or cut-out portion that forms a window into the (transparent) cartridge when the cartridge is held within the cartridge receptacle. Similarly, the cartridge receptacle portion of the vaporizer may include a coupling to secure the cartridge within the cartridge receptacle even when it projects out of the end of the vaporizer, and even when the entire apparatus is held within a user's mouth only at the mouthpiece of the cartridge. Although the majority of the weight of the apparatus is in the vaporizers (near the distal end of the apparatus), the coupling, which may be two or more detents on the side of the cartridge receptacle and/or a magnetic coupling, may hold the cartridge secured in position even where the electrical coupling is a biased connection (such as a pogo pin) that would tend to push the cartridge out of the cartridge receptacle. For example, described herein are cartridges for use with a vaporizer device, the cartridge comprising: an elongate and flattened storage compartment configured to hold a liquid vaporizable material, wherein the liquid vaporizable material is visible through the storage compartment, further wherein the storage compartment comprises a distal end and a proximal end, and a first side extending between the distal end and the proximal end; an opaque mouthpiece that is secured over the proximal end of the storage compartment, the opaque mouthpiece having a front side adjacent to the first side of the storage compartment, wherein a distal end of the opaque mouthpiece terminates in a distal edge that extends only partially between the distal end and the proximal end of the storage compartment; an opening through the opaque mouthpiece at a proximal end of the opaque mouthpiece; a notch in the front side of the mouthpiece extending from the distal edge of the opaque mouthpiece toward the proximal end of the mouthpiece, wherein the notch exposes a region of the storage compartment beneath the mouthpiece; a heater at the distal end of the storage compartment, wherein the heater comprises a heating chamber, a wick within the heating chamber, and a resistive heating element in thermal contact with the wick; and a cannula within the storage compartment extending through the liquid vaporizable material from the heater to the proximal end of the storage compartment so that the liquid vaporizable material surrounds the cannula when the storage compartment is filled with liquid vaporizable material, wherein the cannula is visible through the notch, further wherein the cannula forms a fluid connection between the heating chamber and the opening through the opaque mouthpiece from which vaporized liquid vaporizable material may be inhaled. Also described herein are cartridges for use with a vaporizer device, the cartridge comprising: an elongate and flattened storage compartment configured to hold a liquid vaporizable material, wherein the liquid vaporizable material is visible through the storage compartment, further wherein the storage compartment comprises a distal end and a proximal end, and a first side extending between the distal end and the proximal end; an opaque mouthpiece that is secured over the proximal end of the storage compartment, the opaque mouthpiece having a front side adjacent to the first side of the storage compartment, wherein a distal end of the opaque mouthpiece terminates in a distal edge that extends only partially between the distal end and the proximal end of the storage compartment; an opening through the opaque mouthpiece at a proximal end of the opaque mouthpiece; a window in the front side of the mouthpiece, wherein the window exposes a region of the storage compartment beneath the mouthpiece; a heater at the distal end of the storage compartment, wherein the heater comprises a heating chamber, a wick within the heating chamber, and a resistive heating element in thermal contact with the wick; and a cannula within the storage compartment extending through the liquid vaporizable material from the heater to the proximal end of the storage compartment so that the liquid vaporizable material surrounds the cannula when the storage compartment is filled with liquid vaporizable material, wherein the cannula is visible through the window, further wherein the cannula forms a fluid connection between the heating chamber and the opening through the opaque mouthpiece from which vaporized liquid vaporizable material may be inhaled. A cartridge for use with a vaporizer device may also include: an elongate and flattened storage compartment holding a liquid vaporizable material, wherein the liquid vaporizable material is visible through the storage compartment, further wherein the storage compartment comprises a distal end and a proximal end, and a first side extending between the distal end and the proximal end; an opaque mouthpiece that is snap-fit over the proximal end of the storage compartment, the opaque mouthpiece having a front side adjacent to the first side of the storage compartment, wherein a distal end of the opaque mouthpiece terminates in a distal edge that extends midway between the distal end and the proximal end of the storage compartment; an opening through the opaque mouthpiece at a proximal end of the opaque mouthpiece; a notch in the front side of the mouthpiece extending from the distal edge of the opaque mouthpiece toward the proximal end of the mouthpiece, wherein the notch exposes a region of the storage compartment beneath the mouthpiece; a heater at the distal end of the storage compartment, wherein the heater comprises a heating chamber, a wick within the heating chamber, and a resistive heating element in thermal contact with the wick; a cannula or channel within the storage compartment extending from the heater to the proximal end of the storage compartment, wherein the liquid vaporizable material is visible through the notch, further wherein the cannula or channel forms a fluid connection between the heating chamber and the opening through the opaque mouthpiece from which vaporized liquid vaporizable material may be inhaled; and a pair of locking gaps on lateral sides of the cartridge that are configured to engage with a pair of locking detents on the vaporizer device to secure the cartridge in the vaporizer device. In any of the cartridge described herein, the opaque mouthpiece may be secured over the proximal end of the storage compartment by a snap-fit. In general, the storage compartment may be filled with the liquid vaporizable material. Any liquid vaporizable material may be used, including nicotine solutions, cannaboid solutions, solutions without any active ingredient, or other vaporizable solutions. In general, as will be described in greater detail herein, the cartridges may include a pair of electrical contacts at a distal end of the cartridge. In some variations, the electrical contacts are configured to mate with connectors (e.g., pogo pin connectors) within the cartridge receptacle of the vaporizer. The window (e.g., notch) in the cartridge through the mouthpiece may be a rectangular, triangular, semi-circular, or oval cutout region, or some combination of these. In general, the fluid within the elongate and flattened storage compartment may be visible; for example, the elongate fluid storage compartment may be transparent or translucent. In any of the cartridges described herein, the cartridge (e.g., the elongate fluid storage compartment) may include a pair of locking gaps on lateral sides of the cartridge that are configured to engage with a pair of locking detents on the vaporizer device to secure the cartridge in the vaporizer device. A vaporizer device may include: a cartridge, comprising: a non-opaque storage compartment holding a liquid vaporizable material; a mouthpiece overlapping a proximal end of the non-opaque storage compartment; and a heater at a distal end of the non-opaque storage compartment, wherein the heater comprises a heating chamber, a wick within the heating chamber, and a resistive heating element in thermal contact with the wick; and an elongate body configured to removably attach to the cartridge, the elongate body comprising a power source configured to provide power to the heater; and a notch in a proximal end of the elongate body or a distal end of the mouthpiece, the notch configured such that the non-opaque storage compartment of the cartridge is exposed therethrough when the cartridge is attached to the elongate body. For example, a vaporizer device may include: a cartridge, comprising: a storage compartment holding a liquid vaporizable material; a mouthpiece overlapping a proximal end of the storage compartment; and a heater at a proximal end of the storage compartment, wherein the heater comprises a heating chamber, a wick within the heating chamber, and a resistive heating element in thermal contact with the wick; and an elongate body configured to removably attach to the cartridge, the elongate body comprising a power source configured to provide power to the heater; wherein an air inlet is formed between the cartridge and the elongate body when the cartridge is attached to the elongate body such that an air path is formed from the air inlet, over the wick, and out the mouthpiece. For example, a cartridge for use with a vaporizer device may include: a storage compartment holding a liquid vaporizable material; a mouthpiece overlapping a proximal end of the storage compartment; a notch in a front side of the mouthpiece extending from a distal end of the mouthpiece toward a proximal end of the mouthpiece; and a heater at a proximal end of the storage compartment, wherein the heater comprises a heating chamber, a wick within the heating chamber, and a resistive heating element in thermal contact with the wick, wherein the notch is configured to form an air inlet between the cartridge and the vaporizer device when the cartridge is attached to the vaporizer device such that an air path is formed from the air inlet, over the wick, and out the mouthpiece. Also described herein are apparatuses including vaporizer apparatuses that include both the cartridge and the vaporizer into which the cartridge may be inserted, e.g., into a cartridge receptacle that holds the cartridge so that it extends from one end of the vaporizer. For example a vaporizer apparatus may include: a cartridge having: an elongate and flattened storage compartment configured to hold a liquid vaporizable material, wherein the liquid vaporizable material is visible through the storage compartment and wherein the storage compartment comprises a distal end and a proximal end; a mouthpiece at the proximal end of the storage compartment; an opening through the mouthpiece at a proximal end of the mouthpiece; a heater at the distal end of the storage compartment, wherein the heater comprises a heating chamber, a wick within the heating chamber, and a resistive heating element in thermal contact with the wick; and a vaporizer, the vaporizer having: an elongate, flattened and opaque body having a distal end and a proximal end and a front side, a back side and a pair of lateral sides extending between the distal and proximal ends, wherein the elongate, flattened and opaque body is prevented from rolling when placed on a flat surface because the diameter of the front and back sides are larger than the diameter of the pair of lateral sides; a cartridge receptacle formed at the proximal end of the elongate, flattened and opaque body, wherein the cartridge receptacle has a proximal-facing opening into the proximal end of the elongate, flattened and opaque body, further wherein the cartridge receptacle comprises a proximal edge around the distal-facing opening; wherein the proximal edge of the cartridge receptacle forms a notch in the front side of the elongate, flattened and opaque body extending towards the distal end of the elongate, flattened and opaque body so that a portion of the storage compartment is visible through the notch when the cartridge is housed within the cartridge receptacle; a pair of electrical contacts in a distal surface within the cartridge receptacle configured to connect to electrical contacts on the cartridge when the cartridge is housed within the cartridge receptacle; and a detent on each of the pair of lateral sides, wherein the detents project into the cartridge receptacle and each engage a mating region on the storage compartment of the cartridge to hold the cartridge within the cartridge receptacle with the mouthpiece outside of the cartridge receptacle. A vaporizer apparatus may include: a cartridge having: an elongate and flattened storage compartment configured to hold a liquid vaporizable material, wherein the liquid vaporizable material is visible through the storage compartment and wherein the storage compartment comprises a distal end and a proximal end; a mouthpiece at the proximal end of the storage compartment; an opening through the mouthpiece at a proximal end of the mouthpiece; a heater at the distal end of the storage compartment, wherein the heater comprises a heating chamber, a wick within the heating chamber, and a resistive heating element in thermal contact with the wick; a cannula within the storage compartment extending through the liquid vaporizable material from the heater to the proximal end of the storage compartment so that the liquid vaporizable material surrounds the cannula when the storage compartment is filled with liquid vaporizable material, further wherein the cannula forms a fluid connection between the heating chamber and the opening through the mouthpiece from which vaporized liquid vaporizable material may be inhaled; and a vaporizer, the vaporizer having: an elongate, flattened and opaque body having a distal end and a proximal end and a front side, a back side and opposite lateral sides extending between the distal and proximal ends, wherein the elongate, flattened and opaque body is prevented from rolling when placed on a flat surface because the diameter of the front and back sides are larger than the diameter of the opposite lateral sides; a cartridge receptacle formed at the proximal end of the elongate, flattened and opaque body, wherein the cartridge receptacle has a proximal-facing opening into the proximal end of the elongate, flattened and opaque body, further wherein the cartridge receptacle comprises a proximal edge around the proximal-facing opening; wherein the proximal edge of the cartridge receptacle forms a notch in the front side of the elongate, flattened and opaque body extending towards the distal end of the elongate, flattened and opaque body so that a portion of the storage compartment and the cannula within the storage compartment are visible through the notch when the cartridge is housed within the cartridge receptacle; a pair of electrical contacts in a distal surface within the cartridge receptacle configured to connect to electrical contacts on the cartridge when the cartridge is housed within the cartridge receptacle; and a detent on each of the opposite lateral sides, wherein the detents project into the cartridge receptacle and each engage a mating region on the storage compartment of the cartridge to hold the cartridge within the cartridge receptacle with the mouthpiece outside of the cartridge receptacle. For example, a vaporizer apparatus may include a cartridge having: an elongate and flattened storage compartment holding a liquid vaporizable material that is visible through the storage compartment, wherein the storage compartment comprises a distal end and a proximal end, and a first side extending between the distal end and the proximal end; a mouthpiece at the proximal end of the storage compartment, wherein the mouthpiece comprises an opaque cover that is secured over the proximal end of the storage compartment, the opaque mouthpiece having a front side adjacent to the first side of the storage compartment, wherein a distal end of the opaque cover terminates in a distal edge that extends around a perimeter of the storage compartment from a position only partially between the distal end and the proximal end of the storage compartment of the opaque cover; a cartridge notch in the front side of the mouthpiece extending from the distal edge of the opaque cover towards the proximal end of the mouthpiece, wherein the cartridge notch exposes a region of the storage compartment beneath the mouthpiece; an opening through the mouthpiece at a distal end of the mouthpiece; a heater at the distal end of the storage compartment, wherein the heater comprises a heating chamber, a wick within the heating chamber, and a resistive heating element in thermal contact with the wick; a cannula within the storage compartment extending through the liquid vaporizable material from the heater to the proximal end of the storage compartment so that the liquid vaporizable material surrounds the cannula, further wherein the cannula forms a fluid connection between the heating chamber and the opening through the mouthpiece from which vaporized liquid vaporizable material may be inhaled, wherein the cannula is visible through the cartridge notch; and a vaporizer, the vaporizer having: an elongate, flattened and opaque body having a distal end and a proximal end and a front side, a back side and opposite lateral sides extending between the distal and proximal ends, wherein the elongate, flattened and opaque body is prevented from rolling when placed on a flat surface because the diameter of the front and back sides are larger than the diameter of the opposite lateral sides; a cartridge receptacle formed at the proximal end of the elongate, flattened and opaque body, wherein the cartridge receptacle has a proximal-facing opening into the proximal end of the elongate, flattened and opaque body, further wherein the cartridge receptacle comprises a proximal edge around the distal-facing opening; wherein the proximal edge of the cartridge receptacle forms a notch in the front side of the elongate, flattened and opaque body extending towards the distal end of the elongate, flattened and opaque body so that a portion of the storage compartment and the cannula are visible through the notch when the cartridge is housed within the cartridge receptacle; a pair of electrical contacts in a distal surface within the cartridge receptacle configured to connect to electrical contacts on the cartridge when the cartridge is housed within the cartridge receptacle; and a detent on each of the opposite lateral sides, wherein the detents project into the cartridge receptacle and each engage a mating region on the storage compartment of the cartridge to hold the cartridge within the cartridge receptacle with the mouthpiece outside of the cartridge receptacle, wherein the cartridge notch aligns with the notch formed in the proximal edge of the cartridge receptacle when the cartridge is housed within the cartridge receptacle. As mentioned above, in any of the cartridges described herein, the cannula may be visible within the storage compartment is visible through the notch when the cartridge is housed within the cartridge receptacle. In any of the cartridges described herein, the elongate, flattened and opaque body may have a cross-section such that the apparatus (including the cartridge) lies flat and does not roll, when placed on a table. For example, the cartridge may have a rectangular cross-section (e.g., through the long axis, distal-to-proximal, of the cartridge); in some variations the cross-section is oval, square, etc. In any of the devices described here, the cartridge may couple with the vaporizer using a connector that is snap fit, or other mechanical fit that is not a threaded connection. Alternatively or additional, the connector may be magnetic. In any of these apparatuses, the pair of electrical contacts in a proximal surface within the cartridge receptacle may comprise pogo pins or other connectors that are biased against the contact on the cartridge when the two are connected. The mouthpiece may generally comprise an opaque cover that is secured over the proximal end of the storage compartment, the opaque cover having a front side adjacent to a first side of the storage compartment extending between the proximal and distal ends of the storage compartment, wherein a distal end of the opaque cover terminates in a distal edge that extends around a perimeter of the storage compartment from a position only partially between the distal end and the proximal end of the storage compartment. The cartridge may further comprises a cartridge notch in the front side of the mouthpiece extending from the distal edge of the opaque cover towards the proximal end of the mouthpiece, wherein the cartridge notch exposes a region of the storage compartment beneath the mouthpiece, further wherein the cartridge notch aligns with the notch formed in the proximal edge of the cartridge receptacle when the cartridge is housed within the cartridge receptacle. Also described herein in particular are apparatuses (e.g., vaporizer apparatuses) in which the cartridge (including any of the cartridges described herein) are magnetically coupled to with a cartridge receptacle at a proximal end of the vaporizer body so that the proximal end (e.g., mouthpiece) of the cartridge extends proximally from out of the vaporizer body. For example, a vaporizer apparatus may include: a cartridge having: an elongate and transparent storage compartment holding a liquid vaporizable material, wherein the elongate and transparent storage compartment comprises a distal end and a proximal end; an opaque mouthpiece at the proximal end of the elongate and transparent storage compartment; a pair of electrical contacts at a distal end of the cartridge; a heater at the distal end of the elongate and transparent storage compartment, wherein the heater comprises a heating chamber, a wick within the heating chamber, and a resistive heating element in thermal contact with the wick; and a channel within the elongate and transparent storage compartment extending from the heater to the proximal end of the elongate and transparent storage compartment, wherein the channel is visible through the elongate and transparent storage compartment, further wherein the channel forms a fluid connection between the heating chamber and the opaque mouthpiece from which vaporized liquid vaporizable material may be inhaled; and a vaporizer, the vaporizer having: an elongate body having a distal end and a proximal end; a cartridge receptacle formed at the proximal end of the elongate body, wherein the cartridge receptacle has a proximal-facing opening into the proximal end of the elongate body, further wherein the cartridge receptacle comprises a proximal edge around the distal-facing opening; an window though a side of the cartridge receptacle so that at least a portion of the elongate and transparent storage compartment is visible through the window when the cartridge is held within the cartridge receptacle; a pair of electrical contacts in a distal surface within the cartridge receptacle configured to connect to the pair of electrical contacts at the distal end of the cartridge when the cartridge is held within the cartridge receptacle; and a first magnetic coupling configured to magnetically secure the cartridge in the cartridge receptacle; and a second magnetic coupling configured to magnetically couple the vaporizer to a charger. For example, a vaporizer apparatus may include: a cartridge having: an elongate and transparent storage compartment holding a liquid vaporizable material, wherein the elongate and transparent storage compartment comprises a distal end and a proximal end; an opaque mouthpiece at the proximal end of the elongate and transparent storage compartment; a pair of electrical contacts at a distal end of the cartridge; a heater at the distal end of the elongate and transparent storage compartment, wherein the heater comprises a heating chamber, a wick within the heating chamber, and a resistive heating element in thermal contact with the wick; and a channel within the elongate and transparent storage compartment extending through the liquid vaporizable material from the heater to the proximal end of the elongate and transparent storage compartment, wherein the channel is visible through the elongate and transparent storage compartment, further wherein the channel forms a fluid connection between the heating chamber and the opaque mouthpiece from which vaporized liquid vaporizable material may be inhaled; and a vaporizer, the vaporizer having: an elongate body having a distal end and a proximal end; a cartridge receptacle formed at the proximal end of the elongate body, wherein the cartridge receptacle has a proximal-facing opening into the distal end of the elongate body, further wherein the cartridge receptacle comprises a proximal edge around the distal-facing opening; an window though a side of the cartridge receptacle into the cartridge receptacle so that at least a portion of the elongate and transparent storage compartment and the channel is visible through the window when the cartridge is held within the cartridge receptacle; a pair of electrical contacts in a distal surface within the cartridge receptacle configured to connect to the pair of electrical contacts at the distal end of the cartridge when the cartridge is held within the cartridge receptacle; and a first magnetic coupling configured to magnetically secure the cartridge in the cartridge receptacle; and a second magnetic coupling at a distal end of the vaporizer configured to magnetically couple the vaporizer to a charger. In general the notch (e.g., cut-out region) on the window in the side of the elongate and opaque body may be any appropriate shape, including a rectangular, triangular, semi-circular, or oval (or any combination of these) cutout region, and the two may match or be different. The channel within the elongate and transparent storage compartment may be visible through the window when the cartridge is housed within the cartridge receptacle. Also described herein are cartridges in which the arrangement of contacts (e.g., between the cartridge and the vaporizer, are configured within a particular spacing regime to optimize the electrical and mechanical connection between the two, even when the cartridge is held within the user's mouth, and not supported (e.g., by a hand) at the more distal end region. For example, described herein are cartridge devices holding a vaporizable material for securely coupling with an electronic inhalable aerosol device. A device may include: a mouthpiece; a fluid storage compartment holding a vaporizable material; a base configured to fit into a rectangular opening that is between 13-14 mm deep, 4.5-5.5 mm wide, and 13-14 mm long, the base having a bottom surface comprising a first electrical contact and a second electrical contact, a first locking gap on a first lateral surface of the base, and a second locking gap on a second lateral surface of the base that is opposite first lateral surface. A cartridge device holding a vaporizable material for securely coupling with an electronic inhalable aerosol device may include: a mouthpiece; a fluid storage compartment holding a vaporizable material; a base configured to fit into a rectangular opening that is between 13-14 mm deep, 4.5-5.5 mm wide, and 13-14 mm long, the base having a length of at least 10 mm, and a bottom surface comprising a first electrical contact and a second electrical contact, a first locking gap on a first lateral surface of the base positioned between 3-4 mm above the bottom surface, and a second locking gap on a second lateral surface of the base that is opposite first lateral surface. In some variations, the device may further comprise a body that comprises at least one of: a power source, a printed circuit board, a switch, and a temperature regulator. The device may further comprise a temperature regulator in communication with a temperature sensor. The temperature sensor may be the heater. The power source may be rechargeable. The power source may be removable. The oven may further comprise an access lid. The vapor forming medium may comprise tobacco. The vapor forming medium may comprise a botanical. The vapor forming medium may be heated in the oven chamber wherein the vapor forming medium may comprise a humectant to produce the vapor, wherein the vapor comprises a gas phase humectant. The vapor may be mixed in the condensation chamber with air from the aeration vent to produce the inhalable aerosol comprising particle diameters of average size of about 1 micron. The vapor forming medium may be heated in the oven chamber, wherein the vapor is mixed in the condensation chamber with air from the aeration vent to produce the inhalable aerosol comprising particle diameters of average size of less than or equal to 0.9 micron. The vapor forming medium may be heated in the oven chamber, wherein the vapor is mixed in the condensation chamber with air from the aeration vent to produce the inhalable aerosol comprising particle diameters of average size of less than or equal to 0.8 micron. The vapor forming medium may be heated in the oven chamber, wherein the vapor is mixed in the condensation chamber with air from the aeration vent to produce the inhalable aerosol comprising particle diameters of average size of less than or equal to 0.7 micron. The vapor forming medium may be heated in the oven chamber, wherein the vapor is mixed in the condensation chamber with air from the aeration vent to produce the inhalable aerosol comprising particle diameters of average size of less than or equal to 0.6 micron. The vapor forming medium may be heated in the oven chamber, wherein the vapor is mixed in the condensation chamber with air from the aeration vent to produce the inhalable aerosol comprising particle diameters of average size of less than or equal to 0.5 micron. In some variations, the humectant may comprise glycerol as a vapor-forming medium. The humectant may comprise vegetable glycerol. The humectant may comprise propylene glycol. The humectant may comprise a ratio of vegetable glycerol to propylene glycol. The ratio may be about 100:0 vegetable glycerol to propylene glycol. The ratio may be about 90:10 vegetable glycerol to propylene glycol. The ratio may be about 80:20 vegetable glycerol to propylene glycol. The ratio may be about 70:30 vegetable glycerol to propylene glycol. The ratio may be about 60:40 vegetable glycerol to propylene glycol. The ratio may be about 50:50 vegetable glycerol to propylene glycol. The humectant may comprise a flavorant. The vapor forming medium may be heated to its pyrolytic temperature. The vapor forming medium may heated to 200° C. at most. The vapor forming medium may be heated to 160° C. at most. The inhalable aerosol may be cooled to a temperature of about 50°-70° C. at most, before exiting the aerosol outlet of the mouthpiece. Also described herein are methods for generating an inhalable aerosol. Such a method may comprise: providing an inhalable aerosol generating device wherein the device comprises: an oven comprising an oven chamber and a heater for heating a vapor forming medium in the oven chamber and for forming a vapor therein; a condenser comprising a condensation chamber in which the vapor forms the inhalable aerosol; an air inlet that originates a first airflow path that includes the oven chamber; and an aeration vent that originates a second airflow path that allows air from the aeration vent to join the first airflow path prior to or within the condensation chamber and downstream from the oven chamber thereby forming a joined path, wherein the joined path is configured to deliver the inhalable aerosol formed in the condensation chamber to a user. The oven may be within a body of the device. The device may further comprise a mouthpiece, wherein the mouthpiece comprises at least one of the air inlet, the aeration vent, and the condenser. The mouthpiece may be separable from the oven. The mouthpiece may be integral to a body of the device, wherein the body comprises the oven. The method may further comprise a body that comprises the oven, the condenser, the air inlet, and the aeration vent. The mouthpiece may be separable from the body. The oven chamber may comprise an oven chamber inlet and an oven chamber outlet, and the oven further comprises a first valve at the oven chamber inlet, and a second valve at the oven chamber outlet. The vapor forming medium may comprise tobacco. The vapor forming medium may comprise a botanical. The vapor forming medium may be heated in the oven chamber wherein the vapor forming medium may comprise a humectant to produce the vapor, wherein the vapor comprises a gas phase humectant. The vapor may comprise particle diameters of average mass of about 1 micron. The vapor may comprise particle diameters of average mass of about 0.9 micron. The vapor may comprise particle diameters of average mass of about 0.8 micron. The vapor may comprise particle diameters of average mass of about 0.7 micron. The vapor may comprise particle diameters of average mass of about 0.6 micron. The vapor may comprise particle diameters of average mass of about 0.5 micron. In some variations, the humectant may comprise glycerol as a vapor-forming medium. The humectant may comprise vegetable glycerol. The humectant may comprise propylene glycol. The humectant may comprise a ratio of vegetable glycerol to propylene glycol. The ratio may be about 100:0 vegetable glycerol to propylene glycol. The ratio may be about 90:10 vegetable glycerol to propylene glycol. The ratio may be about 80:20 vegetable glycerol to propylene glycol. The ratio may be about 70:30 vegetable glycerol to propylene glycol. The ratio may be about 60:40 vegetable glycerol to propylene glycol. The ratio may be about 50:50 vegetable glycerol to propylene glycol. The humectant may comprise a flavorant. The vapor forming medium may be heated to its pyrolytic temperature. The vapor forming medium may heated to 200° C. at most. The vapor forming medium may be heated to 160° C. at most. The inhalable aerosol may be cooled to a temperature of about 50°-70° C. at most, before exiting the aerosol outlet of the mouthpiece. The device may be user serviceable. The device may not be user serviceable. A method for generating an inhalable aerosol may include: providing a vaporization device, wherein said device produces a vapor comprising particle diameters of average mass of about 1 micron or less, wherein said vapor is formed by heating a vapor forming medium in an oven chamber to a first temperature below the pyrolytic temperature of said vapor forming medium, and cooling said vapor in a condensation chamber to a second temperature below the first temperature, before exiting an aerosol outlet of said device. A method of manufacturing a device for generating an inhalable aerosol may include: providing said device comprising a mouthpiece comprising an aerosol outlet at a first end of the device; an oven comprising an oven chamber and a heater for heating a vapor forming medium in the oven chamber and for forming a vapor therein, a condenser comprising a condensation chamber in which the vapor forms the inhalable aerosol, an air inlet that originates a first airflow path that includes the oven chamber and then the condensation chamber, an aeration vent that originates a second airflow path that joins the first airflow path prior to or within the condensation chamber after the vapor is formed in the oven chamber, wherein the joined first airflow path and second airflow path are configured to deliver the inhalable aerosol formed in the condensation chamber through the aerosol outlet of the mouthpiece to a user. The method may further comprise providing the device comprising a power source or battery, a printed circuit board, a temperature regulator or operational switches. A device for generating an inhalable aerosol may comprise a mouthpiece comprising an aerosol outlet at a first end of the device and an air inlet that originates a first airflow path; an oven comprising an oven chamber that is in the first airflow path and includes the oven chamber and a heater for heating a vapor forming medium in the oven chamber and for forming a vapor therein; a condenser comprising a condensation chamber in which the vapor forms the inhalable aerosol; and an aeration vent that originates a second airflow path that allows air from the aeration vent to join the first airflow path prior to or within the condensation chamber and downstream from the oven chamber thereby forming a joined path, wherein the joined path is configured to deliver the inhalable aerosol formed in the condensation chamber through the aerosol outlet of the mouthpiece to a user. A device for generating an inhalable aerosol may comprise: a mouthpiece comprising an aerosol outlet at a first end of the device, an air inlet that originates a first airflow path, and an aeration vent that originates a second airflow path that allows air from the aeration vent to join the first airflow path; an oven comprising an oven chamber that is in the first airflow path and includes the oven chamber and a heater for heating a vapor forming medium in the oven chamber and for forming a vapor therein; and a condenser comprising a condensation chamber in which the vapor forms the inhalable aerosol and wherein air from the aeration vent joins the first airflow path prior to or within the condensation chamber and downstream from the oven chamber thereby forming a joined path, wherein the joined path is configured to deliver the inhalable aerosol through the aerosol outlet of the mouthpiece to a user. A device for generating an inhalable aerosol may comprise: a device body comprising a cartridge receptacle; a cartridge comprising: a fluid storage compartment, and a channel integral to an exterior surface of the cartridge, and an air inlet passage formed by the channel and an internal surface of the cartridge receptacle when the cartridge is inserted into the cartridge receptacle; wherein the channel forms a first side of the air inlet passage, and an internal surface of the cartridge receptacle forms a second side of the air inlet passage. A device for generating an inhalable aerosol may comprise: a device body comprising a cartridge receptacle; a cartridge comprising: a fluid storage compartment, and a channel integral to an exterior surface of the cartridge, and an air inlet passage formed by the channel and an internal surface of the cartridge receptacle when the cartridge is inserted into the cartridge receptacle; wherein the channel forms a first side of the air inlet passage, and an internal surface of the cartridge receptacle forms a second side of the air inlet passage. The channel may comprise at least one of a groove, a trough, a depression, a dent, a furrow, a trench, a crease, and a gutter. The integral channel may comprise walls that are either recessed into the surface or protrude from the surface where it is formed. The internal side walls of the channel may form additional sides of the air inlet passage. The cartridge may further comprise a second air passage in fluid communication with the air inlet passage to the fluid storage compartment, wherein the second air passage is formed through the material of the cartridge. The cartridge may further comprise a heater. The heater may be attached to a first end of the cartridge. The heater may comprise a heater chamber, a first pair of heater contacts, a fluid wick, and a resistive heating element in contact with the wick, wherein the first pair of heater contacts comprise thin plates affixed about the sides of the heater chamber, and wherein the fluid wick and resistive heating element are suspended there between. The first pair of heater contacts may further comprise a formed shape that comprises a tab having a flexible spring value that extends out of the heater to couple to complete a circuit with the device body. The first pair of heater contacts may be a heat sink that absorbs and dissipates excessive heat produced by the resistive heating element. The first pair of heater contacts may contact a heat shield that protects the heater chamber from excessive heat produced by the resistive heating element. The first pair of heater contacts may be press-fit to an attachment feature on the exterior wall of the first end of the cartridge. The heater may enclose a first end of the cartridge and a first end of the fluid storage compartment. The heater may comprise a first condensation chamber. The heater may comprise more than one first condensation chamber. The first condensation chamber may be formed along an exterior wall of the cartridge. The cartridge may further comprise a mouthpiece. The mouthpiece may be attached to a second end of the cartridge. The mouthpiece may comprise a second condensation chamber. The mouthpiece may comprise more than one second condensation chamber. The second condensation chamber may be formed along an exterior wall of the cartridge. The cartridge may comprise a first condensation chamber and a second condensation chamber. The first condensation chamber and the second condensation chamber may be in fluid communication. The mouthpiece may comprise an aerosol outlet in fluid communication with the second condensation chamber. The mouthpiece may comprise more than one aerosol outlet in fluid communication with more than one the second condensation chamber. The mouthpiece may enclose a second end of the cartridge and a second end of the fluid storage compartment. The device may comprise an airflow path comprising an air inlet passage, a second air passage, a heater chamber, a first condensation chamber, a second condensation chamber, and an aerosol outlet. The airflow path may comprise more than one air inlet passage, a heater chamber, more than one first condensation chamber, more than one second condensation chamber, more than one second condensation chamber, and more than one aerosol outlet. The heater may be in fluid communication with the fluid storage compartment. The fluid storage compartment may be capable of retaining condensed aerosol fluid. The condensed aerosol fluid may comprise a nicotine formulation. The condensed aerosol fluid may comprise a humectant. The humectant may comprise propylene glycol. The humectant may comprise vegetable glycerin. The cartridge may be detachable. The cartridge may be receptacle and the detachable cartridge forms a separable coupling. The separable coupling may comprise a friction assembly, a snap-fit assembly or a magnetic assembly. The cartridge may comprise a fluid storage compartment, a heater affixed to a first end with a snap-fit coupling, and a mouthpiece affixed to a second end with a snap-fit coupling. A device for generating an inhalable aerosol may comprise: a device body comprising a cartridge receptacle for receiving a cartridge; wherein an interior surface of the cartridge receptacle forms a first side of an air inlet passage when a cartridge comprising a channel integral to an exterior surface is inserted into the cartridge receptacle, and wherein the channel forms a second side of the air inlet passage. A device for generating an inhalable aerosol may comprise: a device body comprising a cartridge receptacle for receiving a cartridge; wherein the cartridge receptacle comprises a channel integral to an interior surface and forms a first side of an air inlet passage when a cartridge is inserted into the cartridge receptacle, and wherein an exterior surface of the cartridge forms a second side of the air inlet passage. A cartridge for a device for generating an inhalable aerosol may include: a fluid storage compartment; a channel integral to an exterior surface, wherein the channel forms a first side of an air inlet passage; and wherein an internal surface of a cartridge receptacle in the device forms a second side of the air inlet passage when the cartridge is inserted into the cartridge receptacle. A cartridge for a device for generating an inhalable aerosol may comprise: a fluid storage compartment, wherein an exterior surface of the cartridge forms a first side of an air inlet channel when inserted into a device body comprising a cartridge receptacle, and wherein the cartridge receptacle further comprises a channel integral to an interior surface, and wherein the channel forms a second side of the air inlet passage. The cartridge may further comprise a second air passage in fluid communication with the channel, wherein the second air passage is formed through the material of the cartridge from an exterior surface of the cartridge to the fluid storage compartment. The cartridge may comprise at least one of: a groove, a trough, a depression, a dent, a furrow, a trench, a crease, and a gutter. The integral channel may comprise walls that are either recessed into the surface or protrude from the surface where it is formed. The internal side walls of the channel may form additional sides of the air inlet passage. A device for generating an inhalable aerosol may comprise: a cartridge comprising; a fluid storage compartment; a heater affixed to a first end comprising; a first heater contact, a resistive heating element affixed to the first heater contact; a device body comprising; a cartridge receptacle for receiving the cartridge; a second heater contact adapted to receive the first heater contact and to complete a circuit; a power source connected to the second heater contact; a printed circuit board (PCB) connected to the power source and the second heater contact; wherein the PCB is configured to detect the absence of fluid based on the measured resistance of the resistive heating element, and turn off the device. The printed circuit board (PCB) may comprise a microcontroller; switches; circuitry comprising a reference resister; and an algorithm comprising logic for control parameters; wherein the microcontroller cycles the switches at fixed intervals to measure the resistance of the resistive heating element relative to the reference resistor, and applies the algorithm control parameters to control the temperature of the resistive heating element. The micro-controller may instruct the device to turn itself off when the resistance exceeds the control parameter threshold indicating that the resistive heating element is dry. A cartridge for a device for generating an inhalable aerosol may comprise: a fluid storage compartment; a heater affixed to a first end comprising: a heater chamber, a first pair of heater contacts, a fluid wick, and a resistive heating element in contact with the wick; wherein the first pair of heater contacts comprise thin plates affixed about the sides of the heater chamber, and wherein the fluid wick and resistive heating element are suspended there between. The first pair of heater contacts may further comprise: a formed shape that comprises a tab having a flexible spring value that extends out of the heater to complete a circuit with the device body. The heater contacts may be configured to mate with a second pair of heater contacts in a cartridge receptacle of the device body to complete a circuit. The first pair of heater contacts may also be a heat sink that absorbs and dissipates excessive heat produced by the resistive heating element. The first pair of heater contacts may be a heat shield that protect the heater chamber from excessive heat produced by the resistive heating element. A cartridge for a device for generating an inhalable aerosol may comprise: a heater comprising; a heater chamber, a pair of thin plate heater contacts therein, a fluid wick positioned between the heater contacts, and a resistive heating element in contact with the wick; wherein the heater contacts each comprise a fixation site wherein the resistive heating element is tensioned therebetween. A cartridge for a device for generating an inhalable aerosol may comprise a heater, wherein the heater is attached to a first end of the cartridge. The heater may enclose a first end of the cartridge and a first end of the fluid storage compartment. The heater may comprise more than one first condensation chamber. The heater may comprise a first condensation chamber. The condensation chamber may be formed along an exterior wall of the cartridge. A cartridge for a device for generating an inhalable aerosol may comprise a fluid storage compartment; and a mouthpiece, wherein the mouthpiece is attached to a second end of the cartridge. The mouthpiece may enclose a second end of the cartridge and a second end of the fluid storage compartment. The mouthpiece may comprise a second condensation chamber. The mouthpiece may comprise more than one second condensation chamber. The second condensation chamber may be formed along an exterior wall of the cartridge. A cartridge for a device for generating an inhalable aerosol may comprise: a fluid storage compartment; a heater affixed to a first end; and a mouthpiece affixed to a second end; wherein the heater comprises a first condensation chamber and the mouthpiece comprises a second condensation chamber. The heater may comprise more than one first condensation chamber and the mouthpiece comprises more than one second condensation chamber. The first condensation chamber and the second condensation chamber may be in fluid communication. The mouthpiece may comprise an aerosol outlet in fluid communication with the second condensation chamber. The mouthpiece may comprise two to more aerosol outlets. The cartridge may meet ISO recycling standards. The cartridge may meet ISO recycling standards for plastic waste. A device for generating an inhalable aerosol may comprise: a device body comprising a cartridge receptacle; and a detachable cartridge; wherein the cartridge receptacle and the detachable cartridge form a separable coupling, wherein the separable coupling comprises a friction assembly, a snap-fit assembly or a magnetic assembly. A method of fabricating a device for generating an inhalable aerosol may comprise: providing a device body comprising a cartridge receptacle; and providing a detachable cartridge; wherein the cartridge receptacle and the detachable cartridge form a separable coupling comprising a friction assembly, a snap-fit assembly or a magnetic assembly. A method of fabricating a cartridge for a device for generating an inhalable aerosol may comprise: providing a fluid storage compartment; affixing a heater to a first end with a snap-fit coupling; and affixing a mouthpiece to a second end with a snap-fit coupling. A cartridge for a device for generating an inhalable aerosol with an airflow path may include: a channel comprising a portion of an air inlet passage; a second air passage in fluid communication with the channel; a heater chamber in fluid communication with the second air passage; a first condensation chamber in fluid communication with the heater chamber; a second condensation chamber in fluid communication with the first condensation chamber; and an aerosol outlet in fluid communication with second condensation chamber. A cartridge for a device for generating an inhalable aerosol may comprise: a fluid storage compartment; a heater affixed to a first end; and a mouthpiece affixed to a second end; wherein said mouthpiece comprises two or more aerosol outlets. A system for providing power to an electronic device for generating an inhalable vapor may comprise; a rechargeable power storage device housed within the electronic device for generating an inhalable vapor; two or more pins that are accessible from an exterior surface of the electronic device for generating an inhalable vapor, wherein the charging pins are in electrical communication with the rechargeable power storage device; a charging cradle comprising two or more charging contacts configured to provided power to the rechargeable storage device, wherein the device charging pins are reversible such that the device is charged in the charging cradle for charging with a first charging pin on the device in contact a first charging contact on the charging cradle and a second charging pin on the device in contact with second charging contact on the charging cradle and with the first charging pin on the device in contact with second charging contact on the charging cradle and the second charging pin on the device in contact with the first charging contact on the charging cradle. The charging pins may be visible on an exterior housing of the device. The user may permanently disable the device by opening the housing. The user may permanently destroy the device by opening the housing. Additional aspects and advantages of the present disclosure will become readily apparent to those skilled in this art from the following detailed description, wherein only illustrative embodiments of the present disclosure are shown and described. As will be realized, the present disclosure is capable of other and different embodiments, and its several details are capable of modifications in various obvious respects, all without departing from the disclosure. Accordingly, the drawings and description are to be regarded as illustrative in nature, and not as restrictive. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is an illustrative cross-sectional view of an exemplary vaporization device. FIG. 2 is an illustrative cross-sectional view of an exemplary vaporization device with various electronic features and valves. FIG. 3 is an illustrative sectional view of another exemplary vaporization device comprising a condensation chamber, air inlet and aeration vent in the mouthpiece. FIGS. 4A-4C is an illustrative example of an oven section of another exemplary vaporization device configuration with an access lid, comprising an oven having an air inlet, air outlet, and an additional aeration vent in the airflow pathway, after the oven. FIG. 5 is an illustrative isometric view of an assembled inhalable aerosol device. FIGS. 6A-6D are illustrative arrangements and section views of the device body and sub-components. FIG. 7A is an illustrative isometric view of an assembled cartridge. FIG. 7B is an illustrative exploded isometric view of a cartridge assembly FIG. 7C is a side section view of FIG. 3A illustrating the inlet channel, inlet hole and relative placement of the wick, resistive heating element, and heater contacts, and the heater chamber inside of the heater. FIG. 8A is an illustrative end section view of an exemplary cartridge inside the heater. FIG. 8B is an illustrative side view of the cartridge with the cap removed and heater shown in shadow/outline. FIGS. 9A-9L are an illustrative sequence of the assembly method for the cartridge. FIGS. 10A-10C are illustrative sequences showing the airflow/vapor path for the cartridge. FIGS. 11-13 represent an illustrative assembly sequence for assembling the main components of the device. FIG. 14 illustrates front, side and section views of the assembled inhalable aerosol device. FIG. 15 is an illustrative view of an activated, assembled inhalable aerosol device. FIGS. 16A-16C are representative illustrations of a charging device for the aerosol device and the application of the charger with the device. FIGS. 17A and 17B are representative illustrations of a proportional-integral-derivative controller (PID) block diagram and circuit diagram representing the essential components in a device to control coil temperature. FIG. 18 is a device with charging contacts visible from an exterior housing of the device. FIG. 19 is an exploded view of a charging assembly of a device. FIG. 20 is a detailed view of a charging assembly of a device. FIG. 21 is a detailed view of charging pins in a charging assembly of a device. FIG. 22 is a device in a charging cradle. FIG. 23 is a circuit provided on a PCB configured to permit a device to comprise reversible charging contacts. FIGS. 24A and 24B show top and bottom perspective views, respectively of a cartridge device holding a vaporizable material for securely coupling with an electronic inhalable aerosol device as described herein. FIGS. 25A and 25B show front a side views, respectively, of the cartridge of FIGS. 24A-24B. FIG. 26A shows a section through a cartridge device holding a vaporizable material for securely coupling with an electronic inhalable aerosol device and indicates exemplary dimensions (in mm). FIG. 26B shows a side view of the cartridge of FIG. 26A, indicating where the sectional view of FIG. 26A was taken. FIGS. 27A and 27B show an exemplary vaporizer device without a cartridge attached. FIG. 27A is a side view and FIG. 27B shows a sectional view with exemplary dimensions of the rectangular opening for holding and making electrical contact with a cartridge. FIG. 28A shows a perspective view of a vaporizer coupled to a cartridge as described herein. FIG. 28B shows a side view of the vaporizer of FIG. 28A. FIG. 28C shows a sectional view through the vaporizer of FIG. 28B taken through the dashed line. FIG. 28D is an enlarged view of the region showing the electrical and mechanical connection between the cartridge and the vaporizer indicted by the circular region D. FIGS. 29A-29H illustrate side profiles of alternative variations of cartridges as described herein. FIG. 30 is an exploded view of one example of a cartridge, including a reservoir, for an electronic cigarette. FIGS. 31A-31L show cartridges for use with a vaporizer device that each include an opaque mouthpiece that is secured over the proximal end of the transparent storage compartment, and one or more notches in the front side of the mouthpiece that exposes a region of the storage compartment beneath the mouthpiece. In FIGS. 31A-31L the central cannula passing through the storage compartment is visible through the notch and the region below the opaque mouthpiece. FIG. 32 and FIGS. 33A-33E illustrate exemplary vaporizer apparatuses including a cartridge and a vaporizer; the cartridge is mated in a cartridge receptacle at the proximal end of a vaporizer. The cartridge has an opaque mouthpiece over a storage compartment holding a vaporizable material; the inside of the storage compartment is visible through the storage compartment and a notch in the mouthpiece that mates with a notch through the cartridge receptacle at the proximal end of the vaporizer. FIG. 32 is a perspective front view of the apparatus. FIG. 33A is a top view of the proximal end, showing the mouthpiece. FIG. 33B is a bottom view of the distal end. FIGS. 33C-33E are front, side and back views, respectively, of the apparatus. FIGS. 34A-34L illustrate examples of vaporizer devices similar to that shown in FIG. 33A-33E, in which the notched regions of the cartridge and the vaporizer are different, but provide a window into the inside of the storage compartment, showing the central cannula and the level of any fluid vaporizable material therein. DETAILED DESCRIPTION Provided herein are systems and methods for generating a vapor from a material. The vapor may be delivered for inhalation by a user. The material may be a solid, liquid, powder, solution, paste, gel, or any a material with any other physical consistency. The vapor may be delivered to the user for inhalation by a vaporization device. The vaporization device may be a handheld vaporization device. The vaporization device may be held in one hand by the user. The vaporization device may comprise one or more heating elements the heating element may be a resistive heating element. The heating element may heat the material such that the temperature of the material increases. Vapor may be generated as a result of heating the material. Energy may be required to operate the heating element, the energy may be derived from a battery in electrical communication with the heating element. Alternatively a chemical reaction (e.g., combustion or other exothermic reaction) may provide energy to the heating element. One or more aspects of the vaporization device may be designed and/or controlled in order to deliver a vapor with one or more specified properties to the user. For example, aspects of the vaporization device that may be designed and/or controlled to deliver the vapor with specified properties may comprise the heating temperature, heating mechanism, device air inlets, internal volume of the device, and/or composition of the material. In some cases, a vaporization device may have an “atomizer” or “cartomizer” configured to heat an aerosol forming solution (e.g., vaporizable material). The aerosol forming solution may comprise glycerin and/or propylene glycol. The vaporizable material may be heated to a sufficient temperature such that it may vaporize. An atomizer may be a device or system configured to generate an aerosol. The atomizer may comprise a small heating element configured to heat and/or vaporize at least a portion of the vaporizable material and a wicking material that may draw a liquid vaporizable material in to the atomizer. The wicking material may comprise silica fibers, cotton, ceramic, hemp, stainless steel mesh, and/or rope cables. The wicking material may be configured to draw the liquid vaporizable material in to the atomizer without a pump or other mechanical moving part. A resistance wire may be wrapped around the wicking material and then connected to a positive and negative pole of a current source (e.g., energy source). The resistance wire may be a coil. When the resistance wire is activated the resistance wire (or coil) may have a temperature increase as a result of the current flowing through the resistive wire to generate heat. The heat may be transferred to at least a portion of the vaporizable material through conductive, convective, and/or radiative heat transfer such that at least a portion of the vaporizable material vaporizes. Alternatively or in addition to the atomizer, the vaporization device may comprise a “cartomizer” to generate an aerosol from the vaporizable material for inhalation by the user. The cartomizer may comprise a cartridge and an atomizer. The cartomizer may comprise a heating element surrounded by a liquid-soaked poly-foam that acts as holder for the vaporiable material (e.g., the liquid). The cartomizer may be reusable, rebuildable, refillable, and/or disposable. The cartomizer may be used with a tank for extra storage of a vaporizable material. Air may be drawn into the vaporization device to carry the vaporized aerosol away from the heating element, where it then cools and condenses to form liquid particles suspended in air, which may then be drawn out of the mouthpiece by the user. The vaporization of at least a portion of the vaporizable material may occur at lower temperatures in the vaporization device compared to temperatures required to generate an inhalable vapor in a cigarette. A cigarette may be a device in which a smokable material is burned to generate an inhalable vapor. The lower temperature of the vaporization device may result in less decomposition and/or reaction of the vaporized material, and therefore produce an aerosol with many fewer chemical components compared to a cigarette. In some cases, the vaporization device may generate an aerosol with fewer chemical components that may be harmful to human health compared to a cigarette. Additionally, the vaporization device aerosol particles may undergo nearly complete evaporation in the heating process, the nearly complete evaporation may yield an average particle size (e.g., diameter) value that may be smaller than the average particle size in tobacco or botanical based effluent. A vaporization device may be a device configured to extract for inhalation one or more active ingredients of plant material, tobacco, and/or a botanical, or other herbs or blends. A vaporization device may be used with pure chemicals and/or humectants that may or may not be mixed with plant material. Vaporization may be alternative to burning (smoking) that may avoid the inhalation of many irritating and/or toxic carcinogenic by-products which may result from the pyrolytic process of burning tobacco or botanical products above 300° C. The vaporization device may operate at a temperature at or below 300° C. A vaporizer (e.g., vaporization device) may not have an atomizer or cartomizer. Instead the device may comprise an oven. The oven may be at least partially closed. The oven may have a closable opening. The oven may be wrapped with a heating element, alternatively the heating element may be in thermal communication with the oven through another mechanism. A vaporizable material may be placed directly in the oven or in a cartridge fitted in the oven. The heating element in thermal communication with the oven may heat a vaporizable material mass in order to create a gas phase vapor. The heating element may heat the vaporizable material through conductive, convective, and/or radiative heat transfer. The vapor may be released to a vaporization chamber where the gas phase vapor may condense, forming an aerosol cloud having typical liquid vapor particles with particles having a diameter of average mass of approximately 1 micron or greater. In some cases the diameter of average mass may be approximately 0.1-1 micron. A used herein, the term “vapor” may generally refer to a substance in the gas phase at a temperature lower than its critical point. The vapor may be condensed to a liquid or to a solid by increasing its pressure without reducing the temperature. As used herein, the term “aerosol” may generally refer to a colloid of fine solid particles or liquid droplets in air or another gas. Examples of aerosols may include clouds, haze, and smoke, including the smoke from tobacco or botanical products. The liquid or solid particles in an aerosol may have varying diameters of average mass that may range from monodisperse aerosols, producible in the laboratory, and containing particles of uniform size; to polydisperse colloidal systems, exhibiting a range of particle sizes. As the sizes of these particles become larger, they have a greater settling speed which causes them to settle out of the aerosol faster, making the appearance of the aerosol less dense and to shorten the time in which the aerosol will linger in air. Interestingly, an aerosol with smaller particles will appear thicker or denser because it has more particles. Particle number has a much bigger impact on light scattering than particle size (at least for the considered ranges of particle size), thus allowing for a vapor cloud with many more smaller particles to appear denser than a cloud having fewer, but larger particle sizes. As used herein the term “humectant” may generally refer to as a substance that is used to keep things moist. A humectant may attract and retain moisture in the air by absorption, allowing the water to be used by other substances. Humectants are also commonly used in many tobaccos or botanicals and electronic vaporization products to keep products moist and as vapor-forming medium. Examples include propylene glycol, sugar polyols such as glycerol, glycerin, and honey. Rapid Aeration In some cases, the vaporization device may be configured to deliver an aerosol with a high particle density. The particle density of the aerosol may refer to the number of the aerosol droplets relative to the volume of air (or other dry gas) between the aerosol droplets. A dense aerosol may easily be visible to a user. In some cases the user may inhale the aerosol and at least a fraction of the aerosol particles may impinge on the lungs and/or mouth of the user. The user may exhale residual aerosol after inhaling the aerosol. When the aerosol is dense the residual aerosol may have sufficient particle density such that the exhaled aerosol is visible to the user. In some cases, a user may prefer the visual effect and/or mouth feel of a dense aerosol. A vaporization device may comprise a vaporizable material. The vaporizable material may be contained in a cartridge or the vaporizable material may be loosely placed in one or more cavities the vaporization device. A heating element may be provided in the device to elevate the temperature of the vaporizable material such that at least a portion of the vaporizable material forms a vapor. The heating element may heat the vaporizable material by convective heat transfer, conductive heat transfer, and/or radiative heat transfer. The heating element may heat the cartridge and/or the cavity in which the vaporizable material is stored. Vapor formed upon heating the vaporizable material may be delivered to the user. The vapor may be transported through the device from a first position in the device to a second position in the device. In some cases, the first position may be a location where at least a portion of the vapor was generated, for example, the cartridge or cavity or an area adjacent to the cartridge or cavity. The second position may be a mouthpiece. The user may suck on the mouthpiece to inhale the vapor. At least a fraction of the vapor may condense after the vapor is generated and before the vapor is inhaled by the user. The vapor may condense in a condensation chamber. The condensation chamber may be a portion of the device that the vapor passes through before delivery to the user. In some cases, the device may include at least one aeration vent, placed in the condensation chamber of the vaporization device. The aeration vent may be configured to introduce ambient air (or other gas) into the vaporization chamber. The air introduced into the vaporization chamber may have a temperature lower than the temperature of a gas and/or gas/vapor mixture in the condensation chamber. Introduction of the relatively lower temperature gas into the vaporization chamber may provide rapid cooling of the heated gas vapor mixture that was generated by heating the vaporizable material. Rapid cooling of the gas vapor mixture may generate a dense aerosol comprising a high concentration of liquid droplets having a smaller diameter and/or smaller average mass compared to an aerosol that is not rapidly cooled prior to inhalation by the user. An aerosol with a high concentration of liquid droplets having a smaller diameter and/or smaller average mass compared to an aerosol that is not rapidly cooled prior to inhalation by the user may be formed in a two-step process. The first step may occur in the oven chamber where the vaporizable material (e.g., tobacco and/or botanical and humectant blend) may be heated to an elevated temperature. At the elevated temperature, evaporation may happen faster than at room temperature and the oven chamber may fill with the vapor phase of the humectants. The humectant may continue to evaporate until the partial pressure of the humectant is equal to the saturation pressure. At this point, the gas is said to have a saturation ratio of 1 (S=Ppartial/P sat). In the second step, the gas (e.g., vapor and air) may exit the oven and enter a condenser or condensation chamber and begin to cool. As the gas phase vapor cools, the saturation pressure may decrease. As the saturation pressure decreases, the saturation ratio may increase and the vapor may begin to condense, forming droplets. In some devices, with the absence of added cooling aeration, the cooling may be relatively slower such that high saturation pressures may not be reached, and the droplets that form in the devices without added cooling aeration may be relatively larger and fewer in numbers. When cooler air is introduced, a temperature gradient may be formed between the cooler air and the relatively warmer gas in the device. Mixing between the cooler air and the relatively warmer gas in a confined space inside of the vaporization device may lead to rapid cooling. The rapid cooling may generate high saturation ratios, small particles, and high concentrations of smaller particles, forming a thicker, denser vapor cloud compared to particles generated in a device without the aeration vents. For the purpose of this disclosure, when referring to ratios of humectants such as vegetable glycerol or propylene glycol, “about” means a variation of 5%, 10%, 20% or 25% depending on the embodiment. For the purpose of this disclosure, when referring to a diameter of average mass in particle sizes, “about” means a variation of 5%, 10%, 20% or 25% depending on the embodiment. A vaporization device configured to rapidly cool a vapor may comprise: a mouthpiece comprising an aerosol outlet at a first end of the device; an oven comprising an oven chamber and a heater for heating a vapor forming medium in the oven chamber and for forming a vapor therein; a condenser comprising a condensation chamber in which the vapor forms the inhalable aerosol; an air inlet that originates a first airflow path that includes the oven chamber and then the condensation chamber, an aeration vent that originates a second airflow path that joins the first airflow path prior to or within the condensation chamber after the vapor is formed in the oven chamber, wherein the joined first airflow path and second airflow path are configured to deliver the inhalable aerosol formed in the condensation chamber through the aerosol outlet of the mouthpiece to a user. In some embodiments, the oven is within a body of the device. The oven chamber may comprise an oven chamber inlet and an oven chamber outlet. The oven may further comprise a first valve at the oven chamber inlet, and a second valve at the oven chamber outlet. The oven may be contained within a device housing. In some cases the body of the device may comprise the aeration vent and/or the condenser. The body of the device may comprise one or more air inlets. The body of the device may comprise a housing that holds and/or at least partially contains one or more elements of the device. The mouthpiece may be connected to the body. The mouthpiece may be connected to the oven. The mouthpiece may be connected to a housing that at least partially encloses the oven. In some cases, the mouthpiece may be separable from the oven, the body, and/or the housing that at least partially encloses the oven. The mouthpiece may comprise at least one of the air inlet, the aeration vent, and the condenser. The mouthpiece may be integral to the body of the device. The body of the device may comprise the oven. In some cases, the one or more aeration vents may comprise a valve. The valve may regulate a flow rate of air entering the device through the aeration vent. The valve may be controlled through a mechanical and/or electrical control system. A vaporization device configured to rapidly cool a vapor may comprise: a body, a mouthpiece, an aerosol outlet, a condenser with a condensation chamber, a heater, an oven with an oven chamber, a primary airflow inlet, and at least one aeration vent provided in the body, downstream of the oven, and upstream of the mouthpiece. FIG. 1 shows an example of a vaporization device configured to rapidly cool a vapor. The device 100, may comprise a body 101. The body may house and/or integrate with one or more components of the device. The body may house and/or integrate with a mouthpiece 102. The mouthpiece 102 may have an aerosol outlet 122. A user may inhale the generated aerosol through the aerosol outlet 122 on the mouthpiece 102. The body may house and/or integrate with an oven region 104. The oven region 104 may comprise an oven chamber where vapor forming medium 106 may be placed. The vapor forming medium may include tobacco and/or botanicals, with or without a secondary humectant. In some cases the vapor forming medium may be contained in a removable and/or refillable cartridge. Air may be drawn into the device through a primary air inlet 121. The primary air inlet 121 may be on an end of the device 100 opposite the mouthpiece 102. Alternatively, the primary air inlet 121 may be adjacent to the mouthpiece 102. In some cases, a pressure drop sufficient to pull air into the device through the primary air inlet 121 may be due to a user puffing on the mouthpiece 102. The vapor forming medium (e.g., vaporizable material) may be heated in the oven chamber by a heater 105, to generate elevated temperature gas phases (vapor) of the tobacco or botanical and humectant/vapor forming components. The heater 105 may transfer heat to the vapor forming medium through conductive, convective, and/or radiative heat transfer. The generated vapor may be drawn out of the oven region and into the condensation chamber 103a, of the condenser 103 where the vapors may begin to cool and condense into micro-particles or droplets suspended in air, thus creating the initial formation of an aerosol, before being drawn out of the mouthpiece through the aerosol outlet 122. In some cases, relatively cooler air may be introduced into the condensation chamber 103a, through an aeration vent 107 such that the vapor condenses more rapidly compared to a vapor in a device without the aeration vent 107. Rapidly cooling the vapor may create a denser aerosol cloud having particles with a diameter of average mass of less than or equal to about 1 micron, and depending on the mixture ratio of the vapor-forming humectant, particles with a diameter of average mass of less than or equal to about 0.5 micron Also described herein are devices for generating an inhalable aerosol said device comprising a body with a mouthpiece at one end, an attached body at the other end comprising a condensation chamber, a heater, an oven, wherein the oven comprises a first valve in the airflow path at the primary airflow inlet of the oven chamber, and a second valve at the outlet end of the oven chamber, and at least one aeration vent provided in the body, downstream of the oven, and upstream of the mouthpiece. FIG. 2 shows a diagram of an alternative embodiment of the vaporization device 200. The vaporization device may have a body 201. The body 201 may integrate with and/or contain one or more components of the device. The body may integrate with or be connected to a mouthpiece 202 The body may comprise an oven region 204, with an oven chamber 204a having a first constricting valve 208 in the primary air inlet of the oven chamber and a second constricting valve 209 at the oven chamber outlet. The oven chamber 204a may be sealed with a tobacco or botanical and/or humectant/vapor forming medium 206 therein. The seal may be an air tight and/or liquid tight seal. The heater may be provided to the oven chamber with a heater 205. The heater 205 may be in thermal communication with the oven, for example the heater may be surrounding the oven chamber during the vaporization process. Heater may contact the oven. The heater may be wrapped around the oven. Before inhalation and before air is drawn in through a primary air inlet 221, pressure may build in the sealed oven chamber as heat is continually added. The pressure may build due to a phase change of the vaporizable material. Elevated temperature gas phases (vapor) of the tobacco or botanical and humectant/vapor forming components may be achieved by continually adding heat to the oven. This heated pressurization process may generate even higher saturation ratios when the valves 208, 209 are opened during inhalation. The higher saturation ratios may cause relatively higher particle concentrations of gas phase humectant in the resultant aerosol. When the vapor is drawn out of the oven region and into the condensation chamber 203a of the condenser 203, for example by inhalation by the user, the gas phase humectant vapors may be exposed to additional air through an aeration vent 207, and the vapors may begin to cool and condense into droplets suspended in air. As described previously the aerosol may be drawn through the mouthpiece 222 by the user. This condensation process may be further refined by adding an additional valve 210, to the aeration vent 207 to further control the air-vapor mixture process. FIG. 2 also illustrates an exemplary embodiment of the additional components which would be found in a vaporizing device, including a power source or battery 211, a printed circuit board 212, a temperature regulator 213, and operational switches (not shown), housed within an internal electronics housing 214, to isolate them from the damaging effects of the moisture in the vapor and/or aerosol. The additional components may be found in a vaporizing device that may or may not comprise an aeration vent as described above. In some embodiments of the vaporization device, components of the device are user serviceable, such as the power source or battery. These components may be replaceable or rechargeable. Also described herein are devices for generating an inhalable aerosol said device comprising a first body, a mouthpiece having an aerosol outlet, a condensation chamber within a condenser and an airflow inlet and channel, an attached second body, comprising a heater and oven with an oven chamber, wherein said airflow channel is upstream of the oven and the mouthpiece outlet to provide airflow through the device, across the oven, and into the condensation chamber where an auxiliary aeration vent is provided. FIG. 3 shows a section view of a vaporization device 300. The device 300 may comprise a body 301. The body may be connected to or integral with a mouthpiece 302 at one end. The mouthpiece may comprise a condensation chamber 303a within a condenser section 303 and an airflow inlet 321 and air channel 323. The device body may comprise a proximally located oven 304 comprising an oven chamber 304a. The oven chamber may be in the body of the device. A vapor forming medium 306 (e.g., vaporizable material) comprising tobacco or botanical and humectant vapor forming medium may be placed in the oven. The vapor forming medium may be in direct contact with an air channel 323 from the mouthpiece. The tobacco or botanical may be heated by heater 305 surrounding the oven chamber, to generate elevated temperature gas phases (vapor) of the tobacco or botanical and humectant/vapor forming components and air drawn in through a primary air inlet 321, across the oven, and into the condensation chamber 303a of the condenser region 303 due to a user puffing on the mouthpiece. Once in the condensation chamber where the gas phase humectant vapors begin to cool and condense into droplets suspended in air, additional air is allowed to enter through aeration vent 307, thus, once again creating a denser aerosol cloud having particles with a diameter of average mass of less than a typical vaporization device without an added aeration vent, before being drawn out of the mouthpiece through the aerosol outlet 322. The device may comprises a mouthpiece comprising an aerosol outlet at a first end of the device and an air inlet that originates a first airflow path; an oven comprising an oven chamber that is in the first airflow path and includes the oven chamber and a heater for heating a vapor forming medium in the oven chamber and for forming a vapor therein, a condenser comprising a condensation chamber in which the vapor forms the inhalable aerosol, an aeration vent that originates a second airflow path that allows air from the aeration vent to join the first airflow path prior to or within the condensation chamber and downstream from the oven chamber thereby forming a joined path, wherein the joined path is configured to deliver the inhalable aerosol formed in the condensation chamber through the aerosol outlet of the mouthpiece to a user. The device may comprise a mouthpiece comprising an aerosol outlet at a first end of the device, an air inlet that originates a first airflow path, and an aeration vent that originates a second airflow path that allows air from the aeration vent to join the first airflow path; an oven comprising an oven chamber that is in the first airflow path and includes the oven chamber and a heater for heating a vapor forming medium in the oven chamber and for forming a vapor therein, a condenser comprising a condensation chamber in which the vapor forms the inhalable aerosol and wherein air from the aeration vent joins the first airflow path prior to or within the condensation chamber and downstream from the oven chamber thereby forming a joined path, wherein the joined path is configured to deliver the inhalable aerosol through the aerosol outlet of the mouthpiece to a user, as illustrated in exemplary FIG. 3. The device may comprise a body with one or more separable components. For example, the mouthpiece may be separably attached to the body comprising the condensation chamber, a heater, and an oven, as illustrated in exemplary FIG. 1 or 2. The device may comprise a body with one or more separable components. For example, the mouthpiece may be separably attached to the body. The mouthpiece may comprise the condensation chamber, and may be attached to or immediately adjacent to the oven and which is separable from the body comprising a heater, and the oven, as illustrated in exemplary FIG. 3. The at least one aeration vent may be located in the condensation chamber of the condenser, as illustrated in exemplary FIG. 1, 2, or 3. The at least one aeration vent may comprise a third valve in the airflow path of the at least one aeration vent, as illustrated in exemplary FIG. 2. The first, second and third valve is a check valve, a clack valve, a non-return valve, or a one-way valve. In any of the preceding variations, the first, second or third valve may be mechanically actuated, electronically actuated or manually actuated. One skilled in the art will recognize after reading this disclosure that this device may be modified in a way such that any one, or each of these openings or vents could be configured to have a different combination or variation of mechanisms as described to control airflow, pressure and temperature of the vapor created and aerosol being generated by these device configurations, including a manually operated opening or vent with or without a valve. The device may further comprise at least one of: a power source, a printed circuit board, a switch, and a temperature regulator. Alternately, one skilled in the art would recognize that each configuration previously described will also accommodate said power source (battery), switch, printed circuit board, or temperature regulator as appropriate, in the body. The device may be disposable when the supply of pre-packaged aerosol-forming media is exhausted. Alternatively, the device may be rechargeable such that the battery may be rechargeable or replaceable, and/or the aerosol-forming media may be refilled, by the user/operator of the device. Still further, the device may be rechargeable such that the battery may be rechargeable or replaceable, and/or the operator may also add or refill a tobacco or botanical component, in addition to a refillable or replaceable aerosol-forming media to the device. As illustrated in FIG. 1, 2 or 3, the vaporization device may comprise tobacco or a botanical heated in said oven chamber, wherein said tobacco or botanical further comprises humectants to produce an aerosol comprising gas phase components of the humectant and tobacco or botanical. The gas phase humectant and tobacco or botanical vapor produced by said heated aerosol forming media 106, 206, 306 may further be mixed with air from a special aeration vent 107, 207, 307 after exiting the oven area 104, 204, 304 and entering a condensation chamber 103a, 203a, 303a to cool and condense said gas phase vapors to produce a far denser, thicker aerosol comprising more particles than would have otherwise been produced without the extra cooling air, with a diameter of average mass of less than or equal to about 1 micron. Each aerosol configuration produced by mixing the gas phase vapors with the cool air may comprise a different range of particles, for example; with a diameter of average mass of less than or equal to about 0.9 micron; less than or equal to about 0.8 micron; less than or equal to about 0.7 micron; less than or equal to about 0.6 micron; and even an aerosol comprising particle diameters of average mass of less than or equal to about 0.5 micron. The possible variations and ranges of aerosol density are great in that the possible number of combinations of temperature, pressure, tobacco or botanical choices and humectant selections are numerous. However, by excluding the tobacco or botanical choices and limiting the temperatures ranges and the humectant ratios to those described herein, the inventor has demonstrated that this device will produce a far denser, thicker aerosol comprising more particles than would have otherwise been produced without the extra cooling air, with a diameter of average mass of less than or equal to about 1 micron. The humectant may comprise glycerol or vegetable glycerol as a vapor-forming medium. The humectant may comprise propylene glycol as a vapor-forming medium. In preferred embodiments, the humectant may comprise a ratio of vegetable glycerol to propylene glycol as a vapor-forming medium. The ranges of said ratio may vary between a ratio of about 100:0 vegetable glycerol to propylene glycol and a ratio of about 50:50 vegetable glycerol to propylene glycol. The difference in preferred ratios within the above stated range may vary by as little as 1, for example, said ratio may be about 99:1 vegetable glycerol to propylene glycol. However, more commonly said ratios would vary in increments of about 5, for example, about 95:5 vegetable glycerol to propylene glycol; or about 85:15 vegetable glycerol to propylene glycol; or about 55:45 vegetable glycerol to propylene glycol. In a preferred embodiment the ratio for the vapor forming medium will be between the ratios of about 80:20 vegetable glycerol to propylene glycol, and about 60:40 vegetable glycerol to propylene glycol. In a most preferred embodiment, the ratio for the vapor forming medium will be about 70:30 vegetable glycerol to propylene glycol. In any of the preferred embodiments, the humectant may further comprise flavoring products. These flavorings may include enhancers comprising cocoa solids, licorice, tobacco or botanical extracts, and various sugars, to name but a few. The tobacco or botanical may be heated in the oven up to its pyrolytic temperature, which as noted previously is most commonly measured in the range of 300-1000° C. In preferred embodiments, the tobacco or botanical is heated to about 300° C. at most. In other preferred embodiments, the tobacco or botanical is heated to about 200° C. at most. In still other preferred embodiments, the tobacco or botanical is heated to about 160° C. at most. It should be noted that in these lower temperature ranges (<300° C.), pyrolysis of tobacco or botanical does not typically occur, yet vapor formation of the tobacco or botanical components and flavoring products does occur. In addition, vapor formation of the components of the humectant, mixed at various ratios will also occur, resulting in nearly complete vaporization, depending on the temperature, since propylene glycol has a boiling point of about 180°-190° C. and vegetable glycerin will boil at approximately 280°-290° C. In still other preferred embodiments, the aerosol produced by said heated tobacco or botanical and humectant is mixed with air provided through an aeration vent. In still other preferred embodiments, the aerosol produced by said heated tobacco or botanical and humectant mixed with air, is cooled to a temperature of about 50°-70° C. at most, and even as low as 35° C. before exiting the mouthpiece, depending on the air temperature being mixed into the condensation chamber. In some embodiments, the temperature is cooled to about 35°-55° C. at most, and may have a fluctuating range of ±about 10° C. or more within the overall range of about 35°-70° C. Also described herein are vaporization devices for generating an inhalable aerosol comprising a unique oven configuration, wherein said oven comprises an access lid and an auxiliary aeration vent located within the airflow channel immediately downstream of the oven and before the aeration chamber. In this configuration, the user may directly access the oven by removing the access lid, providing the user with the ability to recharge the device with vaporization material. In addition, having the added aeration vent in the airflow channel immediately after the oven and ahead of the vaporization chamber provides the user with added control over the amount of air entering the aeration chamber downstream and the cooling rate of the aerosol before it enters the aeration chamber. As noted in FIGS. 4A-4C, the device 400 may comprise a body 401, having an air inlet 421 allowing initial air for the heating process into the oven region 404. After heating the tobacco or botanical, and humectant (heater not shown), the gas phase humectant vapor generated may travel down the airflow channel 423, passing the added aeration vent 407 wherein the user may selectively increase airflow into the heated vapor. The user may selectively increase and/or decrease the airflow to the heated vapor by controlling a valve in communication with the aeration vent 407. In some cases, the device may not have an aeration vent. Airflow into the heated vapor through the aeration vent may decrease the vapor temperature before exiting the airflow channel at the outlet 422, and increase the condensation rate and vapor density by decreasing the diameter of the vapor particles within the aeration chamber (not shown), thus producing a thicker, denser vapor compared to the vapor generated by a device without the aeration vent. The user may also access the oven chamber 404a to recharge or reload the device 400, through an access lid 430 provided therein, making the device user serviceable. The access lid may be provided on a device with or without an aeration vent. Provided herein is a method for generating an inhalable aerosol, the method comprising: providing an vaporization device, wherein said device produces a vapor comprising particle diameters of average mass of about 1 micron or less, wherein the vapor is formed by heating a vapor forming medium in an oven chamber of the device to a first temperature below the pyrolytic temperature of the vapor forming medium, and cooling the vapor in a condensation chamber to a temperature below the first temperature, before exiting an aerosol outlet of said device. In some embodiments the vapor may be cooled by mixing relatively cooler air with the vapor in the condensation chamber during the condensation phase, after leaving the oven, where condensation of the gas phase humectants occurs more rapidly due to high saturation ratios being achieved at the moment of aeration, producing a higher concentration of smaller particles, with fewer by-products, in a denser aerosol, than would normally occur in a standard vaporization or aerosol generating device. In some embodiments, formation of an inhalable aerosol is a two-step process. The first step occurs in the oven where the tobacco or botanical and humectant blend is heated to an elevated temperature. At the elevated temperature, evaporation happens faster than at room temperature and the oven chamber fills with the vapor phase of the humectants. The humectant will continue to evaporate until the partial pressure of the humectant is equal to the saturation pressure. At this point, the gas is said to have a saturation ratio of 1 (S=Ppartial/Psat). In the second step, the gas leaves the oven chamber, passes to a condensation chamber in a condenser and begins to cool. As the gas phase vapor cools, the saturation pressure also goes down, causing the saturation ratio to rise, and the vapor to condensate, forming droplets. When cooling air is introduced, the large temperature gradient between the two fluids mixing in a confined space leads to very rapid cooling, causing high saturation ratios, small particles, and higher concentrations of smaller particles, forming a thicker, denser vapor cloud. Provided herein is a method for generating an inhalable aerosol comprising: a vaporization device having a body with a mouthpiece at one end, and an attached body at the other end comprising; a condenser with a condensation chamber, a heater, an oven with an oven chamber, and at least one aeration vent provided in the body, downstream of the oven, and upstream of the mouthpiece, wherein tobacco or botanical comprising a humectant is heated in said oven chamber to produce a vapor comprising gas phase humectants. As previously described, a vaporization device having an auxiliary aeration vent located in the condensation chamber capable of supplying cool air (relative to the heated gas components) to the gas phase vapors and tobacco or botanical components exiting the oven region, may be utilized to provide a method for generating a far denser, thicker aerosol comprising more particles than would have otherwise been produced without the extra cooling air, with a diameter of average mass of less than or equal to about 1 micron. In another aspect, provided herein is a method for generating an inhalable aerosol comprising: a vaporization device, having a body with a mouthpiece at one end, and an attached body at the other end comprising: a condenser with a condensation chamber, a heater, an oven with an oven chamber, wherein said oven chamber further comprises a first valve in the airflow path at the inlet end of the oven chamber, and a second valve at the outlet end of the oven chamber; and at least one aeration vent provided in said body, downstream of the oven, and upstream of the mouthpiece wherein tobacco or botanical comprising a humectant is heated in said oven chamber to produce a vapor comprising gas phase humectants. As illustrated in exemplary FIG. 2, by sealing the oven chamber 204a with a tobacco or botanical and humectant vapor forming medium 206 therein, and applying heat with the heater 205 during the vaporization process, before inhalation and air is drawn in through a primary air inlet 221, the pressure will build in the oven chamber as heat is continually added with an electronic heating circuit generated through the combination of the battery 211, printed circuit board 212, temperature regulator 213, and operator controlled switches (not shown), to generate even greater elevated temperature gas phase humectants (vapor) of the tobacco or botanical and humectant vapor forming components. This heated pressurization process generates even higher saturation ratios when the valves 208, 209 are opened during inhalation, which cause higher particle concentrations in the resultant aerosol, when the vapor is drawn out of the oven region and into the condensation chamber 203a, where they are again exposed to additional air through an aeration vent 207, and the vapors begin to cool and condense into droplets suspended in air, as described previously before the aerosol is withdrawn through the mouthpiece 222. The inventor also notes that this condensation process may be further refined by adding an additional valve 210, to the aeration vent 207 to further control the air-vapor mixture process. In some embodiments of any one of the inventive methods, the first, second and/or third valve is a one-way valve, a check valve, a clack valve, or a non-return valve. The first, second and/or third valve may be mechanically actuated. The first, second and/or third valve may be electronically actuated. The first, second and/or third valve may be automatically actuated. The first, second and/or third valve may be manually actuated either directly by a user or indirectly in response to an input command from a user to a control system that actuates the first, second and/or third valve. In other aspects of the inventive methods, said device further comprises at least one of: a power source, a printed circuit board, or a temperature regulator. In any of the preceding aspects of the inventive method, one skilled in the art will recognize after reading this disclosure that this method may be modified in a way such that any one, or each of these openings or vents could be configured to have a different combination or variation of mechanisms or electronics as described to control airflow, pressure and temperature of the vapor created and aerosol being generated by these device configurations, including a manually operated opening or vent with or without a valve. The possible variations and ranges of aerosol density are great in that the possible number of temperature, pressure, tobacco or botanical choices and humectant selections and combinations are numerous. However, by excluding the tobacco or botanical choices and limiting the temperatures to within the ranges and the humectant ratios described herein, the inventor has demonstrated a method for generating a far denser, thicker aerosol comprising more particles than would have otherwise been produced without the extra cooling air, with a diameter of average mass of less than or equal to 1 micron. In some embodiments of the inventive methods, the humectant comprises a ratio of vegetable glycerol to propylene glycol as a vapor-forming medium. The ranges of said ratio will vary between a ratio of about 100:0 vegetable glycerol to propylene glycol and a ratio of about 50:50 vegetable glycerol to propylene glycol. The difference in preferred ratios within the above stated range may vary by as little as 1, for example, said ratio may be about 99:1 vegetable glycerol to propylene glycol. However, more commonly said ratios would vary in increments of 5, for example, about 95:5 vegetable glycerol to propylene glycol; or about 85:15 vegetable glycerol to propylene glycol; or about 55:45 vegetable glycerol to propylene glycol. Because vegetable glycerol is less volatile than propylene glycol, it will recondense in greater proportions. A humectant with higher concentrations of glycerol will generate a thicker aerosol. The addition of propylene glycol will lead to an aerosol with a reduced concentration of condensed phase particles and an increased concentration of vapor phase effluent. This vapor phase effluent is often perceived as a tickle or harshness in the throat when the aerosol is inhaled. To some consumers, varying degrees of this sensation may be desirable. The ratio of vegetable glycerol to propylene glycol may be manipulated to balance aerosol thickness with the right amount of “throat tickle.” In a preferred embodiment of the method, the ratio for the vapor forming medium will be between the ratios of about 80:20 vegetable glycerol to propylene glycol, and about 60:40 vegetable glycerol to propylene glycol. In a most preferred embodiment of the method, the ratio for the vapor forming medium will be about 70:30 vegetable glycerol to propylene glycol. On will envision that there will be blends with varying ratios for consumers with varying preferences. In any of the preferred embodiments of the method, the humectant further comprises flavoring products. These flavorings include enhancers such as cocoa solids, licorice, tobacco or botanical extracts, and various sugars, to name a few. In some embodiments of the method, the tobacco or botanical is heated to its pyrolytic temperature. In preferred embodiments of the method, the tobacco or botanical is heated to about 300° C. at most. In other preferred embodiments of the method, the tobacco or botanical is heated to about 200° C. at most. In still other embodiments of the method, the tobacco or botanical is heated to about 160° C. at most. As noted previously, at these lower temperatures, (<300° C.), pyrolysis of tobacco or botanical does not typically occur, yet vapor formation of the tobacco or botanical components and flavoring products does occur. As may be inferred from the data supplied by Baker et al., an aerosol produced at these temperatures is also substantially free from Hoffman analytes or at least 70% less Hoffman analytes than a common tobacco or botanical cigarette and scores significantly better on the Ames test than a substance generated by burning a common cigarette. In addition, vapor formation of the components of the humectant, mixed at various ratios will also occur, resulting in nearly complete vaporization, depending on the temperature, since propylene glycol has a boiling point of about 180°-190° C. and vegetable glycerin will boil at approximately 280°-290° C. In any one of the preceding methods, said inhalable aerosol produced by tobacco or a botanical comprising a humectant and heated in said oven produces an aerosol comprising gas phase humectants is further mixed with air provided through an aeration vent. In any one of the preceding methods, said aerosol produced by said heated tobacco or botanical and humectant mixed with air, is cooled to a temperature of about 50°-70° C., and even as low as 35° C., before exiting the mouthpiece. In some embodiments, the temperature is cooled to about 35°-55° C. at most, and may have a fluctuating range of ±about 10° C. or more within the overall range of about 35°-70° C. In some embodiments of the method, the vapor comprising gas phase humectant may be mixed with air to produce an aerosol comprising particle diameters of average mass of less than or equal to about 1 micron. In other embodiments of the method, each aerosol configuration produced by mixing the gas phase vapors with the cool air may comprise a different range of particles, for example; with a diameter of average mass of less than or equal to about 0.9 micron; less than or equal to about 0.8 micron; less than or equal to about 0.7 micron; less than or equal to about 0.6 micron; and even an aerosol comprising particle diameters of average mass of less than or equal to about 0.5 micron. Cartridge Design and Vapor Generation from Material in Cartridge In some cases, a vaporization device may be configured to generate an inhalable aerosol. A device may be a self-contained vaporization device. The device may comprise an elongated body which functions to complement aspects of a separable and recyclable cartridge with air inlet channels, air passages, multiple condensation chambers, flexible heater contacts, and multiple aerosol outlets. Additionally, the cartridge may be configured for ease of manufacture and assembly. Provided herein is a vaporization device for generating an inhalable aerosol. The device may comprise a device body, a separable cartridge assembly further comprising a heater, at least one condensation chamber, and a mouthpiece. The device provides for compact assembly and disassembly of components with detachable couplings; overheat shut-off protection for the resistive heating element; an air inlet passage (an enclosed channel) formed by the assembly of the device body and a separable cartridge; at least one condensation chamber within the separable cartridge assembly; heater contacts; and one or more refillable, reusable, and/or recyclable components. Provided herein is a device for generating an inhalable aerosol comprising: a device body comprising a cartridge receptacle; a cartridge comprising: a storage compartment, and a channel integral to an exterior surface of the cartridge, and an air inlet passage formed by the channel and an internal surface of the cartridge receptacle when the cartridge is inserted into the cartridge receptacle. The cartridge may be formed from a metal, plastic, ceramic, and/or composite material. The storage compartment may hold a vaporizable material. FIG. 7A shows an example of a cartridge 30 for use in the device. The vaporizable material may be a liquid at or near room temperature. In some cases the vaporizable material may be a liquid below room temperature. The channel may form a first side of the air inlet passage, and an internal surface of the cartridge receptacle may form a second side of the air inlet passage, as illustrated in various non-limiting aspects of FIGS. 5-6D, 7C,8A, 8B, and 10A Provided herein is a device for generating an inhalable aerosol. The device may comprise a body that houses, contains, and or integrates with one or more components of the device. The device body may comprise a cartridge receptacle. The cartridge receptacle may comprise a channel integral to an interior surface of the cartridge receptacle; and an air inlet passage formed by the channel and an external surface of the cartridge when the cartridge is inserted into the cartridge receptacle. A cartridge may be fitted and/or inserted into the cartridge receptacle. The cartridge may have a fluid storage compartment. The channel may form a first side of the air inlet passage, and an external surface of the cartridge forms a second side of the air inlet passage. The channel may comprise at least one of: a groove; a trough; a track; a depression; a dent; a furrow; a trench; a crease; and a gutter. The integral channel may comprise walls that are either recessed into the surface or protrude from the surface where it is formed. The internal side walls of the channel may form additional sides of the air inlet passage. The channel may have a round, oval, square, rectangular, or other shaped cross section. The channel may have a closed cross section. The channel may be about 0.1 cm, 0.5 cm, 1 cm, 2 cm, or 5 cm wide. The channel may be about 0.1 mm, 0.5 mm, 1 mm, 2 mm, or 5 mm deep. The channel may be about 0.1 cm, 0.5 cm, 1 cm, 2 cm, or 5 cm long. There may be at least 1 channel. In some embodiments, the cartridge may further comprise a second air passage in fluid communication with the air inlet passage to the fluid storage compartment, wherein the second air passage is formed through the material of the cartridge. FIGS. 5-7C show various views of a compact electronic device assembly 10 for generating an inhalable aerosol. The compact electronic device 10 may comprise a device body 20 with a cartridge receptacle 21 for receiving a cartridge 30. The device body may have a square or rectangular cross section. Alternatively, the cross section of the body may be any other regular or irregular shape. The cartridge receptacle may be shaped to receive an opened cartridge 30a or “pod”. The cartridge may be opened when a protective cap is removed from a surface of the cartridge. In some cases, the cartridge may be opened when a hole or opening is formed on a surface of the cartridge. The pod 30a may be inserted into an open end of the cartridge receptacle 21 so that an exposed first heater contact tips 33a on the heater contacts 33 of the pod make contact with the second heater contacts 22 of the device body, thus forming the device assembly 10. Referring to FIG. 14, it is apparent in the plan view that when the pod 30a is inserted into the notched body of the cartridge receptacle 21, the channel air inlet 50 is left exposed. The size of the channel air inlet 50 may be varied by altering the configuration of the notch in the cartridge receptacle 21. The device body may further comprise a rechargeable battery, a printed circuit board (PCB) 24 containing a microcontroller with the operating logic and software instructions for the device, a pressure switch 27 for sensing the user's puffing action to activate the heater circuit, an indicator light 26, charging contacts (not shown), and an optional charging magnet or magnetic contact (not shown). The cartridge may further comprise a heater 36. The heater may be powered by the rechargeable battery. The temperature of the heater may be controlled by the microcontroller. The heater may be attached to a first end of the cartridge. In some embodiments, the heater may comprise a heater chamber 37, a first pair of heater contacts 33, 33′, a fluid wick 34, and a resistive heating element 35 in contact with the wick. The first pair of heater contacts may comprise thin plates affixed about the sides of the heater chamber. The fluid wick and resistive heating element may be suspended between the heater contacts. In some embodiments, there may be two or more resistive heating elements 35, 35′ and two or more wicks 34, 34′. In some of the embodiments, the heater contact 33 may comprise: a flat plate; a male contact; a female receptacle, or both; a flexible contact and/or copper alloy or another electrically conductive material. The first pair of heater contacts may further comprise a formed shape that may comprise a tab (e.g., flange) having a flexible spring value that extends out of the heater to complete a circuit with the device body. The first pair of heater contact may be a heat sink that absorb and dissipate excessive heat produced by the resistive heating element. Alternatively, the first pair of heater contacts may be a heat shield that protects the heater chamber from excessive heat produced by the resistive heating element. The first pair of heater contacts may be press-fit to an attachment feature on the exterior wall of the first end of the cartridge. The heater may enclose a first end of the cartridge and a first end of the fluid storage compartment. As illustrated in the exploded assembly of FIG. 7B, a heater enclosure may comprises two or more heater contacts 33, each comprising a flat plate which may be machined or stamped from a copper alloy or similar electrically conductive material. The flexibility of the tip is provided by the cut-away clearance feature 33b created below the male contact point tip 33a which capitalizes on the inherent spring capacity of the metal sheet or plate material. Another advantage and improvement of this type of contact is the reduced space requirement, simplified construction of a spring contact point (versus a pogo pin) and the easy of assembly. The heater may comprise a first condensation chamber. The heater may comprise more one or more additional condensation chambers in addition to the first condensation chamber. The first condensation chamber may be formed along an exterior wall of the cartridge. In some cases, the cartridge (e.g., pod) is configured for ease of manufacturing and assembly. The cartridge may comprise an enclosure. The enclosure may be a tank. The tank may comprise an interior fluid storage compartment 32. The interior fluid storage compartment 32 which is open at one or both ends and comprises raised rails on the side edges 45b and 46b. The cartridge may be formed from plastic, metal, composite, and/or a ceramic material. The cartridge may be rigid or flexible. The tank may further comprise a set of first heater contact plates 33 formed from copper alloy or another electrically conductive material, having a thin cut-out 33b below the contact tips 33a (to create a flexible tab) which are affixed to the sides of the first end of the tank and straddle the open-sided end 53 of the tank. The plates may affix to pins, or posts as shown in FIG. 7B or 5, or may be attached by other common means such as compression beneath the enclosure 36. A fluid wick 34 having a resistive heating element 35 wrapped around it, is placed between the first heater contact plates 33, and attached thereto. A heater 36, comprising raised internal edges on the internal end (not shown), a thin mixing zone (not shown), and primary condensation channel covers 45a that slide over the rails 45b on the sides of the tank on the first half of the tank, creating a primary condensation channel/chamber 45. In addition, a small male snap feature 39b located at the end of the channel cover is configured fall into a female snap feature 39a, located mid-body on the side of the tank, creating a snap-fit assembly. As will be further clarified below, the combination of the open-sided end 53, the protruding tips 33a of the contact plates 33, the fluid wick 34 having a resistive heating element 35, enclosed in the open end of the fluid storage tank, under the heater 36, with a thin mixing zone therein, creates an efficient heater system. In addition, the primary condensation channel covers 45a which slide over the rails 45b on the sides of the tank create an integrated, easily assembled, primary condensation chamber 45, all within the heater at the first end of the cartridge 30 or pod 30a. In some embodiments of the device, as illustrated in FIG. 9, the heater may encloses at least a first end of the cartridge. The enclosed first end of the cartridge may include the heater and the interior fluid storage compartment. In some embodiments, the heater further comprises at least one first condensation chamber 45. FIG. 9 shows diagramed steps that mat be performed to assemble a cartomizer and/or mouthpiece. In A-B the fluid storage compartment 32a may be oriented such that the heater inlet 53 faces upward. The heater contacts 33 may be inserted into the fluid storage compartment. Flexible tabs 33a may be inserted into the heater contacts 33. In a step D the resistive heating element 35 may be wound on to the wick 34. In step E the wick 34 and heater 35 may be placed on the fluid storage compartment. One or more free ends of the heater may sit outside the heater contacts. The one or more free ends may be soldered in place, rested in a groove, or snapped into a fitted location. At least a fraction of the one or more free ends may be in communication with the heater contacts 33. In a step F the heater enclosure 36 may be snapped in place. The heater enclosure 36 may be fitted on the fluid storage compartment. Step G shows the heater enclosure 36 is in place on the fluid storage compartment. In step H the fluid storage compartment can be flipped over. In step I the mouthpiece 31 can be fitted on the fluid storage compartment. Step J shows the mouthpiece 31 in place on the fluid storage compartment. In step K an end 49 can be fitted on the fluid storage compartment opposite the mouthpiece. Step L shows a fully assembled cartridge 30. FIG. 7B shows an exploded view of the assembled cartridge 30. Depending on the size of the heater and/or heater chamber, the heater may have more than one wick 34 and resistive heating element 35. In some embodiments, the first pair of heater contacts 33 further comprises a formed shape that comprises a tab 33a having a flexible spring value that extends out of the heater. In some embodiments, the cartridge 30 comprises heater contacts 33 which are inserted into the cartridge receptacle 21 of the device body 20 wherein, the flexible tabs 33a insert into a second pair of heater contacts 22 to complete a circuit with the device body. The first pair of heater contacts 33 may be a heat sink that absorbs and dissipates excessive heat produced by the resistive heating element 35. The first pair of heater contacts 33 may be a heat shield that protects the heater chamber from excessive heat produced by the resistive heating element 35. The first pair of heater contacts may be press-fit to an attachment feature on the exterior wall of the first end of the cartridge. The heater 36 may enclose a first end of the cartridge and a first end of the fluid storage compartment 32a. The heater may comprise a first condensation chamber 45. The heater may comprise at least one additional condensation chamber 45, 45′, 45″, etc. The first condensation chamber may be formed along an exterior wall of the cartridge. In still other embodiments of the device, the cartridge may further comprise a mouthpiece 31, wherein the mouthpiece comprises at least one aerosol outlet channel/secondary condensation chamber 46; and at least one aerosol outlet 47. The mouthpiece may be attached to a second end of the cartridge. The second end of the cartridge with the mouthpiece may be exposed when the cartridge is inserted in the device. The mouthpiece may comprise more than one second condensation chamber 46, 46′, 46″, etc. The second condensation chamber is formed along an exterior wall of the cartridge. The mouthpiece 31 may enclose the second end of the cartridge and interior fluid storage compartment. The partially assembled (e.g., mouthpiece removed) unit may be inverted and filled with a vaporizable fluid through the opposite, remaining (second) open end. Once filled, a snap-on mouthpiece 31 that also closes and seals the second end of the tank is inserted over the end. It also comprises raised internal edges (not shown), and aerosol outlet channel covers 46a that may slide over the rails 46b located on the sides of the second half of the tank, creating aerosol outlet channels/secondary condensation chambers 46. The aerosol outlet channels/secondary condensation chambers 46 slide over the end of primary condensation chamber 45, at a transition area 57, to create a junction for the vapor leaving the primary chamber and proceed out through the aerosol outlets 47, at the end of the aerosol outlet channels 46 and user-end of the mouthpiece 31. The cartridge may comprise a first condensation chamber and a second condensation chamber 45, 46. The cartridge may comprise more than one first condensation chamber and more than one second condensation chamber 45, 46, 45′, 46′, etc. In some embodiments of the device, a first condensation chamber 45 may be formed along the outside of the cartridge fluid storage compartment 31. In some embodiments of the device an aerosol outlet 47 exists at the end of aerosol outlet chamber 46. In some embodiments of the device, a first and second condensation chamber 45, 46 may be formed along the outside of one side of the cartridge fluid storage compartment 31. In some embodiments the second condensation chamber may be an aerosol outlet chamber. In some embodiments another pair of first and/or second condensation chambers 45′, 46′ is formed along the outside of the cartridge fluid storage compartment 31 on another side of the device. In some embodiments another aerosol outlet 47′ will also exist at the end of the second pair of condensation chambers 45′, 46′. In any one of the embodiments, the first condensation chamber and the second condensation chamber may be in fluid communication as illustrated in FIG. 10C. In some embodiments, the mouthpiece may comprise an aerosol outlet 47 in fluid communication with the second condensation chamber 46. The mouthpiece may comprise more than one aerosol outlet 47, 47′ in fluid communication with more than one the second condensation chamber 46, 46′. The mouthpiece may enclose a second end of the cartridge and a second end of the fluid storage compartment. In each of the embodiments described herein, the cartridge may comprise an airflow path comprising: an air inlet passage; a heater; at least a first condensation chamber; an aerosol outlet chamber, and an outlet port. In some of the embodiments described herein, the cartridge comprises an airflow path comprising: an air inlet passage; a heater; a first condensation chamber; a secondary condensation chamber; and an outlet port. In still other embodiments described herein the cartridge may comprise an airflow path comprising at least one air inlet passage; a heater; at least one first condensation chamber; at least one secondary condensation chamber; and at least one outlet port. As illustrated in FIGS. 10A-10C, an airflow path is created when the user draws on the mouthpiece 31 to create a suction (e.g., a puff), which essentially pulls air through the channel air inlet opening 50, through the air inlet passage 51, and into the heater chamber 37 through the second air passage (tank air inlet hole) 41 at the tank air inlet 52, then into the heater inlet 53. At this point, the pressure sensor has sensed the user's puff, and activated the circuit to the resistive heating element 35, which in turn, begins to generate vapor from the vapor fluid (e-juice). As air enters the heater inlet 53, it begins to mix and circulate in a narrow chamber above and around the wick 34 and between the heater contacts 33, generating heat, and dense, concentrated vapor as it mixes in the flow path 54 created by the sealing structure obstacles 44. FIG. 8A shows a detailed view of the sealing structure obstacles 44. Ultimately the vapor may be drawn, out of the heater along an air path 55 near the shoulder of the heater and into the primary condensation chamber 45 where the vapor expands and begins to cool. As the expanding vapor moves along the airflow path, it makes a transition from the primary condensation chamber 45 through a transition area 57, creating a junction for the vapor leaving the primary chamber, and entering the second vapor chamber 46, and proceeds out through the aerosol outlets 47, at the end of the mouthpiece 31 to the user. As illustrated in FIGS. 10A-10C, the device may have a dual set of air inlet passages 50-53, dual first condensation chambers 55/45, dual second condensation chambers and aeration channels 57/46, and/or dual aerosol outlet vents 47. Alternatively, the device may have an airflow path comprising: an air inlet passage 50, 51; a second air passage 41; a heater chamber 37; a first condensation chamber 45; a second condensation chamber 46; and/or an aerosol outlet 47. In some cases, the devise may have an airflow path comprising: more than one air inlet passage; more than one second air passage; a heater chamber; more than one first condensation chamber; more than one second condensation chamber; and more than one aerosol outlet as clearly illustrated in FIGS. 10A-10C. In any one of the embodiments described herein, the heater 36 may be in fluid communication with the internal fluid storage compartment 32a. In each of the embodiments described herein, the fluid storage compartment 32 is in fluid communication with the heater chamber 37, wherein the fluid storage compartment is capable of retaining condensed aerosol fluid, as illustrated in FIGS. 10A, 10C and 14. In some embodiments of the device, the condensed aerosol fluid may comprise a nicotine formulation. In some embodiments, the condensed aerosol fluid may comprise a humectant. In some embodiments, the humectant may comprise propylene glycol. In some embodiments, the humectant may comprise vegetable glycerin. In some cases, the cartridge may be detachable from the device body. In some embodiments, the cartridge receptacle and the detachable cartridge may form a separable coupling. In some embodiments the separable coupling may comprise a friction assembly. As illustrated in FIGS. 11-14, the device may have a press-fit (friction) assembly between the cartridge pod 30a and the device receptacle. Additionally, a dent/friction capture such as 43 (e.g., a detent) may be utilized to capture the pod 30a to the device receptacle or to hold a protective cap 38 on the pod, as further illustrated in FIG. 8B. Alternatively or additionally the vaporizer may include a magnetic coupling 87 (e.g., within the cartridge receptacle at the proximal end of the device) to secure the cartridge by a magnetic- or magnetic assisted capture. In other embodiments, the separable coupling may comprise a snap-fit or snap-lock assembly. In still other embodiments the separable coupling may comprise a magnetic assembly (e.g., a magnetic coupling). As mentioned above, the magnetic coupling may secure the cartridge in the cartridge receptacle. In any one of the embodiments described herein, the cartridge components may comprise a snap-fit or snap-lock assembly, as illustrated in FIG. 5. In any one of the embodiments, the cartridge components may be reusable, refillable, and/or recyclable. The design of these cartridge components lend themselves to the use of such recyclable plastic materials as polypropylene, for the majority of components. In some embodiments of the device 10, the cartridge 30 may comprise: a fluid storage compartment 32; a heater 36 affixed to a first end with a snap-fit coupling 39a, 39b; and a mouthpiece 31 affixed to a second end with a snap-fit coupling 39c, 39d (not shown—but similar to 39a and 39b). The heater 36 may be in fluid communication with the fluid storage compartment 32. The fluid storage compartment may be capable of retaining condensed aerosol fluid. The condensed aerosol fluid may comprise a nicotine formulation. The condensed aerosol fluid may comprise a humectant. The humectant may comprise propylene glycol and/or vegetable glycerin. Provided herein is a device for generating an inhalable aerosol comprising: a device body 20 comprising a cartridge receptacle 21 for receiving a cartridge 30; wherein an interior surface of the cartridge receptacle forms a first side of an air inlet passage 51 when a cartridge comprising a channel integral 40 to an exterior surface is inserted into the cartridge receptacle 21, and wherein the channel forms a second side of the air inlet passage 51. Provided herein is a device for generating an inhalable aerosol comprising: a device body 20 comprising a cartridge receptacle 21 for receiving a cartridge 30; wherein the cartridge receptacle comprises a channel integral to an interior surface and forms a first side of an air inlet passage when a cartridge is inserted into the cartridge receptacle, and wherein an exterior surface of the cartridge forms a second side of the air inlet passage 51. Provided herein is a cartridge 30 for a device for generating an inhalable aerosol 10 comprising: a fluid storage compartment 32; a channel integral 40 to an exterior surface, wherein the channel forms a first side of an air inlet passage 51; and wherein an internal surface of a cartridge receptacle 21 in the device forms a second side of the air inlet passage 51 when the cartridge is inserted into the cartridge receptacle. Provided herein is a cartridge 30 for a device for generating an inhalable aerosol 10 comprising a fluid storage compartment 32, wherein an exterior surface of the cartridge forms a first side of an air inlet channel 51 when inserted into a device body 10 comprising a cartridge receptacle 21, and wherein the cartridge receptacle further comprises a channel integral to an interior surface, and wherein the channel forms a second side of the air inlet passage 51. In some embodiments, the cartridge further comprises a second air passage 41 in fluid communication with the channel 40, wherein the second air passage 41 is formed through the material of the cartridge 32 from an exterior surface of the cartridge to the internal fluid storage compartment 32a. In some embodiments of the device body cartridge receptacle 21 or the cartridge 30, the integral channel 40 comprises at least one of: a groove; a trough; a depression; a dent; a furrow; a trench; a crease; and a gutter. In some embodiments of the device body cartridge receptacle 21 or the cartridge 30, the integral channel 40 comprises walls that are either recessed into the surface or protrude from the surface where it is formed. In some embodiments of the device body cartridge receptacle 21 or the cartridge 30, the internal side walls of the channel 40 form additional sides of the air inlet passage 51. Provided herein is a device for generating an inhalable aerosol comprising: a cartridge comprising; a fluid storage compartment; a heater affixed to a first end comprising; a first heater contact, a resistive heating element affixed to the first heater contact; a device body comprising; a cartridge receptacle for receiving the cartridge; a second heater contact adapted to receive the first heater contact and to complete a circuit; a power source connected to the second heater contact; a printed circuit board (PCB) connected to the power source and the second heater contact; wherein the PCB is configured to detect the absence of fluid based on the measured resistance of the resistive heating element, and turn off the device. Referring now to FIGS. 13, 14, and 15, in some embodiments, the device body further comprises at least one: second heater contact 22 (best shown in FIG. 6C detail); a battery 23; a printed circuit board 24; a pressure sensor 27; and an indicator light 26. In some embodiments, the printed circuit board (PCB) further comprises: a microcontroller; switches; circuitry comprising a reference resister; and an algorithm comprising logic for control parameters; wherein the microcontroller cycles the switches at fixed intervals to measure the resistance of the resistive heating element relative to the reference resistor, and applies the algorithm control parameters to control the temperature of the resistive heating element. As illustrated in the basic block diagram of FIG. 17A, the device utilizes a proportional-integral-derivative controller or PID control law. A PID controller calculates an “error” value as the difference between a measured process variable and a desired SetPoint. When PID control is enabled, power to the coil is monitored to determine whether or not acceptable vaporization is occurring. With a given airflow over the coil, more power will be required to hold the coil at a given temperature if the device is producing vapor (heat is removed from the coil to form vapor). If power required to keep the coil at the set temperature drops below a threshold, the device indicates that it cannot currently produce vapor. Under normal operating conditions, this indicates that there is not enough liquid in the wick for normal vaporization to occur. In some embodiments, the micro-controller instructs the device to turn itself off when the resistance exceeds the control parameter threshold indicating that the resistive heating element is dry. In still other embodiments, the printed circuit board further comprises logic capable of detecting the presence of condensed aerosol fluid in the fluid storage compartment and is capable of turning off power to the heating contact(s) when the condensed aerosol fluid is not detected. When the microcontroller is running the PID temperature control algorithm 70, the difference between a set point and the coil temperature (error) is used to control power to the coil so that the coil quickly reaches the set point temperature, [between 200° C. and 400° C.]. When the over-temperature algorithm is used, power is constant until the coil reaches an over-temperature threshold, [between 200° C. and 400° C.]; (FIG. 17A applies: set point temperature is over-temperature threshold; constant power until error reaches 0). The essential components of the device used to control the resistive heating element coil temperature are further illustrated in the circuit diagram of FIG. 17B. Wherein, BATT 23 is the battery; MCU 72 is the microcontroller; Q1 (76) and Q2 (77) are P-channel MOSFETs (switches); R_COIL 74 is the resistance of the coil. R_REF 75 is a fixed reference resistor used to measure R_COIL 74 through a voltage divider 73. The battery powers the microcontroller. The microcontroller turns on Q2 for 1 ms every 100 ms so that the voltage between R_REF and R_COIL (a voltage divider) may be measured by the MCU at V_MEAS. When Q2 is off, the control law controls Q1 with PWM (pulse width modulation) to power the coil (battery discharges through Q1 and R_COIL when Q1 is on). In some embodiments of the device, the device body further comprises at least one: second heater contact; a power switch; a pressure sensor; and an indicator light. In some embodiments of the device body, the second heater contact 22 may comprise: a female receptacle; or a male contact, or both, a flexible contact; or copper alloy or another electrically conductive material. In some embodiments of the device body, the battery supplies power to the second heater contact, pressure sensor, indicator light and the printed circuit board. In some embodiments, the battery is rechargeable. In some embodiments, the indicator light 26 indicates the status of the device and/or the battery or both. In some embodiments of the device, the first heater contact and the second heater contact complete a circuit that allows current to flow through the heating contacts when the device body and detachable cartridge are assembled, which may be controlled by an on/off switch. Alternatively, the device can be turned on an off by a puff sensor. The puff sensor may comprise a capacitive membrane. The capacitive membrane may be similar to a capacitive membrane used in a microphone. In some embodiments of the device, there is also an auxiliary charging unit for recharging the battery 23 in the device body. As illustrated in FIGS. 16A-16C, the charging unit 60, may comprise a USB device with a plug for a power source 63 and protective cap 64, with a cradle 61 for capturing the device body 20 (with or without the cartridge installed). The cradle may further comprise either a magnet or a magnetic contact 62 (magnetic coupling) to securely hold the device body in place during charging. As illustrated in FIG. 6B, the device body further comprises a mating charging contact 28 and a magnet or magnetic contact 29 for the auxiliary charging unit. FIG. 16C is an illustrative example of the device 20 being charged in a power source 65 (laptop computer or tablet). In some cases the microcontroller on the PCB may be configured to monitor the temperature of the heater such that the vaporizable material is heated to a prescribed temperature. The prescribed temperature may be an input provided by the user. A temperature sensor may be in communication with the microcontroller to provide an input temperature to the microcontroller for temperature regulation. A temperature sensor may be a thermistor, thermocouple, thermometer, or any other temperature sensors. In some cases, the heating element may simultaneously perform as both a heater and a temperature sensor. The heating element may differ from a thermistor by having a resistance with a relatively lower dependence on temperature. The heating element may comprise a resistance temperature detector. The resistance of the heating element may be an input to the microcontroller. In some cases, the resistance may be determined by the microcontroller based on a measurement from a circuit with a resistor with at least one known resistance, for example, a Wheatstone bridge. Alternatively, the resistance of the heating element may be measured with a resistive voltage divider in contact with the heating element and a resistor with a known and substantially constant resistance. The measurement of the resistance of the heating element may be amplified by an amplifier. The amplifier may be a standard op amp or instrumentation amplifier. The amplified signal may be substantially free of noise. In some cases, a charge time for a voltage divider between the heating element and a capacitor may be determined to calculate the resistance of the heating element. In some cases, the microcontroller must deactivate the heating element during resistance measurements. The resistance of the heating element may be directly proportional to the temperature of the heating element such that the temperature may be directly determine from the resistance measurement. Determining the temperature directly from the heating element resistance measurement rather than from an additional temperature sensor may generate a more accurate measurement because unknown contact thermal resistance between the temperature sensor and the heating element is eliminated. Additionally, the temperature measurement may be determined directly and therefore faster and without a time lag associated with attaining equilibrium between the heating element and a temperature sensor in contact with the heating element. Provided herein is a device for generating an inhalable aerosol comprising: a cartridge comprising a first heater contact; a device body comprising; a cartridge receptacle for receiving the cartridge; a second heater contact adapted to receive the first heater contact and to complete a circuit; a power source connected to the second heater contact; a printed circuit board (PCB) connected to the power source and the second heater contact; and a single button interface; wherein the PCB is configured with circuitry and an algorithm comprising logic for a child safety feature. In some embodiments, the algorithm requires a code provided by the user to activate the device. In some embodiments; the code is entered by the user with the single button interface. In still further embodiments the single button interface is the also the power switch. Provided herein is a cartridge 30 for a device 10 for generating an inhalable aerosol comprising: a fluid storage compartment 32; a heater 36 affixed to a first end comprising: a heater chamber 37, a first pair of heater contacts 33, a fluid wick 34, and a resistive heating element 35 in contact with the wick; wherein the first pair of heater contacts 33 comprise thin plates affixed about the sides of the heater chamber 37, and wherein the fluid wick 34 and resistive heating element 35 are suspended there between. Depending on the size of the heater or heater chamber, the heater may have more than one wick 34, 34′ and resistive heating element 35, 35′. In some embodiments, the first pair of heater contacts further comprise a formed shape that comprises a tab 33a having a flexible spring value that extends out of the heater 36 to complete a circuit with the device body 20. In some embodiments, the heater contacts 33 are configured to mate with a second pair of heater contacts 22 in a cartridge receptacle 21 of the device body 20 to complete a circuit. In some embodiments, the first pair of heater contacts is also a heat sink that absorbs and dissipates excessive heat produced by the resistive heating element. In some embodiments, the first pair of heater contacts is a heat shield that protects the heater chamber from excessive heat produced by the resistive heating element. Provided herein is a cartridge 30 for a device for generating an inhalable aerosol 10 comprising: a heater 36 comprising; a heater chamber 37, a pair of thin plate heater contacts 33 therein, a fluid wick 34 positioned between the heater contacts 33, and a resistive heating element 35 in contact with the wick; wherein the heater contacts 33 each comprise a fixation site 33c wherein the resistive heating element 35 is tensioned there between. As will be obvious to one skilled in the art after reviewing the assembly method illustrated in FIG. 9, the heater contacts 33 simply snap or rest on locator pins on either side of the air inlet 53 on the first end of the cartridge interior fluid storage compartment, creating a spacious vaporization chamber containing the at least one wick 34 and at least one heating element 35. Provided herein is a cartridge 30 for a device for generating an inhalable aerosol 10 comprising a heater 36 attached to a first end of the cartridge. In some embodiments, the heater encloses a first end of the cartridge and a first end of the fluid storage compartment 32, 32a. In some embodiments, the heater comprises a first condensation chamber 45. In some embodiments, the heater comprises more than one first condensation chamber 45, 45′. In some embodiments, the condensation chamber is formed along an exterior wall of the cartridge 45b. As noted previously, and described in FIGS. 10A, 10B and 10C, the airflow path through the heater and heater chamber generates vapor within the heater circulating air path 54, which then exits through the heater exits 55 into a first (primary) condensation chamber 45, which is formed by components of the tank body comprising the primary condensation channel/chamber rails 45b, the primary condensation channel cover 45a, (the outer side wall of the heater enclosure). Provided herein is a cartridge 30 for a device for generating an inhalable aerosol 10 comprising a fluid storage compartment 32 and a mouthpiece 31, wherein the mouthpiece is attached to a second end of the cartridge and further comprises at least one aerosol outlet 47. In some embodiments, the mouthpiece 31 encloses a second end of the cartridge 30 and a second end of the fluid storage compartment 32, 32a. Additionally, as clearly illustrated in FIG. 10C in some embodiments the mouthpiece also contains a second condensation chamber 46 prior to the aerosol outlet 47, which is formed by components of the tank body 32 comprising the secondary condensation channel/chamber rails 46b, the second condensation channel cover 46a, (the outer side wall of the mouthpiece). Still further, the mouthpiece may contain yet another aerosol outlet 47′ and another (second) condensation chamber 46′ prior to the aerosol outlet, on another side of the cartridge. In other embodiments, the mouthpiece comprises more than one second condensation chamber 46, 46′. In some preferred embodiments, the second condensation chamber is formed along an exterior wall of the cartridge 46b. In each of the embodiments described herein, the cartridge 30 comprises an airflow path comprising: an air inlet channel and passage 40, 41, 42; a heater chamber 37; at least a first condensation chamber 45; and an outlet port 47. In some of the embodiments described herein, the cartridge 30 comprises an airflow path comprising: an air inlet channel and passage 40, 41, 42; a heater chamber 37; a first condensation chamber 45; a second condensation chamber 46; and an outlet port 47. In still other embodiments described herein the cartridge 30 may comprise an airflow path comprising at least one air inlet channel and passage 40, 41, 42; a heater chamber 37; at least one first condensation chamber 45; at least one second condensation chamber 46; and at least one outlet port 47. In each of the embodiments described herein, the fluid storage compartment 32 is in fluid communication with the heater 36, wherein the fluid storage compartment is capable of retaining condensed aerosol fluid. In some embodiments of the device, the condensed aerosol fluid comprises a nicotine formulation. In some embodiments, the condensed aerosol fluid comprises a humectant. In some embodiments, the humectant comprises propylene glycol. In some embodiments, the humectant comprises vegetable glycerin. Provided herein is a cartridge 30 for a device for generating an inhalable aerosol 10 comprising: a fluid storage compartment 32; a heater 36 affixed to a first end; and a mouthpiece 31 affixed to a second end; wherein the heater comprises a first condensation chamber 45 and the mouthpiece comprises a second condensation chamber 46. In some embodiments, the heater comprises more than one first condensation chamber 45, 45′ and the mouthpiece comprises more than one second condensation chamber 46, 46′. In some embodiments, the first condensation chamber and the second condensation chamber are in fluid communication. As illustrated in FIG. 10C, the first and second condensation chambers have a common transition area 57, 57′, for fluid communication. In some embodiments, the mouthpiece comprises an aerosol outlet 47 in fluid communication with the second condensation chamber 46. In some embodiments, the mouthpiece comprises two or more aerosol outlets 47, 47′. In some embodiments, the mouthpiece comprises two or more aerosol outlets 47, 47′ in fluid communication with the two or more second condensation chambers 46, 46′. In any one of the embodiments, the cartridge meets ISO recycling standards. In any one of the embodiments, the cartridge meets ISO recycling standards for plastic waste. And in still other embodiments, the plastic components of the cartridge are composed of polylactic acid (PLA), wherein the PLA components are compostable and or degradable. Provided herein is a device for generating an inhalable aerosol 10 comprising a device body 20 comprising a cartridge receptacle 21; and a detachable cartridge 30; wherein the cartridge receptacle and the detachable cartridge form a separable coupling, and wherein the separable coupling comprises a friction assembly, a snap-fit assembly or a magnetic assembly. In other embodiments of the device, the cartridge is a detachable assembly. In any one of the embodiments described herein, the cartridge components may comprise a snap-lock assembly such as illustrated by snap features 39a and 39b. In any one of the embodiments, the cartridge components are recyclable. Provided herein is a method of fabricating a device for generating an inhalable aerosol comprising: providing a device body comprising a cartridge receptacle; and providing a detachable cartridge; wherein the cartridge receptacle and the detachable cartridge form a separable coupling comprising a friction assembly, a snap-fit assembly or a magnetic assembly when the cartridge is inserted into the cartridge receptacle. Provided herein is a method of making a device 10 for generating an inhalable aerosol comprising: providing a device body 20 with a cartridge receptacle 21 comprising one or more interior coupling surfaces 21a, 21b, 21c . . . ; and further providing a cartridge 30 comprising: one or more exterior coupling surfaces 36a, 36b, 36c, . . . , a second end and a first end; a tank 32 comprising an interior fluid storage compartment 32a; at least one channel 40 on at least one exterior coupling surface, wherein the at least one channel forms one side of at least one air inlet passage 51, and wherein at least one interior wall of the cartridge receptacle forms at least one side one side of at least one air inlet passage 51 when the detachable cartridge is inserted into the cartridge receptacle. FIG. 9 provides an illustrative example of a method of assembling such a device. In some embodiments of the method, the cartridge 30 is assembled with a [protective] removable end cap 38 to protect the exposed heater contact tabs 33a protruding from the heater 36. Provided herein is a method of fabricating a cartridge for a device for generating an inhalable aerosol comprising: providing a fluid storage compartment; affixing a heater to a first end with a snap-fit coupling; and affixing a mouthpiece to a second end with a snap-fit coupling. Provided herein is a cartridge 30 for a device for generating an inhalable aerosol 10 with an airflow path comprising: a channel 50 comprising a portion of an air inlet passage 51; a second air passage 41 in fluid communication with the channel; a heater chamber 37 in fluid communication with the second air passage; a first condensation chamber 45 in fluid communication with the heater chamber; a second condensation chamber 46 in fluid communication with the first condensation chamber; and an aerosol outlet 47 in fluid communication with second condensation chamber. Provided herein is a device 10 for generating an inhalable aerosol adapted to receive a removable cartridge 30, wherein the cartridge comprises a fluid storage compartment [or tank] 32; an air inlet 41; a heater 36, a [protective] removable end cap 38, and a mouthpiece 31. Charging In some cases, the vaporization device may comprise a power source. The power source may be configured to provide power to a control system, one or more heating elements, one or more sensors, one or more lights, one or more indicators, and/or any other system on the electronic cigarette that requires a power source. The power source may be an energy storage device. The power source may be a battery or a capacitor. In some cases, the power source may be a rechargeable battery. The battery may be contained within a housing of the device. In some cases the battery may be removed from the housing for charging. Alternatively, the battery may remain in the housing while the battery is being charged. Two or more charge contact may be provided on an exterior surface of the device housing. The two or more charge contacts may be in electrical communication with the battery such that the battery may be charged by applying a charging source to the two or more charge contacts without removing the battery from the housing. FIG. 18 shows a device 1800 with charge contacts 1801. The charge contacts 1801 may be accessible from an exterior surface of a device housing 1802. The charge contacts 1801 may be in electrical communication with an energy storage device (e.g., battery) inside of the device housing 1802. In some cases, the device housing may not comprise an opening through which the user may access components in the device housing. The user may not be able to remove the battery and/or other energy storage device from the housing. In order to open the device housing a user must destroy or permanently disengage the charge contacts. In some cases, the device may fail to function after a user breaks open the housing. FIG. 19 shows an exploded view of a charging assembly 1900 in an electronic vaporization device. The housing (not shown) has been removed from the exploded view in FIG. 19. The charge contact pins 1901 may be visible on the exterior of the housing. The charge contact pins 1901 may be in electrical communication with a power storage device of the electronic vaporization device. When the device is connected to a power source (e.g., during charging of the device) the charging pins may facilitate electrical communication between the power storage device inside of the electronic vaporization device and the power source outside of the housing of the vaporization device. The charge contact pins 1901 may be held in place by a retaining bezel 1902. The charge contact pins 1901 may be in electrical communication with a charger flex 1903. The charging pins may contact the charger flex such that a need for soldering of the charger pins to an electrical connection to be in electrical communication with the power source may be eliminated. The charger flex may be soldered to a printed circuit board (PCB). The charger flex may be in electrical communication with the power storage device through the PCB. The charger flex may be held in place by a bent spring retainer 1904. FIG. 20 shows the bent spring retainer in an initial position 2001 and a deflected position 2002. The bent spring retainer may hold the retaining bezel in a fixed location. The bent spring retainer may deflect only in one direction when the charging assembly is enclosed in the housing of the electronic vaporization device. FIG. 21 shows a location of the charger pins 2101 when the electronic vaporization device is fully assembled with the charging pins 2101 contact the charging flex 2102. When the device is fully assembled at least a portion of the retaining bezel may be fitted in an indentation 2103 on the inside of the housing 2104. In some cases, disassembling the electronic vaporization device may destroy the bezel such that the device cannot be reassembled after disassembly. A user may place the electronic smoking device in a charging cradle. The charging cradle may be a holder with charging contact configured to mate or couple with the charging pins on the electronic smoking device to provide charge to the energy storage device in the electronic vaporization device from a power source (e.g., wall outlet, generator, and/or external power storage device). FIG. 22 shows a device 2302 in a charging cradle 2301. The charging cable may be connected to a wall outlet, USB, or any other power source. The charging pins (not shown) on the device 2302 may be connected to charging contacts (not shown) on the charging cradle 2301. The device may be configured such that when the device is placed in the cradle for charging a first charging pin on the device may contact a first charging contact on the charging cradle and a second charging pin on the device may contact a second charging contact on the charging cradle or the first charging pin on the device may contact a second charging contact on the charging cradle and the second charging pin on the device may contact the first charging contact on the charging cradle. The charging pins on the device and the charging contacts on the cradle may be in contact in any orientation. The charging pins on the device and the charging contacts on the cradle may be agnostic as to whether they are current inlets or outlets. Each of the charging pins on the device and the charging contacts on the cradle may be negative or positive. The charging pins on the device may be reversible. FIG. 23 shows a circuit 2400 that may permit the charging pins on the device to be reversible. The circuit 2400 may be provided on a PCB in electrical communication with the charging pins. The circuit 2400 may comprise a metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor (MOSFET) H bridge. The MOSFET H bridge may rectify a change in voltage across the charging pins when the charging pins are reversed from a first configuration where in a first configuration the device is placed in the cradle for charging with the first charging pin on the device in contact with the first charging contact on the charging cradle to a second charging pin on the device in contact with the second charging contact on the charging cradle to a second configuration where the first charging pin on the device is in contact with the second charging contact on the charging cradle and the second charging pin on the device is in contact with the first charging contact on the charging cradle. The MOSFET H bridge may rectify the change in voltage with an efficient current path. As shown in FIG. 23 the MOSFET H bridge may comprise two or more n-channel MOSFETs and two or more p-channel MOSFETs. The n-channel and p-channel MOSFETs may be arranged in an H bridge. Sources of p-channels MOSFETs (Q1 and Q3) may be in electrical communication. Similarly, sources of n-channel FETs (Q2 and Q4) may be in electrical communication. Drains of pairs of n and p MOSFETs (Q1 with Q2 and Q3 with Q4) may be in electrical communication. TA common drain from one n and p pair may be in electrical communication with one or more gates of the other n and p pair and/or vice versa. Charge contacts (CH1 and CH2) may be in electrical communication to common drains separately. A common source of the n MOSFETs may be in electrical communication to PCB ground (GND). The common source of the p MOSFETs may be in electrical communication with the PCB's charge controller input voltage (CH+). When CH1 voltage is greater than CH2 voltage by the MOSFET gate threshold voltages, Q1 and Q4 may be “on,” connecting CH1 to CH+ and CH2 to GND. When CH2 voltage is greater than CH1 voltage by the FET gate threshold voltages, Q2 and Q3 may be “on,” connecting CH1 to GND and CH2 to CH+. For example, whether there is 9V or −9V across CH1 to CH2, CH+ will be 9V above GND. Alternatively, a diode bridge could be used, however the MOSFET bridge may be more efficient compared to the diode bridge. In some cases the charging cradle may be configured to be a smart charger. The smart charger may put the battery of the device in series with a USB input to charge the device at a higher current compared to a typical charging current. In some cases, the device may charge at a rate up to about 2 amps (A), 4 A, 5 A, 6 A, 7 A, 10 A, or 15 A. In some cases, the smart charger may comprise a battery, power from the battery may be used to charge the device battery. When the battery in the smart charger has a charge below a predetermined threshold charge, the smart charger may simultaneously charge the battery in the smart charger and the battery in the device. Cartridge/Vaporizer Attachment Any of the cartridges described herein may be adapted for securely coupling with an electronic inhalable aerosol device (“vaporizer”) as discussed above. In particular described herein are cartridge designs that address the unrecognized problem of maintaining adequate electrical contact between a mouthpiece-containing cartridge and a rectangular vaporizer coupling region, particularly when the mouthpiece is held in a user's mouth. Any of the cartridges described herein may be particularly well adapted for securing to a vaporizer by including a base region that mates with the rectangular coupling region of the vaporizer, where the base unit fits into a rectangular opening that is between 13-14 mm deep, 4.5-5.5 mm wide, and 13-14 mm long. The base having generally includes a bottom surface having a first electrical contact and a second electrical contact. In particular, any of the cartridges described herein may include a first locking gap on a first lateral surface of the base, and a second locking gap on a second lateral surface of the base that is opposite first lateral surface. For example FIGS. 24A and 24B illustrate another variation of a cartridge having a base region 2401 with at least one locking gap 2404 on the first minor lateral wall 2407. A second locking gap (not shown) may be present on the opposite minor lateral wall. One or both major lateral walls 2418 may include a detent 2421. Any of these cartridges may also include a mouthpiece 2409, which may be at an end that is opposite of the bottom 2422, on which a pair of electrodes 2411 are positioned. FIGS. 25A and 25B show front and side views, respectively, of this example. The mouthpiece 2431 may have a distal edge 2471 that fits over the (transparent or translucent) elongate body (the elongate and flattened storage compartment configured to hold a liquid vaporizable material) of the cartridge and overhands it slightly, forming a lip or distal edge 2471 that extends only partially between the distal end and the proximal end of the storage compartment. A cannula 2475 is visible in the figure. In FIGS. 24A-25B the locking gaps 2404, 2404′ on either side are shown as channels in the side (lateral) walls. They may extend across the entire side wall, parallel to the bottom as shown, or they may extend only partially through and may preferably be centered relative to the width of the wall. In other variations the locking gap may be a divot, pit, opening, or hole (though not into the internal volume holding the vaporizable material). In general, the inventors have found that the vertical position of the locking gap may be important in maintaining the stability of the cartridge in the vaporizer, particularly in cartridges having a rectangular base region that is longer than 10 mm. Optimally, the locking gap may be between about 1 and 5 mm from the bottom of the base region, and more specifically, between about 3 and 4 mm (e.g., approximately 3.3 mm), as shown in FIG. 26A which indicates exemplary dimensions for the section through FIG. 26B. The cartridges shown in FIGS. 24A-24B also include a detent 2421 that is positioned between about 7 and 11 mm up from the bottom of the cartridge. The detent may help hold the cartridge base in the vaporizer, and may cooperate with the locking gap, but is optional (and shown in dashed lines in FIGS. 2A-25B. In FIGS. 24A-25B the cartridge base is also transparent, and shows an internal air channel (cannula 2505). FIGS. 27A-27B show another example of a vaporizer including a battery and control circuitry. FIGS. 27A and 27B also illustrate the mating region 2704 (cartridge receptacle). In this example, the mating region includes two detents 2706 that may mate with the locking gaps on the cartridge when it is inserted into the vaporizer. Exemplary dimensions for the mating region are shown. In this example the locking detents (which complement the locking gaps on the cartridge) are indentations that project into the mating region. These locking determent may be a ridge, pin, or other projection (including spring-loaded members). FIGS. 28A-28D show an example of a vaporizer 2803 into which a cartridge 2801 has been securely loaded. In FIG. 28A the cartridge has been snapped into position so that the locking gaps of the cartridge engage with the locking detents in the vaporizer. FIG. 28B is side view and FIG. 28C show a sectional view; an enlarged portion of the sectional view is shown in FIG. 28D, showing the base of the cartridge seated in the mating region of the vaporizer. With the cartridge secured as shown, good electrical contact 2805 may be maintained. As seen in FIG. 28A (and as was previously seen in FIGS. 5-6D and 11-15) the vaporizer 2803 includes an elongate, flattened and opaque body having a distal end and a proximal end and a front side 2815, a back side and opposite lateral sides 2817 extending between the distal and proximal ends. This shape may prevent the elongate, flattened and opaque body is prevented from rolling when placed on a flat surface because the diameter of the front and back sides are larger than the diameter of the opposite lateral sides. The vaporizer also includes a cartridge receptacle 2704 (clearly visible in the cross-section of FIG. 27B) formed at the proximal end of the elongate, flattened and opaque body, wherein the cartridge receptacle has a proximal-facing opening into the proximal end of the elongate, flattened and opaque body. The cartridge receptacle includes a proximal edge 2722 around the proximal-facing opening, and a notch 2724 or cut-out region in the proximal edge of the cartridge receptacle. The notch may be in the front and/or back side of the elongate, flattened and opaque body extending towards the distal end of the elongate, flattened and opaque body so that a portion of the storage compartment and the cannula within the storage compartment are visible through the notch when the cartridge is housed within the cartridge receptacle, as shown in FIG. 258A. In the sectional view of FIG. 28D, the cartridge is held securely within the cartridge receptacle by a pair of detents 2706 on either side (in this case, on two of the lateral sides) of the cartridge receptacle that mate with and engage a mating region (locking gaps 2736) on opposite sides of the cartridge. The detents project into the cartridge receptacle and each engage a mating region (locking gap) on or in the lateral sides of the storage compartment of the cartridge to hold the cartridge within the cartridge receptacle with the mouthpiece outside of the cartridge receptacle. When secured by this friction coupling as shown, the electrical contacts 2844 in or on the distal surface within the cartridge receptacle connect to electrical contacts 2411 (electrodes) on the cartridge. As mentioned above, the electrical contacts 2844 (see, e.g., FIG. 24B and for the vaporizer in the cartridge receptacle may be pogo pins. A mechanical coupling or connection between the cartridge 2801 and the vaporizer 2803 is visible in the enlarged view of FIG. 28D. In this example, the outer surface of the elongate and flattened storage compartment 2855 (which is not covered at the distal end by the mouthpiece) engages snugly within the walls of the cartridge receptacle 2851. The Although the cartridges shown in FIGS. 24A-28D are similar, and include a proximal mouthpiece and distal base that are nearly equivalent in size, with the reservoir for the vaporizable material between them and the wick, resistive heater, heating chamber and electrodes at the distal most end (near the bottom of the base), many other cartridge configurations are possible while still securely seating into a vaporizer having the same vaporizer mating region shown in FIGS. 28A-28B. For example, FIGS. 29A-29D illustrate alternative variations of cartridges having similar electrode. In FIG. 29A the base region includes two projecting feet that include locking gaps (mating regions on the storage compartment of the cartridge to hold the cartridge within the cartridge receptacle with the mouthpiece outside of the cartridge receptacle), and the electrodes on the base (not shown) connect via electrical traces (e.g. wires, etc.) to a heating element, wick and the reservoir nearer to the distal end (not visible). In FIG. 29B the base extends further than 11 mm (e.g., 20-30 mm) and may house the reservoir (fluid storage compartment). Similarly in FIG. 29C the base region is the same as in FIG. 29B, but the more proximal portion is enlarged. In FIG. 29D the fluid non-base portion of the cartridge (more proximal than the base region) may have a different dimension. All of the variations shown in FIGS. 29A-29D, as in the variations shown in FIG. 24A-25B, may mate with the same vaporizer, and because of the dimensions of the base region, may be securely held and maintain electrical contact, even when a user is holding the device in their mouth. Similarly, FIGS. 29E-29H illustrate variations of cartridges that may house the fluid storage compartment. Each of FIGS. 29E-29H, as in FIGS. 29A-29D, show an elongate and flattened storage compartment and an opaque mouthpiece at the proximal end of the storage compartment. In FIGS. 29F and 29G, the mouthpiece includes a cut-out notch as illustrated and described above for FIGS. 5, 7, 9, 24A-24B, and 28A. Any of the examples shown in FIGS. 29A-29H may include a mating region on the storage compartment of the cartridge to hold the cartridge within the cartridge receptacle with the mouthpiece outside of the cartridge receptacle. For example, FIG. 30 shows one example of a cartridge including a reservoir that may be filled as described herein. FIGS. 1A-1G show a schematic illustration of another example of cartridge. In general a cartridge may include a reservoir into which fluid may be filled, a tank 3001 (housing the reservoir), an elastomeric cap, and a porous wick at one end of the tank, which passes from within the tank to an external surface. The porous wick may be any appropriate material, including woven, braided, fibrous, and knitted materials. The wick may be coupled with or integral with a heating element. For example, a wire for resistive heating may be wrapped around an external portion of the wick, forming a wick/coil assembly 3005 as shown in FIG. 30. The wick may be any appropriate material, including metals, polymers, natural fibers, synthetic fibers, or combinations of these. The wick is porous and provides a capillary pathway for fluid within the tank through and into the wick; the capillary pathway is generally large enough to permit wicking of sufficient material to replace vaporized liquid transferred from the tank by capillary action (wicking) during use of the electronic cigarette, but may be small enough to prevent leakage of the vaporizable fluid material out of the cartridge during normal operation, including when applying pressure (e.g., squeezing) the cartridge. The external portion of the wick may include a wick housing 3005. The wick housing and/or wick may be treated to prevent leakage. For example, the wick and/or wick housing may be coated after filling to prevent leakage and/or evaporation through the wick until activated by connecting to an electronic cigarette and/or applying current through the electrical contacts 3007 (e.g., operation in an electronic cigarette), or otherwise using the cartridge. Any appropriate coating may be used, including a heat-vaporizable coating (e.g., a wax or other material), a frangible material, or the like. The cartridge may also include an air path through the tank (shown as a cannula 3009 in FIG. 30), which may at least partially partition the volume of the tank. The tank may include an elastomeric potion, such as all or a portion of the side, bottom, top, etc. In FIG. 30, the tank is covered by an elastomeric cap 3011 (elastomeric tank cap). The elastomeric portion (e.g., cap) may, in some variations, be on an opposite side from the wick. In the variation shown in FIG. 30, the cartridge including the tank also include a cover (cap 3015) and is configured to be used as a mouthpiece, so includes a mouthpiece portion 3017 that is separated from the tank 3001 by one or more absorbent pads 3019. In general, the methods described herein may include filling the tank (e.g. of a cartridge) that includes a wick at one end. The method may generally include positioning the empty and fully assembled tank (e.g. cartridge) so that it may be filled by a single needle that is inserted from the bottom or side (but not the top) of the empty tank. For example, the tank may be held on its side or upside down. Examples Any of the cartridges described in the figures and description above may include an elongate and flattened storage compartment for holding a vaporizable material and a mouthpiece at the proximal end of cartridge. In particular, FIGS. 5-7B, 8B, 9, 11-15, and 16C show examples of a cartridge for use with a vaporizer device that includes an elongate and flattened storage compartment (see, element 32 in FIG. 7B and element 32a in FIG. 9) configured to hold a liquid vaporizable material, wherein the liquid vaporizable material is visible through the storage compartment, further wherein the storage compartment comprises a distal end and a proximal end, and a first side extending between the distal end and the proximal end. In each of these examples the cartridge also includes an opaque mouthpiece (e.g., 31 in FIGS. 7B and 8B) that is secured over the proximal end of the storage compartment, the opaque mouthpiece having a front side adjacent to the first side of the storage compartment, wherein a distal end of the opaque mouthpiece terminates in a distal edge that extends only partially between the distal end and the proximal end of the storage compartment. The mouthpiece includes an opening 72, 72′ through the opaque mouthpiece at a proximal end of the opaque mouthpiece. The mouthpiece also includes a notch (in FIGS. 5, 7A, 7B, 8, 9 and 11-13, the notch is a triangular-shaped cut-out region 88 in the front side of the mouthpiece extending from the distal edge of the opaque mouthpiece toward the proximal end of the mouthpiece, wherein the notch exposes a region of the storage compartment beneath the mouthpiece. The notch (cut-out region) in either the mouthpiece or he vaporizer body may be any appropriate shape, including rectangular, hexagonal, oval, semi-circular, pentagonal, etc. (or any combination of these). Any of the cartridges described herein may also include a heater at the distal end of the storage compartment, wherein the heater comprises a heating chamber, a wick 34 within the heating chamber, and a resistive heating element 35 in thermal contact with the wick. Any of these cartridges may also include a channel 46 or cannula within the storage compartment extending from the heater to the proximal end of the storage compartment, wherein the liquid vaporizable material is visible through the notch, further wherein the cannula or channel forms a fluid connection between the heating chamber and the opening through the opaque mouthpiece from which vaporized liquid vaporizable material may be inhaled, as shown in FIGS. 7CB and 8B. In some variations, the channel may extend through the liquid vaporizable material from the heater to the proximal end of the storage compartment so that the liquid vaporizable material surrounds the cannula when the storage compartment is filled with liquid vaporizable material. The cannula may be visible through the notch. The cannula may form a fluid connection between the heating chamber and the opening through the opaque mouthpiece from which vaporized liquid vaporizable material may be inhaled. The cartridges shown in FIGS. 7A-9 may also include a friction coupling between the cartridge and the vaporizer. For example, the cartridge may include a pair of locking gaps on lateral sides of the cartridge that are configured to engage with a pair of locking detents on the vaporizer device to secure the cartridge in the vaporizer device. As discussed above, these features are also apparent in FIGS. 24A-26B, although the notch 2481 in this example may be shaped differently (e.g., shown as half of a flattened hexagon, compared to the half-diamond shape of FIGS. 8B and 9. For example, in FIGS. 24A-24B and 30, the cartridge 2000 for use with a vaporizer device includes the elongate and flattened storage compartment 2490 configured to hold a liquid vaporizable material, wherein the liquid vaporizable material is visible through the storage compartment. The storage compartment includes a distal end and a proximal end, and a first side 2492 extending between the distal end and the proximal end. The cartridge also includes an opaque mouthpiece 2409 that is secured over the proximal end of the storage compartment, the opaque mouthpiece having a front side 2494 adjacent to the first side of the storage compartment, wherein a distal end of the opaque mouthpiece terminates in a distal edge 2471 that extends only partially between the distal end and the proximal end of the storage compartment. The mouthpiece also includes an opening 2495 through the opaque mouthpiece at a proximal end of the opaque mouthpiece, and a notch 2481 in the front side of the mouthpiece extending from the distal edge of the opaque mouthpiece toward the proximal end of the mouthpiece, wherein the notch exposes a region of the storage compartment beneath the mouthpiece. The cartridge also includes a heater 2485 at the distal end of the storage compartment, wherein the heater comprises a heating chamber 2486, a wick (not visible in FIG. 24A-24B) within the heating chamber, and a resistive heating element (not visible in FIG. 24A-24B) in thermal contact with the wick. The cartridge also includes a cannula 2475, 3009 within the storage compartment extending through the liquid vaporizable material from the heater to the proximal end of the storage compartment so that the liquid vaporizable material surrounds the cannula when the storage compartment is filled with liquid vaporizable material. The cannula is visible through the notch 2481 (e.g., when the cartridge is inserted into the vaporizer fully, as shown in FIG. 33A), further wherein the cannula forms a fluid connection between the heating chamber and the opening through the opaque mouthpiece from which vaporized liquid vaporizable material may be inhaled. As mentioned above, the opaque mouthpiece may be attached over the proximal end of the elongate storage compartment in any appropriate manner, including an adhesive and/or a snap-fit over the proximal end of the storage compartment. FIGS. 31A-31L show alternative examples the mouthpiece cut-out regions (notches) that may be used. In all of these examples, the opaque mouthpiece is fixed (e.g., by adhesive, snap-fit, etc.) over the transparent or translucent elongate and flattened storage compartment 3103, similar to the examples described above (e.g., in FIG. 9). The heater region 3107 at the distal end includes a wick and coil (as shown in FIGS. 8D and 30), and a cannula 3109 is visible through the storage compartment and connects the heater forming the vapor to one or more openings on the mouthpiece. Each of the variations shown in FIGS. 31A-31L has a different notch or cut-out region 3111. The notch extends from the distal edge of the mouthpiece up towards the proximal end of the mouthpiece and exposes a window through the transparent/translucent storage compartment even when the cartridge is inserted into a vaporizer up to the distal edge formed by the mouthpiece. Thus, in general, this notch, cut-out or window extends up into the lateral side of the mouthpiece, e.g., on the front and/or back sides of the opaque mouthpiece between the distal and proximal ends of the cartridge. For example, the notch cuts up into the opaque mouthpiece from the lateral edges of the mouthpiece that extend along the minor sides (e.g., see the side 2509 of the mouthpiece 2431 in FIG. 25B, and it's opposite side, not visible in FIG. 25B), and at the lateral sides of the front and back distal edge that are at the same height as the distal edge of the mouthpiece on the minor sides of the mouthpiece. The minor sides are also referred to as the lateral sides. Note that the lateral sides are shown as having a diameter that is less than the diameter of the major (front, back) sides of the cartridge in many of these examples, which are primarily rectangular or approximately rectangular. As mentioned above, other non-rectangular, but still flattened and elongate cartridge profiles (e.g., storage compartment profiles) may be used, including hexagonal (e.g., having two pairs of minor sides with diameters that are slightly less than or equal to the major sides), oval (where the minor sides are rounded, rather than flat, etc. The notch (cut-out region) forming the window in the cartridge may mate with complementary notch on the vaporizer, as shown in FIGS. 32-34L, below. In this case, the cartridge notch forms half the window, while the vaporizer notch (through the cartridge receptacle) forms the other half of the notch. The distal-most edge of the mouthpiece around the storage compartment sits flush against the vaporizer (e.g., against the upper proximal rim of the cartridge receptacle). For example, FIG. 31A shows a notch 3111 that is a semicircle or semi-oval shape. FIG. 31B is a semi-octagonal shape; FIG. 31C shows two triangular (or semi-diamond) adjacent notches. FIG. 31D shows a semi-crescent notch. FIG. 31E shows a semi-star notch; FIG. 31F shows a semi-lip notch; FIG. 31G shows a semi-clover notch. FIG. 31H shows a Gaussian notch. FIG. 31I shows a semi-square (or rectangular) notch. FIG. 31J is a pair of adjacent semicircular or semi-oval notches. FIG. 31K shows a semi-plus-shaped notch. FIG. 31L is an alternative semi-star-shaped notch. FIG. 32 shows a cartridge 3203 such as the one shown in FIGS. 24A-25B coupled in the cartridge receptacle at the proximal end of an elongate flattened body 3205 of a vaporizer. In this example, the hemi-hexagonal notch in the front (and back) of the mouthpiece of the cartridge forms a hexagonal window with the complementary notch in the cartridge receptacle. The cannula is visible within the storage compartment and may provide a convenience reference, contrast, and scale for any vaporizing fluid within the storage compartment. The internal cannula may also provide a baffle to prevent or reduce bubbles forming within the vaporizable material. Although the examples shown in FIGS. 32-34L all show a notch cut in the distal edge of the cartridge receptacle, this second notch may be optional. Also, although the notches are shown to be mirrors of each other, the first notch (in the cartridge) may be different from the second notch. When a feature or element is herein referred to as being “on” another feature or element, it can be directly on the other feature or element or intervening features and/or elements may also be present. In contrast, when a feature or element is referred to as being “directly on” another feature or element, there are no intervening features or elements present. It will also be understood that, when a feature or element is referred to as being “connected”, “attached” or “coupled” to another feature or element, it can be directly connected, attached or coupled to the other feature or element or intervening features or elements may be present. In contrast, when a feature or element is referred to as being “directly connected”, “directly attached” or “directly coupled” to another feature or element, there are no intervening features or elements present. Although described or shown with respect to one embodiment, the features and elements so described or shown can apply to other embodiments. It will also be appreciated by those of skill in the art that references to a structure or feature that is disposed “adjacent” another feature may have portions that overlap or underlie the adjacent feature. Terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the invention. For example, as used herein, the singular forms “a”, “an” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will be further understood that the terms “comprises” and/or “comprising,” when used in this specification, specify the presence of stated features, steps, operations, elements, and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof. As used herein, the term “and/or” includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items and may be abbreviated as “/”. Spatially relative terms, such as “under”, “below”, “lower”, “over”, “upper” and the like, may be used herein for ease of description to describe one element or feature's relationship to another element(s) or feature(s) as illustrated in the figures. It will be understood that the spatially relative terms are intended to encompass different orientations of the device in use or operation in addition to the orientation depicted in the figures. For example, if a device in the figures is inverted, elements described as “under” or “beneath” other elements or features would then be oriented “over” the other elements or features. Thus, the exemplary term “under” can encompass both an orientation of over and under. The device may be otherwise oriented (rotated 90 degrees or at other orientations) and the spatially relative descriptors used herein interpreted accordingly. Similarly, the terms “upwardly”, “downwardly”, “vertical”, “horizontal” and the like are used herein for the purpose of explanation only unless specifically indicated otherwise. Although the terms “first” and “second” may be used herein to describe various features/elements (including steps), these features/elements should not be limited by these terms, unless the context indicates otherwise. These terms may be used to distinguish one feature/element from another feature/element. Thus, a first feature/element discussed below could be termed a second feature/element, and similarly, a second feature/element discussed below could be termed a first feature/element without departing from the teachings of the present invention. Throughout this specification and the claims which follow, unless the context requires otherwise, the word “comprise”, and variations such as “comprises” and “comprising” means various components can be co-jointly employed in the methods and articles (e.g., compositions and apparatuses including device and methods). For example, the term “comprising” will be understood to imply the inclusion of any stated elements or steps but not the exclusion of any other elements or steps. As used herein in the specification and claims, including as used in the examples and unless otherwise expressly specified, all numbers may be read as if prefaced by the word “about” or “approximately,” even if the term does not expressly appear. The phrase “about” or “approximately” may be used when describing magnitude and/or position to indicate that the value and/or position described is within a reasonable expected range of values and/or positions. For example, a numeric value may have a value that is +/−0.1% of the stated value (or range of values), +/−1% of the stated value (or range of values), +/−2% of the stated value (or range of values), +/−5% of the stated value (or range of values), +/−10% of the stated value (or range of values), etc. Any numerical values given herein should also be understood to include about or approximately that value, unless the context indicates otherwise. For example, if the value “10” is disclosed, then “about 10” is also disclosed. Any numerical range recited herein is intended to include all sub-ranges subsumed therein. It is also understood that when a value is disclosed that “less than or equal to” the value, “greater than or equal to the value” and possible ranges between values are also disclosed, as appropriately understood by the skilled artisan. For example, if the value “X” is disclosed the “less than or equal to X” as well as “greater than or equal to X” (e.g., where X is a numerical value) is also disclosed. It is also understood that the throughout the application, data is provided in a number of different formats, and that this data, represents endpoints and starting points, and ranges for any combination of the data points. For example, if a particular data point “10” and a particular data point “15” are disclosed, it is understood that greater than, greater than or equal to, less than, less than or equal to, and equal to 10 and 15 are considered disclosed as well as between 10 and 15. It is also understood that each unit between two particular units are also disclosed. For example, if 10 and 15 are disclosed, then 11, 12, 13, and 14 are also disclosed. Although various illustrative embodiments are described above, any of a number of changes may be made to various embodiments without departing from the scope of the invention as described by the claims. For example, the order in which various described method steps are performed may often be changed in alternative embodiments, and in other alternative embodiments one or more method steps may be skipped altogether. Optional features of various device and system embodiments may be included in some embodiments and not in others. Therefore, the foregoing description is provided primarily for exemplary purposes and should not be interpreted to limit the scope of the invention as it is set forth in the claims. The examples and illustrations included herein show, by way of illustration and not of limitation, specific embodiments in which the subject matter may be practiced. As mentioned, other embodiments may be utilized and derived there from, such that structural and logical substitutions and changes may be made without departing from the scope of this disclosure. Such embodiments of the inventive subject matter may be referred to herein individually or collectively by the term “invention” merely for convenience and without intending to voluntarily limit the scope of this application to any single invention or inventive concept, if more than one is, in fact, disclosed. Thus, although specific embodiments have been illustrated and described herein, any arrangement calculated to achieve the same purpose may be substituted for the specific embodiments shown. This disclosure is intended to cover any and all adaptations or variations of various embodiments. Combinations of the above embodiments, and other embodiments not specifically described herein, will be apparent to those of skill in the art upon reviewing the above description. | <SOH> BACKGROUND <EOH>Electronic cigarettes are typically battery-powered vaporizers that may be use, e.g., to simulate the feeling of smoking, but without tobacco. Instead of cigarette smoke, the user inhales an aerosol, commonly called vapor, typically released by a heating element that atomizes a liquid solution (vaporizable material or solution). Typically, the user activates the e-cigarette by taking a puff or pressing a button. Some vaporizers look like traditional cigarettes, but they come in many variations. Although mimicking the cylindrical look of traditional cigarettes may have marketing advantages because of a preexisting familiarity with this shape and potentially feel of the product, the cylindrical shape may not be optimal. Other shapes, including rectangular shapes, may offer advantages including a greater volume for holding the battery and vaporizable material, as well ease in handling and manufacture. Many of the battery-powered vaporizers described to date include a reusable batter-containing device portion that connects to one or more cartridges containing the consumable vaporizable material. As the cartridges are used up, they are removed and replaced with fresh ones. It may be particularly useful to have cartridges and apparatuses that have a non-circular cross-section to prevent rolling of the device when placed on a table or other surface. However, a number of surprising disadvantages may result in this configuration. For example the use of a cartridge at the proximal end of the device, which is also held by the users mouth, has been found to cause instability in the electrical contacts, particularly with cartridges of greater than 1 cm length. Further, there may be difficulties in determining the amount of vaporizable material within the cartridge, sufficiently cooling or otherwise processing the vapor generated by a heater located in the cartridge, and easily and quickly securing the cartridge into the vaporizer when force may be applied by a user's mouth at the proximal mouthpiece when a user holds the device either just by the mouth or using the mouth at the proximal end and a hand on the more distal body of the vaporizer. Described herein are apparatuses and methods that may address the issues discussed above. | <SOH> SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE <EOH>The present invention relates generally to apparatuses, including systems and devices, for vaporizing material to form an inhalable aerosol. Specifically, these apparatuses may include vaporizers, cartridge for use with a vaporizer device, and vaporizers with cartridges. In particular, described herein are cartridges that are configured for use with a vaporizer having a rechargeable power supply that includes a proximal cartridge-receiving opening. These cartridges are specifically adapted to be releasably but securely held within the cartridge-receiving opening (also referred to as a cartridge receptacle) of the vaporizer and may be configured to resist disruption of the electrical contact with the controller and power supply in the vaporizer even when held by the user's mouth. Generally, the cartridges (which may also referred to as cartomizers) described herein may have a mouthpiece, a heater/vaporizer (e.g., heating element, wick), and a tank (fluid reservoir) to hold the vaporizable material (typically a nicotine solution), in which the cartridge is flattened and has a window into the tank through the mouthpiece so that the liquid level is visible; the window can be an opening through the mouthpiece or it can be a notch up into the mouthpiece. A cannula (e.g., tube) may run through the tank, and connect the heater/vaporizer to an opening in the mouthpiece. As will be illustrated and described below, the cannula forms a passage for the vapor from the heater to the mouthpiece, and typically passes through the tank so that it is surrounded by vaporizable fluid in the tank; this may help to regulate the temperature of the vapor within the cannula, providing a substantially improved vaping experience. The cannula may be visible through the window/notch. Although having the cannula visible in the window may obscure the view into the tank, it also helps provide a visual reference for the liquid level that makes it much easier for a user to get a quick and accurate understanding of the actual level of vaporizable material within the tank. In general, the mouthpiece may be opaque and may fit over the top/end of the transparent tank (storage compartment) and may be secured over the end of the storage compartment. This may allow the mouthpiece to form a lip or rim formed by the distal edge of the mouthpiece over the storage compartment that helps guide and helps secure the cartridge in the cartridge receptacle of the vaporizer. As mentioned, the (typically opaque) mouthpiece may also or alternatively have a cut-out region on the distal edge that is cut into a shape that may form a window into the tank to show the cartridge and fluid; the cut-out region may be any appropriate shape (e.g., square, rectangular, oval, semi-circular, or combinations thereof), and may match with another cut-out region on the upper edge (proximal edge) of the cartridge receptacle of the vaporizer. Any of these cartridges may also include a gap on the side of the cartridge to mate with a detent on the vaporizer. The gap (also referred to herein as a locking gap) may be a channel, pit, hole, divot, etc. in the sides of the elongate and flattened storage compartment. These gaps may act as a mechanical lock to secure the cartridge in the vaporizer, and may also provide tactile and/or audible \feedback (producing a click or snap) when the cartridge is properly seated in the cartridge receptacle so that there is a robust mechanical and electrical connection between the cartridge and the vaporizer. In general, the apparatuses described herein also include vaporizers and cartridges in which the cartridge is inserted into a cartridge receptacle at the proximal end of the vaporizer so that the mouthpiece projects out of the proximal end. Overall, the combined cartridge and vaporizer may have an elongate, flattened shape that prevents rolling when the apparatus is placed on a table or other flat surface so that is lying flat on the surface. As mentioned, the body of the vaporizer, and particularly the proximal edge of the cartridge receptacle, may include a notch or cut-out portion that forms a window into the (transparent) cartridge when the cartridge is held within the cartridge receptacle. Similarly, the cartridge receptacle portion of the vaporizer may include a coupling to secure the cartridge within the cartridge receptacle even when it projects out of the end of the vaporizer, and even when the entire apparatus is held within a user's mouth only at the mouthpiece of the cartridge. Although the majority of the weight of the apparatus is in the vaporizers (near the distal end of the apparatus), the coupling, which may be two or more detents on the side of the cartridge receptacle and/or a magnetic coupling, may hold the cartridge secured in position even where the electrical coupling is a biased connection (such as a pogo pin) that would tend to push the cartridge out of the cartridge receptacle. For example, described herein are cartridges for use with a vaporizer device, the cartridge comprising: an elongate and flattened storage compartment configured to hold a liquid vaporizable material, wherein the liquid vaporizable material is visible through the storage compartment, further wherein the storage compartment comprises a distal end and a proximal end, and a first side extending between the distal end and the proximal end; an opaque mouthpiece that is secured over the proximal end of the storage compartment, the opaque mouthpiece having a front side adjacent to the first side of the storage compartment, wherein a distal end of the opaque mouthpiece terminates in a distal edge that extends only partially between the distal end and the proximal end of the storage compartment; an opening through the opaque mouthpiece at a proximal end of the opaque mouthpiece; a notch in the front side of the mouthpiece extending from the distal edge of the opaque mouthpiece toward the proximal end of the mouthpiece, wherein the notch exposes a region of the storage compartment beneath the mouthpiece; a heater at the distal end of the storage compartment, wherein the heater comprises a heating chamber, a wick within the heating chamber, and a resistive heating element in thermal contact with the wick; and a cannula within the storage compartment extending through the liquid vaporizable material from the heater to the proximal end of the storage compartment so that the liquid vaporizable material surrounds the cannula when the storage compartment is filled with liquid vaporizable material, wherein the cannula is visible through the notch, further wherein the cannula forms a fluid connection between the heating chamber and the opening through the opaque mouthpiece from which vaporized liquid vaporizable material may be inhaled. Also described herein are cartridges for use with a vaporizer device, the cartridge comprising: an elongate and flattened storage compartment configured to hold a liquid vaporizable material, wherein the liquid vaporizable material is visible through the storage compartment, further wherein the storage compartment comprises a distal end and a proximal end, and a first side extending between the distal end and the proximal end; an opaque mouthpiece that is secured over the proximal end of the storage compartment, the opaque mouthpiece having a front side adjacent to the first side of the storage compartment, wherein a distal end of the opaque mouthpiece terminates in a distal edge that extends only partially between the distal end and the proximal end of the storage compartment; an opening through the opaque mouthpiece at a proximal end of the opaque mouthpiece; a window in the front side of the mouthpiece, wherein the window exposes a region of the storage compartment beneath the mouthpiece; a heater at the distal end of the storage compartment, wherein the heater comprises a heating chamber, a wick within the heating chamber, and a resistive heating element in thermal contact with the wick; and a cannula within the storage compartment extending through the liquid vaporizable material from the heater to the proximal end of the storage compartment so that the liquid vaporizable material surrounds the cannula when the storage compartment is filled with liquid vaporizable material, wherein the cannula is visible through the window, further wherein the cannula forms a fluid connection between the heating chamber and the opening through the opaque mouthpiece from which vaporized liquid vaporizable material may be inhaled. A cartridge for use with a vaporizer device may also include: an elongate and flattened storage compartment holding a liquid vaporizable material, wherein the liquid vaporizable material is visible through the storage compartment, further wherein the storage compartment comprises a distal end and a proximal end, and a first side extending between the distal end and the proximal end; an opaque mouthpiece that is snap-fit over the proximal end of the storage compartment, the opaque mouthpiece having a front side adjacent to the first side of the storage compartment, wherein a distal end of the opaque mouthpiece terminates in a distal edge that extends midway between the distal end and the proximal end of the storage compartment; an opening through the opaque mouthpiece at a proximal end of the opaque mouthpiece; a notch in the front side of the mouthpiece extending from the distal edge of the opaque mouthpiece toward the proximal end of the mouthpiece, wherein the notch exposes a region of the storage compartment beneath the mouthpiece; a heater at the distal end of the storage compartment, wherein the heater comprises a heating chamber, a wick within the heating chamber, and a resistive heating element in thermal contact with the wick; a cannula or channel within the storage compartment extending from the heater to the proximal end of the storage compartment, wherein the liquid vaporizable material is visible through the notch, further wherein the cannula or channel forms a fluid connection between the heating chamber and the opening through the opaque mouthpiece from which vaporized liquid vaporizable material may be inhaled; and a pair of locking gaps on lateral sides of the cartridge that are configured to engage with a pair of locking detents on the vaporizer device to secure the cartridge in the vaporizer device. In any of the cartridge described herein, the opaque mouthpiece may be secured over the proximal end of the storage compartment by a snap-fit. In general, the storage compartment may be filled with the liquid vaporizable material. Any liquid vaporizable material may be used, including nicotine solutions, cannaboid solutions, solutions without any active ingredient, or other vaporizable solutions. In general, as will be described in greater detail herein, the cartridges may include a pair of electrical contacts at a distal end of the cartridge. In some variations, the electrical contacts are configured to mate with connectors (e.g., pogo pin connectors) within the cartridge receptacle of the vaporizer. The window (e.g., notch) in the cartridge through the mouthpiece may be a rectangular, triangular, semi-circular, or oval cutout region, or some combination of these. In general, the fluid within the elongate and flattened storage compartment may be visible; for example, the elongate fluid storage compartment may be transparent or translucent. In any of the cartridges described herein, the cartridge (e.g., the elongate fluid storage compartment) may include a pair of locking gaps on lateral sides of the cartridge that are configured to engage with a pair of locking detents on the vaporizer device to secure the cartridge in the vaporizer device. A vaporizer device may include: a cartridge, comprising: a non-opaque storage compartment holding a liquid vaporizable material; a mouthpiece overlapping a proximal end of the non-opaque storage compartment; and a heater at a distal end of the non-opaque storage compartment, wherein the heater comprises a heating chamber, a wick within the heating chamber, and a resistive heating element in thermal contact with the wick; and an elongate body configured to removably attach to the cartridge, the elongate body comprising a power source configured to provide power to the heater; and a notch in a proximal end of the elongate body or a distal end of the mouthpiece, the notch configured such that the non-opaque storage compartment of the cartridge is exposed therethrough when the cartridge is attached to the elongate body. For example, a vaporizer device may include: a cartridge, comprising: a storage compartment holding a liquid vaporizable material; a mouthpiece overlapping a proximal end of the storage compartment; and a heater at a proximal end of the storage compartment, wherein the heater comprises a heating chamber, a wick within the heating chamber, and a resistive heating element in thermal contact with the wick; and an elongate body configured to removably attach to the cartridge, the elongate body comprising a power source configured to provide power to the heater; wherein an air inlet is formed between the cartridge and the elongate body when the cartridge is attached to the elongate body such that an air path is formed from the air inlet, over the wick, and out the mouthpiece. For example, a cartridge for use with a vaporizer device may include: a storage compartment holding a liquid vaporizable material; a mouthpiece overlapping a proximal end of the storage compartment; a notch in a front side of the mouthpiece extending from a distal end of the mouthpiece toward a proximal end of the mouthpiece; and a heater at a proximal end of the storage compartment, wherein the heater comprises a heating chamber, a wick within the heating chamber, and a resistive heating element in thermal contact with the wick, wherein the notch is configured to form an air inlet between the cartridge and the vaporizer device when the cartridge is attached to the vaporizer device such that an air path is formed from the air inlet, over the wick, and out the mouthpiece. Also described herein are apparatuses including vaporizer apparatuses that include both the cartridge and the vaporizer into which the cartridge may be inserted, e.g., into a cartridge receptacle that holds the cartridge so that it extends from one end of the vaporizer. For example a vaporizer apparatus may include: a cartridge having: an elongate and flattened storage compartment configured to hold a liquid vaporizable material, wherein the liquid vaporizable material is visible through the storage compartment and wherein the storage compartment comprises a distal end and a proximal end; a mouthpiece at the proximal end of the storage compartment; an opening through the mouthpiece at a proximal end of the mouthpiece; a heater at the distal end of the storage compartment, wherein the heater comprises a heating chamber, a wick within the heating chamber, and a resistive heating element in thermal contact with the wick; and a vaporizer, the vaporizer having: an elongate, flattened and opaque body having a distal end and a proximal end and a front side, a back side and a pair of lateral sides extending between the distal and proximal ends, wherein the elongate, flattened and opaque body is prevented from rolling when placed on a flat surface because the diameter of the front and back sides are larger than the diameter of the pair of lateral sides; a cartridge receptacle formed at the proximal end of the elongate, flattened and opaque body, wherein the cartridge receptacle has a proximal-facing opening into the proximal end of the elongate, flattened and opaque body, further wherein the cartridge receptacle comprises a proximal edge around the distal-facing opening; wherein the proximal edge of the cartridge receptacle forms a notch in the front side of the elongate, flattened and opaque body extending towards the distal end of the elongate, flattened and opaque body so that a portion of the storage compartment is visible through the notch when the cartridge is housed within the cartridge receptacle; a pair of electrical contacts in a distal surface within the cartridge receptacle configured to connect to electrical contacts on the cartridge when the cartridge is housed within the cartridge receptacle; and a detent on each of the pair of lateral sides, wherein the detents project into the cartridge receptacle and each engage a mating region on the storage compartment of the cartridge to hold the cartridge within the cartridge receptacle with the mouthpiece outside of the cartridge receptacle. A vaporizer apparatus may include: a cartridge having: an elongate and flattened storage compartment configured to hold a liquid vaporizable material, wherein the liquid vaporizable material is visible through the storage compartment and wherein the storage compartment comprises a distal end and a proximal end; a mouthpiece at the proximal end of the storage compartment; an opening through the mouthpiece at a proximal end of the mouthpiece; a heater at the distal end of the storage compartment, wherein the heater comprises a heating chamber, a wick within the heating chamber, and a resistive heating element in thermal contact with the wick; a cannula within the storage compartment extending through the liquid vaporizable material from the heater to the proximal end of the storage compartment so that the liquid vaporizable material surrounds the cannula when the storage compartment is filled with liquid vaporizable material, further wherein the cannula forms a fluid connection between the heating chamber and the opening through the mouthpiece from which vaporized liquid vaporizable material may be inhaled; and a vaporizer, the vaporizer having: an elongate, flattened and opaque body having a distal end and a proximal end and a front side, a back side and opposite lateral sides extending between the distal and proximal ends, wherein the elongate, flattened and opaque body is prevented from rolling when placed on a flat surface because the diameter of the front and back sides are larger than the diameter of the opposite lateral sides; a cartridge receptacle formed at the proximal end of the elongate, flattened and opaque body, wherein the cartridge receptacle has a proximal-facing opening into the proximal end of the elongate, flattened and opaque body, further wherein the cartridge receptacle comprises a proximal edge around the proximal-facing opening; wherein the proximal edge of the cartridge receptacle forms a notch in the front side of the elongate, flattened and opaque body extending towards the distal end of the elongate, flattened and opaque body so that a portion of the storage compartment and the cannula within the storage compartment are visible through the notch when the cartridge is housed within the cartridge receptacle; a pair of electrical contacts in a distal surface within the cartridge receptacle configured to connect to electrical contacts on the cartridge when the cartridge is housed within the cartridge receptacle; and a detent on each of the opposite lateral sides, wherein the detents project into the cartridge receptacle and each engage a mating region on the storage compartment of the cartridge to hold the cartridge within the cartridge receptacle with the mouthpiece outside of the cartridge receptacle. For example, a vaporizer apparatus may include a cartridge having: an elongate and flattened storage compartment holding a liquid vaporizable material that is visible through the storage compartment, wherein the storage compartment comprises a distal end and a proximal end, and a first side extending between the distal end and the proximal end; a mouthpiece at the proximal end of the storage compartment, wherein the mouthpiece comprises an opaque cover that is secured over the proximal end of the storage compartment, the opaque mouthpiece having a front side adjacent to the first side of the storage compartment, wherein a distal end of the opaque cover terminates in a distal edge that extends around a perimeter of the storage compartment from a position only partially between the distal end and the proximal end of the storage compartment of the opaque cover; a cartridge notch in the front side of the mouthpiece extending from the distal edge of the opaque cover towards the proximal end of the mouthpiece, wherein the cartridge notch exposes a region of the storage compartment beneath the mouthpiece; an opening through the mouthpiece at a distal end of the mouthpiece; a heater at the distal end of the storage compartment, wherein the heater comprises a heating chamber, a wick within the heating chamber, and a resistive heating element in thermal contact with the wick; a cannula within the storage compartment extending through the liquid vaporizable material from the heater to the proximal end of the storage compartment so that the liquid vaporizable material surrounds the cannula, further wherein the cannula forms a fluid connection between the heating chamber and the opening through the mouthpiece from which vaporized liquid vaporizable material may be inhaled, wherein the cannula is visible through the cartridge notch; and a vaporizer, the vaporizer having: an elongate, flattened and opaque body having a distal end and a proximal end and a front side, a back side and opposite lateral sides extending between the distal and proximal ends, wherein the elongate, flattened and opaque body is prevented from rolling when placed on a flat surface because the diameter of the front and back sides are larger than the diameter of the opposite lateral sides; a cartridge receptacle formed at the proximal end of the elongate, flattened and opaque body, wherein the cartridge receptacle has a proximal-facing opening into the proximal end of the elongate, flattened and opaque body, further wherein the cartridge receptacle comprises a proximal edge around the distal-facing opening; wherein the proximal edge of the cartridge receptacle forms a notch in the front side of the elongate, flattened and opaque body extending towards the distal end of the elongate, flattened and opaque body so that a portion of the storage compartment and the cannula are visible through the notch when the cartridge is housed within the cartridge receptacle; a pair of electrical contacts in a distal surface within the cartridge receptacle configured to connect to electrical contacts on the cartridge when the cartridge is housed within the cartridge receptacle; and a detent on each of the opposite lateral sides, wherein the detents project into the cartridge receptacle and each engage a mating region on the storage compartment of the cartridge to hold the cartridge within the cartridge receptacle with the mouthpiece outside of the cartridge receptacle, wherein the cartridge notch aligns with the notch formed in the proximal edge of the cartridge receptacle when the cartridge is housed within the cartridge receptacle. As mentioned above, in any of the cartridges described herein, the cannula may be visible within the storage compartment is visible through the notch when the cartridge is housed within the cartridge receptacle. In any of the cartridges described herein, the elongate, flattened and opaque body may have a cross-section such that the apparatus (including the cartridge) lies flat and does not roll, when placed on a table. For example, the cartridge may have a rectangular cross-section (e.g., through the long axis, distal-to-proximal, of the cartridge); in some variations the cross-section is oval, square, etc. In any of the devices described here, the cartridge may couple with the vaporizer using a connector that is snap fit, or other mechanical fit that is not a threaded connection. Alternatively or additional, the connector may be magnetic. In any of these apparatuses, the pair of electrical contacts in a proximal surface within the cartridge receptacle may comprise pogo pins or other connectors that are biased against the contact on the cartridge when the two are connected. The mouthpiece may generally comprise an opaque cover that is secured over the proximal end of the storage compartment, the opaque cover having a front side adjacent to a first side of the storage compartment extending between the proximal and distal ends of the storage compartment, wherein a distal end of the opaque cover terminates in a distal edge that extends around a perimeter of the storage compartment from a position only partially between the distal end and the proximal end of the storage compartment. The cartridge may further comprises a cartridge notch in the front side of the mouthpiece extending from the distal edge of the opaque cover towards the proximal end of the mouthpiece, wherein the cartridge notch exposes a region of the storage compartment beneath the mouthpiece, further wherein the cartridge notch aligns with the notch formed in the proximal edge of the cartridge receptacle when the cartridge is housed within the cartridge receptacle. Also described herein in particular are apparatuses (e.g., vaporizer apparatuses) in which the cartridge (including any of the cartridges described herein) are magnetically coupled to with a cartridge receptacle at a proximal end of the vaporizer body so that the proximal end (e.g., mouthpiece) of the cartridge extends proximally from out of the vaporizer body. For example, a vaporizer apparatus may include: a cartridge having: an elongate and transparent storage compartment holding a liquid vaporizable material, wherein the elongate and transparent storage compartment comprises a distal end and a proximal end; an opaque mouthpiece at the proximal end of the elongate and transparent storage compartment; a pair of electrical contacts at a distal end of the cartridge; a heater at the distal end of the elongate and transparent storage compartment, wherein the heater comprises a heating chamber, a wick within the heating chamber, and a resistive heating element in thermal contact with the wick; and a channel within the elongate and transparent storage compartment extending from the heater to the proximal end of the elongate and transparent storage compartment, wherein the channel is visible through the elongate and transparent storage compartment, further wherein the channel forms a fluid connection between the heating chamber and the opaque mouthpiece from which vaporized liquid vaporizable material may be inhaled; and a vaporizer, the vaporizer having: an elongate body having a distal end and a proximal end; a cartridge receptacle formed at the proximal end of the elongate body, wherein the cartridge receptacle has a proximal-facing opening into the proximal end of the elongate body, further wherein the cartridge receptacle comprises a proximal edge around the distal-facing opening; an window though a side of the cartridge receptacle so that at least a portion of the elongate and transparent storage compartment is visible through the window when the cartridge is held within the cartridge receptacle; a pair of electrical contacts in a distal surface within the cartridge receptacle configured to connect to the pair of electrical contacts at the distal end of the cartridge when the cartridge is held within the cartridge receptacle; and a first magnetic coupling configured to magnetically secure the cartridge in the cartridge receptacle; and a second magnetic coupling configured to magnetically couple the vaporizer to a charger. For example, a vaporizer apparatus may include: a cartridge having: an elongate and transparent storage compartment holding a liquid vaporizable material, wherein the elongate and transparent storage compartment comprises a distal end and a proximal end; an opaque mouthpiece at the proximal end of the elongate and transparent storage compartment; a pair of electrical contacts at a distal end of the cartridge; a heater at the distal end of the elongate and transparent storage compartment, wherein the heater comprises a heating chamber, a wick within the heating chamber, and a resistive heating element in thermal contact with the wick; and a channel within the elongate and transparent storage compartment extending through the liquid vaporizable material from the heater to the proximal end of the elongate and transparent storage compartment, wherein the channel is visible through the elongate and transparent storage compartment, further wherein the channel forms a fluid connection between the heating chamber and the opaque mouthpiece from which vaporized liquid vaporizable material may be inhaled; and a vaporizer, the vaporizer having: an elongate body having a distal end and a proximal end; a cartridge receptacle formed at the proximal end of the elongate body, wherein the cartridge receptacle has a proximal-facing opening into the distal end of the elongate body, further wherein the cartridge receptacle comprises a proximal edge around the distal-facing opening; an window though a side of the cartridge receptacle into the cartridge receptacle so that at least a portion of the elongate and transparent storage compartment and the channel is visible through the window when the cartridge is held within the cartridge receptacle; a pair of electrical contacts in a distal surface within the cartridge receptacle configured to connect to the pair of electrical contacts at the distal end of the cartridge when the cartridge is held within the cartridge receptacle; and a first magnetic coupling configured to magnetically secure the cartridge in the cartridge receptacle; and a second magnetic coupling at a distal end of the vaporizer configured to magnetically couple the vaporizer to a charger. In general the notch (e.g., cut-out region) on the window in the side of the elongate and opaque body may be any appropriate shape, including a rectangular, triangular, semi-circular, or oval (or any combination of these) cutout region, and the two may match or be different. The channel within the elongate and transparent storage compartment may be visible through the window when the cartridge is housed within the cartridge receptacle. Also described herein are cartridges in which the arrangement of contacts (e.g., between the cartridge and the vaporizer, are configured within a particular spacing regime to optimize the electrical and mechanical connection between the two, even when the cartridge is held within the user's mouth, and not supported (e.g., by a hand) at the more distal end region. For example, described herein are cartridge devices holding a vaporizable material for securely coupling with an electronic inhalable aerosol device. A device may include: a mouthpiece; a fluid storage compartment holding a vaporizable material; a base configured to fit into a rectangular opening that is between 13-14 mm deep, 4.5-5.5 mm wide, and 13-14 mm long, the base having a bottom surface comprising a first electrical contact and a second electrical contact, a first locking gap on a first lateral surface of the base, and a second locking gap on a second lateral surface of the base that is opposite first lateral surface. A cartridge device holding a vaporizable material for securely coupling with an electronic inhalable aerosol device may include: a mouthpiece; a fluid storage compartment holding a vaporizable material; a base configured to fit into a rectangular opening that is between 13-14 mm deep, 4.5-5.5 mm wide, and 13-14 mm long, the base having a length of at least 10 mm, and a bottom surface comprising a first electrical contact and a second electrical contact, a first locking gap on a first lateral surface of the base positioned between 3-4 mm above the bottom surface, and a second locking gap on a second lateral surface of the base that is opposite first lateral surface. In some variations, the device may further comprise a body that comprises at least one of: a power source, a printed circuit board, a switch, and a temperature regulator. The device may further comprise a temperature regulator in communication with a temperature sensor. The temperature sensor may be the heater. The power source may be rechargeable. The power source may be removable. The oven may further comprise an access lid. The vapor forming medium may comprise tobacco. The vapor forming medium may comprise a botanical. The vapor forming medium may be heated in the oven chamber wherein the vapor forming medium may comprise a humectant to produce the vapor, wherein the vapor comprises a gas phase humectant. The vapor may be mixed in the condensation chamber with air from the aeration vent to produce the inhalable aerosol comprising particle diameters of average size of about 1 micron. The vapor forming medium may be heated in the oven chamber, wherein the vapor is mixed in the condensation chamber with air from the aeration vent to produce the inhalable aerosol comprising particle diameters of average size of less than or equal to 0.9 micron. The vapor forming medium may be heated in the oven chamber, wherein the vapor is mixed in the condensation chamber with air from the aeration vent to produce the inhalable aerosol comprising particle diameters of average size of less than or equal to 0.8 micron. The vapor forming medium may be heated in the oven chamber, wherein the vapor is mixed in the condensation chamber with air from the aeration vent to produce the inhalable aerosol comprising particle diameters of average size of less than or equal to 0.7 micron. The vapor forming medium may be heated in the oven chamber, wherein the vapor is mixed in the condensation chamber with air from the aeration vent to produce the inhalable aerosol comprising particle diameters of average size of less than or equal to 0.6 micron. The vapor forming medium may be heated in the oven chamber, wherein the vapor is mixed in the condensation chamber with air from the aeration vent to produce the inhalable aerosol comprising particle diameters of average size of less than or equal to 0.5 micron. In some variations, the humectant may comprise glycerol as a vapor-forming medium. The humectant may comprise vegetable glycerol. The humectant may comprise propylene glycol. The humectant may comprise a ratio of vegetable glycerol to propylene glycol. The ratio may be about 100:0 vegetable glycerol to propylene glycol. The ratio may be about 90:10 vegetable glycerol to propylene glycol. The ratio may be about 80:20 vegetable glycerol to propylene glycol. The ratio may be about 70:30 vegetable glycerol to propylene glycol. The ratio may be about 60:40 vegetable glycerol to propylene glycol. The ratio may be about 50:50 vegetable glycerol to propylene glycol. The humectant may comprise a flavorant. The vapor forming medium may be heated to its pyrolytic temperature. The vapor forming medium may heated to 200° C. at most. The vapor forming medium may be heated to 160° C. at most. The inhalable aerosol may be cooled to a temperature of about 50°-70° C. at most, before exiting the aerosol outlet of the mouthpiece. Also described herein are methods for generating an inhalable aerosol. Such a method may comprise: providing an inhalable aerosol generating device wherein the device comprises: an oven comprising an oven chamber and a heater for heating a vapor forming medium in the oven chamber and for forming a vapor therein; a condenser comprising a condensation chamber in which the vapor forms the inhalable aerosol; an air inlet that originates a first airflow path that includes the oven chamber; and an aeration vent that originates a second airflow path that allows air from the aeration vent to join the first airflow path prior to or within the condensation chamber and downstream from the oven chamber thereby forming a joined path, wherein the joined path is configured to deliver the inhalable aerosol formed in the condensation chamber to a user. The oven may be within a body of the device. The device may further comprise a mouthpiece, wherein the mouthpiece comprises at least one of the air inlet, the aeration vent, and the condenser. The mouthpiece may be separable from the oven. The mouthpiece may be integral to a body of the device, wherein the body comprises the oven. The method may further comprise a body that comprises the oven, the condenser, the air inlet, and the aeration vent. The mouthpiece may be separable from the body. The oven chamber may comprise an oven chamber inlet and an oven chamber outlet, and the oven further comprises a first valve at the oven chamber inlet, and a second valve at the oven chamber outlet. The vapor forming medium may comprise tobacco. The vapor forming medium may comprise a botanical. The vapor forming medium may be heated in the oven chamber wherein the vapor forming medium may comprise a humectant to produce the vapor, wherein the vapor comprises a gas phase humectant. The vapor may comprise particle diameters of average mass of about 1 micron. The vapor may comprise particle diameters of average mass of about 0.9 micron. The vapor may comprise particle diameters of average mass of about 0.8 micron. The vapor may comprise particle diameters of average mass of about 0.7 micron. The vapor may comprise particle diameters of average mass of about 0.6 micron. The vapor may comprise particle diameters of average mass of about 0.5 micron. In some variations, the humectant may comprise glycerol as a vapor-forming medium. The humectant may comprise vegetable glycerol. The humectant may comprise propylene glycol. The humectant may comprise a ratio of vegetable glycerol to propylene glycol. The ratio may be about 100:0 vegetable glycerol to propylene glycol. The ratio may be about 90:10 vegetable glycerol to propylene glycol. The ratio may be about 80:20 vegetable glycerol to propylene glycol. The ratio may be about 70:30 vegetable glycerol to propylene glycol. The ratio may be about 60:40 vegetable glycerol to propylene glycol. The ratio may be about 50:50 vegetable glycerol to propylene glycol. The humectant may comprise a flavorant. The vapor forming medium may be heated to its pyrolytic temperature. The vapor forming medium may heated to 200° C. at most. The vapor forming medium may be heated to 160° C. at most. The inhalable aerosol may be cooled to a temperature of about 50°-70° C. at most, before exiting the aerosol outlet of the mouthpiece. The device may be user serviceable. The device may not be user serviceable. A method for generating an inhalable aerosol may include: providing a vaporization device, wherein said device produces a vapor comprising particle diameters of average mass of about 1 micron or less, wherein said vapor is formed by heating a vapor forming medium in an oven chamber to a first temperature below the pyrolytic temperature of said vapor forming medium, and cooling said vapor in a condensation chamber to a second temperature below the first temperature, before exiting an aerosol outlet of said device. A method of manufacturing a device for generating an inhalable aerosol may include: providing said device comprising a mouthpiece comprising an aerosol outlet at a first end of the device; an oven comprising an oven chamber and a heater for heating a vapor forming medium in the oven chamber and for forming a vapor therein, a condenser comprising a condensation chamber in which the vapor forms the inhalable aerosol, an air inlet that originates a first airflow path that includes the oven chamber and then the condensation chamber, an aeration vent that originates a second airflow path that joins the first airflow path prior to or within the condensation chamber after the vapor is formed in the oven chamber, wherein the joined first airflow path and second airflow path are configured to deliver the inhalable aerosol formed in the condensation chamber through the aerosol outlet of the mouthpiece to a user. The method may further comprise providing the device comprising a power source or battery, a printed circuit board, a temperature regulator or operational switches. A device for generating an inhalable aerosol may comprise a mouthpiece comprising an aerosol outlet at a first end of the device and an air inlet that originates a first airflow path; an oven comprising an oven chamber that is in the first airflow path and includes the oven chamber and a heater for heating a vapor forming medium in the oven chamber and for forming a vapor therein; a condenser comprising a condensation chamber in which the vapor forms the inhalable aerosol; and an aeration vent that originates a second airflow path that allows air from the aeration vent to join the first airflow path prior to or within the condensation chamber and downstream from the oven chamber thereby forming a joined path, wherein the joined path is configured to deliver the inhalable aerosol formed in the condensation chamber through the aerosol outlet of the mouthpiece to a user. A device for generating an inhalable aerosol may comprise: a mouthpiece comprising an aerosol outlet at a first end of the device, an air inlet that originates a first airflow path, and an aeration vent that originates a second airflow path that allows air from the aeration vent to join the first airflow path; an oven comprising an oven chamber that is in the first airflow path and includes the oven chamber and a heater for heating a vapor forming medium in the oven chamber and for forming a vapor therein; and a condenser comprising a condensation chamber in which the vapor forms the inhalable aerosol and wherein air from the aeration vent joins the first airflow path prior to or within the condensation chamber and downstream from the oven chamber thereby forming a joined path, wherein the joined path is configured to deliver the inhalable aerosol through the aerosol outlet of the mouthpiece to a user. A device for generating an inhalable aerosol may comprise: a device body comprising a cartridge receptacle; a cartridge comprising: a fluid storage compartment, and a channel integral to an exterior surface of the cartridge, and an air inlet passage formed by the channel and an internal surface of the cartridge receptacle when the cartridge is inserted into the cartridge receptacle; wherein the channel forms a first side of the air inlet passage, and an internal surface of the cartridge receptacle forms a second side of the air inlet passage. A device for generating an inhalable aerosol may comprise: a device body comprising a cartridge receptacle; a cartridge comprising: a fluid storage compartment, and a channel integral to an exterior surface of the cartridge, and an air inlet passage formed by the channel and an internal surface of the cartridge receptacle when the cartridge is inserted into the cartridge receptacle; wherein the channel forms a first side of the air inlet passage, and an internal surface of the cartridge receptacle forms a second side of the air inlet passage. The channel may comprise at least one of a groove, a trough, a depression, a dent, a furrow, a trench, a crease, and a gutter. The integral channel may comprise walls that are either recessed into the surface or protrude from the surface where it is formed. The internal side walls of the channel may form additional sides of the air inlet passage. The cartridge may further comprise a second air passage in fluid communication with the air inlet passage to the fluid storage compartment, wherein the second air passage is formed through the material of the cartridge. The cartridge may further comprise a heater. The heater may be attached to a first end of the cartridge. The heater may comprise a heater chamber, a first pair of heater contacts, a fluid wick, and a resistive heating element in contact with the wick, wherein the first pair of heater contacts comprise thin plates affixed about the sides of the heater chamber, and wherein the fluid wick and resistive heating element are suspended there between. The first pair of heater contacts may further comprise a formed shape that comprises a tab having a flexible spring value that extends out of the heater to couple to complete a circuit with the device body. The first pair of heater contacts may be a heat sink that absorbs and dissipates excessive heat produced by the resistive heating element. The first pair of heater contacts may contact a heat shield that protects the heater chamber from excessive heat produced by the resistive heating element. The first pair of heater contacts may be press-fit to an attachment feature on the exterior wall of the first end of the cartridge. The heater may enclose a first end of the cartridge and a first end of the fluid storage compartment. The heater may comprise a first condensation chamber. The heater may comprise more than one first condensation chamber. The first condensation chamber may be formed along an exterior wall of the cartridge. The cartridge may further comprise a mouthpiece. The mouthpiece may be attached to a second end of the cartridge. The mouthpiece may comprise a second condensation chamber. The mouthpiece may comprise more than one second condensation chamber. The second condensation chamber may be formed along an exterior wall of the cartridge. The cartridge may comprise a first condensation chamber and a second condensation chamber. The first condensation chamber and the second condensation chamber may be in fluid communication. The mouthpiece may comprise an aerosol outlet in fluid communication with the second condensation chamber. The mouthpiece may comprise more than one aerosol outlet in fluid communication with more than one the second condensation chamber. The mouthpiece may enclose a second end of the cartridge and a second end of the fluid storage compartment. The device may comprise an airflow path comprising an air inlet passage, a second air passage, a heater chamber, a first condensation chamber, a second condensation chamber, and an aerosol outlet. The airflow path may comprise more than one air inlet passage, a heater chamber, more than one first condensation chamber, more than one second condensation chamber, more than one second condensation chamber, and more than one aerosol outlet. The heater may be in fluid communication with the fluid storage compartment. The fluid storage compartment may be capable of retaining condensed aerosol fluid. The condensed aerosol fluid may comprise a nicotine formulation. The condensed aerosol fluid may comprise a humectant. The humectant may comprise propylene glycol. The humectant may comprise vegetable glycerin. The cartridge may be detachable. The cartridge may be receptacle and the detachable cartridge forms a separable coupling. The separable coupling may comprise a friction assembly, a snap-fit assembly or a magnetic assembly. The cartridge may comprise a fluid storage compartment, a heater affixed to a first end with a snap-fit coupling, and a mouthpiece affixed to a second end with a snap-fit coupling. A device for generating an inhalable aerosol may comprise: a device body comprising a cartridge receptacle for receiving a cartridge; wherein an interior surface of the cartridge receptacle forms a first side of an air inlet passage when a cartridge comprising a channel integral to an exterior surface is inserted into the cartridge receptacle, and wherein the channel forms a second side of the air inlet passage. A device for generating an inhalable aerosol may comprise: a device body comprising a cartridge receptacle for receiving a cartridge; wherein the cartridge receptacle comprises a channel integral to an interior surface and forms a first side of an air inlet passage when a cartridge is inserted into the cartridge receptacle, and wherein an exterior surface of the cartridge forms a second side of the air inlet passage. A cartridge for a device for generating an inhalable aerosol may include: a fluid storage compartment; a channel integral to an exterior surface, wherein the channel forms a first side of an air inlet passage; and wherein an internal surface of a cartridge receptacle in the device forms a second side of the air inlet passage when the cartridge is inserted into the cartridge receptacle. A cartridge for a device for generating an inhalable aerosol may comprise: a fluid storage compartment, wherein an exterior surface of the cartridge forms a first side of an air inlet channel when inserted into a device body comprising a cartridge receptacle, and wherein the cartridge receptacle further comprises a channel integral to an interior surface, and wherein the channel forms a second side of the air inlet passage. The cartridge may further comprise a second air passage in fluid communication with the channel, wherein the second air passage is formed through the material of the cartridge from an exterior surface of the cartridge to the fluid storage compartment. The cartridge may comprise at least one of: a groove, a trough, a depression, a dent, a furrow, a trench, a crease, and a gutter. The integral channel may comprise walls that are either recessed into the surface or protrude from the surface where it is formed. The internal side walls of the channel may form additional sides of the air inlet passage. A device for generating an inhalable aerosol may comprise: a cartridge comprising; a fluid storage compartment; a heater affixed to a first end comprising; a first heater contact, a resistive heating element affixed to the first heater contact; a device body comprising; a cartridge receptacle for receiving the cartridge; a second heater contact adapted to receive the first heater contact and to complete a circuit; a power source connected to the second heater contact; a printed circuit board (PCB) connected to the power source and the second heater contact; wherein the PCB is configured to detect the absence of fluid based on the measured resistance of the resistive heating element, and turn off the device. The printed circuit board (PCB) may comprise a microcontroller; switches; circuitry comprising a reference resister; and an algorithm comprising logic for control parameters; wherein the microcontroller cycles the switches at fixed intervals to measure the resistance of the resistive heating element relative to the reference resistor, and applies the algorithm control parameters to control the temperature of the resistive heating element. The micro-controller may instruct the device to turn itself off when the resistance exceeds the control parameter threshold indicating that the resistive heating element is dry. A cartridge for a device for generating an inhalable aerosol may comprise: a fluid storage compartment; a heater affixed to a first end comprising: a heater chamber, a first pair of heater contacts, a fluid wick, and a resistive heating element in contact with the wick; wherein the first pair of heater contacts comprise thin plates affixed about the sides of the heater chamber, and wherein the fluid wick and resistive heating element are suspended there between. The first pair of heater contacts may further comprise: a formed shape that comprises a tab having a flexible spring value that extends out of the heater to complete a circuit with the device body. The heater contacts may be configured to mate with a second pair of heater contacts in a cartridge receptacle of the device body to complete a circuit. The first pair of heater contacts may also be a heat sink that absorbs and dissipates excessive heat produced by the resistive heating element. The first pair of heater contacts may be a heat shield that protect the heater chamber from excessive heat produced by the resistive heating element. A cartridge for a device for generating an inhalable aerosol may comprise: a heater comprising; a heater chamber, a pair of thin plate heater contacts therein, a fluid wick positioned between the heater contacts, and a resistive heating element in contact with the wick; wherein the heater contacts each comprise a fixation site wherein the resistive heating element is tensioned therebetween. A cartridge for a device for generating an inhalable aerosol may comprise a heater, wherein the heater is attached to a first end of the cartridge. The heater may enclose a first end of the cartridge and a first end of the fluid storage compartment. The heater may comprise more than one first condensation chamber. The heater may comprise a first condensation chamber. The condensation chamber may be formed along an exterior wall of the cartridge. A cartridge for a device for generating an inhalable aerosol may comprise a fluid storage compartment; and a mouthpiece, wherein the mouthpiece is attached to a second end of the cartridge. The mouthpiece may enclose a second end of the cartridge and a second end of the fluid storage compartment. The mouthpiece may comprise a second condensation chamber. The mouthpiece may comprise more than one second condensation chamber. The second condensation chamber may be formed along an exterior wall of the cartridge. A cartridge for a device for generating an inhalable aerosol may comprise: a fluid storage compartment; a heater affixed to a first end; and a mouthpiece affixed to a second end; wherein the heater comprises a first condensation chamber and the mouthpiece comprises a second condensation chamber. The heater may comprise more than one first condensation chamber and the mouthpiece comprises more than one second condensation chamber. The first condensation chamber and the second condensation chamber may be in fluid communication. The mouthpiece may comprise an aerosol outlet in fluid communication with the second condensation chamber. The mouthpiece may comprise two to more aerosol outlets. The cartridge may meet ISO recycling standards. The cartridge may meet ISO recycling standards for plastic waste. A device for generating an inhalable aerosol may comprise: a device body comprising a cartridge receptacle; and a detachable cartridge; wherein the cartridge receptacle and the detachable cartridge form a separable coupling, wherein the separable coupling comprises a friction assembly, a snap-fit assembly or a magnetic assembly. A method of fabricating a device for generating an inhalable aerosol may comprise: providing a device body comprising a cartridge receptacle; and providing a detachable cartridge; wherein the cartridge receptacle and the detachable cartridge form a separable coupling comprising a friction assembly, a snap-fit assembly or a magnetic assembly. A method of fabricating a cartridge for a device for generating an inhalable aerosol may comprise: providing a fluid storage compartment; affixing a heater to a first end with a snap-fit coupling; and affixing a mouthpiece to a second end with a snap-fit coupling. A cartridge for a device for generating an inhalable aerosol with an airflow path may include: a channel comprising a portion of an air inlet passage; a second air passage in fluid communication with the channel; a heater chamber in fluid communication with the second air passage; a first condensation chamber in fluid communication with the heater chamber; a second condensation chamber in fluid communication with the first condensation chamber; and an aerosol outlet in fluid communication with second condensation chamber. A cartridge for a device for generating an inhalable aerosol may comprise: a fluid storage compartment; a heater affixed to a first end; and a mouthpiece affixed to a second end; wherein said mouthpiece comprises two or more aerosol outlets. A system for providing power to an electronic device for generating an inhalable vapor may comprise; a rechargeable power storage device housed within the electronic device for generating an inhalable vapor; two or more pins that are accessible from an exterior surface of the electronic device for generating an inhalable vapor, wherein the charging pins are in electrical communication with the rechargeable power storage device; a charging cradle comprising two or more charging contacts configured to provided power to the rechargeable storage device, wherein the device charging pins are reversible such that the device is charged in the charging cradle for charging with a first charging pin on the device in contact a first charging contact on the charging cradle and a second charging pin on the device in contact with second charging contact on the charging cradle and with the first charging pin on the device in contact with second charging contact on the charging cradle and the second charging pin on the device in contact with the first charging contact on the charging cradle. The charging pins may be visible on an exterior housing of the device. The user may permanently disable the device by opening the housing. The user may permanently destroy the device by opening the housing. Additional aspects and advantages of the present disclosure will become readily apparent to those skilled in this art from the following detailed description, wherein only illustrative embodiments of the present disclosure are shown and described. As will be realized, the present disclosure is capable of other and different embodiments, and its several details are capable of modifications in various obvious respects, all without departing from the disclosure. Accordingly, the drawings and description are to be regarded as illustrative in nature, and not as restrictive. | A24F47008 | 20171121 | 20180315 | 66929.0 | A24F4700 | 10 | FELTON, MICHAEL J | CARTRIDGE FOR USE WITH A VAPORIZER DEVICE | UNDISCOUNTED | 1 | CONT-ACCEPTED | A24F | 2,017 |
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15,820,469 | PENDING | LIGHTING SYSTEM AND CONTROL THEREOF | A method for controlling a lighting device to produce a range of user customisable realistic lighting effects for videography, broadcasting, cinematography, studio filming and/or location filming is disclosed. The method comprises: calculating a time varying lighting value based on at least one simulation parameter; wherein said at least one simulation parameter for characterising a lighting effect is at least one of: a random brightness; a random duration; and a random interval; said simulation parameter depending on the lighting effect being simulated and outputting said time varying lighting value thereby to simulate a lighting effect. | 1. A method for controlling a lighting device to produce a range of user customisable realistic lighting effects for videography, broadcasting, cinematography, studio filming and/or location filming, the method comprising: calculating a time varying lighting value based on at least one simulation parameter; wherein said at least one simulation parameter for characterising a lighting effect is at least one of: a random brightness; a random duration; and a random interval; said simulation parameter depending on the lighting effect being simulated; and outputting said time varying lighting value thereby to simulate a lighting effect. 2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the random brightness comprises a random peak brightness. 3. A method according to claim 1, wherein the random interval comprises at least one of a random interval between flashes, a random interval between groups of flashes, and a random frequency. 4. A method according to any claim 1, wherein the random duration comprises at least one of a random ramp-up time to peak brightness, a random fade-down time from peak brightness, and a random number of pulses. 5. A method according to claim 1, wherein said at least one simulation parameter for characterising a lighting effect is random within predefined boundaries and wherein the predefined boundaries comprise at least one of an upper and/or lower duration; a number of flashes in a burst; an interval between bursts; an amplitude; and a ramp-up or fade-down time. 6. A method according to claim 1, wherein the random simulation parameter is determined in dependence on one or more user-selectable simulation parameters. 7. A method according to claim 1, wherein the simulation parameter is related to one or more of: a rate of increase of brightness; a rate of decrease of brightness; a rate of change of colour; a brightness; a local maximal brightness; a local minimal brightness; a brightness fluctuation period; and a colour fluctuation period. 8. A method according to claim 1, further comprising receiving a user input of one or more user-selectable simulation parameters and adapting the simulation in dependence on the one or more user-selectable simulation parameters. 9. A method according to claim 1, wherein the simulation parameter comprises at least one of: a maximum brightness; a minimum brightness; a colour; and a trigger. 10. A method according to claim 1, wherein the simulation iterates through repeated cycles of calculating a time varying lighting value based on at least one random simulation parameter and simulating the lighting effect. 11. A method according to claim 1, wherein the lighting effect is designed to mimic at least one of fire flickering; police light; television; lightning flashing; electrical sparking; fireworks; a neon flickering sign; a gunshot; welding; a scan; a propeller; a (nuclear) explosion; a wormhole; paparazzi flashes; flashes (strobe). 12. A method according to claim 1, further comprising selecting a definition of a trigger event, said trigger event initiating said output of the time varying lighting value thereby to simulate a lighting effect. 13. A method according to claim 1, further comprising storing the calculated lighting value corresponding to said user customisable realistic lighting effect, as a recallable preset. 14. A method according to claim 1, comprising controlling a plurality of lights in dependence on the output. 15. A controller for controlling at least one lighting device to produce a range of user customisable realistic lighting effects for videography, broadcasting, cinematography, studio filming and/or location filming, the controller comprising: a calculating device adapted to calculate a time varying lighting value based on at least one simulation parameter; wherein said at least one simulation parameter for characterising a lighting effect is at least one of: a random brightness; a random duration; and a random interval; said simulation parameter depending on the lighting effect being simulated; and an output adapted to control a lighting device according to the determined variation of lighting over time. 16. A controller according to claim 15, wherein the controller comprises a wired or wireless communication interface adapted for communication with one or more lighting devices. 17. A controller according to claim 15, wherein the controller comprises an input interface adapted to receive a user input. 18. A lighting system comprising a controller according to claim 15, and at least one lighting device; said lighting device comprising at least one light emitting diode. 19. A lighting system according to claim 18, wherein said controller and said lighting device are integrated in a combined unit. 20. A computer program product for controlling a lighting device to produce a range of user customisable realistic lighting effects for videography, broadcasting, cinematography, studio filming and/or location filming, the computer program product adapted to perform, when executed, the steps of: calculating a time varying lighting value based on at least one simulation parameter; wherein said at least one simulation parameter for characterising a lighting effect is at least one of: a random brightness; a random duration; and a random interval; said simulation parameter depending on the lighting effect being simulated; and outputting said time varying lighting value thereby to simulate a lighting effect. | RELATED APPLICATIONS This application is a Continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/481,460 filed on Apr. 7, 2017, which claims the benefit of priority of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/319,809 filed on Apr. 8, 2016, and United Kingdom Patent Application No. 1606907.2 filed on Apr. 20, 2016. The contents of the above applications are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. FIELD AND BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a lighting system, and the control of a lighting system, and the simulation of lighting special effects, and in particular to a lighting system for videography, broadcasting and cinematography. In the film, broadcast and TV industry a lighting controller called a ‘flicker box’ which is independent of a lighting device, is used to produce flickering light effects to mimic flickering light for example from a fire place, candle, electrical spark or lightning for on set television/broadcast production use. The flicker effect provided by these devices is typically created using the analogue circuitry modulators contained within the ‘flicker box’, controlled manually by dials and levers. Use of a flicker box is typically a complex, costly and time consuming process that requires the setup, connection and control of multiple pieces of hardware typically including external Digital Multiplex (DMX) and power distribution devices, as well as typically requiring a physical wired connection to the ‘hot’ light source desired to be controlled. Typically such ‘flicker boxes’ require specialist knowledge and understanding to operate and remain inaccessible or ‘out of reach’ to lower budget television productions. Furthermore, many ‘flicker boxes’ are incompatible with LED light sources, and such systems require the use of ‘hot’ incandescent light sources which are energy inefficient and also pose health and safety risks to those working on set, typically therefore requiring qualified lighting gaffers and operators. An improved solution is desired. According to one aspect of the invention, there is provided a method for controlling a lighting device to produce user customisable lighting effect, the method comprising: calculating a time varying lighting value based on at least one simulation parameter; and outputting said time varying lighting value thereby to simulate a lighting effect. Optionally, the method may further comprise receiving said at least one simulation parameter for characterising a lighting effect. Optionally, said at least one simulation parameter for characterising a lighting effect is random. Optionally, said at least one simulation parameter for characterising a lighting effect is random within predefined boundaries. Optionally, the random simulation parameter is determined in dependence on one or more user-selectable simulation parameters. Optionally, the random simulation parameter is in a range determined in dependence on one or more user-selectable simulation parameters. Optionally, the simulation parameter is a colour or colour temperature. Optionally, the colour or colour temperature varies in dependence on a brightness lighting value. Optionally, the simulation parameter is related to one or more of: a rate of increase of brightness; a rate of decrease of brightness; a rate of change of colour; a brightness; a local maximal brightness; a local minimal brightness; a brightness fluctuation period; and a colour fluctuation period. Optionally, the method may further comprise receiving a user input of one or more user-selectable simulation parameters and adapting the simulation in dependence on the one or more user-selectable simulation parameters. Optionally, the simulation parameter comprises at least one of: a maximum brightness; a minimum brightness; a colour; a fluctuation period; and a trigger. Optionally, the simulation parameter comprises a camera recording frequency. Optionally, the time varying lighting value is calculated so as to vary at a slower rate than said camera recording frequency. Optionally, the simulation iterates through repeated cycles of receiving at least one random simulation parameter and simulating the lighting effect. Optionally, the lighting effect is designed to mimic at least one or more of: fire flickering; police light; television; lightning flashing; electrical sparking; and fireworks. Optionally, the lighting value comprises brightness and/or colour data. Optionally, the method may further comprise converting brightness and/or colour data into lighting signals and outputting the lighting signal data. Optionally, the method may further comprise controlling one or more light in dependence on the output. Optionally, the controlling comprises changing the brightness and/or colour of the light. Optionally, the method may further comprise receiving a definition of a trigger event, said trigger event initiating said output of the time varying lighting value thereby to simulate a lighting effect. Optionally, the method may further comprise detecting an occurrence of the trigger event and outputting said time varying lighting value thereby to simulate a lighting effect. Optionally, the method may further comprise storing the calculated lighting value. A method according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the controlling is for a lighting system for videography, broadcast, cinematography, studio filming and/or location filming. Optionally, the method may further comprise controlling a plurality of lights in dependence on the output. Optionally, the said plurality of lights output different lighting values so as to simulate a lighting effect. Optionally, the output of said plurality of lights is offset in time. Optionally, the output of said plurality of lights overlap with one-another so as to simulate a moving light source. Optionally, one light is a master light and the others of said plurality of lights are slaves. According to another aspect there is provided a controller for controlling a lighting device to produce a lighting effect, the controller comprising: a calculating device adapted to calculate a time varying lighting value based on at least one simulation parameter; and an output adapted to control a lighting device according to the determined variation of lighting over time. Optionally, the controller may further comprise a random number source adapted to provide a random number for producing a random simulation parameter for characterising a lighting effect. Optionally, the controller is adapted to control a plurality of lighting devices in dependence on the time varying lighting value. Optionally, the controller comprises a wireless communication interface adapted for wireless communication with one or more lighting devices. Optionally, the controller comprises an input interface adapted to receive a user input. Optionally, the input interface comprises at least one of: a wireless communication interface; a dial; a slider; a display and buttons; and a touch screen. Optionally, the controller may further comprise a converter adapted to convert brightness and/or colour data from the simulator into lighting signals for output by the output. Optionally, the controller may be adapted to perform a method as described herein. According to another aspect there is provided a lighting system comprising a controller as described herein and at least one lighting device. Optionally, said controller and said lighting device are integrated in a combined unit. Optionally, the lighting system may further comprise a further lighting device separate from said controller. Optionally, the lighting device is a lighting device for videography, broadcast, cinematography, studio filming and/or location filming. According to another aspect there is provided a lighting device comprising a controller as described herein. Optionally, the lighting device is a lighting device for videography, broadcast, cinematography, studio filming and/or location filming. According to another aspect there is provided a computer program product for controlling a lighting device to produce a lighting effect, the computer program product adapted to perform, when executed, the steps of: calculating a time varying lighting value based on at least one simulation parameter; and outputting said time varying lighting value thereby to simulate a lighting effect. Optionally, the computer program product may be adapted to perform, when executed, the steps of a method as described herein. According to another aspect of the invention there is provided a controller for controlling a lighting device to produce a lighting effect, the controller comprising: a calculating device adapted to calculate a time varying lighting value based on at least one simulation parameter; and an output adapted to control a lighting device according to the determined variation of lighting over time. In a further aspect of the present invention there is provided a light with the built-in capability to generate a range of customizable cinematic special lighting effects, by modulating the speed, duration, power/brightness, and/or colour temperature of the light output. Preferably, the parameters of the effects including but not limited to speed, duration, power/brightness and colour temperature can be controlled locally via a simple user interface on the light itself. Preferably, the start/stop “triggering” of the effects can be controlled locally via a simple user interface on the light itself, remotely via WiFi, Bluetooth, Zigbee or wireless DMX from a smart phone or tablet, or from a wired 3.5 mm minijack remote trigger, or a wired DMX trigger. Preferably, the parameters of the effects can be controlled remotely via WiFi, Bluetooth, Zigbee or wireless DMX from a smart phone or tablet. Preferably, the parameters of the effects can be controlled Via a serial communications interface (eg. RS232, USB or DMX) from a PC running custom lighting control software. Preferably, the light source containing in built special effects is in the form of an LED lighting fixture. Alternatively it is in the form of or ‘hot’ light incandescent fixture. Preferably, multiple lights may be connected together via wired DMX, or via WiFi, Bluetooth, Zigbee or wireless DMX to produce a synchronised large area special effect. Preferably, when multiple lights are connected together to produce a synchronized large area special effect, the inter-relationship of those connected lights is customizable so as to allow all of the connected devices to fire at the same time if desired, or, to enable a staggered effect to take place over an extended time duration and with customizable power intensity, in order to create the effect that a static object is moving as the lights “chase” around a scene. Preferably, the system includes rolling shutter compensation enabling the minimum light pulse width to be adjusted to suit the shutter speed or frame rate of the user's camera in order to prevent ‘strobing’ due to the light effect being out of phase/sync with the frame rate of the camera, ensuring that each frame captured by the camera is fully illuminated. Preferably, a light source can be designated as a ‘master’, and have connected ‘slave’ light sources which fire in synchronization with the ‘master’, or in a customizable sequence, with regard duration, power and/or colour temperature. Preferably, the ‘slave’ light sources are connected to the ‘master’ light source via wired DMX, wireless DMX, wifi, Bluetooth, or RS232 sync cable. Preferably, the light contained in built special effects, can be powered both from mains power, and/or via its own internal battery power source, providing greater flexibility and portability for location shooting. Preferably, the light source is capable of producing customisable effects including, but not limited to: Fire, Lightning, Police light, TV simulation, Neon Flickering sign, Muzzle (gunshot), Welding, Spark/Short Circuit, Scan (e.g. fingerprint scanner), Papparrazi flashes, Propeller, (Nuclear) Explosion and Wormhole. The invention extends to any novel aspects or features described and/or illustrated herein. Further features of the invention are characterised by the other independent and dependent claims Any feature in one aspect of the invention may be applied to other aspects of the invention, in any appropriate combination. In particular, method aspects may be applied to apparatus aspects, and vice versa. Furthermore, features implemented in hardware may be implemented in software, and vice versa. Any reference to software and hardware features herein should be construed accordingly. Any apparatus feature as described herein may also be provided as a method feature, and vice versa. As used herein, means plus function features may be expressed alternatively in terms of their corresponding structure, such as a suitably programmed processor and associated memory. It should also be appreciated that particular combinations of the various features described and defined in any aspects of the invention can be implemented and/or supplied and/or used independently. The invention also provides a computer program and a computer program product comprising software code adapted, when executed on a data processing apparatus, to perform any of the methods described herein, including any or all of their component steps. The invention also provides a computer program and a computer program product comprising software code which, when executed on a data processing apparatus, comprises any of the apparatus features described herein. The invention also provides a computer program and a computer program product having an operating system which supports a computer program for carrying out any of the methods described herein and/or for embodying any of the apparatus features described herein. The invention also provides a computer readable medium having stored thereon the computer program as aforesaid. The invention also provides a signal carrying the computer program as aforesaid, and a method of transmitting such a signal. The invention extends to methods and/or apparatus substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings. The invention will now be described by way of example, with references to the accompanying drawings in which: FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a ‘flickerbox’ lighting system; FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of a further lighting system; FIG. 3 is a flow diagram of a method for adjusting a lighting device; FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of a further lighting system; FIG. 5 shows a time/brightness plot for a system of linked lights; FIG. 6 is a graphic user interface for user input of simulation parameters; and FIG. 7 is a graph of light brightness over time. DESCRIPTION OF SPECIFIC EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION In the present description the term ‘camera’ may be understood to mean a camera (such as a digital camera, or ‘film’ camera) operable to record moving images. The lighting system may therefore be for a lighting system for videography, broadcasting, cinematography, studio filming and/or location filming. FIG. 1 shows a schematic diagram of a ‘flickerbox’ lighting control system. The system comprises an analogue effect simulator, 300, a DMX distribution hub 302, an AC power generator 306, an AC power distribution module 302 and a plurality of incandescent lights 102. The analogue effect simulator 300 simulates a lighting effect such as fire, or electrical sparking based on various parameters 104. The analogue effect simulator 300 produces data 106 such as brightness parameters that vary over time for producing the desired lighting effect. The data 106 is used to modulate the light 102 such that the desired lighting effect is produced. The user has very limited ability to alter many of the parameters to adapt the lighting effect as desired. FIG. 2 schematically shows an example where a lighting effect simulator 100 and the light 102 are integrated in a single studio lamp device 120. In one example, the lamp device is an array of LEDs, preferably of differing colours. This arrangement does not require the DMX distribution hub 302, power elements 304, 306 as described above, and is more flexible in producing effects as will be described in more detail below. A microcontroller or other computing unit is integrated in the lamp 120 for performing calculations. A control panel is provided at a back panel of the light 120. The control panel can include for example buttons, rotary knobs, sliders, and/or a display/input panel for user input of parameters for simulating an effect. In a variant a simple digital interface is provided on the light itself for user input of simulation parameters to control the lighting effect. In another variant the light 120 is adapted for communication with a wireless user device and receives user-selectable simulation parameters to control the lighting effect from the user device. The user device may for example be a tablet or smart phone with suitable hardware/software (e.g. an app) for receiving user input of simulation parameters and transmitting that data to the light 120. The system of FIG. 2 is simpler to set up and less expensive than that of FIG. 1 as there are fewer pieces of hardware. Furthermore the energy inefficiency of ‘hot light’ systems (i.e. a 1K hot light consumes 1000 watt/hour, vs 38 watt per hour of current generation LED system), Systems such as that described in FIG. 1 using a flicker box and typically ‘hot lights’ also suffer from the significant disadvantage that a hot light is a fixed colour of light, either daylight 5600K or most commonly tungsten 3200K. When recreating an effect such a lightning this effect would appear at the blue end of the colour spectrum i.e. 7000K+ so utilising a 3200K light for this would require an operator to climb up a ladder to apply one or more CTB (Colour temperature blue) filter(s) to the light in order to achieve the desired colour temperature. Having the ability to control the special FX from the light source, which in itself is a bi-colour LED Fixture also entirely eliminates that aspect of the process, the user can simply adjust the colour temperature from the back of the unit, with a visible numeric display of that number eliminating significant time from the process. This is also a significant limiting factor in the creation of effects such as fire which typically burn blue on hotter peaks. It would be possible using an LED light source containing in built special effects to reproduce both the warm “orange” light output near the tungsten end of the scale, whilst also adding a “colour swing blue” on the peaks from the same light source, something that would not be possible using a legacy system. Examples of user defined parameters that the light containing in built special effects can customize in simulating a lighting effect are now described in more detail: Brightness: The peak luminance of the effect from 1% to 100% of the lamp's available luminance output. Colour: For multicolour effects this sets the range of colours used over the spectrum of red, green and blue. For single colour effects it sets the colour temperature of the light. Trigger: To start the effect running. For example, a manual trigger may be selected for manually triggering the start of a lightning burst, TV screen, or other effect. Frequency: typically from 0.5 Hz to 50 Hz. This sets an average period between light peaks—e.g. a roaring fire may have a higher frequency than a single candle flame. Depth: typically from 0% to 90%. This sets a base level of illumination of the effect. For example a fire may have a base level of 50% illumination superimposed on a level varying from 50% to 100% to simulate flickering flames. Rolling Shutter Compensation: Film and TV cameras typically operate at frequencies between 24 Hz and 60 Hz. In order to provide consistent illumination during each camera frame, short time-period (e.g. stroboscopic) lighting effects should have a minimum pulse width which lasts at least one camera frame period. This parameter can be adjusted to suit the camera and frame rate. ‘Colour Swing Blue’ simulates the effect of flame going up the chimney, ‘peaks’ within the fire effect can be switched to transition between yellow and blue, to match the colour of a flame, creating a more dynamic and 3D fire effect. The brighter the ‘spark’ the more blue the light output is. The colour of the output is therefore dependent on the brightness of the output (or vice versa). Further examples of lighting effects are for example to mimic television screen flicker, cinema illumination, illumination in a vehicle passing through a tunnel, or any situation where the lighting varies over time in a characteristic manner. A simulation can be defined that represents the characteristics of the lighting effect, and suitable random parameters can be used to introduce a realistic variance in the lighting effect. In a variant the simulator operates with pre-defined parameters and random numbers, without further user input of parameters. This can still provide a realistic lighting effect, albeit with less adaptation to the user's preferences. FIG. 3 illustrates a simple example of a method for simulating a lighting effect. In a first step S1 simulation parameters are received, such as random parameters and/or user-selectable parameters. Where a random parameter is algorithmically generated it is only pseudo-random, but for the purposes of the simulation a pseudo-random parameter is sufficiently random for realistic simulation and is hence considered to be equivalent to a truly random parameter. In a second step S2 a simulation is performed based on a simulation model and the received parameters. The nature of the simulation model can vary greatly, depending on the lighting effect that is desired and the sophistication of the desired simulation. The simulation calculates how the lighting changes over time in order to produce the desired lighting effect. Following simulation in a third step S3 the lighting information determined by the simulation is output, for example to a lighting device, in order to produce the desired lighting effect. FIG. 4 schematically shows an example showing a master light source 102 built into a lighting control unit 130 and a ‘slave’ light source 102-1 separate from the lighting control unit. The lighting effect simulator 100 creates data 106 characterising a lighting effect and controls the master light 102 as described above. The data 106 is transmitted to the slave light 102-1 via (for example) a serial communication interface (e.g. RS232, USB or DMX) or by wireless transmission (e.g. Wi-Fi®, Bluetooth® Zigbee®, or via a mobile communication network utilising protocols such as GSM (Groupe Special Mobile) 3GPP (3rd Generation Partnership), or 4G LTE (Long term evolution)). The additional ‘slave’ light source 102-1 thereby allows the production of a lighting effect with more than one light device but without duplication of controllers 130. Such additional light sources can for example increase the area of illumination or increase the power of the lighting effect. The use of multiple lights 102 affords additional options for producing advanced effects. FIG. 5 shows a time/brightness plot of a ‘chase’ effect. In this example, three lights produce outputs 200, 202 and 204 separated in time. In such a way, an effect of a light source (such as a passing car) can be replicated. The relative timing of the light sources can be adjusted depending on the relative location of the sources, and the speed of the effect to be replicated. It should be noted that the ‘fade up’ and ‘fade down’ portions of each light output 200, 202, 204 overlap with one-another to more accurately replicate the effect of a moving object, as opposed to a element jumping from one location to another. Related effects utilising similar timing controls are be ‘paparazzi’ of multiple flashes coming from different locations, or a ‘propeller’ simulating a light source being obscured by a rotating propeller. The use of a single controller 130 may be used to control all of the lights 102 so as to ensure an appropriate delay (or absence of delay). FIG. 6 shows an example of a graphic user interface 800 for user input of simulation parameters. In the illustrated example the lighting effect to be simulated is a fire effect. The user can select a fire activity (with a slider positioned from ‘low’ to ‘high’) to set a frequency parameter as described above; a fire colour; a peak brightness; a baseline brightness to set a depth parameter as described above; and a camera frequency. A wide range of further parameters can be provided for user input, for example if the fire activity, brightness and/or colour is to change over time (to mimic a fire dying down and reducing to embers or to mimic addition of fuel to a fire). The user may also be provided with an option of superimposing different types of lighting effects, for example to mimic candlelight during a lightning storm. In one example, the rolling shutter compensation controls a minimum light pulse to match the shutter speed or frame rate of the user's camera (camera frequency) to ensure even illumination across the frame and eliminate possible strobing. Therefore, the duration of the light pulse is longer than one period of the camera's recording frequency, or in other words, the lighting value varies at a lower frequency than the frequency of the camera. The lighting effect simulator 100 typically provides data 106 in the form of brightness and/or colour values that vary over time. In order to cause the light 102 to produce the desired effect a lighting data converter may convert the data 106 from the lighting effect simulator 100 into a suitable signal for a particular light 102. For example for a light emitting diode (LED) array lighting the data conversion occurs at an LED lamp control logic that produces and supplies a separate pulse-width-modulation output for each LED colour to an LED drive circuit. A lighting data converter may be provided separately from the lighting effect simulator 100 and the light 102 or it may be integrated with one or the other or both. The light 102 in one example comprises an array of different types of LEDs, preferably red, green, blue and white LEDs, or a bi colour fixture comprising warm typically 2800K LEDs and ‘cool’ 7000K LEDs which blend together to create a range of colour from 3200-6300K. The array may be a panel, flood light, spot light, a cluster or any other arrangement of LEDs. This provides the ability for the lighting to produce light of any visible colour by varying the relative intensities of the different LEDs. The lighting may alternatively be a filament (incandescent), halogen or other type of lighting. The simulation may be performed on the fly, with lighting data values output from the simulator 100 to the light 102 in near-real time, or the simulation may be performed in advance and the lighting data values output for storage and later use to enable quick reproduction on set or location. The lighting control system can reduce the number of devices required to provide lighting effects, especially where the lighting effect simulator is integrated in a light. This can significantly reduce equipment costs and time required to set up equipment. The system is also more portable allowing power from its on internal power source or battery instead of requiring an external power generator or mains powered solution. The lighting control system can be used for studio and location filming lighting systems, and more generally for videography, broadcast and/or cinematography. A non-exhaustive list of example effects that may be produced by the system are as follows: Strobe—The strobe range in one example is from 1 hz up to 4 hz. The last used strobe parameters are stored in non-volatile memory (which applies to any effect described herein). A user may rotate a knob on the device to adjust the ‘duty cycle’ (flash duration) to eliminate issues with rolling shutter cameras. Lightning—this effect simulates lightning in a random manner, but a user may control the speed at which the lighting bursts re-occur. This effect is most realistic if the brightness is set to 100% and colour temperature is set at 6000K. A user may rotate a knob on the device to adjust the ‘duty cycle’ (flash duration) to eliminate issues with rolling shutter cameras. The duration of the lightning flashes in one example is 20 ms. The lightning strikes in one example come in bursts of between 2 and 8 random length pulses. Throb—Throb is a regular smoothly pulsing light Weld—this effect replicates a welding arc. Colour cycle—This is a regular smoothly pulsing light which fades between the tungsten and blue LEDs Fire—this effect replicates a fire with ‘dancing flames’ as is described in more detail below. Police—This effect is an emulation of an emergency services light, and may be most realistic in blue light. Television—This effect is an emulation of someone watching TV. It should be appreciated that due to the nature of the light 102, the effects may be customised by a user, for example, the frequency/speed, peak/minimum brightness or colour/colour temperature may be dynamically changed, and/or made to vary over time in a customised manner. Such user-customised effects may be stored and recalled at a later time. The effects may be triggered on cue (for example from a director) by sending a signal over a wired remote trigger or wireless device. It should also be appreciated that multiple effects may be emulated simultaneously, for example, fire and lightning may be present simultaneously using a single lighting unit. An example of a simulation for producing a fire effect is now described in more detail. Fire is simulated as a series of ‘sparks’. Each spark has the following random parameters: Interval: New sparks are generated at an interval which varies randomly between a defined maximum and minimum interval. Peak: The peak luminance of each spark varies randomly between a defined minimum and maximum. Ramp-up time: The luminance of each spark ramps up to the peak at a randomly generated rate. Fade-down time: The fade from the peak is linked to the ramp-up time but is much slower—simulating the gradual decline in luminance of a burning ember. If the interval is short with respect to the ramp-up and fade-down time, then sparks can overlap in time—in which case the brightest spark determines the lamp luminance. The lighting effect simulator typically cycles round a loop calculating new lamp brightness and colour values. Alternatively the calculation can be triggered by an interrupt generated by a timer. The calculation is typically performed every 250 μs. The duration of each spark can be controlled by choosing whether or not to perform a new brightness calculation based on the value of a counter which is decremented every time an interrupt occurs. When the counter reaches zero it is either reset to its previous start value or, for a new spark, a new count start value is randomly generated. In this way each spark has a different speed, duration and peak—simulating the look of a real flame. Generating the light output with the simulation provides a greater level of user adjustment and control than that produced by simply sampling the intensity of a real flame and replaying it at different speeds. An example sequence of instructions for the simulation is as follows: At the end of a spark up and down period: Reset duration for next spark to between 2.5 s to 5 s Generate new brightness targets for the next spark between 12.5% and 100% of current maximum brightness setting. Offset the random brightness targets by the requested brightness floor value Set the new peak brightness target for the new spark Ensure the new targets are greater than the existing faded brightness value to prevent downward jumps Set the fade direction to UP Start new animation frame: Calculate brightness fade step sizes: Fade up fast, progressively larger fade step sizes Change fade direction at peak Fade down slow, progressively smaller fade step sizes Set the frame rate for the new spark to a random value prevent the curtailment of a long fade by a new short pulse: if the faded brightness is still >25% of max then don't allow new FramePeriod to be less than old. FIG. 7 shows an example of the brightness varying over time produced according to a simulation as described above. Two peaks can be seen, one reaching 100% intensity and the other reaching 91% intensity. The first peak fades up from 10% to 100% in 0.85 seconds, and back down to 56% in 0.75 seconds. The second peak fades up from 56% to 91% in 0.33 seconds, and back down to 60% in 1.07 seconds. The fade up starts shallower and becomes steeper as it progresses. The fade down starts steep and becomes shallower as it progresses. A toggle switch is also shown which toggles between ‘Colour Swing Blue’ and ‘Monochrome’. Colour Swing Blue represents modifying the colour of peaks in brightness so as to replicate the increased temperature of sparks in a fire, Monochrome may be used when (for example) filming in black and white, or when altering colour of the effect may have deleterious effects on other elements of the scene (for example, rendering text difficult to read). An example of a simulation for producing a lightning effect is now described in more detail. Lightning is simulated as a sequence of ‘bursts’ or groups of flashes. The number of flashes in each burst, the delay between bursts, the delay between each flash within the burst, and the amplitude of each flash are all set randomly within certain boundaries. The minimum ‘on’ time period of each flash can be set by the user to ensure full illumination of the camera frame. The lamp can also be set into a mode where a burst of flashes is triggered by the push of a button. In this way the effect can be triggered on demand by the user. An example sequence of instructions for the simulation of lightning, with a series of bursts of flashes, is as follows: At the end of a burst of flashes recalculate the parameters for the next burst: Reset the number of flashes in a burst to a random number between 2 and 10 Reset the period to next burst to a random number between 2.5 and 5 s. Calculate parameters for each flash in a burst of flashes: Randomly modulate brightness of each flash slightly Reset the time to next flash to a random number between 8 ms and 220 ms Reset the ‘on’ flash duration to a random number between 8 ms and 120 ms ensure a minimum off-period is maintained between flashes For the final flash set the duration to a random number between 10 ms and 113 ms. The lighting system, lighting effect simulator, lighting controller, lighting device, computing device, and/or computer program product may have one or more of the following features: built-in capability to generate a range of cinematic special effects by modulating the colour and brightness of the light output. the parameters of the effects can be controlled via a simple user interface on the lamp itself. the parameters of the effects can be controlled remotely via WiFi or DMX from a smart phone or tablet. networked with other lights to produce a synchronised large area special effect. minimum light pulse width can be adjusted to suit the shutter speed or frame rate of the user's camera to ensure even illumination across the frame. Various other modifications will be apparent to those skilled in the art. It will be understood that the present invention has been described above purely by way of example, and modifications of detail can be made within the scope of the invention. For example, it should be appreciated that the effect simulator 100 or the computing device 130 may be separate from any light 102, and connectable to lights 102, by either a wired or wireless connection. The lighting effect simulator 100 may be provided by way of a suitably adapted computing device 120 or 130 such as a PC, tablet or smart phone, with suitable software for user input of simulation parameters. The computing device 120 or 130 may be a suitably adapted light controller device with suitable controls for user input of simulation parameters Reference numerals appearing in the claims are by way of illustration only and shall have no limiting effect on the scope of the claims. | <SOH> FIELD AND BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION <EOH>This invention relates to a lighting system, and the control of a lighting system, and the simulation of lighting special effects, and in particular to a lighting system for videography, broadcasting and cinematography. In the film, broadcast and TV industry a lighting controller called a ‘flicker box’ which is independent of a lighting device, is used to produce flickering light effects to mimic flickering light for example from a fire place, candle, electrical spark or lightning for on set television/broadcast production use. The flicker effect provided by these devices is typically created using the analogue circuitry modulators contained within the ‘flicker box’, controlled manually by dials and levers. Use of a flicker box is typically a complex, costly and time consuming process that requires the setup, connection and control of multiple pieces of hardware typically including external Digital Multiplex (DMX) and power distribution devices, as well as typically requiring a physical wired connection to the ‘hot’ light source desired to be controlled. Typically such ‘flicker boxes’ require specialist knowledge and understanding to operate and remain inaccessible or ‘out of reach’ to lower budget television productions. Furthermore, many ‘flicker boxes’ are incompatible with LED light sources, and such systems require the use of ‘hot’ incandescent light sources which are energy inefficient and also pose health and safety risks to those working on set, typically therefore requiring qualified lighting gaffers and operators. An improved solution is desired. According to one aspect of the invention, there is provided a method for controlling a lighting device to produce user customisable lighting effect, the method comprising: calculating a time varying lighting value based on at least one simulation parameter; and outputting said time varying lighting value thereby to simulate a lighting effect. Optionally, the method may further comprise receiving said at least one simulation parameter for characterising a lighting effect. Optionally, said at least one simulation parameter for characterising a lighting effect is random. Optionally, said at least one simulation parameter for characterising a lighting effect is random within predefined boundaries. Optionally, the random simulation parameter is determined in dependence on one or more user-selectable simulation parameters. Optionally, the random simulation parameter is in a range determined in dependence on one or more user-selectable simulation parameters. Optionally, the simulation parameter is a colour or colour temperature. Optionally, the colour or colour temperature varies in dependence on a brightness lighting value. Optionally, the simulation parameter is related to one or more of: a rate of increase of brightness; a rate of decrease of brightness; a rate of change of colour; a brightness; a local maximal brightness; a local minimal brightness; a brightness fluctuation period; and a colour fluctuation period. Optionally, the method may further comprise receiving a user input of one or more user-selectable simulation parameters and adapting the simulation in dependence on the one or more user-selectable simulation parameters. Optionally, the simulation parameter comprises at least one of: a maximum brightness; a minimum brightness; a colour; a fluctuation period; and a trigger. Optionally, the simulation parameter comprises a camera recording frequency. Optionally, the time varying lighting value is calculated so as to vary at a slower rate than said camera recording frequency. Optionally, the simulation iterates through repeated cycles of receiving at least one random simulation parameter and simulating the lighting effect. Optionally, the lighting effect is designed to mimic at least one or more of: fire flickering; police light; television; lightning flashing; electrical sparking; and fireworks. Optionally, the lighting value comprises brightness and/or colour data. Optionally, the method may further comprise converting brightness and/or colour data into lighting signals and outputting the lighting signal data. Optionally, the method may further comprise controlling one or more light in dependence on the output. Optionally, the controlling comprises changing the brightness and/or colour of the light. Optionally, the method may further comprise receiving a definition of a trigger event, said trigger event initiating said output of the time varying lighting value thereby to simulate a lighting effect. Optionally, the method may further comprise detecting an occurrence of the trigger event and outputting said time varying lighting value thereby to simulate a lighting effect. Optionally, the method may further comprise storing the calculated lighting value. A method according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the controlling is for a lighting system for videography, broadcast, cinematography, studio filming and/or location filming. Optionally, the method may further comprise controlling a plurality of lights in dependence on the output. Optionally, the said plurality of lights output different lighting values so as to simulate a lighting effect. Optionally, the output of said plurality of lights is offset in time. Optionally, the output of said plurality of lights overlap with one-another so as to simulate a moving light source. Optionally, one light is a master light and the others of said plurality of lights are slaves. According to another aspect there is provided a controller for controlling a lighting device to produce a lighting effect, the controller comprising: a calculating device adapted to calculate a time varying lighting value based on at least one simulation parameter; and an output adapted to control a lighting device according to the determined variation of lighting over time. Optionally, the controller may further comprise a random number source adapted to provide a random number for producing a random simulation parameter for characterising a lighting effect. Optionally, the controller is adapted to control a plurality of lighting devices in dependence on the time varying lighting value. Optionally, the controller comprises a wireless communication interface adapted for wireless communication with one or more lighting devices. Optionally, the controller comprises an input interface adapted to receive a user input. Optionally, the input interface comprises at least one of: a wireless communication interface; a dial; a slider; a display and buttons; and a touch screen. Optionally, the controller may further comprise a converter adapted to convert brightness and/or colour data from the simulator into lighting signals for output by the output. Optionally, the controller may be adapted to perform a method as described herein. According to another aspect there is provided a lighting system comprising a controller as described herein and at least one lighting device. Optionally, said controller and said lighting device are integrated in a combined unit. Optionally, the lighting system may further comprise a further lighting device separate from said controller. Optionally, the lighting device is a lighting device for videography, broadcast, cinematography, studio filming and/or location filming. According to another aspect there is provided a lighting device comprising a controller as described herein. Optionally, the lighting device is a lighting device for videography, broadcast, cinematography, studio filming and/or location filming. According to another aspect there is provided a computer program product for controlling a lighting device to produce a lighting effect, the computer program product adapted to perform, when executed, the steps of: calculating a time varying lighting value based on at least one simulation parameter; and outputting said time varying lighting value thereby to simulate a lighting effect. Optionally, the computer program product may be adapted to perform, when executed, the steps of a method as described herein. According to another aspect of the invention there is provided a controller for controlling a lighting device to produce a lighting effect, the controller comprising: a calculating device adapted to calculate a time varying lighting value based on at least one simulation parameter; and an output adapted to control a lighting device according to the determined variation of lighting over time. In a further aspect of the present invention there is provided a light with the built-in capability to generate a range of customizable cinematic special lighting effects, by modulating the speed, duration, power/brightness, and/or colour temperature of the light output. Preferably, the parameters of the effects including but not limited to speed, duration, power/brightness and colour temperature can be controlled locally via a simple user interface on the light itself. Preferably, the start/stop “triggering” of the effects can be controlled locally via a simple user interface on the light itself, remotely via WiFi, Bluetooth, Zigbee or wireless DMX from a smart phone or tablet, or from a wired 3.5 mm minijack remote trigger, or a wired DMX trigger. Preferably, the parameters of the effects can be controlled remotely via WiFi, Bluetooth, Zigbee or wireless DMX from a smart phone or tablet. Preferably, the parameters of the effects can be controlled Via a serial communications interface (eg. RS232, USB or DMX) from a PC running custom lighting control software. Preferably, the light source containing in built special effects is in the form of an LED lighting fixture. Alternatively it is in the form of or ‘hot’ light incandescent fixture. Preferably, multiple lights may be connected together via wired DMX, or via WiFi, Bluetooth, Zigbee or wireless DMX to produce a synchronised large area special effect. Preferably, when multiple lights are connected together to produce a synchronized large area special effect, the inter-relationship of those connected lights is customizable so as to allow all of the connected devices to fire at the same time if desired, or, to enable a staggered effect to take place over an extended time duration and with customizable power intensity, in order to create the effect that a static object is moving as the lights “chase” around a scene. Preferably, the system includes rolling shutter compensation enabling the minimum light pulse width to be adjusted to suit the shutter speed or frame rate of the user's camera in order to prevent ‘strobing’ due to the light effect being out of phase/sync with the frame rate of the camera, ensuring that each frame captured by the camera is fully illuminated. Preferably, a light source can be designated as a ‘master’, and have connected ‘slave’ light sources which fire in synchronization with the ‘master’, or in a customizable sequence, with regard duration, power and/or colour temperature. Preferably, the ‘slave’ light sources are connected to the ‘master’ light source via wired DMX, wireless DMX, wifi, Bluetooth, or RS232 sync cable. Preferably, the light contained in built special effects, can be powered both from mains power, and/or via its own internal battery power source, providing greater flexibility and portability for location shooting. Preferably, the light source is capable of producing customisable effects including, but not limited to: Fire, Lightning, Police light, TV simulation, Neon Flickering sign, Muzzle (gunshot), Welding, Spark/Short Circuit, Scan (e.g. fingerprint scanner), Papparrazi flashes, Propeller, (Nuclear) Explosion and Wormhole. The invention extends to any novel aspects or features described and/or illustrated herein. Further features of the invention are characterised by the other independent and dependent claims Any feature in one aspect of the invention may be applied to other aspects of the invention, in any appropriate combination. In particular, method aspects may be applied to apparatus aspects, and vice versa. Furthermore, features implemented in hardware may be implemented in software, and vice versa. Any reference to software and hardware features herein should be construed accordingly. Any apparatus feature as described herein may also be provided as a method feature, and vice versa. As used herein, means plus function features may be expressed alternatively in terms of their corresponding structure, such as a suitably programmed processor and associated memory. It should also be appreciated that particular combinations of the various features described and defined in any aspects of the invention can be implemented and/or supplied and/or used independently. The invention also provides a computer program and a computer program product comprising software code adapted, when executed on a data processing apparatus, to perform any of the methods described herein, including any or all of their component steps. The invention also provides a computer program and a computer program product comprising software code which, when executed on a data processing apparatus, comprises any of the apparatus features described herein. The invention also provides a computer program and a computer program product having an operating system which supports a computer program for carrying out any of the methods described herein and/or for embodying any of the apparatus features described herein. The invention also provides a computer readable medium having stored thereon the computer program as aforesaid. The invention also provides a signal carrying the computer program as aforesaid, and a method of transmitting such a signal. The invention extends to methods and/or apparatus substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings. The invention will now be described by way of example, with references to the accompanying drawings in which: FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a ‘flickerbox’ lighting system; FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of a further lighting system; FIG. 3 is a flow diagram of a method for adjusting a lighting device; FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of a further lighting system; FIG. 5 shows a time/brightness plot for a system of linked lights; FIG. 6 is a graphic user interface for user input of simulation parameters; and FIG. 7 is a graph of light brightness over time. detailed-description description="Detailed Description" end="lead"? | F21V23003 | 20171122 | 20180405 | 97947.0 | F21V2300 | 2 | PHAM, THAI N | LIGHTING SYSTEM AND CONTROL THEREOF | SMALL | 1 | CONT-ACCEPTED | F21V | 2,017 |
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15,821,147 | PENDING | LIGHT-EMITTING DEVICE HAVING A PATTERNED SURFACE | A light-emitting device comprises a substrate having a top surface and a plurality of patterned units protruding from the top surface; and a light-emitting stack formed on the substrate and having an active layer with a first surface substantially parallel to the top surface, wherein one of the plurality of patterned units comprises a plurality of connecting sides constituting a first polygon shape in a top view of the light-emitting device, wherein the one of the plurality of patterned units comprises a vertex and a plurality of inclined surfaces respectively extending from the plurality of connecting sides, the plurality of inclined surfaces commonly joining at the vertex in a cross-sectional view of the light-emitting device, the vertex being between the top surface of the substrate and the first surface of the active layer, and the plurality of inclined surfaces comprises a second polygon shape in the cross-sectional view of the light-emitting device. | 1. A light-emitting device comprising: a substrate having a top surface and a plurality of patterned units protruding from the top surface of the substrate; and a light-emitting stack formed on the substrate and having an active layer with a first surface substantially parallel to the top surface of the substrate, wherein each of the plurality of patterned units comprises a circular shape in a top view of the light-emitting device, wherein the plurality of patterned units comprises two curves with different curvatures in a cross-sectional view of the light-emitting device. 2. The light-emitting device according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of patterned units is not parallel to the first surface of the active layer. 3. The light-emitting device according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of patterned units comprises a semicircle shape or an arc shape in the cross-sectional view of the light-emitting device. 4. The light-emitting device according to claim 1, wherein one of the plurality of patterned units comprises a width and a depth smaller than the width. 5. The light-emitting device according to claim 1, wherein one of the plurality of patterned units contacts with another one of the plurality of patterned units. 6. The light-emitting device according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of patterned units comprises different diameters in a top view of the light-emitting device. 7. The light-emitting device according to claim 1, wherein one of the plurality of patterned units comprises a mesa on a top surface of the one of the plurality of patterned units. 8. The light-emitting device according to claim 1, wherein one of the plurality of patterned units comprises a vertex, a first inclined line segment and a second inclined line segment, the first inclined line segment and the second inclined line segment connect at the vertex in the cross-sectional view of the light-emitting device. 9. The light-emitting device according to claim 8, wherein vertices of the plurality of patterned units constitute vertices of a triangular shape. 10. The light-emitting device according to claim 1, wherein the substrate comprises GaP, sapphire, GaN, or AlN. 11. A light-emitting device comprising: a substrate having a top surface and a plurality of patterned units protruding from the top surface; and a light-emitting stack formed on the substrate and having an active layer with a first surface substantially parallel to the top surface of the substrate, wherein one of the plurality of patterned units comprises a plurality of connecting sides constituting a first polygon shape in a top view of the light-emitting device, wherein the one of the plurality of patterned units comprises a vertex and a plurality of inclined surfaces respectively extending from the plurality of connecting sides, the plurality of inclined surfaces commonly joining at the vertex in a cross-sectional view of the light-emitting device, the vertex being between the top surface of the substrate and the first surface of the active layer, and the plurality of inclined surfaces comprises a second polygon shape in the cross-sectional view of the light-emitting device. 12. The light-emitting device according to claim 11, wherein the plurality of inclined surfaces is substantially not parallel to the first surface of the active layer. 13. The light-emitting device according to claim 11, wherein the plurality of patterned units is disposed in a variable period. 14. The light-emitting device according to claim 11, wherein the plurality of patterned units is periodically arranged on the substrate. 15. The light-emitting device according to claim 11, further comprising an undoped semiconductor layer formed on the substrate and enclosing the plurality of patterned units. 16. The light-emitting device according to claim 11, wherein one of the plurality of patterned units comprises a width and a depth smaller than the width. 17. The light-emitting device according to claim 11, wherein the substrate comprises a non-patterned area parallel to the first surface and the non-patterned area is not greater than 10% of a total area of the substrate. 18. The light-emitting device according to claim 11, further comprising a neighboring material with a refraction index different from that of the substrate. 19. The light-emitting device according to claim 11, wherein one of the plurality of patterned units contacts with another one of the plurality of patterned units. 20. The light-emitting device according to claim 11, wherein the first polygon shape comprises a triangle, a rectangle, or a hexagon. | RELATED APPLICATION This application is a continuation application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/428,395, entitled “A LIGHT-EMITTING DEVICE HAVING A PATTERNED SURFACE”, filed on Feb. 9, 2017, which is a continuation application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/997,258, entitled “A LIGHT-EMITTING DEVICE HAVING A PATTERNED SURFACE”, filed on Jan. 15, 2016, which is a continuation application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/132,819, entitled “A LIGHT-EMITTING DEVICE HAVING A PATTERNED SURFACE”, filed on Dec. 18, 2013, which is a continuation application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/646,553, entitled “A LIGHT-EMITTING DEVICE HAVING A PATTERNED SURFACE”, filed on Dec. 23, 2009, which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/222,548, entitled “Stamp Having Nanoscale Structure And Applications Thereof In Light-Emitting Device”, filed on Aug. 12, 2008 claiming the right of priority based on TW application Ser. No. 097150633 filed on Dec. 24, 2008; the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties. BACKGROUND 1. Technical Field The present disclosure relates to a light-emitting device having a patterned surface. 2. Description of the Related Art Recently, efforts have been devoted to promote the luminance of the light-emitting diode (LED) in order to implement the device in the lighting domain, and further procure the goal of energy conservation and carbon reduction. There are two major aspects to promote luminance. One is to increase the internal quantum efficiency (IQE) by improving the epitaxy quality to enhance the combination efficiency of electrons and holes. The other is to increase the light extraction efficiency (LEE) that emphasizes on the light which is emitted by the light-emitting layer capable of escaping outside the device, and therefore reducing the light absorbed by the LED structure. Surface roughening technology is one of the efficient methods to enhance luminance. FIG. 7 shows a known LED 700 having a patterned substrate. LED 700 comprises a growth substrate 701, an epitaxial stack, a first electrode 707, and a second electrode 708. The surface 701a of the growth substrate 701 has a plurality of trapezoid depression for improving the light-extraction efficiency. The epitaxial stack comprises a buffer layer 702 grown on the growth substrate, a non-doped semiconductor layer 703 grown on the buffer layer 702, a first semiconductor layer 704 with first conductivity-type grown on the non-doped semiconductor layer 703, an active layer 705 grown on the first semiconductor layer 704, a second semiconductor layer 706 with second conductivity-type grown on the active layer 705. The first electrode 707 is formed on the exposed first semiconductor layer 704, and the second electrode 708 is formed on the second semiconductor layer 706. The ratio of the pattern width to the width between patterns of the substrate surface 701a is generally designed to be around 1. Therefore, a considerable portion of the substrate surface 701a is still parallel to the surface of the active layer 705a, and the light emitted from the active layer 705 to the parallel substrate surface is easily reflected back to the epitaxial stack because of total internal reflection (TIR) effect and absorbed by the epitaxial stack to generate heat. It worsens both the light extraction efficiency and the heat dissipation problems. Nevertheless, the pattern is usually formed deeper in order to compensate the light loss due to the parallel (unpatterned) region, but the high aspect ratio of the deeper pattern causes difficulty for subsequently epitaxial growth and adversely affects the epitaxial quality. Another prior technique for roughen surface is to utilize mechanically polishing method to form a randomly distributed rough patterns on the substrate surface. By this method, it is hard to control the roughened dimension, such as the depth or the width. Moreover, the epitaxial quality is not good by growing an epitaxial layer on the randomly rough surface. SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE The disclosure provides a light-emitting device. The light-emitting device comprises: a substrate having a first patterned unit; and a light-emitting stack on the substrate and having an active layer with a first surface; wherein the first patterned unit, protruding in a direction from the substrate to the light-emitting stack, has side surfaces abutting with each other and substantially non-parallel to the first surface in cross-sectional view, and has a non-polygon shape in top view. A light-emitting device includes a substrate having a top surface and a first patterned unit bulged on the top surface; and a light-emitting stack formed on the substrate and having an active layer with a first surface substantially parallel to the top surface; wherein a base of the first patterned unit has a non-polygon shape in a top view, and in a cross-sectional view: the first patterned unit has a vertex, a first inclined line segment, and a second inclined line segment, and the first inclined line segment and the second inclined line segment connect at the vertex. A light-emitting device includes a substrate having a top surface and a first patterned unit bulged on the top surface; and a light-emitting stack formed on the substrate and having an active layer with a first surface substantially parallel to the top surface, wherein the first patterned unit has a non-polygon shape in a top view, and a first inclined line and a second inclined line directly connect to the top surface to form a vertex in a cross-sectional view, and wherein the first patterned unit is substantially formed in a V-shape in the cross-sectional view. A light-emitting device includes a substrate having a top surface and a plurality of first patterned units bulged on the top surface; and a light-emitting stack formed on the substrate and having an active layer with a first surface substantially parallel to the top surface, wherein each of the plurality of first patterned units has a non-polygon shape in a top view, and a first inclined line and a second inclined line directly connect to the top surface to form a vertex in a cross-sectional view, and wherein each of the plurality of first patterned units is substantially formed in a V-shape in the cross-sectional view. A light-emitting device comprises a substrate having a top surface and a plurality of patterned units protruding from the top surface; and a light-emitting stack formed on the substrate and having an active layer with a first surface substantially parallel to the top surface; wherein one of the plurality of patterned units has a vertex, a first inclined surface, and a second inclined surface, and the first inclined surface and the second inclined surface commonly join at the vertex from a cross-sectional view of the light-emitting device. A light-emitting device comprises a substrate having a top surface and a plurality of patterned units protruding from the top surface; and a light-emitting stack formed on the substrate and having an active layer with a first surface substantially parallel to the top surface, wherein one of the plurality of patterned units comprises a plurality of connecting sides constituting a polygon shape in a top view of the light-emitting device, the one of the plurality of patterned units comprises a vertex and a plurality of inclined surfaces respectively extending from the plurality of connecting sides, the plurality of inclined surfaces commonly join at the vertex in a cross-sectional view of the light-emitting device, the vertex being between the top surface of the substrate and the first surface of the active layer, and six of the plurality of patterned units forms a hexagon in the top view of the light-emitting device. A light-emitting device comprises a substrate having a top surface and a plurality of patterned units protruding from the top surface; and a light-emitting stack formed on the substrate and having an active layer with a first surface substantially parallel to the top surface, wherein one of the plurality of patterned units comprises a plurality of connecting sides constituting a polygon shape in a top view of the light-emitting device, the one of the plurality of patterned units comprises a vertex and a plurality of inclined surfaces respectively extending from the plurality of connecting sides, the plurality of inclined surfaces commonly joining at the vertex and the plurality of inclined surfaces comprising a triangular shape, and multiple of the plurality of patterned units form a polygon surrounding another one of the plurality of patterned units in the top view of the light-emitting device. A light-emitting device comprises a substrate having a top surface and a plurality of patterned units protruding from the top surface; and a light-emitting stack formed on the substrate and having an active layer with a first surface substantially parallel to the top surface, wherein one of the plurality of patterned units comprises a first inclined line and a second inclined line protruding from the top surface of the substrate, the first inclined line and the second inclined line forming a vertex in a cross-sectional view of the light-emitting device, the one of the plurality of patterned units comprises a non-polygon shape in a top view of the light-emitting device, three of the plurality of patterned units forms a triangle in the top view of the light-emitting device. A light-emitting device comprises a substrate having a top surface and a plurality of patterned units protruding from the top surface; and a light-emitting stack formed on the substrate and having an active layer with a first surface substantially parallel to the top surface, wherein one of the plurality of patterned units comprises a plurality of connecting sides constituting a first polygon shape in a top view of the light-emitting device, wherein the one of the plurality of patterned units comprises a vertex and a plurality of inclined surfaces respectively extending from the plurality of connecting sides, the plurality of inclined surfaces commonly joining at the vertex in a cross-sectional view of the light-emitting device, the vertex being between the top surface of the substrate and the first surface of the active layer, and the plurality of inclined surfaces comprises a second polygon shape in the cross-sectional view of the light-emitting device. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 shows a light-emitting device in accordance with the first embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 2 shows a light-emitting device in accordance with the second embodiment of the present disclosure. FIGS. 3A and 3B show a light-emitting device in accordance with the third embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 4 shows a light-emitting device in accordance with the fourth embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 5 shows a light-emitting device in accordance with the fifth embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 6A to 6E show embodiments of the top views of the patterned surface in accordance with the present disclosure. FIG. 7 shows a known structure of a light-emitting diode. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS FIG. 1 shows a light-emitting device 100 in accordance with a first embodiment of the present disclosure. The light-emitting device 100 comprises a growth substrate 101, an intermediate layer comprising a buffer layer 102 and/or an undoped semiconductor layer 103 epitaxially grown on the growth substrate 101, a first contact layer 104 with first conductivity-type epitaxially grown on the intermediate layer, a first cladding layer 105 with first conductivity-type epitaxially grown on the first contact layer 104, an active layer 106 epitaxially grown on the first cladding layer 105, a second cladding layer 107 with second conductivity-type epitaxially grown on the active layer 106, a second contact layer 108 with second conductivity-type epitaxially grown on the second cladding layer 107, a current spreading layer 109 formed on the second contact layer 108 and forming an ohmic contact with the second contact layer 108, a first electrode 110 formed on the exposed first contact layer 104 by evaporation or sputtering method, and a second electrode 111 formed on the current spreading layer 109 by evaporation or sputtering method; wherein the growth substrate 101 has a patterned surface 101a comprising a plurality of ordered pattern units, and each of the plurality of ordered pattern units is compactly disposed, for example, at least one of the plurality of pattern units is substantially contacted with the neighboring units. According to the embodiment, any region of the patterned surface 101a, e.g. A1 region, is substantially not parallel to the corresponding region of the surface of the active layer, e.g. A2 region. The plurality of the ordered pattern units is disposed in a fixed period, variable period, or quasi-period. The top views of the plurality of pattern units comprise a polygon, or at least one pattern selected from the group consisting of triangle, rectangle, hexagon, and circle. The cross-sections of the plurality of pattern units comprise at least one pattern selected from the group consisting of V-shape, semicircle, arc, and polygon. Each of the plurality of pattern units has a width and a depth, and the depth is preferable less than the width for facilitating the subsequently grown buffer layer 102 and/or the undoped semiconductor layer 103 to fill into the depressed region of the patterned surface 101a. FIG. 2 shows a light-emitting device 200 in accordance with a second embodiment of the present disclosure. In comparison with the light-emitting device 100 shown in FIG. 1, the cross-section of the patterned surface 101b comprises a plurality of ordered patterned units, and each of the patterned units comprises a smooth curve for facilitating the subsequently grown buffer layer 102 and/or the undoped semiconductor layer 103 to fill into the depressed area of the patterned surface 101b. The method for forming the cross-section with a smooth curve comprises firstly forming a mask layer of photoresist on a plane substrate, patterning the mask layer by lithographic process, then curing the patterned mask layer in a baking machine under an appropriate temperature to reflow the patterned mask layer of photoresist to form a profile with smooth curve, finally dry-etching or wet-etching the substrate with the patterned mask layer to transfer the smooth curve profile to the substrate to form a patterned surface 101b with a smooth curve as shown in FIG. 2. The top views of the plurality of pattern units comprise polygon, or at least one pattern selected from the group consisting of triangle, rectangle, hexagon, and circle. FIGS. 3A and 3B show a light-emitting device 300 in accordance with a third embodiment of the present disclosure. In comparison with the light-emitting device 200 shown in FIG. 2, the patterned surface 101c of the light-emitting device 300 comprises a plurality of patterned units with variable dimensions or variable patterns disposed in a fixed period, variable period, or quasi-period. The top views of the plurality of the patterned units comprise polygon, or at least one pattern selected from the group consisting of triangle, rectangle, hexagon, and circle. In this embodiment, FIG. 3A shows the cross-section of the plurality of patterned units comprises at least two curves with different curvatures. FIG. 3B shows the patterned units have circular shapes with different diameters or different areas in the top view. FIG. 4 shows a light-emitting device 400 in accordance with a fourth embodiment of the present disclosure. In comparison with the light-emitting device 200 shown in FIG. 2, the second contact layer 108 of the light-emitting device 400 further comprises an exterior surface 108a having the patterned surface as disclosed in the foregoing embodiments for further enhancing the light extraction efficiency, and any region of the patterned surface 108a is substantially not parallel to the corresponding region of the upper surface 106a of the active layer. The method for forming the exterior surface 108a of the second contact layer 108 comprises naturally growing the second contact layer 108 with hexagonal depressions by adjusting the epitaxial growth parameters, such as lowering the growth temperature, or changing the gas concentration ratio of Hydrogen to Nitrogen, or performing a traditional lithographic and etching process to form the patterned surface 108a with protrusions and/or depressions. The subsequently formed current spreading layer 109 is conformable with the patterned surface 108a and forms a good ohmic contact with the second contact layer 108. FIG. 5 shows a light-emitting device 500 in accordance with a fifth embodiment of the present disclosure. In comparison with the light-emitting device 200 shown in FIG. 2, the intermediate layer 502 of the light-emitting device 500 comprises a bonding layer, e.g. a transparent adhesive layer or a transparent conductive layer. The first contact layer 104 is joined to the second substrate 501 by a bonding technique, e.g. a direct bonding method or a thermo-compression bonding method. According to the present disclosure, the second substrate 501 is not limited to a material for epitaxial growth, and is flexible as long as the material meets the purpose, e.g. a material with high conductivity, a material with high transparency, a conductive material, or a material with high reflectivity. FIG. 6A to FIG. 6D shows the top views of the patterned surface in accordance with the present disclosure. As shown in FIG. 6A, the patterned surface comprises a plurality of hexagonal pattern units. Each of the pattern units is composed of six inclined surfaces 601a depressed or protruded from the substrate. The six inclined surfaces 601a are commonly joined at a vertex 601c, and mutually joined at six connecting sides 601b such that the patterned surface of the substrate is substantially not parallel to the corresponding region of the upper surface 106a of the active layer. As shown in FIG. 6B, the patterned surface comprises a plurality of triangular pattern units. Each of the pattern units is composed of three inclined surfaces 602a depressed or protruded from the substrate. The three inclined surfaces 602a are commonly joined at a vertex 602c, and mutually joined at three connecting sides 602b such that the patterned surface of the substrate is substantially not parallel to the corresponding region of the upper surface 106a of the active layer. As shown in FIG. 6C, the patterned surface comprises a plurality of rhombus pattern units. Each of the pattern units is composed of four inclined surfaces 603a depressed or protruded from the substrate. The four inclined surfaces 603a are commonly joined at a vertex 603c, and mutually joined at four connecting sides 603b such that the patterned surface of the substrate is substantially not parallel to the corresponding region of the upper surface 106a of the active layer. As shown in FIG. 6D, the patterned surface comprises a plurality of square pattern units defined by overlapped circles. Each of the pattern units is composed of four inclined surfaces 604a protruded from the substrate and a rounded top surface 604c. The plurality of pattern units are mutually joined at the connecting sides 604b such that the patterned surface of the substrate is substantially not parallel to the corresponding region of the upper surface 106a of the active layer. The statement of “the patterned surface of the substrate is substantially not parallel to the corresponding region of the upper surface of the active layer” as described in the foregoing embodiments does not exclude the circumstances caused by the various process deviations, such as the photoresist pattern distortion by lithographic deviation or pattern distortion by etching deviation such that portion of the to-be-patterned surface is not patterned or portion of the patterned region still comprises surface parallel to the active layer. For example, the vertices 601c, 602c, 603c, or rounded top surface 604c still possibly comprises a small mesa under the various process deviations, but the process deviations are preferred to be controlled to have the total surface area that is parallel to the active layer and the total surface area of the unpatterned surface do not exceed 3% of the total substrate area. As shown in FIG. 6E, the patterned surface comprises a plurality of circular pattern units. Each of the pattern units is disposed side by side in a tightest disposition such that the patterned surface area of the substrate that is parallel to the corresponding region of the upper surface 106a of the active layer is about 9.3% or not over 10% of the total substrate area, i.e. the ratio of the area of the triangular area subtracting the area of the three sectors to the area of the triangular area is about 9.3% or not over 10%. The pattern units as disclosed in the foregoing embodiments have a relative higher patterned proportion, therefore increase the difficulty to epitaxially grow the subsequently buffer layer and the undoped semiconductor layer. In order to fulfill both light extraction efficiency and internal quantum efficiency, the cross-section of each of the pattern units has a width and a depth smaller than the width, i.e. the ratio of the depth to the width is lower than 1, therefore a pattern unit with a lower aspect ratio is achieved. The subsequently epitaxially grown buffer layer and/or the undpoded semiconductor layer are easily filled into the depressed region of the patterned surface to enhance the epitaxial growth quality. The patterned surface described in the above-mentioned embodiments is not limited to be formed on any surface of any specific structure of the light-emitting device in accordance with the present disclosure. It is still under the scope of the disclosure to form the patterned surface on any structure of the light-emitting device in accordance with the present disclosure. For example, the patterned surface can be formed on the light output surface of the light-emitting device contacting with the surroundings. The neighboring materials neighbored to the patterned structure includes but not limited to any structure of the light-emitting device, the encapsulating material, or the environmental medium having a different refraction index from the patterned structure. The difference of the refraction indexes of the patterned structure and the neighboring material is at least 0.1. The materials of the buffer layer, the undoped semiconductor layer, the first contact layer, the first cladding layer, the second cladding layer, the second contact layer, and the active layer comprise III-V compound materials, e.g. AlpGaqIn(1-p-q)P or AlxInyGa(1-x-y)N, wherein, 0≥q, q, x, y≤1; (p+q)≤1; (x+y)≤1. The first conductivity-type comprises n-type or p-type. The second conductivity-type comprises n-type or p-type and is different to the first conductivity-type. The current spreading layer comprises metal oxide, e.g. ITO, or well-conductive semiconductor layer of phosphide or nitride having high impurity concentration. The growth substrate comprises at least one material selected from the group consisting of GaP, sapphire, SiC, GaN, and AlN. The second substrate comprises a transparent material selected from the group consisting of GaP, sapphire, Sic, GaN, and AlN, or a heat dissipating material selected from the group consisting of diamond, diamond-like-carbon (DLC), ZnO, Au, Ag, Al, and other metals. It will be apparent to those having ordinary skill in the art that various modifications and variations can be made to the methods in accordance with the present disclosure without departing from the scope or spirit of the disclosure. In view of the foregoing, it is intended that the present disclosure cover modifications and variations of this disclosure provided they fall within the scope of the following claims and their equivalents. | <SOH> BACKGROUND <EOH> | <SOH> SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE <EOH>The disclosure provides a light-emitting device. The light-emitting device comprises: a substrate having a first patterned unit; and a light-emitting stack on the substrate and having an active layer with a first surface; wherein the first patterned unit, protruding in a direction from the substrate to the light-emitting stack, has side surfaces abutting with each other and substantially non-parallel to the first surface in cross-sectional view, and has a non-polygon shape in top view. A light-emitting device includes a substrate having a top surface and a first patterned unit bulged on the top surface; and a light-emitting stack formed on the substrate and having an active layer with a first surface substantially parallel to the top surface; wherein a base of the first patterned unit has a non-polygon shape in a top view, and in a cross-sectional view: the first patterned unit has a vertex, a first inclined line segment, and a second inclined line segment, and the first inclined line segment and the second inclined line segment connect at the vertex. A light-emitting device includes a substrate having a top surface and a first patterned unit bulged on the top surface; and a light-emitting stack formed on the substrate and having an active layer with a first surface substantially parallel to the top surface, wherein the first patterned unit has a non-polygon shape in a top view, and a first inclined line and a second inclined line directly connect to the top surface to form a vertex in a cross-sectional view, and wherein the first patterned unit is substantially formed in a V-shape in the cross-sectional view. A light-emitting device includes a substrate having a top surface and a plurality of first patterned units bulged on the top surface; and a light-emitting stack formed on the substrate and having an active layer with a first surface substantially parallel to the top surface, wherein each of the plurality of first patterned units has a non-polygon shape in a top view, and a first inclined line and a second inclined line directly connect to the top surface to form a vertex in a cross-sectional view, and wherein each of the plurality of first patterned units is substantially formed in a V-shape in the cross-sectional view. A light-emitting device comprises a substrate having a top surface and a plurality of patterned units protruding from the top surface; and a light-emitting stack formed on the substrate and having an active layer with a first surface substantially parallel to the top surface; wherein one of the plurality of patterned units has a vertex, a first inclined surface, and a second inclined surface, and the first inclined surface and the second inclined surface commonly join at the vertex from a cross-sectional view of the light-emitting device. A light-emitting device comprises a substrate having a top surface and a plurality of patterned units protruding from the top surface; and a light-emitting stack formed on the substrate and having an active layer with a first surface substantially parallel to the top surface, wherein one of the plurality of patterned units comprises a plurality of connecting sides constituting a polygon shape in a top view of the light-emitting device, the one of the plurality of patterned units comprises a vertex and a plurality of inclined surfaces respectively extending from the plurality of connecting sides, the plurality of inclined surfaces commonly join at the vertex in a cross-sectional view of the light-emitting device, the vertex being between the top surface of the substrate and the first surface of the active layer, and six of the plurality of patterned units forms a hexagon in the top view of the light-emitting device. A light-emitting device comprises a substrate having a top surface and a plurality of patterned units protruding from the top surface; and a light-emitting stack formed on the substrate and having an active layer with a first surface substantially parallel to the top surface, wherein one of the plurality of patterned units comprises a plurality of connecting sides constituting a polygon shape in a top view of the light-emitting device, the one of the plurality of patterned units comprises a vertex and a plurality of inclined surfaces respectively extending from the plurality of connecting sides, the plurality of inclined surfaces commonly joining at the vertex and the plurality of inclined surfaces comprising a triangular shape, and multiple of the plurality of patterned units form a polygon surrounding another one of the plurality of patterned units in the top view of the light-emitting device. A light-emitting device comprises a substrate having a top surface and a plurality of patterned units protruding from the top surface; and a light-emitting stack formed on the substrate and having an active layer with a first surface substantially parallel to the top surface, wherein one of the plurality of patterned units comprises a first inclined line and a second inclined line protruding from the top surface of the substrate, the first inclined line and the second inclined line forming a vertex in a cross-sectional view of the light-emitting device, the one of the plurality of patterned units comprises a non-polygon shape in a top view of the light-emitting device, three of the plurality of patterned units forms a triangle in the top view of the light-emitting device. A light-emitting device comprises a substrate having a top surface and a plurality of patterned units protruding from the top surface; and a light-emitting stack formed on the substrate and having an active layer with a first surface substantially parallel to the top surface, wherein one of the plurality of patterned units comprises a plurality of connecting sides constituting a first polygon shape in a top view of the light-emitting device, wherein the one of the plurality of patterned units comprises a vertex and a plurality of inclined surfaces respectively extending from the plurality of connecting sides, the plurality of inclined surfaces commonly joining at the vertex in a cross-sectional view of the light-emitting device, the vertex being between the top surface of the substrate and the first surface of the active layer, and the plurality of inclined surfaces comprises a second polygon shape in the cross-sectional view of the light-emitting device. | H01L3320 | 20171122 | 20180419 | 82897.0 | H01L3320 | 1 | SCHOENHOLTZ, JOSEPH | LIGHT-EMITTING DEVICE HAVING A PATTERNED SURFACE | UNDISCOUNTED | 1 | CONT-ACCEPTED | H01L | 2,017 |
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15,821,178 | PENDING | LED TUBE LAMP | A light emitting diode (LED) tube lamp includes a lamp tube; a first pin and a second pin coupled to a first end of the lamp tube, and a third pin coupled to a second end of the lamp tube; a first rectifying circuit comprising diodes and connected to the first and second pins, and a second rectifying circuit comprising diodes and connected to the third pin and an output terminal of the first rectifying circuit; a filtering circuit coupled to the two rectifying circuits and the LED module, for filtering the rectified signal to produce a filtered signal; an LED module comprising LEDs for emitting light, the LED module configured to be driven by the rectified signal or the filtered signal; and a driving circuit coupled between the two rectifying circuits and the LED module, and configured to drive the LED module. The LED tube lamp is configured to receive the external driving signal and emit light in each of two power supply arrangements, the two arrangements being respectively that the external driving signal is a low frequency signal input and transmitted through the first and second pins, and that the external driving signal is a low frequency signal input and transmitted through one of the first and second pins and the third pin across the two ends of the lamp tube. The LED tube lamp is configured such that when the received external driving signal is a low frequency signal, the LED tube lamp causes the rectified signal or the filtered signal to be used by the driving circuit for driving the LED module to emit light. | 1. A light emitting diode (LED) tube lamp, comprising: a lamp tube; a first pin and a second pin coupled to a first end of the lamp tube, and a third pin coupled to a second end of the lamp tube; a first rectifying circuit comprising diodes and connected to the first and second pins, and a second rectifying circuit comprising diodes and connected to the third pin and an output terminal of the first rectifying circuit, wherein the first and second rectifying circuits are for rectifying an external driving signal to produce a rectified signal; a filtering circuit coupled to the two rectifying circuits and the LED module, for filtering the rectified signal to produce a filtered signal; an LED module comprising LEDs for emitting light, the LED module configured to be driven by the rectified signal or the filtered signal; and a driving circuit coupled between the two rectifying circuits and the LED module, and configured to drive the LED module, wherein the LED tube lamp is configured to receive the external driving signal and emit light in each of two power supply arrangements, the two arrangements being respectively that the external driving signal is a low frequency signal input and transmitted through the first and second pins, and that the external driving signal is a low frequency signal input and transmitted through one of the first and second pins and the third pin across the two ends of the lamp tube; and the LED tube lamp is configured such that when the received external driving signal is a low frequency signal, the LED tube lamp causes the rectified signal or the filtered signal to be used by the driving circuit for driving the LED module to emit light. 2. The LED tube lamp according to claim 1, wherein the external driving signal as a low frequency signal is a signal having a frequency between 0 and 60 Hz. 3. The LED tube lamp according to claim 1, wherein the external driving signal as a low frequency signal is from an AC powerline and not provided by an electrical ballast. 4. The LED tube lamp according to claim 1, wherein the driving circuit comprises a DC-to-DC converter circuit configured for performing power conversion to produce a driving signal. 5. The LED tube lamp according to claim 1, further comprising a mode switching circuit coupled to the two rectifying circuits and the driving circuit, and configured to cause the rectified signal or the filtered signal to be used by the driving circuit when the external driving signal is a low frequency signal. 6. The LED tube lamp according to claim 1, further comprising an installation detection circuit coupled to the two rectifying circuits and the LED module, and configured such that when the LED tube lamp is properly connected to a lamp socket, the installation detection circuit conducts current or allows the LED module to be driven by the rectified signal; and when the LED tube lamp is not properly connected to a lamp socket, the installation detection circuit prevents the LED module from being driven by the rectified signal. 7. The LED tube lamp according to claim 6, wherein the installation detection circuit is configured for protecting a user from electric shock when the user is touching or inserting the LED tube lamp into a lamp socket. 8. The LED tube lamp according to claim 1, wherein the first end of the lamp tube has an end cap on which the first and second pins are disposed, and the second end of the lamp tube has an end cap on which the third pin is disposed. 9. The LED tube lamp according to claim 8, further comprising an installation detection mechanism providing electric shock protection, coupled to at least one of the two end caps, and comprising an actuator configured to move toward and extend away from the lamp tube. 10. The LED tube lamp according to claim 9, wherein the installation detection mechanism further comprises a micro switch configured to be triggered by the actuator being pressed when the LED tube lamp is being touched or installed into a lamp socket, wherein the micro switch when triggered completes a circuit between at least one of the first and second rectifying circuits and at least one of the first, second, and third pins. 11. The LED tube lamp according to claim 9, wherein the installation detection mechanism further comprises a first contact element and a second contact element configured to be triggered by the actuator being pressed when the LED tube lamp is being touched or installed into a lamp socket, wherein the first contact element is configured to engage the second contact element to complete a circuit between at least one of the first and second rectifying circuits and at least one of the first, second, and third pins when the first contact element and the second contact element are triggered by the actuator. 12. The LED tube lamp according to claim 1, further comprising a safety switch coupled between at least one of the first and second rectifying circuits and at least one of the first, second, and third pins. 13. The LED tube lamp according to claim 12, wherein the safety switch comprises an electric switch, a thyristor, or a logic level switch. 14. The LED tube lamp according to claim 12, further comprising a capacitor or resistor connected in parallel with the safety switch and between at least one of the first and second rectifying circuits and at least one of the first, second, and third pins. 15. The LED tube lamp according to claim 14, wherein the capacitor or resistor constitutes a filtering unit. 16. The LED tube lamp according to claim 1, wherein the first rectifying circuit comprises four diodes, the first pin is connected to a common node connecting an anode and a cathode respectively of two of the four diodes, and the second pin is connected to a common node connecting an anode and a cathode respectively of the other two of the four diodes. 17. The LED tube lamp according to claim 1, wherein the second rectifying circuit comprises two diodes having a common node connecting an anode and a cathode respectively of the two diodes, and one of the two diodes has another terminal connected to the third pin. 18. The LED tube lamp according to claim 1, wherein the second rectifying circuit comprises two diodes having a common node connecting an anode and a cathode respectively of the two diodes, and the common node is coupled to the third pin. 19. The LED tube lamp according to claim 1, wherein the second rectifying circuit comprises four diodes, and the third pin is connected to a common node connecting an anode and a cathode respectively of two of the four diodes. 20. The LED tube lamp according to claim 1, wherein the first rectifying circuit comprises four diodes, the first pin is connected to a first common node connecting an anode and a cathode respectively of two of the four diodes, and the second pin is connected to a second common node connecting an anode and a cathode respectively of the other two of the four diodes; the second rectifying circuit comprises two diodes having a third common node connecting an anode and a cathode respectively of the two diodes of the second rectifying circuit, and the third common node is coupled to the third pin; and a common anode of two of the four diodes of the first rectifying circuit is coupled to an anode of one of the two diodes of the second rectifying circuit, and a common cathode of the other two of the four diodes of the first rectifying circuit is coupled to a cathode of the other one of the two diodes of the second rectifying circuit. 21. A light emitting diode (LED) tube lamp, comprising: a lamp tube; a first pin and a second pin coupled to a first end of the lamp tube, and a third pin coupled to a second end of the lamp tube; a first rectifying circuit comprising diodes and connected to the first and second pins, and a second rectifying circuit comprising diodes and connected to the third pin and an output terminal of the first rectifying circuit, wherein the first and second rectifying circuits are for rectifying an external driving signal to produce a rectified signal; a filtering circuit coupled to the two rectifying circuits and the LED module, for filtering the rectified signal to produce a filtered signal; an LED module comprising LEDs for emitting light, the LED module configured to be driven by the rectified signal or the filtered signal; a driving circuit coupled between the two rectifying circuits and the LED module, and configured to drive the LED module; and a detection module coupled to the two rectifying circuits for protecting a user from electric shock, having two detection terminals, and configured to not conduct current between the two detection terminals when the external driving signal is input at the first and second pins, wherein the LED tube lamp is configured to receive an external driving signal in a power supply arrangement in which the external driving signal is input and transmitted through the third pin and one of the first and second pins across the two ends of the lamp tube. 22. The LED tube lamp according to claim 21, further comprising a conduction-delaying circuit coupled to the two rectifying circuits, the filtering circuit, and the LED module, wherein the conduction-delaying circuit is configured such that when the external driving signal is initially input to the LED tube lamp, the conduction-delaying circuit is in an open-circuit state, and then the conduction-delaying circuit enters a conducting state when voltage across the conduction-delaying circuit exceeds a trigger voltage value of the conduction-delaying circuit, wherein the conducting state of the conduction-delaying circuit causes the LED module to conduct current for emitting light. 23. The LED tube lamp according to claim 22, wherein the conduction-delaying circuit comprises a ballast-compatible circuit comprising an electronic switch and a capacitor; the electronic switch is connected between a first and a second terminals of the ballast-compatible circuit and has a control terminal coupled to the capacitor; and the ballast-compatible circuit is configured such that when an external driving signal is initially input to the LED tube lamp, the electronic switch is in an open-circuit state, and the capacitor is then charged so as to trigger the electronic switch into a conducting state, making the ballast-compatible circuit enter the conduction state. 24. The LED tube lamp according to claim 23, wherein the electronic switch comprises a thyristor. 25. The LED tube lamp according to claim 23, wherein the ballast-compatible circuit further comprises a resistor connected between the first terminal of the ballast-compatible circuit and the control terminal of the electronic switch, and another resistor connected between the second terminal of the ballast-compatible circuit and the control terminal of the electronic switch. 26. The LED tube lamp according to claim 21, wherein the external driving signal input at the first and second pins is a signal from an AC powerline. 27. The LED tube lamp according to claim 21, wherein in the power supply arrangement the external driving signal is a signal from an electrical ballast. 28. The LED tube lamp according to claim 21, wherein the detection module includes a switch circuit coupled between the two detection terminals, configured to be in a conducting state to make the detection module conduct current, and configured to be in a cut-off state to make the LED tube lamp enter in a non-conducting state. 29. The LED tube lamp according to claim 21, further comprising an impedance circuit coupled between the first and second pins and the first rectifying circuit, or between the third pin and the second rectifying circuit, for reducing EMI (electromagnetic interference), limiting electrical current, or providing overcurrent protection. 30. The LED tube lamp according to claim 29, wherein the impedance circuit comprises a resistor, a capacitor, an inductor, or any combination thereof. 31. The LED tube lamp according to claim 29, wherein the impedance circuit comprises a fuse connected to at least one of the first, second, and third pins. 32. The LED tube lamp according to claim 21, wherein the detection module is configured to not conduct current between the two detection terminals when the first end of the LED tube lamp is inserted into a lamp socket and the second end of the LED tube lamp floats or couples to an object. 33. The LED tube lamp according to claim 21, wherein the LED tube lamp is configured such that when the external driving signal is a low frequency signal input and transmitted through the third pin and one of the first and second pins across the two ends of the lamp tube, the LED tube lamp causes the rectified signal or the filtered signal to be used by the driving circuit for driving the LED module to emit light. 34. A light emitting diode (LED) tube lamp, comprising: a lamp tube; a first pin and a second pin coupled to a first end of the lamp tube, and a third pin coupled to a second end of the lamp tube; a first rectifying circuit comprising diodes and connected to the first and second pins, and a second rectifying circuit comprising diodes and connected to the third pin and an output terminal of the first rectifying circuit, wherein the first and second rectifying circuits are for rectifying an external driving signal to produce a rectified signal; a filtering circuit coupled to the two rectifying circuits and the LED module, for filtering the rectified signal to produce a filtered signal; an LED lighting module comprising an LED module comprising LEDs for emitting light, the LED module configured to be driven by the rectified signal or the filtered signal; and a detection circuit coupled to the two rectifying circuits and the LED lighting module, and configured for determining whether to allow the LED module to be driven by the rectified signal or the filtered signal, or to prevent the LED module from being driven by the rectified signal or the filtered signal, wherein the LED tube lamp is configured to receive the external driving signal and emit light in each of two power supply arrangements, the two arrangements being respectively that the external driving signal is input and transmitted through the first and second pins, and that the external driving signal is input and transmitted through one of the first and second pins and the third pin across the two ends of the lamp tube. 35. The LED tube lamp according to claim 34, wherein the external driving signal is directly from an AC powerline, or is from an electrical ballast. 36. The LED tube lamp according to claim 34, wherein the LED lighting module further comprises a driving circuit coupled between the two rectifying circuits and the LED module, and configured to drive the LED module. 37. The LED tube lamp according to claim 36, wherein when the received external driving signal is a low frequency signal, the LED tube lamp causes the rectified signal or the filtered signal to be used by the driving circuit for driving the LED module to emit light. 38. The LED tube lamp according to claim 36, wherein the detection circuit comprises a mode switching circuit coupled to the two rectifying circuits and the driving circuit, and configured to cause the rectified signal or the filtered signal to be used by the driving circuit when the external driving signal is a low frequency signal. 39. The LED tube lamp according to claim 34, wherein the detection circuit comprises an installation detection circuit configured such that when the LED tube lamp is properly connected to a lamp socket, the installation detection circuit conducts current or allows the LED module to be driven by the rectified signal or the filtered signal, and when the LED tube lamp is not properly connected to a lamp socket, the installation detection circuit prevents the LED module from being driven by the rectified signal or the filtered signal. 40. The LED tube lamp according to claim 39, wherein the installation detection circuit detects whether the LED tube lamp is properly connected to a lamp socket by detecting a signal passing through the installation detection circuit. 41. The LED tube lamp according to claim 39, wherein the installation detection circuit is configured for protecting a user from electric shock when the user is touching or inserting the LED tube lamp into a lamp socket. 42. The LED tube lamp according to claim 39, wherein the installation detection circuit includes a switch circuit configured to control whether the installation detection circuit conducts current or is cut off, depending on whether the LED tube lamp is properly connected to a lamp socket. 43. The LED tube lamp according to claim 34, wherein the detection circuit is coupled to the two rectifying circuits to receive an output from either of the two rectifying circuits; and the detection circuit is configured such that when the LED tube lamp is properly connected to a lamp socket, the detection circuit conducts current to make the LED tube lamp operate in a conducting state, and when the LED tube lamp is not properly connected to a lamp socket, the detection circuit makes the LED tube lamp enter into a non-conducting state. 44. The LED tube lamp according to claim 43, wherein the detection circuit is an installation detection circuit comprising a detection determining circuit including a first node and a second node; the first node is configured to receive a reference voltage, the second node is configured to receive a detected signal on a detection path between the second node and a detection terminal of the installation detection circuit, and the detection determining circuit is configured to generate a detection result signal by comparing the reference voltage and a level of the detected signal; and the detection result signal is configured to control whether the installation detection circuit conducts current or makes the LED tube lamp enter into a non-conducting state. 45. The LED tube lamp according to claim 44, wherein the installation detection circuit further comprises a sampling resistor connected between the second node of the detection determining circuit and the detection terminal of the installation detection circuit, and the detected signal is a voltage at the second node or depends on a current passing through the sampling resistor. 46. The LED tube lamp according to claim 44, wherein the detection determining circuit comprises a comparator having a negative input terminal as the first node and a positive input terminal as the second node, and the detection result signal is generated by the comparator. 47. The LED tube lamp according to claim 44, wherein the installation detection circuit includes a switch circuit coupled to the detection determining circuit, configured to be in a conducting state to make the installation detection circuit conduct current, and configured to be in a cut-off state to make the LED tube lamp enter in a non-conducting state; and whether the switch circuit enters in a conducting state or cut-off state depends on the detection result signal. 48. The LED tube lamp according to claim 47, wherein the installation detection circuit further comprises a sampling resistor connected between the second node of the detection determining circuit and the detection terminal of the installation detection circuit; the switch circuit is connected to the second node of the detection determining circuit; and upon the installation detection circuit receiving an output from either of the two rectifying circuits, the switch circuit initially conducts current to allow the detection determining circuit to perform detection of a level of current passing through the sampling resistor or a level of voltage at the second node. 49. The LED tube lamp according to claim 34, wherein the detection circuit is coupled between the rectifying circuit and the filtering circuit, and the filtering circuit comprises a pi filter circuit including a first capacitor, an inductor, and a second capacitor. 50. The LED tube lamp according to claim 34, wherein the first rectifying circuit comprises four diodes, the first pin is connected to a common node connecting an anode and a cathode respectively of two of the four diodes, and the second pin is connected to a common node connecting an anode and a cathode respectively of the other two of the four diodes. 51. The LED tube lamp according to claim 34, wherein the second rectifying circuit comprises two diodes having a common node connecting an anode and a cathode respectively of the two diodes, and one of the two diodes has another terminal connected to the third pin. 52. The LED tube lamp according to claim 34, wherein the second rectifying circuit comprises two diodes having a common node connecting an anode and a cathode respectively of the two diodes, and the common node is coupled to the third pin. 53. The LED tube lamp according to claim 34, wherein the second rectifying circuit comprises four diodes, and the third pin is connected to a common node connecting an anode and a cathode respectively of two of the four diodes. 54. The LED tube lamp according to claim 34, wherein the first rectifying circuit comprises four diodes, the first pin is connected to a first common node connecting an anode and a cathode respectively of two of the four diodes, and the second pin is connected to a second common node connecting an anode and a cathode respectively of the other two of the four diodes; the second rectifying circuit comprises two diodes having a third common node connecting an anode and a cathode respectively of the two diodes of the second rectifying circuit, and the third common node is coupled to the third pin; and a common anode of two of the four diodes of the first rectifying circuit is coupled to an anode of one of the two diodes of the second rectifying circuit, and a common cathode of the other two of the four diodes of the first rectifying circuit is coupled to a cathode of the other one of the two diodes of the second rectifying circuit. 55. A light emitting diode (LED) tube lamp, comprising: a lamp tube; a first pin and a second pin coupled to a first end of the lamp tube, and a third pin coupled to a second end of the lamp tube; a first rectifying circuit comprising diodes and connected to the first and second pins, and a second rectifying circuit comprising diodes and connected to the third pin and an output terminal of the first rectifying circuit, wherein the first and second rectifying circuits are for rectifying an external driving signal to produce a rectified signal; a filtering circuit coupled to the two rectifying circuits and the LED module, for filtering the rectified signal to produce a filtered signal; an LED module comprising LEDs for emitting light, the LED module configured to be driven by the rectified signal or the filtered signal; and a driving circuit coupled between the two rectifying circuits and the LED module, and configured to drive the LED module, wherein the LED tube lamp is configured to receive the external driving signal and emit light in each of two power supply arrangements, the two arrangements being respectively that the external driving signal is a signal having a frequency between 40 and 60 Hz input and transmitted through the first and second pins, and that the external driving signal is a signal having a frequency between 40 and 60 Hz input and transmitted through one of the first and second pins and the third pin across the two ends of the lamp tube; and the LED tube lamp is configured such that when the received external driving signal is a signal having a frequency between 40 and 60 Hz, the LED tube lamp causes the rectified signal or the filtered signal to be used by the driving circuit for driving the LED module to emit light. 56. The LED tube lamp according to claim 55, wherein the driving circuit comprises a DC-to-DC converter circuit configured for performing power conversion to produce a driving signal. 57. The LED tube lamp according to claim 55, further comprising a mode switching circuit coupled to the two rectifying circuits and the driving circuit, and configured to cause the rectified signal or the filtered signal to be used by the driving circuit when the external driving signal is a low frequency signal. 58. The LED tube lamp according to claim 55, further comprising an installation detection circuit coupled to the two rectifying circuits and the LED module, and configured such that when the LED tube lamp is properly connected to a lamp socket, the installation detection circuit conducts current or allows the LED module to be driven by the rectified signal; and when the LED tube lamp is not properly connected to a lamp socket, the installation detection circuit prevents the LED module from being driven by the rectified signal. 59. The LED tube lamp according to claim 55, further comprising a safety switch coupled between at least one of the first and second rectifying circuits and at least one of the first, second, and third pins. 60. The LED tube lamp according to claim 59, further comprising a capacitor or resistor connected in parallel with the safety switch and between at least one of the first and second rectifying circuits and at least one of the first, second, and third pins. | CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application is a Continuation application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/298,272, filed Oct. 20, 2016, the disclosure of which is incorporated in its entirety by reference herein, which is a Continuation application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/066,645, filed on Mar. 10, 2016, the disclosure of which is incorporated in its entirety by reference herein, which is a Continuation-In-Part application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/865,387, filed Sep. 25, 2015, the disclosure of which is incorporated in its entirety herein, which claims priority under 35 U.S.C. 119(e) to Chinese Patent Applications No. CN 201410507660.9 filed on 2014 Sep. 28; CN 201410508899.8 filed on 2014 Sep. 28; CN 201410623355.6 filed on 2014 Nov. 6; CN 201410734425.5 filed on 2014 Dec. 5; CN 201510075925.7 filed on 2015 Feb. 12; No. CN 201510104823.3 filed on 2015 Mar. 10; CN 201510134586.5 filed on 2015 Mar. 26; CN 201510133689.x filed on 2015 Mar. 25; CN 201510136796.8 filed on 2015 Mar. 27; CN 201510155807.7 filed on 2015 Apr. 3; CN 201510173861.4 filed on 2015 Apr. 14; CN 201510193980.6 filed on 2015 Apr. 22; CN 201510372375.5 filed on 2015 Jun. 26; CN 201510259151.3 filed on 2015 May 19; CN 201510268927.8 filed on 2015 May 22; CN 201510284720.x filed on 2015 May 29; CN 201510338027.6 filed on 2015 Jun. 17; CN 201510315636.x filed on 2015 Jun. 10; CN 201510373492.3 filed on 2015 Jun. 26; CN 201510364735.7 filed on 2015 Jun. 26; CN 201510378322.4 filed on 2015 Jun. 29; CN 201510391910.1 filed on 2015 Jul. 2; CN 201510406595.5 filed on 2015 Jul. 10; CN 201510482944.1 filed on 2015 Aug. 7; CN 201510486115.0 filed on 2015 Aug. 8; CN 201510428680.1 filed on 2015 Jul. 20; CN 201510483475.5 filed on 2015 Aug. 8; CN 201510555543.4 filed on 2015 Sep. 2; CN 201510557717.0 filed on 2015 Sep. 6; CN 201510595173.7 filed on 2015 Sep. 18, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein in their entirety by reference. This application also claims priority under 35 U.S.C. 119(e) to Chinese Patent Applications no.: CN 201510530110.3 filed on 2015 Aug. 26; CN 201510499512.1 filed on 2015 Aug. 14; CN 201510448220.5 filed on 2015 Jul. 27; CN 201510645134.3 filed on 2015 Oct. 8; and CN 201510680883.x filed on 2015 Oct. 20, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein in their entirety by reference. If any terms in this application conflict with terms used in any application(s) to which this application claims priority, or terms incorporated by reference into this application or the application(s) to which this application claims priority, a construction based on the terms as used or defined in this application should be applied. FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present disclosure relates to illumination devices, and more particularly to an LED tube lamp and its components including the light sources, electronic components, and end caps. BACKGROUND LED lighting technology is rapidly developing to replace traditional incandescent and fluorescent lightings. LED tube lamps are mercury-free in comparison with fluorescent tube lamps that need to be filled with inert gas and mercury. Thus, it is not surprising that LED tube lamps are becoming a highly desired illumination option among different available lighting systems used in homes and workplaces, which used to be dominated by traditional lighting options such as compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs) and fluorescent tube lamps. Benefits of LED tube lamps include improved durability and longevity and far less energy consumption; therefore, when taking into account all factors, they would typically be considered as a cost effective lighting option. Currently, LED tube lamps used to replace traditional fluorescent lighting devices can be primarily categorized into two types. One is for ballast-compatible LED tube lamps, e.g., T-LED lamp, which directly replace fluorescent tube lamps without rewiring the lighting fixture; and the other one is for ballast-bypass LED tube lamps, which omit traditional ballast on their circuit and directly connect the commercial electricity to the LED tube lamp. The latter LED tube lamp is suitable for the new surroundings in fixtures with new driving circuits and LED tube lamps. The ballast-compatible type LED tube lamp is also known as “Type-A” LED tube lamp, and the ballast-bypass type LED tube lamp provided with a lamp driving circuit is also known as a “Type-B” LED tube lamp. Compared to the ballast-compatible type LED tube lamp, the ballast-bypass type LED tube lamp has better luminous efficacy and longer life time since the power consumption and the malfunction concerns of the ballast can be excluded. For the ballast-bypass type LED tube lamp, the power supply configuration can be categorized into two types. One is single-end power supply configuration, which receives the external AC signal merely through one side of the LED tube lamp; and the other one is dual-end power supply configuration, which receives the external AC signal through both sides of the LED tube lamp. In order to fulfill the light emitting requirements of traditional fluorescent lamps, the circuits of the traditional fluorescent lamp fixtures are designed and disposed for providing the AC signal through both ends of the lamp. For the purpose of replacing traditional fluorescent lamps, an LED tube lamp having the dual-end power supply configuration can be popularized much easier since the installation is simpler than the single-end power supply configuration. However, there still are some drawbacks in the dual-end power supply configuration. For example, when an LED tube lamp has an architecture with dual-end power supply and one end cap thereof is inserted into a lamp socket but the other is not, an electric shock situation could take place for the user touching the metal or conductive part of the end cap which has not been inserted into the lamp socket. In the published application US 2013/0335959, filed on Jun. 15, 2012, a solution of disposing a mechanical structure on the end cap for preventing electric shock is proposed. In this electric shock protection design, the connection between the external power and the internal circuit of the tube lamp can be cut off or established by the mechanical component's interaction/shifting when a user installs the tube lamp, so as to achieve the electric shock protection. However, due to the physical characteristics of the mechanical components, the mechanical fatigue may inevitably cause the reliability and durability of the electric shock protection to be limited. On the other hand, although the ballast-bypass type and the ballast-compatible type LED tube lamps can be configured in the dual-end power supply configuration, there still are many different considerations in the power supply circuit design. For example, due to the frequency of the voltage provided from the ballast being much higher than the voltage directly provided from the commercial electricity/AC mains, the skin effect occurs when the leakage current is generated in the ballast-compatible type LED tube lamp, and thus the human body would not be harmed by the leakage current. Therefore, since the ballast-bypass type LED tube lamp has higher risk of electric shock/hazard, compared to the ballast-compatible type, it is preferred that the ballast-bypass type LED tube lamp have extremely low leakage current for meeting strict safety requirements. In the PCT patent application WO2015/066566, filed on Oct. 31, 2014, a solution of utilizing an electronic switch in the power supply circuit for preventing electric shock is proposed. In this electric shock protection design, a transistor/switch is disposed in series with the input rectification stage of the fluorescent lamp replacement and the LED load, and a current flowing through the sense resistor will be detected for determining whether the fluorescent lamp replacement is correctly connected to the ballast. WO2015/066566 addresses the electric shock protection in the ballast-compatible type LED tube lamp, however, it does not address the electric shock problem in the ballast-bypass type LED tube lamp. In detail, compared to the power supply (typically an AC powerline or commercial electricity) for a ballast-bypass type LED tube lamp, the signal provided by a ballast (especially electronic ballast) has relatively high frequency or voltage. Further, for purposes such as one of driving a filament of a fluorescent lamp, a ballast may have to output a relatively high starting voltage for exciting electrons from the filament. So the starting voltage from a ballast can be as high as 1200 volts. On the other hand, the ballast-bypass type LED tube lamp is typically powered by commercial electricity with frequency as low as e.g. 50 Hz or 60 Hz and voltage as low as or below about 300 volts. Based on the above characteristics difference between power supplies for the direct replacement type LED tube lamp and the ballast-bypass type LED tube lamp, the benchmark and behavior for detecting the installation state is significantly different between the two types of LED tube lamp. For example, since the waveform of the current flowing through the sense resistor may be significantly different between the two types of LED tube lamp, utilizing the same determination criteria to determine whether the LED tube lamp is correctly installed is ineffective and will likely result in incorrect or inaccurate detection results. Thus, if the shock hazard detection of WO2015/066566 is applied to the ballast-bypass type LED tube lamp, a wrong detection result is relatively likely to occur, for example, because of the offset of the input voltage/current that may occur for lower frequency power signals. Further, according to the circuit structure of WO2015/066566, a bias circuit is configured for starting the shock hazard detection, in which the input terminals of the bias circuit are connected to the ballast output at one side of the fixture. Therefore, the bias circuit can form a loop with the ballast and be powered up when one end of the LED tube lamp is installed on the corresponding socket of the fixture. However, since there is only one output in each side of the fixture for providing the dual-end power so that the loop of the bias circuit cannot be formed, the shock hazard detection circuit of WO2015/066566 cannot be implemented in most of the ballast-bypass type LED tube lamps. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It's specially noted that the present disclosure may actually include one or more inventions claimed currently or not yet claimed, and for avoiding confusion due to unnecessarily distinguishing between those possible inventions at the stage of preparing the specification, the possible plurality of inventions herein may be collectively referred to as “the (present) invention” herein. Various embodiments are summarized in this section, and are described with respect to the “present invention,” which terminology is used to describe certain presently disclosed embodiments, whether claimed or not, and is not necessarily an exhaustive description of all possible embodiments, but rather is merely a summary of certain embodiments. Certain of the embodiments described below as various aspects of the “present invention” can be combined in different manners to form an LED tube lamp or a portion thereof. The present disclosure provides a novel LED tube lamp, and aspects thereof. According to certain embodiments, a light-emitting diode (LED) tube lamp includes: a lamp tube; two end caps, each having at least one pin and each coupled to a respective end of the lamp tube, the pins of the two end caps for receiving an external driving signal; a first rectifying circuit, coupled to a pin of one of the two end caps, for rectifying the external driving signal to produce a rectified signal; a second rectifying circuit, coupled to a pin of the other of the two end caps, for simultaneously rectifying the external driving signal with the first rectifier; a filtering circuit, coupled to the first and the second rectifying circuits, for filtering the rectified signal to produce a filtered signal; an LED lighting module, coupled to the filtering circuit, and configured to receive the filtered signal to produce a driving signal, wherein the LED lighting module includes an LED module configured to receive the driving signal and emit light; and an installation detection module, configured to determine whether to cut off the external driving signal passing through the LED tube lamp, wherein the installation detection module includes a first installation detection terminal and a second installation detection terminal, the first installation detection terminal is coupled to the first and/or the second rectifying circuits, the second installation detection terminal is coupled to the filtering circuit, wherein, the installation detection module is configured such that when a current passing through the first and the second installation detection terminals is bigger than or equal to a specific current value, the installation detection module conducts to make the LED tube lamp operate in a conductive state; and when the current passing through the first and the second installation detection terminals is smaller than the specific current value, the installation detection module cuts off to make the LED tube lamp enter in a non-conducting state. In some embodiments, the installation detection module includes a switch circuit, a detection pulse generating module, a detection result latching circuit, and a detection determining circuit, wherein the detection determining circuit is coupled to the detection result latching circuit, the first and the second installation detection terminals, and is configured to detect a signal between the first and the second installation detection terminals to transmit a detection result signal to the detection result latching circuit, wherein the detection pulse generating module is coupled to the detection result latching circuit, and is configured to inform the detection result latching circuit of a time point for latching the detection result, wherein the detection result latching circuit is coupled to the switch circuit and latches a detection result according to the detection result signal, and further transmits the detection result to the switch circuit, wherein the switch circuit controls the state between conducting or cut off between the first and the second installation detection terminals according to the detection result. In some embodiments, the detection pulse generating module includes a first capacitor, a second capacitor, a first resistor, a second resistor, a first buffer, an inverter, a diode, and an OR gate, wherein one end of the first resistor is coupled to an input terminal of the inverter, one end of the second resistor is coupled to an input terminal of the first buffer, a cathode of the diode is coupled to the input terminal of the first buffer and the diode is coupled with the second resistor in parallel, one ends of the first and the second capacitors are jointly coupled, the other ends of the first and the second capacitors are correspondingly coupled to the input terminal of the inverter and the input terminal of the first buffer, an output terminal of the inverter and an output terminal of the first buffer are coupled to two input terminals of the OR gate, respectively, an output terminal of the OR gate is coupled to the detection result latching circuit. In some embodiments, when the one end cap of the LED tube lamp inserts a lamp socket and the other end cap thereof is electrically coupled to a human body or both the end caps insert the lamp socket, and the another end of the first resistor is coupled to a driving voltage, the another end of the second resistor is coupled to a reference voltage, and a joint connection node of the first and the second capacitors is coupled to the driving voltage, the driving voltage at the joint connection node of the first and the second capacitors is processed to produce an input pulse signal on the joint connection node, wherein during a high logic level of the input pulse signal inputting the joint connection node, the OR gate outputs a first pulse signal at the output terminal thereof for the detection result latching circuit latching a detection result based on the detection result signal and the first pulse signal, further, when the input terminal of the first buffer receives a low logic level of the input pulse signal from the output terminal of the OR gate, the first pulse signal on the output terminal thereof transferring into a low logic level signal. In some embodiments, a width of the input pulse signal received by the joint connection node is equal to one time period, and the input pulse signal keeps a low logic level after the time period is over, wherein from the time period is over and the joint connection node receiving the high logic level of the input pulse signal and then transferring into the low logic level signal, the output terminal of the inverter has a high logic level signal to make the OR gate output a high logic level of a second pulse signal for the detection result latching circuit latching the detection result based on the detection result signal and the second pulse signal. In some embodiments, the pulse width of the first or the second pulse signal is from 10 us to 1 ms. In some embodiments, from the output terminal of the inverter transferring into the high logic level and when the voltage on the input terminal of the inverter rises and is equal to the driving voltage or a high logic level, the output terminal of the inverter transfers from the high logic level into a low logic level to make the OR gate stop outputting the second pulse signal or become to output a low logic level. In some embodiments, the pulse width of the second pulse signal is determined based on the capacitance of the first capacitor and the resistance of the first resistor. In some embodiments, a time difference between productions of the first and second pulse signals or an interval with a defined time between both of them includes as following: the interval=(X+Y)(T/2), wherein T represents a cycle of the external driving signal, X is a natural number, and 0<Y<1. In some embodiments, a range for Y is from about 0.05-0.95. And further, in some embodiments, a range for Y is from about 0.15-0.85. In some embodiments, the pulse width of the first pulse signal output by the OR gate is decided by the capacitance of the second capacitor and the resistance of the second resistor. In some embodiments, the time difference between the productions of the first and the second pulse signals is not equal to multiple times of half one cycle of the external driving signal, and not corresponding to a multiple of 180 degrees phase difference of the external driving signal. In some embodiments, the detection pulse generating module further includes a third capacitor, a third resistor, and a second buffer, wherein a connection node of the third capacitor and the third resistor is coupled to an input terminal of the second buffer, an output terminal of the second buffer is coupled to the joint connection node of the first and the second capacitors, the third capacitor and the third resistor are coupled in serial between a driving voltage and a reference voltage, wherein the third capacitor, the third resistor, and the second buffer are configured to process the driving voltage to generate an input pulse signal at the joint connection node, wherein a width of the input pulse signal is equal to one time period and a low logic level on the joint connection node is output after the time period being over. In some embodiments, the time period is determined by the capacitance of the third capacitor and the resistance of the third resistor. In some embodiments, the detection determining circuit is coupled to the first installation detection terminal through a switch circuit coupling terminal and the switch circuit and is coupled to the detection result latching circuit via a detection result terminal, wherein the detection determining circuit includes a comparator, and a resistor, wherein a negative input terminal of the comparator receives a reference voltage, a positive input terminal thereof is coupled to the switch circuit coupling terminal and is coupled to the second installation detection terminal through the resistor, an output terminal of the comparator includes the detection result terminal. In some embodiments, when a current of the signal between the first and the second installation detection terminals passes through the resistor and makes a voltage on the positive input terminal higher than the reference voltage, the comparator produces a high logic level of the detection result signal and outputs to the detection result terminal, wherein the comparator generates a low logic level of the detection result signal and outputs to the detection result terminal when a current between the first and the second installation detection terminals passing through the resistor is insufficient to make the voltage on the positive input terminal higher than the reference voltage. In some embodiments, the signal between the first and the second installation detection terminals inputs form the first installation detection terminal and passes through the switch circuit, the switch circuit coupling terminal, and the detection determining circuit. In some embodiments, the detection result latching circuit is coupled to the detection determining circuit via a detection result terminal, to the switch circuit via a detection result latching terminal, and to the detection pulse generating module via a pulse signal output terminal, wherein the detection result latching circuit includes a D flip-flop, a resistor, and an OR gate, wherein the D flip-flop has a CLK input terminal coupled to the detection result terminal, and a D input terminal coupled to a driving voltage, one end of the resistor is coupled to a Q output terminal of the D flip-flop and the other end thereof is coupled to a reference voltage, the OR gate has two input terminals respectively coupled to the pulse signal output terminal and the Q output terminal of the D flip-flop, and has an output terminal coupled to the detection result latching terminal. In some embodiments, when the D input terminal of the D flip-flop is coupled to a driving voltage and the another end of the resistor is coupled to a reference voltage, and further when the detection result terminal outputs a low logic level of the detection result signal to the CLK input terminal, the D flip-flop outputs a low logic level signal at the Q output terminal thereof, but the D flip-flop outputs a high logic level signal at the Q output terminal thereof when the detection result terminal outputs a high logic level of the detection result signal to the CLK input terminal, wherein when the OR gate receives a pulse signal from the pulse signal output terminal or receives a high logic level signal from the Q output terminal of the D flip-flop, the OR gate outputs a high logic level of the detection result latching signal at the detection result latching terminal. In some embodiments, the switch circuit is coupled to the first installation detection terminal, to the detection result latching circuit via a detection result latching terminal, and to the detection determining circuit via a switch circuit coupling terminal, the switch circuit includes a transistor coupled to the first installation detection terminal, to the detection result latching terminal, and to the switch circuit coupling terminal. In some embodiments, when the detection pulse generating module produces a pulse signal, the transistor conducts to allow the detection determining circuit to perform detection for determining the detection result latching signal output by the detection result latching circuit at the detection result latching terminal to be high logic level or low logic level, and when the detection result latching signal is high logic level, the transistor conducts to make the first and the second installation detection terminals conducting, and when the detection result latching signal is low logic level, the transistor cuts off to make the first and the second installation detection terminals cutting off. In some embodiments, the transistor includes a bipolar junction transistor being a power transistor, the bipolar junction transistor has a collector coupled to the first installation detection terminal, a base coupled to the detection result latching terminal, and an emitter coupled to the switch circuit coupling terminal. In some embodiments, when the one end cap of the LED tube lamp is inserted into the lamp socket and the another floats or electrically couples to a human body, the detection determining circuit outputs a low logic level of the detection result signal to the detection result latching circuit, and then the detection pulse generating module outputs a low logic level signal to the detection result latching circuit to make the detection result latching circuit output a low logic level of a detection result latching signal to make the switch circuit cutting off, wherein the switch circuit cutting off makes the first and the second installation detection terminals blocking so as to make the LED tube lamp be in a non-conducting state. In some embodiments, when the two end caps of the LED tube lamp are correctly inserted into the lamp socket, the detection determining circuit outputs a high logic level of the detection result signal to the detection result latching circuit to make the detection result latching circuit output a high logic level of the detection result latching signal to make the switch circuit conducting, wherein the switch circuit conducting makes the first and the second installation detection terminals conducting so as to make the LED tube lamp operate in a conducting state. According to some embodiments of the LED tube lamp described herein, the end cap assembly will not conduct before being correctly inserted into the lamp socket so as to provide a safety protection for the user from electric shock. According to some embodiments, a light-emitting diode (LED) tube lamp includes a lamp tube; two end caps, each having at least one pin, and each coupled to a respective end of the lamp tube, the pins of the two end caps for receiving a driving signal; an LED module coupled to the two end caps, and configured to emit light in response to the driving signal; and an installation detection circuit configured to determine whether to cut off a current generated from the driving signal from reaching the LED module, the installation detection circuit having an input terminal and output terminal. The installation detection circuit may be configured such that when a current passing through the input terminal and the output terminal is bigger than or equal to a specific current value, the installation detection circuit conducts to make the LED module operate in a conductive state, and when the current passing through the input terminal and output terminal is smaller than the specific current value, the installation detection circuit cuts off to make the LED module enter in a non-conducting state. In some embodiments, the installation detection circuit further comprises: a first circuit configured to output two pulse signals, the first pulse signal output at a first time and the second pulse signal output at a second time after the first time; and a switch configured to receive the driving signal and to receive the two pulse signals. In some embodiments, the two pulse signals control turning on and off of the switch to control whether the LED module operates in a conductive state or in a non-conducting state. According to some embodiments, the driving signal is an alternating current (AC) signal having a period; and the amount of time between the first time and the second time is not a multiple of half of the period of the driving signal. For example, the first time may be at the beginning of the first pulse signal; and the second time may be at the beginning of the second pulse signal. In some embodiments, a time difference between productions of the first and second pulse signals or an interval with a defined time between both of them is the following: the interval=(X+Y)(T/2), wherein T represents the period of the driving signal, X is a natural number, and 0.05<Y<0.95. According to some embodiments, the LED tube lamp further includes a first rectifying circuit connected between the input terminal of the installation detection circuit and a first pin of one end cap of the two end caps; and a filtering circuit connected between the output terminal of the installation detection circuit and the lighting module. The LED tube lamp may further include a second rectifying circuit, coupled to a first pin of the other of the two end caps and coupled to the installation detection circuit. In some embodiments, the LED tube lamp includes a driving circuit coupled between the LED module and the installation detection circuit. According to certain embodiments, an LED tube lamp includes an installation detection circuit. The installation detection circuit includes a first circuit configured to output a plurality of pulse signals including a first pulse signal and a second pulse signal, the first pulse signal output at a first time and the second pulse signal output at a second time after the first time; and a switch configured to receive an LED driving signal and to receive the plurality of pulse signals, wherein the plurality of pulse signals control turning on and off of the switch. The installation detection circuit is configured to: during a detection stage, detect during each of the plurality of pulse signals whether the LED tube lamp is properly connected to a lamp socket; when it is not detected during any of the plurality of pulse signals that the LED tube lamp is properly connected to the lamp socket, control the switch to remain in an off state after the detection stage; and when it is detected during at least one of the plurality of pulse signals that the LED tube lamp is properly connected to the lamp socket, control the switch to remain in an on state after the detection stage. In some embodiments, the LED tube lamp further includes a latch circuit connected to the switch and configured to control turning on and off of the switch. In some embodiments, the LED driving signal is an AC signal having a period; and the amount of time between the first time and the second time is not a multiple of half of the period of the LED driving signal. For example, the first time may be at the beginning of the first pulse signal; and the second time may be at the beginning of the second pulse signal. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view schematically illustrating an LED tube lamp according to one embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 1A is a perspective view schematically illustrating the different sized end caps of an LED tube lamp according to another embodiment of the present invention to illustrate; FIG. 2 is an exemplary exploded view schematically illustrating the LED tube lamp shown in FIG. 1; FIG. 3 is a perspective view schematically illustrating front and top of an end cap of the LED tube lamp according to one embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 4 is an exemplary perspective view schematically illustrating bottom of the end cap as shown in FIG. 3; FIG. 5 is a perspective view schematically illustrating still another end cap of an LED tube lamp according to still another embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 6 is a plane cross-sectional view schematically illustrating the LED light strip is a bendable circuit sheet with ends thereof passing across the transition region of the lamp tube of the LED tube lamp to be soldering bonded to the output terminals of the power supply according to one embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 7 is a plane cross-sectional view schematically illustrating a bi-layered structure of the bendable circuit sheet of the LED light strip of the LED tube lamp according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 8 is a perspective view schematically illustrating the soldering pad of the bendable circuit sheet of the LED light strip for soldering connection with the printed circuit board of the power supply of the LED tube lamp according to one embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 9 is a plane view schematically illustrating the arrangement of the soldering pads of the bendable circuit sheet of the LED light strip of the LED tube lamp according to one embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 10 is a plane view schematically illustrating a row of three soldering pads of the bendable circuit sheet of the LED light strip of the LED tube lamp according to another embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 11 is a plane view schematically illustrating two rows of soldering pads of the bendable circuit sheet of the LED light strip of the LED tube lamp according to still another embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 12 is a plane view schematically illustrating a row of four soldering pads of the bendable circuit sheet of the LED light strip of the LED tube lamp according to yet another embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 13 is a plane view schematically illustrating two rows of two soldering pads of the bendable circuit sheet of the LED light strip of the LED tube lamp according to yet still another embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 14 is a plane view schematically illustrating through holes are formed on the soldering pads of the bendable circuit sheet of the LED light strip of the LED tube lamp according to one embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 15 is a plane cross-sectional view schematically illustrating soldering bonding process utilizing the soldering pads of the bendable circuit sheet of the LED light strip of FIG. 14 taken from side view and the printed circuit board of the power supply according to one embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 16 is a plane cross-sectional view schematically illustrating soldering bonding process utilizing the soldering pads of the bendable circuit sheet of the LED light strip of FIG. 14 taken from side view and the printed circuit board of the power supply according to another embodiment of the present invention, wherein the through hole of the soldering pads is near the edge of the bendable circuit sheet; FIG. 17 is a plane view schematically illustrating notches formed on the soldering pads of the bendable circuit sheet of the LED light strip of the LED tube lamp according to one embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 18 is an exemplary plane cross-sectional view of FIG. 17 taken along a line A-A′; FIG. 19 is a perspective view schematically illustrating a circuit board assembly composed of the bendable circuit sheet of the LED light strip and the printed circuit board of the power supply according to another embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 20 is a perspective view schematically illustrating another arrangement of the circuit board assembly of FIG. 19; FIG. 21 is a perspective view schematically illustrating a power supply of the LED tube lamp according to one embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 22 is a perspective view schematically illustrating the printed circuit board of the power supply, which is perpendicularly adhered to a hard circuit board made of aluminum via soldering according to another embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 23 is a perspective view schematically illustrating the bendable circuit sheet of the LED light strip is formed with two conductive wiring layers according to another embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 24A is a block diagram of an exemplary power supply module in an LED tube lamp according to some embodiments of the present invention; FIG. 24B is a circuit block diagram of an LED lamp according to some embodiments of the present invention; FIG. 25A is a schematic diagram of a rectifying circuit according to some embodiments of the present invention; FIG. 25B is a schematic diagram of a rectifying circuit according to some embodiments of the present invention; FIG. 25C is a schematic diagram of a rectifying circuit according to some embodiments of the present invention; FIG. 25D is a schematic diagram of a rectifying circuit according to some embodiments of the present invention; FIG. 26A is a schematic diagram of a terminal adapter circuit according to some embodiments of the present invention; FIG. 26B is a schematic diagram of a terminal adapter circuit according to some embodiments of the present invention; FIG. 26C is a schematic diagram of a terminal adapter circuit according to some embodiments of the present invention; FIG. 26D is a schematic diagram of a terminal adapter circuit according to some embodiments of the present invention; FIG. 27A is a block diagram of a filtering circuit according to some embodiments of the present invention; FIG. 27B is a schematic diagram of a filtering unit according to some embodiments of the present invention; FIG. 27C is a schematic diagram of a filtering unit according to some embodiments of the present invention; FIG. 27D is a schematic diagram of a filtering unit according to some embodiments of the present invention; FIG. 27E is a schematic diagram of a filtering unit according to some embodiments of the present invention; FIG. 28A is a schematic diagram of an LED module according to some embodiments of the present invention; FIG. 28B is a schematic diagram of an LED module according to some embodiments of the present invention; FIG. 28C is a plan view of a circuit layout of the LED module according to some embodiments of the present invention; FIG. 28D is a plan view of a circuit layout of the LED module according to some embodiments of the present invention; FIG. 28E is a plan view of a circuit layout of the LED module according to some embodiments of the present invention; FIG. 29A is a block diagram of an exemplary power supply module in an LED lamp according to some embodiments of the present invention; FIG. 29B is a block diagram of a driving circuit according to some embodiments of the present invention; FIG. 29C is a schematic diagram of a driving circuit according to some embodiments of the present invention; FIG. 29D is a schematic diagram of a driving circuit according to some embodiments of the present invention; FIG. 29E is a schematic diagram of a driving circuit according to some embodiments of the present invention; FIG. 29F is a schematic diagram of a driving circuit according to some embodiments of the present invention; FIG. 29G is a block diagram of a driving circuit according to some embodiments of the present invention; FIG. 29H is a graph illustrating the relationship between the voltage Vin and the objective current Iout according to certain embodiments of the present invention; FIG. 30A is a block diagram of an exemplary power supply module in an LED lamp according to some embodiments of the present invention; FIG. 30B is a schematic diagram of an anti-flickering circuit according to some embodiments of the present invention; FIG. 31A is a block diagram of an exemplary power supply module in an LED lamp according to some embodiments of the present invention; FIG. 31B is a schematic diagram of a protection circuit according to some embodiments of the present invention; FIG. 32A is a block diagram of an exemplary power supply module in an LED lamp according to some embodiments of the present invention; FIG. 32B is a schematic diagram of a mode switching circuit in an LED lamp according to some embodiments of the present invention; FIG. 32C is a schematic diagram of a mode switching circuit in an LED lamp according to some embodiments of the present invention; FIG. 32D is a schematic diagram of a mode switching circuit in an LED lamp according to some embodiments of the present invention; FIG. 32E is a schematic diagram of a mode switching circuit in an LED lamp according to some embodiments of the present invention; FIG. 32F is a schematic diagram of a mode switching circuit in an LED lamp according to some embodiments of the present invention; FIG. 32G is a schematic diagram of a mode switching circuit in an LED lamp according to some embodiments of the present invention; FIG. 32H is a schematic diagram of a mode switching circuit in an LED lamp according to some embodiments of the present invention; FIG. 32I is a schematic diagram of a mode switching circuit in an LED lamp according to some embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 33A is a block diagram of an exemplary power supply module in an LED lamp according to some embodiments of the present invention; FIG. 33B is a block diagram of an exemplary power supply module in an LED lamp according to some embodiments of the present invention; FIG. 33C illustrates an arrangement with a ballast-compatible circuit in an LED lamp according to some embodiments of the present invention; FIG. 33D is a block diagram of an exemplary power supply module in an LED lamp according to some embodiments of the present invention; FIG. 33E is a block diagram of an exemplary power supply module in an LED lamp according to some embodiments of the present invention; FIG. 33F is a schematic diagram of a ballast-compatible circuit according to some embodiments of the present invention; FIG. 33G is a block diagram of an exemplary power supply module in an LED lamp according to some embodiments of the present invention; FIG. 33H is a schematic diagram of a ballast-compatible circuit according to some embodiments of the present invention; FIG. 33I illustrates a ballast-compatible circuit according to some embodiments of the present invention; FIG. 34A is a block diagram of an exemplary power supply module in an LED tube lamp according to some embodiments of the present invention; FIG. 34B is a block diagram of an exemplary power supply module in an LED tube lamp according to some embodiments of the present invention; FIG. 34C is a block diagram of an exemplary power supply module in an LED tube lamp according to some embodiments of the present invention; FIG. 34D is a schematic diagram of a ballast-compatible circuit according to some embodiments of the present invention; FIG. 35A is a block diagram of an exemplary power supply module in an LED tube lamp according to some embodiments of the present invention; FIG. 35B is a schematic diagram of a filament-simulating circuit according to some embodiments of the present invention; FIG. 35C is a schematic block diagram including a filament-simulating circuit according to some embodiments of the present invention; FIG. 35D is a schematic block diagram including a filament-simulating circuit according to some embodiments of the present invention; FIG. 35E is a schematic diagram of a filament-simulating circuit according to some embodiments of the present invention; FIG. 35F is a schematic block diagram including a filament-simulating circuit according to some embodiments of the present invention; FIG. 36A is a block diagram of an exemplary power supply module in an LED tube lamp according to some embodiments of the present invention; FIG. 36B is a schematic diagram of an OVP circuit according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 37A is a block diagram of an exemplary power supply module in an LED tube lamp according to some embodiments of the present invention; FIG. 37B is a block diagram of an exemplary power supply module in an LED tube lamp according to some embodiments of the present invention; FIG. 37C is a block diagram of a ballast detection circuit according to some embodiments of the present invention; FIG. 37D is a schematic diagram of a ballast detection circuit according to some embodiments of the present invention; FIG. 37E is a schematic diagram of a ballast detection circuit according to some embodiments of the present invention; FIG. 38A is a block diagram of an exemplary power supply module in an LED tube lamp according to some embodiments of the present invention; FIG. 38B is a block diagram of an exemplary power supply module in an LED tube lamp according to some embodiments of the present invention; FIG. 38C is a schematic diagram of an auxiliary power module according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 39A is a block diagram of an exemplary power supply module in an LED tube lamp according to some embodiments of the present invention; FIG. 39B is a block diagram of an installation detection module according to some embodiments of the present invention; FIG. 39C is a schematic detection pulse generating module according to some embodiments of the present invention; FIG. 39D is a schematic detection determining circuit according to some embodiments of the present invention; FIG. 39E is a schematic detection result latching circuit according to some embodiments of the present invention; FIG. 39F is a schematic switch circuit according to some embodiments of the present invention; FIGS. 40A-F are several structures of end caps according to some embodiments of the present invention; FIG. 41 is a schematic structure of an LED tube lamp according to some embodiments of the present invention; FIG. 42 is an alternative micro switch embodiment of FIG. 41; and FIG. 43 is a circuit diagram of an LED lamp according to some embodiments. DETAILED DESCRIPTION The present disclosure provides a novel LED tube lamp. The present disclosure will now be described in the following embodiments with reference to the drawings. The following descriptions of various embodiments of this invention are presented herein for purpose of illustration and giving examples only. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to be limited to the precise form disclosed. These example embodiments are just that—examples—and many implementations and variations are possible that do not require the details provided herein. It should also be emphasized that the disclosure provides details of alternative examples, but such listing of alternatives is not exhaustive. Furthermore, any consistency of detail between various examples should not be interpreted as requiring such detail—it is impracticable to list every possible variation for every feature described herein. The language of the claims should be referenced in determining the requirements of the invention. In the drawings, the size and relative sizes of components may be exaggerated for clarity. Like numbers refer to like elements throughout. The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the invention. As used herein, the singular forms “a”, “an” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. As used herein, the term “and/or” includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items and may be abbreviated as “/”. It will be understood that, although the terms first, second, third etc. may be used herein to describe various elements, components, regions, layers, or steps, these elements, components, regions, layers, and/or steps should not be limited by these terms. Unless the context indicates otherwise, these terms are only used to distinguish one element, component, region, layer, or step from another element, component, region, or step, for example as a naming convention. Thus, a first element, component, region, layer, or step discussed below in one section of the specification could be termed a second element, component, region, layer, or step in another section of the specification or in the claims without departing from the teachings of the present invention. In addition, in certain cases, even if a term is not described using “first,” “second,” etc., in the specification, it may still be referred to as “first” or “second” in a claim in order to distinguish different claimed elements from each other. It will be further understood that the terms “comprises” and/or “comprising,” or “includes” and/or “including” when used in this specification, specify the presence of stated features, regions, integers, steps, operations, elements, and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, regions, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof. It will be understood that when an element is referred to as being “connected” or “coupled” to or “on” another element, it can be directly connected or coupled to or on the other element or intervening elements may be present. In contrast, when an element is referred to as being “directly connected” or “directly coupled” to another element, there are no intervening elements present. Other words used to describe the relationship between elements should be interpreted in a like fashion (e.g., “between” versus “directly between,” “adjacent” versus “directly adjacent,” etc.). However, the term “contact,” as used herein refers to direct contact (i.e., touching) unless the context indicates otherwise. Embodiments described herein will be described referring to plane views and/or cross-sectional views by way of ideal schematic views. Accordingly, the exemplary views may be modified depending on manufacturing technologies and/or tolerances. Therefore, the disclosed embodiments are not limited to those shown in the views, but include modifications in configuration formed on the basis of manufacturing processes. Therefore, regions exemplified in figures may have schematic properties, and shapes of regions shown in figures may exemplify specific shapes of regions of elements to which aspects of the invention are not limited. Spatially relative terms, such as “beneath,” “below,” “lower,” “above,” “upper” and the like, may be used herein for ease of description to describe one element's or feature's relationship to another element(s) or feature(s) as illustrated in the figures. It will be understood that the spatially relative terms are intended to encompass different orientations of the device in use or operation in addition to the orientation depicted in the figures. For example, if the device in the figures is turned over, elements described as “below” or “beneath” other elements or features would then be oriented “above” the other elements or features. Thus, the term “below” can encompass both an orientation of above and below. The device may be otherwise oriented (rotated 90 degrees or at other orientations) and the spatially relative descriptors used herein interpreted accordingly. Terms such as “same,” “equal,” “planar,” or “coplanar,” as used herein when referring to orientation, layout, location, shapes, sizes, amounts, or other measures do not necessarily mean an exactly identical orientation, layout, location, shape, size, amount, or other measure, but are intended to encompass nearly identical orientation, layout, location, shapes, sizes, amounts, or other measures within acceptable variations that may occur, for example, due to manufacturing processes. The term “substantially” may be used herein to reflect this meaning. Terms such as “about” or “approximately” may reflect sizes, orientations, or layouts that vary only in a small relative manner, and/or in a way that does not significantly alter the operation, functionality, or structure of certain elements. For example, a range from “about 0.1 to about 1” may encompass a range such as a 0%-5% deviation around 0.1 and a 0% to 5% deviation around 1, especially if such deviation maintains the same effect as the listed range. Unless otherwise defined, all terms (including technical and scientific terms) used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this disclosure belongs. It will be further understood that terms, such as those defined in commonly used dictionaries, should be interpreted as having a meaning that is consistent with their meaning in the context of the relevant art and/or the present application, and will not be interpreted in an idealized or overly formal sense unless expressly so defined herein. As used herein, items described as being “electrically connected” are configured such that an electrical signal can be passed from one item to the other. Therefore, a passive electrically conductive component (e.g., a wire, pad, internal electrical line, etc.) physically connected to a passive electrically insulative component (e.g., a prepreg layer of a printed circuit board, an electrically insulative adhesive connecting two devices, an electrically insulative underfill or mold layer, etc.) is not electrically connected to that component. Moreover, items that are “directly electrically connected,” to each other are electrically connected through one or more passive elements, such as, for example, wires, pads, internal electrical lines, resistors, etc. As such, directly electrically connected components do not include components electrically connected through active elements, such as transistors or diodes. Components described as thermally connected or in thermal communication are arranged such that heat will follow a path between the components to allow the heat to transfer from the first component to the second component. Simply because two components are part of the same device or board does not make them thermally connected. In general, components which are heat-conductive and directly connected to other heat-conductive or heat-generating components (or connected to those components through intermediate heat-conductive components or in such close proximity as to permit a substantial transfer of heat) will be described as thermally connected to those components, or in thermal communication with those components. On the contrary, two components with heat-insulative materials therebetween, which materials significantly prevent heat transfer between the two components, or only allow for incidental heat transfer, are not described as thermally connected or in thermal communication with each other. The terms “heat-conductive” or “thermally-conductive” do not apply to any material that provides incidental heat conduction, but are intended to refer to materials that are typically known as good heat conductors or known to have utility for transferring heat, or components having similar heat conducting properties as those materials. Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, an LED tube lamp of one embodiment of the present invention includes a lamp tube 1, an LED light strip 2 disposed inside the lamp tube 1, and two end caps 3 respectively disposed at two ends of the lamp tube 1. The lamp tube 1 may be made of plastic or glass. The sizes of the two end caps 3 may be same or different. Referring to FIG. 1A, the size of one end cap may in some embodiments be about 30% to about 80% times the size of the other end cap. In one embodiment, the lamp tube 1 is made of glass with strengthened or tempered structure to avoid being easily broken and incurring electric shock that may occur in conventional glass made tube lamps, and to avoid the fast aging process that often occurs in plastic made tube lamps. The glass made lamp tube 1 may be additionally strengthened or tempered by a chemical tempering method or a physical tempering method in various embodiments of the present invention. Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, in one embodiment of the invention, each end cap 3 includes an electrically insulating tube 302, a thermal conductive member 303 sleeved over the electrically insulating tube 302, and two hollow conductive pins 301 disposed on the electrically insulating tube 302. The thermal conductive member 303 can be a metal ring that is tubular in shape. During fabrication of the LED tube lamp, the rear end region 101 (also referred to as an end region 101) of the lamp tube 1 is inserted into one of the end caps 3. In some embodiments, the axial length of the inserted portion of the rear end region 101 of the lamp tube 1 accounts for approximately one-third (⅓) to two-thirds (⅔) of the total axial length of the thermal conductive member 303. One benefit is that, there will be sufficient creepage distance between the hollow conductive pins 301 and the thermal conductive member 303, and thus it is not easy to form a short circuit leading to dangerous electric shock to individuals. On the other hand, the creepage distance between the hollow conductive pin 301 and the thermal conductive member 303 is increased due to the electrically insulating effect of the electrically insulating tube 302, and thus a high voltage is applied to the LED tube lamp without causing electric shocks to people. Referring to FIGS. 5 and 22, in one embodiment, an end cap 3′ has a pillar 312 at one end, the top end of the pillar 312 is provided with an opening having a groove 314 of, for example 0.1±1% mm depth at the periphery thereof for positioning a conductive lead 53 as shown in FIG. 22. The conductive lead 53 passes through the opening on top of the pillar 312 and has its end bent to be disposed in the groove 314. After that, a conductive metallic cap 311 covers the pillar 312 such that the conductive lead 53 is fixed between the pillar 312 and the conductive metallic cap 311. In some embodiments, the inner diameter of the conductive metallic cap 311 is 7.56±5% mm, the outer diameter of the pillar 312 is 7.23±5% mm, and the outer diameter of the conductive lead 53 is 0.5±1% mm. Nevertheless, the mentioned sizes are not limited here once that the conductive metallic cap 311 closely covers the pillar 312 without using extra adhesives and therefore completes the electrical connection between the power supply 5 and the conductive metallic cap 311. Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, in one embodiment, the end cap 3 may have openings 304 to dissipate heat generated by the power supply modules inside the end cap 3 so as to prevent a high temperature condition inside the end cap 3 that might reduce reliability. In some embodiments, the openings are in a shape of an arc; especially in a shape of three arcs with different size. In one embodiment, the openings are in a shape of three arcs with gradually varying size. The openings on the end cap 3 can be in any one of the above-mentioned shapes or any combination thereof. In other embodiments, the end cap 3 is provided with a socket (not shown) for installing the power supply module. In other embodiments, the width of the LED light strip 2 (along the circumferential direction of the lamp tube) can be widened to occupy a circumference area of the inner circumferential surface of the lamp tube 1. Since the LED light strip 2 has on its surface a circuit protective layer made of an ink which can reflect lights, the widened part of the LED light strip 2 functions like the reflective film. In some embodiments, a ratio of the length of the LED light strip 2 along the circumferential direction to the circumferential length of the lamp tube 1 is about 0.3 to 0.5. The light emitted from the light sources could be concentrated by the reflection of the widened part of the LED light strip 2. Furthermore, the LED light strip 2 may be an elongated aluminum plate, FR 4 board, or a bendable circuit sheet. When the lamp tube 1 is made of glass, adopting a rigid aluminum plate or FR4 board would make a broken lamp tube, e.g., broken into two parts, remain a straight shape so that a user may be under a false impression that the LED tube lamp is still usable and fully functional, and it is easy for him to incur electric shock upon handling or installation of the LED tube lamp. Because of added flexibility and bendability of the flexible substrate for the LED light strip 2, the problem faced by the aluminum plate, FR4 board, or conventional 3-layered flexible board having inadequate flexibility and bendability, are thereby addressed. In certain embodiments, a bendable circuit sheet is adopted as the LED light strip 2 such that an LED light strip 2 would not allow a ruptured or broken lamp tube to maintain a straight shape and therefore would instantly inform the user of the disability of the LED tube lamp and avoid possibly incurred electric shock. The following are further descriptions of an example bendable circuit sheet used as the LED light strip 2. Referring to FIG. 7, in one example of the LED light strip 2, a bendable circuit sheet includes a wiring layer 2a with conductive effect. The LED light source 202 is configured on the wiring layer 2a and electrically connect to the power through the wiring layer 2a. The wiring layer with conductive effect, in this specification, is also called a conductive layer. Referring to FIG. 7 again, in one embodiment, the LED light strip 2 includes a bendable circuit sheet having a conductive wiring layer 2a and a dielectric layer 2b that are arranged in a stacked manner, wherein the wiring layer 2a and the dielectric layer 2b have the same areas. The LED light source 202 is disposed on one surface of the wiring layer 2a, the dielectric layer 2b is disposed on the other surface of the wiring layer 2a that is away from the LED light sources 202. The wiring layer 2a is electrically connected to the power supply 5 to carry direct current (DC) signals. Meanwhile, the surface of the dielectric layer 2b away from the wiring layer 2a is fixed to the inner circumferential surface of the lamp tube 1 by means of the adhesive sheet 4. The wiring layer 2a can be a metal layer or a power supply layer including wires such as copper wires. In another embodiment, the outer surface of the wiring layer 2a or the dielectric layer 2b may be covered with a circuit protective layer made of an ink with function of resisting soldering and increasing reflectivity. Alternatively, the dielectric layer can be omitted and the wiring layer can be directly bonded to the inner circumferential surface of the lamp tube, and the outer surface of the wiring layer 2a is coated with the circuit protective layer. Whether the wiring layer 2a has a one-layered, or two-layered structure, the circuit protective layer can be adopted. In some embodiments, the circuit protective layer is disposed only on one side/surface of the LED light strip 2, such as the surface having the LED light source 202. In some embodiments, the bendable circuit sheet is a one-layered structure made of just one wiring layer 2a, or a two-layered structure made of one wiring layer 2a and one dielectric layer 2b, and thus is more bendable or flexible to curl when compared with the conventional three-layered flexible substrate (one dielectric layer sandwiched with two wiring layers). As a result, the bendable circuit sheet of the LED light strip 2 can be installed in a lamp tube with a customized shape or non-tubular shape, and fitly mounted to the inner surface of the lamp tube. The bendable circuit sheet closely mounted to the inner surface of the lamp tube is preferable in some cases. In addition, using fewer layers of the bendable circuit sheet improves the heat dissipation, lowering the material cost, being more environmental friendly, and has the ability to increase the flexible effect. Nevertheless, the bendable circuit sheet is not limited to being one-layered or two-layered; in other embodiments, the bendable circuit sheet may include multiple layers of the wiring layers 2a and multiple layers of the dielectric layers 2b, in which the dielectric layers 2b and the wiring layers 2a are sequentially stacked in a staggered manner, respectively. These stacked layers are away from the surface of the outermost wiring layer 2a which has the LED light source 202 disposed thereon and is electrically connected to the power supply 5. Moreover, in some embodiments, the length of the bendable circuit sheet is greater than the length of the lamp tube. Referring to FIG. 23, in one embodiment, the LED light strip 2 includes a bendable circuit sheet having in sequence a first wiring layer 2a, a dielectric layer 2b, and a second wiring layer 2c. The thickness of the second wiring layer 2c is greater than that of the first wiring layer 2a, and the length of the LED light strip 2 is greater than that of the lamp tube 1. The end region of the LED light strip 2 extending beyond the end portion of the lamp tube 1 without disposition of the light source 202 is formed with two separate through holes 203 and 204 to respectively electrically communicate between the first wiring layer 2a and the second wiring layer 2c. The through holes 203 and 204 are not in communication with each other to avoid short. In this way, the greater thickness of the second wiring layer 2c allows the second wiring layer 2c to support the first wiring layer 2a and the dielectric layer 2b, and meanwhile allow the LED light strip 2 to be mounted onto the inner circumferential surface without being liable to shift or deform, and thus the yield rate of products can be improved. In addition, the first wiring layer 2a and the second wiring layer 2c are in electrical communication such that the circuit layout of the first wiring later 2a can be extended downward to the second wiring layer 2c to reach the circuit layout of the entire LED light strip 2. Moreover, since the land for the circuit layout becomes two-layered, the area of each single layer and therefore the width of the LED light strip 2 can be reduced such that more LED light strips 2 can be put on a production line to increase productivity. Furthermore, the first wiring layer 2a and the second wiring layer 2c of the end region of the LED light strip 2 that extends beyond the end portion of the lamp tube 1 without disposition of the light source 202 can be used to accomplish the circuit layout of a power supply module so that the power supply module can be directly disposed on the bendable circuit sheet of the LED light strip 2. Referring to FIG. 2, in one embodiment, the LED light strip 2 has a plurality of LED light sources 202 mounted thereon, and the end cap 3 has a power supply 5 installed therein. The LED light sources 202 and the power supply 5 are electrically connected by the LED light strip 2. The power supply 5 may be a single integrated unit (i.e., all of the power supply components are integrated into one module unit) installed in one end cap 3. Alternatively, the power supply 5 may be divided into two separate units (i.e. the power supply components are divided into two parts) installed in two end caps 3, respectively. When only one end of the lamp tube 1 is strengthened by a glass tempering process, it may be preferable that the power supply 5 is a single integrated unit and installed in the end cap 3 corresponding to the strengthened end 101 of the lamp tube 1. The power supply 5 can be fabricated by various ways. For example, the power supply 5 may be an encapsulation body formed by injection molding a silica gel with high thermal conductivity such as being greater than 0.7 w/m·k. This kind of power supply has advantages of high electrical insulation, high heat dissipation, and regular shape to match other components in an assembly. Alternatively, the power supply 5 in the end caps 3 may be a printed circuit board having components (e.g., power converting and/or generating components) that are directly exposed or packaged by a conventional heat shrink sleeve. The power supply 5 according to some embodiments of the present invention can be a single printed circuit board provided with a power supply module as shown in FIG. 6 or a single integrated unit as shown in FIG. 21. Referring to FIGS. 2 and 21, in one embodiment of the present invention, the power supply 5 is provided with a male plug 51 at one end and a metal pin 52 at the other end, one end of the LED light strip 2 is correspondingly provided with a female plug 201, and the end cap 3 is provided with a hollow conductive pin 301 to be connected with an outer electrical power source. Specifically, the male plug 51 is fittingly inserted into the female plug 201 of the LED light strip 2, while the metal pins 52 are fittingly inserted into the hollow conductive pins 301 of the end cap 3. The male plug 51 and the female plug 201 function as a connector between the power supply 5 and the LED light strip 2. Upon insertion of the metal pin 52, the hollow conductive pin 301 is punched with an external punching tool to slightly deform such that the metal pin 52 of the power supply 5 is secured and electrically connected to the hollow conductive pin 301. Upon turning on the electrical power, the electrical current passes in sequence through the hollow conductive pin 301, the metal pin 52, the male plug 51, and the female plug 201 to reach the LED light strip 2 and go to the LED light sources 202. However, the power supply 5 of the present invention is not limited to the modular type as shown in FIG. 21. The power supply 5 may be a printed circuit board provided with a power supply module and electrically connected to the LED light strip 2 via the abovementioned the male plug 51 and female plug 201 combination. In another embodiment, a traditional wire bonding technique can be used instead of the male plug 51 and the female plug 201 for connecting any kind of the power supply 5 and the light strip 2. That is, a traditional metal wire can be applied to, and one end of the metal wire electrically connects to the power supply and the other end electrically connects to the LED light strip 2. Furthermore, the wires may be wrapped with an electrically insulating tube to protect a user from being electrically shocked. However, the bonded wires tend to be easily broken during transportation and can therefore cause quality issues. In still another embodiment, the connection between the power supply 5 and the LED light strip 2 may be accomplished via soldering (e.g., tin soldering), rivet bonding, or welding. One way to secure the LED light strip 2 is to provide the adhesive sheet 4 at one side thereof and adhere the LED light strip 2 to the inner surface of the lamp tube 1 via the adhesive sheet 4. Two ends of the LED light strip 2 can be either fixed to or detached from the inner surface of the lamp tube 1. In case that two ends of the LED light strip 2 are fixed to the inner surface of the lamp tube 1, it may be preferable that the bendable circuit sheet of the LED light strip 2 is provided with the female plug 201 and the power supply is provided with the male plug 51 to accomplish the connection between the LED light strip 2 and the power supply 5. In this case, the male plug 51 of the power supply 5 is inserted into the female plug 201 to establish electrical connection. In case that two ends of the LED light strip 2 are detached from the inner surface of the lamp tube 1 and that the LED light strip 2 is connected to the power supply 5 via wire-bonding, any movement in subsequent transportation may cause the bonded wires to break. Therefore, a desirable option for the connection between the LED light strip 2 and the power supply 5 could be soldering. Specifically, referring to FIG. 6, the ends of the LED light strip 2 including the bendable circuit sheet are arranged to pass over the strengthened transition region 103 and directly soldering bonded to an output terminal of the power supply 5 such that the product quality is improved without using wires (e.g., wire-bonding wires). In this way, the female plug 201 and the male plug 51 respectively provided for the LED light strip 2 and the power supply 5 are no longer needed. Referring to FIG. 8, an output terminal of the printed circuit board of the power supply 5 may have soldering pads “a” provided with an amount of solder (e.g., tin solder) with a thickness sufficient to later form a solder joint. Correspondingly, the ends of the LED light strip 2 may have soldering pads “b”. The soldering pads “a” on the output terminal of the printed circuit board of the power supply 5 are soldered to the soldering pads “b” on the LED light strip 2 via the tin solder on the soldering pads “a”. The soldering pads “a” and the soldering pads “b” may be face to face during soldering such that the connection between the LED light strip 2 and the printed circuit board of the power supply 5 is the most firm. However, this kind of soldering typically includes that a thermo-compression head presses on the rear surface of the LED light strip 2 and heats the tin solder, i.e. the LED light strip 2 intervenes between the thermo-compression head and the tin solder, and therefore may easily cause reliability problems. Referring to FIG. 14, a through hole may be formed in each of the soldering pads “b” on the LED light strip 2 to allow the soldering pads “b” overlay the soldering pads “b” without being face-to-face and the thermo-compression head directly presses tin solders on the soldering pads “a” on surface of the printed circuit board of the power supply 5 when the soldering pads “a” and the soldering pads “b” are vertically aligned. Referring again to FIGS. 6 and 8, two ends of the LED light strip 2 detached from the inner surface of the lamp tube 1 are formed as freely extending end portions 21, while most of the LED light strip 2 is attached and secured to the inner surface of the lamp tube 1. Most of the LED light strip 2 is therefore at a first vertical level, while the freely extending end portion 21 extends to a second vertical level, and may be at a plurality of different vertical levels as it extends along a length of the lamp tube 1. The first vertical level may be closer to the lamp tube 1, while the second vertical level may be closer to the printed circuit board of the power supply 5. For example, as can be seen in FIGS. 6 and 8, the freely extending end portions 21 may extend between a first vertical level at which the LED light strip 2 is disposed where the light strip 2 includes light sources 202, and a second vertical level at which a printed circuit board of the power supply 5 is disposed. One of the freely extending end portions 21 has the soldering pads “b” as mentioned above. Upon assembling of the LED tube lamp, the freely extending end portions 21 along with the soldered connection of the printed circuit board of the power supply 5 and the LED light strip 2 would be coiled, curled up or deformed to be fittingly accommodated inside the lamp tube 1. When the bendable circuit sheet of the LED light strip 2 includes in sequence the first wiring layer 2a, the dielectric layer 2b, and the second wiring layer 2c as shown in FIG. 23, the freely extending end portions 21, which are the end regions of the LED light strip 2 extending beyond the lamp tube 1 without disposition of the light sources 202, can be used to accomplish the connection between the first wiring layer 2a and the second wiring layer 2c and arrange the circuit layout of the power supply 5. In one embodiment, during the connection of the LED light strip 2 and the power supply 5, the soldering pads “b” and the soldering pads “a” and the LED light sources 202 are on surfaces facing toward the same direction (e.g., they may both be facing up in one example) and the soldering pads “b” on the LED light strip 2 are each formed with a through hole “e” as shown in FIG. 14 such that the soldering pads “b” and the soldering pads “a” communicate with each other via the through holes “e”. When the freely extending end portions 21 are deformed due to contraction or curling up, the soldered connection of the printed circuit board of the power supply 5 and the LED light strip 2 exerts a lateral tension on the power supply 5. Furthermore, the soldered connection of the printed circuit board of the power supply 5 and the LED light strip 2 also exerts a downward tension on the power supply 5 when compared with the situation where the soldering pads “a” of the power supply 5 and the soldering pads “b” of the LED light strip 2 are face to face. This downward tension on the power supply 5 comes from the tin solders inside the through holes “e” and forms a stronger and more secure electrical connection between the LED light strip 2 and the power supply 5. Referring to FIG. 9, in one embodiment, the soldering pads “b” of the LED light strip 2 are two separate pads to electrically connect the positive and negative electrodes of the bendable circuit sheet of the LED light strip 2, respectively. The size of the soldering pads “b” may be, for example, about 3.5×2 mm2. The printed circuit board of the power supply 5 is correspondingly provided with soldering pads “a” having reserved tin solders, and the height of the tin solders suitable for subsequent automatic soldering bonding process is generally, for example, about 0.1 to 0.7 mm, in some embodiments about 0.3 to about 0.5 mm, and in some additional embodiments about 0.4 mm. An electrically insulating through hole “c” may be formed between the two soldering pads “b” to isolate and prevent the two soldering pads from electrically shorting during soldering. Furthermore, an extra positioning opening “d” may also be provided behind the electrically insulating through hole “c” to allow an automatic soldering machine to quickly recognize the position of the soldering pads “b”. For the sake of achieving scalability and compatibility, the amount of the soldering pads “b” on each end of the LED light strip 2 may be more than one such as two, three, four, or more than four. When there is only one soldering pad “b” provided at each end of the LED light strip 2, the two ends of the LED light strip 2 are electrically connected to the power supply 5 to form a loop, and various electrical components can be used. For example, a capacitance may be replaced by an inductance to perform current regulation. In this specification, the meaning of “inductance” includes “inductor”, the meaning of “capacitance” includes “capacitor”, and the meaning of “resistance” includes “resistor”. Referring to FIGS. 10 to 13, when each end of the LED light strip 2 has three soldering pads, the third soldering pad can be grounded; when each end of the LED light strip 2 has four soldering pads, the fourth soldering pad can be used as a signal input terminal. Correspondingly, in some embodiments, the power supply 5 should have same amount of soldering pads “a” as that of the soldering pads “b” on the LED light strip 2. In some embodiments, as long as electrical short between the soldering pads “b” can be prevented, the soldering pads “b” should be arranged according to the dimension of the actual area for disposition, for example, three soldering pads can be arranged in a row or two rows. In other embodiments, the amount of the soldering pads “b” on the bendable circuit sheet of the LED light strip 2 may be reduced by rearranging the circuits on the bendable circuit sheet of the LED light strip 2. The lesser the amount of the soldering pads, the easier the fabrication process becomes. On the other hand, a greater number of soldering pads may improve and secure the electrical connection between the LED light strip 2 and the output terminal of the power supply 5. Referring to FIG. 14, in another embodiment, each soldering pads “b” is formed with a through hole “e” having a diameter generally of about 1 to 2 mm, in some embodiments of about 1.2 to 1.8 mm, and in yet further embodiments of about 1.5 mm. The through hole “e” communicates the soldering pad “a” with the soldering pad “b” so that the tin solder on the soldering pads “a” passes through the through holes “e” and finally reaches the soldering pads “b”. A smaller through hole “e” would make it difficult for the tin solder to pass. The tin solder accumulates around the through holes “e” upon exiting the through holes “e” and condenses to form a solder ball “g” with a larger diameter than that of the through holes “e” upon condensing. Such a solder ball “g” functions as a rivet to further increase the stability of the electrical connection between the soldering pads “a” on the power supply 5 and the soldering pads “b” on the LED light strip 2. Referring to FIGS. 15 to 16, in other embodiments, when a distance from the through hole “e” to the side edge of the LED light strip 2 is less than 1 mm, the tin solder may pass through the through hole “e” to accumulate on the periphery of the through hole “e”, and extra tin solder may spill over the soldering pads “b” to reflow along the side edge of the LED light strip 2 and join the tin solder on the soldering pads “a” of the power supply 5. The tin solder then condenses to form a structure like a rivet to firmly secure the LED light strip 2 onto the printed circuit board of the power supply 5 such that reliable electrical connection is achieved. Referring to FIGS. 17 and 18, in another embodiment, the through hole “e” can be replaced by a notch “f” formed at the side edge of the soldering pads “b” to allow the tin solder to easily pass through the notch “f” and accumulate on the periphery of the notch “f” and to form a solder ball with a larger diameter than that of the notch “e” upon condensing. Such a solder ball may be formed like a C-shape rivet to enhance the secure capability of the electrically connecting structure. The abovementioned through hole “e” or notch “f” might be formed in advance of soldering or formed by direct punching with a thermo-compression head during soldering. The portion of the thermo-compression head for touching the tin solder may be flat, concave, or convex, or any combination thereof. The portion of the thermo-compression head for restraining the object to be soldered such as the LED light strip 2 may be strip-like or grid-like. The portion of the thermo-compression head for touching the tin solder does not completely cover the through hole “e” or the notch “f” to make sure that the tin solder is able to pass through the through hole “e” or the notch “f”. The portion of the thermo-compression head being concave may function as a room to receive the solder ball. In other embodiments, the bendable circuit sheet of the LED light strip 2 has a position hole to provide a precisely position recognition for the soldering pads “a” of the power supply 5 to weld the soldering pads “b” on the LED light strip 2 during welding. Referring to FIGS. 19 and 20, in another embodiment, the LED light strip 2 and the power supply 5 may be connected by utilizing a circuit board assembly 25 configured a power supply module 250 instead of soldering bonding. The circuit board assembly 25 has a long circuit sheet 251 and a short circuit board 253 that are adhered to each other with the short circuit board 253 being adjacent to the side edge of the long circuit sheet 251. The short circuit board 253 may be provided with the power supply module 250 to form the power supply 5. The short circuit board 253 is stiffer or more rigid than the long circuit sheet 251 to be able to support the power supply module 250. The long circuit sheet 251 may be the bendable circuit sheet of the LED light strip 2 including a wiring layer 2a as shown in FIG. 7. The wiring layer 2a of the LED light strip 2 and the power supply module 250 may be electrically connected in various manners depending on the demand in practice. As shown in FIG. 19, the power supply module 250 and the long circuit sheet 251 having the wiring layer 2a on surface are on the same side of the short circuit board 253 such that the power supply module 250 is directly connected to the long circuit sheet 251. As shown in FIG. 20, alternatively, the power supply module 250 and the long circuit sheet 251 including the wiring layer 2a on surface are on opposite sides of the short circuit board 253 such that the power supply module 250 is directly connected to the short circuit board 253 and indirectly connected to the wiring layer 2a of the LED light strip 2 by way of the short circuit board 253. FIG. 24A is a block diagram of a system including an LED tube lamp including a power supply module according to certain embodiments. Referring to FIG. 24A, an AC power supply 508 is used to supply an AC supply signal. A lamp driving circuit 505 receives the AC supply signal from the AC power supply 508 and then converts it into an AC driving signal. An LED tube lamp 500 receives the AC driving signal from the lamp driving circuit 505 and is thus driven to emit light. In this embodiment, the LED tube lamp 500 is power-supplied at its both end caps respectively having two pins 501 and 502 and two pins 503 and 504, which are coupled to the lamp driving circuit 505 to concurrently receive the AC driving signal to drive an LED unit (not shown) in the LED tube lamp 500 to emit light. However, in other embodiments, each end cap of the LED tube lamp could have only at least one pin for receiving the AC driving signal. That is, it is unnecessary to have two pins used in each end cap for the purpose of passing electricity through the both ends of the LED tube lamp 500. In the present embodiment, the AC power supply 508 could be commercial electricity with 100-277 voltages in frequency of 50 Hz or 60 Hz. The lamp driving circuit 505 receives the AC supply signal from the AC power supply 508 and then converts it into the AC driving signal as an external driving signal. The lamp driving circuit 505 could be an electronic ballast and is used to convert the signal of commercial electricity into high-frequency and high-voltage AC driving signal. The common types of electronic ballast, such as instant-start electronic ballast, program-start electronic ballast, and rapid-start electronic ballast, can be applied to the LED tube lamp of the present invention. In some embodiments, the voltage of the AC driving signal is bigger than 300V and prefers 400-700V with frequency being higher than 10 kHz and preferring 20-50 kHz. FIG. 24B is a block diagram of an LED lamp according to certain embodiments. Referring to FIG. 24B, the power supply module of the LED lamp summarily includes a rectifying circuit 510, a filtering circuit 520, and a rectifying circuit 540, and may comprise a portion of an LED lighting module 530. The power supply module of the LED lamp could be used in the LED tube lamp 500 with a dual-end power supply in FIG. 24A. The rectifying circuit 510 is coupled to pins 501 and 502 to receive and then rectify an external driving signal conducted by pins 501 and 502. The rectifying circuit 540 is coupled to pins 503 and 504 to receive and then rectify an external driving signal conducted by pins 503 and 504. Therefore, the power supply module of the LED lamp may include two rectifying circuits 510 and 540 configured to output a rectified signal at output terminals 511 and 512. The filtering circuit 520 is coupled to the output terminals 511 and 512 to receive and then filter the rectified signal, so as to output a filtered signal to filtering output terminals 521 and 522. The LED lighting module 530 is coupled to the filtering output terminals 521 and 522 to receive the filtered signal and thereby to drive an LED unit (not shown) in the LED lighting module 530 to emit light. FIG. 25A is a schematic diagram of a rectifying circuit according to an embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 25A, a rectifying circuit 610, i.e. a bridge rectifier, includes four rectifying diodes 611, 612, 613, and 614, configured to full-wave rectify a received signal. The diode 611 has an anode connected to the output terminal 512, and a cathode connected to the pin 502. The diode 612 has an anode connected to the output terminal 512, and a cathode connected to the pin 501. The diode 613 has an anode connected to the pin 502, and a cathode connected to the output terminal 511. The diode 614 has an anode connected to the pin 501, and a cathode connected to the output terminal 511. When the pins 501 and 502 receive an AC signal, the rectifying circuit 610 operates as follows. During the connected AC signal's positive half cycle, the AC signal is input through the pin 501, the diode 614, and the output terminal 511 in sequence, and later output through the output terminal 512, the diode 611, and the pin 502 in sequence. During the connected AC signal's negative half cycle, the AC signal is input through the pin 502, the diode 613, and the output terminal 511 in sequence, and later output through the output terminal 512, the diode 612, and the pin 501 in sequence. Therefore, during the connected AC signal's full cycle, the positive pole of the rectified signal produced by the rectifying circuit 610 keeps at the output terminal 511, and the negative pole of the rectified signal remains at the output terminal 512. Accordingly, the rectified signal produced or output by the rectifying circuit 610 is a full-wave rectified signal. When the pins 501 and 502 are coupled to a DC power supply to receive a DC signal, the rectifying circuit 610 operates as follows. When the pin 501 is coupled to the positive end of the DC power supply and the pin 502 to the negative end of the DC power supply, the DC signal is input through the pin 501, the diode 614, and the output terminal 511 in sequence, and later output through the output terminal 512, the diode 611, and the pin 502 in sequence. When the pin 501 is coupled to the negative end of the DC power supply and the pin 502 to the positive end of the DC power supply, the DC signal is input through the pin 502, the diode 613, and the output terminal 511 in sequence, and later output through the output terminal 512, the diode 612, and the pin 501 in sequence. Therefore, no matter what the electrical polarity of the DC signal is between the pins 501 and 502, the positive pole of the rectified signal produced by the rectifying circuit 610 keeps at the output terminal 511, and the negative pole of the rectified signal remains at the output terminal 512. Therefore, the rectifying circuit 610 in this embodiment can output or produce a proper rectified signal regardless of whether the received input signal is an AC or DC signal. FIG. 25B is a schematic diagram of a rectifying circuit according to an embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 25B, a rectifying circuit 710 includes two rectifying diodes 711 and 712 configured to half-wave rectify a received signal. The diode 711 has an anode connected to the pin 502, and a cathode connected to the output terminal 511. The diode 712 has an anode connected to the output terminal 511, and a cathode connected to the pin 501. The output terminal 512 may be omitted or grounded depending on applications in practice. Next, exemplary operation(s) of the rectifying circuit 710 is described as follows. In one embodiment, during a received AC signal's positive half cycle, the electrical potential at the pin 501 is higher than that at the pin 502, so the diodes 711 and 712 are both in a cutoff state as being reverse-biased and make the rectifying circuit 710 stop outputting a rectified signal. During a received AC signal's negative half cycle, the electrical potential at the pin 501 is lower than that at the pin 502, so the diodes 711 and 712 are both in a conducting state as being forward-biased and allow the AC signal to be input through the diode 711 and the output terminal 511, and later to be output through the output terminal 512, a ground terminal, or another end of the LED lamp which is not directly connected to the rectifying circuit 710. Accordingly, the rectified signal produced or output by the rectifying circuit 710 is a half-wave rectified signal. FIG. 25C is a schematic diagram of a rectifying circuit according to an embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 25C, a rectifying circuit 810 includes a rectifying unit 815 and a terminal adapter circuit 541. In this embodiment, the rectifying unit 815 comprises a half-wave rectifier circuit including two diodes 811 and 812, and is configured to half-wave rectification. The diode 811 has an anode connected to an output terminal 512, and a cathode connected to a half-wave node 819. The diode 812 has an anode connected to the half-wave node 819, and a cathode connected to an output terminal 511. The terminal adapter circuit 541 is coupled to the half-wave node 819 and the pins 501 and 502 to transmit a signal received at the pin 501 and/or the pin 502 to the half-wave node 819. By means of the terminal adapting function of the terminal adapter circuit 541, the rectifying circuit 810 allows of two input terminals (connected to the pins 501 and 502) and two output terminals 511 and 512. Next, in certain embodiments, the rectifying circuit 810 operates as follows. During a received AC signal's positive half cycle, the AC signal may be input through the pin 501 or 502, the terminal adapter circuit 541, the half-wave node 819, the diode 812, and the output terminal 511 in sequence, and later output through another end or circuit of the LED tube lamp. During a received AC signal's negative half cycle, the AC signal may be input through another end or circuit of the LED tube lamp, and later output through the output terminal 512, the diode 811, the half-wave node 819, the terminal adapter circuit 541, and the pin 501 or 502 in sequence. It's worth noting that the terminal adapter circuit 541 may include resistor(s), capacitor(s), inductor(s), or any combination thereof, for performing at least one of functions of current/voltage limiting, types of protection, current/voltage regulation, and so forth. Descriptions of these functions are presented below. In practice, the rectifying unit 815 and terminal adapter circuit 541 may be interchanged in position (as shown in FIG. 25D) without altering the function of half-wave rectification. FIG. 25D is a schematic diagram of a rectifying circuit according to an embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 25D, the diode 811 has an anode connected to the pin 502 and the diode 812 has a cathode connected to the pin 501. The cathode of diode 811 and the anode of diode 812 are connected to the half-wave node 819. The terminal adapter circuit 541 is coupled to the half-wave node 819 and the output terminals 511 and 512. During a received AC signal's positive half cycle, the AC signal may be input through another end or circuit of the LED tube lamp, and later output through the output terminal 512 or 511, the terminal adapter circuit 541, the half-wave node 819, the diode 812, and the pin 501 in sequence. During a received AC signal's negative half cycle, the AC signal may be input through the pin 502, the diode 811, the half-wave node 819, the terminal adapter circuit 541, and the output terminal 511 or 512 in sequence, and later output through another end or circuit of the LED tube lamp. It is noticeable that the terminal adapter circuit 541 in embodiments shown in FIGS. 25C and 25D may be omitted and is therefore depicted by a dotted line. If the terminal adapter circuit 541 of FIG. 25C is omitted, the pins 501 and 502 will be coupled to the half-wave node 819. If the terminal adapter circuit 541 of FIG. 25D is omitted, the output terminals 511 and 512 will be coupled to the half-wave node 819. The rectifying circuit as shown and explained in FIGS. 25A-D can constitute or be the rectifying circuit 540 shown in FIG. 24B, as having the pins 503 and 504 for conducting instead of the pins 501 and 502. Next, an explanation follows as to choosing embodiments and their combinations of the rectifying circuits 510 and 540, with reference to FIG. 24B. The rectifying circuits 510 and 540 in embodiments shown in FIG. 24B may each comprise any one of the rectifying circuits in FIGS. 25A-D, and the terminal adapter circuit 541 in FIGS. 25C-D may be omitted without altering the rectification function used by an LED tube lamp. When the rectifying circuits 510 and 540 each comprise a half-wave rectifier circuit described in FIGS. 25B-D, during a received AC signal's positive or negative half cycle, the AC signal may be input to either the rectifying circuit 510 or the rectifying circuit 540, and later output from another. Further, when the rectifying circuits 510 and 540 each comprise the rectifying circuit described in FIG. 25C or 25D, or when they comprise the rectifying circuits in FIGS. 25C and 25D individually, only one terminal adapter circuit 541 may be needed for functions of current/voltage limiting, types of protection, current/voltage regulation, etc. within the rectifying circuits 510 and 540, and another terminal adapter circuit 541 within the rectifying circuit 510 or 540 can be ignored. FIG. 26A is a schematic diagram of the terminal adapter circuit according to an embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 26A, a terminal adapter circuit 641 includes a capacitor 642 having an end connected to the pins 501 and 502, and the other end thereof connected to the half-wave node 819. The capacitor 642 has an equivalent impedance to an AC signal. This impedance increases as the frequency of the AC signal decreases, and decreases as the frequency increases. Therefore, the capacitor 642 in the terminal adapter circuit 641 in this embodiment works as a high-pass filter. Further, the terminal adapter circuit 641 is connected in series to an LED unit in the LED tube lamp, producing an equivalent impedance of the terminal adapter circuit 641 to perform a current/voltage limiting function on the LED unit, thereby preventing damaging of the LED unit from an excessive voltage across and/or current in the LED unit. In addition, selecting the capacitance value of the capacitor 642 according to the frequency of the AC signal can further enhance current/voltage regulation to the LED assembly. It's worth noting that the terminal adapter circuit 641 may further include a capacitor 645 and/or capacitor 646. The capacitor 645 has an end connected to the half-wave node 819, and the other end connected to the pin 503. The capacitor 646 has an end connected to the half-wave node 819, and the other end connected to the pin 504. For example, the half-wave node 819 may be a common connection node between the capacitors 645 and 646. And the capacitor 642 acting as a current regulating capacitor is coupled to the common connection node and the pins 501 and 502. In such a structure, the series-connected capacitors 642 and 645 exist between one of the pins 501 and 502 and the pin 503, and/or the series-connected capacitors 642 and 646 exist between one of the pins 501 and 502 and the pin 504. Through equivalent impedances of series-connected capacitors, voltages from the AC signal are divided. The divided voltage on the capacitors 645 and 646 prefers 100-500V, and 300-400V would be a preferred range. Referring to FIGS. 24B and 26A, according to the ratios between equivalent impedances of the series-connected capacitors, the voltages respectively across the capacitor 642 in the rectifying circuit 510, the filtering circuit 520, and the LED lighting module 530 can be controlled to make the current flowing through an LED module in the LED lighting module 530 being limited within a current rating, and then to protect/prevent the filtering circuit 520 and the LED lighting module 530 from being damaged by excessive voltages. FIG. 26B is a schematic diagram of the terminal adapter circuit according to an embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 26B, a terminal adapter circuit 741 includes two capacitors 743 and 744. The capacitor 743 has an end connected to the pin 501, and the other end connected to the half-wave node 819. The capacitor 744 has an end connected to the pin 502, and the other end connected to the half-wave node 819. Compared to the terminal adapter circuit 641 in FIG. 26A, the terminal adapter circuit 741 has the capacitors 743 and 744 in place of the capacitor 642. The capacitance values of the capacitors 743 and 744 may be the same as each other, or may differ from each other depending on the magnitudes of signals received by the pins 501 and 502. Also, the terminal adapter circuit 741 may further comprise a capacitor 745 and/or a capacitor 746, and two of them are respectively connected to the pins 503 and 504. Thus, each of the pins 501 and 502 and each of the pins 503 and 504 may be connected to a capacitor in series to achieve the functions of voltage division and other protections. FIG. 26C is a schematic diagram of the terminal adapter circuit according to an embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 26C, a terminal adapter circuit 841 includes three capacitors 842, 843, and 844. The capacitors 842 and 843 are connected in series between the pin 501 and the half-wave node 819. The capacitors 842 and 844 are connected in series between the pin 502 and the half-wave node 819. In such a circuit structure, if any one of the capacitors 842, 843, and 844 is shorted, there is still at least one capacitor (of the other two capacitors) between the pin 501 and the half-wave node 819 and between the pin 502 and the half-wave node 819, which performs a current-limiting function. Therefore, in the event that a user accidentally gets an electric shock, this circuit structure will prevent an excessive current from flowing through and then seriously hurting the body of the user. Likewise, the terminal adapter circuit 841 may further include a capacitor 845 and/or a capacitor 846, and two of them are respectively connected to the pins 503 and 504. Thus, each of the pins 501 and 502 and each of the pins 503 and 504 may be connected to a capacitor in series to achieve the functions of voltage division and other protections. FIG. 26D is a schematic diagram of the terminal adapter circuit according to an embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 26D, a terminal adapter circuit 941 includes two fuses 947 and 948. The fuse 947 has an end connected to the pin 501, and the other end connected to the half-wave node 819. The fuse 948 has an end connected to the pin 502, and the other end connected to the half-wave node 819. With the fuses 947 and 948, when the current passing through each of the pins 501 and 502 exceeds the current threshold corresponding to the fuse 947 or 948, the corresponding fuse 947 or 948 will accordingly melt and then break the circuit to achieve overcurrent protection. Each of the embodiments for the terminal adapter circuits coupled to the pins 501 and 502 mentioned above can be used or included in the rectifying circuit 540 when the pins 503 and 504 and the pins 501 and 502 are interchanged in position. Capacitance values of the capacitors in the embodiments of the terminal adapter circuits shown and described above, in some embodiments for example, are desirable to be in the range of about 100 pF-100 nF. Also, a capacitor used in the embodiments may be equivalently replaced by two or more capacitors connected in series or parallel. For example, each of the capacitors 642 and 842 may be replaced by two series-connected capacitors, one having a capacitance value chosen from the range of, for example, about 1.0 nF to 2.5 nF and being 1.5 nF in some embodiments, and another having a capacitance value chosen from the range of, such as about 1.5 nF to 3.0 nF and being 2.2 nF in some embodiments. FIG. 43 is a circuit diagram of an LED lamp according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. In these embodiment(s) illustrated in FIG. 43, a compatible circuit 140 (for the LED lamp to be compatible with e.g. an external AC power supply 508, as described in this disclosure) is present which is electrically connected between the third pin B1 (or 503 herein) and the fourth pin B2 (or 504 herein), other than the first pin A1 (or 501 herein) and the second pin A2 (or 502 herein). The compatible circuit 140 includes or allows a first unidirectional current path I1 and a second unidirectional current path 12. The first unidirectional current path I1 electrically connects to the LED (lighting) module 130, to allow a current to flow from the LED (lighting) module 130 to one of the pins B1 and B2. The LED (lighting) module 130 includes at least one LED 135, an inductor L1, a diode D, and a transistor switch Q1, and is comparable to the LED lighting module 530 herein, wherein inductor L1, diode D, and transistor switch Q1 are comparable to driving circuit 1930 herein. The second unidirectional current path 12 electrically connects to the filtering unit 120, to allow a current to flow from one of the pins B1 and B2 to the filtering unit 120. The filtering unit 120 includes two capacitors C1 and C2 and an inductor L2, and is comparable to the filtering unit 723 herein. Also, as shown in FIG. 43, a rectifying unit 110 comprising diodes D1, D2, D3, and D4 is coupled between the first and second pins A1 and A2 and the filtering unit 120, and is comparable to the rectifying circuit 510 herein. In these embodiments, the compatible circuit 140 includes diodes D5 and D6, a capacitor C3, and fuses F1 and F2. A cathode of the diode D5 is electrically connected to the filtering unit 120; an anode of the diode D5 is electrically connected to both an end of capacitor C3 and a cathode of the diode D6; and an anode of the diode D6 is electrically connected to the filtering unit 120. The other end of capacitor C3 is electrically connected to the fuses F1 and F2, which are electrically connected to pins B1 and B2 respectively. The capacitor C3 can prevent or reduce the risk of a user accidentally touching electrically conducting part(s) of the LED lamp and thus getting electrically shocked when the user is installing the LED lamp (as to a lamp holder or socket). And the fuses F1 and F2 perform protection when an electrical current conducted through the LED lamp is excessive, to prevent an excessive current from damaging (electrical circuits in) the LED lamp. If an AC signal is coupled/input across the pins A1 and A2 to provide a single-end power supply to an LED tube lamp, meaning the AC signal is provided across the pins A1 and A2 on one of the two ends of the lamp tube of the LED tube lamp, a current from the AC signal flows from one of the two pins A1 and A2 into the LED tube lamp, and then flows out of the LED tube lamp from the other of the two pins A1 and A2. On the other hand, if an AC signal is coupled/input across the two ends of the LED tube lamp, meaning the AC signal is coupled to one of pins A1 and A2 and one of pins B1 and B2 to provide a double-end power supply to the LED tube lamp, then a current from the AC signal flows from one of the two pins A1 and A2 (or one of the two pins B1 and B2) into the LED tube lamp, and then flows out of the LED tube lamp from one of the two pins B1 and B2 (or one of the two pins A1 and A2) at the other end of the LED tube lamp. Putting this differently, during the connected AC signal's positive half cycle, the current from the AC signal may flow through the first pin A1 and the diode D1 of the rectifying unit 110, or through the second pin A2 and the diode D3 of the rectifying unit 110, into the LED tube lamp, then flow through the filtering circuit 120 and the LED (lighting) module 130, and then flow through the diode D6 of the compatible circuit 140, the capacitor C3, and finally through the fuse F1 and the third pin B1, or fuse F2 and the fourth pin B2, out of the LED tube lamp. And during the connected AC signal's negative half cycle, the current from the AC signal may flow through the third pin B1 and the fuse F1, or through the fourth pin B2 and the fuse F2, into the LED tube lamp, then flow through the capacitor C3, the diode D5, the filtering circuit 120 and the LED (lighting) module 130, and finally through the diode D2 of the rectifying unit 110 and the first pin A1, or the diode D4 of the rectifying unit 110 and the second pin A2, out of the LED tube lamp. FIG. 27A is a block diagram of the filtering circuit according to an embodiment of the present invention. A rectifying circuit 510 is shown in FIG. 27A for illustrating its connection with other components, without intending a filtering circuit 520 to include the rectifying circuit 510. Referring to FIG. 27A, the filtering circuit 520 includes a filtering unit 523 coupled to two rectifying output terminals 511 and 512 to receive and to filter out ripples of a rectified signal from the rectifying circuit 510. Accordingly, the waveform of a filtered signal is smoother than that of the rectified signal. The filtering circuit 520 may further include another filtering unit 524 coupled between a rectifying circuit and a pin correspondingly, for example, between the rectifying circuit 510 and the pin 501, the rectifying circuit 510 and the pin 502, the rectifying circuit 540 and the pin 503, and/or the rectifying circuit 540 and the pin 504. The filtering unit 524 is used to filter a specific frequency, for example, to filter out a specific frequency of an external driving signal. In this embodiment, the filtering unit 524 is coupled between the rectifying circuit 510 and the pin 501. The filtering circuit 520 may further include another filtering unit 525 coupled between one of the pins 501 and 502 and one of the diodes of the rectifying circuit 510, or between one of the pins 503 and 504 and one of the diodes of the rectifying circuit 540 to reduce or filter out electromagnetic interference (EMI). In this embodiment, the filtering unit 525 is coupled between the pin 501 and one of diodes of the rectifying circuit 510 (not shown in FIG. 27A). Since the filtering units 524 and 525 may be present or omitted depending on actual circumstances of their uses, they are depicted by a dotted line in FIG. 27A. FIG. 27B is a schematic diagram of the filtering unit according to an embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 27B, a filtering unit 623 includes a capacitor 625 having an end coupled to the output terminal 511 and a filtering output terminal 521 and the other end thereof coupled to the output terminal 512 and a filtering output terminal 522, and is configured to low-pass filter a rectified signal from the output terminals 511 and 512, so as to filter out high-frequency components of the rectified signal and thereby output a filtered signal at the filtering output terminals 521 and 522. FIG. 27C is a schematic diagram of the filtering unit according to an embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 27C, a filtering unit 723 includes a pi filter circuit including a capacitor 725, an inductor 726, and a capacitor 727. As is well known, a pi filter circuit looks like the symbol π in its shape or structure. The capacitor 725 has an end connected to the output terminal 511 and coupled to the filtering output terminal 521 through the inductor 726, and has another end connected to the output terminal 512 and the filtering output terminal 522. The inductor 726 is coupled between output terminal 511 and the filtering output terminal 521. The capacitor 727 has an end connected to the filtering output terminal 521 and coupled to the output terminal 511 through the inductor 726, and has another end connected to the output terminal 512 and the filtering output terminal 522. As seen between the output terminals 511 and 512 and the filtering output terminals 521 and 522, the filtering unit 723 compared to the filtering unit 623 in FIG. 27B additionally has an inductor 726 and a capacitor 727, which perform the function of low-pass filtering like the capacitor 725 does. Therefore, the filtering unit 723 in this embodiment compared to the filtering unit 623 in FIG. 27B has a better ability to filter out high-frequency components to output a filtered signal with a smoother waveform. The inductance values of the inductor 726 in the embodiments mentioned above are chosen in the range of, for example in some embodiments, about 10 nH to 10 mH. And the capacitance values of the capacitors 625, 725, and 727 in the embodiments stated above are chosen in the range of, for example in some embodiments, about 100 pF to 1 uF. FIG. 27D is a schematic diagram of the filtering unit according to an embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 27D, a filtering unit 824 includes a capacitor 825 and an inductor 828 connected in parallel. The capacitor 825 has an end coupled to the pin 501, and the other end coupled to the output terminal 511, and is configured to high-pass filter an external driving signal input at the pin 501 so as to filter out low-frequency components of the external driving signal. The inductor 828 has an end coupled to the pin 501 and the other end coupled to the output terminal 511, and is configured to low-pass filter an external driving signal input at the pin 501 so as to filter out high-frequency components of the external driving signal. Therefore, the combination of the capacitor 825 and the inductor 828 works to present high impedance to one or more specific frequencies in an external driving signal. That is, the parallel-connected capacitor and inductor work to present a biggest equivalent impedance to a specific frequency in the external driving signal. Through appropriately choosing a capacitance value for the capacitor 825 and an inductance value for the inductor 828, a center frequency f on the high-impedance band may be set at a specific value given by F = 1 2 π LC , where L denotes inductance of the inductor 828 and C denotes capacitance of the capacitor 825. The center frequency in some embodiments is in the range of about 20-30 kHz, and may be in some cases about 25 kHz. And an LED lamp with filtering unit 824 is able to be certified under safety standards, for a specific center frequency, as provided by Underwriters Laboratories (UL). It's worth noting that the filtering unit 824 may further include a resistor 829 coupled between the pin 501 and the filtering output terminal 511. In FIG. 27D, the resistor 829 is connected in series to the parallel-connected capacitor 825 and inductor 828. For example, the resistor 829 may be coupled between the pin 501 and the parallel-connected capacitor 825 and inductor 828, or may be coupled between the output terminal 511 and the parallel-connected capacitor 825 and inductor 828. In this embodiment, the resistor 829 is coupled between the pin 501 and the parallel-connected capacitor 825 and inductor 828. Further, the resistor 829 is configured to adjust the quality factor (Q) of the LC circuit comprising the capacitor 825 and the inductor 828 to make the filtering unit 824 adapting to application environments with different quality factor requirements. Since the resistor 829 is an optional component, it is depicted in a dotted line in FIG. 27D. The capacitance values of the capacitor 825, in some embodiments, are in the range of about 10 nF-2 uF. The inductance values of the inductor 828 are smaller than 2 mH in some embodiments, and may be in some cases smaller than 1 mH. The resistance values of the resistor 829 are bigger than 50 ohms in some embodiments, and may be in some cases bigger than 500 ohms. In addition to the filtering circuits shown and described in the above embodiments, the traditional low-pass or band-pass filters can also be used as the filtering unit in the filtering circuit for the present invention. FIG. 27E is a schematic diagram of the filtering unit according to an embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 27E, in this embodiment, a filtering unit 925 is disposed in the rectifying circuit 610 as shown in FIG. 25A, and is configured for reducing the EMI (Electromagnetic interference) caused by the rectifying circuit 610 and/or other circuits. In this embodiment, the filtering unit 925 includes an EMI-reducing capacitor coupled between the pin 501 and the anode of the rectifying diode 614, and also between the pin 502 and the anode of the rectifying diode 613 to reduce the EMI associated with the positive half cycle of the AC driving signal received at the pins 501 and 502. The EMI-reducing capacitor of the filtering unit 925 is also coupled between the pin 501 and the cathode of the rectifying diode 612, and between the pin 502 and the cathode of the rectifying diode 611 to reduce the EMI associated with the negative half cycle of the AC driving signal received at the pins 501 and 502. In some embodiments, the rectifying circuit 610 includes a full-wave bridge rectifier circuit including four rectifying diodes 611, 612, 613, and 614. The full-wave bridge rectifier circuit has a first filtering node connecting the anode of the diode 613 and the cathode of the diode 611, and a second filtering node connecting the anode of the diode 614 and the cathode of the diode 612. And the EMI-reducing capacitor of the filtering unit 925 is coupled between the first filtering node and the second filtering node. Similarly, with reference to FIGS. 25C and 26A-C, any capacitor in each of the circuits in FIGS. 26A-C is coupled between the pins 501 and 502 (or the pins 503 and 504) and any diode in FIG. 25C, so any or each capacitor in FIGS. 26A-C can work as an EMI-reducing capacitor to achieve the function of reducing EMI. For example, the rectifying circuit 510 in FIG. 24B may include a half-wave rectifier circuit including two rectifying diodes and having a half-wave node respectively connecting an anode and a cathode of the two rectifying diodes, and any or each capacitor in FIGS. 26A-C may be coupled between the half-wave node and at least one of the pins 501 and 502. And the rectifying circuit 540 in FIG. 24B may include a half-wave rectifier circuit including two rectifying diodes and having a half-wave node respectively connecting an anode and a cathode of the two rectifying diodes, and any or each capacitor in FIGS. 26A-C may be coupled between the half-wave node and at least one of the pins 503 and 504. However, the filtering unit 925 coupled between the pins 501 and 502 is equal to make them short. Referring to FIGS. 26A-C with the state of the filtering unit 925 making the pins 501 and 502 short, one of the capacitors 645, 646, 745, 746, 845, and 846 in each corresponding embodiment can be ignored. In spite of the external AC signal being output from the pin 501 or 502, the voltage-divided function still can be achieved after omitting one of the capacitors 645, 646, 745, 746, 845, and 846 in each corresponding embodiment. It's worth noting that the EMI-reducing capacitor in the embodiment of FIG. 27E may also act as the capacitor 825 in the filtering unit 824 shown in FIG. 27D, in combination with the inductor 828, to achieve the functions of reducing EMI and presenting high impedance to an external driving signal at specific frequencies simultaneously. For example, when the rectifying circuit includes a full-wave bridge rectifier circuit, the capacitor 825 of the filtering unit 824 may be coupled between the first filtering node and the second filtering node of the full-wave bridge rectifier circuit. When the rectifying circuit includes a half-wave rectifier circuit, the capacitor 825 of the filtering unit 824 may be coupled between the half-wave node of the half-wave rectifier circuit and at least one of the pins 501 and 502. FIG. 28A is a schematic diagram of an LED module according to an embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 28A, an LED module 630 has an anode connected to a filtering output terminal 521, a cathode connected to a filtering output terminal 522, and includes at least one LED unit 632, such as the light source mentioned above. When two or more LED units are included, they are connected in parallel. The anode of each LED unit 632 is connected to the anode of LED module 630 to couple with the filtering output terminal 521, and the cathode of each LED unit 632 is connected to the cathode of LED module 630 to couple to the filtering output terminal 522. Each LED unit 632 includes at least one LED 631. When multiple LEDs 631 are included in an LED unit 632, they are connected in series with the anode of the first LED 631 connected to the anode of this LED unit 632 and the cathode of the first LED 631 connected to the next or second LED 631. And the anode of the last LED 631 in this LED unit 632 is connected to the cathode of a previous LED 631 and the cathode of the last LED 631 connected to the cathode of this LED unit 632. It's noticeable that the LED module 630 may produce a current detection signal S531 reflecting the magnitude of current through the LED module 630 and being used for controlling or detecting the LED module 630. FIG. 28B is a schematic diagram of an LED module according to an embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 28B, an LED module 630 has an anode connected to a filtering output terminal 521, a cathode connected to a filtering output terminal 522, and includes at least two LED units 732 with the anode of each LED unit 732 connected to the anode of LED module 630 and the cathode of each LED unit 732 connected to the cathode of LED module 630. Each LED unit 732 includes at least two LEDs 731 connected in the same way as those described in FIG. 28A. For example, the anode of the first LED 731 in an LED unit 732 is connected to the anode of this LED unit 732, the cathode of the first LED 731 is connected to the anode of the next or second LED 731, and the cathode of the last LED 731 is connected to the cathode of this LED unit 732. Further, LED units 732 in an LED module 630 are connected to each other in this embodiment. All of the n-th LEDs 731 in the related LED units 732 thereof are connected by their anodes and cathodes, such as those shown in FIG. 28B but not limit to, where n is a positive integer. In this way, the LEDs in the LED module 630 of this embodiment are connected in the form of a mesh. Compared to the embodiments of FIGS. 29A-G, the LED lighting module 530 in the above embodiments includes the LED module 630, but doesn't include a driving circuit for the LED module 630. Also, the LED module 630 in this embodiment may produce a current detection signal S531 reflecting the magnitude of current through the LED module 630 and being used for controlling or detecting the LED module 630. Besides, in fact, the number of LEDs 731 included by an LED unit 732 in some embodiments is in the range of 15-25, and may be in some embodiments in the range of 18-22. FIG. 28C is a plan view of a circuit layout of the LED module according to an embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 28C, in this embodiment, multiple LEDs 831 are connected in the same way as described in FIG. 28B, and three LED units are assumed in the LED module 630 and described as follows for illustration. A positive conductive line 834 and a negative conductive line 835 are to receive a driving signal for supplying power to the LEDs 831. For example, the positive conductive line 834 may be coupled to the filtering output terminal 521 of the filtering circuit 520 described above, and the negative conductive line 835 coupled to the filtering output terminal 522 of the filtering circuit 520 to receive a filtered signal. For the convenience of illustration, all three of the n-th LEDs 831 in the three related LED units thereof are grouped as an LED set 833 in FIG. 28C. The positive conductive line 834 connects the three first LEDs 831 of the leftmost three related LED units thereof, that is, connects the anodes on the left sides of the three first LEDs 831 as shown in the leftmost LED set 833 of FIG. 28C. The negative conductive line 835 connects the three last LEDs 831 of the rightmost three corresponding LED units thereof, that is, connects the cathodes on the right sides of the three last LEDs 831 as shown in the rightmost LED set 833 of FIG. 28C. The cathodes of the three first LEDs 831, the anodes of the three last LEDs 831, and the anodes and cathodes of all the remaining LEDs 831 are connected by conductive lines or parts 839. For example, the anodes of the three LEDs 831 in the leftmost LED set 833 may be connected together by the positive conductive line 834, and their cathodes may be connected together by a leftmost conductive part 839. The anodes of the three LEDs 831 in the second leftmost LED set 833 are also connected together by the leftmost conductive part 839, whereas their cathodes are connected together by a second leftmost conductive part 839. Since the cathodes of the three LEDs 831 in the leftmost LED set 833 and the anodes of the three LEDs 831 in the second leftmost LED set 833 are connected together by the same leftmost conductive part 839, the cathode of the first LED 831 in each of the three LED units is connected to the anode of the next or second LED 831. As for the remaining LEDs 831 are also connected in the same way. Accordingly, all the LEDs 831 of the three LED units are connected to form the mesh as shown in FIG. 28B. It's worth noting that, in this embodiment, the length 836 of a portion of each conductive part 839 that connects to the anode of an LED 831 is smaller than the length 837 of another portion of each conductive part 839 that connects to the cathode of an LED 831. This makes the area of the latter portion connecting to the cathode larger than that of the former portion connecting to the anode. Moreover, the length 837 may be smaller than a length 838 of a portion of each conductive part 839 that connects the cathode of an LED 831 and the anode of the next LED 831 in two adjacent LED sets 833. This makes the area of the portion of each conductive part 839 that connects a cathode and an anode larger than the area of any other portion of each conductive part 839 that connects to only a cathode or an anode of an LED 831. Due to the length differences and area differences, this layout structure improves heat dissipation of the LEDs 831. In some embodiments, the positive conductive line 834 includes a lengthwise portion 834a, and the negative conductive line 835 includes a lengthwise portion 835a, which are conducive to make the LED module have a positive “+” connective portion and a negative “−” connective portion at each of the two ends of the LED module, as shown in FIG. 28C. Such a layout structure allows for coupling any of other circuits of the power supply module of the LED lamp, including e.g. the filtering circuit 520 and the rectifying circuits 510 and 540, to the LED module through the positive connective portion and/or the negative connective portion at each or both ends of the LED lamp. Thus the layout structure increases the flexibility in arranging actual circuits in the LED lamp. FIG. 28D is a plan view of a circuit layout of the LED module according to another embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 28D, in this embodiment, multiple LEDs 931 are connected in the same way as described in FIG. 28A, and three LED units each including 7 LEDs 931 are assumed in the LED module 630 and described as follows for illustration. A positive conductive line 934 and a negative conductive line 935 are to receive a driving signal for supplying power to the LEDs 931. For example, the positive conductive line 934 may be coupled to the filtering output terminal 521 of the filtering circuit 520 described above, and the negative conductive line 935 is coupled to the filtering output terminal 522 of the filtering circuit 520, so as to receive a filtered signal. For the convenience of illustration, all seven LEDs 931 of each of the three LED units are grouped as an LED set 932 in FIG. 28D. Thus there are three LED sets 932 corresponding to the three LED units. The positive conductive line 934 connects the anode on the left side of the first or leftmost LED 931 of each of the three LED sets 932. The negative conductive line 935 connects the cathode on the right side of the last or rightmost LED 931 of each of the three LED sets 932. In each LED set 932 of each two adjacent LEDs 931, the LED 931 on the left has a cathode connected by a conductive part 939 to an anode of the LED 931 on the right. By such a layout, the LEDs 931 of each LED set 932 are connected in series. It's also worth noting that the conductive part 939 may be used to connect an anode and a cathode of two consecutive LEDs 931 respectively. The negative conductive line 935 connects the cathode of the last or rightmost LED 931 of each of the three LED sets 932. And the positive conductive line 934 connects the anode of the first or leftmost LED 931 of each of the three LED sets 932. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 28D, the length of the conductive part 939 is larger than that of the portion of negative conductive line 935 connecting to a cathode, which length is then larger than that of the portion of positive conductive line 934 connecting to an anode. For example, the length 938 of the conductive part 939 may be larger than the length 937 of the portion of negative conductive line 935 connecting a cathode of an LED 931, which length 937 is then larger than the length 936 of the portion of the positive conductive line 934 connecting an anode of an LED 931. Such a layout structure improves heat dissipation of the LEDs 931 in LED module 630. The positive conductive line 934 may include a lengthwise portion 934a, and the negative conductive line 935 may include a lengthwise portion 935a, which are conducive to make the LED module have a positive “+” connective portion and a negative “−” connective portion at each of the two ends of the LED module, as shown in FIG. 28D. Such a layout structure allows for coupling any of other circuits of the power supply module of the LED lamp, including e.g. the filtering circuit 520 and the rectifying circuits 510 and 540, to the LED module through the positive connective portion 934a and/or the negative connective portion 935a at each or both ends of the LED lamp. Thus the layout structure increases the flexibility in arranging actual circuits in the LED lamp. Further, the circuit layouts as shown in FIGS. 28C and 28D may be implemented with a bendable circuit sheet or substrate, which may even be called flexible circuit board depending on its specific definition used. For example, the bendable circuit sheet may comprise one conductive layer where the positive conductive line 834, the positive lengthwise portion 834a, the negative conductive line 835, the negative lengthwise portion 835a, and the conductive parts 839 shown in FIG. 28C, and the positive conductive line 934, the positive lengthwise portion 934a, the negative conductive line 935, the negative lengthwise portion 935a, and the conductive parts 939 shown in FIG. 28D are formed by the method of etching. FIG. 28E is a plan view of a circuit layout of the LED module according to another embodiment of the present invention. The layout structures of the LED module in FIGS. 28E and 28C correspond to the same way of connecting the LEDs 831 as those shown in FIG. 28B, but the layout structure in FIG. 28E comprises two conductive layers instead of only one conductive layer for forming the circuit layout as shown in FIG. 28C. Referring to FIG. 28E, the main difference from the layout in FIG. 28C is that the positive conductive line 834 and the negative conductive line 835 have a lengthwise portion 834a and a lengthwise portion 835a, respectively, that are formed in a second conductive layer instead. The difference is elaborated as follows. Referring to FIGS. 28E and 23, the bendable circuit sheet of the LED module comprises a first conductive layer 2a and a second conductive layer 2c electrically insulated from each other by a dielectric layer 2b (not shown). Of the two conductive layers, the positive conductive line 834, the negative conductive line 835, and the conductive parts 839 in FIG. 28E are formed in first conductive layer 2a by the method of etching for electrically connecting the plurality of LED components 831 e.g. in a form of a mesh, whereas the positive lengthwise portion 834a and the negative lengthwise portion 835a are formed in second conductive layer 2c by etching for electrically connecting (the filtering output terminal of) the filtering circuit. Further, the positive conductive line 834 and the negative conductive line 835 in the first conductive layer 2a have via points 834b and via points 835b, respectively, for connecting to second conductive layer 2c. And the positive lengthwise portion 834a and the negative lengthwise portion 835a in second conductive layer 2c have via points 834c and via points 835c, respectively. The via points 834b are positioned corresponding to the via points 834c, for connecting the positive conductive line 834 and the positive lengthwise portion 834a. The via points 835b are positioned corresponding to the via points 835c, for connecting the negative conductive line 835 and the negative lengthwise portion 835a. An exemplary desirable way of connecting the two conductive layers is to form a hole connecting each via point 834b and a corresponding via point 834c, and to form a hole connecting each via point 835b and a corresponding via point 835c, with the holes extending through the two conductive layers and the dielectric layer in-between. And the positive conductive line 834 and the positive lengthwise portion 834a can be electrically connected by welding metallic part(s) through the connecting hole(s), and the negative conductive line 835 and the negative lengthwise portion 835a can be electrically connected by welding metallic part(s) through the connecting hole(s). Similarly, the layout structure of the LED module in FIG. 28D may alternatively have the positive lengthwise portion 934a and the negative lengthwise portion 935a disposed in a second conductive layer to constitute a two-layered layout structure. It's worth noting that the thickness of the second conductive layer of a two-layered bendable circuit sheet is, in some embodiments, larger than that of the first conductive layer in order to reduce the voltage drop or loss along each of the positive lengthwise portion and the negative lengthwise portion disposed in the second conductive layer. Compared to a one-layered bendable circuit sheet, since a positive lengthwise portion and a negative lengthwise portion are disposed in a second conductive layer in a two-layer bendable circuit sheet, the width (between two lengthwise sides) of the two-layered bendable circuit sheet is or can be reduced. On the same fixture or plate in a production process, the number of bendable circuit sheets each with a shorter width that can be laid together at most is larger than the number of bendable circuit sheets each with a longer width that can be laid together at most. Thus adopting a bendable circuit sheet with a shorter width can increase the efficiency of production of the LED module. And reliability in the production process, such as the accuracy of welding position when welding (materials on) the LED components, can also be improved, because a two-layer bendable circuit sheet can better maintain its shape. As a variant of the above embodiments, a type of LED tube lamp is provided that has at least some of the electronic components of its power supply module disposed on a light strip of the LED tube lamp. For example, the technique of printed electronic circuit (PEC) can be used to print, insert, or embed at least some of the electronic components onto the light strip. In one embodiment, all electronic components of the power supply module are disposed on the light strip. The production process may include or proceed with the following steps: preparation of the circuit substrate (e.g. preparation of a flexible printed circuit board); ink jet printing of metallic nano-ink; ink jet printing of active and passive components (as of the power supply module); drying/sintering; ink jet printing of interlayer bumps; spraying of insulating ink; ink jet printing of metallic nano-ink; ink jet printing of active and passive components (to sequentially form the included layers); spraying of surface bond pad(s); and spraying of solder resist against LED components. In certain embodiments, if all electronic components of the power supply module are disposed on the LED light strip, electrical connection between the terminal pins of the LED tube lamp and the light strip may be achieved by connecting the pins to conductive lines which are welded with ends of the light strip. In this case, another substrate for supporting the power supply module is not required, thereby allowing of an improved design or arrangement in the end cap(s) of the LED tube lamp. In some embodiments, (components of) the power supply module are disposed at two ends of the light strip, in order to significantly reduce the impact of heat generated from the power supply module's operations on the LED components. Since no substrate other than the light strip is used to support the power supply module in this case, the total amount of welding or soldering can be significantly reduced, improving the general reliability of the power supply module. Another case is that some of all electronic components of the power supply module, such as some resistors and/or smaller size capacitors, are printed onto the light strip, and some bigger size components, such as some inductors and/or electrolytic capacitors, are disposed in the end cap(s). The production process of the light strip in this case may be the same as that described above. And in this case disposing some of all electronic components on the light strip is conducive to achieving a reasonable layout of the power supply module in the LED tube lamp, which may allow of an improved design in the end cap(s). As a variant embodiment of the above, electronic components of the power supply module may be disposed on the LED light strip by a method of embedding or inserting, e.g. by embedding the components onto a bendable or flexible light strip. In some embodiments, this embedding may be realized by a method using copper-clad laminates (CCL) for forming a resistor or capacitor; a method using ink related to silkscreen printing; or a method of ink jet printing to embed passive components, wherein an ink jet printer is used to directly print inks to constitute passive components and related functionalities to intended positions on the light strip. Then through treatment by ultraviolet (UV) light or drying/sintering, the light strip is formed where passive components are embedded. The electronic components embedded onto the light strip include for example resistors, capacitors, and inductors. In other embodiments, active components also may be embedded. Through embedding some components onto the light strip, a reasonable layout of the power supply module can be achieved to allow of an improved design in the end cap(s), because the surface area on a printed circuit board used for carrying components of the power supply module is reduced or smaller, and as a result the size, weight, and thickness of the resulting printed circuit board for carrying components of the power supply module is also smaller or reduced. Also in this situation since welding points on the printed circuit board for welding resistors and/or capacitors if they were not to be disposed on the light strip are no longer used, the reliability of the power supply module is improved, in view of the fact that these welding points are most liable to (cause or incur) faults, malfunctions, or failures. Further, the length of conductive lines needed for connecting components on the printed circuit board is therefore also reduced, which allows of a more compact layout of components on the printed circuit board and thus improving the functionalities of these components. Next, methods to produce embedded capacitors and resistors are explained as follows. Usually, methods for manufacturing embedded capacitors employ or involve a concept called distributed or planar capacitance. The manufacturing process may include the following step(s). On a substrate of a copper layer a very thin insulation layer is applied or pressed, which is then generally disposed between a pair of layers including a power conductive layer and a ground layer. The very thin insulation layer makes the distance between the power conductive layer and the ground layer very short. A capacitance resulting from this structure can also be realized by a conventional technique of a plated-through hole. Basically, this step is used to create this structure comprising a big parallel-plate capacitor on a circuit substrate. Of products of high electrical capacity, certain types of products employ distributed capacitances, and other types of products employ separate embedded capacitances. Through putting or adding a high dielectric-constant material, such as barium titanate, into the insulation layer, the high electrical capacity is achieved. A usual method for manufacturing embedded resistors employ conductive or resistive adhesive. This may include, for example, a resin to which conductive carbon or graphite is added, which may be used as an additive or filler. The additive resin is silkscreen printed to an object location, and is then after treatment laminated inside the circuit board. The resulting resistor is connected to other electronic components through plated-through holes or microvias. Another method is called Ohmega-Ply, by which a two metallic layer structure of a copper layer and a thin nickel alloy layer constitutes a layer resistor relative to a substrate. Then through etching the copper layer and nickel alloy layer, different types of nickel alloy resistors with copper terminals can be formed. These types of resistor are each laminated inside the circuit board. In an embodiment, conductive wires/lines are directly printed in a linear layout on an inner surface of the LED glass lamp tube, with LED components directly attached on the inner surface and electrically connected by the conductive wires. In some embodiments, the LED components in the form of chips are directly attached over the conductive wires on the inner surface, and connective points are at terminals of the wires for connecting the LED components and the power supply module. After being attached, the LED chips may have fluorescent powder applied or dropped thereon, for producing white light or light of other color by the operating LED tube lamp. In some embodiments, luminous efficacy of the LED or LED component is 80 lm/W or above, and in some embodiments, it may be 120 lm/W or above. Certain more optimal embodiments may include a luminous efficacy of the LED or LED component of 160 lm/W or above. White light emitted by an LED component in the invention may be produced by mixing fluorescent powder with the monochromatic light emitted by a monochromatic LED chip. The white light in its spectrum has major wavelength ranges of 430-460 nm and 550-560 nm, or major wavelength ranges of 430-460 nm, 540-560 nm, and 620-640 nm. FIG. 29A is a block diagram of a power supply module in an LED lamp according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 29A, the power supply module of the LED lamp includes two rectifying circuits 510 and 540, a filtering circuit 520, and a driving circuit 1530. In this embodiment, a driving circuit 1530 and an LED module 630 compose the LED lighting module 530. The driving circuit 1530 comprises a DC-to-DC converter circuit, and is coupled to the filtering output terminals 521 and 522 to receive a filtered signal and then perform power conversion for converting the filtered signal into a driving signal at the driving output terminals 1521 and 1522. The LED module 630 is coupled to the driving output terminals 1521 and 1522 to receive the driving signal for emitting light. In some embodiments, the current of LED module 630 is stabilized at an objective current value. Descriptions of this LED module 630 are the same as those provided above with reference to FIGS. 28A-D. FIG. 29B is a block diagram of the driving circuit according to an embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 29B, a driving circuit includes a controller 1531, and a conversion circuit 1532 for power conversion based on a current source, for driving the LED module to emit light. The conversion circuit 1532 includes a switching circuit 1535 and an energy storage circuit 1538. And the conversion circuit 1532 is coupled to the filtering output terminals 521 and 522 to receive and then convert a filtered signal, under the control by the controller 1531, into a driving signal at the driving output terminals 1521 and 1522 for driving the LED module. Under the control by the controller 1531, the driving signal output by the conversion circuit 1532 comprises a steady current, making the LED module emitting steady light. FIG. 29C is a schematic diagram of the driving circuit according to an embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 29C, a driving circuit 1630 in this embodiment comprises a buck DC-to-DC converter circuit having a controller 1631 and a converter circuit. The converter circuit includes an inductor 1632, a diode 1633 for “freewheeling” of current, a capacitor 1634, and a switch 1635. The driving circuit 1630 is coupled to the filtering output terminals 521 and 522 to receive and then convert a filtered signal into a driving signal for driving an LED module connected between the driving output terminals 1521 and 1522. In this embodiment, the switch 1635 comprises a metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor (MOSFET) and has a first terminal coupled to the anode of freewheeling diode 1633, a second terminal coupled to the filtering output terminal 522, and a control terminal coupled to the controller 1631 used for controlling current conduction or cutoff between the first and second terminals of switch 1635. The driving output terminal 1521 is connected to the filtering output terminal 521, and the driving output terminal 1522 is connected to an end of the inductor 1632, which has another end connected to the first terminal of switch 1635. The capacitor 1634 is coupled between the driving output terminals 1521 and 1522 to stabilize the voltage between the driving output terminals 1521 and 1522. The freewheeling diode 1633 has a cathode connected to the driving output terminal 1521. Next, a description follows as to an exemplary operation of the driving circuit 1630. The controller 1631 is configured for determining when to turn the switch 1635 on (in a conducting state) or off (in a cutoff state) according to a current detection signal S535 and/or a current detection signal S531. For example, in some embodiments, the controller 1631 is configured to control the duty cycle of switch 1635 being on and switch 1635 being off in order to adjust the size or magnitude of the driving signal. The current detection signal S535 represents the magnitude of current through the switch 1635. The current detection signal S531 represents the magnitude of current through the LED module coupled between the driving output terminals 1521 and 1522. According to any of current detection signal S535 and current detection signal S531, the controller 1631 can obtain information on the magnitude of power converted by the converter circuit. When the switch 1635 is switched on, a current of a filtered signal is input through the filtering output terminal 521, and then flows through the capacitor 1634, the driving output terminal 1521, the LED module, the inductor 1632, and the switch 1635, and then flows out from the filtering output terminal 522. During this flowing of current, the capacitor 1634 and the inductor 1632 are performing storing of energy. On the other hand, when the switch 1635 is switched off, the capacitor 1634 and the inductor 1632 perform releasing of stored energy by a current flowing from the freewheeling diode 1633 to the driving output terminal 1521 to make the LED module continuing to emit light. It's worth noting that the capacitor 1634 is an optional element, so it can be omitted and is thus depicted in a dotted line in FIG. 29C. In some application environments, the natural characteristic of an inductor to oppose instantaneous change in electric current passing through the inductor may be used to achieve the effect of stabilizing the current through the LED module, thus omitting the capacitor 1634. FIG. 29D is a schematic diagram of the driving circuit according to an embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 29D, a driving circuit 1730 in this embodiment comprises a boost DC-to-DC converter circuit having a controller 1731 and a converter circuit. The converter circuit includes an inductor 1732, a diode 1733 for “freewheeling” of current, a capacitor 1734, and a switch 1735. The driving circuit 1730 is configured to receive and then convert a filtered signal from the filtering output terminals 521 and 522 into a driving signal for driving an LED module coupled between the driving output terminals 1521 and 1522. The inductor 1732 has an end connected to the filtering output terminal 521, and another end connected to the anode of freewheeling diode 1733 and a first terminal of the switch 1735, which has a second terminal connected to the filtering output terminal 522 and the driving output terminal 1522. The freewheeling diode 1733 has a cathode connected to the driving output terminal 1521. And the capacitor 1734 is coupled between the driving output terminals 1521 and 1522. The controller 1731 is coupled to a control terminal of switch 1735, and is configured for determining when to turn the switch 1735 on (in a conducting state) or off (in a cutoff state), according to a current detection signal S535 and/or a current detection signal S531. When the switch 1735 is switched on, a current of a filtered signal is input through the filtering output terminal 521, and then flows through the inductor 1732 and the switch 1735, and then flows out from the filtering output terminal 522. During this flowing of current, the current through the inductor 1732 increases with time, with the inductor 1732 being in a state of storing energy, while the capacitor 1734 enters a state of releasing energy, making the LED module continuing to emit light. On the other hand, when the switch 1735 is switched off, the inductor 1732 enters a state of releasing energy as the current through the inductor 1732 decreases with time. In this state, the current through the inductor 1732 then flows through the freewheeling diode 1733, the capacitor 1734, and the LED module, while the capacitor 1734 enters a state of storing energy. It's worth noting that the capacitor 1734 is an optional element, so it can be omitted and is thus depicted in a dotted line in FIG. 29D. When the capacitor 1734 is omitted and the switch 1735 is switched on, the current of inductor 1732 does not flow through the LED module, making the LED module not emit light; but when the switch 1735 is switched off, the current of inductor 1732 flows through the freewheeling diode 1733 to reach the LED module, making the LED module emit light. Therefore, by controlling the time that the LED module emits light, and the magnitude of current through the LED module, the average luminance of the LED module can be stabilized to be above a defined value, thus also achieving the effect of emitting a steady light. FIG. 29E is a schematic diagram of the driving circuit according to an embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 29E, a driving circuit 1830 in this embodiment comprises a buck DC-to-DC converter circuit having a controller 1831 and a converter circuit. The converter circuit includes an inductor 1832, a diode 1833 for “freewheeling” of current, a capacitor 1834, and a switch 1835. The driving circuit 1830 is coupled to the filtering output terminals 521 and 522 to receive and then convert a filtered signal into a driving signal for driving an LED module connected between the driving output terminals 1521 and 1522. The switch 1835 has a first terminal coupled to the filtering output terminal 521, a second terminal coupled to the cathode of freewheeling diode 1833, and a control terminal coupled to the controller 1831 to receive a control signal from the controller 1831 for controlling current conduction or cutoff between the first and second terminals of the switch 1835. The anode of freewheeling diode 1833 is connected to the filtering output terminal 522 and the driving output terminal 1522. The inductor 1832 has an end connected to the second terminal of switch 1835, and another end connected to the driving output terminal 1521. The capacitor 1834 is coupled between the driving output terminals 1521 and 1522 to stabilize the voltage between the driving output terminals 1521 and 1522. The controller 1831 is configured for controlling when to turn the switch 1835 on (in a conducting state) or off (in a cutoff state) according to a current detection signal S535 and/or a current detection signal S531. When the switch 1835 is switched on, a current of a filtered signal is input through the filtering output terminal 521, and then flows through the switch 1835, the inductor 1832, and the driving output terminals 1521 and 1522, and then flows out from the filtering output terminal 522. During this flowing of current, the current through the inductor 1832 and the voltage of the capacitor 1834 both increase with time, so the inductor 1832 and the capacitor 1834 are in a state of storing energy. On the other hand, when the switch 1835 is switched off, the inductor 1832 is in a state of releasing energy and thus the current through it decreases with time. In this case, the current through the inductor 1832 circulates through the driving output terminals 1521 and 1522, the freewheeling diode 1833, and back to the inductor 1832. It's worth noting that the capacitor 1834 is an optional element, so it can be omitted and is thus depicted in a dotted line in FIG. 29E. When the capacitor 1834 is omitted, no matter whether the switch 1835 is turned on or off, the current through the inductor 1832 will flow through the driving output terminals 1521 and 1522 to drive the LED module to continue emitting light. FIG. 29F is a schematic diagram of the driving circuit according to an embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 29F, a driving circuit 1930 in this embodiment comprises a buck DC-to-DC converter circuit having a controller 1931 and a converter circuit. The converter circuit includes an inductor 1932, a diode 1933 for “freewheeling” of current, a capacitor 1934, and a switch 1935. The driving circuit 1930 is coupled to the filtering output terminals 521 and 522 to receive and then convert a filtered signal into a driving signal for driving an LED module connected between the driving output terminals 1521 and 1522. The inductor 1932 has an end connected to the filtering output terminal 521 and the driving output terminal 1522, and another end connected to a first end of the switch 1935. The switch 1935 has a second end connected to the filtering output terminal 522, and a control terminal connected to controller 1931 to receive a control signal from controller 1931 for controlling current conduction or cutoff of the switch 1935. The freewheeling diode 1933 has an anode coupled to a node connecting the inductor 1932 and the switch 1935, and a cathode coupled to the driving output terminal 1521. The capacitor 1934 is coupled to the driving output terminals 1521 and 1522 to stabilize the driving of the LED module coupled between the driving output terminals 1521 and 1522. The controller 1931 is configured for controlling when to turn the switch 1935 on (in a conducting state) or off (in a cutoff state) according to a current detection signal S531 and/or a current detection signal S535. When the switch 1935 is turned on, a current is input through the filtering output terminal 521, and then flows through the inductor 1932 and the switch 1935, and then flows out from the filtering output terminal 522. During this flowing of current, the current through the inductor 1932 increases with time, so the inductor 1932 is in a state of storing energy; but the voltage of the capacitor 1934 decreases with time, so the capacitor 1934 is in a state of releasing energy to keep the LED module continuing to emit light. On the other hand, when the switch 1935 is turned off, the inductor 1932 is in a state of releasing energy and its current decreases with time. In this case, the current through the inductor 1932 circulates through the freewheeling diode 1933, the driving output terminals 1521 and 1522, and back to the inductor 1932. During this circulation, the capacitor 1934 is in a state of storing energy and its voltage increases with time. It's worth noting that the capacitor 1934 is an optional element, so it can be omitted and is thus depicted in a dotted line in FIG. 29F. When the capacitor 1934 is omitted and the switch 1935 is turned on, the current through the inductor 1932 doesn't flow through the driving output terminals 1521 and 1522, thereby making the LED module not emit light. On the other hand, when the switch 1935 is turned off, the current through the inductor 1932 flows through the freewheeling diode 1933 and then the LED module to make the LED module emit light. Therefore, by controlling the time that the LED module emits light, and the magnitude of current through the LED module, the average luminance of the LED module can be stabilized to be above a defined value, thus also achieving the effect of emitting a steady light. FIG. 29G is a block diagram of the driving circuit according to an embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 29G, the driving circuit includes a controller 2631, and a conversion circuit 2632 for power conversion based on an adjustable current source, for driving the LED module to emit light. The conversion circuit 2632 includes a switching circuit 2635 and an energy storage circuit 2638. And the conversion circuit 2632 is coupled to the filtering output terminals 521 and 522 to receive and then convert a filtered signal, under the control by the controller 2631, into a driving signal at the driving output terminals 1521 and 1522 for driving the LED module. The controller 2631 is configured to receive a current detection signal S535 and/or a current detection signal S539 for controlling or stabilizing the driving signal output by the conversion circuit 2632 to be above an objective current value. The current detection signal S535 represents the magnitude of current through the switching circuit 2635. The current detection signal S539 represents the magnitude of current through energy storage circuit 2638, which current may be e.g. an inductor current in energy storage circuit 2638 or a current output at the driving output terminal 1521. Any of current detection signal S535 and current detection signal S539 can represent the magnitude of current Iout provided by the driving circuit from the driving output terminals 1521 and 1522 to the LED module. The controller 2631 is coupled to the filtering output terminal 521 for setting the objective current value according to the voltage Vin at the filtering output terminal 521. Therefore, the current Iout provided by the driving circuit or the objective current value can be adjusted corresponding to the magnitude of the voltage Vin of a filtered signal output by a filtering circuit. It's worth noting that current detection signals S535 and S539 can be generated by measuring current through a resistor or induced by an inductor. For example, a current can be measured according to a voltage drop across a resistor in the conversion circuit 2632 the current flows through, or which arises from a mutual induction between an inductor in the conversion circuit 2632 and another inductor in its energy storage circuit 2638. The above driving circuit structures are especially suitable for an application environment in which the external driving circuit for the LED tube lamp includes electronic ballast. An electronic ballast is equivalent to a current source whose output power is not constant. In an internal driving circuit as shown in each of FIGS. 29C-F, power consumed by the internal driving circuit relates to or depends on the number of LEDs in the LED module, and could be regarded as constant. When the output power of the electronic ballast is higher than power consumed by the LED module driven by the driving circuit, the output voltage of the ballast will increase continually, causing the logic level of an AC driving signal received by the power supply module of the LED lamp to continually increase, so as to risk damaging the ballast and/or components of the power supply module due to their voltage ratings being exceeded. On the other hand, when the output power of the electronic ballast is lower than power consumed by the LED module driven by the driving circuit, the output voltage of the ballast and the logic level of the AC driving signal will decrease continually so that the LED tube lamp fail to normally operate. It's worth noting that the power needed for an LED lamp to work is already lower than that needed for a fluorescent lamp to work. If a conventional control mechanism of e.g. using a backlight module to control the LED luminance is used with a conventional driving system of e.g. a ballast, a problem will probably arise of mismatch or incompatibility between the output power of the external driving system and the power needed by the LED lamp. This problem may even cause damaging of the driving system and/or the LED lamp. To prevent or reduce this problem, using e.g. the power/current adjustment method described above in FIG. 29G enables the LED (tube) lamp to be better compatible with traditional fluorescent lighting system. FIG. 29H is a graph illustrating the relationship between the voltage Vin and the objective current value Iout according to an embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 29H, the variable Vin is on the horizontal axis, and the variable Iout is on the vertical axis. In some cases, when the logic level of the voltage Vin of a filtered signal is between the upper voltage limit VH and the lower voltage limit VL, the objective current value Iout will be about an initial objective current value. The upper voltage limit VH is higher than the lower voltage limit VL. When the voltage Vin increases to be higher than the upper voltage limit VH, the objective current value Iout will increase with the increasing of the voltage Vin. During this stage, a situation that may be preferable is that the slope of the relationship curve increase with the increasing of the voltage Vin. When the voltage Vin of a filtered signal decreases to be below the lower voltage limit VL, the objective current value Iout will decrease with the decreasing of the voltage Vin. During this stage, a situation that may be preferable is that the slope of the relationship curve decrease with the decreasing of the voltage Vin. For example, during the stage when the voltage Vin is higher than the upper voltage limit VH or lower than the lower voltage limit VL, the objective current value Iout is in some embodiments a function of the voltage Vin to the power of 2 or above, in order to make the rate of increase/decrease of the consumed power higher than the rate of increase/decrease of the output power of the external driving system. Thus, adjustment of the objective current value Iout is in some embodiments a function of the filtered voltage Vin to the power of 2 or above. In another case, when the voltage Vin of a filtered signal is between the upper voltage limit VH and the lower voltage limit VL, the objective current value Iout of the LED lamp will vary, increase or decrease, linearly with the voltage Vin. During this stage, when the voltage Vin is at the upper voltage limit VH, the objective current value Iout will be at the upper current limit IH. When the voltage Vin is at the lower voltage limit VL, the objective current value Iout will be at the lower current limit IL. The upper current limit IH is larger than the lower current limit IL. And when the voltage Vin is between the upper voltage limit VH and the lower voltage limit VL, the objective current value Iout will be a function of the voltage Vin to the power of 1. With the designed relationship in FIG. 29H, when the output power of the ballast is higher than the power consumed by the LED module driven by the driving circuit, the voltage Vin will increase with time to exceed the upper voltage limit VH. When the voltage Vin is higher than the upper voltage limit VH, the rate of increase of the consumed power of the LED module is higher than that of the output power of the electronic ballast, and the output power and the consumed power will be balanced or equal when the voltage Vin is at a high balance voltage value VH+ and the current Iout is at a high balance current value IH+. In this case, the high balance voltage value VH+ is larger than the upper voltage limit VH, and the high balance current value IH+ is larger than the upper current limit IH. On the other hand, when the output power of the ballast is lower than the power consumed by the LED module driven by the driving circuit, the voltage Vin will be below the lower voltage limit VL. When the voltage Vin is lower than the lower voltage limit VL, the rate of decrease of the consumed power of the LED module is higher than that of the output power of the electronic ballast, and the output power and the consumed power will be balanced or equal when the voltage Vin is at a low balance voltage value VL− and the objective current value Iout is at a low balance current value IL−. In this case, the low balance voltage value VL− is smaller than the lower voltage limit VL, and the low balance current value IL− is smaller than the lower current limit IL. In some embodiments, the lower voltage limit VL is defined to be around 90% of the lowest output power of the electronic ballast, and the upper voltage limit VH is defined to be around 110% of its highest output power. Taking a common AC powerline with a voltage range of 100-277 volts and a frequency of 60 Hz as an example, the lower voltage limit VL may be set at 90 volts (=100*90%), and the upper voltage limit VH may be set at 305 volts (=277*110%). With reference to FIGS. 19 and 20, a short circuit board 253 includes a first short circuit substrate and a second short circuit substrate respectively connected to two terminal portions of a long circuit sheet 251, and electronic components of the power supply module are respectively disposed on the first short circuit substrate and the second short circuit substrate. The first short circuit substrate and the second short circuit substrate may have roughly the same length, or different lengths. In general, the first short circuit substrate (i.e. the right circuit substrate of short circuit board 253 in FIG. 19 and the left circuit substrate of short circuit board 253 in FIG. 20) has a length that is about 30%-80% of the length of the second short circuit substrate (i.e. the left circuit substrate of short circuit board 253 in FIG. 19 and the right circuit substrate of short circuit board 253 in FIG. 20). In some embodiments the length of the first short circuit substrate is about ⅓ ˜⅔ of the length of the second short circuit substrate. For example, in one embodiment, the length of the first short circuit substrate may be about half the length of the second short circuit substrate. The length of the second short circuit substrate may be, for example in the range of about 15 mm to about 65 mm, depending on actual application occasions. In certain embodiments, the first short circuit substrate is disposed in an end cap at an end of the LED tube lamp, and the second short circuit substrate is disposed in another end cap at the opposite end of the LED tube lamp. For example, capacitors of the driving circuit, such as the capacitors 1634, 1734, 1834, and 1934 in FIGS. 29C-29F, in practical use may include two or more capacitors connected in parallel. Some or all capacitors of the driving circuit in the power supply module may be arranged on the first short circuit substrate of short circuit board 253, while other components such as the rectifying circuit, filtering circuit, inductor(s) of the driving circuit, controller(s), switch(es), diodes, etc. are arranged on the second short circuit substrate of short circuit board 253. Since the inductors, controllers, switches, etc. are electronic components with higher temperature, arranging some or all capacitors on a circuit substrate separate or away from the circuit substrate(s) of high-temperature components helps prevent the working life of capacitors (especially electrolytic capacitors) from being negatively affected by the high-temperature components, thus improving the reliability of the capacitors. Further, the physical separation between the capacitors and both the rectifying circuit and filtering circuit also contributes to reducing the problem of EMI. In some embodiments, the driving circuit has power conversion efficiency of 80% or above, which may be 90% or above, and may even be 92% or above. Therefore, without the driving circuit, luminous efficacy of the LED lamp according to some embodiments may be 120 lm/W or above, and may even be 160 lm/W or above. On the other hand, with the driving circuit in combination with the LED component(s), luminous efficacy of the LED lamp in the invention may be, in some embodiments, 120 lm/W*90%=108 lm/W or above, and may even be, in some embodiments 160 lm/W*92%=147.2 lm/W or above. In view of the fact that the diffusion film or layer in an LED tube lamp has light transmittance of 85% or above, luminous efficacy of the LED tube lamp of the invention is in some embodiments 108 lm/W*85%=91.8 lm/W or above, and may be, in some more effective embodiments, 147.2 lm/W*85%=125.12 hi/W. FIG. 30A is a block diagram of using a power supply module in an LED lamp according to an embodiment of the present invention. Compared to FIG. 24B, the embodiment of FIG. 30A includes two rectifying circuits 510 and 540, a filtering circuit 520, and a driving circuit 1530, and further includes an anti-flickering circuit 550 coupled between the filtering circuit 520 and the LED lighting module 530. In this embodiment, a driving circuit 1530 and an LED module 630 compose the LED lighting module 530. The anti-flickering circuit 550 is coupled to the filtering output terminals 521 and 522 to receive a filtered signal, and under specific circumstances to consume partial energy of the filtered signal so as to reduce (the incidence of) ripples of the filtered signal disrupting or interrupting the light emission of the LED lighting module 530. In general, the filtering circuit 520 has such filtering components as capacitor(s) and/or inductor(s), and/or parasitic capacitors and inductors, which may form resonant circuits. Upon breakoff or stop of an AC power signal, as when the power supply of the LED lamp is turned off by a user, the amplitude(s) of resonant signals in the resonant circuits will decrease with time. But LEDs in the LED module of the LED lamp are unidirectional conduction devices and generally require a minimum conduction voltage for the LED module. When a resonant signal's trough value is lower than the minimum conduction voltage of the LED module, but its peak value is still higher than the minimum conduction voltage, the flickering phenomenon will occur in light emission of the LED module. In this case the anti-flickering circuit 550 works by allowing a current matching a defined flickering current value of the LED component to flow through, consuming partial energy of the filtered signal which should be higher than the energy difference of the resonant signal between its peak and trough values, so as to reduce the flickering phenomenon. In certain embodiments, a preferred occasion for the anti-flickering circuit 550 to work is when the filtered signal's voltage approaches (and is still higher than) the minimum conduction voltage, and thus the partial energy of the filtered signal consumed by the anti-flickering circuit 550 is higher than the energy difference of the resonant signal between its peak and trough values. It's worth noting that the anti-flickering circuit 550 may be more suitable for the situation in which the LED lighting module 530 doesn't include the driving circuit 1530, for example, when the LED module 630 of LED lighting module 530 is (directly) driven to emit light by a filtered signal from a filtering circuit. In this case, the light emission of LED module 630 will directly reflect variation in the filtered signal due to its ripples. In this situation, the introduction of anti-flickering circuit 550 will prevent the flickering phenomenon from occurring in the LED lamp upon the breakoff of power supply to the LED lamp. FIG. 30B is a schematic diagram of the anti-flickering circuit according to an embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 30B, an anti-flickering circuit 650 includes at least a resistor, such as two resistors connected in series between the filtering output terminals 521 and 522. In this embodiment, the anti-flickering circuit 650 in use consumes partial energy of a filtered signal continually. When in normal operation of the LED lamp, this partial energy is far lower than the energy consumed by LED lighting module 530. But upon a breakoff or stop of the power supply, when the voltage logic level of the filtered signal decreases to approach the minimum conduction voltage of LED module 630, this partial energy is still consumed by the anti-flickering circuit 650 in order to offset the impact of the resonant signals which may cause the flickering of light emission of LED module 630. In some embodiments, a current equal to or larger than an anti-flickering current logic level may be set to flow through the anti-flickering circuit 650 when the LED module 630 is supplied by the minimum conduction voltage, and then an equivalent anti-flickering resistance of anti-flickering circuit 650 can be determined based on the set current. FIG. 31A is a block diagram of using a power supply module in an LED lamp according to an embodiment of the present invention. Compared to FIG. 30A, the embodiment of FIG. 31A includes two rectifying circuits 510 and 540, a filtering circuit 520, a driving circuit 1530, and an anti-flickering circuit 550, and further includes a protection circuit 560. In this embodiment, a driving circuit 1530 and an LED module 630 compose the LED lighting module 530. The protection circuit 560 is coupled to the filtering output terminals 521 and 522 to detect the filtered signal from the filtering circuit 520 for determining whether to enter a protection state. Upon entering a protection state, the protection circuit 560 works to limit, restrain, or clamp down on the logic level of the filtered signal, preventing damaging of components in the LED lighting module 530. And the anti-flickering circuit 550 may be omitted and are thus depicted in a dotted line in FIG. 31A. FIG. 31B is a schematic diagram of the protection circuit according to an embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 31B, a protection circuit 660 includes a voltage clamping circuit, a voltage division circuit, two capacitors 663 and 670, a resistor 669, and a diode 672, for entering a protection state when a current and/or voltage of the LED module is/are or might be excessively high, thus preventing damaging of the LED module. The voltage clamping circuit includes a bidirectional triode thyristor (TRIAC) 661 and a DIAC or symmetrical trigger diode 662. The voltage division circuit includes two bipolar junction transistors (BJT) 667 and 668 and multiple resistors 664, 665, 666, and 671. The bidirectional triode thyristor 661 has a first terminal connected to the filtering output terminal 521, a second terminal connected to the filtering output terminal 522, and a control terminal connected to a first terminal of symmetrical trigger diode 662, which has a second terminal connected to an end of the capacitor 663, which has another end connected to the filtering output terminal 522. The resistor 664 is in parallel to the capacitor 663, and has an end connected to the second terminal of symmetrical trigger diode 662 and another end connected to the filtering output terminal 522. The resistor 665 has an end connected to the second terminal of symmetrical trigger diode 662 and another end connected to the collector terminal of BJT 667, whose emitter terminal is connected to the filtering output terminal 522. The resistor 666 has an end connected to the second terminal of symmetrical trigger diode 662 and another end connected to the collector terminal of BJT 668 and the base terminal of BJT 667. The emitter terminal of BJT 668 is connected to the filtering output terminal 522. The resistor 669 has an end connected to the base terminal of BJT 668 and another end connected to an end of the capacitor 670, which has another end connected to the filtering output terminal 522. The resistor 671 has an end connected to the second terminal of symmetrical trigger diode 662 and another end connected to the cathode of diode 672, whose anode is connected to the filtering output terminal 521. It's worth noting that according to some embodiments, the resistance of resistor 665 should be smaller than that of resistor 666. Next, an exemplary operation of the protection circuit 660 in overcurrent protection is described as follows. The node connecting the resistor 669 and the capacitor 670 is to receive a current detection signal S531, which represents the magnitude of current through the LED module. The other end of the resistor 671 is a voltage terminal 521′. In this embodiment concerning overcurrent protection, the voltage terminal 521′ may be coupled to a biasing voltage source, or be connected through the diode 672 to the filtering output terminal 521, as shown in FIG. 31B, to take a filtered signal as a biasing voltage source. If the voltage terminal 521′ is coupled to an external biasing voltage source, the diode 672 may be omitted, so it is depicted in a dotted line in FIG. 31B. The combination of the resistor 669 and the capacitor 670 can work to filter out high frequency components of the current detection signal S531, and then input the filtered current detection signal S531 to the base terminal of BJT 668 for controlling current conduction and cutoff of the BJT 668. The filtering function of the resistor 669 and the capacitor 670 can prevent misoperation of the BJT 668 due to noises. In practical use, the resistor 669 and the capacitor 670 may be omitted, so they are each depicted in a dotted line in FIG. 31B. When they are omitted, the current detection signal S531 is input directly to the base terminal of the BJT 668. When the LED lamp is operating normally and the current of the LED module is within a normal range, the BJT 668 is in a cutoff state, and the resistor 666 works to pull up the base voltage of the BJT 667, which therefore enters a conducting state. In this state, the electric potential at the second terminal of the symmetrical trigger diode 662 is determined based on the voltage at the voltage terminal 521′ of the biasing voltage source and voltage division ratios between the resistor 671 and the parallel-connected resistors 664 and 665. Since the resistance of resistor 665 is relatively small, voltage share for the resistor 665 is smaller and the electric potential at the second terminal of the symmetrical trigger diode 662 is therefore pulled down. Then, the electric potential at the control terminal of the bidirectional triode thyristor 661 is in turn pulled down by the symmetrical trigger diode 662, causing the bidirectional triode thyristor 661 to enter a cutoff state, which cutoff state makes the protection circuit 660 not being in a protection state. When the current of the LED module exceeds an overcurrent value, the logic level of current detection signal S531 will increase significantly to cause the BJT 668 to enter a conducting state and then pull down the base voltage of the BJT 667, which thereby enters a cutoff state. In this case, the electric potential at the second terminal of the symmetrical trigger diode 662 is determined based on the voltage at the voltage terminal 521′ of the biasing voltage source and voltage division ratios between the resistor 671 and the parallel-connected resistors 664 and 666. Since the resistance of resistor 666 is relatively high, voltage share for the resistor 666 is larger and the electric potential at the second terminal of symmetrical trigger diode 662 is therefore higher. Then the electric potential at the control terminal of bidirectional triode thyristor 661 is in turn pulled up by the symmetrical trigger diode 662, causing the bidirectional triode thyristor 661 to enter a conducting state, which conducting state works to restrain or clamp down on the voltage between the filtering output terminals 521 and 522 and thus makes the protection circuit 660 being in a protection state. In this embodiment, the voltage at the voltage terminal 521′ of the biasing voltage source is determined based on the trigger voltage of the bidirectional triode thyristor 661, and voltage division ratio between the resistor 671 and the parallel-connected resistors 664 and 665, or voltage division ratio between the resistor 671 and the parallel-connected resistors 664 and 666. Through voltage division between the resistor 671 and the parallel-connected resistors 664 and 665, the voltage from the voltage terminal 521′ at the symmetrical trigger diode 662 will be lower than the trigger voltage of the bidirectional triode thyristor 661. Otherwise, through voltage division between the resistor 671 and the parallel-connected resistors 664 and 666, the voltage from the voltage terminal 521′ at the symmetrical trigger diode 662 will be higher than the trigger voltage of the bidirectional triode thyristor 661. For example, in some embodiments, when the current of the LED module exceeds an overcurrent value, the voltage division circuit is adjusted to the voltage division ratio between the resistor 671 and the parallel-connected resistors 664 and 666, causing a higher portion of the voltage at the voltage terminal 521′ to result at the symmetrical trigger diode 662, achieving a hysteresis function. Specifically, the BJTs 667 and 668 as switches are respectively connected in series to the resistors 665 and 666 which determine the voltage division ratios. The voltage division circuit is configured to control turning on which one of the BJTs 667 and 668 and leaving the other off for determining the relevant voltage division ratio, according to whether the current of the LED module exceeds an overcurrent value. And the clamping circuit determines whether to restrain or clamp down on the voltage of the LED module according to the applying voltage division ratio. Next, an exemplary operation of the protection circuit 660 in overvoltage protection is described as follows. The node connecting the resistor 669 and the capacitor 670 is to receive a current detection signal S531, which represents the magnitude of current through the LED module. As described above, the protection circuit 660 still works to provide overcurrent protection. The other end of resistor 671 is a voltage terminal 521′. In this embodiment concerning overvoltage protection, the voltage terminal 521′ is coupled to the positive terminal of the LED module to detect the voltage of the LED module. Taking previously described embodiments for example, in embodiments of FIGS. 28A and 28B, the LED lighting module 530 doesn't include the driving circuit 1530, and the voltage terminal 521′ would be coupled to the filtering output terminal 521. Whereas in embodiments of FIGS. 29A-29G, the LED lighting module 530 includes the driving circuit 1530, and the voltage terminal 521′ would be coupled to the driving output terminal 1521. In this embodiment, voltage division ratios between the resistor 671 and the parallel-connected resistors 664 and 665, and voltage division ratios between the resistor 671 and the parallel-connected resistors 664 and 666 will be adjusted according to the voltage at the voltage terminal 521′, for example, the voltage at the driving output terminal 1521 or the filtering output terminal 521. Therefore, normal overcurrent protection can still be provided by the protection circuit 660. In some embodiments, when the LED lamp is operating normally, assuming overcurrent condition doesn't occur, the electric potential at the second terminal of the symmetrical trigger diode 662 is determined based on the voltage at the voltage terminal 521′ and voltage division ratios between the resistor 671 and the parallel-connected resistors 664 and 665, and is insufficient to trigger the bidirectional triode thyristor 661. Then the bidirectional triode thyristor 661 is in a cutoff state, making the protection circuit 660 not being in a protection state. On the other hand, when the LED module is operating abnormally with the voltage at the positive terminal of the LED module exceeding an overvoltage value, the electric potential at the second terminal of symmetrical trigger diode 662 is sufficiently high to trigger the bidirectional triode thyristor 661 when the voltage at the first terminal of the symmetrical trigger diode 662 is larger than the trigger voltage of the bidirectional triode thyristor 661. Then the bidirectional triode thyristor 661 enters a conducting state, making the protection circuit 660 being in a protection state to restrain or clamp down on the logic level of the filtered signal. As described above, the protection circuit 660 provides one or two of the functions of overcurrent protection and overvoltage protection. In some embodiments, the protection circuit 660 may further include a zener diode connected to the resistor 664 in parallel, which zener diode is used to limit or restrain the voltage across the resistor 664. The breakdown voltage of the zener diode is in some embodiments in the range of about 25-50 volts, and in some embodiments may be about 36 volts. Further, a silicon controlled rectifier may be substituted for the bidirectional triode thyristor 661, without negatively affecting the protection functions. Using a silicon controlled rectifier instead of a bidirectional triode thyristor 661 has a lower voltage drop across itself in conduction than that across the bidirectional triode thyristor 661 in conduction. In one embodiment, values of the parameters of the protection circuit 660 may be set as follows. The resistance of resistor 669 may be about 10 ohms. The capacitance of capacitor 670 may be about 1 nF. The capacitance of capacitor 633 may be about 10 nF. The (breakover) voltage of symmetrical trigger diode 662 may be in the range of about 26-36 volts. The resistance of resistor 671 may be in the range of about 300 k-600 k ohms, and may be, in some embodiments, about 540 k ohms. The resistance of resistor 666 is in some embodiments in the range of about 100 k-300 k ohms, and may be, in some embodiments, about 220 k ohms. The resistance of resistor 665 is in some embodiments in the range of about 30 k-100 k ohms, and may be, in some embodiments about 40 k ohms. The resistance of resistor 664 is in some embodiments in the range of about 100 k-300 k ohms, and may be, in some embodiments about 220 k ohms. FIG. 32A is a block diagram of a power supply module in an LED lamp according to an embodiment of the present invention. Compared to FIG. 29A, the embodiment of FIG. 32A includes two rectifying circuits 510 and 540, a filtering circuit 520, and a driving circuit 1530, and further includes a mode switching circuit 580. In this embodiment, a driving circuit 1530 and an LED module 630 compose the LED lighting module 530. The mode switching circuit 580 is coupled to at least one of the filtering output terminals 521 and 522 and at least one of the driving output terminals 1521 and 1522, for determining whether to perform a first driving mode or a second driving mode, as according to a frequency of the external driving signal. In the first driving mode, a filtered signal from the filtering circuit 520 is input into the driving circuit 1530, while in the second driving mode the filtered signal bypasses at least a component of the driving circuit 1530, making the driving circuit 1530 stop working in conducting the filtered signal, allowing the filtered signal to (directly) reach and drive the LED module 630. The bypassed component(s) of the driving circuit 1530 may include an inductor or a switch, which when bypassed makes the driving circuit 1530 unable to transfer and/or convert power, and then stop working in conducting the filtered signal. If the driving circuit 1530 includes a capacitor, the capacitor can still be used to filter out ripples of the filtered signal in order to stabilize the voltage across the LED module. When the mode switching circuit 580 determines on performing the first driving mode, allowing the filtered signal to be input to the driving circuit 1530, the driving circuit 1530 then transforms the filtered signal into a driving signal for driving the LED module 630 to emit light. On the other hand, when the mode switching circuit 580 determines on performing the second driving mode, allowing the filtered signal to bypass the driving circuit 1530 to reach the LED module 630, the filtering circuit 520 becomes in effect a driving circuit for LED module 630. Then the filtering circuit 520 provides the filtered signal as a driving signal for the LED module for driving the LED module to emit light. It's worth noting that the mode switching circuit 580 can determine whether to perform the first driving mode or the second driving mode based on a user's instruction or a detected signal received by the LED lamp through the pins 501, 502, 503, and 504. With the mode switching circuit, the power supply module of the LED lamp can adapt to or perform one of appropriate driving modes corresponding to different application environments or driving systems, thus improving the compatibility of the LED lamp. FIG. 32B is a schematic diagram of the mode switching circuit in an LED lamp according to an embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 32B, a mode switching circuit 680 includes a mode switch 681 suitable for use with the driving circuit 1630 in FIG. 29C. Referring to FIGS. 32B and 29C, the mode switch 681 has three terminals 683, 684, and 685, wherein the terminal 683 is coupled to the driving output terminal 1522, the terminal 684 is coupled to the filtering output terminal 522, and the terminal 685 is coupled to the inductor 1632 in the driving circuit 1630. When the mode switching circuit 680 determines on performing a first driving mode, the mode switch 681 conducts current in a first conductive path through the terminals 683 and 685 and a second conductive path through the terminals 683 and 684 is in a cutoff state. In this case, the driving output terminal 1522 is coupled to the inductor 1632, and therefore the driving circuit 1630 is working normally, which working includes receiving a filtered signal from the filtering output terminals 521 and 522 and then transforming the filtered signal into a driving signal, output at the driving output terminals 1521 and 1522 for driving the LED module. When the mode switching circuit 680 determines on performing a second driving mode, the mode switch 681 conducts current in the second conductive path through the terminals 683 and 684 and the first conductive path through the terminals 683 and 685 is in a cutoff state. In this case, the driving output terminal 1522 is coupled to the filtering output terminal 522, and therefore the driving circuit 1630 stops working, and a filtered signal is input through the filtering output terminals 521 and 522 to the driving output terminals 1521 and 1522 for driving the LED module, while bypassing the inductor 1632 and the switch 1635 in the driving circuit 1630. FIG. 32C is a schematic diagram of the mode switching circuit in an LED lamp according to an embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 32C, a mode switching circuit 780 includes a mode switch 781 being suitable for use with the driving circuit 1630 in FIG. 29C. Referring to FIGS. 32C and 29C, the mode switch 781 has three terminals 783, 784, and 785, wherein the terminal 783 is coupled to the filtering output terminal 522, the terminal 784 is coupled to the driving output terminal 1522, and the terminal 785 is coupled to switch 1635 in the driving circuit 1630. When the mode switching circuit 780 determines on performing a first driving mode, the mode switch 781 conducts current in a first conductive path through the terminals 783 and 785 and a second conductive path through the terminals 783 and 784 is in a cutoff state. In this case, the filtering output terminal 522 is coupled to the switch 1635, and therefore the driving circuit 1630 is working normally, which working includes receiving a filtered signal from the filtering output terminals 521 and 522 and then transforming the filtered signal into a driving signal, output at the driving output terminals 1521 and 1522 for driving the LED module. When the mode switching circuit 780 determines on performing a second driving mode, the mode switch 781 conducts current in the second conductive path through the terminals 783 and 784 and the first conductive path through the terminals 783 and 785 is in a cutoff state. In this case, the driving output terminal 1522 is coupled to the filtering output terminal 522, and therefore the driving circuit 1630 stops working, and a filtered signal is input through the filtering output terminals 521 and 522 to the driving output terminals 1521 and 1522 for driving the LED module, while bypassing the inductor 1632 and the switch 1635 in the driving circuit 1630. FIG. 32D is a schematic diagram of the mode switching circuit in an LED lamp according to an embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 32D, a mode switching circuit 880 includes a mode switch 881 being suitable for use with the driving circuit 1730 in FIG. 29D. Referring to FIGS. 32D and 29D, the mode switch 881 has three terminals 883, 884, and 885, wherein the terminal 883 is coupled to the filtering output terminal 521, the terminal 884 is coupled to the driving output terminal 1521, and the terminal 885 is coupled to the inductor 1732 in the driving circuit 1730. When the mode switching circuit 880 determines on performing a first driving mode, the mode switch 881 conducts current in a first conductive path through the terminals 883 and 885 and a second conductive path through the terminals 883 and 884 is in a cutoff state. In this case, the filtering output terminal 521 is coupled to the inductor 1732, and therefore the driving circuit 1730 is working normally, which working includes receiving a filtered signal from the filtering output terminals 521 and 522 and then transforming the filtered signal into a driving signal, output at the driving output terminals 1521 and 1522 for driving the LED module. When the mode switching circuit 880 determines on performing a second driving mode, the mode switch 881 conducts current in the second conductive path through the terminals 883 and 884 and the first conductive path through the terminals 883 and 885 is in a cutoff state. In this case, the driving output terminal 1521 is coupled to the filtering output terminal 521, and therefore the driving circuit 1730 stops working, and a filtered signal is input through the filtering output terminals 521 and 522 to the driving output terminals 1521 and 1522 for driving the LED module, while bypassing the inductor 1732 and the freewheeling diode 1733 in the driving circuit 1730. FIG. 32E is a schematic diagram of the mode switching circuit in an LED lamp according to an embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 32E, a mode switching circuit 980 includes a mode switch 981 being suitable for use with the driving circuit 1730 in FIG. 29D. Referring to FIGS. 32E and 29D, the mode switch 981 has three terminals 983, 984, and 985, wherein the terminal 983 is coupled to the driving output terminal 1521, the terminal 984 is coupled to the filtering output terminal 521, and the terminal 985 is coupled to the cathode of diode 1733 in the driving circuit 1730. When the mode switching circuit 980 determines on performing a first driving mode, the mode switch 981 conducts current in a first conductive path through the terminals 983 and 985, and a second conductive path through the terminals 983 and 984 is in a cutoff state. In this case, the filtering output terminal 521 is coupled to the cathode of diode 1733, and therefore the driving circuit 1730 is working normally, which working includes receiving a filtered signal from the filtering output terminals 521 and 522 and then transforming the filtered signal into a driving signal, output at the driving output terminals 1521 and 1522 for driving the LED module. When the mode switching circuit 980 determines on performing a second driving mode, the mode switch 981 conducts current in the second conductive path through the terminals 983 and 984 and the first conductive path through the terminals 983 and 985 is in a cutoff state. In this case, the driving output terminal 1521 is coupled to the filtering output terminal 521, and therefore the driving circuit 1730 stops working, and a filtered signal is input through the filtering output terminals 521 and 522 to the driving output terminals 1521 and 1522 for driving the LED module, while bypassing the inductor 1732 and the freewheeling diode 1733 in the driving circuit 1730. FIG. 32F is a schematic diagram of the mode switching circuit in an LED lamp according to an embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 32F, a mode switching circuit 1680 includes a mode switch 1681 being suitable for use with the driving circuit 1830 in FIG. 29E. Referring to FIGS. 32F and 29E, the mode switch 1681 has three terminals 1683, 1684, and 1685, wherein the terminal 1683 is coupled to the filtering output terminal 521, the terminal 1684 is coupled to the driving output terminal 1521, and the terminal 1685 is coupled to switch 1835 in the driving circuit 1830. When the mode switching circuit 1680 determines on performing a first driving mode, the mode switch 1681 conducts current in a first conductive path through the terminals 1683 and 1685, and a second conductive path through the terminals 1683 and 1684 is in a cutoff state. In this case, the filtering output terminal 521 is coupled to the switch 1835, and therefore the driving circuit 1830 is working normally, which working includes receiving a filtered signal from the filtering output terminals 521 and 522 and then transforming the filtered signal into a driving signal, output at the driving output terminals 1521 and 1522 for driving the LED module. When the mode switching circuit 1680 determines on performing a second driving mode, the mode switch 1681 conducts current in the second conductive path through the terminals 1683 and 1684 and the first conductive path through the terminals 1683 and 1685 is in a cutoff state. In this case, the driving output terminal 1521 is coupled to the filtering output terminal 521, and therefore the driving circuit 1830 stops working, and a filtered signal is input through the filtering output terminals 521 and 522 to the driving output terminals 1521 and 1522 for driving the LED module, while bypassing the inductor 1832 and the switch 1835 in the driving circuit 1830. FIG. 32G is a schematic diagram of the mode switching circuit in an LED lamp according to an embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 32G, a mode switching circuit 1780 includes a mode switch 1781 being suitable for use with the driving circuit 1830 in FIG. 29E. Referring to FIGS. 32G and 29E, the mode switch 1781 has three terminals 1783, 1784, and 1785, wherein the terminal 1783 is coupled to the filtering output terminal 521, the terminal 1784 is coupled to the driving output terminal 1521, and the terminal 1785 is coupled to inductor 1832 in the driving circuit 1830. When the mode switching circuit 1780 determines on performing a first driving mode, the mode switch 1781 conducts current in a first conductive path through the terminals 1783 and 1785, and a second conductive path through the terminals 1783 and 1784 is in a cutoff state. In this case, the filtering output terminal 521 is coupled to the inductor 1832, and therefore the driving circuit 1830 is working normally, which working includes receiving a filtered signal from the filtering output terminals 521 and 522 and then transforming the filtered signal into a driving signal, output at the driving output terminals 1521 and 1522 for driving the LED module. When the mode switching circuit 1780 determines on performing a second driving mode, the mode switch 1781 conducts current in the second conductive path through the terminals 1783 and 1784 and the first conductive path through the terminals 1783 and 1785 is in a cutoff state. In this case, the driving output terminal 1521 is coupled to the filtering output terminal 521, and therefore the driving circuit 1830 stops working, and a filtered signal is input through the filtering output terminals 521 and 522 to the driving output terminals 1521 and 1522 for driving the LED module, while bypassing the inductor 1832 and the switch 1835 in the driving circuit 1830. FIG. 32H is a schematic diagram of the mode switching circuit in an LED lamp according to an embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 32H, a mode switching circuit 1880 includes two mode switches 1881 and 1882 being suitable for use with the driving circuit 1930 in FIG. 29F. Referring to FIGS. 32H and 29F, the mode switch 1881 has three terminals 1883, 1884, and 1885, wherein the terminal 1883 is coupled to the driving output terminal 1521, the terminal 1884 is coupled to the filtering output terminal 521, and the terminal 1885 is coupled to the freewheeling diode 1933 in the driving circuit 1930. And the mode switch 1882 has three terminals 1886, 1887, and 1888, wherein the terminal 1886 is coupled to the driving output terminal 1522, the terminal 1887 is coupled to the filtering output terminal 522, and the terminal 1888 is coupled to the filtering output terminal 521. When the mode switching circuit 1880 determines on performing a first driving mode, the mode switch 1881 conducts current in a first conductive path through the terminals 1883 and 1885, and a second conductive path through the terminals 1883 and 1884 is in a cutoff state, and the mode switch 1882 conducts current in a third conductive path through the terminals 1886 and 1888, and a fourth conductive path through the terminals 1886 and 1887 is in a cutoff state. In this case, the driving output terminal 1521 is coupled to the freewheeling diode 1933, and the filtering output terminal 521 is coupled to the driving output terminal 1522. Therefore the driving circuit 1930 is working normally, which working includes receiving a filtered signal from the filtering output terminals 521 and 522 and then transforming the filtered signal into a driving signal, output at the driving output terminals 1521 and 1522 for driving the LED module. When the mode switching circuit 1880 determines on performing a second driving mode, the mode switch 1881 conducts current in the second conductive path through the terminals 1883 and 1884, and the first conductive path through the terminals 1883 and 1885 is in a cutoff state, and the mode switch 1882 conducts current in the fourth conductive path through the terminals 1886 and 1887, and the third conductive path through the terminals 1886 and 1888 is in a cutoff state. In this case, the driving output terminal 1521 is coupled to the filtering output terminal 521, and the filtering output terminal 522 is coupled to the driving output terminal 1522. Therefore the driving circuit 1930 stops working, and a filtered signal is input through the filtering output terminals 521 and 522 to the driving output terminals 1521 and 1522 for driving the LED module, while bypassing the freewheeling diode 1933 and the switch 1935 in the driving circuit 1930. FIG. 32I is a schematic diagram of the mode switching circuit in an LED lamp according to an embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 32I, a mode switching circuit 1980 includes two mode switches 1981 and 1982 being suitable for use with the driving circuit 1930 in FIG. 29F. Referring to FIGS. 32I and 29F, the mode switch 1981 has three terminals 1983, 1984, and 1985, wherein the terminal 1983 is coupled to the filtering output terminal 522, the terminal 1984 is coupled to the driving output terminal 1522, and the terminal 1985 is coupled to switch 1935 in the driving circuit 1930. And the mode switch 1982 has three terminals 1986, 1987, and 1988, wherein the terminal 1986 is coupled to the filtering output terminal 521, the terminal 1987 is coupled to the driving output terminal 1521, and the terminal 1988 is coupled to the driving output terminal 1522. When the mode switching circuit 1980 determines on performing a first driving mode, the mode switch 1981 conducts current in a first conductive path through the terminals 1983 and 1985, and a second conductive path through the terminals 1983 and 1984 is in a cutoff state, and the mode switch 1982 conducts current in a third conductive path through the terminals 1986 and 1988, and a fourth conductive path through the terminals 1986 and 1987 is in a cutoff state. In this case, driving output terminal 1522 is coupled to the filtering output terminal 521, and the filtering output terminal 522 is coupled to the switch 1935. Therefore the driving circuit 1930 is working normally, which working includes receiving a filtered signal from the filtering output terminals 521 and 522 and then transforming the filtered signal into a driving signal, output at the driving output terminals 1521 and 1522 for driving the LED module. When the mode switching circuit 1980 determines on performing a second driving mode, the mode switch 1981 conducts current in the second conductive path through the terminals 1983 and 1984, and the first conductive path through the terminals 1983 and 1985 is in a cutoff state, and the mode switch 1982 conducts current in the fourth conductive path through the terminals 1986 and 1987, and the third conductive path through the terminals 1986 and 1988 is in a cutoff state. In this case, the driving output terminal 1521 is coupled to the filtering output terminal 521, and the filtering output terminal 522 is coupled to the driving output terminal 1522. Therefore the driving circuit 1930 stops working, and a filtered signal is input through the filtering output terminals 521 and 522 to the driving output terminals 1521 and 1522 for driving the LED module, while bypassing the freewheeling diode 1933 and the switch 1935 in the driving circuit 1930. It's worth noting that the mode switches in the above embodiments may each comprise, for example, a single-pole double-throw switch, or comprise two semiconductor switches (such as metal oxide semiconductor transistors), for switching a conductive path on to conduct current while leaving the other conductive path cutoff. Each of the two conductive paths provides a path for conducting the filtered signal, allowing the current of the filtered signal to flow through one of the two paths, thereby achieving the function of mode switching or selection. For example, with reference to FIG. 24A, when the lamp driving circuit 505 is not present and the LED tube lamp 500 is directly supplied by the AC power supply 508, the mode switching circuit may determine on performing a first driving mode in which the driving circuit transforms the filtered signal into a driving signal with a logic level meeting a required logic level to properly drive the LED module to emit light. On the other hand, when the lamp driving circuit 505 is present, the mode switching circuit may determine on performing a second driving mode in which the filtered signal is (almost) directly used to drive the LED module to emit light; or alternatively the mode switching circuit may determine on performing the first driving mode to drive the LED module to emit light. FIG. 33A is a block diagram of a power supply module in an LED lamp according to an embodiment of the present invention. Compared to FIG. 24B, the embodiment of FIG. 33A includes two rectifying circuits 510 and 540, a filtering circuit 520, and a driving circuit 1530, and further includes a ballast-compatible circuit 1510. In this embodiment, a driving circuit 1530 and an LED module 630 compose the LED lighting module 530. The ballast-compatible circuit 1510 may be coupled between the pin 501 and/or pin 502 and the rectifying circuit 510. This embodiment is explained assuming the ballast-compatible circuit 1510 to be coupled between the pin 501 and the rectifying circuit 510. In an initial stage upon the activation of the driving system of the lamp driving circuit 505, the lamp driving circuit 505's ability to output relevant signal(s) has not risen to a standard state. However, in the initial stage the power supply module of the LED lamp instantly or rapidly receives or conducts the AC driving signal provided by the lamp driving circuit 505, which initial conduction is likely to fail the starting of the LED lamp by the lamp driving circuit 505 as the lamp driving circuit 505 is initially loaded by the LED lamp in this stage. For example, the internal components of the lamp driving circuit 505 may need to retrieve power from a transformed output in the lamp driving circuit 505 in order to maintain their operation upon the activation. In this case, the activation of the lamp driving circuit 505 may end up failing as its output voltage could not normally rise to a required logic level in this initial stage; or the quality factor (Q) of a resonant circuit in the lamp driving circuit 505 may vary as a result of the initial loading from the LED lamp, so as to cause the failure of the activation. In this embodiment, in the initial stage upon activation, the ballast-compatible circuit 1510 will be in an open-circuit state, preventing the energy of the AC driving signal from reaching the LED module. After a defined delay upon the AC driving signal as an external driving signal being input to the LED tube lamp, the ballast-compatible circuit 1510 switches from a cutoff state during the delay to a conducting state, allowing the energy of the AC driving signal to start to reach the LED module. By means of the delayed conduction of the ballast-compatible circuit 1510, operation of the LED lamp simulates the lamp-starting characteristics of a fluorescent lamp, that is, internal gases of the fluorescent lamp will normally discharge for light emission after a delay upon activation of a driving power supply. Therefore, the ballast-compatible circuit 1510 further improves the compatibility of the LED lamp with the lamp driving circuits 505 such as an electronic ballast. FIG. 33B is a block diagram of a power supply module in an LED lamp according to an embodiment of the present invention. Compared to FIG. 33A, a ballast-compatible circuit 1510 in the embodiment of FIG. 33B is coupled between the pin 503 and/or pin 504 and the rectifying circuit 540. As explained regarding the ballast-compatible circuit 1510 in FIG. 33A, the ballast-compatible circuit 1510 in FIG. 33B performs the function of delaying the starting of the LED lamp, or causing the input of the AC driving signal to be delayed for a predefined time, in order to prevent the failure of starting by the lamp driving circuits 505 such as an electronic ballast. Apart from coupling the ballast-compatible circuit 1510 between the terminal pin(s) and the rectifying circuit in the above embodiments, the ballast-compatible circuit 1510 may alternatively be included within a rectifying circuit with a different structure. FIG. 33C illustrates an arrangement with a ballast-compatible circuit in an LED lamp according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 33C, the rectifying circuit assumes the circuit structure of the rectifying circuit 810 in FIG. 25C. The rectifying circuit 810 includes a rectifying unit 815 and a terminal adapter circuit 541. The rectifying unit 815 is coupled to the pins 501 and 502, the terminal adapter circuit 541 is coupled to the output terminals 511 and 512, and the ballast-compatible circuit 1510 in FIG. 33C is coupled between the rectifying unit 815 and the terminal adapter circuit 541. In this case, in the initial stage upon activation of the ballast, an AC driving signal as an external driving signal is input to the LED tube lamp, where the AC driving signal can only reach the rectifying unit 815, but cannot reach other circuits such as the terminal adapter circuit 541, other internal filter circuitry, and the LED lighting module. Moreover, the parasitic capacitors associated with the rectifying diodes 811 and 812 within the rectifying unit 815 are quite small in capacitance and thus can be ignored. Accordingly, the lamp driving circuit 505 in the initial stage isn't loaded with or effectively connected to the equivalent capacitor or inductor of the power supply module of the LED lamp, and the quality factor (Q) of the lamp driving circuit 505 is therefore not adversely affected in this stage, resulting in a successful starting of the LED lamp by the lamp driving circuit 505. It's worth noting that under the condition that the terminal adapter circuit 541 doesn't include components such as capacitors or inductors, interchanging the rectifying unit 815 and the terminal adapter circuit 541 in position, meaning the rectifying unit 815 is connected to the output terminals 511 and 512 and the terminal adapter circuit 541 is connected to the pins 501 and 502, doesn't affect or alter the function of the ballast-compatible circuit 1510. Further, as explained in FIGS. 25A-25D, when a rectifying circuit is connected to the pins 503 and 504 instead of the pins 501 and 502, this rectifying circuit may constitute the rectifying circuit 540. That is, the circuit arrangement with a ballast-compatible circuit 1510 in FIG. 33C may be alternatively included in the rectifying circuit 540 instead of the rectifying circuit 810, without affecting the function of the ballast-compatible circuit 1510. In some embodiments, as described above the terminal adapter circuit 541 doesn't include components such as capacitors or inductors. Or when the rectifying circuit 610 in FIG. 25A constitutes the rectifying circuit 510 or 540, the parasitic capacitances in the rectifying circuit 510 or 540 are quite small and thus can be ignored. These conditions contribute to not affecting the quality factor of the lamp driving circuit 505. FIG. 33D is a block diagram of a power supply module in an LED lamp according to an embodiment of the present invention. Compared to the embodiment of FIG. 33A, a ballast-compatible circuit 1510 in the embodiment of FIG. 33D is coupled between the rectifying circuit 540 and the filtering circuit 520. Since the rectifying circuit 540 also doesn't include components such as capacitors or inductors, the function of the ballast-compatible circuit 1510 in the embodiment of FIG. 33D will not be affected. FIG. 33E is a block diagram of a power supply module in an LED lamp according to an embodiment of the present invention. Compared to the embodiment of FIG. 33A, a ballast-compatible circuit 1510 in the embodiment of FIG. 33E is coupled between the rectifying circuit 510 and the filtering circuit 520. Similarly, since the rectifying circuit 510 doesn't include components such as capacitors or inductors, the function of the ballast-compatible circuit 1510 in the embodiment of FIG. 33E will not be affected. FIG. 33F is a schematic diagram of the ballast-compatible circuit according to an embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 33F, a ballast-compatible circuit 1610 has an initial state in which an equivalent open-circuit is obtained at the ballast-compatible circuit input and output terminals 1611 and 1621. Upon receiving an input signal at the ballast-compatible circuit input terminal 1611, a delay will pass until a current conduction occurs through and between the ballast-compatible circuit input and output terminals 1611 and 1621, transmitting the input signal to the ballast-compatible circuit output terminal 1621. The Ballast-compatible circuit 1610 includes a diode 1612, multiple resistors 1613, 1615, 1618, 1620, and 1622, a bidirectional triode thyristor (TRIAC) 1614, a DIAC or symmetrical trigger diode 1617, a capacitor 1619, and ballast-compatible circuit input and output terminals 1611 and 1621. It's noted that the resistance of resistor 1613 should be quite large so that when the bidirectional triode thyristor 1614 is cutoff in an open-circuit state, an equivalent open-circuit is obtained at ballast-compatible circuit input and output terminals 1611 and 1621. The bidirectional triode thyristor 1614 is coupled between the ballast-compatible circuit input and output terminals 1611 and 1621, and the resistor 1613 is also coupled between the ballast-compatible circuit input and output terminals 1611 and 1621 and in parallel to the bidirectional triode thyristor 1614. The diode 1612, the resistors 1620 and 1622, and the capacitor 1619 are series-connected in sequence between the ballast-compatible circuit input and output terminals 1611 and 1621, and are connected in parallel to the bidirectional triode thyristor 1614. The diode 1612 has an anode connected to the bidirectional triode thyristor 1614, and has a cathode connected to an end of the resistor 1620. The bidirectional triode thyristor 1614 has a control terminal connected to a terminal of the symmetrical trigger diode 1617, which has another terminal connected to an end of the resistor 1618, which has another end connected to a node connecting the capacitor 1619 and the resistor 1622. The resistor 1615 is connected between the control terminal of the bidirectional triode thyristor 1614 and a node connecting the resistor 1613 and the capacitor 1619. In some embodiments, the resistors 1615, 1618, and 1620 could be omitted, and hence they are depicted in dotted line. When the resistor 1618 is omitted, another terminal of the symmetrical trigger diode 1617 mentioned above is directly connected to the node connecting the capacitor 1619 and the resistor 1622. And the cathode of the diode 1612 is connected to the resistor 1622 directly when the resistor 1620 is omitted. When an AC driving signal (such as a high-frequency high-voltage AC signal output by an electronic ballast) is initially input to the ballast-compatible circuit input terminal 1611, the bidirectional triode thyristor 1614 will be in an open-circuit state, not allowing the AC driving signal to pass through and the LED lamp is therefore also in an open-circuit state. In this state, the AC driving signal is charging the capacitor 1619 through the diode 1612 and the resistors 1620 and 1622, gradually increasing the voltage of the capacitor 1619. Upon continually charging for a period of time, the voltage of the capacitor 1619 increases to be above the trigger voltage value of the symmetrical trigger diode 1617 so that the symmetrical trigger diode 1617 is turned on in a conducting state. Then the conducting symmetrical trigger diode 1617 will in turn trigger the bidirectional triode thyristor 1614 on in a conducting state. In this situation, the conducting bidirectional triode thyristor 1614 electrically connects the ballast-compatible circuit input and output terminals 1611 and 1621, allowing the AC driving signal to flow through the ballast-compatible circuit input and output terminals 1611 and 1621, thus starting the operation of the power supply module of the LED lamp. In this case the energy stored by the capacitor 1619 will maintain the conducting state of the bidirectional triode thyristor 1614, to prevent the AC variation of the AC driving signal from causing the bidirectional triode thyristor 1614 and therefore the ballast-compatible circuit 1610 to be cutoff again, or to prevent or reduce the bidirectional triode thyristor 1614 alternating or switching between its conducting and cutoff states. When the ballast-compatible circuit 1610 for the present embodiment is applied to the application circuits shown in FIGS. 33C-33D, the diode 1612 could be omitted because the ballast-compatible circuit 1610 receives the signal that has rectified by the rectifying unit/circuit. In some cases, the bidirectional triode thyristor 1614 could be replaced with a silicon controlled rectifier (SCR), and the symmetrical trigger diode 1617 could be replaced with a thyristor surge suppresser. This kind of replacement does not affect the protection for the circuit. Further, using a silicon controlled rectifier instead of a bidirectional triode thyristor has a lower voltage drop across itself in conduction than that across the bidirectional triode thyristor in conduction. In general, in hundreds of milliseconds upon activation of a lamp driving circuit 505 such as an electronic ballast, the output voltage of the ballast has risen above a certain voltage value as the output voltage hasn't been adversely affected by the sudden initial loading from the LED lamp. In some cases, the AC voltage output from some instant-start ballasts will be firstly kept at a fixed value for a short period, such as 0.01 second, and in the meanwhile, the AC voltage at the fixed value is under 300V and rises or increases with time. However, any loading added at the output of the instant-start ballast in this short period would cause the instant-start ballast failing to pull up the AC voltage for outputting, in particularly, this situation will be quite often when the input voltage of the instant-start ballast is 120V or bellow. Besides, a detection mechanism to detect whether lighting of a fluorescent lamp is achieved may be disposed in lamp driving circuits 505 such as an electronic ballast. In this detection mechanism, if a fluorescent lamp fails to be lit up for a defined period of time, an abnormal state of the fluorescent lamp is detected, causing the fluorescent lamp to enter a protection state. In view of these facts, in certain embodiments, the delay provided by the ballast-compatible circuit 1610 until conduction of the ballast-compatible circuit 1610 and then the LED lamp should be bigger than 0.01 second and may be in the range of about 0.1-3 seconds. It's worth noting that an additional capacitor 1623 may be coupled in parallel to the resistor 1622. The capacitor 1623 works to reflect or support instantaneous change in the voltage between the ballast-compatible circuit input and output terminals 1611 and 1621, and will not affect the function of delayed conduction performed by the ballast-compatible circuit 1610. FIG. 33G is a block diagram of a power supply module in an LED lamp according to an embodiment of the present invention. Compared to the embodiment of FIG. 24A, the lamp driving circuit 505 in the embodiment of FIG. 33G drives a plurality of LED tube lamps 500 connected in series, wherein a ballast-compatible circuit 1610 is disposed in each of the LED tube lamps 500. For the convenience of illustration, two series-connected LED tube lamps 500 are assumed for example and explained as follows. Because the two ballast-compatible circuits 1610 respectively of the two LED tube lamps 500 can actually have different delays until conduction of the LED tube lamps 500, due to various factors such as errors occurring in production processes of some components, the actual timing of conduction of each of the ballast-compatible circuits 1610 is different. Upon activation of a lamp driving circuit 505, the voltage of the AC driving signal provided by the lamp driving circuit 505 will be shared out by the two LED tube lamps 500 roughly equally. Subsequently when only one of the two LED tube lamps 500 first enters a conducting state, the voltage of the AC driving signal then will be borne mostly or entirely by the other LED tube lamp 500. This situation will cause the voltage across the ballast-compatible circuits 1610 in the other LED tube lamp 500 that's not conducting to suddenly increase or be doubled, meaning the voltage between the ballast-compatible circuit input and output terminals 1611 and 1621 might even be suddenly doubled. In view of this, if the capacitor 1623 is included, the voltage division effect between the capacitors 1619 and 1623 will instantaneously increase the voltage of the capacitor 1619, making the symmetrical trigger diode 1617 triggering the bidirectional triode thyristor 1614 into a conducting state, thus causing the two ballast-compatible circuits 1610 respectively of the two LED tube lamps 500 to become conducting almost at the same time. Therefore, by introducing the capacitor 1623, the situation, where one of the two ballast-compatible circuits 1610 respectively of the two series-connected LED tube lamps 500 that is first conducting has its bidirectional triode thyristor 1614 then suddenly cutoff as having insufficient current passing through due to the discrepancy between the delays provided by the two ballast-compatible circuits 1610 until their respective conductions, can be avoided. Therefore, using each ballast-compatible circuit 1610 with the capacitor 1623 further improves the compatibility of the series-connected LED tube lamps with each of the lamp driving circuits 505 such as an electronic ballast. In practical use, a suggested range for the capacitance of the capacitor 1623 is about 10 pF to about 1 nF, which may in some cases be in the range of about 10 pF to about 100 pF, and may be about 47 pF in certain embodiments. It's worth noting that the diode 1612 is used or configured to rectify the signal for charging the capacitor 1619. Therefore, with reference to FIGS. 33C, 33D, and 33E, in the case when the ballast-compatible circuit 1610 is arranged following a rectifying unit or circuit, the diode 1612 may be omitted. Thus the diode 1612 is depicted in a dotted line in FIG. 33F. FIG. 33H is a schematic diagram of the ballast-compatible circuit according to another embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 33H, a ballast-compatible circuit 1710 has an initial state in which an equivalent open-circuit is obtained at the ballast-compatible circuit input and output terminals 1711 and 1721. Upon receiving an input signal at the ballast-compatible circuit input terminal 1711, the ballast-compatible circuit 1710 will be in a cutoff state when the logic level of the input external driving signal is below a defined value corresponding to a conduction delay of the ballast-compatible circuit 1710; and the ballast-compatible circuit 1710 will enter a conducting state upon the logic level of the input external driving signal reaching the defined value, thus transmitting the input signal to the ballast-compatible circuit output terminal 1721. In some cases, the defined value is equal to or bigger than 400V. The ballast-compatible circuit 1710 includes a bidirectional triode thyristor (TRIAC) 1712, a DIAC or symmetrical trigger diode 1713, multiple resistors 1714, 1716, and 1717, and a capacitor 1715. The bidirectional triode thyristor 1712 has a first terminal connected to the ballast-compatible circuit input terminal 1711; a control terminal connected to a terminal of the symmetrical trigger diode 1713 and an end of the resistor 1714; and a second terminal connected to another end of the resistor 1714. The capacitor 1715 has an end connected to another terminal of the symmetrical trigger diode 1713, and has another end connected to the second terminal of the bidirectional triode thyristor 1712. The resistor 1717 is in parallel connection with the capacitor 1715, and is therefore also connected to another terminal of the symmetrical trigger diode 1713 and the second terminal of the bidirectional triode thyristor 1712 mentioned above. And the resistor 1716 has an end connected to the node connecting the capacitor 1715 and the symmetrical trigger diode 1713, and has another end connected to the ballast-compatible circuit output terminal 1721. When an AC driving signal (such as a high-frequency high-voltage AC signal output by an electronic ballast) is initially input to the ballast-compatible circuit input terminal 1711, the bidirectional triode thyristor 1712 will be in an open-circuit state, not allowing the AC driving signal to pass through and the LED lamp is therefore also in an open-circuit state. The input of the AC driving signal causes a potential difference between the ballast-compatible circuit input terminal 1711 and the ballast-compatible circuit output terminal 1721. When the AC driving signal increases with time to eventually reach a sufficient amplitude (which is a defined logic level after the delay) after a period of time, the signal logic level at the ballast-compatible circuit output terminal 1721 has a reflected voltage at the control terminal of the bidirectional triode thyristor 1712 after passing through the resistor 1716, the parallel-connected capacitor 1715 and the resistor 1717, and the resistor 1714, wherein the reflected voltage then triggers the bidirectional triode thyristor 1712 into a conducting state. This conducting state makes the ballast-compatible circuit 1710 entering a conducting state which causes the LED lamp to operate normally. Upon the bidirectional triode thyristor 1712 conducting, a current flows through the resistor 1716 and then charges the capacitor 1715 to store a specific voltage on the capacitor 1715. In this case, the energy stored by the capacitor 1715 will maintain the conducting state of the bidirectional triode thyristor 1712, to prevent the AC variation of the AC driving signal from causing the bidirectional triode thyristor 1712 (or the ballast-compatible circuit 1710) to be cutoff again, or to prevent the situation of the bidirectional triode thyristor 1712 alternating or switching between its conducting and cutoff states. FIG. 33I illustrates the ballast-compatible circuit according to an embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 33I, a ballast-compatible circuit 1810 includes a housing 1812, a metallic electrode 1813, a bimetallic strip 1814, and a heating filament 1816. The metallic electrode 1813 and the heating filament 1816 protrude from the housing 1812, so that they each have a portion inside the housing 1812 and a portion outside of the housing 1812. The metallic electrode 1813's outside portion has a ballast-compatible circuit input terminal 1811, and the heating filament 1816's outside portion has a ballast-compatible circuit output terminal 1821. The housing 1812 is hermetic or tightly sealed and contains inertial gas 1815 such as helium gas. The bimetallic strip 1814 is inside the housing 1812 and is physically and electrically connected to the portion of heating filament 1816 that is inside the housing 1812. And there is a spacing between the bimetallic strip 1814 and the metallic electrode 1813, so that the ballast-compatible circuit input terminal 1811 and the ballast-compatible circuit output terminal 1821 are not electrically connected in the initial state of the ballast-compatible circuit 1810. The bimetallic strip 1814 may include two metallic strips with different temperature coefficients, wherein the metallic strip closer to the metallic electrode 1813 has a smaller temperature coefficient, and the metallic strip more away from the metallic electrode 1813 has a larger temperature coefficient. When an AC driving signal (such as a high-frequency high-voltage AC signal output by an electronic ballast) is initially input at the ballast-compatible circuit input terminal 1811 and the ballast-compatible circuit output terminal 1821, a potential difference between the metallic electrode 1813 and the heating filament 1816 is formed. When the potential difference increases enough to cause electric arc or arc discharge through the inertial gas 1815, meaning when the AC driving signal increases with time to eventually reach the defined logic level after a delay, then the inertial gas 1815 is then heated to cause the bimetallic strip 1814 to swell toward the metallic electrode 1813 (as in the direction of the broken-line arrow in FIG. 33I), with this swelling eventually causing the bimetallic strip 1814 to bear against or close to the metallic electrode 1813, forming the physical and electrical connections between them. In this situation, there is electrical conduction between the ballast-compatible circuit input terminal 1811 and the ballast-compatible circuit output terminal 1821. Then the AC driving signal flows through and thus heats the heating filament 1816. In this heating process, the heating filament 1816 allows a current to flow through when electrical conduction exists between the metallic electrode 1813 and the bimetallic strip 1814, causing the temperature of the bimetallic strip 1814 to be above a defined conduction temperature. As a result, since the respective temperature of the two metallic strips of the bimetallic strip 1814 with different temperature coefficients are maintained above the defined conduction temperature, the bimetallic strip 1814 will bend against or toward the metallic electrode 1813, thus maintaining or supporting the physical joining or connection between the bimetallic strip 1814 and the metallic electrode 1813. Therefore, upon receiving an input signal at the ballast-compatible circuit input and output terminals 1811 and 1821, a delay will pass until an electrical/current conduction occurs through and between the ballast-compatible circuit input and output terminals 1811 and 1821. Therefore, an exemplary ballast-compatible circuit such as described herein may be coupled between any pin and any rectifying circuit described above in the invention, wherein the ballast-compatible circuit will be in a cutoff state in a defined delay upon an external driving signal being input to the LED tube lamp, and will enter a conducting state after the delay. Otherwise, the ballast-compatible circuit will be in a cutoff state when the logic level of the input external driving signal is below a defined value corresponding to a conduction delay of the ballast-compatible circuit; and the ballast-compatible circuit will enter a conducting state upon the logic level of the input external driving signal reaching the defined value. Accordingly, the compatibility of the LED tube lamp described herein with the lamp driving circuits 505 such as an electronic ballast is further improved by using such a ballast-compatible circuit. FIG. 34A is a block diagram of a power supply module in an LED tube lamp according to an embodiment of the present invention. Compared to that shown in FIG. 24B, the present embodiment comprises two rectifying circuits 510 and 540, a filtering circuit 520, and a driving circuit 1530, and further comprises two ballast-compatible circuits 1540. In this embodiment, a driving circuit 1530 and an LED module 630 compose the LED lighting module 530. The two ballast-compatible circuits 1540 are coupled respectively between the pin 503 and the rectifying output terminal 511 and between the pin 504 and the rectifying output terminal 511. Referring to FIG. 24A, the lamp driving circuit 505 is an electronic ballast for supplying an AC driving signal to drive the LED lamp of the present invention. Two ballast-compatible circuits 1540 are initially in conducting states, and then enter into cutoff states in a delay. Therefore, in an initial stage upon activation of the lamp driving circuit 505, the AC driving signal is transmitted through the pin 503, the corresponding ballast-compatible circuit 1540, the rectifying output terminal 511 and the rectifying circuit 510, or through the pin 504, the corresponding ballast-compatible circuit 1540, the rectifying output terminal 511 and the rectifying circuit 510 of the LED lamp, and the filtering circuit 520 and the LED lighting module 530 of the LED lamp are bypassed. Thereby, the LED lamp presents almost no load and does not affect the quality factor of the lamp driving circuit 505 at the beginning, and so the lamp driving circuit can be activated successfully. The two ballast-compatible circuits 1540 are cut off after a time period while the lamp driving circuit 505 has been activated successfully. After that, the lamp driving circuit 505 has a sufficient drive capability for driving the LED lamp to emit light. FIG. 34B is a block diagram of a power supply module in an LED tube lamp according to an embodiment of the present invention. Compared to that shown in FIG. 34A, two ballast-compatible circuits 1540 are changed to be coupled respectively between the pin 503 and the rectifying output terminal 512 and between the pin 504 and the rectifying output terminal 512. Similarly, two ballast-compatible circuits 1540 are initially in conducting states, and then changed to cutoff states after an objective delay. Thereby, the lamp driving circuit 505 drives the LED lamp to emit light after the lamp driving circuit 505 has activated. It is worth noting that the arrangement of the two ballast-compatible circuits 1540 may be changed to be coupled between the pin 501 and the rectifying terminal 511 and between the pin 502 and the rectifying terminal 511, or between the pin 501 and the rectifying terminal 512 and between the pin 502 and the rectifying terminal 512, for having the lamp driving circuit 505 drive the LED lamp to emit light after being activated. FIG. 34C is a block diagram of a power supply module in an LED tube lamp according to an embodiment of the present invention. Compared to that shown in FIGS. 34A and 34B, the rectifying circuit 810 shown in FIG. 25C replaces the rectifying circuit 540, and the rectifying unit 815 of the rectifying circuit 810 is coupled to the pins 503 and 504 and the terminal adapter circuit 541 thereof is coupled to the rectifying output terminals 511 and 512. The arrangement of the two ballast-compatible circuits 1540 is also changed to be coupled respectively between the pin 501 and the half-wave node 819 and between the pin 502 and the half-wave node 819. In an initial stage upon activation of the lamp driving circuit 505, two ballast-compatible circuits 1540 are initially in conducting states. At this moment, the AC driving signal is transmitted through the pin 501, the corresponding ballast-compatible circuit 1540, the half-wave node 819 and the rectifying unit 815, or the pin 502, the corresponding ballast-compatible circuit 1540, the half-wave node 819 and the rectifying unit 815 of the LED lamp, and the terminal adapter circuit 541, the filtering circuit 520 and the LED lighting module 530 of the LED lamp are bypassed. Thereby, the LED lamp presents almost no load and does not affect the quality factor of the lamp driving circuit 505 at the beginning, and so the lamp driving circuit can be activated successfully. The two ballast-compatible circuits 1540 are cut off after a time period while the lamp driving circuit 505 has been activated successfully. After that, the lamp driving circuit 505 has a sufficient drive capability for driving the LED lamp to emit light. It is worth noting that the rectifying circuit 810 shown in FIG. 25C may replace the rectifying circuit 510 of the present embodiment shown in FIG. 34C. Wherein, the rectifying unit 815 of the rectifying circuit 810 is coupled to the pins 501 and 502 and the terminal adapter circuit 541 thereof is coupled to the rectifying output terminals 511 and 512. The arrangement of the two ballast-compatible circuits 1540 is also changed to be coupled respectively between the pin 503 and the half-wave node 819 and between the pin 504 and the half-wave node 819. Accordingly, the ballast-compatible circuit 1540 can still make the lamp driving circuit 505 drive the LED lamp to emit light after being activated. FIG. 34D is a schematic diagram of a ballast-compatible circuit according to an embodiment of the present invention, which is applicable to the embodiments shown in FIGS. 34A and 34C and the described modification thereof. A ballast-compatible circuit 1640 comprises multiple resistors 1643, 1645, 1648 and 1650, two capacitors 1644 and 1649, two diodes 1647 and 1652, two bipolar junction transistors (BJT) 1646 and 1651, a ballast-compatible circuit terminal 1641 and a ballast-compatible circuit terminal 1642. One end of the resistor 1645 is coupled to the ballast-compatible circuit terminal 1641, and the other end is coupled to an emitter of the BJT 1646. A collector of the BJT 1646 is coupled to a positive end of the diode 1647, and a negative end thereof is coupled to the ballast-compatible circuit terminal 1642. The resistor 1643 and the capacitor 1644 are connected in series with each other and coupled between the emitter and the collector of the BJT 1646, and the connection node of the resistor 1643 and the capacitor 1644 is coupled to a base of the BJT 1646. One end of the resistor 1650 is coupled to the ballast-compatible circuit terminal 1642, and the other end is coupled to an emitter of the BJT 1651. A collector of the BJT 1651 is coupled to a positive end of the diode 1652, and a negative end thereof is coupled to the ballast-compatible circuit terminal 1641. The resistor 1648 and the capacitor 1649 are connected in series with each other and coupled between the emitter and the collector of the BJT 1651, and the connection node of the resistor 1648 and the capacitor 1649 is coupled to a base of the BJT 1651. In an initial stage upon the lamp driving circuit 505, e.g. electronic ballast, being activated, voltages across the capacitors 1644 and 1649 are about zero. At this time, the BJTs 1646 and 1651 are in conducting state and the bases thereof allow currents to flow through. Therefore, in an initial stage upon activation of the lamp driving circuit 505, the ballast-compatible circuits 1640 are in conducting state. The AC driving signal charges the capacitor 1644 through the resistor 1643 and the diode 1647, and charges the capacitor 1649 through the resistor 1648 and the diode 1652. After a time period, the voltages across the capacitors 1644 and 1649 reach certain voltages so as to reduce the voltages of the resistors 1643 and 1648, thereby cutting off the BJTs 1646 and 1651, i.e., the states of the BJTs 1646 and 1651 are cutoff states. At this time, the state of the ballast-compatible circuit 1640 is changed to the cutoff state. Thereby, the internal capacitor(s) and inductor(s) do not affect in Q-factor of the lamp driving circuit 505 at the beginning for ensuring the lamp driving circuit activating. Hence, the ballast-compatible circuit 1640 improves the compatibility of LED lamp with the electronic ballast. In summary, the two ballast-compatible circuits of the present invention are respectively coupled between a connection node of the rectifying circuit and the filtering circuit (i.e., the rectifying output terminal 511 or 512) and the pin 501 and between the connection node and the pin 502, or coupled between the connection node and the pin 503 and the connection node and the pin 504. The two ballast-compatible circuits conduct for an objective delay upon the external driving signal being input into the LED tube lamp, and then are cut off after the objective delay for enhancing the compatibility of the LED lamp with the electronic ballast. FIG. 35A is a block diagram of a power supply module in an LED tube lamp according to an embodiment of the present invention. Compared to that shown in FIG. 24B, the LED tube lamp comprises two rectifying circuits 510 and 540, a filtering circuit 520, and an LED lighting module 530, and further comprises two filament-simulating circuits 1560. The filament-simulating circuits 1560 are respectively coupled between the pins 501 and 502 and coupled between the pins 503 and 504, for improving a compatibility with a lamp driving circuit having filament detection function, e.g.: program-start ballast. In an initial stage upon the lamp driving circuit having filament detection function being activated, the lamp driving circuit will determine whether the filaments of the lamp operate normally or are in an abnormal condition of short-circuit or open-circuit. Once determining the abnormal condition of the filaments, the lamp driving circuit stops operating and enters a protection state. In order to avoid a situation where the lamp driving circuit erroneously determines the LED tube lamp to be abnormal due to the LED tube lamp having no filament, the two filament-simulating circuits 1560 simulate the operation of actual filaments of a fluorescent tube to have the lamp driving circuit enter into a normal state to start the LED lamp normally. FIG. 35B is a schematic diagram of a filament-simulating circuit according to an embodiment of the present invention. The filament-simulating circuit comprises a capacitor 1663 and a resistor 1665 connected in parallel, and two ends of the capacitor 1663 and two ends of the resistor 1665 are re respectively coupled to the filament simulating terminals 1661 and 1662. Referring to FIG. 35A, the filament simulating terminals 1661 and 1662 of the two filament simulating circuits 1660 are respectively coupled to the pins 501 and 502 and the pins 503 and 504. During the filament detection process, the lamp driving circuit outputs a detection signal to detect the state of the filaments. The detection signal passes the capacitor 1663 and the resistor 1665 and so the lamp driving circuit determines that the filaments of the LED lamp are normal. In addition, a capacitance value of the capacitor 1663 is low and so a capacitive reactance (equivalent impedance) of the capacitor 1663 is far lower than an impedance of the resistor 1665 due to the lamp driving circuit outputting a high-frequency alternative current (AC) signal to drive LED lamp. Therefore, the filament-simulating circuit 1660 consumes fairly low power when the LED lamp operates normally, and so it almost does not affect the luminous efficiency of the LED lamp. FIG. 35C is a schematic block diagram including a filament-simulating circuit according to an embodiment of the present invention. In the present embodiment, the filament-simulating circuit 1660 replaces the terminal adapter circuit 541 of the rectifying circuit 810 shown in FIG. 25C, which is adopted as the rectifying circuit(s) 510 or/and 540 in the LED lamp. For example, the filament-simulating circuit 1660 of the present embodiment has both of filament simulating and terminal adapting functions. Referring to FIG. 35A, the filament simulating terminals 1661 and 1662 of the filament-simulating circuit 1660 are respectively coupled to the pins 501 and 502 or/and pins 503 and 504. The half-wave node 819 of the rectifying unit 815 in the rectifying circuit 810 is coupled to the filament simulating terminal 1662. FIG. 35D is a schematic block diagram including a filament-simulating circuit according to another embodiment of the present invention. Compared to that shown in FIG. 35C, the half-wave node is changed to be coupled to the filament simulating terminal 1661, and the filament-simulating circuit 1660 in the present embodiment still has both of filament simulating and terminal adapting functions. FIG. 35E is a schematic diagram of a filament-simulating circuit according to another embodiment of the present invention. A filament-simulating circuit 1760 comprises two capacitors 1763 and 1764, and two resistors 1765 and 1766. The capacitors 1763 and 1764 are connected in series and coupled between the filament simulating terminals 1661 and 1662. The resistors 1765 and 1766 are connected in series and coupled between the filament simulating terminals 1661 and 1662. Furthermore, the connection node of the capacitors 1763 and 1764 is coupled to that of the resistors 1765 and 1766. Referring to FIG. 35A, the filament simulating terminals 1661 and 1662 of the filament-simulating circuit 1760 are respectively coupled to the pins 501 and 502 and the pins 503 and 504. When the lamp driving circuit outputs the detection signal for detecting the state of the filament, the detection signal passes the capacitors 1763 and 1764 and the resistors 1765 and 1766 so that the lamp driving circuit determines that the filaments of the LED lamp are normal. It is worth noting that in some embodiments, capacitance values of the capacitors 1763 and 1764 are low and so a capacitive reactance of the serially connected capacitors 1763 and 1764 is far lower than an impedance of the serially connected resistors 1765 and 1766 due to the lamp driving circuit outputting the high-frequency AC signal to drive LED lamp. Therefore, the filament-simulating circuit 1760 consumes fairly low power when the LED lamp operates normally, and so it almost does not affect the luminous efficiency of the LED lamp. Moreover, any one of the capacitor 1763 and the resistor 1765 is short circuited or is an open circuit, or any one of the capacitor 1764 and the resistor 1766 is short circuited or is an open circuit, the detection signal still passes through the filament-simulating circuit 1760 between the filament simulating terminals 1661 and 1662. Therefore, the filament-simulating circuit 1760 still operates normally when any one of the capacitor 1763 and the resistor 1765 is short circuited or is an open circuit or any one of the capacitor 1764 and the resistor 1766 is short circuited or is an open circuit, and so it has quite high fault tolerance. The embodiment of filament-simulating circuit mentioned above could use ceramic capacitor or metallized polypropylene film capacitor, such as the ceramic capacitor in class 2, the metallized polypropylene film capacitor (X2). When the metallized polypropylene film capacitor (X2) is adopted, since its capacitance is smaller than 100 nF and it has a small inherent impedance, it can make the current of the filament-simulating circuit down to tens mA to reduce power consumption. Also, the heating caused by the inherent impedance is smaller, the temperature could be above 70 degrees Celsius or even in the range of 50-60 degrees Celsius. In some cases, the circuit design adopts the flexible sheet to make all of or some of the LED components and the active/passive parts of the AC power module being able to be disposed on the same flexible sheet or different flexible sheets to simplify the structure design in the LED lamp. The capacitor(s) may be preferable to, for example, X7R multi-layer ceramic capacitor and the capacitance thereof can in some embodiments be bigger than 100 nF. FIG. 35F is a schematic block diagram including a filament-simulating circuit according to an embodiment of the present invention. In the present embodiment, the filament-simulating circuit 1860 replaces the terminal adapter circuit 541 of the rectifying circuit 810 shown in FIG. 25C, which is adopted as the rectifying circuit 510 or/and 540 in the LED lamp. For example, the filament-simulating circuit 1860 of the present embodiment has both of filament simulating and terminal adapting functions. An impedance of the filament-simulating circuit 1860 has a negative temperature coefficient (NTC), i.e., the impedance at a higher temperature is lower than that at a lower temperature. In the present embodiment, the filament-simulating circuit 1860 comprises two NTC resistors 1863 and 1864 connected in series and coupled to the filament simulating terminals 1661 and 1662. Referring to FIG. 35A, the filament simulating terminals 1661 and 1662 are respectively coupled to the pins 501 and 502 or/and the pins 503 and 504. The half-wave node 819 of the rectifying unit 815 in the rectifying circuit 810 is coupled to a connection node of the NTC resistors 1863 and 1864. When the lamp driving circuit outputs the detection signal for detecting the state of the filament, the detection signal passes the NTC resistors 1863 and 1864 so that the lamp driving circuit determines that the filaments of the LED lamp are normal. The impedance of the serially connected NTC resistors 1863 and 1864 is gradually decreased with the gradually increasing of temperature due to the detection signal or a preheat process. When the lamp driving circuit enters into the normal state to start the LED lamp normally, the impedance of the serially connected NTC resistors 1863 and 1864 is decreased to a relative low value and so the power consumption of the filament simulation circuit 1860 is lower. An exemplary impedance of the filament-simulating circuit 1860 can be 10 ohms or more at room temperature (25 degrees Celsius) and may be decreased to a range of about 2-10 ohms when the lamp driving circuit enters into the normal state. It may be preferred that the impedance of the filament-simulating circuit 1860 is decreased to a range of about 3-6 ohms when the lamp driving circuit enters into the normal state. FIG. 36A is a block diagram of a power supply module in an LED tube lamp according to an embodiment of the present invention. Compared to that shown in FIG. 24B, the present embodiment comprises two rectifying circuits 510 and 540, a filtering circuit 520, and an LED lighting module 530, and further comprises an over voltage protection (OVP) circuit 1570. The OVP circuit 1570 is coupled to the filtering output terminals 521 and 522 for detecting the filtered signal. The OVP circuit 1570 clamps the logic level of the filtered signal when determining the logic level thereof higher than a defined OVP value. Hence, the OVP circuit 1570 protects the LED lighting module 530 from damage due to an OVP condition. FIG. 36B is a schematic diagram of an overvoltage protection (OVP) circuit according to an embodiment of the present invention. An OVP circuit 1670 comprises a voltage clamping diode 1671, such as zener diode, coupled to the filtering output terminals 521 and 522. The voltage clamping diode 1671 is conducted to clamp a voltage difference at a breakdown voltage when the voltage difference of the filtering output terminals 521 and 522 (i.e., the logic level of the filtered signal) reaches the breakdown voltage. The breakdown voltage may be preferred in a range of about 40 V to about 100 V, and more preferred in a range of about 55 V to about 75V. FIG. 37A is a block diagram of a power supply module in an LED tube lamp according to an embodiment of the present invention. Compared to that shown in FIG. 35A, the present embodiment comprises two rectifying circuits 510 and 540, a filtering circuit 520, an LED lighting module 530 and two filament-simulating circuits 1560, and further comprises a ballast detection circuit 1590. The ballast detection circuit 1590 may be coupled to any one of the pins 501, 502, 503 and 504 and a corresponding rectifying circuit of the rectifying circuits 510 and 540. In the present embodiment, the ballast detection circuit 1590 is coupled between the pin 501 and the rectifying circuit 510. The ballast detection circuit 1590 detects the AC driving signal or a signal input through the pins 501, 502, 503 and 504, and determines whether the input signal is provided by an electric ballast based on the detected result. FIG. 37B is a block diagram of a power supply module in an LED tube lamp according to an embodiment of the present invention. Compared to that shown in FIG. 37A, the rectifying circuit 810 shown in FIG. 25C replaces the rectifying circuit 540 in the present embodiment. The ballast detection circuit 1590 is coupled between the rectifying unit 815 and the terminal adapter circuit 541. One of the rectifying unit 815 and the terminal adapter circuit 541 is coupled to the pins 503 and 504, and the other one is coupled to the rectifying output terminals 511 and 512. In the present embodiment, the rectifying unit 815 is coupled to the pins 503 and 504, and the terminal adapter circuit 541 is coupled to the rectifying output terminals 511 and 512. Similarly, the ballast detection circuit 1590 detects the signal input through the pins 503 and 504 for determining the input signal whether provided by an electric ballast according to the frequency of the input signal. In addition, the rectifying circuit 810 may replace the rectifying circuit 510 instead of the rectifying circuit 540, and the ballast detection circuit 1590 is coupled between the rectifying unit 815 and the terminal adapter circuit 541 in the rectifying circuit 510. FIG. 37C is a block diagram of a ballast detection circuit according to an embodiment of the present invention. A ballast detection circuit 1590 comprises a detection circuit 1590a and a switch circuit 1590b. The switch circuit 1590b is coupled to two switch terminals 1591 and 1592. The detection circuit 1590a is coupled to two detection terminals 1593 and 1594 for detecting a signal transmitted through the detection terminals 1593 and 1594. Alternatively, the switch terminals 1591 and 1592 serves as the detection terminals and the detection terminals 1593 and 1594 are omitted. For example, in certain embodiments, the switch circuit 1590b and the detection circuit 1590a are commonly coupled to the switch terminals 1591 and 1592, and the detection circuit 1590a detects a signal transmitted through the switch terminals 1591 and 1592. Hence, the detection terminals 1593 and 1594 are depicted by dotted lines. FIG. 37D is a schematic diagram of a ballast detection circuit according to an embodiment of the present invention. A ballast detection circuit 1690 comprises a detection circuit 1690a and a switch circuit 1690b, and is coupled between the switch terminals 1591 and 1592. The detection circuit 1690a comprises a symmetrical trigger diode 1691, two resistors 1692 and 1696 and multiple capacitors 1693, 1697 and 1698. The switch circuit 1690b comprises a TRIAC 1699 and an inductor 1694. The capacitor 1698 is coupled between the switch terminals 1591 and 1592 for generating a detection voltage in response to a signal transmitted through the switch terminals 1591 and 1592. When the signal is a high frequency signal, the capacitive reactance of the capacitor 1698 is fairly low and so the detection voltage generated thereby is quite small. Whereas the signal is a low frequency signal or a DC signal, the capacitive reactance of the capacitor 1698 is quite high and so the detection voltage generated thereby is quite high. The resistor 1692 and the capacitor 1693 are connected in series and coupled between two ends of the capacitor 1698. The serially connected resistor 1692 and the capacitor 1693 is used to filter the detection signal generated by the capacitor 1698 and generates a filtered detection signal at a connection node thereof. The filter function of the resistor 1692 and the capacitor 1693 is used to filter high frequency noise in the detection signal for preventing the switch circuit 1690b from misoperation due to the high frequency noise. The resistor 1696 and the capacitor 1697 are connected in series and coupled between two ends of the capacitor 1693, and transmit the filtered detection signal to one end of the symmetrical trigger diode 1691. The serially connected resistor 1696 and capacitor 1697 performs second filtering of the filtered detection signal to enhance the filter effect of the detection circuit 1690a. Based on requirement for filtering logic levels of different applications, the capacitor 1697 may be omitted and the end of the symmetrical trigger diode 1691 is coupled to the connection node of the resistor 1692 and the capacitor 1693 through the resistor 1696. Alternatively, both of the resistor 1696 and the capacitor 1697 are omitted and the end of the symmetrical trigger diode 1691 is directly coupled to the connection node of the resistor 1692 and the capacitor 1693. Therefore, the resistor 1696 and the capacitor 1697 are depicted by dotted lines. The other end of the symmetrical trigger diode 1691 is coupled to a control end of the TRIAC 1699 of the switch circuit 1690b. The symmetrical trigger diode 1691 determines whether to generate a control signal 1695 to trigger the TRIAC 1699 on according to a logic level of a received signal. A first end of the TRIAC 1699 is coupled to the switch terminal 1591 and a second end thereof is coupled to the switch terminal 1592 through the inductor 1694. The inductor 1694 is used to protect the TRIAC 1699 from damage due to a situation where the signal transmitted into the switch terminals 1591 and 1592 is over a maximum rate of rise of commutation voltage or switching voltage, a repetitive peak voltage in off-state or a maximum rate of change of current. When the switch terminals 1591 and 1592 receive a low frequency signal or a DC signal, the detection signal generated by the capacitor 1698 is high enough to make the symmetrical trigger diode 1691 generate the control signal 1695 to trigger the TRIAC 1699 on. At this time, the switch terminals 1591 and 1592 are shorted to bypass the circuit(s) connected in parallel with the switch circuit 1690b, such as a circuit coupled between the switch terminals 1591 and 1592, the detection circuit 1690a and the capacitor 1698. In some embodiments, when the switch terminals 1591 and 1592 receive a high frequency AC signal, the detection signal generated by the capacitor 1698 is not high enough to make the symmetrical trigger diode 1691 generate the control signal 1695 to trigger the TRIAC 1699 on. At this time, the TRIAC 1699 is cut off and so the high frequency AC signal is mainly transmitted through an external circuit or the detection circuit 1690a. Hence, the ballast detection circuit 1690 can determine whether the input signal is a high frequency AC signal provided by an electric ballast. If yes, the high frequency AC signal is transmitted through the external circuit or the detection circuit 1690a; if no, the input signal is transmitted through the switch circuit 1690b, bypassing the external circuit and the detection circuit 1690a. It is worth noting that the capacitor 1698 may be replaced by external capacitor(s), such as at least one capacitor in the terminal adapter circuits shown in FIG. 26A-C. Therefore, the capacitor 1698 may be omitted and be therefore depicted by a dotted line. FIG. 37E is a schematic diagram of a ballast detection circuit according to an embodiment of the present invention. A ballast detection circuit 1790 comprises a detection circuit 1790a and a switch circuit 1790b. The switch circuit 1790b is coupled between the switch terminals 1591 and 1592. The detection circuit 1790a is coupled between the detection terminals 1593 and 1594. The detection circuit 1790a comprises two inductors 1791 and 1792 with mutual induction, two capacitors 1793 and 1796, a resistor 1794 and a diode 1797. The switch circuit 1790b comprises a switch 1799. In the present embodiment, the switch 1799 is a p-type depletion mode MOSFET, which is cut off when the gate voltage is higher than a threshold voltage and is conducted when the gate voltage is lower than the threshold voltage. The inductor 1792 is coupled between the detection terminals 1593 and 1594 and induces a detection voltage in the inductor 1791 based on a current signal flowing through the detection terminals 1593 and 1594. The logic level of the detection voltage is varied with the frequency of the current signal, and may be increased with the increasing of that frequency and reduced with the decreasing of that frequency. In some embodiments, when the signal is a high frequency signal, the inductive reactance of the inductor 1792 is quite high and so the inductor 1791 induces the detection voltage with a quite high logic level. When the signal is a low frequency signal or a DC signal, the inductive reactance of the inductor 1792 is quite low and so the inductor 1791 induces the detection voltage with a quite low logic level. One end of the inductor 1791 is grounded. The serially connected capacitor 1793 and resistor 1794 is connected in parallel with the inductor 1791 to receive the detection voltage generated by the inductor 1791 and to filter a high frequency component of the detection voltage to generate a filtered detection voltage. The filtered detection voltage charges the capacitor 1796 through the diode 1797 to generate a control signal 1795. Due to the diode 1797 providing a one-way charge for the capacitor 1796, the logic level of control signal 1795 generated by the capacitor 1796 is the maximum value of the detection voltage. The capacitor 1796 is coupled to the control end of the switch 1799. First and second ends of the switch 1799 are respectively coupled to the switch terminals 1591 and 1592. When the signal received by the detection terminals 1593 and 1594 is a low frequency signal or a DC signal, the control signal 1795 generated by the capacitor 1796 is lower than the threshold voltage of the switch 1799 and so the switch 1799 are conducted. At this time, the switch terminals 1591 and 1592 are shorted to bypass the external circuit(s) connected in parallel with the switch circuit 1790b, such as at least one capacitor in the terminal adapter circuits those show in FIGS. 26A-C. When the signal received by the detection terminal 1593 and 1594 is a high frequency signal, the control signal 1795 generated by the capacitor 1796 is higher than the threshold voltage of the switch 1799 and so the switch 1799 are cut off. At this time, the high frequency signal is transmitted by the external circuit(s). Hence, the ballast detection circuit 1790 can determine whether the input signal is a high frequency AC signal provided by an electric ballast. If yes, the high frequency AC signal is transmitted through the external circuit(s); if no, the input signal is transmitted through the switch circuit 1790b, bypassing the external circuit(s). Next, exemplary embodiments of the conduction (bypass) and cut off (not bypass) operations of the switch circuit in the ballast detection circuit of an LED lamp will be illustrated. For example, the switch terminals 1591 and 1592 are coupled to a capacitor connected in series with the LED lamp, e.g., a signal for driving the LED lamp also flows through the capacitor. The capacitor may be disposed inside the LED lamp to be connected in series with internal circuit(s) or outside the LED lamp to be connected in series with the LED lamp. When the lamp driving circuit 505 exists, the lamp driving circuit 505 provides a high voltage and high frequency AC driving signal as an external driving signal to drive the LED tube lamp 500. At this moment, the switch circuit of the ballast detection circuit is cut off, and so the capacitor is connected in series with an equivalent capacitor of the internal circuit(s) of the LED tube lamp for forming a capacitive voltage divider network. Thereby, a division voltage applied in the internal circuit(s) of the LED tube lamp is lower than the high voltage and high frequency AC driving signal, e.g.: the division voltage is in a range of 100-270V, and so no over voltage causes the internal circuit(s) damage. Alternatively, the switch terminals 1591 and 1592 is coupled to the capacitor(s) of the terminal adapter circuit shown in FIGS. 26A-C to have the signal flowing through the half-wave node as well as the capacitor(s), e.g., the capacitor 642 in FIG. 26A, or the capacitor 842 in FIG. 26C. When the high voltage and high frequency AC signal generated by the lamp driving circuit 505 is input, the switch circuit is cut off and so the capacitive voltage divider is performed; and when the low frequency AC signal of the commercial power or the direct current of battery is input, the switch circuit bypasses the capacitor(s). It is worth noting that the switch circuit may have plural switch units to have two or more switch terminals connecting in parallel with plural parallel-connected capacitors (e.g., the capacitors 645 and 646 in FIG. 26A, the capacitors 643, 645 and 646 in FIG. 26A, the capacitors 743 and 744 or/and the capacitors 745 and 746 in FIG. 26B, the capacitors 843 and 844 in FIG. 26C, the capacitors 845 and 846 in FIG. 26C, the capacitors 842, 843 and 844 in FIG. 26C, the capacitors 842, 845 and 846 in FIG. 26C, and the capacitors 842, 843, 844, 845 and 846 in FIG. 26C) to achieve the effect of bypassing the plural capacitors equivalently serial-connected with the LED tube lamp. In addition, the ballast detection circuit of the present invention can be used in conjunction with the mode switching circuits shown in FIGS. 32A-32I. The switch circuit of the ballast detection circuit is replaced with the mode switching circuit. The detection circuit of the ballast detection circuit is coupled to one of the pins 501, 502, 503 and 504 for detecting the signal input into the LED lamp through the pins 501, 502, 503 and 504. The detection circuit generates a control signal to control the mode switching circuit being at the first mode or the second mode according to whether the signal is a high frequency, low frequency or DC signal, i.e., the frequency of the signal. For example, when the signal is a high frequency signal and higher than a defined mode switch frequency, such as the signal provided by the lamp driving circuit 505, the control signal generated by the detection circuit makes the mode switching circuit be at the second mode for directly inputting the filtered signal into the LED module. When the signal is a low frequency signal or a direct signal and lower than the defined mode switch frequency, such as the signal provided by the commercial power or the battery, the control signal generated by the detection circuit makes the mode switching circuit be at the first mode for directly inputting the filtered signal into the driving circuit. FIG. 38A is a block diagram of a power supply module in an LED tube lamp according to an embodiment of the present invention. Compared to that shown in FIG. 35A, the present embodiment comprises two rectifying circuits 510 and 540, a filtering circuit 520, an LED lighting module 530, two filament-simulating circuits 1560, and further comprises an auxiliary power module 2510. The auxiliary power module 2510 is coupled between the filtering output terminals 521 and 522. The auxiliary power module 2510 detects the filtered signal in the filtering output terminals 521 and 522, and determines whether providing an auxiliary power to the filtering output terminals 521 and 522 based on the detected result. When the supply of the filtered signal is stopped or a logic level thereof is insufficient, i.e., when a drive voltage for the LED module is below a defined voltage, the auxiliary power module provides auxiliary power to keep the LED lighting module 530 continuing to emit light. The defined voltage is determined according to an auxiliary power voltage of the auxiliary power module 2510. The filament-simulating circuits 1560 may be omitted and are therefore depicted by dotted lines. FIG. 38B is a block diagram of a power supply module in an LED tube lamp according to an embodiment of the present invention. Compared to that shown in FIG. 38A, the present embodiment comprises two rectifying circuits 510 and 540, a filtering circuit 520, an LED lighting module 530, two filament-simulating circuits 1560, and an auxiliary power module 2510, and the LED lighting module 530 further comprises a driving circuit 1530 and an LED module 630. The auxiliary power module 2510 is coupled between the driving output terminals 1521 and 1522. The auxiliary power module 2510 detects the driving signal in the driving output terminals 1521 and 1522, and determines whether to provide an auxiliary power to the driving output terminals 1521 and 1522 based on the detected result. When the driving signal is no longer being supplied or a logic level thereof is insufficient, the auxiliary power module 2510 provides the auxiliary power to keep the LED module 630 continuously light. The filament-simulating circuits 1560 may be omitted and are therefore depicted by dotted lines. FIG. 38C is a schematic diagram of an auxiliary power module according to an embodiment of the present invention. The auxiliary power module 2610 comprises an energy storage unit 2613 and a voltage detection circuit 2614. The auxiliary power module further comprises an auxiliary power positive terminal 2611 and an auxiliary power negative terminal 2612 for being respectively coupled to the filtering output terminals 521 and 522 or the driving output terminals 1521 and 1522. The voltage detection circuit 2614 detects a logic level of a signal at the auxiliary power positive terminal 2611 and the auxiliary power negative terminal 2612 to determine whether releasing outward the power of the energy storage unit 2613 through the auxiliary power positive terminal 2611 and the auxiliary power negative terminal 2612. In the present embodiment, the energy storage unit 2613 is a battery or a supercapacitor. When a voltage difference of the auxiliary power positive terminal 2611 and the auxiliary power negative terminal 2612 (the drive voltage for the LED module) is higher than the auxiliary power voltage of the energy storage unit 2613, the voltage detection circuit 2614 charges the energy storage unit 2613 by the signal in the auxiliary power positive terminal 2611 and the auxiliary power negative terminal 2612. When the drive voltage is lower than the auxiliary power voltage, the energy storage unit 2613 releases the stored energy outward through the auxiliary power positive terminal 2611 and the auxiliary power negative terminal 2612. The voltage detection circuit 2614 comprises a diode 2615, a bipolar junction transistor (BJT) 2616 and a resistor 2617. A positive end of the diode 2615 is coupled to a positive end of the energy storage unit 2613 and a negative end of the diode 2615 is coupled to the auxiliary power positive terminal 2611. The negative end of the energy storage unit 2613 is coupled to the auxiliary power negative terminal 2612. A collector of the BJT 2616 is coupled to the auxiliary power positive terminal 2611, and an emitter thereof is coupled to the positive end of the energy storage unit 2613. One end of the resistor 2617 is coupled to the auxiliary power positive terminal 2611 and the other end is coupled to a base of the BJT 2616. When the collector of the BJT 2616 is a cut-in voltage higher than the emitter thereof, the resistor 2617 conducts the BJT 2616. When the power source provides power to the LED tube lamp normally, the energy storage unit 2613 is charged by the filtered signal through the filtering output terminals 521 and 522 and the conducted BJT 2616 or by the driving signal through the driving output terminals 1521 and 1522 and the conducted BJT 2616 until that the collector-emitter voltage of the BJT 2616 is lower than or equal to the cut-in voltage. When the filtered signal or the driving signal is no longer being supplied or the logic level thereof is insufficient, the energy storage unit 2613 provides power through the diode 2615 to keep the LED lighting module 530 or the LED module 630 continuously light. It is worth noting that in some embodiments, the maximum voltage of the charged energy storage unit 2613 is at least one cut-in voltage of the BJT 2616 lower than the voltage difference applied between the auxiliary power positive terminal 2611 and the auxiliary power negative terminal 2612. The voltage difference provided between the auxiliary power positive terminal 2611 and the auxiliary power negative terminal 2612 is a turn-on voltage of the diode 2615 lower than the voltage of the energy storage unit 2613. Hence, when the auxiliary power module 2610 provides power, the voltage applied at the LED module 630 is lower (about the sum of the cut-in voltage of the BJT 2616 and the turn-on voltage of the diode 2615). In the embodiment shown in the FIG. 38B, the brightness of the LED module 630 is reduced when the auxiliary power module supplies power thereto. Thereby, when the auxiliary power module is applied to an emergency lighting system or a constant lighting system, the user realizes the main power supply, such as commercial power, is abnormal and then performs necessary precautions therefor. Referring to FIG. 39A, a block diagram of an LED tube lamp including a power supply module in accordance with certain embodiments is illustrated. Compared to the LED lamp shown in FIG. 24B, the LED tube lamp of FIG. 39A comprises two rectifying circuits 510 and 540, a filtering circuit 520, and an LED lighting module 530, and further comprises an installation detection module 2520. The installation detection module 2520 is coupled to the rectifying circuit 510 (and/or the rectifying circuit 540) via an installation detection terminal 2521 and is coupled to the filtering circuit 520 via an installation detection terminal 2522. The installation detection module 2520 detects the signal passing through the installation detection terminals 2521 and 2522 and determines whether to cut off an LED driving signal (e.g., an external driving signal) passing through the LED tube lamp based on the detected result. The installation detection module includes circuitry configured to perform these steps, and thus may be referred to as an installation detection circuit, or more generally as a detection circuit or cut-off circuit. When an LED tube lamp is not yet installed on a lamp socket or holder, or in some cases if it is not installed properly or is only partly installed (e.g., one side is connected to a lamp socket, but not the other side yet), the installation detection module 2520 detects a smaller current and determines the signal is passing through a high impedance. In this case, in certain embodiments, the installation detection circuit 2520 is in a cut-off state to make the LED tube lamp stop working. Otherwise, the installation detection module 2520 determines that the LED tube lamp has already been installed on the lamp socket or holder, and it keeps on conducting to make the LED tube lamp working normally. For example, in some embodiments, when a current passing through the installation detection terminals is greater than or equal to a specific, defined installation current (or a current value), which may indicate that the current supplied to the lighting module 530 is greater than or equal to a specific, defined operating current, the installation detection module is conductive to make the LED tube lamp operate in a conductive state. For example, a current greater than or equal to the specific current value may indicate that the LED tube lamp has correctly been installed in the lamp socket or holder. When the current passing through the installation detection terminals is smaller than the specific, defined installation current (or the current value), which may indicate that the current supplied to the lighting module 530 is less than a specific, defined operating current, the installation detection module cuts off current to make the LED tube lamp enter in a non-conducting state based on determining that the LED tube lamp has been not installed in, or does not properly connect to, the lamp socket or holder. In certain embodiments, the installation detection module 2520 determines conducting or cutting off based on the impedance detection to make the LED tube lamp operate in a conducting state or enter non-conducting state. The LED tube lamp operating in a conducting state may refer to the LED tube lamp including a sufficient current passing through the LED module to cause the LED light sources to emit light. The LED tube lamp operating in a cut-off state may refer to the LED tube lamp including an insufficient current or no current passing through the LED module so that the LED light sources do not emit light. Accordingly, the occurrence of electric shock caused by touching the conductive part of the LED tube lamp which is incorrectly installed on the lamp socket or holder can be better avoided. Referring to FIG. 39B, a block diagram of an installation detection module in accordance with certain embodiments is illustrated. The installation detection module includes a switch circuit 2580, a detection pulse generating module 2540, a detection result latching circuit 2560, and a detection determining circuit 2570. Certain of these circuits or modules may be referred to as first, second, third, etc., circuits as a naming convention to differentiate them from each other. The detection determining circuit 2570 is coupled to and detects the signal between the installation detection terminals 2521 (through a switch circuit coupling terminal 2581 and the switch circuit 2580) and 2522. It is also coupled to the detection result latching circuit 2560 via a detection result terminal 2571 to transmit the detection result signal. The detection determining circuit 2570 may be configured to detect a current passing through terminals 2521 and 2522 (e.g., to detect whether the current is above or below a specific value). The detection pulse generating module 2540 is coupled to the detection result latching circuit 2560 via a pulse signal output terminal 2541, and generates a pulse signal to inform the detection result latching circuit 2560 of a time point for latching (storing) the detection result. For example, the detection pulse generating module 2540 may be a circuit configured to generate a signal that causes a latching circuit, such as the detection result latching circuit 2560 to enter and remain in a state that corresponds to one of a conducting state or a cut-off state for the LED tube lamp. The detection result latching circuit 2560 stores the detection result according to the detection result signal (or detection result signal and pulse signal), and transmits or provides the detection result to the switch circuit 2580 coupled to the detection result latching circuit 2560 via a detection result latching terminal 2561. The switch circuit 2580 controls the state between conducting or cut off between the installation detection terminals 2521 and 2522 according to the detection result. Referring to FIG. 39C, a block diagram of a detection pulse generating module in accordance with certain embodiments is illustrated. A detection pulse generating module 2640 may be a circuit that includes multiple capacitors 2642, 2645, and 2646, multiple resistors 2643, 2647, and 2648, two buffers 2644, and 2651, an inverter 2650, a diode 2649, and an OR gate 2652. With use or operation, the capacitor 2642 and the resistor 2643 connect in series between a driving voltage (e.g., a driving voltage source, which may be a node of a power supply), such as VCC usually defined as a high logic level voltage, and a reference voltage (or potential), such as ground potential in this embodiment. The connection node between the capacitor 2642 and the resistor 2643 is coupled to an input terminal of the buffer 2644. The resistor 2647 is coupled between the driving voltage, e.g., VCC, and an input terminal of the inverter 2650. The resistor 2648 is coupled between an input terminal of the buffer 2651 and the reference voltage, e.g. ground potential in this embodiment. An anode of the diode 2649 is grounded and a cathode thereof is coupled to the input terminal of the buffer 2651. First ends of the capacitors 2645 and 2646 are jointly coupled to an output terminal of the buffer 2644, and second, opposite ends of the capacitors 2645 and 2646 are respectively coupled to the input terminal of the inverter 2650 and the input terminal of the buffer 2651. An output terminal of the inverter 2650 and an output terminal of the buffer 2651 are coupled to two input terminals of the OR gate 2652. According to certain embodiments, the voltage (or potential) for “high logic level” and “low logic level” mentioned in this specification are all relative to another voltage (or potential) or a certain reference voltage (or potential) in circuits, and further may be described as “logic high logic level” and “logic low logic level.” When an end cap of an LED tube lamp is inserted into a lamp socket and the other end cap thereof is electrically coupled to a human body, or when both end caps of the LED tube lamp are inserted into the lamp socket, the LED tube lamp is conductive with electricity. At this moment, the installation detection module enters a detection stage. The voltage on the connection node of the capacitor 2642 and the resistor 2643 is high initially (equals to the driving voltage, VCC) and decreases with time to zero finally. The input terminal of the buffer 2644 is coupled to the connection node of the capacitor 2642 and the resistor 2643, so the buffer 2644 outputs a high logic level signal at the beginning and changes to output a low logic level signal when the voltage on the connection node of the capacitor 2642 and the resistor 2643 decreases to a low logic trigger logic level. As a result, the buffer 2644 is configured to produce an input pulse signal and then remain in a low logic level thereafter (stops outputting the input pulse signal.) The width for the input pulse signal may be described as equal to one (initial setting) time period, which is determined by the capacitance value of the capacitor 2642 and the resistance value of the resistor 2643. Next, the operations for the buffer 2644 to produce the pulse signal with the initial setting time period will be described below. Since the voltage on a first end of the capacitor 2645 and on a first end of the resistor 2647 is equal to the driving voltage VCC, the voltage on the connection node of both of them is also a high logic level. The first end of the resistor 2648 is grounded and the first end of the capacitor 2646 receives the pulse signal from the buffer 2644, so the connection node of the capacitor 2646 and the resistor 2648 has a high logic level voltage at the beginning but this voltage decreases with time to zero (in the meantime, the capacitor stores the voltage being equal to or approaching the driving voltage VCC.) Accordingly, initially the inverter 2650 outputs a low logic level signal and the buffer 2651 outputs a high logic level signal, and hence the OR gate 2652 outputs a high logic level signal (a first pulse signal) at the pulse signal output terminal 2541. At this moment, the detection result latching circuit 2560 stores the detection result for the first time according to the detection result signal and the pulse signal. During that initial pulse time period, detection pulse generating module 2540 outputs a high logic level signal, which results in the detection result latching circuit 2560 outputting the result of that high logic level signal. When the voltage on the connection node of the capacitor 2646 and the resistor 2648 decreases to the low logic trigger logic level, the buffer 2651 changes to output a low logic level signal to make the OR gate 2652 output a low logic level signal at the pulse signal output terminal 2541 (stops outputting the first pulse signal.) The width of the first pulse signal output from the OR gate 2652 is determined by the capacitance value of the capacitor 2646 and the resistance value of the resistor 2648. The operation after the buffer 2644 stops outputting the pulse signal is described as below. For example, the operation may be initially in an operating stage. Since the capacitor 2646 stores the voltage being almost equal to the driving voltage VCC, and when the buffer 2644 instantaneously changes its output from a high logic level signal to a low logic level signal, the voltage on the connection node of the capacitor 2646 and the resistor 2648 is below zero but will be pulled up to zero by the diode 2649 rapidly charging the capacitor. Therefore, the buffer 2651 still outputs a low logic level signal. On the other hand, when the buffer 2644 instantaneously changes its output from a high logic level signal to a low logic level signal, the voltage on the one end of the capacitor 2645 also changes from the driving voltage VCC to zero instantly. This makes the connection node of the capacitor 2645 and the resistor 2647 have a low logic level signal. At this moment, the output of the inverter 2650 changes to a high logic level signal to make the OR gate output a high logic level signal (a second pulse signal.) The detection result latching circuit 2560 stores the detection result for a second time according to the detection result signal and the pulse signal. Next, the driving voltage VCC charges the capacitor 2645 through the resistor 2647 to make the voltage on the connection node of the capacitor 2645 and the resistor 2647 increase with time to the driving voltage VCC. When the voltage on the connection node of the capacitor 2645 and the resistor 2647 increases to reach a high logic trigger logic level, the inverter 2650 outputs a low logic level signal again to make the OR gate 2652 stop outputting the second pulse signal. The width of the second pulse signal is determined by the capacitance value of the capacitor 2645 and the resistance value of the resistor 2647. As those mentioned above, in certain embodiments, the detection pulse generating module 2640 generates two high logic level pulse signals in the detection stage, which are the first pulse signal and the second pulse signal. These pulse signals are output from the pulse signal output terminal 2541. Moreover, there is an interval with a defined time between the first and second pulse signals (e.g., an opposite-logic signal, which may have a low logic level when the pulse signals have a high logic level), and the defined time is determined by the capacitance value of the capacitor 2642 and the resistance value of the resistor 2643). From the detection stage entering the operating stage, the detection pulse generating module 2640 does not produce the pulse signal any more, and keeps the pulse signal output terminal 2541 on a low logic level potential. As described herein, the operating stage is the stage following the detection stage (e.g., following the time after the second pulse signal ends). The operating stage occurs when the LED tube lamp is at least partly connected to a power source, such as provided in a lamp socket. For example, the operating stage may occur when part of the LED tube lamp, such as only one side of the LED tube lamp, is properly connected to one side of a lamp socket, and part of the LED tube lamp is either connected to a high impedance, such as a person, and/or is improperly connected to the other side of the lamp socket (e.g., is misaligned so that the metal contacts in the socket do not contact metal contacts in the LED tube lamp). The operating stage may also occur when the entire LED tube lamp is properly connected to the lamp socket. Referring to FIG. 39D, a detection determining circuit in accordance with certain embodiments is illustrated. An exemplary detection determining circuit 2670 includes a comparator 2671, and a resistor 2672. A negative input terminal of the comparator 2671 receives a reference logic level signal (or a reference voltage) Vref, a positive input terminal thereof is grounded through the resistor 2672 and is also coupled to a switch circuit coupling terminal 2581. Referring to FIGS. 39B and 39D, the signal flowing into the switch circuit 2580 from the installation detection terminal 2521 outputs to the switch circuit coupling terminal 2581 to the resistor 2672. When the current of the signal passing through the resistor 2672 reaches a certain level (for example, bigger than or equal to a defined current for installation, (e.g. 2 A) and this makes the voltage on the resistor 2672 higher than the reference voltage Vref (referring to two end caps inserted into the lamp socket,) the comparator 2671 produces a high logic level detection result signal and outputs it to the detection result terminal 2571. For example, when an LED tube lamp is correctly installed on a lamp socket, the comparator 2671 outputs a high logic level detection result signal at the detection result terminal 2571, whereas the comparator 2671 generates a low logic level detection result signal and outputs it to the detection result terminal 2571 when a current passing through the resistor 2672 is insufficient to make the voltage on the resistor 2672 higher than the reference voltage Vref (referring to only one end cap inserted into the lamp socket.) Therefore, in some embodiments, when the LED tube lamp is incorrectly installed on the lamp socket or one end cap thereof is inserted into the lamp socket but the other one is grounded by an object such as a human body, the current will be too small to make the comparator 2671 output a high logic level detection result signal to the detection result terminal 2571. Referring to FIG. 39E, a schematic detection result latching circuit according to some embodiments of the present invention is illustrated. A detection result latching circuit 2660 includes a D flip-flop 2661, a resistor 2662, and an OR gate 2663. The D flip-flop 2661 has a CLK input terminal coupled to a detection result terminal 2571, and a D input terminal coupled to a driving voltage VCC. When the detection result terminal 2571 first outputs a low logic level detection result signal, the D flip-flop 2661 initially outputs a low logic level signal at a Q output terminal thereof, but the D flip-flop 2661 outputs a high logic level signal at the Q output terminal thereof when the detection result terminal 2571 outputs a high logic level detection result signal. The resistor 2662 is coupled between the Q output terminal of the D flip-flop 2661 and a reference voltage, such as ground potential. When the OR gate 2663 receives the first or second pulse signals from the pulse signal output terminal 2541 or receives a high logic level signal from the Q output terminal of the D flip-flop 2661, the OR gate 2663 outputs a high logic level detection result latching signal at a detection result latching terminal 2561. The detection pulse generating module 2640 only in the detection stage outputs the first and the second pulse signals to make the OR gate 2663 output the high logic level detection result latching signal, and thus the D flip-flop 2661 decides the detection result latching signal to be the high logic level or the low logic level the rest of the time, e.g. including the operating stage after the detection stage. Accordingly, when the detection result terminal 2571 has no high logic level detection result signal, the D flip-flop 2661 keeps a low logic level signal at the Q output terminal to make the detection result latching terminal 2561 also keep a low logic level detection result latching signal in the detection stage. On the contrary, once the detection result terminal 2571 has a high logic level detection result signal, the D flip-flop 2661 outputs and keeps a high logic level signal (e.g., based on VCC) at the Q output terminal. In this way, the detection result latching terminal 2561 keeps a high logic level detection result latching signal in the operating stage as well. Referring to FIG. 39F, a schematic switch circuit according to some embodiments is illustrated. A switch circuit 2680 includes a transistor, such as a bipolar junction transistor (BJT) 2681, as being a power transistor, which has the ability of dealing with high current/power and is suitable for the switch circuit. The BJT 2681 has a collector coupled to an installation detection terminal 2521, a base coupled to a detection result latching terminal 2561, and an emitter coupled to a switch circuit coupling terminal 2581. When the detection pulse generating module 2640 produces the first and second pulse signals, the BJT 2681 is in a transient conduction state. This allows the detection determining circuit 2670 to perform the detection for determining the detection result latching signal to be a high logic level or a low logic level. When the detection result latching circuit 2660 outputs a high logic level detection result latching signal at the detection result latching terminal 2561, the BJT 2681 is in the conducting state to make the installation detection terminals 2521 and 2522 conducting. In contrast, when the detection result latching circuit 2660 outputs a low logic level detection result latching signal at the detection result latching terminal 2561 and the output from detection pulse generating module 2640 is a low logic level, the BJT 2681 is cut-off or in the blocking state to make the installation detection terminals 2521 and 2522 cut-off or blocking. Since the external driving signal is an AC signal and in order to avoid the detection error resulting from the logic level of the external driving signal being just around zero when the detection determining circuit 2670 detects, the detection pulse generating module 2640 generates the first and second pulse signals to let the detection determining circuit 2670 perform two detections. So the issue of the logic level of the external driving signal being just around zero in a single detection can be avoided. In some cases, the time difference between the productions of the first and second pulse signals is not multiple times of half one cycle of the external driving signal. For example, it does not correspond to the multiple phase differences of 180 degrees of the external driving signal. In this way, when one of the first and second pulse signals is generated and unfortunately the external driving signal is around zero, it can be avoided that the external driving signal is again around zero when the other pulse signal is generated. The time difference between the productions of the first and second pulse signals, for example, an interval with a defined time between both of them can be represented as following: the interval=(X+Y)(T/2), where T represents the cycle of an external driving signal, X is a natural number, 0<Y<1, with Y in some embodiments in the range of 0.05-0.95, and in some embodiments in the range of 0.15-0.85. Furthermore, in order to avoid the installation detection module entering the detection stage from misjudgment resulting from the logic level of the driving voltage VCC being too small, the first pulse signal can be set to be produced when the driving voltage VCC reaches or is higher than a defined logic level. For example, in some embodiments, the detection determining circuit 2670 works after the driving voltage VCC reaching a high enough logic level in order to prevent the installation detection module from misjudgment due to an insufficient logic level. According to the examples mentioned above, when one end cap of an LED tube lamp is inserted into a lamp socket and the other one floats or electrically couples to a human body or other grounded object, the detection determining circuit outputs a low logic level detection result signal because of high impedance. The detection result latching circuit stores the low logic level detection result signal based on the pulse signal of the detection pulse generating module, making it as the low logic level detection result latching signal, and keeps the detection result in the operating stage, without changing the logic value. In this way, the switch circuit keeps cutting-off or blocking instead of conducting continually. And further, the electric shock situation can be prevented and the requirement of safety standard can also be met. On the other hand, when two end caps of the LED tube lamp are correctly inserted into the lamp socket, the detection determining circuit outputs a high logic level detection result signal because the impedance of the circuit for the LED tube lamp itself is small. The detection result latching circuit stores the high logic level detection result signal based on the pulse signal of the detection pulse generating module, making it as the high logic level detection result latching signal, and keeps the detection result in the operating stage. So the switch circuit keeps conducting to make the LED tube lamp work normally in the operating stage. In some embodiments, when one end cap of the LED tube lamp is inserted into the lamp socket and the other one floats or electrically couples to a human body, the detection determining circuit outputs a low logic level detection result signal to the detection result latching circuit, and then the detection pulse generating module outputs a low logic level signal to the detection result latching circuit to make the detection result latching circuit output a low logic level detection result latching signal to make the switch circuit cutting-off or blocking. As such, the switch circuit blocking makes the installation detection terminals, e.g. the first and second installation detection terminals, blocking. As a result, the LED tube lamp is in non-conducting or blocking state. However, in some embodiments, when two end caps of the LED tube lamp are correctly inserted into the lamp socket, the detection determining circuit outputs a high logic level detection result signal to the detection result latching circuit to make the detection result latching circuit output a high logic level detection result latching signal to make the switch circuit conducting. As such, the switch circuit conducting makes the installation detection terminals, e.g. the first and second installation detection terminals, conducting. As a result, the LED tube lamp operates in a conducting state. Thus, according to the operation of the installation detection module, a first circuit, upon connection of at least one end of the LED tube lamp to a lamp socket, generates and outputs two pulses, each having a pulse width, with a time period between the pulses. The first circuit may include various of the elements described above configured to output the pulses to a base of a transistor (e.g., a BJT transistor) that serves as a switch. The pulses occur during a detection stage for detecting whether the LED tube lamp is properly connected to a lamp socket. The timing of the pulses may be controlled based on the timing of various parts of the first circuit changing from high to low logic levels, or vice versa. The pulses can be timed such that, during that detection stage time, if the LED tube lamp is properly connected to the lamp socket (e.g., both ends of the LED tube lamp are correctly connected to conductive terminals of the lamp socket), at least one of the pulse signals occurs when an AC current from a driving signal is at a non-zero level. For example, the pulse signals can occur at intervals that are different from half of the period of the AC signal. For example, respective start points or mid points of the pulse signals, or a time between an end of the first pulse signal and a beginning of the second pulse signal may be separated by an amount of time that is different from half of the period of the AC signal (e.g., it may be between 0.05 and 0.95 percent of a multiple of half of the period of the AC signal). During a pulse that occurs when the AC signal is at a non-zero level, a switch that receives the AC signal at the non-zero level may be turned on, causing a latch circuit to change states such that the switch remains permanently on so long as the LED tube lamp remains properly connected to the lamp socket. For example, the switch may be configured to turn on when each pulse is output from the first circuit. The latch circuit may be configured to change state only when the switch is on and the current output from the switch is above a threshold value, which may indicate a proper connection to a light socket. As a result, the LED tube lamp operates in a conducting state. On the other hand, if both pulses occur when a driving signal at the LED tube lamp has a near-zero current level, or a current level below a particular threshold, then the state of the latch circuit is not changed, and so the switch is only on during the two pulses, but then remains permanently off after the pulses and after the detection mode is over. For example, the latch circuit can be configured to remain in its present state if the current output from the switch is below the threshold value. In this manner, the LED tube lamp remains in a non-conducting state, which prevents electric shock, even though part of the LED tube lamp is connected to an electrical power source. It is worth noting that according to certain embodiments, the width of the pulse signal generated by the detection pulse generating module is between 10 μs to 1 ms, and it is used to make the switch circuit conducting for a short period when the LED tube lamp conducts instantaneously. In some embodiments, a pulse current is generated to pass through the detection determining circuit for detecting and determining. Since the pulse is for a short time and not for a long time, the electric shock situation will not occur. Furthermore, the detection result latching circuit also keeps the detection result during the operating stage (e.g., the operating stage being the period after the detection stage and during which part of the LED tube lamp is still connected to a power source), and no longer changes the detection result stored previously complying with the circuit state changing. A situation resulting from changing the detection result can thus be avoided. In some embodiments, the installation detection module, such as the switch circuit, the detection pulse generating module, the detection result latching circuit, and the detection determining circuit, could be integrated into a chip and then embedded in circuits for saving the circuit cost and layout space. As discussed in the above examples, in some embodiments, an LED tube lamp includes an installation detection circuit comprising a first circuit configured to output two pulse signals, the first pulse signal output at a first time and the second pulse signal output at a second time after the first time, and a switch configured to receive an LED driving signal and to receive the two pulse signals, wherein the two pulse signals control turning on and off of the switch. The installation detection circuit may be configured to, during a detection stage, detect during each of the two pulse signals whether the LED tube lamp is properly connected to a lamp socket. When it is not detected during either pulse signal that the LED tube lamp is properly connected to the lamp socket, the switch may remain in an off state after the detection stage. When it is detected during at least one of the pulse signals that the LED tube lamp is properly connected to the lamp socket, the switch may remain in an on state after the detection stage. The two pulse signals may occur such that they are separated by a time different from a multiple of half of a period of the LED driving signal, and such that at least one of them does not occur when the LED driving signal has a current value of substantially zero. It should be noted that although a circuit for producing two pulse signals is described, the disclosure is not intended to be limiting as such. For example, a circuit may be implemented such that a plurality of pulse signals may occur, wherein at least two of the plurality of pulse signals are separated by a time different from a multiple of half of a period of the LED driving signal, and such that at least one of the plurality of pulse signals does not occur when the LED driving signal has a current value of substantially zero. For example, according to the design of the power supply in some embodiments, the circuit board assembly has a long circuit sheet and a short circuit board that are adhered to each other with the short circuit board being adjacent to the side edge of the long circuit sheet. The short circuit board may be provided with power supply module to form the power supply, and may include the installation detection module. According to the design of the power supply module, the external driving signal may be a low frequency AC signal (e.g., commercial power), a high frequency AC signal (e.g., that provided by an electronic ballast), or a DC signal (e.g., that provided by a battery or external configured driving source), input into the LED tube lamp through a drive architecture of dual-end power supply. For the drive architecture of dual-end power supply, the external driving signal may be input by using only one end thereof as single-end power supply. The LED tube lamp may omit the rectifying circuit in the power supply module when the external driving signal is a DC signal. According to the design of the rectifying circuit in the power supply module, there may be a dual rectifying circuit. First and second rectifying circuits of the dual rectifying circuit are respectively coupled to the two end caps disposed on two ends of the LED tube lamp. The dual rectifying circuit is applicable to the drive architecture of dual-end power supply. Furthermore, the LED tube lamp having at least one rectifying circuit is applicable to the drive architecture of a low frequency AC signal, high frequency AC signal or DC signal. The dual rectifying circuit may comprise, for example, two half-wave rectifier circuits, two full-wave bridge rectifying circuits or one half-wave rectifier circuit and one full-wave bridge rectifying circuit. According to the design of the pin in the LED tube lamp, there may be two pins in single end (the other end has no pin), two pins in corresponding ends of two ends, or four pins in corresponding ends of two ends. The designs of two pins in single end and two pins in corresponding ends of two ends are applicable to a signal rectifying circuit design of the rectifying circuit. The design of four pins in corresponding ends of two ends is applicable to a dual rectifying circuit design of the rectifying circuit, and the external driving signal can be received by two pins in only one end or any pin in each of two ends. According to the design of the filtering circuit of the power supply module, there may be a single capacitor, or π filter circuit. The filtering circuit filers the high frequency component of the rectified signal for providing a DC signal with a low ripple voltage as the filtered signal. The filtering circuit also further comprises the LC filtering circuit having a high impedance for a specific frequency for conforming to current limitations in specific frequencies of the UL standard. Moreover, the filtering circuit according to some embodiments further comprises a filtering unit coupled between a rectifying circuit and the pin(s) for reducing the EMI resulted from the circuit(s) of the LED tube lamp. The LED tube lamp may omit the filtering circuit in the power supply module when the external driving signal is a DC signal. According to the design of the LED lighting module in some embodiments, the LED lighting module may comprise the LED module and the driving circuit or only the LED module. The LED module may be connected with a voltage stabilization circuit in parallel for preventing the LED module from over voltage. The voltage stabilization circuit may be a voltage clamping circuit, such as zener diode, DIAC and so on. When the rectifying circuit has a capacitive circuit, in some embodiments, two capacitors are respectively coupled between two corresponding pins in two end caps and so the two capacitors and the capacitive circuit as a voltage stabilization circuit perform a capacitive voltage divider. If there are only the LED module in the LED lighting module and the external driving signal is a high frequency AC signal, a capacitive circuit (e.g., having at least one capacitor) is in at least one rectifying circuit and the capacitive circuit is connected in series with a half-wave rectifier circuit or a full-wave bridge rectifying circuit of the rectifying circuit and serves as a current modulation circuit (or a current regulator) to modulate or to regulate the current of the LED module due to that the capacitor equates a resistor for a high frequency signal. Thereby, even different ballasts provide high frequency signals with different voltage logic levels, the current of the LED module can be modulated into a defined current range for preventing overcurrent. In addition, an energy-releasing circuit is connected in parallel with the LED module. When the external driving signal is no longer supplied, the energy-releasing circuit releases the energy stored in the filtering circuit to lower a resonance effect of the filtering circuit and other circuits for restraining the flicker of the LED module. In some embodiments, if there are the LED module and the driving circuit in the LED lighting module, the driving circuit may be a buck converter, a boost converter, or a buck-boost converter. The driving circuit stabilizes the current of the LED module at a defined current value, and the defined current value may be modulated based on the external driving signal. For example, the defined current value may be increased with the increasing of the logic level of the external driving signal and reduced with the reducing of the logic level of the external driving signal. Moreover, a mode switching circuit may be added between the LED module and the driving circuit for switching the current from the filtering circuit directly or through the driving circuit inputting into the LED module. A protection circuit may be additionally added to protect the LED module. The protection circuit detects the current and/or the voltage of the LED module to determine whether to enable corresponding over current and/or over voltage protection. According to the design of the ballast detection circuit of the power supply module, the ballast detection circuit is substantially connected in parallel with a capacitor connected in series with the LED module and determines the external driving signal whether flowing through the capacitor or the ballast detection circuit (i.e., bypassing the capacitor) based on the frequency of the external driving signal. The capacitor may be a capacitive circuit in the rectifying circuit. According to the design of the filament-simulating circuit of the power supply module, there may be a single set of a parallel-connected capacitor and resistor, two serially connected sets, each having a parallel-connected capacitor and resistor, or a negative temperature coefficient circuit. The filament-simulating circuit is applicable to program-start ballast for avoiding the program-start ballast determining the filament abnormally, and so the compatibility of the LED tube lamp with program-start ballast is enhanced. Furthermore, the filament-simulating circuit almost does not affect the compatibilities for other ballasts, e.g., instant-start and rapid-start ballasts. According to the design of the ballast-compatible circuit of the power supply module in some embodiments, the ballast-compatible circuit can be connected in series with the rectifying circuit or connected in parallel with the filtering circuit and the LED lighting module. Under the design of being connected in series with the rectifying circuit, the ballast-compatible circuit is initially in a cutoff state and then changes to a conducting state in an objective delay. Under the design of being connected in parallel with the filtering circuit and the LED lighting module, the ballast-compatible circuit is initially in a conducting state and then changes to a cutoff state in an objective delay. The ballast-compatible circuit makes the electronic ballast really activate during the starting stage and enhances the compatibility for instant-start ballast. Furthermore, the ballast-compatible circuit almost does not affect the compatibilities with other ballasts, e.g., program-start and rapid-start ballasts. According to the design of the auxiliary power module of the power supply module, the energy storage unit may be a battery or a supercapacitor, connected in parallel with the LED module. The auxiliary power module is applicable to the LED lighting module having the driving circuit. According to the design of the LED module of the power supply module, the LED module comprises plural strings of LEDs connected in parallel with each other, wherein each LED may have a single LED chip or plural LED chips emitting different spectrums. Each LEDs in different LED strings may be connected with each other to form a mesh connection. In other words, the abovementioned features can be implemented in any combination to improve the LED tube lamp. As shown in FIG. 19, in some embodiments, the LED light strip 2 and the power supply 5 may be connected by utilizing the circuit board assembly 25 instead of soldering bonding. The long circuit sheet 251 and the short circuit board 253 are adhered to each other with the short circuit board 253 being adjacent to the side edge of the long circuit sheet 251. And then, the power supply module 250 is electrically connected to the wiring layer 2a of the LED light strip 2. Besides, the LED light strip 2 as mentioned before is not limited to one-layered or two-layered circuit board, and it could be the circuit board shown in FIG. 23 further including another wiring layer 2c. The LED light source 202 is configured on the wiring layer 2a and electrically connected to the power supply 5 through the wiring layer 2a. As shown in FIG. 20, in some embodiments, the circuit board assembly 25 has the long circuit sheet 251 and the short circuit board 253, and the long circuit sheet 251 could be the bendable circuit sheet of the LED light strip 2 including the wiring layer 2a and the dielectric layer 2b. The dielectric layer 2b and the short circuit board 253 are fixed by a joint manner, and then the wiring layer 2a is adhered to the dielectric layer 2b and extends to the short circuit board 253. The embodiments mentioned above do not depart from the scope of and are all included in the applications of the circuit board assembly 25 of the present invention. In the embodiments mentioned above, the short circuit board 253 may have a length generally of about 15 mm to about 40 mm and may be about 19 mm to about 36 mm, while the long circuit sheet 251 may have a length generally of about 800 mm to about 2800 mm and may be about 1200 mm to about 2400 mm. In some embodiments, a ratio of the length of the short circuit board 253 to the length of the long circuit sheet 251 ranges from about 1:20 to about 1:200. In addition, in some abovementioned embodiments, when the LED light strip 2 and the power supply 5 are fixed by soldering bonding but the LED light strip 2 is not mounted onto the inner circumferential surface of the LED tube lamp 1, the LED light strip 2 may not safely fix and support the power supply 5. Moreover, in some embodiments, when the power supply 5 has to be fixed in the end cap of the end region of the LED tube lamp 1, the end cap would be relatively longer and then reduces the effectively emitting area of the LED tube lamp 1. Referring to FIG. 22, in some embodiments, the LED light strip 2 adopts a hard circuit board 22 made of aluminum and the end thereof can be relatively fixed onto the end region of the LED tube lamp 1. Furthermore, for the sake of the implementation of soldering bonding and the length of the end cap 3 being able to be reduced since it is no longer required to have enough space to contain the entire length of the power supply 5, the power supply 5 is perpendicularly adhered to the hard circuit board 22 made of aluminum via soldering. By doing so, the effectively emitting area of the LED tube lamp 1 increases. Also, in the abovementioned embodiments, the power supply 5 solders a metal wire for electrically connecting to the conductive pin 301 of the end cap 3 in addition to configuring the power supply module 250. In some embodiments, the conductive lead 53 of the power supply module 250 on the power supply 5 could be directly used to electrically connect to the end cap 3, and the metal wire mentioned above is unnecessary any more so as to simplify the manufacture process. In the embodiments of the present invention, a safety switch is configured in the end cap for preventing leakage current and it connects the conductive pin 301 to the power supply. When the LED tube lamp is correctly installed into the lamp socket, the safety switch is just triggered (the power supply being electrically connected to the conductive pin 301). In this way, the end cap does not conduct electricity before the LED tube lamp is correctly installed into the lamp socket. And this provides the safety protection to the user for preventing the user from electric shock in case that one end of the LED tube lamp is inserted into the lamp socket but the other end is touched by the user's hand. In some embodiments of the present invention, the safety switch is a logic level switch triggered only through the LED tube lamp being correctly installed. And when the logic level switch is triggered (liquid flows to a preset position), the LED tube lamp works normally. In some embodiments, two safety switches are respectively configured into the end caps on both ends of the LED tube lamp. Or, only one safety switch is configured with, in this case, the end cap configured with the safety switch may be marked for reminding the user of firstly installing another unmarked end cap. Referring to FIG. 41, a schematic structure of an LED tube lamp according to some embodiments of the present invention is illustrated. An LED tube lamp 100 includes a lamp tube 1 and two end caps 3 (the proportion of the end cap 3 in relation to the lamp tube 1 schematized in FIG. 41 is exaggerated in order to highlight the structure of the end cap 3. In an embodiment, the depth of the end cap 3 is from 9 to 70 mm. The axial length of the lamp tube 1 is from 254 to 2000 mm, that is, from 1 inch to 8 inches.) The end caps 3 are respectively configured at the both ends of the lamp tube 1. The end cap 3 includes an electrically conductive pin 301, an actuator 332, a micro switch 334, and a power supply 5. When the LED tube lamp 100 is correctly installed into the lamp socket (not shown), the actuator 332 triggers the micro switch 334 for allowing the power supply 5 to electrically connect to commercial electricity so as to light up the LED components (not shown) in the LED tube lamp 100. For one of the variations of the micro switch mentioned above, as shown in FIG. 42, an input terminal 3341 and an output terminal 3343 are electrically connected to a hollow conductive pin (not shown) and a power supply 5 (not shown), correspondingly. A bidirectional triode thyristor (TRIAC) 3345 is configured between the input terminal 3341 and the output terminal 3343, a resistor 3347 is electrically coupled to a a1 end of the micro switch 334 having a a2 end electrically coupled to a trigger terminal of the TRIAC 3345. In one embodiment, the resistance of the resistor 3347 is from 1 Ohm to 10K Ohm, and in some cases, about 2K Ohm. The current passing through the micro switch 334 decreases from 10 A before deformation to about 0.1 A. Accordingly, a wider range is provided for selecting the micro switch and the cost is further down. The safety switch could replace the resistor 3347 with a silicon controlled rectifier, SCR; i.e., the safety switch includes the SCR, the TRIAC 3345, and the micro switch 334, and wherein the micro switch 334 could be any micro switch in the embodiments mentioned above. In one embodiment, the input terminal 3341 of the safety switch is electrically connected to any hollow conductive pin (not shown) of the LED tube lamp, and the output terminal 3343 thereof is electrically connected to the power supply 5. The both ends of the TRIAC 3345 are electrically coupled to the input terminal 3341 and the output terminal 3343, respectively. Further, the SCR is electrically coupled to the micro switch 334 in serial. One end of the serially connected SCR and the micro switch 334 is electrically coupled to the control terminal of the TRIAC 3345, the other end of the serially connected SCR and the micro switch 334 is electrically coupled to the input terminal 3341. When the micro switch 334 opens, the control terminal of the TRIAC 3345 is not coupled to the input terminal 3341. Meanwhile, the TRIAC 3345 is in a cutoff state so as to make the hollow conductive pin being uncoupled to the power supply 5. When the micro switch 334 is triggered and shorted, the current is transmitted from the input terminal 3341, the serially connected SCR and the micro switch 334 to the control terminal of the TRIAC 3345 to make the TRIAC 3345 being triggered and conducted. Therefore, the hollow conductive pin 301 is coupled to the power supply 5 to make the LED tube lamp working normally. In the abovementioned embodiments with the safety switch by using the micro switch 334 only, an enormous transient current, such as bigger than 10 A, is inrushing to flow through the micro switch 334, the power supply 5, and the LED components when the micro switch 334 is instantly triggered. Therefore, not only does the micro switch 334 use a higher withstanding current, but the volume thereof also gets bigger. Further, the transient current may damage the power supply 5 and the LED components. However, in some embodiments, the transient current could be restrained by the SCR or the resistor 3347 so as to lower the withstanding current used by the micro switch 334, and simultaneously, the volume of the micro switch 334 and the cost are both down. In this way, the current passing through the micro switch could be down to about 0.1 A. Next, the structure of the end cap with safety switch will be described in more detail as below. Turning to FIG. 40A, in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the end cap 3 includes a housing 300; a power supply (not shown); an electrically conductive pin 301 extending outwardly from a top wall of the housing 300; an actuator 332 movably connected to the housing; and a micro switch 334. The upper portion of the actuator 332 projects out of an opening formed in the top wall of the housing 300. The actuator 332 includes, inside the housing 300, a stopping flange 337 extending radially from its intermediary portion and a shaft 335 extending axially in its lower portion. The shaft 335 is movably connected to a base 336 rigidly mounted inside the housing 300. A preloaded coil spring 333 is retained, around the shaft 335, between the stopping flange 337 and the base 336. An aperture is provided in the upper portion of the actuator 332 through which the electrically conductive pin 301 is arranged. The micro switch 334 is positioned inside the housing 300 to be actuated by the shaft 335 at a predetermined actuation point. The micro switch 334, when actuated, makes the circuit, directly or through a relay, between the electrically connective pin 301 and the power supply 5. The actuator 332 is aligned with the electrically conductive pin 301, the opening in the top wall of the housing 300 and the coil spring 333 along the longitudinal axis of the lamp tube 1 to be reciprocally movable between the top wall of the housing 300 and the base 336. When the electrically conductive pin 301 is unplugged from the socket, the coil spring 333 biases the actuator 332 to its rest position until the stopping flange 337 is urged against the top wall of the housing 300. The micro switch 334 stays off and the circuit of the LED tube lamp stays open. When the electrically conductive pin 301 is duly plugged into the socket on a lamp holder, the actuator 332 is depressed and brings the shaft 335 to the actuation point. The micro switch 334 is turned on to, directly or through a relay, complete the circuit of the LED tube lamp. In some embodiments, two end caps of the LED tube lamp according to the embodiments of the present invention may configure two micro switches, correspondingly. In this way, the hurt resulting from leaking current to the user can be avoided when the LED tube lamp is in installation. When the LED tube lamp is not inserted the lamp socket, the actuator 333 moves forward outside of the housing 300 because of the tension of the coil spring 333. Hence, the micro switch 334 opens to make the power supply 5 disconnect the conductive pin 301. Turning to FIG. 40B, in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the end cap 3 includes a housing 300; a power supply (not shown); an electrically conductive pin 301a extending outwardly from a top wall of the housing 300; an actuator 332 movably connected to the housing; and a micro switch 334. In an embodiment, the electrically conductive pin 301a is an enlarged hollow structure. The upper portion of the actuator 332 is bowl-shaped to receive the electrically conductive pin 301a and projects out of an opening formed in the top wall of the housing 300. The actuator 332 includes, inside the housing 300, a stopping flange 337 extending radially from its intermediary portion and, in its lower portion, a spring retainer and a bulging part 338. A preloaded coil spring 333 is retained between the string retainer and a base 336 rigidly mounted inside the housing 300. The micro switch 334 is positioned inside the housing 300 to be actuated by the bulging part 338 at a predetermined actuation point. The micro switch 334, when actuated, makes the circuit, directly or through a relay, between the electrically conductive pin 301a and the power supply. The actuator 332 is aligned with the electrically conductive pin 301a, the opening in the top wall of the housing 300 and the coil spring 333 along the longitudinal axis of the lamp tube 1 to be reciprocally movable between the top wall of the housing 300 and the base 336. When the electrically conductive pin 301a is unplugged from the socket of a lamp holder, the coil spring 333 biases the actuator 332 to its rest position until the stopping flange 337 is urged against the top wall of the housing 300. The micro switch 334 stays off and the circuit of the LED tube lamp 1 stays open. When the electrically conductive pin 301a is duly plugged into the socket on the lamp holder, the actuator 332 is depressed and brings the bulging part 338 to the actuation point. The micro switch 334 is turned on to, directly or through a relay, complete the circuit. In some embodiments, two end caps of the LED tube lamp according to the embodiments of the present invention may configure two micro switches, correspondingly. In some embodiments, the actuator 332 is intermittently put around the conductive pin 301a. When the LED tube lamp is not inserted the lamp socket, the actuator 333 moves forward outside of the housing 300 because of the tension of the coil spring 333. Hence, the micro switch 334 opens to make the power supply 5 disconnect the conductive pin 301a. Turning to FIG. 40C, in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the end cap 3 includes a housing 300; a power supply (not shown); an electrically conductive pin 301 extending outwardly from a top wall of the housing 300; an actuator 332 movably connected to the housing; and a micro switch 334. In an embodiment, the end cap includes a pair of electrically conductive pins 301. The upper portion of the actuator 332 projects out of an opening formed in the top wall of the housing 300. The actuator 332 includes, inside the housing 300, a stopping flange 337 extending radially from its intermediary portion and a spring retainer in its lower portion. A first coil spring 333a, preloaded, is retained between the string retainer and a first end of the micro switch 334. A second coil spring 333b, also preloaded, is retained between a second end of the micro switch 334 and a base rigidly mounted inside the housing. Both of the springs 333a, 333b are chosen to respond to a gentle depression; however, the first coil spring 333a is chosen to have a different stiffness than the second coil spring 333b. In some embodiments, the first coil spring 333a reacts to a depression of from 0.5 to 1 N but the second coil spring 333b reacts to a depression of from 3 to 4 N. The actuator 332 is aligned with the opening in the top wall of the housing 300, the micro switch 334 and the set of coil springs 333a, 333b along the longitudinal axis of the lamp tube to be reciprocally movable between the top wall of the housing 300 and the base. The micro switch 334, sandwiched between the first coil spring 333a and the second coil spring 333b, is actuated when the first coil spring 333a is compressed to a predetermined actuation point. The micro switch 334, when actuated, makes the circuit, directly or through a relay, between the pair of electrically conductive pins 301 and the power supply. When the pair of electrically conductive pins 301 are unplugged from the socket on a lamp holder, the pair of coil springs 333a, 333b bias the actuator 332 to its rest position until the stopping flange 337 is urged against the top wall of the housing 300. The micro switch 334 stays off and the circuit of the LED tube lamp stays open. When the pair of electrically conductive pins 301 are duly plugged into the socket on a lamp holder, the actuator 332 is depressed and compresses the first coil spring 333a to the actuation point. The micro switch 334 is turned on to, directly or through a relay, complete the circuit. In some embodiments, two end caps of the LED tube lamp according to the embodiments of the present invention may configure two micro switches, correspondingly. In this way, the hurt resulting from leaking current to the user can be avoided when the LED tube lamp is in installation. Since the LED tube lamp has correctly been installed and the micro switch has been actuated, the connection between the conductive pin 301 and the power supply is just implemented. When the LED tube lamp is not inserted the lamp socket, the actuator 333 moves forward outside of the housing 300 because of the tension of the coil spring 333. Hence, the micro switch 334 opens to make the power supply 5 disconnect the conductive pin 301a. Turning to FIG. 40D, in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the end cap 3 includes a housing 300; a power supply (not shown); an electrically conductive pin 301 extending outwardly from a top wall of the housing 300; an actuator 332 movably connected to the housing; a first contact element 334a; and a second contact element 338. The upper portion of the actuator 332 projects out of an opening formed in the top wall of the housing 300. The actuator 332 includes, inside the housing 300, a stopping flange extending radially from its intermediary portion and a shaft 335 extending axially in its lower portion. The shaft 335 is movably connected to a base 336 rigidly mounted inside the housing 300. A preloaded coil spring 333 is retained, around the shaft 335, between the stopping flange and the base 336. An aperture is provided in the upper portion of the actuator 332 through which the electrically conductive pin 301 is arranged. The actuator 332 is aligned with the electrically conductive pin 301, the opening in the top wall of the housing 300, the coil spring 333 and the first and second contact elements 334a, 338 along the longitudinal axis of the lamp tube to be reciprocally movable between the top wall of the housing 300 and the base 336. The first contact element 334a includes a plurality of metallic pieces, which are spaced apart from one another, and is configured to form a flexible female-type receptacle, e.g. V-shaped or bell-shaped. The first contact element 334a is made from copper or copper alloy. The second contact element 338 is positioned on the shaft 335 to, when the shaft 335 moves downwards, come into the first contact element 334a and electrically connect the plurality of metallic pieces at a predetermined actuation point. The first contact element 334a is configured to impart a spring-like bias on the second contact element 338 when the second contact element 338 goes into the first contact element 334a to ensure faithful electrical connection with one another. The first and second contact elements 334a, 338 are made from, in some embodiments, copper alloy. When the electrically conductive pin 301 is unplugged from the socket, the coil spring 333 biases the actuator 332 to its rest position until the stopping flange is urged against the top wall of the housing 300. The first and second contact elements 334a, 338 stay unconnected and the circuit of the LED tube lamp stays open. When the electrically conductive pin 301 is duly plugged into the socket on a lamp holder, the actuator 332 is depressed and brings the second contact element 338 to the actuation point. The first and second contact elements 334a, 338 are connected to, directly or through a relay, complete the circuit of the LED tube lamp. In some embodiments, two end caps of the LED tube lamp according to the embodiments of the present invention may configure two micro switches, correspondingly. In this way, the hurt resulting from leaking current to the user can be avoided when the LED tube lamp is in installation. When the LED tube lamp is not inserted the lamp socket, the actuator 333 moves forward outside of the housing 300 because of the tension of the coil spring 333. Hence, the micro switch 334 opens to make the power supply 5 disconnect the conductive pin 301a. Turning to FIG. 40E, in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the end cap 3 includes a housing 300; a power supply (not shown); an electrically conductive pin 301 extending outwardly from a top wall of the housing 300; an actuator 332 movably connected to the housing; a first contact element 334a; and a second contact element. The upper portion of the actuator 332 projects out of an opening formed in the top wall of the housing 300. The actuator 332 includes, inside the housing 300, a stopping flange extending radially from its intermediary portion and a shaft 335 extending axially in its lower portion. The shaft 335 is movably connected to a base rigidly mounted inside the housing 300. A preloaded coil spring 333 is retained, around the shaft 335, between the stopping flange and the base. The actuator 332 is aligned with the electrically conductive pin 301, the opening in the top wall of the housing 300, the coil spring 333, the first contact element 334a and the second contact element along the longitudinal axis of the lamp tube to be reciprocally movable between the top wall of the housing 300 and the base. In some embodiments, the first contact element 334a forms an integral and flexible female-type receptacle and is made from, copper, copper alloy or both. The second contact element, made from, copper, copper alloy or both, is fixedly disposed inside the housing 300. In an embodiment, the second contact element is fixedly disposed on the power supply 5. The first contact element 334a is attached to the lower end of the shaft 335 to, when the shaft 335 moves downwards, receive and electrically connect the second contact element at a predetermined actuation point. The first contact element 334a is configured to impart a spring-like bias on the second contact element when the former receives the latter to ensure faithful electrical connection with each other. When the electrically conductive pin 301 is unplugged from the socket on a lamp holder, the coil spring 333 biases the actuator 332 to its rest position until the stopping flange is urged against the top wall of the housing 300. The first contact element 334a and the second contact element stay unconnected and the circuit of the LED tube lamp stays open. When the electrically conductive pin 301 is duly plugged into the socket, the actuator 332 is depressed and brings the first contact element 334a to the actuation point. The first contact element 334a and the second contact element are connected to, directly or through a relay, complete the circuit of the LED tube lamp. In some embodiments, two end caps of the LED tube lamp according to the embodiments of the present invention may configure two micro switches, correspondingly. In this way, the hurt resulting from leaking current to the user can be avoided when the LED tube lamp is in installation. Turning to FIG. 40F, in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the end cap 3 includes a housing 300; a power supply (not shown); an electrically conductive pin 301 extending outwardly from a top wall of the housing 300; an actuator 332 movably connected to the housing; a first contact element; and a second contact element. The upper portion of the actuator 332 projects out of an opening formed in the top wall of the housing 300. The actuator 332 includes, inside the housing 300, a stopping flange extending radially from its intermediary portion and a shaft 335 extending axially in its lower portion. The shaft 335 is movably connected to a base rigidly mounted inside the housing 300. A preloaded coil spring 333 is retained, around the shaft 335, between the stopping flange and the base. The actuator 332 is aligned with the electrically conductive pin 301, the opening in the top wall of the housing 300, the coil spring 333, the first contact element and the second contact element along the longitudinal axis of the lamp tube to be reciprocally movable between the top wall of the housing 300 and the base. The shaft 335 includes a non-electrically conductive body in the shape of an elongated thin plank and a window 339 carved out from the body. The first contact element and the second contact element are fixedly disposed inside the housing 300 and face each other through the shaft 335. The first contact element is configured to impart a spring-like bias on the shaft 335 and to urge the shaft 335 against the second contact element. In an embodiment, the first contact element is a bow-shaped laminate bending towards the shaft 335 and the second contact element, which is disposed on the power supply. The first contact element and the second contact element are made from, for example, copper, copper alloy or both. When the actuator 332 is in its rest position, the first contact element and the second contact element are prevented by the body of the shaft 335 from engaging each other. However, the first contact element is configured to, when the shaft brings its window 339 downwards to a predetermined actuation point, engage and electrically connect the second contact element through the window 339. When the electrically conductive pin 301 is unplugged from the socket, the coil spring 333 biases the actuator 332 to its rest position until the stopping flange is urged against the top wall of the housing 300. The first contact element and the second contact element stay unconnected and the circuit of the LED tube lamp stays open. When the electrically conductive pin 301 is duly plugged into the socket on a lamp holder, the actuator 332 is depressed and brings the window 339 to the actuation point. The first contact element engages the second contact element to, directly or through a relay, complete the circuit of the LED tube lamp. In some embodiments, two end caps of the LED tube lamp according to the embodiments of the present invention may configure two micro switches, correspondingly. In this way, the hurt resulting from leaking current to the user can be avoided when the LED tube lamp is in installation. In some embodiments, the upper portion of the actuator 332 that projects out of the housing 300 is shorter than the electrically conductive pin 301. In some embodiments, the ratio of the depth of the upper portion of the actuator 332 to that of the electrically conductive pin 301 is from 20% to 95%. In some embodiments, the length of the second side end cap 3 is shorter than that of the first side end cap 3. In general, the length of the second side end cap 3 is about 30% to 80% times that of the first side end cap 3, for example, the length of the second side end cap 3 is in some embodiments about ⅔ of the length of second side end cap 3. In the present embodiment, the length of the second side end cap 3 may be about half the length of the first side end cap 3. The length of the first side end cap 3 may be, e.g., in the range of about 15 mm to 65 mm, depending on practical situations. It's worth noting that the thickness of the second conductive layer of a two-layered bendable circuit sheet is, in some embodiments, larger than that of the first conductive layer in order to reduce the voltage drop or loss along each of the positive lengthwise portion and the negative lengthwise portion disposed in the second conductive layer. Compared to a one-layered bendable circuit sheet, since a positive lengthwise portion and a negative lengthwise portion are disposed in a second conductive layer in a two-layered bendable circuit sheet, the width (between two lengthwise sides) of the two-layered bendable circuit sheet is or can be reduced. On the same fixture or plate in a production process, the number of bendable circuit sheets each with a shorter width that can be laid together at most is larger than the number of bendable circuit sheets each with a longer width that can be laid together at most. Thus adopting a bendable circuit sheet with a shorter width can increase the efficiency of production of the LED module. And reliability in the production process, such as the accuracy of welding position when welding (materials on) the LED components, can also be improved, because a two-layered bendable circuit sheet can better maintain its shape. As a variant of the above embodiments, a type of LED tube lamp is provided that has at least some of the electronic components of its power supply module disposed on a light strip of the LED tube lamp. For example, the technique of printed electronic circuit (PEC) can be used to print, insert, or embed at least some of the electronic components onto the light strip. In one embodiment, all electronic components of the power supply module are disposed on the light strip. The production process may include or proceed with the following steps: preparation of the circuit substrate (e.g. preparation of a flexible printed circuit board); ink jet printing of metallic nano-ink; ink jet printing of active and passive components (as of the power supply module); drying/sintering; ink jet printing of interlayer bumps; spraying of insulating ink; ink jet printing of metallic nano-ink; ink jet printing of active and passive components (to sequentially form the included layers); spraying of surface bond pad(s); and spraying of solder resist against LED components. In certain embodiments, if all electronic components of the power supply module are disposed on the light strip, electrical connection between terminal pins of the LED tube lamp and the light strip may be achieved by connecting the pins to conductive lines which are welded with ends of the light strip. In this case, another substrate for supporting the power supply module is not required, thereby allowing of an improved design or arrangement in the end cap(s) of the LED tube lamp. In some embodiments, (components of) the power supply module are disposed at two ends of the light strip, in order to significantly reduce the impact of heat generated from the power supply module's operations on the LED components. Since no substrate other than the light strip is used to support the power supply module in this case, the total amount of welding or soldering can be significantly reduced, improving the general reliability of the power supply module. Another case is that some of all electronic components of the power supply module, such as some resistors and/or smaller size capacitors, are printed onto the light strip, and some bigger size components, such as some inductors and/or electrolytic capacitors, are disposed in the end cap(s). The production process of the light strip in this case may be the same as that described above. And in this case disposing some of all electronic components on the light strip is conducive to achieving a reasonable layout of the power supply module in the LED tube lamp, which may allow of an improved design in the end cap(s). As a variant embodiment of the above, electronic components of the power supply module may be disposed on the light strip by a method of embedding or inserting, e.g. by embedding the components onto a bendable or flexible light strip. In some embodiments, this embedding may be realized by a method using copper-clad laminates (CCL) for forming a resistor or capacitor; a method using ink related to silkscreen printing; or a method of ink jet printing to embed passive components, wherein an ink jet printer is used to directly print inks to constitute passive components and related functionalities to intended positions on the light strip. Then through treatment by ultraviolet (UV) light or drying/sintering, the light strip is formed where passive components are embedded. The electronic components embedded onto the light strip include, for example, resistors, capacitors, and inductors. In other embodiments, active components also may be embedded. Through embedding some components onto the light strip, a reasonable layout of the power supply module can be achieved to allow of an improved design in the end cap(s), because the surface area on a printed circuit board used for carrying components of the power supply module is reduced or smaller, and as a result the size, weight, and thickness of the resulting printed circuit board for carrying components of the power supply module is also smaller or reduced. Also in this situation, since welding points on the printed circuit board for welding resistors and/or capacitors if they were not to be disposed on the light strip are no longer used, the reliability of the power supply module is improved, in view of the fact that these welding points are most liable to (cause or incur) faults, malfunctions, or failures. Further, the length of conductive lines needed for connecting components on the printed circuit board is therefore also reduced, which allows of a more compact layout of components on the printed circuit board and thus improving the functionalities of these components. With reference to FIGS. 19 and 20, a short circuit board 253 includes a first short circuit substrate and a second short circuit substrate respectively connected to two terminal portions of a long circuit sheet 251, and the electronic components of the power supply module are respectively disposed on the first short circuit substrate and the second short circuit substrate. The first short circuit substrate and the second short circuit substrate may have roughly the same length, or different lengths. In general, the first short circuit substrate (i.e. the right circuit substrate of short circuit board 253 in FIG. 19 and the left circuit substrate of short circuit board 253 in FIG. 20) has a length that is about 30%-80% of the length of the second short circuit substrate (i.e. the left circuit substrate of short circuit board 253 in FIG. 19 and the right circuit substrate of short circuit board 253 in FIG. 20). In some embodiments, the length of the first short circuit substrate is about ⅓-⅔ of the length of the second short circuit substrate. For example, in one embodiment, the length of the first short circuit substrate may be about half the length of the second short circuit substrate. The length of the second short circuit substrate may be, for example in the range of about 15 mm to about 65 mm, depending on actual application occasions. In certain embodiments, the first short circuit substrate is disposed in an end cap at an end of the LED tube lamp, and the second short circuit substrate is disposed in another end cap at the opposite end of the LED tube lamp. In some embodiments, due to the external driving power, the length of the end caps are shortened. For ensuring the total length of the LED tube lamp to conform to a standard for a fluorescent lamp, a length of the lamp tube is lengthened to compensate the shortened length of the end caps. Due to the lengthened length of the lamp tube, the LED light string is correspondingly lengthened. Therefore, the interval of adjacent two LEDs disposed on the LED light string becomes greater under the same illuminance requirement. The greater interval increases the heat dissipation of the LEDs and so the operation temperature of the LEDs is lowered and the life-span of the LED tube lamp is extended. The LED tube lamps according to various different embodiments of the present invention are described as above. With respect to an entire LED tube lamp, the features including “adopting the bendable circuit sheet as the LED light strip”, and “utilizing the circuit board assembly (including a long circuit sheet and a short circuit board) to connect the LED light strip and the power supply” may be applied in practice singly or integrally such that only one of the features is practiced or a number of the features are simultaneously practiced. Furthermore, the feature “adopting the bendable circuit sheet as the LED light strip” includes any related technical points and their variations and any combination thereof as described in the abovementioned embodiments of the present invention. As an example, the feature “adopting the bendable circuit sheet as the LED light strip” includes “the connection between the bendable circuit sheet and the power supply is by way of wire bonding or soldering bonding; the bendable circuit sheet includes a wiring layer and a dielectric layer arranged in a stacked manner; the bendable circuit sheet has a circuit protective layer made of ink to reflect lights and has widened part along the circumferential direction of the lamp tube to function as a reflective film.” For example, according to the design of the power supply in some embodiments, the circuit board assembly has a long circuit sheet and a short circuit board that are adhered to each other with the short circuit board being adjacent to the side edge of the long circuit sheet. The short circuit board may be provided with power supply module to form the power supply. For the drive architecture of dual-end power supply, the external driving signal may be input by using only one end thereof as single-end power supply. The LED tube lamp may omit the rectifying circuit in the power supply module when the external driving signal is a DC signal. According to the design of the rectifying circuit in the power supply module, there may be a signal rectifying circuit, or dual rectifying circuit. First and second rectifying circuits of the dual rectifying circuit are respectively coupled to the two end caps disposed on two ends of the LED tube lamp. The single rectifying circuit is applicable to the drive architecture of signal-end power supply, and the dual rectifying circuit is applicable to the drive architecture of dual-end power supply. Furthermore, the LED tube lamp having at least one rectifying circuit is applicable to the drive architecture of low frequency AC signal, high frequency AC signal or DC signal. According to the design of the pin in the LED tube lamp, there may be two pins in single end (the other end has no pin), two pins in corresponding end of two ends, or four pins in corresponding end of two ends. The designs of two pins in single end and two pins in corresponding end of two ends are applicable to signal rectifying circuit design of the rectifying circuit. The design of four pins in corresponding end of two ends is applicable to dual rectifying circuit design of the rectifying circuit, and the external driving signal can be received by two pins in only one end or any pin in each of two ends. A protection circuit may be additionally added to protect the LED module. The protection circuit detects the current and/or the voltage of the LED module to determine whether to enable corresponding over current and/or over voltage protection. According to the design of the auxiliary power module of the power supply module, the energy storage unit may be a battery or a supercapacitor, connected in parallel with the LED module. The auxiliary power module is applicable to the LED lighting module having the driving circuit. According to the design of the LED module of the power supply module, the LED module comprises plural strings of LEDs connected in parallel with each other, wherein each LED may have a single LED chip or plural LED chips emitting different spectrums. Each LEDs in different LED strings may be connected with each other to form a mesh connection. The above-mentioned features of the present invention can be accomplished in any combination to improve the LED tube lamp, and the above embodiments are described by way of example only. The present invention is not herein limited, and many variations are possible without departing from the spirit of the present invention and the scope as defined in the appended claims. | <SOH> BACKGROUND <EOH>LED lighting technology is rapidly developing to replace traditional incandescent and fluorescent lightings. LED tube lamps are mercury-free in comparison with fluorescent tube lamps that need to be filled with inert gas and mercury. Thus, it is not surprising that LED tube lamps are becoming a highly desired illumination option among different available lighting systems used in homes and workplaces, which used to be dominated by traditional lighting options such as compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs) and fluorescent tube lamps. Benefits of LED tube lamps include improved durability and longevity and far less energy consumption; therefore, when taking into account all factors, they would typically be considered as a cost effective lighting option. Currently, LED tube lamps used to replace traditional fluorescent lighting devices can be primarily categorized into two types. One is for ballast-compatible LED tube lamps, e.g., T-LED lamp, which directly replace fluorescent tube lamps without rewiring the lighting fixture; and the other one is for ballast-bypass LED tube lamps, which omit traditional ballast on their circuit and directly connect the commercial electricity to the LED tube lamp. The latter LED tube lamp is suitable for the new surroundings in fixtures with new driving circuits and LED tube lamps. The ballast-compatible type LED tube lamp is also known as “Type-A” LED tube lamp, and the ballast-bypass type LED tube lamp provided with a lamp driving circuit is also known as a “Type-B” LED tube lamp. Compared to the ballast-compatible type LED tube lamp, the ballast-bypass type LED tube lamp has better luminous efficacy and longer life time since the power consumption and the malfunction concerns of the ballast can be excluded. For the ballast-bypass type LED tube lamp, the power supply configuration can be categorized into two types. One is single-end power supply configuration, which receives the external AC signal merely through one side of the LED tube lamp; and the other one is dual-end power supply configuration, which receives the external AC signal through both sides of the LED tube lamp. In order to fulfill the light emitting requirements of traditional fluorescent lamps, the circuits of the traditional fluorescent lamp fixtures are designed and disposed for providing the AC signal through both ends of the lamp. For the purpose of replacing traditional fluorescent lamps, an LED tube lamp having the dual-end power supply configuration can be popularized much easier since the installation is simpler than the single-end power supply configuration. However, there still are some drawbacks in the dual-end power supply configuration. For example, when an LED tube lamp has an architecture with dual-end power supply and one end cap thereof is inserted into a lamp socket but the other is not, an electric shock situation could take place for the user touching the metal or conductive part of the end cap which has not been inserted into the lamp socket. In the published application US 2013/0335959, filed on Jun. 15, 2012, a solution of disposing a mechanical structure on the end cap for preventing electric shock is proposed. In this electric shock protection design, the connection between the external power and the internal circuit of the tube lamp can be cut off or established by the mechanical component's interaction/shifting when a user installs the tube lamp, so as to achieve the electric shock protection. However, due to the physical characteristics of the mechanical components, the mechanical fatigue may inevitably cause the reliability and durability of the electric shock protection to be limited. On the other hand, although the ballast-bypass type and the ballast-compatible type LED tube lamps can be configured in the dual-end power supply configuration, there still are many different considerations in the power supply circuit design. For example, due to the frequency of the voltage provided from the ballast being much higher than the voltage directly provided from the commercial electricity/AC mains, the skin effect occurs when the leakage current is generated in the ballast-compatible type LED tube lamp, and thus the human body would not be harmed by the leakage current. Therefore, since the ballast-bypass type LED tube lamp has higher risk of electric shock/hazard, compared to the ballast-compatible type, it is preferred that the ballast-bypass type LED tube lamp have extremely low leakage current for meeting strict safety requirements. In the PCT patent application WO2015/066566, filed on Oct. 31, 2014, a solution of utilizing an electronic switch in the power supply circuit for preventing electric shock is proposed. In this electric shock protection design, a transistor/switch is disposed in series with the input rectification stage of the fluorescent lamp replacement and the LED load, and a current flowing through the sense resistor will be detected for determining whether the fluorescent lamp replacement is correctly connected to the ballast. WO2015/066566 addresses the electric shock protection in the ballast-compatible type LED tube lamp, however, it does not address the electric shock problem in the ballast-bypass type LED tube lamp. In detail, compared to the power supply (typically an AC powerline or commercial electricity) for a ballast-bypass type LED tube lamp, the signal provided by a ballast (especially electronic ballast) has relatively high frequency or voltage. Further, for purposes such as one of driving a filament of a fluorescent lamp, a ballast may have to output a relatively high starting voltage for exciting electrons from the filament. So the starting voltage from a ballast can be as high as 1200 volts. On the other hand, the ballast-bypass type LED tube lamp is typically powered by commercial electricity with frequency as low as e.g. 50 Hz or 60 Hz and voltage as low as or below about 300 volts. Based on the above characteristics difference between power supplies for the direct replacement type LED tube lamp and the ballast-bypass type LED tube lamp, the benchmark and behavior for detecting the installation state is significantly different between the two types of LED tube lamp. For example, since the waveform of the current flowing through the sense resistor may be significantly different between the two types of LED tube lamp, utilizing the same determination criteria to determine whether the LED tube lamp is correctly installed is ineffective and will likely result in incorrect or inaccurate detection results. Thus, if the shock hazard detection of WO2015/066566 is applied to the ballast-bypass type LED tube lamp, a wrong detection result is relatively likely to occur, for example, because of the offset of the input voltage/current that may occur for lower frequency power signals. Further, according to the circuit structure of WO2015/066566, a bias circuit is configured for starting the shock hazard detection, in which the input terminals of the bias circuit are connected to the ballast output at one side of the fixture. Therefore, the bias circuit can form a loop with the ballast and be powered up when one end of the LED tube lamp is installed on the corresponding socket of the fixture. However, since there is only one output in each side of the fixture for providing the dual-end power so that the loop of the bias circuit cannot be formed, the shock hazard detection circuit of WO2015/066566 cannot be implemented in most of the ballast-bypass type LED tube lamps. | <SOH> SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION <EOH>It's specially noted that the present disclosure may actually include one or more inventions claimed currently or not yet claimed, and for avoiding confusion due to unnecessarily distinguishing between those possible inventions at the stage of preparing the specification, the possible plurality of inventions herein may be collectively referred to as “the (present) invention” herein. Various embodiments are summarized in this section, and are described with respect to the “present invention,” which terminology is used to describe certain presently disclosed embodiments, whether claimed or not, and is not necessarily an exhaustive description of all possible embodiments, but rather is merely a summary of certain embodiments. Certain of the embodiments described below as various aspects of the “present invention” can be combined in different manners to form an LED tube lamp or a portion thereof. The present disclosure provides a novel LED tube lamp, and aspects thereof. According to certain embodiments, a light-emitting diode (LED) tube lamp includes: a lamp tube; two end caps, each having at least one pin and each coupled to a respective end of the lamp tube, the pins of the two end caps for receiving an external driving signal; a first rectifying circuit, coupled to a pin of one of the two end caps, for rectifying the external driving signal to produce a rectified signal; a second rectifying circuit, coupled to a pin of the other of the two end caps, for simultaneously rectifying the external driving signal with the first rectifier; a filtering circuit, coupled to the first and the second rectifying circuits, for filtering the rectified signal to produce a filtered signal; an LED lighting module, coupled to the filtering circuit, and configured to receive the filtered signal to produce a driving signal, wherein the LED lighting module includes an LED module configured to receive the driving signal and emit light; and an installation detection module, configured to determine whether to cut off the external driving signal passing through the LED tube lamp, wherein the installation detection module includes a first installation detection terminal and a second installation detection terminal, the first installation detection terminal is coupled to the first and/or the second rectifying circuits, the second installation detection terminal is coupled to the filtering circuit, wherein, the installation detection module is configured such that when a current passing through the first and the second installation detection terminals is bigger than or equal to a specific current value, the installation detection module conducts to make the LED tube lamp operate in a conductive state; and when the current passing through the first and the second installation detection terminals is smaller than the specific current value, the installation detection module cuts off to make the LED tube lamp enter in a non-conducting state. In some embodiments, the installation detection module includes a switch circuit, a detection pulse generating module, a detection result latching circuit, and a detection determining circuit, wherein the detection determining circuit is coupled to the detection result latching circuit, the first and the second installation detection terminals, and is configured to detect a signal between the first and the second installation detection terminals to transmit a detection result signal to the detection result latching circuit, wherein the detection pulse generating module is coupled to the detection result latching circuit, and is configured to inform the detection result latching circuit of a time point for latching the detection result, wherein the detection result latching circuit is coupled to the switch circuit and latches a detection result according to the detection result signal, and further transmits the detection result to the switch circuit, wherein the switch circuit controls the state between conducting or cut off between the first and the second installation detection terminals according to the detection result. In some embodiments, the detection pulse generating module includes a first capacitor, a second capacitor, a first resistor, a second resistor, a first buffer, an inverter, a diode, and an OR gate, wherein one end of the first resistor is coupled to an input terminal of the inverter, one end of the second resistor is coupled to an input terminal of the first buffer, a cathode of the diode is coupled to the input terminal of the first buffer and the diode is coupled with the second resistor in parallel, one ends of the first and the second capacitors are jointly coupled, the other ends of the first and the second capacitors are correspondingly coupled to the input terminal of the inverter and the input terminal of the first buffer, an output terminal of the inverter and an output terminal of the first buffer are coupled to two input terminals of the OR gate, respectively, an output terminal of the OR gate is coupled to the detection result latching circuit. In some embodiments, when the one end cap of the LED tube lamp inserts a lamp socket and the other end cap thereof is electrically coupled to a human body or both the end caps insert the lamp socket, and the another end of the first resistor is coupled to a driving voltage, the another end of the second resistor is coupled to a reference voltage, and a joint connection node of the first and the second capacitors is coupled to the driving voltage, the driving voltage at the joint connection node of the first and the second capacitors is processed to produce an input pulse signal on the joint connection node, wherein during a high logic level of the input pulse signal inputting the joint connection node, the OR gate outputs a first pulse signal at the output terminal thereof for the detection result latching circuit latching a detection result based on the detection result signal and the first pulse signal, further, when the input terminal of the first buffer receives a low logic level of the input pulse signal from the output terminal of the OR gate, the first pulse signal on the output terminal thereof transferring into a low logic level signal. In some embodiments, a width of the input pulse signal received by the joint connection node is equal to one time period, and the input pulse signal keeps a low logic level after the time period is over, wherein from the time period is over and the joint connection node receiving the high logic level of the input pulse signal and then transferring into the low logic level signal, the output terminal of the inverter has a high logic level signal to make the OR gate output a high logic level of a second pulse signal for the detection result latching circuit latching the detection result based on the detection result signal and the second pulse signal. In some embodiments, the pulse width of the first or the second pulse signal is from 10 us to 1 ms. In some embodiments, from the output terminal of the inverter transferring into the high logic level and when the voltage on the input terminal of the inverter rises and is equal to the driving voltage or a high logic level, the output terminal of the inverter transfers from the high logic level into a low logic level to make the OR gate stop outputting the second pulse signal or become to output a low logic level. In some embodiments, the pulse width of the second pulse signal is determined based on the capacitance of the first capacitor and the resistance of the first resistor. In some embodiments, a time difference between productions of the first and second pulse signals or an interval with a defined time between both of them includes as following: the interval=(X+Y)(T/2), wherein T represents a cycle of the external driving signal, X is a natural number, and 0<Y<1. In some embodiments, a range for Y is from about 0.05-0.95. And further, in some embodiments, a range for Y is from about 0.15-0.85. In some embodiments, the pulse width of the first pulse signal output by the OR gate is decided by the capacitance of the second capacitor and the resistance of the second resistor. In some embodiments, the time difference between the productions of the first and the second pulse signals is not equal to multiple times of half one cycle of the external driving signal, and not corresponding to a multiple of 180 degrees phase difference of the external driving signal. In some embodiments, the detection pulse generating module further includes a third capacitor, a third resistor, and a second buffer, wherein a connection node of the third capacitor and the third resistor is coupled to an input terminal of the second buffer, an output terminal of the second buffer is coupled to the joint connection node of the first and the second capacitors, the third capacitor and the third resistor are coupled in serial between a driving voltage and a reference voltage, wherein the third capacitor, the third resistor, and the second buffer are configured to process the driving voltage to generate an input pulse signal at the joint connection node, wherein a width of the input pulse signal is equal to one time period and a low logic level on the joint connection node is output after the time period being over. In some embodiments, the time period is determined by the capacitance of the third capacitor and the resistance of the third resistor. In some embodiments, the detection determining circuit is coupled to the first installation detection terminal through a switch circuit coupling terminal and the switch circuit and is coupled to the detection result latching circuit via a detection result terminal, wherein the detection determining circuit includes a comparator, and a resistor, wherein a negative input terminal of the comparator receives a reference voltage, a positive input terminal thereof is coupled to the switch circuit coupling terminal and is coupled to the second installation detection terminal through the resistor, an output terminal of the comparator includes the detection result terminal. In some embodiments, when a current of the signal between the first and the second installation detection terminals passes through the resistor and makes a voltage on the positive input terminal higher than the reference voltage, the comparator produces a high logic level of the detection result signal and outputs to the detection result terminal, wherein the comparator generates a low logic level of the detection result signal and outputs to the detection result terminal when a current between the first and the second installation detection terminals passing through the resistor is insufficient to make the voltage on the positive input terminal higher than the reference voltage. In some embodiments, the signal between the first and the second installation detection terminals inputs form the first installation detection terminal and passes through the switch circuit, the switch circuit coupling terminal, and the detection determining circuit. In some embodiments, the detection result latching circuit is coupled to the detection determining circuit via a detection result terminal, to the switch circuit via a detection result latching terminal, and to the detection pulse generating module via a pulse signal output terminal, wherein the detection result latching circuit includes a D flip-flop, a resistor, and an OR gate, wherein the D flip-flop has a CLK input terminal coupled to the detection result terminal, and a D input terminal coupled to a driving voltage, one end of the resistor is coupled to a Q output terminal of the D flip-flop and the other end thereof is coupled to a reference voltage, the OR gate has two input terminals respectively coupled to the pulse signal output terminal and the Q output terminal of the D flip-flop, and has an output terminal coupled to the detection result latching terminal. In some embodiments, when the D input terminal of the D flip-flop is coupled to a driving voltage and the another end of the resistor is coupled to a reference voltage, and further when the detection result terminal outputs a low logic level of the detection result signal to the CLK input terminal, the D flip-flop outputs a low logic level signal at the Q output terminal thereof, but the D flip-flop outputs a high logic level signal at the Q output terminal thereof when the detection result terminal outputs a high logic level of the detection result signal to the CLK input terminal, wherein when the OR gate receives a pulse signal from the pulse signal output terminal or receives a high logic level signal from the Q output terminal of the D flip-flop, the OR gate outputs a high logic level of the detection result latching signal at the detection result latching terminal. In some embodiments, the switch circuit is coupled to the first installation detection terminal, to the detection result latching circuit via a detection result latching terminal, and to the detection determining circuit via a switch circuit coupling terminal, the switch circuit includes a transistor coupled to the first installation detection terminal, to the detection result latching terminal, and to the switch circuit coupling terminal. In some embodiments, when the detection pulse generating module produces a pulse signal, the transistor conducts to allow the detection determining circuit to perform detection for determining the detection result latching signal output by the detection result latching circuit at the detection result latching terminal to be high logic level or low logic level, and when the detection result latching signal is high logic level, the transistor conducts to make the first and the second installation detection terminals conducting, and when the detection result latching signal is low logic level, the transistor cuts off to make the first and the second installation detection terminals cutting off. In some embodiments, the transistor includes a bipolar junction transistor being a power transistor, the bipolar junction transistor has a collector coupled to the first installation detection terminal, a base coupled to the detection result latching terminal, and an emitter coupled to the switch circuit coupling terminal. In some embodiments, when the one end cap of the LED tube lamp is inserted into the lamp socket and the another floats or electrically couples to a human body, the detection determining circuit outputs a low logic level of the detection result signal to the detection result latching circuit, and then the detection pulse generating module outputs a low logic level signal to the detection result latching circuit to make the detection result latching circuit output a low logic level of a detection result latching signal to make the switch circuit cutting off, wherein the switch circuit cutting off makes the first and the second installation detection terminals blocking so as to make the LED tube lamp be in a non-conducting state. In some embodiments, when the two end caps of the LED tube lamp are correctly inserted into the lamp socket, the detection determining circuit outputs a high logic level of the detection result signal to the detection result latching circuit to make the detection result latching circuit output a high logic level of the detection result latching signal to make the switch circuit conducting, wherein the switch circuit conducting makes the first and the second installation detection terminals conducting so as to make the LED tube lamp operate in a conducting state. According to some embodiments of the LED tube lamp described herein, the end cap assembly will not conduct before being correctly inserted into the lamp socket so as to provide a safety protection for the user from electric shock. According to some embodiments, a light-emitting diode (LED) tube lamp includes a lamp tube; two end caps, each having at least one pin, and each coupled to a respective end of the lamp tube, the pins of the two end caps for receiving a driving signal; an LED module coupled to the two end caps, and configured to emit light in response to the driving signal; and an installation detection circuit configured to determine whether to cut off a current generated from the driving signal from reaching the LED module, the installation detection circuit having an input terminal and output terminal. The installation detection circuit may be configured such that when a current passing through the input terminal and the output terminal is bigger than or equal to a specific current value, the installation detection circuit conducts to make the LED module operate in a conductive state, and when the current passing through the input terminal and output terminal is smaller than the specific current value, the installation detection circuit cuts off to make the LED module enter in a non-conducting state. In some embodiments, the installation detection circuit further comprises: a first circuit configured to output two pulse signals, the first pulse signal output at a first time and the second pulse signal output at a second time after the first time; and a switch configured to receive the driving signal and to receive the two pulse signals. In some embodiments, the two pulse signals control turning on and off of the switch to control whether the LED module operates in a conductive state or in a non-conducting state. According to some embodiments, the driving signal is an alternating current (AC) signal having a period; and the amount of time between the first time and the second time is not a multiple of half of the period of the driving signal. For example, the first time may be at the beginning of the first pulse signal; and the second time may be at the beginning of the second pulse signal. In some embodiments, a time difference between productions of the first and second pulse signals or an interval with a defined time between both of them is the following: the interval=(X+Y)(T/2), wherein T represents the period of the driving signal, X is a natural number, and 0.05<Y<0.95. According to some embodiments, the LED tube lamp further includes a first rectifying circuit connected between the input terminal of the installation detection circuit and a first pin of one end cap of the two end caps; and a filtering circuit connected between the output terminal of the installation detection circuit and the lighting module. The LED tube lamp may further include a second rectifying circuit, coupled to a first pin of the other of the two end caps and coupled to the installation detection circuit. In some embodiments, the LED tube lamp includes a driving circuit coupled between the LED module and the installation detection circuit. According to certain embodiments, an LED tube lamp includes an installation detection circuit. The installation detection circuit includes a first circuit configured to output a plurality of pulse signals including a first pulse signal and a second pulse signal, the first pulse signal output at a first time and the second pulse signal output at a second time after the first time; and a switch configured to receive an LED driving signal and to receive the plurality of pulse signals, wherein the plurality of pulse signals control turning on and off of the switch. The installation detection circuit is configured to: during a detection stage, detect during each of the plurality of pulse signals whether the LED tube lamp is properly connected to a lamp socket; when it is not detected during any of the plurality of pulse signals that the LED tube lamp is properly connected to the lamp socket, control the switch to remain in an off state after the detection stage; and when it is detected during at least one of the plurality of pulse signals that the LED tube lamp is properly connected to the lamp socket, control the switch to remain in an on state after the detection stage. In some embodiments, the LED tube lamp further includes a latch circuit connected to the switch and configured to control turning on and off of the switch. In some embodiments, the LED driving signal is an AC signal having a period; and the amount of time between the first time and the second time is not a multiple of half of the period of the LED driving signal. For example, the first time may be at the beginning of the first pulse signal; and the second time may be at the beginning of the second pulse signal. | F21K9278 | 20171122 | 20180503 | 99256.0 | F21K9278 | 1 | TRAN, ANH Q | LED TUBE LAMP | UNDISCOUNTED | 1 | CONT-ACCEPTED | F21K | 2,017 |
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15,821,398 | ACCEPTED | CRAFTWORK TOOLS AND KITS | A craftwork accessory may provide a portable and/or easy-to-use tool to help users'accurately and repeatedly apply stamp impressions and the like to items such as cardstock. The accessory may include a base portion, one or more elevated side portions and cover portion. The side portions may define a workspace for arranging the item. The cover portion may be movably attached to the base portion or a side portion, for example, by one or more hinges. In operation, the item and stamp may be aligned in the workspace and the cover portion may be pressed onto the stamp to stick the stamp to the cover portion. The cover may then be opened, the stamp may be inked, and the cover portion may be closed and pressed onto the item to stamp the item. The accessory may include alignment indicia on the base portion, side portions and/or cover portion to facilitate placement of the item and/or stamp. The accessory may also include fastening mechanisms, such as magnetic elements, to facilitate placement of the item and/or stamp. | 1. An apparatus for craftwork comprising: a base comprising a base width, and a base length, the base further comprising a workspace configured to support a stampable substrate having a widthwise edge and a lengthwise edge, the base comprising gridlines, the base further comprising a widthwise ruler comprising indicia spaced at regular intervals and extending generally parallel to the base width and a lengthwise ruler comprising indicia spaced at regular intervals and extending generally parallel to the base length, the base further comprising a widthwise rigid raised side portion extending generally parallel to the base width, the widthwise rigid raised side portion extending above the workspace, the widthwise rigid raised side portion bordering the workspace and providing a structure against which the widthwise edge of the stampable substrate may be positioned, the base further comprising a lengthwise rigid raised side portion extending generally parallel to the base length, the lengthwise rigid raised side portion extending above the workspace, the lengthwise rigid raised side portion bordering the workspace and providing a structure against which the lengthwise edge of the stampable substrate may be positioned, the lengthwise rigid raised side portion and the widthwise rigid raised side portion being disposed at an angle of approximately 90 degrees relative to each other; a translucent or clear cover portion pivotably connected to the base, the cover portion comprising gridlines and configured to pivot toward and away from the workspace, the cover portion comprising an interior surface configured to face the workspace, the interior surface configured to accept an ink stamp; a ferromagnetic material; and at least one magnet configured to secure a stampable substrate located on the workspace to the ferromagnetic material. 2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the workspace is in the form of a removable foam pad. 3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the removable foam pad and the lengthwise and widthwise rigid raised side portions each have a height generally perpendicular to the base length and base width, and further wherein the height of the removable foam pad is less than the heights of the lengthwise and widthwise rigid raised side portions. 4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the lengthwise rigid raised side portion and the widthwise rigid raised side portion form a corner having an angle of 90 degrees. 5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the lengthwise and widthwise rulers are rectangular in shape and connected. 6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the ferromagnetic material is disposed below the workspace. 7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the cover portion is configured to pivot at least 180 degrees. 8. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the base comprises a base bottom comprising a non-slip surface. 9. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the cover portion is configured to substantially cover the workspace. 10. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the widthwise and lengthwise rigid raised side portions are adjacent to a periphery of the base. 11. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the widthwise and lengthwise rulers are adjacent to a periphery of the base. 12. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the lengthwise and widthwise rigid raised side portions extend at least ⅛ inch above the workspace. 13. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the lengthwise and widthwise rigid raised side portions each have a height generally perpendicular to the base width and the base height and further wherein the height of the lengthwise and widthwise rigid raised side portions are the same. 14. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the widthwise rigid raised side portion extends substantially the entire width of the base and the lengthwise rigid raised side portion extends substantially the entire length of the base. 15. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the widthwise rigid raised side portion extends above the workspace at a 90 degree angle relative to the workspace and comprises a straight edge bordering the workspace and providing a structure against which the widthwise edge of the stamp able substrate may be positioned and the lengthwise rigid raised side portion extends above the workspace at a 90 degree angle relative to the workspace and comprises a straight edge bordering the workspace and providing a structure against which the lengthwise edge of the stamp able substrate may be positioned, and further wherein the straight edges are disposed 90 degrees relative to each other. 16. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising an ink-stamp attached to the interior surface. 17. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the base and the cover portion are substantially rectangular. 18. A method of stamping a substrate comprising: a) providing the apparatus of claim 1; b) providing a stamp able substrate comprising a widthwise edge and a lengthwise edge; c) placing the widthwise edge of the stampable substrate on the workspace against the widthwise rigid raised side portion and the lengthwise edge of the stamp able substrate against the lengthwise rigid raised side portion; d) placing an ink stamp on the interior surface; and e) moving the cover portion toward the workspace to mark the stampable substrate with the ink stamp. 19. The method of claim 18 wherein the method further comprises placing the at least one magnet on top of the stamp able substrate between step b) and step e). 20. The method of claim 18 wherein the method further comprises placing a removable foam pad against the lengthwise and widthwise rigid raised side portions. 21. An apparatus for craftwork comprising: a base comprising a base width, and a base length, the base further comprising a workspace configured to support a stampable substrate having a widthwise edge and a lengthwise edge, the base further comprising a widthwise ruler comprising indicia spaced at regular intervals and extending generally parallel to the base width and a lengthwise ruler comprising indicia spaced at regular intervals and extending generally parallel to the base length, the base further comprising a widthwise rigid raised side portion extending generally parallel to the base width, the widthwise rigid raised side portion extending above the workspace, the widthwise rigid raised side portion bordering the workspace and providing a structure against which the widthwise edge of the stampable substrate may be positioned, the base further comprising a lengthwise rigid raised side portion extending generally parallel to the base length, the lengthwise rigid raised side portion extending above the workspace, the lengthwise rigid raised side portion bordering the workspace and providing a structure against which the lengthwise edge of the stampable substrate may be positioned, the lengthwise rigid raised side portion and the widthwise rigid raised side portion being disposed at an angle of approximately 90 degrees relative to each other; a translucent or clear cover portion pivotably connected to the base, the cover portion configured to pivot toward and away from the workspace, the cover portion comprising an interior surface configured to face the workspace, the interior surface configured to accept an ink stamp; a ferromagnetic material; and at least one magnet, the at least one magnet configured to secure a stampable substrate located on the workspace to the ferromagnetic material. 22. The apparatus of claim 21 wherein the ferromagnetic material is disposed below the workspace. 23. The apparatus of claim 21 wherein at least a portion of the base is opaque. 24. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the cover portion is configured to substantially cover the workspace. 25. The apparatus of claim 21 wherein the widthwise rigid raised side portion extends above the workspace at a 90 degree angle relative to the workspace and comprises a straight edge bordering the workspace and providing a structure against which the widthwise edge of the stampable substrate may be positioned and the lengthwise rigid raised side portion extends above the workspace at a 90 degree angle relative to the workspace and comprises a straight edge bordering the workspace and providing a structure against which the lengthwise edge of the stampable substrate may be positioned, and further wherein the straight edges are disposed 90 degrees relative to each other. 26. The apparatus of claim 21 wherein the lengthwise and widthwise rigid raised side portions extend at least ⅛ inch above the workspace. 27. The apparatus of claim 21 wherein the lengthwise and widthwise rigid raised side portions each have a height generally perpendicular to the base width and the base length, and further wherein the heights of the lengthwise and widthwise rigid raised side portions are the same. 28. The apparatus of claim 21 wherein the widthwise rigid raised side portion extends substantially the entire width of the base and the lengthwise rigid raised side portion extends substantially the entire length of the base. 29. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the cover portion comprises gridlines. 30. A method of stamping a substrate comprising: a) providing the apparatus of claim 21; b) providing a stamp able substrate comprising a widthwise edge and a lengthwise edge; c) placing the widthwise edge of the stampable substrate on the workspace against the widthwise rigid raised side portion and the lengthwise edge of the stamp able substrate against the lengthwise rigid raised side portion; d) placing an ink stamp on the interior surface; and e) moving the cover portion toward the workspace to mark the stampable substrate with the ink stamp. | RELATED APPLICATIONS This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/584,761, filed May 2, 2017 and entitled “CRAFTWORK TOOLS AND KITS”, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/424,600 (now U.S. Pat. No. 9,731,531), filed Feb. 3, 2017 and entitled “CRAFTWORK TOOLS AND KITS”, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/595,480 (now U.S. Pat. No. 9,597,909), filed Jan. 13, 2015 and entitled “CRAFTWORK TOOLS AND KITS”, the entire contents of each of the aforementioned patent and applications are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. BACKGROUND Technical Field The present application relates to tools for generating craft items, such as cards, and kits for generating craft items. Background of the Invention It is increasingly popular to make craft or handmade items such as cards, announcements and the like. Not only are the custom cards fun to make for crafters, the cards are appreciated more by the recipient. To help those that want to make a single birthday card or hundreds of wedding invitations, a wide variety of card blanks, toppers and embellishments are available. Stamps and stamp kits provide a great way for the average crafter to add professional quality graphics to their items. However, it can be difficult to properly align the stamp and/or get a clean impression on the item. If a clean impression is not made on the first attempt, the stamp must be realigned in exactly the same position or the item will be unusable. To address these problems, a variety of tools have been developed to help apply stamps to items. However, these tools present their own problems. For example, printing press apparatuses may allow for repeated stamping in the same position, but they are costly and bulky. Often, these devices also make it difficult to see how the stamp will look on the item before making an impression. Smaller, portable items, such as that described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,453,573, generally allow a user to see how the stamp will look on the item before leaving an impression, but it is difficult to realign the stamp in the same position if a more than one impression is required. Accordingly, a need has long existed for an improved craftwork accessory item. BRIEF SUMMARY In one embodiment, a craftwork accessory may provide a portable and/or easy-to-use tool to help users' accurately and repeatedly apply stamp impressions and the like to items such as cardstock. The accessory may include a base portion, one or more elevated side portions and cover portion. The side portions may define a workspace for arranging the item. The cover portion may be movably attached to the base portion or a side portion, for example, by one or more hinges. In operation, the item and stamp may be aligned in the workspace and the cover portion may be pressed onto the stamp to stick the stamp to the cover portion. The cover may then be opened, the stamp may be inked, and the cover portion may be closed and pressed onto the item to stamp the item. The accessory may include alignment indicia on the base portion, side portions and/or cover portion to facilitate placement of the item and/or stamp. The accessory may also include fastening mechanisms, such as magnetic elements, to facilitate placement of the item and/or stamp. Other systems, methods, features and advantages of the invention will be, or will become apparent to one with skill in the art upon examination of the following figures and detailed description. It is intended that all such additional systems, methods, features and technical advantages be included within this description, be within the scope of the invention, and be protected by the following claims. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The invention can be better understood with reference to the following drawings and description. The components in the figures are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon illustrating the principles of the invention. FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of an exemplary craftwork tool; FIG. 2 shows a base portion of an exemplary craftwork tool; FIGS. 3a-b show side portions of an exemplary craftwork tool; FIG. 4 shows a cover portion of an exemplary craftwork tool; FIG. 5 shows a cross-sectional view of an exemplary craftwork tool; FIG. 6 shows a cross-sectional view of another exemplary craftwork tool; FIG. 7 shows a flow chart of an exemplary method of operation of an exemplary craftwork tool; and FIGS. 8a-g shows a series of depictions of an exemplary craftwork tool while performing the steps shown in FIG. 7. DETAILED DESCRIPTION The elements illustrated in the Figures interoperate as explained in more detail below. Before setting forth the detailed explanation, however, it is noted that all of the discussion below, regardless of the particular implementation being described, is exemplary in nature, rather than limiting. Referring to FIG. 1, an exemplary craftwork accessory 100 is shown. The accessory 100 may include a base portion 110, one or more elevated side portions 120a, 120b, and 120c, and cover portion 130. The side portions 120a-c may define a workspace 112 on the base portion 110 that may be used to place the item to be stamped or otherwise adorned. In some embodiments, such as the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the accessory 100 may include three elevated side portions 120a-c. In other embodiments, more or less elevated side portions may be provided. The cover portion 130 may be moveably attached to the base portion 110. Alternatively, or additionally, the cover portion 130 may be attached to one or more side portions 120a-c and/or the base portion 110. In the illustrated embodiment, the cover portion 130 is attached to the base portion 110 by a hinge assembly 140. Other mechanisms for moveably attaching the cover portion 130 to other components of the accessory 100 may also be used. These may include, for example, brass hinges, piano hinges, non-hinge assemblies, and the like. In one embodiment, the overall footprint of the accessory 100 is about 8″ by about 10″. In other embodiments, the width of the footprint of the accessory 100 may be between about 5″ and about 15″ and the length of the footprint of the accessory 100 may be between about 6″ and about 16″. These sizes typically allow the accessory 100 to be compatible with most common cardstock and the like while maintaining portability of the accessory 100. Other sizes may also be used. Alternatively, or additionally, the accessory 100 may be sold in various sizes, such as extra small, small, medium, large, and extra-large and/or in various colors. In some embodiments, different colors may be used for different components of the accessory. The components of assembly 100 may be made of any suitable material. For example, rigid or semi-rigid materials such as acrylic, metal, tempered glass, cardboard and the like may be used. The components may be made of the same material, or different components may be made using different materials or combinations of materials. The assembly 100 as a whole may be made of a unified construction, subsets of components made of a unified construction, or each component may he separately constructed. An exemplary base portion 110 of an exemplary craftwork accessory 100 is shown in FIG. 2. The base portion 110 may be made of any suitable rigid or semi-rigid material, such as acrylic or the like. The base portion 110 may be translucent or opaque, clear or colored. The base portion 110 may define some or all of the footprint of the accessory item 100. For example, the base portion 110 may have a width of about 8″, a length of about 10″, and a thickness of about 3/32″. Other sizes may also be used. The base portion 110 may include indicia 114 (FIG. 8a) to facilitate of an item on the workspace 112 of the base portion 110. The indicia 114 may include, for example, grid lines, ruler markings, and the like. The indicia 114 may be printed or laser etched onto either an upper or lower surface of the base portion 110 itself. Alternatively, or additionally, additional components including indicia 114 may be placed under or atop the base portions 110, such as a piece of grid paper, to facilitate alignment of the item on the workspace. Optionally, the bottom of the base portion 110 may be made of a material having a suitable coefficient of friction to impede movement or slippage of the accessory 100 during normal use (also referred to herein as a “non-slip” surface). Alternatively or additionally, such a material may be attached to or applied to the bottom or the top of the base portion 110. Optionally, the accessory may include a fastening mechanism for securing the item to the work space. In one embodiment, the base portion 110 may include metal or other ferromagnetic material 118 (FIG. 5) for cooperating with a magnet 119 (FIG. 8b) placed on top of the item to secure the item on the workspace 112. Alternatively, or additionally, the ferromagnetic material 118 may be disposed above or below some or all of the workspace 112. Other mechanism may also be used to fasten the item to the workspace 112. For example, a top surface of the workspace 112 may have a coefficient of friction that impedes movement of an item placed thereon. FIGS. 3a-b show exemplary side portions 120a-c of an exemplary craftwork tool. In FIG. 3a, a top view of an exemplary side portions 120a-c are shown. The side portions 120a-c may be made up of a single piece or multiple pieces. The side portions 120a-c may be disposed to the top of the base portion 110. Alternatively, or additionally, one or more of the side pieces may be attached to another part of the base portion 110, such as a side of the base portion 110. In one embodiment, the side portions may be attached to the top of the base portion 110 and have a thickness of at least about one-eighth inch so as to define a workspace 112 that is about one-eight inch deep. Other thicknesses may be used, such as one-quarter inch, one-third inch, one-half inch and the like. In some embodiments, one or more spacers 113 (FIG. 6) may be provided with the accessory to reduce the depth of the workspace 112 relative to the elevated side portions 120a-c. Spacer 113 may be, for example, a foam pad. The spacer 113 may have a thickness proportional to the depth of the workspace 112, such as a thickness corresponding to one-half or one-quarter the depth of the workspace 112. Any other ratio may also be used. Each side portion 120a-c may be the same thickness and/or width, or each side portion 120a-c may vary in thickness and/or width. For example, each side portion 120a-c may be about three-quarters inches wide. The width of the side portions 120a-c may vary with the overall footprint of the accessory 100. In some embodiments, the width of a side portion 120a-c may be between about five percent and about twelve percent of the length or width of the overall footprint of the accessory 100. The side portions 120a-c may span some or all of the length of a side of the accessory 100, and each side piece 120a-c may span a different length of its corresponding side. In some embodiments, the side portions 120a-c may span at least one-fifth of the length of the side of the accessory 100. In other embodiments, the side portions 120a-c may span at least one fourth, one-third, or one-half of the length of a corresponding side of the accessory 100. Other lengths may also be used. The inner part of the side portions 120a-c may abut the upper surface of base portion 110, or one or more of the side portions 120a-c may include a recessed portion 124 that provides a gap between the upper surface of the base portion and a surface of side portion 120a-c. An example of this is shown in FIG. 3b. The recessed portion 124 may allow a user of the accessory 100 additional alignment options, such as when creating a border on the item. Optionally, the side portions 120a-c are dimension to allow for the inclusion of indicia 122 for facilitating alignment of the item and/or stamp or other embellishment items. In some embodiments, indicia 122 may be disposed in one-eighth inch increments along one or all of the side portions 120a-c. Other increments, such as numbers, gridlines and the like, also may be provided and different indicia may be placed on different side portions or within the same side portion. The indicia may be laser etched or printed to the side portion, or may be on a sticker, decal or the like affixed to one or more of the side portions 120a-c. Combinations of techniques and/or indicia may also he used. In addition, any of the techniques for providing any indicia on any of the components of the accessory 100 may be used to provide indicia on any of the other components. FIG. 4 shows a cover portion 130 of an exemplary craftwork tool. The cover portion 130 may be dimensioned similarly to the base portion 110, or may be dimensioned differently. In one embodiment, the cover may be about 8″ wide by about 10″ long. Other sizes, such as sizes appropriate for an accessory 100 having an overall footprint in the ranges discussed above, may also be used. The cover may be made of any suitable rigid or semi-rigid material, such as acrylic or the like. Preferably, the cover is translucent so as to allow a user of the accessory 100 to see the workspace even if the cover is closed. In other embodiments, the cover may be opaque. Preferably, the cover includes indicia 132 for facilitating alignment of the item and/or stamp. For example, indicia 132 may include one-quarter inch gridlines, one-eighth inch, and the like. The indicia 132 may be, for example, printed or etched onto the cover 132. Other methods of placing indicia 132 on the cover 130 may also be used. In some embodiments, the cover portion 130 does not include any indicia 132. FIG. 5 shows a cross-sectional. view of an exemplary craftwork tool. illustrated, the accessory 100 includes a base portion 110, side portions 120a-b, and a cover portion 130 attached to the base portion 110 by a hinge assembly 140. In addition, a piece of ferromagnetic material 118 is provided under the base portion 110. The ferromagnetic material 118 may he secured in position by a non-slip surface 116, which may be attached to the base, Alternatively, both the ferromagnetic material 118 and the non-slip surface 116 may be attached to the base portion 110 independently. FIG. 6 shows a cross sectional view of another exemplary craftwork tool. Similar to the embodiment shown in FIG. 5, the accessory 100 includes a base portion 110, side portions 120a-b, and a cover portion 130 attached to the base portion 110 by a hinge assembly 140. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 6, a piece of ferromagnetic material 118 is provided in a recessed portion of the base portion 110. Additionally, an element 115 having indicia for alignment is also provided in the recessed portion of the base portion 110 so as to be visible by a user looking down on the workspace 112. Element 115 may be, for example, a piece of grid paper or the like. A removable spacer 113 is also provided in the workspace 112 to reduce the depth of the workspace 112. FIGS. 7 shows a flow chart of an exemplary method of operation of an exemplary craftwork tool and FIGS. 8a-g shows a series of depictions of an exemplary craftwork tool while performing the steps shown in FIG. 7. Initially, a user opens the cover portion 130 of the accessory 100 at step 710 (as shown in FIG. 8a). The user then aligns the item in the workspace 112 and optionally secures the item in place at step 720 (as shown in FIG. 8b). In the illustrated embodiment, the item is secured in place by placing a magnet 119 on top of the item. Next, the user aligns the stamp on top of the item in a desired position at step 730 (as shown in FIG. 8c). In the illustrated embodiment, the user places a “Happy Birthday” stamp on the item. At step 740, the user closes the cover portion 130 and presses down to secure the stamp to the cover portion 130 (as shown in FIG. 8d). The user then opens the cover portion 130 and inks the stamp at step 750 (as shown in. FIG. 8e). Once the stamp is inked, the user may close the cover portion 130 and press down to impress the image on the item at step 760 (as shown in. FIG. 8f). As a result, the item is left with an impression of the stamped image as shown in FIG. 8g. As should be apparent to one in the art, if a clean impression is not made on the first attempt, the user may reapply ink and/or repress the stamp as necessary. Additionally, because both the item and the stamp are secured in their portions, the user may re-ink the stamp with various colors and apply the new impression to the enhance or otherwise alter the image on the item, or create multiple copies of the same item be aligning a new item in the same position and restamping. Additionally, the top of the cover may be used in a similar manner to stamp items that are not placed in workspace 112, such as oversized items. Referring to the embodiment shown in FIGS. 8a-g, a user can (1) place an item to the right of the accessory 100, (2) align a stamp on the item, (3) open the cover 130 and secure the stamp to the cover 130, (4) close the cover 130 and ink the stamp and (5) open the cover 130 to stamp the item. Other methods of operation may also he apparent to one of ordinary skill. Thus, the accessories 100 described herein provide solutions that offer a portable and easy-to-use tool for creating high-quality stamp impressions for a wide variety of uses. While various embodiments of the invention have been described, it will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that many more embodiments and implementations are possible within the scope of the invention. Accordingly, the invention is not to be restricted except in light of the attached claims and their equivalents. | <SOH> BACKGROUND <EOH> | <SOH> BRIEF SUMMARY <EOH>In one embodiment, a craftwork accessory may provide a portable and/or easy-to-use tool to help users' accurately and repeatedly apply stamp impressions and the like to items such as cardstock. The accessory may include a base portion, one or more elevated side portions and cover portion. The side portions may define a workspace for arranging the item. The cover portion may be movably attached to the base portion or a side portion, for example, by one or more hinges. In operation, the item and stamp may be aligned in the workspace and the cover portion may be pressed onto the stamp to stick the stamp to the cover portion. The cover may then be opened, the stamp may be inked, and the cover portion may be closed and pressed onto the item to stamp the item. The accessory may include alignment indicia on the base portion, side portions and/or cover portion to facilitate placement of the item and/or stamp. The accessory may also include fastening mechanisms, such as magnetic elements, to facilitate placement of the item and/or stamp. Other systems, methods, features and advantages of the invention will be, or will become apparent to one with skill in the art upon examination of the following figures and detailed description. It is intended that all such additional systems, methods, features and technical advantages be included within this description, be within the scope of the invention, and be protected by the following claims. | B41K302 | 20171122 | 20180327 | 20180315 | 67633.0 | B41K302 | 1 | ROYSTON, JOHN M | CRAFTWORK TOOLS AND KITS | SMALL | 1 | CONT-ACCEPTED | B41K | 2,017 |
15,822,045 | PENDING | Stabilizing a Detachable Item on a Printable Substrate | The present disclosure describes various example multi-layer printing sheets, and systems and methods for manufacturing the same. An example printing sheet comprises: a die-cut or perforated printable film portion; an adhesive layer; a clear ink layer; and a bottom layer. The printable film portion may be die-cut or perforated to form a band shape. A release layer may be placed between the adhesive layer and the bottom layer or the adhesive layer and the clear ink layer. A portion of the printing sheet may include a die cut printable paper portion; the printable paper portion comprises a printable paper layer includes one or more labels die cut into it; and the printable paper layer is connected to the bottom layer via an adhesive. A release may be placed between the adhesive layer and the bottom layer of the printable paper portion. | 1. A printing sheet, comprising: a die-cut or perforated printable film portion; an adhesive layer; a clear ink layer; and a bottom layer. 2. The printing sheet of claim 1, wherein the printable film portion is die-cut or perforated to form a band shape. 3. The printing sheet of claim 2, wherein there is a release layer between the adhesive layer and the bottom layer or between the adhesive layer and the clear ink layer. 4. The printing sheet of claim 3, wherein a portion of the printing sheet includes a die-cut printable paper portion, the die-cut printable paper portion comprising a printable paper layer having one or more labels die-cut into it, the printable paper layer being connected to the bottom layer via an adhesive. 5. The printing sheet of claim 4, wherein there is a release between the adhesive layer and the bottom layer of the die-cut printable paper portion. 6. The printing sheet of claim 2, where a portion of the adhesive layer underneath the die cut shape is absent. 7. The printing sheet of claim 1, wherein the adhesive layer includes a low tack adhesive portion. 8. The printing sheet of claim 7, wherein the adhesive layer includes a release layer underneath a portion of the adhesive layer. 9. The printing sheet of claim 8, wherein the bottom layer comprises a printable paper layer, an adhesive layer, and a liner layer. 10. The printing sheet of claim 9, wherein a portion of the printing sheet includes one or more labels die cut into the paper layer. 11. The printing sheet of claim 9, where a portion of the liner layer with release coating attached to it and adhesive attached to the release coating is also attached to a laser receptive paper. 12. The printing sheet of claim 1, wherein there is a release layer underneath at least a portion of the clear ink layer. 13. The printing sheet of claim 12, wherein a portion of the printing sheet includes a die-cut printable paper portion with a printable paper layer having one or more labels die-cut into it, the printable paper layer connected to the bottom layer via an adhesive. 14. The printing sheet of claim 1, wherein the die-cut or perforated printable film portion is partially die-cut or perforated. 15. The printing sheet of claim 1, wherein the die-cut or perforated printable film portion is configured to be printed with an image or an encrypted text. 16. The printing sheet of claim 15, wherein the image or the encrypted text identifies an individual receiving medical care at a medical facility. 17. The printing sheet of claim 15, wherein the image or the encrypted text is configured to be read by a mobile or stationary scanner to identify an individual receiving medical care at a medical facility. 18. The printing sheet of claim 15, wherein the image or the encrypted text is configured to be read by a camera installed on a mobile phone. 19. A second printing sheet, comprising: a laser receptive paper layer; an adhesive layer below the laser receptive paper layer; a laser receptive film layer adhered to a portion of the adhesive layer wherein a first portion of the laser receptive film layer and a second portion of the adhesive layer have been removed such that a third portion of the laser receptive film layer is exposed; and a second portion of the laser receptive film layer has a release coating or ink between the laser receptive film layer and the adhesive layer; and a liner layer with release coating adhered to remaining portion of the adhesive layer not attached to the laser receptive film layer. 20. A third printing sheet comprising: a laser receptive film adhered to a liner wherein a first portion of the laser receptive film has a release coating attached to the laser receptive film; an adhesive attached to the release coating; and the liner, wherein a second portion of the laser receptive film includes adhesive attached to the laser receptive film and to the release coating, wherein the release coating is further attached to the liner. | RELATED APPLICATION This application claims the benefit of U.S. provisional patent application Ser. No. 62/425,969, entitled “Stabilizing a Detachable Item on a Printable Substrate,” filed Nov. 23, 2016, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. TECHNICAL FIELD The present disclosure generally relates to multi-layer printing sheets and more specifically to stabilizing a detachable item or portion on a printable substrate of a multi-layer printing sheet. BACKGROUND Wearable bands, e.g., wristbands and ankle bands, are commonly used for identification purpose. For example, patient information, e.g., a patient's name, date of birth, and admittance date, may be printed onto a paper wristband for the patient to wear on her person during a hospital stay so that medical professionals can easily identify the patient and her medical history. Most wearable identification bands are not printed in their final use form—a non-sheet-like form (e.g., a strip shape), however, because existing printers are oftentimes incapable of processing printing sheets that are of non-standardized dimensions. A standard-dimensioned printing sheet (sometimes referred to as a carrier sheet) may be used to carry an identification band during a printing process; after the printing is completed, the band can be removed from the carrier sheet and for use in its final form. A wristband sheet may be used as a carrier sheet; a single wristband sheet may include two or more wristband portions and label portions. A wristband sheet may consist of several layers, one of which is a printable layer, e.g., a layer on which data may be printed. One of the existing technical problems is that a printable layer is often cut out of a substrate's top layer and not sufficiently affixed to the substrate's bottom layer. When such a wristband sheet is fed through a printer, the detachable but left unsecured wristband portion of the wristband sheet may move, resulting in the wristband being wrinkled or otherwise having low print quality or the printer being jammed. The above identified technical problems are reduced or eliminated by the apparatuses, systems, and methods disclosed in the present disclosure. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a wearable band having a printed label. FIG. 2A is a block diagram illustrating a multi-layer printing sheet including several labels, and a wearable band that is detachable from the printing sheet. FIG. 2B is a block diagram illustrating a multi-layer printing sheet including a label, and several wearable bands that are detachable from the printing sheet. FIG. 3A is a block diagram illustrating a cross section view of a first example multi-layer printing sheet including a wearable band that is detachable from the printing sheet. FIG. 3B is a block diagram illustrating a top view of the multi-layer printing sheet described in FIG. 3A. FIG. 4A is a block diagram illustrating a cross section view of a second example multi-layer printing sheet including a wearable band that is detachable from the printing sheet. FIG. 4B is a block diagram illustrating a top view of the multi-layer printing sheet described in FIG. 4A. FIG. 5A is a block diagram illustrating a cross section view of a third example multi-layer printing sheet including a wearable band that is detachable from the printing sheet. FIG. 5B is a block diagram illustrating a top view of the third example multi-layer printing sheet described in FIG. 5A. FIG. 6A is a block diagram illustrating a cross section view of a fourth example multi-layer printing sheet including a wearable band that is detachable from the printing sheet. FIG. 6B is a block diagram illustrating a top view of the fourth example printing sheet described in FIG. 6A. FIG. 7A is a block diagram illustrating a top view of a top sheet of a fifth example multi-layer printing sheet including a wearable band that is detachable from the printing sheet. FIG. 7B is a block diagram illustrating a bottom view of the top sheet of the multi-layer printing sheet described in FIG. 7A. FIG. 7C is a block diagram illustrating a top view of a bottom sheet of the multi-layer printing sheet described in FIG. 7A. FIG. 8 is a flowchart illustrating an example method for manufacturing a multi-layer printing sheet. FIG. 9 is a block diagram illustrating an example computer system for manufacturing a multi-layer printing sheet. FIG. 10 is a block diagram illustrating a first example implementation of a multi-layer printing sheet. FIG. 11 is a block diagram illustrating a second example implementation of a multi-layer printing sheet. FIG. 12 is a block diagram illustrating a third example implementation of a multi-layer printing sheet. FIG. 13 is a block diagram illustrating a fourth example implementation of a multi-layer printing sheet. FIG. 14 is a block diagram illustrating a fifth example implementation of a multi-layer printing sheet. Embodiments of the present disclosure and their advantages are best understood by referring to the detailed description that follows. It should be appreciated that like reference numerals are used to identify like elements illustrated in one or more of the figures; showings therein are for purposes of illustrating embodiments of the present disclosure and not for purposes of limiting the same. SUMMARY Embodiments of a multi-layer printing sheet including a portion that is detachable from the printing sheet, as well as method and computer executable instructions for stabilizing the detachable portion on a printable layer of a multi-layer printing sheet are provided in the present disclosure. A printing sheet, in some implementations, comprises: a die-cut or perforated printable film portion; an adhesive layer; a clear ink layer; and a bottom layer. The printable film portion in some implementations is die-cut or perforated to form a band shape. A release layer, in some implementations, is between the adhesive layer and the bottom layer or the adhesive layer and the clear ink layer. A portion of the printing sheet, in some implementations, includes a die cut printable paper portion; the printable paper portion comprises a printable paper layer includes one or more labels die cut into it; and the printable paper layer is connected to the bottom layer via an adhesive. A release, in some implementations, is placed between the adhesive layer and the bottom layer of the printable paper portion. A portion of the adhesive layer underneath the die cut shape is absent or missing, in some implementations. The adhesive layer, in some implementations, includes a low tack adhesive portion. The adhesive layer, in some implementations, includes a release layer underneath a portion of the adhesive layer. The bottom layer, in some implementations, includes a printable paper layer, an adhesive layer, and a liner layer. A portion of the printing sheet, in some implementations, includes one or more labels die cut into the paper layer. A portion of the liner layer has release coating attached to it and adhesive attached to the release coating is also attached to a laser receptive paper. A release layer, in some implementations, is placed underneath at least a portion of the clear ink layer. A portion of the printing sheet, in some implementations, includes a die-cut printable paper portion with a printable paper layer having one or more labels die cut into it; and the printable paper layer is connected to the bottom layer via an adhesive. In some implementations, the die-cut or perforated printable film portion is partially die-cut or perforated. The die-cut or perforated printable film portion, in some implementations, is configured to be printed with an image or an encrypted text. The image or the encrypted text, in some implementations, identifies an individual receiving medical care at a medical facility. The image or the encrypted text, in some implementations, is configured to be read by a mobile or stationary scanner to identify an individual receiving medical care at a medical facility. The image or the encrypted text, in some implementations, is configured to be read by a camera installed on a mobile phone. A second printing sheet, may comprise: a laser receptive paper layer; an adhesive layer below the laser receptive paper layer; a laser receptive film layer adhered to a portion of the adhesive layer; and a liner with release coating adhered to the remaining portion of the adhesive layer not attached to the laser receptive film layer. A first portion of the laser receptive film layer and a second portion of the adhesive layer have been removed such that a third portion of the laser receptive film layer is exposed; a second portion of the laser receptive film layer has a release coating or ink in between the laser receptive film layer and the adhesive layer; A third printing sheet, may comprise: a laser receptive film adhered to a liner where a portion of the film has a release coating attached to the film, then an adhesive attached to the release coating, then the liner. Another portion of the film the adhesive attached to the film then a release coating attached to the adhesive and the liner attached to the release coating. A computer-implemented method for manufacturing a multi-layer printing sheet as described in any of the implementations above. A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising computer executable instructions stored thereon, which, when executed by one or more computers, cause a machine to manufacture a multi-layer printing sheet as described in any of the implementations above. DETAILED DESCRIPTION The present disclosure describes various implementations of multi-layer wristband sheets, as well as systems and methods for manufacturing the same. The technologies described in the present disclosure can provide the following technical advantages. First, the detachable portions of a wristband sheet, e.g., a wristband portion or a label portion, are more secured to a substrate of the wristband sheet, reducing unexpected movements of these portions during printing, enhancing printing quality, and reducing printer jamming. Second, the detachable portions remain easily separable from the wristband sheet after the printing process is completed; the usability of the wristband sheet is not diminished. Additional details of implementations are now described in relation to the Figures. FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a wearable band 100 having a printed label. As shown in FIG. 1, the wearable band 100 has a non-sheet-like form; namely, the band 100 includes a perforated strip 102, a label portion 104, and a buckle portion 106. The perforated strip 102 and the buckle portion 106 may be used together as a locking mechanism to secure the band 100 to a person's wrist, ankle, hand, or foot. The label portion 104 is an area (1) onto which data may be printed directly or (2) to which a printed data label may be affixed. For example, a patient's identification information may be printed directly in the label portion 104, because the identification information (e.g., the patient's name or date of birth) is not expected to change frequently; for another example, a medical checklist may be glued to the label portion 104, because the check list may be updated or replaced numerous times as a patient goes through various stages of a checkup process. FIG. 2A is a block diagram illustrating a multi-layer printing sheet 200 including several labels, and a wearable band that is detachable from the printing sheet. As shown in FIG. 2, the wristband sheet 200 includes a band portion 202 and several label portions, for example, labels 204A, 204B, 204C, and 204D. Providing multiple labels on a same wristband sheet is technically advantageous, as it allows labels having the same information to be affixed to different articles or locations for the purpose of cross-referencing and identification. For example, the labels 204A-204C may be affixed to different medication bottles of the same patient; while the label 204D may be affixed to the patient's wristband. For a printing sheet having two more labels, it becomes more important to stabilize the labels during printing, because the label may move in the same or even different manners. FIG. 2B is a block diagram illustrating a multi-layer printing sheet 250 including a label, and several wearable bands that are detachable from the printing sheet. As shown in FIG. 2B, the wristband sheet 250 provides multiple band portions, e.g., wristbands 254A, 254B, 254C, and 254D, and a label 252. Providing multiple wristband portions on a same wristband sheet is technically advantageous, as it allows several wristbands having the same or related information to be printed at the same time and distributed to different individuals to show a relationship among these different individuals. FIG. 3A is a block diagram illustrating a cross section view 300 of a first example multi-layer printing sheet including a wearable band that is detachable from the printing sheet. As shown in the cross section view 300, the wrist band portion of the printing sheet may have three top layers (e.g., layers 302-306) in addition to the three bottom layers (e.g., layers 308-312). The layer 302 may include a laser receptive film onto which a laser printer may print data, which may include patient identification information, health care data, and one or more encoded images (e.g., a bar code, a UPC code, or a QR code). Printing encoded data, rather than plain text, on a wearable band can protect data that may be considered private, e.g., an individual's name, date of birth, or medical conditions or symptoms. The encoded data may be read by a scanner or a mobile phone to quickly identify the patient carry the medical wristband or ankle band. This is particularly beneficial at medical care facilities where patients and their medical history may need to be identify as soon as possible. In some embodiments, the layer 302 may also be printed using an impact printer, an ion deposition printer, an ink jet printer, a laser printer, a direct thermal printer, and a thermal transfer printer. In some other embodiments, the layer 302 may be a thermal printable film or a substrate that is receptive to imaging via other means. The layer 304 may be an adhesive layer. The adhesive layer 304 may include pressure sensitive adhesive, such as low tack adhesive (can also be referred to as coupon adhesive, no tack adhesive, or dry tack adhesive), which allows the laser receptive film layer 302 to be conveniently attached and secured to, and removed from a printing sheet. Low tack or no tack adhesive oftentimes leaves no residue on the substrate to which it is applied and does not sacrifice the separability of the wristband from the printing sheet. As explained below, the adhesive may be applied to a clear ink layer 306 that is placed between a printable film and a paper layer (e.g., the layer 302 and the layer 308, respectively). The adhesive serves to restrain movements of the film 302 on the paper layer 308 during printing. The clear ink layer 306 fills in the pores of the paper layer 308. This creates an even surface for the adhesive layer 304. Applying adhesive to an even, non-porous surface means even amounts of adhesive are available to evenly secure the laser receptive film layer 302. Evenly securing the laser receptive film layer 302 restrains movement of the film layer 302 on the paper layer 308 during printing. The layer 310 may be another adhesive layer similar to the layer 304; and the layer 312 may be a liner layer. As shown in the view 300, the label portion of the printing sheet may have the three bottom layers (e.g., layers 308-312), but without the three top layers. The label portion may include multiple labels (as shown in FIG. 2) or a single label (as shown in FIG. 3). FIG. 3B is a block diagram illustrating a top view 350 of the multi-layer printing sheet described in FIG. 3A. As shown in the top view 350, the top portion 351 of the printing sheet may be the label area, which may include one or more labels. The dark strip 353 demonstrates the wristband portion. The areas 352 are adhesive tab areas on the paper layer 308; tack down adhesive may be applied to the areas 354 between the film 302 and the paper 308 to affix the corresponding arrowed portions of the film 302 to the paper 308; and low or no tack adhesive is applied to the area 356 between the film 302 and the paper 308 to sufficiently secure the film 302 to the paper 308 for the purpose of printing, but without diminishing the ease of detaching the film from the paper 308 when needed. Using technologies described with reference to FIGS. 3A and 3B, a wristband can sufficiently secured to the wristband sheet when printing, such that no wrinkling or jamming occurs. After the printing is completed, the wristband portion between the two areas 352 can be conveniently separated from the areas 354 and removed from the printing sheet. FIG. 4A is a block diagram illustrating a cross section view 400 of a second example multi-layer printing sheet including a wearable band that is detachable from the printing sheet. As shown in the cross section view 400, the wrist band portion of the printing sheet may have four layers (e.g., layers 402-406 and 412); and the label portion may have three layers (e.g., layers 408-412). Similar to the technologies described with reference to FIG. 3A, the layer 402 is a laser receptive film layer; the layer 404 is an adhesive layer; the layer 406 is a clear ink layer; the layer 408 is a laser receptive paper layer; the layer 410 is another adhesive layer; and the layer 412 shared by the wristband portion and the label portion is a liner layer 412. The liner layer 412 may be a coated paper layer with areas of release agents printed thereon so that either the film, or the paper, or both can be conveniently removed from the liner 412. FIG. 4B is a block diagram illustrating a top view 450 of the multi-layer printing sheet described in FIG. 4A. As shown in the top view 450, the top portion 451 of the printing sheet may be the label area; and the dark strip 453 illustrates the wristband portion. The area 452 is an adhesive tab area covered with release agent, which prevents bonding to on the liner 412. The areas 454 include tack down adhesive filled between the laser receptive film 402 and the laser receptive paper 408. The area 456 includes low or no tack adhesive to secure the wristband to the printing sheet. The wristband may also be perforated at one end (e.g., the right end) to make it even easier to remove the wristband form the printing sheet. FIG. 5A is a block diagram illustrating a cross section view 500 of a third example multi-layer printing sheet including a wearable band that is detachable from the printing sheet. As shown in the cross section view 500, the wrist band portion of the printing sheet may have five layers (e.g., layers 502-508 and 514); and the label portion may have three layers (e.g., layers 510-514). The layer 502 is a laser receptive film layer with one or more die cuts (illustrated by dotted lines 501). The die cuts provide additional pressure to secure the wristband portion to the printing sheet, further reducing the possibility of wrinkling. This is particularly advantageous, when an industrial printer, which is less adapted at maintaining paper-pulling force consistent, is used to print the identification bands. Similar to the technologies described with reference to FIGS. 3A and 4A, the layer 504 is an adhesive layer; the layer 506 is a clear ink layer; the layer 510 is a laser receptive paper layer; and the layer 512 is another adhesive layer. The layer 508 shown in FIG. 5B is covered with release agent; and the liner 514 is shared by both the wrist band portion and the label portion. FIG. 5B is a block diagram illustrating a top view 550 of the third example multi-layer printing sheet described in FIG. 5A. As shown in the top view 550, the top portion 551 and the strip 553 demonstrate the label portion and the wristband portion of the printing sheet, respectively. Area 552 is an adhesive tab area on the paper liner. Similar to the technologies discussed with references to FIGS. 3B and 4B, areas 554 represent the locations where tack down adhesive may be used to secure the film 502 to the paper layer 510. Note that in some implementations, clear ink is applied to the area 555 and 557; and that, in some implementations, clear ink is applied to only the area 555 and 557, but not the area 552 and the areas 554. These technologies are advantageous, because areas where tack down adhesive has been or will be applied will not become part of the wristband. The benefit of having a uniformed degree of release provided in these areas is thus not essential. Besides the use of die cut discussed with reference to FIG. 5A, initiation die cuts may also be used proximate to one of the areas 552 to further increase the ease of removing the wristband from the printing sheet. FIG. 6A is a block diagram illustrating a cross section view 600 of a fourth example multi-layer printing sheet including a wearable band that is detachable from the printing sheet. As shown in the cross section view 600, layer 602 is a laser receptive film layer; layers 604 are adhesive layers; layers 606 are laser receptive paper layers; and layer 608 is a liner layer. As shown in FIG. 6A, a portion of the paper layer 606 has been removed, for example, by die-cut. The layer 602 located underneath the two paper layers 606 is the wristband portion. Releases 608 may be printed around the edges surrounding the exposed area. FIG. 6B is a block diagram illustrating a top view 650 of the fourth example printing sheet described in FIG. 6A. As shown in the top view 650, the top portion 651 and the strip 653 represent the relative locations of the label portion and the wristband portion on the printing sheet. Area 654 is a wristband adhesive tab area. Release agent is applied below the paper layer and adhesive is applied on the top side of the film 602. Adhesive is also applied to the bottom side of the paper layer 606 and the top side of the film layer 602. Tack down adhesive is applied to the arrowed area 658 to secure the film 602 to the paper 606. In the embodiments described with reference to FIGS. 6A and 6B, in a top-down view, the attachment along the perimeter of the wristband is outside the purview of the window area formed by cutting out a portion of the paper layer, such that there is no break along the surface of the top layer. In these embodiments, due to the cut to the paper layer, the film layer is recessed. A wristband may be detached from a printing sheet by pushing the edges of the film layer downwards (as opposed to lifting the band upwards and away from the printing sheet). Alternatively, a wristband may be detached from a printing sheet by first turning the sheet bottom side up and then separating the wristband from the bottom carrier sheet. In the implementations shown in FIGS. 6A and 6B, the wristband portion is secured to the printing sheet by applying adhesive to the entire area of the wristband portion and die-cutting a certain portion of the paper layer and the adhesive layer out of the printing sheet. FIG. 7A is a block diagram illustrating a top view 700 of a top sheet 710 of a fifth example multi-layer printing sheet including a wearable band that is detachable from the printing sheet. As shown in FIG. 7A, the portion 731 may be laser receptive paper; and the portion 733 may be a laser receptive film. FIG. 7B is a block diagram illustrating a bottom view 730 of the top sheet 710 described in FIG. 7A; FIG. 7C is a block diagram illustrating a top view 760 of a bottom sheet 770 of the multi-layer printing sheet described in FIGS. 7A and 8B. In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 7B-7C, adhesive and a release coating are placed on both the top layer of a substrate and the bottom layer of an adjacent substrate (as opposed to placing adhesive and release coating on separate layers before merging the layers together). As shown in FIG. 7B, both adhesive and release coating are applied to the wristband area on the bottom side of the top sheet. And as shown in 7C, both adhesive and release coating are applied to the wristband area on the top side of the bottom sheet 770. For example, adhesive is applied to the areas 734 and 764 and the release agent is applied to the areas 736 and 766. One of the technical advantages provided in this embodiment is that the wristband is tacked down to the bottom liner. In this embodiment, the adhesive would stay on the bottom layer. In this embodiment, there is an area at the ends of the wristband with release layer, which is needed to avoid tearing back the liner. It does not require a no or low tack adhesive. In some embodiments, the release agent is a release chemical that has been approved by regulatory agencies as suitable for skin contact; and the printable substrate includes one or more antimicrobial additives. These embodiments are advantageous for use in a hospital or medical facility. Any printable surface as serve as top layer; for example, laser printing papers that can be used in a hospital setting can serve as the top layer. The bottom layer may be a paper sheet. Clear ink may be applied between the two layers to smooth the connecting surface before a low or no tack adhesive is applied. Die cut may also be used to secure the wristband to the printing sheet. FIG. 8 is a flowchart illustrating an example method for manufacturing a multi-layer printing sheet. The computer system 900 as described with reference to FIG. 9, when properly programmed, can execute the method 800. In some implementations, the method 800 includes using a computer to load (802) computer-executable programming instructions from a non-volatile memory of the computer to a volatile memory of the computer. After loading the programming instructions, the computer may execute (803) the programming instructions using the volatile memory. Based on the execution of the programming instructions, the computer may control (806) a manufacturing machine, for example, a cutting machine, a pressing machine, or a printing machine. By controlling the manufacturing machine, the computer causes (808) the manufacturing machine to manufacture a multi-layer printing sheet as described in one or more of the implementations disclosed in the present disclosure. FIG. 9 is a block diagram illustrating an example computer system 900 for manufacturing a multi-layer printing sheet. The computer system 900 in some implementations includes one or more processing units CPU(s) 902 (also referred to as processors), one or more network interfaces 903, optionally a user interface 905, a memory 906, and one or more communication buses 910 for interconnecting these components. The communication buses 910 optionally include circuitry (sometimes called a chipset) that interconnects and controls communications between system components. The memory 906 typically includes high-speed random access memory, such as DRAM, SRAM, DDR RAM or other random access solid state memory devices; and optionally includes non-volatile memory, such as one or more magnetic disk storage devices, optical disk storage devices, flash memory devices, or other non-volatile solid state storage devices. The memory 906 optionally includes one or more storage devices remotely located from the CPU(s) 100. The memory 906, or alternatively the non-volatile memory device(s) within the memory 906, comprises a non-transitory computer readable storage medium. In some implementations, the memory 906 or alternatively the non-transitory computer readable storage medium stores the following programs, modules and data structures, or a subset thereof: an operating system 910 (e.g., an embedded Linux operating system), which includes procedures for handling various basic system services and for performing hardware dependent tasks; a network communication module 912 for connecting the computer system 900 with a manufacturing machine via one or more network interfaces (wired or wireless); a computing module 913 for executing programming instructions; a controller 916 for controlling a manufacturing machine in accordance with the execution of programming instructions; and a user interaction module 918 for enabling a user to interact with the computer system 900. In some implementations, the user interface 205 includes an input device (e.g., a keyboard, a mouse, a touchpad, a track pad, and a touch screen) for a user to interact with the system 900. One or more of the above identified elements may be stored in one or more of the previously mentioned memory devices, and correspond to a set of instructions for performing a function described above. The above identified modules or programs (e.g., sets of instructions) need not be implemented as separate software programs, procedures or modules, and thus various subsets of these modules may be combined or otherwise re-arranged in various implementations. In some implementations, the memory optionally stores a subset of the modules and data structures identified above. Furthermore, the memory may store additional modules and data structures not described above. FIG. 10 is a block diagram illustrating a first example implementation of a multi-layer printing sheet. In the concepts 1 and 2, as shown in FIGS. 10 and 11, respectively, wristband tab may come off the entire sheet, thereby exposing the wristband adhesive. Other implementation options include die-cutting through the liner in tab region only. FIG. 11 is a block diagram illustrating a second example implementation of a multi-layer printing sheet. As shown in concept 2, the adhesive layer may be die-cut all the way through the release ink and liner. A user can separately remove the liner tab to expose the adhesive. Concept #2 differs from concept #1 in that the clear ink is applied to the liner instead of to the laser receptive paper labelstock; all other configurations may remain the same. Additionally, in concept #2, the adhesive tab may be die-cut all the way through the adhesive release ink and liner. Rather than exposing the adhesive when removing the wristband from the sheet, a user would expose the adhesive by pulling the liner off the wristband after removing the adhesive tab. Optionally, the paper liner can be cut only in the tab area. The construction is die cut from bottom and up through to the adhesive layer. When the wristband is removed, the liner is still on the adhesive tab area. Liner is removed to expose adhesive tab for application of wristband. FIG. 12 is a block diagram illustrating a third example implementation of a multi-layer printing sheet. In the concept 3 shown in FIG. 12, the laser receptive film layer may be partially die-cut. Instead of cutting entirely through the laser receptive film layer, a partial die-cut (also referred to as a kiss-cut) is applied to the laser receptive film layer. Optionally, the paper liner can be cut only in the tab area. The construction is die cut from bottom and up through to the adhesive layer. When wristband is removed, the liner is still on the adhesive tab area. Liner is removed to expose adhesive tab for application of wristband. The partial die-cut feature shows in FIG. 12 may be applied to the concepts shown in FIGS. 10 and 11. FIG. 13 is a block diagram illustrating a fourth example implementation of a multi-layer printing sheet. The concept 3 shown in FIG. 13 includes features that can be applied to concepts 1 and 2. Namely, adding a “partial die cut” (a cut that does not go all the way through the layer) or “perforation” (a cut that goes through layer) to top layer. A regular “die cut” may also be referred to as a “score.” Technical benefits of provided by applied a partial die cut to the top layer include: further anchoring the laser printable wristband—without the use of tack down adhesive. FIG. 14 is a block diagram illustrating a fifth example implementation of a multi-layer printing sheet. Plural instances may be provided for components, operations or structures described herein as a single instance. Finally, boundaries between various components, operations, and data stores are somewhat arbitrary, and particular operations are illustrated in the context of specific illustrative configurations. Other allocations of functionality are envisioned and may fall within the scope of the implementation(s). In general, structures and functionality presented as separate components in the example configurations may be implemented as a combined structure or component. Similarly, structures and functionality presented as a single component may be implemented as separate components. These and other variations, modifications, additions, and improvements fall within the scope of the implementation(s). It will also be understood that, although the terms “first,” “second,” etc. may be used herein to describe various elements, these elements should not be limited by these terms. These terms are only used to distinguish one element from another. For example, a first layer could be termed a second layer, and, similarly, a second layer could be termed a first layer, without changing the meaning of the description, so long as all occurrences of the “first layer” are renamed consistently and all occurrences of the “second layer” are renamed consistently. The first layer and the second layer are both layers, but they are not the same layer. The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular implementations only and is not intended to be limiting of the claims. As used in the description of the implementations and the appended claims, the singular forms “a”, “an” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will also be understood that the term “and/or” as used herein refers to and encompasses any and all possible combinations of one or more of the associated listed items. It will be further understood that the terms “comprises” and/or “comprising,” when used in this specification, specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof As used herein, the term “if” may be construed to mean “when” or “upon” or “in response to determining” or “in accordance with a determination” or “in response to detecting,” that a stated condition precedent is true, depending on the context. Similarly, the phrase “if it is determined (that a stated condition precedent is true)” or “if (a stated condition precedent is true)” or “when (a stated condition precedent is true)” may be construed to mean “upon determining” or “in response to determining” or “in accordance with a determination” or “upon detecting” or “in response to detecting” that the stated condition precedent is true, depending on the context. The foregoing description included example systems, methods, techniques, instruction sequences, and computing machine program products that embody illustrative implementations. For purposes of explanation, numerous specific details were set forth in order to provide an understanding of various implementations of the inventive subject matter. It will be evident, however, to those skilled in the art that implementations of the inventive subject matter may be practiced without these specific details. In general, well-known instruction instances, protocols, structures and techniques have not been shown in detail. The foregoing description, for purpose of explanation, has been described with reference to specific implementations. However, the illustrative discussions above are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the implementations to the precise forms disclosed. Many modifications and variations are possible in view of the above teachings. The implementations were chosen and described in order to best explain the principles and their practical applications, to thereby enable others skilled in the art to best utilize the implementations and various implementations with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. | <SOH> BACKGROUND <EOH>Wearable bands, e.g., wristbands and ankle bands, are commonly used for identification purpose. For example, patient information, e.g., a patient's name, date of birth, and admittance date, may be printed onto a paper wristband for the patient to wear on her person during a hospital stay so that medical professionals can easily identify the patient and her medical history. Most wearable identification bands are not printed in their final use form—a non-sheet-like form (e.g., a strip shape), however, because existing printers are oftentimes incapable of processing printing sheets that are of non-standardized dimensions. A standard-dimensioned printing sheet (sometimes referred to as a carrier sheet) may be used to carry an identification band during a printing process; after the printing is completed, the band can be removed from the carrier sheet and for use in its final form. A wristband sheet may be used as a carrier sheet; a single wristband sheet may include two or more wristband portions and label portions. A wristband sheet may consist of several layers, one of which is a printable layer, e.g., a layer on which data may be printed. One of the existing technical problems is that a printable layer is often cut out of a substrate's top layer and not sufficiently affixed to the substrate's bottom layer. When such a wristband sheet is fed through a printer, the detachable but left unsecured wristband portion of the wristband sheet may move, resulting in the wristband being wrinkled or otherwise having low print quality or the printer being jammed. The above identified technical problems are reduced or eliminated by the apparatuses, systems, and methods disclosed in the present disclosure. | <SOH> SUMMARY <EOH>Embodiments of a multi-layer printing sheet including a portion that is detachable from the printing sheet, as well as method and computer executable instructions for stabilizing the detachable portion on a printable layer of a multi-layer printing sheet are provided in the present disclosure. A printing sheet, in some implementations, comprises: a die-cut or perforated printable film portion; an adhesive layer; a clear ink layer; and a bottom layer. The printable film portion in some implementations is die-cut or perforated to form a band shape. A release layer, in some implementations, is between the adhesive layer and the bottom layer or the adhesive layer and the clear ink layer. A portion of the printing sheet, in some implementations, includes a die cut printable paper portion; the printable paper portion comprises a printable paper layer includes one or more labels die cut into it; and the printable paper layer is connected to the bottom layer via an adhesive. A release, in some implementations, is placed between the adhesive layer and the bottom layer of the printable paper portion. A portion of the adhesive layer underneath the die cut shape is absent or missing, in some implementations. The adhesive layer, in some implementations, includes a low tack adhesive portion. The adhesive layer, in some implementations, includes a release layer underneath a portion of the adhesive layer. The bottom layer, in some implementations, includes a printable paper layer, an adhesive layer, and a liner layer. A portion of the printing sheet, in some implementations, includes one or more labels die cut into the paper layer. A portion of the liner layer has release coating attached to it and adhesive attached to the release coating is also attached to a laser receptive paper. A release layer, in some implementations, is placed underneath at least a portion of the clear ink layer. A portion of the printing sheet, in some implementations, includes a die-cut printable paper portion with a printable paper layer having one or more labels die cut into it; and the printable paper layer is connected to the bottom layer via an adhesive. In some implementations, the die-cut or perforated printable film portion is partially die-cut or perforated. The die-cut or perforated printable film portion, in some implementations, is configured to be printed with an image or an encrypted text. The image or the encrypted text, in some implementations, identifies an individual receiving medical care at a medical facility. The image or the encrypted text, in some implementations, is configured to be read by a mobile or stationary scanner to identify an individual receiving medical care at a medical facility. The image or the encrypted text, in some implementations, is configured to be read by a camera installed on a mobile phone. A second printing sheet, may comprise: a laser receptive paper layer; an adhesive layer below the laser receptive paper layer; a laser receptive film layer adhered to a portion of the adhesive layer; and a liner with release coating adhered to the remaining portion of the adhesive layer not attached to the laser receptive film layer. A first portion of the laser receptive film layer and a second portion of the adhesive layer have been removed such that a third portion of the laser receptive film layer is exposed; a second portion of the laser receptive film layer has a release coating or ink in between the laser receptive film layer and the adhesive layer; A third printing sheet, may comprise: a laser receptive film adhered to a liner where a portion of the film has a release coating attached to the film, then an adhesive attached to the release coating, then the liner. Another portion of the film the adhesive attached to the film then a release coating attached to the adhesive and the liner attached to the release coating. A computer-implemented method for manufacturing a multi-layer printing sheet as described in any of the implementations above. A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising computer executable instructions stored thereon, which, when executed by one or more computers, cause a machine to manufacture a multi-layer printing sheet as described in any of the implementations above. | G09F310 | 20171124 | 20180621 | 68349.0 | G09F310 | 0 | HOGE, GARY CHAPMAN | Stabilizing a Detachable Item on a Printable Substrate | UNDISCOUNTED | 0 | ACCEPTED | G09F | 2,017 |
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15,822,162 | PENDING | TREATMENT OF CIRCADIAN RHYTHM DISORDERS | Embodiments of the invention relate to the use of a melatonin agonist in the treatment of free running circadian rhythms in patients, including light perception impaired patients, e.g., blind patients, and to methods of measuring circadian rhythm. | 1. A method of preventing or treating a disorder associated with a desynchronous cortisol circadian rhythm in an individual having a desynchronous cortisol circadian rhythm, said method comprising internally administering to the individual an effective amount of tasimelteon or an active metabolite thereof, wherein the disorder associated with a desynchronous cortisol circadian rhythm is selected from a group consisting of: obesity, depression, and neurological impairment. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the individual is light perception impaired (LPI). 3. The method of claim 1, wherein the individual is totally blind. 4. The method of claim 1, wherein the individual suffers from Non-24-Hour Sleep-Wake Disorder. 5. The method of claim 1, wherein the effective amount is an amount sufficient to entrain the individual's cortisol circadian rhythm to a natural day/night cycle comprising a 24-hour sleep-wake cycle in which the individual awakens at or near a target wake time following a daily sleep period of approximately seven to nine hours. 6. The method of claim 1, wherein the tasimelteon or active metabolite thereof is administered 0.5 hour to 1.5 hours before a target bedtime. 7. The method of claim 1, wherein the administering includes administering between about 10 mg and about 100 mg of tasimelteon. 8. The method of claim 1, wherein the administering includes administering between about 20 mg and about 50 mg of tasimelteon. 9. The method of claim 1, wherein the administering includes administering about 20 mg of tasimelteon. | CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application is a continuation of co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/378,353, filed Dec. 14, 2016, which is a divisional application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/374,257, filed 24 Jul. 2014, now U.S. Pat. No. 9,549,913, which is the US national phase of PCT/US13/23315, filed 25 Jan. 2013, which claims the benefit of U.S. provisional patent application Nos. 61/590,974, filed 26 Jan. 2012, 61/640,067, filed 30 Apr. 2012, 61/650,455, filed 22 May 2012, 61/650,458, filed 22 May 2012, 61/714,149, filed 15 Oct. 2012, 61/738,985, filed 18 Dec. 2012, 61/738,987, filed 18 Dec. 2012, and 61/755,896, filed 23 Jan. 2013, each of which is hereby incorporated herein as though fully set forth. FIELD OF THE INVENTION Embodiments of the invention relate generally to the field of circadian rhythm disorders (CRDs) and, more particularly, to the entrainment of circadian rhythms in persons afflicted with Non-24 Hour Disorder (Non-24). BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The master body clock controls the timing of many aspects of physiology, behavior and metabolism that show daily rhythms, including the sleep-wake cycles, body temperature, alertness and performance, metabolic rhythms and certain hormones which exhibit circadian variation. Outputs from the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) control many endocrine rhythms including those of melatonin secretion by the pineal gland as well as the control of cortisol secretion via effects on the hypothalamus, the pituitary and the adrenal glands. This master body clock, located in the SCN, spontaneously generates rhythms of approximately 24.5 hours. These non-24-hour rhythms are synchronized each day to the 24-hour day-night cycle by light, the primary environmental time cue which is detected by specialized cells in the retina and transmitted to the SCN via the retino-hypothalamic tract. Inability to detect this light signal, as occurs in most totally blind individuals, leads to the inability of the master body clock to be reset daily and maintain entrainment to a 24-hour day. Non-24-Hour Disorder Non-24, also referred to as Non-24-Hour Sleep-Wake Disorder (N24HSWD) or Non-24-Hour Disorder, is an orphan indication affecting approximately 65,000 to 95,000 people in the U.S. and 140,000 in Europe. Non-24 occurs when individuals, primarily blind with no light perception, are unable to synchronize their endogenous circadian pacemaker to the 24-hour light/dark cycle. Without light as a synchronizer, and because the period of the internal clock is typically a little longer than 24 hours, individuals with Non-24 experience their circadian drive to initiate sleep drifting later and later each day. Individuals with Non-24 have abnormal night sleep patterns, accompanied by difficulty staying awake during the day. Non-24 leads to significant impairment, with chronic effects impacting the social and occupational functioning of these individuals. In addition to problems sleeping at the desired time, individuals with Non-24 experience excessive daytime sleepiness that often results in daytime napping. The severity of nighttime sleep complaints and/or daytime sleepiness complaints varies depending on where in the cycle the individual's body clock is with respect to their social, work, or sleep schedule. The “free running” of the clock results in approximately a 1-4 month repeating cycle, the circadian cycle, where the circadian drive to initiate sleep continually shifts a little each day (about 15 minutes on average) until the cycle repeats itself. Initially, when the circadian cycle becomes desynchronous with the 24 h day-night cycle, individuals with Non-24 have difficulty initiating sleep. As time progresses, the internal circadian rhythms of these individuals becomes 180 degrees out of synchrony with the 24 h day-night cycle, which gradually makes sleeping at night virtually impossible, and leads to extreme sleepiness during daytime hours. Eventually, the individual's sleep-wake cycle becomes aligned with the night, and “free-running” individuals are able to sleep well during a conventional or socially acceptable time. However, the alignment between the internal circadian rhythm and the 24-hour day-night cycle is only temporary. In addition to cyclical nighttime sleep and daytime sleepiness problems, this condition can cause deleterious daily shifts in body temperature and hormone secretion, may cause metabolic disruption and is sometimes associated with depressive symptoms and mood disorders. It is estimated that 50-75% of totally blind people in the United States (approximately 65,000 to 95,000) have Non-24. This condition can also affect sighted people. However, cases are rarely reported in this population, and the true rate of Non-24 in the general population is not known. The ultimate treatment goal for individuals with Non-24 is to entrain or synchronize their circadian rhythms into an appropriate phase relationship with the 24-hour day so that they will have increased sleepiness during the night and increased wakefulness during the daytime. Tasimelteon Tasimelteon is a circadian regulator which binds specifically to two high affinity melatonin receptors, Mel1a (MT1R) and Mel1b (MT2R). These receptors are found in high density in the suprachiasmatic nucleus of the brain (SCN), which is responsible for synchronizing our sleep/wake cycle. Tasimelteon has been shown to improve sleep parameters in prior clinical studies, which simulated a desynchronization of the circadian clock. Tasimelteon has so far been studied in hundreds of individuals and has shown a good tolerability profile. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Embodiments of the invention relate to the discovery that tasimelteon can be used to treat a free running circadian rhythm, in patients, including light perception impaired patients, e.g., blind patients, in whom such free running circadian rhythm manifests itself as Non-24. Embodiments of this invention further relate to the invention of a method for determining a person's circadian rhythm (tau) and to the application of such methodology to the treatment of a free running circadian rhythm. Embodiments of this invention further relate to the treatment of subjects who present with symptoms of Non-24, specifically, e.g., sleep drifting later each day, abnormal night sleep patterns, and/or difficulty staying awake during the day, leading in many cases to significant impairment, with chronic effects impacting the social and occupational functioning of these individuals, as well as possible negative health effects of chronic misalignment. Thus, in illustrative embodiments, the invention comprises a method of determining the circadian period (τ) in a human subject, said method comprising: a) collecting at least one biological sample from the patient during each of a plurality of regular collection intervals (CIs) during at least two Collection Sessions, each Collection Session being at least 48 hours in duration; b) if multiple biological samples are collected during each CI, then optionally physically pooling all samples collected within a given CI and, in such case, assigning a Collection Time Point for each CI; c) measuring the amount (absolute or concentration) of melatonin or of a melatonin surrogate in each of the samples or pooled samples; d) optionally converting the amount of melatonin or melatonin surrogate at each Collection Time Point to a rate of production; e) analyzing the amount of melatonin or melatonin surrogate or the rate of melatonin or melatonin surrogate production at each Collection Time Point to model the patient's cycle, including the acrophase, of melatonin or melatonin surrogate amount or production on each day; f) fitting serial acrophase determinations to a weighted linear regression model in order to determine τ, wherein τ=24+slope. A further illustrative embodiment is a method of treating a human patient presenting symptoms of Non-24, said method comprising determining the patient's τ by the method described above, and further described below, if the patient's τ is longer than 24 hours, then treating the patient by daily internally administering to the patient an effective amount of a melatonin agonist. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES FIG. 1 is an example of a patient report for a patient determined not to have a free-running circadian rhythm based on aMT6s analyses. FIG. 2 is an example of a patient report for a patient determined to have a free-running circadian rhythm based on aMT6s analyses. FIG. 3 is an example of a patient report for a patient determined not to have a free-running circadian rhythm based on cortisol analyses. FIG. 4 is an example of a patient report for a patient determined to have a free-running circadian rhythm based on cortisol analyses. FIG. 5 shows a metabolic pathway of tasimelteon and several of its metabolites. FIGS. 6-11 show plots of the effect of co-administration of tasimelteon and fluvoxamine on the concentration of, respectively, tasimelteon, the M9 metabolite, the M11 metabolite, the M12 metabolite, the M13 metabolite, and the M14 metabolite. FIGS. 12-17 show plots of the effect of smoking on the concentration of, respectively, tasimelteon, the M9 metabolite, the M11 metabolite, the M12 metabolite, the M13 metabolite, and the M14 metabolite. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Tasimelteon has the chemical name: trans-N-[[(2,3-dihydrobenzofuran-4-yl)cycloprop-lyl]methyl]propanamide, has the structure of Formula I: and is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,856,529 and in US 20090105333, both of which are incorporated herein by reference as though fully set forth. Tasimelteon is a white to off-white powder with a melting point of about 78° C. (DSC) and is very soluble or freely soluble in 95% ethanol, methanol, acetonitrile, ethyl acetate, isopropanol, polyethylene glycols (PEG-300 and PEG-400), and only slightly soluble in water. The native pH of a saturated solution of tasimelteon in water is 8.5 and its aqueous solubility is practically unaffected by pH. Tasimelteon has 2-4 times greater affinity for MT2R relative to MT1R. It's affinity (Ki) for MT1R is 0.3 to 0.4 and for MT2R, 0.1 to 0.2. Tasimelteon is useful in the practice of this invention because it is a melatonin agonist that has been demonstrated, among other activities, to entrain patients suffering from Non-24. In related aspects, this invention relates to the use of a tasimelteon metabolite as the melatonin agonist. Tasimelteon metabolites include, for example, a phenol-carboxylic acid analog (M9) and a hydroxypropyl-phenol analog (M11). Each is formed in humans following oral administration of tasimelteon. Specifically, aspects of the invention encompass use of tasimelteon or of compounds of Formulas II or III, including salts, solvates, and hydrates of tasimelteon or of compounds of Formula II or Formula III, in amorphous or crystalline form. While depicted herein in the R-trans configuration, the invention nevertheless comprises use of stereoisomers thereof, i.e., R-cis, S-trans, and S-cis. In addition, the invention comprises use of prodrugs of tasimelteon or of compounds of Formula II or of Formula III, including, for example, esters of such compounds. The discussion that follows will refer to tasimelteon but it is to be understood that the compounds of Formula II and III are also useful in the practice of aspects of the invention. Metabolites of tasimelteon include, for example, those described in “Preclinical Pharmacokinetics and Metabolism of BMS-214778, a Novel Melatonin Receptor Agonist” by Vachharajani et al., J. Pharmaceutical Sci., 92(4):760-772, which is hereby incorporated herein by reference. The active metabolites of tasimelteon can also be used in the method of this invention, as can pharmaceutically acceptable salts of tasimelteon or of its active metabolites. For example, in addition to metabolites of Formula II and III, above, metabolites of tasimelteon also include the monohydroxylated analogs M13 of Formula IV, M12 of Formula V, and M14 of Formula VI. Thus, it is apparent that this invention contemplates entrainment of patients suffering free running circadian rhythm to a 24 hour circadian rhythm by administration of a circadian rhythm regulator (i.e., circadian rhythm modifier) capable of phase advancing and/or entraining circadian rhythms, such as a melatonin agonist like tasimelteon or an active metabolite of tasimelteon or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof. Other MT1R and MT2R agonists, i.e., melatonin agonists, can have similar effects on the master body clock. So, for example, this invention further contemplates the use of melatonin agonists such as but not limited to melatonin, N-[1-(2,3-dihydrobenzofuran-4-yl)pyrrolidin-3-yl]-N-ethylurea and structurally related compounds as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,211,225, LY-156735 ((R)-N-(2-(6-chloro-5-methoxy-1H-indol-3yl)propyl)acetamide) (disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,997,845), agomelatine (N-[2-(7-methoxy-1-naphthyl)ethyl]acetamide) (disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,225,442), ramelteon ((S)-N-[2-(1,6,7,8-tetrahydro-2H-indeno-[5,4-b] furan-8-yl)ethyl]propionamide), 2-phenylmelatonin, 8-M-PDOT, 2-iodomelatonin, and 6-chloromelatonin. Additional melatonin agonists include, without limitation, those listed in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 20050164987, which is incorporated herein by reference, specifically: TAK-375 (see Kato, K. et al. Int. J. Neuropsychopharmacol. 2000, 3 (Suppl. 1): Abst P.03.130; see also abstracts P.03.125 and P.03.127), CGP 52608 (1-(3-allyl-4-oxothiazolidine-2-ylidene)-4-methylthiosemicarbazone) (See Missbach et al., J. Biol. Chem. 1996, 271, 13515-22), GR196429 (N-[2-[2,3,7,8-tetrahydro-1H-fur-o(2,3-g)indol-1-yl]ethyl]acetamide) (see Beresford et al., J. Pharmacol. Exp. Ther. 1998, 285, 1239-1245), S20242 (N-[2-(7-methoxy napth-1-yl)ethyl]propionamide) (see Depres-Brummer et al., Eur. J. Pharmacol. 1998, 347, 57-66), S-23478 (see Neuropharmacology July 2000), S24268 (see Naunyn Schmiedebergs Arch. June 2003), S25150 (see Naunyn Schmiedebergs Arch. June 2003), GW-290569, luzindole (2-benzyl-N-acetyltryptamine) (see U.S. Pat. No. 5,093,352), GR135531 (5-methoxycarbonylamino-N-acetyltrypt-amine) (see U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 20010047016), Melatonin Research Compound A, Melatonin Agonist A (see IMSWorld R&D Focus August 2002), Melatonin Analogue B (see Pharmaprojects August 1998), Melatonin Agonist C (see Chem. Pharm. Bull. (Tokyo) January 2002), Melatonin Agonist D (see J. Pineal Research November 2000), Melatonin Agonist E (see Chem. Pharm. Bull. (Tokyo) February 2002), Melatonin Agonist F (see Reprod. Nutr. Dev. May 1999), Melatonin Agonist G (see J. Med. Chem. October 1993), Melatonin Agonist H (see Famaco March 2000), Melatonin Agonist I (see J. Med. Chem. March 2000), Melatonin Analog J (see Bioorg. Med. Chem. Lett. March 2003), Melatonin Analog K (see MedAd News September 2001), Melatonin Analog L, AH-001 (2-acetamido-8-methoxytetralin) (see U.S. Pat. No. 5,151,446), GG-012 (4-methoxy-2-(methylene propylamide)indan) (see Drijfhout et al., Eur. J. Pharmacol. 1999, 382, 157-66), Enol-3-IPA, ML-23 (N-2,4-dinitrophenyl-5-methoxy-tryptamine) (see U.S. Pat. No. 4,880,826), SL-18.1616, IP-100-9 (U.S. Pat. No. 5,580,878), Sleep Inducing Peptide A, AH-017 (see U.S. Pat. No. 5,151,446), AH-002 (8-methoxy-2-propionamido-tetralin) (see U.S. Pat. No. 5,151,446), and IP-101. Metabolites, prodrugs, stereoisomers, polymorphs, hydrates, solvates, and salts of the above compounds that are directly or indirectly active can, of course, also be used in the practice of this invention. Melatonin agonists with a MT1R and MT2R binding profile similar to that of tasimelteon, which has 2 to 4 time greater specificity for MT2R, are preferred. Tasimelteon can be synthesized by procedures known in the art. The preparation of a 4-vinyl-2,3-dihydrobenzofuran cyclopropyl intermediate can be carried out as described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,754,902, which is incorporated herein by reference as though fully set forth. Pro-drugs, e.g., esters, and pharmaceutically acceptable salts can be prepared by exercise of routine skill in the art. In patients suffering a Non-24, the melatonin and cortisol circadian rhythms and the natural day/night cycle become desynchronized. For example, in patients suffering from a free-running circadian rhythm, melatonin and cortisol acrophases occur more than 24 hours, e.g., >24.1 hours, prior to each previous days melatonin and cortisol acrophase, respectively, resulting in desynchronization for days, weeks, or even months, depending upon the length of a patient's circadian rhythm, before the melatonin, cortisol, and day/night cycles are again temporarily synchronized. Chronic misalignment of cortisol has been associated with metabolic, cardiac, cognitive, neurologic, neoplastic, and hormonal disorders. Such disorders include, e.g., obesity, depression, neurological impairments. This invention shows that entrainment of the melatonin circadian rhythm is linked to entrainment of the cortisol circadian rhythm. Thus, in one aspect, an illustrative embodiment of the invention provides a method of entraining a patient suffering from an abnormal melatonin circadian rhythm, or an abnormal cortisol circadian rhythm, to a 24 hour circadian rhythm by internally administering to the patient an effective amount of a melatonin agonist, in particular, tasimelteon or an active metabolite thereof. In related aspects, this invention provides a method of preventing or treating disorders associated with a desynchronous melatonin or cortisol circadian rhythm, i.e., a circadian rhythm that is not synchronized with the natural day/night cycle. Such method comprises internally administering to a patient having a desynchronous melatonin or cortisol circadian rhythm an effective amount of a melatonin agonist, in particular, tasimelteon or an active metabolite thereof, as described in this specification. The method of treating Non-24 (which includes phase advancing and/or entraining melatonin and/or cortisol circadian rhythm) in a patient suffering therefrom by internally administering an effective amount of tasimelteon as described in this specification tends to be effective more often in patients having higher amounts of endogenous melatonin. In other words, the likelihood of efficacy of treatment is related to the amount of melatonin naturally present in the patient's body. The method of treating Non-24 (which includes phase advancing melatonin and/or cortisol circadian rhythm) in a patient suffering therefrom by internally administering an effective amount of tasimelteon as described in this specification tends to be effective more often in patients whose pre-treatment circadian rhythm (i.e., tau) is below a certain threshold. Such threshold can be, e.g., 25.0 hours, 24.9 hours, 24.8 hours, 24.7 hours, 24.65 hours, or 24.6 hours, such that the likelihood of efficacy of treatment is greater in the case of patients whose tau is below the threshold. In accordance with this invention, a regulatory agency, a patient, a healthcare provider, or an insurance provider, or any one or more of such entities or persons, can choose a likelihood of efficacy that is sufficient to support initiation of treatment with a melatonin agonist, in particular, tasimelteon. For example, it may be decided that if the likelihood of efficacy is less than a selected threshold probability, then the patient should not be treated with the melatonin agonist. Alternatively, such threshold probability can be used as a factor in determining whether or not to apply a heightened standard of monitoring for efficacy and/or adverse events. For example, it may be decided that if the likelihood of efficacy is less than a selected threshold probability, then the patient will be examined for signs of efficacy and/or adverse events within about 6 to 9 weeks following initiation of treatment. Such heightened monitoring can also comprise more frequent monitoring and/or decreased tolerance for lack of apparent efficacy or for occurrence of side effects. For example, if there is no or scant evidence of efficacy or if there are signs of adverse events, perhaps even minor or early signs, then the melatonin agonist treatment may be discontinued or modified. Heightened monitoring may include requiring a patient to maintain a sleep diary which would may include, e.g., the patient's recordation of sleep and wake times, frequency and duration of naps, sleep latency, duration of nighttime sleep, etc., such recordation being, e.g., in writing, digitally, or telephonically. Efficacy for these purposes can be determined in a number of ways, including, e.g., by determining a patient's tau after initiation of therapy and following at least one complete circadian cycle during which the patient has been treated, e.g., about 6 to about 9 weeks after initiation of therapy, or by examining the patient's physical or emotional health such as by subjecting the patient to a physical examination or to questioning about sleep patterns, side effects, daytime napping, general well-being, etc. Short of terminating treatment, it may be decided, e.g., that the patient should receive a different dose of the melatonin agonist or a different melatonin agonist, e.g., a different melatonin agonist having the pharmacological activity, i.e., MT1R and MT2R binding and relative binding affinities, and t1/2, of tasimelteon. The threshold probability discussed above can be correlated to a threshold concentration of melatonin in a biological sample taken from a patient. For example, melatonin levels can be directly measured in samples of blood, plasma, urine, saliva, etc., and the melatonin concentration that corresponds to a selected threshold probability can be ascertained. The concentration of melatonin that corresponds to the selected threshold probability can be referred to as the Threshold Concentration. Melatonin levels are generally determined (1) by measuring the amount of the primary urinary metabolite of melatonin, 6-sulphatoxymelatonin (aMT6s) collected every 2 to 8 hours over a 24 to 48 hour period, (2) by measuring melatonin levels in samples of saliva taken every 30 to 60 minutes under dim light, or (3) by measuring melatonin levels in samples of blood taken frequently, e.g., every 20 to 30 minutes. Such methods are summarized, e.g., by Benloucif et al., J Clin Sleep Med, 4(1): 66-69 (2008). It is within the skill of the art, and therefore encompassed by this invention, to use any surrogate for melatonin concentrations or rates of production for determining the length of the melatonin rhythm, i.e., tau. For example, as specifically described herein, one may use amounts of aMT6s as a surrogate for amounts of melatonin and one may use the cortisol circadian rhythm or the aMT6s circadian rhythm as a melatonin circadian rhythm surrogate, i.e., the length of the circadian rhythm of cortisol can be a surrogate for the length of the circadian rhythm of aMT6s which can be a surrogate for the length of the melatonin circadian rhythm (i.e. tau). Alternatively or additionally, one may use cortisol as such melatonin surrogate. In an illustrative embodiment, the amount of melatonin is indirectly measured such as by measuring the amounts of a melatonin surrogate, specifically, aMT6s in urine samples, and using such amounts to estimate acrophase and average and peak endogenous aMT6s amounts or concentrations in blood. In an illustrative embodiment, the melatonin surrogate is the rate of aMT6s production as ascertained by measuring aMT6s in urine samples. In such case, the Threshold Concentration would actually be a rate of excretion expressed, e.g., in units of ng/hr. Such rate can be determined by measuring the concentration of aMT6s in an aliquot of urine (ng/ml) and multiplying it by volume/time (ml/hr) of the total urinary void from which the aliquot was derived, as more fully explained below. This surrogate measure is used in this illustrative embodiment for convenience only and it can readily be re-calculated as the concentration of aMT6s in urine and expressed, e.g., in ng/ml units or as the absolute amount of aMT6s in urine and expressed, e.g., in ng or mg units. Such amounts, whether expressed as excretion rates, concentrations, or weights, can also be converted into similarly expressed amounts of melatonin. For example, a patient having a peak aMT6s production rate, i.e., excretion rate, of 1500 ng/hr in urine is a likely responder to tasimelteon. Therefore, the Threshold Concentration can be set at 1500 ng/hr aMT6s. Alternatively, the Threshold Concentration can also be set at 2000 ng/hr of urinary aMT6s (e.g., urine samples collected in 4 hour intervals and during a nighttime sleep period) or any convenient number therebetween, e.g., 1550, 1600, 1650, 1700, 1750, 1800, 1850, 1900, or 1950 ng/hr. Alternatively, the Threshold Concentration can also be set at greater than 2000 ng/hr of urinary aMT6s, e.g., 2100, 2200, 2300, 2400 or 2500 ng/hr. A Threshold Concentration of 1500 ng/hr aMT6s is indicative of a greater than 50% probability that a given patient will respond to treatment, i.e., greater than 50% of a population of patients having a peak aMT6s concentration in urine (or the melatonin concentration that is equivalent thereto in another biological sample) are expected to respond to treatment. Based on the study results reported above, it is expected that more than about 75%, or even more than about 80% or 90% of patients will respond if they have peak aMT6s production rates in urine (or corresponding melatonin concentrations in a biological sample) of 1500 ng/hr or 2000 ng/hr. If endogenous melatonin levels are used to predict likelihood of patient response and not for tau determination, then it is not necessary to determine the rate of aMT6s excretion at time points, or spans of timepoints, throughout a full day. Instead, e.g., the amount of melatonin, as inferred from aMT6s in urine, can be measured in urine collected and pooled in a single batch over a 24 hour period or even during a shorter period. Indeed, in illustrative embodiments, melatonin levels as indicated by aMT6s in urine or directly as melatonin in, e.g., blood or saliva, can be measured at given time points once or multiple times per day. The ability to predict likelihood of response to drug is very important to healthcare providers, e.g., physicians and patients, as well as to healthcare reimbursement providers, e.g., providers of prescription drug insurance. Thus, in one embodiment, prior to initiation of treatment of Non-24 with a melatonin agonist, e.g., tasimelteon, the patient is tested to determine his or her endogenous melatonin levels, in particular, his or her peak melatonin concentration. Such testing can be carried out using a biological sample, e.g., urine, blood, plasma, or saliva using the methodologies described above or any other methodology. Because the method of this invention provides a probability of response, the method of determining peak melatonin concentration does not require precision. It is enough that it provide an estimate within, e.g., 20%, in which case, if the Threshold Concentration is set at 2000 ng/hr urinary aMT6s, a patient would be regarded as a likely responder if the patient's peak aMT6s excretion in urine is determined to be 1600 ng/hr or higher. Even less precision, e.g., within 25% or 30%, may be acceptable. As in the case of determining tau, other surrogates for endogenous melatonin levels can also be used. A further aspect of this invention arises from the fact that certain therapeutic agents are known to reduce endogenous levels of melatonin. Prominent among such agents are beta-adrenergic receptor antagonists, commonly referred to as “beta blockers”, which are commonly prescribed for treatment of cardiac arrhythmias, myocardial infarction, congestive heart failure, and hypertension. Beta blockers include, e.g., alprenolol, altenolol, carvedilol, metoprolol, and propanolol, to name a few. Thus, in one aspect, this invention comprises classifying Non-24 patients who are receiving beta blocker therapy as poor responders to melatonin agonist therapy. In this illustrative embodiment, such patients may not be subjected to a determination of peak melatonin concentration but, instead, may be treated as if their melatonin concentrations are below a Threshold Concentration. Other factors that may have an adverse effect on efficacy are NSAIDs and light. In a related illustrative embodiment, a Non-24 patient may be directed to submit to a determination of melatonin concentration because he or she is being treated with beta blocker therapy to ascertain whether or not the beta blocker therapy is in fact causing the patient's peak melatonin level to drop below a Threshold Concentration. In related aspects of this invention, plasma melatonin levels or beta blocker therapy, or both, are used as efficacy predictors in combination with other markers of efficacy or adverse events. So, for example, an illustrative embodiment of this invention comprises treating a patient suffering from Non-24 with tasimelteon if the patient has peak melatonin levels corresponding to 1500 ng/hr (or 2000 ng/hr) of aMT6s in urine collected during 4 hour periods or a nighttime sleep period and if the patient is positive for one or more additional efficacy markers. Incorporation of such additional efficacy marker or markers can enhance the ability of a healthcare provider to assess the likelihood that a patient suffering a non-24 hour circadian rhythm will benefit from treatment with a melatonin agonist such as tasimelteon. In related embodiments, a computer-based system receives information about a prescription for tasimelteon and operates to associate that information with information about the patient's endogenous melatonin levels to output a report indicating a probability of efficacy or to output a report stating that a higher or lower dose of tasimelteon, e.g, <20 mg/d or >20 mg/d, is indicated. Patients can be diagnosed as suffering from Non-24 by estimating each patient's circadian period (tau). Patients whose tau exceeds 24 hours are diagnosed as having Non-24. Thus, in general, Non-24 patients who can benefit from treatment with tasimelteon have a tau, such as may be determined by analyzing the aMT6s or cortisol circadian rhythm, that is longer than 24 hours, e.g., greater than about 0.1 hours longer than 24 hours and in some cases, at least about 0.2, 0.3, 0.4 and as large as about 1.4 hours longer than 24 hours. As discussed herein, the cortisol circadian rhythm can be used in place of or in addition to the aMT6s rhythm, although cortisol circadian rhythm calculations may be slightly less precise in the sense that such data compiled from analyses of a population of patients may exhibit a larger standard deviation. To monitor circulating melatonin cycles in a subject, it is convenient to assay for levels of the major metabolite of melatonin, which is 6-sulfatoxymelatonin (aMT6s) in urine, as its pattern of production correlates closely with circulating melatonin levels. However, this invention contemplates measurement of aMT6s levels in other bodily samples such as blood, e.g., plasma, or saliva and it also contemplates direct measurement of melatonin or of other surrogates for melatonin levels. It is within the skill of the art to correlate levels of tasimelteon or tasimelteon metabolites in other bodily samples (i.e., other than aMT6s in urine) with circulating melatonin levels. For example, the amounts of cortisol in blood or urine can be used in a manner similar to the use of aMT6s to determine tau. A useful protocol for estimating tau in candidates for clinical testing for treatment of Non-24, which method can be applied to diagnosis of Non-24 in a given patient, is as follows: Each subject will undergo four 48-hour urine collection sessions at nominal days 7, 14, 21, and 28. During each session, the start of the session and the time of each void will be recorded. Urine collected over periods of 4 hours (with the first 4 hour collection period of the day beginning at scheduled wake time), or about 8 hours during sleep, will be pooled (the “collection interval”); thus, subjects will have a total of 10 urine collection intervals during each 48-hour period. A study nurse will determine the volume of urine collected during each interval (urine will be transferred to a graduated cylinder) and an aliquot will be assayed for aMT6s. For each collection interval, the start and end time of the interval will be used to determine the midpoint and duration of the interval. The start time of a given interval is defined as the last void time from the prior 4 hour (or 8 hour) collection interval; the end time of a given interval is defined as the last void time within the collection interval. The mass of the primary melatonin metabolite (aMT6s) excreted during the interval will be determined as the product of aMT6s concentration and volume of urine. Rate of aMT6s excretion will be determined as the mass of aMT6s excreted divided by the duration of the interval. This rate will be associated with the midpoint of the interval, referenced to the midnight preceding the start of the first interval in that session. For example, if a collection interval on Day 27 runs from 9 AM to 1 PM (and the patient had a void at exactly 9 AM and a void at exactly 1 PM), midpoint of that interval would be assigned the value 11.0. A comparable interval on the next day of that session would be assigned a value 35.0. To accommodate changes in the clock time due to Daylight Savings Time changes, no urine collections will occur on a day that the clock changes. For screening there will be occasions when the 4 different weeks that urine collections are conducted will span a change in the clock time. Therefore, all urine collection times will be automatically translated into local standard time for calculations and then translated back to DST for reporting purposes, if appropriate. In certain situations, urine collections or their recording will be incomplete. The following procedures will be invoked to address this: 1. If a subject fails to timestamp a void, no action will be taken if there are multiple voids with timestamps within one interval. 2. If there is only one void in a collection interval, and the patient cannot recall the time of the void then the entire 48 hour collection period will be excluded from the analysis and the subject will be requested to collect an additional 48 hours of urine after Day 28. It would not be possible to accurately determine to which collection interval the unmarked urine belongs. Consequently, the appropriate assignment of start and stop times to all of the collection intervals would be questionable. 3. If a void is discarded by the patient but the time of the void is known, duration associated with that void (time of the void minus the time of the previous void) will be subtracted from the total duration associated with that interval. This modified duration will be used to calculate rate of aMT6s excretion. If a discarded sample is either the first or last of the samples in an interval, the midpoint of that interval will be calculated without considering that sample. 4. If fewer than 4 samples are available for one 48-hour collection session, fitting of the cosine will be compromised (inadequate degrees of freedom). Consequently, acrophase will not be determined if fewer than four samples are available. For each session, acrophase will be determined by fitting a cosine to the data from that session using unweighted non-linear regression. Fitting will be performed using a non-linear least squares fitting algorithm. The fitting process will estimate phase shift, mesor, and amplitude and their respective standard errors; period of the cosine will be fixed to 24 hours.1* 1 Although these subjects are presumed to have a tau >24 hours, attempts to estimate tau led to consistently poor results with multiple test datasets. Steven Lockley, Ph.D., an expert in the field uses this approach. Acrophase will be determined as the phase shift modulus 24 hours. If acrophase values are available for three or more sessions, tau will be calculated using the following procedure: 1. Acrophase will be recalculated relative to day 0 (24·start day for each session+acrophase). 2. These values will be regressed against start day for each session using weighted linear regression. Weighting will be by the inverse square of the standard error associated with the estimate for acrophase for each session. Thus, related to this invention is a method for determining a patient's circadian rhythm (tau) and for treating a patient with a melatonin agonist, in particular, tasimelteon, based on that patient's tau. In illustrative embodiments, the method of determining tau and treating a patient based on the patient's tau, in particular, based upon time of aMT6s acrophase, comprises steps (a) through (f), as follows: a) collecting at least one biological sample from the patient during each of a plurality of regular collection intervals (CIs) during at least two Collection Sessions, each Collection Session being at least 48 hours in duration; b) if multiple biological samples (i.e., samples of the same type) are collected during each CI, then optionally physically pooling all samples collected within a given CI and, in such case, assigning a Collection Time Point for each CI; c) measuring the amount (absolute or concentration) of melatonin or of a melatonin surrogate in each of the samples or pooled samples; d) optionally converting the amount of melatonin or melatonin surrogate at each Collection Time Point to a rate of production; e) subjecting the amount of melatonin or melatonin surrogate or the rate of melatonin or melatonin surrogate production at each Collection Time Point to cosinor analysis to model the patient's cycle, including the acrophase, of melatonin or melatonin surrogate amount or production on each day; f) fitting serial acrophase determinations to a weighted linear regression model in order to determine tau (τ), wherein τ=24+slope. While cosinor analysis is mentioned above, it will be appreciated that other methods can be used, e.g., a 2-harmonic fit analysis, in particular, for cortisol rhythm analysis. Following such determination of τ, a patient can be treated with a melatonin agonist, e.g., tasimelteon, such as described in step (g), as follows: g) if the patient's i is longer than 24 hours, then: (i) projecting the patient's acrophase for each of at least 30 days following Day 2 of the final Collection Session by adding τ to the acrophase of said final Day 2 and to each day thereafter and (ii) treating the patient by daily internally administering to the patient an effective amount of the melatonin agonist prior to sleep time, beginning on the night of the Optimal Treatment Initiation Day, or on a night within the Optimal Treatment Initiation Window, during a succeeding circadian cycle. The Optimal Treatment Initiation Day is the day on which the patient's sleep time is expected to be closest to what it would be if the patient had a normal, i.e., 24 hour, i.e., <24.1 hr, tau. Such day is generally the day of the night on which the patient's melatonin (or melatonin surrogate) acrophase is projected to be the optimal acrophase, i.e., the time at which acrophase would occur if the patient had a normal circadian rhythm. It is not necessary to initiate treatment precisely on the Optimal Treatment Initiation Day but it is recommended that treatment be initiated on such day or within a range of days on either side of such day, said range being referred to herein as the Optimal Treatment Initiation Window. Said window generally comprises the Optimal Treatment Initiation Day and (a) the immediately following days on which the melatonin (or surrogate) acrophase is projected to occur no later than about 3.5 hours (e.g., 3 hours, 3.5 hours or 4 hours) later than the optimal melatonin (or surrogate) acrophase and (b) the immediately preceding days on which melatonin (or surrogate) acrophase is projected to occur no earlier than 5 hours earlier than the optimal melatonin (or surrogate) acrophase. For the sake of convenience, the Optimal Treatment Initiation Window can be conveniently defined as a set number of days before and after the projected Optimal Treatment Initiation Day, e.g., 2 days before and 2 days after, for a defined Optimal Treatment Initiation Window comprising a total of 5 days. Such window is illustrated in FIG. 2 wherein the first Optimal Treatment Initiation Day is Dec. 4, 2010 and the Optimal Treatment Initiation Window is defined for convenience as Dec. 2, 2010 to Dec. 6, 2010. It will be appreciated, however, that the window can be customized as summarized above based on a given patient's tau, i.e., depending upon how fast a patient's circadian rhythm is running, such that a patient with a relatively fast-moving circadian rhythm will have a narrower optimal window than a patient with a relatively slow-moving circadian rhythm. Normal monitoring can comprise step (h), as follows: h) following a treatment period of at least one complete circadian cycle (based on the patient's pre-treatment tau) assessing entrainment as follows: (i) If τ is <24.1 hours with a 95% Confidence Interval that crosses 24.0 hours, then the patient is considered to be entrained to a 24 hour day; (ii) If the last two acrophase estimates are within the target range, i.e., −2 to +6 hours from optimal acrophase, and the Standard Deviations of these two acrophases overlap, then, taking an additional biological sample collection and re-calculating τ based on the last three acrophase estimates (the original two+the additional) and if tau is <24.1 hours with a 95% Confidence Interval that crosses 24.0 hours, the patient is considered to be entrained to a 24 hour day; (iii) If τ>=24.1 hours or the 95% Confidence Interval does not cross 24.0 hours, then the patient is retested. The duration of a complete circadian cycle will vary depending upon the rate at which a given patient is free running. For example, with reference to FIG. 2, a patient having a tau of 24.6 hours will complete a circadian cycle in approximately 39 days (e.g., Dec. 4, 2010 to Jan. 13, 2011). A patient with a slower rhythm, e.g., tau=24.5, will have a longer cycle and, conversely, a patient with a faster rhythm, e.g., tau=24.7, will have a shorter cycle. The tau determination and treatment method generally described above can comprise any one or any combination of any two or more of the following limitations: 1. melatonin amounts are indirectly measured by measuring the amounts of a melatonin surrogate, said surrogate being aMT6s. 2. the biological sample is urine, all urine collected during a given CI is physically pooled, and the mid-point of the CI is assigned as the Collection Time Point for that CI. 3. each CI during wake time is 4 hours and sleep time is a single CI, provided that samples are not collected during the first four hour period of each Collection Session or, if collected, are not used in the determination of tau. 4. the Collection Time Point for each CI is defined as the mid-point between the time of the last urine void in the CI immediately preceding a given CI and the last urine void in the given CI. 5. there are 4 Collection Sessions. 6. there are 48 hours in each Collection Session. 7. Collection Sessions are conducted once per week. 8. the Optimal Treatment Initiation Day is the day of the night on which the melatonin or melatonin surrogate acrophase is projected to be the optimal acrophase. 9. the optimal acrophase is the time at which aMT6s acrophase is projected to be closest to and no later than about 3.5 hours prior to the patient's target wake time. 10. the Optimal Treatment Initiation Window comprises the Optimal Treatment Initiation Day and (a) the immediately following days on which the melatonin acrophase is projected to occur no later than 3 hours later than the optimal acrophase and (b) the immediately preceding days on which melatonin acrophase is projected to occur no earlier than 5 hours earlier than the optimal acrophase. In such embodiments, cortisol can be used in place of aMT6s with adjustment to account for the difference between the cortisol circadian rhythm and the aMT6s circadian rhythm. 11. treatment comprises internal administration of an effective amount of tasimelteon once per day, the time of administration being about 5 hours prior to the time of the optimal aMT6s acrophase, and wherein treatment is continued daily for at least one complete circadian cycle. In such embodiments, cortisol can be used in place of aMT6s with adjustment to account for the difference between the cortisol circadian rhythm and the aMT6s circadian rhythm. 12. the amounts of melatonin or melatonin surrogate are measured in absolute units or in concentration units. 13. the amount of melatonin or melatonin surrogate in the biological sample is determined as the product of the aMT6s concentration (mass/volume) and the volume of the biological sample. 14. the rate of melatonin or melatonin surrogate production is determined as the mass of melatonin or melatonin surrogate produced and collected during each CI divided by the duration of the CI. 15. the rate of production is expressed as g/hr. 16. no samples are collected on a day that the clock changes to or from Daylight Savings Time (DST) and, if the Collection Sessions span a change in the clock time, all Collection Time Points are translated into local standard time for calculations and then translated back to DST or standard time, as appropriate, for reporting purposes. 17. samples are collected in a sample collection container by the patient and provided to a laboratory for analysis, e.g., a diagnostic laboratory. 18. the patient records the date and time of each sample collection on a label that has been previously fixed to the collection container or that is applied to the collection container by the patient. 19. the date and time of each collection are printed onto the label by timestamp clock. 20. the biological sample is urine and melatonin amounts are indirectly measured by measuring the amounts of aMT6s and wherein if urine collections or their recordings are incomplete, then: (i) if a patient fails to timestamp a void, no action is taken if there are multiple voids with timestamps within one CI; (ii) if there is only one void in a CI and the patient cannot recall the time of the void, then the entire 48 hour Collection Session is excluded from the analysis and an additional Collection Session is conducted; (iii) if a void is discarded by the patient but the time of the void is known, the duration associated with that void (time of the void minus the time of the previous void) is subtracted from the total duration associated with that CI and the modified duration is used to calculate the rate of aMT6s production but if a discarded sample is either the first or last of the samples in a given CI, then the midpoint of that CI will be calculated without considering that sample; provided that, if fewer than 4 samples are available for any one Collection Session, acrophase will not be determined for that Collection Session. 21. in step (h), if τ>=24.1 hours or the 95% Confidence Interval does not cross 24.0 hours, then treatment is continued and the patient is retested after a second complete circadian cycle. 22. in step (g), if the patient's τ is longer than 24 hours, e.g., τ>=24.1 hours, the patient's acrophase is projected for each of the 90 days following Day 2 of the final Collection Session. 23. aMT6s or cortisol is extracted from pooled urine samples by solid phase extraction, the extracts are evaporated to dryness, the residue is then reconstituted with solvent, and the solution is analyzed by HPLC-MS, an antibody binding assay, or other analytical technique. Thus, a particular illustrative embodiment of a method of determining tau and thereafter treating a patient thereby determined to have a free-running circadian rhythm is as follows: a) collecting and, if more than one, physically pooling urine samples from the patient during each of 9 Collection Intervals (CIs) during four weekly 48 hour collection sessions, said 9 CIs being CI2, CI3, CI4, CI5, CI6, CI7, CI8, CI9, and CI10, as follows: CI1: 4 hour period beginning approximately on initiation of wake time of Day 1 of the first Collection Session; CI2: 4 hour period beginning at the end of CI1; CI3: 4 hour period beginning at the end of CI2; CI4: 4 hour period beginning at the end of CI3; CI5: Overnight, i.e., sleep time (approx 8 hours), CI6: 4 hour period beginning approximately on initiation of wake time of Day 2 of the collection session; CI7: 4 hour period beginning at the end of CI6; CI8: 4 hour period beginning at the end of CI7; CI9: 4 hour period beginning at the end of CI8; CI10: Overnight, i.e., sleep time (approx 8 hours), b) (i) optionally collecting and discarding samples during CI1 and (ii) assigning the mid-point between the last void of each CI immediately preceding a given subsequent CI and the last void of the given subsequent CI as the Collection Time Point for each of CI2, CI3, CI4, CI5, CI6, CI7, CI8, CI9, and CI10; c) measuring the amount of aMT6s or cortisol in each of the ten samples; d) converting the measured amount of aMT6s or cortisol at each Collection Time Point to a rate of production; e) subjecting the rate of aMT6s or cortisol production rate at each Collection Time Point to cosinor analysis to model the cycles, including the acrophase, of aMT6s or cortisol production on each day; f) fitting serial acrophase determinations to a weighted linear regression model in order to determine circadian period (τ), wherein τ=24+slope (p</=0.05); g) if the patient's τ is longer than 24 hours, then: (i) projecting the patient's acrophase for each of the 90 days following Day 2 of the final Collection Session by adding τ to the acrophase of said final Day 2 and to each day thereafter and (ii) treating the patient by daily internally administering to the patient an effective amount of tasimelteon prior to sleep time, beginning on the night of the Optimal Treatment Initiation Day, or on a different night within the Optimal Treatment Initiation Window, during the next succeeding circadian cycle h) following a treatment period of one complete circadian cycle, assessing entrainment as follows: (i) if τ is <24.1 hours with a 95% Confidence Interval that crosses 24.0 hours, then the patient is considered to be entrained to a 24 hour day; (ii) if the last two acrophase estimates are within the target range, i.e., −2 to +6 hours from optimal acrophase, and the Standard Deviations of these two acrophases overlap, then, taking an additional 48-hour urine collection and recalculating τ based on the last three acrophase estimates (the original two+the additional) and if tau is <24.1 hours with a 95% Confidence Interval that crosses 24.0 hours, the patient is considered to be entrained to a 24 hour day; (iii) if τ>=24.1 hours or the 95% Confidence Interval does not cross 24.0 hours, then the patient is retested with an additional four 48-hour urine collection scheduled beginning 1 circadian cycle from the first collection. It will be apparent that in the urine collection and analysis methods that may be used in the practice of aspects of this invention, it is not essential to use the entire volume of urine collected during each Collection Interval. The method of treatment of Non-24 by internally administering an effective amount of a melatonin agonist, in particular, tasimelteon, is not dependent upon the method for diagnosing or monitoring patients. Instead, said method of treatment is useful in treating Non-24 patients regardless of how diagnosed. Similarly, other markers may be used to predict urinary aMT6s or cortisol acrophase. Non-entrained persons, i.e., persons with a non-24 hour circadian rhythm, may exhibit symptoms of Non-24 with a clearly non-24 hour sleep period such that initiation of sleep and waking times, unless artificially interrupted, begin later each succeeding day. Other patients may exhibit less severe shifts in sleep period and a significant number may exhibit no shift in sleep period. Such patients, particularly those who do not exhibit shift in sleep period, can be misdiagnosed as having a normal tau if the diagnosis is based solely on sleep and wake times. Some patients that exhibit mild or no shift in sleep period may have cyclic patterns of one or more of sleep latency, nighttime sleep duration and daytime naps. Regardless of the sleep problem, patients with non-24 hour circadian rhythms may be at risk for other circadian-related disorders, for example, metabolic disorders. Entrainment of patients diagnosed as suffering from a non-24 hour circadian rhythm, including Non-24, can be effected by initiating internal administration of a melatonin agonist like tasimelteon or an active metabolite of tasimelteon or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, at any time or treatment can be initiated on or about a day on which the patient's melatonin acrophase (based, e.g., on urinary aMT6s acrophase) is predicted to occur about 3 to 4 hours, or about 3.5 hours, e.g., 3.25 hrs to 3.75 hrs, prior to a target wake time selected for or by a given patient. The “ideal” day for initiation of treatment can be more explicitly defined as the day when the subject's predicted acrophase is both 1) closest to 3.5 hours prior to target wake time and 2) earlier than that time. The latter qualifier makes it more likely than not that treatment initiation will occur in a phase-advance part of the phase response curve. For example, treatment of a patient who has a target bedtime of 10:00 p.m. and a target wake time of 7:00 a.m., treatment initiation can be on a day when urinary aMT6s acrophase is predicted to occur at 3:30 am. However, treatment with tasimelteon can conveniently be initiated on a day on which melatonin acrophase, e.g., using calculated urinary aMT6s acrophase, is predicted to be between about 5.5 hours before target wake time and 2.5 hours after target wake time. Without intending to be bound to a particular theory, this flexibility is apparently owing to the unusually marked effects of such active ingredient on circadian rhythm upon initiation of treatment (e.g., phase advance by as much as about 5 hours on initial treatment). If a marker for circulating melatonin levels other than urinary aMT6s is employed, e.g., aMT6s in plasma, then the above times would be adjusted accordingly but would nevertheless be indirectly indicative of urinary aMT6s levels. In patients suffering Non-24, a calendar day may not be associated with an acrophase. For example, if a subject's tau is 24.5 hours and acrophase occurs at 23:45 (11:45 pm) on 28 August, the next acrophase is predicted to occur at 00:15 (12:15 am) on 30 August. In addition to entraining a Non-24 patient's tau to 24 hours, e.g., <24.1 hours, a melatonin agonist, in particular, tasimelteon, can also increase total sleep time per day and reduce total nap time per day. Entrainment of a patient can be determined by various methods, including by determining the patient's tau by the above-described or different methodologies. In addition, or alternatively, a patient's or a healthcare worker's perception of improvement can be assessed such as by use of a questionnaire. Such perception could utilize, e.g., the Clinical Global Impression of Change (CGI-C), The CGI-C is a healthcare worker-rated assessment of change in global clinical status, defined as a sense of well-being and ability to function in daily activities. See, e.g., Lehmann E., Pharmacopsychiatry 1984, 17:71-75. It is a 7 point rating scale whereby clinicians, physicians, or other healthcare workers rate a patient's improvement in symptoms relative to the start of the study. It is rated as: 1, very much improved; 2, much improved; 3, minimally improved; 4, no change; 5, minimally worse; 6, much worse; or 7, very much worse. The questionnaire can be administered prior to or early following initiation of treatment, e.g., prior to Day 1 or, e.g., on Day 56 (counted from first day of treatment) and it can be re-administered later following initiation of treatment, e.g., Day 112 and/or Day 183. Due to the cyclicality of Non-24, a patient's overall improvement should not be assessed at one time-point/visit. Consequently, the average score of CGI-C in the last two scheduled assessments (e.g., Day 112 and Day 183) can be used to evaluate the patient's overall improvement. In addition to or as an alternative to measuring a patient's tau following a period of treatment and/or utilizing patient or healthcare worker assessment such as by use of the CGI-C, various sleep parameters can also be used to assess efficacy of treatment, i.e., entrainment. For example, sleep parameters that can be assessed include one or more of Lower Quartile of Nights of nTST (LQ-nTST), Upper Quartile of Days of dTSD (UQ-dTSD), and Midpoint of Sleep Timing (MoST). Lower Quartile of Nights of nTST (LQ-nTST) Patients suffering from Non-24 may have trouble sleeping as a result of their sleep cycle being out of synchrony with the 24 hour clock. This leads to intervals of poor sleep followed by intervals of good sleep. Therefore, the severity of symptoms associated with Non-24 is best illustrated when isolating the worst nights of sleep and the days with the most naps. Evaluating the 25% worst nights of sleep of an individual serves as a good measure of how an individual is suffering from this circadian disease in relationship to nighttime total sleep time (nTST). The method for calculating the LQ-nTST is described as follows. For a given individual, all non-missing values (must include >70% of one circadian cycle for both baseline and randomized data) of nighttime total sleep time are ordered from smallest to largest. The first 25% (ceiling(number of non-missing records)/4) of the records are flagged as belonging to the lower quartile of nighttime total sleep time. The average of these values is calculated and this result is denoted LQ-nTST. For example, assume that a subject has 21 nTST baseline records: 6.75, 6.75, 1, 1, 6.75, 1.083, 7.167, 0.833, 7.083, 7.983, 7, 7, 7.833, 7, 7.667, 7.183, 7, 7.067, 7, 7.183, and 7. These are rank ordered and the first 25% of records are selected [(21/4) =6]: 0.833, 1, 1, 1.083, 6.75, and 6.75. Those values are averaged to obtain the subject's LQ-nTST: (0.833+1+1+1.083+6.75+6.75)/6=2.91. Upper Quartile of Days of dTSD (UQ-dTSD) Patients suffering from Non-24 have a propensity to sleep during the day as a result of their sleep cycle being out of synchrony with a 24 hour clock including daytime napping. In contrast, they may have very little or no napping when their circadian rhythms are aligned with the 24-hour day. In order to measure the effect of this dynamic circadian disorder on daytime napping a robust assessment for measuring the worst of the daytime napping, the 25% worst days will be used for this calculation in a similar fashion as for LQ-nTST. The method for calculating the UQ-dTSD is described as follows. For a given individual, all non-missing values of daytime total nap durations are summed for a given day and then these daily summations are rank ordered from largest to smallest (Note: days for which an individual reported no nap are recorded as zero). The first 25% (ceiling(number of non-missing records)/4) of the records are flagged as belonging to the upper quartile of daytime total sleep duration (dTSD). The average of these values is calculated and this result is denoted UQ-dTSD. For example, assume that a subject has 26 dTSD baseline records: 1.083, 1.083, 1.083, 1.083, 1.083, 1.083, 1.083, 1.083, 1.083, 1.083, 1.083, 1.083, 1.083, 1.083, 1.083, 1.083, 1.083, 0, 1.083, 1.667, 1.083, 1.083, 1.083, 1.083, 1.083, and 1.083. These are rank ordered (largest to smallest) and the first 25% of records, i.e., ceiling(26/4) =7 records identified: 1.667, 1.083, 1.083, 1.083, 1.083, 1.083, and 1.083. These values are averaged to obtain the subject's UQ-dTSD: (1.667 +1.083 +1.083 +1.083 +1.083+1.083 +1.083)/7=1.17. Midpoint of Sleep Timing (MoST) Circadian rhythm disorders, including Non-24, are characterized by a timing misalignment of the circadian rhythms to the 24-hour light-dark cycle and hence the activities that an individual is performing (e.g., attempting to sleep at night when the circadian rhythms are signaling the brain to be awake). Midpoint of sleep timing is derived from a combination of the sleep reported in both the pre-and post-sleep questionnaires. The midpoint of sleep timing over a 24 hour period (adjusted to be relative from −12 hours before bedtime until +12 hours after bedtime) can be calculated for each day. The first step in calculating the midpoint is to calculate the midpoint and weight, e.g., duration, for each sleep episode. The total 24-hour sleep time is the summation of all sleep episodes in this 24 hour period. Each of the individual sleep episodes is then assigned a weight relative to the fraction of 24 hour sleep that it contains. A useful MoST algorithm can be summarized as follows: 1. calculate the midpoint and weight, i.e., duration, for each sleep episode in a given 24 hour period; 2. assign a weight to each sleep episode; 3. determine the average of the weighted sleep episodes; and 4. correct the average of the weighted sleep episodes for target bedtime. More specifically, such useful algorithm may be further defined as follows: the midpoint for each sleep episode in a 24 hour period is calculated as follows: Sleep Start Time+[(Sleep End Time−Sleep Start Time)/2]−24; the weight of each sleep episode is equal to the duration of sleep (as perceived or objectively measured); the weighted value of each sleep episode is calculated as follows: midpoint*(weight/TST) where TST is the sum of all sleep durations in the 24 hour period; the average of the weighted sleep episodes is the sum of the weighted values of all sleep episodes divided by the number of sleep episodes; and the correction for target bedtime is calculated as follows: 24−target bedtime+average of weighted sleep episodes. For example, assuming an individual with a target bedtime of 10:30 PM went to sleep at 10:30 PM and woke up at 6:30 AM (with a self-reported total sleep time of 5 hours). Assuming, also, that he/she took a nap at 8:05 PM that lasted 2 hours and 5 minutes. The mid-point of sleep timing (MoST) for that day would be 1.959559 (relative to the target bedtime), calculated as follows. Nighttime Sleep Midpoint: Sleep Start Time=Target Bedtime=targetBT=10:30 PM=22.5 Sleep End Time=Wake Time=6:30 AM=6.5 Sleep End Time (adjusted for 24 hour periodicity)=24+6.5=30.5 Nighttime Sleep Midpoint=1(30.5−22.5)/2 modulus 24=2.5 (relative to the midnight) weight=nTST=5 hours=5.0 Nap Midpoint: Sleep Start Time=NapStart=08:05 PM=20.08333 NapDuration=02 h 05 m=2.083333 Sleep End Time=NapEnd=NapStart+NapDuration=20.08333+2.083333=22.16667 (10:10 PM) Nap Midpoint=NapStart+(NapEnd−NapStart)/2=20.08333+[(22.16667−20.08333)/2]−24=−2.875 (relative to the midnight) weight=NapDuration=2.083333 Weighting of Sleep Episodes TST=sum(all sleep episodes)=sum(5.0, 2.083333)=7.083333 Weighted Nighttime Sleep=mid*(weight/TST)=2.5*(5/7.083333)=1.7647059 Weighted Nap Sleep=mid*(weight/TST)=−2.875*(2.083333/7.083333)=−0.8455882 Average of Weighted Sleep Episodes Mean of (1.7647059, −0.8455882)=0.4595588 Correction for Target Bedtime Correction Amount=24−targetBT=24−22.5=1.5 MoST=0.4595588+1.5=1.959559 (relative to the target bedtime). Under ideal circumstances in which an individual sleeps at their desired time for 7-8 hours and does not have any daytime naps the MoST will be around 3.5-4.0. In the above hypothetical example, this individual had a late afternoon or night nap which pulls the midpoint below this desired range to 1.96. Alternatively, if a patient has more morning naps then this would potentially lead to a bigger number. If the illustration were changed such that the hypothetical patient slept from 10:30 pm to 6:30 am with no naps, then the patient's MoST would be 4.0. This algorithm dynamically takes into account the information from both the nighttime sleep as well as the daytime napping. Additionally, because the weighted sleep episodes are divided by the total number of sleep episodes within a 24 hour period the derived midpoint of sleep timing will be pushed to 0 (and away from the optimal value of 3.5-4.0) as an individual's sleep becomes more fragmented. An improvement in MoST is defined as an increase in the MoST scale. A useful clinical response scale (CRS or N24CRS) can be formed by combining the results of all of LQ-nTST, UQ-dTSD, MoST and CGI-C. In an illustrative embodiment, each assessment on the scale is scored as a 1 or 0 depending on whether the pre-specified threshold is achieved or not, as defined in the table that follows. The score for each assessment is summed with a range of 0-4. Individuals with a N24CRS score of ≧3 are classified as having responded to treatment. Non-24 Scale of Clinical Response Assessment Threshold of response LQ-nTST >30, >40 or >45 minutes increase in average nighttime sleep duration UQ-dTSD >30, >40, or >45 minutes decrease in average daytime sleep duration MoST >20, >25 or >30 minutes increase CGI-C <1 or <2 from baseline or any combination or permutation thereof. Increases and decreases in duration, and other scores in the N24CRS, may be determined by comparing baseline, which may be an average of two or more assessments, to post-treatment, which may be an average of two or more post-treatment assessments. For example, the CGI-C scoring of <=1 (or <=2) can be a comparison of baseline score, which may be a single data point or an average of two (or more) scores from assessments taken prior to or shortly after initiation of treatment, to single data point or to an average of two (or more) scores from post-treatment assessments. In an illustrative embodiment, improvement, i.e., response to treatment, is defined as the coincident demonstration of: 1. shift of tau towards 24 hours and 2. a score of >=3 on the above-described N24CRS. In such embodiment, tau can be measured using any methodology including but not limited to aMT6 in urine, cortisol, melatonin in blood or saliva, etc., substantially as described above. A score of >=2 can also indicate improvement, i.e., patient response to treatment. The data required to calculate parameters such as LQ-nTST, UQ-dTSD, and MoST, can be objectively quantified in sleep studies or, more practically, it can be collected by way of patient questionnaires that ask patients to self-assess, e.g., did the patient sleep, what time did he or she go to bed, how long did it take to fall asleep, etc. In certain clinical studies, subjects will be required to call an Interactive Voice Response System (IVRS) twice a day starting the day after all screening assessments are completed and continue through the randomization phase for 2.5 circadian cycles or 6 months whichever is less. Subjects will call the IVRS twice, once in the morning no later than 1 hour after scheduled awakening to report nighttime sleep parameters (PSQ) and again in the evening no later than 15 minutes after the subjects daily dosing time to report the length and duration of any daytime sleep episode(s) (PreSQ). The IVRS will automatically call back any subject that fails to perform the required calls within the allocated timeframe. One of skill in the art can readily transfer this or similar methodologies to the treatment setting. It will be appreciated, of course, that other methodologies may be used to ascertain improvement following initiation of treatment or that variations in the above-described methodologies can be employed, e.g., by utilizing other tau determination methods and/or by measuring different or additional sleep parameters. Illustrative efficacy indicators based on the above include, e.g.: 1. Combined sleep/wake response (>=90 minute increase in LQ-nTST plus a 90 minute decrease in UQ-dTSD); 2. Entrainment of cortisol secretion; 3. Entrainment+45 minute increase in LQ-nTST; 4. Entrainment+45 minute decrease in UQ-dTSD; 5. Entrainment+>=30 minutes increase in MoST; 6. Entrainment+a score of much improved or better on the CGI-C scale; 7. Increase in LQ-nTST; 8. Decrease in UQ-dTSD; 9. Improvement in MoST; 10. Improvement in CGI-C; 11. N24CRS=4; 12. Combined sleep/wake response (>=45 minute increase in LQ-nTST plus a 45 minute decrease in UQ-dTSD). In carrying out these methods of the invention, the average of multiple pre-treatment and post-treatment assessments can be used to smooth out test to test and/or day to day variability. For example, a baseline MoST can be compared to the average of two post-treatment initiation MoSTs; in this case, preferably, the difference between the two post-treatment MoSTs is less than 2 hours. If the difference is greater than about 2 hours, one or more further MoST assessments can be carried out. If efficacy is shown, i.e., if a patient is determined to have achieved or to be moving in the direction of a normal circadian rhythm (i.e., 24 hours or up to 24.1 hours), then treatment can be continued. If efficacy is not shown, then a physican or other healthcare worker may wish to discontinue treatment or change the dose of the melatonin agonist, or otherwise alter the treatment method. The above-described response assessment methodologies can also be utilized for diagnostic purposes. So, for example, a MoST of less than about 3.5, or less than about 3.0, or less than about 2.5 can be an indication that the patient is suffering from a free running circadian rhythm. Such diagnostic can employ one or more of the above-described parameters optionally with other diagnostic markers also being assessed. For example, the patient's MoST score in combination with a tau determination could also be or be part of a useful diagnostic for free running circadian rhythm. Thus, in one method of treatment that comprises an aspect of this invention, a patient who presents himself or herself to a physician or other healthcare professional with symptoms of a sleep disorder, e.g., difficulty sleeping at night, frequent daytime naps, etc., is first diagnosed by assessment of the patient's MoST, with or without other diagnostic assessments. Such patient who has a low, e.g., less than 3.5 MoST is then treated with a melatonin agonist, e.g., tasimelteon. In Phase III clinical trials, i.e., safety and efficacy studies in humans, (SET Study), tasimelteon was demonstrated to be useful in entraining Non-24 patients to a 24 hour circadian rhythm. Specifically, patients were orally administered 20 mg tasimelteon per day for at least 12 weeks prior to re-estimating tau. Patients were selected for randomization or open label based on baseline tau estimates. Drug was administered at about 1 hour prior to target sleep time, as determined by patients based on a 9 hour nighttime sleep period. The SET study was an 84 patient randomized, double-masked, placebo-controlled study in patients with Non-24. The primary endpoints for this study were Entrainment of the melatonin (aMT6s) rhythm to the 24-hour clock and Clinical Response as measured by Entrainment plus a score of greater than or equal to 3 on the following N24CRS: Non-24 Scale of Clinical Response: Assessment Threshold of response LQ-nTST >=45 minutes increase in average nighttime sleep duration UQ-dTSD >=45 minutes decrease in average daytime sleep duration MoST >20, >25 or >30 minutes increase and a standard deviation <=2 hours during double-masked phase CGI-C <=2.0 from the average of Day 112 and Day 183 compared to baseline A second study (RESET Study) was a 20 patient randomized withdrawal study designed to demonstrate the maintenance effect of 20 mg/day tasimelteon in the treatment of blind individuals with Non-24. Patients were treated with tasimelteon for at least twelve weeks during an open-label run-in phase during the SET Study. Patients who responded to tasimelteon treatment during the run-in phase were then randomized to receive either placebo or tasimelteon (20 mg/day) for 2 months. Results relating to the primary endpoint of the SET Study are summarized in Table 1A. TABLE 1A SET Study - Primary Endpoints Results: Tasimelteon (%) Placebo (%) p-value Entrainment (aMT6s) 20.0 2.6 0.0171 Clinical Response 23.7 0.0 0.0028 (Entrainment1 + N24CRS >= 3) Clinical Response2 28.9 0.0 0.0006 (Entrainment1 + N24CRS >= 2) N24CRS >= 32 28.9 2.9 0.0031 N24CRS >= 22 57.9 20.6 0.0014 NOTES: 1Entrainment status from the randomized portion of the SET study and/or the screening portion of the RESET study 2Sensitivity Analysis The SET study also assessed a number of secondary endpoints including Entrainment of cortisol rhythm and a broad range of clinical sleep and wake parameters. These parameters included improvement in the total nighttime sleep in the worst 25% of nights (LQ-nTST), decrease in the total daytime sleep duration in the worst 25% of days (UQ-dTSD) and midpoint of sleep timing (MoST) which is derived from a combination of the sleep reported for both nighttime and daytime. CGI-C is a seven-point rating scale of global functioning with lower scores indicating larger improvements. TABLE 1B SET Study - Secondary Endpoints Results Tasimelteon Placebo p-value Entrainment (cortisol) (%) 17.5 2.6 0.0313 N24CRS (LS mean minutes) 1.77 0.67 0.0004 CGI-C1 (LS mean minutes) 2.6 3.4 0.0093 LQ-nTST and UQ-dTSD >= 23.8 4.5 0.0767 90 min2 (%) LQ-nTST and UQ-dTSD >= 31.6 8.8 0.0177 45 min3 (%) LQ-nTST (LS mean minutes) 57.0 16.8 0.0055 UQ-dTSD1 (LS mean minutes) −46.2 −18.0 0.0050 MoST (LS mean minutes) 34.8 14.4 0.0123 NOTES: 1For CGI-C and UQ-dTSD smaller numbers indicate improvement. 2For this endpoint, only subjects with significant sleep and nap problems at baseline were included. 3Sensitivity Analysis The percentage of patients entrained was higher among patients on drug for two complete circadian cycles. It was also higher among patients not taking a beta blocker and lower among patients with very long tau, e.g., tau>=24.7. Among patients on drug for at least two circadian cycles, not on beta blockers, and tau<24.7 hours, the percentage of entrained patients was approximately 85%. The results of the SET study represent the initial data from the tasimelteon Non-24 Phase III development program and demonstrate the multiple benefits of this novel therapy in treating patients suffering from this rare circadian rhythm disorder. In the SET study, tasimelteon was demonstrated to be safe and well tolerated. The primary endpoint of the RESET Study was the maintenance of effect as measured by entrainment of the melatonin (aMT6s) rhythm. Results relating to the primary endpoint of the RESET Study are summarized in Table 2A. TABLE 2A RESET Study - Primary Endpoint Results: Tasimelteon Placebo p-value Maintenance of entrainment 90.0 20.0 0.0026 (aMT6s) (%) The RESET study also assessed a number of secondary endpoints including maintenance of entrainment of the cortisol rhythm and a range of sleep and wake parameters including LQ-nTST (total nighttime sleep in the worst 25% of nights), UQ-dTSD (total daytime sleep duration in the worst 25% of days) and MoST (midpoint of sleep timing from both nighttime and daytime sleep). Results relating to the secondary endpoints of the RESET Study are summarized in Table 2B. TABLE 2B RESET Study - Secondary Endpoints Results: Tasimelteon Placebo Difference p-value maintenance of 80.0 20.0 60.0 0.0118 entrainment (cortisol) (%) LQ-nTST −6.6 −73.8 67.2 0.0233 (LS mean minutes)1 UQ-dTSD −9.6 49.8 −59.4 0.0266 (LS mean minutes)2 MoST 19.8 −16.2 36.0 0.0108 (LS mean minutes)1 NOTES: 1Higher number indicates improvement 2Lower number indicates improvement From the run-in phase of the study, the rate of entrainment among tasimelteon treated patients ranged from 50% to 85% based on individual patient characteristics. In a time to relapse analysis (45 min decrement of weekly average nighttime sleep), placebo treated patients relapsed in higher numbers and at an earlier time than tasimelteon treated patients (P=0.0907). The RESET study demonstrates the efficacy of chronic treatment with tasimelteon in Non-24 and further supports the results of the SET study, which established the ability of tasimelteon to entrain the master body clock and significantly improve the clinical symptoms of Non-24. For maintenance of an entrained circadian rhythm, i.e., chronic treatment, the treatment regimens described herein can be continued daily indefinitely. So, for example, tasimelteon can be administered orally, e.g., at a dose of 20 mg/day, e.g., at about ½ to about 1 hour prior to bedtime. Results of clinical study also show a strong correlation between endogenous melatonin and efficacy of tasimelteon in entraining patients to a 24 hour circadian rhythm. The following table (Table 3A) compares the peak aMT6s levels in the 24 entrained and 23 non-entrained patients. TABLE 3A Peak aMT6s (ng/hr) Peak aMT6s (ng/hr) Entrained Patients Non-entrained Patients 291.05 261.68 302.40 334.34 350.92 409.12 362.07 472.99 510.60 514.14 786.85 552.77 811.80 552.90 958.89 581.95 1102.76 810.43 1205.45 846.55 1329.08 862.91 1442.48 1155.66 1502.80 1284.35 2106.44 1295.37 2211.81 1397.71 2226.06 1444.94 2287.07 1451.43 2566.27 1622.23 2706.67 1637.45 2801.31 1719.94 2891.17 1749.32 3391.00 2329.65 3867.45 2671.17 5547.22 The average baseline aMT6s excretion rate in urine, as determined using the methodology described above, was 1814.98 ng/hr in subjects who became entrained in response to tasimelteon therapy and 1128.65 ng/hr in subjects who did not become entrained in response to tasimelteon therapy. Eleven of thirteen patients with a baseline aMT6s excretion rate >2000 ng/hr responded to therapy. See, Table 3B. TABLE 3B Peak aMT6s (ng/hr) All <1500 ≥1500 <2000 ≥2000 Total 47 29 18 34 13 Entrained 24 (51%) 12 (41%) 12 (67%) 13 (38%) 11 (85%) Non- 23 (49%) 17 (59%) 6 (33%) 21 (62%) 2 (15%) entrained Data from these studies currently available also indicate that beta blocker therapy is indirectly related to efficacy of tasimelteon, i.e., patients receiving beta blocker therapy were less likely to become entrained than patients who were not. TABLE 4 Status Taking Beta Blocker Entrained Non-entrained No 24 19 Yes 0 4 In addition, currently available data indicate a correlation between tau as determined by assaying for aMT6s levels in urine substantially as described above and assaying for cortisol in urine substantially as described above, as shown in Table 5. TABLE 5 Cycle Cycle Site Subject Tau CI CI Length Tau CI CI Length P # # (aMT6s) Low High (Days) (Cortisol) Low High (Days) Value 405 3001 23.92 23.71 24.13 N/A 23.88 23.49 24.27 n/a 0.32 410 3002 24.02 23.86 24.19 N/A 23.92 23.64 24.21 N/A 0.37 409 3003 23.97 23.77 24.17 N/A 23.94 23.75 24.12 N/A 0.37 405 3002 23.98 23.86 24.1 N/A 23.96 23.8 24.13 n/a 0.46 405 3003 23.95 23.87 24.04 N/A 23.97 23.78 24.15 n/a 0.51 424 3003 23.96 23.8 24.12 N/A 23.99 23.92 24.05 N/A 0.46 411 3001 24.02 23.77 24.26 1482 24.01 23.48 24.54 2728 0.95 426 3002 24.01 23.87 24.15 3959 24.01 23.54 24.48 3111 0.95 410 3001 24.02 23.99 24.05 N/A 24.02 23.89 24.15 1176 0.57 412 3002 23.99 23.88 24.09 N/A 24.05 23.09 25.02 468 0.84 412 3003 23.98 23.88 24.08 N/A 24.05 23.84 24.26 460 0.4 409 3002 24.08 23.99 24.17 290 24.08 23.95 24.21 287 0.11 424 3001 23.97 23.68 24.26 N/A 24.17 24.02 24.32 140 0.04 407 3003 24.33 24.21 24.44 74 24.11 23.97 24.24 225 0.08 410 3006 24.29 23.57 25.02 83 24.12 23.65 24.58 205 0.39 407 3001 24.56 24.37 24.75 43 24.13 22.89 25.37 179 0.69 401 3002 24.31 24.22 24.4 77 24.15 24.08 24.23 158 0.01 406 3002 24.41 22.66 26.16 59 24.3 24 24.6 81 0.05 421 3001 24.86 22.57 27.14 29 24.37 21.83 26.92 65 0.31 406 3003 24.48 24.07 24.9 50 24.42 24.25 24.59 58 0.01 410 3004 24.39 24.27 24.51 62 24.43 24.4 24.47 56 0.01 403 3001 24.76 23.42 26.1 32 24.44 24.06 24.82 55 0.04 419 3001 25.28 25.04 25.51 19 24.54 24.07 25.02 45 0.04 409 3001 24.52 24.41 24.63 47 24.58 24.47 24.68 42 0.01 411 3003 24.5 24.13 24.87 49 24.61 24.28 24.94 40 0.02 411 3004 24.92 24.46 25.38 27 24.74 24.15 25.34 33 0.03 403 3002 24.8 24.59 25.01 31 24.77 23.94 25.6 32 0.06 425 3003 24.77 23.67 25.88 32 24.86 23.91 25.81 29 0.06 425 3002 25.01 24.63 25.4 24 25.1 24.65 25.55 22 0.01 Data from clinical studies also show that CYP1A2 inhibitors and smoking both affect patient exposure to drug. Fluvoxamine is a strong CYP1A2 inhibitor. AUC0-inf for tasimelteon increased approximately 7-fold, and the Cmax increased approximately 2-fold upon co-administration of fluvoxamine and tasimelteon, compared to tasimelteon administered alone. Table 6 below shows the effect of co-administration of tasimelteon and fluvoxamine on tasimelteon's pharmacokinetics. Twenty-four healthy male or female subjects between the ages of 18 and 55 years of age (inclusive) who were non-smokers with a body mass index (BMI) of ≧18 and ≦35 kg/m2 participated in this open-label, single-sequence study conducted at one site. On day 1, subjects were administered 5.667 mg of tasimelteon. On days 2-7, subjects were administered 50 mg of fluvoxamine. On day 8, subjects were co-administered 5.667 mg of tasimelteon and 50 mg of fluvoxamine. TABLE 6 Cmax Tmax AUC (inf) t½ CL/F Analyte Day (ng/ml) (h) (h × ng/mL) (h) (mL/min) Tasimelteon 1 68.0 ± 28.9 0.50 102 ± 61.5 1.20 ± 0.22 107 ± 555 Tasimelteon 8 155 ± 51.1 0.50 701 ± 402 2.59 ± 0.71 189 ± 155 Geometric Mean 232.74 N/A 653.36 211.82 15.31 Ratio* (%) M12 1 31.0 ± 7.23 0.88 189 ± 90.8 3.03 ± 1.02 N/A M12 8 30.8 ± 17.6 3.00 435 ± 109.3 7.03 ± 3.27 N/A Geometric Mean 92.74 N/A 274.81 241.02 N/A Ratio (%) M13 1 87.5 ± 24.4 0.50 106 ± 32.6 1.00 ± 0.30 N/A M13 8 63.6 ± 24.6 0.50 133 ± 32.9 3.51 ± 1.18 Geometric Mean 69.31 N/A 125.05 349.81 N/A Ratio (%)* M9 1 67.6 ± 19.1 0.50 104 ± 30.0 1.14 ± 0.29 N/A M9 8 47.4 ± 24.2 0.75 126 ± 29.6 3.83 ± 1.34 N/A Geometric Mean 64.94 N/A 122.56 328.02 N/A Ratio (%)* M11 1 15.8 ± 5.40 1.00 44.5 ± 17.2 1.61 ± 0.55 N/A M11 8 11.0 ± 3.94 1.00 55.8 ± 18.3 4.14 ± 1.44 N/A Geometric Mean 68.71 N/A 126.03 248.35 N/A Ratio (%)* M14 1 1.20 ± 0.40 0.75 4.54 ± 2.39 2.18 ± 0.97 N/A M14 8 3.20 ± 1.49 4.00 42.6 ± 27.3 4.98 ± 1.89 N/A Geometric Mean 264.58 N/A 944.73 243.34 N/A Ratio (%)* FIG. 5 shows a diagram of a metabolic pathway of tasimelteon. FIGS. 6-11 show plots of the effect of co-administration of tasimelteon and fluvoxamine on the concentration of, respectively, tasimelteon, the M9 metabolite, the M11 metabolite, the M12 metabolite, the M13 metabolite, and the M14 metabolite. As can be seen from FIGS. 6-11, the increase in concentration attributable to fluvoxamine co-administration was more pronounced with respect to tasimelteon and its primary metabolites (M12, M13, M14) than its secondary metabolites (M9, M11). Table 7 below shows the effect of smoking on the concentration of tasimelteon and several of its metabolites. Smokers were defined as those smoking 10 or more cigarettes per day. Non-smokers were defined as those smoking no cigarettes per day. TABLE 7 Cmax Tmax AUC (inf) t½ CL/F Vz/F Analyte Group (ng/ml) (h) (h × ng/mL) (h) (mL/min) (L) Tasimelteon Smokers 136 ± 59.5 0.75 205 ± 152 0.99 ± 0.18 2,290 ± 1,232 189 ± 94.2 Tasimelteon Non- 239 ± 177 0.50 389 ± 429 1.18 ± 0.46 1,482 ± 1,008 133 ± 83.0 Smokers Geometric Mean 63.98 N/A 60.14 86.84 166.27 144.39 Ratio* (%) M12 Smokers 123 ± 28 1.00 526 ± 193 2.11 ± 0.67 N/A N/A M12 Non- 108 ± 29 1.00 679 ± 433 3.05 ± 1.73 N/A N/A Smokers Geometric Mean 115.53 N/A 84.87 73.31 N/A N/A Ratio (%) M13 Smokers 272 ± 86 0.75 329 ± 99 0.89 ± 0.26 N/A N/A M13 Non- 270 ± 71 0.50 337 ± 94 1.18 ± 0.50 N/A Smokers Geometric Mean 99.49 N/A 97.31 77.51 N/A N/A Ratio (%)* M9 Smokers 230 ± 118 0.75 315 ± 112 1.15 ± 0.17 N/A N/A M9 Non- 279 ± 82.8 0.75 406 ± 75 1.38 ± 0.45 N/A N/A Smokers Geometric Mean 77.18 N/A 74.36 85.40 N/A N/A Ratio (%)* M11 Smokers 46.17 ± 11.9 1.00 124 ± 42 1.99 ± 0.85 N/A N/A M11 Non- 54.9 ± 15.1 1.00 154 ± 58 2.14 ± 0.94 N/A N/A Smokers Geometric Mean 84.50 N/A 81.84 94.13 N/A N/A Ratio (%)* M14 Smokers 3.72 ± 1.86 0.75 9.45 ± 11.88 1.13 ± 0.54 N/A N/A M14 Non- 6.18 ± 3.15 0.75 22.0 ± 24.2 1.84 ± 1.22 N/A N/A Smokers Geometric Mean 60.17 N/A 42.98 65.09 N/A N/A Ratio (%)* M3 Smokers 177 ± 71.6 0.50 239 ± 44.4 3.48 ± 2.53 N/A N/A M3 Non- 135 ± 49.5 0.63 194 ± 64.6 4.00 ± 2.48 N/A N/A Smokers Geometric Mean 131.27 N/A 129.43 89.16 N/A N/A Ratio (%)* FIGS. 12-17 show plots of the effect of smoking on the concentration of, respectively, tasimelteon, the M9 metabolite, the M11 metabolite, the M12 metabolite, the M13 metabolite, and the M14 metabolite. Related aspects of this invention include computer-based systems comprising means for receiving data concerning treatment-related health information, optionally transiently or indefinitely storing such information, and directly or indirectly transmitting such information to such healthcare professional or patient. Such health information can include whether or not a patient is receiving, i.e., being treated with, a CYP1A2 inhibitor, information relating to a patient's endogenous melatonin levels, information relating to a patient's endogenous cortisol levels, information relating to a patient's tau, information relating to whether or not a patient is receiving, i.e., being treated with, a beta blocker, information relating to whether or not the patient is a smoker, etc. Accordingly, computer implemented systems and methods using the methods described herein are provided. For example, related to this invention is a method comprising screening patient test samples to determine melatonin levels, collecting the data, and providing the data to a patient, a health care provider or a health care manager for making a conclusion based on review or analysis of the data. In one embodiment the conclusion is provided to a patient, a health care provider or a health care manager includes transmission of the data over a network. Melatonin level and circadian rhythm information or other patient specific information such as recited above and as described herein, may be stored in a computer readable form. Such information can also include, e.g., one or more of whether or not a patient is being treated with a CYP1A2 inhibitor, information relating to a patient's endogenous melatonin levels, information relating to a patient's endogenous cortisol levels, information relating to a patient's tau, information relating to whether or not a patient is receiving, i.e., being treated with, a beta blocker, information relating to whether or not the patient is a smoker, etc. Such a computer system typically comprises major subsystems such as a central processor, a system memory (typically RAM), an input/output (I/O) controller, an external device such as a display screen via a display adapter, serial ports, a keyboard, a fixed disk drive via a storage interface and optionally, a disk drive operative to receive a floppy disc, a CD or DVD, or any other data storage medium. Many other devices can be connected, such as a closed or open network interface. The computer system may be linked to a network, comprising a plurality of computing devices linked via a data link, such as a cable, telephone line, ISDN line, wireless network, optical fiber, or other suitable signal transmission medium, whereby at least one network device (e.g., computer, disk array, etc.) comprises a pattern of magnetic domains (e.g., magnetic disk) and/or charge domains (e.g., an array of DRAM cells) composing a bit pattern encoding data acquired from an assay of the invention. The computer system can comprise code for interpreting the results of tau analyses as described herein. Thus in an exemplary embodiment, the determination of peak melatonin levels (or surrogate) and of tau results are provided to a computer where a central processor executes a computer program for determining, e.g., optimal initiation of treatment times, the likelihood of response to treatment, etc. Also related to this invention is use of a computer system, such as that described above, which comprises: (1) a computer including a computer processor; (2) a stored bit pattern encoding the results obtained by the melatonin analyses of the invention, which may be stored in the computer; (3) and, optionally, (4) a program for determining the likelihood of a therapeutic response. A computer-based system for use in the methods described herein generally includes at least one computer processor (e.g., where the method is carried out in its entirety at a single site) or at least two networked computer processors (e.g., where data is to be input by a user (also referred to herein as a “client”) and transmitted to a remote site to a second computer processor for analysis, where the first and second computer processors are connected by a network, e.g., via an intranet or internet). The system can also include a user component(s) for input; and a reviewer component(s) for review of data, generated reports, and manual intervention. Additional components of the system can include a server component(s); and a database(s) for storing data (e.g., as in a database of report elements, e.g., interpretive report elements, or a relational database (RDB) which can include data input by the user and data output. The computer processors can be processors that are typically found in personal desktop computers (e.g., IBM, Dell, Macintosh), portable computers, mainframes, minicomputers, or other computing devices. Illustrative reports which can be displayed or projected, or printed, are provided in FIGS. 1, 2, 3, and 4. A networked client/server architecture can be selected as desired, and can be, for example, a classic two or three tier client server model. A relational database management system (RDMS), either as part of an application server component or as a separate component (RDB machine) provides the interface to the database. In one example, the architecture is provided as a database-centric client/server architecture, in which the client application generally requests services from the application server which makes requests to the database (or the database server) to populate the report with the various report elements as required, particularly the interpretive report elements, especially the interpretation text and alerts. The server(s) (e.g., either as part of the application server machine or a separate RDB/relational database machine) responds to the client's requests. The input client components can be complete, stand-alone personal computers offering a full range of power and features to run applications. The client component usually operates under any desired operating system and includes a communication element (e.g., a modem or other hardware for connecting to a network), one or more input devices (e.g., a keyboard, mouse, keypad, or other device used to transfer information or commands), a storage element (e.g., a hard drive or other computer-readable, computer-writable storage medium), and a display element (e.g., a monitor, television, LCD, LED, or other display device that conveys information to the user). The user enters input commands into the computer processor through an input device. Generally, the user interface is a graphical user interface (GUI) written for web browser applications. The server component(s) can be a personal computer, a minicomputer, or a mainframe and offers data management, information sharing between clients, network administration and security. The application and any databases used can be on the same or different servers. Other computing arrangements for the client and server(s), including processing on a single machine such as a mainframe, a collection of machines, or other suitable configuration are contemplated. In general, the client and server machines work together to accomplish the processing of the present invention. Where used, the database(s) is usually connected to the database server component and can be any device which will hold data. For example, the database can be any magnetic or optical storing device for a computer (e.g., CDROM, internal hard drive, tape drive). The database can be located remote to the server component (with access via a network, modem, etc.) or locally to the server component. Where used in the system and methods, the database can be a relational database that is organized and accessed according to relationships between data items. The relational database is generally composed of a plurality of tables (entities). The rows of a table represent records (collections of information about separate items) and the columns represent fields (particular attributes of a record). In its simplest conception, the relational database is a collection of data entries that “relate” to each other through at least one common field. Additional workstations equipped with computers and printers may be used at point of service to enter data and, in some embodiments, generate appropriate reports, if desired. The computer(s) can have a shortcut (e.g., on the desktop) to launch the application to facilitate initiation of data entry, transmission, analysis, report receipt, etc. as desired. The present invention also contemplates a computer-readable storage medium (e.g. CD-ROM, memory key, flash memory card, diskette, etc.) having stored thereon a program which, when executed in a computing environment, provides for implementation of algorithms to carry out all or a portion of the results of a response likelihood assessment as described herein. Where the computer-readable medium contains a complete program for carrying out the methods described herein, the program includes program instructions for collecting, analyzing and generating output, and generally includes computer readable code devices for interacting with a user as described herein, processing that data in conjunction with analytical information, and generating unique printed or electronic media for that user. Where the storage medium provides a program that provides for implementation of a portion of the methods described herein (e.g., the user-side aspect of the methods (e.g., data input, report receipt capabilities, etc.)), the program provides for transmission of data input by the user (e.g., via the internet, via an intranet, etc.) to a computing environment at a remote site. Processing or completion of processing of the data is carried out at the remote site to generate a report. After review of the report, and completion of any needed manual intervention, to provide a complete report, the complete report is then transmitted back to the user as an electronic document or printed document (e.g., fax or mailed paper report). The storage medium containing a program according to the invention can be packaged with instructions (e.g., for program installation, use, etc.) recorded on a suitable substrate or a web address where such instructions may be obtained. The computer-readable storage medium can also be provided in combination with one or more reagents for carrying out response likelihood assessment. Also related to this invention are methods of generating a report based on the analyses of melatonin levels in a patient suffering from Non-24. In general, such method can comprise the steps of determining information indicative of the levels of endogenous melatonin, in a biological sample; and creating a report summarizing said information, such as by reporting whether or not a patient is being treated with a CYP1A2 inhibitor, with or without additional information. In one illustrative embodiment of the method, said report includes one or more of an indication of whether or not a patient's melatonin levels achieve a Threshold Concentration, an indication of the patient's cortisol levels, an indication of the patient's tau, an indication of whether or not the patient is being treated with a CYP1A2 inhibitor, information relating to whether or not the patient is a smoker, and an indication of whether or not the patient is being treated with an agent that reduces endogenous melatonin such as a beta blocker. In some embodiments, the report includes a Threshold Concentration and, optionally, the peak melatonin concentration in the patient's biological sample. In some embodiments, the report includes information relating to the co-administration of tasimelteon and a CYP1A2 inhibitor, such as information relating to increased exposure to tasimelteon that may ensue, information related reducing the dose of tasimelteon or of the CYP1A2 inhibitor, information relating to heightened monitoring, etc. In some embodiments, the report includes information relating to the administration of tasimelteon and smoking, such as information related to decreased exposure to tasimelteon that may ensue, information relating to increasing the dose of tasimelteon, information related to monitoring for levels of tasimelteon in the blood, etc. Such report can further include one or more of: 1) information regarding the testing facility; 2) service provider information; 3) patient data; 4) sample data; 5) an interpretive report, which can include various information including: a) indication; b) test data, and 6) other features. In some embodiments, the report further includes a recommendation for a treatment modality for said patient. In such aspect, the report may include information to support a treatment recommendation for said patient, e.g., a recommendation for non-treatment with a melatonin agonist or for heightened monitoring. In all aspects, the report may include a classification of a subject into a group, e.g., likely non-responders or likely responders. In some embodiments, the report is in electronic form e.g., presented on an electronic display (e.g., computer monitor). In some embodiments, the report is a visual report comprising: 1) a descriptive title 2) a patient identifier 3) the patient's target initiation of sleep time and one or more of: (i) a graph of rate of production of melatonin or melatonin surrogate versus time for each Collection Session, the graph showing data points and the calculated circadian cycle including acrophase, each graph being annotated with the projected acrophase and Standard Error, (ii) a graph of acrophase (time of day) vs. Day showing the projected acrophase determined for each Collection Session and the slope determined by linear regression analysis of the projected acrophase times, said graph being annotated with the length of the patient's tau, the Standard Error and the Confidence Interval expressed both as a p value and as a range of hours, and (iii) an acrophase table showing the projected time of acrophase for 90 days following the end of the last Collection Session, said table differentially highlighting the date and time of the projected acrophase closest to the target acrophase, the optimal day for initiation of treatment and an estimated window for initiation of treatment. Such illustrative report is provided in FIG. 1 for a subject that is not suffering Non-24 and in FIG. 2 for a patient that is suffering from N24SWD. A person or entity who prepares a report (“report generator”) may also perform the likelihood assessment. The report generator may also perform one or more of sample gathering, sample processing, and data generation, e.g., the report generator may also perform one or more of: a) sample gathering; b) sample processing; c) measuring melatonin or melatonin surrogate levels. Alternatively, an entity other than the report generator can perform one or more sample gathering, sample processing, and data generation. For clarity, it should be noted that the term “user,” which is used interchangeably with “client,” is meant to refer to a person or entity to whom a report is transmitted, and may be the same person or entity who does one or more of the following: a) collects a sample; b) processes a sample; c) provides a sample or a processed sample; and d) generates data for use in the likelihood assessment. In some cases, the person(s) or entity(ies) who provides sample collection and/or sample processing and/or data generation, and the person who receives the results and/or report may be different persons, but are both referred to as “users” or “clients” herein to avoid confusion. In certain embodiments, e.g., where the methods are completely executed on a single computer, the user or client provides for data input and review of data output. A “user” can be a health professional (e.g., a clinician, a laboratory technician, a physician, etc.). In embodiments where the user only executes a portion of the method, the individual who, after computerized data processing according to the methods of the invention, reviews data output (e.g., results prior to release to provide a complete report, a complete, or reviews an “incomplete” report and provides for manual intervention and completion of an interpretive report) is referred to herein as a “reviewer.” The reviewer may be located at a location remote to the user (e.g., at a service provided separate from a healthcare facility where a user may be located). Where government regulations or other restrictions apply (e.g., requirements by health, malpractice or liability insurance, or policy), results, whether generated wholly or partially electronically, are subjected to a quality control routine prior to release to the user. In another aspect, the present disclosure concerns methods of preparing a personalized pharmacologic profile for a patient by a) determining the patient's levels of endogenous melatonin or melatonin surrogate; and (b) creating a report summarizing the data and/or compiling such data with other data relevant to understanding the patient's specific pharmacologic characteristics and condition. In accordance with the method of this invention, the dosage of tasimelteon to be administered will depend on various factors such as the characteristics of the subject being treated, e.g., the severity of disorder, responsiveness to melatonin agonists, age, weight, health, types of concurrent treatment, if any, etc. The above described computer-implemented methods, systems, reports, etc., can also be applied to determination of efficacy of treatment, such as but not limited to the efficacy determination methodologies described above. For example, computer-based systems can be used to record and report information relating to one or more of MoST, LQ-nTST, UQ-dTSD and CGI-C and/or to tau determinations made prior to or shortly after initiation of therapy as well as subsequent tau determinations. By way of further illustration, related aspects of this invention include computer-based systems comprising means for receiving data concerning one or more of MoST, LQ-nTST, UQ-dTSD and CGI-C and/or to tau determinations made prior to or shortly after initiation of therapy as well as subsequent tau determinations; a method comprising collecting data relating to one or more of MoST, LQ-nTST, UQ-dTSD and CGI-C and/or to tau determinations made prior to or shortly after initiation of therapy as well as subsequent tau determinations and providing the data to a patient, a health care provider or a health care manager for making a conclusion based on review or analysis of the data. In one embodiment the conclusion is provided to a patient, a health care provider or a health care manager includes transmission of the data over a network; information relating to one or more of MoST, LQ-nTST, UQ-dTSD and CGI-C and/or to tau determinations made prior to or shortly after initiation of therapy as well as subsequent tau determinations stored in a computer readable form; a computer system as described above for receiving, storing and outputting such information, optionally linked to a network and optionally comprising code for interpreting the results of efficacy assessment(s) as described herein; a computer-readable storage medium (e.g., CD-ROM, memory key, flash memory card, diskette, etc.) having stored thereon a program which, when executed in a computing environment, provides for implementation of algorithms to carry out all or a portion of the analysis of efficacy assessments as described herein; methods of generating a report based on the efficacy assessments as described herein, e.g., a report that includes one or more of an indication of whether or not a patient is responding to therapy. Such information, databases, systems, methods, analyses, reports, profiles, outputs, recommendations, etc., can be incorporated into storage media, computer systems, and networks, such as are described hereinabove with respect to other parameters, e.g., melatonin levels, circadian rhythms, cortisol levels, tau, co-treatment with CYP1A2 inhibitors, co-treatment with a beta blocker, and smoking, with or without information relating to some or all of such other parameters. An effective dose is one that over a period of time of treatment, which may be, e.g., 1 day or multiple weeks, results in entrainment of the patient to a 24 hour circadian rhythm. Patients whose tau is reduced to 24 hours, e.g., <24.1 hrs, with a 95% confidence interval that includes 24.0 can be considered to have been entrained, although other values can also be used to define successful entrainment. The daily dose of tasimelteon useful in entraining patients with Non-24 to a 24 hour circadian rhythm will, in general, be in the range of about 1 to about 100 mg, e.g., about 10 to about 100 or about 20 to about 50. A dose of 20 mg is typically sufficient, in particular, for individuals who are not also being administered a CYP1A2 inhibitor or a beta blocker or who are not smokers. Similar doses may be employed when entraining a patient's cortisol circadian rhythm. As discussed above, it has been found that co-administration of tasimelteon with CYP1A2 inhibitors unexpectedly increases the concentration of tasimelteon. This is likely a consequence of inhibition of CYP1A2-mediated conversion of tasimelteon to a metabolite. CYP1A2 inhibitors include, for example, fluoroquinolone antibiotics, such as ciprofloxacin, SSRIs such as fluvoxamine, and calcium channel blockers such as verapamil. Accordingly, in the case that a patient is to be administered a dose of tasimelteon as part of an attempt to entrain the patient to a 24-hour circadian rhythm and that patient is also being treated with a CYP1A2 inhibitor, it may be necessary or desirable to reduce the dose of tasimelteon, the dose of the CYP1A2 inhibitor, or both. Alternatively, or in addition, it may be necessary or desirable to monitor the patient's plasma concentration of tasimelteon or monitor the patient for an adverse reaction associated with tasimelteon. For example, the dose of tasimelteon administered to a patient also being treated with a CYP1A2 inhibitor may be reduced to less than 20 mg per day, e.g., about 15 to about 19 mg per day, about 10 to about mg per day, or about 5 to about 10 mg per day, e.g., 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, or 19 mg/day. In some cases, the dose of tasimelteon or the dose of the CYP1A2 inhibitor may be reduced to zero. In an embodiment of the invention, tasimelteon is not be used in combination with fluvoxamine. Other less strong CYP1A2 inhibitors have not been adequately studied. Tasimelteon should be administered with caution to patients taking less strong CYP1A2 inhibitors. Aspects of the invention, as they relate to the effects of a CYP1A2 inhibitor on tasimelteon exposure, include, without limitation, the following: treating a patient with tasimelteon wherein the patient is also being treated with a CYP1A2 inhibitor, said method comprising one or more of the following: reducing the dose of tasimelteon, reducing the dose of the CYP1A2 inhibitor, monitoring the patient's plasma concentration of tasimelteon, or monitoring the patient for an adverse reaction associated with tasimelteon; treating a patient with tasimelteon wherein the patient is also being treated with a substance that is a known inhibitor of CYP1A2, said method comprising monitoring the patient for a potential or actual adverse event associated with increased plasma concentration of tasimelteon while the patient is being coadministered tasimelteon and the CYP1A2 inhibitor; treating a patient suffering from a sleep disorder wherein such patient is being treated with a CYP1A2 inhibitor, the method comprising: internally administering tasimelteon to the patient in a reduced amount relative to an amount that would be administered to a patient suffering from a sleep disorder but not being treated with a CYP1A2 inhibitor; a computing device having a processor; a storage device containing information that the patient is being treated with a CYP1A2 inhibitor; an input device for inputting to either or both of the computing device or the storage device information that the patient will be prescribed a dose of tasimelteon; a computer program operable retrieve from the storage device the information that the patient is being treated with a CYP1A2 inhibitor upon inputting the information that the patient will be prescribed the dose of tasimelteon; and an output device for outputting to a user the information that the patient is being treated with a CYP1A2 inhibitor; a computer-implemented method of treating a patient suffering from a sleep disorder, the method comprising: entering into an electronic database information related to the treatment of a patient with tasimelteon; searching, using a computing device, a medical record of the patient for information related to the current treatment of the patient with an agent other than tasimelteon; and determining, using the computing device, whether the agent other than tasimelteon is a CYP1A2 inhibitor; a pharmaceutical composition for the treatment of a sleep disorder in an individual being treated with a CYP1A2 inhibitor, the composition comprising: a pharmaceutically-acceptable carrier; and a quantity of tasimelteon corresponding to a daily dosage of less than 20 mg. In another embodiment, patients who are receiving a CYP1A2 inhibitor, e.g., fluvoxamine, are not treated with tasimelteon. In a related embodiment, patients are instructed not to receive, and healthcare providers are instructed not to prescribe, tasimelteon if the patient is already receiving a CYP1A2 inhibitor, e.g., fluvoxamine. Smoking, on the other hand, has been found to increase the clearance of tasimelteon, thereby reducing patient exposure. Accordingly, administration of tasimelteon or a tasimelteon metabolite to an individual who smokes may, in some cases, require increasing the dose of tasimelteon or tasimelteon metabolite and/or reducing or eliminating the individual's smoking. Accordingly, in the case that a patient is to be administered a dose of tasimelteon as part of an attempt to entrain the patient to a 24-hour circadian rhythm and that patient is also a smoker, it may be necessary or desirable to increase the dose of tasimelteon. Alternatively, or in addition, it may be necessary or desirable to monitor the patient's plasma concentration of tasimelteon. For example, the dose of tasimelteon administered to a patient who also smokes may be increased to greater than 20 mg per day, e.g., 25 mg per day, 30 mg per day, 40 mg per day, 50 mg per day or even 100 mg per day. Aspects of the invention, as they relate to the effects of smoking on tasimelteon exposure, include, without limitation, the following: treating a patient with tasimelteon wherein the patient is a smoker, said method comprising one or more of the following: increasing a dose of tasimelteon, monitoring the patient's blood levels of tasimelteon, and instructing the patient to reduce or eliminate smoking; treating a patient suffering from a sleep disorder wherein such patient is a smoker, the method comprising: internally administering tasimelteon to the patient in an increased amount relative to an amount that would be administered to a patient suffering from a sleep disorder who is not a smoker; a system comprising: at least one computing device having a processor; a storage device containing information that the patient is a smoker; an input device for inputting to either or both of the computing device or the storage device information that the patient will be prescribed a dose of tasimelteon; a computer program operable retrieve from the storage device the information that the patient is a smoker upon inputting the information that the patient will be prescribed the dose of tasimelteon; and an output device for outputting to a user the information that the patient is a smoker; a computer-implemented method of treating a patient suffering from a sleep disorder, the method comprising: entering into an electronic database information related to the treatment of a patient with tasimelteon; searching, using a computing device, a medical record of the patient for information related to whether the patient is a smoker; and determining, using the computing device, whether the patient is a smoker; a pharmaceutical composition for the treatment of a sleep disorder in an individual who smokes, the composition comprising: a pharmaceutically-acceptable carrier; and a quantity of tasimelteon corresponding to a daily dosage of greater than 20 mg. In general, the melatonin (MT1 and MT2 receptors) agonist, e.g., tasimelteon, is administered in a pharmaceutical formulation q.d. prior to the start of the target sleep time. It has been found that in treating Non-24, it is not necessary to administer the drug more than about 1 hour prior to the start of the target sleep time such that the drug can be administered, e.g., at about 0.5 to about 1.5 hours prior to sleep time. Administration about 1 hour prior to sleep time is convenient and useful. However, this invention also contemplates administration at earlier times in the day, e.g., about 2 hours, or about 3 hours or even about 4 hours prior to target sleep time. The ability to administer tasimelteon as little as about one hour prior to sleep time is advantageous because it allows for avoidance of pre-sleep time soporific effects, because it allows for administration of higher doses that might have greater soporific effects, and because it allows for pharmacologic intervention at a different phase of the sleep cycle than if it were administered earlier. Without wishing to be bound to any particular theory, it appears that the ability to administer tasimelteon so close to sleep time is a function of its tmax, which is approximately one-half hour. Melatonin, on the other hand, which has a tmax of approximately 2 hours or more, is administered several hours before sleep time, which can cause premature sleepiness; to avoid this soporific effect, melatonin is sometimes administered at sub-optimal doses. Thus, in a related aspect, this invention comprises a method of treating Non-24 patients, i.e., entraining such patients to a 24 hour circadian rhythm by internally administering an effective amount of a tasimelteon or another melatonin agonist that has a tmax of less than about 2 hours, e.g., less than about 1.5 hours, or even less than about 1 hour such as about one-half hour like tasimelteon. Pharmaceutical compositions can be formulated so as to alter tmax. Thus, e.g., use of an active pharmaceutical ingredient such as melatonin that is formulated such that its tmax is less than about two hours, e.g., less than about 1.5 hours, or even less than about 1 hour, to treat Non-24 is an aspect of this invention. Pharmaceutical compositions to be used comprise a therapeutically effective amount of tasimelteon or an active metabolite of tasimelteon, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or other form (e.g., a solvate) thereof, together with one or more pharmaceutically acceptable excipients. The phrase “pharmaceutical composition” refers to a composition suitable for administration in medical use. It should be appreciated that the determinations of proper dosage forms, dosage amounts, and routes of administration for a particular patient are within the level of ordinary skill in the pharmaceutical and medical arts. Administration is typically oral but other routes of administration are useful, e.g., parenteral, nasal, buccal, transdermal, sublingual, intramuscular, intravenous, rectal, vaginal, etc. Solid dosage forms for oral administration include capsules, tablets, pills, powders, and granules. In such solid dosage forms, the compound is admixed with at least one inert pharmaceutically acceptable excipient such as (a) fillers or extenders, as for example, starches, lactose, sucrose, glucose, mannitol, and silicic acid, (b) binders, as for example, carboxymethylcellulose, alginates, gelatin, polyvinylpyrrolidone, sucrose, and acacia, (c) humectants, as for example, glycerol, (d) disintegrating agents, as for example, agar-agar, calcium carbonate, potato or tapioca starch, alginic acid, certain complex silicates, and sodium carbonate, (e) solution retarders, as for example paraffin, (f) absorption accelerators, as for example, quaternary ammonium compounds, (g) wetting agents, as for example, cetyl alcohol, and glycerol monostearate, (h) adsorbents, as for example, kaolin and bentonite, and (i) lubricants, as for example, talc, calcium stearate, magnesium stearate, solid polyethylene glycols, sodium lauryl sulfate, or mixtures thereof. In the case of capsules, tablets, and pills, the dosage forms may also comprise buffering agents. Solid dosage forms such as tablets, dragees, capsules, pills, and granules also can be prepared with coatings and shells, such as enteric coatings and others well known in the art. The solid dosage form also may contain opacifying agents, and can also be of such composition that they release the active compound or compounds in a certain part of the intestinal tract in a delayed manner. Examples of embedding compositions which can be used are polymeric substances and waxes. The active compounds can also be in micro-encapsulated form, if appropriate, with one or more of the above-mentioned excipients. Such solid dosage forms may generally contain from 1% to 95% (w/w) of the active compound. In certain embodiments, the active compound ranges from 5% to 70% (w/w). Solid compositions for oral administration can be formulated in a unit dosage form, each dosage containing from about 1 to about 100 mg of active ingredient. The term “unit dosage form” refers to physically discrete units suitable as unitary dosages for human subjects and other mammals, each unit containing a predetermined quantity of active material calculated to produce the desired prophylactic or therapeutic effect over the course of a treatment period, in association with the required pharmaceutical carrier. Tasimelteon can be formulated, e.g., in a unit dosage form that is a capsule having 20 mg of active in addition to excipients. Liquid dosage forms for oral administration include pharmaceutically acceptable emulsions, solutions, suspensions, syrups, and elixirs. In addition to the compound or composition, the liquid dosage forms may contain inert diluents commonly used in the art, such as water or other solvents, solubilizing agents and emulsifiers, as for example, ethyl alcohol, isopropyl alcohol, ethyl carbonate, ethyl acetate, benzyl alcohol, benzyl benzoate, propyleneglycol, 1,3-butyleneglycol, dimethylformamide, oils, in particular, cottonseed oil, groundnut oil, corn germ oil, olive oil, castor oil and sesame oil, glycerol, tetrahydrofurfuryl alcohol, polyethyleneglycols and fatty acid esters of sorbitan or mixtures of these substances. Besides such inert diluents, the composition can also include adjuvants, such as wetting agents, emulsifying and suspending agents, sweetening, flavoring, and perfuming agents. The present invention can be carried out in conjunction with other treatment approaches, e.g., in combination with a second or multiple other active pharmaceutical agents, including but not limited to other agents that affect insomnia, sleep-wake patterns, vigilance, depression, or psychotic episodes. While this invention has been described in conjunction with the specific embodiments outlined above, it is evident that many alternatives, modifications and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art or are otherwise intended to be embraced. Accordingly, the embodiments of the invention as set forth above are intended to be illustrative, not limiting. Various changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the following claims. All patents, patent application, scientific articles and other published documents cited herein are hereby incorporated in their entirety for the substance of their disclosures. | <SOH> BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION <EOH>The master body clock controls the timing of many aspects of physiology, behavior and metabolism that show daily rhythms, including the sleep-wake cycles, body temperature, alertness and performance, metabolic rhythms and certain hormones which exhibit circadian variation. Outputs from the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) control many endocrine rhythms including those of melatonin secretion by the pineal gland as well as the control of cortisol secretion via effects on the hypothalamus, the pituitary and the adrenal glands. This master body clock, located in the SCN, spontaneously generates rhythms of approximately 24.5 hours. These non-24-hour rhythms are synchronized each day to the 24-hour day-night cycle by light, the primary environmental time cue which is detected by specialized cells in the retina and transmitted to the SCN via the retino-hypothalamic tract. Inability to detect this light signal, as occurs in most totally blind individuals, leads to the inability of the master body clock to be reset daily and maintain entrainment to a 24-hour day. | <SOH> SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION <EOH>Embodiments of the invention relate to the discovery that tasimelteon can be used to treat a free running circadian rhythm, in patients, including light perception impaired patients, e.g., blind patients, in whom such free running circadian rhythm manifests itself as Non-24. Embodiments of this invention further relate to the invention of a method for determining a person's circadian rhythm (tau) and to the application of such methodology to the treatment of a free running circadian rhythm. Embodiments of this invention further relate to the treatment of subjects who present with symptoms of Non-24, specifically, e.g., sleep drifting later each day, abnormal night sleep patterns, and/or difficulty staying awake during the day, leading in many cases to significant impairment, with chronic effects impacting the social and occupational functioning of these individuals, as well as possible negative health effects of chronic misalignment. Thus, in illustrative embodiments, the invention comprises a method of determining the circadian period (τ) in a human subject, said method comprising: a) collecting at least one biological sample from the patient during each of a plurality of regular collection intervals (CIs) during at least two Collection Sessions, each Collection Session being at least 48 hours in duration; b) if multiple biological samples are collected during each CI, then optionally physically pooling all samples collected within a given CI and, in such case, assigning a Collection Time Point for each CI; c) measuring the amount (absolute or concentration) of melatonin or of a melatonin surrogate in each of the samples or pooled samples; d) optionally converting the amount of melatonin or melatonin surrogate at each Collection Time Point to a rate of production; e) analyzing the amount of melatonin or melatonin surrogate or the rate of melatonin or melatonin surrogate production at each Collection Time Point to model the patient's cycle, including the acrophase, of melatonin or melatonin surrogate amount or production on each day; f) fitting serial acrophase determinations to a weighted linear regression model in order to determine τ, wherein τ=24+slope. A further illustrative embodiment is a method of treating a human patient presenting symptoms of Non-24, said method comprising determining the patient's τ by the method described above, and further described below, if the patient's τ is longer than 24 hours, then treating the patient by daily internally administering to the patient an effective amount of a melatonin agonist. | A61K31343 | 20171126 | 20180315 | 75887.0 | A61K31343 | 3 | SHAMEEM, GOLAM M | TREATMENT OF CIRCADIAN RHYTHM DISORDERS | UNDISCOUNTED | 1 | CONT-ACCEPTED | A61K | 2,017 |
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15,822,457 | PENDING | GROOVES OF GOLF CLUB HEADS AND METHODS TO MANUFACTURE GROOVES OF GOLF CLUB HEADS | Embodiments of grooves of golf club heads and methods to manufacture grooves of golf club heads are generally described herein. Other embodiments may be described and claimed. | 1. A golf club head comprising: a body portion having a body central region, a body toe portion, a body heel portion, a body top rail portion and a body sole portion; a club face on the body portion comprising grooves extending from a center portion of the club face toward the body heel portion and from the center portion of the club face toward the body toe portion, a depth of at least one groove extending in a face-rear direction; a length of at least one groove extending in a heel-toe direction; a width of at least one groove extending in a top rail-sole direction; each groove having a width portion defining a largest width of the groove, the width portion having a width portion length extending in a direction from the body heel portion to the body toe portion; wherein the width of each groove increases from the groove heel portion; and wherein the width of each groove increases from the groove toe portion. 2. The golf club head of claim 1, comprising each groove having a depth portion defining a largest depth of the groove, the depth portion having a depth portion length extending in a direction from the body heel portion to the body toe portion; wherein a change in depth of at least one groove along the length of the groove is linear relative to a change in the width of the at least one groove along the length of the groove; wherein the depth of each groove increases from a groove heel portion to the depth portion; and wherein the depth of each groove increases from a groove toe portion to the depth portion. 3. The golf club head of claim 2, wherein the depth portion lengths of at least two of the grooves located between the body top rail portion and the body central region increase in a direction from the body top rail to the central region; and wherein the depth portion lengths of at least two of the grooves located between the body sole portion and the body central region increase in a direction from the body sole portion to the central region. 4. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the widths of at least two of the grooves vary between the body top rail portion and the body sole portion. 5. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein: wherein a change in width of at least one groove along the length of the groove is linear relative to a change in the depth of the at least one groove along the length of the groove; wherein the width of each groove increases from a groove heel portion to the depth portion; and wherein the width of each groove increases from a groove toe portion to the depth portion. 6. The golf club head of claim 2, wherein: the at least one groove has a v-shaped cross section; and the change in the width of the at least one groove along the length of the groove varies relative to the change in the depth of the at least one groove along the length of the groove by a factor of approximately 1.15. 7. The golf club head of claim 2, wherein the at least one groove has a flat bottom. 8. The golf club head of claim 2, wherein cross sectional configurations of at least two of the grooves vary between at least one of the body heel portion and the body toe portion or the body top rail portion and the body sole portion. 9. The golf club head of claim 2, wherein the club face is detachably attached to the body portion. 10. The golf club head of claim 2, wherein the grooves increase in depth in a direction from the body top rail portion toward the center portion and in a direction from the body sole portion toward the center portion. 11. A golf club head comprising: a body portion having a body central region, a body toe portion, a body heel portion, a body top rail portion and a body sole portion; a club face on the body portion comprising grooves extending from a center portion of the club face toward the body heel portion and from the center portion of the club face toward the body toe portion, a depth of at least one groove extending in a face-rear direction; a length of at least one groove extending in a heel-toe direction; a width of at least one groove extending in a top rail-sole direction; each groove having a width portion defining a largest width of the groove, the width portion having a width portion length extending in a direction from the body heel portion to the body toe portion; wherein the widths of at least two of the grooves vary between the body top rail portion and the body sole portion. 12. The golf club head of claim 11, comprising each groove having a depth portion defining a largest depth of the groove, the depth portion having a depth portion length extending in a direction from the body heel portion to the body toe portion; a depth of at least one groove extending in a face-rear direction; and wherein a change in depth of at least one groove along the length of the groove is linear relative to a change in the width of the at least one groove along the length of the groove; wherein the depth of each groove increases from a groove heel portion to the depth portion; and wherein the depth of each groove increases from a groove toe portion to the depth portion. 13. The golf club head of claim 12, comprising each groove having a depth portion defining a largest depth of the groove, the depth portion having a depth portion length extending in a direction from the body heel portion to the body toe portion; wherein the depth portion lengths of at least two of the grooves located between the body top rail portion and the body central region increase in a direction from the body top rail to the central region; and wherein the depth portion lengths of at least two of the grooves located between the body sole portion and the body central region increase in a direction from the body sole portion to the central region. 14. The golf club head of claim 11, wherein the width of each groove increases from the groove heel portion; and wherein the width of each groove increases from the groove toe portion. 15. The golf club head of claim 11, wherein a change in width of at least one groove along the length of the groove is linear relative to a change in the depth of the at least one groove along the length of the groove; wherein the width of each groove increases from a groove heel portion to the depth portion; and wherein the width of each groove increases from a groove toe portion to the depth portion. 16. The golf club head of claim 12, wherein: the at least one groove has a v-shaped cross section; and the change in the width of the at least one groove along the length of the groove varies relative to the change in the depth of the at least one groove along the length of the groove by a factor of approximately 1.15. 17. The golf club head of claim 12, wherein the at least one groove has a flat bottom. 18. The golf club head of claim 12, wherein cross sectional configurations of at least two of the grooves vary between at least one of the body heel portion and the body toe portion or the body top rail portion and the body sole portion. 19. The golf club head of claim 12, wherein the club face is detachably attached to the body portion. 20. The golf club head of claim 12, wherein the grooves increase in depth in a direction from the body top rail portion toward the center portion and in a direction from the body sole portion toward the center portion. | RELATED APPLICATIONS This is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/529,590, filed on Oct. 31, 2014, which is a continuation in part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/196,313, filed on Mar. 4, 2014 (now U.S. Pat. No. 9,452,326), which is a continuation in part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/761,778, filed on Feb. 7, 2013 (now U.S. Pat. No. 8,790,193), which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/628,685, filed on Sep. 27, 2012 (now U.S. Pat. No. 9,108,088), which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/697,994, filed on Sep. 7, 2012 and U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/541,981 filed on Sep. 30, 2011, all of which are incorporated herein by reference. FIELD The present disclosure relates generally to golf equipment, and more particularly, to grooves of golf club heads and methods to manufacture grooves of golf club heads. BACKGROUND Typically, a golf club head may include a club face with a plurality of parallel grooves extending between the toe end and the heel end. In particular, the plurality of grooves in an iron-type club head may clear out water, sand, grass, and/or other debris between a golf ball and the club face. Golf club faces may have grooves with various shapes such as squared or box-shaped grooves, V-shaped grooves, or U-shaped grooves. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 shows a putter according to one example. FIG. 2 shows a schematic diagram of a ball striking face of a putter according to one example. FIG. 3 shows a schematic diagram of a ball striking face of a putter according to one example. FIG. 4 shows a schematic top view of a groove of the ball striking face of FIG. 3. FIG. 5 shows a horizontal cross-sectional diagram of the groove of FIG. 4 taken at section 5-5 of FIG. 3. FIG. 6 shows a horizontal cross-sectional diagram of another groove of the ball striking face FIG. 3. FIG. 7 shows a horizontal cross-sectional diagram of another groove of the ball striking face FIG. 3. FIG. 8 shows a schematic diagram of a ball striking face of a putter according to one example. FIG. 9 shows a schematic top view of a groove of the ball striking face of FIG. 8. FIG. 10 shows a horizontal cross-sectional diagram of the groove of FIG. 9 taken at section 10-10 of FIG. 8. FIG. 11 shows a horizontal cross-sectional diagram of another groove of the ball striking face FIG. 8. FIG. 12 shows a horizontal cross-sectional diagram of another groove of the ball striking face FIG. 8. FIG. 13 shows a schematic diagram of a ball striking face of a putter according to one example. FIG. 14 shows a schematic top view of a groove of the ball striking face of FIG. 13. FIG. 15 shows a horizontal cross-sectional diagram of the groove of FIG. 14 taken at section 15-15 of FIG. 13. FIG. 16 shows a horizontal cross-sectional diagram of another groove of the ball striking face FIG. 13. FIG. 17 shows a horizontal cross-sectional diagram of another groove of the ball striking face FIG. 13. FIG. 18 shows a schematic diagram of a ball striking face of a putter according to one example. FIG. 19 shows a schematic top view of a groove of the ball striking face of FIG. 18. FIG. 20 shows a horizontal cross-sectional diagram of the groove of FIG. 19 taken at section 20-20 of FIG. 18. FIG. 21 shows a horizontal cross-sectional diagram of another groove of the ball striking face FIG. 18. FIG. 22 shows a horizontal cross-sectional diagram of another groove of the ball striking face FIG. 18. FIG. 23 shows a schematic diagram of a ball striking face of a putter according to one example. FIGS. 24-26 show different examples of vertical cross sections of grooves of the ball striking face of FIG. 23 taken at section 24-24 of FIG. 23. FIG. 27 shows a schematic diagram of a ball striking face of a putter according to one example. FIG. 28 shows a schematic diagram of a ball striking face of a putter according to one example. FIGS. 29-37 show schematic diagrams of exemplary horizontal cross sections of a groove of a ball striking face of a putter. FIGS. 38-45 show schematic top views of exemplary grooves of a ball striking face of a putter. FIG. 46 shows a schematic diagram of a ball striking face of a putter according to one example. FIG. 47 shows a schematic diagram of a ball striking face of a putter according to one example. FIG. 48 is a horizontal cross-sectional view of a groove of a putter according to one example. FIG. 49 shows a vertical schematic cross-sectional diagram of a putter according to one example. FIG. 50 shows a vertical schematic cross-sectional diagram of a putter according to one example. FIG. 51 shows a putter face according to another example. FIG. 52 shows a putter face according to another example. FIG. 53 shows a method of manufacturing a golf club according to one example. FIG. 54 shows a schematic diagram of a ball striking face of a putter according to one example. FIG. 55 shows a cross section of a groove of the ball striking face of FIG. 54. FIG. 56 shows a schematic diagram of a ball striking face of a putter according to one example. FIG. 57 shows a cross section of a groove of the ball striking face of FIG. 56. FIG. 58 shows a schematic diagram of a ball striking face of a putter according to one example. FIG. 59 shows a cross section of a groove of the ball striking face of FIG. 58. FIG. 60 shows a schematic diagram of a ball striking face of a putter according to one embodiment. FIG. 61 shows a schematic top view of a groove of the ball striking face of FIG. 60. FIG. 62 shows a horizontal cross-sectional diagram of the groove of FIG. 61 taken at section 62-62 of FIG. 60. FIG. 63 shows a tool for cutting a groove. FIG. 64 shows a V-shaped groove according to one example. FIG. 65 shows a V-shaped groove according to one example. FIG. 66 shows a schematic top view of a groove according to one example. FIG. 67 shows a horizontal cross-sectional diagram of the groove of FIG. 66. DESCRIPTION In general, grooves of golf club heads and methods to manufacture grooves of golf club heads are described herein. Golf equipment related to the methods, apparatus, and/or articles of manufacture described herein may be conforming or non-conforming to the rules of golf at any particular time. Further, the figures provided herein are for illustrative purposes, and one or more of the figures may not be depicted to scale. The apparatus, methods, and articles of manufacture described herein are not limited in this regard. In the examples of FIG. 1, a putter 100 is shown. Although grooves for a putter 100 are described herein, the apparatus, methods, and articles of manufacture described herein may be applicable other types of club head (e.g., a driver-type club head, a fairway wood-type club head, a hybrid-type club head, an iron-type club head, etc.). For example, grooves for iron-type club heads are described in detail in U.S. Patent Application Publication US 2010/0035702, filed Aug. 5, 2009, the entire disclosure of which is expressly incorporated by reference. Accordingly, any reference made herein to a putter may include any type of golf club. The putter 100 includes a putter head 102 having a putter face 110. The putter face 110 may be generally planar. The putter face 110 includes a ball striking face 112 that may be generally on the same plane as the putter face 110 or slightly projected outward from the putter face 110. The ball striking face 112 may be the same size or smaller (as shown in FIG. 1) than the putter face 110. The ball striking face 112 may be a region on the putter face 110 that is generally used to strike a golf ball (not shown). However, an individual may also strike a ball with a section of the putter face 110 that is outside the ball striking face 112. The ball striking face 112 may be a continuous or integral part of the putter face 110 or formed as an insert that is attached to the putter face 110. Such an insert may be constructed from the same material or different materials as the putter face 110 and then be attached to the putter face 110. The ball striking face 112 may include one or more grooves, generally shown as grooves 120, and one or more land portions 170. For example, the ball striking face 112 is shown to have twelve grooves, generally shown as 122, 124, 126, 128, 130, 132, 134, 136, 138, 140, 142, and 144. The grooves 120 may be generally referred to with a single reference number such as 120. However, when specifically describing one of the grooves on the ball striking face 112, the reference number for that specific groove may be used. Two adjacent grooves may be separated by a land portion 170. A land portion 170 between each groove 120 and an adjacent groove 120 may have the same or different width as a land portion 170 between another pair of adjacent grooves 120. The land portions 170 may also define the top surface of the ball striking face 112. In general, two or more of the grooves 120 may be parallel to each other. For example, the grooves 122 and 124 may be parallel to each other. However, the grooves 120 may be oriented relative to each other in any manner. For example, any of the grooves 120 may be diagonally, vertically and/or horizontally oriented. As shown in the example of FIG. 2, one or more of the grooves 120 may be substantially linear and generally parallel to an adjacent groove 120 and extend between a toe end 180 and a heel end 190 of the putter face 110. As described in detail below, the depth, length, width, a horizontal cross-sectional shape, and/or a vertical cross-sectional shape of the grooves 120 may linearly, nonlinearly, in regular or irregular step-wise intervals, arcuately and/or according to one or more geometric shapes increase, decrease and/or vary from the toe end 180 to the heel end 190 and/or from a top rail 182 to a sole 192 of the putter head 102. The apparatus, methods, and articles of manufacture described herein are not limited in this regard. Referring to FIG. 2, the ball striking face 112 is shown having grooves 122-144. The ball striking face 112 may be an integral part of the putter face 110 such as to be co-manufactured with the putter face 110. Alternatively, the ball striking face 112 may be an insert that is attached to the putter face 110. Each of the grooves 120 may extend from the toe end 180 to the heel end 190 to define a corresponding length 193 (only the length 193 of groove 144 is shown in FIG. 2). The lengths 193 of some or all of the grooves 120 may vary in a direction from the top rail 182 to the sole 192 so that each groove 120 may generally conform to the shape of the perimeter of the ball striking face 112. For example, the length of the grooves may increase from near the top rail 182 to a center 184 of the ball striking face 112 and decrease from the center 184 to near the sole 192. The center 184 may be a geometric center of the ball striking face 112. Alternatively, the center 184 may represent an inertial or weight related center of the ball striking face 112. However, the center 184 may be generally defined by a region of the ball striking face 112 that typically strikes the ball. As shown in FIG. 1, the length 193 of the grooves 120 may be similar. In other examples, such as the example shown in FIG. 2, the length 193 of the grooves may decrease from near the top rail 182 to the center 184 and decrease from near the sole 192 to the center 184. Thus, any groove length arranged on the ball striking face 112 is within the scope of the disclosure. In another example shown in FIG. 3, a ball striking face 212 may include grooves 220 (shown specifically as grooves 222-244). The ball striking face 212 may be an integral part of the putter face 110 or a separate piece that is attached to the putter face 110. Accordingly, when describing the ball striking face 212, parts of the putter 100 and the putter head 102 are referred to with the same reference numbers described above. FIG. 4 shows a schematic view of the groove 232 and FIG. 5 shows a horizontal cross section of the groove 232 taken at section line 5-5 of FIG. 3. The groove 232 is shown to be divided into horizontally spanning regions, generally shown as regions 271-275, which are visually defined in FIGS. 3 and 4 by vertical boundary lines. The horizontal regions 271-275 may define variations in the horizontal cross-sectional profile of the groove 232 from near the toe end 180 to near the heel end 190 and/or from near the top rail 182 to near the sole 192. Horizontal cross-sectional profile of a groove may refer to any property of the groove along the length 293 of the groove, such as length of a certain section of the groove, depth, width, cross-sectional shape, and/or construction materials. In the example of FIGS. 3-7, the grooves 220 include a first vertical wall 250 and a second vertical wall 252 that define the length 293 of the grooves 220. Each of the grooves 220 has a bottom surface 254 which defines a depth of the groove 220. The depth of each groove may vary from the first wall 250 to the second wall 252 according to the cross-sectional profile of the groove 220 in the regions 271-275. Each groove 220 also includes a first horizontal wall 256 and a second horizontal wall 258 that define the vertical boundaries of the groove 220. The distance between the first horizontal wall 256 and the second horizontal wall 258 defines a width 280 of the groove 220. The width 280 may vary from the first vertical wall 250 to the second vertical wall 252 as shown in the examples of FIGS. 38-45, where a groove may have a length 590, a first width 594, a second width 595 and/or a third width 596. In the example of FIGS. 3-7, however, the first horizontal wall 256 and the second horizontal wall 258 are generally parallel to define a generally constant width 280. Referring to FIG. 5, the bottom surface 254 at the region 271 is downwardly sloped or curved to define a first depth 282 at the boundary between regions 271 and 272. The bottom surface 254 in the region 272 transitions with a steeper downward curve from the first depth 282 to a second depth 284 at the boundary between regions 272 and 273. If the bottom surface 254 is flat in the region 273, the second depth 284 may generally define the greatest depth of the groove 232. However, if the bottom surface 254 is not flat, the greatest depth of the groove 232 may be defined in another part of the region 273. Any of the grooves 220 may be symmetric about the vertical axis y. Accordingly, the shape of the groove 220 on each side of the y axis may mirror the shape of the groove 232 on the other side of the y axis. However, any of the grooves 220 may be asymmetric. The regions 271 and 275 define shallow portions of the groove 232 and the region 273 defines the deeper center portion of the groove 232. The deepest part of any of the grooves 220 may be at the center of the groove 220. The regions 272 and 274 facilitate transition of the bottom surface 254 from the depth 282 to the depth 284. Referring to FIGS. 3 and 5, the general cross-sectional profile of each of the grooves 220 may remain generally similar from the top rail 182 to the sole 190. However, the cross-sectional profile including lengths, widths and/or depths of the regions 271-275 of each of the grooves 220 may progressively vary from the top rail 182 to the sole 192. In FIGS. 6 and 7, the horizontal cross sections of the grooves 238 and 244, respectively, are shown. For example, the regions 271-275 of the groove 238 are smaller in length than the regions 271-275 of the groove 232, respectively. Similarly, the regions 271-275 of the groove 244 are smaller in length than the regions 271-275 of the groove 238, respectively. In another example, the regions 271-275 of the groove 238 may have smaller depths than the regions 271-275 of the groove 232, respectively. Similarly, the regions 271-275 of the groove 244 may have smaller depths than the regions 271-275 of the groove 238, respectively. The progressive increase in the length, depth and/or width of the regions 271-275 of the grooves 222-232 from the top rail 182 to generally the center of the ball striking face 212 and/or the decrease in the size of the regions 271-275 of the grooves 232-244 from generally the center of the ball striking face 212 to the sole 192 forms a central strike zone 260 (shown in FIG. 3), which may resemble the shape of a golf ball when viewed by an individual in an address position. The approximate visual representation of a golf ball can assist an individual with lining up the ball striking face 212 with the ball. The regions 273, which define the deepest parts of the grooves 220 may be larger in length at the center of the ball striking face 212 and progressively reduce in length toward the top rail 182 and the sole 192. Similarly, the transition regions 272 and 274 may have the greatest length at the center of the ball striking face 212 and progressively reduce in length toward the top rail 182 and the sole 192. Although the lengths of the regions 271-275 may vary depending on the location of the grooves 220 on the ball striking face 212, the depth of similar regions for each groove 220 may be similar or different. For example, the greatest depth of the groove 232 may be similar to the greatest depth of the groove 244. Alternatively, the depth of the grooves 222-244 may vary based on the location of the groove 220 relative to ball striking face 212. Alternatively yet, the depths of the grooves 222-244 may vary in any manner from the top rail 182 to the sole. Although the above examples may describe a particular number of horizontal regions, the apparatus, methods, and articles of manufacture described herein may include more or less horizontal regions. In another example shown in FIG. 8, a ball striking face 312 includes grooves 320 (shown specifically as grooves 322-344). The ball striking face 312 may be an integral part of the putter face 110 or a separate piece that is attached to the putter face 110. Accordingly, when describing the ball striking face 312, parts of the putter 100 and the putter head 102 are referred to with the same reference numbers described above. FIG. 9 shows a schematic view of the groove 332 and FIG. 10 shows a horizontal cross section of the groove 332 taken at section line 10-10 of FIG. 8. The groove 332 is shown to be divided into horizontally spanning regions 371-375, which are visually defined in FIGS. 8 and 9 by vertical boundary lines. The horizontal regions 371-375 may define variations in the horizontal cross-sectional profile of the groove 332 from near the toe end 180 to near the heel end 190 and/or from near the top rail 182 to near the sole 192. Horizontal cross-sectional profile of a groove may refer to any property of the groove along the length 393 of the groove, such as length of a certain section of the groove, depth, width, cross-sectional shape, and/or construction materials. In the example of FIGS. 8-12, the grooves 320 include a first vertical wall 350 and a second vertical wall 352 that define the length 393 of the grooves 320. Each of the grooves 320 has a bottom surface 354 which defines a depth of the groove 320. The depth of each groove may vary from the first wall 350 to the second wall 352 according to the cross-sectional profile of the groove 320 in the regions 371-375. Each groove 320 also includes a first horizontal wall 356 and a second horizontal wall 358 that define the vertical boundaries of the groove 320. The distance between the first horizontal wall 356 and the second horizontal wall 358 defines a width 380 of the groove 320. The width 380 may vary from the first vertical wall 350 to the second vertical wall 352 as shown in the examples of FIGS. 38-45. In the example of FIGS. 8-12, however, the first horizontal wall 256 and the second horizontal wall 258 are generally parallel to define a generally constant width 380. Referring to FIG. 10, the bottom surface 354 at the region 371 may be generally flat and/or slightly sloped to define a first depth 382 at the boundary between 371 and 372. The bottom surface 354 in the region 372 transitions with a step downward from the first depth 382 to a second depth 384 at the boundary between the regions 372 and 373. The bottom surface 354 in the region 372 may be generally flat and/or slightly sloped such that the groove 320 has a generally uniform depth 384 in the region 372. The bottom surface 354 in the region 372 transitions with a step downward from the second depth 384 to a third depth 386. The bottom surface 354 in the region 373 may be generally flat or slightly sloped such that the groove 320 has a generally uniform depth 386 in the region 373. Any of the grooves 320 may be symmetric about the vertical axis y. Accordingly, the shape of the groove 320 on each side of the y axis mirrors the shape of the groove 320 on the other side of the y axis. However, any of the grooves 320 may be asymmetric. The depth 386 represents the greatest depth of the grooves 320. Referring to FIGS. 10-12, the general cross-sectional profile of the grooves 320 may remain generally similar from the top rail 182 to the sole 190. However, the cross-sectional profile including the lengths, widths and/or the depths of the regions 371-375 of each of the grooves 320 may progressively vary from the top rail 182 to the sole 192. In FIGS. 11 and 12, the horizontal cross sections of the grooves 338 and 344, respectively, are shown. For example, the regions 371-375 of the groove 338 are smaller in length than the regions 371-375 of the groove 332, respectively. Similarly, the regions 371-375 of the groove 344 are smaller in length than the regions 371-375 of the groove 338, respectively. In another example, the regions 371-375 of the groove 338 may have smaller depths than the regions 371-375 of the groove 332, respectively. Similarly, the regions 371-275 of the groove 344 may have smaller depths than the regions 371-375 of the groove 338, respectively. The progressive increase in the length, depth and/or width of the regions 371-375 of the grooves 322-332 from the top rail 182 to the center of the ball striking face 312 and/or the decrease in the size of the regions 371-375 of the grooves 332-344 form the center of the ball striking face 312 to the sole 192 forms a central strike zone 360 (shown in FIG. 8), which may discretely resemble the shape of a golf ball when viewed by an individual in an address position. The approximate visual representation of a golf ball can assist an individual with lining up the ball striking face 312 with the ball. The regions 373, which define the deepest parts of the grooves 360 may be larger in length at the center of the ball striking face 312 and progressively reduce in length toward the top rail 182 and the sole 192. Similarly, the transition regions 372 and 374 may have the greatest length at the center of the ball striking face 312 and progressively reduce in length toward the top rail 182 and the sole 192. Although the lengths of the regions 371-375 vary depending on the location of the grooves 320 on the ball striking face 312, the depth of similar regions for each groove 320 may be similar or different. For example, the greatest depth of the groove 344 may be similar to the greatest depth of the groove 332. Alternatively, the depth of the grooves 322-344 may vary based on the location of grooves 320 on the ball striking face 312. Alternatively yet, the depths of the grooves 322-344 may vary in any manner from the top rail 182 to the sole. Although the above examples may describe a particular number of horizontal regions, the apparatus, methods, and articles of manufacture described herein may include more or less horizontal regions. In another example shown in FIG. 13, a ball striking face 412 includes grooves 420 (shown specifically as grooves 422-444). The ball striking face 412 may be an integral part of the putter face 110 or a separate piece that is attached to the putter face 110. Accordingly, when describing the ball striking face 412, parts of the putter 100 and the putter head 102 are referred to with the same reference numbers described above. FIG. 14 shows a schematic view of the groove 432 and FIG. 15 shows a horizontal cross section of the groove 432 taken at section line 15-15 of FIG. 13. The groove 432 is shown to be divided into horizontally spanning regions 471 and 472, which are visually defined in FIGS. 13 and 14 by the boundary lines of the groove 432 and a vertical line at the center of the groove 432. The horizontal regions 471 and 472 may define variations in the horizontal cross-sectional profiles of the groove 432 from near the toe end 180 to near the heel end 190 and/or from near the top rail 182 to near the sole 192. Horizontal cross-sectional profile of a groove refers to any property of the groove along the length 493 of the groove, such as length of a certain section of the groove, depth, width, cross-sectional shape, and/or construction materials. In the example of FIGS. 13-17, the grooves 420 include a first vertical wall 450 and a second vertical wall 452 that define the length 493 of the grooves 420. Each of the grooves 420 has a bottom surface 454 which defines a depth of the groove 420. The depth of each groove may vary from the first wall 450 to the second wall 452 according to the cross-sectional profile of the groove 420 in the regions 471 and 472. Each groove 420 also includes a first horizontal wall 456 and a second horizontal wall 458 that define the vertical boundaries of the groove 420. The distance between the first horizontal wall 456 and the second horizontal wall 458 defines a width 480 of the groove 420. The width 480 may vary from the first vertical wall 450 to the second vertical wall 452 as shown in the examples of FIGS. 38-45. In the example of FIGS. 13-17, however, the first horizontal wall 456 and the second horizontal wall 458 are generally parallel to define a generally constant width 480. Referring to FIG. 15, the bottom surface 454 at the region 471 has a linear profile and is downwardly sloped. The grooves 450 are symmetric about the center vertical axis y. Accordingly, the bottom surface 454 at the region 472 has a similar linear profile and is similarly downwardly sloped as the bottom surface 454 at the region 471. Accordingly, the depth of the grooves 420 gradually increase from a depth 482 at the first wall 452 and second wall 454 to a depth 484 at the center of the grooves 420. The depth 484 represents the deepest part of the grooves 420, which may be at the center of the groove 420. Referring to FIGS. 15-17, the general cross-sectional profile of the grooves 420 may remain generally similar from the top rail 182 to the sole 190. However, the cross-sectional profile including the lengths and/or the depths of the regions 471 and 472 of each of the grooves 420 may progressively vary from the top rail 182 to the sole 192. For example, the regions 471 and 472 of the groove 438 are smaller in length than the regions 471 and 472 of the groove 332, respectively. Similarly, the regions 471 and 471 of the groove 444 are smaller in length than the regions 471 and 472 of the groove 438, respectively. In another example, the regions 471 and 472 of the groove 438 may have smaller depths than the regions 471 and 472 of the groove 432, respectively. Similarly, the regions 471 and 472 of the groove 444 may have smaller depths than the regions 471 and 472 of the groove 438, respectively. The progressive increase in the length, depth and/or width of the regions 471 and 472 of the grooves 422-432 from the top rail 182 to the center of the ball striking face 412 and/or the decrease in the size of the regions 471 and 472 of the grooves 432-444 form the center of the ball striking face 412 to the sole 192 forms a central strike zone 460 (shown in FIG. 13). The regions 471 and 472 may have the greatest length at the center of the ball striking face 412 and progressively reduce in length toward the top rail 182 and the sole 192. Although the lengths of the regions 471 and 472 vary depending on the location of the grooves 420 on the ball striking face 412, the depth of similar regions for each groove 420 may be similar or different. For example, the greatest depth of the groove 444 may be similar to the greatest depth of the groove 432. Alternatively, the depth of the grooves 422-444 may vary based on the location of grooves 420 on the ball striking face 412. Alternatively yet, the depths of the grooves 422-444 may vary in any manner from the top rail 182 to the sole. Although the above examples may describe a particular number of horizontal regions, the apparatus, methods, and articles of manufacture described herein may include more or less horizontal regions. In another example shown in FIG. 18, a ball striking face 512 includes grooves 520 (shown specifically as grooves 522-544). The ball striking face 512 may be an integral part of the putter face 110 or a separate piece that is attached to the putter face 110. Accordingly, when describing the ball striking face 512, parts of the putter 100 and the putter head 102 are referred to with the same reference numbers described above. FIG. 19 shows a schematic view of the groove 532 and FIG. 20 shows a horizontal cross section of the groove 532 taken at section line 20-20 of FIG. 18. The groove 532 is shown to be divided into horizontally spanning regions 571 and 572, which are visually defined in FIGS. 18 and 19 by the boundary lines of the groove 532 and a vertical line at the center of the groove 532. The horizontal regions 571 and 572 may define variations in the horizontal cross-sectional profiles of the groove 532 from near the toe end 180 to near the heel end 190 and/or from near the top rail 182 to near the sole 192. Horizontal cross-sectional profile of a groove refers to any property of the groove along the length 593 of the groove, such as a length of a certain section of the groove, depth, width, cross-sectional shape, and/or construction materials. In the example of FIGS. 18-22, the grooves 520 include a first vertical wall 550 and a second vertical wall 552 that define the length 593 of the grooves 520. Each of the grooves 520 has a bottom surface 554 which defines a depth of the groove 520. The depth of each groove may vary from the first wall 550 to the second wall 552 according to the cross-sectional profile of the groove 520 in the regions 571 and 572. Each groove 520 also includes a first horizontal wall 556 and a second horizontal wall 558 that define the vertical boundaries of the groove 520. The distance between the first horizontal wall 556 and the second horizontal wall 558 defines a width 580 of the groove 520. The width 580 may vary from the first vertical wall 550 to the second vertical wall 552 as shown in the examples of FIGS. 38-45. In the example of FIGS. 18-22, however, the first horizontal wall 556 and the second horizontal wall 558 are generally parallel to define a generally constant width 580. Referring to FIG. 20, the bottom surface 554 at the region 571 has a linear profile and is downwardly sloped. The bottom surface 554 in the region 572 also has a linear profile and is downwardly sloped. However, because the second wall 552 is longer than the first wall 550, the bottom surface 554 in the region 572 has a smaller slope than the bottom surface 554 in the region 571. Accordingly, the grooves 550 of this example are asymmetric about the vertical center axis y. Thus, the grooves 250 have a first depth 582 defined by the first wall 550, a second depth 584 defined by the second wall 552 and a center depth 586, which is gradually reached from the depths 582 and 584 according to the downwardly sloped bottom surface 554 of the regions 571 and 572, respectively. The center depth 586 may be the depth of the deepest part of the groove 520. Referring to FIGS. 20-22, the general cross-sectional profile of the grooves 520 may remain generally similar from the top rail 182 to the sole 190. However, the cross sectional profile including the lengths, widths and/or the depths of the regions 571 and 572 of each of the grooves 520 may progressively vary from the top rail 182 to the sole 192. In FIGS. 21 and 22, the horizontal cross sections of the grooves 538 and 544, respectively, are shown. For example, the regions 571 and 572 of the groove 538 are smaller in length than the regions 571 and 572 of the groove 532, respectively. Similarly, the regions 571 and 572 of the groove 544 are smaller in length than the regions 571 and 572 of the groove 538, respectively. In another example, the regions 571 and 572 of the groove 538 may have smaller depths than the regions 571 and 572 of the groove 532, respectively. Similarly, the regions 571 and 572 of the groove 544 may have smaller depths than the regions 571 and 572 of the groove 538, respectively. The progressive increase in the length, depth and/or width of the regions 571 and 572 of the grooves 522-532 from the top rail 182 to the center of the ball striking face 512 and/or the decrease in the size of the regions 571 and 572 of the grooves 532-544 form the center of the ball striking face 512 to the sole 192 forms a central strike zone 560 (shown in FIG. 18). The regions 571 and 572 may have the greatest length at the center of the ball striking face 512 and progressively reduce in length toward the top rail 182 and the sole 192. Although the lengths of the regions 571 and 572 vary depending on the location of the grooves 520 on the ball striking face 512, the depth of similar regions for each groove 520 may be similar or different. For example, the greatest depth of the groove 544 may be similar to the greatest depth of the groove 532. Alternatively, the depth of the grooves 522-544 may vary based on the location of grooves 520 on the ball striking face 512. Alternatively yet, the depths of the grooves 522-544 may vary in any manner from the top rail 182 to the sole. Although the above examples may describe a particular number of horizontal regions, the apparatus, methods, and articles of manufacture described herein may include more or less horizontal regions. The grooves 220, 320, 420 and 520 described above illustrate four examples of horizontal cross-sectional profile of grooves for use with the putter 100. Other examples of horizontal cross sectional profiles are shown in FIGS. 29-37, where each groove may have a length 590, a first depth 591, a second depth 592 and/or a third depth 593. A groove may be defined by any number of horizontal regions, where any one or more regions have similar properties or dissimilar properties. A groove that may be symmetric or asymmetric about the y axis, for example, may have a bottom surface with a complex combination of linear and nonlinear shapes defining similar or various depths from the toe end 180 to the heel end 190. Such a groove may be described with a large number of horizontal regions, where each region defines one or more of the noted complex shapes. Accordingly, the number, arrangement, sizes and the other properties of the horizontal ranges described above are in no way limiting to the groove cross-sectional profiles according to the disclosure. In the above examples, the grooves on each corresponding ball striking face have similar shapes. However, the grooves on ball striking face may have dissimilar shapes. For example, a ball striking face may include a combination of grooves 220 and 320. In another example, the ball striking face may include a combination of grooves 420 and 520. Thus, any combination of groove cross-sectional profiles may be used on a ball striking face to impart a particular ball striking property to the putter. The horizontal cross-sectional profiles of the grooves may progressively and proportionally vary from the top rail 182 to the center of the ball striking face and may progressively vary from the center of the ball striking face to the sole 192. The noted progressive variation may define a ball strike zone that is larger at the center of the ball striking face than near the top rail 182 and the sole 192. Furthermore, the progressive noted variation of the grooves' horizontal cross-sectional profiles provides grooves at the center of the ball striking face and around the center of the ball striking face that have longer deep groove sections than grooves near the top rail 182 and the sole 192. However, the above-described progressive variation of the grooves is exemplary and other progressive variation schemes may be used to impart particular ball striking properties to various portions of the ball striking face. Referring to FIG. 23, a ball striking face 612 according to another example is shown having grooves 620. FIGS. 24-26 show a vertical cross-sectional shape of the grooves 620 as viewed from section line 24-24 of FIG. 23. In FIG. 24, the vertical cross-sectional shape of the groove 620 is box-shaped, rectangular or square. In FIG. 25, the vertical cross-sectional shape of the groove 620 is V-shaped. In FIG. 26, the vertical cross-sectional shape of the groove 620 is U-shaped. The vertical cross-sectional groove shapes of FIGS. 24-26 are applicable to any groove according to the disclosure. For example, the vertical cross-sectional shape of the grooves 220 may be rectangular or square according to the grooves 620 of FIG. 24. In another example, the vertical cross-sectional shape of the grooves 620 may be V-shaped according to the groove 620 of FIG. 25. Furthermore, the vertical cross-sectional shape of a groove may vary from the toe end 180 to the heel end 190. For example, with reference to FIGS. 4 and 5, a groove 220 may be have a square or rectangular vertical cross-sectional shape in regions 271 and 275, U-shaped vertical cross-sectional shape in regions 271 and 274, and V-shaped vertical cross-sectional shape in region 273. Additionally, the vertical cross-sectional shapes of the grooves may also vary from the top rail 182 to the sole 190. For example, grooves near the top rail 182 and the sole 192 may have a square vertical cross-sectional shape, while the grooves at the center of the club face may have a U-shaped vertical cross-sectional shape. The ball striking face of the putter in the above examples is shown to have grooves from the top rail 182 to the sole 192. However, a ball striking face may have more or less grooves, or have sections that are without grooves. For example, a ball striking face may have several grooves at the center section of the ball strike face and be without grooves at sections near the top rail 182 or the sole 192. The grooves are not limited to extending horizontally across the ball striking face. The ball striking face may have vertical grooves that vary in depth as described above or a combination of vertical and horizontal grooves with varying horizontal and/or vertical cross-sectional profiles. The orientation of the grooves may be such that a matrix-like ball striking face is provided on the putter. Referring to FIG. 27, a ball striking face 712 having grooves 720 may be horizontally separated into three portions, which are the toe portion 780, a center portion 785 and a heel portion 790. The ball striking face 712 may be similar to the ball striking face 212 and 312 described above. Accordingly the grooves 720 have regions 271-275 and 371-375 similar to grooves 220 and 320, respectively, described above. The three portions described above horizontally separate the ball striking face 712 and span vertically from the top rail 182 to the sole 192. The toe portion 780 is near the toe end 180, the heel portion 790 is near the heel end 190, and the center portion 785 is between the toe portion 780 and the heel portion 790. According to various examples, the depth of the grooves 720 at the toe portion 780 and the heel portion 790 may not be greater than the depth of the grooves 720 at the center portion 785. In one example, the shallowest depth of the grooves 720, which may be nearest to the toe end 180 or nearest to the heel end 190, may be approximately 0.003 inch. At or near the center portion 785, the depth of the grooves 720 may increase as described above to a depth of approximately 0.017 inch. The variable depth may include a portion with a depth of at least 0.020 inches but less than 0.022 inches. The variable width may include a portion with a width of at least 0.035 inches but less than 0.037 inches. Referring to FIG. 28, the ball striking face 712 may be vertically separated into three portions, which are the top rail portion 782, the mid portion 786 and the sole portion 792. These portions vertically separate the ball striking face 712 and span horizontally from the toe end 180 to the heel end 190. The top rail portion 782 is near the top rail 182, the sole portion 792 is near the sole 192, and the mid portion 786 is between the top rail portion 782 and the sole portion 792. The length of the deepest portion of a groove 720 may vary from the top rail portion 782 to the mid portion 786 and from the mid portion 786 to the sole portion 792. For example, with respect to the examples described above, the length of the deepest portion of a groove may refer to the groove 720 that is proximately centrally located between the top rail portion 782 and the sole portion 792. As shown in FIGS. 27 and 28, the length of the grooves 710 may be greatest at the mid portion 786 and gradually reduce toward the top rail portion 782 and toward the sole portion 792. FIGS. 29-37 show examples of different groove horizontal cross-sectional profiles according to the disclosure. In the above examples, the width of the grooves 220, 320, 420 and 520 is shown to have a rectangular profile. However, a groove according to the disclosure may have different width profiles as shown by the examples of FIGS. 38-45. Accordingly, a groove according to the disclosure may have any horizontal cross-sectional profile, vertical cross-sectional profile, width profile and/or depth profile. A cross-sectional profile of a groove including variations in lengths, depth, width and/or cross-sectional shape of the groove may affect ball speed, control, and/or spin. The disclosed variable depth grooves may improve the consistency of the ball speed after being struck by the putter face by about 50% over a plastic putter face insert, and by about 40% over a non-grooved aluminum putter face insert. Striking a ball with a putter having grooves according to the disclosure: (1) may result in lower ball speeds, which may result in decreased ball roll out distance; (2) may result in heel and toe shots to have decreased ball speeds compared to center hits, and also may result in shorter ball roll out distance; (3) allow relatively lower and higher handicap players to strike the ball with different locations on the putter face (higher handicap players tend to hit lower on the ball striking face whereas lower handicap player tend to hit higher on the ball striking face. Also, relatively higher handicap players may have a wider range of hit locations whereas relatively lower handicap players may have a closer range of hit locations; and/or (4) a putter face with grooves in the center of the face may result in reduced ball speed/roll out distance for center shots, which may result in a more consistent ball speed/roll out distances for center/heel/toe shots. Referring to FIG. 46, another example of a putter face 810 having grooves of variable cross-sectional profiles is shown. The putter face 810 is shown to have fourteen grooves, which are grouped into grooves 822-828 near the toe end 180, grooves 830-840 at the center of the putter face 810, and grooves 842-848 near the heel end 190. In this example, the more prominent grooves are located at the center of the putter face 810, and less prominent grooves are on the periphery of the center. A more prominent groove may refer to a groove that has a greater depth and/or width as compared to a less prominent groove. As shown in FIG. 46, the grooves 832-838 may be more prominent that the remaining grooves on the putter face 810. Furthermore, portions of the putter face 810 may be without grooves. These portions are referred to with reference number 850. Referring to FIG. 47, another example of a putter face 910 having grooves of variable cross-sectional profile is shown. The putter face 910 is shown to have ten grooves 922-940. The length of each groove progressively increases from the top rail 182 to the sole 190. Each of the grooves 922-940 or groups of the grooves 922-940 may have different vertical cross-sectional shapes. For example, grooves 922-930 are shown to have box-shaped vertical cross sections, while grooves 932-940 are shown to have V-shaped vertical cross sections. Referring to FIG. 48, a horizontal cross section of a groove 922 according to another embodiment is shown. A bottom surface 954 of the groove 922 is shown to gradually recede from the edges 950 and 952 of the groove to a greatest depth 951 of the groove 922. Any of the grooves according to the disclosure may have the same horizontal cross-sectional shape as the groove 922. Any of the grooves according to the disclosure may have the same depth 951. However, the depth 951 may be proportionally reduced as the length of the groove is reduced. In another example shown in FIG. 49, a ball striking face 1012 may include grooves 1220 (shown specifically as grooves 1222-1256). The ball striking face 1012 may be for use with the putter 100. Accordingly, parts of the putter 100 and the putter head 102 are referred to with the same reference numbers presented above. The grooves may have any cross sectional shape, length and width according to the disclosure. Referring to FIG. 49, a side cross-sectional view of a ball striking face 1012 having grooves 1220 according to another example is shown. The ball striking face 1012 may be separated into two portions with respect to the grooves 1220. The ball striking face 1012 may include a top rail portion 1282 and the sole portion 1286. The top rail portion 1282 and the sole portion 1286 may vertically separate the ball striking face 1012 and span horizontally from the toe end 180 to the heel end 190. The top rail portion 1282 may extend generally from a center portion of the ball striking face 1012, which is represented by the center line 1284, to near the top rail 182 and include the grooves 1222. The sole portion 1286 may extend generally from near the sole 192 to the center portion 1284 and include the grooves 1224. The grooves 1224 of the sole portion 1286 may have a greater depth at one or more locations along each groove 1224 than the grooves 1222 of the top rail portion 1282. By having shallower grooves 1222 at the top rail portion 1282, the speed by which a golf ball rolls forward after being struck by the putter may increase so as to provide a more consistent and smooth ball roll out. Alternatively, the depth of the grooves 1220 may progressively reduce in one or more groove steps from the center portion 1284 to the top rail 182 (not shown). In another example, the depth of pairs of grooves may progressively reduce from the center portion 1284 to the top rail 182 (not shown). Accordingly, the reduction in groove depth from the sole 192 to the top rail 182 may be for each groove, for pairs of grooves or for various groupings of the grooves. Referring to FIG. 50, the grooves 1224 of the sole portion 1286 may have a smaller depth at one or more locations along each groove 1224 than the grooves 1222 of the top rail portion 1282. Alternatively, the depth of the grooves 1220 may progressively increase in one or more groove steps from the center portion 1284 and/or the sole 192 to the top rail 182 (not shown). In another example, the depth of pairs of grooves may progressively increase from the center portion 1284 and/or the sole 192 to the top rail 182 (not shown). Accordingly, the increase in groove depth from the center portion 1284 and/or the sole 192 to the top rail 182 may be for each groove, for pairs of grooves or for various groupings of the grooves. FIGS. 51 and 52 show other examples according to the disclosure. Referring to FIG. 51, a putter head 1300 includes a ball striking face 1312, which has a plurality of horizontal grooves 1320 and vertical grooves 1322. Each of the grooves 1320 and 1322 may have a different configuration as compared to another groove, such as variable cross-sectional profiles, depth profiles, width profiles, length profiles and/or other groove characteristics from the toe end 1380 to near the heel end 1390 and/or from a top rail 1382 to a sole 1392. For example, the depth of the horizontal grooves 1320 may progressively increase in one or more groove steps from the top rail 1382 to the sole 1386. The apparatus, methods, and articles of manufacture described herein are not limited in this regard. Referring to FIG. 52, a putter head 1400 includes a ball striking face 1412, which has a plurality of first diagonal grooves 1420 and second diagonal grooves 1422. The first diagonal grooves 1420 may be generally parallel to each other. Similarly, the second diagonal grooves 1422 may be generally parallel to each other. The first diagonal grooves 1420 and the second diagonal grooves 1422 may be transverse to each other as shown in FIG. 52. For example, the first diagonal grooves 1420 may intersect the second diagonal grooves 1422 at an angle of 30°, 45°, 60° or 90°. Each of the grooves 1420 and 1422 may have a different configuration as compared to another groove, such as variable cross-sectional profiles, depth profiles, width profiles, length profiles and/or other groove characteristics from the toe end 1480 to near the heel end 1490 and/or from a top rail 1482 to a sole 1492. For example, the depth of the first diagonal grooves 1420 may progressively increase in one or more groove steps from the top rail 1482 to the sole 1486. The apparatus, methods, and articles of manufacture described herein are not limited in this regard. Referring to FIG. 52, a process 2000 of manufacturing a golf club head according to one example is shown. The process 2000 includes forming a golf club face (block 2002) defined by a toe end, a heel end, a top rail and a sole. A golf club face may be formed with a golf club head so that the golf club head and the golf club face are a one-piece continuous part. Alternatively, the golf club head and the golf club face may be formed separately. The golf club face may then be attached to the golf club face by using adhesive, tape, welding, soldering, fasteners and/or other suitable methods and devices. The golf club head and/or the golf club face may be manufactured from any material. For example, the golf club head and/or the golf club face may be made from titanium, titanium alloy, other titanium-based materials, steel, aluminum, aluminum alloy, other metals, metal alloys, plastic, wood, composite materials, or other suitable types of materials. The golf club head and/or the golf club face may be formed using various processes such as stamping (i.e., punching using a machine press or a stamping press, blanking, embossing, bending, flanging, or coining, casting), injection molding, forging, machining or a combination thereof, other processes used for manufacturing metal, plastic and/or composite parts, and/or other suitable processes. In one example, when manufacturing a putter head, the material of the putter face and/or the ball striking face may be determined so as to impart a certain ball strike and rolling characteristics to the putter face. In another example, when the ball striking face 212 is separate from the putter face 110 and is inserted and attached into a correspondingly shaped depression on the putter face 110, the striking face 212 may be constructed from a lighter material than the putter face 110 to generally reduce the overall weight of the putter. According to the process 2000, grooves are formed on the club face and/or club head between the top rail and the sole such that each groove extends between the toe end and the heel end and depths of the grooves vary in a direction extending between the top rail and the sole and in a direction extending between the heel end and the toe end (block 2004). The grooves may be formed using various processes such as casting, forging, machining, spin milled, and/or other suitable processes. The vertical cross-sectional shape of a groove may depend on the method by which a groove is manufactured. For example, the type of cutting bit when machining a groove may determine the vertical cross-sectional shape of the groove. The vertical cross sectional shape of a groove may be symmetric, such as the examples described above, or may be asymmetric (not shown). In one example, the width of a groove can be 0.032 inch, which may be the width of the cutting bit. Accordingly, when machining a groove, the shape and dimensions of the cutting bit may determine the shape and dimension of the groove. The grooves may be manufactured by spin milling the ball strike face, or stamping or forging the grooves into the ball striking face. The grooves may also be manufactured direction on the putter head to create a ball striking face as described above directly on the putter head. A groove may be manufactured by press forming the groove on the putter head. For example, a press can deform and/or displace material on the putter head to create the groove. A groove may be manufacturing by a milling process where the rotating axis of the milling tool is normal to putter face. The rotating axis of the milling tool may be oriented at an angle other than normal to the putter face. A groove may be manufactured by overlaying one material that is cut clean through to form a through groove onto a base or solid material. A groove may be manufactured by laser and/or thermal etching or eroding of the putter face material. A groove may be manufactured by chemically eroding the putter face material using photo masks. A groove may be manufactured by electro/chemically eroding the putter face material using a chemical mask such as wax or a petrochemical substance. A groove may be manufactured by abrading the face material using air or water as the carry medium of the abrasion material such as sand. Any one or a combination of the methods discussed above can be used to manufacture one or more of the grooves on the putter head. Furthermore, other methods used to create depressions in any material may be used to manufacture the grooves. Referring to FIG. 54, a ball striking face 2212 according to another example is shown. The ball striking face 2212 may be vertically separated into and defined by three portions, which are the top rail portion 2282, the mid portion 2286 and the sole portion 2292. The top rail portion 2282, the mid portion 2286 and the sole portion 2292 vertically separate the ball striking face 2212 and span horizontally from the toe end 180 to the heel end 190. The top rail portion 2282 is near the top rail 182, the sole portion 2292 is near the sole 192, and the mid portion 2286 is between the top rail portion 2282 and the sole portion 2292. In FIG. 54, the ball striking face 2212 may have twelve grooves 2222-2244, which may be collectively referred to as the grooves 2220. For example, grooves 2222, 2224, 2226 and 2228 may be considered to be in the top rail portion 2282; grooves 2230, 2232, 2234 and 2236 may be considered to be in the mid portion 2286; and grooves 2238, 2240, 2242 and 2244 may be considered to be in the sole portion 2292. However, one or more of the grooves 2220 may be considered to be in two adjacent portions of the three vertically separated portions, i.e., part of a groove 2220 overlaps and adjacent portion. The length of the grooves 2220 may be greatest at the mid portion 2286 and gradually reduce toward the top rail portion 2282 and toward the sole portion 2292. Alternatively, the length of the grooves 2220 may vary according to the peripheral profile of the ball striking face 2212. The top rail portion 2282, the mid portion 2286 and the sole portion 2292 are exemplary and may define portions on the ball striking face 2212 where the grooves 2220 that may be located in such portions have one or more similar configurations or characteristics. Accordingly, the ball striking face 2212 may be defined by various vertical and/or horizontal portions associated with one or more groove configurations or characteristics. The apparatus, methods, and articles of manufacture described herein are not limited in this regard. FIG. 55 shows a horizontal cross section of the ball striking face 2212 taken at the groove 2234. Each groove 2220 may include a center portion 2254 having a bottom surface 2255, which may define a greatest depth 2257 of the groove 2220. The center portion 2254 has a length 2259, which may vary depending on the location of the groove 2220 on the ball striking face 2212. In the example of FIG. 54, the center portions 2254 of the grooves 2220 of the mid portion 2286 have generally the same length. The apparatus, methods, and articles of manufacture described herein are not limited in this regard. A center of the ball striking face 2212 may be defined by a y-axis 2261. The y-axis 2261 may also define a center axis of the center portion 2254 as shown in FIGS. 54 and 55. However, the center portion 2254 may be offset (not shown) relative to the y-axis 2261. According to the example of FIG. 55, each of the bottom surfaces 2255 of the grooves 2230, 2232, 2234 and 2236 extends substantially equally from the y-axis 2261 toward the toe end 180 and toward the heel end 190. As shown in FIG. 55, a distance between the y-axis 2261 and the toe edge portion 2264 of the center portion 2254 may be defined as a length 2262. The toe edge portion 2264 may be defined as a portion of a groove between the y-axis 2261 and the toe end 190 where the depth of the groove increases from the depth 2257 and transitions to the opening or the top of the groove. A distance between the y-axis 2261 and the heel edge portion 2268 of the center portion 2254 may be defined as a length 2266. The heel edge portion 2268 may be defined as a portion of a groove between the y-axis 2261 and the heel end 180 where the depth of the groove increases from the depth 2257 and transitions to the opening or the top of the groove. According to the example of FIGS. 54 and 55, the length 2262 is substantially the same as the length 2266. A putter having a ball striking face 2212 as shown in FIG. 54 may be suitable for an individual who has a straight putting stroke. Referring to FIG. 56, a ball striking face 3212 according to another example is shown. The ball striking face 3212 may be vertically separated into and defined by three portions, which are the top rail portion 3282, the mid portion 3286 and the sole portion 3292. The top rail portion 3282, the mid portion 3286 and the sole portion 3292 vertically separate the ball striking face 3212 and span horizontally from the toe end 180 to the heel end 190. The top rail portion 3282 is near the top rail 182, the sole portion 3292 is near the sole 192, and the mid portion 3286 is between the top rail portion 3282 and the sole portion 3292. In FIG. 56, the ball striking face 3212 may have twelve grooves 3222-3244, which may be collectively referred to as the grooves 3220. For example, grooves 3222, 3224, 3226 and 3228 may be considered to be in the top rail portion 3282; grooves 3230, 3232, 3234 and 3236 may be considered to be in the mid portion 3286; and grooves 3238, 3240, 3242 and 3244 may be considered to be in the sole portion 3292. However, one or more of the grooves 3220 may be considered to be in two adjacent portions of the three vertically separated portions, i.e., part of a groove 3220 overlaps and adjacent portion. The length of the grooves 3220 may be greatest at the mid portion 3286 and gradually reduce toward the top rail portion 3282 and toward the sole portion 3292. Alternatively, the length of the grooves 3220 may vary according to the peripheral profile of the ball striking face 3212. The top rail portion 3282, the mid portion 3286 and the sole portion 3292 are exemplary and may define portions on the ball striking face 3212 where the grooves 3220 that may be located in such portions have one or more similar configurations or characteristics. Accordingly, the ball striking face 3212 may be defined by various vertical and/or horizontal portions associated with one or more groove configurations or characteristics. The apparatus, methods, and articles of manufacture described herein are not limited in this regard. FIG. 57 shows a horizontal cross section of the ball striking face 3212 taken at the groove 3234. Each groove 3220 may include a center portion 3254 having a bottom surface 3255, which may define a greatest depth 3257 of the groove 3220. The center portion 3254 has a length 3259, which may vary depending on the location of the groove 3220 on the ball striking face 3212. In the example of FIG. 56, the center portions 3254 of the grooves 3220 of the mid portion 3286 have generally the same length. The apparatus, methods, and articles of manufacture described herein are not limited in this regard. A center of the ball striking face 3212 may be defined by a y-axis 3261. The y-axis 3261 may also define a center axis of the center portion 3254 as shown in FIGS. 56 and 57. However, the center portion 3254 may be offset (not shown) relative to the y-axis 3261.According to the example of FIG. 57, each of the bottom surfaces 3255 of the grooves 3230, 3232, 3234 and 3236 extends toward the toe end 180 from the y-axis 3261 at a greater length than the bottom surface 2255 of the groove 2234 of FIG. 54. As shown in FIG. 57, a distance between the y-axis 3261 and the toe edge portion 3264 of the center portion 3254 may be defined as a length 3262. The toe edge portion 3264 may be defined as a portion of a groove between the y-axis 3261 and the toe end 190 where the depth of the groove increases from the depth 3257 and transitions to the opening or the top of the groove. A distance between the y-axis 3261 and the heel edge portion 3268 of the center portion 3254 may be defined as a length 3266. The heel edge portion 3268 may be defined as a portion of a groove between the y-axis 3261 and the heel end 180 where the depth of the groove increases from the depth 3257 and transitions to the opening or the top of the groove. According to the example of FIG. 57, the length 3262 is greater than the length 2266 of FIG. 55. The length 3262 may also be greater than the length 3266. Alternatively, the length 3262 may be substantially similar to the length 3266, but greater than the length 2266 of FIG. 55. Thus, the deepest portions of some or all of the grooves 3220 of the ball striking face 3212 of FIG. 56 extend more toward the toe end 190 than the deepest portions of the grooves 2220 of the ball striking face 2212 of FIG. 54. A putter having a ball striking face 3212 as shown in FIG. 56 may be suitable for an individual who has a slight arc putting stroke. Referring to FIG. 58, a ball striking face 4212 according to another example is shown. The ball striking face 4212 may be vertically separated into and defined by three portions, which are the top rail portion 4282, the mid portion 4286 and the sole portion 4292. The top rail portion 4282, the mid portion 4286 and the sole portion 4292 vertically separate the ball striking face 4212 and span horizontally from the toe end 180 to the heel end 190. The top rail portion 4282 is near the top rail 182, the sole portion 4292 is near the sole 192, and the mid portion 4286 is between the top rail portion 4282 and the sole portion 4292. In FIG. 58, the ball striking face 4212 may have twelve grooves 4222-4244, which may be collectively referred to as the grooves 4220. For example, grooves 4222, 4224, 4226 and 4228 may be considered to be in the top rail portion 4282; grooves 4230, 4232, 4234 and 4236 may be considered to be in the mid portion 4286; and grooves 4238, 4240, 4242 and 4244 may be considered to be in the sole portion 4292. However, one or more of the grooves 4220 may be considered to be in two adjacent portions of the three vertically separated portions, i.e., part of a groove 4220 overlaps and adjacent portion The length of the grooves 4220 may be greatest at the mid portion 4286 and gradually reduce toward the top rail portion 4282 and toward the sole portion 4292. Alternatively, the length of the grooves 4220 may vary according to the peripheral profile of the ball striking face 4212. The top rail portion 4282, the mid portion 4286 and the sole portion 4292 are exemplary and may define portions on the ball striking face 4212 where the grooves 4220 that may be located in such portions have one or more similar configurations or characteristics. Accordingly, the ball striking face 4212 may be defined by various vertical and/or horizontal portions associated with one or more groove configurations or characteristics. The apparatus, methods, and articles of manufacture described herein are not limited in this regard. FIG. 59 shows a horizontal cross section of the ball striking face 4212 taken at the groove 4232. Each groove 4220 may include a center portion 4254 having a bottom surface 4255, which may define a greatest depth 4257 of the groove 4220. The center portion 4254 has a length 4259, which may vary depending on the location of the groove 4220 on the ball striking face 4212. In the example of FIG. 58, the center portions 4254 of the grooves 4220 of the mid portion 4286 have generally the same length. The apparatus, methods, and articles of manufacture described herein are not limited in this regard. A center of the ball striking face 4212 may be defined by a y-axis 4261. The y-axis 4261 may also define a center axis of the center portion 4254 as shown in FIGS. 58 and 59. However, the center portion 4254 may be offset (not shown) relative to the y-axis 4261. According to the example of FIG. 59, each of the bottom surfaces 4255 of the grooves 4230, 4232, 4234 and 4236 extends toward the toe end 180 from the y-axis 4261 at a greater length than the bottom surface 3255 of the groove 3234 of FIG. 56. As shown in FIG. 59, a distance between the y-axis 4261 and the toe edge portion 4264 of the center portion 4254 may be defined as a length 4262. The toe edge portion 4264 may be defined as a portion of a groove between the y-axis 4261 and the toe end 190 where the depth of the groove increases from the depth 4257 and transitions to the opening of the groove. A distance between the y-axis 4261 and the heel edge portion 4268 of the center portion 4254 may be defined as a length 4266. The heel edge portion 4268 may be defined as a portion of a groove between the y-axis 4261 and the heel end 180 where the depth of the groove increases from the depth 4257 and transitions to the opening of the groove. According to the example of FIG. 59, the length 4262 is greater than the length 3266 of FIG. 57, hence greater than the length 2266 of FIG. 55. The length 4262 may be greater than the length 4266. Alternatively, the length 4262 may be substantially similar to the length 4266, but greater than the length 3266 of FIG. 57. Thus, the deepest portions of some or all of the grooves 4220 of the ball striking face 4212 of FIG. 58 extend more toward the toe end 190 than the deepest portions of the grooves 3220 of the ball striking face 3212 of FIG. 56. A putter having a ball striking face 4212 as shown in FIG. 58 may be suitable for an individual who has a strong arc putting stroke. According to the examples of FIGS. 54-59, grooves on a putter may be configured to optimize performance of an individual based on the individual's putting stroke. Depending on the degree of arc in an individual's putting stroke, any of the grooves described herein may be provided on a putter such that portions of some of all of the grooves that generally define the depth of the grooves extend from the center portion of the striking face of the putter to the toe end at a certain length to optimize the performance of an individual when using the putter. Thus, the length of the deepest part of a groove may be proportional to a degree of arc in an individual's putting stroke. For example, for an individual having a putting stroke that is between a strong arc putting stroke and a slight arc putting stroke, the portions of the grooves that generally define the depth of the grooves may extend from the y-axis toward the toe end 190 at a greater length than the grooves 3230, 3232, 3234 and 3236 of the ball striking first 3212, but less than the grooves 4230, 4232, 4034 and 4036 of the ball striking face 4212. In the examples of FIGS. 54-59, the portions of the grooves in the mid portion of the striking face that define the depth of the groove differ based on the putting stroke type of an individual. However, all of the grooves on the striking face including the grooves in the top rail portion and the sole portion may be configured according to the above examples based on the putting stroke type of an individual. Furthermore, the grooves according to the examples of FIGS. 54-59 may have any shape or configuration. For example, a ball striking face according to the examples of FIGS. 54-59 may have groove cross sectional shapes according to the groove examples of FIGS. 5-7, 10-12, 15-17 and/or 31-35. The apparatus, methods, and articles of manufacture described herein are not limited in this regard. A golf club head, a ball striking face and/or grooves according to the examples of FIGS. 54-59 may be manufactured by any of the methods and/or with any of the materials described herein. Each groove may have a width of about 0.032 inches (0.081 cm) and have a depth of between about 0.003 inches (0.008 cm) to about 0.017 inches (0.043 cm). As described in detail herein, any of the ball striking faces 2212, 3212 or 4212 may be in the form of an insert that is to a golf club head or a correspondingly shaped recess in a golf club head. The insert may be flush with the remaining portions of the face of the golf club head, which may define a reference plane. Accordingly, the grooves of the ball striking face deviate into the golf club head or are below the reference plane. Alternatively, all or portions of the insert may protrude from the reference plane such that all or portions of the grooves are positioned above the reference plane. By having interchangeable ball striking faces for one or more golf clubs such putters, a ball striking face of a golf club head can be exchanged with another ball striking face so as to improve an individual's performance based on his or her putting style. For example, an individual whose putting style has changed over a certain period of time can exchange the ball striking face of his or her putter with another ball striking face according to the disclosure so that the putter is better adapted to the individual's current putting style. Instead of having interchangeable ball striking faces, any of the grooves described herein including the exemplary grooves of FIGS. 54-59 may be manufactured on the golf club head. The apparatus, methods, and articles of manufacture described herein are not limited in this regard. In another example shown in FIG. 60, a ball striking face 5212 may include grooves 5220 (shown specifically as grooves 5222-5244). The ball striking face 5212 may be an integral part of the putter face 110 or a separate part that is attached to the putter face 110. Accordingly, when describing the ball striking face 5212, parts of the putter 100 and the putter head 102 are referred to with the same reference numbers described above. Similar to the other examples described herein, the depth, length and/or width of each groove 5220 may increase, decrease and/or vary from the toe end 180 to the heel end 190 and/or from a top rail 182 to a sole 192 of the putter head 102. The apparatus, methods, and articles of manufacture described herein are not limited in this regard. FIG. 61 shows a schematic top view of the groove 5232 and FIG. 62 shows a horizontal cross section of the groove 5232 to illustrate the configuration of the grooves 5220 as described below. Each of the grooves 5220 includes a first horizontal wall 5256 and a second horizontal wall 5258 that define the vertical boundaries of the grooves. Each groove 5220 may also include a first end wall 5250 and a second end wall 5252. Each of the grooves 5220 has a bottom surface 5254 which defines a depth 5255 of the groove 5220. The depth 5255 of each groove 5220 may vary from the first wall 5250 to the second wall 5252. The grooves 5220 may not have any end walls as the depth of each groove 5220 may gradually diminish until the bottom surface 5254 meets the ball striking face 5212. The distance between the first horizontal wall 5256 and the second horizontal wall 5258 at any location along the groove defines a width 5280 of the groove 5220 at that location. The distance between the first end wall 5250 and the second end wall 5252 defines a length 5293 of the grooves 5220. The variation in the depth 5255 of each groove 5220 relative to the variation in the width 5280 of each groove 5220 may depend on the cutting tool that is used to manufacture the groove 5220. According to one example, the variation in the width of the groove may be similar to the variation in the depth of the groove along the length of the groove. For example, for every one millimeter increase in the depth of the groove, the width of the groove also increases by one millimeter. According to another example, the depth of the groove may vary at a multiple of the variation of the width of the groove along the length of the groove. For example, for every one millimeter increase in the depth of the groove, the width of the groove increases by 0.5 millimeter. Thus, the variation in the depth of each groove may linearly relate to the variation in the width of each groove along the length of each groove. FIG. 63 shows a typical cutting bit 5300 having a cutting blade 5301 for cutting a groove in a material. A machine spins the cutting bit 5300 so that the cutting blade 5301 can cut a hole in a material, and the machine moves the material being cut or moves the cutting bit 5300 to create a groove along the path of movement. The cutting bit 5300 has an angle 5302, which defines the angle 5304 of the groove cut by the cutting blade 5301 as shown in FIGS. 64 and 65. The example cutting bit of FIG. 63 has an angle 5302 of about 90°, which can cut a groove as shown in FIG. 65 with an angle 5304 of about 90°. FIG. 64 shows a groove having a groove angle 5304 of about 60°. A cutting bit (not shown) for cutting the groove of FIG. 64 has a cutting bit with an angle of about 60°. Denoting the depth of each groove by y, the width of each groove by x, and the angle of the cutting blade by a, a relationship between the depth of each groove and the width of each groove along the length of each groove may be expressed by: x = 2 y tan ( α 2 ) ( 1 ) The variation of the width of each groove relative to the depth of each groove along the length of the groove may be expressed by: dx dy = 2 tan ( α 2 ) ( 2 ) According to equation (2), when the cutting blade 5301 has an angle of 90°, the width of the groove varies relative to depth of the groove by a factor of 2 along the length of the groove. For example, for every 1 millimeter increase in the depth of the groove, the width of the groove increases by 2 millimeters. When the cutting blade has an angle of 60°, the width of the groove varies relative to the depth of the groove by a factor of about 1.15. For example, for every 1 millimeter increase in the depth of the groove, the width of the groove increases by 1.15 millimeters. When the cutting blade has an angle of 30°, the width of the groove varies relative to the depth of the groove by a factor of about 0.54. For example for every 1 millimeter increase in the depth of the groove, the width of the groove increases by about 0.54 millimeters. Thus, cutting each groove with a cutting tool provides a groove having a width and depth that vary linearly relative to each other along the length of the groove. According to equation (2), the width profile of a groove as shown in FIG. 61 may be similar in shape to the depth profile of the groove according to FIG. 62. In other words, as the groove becomes deeper from one end wall 5250 or 5252 to the center portion of the groove, the width of the groove also increases by a factor that is associated with the angle of the groove or the cutting tool. Thus, the width of the groove varies linearly relative to a variation in the depth of the groove along the length of the groove, and the width and depth profiles of the groove may be similar. According to equation (2), the variation in the depth of the groove relative to the variation in the width of the groove is linear. However, the variation in the depth of the groove relative to the variation in the width of the groove may be constant or nonlinear. One or more cutting tools for manufacturing a groove may be used such that the depth of the groove varies relative to a variation in the width of the groove according to a non-linear relationship. For example, the variation in the depth of a groove relative to variation in the width of the groove may be defined by the following equation: dx dy = 1 y ( 3 ) According to equation (3), the width of the groove is twice the square root of the depth of the groove, which can be represented by the following equation: x=2√{square root over (y)} (4) Thus, the relationship between the variation in depth and the variation in width of the groove may be nonlinear. According to another embodiment, the depth and/or the cross-sectional shape of a groove may vary, but the width of the groove may remain constant. For example, the groove may have a square cross-sectional shape with the depth of the groove varying from one end of the groove to the other end of the groove while the width of the groove remains constant. According to another example, the width of the groove may remain constant from one end of the groove to the other end of the groove, but the cross-sectional shape and/or depth of the groove may vary from one end of the groove to the other end of the groove. According to another embodiment, the depth of the groove from one end of the groove to the other end of the groove may remain constant, while the width of the groove varies and/or remains constant from one end of the groove to the other end of the groove. According to another example shown in FIGS. 66 and 67, the depth 5355 of a groove 5320 may be constant along a portion of the groove, such as a center portion 5356 of the groove. Accordingly, the width 5380 of the groove is also constant as described in detail above along the center portion of the groove 5356. To manufacture the groove 5320 of FIGS. 66 and 67, a cutting tool such as the cutting tool 5300 is used at a constant depth 5355 at the center portion 5356 of the groove, hence resulting in a constant width 5380 at the center portion 5356 of the groove 5320. The groove areas with deeper and wider grooves near the center of mass of a putter may provide a higher expected ball speed, while shallower and narrower groove areas near the toe portion and the heel portion may provide a lower expected ball speed. Furthermore, the greater groove width and depth at a center portion of a putter may reduce the mass at a point of contact with the golf ball, thereby normalizing the ball speed across the putter face by equating point mass at each possible point of contact, such that even on off-center hits: toe, heel, high, or low, the ball speed would be generally the same as if impacted on the center of the putter face. The cutting tool of FIG. 63 is an example cutting tool. Other cutting tools may be used that may have different shapes, and therefore resulting in different shape grooves. The cutting tool of FIG. 63 is V-shaped, which results in a V-shaped groove. However, a U-shaped cutting tool (not shown) may result in a U-shaped groove. According to one embodiment, a cutting tool may be used that has a flat tip or point for manufacturing a flat-bottom groove. For example, the cutting tool may be a V-shaped cutting tool that has a flat tip instead of a pointed tip. Accordingly, a V-shaped groove can be manufactured having a flat bottom. Thus, the bottom of a groove may be substantially a point (i.e., having almost no width) to being as wide as the width of the groove (i.e., rectangular or square cross-sectional groove shape). According to one example, the bottom of the groove may be flat and have a width of about 0.003 inches (0.0076 centimeters). A groove having a flat bottom may improve putting performance. A groove may be manufactured by using one cutting tool as described above or a plurality of cutting tools. For example, a plurality of cutting tools may be used to manufacture a single groove to provide different groove cross-sectional shapes and/or dimensions from one end of the groove to the other end of the groove. As the rules to golf may change from time to time (e.g., new regulations may be adopted or old rules may be eliminated or modified by golf standard organizations and/or governing bodies), golf equipment related to the methods, apparatus, and/or articles of manufacture described herein may be conforming or non-conforming to the rules of golf at any particular time. Accordingly, golf equipment related to the methods, apparatus, and/or articles of manufacture described herein may be advertised, offered for sale, and/or sold as conforming or non-conforming golf equipment. The methods, apparatus, and/or articles of manufacture described herein are not limited in this regard. Although a particular order of actions is described above, these actions may be performed in other temporal sequences. For example, two or more actions described above may be performed sequentially, concurrently, or simultaneously. Alternatively, two or more actions may be performed in reversed order. Further, one or more actions described above may not be performed at all. The apparatus, methods, and articles of manufacture described herein are not limited in this regard. While the invention has been described in connection with various aspects, it will be understood that the invention is capable of further modifications. This application is intended to cover any variations, uses or adaptation of the invention following, in general, the principles of the invention, and including such departures from the present disclosure as come within the known and customary practice within the art to which the invention pertains. | <SOH> BACKGROUND <EOH>Typically, a golf club head may include a club face with a plurality of parallel grooves extending between the toe end and the heel end. In particular, the plurality of grooves in an iron-type club head may clear out water, sand, grass, and/or other debris between a golf ball and the club face. Golf club faces may have grooves with various shapes such as squared or box-shaped grooves, V-shaped grooves, or U-shaped grooves. | <SOH> BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS <EOH>FIG. 1 shows a putter according to one example. FIG. 2 shows a schematic diagram of a ball striking face of a putter according to one example. FIG. 3 shows a schematic diagram of a ball striking face of a putter according to one example. FIG. 4 shows a schematic top view of a groove of the ball striking face of FIG. 3 . FIG. 5 shows a horizontal cross-sectional diagram of the groove of FIG. 4 taken at section 5 - 5 of FIG. 3 . FIG. 6 shows a horizontal cross-sectional diagram of another groove of the ball striking face FIG. 3 . FIG. 7 shows a horizontal cross-sectional diagram of another groove of the ball striking face FIG. 3 . FIG. 8 shows a schematic diagram of a ball striking face of a putter according to one example. FIG. 9 shows a schematic top view of a groove of the ball striking face of FIG. 8 . FIG. 10 shows a horizontal cross-sectional diagram of the groove of FIG. 9 taken at section 10 - 10 of FIG. 8 . FIG. 11 shows a horizontal cross-sectional diagram of another groove of the ball striking face FIG. 8 . FIG. 12 shows a horizontal cross-sectional diagram of another groove of the ball striking face FIG. 8 . FIG. 13 shows a schematic diagram of a ball striking face of a putter according to one example. FIG. 14 shows a schematic top view of a groove of the ball striking face of FIG. 13 . FIG. 15 shows a horizontal cross-sectional diagram of the groove of FIG. 14 taken at section 15 - 15 of FIG. 13 . FIG. 16 shows a horizontal cross-sectional diagram of another groove of the ball striking face FIG. 13 . FIG. 17 shows a horizontal cross-sectional diagram of another groove of the ball striking face FIG. 13 . FIG. 18 shows a schematic diagram of a ball striking face of a putter according to one example. FIG. 19 shows a schematic top view of a groove of the ball striking face of FIG. 18 . FIG. 20 shows a horizontal cross-sectional diagram of the groove of FIG. 19 taken at section 20 - 20 of FIG. 18 . FIG. 21 shows a horizontal cross-sectional diagram of another groove of the ball striking face FIG. 18 . FIG. 22 shows a horizontal cross-sectional diagram of another groove of the ball striking face FIG. 18 . FIG. 23 shows a schematic diagram of a ball striking face of a putter according to one example. FIGS. 24-26 show different examples of vertical cross sections of grooves of the ball striking face of FIG. 23 taken at section 24 - 24 of FIG. 23 . FIG. 27 shows a schematic diagram of a ball striking face of a putter according to one example. FIG. 28 shows a schematic diagram of a ball striking face of a putter according to one example. FIGS. 29-37 show schematic diagrams of exemplary horizontal cross sections of a groove of a ball striking face of a putter. FIGS. 38-45 show schematic top views of exemplary grooves of a ball striking face of a putter. FIG. 46 shows a schematic diagram of a ball striking face of a putter according to one example. FIG. 47 shows a schematic diagram of a ball striking face of a putter according to one example. FIG. 48 is a horizontal cross-sectional view of a groove of a putter according to one example. FIG. 49 shows a vertical schematic cross-sectional diagram of a putter according to one example. FIG. 50 shows a vertical schematic cross-sectional diagram of a putter according to one example. FIG. 51 shows a putter face according to another example. FIG. 52 shows a putter face according to another example. FIG. 53 shows a method of manufacturing a golf club according to one example. FIG. 54 shows a schematic diagram of a ball striking face of a putter according to one example. FIG. 55 shows a cross section of a groove of the ball striking face of FIG. 54 . FIG. 56 shows a schematic diagram of a ball striking face of a putter according to one example. FIG. 57 shows a cross section of a groove of the ball striking face of FIG. 56 . FIG. 58 shows a schematic diagram of a ball striking face of a putter according to one example. FIG. 59 shows a cross section of a groove of the ball striking face of FIG. 58 . FIG. 60 shows a schematic diagram of a ball striking face of a putter according to one embodiment. FIG. 61 shows a schematic top view of a groove of the ball striking face of FIG. 60 . FIG. 62 shows a horizontal cross-sectional diagram of the groove of FIG. 61 taken at section 62 - 62 of FIG. 60 . FIG. 63 shows a tool for cutting a groove. FIG. 64 shows a V-shaped groove according to one example. FIG. 65 shows a V-shaped groove according to one example. FIG. 66 shows a schematic top view of a groove according to one example. FIG. 67 shows a horizontal cross-sectional diagram of the groove of FIG. 66 . detailed-description description="Detailed Description" end="lead"? | A63B5304 | 20171127 | 20180329 | 97032.0 | A63B5304 | 1 | HUNTER, ALVIN A | GROOVES OF GOLF CLUB HEADS AND METHODS TO MANUFACTURE GROOVES OF GOLF CLUB HEADS | UNDISCOUNTED | 1 | CONT-ACCEPTED | A63B | 2,017 |
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15,822,600 | PENDING | DIGITIZED VOICE ALERTS | Methods, systems and processor-readable media for providing instant/real-time voice alerts automatically to remote electronic devices. An activity can be detected utilizing one or more sensors. A text message indicative of the activity can be generated and converted into a digitized voice alert. The activity can also be a live utterance (e.g., a live announcement), which can then be instantly converted into a digitized voice alert for automatic delivery in a selected series of languages following the base language (e.g., English). The combined digitized voice alert can then be instantly transmitted through a network for broadcast of consecutive alerts (e.g., English followed by Spanish followed by Vietnamese, etc.) to one or more remote electronic devices that communicate with the network for an automatic audio announcement of the digitized voice alert through the one or more remote electronic devices. | 1. (canceled) 2. (canceled) 3. (canceled) 4. (canceled) 5. (canceled) 6. (canceled) 7. (canceled) 8. (canceled) 9. (canceled) 10. (canceled) 11. (canceled) 12. (canceled) 13. (canceled) 14. (canceled) 15. (canceled) 16. (canceled) 17. (canceled) 18. (canceled) 19. (canceled) 20. (canceled) 21. A method for automatically providing instant voice alerts to remote electronic devices, said method comprising: registering remote electronic devices to receive notifications via wireless data communications networks from a monitoring system including data files comprising digitized voice alerts; generating and converting a text message indicative of an activity into a data file to be rendered on a remote electronic device as a digitized voice alert, wherein said activity comprises an activity detected at a premises utilizing at least one sensor via a monitoring system also located at the premises and connected to a packetized data network; and transmitting said data file through the packetized data network for receipt by at least one remote electronic device that is registered to communicate remotely with the monitoring system and to receive messages over the packetized data network for rendering of the digitized voice alert from the data file and that communicates with said data network via wireless data communications, wherein the data file is processed at the at least one remote electronic device for an automatic audio announcement of said digitized voice alert through said at least one remote electronic device. 22. The method of claim 21 wherein said at least one sensor communicates wirelessly with at least one of the monitoring system, an intelligent router, and a server that in turn communicates with said data network. 23. The method of claim 21 wherein said at least one sensor comprises a security sensor. 24. The method of claim 21 wherein said at least one sensor comprises a surveillance sensor. 25. The method of claim 21 wherein said at least one sensor comprises a smoke detector. 26. The method of claim 21 wherein said at least one sensor comprises a fire detector. 27. method of claim 21 wherein said at least one sensor comprises a carbon monoxide detector. 28. The method of claim 21 wherein said at least one sensor comprises an energy usage monitoring sensor. 29. The method of claim 21 wherein said at least one sensor comprises a door opening sensor. 30. The method of claim 21 wherein said at least one sensor comprises a window opening sensor. 31. The method of claim 21 wherein said at least one sensor comprises a flood sensor. 32. The method of claim 21 wherein said at least one of sensor includes: a security sensor, a surveillance sensor, a smoke detector, a fire detector, a carbon monoxide detector, an energy usage monitoring sensor, a door or window opening sensor, a flood sensor, and communicates with an intelligent router that communicates with said packetized data network. 33. The method of claim 21 wherein said at least one sensor includes at least one of: a security sensor, a surveillance sensor, a smoke detector, a fire detector, a carbon monoxide detector, an energy usage monitoring sensor, a door or window opening sensor, a flood sensor, and communicates with said at least one remote electronic device through said packetized data network. 34. The method of claim 21 wherein said instructions are further-configured for broadcasting said digitized voice message through said at least one remote electronic device in at least one language based on a language setting in a user profile, 35. The method of claim 21 further comprising allowing a pre-selection of said at least one language in said user profile, 36. The method of claim 21 further comprising detecting an activity at a premises utilizing at least one sensor via a monitoring system also located at the premises and connected to a packetized data network. 37. The method of claim 21 wherein said packetized data network comprises a wireless communications network. | CROSS-REFERENCE TO PATENT APPLICATIONS This patent application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/224,930, entitled “Digitized Voice Alerts,” which was filed on Aug. 1, 2016 and is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/224,930 is in turn a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/633,709, entitled “Voice Alert Methods and Systems,” which was filed on Feb. 27, 2015 and is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/633,709 is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/361,409, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/361,409 is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/324,118, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety and which was filed on Dec. 13, 2011. U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/324,118 claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C. § 119(e) of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 61/489,621, which was filed on May 24, 2011 and is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. This patent application therefore claims the benefit of and priority to U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 61/489,621, filed on May 24, 2011. TECHNICAL FIELD Embodiments are generally related to the provision of instant voice alerts sent automatically to remote electronic devices such as cellular telephones, computers, Smartphones, tablet computing devices, televisions, remote electronic devices in automobiles, etc. Embodiments are also related to wireless communications networks such as cellular telephone networks and wireless LAN type networks. Embodiments are additionally related to emergency services and security monitoring of residences, businesses, and government and military facilities. BACKGROUND In today's highly mobile society, there are increasing numbers of people who work at locations other than their homes or who are away from home long periods of time. There are also a growing number of people who have elderly parents living alone. Additionally, there are also many businesses, enterprises, government agencies, and so forth with offices, buildings, and other facilities that require constant monitoring, particularly during times when no one is available on-site. Finally, many emergency situations are such that immediate and quick notification to the public of such emergencies will save lives and resources. Accordingly, a need exists for an improved and efficient approach for transmitting or broadcasting instant voice alerts to remote electronic devices automatically during times of emergencies or as a part of security monitoring systems. BRIEF SUMMARY The following summary is provided to facilitate an understanding of some of the innovative features unique to the disclosed embodiment and is not intended to be a full description A full appreciation of the various aspects of the embodiments disclosed herein can be gained by taking the entire specification, claims, drawings, and abstract as a whole. It is, therefore, one aspect of the disclosed embodiments to provide for the transmission of instant voice alerts automatically to remote electronic devices such as, for example, cellular telephones, computers, Smartphones, tablet computing devices, televisions, remote electronic devices in automobiles. etc. It is another aspect of the disclosed embodiments to provide for text-to-voice alerts to be transmitted instantly and automatically to remote electronic devices such as, for example, cellular telephones, computers, Smartphones, tablet computing devices, televisions, remote electronic devices in automobiles, etc. It is yet another aspect of the disclosed embodiments to provide methods, systems and processor-readable media for the generation and conversion of alerts from text messages to synthesized speech to be instantly and automatically transmitted as instant voice alerts to remote electronic devices. The aforementioned aspects and other objectives and advantages can now he achieved as described herein. Methods, systems and processor-readable media are disclosed for automatically providing instant voice alerts to remote electronic devices. In some embodiments, an activity can be detected utilizing one or more sensors. A text message indicative of the activity can be generated and converted into a digitized voice alert. The digitized voice alert can then be transmitted through a network for broadcast to one or more remote electronic devices that communicate with the network for an automatic audio announcement of the digitized voice alert through the one or more remote electronic devices. Note that an “activity” as utilized herein may be, for example, any number of different actions or events. In the context of a home security/monitoring system, a security sensor may detect that a door has opened while the occupants of the home are away. The opening of the door would constitute an “activity”. In other situations, a live utterance such as a live speech given by, for example, the President of the United States could constitute as an “activity” as discussed in more detail herein. In some embodiments, the digitized voice message can be instantly and automatically broadcast through the one or more remote electronic devices in one or more languages based on a language setting in a user profile. In some embodiments, the one or more languages can be pre-selected in the user profile (e.g., during a set-up of the user-profile or during changes to the users profile). In some embodiments, the user profile can be established as a user preference via a server during a set up (or at, a later time) of the one or more remote electronic devices. in other embodiments, the user profile can be established as a user preference via an intelligent router during a set up of the one or more remote electronic devices. In other embodiments, during a set up of the one or more remote electronic devices, the one or more languages can be selected from a plurality of different languages. In still other embodiments, the digitized voice message can be converted into the particular language specified by the remote electronic device(s). In yet other embodiments, digitized voice message can be converted into more than one language from among a plurality of languages for broadcast of the digitized voice alert in consecutively different languages through the one or more remote electronic devices. Methods, systems and processor-readable media are also disclosed for automatically providing instant voice alerts to remote electronic devices from incidents detected within a security system (e.g., a security system, a military security monitoring system, an enterprise/business building security monitoring system, etc). A wireless data network can be provided, which includes one or more sensors that communicate with the wireless data network within a location (e.g., a residence, building, business, government facility, military facility, etc). An activity can be detected utilizing one or more sensors associated with the location. A text message indicative of the activity can be generated and converted into a digitized voice alert. The digitized voice alert can be transmitted through a network for broadcast to one or more electronic devices that communicate with the network for an automatic audio announcement of the digitized voice alert through the remote electronic devices (e.g. a speaker associated with or integrated with such devices). Methods, systems and processor-readable media are also disclosed for providing emergency voice alerts to wireless hand held device users in a specified region. An emergency situation can be detected affecting a specified region and requiring emergency notification of the emergency to wireless hand held device users in the specified region. A text message indicative of the emergency situation can be generated and converted into a digitized voice alert. The digitized voice alert can be transmitted through specific towers of a cellular communications network in the specified region for distribution of an automatic audio announcement of the digitized voice alert to all remote electronic devices in communication with the specific towers in the specified region. Method, systems and processor-readable media are also disclosed for providing an instant voice announcement automatically to remote electronic devices. In such an approach, a live announcement (e.g., an announcement from the President) can be captured and then automatically converted into a digitized voice message indicative of the live announcement. The digitized voice message can be associated with a text message to be transmitted through a network to a plurality of remote electronic devices that communicate with the network. The text message with the digitized voice message can be transmitted through a network (e.g., cellular communications network, the Internet, etc.) for broadcast to the plurality of electronic devices for automatic playback of the digitized voice message through one or more remote electronic devices among the plurality of remote electronic devices upon receipt of the text message with the digitized voice message at the one or more remote electronic devices among the plurality of remote electronic devices. In some embodiments, a current call taking place at one or more of the remote electronic devices can be automatically interrupted in order to push the text message with the digitized voice message through to each of the plurality of remote electronic devices for automatic playing of the digitized voice message via a remote electronic device. In other embodiments, operations can be implemented for automatically opening the digitized voice message, in response to receipt of the text message with the digitized voice message at the one or more remote electronic devices among the plurality of remote electronic devices, and automatically playing the digitized voice message through a speaker associated with the one or more remote electronic devices in response to automatically opening the digitized voice message. In other embodiments, the identity of the speaker associated with the live announcement can be authenticated prior to automatically converting the live announcement into the digitized voice message indicative of the live announcement. In some embodiments, authentication of the speaker (e.g., the President or other official) can be authenticated utilizing a voice recognition engine. In still other embodiments, the digitized voice message can be broadcast through the one or more remote electronic devices in one or more languages based on a language setting in a user profile. As indicated previously, one or more languages can be pre-selected in the user profile. Additionally, the user profile can be established in some embodiments as a user preference via a server during a set up of one or more of the remote electronic devices. In some embodiments, the user profile can be established as a user preference via an intelligent router during a set up of the one or more remote electronic device. In other embodiments, during a set up of the one or more remote electronic devices, one or more languages can be selected from a plurality of different languages. In yet another embodiment the digitized voice message (e.g., an announcement from the President) can be converted into more than one language from among a plurality of languages for broadcast of the digitized voice alert in consecutively different languages through the one or more remote electronic devices. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The accompanying figures, in which like reference numerals refer to identical or functionally-similar elements throughout the separate views and which are incorporated in and form a part of the specification, further illustrate the present invention and, together with the detailed description herein, serve to explain the principles of the disclosed embodiments. FIG. 1 illustrates a first exemplary schematic/flow chart in accordance with an embodiment; FIG. 2 illustrates a second exemplary schematic/flow chart in accordance with an embodiment; FIGS. 3(a) to 3(d) illustrate exemplary screen shots of a user interface in accordance with one or more embodiments; FIG. 4 illustrates a high-level flow chart of operations depicting logical operations of a method for automatically providing instant voice alerts to remote electronic devices, in accordance with an embodiment; FIG. 5 illustrates a high-level flow chart of operations depicting logical operations of a method for automatically providing instant voice alerts to remote electronic devices regarding incidents detected by a security system, in accordance with an embodiment; FIG. 6 illustrates a high-level flow chart of operations depicting logical operations of a method for automatically providing instant emergency voice alerts to wireless hand held device users in a specified region, in accordance with an embodiment; FIG. 7 illustrates a block diagram of a system for automatically providing instant voice alerts to remote electronic devices, in accordance with an embodiment; FIG. 8 illustrates a block diagram of a system for automatically providing instant voice alerts to remote electronic devices from incidents detected within a security system, in accordance with an embodiment; FIG. 9 illustrates a block diagram of a system for automatically providing emergency instant voice alerts to wireless hand held device users in a specified region, in accordance with an embodiment; FIG. 10 illustrates a block diagram of a processor-readable medium that can store code representing instructions to cause a processor to perform a process to, for example, provide automatic and instant voice alerts to remote electronic devices, in accordance with an embodiment; FIG. 11 illustrates a block diagram of a processor-readable medium that can store code representing instructions to cause a processor to, for example, perform a process to automatically provide instant voice alerts to remote electronic devices from incidents detected within a security system, in accordance with an embodiment; FIG. 12 illustrates a block diagram of a processor-readable medium that can store code representing instructions to cause a processor to perform, for example. a process to automatically provide instant emergency voice alerts to wireless hand held device users in a specified region, in accordance with an embodiment; FIG. 13 illustrates a block diagram of a system for providing automatic and instant voice alerts through a network, in accordance with an embodiment; FIG. 14 illustrates a high-level flow chart of logical operations for providing automatic and instant digitized voice alerts, and converting such digitized voice alerts into more than one language for broadcast of the digitized voice alert in consecutively different languages through one or more remote electronic devices, in accordance with an embodiment; FIG. 15 illustrates a high-level flow chart of operations depicting logical operations of a method for providing an instant voice announcement automatically to remote electronic devices, in accordance with an embodiment; FIG. 16 illustrates a high-level flow chart of operations depicting logical operations of a method for providing an instant voice announcement automatically to remote electronic devices, in accordance with an embodiment; FIG. 17 illustrates a high-level flow chart of operations depicting logical operations of a method for providing an instant voice announcement automatically to remote electronic devices, in accordance with an embodiment; FIG. 18 illustrates a high-level flow chart of operations depicting logical operations of a method for providing an instant voice announcement automatically to remote electronic devices, in accordance with an embodiment; FIG. 19 illustrates a block diagram of a system for providing an instant voice announcement automatically to remote electronic devices, in accordance with an embodiment; FIG. 20 illustrates a block diagram of a processor-readable medium for providing an instant voice announcement automatically to remote electronic devices, in accordance with an embodiment; FIG. 21 illustrates an exemplary data processing system which may be included in devices operating in accordance with some embodiments; and FIG. 22 illustrates an exemplary environment for operations and devices according to some embodiments of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION The particular values and configurations discussed in these non-limiting examples can be varied and are cited merely to illustrate at least one embodiment and are not intended to limit the scope thereof. The embodiments now will be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which illustrative are shown. The embodiments disclosed herein can be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete and will fully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art. Like numbers refer to like elements throughout. As used herein, the term “and/or” includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items. The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the disclosed embodiments. As used herein, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will he further understood that the terms “comprises” and/or “comprising,” when used in this specification, specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof. Unless otherwise defined, all terms (including technical and scientific terms) used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which disclosed embodiments belong. It will be further understood that terms such as those defined in commonly used dictionaries, should be interpreted as having a meaning that is consistent with their meaning in the context of the relevant art and will not be interpreted in an idealized or overly formal sense unless expressly so defined herein. As will be appreciated by one skilled in the art, the present invention can be embodied as a method, system, and/or a processor-readable medium. Accordingly, the embodiments may take the form of an entire hardware application, an entire software embodiment or an embodiment combining software and hardware aspects all generally referred to herein as a “circuit” or “module.” Furthermore, the embodiments may take the form of a computer program product on a computer-usable storage medium having computer-usable program code embodied in the medium. Any suitable computer-readable medium or processor-readable medium may be utilized including, for example, but not limited to, hard disks, USB Flash Drives, DVDs, CD-ROMs, optical storage devices, magnetic storage devices, etc. Computer program code for carrying out operations of the disclosed embodiments may be written in an object oriented programming language (e.g., Java, C++, etc.). The computer program code, however, for carrying out operations of the disclosed embodiments may also be written in conventional procedural programming languages such as the “C” programming language, HTML, XML, etc., or in a visually oriented programming environment such as, for example, VisualBasic. The program code may execute entirely on the user's computer, partly on the user's computer, as a stand-alone software package, partly on the user's computer and partly on a remote computer, or entirely on the remote computer. In the latter scenario, the remote computer may be connected to a user's computer through a local area network (LAN) or a wide area network (WAN), wireless data network e.g., WiFi, Wimax, 802.xx, and cellular network or the connection may be made to an external computer via most third party supported networks (for example, through the Internet using an Internet Service Provider). The disclosed embodiments are described in part below with reference to flowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams of methods, systems, computer program products, and data structures according to embodiments of the invention. It will be understood that each block of the illustrations, and combinations of blocks, can be implemented by computer program instructions. These, computer program instructions may be provided to a processor of a general purpose computer, special purpose computer, or other programmable data processing apparatus to produce a machine such that the instructions, which execute via the processor of the computer or other programmable data processing apparatus, create means for implementing the functions/acts specified in the block or blocks. These computer program instructions may also be stored in a computer-readable memory that can direct a computer or other programmable data processing apparatus to function in a particular manner such that the instructions stored in the computer-readable memory produce an article of manufacture including instruction means which implement the function/act specified in the block or blocks. The computer program instructions may also be loaded onto a computer or other programmable data processing apparatus to cause a series of operational steps to be performed on the computer or other programmable apparatus to produce a computer implemented process such that the instructions which execute on the computer or other programmable apparatus provide steps for implementing the functions/acts specified in the block or blocks. FIG. 1 illustrates an overview of a system 200 according to embodiments of the present invention. System 200 broadly includes a server 205 or central computer, web service tool 210, runtime tool 215, voice recognition engine 220, text-to-speech engine 225 and one or more databases 230. The server 205 may include each of the web service tool 210, runtime tool 215, voice recognition engine 220, text-to-speech engine 225, and one or more database 230. Alternatively, one or more of the web service tool 210, runtime application 215, voice recognition engine 220, text-to-speech engine 225, and one or more databases 230 may be remote and in communication with the server 205 or central computer. The server 205 may be remote and in communication with the server 205 or central computer. Note that as utilized herein the term “server” (e.g., server 205 shown in FIG. 1 server 231 shown in FIG. 13, etc.) refers generally to one of three possible implementations or combinations thereof. First, the server can be a computer program running as a service to serve the needs or requests of other programs (referred to in this context as “clients”) which may or may not be running on the same computer. Second, the server can be a physical computer dedicated to running one or more such services to serve the needs of programs running on other computers on the same network. Finally, a server can be a software/hardware system (i.e. a software service running on a dedicated computer) such as a database server, file server, mail server, enterprise server, print server, etc. In some embodiments, the server can be a program that operates as a socket listener. In other embodiments, a server can be a host that is deployed to execute one or more such programs. In still other embodiments, the server can be a server computer implemented as a single computer or a series of computers that link other computers or electronic devices together. Such a server implementation can provide essential services across a network, either to private users inside a large organization (e.g., Intranet) or to public users via the internet. For example, when one enters a query in a search engine, the query is sent from a user's computer over the internet to the servers that store all the relevant web pages. The results are sent back by the server to the user's computer. The server 205 can communicate with one or more substantially, real-time services 235 being operated by any number of entities such as, for example, security companies (e.g., Sonitrol, Brinks, etc) or government agencies (e.g., U.S. Department of Homeland Security, government contractors, etc.) operating, for example, particular web sites. In some embodiment, the services or informational feed 235 may include websites offered by government agencies such as the Homeland Security Department, local 911 organizations, private companies or non-profit agencies, FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) and so forth. As shown in FIG. 1, these services can provide information via, for example, Feed 1, Feed 2, Feed 3 and so forth. In some embodiments, Feed 1 may provide a series of emergency announcements. Feed 2 may provide, for example, information related to construction on highways in a particular geographical region, whereas Feed 3 may provide updated weather information in a particular area. In practice, as depicted in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, a user 240 can initially make a request 242 for specific and/or general voice alerts (e.g., text to voice) and/or other information via an electronic remote device such as a smartphone 199, 201, a tablet 202, television 203, or automobile Bluetooth® type system 204. In one embodiment, the user can make the request 242 in a text format guided by prompts or a template displayed on, for example, a display of smartphone 199, 201, tablet 202, etc. FIGS. 3(a) to 3(d) illustrate exemplary screen shots of such prompts. FIG. 3(a), for example, depicts a home screen shot 105 comprising a list of topical icons from which the user may select using various user interfaces including touch screen display, trackball, buttons, and the like. Four selectable icons 106, 107, 108, 109, and 110 are shown in FIG. 3(a). A user can select one of the icons 106, 107, 108, 109 and 110. If a user selects icon 106, for example, the user will tap into an emergency informational feed. The user would then be taken to other screens which would allow a user to set up an emergency informational feed that is ultimately fed to his or her device (e.g., Smartphones 199, 201, tablet 202, automobile 204, etc.) and provided according to particular preselected criteria in the form of text-to-voice informational emergency announcements. Similarly, if a user selects icon 107, the user will tap into a weather informational feed that use preselects and is again provided with particular voice alerts (e.g., text-to-voice) regarding important weather announcements. Road condition voice alerts can also be provided by selecting, for example, icon 108. A user can additionally configure text-to-voice alerts with respect to his or her business or home, as shown by selectable icons 109 and 110. FIG. 3(b) depicts a residential screen shot 115 responsive to the user selecting “Home” in accordance with an embodiment. In the example screen shot 115 shown in FIG. 3(b), assuming the user has selected icon 110 (“Home”) shown in FIG. 3(a), the user would see next the screen shot 115 and one or more icons 116, 117, 118, 119 respectively labeled, for example, Sensor 1, Sensor 2, Sensor 3, and Sensor 4. Such sensor icons are associated with, for example, sensors (e.g., security/surveillance sensors, smoke detectors, fire detectors, carbon monoxide detectors, energy usage monitoring, etc.) located in for example, a residence of a user. In this case, the user can select each sensor and set up voice alerts (e.g., text-to-voice) related to particular conditions or activities that such sensors may detect. For example, if a sensor detects that a particular window in a user's home opens while the user is away, information related to this condition will be transmitted as a text-to-voice alert to the user's device (e.g., smartphone, automobile, tablet computer, etc.). FIG. 3(c) depicts a screen shot 120 that includes example icons 121, 122, 123. The user can select particular conditions to monitor in the house. For example, selection of condition 1 may be the temperature inside the house or a particular zone of the house. Condition 2 may be, for example, energy usage monitored by an energy usage sensor in the house. The user may also set how often the user wishes to receive updates. FIG. 3(d) depicts a screen shot 125 responsive to a user selecting, for example, an update (i.e., icon 123 in FIG. 3(c)). The screen shot 125 depicts available time frames 126 for which the user may receive substantially real-time alerts. Thus, a user can select how often the substantially, real-time alerts or other informational alerts are received. In another embodiment, the user may make a live voice request for a specific voice alert information. In this embodiment, a voice recognition engine 220 is responsible for converting a live voice or verbal command or input into text. In one embodiment, the text may be in the form of XML or another appropriate language. In another embodiment, the text can be a proprietary language. The XML or other programming or mark-up language can provide a communications protocol between the user and the server 205, namely the web service tool 210. The web service tool 210 can act as the gate keeper for the system 200 and authenticates the request 244. This authentication process can determine whether or not the request emanates from a device registered or otherwise permitted to make the request. For example, the user may need to input a pin or code, which would then be authenticated by the web service tool 210. If the request is not authenticated, an error message 246 can be transmitted to the user 240 via the device. Optionally, instructions on remedying the underlying basis for the error response can also be transmitted to the device. Once authenticated, the request type can be checked (e.g., text or voice/verbal 248. If verbal, the web service tool 210 can transmit the live voice request to the voice recognition engine 220, which is configured to convert the voice request into a text request 250. Optionally, the voice request can be saved into an audio file prior to being serviced by the voice recognition engine 220. It can be appreciated that a number of different types of voice recognition engines, including proprietary engines, are suitable for the embodiments discussed herein. For example, a live voice or verbal request in the form “Need voice alert for residence” may be converted to “Residence Alert” or similar text containing the required terms to locate the desired information. In another example, a verbal request in the form of “How do I set up voice alerts?” may be converted to “Set Voice Alert” to locate the desired information. The system 200 may also teach users how to best phrase verbal requests to most efficiently allow the system 200 to locate the desired information. For example, in one embodiment, after downloading application software from, for example, a server, users can be provided with access to a tutorial or similar feature which assists users in phrasing verbal requests directed to, for example, particular types of alerts such as, for example, emergency alerts, weather, business alerts, alerts based on home sensors (entry sensors, smoke detectors, fire detectors, carbon monoxide detectors, energy usage, etc.). Any improper verbal request (e.g., not enough information to identify desired information or improper format) may be met with a general error message or specific error message detailing required information necessary to identify the desired information. Once represented desired types of information is converted into text, the request is unpacked 252 and handed to a runtime application 215. The runtime application 215 can be an executable program which handles various functions associated with system 200 as described herein. The runtime application 215 can be, for example, code comprising instructions to perform particular steps or operations of a process. Initially, based on the converted text request, the runtime application 215 can make a request 254 to the one or more substantially, real-time feeds 235. The request to one or more feeds 235 can result in the runtime application 215 obtaining a key corresponding to the request. That is, the one or more feeds 235 can assign keys to each source of desired information which is being tracked. Once the key is obtained, the runtime application 215 can cause the request and the key to be stored as shown as block 256 in one or more databases 230 thereby linking the device to the feed 235 within the one or more databases 230. The one or more databases 230 can maintain each user's profile of desired alert information. Accordingly, users can track, if desired, multiple types of information via the system 200. In one embodiment, the runtime application 215 can queue, for example, emergency information related to multiple requests to be transmitted to the user to prevent any interruption thereof. Once the key is obtained and it is determined that, for example, a particular emergency or a particular activity is in progress, the one or more databases 230 can maintain a corresponding request as active. Should information relating to a particular emergency or activity no longer be needed because the particular emergency or particular activity has ended (e.g., tornado activity in a particular region has ended), the one or more databases 230 stores the key and maintains the request as temporarily active until a particular status (e.g., tornado activity is confirmed over or tornado activity has resumed) may be transmitted to the user. Responsive to final information being transmitted to the user, the temporary active status can be changed to inactive. The runtime application 215 can be configured to poll the one or more databases 230 to determine the status of each request. Any inactive request (e.g., tornado activity has ended and it is now safe to go outside) can be removed from the one or more databases 230 by the runtime application 215. To alleviate backlog, the one or more databases 230 may link multiple users with the same active key when those multiple users have requested the same type of alert information (e.g., tornados, weather, national alerts, Homeland Security alerts, information from home sensors, etc.). Text requests can be unpacked 252 and handed directly to the runtime application 215. From that point, the process is similar to the verbal requests converted to text as described above. The open communication linked between the database 230 and information feed 235 can provide a conduit for the requested information to be transmitted to the one or more databases 230 at any desired interval. For example, if the users have selected alert information every 30 minutes, the runtime application 215 determines that the request is active every 30 minutes by polling one or more databases 230. Polling can occur at any necessary interval, including continuously, to allow all users to receive alerts at the users-selected time period. If active, the runtime application 215 can pull, grab or obtain the desired substantially, real-time alert information from the feed 235 (or information may be pushed from the feed 235) using the previously obtained key and transmits the alert information to the one or more databases 230 and eventually to the user as described. The alert information can be stored in the one or more databases 230 either long term or short term depending on the needs of the operator of system 200 and its users. Once obtained from the feed 235, a text file can be handed to the text-to-speech engine 225 depicted in FIG. 1. One example of a text-to-speech engine (and also speech-to-text) of the type suitable for one or more of the disclosed embodiments is disclosed in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2011/0111805, entitled ‘Synthesized Audio Message Over Communication Links,’ which published on May 12, 2011 to Baptiste P. Paquier, et al. and is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Another example of a text-to-speech approach that can be adapted for use in accordance with one or more embodiments is disclosed in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2009/0313020, entitled “Text-to-Speech User Interface Control,” which published on Dec. 17, 2009 to Rami Arto Koivunen, and is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Another example of a text-to-speech or of text-to-speech engine (and also speech-to-text) of the type (or features thereof) suitable for use with one or more of the disclosed embodiments is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,885,817 entitled “Easy Generation and Automatic Training of Spoken Dialog Systems Using Text-to-Speech,” which issued to Paek et al. on Feb. 8, 2011 and is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Those skilled in the art will recognize that other text-to-speech engines and applications, including proprietary engines and approaches, are suitable for use with the embodiments. A text file containing the emergency or other alert information can be converted into an audio file such as, for example, a MP3 or similar audio file. In general, the text-to-speech (also text-to-voice engine 225 discussed herein can he implemented with natural speech features to voice so “robotic voice” text to speech synthesis, which is important for broadcasting or sending voice alerts in more “human” type voice audio, which is more receptive to listeners than the more “robotic voice” text-to-speech applications. Using a more natural sounding text-to-speech engine for engine 225 ensures that voice alerts are actually heard by listeners, which is particularly important during emergency situations. It can be appreciated that the text-to-speech engine 225 can be configured to offer text-to-speech conversion in multiple languages. Such a text-to-speech engine 225 can also be configured to convert the digitized voice message into, more than one language from among a plurality of languages for broadcast of the digitized voice alert in consecutively different languages through the remote electronic devices (e.g., devices 198, 199, 201, 202, 203, 204). An example of a text-to-speech application that can be adapted for use with text-to-speech engine 225 discussed herein is “Orpheus,” a multilingual text-to-speech synthesizer from Meridian One for Laptop, Notebook and Desktop computers running Microsoft Windows Windows 7, Vista or Microsoft Windows XP. Orpheus is available as Orpheus TTS Plus or Orpheus TTS. Orpheus TTS plus and Orpheus TTS speaks 25 languages with synthetic voices capable of high intelligibility at the fastest talking rates. Orpheus TTS Plus adds natural sounding voices for UK English, US English and Swedish. Another example of a “natural language sound” approach that can be utilized with text-to-speech engine 225 is disclosed in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2010/0268539 entitled “System and Method for Distributed Text-to-Speech Synthesis and Intelligibility,” which was published on Oct. 21, 2010 to Xu et al., and is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. The audio file can then be transmitted, to devices such as, for example, devices 199, 201, 202, 203, 204, etc. In one embodiment, the application software causes the audio file to automatically play upon receipt by the device. In this manner, users can receive automatic alert-related information in substantially real-time based on user-selected parameters. In another embodiment, the text file can be transmitted to the device in the form of a text or an instant message without the need for converting the text file to an audio file. In this embodiment. runtime application 215 can send the text alert to the user device, and the text alert can be converted to a voice, alert (i.e., text-to-voice alert) at the device itself. In another embodiment, a community of users can receive substantially, real-time alert information. In such an embodiment, users simply identify particular desired information (e.g., emergency announcements, weather, road conditions, road construction, etc.) and become part of a community or other users interested in receiving substantially, real-time alert related information alerts in text and/or audio format. For example, users belonging to a community interested in emergency announcements receive the same substantially, real-time alerts. Default settings may be used with this particular embodiments such that each user receives alerts at the same time over the same staggered time period (e.g., once an hour, every thirty minutes, once per day, etc.). Single users may also utilize default settings without joining a community of users. Users wanting a different scheme can customize the alerts as shown via the example screen shots illustrated in FIGS. 3(a)-3(d). In another embodiment, the system 200 can be configured to allow a user to send a message to a social media account (e.g., Twitter®, Facebook®, etc.) along with an attachment with an audio message from the user. In another embodiment, the user may send an alert to one or more friends with an audio message (e.g., tornados in southwest Kansas, watch out!). In this embodiment, the system 200 may prompt the user and/or a home page may depict an icon which allows the user to verbalize a message for delivery to one or more intended recipients along with an alert. The voice recognition engine 220 can generate an audio file representing the user's message, which can be an actual voice or computer-generated voice, into an audio file and store the audio file in the one or more databases 230 linking it to the other user's remote electronic device. System 200 can then transmit the audio file along with the alert (or another alert) to one or more intended recipients via a social media account. The intended recipients may be stored by the system 200 previously, or may be inputted at the time the message is to be sent. In one embodiment, the user is able to select from a list of friends established within the application software by the user. Once a voice or verbal personal message is created, the personal message can be saved in, for example, database 230 and linked to the user. When the runtime application 215 next communicates with the database 230, the alert (or other information) can be transmitted along with the personal message. FIG. 4 illustrates a high-level flow chart of operations depicting logical operations of a method 400 for automatically providing instant voice alerts to remote electronic devices, in accordance with an embodiment. As indicated at block 402, the process can be initiated. Thereafter, as illustrated at block 404, an activity can be detected utilizing one or more sensors. Then, as indicated at block 406, a text text messaged indicative of such activity can be generated. For example, a message indicating that a particular sensor has determined that the backdoor of a particular house has been opened would generate text stating “Backdoor is open”. Following the generation of such text, typically in the form of a text message or other appropriate text data file, such a text message can be converted as depicted at block 408 into a digitized voice alert via, for example, the text-to-speech recognition engine 225 shown in FIG. 1. Following the processing of the operation shown at block 408, a test can he performed as indicated at block 418 to determine if the digitized voice message should be broadcast in another language. For example, if it is determined that the voice alert should be broadcasted in another language (e.g., following broadcast of the message in the initial language), then as described at block 411, the digitized voice message can be converted into a pre-selected or specified language and then as indicated at block 412 transmitted through a network (e.g., network 501 shown in FIG. 13) for broadcast to one or more electronic devices which communicate with such a network for automatic audio announcement of the digitized voice alert (e.g., in one or multiple languages) through the remote electronic device (e.g., a speaker integrated with a Smartphone). If, however, it is determined that conversion of the digitized voice message to another language is not necessary, then the digitized voice message is transmitted in the original language through the network (e.g., network 501 shown in FIG. 13) for broadcast to one or more remote electronic devices that communicate with the network for the playing of the automatic audio announcement (e.g., voice alert) through the remote electronic device(s). The process can then terminate, as indicated at block 414. In some embodiments, the aforementioned digitized voice message can be broadcast through the one or more remote electronic devices in one or more languages based on a language setting in a user profile. The one or more languages can be pre-selected in the user profile. In other embodiments, the user profile can be established as a user preference via, a service during a set up of the one or more remote electronic devices. The user profile can, in some embodiments, be established as a user preference via an intelligent router during a set up of the one or more remote electronic devices. In some embodiments, during a set up of the one or more remote electronic devices, the one or more languages can be selected from a plurality of different languages. In general, the digitized voice message can be converted into the particular language specified by a user via the one or more remote electronic devices. The disclosed embodiments, including the methods, systems and processor-readable media discussed herein, when implemented, will vocalize, for example, regional, national, government, presidential, and other alerts instantly and automatically and in various languages which would automatically follow the base language (e.g., English in the United States, Spanish in Mexico, French in France, etc.) utterance. Note that in some embodiments, the aforementioned one or more sensors can communicate with a server that communicates with the network (e.g., network 501 shown in FIG. 13). In other embodiments, the one or more sensors can communicate with an intelligent router (e.g., a server, a packet router, etc.) that communicates with the network. One example of an intelligent router, which can be utilized in accordance with an embodiment, is disclosed in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2010/0226259, entitled “Intelligent Router for Wireless Sensor Network,” which published to Desmond, et al. on Sep. 9, 2010 and is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Another example of an intelligent router that can be implemented in accordance with the disclosed embodiments is disclosed in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2010/0260061, entitled “System and Method for Remote Control of Local Devices Over a Wide Area Network,” which was published to Bojahra et al on Oct. 24, 2010 and is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. It can be appreciated that other types of intelligent routers (e.g., intelligent or smart wireless routers) can be implemented in accordance with an embodiment Examples of intelligent routers 233, 235 are shown in FIG. 13. In yet other embodiments, the sensor or sensors (e.g., a group of networked sensors) can communicate with the one or more sensors through the network. In other embodiments, each of the one or more sensors can comprise a self-contained computer that communicates with the network (e.g., network 501 shown in FIG. 13). Note that such sensors can be located in, for example, a residence, a business, enterprise, a government entity (e.g., a secure facility, military base, etc.) and so forth. FIG. 5 illustrates a high-level flow chart of operations depicting logical operations of a method 420 for automatically providing instant voice alerts to remote electronic devices from incidents detected within a security system, in accordance with an embodiment. As indicated at block 422, the process can be initiated. Thereafter, as illustrated at block 424, a wireless data network can be provided which includes and/or communicates with one or more of the sensors in communication with the wireless data network (e.g., network 501 shown in FIG. 13). The sensors can be located within, for example, a residence, a building, government agency, secure military facility, etc. Next, as depicted at block 426, the one or more sensors in and/or associated with the residence can detect an activity (e.g., window opens, door opens, smoke detected, etc.). Assuming that the sensor or sensors detect an activity, then as illustrated at block 428, a text message can be generated, which is indicative of the activity (e.g., “Smoke Detected in Living Room”). Thereafter, as illustrated at block 430, the text message can be converted into a digitized voice alert via, for example, the text-to-speech engine 225 shown in FIG. 1. Next, as depicted at block 432, the digitized voice alert can be transmitted through a network (e.g., a cellular communications network) for broadcast to one or more remote electronic devices that communicate with the network for an automatic audio announcement of the digitized voice alert through the one or more remote electronic devices (e.g., a speaker integrated with a Smartphone, laptop computer, automobile, etc.). Note that the aforementioned operations involving language pre-selection, language conversion, etc., shown in FIG. 4 can be adapted for use with the methodology shown in FIG. 5. The process shown in FIG. 5 can then terminate, as depicted at block 434. FIG. 6 illustrates a high-level flow chart of operations depicting logical operations of a method 440 for providing automatic and instant emergency voice alerts to wireless hand held device users in a specified region, in accordance with an embodiment. The method 440 provides for an instant automatic delivery of a voice alert to one or more remote electronic devices via a network such as, for example, network 501 discussed herein. Method 440 takes into account several scenarios. The first scenario involves those who are unable to look at their instant text alert such as when driving, or otherwise unable so as not to be distracted. This is not possible with the current PLAN (e.g., see description of PLAN in greater detail herein), which sends text only to wireless carriers, whereas, with the approach of the disclosed embodiments, users can hear the message without doing anything. They can hear the voice alert in sequential languages, also without doing anything, as described further herein. Second, the disclosed embodiments, such as that of method 440, handle the situation of those that are without a phone, who are reading the TEXT on their computers, and so forth. Such individuals are now be able to HEAR the PLAN Alert via an approach such as that of method 440. They can hear the voice alert without doing anything, and also indicated herein, hear the voice alert in sequential languages without doing anything. Additionally, a live utterance (e.g., announcement) can be instantly converted into a digitized voice alert for automatic delivery in the manner as indicated above, and also in the manner described herein with respect to, for example, the methodology of FIGS. 14-15. As indicated at block 442, the process can be initiated. Next, as described at block 444, an operation can be implemented for determining an emergency situation affecting a specified region and requiring emergency notification of the emergency to wireless hand held device users in the specified region. Thereafter, as illustrated at block 446, a step can be implemented for generating a text message indicative of the emergency situation (e.g., “Flooding, Leave to Higher Ground?”). Then, as indicated at block 448 an operation can be implemented for converting a text message indicative of the emergency situation into a digitized voice alert (e.g., text-to-voice). The conversion operation depicted at block 448 can be provided by, for example, the text-to-speech engine 225 shown in FIG. Following the processing of the operation shown at block 448, the digitized voice alert can be transmitted, as depicted at block 450, through specific towers of a cellular communication network (e.g., network 501 shown in FIG. 13) in the specified region for distribution, as shown next at block 452, of an automatic audio announcement of the digitized voice alert to all remote electronic devices in communication with the specific towers in the specified region. Note that the aforementioned operations involving language pre-selection, language conversion, etc. shown in FIG. 4 can be adapted for use with the methodology shown in FIG. 8e The process shown in FIG. 6 can then terminate, as depicted at block 454. Note that the instructions described herein such as, for example, the operations/instructions depicted in FIGS. 4, 5, 8, 14, 15, and 16, and any other processes described herein (e.g., processes shown in FIGS. 1-2) can be implemented in the context of hardware and/or software. In the context of software, such operations/instructions of the methods described herein can be implemented as, for example, computer-executable instructions such as program modules being executed by a single computer or a group of computers or other processors and processing devices. In most instances, “module” constitutes a software application. Generally, program modules include, but are not limited to, routines, subroutines, software applications, programs, objects, components, data structures, etc., that perform particular tasks or implement particular abstract data types and instructions. Moreover, those skilled in the art appreciate that the disclosed method and system may be practiced with other computer system configurations such as, for example, hand-held devices, multi-processor systems, data networks, microprocessor-based or programmable consumer electronics, networked PCs, minicomputers, mainframe computers, servers, and the like. Note that the term module as utilized herein may refer to a collection of routines and data structures that perform a particular task or implements a particular abstract data type. Modules may be composed of two parts: an interface, which lists the constants, data types, variable, and routines that can be accessed by other modules or routines, and an implementation, which is typically private (accessible only to that module) and which includes source code that actually implements the routines in the module. The term module may also simply refer to an application such as a computer program designed to assist in the performance of a specific task such as word processing, accounting, inventory management, etc. Additionally, the term “module” can also refer in some instances to a hardware component such as a computer chip or other hardware. FIG. 7 illustrates a block diagram of a system 490 for automatically providing instant voice alerts to remote electronic devices, in accordance with an embodiment. In general, system 490 includes a processor 480 and a data bus 481 coupled to the processor 480. System 490 can also include a computer-usable medium 482 embodying, for example, computer code (e.g., in the form of a software module or group of software modules). The computer-usable medium 482 is generally coupled to or can communicate with the data bus 481. The computer program code or module 484 can be configured to comprise instructions executable by the processor and configured for implementing, for example, the method 400 described above. Such a method 400 can include detecting an activity utilizing at least one sensor, generating and converting a text message indicative of the activity into a digitized voice alert; and transmitting the digitized voice alert through a network (e.g., network 501 shown in FIG. 13) for broadcast to one or more remote electronic devices that communicate with the network for an automatic audio announcement of the digitized voice alert through the one or more remote electronic devices. FIG. 8 illustrates a block diagram of a system 492 for automatically providing instant voice alerts to remote electronic devices from incidents detected within a security system, in accordance with an embodiment. In general, system 492 includes a processor 480 and a data bus 481 coupled to the processor 480. The system 492 can also include a computer-usable medium 482 embodying, for example, computer code (e.g., in the form of a module or group of modules). The computer-usable medium 482 is also generally coupled to or in communication with the data bus 481. The computer program code or module 484 can be configured to comprise instructions executable by the processor and configured for implementing, for example, the method 420 described above. Such a method 420 can include, for example, providing a wireless data network (e.g., a cellular network, a WLAN, etc.) including one or more sensors in communication with the wireless data network within a location (e.g., residence, building, military facility, government location, etc); detecting an activity utilizing one or more sensors associated with the location; generating and converting a text message indicative of the activity into a digitized voice alert; and transmitting the digitized voice alert through a network (e.g., network 501 shown in FIG. 13) for broadcast to one or more remote electronic devices that communicate with the network (e.g., network 501) for an automatic audio announcement of the digitized voice alert through the remote electronic device(s). FIG. 9 illustrates a block diagram of a system 494 for automatically providing instant emergency voice alerts to wireless hand held device users in a specified region, in accordance with an embodiment. In general, system 494 includes a processor 480 and a data bus 481 coupled to the processor 480. The system 492 can also include a computer-usable medium 482 embodying, for example, computer code (e.g., in the form of a module or group of modules). The computer-usable medium 482 is also generally coupled to or in communication with the data bus 481. The computer program code or module 484 can he configured to comprise instructions executable by the processor and configured for implementing, for example, the method 440 described above. Such a method 440 can include, for example, determining an emergency situation affecting a specified region and requiring emergency notification of the emergency to wireless hand held device users in the specified region; generating and converting a text message indicative of the emergency situation into a digitized voice alert; and transmitting the digitized voice alert through specific towers of a cellular communications network in the specified region for distribution of an automatic audio announcement of the digitized voice alert to all remote electronic devices in communication with the specific towers in the specified region. It can be appreciated that in some embodiments, the computer-usable medium 482 discussed herein can be, for example, an application such as a downloadable software which may be in the form of a downloadable application software (“app”) retrieved from a server such as, for example, server, 231 shown in FIG. 13, and then stored in a memory of a user device such as, for example, remote electronic devices such as computer 198, Smartphones 199, 201, Tablet 202, television 203, automobile 204, etc. In other embodiments, the computer-usable medium 482 may be a computer chip or other electronic module that can actually be incorporated into or added to a remote electronic devices such as computer 198, Smartphones 199, 201, Tablet 202, television 203. automobile 204, etc., either during manufacture or as after-market type modules. FIG. 10 illustrates a block diagram of a processor-readable medium 490 that can store code 484 representing instructions to cause a processor to perform a process to, for example, provide automatic and instant voice alerts to remote electronic devices, in accordance with an embodiment. The code 484 can comprise code (e.g., module or group of modules) to perform the instructions of, for example, method 400 including code to detect an activity utilizing one or more sensors; generate and convert a text message indicative of the activity into a digitized voice alert; and transmit the digitized voice alert through a network (e.g., network 501 shown in FIG. 13) for broadcast to one or more remote electronic devices that communicate with the network for an automatic audio announcement of the digitized voice alert through the one or more remote electronic devices. FIG. 11 illustrates a block diagram of processor-readable medium 492 that can store code representing instructions to cause a processor to, for example, perform a process to provide automatic and instant voice alerts to remote electronic devices friar incidents detected within a security system, in accordance with an embodiment. Such a code can comprise code 484 (e.g., module or group of modules, etc.) to perform the instructions of method 420 such as, for example, to provide a wireless data network including one or more sensors in communication with the wireless data network within a location such as a residence, building, business, government facility, etc; detect an activity utilizing one or more sensors associated with the location; generate and convert a text message indicative of the activity into a digitized voice alert; and transmit the digitized voice alert through a network (e.g., network 501 shown in FIG. 13) for broadcast to one or more remote electronic devices that communicate with the network for an automatic audio announcement of the digitized voice alert through the one or more remote electronic devices. FIG. 12 illustrates a block diagram of a processor-readable medium 494 that can store code representing instructions to cause a processor to perform, for example, a process to automatically provide instant emergency voice alerts to wireless hand held device users in a specified region, in accordance with an embodiment. Such a code 484 (e.g. a module) can comprise code to perform the instructions of, for example, method 440 including code to determine an emergency situation affecting a specified region and requiring emergency notification of the emergency to wireless hand held device users in the specified region; generate and convert a text message indicative of the emergency situation into a digitized voice alert; and transmit the digitized voice alert through specific towers of a cellular communications network in the specified region for distribution of an automatic audio announcement of the digitized voice alert to all remote electronic devices in communication with the specific towers in the specified region. It can be appreciated that in some embodiments, the processor-readable media 490, 492 and 494 discussed herein can be, for example, an application such as a downloadable software which may be in the form of a downloadable application software (“app”) retrieved from a server such as, for example, server, 231 shown in FIG. 13, and then stored in a memory of a user device such as, for example, remote electronic devices such as computer 198, Smartphones 199, 201, Tablet 202, television 203, automobile 204, etc. In other embodiments, the processor-readable media 490, 492, 494, etc., may each be provided as a computer chip or other electronic module that can actually be incorporated into or added to remote electronic devices such as computer 198, Smartphones 199, 201, Tablet 202, television 203, automobile 204, etc., either during manufacture or as after-market type modules. FIG. 13 illustrates a voice alert system 500 that can be implemented in accordance with the disclosed embodiments. It can be appreciated that one or more of the disclosed embodiments can be utilized to implement various aspects of system 500 shown in FIG. 13. System 500 generally includes a network 501 that can communicate with one or more of the remote electronic devices such as computer 198, Smartphones 199, 201, etc., tablet computing device 202, a television 203, an automobile 204, etc. One or more servers, such as server 231, can also communicate with network 501. The database 230 (and other databases) can communicate with (via a network connection or other communication means with server 231) or is preferably stored in a memory of serer 231. It can be appreciated that server 231 may be a standalone computer server or may be composed of multiple servers that communicate with one another and with network 501. Also, in some embodiments sever 231 of FIG. 13 and server 205 of FIG. 1 may actually be the same server/computer, depending upon design considerations and goals. Additionally, one or more sensors 512 located in, for example, a residence 511, can communicate with the network 501 individually or may be interlinked with one another in the context of a home based network (e.g., a Wireless LAN) that communicates with the network 501. Similarly, one or more sensors 514 can be located at key positions within a building 513. Such sensors 514 may be interlinked with one another or communicate with individually with the network 513 either directly or via a network located in a budding 513 such as a Wireless LAN. In some cases, the one or more sensors 512 can communicate with an intelligent router 233 via, for example, a WLAN. The communications arrows 237 and 239 shown in FIG. 13 represent, for example, wireless communications (e.g., a WLAN or other appropriate wireless network) means or a direct (e.g., Ethernet) communications means, depending on particular implementations. The one or more sensors 514 can also communicate with an intelligent router 235 via communications means 239, similar to the communications configuration involving the intelligent router 233, one or more sensors 512, and communications means 237. Although not specifically shown in FIG. 13, it can be appreciated that each of the intelligent routers 233 and/or 235 can also communicate with the network 501. In some cases, for example, server 231 (or other servers in communications with network 501) can function as an intelligent router, depending upon design considerations. A variety of enterprises, business, government agencies, and so forth can also communicate with network 501. For example, local or state emergency services 510 (e.g., Fire Department, Police Department, etc.) can communicate with network 501. A Homeland Security Agency 502 (e.g., including FEMA, etc.) can also communicate with network 501. A 911 Organization 504 can additionally communicate with network 501. A military organization (U.S. Air force, U.S. Army, U.S. Navy, Department of Defense, etc.) can also communicate with network 501. Additionally, a security monitoring enterprise 508 (e.g., Sonitrol, Brinks, etc.) can also communicate with network 501. In some embodiments, the security monitoring enterprise 508 may monitor house 511 and/or building 513 respectively via one or more sensors 512 and/or 514, depending upon the implemented embodiment. Network 501 can be, for example, a network such as the Internet, which is the well-known global system of interconnected computer networks that use the standard Internet Protocol Suite (TCP/IP) to serve billions of users worldwide. It is a network of networks that consists of millions of private, public, academic, business, and government networks, of local to global scope, that are linked by a broad array of electronic, wireless, and optical networking technologies. The Internet carries a vast range of information resources and services such as the inter-linked hypertext documents of the World Wide Web (WWW) and the infrastructure to support electronic mail. Network 501 can also be, for example, a wireless communications network such as, for example, a cellular communications network. A cellular communications network is a radio network distributed over land areas called cells, each served by one or more fixed-location transceivers known as a cell site or base station. When joined together these cells provide radio coverage over a wide geographic area. This enables a large number of portable transceivers (e.g., mobile phones, pagers, etc.) to communicate with each other and with fixed transceivers and telephones anywhere in the network, via base stations, even if some of the transceivers are moving through more than one cell during transmission. In some embodiments, such as a limited geographical area, network 501 may be implemented as a WiFi network such as, for example, an IEEE 802.11 type network, WLAN (Wireless Local Area Network, etc.), so-called Super coined by the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to describe proposed networking in the UHF TV band in the US, and so forth. Network 501 can also be configured to operate as, for example, a PLAN (Personal Localized Alert Network) for the transmission of local emergency services, Amber alerts, Presidential messages, government notices, etc. Assuming network 501 is either configured a PLAN or equipped with PLAN capabilities, authorized government officials can utilize network 501 as a PLAN to send emergency text messages to participating wireless companies, which will then use their cell towers to forward the messages to subscribers in the affected area. Such text messages can be converted to synthesize voice/speech via, for example, text-to-speech engine 225 either before being sent through the network 501 or via a server such as server 231 (and/or other services) or via the receiving remote electronic device such as, for example, remote electronic devices 198, 199, 201, 202, 203, 204, etc., that communicate with the network 501. A variety of different types of text message alerts can be generated and converted to synthesized speech (e.g., “natural” voice) as indicated herein. Most security system sensors provide a simple switched output that changes state, and that's based on whether the sensor has been tripped or not, which means that when connected up in a circuit they behave just like a switch that is activated automatically, and that makes them extremely easy to connect in the same (text to speech) technology. Below is a sampling of “Instant Voiced Alerts” that can be sent directly to a remote electronic device such as, for example, smartphone, computer, iPad and/or to a security center (e.g., security monitoring 508) or directly to their security patrol car. Home: “Activity has just been detected behind your back kitchen door.” Warehouse: “Motion has been detected in Area 4. Camera has now been triggered for recording.” Bank: “Wired Sensor 3 has lost its signal. Parking Entrance has now been permanently disarmed.” School: “Campus Motion Detector has just been triggered outside the windows of the Female Lounge Area.” Restaurant: “Freezer Window Alarm has triggered. Please call ADT Home Security 505-717-0000 if accidental.” Airport: “Infra-red beam on incoming oversized baggage belt 8 has been broken and then manually reset.” Police: “Danger: Road Closing Alert for Bryn Mawr Drive between Silver Avenue and Coal Avenue.” Public Service: “Skywam Alert—Tornado has moved east toward Albuquerque and stalled over the area. Winds 40 mph.” Hospital: “Smoke is being detected in the Seniors Ward. Automatic alarm has not sounded.” Medical: “This is your Medical Monitoring System informing you that help is on the way.” Military: “Kirkland underground weapons sensors not complying with commands from the 377th Air Base Wing,.” Retail: “EAS merchandise tag #Slk221 on Armani Suit has not been deactivated.” Airline/Travel: “Jet Blue Air Flight 355 JFK to Burbank has JUST arrived AT four twenty seven pm BAGGAGE CLAIM 3.” The transmission of the voice alerts can be rendered in, for example, a dozen languages and also different voices. In context of an automobile scenario, for example, once the alert is routed to, for example, a Bluetooth® application (e.g., a Bluetooth® connection), it connects to the user's remote electronic device (e.g., Smartphone) to a stereo of the automobile for playing of the voice alert. In the same automobile scenario and accessing a PLAN network as described earlier herein, if a user/driver is driving in the event of, for example, a national emergency in which the President of the United States addresses the nation, the Bluetooth® connection in the automobile would allow the user/driver to instantly hear the President and also in some embodiments, in consecutive multiple languages and without visually distracting the user/driver while the user/driver continues to operate his or her automobile. In general, it can be appreciated that the disclosed embodiments, including the methods, systems and processor-readable media discussed herein, when implemented, will vocalize, for example, regional, national, government, presidential, and other alerts instantly and automatically and various languages which would automatically follow the base language (e.g., English) utterance. FIG. 14 illustrates a high-level flow chart of logical operations of a method 401 for providing automatic and instant digitized voice alerts, and converting such digitized voice alerts into more than one language for broadcast of the digitized voice alert in consecutively different languages through one or more remote electronic devices, in accordance with an embodiment. Note that the operational steps shown in FIG. 14 are similar to those depicted in FIG. 4, except for differences shown at blocks 411 and 413. That is, assuming it is determined to convert the digitized voice alert into other languages, an operation can be implemented, as indicated at block 411, to convert the digitized voice alert into multiple languages (e.g., English to Spanish, Italian, Vietnamese, etc.). Then, as indicated at block 413, the voice alert can be instantly broadcast consecutively in different languages (e.g., English followed by Spanish, Italian, Vietnamese, and then back to English again). Thus, a loop of voice alerts in different languages can be provided. In some embodiments, a live utterance can be instantly converted into a digitized voice alert for automatic delivery in a selected series of languages following the base language (e.g., English). The combined digitized voice alert can then be instantly transmitted through, for example, network 501 for broadcast through one or more of the remote electronic devices 198, 199, 201, 202, 203, 204, etc. Note that the transmission of text messages and text-to-speech conversion is one approach for broadcasting voice alerts. Another approach and thus another embodiment, involves alert messages (e.g., a live speech or live announcement) sent directly from a phone call. For example, in the case of a national emergency or national announcement, the President can speak directly into a telephone (e.g., cell phone, landline, Internet Telephony based phone, etc.) and speak an utterance or announcement such as “This is a national emergency”. The voice of the President can thus be captured arid converted into a digitized voice alert (e.g., a wave file or other audio file) and then transmitted through, for example, network 501 to one or more of devices 198, 199, 201, 202, 203, 204, etc. FIG. 15 illustrates a high-level flow chart of operations depicting logical operations of a method 530 for providing an instant voice announcement automatically to remote electronic devices, in accordance with an embodiment. The methodology shown in FIG. 15 does not utilize text-to-speech conversion, but actually relies on the original live voice/utterance itself. In general, a speaker (e.g., the President) speaks directly into a voice capturing device such as, for example, a cell phone, landline phone, etc., as indicated at block 536. Then, as illustrated at block 538, the voice of the speaker (e.g., a live announcement) is captured. Thereafter, as shown at block 540, the captured utterance (e.g., live announcement) is automatically converted into a digitized voice message that is indicative of the live announcement (e.g., a digital audio recording of the live announcement) in response to capturing the live announcement. Next, as depicted at block 542, the digitized voice message of the captured utterance) is associated with a text message, which may or may not contain text. In some embodiments, the digitized voice message can be attached to the text message or may be bundled with the text message. Thereafter, as described at block 544, the digitized voice message can be automatically transmitted through network 501 to one or more remote electronic devices such as devices 198, 199, 201, 202, 203, 204, etc., that communicate with the network 501. Then, as shown at block 546, a test can be performed to automatically confirm if the text message (which includes the digitized voice message) has been received at a device such as one or more of devices 198, 199, 201, 202, 203, 204, etc. Such a test can include, in some embodiments, automatically detecting header information (e.g., packet header) to determine point of origin and point of transmission (e.g., the remote electronic device) to assist in determining if the text message (with digitized voice message attached) is received at the device. If so, then the process continues, as indicated at block 550. If not, a test is determined whether or not to transmit again or “try again” as shown at block 542, and the operation repeated. Assuming, it is determined not to “try again” (e.g., after a certain amount of time or a certain amount of repeat transmissions), the process can then terminate, as described at block 556. Assuming, however, that the answer is “Yes” in response to the test indicated at block 546 and it is confirmed that the text message is received at the device, then as depicted at block 550, the digitized voice message associated with and/or attached to the text message is automatically opened and then as indicated at block 554, the digitized voice message is automatically played (e.g., via a speaker) via the device. The process can then terminate, as shown as block 556. Thus, the text message (with the attached/associated digitized voice message) can be transmitted with the digitized voice message through network 501 for broadcast to the one or more electronic devices for automatic playback of the digitized voice message through the one or more remote electronic device upon receipt of the text message with the digitized voice message at the device(s). FIG. 16 illustrates a high-level flow chart of operations depicting logical operations of a method 531 for providing an instant voice announcement automatically to remote electronic devices, in accordance with an embodiment. Note that the method 531 shown in FIG. 16 is similar to the method 530 depicted in FIG. 15, the difference being in the addition of a test to determine if a call (e.g., phone call) or other activity is in progress at the device at the time of receipt of the text message (with its attached/associated digitized voice message). If a call is in progress, as shown at block 548, then as indicated at block 549, the call can be interrupted and the text message with its attached/associated digitized voice message (e.g., announcement from the President) pushed ahead of the current call to allow the digitized voice message to be automatically opened via the device, as shown at block 550. Assuming a call is not in progress, then as indicated at blocks 548 and 550, the digital voice message (e.g., vocal utterance) is automatically opened via the remote electronic device. Thereafter, the digitized voice message can be automatically played, as indicated at block 554, via the device and in the case of an interrupted call, takes precedence over the interrupted call. Thus, the operations shown in FIG. 16 allow for an automatic interruption of a current call in each remote electronic device in order to push the text message with the digitized voice message through to each remote electronic device for automatic playback of the digitized voice message. The digitized voice message can in some embodiments be automatically opened in response to receipt of the text message with the digitized voice message at the one or more remote electronic devices, and automatically played through respective speakers associated with each remote electronic device in response to automatically opening the digitized voice message. In other embodiments, the identity of the speaker (e.g., the President) associated with the live announcement can be authenticated via, for example, the voice recognition engine 220 shown in FIG. 1, prior to automatically converting the live announcement into the digitized voice message indicative of the live announcement. FIG. 17 illustrates a high-level flow chart of operations depicting logical operations of a method 533 for providing an instant voice announcement automatically to remote electronic devices, in accordance with an embodiment. Note that the methodology of FIG. 17 is similar to that of FIGS. 15-16, the difference being that that method 533 of FIG. 17 does not utilize a text message transmission. Instead, in method 533, the original voice announcement or utterance is captured and configured in a digitized voice alert format and transmitted and pushed through via network 501 to devices 198, 199, 201, 202, 203, 204, etc. FIG. 18 illustrates a high-level flow chart of operations depicting logical operations of a method 535 for providing an instant voice announcement automatically to remote electronic devices, in accordance with an embodiment. The methodology of FIG. 18 is similar to that of FIGS. 15-17, the difference being that the method 535 shown in FIG. 18 includes a language conversion and broadcast feature, as indicated by blocks 547 and 551. This is similar to the language features discussed earlier herein. Note that the actual language conversion can take place at the mobile device via, for example, a language conversion module, or may take place earlier in the process prior to transmission of the live announcement but after capturing the announcement or utterance from the speaker, FIG. 19 illustrates a block diagram of a system 560 for providing an instant voice announcement automatically to remote electronic devices, in accordance with an embodiment. System 560 generally includes a processor 480 and a data bus 481 coupled to the processor 480. System 560 can also include a computer-usable medium 482 embodying computer code 484 (or a module or group of modules). The computer-usable medium 482 is generally coupled to the data bus 481, and the computer program code 484 comprises instructions executable by the processor 480 and configured for performing the instructions/operations of, for example, methods 401, 530, 531, 533 and/or 535 respectfully illustrated and discussed hereinwith respect to FIGS. 14-18. In some embodiments, the computer-program code 484 of FIG. 19 can comprise instructions executable by processor 480 and configured for capturing a live announcement; automatically converting the live announcement into a digitized voice message indicative of the live announcement, in response to capturing the live announcement; associating the digitized voice message with a text message to be transmitted through network 501 to a plurality of remote electronic devices that communicate with the network 501; and transmitting the text message with the digitized voice message through network 501 for broadcast to the plurality of electronic devices for automatic playback of the digitized voice message through at least one remote electronic device among the plurality of remote electronic devices upon receipt of the text message with the digitized voice message at the at least one remote electronic device among the plurality of remote electronic devices. In other embodiments, the code 484 may comprise instructions configured for automatically interrupting a current call in each remote electronic device among the plurality of remote electronic, devices in order to push the text message with the digitized voice message through to each of the plurality of remote electronic devices for automatic playback of the digitized voice message via the plurality of remote electronic devices. In other embodiments, the code 484 may comprise instructions for automatically opening the digitized voice message in response to receipt of the text message with the digitized voice message at the at least one remote electronic device among the plurality of remote electronic devices; and automatically playing the digitized voice message through a speaker associated with the at least one remote electronic device in response to automatically opening the digitized voice message. In yet other embodiments, the code 484 may comprise instructions configured for authenticating an identity of a speaker associated with the live announcement prior to automatically converting the live announcement into the digitized voice message indicative of the live announcement. Authentication may occur, for example, automatically utilizing a voice recognition engine. In still other embodiments, instructions of the code 484 can be further configured for broadcasting the digitized voice message through the at least one remote electronic device in at least one language based on a language setting in a user profile. In yet other embodiments, instructions of the code 484 can be further configured for pre-selecting the at least one language in the user profile. In other embodiments, instructions of the code 484 can be configured for establishing the user profile as a user preference via a server during a set up of the at least one remote electronic device. Additionally, in other embodiments, instructions of the code 484 can be configured for establishing the user profile as a user preference via an intelligent router during a set up of the at least one remote electronic device. In still other embodiments, the code 484 can include instructions configured during a set up of the at least one remote electronic device for selecting the at least one language from a plurality of different languages. In other embodiments, the code 484 can include instructions configure for converting the digitized voice message into more than one language from among a plurality of languages for broadcast of the digitized voice alert in consecutively different languages through the at least one remote electronic device. FIG. 20 illustrates a block diagram of a processor-readable medium 562 for providing an instant voice announcement automatically to remote electronic devices, accordance with an embodiment Processor-readable medium 562 can store code representing instructions to cause the processor 480 to perform a process to automatically provide an instant voice announcement to remote electronic devices. The code 484 can comprise code to implement the instructions/operations of, for example, methods 401, 530, 531 533 and/or 535 respectfully illustrated and discussed herein with respect to FIGS. 14-18. Such a code 484 (or a module or group modules, routines, subroutines. etc.) can comprise code to, for example, capture a live announcement, automatically convert the live announcement into a digitized voice message indicative of the live announcement in response to capturing the live announcement; associate the digitized voice message with a text message to be transmitted through network 501 to a plurality of remote electronic devices that communicate with the network; and transmit the text message with the digitized voice message through network 501 for broadcast to the plurality of electronic devices for automatic playback of the digitized voice message through at least one remote electronic device among the plurality of remote electronic devices upon receipt of the text message with the digitized voice message at the at least one remote electronic device among the plurality of remote electronic devices. In some embodiments, such a code 484 can further comprise code to automatically interrupt a current call in each remote electronic device among the plurality of remote electronic devices in order to push the text message with the digitized voice message through to each of the plurality of remote electronic devices for automatic playback of the digitized voice message via the plurality of remote electronic devices. In other embodiments, such a code 484 can comprise code to automatically open the digitized voice message in response to receipt of the text message with the digitized voice message at the at least one remote electronic device among the plurality of remote electronic devices; and automatically play the digitized voice message through a speaker associated with the at least one remote electronic device in response to automatically opening the digitized voice message. The code 484 can also in some embodiments comprise code to authenticate an identity of a speaker associated with the live announcement prior to automatically converting the live announcement into the digitized voice message indicative of the live announcement. In other embodiments, the code 484 can comprise code to authenticate the identity of the speaker further utilizing a voice recognition engine. In other embodiments, the code 484 can comprise code to broadcast the digitized voice message through the at least one remote electronic device in at least one language based on a language setting in a user profile. In still other embodiments, the code 484 can comprise code to pre-select the at least one language in the user profile, and/or to establish the user profile as a user preference via a server during a set up of the at least one remote electronic device, and/or to establish the user profile as a user preference via an intelligent router during a set up of the at least one remote electronic device. In yet other embodiments, the code 484 can comprise code during a set up of the at least one remote electronic device, to select the at least one language from a plurality of different languages. In yet other embodiments, the code 484 can comprise code to convert the digitized voice message into more than one language from among a plurality of languages for broadcast of the digitized voice alert in consecutively different languages through the at least one remote electronic device. Referring now to FIG. 21, an exemplary data processing system 600 may be included in devices operating in accordance with some embodiments. As illustrated, the data processing system 600 generally includes a processor 480, a memory 636, and input/output circuits 646. The data processing system 600 may be incorporated in, for example, the personal or laptop computer 198, portable wireless hand held devices (e.g., Smartphone, etc) 199, 201, 202, television 203, automobile 204, or a router, server, or the like. An example of such a server is, for example, server 205 shown in FIG. 1, server 231 shown in FIG. 13, and so forth. The processor 480 can communicate with the memory 636 via an address/data bus 648 and can communicate with the input/output circuits 646 via, for example, an address/data bus 649. The input/output circuits 646 can be used to transfer information between the memory 636 and another computer system or a network using, for example, an Internet Protocol (IP) connection and/or wireless or wired communications. These components may be conventional components such as those used in many conventional data processing systems, which may be configured to operate as described herein. Note that the processor 480 can be any commercially available or custom microprocessor, microcontroller, digital signal processor or the like. The memory 636 may include any memory devices containing the software and data used to implement the functionality circuits or modules used in accordance with embodiments of the present invention. The memory 636 can include, for example, but is not limited to, the following types of devices: cache, ROM, PROM, EPROM, EEPROM, flash memory, SRAM, DRAM and magnetic disk. In some embodiments of the present invention, the memory 636 may be, for example, a content addressable memory (CAM). As further illustrated in FIG. 21, the memory 636 may include several categories of software and data used in the data processing system 600: an operating system 652; application programs 654; input/output device drivers 658; and data 656. As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, the operating system 652 may be any operating system suitable for use with a data processing system such as, for example, Linux, Windows XP, Mac OS, Unix, operating systems for Smartphones, tablet devices, etc. The input/output device drivers 658 typically include software routines accessed through the operating system 652 by the application programs 654 to communicate with devices such as the input/output circuits 646 and certain memory 636 components. The application programs 654 are illustrative of the programs that implement the various features of the circuits and modules according to some embodiments of the present invention. The data 656 represents static and dynamic data that can be used by the application programs 654, the operating system 652, the input/output device drivers 658, and other software programs that may reside in the memory 636. As illustrated in FIG. 21, the data 656 may include, for example, user profile data 628 and other information 630 for use by the circuits and modules of the application programs 654 according to some embodiments of the present invention as discussed further herein. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 21, applications programs 654 can include, for example, one or more modules 622, 624, 626, etc. While the present invention is illustrated with reference to the modules 622, 624, 626, etc., being application programs in FIG. 21, as will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, other configurations fall within the scope of the disclosed embodiments. For example, rather than being application programs 654, these modules may also be incorporated into the operating system 652 or other such logical division of the data processing system 600. Modules 622, 624, 626 can include instructions/code and/or processor-readable media for performing the various operations/instructions and methods discussed herein. Thus, for example, modules 622, 624 and/or 626, etc., can he utilized to store the instructions of, for example, the methods and processes shown in FIGS. 1-2, 4-12 and 15-18, depending upon design considerations. Furthermore, while modules 622, 624, and 626 are illustrated in a single data processing system, as will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, such functionality may be distributed across one or more data processing systems. Thus, the disclosed embodiments should not be construed as limited to the configuration illustrated in FIG. 21, but may be provided by other arrangements and/or divisions of functions between data processing systems. For example, although FIG. 21 is illustrated as having various circuits/modules, one or more of these circuits may be combined without departing from the scope of the embodiments, preferred or alternative. Note that as discussed earlier herein the term “module” generally refers to a collection or routines (and/or subroutines) and/or data structures that perform a particular task or implements a particular abstract data type. Modules usually include two parts: an interface, which lists the constants, data types, variables, and routines that can be accessed by other modules or routines, and an implementation, which is typically, but not always, private (accessible only to the module) and which contains the source code that actually implements the routines in the module. The term “module” may also refer to a self-contained component that can provide a complete function to a system and can he interchanged with other modules that perform similar functions. Referring now to FIG. 22, an exemplary environment 705 for operations and devices according to some embodiments of the present invention will be discussed. As illustrated in FIG. 22, the environment 705 may include a communication/computing device 710, the data communications network 501 as discussed earlier, a first server 740, and a second server 745. It can be appreciated that additional servers may be utilized with respect to network 501. It can also be appreciated that in some embodiments, only a single server such as server 740 may be required. Note that servers 745 and 740 shown in FIG. 22 are analogous or similar to sever 205 shown in FIG. 1 and server 231 depicted in FIG. 13. Similarly, databases 730 and 735 are analogous or similar to database 230 shown in FIGS. 1 and 13, etc. In general, the communication device 710 allows a user of the communication device 710 to communicate via bi-directional communication with one or more servers 740, 745, 205, 231, etc., over the data communication network 501. As illustrated, the communication device 710 depicted in FIG. 22 may include one or more modules 622, 624, 626, etc., or system 600 according to some embodiments. For example, the application programs 654 discussed above with respect to FIG. 21 can be included system 600 of the communication device 710. The communication device 710 may be, for example, devices such as devices 198, 199, 201, 202, 203, 204, etc., that communicate with network 501. The communication device 710 can include, for example, a user interface 744 and/or a web browser 715 that may be accessible through the user interface 744, according to some embodiments. The first server 740 may include a database 730 and the second server 745 may include a database 735. The communication device 710 may communicate over the network 501, for example, the Internet through a wireless communications link, an Ethernet connection, a telephone line, a digital subscriber link (DSL), a broadband cable link, cellular communications means or other wireless links, etc. The first and second servers 740 and 745 may also communicate over the network 501. Thus, the network 501 may convey data between the communication device 710 and the first and second servers 740 and 745. The various embodiments of methods, systems, processor-readable media, etc., that are described herein can be utilized in the context of the PLAN system discussed above. In general, authorized national, state or local government officials can send alerts to PLAN. PLAN authenticates the alert, verifies that the sender is authorized, and then PLAN sends the alert to participating wireless carriers. Participating wireless carriers push the alerts from, for example, cell towers to mobile telephones and other mobile electronic devices in the affected area. The alerts appear similar to text messages on mobile devices. Such “text-like messages” are geographically targeted. For example, a customer living in downtown New York would not receive a threat alert if they happen to be in Chicago when the alert is sent. Similarly, someone visiting downtown New York from Chicago on that same day would receive the alert. Users can receive three types of alerts from PLAN including alerts issued by the President, alerts involving imminent threats to safety of life, and Amber alerts. The approach described herein, however, if adapted to PLAN, would allow for actual voice alerts (e.g., digitized voice alert from the President, which the public would recognize) to be pushed through to mobile devices in communication with, for example, network 501. Additionally, as indicated earlier, such messages can he transmitted in different languages or in different sequences of languages. The digitized voice alert of an announcement from the President, for example, can be automatically converted into one or more other languages. Note that the various methods, systems and processor-readable media discussed herein can be implemented in the context of, for example, push technology such as, for example, instant push notification. Push technology, also known as server push, describes a style of Internet-based communication where the request for a given transaction is initiated by the publisher or central server. It is contrasted with pull technology, where the request for the transmission of information is initiated by the receiver or client. Synchronous conferencing and instant messaging are typical examples of push services. Chat messages and sometimes files are pushed to the user as soon as they are received by the messaging service. Both decentralized peer-to-peer programs (such as WASTE) and centralized programs (such as IRC or XMPP) allow pushing files, which means the sender initiates the data transfer rather than the recipient. Email is also a type of push system: the SMTP protocol on which it is based is a push protocol (see Push e-mail). However, the last step, from mail server to desktop computer, typically uses a pull protocol like POPS or IMAP. Modern e-mail clients make this step seem instantaneous by repeatedly polling the mail server, frequently checking it for new mail. The IMAP protocol includes the IDLE command, which allows the server to tell the client when new messages arrive. The original BlackBerry was the first popular example of push technology for email in a wireless context. Another popular type of Internet push technology was PointCast Network, which gained popularity in the 1990s. It delivered news and stock market data. Both Netscape and Microsoft integrated it into their software at the height of the browser wars, but it later faded away and was replaced in the 2000s with RSS (a pull technology). Other uses are push enabled web applications including market data distribution (stock tickers), online chat/messaging systems (webchat), auctions, online betting and gaming, sport results, monitoring consoles, and sensor network monitoring. One example of an instant push notification technology that can be adapted for use in accordance with one or more embodiments is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,899,476 entitled, “Method for Processing Push Notification in Multimedia Message Service” which issued to Cheng et at on Mar. 1, 2011 and is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Another example of an instant push notification technology that can be adapted for use in accordance with one or more embodiments is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,890,586 entitled “Mass Multimedia Messaging,” which issued to McNamara et at on Feb. 15, 2011 and is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. A further example of an instant push notification technology is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,617,162 entitled “Real Time Push Notification in an Even Driven Network,” which issued to Atul Saini on Nov. 10, 2009 and is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. It will be understood that the circuits and other means supported by each block and combinations of blocks can be implemented by special purpose hardware, software or firmware operating on special or general-purpose data processors, or combinations thereof. It should also be noted that, in some alternative implementations, the operations noted in the blocks may occur out of the order noted in the figures. For example, two blocks shown in succession may in fact be executed substantially concurrently, or the blocks may sometimes be executed in the reverse order, or the varying embodiments described herein can be combined with one another or portions of such embodiments can be combined with portions of other embodiments in another embodiment. It will be appreciated that variations of the above-disclosed and other features and functions, or alternatives thereof, may be desirably combined into many other different systems or applications. Also, that various presently unforeseen or unanticipated alternatives, modifications, variations or improvements therein may be subsequently made by those skilled in the art which are also intended to be encompassed by the following claims. | <SOH> BACKGROUND <EOH>In today's highly mobile society, there are increasing numbers of people who work at locations other than their homes or who are away from home long periods of time. There are also a growing number of people who have elderly parents living alone. Additionally, there are also many businesses, enterprises, government agencies, and so forth with offices, buildings, and other facilities that require constant monitoring, particularly during times when no one is available on-site. Finally, many emergency situations are such that immediate and quick notification to the public of such emergencies will save lives and resources. Accordingly, a need exists for an improved and efficient approach for transmitting or broadcasting instant voice alerts to remote electronic devices automatically during times of emergencies or as a part of security monitoring systems. | <SOH> BRIEF SUMMARY <EOH>The following summary is provided to facilitate an understanding of some of the innovative features unique to the disclosed embodiment and is not intended to be a full description A full appreciation of the various aspects of the embodiments disclosed herein can be gained by taking the entire specification, claims, drawings, and abstract as a whole. It is, therefore, one aspect of the disclosed embodiments to provide for the transmission of instant voice alerts automatically to remote electronic devices such as, for example, cellular telephones, computers, Smartphones, tablet computing devices, televisions, remote electronic devices in automobiles. etc. It is another aspect of the disclosed embodiments to provide for text-to-voice alerts to be transmitted instantly and automatically to remote electronic devices such as, for example, cellular telephones, computers, Smartphones, tablet computing devices, televisions, remote electronic devices in automobiles, etc. It is yet another aspect of the disclosed embodiments to provide methods, systems and processor-readable media for the generation and conversion of alerts from text messages to synthesized speech to be instantly and automatically transmitted as instant voice alerts to remote electronic devices. The aforementioned aspects and other objectives and advantages can now he achieved as described herein. Methods, systems and processor-readable media are disclosed for automatically providing instant voice alerts to remote electronic devices. In some embodiments, an activity can be detected utilizing one or more sensors. A text message indicative of the activity can be generated and converted into a digitized voice alert. The digitized voice alert can then be transmitted through a network for broadcast to one or more remote electronic devices that communicate with the network for an automatic audio announcement of the digitized voice alert through the one or more remote electronic devices. Note that an “activity” as utilized herein may be, for example, any number of different actions or events. In the context of a home security/monitoring system, a security sensor may detect that a door has opened while the occupants of the home are away. The opening of the door would constitute an “activity”. In other situations, a live utterance such as a live speech given by, for example, the President of the United States could constitute as an “activity” as discussed in more detail herein. In some embodiments, the digitized voice message can be instantly and automatically broadcast through the one or more remote electronic devices in one or more languages based on a language setting in a user profile. In some embodiments, the one or more languages can be pre-selected in the user profile (e.g., during a set-up of the user-profile or during changes to the users profile). In some embodiments, the user profile can be established as a user preference via a server during a set up (or at, a later time) of the one or more remote electronic devices. in other embodiments, the user profile can be established as a user preference via an intelligent router during a set up of the one or more remote electronic devices. In other embodiments, during a set up of the one or more remote electronic devices, the one or more languages can be selected from a plurality of different languages. In still other embodiments, the digitized voice message can be converted into the particular language specified by the remote electronic device(s). In yet other embodiments, digitized voice message can be converted into more than one language from among a plurality of languages for broadcast of the digitized voice alert in consecutively different languages through the one or more remote electronic devices. Methods, systems and processor-readable media are also disclosed for automatically providing instant voice alerts to remote electronic devices from incidents detected within a security system (e.g., a security system, a military security monitoring system, an enterprise/business building security monitoring system, etc). A wireless data network can be provided, which includes one or more sensors that communicate with the wireless data network within a location (e.g., a residence, building, business, government facility, military facility, etc). An activity can be detected utilizing one or more sensors associated with the location. A text message indicative of the activity can be generated and converted into a digitized voice alert. The digitized voice alert can be transmitted through a network for broadcast to one or more electronic devices that communicate with the network for an automatic audio announcement of the digitized voice alert through the remote electronic devices (e.g. a speaker associated with or integrated with such devices). Methods, systems and processor-readable media are also disclosed for providing emergency voice alerts to wireless hand held device users in a specified region. An emergency situation can be detected affecting a specified region and requiring emergency notification of the emergency to wireless hand held device users in the specified region. A text message indicative of the emergency situation can be generated and converted into a digitized voice alert. The digitized voice alert can be transmitted through specific towers of a cellular communications network in the specified region for distribution of an automatic audio announcement of the digitized voice alert to all remote electronic devices in communication with the specific towers in the specified region. Method, systems and processor-readable media are also disclosed for providing an instant voice announcement automatically to remote electronic devices. In such an approach, a live announcement (e.g., an announcement from the President) can be captured and then automatically converted into a digitized voice message indicative of the live announcement. The digitized voice message can be associated with a text message to be transmitted through a network to a plurality of remote electronic devices that communicate with the network. The text message with the digitized voice message can be transmitted through a network (e.g., cellular communications network, the Internet, etc.) for broadcast to the plurality of electronic devices for automatic playback of the digitized voice message through one or more remote electronic devices among the plurality of remote electronic devices upon receipt of the text message with the digitized voice message at the one or more remote electronic devices among the plurality of remote electronic devices. In some embodiments, a current call taking place at one or more of the remote electronic devices can be automatically interrupted in order to push the text message with the digitized voice message through to each of the plurality of remote electronic devices for automatic playing of the digitized voice message via a remote electronic device. In other embodiments, operations can be implemented for automatically opening the digitized voice message, in response to receipt of the text message with the digitized voice message at the one or more remote electronic devices among the plurality of remote electronic devices, and automatically playing the digitized voice message through a speaker associated with the one or more remote electronic devices in response to automatically opening the digitized voice message. In other embodiments, the identity of the speaker associated with the live announcement can be authenticated prior to automatically converting the live announcement into the digitized voice message indicative of the live announcement. In some embodiments, authentication of the speaker (e.g., the President or other official) can be authenticated utilizing a voice recognition engine. In still other embodiments, the digitized voice message can be broadcast through the one or more remote electronic devices in one or more languages based on a language setting in a user profile. As indicated previously, one or more languages can be pre-selected in the user profile. Additionally, the user profile can be established in some embodiments as a user preference via a server during a set up of one or more of the remote electronic devices. In some embodiments, the user profile can be established as a user preference via an intelligent router during a set up of the one or more remote electronic device. In other embodiments, during a set up of the one or more remote electronic devices, one or more languages can be selected from a plurality of different languages. In yet another embodiment the digitized voice message (e.g., an announcement from the President) can be converted into more than one language from among a plurality of languages for broadcast of the digitized voice alert in consecutively different languages through the one or more remote electronic devices. | H04L6726 | 20171127 | 20180531 | 69902.0 | H04L2908 | 3 | TWEEL JR, JOHN ALEXANDER | DIGITIZED VOICE ALERTS | SMALL | 1 | CONT-ACCEPTED | H04L | 2,017 |
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15,824,647 | PENDING | SINK CLAMP AND METHODS | A clamping device for mounting a sink to a counter includes a clamp having a clamp body and a binding spring of a flat-profile, bending type (“bending spring”), a binding lip for insertion through a first slot in the bottom surface of the countertop adjacent to the sink, the clamp and binding lip connected to the clamp body and extending away therefrom at least partially over an edge of the sink, and a clamp screw for insertion through a first opening in the clamp body and against a flange of the sink. The clamp screw may be covered by a screw cap, and a solid portion of the binding spring may be disposed between the clamp screw and the sink flange, or an opening in the binding spring may permit the clamp screw to press directly against the sink flange. | 1. An undercounter sink attachment system comprising: a sink having an outer edge configured to fit about an opening of a countertop having a generally vertical slot formed in a bottom surface of the countertop beside the sink, the slot extending generally alongside the outer edge of the sink when the sink is positioned about said opening under the countertop; and a clamping device for attaching the sink to the countertop, the clamping device having: a clamp body having an insertable end, said insertable end being configured to insert into the slot of the countertop above the clamp body in an upward insertion direction; and a clamping spring connected to the clamp body, the clamping spring in a relaxed state including a contacting portion extending upwardly from the clamp body forming an upward angle, said upward angle of the relaxed contacting spring portion configured to be deflected by contact of the contacting spring portion with a peripheral portion of the sink toward an angle of the peripheral sink portion to transmit an upward clamping force to said portion of the sink when the insertable end is inserted into the slot, wherein the clamping spring is connected to the clamp body by a fastener horizontally offset from the insertable end. 2. The undercounter sink attachment system of claim 1, wherein the fastener comprises one of a screw and a rivet extending through a hole in the clamping spring and through a spring attachment hole in the clamp body. 3. The undercounter sink attachment system of claim 2, further comprising a clamp screw extending threadably through a clamp screw hole in the clamp body, the clamp screw configured to transmit a generally upward force to one of the clamping spring and the portion of the sink to at least assist in holding the sink to the bottom surface of the countertop when the insertable end is inserted into the slot. 4. The undercounter sink attachment system of claim 3 wherein the clamp screw and spring attachment holes are located on first and second respective portions of the clamp body, and said first and second portions are parallel. 5. The undercounter sink attachment system of claim 3, the insertable end being comprised in a vertical portion of the clamp body bent approximately perpendicularly relative to a horizontal portion of the clamp body that comprises said clamp screw hole. 6. The undercounter sink attachment system of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of similarly constructed clamping devices securing the sink to the countertop. 7. The undercounter sink attachment system of claim 1, said clamp body including said insertable end being integrally formed from a single piece of material. 8. The undercounter sink attachment system of claim 1, wherein the clamping spring is a bending spring, and the deflected angle of the contacting portion of the clamping spring is configured to be aligned with the angle of the peripheral sink portion when the insertable end of the clamping device is inserted into the countertop slot. 9. The undercounter sink attachment system of claim 1, the clamping spring further comprising a generally flat connecting portion connected to the clamp body, and said contacting spring portion comprising a generally flat portion of the clamping spring. 10. The undercounter sink attachment system of claim 9, the clamping spring further comprising a bend disposed between the connecting spring portion and the contact spring portion. 11. A countertop system including the undercounter sink attachment system of claim 1, and further comprising said countertop. 12. A clamping device for mounting a sink to a countertop comprising: a clamp body; an insertable end of the clamp body, said insertable end being configured for insertion in an upward insertion direction into a slot in a bottom surface of a countertop about a perimeter of a sink, and a width of the slot extending generally alongside the perimeter of the sink; and a clamping spring connected to the clamp body, the clamping spring in a relaxed state including a contacting portion extending at an upward angle, the contacting spring portion in said relaxed state configured to contact a portion of the sink when the insertable end is partially inserted into said slot and to be deflected by contact with the portion of the sink to transmit an upward clamping spring force to the portion of the sink when the insertable end is further inserted into said slot, wherein the clamping spring is connected to the clamp body by a fastener horizontally offset from the insertable end. 13. The clamping device of claim 12, wherein the fastener comprises one of a screw and a rivet extending through a hole in the clamping spring and through a spring attachment hole in the clamp body. 14. The clamping device of claim 13, further comprising a clamp screw configured to be inserted through a clamp screw hole in the clamp body, wherein, when the insertable end is inserted into the slot, the clamp body is located so that the clamp screw inserted through said clamp screw hole in the clamp body transmits a generally upward clamp screw force to one of the clamping spring and the portion of the sink to at least assist in holding the sink to the bottom surface of the countertop 15. The clamping device of claim 14 wherein the clamp screw and spring attachment holes are located on first and second respective portions of the clamp body, and said first and second portions are parallel. 16. The clamping device of claim 14, the insertable end being comprised in a vertical portion of the clamp body bent approximately perpendicularly relative to a horizontal portion of the clamp body that comprises said clamp screw hole. 17. The clamping device of claim 14, the clamping spring comprising an opening to permit the clamp screw to extend through the opening to contact directly said portion of the sink. 18. The clamping device of claim 12, the clamping spring being removable from the clamp body, and the clamp screw configured to contact the portion of the sink directly, to transmit said generally upward force to the portion of the sink to at least assist in holding the sink to the bottom surface of the countertop, when the clamping spring is removed, the insertable end is inserted into the slot, and the perimeter of the sink is disposed alongside the slot. 19. The clamping device of claim 12, said clamp body including said insertable end being integrally formed from a single piece of material. 20. The clamping device of claim 12, the clamping spring further comprising a generally flat connecting portion connected to the clamp body, and said contacting spring portion comprising a generally flat portion of the clamping spring. 21. The clamping device of claim 20, the clamping spring further comprising a bend disposed between the connecting spring portion and the contacting spring portion. 22. A method of installing a sink to a countertop, a perimeter of the sink being configured to fit about an opening of the countertop, comprising: forming a slot extending generally upwardly into a bottom surface of the countertop, the slot having a width longer than a thickness of the slot, the width of the slot extending alongside the perimeter of the sink when the sink is positioned under the countertop; inserting an insertable end of a clamp body of a clamping device into the slot; when the insertable end is partially inserted into the slot, contacting a portion of the sink with a contacting portion of a clamping spring connected to the clamp body, the contacting portion extending at an upward angle when the clamping spring is in a relaxed state; and when the insertable end is further inserted into the slot, deflecting said contacting spring portion against the portion of the sink to transmit a generally upward clamping spring force to the portion of the sink, wherein the clamping spring is connected to the clamp body by a fastener horizontally offset from the insertable end. 23. A clamping device for mounting a sink to a countertop comprising: a clamp body; an insertable end of the clamp body, said insertable end being configured for insertion in an upward insertion direction into a slot in a bottom surface of a countertop about a perimeter of a sink, and a width of the slot extending generally alongside the perimeter of the sink; a clamp screw extending threadably through a clamp screw hole in the clamp body; and a clamp screw cap disposed over an end of the clamp screw; the clamp screw being configured to transmit a generally upward force through the clamp screw cap to a portion of the sink to at least assist in holding the sink to the bottom surface of the countertop when the insertable end is inserted into said slot. 24. The clamping device of claim 23, the clamp screw cap comprising a sidewall configured to surround a shaft of the clamp screw and an end wall comprising a bearing surface configured to abut an end of the mounting screw. 25. The clamping device of claim 24, the bearing surface being generally flat and having a diameter smaller than a diameter of the clamp screw shaft. 26. The clamping device of claim 23, further comprising a clamping spring connected to the clamp body, the clamping spring configured to contact a portion of the sink when the insertable end is partially inserted into said slot and to be deflected by contact with the portion of the sink to transmit an upward clamping spring force to the portion of the sink when the insertable end is further inserted into said slot, the clamping spring comprising an opening permitting the screw cap disposed over the end of the clamp screw to extend through said opening and to contact said portion of the sink when the insertable end is inserted into said slot. | CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/566,112, filed Dec. 10, 2014, the entire disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference. FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to the countertop industry. More particularly, the present invention relates to mounting clamps which connect sinks to countertops. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Conventional clamp methods and systems for attaching an undercounter sink to the underside of a counter, especially when the counter is made of granite or another hard surface, are time consuming and of ten subject to failure due to human error. In one conventional system, a sink is attached a counter using clips, typically supplied with the sink, that require drilling into the hard surface of the counter with an oversize diamond drill, inserting a threaded insert into the hole drilled therein utilizing a two-part epoxy, and then attaching the sink to the threaded insert with a screw and a clip to clamp the sink into place. This conventional system is time-consuming to install, and overtightening of the screw may cause the insert to pull out of the counter, while attaching the screw and the clip in the confined space under the counter is often difficult. Another conventional system requires wider undercutting a slot into the hard material of the countertop and then inserting a nut fastener into the slot with the head received and retained above the slot and the shaft extending downwardly through the slot. The sink is fit over the fastener from below, and then a clip and nut are required to clamp the sink to the countertop by the fastener. This system can create a strong clamping of the sink, but is also believed to be difficult and time consuming to implement. In another conventional system, special studs are typically glued to the underside of the countertop using a two-part epoxy, and the sink is held to the counter by tightening a clip and nut to the studs similar to the systems described above. In this system, the sink is directly attached to the counter only by gluing means, which is believed to create reliability problems. Implementation of this system is also believed to be difficult to perform in confined spaces, such as when the countertop is attached to the counter prior to installation of the sink. Another known method is to build a wooden cradle under the countertop for the sink to rest upon. In addition to being labor intensive, this method typically renders the sink irremovable from the countertop. A similar conventional method is to hang the sink on a wire sling attached to the base of the counter cabinet. This method, however, is also very time-consuming to implement, and difficult to standardize among sinks and cabinets of varying size. A still further method of attaching a sink to a granite or stone countertop is believed to require first cutting slots into the underside of the countertop to accept “L” shaped spring clips. Such spring clips, however, usually require at least two pieces, and must be hammered into place, which is very difficult in the confined space under the sink. This method is costly, and moreover, the required hammering action risks damaging the sink and countertop material. Additionally, extreme care must be taken when cutting the slots, which must be perpendicular to the surface of the countertop, or the countertop could be ruined. Yet another method and direction is shown in U.S. Published Patent Application No. 2012/0311780 which shows the drilling of holes into the underside of the countertop. Drilling holes into the countertop is believed to be slow in many circumstances. In addition, some undercounter sink attachment methods involve securing a mounting support in place by tightening a screw against the underside of a sink flange. In these methods, rotating contact of the screw end face may frictionally transmit a torque to the sink flange, causing the sink to rotate or otherwise shift out of a desired mounting position. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present clamping device, system, and methods are believed to allow for an advantageous quick and easy attachment of a sink to an underside of a counter. In an embodiment, a clamping device is provided for mounting a clamped article to a counter, particularly where the clamped article is a sink. The clamping device provides a clamp having a clamp body, an optional clamp spring, and a binding lip for insertion into a slot in a surface of the counter adjacent to a sink. The clamp body and binding spring are connected to the binding lip and extend away therefrom at least partially over an edge of the clamped sink. A clamp screw is then inserted through an opening in the clamp body and against a portion of the binding spring interposed between the clamp screw and an edge (e.g., a peripheral flange) of the clamped sink, to apply an axial clamping force to the edge of the sink, the clamping force producing a reaction bending moment in the clamp body tending to increase a frictional force between the binding lip and the slot to resist removal of the binding lip from the slot. Alternatively, the clamp screw extends through a clamp screw opening in the binding spring to bear directly against an edge of the clamped sink. Optionally, a cap is disposed over an end of the clamp screw. The cap may be disposed between the clamp screw and the edge of the sink to transmit the axial clamping force from the screw to the edge of the clamped sink and to isolate the clamped sink from torque applied to tighten or loosen the clamp screw while the clamp screw is engaging the edge of the sink. In another embodiment, a counter system includes a countertop, a sink configured to fit with an opening of the countertop, and plumbing, as well as at least one, if not a plurality, of clamping devices for attaching the sink to the countertop. The clamping devices include a clamp including an opening disposed toward an end of a clamp body and a binding lip inserted internal to the countertop from a bottom surface. The binding lip is integrally formed with the clamp body for insertion into a slot in a lower or bottom surface of the countertop adjacent to the sink external to a perimeter of the sink, and a clamp screw for insertion through the opening in the clamp body and against the edge of the sink or the binding spring, if utilized. In another embodiment, a method of installing a sink to a countertop includes the steps of forming an opening in the countertop corresponding to a shape of an outer edge of the sink, the opening being smaller than a perimeter of the outer edge of the sink, positioning the sink about the opening in the countertop, grinding a plurality of slots partially through a thickness of the countertop from the bottom, the plurality of slots located adjacent to but outside of the perimeter of the outer edge of the sink, inserting a binding lip of one of a plurality of clamping devices through each respective slot to assist in holding the sink against the countertop, threading a plurality of clamp screws into a respective first opening of each of a plurality of clamp bodies of the plurality of clamping devices, each of the clamp bodies having second openings for connecting the binding spring to the clamp body, and each of the first openings preferably being disposed below the outer edge of the sink, and tightening each of the plurality of clamp screws against the outer edge of the sink (or binding springs) to securely install the sink against the countertop. The binding lips may be held by friction and/or adhesives in the slots. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The particular features and advantages of the invention as well as other objects will become apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which: FIG. 1 is a side elevation view of a clamping device, according to an embodiment. FIG. 2 is a bottom plan view of a sink attached to a counter surface utilizing the clamping devices of FIG. 1. FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the binding system as shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the clamp body as shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 5 is a cross sectional view of a sink attached to a counter surface utilizing the clamping devices of FIG. 1. FIG. 6 is an enlarged portion of the partial sectional side view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 5. FIG. 6A is a side elevation view of a clamping device, according to another embodiment. FIG. 6B is a perspective view of a spring of the clamping device shown in FIG. 6A. FIG. 6C is a perspective view of a clamp body of the clamping device shown in FIG. 6A. FIG. 7 is a bottom perspective view of a clamping device, according to another embodiment. FIG. 8 is an exploded bottom perspective view of the clamping device shown in FIG. 7. FIG. 9 is a bottom plan view of the clamping device shown in FIG. 7. FIG. 10 is an inverted side elevation view of the clamping device shown in FIG. 7. FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional inverted side elevation view of the clamping device shown in FIG. 7. FIG. 12 is a bottom perspective view of a clamping device, according to another embodiment. FIG. 13 is an exploded bottom perspective view of the clamping device shown in FIG. 12. FIG. 14 is a bottom plan view of the clamping device shown in FIG. 12. FIG. 15 is an inverted side elevation view of the clamping device shown in FIG. 12. FIG. 16 is a cross-sectional inverted side elevation view of the clamping device shown in FIG. 12. FIG. 17 is a bottom perspective view of a clamping device, according to another embodiment. FIG. 18 is an exploded bottom perspective view of the clamping device shown in FIG. 17. FIG. 19 is a bottom plan view of the clamping device shown in FIG. 17. FIG. 20 is an inverted side elevation view of the clamping device shown in FIG. 17. FIG. 21 is a cross-sectional inverted side elevation view of the clamping device shown in FIG. 17. FIG. 22 is a midplane cross-sectional side elevation view of a screw cap used with clamping devices according to embodiments of the invention, oriented as in use. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION FIG. 1 illustrates a clamping device 1 according to an embodiment. In an embodiment, the clamping device 1 includes a clamp 10, a binding lip 14, and a clamp screw 15. The clamp 10 may further include a clamping spring 16 and a clamp body 17 extending away from the binding lip 14 at substantially a right angle to a lengthwise direction of the binding lip 14. The clamp 10 is configured to apply force as described below. FIG. 2 illustrates a sink 11, which may be positioned below and about a sink opening 13, and attached to a lower/under surface of a countertop 12 by utilization of one or more of clamping devices 1. The countertop 12 may have at least one slot or a plurality of slots 18 ground into the lower surface to receive the lip 14 of a respective clamping device 1. Each slot 18 may be adjacent to a nearest edge of the sink 11. In an embodiment, a slot 18 may be ⅞″ deep ground with a 4″ or other diameter grinding wheel to accept an approximately sized binding lip 14. All or individual components of the clamping device 1 may be formed of rigid steel or plastic, or a material of sufficient strength to hold the sink 11 to the countertop 12 without breaking or separating. The binding spring 16 and/or clamp body 17 may be alternatively formed of spring steel, or another strong but flexible material. The binding lip 14 may be made of a rigid material, such as steel, plastic, or a reinforced resin. Preferably the clamp 10 is a unitary or integral structure of the clamp body 17 formed with the binding lip 14 from a single material, such as a bent metal product. The clamp body 17 is preferably formed from a planar member with a single width that has been bent into a desired shape to provide the binding lip 14 as well as the clamp body 17 as illustrated. For many embodiments, manufactured in this manner, the thickness 42 is less than half of the width 32, and the thickness 42 is less than ⅓ of the width 32 or less than ¼ of the width. This is believed to provide a secure fit within a slot 18 such as is shown in FIG. 2. In the illustrated embodiment, the clamping body 17 has a first portion 43 which may be parallel to a second portion 45. Clamp screw 15 is shown proceeding through first bore or hole 9 and the spring screw 47 may then be inserted through bore or hole 25 of binding spring 16 and secured into the second hole or bore 7 as illustrated. The clamp body 17, the binding spring 16, the binding lip 14 and the clamp screw 15 can be seen in FIG. 1. FIG. 5 illustrates an enlarged portion of the partial sectional side view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 2. In the example of FIG. 2, the slot 18 may be formed only part of the way into the countertop 12 from its underside. As best seen with respect to FIGS. 1 and 2 as well, the binding lip 14 may then be inserted into the slot 18 directly. In an embodiment, the binding spring 16 may be screwed directly to the clamp body 17 at one end thereof such as with clamp screw 15. Once the binding lip 14 is so inserted into the slot 18, the clamp screw 15 may be inserted into a first hole 9 in the clamp body 17, which itself may be positioned over a nearest edge of a rim (or flange) 5 of the sink 11. Once so positioned, the clamp screw 15 may be turned (typically clockwise) in the second hole 7, which may be threaded to correspond to the threading of the clamp screw 15 to enable the clamp screw 15 to push an opposing end 3 of the binding spring 16 down against the sink rim 5, causing the binding lip 14 to bind in the slot 18 while simultaneously clamping the sink 11 to the countertop 12. The opposing end of the binding spring 16 may be solid, and need not include an additional opening corresponding to the clamp screw 15. On the other hand, with reference to FIGS. 6A-6C, illustrating a clamping device 10′, the opposing end of a modified binding spring 16′ may include an additional opening 23 corresponding to clamp screw 15. Opening 23 is an open-ended slot defined by spaced apart tabs 24a and 24b, which terminate at an end 3′ of binding spring 16′. Binding spring 16′ may also include an opening 25′ of similar length and width to opening 23, defined by spaced apart tabs 22a and 22b which terminate at an end 27 opposite to end 3′ of binding spring 16′. Opening 25′ of binding spring 16′ serves in lieu of the corresponding spring screw bore or hole 25 of binding spring 16 to receive a spring screw 47′, while tabs 22a and 22b are clamped between the head of spring screw 47′ and a clamp body 17′, to retain binding spring 16′. With reference to FIG. 6C, Clamp body 17′ includes a clamp screw hole 7′ configured to receive spring screw 47′. Thus, binding spring 16′ may be reversibly attached to clamp body 17′, either at end 3′ as shown in FIG. 6A, or at end 27 analogously to FIG. 1. It will be appreciated that reversible attachment of binding spring 16′ allows the position of a relief bend 20 and free end of binding spring 16′ to be varied as desired, such as to fit space requirements and/or to achieve a desired bending resistance response to deflection of binding spring 16′ by contact with a sink rim or flange, such as sink rim 5. In a method of using clamping devices according to the invention, with reference to clamping device 1 for illustrative purposes, the sink 11 may be positioned under the sink opening 13 (or to the underside of the countertop 12 if the countertop itself has not yet been installed to a counter) in the countertop 12. In an embodiment, countertop 12 may be made of granite or another hard surface material. The binding lip 14 of each clamping device 1 may be received in a respective slot 18. The countertop 12 may include a plurality of slots 18 sufficient to hold the sink 11 securely to the countertop 12. The binding lip 14 may be inserted into the slot 18. The corresponding hole in the binding spring 16 may receive a fastener such as a rivet or spring screw 47 at first end 29 of binding spring 16 which may be opposite second end 3. The spring screw 47 may also be directed through a first hole 31 in the clamp body 17 to retain binding spring 16 to the clamp body 17. In an embodiment, the minimal pressure may be by hand or tapping from a hammer or mallet. In an embodiment, the binding lip 14 may be held into place in the slot 18 by static friction from appropriate sizing of the slot 18 with respect to the binding lip 14 or by inclusion of a wax coating or possibly an adhesive on the binding lip 14, which may allow additional friction between the binding lip 14 and the slot 18, as best seen in FIG. 3. Once the binding lips 14 are positioned in the respective slots 18, the clamping device 1 may be distributed around the sink 11 to support the weight of the sink 11 on the respective clamp bodies 17. While the weight of the sink 11 is so supported by the clamp bodies 17, a fitter may be able to move the sink 11 on the clamping devices 1 to fit the sink 11 into a desired position about the sink opening 13. Once the sink 11 is in the desired position about the sink opening, the clamp screw 15 may be screwed into the opposing end of the clamp body 17 away from the respective solid end of the binding spring 16 that presses against the edge of the sink 11. The tightening of the clamp screw 15 to separate the clamp body 17 and binding spring 16 at the opposing end of the clamp 10 typically causes the first end of the binding spring 16 and clamp body 17 about the binding lip 14 to securely pull against the binding lip 14 and thereby clamp the sink 11 to the countertop 12. In the fully installed position, each clamping device 1 may be capable of carrying a significantly greater amount of weight placed on each clamp body 17. A shape of the clamp 10 allows the holding strength to become stronger when more pressure is exerted to the clamp screw 15 either by torque or by separation force between clamp 10 and countertop 12. In an embodiment, the binding lip 14 may have ridges cut into it to allow for additional gripping friction within the slot 18. A wax adhesive or sacrificial substance may additionally be applied to the binding lip 14 in this example to further aid the clamping device 1 to be pressure fitted with and into the slot 18. As best seen in FIG. 1, the opposing end of the clamp 10—including the clamp body 17 and binding spring 16—may be configured to accept sinks 11 of various flange thicknesses, or even a varying thickness around the flange of a single sink 11, without having to include additional parts to clamp the edge to countertop 12. The shape of the clamp 10 provides for a universal fitting. Additionally, according to an embodiment, the friction of the binding lip 14 within the slot 18 may, when clamped, securely hold the sink 11 to the countertop 12 when the binding lip 14 is fully inserted through the clamp 10 into the slot 18 (e.g., FIG. 1), or when the binding lip 14 is only partially inserted through the clamp into the slot 18. The binding lip may thus be of sufficient length to allow for universal fitting to countertops of varied, or varying, thicknesses, without having to shorten the length of the binding lip. Other embodiments of the present clamping device are contemplated by the present inventor, including a clamp 10 without a binding spring 16, where the clamp body could serve as the entire clamp. In this example, the clamp screw 15 will press directly against the edge of the sink 11 when tightened, instead of the binding spring 16. The clamping device would otherwise function the same as described above. The binding lip 14 is preferably the same width 30 as a clamp body width 32 and is formed of a single piece of material (i.e., a single piece of unitary material and/or integral and/or integrally formed). In an embodiment, the sink 11 may be installed to a countertop 12 utilizing the clamping device 1 according to the following steps. The countertop 12 may first be placed bottom side up on a workbench (not shown), for easier access to a fitter. Where the countertop is made of a very heavy and hard material such as granite, it may be particularly advantageous to work on the bottom side from above the countertop 12 prior to its installation to a counter. The sink 11 may then be placed substantially into position on the bottom side of countertop 12. A mark may then be placed on the countertop 12 at a desired position of the aligning slots about the binding lip 14 of each clamping device 1 about the edge of the sink 11. In an embodiment, the respective marks may be approximately ½″ from the edge or perimeter of the sink 11. The slots 18 may then be ground at each of the marks to receive the respective binding lips 14. In an embodiment, the slots 18 may be ¼′ in width and ⅞″ deep into a thickness of the countertop 12. The slots 18 preferably do not pass all the way through the countertop 12. The countertop 12 may then be installed onto cabinets of a counter by conventional methods. In some embodiments, the clamping device 1 may be pre-assembled, such that the binding lip 14, clamp screw 15, binding spring 16, and clamp body 17 are fitted together to only require insertion of the binding lip into a respective slot 18 and tightening of the clamp screw 15. By these configurations, the present embodiments eliminate the need to inventory and keep track of various parts (e.g., flat clips, nuts, inserts, studs, washers, etc.) conventionally needed to attach an article, such as a sink, to a surface. Furthermore, due to the often very crowded and limited work space available under a kitchen sink, including but not limited to plumbing supply lines and drains, it is conventionally very difficult to use two hands when installing under counter sinks from below, even though use of both hands is typically required in such conventional installations. According to the present embodiments, however, the present clamping devices and methods may be fully implemented through one-handed installation, which greatly simplifies the installation of an under counter sink from below. The binding lip 14 may be directed into the slot 18. Inserting by hand is preferred. Another advantage to the present embodiments is that no special tooling is required to complete a sink installation. The only tooling required to accomplish the steps described above may be a standard grinder such as one having a diamond blade (if the countertop 12 is made of a hard stone material such as granite, for example). Use of a relatively small width for the slot 18, as described above, also allows for very fast and economical cutting or grinding. With reference to FIGS. 7-22, clamping devices incorporating an optional clamp screw cap, as well as illustrating examples of variations in spring and clamp body shapes within the scope of the invention, will now be described. In particular, illustrated in FIGS. 7-11 is a clamping device 50 differing from clamping device 1 in the shape of its binding spring; illustrated in FIGS. 12-16 is a clamping device 80 differing from clamping device 1 in the shapes of its binding spring and of its clamp body; and illustrated in FIGS. 17-21 is a clamping device 90 differing from all the previously described clamping devices in the shapes of its binding spring and of its clamp body; each of clamping devices 50,80, and 90 optionally incorporating a clamp screw cap 57. It is to be understood and noted that “upward”, “downward”, and related terms in the following disclosure refer to the opposite directions in FIGS. 7-21, which are either bottom views or inverted elevation views of the illustrated clamping devices. Turning to FIGS. 7-11, clamping device 50 will now be described in greater detail. Clamping device 50 comprises a clamp body 52 with a binding lip 54, a clamp screw 55 optionally capped by clamp screw cap 57, a binding spring 56, and a spring screw 58 attaching binding spring 56 to clamp body 52. Binding spring 56 includes two bends dividing its length into three segments, namely, a connecting segment 59 that is secured to clamp body 52 by spring screw 58, followed by a downturned middle segment 61 adjacent to connecting segment 59, in turn followed by an upturned, deflectable contact segment 63 adjacent to middle segment 61. The downward orientation of middle segment 61 provides room for deflectable contact segment 63 to extend upwardly from a proximal end of contact segment 63 meeting a distal end of middle segment 61 to a desired location of a distal end 65 of contact segment 63. That desired location of distal end 65 may be selected to control or limit the distance that it deflects when clamping device 50 is in use. For example, limiting the amount of deflection may help to ensure that a distal end 65 of contact segment 63 remains in contact with a sink flange as binding spring 56 is deflected, so that the entire length of binding spring 56 is efficiently loaded in bending. For example, a distal end 65 of contact segment 63 may be located at approximately the vertical position of the top of spring screw 58, such as apparently shown in FIGS. 15-16, though the drawings will be understood as illustrative only and not necessarily to scale. This location of distal end 65 would limit the amount of downward deflection of distal end 65 to no more than approximately the vertical thickness of a sink flange, at which point the top of spring screw 58 would typically abut the underside of the countertop, preventing further insertion of binding lip 54. The depth to which middle segment 61 extends downwardly and the relative lengths of middle segment 61 and contact segment 63, as well as other proportional relationships within clamping device 50, may be varied to provide the desired contact between contact segment 63 and a sink flange and the desired bending resistance response of spring 56. Binding spring 56 also includes a clamp screw opening 60, defined by a pair of spaced apart tabs 62a and 62b extending the length of middle segment 61 and contact segment 63. Clamp screw opening 60 is sized and positioned to permit clamp screw cap 57 to fit therethrough in an upright orientation, as best seen in FIG. 7. This permits an installer to insert clamping device 50 until spring 56 engages a sink flange, providing a sufficient bending moment on clamp body 52 to at least temporarily frictionally retain binding lip 54 in a slot, leaving the installer with a free hand to tighten clamp screw 55 until an end face 53 of its shaft or shank, or an end wall 72 of screw cap 57, if included, engages and presses firmly against the sink flange to provide a more permanent binding torque. Bypassing binding spring 56 in this manner advantageously permits clamp screw 55 to be tightened into flush engagement with a flat, horizontal sink flange without the need to force the profile of spring 56 into conformity or alignment with that of the sink flange. As seen in FIG. 8, clamp body 52 includes a first hole 64 in a generally horizontal end segment opposite binding lip 54, for receiving clamp screw 55, and a second hole 66 in a generally horizontal intermediate segment adjacent binding lip 54, for receiving spring screw 58 inserted through a corresponding hole 68 in connecting segment 59 of binding spring 56 to attach binding spring 56 to clamp body 52. Screw cap 57 is a one-piece body, preferably of molded plastic, having a generally cylindrical sidewall 70, for retaining an end portion of a shaft of clamp screw 55, connected to an end wall 72 for acting as a buffer between clamp screw 55 and a sink flange. End wall 72 serves to transmit a clamp screw force along the axis of clamp screw 55 and also to isolate a sink flange from frictional torque about the same axis. This torque isolation may be achieved by permitting relative rotation of clamp screw end face 53 against end wall 72 and/or by end wall 72 itself rotating relatively to the sink flange, with minimal friction. In the illustrated embodiment, end wall 72 has a broad flat external end surface to disperse the clamp screw force over a wide area and provide a stable base, but a rounded end surface may better limit friction to facilitate the latter relative rotation. On the other hand, an internal surface of end wall 72 includes a raised bearing 74 protruding in an axially inward direction, and presenting a bearing surface 76 (shown in FIG. 22) with a diameter D2 significantly smaller than a diameter D1 of an opening 78 of screw cap 57 and smaller than an outer diameter of clamp screw 55. The relatively small contact area of bearing surface 76 against end face 53 of clamp screw 55 promotes low friction therebetween so that clamp screw 55 may freely rotate against bearing surface 76. Bearing surface 76 may also advantageously be rounded (e.g., spherically convex), rather than flat as depicted, for the same purpose. An appropriate height h of bearing 74 may be selected to permit bearing 74 to compress without flattening so as to effectively increase the area of its bearing surface 76, and an appropriate thickness t of end wall 72 may be selected to bear the compressive stress associated with the axial clamp screw force. Conversely, in another embodiment (not shown), end wall 72 may include a flat internal surface for promoting stable, relatively high friction contact with the end of clamp screw 55 (in lieu of stable contact with the sink flange), and a rounded external surface for promoting low-friction contact with the sink flange. Referring to FIGS. 12-16, clamping device 80 will now be described in greater detail. Clamping device 80 includes a clamp body 82 with a binding lip 84, a clamp screw 85 with a lower end face 83, optionally capped by the previously described clamp screw cap 57, the previously described binding spring 56, the previously described spring screw 58 attaching binding spring 56 to clamp body 82. As seen in FIG. 13, clamp body 82 includes a first hole 86 in a generally horizontal end segment opposite binding lip 84, for receiving clamp screw 85, and a second hole 88 in a generally horizontal intermediate segment adjacent binding lip 84, for receiving spring screw 58. Clamping device 80 is substantially similar to clamping device 50 in all respects except for having a taller profile, characterized by a segment 81 of clamp body 82 that spans a vertical distance separating a segment bearing first hole 86 from a segment bearing second hole 88. This greater separation accommodates greater variation in sink flange thicknesses, or greater variation in the thickness of the same sink flange. With reference to FIGS. 17-21, clamping device 90 will now be described in greater detail. Clamping device 90 includes a clamp body 92 with a binding lip 94, a clamp screw 95 with a lower end face 93, optionally capped by the previously described clamp screw cap 57, a binding spring 96, and spring screw 98 attaching binding spring 96 to clamp body 92. As seen in FIG. 13, clamp body 92 includes a first hole 104 for receiving clamp screw 95, and a second hole 106 for receiving spring screw 98, the latter extending through a hole 108 in a connecting segment 99 of binding spring 96. First and second holes 104,106 are formed in the same generally horizontal segment adjacent binding lip 94, so that clamp body 92 has a compact shape best suited to clamping thin sink flanges, or thin portions thereof. Spring 96 includes only a single bend, as the shape of body 92 does not allow for a segment extending downwardly from connecting segment 99. Accordingly, binding spring 96 is divided into connecting segment 99 and an upwardly angled contact segment 103, comprising a pair of spaced apart tabs 102a and 102b, defining a clamp screw opening 100 therebetween to accommodate the passage of clamp screw 95, with or without screw cap 57. Thus, all of the bending of binding spring 96 must occur in contact segment 103, in sharp contrast to contact segment 63 of binding spring 56, which primarily only rotates while the longer and less steeply angled middle segment 61 bears the majority of bending. Additionally, in conjunction with the compact shape of clamp body 92, binding spring 96 is advantageously made as short as possible, so that clamping device 90 may be used for installations where space limitations require slots to be formed very close to the sink flange. Therefore, binding spring 96 may need to have a smaller thickness, and/or tabs 102a and 102b may need to be narrower than their counterpart tabs 62a and 62b, as emphasized by their depiction in the drawings, so that contact segment 103 is not too stiff to permit full insertion of binding lip 94 into a slot. According to the present embodiments described herein, clamping devices according to the invention may be configured such that, once the device is installed, the greater the separating force that can be achieved between a sink and a countertop to which the sink is attached using the device, the higher the holding power that will be realized by the device. One of ordinary skill in the art will further appreciate, after reading and comprehending the present disclosure, that a clamping device according to the present embodiments will further allow a sink that is installed as described above to be more easily removed than can be conventionally accomplished, at a later time if desired, and without risking the countertop to damage from the removal. Changes may be made in the above methods and systems without departing from the scope hereof. The present inventor further contemplates that the many features disclosed herein may be used together or in combination with the other features disclosed among the several embodiments of the invention. It should thus be noted that the matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings should be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense. The following claims are intended to cover all generic and specific features described herein, as well as all statements of the scope of the present method and system, which, as a matter of language, might be said to fall therebetween. While the invention has been described with respect to certain embodiments, as will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, it is to be understood that the invention is capable of numerous changes, modifications and rearrangements, and such changes, modifications and rearrangements are intended to be covered by the following claims. | <SOH> BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION <EOH>Conventional clamp methods and systems for attaching an undercounter sink to the underside of a counter, especially when the counter is made of granite or another hard surface, are time consuming and of ten subject to failure due to human error. In one conventional system, a sink is attached a counter using clips, typically supplied with the sink, that require drilling into the hard surface of the counter with an oversize diamond drill, inserting a threaded insert into the hole drilled therein utilizing a two-part epoxy, and then attaching the sink to the threaded insert with a screw and a clip to clamp the sink into place. This conventional system is time-consuming to install, and overtightening of the screw may cause the insert to pull out of the counter, while attaching the screw and the clip in the confined space under the counter is often difficult. Another conventional system requires wider undercutting a slot into the hard material of the countertop and then inserting a nut fastener into the slot with the head received and retained above the slot and the shaft extending downwardly through the slot. The sink is fit over the fastener from below, and then a clip and nut are required to clamp the sink to the countertop by the fastener. This system can create a strong clamping of the sink, but is also believed to be difficult and time consuming to implement. In another conventional system, special studs are typically glued to the underside of the countertop using a two-part epoxy, and the sink is held to the counter by tightening a clip and nut to the studs similar to the systems described above. In this system, the sink is directly attached to the counter only by gluing means, which is believed to create reliability problems. Implementation of this system is also believed to be difficult to perform in confined spaces, such as when the countertop is attached to the counter prior to installation of the sink. Another known method is to build a wooden cradle under the countertop for the sink to rest upon. In addition to being labor intensive, this method typically renders the sink irremovable from the countertop. A similar conventional method is to hang the sink on a wire sling attached to the base of the counter cabinet. This method, however, is also very time-consuming to implement, and difficult to standardize among sinks and cabinets of varying size. A still further method of attaching a sink to a granite or stone countertop is believed to require first cutting slots into the underside of the countertop to accept “L” shaped spring clips. Such spring clips, however, usually require at least two pieces, and must be hammered into place, which is very difficult in the confined space under the sink. This method is costly, and moreover, the required hammering action risks damaging the sink and countertop material. Additionally, extreme care must be taken when cutting the slots, which must be perpendicular to the surface of the countertop, or the countertop could be ruined. Yet another method and direction is shown in U.S. Published Patent Application No. 2012/0311780 which shows the drilling of holes into the underside of the countertop. Drilling holes into the countertop is believed to be slow in many circumstances. In addition, some undercounter sink attachment methods involve securing a mounting support in place by tightening a screw against the underside of a sink flange. In these methods, rotating contact of the screw end face may frictionally transmit a torque to the sink flange, causing the sink to rotate or otherwise shift out of a desired mounting position. | <SOH> SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION <EOH>The present clamping device, system, and methods are believed to allow for an advantageous quick and easy attachment of a sink to an underside of a counter. In an embodiment, a clamping device is provided for mounting a clamped article to a counter, particularly where the clamped article is a sink. The clamping device provides a clamp having a clamp body, an optional clamp spring, and a binding lip for insertion into a slot in a surface of the counter adjacent to a sink. The clamp body and binding spring are connected to the binding lip and extend away therefrom at least partially over an edge of the clamped sink. A clamp screw is then inserted through an opening in the clamp body and against a portion of the binding spring interposed between the clamp screw and an edge (e.g., a peripheral flange) of the clamped sink, to apply an axial clamping force to the edge of the sink, the clamping force producing a reaction bending moment in the clamp body tending to increase a frictional force between the binding lip and the slot to resist removal of the binding lip from the slot. Alternatively, the clamp screw extends through a clamp screw opening in the binding spring to bear directly against an edge of the clamped sink. Optionally, a cap is disposed over an end of the clamp screw. The cap may be disposed between the clamp screw and the edge of the sink to transmit the axial clamping force from the screw to the edge of the clamped sink and to isolate the clamped sink from torque applied to tighten or loosen the clamp screw while the clamp screw is engaging the edge of the sink. In another embodiment, a counter system includes a countertop, a sink configured to fit with an opening of the countertop, and plumbing, as well as at least one, if not a plurality, of clamping devices for attaching the sink to the countertop. The clamping devices include a clamp including an opening disposed toward an end of a clamp body and a binding lip inserted internal to the countertop from a bottom surface. The binding lip is integrally formed with the clamp body for insertion into a slot in a lower or bottom surface of the countertop adjacent to the sink external to a perimeter of the sink, and a clamp screw for insertion through the opening in the clamp body and against the edge of the sink or the binding spring, if utilized. In another embodiment, a method of installing a sink to a countertop includes the steps of forming an opening in the countertop corresponding to a shape of an outer edge of the sink, the opening being smaller than a perimeter of the outer edge of the sink, positioning the sink about the opening in the countertop, grinding a plurality of slots partially through a thickness of the countertop from the bottom, the plurality of slots located adjacent to but outside of the perimeter of the outer edge of the sink, inserting a binding lip of one of a plurality of clamping devices through each respective slot to assist in holding the sink against the countertop, threading a plurality of clamp screws into a respective first opening of each of a plurality of clamp bodies of the plurality of clamping devices, each of the clamp bodies having second openings for connecting the binding spring to the clamp body, and each of the first openings preferably being disposed below the outer edge of the sink, and tightening each of the plurality of clamp screws against the outer edge of the sink (or binding springs) to securely install the sink against the countertop. The binding lips may be held by friction and/or adhesives in the slots. | E03C1335 | 20171128 | 20180322 | 74473.0 | E03C133 | 1 | NGUYEN, TUAN N | SINK CLAMP AND METHODS | SMALL | 1 | CONT-ACCEPTED | E03C | 2,017 |
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15,825,309 | PENDING | MOSAIC TILE | A mosaic tile, comprising a plurality of subunits (2a-2b) adhered to a backing material (3), wherein at least some of said subunits (2a-2b) comprise thermoplastic material, or, more particularly consist of heterogeneous PVC tile parts. | 1. A mosaic tile comprising: a backing material sheet; and a plurality of subunits secured to the backing material sheet, wherein the plurality of subunits comprise: a plurality of plastic subunits; and a plurality of non-plastic subunits. 2. The mosaic tile of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of plastic subunits are defined as thermoplastic subunits. 3. The mosaic tile of claim 2, wherein said thermoplastic subunits each comprise a heterogeneous polyvinylchloride material. 4. The mosaic tile of claim 3, wherein said thermoplastic subunits comprise a substrate layer having a printed decoration thereon. 5. The mosaic tile of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of non-plastic subunits are defined as ceramic subunits. 6. The mosaic tile of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of non-plastic subunits are defined as natural stone subunits. 7. The mosaic tile of claim 1, wherein: each of the plurality of plastic subunits are defined as thermoplastic subunits; and each of the plurality of non-plastic subunits are defined as ceramic subunits. 8. The mosaic tile of claim 7, wherein each of the plurality of plastic subunits has a first thickness, and each of the plurality of non-plastic subunits has a second thickness, and wherein the first thickness is at least substantially equal to the second thickness. 9. The mosaic tile of claim 7, wherein said thermoplastic subunits each comprise a heterogeneous polyvinylchloride material. 10. The mosaic tile of claim 1, wherein the backing material sheet comprises one of: a mat, a film, a mesh, a net, a scrim, or a maze. 11. The mosaic tile of claim 1, wherein the backing material sheet comprises an adhesive layer adhering the plurality of subunits onto the backing material sheet. 12. The mosaic tile of claim 1, wherein the plurality of subunits collectively define at least two opposing staggered edges configured to interleave with adjacent mosaic tiles. 13. A mosaic tile comprising: a plurality of tile subunits secured relative to one another, wherein the plurality of tile subunits comprise: a plurality of thermoplastic subunits; and a plurality of ceramic subunits. 14. The mosaic tile of claim 13, wherein said thermoplastic subunits each comprise a heterogeneous polyvinylchloride material. 15. The mosaic tile of claim 14, wherein said thermoplastic subunits comprise a substrate layer have a printed decoration thereon. 16. The mosaic tile of claim 15, wherein the substrate layer defines a plurality of decorative reliefs therein. 17. The mosaic tile of claim 13, wherein the plurality of subunits are secured to a common backing material sheet such that the plurality of subunits are secured relative to one another. 18. The mosaic tile of claim 13, wherein the plurality of subunits are disposed in a common receptor tray. 19. The mosaic tile of claim 13, wherein each of the plurality of thermoplastic subunits has a first thickness, and each of the plurality of non-plastic subunits has a second thickness, and wherein the first thickness is at least substantially equal to the second thickness. 20. The mosaic tile of claim 13, wherein the plurality of subunits collectively define at least two opposing staggered edges configured to interleave with adjacent mosaic tiles. | CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This patent application claims priority from provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 62/430,645, filed Dec. 6, 2016, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. BACKGROUND Field of the Invention The present description relates to mosaic tiles which may be usable for wall applications, but also for applications on other surfaces, such as floors or worktops. Description of Related Art Mosaic tiles may comprise a plurality of ceramic subunits adhered to a backing material. Such mosaic tiles are for example illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 8,539,736 B1. The subunits may be of variable shape, such as square, irregular, or elongated and rectangular. Examples of such shapes can be found in EP 2 933 118 A1, U.S. D740,452 S. In accordance with the prior art, the ceramic subunits carry a glaze of uniform color and are unstructured. Providing a sophisticated print on the small subunits is in most cases practically unfeasible. The technique of printing on ceramic tiles or tile parts intrinsically provides an inferior image, due to a choice of the inks that needs to be resistant to the high baking temperatures of the tile. Possibly subunits of several uniform colors may be combined on one mosaic tile. With the aim of providing a prefabricated mix of subunits, U.S. Pat. No. 5,398,458 discloses the combination of subunits obtained from at least two natural stone slabs in one mosaic tile. Thereby an increase in shade variation is reached, as well as a solution to the possible risk of obtaining large shade differences between adjacent wall tiles containing subunits of only one, but mutually different natural stones. Natural stones are an expensive natural resource and the obtainable shade variation is limited. The shape variation and possible shade variations in between subunits of a mosaic tile, as disclosed in the above discussed prior art, opens up multiple technical means for design options, but still leaves much to be desired. BRIEF SUMMARY Various embodiments relate to a mosaic tile for wall, floor, and/or worktop applications, wherein in accordance with several embodiments one or more problems with the mosaic tiles of the state of the art have been alleviated or solved. With this aim, the invention, in accordance with a first independent aspect thereof, relates to a mosaic tile (e.g., a wall tile), comprising a plurality of subunits adhered to a backing material, wherein at least some of said subunits comprise a plastic material (e.g., a thermoplastic material, a thermoset material, and/or the like). For example, a thermoplastic material may be chosen for at least some of said subunits from at least one of polyvinylchloride (PVC), polypropylene (PP), polyethylene (PE), polyethyleneterephtalate (PET), thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU), and/or the like. Such materials allow a multitude of techniques for shaping and decorating. Such thermoplastic materials can be made in larger slabs (e.g., via extrusion) and be divided, for example by punching or sawing, into said subunits. The shaping and decorating can be executed on the larger slabs, prior to division. In certain embodiments, the thermoplastic material is polyvinylchloride (PVC). According to one embodiment of the present invention the relevant subunits comprise or consist of heterogeneous PVC (polyvinylchloride) tile parts. Heterogeneous PVC tile parts are parts that comprise a substrate layer (e.g., a filled substrate layer comprising at least one filler material) upon which a decoration (e.g., a printed decoration) is provided. Floor panels made from heterogeneous PVC are known as LVT or Luxury Vinyl Tile for example as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 8,728,603. The printed decoration may either be provided on a thermoplastic (e.g., PVC) or a foil, or the printed decoration may be provided by printing directly on the substrate layer with the possible intermediate of a ground layer, for example of uniform color. The substrate layer may comprise at least PVC. In certain embodiments, the PVC may be the main constituent of the substrate layer (e.g., excluding or including a filler material). Example filler materials comprise chalk, talcum or limestone, although other filler materials may be used. The filler content may range between 0 and 80% by weight of the substrate layer, and for example, is higher than 35%, or even higher than 50% by weight. The substrate layer may further comprise at least 10 PHR (parts per hundred resin) of a plasticizer. The plasticizer may be selected from at least one of DINCH (Diisononyl cyclohexane-1,2-dicarboxylate, such as that manufactured by BASF Corp. under the tradename Hexamoll DINCH), DINP (Diisononyl phthalate), DOTP (Dioctyl terephthalate) and/or soy bean based plasticizers, such as epoxidized soybean oil. For example, a mixture of DINCH and/or DINP with epoxidized soybean oil plasticizer may be utilized as a plasticizer. The latter possibility has extremely low emission of VOC (volatile organic components) and thus health risks associated to it are minimal. In certain embodiments, the decoration of the heterogeneous PVC tile part is provided with a transparent or translucent wear layer. Such wear layer may comprise a PVC layer, a polyurethane layer, and/or the like. The use of heterogeneous PVC tile parts may be advantageous in mosaic tiles. The material is very water resistant and may be used in association with intricate decorative patterns. The exposed surface may be stain, abrasion, and/or scratch resistant. For example, the outermost layer of the subunits may comprise a radiation cured lacquer, such as an acrylic urethane lacquer, possibly comprising hard particles, such as aluminum oxide, that provides stain, abrasion, and/or scratch resistance. Such lacquer may be provided as a superficial layer with a thickness of below 0.1 mm on top of the wear layer, which may be, as afore stated, a transparent or translucent PVC layer with a thickness above 0.1 mm, or even above 0.2 mm. In the case of a printed decoration, a digital printing technique may be used, for example with UV curing inks, solvent based inks and/or water based inks. The primer techniques described in WO 2015/140682 (which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety) may be employed. As an alternative, conventional printing techniques may be used for the decoration, for example printing techniques employing rollers, such as rotogravure printing, either on a foil or directly on a substrate layer. In certain embodiments, the heterogeneous PVC is firstly made in larger slabs, and then divided into said subunits. In various embodiments, the above described printing operations take part on such larger slabs, or on foils being larger than the subunits, for example on foils with a surface about equaling the size of the slab, or being larger than the slab. In certain embodiments, the printed decoration resembles a wood grain. In such case subunits with the look of wood may be provided which are completely water resistant. In certain embodiments, the plastic subunits (e.g., thermoplastic subunits) have a decorative surface with a relief formed therein. For example, the relief may be one of a wood grain, other wood features such as knots and cracks, or one of stone structure. In combination or not with such imitation of natural relief features, the subunits may comprise relief features such as depressed perimeters or parts thereof, for example in the shape of a beveled edge. The thermoplastic material readily allows for the provision of such features. In the case of heterogeneous PVC tile parts, the relief features may be at least provided in an upper layer, such as in the wear layer, but may also have a depth larger than the thickness of the decoration and/or wear layers. In the latter case the internal upper surface of the substrate layer may be relieved. In the case a printed decoration is used, such as may be the case with heterogeneous PVC tile parts, the relief at the decorative surface of the subunit may correspond to the printed decoration, such that a so-called relief-in-register is attained, leading to extremely realistic subunits. In the case of a printed wood grain decoration, the relief may comprise features imitating grain lines and/or wood pores at the location where such features are depicted in the decoration. The subunits on one mosaic tile may be of varying nature, for example a mixture of ceramic subunits and thermoplastic, for example heterogeneous PVC, subunits. Thus, said plurality of subunits may also comprise ceramic tile parts. According to a variant, all of said plurality of subunits on one mosaic tile comprise plastic material (e.g., a thermoplastic material), for example all heterogeneous PVC tile parts. In certain embodiments, the mosaic tile comprises exclusively subunits of plastic material of different nature, (e.g., the subunits may not all comprise heterogeneous PVC tile parts). Other possibilities for the plastic subunits on the mosaic tile of the invention are subunits comprised of homogeneous PVC tile parts. These subunits may be essentially composed of a PVC substrate layer, which may also form at least part of the decoration aspect of the part. Such subunits may be free from a decoration layer that covers the entirety of the substrate layer, or even free from any kind of decoration layer. Such homogeneous PVC is used as a floor covering material and is also known as VCT or vinyl composition tile, for example as discussed in US 2005/146069 and/or US 2008/119604. In certain embodiments, said backing material comprises a mat, film, mesh, net, scrim, maze, and/or the like. The backing material may comprise any of a plurality of materials, such as fiberglass, natural fibers, plastic fibers, non-woven materials, and/or the like. Such mat, film, mesh, net, scrim, maze, and/or the like may be configured to keep the subunits together by being adhered, for example with a hotmelt glue, to the back of the subunits. In certain embodiments, said backing material comprises an adhesive layer, for example at the side opposite the subunits. The adhesive layer may be covered by a removable protective layer, which may be removed upon installation of the mosaic tiles. In certain embodiments, said plurality of subunits are arranged in a pattern, such as in a chess pattern, a brick pattern, and/or the like. In certain embodiments, the plurality of subunits defines a boundary that comprises at least two opposing staggered edges. The staggered edge may be complimentary to one another, such that when installing two of such mosaic tiles adjacent to one another the opposite staggered edges interleave or match into each other. In such case the boundary of the mosaic tiles may be visually hidden in the final installation, thereby creating the look of a mosaic wall made from separated subunits, instead of from mosaic tiles comprising each of several subunits adhered to a common backing material. The plurality of subunits may comprise square and or hexagon shaped tile parts. The plurality of subunits may comprise elongated rectangular tile parts. In certain embodiments, the plurality of subunits all have about the same shape. In certain embodiments, said subunits are spaced apart on said backing material. Such spacing may serve to accommodate a grouting material, either cement based or polymer based. Such spacing, together with the grouting material or not, may also serve to accommodate dimensional changes in the subunits or backing material. With the same aim, the invention, in accordance with a second independent aspect thereof, also relates to a mosaic tile unit comprising at least a plurality of subunits, wherein said plurality of subunits comprises nonplastic subunits (e.g., ceramic subunits) and plastic subunits (e.g., thermoplastic subunits), wherein the plastic subunits may comprise heterogeneous PVC tile parts. The subunits may form a mosaic tile unit by being adhered to a common backing material, or by being otherwise united, for example by being disposed in a common receptor tray. In certain embodiments, the mosaic tile units of the second aspect may show the characteristics of the mosaic tile of various embodiments, as long as they are not contradictory. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS Reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings, which are not necessarily drawn to scale, and wherein: FIG. 1 represents an example of a mosaic tile with the characteristics of the invention; FIG. 2 represent a cross-section along the line II-II indicated in FIG. 1; FIG. 3 in a similar view as FIG. 2 represents a variant; and FIG. 4 in a similar view as FIG. 1 represents a variant DETAILED DESCRIPTION The present disclosure more fully describes various embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be understood that some, but not all embodiments are shown and described herein. Indeed, the embodiments may take many different forms, and accordingly this disclosure should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will satisfy applicable legal requirements. Like numbers refer to like elements throughout. FIG. 1 shows a mosaic tile 1 according to one embodiment. The tile 1 comprises a plurality of subunits, including plastic subunits 2a and nonplastic subunits 2b adhered to a backing material 3. In certain embodiments, the plastic subunits 2a comprise thermoplastic material 4 (e.g., PVC, PP, PE, PET, TPU), and/or the like, while the subunits 2b comprise ceramic tile parts. However, it should be understood that in certain embodiments, the plastic subunits 2a may comprise other plastic materials, such as thermoset plastics, and the nonplastic subunits 2b may comprise other nonplastic materials, such as natural stone, manufactured hard surfaces, and/or the like. In the illustrated example embodiment of FIG. 2, the plastic subunits 2a comprise a thermoplastic material 4, specifically comprising (e.g., consisting of) heterogeneous PVC tile parts. The plastic subunits 2a comprise a substrate layer 5 upon which a printed decoration 6 is provided. In the illustrated embodiment, the printed decoration 6 resembles a wood grain, although it should be understood that other decorations, patterns, images, and/or the like may be provided. Moreover, the substrate layer 5 may include a reinforcement layer, such as a glass fiber layer (not shown in the figures). Moreover, as shown in FIGS. 1-3, the nonplastic subunits 2b comprise ceramic subunits. The ceramic subunits may be preformed in the desired shape, for example, by forming and baking the ceramic material in the desired shape of the nonplastic subunits 2b. However, it should be understood that the nonplastic subunits 2b may be formed by cutting individual the nonplastic subunits 2b into a desired shape, for example, from a natural or manufactured stone or other hard surface material. In certain embodiments, the thickness T of the plastic subunits 2a and nonplastic subunits 2b may be between 3 and 10 mm, for example, between 4 and 7 mm. According to the example of FIG. 2, the plastic subunits 2a have at least approximately the same thickness T as the nonplastic subunits 2b. According to the example of FIG. 3 the nonplastic subunits 2b (e.g., formed of ceramic tile parts) may have a larger thickness T than the plastic subunits 2a formed of thermoplastic material, or vice versa, such that a three-dimensional structure is obtained at the surface of the mosaic tile 1. The difference in thickness T between the plastic subunits 2a and the nonplastic subunits 2b may be slight, for example the difference in thickness may be less than 5 millimeters such as less than 3 millimeters or less than 2 millimeters. The subunits making up the mosaic tiles of FIGS. 1-3 may be secured (e.g., adhered) to a backing material 3 using a glue 7 or other adhesive, such as an epoxy adhesive, a thermoplastic adhesive, a thermoset adhesive, a water-based adhesive, and/or the like. The backing material 3 may comprise a mat, film, mesh, net, scrim, maze and/or the like and may comprise a fiberglass material, a plastic material (e.g., a plastic fiber material), a natural fiber material, and/or the like. In the illustrated embodiments, the backing material 3 defines an at least substantially continuous sheet, such that a plurality of subunits (e.g., plastic subunits 2a and/or nonplastic subunits 2b) secured relative to a single backing material 3 sheet are secured relative to one another. As represented, the backing material 3 at its rear side 8 has self-adhering properties due to an adhesive layer 9 (e.g., comprising a pressure sensitive adhesive) present at said rear side 8 or the side opposite the subunits. The adhesive layer 9 is covered with a removable protective layer 10. The adhesive layer 9 may be a separate layer, such as an adhesive film, an adhesive spray, and/or the like that may secured relative to the backing material 3. In other embodiments, the backing material 3 itself may comprise adhesive properties, at least on a backside of the backing material 3. In the illustrated example of FIG. 1, the subunits 2a-2b may all be hexagon shaped, for example, having the same size and arranged in a honeycomb pattern. However it should be understood that the subunits 2a-2b may have any of a variety of shapes. The distribution of the subunits of differing material is random in the example, but may be showing a predetermined motif as well. As shown in FIG. 1, the hexagon shape of the subunits 2a-2b may create a staggered edge profile surrounding at least a portion of the perimeter of the mosaic tile. The staggered edge profile may be complementary with other tiles placed adjacent to the mosaic tile, such that the staggered edges of adjacent tiles interleave with one another to visually providing the look of a continuous mosaic tile encompassing subunits disposed within a plurality of individual mosaic tiles having the configuration described herein. In certain embodiments, individual subunits 2a, 2b defining the staggered edge profile may be secured relative to the backing material 3, and may extend beyond edges of the backing material 3 to enable the staggered edges of adjacent tiles to be interleaved with one another, such that the individual subunits 2a, 2b at the perimeter of adjacent mosaic tiles may be spaced at a distance at least substantially equal to the spacing distance between subunits 2a, 2b of a single mosaic tile. By enabling consistent spacing both between subunits 2a, 2b on a single mosaic tile as well as between adjacent mosaic tiles, the mosaic tile configuration may provide the visual look of a continuous mosaic tile comprising a plurality of subunits 2a, 2b disposed within individual mosaic tiles. FIG. 1 also shows the printed decoration 6 may show varying orientations of the wood grain pattern, e.g., for some of the plastic subunits 2a aligned to the main directions of the mosaic tile 1 and some not aligned. The nonplastic subunits 2b may be free from patterns, and may comprise a top surface formed from a uniformly colored glaze 11. The subunits 2a-2b may be spaced apart on the backing material 3. The spacing 12 may serve to accommodate a grouting material. FIG. 4 illustrates another example of a mosaic tile in accordance with the invention. Herein the subunits 2a-2b comprise elongated rectangular parts. The plastic subunits 2a may comprise heterogeneous PVC tile parts, and the nonplastic subunits 2b may comprise ceramic tile parts. Although other materials may be utilized, as noted with respect to FIG. 1, above. The subunits 2a-2b shown in the example of FIG. 4 are only minimally spaced apart, e.g., the spacing is less than half, or even less than a third of the thickness of the subunits 2a formed from thermoplastic material. The embodiment shown in FIG. 4 is such that the boundary of the subunits 2a-2b comprises two opposing staggered edges 13-14, which are complementary to each other. The protruding parts 15 of one of said edges 13-14 can enter the spaces 16 formed at the opposing one of said edges 13-14. CONCLUSION Many modifications and other embodiments will come to mind to one skilled in the art to which this disclosure pertains having the benefit of the teachings presented in the foregoing descriptions and the associated drawings. Therefore, it is to be understood that the disclosure is not to be limited to the specific embodiments disclosed and that modifications and other embodiments are intended to be included within the scope of the appended claims. Although specific terms are employed herein, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation. | <SOH> BACKGROUND <EOH> | <SOH> BRIEF SUMMARY <EOH>Various embodiments relate to a mosaic tile for wall, floor, and/or worktop applications, wherein in accordance with several embodiments one or more problems with the mosaic tiles of the state of the art have been alleviated or solved. With this aim, the invention, in accordance with a first independent aspect thereof, relates to a mosaic tile (e.g., a wall tile), comprising a plurality of subunits adhered to a backing material, wherein at least some of said subunits comprise a plastic material (e.g., a thermoplastic material, a thermoset material, and/or the like). For example, a thermoplastic material may be chosen for at least some of said subunits from at least one of polyvinylchloride (PVC), polypropylene (PP), polyethylene (PE), polyethyleneterephtalate (PET), thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU), and/or the like. Such materials allow a multitude of techniques for shaping and decorating. Such thermoplastic materials can be made in larger slabs (e.g., via extrusion) and be divided, for example by punching or sawing, into said subunits. The shaping and decorating can be executed on the larger slabs, prior to division. In certain embodiments, the thermoplastic material is polyvinylchloride (PVC). According to one embodiment of the present invention the relevant subunits comprise or consist of heterogeneous PVC (polyvinylchloride) tile parts. Heterogeneous PVC tile parts are parts that comprise a substrate layer (e.g., a filled substrate layer comprising at least one filler material) upon which a decoration (e.g., a printed decoration) is provided. Floor panels made from heterogeneous PVC are known as LVT or Luxury Vinyl Tile for example as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 8,728,603. The printed decoration may either be provided on a thermoplastic (e.g., PVC) or a foil, or the printed decoration may be provided by printing directly on the substrate layer with the possible intermediate of a ground layer, for example of uniform color. The substrate layer may comprise at least PVC. In certain embodiments, the PVC may be the main constituent of the substrate layer (e.g., excluding or including a filler material). Example filler materials comprise chalk, talcum or limestone, although other filler materials may be used. The filler content may range between 0 and 80% by weight of the substrate layer, and for example, is higher than 35%, or even higher than 50% by weight. The substrate layer may further comprise at least 10 PHR (parts per hundred resin) of a plasticizer. The plasticizer may be selected from at least one of DINCH (Diisononyl cyclohexane-1,2-dicarboxylate, such as that manufactured by BASF Corp. under the tradename Hexamoll DINCH), DINP (Diisononyl phthalate), DOTP (Dioctyl terephthalate) and/or soy bean based plasticizers, such as epoxidized soybean oil. For example, a mixture of DINCH and/or DINP with epoxidized soybean oil plasticizer may be utilized as a plasticizer. The latter possibility has extremely low emission of VOC (volatile organic components) and thus health risks associated to it are minimal. In certain embodiments, the decoration of the heterogeneous PVC tile part is provided with a transparent or translucent wear layer. Such wear layer may comprise a PVC layer, a polyurethane layer, and/or the like. The use of heterogeneous PVC tile parts may be advantageous in mosaic tiles. The material is very water resistant and may be used in association with intricate decorative patterns. The exposed surface may be stain, abrasion, and/or scratch resistant. For example, the outermost layer of the subunits may comprise a radiation cured lacquer, such as an acrylic urethane lacquer, possibly comprising hard particles, such as aluminum oxide, that provides stain, abrasion, and/or scratch resistance. Such lacquer may be provided as a superficial layer with a thickness of below 0.1 mm on top of the wear layer, which may be, as afore stated, a transparent or translucent PVC layer with a thickness above 0.1 mm, or even above 0.2 mm. In the case of a printed decoration, a digital printing technique may be used, for example with UV curing inks, solvent based inks and/or water based inks. The primer techniques described in WO 2015/140682 (which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety) may be employed. As an alternative, conventional printing techniques may be used for the decoration, for example printing techniques employing rollers, such as rotogravure printing, either on a foil or directly on a substrate layer. In certain embodiments, the heterogeneous PVC is firstly made in larger slabs, and then divided into said subunits. In various embodiments, the above described printing operations take part on such larger slabs, or on foils being larger than the subunits, for example on foils with a surface about equaling the size of the slab, or being larger than the slab. In certain embodiments, the printed decoration resembles a wood grain. In such case subunits with the look of wood may be provided which are completely water resistant. In certain embodiments, the plastic subunits (e.g., thermoplastic subunits) have a decorative surface with a relief formed therein. For example, the relief may be one of a wood grain, other wood features such as knots and cracks, or one of stone structure. In combination or not with such imitation of natural relief features, the subunits may comprise relief features such as depressed perimeters or parts thereof, for example in the shape of a beveled edge. The thermoplastic material readily allows for the provision of such features. In the case of heterogeneous PVC tile parts, the relief features may be at least provided in an upper layer, such as in the wear layer, but may also have a depth larger than the thickness of the decoration and/or wear layers. In the latter case the internal upper surface of the substrate layer may be relieved. In the case a printed decoration is used, such as may be the case with heterogeneous PVC tile parts, the relief at the decorative surface of the subunit may correspond to the printed decoration, such that a so-called relief-in-register is attained, leading to extremely realistic subunits. In the case of a printed wood grain decoration, the relief may comprise features imitating grain lines and/or wood pores at the location where such features are depicted in the decoration. The subunits on one mosaic tile may be of varying nature, for example a mixture of ceramic subunits and thermoplastic, for example heterogeneous PVC, subunits. Thus, said plurality of subunits may also comprise ceramic tile parts. According to a variant, all of said plurality of subunits on one mosaic tile comprise plastic material (e.g., a thermoplastic material), for example all heterogeneous PVC tile parts. In certain embodiments, the mosaic tile comprises exclusively subunits of plastic material of different nature, (e.g., the subunits may not all comprise heterogeneous PVC tile parts). Other possibilities for the plastic subunits on the mosaic tile of the invention are subunits comprised of homogeneous PVC tile parts. These subunits may be essentially composed of a PVC substrate layer, which may also form at least part of the decoration aspect of the part. Such subunits may be free from a decoration layer that covers the entirety of the substrate layer, or even free from any kind of decoration layer. Such homogeneous PVC is used as a floor covering material and is also known as VCT or vinyl composition tile, for example as discussed in US 2005/146069 and/or US 2008/119604. In certain embodiments, said backing material comprises a mat, film, mesh, net, scrim, maze, and/or the like. The backing material may comprise any of a plurality of materials, such as fiberglass, natural fibers, plastic fibers, non-woven materials, and/or the like. Such mat, film, mesh, net, scrim, maze, and/or the like may be configured to keep the subunits together by being adhered, for example with a hotmelt glue, to the back of the subunits. In certain embodiments, said backing material comprises an adhesive layer, for example at the side opposite the subunits. The adhesive layer may be covered by a removable protective layer, which may be removed upon installation of the mosaic tiles. In certain embodiments, said plurality of subunits are arranged in a pattern, such as in a chess pattern, a brick pattern, and/or the like. In certain embodiments, the plurality of subunits defines a boundary that comprises at least two opposing staggered edges. The staggered edge may be complimentary to one another, such that when installing two of such mosaic tiles adjacent to one another the opposite staggered edges interleave or match into each other. In such case the boundary of the mosaic tiles may be visually hidden in the final installation, thereby creating the look of a mosaic wall made from separated subunits, instead of from mosaic tiles comprising each of several subunits adhered to a common backing material. The plurality of subunits may comprise square and or hexagon shaped tile parts. The plurality of subunits may comprise elongated rectangular tile parts. In certain embodiments, the plurality of subunits all have about the same shape. In certain embodiments, said subunits are spaced apart on said backing material. Such spacing may serve to accommodate a grouting material, either cement based or polymer based. Such spacing, together with the grouting material or not, may also serve to accommodate dimensional changes in the subunits or backing material. With the same aim, the invention, in accordance with a second independent aspect thereof, also relates to a mosaic tile unit comprising at least a plurality of subunits, wherein said plurality of subunits comprises nonplastic subunits (e.g., ceramic subunits) and plastic subunits (e.g., thermoplastic subunits), wherein the plastic subunits may comprise heterogeneous PVC tile parts. The subunits may form a mosaic tile unit by being adhered to a common backing material, or by being otherwise united, for example by being disposed in a common receptor tray. In certain embodiments, the mosaic tile units of the second aspect may show the characteristics of the mosaic tile of various embodiments, as long as they are not contradictory. | E04F15105 | 20171129 | 20180607 | 94463.0 | E04F1510 | 0 | HERRING, BRENT W | MOSAIC TILE | UNDISCOUNTED | 0 | REJECTED | E04F | 2,017 |
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15,825,427 | PENDING | MULTIPLE PIECE CONSTRUCTION AUTOMOTIVE DOOR HINGE | An automotive hinge assembly adapted to facilitate motion of a closure panel relative to a fixed body structure comprises a door component constructed from two press formed angle brackets structurally connected via a pivot pin and adapted to be mounted to a vehicle closure panel, a body component constructed from two press formed angle brackets structurally connected via a simple formed feature and the pivot pin and adapted to be mounted to a vehicle body structure, such that the pivot pin structurally assembles the two hinge components, facilitates relative rotary motion between them and structurally connects the multiple press formed angle brackets so that the resulting assembly achieves a much higher material efficiency than the prior art with an associated significant cost reduction. | 1. A vehicular hinge assembly comprising: a first component comprising first and second separate brackets, the first bracket being spaced apart from the second bracket; a second component including a bushing aperture configured to accept a pivot bushing; a pivot pin that comprises a first end, a second end, and a pivot surface positioned between the first end and the second end, each of the first and second ends comprising an upset head; wherein the pivot surface of the pivot pin is disposed within the pivot bushing such that the second component is rotatable around the pivot surface, and the first and second ends of the pivot pin are operatively connected to the first and second brackets of the first component; and wherein the upset heads of the pivot pin hold the first component and the second component together to form an undetachable individual assembly to be mounted as a whole to a vehicular closure panel and a vehicular body structure. 2. The vehicular hinge assembly of claim 1, wherein each of the upset heads has a diameter greater than the diameter of each of the first end and the second end of the pivot pin. 3. The vehicular hinge assembly of claim 1, wherein the upset heads are formed by material upset comprising at least one of riveting or staking. 4. The vehicular hinge assembly of claim 1, wherein the first and second brackets of the first component have apertures for receiving the first and second ends of the pivot pin. 5. The vehicular hinge assembly of claim 1, wherein the first and second ends of the pivot pin are knurled. 6. The vehicular hinge assembly of claim 1, wherein the second component further comprises first and second separate brackets. 7. The vehicular hinge assembly of claim 6, wherein the first bracket of the second component comprises a semi-shear feature, and the second bracket of the second component comprises a matching alignment aperture, the semi-shear feature being engaged within the matching alignment aperture using press fitting, welding, bonding, riveting or staking. 8. The vehicular hinge assembly of claim 1, further comprising a hinge stop formation connected to, and projecting from, the second component to restrict the rotation of the first component within a predetermined angle. 9. The vehicular hinge assembly of claim 8, wherein the second component further comprises an aperture to allow the hinge stop formation to extend through the aperture and to be mounted onto the second component. 10. A vehicular hinge assembly comprising: a first component comprising first and second separate brackets, the first bracket being spaced apart from the second bracket; a second component including an aperture; a pivot pin that comprises a first end, a second end, and a pivot surface positioned between the first end and the second end, each of the first and second ends comprising an upset head; wherein the pivot surface of the pivot pin is disposed within the aperture of the second component such that the second component is rotatable around the pivot surface, and the first and second ends of the pivot pin are operatively connected to the first and second brackets of the first component; and wherein the upset heads of the pivot pin hold the first component and the second component together to form an undetachable individual assembly to be mounted as a whole to a vehicular closure panel and a vehicular body structure. 11. The vehicular hinge assembly of claim 9, wherein the first and second brackets of the first component each have an aperture, and the first and second ends of the pivot pin are secured within the apertures. | RELATED APPLICATIONS This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/091,384, filed Apr. 24, 2008, which is a US 371 national stage entry of International Application No. PCT/CA2007/000199, filed Feb. 12, 2007, which claims priority to Canadian Application No. 2551642, filed Jul. 10, 2006, the teachings of each which are incorporated herein by reference. FIELD OF THE INVENTION This invention applies to hinges, more particularly to automotive hinges, which facilitate motion of a closure panel relative to a fixed body structure, and simplify the configuration of the constitutive hinge components using a unique multiple piece construction. BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION Automotive hinges are generally configured to include a door component that is rigidly attached to a closure panel and a body component that is rigidly attached to a body structure. This structural attachment of the components can be achieved by welding, riveting, bolting or similar mechanical fastening means. The simple rotary motion of the door component relative to the body component is normally achieved by a pivot pin and associated bearing surfaces. The pivot pin is configured to be rigidly attached to one of the hinge components while the other component freely rotates around the pivot pin via one or more bearing surfaces. It is normal practice to utilize two of these hinge assemblies, vertically offset with coaxially aligned pivot pins, to attach a closure panel to a body structure. The body and door components of an automotive hinge are commonly constructed from either steel or aluminum using stamping, forging, casting, roll forming or extruding. Each component is generally configured with one or more mounting surfaces and a pair of pivot arms that contain pivot axis holes. The pivot arms are structurally connected by some form of bridge or by the mounting surface. It is common practice to create the required pivot bearing surface by assembling bushings into the pivot axis holes of the door component. A pivot pin is inserted through the pivot bushings of the door component and structurally attached to the body component through the pivot axis holes using knurling, interference fits, riveting, staking or similar means of material upsetting. The body component is structurally attached to a vehicle body structure via its mounting surface using bolting, welding, bonding, riveting or similar fastening means. The door component is similarly structurally attached to a vehicle closure panel via its mounting surface using bolting, welding, bonding, riveting or similar fastening means. Bolted automotive hinge systems typically utilize a minimum of two fasteners per hinge component. Complex formations are therefore required to provide the necessary pivot axis hole locations, mounting surfaces, structural integrity, fastener locations and clearance offsets in a single piece component. Forgings and casting are well suited to providing these necessarily complex shapes but carry a significant cost penalty in comparison to press formed metal stampings. Metal stamping is generally considered the most cost effective method of creating hinge components but formation shape is somewhat limited. Additionally, complex configurations generally result in large quantities of unused scrap material being produced during the press forming process. FIG. 1 illustrates a common prior art embodiment of an automotive door hinge assembly (1) configured from a press formed body component (2), a press formed door component (3), a pivot pin (4) and two pivot bushings (25)(26). The body component (2) is configured with a pair of pivot arms (6)(7) and a large mounting surface (8) that is adapted to be structurally attached to a vehicle body structure via mounting holes (9)(10) and two corresponding threaded fasteners. These mounting holes (9)(10) are spaced at an adequate distance to assure sufficient load spreading into the vehicle body structure. The pivot arms (6)(7) are configured with a pair of pivot holes (11)(12) adapted to accept and rigidly capture the pivot pin (4) via knurling, interference fits, riveting, staking or similar means of material upsetting. The distance from the mounting holes (9)(10) to the pivot holes (11)(12) is dictated by the vehicle's closure panel and body configuration and can be substantial. The door component (3) is configured with a pair of pivot arms (13)(14), a structural bridge (21) and a pair of mounting surfaces (15)(16) that are adapted to be structurally attached to a vehicle closure panel via mounting holes (17)(18) and two corresponding threaded fasteners. These mounting holes (17)(18) are spaced at an adequate distance to assure sufficient load spreading into the vehicle closure panel. The pivot arms (13)(14) are configured with a pair of pivot holes (19)(20) adapted to accept the pivot bushings (25)(26) that facilitate rotation around the pivot pin (4). The distance from the mounting holes (17)(18) to the pivot holes (19)(20) is dictated by the vehicle's closure panel and body configuration and can be substantial. Both the body component (2) and door component (3) are press formed from a flat sheet of steel and, due to their complex shapes a significant amount of scrap material is created during the stamping process. FIG. 2 illustrates the flat blank layout of both the prior art body component (2a) and the door component (3a) as well as the scrap material (22) shown cross hatched associated with the stamping process. Despite the considerable scrap material (22) generated in this configuration, the press formed manufacturing technique is still more cost effective than either casting or forging. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, it would be advantageous to create a hinge assembly that is constructed utilizing press formed metal stampings but which reduces or eliminates the scrap associated with the complex shapes dictated by a vehicle's closure panel and body configuration. A great deal of the material used and scrapped in the press forming of a hinge component is directly attributable to shape complexity dictated by the required distances between the mounting holes and pivot pin support features. It would therefore be a significant improvement over the existing art if the interconnection of these features could be achieved in a more efficient manner. The present invention is targeted at reducing the total material utilized in press formed metal stamped hinge components by utilizing the pivot pin as a primary structural component. In a conventionally configured automotive door hinge utilizing a single piece door component and single piece body component, the pivot pin performs two primary functions in that it structurally assembles the two components while facilitating relative rotary motion between them. The present invention utilizes the pivot pin for an additional primary function in that it also structurally connects multiple pieces of each individual component. A conventionally manufactured single piece press formed door component normally connects its two mounting surfaces and two pivot arms via an integral structural bridge. The present invention eliminates the structural bridge and configures each mounting surface and associated pivot arm as an individual separate press formed angle bracket and structurally connects two of these angle brackets together using a uniquely configured pivot pin. Additionally, the present invention utilizes a unique body component configured from two simple press formed angle brackets that are structurally connected via a simple formed feature and the pivot pin. The pivot pin of the present invention is configured with a central cylindrical pivot surface and two knurled opposing cylindrical ends stepped down in diameter from the central cylindrical pivot surface. The two press formed angle brackets of the body component are structurally connected via a simple formed feature on the pivot arms and a single pivot bushing is assembled in the pivot holes via a flanged arrangement. The pivot pin is arranged within the pivot bushing so that the central cylindrical pivot surface can freely rotate and the press formed angle brackets of the door component are configured to be structurally connected to the knurled opposing cylindrical ends of the pivot pin via riveting, staking or similar means of material upsetting. In an alternative embodiment of the present invention, the opposing cylindrical ends of the pivot pin are configured without knurling and the step between the central cylindrical pivot surface and two opposing cylindrical ends is configured with a slight taper that compensates for the thickness tolerances of the body component during the assembly process. The material interference that creates the structural connection occurs between the tapered step and press formed angle brackets of the door components. In another alternative embodiment of the present invention, the pivot pin is configured with a cantilevered feature to facilitate simple separation and reassembly of the door and body components as required in some vehicle assembly plants. In accordance with a principle aspect of the invention, an automotive hinge assembly comprises: (a) a door component constructed from two press formed door angle brackets and adapted to be mounted to a vehicular closure panel; (b) a body component constructed from two press formed body angle brackets, configured to accept a single pivot bushing and adapted to be mounted to a vehicular body structure; (c) a pivot pin configured to structurally connect the press formed door and body angle brackets while holding the door component and body component in structural assembly and facilitating rotary motion between the door component and body component; and (d) the pivot pin being configured with a central cylindrical pivot surface with a central diameter adapted to allow rotation of the pivot bushing thereabout, and two knurled opposing cylindrical ends each with a diameter less than the central diameter adapted to structurally connect the door component angle brackets by material upset. In accordance with further aspects of this invention, an automotive hinge assembly as described, wherein the press formed body angle brackets are structurally joined via a semi-shear feature and matching alignment hole using welding, bonding, riveting, staking or similar means of material upsetting. In accordance with further aspects of this invention, an automotive hinge assembly as described, wherein a pair of hinge stop formations are provided in the body angle brackets that are adapted to interact with a pair of hinge stop surfaces provided on the door angle brackets so that the hinge assembly is structurally restrained from rotation at its full open position. In accordance with further aspects of this invention, an automotive hinge assembly as described, wherein the pivot pin incorporates a tapered feature at a stepped interface between the central cylindrical pivot surface and the two knurled opposing cylindrical ends to compensate for thickness tolerances of the body component angle brackets during the assembly process. In accordance with further aspects of this invention, an automotive hinge assembly as described, wherein the pivot pin is configured to structurally connect the press formed door angle brackets via a pivot bushing, washer and material upset while providing a cantilevered feature to facilitate simple separation and reassembly of the door and body components using a tapered nut and tapered pivot hole arrangement. In accordance with further aspects of this invention, an automotive hinge assembly as described in the paragraph immediately above, wherein a rivet is adapted to provide the hinge stop on the body component while also structurally joining the press formed body angle brackets. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a prior art press formed automotive door hinge assembly; FIG. 2 is a plan view of a developed flat blank layout associated with the press form stamping of the components of the prior art automotive door hinge assembly of FIG. 1; FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a pair of the inventive hinge assemblies in a typical automotive installation; FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the inventive hinge assembly; FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of the inventive hinge assembly; FIG. 6 is a partial sectional view of the inventive hinge assembly through the centreline of the pivot pin; FIG. 7 is a side view of the pivot pin of the inventive hinge assembly; FIG. 8 is an exploded perspective view of the door component of the inventive hinge assembly; FIG. 9 is an exploded perspective view of the body component of the inventive hinge assembly; FIG. 10 is a plan view of a developed flat blank layout associated with the press form stamping of the components of the inventive hinge assembly; FIG. 11 is a side view of an alternative tapered step embodiment of the pivot pin of the inventive hinge assembly; FIG. 12 is a side view of an alternative fixed head embodiment of the pivot pin of the inventive hinge assembly; FIG. 13 is a perspective view of an alternative lift-off embodiment of the inventive hinge assembly; FIG. 14 is a partial sectional view of an alternative lift-off embodiment of the inventive hinge assembly through the centreline of the pivot pin. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Referring to FIGS. 3, 4, 5, and 6, an automotive hinge assembly (30) is substantially constructed from a door component (40) and a body component (60). The door component is configured with a mounting surface (41) and two pivot arms (42). Each pivot arm (42) contains a pivot axis hole (43). The door component (40) is structurally attached to a vehicle closure panel (27) via its mounting surface (41) using bolting, welding, bonding, riveting or similar fastening means. The body component (60) is configured with a mounting surface (61) and a pivot arm (62). The pivot arm (62) contains a pivot axis hole (63). The body component is structurally attached to a vehicle body structure (28) via its mounting surface (61) using bolting, welding, bonding, riveting or similar fastening means. The pivot axis hole (63) of the body component (60) is fitted with a pivot bushing (80) that contains an internal cylindrical bearing surface (81) and two opposing thrust flanges (82). Referring to FIG. 7, a pivot pin (90) is configured with a central cylindrical pivot surface (91) and two knurled opposing cylindrical ends (92) each with a diameter less than the central cylindrical pivot surface diameter. The central cylindrical pivot surface (91) is adapted to freely rotate within the internal cylindrical bearing surface (81) of the pivot bushing and the two knurled opposing cylindrical ends (92) are adapted to be inserted and structurally connected to the to the door component (40) pivot axis holes (43) via riveting, staking or similar means of material upsetting. In this way the door component (40) and body component (60) are held in structural assembly but are free to rotate relatively to each other. Referring to FIG. 8, the door component (40) is constructed from two press formed door angle brackets (46)(47) that are both configured with a mounting surface (41) and a pivot arm (42). The pivot arms (42) each contain a pivot axis hole (43). When the two knurled opposing cylindrical ends (92) of the pivot pin (90) are pressed into the pivot axis holes (43) and structurally attached via riveting, staking or similar means of material upsetting a single unitary door component (40) is created. The pivot pin (40) therefore replaces the structural bridge normally required to create a single, unitary door component significantly reducing the amount of material required and associated cost. Referring to FIG. 9, the body component (60) is constructed from two press formed body angle brackets (66)(67) that are both configured with a mounting surface (61) and a pivot arm (62). The pivot arms (62) each contain a pivot axis hole (63). The two body angle brackets (66)(67) are configured so that the two pivot arms (62) are arranged surface to surface and aligned via a semi-shear feature (68) fitted within a matching alignment hole (69). When the semi-shear feature (68) is structurally connected within the alignment hole (69) via press fitting, welding, bonding, riveting; staking or similar means of material upsetting a single unitary body component (60) is created. The semi-shear (68) and alignment hole (69) are arranged so that the pivot axis holes (63) are in alignment. The pivot axis hole (63) is fitted with a pivot bushing (80) that contains an internal cylindrical bearing surface (81) and two opposing thrust flanges (82). In this way the two press formed body angle brackets (66)(67) create a single, unitary door component significantly reducing the amount of material required and associated cost in comparison to a single piece configuration. FIG. 10 illustrates the flat blank layout of both the press formed body angle brackets (66a)(67a) and the press formed door angle brackets (46a)(47a) of the present invention as well as the scrap material (58) associated with the stamping process. In comparison with the flat blank layout of the prior art hinge assembly illustrated in FIG. 2 it is evident that the present invention offers superior overall material efficiency and lower scrap content than the prior art configuration. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention a pair of hinge stop formations (70) are provided on the pivot arms (62) of the body angle brackets (66)(67) that are adapted to interact with a pair of hinge stop surfaces (50) provided on the pivot arms (42) or the door angle brackets (46)(47). When the door hinge assembly (30) is rotated to its full open position the hinge stop surfaces (50) contact the hinge stop formations (70) and prevent further rotation. FIG. 11 illustrates an alternative embodiment of the pivot pin (100) of the present invention that incorporates two opposing cylindrical ends (102) that are configured without knurling. The pivot pin (100) is configured with tapered steps (105) between the larger diameter of the central cylindrical pivot surface (101) and the smaller diameters of two opposing cylindrical ends (102) that allow compensation for a range of body angle bracket material thickness. In the primary embodiment of the present invention the steps are configured to be square and without taper so that the door angle brackets (46)(47) are pressed on to the two knurled opposing cylindrical ends (92) to a fixed distance defined by the steps. Due to the material tolerances associated with the thickness of the two body angle brackets (66)(67) the two opposing thrust flanges (82) of the pivot bushing (80) can be under or over compressed resulting in inadequate structural assembly or poor relative rotational movement. The tapered steps (105) of the alternative embodiment allow the door angle brackets (46)(47) to be pressed onto the taper to a range of distances while allowing the riveting, staking or similar means of material upsetting to occur against a resistive base. The material interference between the two door angle brackets (46)(47) and the tapered steps (105) creates the structural connection between these components. Increased press loading allows the two door angle brackets (46)(47) to be set to a distance that properly compresses the two opposing thrust flanges (82) of the pivot bushing (80) so that adequate structural assembly and correct rotational movement can be achieved. FIG. 12 illustrates an alternative embodiment of the pivot pin (110) of the present invention that is configured with a fixed head (116) to facilitate single sided riveting. The pivot pin (110) is configured with a central cylindrical pivot surface (111) and two knurled opposing cylindrical ends (112)(113). The knurled cylindrical end (112) adjacent to the fixed head (116) is of a larger diameter than the central cylindrical pivot surface (111) and the knurled cylindrical end (113) at the opposing end of the pivot pin (110) is of a smaller diameter than the central cylindrical pivot surface diameter. The fixed head (116) is of a larger diameter than the knurled cylindrical ends (112)(113) and the central cylindrical pivot surface (111). In this way the assembly process of the automotive hinge assembly (30) is simplified to a single pivot pin (110) insertion and riveting, staking or similar means of material upsetting of one end. A slight degradation of the structural attachment of the two door angle brackets (46)(47) may occur using this configuration. FIGS. 13 and 14 illustrate an alternative embodiment of the present invention in that the pivot pin (190) is configured to facilitate ease of separation of the door component (140) and body component (160). This type of separation and reassembly is required in some vehicle assembly plants and is generally referred to as a lift-off process. Both the door component (140) and body component (160) are constructed in the same manner as the main embodiment of the present invention using two press formed door angle brackets (146)(147) and two press formed body angle brackets (166)(167). However, the pivot pin (190) is configured to be structurally connected to the two door angle brackets (146)(147) through a pivot bushing (180) and washer (184) via riveting, staking or similar means of material upsetting. The end of the pivot pin (190) opposite the washer and material upset is configured with a tapered feature (195) and threaded end (196) adapted to interface with a mating cylindrical pivot axis hole (163) in the body angle brackets (166). When the door component (140) is interleaved over the body component (160) a tapered nut (187) is provided that threads onto the threaded end (196) and interfaces with the mating cylindrical pivot axis hole (163) in the body angle bracket (167) achieving correct structural assembly between the door component (140) and body component (160) while the bushing arrangement assures adequate rotational movement. A stop rivet (170) is adapted to structurally connected the two body angle brackets (166)(167) while also interacting with a hinge stop surface (150) provided on the door angle brackets (146)(147) so that when the door hinge assembly (130) is rotated to its full open position the hinge stop surfaces (150) contact the hinge stop formations (170) and prevent further rotation. | <SOH> BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION <EOH>Automotive hinges are generally configured to include a door component that is rigidly attached to a closure panel and a body component that is rigidly attached to a body structure. This structural attachment of the components can be achieved by welding, riveting, bolting or similar mechanical fastening means. The simple rotary motion of the door component relative to the body component is normally achieved by a pivot pin and associated bearing surfaces. The pivot pin is configured to be rigidly attached to one of the hinge components while the other component freely rotates around the pivot pin via one or more bearing surfaces. It is normal practice to utilize two of these hinge assemblies, vertically offset with coaxially aligned pivot pins, to attach a closure panel to a body structure. The body and door components of an automotive hinge are commonly constructed from either steel or aluminum using stamping, forging, casting, roll forming or extruding. Each component is generally configured with one or more mounting surfaces and a pair of pivot arms that contain pivot axis holes. The pivot arms are structurally connected by some form of bridge or by the mounting surface. It is common practice to create the required pivot bearing surface by assembling bushings into the pivot axis holes of the door component. A pivot pin is inserted through the pivot bushings of the door component and structurally attached to the body component through the pivot axis holes using knurling, interference fits, riveting, staking or similar means of material upsetting. The body component is structurally attached to a vehicle body structure via its mounting surface using bolting, welding, bonding, riveting or similar fastening means. The door component is similarly structurally attached to a vehicle closure panel via its mounting surface using bolting, welding, bonding, riveting or similar fastening means. Bolted automotive hinge systems typically utilize a minimum of two fasteners per hinge component. Complex formations are therefore required to provide the necessary pivot axis hole locations, mounting surfaces, structural integrity, fastener locations and clearance offsets in a single piece component. Forgings and casting are well suited to providing these necessarily complex shapes but carry a significant cost penalty in comparison to press formed metal stampings. Metal stamping is generally considered the most cost effective method of creating hinge components but formation shape is somewhat limited. Additionally, complex configurations generally result in large quantities of unused scrap material being produced during the press forming process. FIG. 1 illustrates a common prior art embodiment of an automotive door hinge assembly ( 1 ) configured from a press formed body component ( 2 ), a press formed door component ( 3 ), a pivot pin ( 4 ) and two pivot bushings ( 25 )( 26 ). The body component ( 2 ) is configured with a pair of pivot arms ( 6 )( 7 ) and a large mounting surface ( 8 ) that is adapted to be structurally attached to a vehicle body structure via mounting holes ( 9 )( 10 ) and two corresponding threaded fasteners. These mounting holes ( 9 )( 10 ) are spaced at an adequate distance to assure sufficient load spreading into the vehicle body structure. The pivot arms ( 6 )( 7 ) are configured with a pair of pivot holes ( 11 )( 12 ) adapted to accept and rigidly capture the pivot pin ( 4 ) via knurling, interference fits, riveting, staking or similar means of material upsetting. The distance from the mounting holes ( 9 )( 10 ) to the pivot holes ( 11 )( 12 ) is dictated by the vehicle's closure panel and body configuration and can be substantial. The door component ( 3 ) is configured with a pair of pivot arms ( 13 )( 14 ), a structural bridge ( 21 ) and a pair of mounting surfaces ( 15 )( 16 ) that are adapted to be structurally attached to a vehicle closure panel via mounting holes ( 17 )( 18 ) and two corresponding threaded fasteners. These mounting holes ( 17 )( 18 ) are spaced at an adequate distance to assure sufficient load spreading into the vehicle closure panel. The pivot arms ( 13 )( 14 ) are configured with a pair of pivot holes ( 19 )( 20 ) adapted to accept the pivot bushings ( 25 )( 26 ) that facilitate rotation around the pivot pin ( 4 ). The distance from the mounting holes ( 17 )( 18 ) to the pivot holes ( 19 )( 20 ) is dictated by the vehicle's closure panel and body configuration and can be substantial. Both the body component ( 2 ) and door component ( 3 ) are press formed from a flat sheet of steel and, due to their complex shapes a significant amount of scrap material is created during the stamping process. FIG. 2 illustrates the flat blank layout of both the prior art body component ( 2 a ) and the door component ( 3 a ) as well as the scrap material ( 22 ) shown cross hatched associated with the stamping process. Despite the considerable scrap material ( 22 ) generated in this configuration, the press formed manufacturing technique is still more cost effective than either casting or forging. | <SOH> SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION <EOH>Accordingly, it would be advantageous to create a hinge assembly that is constructed utilizing press formed metal stampings but which reduces or eliminates the scrap associated with the complex shapes dictated by a vehicle's closure panel and body configuration. A great deal of the material used and scrapped in the press forming of a hinge component is directly attributable to shape complexity dictated by the required distances between the mounting holes and pivot pin support features. It would therefore be a significant improvement over the existing art if the interconnection of these features could be achieved in a more efficient manner. The present invention is targeted at reducing the total material utilized in press formed metal stamped hinge components by utilizing the pivot pin as a primary structural component. In a conventionally configured automotive door hinge utilizing a single piece door component and single piece body component, the pivot pin performs two primary functions in that it structurally assembles the two components while facilitating relative rotary motion between them. The present invention utilizes the pivot pin for an additional primary function in that it also structurally connects multiple pieces of each individual component. A conventionally manufactured single piece press formed door component normally connects its two mounting surfaces and two pivot arms via an integral structural bridge. The present invention eliminates the structural bridge and configures each mounting surface and associated pivot arm as an individual separate press formed angle bracket and structurally connects two of these angle brackets together using a uniquely configured pivot pin. Additionally, the present invention utilizes a unique body component configured from two simple press formed angle brackets that are structurally connected via a simple formed feature and the pivot pin. The pivot pin of the present invention is configured with a central cylindrical pivot surface and two knurled opposing cylindrical ends stepped down in diameter from the central cylindrical pivot surface. The two press formed angle brackets of the body component are structurally connected via a simple formed feature on the pivot arms and a single pivot bushing is assembled in the pivot holes via a flanged arrangement. The pivot pin is arranged within the pivot bushing so that the central cylindrical pivot surface can freely rotate and the press formed angle brackets of the door component are configured to be structurally connected to the knurled opposing cylindrical ends of the pivot pin via riveting, staking or similar means of material upsetting. In an alternative embodiment of the present invention, the opposing cylindrical ends of the pivot pin are configured without knurling and the step between the central cylindrical pivot surface and two opposing cylindrical ends is configured with a slight taper that compensates for the thickness tolerances of the body component during the assembly process. The material interference that creates the structural connection occurs between the tapered step and press formed angle brackets of the door components. In another alternative embodiment of the present invention, the pivot pin is configured with a cantilevered feature to facilitate simple separation and reassembly of the door and body components as required in some vehicle assembly plants. In accordance with a principle aspect of the invention, an automotive hinge assembly comprises: (a) a door component constructed from two press formed door angle brackets and adapted to be mounted to a vehicular closure panel; (b) a body component constructed from two press formed body angle brackets, configured to accept a single pivot bushing and adapted to be mounted to a vehicular body structure; (c) a pivot pin configured to structurally connect the press formed door and body angle brackets while holding the door component and body component in structural assembly and facilitating rotary motion between the door component and body component; and (d) the pivot pin being configured with a central cylindrical pivot surface with a central diameter adapted to allow rotation of the pivot bushing thereabout, and two knurled opposing cylindrical ends each with a diameter less than the central diameter adapted to structurally connect the door component angle brackets by material upset. In accordance with further aspects of this invention, an automotive hinge assembly as described, wherein the press formed body angle brackets are structurally joined via a semi-shear feature and matching alignment hole using welding, bonding, riveting, staking or similar means of material upsetting. In accordance with further aspects of this invention, an automotive hinge assembly as described, wherein a pair of hinge stop formations are provided in the body angle brackets that are adapted to interact with a pair of hinge stop surfaces provided on the door angle brackets so that the hinge assembly is structurally restrained from rotation at its full open position. In accordance with further aspects of this invention, an automotive hinge assembly as described, wherein the pivot pin incorporates a tapered feature at a stepped interface between the central cylindrical pivot surface and the two knurled opposing cylindrical ends to compensate for thickness tolerances of the body component angle brackets during the assembly process. In accordance with further aspects of this invention, an automotive hinge assembly as described, wherein the pivot pin is configured to structurally connect the press formed door angle brackets via a pivot bushing, washer and material upset while providing a cantilevered feature to facilitate simple separation and reassembly of the door and body components using a tapered nut and tapered pivot hole arrangement. In accordance with further aspects of this invention, an automotive hinge assembly as described in the paragraph immediately above, wherein a rivet is adapted to provide the hinge stop on the body component while also structurally joining the press formed body angle brackets. | E05D900 | 20171129 | 20180412 | 62989.0 | E05D900 | 1 | SULLIVAN, MATTHEW J | MULTIPLE PIECE CONSTRUCTION AUTOMOTIVE DOOR HINGE | UNDISCOUNTED | 1 | CONT-ACCEPTED | E05D | 2,017 |
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15,826,017 | ACCEPTED | DISPLAY FOR HAND-HELD ELECTRONICS | The invention disclosed here is a display system for managing power and security for a plurality of hand-held electronic devices sold to consumers in a retail location. The display includes features that allow power to be supplied to individual devices and security sensors without continuous hard wiring or multi-conductor retractor cables. The display also allows for individual security alarms to be triggered when a theft occurs. Security alarm conditions are preferably triggered via wireless signals. | 1. A cable management apparatus for use in mounting an electronic device to a display, the apparatus comprising: a puck assembly adapted to receive the electronic device; a base assembly; and a tether assembly adapted to connect the puck assembly with the base assembly; wherein the puck assembly is adapted to be moveable between (1) a rest position in which (i) the puck assembly is in engagement with the base assembly and (ii) the puck assembly and the base assembly are connected to the tether assembly, and (2) a lift position in which (i) the puck assembly is disengaged from the base assembly and (ii) the puck assembly and the base assembly are connected to the tether assembly; wherein the base assembly comprises a base assembly electrical contact, the base assembly electrical contact configured to receive power from a power source; wherein the puck assembly comprises (1) a puck assembly electrical contact, (2) a power storage device, and (3) puck assembly circuitry connected to the puck assembly electrical contact and the power storage device; wherein the base assembly contact and the puck assembly contact are adapted to contact each other when the puck assembly is in the rest position to form an electrical connection between the puck assembly circuitry and the power source; wherein the puck assembly circuitry is configured to, when the puck assembly is in the rest position, draw power from the power source through the electrical connection and provide the drawn power to the power storage device to charge the power storage device; and wherein the base assembly contact and the puck assembly contact are adapted to lose contact with each other in response to movement of the puck assembly from the rest position to the lift position to thereby break the electrical connection. 2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the puck assembly further comprises a sensor, and wherein the puck assembly circuitry, in cooperation with the sensor, is further configured to generate a signal in response to a detection by the sensor of an event relating to a removal of the electronic device from the puck assembly. 3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the puck assembly is further configured to communicate the signal externally from the puck assembly in order to signal an alarm. 4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the puck assembly is further configured to wirelessly communicate the signal externally from the puck assembly in order to signal the alarm. 5. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the puck assembly circuitry is further configured to draw power from the power storage device for communicating the signal externally from the puck assembly when the puck assembly is in the lift position. 6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein the tether assembly is a retractable tether assembly. 7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the retractable tether assembly comprises a retractable tether that does not include multiple conductors. 8. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the retractable tether assembly comprises a retractable steel tether. 9. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the retractable tether assembly comprises a modular retractable tether assembly, wherein the modular retractable tether assembly further comprises a mechanical retractor and rectractor housing that are adapted to provide retractability for a tether within the retractable tether assembly. 10. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the puck assembly further comprises a cable that is connectable to the electronic device, and wherein the puck assembly circuitry is further configured to deliver power to the cable for charging the electronic device. 11. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the power storage device comprises a rechargeable battery. 12. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the tether assembly further comprises a tether and a fitting, wherein the fitting is rotatable around the tether, and wherein the fitting is adapted to connect the puck assembly with the tether assembly for allowing the puck assembly to rotate relative to the tether when the puck assembly is in the lift position. 13. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein the tether assembly further comprises a swivel, the swivel adapted for cooperation with the fitting to allow the puck assembly, when the puck assembly is in the lift position, to rotate relative to the tether in response to the connection between the fitting and the puck assembly. 14. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein the fitting is further adapted for detachable connection with the puck assembly. 15. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein the detachable connection between the fitting and the puck assembly is adapted to allow for the puck assembly and the electronic device to be swapped out of the apparatus as an integrated unit. 16. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein the fitting and the puck assembly comprise complementary shapes that are adapted to provide the detachable connection between the fitting and the puck assembly. 17. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein the fitting and puck assembly are detachable from each other in response to operation of a tool. 18. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein: the puck assembly contact comprises a plurality of puck assembly contacts; the base assembly contact comprises a plurality of base assembly contacts; and the puck assembly contacts and the base assembly contacts are located at a plurality of positions around the puck assembly and the base assembly, respectively, to allow for the puck assembly to be (1) rotatable to a plurality of orientations when the puck assembly is in the lift position, and (2) returnable to the rest position at a plurality of the orientations while still forming the electrical connection in response to the puck assembly being returned to the rest position at the orientations. 19. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein the puck assembly and the base assembly comprise a plurality of complementary recesses and projections where the puck assembly and the base assembly engage with each other when in the rest position at the orientations. 20. The apparatus of claim 19 wherein the complementary recesses and projections comprise complementary contours. 21. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein the base assembly contacts comprise a plurality of spring contacts. 22. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the puck assembly contact comprises a plurality of puck assembly contacts, and wherein the base assembly contact comprises a plurality of base assembly contacts. 23. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the base assembly comprises a first base assembly portion and a second base assembly portion; wherein the first base assembly portion is adapted to (1) engage with the puck assembly when the puck assembly is in the rest position and (2) disengage from the puck assembly when the puck assembly is in the lift position; wherein the second base assembly portion is adapted as a pedestal for the apparatus; wherein the first and second base assembly portions are further adapted for detachable engagement with each other such that the first base assembly portion can engage with the base assembly portion a plurality of display angles. 24. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the base assembly further comprises base assembly circuitry that is connected to the base assembly contact and through which the electrical connection is made between the puck assembly circuitry and the power source. 25. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising the power source, and wherein the power source is a single source power supply that receives power from a power outlet. 26. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising the electronic device. 27. A cable management apparatus for use in mounting an electronic device to a display, the apparatus comprising: a puck assembly adapted to receive the electronic device; a base assembly; and a tether assembly adapted to connect the puck assembly with the base assembly; wherein the puck assembly is adapted to be moveable between (1) a rest position in which (i) the puck assembly is in engagement with the base assembly and (ii) the puck assembly and the base assembly are connected to the tether assembly, and (2) a lift position in which (i) the puck assembly is disengaged from the base assembly and (ii) the puck assembly and the base assembly are connected to the tether assembly; wherein the base assembly further comprises a base assembly electrical contact, the base assembly electrical contact configured to receive power from a power source; wherein the puck assembly comprises (1) a puck assembly electrical contact, (2) a cable that is connectable to the electronic device, and (3) puck assembly circuitry connected to the puck assembly electrical contact and the cable; wherein the base assembly contact and the puck assembly contact are adapted to contact each other when the puck assembly is in the rest position to form an electrical connection between the puck assembly circuitry and the power source; wherein the puck assembly circuitry is configured to, when the puck assembly is in the rest position, draw power from the power source through the electrical connection and provide the drawn power to the cable for use to charge the electronic device; and wherein the base assembly contact and the puck assembly contact are adapted to lose contact with each other in response to movement of the puck assembly from the rest position to the lift position to thereby break the electrical connection. 28. The apparatus of claim 27 wherein the puck assembly further comprises a sensor and a power storage device; wherein the puck assembly circuitry is further configured to, when the puck assembly is in the rest position, draw power from the power source through the electrical connection and provide the drawn power to the power storage device to charge the power storage device; wherein the puck assembly circuitry, in cooperation with the sensor, is further configured to generate a security condition signal in response to a detection by the sensor of an event relating to a removal of the electronic device from the puck assembly; wherein the puck assembly is further configured to communicate the security condition signal externally from the puck assembly in order to signal an alarm; wherein the tether assembly further comprises (1) a tether, (2) a fitting, and (3) a swivel, wherein the fitting is rotatable around the tether, wherein the fitting is adapted to detachably connect the puck assembly with the tether assembly, and wherein the swivel is adapted for cooperation with the fitting to allow the puck assembly to, when the puck assembly is in the lift position, rotate relative to the tether in response to the detachable connection between the fitting and the puck assembly; wherein (1) the puck assembly contact comprises a plurality of puck assembly contacts, (2) the base assembly contact comprises a plurality of base assembly contacts, and (3) the puck assembly contacts and the base assembly contacts are located at a plurality of positions around the puck assembly and the base assembly, respectively, to allow for the puck assembly to be (i) rotatable to a plurality of orientations when the puck assembly is in the lift position, and (ii) returnable to the rest position at a plurality of the orientations while still forming the electrical connection in response to the puck assembly being returned to the rest position at the orientations; wherein the base assembly contacts comprise a plurality of spring contacts; and wherein the tether assembly is a retractable tether assembly. 29. A method for using an apparatus, the apparatus comprising (1) a puck assembly that includes a rechargeable power storage device, (2) a base assembly on which the puck assembly rests, and (3) a tether assembly that connects the puck assembly with the base assembly, wherein the tether assembly includes a tether, the method comprising: the base assembly receiving power from a power source; the puck assembly receiving power from the base assembly via an electrical connection between a plurality of base assembly contacts and a plurality of puck assembly contacts that contact each other when the puck assembly is in the rest position; connecting an electronic device to the puck assembly via a cable; the puck assembly providing power received via the electrical connection between the base assembly contacts and the puck assembly contacts to the connected electronic device via the cable; the puck assembly charging the rechargeable power storage device with power received via the electrical connection between the base assembly contacts and the puck assembly contacts; lifting the puck assembly from the rest position to a lift position in which the puck assembly does not rest on the base assembly, wherein the tether assembly remains connected to the puck assembly and the base assembly when the puck assembly is in the lift position; and in response to the lifting, (1) breaking the electrical connection between the base assembly contacts and puck assembly contacts, and (2) operating circuitry in the puck assembly with power from the rechargeable power storage device. 30. The method of claim 29 further comprising: rotating the lifted puck assembly relative to the tether, wherein the rotating rotates the puck assembly to a new orientation when the puck assembly is in the lift position; and returning the puck assembly to the rest position while the puck assembly remains in the new orientation; and in response to the returning, (1) creating a new electrical connection between the base assembly contacts and the puck assembly contacts when the puck assembly is in the rest position at the new orientation, (2) the puck assembly receiving power from the base assembly via the created new electrical connection when the puck assembly is in the rest position at the new orientation, (3) the puck assembly providing power received via the created new electrical connection to the connected electronic device via the cable, and (4) the puck assembly charging the rechargeable power storage device with power received via the created new electrical connection. | CROSS-REFERENCE AND PRIORITY CLAIM TO RELATED PATENT APPLICATIONS This patent application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/679,620, filed Aug. 17, 2017 and entitled “Display for Hand-Held Electronics”, where the Ser. No. 15/679,620 application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/221,497, filed Jul. 27, 2016 and entitled “Display for Hand-Held Electronics”, where the Ser. No. 15/221,497 application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/092,845, filed Nov. 27, 2013 and entitled “Display for Hand-Held Electronics”, where the Ser. No. 14/092,845 application (1) claims priority to provisional U.S. patent application Ser. No. 61/730,450, filed Nov. 27, 2012 and entitled “Retail Merchandise Display with Swappable Retractor”, (2) claims priority to provisional U.S. patent application Ser. No. 61/730,454, filed Nov. 27, 2012 and entitled “Display Fixture for Retail Merchandise”, (3) claims priority to provisional U.S. patent application Ser. No. 61/732,064, filed Nov. 30, 2012 and entitled “VHB Cure Tool”, and (4) is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/066,606, filed Oct. 29, 2013 and entitled “Display for Hand-Held Electronics”, and where the Ser. No. 14/066,606 application (1) claims priority to provisional U.S. patent application Ser. No. 61/720,344, filed Oct. 30, 2012 and entitled “Retail Merchandise Display”, and (2) is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/819,944, filed Jun. 21, 2010 and entitled “Display for Hand-Held Electronics”. This patent application is also a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/351,837, filed Jan. 10, 2009 and entitled “Display for Hand-Held Electronics”. TECHNICAL FIELD The invention described here relates to displays that are designed to provide operating power and security against theft for hand-held electronics that are offered for sale in a retail setting. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The business of building and servicing retail displays for hand-held electronics has developed into a sophisticated industry. “Big Box” and other large electronics retailers are the major industry customers. The typical display is a countertop-style display that involves a large number of hand-held electronic devices mounted to the countertop via posts or similar kinds of mounting structures. Mr. Roger Leyden was an early inventor of countertop display assemblies that were initially used to mount film cameras in a retail location. U.S. Pat. No. 5,861,807 (“Leyden '807”) is typical and describes a mounting body that carries a camera. The mounting body is lifted from a pedestal or similar support so that the camera can be examined by a potential purchaser. The pedestal is one of many that would be mounted to a display surface. Mr. Leyden also utilized retractors that had one or more conductor wires feeding up to the mounting body. To put this in historical perspective, Leyden obtained several patents on display designs during a period of time before digital cameras, cell phones, and PDAs emerged in the marketplace. Security against theft was the primary issue, at the time, rather than supplying operating power to the device. Film cameras had no significant operational power requirements, for example. Therefore, Leyden '807 (as an example) tended to focus on security measures —which is still important today—although power supply to individual devices has taken on greater importance in the last decade because of how hand-held technology and products have evolved. As far as security is concerned, Leyden '807 remains a viable design from the standpoint that it describes a secondary security sensor cable coming from a mounting body that is connected to a camera. The security sensor is powered by the tether that comes up from beneath the counter. The tether provides both physical security and the electrical signal or power line necessary to drive the sensor. Because of the large numbers of devices mounted on the modern display, tethering each one creates a cable tangling problem. Leyden may or may not have been the first to address that problem by using a cable reel as a security tether system where an alarm is triggered if the cable or secondary cable connection is severed. However, this development gave rise to the use of cable “retractors” in the industry. As digital cameras entered the marketplace in the late '90s, along with the expanded use of cell phones and new cell phone designs, a need arose to provide operating power as well as security functionality to individual post positions on large retail displays. Other related problems developed, at the time, involving the burdens imposed on the local salesperson who needed to make power supply changes at the display when new hand-held models were swapped out with old ones, or the retailer changed its mix of brands offered for sale. Swapping different hand-held models to and from many post positions creates a power cable management problem for the average salesperson, particularly when different hand-helds with different power fittings and voltage requirements are swapped to and from the same post position. Replacing products that have different operating voltages and power jack fittings requires ongoing changes in cabling that will be multiplied many times over according to the number of products on display. It creates a very complex situation in a retail store as inventory rotates. As a consequence, in or about 1999-2000, a predecessor entity to Merchandising Technologies, Inc. (“MTI”) developed a “universal” mounting puck that involved using a retractor that had a single voltage line connected to the puck for power supply purposes, thus eliminating the need for making power cable changes upstream of the puck's position as product models changed. In other words, the “universal” design provided a generic post position with a retractable tether where no cabling changes were needed underneath the display countertop in order to swap products to and from the post. However, the single voltage power line to the puck still remained part of a multi-conductor retractor cable that continued to have other wires in the cable that provided parallel circuits; one for power and the other for separately feeding power to security sensors (or “security signals”) as per earlier designs like Leyden '807. As part of the universal design, MTI also developed what is now known in the industry as the “Smart Cable™” which is a short power adaptor cable that steps down the puck voltage (received from the retractor's power line wire) to meet the specific power requirements of the hand-held. When changing out products, the salesperson simply picks the correct “Smart Cable™” to match the product. Thus, attaching the product with a unique “Smart Cable™” and reattaching secondary security sensor cables (if used) became the only thing the salesperson needed to do when swapping products with the MTI design. In or about 1998, Telefonix, Inc. designed an adaptor cable with a “modular connector” arrangement. This design multiplied the numbers of individual power wires or conductors within the retractor cable, with each one supplying a unique voltage. The design was described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,386,906 (“Burke '906”). The Burke '906 adaptor cables did allow swapping one hand-held with another to and from a post position and, in this respect, served the power requirements of different hand-helds at the same post position. However, Burke '906 was not marketable because it relies on mechanical “pin” connections to plug into specific line voltages offered by the retractor cable—that is, it had no easy way of adapting if new devices came onto the market that needed other operating voltages. MTI's early design became the industry standard. However, while Burke '906 and MTI's early design provided different ways to deal with power supply issues for swapping out hand-helds on the display, they shared some similar technical problems that are associated with multi-conductor retractors. This issue related to “physical” security in that retailers want hand-helds to be tethered to the display in a way that makes it difficult to physically remove the hand-held regardless of whether or how many electrical security sensors are used. A typical multi-conductor retractor provides this tethering function. However, the tether is not as physically secure as the steel cable tethers that were used in the retail industry in earlier years, before the advent of electrical security sensors, like Leyden '807. Steel cable tethers fell out of use in the display industry because, obviously, they lack wiring and, therefore, the ability to conduct power and security signals to the mounting puck position. Another problem with multi-conductor retractors lies in the wear and tear these retractors undergo during the repeated cycling that occurs as the consumer lifts and returns the puck to its original position on the display. Because the retractors are generally low voltage systems, the mechanical wear and tear sometimes alters the voltage transmitted through the wires or causes short circuits. While less of a problem today compared to ten years ago, at one point in time in the development of these products, mounted hand-helds were sensitive to relatively small voltage fluctuations in the power supply. All of the above represents a variety of technical issues that have gone hand-in-hand with the evolution of the consumer hand-held market and the retailer's need to display powered-up products in an attractive way, while still maintaining theft against security. There has been a long-felt need to completely eliminate multi-conductor retractors in the retail display industry. At the same time, however, retail displays need to continue to provide device power and security functionalities at the puck position. The design improvements disclosed here provide a solution. These improvements are a continuation of past improvements developed by MTI commencing from about ten years ago. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The following is a summary of the various improvements disclosed in this document. First and foremost, this disclosure involves retail displays for large numbers of hand-held electronic devices that are intended to be offered for sale at “Big Box” retailers and similar retail outlets. A retail display of this type may be used to sell a wide variety of devices such as digital cameras, cell phones, PDAs, camcorders, hand-held GPS devices, and other types of hand-held electronics. The display is also well-adapted to display new versions or types of hand-held consumer electronic products that are likely to appear in the marketplace in the future. While not always the case, the display improvements disclosed here will usually be implemented as part of a “countertop” display consisting of a number (or plurality) of individual product positions, called “posts” or “post positions.” This involves mounting each hand-held device to the display by means of a physical post assembly or other base structure that is physically connected or mounted to the countertop. Sometimes the countertop is a flat surface, sometimes it involves stair-stepped display surfaces, or the like. In lieu of a countertop, sometimes the hand-helds are displayed on a wall rack in a retail location. Wall rack displays are more common in cell phone stores, as an example. It is also common for displays of this kind to be connected to an under-the-counter source module. As a person skilled in the art would know, source modules provide security and power connections for individual post positions. There are many variations in the way this is done. For the purpose of this disclosure, the term “power signal” is meant to refer to an electrical connection or electrical coupling that provides operating power to a hand-held device or another component associated with a display post position. Similarly, the term “security signal” refers to an electrical connection or electrical coupling to a security sensor, or secondary security sensor cable, or the like. These types of naming conventions are common in both the industry and patent literature relating to retail displays. According to the improvements described here, transmission of a signal indicating a security breach is done “wirelessly.” The present disclosure focuses on “wireless” security functionality as one of a group of novel features defined in the patentable claims. Moreover, according to the improvements described here, the power supply to individual hand-helds does not necessarily involve or require a continuous and unbroken wire-to-wire cable connection between source module (or other power source) and the electronic device (which is common to display designs that use multi-conductor retractors). More specifically, with respect to the wireless functionality described above, and referring to the Burke '906 patent as a basis for comparison (regarding security alarms), Burke '906 relies on a continuous, hard-wired electrical circuit between an under-the-counter source module and one or more security sensors via a multi-conductor retractor. In Burke '906, a hard-wired circuit is provided upstream of the hand-held mounting member by the conductors (wires) in the multi-conductor retractor, which are necessary for providing the electrical connections for security alarms. It should be mentioned that the disclosure in Burke '906 focuses on providing operating power to the hand-held. Nevertheless, Burke also describes security sensor signals and security functionalities. As indicated above, it is common to use a pressure-type security sensor switch in the mounting member portion of a display post (the “puck”) at the interface position where the hand-held is mounted to the puck. Removal of the hand-held from the interface position, for any reason, triggers a mechanical release or switch where the hand-held meets the puck. In prior designs, this generated a detectable security breach signal via breaking the circuit defined by the hard-wired circuit connection between puck and source or control modules below the counter. Similarly, it is common to use a secondary security sensor cable that electrically couples the puck to the hand-held. Secondary sensors are used as an auxiliary to primary security sensors that are usually located at the interface between puck and hand-held. Secondary sensors are usually in the form of the type of short, secondary cable sensor that interconnects the puck and device as disclosed in Leyden's '807 patent. Either way, in past designs the security alarm signal is communicated to the source module or other security electronics below the countertop by breaking a hard-wired circuit that is necessarily created or transmitted via a multi-conductor retractor. In contrast, here, one of the things that sets the present disclosure apart from the prior art involves the elimination of the wires between the power source and the puck, which means that multi-conductor retractors are no longer needed to tether the puck. In one preferred embodiment, this is done by substituting a mechanical reel (e.g., braided steel cable) for conventional multi-conductor retractors. At this point it should be understood that the term “mechanical reel” specifically means a reel mechanism, other than what is known as a “multi-conductor” reel, that utilizes a steel or metallic cable, or the like, in lieu of a multi-conductor (i.e., multi-wire) retractor having individual conductor wires. A steel cable provides much better physical security than retractor cables that consist of little more than small-gauge wires. There may be other materials in lieu of steel that can provide the same level of physical security. Either way, the present disclosure is able to combine a high level of physical security (i.e., steel cable that is hard to cut) and yet provide the needed electrical power and security requirements of a modern display without hard-wired or wire-to-wire means. The way power and security is provided with a non-conducting tether is summarized below. In the present design, the puck carries its own electronics' board or “ECB.” The puck electronics resident on the ECB detect and communicate a security breach event, via wireless means, to display system control electronics that are located under the countertop or elsewhere. The wireless transmission of the security event is or may be accomplished in different ways. One way involves communication of a security breach signal completely wirelessly by using a small transmitter or antenna located within the puck itself, and possibly, carried by the ECB. In another embodiment, the steel cable in the mechanical retractor is used as a transmitting antenna. One way of accomplishing this last functionality is to place a toroid in the base portion of the post assembly, such that the toroid surrounds a portion of the steel cable. The toroid picks up or detects changes in electromagnetic fluctuations in the cable that communicate a security breach condition (e.g., triggered by a pressure sensor on the puck or disconnection of a secondary sensor cable). Another aspect of the present disclosure involves a cable management apparatus that operates from a single-source power supply (provided by the source module or other power source located under the countertop). This is particularly applicable if a mechanical reel is used at a post position, because the steel cable in the reel is not capable of adequately transmitting a power voltage to the puck. Unlike prior designs in the present case, a single-source power signal provides everything that is needed to drive either the power needed to operate the hand-held device or the power needed to drive any puck electronics (once again, the puck serves as a mounting member for the hand-held). The puck electronics will provide the security implementations and other functions that are capable of being carried out at the puck level. In the present case, therefore, a single power source line can provide all the power necessary to provide power, security, or any other electrical functions carried on at the puck level, in lieu of conventional designs that use one power line circuit to the puck for hand-held power and another power line circuit for the purpose of delivering electricity to power security sensors, which is another way of describing a “multi-conductor” retractor or the like. Also, in the present case, the single-source or single-circuit power is distributed or parceled out at the puck level to drive both hand-held power functions and any security sensors. This effectively makes the puck a generic platform location with a universal power source having been translated from a position underneath the countertop to the puck above, for both swapping hand-helds with different power requirements and changing security sensors at the puck level, as needed. Using single source power to drive both power and security at the puck level in this way is believed to be unique. A portion of the power signal is parceled out at the puck level to the hand-held by puck electronics as a “pass through,” when the puck is at rest on the display. In many cases (e.g., cell phones), the hand-held carries its own battery that is charged via the puck and then supplies operating power when the consumer lifts and operates the device at the display. In this particular situation, therefore, the “pass through” power drives the electronics in the hand-held itself and/or charges the hand-held's battery electronics in more or less the same way as an individual adaptor/charger commonly provided by the hand-held's manufacturer. At the same time, the puck serves as a universal power adaptor for any and all hand-helds to be mounted to the puck via the type of “Smart Cable™” design described above, or otherwise. Some of the features disclosed here may be used outside the framework of tethered systems. However, while there may be tethering alternatives, in preferred form, the puck will always be mechanically tethered to the display in the manner described above. As indicated above, there is no power or power signal delivered to the puck via the mechanical tether because it lacks conductor wires. Instead, the puck has spring contacts that mate with complementary contacts in the base portion of the post assembly where the puck normally rests. Only the base portion of the post assembly is hard-wired to the source module or other similar power source. Any power signal supplied via the power source will be supplied at the time the spring contacts electrically engage when the puck is at rest. At that same time, single-circuit power is supplied to the puck's ECB at a sufficiently high voltage and amperage to charge any type of hand-held that will be mounted to the puck and drive any security functions at the puck level. The hand-held has a unique adaptor cable that electrically couples the hand-held to a power fitting on the puck. In order to step-down the power voltage at the puck, or otherwise adjust it to match the power requirements of the hand-held, the adaptor cable is provided with a unique key circuit that adjusts puck power to meet the needs of the hand-held. In preferred form, this is done by building a resistor circuit into the adaptor cable that matches the puck voltage to the hand-held's power requirements. In order to facilitate the swapping of one type of hand-held with another (having different power requirements, for example), each type of hand-held will be supplied with its own unique adaptor cable having both the correct power jack fittings (if needed) and the proper resistance value to step-down the voltage available from puck electronics. Once again, when the puck is at rest, the post assembly contacts are engaged and power passes to the puck, via the ECB, and then is passed through the hand-held's electronics with the voltage delivered to the hand-held being adjusted via the adaptor cable. In the “at rest” position, the hand-held's battery changes in the usual way that simulates being plugged into a conventional adaptor cable when the puck is lifted from the display, the post assembly contacts are broken and the hand-held is powered only by the hand-held's battery while it is examined by the consumer. Thus, according to one variation on the present disclosure, the puck distributes power to the hand-held's internal battery when the device is at rest. As described above, when the puck is lifted, the hand-held's battery serves as the source for operating power, in the same way a consumer uses the device. However, because security sensors are not self-powered, the ECB, or puck, as the case may be, independently carries its own battery. The puck battery is similarly charged when the puck is at rest and can drive puck electronics separately after the puck is lifted. In yet another version, some types of hand-helds will not be displayed with their own internal batteries. In situations of this kind, in the past, the device has been powered by a line directly to the device's power jack fitting via a multi-conductor retractor. This is a common and historical implementation in the display of digital camcorders, for example. In the present case, it is possible to design the footprint of the puck so that it carries a sufficiently large battery to drive both the hand-held and other puck electronics at the same time, when the puck is in “lift” mode. Other power storage devices may be used in lieu of a battery such as, for example, a large capacitor. As yet another alternative, it is possible to eliminate a mechanical reel and replace it with another type of tethering cable that provides the same tethering function, but without the reel that first pays out cable and then retracts it when the product is returned to the display. An example of an alternative arrangement would be a short “curly-Q” cord that has no electrical function or wires within the cord. As material technologies develop, fiber optic cables may serve as tethers where the cable transmits digital signals that are not used for power. It is believed the customers (i.e., retailers) for the type of display disclosed here will probably always want the comfort provided by the physical security of a mechanical tether. However, the wireless security functionality offered by the present design allows elimination of any tether at all, if desired. Because the puck carries its own electronics board, it is possible to create signals that are uniquely identifiable to specific post positions, regardless of whether or not the unique signal is a security signal or some other type of informational signal that is useful to the retailer. For example, when the post contacts are broken as the puck is lifted, it is possible to use that event to trigger different kinds of display functionalities. In essence, the puck may wirelessly transmit a signal that identifies a lift condition at that specific post position. That signal is uniquely identifiable and can be used for media displays. It is common to run media content at displays—which can be a combination of running visual media displayed on a screen and/or audio media. The uniquely identifiable triggering signal from a post position can be used to trigger visual or audio media specifically tailored to the branded product at the post position. That is, the retailer may identify that a particular camera brand is mounted at post “A,” for example. When that post is triggered by a lift signal, the control electronics may cause an advertisement specific to the brand or hand-held model that is played while the consumer is examining it. Likewise, when the product is returned, and a different one is lifted, a new, uniquely identifiably signal is wirelessly transmitted for causing different media content to be displayed. This arrangement makes for a useful set of sales features that universally combine sales, security functions, and ease of swapping older hand-held models with new ones as technology changes or new models are developed. Using wireless signals to identify activity at different post positions opens up additional functions that may be useful to the retailer. For example, the retailer can track the number of “lifts” at each post during a given period of time. Information of this kind reveals which brands are the most popular or whether certain physical locations on the display are better than others, regardless of brand or price. It would be possible for the retailer to develop a single post plan or “planogram” that universally applies to every display in every store, thus obviating the need to individually program media content at each store. Having the ability to transmit a unique signal that identifies marketing activity at specific post positions enables translation of that signal into a corresponding media event. As indicated above, prior art displays have relied on multi-conductor cables that are included as part of a reel assembly for providing both electrical power and electrical security signals to the mounting or puck. In other words, the retractor carries one pair of wires for a power circuit that is connected to the power jack of the hand-held and a separate pair of wires for a security circuit that drives security sensors in the puck, or a secondary security cable, or both things at the same time. The advantage of the present invention is that only one power source or circuit from below the countertop is needed in order to drive both the power and security functions emanating from the puck position. Moreover, because power can be supplied when the puck is at “rest,” and there is no need for under-the-counter power supply in “lift” mode, the need to use multi-conductor retractors is eliminated. Instead, mechanical retractors with steel cables can be used. The foregoing summary will become better understood upon review of the attached drawings which are to be taken in conjunction with the written description set forth below. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the drawings, like reference numerals and letters refer to like parts throughout the various views, and wherein: FIG. 1 is a pictorial view of a “post” position for mounting an electronic hand-held device to a retail display, with the Fig. showing the device exploded from the post; FIG. 2 is a pictorial view of the device shown in FIG. 1; FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the device shown in FIG. 2; FIG. 4 is an exploded view of the mounting member or “puck” portion of the post position illustrated in FIGS. 1-3; FIG. 5 is a view of the puck and base member portions of the post illustrated in FIGS. 1-3; FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIG. 5, but shows the base portion of the “post” position with the puck in partial section; FIG. 7 is a view like FIGS. 5-6, but shows part of the base member portion removed; FIG. 8 is an exploded view of the post shown in FIG. 1; FIG. 9 is a schematic view of a display constructed in accordance with the invention, and schematically illustrates a plurality of post positions connected to a supply module; FIG. 10 is a view like FIG. 9, but illustrates power supply features of the invention; FIG. 11 is a pictorial view of the top part of a post; FIG. 12 is a flow chart explaining security alarm conditions; FIG. 13 is a continuation of FIG. 12; FIG. 14A is the first in a series of two electronic schematics illustrating the electronics in the puck portion of the invention; FIG. 14B is the follow-on schematic from FIG. 14A; FIG. 15 is a flow chart illustrating selected alert conditions for the display; FIG. 16 is a flow chart like FIG. 15; FIG. 17 is a flow chart like FIGS. 15-16; FIG. 18 is a flow chart like FIGS. 15-17; FIG. 19 is a top view of a post position and schematically illustrates the interconnections between a puck and electronic device; FIG. 20 is a view like FIG. 19, but illustrates how one device may be swapped with another off a post; FIG. 21 is a view of a source/alarm module; FIG. 22 is a view similar to FIG. 9 and illustrates a display system having a plurality of post positions along with a display monitor that shows media content depending on which electronic device is examined by a consumer; FIG. 23 is a schematic that illustrates display functionalities of the invention; FIG. 24 is a flow chart that illustrates the logic underlying display functionality; FIG. 25 is a flow chart like FIG. 24; FIG. 26 illustrates how variable media content is developed for independent post positions; FIG. 27 is a perspective view of another embodiment of a “post” position for mounting an electronic hand-held device to a retail display; FIG. 28 is a view like FIG. 27, but shows the electronic hand-held device lifted from the display; FIG. 29 is a view like FIG. 28, but shows the hand-held device removed from the post position; FIG. 30 is an exploded view of the display embodiment shown in FIGS. 27-29; FIG. 31A is an enlarged view showing the details of a “puck” portion of the other display embodiment; FIG. 31B is a view similar to FIG. 31A; FIG. 31C is a view similar to FIG. 31A; FIG. 32 is a pictorial view of another embodiment; FIG. 33 is a pictorial view similar to FIG. 32; FIG. 34 is an exploded view of the embodiment shown in FIGS. 32-33; FIG. 35 is another exploded view of the embodiment shown in FIGS. 32-34; FIG. 36 is a view of a drop-in retractor; FIG. 37 is a pictorial view of another embodiment; FIG. 38 is another pictorial view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 37; FIG. 39 is an exploded view of the embodiment shown in FIGS. 37-38; FIG. 40 is another view of the embodiment shown in FIGS. 37-39; FIG. 41 is an exploded view of the embodiment shown in FIGS. 37-40; FIG. 42 is a series of views relating to the embodiment shown in FIGS. 37-41; FIG. 43 is a view like FIG. 42; FIG. 44 is a view of yet another embodiment; FIG. 45 is a pictorial view the embodiment shown in FIG. 44, but looking from below; FIG. 46 is another view of the embodiment shown in FIGS. 44-45; FIG. 47 is a side view of the embodiment shown in FIGS. 44-46; and FIG. 48 is a view of a retaining member portion of the embodiment shown in FIGS. 44-47. DETAILED DESCRIPTION In the drawings, and referring first to FIG. 1, shown generally at 10 is an improved display post assembly constructed in accordance with the various design improvements described and claimed here. The post assembly 10 includes a base assembly portion (indicated generally at 12) and a puck assembly portion (indicated generally at 14). First, beginning with base assembly 12, the display post 10 includes a base assembly portion or fitting 16 that is mounted to a display countertop surface 18. The base portion 16 has an annular flange 20 that rests on top of surface 18. Extending downwardly from the annular flange 20 is a threaded portion 22 that carries a bracket 24. The bracket 24 further carries a mechanical retractor (indicated generally at 26). The mechanical retractor 26 is conventional in design and includes a spring-loaded steel cable (indicated generally at 28), the length of which is drawn from and returned to the retractor housing 30 as the puck assembly 14 is lifted from and returned to the base assembly 12. The general construction of the mechanical retractor 26 (with steel cable) would be familiar to a person skilled in the art. However, a toroid 32 is mounted to an upper part of the retractor's housing 30. The toroid 32 surrounds the steel cable 28. Its function is further described later. There are other electrical components (indicated generally at 34) mounted to a circuit board assembly 36 on the reel housing 30. These components electrically connect the puck assembly 14 to an under-the-countertop source module (described later) via cable 38, when the puck assembly 14 is resting on base 16. Turning now to the puck assembly 14, it includes a lower portion 40 that nests within the space (indicated generally by arrow 42) in base part 20. The upper portion of the puck, indicated at 44, houses a puck electronics control board, or “ECB,” which will be described later in the context of other application drawings. The puck assembly 14 carries a hand-held 46 which is mounted to the puck assembly 14 in conventional ways known to those who are familiar with countertop displays. FIG. 2 illustrates the post assembly 10 with a variation in the mounting bracket 24. FIG. 3 is similar to FIG. 2. However, FIG. 3 is sectioned axially along the length of the post assembly 10 and reveals the location of spring contacts (the location is generally indicated at 48) that provide the means for supplying power to the puck assembly 14. These contacts will now be described by referring to FIG. 7. Directing attention there, FIG. 7 illustrates an annular plate 50 (that is also shown in FIG. 3). The annular plate or part 50 rests within the lower portion of the base's threaded part 22. The lower portion 40 of the puck assembly 14 has slots 52 (see, e.g., FIG. 8). Preferably, these slots 52 are distributed around the circumference of part 40 and slide over a complementary set of spring contacts 54 that are resident on the annular part 50. There may be different variations on the way this is done. As is illustrated in FIGS. 7 and 8, the spring contacts 54 on the annular part 50 are “female.” The lower portion or part 40 of puck assembly 14 carries “male” contacts 56 (see FIG. 8). These male contacts 56 engage with the female contacts 54 when the puck assembly 14 rests in the base part 20. At that time, an electrical connection is made between the puck 14 and base 16. Turning now to FIG. 8, which is an exploded view, the male contacts 56 are connected to an electronics control board (“ECB”) 58 via assembly 60. The ECB 58, which will be further described later, resides within puck part 44. Another wire assembly 62 connects the female contacts 54 to the circuit board 36 that normally rests above the mechanical retractor 26. The second wire assembly is further connected to cable 38 which, as mentioned above, connects the post assembly 10 to a source module or other under-the-counter control electronics (described later). It should be mentioned at this point that the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 8 includes a clamping structure 64 or similar means that holds the base part 20 in place relative to bracket 24. FIG. 8 also provides a good view of the ECB 58 and other component parts that reside within the puck assembly 14. One of the more important features of the design described here is that the puck continues to be in an active, operating state after the consumer lifts it from the base assembly 12. As described above, when a “lift” event occurs, the electrical connection that is created by spring contacts 54 and 56 is broken. The only power line connection from under the counter to the puck occurs when the puck assembly or puck 14 is at rest (as shown in FIGS. 2, 3 and 5-6, for example). At this point in time, the wiring assembly that is defined by the serial connections consisting of cables 38, 62 and 60 provide one power wire circuit (single source power) from under the counter to the ECB 58. As a skilled person would understand, the post assembly 10 is operated on DC voltage. Therefore, the circuit needs to be defined by two wires within the cable just described, one to create a “ground.” This one circuit is the sole wire-to-wire connection that arises between under-the-counter control electronics and the puck assembly 14 and it arises only when the puck is at “rest.” The design offers at the puck, or ECB 58 level, a sufficiently high voltage and amperage to operate any kind of hand-held that might be mounted to the top face surface 66 of the puck assembly 14. For example, the voltage offered at the puck level might be as high as 18 volts. Assuming the amperage is sufficient, this voltage is more than adequate to operate the various types of hand-helds sold on the market today, if the voltage is stepped-down from the puck assembly 14, which will be described later. Directing the reader's attention to FIG. 19, arrow 68 generally indicates the wire assembly described above that provides power to the ECB 58 when the puck is at rest. At that time, the ECB 58 has circuitry that passes the voltage through to a connector fitting 70 on one side of the puck 14. According to a preferred embodiment, a short adaptor cable, indicated generally at 72, interconnects the puck connector 70 and the power jack on the hand-held 46. The hand-held power jack is generally indicated at 74. Referring now to FIG. 20, the adaptor cable 22 has a unique key circuit or resistor circuit (R1) that adjusts the voltage supplied by ECB 58 to the specific power requirements of the hand-held 46. As a person skilled in the art would know, a typical cell phone operates at a different voltage relative to a camcorder, as one example. The adaptor cable 72 connects the ECB 58 to the hand-held's internal battery 76. This, of course, charges battery 76. When the puck assembly 46 is in “lift” mode, the hand-held's battery 76 allows the consumer to operate the hand-held on the puck, so that the consumer can visually inspect the hand-held's display, how its buttons work, etc. As indicated previously in this disclosure, one of the overall advantages of the post assembly described here is that it provides an easy way for a salesperson to swap different hand-held devices 46 to and from the post assembly position. This is schematically indicated in FIG. 20 by the second adaptor cable 78. The second adaptor cable 78 will have a different resistance value (R2) that steps down the voltage from ECB 58 to a uniquely different level. Thus, the retailer or retailer's salesperson simply selects the appropriate adaptor cable that corresponds to the model or brand of hand-held and swaps one with the other by simply removing and replacing the hand-held from the puck's upper surface 46. In FIG. 20, arrow 80 generally represents an under-the-counter source module 80 (described further below). Power from the source module 80 is distributed by the ECB 58 which passes one portion to the hand-held 46 and another portion to ECB circuitry (see FIGS. 14A-B) and a battery 82. The battery 82 is also illustrated in FIG. 8. Its size will be a variable depending on application or the physical footprint of the puck assembly 14. The puck battery 82 is also charged by ECB circuitry when the puck assembly 14 is at rest. When lifted, the puck battery 82 then serves to drive ECB electronics, which will include one or more security sensors. Referring to FIG. 4, for example, it is common to use secondary security sensors like the one illustrated generally at 84. A security sensor of this type will connect to the ECB 58 via fitting 86 (see, for example, FIG. 6). As shown in FIG. 4, an outer end 88 of the secondary cable 84 may include a pressure-type sensor with a pressure pad or pressure button that rests against one side of the hand-held 46. The pressure pad portion is generally indicated at 90 in FIG. 4. The pressure pad 90 may be held in place by a cable strap 92 that surrounds the hand-held 46. Similarly, the hand-held 46 may be held in position against the top surface 66 of the puck assembly 14 via another cable strap 94. It is also common to use another security sensor at the interface between the hand-held 46 and puck top surface 66. FIG. 4 illustrates a pressure button 96 that is depressed when the hand-held 46 is mounted to the puck assembly 14. Another illustration of the pressure button 96 is shown in FIG. 6 where the ECB 58 is revealed as well. The pressure button 96 is released when the hand-held 46 is removed. Disconnection of the secondary sensor cable 84 or release of the pressure button 96 will trigger a security signal that is transmitted in the manner described below. Referring again to FIG. 19, arrow 98 generally indicates a line that corresponds to the cable 28 carried by the mechanical retractor 26. As described above, and continuing to refer to FIG. 19, the retractor cable 98 is preferably a braided steel cable for mechanical security purposes. While not adequate or suited for functioning as a typical conductor (e.g., for transmitting power or security signals), the cable 98 (see FIG. 19) is nevertheless capable of functioning as an antenna. Therefore, the ECB electronics (see FIGS. 14A-B) are designed to apply an electromagnetic signal to cable 98. In this manner, the cable 98 therefore serves as a transmitting antenna with fluctuations in the electromagnetic signal serving as a means to communicate various kinds of information. One kind of obvious information to be communicated by ECB 58 relates to a security breach condition that could be triggered by the secondary security cable 84 or pressure button 96 described above. In other words, if a user should attempt and be successful at removing the hand-held 46 from the puck assembly 14, the depressed pressure button 96 will be released thus triggering a signal that is picked up by the ECB board. This, in turn, will cause a change in what is transmitted via the antenna that is created by the mechanical retractor's cable 98. It is to be appreciated that the wireless functionality described above could be handled in other ways such as, for example, building a small antenna on the puck ECB board 58. However, many of the past problems relating to display technologies of the type described here involves ongoing reliability problems. Post assemblies need to operate for long periods of time without maintenance. Maintenance is a problem for a retailer because these systems are becoming highly sophisticated and the retailer lacks the capability or means to fix serious technical problems when they arise. Therefore, it is believed that creating antenna structure in the form of a mechanical steel retractor cable is a highly reliable way to generate electronic signals over a long period of time without malfunctions. As indicated above, signals transmitted by the cable/antenna 98 are picked up by the toroid 32 that is resident on the mechanical retractor 26 (see FIGS. 19 and 1, for example). Directing the reader's attention now to FIG. 9, illustrated therein is a schematic arrangement that reflects a typical display installation at a retail site. The post assembly 10 previously described is illustrated in FIG. 9 with additional letter designations (10A, 10B, etc.) to reflect the different numbers of posts used in a typical display. To the extent this description refers to post “A”, for example, post “A” is meant to refer to post assembly 10A in FIG. 9, and so forth. In the previous description relating to FIGS. 1 and 8, cable 38 was described as part of an overall wiring assembly that connected each post assembly 10 to a source or control module that is normally located under the countertop of the display. In FIG. 9, reference numeral 38 schematically indicates the cable just described, for each post assembly 10A-10H. Each cable is connected to a conventional low voltage connector 100A-H on a control module 102. An enlarged view of the control module 102 is illustrated in FIG. 21. The control module 102 may have terminal blocks 104, 106. A key pad, as schematically indicated at 108 in FIG. 9, makes it possible to set up remote control alarm activation, if desired. Turning now to FIG. 10, the control module is powered by conventional means, and preferably, operates as a low voltage system that has different power adaptors (e.g., power supply for battery backup) 110, 112 for the purpose of driving different functionalities coming off of the control module 102. Obviously, the single-source power line to each post assembly 10, as described above, emanates from the control module 102. However, as will be further described later, the control module 102 may also serve as a distributor for other signal functions (i.e., triggering the display of media content), depending on which pucks 14 are lifted from a respective post position. The control module 102 may have its own battery backup 114 in case of power failure. Otherwise, the entire control system may be driven from a conventional power strip 116, which would be familiar to a person skilled in the art. It should be mentioned, at this point in time, that arrow 118 in FIG. 9 generally refers to the power supply features described above relative to FIG. 9. Referring now to FIG. 22, for example, the control module 102 (labeled as “alarm” module, which is one way of referring to “control” module) is connected to another control module (“UIM”) 122 via a logic cable 120. Another wiring assembly for cable assembly 124, 126 interconnects the UIM module 122 to a media player 128 or the like. The media player 128 will typically have its own power supply 130. Post assembly position 10B in FIG. 22 represents a typical puck “lift” condition. When this happens, the post assembly's spring contacts 54, 56 are broken. The ECB board 58 in the puck detects breaking of the contacts 54, 56 and generates an appropriate signal to the controller 102 that indicates “lift.” While this may be done in different ways, preferably, the signal is communicated via cable/antenna 98 to toroid 32 (see FIG. 19) that is resident on the mechanical retractor (see FIGS. 1 and 8, for example). Redirecting attention briefly to FIG. 8, for example, the toroid 32 resides on a circuit board 36 on top of the mechanical retractor 26. Cable 38 is a multi-conductor cable that interconnects circuit board 36 to the controller 102. Thus, both security signals (via toroid 32, for example) and power signals are communicated between the mechanical retractor position 26 and controller 102 via a “multi-conductor” cable. However, and referring to FIG. 1, power is supplied via a single source or single line, which is indicated generally by reference numeral 62. In other words, arrow 132 indicates a power wire from circuit board 36 to the spring contacts 54, 56 within the puck assembly 10 as previously described. Referring back to the media player 128, when the puck at post position 10B is lifted, the controller 102 detects the lift signal and communicates it to the media player. The UIM module 122, in essence, translates the signal and instructs the media player 128 to play content that has been uniquely mapped to post position 10B. For example, if post position 10B carries a particular make, model or brand of a camera, the media player 128 is instructed to play pre-stored content for that particular device. The media content may be visually displayed via a conventional monitor 134 or it may be combined with audio content that is broadcast from local speakers (not shown) that explains unique features about the device. It is to be appreciated at this point, that the post assembly 10 described herein, when implemented in an overall system of the kind illustrated in FIG. 22, provides a truly universal system for a retailer. When the system is installed, the permanent components consist of the under-the-counter control modules, media content player (or players) and the hardware configurations of the posts. What is left for the retailer to do is swap models to and from post positions or add or subtract media content that is correlated to individual post positions. FIG. 23 illustrates another variation of the system described above. It is possible to program media content at the display level in different ways. In preferred form, for any display having a monitor 134, there will always be something playing on the monitor (arrow 136) even when no pucks are lifted at any post or “SKU” position. According to the system described above, when a “lift” is detected at any particular post position, then a media file specific to that position can be played, as indicated at 138. An advantage to the system is that it is possible to interface a display at any particular store with media content that is created off-site and provided via the internet or other means, as indicated at 148. In this way, and for large retailers who will have their own media departments, in particular, the retailer may assemble media content 150 at a separate corporate location and transmit it to individual displays (at different store locations) from media storage 152. This may be accomplished in different ways that include either adjusting content on a per post basis or generically mapping out (“planogram”) all post positions at the same time. With respect to the latter concept, some retailers may install identical displays having the same arrangement and number of post positions, monitors, etc. at a variety of stores. In situations of this kind, it is possible to develop generic plans, as shown at FIG. 26, where the retailer or supplier can create a media plan that selectively controls all the post positions. At the same time, the salesperson is simply instructed as to which hand-held device model needs to be installed in a certain position. In other words, a central corporate location can provide a single sheet or sheets of instructions for its display that tell the salesperson nothing more than what type of camera and power adaptor cable (between camera and puck) needs to be put at each post position. Thereafter, media content is supplied automatically via the internet or the like. FIGS. 24-25 generally indicate the control logic for the system just described. Next, returning to FIG. 22, in preferred form, each puck assembly 14 will carry a light ring 154 that can be used to visually output certain kinds of security alarm conditions or other alerts. For example, each light ring position 154 may output different flashing sequences that are triggered by different security breach events. Referring to FIGS. 12 and 13, for example, the light rings may be programmed to flash by certain events such as product being removed from the puck (156) an active puck being removed from the display (158); cutting of the mechanical retractor cable (160); removal of the secondary or other security sensors (162); incorrect product mounting (164); or other kinds of indicia of faulty puck operation (166). FIGS. 12-13 illustrate the flowchart logic for implementing the system. Audio alarms may be triggered at the same time as a flashing light ring. It is to be appreciated that, in accordance with the design described here, the light ring is built into the puck assembly. Therefore, it may be driven by the ECB battery 82 (previously described). Finally, the light ring system 154 may also be used to indicate a wide variety of alerts that communicate whether each post position is operating correctly. These alerts may range from steady light output at each post position (indicating the puck assembly 14 is armed and charging at that post position when at rest) or no light (indicating lack of power) different kinds of flashing and/or alarm siren cycles may also be used to indicate different kinds of alert conditions, as reflected in FIGS. 15-18. FIGS. 27-31 disclose another embodiment of the display 10 previously described. Similar to the preceding description, the alternative embodiment has a puck 202 that rests on a generally vertical base member 204. The puck 202 is physically connected to the base member 204 by a tether 206. The tether 206 may extend or retract via a reel mechanism (not shown) that is housed within the base member 204. A power cable 208 also interconnects the puck 202 to a hand-held 200, the latter device being mounted to the puck 202. Referring now to FIG. 29, the puck 202 carries internal electronic components that may include, among other things, an audible alarm that emits sound when a theft condition is detected. The puck 202 is therefore “intelligent” in the sense that it includes sensor and alarm systems that are built into puck electronics. The base 204 has an upper cradle portion that is generally indicated by reference numeral 220 in FIG. 29. The cradle portion has a series of four recesses (222, 224, 226, 228) that meet or match with projections (230, 232, 234) that are molded into each quadrant of the upper portion (see, generally, item 238 in the puck 202). Also, referring to FIGS. 30 and 31, the puck 202 has a quick connect at the puck's base, indicated generally by reference numeral 240. In other words, the tether 206 terminates in a fitting 242 that is free to rotate at the end of the tether. The fitting 242 slides within a groove 244 in the bottom of the puck 202. A quick-release mechanism, generally indicated at 246, enables the electronics portion of the puck 202 (or, in other words, the upper portion) to slide cross-wise from fitting 242 on the end of the tether 206. The recesses (222, 224, 226, 228) and corresponding projections (230, 232, 234) on the puck 202 allow the puck to be lifted and replaced at different angular orientations relative to the base 204. The advantage of this arrangement is that it enables electrical contacts to be made between the puck 202 and underlying electrical contacts within the base 204, so that the puck 202 can be returned to the post as different angular positions, relative to its position when “lifted,” and still make the needed charging contacts. The charging contacts would, of course, be similar to those previously described. However, every quadrant of the puck 202 (four sides) will have dedicated contacts that engage with one or more contacts in the base, regardless of the puck's angular position when returned to the base. A key tool 248 locks the electronics portion 238 of the puck 202 (and enables release, when needed). As disclosed here, the key tool 248 would be required for “release,” but not for attachment of the electronics portion 238 to item 242. The fitting 242 functions as a puck (base) part when connected to the electronics portion. As indicated above, the fitting 242 will have an integrated swivel that alleviates torsional twisting forces on the tether 206. As another alternative, the electronics portion may have a light lens built into the puck 202 as a system status indicator. Arrow 250 indicates a suitable location. Arrow 252 points to the location of one or more side ports (mini or micro-USB) for cable connections. An advantage of the alternative embodiment is that it enables easy product swapping to and from the end of tether 206. One significant difference between the alternative design illustrated in FIGS. 27-31 and known prior art is that product swapping to and from displays is traditionally done by removing or disconnecting the electronic hand-held from the upper surface of the puck. In the alternative embodiment, the device plus puck can be swapped together as an integrated unit. This alternative design allows retailers to easily reconfigure or arrange different products within their stores, without the additional complications of detaching and resecuring hand-helds to the puck. FIGS. 32-48 illustrate several other embodiments. Referring first to FIGS. 32-36, the embodiment illustrated in these Figs. relates to a design that addresses factors attributable to retractor wear. This embodiment is a design that simplifies retractor replacement and thereby reduces maintenance costs. Referring specifically to FIG. 32, this figure is a perspective view and shows the electronic device 10 on the end of a tether 275 in a typical retail environment. The device 10 is shown lifted from the display fixture, indicated generally at 277. FIG. 33 is a perspective view like FIG. 32 However, FIG. 33 shows the device 10 returned to the fixture 277 (with the tether 275 retracted inside the fixture). FIG. 34 is an exploded view of the display. Reference numeral 279 generally points to a “puck” portion of the display. The puck 279 carries an electronic control board (“ECB”) for operating the device 10 and provides certain security functions, similar to the above description. Reference 281 generally indicates a quick-connect mechanism (“quick-connect”) at the end of the tether 275. Reference 283 generally indicates a modular retractor. Directing attention to FIG. 34, the puck 279 is releasably attached to the quick-connect 281. The modular retractor 283 is housed inside the hollow body 285 of the display. The display is generally indicated at 286 in FIGS. 32-36. The housing body 285 has upper and lower parts 285A, 285B, respectively. The upper part 285A is removable from the lower part 285B via screws 287. In essence, the upper part 285A serves as a cap for the modular retractor 283 and a resting place for the puck portion 279. When the upper part or cap 285A is removed (see FIG. 35), the modular retractor unit 283 can be removed from lower display part 285B (and replaced, as the case may be), as shown in the third image from the left on FIG. 36. The cap 285A is easy to replace via screws 287. Similarly, the puck portion 279 snaps back onto the quick-release 281. Rather than undertake a complicated sequence of repair steps and electrical disconnections—which is typical for retractor-based displays in use today, the present disclosure enables simple and easy retractor replacement by simply using a tool 26 to release the puck portion 279 from the quick-connect piece 281; undoing a small number of screws 287 to remove cap 285A; make a simple swap of the retractor 283; and then replace the cap portion 285 (with the screws 287) and slide the puck portion 279 back on the quick-connect 281. The embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 32-36 offers the potential for significant cost savings relating to service costs for big-box retailers and other retailers who use security displays of this type in connection with the sale of large numbers of consumer electronic devices. FIG. 36 is a series of three images showing the modular retractor 283. The retractor 283 will have modular footings for making the necessary electrical contacts when it is dropped into the display 286. Finally, the display 286 illustrated in FIGS. 32-36 is a surface-mounted fixture having a base plate 300 connected to a surface-mount plate 302 via screws 304. It is unnecessary to disconnect screws 304 in order to service the retractor 283. The puck 279 has a typical VHB pad 306 for adhesively bonding the device 10 to the puck 279. Referring now to the next embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 37-43, the embodiment relates to another improvement to the pedestal portion of the display that can be altered easily by the retailer to adjust the display angle of the product. Moreover, this embodiment provides a means for displaying product trademarks, company logos, or other print media on the fixture itself. FIG. 37 is a perspective view of this alternative embodiment. Reference 320 generally points to the pedestal or post portion of the display. The post portion 320 provides a resting place for a puck mounted electronic device 10 as previously described. The puck is generally indicated at 279 in this particular embodiment. The puck 279 is tethered (reference 275) and may be lifted from and returned to the post 320, in the manner previously described relative to other embodiments. As illustrated in FIGS. 37 and 38 (and other Figs.), the post 320 has a “charge cup,” generally indicated at 322, that receives the puck portion 279. FIG. 38 is another perspective view, that shows a wall mounted version of the same embodiment. FIG. 39 is an exploded view that illustrates disconnection of the charge cup 322 from the remainder of the post 320. As can be seen, in FIGS. 37-41, the charge cup 322 is angled at 324 in a manner so that it rests on a similar angled shoulder 326 on the post 320 (see FIG. 39). The lower part of post 320 is hollow for receiving the modular retractor 283 previously described. A base plate 328 is used to mount the post 320 to a countertop or wall. FIG. 40 is a series of three views that illustrates how the charge cup 322 may be changed to adjust the angle of the product 10. According to this embodiment, the charge cup 322 is held in place by two screws 330, 332. Removing screws 330, 332 allows the charge cup 322 to be lifted, rotated, and then returned to a different angular position, as shown on the right-hand side of FIG. 40. The charge cup 322 has four scallops indicated generally at 334. This feature was previously described and allows the puck portion 279 to be lifted, rotated and returned to the post 320, while reengaging with electrical contacts at any position. At other words, each scalloped portion 334 of the charging cup 322 has its own set of contacts 336 at each one of a 90 degree position. This allows the display 10 to lifted from the post 320, examined by the user, and the user can place the device on the post 10 in a different rotational position from the position it was in when lifted. Even if returned in a different rotational position, the charging contacts will be reinitiated so that the puck/device combination can recharge when in the rest position. Referring now to FIG. 41, the embodiment is amenable to using clip-on display or advertising cover surfaces 340 that are easy to attach and remove from the post 320. There may be different ways of attaching the covers 340 to the post 320. However, as shown in FIG. 42, at reference numeral 342, the outer surface of the covers 340 may carry printed matter or bear different designs or logos at different times. In other words, there may be times when a specific post 320 is used to display a specific branded product. At that time, brand-dedicated covers 340 are attached to post 320 with logos specific to the product. If the product is later changed to a different brand, it is easy to remove the covers 340 and replace them with new ones that bear the different brand. In this way, it is possible for specific posts in an array to advertise the brands in a highly visible manner that can be seen by the consumer as he or she approaches the display. Similarly, the “lift-and-rotate” design of the charge cup 322 is amenable to surface covers that could accommodate the changes in the angle. In other words, if the post 320 is converted from the straight-up configuration shown in FIG. 43 to the angled configuration shown in FIG. 42, one set of covers 340A can be swapped with a second set of covers 340B to accommodate the changed configuration. The covers 340 could be manufactured as stamped steel covers. They may be attached with a low strength adhesive or other means. Finally, FIGS. 44-48 illustrate a tool for adhesively mounting the electronic device 10 to a VHB patch 350 on an upper surface of the puck. A perforated rubber strap 360 is laid on top of the device 10 after it is initially adhered to the VHB material 350. Pins 362, 364 are threaded into each side of the puck to provide a means for attaching the rubber strap 360 and wrapping it around the device 10. The rubber strap 360 has sufficient elasticity to allow it to stretch so that the appropriate perforation 362 on the strap may be used to create sufficient tension in the strap that it will hold the device 10 against the VHB material. After the VHB material cures, the device can be easily removed by the retailer, along with the pins. It is to be appreciated that the foregoing description sets forth the best known examples and embodiments. It is not intended that any of the foregoing description be used to limit the scope of the patent protection. Instead, all patent protection is to be defined solely by the patent claim or claims that follow this description, the interpretation of which is to be made according to the legal rules of patent claim interpretation and the rules and regulations of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. | <SOH> BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION <EOH>The business of building and servicing retail displays for hand-held electronics has developed into a sophisticated industry. “Big Box” and other large electronics retailers are the major industry customers. The typical display is a countertop-style display that involves a large number of hand-held electronic devices mounted to the countertop via posts or similar kinds of mounting structures. Mr. Roger Leyden was an early inventor of countertop display assemblies that were initially used to mount film cameras in a retail location. U.S. Pat. No. 5,861,807 (“Leyden '807”) is typical and describes a mounting body that carries a camera. The mounting body is lifted from a pedestal or similar support so that the camera can be examined by a potential purchaser. The pedestal is one of many that would be mounted to a display surface. Mr. Leyden also utilized retractors that had one or more conductor wires feeding up to the mounting body. To put this in historical perspective, Leyden obtained several patents on display designs during a period of time before digital cameras, cell phones, and PDAs emerged in the marketplace. Security against theft was the primary issue, at the time, rather than supplying operating power to the device. Film cameras had no significant operational power requirements, for example. Therefore, Leyden '807 (as an example) tended to focus on security measures —which is still important today—although power supply to individual devices has taken on greater importance in the last decade because of how hand-held technology and products have evolved. As far as security is concerned, Leyden '807 remains a viable design from the standpoint that it describes a secondary security sensor cable coming from a mounting body that is connected to a camera. The security sensor is powered by the tether that comes up from beneath the counter. The tether provides both physical security and the electrical signal or power line necessary to drive the sensor. Because of the large numbers of devices mounted on the modern display, tethering each one creates a cable tangling problem. Leyden may or may not have been the first to address that problem by using a cable reel as a security tether system where an alarm is triggered if the cable or secondary cable connection is severed. However, this development gave rise to the use of cable “retractors” in the industry. As digital cameras entered the marketplace in the late '90s, along with the expanded use of cell phones and new cell phone designs, a need arose to provide operating power as well as security functionality to individual post positions on large retail displays. Other related problems developed, at the time, involving the burdens imposed on the local salesperson who needed to make power supply changes at the display when new hand-held models were swapped out with old ones, or the retailer changed its mix of brands offered for sale. Swapping different hand-held models to and from many post positions creates a power cable management problem for the average salesperson, particularly when different hand-helds with different power fittings and voltage requirements are swapped to and from the same post position. Replacing products that have different operating voltages and power jack fittings requires ongoing changes in cabling that will be multiplied many times over according to the number of products on display. It creates a very complex situation in a retail store as inventory rotates. As a consequence, in or about 1999-2000, a predecessor entity to Merchandising Technologies, Inc. (“MTI”) developed a “universal” mounting puck that involved using a retractor that had a single voltage line connected to the puck for power supply purposes, thus eliminating the need for making power cable changes upstream of the puck's position as product models changed. In other words, the “universal” design provided a generic post position with a retractable tether where no cabling changes were needed underneath the display countertop in order to swap products to and from the post. However, the single voltage power line to the puck still remained part of a multi-conductor retractor cable that continued to have other wires in the cable that provided parallel circuits; one for power and the other for separately feeding power to security sensors (or “security signals”) as per earlier designs like Leyden '807. As part of the universal design, MTI also developed what is now known in the industry as the “Smart Cable™” which is a short power adaptor cable that steps down the puck voltage (received from the retractor's power line wire) to meet the specific power requirements of the hand-held. When changing out products, the salesperson simply picks the correct “Smart Cable™” to match the product. Thus, attaching the product with a unique “Smart Cable™” and reattaching secondary security sensor cables (if used) became the only thing the salesperson needed to do when swapping products with the MTI design. In or about 1998, Telefonix, Inc. designed an adaptor cable with a “modular connector” arrangement. This design multiplied the numbers of individual power wires or conductors within the retractor cable, with each one supplying a unique voltage. The design was described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,386,906 (“Burke '906”). The Burke '906 adaptor cables did allow swapping one hand-held with another to and from a post position and, in this respect, served the power requirements of different hand-helds at the same post position. However, Burke '906 was not marketable because it relies on mechanical “pin” connections to plug into specific line voltages offered by the retractor cable—that is, it had no easy way of adapting if new devices came onto the market that needed other operating voltages. MTI's early design became the industry standard. However, while Burke '906 and MTI's early design provided different ways to deal with power supply issues for swapping out hand-helds on the display, they shared some similar technical problems that are associated with multi-conductor retractors. This issue related to “physical” security in that retailers want hand-helds to be tethered to the display in a way that makes it difficult to physically remove the hand-held regardless of whether or how many electrical security sensors are used. A typical multi-conductor retractor provides this tethering function. However, the tether is not as physically secure as the steel cable tethers that were used in the retail industry in earlier years, before the advent of electrical security sensors, like Leyden '807. Steel cable tethers fell out of use in the display industry because, obviously, they lack wiring and, therefore, the ability to conduct power and security signals to the mounting puck position. Another problem with multi-conductor retractors lies in the wear and tear these retractors undergo during the repeated cycling that occurs as the consumer lifts and returns the puck to its original position on the display. Because the retractors are generally low voltage systems, the mechanical wear and tear sometimes alters the voltage transmitted through the wires or causes short circuits. While less of a problem today compared to ten years ago, at one point in time in the development of these products, mounted hand-helds were sensitive to relatively small voltage fluctuations in the power supply. All of the above represents a variety of technical issues that have gone hand-in-hand with the evolution of the consumer hand-held market and the retailer's need to display powered-up products in an attractive way, while still maintaining theft against security. There has been a long-felt need to completely eliminate multi-conductor retractors in the retail display industry. At the same time, however, retail displays need to continue to provide device power and security functionalities at the puck position. The design improvements disclosed here provide a solution. These improvements are a continuation of past improvements developed by MTI commencing from about ten years ago. | <SOH> SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION <EOH>The following is a summary of the various improvements disclosed in this document. First and foremost, this disclosure involves retail displays for large numbers of hand-held electronic devices that are intended to be offered for sale at “Big Box” retailers and similar retail outlets. A retail display of this type may be used to sell a wide variety of devices such as digital cameras, cell phones, PDAs, camcorders, hand-held GPS devices, and other types of hand-held electronics. The display is also well-adapted to display new versions or types of hand-held consumer electronic products that are likely to appear in the marketplace in the future. While not always the case, the display improvements disclosed here will usually be implemented as part of a “countertop” display consisting of a number (or plurality) of individual product positions, called “posts” or “post positions.” This involves mounting each hand-held device to the display by means of a physical post assembly or other base structure that is physically connected or mounted to the countertop. Sometimes the countertop is a flat surface, sometimes it involves stair-stepped display surfaces, or the like. In lieu of a countertop, sometimes the hand-helds are displayed on a wall rack in a retail location. Wall rack displays are more common in cell phone stores, as an example. It is also common for displays of this kind to be connected to an under-the-counter source module. As a person skilled in the art would know, source modules provide security and power connections for individual post positions. There are many variations in the way this is done. For the purpose of this disclosure, the term “power signal” is meant to refer to an electrical connection or electrical coupling that provides operating power to a hand-held device or another component associated with a display post position. Similarly, the term “security signal” refers to an electrical connection or electrical coupling to a security sensor, or secondary security sensor cable, or the like. These types of naming conventions are common in both the industry and patent literature relating to retail displays. According to the improvements described here, transmission of a signal indicating a security breach is done “wirelessly.” The present disclosure focuses on “wireless” security functionality as one of a group of novel features defined in the patentable claims. Moreover, according to the improvements described here, the power supply to individual hand-helds does not necessarily involve or require a continuous and unbroken wire-to-wire cable connection between source module (or other power source) and the electronic device (which is common to display designs that use multi-conductor retractors). More specifically, with respect to the wireless functionality described above, and referring to the Burke '906 patent as a basis for comparison (regarding security alarms), Burke '906 relies on a continuous, hard-wired electrical circuit between an under-the-counter source module and one or more security sensors via a multi-conductor retractor. In Burke '906, a hard-wired circuit is provided upstream of the hand-held mounting member by the conductors (wires) in the multi-conductor retractor, which are necessary for providing the electrical connections for security alarms. It should be mentioned that the disclosure in Burke '906 focuses on providing operating power to the hand-held. Nevertheless, Burke also describes security sensor signals and security functionalities. As indicated above, it is common to use a pressure-type security sensor switch in the mounting member portion of a display post (the “puck”) at the interface position where the hand-held is mounted to the puck. Removal of the hand-held from the interface position, for any reason, triggers a mechanical release or switch where the hand-held meets the puck. In prior designs, this generated a detectable security breach signal via breaking the circuit defined by the hard-wired circuit connection between puck and source or control modules below the counter. Similarly, it is common to use a secondary security sensor cable that electrically couples the puck to the hand-held. Secondary sensors are used as an auxiliary to primary security sensors that are usually located at the interface between puck and hand-held. Secondary sensors are usually in the form of the type of short, secondary cable sensor that interconnects the puck and device as disclosed in Leyden's '807 patent. Either way, in past designs the security alarm signal is communicated to the source module or other security electronics below the countertop by breaking a hard-wired circuit that is necessarily created or transmitted via a multi-conductor retractor. In contrast, here, one of the things that sets the present disclosure apart from the prior art involves the elimination of the wires between the power source and the puck, which means that multi-conductor retractors are no longer needed to tether the puck. In one preferred embodiment, this is done by substituting a mechanical reel (e.g., braided steel cable) for conventional multi-conductor retractors. At this point it should be understood that the term “mechanical reel” specifically means a reel mechanism, other than what is known as a “multi-conductor” reel, that utilizes a steel or metallic cable, or the like, in lieu of a multi-conductor (i.e., multi-wire) retractor having individual conductor wires. A steel cable provides much better physical security than retractor cables that consist of little more than small-gauge wires. There may be other materials in lieu of steel that can provide the same level of physical security. Either way, the present disclosure is able to combine a high level of physical security (i.e., steel cable that is hard to cut) and yet provide the needed electrical power and security requirements of a modern display without hard-wired or wire-to-wire means. The way power and security is provided with a non-conducting tether is summarized below. In the present design, the puck carries its own electronics' board or “ECB.” The puck electronics resident on the ECB detect and communicate a security breach event, via wireless means, to display system control electronics that are located under the countertop or elsewhere. The wireless transmission of the security event is or may be accomplished in different ways. One way involves communication of a security breach signal completely wirelessly by using a small transmitter or antenna located within the puck itself, and possibly, carried by the ECB. In another embodiment, the steel cable in the mechanical retractor is used as a transmitting antenna. One way of accomplishing this last functionality is to place a toroid in the base portion of the post assembly, such that the toroid surrounds a portion of the steel cable. The toroid picks up or detects changes in electromagnetic fluctuations in the cable that communicate a security breach condition (e.g., triggered by a pressure sensor on the puck or disconnection of a secondary sensor cable). Another aspect of the present disclosure involves a cable management apparatus that operates from a single-source power supply (provided by the source module or other power source located under the countertop). This is particularly applicable if a mechanical reel is used at a post position, because the steel cable in the reel is not capable of adequately transmitting a power voltage to the puck. Unlike prior designs in the present case, a single-source power signal provides everything that is needed to drive either the power needed to operate the hand-held device or the power needed to drive any puck electronics (once again, the puck serves as a mounting member for the hand-held). The puck electronics will provide the security implementations and other functions that are capable of being carried out at the puck level. In the present case, therefore, a single power source line can provide all the power necessary to provide power, security, or any other electrical functions carried on at the puck level, in lieu of conventional designs that use one power line circuit to the puck for hand-held power and another power line circuit for the purpose of delivering electricity to power security sensors, which is another way of describing a “multi-conductor” retractor or the like. Also, in the present case, the single-source or single-circuit power is distributed or parceled out at the puck level to drive both hand-held power functions and any security sensors. This effectively makes the puck a generic platform location with a universal power source having been translated from a position underneath the countertop to the puck above, for both swapping hand-helds with different power requirements and changing security sensors at the puck level, as needed. Using single source power to drive both power and security at the puck level in this way is believed to be unique. A portion of the power signal is parceled out at the puck level to the hand-held by puck electronics as a “pass through,” when the puck is at rest on the display. In many cases (e.g., cell phones), the hand-held carries its own battery that is charged via the puck and then supplies operating power when the consumer lifts and operates the device at the display. In this particular situation, therefore, the “pass through” power drives the electronics in the hand-held itself and/or charges the hand-held's battery electronics in more or less the same way as an individual adaptor/charger commonly provided by the hand-held's manufacturer. At the same time, the puck serves as a universal power adaptor for any and all hand-helds to be mounted to the puck via the type of “Smart Cable™” design described above, or otherwise. Some of the features disclosed here may be used outside the framework of tethered systems. However, while there may be tethering alternatives, in preferred form, the puck will always be mechanically tethered to the display in the manner described above. As indicated above, there is no power or power signal delivered to the puck via the mechanical tether because it lacks conductor wires. Instead, the puck has spring contacts that mate with complementary contacts in the base portion of the post assembly where the puck normally rests. Only the base portion of the post assembly is hard-wired to the source module or other similar power source. Any power signal supplied via the power source will be supplied at the time the spring contacts electrically engage when the puck is at rest. At that same time, single-circuit power is supplied to the puck's ECB at a sufficiently high voltage and amperage to charge any type of hand-held that will be mounted to the puck and drive any security functions at the puck level. The hand-held has a unique adaptor cable that electrically couples the hand-held to a power fitting on the puck. In order to step-down the power voltage at the puck, or otherwise adjust it to match the power requirements of the hand-held, the adaptor cable is provided with a unique key circuit that adjusts puck power to meet the needs of the hand-held. In preferred form, this is done by building a resistor circuit into the adaptor cable that matches the puck voltage to the hand-held's power requirements. In order to facilitate the swapping of one type of hand-held with another (having different power requirements, for example), each type of hand-held will be supplied with its own unique adaptor cable having both the correct power jack fittings (if needed) and the proper resistance value to step-down the voltage available from puck electronics. Once again, when the puck is at rest, the post assembly contacts are engaged and power passes to the puck, via the ECB, and then is passed through the hand-held's electronics with the voltage delivered to the hand-held being adjusted via the adaptor cable. In the “at rest” position, the hand-held's battery changes in the usual way that simulates being plugged into a conventional adaptor cable when the puck is lifted from the display, the post assembly contacts are broken and the hand-held is powered only by the hand-held's battery while it is examined by the consumer. Thus, according to one variation on the present disclosure, the puck distributes power to the hand-held's internal battery when the device is at rest. As described above, when the puck is lifted, the hand-held's battery serves as the source for operating power, in the same way a consumer uses the device. However, because security sensors are not self-powered, the ECB, or puck, as the case may be, independently carries its own battery. The puck battery is similarly charged when the puck is at rest and can drive puck electronics separately after the puck is lifted. In yet another version, some types of hand-helds will not be displayed with their own internal batteries. In situations of this kind, in the past, the device has been powered by a line directly to the device's power jack fitting via a multi-conductor retractor. This is a common and historical implementation in the display of digital camcorders, for example. In the present case, it is possible to design the footprint of the puck so that it carries a sufficiently large battery to drive both the hand-held and other puck electronics at the same time, when the puck is in “lift” mode. Other power storage devices may be used in lieu of a battery such as, for example, a large capacitor. As yet another alternative, it is possible to eliminate a mechanical reel and replace it with another type of tethering cable that provides the same tethering function, but without the reel that first pays out cable and then retracts it when the product is returned to the display. An example of an alternative arrangement would be a short “curly-Q” cord that has no electrical function or wires within the cord. As material technologies develop, fiber optic cables may serve as tethers where the cable transmits digital signals that are not used for power. It is believed the customers (i.e., retailers) for the type of display disclosed here will probably always want the comfort provided by the physical security of a mechanical tether. However, the wireless security functionality offered by the present design allows elimination of any tether at all, if desired. Because the puck carries its own electronics board, it is possible to create signals that are uniquely identifiable to specific post positions, regardless of whether or not the unique signal is a security signal or some other type of informational signal that is useful to the retailer. For example, when the post contacts are broken as the puck is lifted, it is possible to use that event to trigger different kinds of display functionalities. In essence, the puck may wirelessly transmit a signal that identifies a lift condition at that specific post position. That signal is uniquely identifiable and can be used for media displays. It is common to run media content at displays—which can be a combination of running visual media displayed on a screen and/or audio media. The uniquely identifiable triggering signal from a post position can be used to trigger visual or audio media specifically tailored to the branded product at the post position. That is, the retailer may identify that a particular camera brand is mounted at post “A,” for example. When that post is triggered by a lift signal, the control electronics may cause an advertisement specific to the brand or hand-held model that is played while the consumer is examining it. Likewise, when the product is returned, and a different one is lifted, a new, uniquely identifiably signal is wirelessly transmitted for causing different media content to be displayed. This arrangement makes for a useful set of sales features that universally combine sales, security functions, and ease of swapping older hand-held models with new ones as technology changes or new models are developed. Using wireless signals to identify activity at different post positions opens up additional functions that may be useful to the retailer. For example, the retailer can track the number of “lifts” at each post during a given period of time. Information of this kind reveals which brands are the most popular or whether certain physical locations on the display are better than others, regardless of brand or price. It would be possible for the retailer to develop a single post plan or “planogram” that universally applies to every display in every store, thus obviating the need to individually program media content at each store. Having the ability to transmit a unique signal that identifies marketing activity at specific post positions enables translation of that signal into a corresponding media event. As indicated above, prior art displays have relied on multi-conductor cables that are included as part of a reel assembly for providing both electrical power and electrical security signals to the mounting or puck. In other words, the retractor carries one pair of wires for a power circuit that is connected to the power jack of the hand-held and a separate pair of wires for a security circuit that drives security sensors in the puck, or a secondary security cable, or both things at the same time. The advantage of the present invention is that only one power source or circuit from below the countertop is needed in order to drive both the power and security functions emanating from the puck position. Moreover, because power can be supplied when the puck is at “rest,” and there is no need for under-the-counter power supply in “lift” mode, the need to use multi-conductor retractors is eliminated. Instead, mechanical retractors with steel cables can be used. The foregoing summary will become better understood upon review of the attached drawings which are to be taken in conjunction with the written description set forth below. | G08B131463 | 20171129 | 20180717 | 20180524 | 64713.0 | G08B1314 | 2 | NGUYEN, PHUNG | DISPLAY FOR HAND-HELD ELECTRONICS | UNDISCOUNTED | 1 | CONT-ACCEPTED | G08B | 2,017 |
15,826,060 | PENDING | LASER PROJECTOR WITH FLASH ALIGNMENT | A method for aligning a laser projector for projecting a laser image onto a work surface is provided. The method includes providing a laser projector assembly with a laser source for projecting a laser image onto a work surface, a secondary light source for illuminating the work surface and a photogrammetry device for generating an image of the work surface. The method also includes affixing reflective targets onto the work surface and transmitting light from the secondary light source toward the work surface and reflecting light toward the photogrammetry device. The method further includes scanning the targets with a laser beam generated by the laser source for reflecting the laser beam toward a laser sensor and calculating a location for projecting the laser image onto the work surface from the reflected laser beam. | 1. A method for aligning a laser projector for projecting a laser image onto a work surface, comprising the steps of: providing a laser projector assembly with a laser source for projecting a laser image onto a work surface, a secondary light source for illuminating the work surface and a photogrammetry device for generating an image of the work surface; affixing reflective targets onto the work surface; transmitting light from the secondary light source toward the work surface and reflecting light toward the photogrammetry device thereby determining a location of the three dimensional surface in a three dimensional coordinate system; and after determining a location of the work surface in the three dimensional coordinate system, scanning the targets with a laser beam generated by the laser source for reflecting the laser beam toward a laser sensor and calculating a location for projecting the laser image onto the work surface from the reflected laser beam. 2. The method set forth in claim 1, wherein said step of providing a photogrammetry device is further defined by providing stereo cameras for determining the location of the targets by triangulation. 3. The method set forth in claim 1, wherein said step of determining a location of the targets in the three dimensional coordinate system with the photogrammetry device is further defined by providing a processor being interconnected with a multi megapixel sensor. 4. The method set forth in claim 2, further including the step of the stereo cameras each providing a view angle between about a sixty and eighty degree optical field of view. 5. The method set forth in claim 1, wherein said step of transmitting light from the secondary light source is further defined by transmitting intermittent light flashes from the secondary light source. 6. The method set forth in claim 1, further including the step of the laser source and the secondary light source transmitting light at a same wavelength. 7. The method set forth in claim 1, further including the step of providing a light sensor for detecting the laser beam reflected from the targets toward the laser projector thereby identifying the location of the targets. 8. The method set forth in claim 1, further including the step of identifying a pattern of the targets from the laser beam reflected from the targets toward the laser projector. 9. The method set forth in claim 8, further including the step of the photogrammetry assembly detects the position of the workpiece and pattern of the targets attached to the work surface for directing the laser beam toward individual targets relying on the fixed position of the photogrammetry assembly relative to the laser projector assembly. 10. The method set forth in claim 8, further including measuring drift of the work surface from a first position from light from the secondary light source reflected from the targets toward the photogrammetry assembly. 11. The method set forth in claim 1, further including the step of reflecting light from the secondary light source from the targets to the photogrammetry assembly for determining a position of the workpiece. 12. The method set forth in claim 1, wherein said step of providing a photogrammetry assembly is further defined by providing a single camera for generating an image of the work surface. | PRIOR APPLICATIONS The present application is a continuation application claiming priority to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/784,387 filed on Oct. 16, 2017 and to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/784,720 filed on Oct. 16, 2017, both of which claim priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/408,944 filed on Oct. 17, 2016, the contents each of which are included herein by reference. TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates generally toward an improved method for projecting laser templates. More specifically, the present invention relates toward an improved method of aligning a laser projector with a three-dimensional work surface onto which a laser template is projected. BACKGROUND Ever increasing manufacturing tolerances have required improvements in manufacturing techniques. One such improvement is the projection of laser templates onto a work surface for directing a manufacturing process. This technique has allowed for manufacturing products at tolerances not previously achievable. However, restrictions to existing technology have limited a broader use of laser-projected images in industrial applications. For example, projecting a template onto a three-dimensional surface has proven difficult due to the inability to rapidly identify the three-dimensional work surface and to focus the laser beam onto the three-dimensional work surface in a precise manner, all while operating in a manufacturing environment. Accurate projection of a template pattern onto a three dimensional work surface requires precise calibration of the relative position between the work surface and the laser projector. Initially, this has been achieved by locating reflective targets on the work surface, measuring the target coordinates relative to a three-dimensional coordinate system of the work surface, and then locating the position of the projector relative to the work surface using a process of calculating the position of the projector where known laser projections to the targets pass through known three-dimensional target coordinates. Periodically, the template scanning sequence is stopped and a target is located to check for variation in the projected pattern location due to a change in the position of the projector relative to the tool, or to compensate for other factors such as drift due to temperature variations in the environment, for example. When variation is detected, the targets are relocated, a new template scanning sequence is calculated, and is again transmitted by the laser projector. The time associated with scanning target positions using a conventional laser projector has proven to be slow and inefficient. As a result, evaluating projection drift has only been performed intermittently and correction of the projected patterns has resulted in noticeable interruptions of the visible pattern template. Therefore, it would be desirable to develop a more efficient method of locating a three-dimensional work surface relative to a laser projector to improve precision and quality of a laser template projection. SUMMARY A method for aligning a laser projector for projecting a laser image onto a work surface is disclosed. A laser projector assembly is provided with a laser source for projecting the laser image onto the work surface. A secondary light source illuminates the work surface and a photogrammetry device generates an image of the work surface. Reflective targets are affixed to the work surface. Light transmitted from the secondary light source toward the work surface is reflected toward the photogrammetry device for determining a location of the work surface in a three-dimensional coordinate system. After determining a location of the work surface in the three-dimensional coordinate system, the targets are scanned with a laser beam generated by the laser source for reflecting the laser beam toward a laser sensor. The laser sensor signals a processor that calculates a location for projecting the laser image onto the work surface from the reflected laser beam. The combination of a secondary light source flashing light toward the work surface with a work piece and a laser reflective targets attached to the work piece both enhances the ability to rapidly identify an accurate location for scanning a laser template on the work surface. This method improves the quality of the laser template by significantly reducing the amount of time required to relocate the work surface in the event of drift or dynamic movement. Furthermore, the photogrammetry device signals the processor a general location of the targets attached to the work piece while simultaneously identifying a three-dimensional configuration of the work surface. This step eliminated the need for the laser scanner to independently locate the targets further reducing alignment time. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Other advantages of the present invention will be readily appreciated, as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein: FIG. 1 shows a schematic view of relevant portions of the laser projector of the present invention; FIG. 2 shows a secondary light source transmitting light toward a work piece; FIG. 3 shows light from the secondary light source being reflected to a photogrammetry assembly of a laser projector; FIG. 4 shows a laser beam projected by a laser projector toward reflective targets attached to the work piece; FIG. 5 shows the laser beam being reflected from the reflective targets attached to the work piece toward the laser projector; and FIG. 6 shows a perspective view of the workpiece having a laser template projected from the laser projector assembly. DETAILED DESCRIPTION A schematic of a laser projector assembly used to practice the method of the present invention is generally shown at 10 of FIG. 1. The assembly 10 includes a laser source 12 that generates a laser beam 14 in a known manner. The laser beam 14 is projected through a focusing lens 16 toward a beam splitter 18. The beam splitter 18 redirects the laser beam 14 toward a galvanometer assembly 20. The beam splitter 18 allows a portion of the laser beam 14 to pass through to a light sensor 22. The light sensor 22 provides for reliable power output control by way of closed loop processing. As such, light sensor 22 is connected through an analog circuit for generating a power control loop to a processor 24. The processor directs necessary power adjustments to the laser source 12 based upon input from the light sensor 22 to maintain desired laser image resolution while processing. In this manner, the beam splitter 18 directs the laser beam 14 toward the galvanometer assembly 20 having a desirable laser power. The galvo assembly 20 includes a first galvo motor 30 and a second galvo motor 32. The first galvo motor 30 provides pivotal movement to a first galvo mirror 34 and the second galvo motor 32 provides pivotal movement to a second galvo mirror 36. It should be understood that while two galvo motors 30, 32 are described in this application, additional galvo motors and mirror assemblies are within the scope of this invention so that three, four or more galvo motors and mirror pairs may be included with the galvo assembly 20. The first galvo mirror 34 and the second galvo mirror 36 redirect the laser beam 14 through the output aperture 26 toward a work piece 38 (FIGS. 1-4) as will be explained further herein below. The first galvo motor 30 and the second galvo motor 32 are electronically connected with the processor 24 so that the processor 24 can continuously calculate the orientation of the first galvo mirror 34 and the second galvo mirror 36 for identifying a direction that the laser beam 14 is projected through the output aperture 26. The first galvo mirror 34 and the second galvo mirror 36 redirect a reflected laser beam 40 through the beam splitter 18 onto a reflected laser sensor 42. The reflected laser sensor 42 is also electronically connected to the processor 24 so that the processor 24 calculates an orientation of the first galvo mirror 34 and the second galvo mirror 36 at which time the reflected laser beam 40 contacts the reflected laser sensor 42. In this manner, the processor 24 determines a direction at which the reflected laser beam 40 originates, as will be explained further herein below. A photogrammetry assembly 44 includes a first camera 46 for generating an image of a work surface 48 of the work piece 38. The first camera 46 is electronically connected to the processor 24 for transmitting an image of the work piece 38. In an alternative embodiment, a second camera 50 is also electronically connected to the processor 24 for generating a stereo image of the work surface 48. In this embodiment, the first camera 46 and the second camera 50 are enclosed within the assembly housing 28 so that the complete laser assembly 10 is self-contained as a single module. However, it should be understood that the photogrammetry assembly 44, whether there be one camera 46 or two cameras 46, 50 need not be affixed within the assembly housing 28, but may be located separately. However, it is desirable that the photogrammetry assembly 44 be disposed in a known location relative to the laser projector 28. A secondary light source 52 to the laser source 12 provides secondary illumination 54 to the work piece 38 and the work surface 48. In one embodiment, the secondary light source 52 is an LED strobe array located proximate each of the first camera 46 and a second camera 50. However, it is not critical that the secondary light source 52 be located proximate either of the cameras 46, 50. Further, locating the cameras 46, 50 on a rigid frame 56 relative to the galvanometer assembly 20 reduces the need to accurately identify the relative location between the cameras 46, 50 and the laser assembly 10 though other methods as is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 9,200,899, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. However, these methods may also be incorporated into method of alignment of the present application for additional dimensional verification, if desired. Referring to FIGS. 2-5, the method of accurately projecting the laser template 56 onto the work surface 48 will now be explained. Reflective targets 58 are affixed to the work surface 48 of the work piece 38. In one embodiment, the targets 58 are affixed to a relevant datum of a three-dimensional work surface 48 so that three-dimensional features of the work surface 58 may be precisely calculated from a location of the target 58. A plurality of targets 58 may be attached to the work surface 48 at spaced locations. In one embodiment, four targets provide enough reflective information to accurately calculate three-dimensional contours of the work surface 48. More or less targets 58 may be selected based upon a particular application. At the beginning of an alignment cycle, the secondary light source 52 transmits the secondary light 54 toward the work piece 38. The secondary light source flashes the secondary light 54 rather than projecting secondary light 54 for an extended period of time. The photogrammetry assembly 44 receives the secondary light 54 reflected from the work surface 48 of the work piece 38 and from also reflected from the targets 58. Locating the targets 58 in a known position relative to the work surface 48, such as, for example, on datum, allows the photogrammetry assembly 44 to use the target 58 configuration to locate the three dimensional configuration of the workpiece 38 for ultimately determining a location of the three-dimensional surface 48 in a three-dimensional coordinate system. In this manner, the photogrammetry assembly 44 signals the processor 24 to calculate changes in contour defining the three-dimensional work surface 48. As set forth above, the photogrammetry assembly 44 also detects the secondary light 54 reflected from the targets 58. The processor 24 also determines a general location of the targets 58 in the three-dimensional coordinate system when signaled by the photogrammetry assembly 44. Based upon the target 58 coordinates from the secondary light 54, the galvo motors 30, 32 orient the laser beam 14 generated by the laser source 12 to directly scan the targets 58 with the laser beam 14. As such, the processor 24 recognizes a target 54 pattern and calculates the required location to scan the targets 58 with the laser beam 14 for calculating an accurate location of the laser template 56 on the work surface 48. Once target 58 coordinates are calculated, the laser beam 14 is projected by the laser source 12 onto the targets 58 as shown in FIG. 4. FIG. 5 shows the laser beam 14 being reflected from the targets 58 back toward the projector assembly 10 through the output opening 26. By way of retro reflection, the return laser beam 40 is redirected by the first galvo mirror 34 and the second galvo mirror 36 through the beam splitter 18 onto the reflected laser sensor 42. At which time, the reflected laser sensor 42 receives the reflected laser beam 40, the first galvo motor 30 and the second galvo motor 32 signal the processor a location from which the return laser beam 40 originates. Using the galvo motor 30, 32 orientation, the processor 24 calculates an exact location of the targets 58, and therefore, is capable of accurately projecting the laser template 56 as shown in FIG. 6. Each camera 46, 50 comprises a CMOS sensor, or in the alternative, a CCD sensor depending on the needs of a specific application. The sensors in one embodiment comprise a multi megapixel sensor that is electronically connection to the processor 24. In one embodiment, a five megapixel sensor provides sufficient image quality. Each camera 46, 50 whether used singularly or in stereo, include a view angle of between about 60 degrees and 80 degrees to provide a wide optical field of view. However, alternative view angles may be desirable depending upon a size of the work piece 38 or distance between the assembly 10 and the work piece 38. More specifically, the field of view is contemplated to be 75 degrees in a horizontal direction and less in a vertical direction. It is further within the scope of this invention that the laser beam 14 and the secondary light 54 include a same or similar wave length. However, in alternative embodiments, the laser beam 14 and the secondary light 54 may include different wave lengths. For example, it is further contemplated that the secondary light 54 may be infrared or other non-visible light detectable only by the photogrammetry assembly 44. The projector assembly 10 of the present invention is also capable of identifying dynamic motion or movement between the work piece 38 and the assembly 10 as is disclosed in co-pending U.S. Patent Application No. 61/757,412, the contents of which are included herein by reference. However, intermittent flashes by the secondary light source 52 provide for monitoring the location of the targets 58 and the work surface 48 enables the assembly to identify drift of either the work piece 38, the assembly 10, or even the laser beam 14. Once drift is detected, the processor 24 reinitiates the sequence of identifying a location of the work surface relative to the laser projector 10. The invention has been described in an illustrative manner, and it is to be understood that the terminology has been used as intended to be in the nature of words of description rather than of limitation. Obviously, many modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in light of the above teachings. It is, therefore, to be understood that within the specification, the reference numerals are merely for convenience, and are not to be in any way limiting, as the invention may be practiced otherwise than what is specifically described. | <SOH> BACKGROUND <EOH>Ever increasing manufacturing tolerances have required improvements in manufacturing techniques. One such improvement is the projection of laser templates onto a work surface for directing a manufacturing process. This technique has allowed for manufacturing products at tolerances not previously achievable. However, restrictions to existing technology have limited a broader use of laser-projected images in industrial applications. For example, projecting a template onto a three-dimensional surface has proven difficult due to the inability to rapidly identify the three-dimensional work surface and to focus the laser beam onto the three-dimensional work surface in a precise manner, all while operating in a manufacturing environment. Accurate projection of a template pattern onto a three dimensional work surface requires precise calibration of the relative position between the work surface and the laser projector. Initially, this has been achieved by locating reflective targets on the work surface, measuring the target coordinates relative to a three-dimensional coordinate system of the work surface, and then locating the position of the projector relative to the work surface using a process of calculating the position of the projector where known laser projections to the targets pass through known three-dimensional target coordinates. Periodically, the template scanning sequence is stopped and a target is located to check for variation in the projected pattern location due to a change in the position of the projector relative to the tool, or to compensate for other factors such as drift due to temperature variations in the environment, for example. When variation is detected, the targets are relocated, a new template scanning sequence is calculated, and is again transmitted by the laser projector. The time associated with scanning target positions using a conventional laser projector has proven to be slow and inefficient. As a result, evaluating projection drift has only been performed intermittently and correction of the projected patterns has resulted in noticeable interruptions of the visible pattern template. Therefore, it would be desirable to develop a more efficient method of locating a three-dimensional work surface relative to a laser projector to improve precision and quality of a laser template projection. | <SOH> SUMMARY <EOH>A method for aligning a laser projector for projecting a laser image onto a work surface is disclosed. A laser projector assembly is provided with a laser source for projecting the laser image onto the work surface. A secondary light source illuminates the work surface and a photogrammetry device generates an image of the work surface. Reflective targets are affixed to the work surface. Light transmitted from the secondary light source toward the work surface is reflected toward the photogrammetry device for determining a location of the work surface in a three-dimensional coordinate system. After determining a location of the work surface in the three-dimensional coordinate system, the targets are scanned with a laser beam generated by the laser source for reflecting the laser beam toward a laser sensor. The laser sensor signals a processor that calculates a location for projecting the laser image onto the work surface from the reflected laser beam. The combination of a secondary light source flashing light toward the work surface with a work piece and a laser reflective targets attached to the work piece both enhances the ability to rapidly identify an accurate location for scanning a laser template on the work surface. This method improves the quality of the laser template by significantly reducing the amount of time required to relocate the work surface in the event of drift or dynamic movement. Furthermore, the photogrammetry device signals the processor a general location of the targets attached to the work piece while simultaneously identifying a three-dimensional configuration of the work surface. This step eliminated the need for the laser scanner to independently locate the targets further reducing alignment time. | B23Q172423 | 20171129 | 20180419 | 70192.0 | B23Q1724 | 2 | SENFI, BEHROOZ M | LASER PROJECTOR WITH FLASH ALIGNMENT | UNDISCOUNTED | 1 | CONT-ACCEPTED | B23Q | 2,017 |
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15,826,109 | PENDING | COMPOSITIONS AND METHODS FOR TREATING DISEASES OF THE NAIL | Methods and compositions for treating disorders of the nail and nail bed. Such compositions contain a vehicle in which all components of the composition are dissolved, suspended, dispersed, or emulsified, a non-volatile solvent, a wetting agent, and a pharmaceutically active ingredient that is soluble in the non-volatile solvent and/or a mixture of the vehicle and the non-volatile solvent, which composition has a surface tension of 40 dynes/cm or less and has continuing spreadability, and which composition is effective in treating a disorder of the nail or nail bed. | 1-63. (canceled) 64. A pharmaceutical formulation comprising a. ethanol, 50% to 70% (w/w), b. cyclomethicone, 10% to 15% (w/w), c. diisopropyl adipate, 8% to 15% (w/w), d. C12-15 alkyl lactate, 8% to 15% (w/w), e. antioxidant, 0.001% to 0.50% (w/w), and wherein the surface tension of the composition is 40 dynes/cm or less; and wherein the formulation is free of polymeric film forming compounds. 65. The pharmaceutical formulation of claim 64, wherein the formulation is for delivery of an active pharmaceutical ingredient to the nail or nail bed. 66. The pharmaceutical formulation of claim 64, wherein the surface tension is 35 dynes/cm or less. 67. The pharmaceutical formulation of claim 66, wherein the surface tension is 30 dynes/cm or less. 68. The pharmaceutical formulation of claim 67, wherein the surface tension is 25 dynes/cm or less. 69. The pharmaceutical formulation of claim 64, further comprising an antifungal active pharmaceutical ingredient. 70. The pharmaceutical formulation of claim 69, wherein the antifungal active pharmaceutical ingredient comprises an imidazole or a triazole compound. 71. The pharmaceutical formulation of claim 70, further comprising an antifungal active pharmaceutical ingredient selected from the group consisting of miconazole, ketoconazole, clotrimazole, econazole, bifonazole, butoconazole, fenticonazole, isoconazole, oxiconazole, sertaconazole, suconazole, tioconazole, fluconazole, itraconazole, ravuconazole, posaconazole, voriconazole, terconazole, and (2R,3R)-2-(2,4-difluorophenyl)-3-(4-methylenepiperidine-1-yl)-1-(1H-1,2,4-triazole-1-yl)butane-2-ol. 72. A method for the treatment of a disorder of the nail or nail bed comprising topically applying to the surface of the nail of an individual suffering from said disorder a pharmaceutical composition comprising an active pharmaceutical ingredient and (a) ethanol, in an amount of 50% to 70% (w/w); (b) cyclomethicone, in an amount of 10% to 15% (w/w); (c) diisopropyl adipate, in an amount of 8% to 15% (w/w); (d) C12-15 alkyl lactate, in an amount of 8% to 15% (w/w); and (e) antioxidant, in an amount of 0.001% to 0.50% (w/w); wherein the application of the composition is in an amount and for a time sufficient to ameliorate the signs and symptoms of the disorder, wherein the surface tension of the composition is 40 dynes/cm or less, and wherein the composition, when applied to the surface of a nail, does not form a solid film. | The present application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/491,889 filed on Sep. 19, 2014, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/943,165 filed on Jul. 16, 2013 (now U.S. Pat. No. 9,302,009), which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/199,717, filed on Sep. 7, 2011 (now U.S. Pat. No. 8,468,978), which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/803,848, filed on Jul. 8, 2010 (now U.S. Pat. No. 8,039,494), which applications are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. FIELD OF THE INVENTION The invention pertains to the field of treatment of diseases of the nail and nail bed. In particular, the invention pertains to methods for treatment of disorders such as onychomycosis or psoriasis involving the nails. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Onychomycosis, a fungal disease of the nail unit caused by yeasts, dermatophytes, or other molds, accounts for approximately 50% of all nail disorders in humans. In about 80% of onychomycosis cases, the toenails are infected, whereas in the remaining 20%, the fingernails are infected. The signs and symptoms of this disease include split, thickened, hardened, and rough nail plates, and partial separation of the nail plate from the nail bed creating an air gap in some areas. Another common disorder of nails is nail psoriasis, which affects up to 50% of patients with psoriasis. Characteristic nail psoriasis symptoms include pitting, which appears as punctuated or irregularly shaped depressions arranged on the surface of the body of the nail; discoloration of the nail bed; onycholysis or detachment of the body of the nail from the nail bed; subungual keratosis; or anomalies of the body of the nail. Other diseases and disorders involving the nails in humans and in other animals include onychia, onychocryptosis, onychodystrophy, onychogryposis, onycholysis, onychomadesis, onychophosis, onychoptosis, paronychia, koilonychia, subungual hematoma, and laminitis. The nail plate is thick, hard, and dense, and represents a formidable barrier to drug penetration. Although nail material is similar in various ways to the stratum comeum of the skin, the nail is composed primarily of hard keratin which is highly disulfide-linked and is approximately 100-fold thicker than stratum comeum. In certain nail diseases, such as onychomycosis, there is thickening of the nail plate which further hinders topical drug delivery. Various topical therapies have been suggested for treatment of nail disorders, such as onychomycosis. Nail lacquers, coating, polishes, enamels, and varnishes have been described. Bohn, U.S. Pat. No. 4,957,730, describes a nail varnish containing a water-insoluble film-forming substance and antimycotic compound. Ferro, U.S. Pat. No. 5,120,530, describes an antimycotic nail varnish containing amorolfine in quaternary ammonium acrylic copolymer. The water-insoluble film former is a copolymerizate of acrylic acid esters and methacrylic acid esters having a low content of quaternary ammonium groups. Bohn, U.S. Pat. No. 5,264,206, describes a nail lacquer with antimycotic activity, which contains an antimycotic agent and water-insoluble film formers including polyvinyl acetate, a copolymer of polyvinyl acetate and acrylic acid, copolymers of vinyl acetate and crotonic acid. Wohlrab, U.S. Pat. No. 5,346,692, describes a nail lacquer for treating onychomycosis, comprised of a film-forming agent, an antimycotically active substance, and urea, wherewith the antimycotic agent and urea are liberated from the lacquer when the lacquer is applied. A preferred formulation comprises cellulose derivatives as film former, clotrimazole as the antimycotic agent, dibutyl phthalate as a plasticizer, and a mixture of acetone and ethanol as solvent. Nimni, U.S. Pat. No. 5,487,776, describes a nail lacquer composition which forms a water permeable film containing griseofulvin when the organic solvent system evaporates, wherein a portion of the griseofulvin is in solution and a portion of griseofulvin is present as a colloidal suspension. Chaudhuri, U.S. Pat. No. 6,143,794, describes a topical formulation for the treatment of nail fungal infections that includes an antifungal, solvent, gelling agent, adhesion-promoting agent, film-forming agent, surfactant, and optionally a keratolytic agent. The adhesion-promoting agent was a hydroxy-terminated polyurethane such as polyolprepolymer-2. All of these patents and publications describe products applied to the nail that form a substantive nail coating or film containing a drug from which the drug is to penetrate into the nail. None of these methods has proven to be consistently effective in treating disorders of the nail such as onychomycosis. Various topical therapies utilizing chemical compounds disclosed to enhance penetration through the nail have been described. Knowles, U.S. Pat. No. 5,652,256, describes the use of methyl acetate as a penetration enhancing compound in combination with naftifine or sulconazole and naftifine as a topical gel for fungal treatment of the nails. Sorenson, U.S. Pat. No. 5,972,317, discloses that a proteolytic enzyme such as papain, delivered by pads soaked in the enzyme solution, produces a more permeable nail. Sun, U.S. Pat. No. 6,231,875, describes acidified compositions of antifungals to enhance transport across nails and skin. Reeves, U.S. Pat. No. 6,391,879, describes the combination of an anti-fungal agent dissolved in an anhydrous blend of polyglycol and DMSO. Although these and other enhanced penetration formulations were reported to increase penetration through the nail, they have not been shown to be clinically effective in treating conditions of the nail, such as onychomycosis. Bimbaum, U.S. Pat. No. 7,135,194 discloses a solution to the problem of topical delivery of medications through the nail plate in a nail afflicted with onychomycosis. Onycholysis and the formation of an air gap between the nail plate and nail bed is common in onychomycosis. The air gap presents a major barrier to delivering drug to the nailbed. Bimbaum solves this problem by incorporating an antifungal drug into a solid or semisolid composition, forcing the composition into the subungual space in the gap between the hyponychium and the nail bed, and packing this space with the solid or semisolid composition. Presently, the only topical antifungal product approved by the FDA for treating onychomycosis is Ciclopirox Nail Lacquer 8% e.g. Penlac® manufactured by Sanofi Aventis, Bridgewater, N.J. The prescribing information for Penlac® reports the clinical effectiveness in two placebo-controlled studies in onychomycosis patients with target great toenail involvement of 20 to 65%. Patients applied Penlac® nail lacquer once daily for 48 weeks and were evaluated for effectiveness at the end of treatment (i.e. 48 weeks or last observation). Complete cure was defined as clear nail and negative mycology (absence of the causative fungus by culture and microscopic tests). Almost clear was defined as 10% or less nail involvement and negative mycology. TABLE 1 Study 312 Study 313 Penlac ® Vehicle Penlac ® Vehicle Complete Cure # 6/110 1/109 10/118 0/117 % 5.5 0.9 8.5 0 Almost Clear # 7/107 1/108 14/116 1/115 % 6.5 0.9 12 0.9 As shown in Table 1, treatment with Penlac provided a low level of efficacy. Only 5.5% of treated patients were completely cured and only 6.5% of patients were almost cleared of onychomycosis. However, despite the low effectiveness of topical Ciclopirox Nail Lacquer in treating onychomycosis, the FDA approved Penlac because of the unmet medical need for a safe treatment for onychomycosis and the improved safety of topical applications over systemic anti-fungal agents. Because of the difficulty in obtaining clinically effective concentrations of medication to the nail bed by topical application of a pharmaceutical composition to the affected nail, nail disorders, such as onychomycosis, are typically treated with systemic medications or with topical medications following removal of the nail. Systemic treatment for onychomycosis and other nail disorders is often not satisfactory because therapy must be continued for long periods of time, often many weeks or months, and the medication has effects on tissues other than on the affected nail. Antifungal compounds, such as miconazole and ketoconazole, have been demonstrated to be effective in topically treating onychomycosis after nail removal. However, it is clear that removal of the nail is a measure than most individuals suffering from onychomycosis would prefer not to undergo if a less drastic therapeutic method would be efficacious. A select few oral antifungals such as Terbinafine hydrochloride tablets (Lamasil®, Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation, East Hanover, N.J.) are approved in the USA to treat onychomycosis. According to the prescribing information for Lamasil® tablets, only 38% of patients achieved a complete cure, defined as mycological cure plus no nail involvement for toenail onychomycosis in a 48 week study of Lamasil® treatment for 12 weeks and an efficacy evaluation made after a 36 week follow-up period in order to allow time for involved nail to grow out. Besides the low level of efficacy for Lamasil®, a variety of adverse reactions were reported for Lamasil® in the clinical studies including diarrhea, dyspepsia, abdominal pain, liver test abnormalities, rashes, urticaria and pruritis. The proscribing information for Lamasil® warns of rare cases of liver failure, some leading to death or liver transplant, and isolated reports of serious skin reactions. Additionally, Lamasil® tablets are not recommended for pregnant women or nursing mothers. Another oral antifungal drug approved to treat onychomycosis of the toenails is itraconazole, available as 100 mg capsules under the Sporanox® brand from PriCare, divisions of Ortho-McNeil-Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Raritan, N.J. The prescribing information for Sporanox® capsules reports 14% complete cures (mycological cures plus clear nails) in 214 patients, who were given 200 mg of itraconazole daily for 12 consecutive weeks. Numerous adverse effects were reported including nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, edema, fever, fatigue, rash, pruritus, headache, dizziness, hypertension, hypokalemia and abnormal hepatic function. The prescribing information warns that Sporanox® has been associated with rare cases of serious hepatotoxicity, including liver failure and death. A further warning to prescribers is that Sporanox® should not be administered for the treatment of onychomycosis in patients with evidence of ventricular dysfunction such as congestive heart failure. Pitre, U.S. Patent Publication 2007/0041910, filed as U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/432,410; and Mallard, U.S. Patent Publication 2006/0147383, filed as U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/315,259, disclose that application of a pharmaceutical composition containing a vehicle, a volatile silicone, and a non-volatile oily phase, provides increased penetration of a pharmaceutically active compound when topically applied to skin or mucous membrane. This enhanced penetration is obtained without the use of glycols, such as propylene glycol, which are known to augment skin penetration of pharmaceutical compounds but which are also known to be irritating to skin. The formulations of Pitre and Mallard contain at least 25% w/w of a volatile silicone and, if formulated with an alcoholic vehicle, contain at least 15% of alcohol. All alcoholic compositions disclosed in Pitre and Mallard contain greater than 50% volatile silicone and the concentration of the volatile silicone is at least twice the concentration of the alcohol in the composition. Pitre and Mallard do not disclose or suggest the use of such compositions for the treatment of diseases of a nail, such as onychomycosis. Moreover, studies have been conducted, including studies conducted in the laboratories of the present inventors, which show that the penetrating ability of an active agent from a composition into skin cannot be correlated to the penetrating ability of the active agent from the composition into or through a nail. A significant need remains for a pharmaceutical composition that provides for enhanced penetration of a pharmaceutical agent contained within the composition into and through a nail and into the nail bed. Such a composition would be valuable for topically treating conditions affecting the nail or nail bed, such as onychomycosis. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a graph showing the in vitro penetration of KP-103 through skin from a formulation of the invention and from three prior art formulations. FIG. 2 is a graph showing the in vitro penetration of KP-103 through nail tissue from a formulation of the invention and from three prior art formulations. FIG. 3 is a graph showing the percentage of nail area affected by onychomycosis from pre-treatment through the follow-up assessment 4 weeks post treatment with a formulation of the invention compared to its vehicle. DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION It has been unexpectedly discovered that a pharmaceutical composition containing an active pharmaceutical ingredient (API), a solvent, referred to herein as the “vehicle” or the “volatile vehicle”, a wetting agent which may or may not be the same compound as the vehicle, and a non-volatile solvent which has limited water miscibility, having a surface tension of 40 dynes/cm or less, and which composition does not form a solid film when applied to the surface of a nail, provides enhanced penetration of the API through an intact nail and into the nailbed. Preferably, the composition of the invention is free of film forming polymeric compounds. It is conceived that such compositions may be used to deliver an API in order to treat medical conditions involving the nail and/or the underlying nail bed. It has been further unexpectedly discovered that one of the mechanisms by which the pharmaceutical composition described herein is effective in treating medical conditions involving the nail or nail bed is due in part to the low surface tension of the composition. Because the composition of the invention has a low surface tension, that is 40 dynes/cm or less, when the composition is applied to the surface of the nail, and because the composition when applied to the nail does not form a solid film, not only does the active ingredient penetrate the nail to reach the nail bed, but the composition spreads to wet the nail folds and is also wicked by capillary action into the gap between the nail and nail bed, without the need to provide pressure or to otherwise force the composition into the gap. Additionally, the preferred lack of film forming polymeric compounds in the composition contributes to the wickability of the composition into the gap between the nail and the nail bed as well as the nail folds. In one embodiment, the invention is a pharmaceutical composition for the treatment of disorders of the nail or nail bed. The pharmaceutical composition of the invention contains a volatile and/or penetrating vehicle, a non-volatile solvent that is dissolved, suspended, dispersed, or emulsified within the vehicle, an API that is soluble in the non-volatile solvent and/or a mixture of the vehicle and the non-volatile solvent and is optionally soluble in the vehicle, and a wetting agent, which may or may not be the vehicle itself. The surface area of the pharmaceutical composition is preferably 40 dynes/cm or less. In a preferred embodiment, the surface tension of the pharmaceutical composition is 35 dynes/cm or less, more preferably 30 dynes/cm or less, and most preferably 25 dynes/cm or less. Preferably, the composition is free of polymeric film forming compounds. In another embodiment, the invention is a pharmaceutical formulation for delivery of an API to the nail or nail bed in order to treat disorders of this area. According to this embodiment, the formulation contains a volatile and/or penetrating vehicle, a non-volatile solvent that is dissolved, suspended, dispersed, or emulsified within the vehicle, and a wetting agent, which may or may not be the vehicle. The surface tension of the pharmaceutical formulation is 40 dynes/cm or less, preferably 35 dynes/cm or less, more preferably 30 dynes/cm or less, and most preferably 25 dynes/cm or less. Preferably, the formulation is free of polymeric film forming compounds. The API that is to be used with the formulation of the invention is one that is soluble in the non-volatile solvent and/or a mixture of the vehicle and the non-volatile solvent and is optionally soluble in the vehicle alone. In another embodiment, the invention is a method for treating a disorder of the nail or nail bed. According to this embodiment of the invention, a pharmaceutical composition containing a volatile and/or penetrating vehicle, a non-volatile solvent that is dissolved, suspended, dispersed, or emulsified within the vehicle, an API that is soluble in the non-volatile solvent and/or a mixture of the vehicle and the non-volatile solvent and is optionally soluble in the vehicle alone, and a wetting agent, which may or may not be the vehicle itself, is topically applied to the surface of a nail that is suffering from a disorder in an amount and for a time sufficient to ameliorate the symptoms of the disorder. The surface tension of the pharmaceutical composition is 40 dynes/cm or less, preferably 35 dynes/cm or less, more preferably 30 dynes/cm or less, and most preferably 25 dynes/cm or less. Preferably, the composition is free of polymeric film forming compounds. As used herein, the term “volatile” when referring to the vehicle means that the vehicle is a compound that evaporates from the surface of the nail when applied. Volatile vehicles are compounds which have a measurable vapor pressure, and preferably are compounds that have a vapor pressure of greater than about 100 Pa at room temperature. Examples of volatile vehicles include: acetone, 2-amino-2-methyl-1-propanol, 1, 2-butanediol, 1, 4-butanediol, 2-butanol, cyclomethicone-4, cyclomethicone-5, cyclomethicone-6, ethanol, ethyl acetate, n-heptane, isobutanol, isopropyl alcohol, 1-propanol, 2-propanol, and water. As used herein, the term “penetrating” when referring to the vehicle means that the vehicle is a compound that rapidly penetrates into a nail when applied to the surface of the nail so that, after 10 minutes following the application of a thin layer of the vehicle onto the surface of a nail, no more than 10% of the applied amount remains on the nail surface. The term Apenetrating@ thus includes both volatile and non-volatile vehicles. As used herein, the term “surface tension” refers to the force required to increase unit area of a surface of a liquid or of an interface between two liquids or between a liquid and a gas, generally stated in units of dynes/cm. Surface tensions described herein are measured by the Du Noüy ring method utilizing an EasyDyne tensiometer model K20 marketed by Krüss USA, Matthews, N.C. Examples of pharmaceutical compositions that may be used in the method of the present invention, provided such compositions have a surface tension of 40 dynes/cm or less, are disclosed in Pitre, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/432,410; and in Mallard, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/315,259, which applications are incorporated herein in their entirety. In accordance with the present invention, the pharmaceutical compositions of Pitre and Mallard that may be used to treat medical conditions of the nail in accordance with the present invention may contain Vitamin D as the API as disclosed in Pitre or clobetasol as disclosed in Mallard, or may contain other APIs in place of, or in addition to, these APIs, as disclosed herein. The API of the composition of the invention is one that is useful in the treatment of a disorder of the nail or nail bed. The API is soluble in the solvent of the composition and/or in the combination of the solvent and vehicle of the composition. Examples of suitable APIs include anti-inflammatory agents, antimicrobial agents such as antibiotics and antifungal agents, anesthetic agents, steroidal agents, vitamins and derivatives thereof, anti-psoriatic drugs, and analgesic agents. In a preferred embodiment, the API of the composition of the invention is an antifungal chemical compound, particularly those effective in the treatment of onychomycosis. Examples of suitable antifungal agents include polyene antimycotic agents such as natamycin, rimocidin, filipin, nystatin, and amphotericin B; imidazole compounds such as miconazole, ketoconazole, clotrimazole, econazole, bifonazole, butoconazole, fenticonazole, isoconazole, oxiconazole, sertaconazole, suconazole, and tioconazole; triazole compounds such as fluconazole, itraconazole, ravuconazole, posaconazole, voriconazole, (2R,3R)-2-(2,4-difluorophenyl)-3-(4-methylenepiperidine-1-yl)-1-(1H-1,2,4-triazole-1-yl)butane-2-ol (referred to herein as “KP-103”), and terconazole; allylamine compounds such as terbinafine, amorolfine, naftifine, and butenafine; echinocandin compounds such as anidulafungin, caspfungin, and micafungin; and other antifungal drugs such as ciclopirox, flucytosine, griseofulvin, gentian violet, haloprogin, tolnaftate, and undecylenic acid. Any antifungal compound suitable for pharmaceutical use in humans or mammals, and particularly those which are active in vitro against Candida albicans, Trichophyton rubrum or Trichophyton mentagrophytes, is suitable for the API of the invention. Particularly preferred are antifungal APIs that have relatively low binding to keratin, such as triazole compounds like KP-103. Other APIs that are suitable for the composition of the invention include those that are effective in treating diseases and disorders of nails other than onychomycosis, especially those diseases and disorders affecting tissues deep to the external surface of the nail, such as the internal portion of the nail, the deep nail surface adjacent to the nail bed, and the nail bed. Such diseases and disorders may include onychia, onychocryptosis, onychodystrophy, onychogryposis, onycholysis, onychomadesis, onychophosis, onychoptosis, paronychia, koilonychia, subungual hematoma, and laminitis. Drugs other than antifungal agents that are suitable for the composition of the invention include corticosteroids such as clobetasol propionate, betamethasone dipropionate, halobetasol propionate, fluocinonide and mometasone furoate, keratolytic agents such as urea and salicylic acid, or antibacterials/antibiotics such benzoyl peroxide, mupirocin, erythromycin, bacitracin, chlorotetracyciline and cetylpyridinium chloride. The vehicle of the composition of the invention is a pharmaceutically acceptable vehicle in which the constituents of the composition of the invention can be dissolved, suspended, disbursed, or emulsified. The constituents of the composition may be all within a single phase in the vehicle. For example, the API, wetting agent, and the non-volatile phase may be dissolved in the vehicle. Alternatively, the constituents may occupy separate phases within the vehicle. For example, the API may be dissolved in the vehicle and the other constituents may be suspended, dispersed, or emulsified in solvent. For another example, the API may be dissolved in the solvent which is suspended, dispersed, or emulsified in the vehicles, with the remaining constituents being dissolved in either the vehicle or the solvent. Preferably, but not necessarily, the API, wetting agent, and non-volatile phase are all miscible in the vehicle. Examples of suitable vehicles include one or more of water, alcohols, polyols, ethers, esters, aldehydes, ketones, fatty acids, fatty alcohols, and fatty esters. Specific examples of suitable vehicles include ethanol; 3-propanediol; 1, 2-butanediol; 1, 2, 3-propanetriol; 1, 3-butanediol; 1, 4-butanediol; isopropyl alcohol; and 2-amino-2-methyl-1-propanol. In a preferred embodiment, the vehicle is an alcohol, and most preferably a linear or branched aliphatic lower alcohol, such as methanol, ethanol, propanol, or isopropanol. The wetting agent of the composition of the invention is a chemical compound that reduces the surface tension of liquid compositions and does not build viscosity. Any surfactant or group of surfactants that is suitable for dermatologic applications is suitable for the invention. Such surfactants may function as wetting agents in the compositions of the invention, and as emulsifiers or solubilizers. The surfactants may be nonionic, anionic, cationic, zwitterionic, amphoteric, or ampholytic surfactants. Examples of non-ionic surfactants include polyoxyethylene sorbitan fatty acid esters such as polysorbate 20, 40, 60 and 80; sorbitan esters such as sorbitan monolaurate, sorbitan monooleate, sorbitan monostearate, and sorbitan trioleate; polyoxyethylene alkyl ethers such as Brij 30, Brij 97, Emulgen 104P, 210P, 200 and Ethylan 253, 254, 256, and 257, polyoxyethylene castor oil derivatives such as polyoxyl 35 castor oil. Examples of cationic surfactants include fatty amines; quaternary ammonium compounds; as well as cationic copolymers, cationic mixed polymers, cationic polysaccharides, cationic cellulose derivatives, cationic or cationized hydrolyzed proteins such as collagen or keratin, or a mixture thereof. Specific examples of cationic surfactants include cetyltrimethylammonium chloride, behenyltrimethylammonium chloride, cetylpyridinium chloride, tetramethylammonium chloride, tetraethylammonium chloride, octyltrimethylammonium chloride, dodecyltrimethylammonium chloride, hexadecyltrimethylammonium chloride, octyldimethylbenzylammonium chloride, decyldimethylbenzylammonium chloride, stearyldimethylbenzylammonium chloride, didodecyldimethylammonium chloride, dioctadecyldimethylammonium chloride, tallow trimethylammonium chloride, cocotrimethylammonium chloride, and the corresponding hydroxides thereof; quaternary esters, such as tetradecylbetaine ester chloride; diquatemary esters, such as dipahnitoylethyldimethylammonium chloride; and diquatemary silicones. Examples of anionic surfactants include but are not limited to those based on sulfate, sulfonate, or carboxylate anions. Examples of such anionic surfactants include sodium laureth sulfate, alkyl benzene sulfonates, soaps, fatty acid salts, and alkyl sulfate salts such as sodium lauryl sulfate, also known as sodium dodecyl sulfate, and ammonium lauryl sulfate. Examples of amphoteric (zwitterionic) surfactants include but are not limited to dodecyl betaine, dodecyl dimethylamine oxide, cocamidopropyl betaine, and cocoamphoglycinate. Preferably, the wetting agent is a volatile silicone. Such volatile silicones include linear or cyclic polyorganosiloxane compounds of formula [R1SiOR2]n wherein n=6 or less and R1 and R2 are alkyl groups that may be the same or different, and which compound has a measurable vapor pressure under ambient conditions. Preferably, n=from 3 to 6, and most preferably n=4 or 5. Preferably R1 and R2=methyl. Examples of cyclic volatile silicones include polydimethylcyclosiloxanes, generally known as cyclomethicones. Particular examples of cyclic volatile silicones include cyclopentasiloxane, cyclotetrasiloxane, decylmethylcyclopentasiloxane, and octylmethylcyclotetrasiloxane. Examples of linear volatile silicones include linear polysiloxanes. Particular examples of linear volatile silicones include hexamethyldisiloxane, octamethyltrisiloxane, and dimethicones. In one particular embodiment of the invention, a single compound forms both the vehicle and the wetting agent of the composition. For example, the vehicle may be a volatile silicone. In this situation, the volatile silicone may also be the wetting agent of the composition. In the case in which the wetting agent serves also as the vehicle, the concentration of the wetting agent in the composition is sufficiently high to function as a vehicle in which all other components of the composition are dissolved, suspended, dispersed, or emulsified. The non-volatile solvent of the composition is a non-aqueous solvent that may or may not be soluble or miscible in the vehicle of the composition. The API of the composition is preferably, but not necessarily, soluble in the non-volatile solvent. In a preferred embodiment wherein the API is hydrophilic, the non-volatile solvent is a polar or semi-polar molecule. In another preferred embodiment wherein the API is hydrophobic, the non-volatile solvent is non-polar. Suitable non-volatile solvents for hydrophobic drugs are disclosed in Pitre, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/432,410 in paragraphs 0069 to 0082, which paragraphs are incorporated herein by reference. For example, the non-volatile solvent may be an ester of the formula RCO—OR′, wherein R and R′ may be identical or different and each of R and R′ represents a linear or branched chain of an alkyl, alkenyl, alkoxycarbonylalkyl, or alkoxycarbonyloxyalkyl radical having from 1 to 25 carbon atoms, preferably from 4 to 20 carbon atoms. The non-volatile solvent may be a glyceryl ester of a fatty acid, such as fatty esters of natural fatty acids or triglycerides of animal or plant origin. The non-volatile solvent may be a fatty acid glyceride, including synthetic or semi-synthetic glyceryl esters, such as fatty acid mono-, di-, or triglycerides, which are oils or fats. The non-volatile solvent may be a non-volatile hydrocarbon, such as paraffins, isoparaffins, and mineral oil. The non-volatile solvent may be a guerbet ester. The non-volatile solvent may be a non-volatile silicone, provided that the presence of the non-volatile silicone in the composition does not result in the formation of a hard polymeric film upon application of the composition onto a nail. Included within such non-film forming silicones are polyorganosiloxane compounds that have the formula [R1SiOR2]n wherein n>6 and R1 and R2 are alkyl groups that may be the same or different, and which compound may or may not have a measurable vapor pressure under ambient conditions. Other examples of suitable non-volatile solvents for hydrophobic drugs in addition to those disclosed in Pitre include squalane, dibutyl sebacate, isopropyl laurate, isopropyl myristate, isopropyl palmitate, isopropyl strearate, myristyl alcohol, oleyl alcohol, oleic acid, lauryl lactate, myristyl lactate, mixed C12-15 alkyl lactates, diisopropyl adipate, octyldodecanol, caproic acid, caprylic acid, capric acid, lauryl benzoate, myristyl benzoate, mixed C12 15 alkyl benzoates, benzyl benzoate, tridecyl neopentanoate, light mineral oil, mineral oil, and alpha terpineol. Examples of suitable non-volatile solvents for hydrophilic drugs include diethylene glycol monoethyl ether, n-methyl pyrrolidone, dimethyl sulfoxide, ethyl lactate, hexylene glycol, glycerol, benzyl alcohol and glycerol triacetate. The composition of the invention may contain additional optional components, such as preservatives, stabilizers, lubricants, humectants, moisture regulators, foaming agents, binders, pH regulators, osmotic pressure modifiers, emulsifiers, antioxidants, colors, aerosol propellants, fragrances, or odor maskers. If desired, the composition may also contain additional nail modifiers or penetration enhancers, such as urea, propylene glycol, sodium lauryl sulfate, and glycolic acid. The composition is intended to remain in a liquid or semi-solid state after application to the nail and does not form a hard lacquer, shell, or film on the nail following application, which occurs by a process of solvent casting following evaporation of a volatile solvent which leaves behind a solid residue that forms the lacquer, shell or film which is lasting, hard, and/or adherent. Therefore, it is preferred that the components of the composition are miscible in the composition and also are miscible in the “secondary” composition that remains after the volatile vehicle has evaporated or penetrated the nail. It is also suitable for the components of the composition, other than the vehicle, to be suspendible, dispersible, or emulsifiable, in the secondary composition, such as in the non-volatile solvent. The composition has a surface tension that is sufficiently low so that, when the composition is applied to the surface of a toenail on a human subject, the composition spreads into the nail folds and also is wicked into the gap between the nail and the nail bed if such a gap is present. A gap is generally present in a nail that is suffering from a disorder such as onychomycosis. Preferably, the surface tension of the composition is 40 dynes/cm or less, more preferably 35 dynes/cm or less, even more preferably 30 dynes/cm or less, and most preferably, the surface tension is 25 dynes/cm or less. It is preferred that the composition, when applied to the surface of a nail, does not form a solid film or lacquer and it is most preferred that the composition is free of polymeric film forming compounds. Examples of polymeric film forming compounds include polymers and copolymers of polyvinyl acetate, polyvinylpyrrolidone, methacrylic acid, polyvinyl butyrals, polyvinyl acetals, and cellulose derivatives such as cellulose acetate phthalate, cellulose acetate butyrate, cellulose acetate propionate, cellulose nitrate, cellulose sulfate, ethylcellulose, and cellulose acetate. A polymeric film forming agent may be present in the composition of this application if it is present in an amount below that which will result in the formation of a film or lacquer following application of the composition to the surface of a nail. The spreadability of a composition may be defined by a test such as the single slide spreadability test, which may be performed as follows. One hundred microliters of a test formulation is applied to a single point on the surface of a clean dry single glass slide. The area of spread of the formulation on the glass slide is determined at various times following the application, such as at 1, 2, 4, 6, and 10 minutes. Formulations that are most suitable for the present method continue to spread on the surface of the slide throughout the first 6 minutes and preferably throughout the first 10 minutes. Preferably, but not necessarily, the area of coverage of the formulation on the slide after 10 minutes is higher than 11.0 cm2. The composition of the invention may be prepared in any number of forms, such as creams, milks, salves, impregnated pads, solutions, tinctures, liniments, liquids, sprays, foams, suspensions, gels, or lotions. The composition may be formulated to provide for immediate or controlled release of the API from the composition. The concentration of the various essential and optional components of the composition of the invention will vary, depending on the particular components contained in the composition, the form of the composition, the particular disease or condition that is to be treated with the composition, and whether the formulation is for immediate or for controlled release. The API of the composition is at a concentration that is effective to treat a disorder or disease of the nail or nail bed. Typically, the concentration of the API will constitute between 0.0001 to 30% or higher by weight of the composition. The concentration of the wetting agent in the composition may vary depending on several factors, including the identity of the wetting agent and whether the wetting agent is also the vehicle of the composition. Generally, the concentration of the wetting agent, such as a volatile silicone, will be between 0.001% and 95% by weight of the composition. Preferably, the concentration of the wetting agent is between 0.01% and 80%, more preferably between 0.1% and 60%, and most preferably between 1% and 40% w/w of the composition. In a particularly preferred embodiment, the concentration of wetting agent in the composition is between 2% and 15% w/w. In the case where the wetting agent is not functioning as a vehicle of the composition, the concentration of wetting agent in the composition will generally be towards the lower end of the above range of concentration, such as between 0.001% and 10%. The concentration of the non-volatile solvent will constitute between 0% and 90% w/w of the composition. Generally, with less viscous forms of the compositions, lower concentrations of non-volatile phase will be present, and with more viscous forms, higher concentrations of the non-volatile phase will be used. Also, predominately oil-based compositions tend to have a higher concentration of non-volatile phase or components than do compositions such as sprays, gels, and lotions and so will have a higher concentration of a non-volatile solvent. Typical concentrations of non-volatile solvent are between 10 and 80%, with preferred concentrations being between 12 and 60%, and most preferred concentrations between 15 and 50% w/w. The concentration of the vehicle will be that which is sufficient to dissolve, suspend, disperse, or emulsify the other components of the composition. In many but not all cases, the concentration of the vehicle will be higher than that of any other constituent of the composition. In some cases, the concentration of the vehicle will be higher than that of the combined concentration of the other constituents of the composition. In a preferred embodiment in which the vehicle is an alcohol, the composition will contain at least 10% alcohol, more typically at least 15% alcohol, and most typically at least 25% alcohol. The concentration of alcohol in the composition may be as high as 80%, or higher. In one preferred embodiment, the concentration of alcohol is at least 50% w/w of the composition. In a particularly preferred embodiment of the invention, the composition of the invention is an alcoholic composition containing a volatile silicone. In a first preferred embodiment, the ratio of alcohol to volatile silicone in the composition % w/w is at least 2:3, preferably at least 1:1, more preferably at least 2:1, and most preferably at least 3:1. In a second preferred embodiment, the concentration of the volatile silicone in the composition is less than 25% w/w. In a third preferred embodiment, the concentration of the alcohol in the composition is at least 40%, more preferably at least 45%, and most preferably at least 50% w/w. The composition of the invention, according to this embodiment of the invention, may be made so as to encompass any one, two, or all three of the embodiments described above. It has been determined that, when applied to the surface of a nail, the alcoholic composition of the invention containing a volatile silicone provides a high degree of penetration of an API contained therein into the nail. Although the compositions of the invention may be used to treat various diseases and disorders of the skin or mucous membranes, they are most advantageously used to treat conditions involving the nails of the hands or feet. The compositions and methods of the invention provide increased penetration of API in the composition into and through the nail and to the nail bed. The compositions of the invention may be used effectively to treat diseases and disorders in humans or in other animals, such as cats, dogs, horses, cattle, sheep, goats, pigs, and birds. In human and in veterinary patients, the compositions of the invention may be used, depending on the particular animal treated, to treat conditions involving nails, hooves, horns, or beaks. The compositions of the invention are especially well suited for the treatment of onychomycosis and other disorders of the nail and nail bed. The composition is topically applied to the surface of the nail and surrounding tissue by any means by which the composition may be applied. The method of application may vary depending on the physical state of the composition, whether it is in a liquid, semisolid, or solid form, and on the viscosity of the composition if it is a liquid. Thus, for example, the composition may be rubbed, painted, dabbed, dripped, sprayed, wiped, spread, or poured onto the affected nail and surrounding tissues, or utilized as a soak. Frequency of treatment and duration of therapy will very depending on several factors, including the condition that is being treated, the identity and concentration of the API in the composition, and constituents of the composition other than the API. Typically, the frequency of treatment will be twice daily to once weekly, and preferably once daily. The preferred duration of topical treatment is at least 36 weeks and preferably longer, such as 40 weeks or 48 weeks. The preferred criterion for treatment efficacy is complete cure, which can be assessed at the end of treatment, but is preferably assessed 4 to 12 weeks after the end of treatment, most preferably 4 weeks after the end of treatment. To further illustrate the invention, the following examples are provided. It is to be understood that these examples are provided for illustrative purposes and are not to be construed as limiting the scope of the invention. It is to be further understood that, in the examples the functions of individual ingredients are sometimes listed for illustration purposes. However, it is understood that not all functions of the ingredients are listed and that many excipients have multiple functions. Example 1—Skin Penetration Study Four different formulations were tested to determine the penetrability of an API into skin. The formulations each contained 5.00% w/w of a triazole antifungal API compound, KP-103. The compositions of the four formulations are shown in Table 2. All concentrations of the components of the formulations are in % w/w. TABLE 2 Formulation No. 078 080 082 107 KP-103 5.00 5.00 5.00 5.00 alcohol 19.35 20.00 59.998 — triacetin 15.00 — — — glycerin 35.00 24.998 — — 1,3-butylene glycol 25.00 — — — carbomer 980 0.50 — — — diisopropanolamine 0.10 — — — Vitamin E 0.05 0.002 0.002 0.05 propylene glycol — 50.00 — — cyclomethicone — — 13.00 — diisopropyl adipate — — 12.00 8.20 myristyl lactate — — 10.00 — isopropyl myristate — — — 5.48 white petrolatum — — — 51.27 urea — — — 30.00 Each of the formulations of Table 2 was spiked with tracer amounts of radiolabeled KP-103 at approximately 0.90 μCi/dose. A single clinically relevant dose (5 mg/cm2) was applied to dermatomed human skin obtained from one donor following elective surgery. Percutaneous absorption was evaluated by mounting the dermatomed tissue in Bronaugh flow-through diffusion cells at 32 C. Six replicates were performed for each formulation. Fresh receptor fluid, PBS containing 0.1% w/v sodium azide and 1.5% Oleth-20, was continuously pumped under the skin at a nominal flow rate of 1 ml/hr and collected in 6-hour intervals. Following 24-hours of exposure, the residual formulation remaining on the skin surface was removed by repeated tape stripping (5 strips/cell). Subsequently, the epidermis was physically separated from the dermis by gentle peeling. The quantity of radioactivity in the tape-strips, epidermis, dermis, and receptor fluid samples was determined using liquid scintillation counting. The results for the calculated quantity of API collected in the receptor for each of the formulations of Table 2 are shown in FIG. 1. As shown in FIG. 1, Formulations 080 and 107 demonstrated considerably higher skin penetration than did Formulations 078 and 082. Formulation 080 contains propylene glycol, a known skin-penetration enhancer, and exhibited a higher penetration through skin than any of the other formulations. Formulation 107 contains urea, a known skin-penetration enhancer, and exhibited the second highest skin penetration of the four formulations tested. Formulation 082 is a formulation according to the present invention and exhibited the lowest skin penetration of the tested formulations. Formulation 078 is a composition that is not within the scope of the invention and exhibited slightly higher penetration into and through skin than did Formulation 082. Of the four formulations, the formulation with the lowest level of skin penetration was formulation 082, the only formulation of the four that is a composition of the invention. Example 2—Nail Penetration Study The formulations 078, 080, 082, and 107 of Example 1 were tested to determine penetration of the API from the formulation into and through nail plates. Each of the formulations of Table 2 was spiked with tracer amounts of radiolabeled KP-103 at approximately 0.90 μCi/dose. A clinically relevant protocol was followed, which entailed dosing 10 μL/cm2 per day for 14 days onto healthy human finger nail plates, which were obtained from multiple donors. Nail penetration was evaluated by mounting the finger nail plates into custom diffusion cells. Five replicates were performed for each formulation. A small cotton ball wetted with 0.1 mL normal saline was used as a receptor. For each day of the study, the surface of the nail was washed, and 10 μL of formulation was applied to the surface. Every second day, the cotton ball receptor was replaced. After fourteen days of exposure, the nail plate was sectioned into three sections, a central dorsal (upper) section, central ventral (lower) section and the remaining peripheral material. The quantity of radioactivity in the daily surface washes, cotton ball receptors, dorsal nail, ventral nail and peripheral nail was determined using liquid scintillation counting. The results are shown in FIG. 2. As shown in FIG. 2, the formulation of the invention, Formulation 082, provided over 6 times the penetration through the nail and into the saturated cotton ball receptor than did the other formulations, calculated as a percentage of the applied dose. The penetration of Formulations 080 and 107 had been expected to be highest through nail because they had exhibited a significantly higher penetration through skin. However, the penetration of API from Formulations 080 and 107 was, in fact, lower than from the other formulations even though these Formulations 080 and 107 contained well known skin penetration enhancers. This study establishes that the penetration of API from a formulation through skin is not predictive of the penetration of the API from the formulation through nail tissue. This study further establishes the unexpected ability of a preferred formulation of the invention, Formulation 082, to increase the penetration of API within the formulation through nail tissue. Example 3—Clinical Assessment in Animal Model of Onychomycosis The efficacy of a formulation of the invention, Formulation 087, containing 3.00% w/w of a triazole antifungal API, KP-103, was evaluated in an animal model of onychomycosis and, in two separate studies, was compared with that of several commercial products intended for the treatment of onychomycosis. The composition of Formulation 087 is shown in Table 3. TABLE 3 FORMULATION 087 Component Concentration (% w/w) KP-103 3.00 Alcohol 60.00 Vitamin E 0.002 Cyclomethicone 13.00 Diisopropyl adipate 10.00 Myristyl lactate 13.998 In order to test the efficacy of Formulation 087 and the comparison products, onychomycosis was induced in six-week old Hartley guinea pigs. Each of Formulation 087 and the comparison products were tested in five animals. Two hundred (200) μL of a suspension of Trichophyton mentagrophytes SM-110 (1×108 arthrospores/mL) was inoculated to the plantar and interdigital skin of the hind paws, and the entire feet were then covered with bandage. The bandage was removed 28 days after fungal inoculation. Test treatments were applied for a period of 30 days, starting on the 60th day after infection. The infected nails were removed from the feet 7 days following the final treatment and were minced with scissors. The nails were placed in a glass homogenizer and PBS (phosphate buffer solution) containing 0.25% porcine pancreatic trypsin was added at a rate of 1 mL/50 mg of wet nail weight, and the nail was homogenized. The homogenate was allowed to stand at 37° C. for 1 hour. One hundred microliters of the nail homogenate or its dilution was spread on a GPLP agar medium containing antibiotics and cultured at 30° C. for 7 days. After culturing, the fungal colonies that appeared on the medium were counted, and the number of colony forming units (CFU) of fungi in the nails was calculated. The nail sample was considered culture-negative when no fungal colony appeared on the plate. In Study 1, the efficacy of Formulation 087, applied to the nails at 30 μL/foot once a day for 30 days, was compared with untreated control animals and with 5% Amorolfine lacquer (Loceryl®) applied to the nails at 30 μL/foot once a week for 30 days. In Study 2, 1% naftifine gel (Naftin®) and 8% ciclopirox lacquer (Penlac®), each applied to the nails at 30 μL/foot once a day for 30 days, were compared with untreated control animals. The results of Study 1 and Study 2 are shown in Table 4. TABLE 4 Mean no. of CFU No. of feet with in nails/foot culture-negative nails/ after treatment total no. of feet Treatment (Log 10) (%) after treatment Study 1 Control (no treatment) 29512 (4.47 +/− 0.37) N/A 5% Amorolfine lacquer 2398 (3.38 +/− 0.87) 0/10 (0%) (Loceryl7) Formulation 087 63 (1.80 +/− 0.53) 6/10 (60%) Study 2 Control (no treatment) 10964 (4.04 +/− 0.69) N/A 1% Ciclopirox lacquer 214 (2.33 +/− 1.10) 1/10 (10%) (Penlac7) 1% Naftifine gel 501 (2.70 +/− 1.45) 1/10 (10%) (Naftin7) The data of Table 4 establishes that the formulation of the invention was more efficacious in treating onychomycosis in an animal model of human disease than were several currently available therapies for onychomycosis. With Formulation 087 of the invention, 60% of the infected nails were culture-negative following treatment. With the compositions of the prior art, 10% or less of the infected nails were culture-negative following treatment. Example 4—Clinical Assessment in Human Treatment An adult male human suffering from onychomycosis of the left large toenail was treated daily by topical application of a 10% topical formulation of the invention containing KP-103. Additional components of the 10% topical formulation were alcohol, vitamin E, butylated hydroxytoluene, cyclomethicone, diisopropyl adipate, and C12-15 alkyl lactates. Nail involvement at the initiation of treatment was 80% with onycholysis (separation of the nail plate from the nail bed) and thickening of subungual area. Following six months of treatment, the diseased proximal portion of the nail had grown out beyond the distal end of the nail plate (hyponychium) and was subsequently clipped off. There was no active fungal involvement of the nail plate, signs of onycholysis or thickening of the subungual area, or nail involvement after 6 months of treatment. Example 5—Additional Formulations of the Invention Containing KP-103 Several additional formulations of the invention were made containing identical components, but in varying concentrations (% w/w), as shown in Table 5. TABLE 5 Formulation Formulation A B Formulation 10% 5% C MATERIAL FUNCTION SOLUTION SOLUTION VEHICLE Alcohol vehicle 56.73 59.85 63.04 Cyclomethicone wetting 12.30 13.00 13.67 agent Diisopropyl non-volatile 11.36 12.00 12.62 adipate solvent C12-15 alkyl non-volatile 9.46 10.00 10.52 lactate solvent KP-103 API 10.00 5.00 0.00 Vitamin E anti-oxidant 0.05 0.05 0.05 Butylated anti-oxidant 0.10 0.10 0.10 hydroxytoluene Example 6—Determination of Surface Tension The surface tension of Formulation 087 shown above in Table 3 in Example 3 and the surface tension of the Formulations A, B, and C of Example 5 were determined at ambient room temperature of 21° to 25° utilizing about 30 grams of each solution on a Krüss Surface Tensiometer, Model K20 Easy Dyne (Krüss USA, Matthews, N.C.). The surface tension value for each of the formulations is shown below in Table 6. TABLE 6 Formulation Formulation Formulation Formulation Formulation 087 A B C Surface Tension 22.1 22.1 22.0 21.8 (dynes/cm) Example 7—Additional Formulations and Vehicles Additional formulations in accordance with the present description, either containing or lacking an active pharmaceutical ingredient, were made as shown in Table 7. TABLE 7 Formulation Formulation Formulation Formulation D E F G MATERIAL FUNCTION (% w/w) (% w/w) (% w/w) (% w/w) Glycerin vehicle 18.405 Ethyl Alcohol vehicle 63.04 20.00 19.85 Isopropyl Alcohol vehicle 54.85 Cyclomethicone wetting agent 6.835 13.00 13.00 13.00 Diisopropyl non-volatile 6.31 12.00 12.00 12.00 adipate solvent C12-15 alkyl non-volatile 5.26 10.00 10.00 10.00 lactate solvent Benzyl Alcohol vehicle 34.85 N-methyl-2- non-volatile 35.00 pyrrolidone solvent KP-103 API 0.00 10.00 10.00 10.00 Vitamin E anti-oxidant 0.05 0.05 0.05 0.05 Butylated anti-oxidant 0.10 0.10 0.10 0.10 hydroxytoluene In contrast to Formulations A-C of Example 5 in which the vehicle is ethyl alcohol, the vehicle of Formulation D is a combination of ethyl alcohol and glycerin, a water-miscible polyol. Formulations E and F contain a low concentration of ethyl alcohol compared to Formulations A-D. In Formulation E, the vehicle is a combination of ethyl alcohol and benzyl alcohol. In Formulation F, the vehicle is ethyl alcohol. In Formulation G, the ethyl alcohol has been replaced with isopropyl alcohol. Example 8—Determination of Surface Tension of Formulations of Example 7 The surface tensions of Formulations D to G of Example 7 were determined by the method described in Example 6. The surface tension value for each of the formulations is shown below in Table 8. TABLE 8 Formulation Formulation Formulation Formulation Formulation D E F G Surface Tension 22.4 21.6 21.7 21.7 (dynes/cm) Example 9—Determination of Spreadability The spreadability of each of Formulations 087 and A to G of Examples 3, 5, and 7 was determined at ambient room temperature of 21° to 25° by utilizing a single glass slide that had been cleaned with isopropyl alcohol and permitted to air dry. 100 microliters of a formulation was placed onto a single point on the cleaned glass slide by positive displacement pipette. The glass slide was placed on graph paper with 0.5 cm×0.5 cm grids to facilitate diameter determinations. The area covered by each of the formulations was essentially circular. The diameter of the spread of the drop was recorded at 1, 2, 4, 6, and 10 minutes. Area was calculated using the following equation. Data is shown in Table 9. Covered area (cm2)=π(d/2)2=πr2 π=3.141592654 d=diameter (cm) r=radius (cm) TABLE 9 Min- Formulations utes 087 A B C D E F G Single 1 4.9 4.9 5.9 7.1 4.0 4.9 4.9 5.9 Slide 2 7.1 7.1 9.6 10.2 5.9 7.1 7.1 7.1 Spread- 4 9.6 9.6 15.9 15.9 14.9 12.6 12.6 8.3 ability 6 15.9 15.9 23.8 23.8 21.6 17.7 14.2 9.6 Area 10 28.3 28.3 33.2 33.2 28.3 33.2 14.9 19.6 (cm2) Each of the tested formulations exhibited a single slide spreadability that continued to increase during the 10 minutes of the test. Further, each of the tested formulations had a spreadability area of at least 14.0 cm2 within 10 minutes. Example 10—Additional Formulations (Prior Art) Additional formulations H and I, not in accordance with the present description, were made as shown in Table 10. Formulation H is 100% water and Formulation I is a combination of 63% ethyl alcohol and 37% octocrylene. An additional formulation was Formulation J which is a commercially available PENLAC® NAIL LACQUER (ciclopirox) 8% Topical Solution (Dermik Laboratories, Bridgewater, N.J.). An additional formulation was Formulation K which is a commercially marketed LOCERYL® NAIL LACQUER (amorolfine) (Galderma Australia), currently marketed in countries other than the United States. Prior art formulations J and K contain film forming polymeric agents and form a lacquer upon application to the surface of a nail. Example 11—Determination of Surface Tension of Formulations of Example 10 The surface tensions of Formulations H to K of Example 10 were determined by the method described in Example 6. The surface tension value for each of the formulations is shown below in Table 10. TABLE 10 Formulation H I J K Surface Tension 72.5 24.6 22.7 23.7 (dynes/cm) Example 12—Determination of Spreadability of Formulations of Example 10 The spreadability of Formulations H to K of Example 10 was determined by the method described in Example 9. Data is shown in Table 11. TABLE 11 Formulations Minutes H I J K Single Slide 1 1.2 14.2 1.4 4.0 Spreadability 2 1.2 14.2 1.4 4.0 Area (cm2) 4 1.2 14.2 1.4 4.0 6 1.2 14.2 1.4 4.0 10 1.2 14.2 1.4 4.0 Formulations H and I are controls that consist of water and two vehicles, respectively. Prior art formulations J and K contain film forming polymeric compounds. As shown in Examples 11 and 12, Formulations H to K are not suitable for the present composition and method. Example 13—Determination of Surface Tension and Spreadability of Formulation of the Invention without Active Ingredients Table 12 shows a formulations of the present invention, but lacking an active pharmaceutical ingredient, that was made and tested for surface tension as described in Example 6 and for spreadability as described in Example 9. Although this formulation lacks an API, it represents an example of the formulation of the invention upon the inclusion of an API. TABLE 12 Primary Formulation L Material Function (% w/w) Alcohol Vehicle 63.04 Cyclomethicone Wetting Agent 13.67 Diisopropyl Adipate Nonvolatile Solvent 12.62 C12-15 Alkyl Lactate Nonvolatile Solvent 10.52 Vitamin E Antioxidant 0.05 BHT Antioxidant 0.1 Tests Performed Surface Tension 21.8 (dynes/cm) Spreadability at 10 minutes (cm2) 33.2 Example 14—Formulations Including an API.s The following examples in Table 13 represent formulations of the invention that include representative APIs to illustrate the versatility and utility of low surface tension formulations for improved efficacy in the topical treatment of nail disease. TABLE 13 Formulation Formulation Formulation Formulation Formulation Primary M N O P Q Material Function (% w/w) (% w/w) (% w/w) (% w/w) (% w/w) Ciclopirox Antifungal 8.0 — — — — Halobetasol Corticosteroid — — — 0.05 — Propionate Urea Keratolytic — — 30.0 — — Erythromycin Antibiotic — 2.0 — — — KP-103 Antifungal — — — — 10.0 Alcohol Vehicle 61.4 67.5 — 64.95 54.85 Purified Water Vehicle 5.0 5.0 53.0 — — Hexylene Glycol Vehicle 25.0 25.0 — — — Propylene Vehicle — — 15.0 — — Glycol Sodium Lauryl Wetting Agent 0.5 0.5 2.0 — — Sulfate Cyclomethicone Wetting Agent — — — 13.0 13.0 Diisopropyl Nonvolatile — — — 12.0 12.0 Adipate Solvent C12-15 Alkyl Nonvolatile — — — 10.0 10.0 Lactate Solvent Vitamin E Antioxidant — — — — 0.05 BHT Antioxidant 0.1 — — — 0.1 One general method for making the compositions in Table 13 is as follows. For lipophilic APIs such as halobetasol propionate and KP-103, the API is first dissolved n alcohol with propeller mixing, followed by the addition and dissolution of the antioxidants, if any. Next a wetting agent is added with continued mixing. Finally one or more non-volatile solvents are added to the formulation. For the lipophilic APIs erythromycin and ciclopirox, a wetting agent is dissolved in the water with propeller mixing. This mixture is added to hexylene glycol with mixing. Next the alcohol is added. The API along with the antioxidant, if any, is then added to the mixture and which is mixed until the API is dissolved using propeller mixing. For the hydrophilic API urea, the sodium lauryl sulfate is dissolved in water with propeller mixing. The API is added next with continued mixing until dissolved. Finally the propylene glycol is added and mixed. The last step for all compositions is packaging in tightly-closed pharmaceutically acceptable containers. Example 15—Clinical Efficacy in Onychomycosis The composition of Example 14, formula Q, containing 10% KP-10, was evaluated in a double-blind vehicle-controlled parallel-group clinical study for the treatment of toenail onychomycosis. Efficacy was assessed by an investigator 40 weeks after the start of treatment based on a designated great toenail with average disease involvement of 40% (range 20 to 90%) at the beginning of the study. Patients made once daily applications of the test composition or the vehicle (same composition with active agent KP-103 replaced with alcohol) to the affected toenails for 36 weeks, with efficacy assessments being made at the follow-up visit 4 weeks later. Complete cure was defined as clear nail (no disease involvement) plus negative mycology. Almost clear was defined as negative mycology plus clear nail or growth of 3 mm or more of new clear nail. The frequency of clinical success calculated as complete cure and almost clear is summarized in Table 14. TABLE 14 Parameter KP-103, 10% Vehicle (no API) Number of Subjects 39 22 Complete Cure - Number 10 2 Complete Cure - Percent 25.6 9.1 Almost Clear - Number 25 5 Almost Clear - Percent 64.1% 22.7% Table 14 shows that the formulation of the invention provided an efficacy much higher than that obtained by presently available topical formulations. The present formulation provided a success rate that is dramatically higher than that obtained by present topical and even some systemic methods of treatment of onychomycosis. The present formulation provided three and a half times more complete cures than reported for Penlac Nail Lacquer and from 0.66 to 1.8 times the complete cures reported for itraconazole and terbinafine, respectively, two orally administered antifungal drugs approved in the USA for treatment of onychomycosis. While preferred embodiments of the invention have been described in detail, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the disclosed embodiments may be modified. It is intended that such modifications be encompassed in the following claims. Therefore, the foregoing description is to be considered to be exemplary rather than limiting, and the scope of the invention is that defined by the following claims. | <SOH> BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION <EOH>Onychomycosis, a fungal disease of the nail unit caused by yeasts, dermatophytes, or other molds, accounts for approximately 50% of all nail disorders in humans. In about 80% of onychomycosis cases, the toenails are infected, whereas in the remaining 20%, the fingernails are infected. The signs and symptoms of this disease include split, thickened, hardened, and rough nail plates, and partial separation of the nail plate from the nail bed creating an air gap in some areas. Another common disorder of nails is nail psoriasis, which affects up to 50% of patients with psoriasis. Characteristic nail psoriasis symptoms include pitting, which appears as punctuated or irregularly shaped depressions arranged on the surface of the body of the nail; discoloration of the nail bed; onycholysis or detachment of the body of the nail from the nail bed; subungual keratosis; or anomalies of the body of the nail. Other diseases and disorders involving the nails in humans and in other animals include onychia, onychocryptosis, onychodystrophy, onychogryposis, onycholysis, onychomadesis, onychophosis, onychoptosis, paronychia, koilonychia, subungual hematoma, and laminitis. The nail plate is thick, hard, and dense, and represents a formidable barrier to drug penetration. Although nail material is similar in various ways to the stratum comeum of the skin, the nail is composed primarily of hard keratin which is highly disulfide-linked and is approximately 100-fold thicker than stratum comeum. In certain nail diseases, such as onychomycosis, there is thickening of the nail plate which further hinders topical drug delivery. Various topical therapies have been suggested for treatment of nail disorders, such as onychomycosis. Nail lacquers, coating, polishes, enamels, and varnishes have been described. Bohn, U.S. Pat. No. 4,957,730, describes a nail varnish containing a water-insoluble film-forming substance and antimycotic compound. Ferro, U.S. Pat. No. 5,120,530, describes an antimycotic nail varnish containing amorolfine in quaternary ammonium acrylic copolymer. The water-insoluble film former is a copolymerizate of acrylic acid esters and methacrylic acid esters having a low content of quaternary ammonium groups. Bohn, U.S. Pat. No. 5,264,206, describes a nail lacquer with antimycotic activity, which contains an antimycotic agent and water-insoluble film formers including polyvinyl acetate, a copolymer of polyvinyl acetate and acrylic acid, copolymers of vinyl acetate and crotonic acid. Wohlrab, U.S. Pat. No. 5,346,692, describes a nail lacquer for treating onychomycosis, comprised of a film-forming agent, an antimycotically active substance, and urea, wherewith the antimycotic agent and urea are liberated from the lacquer when the lacquer is applied. A preferred formulation comprises cellulose derivatives as film former, clotrimazole as the antimycotic agent, dibutyl phthalate as a plasticizer, and a mixture of acetone and ethanol as solvent. Nimni, U.S. Pat. No. 5,487,776, describes a nail lacquer composition which forms a water permeable film containing griseofulvin when the organic solvent system evaporates, wherein a portion of the griseofulvin is in solution and a portion of griseofulvin is present as a colloidal suspension. Chaudhuri, U.S. Pat. No. 6,143,794, describes a topical formulation for the treatment of nail fungal infections that includes an antifungal, solvent, gelling agent, adhesion-promoting agent, film-forming agent, surfactant, and optionally a keratolytic agent. The adhesion-promoting agent was a hydroxy-terminated polyurethane such as polyolprepolymer-2. All of these patents and publications describe products applied to the nail that form a substantive nail coating or film containing a drug from which the drug is to penetrate into the nail. None of these methods has proven to be consistently effective in treating disorders of the nail such as onychomycosis. Various topical therapies utilizing chemical compounds disclosed to enhance penetration through the nail have been described. Knowles, U.S. Pat. No. 5,652,256, describes the use of methyl acetate as a penetration enhancing compound in combination with naftifine or sulconazole and naftifine as a topical gel for fungal treatment of the nails. Sorenson, U.S. Pat. No. 5,972,317, discloses that a proteolytic enzyme such as papain, delivered by pads soaked in the enzyme solution, produces a more permeable nail. Sun, U.S. Pat. No. 6,231,875, describes acidified compositions of antifungals to enhance transport across nails and skin. Reeves, U.S. Pat. No. 6,391,879, describes the combination of an anti-fungal agent dissolved in an anhydrous blend of polyglycol and DMSO. Although these and other enhanced penetration formulations were reported to increase penetration through the nail, they have not been shown to be clinically effective in treating conditions of the nail, such as onychomycosis. Bimbaum, U.S. Pat. No. 7,135,194 discloses a solution to the problem of topical delivery of medications through the nail plate in a nail afflicted with onychomycosis. Onycholysis and the formation of an air gap between the nail plate and nail bed is common in onychomycosis. The air gap presents a major barrier to delivering drug to the nailbed. Bimbaum solves this problem by incorporating an antifungal drug into a solid or semisolid composition, forcing the composition into the subungual space in the gap between the hyponychium and the nail bed, and packing this space with the solid or semisolid composition. Presently, the only topical antifungal product approved by the FDA for treating onychomycosis is Ciclopirox Nail Lacquer 8% e.g. Penlac® manufactured by Sanofi Aventis, Bridgewater, N.J. The prescribing information for Penlac® reports the clinical effectiveness in two placebo-controlled studies in onychomycosis patients with target great toenail involvement of 20 to 65%. Patients applied Penlac® nail lacquer once daily for 48 weeks and were evaluated for effectiveness at the end of treatment (i.e. 48 weeks or last observation). Complete cure was defined as clear nail and negative mycology (absence of the causative fungus by culture and microscopic tests). Almost clear was defined as 10% or less nail involvement and negative mycology. TABLE 1 Study 312 Study 313 Penlac ® Vehicle Penlac ® Vehicle Complete Cure # 6/110 1/109 10/118 0/117 % 5.5 0.9 8.5 0 Almost Clear # 7/107 1/108 14/116 1/115 % 6.5 0.9 12 0.9 As shown in Table 1, treatment with Penlac provided a low level of efficacy. Only 5.5% of treated patients were completely cured and only 6.5% of patients were almost cleared of onychomycosis. However, despite the low effectiveness of topical Ciclopirox Nail Lacquer in treating onychomycosis, the FDA approved Penlac because of the unmet medical need for a safe treatment for onychomycosis and the improved safety of topical applications over systemic anti-fungal agents. Because of the difficulty in obtaining clinically effective concentrations of medication to the nail bed by topical application of a pharmaceutical composition to the affected nail, nail disorders, such as onychomycosis, are typically treated with systemic medications or with topical medications following removal of the nail. Systemic treatment for onychomycosis and other nail disorders is often not satisfactory because therapy must be continued for long periods of time, often many weeks or months, and the medication has effects on tissues other than on the affected nail. Antifungal compounds, such as miconazole and ketoconazole, have been demonstrated to be effective in topically treating onychomycosis after nail removal. However, it is clear that removal of the nail is a measure than most individuals suffering from onychomycosis would prefer not to undergo if a less drastic therapeutic method would be efficacious. A select few oral antifungals such as Terbinafine hydrochloride tablets (Lamasil®, Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation, East Hanover, N.J.) are approved in the USA to treat onychomycosis. According to the prescribing information for Lamasil® tablets, only 38% of patients achieved a complete cure, defined as mycological cure plus no nail involvement for toenail onychomycosis in a 48 week study of Lamasil® treatment for 12 weeks and an efficacy evaluation made after a 36 week follow-up period in order to allow time for involved nail to grow out. Besides the low level of efficacy for Lamasil®, a variety of adverse reactions were reported for Lamasil® in the clinical studies including diarrhea, dyspepsia, abdominal pain, liver test abnormalities, rashes, urticaria and pruritis. The proscribing information for Lamasil® warns of rare cases of liver failure, some leading to death or liver transplant, and isolated reports of serious skin reactions. Additionally, Lamasil® tablets are not recommended for pregnant women or nursing mothers. Another oral antifungal drug approved to treat onychomycosis of the toenails is itraconazole, available as 100 mg capsules under the Sporanox® brand from PriCare, divisions of Ortho-McNeil-Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Raritan, N.J. The prescribing information for Sporanox® capsules reports 14% complete cures (mycological cures plus clear nails) in 214 patients, who were given 200 mg of itraconazole daily for 12 consecutive weeks. Numerous adverse effects were reported including nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, edema, fever, fatigue, rash, pruritus, headache, dizziness, hypertension, hypokalemia and abnormal hepatic function. The prescribing information warns that Sporanox® has been associated with rare cases of serious hepatotoxicity, including liver failure and death. A further warning to prescribers is that Sporanox® should not be administered for the treatment of onychomycosis in patients with evidence of ventricular dysfunction such as congestive heart failure. Pitre, U.S. Patent Publication 2007/0041910, filed as U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/432,410; and Mallard, U.S. Patent Publication 2006/0147383, filed as U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/315,259, disclose that application of a pharmaceutical composition containing a vehicle, a volatile silicone, and a non-volatile oily phase, provides increased penetration of a pharmaceutically active compound when topically applied to skin or mucous membrane. This enhanced penetration is obtained without the use of glycols, such as propylene glycol, which are known to augment skin penetration of pharmaceutical compounds but which are also known to be irritating to skin. The formulations of Pitre and Mallard contain at least 25% w/w of a volatile silicone and, if formulated with an alcoholic vehicle, contain at least 15% of alcohol. All alcoholic compositions disclosed in Pitre and Mallard contain greater than 50% volatile silicone and the concentration of the volatile silicone is at least twice the concentration of the alcohol in the composition. Pitre and Mallard do not disclose or suggest the use of such compositions for the treatment of diseases of a nail, such as onychomycosis. Moreover, studies have been conducted, including studies conducted in the laboratories of the present inventors, which show that the penetrating ability of an active agent from a composition into skin cannot be correlated to the penetrating ability of the active agent from the composition into or through a nail. A significant need remains for a pharmaceutical composition that provides for enhanced penetration of a pharmaceutical agent contained within the composition into and through a nail and into the nail bed. Such a composition would be valuable for topically treating conditions affecting the nail or nail bed, such as onychomycosis. | <SOH> BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS <EOH>FIG. 1 is a graph showing the in vitro penetration of KP-103 through skin from a formulation of the invention and from three prior art formulations. FIG. 2 is a graph showing the in vitro penetration of KP-103 through nail tissue from a formulation of the invention and from three prior art formulations. FIG. 3 is a graph showing the percentage of nail area affected by onychomycosis from pre-treatment through the follow-up assessment 4 weeks post treatment with a formulation of the invention compared to its vehicle. detailed-description description="Detailed Description" end="lead"? | A61K4724 | 20171129 | 20180621 | 65038.0 | A61K4724 | 16 | IVANOVA, SVETLANA M | COMPOSITIONS AND METHODS FOR TREATING DISEASES OF THE NAIL | UNDISCOUNTED | 1 | CONT-ACCEPTED | A61K | 2,017 |
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15,827,477 | PENDING | RULE-BASED NETWORK-THREAT DETECTION | A packet-filtering device may receive packet-filtering rules configured to cause the packet-filtering device to identify packets corresponding to network-threat indicators. The packet-filtering device may receive packets and, for each packet, may determine that the packet corresponds to criteria specified by a packet-filtering rule. The criteria may correspond to one or more of the network-threat indicators. The packet-filtering device may apply an operator specified by the packet-filtering rule. The operator may be configured to cause the packet-filtering device to either prevent the packet from continuing toward its destination or allow the packet to continue toward its destination. The packet-filtering device may generate a log entry comprising information from the packet-filtering rule that identifies the one or more network-threat indicators and indicating whether the packet-filtering device prevented the packet from continuing toward its destination or allowed the packet to continue toward its destination. | 1. (canceled) 2. A method comprising: receiving, by a packet-filtering device, a plurality of packets; responsive to a determination by the packet-filtering device that a first packet of the plurality of packets corresponds to one or more packet-filtering rules: applying, by the packet-filtering device and to the first packet, an operator specified by a corresponding packet-filtering rule and configured to cause the packet-filtering device to either prevent the first packet from continuing toward a destination of the first packet or allow the first packet to continue toward the destination of the first packet; and generating, by the packet-filtering device, a packet log entry comprising at least one threat identifier corresponding to the first packet and data indicating whether the packet-filtering device prevented the first packet from continuing toward the destination of the first packet or allowed the packet to continue toward the destination of the first packet; updating, by the packet-filtering device and based on the packet log entry, a packet flow entry of packet flow analysis data for the plurality of packets; communicating, by the packet-filtering device and to a computing device, the packet flow analysis data; and causing, based on the communicated packet flow analysis data, display of at least a portion of the packet flow analysis data, wherein the packet flow analysis data comprises at least one threat identifier corresponding to each of the plurality of packets, packet time data for packets corresponding to the packet flow entry, and data indicating whether the packet-filtering device prevented packets from continuing toward a respective destination or allowed packets to continue toward the respective destination. 3. The method of claim 2, wherein each packet log entry further comprises packet time data, data derived from an associated packet, environmental data of the associated packet, data identifying a corresponding packet-filtering rule, data indicating an operator applied, and at least one corresponding threat identifier. 4. The method of claim 2, wherein the packet flow analysis data comprises a plurality of packet flow entries, wherein each packet flow entry consolidates a plurality of packet log entries corresponding to a same threat identifier, and wherein each packet flow entry comprises at least one threat identifier corresponding to each of the plurality of packets corresponding to the packet flow entry, packet time data representing each of the plurality of packets corresponding to the packet flow entry, and data indicating whether the packet-filtering device prevented each of the plurality of packets corresponding to the packet flow entry from continuing toward a respective destination or allowed each of the plurality of packets corresponding to the packet flow entry to continue toward the respective destination. 5. The method of claim 2, wherein the updating the packet flow entry of packet flow analysis data for the plurality of packets further comprises: modifying, for each packet of the plurality of packets, responsive to a determination that each packet corresponds to one or more packet-filtering rules, and based on the packet log entry, an existing packet flow log entry to indicate one or more corresponding packet-filtering rules and whether the packet-filtering device prevented each packet from continuing toward each packet's respective destination or allowed each packet to continue toward each packet's respective destination. 6. The method of claim 2, wherein: the packet flow analysis data comprises a plurality of packet flow entries; each packet flow entry of the plurality of packet flow entries corresponds to a different threat identifier of a plurality of threat identifiers; and updating the packet flow entry of the packet flow analysis data comprises updating a packet flow entry, of the plurality of packet flow entries and based on the packet log entry, of a threat identifier that corresponds to the packet log entry. 7. The method of claim 2, wherein the packet flow analysis data further comprises one or more scores, wherein each score is associated with a corresponding packet flow entry, the method further comprising: determining the one or more scores based on a number of packets associated with each packet flow entry and based on times associated with the packets associated with each packet flow entry; updating the one or more scores based on each packet log entry; and indicating, in the packet flow analysis data, the one or more scores. 8. The method of claim 7, the method further comprising: updating the one or more scores based on one or more times at which one or more packets of the plurality of packets that corresponds to one or more packet-filtering rules were filtered by the packet-filtering device; and updating the one or more scores based on a number of the plurality of packets that correspond to the one or more packet-filtering rules. 9. The method of claim 7, wherein determining the one or more scores further comprises determining the one or more scores based on an identity of one or more network-threat-intelligence providers that provided network-threat indicators associated with a corresponding threat identifier, and a number of network-threat intelligence providers that provided network-threat indicators associated with a corresponding threat identifier. 10. The method of claim 7, wherein determining the one or more scores further comprises determining the one or more scores based on a destination of a packet of the plurality of packets that corresponds to the one or more packet-filtering rules. 11. The method of claim 7, wherein determining the one or more scores further comprises determining the one or more scores based on at least one of a type of threat associated with a packet flow entry threat indicator, geographic information, an anonymous proxy associated with the packet flow entry threat indicator, or an actor associated with the packet flow entry threat indicator. 12. A packet-filtering device comprising: at least one processor; and memory storing instructions that when executed by the at least one processor cause the packet-filtering device to: receive a plurality of packets; responsive to a determination by the packet-filtering device that a first packet of the plurality of packets corresponds to one or more packet-filtering rules: apply, to the first packet, an operator specified by a corresponding packet-filtering rule and configured to cause the packet-filtering device to either prevent the first packet from continuing toward a destination of the first packet or allow the first packet to continue toward the destination of the first packet; and generate a packet log entry comprising at least one threat indicator corresponding to the first packet and data indicating whether the packet-filtering device prevented the first packet from continuing toward the destination of the first packet or allowed the packet to continue toward the destination of the first packet; update, based on the packet log entry, a packet flow entry of packet flow analysis data for the plurality of packets; communicate, to a computing device, the packet flow analysis data; and cause, based on the communicated packet flow analysis data, display of at least a portion of the packet flow analysis data, wherein the packet flow analysis data comprises at least one threat identifier corresponding to each of the plurality of packets, packet time data for packets corresponding to the packet flow entry, and data indicating whether the packet-filtering device prevented packets from continuing toward a respective destination or allowed packets to continue toward the respective destination. 13. The packet-filtering device of claim 12, wherein each packet log entry further comprises packet time data, data derived from an associated packet, environmental data of the associated packet, data identifying a corresponding packet-filtering rule, data indicating an operator applied, and at least one corresponding threat identifier. 14. The packet-filtering device of claim 12, wherein the packet flow analysis data comprises a plurality of packet flow entries, wherein each packet flow entry consolidates a plurality of packet log entries corresponding to a same threat identifier, and wherein each packet flow entry comprises at least one threat identifier corresponding to each of the plurality of packets corresponding to the packet flow entry, packet time data representing each of the plurality of packets corresponding to the packet flow entry, and data indicating whether the packet-filtering device prevented each of the plurality of packets corresponding to the packet flow entry from continuing toward a respective destination or allowed each of the plurality of packets corresponding to the packet flow entry to continue toward the respective destination. 15. The packet-filtering device of claim 12, wherein the instructions that when executed by the at least one processor further cause the packet-filtering device to update the packet flow entry of packet flow analysis data for the plurality of packets further comprising instructions that when executed by the at least one processor further cause the packet-filtering device to modify, for each packet of the plurality of packets, responsive to a determination that each packet corresponds to the one or more packet-filtering rules, and based on the packet log entry, an existing packet flow log entry to indicate the one or more corresponding packet-filtering rules and whether the packet-filtering device prevented each packet from continuing toward each packet's respective destination or allowed each packet to continue toward each packet's respective destination. 16. The packet-filtering device of claim 12, wherein: the packet flow analysis data comprises a plurality of packet flow entries; each packet flow entry of the plurality of packet flow entries corresponds to a different threat identifier of a plurality of threat identifiers; and the update of the packet flow entry of the packet flow analysis data further comprises updating a packet flow entry, of the plurality of packet flow entries and based on the packet log entry, of a threat identifier that corresponds to the packet log entry. 17. The packet-filtering device of claim 12, wherein the packet flow analysis data further comprises one or more scores, wherein each score is associated with a corresponding packet flow entry, the memory storing instructions that when executed by the at least one processor further cause the packet-filtering device to: determine the one or more scores based on a number of packets associated with each packet flow entry and based on times associated with the packets associated with each packet flow entry; update the one or more scores based on each packet log entry; and indicate, in the packet flow analysis data, the one or more scores. 18. The packet-filtering device of claim 17, wherein the instructions that when executed by the at least one processor further cause the packet-filtering device to: update the one or more scores based on one or more times at which one or more packets of the plurality of packets that correspond to the one or more packet-filtering rules were filtered by the packet-filtering device; and update the one or more scores based on a number of the plurality of packets that correspond to the one or more packet-filtering rules. 19. The packet-filtering device of claim 17, wherein the instructions that when executed by the at least one processor further cause the packet-filtering device to determine the one or more scores further comprise instructions that when executed by the at least one processor further cause the packet-filtering device to determine the one or more scores based on an identity of one or more network-threat-intelligence providers that provided network-threat indicators associated with a corresponding threat identifier, and a number of network-threat intelligence providers that provided network-threat indicators associated with a corresponding threat identifier. 20. The packet-filtering device of claim 17, wherein the instructions that when executed by the at least one processor further cause the packet-filtering device to determine the one or more scores further comprise instructions that when executed by the at least one processor further cause the packet-filtering device to determine the one or more scores based on a destination of a packet of the plurality of packets that corresponds to the one or more packet-filtering rules. 21. One or more non-transitory computer-readable media comprising instructions that when executed by at least one processor of a packet-filtering device cause the packet-filtering device to: receive a plurality of packets; responsive to a determination by the packet-filtering device that a first packet of the plurality of packets corresponds to one or more packet-filtering rules: apply, to the first packet, an operator specified by a corresponding packet-filtering rule and configured to cause the packet-filtering device to either prevent the first packet from continuing toward a destination of the first packet or allow the first packet to continue toward the destination of the first packet; and generate a packet log entry comprising at least one threat indicator corresponding to the first packet and data indicating whether the packet-filtering device prevented the first packet from continuing toward the destination of the first packet or allowed the packet to continue toward the destination of the first packet; update, based on the packet log entry, a packet flow entry of packet flow analysis data for the plurality of packets; communicate, to a computing device, the packet flow analysis data; and cause, based on the communicated packet flow analysis data, display of at least a portion of the packet flow analysis data, wherein the packet flow analysis data comprises at least one threat identifier corresponding to each of the plurality of packets, packet time data for packets corresponding to the packet flow entry, and data indicating whether the packet-filtering device prevented packets from continuing toward a respective destination or allowed packets to continue toward the respective destination. | CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application is a Continuation co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/690,302, filed Apr. 17, 2015, the content of which is hereby incorporated by reference into the present application. BACKGROUND Network security is becoming increasingly important as the information age continues to unfold. Network threats may take a variety of forms (e.g., unauthorized requests or data transfers, viruses, malware, large volumes of network traffic designed to overwhelm network resources, and the like). Many organizations subscribe to network-threat services that periodically provide information associated with network threats, for example, reports that include listings of network-threat indicators (e.g., network addresses, uniform resources identifiers (URIs), and the like). The information provided by such services may be utilized by organizations to identify network threats. For example, logs generated by the organization's network devices may be reviewed for data corresponding to the network-threat indicators provided by such services. But because the logs are generated based on the traffic processed by the network devices without regard to the network-threat indicators, this process is often tedious and time consuming and is exacerbated by the continuously evolving nature of potential threats. Accordingly, there is a need for rule-based network-threat detection. SUMMARY The following presents a simplified summary in order to provide a basic understanding of some aspects of the disclosure. It is intended neither to identify key or critical elements of the disclosure nor to delineate the scope of the disclosure. The following summary merely presents some concepts of the disclosure in a simplified form as a prelude to the description below. Aspects of this disclosure relate to rule-based network-threat detection. In accordance with embodiments of the disclosure, a packet-filtering device may receive packet-filtering rules configured to cause the packet-filtering device to identify packets corresponding to network-threat indicators. The packet-filtering device may receive packets and, for each packet, may determine that the packet corresponds to criteria specified by a packet-filtering rule. The criteria may correspond to one or more of the network-threat indicators. The packet-filtering device may apply an operator specified by the packet-filtering rule. The operator may be configured to cause the packet-filtering device to either prevent the packet from continuing toward its destination or allow the packet to continue toward its destination. The packet-filtering device may generate a log entry comprising information from the packet-filtering rule that identifies the one or more network-threat indicators and indicating whether the packet-filtering device prevented the packet from continuing toward its destination or allowed the packet to continue toward its destination. In some embodiments, the packet-filtering device may generate and communicate to a user device data indicating whether the packet-filtering device prevented the packet from continuing toward its destination or allowed the packet to continue toward its destination. The user device may receive the data and indicate in an interface displayed by the user device whether the packet-filtering device prevented the packet from continuing toward its destination or allowed the packet to continue toward its destination. The interface may comprise an element that when invoked by a user of the user device causes the user device to instruct the packet-filtering device to reconfigure the operator to prevent future packets corresponding to the criteria from continuing toward their respective destinations. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The present disclosure is pointed out with particularity in the appended claims. Features of the disclosure will become more apparent upon a review of this disclosure in its entirety, including the drawing figures provided herewith. Some features herein are illustrated by way of example, and not by way of limitation, in the figures of the accompanying drawings, in which like reference numerals refer to similar elements, and wherein: FIG. 1 depicts an illustrative environment for rule-based network-threat detection in accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosure; FIGS. 2A and 2B depict illustrative devices for rule-based network-threat detection in accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosure; FIGS. 3A, 3B, 3C, 3D, 3E, and 3F depict an illustrative event sequence for rule-based network-threat detection in accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosure; FIGS. 4A, 4B, and 4C depict illustrative packet-filtering rules for rule-based network-threat detection in accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosure; FIGS. 5A, 5B, 5C, 5D, 5E, 5F, and 5G depict illustrative logs for rule-based network-threat detection in accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosure; FIGS. 6A, 6B, 6C, 6D, 6E, 6F, and 6G depict illustrative interfaces for rule-based network-threat detection in accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosure; and FIG. 7 depicts an illustrative method for rule-based network-threat detection in accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION In the following description of various illustrative embodiments, reference is made to the accompanying drawings, which form a part hereof, and in which is shown, by way of illustration, various embodiments in which aspects of the disclosure may be practiced. It is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized, and structural and functional modifications may be made, without departing from the scope of the disclosure. Various connections between elements are discussed in the following description. These connections are general and, unless specified otherwise, may be direct or indirect, wired or wireless. In this respect, the specification is not intended to be limiting. FIG. 1 depicts an illustrative environment for rule-based network-threat detection in accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosure. Referring to FIG. 1, environment 100 may include one or more networks. For example, environment 100 may include networks 102, 104, 106, and 108. Networks 102, 104, and 106 may comprise one or more networks (e.g., Local Area Networks (LANs), Wide Area Networks (WANs), Virtual Private Networks (VPNs), or combinations thereof) associated with one or more individuals or entities (e.g., governments, corporations, service providers, or other organizations). Network 108 may comprise one or more networks (e.g., LANs, WANs, VPNs, or combinations thereof) that interface networks 102, 104, and 106 with each other and one or more other networks (not illustrated). For example, network 108 may comprise the Internet, a similar network, or portions thereof. Environment 100 may also include one or more hosts, such as computing or network devices (e.g., servers, desktop computers, laptop computers, tablet computers, mobile devices, smartphones, routers, gateways, switches, access points, or the like). For example, network 102 may include hosts 110, 112, and 114, network 104 may include hosts 116, 118, and 120, network 106 may include hosts 122, 124, and 126, and network 108 may interface networks 102, 104, and 106 with one or more hosts associated with rule provider 128 or network-threat-intelligence providers 130, 132, and 134, threat hosts 136, 138, and 140, and benign host 142. Network-threat-intelligence providers 130, 132, and 134 may be associated with services that monitor network threats (e.g., threats associated with threat hosts 136, 138, and 140) and disseminate (e.g., to subscribers) network-threat-intelligence reports that include network-threat indicators (e.g., network addresses, ports, fully qualified domain names (FQDNs), uniform resource locators (URLs), uniform resource identifiers (URIs), or the like) associated with the network threats, as well as other information associated with the network threats, for example, the type of threat (e.g., phishing malware, botnet malware, or the like), geographic information (e.g., International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) country, Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) country, or the like), anonymous proxies (e.g., Tor network, or the like), actors (e.g., the Russian Business Network (RBN), or the like). Environment 100 may further include packet-filtering devices 144, 146, and 148. Packet-filtering device 144 may be located at boundary 150 between networks 102 and 108. Similarly, packet-filtering device 146 may be located at boundary 152 between networks 104 and 108, and packet-filtering device 148 may be located at boundary 154 between networks 106 and 108. FIGS. 2A and 2B depict illustrative devices for rule-based network-threat detection in accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosure. Referring to FIG. 2A, as indicated above, packet-filtering device 144 may be located at boundary 150 between networks 102 and 108. Network 102 may include one or more network devices 202 (e.g., servers, routers, gateways, switches, access points, or the like) that interface hosts 110, 112, and 114 with network 108. Network 102 may also include tap devices 204 and 206. Tap device 204 may be located on or have access to a communication path that interfaces network devices 202 and network 102 (e.g., one or more of hosts 110, 112, and 114). Tap device 206 may be located on or have access to a communication path that interfaces network devices 202 and network 108. Packet-filtering device 144 may include memory 208, one or more processors 210, one or more communication interfaces 212, and data bus 214. Data bus 214 may interface memory 208, processors 210, and communication interfaces 212. Communication interfaces 212 may interface packet-filtering device 144 with network devices 202 and tap devices 204 and 206. Memory 208 may comprise one or more program modules 216, one or more packet-filtering rules 218, and one or more logs 220. Program modules 216 may comprise instructions that when executed by processors 210 cause packet-filtering device 144 to perform one or more of the functions described herein. Networks 104 and 106 may each comprise components similar to those described herein with respect to network 102, and packet-filtering devices 146 and 148 may each comprise components similar to those described herein with respect to packet-filtering device 144. Referring to FIG. 2B, rule provider 128 may include one or more computing devices 222. Computing devices 222 may include memory 224, one or more processors 226, one or more communication interfaces 228, and data bus 230. Data bus 230 may interface memory 224, processors 226, and communication interfaces 228. Communication interfaces 228 may interface computing devices 222 with network 108, which, as indicated above, may interface with network 102 at boundary 150. Memory 224 may comprise one or more program modules 232, one or more network-threat indicators 234, and one or more packet-filtering rules 236. Program modules 232 may comprise instructions that when executed by processors 226 cause computing devices 222 to perform one or more of the functions described herein. FIGS. 3A, 3B, 3C, 3D, 3E, and 3F depict an illustrative event sequence for rule-based network-threat detection in accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosure. In reviewing the illustrative event sequence, it will be appreciated that the number, order, and timing of the illustrative events is simplified for the purpose of illustration and that additional (unillustrated) events may occur, the order and time of events may differ from the depicted illustrative events, and some events or steps may be omitted, combined, or occur in an order other than that depicted by the illustrative event sequence. Referring to FIG. 3A, at step 1, network-threat-intelligence provider 130 may communicate to rule provider 128 (e.g., via network 108, as designated by the shaded box over the line extending downward from network 108) one or more network-threat-intelligence reports identifying one or more network threats (e.g., Threat_1, Threat_2, Threat_3, and Threat_4) and comprising one or more associated network-threat indicators (e.g., network addresses, ports, FQDNs, URLs, URIs, or the like), as well as other information associated with the network threats (e.g., the type of threat, geographic information, anonymous proxies, actors, or the like). Similarly, at step 2, network-threat-intelligence provider 132 may communicate to rule provider 128 one or more network-threat-intelligence reports identifying one or more network threats (e.g., Threat_1, Threat_2, Threat_5, and Threat_6) and comprising one or more associated network-threat indicators, as well as other information associated with the network threats, and, at step 3, network-threat-intelligence provider 134 may communicate to rule provider 128 one or more network-threat-intelligence reports identifying one or more network threats (e.g., Threat_1, Threat_7, Threat_8, and Threat_9) and comprising one or more associated network-threat indicators, as well as other information associated with the network threats. Rule provider 128 (e.g., computing devices 222) may receive (e.g., via communication interfaces 228) the network-threat-intelligence reports communicated by network-threat-intelligence providers 130, 132, and 134, and may store data contained therein in memory 224 (e.g., network-threat indicators 234). Referring to FIG. 3B, at step 4, packet-filtering device 144 may communicate one or more parameters to rule provider 128 (e.g., parameters indicating a preference, authorization, subscription, or the like to receive packet-filtering rules generated based on network-threat-intelligence reports provided by network-threat-intelligence providers 130, 132, and 134). At step 5, rule provider 128 (e.g., computing devices 222) may generate one or more packet-filtering rules (e.g., packet-filtering rules 236) based on the network-threat-intelligence reports provided by network-threat-intelligence providers 130, 132, and 134 (e.g., network-threat indicators 234) and, at step 6, may communicate the packet-filtering rules to packet-filtering device 144, which, at step 7, may update packet-filtering rules 218 to include the packet-filtering rules generated by rule provider 128 in step 5. For example, referring to FIG. 4A, packet-filtering rules 218 may include packet-filtering rules 402 that comprise non-network-threat-intelligence rules (e.g., packet-filtering rules generated by an administrator of network 102) and packet-filtering rules 404 that comprise network-threat-intelligence rules (e.g., the packet-filtering rules communicated by rule provider 128 in step 6). Each of the network-threat-intelligence rules may comprise: one or more criteria that correspond to one or more of network-threat indicators 234 upon which the rule is based and may be configured to cause packet-filtering device 144 to identify packets corresponding to the criteria (e.g., corresponding to the network-threat indicators upon which the rule is based); an operator configured to cause packet-filtering device 144 to either prevent packets corresponding to the criteria from continuing toward their respective destinations (e.g., a BLOCK operator) or allow packets corresponding to the criteria to continue toward their respective destinations (e.g., an ALLOW operator); and information distinct from the criteria (e.g., a Threat ID) that identifies one or more of the network-threat indicators upon which the rule is based, one or more network threats associated with the network-threat indicators, one or more network-threat-intelligence reports that included the network-threat indicators, one or more of network-threat-intelligence providers 130, 132, or 134 that provided the network-threat-intelligence reports, or other information contained in the network-threat-intelligence reports that is associated with the network-threat indicators or the network threats (e.g., the type of threat, geographic information, anonymous proxies, actors, or the like). Returning to FIG. 3B, at step 8, packet-filtering device 146 may communicate one or more parameters to rule provider 128 (e.g., parameters indicating a preference, authorization, subscription, or the like to receive packet-filtering rules generated based on network-threat-intelligence reports provided by network-threat-intelligence provider 134). At step 9, rule provider 128 may generate one or more packet-filtering rules based on the network-threat-intelligence reports provided by network-threat-intelligence provider 134 (e.g., network-threat indicators 234 (or a portion thereof included in network-threat-intelligence reports received from network-threat-intelligence provider 134)) and, at step 10, may communicate the packet-filtering rules to packet-filtering device 146, which, at step 11, may update its packet-filtering rules to include the packet-filtering rules generated by rule provider 128 in step 9. Similarly, at step 12, packet-filtering device 148 may communicate one or more parameters to rule provider 128 (e.g., parameters indicating a preference, authorization, subscription, or the like to receive packet-filtering rules generated based on network-threat-intelligence reports provided by network-threat-intelligence providers 132 and 134). At step 13, rule provider 128 may generate one or more packet-filtering rules based on the network-threat-intelligence reports provided by network-threat-intelligence providers 132 and 134 (e.g., network-threat indicators 234 (or a portion thereof included in network-threat-intelligence reports received from network-threat-intelligence providers 132 and 134)) and, at step 14, may communicate the packet-filtering rules to packet-filtering device 148, which, at step 15, may update its packet-filtering rules to include the packet-filtering rules generated by rule provider 128 in step 13. Referring to FIG. 3C, at step 16, four packets may be communicated (e.g., via network 108, as designated by the shaded circles over the line extending downward from network 108) between host 114 and benign host 142 (e.g., two packets originating from host 114 and destined for benign host 142 and two packets originating from benign host 142 and destined for host 114), and packet-filtering device 144 may receive each of the four packets (e.g., via tap devices 204 and 206), apply one or more of packet-filtering rules 218 to the four packets, and allow the four packets to continue toward their respective destinations. At step 17, three packets may be communicated by host 112 to threat host 136, and packet-filtering device 144 may receive each of the three packets, apply one or more of packet-filtering rules 218 to the three packets, determine that each of the three packets corresponds to criteria specified by a packet-filtering rule of packet-filtering rules 404 (e.g., Rule: TI003), apply an operator specified by the packet-filtering rule (e.g., an ALLOW operator) to each of the three packets, allow each of the three packets to continue toward its respective destination (e.g., toward threat host 136), and generate log data for each of the three packets (as designated by the triangles over the line extending downward from packet-filtering device 144). At step 18, packet-filtering device 144 may begin processing the log data generated in step 17. For example, referring to FIG. 5A, logs 220 may include packet log 502 and flow log 504, each of which (or portions thereof) may be reserved or distinguished for entries associated with packets corresponding to criteria included in packet-filtering rules 404, and packet-filtering device 144 may generate an entry in packet log 502 for each of the three packets. Each entry may comprise data indicating a hit time for the packet (e.g., a time at which the packet was received by packet-filtering device 144, identified by packet-filtering device 144, or the like), data derived from the packet (e.g., a source address, a destination address, a port number, a protocol type, a domain name, URL, URI, or the like), one or more environmental variables (e.g., an identifier of an interface of packet-filtering device 144 over which the packet was received, an identifier of an interface of packet-filtering device 144 over which the packet was forwarded toward its destination, an identifier associated with packet-filtering device 144 (e.g., distinguishing packet-filtering device 144 from packet-filtering devices 146 and 148), or the like), data identifying the packet-filtering rule of packet-filtering rules 404 to which the packet corresponded (e.g., Thread ID: Threat_3), and data indicating whether packet-filtering device 144 prevented the packet from continuing toward its destination or allowed the packet to continue toward its destination (e.g., the character A may designate that packet-filtering device 144 allowed the packet to continue toward its destination, and the character B may designate that packet-filtering device 144 prevented the packet from continuing toward its destination). Returning to FIG. 3C, at step 19, four packets may be communicated between host 114 and threat host 138 (e.g., two packets originating from host 114 and destined for threat host 138 and two packets originating from threat host 138 and destined for host 114), and packet-filtering device 144 may receive each of the four packets, apply one or more of packet-filtering rules 218 to the four packets, determine that each of the four packets corresponds to criteria specified by a packet-filtering rule of packet-filtering rules 404 (e.g., Rule: TI005), apply an operator specified by the packet-filtering rule (e.g., an ALLOW operator) to each of the four packets, allow each of the four packets to continue toward its respective destination, and generate log data for each of the four packets. In some embodiments, the criteria specified by one or more of packet-filtering rules 404 (e.g., the criteria generated from the network-threat indicators) may include network addresses and one or more of the packets received by packet-filtering device 144 may comprise domain names, URIs, or URLs. In such embodiments, packet-filtering device 144 may comprise a local domain name system (DNS) cache (e.g., stored in memory 208) and may utilize the local DNS cache to resolve one or more of the domain names, URIs, or URLs included in the packets into one or more of the network addresses included in the criteria. At step 20, packet-filtering device 144 may continue processing the log data generated in step 17 and may begin processing the log data generated in step 19. In some embodiments, packet-filtering device 144 may be configured in accordance with work-conserving scheduling in order to minimize latency (e.g., the time between when a packet corresponding to a network threat crosses boundary 150 and the time when an administrator associated with network 102 is presented with an interface indicating that the packet corresponding to the network threat has crossed boundary 150). For example, referring to FIG. 5B, packet-filtering device 144 may generate entries in packet log 502 for each of the packets received in step 19 while generating an entry in flow log 504 for the packets received in step 17. Packet-filtering device 144 may generate the entry in flow log 504 for the packets received in step 17 based on the entries generated in packet log 502 (e.g., in step 18) for the packets received in step 17. The entry in flow log 504 may consolidate, compress, or summarize the entries in packet log 502. For example, the entry in flow log 504 may comprise a time range (e.g., [01, 03]) indicating the earliest hit time indicated by the entries (e.g., Time: 01) to the latest hit time indicated by the entries (e.g., Time: 03), consolidated information from the entries (e.g., a consolidation of the information derived from the packets and the environmental variables), information that each of the associated packets have in common (e.g., Threat ID: Threat_3), a count of the associated packets allowed by packet-filtering device 144 to continue toward their respective destinations, and a count of the associated packets prevented by packet-filtering device 144 from continuing toward their respective destinations. Returning to FIG. 3C, at step 21, packet-filtering device 144 may utilize flow log 504 to generate data comprising an update for an interface associated with packet-filtering device 144 and displayed by host 110, and may communicate the data comprising the update to host 110. For example, referring to FIG. 6A, host 110 may be a user device associated with an administrator of network 102 and configured to display interface 600. Interface 600 may include graphical depictions 602 and 604, which may illustrate activity associated with packet-filtering device 144. For example, graphical depiction 602 may comprise a line chart depicting, for a user-specified time interval, a number of packet hits, a number of packets prevented from continuing toward their respective destinations, a number of packets allowed to continue toward their respective destinations, or the like, and graphical depiction 604 may comprise an annulated pie chart illustrating percentages of hits during the user-specified time interval that are associated with various category types (e.g., type of network threat, geographic information, anonymous proxies, actors, or the like). Interface 600 may also include listing 606, which may comprise entries corresponding to network threats and, for each threat, associated information derived by packet-filtering device 144 from flow log 504 (e.g., a description of the threat, information derived from the consolidated information stored in flow log 504, the time of the last associated packet hit, a count of associated packet hits, a count of associated packets allowed by packet-filtering device 144 to continue toward their respective destinations, a count of associated packets prevented by packet-filtering device 144 from continuing toward their respective destinations) and a status of the operator included in the rule associated with the threat. Packet-filtering device 144 may be configured to determine an ordering of the network threats, and listing 606 may be displayed in accordance with the ordering determined by packet-filtering device 144. In some embodiments, packet-filtering device 144 may be configured to determine a score for each of the network threats and the ordering may be determined based on the scores. In such embodiments, the scores may be determined based on a number of associated packet hits, times associated with the packet hits (e.g., time of day, time since last hit, or the like), whether the packet was destined for a network address associated with a host in network 102 or a host in network 108, one or more network-threat-intelligence providers that provided the network-threat indicators associated with the threat, the number of network-threat intelligence providers that provided the network-threat indicators associated with the threat, other information associated with the network threat (e.g., type of network threat, geographic information, anonymous proxies, actors, or the like). For example, as illustrated in FIG. 6A, the threat associated with Threat ID: Threat_1 may be assigned a score (e.g., 6) higher than the score assigned to the threat associated with Threat ID: Threat_2 (e.g., 5) based on a determination that the network-threat-indicators corresponding to the threat associated with Threat ID: Threat_1 were received from three different network-threat-intelligence providers (e.g., network-threat-intelligence providers 130, 132, and 134) and a determination that the network-threat-indicators corresponding to the threat associated with Threat ID: Threat_2 were received from two different network-threat-intelligence providers (e.g., network-threat-intelligence providers 130 and 132). Similarly, the threat associated with Threat ID: Threat_2 may be assigned a score (e.g., 5) higher than the score assigned to the threat associated with Threat ID: Threat_3 (e.g., 4) based on a determination that the network-threat-indicators corresponding to the threat associated with Threat ID: Threat_2 were received from two different network-threat-intelligence providers (e.g., network-threat-intelligence providers 130 and 132) and a determination that the network-threat-indicators corresponding to the threat associated with Threat ID: Threat_3 were received from one network-threat-intelligence provider (e.g., network-threat-intelligence provider 130). Additionally, the threat associated with Threat ID: Threat_3 may be assigned a score (e.g., 4) higher than the score assigned to the threat associated with Threat ID: Threat_5 (e.g., 2) based on a determination that the last packet hit corresponding to the threat associated with Threat ID: Threat_3 is more recent than the last packet hit corresponding to the threat associated with Threat ID: Threat_5, and the threat associated with Threat ID: Threat_4 may be assigned a score (e.g., 2) higher than the score assigned to the threat associated with Threat ID: Threat_9 (e.g., 1) based on a determination that the network-threat-indicators corresponding to the threat associated with Threat ID: Threat_4 were received from network-threat-intelligence provider 130 and a determination that the network-threat-indicators corresponding to the threat associated with Threat ID: Threat_9 were received from network-threat-intelligence provider 134 (e.g., the network-threat-intelligence reports produced by network-threat-intelligence provider 130 may be regarded as more reliable than the network-threat-intelligence reports produced by network-threat-intelligence provider 134). Returning to FIG. 3C, at step 22, three packets may be communicated by threat host 140 to host 114, and packet-filtering device 144 may receive each of the three packets, apply one or more of packet-filtering rules 218 to the three packets, determine that each of the three packets corresponds to criteria specified by a packet-filtering rule of packet-filtering rules 404 (e.g., Rule: TI001), apply an operator specified by the packet-filtering rule (e.g., an ALLOW operator) to each of the three packets, allow each of the three packets to continue toward its respective destination (e.g., toward host 114), and generate log data for each of the three packets. At step 23, packet-filtering device 144 may continue processing the log data generated in step 19 and may begin processing the log data generated in step 22. For example, referring to FIG. 5C, packet-filtering device 144 may generate entries in packet log 502 for each of the packets received in step 22 while generating an entry in flow log 504 for the packets received in step 19 based on the entries generated in packet log 502 (e.g., in step 20) for the packets received in step 19. Returning to FIG. 3C, at step 24, packet-filtering device 144 may utilize flow log 504 to generate data comprising an update for interface 600 and may communicate the data to host 110. For example, referring to FIG. 6B, the update may cause interface 600 to update an entry in listing 606 corresponding to the threat associated with Threat ID: Threat_5 to reflect the packets received in step 19 and to reflect a new score (e.g., 3) assigned by packet-filtering device 144 to the threat associated with Threat ID: Threat_5 (e.g., the score may have increased based on the packets received in step 19). Interface 600 may include one or more block options that when invoked by a user of host 110 (e.g., the administrator of network 102) cause host 110 to instruct packet-filtering device 144 to reconfigure an operator of a packet-filtering rule included in packet-filtering rules 404 to prevent packets corresponding to the criteria specified by the packet-filtering rule from continuing toward their respective destinations. In some embodiments, listing 606 may include such a block option alongside each entry, and, when invoked, the block option may cause host 110 to instruct packet-filtering device 144 to reconfigure an operator of packet-filtering rules 404 that corresponds to the network threat associated with the entry. For example, interface 600 may include block option 608, which, when invoked, may cause host 110 to instruct packet-filtering device 144 to reconfigure an operator associated with Rule: TI003 (e.g., to reconfigure the operator to cause packet-filtering device 144 to prevent packets corresponding to the one or more criteria specified by Rule: TI003 (e.g., packets corresponding to the network-threat-indicators associated with Threat ID: Threat_3) from continuing toward their respective destinations). Additionally or alternatively, when invoked, such a block option may cause host 110 to display another interface (e.g., an overlay, pop-up interface, or the like) associated with packet-filtering device 144. For example, referring to FIG. 6C, when invoked, block option 608 may cause host 110 to display interface 610. Interface 610 may comprise specific block options 612, 614, 616, and 618, modify option 620, and cancel option 622. Specific block option 612 may correspond to an option to reconfigure packet-filtering device 144 to prevent packets corresponding to the network threat and destined for or originating from a host in network 102 from continuing toward their respective destinations. Specific block option 614 may correspond to an option to reconfigure packet-filtering device 144 to prevent packets corresponding to the network threat and destined for or originating from one or more particular hosts in network 102 that have generated or received packets associated with the network threat (e.g., host 112) from continuing toward their respective destinations. Specific block option 616 may correspond to an option to reconfigure packet-filtering device 144 to prevent any packets received from the particular hosts in network 102 that have generated or received packets associated with the network threat from continuing toward hosts located in network 102. And specific block option 618 may correspond to an option to reconfigure packet-filtering device 144 to prevent any packets received from the particular hosts in network 102 that have generated or received packets associated with the network threat from continuing toward hosts located in network 108. Interface 610 may also include rule-preview listing 624, which may display a listing of rules that will be implemented by packet-filtering device 144 in response to the user invoking modify option 620. Rule-preview listing 624 may include one or more entries corresponding to each of specific block options 612, 614, 616, and 618. For example, entry 626 may correspond to, and display a rule configured to implement, specific block option 612 (e.g., Rule: TI003 with its operator reconfigured to BLOCK). Similarly, entries 628, 630, and 632 may correspond to, and display rules configured to implement, specific block options 614, 616, and 618 (e.g., one or more new rules generated by packet-filtering device 144 based on data derived from flow log 504 (e.g., a network address associated with host 112)). Responsive to a user invoking one or more of specific block options 612, 614, 616, or 618, the interface may select the corresponding rules, and responsive to a user invoking modify option 620, host 110 may instruct packet-filtering device 144 to implement the selected rules. Responsive to a user invoking cancel option 620, host 110 may redisplay interface 600. Returning to FIG. 3C, at step 25, host 110 may communicate instructions to packet-filtering device 144 instructing packet-filtering device 144 to reconfigure one or more of packet-filtering rules 404 (e.g., to reconfigure the operator of Rule: TI003 to BLOCK), and, at step 26, packet-filtering device 144 may reconfigure packet-filtering rules 404 accordingly, as reflected in FIG. 4B. At step 27, three packets destined for threat host 136 may be communicated by host 112, and packet-filtering device 144 may receive each of the three packets, apply one or more of packet-filtering rules 218 to the three packets, determine that each of the three packets corresponds to criteria specified by a packet-filtering rule of packet-filtering rules 404 (e.g., Rule: TI003), apply an operator specified by the packet-filtering rule (e.g., the BLOCK operator) to each of the three packets, prevent each of the three packets from continuing toward its respective destination (e.g., toward threat host 136), and generate log data for each of the three packets. At step 28, packet-filtering device 144 may continue processing the log data generated in step 22 and may begin processing the log data generated in step 27. For example, referring to FIG. 5D, packet-filtering device 144 may generate entries in packet log 502 for each of the packets received in step 27 while generating an entry in flow log 504 for the packets received in step 22 based on the entries generated in packet log 502 (e.g., in step 23) for the packets received in step 22. Returning to FIG. 3C, at step 29, packet-filtering device 144 may utilize flow log 504 to generate data comprising an update for interface 600 and may communicate the data to host 110. For example, referring to FIG. 6D, the update may cause interface 600 to update an entry in listing 606 that is associated with the threat associated with Threat ID: Threat_1 to reflect the packets received in step 22, the change in the operator of the packet-filtering rule associated with the threat associated with Thread ID: Threat_3, a new score (e.g., 7) assigned by packet-filtering device 144 to the threat associated with Threat ID: Threat_1 (e.g., the score may have increased based on the packets received in step 22), a new score (e.g., 2) assigned by packet-filtering device 144 to the threat associated with Threat ID: Threat_3 (e.g., the score may have decreased based on the change of the operator in its associated packet-filtering rule), a new score (e.g., 4) assigned by packet-filtering device 144 to the threat associated with Threat ID: Threat_5, and a revised ordering, determined by packet-filtering device 144 based on the new scores. Referring to FIG. 3D, at step 30, three packets destined for host 120 may be communicated by threat host 140, and packet-filtering device 146 may receive each of the three packets, apply one or more of its packet-filtering rules to the three packets, determine that each of the three packets corresponds to criteria specified by a packet-filtering rule (e.g., a rule corresponding to Threat ID: Threat_1), apply an operator specified by the packet-filtering rule (e.g., an ALLOW operator) to each of the three packets, allow each of the three packets to continue toward its respective destination (e.g., toward host 120), and generate log data for each of the three packets. At step 31, packet-filtering device 146 may begin processing the log data generated in step 30. At step 32, three packets destined for host 118 may be communicated by threat host 140, and packet-filtering device 146 may receive each of the three packets, apply one or more of its packet-filtering rules to the three packets, determine that each of the three packets corresponds to criteria specified by a packet-filtering rule (e.g., the rule corresponding to Threat ID: Threat_1), apply an operator specified by the packet-filtering rule (e.g., an ALLOW operator) to each of the three packets, allow each of the three packets to continue toward its respective destination (e.g., toward host 118), and generate log data for each of the three packets. At step 33, packet-filtering device 146 may continue processing the log data generated in step 30 and may begin processing the log data generated in step 33. At step 34, packet-filtering device 146 may generate data comprising an update for an interface associated with packet-filtering device 146 and displayed by host 116 (e.g., an interface similar to interface 600) and may communicate the data comprising the update to host 116. At step 35, three packets destined for host 120 may be communicated by threat host 140, and packet-filtering device 146 may receive each of the three packets, apply one or more of its packet-filtering rules to the three packets, determine that each of the three packets corresponds to criteria specified by a packet-filtering rule (e.g., the rule corresponding to Threat ID: Threat_1), apply an operator specified by the packet-filtering rule (e.g., an ALLOW operator) to each of the three packets, allow each of the three packets to continue toward its respective destination (e.g., toward host 120), and generate log data for each of the three packets. At step 36, packet-filtering device 146 may continue processing the log data generated in step 32 and may begin processing the log data generated in step 35. At step 37, packet-filtering device 146 may generate data comprising an update for the interface associated with packet-filtering device 146 and displayed by host 116 and may communicate the data comprising the update to host 116. At step 38, host 116 may communicate instructions to packet-filtering device 146 instructing packet-filtering device 146 to reconfigure one or more of its packet-filtering rules (e.g., to reconfigure the operator of the rule corresponding to Threat ID: Threat_1 to BLOCK), and, at step 39, packet-filtering device 146 may reconfigure its packet-filtering rules accordingly. At step 40, three packets destined for host 118 and three packets destined for host 120 may be communicated by threat host 140, and packet-filtering device 146 may receive each of the six packets, apply one or more of its packet-filtering rules to the six packets, determine that each of the six packets corresponds to criteria specified by a packet-filtering rule (e.g., the rule corresponding to Threat ID: Threat_1), apply an operator specified by the packet-filtering rule (e.g., the BLOCK operator) to each of the six packets, prevent each of the six packets from continuing toward its respective destination, and generate log data for each of the six packets. At step 41, packet-filtering device 146 may continue processing the log data generated in step 35 and may begin processing the log data generated in step 40. At step 42, packet-filtering device 146 may communicate data to rule provider 128 (e.g., data indicating that fifteen packets corresponding to Threat ID: Threat_1 were received by packet-filtering device 146, packet-filtering device 146 allowed nine of the fifteen packets to continue toward hosts in network 104, and packet-filtering device 146 prevented six of the fifteen packets from continuing toward hosts in network 104). Referring to FIG. 3E, at step 43, four packets may be communicated between host 124 and threat host 136 (e.g., two packets originating from host 124 and destined for threat host 136 and two packets originating from threat host 136 and destined for host 124), and packet-filtering device 148 may receive each of the four packets, apply one or more of its packet-filtering rules to the four packets, and allow the four packets to continue toward their respective destinations. At step 44, three packets destined for host 126 may be communicated by threat host 140, and packet-filtering device 148 may receive each of the three packets, apply one or more of its packet-filtering rules to the three packets, determine that each of the three packets corresponds to criteria specified by a packet-filtering rule (e.g., a rule corresponding to Threat ID: Threat_1), apply an operator specified by the packet-filtering rule (e.g., an ALLOW operator) to each of the three packets, allow each of the three packets to continue toward its respective destination (e.g., toward host 126), and generate log data for each of the three packets. At step 45, packet-filtering device 148 may begin processing the log data generated in step 44. At step 46, three packets destined for host 126 may be communicated by threat host 140, and packet-filtering device 148 may receive each of the three packets, apply one or more of its packet-filtering rules to the three packets, determine that each of the three packets corresponds to criteria specified by a packet-filtering rule (e.g., the rule corresponding to Threat ID: Threat_1), apply an operator specified by the packet-filtering rule (e.g., an ALLOW operator) to each of the three packets, allow each of the three packets to continue toward its respective destination (e.g., toward host 126), and generate log data for each of the three packets. At step 47, packet-filtering device 148 may continue processing the log data generated in step 44 and may begin processing the log data generated in step 47. At step 48, packet-filtering device 148 may generate data comprising an update for an interface associated with packet-filtering device 148 and displayed by host 122 (e.g., an interface similar to interface 600) and may communicate the data comprising the update to host 122. At step 49, two packets may be communicated between host 124 and threat host 138 (e.g., a packet originating from host 124 and destined for threat host 138 and a packet originating from threat host 138 and destined for host 124), and packet-filtering device 148 may receive each of the two packets, apply one or more of its packet-filtering rules to the two packets, determine that each of the two packets corresponds to criteria specified by a packet-filtering rule (e.g., a rule corresponding to Threat ID: Threat_5), apply an operator specified by the packet-filtering rule (e.g., an ALLOW operator) to each of the two packets, allow each of the two packets to continue toward its respective destination, and generate log data for each of the two packets. At step 50, packet-filtering device 148 may continue processing the log data generated in step 46 and may begin processing the log data generated in step 49. At step 51, packet-filtering device 148 may generate data comprising an update for the interface associated with packet-filtering device 148 and displayed by host 122 and may communicate the data comprising the update to host 122. At step 52, host 122 may communicate instructions to packet-filtering device 148 instructing packet-filtering device 148 to reconfigure one or more of its packet-filtering rules to block all packets corresponding to the network-threat indicators associated with Threat ID: Threat_1 (e.g., to reconfigure the operator of the rule corresponding to Threat ID: Threat_1 to BLOCK), and to implement one or more new packet-filtering rules configured to block all packets originating from host 126, and, at step 53, packet-filtering device 148 may reconfigure its packet-filtering rules accordingly. At step 54, threat host 140 may generate a packet destined for host 124 and a packet destined for host 126, host 126 may generate a packet destined for benign host 142 and a packet destined for host 124, and packet-filtering device 148 may receive each of the four packets, apply one or more of its packet-filtering rules to the four packets, determine that the packets generated by threat host 140 correspond to criteria specified by the packet-filtering rule corresponding to Threat ID: Threat_1, apply an operator specified by the packet-filtering rule corresponding to Threat ID: Threat_1 (e.g., the BLOCK operator) to each of the two packets generated by threat host 140, determine that the packets generated by host 126 correspond to criteria specified by the new packet-filtering rules (e.g., a network address associated with host 126), apply an operator specified by the new packet-filtering rules (e.g., the BLOCK operator) to each of the two packets generated by host 126, prevent each of the four packets from continuing toward its respective destination, and generate log data for each of the four packets. At step 55, packet-filtering device 148 may continue processing the log data generated in step 49 and may begin processing the log data generated in step 54. At step 56, packet-filtering device 148 may communicate data to rule provider 128 (e.g., data indicating that eight packets corresponding to Threat ID: Threat_1 were received by packet-filtering device 148, packet-filtering device 148 allowed six of the eight packets to continue toward hosts in network 106, packet-filtering device 148 prevented two of the eight packets from continuing toward hosts in network 106, two packets corresponding to Threat ID: Threat_5 were received by packet-filtering device 148, and packet-filtering device 148 allowed both of the two packets to continue toward their respective destinations). Referring to FIG. 3F, at step 57, rule provider 128 (e.g., computing devices 222) may analyze the data received from packet-filtering devices 146 and 148 (e.g., in steps 42 and 56, respectively) and may generate, based on the analysis, an update for packet-filtering device 148. In some embodiments, the update may be configured to cause packet-filtering device 144 to reconfigure an operator of a packet-filtering rule included in packet-filtering rules 404 (e.g., to reconfigure packet-filtering device 144 to prevent packets corresponding to the criteria specified by the rule from continuing toward their respective destinations). Additionally or alternatively, the update may reconfigure one or more of packet-filtering rules 404 to affect the ordering (e.g., the scoring) of the network threats associated with packet-filtering rules 404. At step 58, rule provider 128 may communicate the updates to packet-filtering device 144, which may receive the updates and, at step 59, may update packet-filtering rules 404 accordingly. For example, the update may be configured to cause packet-filtering device 144 to reconfigure the operator of Rule: TI001 to the BLOCK operator (e.g., to reconfigure packet-filtering device 144 to prevent packets corresponding to the network-threat indicators associated with the network threat corresponding to Threat ID: Threat_1 from continuing toward their respective destinations, and packet-filtering device 144 may reconfigure packet-filtering rules 404 accordingly, as reflected in FIG. 4C). At step 60, four packets may be communicated between host 114 and benign host 142 (e.g., two packets originating from host 114 and destined for benign host 142 and two packets originating from benign host 142 and destined for host 114), and packet-filtering device 144 may receive each of the four packets, apply one or more of packet-filtering rules 218 to the four packets, and allow the four packets to continue toward their respective destinations. At step 61, three packets destined for threat host 136 may be communicated by host 112, and packet-filtering device 144 may receive each of the three packets, apply one or more of packet-filtering rules 218 to the three packets, determine that each of the three packets corresponds to criteria specified by a packet-filtering rule of packet-filtering rules 404 (e.g., Rule: TI003), apply an operator specified by the packet-filtering rule (e.g., the BLOCK operator) to each of the three packets, prevent each of the three packets from continuing toward its respective destination (e.g., toward threat host 136), and generate log data for each of the three packets. At step 62, packet-filtering device 144 may continue processing the log data generated in step 27 and may begin processing the log data generated in step 62. For example, referring to FIG. 5E, packet-filtering device 144 may generate entries in packet log 502 for each of the packets received in step 61 while modifying an entry in flow log 504 for the packets received in step 27 based on the entries generated in packet log 502 (e.g., in step 28) for the packets received in step 27, for example, modifying the entry corresponding to Threat ID: Threat_3) (e.g., the time range and the count of associated packets prevented by packet-filtering device 144 from continuing toward their respective destinations). At step 63, packet-filtering device 144 may utilize flow log 504 to generate data comprising an update for interface 600 and may communicate the data to host 110. For example, referring to FIG. 6E, the update may cause interface 600 to update the entry in listing 606 associated with Threat ID: Threat_3 to reflect the packets received in step 27, the change in the operator of the packet-filtering rule associated with Thread ID: Threat_1, a new score (e.g., 3) assigned by packet-filtering device 144 to the threat associated with Threat ID: Threat_3 (e.g., the score may have increased based on the packets received in step 27), and a new score (e.g., 5) assigned by packet-filtering device 144 to the threat associated with Threat ID: Threat_1 (e.g., the score may have decreased based on the change of the operator in its associated packet-filtering rule). At step 64, three packets destined for host 112 and three packets destined for host 114 may be communicated by threat host 140, and packet-filtering device 144 may receive each of the six packets, apply one or more of packet-filtering rules 218 to the three packets, determine that each of the three packets corresponds to criteria specified by a packet-filtering rule of packet-filtering rules 404 (e.g., Rule: TI001), apply an operator specified by the packet-filtering rule (e.g., the BLOCK operator) to each of the six packets, prevent each of the six packets from continuing toward its respective destination, and generate log data for each of the six packets. At step 65, packet-filtering device 144 may continue processing the log data generated in step 61 and may begin processing the log data generated in step 64. For example, referring to FIG. 5F, packet-filtering device 144 may generate entries in packet log 502 for each of the packets received in step 64 while modifying an entry in flow log 504 for the packets received in step 61 based on the entries generated in packet log 502 (e.g., in step 62) for the packets received in step 61, for example, modifying the entry corresponding to Threat ID: Threat_3 (e.g., the time range and the count of associated packets prevented by packet-filtering device 144 from continuing toward their respective destinations). At step 66, packet-filtering device 144 may utilize flow log 504 to generate data comprising an update for interface 600 and may communicate the data to host 110. For example, referring to FIG. 6F, the update may cause interface 600 to update the entry in listing 606 associated with Threat ID: Threat_3 to reflect the packets received in step 61 and a new score (e.g., 3) assigned by packet-filtering device 144 to the threat associated with Threat ID: Threat_3 (e.g., the score may have increased based on the packets received in step 61). At step 67, packet-filtering device 144 may continue processing the log data generated in step 64. For example, referring to FIG. 5G, packet-filtering device 144 may modify an entry in flow log 504 for the packets received in step 64 based on the entries generated in packet log 502 (e.g., in step 65) for the packets received in step 64, for example, modifying the entry corresponding to Threat ID: Threat_1 (e.g., the time range and the count of associated packets prevented by packet-filtering device 144 from continuing toward their respective destinations). At step 68, packet-filtering device 144 may utilize flow log 504 to generate data comprising an update for interface 600 and may communicate the data to host 110. For example, referring to FIG. 6G, the update may cause interface 600 to update the entry in listing 606 associated with Threat ID: Threat_1 to reflect the packets received in step 64 and a new score (e.g., 6) assigned by packet-filtering device 144 to the threat associated with Threat ID: Threat_1 (e.g., the score may have increased based on the packets received in step 64). FIG. 7 depicts an illustrative method for rule-based network-threat detection in accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosure. Referring to FIG. 7, at step 702, a packet-filtering device may receive a plurality of packet-filtering rules configured to cause the packet-filtering device to identify packets corresponding to one or more network-threat indicators. For example, packet-filtering device 144 may receive packet-filtering rules 404 from rule provider 128. At step 704, the packet-filtering device may receive a packet corresponding to at least one of the network-threat indicators. For example, packet-filtering device 144 may receive a packet generated by host 112 and destined for threat host 136. At step 706, the packet-filtering device may determine that the packet corresponds to criteria specified by one of the plurality of packet-filtering rules. For example, packet-filtering device 144 may determine that the packet generated by host 112 and destined for threat host 136 corresponds to Rule: TI003. At step 708, the packet-filtering device may apply an operator specified by the packet-filtering rule to the packet. For example, packet-filtering device 144 may apply an operator (e.g., an ALLOW operator) specified by Rule: TI003 to the packet generated by host 112 and may allow the packet generated by host 112 to continue toward threat host 136. At step 710, the packet-filtering device may generate a log entry comprising information from the packet-filtering rule that is distinct from the criteria and identifies the one or more network-threat indicators. For example, packet-filtering device 144 may generate an entry in packet log 502 comprising Threat ID: Threat_3 for the packet generated by host 112. At step 712, the packet-filtering device may generate data indicating whether the packet-filtering device prevented the packet from continuing toward its destination (e.g., blocked the packet) or allowed the packet to continue toward its destination. For example, packet-filtering device 144 may generate data comprising an update for interface 600 that indicates that packet-filtering device 144 allowed the packet generated by host 112 to continue toward threat host 136. At step 714, the packet-filtering device may communicate the data to a user device. For example, packet-filtering device 144 may communicate the data comprising the update for interface 600 to host 110. At step 716, the packet-filtering device may indicate in an interface whether the packet-filtering device prevented the packet from continuing toward its destination or allowed the packet to continue toward its destination. For example, communicating the data comprising the update for interface 600 may cause host 110 to indicate in interface 600 that packet-filtering device 144 allowed the packet generated by host 112 to continue toward threat host 136. The functions and steps described herein may be embodied in computer-usable data or computer-executable instructions, such as in one or more program modules, executed by one or more computers or other devices to perform one or more functions described herein. Generally, program modules include routines, programs, objects, components, data structures, etc. that perform particular tasks or implement particular abstract data types when executed by one or more processors in a computer or other data-processing device. The computer-executable instructions may be stored on a computer-readable medium such as a hard disk, optical disk, removable storage media, solid-state memory, RAM, etc. As will be appreciated, the functionality of the program modules may be combined or distributed as desired. In addition, the functionality may be embodied in whole or in part in firmware or hardware equivalents, such as integrated circuits, application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), field-programmable gate arrays (FPGA), and the like. Particular data structures may be used to more effectively implement one or more aspects of the disclosure, and such data structures are contemplated to be within the scope of computer-executable instructions and computer-usable data described herein. Although not required, one of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that various aspects described herein may be embodied as a method, system, apparatus, or one or more computer-readable media storing computer-executable instructions. Accordingly, aspects may take the form of an entirely hardware embodiment, an entirely software embodiment, an entirely firmware embodiment, or an embodiment combining software, hardware, and firmware aspects in any combination. As described herein, the various methods and acts may be operative across one or more computing devices and networks. The functionality may be distributed in any manner or may be located in a single computing device (e.g., a server, client computer, or the like). Aspects of the disclosure have been described in terms of illustrative embodiments thereof. Numerous other embodiments, modifications, and variations within the scope and spirit of the appended claims will occur to persons of ordinary skill in the art from a review of this disclosure. For example, one of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the steps illustrated in the illustrative figures may be performed in other than the recited order and that one or more illustrated steps may be optional. Any and all features in the following claims may be combined or rearranged in any way possible. | <SOH> BACKGROUND <EOH>Network security is becoming increasingly important as the information age continues to unfold. Network threats may take a variety of forms (e.g., unauthorized requests or data transfers, viruses, malware, large volumes of network traffic designed to overwhelm network resources, and the like). Many organizations subscribe to network-threat services that periodically provide information associated with network threats, for example, reports that include listings of network-threat indicators (e.g., network addresses, uniform resources identifiers (URIs), and the like). The information provided by such services may be utilized by organizations to identify network threats. For example, logs generated by the organization's network devices may be reviewed for data corresponding to the network-threat indicators provided by such services. But because the logs are generated based on the traffic processed by the network devices without regard to the network-threat indicators, this process is often tedious and time consuming and is exacerbated by the continuously evolving nature of potential threats. Accordingly, there is a need for rule-based network-threat detection. | <SOH> SUMMARY <EOH>The following presents a simplified summary in order to provide a basic understanding of some aspects of the disclosure. It is intended neither to identify key or critical elements of the disclosure nor to delineate the scope of the disclosure. The following summary merely presents some concepts of the disclosure in a simplified form as a prelude to the description below. Aspects of this disclosure relate to rule-based network-threat detection. In accordance with embodiments of the disclosure, a packet-filtering device may receive packet-filtering rules configured to cause the packet-filtering device to identify packets corresponding to network-threat indicators. The packet-filtering device may receive packets and, for each packet, may determine that the packet corresponds to criteria specified by a packet-filtering rule. The criteria may correspond to one or more of the network-threat indicators. The packet-filtering device may apply an operator specified by the packet-filtering rule. The operator may be configured to cause the packet-filtering device to either prevent the packet from continuing toward its destination or allow the packet to continue toward its destination. The packet-filtering device may generate a log entry comprising information from the packet-filtering rule that identifies the one or more network-threat indicators and indicating whether the packet-filtering device prevented the packet from continuing toward its destination or allowed the packet to continue toward its destination. In some embodiments, the packet-filtering device may generate and communicate to a user device data indicating whether the packet-filtering device prevented the packet from continuing toward its destination or allowed the packet to continue toward its destination. The user device may receive the data and indicate in an interface displayed by the user device whether the packet-filtering device prevented the packet from continuing toward its destination or allowed the packet to continue toward its destination. The interface may comprise an element that when invoked by a user of the user device causes the user device to instruct the packet-filtering device to reconfigure the operator to prevent future packets corresponding to the criteria from continuing toward their respective destinations. | H04L631425 | 20171130 | 20180607 | 63792.0 | H04L2906 | 2 | SCHWARTZ, DARREN B | RULE-BASED NETWORK-THREAT DETECTION | SMALL | 1 | CONT-ACCEPTED | H04L | 2,017 |
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15,828,079 | ACCEPTED | APPLICATOR WITH COLLAPSIBLE WAND | An applicator comprises a housing having a liquid input, a pump, a motor, and a power source; a trigger for providing selective control over the pump; a wand hingedly connected to the housing; and a nozzle coupled to the wand for discharging liquid from the applicator. The nozzle and the liquid input are in fluid communication via the pump and various conduits of the applicator. | 1. An applicator configured to dispense liquid comprising: a housing, comprising: a pump, an electric motor for driving the pump, a power source for providing power to the electric motor, and a flexible housing conduit in fluid communication with the pump; a trigger in electronic communication with the power source and the electric motor, wherein the trigger provides manual selective control over the pump such that when the trigger is depressed, the pump is actuated and when the trigger is released, the pump ceases operation; a wand connected to the housing via a wand hinge that is configured to allow the wand to be collapsed against the housing in a first position and extended away from the housing in a second position, the wand hinge comprises a hinge conduit engaging the flexible housing conduit and that curves around a pivot point of the wand hinge such that when the wand is collapsed against the housing in the first position, the hinge conduit keeps the flexible housing conduit apart from the pivot point of the wand hinge; a nozzle coupled to the wand for discharging liquid from the applicator, wherein the nozzle is in fluid communication with the pump; and a liquid conduit having a proximal end in fluid communication with the pump and a distal end that extends externally from the housing, the distal end is configured to connect to a container that is external to and separate from the housing such that when the distal end of the liquid conduit is connected to the container, the container is coupled to the housing by the liquid conduit such that the container remains external to and separate from the housing. 2. The applicator of claim 1, wherein the nozzle comprises: a first nozzle portion having a first nozzle conduit; and a second nozzle portion having several second nozzle conduits; wherein the second nozzle portion is rotatable relative to the first nozzle portion and wherein one or more of the several second nozzle conduits align with the first nozzle conduit depending upon a position of the second nozzle portion relative to the first nozzle portion. 3. The applicator of claim 2, wherein a configuration of the several second nozzle conduits creates a variety of liquid spray patterns depending upon the position of the second nozzle portion. 4. The applicator of claim 2, wherein the second nozzle portion and the several second nozzle conduits are configured such that none of the several second nozzle conduits align with the first nozzle conduit when the second nozzle portion is rotated to a particular position relative to the first nozzle portion. 5. The applicator of claim 2, further comprising a single liquid outlet in fluid communication with the several second nozzle conduits for discharging liquid from the nozzle. 6. The applicator of claim 1, wherein the wand is rotatable via the wand hinge through an arc up to about 180 degrees between the first position and the second position. 7. The applicator of claim 1, wherein the housing further comprises a curved grip portion. 8. The applicator of claim 1, wherein the housing and the trigger are configured such that a user may grip the housing and actuate the trigger with only one hand. 9. The applicator of claim 1, wherein the power source comprises at least one battery. 10. The applicator of claim 1, further comprising a clip coupled to the container, wherein the housing and the clip are configured to be removably attached to one another. 11. The applicator of claim 1, wherein a plane, defined by an arc through which the wand swings between the first position and the second position, intersects the housing. 12. The applicator of claim 1, wherein the pivot point of the wand hinge is located internal to the housing. 13. The applicator of claim 1, further comprising a liquid conduit cap configured to be connected to the liquid conduit, the liquid conduit cap for providing a sealing interface between the container and the liquid conduit to facilitate fluid communication between the container and the pump. 14. The applicator of claim 1, wherein the wand comprises a wand conduit in fluid communication with the pump. 15. The applicator of claim 14, wherein the flexible housing conduit provides fluid communication between the pump and the wand conduit. 16. The applicator of claim 14, wherein the nozzle is in fluid communication with the pump via the wand conduit, the hinge conduit, and the flexible housing conduit. 17. The applicator of claim 16, wherein the flexible housing conduit, the wand conduit, and the hinge conduit form a continuous conduit to provide the fluid communication from the pump to the nozzle. 18. The applicator of claim 16, wherein one of the wand conduit and the hinge conduit comprises a flexible tube. 19. The applicator of claim 1, wherein the housing further comprises a liquid input; and wherein the pump is in fluid communication with the liquid conduit via the liquid input. 20. A system for dispensing liquid comprising: a container containing a ready-to-use liquid product and comprising a cylindrical neck and a container opening; and a housing, comprising: a pump, an electric motor for driving the pump, a power source for providing power to the electric motor, and a flexible housing conduit in fluid communication with the pump; a trigger in electronic communication with the power source and the electric motor, wherein the trigger provides manual selective control over the pump such that when the trigger is depressed, the pump is actuated and when the trigger is released, the pump ceases operation; a wand connected to the housing via a wand hinge that is configured to allow the wand to be collapsed against the housing in a first position and extended away from the housing in a second position, the wand hinge comprises a hinge conduit engaging the flexible housing conduit and that curves around a pivot point of the wand hinge such that when the wand is collapsed against the housing in the first position, the hinge conduit keeps the flexible housing conduit apart from the pivot point of the wand hinge; a nozzle coupled to the wand for discharging liquid from the system, wherein the nozzle is in fluid communication with the pump; and a liquid conduit having a proximal end in fluid communication with the pump and a distal end that extends externally from the housing and connects to the container via a liquid conduit cap such that when the distal end of the liquid conduit is connected to the container, the container is coupled to the housing by the liquid conduit such that the container remains external to and separate from the housing; wherein the liquid conduit cap providing a sealing interface between the container opening and the liquid conduit to facilitate fluid communication between the container opening and the pump. 21. The system of claim 20, wherein the ready-to-use liquid product comprises one of a fertilizer or pesticide. 22. The system of claim 20, wherein the nozzle comprises: a first nozzle portion having a first nozzle conduit; and a second nozzle portion having several second nozzle conduits; wherein the second nozzle portion is rotatable relative to the first nozzle portion and wherein one or more of the several second nozzle conduits align with the first nozzle conduit depending upon a position of the second nozzle portion relative to the first nozzle portion. 23. The system of claim 22, wherein the second nozzle portion and the several second nozzle conduits are configured such that none of the several second nozzle conduits align with the first nozzle conduit when the second nozzle portion is rotated to a particular position relative to the first nozzle portion. 24. The system of claim 22, further comprising a single liquid outlet in fluid communication with the several second nozzle conduits for discharging liquid from the nozzle. 25. The system of claim 20, wherein the pivot point of the wand hinge is located internal to the housing. 26. The system of claim 20, wherein the wand is rotatable via the wand hinge through an arc up to about 180 degrees between the first position and the second position. 27. The system of claim 20, wherein the housing further comprises a curved grip portion. 28. The system of claim 20, further comprising a clip coupled to the container, wherein the housing and the clip are configured to be removably attached to one another. 29. The system of claim 20, wherein the wand comprises a wand conduit in fluid communication with the pump; and wherein the flexible housing conduit provides fluid communication between the pump and the wand conduit. 30. The system of claim 20, wherein the wand comprises a wand conduit in fluid communication with the pump; and wherein the nozzle is in fluid communication with the pump via the wand conduit, the hinge conduit, and the flexible housing conduit. 31. The system of claim 30, wherein the flexible housing conduit, the wand conduit, and the hinge conduit form a continuous conduit to provide the fluid communication from the pump to the nozzle. 32. The system of claim 30, wherein one of the wand conduit and the hinge conduit comprises a flexible tube. 33. The system of claim 20, wherein the housing further comprises a liquid input; and wherein the pump is in fluid communication with the liquid conduit via the liquid input. 34. A system for dispensing liquid comprising: a container containing a ready-to-use liquid product and comprising a cylindrical neck and a container opening; and a housing, comprising: a pump, an electric motor for driving the pump, a power source for providing power to the electric motor, and a flexible housing conduit in fluid communication with the pump; a trigger in electronic communication with the power source and the electric motor, wherein the trigger provides manual selective control over the pump such that when the trigger is depressed, the pump is actuated and when the trigger is released, the pump ceases operation; a wand connected to the housing via a wand hinge, the wand comprising a wand conduit; the wand hinge is configured to allow the wand to be collapsed against the housing in a first position and extended away from the housing in a second position, the wand hinge comprises a hinge conduit that engages and is in fluid communication with the flexible housing conduit and the wand conduit, the hinge conduit curves around a pivot point of the wand hinge such that when the wand is collapsed against the housing in the first position, the hinge conduit keeps the flexible housing conduit apart from the pivot point of the wand hinge; a nozzle coupled to the wand for discharging liquid from the system, wherein the nozzle is in fluid communication with the wand conduit; and a liquid conduit having a proximal end in fluid communication with the pump and a distal end that extends externally from the housing and connects to the container via a liquid conduit cap such that when the distal end of the liquid conduit is connected to the container, the container is coupled to the housing by the liquid conduit such that the container remains external to and separate from the housing; wherein the liquid conduit cap providing a sealing interface between the container opening and the liquid conduit to facilitate fluid communication between the container opening and the pump. 35. The system of claim 34, wherein the wand is rotatable via the wand hinge through an arc up to about 180 degrees between the first position and the second position. 36. The system of claim 34, wherein the pivot point of the wand hinge is located internal to the housing. 37. The system of claim 34, wherein the nozzle is in fluid communication with the pump via the wand conduit, the hinge conduit, and the flexible housing conduit. 38. The system of claim 37, wherein the flexible housing conduit, the wand conduit, and the hinge conduit form a continuous conduit to provide the fluid communication from the pump to the nozzle. 39. An applicator configured to dispense a liquid comprising: a housing comprising: a pump, an electric motor for driving the pump, a power source for providing power to the electric motor, and a flexible housing conduit in fluid communication with the pump; a trigger in electronic communication with the power source and the electric motor, wherein the trigger provides manual selective control over the pump such that when the trigger is depressed, the pump is actuated and when the trigger is released, the pump ceases operation; a wand connected to the housing via a wand hinge that is configured to allow the wand to be collapsed against the housing in a first position and extended away from the housing in a second position, the wand hinge comprises a hinge conduit engaging the flexible housing conduit and that curves around a pivot point of the wand hinge such that when the wand is collapsed against the housing in the first position, the hinge conduit keeps the flexible housing conduit apart from the pivot point of the wand hinge to avoid pinching of the flexible housing conduit; a nozzle coupled to the wand for discharging liquid from the applicator, wherein the nozzle is in fluid communication with the pump; and a liquid conduit having a proximal end and a distal end, at least a portion of the proximal end of the liquid conduit is within the housing and is in fluid communication with the pump, the distal end of the liquid conduit extends externally from the housing and is configured to connect to a container that is external to and separate from the housing. 40. The applicator of claim 39, wherein the nozzle comprises: a first nozzle portion having a first nozzle conduit; and a second nozzle portion having several second nozzle conduits; wherein the second nozzle portion is rotatable relative to the first nozzle portion and wherein one or more of the several second nozzle conduits align with the first nozzle conduit depending upon a position of the second nozzle portion relative to the first nozzle portion. 41. The applicator of claim 40, wherein the second nozzle portion and the several second nozzle conduits are configured such that none of the several second nozzle conduits align with the first nozzle conduit when the second nozzle portion is rotated to a particular position relative to the first nozzle portion. 42. The applicator of claim 40, further comprising a single liquid outlet in fluid communication with the several second nozzle conduits for discharging liquid from the nozzle. 43. The applicator of claim 39, wherein the wand is rotatable via the wand hinge through an arc up to about 180 degrees between the first position and the second position. 44. The applicator of claim 39, wherein the housing further comprises a curved grip portion. 45. The applicator of claim 39, wherein the pivot point of the wand hinge is located internal to the housing. 46. The applicator of claim 39, wherein the wand comprises a wand conduit in fluid communication with the pump. 47. The applicator of claim 46, wherein the flexible housing conduit provides fluid communication between the pump and the wand conduit. 48. The applicator of claim 46, wherein the nozzle is in fluid communication with the pump via the wand conduit, the hinge conduit, and the flexible housing conduit. 49. The applicator of claim 48, wherein the flexible housing conduit, the wand conduit, and the hinge conduit form a continuous conduit to provide the fluid communication from the pump to the nozzle. 50. The applicator of claim 48, wherein one of the wand conduit and the hinge conduit comprises a flexible tube. 51. The applicator of claim 39, wherein the housing further comprises a liquid input; and wherein the pump is in fluid communication with the liquid conduit via the liquid input. | CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION The present application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 13/038,208, entitled “APPLICATOR WITH COLLAPSIBLE WAND”, filed Mar. 1, 2011, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. BACKGROUND 1. Field of the Art The present invention relates to an applicator, and more particularly to an applicator with a collapsible wand and a rotatable nozzle for dispensing ready-to-use liquid products, such as fertilizer or pesticide (e.g., herbicides, fungicides, and insecticides) compositions 2. Description of Related Art There are many known applicators for dispensing chemicals or other products to maintain lawns, gardens, yards, trees, shrubs, or plants. Most applicators are used with ready-to-use (“RTU”) liquids, such as fertilizers, herbicides, insecticides, and fungicides, which can be dispensed directly from the applicator. Indeed, many handheld spray devices for spraying RTU liquid currently exist. The most common spray devices have an integrated, all-in-one design where a bottle is integrally formed with or removably connected to an applicator. Such all-in-one spray devices, however, have limited functionality and usefulness. For example, the weight of the RTU liquid in the bottle can be tiring to a user when holding typical handheld spray devices. Many conventional applicators are manually actuated or “pump-type” sprayers that rely upon the user to squeeze an actuation trigger to discharge the liquid from the sprayer. These types of sprayers often possess several drawbacks. For example, such “pump-type” sprayers require the manually actuated trigger and the nozzle to be in close proximity to one another to achieve satisfactory spray pressures and fluid velocities. This configuration reduces design flexibility and inhibits the ability to provide applicators having a nozzle located at an extended distance from the actuation trigger. Furthermore, most manually actuated sprayers do not allow the nozzle, and, in particular, the spray angle of the nozzle, to be adjusted dynamically in relation to the actuator. Instead, conventional manually actuated sprayers have a fixed nozzle at a fixed location relative to the actuator. Additionally, manually actuated sprayers tend to result in operator fatigue because such sprayers require continuous actuation of a pumping mechanism. Other conventional applicators for dispensing RTU liquids incorporate an automatic pump, typically powered by battery. These applicators have many of the same drawbacks of the manually actuated sprayers described above. For instance, many batter powered applicators have a RTU liquid reservoir that is integrated with the applicator. Again, this requires a user to lift and carry the weight of the RTU liquid while using the applicator. In other instances, conventional applicators may comprises a short nozzle that is proximate to where a user grips the sprayer. This configuration results in an increased risk of contact with chemical product in the event of leakage from the nozzle. Further, this configuration results in compromised aiming and spray targeting when the user operates the device. Other battery powered applicators may be separate from a reservoir, but these applicators also have disadvantages. For example, U.S. Published Patent Application No. 2006/0013709 by Hudson et al. (“Hudson”) describes a battery-powered spray wand having a reservoir remote from the applicator. The Hudson applicator is configured such that the housing is divided into two portions. Generally, a lower housing contains a power supply, while an upper housing contains a nozzle, motor, transmission and a pump portion. The upper housing pivots relative to the lower portion, such that a user may modify the spray angle of the nozzle by pivoting the entire top portion of the housing. The Hudson applicator has several specific disadvantages. First, the nozzle is coupled directly to the upper housing. Because the upper housing is only pivotable relative to the lower housing, the movement of the nozzle is limited to the range of pivot of the upper housing. In this configuration of the Hudson applicator, the nozzle, therefore, is only pivotable to approximately 90 degrees. The Hudson applicator is unable to provide further movement. Moreover, Hudson's pivoting housing configuration is difficult to produce and expensive to manufacture. Further, the Hudson applicator is configured such that the power source is housed in a separate housing from the pump, motor, and transmission. This configuration creates potential reliability issues, as the liquid that is sprayed may leak into either the upper or lower housing, thereby interfering with the electrical circuitry within the applicator. Notwithstanding the number of applicators that currently exist, most fail to provide for a reliable, user-friendly device that is cost-effective to manufacture and ship, easy to use and safe for a user to operate. The present invention, as demonstrated by the several exemplary embodiments described herein, provides an applicator with a collapsible arm with beneficial features that achieve improved functionality over conventional applicators. The applicator of the present invention offers numerous advantages, including: (1) a single housing incorporating a power source, motor, transmission, and pump, (2) a nozzle that is movable independent of and relative to the housing, and (3) a collapsible arm for connecting in fluid communication the nozzle to the housing. The description herein of certain advantages and disadvantages of known methods and devices is not intended to limit the scope of the present invention. Indeed, the exemplary embodiments may include some or all of the features described above without suffering from the same disadvantages. SUMMARY In accordance with one embodiment, an applicator is provided comprising a housing having a liquid input, a pump, a motor, and a power source; a trigger for providing selective control over the pump; a wand hingedly connected to the housing; and a nozzle coupled to the wand for discharging liquid from the applicator. The nozzle and the liquid input are in fluid communication via the pump and various conduits of the applicator. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Purposes and advantages of the exemplary embodiments will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art from the following detailed description together with the appended drawings, in which like reference numerals are used to indicate like elements: FIG. 1a depicts a perspective view of an applicator in accordance with an exemplary embodiment. FIG. 1b depicts a perspective view of an applicator with an extended wand in accordance with an exemplary embodiment. FIG. 1c depicts a perspective view of an applicator having a collapsed wand in accordance with an exemplary embodiment. FIG. 2a depicts a cross-sectional view of an applicator. FIG. 2b depicts a cross-sectional view of an applicator nozzle. FIG. 2c depicts a cross-sectional view of an applicator having multiple conduits. FIG. 3a depicts a perspective view of an applicator and applicator clip assembly. FIG. 3b depicts a perspective view of an applicator clip. FIG. 4a depicts a container, in accordance with an exemplary embodiment. FIG. 4b depicts a container, an applicator clip, and an applicator assembly. These and other exemplary embodiments and advantages will become apparent from the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, illustrating by way of example the principles of the various exemplary embodiments. DETAILED DESCRIPTION The following description is intended to convey a thorough understanding of the embodiments by providing a number of specific embodiments and details involving an applicator with a collapsible wand. It is understood, however, that the invention is not limited to these specific embodiments and details, which are exemplary only. It is further understood that one possessing ordinary skill in the art, in light of known devices, systems and methods, would appreciate the use of the invention for its intended purposes and benefits in any number of alternative embodiments as required on specific design or other need. Terminology used for describing particular embodiments is not intended to limit the scope of an exemplary embodiment. As used throughout this disclosure, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” include the plural, unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. Thus, for example, a reference to a “conduit” includes a plurality of conduits, or other equivalents or variations know to those skilled in the art. Furthermore, if in describing some embodiments or features permissive language (e.g., “may”) is used, that does not suggest that embodiments or features described using other language (e.g., “is,” “are”) are required. Unless defined otherwise, all terms have the same commonly understood meaning that one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention belongs would expect them to have. The accompanying figures and following description depict and describe exemplary embodiments of an applicator for discharging liquid. As used throughout this description, the terms “applicator,” “sprayer” or other like terms are meant to encompass a structure adapted to discharge, dispense, project, spray, etc., liquid. In exemplary embodiments, the liquid to be discharged may be a fertilizer, a pesticide (e.g., herbicide, insecticide, fungicide, etc.), or combinations thereof. It should be appreciated, however, that the exemplary embodiments of the applicator described throughout are not limited to any specific embodiment or detail that is disclosed. Moreover, one of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate the use of the exemplary embodiments for their intended purposes and benefits in a number of alternative embodiments as required by specific design or other needs. With regard to the exemplary embodiments of the applicator described herein, any part that fastens, mounts, attaches, or connects any component to form the sprayer shall not be limited to any particular type and is instead intended to encompass all known and conventional fasteners like screws, nut and bolt connectors, threaded connectors, snap rings, detent arrangements, clamps, rivets, toggles, etc. Fastening may also be accomplished by other known fitments like leak-tight seals or sealing devices. Components may also be connected by adhesives, glues, welding, ultrasonic welding, and friction fitting or deformation. Of course, combinations of these fitment systems might be used. Unless otherwise specifically disclosed, materials for making components of the present invention may be selected from appropriate materials, such as metal, metal alloys, natural or manmade fibers, composites, vinyl, plastics, silicone, rubber, and so on. Any and all appropriate manufacturing or production methods, such as casting, pressing, extruding, molding, or machining may be used to construct the exemplary embodiments or their components. Lastly, when describing exemplary embodiments of the sprayer, any reference to front and back or rear, top and bottom, right and left, upper and lower, etc., is intended for the convenience of describing such embodiments only. Such references do not limit the exemplary embodiments or its components to any specific positional or spacial orientation. Exemplary embodiments of the sprayer will now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which some, but not all, embodiments are illustrated. With reference to FIGS. 1a-4b, exemplary embodiments of an applicator in accordance with the present invention are shown. Each of the exemplary embodiments generally includes a housing having a liquid input, a pump in fluid connection with the liquid input, an electric motor for driving the pump, and a power source for providing power to the electric motor; a trigger in electronic communication with the power source and the electric motor, wherein the trigger provides selective control over the pump; a wand hingedly connected to the housing, wherein the wand is rotatable relative to the housing; a wand conduit in fluid communication with the liquid input and the pump; and a nozzle coupled to the wand for discharging liquid from the applicator, wherein the nozzle is in fluid communication with the wand conduit, the pump, and the liquid input. Other embodiments, however, may include a rotating nozzle, which may be further described herein, for providing a variety of spray patterns. Another embodiment may include any suitable trigger mechanism for actuating a standard pumping mechanism housed inside of the applicator. Each of these parts generally referred to here will be described in more detail below. FIG. 1a illustrates an exemplary embodiment of an applicator 100. It should be appreciated that all of the figures herein illustrate a simplified view of an exemplary applicator 100, and its components, and that applicator 100 may include additional elements that are not depicted. The applicator 100 may generally have a housing 105 with a grip portion 110 and a trigger 120. The applicator 100 may also have a wand hinge 115, a wand 125 and a nozzle 130. Generally, the applicator 100 may be configured such that a user may grip the grip portion 110 of housing 105 while actuating the trigger 120. The wand 125 may be coupled to the housing 105 via wand hinge 115, so that the wand 125 and nozzle 130 may be rotatable relative to the housing 105, the grip portion 110, and the trigger 120. The grip portion 110 of housing 105 may be ergonomically shaped to allow a user to comfortably grasp the applicator 100. In an exemplary embodiment, the grip portion 110 may include one or more ergonomic gripping pads or grooves (not shown). The gripping pads or grooves (not shown) may be shaped to accommodate the natural orientation of a user's grip. In one embodiment, the gripping pads or grooves (not shown) may extend along the entire grip area 110 in a substantially elongated shape. The gripping pads or grooves (not shown) may have a varied length and width and may also be changed to conform to the various designs of housing 105 and grip portion 110. Moreover, the housing 105 may also include a liquid input 140 for coupling with a liquid conduit, such as liquid conduit 260 depicted with reference to FIG. 2c. Liquid may enter the applicator 100 via liquid input 140, where it may pass through the various conduits, chambers, valves, and pumps of the applicator 100 before being discharged via the liquid outlet 135 of nozzle 130. The nozzle 130 and liquid outlet 135 may be configured to discharge liquid in any number of ways according to any number of patterns. For example, the nozzle 130 may spray liquid in a fan, jet, or shower pattern. In an exemplary embodiment, the nozzle 130 may be adjustable to permit a user to change the liquid spray patterns by twisting or rotating the nozzle 130. In other exemplary embodiments, the nozzle 130 may regulate the spray flow, droplet size, and spray pattern of liquid as it is discharged from the applicator 100. The nozzle 130 may also be adapted to discharge liquid in any number of spray patterns, including stream jet pattern and full-cone pattern, depending upon user preference. It should be appreciated that nozzle 130 may be configured in any number of ways to support any number of applications. Liquid input 140 may be located anywhere within the housing 105 and may be configured to couple with a liquid conduit in any number of ways. For example, liquid input 140 permanently house a liquid conduit. In another exemplary embodiment, the liquid input 140 may be threaded so that a threaded liquid conduit may be removably attached to the liquid input 140. Liquid input 140 may be removably connected to a conduit in any appropriate matter, like through threaded connectors, snap rings, detent arrangements, etc. It should be appreciated that liquid input 140 may be configured in any number of ways to provide fluid communication between applicator 100 and a liquid container, such as liquid container 400, described below with reference to FIG. 4. Trigger 120 may be located on the housing 105. The trigger 120 may provide a user with control over the discharge of liquid from nozzle 130. The location of the trigger 120 and the grip portion 110 may be configured to permit a user to grip the grip portion 110 and activate the trigger 120 with one hand. In other exemplary embodiments, the trigger 120 may be ergonomically shaped or may include gripping pads or grooves to allow a user to easily and comfortably actuate the trigger 120 when desired. When actuated, the trigger 120 may be configured to control the operation of various internal components of the applicator 100 in order to affect the discharge of liquid from the nozzle 130. Exemplary configurations for such internal components are described below with regard to FIGS. 2a and 2c. The wand hinge 115 may connect the wand 125 to the housing 105. FIG. 1a depicts an embodiment in which the wand 125 is folded to be proximate to and parallel with the housing 105. In other embodiments, the wand 125 may be folded to be at any angle relative the housing 105. The configuration depicted in FIG. 1a may be desirable for a user that wishes to conserve space when storing the applicator 100. Such a configuration may also provide benefits to a manufacturer, distributor or retailer, as the compact configuration minimizes space occupied by the applicator 100 during packaging, shipping, and on-shelf display. The wand hinge 115 may be rotatable so that the wand 125 may extend away from the housing 105, depending upon a user's desired operating position. It should be understood that embodiments describing a “wand hinge” are exemplary only, and that in other exemplary embodiments the wand 125 may be hingedly connected to the housing 105. In other exemplary embodiments, the wand 125 may have hinge members (not shown) integrally molded onto it in order to facilitate motion relative to the housing 105. In another exemplary embodiment, the housing 105 may have hinge member (not shown) integrally molded onto it in order to facilitate motion relative to the wand 125. Those with skill in the art will understand that there are many other ways to configure the wand 125 and the housing 105 in order to facilitate the above-described motion of the wand 125 relative to the housing 105. FIG. 1b depicts an exemplary embodiment of an applicator 100 with an extended wand 125. In this exemplary embodiment, the wand hinge 115 has rotated 180 degrees relative to the housing 105, such that the wand 125 is fully extended. In this exemplary embodiment, the extended wand 125 provides a user with increased range when using the applicator 100 to spray a liquid product, for example, a RTU liquid. FIG. 1c depicts an exemplary embodiment of an applicator 100 with a collapsed wand 125. In this exemplary embodiment, the wand hinge 115 has rotated so that the wand 125 has collapsed to be proximate to and parallel with the housing 105. In this exemplary embodiment, as discussed above with regard to the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 1a, the collapsed wand 125 provides a compact configuration to enable more efficient shipping and storage of the applicator 100. Of course, it should be appreciated that FIGS. 1b and 1c depict only two of any number of applicator configurations. The wand hinge 115 may be configured to provide any degree of rotation between the wand 125 and the housing 105. FIGS. 2a and 2c illustrate cross sectional views of applicator 100. Generally, the housing 105 may have any number of internal components, including, but not limited to, power source 205, motor 210, pump 215, and housing conduit 255. Applicator 100 may also have a wand 125 having a wand conduit 225. Housing conduit 255 and wand conduit 225 may be fluidly connected via hinge conduit 220, which may be housed within wand hinge 115. In an exemplary embodiment, housing conduit 255, wand conduit 225, and hinge conduit 220 may be configured to form one, continuous conduit to provide fluid connection from liquid input 140 to nozzle 130. In another exemplary embodiment, housing conduit 255, wand conduit 225 and hinge conduit 220 may be separate conduits that are fluidly connected. In one exemplary embodiment, the housing conduit 255, the wand conduit 225, and the hinge conduit 220 may be flexible tubes. Housing conduit 255 may be configured to provide fluid communication between liquid input 140 and pump 215. Housing conduit 255 may also provide a fluid connection between pump 215 and the remaining conduits of applicator 100. Housing conduit 255 and pump 215 may be configured in any number of ways so that pump 215 may operate to pump liquid from liquid input 140, through the various conduits of applicator 100, to the nozzle 130, where the liquid may be discharged from the applicator 100 via the liquid outlet 135. Those with skill in the art will understand that any number of standard pumping mechanisms may be employed to circulate the flow of liquid through the various conduits of applicator 100. Suitable pumps include centrifugal, vane, lobe, diaphragm, positive displacement, or rotary gear pumps. While there are many different types of pumps for pumping fluid from the liquid input 140, a rotary gear pump may be effective due to its stable, non-pulsing motion, which ensures static flow during operation. The pump 215 may comprise either external gear pumps or internal gear pumps. As is commonly understood in the art, the pump 215 may use the meshing of gears to pump liquid, by displacement, from a liquid source connected to the liquid input 140. In an exemplary embodiment, the liquid source may be container 400, as described below with regard to FIG. 4a. It should be understood, as previously mentioned, that the applicator 100 is not limited to any particular type of pump mechanism. As depicted in FIG. 2a, the applicator 100 may have a pump 215, which may be electronically coupled and driven by a motor 210. The motor 210, in turn, may be powered by power source 205. The power source 205 may be a rechargeable battery, one-time disposable battery (or batteries), or battery pack. In an exemplary embodiment, the power supply will be of sufficient voltage to adequately supply power to the internal electrical components of the motor 210 and the pump 215. The pump 215 may be actuated by the trigger 120, which may be connected to the motor 210. Once activated, liquid may then enter the pump 215 after it flows through the housing conduit 255. The stream of liquid may continue as long as the trigger 120 is depressed and the motor 210 is driving the pump 215. Release of the trigger 120 ceases operation of the motor 210, which, in turn, ceases operation of the pump 215. Therefore, as trigger 120 is released, the flow of liquid through the various conduits of applicator 100 ceases. When liquid product, for example, RTU liquid product, is dispensed—i.e., when the pump 215 is activated by the trigger 120—RTU liquid is drawn from a container, such as container 400 described below with regard to FIG. 4 into the liquid input 140 of the applicator 100. The RTU liquid then passes through the pump 215, housing conduit 255, hinge conduit 220, wand conduit 225, and the nozzle 130 before being discharged via liquid outlet 135. When the trigger 120 is released, the pump ceases operation and the RTU liquid is no longer drawn from the container, ending the discharge of liquid via liquid outlet 135. FIG. 2b depicts a cross-sectional view of an exemplary nozzle 130. The nozzle 130 may have a first outer portion 230 and a second outer portion 235. The second outer portion 235 may be rotatable relative to first outer portion 230 and the rotation of the second outer portion 235 may provide a variety of spray patterns in which the liquid may be discharged via liquid outlet 135. The nozzle 130 may also have a first nozzle conduit 240 and a plurality of second nozzle conduits 245. The first nozzle conduit 240 may be in fluid communication with the wand conduit 225, second nozzle conduits 245 and the liquid outlet 135. Moreover, the first outer portion 230 may have an anchor portion 250, for mating with the wand 125. The plurality of second nozzle conduits 245 may be formed in various configurations within second outer portion 235. In an exemplary embodiment, one or more of the plurality of second nozzle conduits 245 are configured to be in fluid communication with the first nozzle conduit 240. In other exemplary embodiments, the second outer portion 235 may be rotatable relative to first outer portion 230, such that the one or more of the plurality of second nozzle conduits 245 are configured to be in selective fluid communication with the first nozzle conduit 240, depending upon the rotation of the second outer portion 235 relative to the first outer portion 230. FIG. 2c depicts a cross sectional view of an applicator 100 having a housing conduit 255, a hinge conduit 220, a wand conduit 225 and a liquid conduit 260. FIG. 2c also depicts a liquid conduit cap 265 for coupling with a container, such as container 400, which is described in more detail below with regard to FIG. 4a. It should be understood that FIGS. 2a and 2c depict exemplary embodiments of an applicator 100 and that the various conduits of applicator 100 may be configured in any number of ways to facilitate fluid communication between the various components of applicator 100, as described in more detail above with regard to FIG. 2a. FIG. 3a depicts a perspective view of an applicator clip 300. The applicator clip 300 may have a clip portion 305, a container attachment 310, and a conduit guide 315. The clip portion 305 may be configured to receive an applicator, such as applicator 100. Those with skill in the art will understand that the clip portion 305 may be configured according to any number of corresponding configurations of an applicator. In an exemplary embodiment, clip portion 305 is configured such that applicator 100 can be easily fastened and removed from applicator clip 300 by a user. The container attachment 310 may be configured to couple with an appropriately configured clip attachment, such as clip attachment 420 described below with reference to FIG. 4a. Moreover, the conduit guide 315 may be configured to house a conduit that fluidly connects an applicator, such as applicator 100, to a container, such as container 400, which is described in more detail below with reference to FIG. 4a. FIG. 3b depicts an exemplary embodiment of an applicator 100 coupled to an applicator clip 300. In addition to clip portion 305 and conduit guide 315, applicator clip 300 may also include a clasp 320. As depicted in FIG. 3b, the clasp 320 may be configured to secure the applicator 100 to the applicator clip 300. Further, a user may remove the clasp 320 in order to remove the applicator 100 from the applicator clip 300. In another exemplary embodiment, the clasp 320 may comprise a safety mechanism (not shown) in order to prevent a child from removing the applicator 100 from the applicator clip 300. FIG. 4a depicts an exemplary embodiment of the container 400 for the applicator 100 (not shown). As seen in FIG. 4a, the container 400 may comprise a base 405, a cylindrical neck 425, a handle 415, a container opening 410, and a clip attachment 420. A standard bottle cap (not shown) may be configured to attach to the cylindrical neck 425. The standard bottle cap (not shown) may have receiving grooves on its inside surface so that it can be threaded and secured onto the cylindrical neck 425 of the container 400 to seal the contents of the container 400. Overall, the container 400 may define a hollow compartment to store liquid products, for example, RTU liquid products, such as fertilizers, herbicides, insecticides, fungicides, and combinations thereof. A typical container 400 may contain, for example, a gallon of liquid product, but may also hold any other amount. The handle 415 may have a plurality of ergonomic recesses or raised grips spaced around the handle 415. The container 400 may further be translucent in order to monitor the RTU liquid levels. Referring now to both FIGS. 2c and 4a, the liquid conduit 260 may be configured to have a liquid conduit cap 265, which may be configured to fasten over the cylindrical neck 425 in order to provide fluid communication between the liquid in liquid container 400 and liquid conduit 260. The liquid conduit cap 265 may be configured to seal the contents of container 400, except for the liquid that may flow from the container 400 to the applicator 100 when the liquid conduit 260 and the liquid conduit cap 265 when the container 400 is attached thereto. The container 400 may also include a clip attachment 420 for providing an anchor point for the clip assembly 300. FIG. 4b illustrates an exemplary embodiment of a clip assembly 300 coupled to a container 400. In the exemplary embodiment depicted in FIG. 4b. The applicator 100 is secured within the clip assembly 300. This exemplary configuration is beneficial because it conserves space and provides efficiencies related to packaging, manufacturing, shipping and storage. In the preceding specification, various exemplary embodiment have been described with reference to the accompanying drawings. It will, however, be evidence that various modifications and changes may be made thereto, and additional exemplary embodiments may be implemented, without departing from the broader scope of the embodiments as set forth in the claims that follow. The specification and drawings are accordingly to be regarded in an illustrative rather than restrictive sense. | <SOH> BACKGROUND <EOH> | <SOH> SUMMARY <EOH>In accordance with one embodiment, an applicator is provided comprising a housing having a liquid input, a pump, a motor, and a power source; a trigger for providing selective control over the pump; a wand hingedly connected to the housing; and a nozzle coupled to the wand for discharging liquid from the applicator. The nozzle and the liquid input are in fluid communication via the pump and various conduits of the applicator. | B05B15066 | 20171130 | 20180717 | 20180329 | 81112.0 | B05B1506 | 1 | LEE, CHEE-CHONG | APPLICATOR WITH COLLAPSIBLE WAND | UNDISCOUNTED | 1 | CONT-ACCEPTED | B05B | 2,017 |
15,829,310 | PENDING | MOBILE APPLICATION TRAFFIC OPTIMIZATION | A system with distributed proxy for reducing traffic in a wireless network satisfies data requests made by a mobile application. The system includes a mobile device having a local proxy for intercepting a data request made by the mobile application. The local proxy simulates application server responses for the mobile application on the mobile device for data requests where responses are available in the local cache. A proxy server is coupled to the mobile device and an application server to which the data request is made. The proxy server is able to communicate with the local proxy. The local proxy forwards the data request to the proxy server for transmission to the application server for a response to the data request. The proxy server queries the application server for any changes to the data request that the mobile application has previously made and notifies the local proxy of such changes. | 1. A system with distributed proxy for reducing traffic in a wireless network to satisfy data requests made by a mobile application the system, comprising: a mobile device having a local proxy for intercepting a data request made by the mobile application; the local proxy simulating application server responses for the mobile application on the mobile device for data requests where responses are available in the local cache; a proxy server coupled to the mobile device and an application server to which the data request is made; wherein, the proxy server is able to communicate with the local proxy, the local proxy forwards the data request to the proxy server for transmission to the application server for a response to the data request; wherein, the proxy server queries the application server independent of activities of the mobile application for any changes to the data request that the mobile application has previously made and notifies the local proxy of such changes. 2. A proxy server comprising: a memory; and a processor, the proxy server configured for: communicating with a mobile device, wherein the mobile device forwards a data request to the proxy server for transmission to an application server for a response to the data request; querying the application server independent of activities of the mobile device for any changes to the data request that the mobile device has previously made and notifies the local proxy of such changes. | CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application is a continuation application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/210,523 entitled “MOBILE APPLICATION TRAFFIC OPTIMIZATION” which was filed on Jul. 14, 2016, being issued as U.S. Pat. No. 9,838,905 on Dec. 5, 2017, which is a continuation application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/467,838 entitled “MOBILE APPLICATION TRAFFIC OPTIMIZATION” which was filed on Aug. 25, 2014, now U.S. Pat. No. 9,516,129 issued on Dec. 6, 2016, which is a divisional application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/188,553 entitled “MOBILE APPLICATION TRAFFIC OPTIMIZATION”, which was filed on Jul. 22, 2011, now U.S. Pat. No. 8,886,176 issued on Nov. 11, 2014, which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/367,871 entitled “CONSERVING POWER CONSUMPTION IN APPLICATIONS WITH NETWORK INITIATED DATA TRANSFER FUNCTIONALITY”, which was filed on Jul. 26, 2010, U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/367,870 entitled “MANAGING AND IMPROVING NETWORK RESOURCE UTILIZATION, PERFORMANCE AND OPTIMIZING TRAFFIC IN WIRE LINE AND WIRELESS NETWORKS WITH MOBILE CLIENTS”, which was filed on Jul. 26, 2010, U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/408,858 entitled “CROSS APPLICATION TRAFFIC COORDINATION”, which was filed on Nov. 1, 2010, U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/408,839 entitled “ACTIVITY SESSION AS METHOD OF OPTIMIZING NETWORK RESOURCE USE”, which was filed on Nov. 1, 2010, U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/408,829 entitled “DISTRIBUTED POLICY MANAGEMENT”, which was filed on Nov. 1, 2010, U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/408,846 entitled “INTELLIGENT CACHE MANAGEMENT IN CONGESTED WIRELESS NETWORKS”, which was filed on Nov. 1, 2010, U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/408,854 entitled “INTELLIGENT MANAGEMENT OF NON-CACHABLE CONTENT IN WIRELESS NETWORKS”, which was filed on Nov. 1, 2010, U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/408,826 entitled “ONE WAY INTELLIGENT HEARTBEAT”, which was filed on Nov. 1, 2010, U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/408,820 entitled “TRAFFIC CATEGORIZATION AND POLICY DRIVING RADIO STATE”, which was filed on Nov. 1, 2010, U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/416,020 entitled “ALIGNING BURSTS FROM SERVER TO CLIENT”, which was filed on Nov. 22, 2010, U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/416,033 entitled “POLLING INTERVAL FUNCTIONS”, which was filed on Nov. 22, 2010, U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/430,828 entitled “DOMAIN NAME SYSTEM WITH NETWORK TRAFFIC HARMONIZATION”, which was filed on Jan. 7, 2011, the contents of which are all incorporated by reference herein. BACKGROUND When WCDMA was specified, there was little attention to requirements posed by applications whose functions are based on actions initiated by the network, in contrast to functions initiated by the user or by the device. Such applications include, for example, push email, instant messaging, visual voicemail and voice and video telephony, and others. Such applications typically require an always-on IP connection and frequent transmit of small bits of data. WCDMA networks are designed and optimized for high-throughput of large amounts of data, not for applications that require frequent, but low-throughput and/or small amounts of data. Each transaction puts the mobile device radio in a high power mode for considerable length of time—typically between 15-30 seconds. As the high power mode can consume as much as 100x the power as an idle mode, these network-initiated applications quickly drain battery in WCDMA networks. The issue has been exacerbated by the rapid increase of popularity of applications with network-initiated functionalities, such as push email. Lack of proper support has prompted a number of vendors to provide documents to guide their operator partners and independent software vendors to configure their networks and applications to perform better in WCDMA networks. This guidance focuses on: configuring networks to go to stay on high-power radio mode as short as possible and making periodic keep alive messages that are used to maintain an always-on TCP/IP connection as infrequent as possible. Such solutions typically assume lack of coordination between the user, the application and the network. Furthermore, application protocols may provide long-lived connections that allow servers to push updated data to a mobile device without the need of the client to periodically re-establish the connection or to periodically query for changes. However, the mobile device needs to be sure that the connection remains usable by periodically sending some data, often called a keep-alive message, to the server and making sure the server is receiving this data. While the amount of data sent for a single keep-alive is not a lot and the keep-alive interval for an individual application is not too short, the cumulative effect of multiple applications performing this individually will amount to small pieces of data being sent very frequently. Frequently sending bursts of data in a wireless network also result in high battery consumption due to the constant need of powering/re-powering the radio module. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1A illustrates an example diagram of a system where a host server facilitates management of traffic between client devices and an application server or content provider in a wireless network for resource conservation. FIG. 1B illustrates an example diagram of a proxy and cache system distributed between the host server and device which facilitates network traffic management between a device and an application server/content provider for resource conservation. FIG. 2 depicts a block diagram illustrating an example of client-side components in a distributed proxy and cache system residing on a mobile device that manages traffic in a wireless network for resource conservation. FIG. 3 depicts a block diagram illustrating an example of server-side components in a distributed proxy and cache system that manages traffic in a wireless network for resource conservation. FIG. 4 depicts a diagram showing how data requests from a mobile device to an application server/content provider in a wireless network can be coordinated by a distributed proxy system in a manner such that network and battery resources are conserved through using content caching and monitoring performed by the distributed proxy system. FIG. 5 depicts a diagram showing one example process for implementing a hybrid IP and SMS power saving mode on a mobile device using a distributed proxy and cache system (e.g., such as the distributed system shown in the example of FIG. 1B). FIG. 6 depicts a flow chart illustrating example processes through which application behavior on a mobile device is used for traffic optimization. FIG. 7 depicts a flow chart illustrating an example process for mobile application traffic optimization through data monitoring and coordination in a distributed proxy and cache system. FIG. 8 depicts a flow chart illustrating an example process for preventing applications from needing to send keep-alive messages to maintain an IP connection with a content server. FIG. 9 shows a diagrammatic representation of a machine in the example form of a computer system within which a set of instructions, for causing the machine to perform any one or more of the methodologies discussed herein, may be executed. DETAILED DESCRIPTION The following description and drawings are illustrative and are not to be construed as limiting. Numerous specific details are described to provide a thorough understanding of the disclosure. However, in certain instances, well-known or conventional details are not described in order to avoid obscuring the description. References to one or an embodiment in the present disclosure can be, but not necessarily are, references to the same embodiment; and, such references mean at least one of the embodiments. Reference in this specification to “one embodiment” or “an embodiment” means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the disclosure. The appearances of the phrase “in one embodiment” in various places in the specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment, nor are separate or alternative embodiments mutually exclusive of other embodiments. Moreover, various features are described which may be exhibited by some embodiments and not by others. Similarly, various requirements are described which may be requirements for some embodiments but not other embodiments. The terms used in this specification generally have their ordinary meanings in the art, within the context of the disclosure, and in the specific context where each term is used. Certain terms that are used to describe the disclosure are discussed below, or elsewhere in the specification, to provide additional guidance to the practitioner regarding the description of the disclosure. For convenience, certain terms may be highlighted, for example using italics and/or quotation marks. The use of highlighting has no influence on the scope and meaning of a term; the scope and meaning of a term is the same, in the same context, whether or not it is highlighted. It will be appreciated that same thing can be said in more than one way. Consequently, alternative language and synonyms may be used for any one or more of the terms discussed herein, nor is any special significance to be placed upon whether or not a term is elaborated or discussed herein. Synonyms for certain terms are provided. A recital of one or more synonyms does not exclude the use of other synonyms. The use of examples anywhere in this specification including examples of any terms discussed herein is illustrative only, and is not intended to further limit the scope and meaning of the disclosure or of any exemplified term. Likewise, the disclosure is not limited to various embodiments given in this specification. Without intent to limit the scope of the disclosure, examples of instruments, apparatus, methods and their related results according to the embodiments of the present disclosure are given below. Note that titles or subtitles may be used in the examples for convenience of a reader, which in no way should limit the scope of the disclosure. Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this disclosure pertains. In the case of conflict, the present document, including definitions will control. Embodiments of the present disclosure include systems and methods for mobile application traffic optimization. One embodiment of the disclosed technology includes, a system that optimizes multiple aspects of the connection with wired and wireless networks and devices through a comprehensive view of device and application activity including: loading, current application needs on a device, controlling the type of access (push vs. pull or hybrid), location, concentration of users in a single area, time of day, how often the user interacts with the application, content or device, and using this information to shape traffic to a cooperative client/server or simultaneously mobile devices without a cooperative client. Because the disclosed server is not tied to any specific network provider it has visibility into the network performance across all service providers. This enables optimizations to be applied to devices regardless of the operator or service provider, thereby enhancing the user experience and managing network utilization while roaming. Bandwidth has been considered a major issue in wireless networks today. More and more research has been done related to the need for additional bandwidth to solve access problems—many of the performance enhancing solutions and next generation standards, such as those commonly referred to as 4G, namely LTE, 4G, and WiMAX are focused on providing increased bandwidth. Although partially addressed by the standards a key problem that remains is lack of bandwidth on the signaling channel more so than the data channel. Embodiments of the disclosed technology includes, for example, alignment of requests from multiple applications to minimize the need for several polling requests; leverage specific content types to determine how to proxy/manage a connection/content; and apply specific heuristics associated with device, user behavioral patterns (how often they interact with the device/application) and/or network parameters. Embodiments of the present technology can further include, moving recurring HTTP polls performed by various widgets, RSS readers, etc., to remote network node (e.g., Network operation center (NOC)), thus considerably lowering device battery/power consumption, radio channel signaling, and bandwidth usage. Additionally, the offloading can be performed transparently so that existing applications do not need to be changed. In some embodiments, this can be implemented using a local proxy on the mobile device which automatically detects recurring requests for the same content (RSS feed, Widget data set) that matches a specific rule (e.g. happens every 15 minutes). The local proxy can automatically cache the content on the mobile device while delegating the polling to the server (e.g., a proxy server operated as an element of a communications network). The server can then notify the mobile/client proxy if the content changes, and if content has not changed (or not changed sufficiently, or in an identified manner or amount) the mobile proxy provides the latest version in its cache to the user (without need to utilize the radio at all). This way the mobile device (e.g., a mobile phone, smart phone, etc.) does not need to open up (e.g., thus powering on the radio) or use a data connection if the request is for content that is monitored and that has been not flagged as new, changed, or otherwise different. The logic for automatically adding content sources/application servers (e.g., including URLs/content) to be monitored can also check for various factors like how often the content is the same, how often the same request is made (is there a fixed interval/pattern?), which application is requesting the data, etc. Similar rules to decide between using the cache and request the data from the original source may also be implemented and executed by the local proxy and/or server. For example, when the request comes at an unscheduled/unexpected time (user initiated check), or after every (n) consecutive times the response has been provided from the cache, etc., or if the application is running in the background vs. in a more interactive mode of the foreground. As more and more mobile applications base their features on resources available in the network, this becomes increasingly important. In addition, the disclosed technology allows elimination of unnecessary chatter from the network, benefiting the operators trying to optimize the wireless spectrum usage. FIG. 1A illustrates an example diagram of a system where a host server 100 facilitates management of traffic between client devices 102 and an application server or content provider 110 in a wireless network for resource conservation. The client devices 102A-D can be any system and/or device, and/or any combination of devices/systems that is able to establish a connection, including wired, wireless, cellular connections with another device, a server and/or other systems such as host server 100 and/or application server/content provider 110. Client devices 102 will typically include a display and/or other output functionalities to present information and data exchanged between among the devices 102 and/or the host server 100 and/or application server/content provider 110. For example, the client devices 102 can include mobile, hand held or portable devices or non-portable devices and can be any of, but not limited to, a server desktop, a desktop computer, a computer cluster, or portable devices including, a notebook, a laptop computer, a handheld computer, a palmtop computer, a mobile phone, a cell phone, a smart phone, a PDA, a Blackberry device, a Palm device, a handheld tablet (e.g. an iPad or any other tablet), a hand held console, a hand held gaming device or console, any SuperPhone such as the iPhone, and/or any other portable, mobile, hand held devices, etc. In one embodiment, the client devices 102, host server 100, and app server 110 are coupled via a network 106 and/or a network 108. In some embodiments, the devices 102 and host server 100 may be directly connected to one another. The input mechanism on client devices 102 can include touch screen keypad (including single touch, multi-touch, gesture sensing in 2D or 3D, etc.), a physical keypad, a mouse, a pointer, a track pad, motion detector (e.g., including 1-axis, 2-axis, 3-axis accelerometer, etc.), a light sensor, capacitance sensor, resistance sensor, temperature sensor, proximity sensor, a piezoelectric device, device orientation detector (e.g., electronic compass, tilt sensor, rotation sensor, gyroscope, accelerometer), or a combination of the above. Signals received or detected indicating user activity at client devices 102 through one or more of the above input mechanism, or others, can be used in the disclosed technology in acquiring context awareness at the client device 102. Context awareness at client devices 102 generally includes, by way of example but not limitation, client device 102 operation or state acknowledgement, management, user activity/behavior/interaction awareness, detection, sensing, tracking, trending, and/or application (e.g., mobile applications) type, behavior, activity, operating state, etc. Context awareness in the present disclosure also includes knowledge and detection of network side contextual data and can include network information such as network capacity, bandwidth, traffic, type of network/connectivity, and/or any other operational state data. Network side contextual data can be received from and/or queried from network service providers (e.g., cell provider 112 and/or Internet service providers) of the network 106 and/or network 108 (e.g., by the host server and/or devices 102). In addition to application context awareness as determined from the client 102 side, the application context awareness may also be received from or obtained/queried from the respective application/service providers 110 (by the host 100 and/or client devices 102). The host server 100 can use, for example, contextual information obtained for client devices 102, networks 106/108, applications (e.g., mobile applications), application server/provider 110, or any combination of the above, to manage the traffic in the system to satisfy data needs of the client devices 102 (e.g., to satisfy application or any other request including HTTP request). In one embodiment, the traffic is managed by the host server 100 to satisfy data requests made in response to explicit or non-explicit user 103 requests and/or device/application maintenance tasks. The traffic can be managed such that network consumption, for example, use of the cellular network is conserved for effective and efficient bandwidth utilization. In addition, the host server 100 can manage and coordinate such traffic in the system such that use of device 102 side resources (e.g., including but not limited to battery power consumption, radio use, processor/memory use) are optimized with a general philosophy for resource conservation while still optimizing performance and user experience. For example, in context of battery conservation, the device 150 can observe user activity (for example, by observing user keystrokes, backlight status, or other signals via one or more input mechanisms, etc.) and alters device 102 behaviors. The device 150 can also request the host server 100 to alter the behavior for network resource consumption based on user activity or behavior. In one embodiment, the traffic management for resource conservation is performed using a distributed system between the host server 100 and client device 102. The distributed system can include proxy server and cache components on the server 100 side and on the client 102 side, for example, as shown by the server cache 135 on the server 100 side and the local cache 150 on the client 102 side. Functions and techniques disclosed for context aware traffic management for resource conservation in networks (e.g., network 106 and/or 108) and devices 102, reside in a distributed proxy and cache system. The proxy and cache system can be distributed between, and reside on, a given client device 102 in part or in whole and/or host server 100 in part or in whole. The distributed proxy and cache system are illustrated with further reference to the example diagram shown in FIG. 1B. Functions and techniques performed by the proxy and cache components in the client device 102, the host server 100, and the related components therein are described, respectively, in detail with further reference to the examples of FIG. 2-3. In one embodiment, client devices 102 communicate with the host server 100 and/or the application server 110 over network 106, which can be a cellular network. To facilitate overall traffic management between devices 102 and various application servers/content providers 110 to implement network (bandwidth utilization) and device resource (e.g., battery consumption), the host server 100 can communicate with the application server/providers 110 over the network 108, which can include the Internet. In general, the networks 106 and/or 108, over which the client devices 102, the host server 100, and/or application server 110 communicate, may be a cellular network, a telephonic network, an open network, such as the Internet, or a private network, such as an intranet and/or the extranet, or any combination thereof. For example, the Internet can provide file transfer, remote log in, email, news, RSS, cloud-based services, instant messaging, visual voicemail, push mail, VoIP, and other services through any known or convenient protocol, such as, but is not limited to the TCP/IP protocol, UDP, HTTP, DNS, Open System Interconnections (OSI), FTP, UPnP, iSCSI, NSF, ISDN, PDH, RS-232, SDH, SONET, etc. The networks 106 and/or 108 can be any collection of distinct networks operating wholly or partially in conjunction to provide connectivity to the client devices 102 and the host server 100 and may appear as one or more networks to the serviced systems and devices. In one embodiment, communications to and from the client devices 102 can be achieved by, an open network, such as the Internet, or a private network, such as an intranet and/or the extranet. In one embodiment, communications can be achieved by a secure communications protocol, such as secure sockets layer (SSL), or transport layer security (TLS). In addition, communications can be achieved via one or more networks, such as, but are not limited to, one or more of WiMax, a Local Area Network (LAN), Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN), a Personal area network (PAN), a Campus area network (CAN), a Metropolitan area network (MAN), a Wide area network (WAN), a Wireless wide area network (WWAN), enabled with technologies such as, by way of example, Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM), Personal Communications Service (PCS), Digital Advanced Mobile Phone Service (D-Amps), Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, Fixed Wireless Data, 2G, 2.5G, 3G, 4G, IMT-Advanced, pre-4G, 3G LTE, 3GPP LTE, LTE Advanced, mobile WiMax, WiMax 2, WirelessMAN-Advanced networks, enhanced data rates for GSM evolution (EDGE), General packet radio service (GPRS), enhanced GPRS, iBurst, UMTS, HSPDA, HSUPA, HSPA, UMTS-TDD, 1×RTT, EV-DO, messaging protocols such as, TCP/IP, SMS, MMS, extensible messaging and presence protocol (XMPP), real time messaging protocol (RTMP), instant messaging and presence protocol (IMPP), instant messaging, USSD, IRC, or any other wireless data networks or messaging protocols. FIG. 1B illustrates an example diagram of a proxy and cache system distributed between the host server 100 and device 150 which facilitates network traffic management between the device 150 and an application server/content provider 100 (e.g., a source server) for resource conservation. The distributed proxy and cache system can include, for example, the proxy server 125 (e.g., remote proxy) and the server cache, 135 components on the server side. The server-side proxy 125 and cache 135 can, as illustrated, reside internal to the host server 100. In addition, the proxy server 125 and cache 135 on the server-side can be partially or wholly external to the host server 100 and in communication via one or more of the networks 106 and 108. For example, the proxy server 125 may be external to the host server and the server cache 135 may be maintained at the host server 100. Alternatively, the proxy server 125 may be within the host server 100 while the server cache is external to the host server 100. In addition, each of the proxy server 125 and the cache 135 may be partially internal to the host server 100 and partially external to the host server 100. The distributed system can also, include, in one embodiment, client-side components, including by way of example but not limitation, a local proxy 175 (e.g., a mobile client on a mobile device) and/or a local cache 185, which can, as illustrated, reside internal to the device 150 (e.g., a mobile device). In addition, the client-side proxy 175 and local cache 185 can be partially or wholly external to the device 150 and in communication via one or more of the networks 106 and 108. For example, the local proxy 175 may be external to the device 150 and the local cache 185 may be maintained at the device 150. Alternatively, the local proxy 175 may be within the device 150 while the local cache 185 is external to the device 150. In addition, each of the proxy 175 and the cache 185 may be partially internal to the host server 100 and partially external to the host server 100. In one embodiment, the distributed system can include an optional caching proxy server 199. The caching proxy server 199 can be a component which is operated by the application server/content provider 110, the host server 100, or a network service provider 112, and or any combination of the above to facilitate network traffic management for network and device resource conservation. Proxy server 199 can be used, for example, for caching content to be provided to the device 150, for example, from one or more of, the application server/provider 110, host server 100, and/or a network service provider 112. Content caching can also be entirely or partially performed by the remote proxy 125 to satisfy application requests or other data requests at the device 150. In context aware traffic management and optimization for resource conservation in a network (e.g., cellular or other wireless networks), characteristics of user activity/behavior and/or application behavior at a mobile device 150 can be tracked by the local proxy 175 and communicated, over the network 106 to the proxy server 125 component in the host server 100, for example, as connection metadata. The proxy server 125 which in turn is coupled to the application server/provider 110 provides content and data to satisfy requests made at the device 150. In addition, the local proxy 175 can identify and retrieve mobile device properties including, one or more of, battery level, network that the device is registered on, radio state, whether the mobile device is being used (e.g., interacted with by a user). In some instances, the local proxy 175 can delay, expedite (prefetch), and/or modify data prior to transmission to the proxy server 125, when appropriate, as will be further detailed with references to the description associated with the examples of FIG. 2-3. The local database 185 can be included in the local proxy 175 or coupled to the proxy 175 and can be queried for a locally stored response to the data request prior to the data request being forwarded on to the proxy server 125. Locally cached responses can be used by the local proxy 175 to satisfy certain application requests of the mobile device 150, by retrieving cached content stored in the cache storage 185, when the cached content is still valid. Similarly, the proxy server 125 of the host server 100 can also delay, expedite, or modify data from the local proxy prior to transmission to the content sources (e.g., the app server/content provider 110). In addition, the proxy server 125 uses device properties and connection metadata to generate rules for satisfying request of applications on the mobile device 150. The proxy server 125 can gather real time traffic information about requests of applications for later use in optimizing similar connections with the mobile device 150 or other mobile devices. In general, the local proxy 175 and the proxy server 125 are transparent to the multiple applications executing on the mobile device. The local proxy 175 is generally transparent to the operating system or platform of the mobile device and may or may not be specific to device manufacturers. For example, he local proxy can be implemented without adding a TCP stack and thus act transparently to both the US and the mobile applications. In some instances, the local proxy 175 is optionally customizable in part or in whole to be device specific. In some embodiments, the local proxy 175 may be bundled into a wireless model, into a firewall, and/or a router. In one embodiment, the host server 100 can in some instances, utilize the store and forward functions of a short message service center (SMSC) 112, such as that provided by the network service provider 112, in communicating with the device 150 in achieving network traffic management. As will be further described with reference to the example of FIG. 3, the host server 100 can forward content or HTTP responses to the SMSC 112 such that it is automatically forwarded to the device 150 if available, and for subsequent forwarding if the device 150 is not currently available. In general, the disclosed distributed proxy and cache system allows optimization of network usage, for example, by serving requests from the local cache 185, the local proxy 175 reduces the number of requests that need to be satisfied over the network 106. Further, the local proxy 175 and the proxy server 125 may filter irrelevant data from the communicated data. In addition, the local proxy 175 and the proxy server 125 can also accumulate low priority data and send it in batches to avoid the protocol overhead of sending individual data fragments. The local proxy 175 and the proxy server 125 can also compress or transcode the traffic, reducing the amount of data sent over the network 106 and/or 108. The signaling traffic in the network 106 and/or 108 can be reduced, as the networks are now used less often and the network traffic can be synchronized among individual applications. With respect to the battery life of the mobile device 150, by serving application or content requests from the local cache 185, the local proxy 175 can reduce the number of times the radio module is powered up. The local proxy 175 and the proxy server 125 can work in conjunction to accumulate low priority data and send it in batches to reduce the number of times and/or amount of time when the radio is powered up. The local proxy 175 can synchronize the network use by performing the batched data transfer for all connections simultaneously. FIG. 2 depicts a block diagram illustrating an example of client-side components in a distributed proxy and cache system residing on a device 250 that manages traffic in a wireless network for resource conservation. The device 250, which can be a portable or mobile device, such as a portable phone, generally includes, for example, a network interface 208, an operating system 204, a context API 206, and mobile applications which may be proxy unaware 210 or proxy aware 220. Note that the device 250 is specifically illustrated in the example of FIG. 2 as a mobile device, such is not a limitation and that device 250 may be any portable/mobile or non-portable device able to receive, transmit signals to satisfy data requests over a network including wired or wireless networks (e.g., WiFi, cellular, Bluetooth, etc.). The network interface 208 can be a networking module that enables the device 250 to mediate data in a network with an entity that is external to the host server 250, through any known and/or convenient communications protocol supported by the host and the external entity. The network interface 208 can include one or more of a network adaptor card, a wireless network interface card (e.g., SMS interface, WiFi interface, interfaces for various generations of mobile communication standards including but not limited to 1G, 2G, 3G, 3.5G, 4G, LTE, etc.), Bluetooth, or whether or not the connection is via a router, an access point, a wireless router, a switch, a multilayer switch, a protocol converter, a gateway, a bridge, bridge router, a hub, a digital media receiver, and/or a repeater. Device 250 can further include, client-side components of the distributed proxy and cache system which can include, a local proxy 275 (e.g., a mobile client of a mobile device) and a cache 285. In one embodiment, the local proxy 275 includes a user activity module 215, a proxy API 225, a request/transaction manager 235, a caching policy manager 245, a traffic shaping engine 255, and/or a connection manager 265. The traffic shaping engine 255 may further include an alignment module 256 and/or a batching module 257, the connection manager 265 may further include a radio controller 266. The request/transaction manager 235 can further include an application behavior detector 236 and/or a prioritization engine 238, the application behavior detector 236 may further include a pattern detector 237 and/or and application profile generator 238. Additional or less components/modules/engines can be included in the local proxy 275 and each illustrated component. As used herein, a “module,” “a manager,” a “handler,” a “detector,” an “interface,” or an “engine” includes a general purpose, dedicated or shared processor and, typically, firmware or software modules that are executed by the processor. Depending upon implementation-specific or other considerations, the module, manager, hander, or engine can be centralized or its functionality distributed. The module, manager, hander, or engine can include general or special purpose hardware, firmware, or software embodied in a computer-readable (storage) medium for execution by the processor. As used herein, a computer-readable medium or computer-readable storage medium is intended to include all mediums that are statutory (e.g., in the United States, under 35 U.S.C. 101), and to specifically exclude all mediums that are non-statutory in nature to the extent that the exclusion is necessary for a claim that includes the computer-readable (storage) medium to be valid. Known statutory computer-readable mediums include hardware (e.g., registers, random access memory (RAM), non-volatile (NV) storage, to name a few), but may or may not be limited to hardware. In one embodiment, a portion of the distributed proxy and cache system for network traffic management resides in or is in communication with device 250, including local proxy 275 (mobile client) and/or cache 285. The local proxy 275 can provide an interface on the device 150 for users to access device applications and services including email, IM, voice mail, visual voicemail, feeds, Internet, other applications, etc. The proxy 275 is generally application independent and can be used by applications (e.g., both proxy aware and proxy-unaware mobile applications 210 and 220) to open TCP connections to a remote server (e.g., the server 100 in the examples of FIGS. 1A-1B and/or server proxy 125/325 shown in the examples of FIG. 1B and FIG. 3). In some instances, the local proxy 275 includes a proxy API 225 which can be optionally used to interface with proxy-aware applications 220 (or mobile applications on a mobile device). The applications 210 and 220 can generally include any user application, widgets, software, HTTP-based application, web browsers, video or other multimedia streaming or downloading application, video games, social network applications, email clients, RSS management applications, application stores, document management applications, productivity enhancement applications, etc. The applications can be provided with the device OS, by the device manufacturer, by the network service provider, downloaded by the user, or provided by others. One embodiment of the local proxy 275 includes or is coupled to a context API 206, as shown. The context API 206 may be a part of the operating system 204 or device platform or independent of the operating system 204, as illustrated. The operating system 204 can include any operating system including but not limited to, any previous, current, and/or future versions/releases of, Windows Mobile, iOS, Android, Symbian, Palm OS, Brew MP, Java 2 Micro Edition (J2ME), Blackberry, etc. The context API 206 may be a plug-in to the operating system 204 or a particular client application on the device 250. The context API 206 can detect signals indicative of user or device activity, for example, sensing motion, gesture, device location, changes in device location, device backlight, keystrokes, clicks, activated touch screen, mouse click or detection of other pointer devices. The context API 206 can be coupled to input devices or sensors on the device 250 to identify these signals. Such signals can generally include input received in response to explicit user input at an input device/mechanism at the device 250 and/or collected from ambient signals/contextual cues detected at or in the vicinity of the device 250 (e.g., light, motion, piezoelectric, etc.). In one embodiment, the user activity module 215 interacts with the context API 206 to identify, determine, infer, detect, compute, predict, and/or anticipate, characteristics of user activity on the device 250. Various inputs collected by the context API 206 can be aggregated by the user activity module 215 to generate a profile for characteristics of user activity. Such a profile can be generated by the module 215 with various temporal characteristics. For instance, user activity profile can be generated in real-time for a given instant to provide a view of what the user is doing or not doing at a given time (e.g., defined by a time window, in the last minute, in the last 30 seconds, etc.), a user activity profile can also be generated for a ‘session’ defined by an application or web page that describes the characteristics of user behavior with respect to a specific task they are engaged in on the device 250, or for a specific time period (e.g., for the last 2 hours, for the last 5 hours). Additionally, characteristic profiles can be generated by the user activity module 215 to depict a historical trend for user activity and behavior (e.g. 1 week, 1 mo, 2 mo, etc.). Such historical profiles can also be used to deduce trends of user behavior, for example, access frequency at different times of day, trends for certain days of the week (weekends or week days), user activity trends based on location data (e.g., IP address, GPS, or cell tower coordinate data) or changes in location data (e.g., user activity based on user location, or user activity based on whether the user is on the go, or traveling outside a home region, etc.) to obtain user activity characteristics. In one embodiment, user activity module 215 can detect and track user activity with respect to applications, documents, files, windows, icons, and folders on the device 250. For example, the user activity module 215 can detect when an application or window (e.g., a web browser) has been exited, closed, minimized, maximized, opened, moved into the foreground, or into the background, multimedia content playback, etc. In one embodiment, characteristics of the user activity on the device 250 can be used to locally adjust behavior of the device (e.g., mobile device) to optimize its resource consumption such as battery/power consumption and more generally, consumption of other device resources including memory, storage, and processing power. In one embodiment, the use of a radio on a device can be adjusted based on characteristics of user behavior (e.g., by the radio controller 266 of the connection manager 265) coupled to the user activity module 215. For example, the radio controller 266 can turn the radio on or off, based on characteristics of the user activity on the device 250. In addition, the radio controller 266 can adjust the power mode of the radio (e.g., to be in a higher power mode or lower power mode) depending on characteristics of user activity. In one embodiment, characteristics of the user activity on device 250 can also be used to cause another device (e.g., other computers, a mobile device, or a non-portable device) or server (e.g., host server 100 and 300 in the examples of FIGS. 1A-B and FIG. 3) which can communicate (e.g., via a cellular or other network) with the device 250 to modify its communication frequency with the device 250. The local proxy 275 can use the characteristics information of user behavior determined by the user activity module 215 to instruct the remote device as to how to modulate its communication frequency (e.g., decreasing communication frequency, such as data push frequency if the user is idle, requesting that the remote device notify the device 250 if new data, changed data, different data, or data of a certain level of importance becomes available, etc.). In one embodiment, the user activity module 215 can, in response to determining that user activity characteristics indicate that a user is active after a period of inactivity, request that a remote device (e.g., server host server 100 and 300 in the examples of FIGS. 1A-B and FIG. 3) send the data that was buffered as a result of the previously decreased communication frequency. In addition, or in alternative, the local proxy 275 can communicate the characteristics of user activity at the device 250 to the remote device (e.g., host server 100 and 300 in the examples of FIGS. 1A-B and FIG. 3) and the remote device determines how to alter its own communication frequency with the device 250 for network resource conservation and conservation of device 250 resources. One embodiment of the local proxy 275 further includes a request/transaction manager 235, which can detect, identify, intercept, process, manage, data requests initiated on the device 250, for example, by applications 210 and/or 220, and/or directly/indirectly by a user request. The request/transaction manager 235 can determine how and when to process a given request or transaction, or a set of requests/transactions, based on transaction characteristics. The request/transaction manager 235 can prioritize requests or transactions made by applications and/or users at the device 250, for example by the prioritization engine 238. Importance or priority of requests/transactions can be determined by the manager 235 by applying a rule set, for example, according to time sensitivity of the transaction, time sensitivity of the content in the transaction, time criticality of the transaction, time criticality of the data transmitted in the transaction, and/or time criticality or importance of an application making the request. In addition, transaction characteristics can also depend on whether the transaction was a result of user-interaction or other user initiated action on the device (e.g., user interaction with a mobile application). In general, a time critical transaction can include a transaction resulting from a user-initiated data transfer, and can be prioritized as such. Transaction characteristics can also depend on the amount of data that will be transferred or is anticipated to be transferred as a result of the request/requested transaction. For example, the connection manager 265, can adjust the radio mode (e.g., high power or low power mode via the radio controller 266) based on the amount of data that will need to be transferred. In addition, the radio controller 266/connection manager 265 can adjust the radio power mode (high or low) based on time criticality/sensitivity of the transaction. The radio controller 266 can trigger the use of high power radio mode when a time-critical transaction (e.g., a transaction resulting from a user-initiated data transfer, an application running in the foreground, any other event meeting a certain criteria) is initiated or detected. In general, the priorities can be set by default, for example, based on device platform, device manufacturer, operating system, etc. Priorities can alternatively or in additionally be set by the particular application; for example, the Facebook mobile application can set its own priorities for various transactions (e.g., a status update can be of higher priority than an add friend request or a poke request, a message send request can be of higher priority than a message delete request, for example), an email client or IM chat client may have its own configurations for priority. The prioritization engine 238 may include set of rules for assigning priority. The priority engine 238 can also track network provider limitations or specifications on application or transaction priority in determining an overall priority status for a request/transaction. Furthermore, priority can in part or in whole be determined by user preferences, either explicit or implicit. A user, can in general, set priorities at different tiers, such as, specific priorities for sessions, or types, or applications (e.g., a browsing session, a gaming session, versus an IM chat session, the user may set a gaming session to always have higher priority than an IM chat session, which may have higher priority than web-browsing session). A user can set application-specific priorities, (e.g., a user may set Facebook related transactions to have a higher priority than LinkedIn related transactions), for specific transaction types (e.g., for all send message requests across all applications to have higher priority than message delete requests, for all calendar-related events to have a high priority, etc.), and/or for specific folders. The priority engine 238 can track and resolve conflicts in priorities set by different entities. For example, manual settings specified by the user may take precedence over device OS settings, network provider parameters/limitations (e.g., set in default for a network service area, geographic locale, set for a specific time of day, or set based on service/fee type) may limit any user-specified settings and/or application-set priorities. In some instances, a manual sync request received from a user can override some, most, or all priority settings in that the requested synchronization is performed when requested, regardless of the individually assigned priority or an overall priority ranking for the requested action. Priority can be specified and tracked internally in any known and/or convenient manner, including but not limited to, a binary representation, a multi-valued representation, a graded representation and all are considered to be within the scope of the disclosed technology. TABLE I Change Change (initiated on device) Priority (initiated on server) Priority Send email High Receive email High Delete email Low Edit email Often not (Un)read email Low possible to sync (Low if possible) Move message Low New email in deleted Low Read more High items Down load High Delete an email Low attachment (Un)Read an email Low New Calendar event High Move messages Low Edit/change High Any calendar change High Calendar event Any contact change High Add a contact High Wipe/lock device High Edit a contact High Settings change High Search contacts High Any folder change High Change a setting High Connector restart High (if no Manual send/receive High changes nothing is sent) IM status change Medium Social Network Medium Status Updates Auction outbid or High Sever Weather Alerts High change notification Weather Updates Low News Updates Low Table I above shows, for illustration purposes, some examples of transactions with examples of assigned priorities in a binary representation scheme. Additional assignments are possible for additional types of events, requests, transactions, and as previously described, priority assignments can be made at more or less granular levels, e.g., at the session level or at the application level, etc. As shown by way of example in the above table, in general, lower priority requests/transactions can include, updating message status as being read, unread, deleting of messages, deletion of contacts; higher priority requests/transactions, can in some instances include, status updates, new IM chat message, new email, calendar event update/cancellation/deletion, an event in a mobile gaming session, or other entertainment related events, a purchase confirmation through a web purchase or online, request to load additional or download content, contact book related events, a transaction to change a device setting, location-aware or location-based events/transactions, or any other events/request/transactions initiated by a user or where the user is known to be, expected to be, or suspected to be waiting for a response, etc. Inbox pruning events (e.g., email, or any other types of messages), are generally considered low priority and absent other impending events, generally will not trigger use of the radio on the device 250. Specifically, pruning events to remove old email or other content can be ‘piggy backed’ with other communications if the radio is not otherwise on, at the time of a scheduled pruning event. For example, if the user has preferences set to ‘keep messages for 7 days old,’ then instead of powering on the device radio to initiate a message delete from the device 250 the moment that the message has exceeded 7 days old, the message is deleted when the radio is powered on next. If the radio is already on, then pruning may occur as regularly scheduled. The request/transaction manager 235, can use the priorities for requests (e.g., by the prioritization engine 238) to manage outgoing traffic from the device 250 for resource optimization (e.g., to utilize the device radio more efficiently for battery conservation). For example, transactions/requests below a certain priority ranking may not trigger use of the radio on the device 250 if the radio is not already switched on, as controlled by the connection manager 265. In contrast, the radio controller 266 can turn on the radio such a request can be sent when a request for a transaction is detected to be over a certain priority level. In one embodiment, priority assignments (such as that determined by the local proxy 275 or another device/entity) can be used cause a remote device to modify its communication with the frequency with the mobile device. For example, the remote device can be configured to send notifications to the device 250 when data of higher importance is available to be sent to the mobile device. In one embodiment, transaction priority can be used in conjunction with characteristics of user activity in shaping or managing traffic, for example, by the traffic shaping engine 255. For example, the traffic shaping engine 255 can, in response to detecting that a user is dormant or inactive, wait to send low priority transactions from the device 250, for a period of time. In addition, the traffic shaping engine 255 can allow multiple low priority transactions to accumulate for batch transferring from the device 250 (e.g., via the batching module 257). In one embodiment, the priorities can be set, configured, or readjusted by a user. For example, content depicted in Table I in the same or similar form can be accessible in a user interface on the device 250 and for example, used by the user to adjust or view the priorities. The batching module 257 can initiate batch transfer based on certain criteria. For example, batch transfer (e.g., of multiple occurrences of events, some of which occurred at different instances in time) may occur after a certain number of low priority events have been detected, or after an amount of time elapsed after the first of the low priority event was initiated. In addition, the batching module 257 can initiate batch transfer of the cumulated low priority events when a higher priority event is initiated or detected at the device 250. Batch transfer can otherwise be initiated when radio use is triggered for another reason (e.g., to receive data from a remote device such as host server 100 or 300). In one embodiment, an impending pruning event (pruning of an inbox), or any other low priority events, can be executed when a batch transfer occurs. In general, the batching capability can be disabled or enabled at the event/transaction level, application level, or session level, based on any one or combination of the following: user configuration, device limitations/settings, manufacturer specification, network provider parameters/limitations, platform specific limitations/settings, device OS settings, etc. In one embodiment, batch transfer can be initiated when an application/window/file is closed out, exited, or moved into the background; users can optionally be prompted before initiating a batch transfer; users can also manually trigger batch transfers. In one embodiment, the local proxy 275 locally adjusts radio use on the device 250 by caching data in the cache 285. When requests or transactions from the device 250 can be satisfied by content stored in the cache 285, the radio controller 266 need not activate the radio to send the request to a remote entity (e.g., the host server 100, 300, as shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 3 or a content provider/application server such as the server/provider 110 shown in the examples of FIG. 1A and FIG. 1B). As such, the local proxy 275 can use the local cache 285 and the cache policy manager 245 to locally store data for satisfying data requests to eliminate or reduce the use of the device radio for conservation of network resources and device battery consumption. In leveraging the local cache, once the request/transaction manager 225 intercepts a data request by an application on the device 250, the local repository 285 can be queried to determine if there is any locally stored response, and also determine whether the response is valid. When a valid response is available in the local cache 285, the response can be provided to the application on the device 250 without the device 250 needing to access the cellular network. If a valid response is not available, the local proxy 275 can query a remote proxy (e.g., the server proxy 325 of FIG. 3) to determine whether a remotely stored response is valid. If so, the remotely stored response (e.g., which may be stored on the server cache 135 or optional caching server 199 shown in the example of FIG. 1B) can be provided to the mobile device, possibly without the mobile device 250 needing to access the cellular network, thus relieving consumption of network resources. If a valid cache response is not available, or if cache responses are unavailable for the intercepted data request, the local proxy 275, for example, the caching policy manager 245, can send the data request to a remote proxy (e.g., server proxy 325 of FIG. 3) which forwards the data request to a content source (e.g., application server/content provider 110 of FIG. 1) and a response from the content source can be provided through the remote proxy, as will be further described in the description associated with the example host server 300 of FIG. 3. The cache policy manager 245 can manage or process requests that use a variety of protocols, including but not limited to HTTP, HTTPS, IMAP, POP, SMTP and/or ActiveSync. The caching policy manager 245 can locally store responses for data requests in the local database 285 as cache entries, for subsequent use in satisfying same or similar data requests. The manager 245 can request that the remote proxy monitor responses for the data request, and the remote proxy can notify the device 250 when an unexpected response to the data request is detected. In such an event, the cache policy manager 245 can erase or replace the locally stored response(s) on the device 250 when notified of the unexpected response (e.g., new data, changed data, additional data, different response, etc.) to the data request. In one embodiment, the caching policy manager 245 is able to detect or identify the protocol used for a specific request, including but not limited to HTTP, HTTPS, IMAP, POP, SMTP and/or ActiveSync. In one embodiment, application specific handlers (e.g., via the application protocol module 246 of the manager 245) on the local proxy 275 allows for optimization of any protocol that can be port mapped to a handler in the distributed proxy (e.g., port mapped on the proxy server 325 in the example of FIG. 3). In one embodiment, the local proxy 275 notifies the remote proxy such that the remote proxy can monitor responses received for the data request from the content source for changed results prior to returning the result to the device 250, for example, when the data request to the content source has yielded same results to be returned to the mobile device. In general, the local proxy 275 can simulate application server responses for applications on the device 250, using locally cached content. This can prevent utilization of the cellular network for transactions where new/changed/different data is not available, thus freeing up network resources and preventing network congestion. In one embodiment, the local proxy 275 includes an application behavior detector 236 to track, detect, observe, monitor, applications (e.g., proxy aware and/or unaware applications 210 and 220) accessed or installed on the device 250. Application behaviors, or patterns in detected behaviors (e.g., via the pattern detector 237) of one or more applications accessed on the device 250 can be used by the local proxy 275 to optimize traffic in a wireless network needed to satisfy the data needs of these applications. For example, based on detected behavior of multiple applications, the traffic shaping engine 255 can align content requests made by at least some of the applications over the network (wireless network) (e.g., via the alignment module 256). The alignment module can delay or expedite some earlier received requests to achieve alignment. When requests are aligned, the traffic shaping engine 255 can utilize the connection manager to poll over the network to satisfy application data requests. Content requests for multiple applications can be aligned based on behavior patterns or rules/settings including, for example, content types requested by the multiple applications (audio, video, text, etc.), mobile device parameters, and/or network parameters/traffic conditions, network service provider constraints/specifications, etc. In one embodiment, the pattern detector 237 can detect recurrences in application requests made by the multiple applications, for example, by tracking patterns in application behavior. A tracked pattern can include, detecting that certain applications, as a background process, poll an application server regularly, at certain times of day, on certain days of the week, periodically in a predictable fashion, with a certain frequency, with a certain frequency in response to a certain type of event, in response to a certain type user query, frequency that requested content is the same, frequency with which a same request is made, interval between requests, applications making a request, or any combination of the above, for example. Such recurrences can be used by traffic shaping engine 255 to offload polling of content from a content source (e.g., from an application server/content provider 110 of FIG. 1) that would result from the application requests that would be performed at the mobile device 250 to be performed instead, by a proxy server (e.g., proxy server 125 of FIG. 1B or proxy server 325 of FIG. 3) remote from the device 250. Traffic engine 255 can decide to offload the polling when the recurrences match a rule. For example, there are multiple occurrences or requests for the same resource that have exactly the same content, or returned value, or based on detection of repeatable time periods between requests and responses such as a resource that is requested at specific times during the day. The offloading of the polling can decrease the amount of bandwidth consumption needed by the mobile device 250 to establish a wireless (cellular) connection with the content source for repetitive content polls. As a result of the offloading of the polling, locally cached content stored in the local cache 285 can be provided to satisfy data requests at the device 250, when content change is not detected in the polling of the content sources. As such, when data has not changed, application data needs can be satisfied without needing to enable radio use or occupying cellular bandwidth in a wireless network. When data has changed, or when data is different, and/or new data has been received, the remote entity to which polling is offloaded, can notify the device 250. The remote entity may be the host server 300 as shown in the example of FIG. 3. In one embodiment, the local proxy 275 can mitigate the need/use of periodic keep-alive messages (heartbeat messages) to maintain TCP/IP connections, which can consume significant amounts of power thus having detrimental impacts on mobile device battery life. The connection manager 265 in the local proxy (e.g., the heartbeat manager 267) can detect, identify, and intercept any or all heartbeat (keep-alive) messages being sent from applications. The heartbeat manager 267 can prevent any or all of these heartbeat messages from being sent over the cellular, or other network, and instead rely on the server component of the distributed proxy system (e.g., shown in FIG. 1B) to generate the and send the heartbeat messages to maintain a connection with the backend (e.g., app server/provider 110 in the example of FIG. 1). The local proxy 275 generally represents any one or a portion of the functions described for the individual managers, modules, and/or engines. The local proxy 275 and device 250 can include additional or less components; more or less functions can be included, in whole or in part, without deviating from the novel art of the disclosure. FIG. 3 depicts a block diagram illustrating an example of server-side components in a distributed proxy and cache system residing on a host server 300 that manages traffic in a wireless network for resource conservation. The host server 300 generally includes, for example, a network interface 308 and/or one or more repositories 312, 314, 316. Note that server 300 may be any portable/mobile or non-portable device, server, cluster of computers and/or other types of processing units (e.g., any number of a machine shown in the example of FIG. 11) able to receive, transmit signals to satisfy data requests over a network including any wired or wireless networks (e.g., WiFi, cellular, Bluetooth, etc.). The network interface 308 can include networking module(s) or devices(s) that enable the server 300 to mediate data in a network with an entity that is external to the host server 300, through any known and/or convenient communications protocol supported by the host and the external entity. Specifically, the network interface 308 allows the server 308 to communicate with multiple devices including mobile phone devices 350, and/or one or more application servers/content providers 310. The host server 300 can store information about connections (e.g., network characteristics, conditions, types of connections, etc.) with devices in the connection metadata repository 312. Additionally, any information about third party application or content providers can also be stored in 312. The host server 300 can store information about devices (e.g., hardware capability, properties, device settings, device language, network capability, manufacturer, device model, OS, OS version, etc.) in the device information repository 314. Additionally, the host server 300 can store information about network providers and the various network service areas in the network service provider repository 316. The communication enabled by 308 allows for simultaneous connections (e.g., including cellular connections) with devices 350 and/or connections (e.g., including wired/wireless, HTTP, Internet connections, LAN, Wifi, etc.) with content servers/providers 310, to manage the traffic between devices 350 and content providers 310, for optimizing network resource utilization and/or to conserver power (battery) consumption on the serviced devices 350. The host server 300 can communicate with mobile devices 350 serviced by different network service providers and/or in the same/different network service areas. The host server 300 can operate and is compatible with devices 350 with varying types or levels of mobile capabilities, including by way of example but not limitation, 1G, 2G, 2G transitional (2.5G, 2.75G), 3G (IMT-2000), 3G transitional (3.5G, 3.75G, 3.9G), 4G (IMT-advanced), etc. In general, the network interface 308 can include one or more of a network adaptor card, a wireless network interface card (e.g., SMS interface, WiFi interface, interfaces for various generations of mobile communication standards including but not limited to 1G, 2G, 3G, 3.5G, 4G type networks such as, LTE, WiMAX, etc.,), Bluetooth, WiFi, or any other network whether or not connected via a a router, an access point, a wireless router, a switch, a multilayer switch, a protocol converter, a gateway, a bridge, bridge router, a hub, a digital media receiver, and/or a repeater. The host server 300 can further include, server-side components of the distributed proxy and cache system which can include, a proxy server 325 and a server cache 335. In one embodiment, the server proxy 325 can include an HTTP access engine 345, a caching policy manager 355, a proxy controller 365, a traffic shaping engine 375, a new data detector 386, and/or a connection manager 395. The HTTP access engine 345 may further include a heartbeat manager 346, the proxy controller 365 may further include a data invalidator module 366, the traffic shaping engine 375 may further include a control protocol 276 and a batching module 377. Additional or less components/modules/engines can be included in the proxy server 325 and each illustrated component. As used herein, a “module,” “a manager,” a “handler,” a “detector,” an “interface,” a “controller,” or an “engine” includes a general purpose, dedicated or shared processor and, typically, firmware or software modules that are executed by the processor. Depending upon implementation-specific or other considerations, the module, manager, handler, or engine can be centralized or its functionality distributed. The module, manager, handler, or engine can include general or special purpose hardware, firmware, or software embodied in a computer-readable (storage) medium for execution by the processor. As used herein, a computer-readable medium or computer-readable storage medium is intended to include all mediums that are statutory (e.g., in the United States, under 35 U.S.C. 101), and to specifically exclude all mediums that are non-statutory in nature to the extent that the exclusion is necessary for a claim that includes the computer-readable (storage) medium to be valid. Known statutory computer-readable mediums include hardware (e.g., registers, random access memory (RAM), non-volatile (NV) storage, to name a few), but may or may not be limited to hardware. In the example of a device (e.g., mobile device 350) making an application or content request to an app server or content provider 310, the request may be intercepted and routed to the proxy server 325, which is coupled to the device 350 and the provider 310. Specifically, the proxy server is able to communicate with the local proxy (e.g., proxy 175 and 275 of the examples of FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 respectively) of the device 350, the local proxy forwards the data request to the proxy server 325 for, in some instances, further processing, and if needed, for transmission to the content server 310 for a response to the data request. In such a configuration, the host 300, or the proxy server 325 in the host server 300 can utilize intelligent information provided by the local proxy in adjusting its communication with the device in such a manner that optimizes use of network and device resources. For example, the proxy server 325 can identify characteristics of user activity on the device 350 to modify its communication frequency. The characteristics of user activity can be determined by, for example, the activity/behavior awareness module 366 in the proxy controller 365, via information collected by the local proxy on the device 350. In one embodiment, communication frequency can be controlled by the connection manager 396 of the proxy server 325, for example, to adjust push frequency of content or updates to the device 350. For instance, push frequency can be decreased by the connection manager 396 when characteristics of the user activity indicate that the user is inactive. In one embodiment, when the characteristics of the user activity indicate that the user is subsequently active after a period of inactivity, the connection manager 396 can adjust the communication frequency with the device 350 to send data that was buffered as a result of decreased communication frequency, to the device 350. In addition, the proxy server 325 includes priority awareness of various requests, transactions, sessions, applications, and/or specific events. Such awareness can be determined by the local proxy on the device 350 and provided to the proxy server 325. The priority awareness module 367 of the proxy server 325 can generally assess the priority (e.g., including time-criticality, time-sensitivity, etc.) of various events or applications; additionally, the priority awareness module 367 can track priorities determined by local proxies of devices 350. In one embodiment, through priority awareness, the connection manager 395 can further modify communication frequency (e.g., use or radio as controlled by the radio controller 396) of the server 300 with the devices 350. For example, the server 300 can notify the device 350, thus requesting use of the radio if it is not already in use, when data or updates of an importance/priority level which meets a criteria becomes available to be sent. In one embodiment, the proxy server 325 can detect multiple occurrences of events (e.g., transactions, content, data received from server/provider 310) and allow the events to accumulate for batch transfer to device 350. Batch transfer can be cumulated and transfer of events can be delayed based on priority awareness and/or user activity/application behavior awareness, as tracked by modules 366 and/or 367. For example, batch transfer of multiple events (of a lower priority) to the device 350 can be initiated by the batching module 377 when an event of a higher priority (meeting a threshold or criteria) is detected at the server 300. In addition, batch transfer from the server 300 can be triggered when the server receives data from the device 350, indicating that the device radio is already in use and is thus on. In one embodiment, the proxy server 324 can order the each messages/packets in a batch for transmission based on event/transaction priority, such that higher priority content can be sent first, in case connection is lost or the battery dies, etc. In one embodiment, the server 300 caches data (e.g., as managed by the caching policy manager 355) such that communication frequency over a network (e.g., cellular network) with the device 350 can be modified (e.g., decreased). The data can be cached, for example in the server cache 335, for subsequent retrieval or batch sending to the device 350 to potentially decrease the need to turn on the device 350 radio. The server cache 335 can be partially or wholly internal to the host server 300, although in the example of FIG. 3, it is shown as being external to the host 300. In some instances, the server cache 335 may be the same as and/or integrated in part or in whole with another cache managed by another entity (e.g., the optional caching proxy server 199 shown in the example of FIG. 1B), such as being managed by an application server/content provider 110, a network service provider, or another third party. In one embodiment, content caching is performed locally on the device 350 with the assistance of host server 300. For example, proxy server 325 in the host server 300 can query the application server/provider 310 with requests and monitor changes in responses. When changed, different or new responses are detected (e.g., by the new data detector 347), the proxy server 325 can notify the mobile device 350, such that the local proxy on the device 350 can make the decision to invalidate (e.g., indicated as out-dated) the relevant cache entries stored as any responses in its local cache. Alternatively, the data invalidator module 368 can automatically instruct the local proxy of the device 350 to invalidate certain cached data, based on received responses from the application server/provider 310. The cached data is marked as invalid, and can get replaced or deleted when new content is received from the content server 310. Note that data change can be detected by the detector 347 in one or more ways. For example, the server/provider 310 can notify the host server 300 upon a change. The change can also be detected at the host server 300 in response to a direct poll of the source server/provider 310. In some instances, the proxy server 325 can in addition, pre-load the local cache on the device 350 with the new/updated/changed/different data. This can be performed when the host server 300 detects that the radio on the mobile device is already in use, or when the server 300 has additional content/data to be sent to the device 350. One or more the above mechanisms can be implemented simultaneously or adjusted/configured based on application (e.g., different policies for different servers/providers 310). In some instances, the source provider/server 310 may notify the host 300 for certain types of events (e.g., events meeting a priority threshold level). In addition, the provider/server 310 may be configured to notify the host 300 at specific time intervals, regardless of event priority. In one embodiment, the proxy server 325 of the host 300 can monitor/track responses received for the data request from the content source for changed results prior to returning the result to the mobile device, such monitoring may be suitable when data request to the content source has yielded same results to be returned to the mobile device, thus preventing network/power consumption from being used when no new/changes are made to a particular requested. The local proxy of the device 350 can instruct the proxy server 325 to perform such monitoring or the proxy server 325 can automatically initiate such a process upon receiving a certain number of the same responses (e.g., or a number of the same responses in a period of time) for a particular request. In one embodiment, the server 300, for example, through the activity/behavior awareness module 366, is able to identify or detect user activity, at a device that is separate from the mobile device 350. For example, the module 366 may detect that a user's message inbox (e.g., email or types of inbox) is being accessed. This can indicate that the user is interacting with his/her application using a device other than the mobile device 350 and may not need frequent updates, if at all. The server 300, in this instance, can thus decrease the frequency with which new, different, changed, or updated content is sent to the mobile device 350, or eliminate all communication for as long as the user is detected to be using another device for access. Such frequency decrease may be application specific (e.g., for the application with which the user is interacting with on another device), or it may be a general frequency decrease (e.g., since the user is detected to be interacting with one server or one application via another device, he/she could also use it to access other services) to the mobile device 350. In one embodiment, the host server 300 is able to poll content sources 310 on behalf of devices 350 to conserve power or battery consumption on devices 350. For example, certain applications on the mobile device 350 can poll its respective server 310 in a predictable recurring fashion. Such recurrence or other types of application behaviors can be tracked by the activity/behavior module 366 in the proxy controller 365. The host server 300 can thus poll content sources 310 for applications on the mobile device 350, that would otherwise be performed by the device 350 through a wireless (e.g., including cellular connectivity). The host server can poll the sources 310 for new, different, updated, or changed data by way of the HTTP access engine 345 to establish HTTP connection or by way of radio controller 396 to connect to the source 310 over the cellular network. When new, different, updated, or changed data is detected, the new data detector can notify the device 350 that such data is available and/or provide the new/changed data to the device 350. In one embodiment, the connection manager 395 determines that the mobile device 350 is unavailable (e.g., the radio is turned off) and utilizes SMS to transmit content to the device 350, for instance via the SMSC shown in the example of FIG. 1B. SMS is used to transmit invalidation messages, batches of invalidation messages, or even content in the case the content is small enough to fit into just a few (usually one or two) SMS messages. This avoids the need to access the radio channel to send overhead information. The host server 300 can use SMS for certain transactions or responses having a priority level above a threshold or otherwise meeting a criteria. The server 300 can also utilize SMS as an out-of-band trigger to maintain or wake-up an IP connection as an alternative to maintaining an always-on IP connection. In one embodiment, the connection manager 395 in the proxy server 325 (e.g., the heartbeat manager 398) can generate and/or transmit heartbeat messages on behalf of connected devices 350, to maintain a backend connection with a provider 310 for applications running on devices 350. For example, in the distributed proxy system, local cache on the device 350 can prevent any or all heartbeat messages needed to maintain TCP/IP connections required for applications, from being sent over the cellular, or other network, and instead rely on the proxy server 325 on the host server 300 to generate and/or send the heartbeat messages to maintain a connection with the backend (e.g., app server/provider 110 in the example of FIG. 1). The proxy server can generate the keep-alive (heartbeat) messages independent of the operations of the local proxy on the mobile device. The repositories 312, 314, and/or 316 can additionally store software, descriptive data, images, system information, drivers, and/or any other data item utilized by other components of the host server 300 and/or any other servers for operation. The repositories may be managed by a database management system (DBMS), for example but not limited to, Oracle, DB2, Microsoft Access, Microsoft SQL Server, PostgreSQL, MySQL, FileMaker, etc. The repositories can be implemented via object-oriented technology and/or via text files, and can be managed by a distributed database management system, an object-oriented database management system (OODBMS) (e.g., ConceptBase, FastDB Main Memory Database Management System, JDOlnstruments, ObjectDB, etc.), an object-relational database management system (ORDBMS) (e.g., Informix, OpenLink Virtuoso, VMDS, etc.), a file system, and/or any other convenient or known database management package. FIG. 4 depicts a diagram showing how data requests from a mobile device 450 to an application server/content provider 496 in a wireless network can be coordinated by a distributed proxy system 460 in a manner such that network and battery resources are conserved through using content caching and monitoring performed by the distributed proxy system 460. In satisfying application or client requests on a mobile device 450 without the distributed proxy system 460, the mobile device 450, or the software widget executing on the device 450 performs a data request 402 (e.g., an HTTP GET, POST, or other request) directly to the application server 495 and receives a response 404 directly from the server/provider 495. If the data has been updated, the widget on the mobile device 450 can refreshes itself to reflect the update and waits for small period of time and initiates another data request to the server/provider 495. In one embodiment, the requesting client or software widget 455 on the device 450 can utilize the distributed proxy system 460 in handling the data request made to server/provider 495. In general, the distributed proxy system 460 can include a local proxy 465 (which is typically considered a client-side component of the system 460 and can reside on the mobile device 450), a caching proxy (475, considered a server-side component 470 of the system 460 and can reside on the host server 485 or be wholly or partially external to the host server 485), a host server 485. The local proxy 465 can be connected to the proxy 475 and host server 485 via any network or combination of networks. When the distributed proxy system 460 is used for data/application requests, the widget 455 can perform the data request 406 via the local proxy 465. The local proxy 465, can intercept the requests made by device applications, and can identify the connection type of the request (e.g., an HTTP get request or other types of requests). The local proxy 465 can then query the local cache for any previous information about the request (e.g., to determine whether a locally stored response is available and/or still valid). If a locally stored response is not available or if there is an invalid response stored, the local proxy 465 can update or store information about the request, the time it was made, and any additional data, in the local cache. The information can be updated for use in potentially satisfying subsequent requests. The local proxy 465 can then send the request to the host server 485 and the server 485 can perform the request 406 and returns the results in response 408. The local proxy 465 can store the result and in addition, information about the result and returns the result to the requesting widget 455. In one embodiment, if the same request has occurred multiple times (within a certain time period) and it has often yielded same results, the local proxy 465 can notify 410 the server 485 that the request should be monitored (e.g., steps 412 and 414) for result changes prior to returning a result to the local proxy 465 or requesting widget 455. In one embodiment, if a request is marked for monitoring, the local proxy 465 can now store the results into the local cache. Now, when the data request 416, for which a locally response is available, is made by the widget 455 and intercepted at the local proxy 465, the proxy 465 can return the response 418 from the local cache without needing to establish a connection communication over the wireless network. In one embodiment, the response is stored at the server proxy in the server cache for subsequent use in satisfying same or similar data requests. The response can be stored in lieu of or in addition to storage on the local cache on the mobile device. In addition, the server proxy performs the requests marked for monitoring 420 to determine whether the response 422 for the given request has changed. In general, the host server 485 can perform this monitoring independently of the widget 455 or local proxy 465 operations. Whenever an unexpected response 422 is received for a request, the server 485 can notify the local proxy 465 that the response has changed (e.g., the invalidate notification in step 424) and that the locally stored response on the client should be erased or replaced with a new (e.g., changed or different) response. In this case, a subsequent data request 426 by the widget 455 from the device 450 results in the data being returned from host server 485 (e.g., via the caching proxy 475). Thus, through utilizing the distributed proxy system 460 the wireless (cellular) network is intelligently used when the content/data for the widget or software application 455 on the mobile device 450 has actually changed. As such, the traffic needed to check for the changes to application data is not performed over the wireless (cellular) network. This reduces the amount of generated network traffic and shortens the total time and the number of times the radio module is powered up on the mobile device 450, thus reducing battery consumption, and in addition, frees up network bandwidth. FIG. 5 depicts a diagram showing one example process for implementing a hybrid IP and SMS power saving mode on a mobile device 550 using a distributed proxy and cache system (e.g., such as the distributed system shown in the example of FIG. 1B). In step 502, the local proxy (e.g., proxy 175 in the example of FIG. 1B) monitors the device for user activity. When the user is determined to be active, server push is active. For example, always-on-push IP connection can be maintained and if available, SMS triggers can be immediately sent to the mobile device 550 as it becomes available. In process 504, after the user has been detected to be inactive or idle over a period of time (e.g., the example is shown for a period of inactivity of 20 min.), the local proxy can adjust the device to go into the power saving mode. In the power saving mode, when the local proxy receives a message or a correspondence from a remote proxy (e.g., the server proxy 135 in the example of FIG. 1B) on the server-side of the distributed proxy and cache system, the local proxy can respond with a call indicating that the device 550 is currently in power save mode (e.g., via a power save remote procedure call). In some instances, the local proxy can take the opportunity to notify multiple accounts or providers (e.g., 510A, and 510B) of the current power save status (e.g., timed to use the same radio power-on event). In one embodiment, the response from the local proxy can include a time (e.g., the power save period) indicating to the remote proxy (e.g., server proxy 135) and/or the app server/providers 510A/B when the device 550 is next able to receive changes or additional data. A default power savings period can be set by the local proxy. In one embodiment, if new, change, or different data or event is received before the end of any one power saving period, then the wait period communicated to the servers 510A/B can be the existing period, rather than an incremented time period. In response, the remote proxy server, upon receipt of power save notification from the device 550, can stop sending changes (data or SMSs) for the period of time requested (the wait period). At the end of the wait period, any notifications received can be acted upon and changes sent to the device 550, for example, as a single batched event or as individual events. If no notifications come in, then push can be resumed with the data or an SMS being sent to the device 550. The proxy server can time the poll or data collect event to optimize batch sending content to the mobile device 550 to increase the chance that the client will receive data at the next radio power on event. Note that the wait period can be updated in operation in real time to accommodate operating conditions. For example, the local proxy can adjust the wait period on the fly to accommodate the different delays that occur in the system. Detection of user activity 512 at the device 550 causes the power save mode to be exited. When the device 550 exits power save mode, it can begin to receive any changes associated with any pending notifications. If a power saving period has expired, then no power save cancel call may be needed as the proxy server will already be in traditional push operation mode. In one embodiment, power save mode is not applied when the device 550 is plugged into a charger. This setting can be reconfigured or adjusted by the user or another party. In general, the power save mode can be turned on and off, for example, by the user via a user interface on device 550. In general, timing of power events to receive data can be synced with any power save calls to optimize radio use. FIG. 6 depicts a flow chart illustrating example processes through which application behavior on a mobile device is used for traffic optimization. In process 602, application behavior of multiple applications accessed on a mobile device is detected. Using application behavior, the distributed proxy system can implement one or more of several processes for optimizing traffic. For example, beginning in process 604, content requests for the at least some of the multiple applications are aligned and polling can be performed over the wireless network in accordance with the alignment to satisfy data requests of the multiple applications, in process 606. In one embodiment, content requests for some of the multiple applications can be aligned based on content types requested by the multiple applications. For example, content requests from different applications requesting RSS feeds can be aligned. In addition, content requests from different applications requesting content from the same sources may be aligned (e.g., a social networking application and a web page may both be requesting media content from an online video streaming site such as Youtube). In another example, multiple Facebook applications on one device (one from OEM, one from marketplace) that both poll for same data. In addition, content requests can be aligned based on user's explicit and/or implicit preferences, user settings, mobile device parameters/parameters, and/or network parameters (e.g., network service provider specifications or limitations, etc.) or conditions (e.g., traffic, congestion, network outage, etc.). For example, when congestion is detected in a user's network service area, content requests can be aligned for the network is less congested. For example, when user is inactive, or when the battery is low, alignment may be performed more aggressively. In some instances, the polling can be performed by the proxy server on behalf of multiple devices and can thus detect requests for polls from the same content source from multiple devices. The proxy server, can align such requests occurring around the same time (e.g., within a specific time period) for multiple devices and perform a poll of the source to satisfy the data needs of the multiple mobile devices. For example, during the Superbowl, the proxy server can detect a larger number of requests to poll ESPN.com or NFL.com for live score updates for the game. The proxy server can poll the content source once for a current score and provide the updates to each of the mobile devices that have applications which have (within a time period) requested polls for score updates. In another example, beginning in process 608, recurrences in application requests made by the multiple applications are detected. Recurrences of application behavior can be identified by, for example, tracking patterns in application behavior. Using the recurrences, polling of content sources as a result of the application requests that would be performed at the mobile device can now be offloaded, to be performed instead, for example, by a proxy server remote from the mobile device in the wireless network, in process 610. The application behavior can be tracked by, for example, a local proxy on the mobile device and communicated to the proxy server as connection metadata, for use in polling the content sources. The local proxy can delays or modifies data prior to transmission to the proxy serve and can additionally identify and retrieve mobile device properties including, one or more of, battery level, network that the device is registered on, radio state, whether the mobile device is being used. The offloading to the proxy server can be performed, for example, when the recurrences match a rule or criteria. In addition, the proxy server and/or the local proxy can delay the delivery of a response received from a content source and/or perform additional modification, etc. For example, the local proxy can delay the presentation of the response via the mobile device to the user, in some instances. Patterns of behavior can include, one or more of, by way of example but not limitation, frequency that requested content is the same, frequency with which a same request is made, interval between requests, applications making a request, frequency of requests at certain times of day, day of week. In addition, multi-application traffic patterns can also be detected and tracked. In process 612, the proxy server can notify the mobile device when content change is detected in response to the polling of the content sources. In one embodiment, cached content, when available, can be provided to satisfy application requests when content change is not detected in the polling of the content sources. For example, the local proxy can include a local cache and can satisfy application requests on the mobile device using cached content stored in the local cache. In one embodiment, the decision to use cached content versus requesting data from the content source is determined based on the patterns in application behavior. In addition, an application profile can be generated, using the application behavior of the multiple applications, in process 614. FIG. 7 depicts a flow chart illustrating an example process for mobile application traffic optimization through data monitoring and coordination in a distributed proxy and cache system. In process 702, a data request made by the mobile application on a mobile device is intercepted. In process 704, a local cache on the mobile device is queried. In process 706, it is determined whether a locally stored valid response exists (e.g., whether a locally stored response is available and if so, if the stored response is still valid. If so, in process 708, the locally stored response to the mobile device without the mobile device needing to access the cellular network If not, a locally stored response is not available, or available but invalid, one or more of several approaches may be taken to optimize the traffic used in the wireless network for satisfying this request, as will be described below. In one example, in process 710, the data request is sent to a remote proxy which forwards the data request to a content source. In general, the remote proxy can delay or modify data from the local proxy prior to transmission to the content sources. In one embodiment, the proxy server can use device properties and/or connection metadata to generate rules for satisfying request of applications on the mobile device. In addition, the proxy server can optionally gather real time traffic information about requests of applications for later use in optimizing similar connections with the mobile device or other mobile devices. In process 712, a response provided by the content source is received through the remote proxy. In one embodiment, the remote proxy can simulate an application server authentication and querying a local cache on the mobile device to retrieve connection information if available or needed to connect to the content source. Upon authentication application server responses for the mobile application can be simulated by the remote proxy on the mobile device for data requests where responses are available in the local cache. In process 714, the response is locally stored as cache entries in a local repository on the mobile device. The local cache entries can be stored for subsequent use in satisfying same or similar data request. In addition, in process 716, data request to the content source is detected to yielded same results to be returned to the mobile device (e.g., detected by the local proxy on the mobile device). In response to such detection, the remote proxy is notified to monitor responses received for the data request from the content source for changed results prior to returning the result to the mobile device. In one embodiment, the local proxy can store the response as a cache entry in the local cache for the data request when the remote proxy is notified to monitor the responses for the data request. In process 722, the remote proxy performs the data request identified for monitoring and notifies the mobile device when an unexpected response to the data request is detected. In process 724. The locally stored response on the mobile device is erased or replaced when notified of the unexpected response to the data request. In another example, when a locally stored response is not available or otherwise invalid, in process 718, a remote proxy is queried for a remotely stored response. In process 720, the remotely stored response is provided to the mobile device without the mobile device needing to access the cellular network. In process 722, the remote proxy performs the data request identified for monitoring and notifies the mobile device when an unexpected response to the data request is detected. In process 724. The locally stored response on the mobile device is erased or replaced when notified of the unexpected response to the data request FIG. 8 depicts a flow chart illustrating an example process for preventing applications from needing to send keep-alive messages to maintain an IP connection with a content server. In process 802, applications attempting to send keep-alive messages to a content server are detected at a mobile device. In process 804, the keep-alive messages are intercepted and prevented from being sent from the mobile device over the wireless network to the content server. Since keep-alives are similar to any other (long-poll) requests—the content on the back end typically does not change and the proxy server can keep polling the content server. In process 806, the keep-alive messages are generated at a proxy server remote from the mobile device and sent from the proxy server to the content server, in process 808. FIG. 9 shows a diagrammatic representation of a machine in the example form of a computer system within which a set of instructions, for causing the machine to perform any one or more of the methodologies discussed herein, may be executed. Establishing the Activity Session An activity session may be recognized and activated based on a predicted activity session by either the proxy server or the local proxy in the following manner. On the device side, application activity after a period of inactivity, during which a potential activity session has been identified, can cause the local proxy to compare the data request to a list of host URLs associated with a predicted/anticipated activity session. If the data activity matches a higher-priority entry in the URL list, for example, based on a priority threshold, the data activity may trigger the start of an activity session based on the predicted activity session. If there is no match or a lower-priority match, then the activity session may not be initiated. Other embodiments may include other prioritization schemes or priority criteria to determine when or if an activity session will be established. A predicted activity session can be recognized and converted to an Activity Session in the host server (proxy server) in a similar manner. In some embodiments, if an activity session is detected or created by the local proxy, the local proxy can request a multiplexed connection be established to optimize the signaling during the session. If an activity session is identified by the server, the existing TCP connection opened from the mobile device can be converted into a multiplexed session and used for the optimized connection. Alternatively, the first data request from the mobile device can be accomplished outside of the multiplexed connection, and the multiplexed connection can be established for subsequent data transfers. Once an activity session is established and has been acknowledged by the local proxy and/or proxy server, the proxy server can now proactively cache data (e.g., access the URLs or application servers/providers anticipated in the predicted activity sessions) for more rapid access to content anticipated to be needed in the predicted activity session. The system can “piggy-back” transfer of the anticipated data with other data requested by the mobile device for caching in the local cache on the mobile device. These mechanisms effectively increase the availability of desired data on the mobile, and shorten the duration of an established connection needed for the present activity session. One example of a use case for the present technology is described as follows: i. Predicting an activity session based on push activity in the idle state: 1. While user is sleeping, his phone has received three push notifications from Facebook, and five emails; 2. When user wakes up and checks his phone, he sees these notifications and emails. His natural tendency is to open these two applications and check his emails and Facebook status; 3. Upon the transition from screen-lock to unlock, the server recognizes that based on the push activity, the user is likely to get access to these two applications. The device sends a state change notification to the server, and in response, the server sends an activity session indicator to the device. The server pre-caches information relevant to the session, and creates a persistent connection with the device to support the activity session; 4. User accesses the services, and is pleased that the relevant data seems to be already on his device; 5. The persistent connection is managed by the device and server to time out based on certain criteria, to maximize device battery life. ii. Predicting an activity session based on a change in geographical location during idle state—as a user moves between locations, the system can recognize that they are more likely to engage in certain requests or activities based on the transit route or the new location. iii. Predicting an activity session based on receiving a phone call in idle state based on previous user behavior, the system now recognizes that the user is likely to engage in certain behaviors upon accessing the call (such as checking a specific applications, making certain updates, accessing certain contacts in the contact book, etc.). Cross Application Traffic Coordination In one embodiment of the invention, a group of applications [A, B, C, . . . ] will have a timeline of transfers of information from the client to the cloud (e.g., the network) or from the cloud to the client, which can be represented as Application A: tA1, tA2, tA3, . . . Application B: tB1, tB2, tB3, . . . Application C: tC1, tC2, tC3, . . . Upon the transition from screen-lock to unlock, the server recognizes that based on where each of these times may have a natural point of occurring based upon the independent activity of that application as its operations are executed in the cloud and/or client. For example, an application may transfer a message or data to the network (or vice versa) at a regular or semiregular series of times as part of a polling, maintenance, or other operation. Similarly, an application may transfer a message or data to the network (or vice versa) at a regular, semiregular, or irregular series of times as part of executing one or more of its inherent functions or operations, such as synchronizing two data stores, determining the contents of a data store, accessing new data from a remote source, exchanging control messages, etc. Initially, at least in some cases, there may be no correlation or at most a weak correlation between the times at which a transfer occurs for one application as compared to a second application. In other cases, there may be a stronger correlation between the times at which a transfer occurs for one application as compared to a second application (e.g., where an operation of a first application is dependent upon or triggers an operation of a second application, or where a user typically executes an operation of one application in conjunction with an operation of a second application). In some embodiments, in order to optimize (typically to minimize) the number of times that a device (e.g., a handset) radio is turned on and thereby reduce its consumption of power (and hence conserve its battery or other power source), the client proxy and server proxy may both operate to intercept these transfers (or requests for transfer) of information and delay the time at which one or more of these transfers would normally occur in order to perform multiple such transfers together as part of a single transfer operation (i.e., instead of performing multiple, individual transfers). The delay time (D) may represent a maximum delay value after receipt of a request to make such a transfer, with the value of D determined so as to enable the collection of as many of the transfers as feasible in a single, optimized data transfer without incurring any undesired penalties or inefficiencies, or having an undesired impact on the user experience. In some embodiments, this may mean that D is determined based on consideration of one or more of the priority of the application (or the relative priority of one application in comparison to another), the nature or amount of data involved in the transfer (e.g., whether it represents fresh data, a housekeeping function, a control instruction, etc.), the status of the application (e.g., active, inactive, background, foreground, etc.), a useable lifetime of the data to be transferred (a period before it becomes stale), the interval between the transfer times for a single application, the interval between the transfer times across more than one application (e.g., the largest transfer time interval based on consideration of all active applications), network characteristics (available bandwidth, network latency, etc.), or another relevant factor. In some embodiments, the size of the delay D can be controlled by the device (and user) as part of optimizing the battery life of the device by enabling the user to force a batch exchange of data in response to the requests of one or more applications instead of performing multiple data transfers. Connection Optimization Techniques are known in the art for reusing TCP connections, such as persistent TCP sessions and TCP connection pooling. Both techniques on the mobile client side allow previously-established TCP connections to the same server to be reused for multiple HTTP transactions, which saves connection establishment and tear-down times between transactions. However, with multiple applications running, and each establishing their own TCP connections to perhaps multiple host servers, there are still potentially many TCP connections being established during a given time of network activity. A benefit of a distributed proxy architecture (such as that described above), where each end-point (i.e., the proxy in the client and the proxy in the server) is well known by the system, is that a single TCP connection can be used to transport all of the application traffic during an established activity session. The WebMUX and SCP protocols allow multiplexing of multiple sessions of application-level protocols (such as HTTP) over a single TCP connection. In one embodiment of the present invention, an activity session may be supported by a multiplexed TCP connection using these or a similar mechanism. In another embodiment, the activity session may be supported by a TCP connection pool, with the connection reuse enhanced by nature of connecting to a single proxy server (or proxy in a server) for all requests. Prediction Basis Mobile application usage is sporadic in nature. Generally, there are periods of user inactivity followed by periods of multiple application usage, such as where a user is updating their Facebook status, sending a Tweet, checking their email, and using other applications to get an update of their online information. This doesn't mean, however, that the mobile device is inactive during user inactivity: the device may be actively downloading new content such as advertisements, polling for email, and receiving push notifications for activities on the Internet. In some situations, the distributed proxy system and architecture described above is designed to eliminate much of this “background” data access in order to improve signaling efficiency and use of network resources. In some embodiments of the present invention, the Traffic Shaping module in the server functions to categorize the activity that is being processed by the server since the last user activity session. The Traffic Shaping module creates a Potential Activity Session for each mobile device, which may include: 1) A list of URLs representing host targets (push notification senders, email hosts, web services); 2) For each URL, a count of pending data that is available to the user for that target URL; and 3) For each URL, a last-accessed time and a frequency of access. Once created, the data may be prioritized based on last accessed time, frequency, pending data count, or other criteria to form a prioritized list of host URL targets. This Potential Activity Session forms the basis for predicting whether a subsequent mobile device data request will activate the session (i.e., turn the Potential Activity Session into an Activity Session). The prioritization or prediction of this occurring may also be based on one or more data types or characteristics, heuristics, algorithms, collaborative filtering techniques, etc. that process data to determine a most likely behavior by a user. For example, the data processing may determine that there is a relatively high correlation between a user accessing one type of application, followed by them accessing a second application. Or, that when a user becomes active on their device after a certain amount of time, they are likely to engage in a series of actions, data requests, etc. Or, that when sufficient new data (notifications, messages, etc.) has become available to the user, they are likely to access it in a certain order (such as by activating a series of applications or generating a series of requests in a certain order). In some embodiments, or in addition to the server prediction approach described above, the client device may use contextual cues available via hardware sensors or application activity indications to predict the likelihood of the start of an activity session. For example, a client-side proxy may monitor location changes in the device to predict that a location update may be sent to, a location-based service, or may monitor user activity at certain geographical locations to set up a Potential Activity Session based on historical application usage at a particular location. The Potential Activity Session, although derived by means of hardware context on the mobile device (e.g., the state or operating status of the device), is typically the same in structure as that created on the server. When WCDMA was specified, there was no or very little attention to requirements posed by applications whose functions are based on actions initiated by the network, in contrast to functions initiated by the user or by the device. Such applications include, for example, push email, instant messaging, visual voicemail and voice and video telephony, and others. Such applications typically require an always-on IP connection and frequent transmit of small bits of data. WCDMA networks are designed and optimized for high-throughput of large amounts of data, not for applications that require frequent, but low-throughput and/or small amounts of data. Each transaction puts radio in a high power mode for considerable length of time—typically between 15-30 seconds. As the high power mode can consume as much as 100x the power as an idle mode, these network-initiated applications drain battery in WCDMA networks very fast. The issue has been exaggerated by the rapid increase of popularity of applications with network-initiated functionalities, such as push email. The obvious lack of proper support has prompted a number of vendors to provide documents to guide their operator partners and independent software vendors to configure their networks and applications to perform better in WCDMA networks. This guidance mainly focus on two things: configuring networks to go to stay on high-power radio mode as short as possible and making periodic keep alive messages that are used to maintain an always-on TCP/IP connection as infrequent as possible. Such solutions typically assume lack of coordination between the user, the application and the network, forcing the network to guess what the application might be doing, and application to act independently of whether user actually is available for taking action on any network initiated activity. Embodiments of the present invention utilize a device client that provides the front-line user interface to users for accessing various services, such as push email, instant messaging, visual voice mail etc. In context of battery conservation, the Device Client observes user activity (for example, by observing user keystrokes, backlight status etc) and alters its own behavior, as well as asks the Communications Server to alter its behavior based on user activity: (1) Cumulating/batching low priority transactions originating from the device and sending them only after user has been inactive for certain period of time. Such low priority transactions may include marking emails read or unread or deleting emails. The logic is that there is no value on sending these transactions while user is engaged with the mobile device. (2) Notifying the Communications Servers when user is inactive—a certain inactivity timeout has been exceeded. On receipt of such notification, the Communication Server may throttle down the frequency of push of new transactions to the device, thus resulting in having radio on high power less frequently. The notification will only be sent to network piggybacking on a receipt of new high importance data, such as new email, for two reasons: (a) as it is the activation of radio that drains battery, sending data to network separately would essentially consume as much battery as sending it as soon as incoming data is received (b) it ensures that user, whenever back with the device, does have the high importance data (such as new email) waiting in the inbox (3) Notifying the Communications Servers once user becomes active again, requesting immediate sending of any buffered data. Additionally, the Device Client, recognizing the time criticality of specific transactions, will interact directly with the radio interface on the device, requesting transmission on lower-power radio modes (where available) for non-critical data and high-power modes for critical data—typically where the data transfer is user-initiated and user is waiting for the response. Also, the Device Client, having the ability to control and cache data transmissions, will interact directly with the radio interface on the device, requesting radio to go idle directly after a transmission if it concludes that the probability of user-initiated time critical transmission is low. This happens, for example, in cases where Device Client has observed certain period of inactivity from the user. As a further component of the presently disclosed invention is a notification server that provides a Network Server the capability to wake up the Device Client when device client is not actively connected to the Network Server. This functionality, originally invented in a patent application referenced below has a side effect of significant power conservation, as the Device Client does not need to maintain an always-on TCP UP connection to allow the Network Server to send updates and notifications to the Device Client. The highest significance of this is that always-on TCP IIP connection requires periodic keep alives that consume significant power. The notification server allows for the switching off of keep alives altogether, as always-on TCP/IP connection is not required, thus reducing need for frequent data transfer that drains battery in especially in WCDMA. The network server acts as the communication link between the Device Clients, Communications Servers and Notification Server. Communication server act as the Device Client's and user's agent in the network, providing connectivity to user's email inbox, instant messaging community, visual voicemail inbox, VoIP community etc. Separate Communication Servers may be used to connect to different services. In context of battery conservation, it performs two tasks. (1) When notified of user inactivity by Device Client, it sustains from sending any data to the Device Client. The sending may be resumed, for example, after a specified time, or by Device Client notifying user being active again (2) In cases where Communications Server can monitor user activity in their own data storage, such as email inbox, it will batch low priority changes (such as deletes or markings as read/unread) until inactivity is observed. The activity in the mailbox can be considered as a proxy that user is active on some other interface to their mailbox, such as their PC, and thus not actively expecting updates to their mobile device. Batching of Low Priority Changes Current design of Cava assumes that the IP connection is always on and immediately sends any and all changes to the other end point. This leads to the ‘real time’ always up to date experience but also to large and undesirable battery drain. The battery drain comes from radio over-head introduced by the device when it sends data. Sending data turns out to be the expensive operation from a power consumption point of view not keeping a connection up. Any time the radio is used to send data—regardless the size of data packet being sent—the radio is left in a high power state for a number of seconds. This causes significant battery drain. This effect is especially strong in UMTS or 3G networks where a minimal radio on event seems to take as much at 2× that of an equivalent 2.5G or GPRS event. In order to minimize the negative battery drain effect we want a process for collecting low priority changes and sending them to the server in batches rather than individually. A priority listing is illustrated in Table I. These proposed changes will affect all accounts/products and are fundamental changes to the ‘always in sync’ nature of our clients. Manual sync—regardless of product should always cause a complete update of the inbox—high and low priority changes should be brought into sync and any data source reliant on a partial poll should complete a full poll and full sync in order to pick up all changes including folder changes, email deletes etc. Client Changes (IP only and Hybrid IP & SMS) Batching Changes Currently all changes are sent as soon as possible from the client to the server. Required Changes 1. The client will not automatically send low priority changes to the server. 2. The client will always send any (all registered accounts) unsent low priority changes to the server with the any high priority change it sends or with or instead of any KA. 3. The client will always immediately respond with any low priority changes if it receives data from the relay server (if a client receives data of any kind, including a ping from the OA admin UI, then the radio has been turned on and we should send low priority changes to the server while it is on) 4. If low priority changes are still unsent after the user has been inactive on their device for 120 secs then any unsent changes should be sent to the server. The inactive time is brandable and defined by brand variable @client.inactivity_low_proirity_operation@ which is set to 120 secs by default. In other words once the inactive time has expired a batch of low priority changes is treated like a high priority change and is sent to the server. a. The inactively we want to track here is the user's interaction on the whole device where possible (J2ME—will have to rely on activity within our client, other platforms we should use the device wide user activity timers). 5. There needs to be a brandable parameter to turn this batching feature on and off. The default for this parameter should be on. Off may be needed for automated testing and load testing. Future requirements may need this on/off control to be visible in the client UI. Device Inactivity. Our different platforms have to implement detection of device inactivity differently. Initial cross code (C++) implementation of this feature sends a low priority change @client.inactivity_low_proirity_operation@ after the last low priority change has been received in the device. Although an improvement, this is not ideal as it does not delay a low priority change while the user reads an already ‘read’ emails or complete other non-changing causing activities like writing an email. WinMo System SEVEN forms a plug-in to the base Operating System in this platform so we can not directly detect when a user is reading emails. The closest we can get to monitoring the user whole device activity is to request the device to notify us when the backlight turns off. The user idle logic for WinMo therefore needs to be: 1. always send pending low priority changes with high priority changes 2. when a low priority change comes in send it after the following wait: a. device screen goes idle and stays idle for @client.idle_delay_low_proirity_operation@ which should be set to 120 secs by default b. maximum [email protected]_delay_low_proirity_operation@ (set to 900 secs by default) from time any low priority change is received. If screen idle cannot be implemented then we will have to rely on a waiting @ client.inactivity_low_proirity_operation@ after the last low priority change has been received in the device, as implemented in the initial coding noted above. Symbian System SEVEN forms a plug-in to the base Operating System in this platform so we can not directly detect when a user is reading emails. The closest we can get to monitoring the user whole device activity is to use a device API that returns the ‘time since last user activity’ (usually a key press). The user idle logic for Symbian can then mirror that for WinMo. If screen idle cannot be implemented then we will have to rely on a waiting @ client.inactivity_low_proirity_operation@ after the last low priority change has been received in the device, as implemented in the initial coding noted above. Brew System SEVEN is the whole of the email application (and more) for BREW, so we have more options available for monitoring user activity. The closest we can get to monitoring the user whole device activity is to periodically poll the device to identify if the backlight is off. This is similar to our current polling for battery level. The user idle logic for Brew can then mirror that for WinMo. If screen idle cannot be implemented then we should watch the user for any interaction with our app (Is the Flash Engine up) and only sent low priority changes @client.inactivity_low_proirity_operation@ seconds after the user stops using us (exits the flash UI) Palm System SEVEN is the whole of the email application for Palm, so we have more options available for monitoring user activity. The closest we can get to monitoring the user whole device activity is to watch for key press′. The user idle logic therefore needs to be: 1. always send pending low priority changes with high priority changes 2. when a low priority change comes in send it after the following wait: a. no device key presses are detected for @client.idle_delay_low_proirity_operation@ which should be set to 120 secs by default b. maximum [email protected]_delay_low_proirity_operation@ (set to 900 secs by default) from time any low priority change is received. If key press monitoring cannot be implemented then we should watch the user for any interaction with our app and only sent low priority changes @client.inactivity_low_proirity_operation@ seconds after the user stops using us. J2ME System SEVEN is the whole of the email application but is limited to working within the J2ME ‘sand box’ on the device. Two ‘styles’ of J2ME exist on phones, one that supports a background mode and one that does not. J2ME can detect key strokes while we are in the foreground mode but not in background. We can also query the device screen and find out if the last screen load we sent is still being shown. The J2ME client also has to deal with the red key which acts as an immediate ‘kill’. The user logic therefore needs to be: 1. always send pending low priority changes with high priority changes 2. add, a challenge screen, such that if a user selects ‘exit’ or minimizes (sends to background) then a screen is shown to the user Title: Pending Changes. Body: You have pending changes. Do you want to send them now? Buttons: Yes, No, If yes is pressed send them, if No then don't until user next opens the client, brings it into the foreground or a high priority event occurs (background sync). Even if the changes don't get send for a while the user is informed. The Application will exit without the ‘pending changes screen when the red end key is pressed or a phone call/SMS interrupts our application, and the user says ‘No’ to a later ‘Resume Application’ prompt. In such cases changes will be sent on the next application start. 3. The J2me app can only go into a background mode if either the user selects to minimize it which is covered in 2 above, or press' a direct suspend button. Because of the direct suspend button, we will need the client_max_delay. The main use case for J2ME is to open the app look at email and close/minimize it again, in which case you will see the challenge screen covered in point 2 above. It will be rare for the app to sit with low priority changes so the added complexity of the client_idle_delay is not justified and is not needed. All connection errors and retries should apply in the same way that they currently do to any device data sends. The end result of these changes is that a user will be able to read and delete their entire inbox without causing the radio to be turned on until they have been inactive for a period of time. This inbox triage is one of the most common activities and currently causes significant battery drain. Pruning Inbox While reviewing power logs it was noticed that we currently prune our inbox in ‘real time’. In other words if the user has their preferences set to ‘keep emails 7 days old’ then the moment that an email becomes 7 days and 1 sec old we initiate an email delete from the client side inbox. This requires a connection to the RS and causes a power event (even if a connection is present). Pruning the inbox is not time sensitive and does not justify additional power events. To minimize power usage we should ‘piggy back’ removal of old emails from our inbox window on other RS communications. Required Changes 1. The client will monitor for pruning events as per current behavior 2. A ‘pending’ pruning event will never trigger a data transfer or connect 3. Pending pruning event will be sent to the server with the next RS communication that takes place. The result of this is that your inbox could become bloated with email that is out of your interest window but only if you have not received new email and have not used the client (sent and email, read/unread email, changed settings etc). Server Changes—WE and EE Connectors Currently the WE and EE connectors are aware of high and low priority changes and attempts to send all changes as soon as possible to the Relay Server (RS). The connector flags the priority of the changes in its message to the RS. If the client is connected the RS delivers the changes and tells the connector that the changes have been delivered. If the client is not connected the RS decides whether it will send an SMS to the client based upon whether the client can receive SMS's (is in Hybrid mode) and on the priority of the changes (SMS's are not sent for low priority changes). It then drops the actual changes and tells the Connector that they have not been delivered. When the client next connects (due to a KA or to the SMS arriving) then the RS tells the connector that the client has connected and the connector sends any undelivered changes to the RS for delivery to the client. Required Changes 1. The connector will not automatically send low priority changes to the client (the change here if to clients operating in IP only mode). (this could be implemented at the RS to mirror the SMS logic if that is easier) 2. The connector will always send any unsent low priority changes to the server with the any high priority change it sends (confirm this is the case) 3. The connector will always immediately respond with any low priority changes if it receives data from a client (if a connector receives data of any kind, including a settings updates, then the radio has been turned on and we should send low priority changes to the client while it is on). It would be nice to include KA's here but currently they are handled by the RS and don't ‘make it’ to the connector. 4. when a low priority change(s) are detected, send it/them after the following wait: a. no activity have been seen on their email for @ server.inactivity_WEEEconnector_delay_low_proirity_operation@ which should be set to 900 secs (15 mins) by default b. maximum wait=@ server.max_WEEEconnector_delay_low_proirity_operation@ (set to 1800 secs by default) from time any low priority change is received. 5. The users inactivity period will be reset if the connector is restarted. The connector has to send a status packet so the radio price has to be paid anyway. All connection errors and retries should apply in the same way that they currently do to any connector data sends. The end result of these changes is that a user will be able to manage a full session from their rich client reading and deleting many emails before causing the radio on their phone to be turned on. This inbox triage is one of the most common activities and currently causes significant battery drain. Server Changes—OWA& CE Connector Currently the OWA & CE connectors have two ways to detect a change. Either they are notified by the data source or poll the data source and detect a change directly. OWA notifications and many ISP notification systems only notify us of high priority changes this is ideal as we then only send high priority changes to the client immediately. In order to pick up any other changes we complete a back ground poll periodically. The polling interval can be set for each ISP and defaults to 5 mins. The 5 minutes is for polling without notifications—if notifications are enabled, we only poll every 5*POLLING_INTERVAL minutes meaning mark-as-reads are discovered potentially 25 minutes they take place Required Changes None CE always sends anything it finds in a poll to the client right away, but only high-priority changes cause a trigger to be sent to the client. So marking emails as read results in a sync package being sent to the client, but if client is not online, the package will be nacked and CE knows changes weren't received, resending them in the next poll. If we receive a notification it will be for a high priority changes and so reacting to it by polling and sending data or an SMS is the correct thing to do. Items to consider for future improvements: 1. The connector will always send any unsent low priority changes to the server with the any high priority change it sends but does not wait for high priority changes before sending the low priority changes, see description above. 2. The connector will always immediately respond with any low priority changes if it receives data from a client (if a connector receives data of any kind, including a settings updates, then the radio has been turned on and we should send low priority changes to the client while it is on). It would be nice to include KA's here but currently they are handled by the RS and don't ‘make it’ to the connector. 3. If we find only low priority changes during a poll and they are still unsent after 3N mins (3 successive polls if account is not receiving notifications) then any unsent changes should be sent to the client. The number (3) should be a parameter that can be easily changed or optimized (@server.max_poll_repeats_low_proirity_operation@). In other words if we have not found a high priority change in 3 polls we send the low priority changes and they would cause an SMS to be sent. a. If the account has received a notification and is in backup polling then the user may get low priority changes following every poll. In this scenario we should not wait 3N mins we should detect that 3N<5N (our next poll) and send them immediately. All connection errors and retries should apply in the same way that they currently do to any connector data sends. Power Save Mode (IP & hybrid SMS Mode) The over view of this mode is as follows: 1. The client monitors user activity on the device (see section below). Each platform will do this in their own way but is it usually done with a backlight state API or monitoring keyboard clicks. If the user is active on the device, push behavior is as currently implemented. In IP only mode always-on-push is maintained in hybrid mode SMS triggers are immediately sent and responded too. 2. After @client.inactivity_power_save_secs@ set to 1200 (20 mins) by default time has expired since the last end user device activity then the device goes into power saving mode. 3. The client waits for the next new email to be delivered by the server (Connect to receive email etc) and responds with a power save RPC call to all the account end points it currently has registered. NOTE this requires a new Sync layer RPC. NOTE this may require multiple RPC calls (one per registered account) but they should be timed to use the same high power radio event, as each other and the reason for the power event in the first place (receiving an email), for example, timed within milliseconds of each other. 4. The power save RPC call will include a time (power save period) indicating to the connectors when the client next wants to receive any changes. 5. The 1st, N power saving periods in a single power save event will be @client.push_batch_period_one_power_save_secs@ set to 900 (15 mins) by default long any additional consecutive power saving periods will be @client.push_batch_period_two_power_save_secs@ set to 3600 (1 hour) by default [email protected]_batch_period_one_repeat_power_save_secs@ set to 4 by default Any activity on the device takes the client out of power saving mode and end that particular power save event. If additional data is received before the end of any one power saving period, then the wait period communicated to the connectors will be the existing period—elapsed time since the power save RPC was sent. 6. When a connector receives a power save notification from a device it stops sending changes (data or SMS's) for the period of time requested (the wait period). At the end of the wait period any notifications received will be acted upon and changes sent to the device as a single event if no notifications come in then true push will resume with the data or an SMS being sent immediately to the device. 7. The wait period must be able to be updated as the client may send additional power saving RPCs (with updated wait times) if multi accounts respond to the end of a wait period with different delays. 8. Coordinating all connectors for a particular device (7TP) address to reach the end of a wait period together would be ideal but is not easily possible and will not be done at this time. This maximizes the chance that any change batches sent to the client from multiple accounts will arrive at the device at the same time and will only cause one power event by strictly adhering the to the wait periods send from the client unless the connector knows that it is ‘running’ slow or always takes x more seconds to complete than our standard WE/EE backend. In this case the connector may start the poll or data collect event x seconds early in order to increase the chance that the client will receive data at their specified time. NOTE this is at best going to increase chances of hitting the powered up window. 9. Whenever new email comes into the client while it is in a power saving mode it responds with the power saving RPC to all end points currently registered. The next power save period will be communicated based on the logic in point 5 above. 10. If the client needs to send a keep-alive while it is in power saving mode then it sends the keep-alive and reconnects if necessary.—optimizing the keep-alive and reconnection logic during power saving mode is an area we will improve on in the future. 11. Whenever the device detects user activity (key press' or backlight on) then it exits' power saving mode, if a power saving period is currently in progress then the client sends a power save cancel RPC to its backend connectors and immediately receives any changes associated with any pending notifications. This may require a poll to be run by the connector after receiving the power saving cancel RPC.If the latest power saving period has expired then no power save cancel RPC is required as the connectors will already be in normal true push operational mode. 12. Devices should come out of and not go into power save mode if they are ‘plugged in’ to charge. 13. Quiet time hours should not affect the calculation of entering power save mode. However we should still respect the quiet time hours and disconnect during them. At the end of a quiet time the client should reconnect and receive any data waiting on the connector but should then immediately send another power save RPC if the device has not shown any end user activity. Note the timing here is critical so that the power event that receives the data should also cover the power save RPC. 14. Power save RPCs should not be retried. We should just wait for the next new mail and send another power save RPC if appropriate. 15. There needs to be a brandable parameter to turn support for power save mode on and off. The default for this parameter should be ‘on’. Off may be needed for automated testing and load testing. Future requirements may need this on/off control to be visible in the client UI. 16. Currently the CE server optimizes load by only polling a CE account once even if a user is accessing that account with two devices. We will poll the account any time either device/account require us too but will only send data to devices who want it (ie are not in power save mode). 17. Calendar and contact changes will continue to be delivered as soon as they are discovered. They will also not trigger a power save response from the client. If sending calendar or contact data. Any pending email data is sent. The end result of these changes is that a user that receives multiple emails while not interacting with their phone will have a significantly prolonged battery life. The more emails a user receives the greater the power savings for their phone. The two user cases that have driven the default parameter settings are the 1-2 hour lunch or meeting—where the system now moves into power saving mode after 30 minutes and then only sync 4 times even if a user received 35 emails in that hour. The other is leaving a phone on over night but with quiet hours set poorly (for example, only quiet for 4 hours 00:00 to 04:0). In this case, a once an hour sync state is provided to thereby preserve your battery despite the short quiet time you have set. In the initial implementation power saving mode will not be respected by the CE connector for accounts that are activated on more than one device. This is because the CE account manager combines accounts into a single poll request for the same account if it is activated on more than one device. The complexity of supporting two polls at different times due to different power saving status of two or more devices is not wanted for the initial implementation. Various platforms implement detection of device activity differently. In one embodiment, the system forms a plug-in to the base Operating System in this platform. One method for monitoring the user device activity is to request the device to notify us when the backlight turns off. The user idle logic is thus: 1. Enter power saving mode: device screen goes idle and stays idle for @client.inactivity_power_save_secs@ set to 1200 by default 2. Exit power saving mode: device screen turns on Another embodiment forms a plug-in to the base Operating System in this platform. One method for monitoring the user device activity is to use a device API that returns the ‘time since last user activity’ (usually a key press). The user idle logic is thus: 1. Enter power saving mode: device screen goes idle and stays idle for @client.inactivity_power_save_secs @ set to 1200 by default Detect this by calling the last user activity API and then waiting until the timer might be up and calling it again to see if the user has remained inactive. 2. Exit power saving mode: Detect activity by calling the last user activity API regularly—every 5 mins. In another embodiment, one method for monitoring the user device activity is to periodically poll the device to identify if the backlight is off. This is similar to our current polling for battery level. The user idle logic is therefor: 1. Enter power saving mode: device screen goes idle and stays idle for @client.inactivity_power_save_secs @ set to 1200 by default We will need to detect this by calling the last user activity API and then waiting until our timer might be up and calling it again to see if the user has remained inactive. 2. Exit power saving mode: Detect activity by calling the last user activity API regularly, such as every 5 mins. In another embodiment, one method for monitoring the user device activity is to watch for key press'. The user idle logic therefore needs to be: 1. Enter power saving mode: if no keys are pressed for @client.inactivity_power_save_secs @ set to 1200 by default 2. Exit power saving mode: on first device key press. Provided herein is an email application that is limited to working within the Java Platform (“J2ME”) ‘sand box’ on the device. Two ‘styles’ of J2ME exist on phones, one that supports a background mode and one that does not. J2ME can detect key strokes while we are in the foreground mode but not in background. One method is to query the device screen and find out if the last screen load that was sent is still being shown. The J2ME client also has to deal with the red key which acts as an immediate ‘kill’. The user logic therefore needs to be: 1. If the application is exited then no changes—there is provided a “would you like to sync?” screen shown on client launch. 2. Enter power saving mode: enters background mode and has been in it for at least @client.inactivity_power_save_secs @ set to 1200 by default OR we are in foreground mode and no keys have been pressed for that amount of time 3. Exit power saving mode: This may be done by going from background mode into foreground mode. OR a key is pressed while we are in foreground mode. 4. All connection errors and retries should apply in the same way that they currently do to any device data sends. Current design of Cava assumes that the IP connection is always on and immediately sends any and all changes to the other end point. This leads to the ‘real time’ always up to date experience but also to large and undesirable battery drain. The battery drain comes from radio over-head introduced by the device when it sends data. Sending data turns out to be the expensive operation from a power consumption point of view not keeping a connection up. Any time the radio is used to send data—regardless the size of data packet being sent—the radio is left in a high power state for a number of seconds. This causes significant battery drain. This effect is especially strong in UMTS or 3G networks where a minimal radio on event seems to take as much at 2× that of an equivalent 2.5G or GPRS event. In order to minimize the negative battery drain we want a process for collecting large numbers of new emails (or high priority changes) and syncing them in batches rather than individually. We are going to achieve this by introducing a ‘power save’ mode. This change is targeted at improving the power performance especially for users who receive a large number of emails during the day. These proposed changes will affect all accounts/products and are fundamental changes to the/always in sync' nature of our clients. In alternative embodiments, the machine operates as a standalone device or may be connected (e.g., networked) to other machines. In a networked deployment, the machine may operate in the capacity of a server or a client machine in a client-server network environment, or as a peer machine in a peer-to-peer (or distributed) network environment. The machine may be a server computer, a client computer, a personal computer (PC), a user device, a tablet PC, a laptop computer, a set-top box (STB), a personal digital assistant (PDA), a cellular telephone, an iPhone, an iPad, a Blackberry, a processor, a telephone, a web appliance, a network router, switch or bridge, a console, a hand-held console, a (hand-held) gaming device, a music player, any portable, mobile, hand-held device, or any machine capable of executing a set of instructions (sequential or otherwise) that specify actions to be taken by that machine. While the machine-readable medium or machine-readable storage medium is shown in an exemplary embodiment to be a single medium, the term “machine-readable medium” and “machine-readable storage medium” should be taken to include a single medium or multiple media (e.g., a centralized or distributed database, and/or associated caches and servers) that store the one or more sets of instructions. The term “machine-readable medium” and “machine-readable storage medium” shall also be taken to include any medium that is capable of storing, encoding or carrying a set of instructions for execution by the machine and that cause the machine to perform any one or more of the methodologies of the presently disclosed technique and innovation. In general, the routines executed to implement the embodiments of the disclosure, may be implemented as part of an operating system or a specific application, component, program, object, module or sequence of instructions referred to as “computer programs.” The computer programs typically comprise one or more instructions set at various times in various memory and storage devices in a computer, and that, when read and executed by one or more processing units or processors in a computer, cause the computer to perform operations to execute elements involving the various aspects of the disclosure. Moreover, while embodiments have been described in the context of fully functioning computers and computer systems, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the various embodiments are capable of being distributed as a program product in a variety of forms, and that the disclosure applies equally regardless of the particular type of machine or computer-readable media used to actually effect the distribution. Further examples of machine-readable storage media, machine-readable media, or computer-readable (storage) media include but are not limited to recordable type media such as volatile and non-volatile memory devices, floppy and other removable disks, hard disk drives, optical disks (e.g., Compact Disk Read-Only Memory (CD ROMS), Digital Versatile Disks, (DVDs), etc.), among others, and transmission type media such as digital and analog communication links. Unless the context clearly requires otherwise, throughout the description and the claims, the words “comprise,” “comprising,” and the like are to be construed in an inclusive sense, as opposed to an exclusive or exhaustive sense; that is to say, in the sense of “including, but not limited to.” As used herein, the terms “connected,” “coupled,” or any variant thereof, means any connection or coupling, either direct or indirect, between two or more elements; the coupling of connection between the elements can be physical, logical, or a combination thereof. Additionally, the words “herein,” “above,” “below,” and words of similar import, when used in this application, shall refer to this application as a whole and not to any particular portions of this application. Where the context permits, words in the above Detailed Description using the singular or plural number may also include the plural or singular number respectively. The word “or,” in reference to a list of two or more items, covers all of the following interpretations of the word: any of the items in the list, all of the items in the list, and any combination of the items in the list. The above detailed description of embodiments of the disclosure is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the teachings to the precise form disclosed above. While specific embodiments of, and examples for, the disclosure are described above for illustrative purposes, various equivalent modifications are possible within the scope of the disclosure, as those skilled in the relevant art will recognize. For example, while processes or blocks are presented in a given order, alternative embodiments may perform routines having steps, or employ systems having blocks, in a different order, and some processes or blocks may be deleted, moved, added, subdivided, combined, and/or modified to provide alternative or subcombinations. Each of these processes or blocks may be implemented in a variety of different ways. Also, while processes or blocks are at times shown as being performed in series, these processes or blocks may instead be performed in parallel, or may be performed at different times. Further any specific numbers noted herein are only examples: alternative implementations may employ differing values or ranges. The teachings of the disclosure provided herein can be applied to other systems, not necessarily the system described above. The elements and acts of the various embodiments described above can be combined to provide further embodiments. Any patents and applications and other references noted above, including any that may be listed in accompanying filing papers, are incorporated herein by reference. Aspects of the disclosure can be modified, if necessary, to employ the systems, functions, and concepts of the various references described above to provide yet further embodiments of the disclosure. These and other changes can be made to the disclosure in light of the above Detailed Description. While the above description describes certain embodiments of the disclosure, and describes the best mode contemplated, no matter how detailed the above appears in text, the teachings can be practiced in many ways. Details of the system may vary considerably in its implementation details, while still being encompassed by the subject matter disclosed herein. As noted above, particular terminology used when describing certain features or aspects of the disclosure should not be taken to imply that the terminology is being redefined herein to be restricted to any specific characteristics, features, or aspects of the disclosure with which that terminology is associated. In general, the terms used in the following claims should not be construed to limit the disclosure to the specific embodiments disclosed in the specification, unless the above Detailed Description section explicitly defines such terms. Accordingly, the actual scope of the disclosure encompasses not only the disclosed embodiments, but also all equivalent ways of practicing or implementing the disclosure under the claims. While certain aspects of the disclosure are presented below in certain claim forms, the inventors contemplate the various aspects of the disclosure in any number of claim forms. For example, while only one aspect of the disclosure is recited as a means-plus-function claim under 35 U.S.C. § 112, 916, other aspects may likewise be embodied as a means-plus-function claim, or in other forms, such as being embodied in a computer-readable medium. (Any claims intended to be treated under 35 U.S.C. § 112, 916 will begin with the words “means for”.) Accordingly, the applicant reserves the right to add additional claims after filing the application to pursue such additional claim forms for other aspects of the disclosure. | <SOH> BACKGROUND <EOH>When WCDMA was specified, there was little attention to requirements posed by applications whose functions are based on actions initiated by the network, in contrast to functions initiated by the user or by the device. Such applications include, for example, push email, instant messaging, visual voicemail and voice and video telephony, and others. Such applications typically require an always-on IP connection and frequent transmit of small bits of data. WCDMA networks are designed and optimized for high-throughput of large amounts of data, not for applications that require frequent, but low-throughput and/or small amounts of data. Each transaction puts the mobile device radio in a high power mode for considerable length of time—typically between 15-30 seconds. As the high power mode can consume as much as 100 x the power as an idle mode, these network-initiated applications quickly drain battery in WCDMA networks. The issue has been exacerbated by the rapid increase of popularity of applications with network-initiated functionalities, such as push email. Lack of proper support has prompted a number of vendors to provide documents to guide their operator partners and independent software vendors to configure their networks and applications to perform better in WCDMA networks. This guidance focuses on: configuring networks to go to stay on high-power radio mode as short as possible and making periodic keep alive messages that are used to maintain an always-on TCP/IP connection as infrequent as possible. Such solutions typically assume lack of coordination between the user, the application and the network. Furthermore, application protocols may provide long-lived connections that allow servers to push updated data to a mobile device without the need of the client to periodically re-establish the connection or to periodically query for changes. However, the mobile device needs to be sure that the connection remains usable by periodically sending some data, often called a keep-alive message, to the server and making sure the server is receiving this data. While the amount of data sent for a single keep-alive is not a lot and the keep-alive interval for an individual application is not too short, the cumulative effect of multiple applications performing this individually will amount to small pieces of data being sent very frequently. Frequently sending bursts of data in a wireless network also result in high battery consumption due to the constant need of powering/re-powering the radio module. | <SOH> BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS <EOH>FIG. 1A illustrates an example diagram of a system where a host server facilitates management of traffic between client devices and an application server or content provider in a wireless network for resource conservation. FIG. 1B illustrates an example diagram of a proxy and cache system distributed between the host server and device which facilitates network traffic management between a device and an application server/content provider for resource conservation. FIG. 2 depicts a block diagram illustrating an example of client-side components in a distributed proxy and cache system residing on a mobile device that manages traffic in a wireless network for resource conservation. FIG. 3 depicts a block diagram illustrating an example of server-side components in a distributed proxy and cache system that manages traffic in a wireless network for resource conservation. FIG. 4 depicts a diagram showing how data requests from a mobile device to an application server/content provider in a wireless network can be coordinated by a distributed proxy system in a manner such that network and battery resources are conserved through using content caching and monitoring performed by the distributed proxy system. FIG. 5 depicts a diagram showing one example process for implementing a hybrid IP and SMS power saving mode on a mobile device using a distributed proxy and cache system (e.g., such as the distributed system shown in the example of FIG. 1B ). FIG. 6 depicts a flow chart illustrating example processes through which application behavior on a mobile device is used for traffic optimization. FIG. 7 depicts a flow chart illustrating an example process for mobile application traffic optimization through data monitoring and coordination in a distributed proxy and cache system. FIG. 8 depicts a flow chart illustrating an example process for preventing applications from needing to send keep-alive messages to maintain an IP connection with a content server. FIG. 9 shows a diagrammatic representation of a machine in the example form of a computer system within which a set of instructions, for causing the machine to perform any one or more of the methodologies discussed herein, may be executed. detailed-description description="Detailed Description" end="lead"? | H04W280289 | 20171201 | 20180322 | 67921.0 | H04W2802 | 1 | PATEL, AJIT | PREDICTIVE FETCHING OF MOBILE APPLICATION TRAFFIC | UNDISCOUNTED | 1 | CONT-ACCEPTED | H04W | 2,017 |
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15,829,465 | PENDING | Portable Renewable Energy Power System | Various examples described herein are directed to portable renewable energy power systems comprising a solar module comprising a plurality of photovoltaic cells; a battery module comprising a plurality of battery cells; a user interface comprising at least one input device and at least one display; an alternating current/direct current (AC/DC) converter; a direct current/alternating current (DC/AC) converter; and a control module comprising at least one processor. | 1. A portable renewable energy power system, the system comprising: a first solar panel carried by an enclosure; a second solar panel hingably attached to the first panel; a strut carried by the enclosure for supporting the solar panels away from the enclosure; a deployed position wherein the solar panels are exposed; an un-deployed position wherein the solar panels are received within the enclosure; a battery module; an alternating current/direct current (AC/DC) converter; a direct current/alternating current (DC/AC) converter; and, a control module programmed to configure the system among a plurality of configurations including: an external charge configuration wherein in the external charge configuration, the system is configured to receive an alternating current (AC), convert the AC to a direct current (DC) with the AC/DC converter, and provide the DC to charge the battery module; a solar charge configuration wherein in the solar charge configuration, the system is configured to receive solar generated power generated by the first solar panel and the second solar panel, and charge the battery with the solar generated power; a battery only configuration wherein in the battery only configuration, the system is configured to convert the DC from the battery to an output AC with the DC/AC converter and an output DC; a solar only configuration wherein in the solar only configuration, the system is configured to convert the DC from the first solar panel and the second solar panel to an output AC with the DC/AC converter and an output DC; and, a solar and battery configuration wherein in the solar and battery configuration, the system is configured to convert the DC from the first solar panel, second solar panel, and battery to an output AC with the DC/AC converter and an output DC. 2. The system of claim 1 including a first side included in the enclosure and hingably connected to a second side. 3. The system of claim 1 including a handle carried by the enclosure. 4. The system of claim 1 including a plurality of power connectors. 5. The system of claim 1, wherein the first solar panel includes a plurality of photovoltaic cells that comprise at least one photovoltaic cell selected from the group consisting of: a monocrystalline silicon solar cell, a polycrystalline silicon solar cell, a string ribbon solar cell, a thin-film solar cell, an amorphous silicon solar cell, a cadmium telluride (CdTe) solar cell, and a copper indium gallium selenide (CIS/CIGS) solar cell. 6. The system of claim 1 wherein the plurality of battery cells comprises at least one battery cell selected from the group consisting of: a lithium-ion cell, a nickel-cadmium cell, and a lead-acid cell. 7. The system of claim 1 including corner guards carried by the enclosure. 8. The system of claim 1 wherein the un-deployed position includes a configuration wherein the first solar panel is folded on to the second solar panel within the enclosure and the first solar panel and the second solar panel are disposed. 8. A portable renewable energy power system, the system comprising: an enclosure having a first side hingably attached to the second side carried by the enclosure; a deployed position wherein the first solar panel and the second solar panel are exposed and face away from the enclosure; an un-deployed position wherein the first solar panel and second solar panel are received within the enclosure and covered by the first side and the second side; a battery module carried by the enclosure; an alternating current/direct current (AC/DC) converter carried by the enclosure; a direct current/alternating current (DC/AC) converter carried by the enclosure; and, a control module programmed to configure the system among a plurality of configurations including: an external charge configuration wherein in the external charge configuration, the system is configured to receive an alternating current (AC), convert the AC to a direct current (DC) with the AC/DC converter, and provide the DC to charge the battery module; a solar charge configuration wherein in the solar charge configuration, the system is configured to receive solar generated power generated from at least of the first solar panel and the second solar panel, and charge the battery with the solar generated power; and, a solar and battery configuration wherein in the solar and battery configuration, the system is configured to convert the DC from at last one of the first solar panel and the second solar panel, and battery to an output AC with the DC/AC converter and an output DC. 10. The system of claim 9 wherein at least one of the first solar panel and the second solar panel is foldable along a hinge. 11. The system of claim 9 including a strut carried by the enclosure for supporting at least one of the first solar panel and the second solar panel away from the enclosure. 12. The system of claim 9 wherein the control module is further programmed to configure the system according to a hybrid power configuration wherein in the hybrid power configuration, the system is configured to receive a solar generated power, convert the solar generated power to a solar AC with the DC/AC converter, provide the solar AC to a load, determine that the solar AC is insufficient to drive the load, convert a battery generated power to a battery AC with the DC/AC converter, and provide the battery AC to the load. 13. A portable renewable energy power system, the system comprising: an enclosure having a solar module, a battery module, an alternating current/direct current (AC/DC) converter and a direct current/alternating current (DC/AC) converter; a control module carried by the enclosure comprising at least one processor, wherein the control module is programmed to configure the system according to: a solar charge configuration wherein in the solar charge configuration, the system is configured to receive solar generated power generated by the solar module and charge the battery with the solar generated power; a battery only configuration wherein in the battery only configuration, the system is configured to convert the DC from the battery to an output AC with the DC/AC converter and an output DC; a solar only configuration wherein in the solar only configuration, the system is configured to convert the DC from the solar module to an output AC with the DC/AC converter and an output DC; a solar and battery configuration wherein in the solar and battery configuration, the system is configured to convert the DC from the solar module and battery to an output AC with the DC/AC converter and an output DC; and, a hybrid power configuration wherein in the hybrid power configuration, the system is configured to receive a solar generated power, convert the solar generated power to a solar AC with the DC/AC converter; provide the solar AC to a load, determine that the solar AC is insufficient to drive the load, convert a battery generated power signal to a battery AC with the DC/AC converter; and, provide the battery AC to the load. 14. The system of claim 13 including a strut carried by the enclosure for positioning a solar panel included in the solar module away from the enclosure. 15. The system of claim 14 wherein the strut includes an extended position and a retracted position. 16. The system of claim 14 including a second solar panel included in the solar module and foldable along a hinge. 17. The system of claim 13 including a first side hingably attached to the second side. 18. The system of claim 13 including: a deployed position wherein the first solar panel and the second solar panel are exposed; and, an un-deployed position wherein the first solar panel and the second solar panel are positioned in the enclosure. 19. The system of claim 13 wherein the solar module is hingably attached to the enclosure. 20. The system of claim 13 including a user interface having a display. | PRIORITY CLAIM This application claims the benefit of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/630,341 filed on Feb. 24, 2015, which in turn claims priority on Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/966,378 filed on Feb. 24, 2014, which are incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. BACKGROUND Various examples described herein are directed to portable renewable energy power systems and methods of operating the same. FIGURES Various examples are described herein in conjunction with the following figures, wherein: FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing one example of a portable power system. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing another example of a portable power system. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing another example of a portable power system positioned in an example enclosure. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of an enclosure comprising deployable solar panels. FIG. 5 shows diagrams of various examples of enclosures that may be utilized with portable renewable energy power systems. DESCRIPTION Various examples described herein are directed to portable renewable energy power systems (portable power systems) and methods of operating the same. Various portable power systems described herein may comprise a solar array-based battery charging system and a power inverter to generate outputs such as, for example, alternating current (AC). Portable power systems, as described herein, may be housed in a briefcase-type enclosure having dimensions similar to that of a briefcase. Various examples of portable power systems described herein may serve as power sources in remote locations or in back-up situations where the power supply must be portable, and/or if other power sources are not available. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing one example of a portable power system 10. The portable power system may comprise various components including, for example, a solar module 14, a battery module 18, a control module 16, a user interface module 20, one or more power connectors 22 and one or more converters 24. The modules 14, 16, 18, 20, 22, and 24 may positioned in an enclosure 12. In various examples, the various components of the portable power system 10 may be sized to enhance portability. For example, the enclosure 12 may have a size comparable to that of a briefcase or suitcase. The various components positioned in the enclosure 12 may be sized to fit within the enclosure, allowing the system 10 to be moved from place-to-place. The solar module 14 may comprise any suitable type of photovoltaic cell or other device for converting solar energy into electricity. For example, the solar module 14 may comprise an array of photovoltaic cells. When the solar module 14 comprises photovoltaic cells, any suitable type of cell may be used including, for example, monocrystallinc silicon solar cells, polycrystallinc silicon solar cells, string ribbon solar cells, thin-film solar cells, amorphous silicon solar cells, cadmium telluride (CdTc) solar cells, copper indium gallium selenide (C1S/CIGS) solar cells, etc. In some examples, the solar module may comprise an array of photovoltaic cells configured to provide fifteen (15) Watts (W) of power at a maximum voltage of twenty-four (24) Volts. In some examples, the solar module may comprise an array of photovoltaic cells configured to provide about one hundred and fifty (150) W. The battery module 18 may comprise one or more battery cells. The battery cells may be charged either from an external power source and/or by the solar module 14. Battery cells included in the battery module 18 may be of any suitable type including, for example, lithium-ion cells, nickel-cadmium cells, lead-acid cells, etc. In some example, the battery module 18 may comprise four sealed lead acid battery cells connected in series. Each of the sealed lead acid battery cells may have a capacity of twelve (12) amp-hours and a voltage of six (6) Volts (V). Converter module 24 may comprise one or more power converters 30 and 32 for converting power between alternating current (AC) and direct current (DC). An AC/DC converter 30 may convert alternating current to direct current. The AC/DC converter 30 may be configured to receive power from an external source (e.g., an electric outlet powered by the electric grid) and convert the received power to direct current for charging battery cells comprising the battery module 18. In this way, a user may plug-in the system 10 to charge the battery module 18. Any suitable AC/DC converter architecture may be used. In some examples, the AC/DC converter 30 may receive an input of between one hundred (100) and two-hundred and forty (240) V at between fifty (50) Hertz (Hz) and sixty (60) Hz. The AC/DC converter 30 may provide a direct current output of between twelve (12) V and twenty-four (24) V, with a maximum output current of ten (10) V at two-hundred and forty (240) W. In some embodiments, the AC/DC converter 30 may be solid state, for example, the AC/DC converter 30 may not have any moving parts. The AC/DC converter 30 may be configured to maximize battery life and minimize heat generation. In some examples, the converter may comprise a processor configured to execute battery management software. The battery management software may be configured to enhance battery life by sampling and adjusting the power in and out. Any suitable sampling and/or adjusting rate may be used. In this way, heat and strain on the circuits of the system may be reduced. The converter module 24 may also comprise a DC/AC converter 32. The DC/AC converter 32 may be configured to receive power from a DC source, such as the solar module 14 and/or the battery module 18, and convert the received power into an AC current that may be used by traditional devices designed for use on an AC power grid. The DC/AC converter 32 may receive an input of about twelve (12) V and provide an AC output of between one-hundred fifteen (115) V and two-hundred and forty (240) V at between fifty (50) Hertz (Hz) and sixty (60) Hz. In some examples, the maximum output power is one-hundred fifty (150) W. Power connector module 22 may comprise various connectors for providing and receiving power. For example, the power connector module 22 may comprise a connector for connecting the system 10 to a standard power grid to receive power, for example, to charge battery cells of the battery module 18. The power connector module 22 may also comprise one or more connectors for connecting the system 10 to one or more devices to be powered by the system (e.g., from the battery module 18 and/or the solar module 14). In some examples, a single connector may be used to both provide power to the system 10 from a standard power grid and to provide power from the system 10 to one or more devices. The user interface 20 may comprise various components allowing a user to interact with and configure the system 10. The user interface 20 may comprise one or more displays 24, one or more input devices 26, one or more indicator lamps 27, and one or more power switches 28. The display 24 may comprise any suitable type of display including, for example, a display screen, a speaker, etc. The input device 26 may comprise any suitable device for providing input to the system including, for example, a keypad, a pointing device such as a mouse or touchpad, embedded membrane switches, etc. In some examples, the user interface 20 may comprise a touch screen that forms all or part of the display(s) 24 and all or part of the input device(s). In some examples, a touchpad may comprise a 1.7 inch diagonal liquid crystal display (LCD) integrated with an overlaid touch sensor and polyester overlay. Indicator lamps 27 may include lamps such as light emitting diodes (LEDs) or other suitable lamps. For example, indicator lamps 27 may indicate a mode or configuration of the system 10. The power switch 28 may be actuatable to turn the system 10 on and/or off. The control module 16 may comprise one or more microprocessors and/or other control components configured to control the operation of the system 10. Any suitable microprocessor may be used. In some examples, the control module 16 may utilize a CORTEX M-3 microprocessor available from ARM. In some examples, the control module 16 may utilize an embedded microcontroller architecture. The control module 16 may be programmed to configure and monitor functional states of the system 10, monitor the condition of the battery module 18, and provide a graphical user interface (GUI) via the components of user interface 20. In some examples, the control module 16 may utilize one or more relays, transistors, or other switching elements to change the configuration or functional state of the system, for example, by changing the connectivity between the various components of the system 10. The system 10 may comprise various configurations or functional states that may be set by the control module 16, for example, in response to input received via the user interface 20. According to an external charge configuration, the control module 16 may configure the system 10 to receive an AC signal via a power connector 22, convert the AC signal to a DC signal utilizing the AC/DC converter 30, and provide the DC signal to the battery module 18 to charge the battery cells. According to an internal charge configuration, the control module 16 may configure the system to route a DC signal generated by the solar module 14 to the battery module 18 to charge the battery cells. In some examples, the control system and/or the converter module 24 may comprise components for performing suitable AC/DC conversion to the DC signal generated by the solar module 14 so as to make it suitable for charging the battery module 18. According to a hybrid power configuration, the control module 16 may configure the system 10 to provide power to an external load (e.g., via power connector 22) from the solar module 14 and/or the battery module 18. For example, in the hybrid power configuration, the external load may be driven by the solar module 14 if it is providing enough power to drive the load (e.g., if the solar cells are deployed and in sufficient sunlight). If the solar module 14 does not provide sufficient power to drive the load, it may be supplemented by the battery module 18. According to a battery-only configuration, the control module 16 may configure the system 10 to provide power to the load from the battery only. According to a solar-only configuration, the control module 16 may configure the system 10 to provide power from the solar module 14 only. In some examples, the control module 16 may configure the system 10 to allow the solar module 14 to charge the battery module 18 while the system 10 is powering a load. For example, in the solar-only configuration and hybrid power configuration, the control module 16 may configure the system 10 such that solar power (if any) above what is needed to drive the load is provided to charge the battery module 18. In the battery-only mode, any power generated by the solar module 14 may be provided to charge the battery module 18. The enclosure 12 may be made from any suitable material including, for example, plastic or plastic alloy components. For example, the enclosure 12 may comprise components made from injection-molded acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) or a suitable alloy thereof. In some examples, tooling may be developed for each plastic component. In some examples, the enclosure 12 may be made from a material that is impervious to deteriorative elements that are expected to be encountered during normal use such as, for example, outer elements such as snow, wind, and rain, knocks and bumps as users carry the system 10 from place to place, etc. In some examples, the enclosure 12 may be designed to support operational integrity and ergonomic factors in multiple orientations, as described herein. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing another example of a portable power system 50. In some examples, the portable power system 50 is an implementation of the system 10 described herein above. The system may comprise one or more solar panels 52, for example, part of the solar module 14 described above. The system 50 may additionally comprise a charger/controller board 78. For example, the charger/controller board 78 may comprise components for implementing the control module 16 including, for example, one or more microprocessors, microcontrollers, digital signal processors (DSPs), etc. The charger/controller board 78 may be in communication with batteries 80, which may make up all or part of the battery module 18. The charger controller board 78 may additionally be in communication with an AC/DC power converter 74 and a DC/AC converter or AC inverter 76. The power converter 74 may be connected to receive an AC input 82 and provide a DC output. The DC output may be connected by the charger/controller board 78 to charge the batteries 80 and/or may be connected to a DC output port 84, for example, to power devices configured to operate on a DC rail, such as twelve (12) V. The AC inverter 76 may be connected to receive a DC signal (e.g., from the power converter 74 and/or the solar panel 52). The DC signal may be provided to an AC out port 86. For example, the AC out port 86, the DC out port 84, and the AC input port 82 may be part of the power connector module 22 described herein. In some examples, the system 50 further comprise an LED lamp 53, which may provide light to users configuring the device. A control panel 62 may comprise components making up the user interface 20 described herein above. For example, the control panel may comprise an LED lamp switch 56, which may be operative to light and extinguish the LED lamp 53. A power switch 58 may turn power to the system 50 on and off. A mode selector 60 may comprise a rotary or other switch allowing a user to select a configuration for the system 50. The display 64 may comprise an LCD touchscreen, as described above. A solar indicator LED or other lamp 66 may be programmed to light when the solar panel 52 is generating an electric signal. A battery indicator LED or other lamp may be programmed to light when the battery has reached a predetermined state (e.g., fully charged, nearly discharged, etc.). A low power LED 70 may be programmed to light when the system 50 is not capable of delivering its indicated power. A load indicator LED 72 may be configured to light when a load is present (e.g., across the AC output 86). FIG. 3 is a diagram showing one example of a portable power system 100 positioned in an example enclosure 101. The enclosure 101 may be made of any suitable material, for example, as described herein. In various examples, the enclosure 101 may comprise a handle 102 allowing the system 100 to be lifted and transported, for example, by a single human user. The example enclosure 101 may open along a seam 110. In some examples, components making up the user interface 20 are positioned inside the enclosure 101, for example, to provide protection from the elements. Latches 104 may secure the enclosure 101 in the closed position that is shown. In some examples, the enclosure 101 may be made from a plastic, as described, with corner guards 108 made from a metal, such as steel. The enclosure 101 shown in FIG. 3 comprises an externally positioned solar panel 106. Input knobs 116, 114 and a touch screen 112 may provide input and output capabilities for controlling the system 100. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of an enclosure 201 comprising deployable solar panels 202, 204. The enclosure 201 is shown in an open position with the solar panels 202, 204, deployed. An extendable strut 212 may support the panel 204 as shown. The panels may be un-deployed by folding panel 204 onto panel 202 along hinges 206. The two panels may be folded over a remainder of the enclosure 201 to transition to a closed state with the panels 202, 204 positioned inside the enclosure 201. The strut 212 may be retracted as the panels 204, 206 are un-deployed. Display lamps 214 are also positioned on an exterior of the enclosure 201. In one embodiment, the strut can be external to the enclosure as shown by 212. In one embodiment, the strut can be carried internal to the enclosure as shown 213. FIG. 5 shows diagrams of various examples of enclosures that may be utilized with portable renewable energy power systems. An enclosure 302 may comprise a hard shell material (e.g., plastic, metal, or other suitable material), have a first side 303, a second side 301, and may be hinged to open along hinge 305. The enclosure 302 also comprises a handle 304 for carrying. A solar panel 322 comprising an array of solar cells may be positioned on an exterior portion of the enclosure. An enclosure 306 may be made from a soft nylon material. The enclosure 306 may comprise an external solar panel 307 and may hinge about hinge 309. In some examples, the enclosure 306 may be secured in the closed position by a zipper or other suitable fastener. The enclosure 306 may be usable in multiple orientations. For example, a user may transport the enclosure 306 by grasping handles 308. In some examples, the user may also transport the enclosure 306 utilizing the handle strap 310. The enclosure 312 may hinge about hinge 311 and may comprise a handle 314 for carrying. The enclosure 316 may also hinge about a hinge 315 and may comprise a handle 318 and carrying strap 320. The enclosure 316 may additionally comprise an exterior solar panel 324. In some examples, multiple portable power systems may be connected in parallel and/or series to act as a single power system. For example, power systems may be connected in series to increase the available voltage output. Power systems may be connected in parallel, for example, to increase the available current and power output. Each power system may be configurable by its control module 16 for multi-unit connection. In various examples, components of portable power systems described herein may be selected such that the portable power systems meet certain operating parameters. Some examples of portable power systems may be configured to operate between −30° and 70° C. and to tolerate storage at temperatures between −40° and 85° C. Some examples of portable power systems may be configured to operate and be stored at humidity levels between 10% and 95%. Some examples of portable power systems may be configured to operate between 0 and 10,000 feet and be stored between 0 and 40,000 feet. Some examples of portable power systems may be configured to operate through vibrations of 20 Hz to 50 Hz, 10 meters/second2, 0.5 oct/min, along 3 axes. Some examples of portable power systems may be configured to have a shock resistance of at least 294 meters/second2. Some examples of portable power systems may be configured to meet International Protection Specification IP65. Some examples of portable power systems may be configured to meet EN 55022/FCC Class A (Class B targeted) standards for radio disturbance characteristics for information technology equipment. Some examples of portable power systems may be configured to meet EN 55024 immunity characteristics and limits for information technology equipment. Some examples of portable power systems may be configured to be compliant with RoHS environmental regulations. Reference in the specification to, “examples,” “various examples,” “some examples,” etc. means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the examples is included in at least one example of the invention. The appearances of the above-referenced phrases in various places in the specification are not necessarily all referring to the same example. Reference to examples is intended to disclose examples, rather than limit the claimed invention. While the invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to several examples, it will be understood by persons skilled in the relevant art that various changes in form and details can be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. It should be noted that the language used in the specification has been principally selected for readability and instructional purposes, and may not have been selected to delineate or circumscribe the inventive subject matter. Accordingly, the present disclosure is intended to be illustrative, but not limiting, of the scope of the invention. It is to be understood that the figures and descriptions of example embodiments of the present disclosure have been simplified to illustrate elements that are relevant for a clear understanding of the present disclosure, while eliminating, for purposes of clarity, other elements, such as, for example, details of system architecture. Those of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that these and other elements may be desirable for practice of various aspects of the present examples. However, because such elements are well known in the art, and because they do not facilitate a better understanding of the present disclosure, a discussion of such elements is not provided herein. It is to be understood that the figures and descriptions of example embodiments of the present disclosure have been simplified to illustrate elements that are relevant for a clear understanding of the present disclosure, while eliminating, for purposes of clarity, other elements, such as, for example, details of system architecture. Those of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that these and other elements may be desirable for practice of various aspects of the present examples. However, because such elements are well known in the art, and because they do not facilitate a better understanding of the present disclosure, a discussion of such elements is not provided herein. It can be appreciated that, in some examples of the present methods and systems disclosed herein, a single component can be replaced by multiple components, and multiple components replaced by a single component, to perform a given command or commands. Except where such substitution would not be operative to practice the present methods and systems, such substitution is within the scope of the present disclosure. Examples presented herein, including operational examples, are intended to illustrate potential implementations of the present method and system examples. It can be appreciated that such examples are intended primarily for purposes of illustration. No particular aspect or aspects of the example method, product, computer-readable media, and/or system examples described herein are intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure. It will be appreciated that the various components of the environment 100 may be and/or be executed by any suitable type of computing device including, for example, desktop computers, laptop computers, mobile phones, palm top computers, personal digital assistants (PDA's), etc. As used herein, a “computer,” “computer system,” “computer device,” or “computing device,” may be, for example and without limitation, either alone or in combination, a personal computer (PC), server-based computer, main frame, server, microcomputer, minicomputer, laptop, personal data assistant (PDA), cellular phone, pager, processor, including wireless and/or wireline varieties thereof, and/or any other computerized device capable of configuration for processing data for standalone application and/or over a networked medium or media. Computers and computer systems disclosed herein may include operatively associated memory for storing certain software applications used in obtaining, processing, storing and/or communicating data. It can be appreciated that such memory can be internal, external, remote, or local with respect to its operatively associated computer or computer system. Memory may also include any means for storing software or other instructions including, for example and without limitation, a hard disk, an optical disk, floppy disk, ROM (read only memory), RAM (random access memory), PROM (programmable ROM), EEPROM (extended erasable PROM), and/or other like computer-readable media. Some portions of the above disclosure are presented in terms of methods and symbolic representations of operations on data bits within a computer memory. These descriptions and representations are the means used by those skilled in the art to most effectively convey the substance of their work to others skilled in the art. A method is here, and generally, conceived to be a sequence of actions (instructions) leading to a desired result. The actions are those requiring physical manipulations of physical quantities. Usually, though not necessarily, these quantities take the form of electrical, magnetic or optical signals capable of being stored, transferred, combined, compared and otherwise manipulated. It is convenient at times, principally for reasons of common usage, to refer to these signals as bits, values, elements, symbols, characters, terms, numbers, or the like. Furthermore, it is also convenient at times, to refer to certain arrangements of actions requiring physical manipulations of physical quantities as modules or code devices, without loss of generality. It should be borne in mind, however, that all of these and similar terms are to be associated with the appropriate physical quantities and are merely convenient labels applied to these quantities. Unless specifically stated otherwise as apparent from the preceding discussion, it is appreciated that throughout the description, discussions utilizing terms such as “processing”, “computing”, “calculating”, “determining”, “displaying”, or the like, refer to the action and processes of a computer system, or similar electronic computing device, that manipulates and transforms data represented as physical (electronic) quantities within the computer system memories or registers or other such information storage, transmission or display devices. Certain aspects of the present disclosure include process steps and instructions described herein in the form of a method. It should be noted that the process steps and instructions of the present disclosure can be embodied in software, firmware or hardware, and when embodied in software, can be downloaded to reside on and be operated from different platforms used by a variety of operating systems. The present disclosure also relates to an apparatus for performing the operations herein. This apparatus may be specially constructed for the required purposes, or it may comprise a general-purpose computer selectively activated or reconfigured by a computer program stored in the computer. Such a computer program may be stored in a computer readable storage medium, such as, but is not limited to, any type of disk including floppy disks, optical disks, CD-ROMs, magnetic-optical disks, read-only memories (ROMs), random access memories (RAMs), EPROMs, EEPROMs, magnetic or optical cards, application specific integrated circuits (ASICs), or any type of media suitable for storing electronic instructions, and each coupled to a computer system bus. Furthermore, the computers and computer systems referred to in the specification may include a single processor or may be architectures employing multiple processor designs for increased computing capability. The methods and systems presented herein, unless indicated otherwise, are not inherently related to any particular computer or other apparatus. Various general-purpose systems may also be used with programs in accordance with the teachings herein, or it may prove convenient to construct more specialized apparatus to perform the disclosed method actions. The structure for a variety of these systems will appear from the above description. In addition, although some of the examples herein are presented in the context of a particular programming language, the present disclosure is not limited to any particular programming language. It will be appreciated that a variety of programming languages may be used to implement the teachings of the present disclosure as described herein, and any references above to specific languages are provided for disclosure of enablement and best mode of the present disclosure. The term “computer-readable medium” as used herein may include, for example, magnetic and optical memory devices such as diskettes, compact discs of both read-only and writeable varieties, optical disk drives, and hard disk drives. A computer-readable medium may also include non-transitory memory storage that can be physical or virtual. | <SOH> BACKGROUND <EOH>Various examples described herein are directed to portable renewable energy power systems and methods of operating the same. | H01M10465 | 20171201 | 20180329 | 81809.0 | H01M1046 | 1 | BERHANU, SAMUEL | Portable Renewable Energy Power System | SMALL | 1 | CONT-ACCEPTED | H01M | 2,017 |
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15,829,466 | PENDING | VAPORIZER CARTRIDGE SYSTEM | A vaporizer for vaporizing flavored liquids is disclosed. The vaporizer includes a mouthpiece, a tank, and an atomizer. The atomizer includes an absorbent pad and a porous bar adjacent a heating element. Liquid flows from the tank onto the absorbent pad and into pores of the porous bar. The heating elements heats the bar, vaporizing the liquid which is then exhausted through the mouthpiece. | 1. A vaporizer, comprising: an annular tank having an outer wall, an inner wall, an annular space defined by an inner surface of the outer wall and an outer surface of the inner wall, and a passageway defined by an inner surface of the inner wall; a mouth piece coupled to an upper end of the annular tank, the mouth piece having an opening in fluid communication with the passageway; and an atomizer assembly coupled to a lower end of the annular tank, the atomizer assembly having an absorbent pad in fluid communication with the annular space, a porous wick in contact with the absorbent pad and in fluid communication with the passageway, and a heating element in contact with the porous wick. 2. The vaporizer according to claim 1, the annular tank further comprising a web connecting the inner wall to the outer wall. 3. The vaporizer according to claim 2, wherein the web has a lower surface and an at least one fluid passageway for fluidly connecting the annular space to the atomizer assembly. 4. The vaporizer according to claim 1, further including a funnel shaped opening. 5. The vaporizer according to claim 1, further including a groove ring for collecting condensed vapor. 6. The vaporizer according to claim 1, wherein the porous wick comprises a porous bar, and the atomizer assembly further comprises a porous bar support structure positioned perpendicularly to a lengthwise axis of the vaporizer. 7. The vaporizer according to claim 6, wherein the porous bar is in proximity to or in contact with the heating element. 8. The vaporizer according to claim 1, further comprising a groove ring and an absorbent collection pad disposed in the groove ring for collecting condensed vapor. 9. The vaporizer according to claim 1, further comprising a power unit, said power unit comprising an outer body, and a circuit board having conductive pads, wherein the vaporizer includes a capacitive touchscreen display in proximity to said circuit board, and the circuit board is electrically connected to the display through the use of spring loaded pins in contact with the conductive pads, and the display is in electrical connection with the power unit. | CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 62/429,476, filed Dec. 2, 2016 and U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 62/465,381, filed Mar. 1, 2017, the disclosures of each of which are hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entireties. BACKGROUND 1. Technical Field Text This disclosure relates generally to vaporizers, which may also be referred to as electronic cigarettes. 2. Background Information Vaporizers have recently emerged as a new product for providing nicotine and other products through a smokeless inhalation process. There are many embodiments of vaporizers including the electronic cigarette. Most implementations consist of a power supply (typically a battery) and an atomizing device. In reusable electronic cigarettes the two items are separated into a battery and a cartomizer, to allow the disposal and replacement of the nicotine containing fluid cartomizer while preserving the more costly battery and associated circuitry (microcontroller, switch, indicating LED, etc.) In disposable electronic cigarettes the two items are combined to integrate the functions into one unit that is disposed of after either the battery energy or the nicotine containing E-liquid is exhausted. The E-liquid that is used to produce vapor in electronic cigarettes is generally a solution of one or more of propylene glycol (PG) and/or vegetable glycerin (VG) and/or polyethylene glycol 400 (PEG400) mixed with concentrated flavors, and optionally, a variable percentage of a liquid nicotine concentrate. This liquid may be termed an “E-liquid” and is often sold in a bottle or in disposable cartridges or cartomizers. Many different flavors of such E-liquids are sold, including flavors that resemble the taste of regular tobacco, menthol, vanilla, coffee, cola and various fruits. Various nicotine concentrations are also available, and nicotine-free E-Liquids are also common. BRIEF SUMMARY A vaporizer for vaporizing liquids is disclosed. In one aspect, a vaporizer includes an annular tank, a mouth piece, and an atomizer. The annular tank has an outer wall, an inner wall, an annular space defined by an inner surface of the outer wall and an outer surface of the inner wall, and a passageway defined by an inner surface of the inner wall. The mouth piece is coupled to an upper end of the annular tank and has an opening in fluid communication with the passageway. The atomizer is coupled to a lower end of the annular tank and has an absorbent pad in fluid communication with the annular space, a porous ceramic wick in contact with the absorbent pad and in fluid communication with the passageway, and a heating element in contact with the ceramic wick. In another aspect a vaporizer includes a tank and a reusable atomizer. The tank includes an internal chamber for housing product, a passage through the tank for conveying vapor, and a mouthpiece for outletting the vapor. The reusable atomizer includes a receiver for receiving product, a heater configured to produce vapor from the product, and an outlet for directing vapor from the reusable atomizer. The tank and reusable atomizer are releasably coupled to one another in a configuration aligning the receiver with an outlet of the internal chamber and the outlet with an inlet of the receiver. In another aspect, a power unit for a vaporizer includes a body, a battery disposed within the body, a printed circuit board disposed within the body, an interface disposed on an outer surface of the body. The interface is in electrical communication with the printed circuit board through spring loaded pins. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 illustrates an exploded view of an embodiment of a vaporizer. FIG. 2 illustrates a cross-section of the vaporizer of FIG. 1. FIG. 3 illustrates a cross-section of an embodiment of a liquid tank. FIG. 4 illustrates a side view of an embodiment of a mouthpiece and an atomizer. FIG. 5 illustrates a cross-section of the embodiments of FIG. 4. FIG. 6 illustrates a perspective, exploded view of the embodiment for the atomizer of FIG. 4. FIG. 7 illustrates a cross-section of an embodiment of a vaporizer. FIG. 8 illustrates a cross-section of the embodiment of FIG. 7. FIG. 9 illustrates a side view of an embodiment of a vaporizer. FIG. 10 illustrates a top view of an embodiment of a vaporizer. FIG. 11 illustrates a perspective view of a cross-section of a vaporizer. FIG. 12 illustrates a top view of a vaporizer with a cover removed. DETAILED DESCRIPTION The following detailed description and the appended drawings describe and illustrate some embodiments of the disclosure for the purpose of enabling one of ordinary skill in the relevant art to make and use these embodiments. As such, the detailed description and illustration of these embodiments are purely illustrative in nature and are in no way intended to limit the scope of the disclosure in any manner. It should also be understood that the drawings are not necessarily to scale and in certain instances details may have been omitted, which are not necessary for an understanding of the embodiments, such as details of fabrication and assembly. In the accompanying drawings, like numerals represent like components. FIG. 1 illustrates an exploded view of an embodiment of a vaporizer 10 and FIG. 2 illustrates a cross-section of the embodiment of FIG. 1. Vaporizer 10 includes a mouthpiece assembly 12, an annular tank 14, an atomizer assembly 16, and a base 17 (FIGS. 1 and 2). In use, E-liquid 13 is stored in annular tank 14, and E-liquid 13 is vaporized in atomizer assembly 16. The vapor 15 resulting from the vaporization of E-liquid 13 passes through annular tank 14 and exhausts through mouthpiece assembly 12. FIG. 3 illustrates a cross-section of annular tank 14 shown individually for clarity. Annular tank 14 has an outer wall 18 and an inner wall 20. An inner surface 22 of outer wall 18 and an outer surface 24 of inner wall 20 partially define an annular space 26 within annular tank 14. An inner surface 28 of inner wall 20 partially defines a passageway 30 from a lower end 32 of annular tank 14 to an upper end 34 of annular tank 14. A web 36 connects inner wall 20 to outer wall 18. An upper surface 38 of web 36 defines a lower boundary of annular space 26. In some embodiments, annular tank 14 may be cylindrical in shape and inner wall 20 and outer wall 18 may each be cylindrical annuluses. Inner wall 20 has a longitudinal height 40 less than a longitudinal height 42 of outer wall 18. At upper end 34 of annular tank 14, inner wall 20 has a shoulder 44 and outer wall 18 has a similar shoulder 46. At lower end 32, inner wall 20 has an extension 48 that extends past web 36 but less than a distance to lower end 32 of annular tank 14. Inner surface 22 of outer wall 18 and a lower surface 50 of web 38 define a recess 52 in lower end 32 of annular tank 14. Recess 52 may have a threaded connection on inner surface 22 of outer wall 18 for securing components to annular tank 14. Web 36 has at least one passageway 37 connecting annular space 26 to recess 52 allowing for a flow of E-liquid 13 through web 36. The rate of flow of the E-liquid 13 may be controlled by the cross sectional area of the at least one passageway 37, with a larger cross section allowing for increased E-liquid 13 flow. FIG. 4 illustrates a detailed view of mouth piece assembly 12 and atomizer assembly 16. FIG. 5 illustrates a cross-section of mouth piece assembly 12 and atomizer assembly 16. In use, mouth piece assembly 12 is secured within upper end 34 of annular tank 14 and atomizer assembly 16 is secured within lower end 32 of annular tank 14. Mouth piece assembly 12 has a mouth piece portion 54 and a seal portion 56. The two portions 54, 56 may be permanently joined together, or they may be separable components. Mouth piece assembly 12 may have an external thread for threading into annular tank 14. In some embodiments, mouth piece assembly 12 may be secured within annular tank 14 through a press fit or by way of adhesives. Mouth piece portion 54 may retain the seal portion 56 within annular tank 14 by pressing a lower end of seal portion 56 into shoulders 44, 46 of inner wall 20 and outer wall 18 of annular tank 14. Mouth piece portion 54 includes a funnel-shaped opening 55 that increases the vapor pressure of the vaporized liquid. Additionally, mouth piece portion 54 includes a groove ring 57 that is sized to receive a collection pad. The collection pad is an absorbent material disposed in the groove ring 57 that collects condensed vapor. Rather than flowing through the funnel shaped opening 55 of mouth piece portion 54, the condensed vapor is retained in the collection pad, reducing leakage of E-liquid 13 through the mouthpiece 12. FIG. 6 illustrates a perspective, exploded view of atomizer assembly 16. Atomizer assembly 16 receives E-liquid 13 from annular tank 14 through the at least one passageway 37 of annular space 26, generates vapor 15 from the E-liquid 13, and directs the vapor 15 into passageway 30 of annular tank 14, where it passes through mouthpiece assembly 12 to exit vaporizer 10. Atomizer assembly 16 includes fixed set 58, absorbent pad 60, porous bar 62, heating coil 64, and support structure 68. Atomizer assembly 16 is positioned within lower end 32 of annular tank 14 and may be secured to the annular tank 14 directly, or in some embodiments may be held in place by base 17. Fixed set 58 directs the E-liquid 13 from the passageway 37 of rib 50 (FIG. 3) and onto the absorbent pad 60. The E-liquid 13 flows past a base 70 of fixed set 58 by way of cutouts 72 in base 70 of fixed set 58. A protrusion 74 of fixed set 58 has an inner surface 76 that mates with outer surface 24 of inner wall 20, sealing a passageway 78 of fixed set 58 to passageway 30 of annular tank 14. Absorbent pad 60 is positioned below fixed set 58 and receives the E-liquid 13 as it passes past fixed set 58 through cutouts 72. Absorbent pad 60 absorbs the E-liquid 13 and distributes the E-liquid 13 throughout absorbent pad 60. In some embodiments, absorbent pad 60 may be a cotton pad. Absorbent pad 60 has a central passageway 80 that aligns with passageway 78 of fixed set 58 (FIG. 5), allowing vapor 15 to pass absorbent pad 60. Porous bar 62 is positioned below absorbent pad 60 and contacts absorbent pad 60. The pores of porous bar 62 wick E-liquid 13 from absorbent pad 60. Porous bar 62 may have an open pore structure, such that the E-liquid 13 is able to travel through the pores. In some embodiments, porous bar 62 may be a microporous ceramic. In some embodiments the pores may be between 0.1 micro meters and 120 micrometers in diameter. The size of the pores may be selected based on the viscosity and surface tension of the E-liquid 13. Thicker E-liquids have a porous bar having a larger pore diameter, while thinner E-liquids may use a smaller pore size. Porous bar 62 is positioned crosswise, perpendicular to a length (e.g., main axis) of vaporizer 10. A heating element 64 wraps around the porous bar 62. Heating element 64 heats the porous bar 62 to a temperature greater than a boiling point of the E-liquid 13. Because the E-liquid 13 is contained within pores of porous bar 62, it has a large surface area relative to the mass of the E-liquid 13, allowing it to heat and vaporize quickly. The E-liquid 13 expands as it is vaporized and flows through passageway 30 to mouth piece 12. A support structure 68 supports porous bar 62. Support structure 68 may be made of silicone, such that it has a high temperature resistance and is insulating to both electricity and heat. Support structure 68 is sized to fit within lower end 32 of annular tank 14 and presses fixed set 58 against a lower end of inner wall 20, holding the described elements in place. Additionally, support structure 68 may include a groove ring 59 that is sized to receive a second collection pad. The second collection pad is an absorbent material disposed in the groove ring 59 (FIG. 5) that collects condensed vapor. Returning to FIG. 1, a base 80 couples to lower end 32 of annular tank 14 and secures support structure 68 in place. In some embodiments, support structure 68 is secured to base 80, which is in turn secured to annular tank 14, holding the components in place. In some embodiments, base 80 is coupled to the lower end 32 of annular tank 14 through a threaded connection or a press fit. To facilitate an electrical connection to heating element 64, pin 82 may be inserted into base 80 and secured with an insulating bushing 84. Pin 82 may be in electrical communication with a first lead of heating element 64 and isolated with bushing 84 from the base 80. A second lead of the heating element 64 may be in electrical communication with base 80, such that a voltage between base 80 and pin 82 will cause current to flow through heating element 64 causing it to heat. Pin 82 may have a passageway 86 providing an air intake to the vaporizer 10. Operation of the vaporizer 10 will now be described in relation to FIG. 2. In operation, E-liquid 13 is stored within annular space 26 of annular tank 14. Annular space 26 is sealed, with the exception of at least one passageway 37 through web 36. E-liquid 13 passes through web 36 and past fixed set 58, to at least partially saturate absorbent pad 60. Absorbent pad 60 conveys E-liquid 13 onto porous bar 62, where E-liquid 13 is absorbed. Activation of the heating element 64 causes E-liquid 13 to vaporize to form vapor 15 which passes into passageway 30. As E-liquid 13 vaporizes, it is replaced by additional E-liquid 13 from absorbent pad 60, which is in turn refilled by E-liquid 13 in annular space 26. As E-liquid 13 exits annular space 26, a negative pressure differential develops which reduces the flow between the annular space 26 and the absorbent pad 60. This helps to reduce the possibility of over flooding the absorbent pad 60. This process generally continues until there is no further E-liquid 13 for vaporization. FIG. 7 illustrates a schematic of an embodiment of an electronic cigarette 100. Electronic cigarette 100 includes a cartridge 102 housing a mouthpiece 104, a tank 106, and an atomizer 108, and a power unit 110 housing a battery 112. FIG. 8 illustrates a cross-section of the power unit, showing battery 112 and a printed circuit board 114. In some embodiments, cartridge 102 may be vaporizer 10 as previously described. Tank 106 contains an E-liquid agent that is converted to vapor by the atomizer 108. The vapor exits cartridge 102 through an airflow channel connecting atomizer 108 to mouthpiece 104. A lower end of the cartridge 102 has a releasable connector for selectively coupling to the power unit 110. In some embodiments, the releasable connector may be a magnet 116. In addition to the magnet 116, cartridge 102 contains a circuit board 118 having circuitry that may control a heating element in the atomizer, or provide an electrical contact for the heating element. The circuit board 118 may have compressible conductive pins such as pogo pins that extend beyond the lower end of the cartridge 102 for connection to an adjacent circuit board 120. An upper end of power unit 110 includes a releasable connector complementary to the releasable connector of the cartridge 102. In some embodiments, the releasable connector may be a magnet 122. The connector of cartridge 102 and the connector of power unit 110 work together to secure cartridge 102 to power unit 110. Adjacent circuit board 120 may include electrical contacts providing electrical communication with the battery 112. For example, circuit board 120 may have conductive pads having conductive leads interfacing with battery 112. When cartridge 102 and the power unit 110 are secured to one another, the compressible conductive pin of cartridge 102 may be pressed into contact with the conductive pad, electrically coupling power unit 110 to cartridge 102. In some embodiments, power unit 110 may have compressible conductive pins and cartridge 102 may have the conductive pads. Other types of connectors, such as conductive springs are possible and within the scope of the disclosure. Power unit 110 has an additional circuit board 124 with an interface for interaction with an operator. The interface may include elements such as light emitting diode indicators for output and buttons for receiving operator input. A body 126 of power unit 110 may have a cutout 127 for each of the input/output devices. FIG. 7 illustrates an embodiment including a capacitive touch buttons 128 for functions such as power on and selection of product, and LED indicators 130 near the lower end of power unit 110 to communicate a battery charge status. Power unit 110 may contain an input for receiving electrical power to charge battery 112. For example, power unit 112 may have a universal serial bus port as a standard input for receiving power. In some embodiments, an inductive charging pad may be located within power unit 110. In the embodiment of FIG. 7, an inductive charging pad 132 is located at the lower end of power unit 110. FIG. 9 illustrates a side view of an embodiment of a vaporizer 300 with a reusable atomizer 302. The vaporizer includes reusable atomizer 302 and a disposable portion 303. Disposable portion includes a mouthpiece 306, and a tank 304. The reusable atomizer 302 may have an interface for connecting to a power source, such as a battery. Disposable portion 303 is selectively detachable from reusable atomizer 302. Tank 304 may be pre filled with E-liquid or other product and sealed. The seal may be manually removed by a user or the attachment of disposable portion 303 to reusable atomizer 302 may remove the seal. For example, reusable atomizer 302 may puncture a foil seal of tank 304 when assembled. FIG. 10 illustrates a top view of vaporizer 300 with disposable portion 303 in position for attachment to reusable atomizer 302. A lower end 306 of disposable portion 303 is placed adjacent an upper end 308 of the reusable atomizer, with the two components being rotationally offset from one another. In the embodiment of FIG. 10 the components are offset by 90 degrees, but other offsets are possible. A rotational movement of the disposable portion relative 303 relative to the reusable atomizer 302 secures the two components together. For example, the two components could have complementary threads, or they could have locking tabs. One of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that other locking mechanisms are possible and locking tabs and threads are only given as possible examples. FIG. 11 illustrates a cross-section of an embodiment of a power unit 400 for a vaporizer. FIG. 12 illustrates the power unit 400 of FIG. 11, but with an outer body removed, exposing a circuit board 402. The back of a capacitive touchscreen display 404 is shown next to the power unit 400. The capacitive touch screen display 404 connects to circuit board 402 through the uses of spring loaded pins 406. The spring loaded pins 406 extend through cut outs in the outer body of the power unit, such as cutout 127 of FIG. 7. When the capacitive touch screen display 404 is attached to the power unit 400, the spring loaded pins 406 contact respective conductive pads 408 on the capacitive touch screen display 404. The spring loaded pins 406 and the conductive pads 408 together form an electric connection for transmitting power to and from the capacitive touch screen display 404 from circuit board 402. The descriptions set forth above are meant to be illustrative and not limiting. Various modifications of the invention, in addition to those described herein, will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the foregoing description. Such modifications are also intended to fall within the scope of the concepts described herein. The disclosures of each patent, patent application and publication cited or described in this document are hereby incorporated herein by reference, in their entireties. The foregoing description of possible implementations consistent with the present disclosure does not represent a comprehensive list of all such implementations or all variations of the implementations described. The description of some implementation should not be construed as an intent to exclude other implementations. For example, artisans will understand how to implement the invention in many other ways, using equivalents and alternatives that do not depart from the scope of the invention. Moreover, unless indicated to the contrary in the preceding description, none of the components described in the implementations are essential to the invention. It is thus intended that the embodiments disclosed in the specification be considered as illustrative, with a true scope and spirit of the invention being indicated by the following claims. The invention illustratively disclosed herein suitably may be practiced in the absence of any element which is not specifically disclosed herein. The invention illustratively disclosed herein suitably may also be practiced in the absence of any element which is not specifically disclosed herein and that does not materially affect the basic and novel characteristics of the claimed invention. | <SOH> BACKGROUND <EOH> | <SOH> BRIEF SUMMARY <EOH>A vaporizer for vaporizing liquids is disclosed. In one aspect, a vaporizer includes an annular tank, a mouth piece, and an atomizer. The annular tank has an outer wall, an inner wall, an annular space defined by an inner surface of the outer wall and an outer surface of the inner wall, and a passageway defined by an inner surface of the inner wall. The mouth piece is coupled to an upper end of the annular tank and has an opening in fluid communication with the passageway. The atomizer is coupled to a lower end of the annular tank and has an absorbent pad in fluid communication with the annular space, a porous ceramic wick in contact with the absorbent pad and in fluid communication with the passageway, and a heating element in contact with the ceramic wick. In another aspect a vaporizer includes a tank and a reusable atomizer. The tank includes an internal chamber for housing product, a passage through the tank for conveying vapor, and a mouthpiece for outletting the vapor. The reusable atomizer includes a receiver for receiving product, a heater configured to produce vapor from the product, and an outlet for directing vapor from the reusable atomizer. The tank and reusable atomizer are releasably coupled to one another in a configuration aligning the receiver with an outlet of the internal chamber and the outlet with an inlet of the receiver. In another aspect, a power unit for a vaporizer includes a body, a battery disposed within the body, a printed circuit board disposed within the body, an interface disposed on an outer surface of the body. The interface is in electrical communication with the printed circuit board through spring loaded pins. | A24F47008 | 20171201 | 20180607 | 60315.0 | A24F4700 | 0 | FELTON, MICHAEL J | VAPORIZER CARTRIDGE SYSTEM | UNDISCOUNTED | 0 | REJECTED | A24F | 2,017 |
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15,829,849 | PENDING | RELEVANCY IMPROVEMENT THROUGH TARGETING OF INFORMATION BASED ON DATA GATHERED FROM A NETWORKED DEVICE ASSOCIATED WITH A SECURITY SANDBOX OF A CLIENT DEVICE | A system includes a client device capable of being associated with a number of networked devices through a computer network to: process an embedded object, constrain an executable environment in a security sandbox, and execute a sandboxed application in the executable environment. The embedded object is processed through the sandboxed application. The system also includes a relevancy-matching server to: receive primary data generated from fingerprint data of each of the number of networked devices, match the primary data with targeted data based on a relevancy factor, search a storage for the targeted data, and cause rendering of the targeted data through the embedded object processed through the sandboxed application of the client device. The primary data is any one of a content identification data and a content identification history. | 1. A system comprising: a client device capable of being associated with a plurality of networked devices through a computer network to: process an embedded object, constrain an executable environment in a security sandbox, and execute a sandboxed application in the executable environment, the embedded object being processed through the sandboxed application; and a relevancy-matching server to: receive primary data generated from fingerprint data of each of the plurality of networked devices, match the primary data with targeted data based on a relevancy factor, search a storage for the targeted data, and cause rendering of the targeted data through the embedded object processed through the sandboxed application of the client device, wherein the primary data is any one of a content identification data and a content identification history. 2. The system of claim 1: wherein the fingerprint data is any one of an audio fingerprint data and a video fingerprint data, wherein at least one of the embedded object and the sandboxed application is configured to bypass at least one access control of the security sandbox through any one of the sandboxed application and the embedded object, and wherein the bypassing of the at least one access control of the security sandbox comprises at least one of a cross-site scripting technique, an appended header, a same origin policy exception, and another mode of bypassing a number of access controls of the security sandbox. 3. The system of claim 1: wherein the relevancy-matching server matches the targeted data with the primary data based on searching the storage for at least one of a matching item and a related item based on the relevancy factor comprising at least one of a category of the primary data, a behavioral history of a user, a category of the sandboxed application, and another information associated with the user. 4. The system of claim 1, further comprising a pairing server to: associate the each networked device with the client device, receive an announcement from the each networked device, and process an identification data of the announcement comprising at least one of a global unique identifier (GUID), an alphanumeric name, a hardware address associated with the each networked device, a public address associated with an automatic content identification service of the each networked device, and a private address associated with the automatic content identification service of the each networked device when a shared network is determined to be commonly associated with the client device and the each networked device. 5. The system of claim 1: wherein the embedded object comprises at least one of a script, an image, a player, an iframe, and another external media included in the sandboxed application. 6. The system of claim 1: wherein the client device is determined to be associated with a user based on a unique identifier that is unlikely to change. 7. The system of claim 1: wherein the primary data comprises at least one of a number of descriptive metadata associated with the content identification data, a monitored event, a geolocation, a weather information, a private Internet Protocol (IP) address, and another data stored in at least one of a volatile memory and a non-volatile memory. 8. The system of claim 4: wherein the each networked device automatically announces an automatic content identification service thereof to the pairing server. 9. The system of claim 1, wherein the relevancy-matching server is configured to generate the received primary data thereat from the fingerprint data of the each networked device. 10. The system of claim 7, wherein the relevancy-matching server is further configured to create subsets of all received primary data from the plurality of networked devices based on at least one of: the at least one of the number of descriptive metadata and a demographic profile of a user of the each networked device. 11. The system of claim 1, wherein the relevancy-matching server is further configured to group all received primary data from the plurality of networked devices into a larger group of primary data. 12. The system of claim 1, wherein the fingerprint data is one of: generated by the each networked device, and generated by the client device from at least one of: audio information and video information received from the each networked device. 13. A method comprising: associating a client device with a plurality of networked devices through a computer network; processing an embedded object through the client device; constraining an executable environment in a security sandbox of the client device; executing a sandboxed application in the executable environment of the client device, the embedded object being processed through the sandboxed application; and through a relevancy-matching server, receiving primary data generated from fingerprint data of each of the plurality of networked devices; matching the primary data with targeted data based on a relevancy factor; searching a storage for the targeted data; and causing rendering of the targeted data through the embedded object processed through the sandboxed application of the client device, wherein the primary data is any one of a content identification data and a content identification history. 14. The method of claim 13, further comprising: enabling at least one of the embedded object and the sandboxed application to bypass at least one access control of the security sandbox through any one of the sandboxed application and the embedded object, wherein the bypassing of the at least one access control of the security sandbox comprises at least one of a cross-site scripting technique, an appended header, a same origin policy exception, and another mode of bypassing a number of access controls of the security sandbox, and wherein the fingerprint data is any one of an audio fingerprint data and a video fingerprint data. 15. The method of claim 13, comprising: matching, through the relevancy-matching server, the targeted data with the primary data in accordance with searching the storage for at least one of a matching item and a related item based on the relevancy factor comprising at least one of a category of the primary data, a behavioral history of a user, a category of the sandboxed application, and another information associated with the user. 16. The method of claim 13, further comprising, through a pairing server: associating the each networked device with the client device, receiving an announcement from the each networked device, and processing an identification data of the announcement comprising at least one of a GUID, an alphanumeric name, a hardware address associated with the each networked device, a public address associated with an automatic content identification service of the each networked device, and a private address associated with the automatic content identification service of the each networked device when a shared network is determined to be commonly associated with the client device and the each networked device. 17. The method of claim 13, wherein at least one of: the embedded object comprises at least one of a script, an image, a player, an iframe, and another external media included in the sandboxed application, and the client device is determined to be associated with a user based on a unique identifier that is unlikely to change. 18. The method of claim 13: wherein the primary data comprises at least one of a number of descriptive metadata associated with the content identification data, a monitored event, a geolocation, a weather information, a private IP address, and another data stored in at least one of a volatile memory and a non-volatile memory. 19. The method of claim 16, comprising the each networked device automatically announcing an automatic content identification service thereof to the pairing server. 20. The method of claim 13, comprising the relevancy-matching server generating the received primary data thereat from the fingerprint data of the each networked device. 21. The method of claim 18, comprising the relevancy-matching server creating subsets of all received primary data from the plurality of networked devices based on at least one of: the at least one of the number of descriptive metadata and a demographic profile of a user of the each networked device. 22. The method of claim 13, comprising the relevancy-matching grouping all received primary data from the plurality of networked devices into a larger group of primary data. 23. The method of claim 13, comprising generating the fingerprint data through one of: the each networked device, and the client device from at least one of: audio information and video information received from the each networked device. 24. A non-transitory medium, readable through a system comprising a client device and a relevancy-matching server and comprising instructions embodied therein that are executable through the system, comprising instructions to: associate the client device with a plurality of networked devices through a computer network; process an embedded object through the client device; constrain an executable environment in a security sandbox of the client device; execute a sandboxed application in the executable environment of the client device, the embedded object being processed through the sandboxed application; and through the relevancy-matching server: receive primary data generated from fingerprint data of each of the plurality of networked devices; match the primary data with targeted data based on a relevancy factor; search a storage for the targeted data; and cause rendering of the targeted data through the embedded object processed through the sandboxed application of the client device, wherein the primary data is any one of a content identification data and a content identification history. 25. The non-transitory medium of claim 24, comprising instructions compatible with the primary data comprising at least one of a number of descriptive metadata associated with the content identification data, a monitored event, a geolocation, a weather information, a private IP address, and another data stored in at least one of a volatile memory and a non-volatile memory. 26. The non-transitory medium of claim 24, comprising instructions to generate, through the relevancy-matching server, the received primary data thereat from the fingerprint data of the each networked device. 27. The non-transitory medium of claim 25, comprising instructions to create, through the relevancy-matching server, subsets of all received primary data from the plurality of networked devices based on at least one of: the at least one of the number of descriptive metadata and a demographic profile of a user of the each networked device. 28. The non-transitory medium of claim 24, comprising instructions to group, through the relevancy-matching server, all received primary data from the plurality of networked devices into a larger group of primary data. 29. The non-transitory medium of claim 24, comprising instructions compatible with generating the fingerprint data through one of: the each networked device, and the client device from at least one of: audio information and video information received from the each networked device. | CLAIM OF PRIORITY This patent application is a Continuation Application of, and hereby incorporates the entirety of the disclosures of, and claims priority to, each of the following cases: (1) U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/183,756 titled SECOND SCREEN NETWORKING, TARGETING, AND COMMUNICATION METHODOLOGIES AND SYSTEMS filed on Jun. 24, 2015, (2) Co-pending U.S. Continuation patent application Ser. No. 15/217,978 titled RELEVANCY IMPROVEMENT THROUGH TARGETING OF INFORMATION BASED ON DATA GATHERED FROM A NETWORKED DEVICE ASSOCIATED WITH A SECURITY SANDBOX OF A CLIENT DEVICE filed on Jul. 23, 2016, (3) U.S. Continuation patent application Ser. No. 14/018,408 titled EXPOSURE OF PUBLIC INTERNET PROTOCOL ADDRESSES IN AN ADVERTISING EXCHANGE SERVER TO IMPROVE RELEVANCY OF ADVERTISEMENTS filed on Sep. 4, 2013 and issued as U.S. Pat. No. 9,589,456, a. which further claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/696,711 titled SYSTEMS AND METHODS OF RECOGNIZING CONTENT filed on Sep. 4, 2012, and b. which further claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/803,754 titled APPLICATIONS OF ZEROCONF BIDIRECTIONAL COMMUNICATIONS BETWEEN A NETWORKED DEVICE AND A SECURITY SANDBOX COMPRISING TARGETED ADVERTISEMENT, ENVIRONMENT AWARENESS, USER MAPPING, GEOLOCATION SERVICES, AND CONTENT IDENTIFICATION filed on Mar. 20, 2013, and (4) U.S. Continuation patent application Ser. No. 14/981,928 titled RELEVANCY IMPROVEMENT THROUGH TARGETING OF INFORMATION BASED ON DATA GATHERED FROM A NETWORKED DEVICE ASSOCIATED WITH A SECURITY SANDBOX OF A CLIENT DEVICE filed on Dec. 29, 2015 and issued as U.S. Pat. No. 9,386,356, a. which is a Continuation-in-Part patent application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/274,800 titled MONETIZATION OF TELEVISION AUDIENCE DATA ACROSS MULTIPLE SREENS OF A USER WATCHING TELEVISION filed on May 12, 2014 and issued as U.S. Pat. No. 9,258,383, i. which itself is a Continuation patent application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/943,866 titled RELEVANCY IMPROVEMENT THROUGH TARGETING OF INFORMATION BASED ON DATA GATHERED FROM A NETWORKED DEVICE ASSOCIATED WITH A SECURITY SANDBOX OF A CLIENT DEVICE filed on Jul. 17, 2013 and issued as U.S. Pat. No. 8,819,255, 1. which further is a Continuation patent application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/904,015 titled REAL-TIME AND RETARGETED ADVERTISING ON MULTIPLE SCREENS OF A USER WATCHING TELEVISION filed on May 28, 2013 and issued as U.S. Pat. No. 9,026,668, a. which further claims priority to U.S. Provisional patent application 61/652,153 titled CONTENT RECOGNITION SYSTEM filed on May 26, 2012, 2. which further is a Continuation patent application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/736,031 titled ZERO CONFIGURATION COMMUNICATION BETWEEN A BROWSER AND A NETWORKED MEDIA DEVICE filed on Jan. 7, 2013 and issued as U.S. Pat. No. 9,154,942, a. which further claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/584,168 titled CAPTURING CONTENT FOR DISPLAY ON A TELEVISION filed on Jan. 6, 2012, 3. which further is a Continuation patent application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/470,814 titled GENERATION OF A TARGETED ADVERTISEMENT IN AN UNTRUSTED SANDBOX BASED ON A PSUEDONYM filed on May 14, 2012 and issued as U.S. Pat. No. 8,539,072, a. which itself is a Continuation patent application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/592,377 titled DISCOVERY, ACCESS CONTROL, AND COMMUNICATION WITH NETWORKED SERVICES FROM WITHIN A SECURITY SANDBOX, filed on Nov. 23, 2009 and issued as U.S. Pat. No. 8,180,891, i. which claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/118,286 titled DISCOVERY, ACCESS CONTROL, AND COMMUNICATION WITH NETWORKED SERVICES FROM WITHIN A SECURITY SANDBOX filed on Nov. 26, 2008. FIELD OF TECHNOLOGY This disclosure relates generally to the technical field of networking, data recognition systems, and data recommendation systems. More particularly, this disclosure relates to a method, apparatus, and system of relevancy improvement through targeting of information based on data gathered from a networked device associated with a security sandbox of a client device in one example embodiment. BACKGROUND A networked device (e.g., a television, a set-top box, a computer, a multimedia display, an audio device, a weather measurement device, a geolocation device) may have access to an information associated with a user. For example, the information may comprise an identification of a movie viewed by the user, a weather information, a geolocation information, and/or a behavioral characteristic of the user when the user interacts with the networked device. However, the user may need to configure the networked device to share the information with an other networked device. For example, the user may need to read a manual to understand a configuration protocol. The user may be unable to understand the configuration protocol. As such, the user may spend a significant amount of customer support time in configuring the networked device. Alternatively, the user may need to expend a significant amount of financial resources for a network administrator to assist the user in configuring the networked device. As a result, the user may give up and remain unable to configure the networked device to share the information with the other networked device. Furthermore, the networked device may present to the user an information that is irrelevant to the user. As a result, the user may get tired, annoyed, and/or bored with the networked device. Additionally, the user may waste a significant amount of time processing the information that is irrelevant to the user. Therefore, a revenue opportunity may be missed, because an interested party (e.g., a content creator, a retailer, a manufacturer, an advertiser) may be unable to access an interested audience. In addition, the user may be inconvenienced when the information on the networked device and the client device remain independent of each other. SUMMARY A method, apparatus, and system related to relevancy improvement through targeting of information based on data gathered from a networked device associated with a security sandbox of a client device are disclosed. In one aspect, a system includes a client device capable of being associated with a number of networked devices through a computer network to: process an embedded object, constrain an executable environment in a security sandbox, and execute a sandboxed application in the executable environment. The embedded object is processed through the sandboxed application. The system also includes a relevancy-matching server to: receive primary data generated from fingerprint data of each of the number of networked devices, match the primary data with targeted data based on a relevancy factor, search a storage for the targeted data, and cause rendering of the targeted data through the embedded object processed through the sandboxed application of the client device. The primary data is any one of a content identification data and a content identification history. In another aspect, a method includes associating a client device with a number of networked devices through a computer network, processing an embedded object through the client device, constraining an executable environment in a security sandbox of the client device, and executing a sandboxed application in the executable environment of the client device. The embedded object is processed through the sandboxed application. The method also includes, through a relevancy-matching server, receiving primary data generated from fingerprint data of each of the number of networked devices, matching the primary data with targeted data based on a relevancy factor, searching a storage for the targeted data, and causing rendering of the targeted data through the embedded object processed through the sandboxed application of the client device. The primary data is any one of a content identification data and a content identification history. In yet another aspect, a non-transitory medium, readable through a system including a client device and a relevancy-matching server and including instructions embodied therein that are executable through the system, is disclosed. The non-transitory medium includes instructions to: associate the client device with a number of networked devices through a computer network, process an embedded object through the client device, constrain an executable environment in a security sandbox of the client device, and execute a sandboxed application in the executable environment of the client device. The embedded object is processed through the sandboxed application. The non-transitory medium also includes instructions to, through the relevancy-matching server: receive primary data generated from fingerprint data of each of the number of networked devices, match the primary data with targeted data based on a relevancy factor, search a storage for the targeted data, and cause rendering of the targeted data through the embedded object processed through the sandboxed application of the client device. The primary data is any one of a content identification data and a content identification history. The methods, system, and/or apparatuses disclosed herein may be implemented in any means for achieving various aspects, and may be executed in a form of machine readable medium embodying a set of instruction that, when executed by a machine, causes the machine to perform any of the operations disclosed herein. Other features will be apparent from the accompanying drawing and from the detailed description that follows. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS Example embodiments are illustrated by way of example and not limitation in the figures of the accompanying drawings, in which like references indicate similar elements and in which: FIG. 1 is a block diagram depicting a system of automatic bidirectional communication between multiple devices, according to one embodiment. FIG. 2 is a block diagram depicting a system of bidirectional communication between a relevancy-matching server 200, a client device 100, and a networked device 102, according to one embodiment. FIG. 3 is a block diagram depicting a system of performing a discovery through a pairing server 300, according to one embodiment. FIG. 4 is a block diagram depicting a system of bidirectional communication between the client device 100 and the networked device 102 using an extension 404 of a security sandbox 104, according to one embodiment. FIG. 5 is a block diagram depicting the client device 100 gathering a primary data 500 through a sandboxed application 112 and communicating the primary data 500 to the relevancy-matching server 200 through an image 502, according to one embodiment. FIG. 6 is a block diagram depicting the client device 100 gathering the primary data 500 through an executable code 600 and communicating the primary data 500 to the relevancy-matching server 200 through the executable code 600, according to one embodiment. FIG. 7 is a block diagram depicting the client device 100 residing on a separate network from the networked device 102 and gathering the primary data 500 from an intermediary server 700, according to one embodiment. FIG. 8 is a block diagram depicting the relevancy-matching server 200 communicating a targeted data 800 to the client device 100 and the networked device 102, according to one embodiment. FIG. 9 is a block diagram depicting the relevancy-matching server 200 communicating the targeted data 800 to the client device 100 associated with a user 902, according to one embodiment. FIG. 10 is a block diagram of a system including a content identification server 1006 configured for automatic bidirectional communication with a number of capture servers 1008A, 1008B, the client device 100, and the networked device 102, according to one embodiment. FIG. 11 is a block diagram of a system of automatic bidirectional communication between the client device 100 and the networked device 102 involving the content identification server 1006 and a plurality of other networked devices 1400A, 1400B, according to one embodiment. FIG. 12 is a block diagram of a content identification (CID) service 1002 generating a CID data 1200 based on a media data 1004, according to one embodiment. FIG. 13 is a block diagram of a system of determining an identification 1304 of the media data 1004 involving the content identification server 1006 communicatively coupled to the number of capture servers 1008A, 1008B, according to one embodiment. FIG. 14 is a block diagram of a system of determining the identification 1304 of the media data 1004 involving the content identification server 1006 and the plurality of other networked devices 1400A, 1400B, according to one embodiment. FIG. 15 is a block diagram depicting the content identification server 1006 configured to generate an annotated metadata 1504, according to one embodiment. FIG. 16 is a block diagram depicting the content identification server 1006 configured to generate an identifying metadata 1602, according to one embodiment. FIG. 17 is a block diagram of a system of determining the identification 1304 of the media data 1004 involving a watermark data 1204, according to one embodiment. FIG. 18 is a block diagram of a system of determining the identification 1304 of the media data 1004 involving an identifying information 1208, according to one embodiment. FIG. 19 is a block diagram of a system of determining the identification 1304 of the media data 1004 involving a fingerprint data 1202 and an other fingerprint data 1906, according to one embodiment. FIG. 20 is a table 2050 depicting a determination of the identification 1304 of the media data 1004 by comparing a fingerprint data sequence 2000 to a fingerprint database 1900, according to one embodiment. FIG. 21 is a table 2150 depicting a determination of a recurring sequence 2102, according to one embodiment. FIG. 22 is a block diagram of a system of determining the identification 1304 of the media data 1004 involving a descriptive metadata 1206 and an other watermark data 2200, according to one embodiment. FIG. 23 is a block diagram of the content identification server 1006 gathering the CID data 1200 and a plurality of other CID data 1402, 1404, according to one embodiment. FIG. 24 is a table view of the content identification server 1006 gathering a provisional identification 2400 of the media data 1004 and a number of other provisional identifications 2400 of a number of other media data 1108, 1112, according to one embodiment. FIG. 25 is a table view of the content identification server 1006 determining the identification 1304 of the media data 1004 based on a consensus, according to one embodiment. FIG. 26 is a block diagram of the content identification server 1006 using the identification 1304 of the media data 1004 to identify the other fingerprint data 2602, according to one embodiment. Other features of the present embodiments will be apparent from the accompanying drawings and from the detailed description that follows. DETAILED DESCRIPTION Example embodiments, as described below, relate to a method, an apparatus, and a system related to relevancy improvement through targeting of information based on data gathered from a networked device associated with a security sandbox of a client device, according to one or more embodiments. FIG. 1 is a block diagram depicting a system of automatic bidirectional communication (e.g., sending and receiving information in both directions without prior configuration by a human) between multiple devices, according to one embodiment. FIG. 1 shows a client device 100, a networked device 102, a security sandbox 104, an executable environment 106, a processor 108, a memory 110, a sandboxed application 112, a sandbox-reachable service 114, a communication session 116, a cross-site scripting technique 118, an appended header 120, a same origin policy exception 122, and an other mode 124. The client device 100 communicates bidirectionally with the networked device 102 of FIG. 1. According to one embodiment, the client device 100 may be a computer, a smartphone, and/or an other hardware that may be configured to initiate contact with a server to make use of a resource. The client device 100 may constrain the executable environment 106 in the security sandbox 104. The client device 100 may also execute the sandboxed application 112 in the executable environment 106 using the processor 108 and the memory 110. Further, the client device 100 may automatically establish the communication session 116 between the sandboxed application 112 and the sandbox-reachable service 114 of the networked device 102. The communication session 116 may be established between the sandboxed application 112 and the sandbox-reachable service 114 through the cross-site scripting technique 118, the appended header 120, the same origin policy exception 122, and/or the other mode 124 of bypassing a number of (e.g., at least one) access controls of the security sandbox 104. According to one embodiment, the networked device 102 may be a geolocation device, a hygrometer, a thermometer, a barometer, an anemometer, a television, an audio device, a game console, a set top box, an other computer, and/or an other hardware connected by a number of communications channels that allow sharing of a number of resources and/or a number of information. The networked device 102 may perform a number of sandbox-reachable services (e.g., a geolocation service, a hygrometer service, a thermometer service, an anemometer service, a barometer service, a content identification service 1002, a Media Access Control address service, a private Internet Protocol address service) using a processor and a memory. Thus, the networked device 102 may generate a primary data 500 and/or a preliminary data 702. The primary data 500 and/or the preliminary data 702 may be associated with a user 902. The networked device 102 may also be configured to automatically announce the sandbox-reachable service 114 of the networked device 102 to a discovery module 302 prior to an establishment of the communication session 116 between the sandboxed application 112 and the sandbox-reachable service 114. A service agent module of the networked device 102 may coordinate a number of communications with the discovery module 302 by listening on a socket, acting as a means for a number of services on the networked device 102 to discover each other, and/or announcing on behalf of the number of services. An announcement may identify the sandbox-reachable service 114 being offered and how to reach the sandbox-reachable service 114 (e.g., by communicating an identification data 304 of the networked device 102 and/or the sandbox-reachable service 114 of the networked device 102). Thus, the client device 100 may be configured to automatically process the identification data 304 of the networked device 102 and/or the sandbox-reachable service 114 of the networked device 102 from the discovery module 302. The client device 100 may also be configured to automatically associate with the networked device 102 through the sandboxed application 112 of the client device 100 communicatively coupled to the sandbox-reachable service 114 based on the identification data 304. For example, the geolocation service may be announced by performing a HTTP POST to a URL http://flingo.tv/fling/announce with a body { “service” : “gps” , “model_id” : “Foo GPS Z5” , “guid” : “8df5f7271e36cdbc4db4513a9e660817ff0fa94a” , “description” : “Service providing local GPS coordinates” } The announcement may also contain the primary data 500. Thus, the announcement may contain the body { “service” : “gps” , “model_id” : “Foo GPS Z5” , “guid” : “8df5f7271e36cdbc4db4513a9e660817ff0fa94a” , “description” : “Service providing local GPS coordinates” , “latitude” : 43.60336, “longitude” : −110.7362 } Alternatively, the primary data 500 may be separated from a service description such that the URL specifies the service description while the body specifies the primary data 500 provided by the service. For example, http://flingo.tv/fling/announce?service=gps&model_id=Foo+GPS+Z5&guid=8df5f7271e36cdbc4db4513a9e660817ff0fa94a&description=Service+providing+local+GPS+coordinates with the body { “latitude” : 43.60336, “longitude” : −110.7362 } The primary data 500 may take an XML format, a JSON format, a binary format, and/or an other format. A wireless base station may be instrumented with a number of networked devices (e.g., a set of sensors) to announce the primary data 500 about an environment. The networked device 102 may also announce an availability of the sandbox-reachable service 114 across a range of public addresses such that the sandboxed application 112 communicates with the sandbox-reachable service 114 in any one of the range of public addresses. However, the range of public addresses may be known by a pairing server 300 such that the announcement of the availability of the sandbox-reachable service 114 across the range of public addresses is unnecessary. Thus, the sandbox-reachable service 114 may communicate a global unique identifier (GUID) 704, an alphanumeric name, and/or a private address pair of the sandbox-reachable service 114 to the pairing server 300. The private address pair may comprise (e.g., include, but not be limited to) a private Internet Protocol (IP) address and a port number associated with the sandbox-reachable service 114. Further, the networked device 102 may render (e.g., present, transmit in a consumable format, deliver) a media data 1004 to the user 902. The media data 1004 may comprise a television program, a movie, a musical composition, a newspaper article, a web page, or an advertisement. When the networked device 102 comprises a media device (e.g., a hardware that renders a published information), the networked device 102 may comprise a networked media device, an other networked media device 1106A, 1106B, and/or a heterogeneous (e.g., incompatible with an operating system and/or the sandboxed application 112 of the client device 100) networked media device. The content identification (CID) service 1000, 1002 and/or an other CID service 1104, 1110 may comprise a provision of a discrete function of identifying the content of the media data 1004 and/or an other media data 1108, 1112, 1904 within a systems environment. The CID service 1000, 1002 and/or the other CID service 1104, 1110 may employ a number of methods (e.g., a fingerprinting method, a watermarking method, a metadata extraction method) for determining an identification 1304 (e.g., a content identification) of the media data 1004. The CID service 1000, 1002 and/or the other CID service 1104, 1110 may be a hardware, a software, a firmware, and/or an integrated circuit. The sandbox-reachable service 114 may comprise the CID service 1002 of the networked device 102. The CID service 1002 of the networked device 102 may also communicate the identification 1304 of the media data 1004 to the sandboxed application 112 through the communication session 116 and/or the announcement. For example, the networked device 102 offering the CID service 1002 may announce http://flingo.tv/fling/announce with the body { “service” : “cid” , “make” : “Whiz Bang” , “model_id” : “WZB1000” , “description” : “Identifies content currently being viewed on the TV.” , “private_ip” : [ “192.168.1.12:8080” ] } The sandboxed application 112 may then discover the number of sandbox-reachable services. For example, the sandboxed application 112 may use the cross-site scripting technique 118 based on a script tag (e.g., using a JSONP technique, using a jQuery® JavaScript library). <script type=”text/javascript”> function cb (x) { var s = JSON.stringify (x,undefined, 4) ; document.getElementById (“result”).innerHTML = “<pre>” + s + “</pre>” ; } function jsonp ( url, cb ) { $.ajax( { url : url, dataType : ‘jsonp’ , success : cb, error : function ( ) { alert ( “jsonp failed for url=” + url ) ; } , timeout : 5000 } ) ; } var doit = function ( ) { jsonp ( ‘http://flingo.tv/fling/discover’ , cb ) ; } $ (document).ready (doit) ; </script> Thus, the sandboxed application 112 containing a list of a number of devices and/or a number of services on a network (e.g., a local area network, a multicast network, an anycast network, a multilan network, a private network, and/or an other collection of hardware interconnected by communication channels that allow sharing of resources and information) is created. { “count” : 1, “yourip” : “208.90.215.161”, “interval” : 900, “devices” : [ { “model_id” : “WZB1000”, “description” : “Whiz Bang 1000 100\” OLED TV”, “make” : Whiz Bang Inc.”, “t” : 1325643090, “services” : [ { “description” : “Identifies content currently being viewed on the TV.”, “service” : “cid”, “t” : 1325643090, “version” : “2011-12-29T22:10:56-cc4dc7b20cle”, “private_ip” : [“192.168.1.12:8080”], “name” : “FLINGO Content ID” }, { “description” : “Service for playing flung videos.”, “service” : “flingo”, “name” : “Fling Queue”, } ], “guid” : “8821877d58ce99ef54aa370419529e2fab40dad2”, }, ] } A discovery may also be limited to the number of devices providing a particular service. For example, the discovery may be limited to a number of CID services 1000, 1002 by querying http://flingo.tv/fling/discover?service=cid The sandboxed application 112 may then extract the GUID 704 of the networked device 102. The sandboxed application 112 may also query the sandbox-reachable service 114 of the networked device 102 (e.g., using JSONP). <script> ... jsonp(http://flingo.tv/cid/content_id?guid= + guid, id_cb) ; ... function id_cb(id) { alert( “content_id=” + id.content_id ) ; } </script> Thus, the sandboxed application 112 may obtain the identification 1304 of the media data 1004 from the CID service 1002. Similarly, the sandboxed application 112 may obtain the primary data 500 from the sandbox-reachable service 114 of an intermediary networked device that communicates with a sandbox-unreachable service of the networked device 102. Additionally, the identification 1304 of the media data 1004 may be used to query for a number of metadata associated with the identification 1304 of the media data 1004. For example, the identification 1304 “t:22343:959030” may correspond to “The Office” episode titled “Ben Franklin.” $ curl “http://flingo.tv/cid/metadata?content_id= t:22343:959030” { “show_url” : “http://www.tv.com/shows/the-office/” , “show_id” : “22343” , “content_type” : “tv_show” , “show_desc” : “The Office: Based on the popular British series of the same name, this faster- paced American version follows the daily interactions of a group of ...” , “timestamp” : 1313480002.472693, “ep_desc” : “Michael celebrates Phyllis' wedding shower by bringing two performers into the office: a stripper and a Ben Franklin impersonator. Meanwhile, Karen confronts Pam about her past history with Jim.” , “ep_url” : “http://www.tv.com/shows/the-office/ben-franklin-959030/” , “ep_id” : “959030” , “guide” : “TV.com” , ... } The security sandbox 104, the processor 108, and the memory 110 each exist within the client device 100 of FIG. 1 and communicate bidirectionally with each other. According to one embodiment, the security sandbox 104 may be the operating system on which the sandboxed application 112 is hosted, a browser application of the operating system, and/or an other mechanism for separating a number of running programs to execute an untested code and/or a number of untrusted programs from a number of unverified third-parties, a number of suppliers, a number of untrusted users, and/or a number of untrusted websites. Each of a number of applications of a web browser and/or a mobile device may be constrained inside the security sandbox 104. The security sandbox 104 may constrain what each of the number of applications is allowed to do. For example, the security sandbox 104 may limit access to the network, thereby making it difficult for the client device 100 to find the networked device 102 of the user 902 and/or to obtain information directly from the networked device 102. Such information may include what is currently playing on the networked device 102. The mobile device may also impose the security sandbox 104. The security sandbox 104 of the mobile device may exist at an operating system level. The operating system of the mobile device may differ from a traditional operating system in that the traditional operating system mostly applied a security to the user 902, a number of individual files, and/or a number of individual directories so that a user application could not corrupt the traditional operating system. This is different from having a separate security sandbox for each of the number of applications so that each of the number of applications cannot access a data of an other application and/or limiting a specific application from having access to a number of operating system services (e.g., a GPS service, a network service). According to one embodiment, the processor 108 may be a central processing unit (CPU), a microprocessor, an integrated circuit such as an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a hardwired electronic logic circuit, a discrete element circuit, a programmable logic device such as a field-programmable gate array (FPGA), and/or an other part of a computer system that carries out the instructions of a program by performing the arithmetical, logical, and/or input/output operations of the system. According to one embodiment, the memory 110 may be a random access memory (RAM), a read only memory (ROM), a flash memory, and/or an other machine-readable storage media. The executable environment 106 exists within the security sandbox 104 of FIG. 1. According to one embodiment, the executable environment 106 may be a virtual machine, a jail, a scripting language interpreter, a scratch space on a disk and/or a memory, and/or an other tightly controlled set of resources in which to run a number of guest programs. The sandboxed application 112 exists within the executable environment 106 of FIG. 1. According to one embodiment, the sandboxed application 112 and/or an other sandboxed application may be an untested code, an untrusted program (e.g., from an untrusted web page), and/or an other software that can be executed with an appropriate runtime environment of the security sandbox 104. The sandbox-reachable service 114 exists within the networked device 102 of FIG. 1. According to one embodiment, the sandbox-reachable service 114 may be a smart television application, a set top box application, an audio device application, a game console application, a computer application, and/or an other service that can be discovered and/or communicated with from within the security sandbox 104. The sandbox-reachable service 114 may comprise the other sandboxed application when the sandbox-reachable service 114 is constrained by the security sandbox 104 of a device in which the sandbox-reachable service 114 resides. The communication session 116 exists between the client device 100 and the networked device 102 of FIG. 1. According to one embodiment, the communication session 116 may be an information interchange between two terminals. The communication session 116 may exist directly between the client device 100 and the networked device 102. Alternatively, the communication session 116 may exist indirectly between the client device 100 and the networked device 102 (e.g., through the pairing server 300). The cross-site scripting technique 118 exists as a component of the communication session 116 of FIG. 1. According to one embodiment, the cross-site scripting technique 118 may be a type of a computer security vulnerability that enables an injection of a client-side script to bypass the number of access controls. The appended header 120 also exists as a component of the communication session 116 of FIG. 1. According to one embodiment, the appended header 120 may be a mechanism (e.g., a cross-origin resource sharing) that allows a cross-domain request by adding a new header (e.g., an origin header, a referrer header). Additionally, the same origin policy exception 122 exists as a component of the communication session 116 of FIG. 1. According to one embodiment, the same origin policy exception 122 may be a technique for relaxing a rule preventing an access to a number of methods and/or a number of properties across a number of pages on a number of different sites. For example, a hyperlink, a form, a script 706, a frame, a header, and/or an image 502 may be used to establish the communication session 116. Further, the other mode 124 exists as a component of the communication session 116 of FIG. 1. According to one embodiment, the other mode 124 may be a mechanism of bypassing the number of access controls of the security sandbox 104. The other mode 124 may enable the discovery via a multicast-based discovery protocol, a broadcast-based discovery protocol, and/or an anycast-based discovery protocol. The other mode 124 may also enable a pairing via an entry of a short code and/or an account name in the client device 100 and/or the networked device 102. For example, the other mode 124 may comprise a Facebook® Connect feature and/or an OAuth service. FIG. 2 depicts a system of bidirectional communication between a relevancy-matching server 200, the client device 100, and the networked device 102, according to one embodiment. FIG. 2 shows the client device 100, the networked device 102, the sandboxed application 112, the sandbox-reachable service 114, the communication session 116, the relevancy-matching server 200, a storage 202, and an embedded object 204. The relevancy-matching server 200 exists in the cloud 712 and is communicatively coupled to the storage 202, the client device 100, and the networked device 102 of FIG. 2. According to one embodiment, the relevancy-matching server 200 may be a computer hardware system dedicated to matching, using a processor and a memory, a targeted data 800 with the primary data 500 based on a relevancy factor associated with the user 902. The relevancy factor may comprise a category of the primary data 500, a behavioral history of the user 902, a category of the sandboxed application 112, and/or an other information associated with the user 902. The relevancy-matching server 200 may comprise a computer, a plurality (e.g., at least two) of computers, and/or a peer-to-peer network of computers. The relevancy-matching server 200 may be the pairing server 300 and/or an intermediary server 700. The relevancy-matching server 200 may also be configured to render the targeted data 800 to the user 902 through the networked device 102 and/or the sandboxed application 112 of the client device 100. The storage 202 also exists in the cloud 712 and is communicatively coupled to the relevancy-matching server 200 of FIG. 2. According to one embodiment, the storage 200 may be a technology comprising a number of computer components and/or a recording media used to retain a digital data. The storage 200 may be a volatile memory, a non-volatile memory, a disk, and/or an other repository of the targeted data 800. The storage 200 may exist within the relevancy-matching server 200. Alternatively, the storage 200 may be external to the relevancy-matching server 200. The storage 200 may also reside on a different network from the relevancy-matching server 200. The relevancy-matching server 200 may match the targeted data 800 with the primary data 500 by searching the storage 200 for a matching item and/or a related item based on the relevancy factor. The embedded object 204 exists within the sandboxed application 112 of FIG. 2. According to one embodiment, the embedded object 204 may be the script 706, the image 502, a player, an iframe, and/or an other external media included in the sandboxed application 112. The sandboxed application 112 of the client device 100 may process the embedded object 204 from the relevancy-matching server 200 (e.g., by pulling in the embedded object 204 from the relevancy-matching server 200). The client device 100 may also gather the primary data 500 through the embedded object 204 and/or the sandboxed application 112. When the embedded object 204 comprises a statically rendered object (e.g., the image 502), the sandboxed application 112 may be configured to gather the primary data 500 from the networked device 102 through the communication session 116. When the embedded object 204 comprises an executable code 600 (e.g., the script 706, the player, the iframe), the executable code 600 may be configured to gather the primary data 500 from the networked device 102 through the communication session 116 (e.g., by discovering and querying a number of reachable devices for the primary data 500). For example, the user 902 may visit example.com and download a web page index.html from example.com. The index.html web page may pull in the script 706 <SCRIPT> *s* from the relevancy-matching server 200 example_ads.com. The script 706 may use an extension 404 and/or the pairing server 300 to discover and query the networked device 102 for the primary data 500. If the primary data 500 comprises the identification 1304 of the media data 1004, the script 706 may pull in a JavaScript code that uses a XMLHttpRequest to perform a HTTP GET request to an URL http://flingo.tv/fling/discover?service=cid A discovery service (e.g., detects the number of devices and/or the number of services on the network) may return a list of the number of devices in the network of the user 902 that offer the CID service 1000, 1002. If one of the number of devices has the GUID 704 “f51eba3ab7c3410379e9dcfeb58bb3d3878a2978”, the script 706 may query for the identification 1304 of the media data 1004 using http://flingo.tv/cid/content_id?guid=f51eba3ab7c3410379e9dcfeb58bb3d3878a2978 A state for the networked device 102 with the GUID 704 may be maintained inside a content identification server 1006 (e.g., a computer hardware system dedicated to identifying a content of the media data 1004 and/or the other media data 1108, 1112, 1904 using a processor and a memory). In response, the content identification server 1006 may return { “count” : 253, “rel_ts” : 262604, “content_id” : “SH006197570000”, “ts” : 1344045862604, “notifications” : [ ] } The client device 100 may communicate the primary data 500 to the relevancy-matching server 200 through the embedded object 204. When the relevancy-matching server 200 has the primary data 500, the relevancy-matching server 200 may use the primary data 500 to select the targeted data 800 to render to the user 902. The relevancy-matching server 200 may synchronize the targeted data 800 on the client device 100 to the primary data 500 on the networked device 102. For example, a web page starting from zero knowledge may query the networked device 102 offering the sandbox-reachable service 114 to learn the temperature and/or the humidity in the locale of the user. The web page may then be automatically modified accordingly. FIG. 3 depicts a system of performing the discovery through the pairing server 300, according to one embodiment. FIG. 3 shows the client device 100, the networked device 102, the sandboxed application 112, the sandbox-reachable service 114, the pairing server 300, the discovery module 302, and the identification data 304. The pairing server 300 exists in the cloud 712 and is communicatively coupled to the client device 100 and the networked media device 102 of FIG. 3. According to one embodiment, the pairing server 300 may be a computer hardware system dedicated to enabling, using a processor and a memory, the communication session 116 between the sandboxed application 112 and the sandbox-reachable service 114. The pairing server 300 may comprise a computer, a plurality of computers, and/or a peer-to-peer network of computers. The pairing server 300 may also be the relevancy-matching server 200 and/or the intermediary server 700. The client device 100 may be configured to process the identification data 304 of the networked device 102 and/or the sandbox-reachable service 114 of the networked device 102 in a manner such that the client device 100 is configured to access the discovery module 302 of the pairing server 300. The pairing server 300 may be configured to receive in the announcement from the networked device 102 and to communicate to the client device 100 the identification data 304 when a shared network is determined to be commonly associated with the client device 100 and the networked device 102. The pairing server 300 may also provide a relay service (e.g., transmits a data between two terminals that are incapable of communicating directly) between the client device 100 and the networked device 102. A WebSocket (e.g., a web technology providing a number of full-duplex communications channels over a single Transmission Control Protocol connection) and/or a long-polling message query interface may be used to reduce a latency of a message delivery in a manner such that a polling period between a number of consecutive pollings may be less than a timeout period of a session through the relay service. However, when the pairing server 300 communicates the hardware address of the networked device 102 (e.g., a MAC address) and/or the private address pair of the sandbox-reachable service 114 to the client device 100, the client device 100 may communicate directly with the networked device 102 (i.e. bypassing the relay service of the pairing server 300). The discovery module 302 exists within the pairing server 300 of FIG. 3. According to one embodiment, the discovery module 302 may be a self-contained component that performs the discovery service. The discovery module 302 may also be a software, a hardware, a firmware, and/or an integrated circuit. The client device 100 may access the discovery module 302 of the pairing server 300 to perform the discovery. The identification data 304 exists between the pairing server 300 and the client device 100 as well as between the pairing server 300 and the networked device 102 of FIG. 3. According to one embodiment, the identification data 304 may comprise a geolocation, the GUID 704, the alphanumeric name, the hardware address associated with the networked device 102, a public address pair (e.g., a public Internet Protocol address and a port number) associated with the sandbox-reachable service 114 of the networked device 102, and/or the private address pair associated with the sandbox-reachable service 114 of the networked device 102. The identification data 304 may enable the communication session 116 between the client device 100 and the networked device 102 when the client device 100 and the networked device 102 no longer reside on the shared network. FIG. 4 is a block diagram depicting a system of bidirectional communication between the client device 100 and the networked device 102 using the extension 404 of the security sandbox 104, according to one embodiment. FIG. 4 shows the client device 100, the networked device 102, the sandboxed application 112, the sandbox-reachable service 114, the discovery module 302, the identification data 304, a discovery algorithm 400, a relay module 402, and the extension 404. The discovery algorithm 400 exists within the discovery module 302 of FIG. 4. According to one embodiment, the discovery algorithm 400 may be a procedure for detecting the number of devices and/or the number of services on the network. The discovery algorithm 400 may utilize a protocol comprising a Bonjour® protocol, a Simple Service Discovery Protocol (SSDP) protocol, a local service discovery (LSD) uTorrent® protocol, a multicast protocol, an anycast protocol, and/or a local area network (LAN)-based protocol that discovers a number of services in a LAN 708 based on a broadcast from any one of an operating system service, the security sandbox 104, the client device 100, the sandbox-reachable service 114, and the networked device 102. The relay module 402 exists within the extension 404 and communicates with the sandboxed application 112, the discovery module 302, and the sandbox-reachable service 114 of FIG. 4. According to one embodiment, the relay module 402 may be a self-contained component that performs the relay service. The relay module 402 may also be a software, a hardware, a firmware, and/or an integrated circuit. The extension 404 of the security sandbox 104 exists within the client device 100 of FIG. 4. According to one embodiment, the extension 404 may be a program adding a number of capabilities of the discovery module 302 and/or the relay module 402 to the sandboxed application 112. The extension 404 may be a plugin, an add-on, and/or an addition to a core functionality (e.g., a modification of a core code and/or a runtime) of the sandboxed application 112. The client device 100 may extend the security sandbox 104 with the discovery module 302 and the relay module 402 added to the security sandbox 104. The sandboxed application 112 of the client device 100 may use the extension 404 to process the identification data 304 of the networked device 102 and/or the sandbox-reachable service 114 of the networked device 102. When the client device 100 pairs with the networked device 102, the automatic bidirectional communication may comprise the client device 100 pushing the media data 1004 to the networked device 102. According to one exemplary embodiment, the sandboxed application 112 of the client device 100 may be a web browser. The user may visit a web page and drag a bookmark from the web page to a bookmark bar of the web browser. The bookmark may comprise a bookmarklet (e.g., the bookmark that contains a number of JavaScript commands). The bookmarklet may not be constrained to a same origin policy and may send and/or receive a number of results using a XmlHttpRequest exchanged directly with the discovery service and/or the relay service. A bookmarklet remote procedure call (RPC) may communicate a private broadcast to the number of services in the network. Alternatively, the bookmarklet RPC may send a discovery request to the discovery service to find the number of services in the network and then communicate via the relay service with the number of services in the network. If the discovery service and/or the relay service returns a number of private address pairs, the bookmarklet may use the XmlHttpRequest to directly communicate with the number of devices in the network and/or perform a number of RPC calls. The bookmarklet may forward a property (e.g., a window.location.href property) that returns the URL of the web page to the discovery service and/or the relay service. A new web page may be opened to request that the user confirm an intent to push the media data 1004 to the networked device 102. A form may be presented to request that the user select the networked device 102 to receive the media data 1004. The discovery service and/or the relay service may discover a number of networked media devices sharing a local network based on an IP address of the client device 100. A device (e.g., the pairing server 300, the client device 100, a server) in which the discovery service and/or the relay service exists and/or an other device (e.g., an other server) to which the discovery service and/or the relay service communicates the URL of the web page may extract a raw URL. The device and/or the other device may also use a fragile code to extract a metadata from the web page. For example, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FMRg11hQLds corresponds to a YouTube® web page with an embedded video. The YouTube® web page contains three metadata tags. A thumbnail for each video may also be obtained by pulling a video identifier out of the URL using http://i3.ytimg.com/vi/FMRg11hQLds/default.jpg and/or http://i3.ytimg.com/vi/FMRg11hQLds/hqdefault.jpg. A number in “i3” may be changeable between “i1” and “i4” while returning a same image. The number of results comprising the raw URL, the metadata, and/or the thumbnail may be communicated to the number of networked media devices sharing the local network. The bookmarklet RPC may be used to retrieve the number of results from the device and/or the other device. The number of results may be displayed in an alert and/or passed to a Document Object Model of the web page (e.g., if an error occurs). The bookmarklet RPC may also be used to obtain an information from the networked device 102. The bookmarklet may then pass the information on to a third-party website. For example, the bookmarklet may send the XmlHttpRequest to the networked device 102 discovered by the discovery service of the pairing server 300. The bookmarklet may query for the identification 1304 of the media data 1004 currently being rendered by the networked device 102. The bookmarklet may then pass the identification 1304 as a number of query-value parameters to a metadata association server (e.g., an IMDb® database) to obtain the number of metadata about the media data 1004 presently being rendered by the networked device 102. In another embodiment, the automatic bidirectional communication may also comprise the client device 100 communicating an object (e.g., a data upon which an operation is performed) of a function (e.g., open a web page, play a video, play a musical composition, display a video game graphic) of the sandboxed application 112 and/or a request (e.g., a longpoll HTTP request, a command to play a song) to perform the function of the sandboxed application 112 to the heterogeneous networked media device. The sandboxed application 112 of the client device 100 may establish the communication session 116 with the sandbox-reachable service 114 of the heterogeneous networked media device using the pairing server 300, the extension 404, and/or the remote access token. The sandbox-reachable service 114 of the heterogeneous networked media device may comprise a sandboxed application function service (e.g., a web page opener service, a video playing service, a music playing service, a video game playing service). For example, the user 902 may pick up an iPhone® and open an App that plays music. When the user 902 gets home, the music stops playing on an iPhone® and immediately starts playing on a Bose® audio system. However, the user 902 retains the volume and playback controls for the music on the iPhone®. The sandboxed application 112 may be configured to communicate with the other sandboxed application in a manner such that the client device 100 may be configured to offer the sandboxed application 112 as sandbox-reachable service to the other sandboxed application and/or forward a number of communications to the other sandboxed application through the relay service. The other sandboxed application may comprise the sandboxed application function service of the heterogeneous networked media device. For example, a web page may communicate with an other web page in the same manner in which the webpage communicated with the sandbox-reachable service 114 through the communication session 116 (e.g., the webpage may forward the request to the relay service, and the other web page may long poll the relay service for the request). The sandboxed application function service may be configured to communicate with the sandboxed application 112 of the client device 100 in a manner such that the sandboxed application function service may be configured to incorporate a first executable code (e.g., a callback comprising an argument in a query string) into an invocation procedure of the sandboxed application function service, generate a second executable code (e.g., a return result that calls the callback with the return result), and execute the first executable code with the second executable code. According to one embodiment, the invocation procedure may a sandbox-reachable (e.g., using JSONP) service call. For example, the invocation procedure may be a remote procedure call (RPC). The client device 100 may be configured to retain a number of control operations (e.g., a playback operation, a rewind operation, a navigation operation) of the sandboxed application 112 when the heterogeneous networked media device is configured to perform the function of the sandboxed application 112. For example, a video game may be displayed on the heterogeneous networked media device while the client device 100 may be used to play the video game. The relay service may be configured to forward the request to perform the function of the sandboxed application 112 from the client device 100 to the heterogeneous networked media device. The heterogeneous networked media device may be configured to constantly listen for the request through a connection application comprising a polling application, a streaming application, a WebSocket application, and/or a long-polling application. The long-polling application may be configured to optimize a polling period between a long-polling and a consecutive long-polling in a manner such that the polling period is less than a timeout period of the long-polling. For example, the sandboxed application function service may always be running. The sandboxed application function service may communicate a message query (e.g, an initiation of a process of retrieving an asynchronous communication) to the relay service by HTTP long-polling the relay service and/or a device providing the relay service. By optimizing the polling period such that the polling period is less than the timeout period of the session of the relay service, the heterogeneous networked media device may constantly listen for the request. If an “open” message arrives as the body to the longpoll HTTP request, the heterogeneous networked media device may open a fullscreen window containing the web page. In another exemplary embodiment, the heterogeneous networked media device may be configured to run a sandboxed application server (e.g., a computer hardware and/or a computer software dedicated to providing a data to the sandboxed application 112, the other sandboxed application, and/or the sandboxed application function service). For example, the sandboxed application server may comprise a web server. The sandboxed application server may comprise a computer, a plurality of computers, and/or a peer-to-peer network of computers. The sandboxed application server may also be the sandboxed application function service, the heterogeneous networked media device, the pairing server, and/or the trusted intermediary server. Further, the sandboxed application server 700 may be a firmware and/or an integrated circuit. The sandboxed application server may be configured to provide the sandboxed application function service. The sandboxed application function service may also be configured to process the object of the function of the sandboxed application 112 from the client device 100 and to perform the function of the sandboxed application 112 through the sandboxed application server. For example, the object may comprise a URI of a web page. The user 902 may navigate to a web page *w* using the client device 100. The web page *w* may discover the heterogeneous networked media device and communicate an intent of the user 902 to open a web page *v*. The heterogeneous networked media device may run the sandboxed application server (e.g., the web server) that offers the sandboxed application function service. The sandboxed application function service may provide the invocation procedure at a URL “http://x:y/open” where x refers to an IP address and/or a domain name of the heterogeneous networked media device and y is a port that provides the sandboxed application function service. The sandboxed application 112 may communicate the object (e.g., POST a URL *u* to http://x:y/open) causing the sandboxed application server to open the web page *v* pointing at the URL *u*. The sandboxed application 112 may communicate with the invocation procedure using the first executable code comprising the argument in the query string of http://x:y/open. The return result may be the second executable code (e.g., a JSON script) that calls the first executable code. The sandboxed application 112 may communicate the URI of the webpage to the sandboxed application server that offers the sandboxed application function service. The sandboxed application server may then open a browser window pointing at the URI of the web page. A trusted intermediary (e.g., a computer hardware and/or a computer software that enforces and/or prompts the user 902 to set a number of communication policies) may be configured to request an authorization to perform the function of the sandboxed application 112 through the heterogeneous networked media device. The trusted intermediary may also be configured to store the authorization in the sandboxed application 112 and/or a trusted intermediary server (e.g, a server from which the trusted intermediary is downloaded). Additionally, the trusted intermediary may be configured to request the authorization through the client device 100. For example, the trusted intermediary may be the pairing server 300, an iframe, a browser window, a browser tab, a new web page, etc. When the trusted intermediary comprises the iframe, the number of communication policies may be enforced from within the client device 100. The sandboxed application 112 may communicate the object to the sandboxed application function service of the heterogeneous networked media device. The sandboxed application server in the heterogeneous networked media device offering the sandboxed application function service may return the trusted intermediary comprising the iframe asking the user 902 whether to permit the web page to open on the heterogeneous networked media device. Thus, the iframe may prompt the user 902 for the authorization through the sandboxed application 112. The trusted intermediary may store the authorization with the trusted intermediary in a web browser as a cookie. The authorization may also be stored in the trusted intermediary server (e.g., the pairing server 300, the sandbox application server). FIG. 5 is a block diagram depicting the client device 100 gathering the primary data 500 through the sandboxed application 112 and communicating the primary data 500 to the relevancy-matching server 200 through the image 502, according to one embodiment. FIG. 5 shows the client device 100, the networked device 102, the sandboxed application 112, the sandbox-reachable service 114, the relevancy-matching server 200, the storage 202, the primary data 500, and the image 502. The primary data 500 exists between the sandbox-reachable service 114 and the sandboxed application 112 as well as between the image 502 and the relevancy-matching server 200 of FIG. 5. According to one embodiment, the primary data 500 may comprise the identification 1304 (e.g., a title, an episode number) of the media data 1004, a number of descriptive metadata 1206 (e.g., a face recognition, a voice recognition, a music recognition, a product recognition, a brand name recognition) associated with the identification 1304 of the media data 1004, a content identification history (e.g., a viewing history, a listening history, a subset of the media data 1004 previously rendered by the networked device 102), a monitored event 802, the geolocation (e.g., a GPS coordinate, a Geo-IP coordinate), a weather information, the Media Access Control (MAC) address of the client device 100, a private Internet Protocol (IP) address, and/or an other data stored in a volatile memory and/or a non-volatile memory (e.g., a hard disk drive, a solid state drive, a RAM). The image 502 exists within the sandboxed application 112 of FIG. 5. According to one embodiment, the image 502 may be a HTML tag that incorporates a number of in-line graphics into an HTML document. The embedded object 204 may comprise the image 502. The sandboxed application 112 may query the sandbox-reachable service 114 for the primary data 500. The sandboxed application 112 may also pull in the image 502 from the relevancy-matching server 200. The image 502 may then be used to pass along the primary data 500 to the relevancy-matching server 200. Thus, the identification data 304 of the client device 100 and/or the networked device 102 may remain unknown to the relevancy-matching server 200. FIG. 6 is a block diagram depicting the client device 100 gathering the primary data 500 through the executable code 600 and communicating the primary data 500 to the relevancy-matching server 200 through the executable code 600, according to one embodiment. FIG. 6 shows the client device 100, the networked device 102, the sandboxed application 112, the sandbox-reachable service 114, the relevancy-matching server 200, the storage 202, the primary data 500, and the executable code 600. The executable code 600 exists within the sandboxed application 112 and communicates with the sandbox-reachable service 114 and the relevancy-matching server 200 of FIG. 6. According to one embodiment, the executable code 600 may be the script 706, the player, the iframe, and/or an other set of instructions that runs within the client device 100. The sandboxed application 112 may pull in the executable code 600 from the relevancy-matching server 200. The executable code 600 may be configured to gather the primary data 500 from the sandbox-reachable service 114 and/or the networked device 102. The executable code 600 may then be used to pass along the primary data 500 to the relevancy-matching server 200. Thus, the identification data 304 of the client device 100 and/or the networked device 102 may remain unknown to the relevancy-matching server 200. FIG. 7 is a block diagram depicting the client device 100 residing on a separate network from the networked device 102 and gathering the primary data 500 from the intermediary server 700, according to one embodiment. FIG. 7 shows the client device 100, the networked device 102, the sandboxed application 112, the sandbox-reachable service 114, the relevancy-matching server 200, the storage 202, the primary data 500, the intermediary server 700, the preliminary data 702, the GUID 704, the script 706, the LAN 708, a cellular network 710, and the cloud 712. The intermediary server 700 exists within the cloud 712 and is communicatively coupled to the client device 100 and the networked device 102 of FIG. 7. According to one embodiment, the intermediary server 700 may be a computer hardware system dedicated to generating the primary data 500 based on the preliminary data 702 using a processor and a memory. The intermediary server 700 may comprise a computer, a plurality of computers, and/or a peer-to-peer network of computers. The intermediary server 700 may also be the pairing server 300 and/or the relevancy-matching server 200. The intermediary server 700 may be configured to process the preliminary data 702 from the networked device 102 and/or the client device 100 and to generate the primary data 500 based on the preliminary data 702. The intermediary server 700 may also be configured to communicate the primary data 500 to any of a number of devices with the access to the identification data 304 of the networked device 102 and/or the sandbox-reachable service 114 of the networked device 102 (e.g., via a remote access token). For example, the intermediary server 700 may be the content identification server 1006. The intermediary server 700 may process the preliminary data 702 comprising a watermark data 1204 extracted by the CID service 1002 of the networked device 102. The intermediary server 700 may compare the watermark data 1204 to a watermark database 1700 to determine the identification 1304 of the media data 1004 associated with the watermark data 1204. Thus, the intermediary server 700 may generate the primary data 500 comprising the identification 1304 of the media data 1004 based on the watermark data 1204. The intermediary server 700 may then communicate the primary data 500 to the client device 100 if the client device 100 knows the identification data 304 of the networked device 102 and/or the sandbox-reachable service 114 comprising the CID service 1002. For example, the client device 100 may have obtained the GUID 704 of the networked device 102 from the discovery module 302 of the pairing server 300 when the client device 100 and the networked device 102 previously resided on the shared network. The client device 100 may have stored the GUID 704 in the remote access token (e.g., a cookie). Thus, the client device 100 may query the intermediary server 700 for the identification 1304 of the media data 1004 using the GUID 704 of the networked device 102. The intermediary server 700 may act as a trusted intermediary to enforce a policy regarding which of the number of devices may access the primary data 500 of the networked device 102. The preliminary data 702 exists between the networked device 102 and the intermediary server 700 of FIG. 7. According to one embodiment, the preliminary data 702 may be an information associated with the user 902 that is generated by the networked device 102. The preliminary data 702 may be identical to the primary data 500 (e.g., a content identifying metadata extracted by the networked device 102). Alternatively, the preliminary data 702 may need to be converted into the primary data 500 to be usable by the relevancy-matching server 200 (e.g., a digital fingerprint generated by the networked device 102 that must be compared to a fingerprint database 1900 by the intermediary server 700 to generate the identification 1304 of the media data 1004). The preliminary data 702 may comprise a CID data 1200, 1300 automatically generated by the CID service 1000, 1002 based on the media data 1004. The preliminary data 702 may also comprise a timestamp of the CID data 1200, 1300 and/or a device identifier (e.g., a model identifier, a GUID, a Media Access Control address, an Internet Protocol address). The timestamp may be automatically generated by the CID service 1000, 1002. The timestamp may exist within the content of the media data 1004. The GUID 704 exists between the client device 100 and the intermediary server 700 of FIG. 7. According to one embodiment, the GUID 704 may be a reference number used to uniquely identify a location of a data object. The GUID 704 of the networked device 102 and/or the sandbox-reachable service 114 may be used by the client device 100 to access the primary data 500 generated by the intermediary server 700. The identification data 304 may comprise the GUID 704. The identification data 304 may also comprise the geolocation of the networked device 102. The client device 100 may also store the geolocation in the remote access token. The geolocation may be used to authenticate the communication session 116 between the client device 100 and the networked device 102 (e.g., by confirming that the client device 100 and the networked device 102 currently and/or previously shared the geolocation of the networked device 102). The geolocation may also be used by the client device 100 to obtain the primary data 500 of the networked device 102 through the intermediary server 700. The script 706 exists within the sandboxed application 112 of FIG. 7. According to one embodiment, the script 706 may be a program written for a software environment that automates an execution of a number of tasks. The embedded object 204 and/or the executable code 600 may comprise the script 706. The script 706 may gather the primary data 500 from the intermediary server 700 and communicate the primary data 500 to the relevancy-matching server 200. The LAN 708 is associated with the networked device 102 of FIG. 7. According to one embodiment, the LAN 708 may be a collection of a number of links and a number of nodes that interconnects a number of devices in a limited area. The cellular network 710 is associated with the client device 100 of FIG. 7. According to one embodiment, the cellular network 710 may be a radio network distributed over a number of land areas served by a fixed-location transceiver. The client device 100 on the cellular network 710 may obtain the primary data 500 of the networked device 102 on the LAN 708 through the intermediary server 700. The cloud 712 is associated with the intermediary server 700, the relevancy-matching server 200, and the storage 202 of FIG. 7. According to one embodiment, the cloud 712 may be a remote location accessible over the Internet that makes available a number of computing resources. The intermediary server 700, the relevancy-matching server 200, and the storage 202 may each reside in a different remote location. For example, the identification 1304 of the media data 1004 may be communicated via the cloud 712. The networked device 102 may communicate the identification 1304 of the media data 1004 to a server in the cloud 712. The server in the cloud 712 may then store and/or forward the identification 1304 of the media data 1004 to any of the number of devices that are paired (e.g., have access to the identification data 304) with the networked device 102. A communication of the identification 1304 of the media data 1004 may occur immediately and/or at a later time (e.g., to retarget a client-device advertisement a number of hours after the user saw the content associated with the identification 1304 of the media data 1004). Using the relay service of the server in the cloud 712 to relay the identification 1304 of the media data 1004 may be necessary if the client device 100 cannot establish a direct connection to the networked device 102 (e.g., when the client device 100 is a mobile phone using a wireless 4G data network while the networked device 102 is behind a firewall on a wired ISP). FIG. 8 is a block diagram depicting the relevancy-matching server 200 communicating the targeted data 800 to the client device 100 and the networked device 102, according to one embodiment. FIG. 8 shows the client device 100, the networked device 102, the sandboxed application 112, the sandbox-reachable service 114, the relevancy-matching server 200, the storage 202, the embedded object 204, the targeted data 800, and the monitored event 802. The targeted data 800 exists between the relevancy-matching server 200 and the client device 100 as well as between the relevancy-matching server 200 and the networked device 102 of FIG. 8. According to one embodiment, the targeted data 800 may comprise a content recommendation, an advertisement, a product recommendation, and/or an other information related to the primary data 500. The targeted data 800 may comprise the matching item and/or the related item in the storage 202. The targeted data 800 may be communicated to the client device 100 and/or the networked device 102. The monitored event 802 exists between the networked device 102 and the client device 100 of FIG. 8. According to one embodiment, the monitored event 802 may be an interaction between the user 902 and the networked device 102. For example, the targeted data 800 may comprise an interactive advertisement. The interaction between the user 902 and the networked device 102 may become the primary data 500 of the networked device 102. The interaction may then be communicated to the client device 100. FIG. 9 is a block diagram depicting the relevancy-matching server 200 communicating the targeted data 800 to the client device 100 associated with the user 902, according to one embodiment. FIG. 9 shows the client device 100, the relevancy-matching server 200, the targeted data 800, a unique identifier 900 of the client device 100, and the user 902. The unique identifier 900 exists between the client device 100 and the relevancy-matching server 200 of FIG. 9. According to one embodiment, the unique identifier 900 may be a reference information of the client device 100. The unique identifier 900 of the client device 100 may be used as a pseudonym for the user 902. The networked device 102 may have a better view of the network than the sandboxed application 112. The networked device 102 may see the unique identifier 900 of the client device 100 on a number of packets as the number of packets transit within the network. Thus, the networked device 102 may generate and/or communicate the unique identifier 900 to the sandboxed application 112. The unique identifier 900 may also be used to generate a user profile. The targeted data 800 may be initialized by a number of triggers comprising a number of closed captions, a logo detection, a metadata, a face detection, a voice detection, and/or the monitored event 802. The targeted data 800 and/or the primary data 500 may be synchronized across a plurality of devices by creating the user profile in a user profile server. The user profile server may be the pairing server 300, the relevancy-matching server 200, and/or the intermediary server 700. The user profile server may create the user profile by aggregating a number of login information from a number of different services (e.g., a Facebook® service, a Google® service, a Myspace® service, a Windows Live® service, a Yahoo!® service, an OpenID® service). The user profile may also comprise a name, an email address, a gender, a birthday, a timezone, a website, a phone number, a profile picture, an address, a status, a number of interests, a music, a number of movies, a number of television shows, a number of books, a number of friends, a relationship status, and/or an employment information. The user profile may be associated with the client device 100 using the unique identifier 900 of the client device 100. The number of login information may be communicated to any of the plurality of devices. The user 902 is associated with the client device 100 of FIG. 9. According to one embodiment, the user 902 may be a human who utilizes the client device 100. The client device 100 may communicate the unique identifier 900 to the relevancy-matching server 200. The client device 100 may be associated with the user 902 based on the unique identifier 900 that is unlikely to change. The relevancy-matching server 200 may identify the client device 100 using the unique identifier 900. The relevancy-matching server 200 may also communicate the targeted data 800 tailored for the user 902 to the client device 100 with the unique identifier 900 associated with the user 902. FIG. 10 is a block diagram of a system including the content identification server 1006 configured for automatic bidirectional communication with a number of capture servers 1008A, 1008B, the client device 100, and the networked device 102, according to one embodiment. FIG. 10 shows the client device 100, the networked device 102, the CID service 1000, 1002, the media data 1004, the content identification server 1006, a capture server 1008A, 1008B, and a media transmission node 1010A, 1010B. The CID service 1000 exists in the client device 100, and the CID service 1002 exists in the networked device 102 of FIG. 10. The CID service 1000, 1002 of the networked device 102, the client device 100, and/or any of the number of devices that currently and/or previously shared the network with the networked device 102 (e.g., that have the access to the identification data 304) may communicate the preliminary data 702 to the content identification server 1006. The CID service 1002 of the networked device 102 may exist at a chipset level of the networked device 102. The CID service 1002 of the networked device 102 may also be integrated into a chipset of the networked device 102. Further, the CID service 1002 of the networked device 102 may be integrated into a video pipeline and/or an audio pipeline. Still further, the CID service 1002 of the networked device 102 may access a buffer (e.g., a frame buffer, a video buffer, an audio buffer). In one embodiment, the CID service 1000 of the client device 100 and/or the sandboxed application 112 may process and/or generate the CID data 1300 and/or the identification 1304 of the media data 1004 by accessing the CID service 1002 of the networked device 102 through the communication session 116. In another embodiment, the CID service 1000 of the client device 100 and/or the sandboxed application 112 may process and/or generate the CID data 1300 and/or the identification 1304 of the media data 1004 by using a sandbox-reachable service of an intermediary device to access a sandbox-unreachable CID service of the networked device 102. In yet another embodiment, the sandboxed application 112 may retrieve the identification 1304 of the media data 1004 from the sandbox-reachable service of the intermediary device. For example, an audio content identification library on the intermediary device may return the identification 1304 of the media data 1004 to the sandboxed application 112. Alternatively, the CID service 1000 of the client device 100 may generate the CID data 1300 by capturing (e.g., processing and/or replicating at least a portion of) the media data 1004 rendered by the networked device 102 (e.g., using the extension 404 to allow the sandboxed application 112 to access the CID service 1000 and/or a capture device of the client device 100, using a loopback interface to allow the sandboxed application 112 to access the CID service 1000 and/or a capture device of the client device 100 by testing a number of ports). Thus, the CID service 1000 of the client device 100 may be subject to a greater amount of signal noise than the CID service 1002 of the networked device 102. Yet another alternative may entail the CID service 1000 generating the CID data 1300 by using the intermediary device to capture the media data 1004 (e.g., by establishing a communication session between the client device 100 and the intermediary device to access a sandbox-reachable CID service of the intermediary device and/or to access the capture device of the intermediary device). For example, when the sandbox-reachable service 114 of the networked device 102 comprises the CID service 1002 of the networked device 102, the sandboxed application 112 of the client device 100 may process the CID data 1200 automatically generated by the CID service 1002 of the networked device 102 through the communication session 116. The communication session 116 may be established using the discovery service and/or the relay service of the pairing server 300, the extension 404, and/or the remote access token. When the CID service 1002 of the networked device 102 comprises a sandbox-unreachable service, the sandboxed application 112 of the client device 100 may process the CID data 1200 through the sandbox-reachable service of the intermediary device. The sandbox-reachable service of the intermediary device may be configured to utilize a discovery protocol unavailable to the security sandbox 104 of the client device 100 and to process the CID data 1200 from the sandbox-unreachable CID service of the networked device 102. The client device 100 may establish the communication session between the sandboxed application 112 and the sandbox-reachable service of the intermediary device using the discovery service and/or the relay service of the pairing server 300, the extension 404, and/or the remote access token. Alternatively, the sandboxed application 112 of the client device 100 may access the capture device (e.g., a camera, a microphone) to capture the media data 1004 rendered by the networked device 102. The networked device 102 may comprise the media device that is unconnected from the network of the client device 100. The sandboxed application 112 may use the extension 404 to add the capture device of the client device 100 and/or the CID service 1000 of the client device 100 to the security sandbox 104 of the client device 100. The CID service 1000 may also be made into the extension 404 so that a number of calls from JavaScript running in the sandboxed application 112 may query the CID service 1000 running on the same device as the sandboxed application 112. Further, the sandboxed application 112 of the client device 100 may access the sandbox-reachable CID service and/or the capture device of the intermediary device through the communication session 116 between the sandboxed application 112 and the intermediary device. The sandboxed application 112 may also use the loopback interface (e.g., a loopback address, 127.0.0.1, a localhost) to access the CID service 1000 of the client device 100 and/or the capture device of the client device 100. The sandboxed application 112 may query a number of well-known ports for the CID service 1000 of the client device 100 and/or the capture device of the client device 100. Alternatively, the sandboxed application 112 may query the number of ports associated with a number of private IP addresses returned from the discovery service. The sandboxed application 112 may associate a port with the CID service 1000 of the client device 100 and/or the capture device of the client device 100 by looking for a valid service-specific handshake and/or an other valid service-specific query response. The sandboxed application 112 may then communicate with the CID service 1000 of the client device 100 and/or the capture device of the client device 100 through the port. An available service discovered using the loopback interface may also be added to a list of network services even if the available service was not otherwise announced. The media data 1004 exists in the networked device 102 of FIG. 10. According to one embodiment, the media data 1004 and/or the other media data 1108, 1112, 1904 may be a published information rendered to the user 902. The media data 1004 may be rendered to the user 902 by the networked device 102. The other media data 1108, 1112 may be rendered by a number of other networked media devices 1106A, 1106B. The other media data 1904 may be captured by the capture server 1008A, 1008B. The content identification server 1006 exists in the cloud 712 and is communicatively coupled to the client device 100, the networked device 102, and the number of capture servers 1008A, 1008B of FIG. 10. The content identification server 1006 may comprise a computer, a plurality of computers, and/or a peer-to-peer network of computers. The content identification server 1006 may also be the relevancy-matching server 200, the pairing server 300, and/or the intermediary server 700. The content identification server 1006 may be configured to automatically determine the identification 1304 of the media data 1004 previously and/or presently being rendered by the networked device 102. The content identification server 1006 may be configured to process the preliminary data 702 (e.g., the CID data 1200, 1300, the timestamp, the device identifier) from the networked device 102, the client device 100, and/or any of the number of devices that currently and/or previously shared the network with the networked media device 102. The content identification server 1006 may also be configured to process an other CID data 1302, 1306, 1402, 1404 automatically generated by the other CID service 1104, 1110 based on the other media data 1108, 1112, 1904. Further, the content identification server 1006 may be configured to process an other timestamp of the other CID data 1302, 1306, 1402, 1404 and/or an other device identifier from the other CID service 1104, 1110. The other timestamp may exist within the content of the other media data 1108, 1112, 1904. The capture server 1008A, 1008B exists between the content identification server 1006 and the media transmission node 1010A, 1010B of FIG. 10. According to one embodiment, the capture server 1008A, 1008B may comprise a computer hardware system dedicated to processing and/or replicating at least a portion of the other media data 1904 at the media transmission node 1010A, 1010B, detecting a characteristic 1502 (e.g., a closed captioning, a sound, a text, a voice, a face, a music, a logo, a location, a name, a scene, a word of interest, a product, and/or an other object that may potentially identify the other media data 1904) of the other media data 1904, and/or storing the other media data 1904 in a persistent storage (e.g., a disk). The other CID service 1104, 1110 may exist in the capture server 1008A, 1008B. The capture server 1008A, 1008B may comprise a computer, a plurality of computers, and/or a peer-to-peer network of computers. The capture server 1008A, 1008B may also be the relevancy-matching server 200, the pairing server 300, the intermediary server 700, and/or the content identification server 1006. The media transmission node 1010A, 1010B is communicatively coupled to the capture server 1008A, 1008B of FIG. 10. According to one embodiment, the media transmission node 1010A, 1010B may comprise a television broadcasting station, a radio broadcasting station, a cable headend, a connection point in a home, and/or an other point in a media distribution network. The capture server 1008A, 1008B may be collocated with a number of servers at the media transmission node 1010A, 1010B. The capture server 1008A, 1008B may be configured to automatically generate the other CID data 1302, 1306 of the other media data 1904 captured at the media transmission node 1010A, 1010B and/or an other timestamp of the other CID data 1302, 1306 through the other CID service 1104, 1110 using a processor and a memory. The capture server 1008A, 1008B may also be configured to communicate the other CID data 1302, 1306, the other timestamp, and/or the other device identifier to the content identification server 1006. FIG. 11 is a block diagram of a system of automatic bidirectional communication between the client device 100 and the networked device 102 involving the content identification server 1006 and a plurality of other networked devices 1400A, 1400B, according to one embodiment. FIG. 11 shows the client device 100, the networked device 102, the CID service 1000, 1002, the media data 1004, the content identification server 1006, an other client device 1102, an other CID service 1104, 1110, the other networked media device 1106A, 1106B, the other media data 1108, 1112, and an other electronic program guide 1100. The other CID service 1104 exists within the other client device 1102, and the other CID service 1110 exists within the other networked media device 1106B of FIG. 11. The other CID service 1104, 1110 may exist in the plurality of other networked devices 1400A, 1400B (e.g., a number of other client devices 1102 and/or the number of other networked media devices 1106A, 1106B within a limited geographic proximity to the networked device 102). The plurality of other networked devices 1400A, 1400B may be configured to automatically generate the other CID data 1402, 1404 of the other media data 1108, 1112 and/or the other timestamp of the other CID data 1402, 1404 through the other CID service 1104, 1110 using a processor and a memory. The plurality of other networked devices 1400A, 1400B may also be configured to communicate the other CID data 1402, 1404, the other timestamp, and/or the other device identifier to the content identification server 1006. The media data 1004 exists within the networked device 102, the other media data 1108 exists within the other networked media device 1106A, and the other media data 1112 exists within the other networked media device 1106B of FIG. 11. The other media data 1108 may be rendered by the other networked media device 1106A. The other media data 1112 may be rendered by the other networked media device 1106B. The content identification server 1006 exists in the cloud 712 and is communicatively coupled to the client device 100, the networked device 102, the other client device 1102, and the other networked media device 1106B of FIG. 11. The content identification server 1006 may be configured to process a plurality of other CID data 1402, 1404 of the number of other media data 1108, 1112, a number of other timestamps of the plurality of other CID data 1402, 1404, and/or a number of other device identifiers from a plurality of other CID services 1104, 1110. Further, the content identification server 1006 may automatically determine the identification 1304 of the media data 1004 and/or the other media data 1108, 1112 through a crowdsourcing based on a consensus of a provisional identification 2400 of the media data 1004 and a number of other provisional identifications 2400 of the number of other media data 1108, 1112. The other electronic program guide 1100 exists in the cloud 712 and is communicatively coupled to the content identification server 1006 of FIG. 11. According to one embodiment, an electronic program guide and/or the other electronic program guide 1100 may be a schedule of a number of programs, a number of channels 2100, and/or a number of times. The electronic program guide and/or the other electronic program guide 1100 may be available through a set-top box and/or the Internet. FIG. 12 is a block diagram of the CID service 1002 generating the CID data 1200 based on the media data 1004, according to one embodiment. FIG. 12 shows the media data 1004, the CID data 1200, a fingerprint data 1202, the watermark data 1204, a descriptive metadata 1206, and an identifying information 1208. The CID data 1200 exists at the end of an arrow depicting a process of generating the CID data 1200 from the media data 1004 of FIG. 12. The CID data 1200, 1300 and/or the other CID data 1302, 1306, 1402, 1404 may be a reference information derived from and/or associated with the media data 1004 and/or the other media data 1108, 1112, 1904. The CID service 1000, 1002 of the networked device 102, the client device 100, and/or any of the number of devices that currently and/or previously shared the network with the networked device 102 may automatically generate the CID data 1200, 1300. The other CID service 1104, 1110 of the capture server 1008A, 1008B and/or the plurality of other networked devices 1400A, 1400B may automatically generate the other CID data 1302, 1306, 1402, 1404. The CID data 1200, 1300 may comprise the fingerprint data 1202, the watermark data 1204, the descriptive metadata 1206, and/or the identifying information 1208. The other CID data 1302, 1306, 1402, 1404 may comprise an other fingerprint data 1906, 2302, 2306, 2602, an other watermark data 2200, 2304, an other descriptive metadata 2308, and/or an other identifying information 1800. The fingerprint data 1202 exists adjacent to the CID data 1200 in an exploded view of the CID data 1200 of FIG. 12. According to one embodiment, the CID service 1000, 1002 and/or the other CID service 1104, 1110 may be configured to automatically generate the fingerprint data 1202 and/or the other fingerprint data 1906, 2302, 2306, 2602 in a manner such that the CID service 1000, 1002 and/or the other CID service 1104, 1110 is configured to detect, extract (e.g., replicate a portion of), quantize (e.g., round a value to a unit of precision), and/or hash (e.g., map a large data set to a small data set) a number of characteristic features and/or a number of other characteristic features of the media data 1004 and/or the other media data 1108, 1112, 1904. The fingerprint data 1202 may comprise a fingerprint data sequence 2000, and the other fingerprint data 1906, 2302, 2306, 2602 may comprise an other fingerprint data sequence. The CID service 1000, 1002 and/or the other CID service 1104, 1110 may also be configured to communicate the fingerprint data 1202 and/or the other fingerprint data 1906, 2302, 2306, 2602 to the content identification server 1006. The watermark data 1204 also exists adjacent to the CID data 1200 in the exploded view of the CID data 1200 of FIG. 12. According to one embodiment, the CID service 1000, 1002 and/or the other CID service 1104, 1110 may be configured to automatically generate the watermark data 1204 and/or the other watermark data 2200, 2304 in a manner such that the CID service 1000, 1002 and/or the other CID service 1104, 1110 is configured to detect and to extract an embedded signal of the media data 1004 and/or the other media data 1108, 1112, 1904. The content identification server 1006 may be configured to process the watermark data 1204 and/or the other watermark data 2200, 2304 from the CID service 1000, 1002 and/or the other CID service 1104, 1110. The content identification server 1006 may also be configured to compare the watermark data 1204 and/or the other watermark data 2200, 2304 to a known watermark data in the watermark database 1700. Further, the content identification server 1006 may be configured to associate the identification 1304 and/or the provisional identification 2400 (e.g., when the other CID data 1402, 1404 is processed from the plurality of other networked devices 1400A, 1400B) of the media data 1004 with the identification of the known watermark data when the watermark data 1204 is identical to the known watermark data. Similarly, the content identification server 1006 may be configured to associate the identification 1304 and/or an other provisional identification 2400 of the other media data 1108, 1112, 1904 with the identification of the known watermark data when the other watermark data 2200, 2304 is identical to the known watermark data. The descriptive metadata 1206 exists adjacent to the CID data 1200 in the exploded view of the CID data 1200 of FIG. 12. According to one embodiment, the CID service 1000, 1002 and/or the other CID service 1104, 1110 may be configured to automatically generate the descriptive metadata 1206 and/or the other descriptive metadata 2308 in a manner such that the CID service 1000, 1002 and/or the other CID service 1104, 1110 may be configured to process a descriptive data (e.g., a channel number, a title, an episode number, a summary, a callsign) and/or an other descriptive data added to the media data 1004 and/or the other media data 1108, 1112, 1904. The CID service 1000, 1002 and/or the other CID service 1104, 1110 may also communicate the descriptive metadata 1206 and/or the other descriptive metadata 2308 to the content identification server 1006. However, if the descriptive metadata 1206 and/or the other descriptive metadata 2308 identifies the content of the media data 1004 and/or the other media data 1108, 1112, the CID service 1000, 1002 and/or the other CID service 1104, 1110 of the plurality of other networked devices 1400A, 1400B may not need to communicate the descriptive metadata 1206 and/or the other descriptive metadata 2308 to the content identification server 1006. The content identification server 1006 may be configured to process the descriptive metadata 1206 and/or the other descriptive metadata 2308 from the client device 100, the networked device 102, the capture server 1008A, 1008B, and/or the plurality of other networked devices 1400A, 1400B. When the descriptive metadata 1206 identifies the content of the media data 1004, the content identification server 1006 may be further configured to associate the descriptive metadata 1206 with the identification 1304 and/or the provisional identification 2400 of the media data 1004. When the other descriptive metadata 2308 identifies the content of the other media data 1108, 1112, 1904, the content identification server 1006 may be further configured to associate the other descriptive metadata 2308 with the identification 1304 and/or the other provisional identification 2400 of the other media data 1108, 1112, 1904. The identifying information 1208 exists adjacent to the CID data 1200 in the exploded view of the CID data 1200 of FIG. 12. According to one embodiment, the CID service 1000, 1002 and/or the other CID service 1104, 1110 may be configured to generate the identifying information 1208 and/or the other identifying information 1800 in a manner such that the CID service 1000, 1002 and/or the other CID service 1104, 1110 may be configured to retrieve the identifying information 1208 (e.g., a title, an episode number, a summary, a channel number, a callsign) and/or the other identifying information 1800 from a tuner 2300 (e.g., a television tuner, a radio tuner, a quadrature amplitude modulation tuner, an Advanced Television Systems Committee tuner, a stream decoder), an other tuner 1902, the electronic program guide, and/or the other electronic program guide 1100. The capture server 1008A, 1008B, the plurality of other networked devices 1400A, 1400B, and/or the content identification server 1006 may access the other tuner 1902 and/or the other electronic program guide 1100. For example, the networked device 102 may identify the channel number based on the tuner 2300. The CID service 1002 may access the electronic program guide to retrieve the title of the media data 1004 currently scheduled for the channel number. The CID service 1000, 1002 and/or the other CID service 1104, 1110 may also communicate the identifying information 1208 and/or the other identifying information 1800 to the content identification server 1006. However, if the identifying information 1208 and/or the other identifying information 1800 identifies the media data 1004 and/or the other media data 1108, 1112, the CID service 1000, 1002 and/or the other CID service 1104, 1110 may not need to communicate the identifying information 1208 and/or the other identifying information 1800 to the content identification server 1006. The content identification server 1006 may be configured to process the identifying information 1208 and/or the other identifying information 1800 from the client device 100, the networked device 102, the capture server 1008A, 1008B, and/or the plurality of other networked devices 1400A, 1400B. When the identifying information 1208 identifies the content of the media data 1004, the content identification server 1006 may be further configured to associate the identifying information 1208 with the identification 1304 and/or the provisional identification 2400 of the media data 1004. When the other identifying information 1800 identifies the content of the other media data 1108, 1112, 1904, the content identification server 1006 may be further configured to associate the other identifying information 1800 with the identification 1304 and/or the other provisional identification 2400 of the other media data 1108, 1112, 1904. When the descriptive metadata 1206 identifies a channel 2100 of the networked device 102, the content identification server 1006 may be further configured to associate the media data 1004 with the other media data 1904 identified by the capture server 1008A, 1008B configured to monitor the channel 2100 identified by the descriptive metadata 1206. When the identifying information 1208 identifies the channel 2100 of the networked device 102, the content identification server 1006 may be further configured to associate the media data 1004 with the other media data 1904 identified by the capture server 1008A, 1008B configured to monitor the channel 2100 identified by the identifying information 1208. When the descriptive metadata 1206 and/or the identifying information 1208 identifies the channel 2100 of the networked device 102, the content identification server 1006 may also be configured to retrieve a content identifying information (e.g., a title) associated with the channel 2100 from the other electronic program guide 1100 communicatively coupled with the content identification server 1006 and to associate the content identifying information with the provisional identification 2400 of the media data 1004. Additionally, when the other descriptive metadata 2308 and/or the other identifying information 1800 identifies the channel 2100 of the number of other networked media devices 1106A, 1106B, the content identification server 1006 may be configured to retrieve the content identifying information associated with the channel 2100 from the other electronic program guide 1100 communicatively coupled with the content identification server 1006 and to associate the content identifying information with the other provisional identification 2400 of the other media data 1108, 1112. FIG. 13 is a block diagram of a system of determining the identification 1304 of the media data 1004 involving the content identification server 1006 communicatively coupled to the number of capture servers 1008A, 1008B, according to one embodiment. FIG. 13 shows the client device 100, the networked device 102, the content identification server 1006, the number of capture servers 1008A, 1008B, the CID data 1200, 1300, the other CID data 1302, 1306, and the identification 1304. The identification 1304 of the media data 1004 exists between the content identification server 1006 and the client device 100 as well as between the content identification server 1006 and the networked device 102 of FIG. 13. According to one embodiment, the identification 1304 of the media data 1004 and/or the other media data 1108, 1112, 1904 may comprise a title, an episode number, a channel number, a device identifier, and/or an other reference information associated with the media data 1004 and/or the other media data 1108, 1112, 1904. The capture server 1008A, 1008B and/or the content identification server 1006 may access a greater amount of computational resources and a greater amount of memory resources with which to determine the identification 1304 of the media data 1004 and/or the other media data 1904. The greater amount of computational resources and the greater amount of memory resources of the capture server 1008A, 1008B and/or the content identification server 1006 may be conducive to limiting the CID service 1000, 1002 to identifying the channel 2100 of the networked device 102. Thus, the other CID service 1104, 1110 of the capture server 1008A, 1008B along with the content identification server 1006 may determine the identification 1304 of the media data 1004 at a faster rate. The greater amount of computational resources and the greater amount of memory resources of the capture server 1008A, 1008B and/or the content identification server 1006 may also be conducive to separately analyzing an audio portion of the media data 1004 and a video portion of the media data 1004. Thus, the other CID service 1104, 1110 of the capture server 1008A, 1008B along with the content identification server 1006 may always analyze the audio portion of the other media data 1904 corresponding to the media data 1004 in a manner such that the CID service 1000, 1002 may simply query the content identification server 1006 for the identification 1304 of the audio portion. The CID service 1000, 1002 may be limited to analyzing the video portion of the media data 1004 to the extent of identifying the channel 2100 of the networked device 102. The content identification server 1006 and/or the capture server 1008A, 1008B may also be configured to communicate the identification 1304 of the media data 1004, the channel 2100, the descriptive metadata 1206, and/or the other descriptive metadata 2308 to the networked device 102, the client device 100, the metadata association server, a content recommendation server (e.g., a computer hardware system dedicated to suggesting a published information related to the media data 1004), and/or any of the number of devices with the access to the identification data 304 of the networked device 102 and/or the sandbox-reachable service 114 of the networked media device 102 (e.g., via the remote access token). Thus, the content identification server 1006 may act as a trusted intermediary to enforce a policy regarding which of the number of devices may access the identification 1304 of the media data 1004, the channel 2100, the descriptive metadata 1206, and/or the other descriptive metadata 2308. The networked device 102, the client device 100, and/or the number of devices may perform any of a number of functions with the identification 1304 of the media data 1004. For example, the number of devices may render a number of recommendations and/or a related media data (e.g., the published information sharing a commonality with the media data 1004) to the user 902. The number of recommendations and/or the related media data may be initialized by a number of triggers comprising a number of closed captions, a logo detection, the descriptive metadata 1206, a detection of the characteristic 1502, and/or a manual event trigger. For example, the relevancy-matching server 200 may comprise the content recommendation server configured to automatically associate, using a processor and a memory, the identification (e.g., a title, an episode number) of the related media data with the CID data 1200, 1300 of the media data 1004 presently being rendered by the networked device 102, the identification 1304 of the media data 1004, and/or the number of metadata associated with the identification 1304 of the media data 1004. The content recommendation server may comprise a computer, a plurality of computers, and/or a peer-to-peer network of computers. The content recommendation server may also be the content identification server 1006, the metadata association server, the intermediary server 700, and/or the pairing server 300. The CID service 1000, 1002 may communicate the CID data 1200, 1300, the identification 1304 of the media data 1004, and/or the number of metadata associated with the identification 1304 of the media data 1004 to the content recommendation server. The content identification server 1006 may also communicate the identification 1304 of the media data 1004 to the content recommendation server. The metadata association server may also communicate the number of metadata associated with the identification 1304 of the media data 1004 to the content recommendation server. The content recommendation server may be configured to communicate the identification of the related media data to the networked device 102, the client device 100, the metadata association server, and/or any of the number of devices with the access to the identification data 304. The relevancy-matching server may also comprise the metadata association server configured to automatically associate, using a processor and a memory, the CID data 1200, 1300 of the media data 1004 presently being rendered by the networked device 102, the identification of the related media data, and/or the identification 1304 of the media data 1004 with the number of metadata associated with the identification 1304 of the media data 1004 and/or the number of metadata associated with the identification of the related media data. The metadata association server may also comprise a computer, a plurality of computers, and/or a peer-to-peer network of computers. The metadata association server may be an optional intermediary server between the content identification server 1006 and the content recommendation server. The metadata association server may also be the content identification server 1006, the content recommendation server, the intermediary server 700, and/or the pairing server 300. The CID service 1000, 1002 may communicate the CID data 1200, 1300 and/or the identification 1304 to the metadata association server. The content identification server 1006 may also communicate the identification 1304 to the metadata association server. The content recommendation server may communicate the identification of the related media data to the metadata association server. The metadata association server may generate the number of metadata associated with the identification 1304 of the media data 1004 and/or the number of metadata associated with the identification of the related media data by accessing Tribune®, Rovi®, IMDb®, and/or an other source for the number of metadata about the media data 1004 and/or the related media data. The metadata association server may be configured to communicate the number of metadata associated with the identification 1304 of the media data 1004 and/or the number of metadata associated with the identification of the related media data to the content recommendation server, the networked device 102, the client device 100, and/or any of the number of devices with the access to the identification data 304. Further, the relevancy-matching server 200 may comprise a related media data provider (e.g., a computer hardware system dedicated to transmitting the related media data using a processor and a memory). The related media data provider may comprise a computer, a plurality of computers, and/or a peer-to-peer network of computers. The related media data provider may also be the content identification server 1006, the metadata association server, the content recommendation server, the intermediary server 700, the capture server 1008A, 1008B, and/or the pairing server 300. When the related media data provider is the capture server 1008A, 1008B, a synchronized viewing may be enabled. The synchronized viewing may augment the media data 1004 with the related media data that is being broadcasted. The capture server 1008A, 1008B may capture an audio portion of the media data 1004 separately from a video portion of the media data 1004. The capture server 1008A, 1008B may then use a number of timestamps of the other CID data 1302, 1306 to correlate the audio portion of the media data 1004 and/or the related media data to the video portion of the media data 1004 and/or the related media data based on a choice of the user 902. For example, the user 902 may view the video portion of the media data 1004 and switch between the audio portion of the media data 1004 and the audio portion of the related media data. Alternatively, the user may listen to the audio portion of the media data 1004 and switch between the video portion of the media data 1004 and the video portion of the related media data. The media data 1004 and the related media data may be the media data 1004 broadcasted on a number of different channels. Thus, the user 902 may select a superior audio portion and/or a superior video portion. According to one embodiment, the client device 100 may be configured to render the related media data to the user 902 through the networked device 102 and/or the client device 100. The sandboxed application 112 may be configured to process the identification of the related media data from the content recommendation server. The sandboxed application 112 may also be configured to suggest the identification of the related media data to the user 902. Further, the sandboxed application 112 may be configured to process a request to render the related media data through the networked device 102 and/or the client device 100 based on a selection of the user 902. Still further, the sandboxed application 112 may be configured to communicate the request and/or the related media data to the networked device 102 when the selection comprises the request to render the related media data through the networked device 102. The networked device 102 and/or the client device 100 may be configured to retrieve the related media data from the related media data provider. In another embodiment, the content identification server 1006, the metadata association server, and/or the content recommendation server may also be used to automatically update an initial user interface (UI) of the networked device 102 with the identification 1304 of the media data 1004, the identification of the related media data, the number of metadata associated with the identification 1304 of the media data 1004, and/or the number of metadata associated with the identification of the related media data. The initial UI may comprise a number of UI elements and/or a number of pages. The networked device 102 may be configured to automatically update and/or display the initial UI. The initial UI may be displayed prior to, after, and/or simultaneously with (e.g., overlaid upon, alongside) a rendering of an initial media data (e.g., the media data 1004 that is rendered immediately following a hardware startup sequence of the networked device 102). A number of user interactions may trigger the networked device 102 to display the initial UI. For example, the initial UI may be displayed when the user 902 logs into and/or pairs with the networked device 102. The initial UI may also be displayed when the user 902 otherwise interacts with the networked device 102 from the client device 100 (e.g., when the client device 100 is used as a remote control and/or a companion application to the networked device 102). Further, the initial UI may be displayed when the user 902 and/or an unrecognized user is detected. For example, the networked device 102 may access and/or be communicatively coupled to a camera that detects the user 902 and/or the unrecognized user. The camera may identify the user 902 using a facial recognition algorithm. The networked device 102 may also access and/or be communicatively coupled to a microphone that detects the user 902 and/or the unrecognized user. The microphone may identify the user 902 using a voice recognition algorithm. Thus, the initial UI that is customized (e.g., based on a prior usage, a number of policy settings, and/or a demographic profile) for the user 902 and/or the unrecognized user may be displayed when the user 902 and/or the unrecognized user is within a certain proximity of the networked device 102. For example, a certain initial UI may be displayed when a male child is detected. A different initial UI may be displayed when an adult woman approaches the male child. If the unrecognized user is detected, the networked device 102 may create a user profile. The user profile may be based on a number of analytics comprising the prior usage, the number of policy settings, and/or the demographic profile. The initial UI may be customized based on the user profile. The prior usage may comprise a number of identifications of a number of previously rendered media data (e.g., the primary data 500) in the client device 100, the networked device 102, and/or any of the number of devices that currently and/or previously shared the network with the networked device 102. The networked device 102, the client device 100, the content identification server 1006, the metadata association server, the content recommendation server, the intermediary server 700, the relevancy-matching server 200, and/or any of the number of devices that currently and/or previously shared the network with the networked device 102 may be configured to retrieve, aggregate, and/or store the number of identifications of the number of previously rendered media data. The number of identifications of the number of previously rendered media data may be stored in an identification database. The identification database may be associated with the user profile, the network, the networked device 102, the client device 100, and/or any of the number of devices that currently and/or previously shared the network with the networked device 102. The identification database may reside in the networked device 102, the client device 100, the content identification server 1006, the metadata association server, the content recommendation server, the intermediary server 700, the relevancy-matching server 200, and/or any of the number of devices that currently and/or previously shared the network with the networked device 102. The networked device 102, the client device 100, the content identification server 1006, the metadata association server, the content recommendation server, and/or any of the number of devices that currently and/or previously shared the network with the networked device 102 may be configured to compare the identification of the related media data to the identification database and to determine the identification of the related media data to be an unrendered related media data (e.g., a missed episode). The initial UI may not be updated with the identification of the related media data when the identification of the related media data comprises a previously rendered media data. The networked device 102, the client device 100, the content identification server 1006, the metadata association server, the content recommendation server, the intermediary server 700, the relevancy-matching server 200, and/or any of the number of devices that currently and/or previously shared the network with the networked device 102 may be configured to automatically update the initial UI. Additionally, the initial UI may be configured to display a number of channels and/or the number of identifications of the number of previously rendered media data based on a number of occurrences of the number of channels and/or the number of identifications of the previously rendered media data in the identification database. For example, the initial UI may display a number of favorite channels and/or a number of favorite media data. Further, the networked device 102 may be configured to access the electronic program guide and to retrieve the occurrence of a presently renderable media data (e.g., a program that has already started, a program that is about to start) from the electronic program guide. The presently renderable media data may comprise the related media data. In addition, the initial UI may be configured to change the channel 2100 rendered by the networked device 102 based on a selection of the user 902 and/or an other user. For example, the initial UI may access a remote control interface (e.g., via an infrared blaster) of a set-top box to effect a channel change. Thus, the initial UI may display the media data 1004, the related media data, the identification 1304 of the media data 1004, the identification of the related media data, the number of metadata associated with the media data 1004, the number of metadata associated with the related media data, the presently renderable media data, the identification of the presently renderable media data, and/or the number of identifications of the number of previously rendered media data. The initial UI may also display a history of the number of previously rendered media data (e.g., a list of the 10 most recently viewed shows). The initial UI may also comprise a link to the related media data provider. The related media data may be rendered to the user 902 and/or the other user based on an action comprising a click-through action, a subscription action, and/or a purchase action (e.g., a pay-per-view purchase). FIG. 14 is a block diagram of a system of determining the identification 1304 of the media data 1004 involving the content identification server 1006 and the plurality of other networked devices 1400A, 1400B, according to one embodiment. FIG. 14 shows the client device 100, the networked device 102, the content identification server 1006, the other electronic program guide 1100, the CID data 1200, 1300, the other CID data 1402, 1404, the identification 1304, and the plurality of other networked devices 1400A, 1400B. The content identification server 1006 may be configured to automatically determine the identification 1304 of the media data 1004 through the crowdsourcing. The crowdsourcing may be based on the consensus of the provisional identification 2400 and a plurality of other provisional identifications 2400. The content identification server 1006 may be configured to aggregate the provisional identification 2400 and the plurality of other provisional identifications 2400. The consensus may be algorithmically determined based on a number of criteria comprising a predetermined percentage of a predetermined number of samples, a reliability of the provisional identification 2400, and/or an other factor affecting a confidence score (e.g., measures an accuracy of the identification 1304 of the media data 1004) of the consensus. The crowdsourcing may be used as an alternative or as a supplement to the capture server 1008A, 1008B. For example, the crowdsourcing may be used as the alternative to the capture server 1008A, 1008B in an area in which the capture server 1008A, 1008B has not been deployed. The crowdsourcing may be used as the supplement to the capture server 1008A, 1008B to detect a discrepancy between the identification 1304 of the media data 1004 determined using the capture server 1008A, 1008B and the identification 1304 of the media data 1004 using the crowdsourcing. FIG. 15 is a block diagram depicting the content identification server 1006 configured to generate an annotated metadata 1504, according to one embodiment. FIG. 15 shows the client device 100, the networked device 102, the content identification server 1006, the capture server 1008A, a characteristics database 1500, the characteristic 1502, and the annotated metadata 1504. The characteristics database 1500 exists within the content identification server 1006 of FIG. 15. According to one embodiment, the characteristics database 1500 may be a structured collection of information about a number of potentially identifying features of the other media data 1904. The characteristic 1502 exists between the content identification server 1006 and the capture server 1008A of FIG. 15. The capture server 1008A, 1008B may be configured to store the other media data 1904 captured at the media transmission node 1010A, 1010B in a non-volatile memory (e.g., a disk). The other media data 1904 captured at the media transmission node 1010A, 1010B may be retrieved from a buffer of a predetermined length in the capture server 1008A, 1008B. The capture server 1008A, 1008B may be configured to detect the characteristic 1502 of the other media data 1904 captured at the media transmission node 1010A, 1010B. The capture server 1008A, 1008B may use a number of quadrature amplitude modulation (QAM) tuner cards and/or receive a video signal over IP using a number of Moving Pictures Expert Group (MPEG)-2 streams and/or MPEG4 including a number of data packets containing the closed captioning. The capture server 1008A, 1008B may also be configured to communicate the characteristic 1502 to the content identification server 1006. The content identification server 1006 may be configured to process the characteristic 1502 from the capture server 1008A, 1008B. The content identification server 1006 may also be configured to identify the characteristic 1502 by comparing the characteristic 1502 to the characteristics database 1500. The characteristics database 1500 may also exist in the capture server 1008A, 1008B. For example, when the characteristics database 1500 exists in the capture server 1008A, 1008B, the capture server 1008A, 1008B may be configured to identify the characteristic 1502 by comparing the characteristic 1502 to the characteristics database 1500. In another embodiment, the capture server 1008A, 1008B may communicate the other media data 1904 to the content identification server 1006. Thus, the content identification server 1006 may be configured to detect the characteristic 1502 of the other media data 1904. The annotated metadata 1504 exists between the content identification server 1006 and the client device 100 as well as between the content identification server 1006 and the networked device 102 of FIG. 15. According to one embodiment, the annotated metadata 1504 may comprise a machine-readable information describing the characteristic 1502. The content identification server 1006 and/or the capture server 1008A, 1008B may be configured to generate the annotated metadata 1504 associated with the other media data 1904 captured at the media transmission node 1010A, 1010B. The characteristic 1502 may be annotated in the annotated metadata 1504. The annotated metadata 1504 may comprise the descriptive metadata 1206 and/or the other descriptive metadata 2308. The content identification server 1006 and/or the capture server 1008A, 1008B may communicate the annotated metadata 1504 to the networked device 102, the client device 100, and/or any of the number of devices with the access to the identification data 304 of the networked device 102 and/or the sandbox-reachable service 114 of the networked device 102. The networked device 102, the client device 100, and/or the number of devices may long poll and/or maintain a web socket open to the content identification server 1006 and/or the capture server 1008A, 1008B in a manner such that when the content identification server 1006 and/or the capture server 1008A, 1008B identifies the characteristic 1502, the content identification server 1006 and/or the capture server 1008A, 1008B may communicate the annotated metadata 1504 to the networked device 102, the client device 100, and/or the number of devices. FIG. 16 is a block diagram depicting the content identification server 1006 configured to generate an identifying metadata 1602, according to one embodiment. FIG. 16 shows the client device 100, the networked device 102, the content identification server 1006, the capture server 1008A, the characteristics database 1500, an identifying characteristic 1600, and the identifying metadata 1602. The identifying characteristic 1600 exists between the content identification server 1006 and the capture server 1008A of FIG. 16. According to one embodiment, the identifying characteristic 1600 may comprise the characteristic 1502 that may identify a recurring sequence 2102 (e.g., an advertisement). The capture server 1008A, 1008B may be configured to detect the identifying characteristic 1600 of the other media data 1904 associated with the recurring sequence 2102. The capture server 1008A, 1008B may also be configured to communicate the identifying characteristic 1600 to the content identification server 1006. The content identification server 1006 may be configured to process the identifying characteristic 1600 from the capture server 1008A, 1008B. The content identification server 1006 may also be configured to identify the identifying characteristic 1600 by comparing the identifying characteristic 1600 to the characteristics database 1500. Alternatively, when the characteristics database 1500 exists in the capture server 1008A, 1008B, the capture server 1008A, 1008B may be configured to identify the identifying characteristic 1600 by comparing the identifying characteristic 1600 to the characteristics database 1500. In another embodiment, the capture server 1008A, 1008B may communicate the other media data 1904 to the content identification server 1006. Thus, the content identification server 1006 may be configured to detect the identifying characteristic 1600 of the other media data 1904. The identifying metadata 1602 exists between the content identification server 1006 and the client device 100 as well as between the content identification server 1006 and the networked device 102 of FIG. 16. According to one embodiment, the identifying metadata 1602 may comprise a machine-readable information describing the identifying characteristic 1600. The content identification server 1006 and/or the capture server 1008A, 1008B may be configured to generate the identifying metadata 1602 associated with the recurring sequence 2102. The identifying characteristic 1600 may be annotated in the identifying metadata 1602. The identifying metadata 1602 may comprise the descriptive metadata 1206 and/or the other descriptive metadata 2308. The content identification server 1006 and/or the capture server 1008A, 1008B may communicate the identifying metadata 1602 to the networked device 102, the client device 100, and/or any of the number of devices with the access to the identification data 304 of the networked device 102 and/or the sandbox-reachable service 114 of the networked device 102. The networked device 102, the client device 100, and/or the number of devices may long poll and/or maintain the web socket open to the content identification server 1006 and/or the capture server 1008A, 1008B in a manner such that when the content identification server 1006 and/or the capture server 1008A, 1008B identifies the identifying characteristic 1600, the content identification server 1006 and/or the capture server 1008A, 1008B may communicate the identifying metadata 1602 to the networked device 102, the client device 100, and/or the number of devices. A video sequence, an audio sequence, and/or a subset of frames of the other media data 1904 that is stored by the capture server 1008A, 1008B may also enable a curation of the video sequence, the audio sequence, and/or the subset of frames by the user 902 of the networked device 102 and/or the client device 100 without requiring the networked device 102 and/or the client device 100 to directly capture the video sequence, the audio sequence, and/or the subset of frames of the media data 1004. When the user 902 initiates a request for the video sequence, the audio sequence, and/or the subset of frames, the capture server 1008A, 1008B may go backwards in time from the request to retrieve the other media data 1904 from the buffer. The user 902 of the networked device 102 may initiate the request using the remote control. The remote control may be the client device 100 acting as the remote control. The request may specify a particular video sequence, a particular audio sequence, and/or a particular subset of frames based on a number of actions of the user 902. When the identification 1304 of the media data 1004 has been determined, the capture server 1008A, 1008B may be queried for the video sequence, the audio sequence, and/or the subset of frames corresponding to the identification 1304 of the media data 1004 and the timestamp of the media data 1004. The capture server 1008A, 1008B and/or the content identification server 1006 may communicate a media data set to the networked device 102. The media data set may comprise the video sequence and/or the audio sequence. The media data set may comprise the subset of frames and/or a number of images derived from the subset of frames (e.g., a thumbnail). The media data set may comprise a number of actual images and/or a number of URLs referring to the number of images. The media data set may comprise a set of clips associated with a number of points in the media data 1004 that have been provided by a content provider. The media data set may comprise the particular video sequence, the particular audio sequence, and/or the particular subset of frames specified by the user 902. The media data set may be communicated to a predetermined location (e.g., an email address, a POST to a URL) by the capture server 1008A, 1008B and/or the content identification server 1006. The user 902 of the client device 100 may initiate the request using the sandboxed application 112 and/or an other application of the client device 100. The sandboxed application 112 and/or the other application may be paired with the networked device 102 (e.g., using the pairing server 300, using the extension 404 to the security sandbox 104, using a hidden signal of the networked device 102, using a bar code and/or a matrix code of the networked device 102). The client device 100 may obtain the identification 1304 of the media data 1004 and the timestamp of the media data 1004 from the networked device 102. The capture server 1008A, 1008B may be queried for the video sequence, the audio sequence, and/or the subset of frames corresponding to the identification 1304 of the media data 1004 and the timestamp of the media data 1004. The capture server 1008A, 1008B and/or the content identification server 1006 may communicate the media data set to the client device 100 and/or to the predetermined location. The networked device 102 and/or the client device 100 may implement any of a number of applications for handling the media data set. The networked device 102 and/or the client device 100 may display the media data set in a tile list, as a slide show, and/or in an other format for navigating the media data set. The user 902 may select a subset of the media data set in the networked device 102 and/or the client device 100. The networked device 102 and/or the client device 100 may communicate the subset of the media data set to a media data storage server that stores a number of pinned media data. The media data storage server may be separate from the capture server 1008A, 1008B, the content identification server 1006, the relevancy-matching server 200, the intermediary server 700, and/or the pairing server 300. The user 902 may communicate the subset of the media data set to the media data storage server by posting (e.g., using a HTTP POST) the subset of the media data set, posting a list of the number of URLs of the subset of the media data set, using a plurality of HTTP POSTs of a number of individual URLs to the subset of the media data set, etc. The user 902 may post the number of individual URLs by encoding a number of media data URLs as a number of values in a number of query string key-value pairs in the number of individual URLs HTTP POSTed or passed via an HTTP GET. The user 902 may recall the subset of the media data set in the media data storage server by visiting a web site, running a desktop application that communicates with the media data storage server, etc. The client device 100 may be automatically configured to act as the remote control. When the client device 100 and the networked device 102 reside behind a same public IP address, the client device 100 may discover the networked device 102 using the discovery service. The discovery service may communicate the model identifier and/or a remote control configuration identifier of the networked device 102 to the client device 100. When the client device 100 and the networked device 102 are paired using the hidden signal of the networked device 102, the client device 100 and the networked device 102 may not be required to reside on a same network. The hidden signal may be a covert channel embedded in an audio output, an image output, and/or a video output of the networked device 102. For example, the covert channel may be a video watermark identifier. The hidden signal may communicate the model identifier and/or the remote control configuration identifier to the client device 100. The model identifier and/or the remote control configuration identifier may be used to lookup a configuration information for an infrared component, a Bluetooth component, and/or an other remote control component. If the client device 100 maintains a local database of a number of remote control configurations (e.g., an IrDA profile), the client device 100 may not need to access the Internet. The covert channel may be a low-bitrate communication in one-direction. The covert channel may use a relatively small amount of power. The covert channel may enable the communication session 116 between the sandboxed application 112 and the sandbox-reachable service 114 without opening the networked device 102 to a security risk. The covert channel may enable the client device 100 on the cellular network 710 to communicate with the networked device 102 over the Internet. The networked device 102 may be aware of (e.g., via an initial configuration, via a HDMI-CEC) the number of devices to which the networked device 102 is communicatively coupled. The covert channel and/or a serving device described by the covert channel may announce the number of devices to which the networked device 102 is communicatively coupled. The covert channel may continuously announce the device identifier of the networked device 102 and/or the identification data 304. The sandboxed application 112 of the client device 100 and/or the other application of the client device 100 may process the audio output, the image output, and/or the video output, extract the covert channel, and use the device identifier and/or the identification data 304 to pair with the networked device 102 and/or a service of the networked device 102. The networked device 102 and the client device 100 may not reside on the same network. For example, the client device 100 may use a data service (e.g., a 3G service, a 4G service) and/or a text message service (e.g., a SMS service) while the networked device 102 may use a wired connection and/or a wireless connection (e.g., a WiFi connection) to the Internet. The sandboxed application 112 and/or the other application of the client device 100 may use a relay service (e.g., via the pairing server 300, via the extension 404) to communicate with the networked device 102. To determine the number of devices announcing via the covert channel, the sandboxed application 112 may use the loopback interface to contact a service agent running on a well-known port on the client device 100 that is outside the security sandbox 104. To increase a level of security, the networked device 102 may not use the covert channel to announce the GUID 704. The networked device 102 may generate an ephemeral (e.g., time varying) GUID to announce via the covert channel. The networked device 102 may communicate the ephemeral GUID and the GUID 704 to the relay service via an IP pathway. Alternatively, the relay service and the networked device 102 may establish a shared secret. The networked device 102 may generate the ephemeral GUID from the shared secret and the GUID 704. The relay service may then reconstruct the GUID 704. The covert channel may be masked by the audio output, the image output, and/or the video output of the networked device 102. For example, if the networked device 102 has a microphone, the networked device 102 may mask the covert channel using an environmental noise. If the networked device 102 does not have a microphone, the networked device 102 may mask the covert channel using a broad spectrum of the audio output, the image output, and/or the video output to appear as a white noise. Thus, the networked device 102 that is otherwise powered off and the networked device 102 that does not naturally generate the audio output, the image output, and/or the video output may mask the covert channel. When the client device 100 receives a broadcast identifier (e.g., the device identifier, the GUID 704, the ephemeral GUID), the client device 100 may contact the discovery service passing the broadcast identifier. The discovery service may be reachable by the client device 100. The client device 100 may not reside on the same network as the networked device 102 and/or the serving device. The client device 100 may not have a security access to the network of the serving device and/or the networked device 102. Thus, the discovery service may not reside on the same network as the serving device and/or the networked device 102. The discovery service may be a distributed service running on a peer-to-peer substrate (e.g., a Distributed Hash Table) and/or a centralized discovery service for the Internet (e.g., via the pairing server 300). The discovery service may be used for a security overlay. The discovery service may be used to lookup a number of services made available by a discovered device (e.g., discovered by the covert channel). Thus, a very low bitrate may be used for the covert channel while a higher bitrate channel may be used for communicating a number of service details. However, the number of service details may also be communicated through the covert channel in a form of the model identifier, a description, etc. Communicating the number of service details in the covert channel may require a greater amount of resources from the low bitrate channel. Thus, the broadcast identifier may be communicated less frequently and/or the higher bitrate channel may become more intrusive and/or less covert. The relay service may be used by the client device 100 to communicate with the number of services. The client device 100 may not have a network connectivity usually associated with the Internet. The client device 100 may use the text message service to send a number of messages to a 1-800 phone number and/or an equivalent number acting as a gateway to relay a number of calls to the number of services. For example, a company may have a slideshow projector dedicated to running a slideshow application. The company may not wish to grant a network access to a mobile phone of a visitor, but the company may wish to allow the visitor to use the slideshow projector. The slideshow projector may use an audio covert channel to announce the broadcast identifier of the slideshow projector. The visitor may run the slideshow application on the mobile phone which detects the slideshow projector by listening on the microphone of the mobile phone. The mobile phone may not have a direct access to an IP network. The mobile phone may have the SMS service, the 3G service, the 4G service, an other packet service, and/or an other message service. The slideshow application of the mobile phone may send a command to run the slideshow application at a specified URL to the 1-800 phone number of the centralized discovery service. The centralized discovery service may forward the command over the Internet to the slideshow projector. The slideshow projector may download the slideshow from the specified URL. The slideshow application of the mobile phone may send a number of subsequent commands via the gateway to move to an other slide and/or otherwise control the slideshow. Thus, the slideshow may be displayed on a secure network of the company through a limited externally facing API. The slideshow application may be used as a trusted intermediary between the secure network and the mobile phone. In another embodiment, the device identifier may be embedded in the bar code, the matrix code (e.g., a 2D bar code, an Aztec code, a QR code), and/or a similar pattern that is attached to the networked device 102 (e.g., as a sticker) and/or displayed through the networked device 102 (e.g., displayed on a television screen by going to a preferences channel). The client device 100 may take a picture of the bar code, the matrix code, and/or the similar pattern using a camera. The client device 100 may process the picture to extract the bar code, the matrix code, and/or the similar pattern. The device identifier obtained from extract the bar code, the matrix code, and/or the similar pattern may be used in a similar manner as the device identifier obtained from the covert channel. For example, the device identifier may enable the client device 100 to communicate with the networked device 102 via the SMS service, the 3G service, the 4G service, a WiFi service, etc. The bar code may comprise a Universal Product Code (UPC). The UPC may provide the model identifier with which to select a remote control profile. For example, the slideshow projector may bear a sticker with the bar code. Alternatively, the slideshow projector may project the bar code onto a surface (e.g., a screen, a wall). The mobile phone may take the picture of the bar code using the camera of the mobile phone. The device identifier of the slideshow projector may be used to automatically configure the mobile phone to act as the remote control for the slideshow projector. A time estimation algorithm may also estimate a playback time within the content of the media data 1004 and/or the other media data 1108, 1112, 1904. When the audio output, the image output, and/or the video output of the networked device 102 may not be accessed, the covert channel may not be used to embed the broadcast identifier. However, the identification 1304 of the media data 1004 along with an estimated playback time within the content of the media data 1004 may be used to disambiguate between the number of devices and/or the number of services known to the sandboxed application 112 and/or the other application of the client device 100. The number of devices and/or the number of services may be known via the discovery service by an account binding, a number of short codes, and/or an other binding mechanism that pairs and/or binds the sandboxed application 112 and/or the other application of the client device 100 to the number of devices and/or the number of services. The number of devices may have been previously paired (e.g., when the client device 100 of the user 902 was in a different network). The sandboxed application 112 and/or the other application of the client device 100 may access an audio input (e.g., a microphone), an image input, and/or a video input (e.g., a camera) to identify the content of the media data 1004. If a known device is playing an identified content, a credibility may be added to a hypothesis that the identified content was generated by the known device. If the playback time for the content played by the known device playing the identified content also happens near the estimated time, the credibility of the hypothesis may be increased. If the known device also happens to be in the same network as the sandboxed application 112 and/or the other application of the client device 100, the credibility of the hypothesis may be further increased. A plurality of criteria (e.g., a nearness in a number of estimated playback times; a recency in time since the known device was last discovered; a nearness in a number of GPS coordinates and/or a number of Geo-IP coordinates of the known device, the sandboxed application 112, and/or the other application; a sharing of the same network as determined by a shared public IP; the sharing of the same network via an other discovery service) may be combined to increase the credibility of the hypothesis. When the known device has been determined to be near the client device 100 with a sufficiently high confidence, the sandboxed application 112 and/or the other application may perform a bidirectional communication with the known device and/or a service of the known device. For example, the client device 100 may query the known device for the identification 1304 of the media data 1004 recently rendered by the known device. FIG. 17 is a block diagram of a system of determining the identification 1304 of the media data 1004 involving the watermark data 1204, according to one embodiment. FIG. 17 shows the networked device 102, the content identification server 1006, the watermark data 1204, the identification 1304, and the watermark database 1700. The watermark database 1700 exists within the content identification server 1006 of FIG. 17. According to one embodiment, the watermark database 1700 may be a structured collection of information comprising the known watermark data and the identification of the known watermark data. For example, FIG. 17 illustrates the networked media device 102 communicating the watermark data 1204 of the media data 1004 to the content identification server 1006. The content identification server 1006 then compares the watermark data 1204 to the known watermark data in the watermark database 1700 and communicates the identification of the known watermark data when the watermark data 1204 is identical to the known watermark data. FIG. 18 is a block diagram of a system of determining the identification 1304 of the media data 1004 involving the identifying information 1208, according to one embodiment. FIG. 18 shows the networked device 102, the content identification server 1006, the capture server 1008A, the identifying information 1208, the identification 1304, the other electronic program guide 1100, and the other identifying information 1800. For example, FIG. 18 illustrates the networked device 102 communicating the identifying information 1208 that identifies the channel 2100 of the networked device 102 to the content identification server 1006. The capture server 1008A monitoring the channel 2100 accesses the other electronic program guide 1100 and determines the identification 1304 of the other media data 1904 scheduled for the channel 2100. The capture server 1008A then communicates the other identifying information 1800 that identifies the content of the other media data 1904 to the content identification server 1006. The content identification server 1006 processes the other identifying information 1800 and associates the other identifying information 1800 with the identification 1304 of the other media data 1904. The content identification server 1006 then associates the identification 1304 with the media data 1004 and communicates the identification 1304 to the networked device 102. FIG. 19 is a block diagram of a system of determining the identification 1304 of the media data 1004 involving the fingerprint data 1202 and the other fingerprint data 1906, according to one embodiment. FIG. 19 shows the networked device 102, the capture server 1008A, the media transmission node 1010A, the content identification server 1006, the fingerprint data 1202, the fingerprint database 1900, the other tuner 1902, the other media data 1904, the other fingerprint data 1906, and the other electronic program guide 1100. The other tuner 1902 exists between the capture server 1008A and the media transmission node 1010A of FIG. 19. According to one embodiment, the other tuner 1902 and/or the tuner 2300 may be a television tuner, a radio tuner, and/or an other means of selecting a media channel. For example, FIG. 19 illustrates an embodiment in which the networked device 102 communicates the fingerprint data 1202 to the content identification server 1006, and the capture server 1008A communicates the other fingerprint data 1906 to the content identification server 1006. The capture server 1008A monitors the other media data 1904 of the channel 2100 through the other tuner 1902 at the media transmission node 1010A. Thus, the capture server 1008A also communicates the channel 2100 to the content identification server 1006. The content identification server 1006 processes the channel 2100 from the capture server 1008A and accesses the other electronic program guide 1100 to obtain the identification 1304 of the other media data 1904. The content identification server 1006 then associates the identification 1304 of the other media data 1904 with the other fingerprint data 1906. If the fingerprint data 1202 matches the other fingerprint data 1906, the content identification server 1006 also associates the identification 1304 of the other media data 1904 with the fingerprint data 1202 and communicates the identification 1304 to the networked device 102. The fingerprint database 1900 exists within the content identification server 1006 of FIG. 19. According to one embodiment, the fingerprint database 1900 may be a structured collection of information comprising the fingerprint data 1202, the other fingerprint data 1906, 2302, 2306, 2602, the timestamp, the other timestamp, the device identifier, the other device identifier, the identification 1304 of the media data 1004, the identification 1304 of the other media data 1108, 1112, 1904, the provisional identification 2400, and/or the other provisional identification 2400. The content identification server 1006 may store the fingerprint data 1202 and/or the other fingerprint data 1906, 2302, 2306, 2602 in the fingerprint database 1900. The fingerprint database 1900 may be updated at any time with the fingerprint data 1202, the other fingerprint data 1906, 2302, 2306, 2602, the timestamp, the other timestamp, the device identifier, the other device identifier, the identification 1304 of the media data 1004, the identification 1304 of the other media data 1108, 1112, 1904, the provisional identification 2400, and/or the other provisional identification 2400. The fingerprint database 1900 may be updated in a manner such that, in the future, the content identification server 1006 may process the fingerprint data 1202 and check the fingerprint database 1900 for a match 2002 prior to processing the other fingerprint data 1906, 2302, 2306, 2602. The content identification server 1006 may be configured to process the other fingerprint data 1906, 2302, 2306, 2602 of the other media data 1108, 1112, 1904 from the capture server 1008A, 1008B and/or the plurality of other networked devices 1400A, 1400B. The content identification server 1006 may also be configured to store the other fingerprint data 1906, 2302, 2306, 2602 in the fingerprint database 1900. Further, the content identification server 1006 may be configured to process the fingerprint data 1202 of the media data 1004 from the networked device 102, the client device 100, and/or any of the number of devices that previously and/or currently shared the network with the networked device 102. The content identification server 1006 may compare the fingerprint data 1202 to the other fingerprint data 1906, 2302, 2306, 2602. The other fingerprint data 1906, 2302, 2306, 2602 may exist in the fingerprint database 1900. Further, the content identification server 1006 may automatically determine the identification 1304 of the media data 1004 by associating the fingerprint data 1202 with the identification 1304 and/or the provisional identification 2400 of the other media data 1108, 1112, 1904 associated with the other fingerprint data 1906, 2302, 2306, 2602 that matches the fingerprint data 1202. FIG. 20 is a table 2050 depicting a determination of the identification 1304 of the media data 1004 by comparing the fingerprint data sequence 2000 to the fingerprint database 1900, according to one embodiment. FIG. 20 shows the fingerprint data sequence 2000, the fingerprint database 1900, the match 2002, and the table 2050. The fingerprint data sequence 2000 exists as a column of the table 2050 of FIG. 20. According to one embodiment, the fingerprint data sequence 2000 and/or the other fingerprint data sequence may be a series of consecutive fingerprint data. A probability of a false positive (e.g., when the fingerprint data 1202 and the other fingerprint data 1906, 2302, 2306, 2602 match while the media data 1004 and the other media data 1108, 1112, 1904 do not match) using a single fingerprint data may be (1−p[correct match]). However, the probability of the false positive using the fingerprint data sequence 2000 may be (1−p[correct match])r where r=a length of the fingerprint data sequence 2000. Thus, the confidence score of the match 2002 may be based on the length of a matching fingerprint data sequence. Thus, the probability of the false positive may be reduced to a negligible level by comparing the fingerprint data sequence 2000 of the media data 1004 to the other fingerprint data sequence. The content identification server 1006 may be configured to compare the fingerprint data sequence 2000 of the media data 1004 to the other fingerprint data sequence. The content identification server 1006 may also be configured to associate the fingerprint data sequence 2000 with the identification 1304 and/or the provisional identification 2400 of the other media data 1108, 1112, 1904 associated with the other fingerprint data sequence when a predetermined number of sequential fingerprint data of the fingerprint data sequence 2000 matches the predetermined number of sequential fingerprint data of the other fingerprint data sequence. To account for a number of missing fingerprint data in the fingerprint data sequence 2000 and/or the other fingerprint data sequence, the content identification server 1006 may be configured to apply an algorithm comprising a sliding window algorithm. For example, the fingerprint database 1900 may store the other fingerprint data sequence 2000 “A-B-C-D.” The content identification server 1006 may compare the other fingerprint data sequence to the fingerprint data sequence 2000 “A-B-_-D” where “_” denotes a missing fingerprint data (e.g., the fingerprint data 1202 at a time between the timestamp for the fingerprint data 1202 “B” and the timestamp for the fingerprint data 1202 “D”). The sliding window algorithm may require two matching fingerprint data before a particular fingerprint data and one matching fingerprint data after the particular fingerprint data in order to include the fingerprint data 1202 in the fingerprint data sequence 2000. Thus, the sliding window algorithm may compare the fingerprint data sequence 2000 “A-B-_-D” to the other fingerprint data sequence “A-B-C-D” and include “C” in the fingerprint data sequence 2000 “A-B-_-D.” As a result of the sliding window algorithm, there may be four matching sequential fingerprint data. The match 2002 exists in a column of table 2050 of FIG. 20. According to one embodiment, the match 2002 may be a condition in which the fingerprint data sequence 2000 sufficiently corresponds to the other fingerprint data sequence. For example, the match 2002 in FIG. 20 may be declared when three sequential fingerprint data match. The content identification server 1006 may be configured to automatically determine the identification 1304 of the media data 1004 in a manner such that the content identification server 1006 is configured to initiate a number of comparisons between the fingerprint data 1202 and the other fingerprint data 1906, 2302, 2306, 2602. The number of comparisons may be separated by a predetermined time interval. The content identification server 1006 may process the fingerprint data 1202 prior to processing the other fingerprint data 1906, 2302, 2306, 2602. Alternatively, the content identification server 1006 may process the other fingerprint data 1906, 2302, 2306, 2602 prior to processing the fingerprint data 1202. Yet another alternative may entail the content identification server 1006 processing the fingerprint data 1202 and the other fingerprint data 1906, 2302, 2306, 2602 simultaneously. Thus, the number of comparisons may be initiated until a matching fingerprint data sequence is found. For example, in FIG. 20, the other fingerprint data sequence “751-242-369-520-818” already exists in the fingerprint database 1900 when the content identification server 1006 processes the fingerprint data sequence 2000 “751-242-369-520-818.” Thus, the content identification server 1006 immediately compares the fingerprint data sequence 2000 “751-242-369-520-818” to the other fingerprint data sequence “751-242-369-520-818.” However, the content identification server 1006 processes the fingerprint data sequence 2000 “314-275-860-926-437” prior to the processing of the matching fingerprint data sequence. Thus, the content identification server 1006 initiates four comparisons until the match 2002 is declared when the predetermined number of three sequential fingerprint data of “314-275-860” is found. FIG. 21 is a table 2150 depicting a determination of the recurring sequence 2102, according to one embodiment. FIG. 21 shows the channel 2100, the fingerprint data sequence 2000, the recurring sequence 2102, the table 2150, and the fingerprint database 1900. The channel 2100 exists in a column of the table 2150 of FIG. 21. According to one embodiment, the channel 2100 may be an information communication pathway. For example, the channel 2100 may correspond to a radio broadcasting frequency, a television broadcasting frequency, and/or an Internet media channel. The recurring sequence 2102 exists in a column of the table 2150 of FIG. 21. The content identification server 1006 may be configured to determine that a portion of the fingerprint data sequence 2000 and/or of the other fingerprint data sequence is a recurring sequence 2102 when the portion is detected a predetermined number of times across a plurality of channels 2100 and/or at a plurality of different times. Additionally, the content identification server 1006 may be configured to update the fingerprint database 1900 with the recurring sequence 2102. The content identification server 1006 may also be configured to apply the algorithm comprising the sliding window algorithm to account for the number of missing fingerprint data in the recurring sequence 2102. Further, the content identification server 1006 and/or the capture server 1008A, 1008B may be configured to assign a unique identifier to the recurring sequence 2102. Still further, the content identification server 1006 and/or the capture server 1008A, 1008B may be configured to add the unique identifier of the recurring sequence 2102 to a recurring sequence metadata database along with a recurring sequence metadata. The content identification server 1006 and/or the capture server 1008A, 1008B may be configured to generate the recurring sequence metadata. The recurring sequence metadata may be a machine-readable information describing the recurring sequence 2102. The recurring sequence metadata may comprise the identifying metadata 1602, the descriptive metadata 1206, and/or the other descriptive metadata 2308. FIG. 22 is a block diagram of a system of determining the identification 1304 of the media data 1004 involving the descriptive metadata 1206 and the other watermark data 2200, according to one embodiment. FIG. 22 shows the networked device 102, the content identification server 1006, the capture server 1008A, the media transmission node 1010A, the descriptive metadata 1206, the identification 1304, the other tuner 1902, the watermark database 1700, and the other watermark data 2200. FIG. 22 illustrates the networked device 102 communicating the descriptive metadata 1206 identifying the channel 2100 of the networked device 102 to the content identification server 1006. The capture server 1008A at the media transmission node 1010A monitors the channel 2100 through the other tuner 1902 and communicates the other watermark data 2200 to the content identification server 1006. The content identification server 1006 then compares the other watermark data 2200 to the known watermark data in the watermark database 1700 and communicates the identification of the known watermark data to the networked device 102. However, the CID data 1200, 1300 and/or the other CID data 1302, 1306, 1402, 1404 may be subject to a number of systematic error sources. For example, the fingerprint data 1202 may not sufficiently correspond to the other fingerprint data 1906, 2302, 2306, 2602 to declare the match 2002 due to the number of systematic error sources. The number of systematic error sources may comprise a pseudostatic error and/or a random error. The pseudostatic error may be a number of changes applied to the media data 1004 in a media data pipeline (e.g., an audio pipeline, a video pipeline) and/or arriving to the media data pipeline that is unlikely to change unless the user changes a number of settings and/or a number of media data sources (e.g., an audio source, a video source). The random error may be a random transmission noise (e.g., a compression noise, a blocking artifact, a corrupted frame). The random error may be addressed by a robust mechanism for computing the CID data 1200, 1300 and/or the other CID data 1302, 1306, 1402, 1404 (e.g., the sliding window algorithm, an adaptive sampling algorithm). The pseudostatic error may comprise a user setting (e.g., a brightness modification, a contrast modification, a hue modification, an other color space modification, a display scaling modification, and/or an aspect ratio modification). The user setting may be addressed by capturing the media data 1004 prior to an application of the user setting (e.g., at the frame buffer). However, capturing the media data 1004 prior to the application of the user setting may not be possible when the user setting is applied before the media data 1004 reaches the CID service 1000, 1002. For example, the display scaling modification may be applied in a set-top box prior to a transmission of the media data 1004 to the CID service 1002 of the networked device 102. The pseudostatic error may also comprise an aspect ratio transformation (e.g., a black bar, a display stretching, a display scaling, and/or a display cropping). For example, the aspect ratio transformation may result in the fingerprint data 1202 of the networked device 102 that insufficiently corresponds to the other fingerprint data 1906 of the capture server 1008A, 1008B. The aspect ratio transformation may be addressed by a reverse transformation (e.g., an adjustment to the media data 1004 that conforms the media data 1004 to the other media data 1904) in the networked device 102 and/or the client device 100 that restores the media data 1004 to a state in which the media data 1004 existed prior to the aspect ratio transformation. The display cropping may also be addressed by the adaptive sampling algorithm that focuses on a dynamic region of pixel change. Thus, the adaptive sampling algorithm may ignore an edge region of a display. The adaptive sampling algorithm may sample a number of different regions of the display to increase a probability of selecting a region with a high temporal activity. A number of regions of interest may be sampled in a single frame buffer to increase a generation rate of a unique fingerprint data as compared to the generation rate when a single region is sampled in the single frame buffer. To ensure that the fingerprint data 1202 matches the other fingerprint data 1906, the adaptive sampling algorithm may be synchronized between the capture server 1008A, 1008B and the networked device 102 and/or the client device 100. The display scaling may also be addressed by sampling at a variable rate across a number of frame data in a number of different resolutions. For example, the fingerprint data 1202 generated by sampling every third pixel in a 300×300 resolution may match the fingerprint data 1202 generated by sampling every second pixel in a 200×200 resolution. The display scaling may be performed by an external device (e.g., a set-top box, a game console) to a display device (e.g., a television) in which the CID service exists. Thus, the CID service 1000, 1002 may be unaware of the display scaling. The reverse transformation may be algorithmically applied to calibrate the fingerprint data 1202 with the other fingerprint data 1906. The reverse transformation may comprise a slow perturbation to a subset (e.g., one, some, and/or all) of the number of regions of interest after the identification 1304 is determined. The display scaling may affect a central region of the display less than the edge region of the display. Thus, the fingerprint data 1202 of the central region may match the other fingerprint data 1906, and the identification 1304 of the media data 1004 may be determined. A percentage of display scaling correction may then be applied to the subset of the number of regions of interest. A match rate may be determined by measuring a percentage of the fingerprint data 1202 that matches the other fingerprint data 1906 associated with the identification 1304 of the media data 1004. The display scaling correction may then be adjusted in a manner such that the match rate is maximized. To ensure a sufficient number of samples to adequately measure the match rate, a sufficient number of fingerprint data may be gathered such that a change in the confidence score is less than an estimated change in the match rate. Thus, a large change in the estimated change may require a smaller number of samples to determine whether the display scaling correction maximizes the match rate. The slow perturbation may constantly seek to maximize the match rate. If the match rate is sufficiently greater than zero before the identification 1304 is determined, the slow perturbation may still be applied. However, if the match rate is zero and/or nearly zero before the identification 1304 is determined, the display scaling correction may be slowly oscillated across a range for a subset of the number of regions of interest until a number of matches 2002 occur. Then, the slow perturbation may be applied. Further, the display scaling may be addressed by a forward transformation (e.g., an adjustment to the other media data 1904 that conforms the other media data 1904 to the media data 1004) that calibrates the other fingerprint data 1906 with the fingerprint data 1202. The forward transformation may be applied to a subset of a number of regions captured by the capture server 1008A, 1008B. A forward transformed fingerprint data may be added to the fingerprint database 1900 and marked according to an amount of the display scaling correction applied. The forward transformation may be applied in a manner such that a total number of fingerprints in the fingerprint database 1900 is not appreciably increased. The capture server 1008A, 1008B may periodically (e.g., at a time interval that is significantly larger than a sampling time interval for generating a number of individual fingerprint data) generate a number of additional fingerprints for the subset of the number of regions subjected to a number of amounts of the display scaling correction. If the display scaling correction is insufficient to change a particular fingerprint from an uncorrected value, then the particular fingerprint may not be added to the fingerprint database 1900. When the fingerprint data 1202 matches the forward transformed fingerprint data, the slow perturbation may be used by the CID service 1002 to refine the display scaling correction. If a plurality of the fingerprint data 1202 match a plurality of the forward transformed fingerprint data, the CID service 1002 may employ the slow perturbation based on an average of the number of amounts of the display scaling correction. Further, the pseudostatic error may comprise a color space change and/or a pixel format change. The CID service 1002 may normalize a video portion of the media data 1004 to a single color space and/or a single pixel format. The color space change and the pixel format change may be addressed by using a hybrid transformation (e.g., a combination of a number of forward transformations and a number of reverse transformations). The hybrid transformation may be used to address the pseudostatic error. The hybrid transformation may employ the reverse transformation to normalize the number of regions of the media data 1004 captured from the frame buffer to conform with the other media data 1904. The hybrid transformation may employ the forward transformation to reproduce a normalization error. The normalization error may be a loss of a portion of the media data 1004 as a result of the reverse transformation. The hybrid transformation may minimize a number of problems introduced by using the forward transformation and/or the reverse transformation. For example, the forward transformation may require a cooperative device manufacturer and/or a combinatoric explosion in the number of fingerprints to store. The reverse transformation may be lossy, may increase a processor utilization, may decrease the match rate, may result in a slower identification time, etc. An input source (e.g., a DVD player, a game console, a cable set-top box, a satellite set-top box) may exhibit a number of different types of the pseudostatic error and/or a number of varying degrees of the pseudostatic error. Thus, the networked device 102 and/or the capture server 1008A, 1008B may generate and/or maintain a profile of the pseudostatic error associated with the input source. The profile may be associated with a particular input (e.g., HDMI 1) used by the input source. The networked device 102 and/or the capture server 1008A, 1008B may notify the CID service 1002 and/or the other CID service 1104, 1110 of the particular input being used. The CID service 1002 and/or the other CID service 1104, 1110 may then reference the profile and adjust accordingly. FIG. 23 is a block diagram of the content identification server 1006 gathering the CID data 1200 and a plurality of other CID data 1402, 1404, according to one embodiment. FIG. 23 shows the networked device 102, the content identification server 1006, the other electronic program guide 1100, the fingerprint data 1202, the identifying information 1208, the plurality of other networked devices 1400A, 1400B, the fingerprint database 1900, the tuner 2300, a plurality of other fingerprint data 2302, 2306, the other watermark data 2304, and an other descriptive metadata 2308. FIG. 23 illustrates the CID service 1002 of the networked device 102 retrieving the channel number of the networked device 102 from the tuner 2300 to generate the identifying information 1208. The networked device 102 may communicate the CID data 1200 comprising the fingerprint data 1202 of the media data 1004 along with the identifying information 1208 of the media data 1004 to the content identification server 1006. The content identification server 1006 may then process the CID data 1200 and access the other electronic program guide 1100 to retrieve the content identifying information associated with the channel number. The content identification server 1006 may also associate the content identifying information with the provisional identification 2400 of the media data 1004. The other networked device 1400A may comprise the number of other client devices 1102. The other CID service 1104 may communicate the other CID data 1402 comprising the other fingerprint data 2302 of the number of other media data 1108 along with the number of other watermark data 2304 of the number of other media data 1108 to the content identification server 1006. The content identification server 1006 may process the other CID data 1402 and compare the other watermark data 2304 to the known watermark data in the watermark database 1700. If the other watermark data 2304 is identical to the known watermark data, the content identification server 1006 may associate the identification of the known watermark data with the number of other provisional identifications 2400 of the other media data 1108. The other networked device 1400B may comprise the number of other networked media devices 1106B. The other CID service 1110 may communicate the other CID data 1404 comprising the other fingerprint data 2306 of the number of other media data 1112 along with the number of other descriptive metadata 2308 of the number of other media data 1112 to the content identification server 1006. The number of other descriptive metadata 2308 may comprise the callsign of the channel number of the networked device. The content identification server 1006 may process the other CID data 1404 and access the other electronic program guide 1100 to retrieve a number of content identifying information associated with the callsign. The content identification server 1006 may also associate the number of content identifying information with the number of other provisional identifications 2400 of the number of other media data 1112. The content identification server 1006 may process the CID data 1200 and the plurality of other CID data 1402, 1404. The content identification server 1006 may store the fingerprint data 1202 and/or the plurality of other fingerprint data 2302, 2306 in the fingerprint database 1900. The content identification server 1006 may compare the fingerprint data 1202 and/or the plurality of other fingerprint data 2302, 2306 to the fingerprint database 1900. The content identification server 1006 may compare the fingerprint data 1202 to the plurality of other fingerprint data 2302, 2306. If the match 2002 exists among the fingerprint data 1202 and the plurality of other fingerprint data 2302, 2306, the content identification server 1006 may aggregate the provisional identification 2400 and the number of other provisional identifications 2400. The content identification server 1006 may also be configured to determine the identification 1304 of the media data 1004 through the crowdsourcing. The crowdsourcing may be based on the consensus of the provisional identification 2400 and the number of other provisional identifications 2400. The consensus may be algorithmically determined based on the number of criteria comprising the predetermined percentage of the predetermined number of samples, the reliability of the provisional identification 2400, and/or the other factor affecting the confidence score of the consensus. For example, the number of other watermark data 2200, 2304 may be given more weight than the identifying information 1208 retrieved from the other electronic program guide 1100. The content identification server 1006 may be configured to update the fingerprint database 1900 with the identification 1304 of the media data 1004 determined using the crowdsourcing. For example, the fingerprint database 1900 may be updated with the identification 1304 of the media data 1004 determined using the crowdsourcing when the crowdsourcing is used as the alternative to the capture server 1008A, 1008B or when the consensus has a higher confidence score than the identification 1304 of the media data 1004 determined using the capture server 1008A, 1008B. The content identification server 1006 may then use the identification 1304 of the media data 1004 determined using the crowdsourcing to automatically determine the identification 1304 of the fingerprint data 1202 and/or the other fingerprint data 1906, 2302, 2306, 2602 that is unaccompanied by the provisional identification 2400 and/or the other provisional identification 2400. FIG. 24 is a table view of the content identification server 1006 gathering the provisional identification 2400 of the media data 1004 and the number of other provisional identifications 2400 of the number of other media data 1108, 1112, according to one embodiment. FIG. 24 shows the fingerprint data sequence 2000, the fingerprint database 1900, the provisional identification 2400, and the table 2450. The provisional identification 2400 exists as a column of the table 2450 of FIG. 24. According to one embodiment, the provisional identification 2400 and/or the number of other provisional identifications 2400 may comprise the watermark data 1204, the number of other watermark data 2200, 2304, the descriptive metadata 1206, the number of other descriptive metadata 2308, the identifying information 1208, and/or the number of other identifying information 1800. The provisional identification 2400 may identify the content of the media data 1004 and/or the number of other media data 1108, 1112 in a manner such that the provisional identification 2400 is less authoritative than the identification 1304 of the media data 1004 and/or of the number of other media data 1108, 1112, 1904. The provisional identification 2400 may also identify the channel 2100 of the networked device 102 and/or the number of other networked media devices 1106A, 1106B. FIG. 25 is a table view of the content identification server 1006 determining the identification 1304 of the media data 1004 based on the consensus, according to one embodiment. FIG. 25 shows the identification 1304, the fingerprint data sequence 2000, the fingerprint database 1900, the provisional identification 2400, and the table 2550. The content identification server 1006 may aggregate the provisional identification 2400 of the fingerprint data 1202 with the number of other provisional identifications 2400 associated with the plurality of other fingerprint data 1906, 2302, 2306, 2602 that match the fingerprint data 1202. The content identification server 1006 may also be configured to determine the identification 1304 based on a majority of the provisional identification 2400 and/or the number of other provisional identifications 2400. The content identification server 1006 may require at least two other provisional identifications 2400 in addition to the provisional identification 2400 in order to form the consensus. The identification 1304 may be determined in a manner such that the provisional identification 2400 and/or the number of other provisional identifications 2400 are overridden by the consensus. FIG. 26 is a block diagram of the content identification server 1006 using the identification 1304 of the media data 1004 to identify the other fingerprint data 2602, according to one embodiment. FIG. 26 shows the content identification server 1006, the other electronic program guide 1100, the identification 1304, the other networked device 2600, the fingerprint database 1900, and the other fingerprint data 2602. The content identification server 1006 may be configured to update the fingerprint database 1900 with the identification 1304 formulated by the consensus. Subsequently, the identification 1304 may be used to identify the other fingerprint data 2602 unaccompanied by the provisional identification 2400 and/or the number of other provisional identifications 2400. For example, Jane may visit an auction website on her smartphone while she watches her television. When an advertisement airs on the television, the auction website displays matching items that are being auctioned. No installation, configuration, login, and/or user registration was required. Although the present embodiments have been described with reference to a specific example embodiment, it will be evident that various modifications and changes may be made to these embodiments without departing from the broader spirit and scope of the various embodiments. For example, the various devices and modules described herein may be enabled and operated using hardware circuitry (e.g., CMOS based logic circuitry), firmware, software or any combination of hardware, firmware, and software (e.g., embodied in a machine readable medium). For example, the various electrical structure and methods may be embodied using transistors, logic gates, and electrical circuits (e.g., application specific integrated (ASIC) circuitry and/or Digital Signal Processor (DSP) circuitry). In addition, it will be appreciated that the various operations, processes, and methods disclosed herein may be embodied in a machine-readable medium and/or a machine accessible medium compatible with a data processing system (e.g., a computer device). Accordingly, the specification and drawings are to be regarded in an illustrative in rather than a restrictive sense. | <SOH> BACKGROUND <EOH>A networked device (e.g., a television, a set-top box, a computer, a multimedia display, an audio device, a weather measurement device, a geolocation device) may have access to an information associated with a user. For example, the information may comprise an identification of a movie viewed by the user, a weather information, a geolocation information, and/or a behavioral characteristic of the user when the user interacts with the networked device. However, the user may need to configure the networked device to share the information with an other networked device. For example, the user may need to read a manual to understand a configuration protocol. The user may be unable to understand the configuration protocol. As such, the user may spend a significant amount of customer support time in configuring the networked device. Alternatively, the user may need to expend a significant amount of financial resources for a network administrator to assist the user in configuring the networked device. As a result, the user may give up and remain unable to configure the networked device to share the information with the other networked device. Furthermore, the networked device may present to the user an information that is irrelevant to the user. As a result, the user may get tired, annoyed, and/or bored with the networked device. Additionally, the user may waste a significant amount of time processing the information that is irrelevant to the user. Therefore, a revenue opportunity may be missed, because an interested party (e.g., a content creator, a retailer, a manufacturer, an advertiser) may be unable to access an interested audience. In addition, the user may be inconvenienced when the information on the networked device and the client device remain independent of each other. | <SOH> SUMMARY <EOH>A method, apparatus, and system related to relevancy improvement through targeting of information based on data gathered from a networked device associated with a security sandbox of a client device are disclosed. In one aspect, a system includes a client device capable of being associated with a number of networked devices through a computer network to: process an embedded object, constrain an executable environment in a security sandbox, and execute a sandboxed application in the executable environment. The embedded object is processed through the sandboxed application. The system also includes a relevancy-matching server to: receive primary data generated from fingerprint data of each of the number of networked devices, match the primary data with targeted data based on a relevancy factor, search a storage for the targeted data, and cause rendering of the targeted data through the embedded object processed through the sandboxed application of the client device. The primary data is any one of a content identification data and a content identification history. In another aspect, a method includes associating a client device with a number of networked devices through a computer network, processing an embedded object through the client device, constraining an executable environment in a security sandbox of the client device, and executing a sandboxed application in the executable environment of the client device. The embedded object is processed through the sandboxed application. The method also includes, through a relevancy-matching server, receiving primary data generated from fingerprint data of each of the number of networked devices, matching the primary data with targeted data based on a relevancy factor, searching a storage for the targeted data, and causing rendering of the targeted data through the embedded object processed through the sandboxed application of the client device. The primary data is any one of a content identification data and a content identification history. In yet another aspect, a non-transitory medium, readable through a system including a client device and a relevancy-matching server and including instructions embodied therein that are executable through the system, is disclosed. The non-transitory medium includes instructions to: associate the client device with a number of networked devices through a computer network, process an embedded object through the client device, constrain an executable environment in a security sandbox of the client device, and execute a sandboxed application in the executable environment of the client device. The embedded object is processed through the sandboxed application. The non-transitory medium also includes instructions to, through the relevancy-matching server: receive primary data generated from fingerprint data of each of the number of networked devices, match the primary data with targeted data based on a relevancy factor, search a storage for the targeted data, and cause rendering of the targeted data through the embedded object processed through the sandboxed application of the client device. The primary data is any one of a content identification data and a content identification history. The methods, system, and/or apparatuses disclosed herein may be implemented in any means for achieving various aspects, and may be executed in a form of machine readable medium embodying a set of instruction that, when executed by a machine, causes the machine to perform any of the operations disclosed herein. Other features will be apparent from the accompanying drawing and from the detailed description that follows. | H04N218358 | 20171201 | 20180329 | 58011.0 | H04N218358 | 1 | CHAE, KYU | RELEVANCY IMPROVEMENT THROUGH TARGETING OF INFORMATION BASED ON DATA GATHERED FROM A NETWORKED DEVICE ASSOCIATED WITH A SECURITY SANDBOX OF A CLIENT DEVICE | SMALL | 1 | CONT-ACCEPTED | H04N | 2,017 |
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15,829,954 | PENDING | MOBILE SURVEILLANCE SYSTEM | A system and method comprising a mobile device in communication with a server, wherein the server is adapted for receiving surveillance data transferred electronically from a surveillance area. At least one camera is positioned at the surveillance area for capturing surveillance data, wherein the surveillance data comprises metadata comprising at least one of audio, video, images, point in time and location of the surveillance area. The surveillance data is transferred from the server to said mobile device and displayed on the mobile device upon a user request. The surveillance data may be transferred automatically using a combination of a radio, a network, or a base station. A motion detection means can be engaged to the system to detect variations in motion measurements and provide global positioning data at the surveillance area. The system provides automatic updates to a user regarding delivery surveillance data corresponding to the user request. | 1. A method for conducting surveillance comprising: configuring a mobile device to communicate with a server, wherein said server includes a server processor and is adapted for receiving surveillance data transferred electronically from a surveillance area; positioning at least one camera at said surveillance area for capturing surveillance data, wherein said surveillance data comprises metadata comprising at least one of: audio, video, images, point in time, and location of the surveillance area; capturing said surveillance data; transferring said surveillance data from said server to said mobile device; displaying said surveillance data on said mobile device upon a user request; using the mobile device to control start and stop of the capture of the surveillance data at the surveillance area; using the mobile device to control the transfer of the surveillance data from the surveillance area; adapting the at least one camera to comprise a motion detection device to detect variations in motion measurements at the surveillance area; activating the mobile device upon detection of motion within the surveillance area; and sending a signal from the server processor to the server to transfer surveillance data to the mobile device when the motion detection device obtains a motion detection measurement that exceeds a determined threshold that indicated the surveillance area is unsecure. 2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the metadata comprises at least one of: audio, video, images, point in time, and location of the surveillance area, and the method further comprises the step of equipping said camera with a global positioning system receiver to provide navigational data comprising a latitude coordinate and a longitude coordinate of the surveillance area. 3. The method according to claim 1, further comprising configuring a radio to communicate with said camera, wherein said radio includes frequency tuners to enable a user to receive surveillance data transmitted over a determined frequency. 4. The method according to claim 1, further comprising updating a user automatically by instructing the server to send the user a short message service message indicating delivery of said surveillance data corresponding to the user request. 5. The method according to claim 1, wherein said server is in communication with a network and a base station, and further comprising adapting said server to receive surveillance data from the base station through the communication with the network. 6. The method according to claim 5, further comprising sending a command from the base station to the server to transmit surveillance data to the mobile device. 7. The method according to claim 6, further comprising updating surveillance data automatically to the mobile device by sending surveillance data obtained from the base station to the mobile device. 8. The method according to claim 1, further comprising configuring a software application in communication with the mobile device to synchronize delivery of surveillance data to a display of the mobile device with an associated user request, when audio data is transferred to the mobile device at a determined time, and video data is transferred to the mobile device at a different time upon detection of variations in motion measurements at the surveillance area. 9. The method according to claim 1, wherein said mobile device further comprises a memory and a mobile device processor, and further comprising: configuring said memory to store surveillance data; and configuring said mobile device processor to transfer surveillance data to said mobile device. 10. A method for conducting surveillance comprising: receiving an instruction from a mobile device to control start and stop of capture of surveillance data at a surveillance area; activating the mobile device upon detection of motion at the surveillance area; receiving surveillance data transferred electronically from a camera for capturing surveillance data at a surveillance area; wherein said surveillance data comprises metadata and the camera is operably engaged to a motion detection mechanism for detecting variations in motion measurements at the surveillance area; transferring said surveillance data to the mobile device when the motion detection mechanism obtains a motion detection measurement that exceeds a predetermined threshold for indicating the surveillance area is unsecure; retaining stored surveillance data when the motion detection mechanism obtains the motion detection measurement that exceeds a predetermined threshold for indicating the surveillance area is unsecure; and using the mobile device to control a transfer of the surveillance data from the surveillance area. 11. The method according to claim 10, further comprising delivering surveillance data to the mobile device for display on the mobile device when the motion detection mechanism obtains a motion detection measurement that exceeds a determined threshold of a user. 12. The method according to claim 10, further comprising equipping said motion detection mechanism with a global position system receiver to provide navigational data comprising a latitude coordinate and a longitude coordinate of the surveillance area. 13. The method according to claim 10, further comprising configuring a radio to communicate with said camera, wherein said radio includes frequency tuners to enable a user to receive surveillance data transmitted over a determined frequency. 14. The method according to claim 10, further comprising updating a user automatically by instructing a server to send the user a short message service message indicating delivery of said surveillance data corresponding to a user request. 15. The method according to claim 10, wherein a server is in communication with a network and a base station, and further comprising adapting said server to receive surveillance data from the base station through the communication with the network. 16. The method according to claim 15, further comprising sending a command from the base station to the server to transmit the surveillance data to the mobile device. 17. The method according to claim 16, further comprising configuring the server to automatically update surveillance data to the mobile device by surveillance data obtained from the base station that is sent from the server to the mobile device. 18. A method for conducting surveillance, comprising: configuring a mobile device to communicate with at least one camera positioned at a surveillance area; capturing surveillance data of the surveillance area with the at least one camera; configuring the mobile device to control start and stop of the capture of the surveillance data and transfer of the surveillance data; transmitting the surveillance data wirelessly to the mobile device from a transmitter linked to the camera; and activating the mobile device upon detection of motion at the surveillance area, wherein detection of motion detects variations in motion measurements at the surveillance area and activates mobile device when the motion measurements exceed a determined threshold. 19. The method according to claim 18, further comprising: transferring the surveillance data to a server in communication with the transmitter; and storing the surveillance data at the server. 20. The method according to claim 19, further comprising configuring the mobile device to control transmission of at least a portion of the surveillance data from the server to the mobile device for display on the mobile device. | FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention generally relates to security systems. More specifically, the present invention is drawn to a mobile surveillance system constructed to provide real time surveillance of a surveillance area to a user's mobile device, such as a mobile communication device. DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED ART This invention relates to a surveillance system and more particularly to a mobile surveillance system wherein at least one or more digital camera units positioned at a surveillance area are adapted to communicate with each other to provide surveillance of said area. The invention has particular utility in mobile or localized security against intruders and to provide surveillance of designated locations such as a car, a home, a daycare or any identified surveillance area. Security has become widely necessary in modern times as a means of crime prevention and this invention can be utilized as a crime deterrent in a variety of areas because it provides a real time means of surveillance and security. It will be readily evident that the present invention is not limited to this particular application and can be used in many industrial applications. The task of providing security is extremely onerous and sometimes involves providing endless ours of safekeeping by a person being on watch at a surveillance location. Often times this process results in large amounts of finances spent on surveillance that usually does not provide for adequate safety at the desired location. As an alternative or in conjunction with a security person, there are a number of electronic surveillance systems which are known and available in the prior art. Generally such electronic systems include static devices that may include one or more sensors which detect conditions at the surveillance location such as intrusion or fire (smoke or heat) and upon detection of an identified condition at the location, the local device at the location will trigger an alarm. The alarm is desired to alert the proper law enforcement authority and/or cause the nervous intruder to panic and thus leave the premises prematurely and without taking any valuables. These systems may provide notice to the law enforcement agencies and provide an additional obstacle to the intruder; however, they usually require long periods of time to notify authorities and do not provide efficient data regarding the nature of the intrusion. Additionally, these types of systems usually can be easily circumvented by a savvy intruder. More sophisticated electronic surveillance systems are available in the prior art that are able to communicate with base stations at remote locations and report alarm conditions such as intrusion or fire. Although these types of systems are very useful in providing the ability to notify security vehicles through the use of radio. Upon receiving notification, the radio controlled security vehicles mobilized to attend the premises where an alarm condition is detected are often inordinately delayed in reaching the designated premises and this is a major disadvantage of these types of systems. Furthermore, the large number of false alarms which occur with sensitive electronic monitoring devices such as infra-red detectors and the like causes a major inefficiency of these ‘base station’ systems. Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide an improved mobile surveillance system which overcomes one or more of the aforementioned problems of existing surveillance systems. Thus, the invention provides a mobile surveillance system comprising at least one camera adapted to a surveillance area and in communication with a mobile device to provide real time surveillance to auser. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The foregoing problems are solved and a technical advance is achieved by an illustrative mobile surveillance system comprising a mobile device in communication with a server, wherein the server is adapted for receiving surveillance data transferred electronically from a surveillance area. The mobile surveillance system includes at least one camera positioned at the surveillance area for capturing surveillance data, wherein the surveillance data comprises metadata comprising at least one of audio, video, images, point in time and location of the surveillance area. The surveillance data is transferred from the server to the mobile device and displayed on the mobile device upon a user request. In one aspect of the present invention, the mobile surveillance system can provide a motion detection means to detect variations in motion measurements at the surveillance area. The motion detection means may include a global positioning system receiver to provide navigational data comprising a latitude coordinate and a longitude coordinate of the surveillance area. Alternatively, the mobile surveillance system may further comprise a radio in communication with the camera and mobile device, wherein the radio includes frequency tuners to enable a user to receive surveillance data transmitted over a predetermined frequency. In another aspect of the present invention, the mobile surveillance system may automatically update a user by sending the user a short message service message indicating the delivery of the surveillance data corresponding to the user request. The server of the mobile surveillance system may be in communication with a network and a base station, wherein the server is adapted to receive surveillance data from the base station through the communication with the network. The base′ station sends a command to the server to transmit surveillance data to the mobile device and the server automatically updates surveillance data to the mobile device by sending surveillance data obtained from the base station to the mobile device. Alternatively, the system can include a software application in communication with the mobile device to synchronize the delivery of surveillance data and corresponding metadata to a display of the mobile device with the associated user request. Other systems of the present invention provide a server comprising a memory and a processor, wherein the memory is configured to store surveillance data and the processor is configured to transfer surveillance data to the mobile device. Additionally, the mobile device may also include a memory and a processor, wh rein the memory is configured to store surveillance data and the processor is configured to deliver surveillance data to a display of the mobile device. In yet another aspect of the present invention, a mobile surveillance system includes a mobile device in communication with a server, wherein the server is adapted for receiving surveillance data transferred electronically from a surveillance area. The surveillance data may include metadata comprising at least one of audio, video, images, point in time and location of the surveillance area. The system also provides at least one camera positioned at the surveillance area for capturing surveillance data and a motion detection mechanism operably engaged to the camera, wherein the server comprises a processor that signals the server to transfer surveillance data to the mobile device when the motion detection mechanism obtains a motion detection measurement that exceeds a predetermined threshold indicating to a user that the surveillance area is unsecure. The surveillance data is delivered to a display of the mobile device when the motion detection mechanism obtains a motion detection measurement that exceeds the predetermined threshold of the user. Alternatively, the processor signals the server to retain the stored surveillance data when the motion detection mechanism obtains a motion detection measurement that reaches a predetermined threshold indicating to the user that the surveillance area is not secure. In this type of mobile surveillance system the motion detection means can also provide a global positioning system receiver to provide navigational data comprising a latitude coordinate and a longitude coordinate of the surveillance area. In addition, the system may automatically update a user by sending the user a short message service message indicating the delivery of the surveillance data corresponding to the user request. In an alternate embodiment of this system, the server may be in communication with a network and a base station, wherein the server is adapted to receive surveillance data from the base station through the communication with the network. In another aspect of the present invention, a method of delivering surveillance data to a mobile device includes the steps of providing a mobile device in communication with a server, wherein the server is adapted for receiving surveillance data transferred electronically from a surveillance area. The method also includes the steps of providing at least one camera positioned at the surveillance area for capturing surveillance data. Subsequently, the method includes the steps of transferring surveillance data to the server comprising a memory configured to store surveillance data and a processor configured to transfer surveillance data to the mobile device. The method further includes the steps of transferring surveillance data from the server to the mobile device comprising a memory configured to store surveillance data and a processor configured to associate the surveillance data to a user request. In addition, the method includes the step of displaying the surveillance data on the mobile device upon a user request. It has also been contemplated that more than one camera may be used at anytime. For example, two or more cameras may be engaged to the surveillance area. Furthermore, it is contemplated that the user may request varying types of data to be displayed to the mobile device based on predetermined user requests. These and other advantages, as well as the invention itself, will become apparent in the details of construction and operation as more fully described below. Moreover, it should be appreciated that several aspects of the invention can be used with other types of mobile surveillance systems used for providing security surveillance. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention are better understood when the following Detailed Description is read with reference to the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1 depicts a block diagram of one embodiment of a mobile surveillance system, wherein the system comprises a mobile device in communication with a server. FIG. 2 depicts a block diagram of one embodiment of a mobile surveillance system, wherein the system comprises mobile device in communication with a server and a radio. FIG. 3 depicts a block diagram of one embodiment of a mobile device. FIG. 4 depicts a block diagram of one embodiment of a mobile surveillance system, wherein the system comprises a mobile device in communication with a base station via a network and a server. FIG. 5 depicts a flow diagram of a method of delivering surveillance data from a surveillance area to a mobile device upon request of a user. DETAILED DESCRIPTION The invention is described with reference to the drawings in which like elements are referred to by like numerals. The relationship and functioning of the various elements of this invention are better understood by the following detailed description. However, the embodiments of this invention are not limited to the embodiments illustrated in the drawings. It should be understood that the drawings are not to scale and in certain instances details have been omitted, which are not necessary for an understanding of the present invention, such as conventional fabrication and assembly. Referring now to FIG. 1, a mobile surveillance system 10 is shown, according to one embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment of the present invention, a camera 20 is connected to a surveillance area 30, such as a motor vehicle, wherein a user can transmit a surveillance request using a mobile device 50, thereby initiating a real time surveillance update. The mobile surveillance-system also comprises a server 40 that is in communication with the mobile device. When the user sends a surveillance request, the mobile device 50 is updated with real time surveillance data recorded from the camera 20 located at the surveillance area 30. The surveillance data may be comprised of at least one of video, audio and image data of the surveillance area 30. In an alternative embodiment of the present invention, the mobile device 50 may be automatically updated with at least one type of surveillance data captured from the surveillance area 30 being monitored and recorded. FIG. 1 depicts the camera 20 connected to the surveillance area 30, wherein the camera 20 captures surveillance data from the surveillance area 30. This surveillance data can be stored or transferred via the server 40 for future use of the system 10. The camera 20 includes a control apparatus which directs the recording of the surveillance data supplied by the camera 20. The starting and stopping of the recording and transfer of the recording surveillance data from the surveillance area 30 can be controlled via the mobile device 50. Thus, the user can control the activation of the mobile surveillance system 10 from any location. The camera 20 can be attached to any portion of the surveillance area 30. For example, in a motor vehicle, the camera 20 can be attached to the interior or exterior of the vehicle thereby allowing any intruders to be recorded and any captured audio and video data of any activity to be stored. The user can program the camera 20 to start and stop recording at designated times of day utilizing his mobile device 50. For instance, during periods of vacation where a surveillance area is left unsecured, the user may send a request to capture and record surveillance data using the camera 20 only during the night hours, such as 8 pm to 8 am. In addition, the mobile device 50 of the user can be connected with the camera 20 to synchronize the displaying of audio, video and image data recorded with the camera 20. This allows the user to obtain real time surveillance data of the surveillance area 30 at any given time. Alternatively, the user may request that surveillance data be updated intermittently at set time intervals. For example, the user may request at least one type of surveillance data to be uploaded and displayed to the mobile device every hour. In another embodiment of the present invention, the surveillance data may be stored on the mobile device 50 and transferred directly to the mobile device 50 from the surveillance area 30. However, as a result of the limited storage capacity of the mobile device 50, the amount of surveillance data that can be stored is limited. As such, surveillance data may be accessed and updated by the mobile device 50 at the occurrence of an event, such as a predetermined time, motion detection, or similarly associated event. For example, surveillance data of an intruder at a vehicle can be captured as video data and displayed on the mobile device, while simultaneously listening to audio data of the intruder at the surveillance area at a specific time. In another example, wherein the mobile surveillance system 10 is utilized in a daycare facility, surveillance data of a baby at a daycare can be captured as video data and displayed on the mobile device 50 of a parent user, while the user is simultaneously listening to audio data of the baby captured during activities according to a specific time 25 or event, such as feeding, playing, or a similar event required motion. Referring now to FIG. 2, a mobile monitoring system 100 is shown, according to another embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment of the present invention, the camera 20 is adapted to the surveillance area 30, and is in communication with a radio 90. The surveillance data captured from the surveillance 30 area is transmitted from the surveillance area 30 to the radio 90 for processing. The radio 90 can include frequency tuners associated with each camera 20 to enable a user to receive surveillance data transmitted over a particular frequency via a transmitter linked with the camera 60. This surveillance data may be subsequently transmitted from the radio 90 to the server 40 before being transferred to the mobile device 50 of the user. In an alternate embodiment of the present invention, the data may be transferred directly from the radio 90 to the mobile device 50 of the user. Additionally, the radio 90 may be engaged to at least one camera 20 to capture surveillance data for transmission to the mobile device 50. Referring now to FIG. 3, a block diagram of the mobile device 50 is depicted wherein the mobile device 50 is configured to receive surveillance data at a predetermined time or occurrence according to one embodiment of the present invention. The mobile device 50 can include any type of wireless communications device such as a cellular phone or PDA device. The mobile device 50 comprises a processor 56 in communication with a software application 60 or similar computer-readable medium, and surveillance data storage 62. The mobile device 50 can further comprise computer-readable code that is executable by the processor 56,—which is in communication with the software application. 60. The processor 56 can communicate with a plurality of other mobile device components to provide for the transfer of surveillance data at a predetermined time or event, such as upon motion detection. Upon processing of the surveillance data, the captured surveillance data is transferred from the surveillance area 30 and subsequently delivered as at least one of audio, video and image data to the mobile device 50. In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, a key oard 54 or other graphical user interface of the mobile device 50 permits a user to store, retrieve and manipulate surveillance data. The software application 60 may be in communication with the mobile device 50 to allow the user to communicate with the software application 60 and display any data upon user request using the display 52 and keypad 54 of the mobile device 50. The software application 60 can output data to the display 52 and allow the user to interact with the mobile device 50 via the keypad 54. The software application 60 may also communicate other information and surveillance data to the mobile device 50 at the command of the user. The mobile device 50 may also include a microprocessor, memory unit, display or any additional interface components. The mobile device 50 can also include a datebook, wherein the datebook depicts a month of dates associated with a time of day and/or event. These dates and times may be synchronized with the software application 60 of the mobile device 50 to permit the user to activate software to control the underlying recording of surveillance data associated with specific events and/or times at the surveillance area 30. The user keypad 54 may be adapted to the display 52 to permit the user to access⋅ and manipulate the mobile device 50 for a particular purpose, such as, for example, viewing images on display 52. Additionally, the system may be used in conjunction with any web applications, such as a downloadable I-PHONE application or the like, that will IO provide the user the ability to interact with the software application 60 and other mobile components to manage and operate the mobile surveillance system 10. For example, the user may also set-up a website in connection with an Internet Service Provider that will enable user to route surveillance data uploads to the website accordingly. Those skilled in the art recognize that user interface may be implemented as a touch screen user interface. In addition, the mobile device 50 may comprise a speaker or similar components to generate sounds and other audio information associated with surveillance data transmitted to the mobile device 50 from the surveillance area 30. The surveillance data storage 62 may operate in combination with the software application 60 to allow the user to access stored surveillance data. The software application 60 may communicate with the surveillance data storage 62 through the processor 56 to obtain stored surveillance data transferred to the mobile device 50. The mobile device may include a memory 58 that communicates with the software application 60 and the surveillance data storage 62. In addition, the processor 56 may comprise a transmitter or receiver to allow the user to communicate wirelessly with a 25 network. This allows the user to communicate wirelessly with calls, or short message service (SMS) messages with the software application to control the mobile surveillance system 10. For example, the user may transmit instructions, such as voice signals or SMS messages, from the mobile device components to the communications network to start and stop surveillance at the surveillance area 30. Additionally, the user may transfer and receive surveillance data intermittently through the use of the mobile device 50. The mobile device 50 may also include a power supply to provide power to the mobile device 50. For instance, a battery or similar rechargeable device can be used to provide power. The mobile device 50 may be programmed to activate at a predetermined time or at the occurrence of motion or movement at the surveillance area 30. In other embodiments of the present invention, the mobile device 50 may be programmed to transmit multiple combinations of surveillance data, such as either audio and/or or video data, from the server 40 to the display screen of the mobile device 50 at a predetermined time or upon the detection of motion. For instance, the audio data can be transferred to the mobile device 50 at a predetermined time, wherein the video data can be transferred upon the detection of motion at the surveillance area 30. The software application 60 can be used to synchronize the delivery of the audio and video data to the display 52 of the mobile device 50. The motion detection can be configured to function with the camera device and software application 60. Specifically, the motion detection device provides a means to detect movement within the recorded surveillance data or at the surveillance area 30. The motion detection means can also be configured to detect variations in audio motion. For instance, the motion detection means may detect a change in audio using an audio sensor or similar device. Changes may be detected at different times at the surveillance area or based on identified sound variations at the surveillance area. Alternatively, the motion detection means may be engaged to a tracking system configured to the surveillance area. For example, wherein the surveillance area is a vehicle, a tracking⋅ device may be connected to the system to provide tracking satellites in communication with a wireless network and the mobile device. Therefore, upon detection of motion, the tracking device can provide navigational data that can be updated to the mobile device of the user. Types of tracking devices can include a global positioning system (GPS) recei'l(er and the tracking satellites. In addition, the navigational data can include GPS coordinates such as a latitude coordinate, a longitude coordinate and an altitude coordinate. Those with skill in the art will appreciate that additional alternative methods and designs for motion detection may be used in accordance with the present invention. The mobile device 50 may be automatically updated with additional audio and video data stored on the server 40. The additional surveillance data may be updated upon a user request, predetermined time intervals or upon the occurrence of an event, such as the detection of motion at the surveillance area 30. The newly received surveillance data may be stored into the mobile device 50 or restored in place of the preceding surveillance data received and delivered to the surveillance data storage 62 of the mobile device 50, so that the memory 58 of the mobile device 50 maintains the most recently transferred surveillance data. Alternatively, the surveillance data may also be stored at the server 40. FIG. 4 illustrates another embodiment of the mobile surveillance system 200, wherein a wireless network 70 and a base station 80 are in communication with the server 40. In this embodiment, surveillance data captured by the camera 20 may be transferred to the wireless network 70. The network 70 then retransmits the surveillance data, at the request of authorized users of the mobile device 50. This surveillance data is subsequently received by the mobile device 50 through its transmitter or receiver adapted to the mobile device 50. The network 70 may be configured to transfer surveillance data between a plurality of devices. For instance, the network 70 may comprise a wireless communications terminal that communicates wirelessly with the mobile device 50 and wirelessly or through wires to a public switched phone network, wide area network, local area network, or otherwise, that is connected to the server 40. The network 70 may also communicate with the mobile device 50 over wires. For example, the mobile device 50 may be connected to a computer system via a universal serial bus (USB) port, or otherwise, and the computer system may be connected to a local area network (LAN), wide area network (WAN), public switched telephone network (PSTN), or otherwise. The LAN, WAN, PSTN, or otherwise, may communicate directly to the server 40 or through additional networks. The server 40 is in communication with the network 70 and comprises a processor 42 and a memory 44. The memory 44 includes a software application 46, surveillance data storage 48, and a base/control station 80. The software application 46 may include computer readable software and a server engine for causing the server 40 to communicate with the mobile device 50 and base/control station 80. The base station 80 transmits surveillance data to the surveillance data storage 48 and communicates to the server 40 when the surveillance data should be transmitted to the mobile device 50. The server 40 is thereby adapted to receive surveillance data from the base station 80. The server 30 automatically updates the audio data and/or video data to the mobile device 50 by sending surveillance data obtained from the base station 80 to the mobile device 50. The base station 80 provides a radio receiver/transmitter that serves as the control of the local wireless network 70, and may also provide a gateway between a wired network and the wireless network 70. For example, the base station 80 may be a computer system that uploads files including the surveillance data associating the surveillance data with a predetermined time or similar user event to the server 40 and surveillance data storage 48. The computer system may also send to the server 40 a command to transmit the stored surveillance data to the mobile device 50. In an alternate embodiment, the surveillance data may⋅be displayed as streaming surveillance data within the display 52 area of the mobile device 50 or stored in the surveillance data storage 62 within the mobile device 50 to be viewed later by the user. Those with skill in the art will understand that the network of the mobile device 50 may also be configured to utilize Bluetooth or other similar technology. Referring now to FIG. 5, a flow chart of the steps 300 of a method of delivering surveillance data to a mobile device, according to one embodiment of the present invention. The method is initiated, as depicted at block 302. As shown next at block 304, a user activates at least one camera in communication with a mobile device, such as the mobile device shown in FIG. 1. A plurality of cameras may be adapted to the surveillance area and in communication with the mobile device in support of other embodiments of the present invention. The camera is configured to capture surveillance data at the surveillance area at block 306 and may be linked and transmitted utilizing a wireless gateway or wireless network. As illustrated at block 308, captured surveillance data is transferred from the camera to a server in control of the camera(s) or the transmitter associated with the camera. Surveillance data is subsequently transferred to the mobile device in response to a user request, as depicted at block 310. The surveillance data can be processed by a software application in communication with the mobile device wherein the surveillance data is linked with the user request, as illustrated at block 312. Alternatively, the surveillance data may be associated with a predetermined time or event, such as motion detection, associated with the user request. As illustrated thereafter at block 314, the surveillance data captured by the camera is displayed on a display of the mobile device. For example, the display 52 of FIG. 3 is capable of displaying surveillance data according to a user request. The steps may be initiated from the beginning upon an additional request of the user. The above figures and disclosures are intended to be illustrative and not exhaustive. This description will suggest many variations and alternatives to one of ordinary skill in the art. All such variations and alternatives are intended to be encompassed within the scope of the attached claims. Those familiar with the art may recognized other equivalents to the specific embodiments described herein which equivalents are also intended to encompass by the attached claims. Moreover, the use of this invention on a wire guide is not a limitation of the claims. Use of this device with other tubing and elongate medical devices used in medical procedures and the like is understood to be within the scope of the claims. It is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the embodiment described above, but encompasses any and all embodiments within the scope of the following claims. | <SOH> FIELD OF THE INVENTION <EOH>The present invention generally relates to security systems. More specifically, the present invention is drawn to a mobile surveillance system constructed to provide real time surveillance of a surveillance area to a user's mobile device, such as a mobile communication device. | <SOH> SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION <EOH>The foregoing problems are solved and a technical advance is achieved by an illustrative mobile surveillance system comprising a mobile device in communication with a server, wherein the server is adapted for receiving surveillance data transferred electronically from a surveillance area. The mobile surveillance system includes at least one camera positioned at the surveillance area for capturing surveillance data, wherein the surveillance data comprises metadata comprising at least one of audio, video, images, point in time and location of the surveillance area. The surveillance data is transferred from the server to the mobile device and displayed on the mobile device upon a user request. In one aspect of the present invention, the mobile surveillance system can provide a motion detection means to detect variations in motion measurements at the surveillance area. The motion detection means may include a global positioning system receiver to provide navigational data comprising a latitude coordinate and a longitude coordinate of the surveillance area. Alternatively, the mobile surveillance system may further comprise a radio in communication with the camera and mobile device, wherein the radio includes frequency tuners to enable a user to receive surveillance data transmitted over a predetermined frequency. In another aspect of the present invention, the mobile surveillance system may automatically update a user by sending the user a short message service message indicating the delivery of the surveillance data corresponding to the user request. The server of the mobile surveillance system may be in communication with a network and a base station, wherein the server is adapted to receive surveillance data from the base station through the communication with the network. The base′ station sends a command to the server to transmit surveillance data to the mobile device and the server automatically updates surveillance data to the mobile device by sending surveillance data obtained from the base station to the mobile device. Alternatively, the system can include a software application in communication with the mobile device to synchronize the delivery of surveillance data and corresponding metadata to a display of the mobile device with the associated user request. Other systems of the present invention provide a server comprising a memory and a processor, wherein the memory is configured to store surveillance data and the processor is configured to transfer surveillance data to the mobile device. Additionally, the mobile device may also include a memory and a processor, wh rein the memory is configured to store surveillance data and the processor is configured to deliver surveillance data to a display of the mobile device. In yet another aspect of the present invention, a mobile surveillance system includes a mobile device in communication with a server, wherein the server is adapted for receiving surveillance data transferred electronically from a surveillance area. The surveillance data may include metadata comprising at least one of audio, video, images, point in time and location of the surveillance area. The system also provides at least one camera positioned at the surveillance area for capturing surveillance data and a motion detection mechanism operably engaged to the camera, wherein the server comprises a processor that signals the server to transfer surveillance data to the mobile device when the motion detection mechanism obtains a motion detection measurement that exceeds a predetermined threshold indicating to a user that the surveillance area is unsecure. The surveillance data is delivered to a display of the mobile device when the motion detection mechanism obtains a motion detection measurement that exceeds the predetermined threshold of the user. Alternatively, the processor signals the server to retain the stored surveillance data when the motion detection mechanism obtains a motion detection measurement that reaches a predetermined threshold indicating to the user that the surveillance area is not secure. In this type of mobile surveillance system the motion detection means can also provide a global positioning system receiver to provide navigational data comprising a latitude coordinate and a longitude coordinate of the surveillance area. In addition, the system may automatically update a user by sending the user a short message service message indicating the delivery of the surveillance data corresponding to the user request. In an alternate embodiment of this system, the server may be in communication with a network and a base station, wherein the server is adapted to receive surveillance data from the base station through the communication with the network. In another aspect of the present invention, a method of delivering surveillance data to a mobile device includes the steps of providing a mobile device in communication with a server, wherein the server is adapted for receiving surveillance data transferred electronically from a surveillance area. The method also includes the steps of providing at least one camera positioned at the surveillance area for capturing surveillance data. Subsequently, the method includes the steps of transferring surveillance data to the server comprising a memory configured to store surveillance data and a processor configured to transfer surveillance data to the mobile device. The method further includes the steps of transferring surveillance data from the server to the mobile device comprising a memory configured to store surveillance data and a processor configured to associate the surveillance data to a user request. In addition, the method includes the step of displaying the surveillance data on the mobile device upon a user request. It has also been contemplated that more than one camera may be used at anytime. For example, two or more cameras may be engaged to the surveillance area. Furthermore, it is contemplated that the user may request varying types of data to be displayed to the mobile device based on predetermined user requests. These and other advantages, as well as the invention itself, will become apparent in the details of construction and operation as more fully described below. Moreover, it should be appreciated that several aspects of the invention can be used with other types of mobile surveillance systems used for providing security surveillance. | H04N718 | 20171203 | 20180531 | 84356.0 | H04N718 | 6 | NGUYEN, TU T | MOBILE SURVEILLANCE SYSTEM | MICRO | 1 | CONT-ACCEPTED | H04N | 2,017 |
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15,832,087 | ACCEPTED | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR PARENTERALLY PROCURING BODILY-FLUID SAMPLES WITH REDUCED CONTAMINATION | The present invention is directed to the parenteral procurement of bodily-fluid samples. The present invention is also directed to systems and methods for parenterally procuring bodily-fluid samples with reduced contamination from dermally-residing microbes. In some embodiments, a bodily-fluid withdrawing system is used to withdraw bodily fluid from a patient for incubation in culture media in one or more sample vessels. Prior to withdrawing bodily fluid into the one or more sample vessels for incubation, an initial volume of withdrawn bodily fluid is placed in one or more pre-sample reservoirs and is not used for the incubation in culture media. | 1.-20. (canceled) 21. An apparatus for obtaining biological fluid samples from a patient, the apparatus comprising: a needle having a lumen configured for insertion into the patient; an input tube fluidically coupled to the needle; a junction having an inlet fluidically coupled to the input tube, a first outlet fluidically coupled to the inlet, and a second outlet fluidically coupled to the inlet; a contaminant reservoir fluidically coupled to the first outlet of the junction; and an output tube fluidically coupled to the second outlet of the junction, the junction operable to allow an initial volume of biological fluid to flow from the patient to the contaminant reservoir, and to allow a subsequent volume of biological fluid to flow from the inlet to the second outlet as a result of substantially filling the contaminant reservoir. 22. The apparatus of claim 21, whereby substantially filling the contaminant reservoir sequesters the initial volume of biological fluid in the contaminant reservoir and reduces contamination in the subsequent volume of biological flowing to the output tube. 23. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the subsequent volume of biological fluid flowing to the output tube is substantially free of microbial artifacts. 24. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the contaminant reservoir is integrated into the apparatus and is configured to receive less than 5 ml of biological fluid. 25. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the junction transitions from a first state in which the initial volume of biological fluid can flow to the contaminant reservoir, to a second state in which the subsequent volume of biological fluid can flow to the second outlet without manual intervention. 26. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein all of the initial portion of the biological fluid from the patient flows into the contaminant reservoir. 27. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the initial portion of biological fluid is fluidically isolated in the contaminant reservoir. 28. A biological fluid sequestration apparatus configured to be fluidically coupled to a sample vessel, the biological fluid sequestration apparatus comprising; an inlet port fluidically coupled to a lumen-containing device; and a contaminant reservoir and a sampling flow path, each of the contaminant reservoir and the sampling flow path fluidically coupled to the inlet port via a junction, the contaminant reservoir and the junction being configured to direct a first portion of biological fluid into the contaminant reservoir, the sampling flow path having a distal end fluidically coupled to an outlet port, the sampling flow path and the junction being configured to allow a second portion of biological fluid to bypass the contaminant reservoir and the first portion of biological fluid sequestered therein, and to be directed into the sampling flow path toward the outlet port, the outlet port being fluidically coupled to the sample vessel. 29. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein the contaminant reservoir is integrated into the biological fluid sequestration apparatus. 30. The apparatus of claim 28, whereby substantially filling the contaminant reservoir sequesters the first portion of biological fluid in the contaminant reservoir. 31. The apparatus of claim 28, whereby sequestering the first portion of biological fluid in the contaminant reservoir reduces contamination in the second portion of biological fluid flowing to the sampling flow path. 32. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein the second portion of biological fluid flowing to the sampling flow path is substantially free of microbial artifacts. 33. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein the first portion of biological fluid is less than 5 ml. 34. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein the junction transitions from a first state in which the first portion of biological fluid can flow to the contaminant reservoir, to a second state in which the second portion of biological fluid can flow to the sampling flow path without manual intervention. 35. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein all of the first portion of the biological fluid from the patient flows into the contaminant reservoir. 36. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein the first portion of biological fluid is fluidically isolated in the contaminant reservoir. 37. An apparatus for establishing a sampling flow path substantially free of microbial artifacts between a patient and a sample vessel, the apparatus comprising: an input tube configured to be fluidically coupled to the patient; an output tube configured to be fluidically coupled to the sample vessel; a contaminant reservoir fluidically coupled to the input tube and the output tube; and a junction disposed between the inlet tube and the output tube and fluidically coupled to the input tube, the output tube, and the contaminant reservoir, the contaminant reservoir and the junction operable in a first state to allow a first portion of biological fluid to flow into the contaminant reservoir, the contaminant reservoir and the junction operable in a second state to (a) sequester the first portion of biological fluid in the contaminant reservoir, and (b) to allow a second portion of biological fluid to bypass the contaminant reservoir and to flow to the output tube. 38. The apparatus of claim 37, wherein the first portion of biological fluid is less than 5 ml. 39. The apparatus of claim 37, whereby sequestering the first portion of biological fluid in the contaminant reservoir reduces contamination in the second portion of biological fluid flowing to the output tube. 40. The apparatus of claim 37, whereby sequestering the first portion of biological fluid in the contaminant reservoir establishes the sampling flow path between the patient and the output tube that is substantially free of microbial artifacts. 41. The apparatus of claim 37, wherein the contaminant reservoir and the junction transition from the first state to the second state without manual intervention. 42. The apparatus of claim 37, wherein all of the first portion of the biological fluid from the patient flows into the contaminant reservoir. 43. The apparatus of claim 37, wherein the first portion of biological fluid is fluidically isolated in the contaminant reservoir. 44. An apparatus for obtaining biological fluid samples from a patient, the apparatus comprising: a needle having a lumen configured for insertion into the patient; an input tube fluidically coupled to the needle; a diverter including a reservoir and a junction configured to control fluid flow from the patient, the junction including an inlet fluidically coupled to the input tube, a first outlet fluidically coupled to the reservoir, and a second outlet fluidically coupled to an output tube, the junction configured to (a) allow an initial volume of biological fluid to flow from the patient to the reservoir towards the first outlet, and (b) as a result of receiving the initial volume of biological fluid from the patient and without manual intervention, to allow a subsequent volume of biological fluid to bypass the initial volume of biological fluid sequestered in the reservoir and to flow to the output tube via the second outlet. 45. The apparatus of claim 44, wherein the initial portion of biological fluid is less than 5 ml. 46. The apparatus of claim 44, wherein the diverter is configured to transition at the junction from a first state to a second state, the first state operable to allow the initial volume of biological fluid to flow into the reservoir, the second state operable to (a) sequester the initial volume of biological fluid in the reservoir, and (b) establish fluid communication between the needle and the output tube. 47. The apparatus of claim 44, wherein the diverter is configured to transition from the first state to the second state as a result of substantially filling the reservoir. 48. The apparatus of claim 44, wherein the reservoir is integrated into the diverter. 49. The apparatus of claim 44, wherein all of the initial portion of the biological fluid from the patient flows into the reservoir. 50. The apparatus of claim 44, wherein the initial portion of biological fluid is fluidically isolated in the reservoir. | RELATED APPLICATIONS This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/870,599, filed Dec. 18, 2006, the entire contents of which is incorporated herein by reference. TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention is directed to the parenteral procurement of bodily-fluid samples. The present invention is also directed to systems and methods for parenterally procuring bodily-fluid samples with reduced contamination from dermally-residing microbes. BACKGROUND Health care professionals routinely perform various types of microbial tests on patients using parenterally-obtained patient bodily fluids. Contamination of parenterally-obtained bodily fluids by microbes may result in spurious microbial test results. Spurious microbial test results may be a concern when attempting to diagnose or treat a suspected illness or condition. False positive results from microbial tests can cause a patient to be unnecessarily subjected to one or more anti-microbial therapies, such as anti-bacterial or anti-fungal therapies, which may cause anguish and inconvenience to the patient, as well as produce an unnecessary burden and expense to the health care system. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Non-limiting and non-exhaustive embodiments of the present invention are described with reference to the following drawings. In the drawings, like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout the various figures unless otherwise specified. For a better understanding of the present invention, reference will be made to the following Detailed Description, which is to be read in association with the accompanying drawings, wherein: FIG. 1 is a schematic view of one embodiment of a sample-procurement system, according to the invention; FIG. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view of one embodiment of a first needle of a sample-procurement system inserted into a patient vein; according to the invention; FIG. 3A is a schematic view of one embodiment of a bodily-fluid withdrawing device draining blood from a patient vein into a pre-sample reservoir, according to the invention; FIG. 3B is a schematic view of one embodiment of a bodily-fluid withdrawing device draining blood from a patient vein into a sample vessel, according to the invention; FIG. 4A is a schematic view of another embodiment of a sample-procurement system with multiple sample vessels being used to drain blood from a patient to a pre-sample reservoir, according to the invention; FIG. 4B is a schematic view of the embodiment of the sample-procurement system shown in FIG. 4A being used to drain blood from a patient to a pre-sample reservoir with a splash guard positioned over the second needle, according to the invention; FIG. 5 is a schematic view of another embodiment of a sample-procurement system with a diversion mechanism in a bodily-fluid withdrawing device, according to the invention; FIG. 6A is a schematic close-up view of one embodiment of a diversion mechanism that includes a switchable valve in a first position, according to the invention; FIG. 6B is a schematic close-up view of the diversion mechanism shown in FIG. 6A in a second position, according to the invention; FIG. 7A is a schematic close-up view of a second embodiment of a diversion mechanism that includes two flow-control blocks in a first position, according to the invention; FIG. 7B is a schematic close-up view of the diversion mechanism shown in FIG. 7A in a second position, according to the invention; FIG. 8 illustrates a flow diagram showing one embodiment of exemplary steps used for procuring samples, according to the invention; FIG. 9 illustrates a flow diagram showing a second embodiment of exemplary steps used for procuring samples, according to the invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION The present invention is directed to the parenteral procurement of bodily-fluid samples. The present invention is also directed to systems and methods for parenterally procuring bodily-fluid samples with reduced contamination from dermally-residing microbes. In some embodiments, a bodily-fluid withdrawing system is used to withdraw bodily fluid from a patient for incubation in culture media in one or more sample vessels. Prior to withdrawing bodily fluid into the one or more sample vessels for incubation, an initial volume of withdrawn bodily fluid is placed in one or more pre-sample reservoirs and is not used for the incubation in culture media. Health care professionals routinely procure parenterally-obtained bodily-fluid samples (“samples”) from patients. Patient samples may include many different types of bodily fluids. For example, patient samples may include blood, cerebrospinal fluid, urine, bile, lymph, saliva, synovial fluid, serous fluid, pleural fluid, amniotic fluid, and the like. Patient samples are sometimes tested for the presence of one or more potentially undesirable microbes, such as bacteria, fungi, or Candida. Microbial testing may include incubating patient samples in one or more sterile vessels containing culture media that is conducive to microbial growth. Generally, when microbes tested for are present in the patient sample, the microbes flourish over time in the culture medium. After a predetermined amount of time, the culture medium can be tested for the presence of the microbes. The presence of microbes in the culture medium suggests the presence of the same microbes in the patient sample which, in turn, suggests the presence of the same microbes in the bodily-fluid of the patient from which the sample was obtained. Accordingly, when microbes are determined to be present in the culture medium, the patient may be prescribed one or more antibiotics or other treatments specifically designed to remove the undesired microbes from the patient. Patient samples can sometimes become contaminated during procurement. Contamination of a patient sample may result in a spurious microbial test result which, in turn, may cause the patient to unnecessarily undergo one or more microbial-removal treatments. One way in which contamination of a patient sample may occur is by the transfer of dermally-residing microbes dislodged during needle insertion into a patient and subsequently transferred to a culture medium with the patient sample. The dermally-residing microbes may be dislodged either directly or via dislodged tissue fragments. The transferred microbes may thrive in the culture medium and eventually yield a positive microbial test result, thereby falsely indicating the presence of microbes in vivo. FIG. 1 is a schematic view of one embodiment of a sample-procurement system 100. The sample-procurement system 100 includes a bodily-fluid withdrawing device 102, one or more pre-sample reservoirs 104, and one or more culture-medium-containing sample vessels 106 (“sample vessels”). In FIG. 1 (and in subsequent Figures), a single pre-sample reservoir 104 is shown and represents either one pre-sample reservoir 104 or a plurality of pre-sample reservoirs 104. Likewise, FIG. 1 (and subsequent Figures) shows a single sample vessel 106 that represents either one sample vessel 106 or a plurality of sample vessels 106. The bodily-fluid withdrawing device 102 includes a first sterile needle 108 (“first needle”) and a second sterile needle 110 (“second needle”) coupled to the first needle 108. The first needle 108 includes a distal end 112, a proximal end 114, and a lumen (see FIG. 2) extending from the distal end 112 to the proximal end 114. The distal end 112 is configured and arranged for puncturing through multiple layers of patient skin and the proximal end 114 is configured and arranged for attachment with sterile, lumen-containing devices. The lumen (see FIG. 2) is configured and arranged for passing bodily-fluids from the distal end 112 of the first needle 108 to the proximal end 114. The second needle 110 includes a distal end 116 configured and arranged for puncturing septa disposed over pre-sample reservoirs 104 and sample vessels 106, a proximal end 118 configured and arranged for attachment with other sterile, lumen-containing devices, and a lumen (not shown) extending from the distal end 116 to the proximal end 118. The first needle 108 and the second needle 110 can be manufactured using any rigid, sterilizable, biocompatible material suitable for penetrating the skin of a patient, septa 122 disposed over pre-sample reservoir 104, or septa 128 disposed over sample vessels 106. Exemplary materials may include stainless steel, and the like. In at least some embodiments, the first needle 108 and the second needle 110 are selected from the Vacutainer™ blood collection set, manufactured by Becton Dickinson. In at least some embodiments, the proximal end 114 of the first needle 108 couples directly to the proximal end 118 of the second needle 110. In other embodiments, the proximal end 114 of the first needle 108 couples, via one or more sterile, intermediary, lumen-containing devices, to the proximal end 118 of the second needle 110. In FIG. 1, a flexible sterile tubing 120 is shown coupling the proximal end 114 of the first needle 108 to the proximal end 118 of the second needle 110. The sterile tubing 120 can be manufactured using any flexible, sterilizable, biocompatible material suitable for containing bodily fluids. Exemplary materials may include plastic, silicone rubber, and the like. Each of the one or more pre-sample reservoirs 104 is sterile and includes a septum 122 covering a mouth 124 of each of the pre-sample reservoirs 104. Each septum 122 seals the mouth 124 and maintains an internal vacuum inside the pre-sample reservoir 104. In at least some embodiments, the septum 122 is held in place by a crimp ring 126. Likewise, each of the one or more sample vessels 106 is sterile and includes an internal vacuum maintained by a septum 128 covering a mouth 130 of each of the one or more sample vessels 106. In at least some embodiments, the septum 128 is held in place by a crimp ring 132. The one or more pre-sample reservoirs 104 and the one or more sample vessels 106 can be manufactured using any sterilizable, biocompatible material suitable for containing bodily fluids and culture media, or any other testing additives. Exemplary materials may include glass, plastic, and the like. In at least one embodiment, the first needle 108, the second needle 110, the sterile tubing 120, the one or more pre-sample reservoirs 104, and one or more sample vessels 106 are all disposable. Each of the one or more sample vessels 106 contains a culture medium 134 for growing selected microbes. A culture medium may contain different amounts of different components, depending on the type of microbes being detected. A culture medium may include, for example, a nutrient broth with a carbon source, a nitrogen source, salts, water, and an amino acid source. Additionally, sample vessels undergoing microbial testing may be incubated at a specific temperature to further facilitate growth of a tested microbe. Examples of the sample-procurement system are shown in FIGS. 1-7, and also discussed in reference to FIGS. 1-7, in terms of procuring blood samples from a patient vein. Procuring blood from a patient vein is meant to serve as one of many possible types of bodily fluids parenterally withdrawn from one of many possible body locations. FIG. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the first needle 108 inserted into a lumen of a vein 202 of a patient. The distal end 112 of the first needle 108 is shown extending through multiple layers of skin 204 and a layer of subcutaneous fat 206. The first needle 108 includes a lumen 208 extending along the length of the first needle 108. When the distal end 112 of the first needle 108 is inserted into a fluid-containing portion of a body, such as the lumen of the vein 202, fluid within the fluid-containing portion of the body may be withdrawn from the fluid-containing portion of the body by passing the fluid through the lumen 208 of the first needle 108. In at least some embodiments, prior to penetration with the first needle 108 patient skin is cleansed with one or more disinfectants to reduce the number of microbes on an outer surface of the patient skin. For example, patient skin can be cleansed with a gauze pad soaked with a disinfectant. Many different types of disinfectants may be used to cleanse patient skin. In one embodiment, patient skin is cleansed with a disinfectant that includes a 70% isopropyl alcohol solution, with 2% Chlorhexidine Gluconate, manufactured by MediFlex, Inc. Once the first needle 108 is inserted into a desired fluid-containing body location, the second needle 110 is inserted into the pre-sample reservoir 104 and blood is withdrawn into the one or more pre-sample reservoirs 104. FIG. 3A is a schematic view of one embodiment of the bodily-fluid withdrawing device 102 being used to procure blood from the vein 202 of a patient and depositing the blood in the one or more pre-sample reservoirs 104. In FIG. 3A, the first needle 108 is shown extending through a patient limb 302 and into the vein 202. The second needle 110 is in fluid communication with the first needle 108, either directly, or via one or more intermediary lumen-containing devices, such as the sterile tubing 120. The second needle 112 is inserted through the septum 122 and into the one or more pre-sample reservoirs 104, which contains an internal vacuum. In at least some embodiments, the insertion of the second needle 110 into the vacuum-sealed pre-sample reservoir 106 creates a difference in pressure between the lumen of the first needle 108 and the lumen of the second needle 110. The pressure change causes the blood from the vein 202 to be transferred into the pre-sample reservoir 104 until the pressures equalize. Once the pressures equalize between the lumen of the first needle 108 and the lumen of the second needle 110, the blood tends to stop flowing from the vein 202 to the pre-sample reservoir 104. When the blood stops flowing into the pre-sample reservoir 104, the second needle can be removed and inserted into another pre-sample reservoir or a sample reservoir. Accordingly, the initial portion of blood withdrawn from the patient is drawn into the pre-sample reservoir 104 and is not used for cultured microbial testing. In a preferred embodiment, the amount of blood withdrawn into the pre-sample reservoir 104 is at least equal to the combined volumes of the lumen of the first needle 108, the lumen of the second needle 110, and the lumens of any intermediary lumen-containing devices, such as the sterile tubing 120. Dermally-residing microbes which may have been dislodged into the lumen of the first needle 108 during the insertion of the first needle 108 into the vein 202 may be washed into the pre-sample reservoir 104, thereby reducing the microbial contamination in the blood that is subsequently used as one or more samples for cultured microbial tests. The amount of blood transferred to the pre-sample reservoir 104 may be regulated by the size of the pre-sample reservoir 104. For example, a relatively large pre-sample reservoir may need to draw more blood to equalize pressure than a relatively small pre-sample reservoir. In at least some embodiments, the one or more pre-sample reservoirs 104 are configured and arranged to hold approximately 1 ml to 5 ml. The pre-sample reservoirs 104 may also include one or more additives. For example, in at least some embodiments, the pre-sample reservoirs 104 are BD Vacutainers™ with buffered citrate, manufactured by Becton Dickenson. In at least some embodiments, blood collected in one or more pre-sample reservoirs is discarded. In other embodiments, blood collected in one or more pre-sample reservoirs is used for conducting one or more non-culture tests, such as one or more biochemical tests, blood counts, immunodiagnostic tests, cancer-cell detection tests, and the like. In at least some embodiments, one or more pre-sample reservoirs may also include culture media for facilitating growth of one or more types of microbes. Once blood has been deposited in one or more pre-sample reservoirs, the second needle 112 may be inserted into a sample vessel. FIG. 3B is a schematic view of one embodiment of the bodily-fluid withdrawing device 102 being used to procure blood from the vein 202 of a patient and depositing the blood in the sample vessel 106. In at least some embodiments, the one or more sample vessels 106 are each vacuum-sealed. In a manner similar to the one or more pre-sample reservoirs 104, the insertion of the second needle 110 into the vacuum-sealed sample vessel 106 tends to cause blood from the vein 202 to be transferred into the sample vessel 106 until the pressures equalize. In at least some embodiments, the amount of blood collected is determined based on the size of the sample vessel or the amount of blood needed to grow the microbes, if present, in the culture medium. In at least some embodiments, the one or more sample vessels 106 are configured and arranged to receive approximately 2 ml to 10 ml of bodily fluids in a sterile solid or liquid culture medium. In at least some embodiments, the one or more sample vessels 106 include the BacT/ALERT® SN and BacT/ALERT® FA, manufactured by BIOMERIEUX, INC. As discussed above, in at least some embodiments a sample-procurement system includes one or more pre-sample reservoirs and one or more sample vessels. FIG. 4A illustrates one embodiment of a sample-procurement system 400 having a single pre-sample reservoir 402 and a plurality of sample vessels 404. The culture medium contained in each of the plurality of sample vessels 402 can be the same or can be different. For example, in FIG. 4A a first sample vessel 406 includes a sterile fluid culture broth 408 for facilitating the growth of aerobic microbes, a second sample vessel 410 includes a sterile fluid culture broth 412 for facilitating the growth of anaerobic microbes, and a third sample vessel 414 includes a sterile slant culture 416 for facilitating the growth of fungi, or other microbes. In at least some embodiments, a sample-procurement system can include one or more accessory devices. FIG. 4B illustrates the sample-procurement system 400 having a splash guard 418 positioned over the second needle 104. The splash guard 418 can be used to reduce the risk of undesirable blood splatter when the second needle 104 is transferred between the pre-sample reservoir 402 and each of the sample vessels 404. In at least some embodiments, a sample-procurement system includes a bodily-fluid withdrawing device with one or more intermediary lumen-containing devices, such as a diversion mechanism for diverting bodily fluid from the first needle to either one or more pre-sample reservoirs or to the second needle. FIG. 5 illustrates an alternate embodiment of a sample-procurement system 500. The sample-procurement system 500 includes a bodily-fluid withdrawing device 502, one or more pre-sample reservoirs 504, and one or more sample vessels 506. The bodily-fluid withdrawing device 502 includes a first needle 508, a second needle 510, a diversion mechanism 512, a flexible, sterile input tubing 514, one or more first sterile output tubing 516, and a second sterile output tubing 518. In FIG. 5, the diversion mechanism 512 is shown as a dashed rectangle. The diversion mechanism 512 is discussed below in more detail, with reference to FIGS. 6A-7B. In at least some embodiments, the first needle 508 is coupled to the diversion mechanism 512 via the flexible, sterile input tubing 514. In at least some embodiments, the one or more pre-sample reservoirs 504 are coupled to the diversion mechanism 512 via the one or more first sterile output tubing 516. In at least some embodiments, the second needle 510 is coupled to the diversion mechanism 512 via the second sterile output tubing 518. In at least some embodiments, at least one pre-sample reservoir 504 is permanently attached to the bodily-fluid withdrawing device 502. In at least some embodiments, at least one pre-sample reservoir 504 is removably attached to the bodily-fluid withdrawing device 502. In at least some embodiments, one or more of the tubing 514, 516, and 518 are omitted and one or more of the first needle 508, the pre-sample reservoir 504, and the second needle 510, respectively, couple directly to the diversion mechanism 512. The first needle 508 can be inserted into a patient to procure a blood sample. In FIG. 5, the first needle 508 is shown inserted into a vein 520. The second needle 510 is shown inserted into the one or more sample vessels 506 that have been vacuum-sealed. The vacuum in each of the one or more sample vessels 506 causes blood to pass from the vein 520 to the diversion mechanism 512. The diversion mechanism 512 can be adjusted to divert the flow of blood to either the one or more pre-sample reservoirs 504 or to the second needle 510 inserted into one of the one or more sample vessels 506. For example, in at least some embodiments, the diversion mechanism 512 can be initially adjusted to divert blood to the one or more pre-sample reservoirs 504 until the one or more pre-sample reservoirs 504 are filled, or a desired amount of blood has been withdrawn, at which point the diversion mechanism 512 can be adjusted to divert the flow of blood to the one or more sample vessels 506. In at least some embodiments, the volume of blood withdrawn into the one or more pre-sample reservoirs 504 is at least equal to the collective volumes of the first needle 508, the flexible, sterile input tubing 516, the diversion mechanism 512, and the first sterile output tubing 516. Many different types of diversion mechanisms can be used to divert the flow of bodily fluids from a patient. FIG. 6A illustrates one embodiment of the diversion mechanism 512 that includes a switchable valve 602 that pivots about a pivot point 604 positioned at the junction of the first sterile output tubing 516 and the second sterile output tubing 518. The switchable valve 602 can be placed in at least two positions: a first position (see FIG. 6A) and a second position (see FIG. 6B). When the switchable valve 602 is in a first position, as shown in FIG. 6A, the switchable valve 602 is positioned on the pivot point 604 so that the switchable valve 602 creates a seal disallowing the flow of blood input from the flexible, sterile input tubing 514 into the second sterile output tubing 518. Consequently, the blood flows into the pre-sample reservoir (not shown) via the first sterile output tubing 516. FIG. 6B illustrates one embodiment of the switchable valve 602 in a second position. When the switchable valve 602 is in a second position, the switchable valve 602 is positioned on the pivot point 604 so that the switchable valve 602 creates a seal disallowing the flow of blood input from the flexible, sterile input tubing 514 into the pre-sample reservoir (not shown) via the first sterile output tubing 516. Consequently, the blood flows into the one or more sample vessels (not shown) via the second sterile output tubing 518. In at least some embodiments, the diversion mechanism 512 includes more than two positions. In which case, each position may correspond to blood-flow diversion to a unique output tubing. In some embodiments, a plurality of pre-sample reservoirs may be used. In which case, each pre-sample reservoir may correspond to a unique diversion-mechanism position. Thus, in at least some embodiments, one position corresponds to diverting blood flow to the second needle and the other positions each correspond to a unique pre-sample reservoir. In at least some embodiments, the switchable valve can be manually switched between two or more positions by coupling an external switch to the switchable valve that can be operated either manually or electronically. In at least some embodiments, the external switch is external to each of the lumens of the bodily-fluid withdrawing device. In at least some embodiments, the switchable valve can be either manually or automatically switched between two or more of the positions by using sensors to sense when to switch a switchable valve, or timers to time when to switch a switchable valve. FIG. 7A illustrates another embodiment of the diversion mechanism 512 that includes an input flow-control block 702 and a slidably-mounted output flow-control block 704 that slides along a shared edge with the input flow-control block 702. The input flow-control block 702 and the output flow-control block 704 can be slid back and forth between a first position (see FIG. 7A) and a second position (see FIG. 7B). The input flow-control block 702 is configured and arranged to couple with the flexible, sterile input tubing 514. The input flow-control block 702 includes a lumen 706 extending through the input flow-control block 702 from the flexible, sterile input tubing 514 to the shared edge with the output flow-control block 704. The output flow-control block 704 is configured and arranged to couple with the first sterile output tubing 516 and the second sterile output tubing 518. The output flow-control block 704 includes a first lumen 708 extending through the output flow-control block 704 from the shared edge with the input flow-control block 702 to the first sterile output tubing 516, and a second lumen 710 also extending through the output flow-control block 704 from the shared edge with the input flow-control block 702 to the second sterile output tubing 518. When the input flow-control block 702 and the output flow-control block 704 are in a first position relative to one another, the lumen 706 on the input flow-control block 702 aligns with the first lumen 708 on the output flow-control block 704. Accordingly, the flow of blood input from the flexible, sterile input tubing 514 passes through the lumen 706 of the input flow-control block 702 and through the first lumen 708 of the output flow-control block 704 and into the pre-sample reservoir (not shown) via the first sterile output tubing 516. In at least some embodiments, once a desired amount of blood is diverted to the one or more pre-sample reservoirs, the flow-control blocks can be slid to a second position to divert blood flow to the second needle, which may be inserted into one of the one or more sample vessels. FIG. 7B illustrates one embodiment of the input flow-control block 702 and the output flow-control block 704 in a second position. When the input flow-control block 702 and the output flow-control block 704 are in a second position relative to one another, the lumen 706 on the input flow-control block 702 aligns with the second lumen 710 on the output flow-control block 704. Accordingly, the flow of blood input from the flexible, sterile input tubing 514 passes through the lumen 706 of the input flow-control block 702 and through the second lumen 710 of the output flow-control block 704 and into the one or more sample vessels (not shown) via the second sterile output tubing 518. In at least some embodiments, the output flow-control block 704 includes additional lumens that correspond to different positions which, in turn, may correspond to blood diversion to other pre-sample reservoirs, either directly, or via one or more intermediary output tubing. FIG. 8 illustrates a flow diagram showing one embodiment of exemplary steps used for procuring samples. In step 802, a first needle is inserted into a desired bodily-fluid-containing portion of a patient. In step 804, a second needle is inserted into a pre-sample reservoir. In step 806, a predetermined amount of bodily fluid is drained from the patient into the pre-sample reservoir. In step 808, the second needle is removed from the pre-sample reservoir. When, in step 810, there is another pre-sample reservoir to drain bodily fluid into, control is passed back up to step 804. Otherwise, control passes to step 812, where the second needle is inserted into a sample vessel. In step 814, a predetermined amount of bodily fluid is drained from the patient into the sample vessel. In step 816, the second needle is removed from the sample vessel. When, in step 818, there is another sample vessel to drain bodily fluid into, control is passed back up to step 812. Otherwise, in step 820 the first needle is removed from the patient and the flow ends. FIG. 9 illustrates a flow diagram showing a second embodiment of exemplary steps used for procuring samples. In step 902, a first needle is inserted into a desired bodily-fluid containing portion of a patient. In step 904, a second needle is inserted into a pre-sample reservoir. In step 906, a diversion mechanism is adjusted to direct the flow of bodily fluids to a desired pre-sample reservoir. In step 908, a predetermined amount of bodily fluid is drained from the patient into the pre-sample reservoir. When, in step 910, there is another pre-sample reservoir to drain bodily fluid into, control is passed back up to step 906. Otherwise, control passes to step 912, where the diversion mechanism is adjusted to divert bodily fluids to a sample vessel. In step 914, a predetermined amount of bodily fluid is drained from the patient into the sample vessel. In step 916, the second needle is removed from the sample vessel. When, in step 918, there is another sample vessel to drain bodily fluid into, control is passed to step 920, where the second needle is inserted into another sample vessel, and then control is passed back to step 914. Otherwise, in step 922 the first needle is removed from the patient and the flow ends. Other alternate embodiments of the methods and systems described above include using a sterile syringe with at least two reservoirs. For example, in at least some embodiments, a sterile syringe with a lumen-containing needle and a removable first reservoir can be used for drawing and collecting pre-sample bodily-fluids from a patient. In at least some embodiments, the volume of collected pre-sample bodily-fluids is equal to, or greater than, the volume of the lumen of the needle. Once the desired amount of pre-sample bodily-fluids are collected, the first reservoir can be removed and a second reservoir can then be attached to the needle, already in place in the vein. In at least some embodiments, sample bodily-fluids can be drawn and collected in the second reservoir and subsequently be transferred to one or more sample vessels to undergo microbial testing. A study has been performed in which blood was drawn from patients either with or without separating initially-drawn blood into one or more pre-sample reservoirs. The data from the study has been provided below in Table 1. TABLE 1 No. of false No. of correct positives negatives Using pre- 77 1911 1988 sample reservoir Without using pre- 48 580 628 sample reservoir 125 2491 2616 In the data shown in Table 1, blood was drawn for microbial testing from patients at a single hospital by a group of licensed phlebotomists. Of the patients from which blood was drawn, 125 patients tested positive for the presence of dermal contaminating microbes (false positives). Of the 2616 patients tested for the presence of microbes, 1988 had an initial volume of drawn blood sequestered into a pre-sample reservoir that was not used for the microbial testing, while 628 patients did not. Of the patients from which a pre-sample reservoir was used, 77 of the 1988 test results were later determined to be false positive results, while 48 of the 628 test results from the patients for which initial blood volumes were used for microbial testing were later determined to be false positive results. The data suggests that fewer false positive test results occur when initial volumes of drawn blood are not used for microbial testing. A Pearson's Chi-Square Test was performed on the data from Table 1 and is provided below as Formula (1) [ ( 77 × 580 ) - ( 48 × 1911 ) ] 2 × ( 77 + 48 + 1911 + 580 ) ( 77 + 1911 ) × ( 48 + 580 ) × ( 1911 + 580 ) × ( 77 + 48 ) = 14.91 Formula ( 1 ) For the data shown in Table 1, there are two possible results: a correct (true) negative, and a false positive. The number of degrees of freedom is equal to the number of possible results minus one. A listing of various Chi-square probability values for 1 degree of freedom are provided in Table 2 TABLE 2 Probability 0.50 0.20 0.15 0.10 0.05 0.02 0.01 0.001 1 degree of 0.46 1.64 2.07 2.71 3.84 5.41 6.63 10.83 freedom As shown in Formula 1, the Chi-square value of the data shown in Table 1 is 14.91, which is higher than the probability of the result occurring by chance alone is less than one time out of a thousand. Thus, the data suggests that fewer false positive test results for the presence of microbes in blood are obtained over conventional methods when initially-drawn volumes of blood are not used in microbial testing. The above specification, examples and data provide a description of the manufacture and use of the composition of the invention. Since many embodiments of the invention can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, the invention also resides in the claims hereinafter appended. | <SOH> BACKGROUND <EOH>Health care professionals routinely perform various types of microbial tests on patients using parenterally-obtained patient bodily fluids. Contamination of parenterally-obtained bodily fluids by microbes may result in spurious microbial test results. Spurious microbial test results may be a concern when attempting to diagnose or treat a suspected illness or condition. False positive results from microbial tests can cause a patient to be unnecessarily subjected to one or more anti-microbial therapies, such as anti-bacterial or anti-fungal therapies, which may cause anguish and inconvenience to the patient, as well as produce an unnecessary burden and expense to the health care system. | <SOH> BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS <EOH>Non-limiting and non-exhaustive embodiments of the present invention are described with reference to the following drawings. In the drawings, like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout the various figures unless otherwise specified. For a better understanding of the present invention, reference will be made to the following Detailed Description, which is to be read in association with the accompanying drawings, wherein: FIG. 1 is a schematic view of one embodiment of a sample-procurement system, according to the invention; FIG. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view of one embodiment of a first needle of a sample-procurement system inserted into a patient vein; according to the invention; FIG. 3A is a schematic view of one embodiment of a bodily-fluid withdrawing device draining blood from a patient vein into a pre-sample reservoir, according to the invention; FIG. 3B is a schematic view of one embodiment of a bodily-fluid withdrawing device draining blood from a patient vein into a sample vessel, according to the invention; FIG. 4A is a schematic view of another embodiment of a sample-procurement system with multiple sample vessels being used to drain blood from a patient to a pre-sample reservoir, according to the invention; FIG. 4B is a schematic view of the embodiment of the sample-procurement system shown in FIG. 4A being used to drain blood from a patient to a pre-sample reservoir with a splash guard positioned over the second needle, according to the invention; FIG. 5 is a schematic view of another embodiment of a sample-procurement system with a diversion mechanism in a bodily-fluid withdrawing device, according to the invention; FIG. 6A is a schematic close-up view of one embodiment of a diversion mechanism that includes a switchable valve in a first position, according to the invention; FIG. 6B is a schematic close-up view of the diversion mechanism shown in FIG. 6A in a second position, according to the invention; FIG. 7A is a schematic close-up view of a second embodiment of a diversion mechanism that includes two flow-control blocks in a first position, according to the invention; FIG. 7B is a schematic close-up view of the diversion mechanism shown in FIG. 7A in a second position, according to the invention; FIG. 8 illustrates a flow diagram showing one embodiment of exemplary steps used for procuring samples, according to the invention; FIG. 9 illustrates a flow diagram showing a second embodiment of exemplary steps used for procuring samples, according to the invention. detailed-description description="Detailed Description" end="lead"? | A61B5150221 | 20171205 | 20180724 | 20180405 | 78454.0 | A61B515 | 1 | EISEMAN, ADAM JARED | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR PARENTERALLY PROCURING BODILY-FLUID SAMPLES WITH REDUCED CONTAMINATION | SMALL | 1 | CONT-ACCEPTED | A61B | 2,017 |
15,832,482 | ACCEPTED | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR CREATING AND NAVIGATING A LINEAR HYPERMEDIA RESOURCE PROGRAM | A method and system for creating and navigating linear hypermedia resource programs are disclosed. The system includes a distributed hypermedia resource network having a plurality of hypermedia resources residing on one or more remote information nodes. A common remote information node is in communication with a subscriber station and the remote information nodes in the distributed network. The common remote information node contains at least one linear hypermedia resource program consisting of pre-selected media elements from one or more hypermedia resources linked with exclusive linear links, each media element in the linear program having only one forward link to the next media element. The method includes the steps of downloading and displaying a media element in the linear program and responding to user commands to download and display the next media element in the linear program. | 1. A method of presenting a linear program of video elements, the method comprising: receiving, via a server of a World Wide Web including a processor and a memory, search data indicating search criteria associated with video content; wherein the server of the Word Wide Web responds to the search criteria by: selecting, via the server of the World Wide Web, a first video element; selecting, via the server of the World Wide Web, a second video element; selecting, via the server of the World Wide Web, a third video element; associating, via the server of the World Wide Web, the first video element, the second video element and the third video element along with other video elements in a linearly linked fashion to produce the linear program of video elements; transmitting, via the server of the World Wide Web, first data for display in a map area of a display screen of a client device associated with a user, the first data including a plurality of indicators, each of the plurality of indicators representing a corresponding one of the first video element, the second video element and the third video element; and transmitting via the server of the World Wide Web and for display on the display screen of the client device associated with the user, second data including a forward link indicator; receiving, via the server of the World Wide Web, third data from the client device associated with the user indicating a selection of the forward link indicator; updating, via the server of the World Wide Web, the first data to form updated first data for display in the map area in response to selection of the forward link indicator; and receiving, via the server of the World Wide Web, fourth data from the client device associated with the user indicating a selection by the user of one of the plurality of indicators representing a selected one of, the first video element, the second video element or the third video element; wherein the first video element, the second video element and the third video element are stored on the server of the World Wide Web and wherein the selected one of, the first video element, the second video element or the third video element is transmitted, via the server of the World Wide Web, to the client device associated with the user. 2. The method of claim 1 further comprising: transmitting, via the server of the World Wide Web, fifth data for display on the display screen of the client device associated with the user, the fifth data including a backward link indicator that selects a previous program element of the linear program of video elements. 3. The method of claim 2 further comprising: receiving, via the server of the World Wide Web, sixth data from the client device associated with the user indicating a selection of the backward link indicator; and updating, via the server of the World Wide Web, the first data for display in the map area in response to selection of the backward link indicator. 4. The method of claim 1 further comprising: determining, via the server of the World Wide Web and in response to the third data, a next program element of the linear program of video elements, based on the linear program of video elements and further based on the selected one of, the first video element, the second video element or the third video element; transmitting, via the server of the World Wide Web, fifth data for display on the display screen of the client device associated with the user, the fifth data including the next program element of the linear program of video elements. 5. The method of claim 1 wherein the search criteria designates a file information content. 6. The method of claim 1 further comprising: receiving, via the server of the World Wide Web, fifth data from the client device associated with the user indicating a sequential selection by the user of the forward link indicator; and repeatedly navigating, via the server of the World Wide Web, the linear program of video elements in a forward order in response to the fifth data. 7. The method of claim 6 wherein repeatedly navigating the linear program of video elements in the forward order includes sequentially transmitting, for display on the display screen of the client device associated with the user, sixth data indicating additional ones of the linear program of video elements in the forward order. 8. The method of claim 1 further comprising: receiving, fifth data from the client device associated with the user indicating a sequential selection by the user of a backward link indicator; and repeatedly navigating the linear program of video elements in a backward order in response to the fifth data. 9. The method of claim 8 wherein repeatedly navigating the linear program of video elements in the backward order includes sequentially transmitting, for display on the display screen of the client device associated with the user, fifth data successive ones of the linear program of video elements in the backward order. 10. The method of claim 1 wherein the updated first data for display in the map area of the display screen of the client device associated with the user includes an updated plurality of indicators, wherein at least one of the updated plurality of indicators represents one of the other video elements. 11. A method of presenting a linear program of video elements, the method comprising: receiving, via a server of a World Wide Web including a processor and a memory, search data indicating search criteria associated with video content; wherein the server of the Word Wide Web responds to the search criteria by: selecting, via the server of the World Wide Web, a first video element; selecting, via the server of the World Wide Web, a second video element; selecting, via the server of the World Wide Web, a third video element; associating, via the server of the World Wide Web, the first video element, the second video element and the third video element along with other video elements in a linearly linked fashion to produce the linear program of video elements; transmitting, via the server of the World Wide Web, first data for display in a map area of a display screen of a client device associated with a user, the first data including a plurality of indicators, each of the plurality of indicators representing a corresponding one of the first video element, the second video element and the third video element; and transmitting via the server of the World Wide Web and for display on the display screen of the client device associated with the user, second data including a forward link indicator; receiving, via the server of the World Wide Web, third data from the client device associated with the user indicating a selection of the forward link indicator; updating, via the server of the World Wide Web, the first data to form updated first data for display in the map area in response to selection of the forward link indicator, wherein the updated first data for display in the map area of the display screen of the client device associated with the user includes an updated plurality of indicators, wherein at least one of the updated plurality of indicators represents one of the other video elements; and receiving, via the server of the World Wide Web, fourth data from the client device associated with the user indicating a selection by the user of one of the plurality of indicators representing a selected one of, the first video element, the second video element or the third video element; wherein the first video element, the second video element and the third video element are stored on the server of the World Wide Web and wherein the selected one of, the first video element, the second video element or the third video element is transmitted, via the server of the World Wide Web, to the client device associated with the user. 12. The method of claim 11 further comprising: transmitting, via the server of the World Wide Web, fifth data for display on the display screen of the client device associated with the user, the fifth data including a backward link indicator that selects a previous program element of the linear program of video elements. 13. The method of claim 12 further comprising: receiving, via the server of the World Wide Web, sixth data from the client device associated with the user indicating a selection of the backward link indicator; and updating, via the server of the World Wide Web, the first data for display in the map area in response to selection of the backward link indicator. 14. The method of claim 11 further comprising: determining, via the server of the World Wide Web and in response to the third data, a next program element of the linear program of video elements, based on the linear program of video elements and further based on the selected one of, the first video element, the second video element or the third video element; transmitting, via the server of the World Wide Web, fifth data for display on the display screen of the client device associated with the user, the fifth data including the next program element of the linear program of video elements. 15. The method of claim 11 wherein the search criteria designates a file information content. 16. The method of claim 11 further comprising: receiving, via the server of the World Wide Web, fifth data from the client device associated with the user indicating a sequential selection by the user of the forward link indicator; and repeatedly navigating, via the server of the World Wide Web, the linear program of video elements in a forward order in response to the fifth data. 17. The method of claim 16 wherein repeatedly navigating the linear program of video elements in the forward order includes sequentially transmitting, for display on the display screen of the client device associated with the user, sixth data indicating additional ones of the linear program of video elements in the forward order. 18. The method of claim 11 further comprising: receiving, fifth data from the client device associated with the user indicating a sequential selection by the user of a backward link indicator; and repeatedly navigating the linear program of video elements in a backward order in response to the fifth data. 19. The method of claim 18 wherein repeatedly navigating the linear program of video elements in the backward order includes sequentially transmitting, for display on the display screen of the client device associated with the user, fifth data successive ones of the linear program of video elements in the backward order. 20. A method of presenting a linear program of video elements, the method comprising: receiving, via a server of a World Wide Web including a processor and a memory, search data indicating search criteria associated with video content; wherein the server of the Word Wide Web responds to the search criteria by: selecting, via the server of the World Wide Web, a first video element; selecting, via the server of the World Wide Web, a second video element; selecting, via the server of the World Wide Web, a third video element; associating, via the server of the World Wide Web, the first video element, the second video element and the third video element along with other video elements in a linearly linked fashion to produce the linear program of video elements; and transmitting, via the server of the World Wide Web, first data for display in a map area of a display screen of a client device associated with a user, the first data including a plurality of indicators, each of the plurality of indicators representing a corresponding one of the first video element, the second video element and the third video element; updating, via the server of the World Wide Web, the first data to form updated first data for display in the map area, wherein the updated first data for display in the map area of the display screen of the client device associated with the user includes an updated plurality of indicators, wherein at least one of the updated plurality of indicators represents one of the other video elements; and receiving, via the server of the World Wide Web, fourth data from the client device associated with the user indicating a selection by the user of one of the plurality of indicators representing a selected one of, the first video element, the second video element or the third video element; wherein the first video element, the second video element and the third video element are stored on the server of the World Wide Web and wherein the selected one of, the first video element, the second video element or the third video element is transmitted, via the server of the World Wide Web, to the client device associated with the user. | CROSS REFERENCE TO PRIORITY APPLICATIONS The present U.S. Utility Patent Application claims priority pursuant to 35 U.S.C. § 120 as a continuation of U.S. Utility application Ser. No. 15/681,714, entitled “SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR CREATING AND NAVIGATING A LINEAR HYPERMEDIA RESOURCE PROGRAM,”, filed Aug. 21, 2017, which is a continuation of U.S. Utility application Ser. No. 14/728,576, entitled “SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR CREATING AND NAVIGATING A LINEAR HYPERMEDIA RESOURCE PROGRAM”, filed Jun. 2, 2015, issued as U.S. Pat. No. 9,772,814 on Sep. 26, 2017, which is a continuation of U.S. Utility application Ser. No. 13/552,282, entitled “SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR CREATING AND NAVIGATING A LINEAR HYPERMEDIA RESOURCE PROGRAM”, filed Jul. 18, 2012, issued as U.S. Pat. No. 9,083,672 on Jul. 14, 2015, which is a continuation of U.S. Utility application Ser. No. 13/116,421, entitled “SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR CREATING AND NAVIGATING A LINEAR HYPERMEDIA RESOURCE PROGRAM”, filed May 26, 2011, issued as U.S. Pat. No. 8,250,173 on Aug. 21, 2012, which is a continuation of U.S. Utility application Ser. No. 12/426,428, entitled “SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR CREATING AND NAVIGATING A LINEAR HYPERMEDIA RESOURCE PROGRAM”, filed Apr. 20, 2009, issued as U.S. Pat. No. 8,250,170 on Aug. 21, 2012, which is a continuation of U.S. Utility application Ser. No. 11/784,305, entitled “SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR CREATING AND NAVIGATING A LINEAR HYPERMEDIA RESOURCE PROGRAM”, filed Apr. 6, 2007, issued as U.S. Pat. No. 7,539,738 on May 26, 2009, which is a continuation of U.S. Utility application Ser. No. 10/884,187, entitled “SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR CREATING AND NAVIGATING A LINEAR HYPERMEDIA RESOURCE PROGRAM”, filed Jul. 1, 2004, issued as U.S. Pat. No. 7,216,155 on May 8, 2007, which is a continuation of U.S. Utility application Ser. No. 09/964,104, entitled “SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR CREATING AND NAVIGATING A LINEAR HYPERMEDIA RESOURCE PROGRAM”, filed Sep. 26, 2001, issued as U.S. Pat. No. 6,779,026 on Aug. 17, 2004, which is a continuation of U.S. Utility application Ser. No. 09/680,899,entitled “SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR CREATING AND NAVIGATING A LINEAR HYPERMEDIA RESOURCE PROGRAM”, filed Oct. 6, 2000, issued as U.S. Pat. No. 6,330,596 on Dec. 11, 2001, which is a continuation of U.S. Utility application Ser. No. 09/167,514, entitled “SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR CREATING AND NAVIGATING A LINEAR HYPERMEDIA RESOURCE PROGRAM”, filed Oct. 6, 1998, issued as U.S. Pat. No. 6,145,000 on Nov. 7, 2000, all of which are hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entirety and made part of the present U.S. Utility Patent Application for all purposes. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The World Wide Web (the “Web”) provides an alternative source of information for consumers and business users. Some users also view the Web as a source of entertainment. Surfing the Web, cybercafes, etc. appeal to the sophisticated Web user as a way of having a good time. Many Americans raised in the television age view entertainment as a serial event. Specifically, generations of viewers have experienced television shows, movies, radio programs, and concerts which all proceed linearly from a beginning to an end. Some potential Web users of this generation view surfing the Web as intimidating from perhaps two respects: (1) the use of technology; and (2) the increasingly unorganized, virtually unlimited number of choices that are available. The Web is not inherently a linear entertainment medium. A Web user may typically go directly from any given site to a large number of other sites. At best, some websites provide links to similar sites, however they typically do not offer more than a cursory indication of what the linked sites contain. In addition, even sophisticated Web users are often frustrated by the amount of useless, undesirable material that appears on the Web. Take, for example, a user who wishes to look at pictures of classic automobiles. A search on classic automobiles may yield 10,000 hits. A website-by-website search for interesting material may yield many sites that do not meet the user's expectations as to the content, properties or quality. Some sites may be a single page that prompts a user to order a catalog. Other sites may have text but no pictures. Accordingly, there is a need for creating entertaining Web programs that appeal to a wide cross section of potential viewers. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a diagram of a system for use in creating and navigating a linear hypermedia resource program according to a preferred embodiment. FIG. 2 illustrates hypermedia resources that may reside on information nodes in the distributed hypermedia network of FIG. 1. FIG. 3 diagrammatically illustrates a linear hypermedia resource program and the selected base media elements in each of the desired hypermedia resources of the hypermedia resource data network. FIG. 4 illustrates a user interface for use in navigating a hypermedia resource program in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 5 is a flow diagram of a method for navigating a linear hypermedia resource program. FIG. 6 is a flow diagram illustrating an alternative method for navigating a linear hypermedia resource program in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 7 illustrates a user interface for prompting a user for an experience level in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 8 illustrates a method of generating a linear hypermedia resource program utilizing the system of FIG. 1 in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 9 illustrates an alternative embodiment of a method of generating linear hypermedia resource program. FIG. 10 is a flow diagram illustrating a third embodiment of a method for generating a linear hypermedia resource program. FIG. 11 is a flow diagram illustrating a fourth embodiment of a method for generating a linear hypermedia resource program. FIG. 12 is a flow diagram of a method for generating a linear hypermedia resource program in billing a user. FIG. 13 diagrammatically illustrates one preferred embodiment of navigating a linear hypermedia resource program. FIG. 14 diagrammatically illustrates one preferred embodiment of a method for creating a linear hypermedia resource program. FIG. 15 illustrates an alternative embodiment for of a method for creating a linear hypermedia resource program. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PRESENTLY PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The present invention addresses the need for creating and navigating entertaining Web programs that filter out unwanted information and present desired information in a series of linearly linked websites. In one embodiment of the present invention, a user starts with the first site and in a guided tour fashion, when finished, is directed exclusively to the second site. When done with the second site, the user is directed exclusively to the next site, etc. The progression of sites defines a programmed linear hypermedia resource path that is geared towards the entertainment of the user. Users may also implement the system and method described in more detail below for educational purposes or as a research tool. Referring to FIG. 1, a system 10 for use in navigating and generating a linear hypermedia resource program is shown. The system 10 includes a distributed hypermedia data network 12 having a plurality of information nodes 14 and a common remote information node 16 all in communication with each other. A subscriber station 18 is in communication with the common remote information node 16 over a communication line. In one embodiment, the distributed hypermedia data network 12 may be the Web where the information nodes and common remote information node 14, 16 are servers, memory devices, personal computers, or the like that are capable of storing, processing, and exchanging data with other information nodes. The subscriber station 18 may be a personal computer or other device having capability of communicating with the common remote information node 16 and presenting audio, visual, or tactile information received from the common remote information node 16. As shown in FIG. 2, each information node may contain a plurality of hypermedia resources 20. Each hypermedia resource 20 contains a plurality of individual media elements 22, including a base media element 24, that are associated by an indexed tree 21. In one embodiment, each hypermedia resource 20 may be a website on the Web. The base media element 24 can comprise a selected Web page of the website that serves as a logical entry point to the website. The plurality of other media elements 22 can include the additional pages of the website along with other media that may include audio and video clips and, optionally, tactile records that are convertible to tactile information by means of a user interface device that includes tactile or force feedback. Each of the information nodes 14 in the distributed hypermedia data network 12 may contain one or more hypermedia resources 20. Unlike a typical search result from an Internet search engine on the Web, a linear hypermedia resource program includes a selected group of media elements that are associated by a series of exclusive forward and backward links that are, in one embodiment, accessible at all times as the hypermedia resources are browsed. FIG. 3 pictorially represents an embodiment of a preferred linear hypermedia resource program in the context of the media element or elements in hypermedia resources connected by the linear hypermedia resource program 23. As shown in FIG. 3, a linear program may include a selected base media element from each of a number of hypermedia resources of interest. Each base media element 24 is placed in a particular program element 25 in the linear hypermedia resource program 23 such that the program will move the user between hypermedia resources in a predetermined manner along an exclusive chain of linear links 27, each selected base media element having one exclusive forward link and one exclusive backward link. Each program element 25 maybe a media element 22 from a hypermedia resource 20. In one embodiment, the program element 25 maybe the universal resource locator (URL) for each selected media element 24. In an alternative embodiment, each program element 25 may be the entire content of a base media element 24. Preferably, the program elements 25 of a linear hypermedia resource program 23 are stored in the common remote information node 16 controlled by the internet service provider used by a subscriber at a subscriber station 18 (FIG. 1). To accelerate the accessibility of each program element in a linear hypermedia resource program, each program element is preferably fully cached in the common remote information node so that all the information of the media element comprising each program element is retrieved prior to executing the linear hypermedia resource program. In this manner, variations in communication speeds between the common remote information node 16 and the information nodes 14 containing selective hypermedia resources are minimized. As mentioned above, each media element making up a program element may contain textual, visual, audio and tactile information. The program elements 27 of the linear hypermedia resource program may each come from a different hypermedia resource, the same hypermedia resource, or a combination of the two. FIG. 4 illustrates a preferred embodiment of a user interface operable by a user at a subscriber station 18 to view a linear hypermedia resource program. Preferably the user interface 28 comprises a collection of areas 30, 32, 34 that each provide a user with separate functionality. A map area 30 displays information representative of media elements in the linear program for all or a portion of the media elements 22 in the order arranged in the linear hypermedia resource program. This information representative of the media elements that make up the program elements of the linear program may be text, icons, graphical depictions or other indicators capable of conveying the subject of the represented media element. The map area 30 may display the entire linear path comprised of all the elements in the linear program or simply a linear segment 31 of the entire linear path. A display area 32 shows the contents of a selected media element in the linearly linked chain of the hypermedia resource program. A command area 34 preferably contains backward and forward directional buttons 36 that allow a user to send signals to the common remote information node to change the media element displayed in the display area 32 to a subsequent or previous media element in the linear hypermedia resource program as shown in the map area 30. In one embodiment of the present invention, any or all of the areas 30, 32 and 34 are implemented using Web frames. Dynamic pages that utilize templates and tables are alternative implementations of the areas 30, 32 and 34 described above. Utilizing the system of FIGS. 1-2 and 4, methods for navigating and creating a linear hypermedia resource program are described below. Referring to FIG. 5, one preferred embodiment of a method of navigating a linear hypermedia resource program is shown. A user may download and display a first base media element in the linear hypermedia resource program (at step 38). In one embodiment, the contents of each program element of the linear hypermedia resource program are cached in memory at the common remote information node. The system, via the user interface 28, responds to additional user commands to download and display other media elements of the first hypermedia resource (at step 40). Although the entire hypermedia resource from which one or more media elements were preselected as program elements may also be cached at the common remote information node 16, the media elements that do not make up the linear hypermedia resource program are preferably accessed using links to the respective remote information node containing the hypermedia resource. A forward direction button 36 is displayed to the user on the display device of the subscriber station 18 and the subscriber station receives a first signal in response to an action of the user that indicates an activation of the forward link button (at steps 42, 44). If a signal is received indicating that the user has selected the forward directional button, a second base media element is downloaded and provided to the subscriber station (at step 46). As with the first hypermedia resource, the user may download and display selected media elements from the second hypermedia resource until satisfied (at step 48). The steps of responding to the user command to display a base media element of a hypermedia in a linear hypermedia resource program and, in response to subsequent commands of a user, to download and display other media elements from that hypermedia resource may be repeated many times. In this fashion, the user can traverse all of the program elements of the linear hypermedia resource program including all of the base media elements and any desired media elements of each hypermedia resource. By way of an example for implementing the method described above and shown in FIG. 5, consider a linear hypermedia resource program directed to hypermedia resources on the Internet related to a television celebrity. In this example, the linear hypermedia resource program 23 is an Internet Web path implemented by an internet service provider at a common remote information node 16. The user starts on the Web path at the first website, for example, a website showing a type of automobile driven by the celebrity along with specifications and prices. The presentation of the website is within the display area 32 of the user interface 28. Outside the display area 32, a map area 30 showing other sites along the celebrity Web path is displayed and identifies the current site. In one embodiment of the present invention, a map of the entire linear path is presented. In an alternative embodiment, a selected linear segment 31 of the map is shown. In this fashion, the user (by means of map zoom-in and zoom-out buttons not shown) can select a portion of the map of selected size to view by zooming into a particular site and reviewing it with more detail or zooming out and reviewing the map with more sites but with optionally less detail being displayed per site. In a further alternative, a user, by means of highlighting and selecting a particular program element from the map area 30, can selectively skip forward or backward to a particular program element and its corresponding base media element. The user can activate the forward direction button 36 to go to a second web site on the tour. The second website may display subject matter relevant to the real life of, or a movie character portrayal by, the celebrity. If, for example, the celebrity was known to smoke cigars, a cigar store website having a variety of cigars for sale via mail order can be displayed. As the user progresses through the linear program, the user may come across a website having little appeal to the user and so the user may simply hit the forward direction button 36 to proceed along to the next in the serially linked series of websites. In addition, a skip next button (not shown) can likewise allow a user to skip the next program element in the linear program 23 and proceed directly to the program element after the next program element. The remaining program elements 25 in the linear program 23 can include website pages for Broadway plays the celebrity acted in, vacations in exotic locations associated with the celebrity, pictures of the celebrity in favorite roles, and so on. It should be noted that, in one embodiment of the present invention the user is free to engage hyperlinks that are present in each hypermedia resource. This allows the user to browse any of the individual hypermedia elements of the hypermedia resource as well as other linked hypermedia resources that may not be on the linear path. In this embodiment, the activation of the forward or back buttons directs the user to the next or previous hypermedia resource, respectively, and therefore allows the user to return to the path provided by the linear program 23. FIG. 6 shows an alternative embodiment of the method illustrated in FIG. 5. In this embodiment, the common remote information node 16 solicits the user for an experience level. The user interface 28 preferably contains a user experience level screen 50 that inquires as to a user's experience level in browsing hypermedia resources such as the Web. The experience level screen 50 provides an experience level menu having multiple experience level indicators 52 (see FIG. 7). In the embodiment of FIG. 6, the system displays the experience level menu and receives a desired experience level instruction from the user (at steps 54, 56). Upon receipt of the selected experience level, the common remote information node modifies the set of available commands to accord with the desired experience level (at step 58). In one embodiment, selection of a beginner experience level disables all links appearing on media elements in the linear hypermedia resource program. This feature discourages users from leaving the path defined by the program and becoming lost in cyberspace. In an alternative embodiment, the step of modifying the set of available commands may include disabling Web links between hypermedia resources 20 and only allowing a user to peruse media elements 22 within a selected hypermedia resource 20 until the next hypermedia resource 20 in the linear hypermedia resource program is selected through the forward or back direction buttons 36 in the user interface 28. After selecting the experience level and modifying the set of available commands, the method proceeds in much the same way as described in FIG. 5. The system downloads and displays a first base media element (at step 60) and downloads and displays selected media elements from the first hypermedia resource per user commands (at step 62). The node 16 displays the forward and back buttons 36 (at step 64) and displays the linear program map 30 on the user interface 28 (at step 66). The node 16 waits to receive a next signal from the user (at step 68) and displays the second base media element of the second hypermedia resource in a linear hypermedia program if a first signal is received (at step 70). The common remote information node 16 will then download and display selected media elements from the second hypermedia resource as directed by user commands received at the user interface (at step 72). The user then may decide to use the back button to send the signal to the system that returns to the previous hypermedia resource (at step 74). Alternatively, if after displaying the first base media elements of the first hypermedia resource the user selects an alternative command such as by selecting a particular program element from the map area 30, the system recognizes that command and downloads and displays the base media element that corresponds to the selected program element (at steps 76, 78). The system will subsequently download and display any selected hypermedia resources chosen by the user (at step 80). While FIG. 6 describes the operation of the present invention in the context of one embodiment including a first and second hypermedia resource, one of ordinary skill in the art, based on the teachings herein, will recognize that this method will similarly apply to a linear program 23 of arbitrary length. Further, while the step of displaying the linear program map is shown as a discrete step, the display of the program map can persist during the operation of the method described above and can be updated after each new program element is selected for displaying the user's position in the linear program. In addition, the back and forward command buttons can likewise be persistently displayed during the operation of the program. According to another aspect of the invention, in one embodiment a user at a subscriber station 18 may utilize software at the common remote information node 16 to generate a linear hypermedia resource program. As shown in FIG. 8, a user may be browsing a distributed hypermedia data network, such as the Web, and simply select a first base media element of a desired hypermedia resource (at step 82) and then proceed to select a base media element for a subsequent hypermedia resource (at step 84). The progression of selecting base elements for desired hypermedia resources may continue until the user has accumulated a desired number of base media elements. At the conclusion of selecting individual base media elements, the user is left with a sequence of exclusively linked hypermedia resources that may be saved for future perusal. Thus, the linear hypermedia resource program provides advantages over standard bookmark functions available on Internet Web browsers because an entire sequence of web sites/Web pages having an exclusive linear path may be saved. Additionally, the entire content of each media element (such as a Web page) selected may be cached in a memory at the common remote information node operated by the internet service provider (ISP) to accelerate later retrieval of information. As shown in FIG. 9, an alternative embodiment of the method shown in FIG. 8 includes the ability to selectively place desired media elements in desired positions in the linear hypermedia program. Referring to FIGS. 9 and 10, a user may select the first base media element (at step 86) and then assign the first base media element to a first program element in the linear hypermedia program (at step 88). A second base media element may then be selected and assigned to a second program element of the linear hypermedia program (at steps 90, 92). Alternatively, a preferred embodiment allows the user to select a first base media element and provide an editing command to the system that assigns the first base media element to a selected program element position (at steps 94, 96). A later base media element can be selected and the system will receive a command to assign this later selected base media element to another selected program element position that may precede or follow the previously selected base media element in the linear hypermedia resource program 23 (at steps 98, 100). FIG. 11 shows another embodiment of a method for generating a linear hypermedia resource program. Rather than manually allowing a user to select media elements for inclusion in the linear program elements of the linear hypermedia resource program, a user may communicate search criteria to a linear hypermedia program service at a remote location. In one embodiment of the present invention, such as the celebrity application described above, Web paths may be created by a professional director from pre-existing or newly created web sites or a combination of both. In an alternative embodiment, the Web paths may be created by an intelligent agent that operates independently of the user and responds to the user's suggested topics, likes and dislikes, as well as user preferences concerning content, properties and quality of websites. This service may be offered by the ISP at the common remote information node 16. When the search criteria are received at the node 16, the professional director or intelligent agent may evaluate media elements to select and organize, in an exclusive linearly linked fashion, highly relevant media elements satisfying the user's search criteria (at steps 102-108). For example, a user interested in shopping for furniture on the Web specifies the types of furniture in which he or she is interested (e.g., Chippendale breakfront mahogany china cabinets), and the type of websites desired (e.g., furniture stores with websites that show JPEG or MPEG images of the furniture with prices for each piece). Examples of other suitable file formats are any of a number of known graphics, video, audio and tactile data formats. Preferably, the user has the appropriate hardware and software at the subscriber station to interpret the electronic media element content into the video, audio, or tactile domain. A user also preferably designates file information content choices in the search criteria. File information content may be used to filter for Web pages that contain price listings or have the ability to place secure product orders via credit card. Many other file criteria may be used to select appropriate media elements. For example, a user can also specify that information must be presented in a certain language, that suitable websites must have been updated within a predetermined period, and so on. The user may optionally specify the time frame for generating a desired linear hypermedia resource program. For example, the user may request that the linear hypermedia resource program be ready by Friday night that week. The intelligent agent or professional director works off-line of the user to create a series of links that define a desirable path through a series of websites that meet the user's criteria. Once complete, the linear hypermedia resource program (in this example a serial path of website pages from one or more websites) is delivered to the user by HTTP or email. The common remote information node may automatically notify the user that the program is ready or may wait for the user to retrieve it. Internet service providers, or other linear hypermedia program sources offering users custom-made linear hypermedia resource programs, may offer linear hypermedia resource programs of different lengths and quality. In order to accommodate different needs and budgets, a method for generating a desired linear hypermedia resource program and accounting for billing information is useful. As FIG. 12 illustrates, a user at a subscriber station 18 initially sends a search request with specific search criteria to the common remote information node operated by the ISP (at step 110). The search criteria preferably include the time frame in which the user desires to receive the linear hypermedia program. A sliding scale of cost versus time, in the form of an algorithm or table stored in memory at the common remote information node, may then be applied to determine the final cost of generating the linear hypermedia resource program (at step 112). The media elements available in the distributed hypermedia data network are then analyzed in light of the search criteria (at step 114). As described above, the step of evaluating the media elements may be done with an intelligent agent such as a search engine with artificial intelligence capabilities, or may be done manually by personnel at the Internet service provider. Base media elements are then selected from the pool of relevant hypermedia resources and then assigned to program element positions in the linear hypermedia resource program (at step 116). The resulting linear hypermedia resource program is then transmitted from the common remote information node to the subscriber station (at step 118) and a billing record is also generated at the common remote information node of the Internet service provider in accordance with the time frame requested and scope of the search (at steps 120). Factors such as processor time, memory requirement for the linear program, or storage period at a server such as the common remote information node may also be incorporated into the billing record. FIGS. 13-15 provide a pictorial representation of a linear program, browsing a linear program, and the steps of creating a linear program. FIG. 13 best illustrates browsing the linear program depicted in FIG. 3. As indicated by link selection arrows 122, a user is allowed to browse media elements, other than the base media element stored in the linear program, in a hypermedia resource using existing Web browser type technology. Although a user may be viewing a media element other than the initial base media elements of the first type of media resource, the forward and backward selection buttons of the user interface will automatically invoke the exclusive forward or backward link 27 to transport the user to the base media element 24 of the second selected hypermedia resource or back to the base media element of the previous hypermedia resource. Assuming the common remote information node 16 received the command to move forward to the second hypermedia resource, the user again has the freedom to browse media elements starting with the base media element in the second hypermedia resource. Again, regardless of the media element presently being viewed in the second hypermedia resource, selecting the forward or back button in the user interface will only allow the user to move to the base element of the prior hypermedia resource or of any subsequent hypermedia resource in the order previously assigned in the linear hypermedia resource program. Different versions of a method for creating a linear hypermedia resource program are pictorially illustrated in FIGS. 14 and 15. FIG. 14 illustrates the ability to select any one of a number of media elements from desired media resources and add the selected media elements to a linear hypermedia resource program. A first media element may be selected from a hypermedia resource and then a user may use a hyper link to jump to a second hypermedia resource, select a media element from the second hypermedia resource, and then the user may decide to implement a search engine to search the Web and jump to an unrelated third hypermedia resource. At the third hypermedia resource, the user can select any of the media elements to add to the linear hypermedia resource program. Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 15, the user may elect to add every media element, in the sequence encountered while browsing, to a linear hypermedia resource program. The various methods described herein, in a preferred embodiment, are intended for operation as software programs running on a computer processor. One of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that other hardware implementations such as application specific integrated circuits, programmable logic arrays and other hardware devices can likewise be constructed to implement the methods described herein. It should also be noted that the various methods of the present invention can be implemented in software, in one of a variety of known computer languages, and stored on a tangible storage medium such as a magnetic or optical disk, read-only memory or random access memory and be produced as an article of manufacture. As has been described above, a system and method for navigating and creating linear hypermedia resource programs are provided. The system and method provide a serial entertainment medium for internet Web users of all experience levels. A common remote information node such as a server operated by an internet service provider may generate, and store the contents of, a linear hypermedia resource program. A user can access the program through a user interface from a subscriber terminal. The program, which may consist of Web pages from one or more websites, is preferably traversed linearly with the user interface. Depending on a selected skill level, various links may be disabled to better guide a user along the predetermined linear path. The method also describes selecting media elements to include and editing their placement in the linear program. As will be recognized by those skilled in the art, the type of computers and communications devices used may be any one of a number of commonly available computers and communications devices. The communications networks for interconnecting hypermedia resources in the distributed hypermedia resource network may be internet communications networks or other types of networks. It is intended that the foregoing detailed description be regarded as illustrative rather than limiting, and that it be understood that the following claims, including all equivalents, are intended to define the scope of the invention. | <SOH> BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION <EOH>The World Wide Web (the “Web”) provides an alternative source of information for consumers and business users. Some users also view the Web as a source of entertainment. Surfing the Web, cybercafes, etc. appeal to the sophisticated Web user as a way of having a good time. Many Americans raised in the television age view entertainment as a serial event. Specifically, generations of viewers have experienced television shows, movies, radio programs, and concerts which all proceed linearly from a beginning to an end. Some potential Web users of this generation view surfing the Web as intimidating from perhaps two respects: (1) the use of technology; and (2) the increasingly unorganized, virtually unlimited number of choices that are available. The Web is not inherently a linear entertainment medium. A Web user may typically go directly from any given site to a large number of other sites. At best, some websites provide links to similar sites, however they typically do not offer more than a cursory indication of what the linked sites contain. In addition, even sophisticated Web users are often frustrated by the amount of useless, undesirable material that appears on the Web. Take, for example, a user who wishes to look at pictures of classic automobiles. A search on classic automobiles may yield 10,000 hits. A website-by-website search for interesting material may yield many sites that do not meet the user's expectations as to the content, properties or quality. Some sites may be a single page that prompts a user to order a catalog. Other sites may have text but no pictures. Accordingly, there is a need for creating entertaining Web programs that appeal to a wide cross section of potential viewers. | <SOH> BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS <EOH>FIG. 1 is a diagram of a system for use in creating and navigating a linear hypermedia resource program according to a preferred embodiment. FIG. 2 illustrates hypermedia resources that may reside on information nodes in the distributed hypermedia network of FIG. 1 . FIG. 3 diagrammatically illustrates a linear hypermedia resource program and the selected base media elements in each of the desired hypermedia resources of the hypermedia resource data network. FIG. 4 illustrates a user interface for use in navigating a hypermedia resource program in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 5 is a flow diagram of a method for navigating a linear hypermedia resource program. FIG. 6 is a flow diagram illustrating an alternative method for navigating a linear hypermedia resource program in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 7 illustrates a user interface for prompting a user for an experience level in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 8 illustrates a method of generating a linear hypermedia resource program utilizing the system of FIG. 1 in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 9 illustrates an alternative embodiment of a method of generating linear hypermedia resource program. FIG. 10 is a flow diagram illustrating a third embodiment of a method for generating a linear hypermedia resource program. FIG. 11 is a flow diagram illustrating a fourth embodiment of a method for generating a linear hypermedia resource program. FIG. 12 is a flow diagram of a method for generating a linear hypermedia resource program in billing a user. FIG. 13 diagrammatically illustrates one preferred embodiment of navigating a linear hypermedia resource program. FIG. 14 diagrammatically illustrates one preferred embodiment of a method for creating a linear hypermedia resource program. FIG. 15 illustrates an alternative embodiment for of a method for creating a linear hypermedia resource program. detailed-description description="Detailed Description" end="lead"? | G06F3165 | 20171205 | 20180605 | 20180405 | 82046.0 | G06F316 | 1 | BAROT, BHARAT | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR CREATING AND NAVIGATING A LINEAR HYPERMEDIA RESOURCE PROGRAM | UNDISCOUNTED | 1 | CONT-ACCEPTED | G06F | 2,017 |
15,832,653 | PENDING | IMAGE-BASED RENDERING OF REAL SPACES | Under an embodiment of the invention, an image capturing and processing system creates 3D image-based rendering (IBR) for real estate. The system provides image-based rendering of real property, the computer system including a user interface for visually presenting an image-based rendering of a real property to a user; and a processor to obtain two or more photorealistic viewpoints from ground truth image data capture locations; combine and process two or more instances of ground truth image data to create a plurality of synthesized viewpoints; and visually present a viewpoint in a virtual model of the real property on the user interface, the virtual model including photorealistic viewpoints and synthesized viewpoints. | 1. A method, comprising: receiving image data of a plurality of spaces in a property, the image data including a plurality of images captured from a plurality of viewpoints; creating a plurality of panoramas of the plurality of spaces using the image data; rendering a virtual model of a selected space among the plurality of spaces using the plurality of panoramas; causing a device to display the virtual model with a first label indicating a location of the selected space. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the image data includes metadata associated with the plurality of images, the metadata indicating capture locations of the images, and wherein rendering the virtual model of the selected space includes rendering a 3D scene of the selected space using the plurality of panoramas. 3. The method of claim 2, further comprising: defining spatial boundaries of the plurality of spaces in the property using the image data, the plurality of spaces including a plurality of rooms in the property. 4. The method of claim 3, wherein rendering the 3D scene includes: determining camera geometry using the plurality of images; receiving a selected viewpoint in the selected space; generating a point cloud of the 3D model; determining a geometric proxy for the selected viewpoint using the determined camera geometry and the point cloud; and generating the 3D model using the geometric proxy. 5. The method of claim 4, further comprising: calibrating the plurality of panoramas using the camera geometry, wherein the camera geometry is determined by a first pass feature detection using the plurality of images. 6. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of panoramas are grouped according to a panorama bundle adjustment heuristic. 7. The method of claim 6, wherein the panorama bundle adjustment heuristic is initialized using the metadata, the metadata including one or both of GPS and WiFi positioning coordinates. 8. The method of claim 1, further comprising: generating a plurality of spatial boundaries of the plurality of spaces using the plurality of images, each of the spatial boundaries defining a parcel outline of one of the plurality of spaces; annotating the plurality of images with second labels indicating capture locations of the plurality of images using the plurality of spatial boundaries; and identifying the selected space among the plurality of spaces where a selected viewpoint is located using the second labels, wherein causing the device to display the virtual model with the first label indicating the location of the selected space includes visually presenting the virtual model on a first portion of a user interface, a map overlay on a second portion of the user interface, and a text overlay on a third portion of the user interface, the map overlay indicating a position of the selected viewpoint in the selected space, the text overlay including the second label identifying the selected space in the property where the selected viewpoint is located. 9. The method of claim 2, further comprising: obtaining depth data of the plurality of spaces, wherein creating the plurality of panoramas of the plurality of spaces includes generating a plurality of stitched panoramas from the plurality of images, the metadata, and the depth data. 10. The method of claim 9 wherein generating the plurality of stitched panoramas includes: generating a panorama neighborhood graph of the property; generating a panorama spanning tree of the panorama neighborhood graph; and performing panorama bundle adjustment on the panorama spanning tree. 11. The method of claim 9, rendering the virtual model includes registering image RGB data from the plurality of images with the depth data to generate a 3D point cloud. 12. The method of claim 2, further comprising: receiving the plurality of images from a smart phone. 13. A system, comprising: a processor; a memory storing non-transitory program commands, which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to: receive image data of a plurality of spaces in a property, the image data including a plurality of images captured from a plurality of viewpoints; create a plurality of panoramas of the plurality of spaces using the image data; render a virtual model of a selected space among the plurality of spaces using the plurality of panoramas; cause a device to display the virtual model with a first label indicating a location of the selected space. 14. The system of claim 13, wherein the image data includes metadata associated with the plurality of images, the metadata indicating capture locations of the images, and wherein the program commands cause the processor to render the virtual model of the selected space by rendering a 3D scene of the selected space using the plurality of panoramas. 15. The system of claim 14, wherein the program commands cause the processor to render the 3D scene by: determining camera geometry using the plurality of images; receiving a selected viewpoint in the selected space; generating a point cloud of the 3D model; determining a geometric proxy for the selected viewpoint using the determined camera geometry and the point cloud; and generating the 3D model using the geometric proxy. 16. The system of claim 14, wherein the program commands further cause the processor to: obtain depth data of the plurality of spaces, and wherein the program commands cause the processor to create the plurality of panoramas of the plurality of spaces by generating a plurality of stitched panoramas from the plurality of images, the metadata, and the depth data. 17. The system of claim 13, wherein the program commands further cause the processor to: generate a plurality of spatial boundaries of the plurality of spaces using the plurality of images, each of the spatial boundaries defining a parcel outline of one of the plurality of spaces; annotate the plurality of images with second labels indicating capture locations of the plurality of images using the plurality of spatial boundaries; and identify the selected space among the plurality of spaces where a selected viewpoint is located using the second labels, wherein the program commands cause the processor to cause the device to display the virtual model with the first label indicating the location of the selected space by visually presenting the virtual model on a first portion of a user interface, a map overlay on a second portion of the user interface, and a text overlay on a third portion of the user interface, the map overlay indicating a position of the selected viewpoint in the selected space, the text overlay including the second label identifying the selected space in the property where the selected viewpoint is located. 18. A method, comprising: receiving image data of a plurality of spaces in a property, the image data including a plurality of images captured from a plurality of viewpoints; generating a plurality of spatial boundaries of the plurality of spaces using the plurality of images, each of the spatial boundaries defining a parcel outline of one of the plurality of spaces; annotating the plurality of images with first labels indicating capture locations of the plurality of images using the plurality of spatial boundaries; creating a plurality of panoramas of the plurality of spaces using the image data; identifying a selected space among the plurality of spaces where a selected viewpoint is located using the first labels; rendering a virtual model of the selected space among the plurality of spaces using the plurality of panoramas; and causing a device to display the virtual model with a second label indicating a location of the selected space, wherein causing the device to display the virtual model with the first label indicating the location of the selected space includes visually presenting the virtual model on a first portion of a user interface, a map overlay on a second portion of the user interface, and a text overlay on a third portion of the user interface, the map overlay indicating a position of the selected viewpoint in the selected space, the text overlay including the first label identifying the selected space in the property where the selected viewpoint is located. | This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/525,057, filed Oct. 27, 2014, now U.S. Pat. No. 9,836,885, issued on Dec. 5, 2017, which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/895,978, filed Oct. 25, 2013, and titled “Image Based Rendering”. This application is related to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/525,052, filed Oct. 27, 2014, entitled “USER INTERFACE FOR IMAGE-BASED RENDERING OF VIRTUAL TOURS”, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/525,059, filed Oct. 27, 2014, entitled “IMAGE-BASED RENDERING OF VIRTUAL MODELS OF REAL SPACES”, and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/525,060, filed Oct. 27, 2014, entitled “IMAGE-BASED RENDERING OF THREE DIMENSION GEOMETRIES”, commonly assigned. The above U.S. patent applications are fully incorporated herein by reference. TECHNICAL FIELD This disclosure relates generally to methods and systems for image-based rendering and, more particularly, relates to the creation and rendering of three dimensional geometry combined with images of real world scenes. BACKGROUND Real estate websites typically have a description of the real estate listed for sale on the website. The description often includes pictures of the real estate in addition to a written description of the property. Photographs of the property are helpful and an improvement over a text description. However, without physically visiting the property to look at it, the property can only be seen from the viewpoint of the photographer and lack spatial navigation. So photographs, while helpful, have not eliminated the need to physically go to the property and understand how it is laid out. Some real estate websites have posted video tours of their listed properties, which can be even more helpful than photographs. Often these videos are created by a realtor or home-owner who walks through the home while recording with a video camera. The quality of those videos is generally not good, so some realtors will use professional videographers to create a more polished and professional video. Unfortunately, videos are likewise limited in the sense that the viewer can only see the property from the viewpoint of the videographer. Also, the viewer does not have the ability to tour the property on his own route because the videos have a predetermined path through the house. In an attempt to allow the viewer to have more control over what he can observe, some real estate websites have used panorama cameras to take panoramic photos of the properties. This has the advantage that, from the location at which the panorama was taken, the viewer can “rotate” his viewpoint, thus observing the entire panoramic photo. These panoramas have the advantage that they give a more “in-person” feel to looking at the property than traditional photos or videos. However, the location of the viewpoint is still restricted to the location at which the panorama photo was taken. From the buyer's perspective, real estate websites suffer from numerous problems at present. First among these is the typical gallery of photographs of the property. Usually, the photographs are taken by the real estate agent or homeowner and are intended to highlight the positive attributes of the property while minimizing any negative attributes. The photo galleries are usually navigated linearly, by proceeding from one two-dimensional photograph to the next. Lastly, the viewer is restricted to the viewpoint of the available photographs. To get a different viewpoint, the buyer must visit the property in person. Potential home buyers suffer from a lack of real estate information and tools. Many real estate brokerage websites provide some photographs of the properties in their listings. However, these websites remain surprisingly poor at providing comprehensive visual and spatial information about properties. There is a need for a system that overcomes limitations of the current methods of creating virtual models of real properties, as well as providing additional benefits. SUMMARY A brief summary of some embodiments and aspects of the invention are first presented. Some simplifications and omissions may be made in the following summary; the summary is intended to highlight and introduce some aspects of the disclosed embodiments, but not to limit the scope of the invention. Thereafter, a detailed description of illustrated embodiments is presented, which will permit one skilled in the relevant art to make and use aspects of the invention. One skilled in the relevant art can obtain a full appreciation of aspects of the invention from the subsequent detailed description, read together with the Figures, and from the claims (which follow the detailed description). In one embodiment of the invention, a three dimensional model of a real scene is constructed from image data such as spherical panoramic photos, according to a plurality of image-based rendering (IBR) algorithms. Rather than use one image-based rendering algorithm throughout the three dimensional model, the location of the viewpoint in the three dimensional model may be a factor in choosing among several image based rendering algorithms. Viewpoint locations having real image data will result in photorealistic or near photorealistic panoramas. At viewpoint locations that do not have real image data, image-based rendering methods are used to generate geometric proxies that are combined with nearby image data, thus rendering synthetic views. In some embodiments, which image-based rendering algorithm is used to render the synthetic views depends on the density of the data that is collected, the camera geometry, characteristics of the real scene, and so on. In one embodiment of the invention, a computer system provides image-based rendering of real property, the computer system including a user interface for visually presenting an image-based rendering of a real property to a user; and a processor to (i) obtain two or more photorealistic viewpoints from ground truth image data capture locations; (ii) combine and process two or more instances of ground truth image data to create a plurality of synthesized viewpoints; and (iii) visually present a viewpoint in a virtual model of the real property on the user interface, the virtual model including photorealistic viewpoints and synthesized viewpoints. In one embodiment of the invention, a method obtains two or more photorealistic viewpoints of a real space from ground truth image data capture locations of the real space, generates a plurality of synthesized viewpoints by combining and processing two or more instances of the obtained ground truth image data, and presents, via a user interface, a viewpoint in a virtual model of the real space, the virtual model including photorealistic viewpoints and synthesized viewpoints of the real space. Under an embodiment of the invention, a website system maintains a real estate web page. The real estate web page facilitates three-dimensional (3D) image-based rendering virtual tours of real properties through a unique user interface that provides multiple viewpoints and tour navigation tools. The website system facilitates virtual tours of real estate, such as homes, that are offered for sale via the website system. The website system can store various information about properties in which the user is interested and facilitate sharing of information with a real estate agent or other service provider (e.g., a local merchant). BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 shows a block diagram of an embodiment of a computer system suitable for use with the disclosed inventions. FIG. 2 shows a block diagram of a system for providing an image-based rendering of a real property according to one embodiment of the invention. FIG. 3 shows a high level flow chart of the process of image-based rendering according to one embodiment of the invention. FIG. 4 shows a user interface for presenting image-based rendering or real property according to one embodiment of the invention. FIG. 5 shows a flow chart of a method of image-based rendering for real estate according to one embodiment of the invention. FIG. 6 shows a flow chart of a method of capturing and processing image data according to one embodiment of the invention. FIG. 7 shows a data capture map according to one embodiment of the invention. FIG. 8 shows a flow chart of a method of image-based rendering according to one embodiment of the invention. The headings provided herein are for convenience only and do not necessarily affect the scope or meaning of the claimed invention. In the drawings, the same reference numbers and acronyms identify elements or acts with the same or similar functionality for ease of understanding and convenience. To easily identify the discussion of any particular element or act, the most significant digit or digits in a reference number generally refers to the Figure number in which that element is first introduced (e.g., element 110 is first introduced and discussed with respect to FIG. 1). DETAILED DESCRIPTION The following description provides specific details for a thorough understanding of, and enabling description for, these embodiments of the invention. However, a person of ordinary skill in the art will understand that the invention may be practiced with many variations and these details do not list every possible variation. In some instances, well known structures and functions have not been shown or described in detail to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the description of the embodiments of the invention. Overview In some embodiments of the invention, a website implemented in a computer system allows users to navigate a virtual tour of a real property. Among its many uses described herein, embodiments of the website system provide a capability to tour a real property without physically visiting the property, to buy/sell/rent/lease/book the property, to store and share portions of virtual tours, and to search for objects to purchase from merchants. In some embodiments, the system displays information on the web page but other delivery methods can be used (such as streaming video or email). Embodiments of the invention include numerous innovative informational, analytical, and collaborative tools. Some embodiments of the user interface provide valuable data that is aggregated from system user trends. Thus property sellers can see how many system users have viewed their virtual property, what areas of the virtual tour were most interesting to the viewers, and so on. On an individual level, this “backend” data can also be used for targeted advertising. For example, if a visitor to the virtual property is viewing the kitchen, the website system might show an advertisement for an appliance store from which the refrigerator in the virtual kitchen may be purchased. Similarly, the system might show an advertisement for a furniture store that specializes in furniture in a style similar to that in which the virtual property is decorated. The web site system may have metadata on objects in the 3D virtual model. The object metadata may be used to more closely match advertisers and advertisements to viewed content. For example, if a viewer looks at an object from several viewpoints, the type of the object (e.g., cooktop) and its associated metadata (e.g., Viking, 4-burner, embodiments of the system can automatically recognize that a particular object having metadata, in this case the stovetop, that remains in the viewpoint can be used to trigger a targeted advertising system by correlating the object to an advertiser who sells the object or other products related to the object. Demographics and other data about the viewer may also be used in advertisement selection. The advertisements may be predetermined or an advertisement opportunity may be auctioned on-the-fly to a pool of advertisers who will bid for the opportunity to present an advertisement in the available advertisement location. In some embodiments, the system includes mechanisms for collaboration between various users of the system. Shared access to select user account information and a messaging system allow users to share their “favorites” folder with their real estate agents, leave comments and questions for home sellers, receive “suggested” property tours in the users “suggested” folder, and append comments or notes that will be visible to the user. Example Computing Environment for Image-Based Rendering of Real Spaces FIG. 8 shows a block diagram of an exemplary embodiment of a system to implement the methods of image-based rendering for real estate and other real scenes disclosed herein. A user may access the virtual model via a user interface provided over the Internet 106 via a real estate webpage 110 or streamed media hosted on a remote server 108. Alternatively, the user interface may be hosted locally on smartphone 102 or mobile computer 104, either as a standalone application or cached media. When the user selects a viewpoint location in the virtual model of a real property, a rendering engine, which may be hosted on the server computer 108, will retrieve processed image data from database 112. The rendering engine will then render the requested viewpoint. In the embodiment shown, the server computer 108 will then provide requested 3D rendering to the user via real estate web page 110 and the user interface. FIG. 2 shows an exemplary computing environment 200 for implementing various aspects of the disclosed inventions. The computing environment 200 includes a computer 202, the computer 202 including a processing unit 204, a system memory 206 and a system bus 208. The system bus 208 couples system components including, but not limited to, the system memory 206 to the processing unit 204. The processing unit 204 may be any of various commercially available processors. Dual microprocessors and other multi-processor architectures may also be employed as the processing unit 204. The system bus 208 can be any of several types of bus structure that may further interconnect to a memory bus (with or without a memory controller), a peripheral bus, and a local bus using any of a variety of commercially available bus architectures. The system memory 206 includes read only memory (ROM) 210 and random access memory (RAM) 212. A basic input/output system (BIOS) is stored in a non-volatile memory 210 such as ROM, EPROM, or EEPROM. A BIOS contains the basic routines that help to transfer information between elements within the computer 202, such as during start-up. The computer 202 further includes a hard disk drive 214. The hard disk drive 214 can be connected to the system bus 208 by a hard disk drive interface 216. The removable storage drives (DVD drives, floppy drives, etc.) are not shown for clarity. However, the removable storage drives and their associated computer-readable media provide nonvolatile storage of data, data structures, and computer-executable instructions for implementing the inventions described herein. For the computer 202, the drives and media accommodate the storage of information input by a user, or received from a remote computer, in a suitable digital format. Although the description of computer-readable media above refers to a hard disk, a removable magnetic disk, and a DVD, a person of ordinary skill in the art understands that other types of storage media which are readable by a computer, such as zip drives, magnetic cassettes, flash memory cards, digital video disks, cartridges, and the like, may also be used in the exemplary operating environment, and further that any such media may contain computer-executable instructions for performing the methods of the present invention. Software applications can be stored in the drives and RAM 212. These applications can include an operating system 230, one or more application programs 232, (e.g., web browsers and client applications, etc.) other program modules 234 (e.g., cookies, etc.) and program data 236. All or portions of the operating system, applications, modules, and/or data can also be cached in the RAM 212. Embodiments of the invention can be implemented with various commercially available operating systems or combinations of operating systems. A user can enter commands and information into the computer 202 through a keyboard 244 and a pointing device, such as a mouse 242. For example, the user might employ the mouse to navigate a virtual tour user interface, as described herein. Other input devices (not shown) may include a microphone, an IR remote control, a joystick, a game pad, similar devices. These and other input devices are often connected to the processing unit 204 through a serial port interface 240 that is coupled to the system bus 208, but may be connected by other interfaces, such as a parallel port, a game port, a universal serial bus (“USB”), an IR interface, a wireless transceiver 258, etc. A monitor 220 or other type of display device is also connected to the system bus 208 via an interface, such as a video adapter 218. In addition to the display 220, a computer typically includes other peripheral output devices (not shown), such as speakers, printers, etc., that can present information to the user. As shown in FIG. 2, the computer 202 may operate in a networked environment using logical connections via wired and/or wireless communications to one or more remote computers, such as a remote computer(s) 248. The remote computer(s) 248 may be a workstation, a server computer, a router, a personal computer, portable computer, microprocessor-based entertainment appliance, a peer device or other common network node, and typically includes many or all of the elements described relative to the computer 202, although, for purposes of brevity, only a memory storage device 250 is illustrated. The logical connections depicted include a local area network (LAN) 252 and a wireless local area network (WLAN) 254. Such networking environments are commonplace in homes and businesses. The Internet can also be used to provide access to remote computer 248. When used in a LAN networking environment, the computer 202 is connected to the local network 252 through a wired or wireless communication network interface or adapter 256. The network adaptor 256 may facilitate wired or wireless communication to the LAN 252. When used in a WLAN networking environment, the computer 202 typically is connected to a communications server on the LAN, or has other means for establishing communications over the WLAN 254, such as the Internet. In a networked environment, program modules depicted relative to the computer 202, or portions thereof, may be stored in the remote memory storage device 250. The network connections shown are exemplary and other means of establishing a communications link between the computers may be used. The computer 202 is operable to communicate with any other devices having wireless communication capability, e.g., a cell phone, a printer, desktop and/or portable computer, portable data assistant, and telephone. As discussed briefly above, suitable wireless technologies may include, but are not limited to, cellular, WLAN (e.g., IEEE 802.11), IEEE 802.16, IEEE 802.20, and Bluetooth. IEEE 802.11, also commonly known as “Wifi”, is a wireless communication protocol that enables computers to send and receive data anywhere within the range of a base station. A WLAN can be used to connect computers to each other, to the Internet, and to wired networks (which may use IEEE 802.3 or Ethernet communication protocols). Examples of Image-Based Rendering of Real Scenes FIG. 3 shows a high level flow chart 300 of the three primary steps in image-based rendering for real estate. In step 301, image data is captured. Image data may be captured by smartphones or other mobile devices, video cameras, digital SLR cameras, specialized cameras (e.g., other cameras that take spherical panoramic images), etc. Additional geometry data about a real scene may also be captured from laser range scanners, infrared structure light, or other data collection. In step 302, the captured image data is processed to create panoramas, determine camera geometry, and 3D reconstruction algorithms are employed to generate dense representations of a 3D model, geometric proxies, parcel maps and floor plans. In step 303, one or more rendering algorithms are applied to the data and 3D model to render a 3D view of the real estate property. FIG. 4 shows an embodiment of a User Interface System 400 for image-based rendering of real estate. Three different user interface elements serve the dual purposes of informing the user of his location in the model and simultaneously enabling spatial navigation. These three elements are shown in the user interface (400) embodiment of FIG. 4, which would normally be contained within a browser window, within a framed client application, or as the entire screen during full screen mode. User Interface element 402 is the viewpoint within a virtual model generated by combining geometry and image data using Image-Based Rendering (IBR), thus creating a 3-dimensional (3D) view. UI element 404 is a two-dimensional (2D) map overlay that displays the relative location in the virtual model of the current viewpoint 406 shown in UI element 402. UI element 408 is a text overlay that displays one or more labels associated with the user's location within the virtual model. FIG. 4 shows the three primary user interface elements of an embodiment of the navigation tool for image-based renderings of real estate. UI element 402 shows a rendering of the model from a specific viewpoint position and also serves as a means to navigate to adjacent positions and to change the viewing vector from a fixed position. Navigation can occur using various well known input/output (IO) devices, such as a keyboard, touchscreen, eye-tracking technology, gesture recognition technology, or a computer mouse. For densely sampled spherical panoramas, one example of navigation using UI element 402 with a mouse would be to click on the rendered view to translate in the XY plane to another panorama location in the model. Another example of navigation using UI element 402 would be to click and hold the mouse button, enabling rotation about the Z axis, thus “looking around” without translating in the XY plane. As the user navigates, the rendered viewpoint shown in UI element 402 changes in real time based on a new position and viewing vector associated with the new location. Many parts of the User Interface System 400 work together to create a unique user experience for touring a real estate environment over the Internet—in particular the 3D view rendered in UI element 402 warrants further discussion. In the 3D view of UI element 402, multiple IBR algorithms can be combined to create a user experience that overcomes the inherent tradeoff between photorealism and spatial navigation caused by using just one IBR algorithm exclusively. For example, dense spherical panoramas may be combined with the use of view dependent texture mapping (VDTM) during navigation as the user spatially translates and rotates the viewpoint with the virtual model. The capture process (defining a spatial boundary, data sampling, and annotation) for an enhanced user experience involves a dense sampling of spherical panorama image data at multiple exposures (e.g., high definition rendering, HDR) and sampling of point cloud geometry from a hybrid camera and laser range scanning device. The processing pipeline (determining data sets, image calibration, image processing, 3D reconstruction (3DR) and scene understanding) operates on the data output from the capture process. Image calibration involves determining panorama pose and adding depth to each pixel of the panorama. Image processing creates HDR spherical panoramas from input images. 3D reconstruction involves removing noise from point clouds, reconstructing a real estate environment's geometry to varying degrees of approximation, generating geometric proxies that describe the environment with simpler meta primitives, feature matching between spherical panoramas, positioning of spherical panorama data in 3D space, feature matching between the panorama and 3D space, and computing view dependent texture maps for the geometry and/or geometric proxies. Rendering displays the processed data to an end-user via an IO device. During rendering, the user's position and navigation influence which elements of geometry and image data are combined for a given Image-Based Rendering algorithm at any possible location in or around the virtual model. Ground truth image data is the captured image associated with a particular capture location, and optionally may include any metadata associated with the captured image, such as GPS coordinates, IR point clouds, etc. Ground truth data may also include labels (outside: backyard, or groundfloor: bathroom) which are ground truth in the sense that they are directly collected at the scene and are not synthetic approximations. For example, when a user is near a position where ground truth image data is captured, very little geometry is required to render the most photorealistic view of the model. At the exact position of capture, the use of an image primitive is the most photorealistic view possible. Composited image primitives such as a spherical panorama enable 2 DOF rotational navigation. When translating directly between two spherical panorama locations, other algorithms such as optical flow may provide more photorealistic warping during the rendering of predetermined translational pathways defined in the connectivity graph. When translating between other locations within the virtual model, the use of VDTM over explicit geometric proxies combined with depth and feature matching between nearby panoramas during rendering provides a decrease in photorealism but enables fluid movement to any spatial location. In contrast to traditional texture maps, VDTMs compute new textures for different spatial positions, dynamically changing these as the user's spatial position changes. This dramatically reduces artifacts associated with appearance of objects. In various embodiments, rendering may use RGB spherical panoramas, point clouds, geometric proxies, view dependent texture mapping, and feature matching between the spherical panoramas and geometric proxies to create a fluid user experience involving multiple IBR algorithms that dynamically change based on the user's location, direction, and speed of movement within the model. A user can view ground truth image data or navigate to any other synthetic viewpoint in the same user interface, enjoying both photorealism and spatial navigation. FIG. 5 shows an embodiment of a computer-implemented image-based rendering (100) for providing a three-dimensional (3D) virtual model of a real property according to various aspects of the disclosed innovations. In step 502, the system creates or generates the spatial boundaries in a model of the property that define the land (perhaps a parcel outline), structure (e.g., house, apartment, office, etc.), structure internals (e.g., bedrooms, kitchens, hallways, etc.) and/or air-space above the land (e.g., via quadcopter or pole-based data capture of aerial views). In step 504, RGB image data is captured from each of the defined spatial boundaries. The captured RGB data may be annotated, during or after capture, according to the spatial boundaries or other factors. The use of computational photography approaches such as High Dynamic Range (HDR) can greatly decrease the amount of work spent during the RGB capture stage because special lighting of the scene is not necessary. HDR captures the same image at multiple exposure levels and combines them with post-processing so that an appropriate exposure level is applied to each area in the captured scene. In some embodiments, the use of HDR techniques allows for automatic adjustment for image exposure levels by selection of appropriate light levels for each pixel in the HDR images. In step 506, panorama images are created from the RGB image data. In an alternative embodiment, High Dynamic Range (HDR) panoramas can be constructed by processing multiple overlapping input images having varying exposures to create composite higher contrast images that are optimally exposed. In step 508, the camera geometry is determined by use of first pass feature detection within the panoramas in order to spatially calibrate the panoramas. The spatial boundary definitions may be used to group panoramas so that camera geometry is only found between line-of-site panoramas. A spherical panorama bundle adjustment heuristic can be used to group the panoramas. The bundle adjustment heuristic may be initialized with metadata such as GPS or wifi positioning coordinates associated with a sample capture location, gyroscopic or inertial data, or other spatial information. In step 510, a second pass feature detection algorithm is applied to generate a dense representation of the 3D model geometry (e.g., high level features such as planes, lines, floors, etc.) or individual 3D points which can create a dense point cloud. Note that any other geometric data collected from the scene such as with a laser range scanner, infrared based depth maps (e.g., such as from a Microsoft Kinect), or other manual approaches can increase the accuracy of the geometry but are not required in the disclosed system. Some embodiments of the system work with images and do not use other geometric data. In step 512, the geometry is converted into the correct geometric proxy based on the density of the data sampled during capture. The correct proxy is the one that can be combined with image data to create the most photorealistic synthetic viewpoint. The proxy is chosen from among various image-based rendering techniques such as view-dependent geometry, texture-mapped models, 3D warping, view-dependent texture, view morphing, view interpolation, mosaicking, concentric mosaics, light field, lumigraph, optical flow, stitching, rectification, color interpolation, blending, fall-off correction, etc., depending on tradeoffs between photorealism, desired amount of spatial navigation for the viewer (i.e., how much can the viewer vary the viewpoint), and the degree of data sampling. IBR algorithms generally differ based on a variety of factors, including, but not limited to, the type of geometric proxy employed in rendering; the density of sampling that takes place during data capture; the types of devices and sensors used in data capture; or the degree of spatial navigation enabled in the rendering or viewing experience. In general, more geometry enables more spatial navigation and less dense sampling. Less geometry and more image sampling enable higher degrees of photorealism but less spatial navigation. All IBR algorithms have a trade-off between photorealism, spatial navigation, and the degree of data sampling. Also, photorealism can be increased for synthetic views by use of other geometric data such as laser/infrared but such geometric data is not required by the disclosed innovations for suitable results. In step 514, the 3D data is used to generate a parcel map (e.g., the exterior and aerial views of the real estate) and floor plan. A 2D floor plan may be used to create a navigation-enabled map of the interior of the real estate. For example, a 2D floor plan of the rooms of a house can be automatically generated from the 3D data. In step 516, the 3D data is used to generate a geometric proxy for the 3D model of the real property. In step 518, the results are combined and a 3D scene that has photorealistic views from within a panorama capture location, as well as semi-photorealistic views from other locations using a geometric proxy and real image data (image-based rendering), are rendered to a viewer (end user). In addition to the 3D views, 2D floor plans are shown to the user as well as descriptive spatial boundary labels (i.e., one dimensional or 1D, such as a “list view” or a list of labels for different locations which map to the 3D model). In this way, the system can calculate and present a viewer with images of a real property in 3D, 2D, and 1D. FIG. 6 provides a detailed block diagram of an embodiment of a method of processing image data and associated data according to one or more of the disclosed innovations. In step 601, input images are collected. The input images can come from various sources such as mobile devices (e.g., smartphones), point-and-shoot cameras, GoPros on a rig, and specialty cameras systems such as LadyBug5 from Point Grey. The input images can be shot with a tripod, or by holding the device in hand or on top of other devices such as drones, robots or other kinds of automated, semi-automated, or remote controlled devices. The output of such source devices is RGB information that may be stored on the local devices, streamed to nearby devices in real-time or in regular intervals, or transmitted to a remote storage device such as a server computer. The streaming of such RGB data can happen over WiFi or via wired communication channels such as high-speed USB links. The input image data can be collected as singular shots, burst mode pictures, or as a video. The RGB input capture may be coordinated with capture of depth data (e.g., step 611) in time or location. The relative configuration between the locations of the RGB capture device and the depth capture device may be known in advance (rigid spatio-structural configuration) or it may be unconstrained (in which case their relative extrinsics will be approximated using computer vision techniques). In various embodiments, the input data may be captured by trained professional operators or by untrained consumers. Other data inputs can include GPS coordinates, indoor GPS coordinates, and approximate positions marked by a human operator on a floor plan. Additionally, in an alternative embodiment, a human operator can associate metadata such as tags with each image to represent the home, floor or room of the panorama (e.g., 615). In step 602, the input images are processed using techniques such as white balancing, noise reduction, image stabilization, super-resolution, tone-mapping or other dynamic range compression techniques. Image processing can occur asynchronously or could be processed in real-time. In some embodiments it is possible to partially or fully process the data on the capture device. In other embodiments, the data may be uploaded/streamed to a remote server to be processed in order to take advantage of the server's greater processing power. In step 603, images whose extrinsics primarily differ by a rotational component may be stitched into a spherical panorama, a cylindrical panorama or a flat mosaic. Stitching these images together may be done using relative camera extrinsics, feature matching, graph cut algorithms (e.g., Boykov), image blending, panorama weaving, and other similar techniques. The stitching may be done before or after the image processing techniques described in step 402. In some scenarios, such as a homeowner capturing images with a smartphone, it may be difficult to detect if a set of images make a panorama. In those cases, the user could be explicitly asked to capture images for a panorama. Alternatively, spatio-temporal coherence in the images may be used to detect panoramas. In step 610, embodiments of the system optionally may collect depth data that may be spatio-temporally coherent with the RGB data (for example, the depth sensors could be very close to the RGB sensors and could be sampled at around the same time when the RGB sensors are sampled). The depth data is in addition to RGB data provided by camera devices and may come from different sources such as Infrared (IR), LASER, or structured light. The depth data may be coupled with RGB data in either an open or proprietary format. Other data inputs associated with the image data can include GPS coordinates, indoor GPS coordinates, and approximate positions marked by a human operator on a floor plan of the property. In step 611, RGB data may be registered with depth data (sometimes herein referred to as RGB+D data) by using different heuristics such as using relative directional differences in the sensors (assuming the relative positions of the sensors is insignificant) or a per-pixel registration of the RGB and depth sensor data can be achieved by warping the depth image to the perspective of the RGB sensor image and computing per-pixel depth in the RGB space after processing the warped depths. In some embodiments, registering RGB data with depth data may be used to interpret a pixel location from a particular image as a 3D ray or vector for later use in mapping texture onto a 2-D or 3-D polygon mesh or a point cloud. In step 612, a collection of RGB+D images may be registered together using an algorithm such as Iterative Closest Point (ICP) or other similar algorithms for reducing the difference between two clouds of points or geometric alignment of 3D models. Factors such as relative proximity of the depth images may be used to initialize the ICP algorithms. A globally consistent point may be obtained by pairing spatio-temporally neighboring depth images together and progressively merging locally registered point clouds into successively larger and more global point clouds. A distributed ICP algorithm may be employed to operate on local point clouds independently with successively larger point clouds being processed by larger individual nodes. In step 617, an optional preview mode may be used to provide preliminary feedback regarding the quality of data and the quality of the eventual user experience. The preview feature may range from previewing raw sampled RGB and depth data, to previewing semi-processed images (eg., stitched panoramas, white balanced images, etc.) to previewing part or all of reconstructed imagery and geometry. In step 604, the panorama image results of step 603 are further processed for feature mapping. Feature matching between panoramas is an important way to understand the relative spatial relationships between panoramas. Feature detection may be done using standard feature detectors such as SIFT, Harris corner detector, MSER detector, Canny edge detector, or SURF detector. In indoor environments, feature detection is also useful to find higher level features such as rectangles. The features may be matched using nearest neighbor, approximate nearest neighbor algorithms, or other non-parametric methods used for classification and regression. Additional constraints such as ratio tests or scale invariant feature tests may be used to improve the accuracy of the feature matches. In step 605, a panorama neighborhood graph may be created. The feature matching information may be run on different pairs of panoramas to ascertain the spatial proximity of the panoramas. A proximity graph of the panoramas may then be obtained by connecting panoramas that have strong feature matches. Algorithms such as kd-tree nearest neighbor search may be used to perform fast feature matching between images. Alternatively, brute force search may be used, although generally less effectively. The panorama neighborhood graph may be also be constructed with the help of additional metadata information (e.g., room labels, GPS coordinates, etc) associated with the panoramas or a manually connected panorama graph. A weight is typically assigned to each edge to indicate the strength of the feature match between the edges of the panorama pairs. The weight can be computed by estimating the reprojection error after the relative extrinsics have been estimated. In step 606, the panorama connectivity graph (neighborhood graph) constructed in step 605 may be used to estimate the relative extrinsics between panoramas. This information can be used to reduce the jarring effects when transitioning between these panoramas in the Image Based Rendering module. In step 607, a spanning tree of the panorama neighborhood graph may be useful to simplify the initial extrinsics estimation because the panorama connectivity graph is a densely connected graph. The spanning tree can optionally be constructed so that it spans strongly connected clusters of panoramas (e.g., all the panoramas in the same room) as opposed to spanning individual panoramas. A root is chosen of this panorama spanning tree and the global extrinsic is propagated along the graph by using the relative extrinsics computed between the 2 panoramas of each edge. This global extrinsic may be used for the initial input to the panorama bundle adjustment process. In some embodiments, the initial estimates of the extrinsics may be improved by constraining the position and orientation of the panoramas using spanning tree limitations. In step 608, bundle adjustment is the process of simultaneously estimating the 3D positions of the points corresponding to the matched features and extrinsics of the panoramas. Bundle adjustment attempts to minimize reprojection error between the image locations of observed and predicted image points (e.g., minimizing deviation from true image projections). A good outcome of bundle adjustment requires good initial estimates of the 3D point positions and the camera extrinsics. The likelihood of a good outcome is improved by detecting a feature in as many panoramas as possible. In other words, the higher the average number of panoramas in which a feature is detected, the higher the accuracy of the computed output. In one embodiment, a bundle adjustment formulation is implemented in which bundle adjustment is initially done on small clusters of strongly connected panoramas. This technique usually results in good local estimates. The small cluster bundle adjustments may then be merged one by one. In step 609, computed global panorama extrinsics result from the bundle adjustment of step 608. In step 613, the computed globally consistent 3D point cloud is derived from ICP-based registration of depth sensored data in step 612 and/or an output of bundle adjustment step 608. In step 614, higher level geometric proxies are fit to the point cloud. These proxies may include line segments (1D), curves (1D), planes (2D), rectangles (2D), triangles (2D), and 3D voxel based volumetric representations. Several techniques such as noise elimination, Manhattan World assumptions, RANSAC-based plane fitting, and Poisson surface reconstruction can be used to derive higher level primitives representing the scene. Meta level representations of the scene such as the floor plan can be derived by simplification of these primitives. In step 615, metadata may be optionally associated with images or portions of images to identify objects (eg., oven, fridge, etc.), to explain a space (eg., ways to use a physical space, etc.), to provide location information, etc. In one alternative embodiment, object metadata may be automatically determined by comparing an object's 3D image with a database of known images. A match (e.g, via comparison of point cloud data, image features, etc.) to a known image will result in identification of the object and the appropriate metadata may be imported from the database and associated with the newly identified object. As additional metadata, the creator of the virtual model may identify object attributes that are useful for advertisers, such as model numbers, color, physical size of opening or object, similar styles, etc. Knowing the physical size of an object or the size of the opening into which it fits allows for the advertisement of potential substitutes for the object. For example, knowing the size of the opening available for a refrigerator would allow the viewer to browse potential substitutes of the correct size from an advertiser. In step 616, the stitched panoramas, the geometric information, raw captured input data, and metadata are then combined to achieve photo-realistic rendering using image-based rendering techniques. FIG. 7 shows an example of a panorama capture map 700 having of a distribution of captured spherical panoramas on a parcel 701 having a house 702, where each number 1-21 represents a Data Sampling location (e.g., a location where a spherical panorama photo was taken). Note that different sampling densities in different spatial boundaries, such as dense sampling indoors 704 and sparse sampling outdoors 706. Details associated with the floor plan and topography are omitted. Two arrows shown between capture location 2 and 14 and 11 and 20 represent doors that connect the spatial boundaries in a connectivity graph. In later rendering stages, users will be able to move between the indoor and outdoor areas based on this connectivity graph. Additional details associated with the topography and the interior floor plan are omitted for clarity as are the actual density of the spherical panoramas. FIG. 8 shows a flowchart of an exemplary embodiment of an image-based rendering method. In step 801, a user may request different kinds of views as a user navigates a sampled RGB+D environment (e.g., a virtual model of house). In some instances, the user may request a view from the same location at which image data was captured. In other instances, the user may request a view from a location at which no image data was captured. If the user is navigating a sampled video path, for example, then the user may request a view from a location where a video frame was not captured. Or the user may want to jump off from the sampled path. When a user is navigating panoramas, another type of view that a user may request is a transition between panoramas that is indicative of the physical experience of transitioning between the panorama capture locations in the real world. For example, the user may want to virtually move from the location where a panorama was captured to a nearby location where a different panorama was captured. Alternatively, the user may want to get an approximate view that involves significantly stepping away from the locations where the image data was captured. A smooth visual transition between the virtual locations avoids the visual dissonance of an abrupt image change. At decision point 802, the rendering system evaluates the data at its disposal to aid the rendering of a requested viewpoint. If the viewpoint has been sampled as panorama, an image or as a video, then the rendering system can use the sampled raw and/or processed sensor-captured data to render the requested viewpoint in step 503. However, the requested viewpoint may be relatively far away from any sampled viewpoint. This is quite possible in real estate environments where the area can be very large (e.g., large homes, ranches, event spaces), acquisition can be difficult (e.g., view of the home from the top, heavy obstacles to accessing a region) or delicate (e.g., water ways, soft greenery, etc.). Such spaces may prohibit a denser image sampling of the region and require synthesis of novel viewpoints, step 804, at locations from which no image data was directly captured. As discussed in the explanation of FIG. 6, step 512, choosing an algorithm for novel viewpoint synthesis is typically a function of tradeoffs between photorealism, the desired amount of the quality and density of the available data, desired amount of spatial navigation for the viewer (i.e., how much can the viewer vary the viewpoint), and the degree of data sampling. In step 807, light field rendering involves rendering a novel viewpoint by sampling the space of lights rays in and around the viewpoint's vicinity and reconstructing the light field at the requested viewpoint. If the sampling around the requested viewpoint is dense enough or the scene is not complicated enough (e.g., most of the complex geometry is very far away or there is very little RGB+D complexity in the vicinity of the requested view point) then the light field at the novel view point can be approximated by: 1) warping the RGB+D of the nearby sampled images to the new view point, 2) projecting the approximate depth map at the novel view point by synthetic rendering of the reconstructed geometry, 3) Using feature matching information to register the warped and synthetic geometry with respect to each other at the novel view point, 4) Run time rendering is then done using a warping, blending, -based or machine-learning-based approach to predict the object (and hence the RGB+D correspondence) at every pixel of the novel viewpoint. This requires an automated processing of the captured data to analyze if it lends itself to light field rendering. A 2D (or 3D) map is determined which identifies the areas where light field rendering is permissible. This map also stores the contributing sampled data at points in the permissible area. During render time, the sampled data is then used to render the novel view point. If the rendering is built on machine-learning based approaches, it may not be feasible to render in real time using a simple computing device. In such situations an offline or distributed rendering infrastructure is leveraged. In step 805, view dependent texture mapping is a way to synthesize novel views by mapping different pre-captured/synthesized texture maps on the same approximate geometry. The resulting renderings tend to be a better viewpoint approximation. A 2D (or 3D) map is determined which identifies the areas where light field rendering is permissible. In each such region, the visible geometry and the permissible view-dependent texture maps for each polygonal element of the geometry are computed. At render-time, the right texture map to use is determined for each polygon depending on the rendering viewpoint. In step 806, pure synthetic rendering from geometric proxies involves rendering captured/reconstructed geometry along with the computed texture maps. In step 808, the final rendering chosen for novel view synthesis depends on the situational accuracy of the various rendering algorithms. The accuracy of rendering at a given location can be estimated using techniques such as reprojection errors, average texture warp distortions, average distance to sampled view points, etc. Depending on the estimated accuracy of various novel viewpoint synthesis algorithms, the estimation transitional speed of the viewer and the clarity of rendering expected by the user, the final rendering algorithm may be a weighted blend of two or more of the results of the various novel viewpoint synthesis algorithms from steps 805, 806 and 807. Aspects of the invention described above may be stored or distributed on computer-readable media, including magnetic and optically readable and removable computer discs, as well as distributed electronically over the Internet or over other networks (including wireless networks). Those skilled in the relevant art will recognize that portions or embodiments of the invention may also reside in a fixed element of a communication network such as a server or database, while corresponding portions may reside on a mobile communication device, such as a laptop computer, Personal Digital Assistant (“PDA”), or mobile phone. Data structures and transmission of data particular to aspects of the invention are also encompassed within the scope of the invention. In accordance with the practices of persons skilled in the art of computer programming, embodiments of the invention are described with reference to acts and operations that are performed by computer systems. Such computer-executed acts and operations may be performed by an operating system (e.g., Microsoft Windows, Linux, Apple iOS, Android) or an application program. The acts and operations include the manipulation by the CPU of electrical signals representing data bits and the maintenance of data bits at memory locations to operate the computer systems and process signals. The memory locations where data bits are maintained are physical locations that have particular electrical, magnetic, or optical properties corresponding to the data bits. Although databases are shown as separate physical/logical entities for clarity, they may be combined and/or aggregated to suit the physical/logical architecture of the system in which they are used. Unless the context clearly requires otherwise, throughout the description and the claims, the words “comprise,” “comprising,” and the like are to be construed in an inclusive sense as opposed to an exclusive or exhaustive sense; that is to say, in the sense of “including, but not limited to.” Words using the singular or plural number also include the plural or singular number respectively. Additionally, the words “herein,” “above,” “below” and words of similar import, when used in this application, shall refer to this application as a whole and not to any particular portions of this application. When the claims use the word “or” in reference to a list of two or more items, that word covers all of the following interpretations of the word: any of the items in the list, all of the items in the list and any combination of the items in the list. The above detailed descriptions of embodiments of the invention are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed above. While specific embodiments of, and examples for, the invention are described above for illustrative purposes, various equivalent modifications are possible within the scope of the invention, as those skilled in the relevant art will recognize. For example, while steps are presented in a given order, alternative embodiments may perform routines having steps in a different order. The teachings of the invention provided herein can be applied to other systems, not necessarily the embodiments described herein. These and other changes can be made to the invention in light of the detailed description. These and other changes can be made to the invention in light of the above detailed description. In general, the terms used in the following claims should not be construed to be limited to the specific embodiments disclosed in the specification, unless the above detailed description explicitly defines such terms. Accordingly, the actual scope of the invention encompasses the disclosed embodiments and all equivalent ways of practicing or implementing the invention under the claims. In view of the many possible embodiments to which the principles of this invention may be applied, it should be recognized that the detailed embodiments are illustrative only and should not be taken as limiting the scope of the invention. Thus, we claim as our invention all such embodiments as may come within the scope and spirit of the following claims and equivalents thereto. | <SOH> BACKGROUND <EOH>Real estate websites typically have a description of the real estate listed for sale on the website. The description often includes pictures of the real estate in addition to a written description of the property. Photographs of the property are helpful and an improvement over a text description. However, without physically visiting the property to look at it, the property can only be seen from the viewpoint of the photographer and lack spatial navigation. So photographs, while helpful, have not eliminated the need to physically go to the property and understand how it is laid out. Some real estate websites have posted video tours of their listed properties, which can be even more helpful than photographs. Often these videos are created by a realtor or home-owner who walks through the home while recording with a video camera. The quality of those videos is generally not good, so some realtors will use professional videographers to create a more polished and professional video. Unfortunately, videos are likewise limited in the sense that the viewer can only see the property from the viewpoint of the videographer. Also, the viewer does not have the ability to tour the property on his own route because the videos have a predetermined path through the house. In an attempt to allow the viewer to have more control over what he can observe, some real estate websites have used panorama cameras to take panoramic photos of the properties. This has the advantage that, from the location at which the panorama was taken, the viewer can “rotate” his viewpoint, thus observing the entire panoramic photo. These panoramas have the advantage that they give a more “in-person” feel to looking at the property than traditional photos or videos. However, the location of the viewpoint is still restricted to the location at which the panorama photo was taken. From the buyer's perspective, real estate websites suffer from numerous problems at present. First among these is the typical gallery of photographs of the property. Usually, the photographs are taken by the real estate agent or homeowner and are intended to highlight the positive attributes of the property while minimizing any negative attributes. The photo galleries are usually navigated linearly, by proceeding from one two-dimensional photograph to the next. Lastly, the viewer is restricted to the viewpoint of the available photographs. To get a different viewpoint, the buyer must visit the property in person. Potential home buyers suffer from a lack of real estate information and tools. Many real estate brokerage websites provide some photographs of the properties in their listings. However, these websites remain surprisingly poor at providing comprehensive visual and spatial information about properties. There is a need for a system that overcomes limitations of the current methods of creating virtual models of real properties, as well as providing additional benefits. | <SOH> SUMMARY <EOH>A brief summary of some embodiments and aspects of the invention are first presented. Some simplifications and omissions may be made in the following summary; the summary is intended to highlight and introduce some aspects of the disclosed embodiments, but not to limit the scope of the invention. Thereafter, a detailed description of illustrated embodiments is presented, which will permit one skilled in the relevant art to make and use aspects of the invention. One skilled in the relevant art can obtain a full appreciation of aspects of the invention from the subsequent detailed description, read together with the Figures, and from the claims (which follow the detailed description). In one embodiment of the invention, a three dimensional model of a real scene is constructed from image data such as spherical panoramic photos, according to a plurality of image-based rendering (IBR) algorithms. Rather than use one image-based rendering algorithm throughout the three dimensional model, the location of the viewpoint in the three dimensional model may be a factor in choosing among several image based rendering algorithms. Viewpoint locations having real image data will result in photorealistic or near photorealistic panoramas. At viewpoint locations that do not have real image data, image-based rendering methods are used to generate geometric proxies that are combined with nearby image data, thus rendering synthetic views. In some embodiments, which image-based rendering algorithm is used to render the synthetic views depends on the density of the data that is collected, the camera geometry, characteristics of the real scene, and so on. In one embodiment of the invention, a computer system provides image-based rendering of real property, the computer system including a user interface for visually presenting an image-based rendering of a real property to a user; and a processor to (i) obtain two or more photorealistic viewpoints from ground truth image data capture locations; (ii) combine and process two or more instances of ground truth image data to create a plurality of synthesized viewpoints; and (iii) visually present a viewpoint in a virtual model of the real property on the user interface, the virtual model including photorealistic viewpoints and synthesized viewpoints. In one embodiment of the invention, a method obtains two or more photorealistic viewpoints of a real space from ground truth image data capture locations of the real space, generates a plurality of synthesized viewpoints by combining and processing two or more instances of the obtained ground truth image data, and presents, via a user interface, a viewpoint in a virtual model of the real space, the virtual model including photorealistic viewpoints and synthesized viewpoints of the real space. Under an embodiment of the invention, a website system maintains a real estate web page. The real estate web page facilitates three-dimensional (3D) image-based rendering virtual tours of real properties through a unique user interface that provides multiple viewpoints and tour navigation tools. The website system facilitates virtual tours of real estate, such as homes, that are offered for sale via the website system. The website system can store various information about properties in which the user is interested and facilitate sharing of information with a real estate agent or other service provider (e.g., a local merchant). | G06T19003 | 20171205 | 20180405 | 59243.0 | G06T1900 | 2 | CHEN, FRANK S | IMAGE-BASED RENDERING OF REAL SPACES | SMALL | 1 | CONT-ACCEPTED | G06T | 2,017 |
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15,832,654 | PENDING | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR APPEARANCE SEARCH | There is provided an appearance search system comprising one or more cameras configured to capture video of a scene, the video having images of objects. The system comprises one or more processors and memory comprising computer program code stored on the memory and configured when executed by the one or more processors to cause the one or more processors to perform a method. The method comprises identifying one or more of the objects within the images of the objects. The method further comprises implementing a learning machine configured to generate signatures of the identified objects and generate a signature of an object of interest. The system further comprises a network configured to send the images of the objects from the camera to the one or more processors. The method further comprises comparing the signatures of the identified objects with the signature of the object of interest to generate similarity scores for the identified objects, and transmitting an instruction for presenting on a display one or more of the images of the objects based on the similarity scores. | 1. An appearance search system comprising: one or more cameras configured to capture video of a scene, the video having images of objects; one or more processors and memory comprising computer program code stored on the memory and configured when executed by the one or more processors to cause the one or more processors to perform a method comprising: identifying one or more of the objects within the images of the objects; and implementing a learning machine configured to generate signatures of the identified objects and generate a signature of an object of interest; and a network configured to send the images of the objects from the camera to the one or more processors, wherein the method further comprises: comparing the signatures of the identified objects with the signature of the object of interest to generate similarity scores for the identified objects; and transmitting an instruction for presenting on a display one or more of the images of the objects based on the similarity scores. 2. The system of claim 1, further comprising a storage system for storing the generated signatures of the identified objects, and the video. 3. The system of claim 1, wherein the implemented learning machine is a second learning machine, and wherein the identifying is performed by a first learning machine implemented by the one or more processors. 4. The system of claim 3, wherein the first and second learning machines comprise convolutional neural networks. 5. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more cameras are further configured to filter the images of the objects by classification of the objects, wherein the one or more cameras are further configured to identify one or more of the images comprising human objects, and wherein the network is further configured to send only the identified images to the one or more processors. 6. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more cameras are further configured to capture the images of the objects using video analytics. 7. The system of claim 1, wherein the images of the objects comprise portions of image frames of the video, and wherein the portions of the image frames comprise first image portions of the image frames, the first image portions including at least the objects. 8. The system of claim 7, wherein the portions of the image frames further comprise second image portions of the image frames, the second image portions being larger than the first image portions. 9. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more cameras are further configured to generate reference coordinates for allowing extraction from the video of the images of the objects, and wherein the storage system is configured to store the reference coordinates. 10. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more cameras are further configured to select one or more images from the video captured over a period of time for obtaining one or more of the images of the objects. 11. The system of claim 1, wherein the identifying of the objects comprises outlining the one or more of the objects in the images. 12. The system of claim 1, wherein the identifying comprises: identifying multiple ones of the objects within at least one of the images; and dividing the at least one of images into multiple divided images, each divided image comprising at least a portion of one of the identified objects. 13. The system of claim 12, wherein the method further comprises: for each identified object: determining a confidence level; and if the confidence level does not meet a confidence requirement, then causing the identifying and the dividing to be performed by the first learning machine; or if the confidence level meets the confidence requirement, then causing the identifying and the dividing to be performed by the second learning machine. 14. A computer-readable medium having stored thereon computer program code executable by one or more processors and configured when executed by the one or more processors to cause the one or more processors to perform a method comprising: capturing video of a scene, the video having images of objects; identifying one or more of the objects within the images of the objects; generating, using a learning machine, signatures of the identified objects, and a signature of an object of interest; generating similarity scores for the identified objects by comparing the signatures of the identified objects with the first signature of the object of interest; and presenting on a display one or more of the images of the objects based on the similarity scores. 15. A system comprising: one or more cameras configured to capture video of a scene; and one or more processors and memory comprising computer program code stored on the memory and configured when executed by the one or more processors to cause the one or more processors to perform a method comprising: extracting chips from the video, wherein the chips comprise images of objects; identifying multiple objects within at least one of the chips; and dividing the at least one chip into multiple divided chips, each divided chip comprising at least a portion of one of the identified objects. 16. The system of claim 15, wherein the method further comprises: implementing a learning machine configured to generate signatures of the identified objects and generate a signature of an object of interest. 17. The system of claim 16, wherein the learning machine is a second learning machine, and wherein the identifying and the dividing are performed by a first learning machine implemented by the one or more processors. 18. The system of claim 17, wherein the method further comprises: for each identified object: determining a confidence level; and if the confidence level does not meet a confidence requirement, then causing the identifying and the dividing to be performed by the first learning machine; or if the confidence level meets the confidence requirement, then causing the identifying and the dividing to be performed by the second learning machine. 19. The system of claim 15, wherein the at least one chip comprises at least one padded chip, wherein each padded chip comprises a first image portion of an image frame of the video. 20. The system of claim 19, wherein the at least one chip further comprises at least one non-padded chip, wherein each non-padded chip comprises a second image portion of an image frame of the video, the second image portion being smaller than the first image portion. | RELATED APPLICATIONS This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/430,292, filed Dec. 5, 2016, and U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/527,894, filed Jun. 30, 2017, both of which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entireties. FIELD The present subject-matter relates to video surveillance, and more particularly to identifying objects of interest in the video of a video surveillance system. BACKGROUND Computer implemented visual object classification, also called object recognition, pertains to the classifying of visual representations of real-life objects found in still images or motion videos captured by a camera. By performing visual object classification, each visual object found in the still images or motion video is classified according to its type (such as, for example, human, vehicle, or animal). Automated security and surveillance systems typically employ video cameras or other image capturing devices or sensors to collect image data such as video or video footage. In the simplest systems, images represented by the image data are displayed for contemporaneous screening by security personnel and/or recorded for later review after a security breach. In those systems, the task of detecting and classifying visual objects of interest is performed by a human observer. A significant advance occurs when the system itself is able to perform object detection and classification, either partly or completely. In a typical surveillance system, one may be interested in detecting objects such as humans, vehicles, animals, etc. that move through the environment. However, if for example a child is lost in a large shopping mall, it could be very time consuming for security personnel to manually review video footage for the lost child. Computer-implemented detection of objects in the images represented by the image data captured by the cameras can significantly facilitate the task of reviewing relevant video segments by the security personnel in order to find the lost child in a timely manner. That being said, computer-implemented analysis of video to detect and recognize objects and which objects are similar requires substantial computing resources especially as the desired accuracy increases. It would facilitate computer implementation if the processing could be distributed to optimize resource utilization. SUMMARY In a first aspect of the disclosure, there is provided an appearance search system comprising one or more cameras configured to capture video of a scene, the video having images of objects. The system comprises one or more processors and memory comprising computer program code stored on the memory and configured when executed by the one or more processors to cause the one or more processors to perform a method. The method comprises identifying one or more of the objects within the images of the objects. The method further comprises implementing a learning machine configured to generate signatures of the identified objects and generate a signature of an object of interest. The system further comprises a network configured to send the images of the objects from the camera to the one or more processors. The method further comprises comparing the signatures of the identified objects with the signature of the object of interest to generate similarity scores for the identified objects, and transmitting an instruction for presenting on a display one or more of the images of the objects based on the similarity scores. The system may further comprise a storage system for storing the generated signatures of the identified objects, and the video. The implemented learning machine may be a second learning machine, and the identifying may be performed by a first learning machine implemented by the one or more processors. The first and second learning machines me comprise neural networks. The neural networks may comprise convolutional neural networks. The neutral networks or convolutional neural networks mat comprise trained models. The system may further comprise one or more graphics processing units for running the first and second learning machines. The one or more cameras may be further configured to capture the images of the objects using video analytics. The one or more cameras may be further configured to filter the images of the objects by classification of the objects. The one or more cameras may be further configured to identify one or more of the images comprising human objects, and the network may be further configured to send only the identified images to the one or more processors. The images of the objects may comprise portions of image frames of the video. The portions of the image frames may comprise first image portions of the image frames, the first image portions including at least the objects. The portions of the image frames may comprise second image portions of the image frames, the second image portions being larger than the first image portions. The first learning machine may be configured to outline one or more of, or all of, the objects within the second image portions, for the second learning machine. The one or more cameras may be further configured to generate reference coordinates for allowing extraction from the video of the images of the objects. The storage system may be configured to store the reference coordinates. The one or more cameras may be further configured to select one or more images from the video captured over a period of time for obtaining one or more of the images of the objects. The identifying of the objects may comprise outlining the one or more of the objects in the images. The identifying may comprise identifying multiple ones of the objects within at least one of the images; and dividing the at least one of images into multiple divided images, each divided image comprising at least a portion of one of the identified objects. The method may further comprise, for each identified object: determining a confidence level; and if the confidence level does not meet a confidence requirement, then causing the identifying and the dividing to be performed by the first learning machine; or if the confidence level meets the confidence requirement, then causing the identifying and the dividing to be performed by the second learning machine. The one or more cameras may further comprise one or more video analytics modules for determining the confidence level. In a further aspect of the disclosure, there is provided a method comprising capturing video of a scene, the video having images of objects. The method further comprises identifying one or more of the objects within the images of the objects. The method further comprises generating, using a learning machine, signatures of the identified objects, and a signature of an object of interest. The method further comprises generating similarity scores for the identified objects by comparing the signatures of the identified objects with the first signature of the object of interest. The method further comprises presenting on a display one or more of the images of the objects based on the similarity scores. The method may further comprise performing any of the steps or operations described above in connection with the first aspect of the disclosure. In a further aspect of the disclosure, there is provided a computer-readable medium having stored thereon computer program code executable by one or more processors and configured when executed by the one or more processors to cause the one or more processors to perform a method. The method comprises capturing video of a scene, the video having images of objects. The method further comprises identifying one or more of the objects within the images of the objects. The method further comprises generating, using a learning machine, signatures of the identified objects, and a signature of an object of interest. The method further comprises generating similarity scores for the identified objects by comparing the signatures of the identified objects with the first signature of the object of interest. The method further comprises presenting on a display one or more of the images of the objects based on the similarity scores. The method performed by the one or more one or more processors may further comprise performing any of the steps or operations described above in connection with the first aspect of the disclosure. In a further aspect of the disclosure, there is provided a system comprising: one or more cameras configured to capture video of a scene. The system further comprises one or more processors and memory comprising computer program code stored on the memory and configured when executed by the one or more processors to cause the one or more processors to perform a method. The method comprises extracting chips from the video, wherein the chips comprise images of objects. The method further comprises identifying multiple objects within at least one of the chips. The method further comprises dividing the at least one chip into multiple divided chips, each divided chip comprising at least a portion of one of the identified objects. The method may further comprise implementing a learning machine configured to generate signatures of the identified objects and generate a signature of an object of interest. The learning machine may be a second learning machine, and the identifying and the dividing may be performed by a first learning machine implemented by the one or more processors. The method may further comprise, for each identified object: determining a confidence level; and if the confidence level does not meet a confidence requirement, then causing the identifying and the dividing to be performed by the first learning machine; or if the confidence level meets the confidence requirement, then causing the identifying and the dividing to be performed by the second learning machine. The one or more cameras may comprise one or more video analytics modules for determining the confidence level. The at least one chip may comprise at least one padded chip. Each padded chip may comprise a first image portion of an image frame of the video. The at least one chip may further comprise at least one non-padded chip. Each non-padded chip may comprise a second image portion of an image frame of the video, the second image portion being smaller than the first image portion. In a further aspect of the disclosure, there is provided a computer-readable medium having stored thereon computer program code executable by one or more processors and configured when executed by the one or more processors to cause the one or more processors to perform a method. The method comprises obtaining video of a scene. The method further comprises extracting chips from the video, wherein the chips comprise images of objects. The method further comprises identifying multiple objects within at least one of the chips. The method further comprises dividing the at least one chip into multiple divided chips, each divided chip comprising at least a portion of one of the identified objects. The method performed by the one or more one or more processors may further comprise performing any of the steps or operations described above in connection with the immediately above-described system. In a further aspect of the disclosure, there is provided an appearance search system comprising: cameras for capturing videos of scenes, the videos having images of objects; a processor with a learning machine for generating signatures from the images of the objects associated with the videos and for generating a first signature from a first image of an object of interest; a network for sending the images of the objects from the cameras to the processor; and a storage system for storing the generated signatures of the objects and the associated videos; wherein the processor further compares the signatures from the images with the first signature of the object of interest to generate similarity scores, and further prepares the images of the objects with higher similarity scores for presentation to users at a display. According to some example embodiments, the learning machine is a neural network. According to some example embodiments, the neural network is a convolutional neural network. According to some example embodiments, the neutral network is a trained model. According to some example embodiments, a graphics processing unit is used for running the learning machine. According to some example embodiments, the images of objects are captured at the cameras and processed using video analytics at the cameras. According to some example embodiments the images, of objects are filtered by classification of object type at the cameras before being sent to the processor. According to some example embodiments, the object type being sent to the processor is human. According to some example embodiments, the cameras capturing the images of objects from the videos further comprises capturing reference coordinates of the images within the videos such that the images of objects can be extracted from the videos based on the reference coordinates. According to some example embodiments, the images extracted from the video are deleted and the storage system stores the signatures, the reference coordinates, and the video. According to some example embodiments, the video analytics selects one or more images of an object over a period of time to represent the captured images of the object of the period of time. In a further aspect of the disclosure, there is provided a computer-implemented method of appearance searching for an object of interest which is in videos captured by a camera, the method comprising: extracting images of objects from the videos taken by the camera; sending the images of the objects and the videos over a network to a processor; generating, by the processor, signatures from the images of the objects using a learning machine; storing the signatures of the objects and the videos, associated with the objects, in a storage system; generating, by the processor, a signature from an image of any object of interest using the learning machine; comparing, by the processor, the signatures from the images in the storage system with the signature of the object of interest to generate a similarity score for each comparison; and preparing the images of the objects with higher similarity scores for presentation to users at a display. In a further aspect of the disclosure, there is provided a computer implemented method of appearance searching for an object of interest which is in videos captured by a camera, the method comprising: extracting images of objects from the videos taken by the camera; sending the images of the objects and the videos over a network to a processor; generating, by the processor, signatures from the images of the objects using a learning machine wherein the images of the objects comprises images of the object of interest; storing the signatures of the objects and the videos, associated with the objects, in a storage system; searching through the storage system for an instance of an image of the object of interest; retrieving from the storage the signature of the object of interest for the instance of the image of the object of interest; comparing, by the processor, the signatures from the images in the storage system with the signature of the object of interest to generate a similarity score for each comparison; and preparing the images of the objects with higher similarity scores for presentation to users at a display. In a further aspect of the disclosure, there is provided a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, having stored thereon instructions, that when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform a method for appearance searching of an object of interest which is in videos captured by a camera, the method comprising: extracting images of objects from the videos taken by the camera; sending the images of the objects and the videos over a network to a processor; generating, by the processor, signatures from the images of the objects using a learning machine wherein the images of the objects comprises images of the object of interest; storing the signatures of the objects and the videos, associated with the objects, in a storage system; searching through the storage system for an instance of an image of the object of interest; retrieving from the storage the signature of the object of interest for the instance of the image of the object of interest; comparing, by the processor, the signatures from the images in the storage system with the signature of the object of interest to generate a similarity score for each comparison; and preparing the images of the objects with higher similarity scores for presentation to users at a display. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The detailed description refers to the following figures, in which: FIG. 1 illustrates a block diagram of connected devices of a video capture and playback system according to an example embodiment; FIG. 2A illustrates a block diagram of a set of operational modules of the video capture and playback system according to one example embodiment; FIG. 2B illustrates a block diagram of a set of operational modules of the video capture and playback system according to one particular example embodiment wherein the video analytics module 224, the video management module 232 and the storage device 240 is wholly implemented on the one or more image capture devices 108; FIG. 3 illustrates a flow diagram of an example embodiment of a method for performing video analytics on one or more image frames of a video captured by a video capture device; FIG. 4 illustrates a flow diagram of an example embodiment of a method for performing appearance matching to locate an object of interest on one or more image frames of a video captured by a video capture device (camera); FIG. 5 illustrates a flow diagram of the example embodiment of FIG. 4 showing details of Appearance Search for performing appearance matching at the client to locate recorded videos of an object of interest; FIG. 6 illustrates a flow diagram of the example embodiment of FIG. 4 showing details of Timed Appearance Search for performing appearance matching at the client 420 to locate recorded videos of an object of interest either before or after a selected time; FIG. 7 illustrates block diagrams of example metadata of an Object Profile before storage and the reduced in size Object Profile for storage; FIG. 8 illustrates the scene and the cropped bounding boxes of the example embodiment of FIG. 4; FIG. 9 illustrates a block diagram of a set of operational sub-modules of the video analytics module according to one example embodiment; FIG. 10A illustrates a block diagram of a process for generating feature vectors according to one example embodiment; FIG. 10B illustrates a block diagram of an alternative process for generating feature vectors according to an alternative example embodiment; FIG. 11 illustrates a flow diagram of an example embodiment of generating cropped bounding boxes; and FIG. 12 illustrates examples of images as seen by a camera, padded cropped bounding boxes, and cropped bounding boxes generated by the analytics module. It will be appreciated that for simplicity and clarity of illustrates, elements shown in the figures have not necessarily been drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions of some of the elements may be exaggerated relative to other elements for clarity. Furthermore, where considered appropriate, reference numerals may be repeated among the figures to indicate corresponding or analogous elements. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF VARIOUS EMBODIMENTS Numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the exemplary embodiments described herein. However, it will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art that the embodiments described herein may be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well-known methods, procedures and components have not been described in detail so as not to obscure the embodiments described herein. Furthermore, this description is not to be considered as limiting the scope of the embodiments described herein in any way but rather as merely describing the implementation of the various embodiments described herein. The word “a” or “an” when used in conjunction with the term “comprising” or “including” in the claims and/or the specification may mean “one”, but it is also consistent with the meaning of “one or more”, “at least one”, and “one or more than one” unless the content clearly dictates otherwise. Similarly, the word “another” may mean at least a second or more unless the content clearly dictates otherwise. The terms “coupled”, “coupling” or “connected” as used herein can have several different meanings depending in the context in which these terms are used. For example, the terms coupled, coupling, or connected can have a mechanical or electrical connotation. For example, as used herein, the terms coupled, coupling, or connected can indicate that two elements or devices are directly connected to one another or connected to one another through one or more intermediate elements or devices via an electrical element, electrical signal or a mechanical element depending on the particular context. Herein, an image may include a plurality of sequential image frames, which together form a video captured by the video capture device. Each image frame may be represented by a matrix of pixels, each pixel having a pixel image value. For example, the pixel image value may be a numerical value on grayscale (ex; 0 to 255) or a plurality of numerical values for colored images. Examples of color spaces used to represent pixel image values in image data include RGB, YUV, CYKM, YCBCR 4:2:2, YCBCR 4:2:0 images. “Metadata” or variants thereof herein refers to information obtained by computer-implemented analysis of images including images in video. For example, processing video may include, but is not limited to, image processing operations, analyzing, managing, compressing, encoding, storing, transmitting and/or playing back the video data. Analyzing the video may include segmenting areas of image frames and detecting visual objects, tracking and/or classifying visual objects located within the captured scene represented by the image data. The processing of the image data may also cause additional information regarding the image data or visual objects captured within the images to be output. For example, such additional information is commonly understood as metadata. The metadata may also be used for further processing of the image data, such as drawing bounding boxes around detected objects in the image frames. As will be appreciated by one skilled in the art, the various example embodiments described herein may be embodied as a method, system, or computer program product. Accordingly, the various example embodiments may take the form of an entirely hardware embodiment, an entirely software embodiment (including firmware, resident software, micro-code, etc.) or an embodiment combining software and hardware aspects that may all generally be referred to herein as a “circuit,” “module” or “system.” Furthermore, the various example embodiments may take the form of a computer program product on a computer-usable storage medium having computer-usable program code embodied in the medium Any suitable computer-usable or computer readable medium may be utilized. The computer-usable or computer-readable medium may be, for example but not limited to, an electronic, magnetic, optical, electromagnetic, infrared, or semiconductor system, apparatus, device, or propagation medium. In the context of this document, a computer-usable or computer-readable medium may be any medium that can contain, store, communicate, propagate, or transport the program for use by or in connection with the instruction execution system, apparatus, or device. Computer program code for carrying out operations of various example embodiments may be written in an object oriented programming language such as Java, Smalltalk, C++, Python, or the like. However, the computer program code for carrying out operations of various example embodiments may also be written in conventional procedural programming languages, such as the “C” programming language or similar programming languages. The program code may execute entirely on a computer, partly on the computer, as a stand-alone software package, partly on the computer and partly on a remote computer or entirely on the remote computer or server. In the latter scenario, the remote computer may be connected to the computer through a local area network (LAN) or a wide area network (WAN), or the connection may be made to an external computer (for example, through the Internet using an Internet Service Provider). Various example embodiments are described below with reference to flowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams of methods, apparatus (systems) and computer program products according to embodiments of the invention. It will be understood that each block of the flowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams, and combinations of blocks in the flowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams, can be implemented by computer program instructions. These computer program instructions may be provided to a processor of a general purpose computer, special purpose computer, or other programmable data processing apparatus to produce a machine, such that the instructions, which execute via the processor of the computer or other programmable data processing apparatus, create means for implementing the functions/acts specified in the flowchart and/or block diagram block or blocks. These computer program instructions may also be stored in a computer-readable memory that can direct a computer or other programmable data processing apparatus to function in a particular manner, such that the instructions stored in the computer-readable memory produce an article of manufacture including instructions which implement the function/act specified in the flowchart and/or block diagram block or blocks. The computer program instructions may also be loaded onto a computer or other programmable data processing apparatus to cause a series of operational steps to be performed on the computer or other programmable apparatus to produce a computer implemented process such that the instructions which execute on the computer or other programmable apparatus provide steps for implementing the functions/acts specified in the flowchart and/or block diagram block or blocks. Referring now to FIG. 1, therein illustrated is a block diagram of connected devices of a video capture and playback system 100 according to an example embodiment. For example, the video capture and playback system 100 may be used as a video surveillance system. The video capture and playback system 100 includes hardware and software that perform the processes and functions described herein. The video capture and playback system 100 includes at least one video capture device 108 being operable to capture a plurality of images and produce image data representing the plurality of captured images. The video capture device 108 or camera 108 is an image capturing device and includes security video cameras. Each video capture device 108 includes at least one image sensor 116 for capturing a plurality of images. The video capture device 108 may be a digital video camera and the image sensor 116 may output captured light as a digital data. For example, the image sensor 116 may be a CMOS, NMOS, or CCD. In some embodiments, the video capture device 108 may be an analog camera connected to an encoder. The at least one image sensor 116 may be operable to capture light in one or more frequency ranges. For example, the at least one image sensor 116 may be operable to capture light in a range that substantially corresponds to the visible light frequency range. In other examples, the at least one image sensor 116 may be operable to capture light outside the visible light range, such as in the infrared and/or ultraviolet range. In other examples, the video capture device 108 may be a multi-sensor camera that includes two or more sensors that are operable to capture light in different frequency ranges. The at least one video capture device 108 may include a dedicated camera. It will be understood that a dedicated camera herein refers to a camera whose principal features is to capture images or video. In some example embodiments, the dedicated camera may perform functions associated to the captured images or video, such as but not limited to processing the image data produced by it or by another video capture device 108. For example, the dedicated camera may be a surveillance camera, such as any one of a pan-tilt-zoom camera, dome camera, in-ceiling camera, box camera, and bullet camera. Additionally, or alternatively, the at least one video capture device 108 may include an embedded camera. It will be understood that an embedded camera herein refers to a camera that is embedded within a device that is operational to perform functions that are unrelated to the captured image or video. For example, the embedded camera may be a camera found on any one of a laptop, tablet, drone device, smartphone, video game console or controller. Each video capture device 108 includes one or more processors 124, one or more memory devices 132 coupled to the processors and one or more network interfaces. The memory device can include a local memory (such as, for example, a random access memory and a cache memory) employed during execution of program instructions. The processor executes computer program instructions (such as, for example, an operating system and/or application programs), which can be stored in the memory device. In various embodiments the processor 124 may be implemented by any suitable processing circuit having one or more circuit units, including a digital signal processor (DSP), graphics processing unit (GPU) embedded processor, etc., and any suitable combination thereof operating independently or in parallel, including possibly operating redundantly. Such processing circuit may be implemented by one or more integrated circuits (IC), including being implemented by a monolithic integrated circuit (MIC), an Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC), a Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA), etc. or any suitable combination thereof. Additionally or alternatively, such processing circuit may be implemented as a programmable logic controller (PLC), for example. The processor may include circuitry for storing memory, such as digital data, and may comprise the memory circuit or be in wired communication with the memory circuit, for example. In various example embodiments, the memory device 132 coupled to the processor circuit is operable to store data and computer program instructions. Typically, the memory device is all or part of a digital electronic integrated circuit or formed from a plurality of digital electronic integrated circuits. The memory device may be implemented as Read-Only Memory (ROM), Programmable Read-Only Memory (PROM), Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory (EPROM), Electrically Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory (EEPROM), flash memory, one or more flash drives, universal serial bus (USB) connected memory units, magnetic storage, optical storage, magneto-optical storage, etc. or any combination thereof, for example. The memory device may be operable to store memory as volatile memory, non-volatile memory, dynamic memory, etc. or any combination thereof. In various example embodiments, a plurality of the components of the image capture device 108 may be implemented together within a system on a chip (SOC). For example, the processor 124, the memory device 116 and the network interface may be implemented within a SOC. Furthermore, when implemented in this way, a general purpose processor and one or more of a GPU and a DSP may be implemented together within the SOC. Continuing with FIG. 1, each of the at least one video capture device 108 is connected to a network 140. Each video capture device 108 is operable to output image data representing images that it captures and transmit the image data over the network. It will be understood that the network 140 may be any suitable communications network that provides reception and transmission of data. For example, the network 140 may be a local area network, external network (such as, for example, a WAN, or the Internet) or a combination thereof. In other examples, the network 140 may include a cloud network. In some examples, the video capture and playback system 100 includes a processing appliance 148. The processing appliance 148 is operable to process the image data output by a video capture device 108. The processing appliance 148 also includes one or more processors and one or more memory devices coupled to a processor (CPU). The processing appliance 148 may also include one or more network interfaces. For convenience of illustration, only one processing appliance 148 is shown; however it will be understood that the video capture and playback system 100 may include any suitable number of processing appliances 148. For example, and as illustrated, the processing appliance 148 is connected to a video capture device 108 which may not have memory 132 or CPU 124 to process image data. The processing appliance 148 may be further connected to the network 140. According to one exemplary embodiment, and as illustrated in FIG. 1, the video capture and playback system 100 includes at least one workstation 156 (such as, for example, a server), each having one or more processors including graphics processing units (GPUs). The at least one workstation 156 may also include storage memory. The workstation 156 receives image data from at least one video capture device 108 and performs processing of the image data. The workstation 156 may further send commands for managing and/or controlling one or more of the image capture devices 108. The workstation 156 may receive raw image data from the video capture device 108. Alternatively, or additionally, the workstation 156 may receive image data that has already undergone some intermediate processing, such as processing at the video capture device 108 and/or at a processing appliance 148. The workstation 156 may also receive metadata from the image data and perform further processing of the image data. It will be understood that while a single workstation 156 is illustrated in FIG. 1, the workstation may be implemented as an aggregation of a plurality of workstations. The video capture and playback system 100 further includes at least one client device 164 connected to the network 140. The client device 164 is used by one or more users to interact with the video capture and playback system 100. Accordingly, the client device 164 includes at least one display device and at least one user input device (such as, for example, a mouse, keyboard, or touchscreen). The client device 164 is operable to display on its display device a user interface for displaying information, receiving user input, and playing back video. For example, the client device may be any one of a personal computer, laptops, tablet, personal data assistant (PDA), cell phone, smart phone, gaming device, and other mobile device. The client device 164 is operable to receive image data over the network 140 and is further operable to playback the received image data. A client device 164 may also have functionalities for processing image data. For example, processing functions of a client device 164 may be limited to processing related to the ability to playback the received image data. In other examples, image processing functionalities may be shared between the workstation and one or more client devices 164. In some examples, the image capture and playback system 100 may be implemented without the workstation 156. Accordingly, image processing functionalities may be wholly performed on the one or more video capture devices 108. Alternatively, the image processing functionalities may be shared amongst two or more of the video capture devices 108, processing appliance 148 and client devices 164. Referring now to FIG. 2A, therein illustrated is a block diagram of a set 200 of operational modules of the video capture and playback system 100 according to one example embodiment. The operational modules may be implemented in hardware, software or both on one or more of the devices of the video capture and playback system 100 as illustrated in FIG. 1. The set 200 of operational modules include at least one video capture module 208. For example, each video capture device 108 may implement a video capture module 208. The video capture module 208 is operable to control one or more components (such as, for example, sensor 116) of a video capture device 108 to capture images. The set 200 of operational modules includes a subset 216 of image data processing modules. For example, and as illustrated, the subset 216 of image data processing modules includes a video analytics module 224 and a video management module 232. The video analytics module 224 receives image data and analyzes the image data to determine properties or characteristics of the captured image or video and/or of objects found in the scene represented by the image or video. Based on the determinations made, the video analytics module 224 may further output metadata providing information about the determinations. Examples of determinations made by the video analytics module 224 may include one or more of foreground/background segmentation, object detection, object tracking, object classification, virtual tripwire, anomaly detection, facial detection, facial recognition, license plate recognition, identifying objects “left behind” or “removed”, and business intelligence. However, it will be understood that other video analytics functions known in the art may also be implemented by the video analytics module 224. The video management module 232 receives image data and performs processing functions on the image data related to video transmission, playback and/or storage. For example, the video management module 232 can process the image data to permit transmission of the image data according to bandwidth requirements and/or capacity. The video management module 232 may also process the image data according to playback capabilities of a client device 164 that will be playing back the video, such as processing power and/or resolution of the display of the client device 164. The video management module 232 may also process the image data according to storage capacity within the video capture and playback system 100 for storing image data. It will be understood that according to some example embodiments, the subset 216 of video processing modules may include only one of the video analytics module 224 and the video management module 232. The set 200 of operational modules further include a subset 240 of storage modules. For example, and as illustrated, the subset 240 of storage modules include a video storage module 248 and a metadata storage module 256. The video storage module 248 stores image data, which may be image data processed by the video management module. The metadata storage module 256 stores information data output from the video analytics module 224. It will be understood that while video storage module 248 and metadata storage module 256 are illustrated as separate modules, they may be implemented within a same hardware storage device whereby logical rules are implemented to separate stored video from stored metadata. In other example embodiments, the video storage module 248 and/or the metadata storage module 256 may be implemented within a plurality of hardware storage devices in which a distributed storage scheme may be implemented. The set of operational modules further includes at least one video playback module 264, which is operable to receive image data and playback the image data as a video. For example, the video playback module 264 may be implemented on a client device 164. The operational modules of the set 200 may be implemented on one or more of the image capture device 108, processing appliance 148, workstation 156 and client device 164. In some example embodiments, an operational module may be wholly implemented on a single device. For example, video analytics module 224 may be wholly implemented on the workstation 156. Similarly, video management module 232 may be wholly implemented on the workstation 156. In other example embodiments, some functionalities of an operational module of the set 200 may be partly implemented on a first device while other functionalities of an operational module may be implemented on a second device. For example, video analytics functionalities may be split between one or more of an image capture device 108, processing appliance 148 and workstation 156. Similarly, video management functionalities may be split between one or more of an image capture device 108, processing appliance 148 and workstation 156. Referring now to FIG. 2B, therein illustrated is a block diagram of a set 200 of operational modules of the video capture and playback system 100 according to one particular example embodiment wherein the video analytics module 224, the video management module 232 and the storage device 240 is wholly implemented on the one or more image capture devices 108. Alternatively, the video analytics module 224, the video management module 232 and the storage device 240 is wholly implemented on the processing appliance 148. It will be appreciated that allowing the subset 216 of image data (video) processing modules to be implemented on a single device or on various devices of the video capture and playback system 100 allows flexibility in building the system 100. For example, one may choose to use a particular device having certain functionalities with another device lacking those functionalities. This may be useful when integrating devices from different parties (such as, for example, manufacturers) or retrofitting an existing video capture and playback system. Referring now to FIG. 3, therein illustrated is a flow diagram of an example embodiment of a method 350 for performing video analytics on one or more image frames of a video captured by a video capture device 108. The video analytics is performed by the video analytics module 224 to determine properties or characteristics of the captured image or video and/or of visual objects found in the scene captured in the video. At 300, at least one image frame of the video is segmented into foreground areas and background areas. The segmenting separates areas of the image frame corresponding to moving objects (or previously moving objects) in the captured scene from stationary areas of the scene. At 302, one or more foreground visual objects in the scene represented by the image frame are detected based on the segmenting of 300. For example, any discrete contiguous foreground area or “blob” may be identified as a foreground visual object in the scene. For example, only contiguous foreground areas greater than a certain size (such as, for example, number of pixels) are identified as a foreground visual object in the scene. Metadata may be further generated relating to the detected one or more foreground areas. The metadata may define the location, reference coordinates, of the foreground visual object, or object, within the image frame. For example, the location metadata may be further used to generate a bounding box (such as, for example, when encoding video or playing back video) outlining the detected foreground visual object. The image within the bounding box is extracted, called a cropped bounding box (also referred to as a “Chip”), for inclusion in metadata which along with the associated video may be processed further at other devices, such as workstation 156, on the network 140. In short, the cropped bounding box, or Chip, is a cropped portion of an image frame of the video containing the detected foreground visual object. The extracted image, which is the cropped bounding box, alternately may be smaller then what was in the bounding box or may be larger then what was in the bounding box. The size of the image being extracted, for example, should be close to, but outside of, the actual boundaries of the object that has been detected. The bounding boxes are typically rectangular in shape, but may also be irregular shapes which closely outline the objects. A bounding box may, for example, closely follow the boundaries (outline) of a human object. In a further embodiment, the size of the extracted image is larger than the actual boundaries of the object that has been detected, herein called a Padded cropped bounding box (also referred to as a “Padded Chip”). The Padded cropped bounding box, for example, may be twice the area of the bounding box so that it includes, in whole or in part, objects close to, or overlapping, with the detected foreground visual object. For greater clarity, Padded cropped bounding boxes have larger images then cropped bounding boxes of images of objects within bounding boxes (herein called non-Padded cropped bounding boxes). For clarity, cropped bounding boxes as used herein includes Padded cropped bounding boxes and non-Padded cropped bounding boxes. It will be understood that the image size of the Padded cropped bounding box may vary in size from a little larger (for example 10% larger) to substantially larger (for example 1000% larger). While the embodiments herein describe the Padded cropped bounding boxes as being expanded non-Padded cropped bounding boxes with extra pixels while still keeping reference coordinates of the original non-Padded cropped bounding box, the expansion or extra pixels may be added more in the horizontal axis instead of the vertical axis. Further, the expansion of extra pixels may be symmetrical or asymmetrical about an axis relative the object. The object of a non-Padded cropped bounding box may be centered in the Padded cropped bounding box as well as the non-Padded cropped bounding box, but some embodiments may off center such objects. In some embodiments, the cropped bounding boxes, including the Padded cropped bounding boxes and the non-Padded cropped bounding boxes, may be reference coordinates of image frames of the video instead of actual extracted images of image frames of the video. The cropped bounding box images may then be extracted from the image frames when needed. Examples of images seen by camera 108, Padded cropped bounding boxes, and cropped bounding boxes derived from the Padded cropped bounding boxes sent to a video analytics module 224, which may for example, process the cropped bounding box on a server. A visual indicator may be added to the image frame to visually identify each of the detected one or more foreground visual objects. The visual indicator may be a bounding box that surrounds each of the one or more foreground visual objects within the image frame. In some example embodiments, the video analytics may further include, at 304, classifying the foreground visual objects (or objects) detected at 302. For example, pattern recognition may be carried out to classify the foreground visual objects. A foreground visual object may be classified by class, such as a person, a car or an animal. Additionally or alternatively, a visual object may be classified by action, such as movement and direction of movement of the visual object. Other classifiers may also be determined, such as color, size, orientation, etc. In more specific examples, classifying the visual object may include identifying a person based on facial detection and recognizing text, such as a license plate. Visual classification may be performed according to systems and methods described in co-owned U.S. Pat. No. 8,934,709, which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. The video analytics may further include, at 306, detecting whether an event has occurred and the type of event. Detecting the event may be based on a comparison of the classification of one or more foreground visual objects with one or more predefined rules. The event may be an event in anomaly detection or business intelligence, such as whether a video tripwire has been triggered, the number of persons present in one area, whether an object in scene has been “left behind” or whether an object in the scene has been removed. An example of the video analytics, at 306, may be set to detect only humans and, upon such detection, extract cropped bounding boxes of the human objects, with reference coordinates of each of the cropped bounding boxes, for inclusion in metadata, which along with the associated video may be processed 310 further at other devices, such as workstation 156 on the network 140. Referring now to FIG. 4, therein illustrated is a flow diagram of an example embodiment of a method 400 for performing appearance matching to locate an object of interest on one or more image frames of a video captured by a video capture device 108 (camera 108). The video is captured by the camera 108 over a period of time. The time could be over hours, days, or months and could be spread over several video files or segments. The meaning of “video” as used herein includes video files and video segments with associated metadata that have indications of time and identify which camera 108, in cases when there is more than one camera. The processing of the video is separated into multiple stages and distributed to optimize resource utilization and indexing for subsequent searching of objects (or persons) of interest. The video where such persons of interest are found in the search may then be reviewed by users. Video of scene 402 is captured by the camera 108. The scene 402 is within the field of view of the camera 108. The video is processed by the video analytics module 224 in the camera 108 to produce metadata with cropped bounding boxes 404. The video analytics module 224 performs the object detection and classification, and also generates images (cropped bounding boxes) from the video that best represent the objects in the scene 402. In this example, the images of the objects, classified as people or humans, are extracted from the video and included in the metadata as cropped bounding boxes 404 for further identification processing. The metadata with the cropped bounding boxes 404 and the video are sent over the network 140 to a server 406. The server 406 may be the workstation 156 or a client device 164. At the server 406, there are significantly more resources to further Process 408 the cropped bounding boxes 108 and generated Feature Vectors (or “Signatures” or “Binary Representations”) 410 to represent the objects in the scene 402. The Process 408 is, for example, known in the art as a feature descriptor. In computer vision, a feature descriptor is generally known as an algorithm that takes an image and outputs feature descriptions or feature vectors, via an image transformation. Feature descriptors encode information, i.e. an image, into a series of numbers to act as a numerical “fingerprint” that can be used to differentiate one feature from another. Ideally this information is invariant under image transformation so that the features could be found again in another image of the same object. Examples of feature descriptor algorithms are SIFT (Scale-invariant feature transform), HOG (histogram of oriented gradients), and SURF (Speeded Up Robust Features). A feature vector is an n-dimensional vector of numerical features (numbers) that represent an image of an object that can be processed by computers. By comparing the feature vector of one image of one object with the feature vector of another image, a computer implementable process may determine whether the one image and the another image are images of the same object. The image signatures (or feature vectors, or embedding, or representation, etc.) are multi-dimensional vectors calculated by (for example convolutional) neural networks. By calculating the Euclidean distance between the two feature vectors of the two images captured by the camera 108, a computer implementable process can determine a similarity score to indicate how similar the two images may be. The neural networks are trained in such manner that the feature vectors they compute for images are close (low Euclidian distance) for similar images and far (high Euclidian distance) for dissimilar images. In order to retrieve relevant images, the feature vector of the query image is compared with the feature vectors of the images in the database 414. The search results may be shown by ascending order of their distance (value between 0 and 1) to the query image. The similarity score may, for example, be a percentage as converted from the value between 0 and 1. In this example implementation, the Process 408 uses a learning machine to process the cropped bounding boxes 404 to generate the feature vectors or signatures of the images of the objects captured in the video. The learning machine is for example a neural network such as a convolutional neural network (CNN) running on a graphics processing unit (GPU). The CNN may be trained using training datasets containing millions of pairs of similar and dissimilar images. The CNN, for example, is a Siamese network architecture trained with a contrastive loss function to train the neural networks. An example of a Siamese network is described in Bromley, Jane, et al. “Signature verification using a “Siamese” time delay neural network.” International Journal of Pattern Recognition and Artificial Intelligence 7.04 (1993): 669-688, the contents of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. The Process 408 deploys a trained model in what is known as batch learning where all of the training is done before it is used in the appearance search system. The trained model, in this embodiment, is a convolutional neural network learning model with one possible set of parameters. There is an infinity of possible sets of parameters for a given learning model. Optimization methods (such as stochastic gradient descent), and numerical gradient computation methods (such as Backpropagation) may be used to find the set of parameters that minimize our objective function (AKA loss function). Contrastive loss function is used as the objective function. This function is defined such that it takes high values when it the current trained model is less accurate (assigns high distance to similar pairs, or low distance to dissimilar pairs), and low values when the current trained model is more accurate (assigns low distance to similar pairs, and high distance to dissimilar pairs). The training process is thus reduced to a minimization problem. The process of finding the most accurate model is the training process, the resulting model with the set of parameters is the trained model and the set of parameters is not changed once it is deployed onto the appearance search system. An alternate embodiment for Process 408 is to deploy a learning machine using what is known as online machine learning algorithms. The learning machine would be deployed in Process 408 with an initial set of parameters, however, the appearance search system will keep updating the parameters of the model based on some source of truth (for example, user feedback in the selection of the images of the objects of interest). Such learning machines also include other types of neural networks as well as convolutional neural networks. The cropped bounding boxes 404 of human objects are processed by the Process 408 to generate Feature Vectors 410. The Feature Vectors 410 are Indexed 412 and stored in a database 414 with the video. The Feature Vectors 410 are also associated with reference coordinates to where the cropped bounding boxes 404 of the human objects may be located in the video. The database 414 storage includes storing the video with time stamps and camera identification as well as the associated metadata with the Feature Vectors 410 of the cropped bounding boxes 404 and reference coordinates to where in the video the cropped bounding boxes 404 are located. To locate a particular person in the video, a feature vector of the person of interest is generated. Feature Vectors 416 which are similar to the feature vector of the person of interest are extracted from the database 414. The extracted Feature Vectors 416 are compared 418 to a threshold similarity score and those exceeding the threshold are provided to a client 420 for presentation to a user. The client 420 also has the video playback module 264 for the user to view the video associated with the extracted Feature Vectors 416. In greater detail, the trained model is trained with a pre-defined distance function used to compare the computed feature vectors. The same distance function is used when the trained model is deployed in the appearance search system. The distance function is the Euclidian distance between the feature vectors where the feature vectors are normalized to have unit norms, and thus all feature vectors lie on a unit-norm hypersphere. After computing and storing the feature vectors of the detected objects in the database, searching similar objects is done using an exact nearest neighbor search: exhaustively evaluating the distance from the queried feature vector (feature vector of the object of interest) to all other vectors in the time frame of interest. The search results are returned ranked by descending order of their distance to the queried feature vector. In an alternate embodiment, an approximate nearest neighbor search may be used. It is similar to its ‘exact’ counterpart, but it retrieves the most likely similar results without looking at all results. This is faster, but may introduce false negatives. An example of approximate nearest neighbor may use an indexing of a hashing of the feature vectors. An approximate nearest neighbor search may be faster where the number of feature vectors is large such as when the search time frames are long. For greater certainty, it is understood that an “object of interest” includes a “person of interest” and that a “person of interest” includes an “object of interest”. Referring now to FIG. 5, therein illustrated is a flow diagram of the example embodiment of FIG. 4 showing details of Appearance Search 500 for performing appearance matching at the client 420 to locate recorded videos of an object of interest. To initiate an appearance search for an object of interest, a feature vector of the object of interest is needed in order to search the database 414 for similar feature vectors. In Appearance Search 500, there is illustrated two example methods of initiating an appearance search. In the first method of initiating Appearance Search 500, an image of an object of interest is received 502 at the client 420 where it is sent to the Process 408 to generate 504 a feature vector of the object of interest. In the second method, the user searches 514 the database 414 for an image of the object of interest and retrieves 516 the feature vector of the object of interest which was previously generated when the video was processed for storage in the database 414. From either the first method or the second method, a search 506 is then made of the database 414 for candidate feature vectors that have a similarity score, as compared with the feature vector of the object of interest, beyond a threshold, which for example could be 70%. The images of the candidate feature vectors are received 508 and then presented at the client 420 for the user to select 510 the images of the candidate features vectors which are or may be of the object of interest. The client 420 tracks the selected images in a list. The list having the images which have been selected by the user as being of the object of interest. Optionally, the user at selection 510 may also remove images, which images have been selected by the user, from the list which were subsequently thought to be incorrect. With each selection of a new image (or images) of the object of interest at selection 510, the feature vectors of the new images is searched 506 at the database 414 and new candidate images of the object of interest are presented at the client 420 for the user to again select 510 new images which are or may be of the object of interest. This searching loop of Appearance Search 500 may continue until the user decides enough images of the object of interest has been located and ends the search 512. The user may then, for example, view or download the videos associated with the images on the list. Referring now to FIG. 6, therein illustrated is a flow diagram of the example embodiment of FIG. 4 showing details of Timed Appearance Search 600 for performing appearance matching at the client 420 to locate recorded videos of an object of interest either before or after a selected time. This type of search is useful for locating for example a lost bag by locating images closer to the current time and back tracking in time to locate who may have left a bag unattended. To initial an appearance search for an object of interest, a feature vector of the object of interest is needed in order to search the database 414 for similar feature vectors. In Timed Appearance Search 600, like Appearance Search 500; there are illustrated two example methods for initiating a timed appearance search. In the first method of initiating Appearance Search 600, an image of an object of interest is received 602 at the client 420 where it is sent to the Process 408 to generate 604 a feature vector of the object of interest. In the second method, the user searches 614 the database 414 for an image of the object of interest and retrieves 616 the feature vector of the object of interest which was previously generated when the video was processed before storage in the database 414. From either the first method or the second method, the Timed Appearance Search 600 is set 618 to search either forward or backward in time. With the first method, a search time may be manually set by the user. With the second method, the search start time is set at the time at which the image was captured by the camera 108. In this example, Timed Appearance Search 600 is set to search forward in time in order to locate for example a lost child closer to the current time. In another example, Timed Appearance Search 600 may be set to search backward in time when the user wishes for instance to determine who may have left a bag (the object of interest) unattended. A search 606 is then made of the database 414, forward in time from the search time, for candidate feature vectors that have a similarity score, as compared with the feature vector of the object of interest, beyond a threshold, which for example could be 80%. The images of the candidate feature vectors are received 608 and then presented at the client 420 for the user to select 610 one image from the images of the candidate feature vectors which is or may be of the object of interest. The client 420 tracks the selected images in a list. The list comprises the images which have been selected by the user as being of the object of interest. Optionally, the user at selection 610 may also remove images, which images have been selected by the user, from the list which were subsequently thought to be incorrect. With each selection of a new image of the object of interest at selection 610, the feature vector of the new images is searched 606, forward in time from the search time, at the database 414. The search time is the time at which the new image was captured by the camera 108. The new candidate images of the object of interest are presented at the client 420 for the user to again select 610 another new image which are or may be of the object of interest. This searching loop of the Timed Appearance Search 600 may continue until the user decides enough images of the object of interest have been located and ends the search 612. The user may then, for example, view or download the videos associated with the images on the list. While this example is for a search forward in time, a search backward in time is accordingly similar except the searches of the database 414 are filtered for hits that are backward, or which occurred before, the search time. Referring now to FIG. 7, therein illustrated are block diagrams of an example metadata of an Object Profile 702 with cropped bounding box 404 as sent by the camera 108 to server 406 and an example of the Object Profile 704 with the image 706 (cropped bounding box 404) replaced by the feature vector 708 of the cropped bounding box 404 for storage in the database 414. By storing the Object Profile 704 with the feature vector 708 instead of the image 706, some storage space can be saved as the image 706 file size is bigger than the feature vector 708 file size. As a result, significant savings in data storage can be achieved, since the cropped bounding boxes can often be quite large and numerous. The Data 710 in Object Profile 702 and Object Profile 704 has, for example, content including time stamp, frame number, resolution in pixels by width and height of the scene, segmentation mask of this frame by width and height in pixels and stride by row width in bytes, classification (person, vehicle, other), confidence by percent of the classification, box (bounding box surrounding the profiled object) by width and height in normalized sensor coordinates, image width and height in pixels as well as image stride (row width in bytes), segmentation mask of image, orientation, and x & y coordinates of the image box. The feature vector 708 is a binary representation (binary in the sense of being composed of zeros and ones) of the image 706 with, for example, 48 dimensions: 48 floating point numbers. The number of dimensions may be larger or smaller depending on the learning machine being used to generate the feature vectors. While higher dimensions generally have greater accuracy, the computational resources required may also be very high. The cropped bounding box 404 or image 706 can be re-extracted from the recorded video using reference coordinates, thus the cropped bounding box 404 does not have to be saved in addition to the video. The reference coordinates may, for example, include time stamp, frame number, and box. As an example, the reference coordinates are just the time stamp with the associated video file where time stamp has sufficient accuracy to back track to the original image frame, and where the time stamp does not have sufficient accuracy to trace back to the original image frame, an image frame close to the original image frame may be good enough as image frames close in time in a video are generally very similar. While this example embodiment has the Object Profile 704 replacing a feature vector with an image, other embodiments may have the image being compressed using conventional methods. Referring now to FIG. 8, therein is illustrated the scene 402 and the cropped bounding boxes 404 of the example embodiment of FIG. 4. There are shown in the scene 402 the three people who are detected. Their images 802, 806, 808 are extracted by the camera 108 and sent to the server 406 as the cropped bounding boxes 404. The images 802, 806, 808 are the representative images of the three people in the video over a period of time. The three people in the video are in motion and their captured images will accordingly be different over a given period of time. To filter the images to a manageable number, a representative image (or images) is selected as the cropped bounding boxes 404 for further processing. Referring now to FIG. 9, therein illustrated is a block diagram of a set of operational sub-modules of the video analytics module 224 according to one example embodiment. The video analytics module 224 includes a number of modules for performing various tasks. For example, the video analytics module 224 includes an object detection module 904 for detecting objects appearing in the field of view of the video capturing device 108. The object detection module 904 may employ any known object detection method such as motion detection and blob detection, for example. The object detection module 904 may include the systems and use the detection methods described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,627,171 entitled “Methods and Systems for Detecting Objects of Interest in Spatio-Temporal Signals,” the entire contents of which is incorporated herein by reference. The video analytics module 224 also includes an object tracking module 908 connected or coupled to the object detection module 904. The object tracking module 908 is operable to temporally associate instances of an object detected by the object detection module 908. The object tracking module 908 may include the systems and use the methods described in U.S. Pat. No. 8,224,029 entitled “Object Matching for Tracking, Indexing, and Search,” the entire contents of which is incorporated herein by reference. The object tracking module 908 generates metadata corresponding to visual objects it tracks. The metadata may correspond to signatures of the visual object representing the object's appearance or other features. The metadata is transmitted to the server 406 for processing. The video analytics module 224 also includes an object classification module 916 which classifies detected objects from the object detection module 904 and connects to the object tracking module 908. The object classification module 916 may include internally, an instantaneous object classification module 918 and a temporal object classification module 912. The instantaneous object classification module 918 determines a visual object's type (such as, for example, human, vehicle, or animal) based upon a single instance of the object. The input to the instantaneous object classification module 916 is preferably a sub-region (for example within a bounding box) of an image in which the visual object of interest is located rather than the entire image frame. A benefit of inputting a sub-region of the image frame to the classification module 916 is that the whole scene need not be analyzed for classification, thereby requiring less processing power. The video analytics module 224 may, for example, filter out all object types except human for further processing. The temporal object classification module 912 may also maintains class (such as, for example, human, vehicle, or animal) information of an object over a period of time. The temporal object classification module 912 averages the instantaneous class information of the object provided by the instantaneous object classification module 918 over a period of time during the lifetime of the object. In other words, the temporal object classification module 912 determines the objects type based on its appearance in multiple frames. For example, gait analysis of the way a person walks can be useful to classify a person, or analysis of a person's legs can be useful to classify a cyclist. The temporal object classification module 912 may combine information regarding the trajectory of an object (such as, for example, whether the trajectory is smooth or chaotic, or whether the object is moving or motionless) and confidence information of the classifications made by the instantaneous object classification module 918 averaged over multiple frames. For example, classification confidence values determined by the object classification module 916 may be adjusted based on the smoothness of trajectory of the object. The temporal object classification module 912 may assign an object to an unknown class until the visual object is classified by the instantaneous object classification module 918 a sufficient number of times and a predetermined number of statistics have been gathered. In classifying an object, the temporal object classification module 912 may also take into account how long the object has been in the field of view. The temporal object classification module 912 may make a final determination about the class of an object based on the information described above. The temporal object classification module 912 may also use a hysteresis approach for changing the class of an object. More specifically, a threshold may be set for transitioning the classification of an object from unknown to a definite class, and that threshold may be larger than a threshold for the opposite transition (such as, for example, from a human to unknown). The object classification module 916 may generate metadata related to the class of an object, and the metadata may be stored in the database 414. The temporal object classification module 912 may aggregate the classifications made by the instantaneous object classification module 918. In an alternative arrangement, the object classification module 916 is placed after the object detection module 904 and before the object tracking module 908 so that object classification occurs before object tracking. In another alternative arrangement, the object detection, tracking, temporal classification, and classification modules 904, 908, 912, and 916 are interrelated as described above. In a further alternative embodiment, the video analytics module 224 may use facial recognition (as is known in the art) to detect faces in the images of humans and accordingly provides confidence levels. The appearance search system of such an embodiment may include using feature vectors of the images or cropped bounding boxes of the faces instead of the whole human as shown in FIG. 8. Such facial feature vectors may be used alone or in conjunction with feature vectors of the whole object. Further, feature vectors of parts of objects may similarly be used alone or in conjunction with feature vectors of the whole object. For example, a part of an object may be an image of an ear of a human. Ear recognition to identify individuals is known in the art. In each image frame of a video, the video analytics module 224 detects the objects and extracts the images of each object. An image selected from these images is referred to as a finalization of the object. The finalizations of the objects are intended to select the best representation of the visual appearance of each object during its lifetime in the scene. A finalization is used to extract a signature/feature vector which can further be used to query other finalizations to retrieve the closest match in an appearance search setting. The finalization of the object can ideally be generated on every single frame of the object's lifetime. If this is done, then the computation requirements may be too high for appearance search to be currently practical as there are many image frames in even one second of video. The following is an example of filtering of possible finalizations, or the selection of an image from possible images, of an object to represent the object over a period of time in order to reduce computational requirements. As an Object (a human) enters the scene 402, it is detected by the object detection module 904 as an object. The object classification module 916 would then classify the Object as a human or person with a confidence level for the object to be a human. The Object is tracked in the scene 402 by the object tracking module 908 through each of the image frames of the video captured by the camera 108. The Object may also be identified by a track number as it is being tracked. In each image frame, an image of the Object within a bounding box surrounding the Object is extracted from the image frame and the image is a cropped bounding box. The object classification module 916 provides a confidence level for the Object as being a human for each image frame, for example. As a further exemplary embodiment, where the object classification module 916 provides a relatively low confidence level for the classification of the Object as being a human (for example) then a Padded cropped bounding box is extracted so that a more computational intensive object detection and classification module (for example Process 408) at a server resolves the Object Padded cropped bounding box before the feature vector is generated. The more computational intensive object detection and classification module may be another neural network to resolve or extract the Object from another overlapping or closely adjacent object. A relatively low confidence level (for example 50%) may also be used to indicate which cropped bounding boxes or Padded cropped bounding boxes should be further processed to resolve issues, such as other objects within the bounding box, before the feature vector is generated. The video analytics module 224 keeps a list of a certain number of cropped bounding boxes, for example the top 10 cropped bounding boxes with highest confidence levels as the Object is tracked in the scene 402. When the object tracking module 908 loses track of the Object or when the Object exits the scene, the cropped bounding box 404 is selected from the list of 10 cropped bounding boxes which shows the Object with the largest number of foreground pixels (or object pixels). The cropped bounding box 404 is sent with the metadata to the server 406 for further processing. The cropped bounding box 404 represents the image of the Object over this tracked period of time. The confidence levels are used to reject cropped bounding boxes which may not represent a good picture of the Object such as when the Object crosses a shadow. Alternatively, more than one cropped bounding box may be picked from the list of top 10 cropped bounding boxes for sending to the server 406. For example, another cropped bounding box selected by the highest confidence level may be sent as well. The list of the top 10 cropped bounding boxes is one implementation. Alternatively, the list could be only 5 cropped bounding boxes or 20 cropped bounding boxes as further examples. Further, the selection of a cropped bounding box for sending as the cropped bounding box 404 from the list of cropped bounding boxes may occur periodically instead of just after the loss of tracking. Alternatively, the cropped bounding box selection from the list may be based on the highest confidence level instead of on the largest number of object pixels. Alternatively, the video analytics module 224 may be located at the server 406 (the workstation 156), the processing appliance 148, the client device 164, or at other devices off the camera. The cropped bounding box selection criterion mentioned above are possible solutions to the problem of representing an objects lifetime by a single cropped bounding box. Below is another selection criteria. Alternatively, filtration of the top 10 of n cropped bounding boxes can be performed by using the information provided by a height estimation algorithm of the object classification module 916. The height estimation module creates a homology matrix based on head (top) and foot (bottom) locations observed over a period of time. The period of learning the homology is hereby referred to as a learning phase. The resulting homology is further used to estimate the height of a true object appearing at a particular location and is compared with the observed height of an object at that location. Once the learning is complete, the information provided by the height estimation module can be used to filter out cropped bounding boxes in the top n list by comparing the heights of the cropped bounding boxes with the expected height of an object at the location where the cropped bounding box was captured. This filtering method is intended to be a rejection criterion of cropped bounding boxes which may be false positives with high confidence reported by the object classification module 916. The resulting filtered cropped bounding boxes can then be further ranked by the number of foreground pixels captured by the object. This multi-stage filtration criteria ensures that not only does the finalization of the object have high classification confidence, but is also conformant to the dimensions of the expected object at its location and furthermore, also has a good number of foreground pixels as reported by the object detection module 904. The resulting cropped bounding box from the multi-stage filtration criteria may better represent the appearance of the object during its lifetime in the frame as compared to a cropped bounding box that results from any of the above mentioned criteria applied singularly. The machine learning module herein includes machine learning algorithms as is known in the art. Referring now to FIG. 10A, therein illustrated is a block diagram of Process 408 of FIG. 4 according to another example embodiment. Images of objects (cropped bounding boxes, including Padded cropped bounding boxes) 404 are received by the Process 408 where it is processed by a first neural network 1010 to detect, classify, and outline objects in the cropped bounding boxes 404. The first neural network 1010 and second neural network 1030 are, for example, convolutional neural networks. The first neural network 1010, for example, detects zero, one, two, or more humans (as classified) for a given cropped bounding box of the Clips 404. If zero then it means no human objects were detected and the initial classification (at the Camera 108) was incorrect and that a feature vector 410 should not be generated for the give cropped bounding box (End 1020). If one human object is detected then the given cropped bounding box should be processed further. Where the given cropped bounding box is a Padded cropped bounding box, the image of the object of the given cropped bounding box is, optionally, reduced in size to be within the bounding box of the object as with other non-Padded cropped bounding boxes. If two or more (2+) human object are detected in a given cropped bounding box then, in this embodiment, the image of the object closest to the co-ordinates of the center (or closest to the center) of the “object” in the image frame is extracted from the image frame for a new cropped bounding box to replace the given cropped bounding box in the cropped bounding boxes 404 for further processing. The first neural network 1010 outputs outlined images of objects (cropped bounding boxes) 1040 for processing by the second neural network 1030 to generate feature vectors 410 to associate with the cropped bounding boxes 404. An example first neural network 1010 is a single shot multibox detector (SSD) as known in the art. Referring now to FIG. 10B, therein illustrated is a block diagram of Process 408 of FIG. 4 according to a further example embodiment. Images of objects (cropped bounding boxes including Padded cropped bounding boxes) 404 are received by the Process 408 where a comparator 1050 determines the confidence level associated with the cropped bounding boxes 404. The cropped bounding boxes 404 from the Camera 108 have associated metadata (such as confidence level) as determined by a video analytics module at the Camera 108. Where the confidence level of a given cropped bounding box is relatively low (for example at under 50%), the given cropped bounding box is processed according to the embodiment in FIG. 10A starting with the first neural network 1010 and ending with the feature vector 410. Where the confidence level of a given cropped bounding box is relatively high (for example at 50% and over), the given cropped bounding box is processed directly by the second neural network 1030 and bypassing the first neural network 1010 to generate the feature vector 410. The embodiments describing extracting a Padded cropped bounding box at the camera 108 include extracting all images of objects as Padded cropped bounding boxes while other embodiments only extract Padded cropped bounding boxes when the confidence level is relatively low for the associated classified objects. It is noted that the first neural network 1010 may process both Padded and non-Padded cropped bounding boxes for better accuracy and some implementations may have the first neural network process all cropped bounding boxes where computational resources are available. While the first neural network 1010 may process all Padded cropped bounding boxes, it may also process a portion of the non-Padded cropped bounding boxes which have lower confidence levels. The threshold confidence level set by the Comparator 1050 may be lower than the threshold confidence level set for extracting Padded cropped bounding boxes at the camera 108. In some embodiments, some of the Padded cropped bounding boxes may also skip processing by the first neural network 1010 and go directly to the second neural network 1030 especially when computational resources are tied up with other functions on the server 406. Thus, the number of cropped bounding boxes processed by the first neural network may be set depending the amount of computational resources available at the server 406. Referring now to FIG. 11, therein is illustrated a flow diagram of Process 408 of FIG. 11A and 11B according to another exemplary embodiment. For a given cropped bounding box 1110 (whether non-Padded or Padded) that has three human objects, the first neural network 1010 detects each of the three human objects and outlines the images of each of the three human objects into cropped bounding boxes 1120, 1130, 1140. The feature vectors of the cropped bounding boxes 1120, 1130, 1140 are then generated by the second neural network 1030. The cropped bounding boxes 1120, 1130, 1140 with their associated feature vectors replace the given cropped bounding box 1110 of the cropped bounding boxes 404 in the index 412 and the database 414. In an alternative embodiment with an image containing multiple objects, only the object that maximally overlaps is kept (cropped bounding box 1130) and the other cropped bounding boxes are discarded. Thus in an embodiment, object detection is performed in two stages: (1) camera 108 performs a less accurate, but power-efficient object detection, and sends padded object cropped bounding boxes to server 406. Padding the cropped bounding box gives the server-side algorithm more pixel context to perform object detection and allows the server-side algorithm to recover parts of the objects that were truncated by the camera-side algorithm; then (2) the server 406, using a more accurate, but more power-intensive algorithm performs object detection on the padded cropped bounding box. This provides a compromise between network bandwidth usage as the network stream that carries the object cropped bounding boxes may have very low bandwidth. Sending full frames at a high framerate would be impractical in such an environment unless a video codec is used (which would require video decoding on server 406). If the server-side object detection was performed on an encoded video stream (as the one used for video recording), then it would be necessary to perform video decoding before running the object detection algorithms. However, the computational requirement needed to decode multiple video streams may be too high to be practical. Thus, in this embodiment, camera 108 performs “approximate” object detection and sends relevant Padded cropped bounding boxes to the server using a relatively low bandwidth communication channel, and therefore camera 108 uses less computer-intensive algorithms to create the Padded cropped bounding boxes that likely contain objects of interest. While the above description provides examples of the embodiments with human objects as the primary objects of interest, it will be appreciated that the underlying methodology of extracting cropped bounding boxes from objects, computing a feature vector representation from them and furthermore, using this feature vector as a basis to compare against feature vectors from other objects, is agnostic of the class of the object under consideration. A specimen object could include a bag, a backpack or a suitcase, for example. An appearance search system to locates vehicles, animals, and inanimate objects may accordingly be implemented using the features and/or functions as described herein without departing from the spirit and principles of operation of the described embodiments. While the above description provides examples of the embodiments, it will be appreciated that some features and/or functions of the described embodiments are susceptible to modification without departing from the spirit and principles of operation of the described embodiments. Accordingly, what has been described above has been intended to be illustrated non-limiting and it will be understood by persons skilled in the art that other variants and modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the claims appended hereto. Furthermore, any feature of any of the embodiments described herein may be suitably combined with any other feature of any of the other embodiments described herein. | <SOH> BACKGROUND <EOH>Computer implemented visual object classification, also called object recognition, pertains to the classifying of visual representations of real-life objects found in still images or motion videos captured by a camera. By performing visual object classification, each visual object found in the still images or motion video is classified according to its type (such as, for example, human, vehicle, or animal). Automated security and surveillance systems typically employ video cameras or other image capturing devices or sensors to collect image data such as video or video footage. In the simplest systems, images represented by the image data are displayed for contemporaneous screening by security personnel and/or recorded for later review after a security breach. In those systems, the task of detecting and classifying visual objects of interest is performed by a human observer. A significant advance occurs when the system itself is able to perform object detection and classification, either partly or completely. In a typical surveillance system, one may be interested in detecting objects such as humans, vehicles, animals, etc. that move through the environment. However, if for example a child is lost in a large shopping mall, it could be very time consuming for security personnel to manually review video footage for the lost child. Computer-implemented detection of objects in the images represented by the image data captured by the cameras can significantly facilitate the task of reviewing relevant video segments by the security personnel in order to find the lost child in a timely manner. That being said, computer-implemented analysis of video to detect and recognize objects and which objects are similar requires substantial computing resources especially as the desired accuracy increases. It would facilitate computer implementation if the processing could be distributed to optimize resource utilization. | <SOH> SUMMARY <EOH>In a first aspect of the disclosure, there is provided an appearance search system comprising one or more cameras configured to capture video of a scene, the video having images of objects. The system comprises one or more processors and memory comprising computer program code stored on the memory and configured when executed by the one or more processors to cause the one or more processors to perform a method. The method comprises identifying one or more of the objects within the images of the objects. The method further comprises implementing a learning machine configured to generate signatures of the identified objects and generate a signature of an object of interest. The system further comprises a network configured to send the images of the objects from the camera to the one or more processors. The method further comprises comparing the signatures of the identified objects with the signature of the object of interest to generate similarity scores for the identified objects, and transmitting an instruction for presenting on a display one or more of the images of the objects based on the similarity scores. The system may further comprise a storage system for storing the generated signatures of the identified objects, and the video. The implemented learning machine may be a second learning machine, and the identifying may be performed by a first learning machine implemented by the one or more processors. The first and second learning machines me comprise neural networks. The neural networks may comprise convolutional neural networks. The neutral networks or convolutional neural networks mat comprise trained models. The system may further comprise one or more graphics processing units for running the first and second learning machines. The one or more cameras may be further configured to capture the images of the objects using video analytics. The one or more cameras may be further configured to filter the images of the objects by classification of the objects. The one or more cameras may be further configured to identify one or more of the images comprising human objects, and the network may be further configured to send only the identified images to the one or more processors. The images of the objects may comprise portions of image frames of the video. The portions of the image frames may comprise first image portions of the image frames, the first image portions including at least the objects. The portions of the image frames may comprise second image portions of the image frames, the second image portions being larger than the first image portions. The first learning machine may be configured to outline one or more of, or all of, the objects within the second image portions, for the second learning machine. The one or more cameras may be further configured to generate reference coordinates for allowing extraction from the video of the images of the objects. The storage system may be configured to store the reference coordinates. The one or more cameras may be further configured to select one or more images from the video captured over a period of time for obtaining one or more of the images of the objects. The identifying of the objects may comprise outlining the one or more of the objects in the images. The identifying may comprise identifying multiple ones of the objects within at least one of the images; and dividing the at least one of images into multiple divided images, each divided image comprising at least a portion of one of the identified objects. The method may further comprise, for each identified object: determining a confidence level; and if the confidence level does not meet a confidence requirement, then causing the identifying and the dividing to be performed by the first learning machine; or if the confidence level meets the confidence requirement, then causing the identifying and the dividing to be performed by the second learning machine. The one or more cameras may further comprise one or more video analytics modules for determining the confidence level. In a further aspect of the disclosure, there is provided a method comprising capturing video of a scene, the video having images of objects. The method further comprises identifying one or more of the objects within the images of the objects. The method further comprises generating, using a learning machine, signatures of the identified objects, and a signature of an object of interest. The method further comprises generating similarity scores for the identified objects by comparing the signatures of the identified objects with the first signature of the object of interest. The method further comprises presenting on a display one or more of the images of the objects based on the similarity scores. The method may further comprise performing any of the steps or operations described above in connection with the first aspect of the disclosure. In a further aspect of the disclosure, there is provided a computer-readable medium having stored thereon computer program code executable by one or more processors and configured when executed by the one or more processors to cause the one or more processors to perform a method. The method comprises capturing video of a scene, the video having images of objects. The method further comprises identifying one or more of the objects within the images of the objects. The method further comprises generating, using a learning machine, signatures of the identified objects, and a signature of an object of interest. The method further comprises generating similarity scores for the identified objects by comparing the signatures of the identified objects with the first signature of the object of interest. The method further comprises presenting on a display one or more of the images of the objects based on the similarity scores. The method performed by the one or more one or more processors may further comprise performing any of the steps or operations described above in connection with the first aspect of the disclosure. In a further aspect of the disclosure, there is provided a system comprising: one or more cameras configured to capture video of a scene. The system further comprises one or more processors and memory comprising computer program code stored on the memory and configured when executed by the one or more processors to cause the one or more processors to perform a method. The method comprises extracting chips from the video, wherein the chips comprise images of objects. The method further comprises identifying multiple objects within at least one of the chips. The method further comprises dividing the at least one chip into multiple divided chips, each divided chip comprising at least a portion of one of the identified objects. The method may further comprise implementing a learning machine configured to generate signatures of the identified objects and generate a signature of an object of interest. The learning machine may be a second learning machine, and the identifying and the dividing may be performed by a first learning machine implemented by the one or more processors. The method may further comprise, for each identified object: determining a confidence level; and if the confidence level does not meet a confidence requirement, then causing the identifying and the dividing to be performed by the first learning machine; or if the confidence level meets the confidence requirement, then causing the identifying and the dividing to be performed by the second learning machine. The one or more cameras may comprise one or more video analytics modules for determining the confidence level. The at least one chip may comprise at least one padded chip. Each padded chip may comprise a first image portion of an image frame of the video. The at least one chip may further comprise at least one non-padded chip. Each non-padded chip may comprise a second image portion of an image frame of the video, the second image portion being smaller than the first image portion. In a further aspect of the disclosure, there is provided a computer-readable medium having stored thereon computer program code executable by one or more processors and configured when executed by the one or more processors to cause the one or more processors to perform a method. The method comprises obtaining video of a scene. The method further comprises extracting chips from the video, wherein the chips comprise images of objects. The method further comprises identifying multiple objects within at least one of the chips. The method further comprises dividing the at least one chip into multiple divided chips, each divided chip comprising at least a portion of one of the identified objects. The method performed by the one or more one or more processors may further comprise performing any of the steps or operations described above in connection with the immediately above-described system. In a further aspect of the disclosure, there is provided an appearance search system comprising: cameras for capturing videos of scenes, the videos having images of objects; a processor with a learning machine for generating signatures from the images of the objects associated with the videos and for generating a first signature from a first image of an object of interest; a network for sending the images of the objects from the cameras to the processor; and a storage system for storing the generated signatures of the objects and the associated videos; wherein the processor further compares the signatures from the images with the first signature of the object of interest to generate similarity scores, and further prepares the images of the objects with higher similarity scores for presentation to users at a display. According to some example embodiments, the learning machine is a neural network. According to some example embodiments, the neural network is a convolutional neural network. According to some example embodiments, the neutral network is a trained model. According to some example embodiments, a graphics processing unit is used for running the learning machine. According to some example embodiments, the images of objects are captured at the cameras and processed using video analytics at the cameras. According to some example embodiments the images, of objects are filtered by classification of object type at the cameras before being sent to the processor. According to some example embodiments, the object type being sent to the processor is human. According to some example embodiments, the cameras capturing the images of objects from the videos further comprises capturing reference coordinates of the images within the videos such that the images of objects can be extracted from the videos based on the reference coordinates. According to some example embodiments, the images extracted from the video are deleted and the storage system stores the signatures, the reference coordinates, and the video. According to some example embodiments, the video analytics selects one or more images of an object over a period of time to represent the captured images of the object of the period of time. In a further aspect of the disclosure, there is provided a computer-implemented method of appearance searching for an object of interest which is in videos captured by a camera, the method comprising: extracting images of objects from the videos taken by the camera; sending the images of the objects and the videos over a network to a processor; generating, by the processor, signatures from the images of the objects using a learning machine; storing the signatures of the objects and the videos, associated with the objects, in a storage system; generating, by the processor, a signature from an image of any object of interest using the learning machine; comparing, by the processor, the signatures from the images in the storage system with the signature of the object of interest to generate a similarity score for each comparison; and preparing the images of the objects with higher similarity scores for presentation to users at a display. In a further aspect of the disclosure, there is provided a computer implemented method of appearance searching for an object of interest which is in videos captured by a camera, the method comprising: extracting images of objects from the videos taken by the camera; sending the images of the objects and the videos over a network to a processor; generating, by the processor, signatures from the images of the objects using a learning machine wherein the images of the objects comprises images of the object of interest; storing the signatures of the objects and the videos, associated with the objects, in a storage system; searching through the storage system for an instance of an image of the object of interest; retrieving from the storage the signature of the object of interest for the instance of the image of the object of interest; comparing, by the processor, the signatures from the images in the storage system with the signature of the object of interest to generate a similarity score for each comparison; and preparing the images of the objects with higher similarity scores for presentation to users at a display. In a further aspect of the disclosure, there is provided a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, having stored thereon instructions, that when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform a method for appearance searching of an object of interest which is in videos captured by a camera, the method comprising: extracting images of objects from the videos taken by the camera; sending the images of the objects and the videos over a network to a processor; generating, by the processor, signatures from the images of the objects using a learning machine wherein the images of the objects comprises images of the object of interest; storing the signatures of the objects and the videos, associated with the objects, in a storage system; searching through the storage system for an instance of an image of the object of interest; retrieving from the storage the signature of the object of interest for the instance of the image of the object of interest; comparing, by the processor, the signatures from the images in the storage system with the signature of the object of interest to generate a similarity score for each comparison; and preparing the images of the objects with higher similarity scores for presentation to users at a display. | G06K966 | 20171205 | 20180607 | 61689.0 | G06K966 | 1 | NGUYEN, TUAN HOANG | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR APPEARANCE SEARCH | UNDISCOUNTED | 0 | ACCEPTED | G06K | 2,017 |
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15,832,664 | PENDING | ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT DATA CENTER OR CO-LOCATION FACILITY DESIGNS AND METHODS OF MAKING AND USING THE SAME | The present invention relates to electronic equipment data center or co-location facility designs and methods of making and using the same in an environmentally aware manner, and generally provides apparatus and methods for using novel support bracket structures, and thermal panels associated with the same, that allow for distinct partitioning of air flowing in hot aisles and cold aisles, as well as for holding wiring above cabinets that are used to store electronic equipment in the facility. | 1. A structure for managing heat emitted by electronic equipment disposed within a room having a ceiling, comprising: at least one cluster of cabinets formed by two separated rows of cabinets such that the rows of cabinets are positioned in a cabinet back to cabinet back configuration to form a hot aisle enclosure area, such that electronic equipment located within the cabinets generate heated air which is emitted from the cabinets into the hot aisle enclosure area and a front side of the cabinets faces a cold aisle, such that air in the cold aisle is at a temperature that is less than air in the hot aisle enclosure area; at least one closure element located at an end of the rows of cabinets, such that the at least one closure element is perpendicular to the two separated rows, and the at least one closure element in combination with the two separated rows of cabinets establishing the hot aisle enclosure area; and a thermal shield extending upward from the top of the cabinets to form a hot air path above the hot aisle enclosure area, the thermal shield forming a wall above the two separated rows of cabinets that surrounds the hot air path to cause substantially all of the heated air bounded by the two separated rows and the at least one closure element to be contained within the hot aisle enclosure area and the hot air path, such that the heated air rises from the hot aisle enclosure area, through the hot air path, and into a warm air area disposed above the top edge of the thermal shield, wherein the top of the warm air area is bounded by the ceiling of the room. 2. The structure of claim 1 further comprising: an air conditioning system which includes at least one air conditioning unit, a warm air intake vent, and a cold air output vent, the at least one air conditioning unit configured to: draw in warm air from the warm air area through the warm air intake vent; condition the warm air to create cold air; and emit the cold air through the cold air output vent to deliver cold air to the cold aisle. 3. The structure of claim 2 wherein the cold air output vent is disposed above the ceiling, and wherein the cold air falls toward the cabinets in the cold aisle. 4. The structure of claim 2 wherein the cold air output vent is disposed beneath the two separated rows, and wherein the cold air is pushed up into the cold aisle. 5. The structure of claim 1 further comprising at least one support bracket that extends upward from a floor to support the thermal shield. 6. The structure of claim 5 wherein the at least one support bracket also supports one or more cable racks. 7. The structure of claim 5 wherein the at least one support bracket does not connect to the cabinets. 8. The structure of claim 1 wherein the thermal shield comprises steel. 9. The structure of claim 1 wherein the thermal shield is formed from a composite. 10. The structure of claim 1 wherein the thermal shield comprises plastic. 11. The structure of claim 2 wherein the air conditioning system includes a condenser that is disposed outside the walls of a building containing the room. 12. The structure of claim 2 wherein the at least one air conditioning unit is located above the thermal shield. 13. The structure of claim 2 wherein the at least one air conditioning unit is located above the ceiling. 14. The structure of claim 2 wherein the air conditioning units are located next to the warm air area. 15. A structure for managing heat emitted by electronic equipment disposed within a room having a ceiling, comprising: at least one cluster of cabinets formed by separate rows of cabinets such that each row of cabinets has a cabinet row front side, a cabinet row back side, and one or more cabinet row ends, the rows of cabinets positioned in a cabinet row back side facing a cabinet row back side configuration to form a hot aisle enclosure area, such that electronic equipment located within the cabinets generates heated air which is emitted from the cabinet row back side into the hot aisle enclosure area while a cabinet row front side faces a cold aisle, the air in the cold aisle maintained at a temperature that is less than a temperature of the air in the hot aisle enclosure area; at least one closure element located at one or more of the cabinet row ends, such that the at least one closure element in combination with the separated rows of cabinets forms the hot aisle enclosure area; a thermal shield extending upward above the top of the cabinets to form an enclosed hot air path above the hot aisle enclosure area, the thermal shield forming a wall that surrounds the hot air path to cause substantially all of the heated air within the hot aisle enclosure area to rise up and be contained within the hot air path; and a ceiling of the room, such that the heated air rises from the hot aisle enclosure area into and through the hot air path, and into a warm air area disposed above the top edge of the thermal shield, wherein the ceiling of the room is the top of the warm air area. 16. The structure of claim 15 further comprising: an air conditioning system which includes at least one air conditioning unit, a warm air intake vent, and a cold air output vent, the at least one air conditioning unit configured to: draw in warm air from the warm air area through the warm air intake vent; condition the warm air to create cold air; and emit the cold air through the cold air output vent to deliver cold air to the cold aisle. 17. The structure of claim 15 further comprising at least one support bracket that extends upward from a floor to support the thermal shield. 18. The structure of claim 17 wherein the at least one support bracket also supports one or more cable racks. 19. The structure of claim 17 wherein the at least one support bracket does not connect to the cabinets. 20. The structure of claim 16 wherein the air conditioning system includes a condenser that is disposed outside the walls of a building containing the room. | CROSS REFERENCE To RELATED APPLICATIONS This application is a continuation of and claims priority to U.S. application Ser. No. 15/691,134 filed on Aug. 30, 2017, which is a continuation of and claims priority to U.S. application Ser. No. 12/138,771 filed on Jun. 13, 2008 now issued as U.S. Pat. No. 9,788,455 on Oct. 10, 2017, which claims priority to U.S. Provisional Appln. No. 60/944,082 filed Jun. 14, 2007 entitled “Electronic Equipment Data Center or Co-Location Facility Designs and Methods of Making and Using the Same,” which application is expressly incorporated by reference herein. FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to electronic equipment data center or co-location facility designs and methods of making and using the same in an environmentally aware manner. BACKGROUND Data centers and server co-location facilities are well-known. In such facilities, rows of electronics equipment, such as servers, typically owned by different entities, are stored. In many facilities, cabinets are used in which different electronics equipment is stored, so that only the owners of that equipment, and potentially the facility operator, have access therein. In many instances, the owner of the facilities manages the installation and removal of servers within the facility, and is responsible for maintaining utility services that are needed for the servers to operate properly. These utility services typically include providing electrical power for operation of the servers, providing telecommunications ports that allow the servers to connect to transmission grids that are typically owned by telecommunication carriers, and providing air-conditioning services that maintain temperatures in the facility at sufficiently low levels. There are some well-known common aspects to the designs of these facilities. For example, it is known to have the electronic equipment placed into rows, and further to have parallel rows of equipment configured back-to back so that each row of equipment generally forces the heat from the electronic equipment toward a similar area, known as a hot aisle, as that aisle generally contains warmer air that results from the forced heat from the electronics equipment. In the front of the equipment is thus established a cold aisle. There are different systems for attempting to collect hot air that results from the electronics equipment, cooling that hot air, and then introducing cool air to the electronics equipment. These air-conditioning systems also must co-exist with power and communications wiring for the electronics equipment. Systems in which the electronics equipment is raised above the floor are well-known, as installing the communications wiring from below the equipment has been perceived to offer certain advantages. Routing wiring without raised floors is also known—though not with systematic separation of power and data as described herein. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to electronic equipment data center or co-location facility designs and methods of making and using the same in an environmentally aware manner. The present invention generally provides apparatus and methods for using novel support bracket structures, and thermal panels associated with the same, that allow for distinct partitioning of air flowing in hot aisles and cold aisles, as well as for holding wiring above cabinets that are used to store electronic equipment in the facility. In one aspect, the present invention provides a facility for maintaining electronic equipment disposed in a plurality of cage cabinets at a cool temperature using a plurality of air conditioning units, the cage cabinets positioned in at least one row so that the electronic equipment disposed therein emit heated air in a predetermined direction from the cage cabinets to establish a hot aisle, and an opposite side of the row establishing a cold aisle, the plurality of air conditioning units receiving heated air and emitting cooled air. In this aspect, the facility comprises a floor on which the plurality of cage cabinets are disposed in the at least one row, the floor being within a space that has walls that define a room. A plurality of support brackets are disposed along the row, so that a portion of each of the support bracket is disposed above the plurality of cage cabinets. A thermal shield is supported by the at least some of the plurality of support brackets, the thermal shield providing a contiguous wall around a hot air area above the at least one row of electronic cabinets to define a warm exhaust channel that traps the heated air within the enclosure area and causes substantially all the heated air within the enclosure area to rise up within the warm exhaust channel. A space separated from the room in which the plurality of air conditioning units are disposed is provided. A warm air escape channel is disposed above the warm exhaust channel, the warm air escape channel feeding the heated air to the plurality of air conditioning units. A cool air channel that connects between the air conditioning system and the cold aisle, the cool air channel delivering cool air from the plurality of air conditioning units to the cool aisle. In another aspect, the invention provides an apparatus for separating warm air from cooler air, the warmer air being produced within an enclosure area bounded by a plurality of cage cabinets positioned so that electronic equipment disposed therein emit heated air into the enclosure area, the cage cabinets positioned in at least one row so that the electronic equipment disposed therein emit heated air from in each in a predetermined direction from the cage cabinets to establish a hot aisle, and an opposite side of the row establishing a cold aisle. In this aspect, the apparatus comprises a plurality of support brackets disposed along the row, so that a portion of each of the support bracket is disposed above the plurality of cage cabinets and a thermal shield supported by the at least some of the plurality of support brackets. The thermal shield provides a contiguous wall around a hot air area above the at least one row of electronic cabinets to define a warm exhaust channel that traps the heated air within the enclosure area and causes substantially all the heated air within the enclosure area to rise up within the warm exhaust channel. In another aspect, the plurality of support brackets according to the invention may each further include a plurality of tiered ladder rack supports having ladder racks thereover to establish a plurality of different tiers outside the contiguous wall, so that each of the different tiers is adapted to hold a different type of transmission line that is substantially shielded from the heated air. In a further aspect, the present invention includes a method of forming a facility for housing electrical equipment. This aspect of the invention comprises the steps of determining a location for at least a one row of cage cabinets that will house the electrical equipment, the at least one row of cage cabinets defining an enclosure area so that electronic equipment disposed within the cabinets will emit heated air in a predetermined direction from the electronic cabinets toward the enclosure area. Mounting a plurality of support brackets in relation to the row of cage cabinets so that at least a portion of each of the support brackets is disposed above the cage cabinets. Mounting a contiguous wall around the enclosure area above the cage cabinets using the support brackets to define the warm exhaust channel so that that substantially all warm air within the enclosure area rises up within the warm exhaust channel, and distributing wiring to at least some of the cage cabinets. The step of distributing separating each of a plurality of different types of wiring on each of a plurality of different ladder racks, each of the plurality of different ladder racks being mounted on a ladder rack support that connects to at least some of the plurality of support brackets. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS These and other aspects and features of the present invention will become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art upon review of the following description of specific embodiments of the invention in conjunction with the accompanying figures, wherein: FIG. 1(a) illustrates a floor design used in a data center or co-location facility according to the present invention. FIG. 1(b) illustrates floor-based components disposed over the floor design according to the present invention. FIG. 1(c) illustrates a perspective cut-away view along line c-c from FIG. 1(a) of FIG. 1(a) according to the present invention. FIGS. 2(a), 2(b) and 2(c) illustrate various cut-away perspective views of the thermal compartmentalization and cable and conduit routing system according to the present invention. FIGS. 3(a) and 3(b) illustrate modular thermal shields used in the thermal compartmentalization and cable and conduit routing system according to the present invention. FIG. 4 illustrates illustrate a telecommunication bracket used in the thermal compartmentalization and cable and conduit routing system according to the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The present invention provides data center or co-location facility designs and methods of making and using the same. The data center or co-location facility designs have certain features that will be apparent herein and which allow many advantages in terms of efficient use of space, efficient modular structures that allow for efficiency in the set-up of co-location facility and the set-up of the electronics equipment in the facility, as well as efficient air-conditioning within the facility. Each of these features has aspects that are distinct on their own, and combinations of these features also exist that are also unique. FIG. 1(a) illustrates a floor design used in a data center or co-location facility according to the present invention. The preferred embodiment discussed herein uses parallel rows of equipment configured back-to back so that each row of equipment generally forces the heat from the electronic equipment towards a hot aisle, thus also establishing a cold aisle in the front of the equipment. The cold aisles in FIG. 1(a) are illustrated at the dotted line block 60, wherein the hot aisles are illustrated at the dotted line block 62. One feature of the present invention is the provision for marking the floor 50 to explicitly show the various areas of the facility. As illustrated, the hot aisle 62 has a central area 52 that is tiled, painted, taped or otherwise marked to indicate that it is center area of the hot aisle 62. The typical dimensions of the central area 52 are typically in the range of 2′-4′ across the width, with a row length corresponding to the number of electronic cabinets in the row. Marking with tiles is preferable as the marking will last, and tiles that are red in color, corresponding to the generation of heat, have been found preferable. Around this center area 52 is a perimeter area 54, over which the cabinets are installed. This perimeter area 54 is marked in another manner, such as using a grey tile that is different in color from the center area 52. Around the perimeter area 54 is an outside area 56, which is marked in yet a different manner, such as using a light grey tile. The placement of these markings for areas 52, 54 and 56 on the floor of the facility, preferably prior to moving any equipment onto the floor, allows for a visual correspondence on the floor of the various hot and cold aisles. In particular, when installing cabinets over the perimeter 54 are, the area that is for the front of the cabinet that will face the cold aisle, and thus the area for the back of the cabinet for the hot aisle, is readily apparent. FIG. 1(b) illustrates floor-based components disposed over the floor design of the co-location facility according to the present invention. FIG. 1(b) also shows additional area of the floor, which in this embodiment is provided to illustrate interaction of the electronics equipment with the evaporators of the air conditioning units. In the embodiment described with respect to FIG. 1(b), certain features are included so that conventional equipment, particularly conventional air conditioning equipment, can effectively be used while still creating the desired air flow patterns of the present invention as described herein. Before describing the components in FIG. 1(b), an aspect of the present invention is to isolate the hot air exhaust from the areas that require cooling as much as possible, and to also create air flows in which the air moves through the exhaust system, into the air conditioning system, through the air conditioning ducts and out to the cool equipment in a very rapid manner. In particular, the amount of circulation established according to the present invention moves air at a volume such that the entire volume of air in the facility recirculates at least once every 10 minutes, preferably once every 5 minutes, and for maximum cooling once every minute. It has been found that this amount of recirculation, in combination with the air flows established by the present invention, considerably reduce the temperature in the facility in an environmentally efficient manner, thus saving energy, as described herein. Cabinets 110 shown in FIG. 1(b) are placed generally over the sides of the perimeter 54 as described, in rows, which cabinets are formed as cages in order to allow air to flow through them. Different rows are thus shown with cabinets 110(a-f), with each letter indicating a different row. Also included within the rows are telecommunications equipment 170 to which the electronics equipment in each of the cabinets 110 connect as described further herein, as well as power equipment 180 that is used to supply power along wires to the electronics equipment in each of the cabinets 110 connect as described further herein. Air conditioning units include the evaporator units 120 (1-6) that are shown being physically separated by some type of barrier from the area 56 described previously with respect to FIG. 1(a). The condenser units of the air conditioning system that receive the warmed refrigerant/water along lines 122 and are disposed outside the walls of the facility are not shown. This physical separation is implemented in order to establish warm exhaust channel area 240 from the physical space, which warm air area connects to a separate warm air area in the ceiling and allow the warm air to flow into the exhaust channel area 240 and enter into intake ducts of evaporator air conditioning equipment 120, as will be described. This feature allows the usage of conventional evaporator air conditioning equipment that has air intakes at the bottom of the unit, as well as allows for usage of different air conditioning equipment types, while still maintaining an efficient airflow throughout the entire facility. FIG. 1(c) illustrates a perspective cut-away view along line c-c from FIG. 1(a) of the FIG. 1(a) co-location facility according to the present invention. Additionally illustrated are the false ceiling 140 and the actual ceiling 150, which have a gap that is preferably at least 1.5-3 feet and advantageously at least 15 feet, as the higher the ceiling the more the warm air rises (and thus also stays further away from the equipment in the cabinets 110). The area below the actual ceiling 150 is the warm air area 278. In one embodiment, the false ceiling 140 separates the warm (hot) air from the cold air. The false ceiling 140 is preferably made of tiles that can be inserted into a suspended ceiling as is known, which tiles preferably are drywall vinyl tiles, which exhibit a greater mass than many conventional tiles. Also shown are arrows that illustrate the air flow in the hot air path 210b, 210c being centrally lifted upward from the hot air path 210b, 210c to the warm air area between the false ceiling 140 and the actual ceiling 150, and the flow within the ceiling toward the warm exhaust channel area 240, and then downward into the warm exhaust channel area 240. Also shown are arrows that take cold air from the cold air ducts 310a, 310b, 310c and insert the cold air into the cold aisles 60. Also shown in FIG. 1(c) is a closure element 270 located at one or more ends of one or more rows of cabinets 110. As shown best in FIG. 1(c), the closure element 270 may be any element or structure that, in combination with the rows of cabinets 110, encloses or forms a hot aisle enclosure area 274 to restrict or prevent escape of hot air from the hot aisle enclosure area thereby causing the hot air to rise into the hot air path 210b, 210c. The hot aisle enclosure area 274 is the space bounded by the back side of the rows of cabinets 110 and the one or more closure elements 270. The closure element 270 may be any structure(s) or element(s) capable of enclosing the end of the rows of cabinets to form the hot aisle enclosure area 274 to prevent the escape of hot air. Though the arrows in the drawing are directed straight downward from the cold air ducts 310a, 310b, 310c, the vents themselves can be adjusted to allow for directional downward flow at various angles. In a preferred embodiment, each of the vents have a remote controlled actuator that allows for the offsite control of the vents, both in terms of direction and volume of air let out of each vent. This allows precise control such that if a particular area is running hot, more cold air can be directed thereto, and this can be detected (using detectors not shown), and then adjusted for offsite. FIGS. 2(a), 2(b), and 2(c) illustrate various cut-away perspective views of the thermal compartmentalization and cable and conduit routing system according to the present invention. In particular, FIG. 2(a) illustrates a cut away view of a portion of the warm exhaust channel area 240, which rests on top of the cabinets 110, and is formed of a plurality of the thermal shields 400 and 450, which are modular in construction and will be described further hereinafter. Also illustrated are shield brackets 500 that are mounted on top of the cabinets 110, and provide for the mounting of the shields 400 and 450, as well as an area on top of the cabinets 110 to run power and telecommunications cables, as will be described further herein. Before describing the cabling, FIG. 2(b) and FIG. 4 illustrate the shield bracket 500, which is made of structurally sound materials, such as steel with a welded construction of the various parts as described, molded plastic, or other materials. Ladder rack supports 510, 520, 530, 540 and 550 are used to allow ladder racks 610, 620, 630, 640, and 650 respectively, placed thereover as shown. The ladder racks are intended to allow for a segregation of data and electrical power, and therefore an easier time not only during assembly, but subsequent repair. The ladder racks are attached to the ladder rack supports using support straps shown in FIG. 4, which are typically a standard “j” hook or a variant thereof. As also illustrated in FIG. 4, a support beams structure 506 provides extra support to the ladder rack, and the holes 508 are used to secure the shields 400 and 450 thereto. Horizontal support plate 504 is used to support the bracket 500 on the cabinets 110. With respect to the cabling and conduit, these are used to provide electrical power and data to the various servers in the facility. Conduit, also typically referred to as wiring, is used to provide electricity. Cabling is used to provide data. In this system, it is preferable to keep the electrical power and the data signals separated. Within the system, ladder rack 610 is used for data cabling on the cold aisle side of the thermal shields 400. Ladder rack 620 is used for an A-source power conduit (for distribution of 110-480 volt power) on the cold aisle side of the thermal shields 400. Ladder rack 630 is used for B-source power conduit (for distribution of 110-480 volt power), which is preferably entirely independent of A-source power conduit, on the cold aisle side of the thermal shields 400. Ladder rack 640 is used for miscellaneous cabling on the cold aisle side of the thermal shields 400. Ladder rack 650 is used for data cabling on the hot aisle side of the thermal shields 400. Each ladder rack can also be used for different purposes and still be within the scope of the present invention. FIGS. 3(a) and 3(b) illustrate modular thermal shields 400 and 450, respectively, used in the thermal compartmentalization and cabling and conduit routing system according to the present invention. Both shields 400 and 450 are made of a structurally sound material, including but not limited to steel, a composite, or a plastic, and if a plastic, one that preferably has an air space between a front piece of plastic and a back piece of plastic for an individual shield 400. Shield 400 includes a through-hole 410 that allows for certain cabling, if needed, to run between the hot and cold aisle areas, through the shield 400. A through-hole cover (not shown) is preferably used to substantially close the hole to prevent airflow therethrough. Shield 450 has a 90 degree angle that allows the fabrication of corners. It should be appreciated that the construction of the cabinets, the shields 400 and 450, and the shield supports 500 are all uniform and modular, which allows for the efficient set-up of the facility, as well as efficient repairs if needed. Other different embodiments of data center or co-location facilities according to the present invention also exist. For example, while the false ceiling 140 is preferred, many advantageous aspects of the present invention can be achieved without it, though its presence substantially improves airflow. Furthermore, the evaporation units for the air conditioning system can also be located outside the facility, in which case the chamber 240 is not needed, but hot air from the ceiling can be delivered to evaporation units that are disposed above the ceiling, which is more efficient in that it allows the warm air to rise. If the complete air conditioning equipment is located outside, including the evaporators, the refrigerant/water lines 122 that are used to exchange the refrigerant/water if the evaporators are disposed inside the facility is not needed, which provides another degree of safety to the equipment therein. It is noted that aspects of the present invention described herein can be implemented when renovating an existing facility, and as such not all of the features of the present invention are necessarily used. Although the present invention has been particularly described with reference to embodiments thereof, it should be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that various changes, modifications and substitutes are intended within the form and details thereof, without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, it will be appreciated that in numerous instances some features of the invention will be employed without a corresponding use of other features. Further, those skilled in the art will understand that variations can be made in the number and arrangement of components illustrated in the above figures. | <SOH> BACKGROUND <EOH>Data centers and server co-location facilities are well-known. In such facilities, rows of electronics equipment, such as servers, typically owned by different entities, are stored. In many facilities, cabinets are used in which different electronics equipment is stored, so that only the owners of that equipment, and potentially the facility operator, have access therein. In many instances, the owner of the facilities manages the installation and removal of servers within the facility, and is responsible for maintaining utility services that are needed for the servers to operate properly. These utility services typically include providing electrical power for operation of the servers, providing telecommunications ports that allow the servers to connect to transmission grids that are typically owned by telecommunication carriers, and providing air-conditioning services that maintain temperatures in the facility at sufficiently low levels. There are some well-known common aspects to the designs of these facilities. For example, it is known to have the electronic equipment placed into rows, and further to have parallel rows of equipment configured back-to back so that each row of equipment generally forces the heat from the electronic equipment toward a similar area, known as a hot aisle, as that aisle generally contains warmer air that results from the forced heat from the electronics equipment. In the front of the equipment is thus established a cold aisle. There are different systems for attempting to collect hot air that results from the electronics equipment, cooling that hot air, and then introducing cool air to the electronics equipment. These air-conditioning systems also must co-exist with power and communications wiring for the electronics equipment. Systems in which the electronics equipment is raised above the floor are well-known, as installing the communications wiring from below the equipment has been perceived to offer certain advantages. Routing wiring without raised floors is also known—though not with systematic separation of power and data as described herein. | <SOH> SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION <EOH>The present invention relates to electronic equipment data center or co-location facility designs and methods of making and using the same in an environmentally aware manner. The present invention generally provides apparatus and methods for using novel support bracket structures, and thermal panels associated with the same, that allow for distinct partitioning of air flowing in hot aisles and cold aisles, as well as for holding wiring above cabinets that are used to store electronic equipment in the facility. In one aspect, the present invention provides a facility for maintaining electronic equipment disposed in a plurality of cage cabinets at a cool temperature using a plurality of air conditioning units, the cage cabinets positioned in at least one row so that the electronic equipment disposed therein emit heated air in a predetermined direction from the cage cabinets to establish a hot aisle, and an opposite side of the row establishing a cold aisle, the plurality of air conditioning units receiving heated air and emitting cooled air. In this aspect, the facility comprises a floor on which the plurality of cage cabinets are disposed in the at least one row, the floor being within a space that has walls that define a room. A plurality of support brackets are disposed along the row, so that a portion of each of the support bracket is disposed above the plurality of cage cabinets. A thermal shield is supported by the at least some of the plurality of support brackets, the thermal shield providing a contiguous wall around a hot air area above the at least one row of electronic cabinets to define a warm exhaust channel that traps the heated air within the enclosure area and causes substantially all the heated air within the enclosure area to rise up within the warm exhaust channel. A space separated from the room in which the plurality of air conditioning units are disposed is provided. A warm air escape channel is disposed above the warm exhaust channel, the warm air escape channel feeding the heated air to the plurality of air conditioning units. A cool air channel that connects between the air conditioning system and the cold aisle, the cool air channel delivering cool air from the plurality of air conditioning units to the cool aisle. In another aspect, the invention provides an apparatus for separating warm air from cooler air, the warmer air being produced within an enclosure area bounded by a plurality of cage cabinets positioned so that electronic equipment disposed therein emit heated air into the enclosure area, the cage cabinets positioned in at least one row so that the electronic equipment disposed therein emit heated air from in each in a predetermined direction from the cage cabinets to establish a hot aisle, and an opposite side of the row establishing a cold aisle. In this aspect, the apparatus comprises a plurality of support brackets disposed along the row, so that a portion of each of the support bracket is disposed above the plurality of cage cabinets and a thermal shield supported by the at least some of the plurality of support brackets. The thermal shield provides a contiguous wall around a hot air area above the at least one row of electronic cabinets to define a warm exhaust channel that traps the heated air within the enclosure area and causes substantially all the heated air within the enclosure area to rise up within the warm exhaust channel. In another aspect, the plurality of support brackets according to the invention may each further include a plurality of tiered ladder rack supports having ladder racks thereover to establish a plurality of different tiers outside the contiguous wall, so that each of the different tiers is adapted to hold a different type of transmission line that is substantially shielded from the heated air. In a further aspect, the present invention includes a method of forming a facility for housing electrical equipment. This aspect of the invention comprises the steps of determining a location for at least a one row of cage cabinets that will house the electrical equipment, the at least one row of cage cabinets defining an enclosure area so that electronic equipment disposed within the cabinets will emit heated air in a predetermined direction from the electronic cabinets toward the enclosure area. Mounting a plurality of support brackets in relation to the row of cage cabinets so that at least a portion of each of the support brackets is disposed above the cage cabinets. Mounting a contiguous wall around the enclosure area above the cage cabinets using the support brackets to define the warm exhaust channel so that that substantially all warm air within the enclosure area rises up within the warm exhaust channel, and distributing wiring to at least some of the cage cabinets. The step of distributing separating each of a plurality of different types of wiring on each of a plurality of different ladder racks, each of the plurality of different ladder racks being mounted on a ladder rack support that connects to at least some of the plurality of support brackets. | H05K720 | 20171205 | 20180524 | 92371.0 | H05K720 | 2 | PROBST, SAMANTHA A | ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT DATA CENTER OR CO-LOCATION FACILITY DESIGNS AND METHODS OF MAKING AND USING THE SAME | UNDISCOUNTED | 1 | CONT-ACCEPTED | H05K | 2,017 |
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15,832,749 | PENDING | VAPORIZATION DEVICE SYSTEMS AND METHODS | Vaporization devices and methods of operating them. In particular, described herein are vaporizer cartridges for controlling the power applied to a resistive heater. | 1. A cartridge for a vaporization device, the cartridge comprising: a flattened body having a long axis and a short axis; a mouthpiece at a proximal end of the flattened body; a reservoir within the flattened body, the reservoir configured to hold a vaporizable material; a resistive heater comprising a pair of plates extending in the long axis, a wick extending between the pair of plates, and a resistive heating element directly in contact with the pair of plates and with the wick, wherein the wick is configured to contact the vaporizable material from the reservoir; and a pair of exposed flat contact tabs integrally formed from the plates and folded over an outer surface of a distal end of the cartridge and configured to complete a circuit with the vaporization device when the cartridge is inserted into the vaporization device. 2. The cartridge of claim 1, wherein the flattened body is transparent. 3. The cartridge of claim 1, wherein the pair of exposed contact tabs are configured to mate with a pair of electrical contacts comprising pogo pins in a cartridge receptacle of the vaporization device to complete the circuit. 4. The cartridge of claim 1, wherein the resistive heating element is wound around the wick. 5. The cartridge of claim 1, wherein the resistive heater comprises a condensation chamber. 6. The cartridge of claim 1, further wherein the mouthpiece is fitted onto the proximal end of the flattened body. 7. The cartridge of claim 1, further wherein the mouthpiece is coupled to the flattened body with a snap-fit coupling. 8. The cartridge of claim 1, further comprising an air inlet passage. 9. The cartridge of claim 1, further comprising a channel integral to an exterior surface, wherein the channel forms a first side of an air inlet passage. 10. The cartridge of claim 1, wherein the resistive heating element is attached to the pair of plates. 11. The cartridge of claim 1, wherein the mouthpiece is positioned at least partially over the reservoir and has a notch providing a view into the reservoir. 12. A cartridge for a vaporization device, the cartridge comprising: a flattened body having a long axis and a short axis; a reservoir within the flattened body holding a vaporizable material; a mouthpiece at a proximal end of the flattened body; a resistive heater comprising a pair of plates extending in the long axis and a wick extending between the pair of plates, and a resistive heating element directly in contact with the pair of plates and in thermal contact with the wick, wherein the wick contacts the vaporizable material in the reservoir; a pair of exposed flat contact tabs integrally formed from the pair of plates, extending from the resistive heater, and folded over an outer surface of a distal end of the flattened body and configured to complete a circuit with the vaporization device when the cartridge is inserted into the vaporization device. 13. The cartridge of claim 12, wherein the flattened body is transparent. 14. The cartridge of claim 12, wherein the resistive heater comprises a condensation chamber. 15. The cartridge of claim 12, wherein the resistive heater encloses a first end of the cartridge. 16. The cartridge of claim 12, further wherein the mouthpiece is fitted onto the proximal end of the flattened body. 17. The cartridge of claim 12, further wherein the mouthpiece is coupled to the flattened body with a snap-fit coupling. 18. The cartridge of claim 12, further comprising a channel integral to an exterior surface, wherein the channel forms a first side of an air inlet passage. 19. The cartridge of claim 12, wherein the resistive heating element is attached to the pair of plates. 20. A cartridge for a vaporization device, the cartridge comprising: a flattened body having a long axis and a short axis; a reservoir holding a liquid vaporizable material within the flattened body; a resistive heater at a distal end of the flattened body, the resistive heater comprising a pair of plates extending in the long axis, a wick extending between the pair of plates, and a resistive heating element directly in contact with the pair of plates and in thermal contact with the wick, wherein the wick contacts the vaporizable material in the reservoir; a pair of exposed flat contact tabs integrally formed from the plates, extending from the resistive heater, and folded over an outer surface of the distal end of the flattened body, the pair of exposed flat contact tabs configured to complete a circuit with the vaporization device when the cartridge is inserted into the vaporization device; and a mouthpiece at least partially over the reservoir and having a notch providing a view into the reservoir. | CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This patent application claims priority as a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/053,927, titled “VAPORIZATION DEVICE SYSTEMS AND METHODS,” filed on Feb. 25, 2016, which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/581,666, filed on Dec. 23, 2014 and titled “VAPORIZATION DEVICE SYSTEMS AND METHODS”, Publication No. US-2015-0208729-A1, which claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/920,225, filed on Dec. 23, 2013, U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/936,593, filed on Feb. 6, 2014, and U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/937,755, filed on Feb. 10, 2014. This patent application also claims priority to U.S. Provisional patent application No. 62/294,281, titled “SECURELY ATTACHING CARTRIDGES FOR VAPORIZER DEVICES,” filed on Feb. 11, 2016. Each of these applications are herein incorporated by reference in their entirety. INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE All publications and patent applications mentioned in this specification are herein incorporated by reference in their entirety to the same extent as if each individual publication or patent application was specifically and individually indicated to be incorporated by reference. BACKGROUND Electronic inhalable aerosol devices (e.g., vaporization devices, electronic vaping devices, etc.) and particularly electronic aerosol devices, typically utilize a vaporizable material that is vaporized to create an aerosol vapor capable of delivering an active ingredient to a user. Control of the temperature of the resistive heater must be maintained (e.g., as part of a control loop), and this control may be based on the resistance of the resistive heating element. Many of the battery-powered vaporizers described to date include a reusable batter-containing device portion that connects to one or more cartridges containing the consumable vaporizable material. As the cartridges are used up, they are removed and replaced with fresh ones. It may be particularly useful to have the cartridge be integrated with a mouthpiece that the user can draw on to receive vapor. However, a number of surprising disadvantages may result in this configuration, particular to non-cylindrical shapes. For example, the use of a cartridge at the proximal end of the device, which is also held by the user's mouth, particularly where the cartridge is held in the vaporizer device by a friction- or a snap-fit, may result in instability in the electrical contacts, particularly with cartridges of greater than 1 cm length. Described herein are apparatuses and methods that may address the issues discussed above. SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE The present invention relates generally to apparatuses, including systems and devices, for vaporizing material to form an inhalable aerosol. Specifically, these apparatuses may include vaporizers. In particular, described herein are cartridges that are configured for use with a vaporizer (e.g., vaporizer device) having a rechargeable power supply that includes a proximal cartridge-receiving opening. These cartridges are specifically adapted to be releasably but securely held within the cartridge-receiving opening of the vaporizer and resist disruption of the electrical contact with the controller and power supply in the vaporizer even when held by the user's mouth. For example, described herein are cartridge devices holding a vaporizable material for securely coupling with an electronic inhalable aerosol device. A device may include: a mouthpiece; a fluid storage compartment holding a vaporizable material; a base configured to fit into a rectangular opening that is between 13-14 mm deep, 4.5-5.5 mm wide, and 13-14 mm long, the base having a bottom surface comprising a first electrical contact and a second electrical contact, a first locking gap on a first lateral surface of the base, and a second locking gap on a second lateral surface of the base that is opposite first lateral surface. A cartridge device holding a vaporizable material for securely coupling with an electronic inhalable aerosol device may include: a mouthpiece; a fluid storage compartment holding a vaporizable material; a base configured to fit into a rectangular opening that is between 13-14 mm deep, 4.5-5.5 mm wide, and 13-14 mm long, the base having a length of at least 10 mm, and a bottom surface comprising a first electrical contact and a second electrical contact, a first locking gap on a first lateral surface of the base positioned between 3-4 mm above the bottom surface, and a second locking gap on a second lateral surface of the base that is opposite first lateral surface. A cartridge device holding a vaporizable material for securely coupling with an electronic inhalable aerosol device, the device comprising: a mouthpiece; a fluid storage compartment holding a vaporizable material; a rectangular base having a pair of minor sides that are between greater than 10 mm deep and between 4.5-5.5 mm wide, and a pair of major sides that are greater than 10 mm deep and between 13-14 mm wide, a bottom surface comprising a first electrical contact and a second electrical contact, and a first locking gap on a first lateral surface of the base positioned between 3-4 mm above the bottom surface, and a second locking gap on a second lateral surface of the base that is opposite first lateral surface. Any of these devices may also typically include a wick in fluid communication with the vaporizable material; and a resistive heating element in fluid contact with the wick and in electrical contact with the first and second electrical contacts. In general, applicants have found that, for cartridges having a base that fits into the rectangular opening of a vaporizer (particularly one that is between 13-14 mm deep, 4.5-5.5 mm wide, and 13-14 mm long), the it is beneficial to have a length of the base (which is generally the connection region of the base for interfacing into the rectangular opening) that is greater than 10 mm, however when the base is greater than 10 mm (e.g., greater than 11 mm, greater than 12 mm, greater than 13 mm), the stability of the cartridge and in particular the electrical contacts, may be greatly enhanced if the cartridge includes one or more (e.g., two) locking gaps near the bottom surface of the cartridge into which a complimentary detent on the vaporizer can couple to. In particular, it may be beneficial to have the first and second locking gaps within 6 mm of the bottom surface, and more specifically within 3-4 mm of the bottom surface. The first and second lateral surfaces may be separated from each other by between 13-14 mm, e.g., they may be on the short sides of a cartridge base having a rectangular cross-section (a rectangular base). As mentioned, any of these cartridges may include a wick extending through the fluid storage compartment and into the vaporizable material, a resistive heating element in contact with the first and second electrical contacts, and a heating chamber in electrical contact with the first and second electrical contacts. It may also be beneficial to include one or more (e.g., two) detents extending from a major surface (e.g., two major surfaces) of the base, such as from a third and/or fourth lateral wall of the base. The cartridge may include any appropriate vaporizable material, such as a nicotine salt solution. In general, the mouthpiece may be attached opposite from the base. The fluid storage compartment may also comprises an air path extending there through (e.g., a cannula or tube). In some variations at least part of the fluid storage compartment may be within the base. The compartment may be transparent (e.g., made from a plastic or polymeric material that is clear) or opaque, allowing the user to see how much fluid is left. In general, the locking gap(s) may be a channel in the first lateral surface (e.g., a channel transversely across the first lateral surface parallel to the bottom surface), an opening or hole in the first lateral surface, and/or a hole in the first lateral surface. The locking gap is generally a gap that is surrounded at least on the upper and lower (proximal and distal) sides by the lateral wall to allow the detent on the vaporizer to engage therewith. The locking gap may be generally between 0.1 mm and 2 mm wide (e.g., between a lower value of about 0.1, 0.2, 0.3, 0.4, 0.5, 0.6, 0.7, 0.8, 0.9, 1.0, 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.4, etc. and an upper value of about 0.4, 0.5, 0.6, 0.7, 0.8, 0.9, 1.0, 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.4, 1.5, 1.6, 1.7, 1.8, 1.9, 2.0, etc., where the upper value is always greater than the lower value). Also described are vaporizers and method of using them with cartridges, including those described herein. In some variations, the apparatuses described herein may include an inhalable aerosol comprising: an oven comprising an oven chamber and a heater for heating a vapor forming medium in the oven chamber to generate a vapor; a condenser comprising a condensation chamber in which at least a fraction of the vapor condenses to form the inhalable aerosol; an air inlet that originates a first airflow path that includes the oven chamber; and an aeration vent that originates a second airflow path that allows air from the aeration vent to join the first airflow path prior to or within the condensation chamber and downstream from the oven chamber thereby forming a joined path, wherein the joined path is configured to deliver the inhalable aerosol formed in the condensation chamber to a user. The oven may be within a body of the device. The device may further comprise a mouthpiece, wherein the mouthpiece comprises at least one of the air inlet, the aeration vent, and the condenser. The mouthpiece may be separable from the oven. The mouthpiece may be integral to a body of the device, wherein the body comprises the oven. The device may further comprise a body that comprises the oven, the condenser, the air inlet, and the aeration vent. The mouthpiece may be separable from the body. In some variations, the oven chamber may comprise an oven chamber inlet and an oven chamber outlet, and the oven further comprises a first valve at the oven chamber inlet, and a second valve at the oven chamber outlet. The aeration vent may comprise a third valve. The first valve, or said second valve may be chosen from the group of a check valve, a clack valve, a non-return valve, and a one-way valve. The third valve may be chosen from the group of a check valve, a clack valve, a non-return valve, and a one-way valve. The first or second valve may be mechanically actuated. The first or second valve may be electronically actuated. The first valve or second valve may be manually actuated. The third valve may be mechanically actuated. The third valve may be mechanically actuated. The third valve may be electronically actuated. The third valve may be manually actuated. In some variations, the device may further comprise a body that comprises at least one of: a power source, a printed circuit board, a switch, and a temperature regulator. The device may further comprise a temperature regulator in communication with a temperature sensor. The temperature sensor may be the heater. The power source may be rechargeable. The power source may be removable. The oven may further comprise an access lid. The vapor forming medium may comprise tobacco. The vapor forming medium may comprise a botanical. The vapor forming medium may be heated in the oven chamber wherein the vapor forming medium may comprise a humectant to produce the vapor, wherein the vapor comprises a gas phase humectant. The vapor may be mixed in the condensation chamber with air from the aeration vent to produce the inhalable aerosol comprising particle diameters of average size of about 1 micron. The vapor forming medium may be heated in the oven chamber, wherein the vapor is mixed in the condensation chamber with air from the aeration vent to produce the inhalable aerosol comprising particle diameters of average size of less than or equal to 0.9 micron. The vapor forming medium may be heated in the oven chamber, wherein the vapor is mixed in the condensation chamber with air from the aeration vent to produce the inhalable aerosol comprising particle diameters of average size of less than or equal to 0.8 micron. The vapor forming medium may be heated in the oven chamber, wherein the vapor is mixed in the condensation chamber with air from the aeration vent to produce the inhalable aerosol comprising particle diameters of average size of less than or equal to 0.7 micron. The vapor forming medium may be heated in the oven chamber, wherein the vapor is mixed in the condensation chamber with air from the aeration vent to produce the inhalable aerosol comprising particle diameters of average size of less than or equal to 0.6 micron. The vapor forming medium may be heated in the oven chamber, wherein the vapor is mixed in the condensation chamber with air from the aeration vent to produce the inhalable aerosol comprising particle diameters of average size of less than or equal to 0.5 micron. In some variations, the humectant may comprise glycerol as a vapor-forming medium. The humectant may comprise vegetable glycerol. The humectant may comprise propylene glycol. The humectant may comprise a ratio of vegetable glycerol to propylene glycol. The ratio may be about 100:0 vegetable glycerol to propylene glycol. The ratio may be about 90:10 vegetable glycerol to propylene glycol. The ratio may be about 80:20 vegetable glycerol to propylene glycol. The ratio may be about 70:30 vegetable glycerol to propylene glycol. The ratio may be about 60:40 vegetable glycerol to propylene glycol. The ratio may be about 50:50 vegetable glycerol to propylene glycol. The humectant may comprise a flavorant. The vapor forming medium may be heated to its pyrolytic temperature. The vapor forming medium may heated to 200° C. at most. The vapor forming medium may be heated to 160° C. at most. The inhalable aerosol may be cooled to a temperature of about 50°-70° C. at most, before exiting the aerosol outlet of the mouthpiece. Also described herein are methods for generating an inhalable aerosol. Such a method may comprise: providing an inhalable aerosol generating device wherein the device comprises: an oven comprising an oven chamber and a heater for heating a vapor forming medium in the oven chamber and for forming a vapor therein; a condenser comprising a condensation chamber in which the vapor forms the inhalable aerosol; an air inlet that originates a first airflow path that includes the oven chamber; and an aeration vent that originates a second airflow path that allows air from the aeration vent to join the first airflow path prior to or within the condensation chamber and downstream from the oven chamber thereby forming a joined path, wherein the joined path is configured to deliver the inhalable aerosol formed in the condensation chamber to a user. The oven may be within a body of the device. The device may further comprise a mouthpiece, wherein the mouthpiece comprises at least one of the air inlet, the aeration vent, and the condenser. The mouthpiece may be separable from the oven. The mouthpiece may be integral to a body of the device, wherein the body comprises the oven. The method may further comprise a body that comprises the oven, the condenser, the air inlet, and the aeration vent. The mouthpiece may be separable from the body. The oven chamber may comprise an oven chamber inlet and an oven chamber outlet, and the oven further comprises a first valve at the oven chamber inlet, and a second valve at the oven chamber outlet. The vapor forming medium may comprise tobacco. The vapor forming medium may comprise a botanical. The vapor forming medium may be heated in the oven chamber wherein the vapor forming medium may comprise a humectant to produce the vapor, wherein the vapor comprises a gas phase humectant. The vapor may comprise particle diameters of average mass of about 1 micron. The vapor may comprise particle diameters of average mass of about 0.9 micron. The vapor may comprise particle diameters of average mass of about 0.8 micron. The vapor may comprise particle diameters of average mass of about 0.7 micron. The vapor may comprise particle diameters of average mass of about 0.6 micron. The vapor may comprise particle diameters of average mass of about 0.5 micron. In some variations, the humectant may comprise glycerol as a vapor-forming medium. The humectant may comprise vegetable glycerol. The humectant may comprise propylene glycol. The humectant may comprise a ratio of vegetable glycerol to propylene glycol. The ratio may be about 100:0 vegetable glycerol to propylene glycol. The ratio may be about 90:10 vegetable glycerol to propylene glycol. The ratio may be about 80:20 vegetable glycerol to propylene glycol. The ratio may be about 70:30 vegetable glycerol to propylene glycol. The ratio may be about 60:40 vegetable glycerol to propylene glycol. The ratio may be about 50:50 vegetable glycerol to propylene glycol. The humectant may comprise a flavorant. The vapor forming medium may be heated to its pyrolytic temperature. The vapor forming medium may heated to 200° C. at most. The vapor forming medium may be heated to 160° C. at most. The inhalable aerosol may be cooled to a temperature of about 50°-70° C. at most, before exiting the aerosol outlet of the mouthpiece. The device may be user serviceable. The device may not be user serviceable. A method for generating an inhalable aerosol may include: providing a vaporization device, wherein said device produces a vapor comprising particle diameters of average mass of about 1 micron or less, wherein said vapor is formed by heating a vapor forming medium in an oven chamber to a first temperature below the pyrolytic temperature of said vapor forming medium, and cooling said vapor in a condensation chamber to a second temperature below the first temperature, before exiting an aerosol outlet of said device. A method of manufacturing a device for generating an inhalable aerosol may include: providing said device comprising a mouthpiece comprising an aerosol outlet at a first end of the device; an oven comprising an oven chamber and a heater for heating a vapor forming medium in the oven chamber and for forming a vapor therein, a condenser comprising a condensation chamber in which the vapor forms the inhalable aerosol, an air inlet that originates a first airflow path that includes the oven chamber and then the condensation chamber, an aeration vent that originates a second airflow path that joins the first airflow path prior to or within the condensation chamber after the vapor is formed in the oven chamber, wherein the joined first airflow path and second airflow path are configured to deliver the inhalable aerosol formed in the condensation chamber through the aerosol outlet of the mouthpiece to a user. The method may further comprise providing the device comprising a power source or battery, a printed circuit board, a temperature regulator or operational switches. A device for generating an inhalable aerosol may comprise a mouthpiece comprising an aerosol outlet at a first end of the device and an air inlet that originates a first airflow path; an oven comprising an oven chamber that is in the first airflow path and includes the oven chamber and a heater for heating a vapor forming medium in the oven chamber and for forming a vapor therein; a condenser comprising a condensation chamber in which the vapor forms the inhalable aerosol; and an aeration vent that originates a second airflow path that allows air from the aeration vent to join the first airflow path prior to or within the condensation chamber and downstream from the oven chamber thereby forming a joined path, wherein the joined path is configured to deliver the inhalable aerosol formed in the condensation chamber through the aerosol outlet of the mouthpiece to a user. Also described herein are vaporization devices and methods of operating them. In particular, described herein are methods for controlling the temperature of a resistive heater (e.g., resistive heating element) by controlling the power applied to a resistive heater of a vaporization device by measuring the resistance of the resistive heater at discrete intervals before (e.g., baseline or ambient temperature) and during vaporization (e.g., during heating to vaporize a material within the device). Changes in the resistance during heating may be linearly related to the temperature of the resistive heater over the operational range, and therefore may be used to control the power applied to heat the resistive heater during operation. Also described herein are vaporization devices that are configured to measure the resistance of the resistive heater during heating (e.g., during a pause in the application of power to heat the resistive heater) and to control the application of power to the resistive heater based on the resistance values. In general, in any of the methods and apparatuses described herein, the control circuitry (which may include one or more circuits, a microcontroller, and/or control logic) may compare a resistance of the resistive heater during heating, e.g., following a sensor input indicating that a user wishes to withdraw vapor, to a target resistance of the heating element. The target resistance is typically the resistance of the resistive heater at a desired (and in some cases estimated) target vaporization temperature. The apparatus and methods may be configured to offer multiple and/or adjustable vaporization temperatures. In some variations, the target resistance is an approximation or estimate of the resistance of the resistive heater when the resistive heater is heated to the target temperature (or temperature ranges). In some variations, the target reference is based on a baseline resistance for the resistive heater and/or the percent change in resistance from baseline resistance for the resistive heater at a target temperature. In general, the baseline resistance may be referred to as the resistance of the resistive heater at an ambient temperature. For example, a method of controlling a vaporization device may include: placing a vaporizable material in thermal contact with a resistive heater; applying power to the resistive heater to heat the vaporizable material; measuring the resistance of the resistive heater; and adjusting the applied power to the resistive heater based on the difference between the resistance of the resistive heater and a target resistance of the heating element. In some variations, the target resistance is based on a reference resistance. For example, the reference resistance may be approximately the resistance of the coil at target temperature. This reference resistance may be calculated, estimated or approximated (as described herein) or it may be determined empirically based on the resistance values of the resistive heater at one or more target temperatures. In some variations, the target resistance is based on the resistance of the resistive heater at an ambient temperature. For example, the target resistance may be estimated based on the electrical properties of the resistive heater, e.g., the temperature coefficient of resistance or TCR, of the resistive heater (e.g., “resistive heating element” or “vaporizing element”). For example, a vaporization device (e.g., an electronic vaporizer device) may include a puff sensor, a power source (e.g., battery, capacitor, etc.), a heating element controller (e.g., microcontroller), and a resistive heater. A separate temperature sensor may also be included to determine an actual temperature of ambient temperature and/or the resistive heater, or a temperature sensor may be part of the heating element controller. However, in general, the microcontroller may control the temperature of the resistive heater (e.g., resistive coil, etc.) based on a change in resistance due to temperature (e.g., TCR). In general, the heater may be any appropriate resistive heater, such as a resistive coil. The heater is typically coupled to the heater controller so that the heater controller applies power (e.g., from the power source) to the heater. The heater controller may include regulatory control logic to regulate the temperature of the heater by adjusting the applied power. The heater controller may include a dedicated or general-purpose processor, circuitry, or the like and is generally connected to the power source and may receive input from the power source to regulate the applied power to the heater. For example, any of these apparatuses may include logic for determining the temperature of the heater based on the TCR. The resistance of the heater (e.g., a resistive heater) may be measured (Rheater) during operation of the apparatus and compared to a target resistance, which is typically the resistance of the resistive heater at the target temperature. In some cases this resistance may be estimated from the resistance of the resistive hearing element at ambient temperature (baseline). In some variations, a reference resistor (Rreference) may be used to set the target resistance. The ratio of the heater resistance to the reference resistance (Rheater/Rreference) is linearly related to the temperature (above room temp) of the heater, and may be directly converted to a calibrated temperature. For example, a change in temperature of the heater relative to room temperature may be calculated using an expression such as (Rheater/Rreference−1)*(1/TCR), where TCR is the temperature coefficient of resistivity for the heater. In one example, TCR for a particular device heater is 0.00014/° C. In determining the partial doses and doses described herein, the temperature value used (e.g., the temperature of the vaporizable material during a dose interval, Ti, described in more detail below) may refer to the unitless resistive ratio (e.g., Rheater/Rreference) or it may refer to the normalized/corrected temperature (e.g., in ° C.). When controlling a vaporization device by comparing a measure resistance of a resistive heater to a target resistance, the target resistance may be initially calculated and may be factory preset and/or calibrated by a user-initiated event. For example, the target resistance of the resistive heater during operation of the apparatus may be set by the percent change in baseline resistance plus the baseline resistance of the resistive heater, as will be described in more detail below. As mentioned, the resistance of the heating element at ambient is the baseline resistance. For example, the target resistance may be based on the resistance of the resistive heater at an ambient temperature and a target change in temperature of the resistive heater. As mentioned above, the target resistance of the resistive heater may be based on a target heating element temperature. Any of the apparatuses and methods for using them herein may include determining the target resistance of the resistive heater based on a resistance of the resistive heater at ambient temperature and a percent change in a resistance of the resistive heater at an ambient temperature. In any of the methods and apparatuses described herein, the resistance of the resistive heater may be measured (using a resistive measurement circuit) and compared to a target resistance by using a voltage divider. Alternatively or additionally any of the methods and apparatuses described herein may compare a measured resistance of the resistive heater to a target resistance using a Wheatstone bridge and thereby adjust the power to increase/decrease the applied power based on this comparison. In any of the variations described herein, adjusting the applied power to the resistive heater may comprise comparing the resistance (actual resistance) of the resistive heater to a target resistance using a voltage divider, Wheatstone bridge, amplified Wheatstone bridge, or RC charge time circuit. As mentioned above, a target resistance of the resistive heater and therefore target temperature may be determined using a baseline resistance measurement taken from the resistive heater. The apparatus and/or method may approximate a baseline resistance for the resistive heater by waiting an appropriate length of time (e.g., 1 second, 10 seconds, 30 seconds, 1 minute, 1.5 minutes, 2 minutes, 3 minutes, 4 minutes, 5 minutes, 6 minutes, 7 minutes, 8 minutes, 9 minutes, 10 minutes, 11 minutes, 12 minutes, 15 minutes, 20 minutes, etc.) from the last application of energy to the resistive heater to measure a resistance (or series of resistance that may be averaged, etc.) representing the baseline resistance for the resistive heater. In some variations a plurality of measurements made when heating/applying power to the resistive heater is prevented may be analyzed by the apparatus to determine when the resistance values do not vary outside of a predetermined range (e.g., when the resistive heater has ‘cooled’ down, and therefore the resistance is no longer changing due to temperature decreasing/increasing), for example, when the rate of change of the resistance of the heating element over time is below some stability threshold. For example, any of the methods and apparatuses described herein may measure the resistance of the resistive heater an ambient temperature by measuring the resistance of the resistive heater after a predetermined time since power was last applied to the resistive heater. As mentioned above, the predetermined time period may be seconds, minutes, etc. In any of these variations the baseline resistance may be stored in a long-term memory (including volatile, non-volatile or semi-volatile memory). Storing a baseline resistance (“the resistance of the resistive heater an ambient temperature”) may be done periodically (e.g., once per 2 minute, 5 minutes, 10 minutes, 1 hour, etc., or every time a particular event occurs, such as loading vaporizable material), or once for a single time. Any of these methods may also include calculating an absolute target coil temperature from an actual device temperature. As mentioned, above, based on the material properties of the resistive heater (e.g., coil) the resistance and/or change in resistance over time may be used calculate an actual temperature, which may be presented to a user, e.g., on the face of the device, or communicated to an “app” or other output type. In any of the methods and apparatuses described herein, the apparatus may detect the resistance of the resistive heater only when power is not being applied to the resistive heater while detecting the resistance; once the resistance detection is complete, power may again be applied (and this application may be modified by the control logic described herein). For example, in any of these devices and methods the resistance of the resistive heater may be measured only when suspending the application of power to the resistive heater. For example, a method of controlling a vaporization device may include: placing a vaporizable material in thermal contact with a resistive heater; applying power to the resistive heater to heat the vaporizable material; suspending the application of power to the resistive heater while measuring the resistance of the resistive heater; and adjusting the applied power to the resistive heater based on the difference between the resistance of the heating element and a target resistance of the resistive heater, wherein measuring the resistance of the resistive heater comprises measuring the resistance using a voltage divider, Wheatstone bridge, amplified Wheatstone bridge, or RC charge time circuit. For example, a vaporization device may include: a microcontroller; a reservoir configured to hold a vaporizable material; a resistive heater configured to thermally contact the vaporizable material from the reservoir; a resistance measurement circuit connected to the microcontroller configured to measure the resistance of the resistive heater; and a power source, wherein the microcontroller applies power from the power source to heat the resistive heater and adjusts the applied power based on the difference between the resistance of the resistive heater and a target resistance of the resistive heater. A vaporization device may include: a microcontroller; a reservoir configured to hold a vaporizable material; a resistive heater configured to thermally contact the vaporizable material from the reservoir; a resistance measurement circuit connected to the microcontroller configured to measure the resistance of the resistive heater; a power source; and a sensor having an output connected to the microcontroller, wherein the microcontroller is configured to determine when the resistive heater applies power from the power source to heat the resistive heater; a target resistance circuit configured to determine a target resistance, the target resistance circuit comprising one of: a voltage divider, a Wheatstone bridge, an amplified Wheatstone bridge, or an RC charge time circuit, wherein the microcontroller applies power from the power source to heat the resistive heater and adjusts the applied power based on the difference between the resistance of the resistive heater and the target resistance of the resistive heater. In any of the methods and apparatuses (e.g., devices and systems) described herein, the apparatus may be configured to be triggered by a user drawing on or otherwise indicating that they would like to begin vaporization of the vaporizing material. This user-initiated start may be detected by a sensor, such as a pressure sensor (“puff sensor”) configured to detect draw. The sensor may generally have an output that is connected to the controller (e.g., microcontroller), and the microcontroller may be configured to determine when the resistive heater applies power from the power source to heat the resistive heater. For example, a vaporizing device as described herein may include a pressure sensor having an output connected to the microcontroller, wherein the microcontroller is configured to determine when the resistive heater applies power from the power source to heat the resistive heater. In general, any of the apparatuses described herein may be adapted to perform any of the methods described herein, including determining if an instantaneous (ongoing) resistance measurement of the resistive heater is above/below and/or within a tolerable range of a target resistance. Any of these apparatuses may also determine the target resistance. As mentioned, this may be determined empirically and set to a resistance value, and/or it may be calculated. For example, any of these apparatuses (e.g., devices) may include a target resistance circuit configured to determine the target resistance, the target resistance circuit comprising one of: a voltage divider, a Wheatstone bridge, an amplified Wheatstone bridge, or an RC charge time circuit. Alternatively or additionally, a voltage divider, a Wheatstone bridge, an amplified Wheatstone bridge, or an RC charge time circuit may be included as part of the microcontroller or other circuitry that compares the measured resistance of the resistive heater to a target resistance. For example, a target resistance circuit may be configured to determine the target resistance and/or compare the measured resistance of the resistive heater to the target resistance. The target resistance circuit comprising a voltage divider having a reference resistance equivalent to the target resistance. A target resistance circuit may be configured to determine the target resistance, the target resistance circuit comprising a Wheatstone bridge, wherein the target resistance is calculated by adding a resistance of the resistive heater at an ambient temperature and a target change in temperature of the resistive heater. As mentioned, any of these apparatuses may include a memory configured to store a resistance of the resistive heater at an ambient temperature. Further, any of these apparatuses may include a temperature input coupled to the microcontroller and configured to provide an actual device temperature. The device temperature may be sensed and/or provided by any appropriate sensor, including thermistor, thermocouple, resistive temperature sensor, silicone bandgap temperature sensor, etc. The measured device temperature may be used to calculate a target resistance that corresponds to a certain resistive heater (e.g., coil) temperature. In some variations the apparatus may display and/or output an estimate of the temperature of the resistive heater. The apparatus may include a display or may communicate (e.g., wirelessly) with another apparatus that receives the temperature or resistance values. The devices described herein may include an inhalable aerosol comprising: an oven comprising an oven chamber and a heater for heating a vapor forming medium in the oven chamber to generate a vapor; a condenser comprising a condensation chamber in which at least a fraction of the vapor condenses to form the inhalable aerosol; an air inlet that originates a first airflow path that includes the oven chamber; and an aeration vent that originates a second airflow path that allows air from the aeration vent to join the first airflow path prior to or within the condensation chamber and downstream from the oven chamber thereby forming a joined path, wherein the joined path is configured to deliver the inhalable aerosol formed in the condensation chamber to a user. In any of these variations the oven is within a body of the device. The device may further comprise a mouthpiece, wherein the mouthpiece comprises at least one of the air inlet, the aeration vent, and the condenser. The mouthpiece may be separable from the oven. The mouthpiece may be integral to a body of the device, wherein the body comprises the oven. The device may further comprise a body that comprises the oven, the condenser, the air inlet, and the aeration vent. The mouthpiece may be separable from the body. In some variations, the oven chamber may comprise an oven chamber inlet and an oven chamber outlet, and the oven further comprises a first valve at the oven chamber inlet, and a second valve at the oven chamber outlet. The aeration vent may comprise a third valve. The first valve, or said second valve may be chosen from the group of a check valve, a clack valve, a non-return valve, and a one-way valve. The third valve may be chosen from the group of a check valve, a clack valve, a non-return valve, and a one-way valve. The first or second valve may be mechanically actuated. The first or second valve may be electronically actuated. The first valve or second valve may be manually actuated. The third valve may be mechanically actuated. The third valve may be mechanically actuated. The third valve may be electronically actuated. The third valve may be manually actuated. In any of these variations, the device may further comprise a body that comprises at least one of: a power source, a printed circuit board, a switch, and a temperature regulator. The device may further comprise a temperature regulator in communication with a temperature sensor. The temperature sensor may be the heater. The power source may be rechargeable. The power source may be removable. The oven may further comprise an access lid. The vapor forming medium may comprise tobacco. The vapor forming medium may comprise a botanical. The vapor forming medium may be heated in the oven chamber wherein the vapor forming medium may comprise a humectant to produce the vapor, wherein the vapor comprises a gas phase humectant. The vapor may be mixed in the condensation chamber with air from the aeration vent to produce the inhalable aerosol comprising particle diameters of average size of about 1 micron. The vapor forming medium may be heated in the oven chamber, wherein the vapor is mixed in the condensation chamber with air from the aeration vent to produce the inhalable aerosol comprising particle diameters of average size of less than or equal to 0.9 micron. The vapor forming medium may be heated in the oven chamber, wherein the vapor is mixed in the condensation chamber with air from the aeration vent to produce the inhalable aerosol comprising particle diameters of average size of less than or equal to 0.8 micron. The vapor forming medium may be heated in the oven chamber, wherein the vapor is mixed in the condensation chamber with air from the aeration vent to produce the inhalable aerosol comprising particle diameters of average size of less than or equal to 0.7 micron. The vapor forming medium may be heated in the oven chamber, wherein the vapor is mixed in the condensation chamber with air from the aeration vent to produce the inhalable aerosol comprising particle diameters of average size of less than or equal to 0.6 micron. The vapor forming medium may be heated in the oven chamber, wherein the vapor is mixed in the condensation chamber with air from the aeration vent to produce the inhalable aerosol comprising particle diameters of average size of less than or equal to 0.5 micron. In any of these variations, the humectant may comprise glycerol as a vapor-forming medium. The humectant may comprise vegetable glycerol. The humectant may comprise propylene glycol. The humectant may comprise a ratio of vegetable glycerol to propylene glycol. The ratio may be about 100:0 vegetable glycerol to propylene glycol. The ratio may be about 90:10 vegetable glycerol to propylene glycol. The ratio may be about 80:20 vegetable glycerol to propylene glycol. The ratio may be about 70:30 vegetable glycerol to propylene glycol. The ratio may be about 60:40 vegetable glycerol to propylene glycol. The ratio may be about 50:50 vegetable glycerol to propylene glycol. The humectant may comprise a flavorant. The vapor forming medium may be heated to its pyrolytic temperature. The vapor forming medium may heated to 200° C. at most. The vapor forming medium may be heated to 160° C. at most. The inhalable aerosol may be cooled to a temperature of about 50°-70° C. at most, before exiting the aerosol outlet of the mouthpiece. In any of these variations, the method comprises A method for generating an inhalable aerosol, the method comprising: providing an inhalable aerosol generating device wherein the device comprises: an oven comprising an oven chamber and a heater for heating a vapor forming medium in the oven chamber and for forming a vapor therein; a condenser comprising a condensation chamber in which the vapor forms the inhalable aerosol; an air inlet that originates a first airflow path that includes the oven chamber; and an aeration vent that originates a second airflow path that allows air from the aeration vent to join the first airflow path prior to or within the condensation chamber and downstream from the oven chamber thereby forming a joined path, wherein the joined path is configured to deliver the inhalable aerosol formed in the condensation chamber to a user. In any of these variations the oven is within a body of the device. The device may further comprise a mouthpiece, wherein the mouthpiece comprises at least one of the air inlet, the aeration vent, and the condenser. The mouthpiece may be separable from the oven. The mouthpiece may be integral to a body of the device, wherein the body comprises the oven. The method may further comprise a body that comprises the oven, the condenser, the air inlet, and the aeration vent. The mouthpiece may be separable from the body. In any of these variations, the oven chamber may comprise an oven chamber inlet and an oven chamber outlet, and the oven further comprises a first valve at the oven chamber inlet, and a second valve at the oven chamber outlet. The vapor forming medium may comprise tobacco. The vapor forming medium may comprise a botanical. The vapor forming medium may be heated in the oven chamber wherein the vapor forming medium may comprise a humectant to produce the vapor, wherein the vapor comprises a gas phase humectant. The vapor may comprise particle diameters of average mass of about 1 micron. The vapor may comprise particle diameters of average mass of about 0.9 micron. The vapor may comprise particle diameters of average mass of about 0.8 micron. The vapor may comprise particle diameters of average mass of about 0.7 micron. The vapor may comprise particle diameters of average mass of about 0.6 micron. The vapor may comprise particle diameters of average mass of about 0.5 micron. In any of these variations, the humectant may comprise glycerol as a vapor-forming medium. The humectant may comprise vegetable glycerol. The humectant may comprise propylene glycol. The humectant may comprise a ratio of vegetable glycerol to propylene glycol. The ratio may be about 100:0 vegetable glycerol to propylene glycol. The ratio may be about 90:10 vegetable glycerol to propylene glycol. The ratio may be about 80:20 vegetable glycerol to propylene glycol. The ratio may be about 70:30 vegetable glycerol to propylene glycol. The ratio may be about 60:40 vegetable glycerol to propylene glycol. The ratio may be about 50:50 vegetable glycerol to propylene glycol. The humectant may comprise a flavorant. The vapor forming medium may be heated to its pyrolytic temperature. The vapor forming medium may heated to 200° C. at most. The vapor forming medium may be heated to 160° C. at most. The inhalable aerosol may be cooled to a temperature of about 50°-70° C. at most, before exiting the aerosol outlet of the mouthpiece. In any of these variations, the device may be user serviceable. The device may not be user serviceable. In any of these variations, a method for generating an inhalable aerosol, the method comprising: providing a vaporization device, wherein said device produces a vapor comprising particle diameters of average mass of about 1 micron or less, wherein said vapor is formed by heating a vapor forming medium in an oven chamber to a first temperature below the pyrolytic temperature of said vapor forming medium, and cooling said vapor in a condensation chamber to a second temperature below the first temperature, before exiting an aerosol outlet of said device. In any of these variations, a method of manufacturing a device for generating an inhalable aerosol comprising: providing said device comprising a mouthpiece comprising an aerosol outlet at a first end of the device; an oven comprising an oven chamber and a heater for heating a vapor forming medium in the oven chamber and for forming a vapor therein, a condenser comprising a condensation chamber in which the vapor forms the inhalable aerosol, an air inlet that originates a first airflow path that includes the oven chamber and then the condensation chamber, an aeration vent that originates a second airflow path that joins the first airflow path prior to or within the condensation chamber after the vapor is formed in the oven chamber, wherein the joined first airflow path and second airflow path are configured to deliver the inhalable aerosol formed in the condensation chamber through the aerosol outlet of the mouthpiece to a user. The method may further comprise providing the device comprising a power source or battery, a printed circuit board, a temperature regulator or operational switches. In any of these variations a device for generating an inhalable aerosol may comprise a mouthpiece comprising an aerosol outlet at a first end of the device and an air inlet that originates a first airflow path; an oven comprising an oven chamber that is in the first airflow path and includes the oven chamber and a heater for heating a vapor forming medium in the oven chamber and for forming a vapor therein; a condenser comprising a condensation chamber in which the vapor forms the inhalable aerosol; and an aeration vent that originates a second airflow path that allows air from the aeration vent to join the first airflow path prior to or within the condensation chamber and downstream from the oven chamber thereby forming a joined path, wherein the joined path is configured to deliver the inhalable aerosol formed in the condensation chamber through the aerosol outlet of the mouthpiece to a user. In any of these variations a device for generating an inhalable aerosol may comprise: a mouthpiece comprising an aerosol outlet at a first end of the device, an air inlet that originates a first airflow path, and an aeration vent that originates a second airflow path that allows air from the aeration vent to join the first airflow path; an oven comprising an oven chamber that is in the first airflow path and includes the oven chamber and a heater for heating a vapor forming medium in the oven chamber and for forming a vapor therein; and a condenser comprising a condensation chamber in which the vapor forms the inhalable aerosol and wherein air from the aeration vent joins the first airflow path prior to or within the condensation chamber and downstream from the oven chamber thereby forming a joined path, wherein the joined path is configured to deliver the inhalable aerosol through the aerosol outlet of the mouthpiece to a user. In any of these variations, a device for generating an inhalable aerosol may comprise: a device body comprising a cartridge receptacle; a cartridge comprising: a fluid storage compartment, and a channel integral to an exterior surface of the cartridge, and an air inlet passage formed by the channel and an internal surface of the cartridge receptacle when the cartridge is inserted into the cartridge receptacle; wherein the channel forms a first side of the air inlet passage, and an internal surface of the cartridge receptacle forms a second side of the air inlet passage. In any of these variations, a device for generating an inhalable aerosol may comprise: a device body comprising a cartridge receptacle; a cartridge comprising: a fluid storage compartment, and a channel integral to an exterior surface of the cartridge, and an air inlet passage formed by the channel and an internal surface of the cartridge receptacle when the cartridge is inserted into the cartridge receptacle; wherein the channel forms a first side of the air inlet passage, and an internal surface of the cartridge receptacle forms a second side of the air inlet passage. In any of these variations the channel may comprise at least one of a groove, a trough, a depression, a dent, a furrow, a trench, a crease, and a gutter. The integral channel may comprise walls that are either recessed into the surface or protrude from the surface where it is formed. The internal side walls of the channel may form additional sides of the air inlet passage. The cartridge may further comprise a second air passage in fluid communication with the air inlet passage to the fluid storage compartment, wherein the second air passage is formed through the material of the cartridge. The cartridge may further comprise a heater. The heater may be attached to a first end of the cartridge. In any of these variations the heater may comprise a heater chamber, a first pair of heater contacts, a fluid wick, and a resistive heating element in contact with the wick, wherein the first pair of heater contacts comprise thin plates affixed about the sides of the heater chamber, and wherein the fluid wick and resistive heating element are suspended therebetween. The first pair of heater contacts may further comprise a formed shape that comprises a tab having a flexible spring value that extends out of the heater to couple to complete a circuit with the device body. The first pair of heater contacts may be a heat sink that absorbs and dissipates excessive heat produced by the resistive heating element. The first pair of heater contacts may contact a heat shield that protects the heater chamber from excessive heat produced by the resistive heating element. The first pair of heater contacts may be press-fit to an attachment feature on the exterior wall of the first end of the cartridge. The heater may enclose a first end of the cartridge and a first end of the fluid storage compartment. The heater may comprise a first condensation chamber. The heater may comprise more than one first condensation chamber. The first condensation chamber may be formed along an exterior wall of the cartridge. The cartridge may further comprise a mouthpiece. The mouthpiece may be attached to a second end of the cartridge. The mouthpiece may comprise a second condensation chamber. The mouthpiece may comprise more than one second condensation chamber. The second condensation chamber may be formed along an exterior wall of the cartridge. In any of these variations the cartridge may comprise a first condensation chamber and a second condensation chamber. The first condensation chamber and the second condensation chamber may be in fluid communication. The mouthpiece may comprise an aerosol outlet in fluid communication with the second condensation chamber. The mouthpiece may comprise more than one aerosol outlet in fluid communication with more than one the second condensation chamber. The mouthpiece may enclose a second end of the cartridge and a second end of the fluid storage compartment. In any of these variations, the device may comprise an airflow path comprising an air inlet passage, a second air passage, a heater chamber, a first condensation chamber, a second condensation chamber, and an aerosol outlet. The airflow path may comprise more than one air inlet passage, a heater chamber, more than one first condensation chamber, more than one second condensation chamber, more than one second condensation chamber, and more than one aerosol outlet. The heater may be in fluid communication with the fluid storage compartment. The fluid storage compartment may be capable of retaining condensed aerosol fluid. The condensed aerosol fluid may comprise a nicotine formulation. The condensed aerosol fluid may comprise a humectant. The humectant may comprise propylene glycol. The humectant may comprise vegetable glycerin. In any of these variations the cartridge may be detachable. In any of these variations the cartridge may be receptacle and the detachable cartridge form a separable coupling. The separable coupling may comprise a friction assembly, a snap-fit assembly or a magnetic assembly. The cartridge may comprise a fluid storage compartment, a heater affixed to a first end with a snap-fit coupling, and a mouthpiece affixed to a second end with a snap-fit coupling. In any of these variations, a device for generating an inhalable aerosol may comprise: a device body comprising a cartridge receptacle for receiving a cartridge; wherein an interior surface of the cartridge receptacle forms a first side of an air inlet passage when a cartridge comprising a channel integral to an exterior surface is inserted into the cartridge receptacle, and wherein the channel forms a second side of the air inlet passage. In any of these variations, a device for generating an inhalable aerosol may comprise: a device body comprising a cartridge receptacle for receiving a cartridge; wherein the cartridge receptacle comprises a channel integral to an interior surface and forms a first side of an air inlet passage when a cartridge is inserted into the cartridge receptacle, and wherein an exterior surface of the cartridge forms a second side of the air inlet passage. In any of these variations, A cartridge for a device for generating an inhalable aerosol comprising: a fluid storage compartment; a channel integral to an exterior surface, wherein the channel forms a first side of an air inlet passage; and wherein an internal surface of a cartridge receptacle in the device forms a second side of the air inlet passage when the cartridge is inserted into the cartridge receptacle. In any of these variations, a cartridge for a device for generating an inhalable aerosol may comprise: a fluid storage compartment, wherein an exterior surface of the cartridge forms a first side of an air inlet channel when inserted into a device body comprising a cartridge receptacle, and wherein the cartridge receptacle further comprises a channel integral to an interior surface, and wherein the channel forms a second side of the air inlet passage. The cartridge may further comprise a second air passage in fluid communication with the channel, wherein the second air passage is formed through the material of the cartridge from an exterior surface of the cartridge to the fluid storage compartment. The cartridge may comprise at least one of: a groove, a trough, a depression, a dent, a furrow, a trench, a crease, and a gutter. The integral channel may comprise walls that are either recessed into the surface or protrude from the surface where it is formed. The internal side walls of the channel may form additional sides of the air inlet passage. In any of these variations, a device for generating an inhalable aerosol may comprise: a cartridge comprising; a fluid storage compartment; a heater affixed to a first end comprising; a first heater contact, a resistive heating element affixed to the first heater contact; a device body comprising; a cartridge receptacle for receiving the cartridge; a second heater contact adapted to receive the first heater contact and to complete a circuit; a power source connected to the second heater contact; a printed circuit board (PCB) connected to the power source and the second heater contact; wherein the PCB is configured to detect the absence of fluid based on the measured resistance of the resistive heating element, and turn off the device. The printed circuit board (PCB) may comprise a microcontroller; switches; circuitry comprising a reference resister; and an algorithm comprising logic for control parameters; wherein the microcontroller cycles the switches at fixed intervals to measure the resistance of the resistive heating element relative to the reference resistor, and applies the algorithm control parameters to control the temperature of the resistive heating element. The micro-controller may instruct the device to turn itself off when the resistance exceeds the control parameter threshold indicating that the resistive heating element is dry. In any of these variations, a cartridge for a device for generating an inhalable aerosol may comprise: a fluid storage compartment; a heater affixed to a first end comprising: a heater chamber, a first pair of heater contacts, a fluid wick, and a resistive heating element in contact with the wick; wherein the first pair of heater contacts comprise thin plates affixed about the sides of the heater chamber, and wherein the fluid wick and resistive heating element are suspended therebetween. The first pair of heater contacts may further comprise: a formed shape that comprises a tab having a flexible spring value that extends out of the heater to complete a circuit with the device body. The heater contacts may be configured to mate with a second pair of heater contacts in a cartridge receptacle of the device body to complete a circuit. The first pair of heater contacts may also be a heat sink that absorbs and dissipates excessive heat produced by the resistive heating element. The first pair of heater contacts may be a heat shield that protects the heater chamber from excessive heat produced by the resistive heating element. In any of these variations, a cartridge for a device for generating an inhalable aerosol may comprise: a heater comprising; a heater chamber, a pair of thin plate heater contacts therein, a fluid wick positioned between the heater contacts, and a resistive heating element in contact with the wick; wherein the heater contacts each comprise a fixation site wherein the resistive heating element is tensioned therebetween. In any of these variations, a cartridge for a device for generating an inhalable aerosol may comprise a heater, wherein the heater is attached to a first end of the cartridge. The heater may enclose a first end of the cartridge and a first end of the fluid storage compartment. The heater may comprise more than one first condensation chamber. The heater may comprise a first condensation chamber. The condensation chamber may be formed along an exterior wall of the cartridge. In any of these variations, a cartridge for a device for generating an inhalable aerosol may comprise a fluid storage compartment; and a mouthpiece, wherein the mouthpiece is attached to a second end of the cartridge. The mouthpiece may enclose a second end of the cartridge and a second end of the fluid storage compartment. The mouthpiece may comprise a second condensation chamber. The mouthpiece may comprise more than one second condensation chamber. The second condensation chamber may be formed along an exterior wall of the cartridge. In any of these variations, a cartridge for a device for generating an inhalable aerosol may comprise: a fluid storage compartment; a heater affixed to a first end; and a mouthpiece affixed to a second end; wherein the heater comprises a first condensation chamber and the mouthpiece comprises a second condensation chamber. The heater may comprise more than one first condensation chamber and the mouthpiece comprises more than one second condensation chamber. The first condensation chamber and the second condensation chamber may be in fluid communication. The mouthpiece may comprise an aerosol outlet in fluid communication with the second condensation chamber. The mouthpiece may comprise two to more aerosol outlets. The cartridge may meet ISO recycling standards. The cartridge may meet ISO recycling standards for plastic waste. In any of these variations, a device for generating an inhalable aerosol may comprise: a device body comprising a cartridge receptacle; and a detachable cartridge; wherein the cartridge receptacle and the detachable cartridge form a separable coupling, wherein the separable coupling comprises a friction assembly, a snap-fit assembly or a magnetic assembly. In any of these variations, a method of fabricating a device for generating an inhalable aerosol may comprise: providing a device body comprising a cartridge receptacle; and providing a detachable cartridge; wherein the cartridge receptacle and the detachable cartridge form a separable coupling comprising a friction assembly, a snap-fit assembly or a magnetic assembly. In any of these variations, a method of fabricating a cartridge for a device for generating an inhalable aerosol may comprise: providing a fluid storage compartment; affixing a heater to a first end with a snap-fit coupling; and affixing a mouthpiece to a second end with a snap-fit coupling. In any of these variations A cartridge for a device for generating an inhalable aerosol with an airflow path comprising: a channel comprising a portion of an air inlet passage; a second air passage in fluid communication with the channel; a heater chamber in fluid communication with the second air passage; a first condensation chamber in fluid communication with the heater chamber; a second condensation chamber in fluid communication with the first condensation chamber; and an aerosol outlet in fluid communication with second condensation chamber. In any of these variations, a cartridge for a device for generating an inhalable aerosol may comprise: a fluid storage compartment; a heater affixed to a first end; and a mouthpiece affixed to a second end; wherein said mouthpiece comprises two or more aerosol outlets. In any of these variations, a system for providing power to an electronic device for generating an inhalable vapor, the system may comprise; a rechargeable power storage device housed within the electronic device for generating an inhalable vapor; two or more pins that are accessible from an exterior surface of the electronic device for generating an inhalable vapor, wherein the charging pins are in electrical communication with the rechargeable power storage device; a charging cradle comprising two or more charging contacts configured to provided power to the rechargeable storage device, wherein the device charging pins are reversible such that the device is charged in the charging cradle for charging with a first charging pin on the device in contact a first charging contact on the charging cradle and a second charging pin on the device in contact with second charging contact on the charging cradle and with the first charging pin on the device in contact with second charging contact on the charging cradle and the second charging pin on the device in contact with the first charging contact on the charging cradle. The charging pins may be visible on an exterior housing of the device. The user may permanently disable the device by opening the housing. The user may permanently destroy the device by opening the housing. Additional aspects and advantages of the present disclosure will become readily apparent to those skilled in this art from the following detailed description, wherein only illustrative embodiments of the present disclosure are shown and described. As will be realized, the present disclosure is capable of other and different embodiments, and its several details are capable of modifications in various obvious respects, all without departing from the disclosure. Accordingly, the drawings and description are to be regarded as illustrative in nature, and not as restrictive. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is an illustrative cross-sectional view of an exemplary vaporization device. FIG. 2 is an illustrative cross-sectional view of an exemplary vaporization device with various electronic features and valves. FIG. 3 is an illustrative sectional view of another exemplary vaporization device comprising a condensation chamber, air inlet and aeration vent in the mouthpiece. FIGS. 4A-4C is an illustrative example of an oven section of another exemplary vaporization device configuration with a access lid, comprising an oven having an air inlet, air outlet, and an additional aeration vent in the airflow pathway, after the oven. FIG. 5 is an illustrative isometric view of an assembled inhalable aerosol device. FIGS. 6A-6D are illustrative arrangements and section views of the device body and sub-components. FIG. 7A is an illustrative isometric view of an assembled cartridge. FIG. 7B is an illustrative exploded isometric view of a cartridge assembly FIG. 7C is a side section view of FIG. 7A illustrating the inlet channel, inlet hole and relative placement of the wick, resistive heating element, and heater contacts, and the heater chamber inside of the heater. FIG. 8A is an illustrative end section view of an exemplary cartridge inside the heater. FIG. 8B is an illustrative side view of the cartridge with the cap removed and heater shown in shadow/outline. FIGS. 9A-9L illustrate an exemplary sequence of one assembly method for a cartridge. FIGS. 10A-10C are illustrative sequences showing the airflow/vapor path for the cartridge. FIGS. 11, 12, and 13 represent an illustrative assembly sequence for assembling the main components of the device. FIG. 14 illustrates front, side and section views of the assembled inhalable aerosol device. FIG. 15 is an illustrative view of an activated, assembled inhalable aerosol device. FIGS. 16A-16C are representative illustrations of a charging device for the aerosol device and the application of the charger with the device. FIGS. 17A and 17B are representative illustrations of a proportional-integral-derivative controller (PID) block diagram and circuit diagram representing the essential components in a device to control coil temperature. FIG. 17C is another example of a PID block diagram similar to that of FIG. 17A, in which the resistance of the resistive heater may be used to control the temperature of the apparatuses described herein. FIG. 17D is an example of a circuit showing one variation of the measurement circuit used in the PID block diagram shown in FIG. 17C. Specifically, this is an amplified Wheatstone bridge resistance measurement circuit. FIG. 18 is a device with charging contacts visible from an exterior housing of the device. FIG. 19 is an exploded view of a charging assembly of a device. FIG. 20 is a detailed view of a charging assembly of a device. FIG. 21 is a detailed view of charging pins in a charging assembly of a device. FIG. 22 is a device in a charging cradle. FIG. 23 is a circuit provided on a PCB configured to permit a device to comprise reversible charging contacts. FIGS. 24A and 24B show top and bottom perspective views, respectively of a cartridge device holding a vaporizable material for securely coupling with an electronic inhalable aerosol device as described herein. FIGS. 25A and 25B show front a side views, respectively, of the cartridge of FIGS. 24A-24B. FIG. 26A shows a section through a cartridge device holding a vaporizable material for securely coupling with an electronic inhalable aerosol device and indicates exemplary dimensions (in mm). FIG. 26B shows a side view of the cartridge of FIG. 26A, indicating where the sectional view of FIG. 26A was taken. FIGS. 27A and 27B show an exemplary vaporizer device without a cartridge attached. FIG. 27A is a side view and FIG. 27B shows a sectional view with exemplary dimensions of the rectangular opening for holding and making electrical contact with a cartridge. FIG. 28A shows a perspective view of a vaporizer coupled to a cartridge as described herein. FIG. 28B shows a side view of the vaporizer of FIG. 28A. FIG. 28C shows a sectional view through the vaporizer of FIG. 28B taken through the dashed line. FIG. 28D is an enlarged view of the region showing the electrical and mechanical connection between the cartridge and the vaporizer indicted by the circular region D. FIGS. 29A-29D illustrate side profiles of alternative variations of cartridges as described herein. DETAILED DESCRIPTION Provided herein are systems and methods for generating a vapor from a material. The vapor may be delivered for inhalation by a user. The material may be a solid, liquid, powder, solution, paste, gel, or any a material with any other physical consistency. The vapor may be delivered to the user for inhalation by a vaporization device. The vaporization device may be a handheld vaporization device. The vaporization device may be held in one hand by the user. The vaporization device may comprise a cartridge having one or more heating elements the heating element may be a resistive heating element. The heating element may heat the material such that the temperature of the material increases. Vapor may be generated as a result of heating the material. Energy may be required to operate the heating element, the energy may be derived from a battery in electrical communication with the heating element. Alternatively a chemical reaction (e.g., combustion or other exothermic reaction) may provide energy to the heating element. One or more aspects of the vaporization device may be designed and/or controlled in order to deliver a vapor with one or more specified properties to the user. For example, aspects of the vaporization device that may be designed and/or controlled to deliver the vapor with specified properties may comprise the heating temperature, heating mechanism, device air inlets, internal volume of the device, and/or composition of the material. In some cases, a vaporization device may have an “atomizer” or “cartomizer” configured to heat an aerosol forming solution (e.g., vaporizable material). The aerosol forming solution may comprise glycerin and/or propylene glycol. The vaporizable material may be heated to a sufficient temperature such that it may vaporize. An atomizer may be a device or system configured to generate an aerosol. The atomizer may comprise a small heating element configured to heat and/or vaporize at least a portion of the vaporizable material and a wicking material that may draw a liquid vaporizable material in to the atomizer. The wicking material may comprise silica fibers, cotton, ceramic, hemp, stainless steel mesh, and/or rope cables. The wicking material may be configured to draw the liquid vaporizable material in to the atomizer without a pump or other mechanical moving part. A resistance wire may be wrapped around the wicking material and then connected to a positive and negative pole of a current source (e.g., energy source). The resistance wire may be a coil. When the resistance wire is activated the resistance wire (or coil) may have a temperature increase as a result of the current flowing through the resistive wire to generate heat. The heat may be transferred to at least a portion of the vaporizable material through conductive, convective, and/or radiative heat transfer such that at least a portion of the vaporizable material vaporizes. Alternatively or in addition to the atomizer, the vaporization device may comprise a “cartomizer” to generate an aerosol from the vaporizable material for inhalation by the user. The cartomizer may comprise a cartridge and an atomizer. The cartomizer may comprise a heating element surrounded by a liquid-soaked poly-foam that acts as holder for the vaporizable material (e.g., the liquid). The cartomizer may be reusable, rebuildable, refillable, and/or disposable. The cartomizer may be used with a tank for extra storage of a vaporizable material. Air may be drawn into the vaporization device to carry the vaporized aerosol away from the heating element, where it then cools and condenses to form liquid particles suspended in air, which may then be drawn out of the mouthpiece by the user. The vaporization of at least a portion of the vaporizable material may occur at lower temperatures in the vaporization device compared to temperatures required to generate an inhalable vapor in a cigarette. A cigarette may be a device in which a smokable material is burned to generate an inhalable vapor. The lower temperature of the vaporization device may result in less decomposition and/or reaction of the vaporized material, and therefore produce an aerosol with many fewer chemical components compared to a cigarette. In some cases, the vaporization device may generate an aerosol with fewer chemical components that may be harmful to human health compared to a cigarette. Additionally, the vaporization device aerosol particles may undergo nearly complete evaporation in the heating process, the nearly complete evaporation may yield an average particle size (e.g., diameter) value that may be smaller than the average particle size in tobacco or botanical based effluent. A vaporization device may be a device configured to extract for inhalation one or more active ingredients of plant material, tobacco, and/or a botanical, or other herbs or blends. A vaporization device may be used with pure chemicals and/or humectants that may or may not be mixed with plant material. Vaporization may be alternative to burning (smoking) that may avoid the inhalation of many irritating and/or toxic carcinogenic by-products which may result from the pyrolytic process of burning tobacco or botanical products above 300° C. The vaporization device may operate at a temperature at or below 300° C. A vaporizer (e.g., vaporization device) may not have an atomizer or cartomizer. Instead the device may comprise an oven. The oven may be at least partially closed. The oven may have a closable opening. The oven may be wrapped with a heating element, alternatively the heating element may be in thermal communication with the oven through another mechanism. A vaporizable material may be placed directly in the oven or in a cartridge fitted in the oven. The heating element in thermal communication with the oven may heat a vaporizable material mass in order to create a gas phase vapor. The heating element may heat the vaporizable material through conductive, convective, and/or radiative heat transfer. The vapor may be released to a vaporization chamber where the gas phase vapor may condense, forming an aerosol cloud having typical liquid vapor particles with particles having a diameter of average mass of approximately 1 micron or greater. In some cases the diameter of average mass may be approximately 0.1-1 micron. A used herein, the term “vapor” may generally refer to a substance in the gas phase at a temperature lower than its critical point. The vapor may be condensed to a liquid or to a solid by increasing its pressure without reducing the temperature. As used herein, the term “aerosol” may generally refer to a colloid of fine solid particles or liquid droplets in air or another gas. Examples of aerosols may include clouds, haze, and smoke, including the smoke from tobacco or botanical products. The liquid or solid particles in an aerosol may have varying diameters of average mass that may range from monodisperse aerosols, producible in the laboratory, and containing particles of uniform size; to polydisperse colloidal systems, exhibiting a range of particle sizes. As the sizes of these particles become larger, they have a greater settling speed which causes them to settle out of the aerosol faster, making the appearance of the aerosol less dense and to shorten the time in which the aerosol will linger in air. Interestingly, an aerosol with smaller particles will appear thicker or denser because it has more particles. Particle number has a much bigger impact on light scattering than particle size (at least for the considered ranges of particle size), thus allowing for a vapor cloud with many more smaller particles to appear denser than a cloud having fewer, but larger particle sizes. As used herein the term “humectant” may generally refer to as a substance that is used to keep things moist. A humectant may attract and retain moisture in the air by absorption, allowing the water to be used by other substances. Humectants are also commonly used in many tobaccos or botanicals and electronic vaporization products to keep products moist and as vapor-forming medium. Examples include propylene glycol, sugar polyols such as glycerol, glycerin, and honey. Rapid Aeration In some cases, the vaporization device may be configured to deliver an aerosol with a high particle density. The particle density of the aerosol may refer to the number of the aerosol droplets relative to the volume of air (or other dry gas) between the aerosol droplets. A dense aerosol may easily be visible to a user. In some cases the user may inhale the aerosol and at least a fraction of the aerosol particles may impinge on the lungs and/or mouth of the user. The user may exhale residual aerosol after inhaling the aerosol. When the aerosol is dense the residual aerosol may have sufficient particle density such that the exhaled aerosol is visible to the user. In some cases, a user may prefer the visual effect and/or mouth feel of a dense aerosol. A vaporization device may comprise a vaporizable material. The vaporizable material may be contained in a cartridge or the vaporizable material may be loosely placed in one or more cavities the vaporization device. A heating element may be provided in the device to elevate the temperature of the vaporizable material such that at least a portion of the vaporizable material forms a vapor. The heating element may heat the vaporizable material by convective heat transfer, conductive heat transfer, and/or radiative heat transfer. The heating element may heat the cartridge and/or the cavity in which the vaporizable material is stored. Vapor formed upon heating the vaporizable material may be delivered to the user. The vapor may be transported through the device from a first position in the device to a second position in the device. In some cases, the first position may be a location where at least a portion of the vapor was generated, for example, the cartridge or cavity or an area adjacent to the cartridge or cavity. The second position may be a mouthpiece. The user may suck on the mouthpiece to inhale the vapor. At least a fraction of the vapor may condense after the vapor is generated and before the vapor is inhaled by the user. The vapor may condense in a condensation chamber. The condensation chamber may be a portion of the device that the vapor passes through before delivery to the user. In some cases, the device may include at least one aeration vent, placed in the condensation chamber of the vaporization device. The aeration vent may be configured to introduce ambient air (or other gas) into the vaporization chamber. The air introduced into the vaporization chamber may have a temperature lower than the temperature of a gas and/or gas/vapor mixture in the condensation chamber. Introduction of the relatively lower temperature gas into the vaporization chamber may provide rapid cooling of the heated gas vapor mixture that was generated by heating the vaporizable material. Rapid cooling of the gas vapor mixture may generate a dense aerosol comprising a high concentration of liquid droplets having a smaller diameter and/or smaller average mass compared to an aerosol that is not rapidly cooled prior to inhalation by the user. An aerosol with a high concentration of liquid droplets having a smaller diameter and/or smaller average mass compared to an aerosol that is not rapidly cooled prior to inhalation by the user may be formed in a two-step process. The first step may occur in the oven chamber where the vaporizable material (e.g., tobacco and/or botanical and humectant blend) may be heated to an elevated temperature. At the elevated temperature, evaporation may happen faster than at room temperature and the oven chamber may fill with the vapor phase of the humectants. The humectant may continue to evaporate until the partial pressure of the humectant is equal to the saturation pressure. At this point, the gas is said to have a saturation ratio of 1 (S=Ppartial/Psat). In the second step, the gas (e.g., vapor and air) may exit the oven and enter a condenser or condensation chamber and begin to cool. As the gas phase vapor cools, the saturation pressure may decrease. As the saturation pressure decreases, the saturation ratio may increase and the vapor may begin to condense, forming droplets. In some devices, with the absence of added cooling aeration, the cooling may be relatively slower such that high saturation pressures may not be reached, and the droplets that form in the devices without added cooling aeration may be relatively larger and fewer in numbers. When cooler air is introduced, a temperature gradient may be formed between the cooler air and the relatively warmer gas in the device. Mixing between the cooler air and the relatively warmer gas in a confined space inside of the vaporization device may lead to rapid cooling. The rapid cooling may generate high saturation ratios, small particles, and high concentrations of smaller particles, forming a thicker, denser vapor cloud compared to particles generated in a device without the aeration vents. For the purpose of this disclosure, when referring to ratios of humectants such as vegetable glycerol or propylene glycol, “about” means a variation of 5%, 10%, 20% or 25% depending on the embodiment. For the purpose of this disclosure, when referring to a diameter of average mass in particle sizes, “about” means a variation of 5%, 10%, 20% or 25% depending on the embodiment. A vaporization device configured to rapidly cool a vapor may comprise: a mouthpiece comprising an aerosol outlet at a first end of the device; an oven comprising an oven chamber and a heater for heating a vapor forming medium in the oven chamber and for forming a vapor therein; a condenser comprising a condensation chamber in which the vapor forms the inhalable aerosol; an air inlet that originates a first airflow path that includes the oven chamber and then the condensation chamber, an aeration vent that originates a second airflow path that joins the first airflow path prior to or within the condensation chamber after the vapor is formed in the oven chamber, wherein the joined first airflow path and second airflow path are configured to deliver the inhalable aerosol formed in the condensation chamber through the aerosol outlet of the mouthpiece to a user. In some embodiments, the oven is within a body of the device. The oven chamber may comprise an oven chamber inlet and an oven chamber outlet. The oven may further comprise a first valve at the oven chamber inlet, and a second valve at the oven chamber outlet. The oven may be contained within a device housing. In some cases the body of the device may comprise the aeration vent and/or the condenser. The body of the device may comprise one or more air inlets. The body of the device may comprise a housing that holds and/or at least partially contains one or more elements of the device. The mouthpiece may be connected to the body. The mouthpiece may be connected to the oven. The mouthpiece may be connected to a housing that at least partially encloses the oven. In some cases, the mouthpiece may be separable from the oven, the body, and/or the housing that at least partially encloses the oven. The mouthpiece may comprise at least one of the air inlet, the aeration vent, and the condenser. The mouthpiece may be integral to the body of the device. The body of the device may comprise the oven. In some cases, the one or more aeration vents may comprise a valve. The valve may regulate a flow rate of air entering the device through the aeration vent. The valve may be controlled through a mechanical and/or electrical control system. A vaporization device configured to rapidly cool a vapor may comprise: a body, a mouthpiece, an aerosol outlet, a condenser with a condensation chamber, a heater, an oven with an oven chamber, a primary airflow inlet, and at least one aeration vent provided in the body, downstream of the oven, and upstream of the mouthpiece. FIG. 1 shows an example of a vaporization device configured to rapidly cool a vapor. The device 100, may comprise a body 101. The body may house and/or integrate with one or more components of the device. The body may house and/or integrate with a mouthpiece 102. The mouthpiece 102 may have an aerosol outlet 122. A user may inhale the generated aerosol through the aerosol outlet 122 on the mouthpiece 102. The body may house and/or integrate with an oven region 104. The oven region 104 may comprise an oven chamber where vapor forming medium 106 may be placed. The vapor forming medium may include tobacco and/or botanicals, with or without a secondary humectant. In some cases the vapor forming medium may be contained in a removable and/or refillable cartridge. Air may be drawn into the device through a primary air inlet 121. The primary air inlet 121 may be on an end of the device 100 opposite the mouthpiece 102. Alternatively, the primary air inlet 121 may be adjacent to the mouthpiece 102. In some cases, a pressure drop sufficient to pull air into the device through the primary air inlet 121 may be due to a user puffing on the mouthpiece 102. The vapor forming medium (e.g., vaporizable material) may be heated in the oven chamber by a heater 105, to generate elevated temperature gas phases (vapor) of the tobacco or botanical and humectant/vapor forming components. The heater 105 may transfer heat to the vapor forming medium through conductive, convective, and/or radiative heat transfer. The generated vapor may be drawn out of the oven region and into the condensation chamber 103a, of the condenser 103 where the vapors may begin to cool and condense into micro-particles or droplets suspended in air, thus creating the initial formation of an aerosol, before being drawn out of the mouthpiece through the aerosol outlet 122. In some cases, relatively cooler air may be introduced into the condensation chamber 103a, through an aeration vent 107 such that the vapor condenses more rapidly compared to a vapor in a device without the aeration vent 107. Rapidly cooling the vapor may create a denser aerosol cloud having particles with a diameter of average mass of less than or equal to about 1 micron, and depending on the mixture ratio of the vapor-forming humectant, particles with a diameter of average mass of less than or equal to about 0.5 micron Also described herein are devices for generating an inhalable aerosol said device comprising a body with a mouthpiece at one end, an attached body at the other end comprising a condensation chamber, a heater, an oven, wherein the oven comprises a first valve in the airflow path at the primary airflow inlet of the oven chamber, and a second valve at the outlet end of the oven chamber, and at least one aeration vent provided in the body, downstream of the oven, and upstream of the mouthpiece. FIG. 2 shows a diagram of an alternative embodiment of the vaporization device 200. The vaporization device may have a body 201. The body 201 may integrate with and/or contain one or more components of the device. The body may integrate with or be connected to a mouthpiece 202 The body may comprise an oven region 204, with an oven chamber 204a having a first constricting valve 208 in the primary air inlet of the oven chamber and a second constricting valve 209 at the oven chamber outlet. The oven chamber 204a may be sealed with a tobacco or botanical and/or humectant/vapor forming medium 206 therein. The seal may be an air tight and/or liquid tight seal. The heater may be provided to the oven chamber with a heater 205. The heater 205 may be in thermal communication with the oven, for example the heater may be surrounding the oven chamber during the vaporization process. Heater may contact the oven. The heater may be wrapped around the oven. Before inhalation and before air is drawn in through a primary air inlet 221, pressure may build in the sealed oven chamber as heat is continually added. The pressure may build due to a phase change of the vaporizable material. Elevated temperature gas phases (vapor) of the tobacco or botanical and humectant/vapor forming components may be achieved by continually adding heat to the oven. This heated pressurization process may generate even higher saturation ratios when the valves 208, 209 are opened during inhalation. The higher saturation ratios may cause relatively higher particle concentrations of gas phase humectant in the resultant aerosol. When the vapor is drawn out of the oven region and into the condensation chamber 203a of the condenser 203, for example by inhalation by the user, the gas phase humectant vapors may be exposed to additional air through an aeration vent 207, and the vapors may begin to cool and condense into droplets suspended in air. As described previously the aerosol may be drawn through the mouthpiece 222 by the user. This condensation process may be further refined by adding an additional valve 210, to the aeration vent 207 to further control the air-vapor mixture process. FIG. 2 also illustrates an exemplary embodiment of the additional components which would be found in a vaporizing device, including a power source or battery 211, a printed circuit board 212, a temperature regulator 213, and operational switches (not shown), housed within an internal electronics housing 214, to isolate them from the damaging effects of the moisture in the vapor and/or aerosol. The additional components may be found in a vaporizing device that may or may not comprise an aeration vent as described above. In some embodiments of the vaporization device, components of the device are user serviceable, such as the power source or battery. These components may be replaceable or rechargeable. Also described herein are devices for generating an inhalable aerosol said device comprising a first body, a mouthpiece having an aerosol outlet, a condensation chamber within a condenser and an airflow inlet and channel, an attached second body, comprising a heater and oven with an oven chamber, wherein said airflow channel is upstream of the oven and the mouthpiece outlet to provide airflow through the device, across the oven, and into the condensation chamber where an auxiliary aeration vent is provided. FIG. 3 shows a section view of a vaporization device 300. The device 300 may comprise a body 301. The body may be connected to or integral with a mouthpiece 302 at one end. The mouthpiece may comprise a condensation chamber 303a within a condenser section 303 and an airflow inlet 321 and air channel 323. The device body may comprise a proximally located oven 304 comprising an oven chamber 304a. The oven chamber may be in the body of the device. A vapor forming medium 306 (e.g., vaporizable material) comprising tobacco or botanical and humectant vapor forming medium may be placed in the oven. The vapor forming medium may be in direct contact with an air channel 323 from the mouthpiece. The tobacco or botanical may be heated by heater 305 surrounding the oven chamber, to generate elevated temperature gas phases (vapor) of the tobacco or botanical and humectant/vapor forming components and air drawn in through a primary air inlet 321, across the oven, and into the condensation chamber 303a of the condenser region 303 due to a user puffing on the mouthpiece. Once in the condensation chamber where the gas phase humectant vapors begin to cool and condense into droplets suspended in air, additional air is allowed to enter through aeration vent 307, thus, once again creating a denser aerosol cloud having particles with a diameter of average mass of less than a typical vaporization device without an added aeration vent, before being drawn out of the mouthpiece through the aerosol outlet 322. The device may comprises a mouthpiece comprising an aerosol outlet at a first end of the device and an air inlet that originates a first airflow path; an oven comprising an oven chamber that is in the first airflow path and includes the oven chamber and a heater for heating a vapor forming medium in the oven chamber and for forming a vapor therein, a condenser comprising a condensation chamber in which the vapor forms the inhalable aerosol, an aeration vent that originates a second airflow path that allows air from the aeration vent to join the first airflow path prior to or within the condensation chamber and downstream from the oven chamber thereby forming a joined path, wherein the joined path is configured to deliver the inhalable aerosol formed in the condensation chamber through the aerosol outlet of the mouthpiece to a user. The device may comprise a mouthpiece comprising an aerosol outlet at a first end of the device, an air inlet that originates a first airflow path, and an aeration vent that originates a second airflow path that allows air from the aeration vent to join the first airflow path; an oven comprising an oven chamber that is in the first airflow path and includes the oven chamber and a heater for heating a vapor forming medium in the oven chamber and for forming a vapor therein, a condenser comprising a condensation chamber in which the vapor forms the inhalable aerosol and wherein air from the aeration vent joins the first airflow path prior to or within the condensation chamber and downstream from the oven chamber thereby forming a joined path, wherein the joined path is configured to deliver the inhalable aerosol through the aerosol outlet of the mouthpiece to a user, as illustrated in exemplary FIG. 3. The device may comprise a body with one or more separable components. For example, the mouthpiece may be separably attached to the body comprising the condensation chamber, a heater, and an oven, as illustrated in exemplary FIG. 1 or 2. The device may comprise a body with one or more separable components. For example, the mouthpiece may be separably attached to the body. The mouthpiece may comprise the condensation chamber, and may be attached to or immediately adjacent to the oven and which is separable from the body comprising a heater, and the oven, as illustrated in exemplary FIG. 3. The at least one aeration vent may be located in the condensation chamber of the condenser, as illustrated in exemplary FIG. 1, 2, or 3. The at least one aeration vent may comprise a third valve in the airflow path of the at least one aeration vent, as illustrated in exemplary FIG. 2. The first, second and third valve is a check valve, a clack valve, a non-return valve, or a one-way valve. In any of the preceding variations, the first, second or third valve may be mechanically actuated, electronically actuated or manually actuated. One skilled in the art will recognize after reading this disclosure that this device may be modified in a way such that any one, or each of these openings or vents could be configured to have a different combination or variation of mechanisms as described to control airflow, pressure and temperature of the vapor created and aerosol being generated by these device configurations, including a manually operated opening or vent with or without a valve. The device may further comprise at least one of: a power source, a printed circuit board, a switch, and a temperature regulator. Alternately, one skilled in the art would recognize that each configuration previously described will also accommodate said power source (battery), switch, printed circuit board, or temperature regulator as appropriate, in the body. The device may be disposable when the supply of pre-packaged aerosol-forming media is exhausted. Alternatively, the device may be rechargeable such that the battery may be rechargeable or replaceable, and/or the aerosol-forming media may be refilled, by the user/operator of the device. Still further, the device may be rechargeable such that the battery may be rechargeable or replaceable, and/or the operator may also add or refill a tobacco or botanical component, in addition to a refillable or replaceable aerosol-forming media to the device. As illustrated in FIG. 1, 2 or 3, the vaporization device may comprise tobacco or a botanical heated in said oven chamber, wherein said tobacco or botanical further comprises humectants to produce an aerosol comprising gas phase components of the humectant and tobacco or botanical. The gas phase humectant and tobacco or botanical vapor produced by said heated aerosol forming media 106, 206, 306 may further be mixed with air from a special aeration vent 107, 207, 307 after exiting the oven area 104, 204, 304 and entering a condensation chamber 103a, 203a, 303a to cool and condense said gas phase vapors to produce a far denser, thicker aerosol comprising more particles than would have otherwise been produced without the extra cooling air, with a diameter of average mass of less than or equal to about 1 micron. Each aerosol configuration produced by mixing the gas phase vapors with the cool air may comprise a different range of particles, for example; with a diameter of average mass of less than or equal to about 0.9 micron; less than or equal to about 0.8 micron; less than or equal to about 0.7 micron; less than or equal to about 0.6 micron; and even an aerosol comprising particle diameters of average mass of less than or equal to about 0.5 micron. The possible variations and ranges of aerosol density are great in that the possible number of combinations of temperature, pressure, tobacco or botanical choices and humectant selections are numerous. However, by excluding the tobacco or botanical choices and limiting the temperatures ranges and the humectant ratios to those described herein, the inventor has demonstrated that this device will produce a far denser, thicker aerosol comprising more particles than would have otherwise been produced without the extra cooling air, with a diameter of average mass of less than or equal to about 1 micron. The humectant may comprise glycerol or vegetable glycerol as a vapor-forming medium. The humectant may comprise propylene glycol as a vapor-forming medium. In preferred embodiments, the humectant may comprise a ratio of vegetable glycerol to propylene glycol as a vapor-forming medium. The ranges of said ratio may vary between a ratio of about 100:0 vegetable glycerol to propylene glycol and a ratio of about 50:50 vegetable glycerol to propylene glycol. The difference in preferred ratios within the above stated range may vary by as little as 1, for example, said ratio may be about 99:1 vegetable glycerol to propylene glycol. However, more commonly said ratios would vary in increments of about 5, for example, about 95:5 vegetable glycerol to propylene glycol; or about 85:15 vegetable glycerol to propylene glycol; or about 55:45 vegetable glycerol to propylene glycol. In a preferred embodiment the ratio for the vapor forming medium will be between the ratios of about 80:20 vegetable glycerol to propylene glycol, and about 60:40 vegetable glycerol to propylene glycol. In a most preferred embodiment, the ratio for the vapor forming medium will be about 70:30 vegetable glycerol to propylene glycol. In any of the preferred embodiments, the humectant may further comprise flavoring products. These flavorings may include enhancers comprising cocoa solids, licorice, tobacco or botanical extracts, and various sugars, to name but a few. The tobacco or botanical may be heated in the oven up to its pyrolytic temperature, which as noted previously is most commonly measured in the range of 300-1000° C. In preferred embodiments, the tobacco or botanical is heated to about 300° C. at most. In other preferred embodiments, the tobacco or botanical is heated to about 200° C. at most. In still other preferred embodiments, the tobacco or botanical is heated to about 160° C. at most. It should be noted that in these lower temperature ranges (<300° C.), pyrolysis of tobacco or botanical does not typically occur, yet vapor formation of the tobacco or botanical components and flavoring products does occur. In addition, vapor formation of the components of the humectant, mixed at various ratios will also occur, resulting in nearly complete vaporization, depending on the temperature, since propylene glycol has a boiling point of about 180°-190° C. and vegetable glycerin will boil at approximately 280°-290° C. In still other preferred embodiments, the aerosol produced by said heated tobacco or botanical and humectant is mixed with air provided through an aeration vent. In still other preferred embodiments, the aerosol produced by said heated tobacco or botanical and humectant mixed with air, is cooled to a temperature of about 50°-70° C. at most, and even as low as 35° C. before exiting the mouthpiece, depending on the air temperature being mixed into the condensation chamber. In some embodiments, the temperature is cooled to about 35°-55° C. at most, and may have a fluctuating range of ±about 10° C. or more within the overall range of about 35°-70° C. Also described herein are vaporization devices for generating an inhalable aerosol comprising a unique oven configuration, wherein said oven comprises an access lid and an auxiliary aeration vent located within the airflow channel immediately downstream of the oven and before the aeration chamber. In this configuration, the user may directly access the oven by removing the access lid, providing the user with the ability to recharge the device with vaporization material. In addition, having the added aeration vent in the airflow channel immediately after the oven and ahead of the vaporization chamber provides the user with added control over the amount of air entering the aeration chamber downstream and the cooling rate of the aerosol before it enters the aeration chamber. As noted in FIGS. 4A-4C, the device 400 may comprise a body 401, having an air inlet 421 allowing initial air for the heating process into the oven region 404. After heating the tobacco or botanical, and humectant (heater not shown), the gas phase humectant vapor generated may travel down the airflow channel 423, passing the added aeration vent 407 wherein the user may selectively increase airflow into the heated vapor. The user may selectively increase and/or decrease the airflow to the heated vapor by controlling a valve in communication with the aeration vent 407. In some cases, the device may not have an aeration vent. Airflow into the heated vapor through the aeration vent may decrease the vapor temperature before exiting the airflow channel at the outlet 422, and increase the condensation rate and vapor density by decreasing the diameter of the vapor particles within the aeration chamber (not shown), thus producing a thicker, denser vapor compared to the vapor generated by a device without the aeration vent. The user may also access the oven chamber 404a to recharge or reload the device 400, through an access lid 430 provided therein, making the device user serviceable. The access lid may be provided on a device with or without an aeration vent. Provided herein is a method for generating an inhalable aerosol, the method comprising: providing an vaporization device, wherein said device produces a vapor comprising particle diameters of average mass of about 1 micron or less, wherein the vapor is formed by heating a vapor forming medium in an oven chamber of the device to a first temperature below the pyrolytic temperature of the vapor forming medium, and cooling the vapor in a condensation chamber to a temperature below the first temperature, before exiting an aerosol outlet of said device. In some embodiments the vapor may be cooled by mixing relatively cooler air with the vapor in the condensation chamber during the condensation phase, after leaving the oven, where condensation of the gas phase humectants occurs more rapidly due to high saturation ratios being achieved at the moment of aeration, producing a higher concentration of smaller particles, with fewer by-products, in a denser aerosol, than would normally occur in a standard vaporization or aerosol generating device. In some embodiments, formation of an inhalable aerosol is a two-step process. The first step occurs in the oven where the tobacco or botanical and humectant blend is heated to an elevated temperature. At the elevated temperature, evaporation happens faster than at room temperature and the oven chamber fills with the vapor phase of the humectants. The humectant will continue to evaporate until the partial pressure of the humectant is equal to the saturation pressure. At this point, the gas is said to have a saturation ratio of 1 (S=Ppartial/Psat). In the second step, the gas leaves the oven chamber, passes to a condensation chamber in a condenser and begins to cool. As the gas phase vapor cools, the saturation pressure also goes down, causing the saturation ratio to rise, and the vapor to condensate, forming droplets. When cooling air is introduced, the large temperature gradient between the two fluids mixing in a confined space leads to very rapid cooling, causing high saturation ratios, small particles, and higher concentrations of smaller particles, forming a thicker, denser vapor cloud. Provided herein is a method for generating an inhalable aerosol comprising: a vaporization device having a body with a mouthpiece at one end, and an attached body at the other end comprising; a condenser with a condensation chamber, a heater, an oven with an oven chamber, and at least one aeration vent provided in the body, downstream of the oven, and upstream of the mouthpiece, wherein tobacco or botanical comprising a humectant is heated in said oven chamber to produce a vapor comprising gas phase humectants. As previously described, a vaporization device having an auxiliary aeration vent located in the condensation chamber capable of supplying cool air (relative to the heated gas components) to the gas phase vapors and tobacco or botanical components exiting the oven region, may be utilized to provide a method for generating a far denser, thicker aerosol comprising more particles than would have otherwise been produced without the extra cooling air, with a diameter of average mass of less than or equal to about 1 micron. In another aspect, provided herein is a method for generating an inhalable aerosol comprising: a vaporization device, having a body with a mouthpiece at one end, and an attached body at the other end comprising: a condenser with a condensation chamber, a heater, an oven with an oven chamber, wherein said oven chamber further comprises a first valve in the airflow path at the inlet end of the oven chamber, and a second valve at the outlet end of the oven chamber; and at least one aeration vent provided in said body, downstream of the oven, and upstream of the mouthpiece wherein tobacco or botanical comprising a humectant is heated in said oven chamber to produce a vapor comprising gas phase humectants. As illustrated in exemplary FIG. 2, by sealing the oven chamber 204a with a tobacco or botanical and humectant vapor forming medium 206 therein, and applying heat with the heater 205 during the vaporization process, before inhalation and air is drawn in through a primary air inlet 221, the pressure will build in the oven chamber as heat is continually added with an electronic heating circuit generated through the combination of the battery 211, printed circuit board 212, temperature regulator 213, and operator controlled switches (not shown), to generate even greater elevated temperature gas phase humectants (vapor) of the tobacco or botanical and humectant vapor forming components. This heated pressurization process generates even higher saturation ratios when the valves 208, 209 are opened during inhalation, which cause higher particle concentrations in the resultant aerosol, when the vapor is drawn out of the oven region and into the condensation chamber 203a, where they are again exposed to additional air through an aeration vent 207, and the vapors begin to cool and condense into droplets suspended in air, as described previously before the aerosol is withdrawn through the mouthpiece 222. The inventor also notes that this condensation process may be further refined by adding an additional valve 210, to the aeration vent 207 to further control the air-vapor mixture process. In some embodiments of any one of the inventive methods, the first, second and/or third valve is a one-way valve, a check valve, a clack valve, or a non-return valve. The first, second and/or third valve may be mechanically actuated. The first, second and/or third valve may be electronically actuated. The first, second and/or third valve may be automatically actuated. The first, second and/or third valve may be manually actuated either directly by a user or indirectly in response to an input command from a user to a control system that actuates the first, second and/or third valve. In other aspects of the inventive methods, said device further comprises at least one of: a power source, a printed circuit board, or a temperature regulator. In any of the preceding aspects of the inventive method, one skilled in the art will recognize after reading this disclosure that this method may be modified in a way such that any one, or each of these openings or vents could be configured to have a different combination or variation of mechanisms or electronics as described to control airflow, pressure and temperature of the vapor created and aerosol being generated by these device configurations, including a manually operated opening or vent with or without a valve. The possible variations and ranges of aerosol density are great in that the possible number of temperature, pressure, tobacco or botanical choices and humectant selections and combinations are numerous. However, by excluding the tobacco or botanical choices and limiting the temperatures to within the ranges and the humectant ratios described herein, the inventor has demonstrated a method for generating a far denser, thicker aerosol comprising more particles than would have otherwise been produced without the extra cooling air, with a diameter of average mass of less than or equal to 1 micron. In some embodiments of the inventive methods, the humectant comprises a ratio of vegetable glycerol to propylene glycol as a vapor-forming medium. The ranges of said ratio will vary between a ratio of about 100:0 vegetable glycerol to propylene glycol and a ratio of about 50:50 vegetable glycerol to propylene glycol. The difference in preferred ratios within the above stated range may vary by as little as 1, for example, said ratio may be about 99:1 vegetable glycerol to propylene glycol. However, more commonly said ratios would vary in increments of 5, for example, about 95:5 vegetable glycerol to propylene glycol; or about 85:15 vegetable glycerol to propylene glycol; or about 55:45 vegetable glycerol to propylene glycol. Because vegetable glycerol is less volatile than propylene glycol, it will recondense in greater proportions. A humectant with higher concentrations of glycerol will generate a thicker aerosol. The addition of propylene glycol will lead to an aerosol with a reduced concentration of condensed phase particles and an increased concentration of vapor phase effluent. This vapor phase effluent is often perceived as a tickle or harshness in the throat when the aerosol is inhaled. To some consumers, varying degrees of this sensation may be desirable. The ratio of vegetable glycerol to propylene glycol may be manipulated to balance aerosol thickness with the right amount of “throat tickle.” In a preferred embodiment of the method, the ratio for the vapor forming medium will be between the ratios of about 80:20 vegetable glycerol to propylene glycol, and about 60:40 vegetable glycerol to propylene glycol. In a most preferred embodiment of the method, the ratio for the vapor forming medium will be about 70:30 vegetable glycerol to propylene glycol. On will envision that there will be blends with varying ratios for consumers with varying preferences. In any of the preferred embodiments of the method, the humectant further comprises flavoring products. These flavorings include enhancers such as cocoa solids, licorice, tobacco or botanical extracts, and various sugars, to name a few. In some embodiments of the method, the tobacco or botanical is heated to its pyrolytic temperature. In preferred embodiments of the method, the tobacco or botanical is heated to about 300° C. at most. In other preferred embodiments of the method, the tobacco or botanical is heated to about 200° C. at most. In still other embodiments of the method, the tobacco or botanical is heated to about 160° C. at most. As noted previously, at these lower temperatures, (<300° C.), pyrolysis of tobacco or botanical does not typically occur, yet vapor formation of the tobacco or botanical components and flavoring products does occur. As may be inferred from the data supplied by Baker et al., an aerosol produced at these temperatures is also substantially free from Hoffman analytes or at least 70% less Hoffman analytes than a common tobacco or botanical cigarette and scores significantly better on the Ames test than a substance generated by burning a common cigarette. In addition, vapor formation of the components of the humectant, mixed at various ratios will also occur, resulting in nearly complete vaporization, depending on the temperature, since propylene glycol has a boiling point of about 180°-190° C. and vegetable glycerin will boil at approximately 280°-290° C. In any one of the preceding methods, said inhalable aerosol produced by tobacco or a botanical comprising a humectant and heated in said oven produces an aerosol comprising gas phase humectants is further mixed with air provided through an aeration vent. In any one of the preceding methods, said aerosol produced by said heated tobacco or botanical and humectant mixed with air, is cooled to a temperature of about 50°-70° C., and even as low as 35° C., before exiting the mouthpiece. In some embodiments, the temperature is cooled to about 35°-55° C. at most, and may have a fluctuating range of ±about 10° C. or more within the overall range of about 35°-70° C. In some embodiments of the method, the vapor comprising gas phase humectant may be mixed with air to produce an aerosol comprising particle diameters of average mass of less than or equal to about 1 micron. In other embodiments of the method, each aerosol configuration produced by mixing the gas phase vapors with the cool air may comprise a different range of particles, for example; with a diameter of average mass of less than or equal to about 0.9 micron; less than or equal to about 0.8 micron; less than or equal to about 0.7 micron; less than or equal to about 0.6 micron; and even an aerosol comprising particle diameters of average mass of less than or equal to about 0.5 micron. Cartridge Design and Vapor Generation from Material in Cartridge In some cases, a vaporization device may be configured to generate an inhalable aerosol. A device may be a self-contained vaporization device. The device may comprise an elongated body which functions to complement aspects of a separable and recyclable cartridge with air inlet channels, air passages, multiple condensation chambers, flexible heater contacts, and multiple aerosol outlets. Additionally, the cartridge may be configured for ease of manufacture and assembly. Provided herein is a vaporization device for generating an inhalable aerosol. The device may comprise a device body, a separable cartridge assembly further comprising a heater, at least one condensation chamber, and a mouthpiece. The device provides for compact assembly and disassembly of components with detachable couplings; overheat shut-off protection for the resistive heating element; an air inlet passage (an enclosed channel) formed by the assembly of the device body and a separable cartridge; at least one condensation chamber within the separable cartridge assembly; heater contacts; and one or more refillable, reusable, and/or recyclable components. Provided herein is a device for generating an inhalable aerosol comprising: a device body comprising a cartridge receptacle; a cartridge comprising: a storage compartment, and a channel integral to an exterior surface of the cartridge, and an air inlet passage formed by the channel and an internal surface of the cartridge receptacle when the cartridge is inserted into the cartridge receptacle. The cartridge may be formed from a metal, plastic, ceramic, and/or composite material. The storage compartment may hold a vaporizable material. FIG. 7A shows an example of a cartridge 30 for use in the device. The vaporizable material may be a liquid at or near room temperature. In some cases the vaporizable material may be a liquid below room temperature. The channel may form a first side of the air inlet passage, and an internal surface of the cartridge receptacle may form a second side of the air inlet passage, as illustrated in various non-limiting aspects of FIGS. 5-6D, 7C,8A, 8B, and 10A Provided herein is a device for generating an inhalable aerosol. The device may comprise a body that houses, contains, and or integrates with one or more components of the device. The device body may comprise a cartridge receptacle. The cartridge receptacle may comprise a channel integral to an interior surface of the cartridge receptacle; and an air inlet passage formed by the channel and an external surface of the cartridge when the cartridge is inserted into the cartridge receptacle. A cartridge may be fitted and/or inserted into the cartridge receptacle. The cartridge may have a fluid storage compartment. The channel may form a first side of the air inlet passage, and an external surface of the cartridge forms a second side of the air inlet passage. The channel may comprise at least one of: a groove; a trough; a track; a depression; a dent; a furrow; a trench; a crease; and a gutter. The integral channel may comprise walls that are either recessed into the surface or protrude from the surface where it is formed. The internal side walls of the channel may form additional sides of the air inlet passage. The channel may have a round, oval, square, rectangular, or other shaped cross section. The channel may have a closed cross section. The channel may be about 0.1 cm, 0.5 cm, 1 cm, 2 cm, or 5 cm wide. The channel may be about 0.1 mm, 0.5 mm, 1 mm, 2 mm, or 5 mm deep. The channel may be about 0.1 cm, 0.5 cm, 1 cm, 2 cm, or 5 cm long. There may be at least 1 channel. In some embodiments, the cartridge may further comprise a second air passage in fluid communication with the air inlet passage to the fluid storage compartment, wherein the second air passage is formed through the material of the cartridge. FIGS. 5-7C show various views of a compact electronic device assembly 10 for generating an inhalable aerosol. The compact electronic device 10 may comprise a device body 20 with a cartridge receptacle 21 for receiving a cartridge 30. The device body may have a square or rectangular cross section. Alternatively, the cross section of the body may be any other regular or irregular shape. The cartridge receptacle may be shaped to receive an opened cartridge 30a or “pod”. The cartridge may be opened when a protective cap is removed from a surface of the cartridge. In some cases, the cartridge may be opened when a hole or opening is formed on a surface of the cartridge. The pod 30a may be inserted into an open end of the cartridge receptacle 21 so that an exposed first heater contact tips 33a on the heater contacts 33 of the pod make contact with the second heater contacts 22 of the device body, thus forming the device assembly 10. Referring to FIG. 14, it is apparent in the plan view that when the pod 30a is inserted into the notched body of the cartridge receptacle 21, the channel air inlet 50 is left exposed. The size of the channel air inlet 50 may be varied by altering the configuration of the notch in the cartridge receptacle 21. The device body may further comprise a rechargeable battery, a printed circuit board (PCB) 24 containing a microcontroller with the operating logic and software instructions for the device, a pressure switch 27 for sensing the user's puffing action to activate the heater circuit, an indicator light 26, charging contacts (not shown), and an optional charging magnet or magnetic contact (not shown). The cartridge may further comprise a heater 36. The heater may be powered by the rechargeable battery. The temperature of the heater may be controlled by the microcontroller. The heater may be attached to a first end of the cartridge. In some embodiments, the heater may comprise a heater chamber 37, a first pair of heater contacts 33, 33′, a fluid wick 34, and a resistive heating element 35 in contact with the wick. The first pair of heater contacts may comprise thin plates affixed about the sides of the heater chamber. The fluid wick and resistive heating element may be suspended between the heater contacts. In some embodiments, there may be two or more resistive heating elements 35, 35′ and two or more wicks 34, 34′. In some of the embodiments, the heater contact 33 may comprise: a flat plate; a male contact; a female receptacle, or both; a flexible contact and/or copper alloy or another electrically conductive material. The first pair of heater contacts may further comprise a formed shape that may comprise a tab (e.g., flange) having a flexible spring value that extends out of the heater to complete a circuit with the device body. The first pair of heater contact may be a heat sink that absorb and dissipate excessive heat produced by the resistive heating element. Alternatively, the first pair of heater contacts may be a heat shield that protects the heater chamber from excessive heat produced by the resistive heating element. The first pair of heater contacts may be press-fit to an attachment feature on the exterior wall of the first end of the cartridge. The heater may enclose a first end of the cartridge and a first end of the fluid storage compartment. As illustrated in the exploded assembly of FIG. 7B, a heater enclosure may comprises two or more heater contacts 33, each comprising a flat plate which may be machined or stamped from a copper alloy or similar electrically conductive material. The flexibility of the tip is provided by the cut-away clearance feature 33b created below the male contact point tip 33a which capitalizes on the inherent spring capacity of the metal sheet or plate material. Another advantage and improvement of this type of contact is the reduced space requirement, simplified construction of a spring contact point (versus a pogo pin) and the easy of assembly. The heater may comprise a first condensation chamber. The heater may comprise more one or more additional condensation chambers in addition to the first condensation chamber. The first condensation chamber may be formed along an exterior wall of the cartridge. In some cases, the cartridge (e.g., pod) is configured for ease of manufacturing and assembly. The cartridge may comprise an enclosure. The enclosure may be a tank. The tank may comprise an interior fluid storage compartment 32. The interior fluid storage compartment 32 which is open at one or both ends and comprises raised rails on the side edges 45b and 46b. The cartridge may be formed from plastic, metal, composite, and/or a ceramic material. The cartridge may be rigid or flexible. The tank may further comprise a set of first heater contact plates 33 formed from copper alloy or another electrically conductive material, having a thin cut-out 33b below the contact tips 33a (to create a flexible tab) which are affixed to the sides of the first end of the tank and straddle the open-sided end 53 of the tank. The plates may affix to pins, or posts as shown in FIG. 7B or 5, or may be attached by other common means such as compression beneath the enclosure 36. A fluid wick 34 having a resistive heating element 35 wrapped around it, is placed between the first heater contact plates 33, and attached thereto. A heater 36, comprising raised internal edges on the internal end (not shown), a thin mixing zone (not shown), and primary condensation channel covers 45a that slide over the rails 45b on the sides of the tank on the first half of the tank, creating a primary condensation channel/chamber 45. In addition, a small male snap feature 39b located at the end of the channel cover is configured fall into a female snap feature 39a, located mid-body on the side of the tank, creating a snap-fit assembly. As will be further clarified below, the combination of the open-sided end 53, the protruding tips 33a of the contact plates 33, the fluid wick 34 having a resistive heating element 35, enclosed in the open end of the fluid storage tank, under the heater 36, with a thin mixing zone therein, creates an efficient heater system. In addition, the primary condensation channel covers 45a which slide over the rails 45b on the sides of the tank create an integrated, easily assembled, primary condensation chamber 45, all within the heater at the first end of the cartridge 30 or pod 30a. In some embodiments of the device, as illustrated in FIGS. 9A-9L, the heater may encloses at least a first end of the cartridge. The enclosed first end of the cartridge may include the heater and the interior fluid storage compartment. In some embodiments, the heater further comprises at least one first condensation chamber 45. FIGS. 9A-9L show diagramed steps that mat be performed to assemble a cartomizer and/or mouthpiece. In 9A-9B the fluid storage compartment 32a may be oriented such that the heater inlet 53 faces upward. The heater contacts 33 may be inserted into the fluid storage compartment. Flexible tabs 33a may be inserted into the heater contacts 33. In a FIG. 9D the resistive heating element 35 may be wound on to the wick 34. In FIG. 9E the wick 34 and heater 35 may be placed on the fluid storage compartment. One or more free ends of the heater may sit outside the heater contacts. The one or more free ends may be soldered in place, rested in a groove, or snapped into a fitted location. At least a fraction of the one or more free ends may be in communication with the heater contacts 33. In a FIG. 9F the heater enclosure 36 may be snapped in place. The heater enclosure 36 may be fitted on the fluid storage compartment. FIG. 9G shows the heater enclosure 36 is in place on the fluid storage compartment. In FIG. 9H the fluid storage compartment can be flipped over. In FIG. 9I the mouthpiece 31 can be fitted on the fluid storage compartment. FIG. 9J shows the mouthpiece 31 in place on the fluid storage compartment. In FIG. 9K an end 49 can be fitted on the fluid storage compartment opposite the mouthpiece. FIG. 9L shows a fully assembled cartridge 30. FIG. 7B shows an exploded view of the assembled cartridge 30. Depending on the size of the heater and/or heater chamber, the heater may have more than one wick 34 and resistive heating element 35. In some embodiments, the first pair of heater contacts 33 further comprises a formed shape that comprises a tab 33a having a flexible spring value that extends out of the heater. In some embodiments, the cartridge 30 comprises heater contacts 33 which are inserted into the cartridge receptacle 21 of the device body 20 wherein, the flexible tabs 33a insert into a second pair of heater contacts 22 to complete a circuit with the device body. The first pair of heater contacts 33 may be a heat sink that absorbs and dissipates excessive heat produced by the resistive heating element 35. The first pair of heater contacts 33 may be a heat shield that protects the heater chamber from excessive heat produced by the resistive heating element 35. The first pair of heater contacts may be press-fit to an attachment feature on the exterior wall of the first end of the cartridge. The heater 36 may enclose a first end of the cartridge and a first end of the fluid storage compartment 32a. The heater may comprise a first condensation chamber 45. The heater may comprise at least one additional condensation chamber 45, 45′, 45″, etc. The first condensation chamber may be formed along an exterior wall of the cartridge. In still other embodiments of the device, the cartridge may further comprise a mouthpiece 31, wherein the mouthpiece comprises at least one aerosol outlet channel/secondary condensation chamber 46; and at least one aerosol outlet 47. The mouthpiece may be attached to a second end of the cartridge. The second end of the cartridge with the mouthpiece may be exposed when the cartridge is inserted in the device. The mouthpiece may comprise more than one second condensation chamber 46, 46′, 46″, etc. The second condensation chamber is formed along an exterior wall of the cartridge. The mouthpiece 31 may enclose the second end of the cartridge and interior fluid storage compartment. The partially assembled (e.g., mouthpiece removed) unit may be inverted and filled with a vaporizable fluid through the opposite, remaining (second) open end. Once filled, a snap-on mouthpiece 31 that also closes and seals the second end of the tank is inserted over the end. It also comprises raised internal edges (not shown), and aerosol outlet channel covers 46a that may slide over the rails 46b located on the sides of the second half of the tank, creating aerosol outlet channels/secondary condensation chambers 46. The aerosol outlet channels/secondary condensation chambers 46 slide over the end of primary condensation chamber 45, at a transition area 57, to create a junction for the vapor leaving the primary chamber and proceed out through the aerosol outlets 47, at the end of the aerosol outlet channels 46 and user-end of the mouthpiece 31. The cartridge may comprise a first condensation chamber and a second condensation chamber 45, 46. The cartridge may comprise more than one first condensation chamber and more than one second condensation chamber 45, 46, 45′, 46′, etc. In some embodiments of the device, a first condensation chamber 45 may be formed along the outside of the cartridge fluid storage compartment 31. In some embodiments of the device an aerosol outlet 47 exists at the end of aerosol outlet chamber 46. In some embodiments of the device, a first and second condensation chamber 45, 46 may be formed along the outside of one side of the cartridge fluid storage compartment 31. In some embodiments the second condensation chamber may be an aerosol outlet chamber. In some embodiments another pair of first and/or second condensation chambers 45′, 46′ is formed along the outside of the cartridge fluid storage compartment 31 on another side of the device. In some embodiments another aerosol outlet 47′ will also exist at the end of the second pair of condensation chambers 45′, 46′. In any one of the embodiments, the first condensation chamber and the second condensation chamber may be in fluid communication as illustrated in FIG. 10C. In some embodiments, the mouthpiece may comprise an aerosol outlet 47 in fluid communication with the second condensation chamber 46. The mouthpiece may comprise more than one aerosol outlet 47, 47′ in fluid communication with more than one the second condensation chamber 46, 46′. The mouthpiece may enclose a second end of the cartridge and a second end of the fluid storage compartment. In each of the embodiments described herein, the cartridge may comprise an airflow path comprising: an air inlet passage; a heater; at least a first condensation chamber; an aerosol outlet chamber, and an outlet port. In some of the embodiments described herein, the cartridge comprises an airflow path comprising: an air inlet passage; a heater; a first condensation chamber; a secondary condensation chamber; and an outlet port. In still other embodiments described herein the cartridge may comprise an airflow path comprising at least one air inlet passage; a heater; at least one first condensation chamber; at least one secondary condensation chamber; and at least one outlet port. As illustrated in FIGS. 10A-10C, an airflow path is created when the user draws on the mouthpiece 31 to create a suction (e.g., a puff), which essentially pulls air through the channel air inlet opening 50, through the air inlet passage 51, and into the heater chamber 37 through the second air passage (tank air inlet hole) 41 at the tank air inlet 52, then into the heater inlet 53. At this point, the pressure sensor has sensed the user's puff, and activated the circuit to the resistive heating element 35, which in turn, begins to generate vapor from the vapor fluid (e-juice). As air enters the heater inlet 53, it begins to mix and circulate in a narrow chamber above and around the wick 34 and between the heater contacts 33, generating heat, and dense, concentrated vapor as it mixes in the flow path 54 created by the sealing structure obstacles 44. FIG. 8A shows a detailed view of the sealing structure obstacles 44. Ultimately the vapor may be drawn, out of the heater along an air path 55 near the shoulder of the heater and into the primary condensation chamber 45 where the vapor expands and begins to cool. As the expanding vapor moves along the airflow path, it makes a transition from the primary condensation chamber 45 through a transition area 57, creating a junction for the vapor leaving the primary chamber, and entering the second vapor chamber 46, and proceeds out through the aerosol outlets 47, at the end of the mouthpiece 31 to the user. As illustrated in FIGS. 10A-10C, the device may have a dual set of air inlet passages 50-53, dual first condensation chambers 55/45, dual second condensation chambers and aeration channels 57/46, and/or dual aerosol outlet vents 47. Alternatively, the device may have an airflow path comprising: an air inlet passage 50, 51; a second air passage 41; a heater chamber 37; a first condensation chamber 45; a second condensation chamber 46; and/or an aerosol outlet 47. In some cases, the devise may have an airflow path comprising: more than one air inlet passage; more than one second air passage; a heater chamber; more than one first condensation chamber; more than one second condensation chamber; and more than one aerosol outlet as clearly illustrated in FIGS. 10A-10C. In any one of the embodiments described herein, the heater 36 may be in fluid communication with the internal fluid storage compartment 32a. In each of the embodiments described herein, the fluid storage compartment 32 is in fluid communication with the heater chamber 37, wherein the fluid storage compartment is capable of retaining condensed aerosol fluid, as illustrated in FIGS. 10A, 10C and 14. In some embodiments of the device, the condensed aerosol fluid may comprise a nicotine formulation. In some embodiments, the condensed aerosol fluid may comprise a humectant. In some embodiments, the humectant may comprise propylene glycol. In some embodiments, the humectant may comprise vegetable glycerin. In some cases, the cartridge may be detachable from the device body. In some embodiments, the cartridge receptacle and the detachable cartridge may form a separable coupling. In some embodiments the separable coupling may comprise a friction assembly. As illustrated in FIGS. 11-14, the device may have a press-fit (friction) assembly between the cartridge pod 30a and the device receptacle. Additionally, a dent/friction capture such as 43 may be utilized to capture the pod 30a to the device receptacle or to hold a protective cap 38 on the pod, as further illustrated in FIG. 8B. In other embodiments, the separable coupling may comprise a snap-fit or snap-lock assembly. In still other embodiments the separable coupling may comprise a magnetic assembly. In any one of the embodiments described herein, the cartridge components may comprise a snap-fit or snap-lock assembly, as illustrated in FIG. 5. In any one of the embodiments, the cartridge components may be reusable, refillable, and/or recyclable. The design of these cartridge components lend themselves to the use of such recyclable plastic materials as polypropylene, for the majority of components. In some embodiments of the device 10, the cartridge 30 may comprise: a fluid storage compartment 32; a heater 36 affixed to a first end with a snap-fit coupling 39a, 39b; and a mouthpiece 31 affixed to a second end with a snap-fit coupling 39c, 39d (not shown—but similar to 39a and 39b). The heater 36 may be in fluid communication with the fluid storage compartment 32. The fluid storage compartment may be capable of retaining condensed aerosol fluid. The condensed aerosol fluid may comprise a nicotine formulation. The condensed aerosol fluid may comprise a humectant. The humectant may comprise propylene glycol and/or vegetable glycerin. Provided herein is a device for generating an inhalable aerosol comprising: a device body 20 comprising a cartridge receptacle 21 for receiving a cartridge 30; wherein an interior surface of the cartridge receptacle forms a first side of an air inlet passage 51 when a cartridge comprising a channel integral 40 to an exterior surface is inserted into the cartridge receptacle 21, and wherein the channel forms a second side of the air inlet passage 51. Provided herein is a device for generating an inhalable aerosol comprising: a device body 20 comprising a cartridge receptacle 21 for receiving a cartridge 30; wherein the cartridge receptacle comprises a channel integral to an interior surface and forms a first side of an air inlet passage when a cartridge is inserted into the cartridge receptacle, and wherein an exterior surface of the cartridge forms a second side of the air inlet passage 51. Provided herein is a cartridge 30 for a device for generating an inhalable aerosol 10 comprising: a fluid storage compartment 32; a channel integral 40 to an exterior surface, wherein the channel forms a first side of an air inlet passage 51; and wherein an internal surface of a cartridge receptacle 21 in the device forms a second side of the air inlet passage 51 when the cartridge is inserted into the cartridge receptacle. Provided herein is a cartridge 30 for a device for generating an inhalable aerosol 10 comprising a fluid storage compartment 32, wherein an exterior surface of the cartridge forms a first side of an air inlet channel 51 when inserted into a device body 10 comprising a cartridge receptacle 21, and wherein the cartridge receptacle further comprises a channel integral to an interior surface, and wherein the channel forms a second side of the air inlet passage 51. In some embodiments, the cartridge further comprises a second air passage 41 in fluid communication with the channel 40, wherein the second air passage 41 is formed through the material of the cartridge 32 from an exterior surface of the cartridge to the internal fluid storage compartment 32a. In some embodiments of the device body cartridge receptacle 21 or the cartridge 30, the integral channel 40 comprises at least one of: a groove; a trough; a depression; a dent; a furrow; a trench; a crease; and a gutter. In some embodiments of the device body cartridge receptacle 21 or the cartridge 30, the integral channel 40 comprises walls that are either recessed into the surface or protrude from the surface where it is formed. In some embodiments of the device body cartridge receptacle 21 or the cartridge 30, the internal side walls of the channel 40 form additional sides of the air inlet passage 51. Provided herein is a device for generating an inhalable aerosol comprising: a cartridge comprising; a fluid storage compartment; a heater affixed to a first end comprising; a first heater contact, a resistive heating element affixed to the first heater contact; a device body comprising; a cartridge receptacle for receiving the cartridge; a second heater contact adapted to receive the first heater contact and to complete a circuit; a power source connected to the second heater contact; a printed circuit board (PCB) connected to the power source and the second heater contact; wherein the PCB is configured to detect the absence of fluid based on the measured resistance of the resistive heating element, and turn off the device. Referring now to FIGS. 13, 14, and 15, in some embodiments, the device body further comprises at least one: second heater contact 22 (best shown in FIG. 6C detail); a battery 23; a printed circuit board 24; a pressure sensor 27; and an indicator light 26. In some embodiments, the printed circuit board (PCB) further comprises: a microcontroller; switches; circuitry comprising a reference resister; and an algorithm comprising logic for control parameters; wherein the microcontroller cycles the switches at fixed intervals to measure the resistance of the resistive heating element relative to the reference resistor, and applies the algorithm control parameters to control the temperature of the resistive heating element. As illustrated in the basic block diagram of FIG. 17A, the device utilizes a proportional-integral-derivative controller or PID control law. A PID controller calculates an “error” value as the difference between a measured process variable and a desired SetPoint. When PID control is enabled, power to the coil is monitored to determine whether or not acceptable vaporization is occurring. With a given airflow over the coil, more power will be required to hold the coil at a given temperature if the device is producing vapor (heat is removed from the coil to form vapor). If power required to keep the coil at the set temperature drops below a threshold, the device indicates that it cannot currently produce vapor. Under normal operating conditions, this indicates that there is not enough liquid in the wick for normal vaporization to occur. In some embodiments, the micro-controller instructs the device to turn itself off when the resistance exceeds the control parameter threshold indicating that the resistive heating element is dry. In still other embodiments, the printed circuit board further comprises logic capable of detecting the presence of condensed aerosol fluid in the fluid storage compartment and is capable of turning off power to the heating contact(s) when the condensed aerosol fluid is not detected. When the microcontroller is running the PID temperature control algorithm 70, the difference between a set point and the coil temperature (error) is used to control power to the coil so that the coil quickly reaches the set point temperature, (e.g., between 200° C. and 400° C.). When the over-temperature algorithm is used, power is constant until the coil reaches an over-temperature threshold, (e.g., between 200° C. and 400° C.); (FIG. 17A applies: set point temperature is over-temperature threshold; constant power until error reaches 0). The essential components of the device used to control the resistive heating element coil temperature are further illustrated in the circuit diagram of FIG. 17B. Wherein, BATT 23 is the battery; MCU 72 is the microcontroller; Q1 (76) and Q2 (77) are P-channel MOSFETs (switches); R_COIL 74 is the resistance of the coil. R_REF 75 is a fixed reference resistor used to measure R_COIL 74 through a voltage divider 73. The battery powers the microcontroller. The microcontroller turns on Q2 for 1 ms every 100 ms so that the voltage between R_REF and R_COIL (a voltage divider) may be measured by the MCU at V_MEAS. When Q2 is off, the control law controls Q1 with PWM (pulse width modulation) to power the coil (battery discharges through Q1 and R_COIL when Q1 is on). In some embodiments of the device, the device body further comprises at least one: second heater contact; a power switch; a pressure sensor; and an indicator light. In some embodiments of the device body, the second heater contact 22 may comprise: a female receptacle; or a male contact, or both, a flexible contact; or copper alloy or another electrically conductive material. In some embodiments of the device body, the battery supplies power to the second heater contact, pressure sensor, indicator light and the printed circuit board. In some embodiments, the battery is rechargeable. In some embodiments, the indicator light 26 indicates the status of the device and/or the battery or both. In some embodiments of the device, the first heater contact and the second heater contact complete a circuit that allows current to flow through the heating contacts when the device body and detachable cartridge are assembled, which may be controlled by an on/off switch. Alternatively, the device can be turned on an off by a puff sensor. The puff sensor may comprise a capacitive membrane. The capacitive membrane may be similar to a capacitive membrane used in a microphone. In some embodiments of the device, there is also an auxiliary charging unit for recharging the battery 23 in the device body. As illustrated in FIGS. 16A-16C, the charging unit 60, may comprise a USB device with a plug for a power source 63 and protective cap 64, with a cradle 61 for capturing the device body 20 (with or without the cartridge installed). The cradle may further comprise either a magnet or a magnetic contact 62 to securely hold the device body in place during charging. As illustrated in FIG. 6B, the device body further comprises a mating charging contact 28 and a magnet or magnetic contact 29 for the auxiliary charging unit. FIG. 16C is an illustrative example of the device 20 being charged in a power source 65 (laptop computer or tablet). In some cases the microcontroller on the PCB may be configured to monitor the temperature of the heater such that the vaporizable material is heated to a prescribed temperature. The prescribed temperature may be an input provided by the user. A temperature sensor may be in communication with the microcontroller to provide an input temperature to the microcontroller for temperature regulation. A temperature sensor may be a thermistor, thermocouple, thermometer, or any other temperature sensors. In some cases, the heating element may simultaneously perform as both a heater and a temperature sensor. The heating element may differ from a thermistor by having a resistance with a relatively lower dependence on temperature. The heating element may comprise a resistance temperature detector. The resistance of the heating element may be an input to the microcontroller. In some cases, the resistance may be determined by the microcontroller based on a measurement from a circuit with a resistor with at least one known resistance, for example, a Wheatstone bridge. Alternatively, the resistance of the heating element may be measured with a resistive voltage divider in contact with the heating element and a resistor with a known and substantially constant resistance. The measurement of the resistance of the heating element may be amplified by an amplifier. The amplifier may be a standard op amp or instrumentation amplifier. The amplified signal may be substantially free of noise. In some cases, a charge time for a voltage divider between the heating element and a capacitor may be determined to calculate the resistance of the heating element. In some cases, the microcontroller must deactivate the heating element during resistance measurements. The resistance of the heating element may be a function of the temperature of the heating element such that the temperature may be directly determined from resistance measurements. Determining the temperature directly from the heating element resistance measurement rather than from an additional temperature sensor may generate a more accurate measurement because unknown contact thermal resistance between the temperature sensor and the heating element is eliminated. Additionally, the temperature measurement may be determined directly and therefore faster and without a time lag associated with attaining equilibrium between the heating element and a temperature sensor in contact with the heating element. FIG. 17C is another example of a PID control block diagram similar to that shown in FIG. 17A, and FIG. 17D is an example of a resistance measurement circuit used in this PID control scheme. In FIG. 17C, the block diagram includes a measurement circuit that can measure the resistance of the resistive heater (e.g., coil) and provide an analog signal to the microcontroller, a device temperature, which can be measured directly by the microcontroller and/or input into the microcontroller, and an input from a sensor (e.g., a pressure sensor, a button, or any other sensor) that may be used by the microcontroller to determine when the resistive heart should be heated, e.g., when the user is drawing on the device or when the device is scheduled to be set at a warmer temperature (e.g., a standby temperature). In FIG. 17C, a signal from the measurement circuit goes directly to the microcontroller and to a summing block. In the measurement circuit, an example of which is shown in FIG. 17D (similar to the one shown in FIG. 17B), signal from the measurement circuit are fed directly to the microcontroller. The summing block in FIG. 17C is representative of the function which may be performed by the microcontroller when the device is heating; the summing block may show that error (e.g., in this case, a target Resistance minus a measured resistance of the resistive heater) is used by a control algorithm to calculate the power to be applied to the coil until the next coil measurement is taken. In the example shown in FIGS. 17C-17D, signal from the measurement circuit may also go directly to the microcontroller in FIG. 17C; the resistive heater may be used to determine a baseline resistance (also referred to herein as the resistance of the resistive hater at an ambient temperature), when the device has not been heating the resistive heater, e.g., when some time has passed since the device was last heating. Alternatively or additionally, the baseline resistance may be determined by determining when coil resistance is changing with time at a rate that is below some stability threshold. Thus, resistance measurements of the coil may be used to determine a baseline resistance for the coil at ambient temperature. A known baseline resistance may be used to calculate a target resistance that correlates to a target rise in coil temperature. The baseline (which may also be referred to as the resistance of the resistive heater at ambient temperature) may also be used to calculate the target resistance. The device temperature can be used to calculate an absolute target coil temperature as opposed to a target temperature rise. For example, a device temperature may be used to calculate absolute target coil temperature for more precise temperature control. The circuit shown in FIG. 17B is one embodiment of a resistance measurement circuit comprising a voltage divider using a preset reference resistance. For the reference resistor approach (alternatively referred to as a voltage divider approach) shown in 17B, the reference resistor may be roughly the same resistance as the coil at target resistance (operating temperature). For example, this may be 1-2 Ohms. The circuit shown in FIG. 17D is another variation of a resistance measurement (or comparison) circuit. As before, in this example, the resistance of the heating element may be a function of the temperature of the heating element such that the temperature may be directly determined from resistance measurements. The resistance of the heating element is roughly linear with the temperature of the heating element. In FIG. 17D, the circuit includes a Wheatstone bridge connected to a differential op amp circuit. The measurement circuit is powered when Q2 is held on via the RM_PWR signal from the microcontroller (RM=Resistance Measurement). Q2 is normally off to save battery life. In general, the apparatuses described herein stop applying power to the resistive heater to measure the resistance of the resistive heater. In FIG. 17D, when heating, the device must stop heating periodically (turn Q1 off) to measure coil resistance. One voltage divider in the bridge is between the Coil and R1, the other voltage divider is between R2 and R3 and optionally R4, R5, and R6. R4, R5, and R6 are each connected to open drain outputs from the microcontroller so that the R3 can be in parallel with any combination of R4, R5, and R6 to tune the R2/R3 voltage divider. An algorithm tunes the R2/R3 voltage divider via open drain control of RM_SCALE_0, RM_SCALE_1, and RM_SCALE_2 so that the voltage at the R2/R3 divider is just below the voltage of the R_COIL/R1_divider, so that the output of the op amp is between positive battery voltage and ground, which allows small changes in coil resistance to result in measurable changes in the op amp's output voltage. U2, R7, R8, R9, and R10 comprise the differential op amp circuit. As is standard in differential op amp circuits, R9/R7=R10/R8, R9>>R7, and the circuit has a voltage gain, A=R9/R7, such that the op amp outputs HM_OUT=A(V+−V−) when 0≤A(V+−V−)≤V_BAT, where V+ is the R_COIL/R1_divider voltage, V− is the tuned R2/R3 divider voltage, and V_BAT is the positive battery voltage. In this example, the microcontroller performs an analog to digital conversion to measure HM_OUT, and then based on the values of R1 through R10 and the selected measurement scale, calculates resistance of the coil. When the coil has not been heated for some amount of time (e.g., greater than 10 sec, 20 sec, 30 sec, 1 min, 2 min, 3 min, 4 min, 5 min, 6 min, 7 min, 8 min, 9 min, 10 min, 15 min, 20 min, 30 min, etc.) and/or the resistance of the coil is steady, the microcontroller may save calculated resistance as the baseline resistance for the coil. A target resistance for the coil is calculated by adding a percentage change of baseline resistance to the baseline resistance. When the microcontroller detects via the pressure sensor that the user is drawing from the device, it outputs a PWM signal on HEATER to power the coil through Q1. PWM duty cycle is always limited to a max duty cycle that corresponds to a set maximum average power in the coil calculated using battery voltage measurements and coil resistance measurements. This allows for consistent heat-up performance throughout a battery discharge cycle. A PID control algorithm uses the difference between target coil resistance and measured coil resistance to set PWM duty cycle (limited by max duty cycle) to hold measured resistance at target resistance. The PID control algorithm holds the coil at a controlled temperature regardless of air flow rate and wicking performance to ensure a consistent experience (e.g., vaporization experience, including “flavor”) across the full range of use cases and allow for higher power at faster draw rates. In general, the control law may update at any appropriate rate. For example, in some variations, the control law updates at 20 Hz. In this example, when heating, PWM control of Q1 is disabled and Q1 is held off for 2 ms every 50 ms to allow for stable coil resistance measurements. In another variation, the control law may update at 250-1000 Hz. In the example shown in FIG. 17D, the number of steps between max and min measurable analog voltage may be controlled by the configuration. For example, precise temperature control (+/−1° C. or better) maybe achieved with a few hundred steps between measured baseline resistance and target resistance. In some variations, the number of steps may be approximately 4096. With variations in resistance between cartridges (e.g., +/−10% nominal coil resistance) and potential running changes to nominal cartridge resistance, it may be advantages to have several narrower measurement scales so that resistance can be measured at higher resolution than could be achieved if one fixed measurement scale had to be wide enough to measure all cartridges that a device might see. For example, R4, R5, and R6 may have values that allow for eight overlapping resistance measurement scales that allow for roughly five times the sensitivity of a single fixed scale covering the same range of resistances that are measurable by eight scales combined. More or less than eight measurement ranges may be used. For example, in the variation shown in FIG. 17D, in some instances the measurement circuit may have a total range of 1.31-2.61 Ohm and a sensitivity of roughly 0.3 mOhm, which may allow for temperature setting increments and average coil temperature control to within +/−0.75° C. (e.g., a nominal coil resistance*TCR=1.5 Ohm*0.00014/° C.=0.21 mOhm/° C., 0.3 mOhm/(0.21 mOhm/° C.)=1.4° C. sensitivity). In some variations, R_COIL is 1.5 Ohm nominally, R1=100 Ohm, R2=162 Ohm, R3=10 kOhm, R4=28.7 kOhm, R5=57.6 kOhm, R6=115 kOhm, R7=R9=2 kOhm, R8=R10=698 kOhm. As mentioned above, heater resistance is roughly linear with temperature. Changes in heater resistance may be roughly proportional to changes in temperature. With a coil at some resistance, Rbaseline, at some initial temperature, ΔT=(Rcoil/Rbaseline−1)/TCR is a good approximation of coil temperature rise. Using an amplified Wheatstone bridge configuration similar to that shown in FIG. 17D, the device may calculate target resistance using baseline resistance and a fixed target percentage change in resistance, 4.0%. For coils with TCR of, as an example, 0.00014/° C., this may correspond to a 285° C. temperature rise (e.g., 0.04/(0.00014/° C.)=285° C.). In general, the device doesn't need to calculate temperature; these calculations can be done beforehand, and the device can simply use a target percentage change in resistance to control temperature. For some baseline resistance, coil TCR, and target temperature change, target heater resistance may be: Rtarget=Rbaseline (1+TCR*ΔT). Solved for ΔT, this is ΔT=(Rtarget/Rbaseline−1)/TCR. Some device variations may calculate and provide (e.g., display, transmit, etc.) actual temperature so users can see actual temperatures during heat up or set a temperature in the device instead of setting a target percentage change in resistance. Alternatively or additionally, the device may use measured ambient temperature and a target temperature (e.g., a temperature set point) to calculate a target resistance that corresponds to the target temperature. The target resistance may be determined from a baseline resistance at ambient temperature, coil TCR, target temperature, and ambient temperature. For example, a target heater resistance may be expressed as Rtarget=Rbaseline (1+TCR*(Tset−Tamb)). Solved for Tset, this gives: Tset=(Rtarget/Rbaseline−1)/TCR+Tamb. Some device variations may calculate and provide (e.g., display, transmit, etc.) actual temperature so users can see actual temperatures during heat up or set a temperature in the device instead of setting a target resistance or target percentage change in resistance. For the voltage divider approach, if Rreference is sufficiently close to Rbaseline, temperature change is approximately ΔT=(Rcoil/Rreference−Rbaseline/Rreference)/TCR. As mentioned above, any of the device variations described herein may be configured to control the temperature only after a sensor indicates that vaporization is required. For example, a pressure sensor (e.g., “puff sensor”) may be used to determine when the coil should be heated. This sensor may function as essentially an on off switch for heating under PID control. Additionally, in some variations, the sensor may also control baseline resistance determination. For example baseline resistance may be prevented until at least some predetermined time period (e.g., 10 sec, 15 sec, 20 sec, 30 sec, 45 sec, 1 min, 2 min, etc.) after the last puff. Provided herein is a device for generating an inhalable aerosol comprising: a cartridge comprising a first heater contact; a device body comprising; a cartridge receptacle for receiving the cartridge; a second heater contact adapted to receive the first heater contact and to complete a circuit; a power source connected to the second heater contact; a printed circuit board (PCB) connected to the power source and the second heater contact; and a single button interface; wherein the PCB is configured with circuitry and an algorithm comprising logic for a child safety feature. In some embodiments, the algorithm requires a code provided by the user to activate the device. In some embodiments; the code is entered by the user with the single button interface. In still further embodiments the single button interface is the also the power switch. Provided herein is a cartridge 30 for a device 10 for generating an inhalable aerosol comprising: a fluid storage compartment 32; a heater 36 affixed to a first end comprising: a heater chamber 37, a first pair of heater contacts 33, a fluid wick 34, and a resistive heating element 35 in contact with the wick; wherein the first pair of heater contacts 33 comprise thin plates affixed about the sides of the heater chamber 37, and wherein the fluid wick 34 and resistive heating element 35 are suspended there between. Depending on the size of the heater or heater chamber, the heater may have more than one wick 34, 34′ and resistive heating element 35, 35′. In some embodiments, the first pair of heater contacts further comprise a formed shape that comprises a tab 33a having a flexible spring value that extends out of the heater 36 to complete a circuit with the device body 20. In some embodiments, the heater contacts 33 are configured to mate with a second pair of heater contacts 22 in a cartridge receptacle 21 of the device body 20 to complete a circuit. In some embodiments, the first pair of heater contacts is also a heat sink that absorbs and dissipates excessive heat produced by the resistive heating element. In some embodiments, the first pair of heater contacts is a heat shield that protects the heater chamber from excessive heat produced by the resistive heating element. Provided herein is a cartridge 30 for a device for generating an inhalable aerosol 10 comprising: a heater 36 comprising; a heater chamber 37, a pair of thin plate heater contacts 33 therein, a fluid wick 34 positioned between the heater contacts 33, and a resistive heating element 35 in contact with the wick; wherein the heater contacts 33 each comprise a fixation site 33c wherein the resistive heating element 35 is tensioned there between. As will be obvious to one skilled in the art after reviewing the assembly method illustrated in FIG. 9, the heater contacts 33 simply snap or rest on locator pins on either side of the air inlet 53 on the first end of the cartridge interior fluid storage compartment, creating a spacious vaporization chamber containing the at least one wick 34 and at least one heating element 35. Provided herein is a cartridge 30 for a device for generating an inhalable aerosol 10 comprising a heater 36 attached to a first end of the cartridge. In some embodiments, the heater encloses a first end of the cartridge and a first end of the fluid storage compartment 32, 32a. In some embodiments, the heater comprises a first condensation chamber 45. In some embodiments, the heater comprises more than one first condensation chamber 45, 45′. In some embodiments, the condensation chamber is formed along an exterior wall of the cartridge 45b. As noted previously, and described in FIGS. 10A, 10B and 10C, the airflow path through the heater and heater chamber generates vapor within the heater circulating air path 54, which then exits through the heater exits 55 into a first (primary) condensation chamber 45, which is formed by components of the tank body comprising the primary condensation channel/chamber rails 45b, the primary condensation channel cover 45a, (the outer side wall of the heater enclosure). Provided herein is a cartridge 30 for a device for generating an inhalable aerosol 10 comprising a fluid storage compartment 32 and a mouthpiece 31, wherein the mouthpiece is attached to a second end of the cartridge and further comprises at least one aerosol outlet 47. In some embodiments, the mouthpiece 31 encloses a second end of the cartridge 30 and a second end of the fluid storage compartment 32, 32a. Additionally, as clearly illustrated in FIG. 10C in some embodiments the mouthpiece also contains a second condensation chamber 46 prior to the aerosol outlet 47, which is formed by components of the tank body 32 comprising the secondary condensation channel/chamber rails 46b, the second condensation channel cover 46a, (the outer side wall of the mouthpiece). Still further, the mouthpiece may contain yet another aerosol outlet 47′ and another (second) condensation chamber 46′ prior to the aerosol outlet, on another side of the cartridge. In other embodiments, the mouthpiece comprises more than one second condensation chamber 46, 46′. In some preferred embodiments, the second condensation chamber is formed along an exterior wall of the cartridge 46b. In each of the embodiments described herein, the cartridge 30 comprises an airflow path comprising: an air inlet channel and passage 40, 41, 42; a heater chamber 37; at least a first condensation chamber 45; and an outlet port 47. In some of the embodiments described herein, the cartridge 30 comprises an airflow path comprising: an air inlet channel and passage 40, 41, 42; a heater chamber 37; a first condensation chamber 45; a second condensation chamber 46; and an outlet port 47. In still other embodiments described herein the cartridge 30 may comprise an airflow path comprising at least one air inlet channel and passage 40, 41, 42; a heater chamber 37; at least one first condensation chamber 45; at least one second condensation chamber 46; and at least one outlet port 47. In each of the embodiments described herein, the fluid storage compartment 32 is in fluid communication with the heater 36, wherein the fluid storage compartment is capable of retaining condensed aerosol fluid. In some embodiments of the device, the condensed aerosol fluid comprises a nicotine formulation. In some embodiments, the condensed aerosol fluid comprises a humectant. In some embodiments, the humectant comprises propylene glycol. In some embodiments, the humectant comprises vegetable glycerin. Provided herein is a cartridge 30 for a device for generating an inhalable aerosol 10 comprising: a fluid storage compartment 32; a heater 36 affixed to a first end; and a mouthpiece 31 affixed to a second end; wherein the heater comprises a first condensation chamber 45 and the mouthpiece comprises a second condensation chamber 46. In some embodiments, the heater comprises more than one first condensation chamber 45, 45′ and the mouthpiece comprises more than one second condensation chamber 46, 46′. In some embodiments, the first condensation chamber and the second condensation chamber are in fluid communication. As illustrated in FIG. 10C, the first and second condensation chambers have a common transition area 57, 57′, for fluid communication. In some embodiments, the mouthpiece comprises an aerosol outlet 47 in fluid communication with the second condensation chamber 46. In some embodiments, the mouthpiece comprises two or more aerosol outlets 47, 47′. In some embodiments, the mouthpiece comprises two or more aerosol outlets 47, 47′ in fluid communication with the two or more second condensation chambers 46, 46′. In any one of the embodiments, the cartridge meets ISO recycling standards. In any one of the embodiments, the cartridge meets ISO recycling standards for plastic waste. And in still other embodiments, the plastic components of the cartridge are composed of polylactic acid (PLA), wherein the PLA components are compostable and or degradable. Provided herein is a device for generating an inhalable aerosol 10 comprising a device body 20 comprising a cartridge receptacle 21; and a detachable cartridge 30; wherein the cartridge receptacle and the detachable cartridge form a separable coupling, and wherein the separable coupling comprises a friction assembly, a snap-fit assembly or a magnetic assembly. In other embodiments of the device, the cartridge is a detachable assembly. In any one of the embodiments described herein, the cartridge components may comprise a snap-lock assembly such as illustrated by snap features 39a and 39b. In any one of the embodiments, the cartridge components are recyclable. Provided herein is a method of fabricating a device for generating an inhalable aerosol comprising: providing a device body comprising a cartridge receptacle; and providing a detachable cartridge; wherein the cartridge receptacle and the detachable cartridge form a separable coupling comprising a friction assembly, a snap-fit assembly or a magnetic assembly when the cartridge is inserted into the cartridge receptacle. Provided herein is a method of making a device 10 for generating an inhalable aerosol comprising: providing a device body 20 with a cartridge receptacle 21 comprising one or more interior coupling surfaces 21a, 21b, 21c . . . ; and further providing a cartridge 30 comprising: one or more exterior coupling surfaces 36a, 36b, 36c, . . . , a second end and a first end; a tank 32 comprising an interior fluid storage compartment 32a; at least one channel 40 on at least one exterior coupling surface, wherein the at least one channel forms one side of at least one air inlet passage 51, and wherein at least one interior wall of the cartridge receptacle forms at least one side one side of at least one air inlet passage 51 when the detachable cartridge is inserted into the cartridge receptacle. FIG. 9 provides an illustrative example of a method of assembling such a device. In some embodiments of the method, the cartridge 30 is assembled with a protective removable end cap 38 to protect the exposed heater contact tabs 33a protruding from the heater 36. Provided herein is a method of fabricating a cartridge for a device for generating an inhalable aerosol comprising: providing a fluid storage compartment; affixing a heater to a first end with a snap-fit coupling; and affixing a mouthpiece to a second end with a snap-fit coupling. Provided herein is a cartridge 30 for a device for generating an inhalable aerosol 10 with an airflow path comprising: a channel 50 comprising a portion of an air inlet passage 51; a second air passage 41 in fluid communication with the channel; a heater chamber 37 in fluid communication with the second air passage; a first condensation chamber 45 in fluid communication with the heater chamber; a second condensation chamber 46 in fluid communication with the first condensation chamber; and an aerosol outlet 47 in fluid communication with second condensation chamber. Provided herein is a device 10 for generating an inhalable aerosol adapted to receive a removable cartridge 30, wherein the cartridge comprises a fluid storage compartment or tank 32; an air inlet 41; a heater 36, a protective removable end cap 38, and a mouthpiece 31. Charging In some cases, the vaporization device may comprise a power source. The power source may be configured to provide power to a control system, one or more heating elements, one or more sensors, one or more lights, one or more indicators, and/or any other system on the electronic cigarette that requires a power source. The power source may be an energy storage device. The power source may be a battery or a capacitor. In some cases, the power source may be a rechargeable battery. The battery may be contained within a housing of the device. In some cases the battery may be removed from the housing for charging. Alternatively, the battery may remain in the housing while the battery is being charged. Two or more charge contact may be provided on an exterior surface of the device housing. The two or more charge contacts may be in electrical communication with the battery such that the battery may be charged by applying a charging source to the two or more charge contacts without removing the battery from the housing. FIG. 18 shows a device 1800 with charge contacts 1801. The charge contacts 1801 may be accessible from an exterior surface of a device housing 1802. The charge contacts 1801 may be in electrical communication with an energy storage device (e.g., battery) inside of the device housing 1802. In some cases, the device housing may not comprise an opening through which the user may access components in the device housing. The user may not be able to remove the battery and/or other energy storage device from the housing. In order to open the device housing a user must destroy or permanently disengage the charge contacts. In some cases, the device may fail to function after a user breaks open the housing. FIG. 19 shows an exploded view of a charging assembly 1900 in an electronic vaporization device. The housing (not shown) has been removed from the exploded view in FIG. 19. The charge contact pins 1901 may be visible on the exterior of the housing. The charge contact pins 1901 may be in electrical communication with a power storage device of the electronic vaporization device. When the device is connected to a power source (e.g., during charging of the device) the charging pins may facilitate electrical communication between the power storage device inside of the electronic vaporization device and the power source outside of the housing of the vaporization device. The charge contact pins 1901 may be held in place by a retaining bezel 1902. The charge contact pins 1901 may be in electrical communication with a charger flex 1903. The charging pins may contact the charger flex such that a need for soldering of the charger pins to an electrical connection to be in electrical communication with the power source may be eliminated. The charger flex may be soldered to a printed circuit board (PCB). The charger flex may be in electrical communication with the power storage device through the PCB. The charger flex may be held in place by a bent spring retainer 1904. FIG. 20 shows the bent spring retainer in an initial position 2001 and a deflected position 2002. The bent spring retainer may hold the retaining bezel in a fixed location. The bent spring retainer may deflect only in one direction when the charging assembly is enclosed in the housing of the electronic vaporization device. FIG. 21 shows a location of the charger pins 2101 when the electronic vaporization device is fully assembled with the charging pins 2101 contact the charging flex 2102. When the device is fully assembled at least a portion of the retaining bezel may be fitted in an indentation 2103 on the inside of the housing 2104. In some cases, disassembling the electronic vaporization device may destroy the bezel such that the device cannot be reassembled after disassembly. A user may place the electronic smoking device in a charging cradle. The charging cradle may be a holder with charging contact configured to mate or couple with the charging pins on the electronic smoking device to provide charge to the energy storage device in the electronic vaporization device from a power source (e.g., wall outlet, generator, and/or external power storage device). FIG. 22 shows a device 2302 in a charging cradle 2301. The charging cable may be connected to a wall outlet, USB, or any other power source. The charging pins (not shown) on the device 2302 may be connected to charging contacts (not shown) on the charging cradle 2301. The device may be configured such that when the device is placed in the cradle for charging a first charging pin on the device may contact a first charging contact on the charging cradle and a second charging pin on the device may contact a second charging contact on the charging cradle or the first charging pin on the device may contact a second charging contact on the charging cradle and the second charging pin on the device may contact the first charging contact on the charging cradle. The charging pins on the device and the charging contacts on the cradle may be in contact in any orientation. The charging pins on the device and the charging contacts on the cradle may be agnostic as to whether they are current inlets or outlets. Each of the charging pins on the device and the charging contacts on the cradle may be negative or positive. The charging pins on the device may be reversible. FIG. 23 shows a circuit 2400 that may permit the charging pins on the device to be reversible. The circuit 2400 may be provided on a PCB in electrical communication with the charging pins. The circuit 2400 may comprise a metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor (MOSFET) H bridge. The MOSFET H bridge may rectify a change in voltage across the charging pins when the charging pins are reversed from a first configuration where in a first configuration the device is placed in the cradle for charging with the first charging pin on the device in contact with the first charging contact on the charging cradle to a second charging pin on the device in contact with the second charging contact on the charging cradle to a second configuration where the first charging pin on the device is in contact with the second charging contact on the charging cradle and the second charging pin on the device is in contact with the first charging contact on the charging cradle. The MOSFET H bridge may rectify the change in voltage with an efficient current path. As shown in FIG. 23 the MOSFET H bridge may comprise two or more n-channel MOSFETs and two or more p-channel MOSFETs. The n-channel and p-channel MOSFETs may be arranged in an H bridge. Sources of p-channels MOSFETs (Q1 and Q3) may be in electrical communication. Similarly, sources of n-channel FETs (Q2 and Q4) may be in electrical communication. Drains of pairs of n and p MOSFETs (Q1 with Q2 and Q3 with Q4) may be in electrical communication. TA common drain from one n and p pair may be in electrical communication with one or more gates of the other n and p pair and/or vice versa. Charge contacts (CH1 and CH2) may be in electrical communication to common drains separately. A common source of the n MOSFETs may be in electrical communication to PCB ground (GND). The common source of the p MOSFETs may be in electrical communication with the PCB's charge controller input voltage (CH+). When CH1 voltage is greater than CH2 voltage by the MOSFET gate threshold voltages, Q1 and Q4 may be “on,” connecting CH1 to CH+ and CH2 to GND. When CH2 voltage is greater than CH1 voltage by the FET gate threshold voltages, Q2 and Q3 may be “on,” connecting CH1 to GND and CH2 to CH+. For example, whether there is 9V or −9V across CH1 to CH2, CH+ will be 9V above GND. Alternatively, a diode bridge could be used, however the MOSFET bridge may be more efficient compared to the diode bridge. In some cases the charging cradle may be configured to be a smart charger. The smart charger may put the battery of the device in series with a USB input to charge the device at a higher current compared to a typical charging current. In some cases, the device may charge at a rate up to about 2 amps (A), 4A, 5A, 6A, 7A, 10A, or 15A. In some cases, the smart charger may comprise a battery, power from the battery may be used to charge the device battery. When the battery in the smart charger has a charge below a predetermined threshold charge, the smart charger may simultaneously charge the battery in the smart charger and the battery in the device. Cartridge/Vaporizer Attachment Any of the cartridges described herein may be adapted for securely coupling with an electronic inhalable aerosol device (“vaporizer”) as discussed above. In particular described herein are cartridge designs that address the unrecognized problem of maintaining adequate electrical contact between a mouthpiece-containing cartridge and a rectangular vaporizer coupling region, particularly when the mouthpiece is held in a user's mouth. Any of the cartridges described herein may be particularly well adapted for securing to a vaporizer by including a base region that mates with the rectangular coupling region of the vaporizer, where the base unit fits into a rectangular opening that is between 13-14 mm deep, 4.5-5.5 mm wide, and 13-14 mm long. The base having generally includes a bottom surface having a first electrical contact and a second electrical contact. In particular, any of the cartridges described herein may include a first locking gap on a first lateral surface of the base, and a second locking gap on a second lateral surface of the base that is opposite first lateral surface. For example FIGS. 24A and 24B illustrate another variation of a cartridge similar to that shown in FIGS. 7A-15, discussed above, having a base region 2401 with at least one locking gap 2404 on the first minor lateral wall 2407. A second locking gap (not shown) may be present on the opposite minor lateral wall. One or both major lateral walls 2418 may include a detent 2421. Any of these cartridges may also include a mouthpiece 2409, which may be at an end that is opposite of the bottom 2422 of the cartridge, on which a pair of tabs (electrodes 2411) are positioned, shown in FIG. 24A (as previously described, above) bent over the distal end of the cartridge. FIGS. 25A and 25B show front and side views, respectively, of this example. In FIGS. 24A-25B the locking gaps 2404, 2404′ on either side are shown as channels in the side (lateral) walls. They may extend across the entire side wall, parallel to the bottom as shown, or they may extend only partially through and may preferably be centered relative to the width of the wall. In other variations the locking gap may be a divot, pit, opening, or hole (though not into the internal volume holding the vaporizable material). In general, the inventors have found that the vertical position of the locking gap may be important in maintaining the stability of the cartridge in the vaporizer, particularly in cartridges having a rectangular base region that is longer than 10 mm. Optimally, the locking gap may be between about 1 and 5 mm from the bottom of the base region, and more specifically, between about 3 and 4 mm (e.g., approximately 3.3 mm), as shown in FIG. 26A which indicates exemplary dimensions for the section through FIG. 26B. The cartridges shown in FIGS. 24A-24B also include a detent 2421 that is positioned between about 7 and 11 mm up from the bottom of the cartridge. The detent may help hold the cartridge base in the vaporizer, and may cooperate with the locking gap, but is optional (and shown in dashed lines in FIGS. 2A-25B. In FIGS. 24A-25B the cartridge base is also transparent, and shows an internal air channel (cannula 2505). FIGS. 27A-27B show another example of a vaporizer including a battery and control circuitry. FIGS. 27A and 27B also illustrate the mating region 2704. In this example, the mating region includes two detents 2706 that may mate with the locking gaps on the cartridge when it is inserted into the vaporizer. Exemplary dimensions for the mating region are shown. In this example the locking detents (which complement the locking gaps on the cartridge) are indentations that project into the mating region. These locking determent may be a ridge, pin, or other projection (including spring-loaded members). FIGS. 28A-28D show an example of a vaporizer 2803 into which a cartridge 2801 has been securely loaded. In FIG. 28A the cartridge has been snapped into position so that the locking gaps of the cartridge engage with the locking detents in the vaporizer. FIG. 28B is side view and FIG. 28C show a sectional view; an enlarged portion of the sectional view is shown in FIG. 28D, showing the base of the cartridge seated in the mating region of the vaporizer. With the cartridge secured as shown, good electrical contact 2805 may be maintained. Although the cartridges shown in FIGS. 24A-28D are similar, and include a proximal mouthpiece and distal base that are nearly equivalent in size, with the reservoir for the vaporizable material between them and the wick, resistive heater, heating chamber and electrodes at the distal most end (near the bottom of the base), many other cartridge configurations are possible while still securely seating into a vaporizer having the same vaporizer mating region shown in FIGS. 28A-28B. For example, FIGS. 29A-29D illustrate alternative variations of cartridges having similar electrode. In FIG. 29A the base region includes two projecting feet that include locking gaps, and the electrodes on the base (not shown) connect via electrical traces (e.g. wires, etc.) to a heating element, wick and the reservoir nearer to the distal end (not visible). In FIG. 29B the base extends further than 11 mm (e.g., 20-30 mm) and may house the reservoir (fluid storage compartment). Similarly in FIG. 29C the base region is the same as in FIG. 29B, but the more proximal portion is enlarged. In FIG. 29D the fluid non-base portion of the cartridge (more proximal than the base region) may have a different dimension. All of the variations shown in FIGS. 29A-29D, as in the variations shown in FIG. 24A-25B, may mate with the same vaporizer, and because of the dimensions of the base region, may be securely held and maintain electrical contact, even when a user is holding the device in their mouth. When a feature or element is herein referred to as being “on” another feature or element, it can be directly on the other feature or element or intervening features and/or elements may also be present. In contrast, when a feature or element is referred to as being “directly on” another feature or element, there are no intervening features or elements present. It will also be understood that, when a feature or element is referred to as being “connected”, “attached” or “coupled” to another feature or element, it can be directly connected, attached or coupled to the other feature or element or intervening features or elements may be present. In contrast, when a feature or element is referred to as being “directly connected”, “directly attached” or “directly coupled” to another feature or element, there are no intervening features or elements present. Although described or shown with respect to one embodiment, the features and elements so described or shown can apply to other embodiments. It will also be appreciated by those of skill in the art that references to a structure or feature that is disposed “adjacent” another feature may have portions that overlap or underlie the adjacent feature. Terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the invention. For example, as used herein, the singular forms “a”, “an” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will be further understood that the terms “comprises” and/or “comprising,” when used in this specification, specify the presence of stated features, steps, operations, elements, and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof. As used herein, the term “and/or” includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items and may be abbreviated as “/”. Spatially relative terms, such as “under”, “below”, “lower”, “over”, “upper” and the like, may be used herein for ease of description to describe one element or feature's relationship to another element(s) or feature(s) as illustrated in the figures. It will be understood that the spatially relative terms are intended to encompass different orientations of the device in use or operation in addition to the orientation depicted in the figures. For example, if a device in the figures is inverted, elements described as “under” or “beneath” other elements or features would then be oriented “over” the other elements or features. Thus, the exemplary term “under” can encompass both an orientation of over and under. The device may be otherwise oriented (rotated 90 degrees or at other orientations) and the spatially relative descriptors used herein interpreted accordingly. Similarly, the terms “upwardly”, “downwardly”, “vertical”, “horizontal” and the like are used herein for the purpose of explanation only unless specifically indicated otherwise. Although the terms “first” and “second” may be used herein to describe various features/elements (including steps), these features/elements should not be limited by these terms, unless the context indicates otherwise. These terms may be used to distinguish one feature/element from another feature/element. Thus, a first feature/element discussed below could be termed a second feature/element, and similarly, a second feature/element discussed below could be termed a first feature/element without departing from the teachings of the present invention. Throughout this specification and the claims which follow, unless the context requires otherwise, the word “comprise”, and variations such as “comprises” and “comprising” means various components can be co-jointly employed in the methods and articles (e.g., compositions and apparatuses including device and methods). For example, the term “comprising” will be understood to imply the inclusion of any stated elements or steps but not the exclusion of any other elements or steps. In general, any of the apparatuses and methods described herein should be understood to be inclusive, but all or a sub-set of the components and/or steps may alternatively be exclusive, and may be expressed as “consisting of” or alternatively “consisting essentially of” the various components, steps, sub-components or sub-steps. As used herein in the specification and claims, including as used in the examples and unless otherwise expressly specified, all numbers may be read as if prefaced by the word “about” or “approximately,” even if the term does not expressly appear. The phrase “about” or “approximately” may be used when describing magnitude and/or position to indicate that the value and/or position described is within a reasonable expected range of values and/or positions. For example, a numeric value may have a value that is +/−0.1% of the stated value (or range of values), +/−1% of the stated value (or range of values), +/−2% of the stated value (or range of values), +/−5% of the stated value (or range of values), +/−10% of the stated value (or range of values), etc. Any numerical values given herein should also be understood to include about or approximately that value, unless the context indicates otherwise. For example, if the value “10” is disclosed, then “about 10” is also disclosed. Any numerical range recited herein is intended to include all sub-ranges subsumed therein. It is also understood that when a value is disclosed that “less than or equal to” the value, “greater than or equal to the value” and possible ranges between values are also disclosed, as appropriately understood by the skilled artisan. For example, if the value “X” is disclosed the “less than or equal to X” as well as “greater than or equal to X” (e.g., where X is a numerical value) is also disclosed. It is also understood that the throughout the application, data is provided in a number of different formats, and that this data, represents endpoints and starting points, and ranges for any combination of the data points. For example, if a particular data point “10” and a particular data point “15” are disclosed, it is understood that greater than, greater than or equal to, less than, less than or equal to, and equal to 10 and 15 are considered disclosed as well as between 10 and 15. It is also understood that each unit between two particular units are also disclosed. For example, if 10 and 15 are disclosed, then 11, 12, 13, and 14 are also disclosed. Although various illustrative embodiments are described above, any of a number of changes may be made to various embodiments without departing from the scope of the invention as described by the claims. For example, the order in which various described method steps are performed may often be changed in alternative embodiments, and in other alternative embodiments one or more method steps may be skipped altogether. Optional features of various device and system embodiments may be included in some embodiments and not in others. Therefore, the foregoing description is provided primarily for exemplary purposes and should not be interpreted to limit the scope of the invention as it is set forth in the claims. The examples and illustrations included herein show, by way of illustration and not of limitation, specific embodiments in which the subject matter may be practiced. As mentioned, other embodiments may be utilized and derived there from, such that structural and logical substitutions and changes may be made without departing from the scope of this disclosure. Such embodiments of the inventive subject matter may be referred to herein individually or collectively by the term “invention” merely for convenience and without intending to voluntarily limit the scope of this application to any single invention or inventive concept, if more than one is, in fact, disclosed. Thus, although specific embodiments have been illustrated and described herein, any arrangement calculated to achieve the same purpose may be substituted for the specific embodiments shown. This disclosure is intended to cover any and all adaptations or variations of various embodiments. Combinations of the above embodiments, and other embodiments not specifically described herein, will be apparent to those of skill in the art upon reviewing the above description. | <SOH> BACKGROUND <EOH>Electronic inhalable aerosol devices (e.g., vaporization devices, electronic vaping devices, etc.) and particularly electronic aerosol devices, typically utilize a vaporizable material that is vaporized to create an aerosol vapor capable of delivering an active ingredient to a user. Control of the temperature of the resistive heater must be maintained (e.g., as part of a control loop), and this control may be based on the resistance of the resistive heating element. Many of the battery-powered vaporizers described to date include a reusable batter-containing device portion that connects to one or more cartridges containing the consumable vaporizable material. As the cartridges are used up, they are removed and replaced with fresh ones. It may be particularly useful to have the cartridge be integrated with a mouthpiece that the user can draw on to receive vapor. However, a number of surprising disadvantages may result in this configuration, particular to non-cylindrical shapes. For example, the use of a cartridge at the proximal end of the device, which is also held by the user's mouth, particularly where the cartridge is held in the vaporizer device by a friction- or a snap-fit, may result in instability in the electrical contacts, particularly with cartridges of greater than 1 cm length. Described herein are apparatuses and methods that may address the issues discussed above. | <SOH> SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE <EOH>The present invention relates generally to apparatuses, including systems and devices, for vaporizing material to form an inhalable aerosol. Specifically, these apparatuses may include vaporizers. In particular, described herein are cartridges that are configured for use with a vaporizer (e.g., vaporizer device) having a rechargeable power supply that includes a proximal cartridge-receiving opening. These cartridges are specifically adapted to be releasably but securely held within the cartridge-receiving opening of the vaporizer and resist disruption of the electrical contact with the controller and power supply in the vaporizer even when held by the user's mouth. For example, described herein are cartridge devices holding a vaporizable material for securely coupling with an electronic inhalable aerosol device. A device may include: a mouthpiece; a fluid storage compartment holding a vaporizable material; a base configured to fit into a rectangular opening that is between 13-14 mm deep, 4.5-5.5 mm wide, and 13-14 mm long, the base having a bottom surface comprising a first electrical contact and a second electrical contact, a first locking gap on a first lateral surface of the base, and a second locking gap on a second lateral surface of the base that is opposite first lateral surface. A cartridge device holding a vaporizable material for securely coupling with an electronic inhalable aerosol device may include: a mouthpiece; a fluid storage compartment holding a vaporizable material; a base configured to fit into a rectangular opening that is between 13-14 mm deep, 4.5-5.5 mm wide, and 13-14 mm long, the base having a length of at least 10 mm, and a bottom surface comprising a first electrical contact and a second electrical contact, a first locking gap on a first lateral surface of the base positioned between 3-4 mm above the bottom surface, and a second locking gap on a second lateral surface of the base that is opposite first lateral surface. A cartridge device holding a vaporizable material for securely coupling with an electronic inhalable aerosol device, the device comprising: a mouthpiece; a fluid storage compartment holding a vaporizable material; a rectangular base having a pair of minor sides that are between greater than 10 mm deep and between 4.5-5.5 mm wide, and a pair of major sides that are greater than 10 mm deep and between 13-14 mm wide, a bottom surface comprising a first electrical contact and a second electrical contact, and a first locking gap on a first lateral surface of the base positioned between 3-4 mm above the bottom surface, and a second locking gap on a second lateral surface of the base that is opposite first lateral surface. Any of these devices may also typically include a wick in fluid communication with the vaporizable material; and a resistive heating element in fluid contact with the wick and in electrical contact with the first and second electrical contacts. In general, applicants have found that, for cartridges having a base that fits into the rectangular opening of a vaporizer (particularly one that is between 13-14 mm deep, 4.5-5.5 mm wide, and 13-14 mm long), the it is beneficial to have a length of the base (which is generally the connection region of the base for interfacing into the rectangular opening) that is greater than 10 mm, however when the base is greater than 10 mm (e.g., greater than 11 mm, greater than 12 mm, greater than 13 mm), the stability of the cartridge and in particular the electrical contacts, may be greatly enhanced if the cartridge includes one or more (e.g., two) locking gaps near the bottom surface of the cartridge into which a complimentary detent on the vaporizer can couple to. In particular, it may be beneficial to have the first and second locking gaps within 6 mm of the bottom surface, and more specifically within 3-4 mm of the bottom surface. The first and second lateral surfaces may be separated from each other by between 13-14 mm, e.g., they may be on the short sides of a cartridge base having a rectangular cross-section (a rectangular base). As mentioned, any of these cartridges may include a wick extending through the fluid storage compartment and into the vaporizable material, a resistive heating element in contact with the first and second electrical contacts, and a heating chamber in electrical contact with the first and second electrical contacts. It may also be beneficial to include one or more (e.g., two) detents extending from a major surface (e.g., two major surfaces) of the base, such as from a third and/or fourth lateral wall of the base. The cartridge may include any appropriate vaporizable material, such as a nicotine salt solution. In general, the mouthpiece may be attached opposite from the base. The fluid storage compartment may also comprises an air path extending there through (e.g., a cannula or tube). In some variations at least part of the fluid storage compartment may be within the base. The compartment may be transparent (e.g., made from a plastic or polymeric material that is clear) or opaque, allowing the user to see how much fluid is left. In general, the locking gap(s) may be a channel in the first lateral surface (e.g., a channel transversely across the first lateral surface parallel to the bottom surface), an opening or hole in the first lateral surface, and/or a hole in the first lateral surface. The locking gap is generally a gap that is surrounded at least on the upper and lower (proximal and distal) sides by the lateral wall to allow the detent on the vaporizer to engage therewith. The locking gap may be generally between 0.1 mm and 2 mm wide (e.g., between a lower value of about 0.1, 0.2, 0.3, 0.4, 0.5, 0.6, 0.7, 0.8, 0.9, 1.0, 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.4, etc. and an upper value of about 0.4, 0.5, 0.6, 0.7, 0.8, 0.9, 1.0, 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.4, 1.5, 1.6, 1.7, 1.8, 1.9, 2.0, etc., where the upper value is always greater than the lower value). Also described are vaporizers and method of using them with cartridges, including those described herein. In some variations, the apparatuses described herein may include an inhalable aerosol comprising: an oven comprising an oven chamber and a heater for heating a vapor forming medium in the oven chamber to generate a vapor; a condenser comprising a condensation chamber in which at least a fraction of the vapor condenses to form the inhalable aerosol; an air inlet that originates a first airflow path that includes the oven chamber; and an aeration vent that originates a second airflow path that allows air from the aeration vent to join the first airflow path prior to or within the condensation chamber and downstream from the oven chamber thereby forming a joined path, wherein the joined path is configured to deliver the inhalable aerosol formed in the condensation chamber to a user. The oven may be within a body of the device. The device may further comprise a mouthpiece, wherein the mouthpiece comprises at least one of the air inlet, the aeration vent, and the condenser. The mouthpiece may be separable from the oven. The mouthpiece may be integral to a body of the device, wherein the body comprises the oven. The device may further comprise a body that comprises the oven, the condenser, the air inlet, and the aeration vent. The mouthpiece may be separable from the body. In some variations, the oven chamber may comprise an oven chamber inlet and an oven chamber outlet, and the oven further comprises a first valve at the oven chamber inlet, and a second valve at the oven chamber outlet. The aeration vent may comprise a third valve. The first valve, or said second valve may be chosen from the group of a check valve, a clack valve, a non-return valve, and a one-way valve. The third valve may be chosen from the group of a check valve, a clack valve, a non-return valve, and a one-way valve. The first or second valve may be mechanically actuated. The first or second valve may be electronically actuated. The first valve or second valve may be manually actuated. The third valve may be mechanically actuated. The third valve may be mechanically actuated. The third valve may be electronically actuated. The third valve may be manually actuated. In some variations, the device may further comprise a body that comprises at least one of: a power source, a printed circuit board, a switch, and a temperature regulator. The device may further comprise a temperature regulator in communication with a temperature sensor. The temperature sensor may be the heater. The power source may be rechargeable. The power source may be removable. The oven may further comprise an access lid. The vapor forming medium may comprise tobacco. The vapor forming medium may comprise a botanical. The vapor forming medium may be heated in the oven chamber wherein the vapor forming medium may comprise a humectant to produce the vapor, wherein the vapor comprises a gas phase humectant. The vapor may be mixed in the condensation chamber with air from the aeration vent to produce the inhalable aerosol comprising particle diameters of average size of about 1 micron. The vapor forming medium may be heated in the oven chamber, wherein the vapor is mixed in the condensation chamber with air from the aeration vent to produce the inhalable aerosol comprising particle diameters of average size of less than or equal to 0.9 micron. The vapor forming medium may be heated in the oven chamber, wherein the vapor is mixed in the condensation chamber with air from the aeration vent to produce the inhalable aerosol comprising particle diameters of average size of less than or equal to 0.8 micron. The vapor forming medium may be heated in the oven chamber, wherein the vapor is mixed in the condensation chamber with air from the aeration vent to produce the inhalable aerosol comprising particle diameters of average size of less than or equal to 0.7 micron. The vapor forming medium may be heated in the oven chamber, wherein the vapor is mixed in the condensation chamber with air from the aeration vent to produce the inhalable aerosol comprising particle diameters of average size of less than or equal to 0.6 micron. The vapor forming medium may be heated in the oven chamber, wherein the vapor is mixed in the condensation chamber with air from the aeration vent to produce the inhalable aerosol comprising particle diameters of average size of less than or equal to 0.5 micron. In some variations, the humectant may comprise glycerol as a vapor-forming medium. The humectant may comprise vegetable glycerol. The humectant may comprise propylene glycol. The humectant may comprise a ratio of vegetable glycerol to propylene glycol. The ratio may be about 100:0 vegetable glycerol to propylene glycol. The ratio may be about 90:10 vegetable glycerol to propylene glycol. The ratio may be about 80:20 vegetable glycerol to propylene glycol. The ratio may be about 70:30 vegetable glycerol to propylene glycol. The ratio may be about 60:40 vegetable glycerol to propylene glycol. The ratio may be about 50:50 vegetable glycerol to propylene glycol. The humectant may comprise a flavorant. The vapor forming medium may be heated to its pyrolytic temperature. The vapor forming medium may heated to 200° C. at most. The vapor forming medium may be heated to 160° C. at most. The inhalable aerosol may be cooled to a temperature of about 50°-70° C. at most, before exiting the aerosol outlet of the mouthpiece. Also described herein are methods for generating an inhalable aerosol. Such a method may comprise: providing an inhalable aerosol generating device wherein the device comprises: an oven comprising an oven chamber and a heater for heating a vapor forming medium in the oven chamber and for forming a vapor therein; a condenser comprising a condensation chamber in which the vapor forms the inhalable aerosol; an air inlet that originates a first airflow path that includes the oven chamber; and an aeration vent that originates a second airflow path that allows air from the aeration vent to join the first airflow path prior to or within the condensation chamber and downstream from the oven chamber thereby forming a joined path, wherein the joined path is configured to deliver the inhalable aerosol formed in the condensation chamber to a user. The oven may be within a body of the device. The device may further comprise a mouthpiece, wherein the mouthpiece comprises at least one of the air inlet, the aeration vent, and the condenser. The mouthpiece may be separable from the oven. The mouthpiece may be integral to a body of the device, wherein the body comprises the oven. The method may further comprise a body that comprises the oven, the condenser, the air inlet, and the aeration vent. The mouthpiece may be separable from the body. The oven chamber may comprise an oven chamber inlet and an oven chamber outlet, and the oven further comprises a first valve at the oven chamber inlet, and a second valve at the oven chamber outlet. The vapor forming medium may comprise tobacco. The vapor forming medium may comprise a botanical. The vapor forming medium may be heated in the oven chamber wherein the vapor forming medium may comprise a humectant to produce the vapor, wherein the vapor comprises a gas phase humectant. The vapor may comprise particle diameters of average mass of about 1 micron. The vapor may comprise particle diameters of average mass of about 0.9 micron. The vapor may comprise particle diameters of average mass of about 0.8 micron. The vapor may comprise particle diameters of average mass of about 0.7 micron. The vapor may comprise particle diameters of average mass of about 0.6 micron. The vapor may comprise particle diameters of average mass of about 0.5 micron. In some variations, the humectant may comprise glycerol as a vapor-forming medium. The humectant may comprise vegetable glycerol. The humectant may comprise propylene glycol. The humectant may comprise a ratio of vegetable glycerol to propylene glycol. The ratio may be about 100:0 vegetable glycerol to propylene glycol. The ratio may be about 90:10 vegetable glycerol to propylene glycol. The ratio may be about 80:20 vegetable glycerol to propylene glycol. The ratio may be about 70:30 vegetable glycerol to propylene glycol. The ratio may be about 60:40 vegetable glycerol to propylene glycol. The ratio may be about 50:50 vegetable glycerol to propylene glycol. The humectant may comprise a flavorant. The vapor forming medium may be heated to its pyrolytic temperature. The vapor forming medium may heated to 200° C. at most. The vapor forming medium may be heated to 160° C. at most. The inhalable aerosol may be cooled to a temperature of about 50°-70° C. at most, before exiting the aerosol outlet of the mouthpiece. The device may be user serviceable. The device may not be user serviceable. A method for generating an inhalable aerosol may include: providing a vaporization device, wherein said device produces a vapor comprising particle diameters of average mass of about 1 micron or less, wherein said vapor is formed by heating a vapor forming medium in an oven chamber to a first temperature below the pyrolytic temperature of said vapor forming medium, and cooling said vapor in a condensation chamber to a second temperature below the first temperature, before exiting an aerosol outlet of said device. A method of manufacturing a device for generating an inhalable aerosol may include: providing said device comprising a mouthpiece comprising an aerosol outlet at a first end of the device; an oven comprising an oven chamber and a heater for heating a vapor forming medium in the oven chamber and for forming a vapor therein, a condenser comprising a condensation chamber in which the vapor forms the inhalable aerosol, an air inlet that originates a first airflow path that includes the oven chamber and then the condensation chamber, an aeration vent that originates a second airflow path that joins the first airflow path prior to or within the condensation chamber after the vapor is formed in the oven chamber, wherein the joined first airflow path and second airflow path are configured to deliver the inhalable aerosol formed in the condensation chamber through the aerosol outlet of the mouthpiece to a user. The method may further comprise providing the device comprising a power source or battery, a printed circuit board, a temperature regulator or operational switches. A device for generating an inhalable aerosol may comprise a mouthpiece comprising an aerosol outlet at a first end of the device and an air inlet that originates a first airflow path; an oven comprising an oven chamber that is in the first airflow path and includes the oven chamber and a heater for heating a vapor forming medium in the oven chamber and for forming a vapor therein; a condenser comprising a condensation chamber in which the vapor forms the inhalable aerosol; and an aeration vent that originates a second airflow path that allows air from the aeration vent to join the first airflow path prior to or within the condensation chamber and downstream from the oven chamber thereby forming a joined path, wherein the joined path is configured to deliver the inhalable aerosol formed in the condensation chamber through the aerosol outlet of the mouthpiece to a user. Also described herein are vaporization devices and methods of operating them. In particular, described herein are methods for controlling the temperature of a resistive heater (e.g., resistive heating element) by controlling the power applied to a resistive heater of a vaporization device by measuring the resistance of the resistive heater at discrete intervals before (e.g., baseline or ambient temperature) and during vaporization (e.g., during heating to vaporize a material within the device). Changes in the resistance during heating may be linearly related to the temperature of the resistive heater over the operational range, and therefore may be used to control the power applied to heat the resistive heater during operation. Also described herein are vaporization devices that are configured to measure the resistance of the resistive heater during heating (e.g., during a pause in the application of power to heat the resistive heater) and to control the application of power to the resistive heater based on the resistance values. In general, in any of the methods and apparatuses described herein, the control circuitry (which may include one or more circuits, a microcontroller, and/or control logic) may compare a resistance of the resistive heater during heating, e.g., following a sensor input indicating that a user wishes to withdraw vapor, to a target resistance of the heating element. The target resistance is typically the resistance of the resistive heater at a desired (and in some cases estimated) target vaporization temperature. The apparatus and methods may be configured to offer multiple and/or adjustable vaporization temperatures. In some variations, the target resistance is an approximation or estimate of the resistance of the resistive heater when the resistive heater is heated to the target temperature (or temperature ranges). In some variations, the target reference is based on a baseline resistance for the resistive heater and/or the percent change in resistance from baseline resistance for the resistive heater at a target temperature. In general, the baseline resistance may be referred to as the resistance of the resistive heater at an ambient temperature. For example, a method of controlling a vaporization device may include: placing a vaporizable material in thermal contact with a resistive heater; applying power to the resistive heater to heat the vaporizable material; measuring the resistance of the resistive heater; and adjusting the applied power to the resistive heater based on the difference between the resistance of the resistive heater and a target resistance of the heating element. In some variations, the target resistance is based on a reference resistance. For example, the reference resistance may be approximately the resistance of the coil at target temperature. This reference resistance may be calculated, estimated or approximated (as described herein) or it may be determined empirically based on the resistance values of the resistive heater at one or more target temperatures. In some variations, the target resistance is based on the resistance of the resistive heater at an ambient temperature. For example, the target resistance may be estimated based on the electrical properties of the resistive heater, e.g., the temperature coefficient of resistance or TCR, of the resistive heater (e.g., “resistive heating element” or “vaporizing element”). For example, a vaporization device (e.g., an electronic vaporizer device) may include a puff sensor, a power source (e.g., battery, capacitor, etc.), a heating element controller (e.g., microcontroller), and a resistive heater. A separate temperature sensor may also be included to determine an actual temperature of ambient temperature and/or the resistive heater, or a temperature sensor may be part of the heating element controller. However, in general, the microcontroller may control the temperature of the resistive heater (e.g., resistive coil, etc.) based on a change in resistance due to temperature (e.g., TCR). In general, the heater may be any appropriate resistive heater, such as a resistive coil. The heater is typically coupled to the heater controller so that the heater controller applies power (e.g., from the power source) to the heater. The heater controller may include regulatory control logic to regulate the temperature of the heater by adjusting the applied power. The heater controller may include a dedicated or general-purpose processor, circuitry, or the like and is generally connected to the power source and may receive input from the power source to regulate the applied power to the heater. For example, any of these apparatuses may include logic for determining the temperature of the heater based on the TCR. The resistance of the heater (e.g., a resistive heater) may be measured (R heater ) during operation of the apparatus and compared to a target resistance, which is typically the resistance of the resistive heater at the target temperature. In some cases this resistance may be estimated from the resistance of the resistive hearing element at ambient temperature (baseline). In some variations, a reference resistor (R reference ) may be used to set the target resistance. The ratio of the heater resistance to the reference resistance (R heater /R reference ) is linearly related to the temperature (above room temp) of the heater, and may be directly converted to a calibrated temperature. For example, a change in temperature of the heater relative to room temperature may be calculated using an expression such as (R heater /R reference −1)*(1/TCR), where TCR is the temperature coefficient of resistivity for the heater. In one example, TCR for a particular device heater is 0.00014/° C. In determining the partial doses and doses described herein, the temperature value used (e.g., the temperature of the vaporizable material during a dose interval, T i , described in more detail below) may refer to the unitless resistive ratio (e.g., R heater /R reference ) or it may refer to the normalized/corrected temperature (e.g., in ° C.). When controlling a vaporization device by comparing a measure resistance of a resistive heater to a target resistance, the target resistance may be initially calculated and may be factory preset and/or calibrated by a user-initiated event. For example, the target resistance of the resistive heater during operation of the apparatus may be set by the percent change in baseline resistance plus the baseline resistance of the resistive heater, as will be described in more detail below. As mentioned, the resistance of the heating element at ambient is the baseline resistance. For example, the target resistance may be based on the resistance of the resistive heater at an ambient temperature and a target change in temperature of the resistive heater. As mentioned above, the target resistance of the resistive heater may be based on a target heating element temperature. Any of the apparatuses and methods for using them herein may include determining the target resistance of the resistive heater based on a resistance of the resistive heater at ambient temperature and a percent change in a resistance of the resistive heater at an ambient temperature. In any of the methods and apparatuses described herein, the resistance of the resistive heater may be measured (using a resistive measurement circuit) and compared to a target resistance by using a voltage divider. Alternatively or additionally any of the methods and apparatuses described herein may compare a measured resistance of the resistive heater to a target resistance using a Wheatstone bridge and thereby adjust the power to increase/decrease the applied power based on this comparison. In any of the variations described herein, adjusting the applied power to the resistive heater may comprise comparing the resistance (actual resistance) of the resistive heater to a target resistance using a voltage divider, Wheatstone bridge, amplified Wheatstone bridge, or RC charge time circuit. As mentioned above, a target resistance of the resistive heater and therefore target temperature may be determined using a baseline resistance measurement taken from the resistive heater. The apparatus and/or method may approximate a baseline resistance for the resistive heater by waiting an appropriate length of time (e.g., 1 second, 10 seconds, 30 seconds, 1 minute, 1.5 minutes, 2 minutes, 3 minutes, 4 minutes, 5 minutes, 6 minutes, 7 minutes, 8 minutes, 9 minutes, 10 minutes, 11 minutes, 12 minutes, 15 minutes, 20 minutes, etc.) from the last application of energy to the resistive heater to measure a resistance (or series of resistance that may be averaged, etc.) representing the baseline resistance for the resistive heater. In some variations a plurality of measurements made when heating/applying power to the resistive heater is prevented may be analyzed by the apparatus to determine when the resistance values do not vary outside of a predetermined range (e.g., when the resistive heater has ‘cooled’ down, and therefore the resistance is no longer changing due to temperature decreasing/increasing), for example, when the rate of change of the resistance of the heating element over time is below some stability threshold. For example, any of the methods and apparatuses described herein may measure the resistance of the resistive heater an ambient temperature by measuring the resistance of the resistive heater after a predetermined time since power was last applied to the resistive heater. As mentioned above, the predetermined time period may be seconds, minutes, etc. In any of these variations the baseline resistance may be stored in a long-term memory (including volatile, non-volatile or semi-volatile memory). Storing a baseline resistance (“the resistance of the resistive heater an ambient temperature”) may be done periodically (e.g., once per 2 minute, 5 minutes, 10 minutes, 1 hour, etc., or every time a particular event occurs, such as loading vaporizable material), or once for a single time. Any of these methods may also include calculating an absolute target coil temperature from an actual device temperature. As mentioned, above, based on the material properties of the resistive heater (e.g., coil) the resistance and/or change in resistance over time may be used calculate an actual temperature, which may be presented to a user, e.g., on the face of the device, or communicated to an “app” or other output type. In any of the methods and apparatuses described herein, the apparatus may detect the resistance of the resistive heater only when power is not being applied to the resistive heater while detecting the resistance; once the resistance detection is complete, power may again be applied (and this application may be modified by the control logic described herein). For example, in any of these devices and methods the resistance of the resistive heater may be measured only when suspending the application of power to the resistive heater. For example, a method of controlling a vaporization device may include: placing a vaporizable material in thermal contact with a resistive heater; applying power to the resistive heater to heat the vaporizable material; suspending the application of power to the resistive heater while measuring the resistance of the resistive heater; and adjusting the applied power to the resistive heater based on the difference between the resistance of the heating element and a target resistance of the resistive heater, wherein measuring the resistance of the resistive heater comprises measuring the resistance using a voltage divider, Wheatstone bridge, amplified Wheatstone bridge, or RC charge time circuit. For example, a vaporization device may include: a microcontroller; a reservoir configured to hold a vaporizable material; a resistive heater configured to thermally contact the vaporizable material from the reservoir; a resistance measurement circuit connected to the microcontroller configured to measure the resistance of the resistive heater; and a power source, wherein the microcontroller applies power from the power source to heat the resistive heater and adjusts the applied power based on the difference between the resistance of the resistive heater and a target resistance of the resistive heater. A vaporization device may include: a microcontroller; a reservoir configured to hold a vaporizable material; a resistive heater configured to thermally contact the vaporizable material from the reservoir; a resistance measurement circuit connected to the microcontroller configured to measure the resistance of the resistive heater; a power source; and a sensor having an output connected to the microcontroller, wherein the microcontroller is configured to determine when the resistive heater applies power from the power source to heat the resistive heater; a target resistance circuit configured to determine a target resistance, the target resistance circuit comprising one of: a voltage divider, a Wheatstone bridge, an amplified Wheatstone bridge, or an RC charge time circuit, wherein the microcontroller applies power from the power source to heat the resistive heater and adjusts the applied power based on the difference between the resistance of the resistive heater and the target resistance of the resistive heater. In any of the methods and apparatuses (e.g., devices and systems) described herein, the apparatus may be configured to be triggered by a user drawing on or otherwise indicating that they would like to begin vaporization of the vaporizing material. This user-initiated start may be detected by a sensor, such as a pressure sensor (“puff sensor”) configured to detect draw. The sensor may generally have an output that is connected to the controller (e.g., microcontroller), and the microcontroller may be configured to determine when the resistive heater applies power from the power source to heat the resistive heater. For example, a vaporizing device as described herein may include a pressure sensor having an output connected to the microcontroller, wherein the microcontroller is configured to determine when the resistive heater applies power from the power source to heat the resistive heater. In general, any of the apparatuses described herein may be adapted to perform any of the methods described herein, including determining if an instantaneous (ongoing) resistance measurement of the resistive heater is above/below and/or within a tolerable range of a target resistance. Any of these apparatuses may also determine the target resistance. As mentioned, this may be determined empirically and set to a resistance value, and/or it may be calculated. For example, any of these apparatuses (e.g., devices) may include a target resistance circuit configured to determine the target resistance, the target resistance circuit comprising one of: a voltage divider, a Wheatstone bridge, an amplified Wheatstone bridge, or an RC charge time circuit. Alternatively or additionally, a voltage divider, a Wheatstone bridge, an amplified Wheatstone bridge, or an RC charge time circuit may be included as part of the microcontroller or other circuitry that compares the measured resistance of the resistive heater to a target resistance. For example, a target resistance circuit may be configured to determine the target resistance and/or compare the measured resistance of the resistive heater to the target resistance. The target resistance circuit comprising a voltage divider having a reference resistance equivalent to the target resistance. A target resistance circuit may be configured to determine the target resistance, the target resistance circuit comprising a Wheatstone bridge, wherein the target resistance is calculated by adding a resistance of the resistive heater at an ambient temperature and a target change in temperature of the resistive heater. As mentioned, any of these apparatuses may include a memory configured to store a resistance of the resistive heater at an ambient temperature. Further, any of these apparatuses may include a temperature input coupled to the microcontroller and configured to provide an actual device temperature. The device temperature may be sensed and/or provided by any appropriate sensor, including thermistor, thermocouple, resistive temperature sensor, silicone bandgap temperature sensor, etc. The measured device temperature may be used to calculate a target resistance that corresponds to a certain resistive heater (e.g., coil) temperature. In some variations the apparatus may display and/or output an estimate of the temperature of the resistive heater. The apparatus may include a display or may communicate (e.g., wirelessly) with another apparatus that receives the temperature or resistance values. The devices described herein may include an inhalable aerosol comprising: an oven comprising an oven chamber and a heater for heating a vapor forming medium in the oven chamber to generate a vapor; a condenser comprising a condensation chamber in which at least a fraction of the vapor condenses to form the inhalable aerosol; an air inlet that originates a first airflow path that includes the oven chamber; and an aeration vent that originates a second airflow path that allows air from the aeration vent to join the first airflow path prior to or within the condensation chamber and downstream from the oven chamber thereby forming a joined path, wherein the joined path is configured to deliver the inhalable aerosol formed in the condensation chamber to a user. In any of these variations the oven is within a body of the device. The device may further comprise a mouthpiece, wherein the mouthpiece comprises at least one of the air inlet, the aeration vent, and the condenser. The mouthpiece may be separable from the oven. The mouthpiece may be integral to a body of the device, wherein the body comprises the oven. The device may further comprise a body that comprises the oven, the condenser, the air inlet, and the aeration vent. The mouthpiece may be separable from the body. In some variations, the oven chamber may comprise an oven chamber inlet and an oven chamber outlet, and the oven further comprises a first valve at the oven chamber inlet, and a second valve at the oven chamber outlet. The aeration vent may comprise a third valve. The first valve, or said second valve may be chosen from the group of a check valve, a clack valve, a non-return valve, and a one-way valve. The third valve may be chosen from the group of a check valve, a clack valve, a non-return valve, and a one-way valve. The first or second valve may be mechanically actuated. The first or second valve may be electronically actuated. The first valve or second valve may be manually actuated. The third valve may be mechanically actuated. The third valve may be mechanically actuated. The third valve may be electronically actuated. The third valve may be manually actuated. In any of these variations, the device may further comprise a body that comprises at least one of: a power source, a printed circuit board, a switch, and a temperature regulator. The device may further comprise a temperature regulator in communication with a temperature sensor. The temperature sensor may be the heater. The power source may be rechargeable. The power source may be removable. The oven may further comprise an access lid. The vapor forming medium may comprise tobacco. The vapor forming medium may comprise a botanical. The vapor forming medium may be heated in the oven chamber wherein the vapor forming medium may comprise a humectant to produce the vapor, wherein the vapor comprises a gas phase humectant. The vapor may be mixed in the condensation chamber with air from the aeration vent to produce the inhalable aerosol comprising particle diameters of average size of about 1 micron. The vapor forming medium may be heated in the oven chamber, wherein the vapor is mixed in the condensation chamber with air from the aeration vent to produce the inhalable aerosol comprising particle diameters of average size of less than or equal to 0.9 micron. The vapor forming medium may be heated in the oven chamber, wherein the vapor is mixed in the condensation chamber with air from the aeration vent to produce the inhalable aerosol comprising particle diameters of average size of less than or equal to 0.8 micron. The vapor forming medium may be heated in the oven chamber, wherein the vapor is mixed in the condensation chamber with air from the aeration vent to produce the inhalable aerosol comprising particle diameters of average size of less than or equal to 0.7 micron. The vapor forming medium may be heated in the oven chamber, wherein the vapor is mixed in the condensation chamber with air from the aeration vent to produce the inhalable aerosol comprising particle diameters of average size of less than or equal to 0.6 micron. The vapor forming medium may be heated in the oven chamber, wherein the vapor is mixed in the condensation chamber with air from the aeration vent to produce the inhalable aerosol comprising particle diameters of average size of less than or equal to 0.5 micron. In any of these variations, the humectant may comprise glycerol as a vapor-forming medium. The humectant may comprise vegetable glycerol. The humectant may comprise propylene glycol. The humectant may comprise a ratio of vegetable glycerol to propylene glycol. The ratio may be about 100:0 vegetable glycerol to propylene glycol. The ratio may be about 90:10 vegetable glycerol to propylene glycol. The ratio may be about 80:20 vegetable glycerol to propylene glycol. The ratio may be about 70:30 vegetable glycerol to propylene glycol. The ratio may be about 60:40 vegetable glycerol to propylene glycol. The ratio may be about 50:50 vegetable glycerol to propylene glycol. The humectant may comprise a flavorant. The vapor forming medium may be heated to its pyrolytic temperature. The vapor forming medium may heated to 200° C. at most. The vapor forming medium may be heated to 160° C. at most. The inhalable aerosol may be cooled to a temperature of about 50°-70° C. at most, before exiting the aerosol outlet of the mouthpiece. In any of these variations, the method comprises A method for generating an inhalable aerosol, the method comprising: providing an inhalable aerosol generating device wherein the device comprises: an oven comprising an oven chamber and a heater for heating a vapor forming medium in the oven chamber and for forming a vapor therein; a condenser comprising a condensation chamber in which the vapor forms the inhalable aerosol; an air inlet that originates a first airflow path that includes the oven chamber; and an aeration vent that originates a second airflow path that allows air from the aeration vent to join the first airflow path prior to or within the condensation chamber and downstream from the oven chamber thereby forming a joined path, wherein the joined path is configured to deliver the inhalable aerosol formed in the condensation chamber to a user. In any of these variations the oven is within a body of the device. The device may further comprise a mouthpiece, wherein the mouthpiece comprises at least one of the air inlet, the aeration vent, and the condenser. The mouthpiece may be separable from the oven. The mouthpiece may be integral to a body of the device, wherein the body comprises the oven. The method may further comprise a body that comprises the oven, the condenser, the air inlet, and the aeration vent. The mouthpiece may be separable from the body. In any of these variations, the oven chamber may comprise an oven chamber inlet and an oven chamber outlet, and the oven further comprises a first valve at the oven chamber inlet, and a second valve at the oven chamber outlet. The vapor forming medium may comprise tobacco. The vapor forming medium may comprise a botanical. The vapor forming medium may be heated in the oven chamber wherein the vapor forming medium may comprise a humectant to produce the vapor, wherein the vapor comprises a gas phase humectant. The vapor may comprise particle diameters of average mass of about 1 micron. The vapor may comprise particle diameters of average mass of about 0.9 micron. The vapor may comprise particle diameters of average mass of about 0.8 micron. The vapor may comprise particle diameters of average mass of about 0.7 micron. The vapor may comprise particle diameters of average mass of about 0.6 micron. The vapor may comprise particle diameters of average mass of about 0.5 micron. In any of these variations, the humectant may comprise glycerol as a vapor-forming medium. The humectant may comprise vegetable glycerol. The humectant may comprise propylene glycol. The humectant may comprise a ratio of vegetable glycerol to propylene glycol. The ratio may be about 100:0 vegetable glycerol to propylene glycol. The ratio may be about 90:10 vegetable glycerol to propylene glycol. The ratio may be about 80:20 vegetable glycerol to propylene glycol. The ratio may be about 70:30 vegetable glycerol to propylene glycol. The ratio may be about 60:40 vegetable glycerol to propylene glycol. The ratio may be about 50:50 vegetable glycerol to propylene glycol. The humectant may comprise a flavorant. The vapor forming medium may be heated to its pyrolytic temperature. The vapor forming medium may heated to 200° C. at most. The vapor forming medium may be heated to 160° C. at most. The inhalable aerosol may be cooled to a temperature of about 50°-70° C. at most, before exiting the aerosol outlet of the mouthpiece. In any of these variations, the device may be user serviceable. The device may not be user serviceable. In any of these variations, a method for generating an inhalable aerosol, the method comprising: providing a vaporization device, wherein said device produces a vapor comprising particle diameters of average mass of about 1 micron or less, wherein said vapor is formed by heating a vapor forming medium in an oven chamber to a first temperature below the pyrolytic temperature of said vapor forming medium, and cooling said vapor in a condensation chamber to a second temperature below the first temperature, before exiting an aerosol outlet of said device. In any of these variations, a method of manufacturing a device for generating an inhalable aerosol comprising: providing said device comprising a mouthpiece comprising an aerosol outlet at a first end of the device; an oven comprising an oven chamber and a heater for heating a vapor forming medium in the oven chamber and for forming a vapor therein, a condenser comprising a condensation chamber in which the vapor forms the inhalable aerosol, an air inlet that originates a first airflow path that includes the oven chamber and then the condensation chamber, an aeration vent that originates a second airflow path that joins the first airflow path prior to or within the condensation chamber after the vapor is formed in the oven chamber, wherein the joined first airflow path and second airflow path are configured to deliver the inhalable aerosol formed in the condensation chamber through the aerosol outlet of the mouthpiece to a user. The method may further comprise providing the device comprising a power source or battery, a printed circuit board, a temperature regulator or operational switches. In any of these variations a device for generating an inhalable aerosol may comprise a mouthpiece comprising an aerosol outlet at a first end of the device and an air inlet that originates a first airflow path; an oven comprising an oven chamber that is in the first airflow path and includes the oven chamber and a heater for heating a vapor forming medium in the oven chamber and for forming a vapor therein; a condenser comprising a condensation chamber in which the vapor forms the inhalable aerosol; and an aeration vent that originates a second airflow path that allows air from the aeration vent to join the first airflow path prior to or within the condensation chamber and downstream from the oven chamber thereby forming a joined path, wherein the joined path is configured to deliver the inhalable aerosol formed in the condensation chamber through the aerosol outlet of the mouthpiece to a user. In any of these variations a device for generating an inhalable aerosol may comprise: a mouthpiece comprising an aerosol outlet at a first end of the device, an air inlet that originates a first airflow path, and an aeration vent that originates a second airflow path that allows air from the aeration vent to join the first airflow path; an oven comprising an oven chamber that is in the first airflow path and includes the oven chamber and a heater for heating a vapor forming medium in the oven chamber and for forming a vapor therein; and a condenser comprising a condensation chamber in which the vapor forms the inhalable aerosol and wherein air from the aeration vent joins the first airflow path prior to or within the condensation chamber and downstream from the oven chamber thereby forming a joined path, wherein the joined path is configured to deliver the inhalable aerosol through the aerosol outlet of the mouthpiece to a user. In any of these variations, a device for generating an inhalable aerosol may comprise: a device body comprising a cartridge receptacle; a cartridge comprising: a fluid storage compartment, and a channel integral to an exterior surface of the cartridge, and an air inlet passage formed by the channel and an internal surface of the cartridge receptacle when the cartridge is inserted into the cartridge receptacle; wherein the channel forms a first side of the air inlet passage, and an internal surface of the cartridge receptacle forms a second side of the air inlet passage. In any of these variations, a device for generating an inhalable aerosol may comprise: a device body comprising a cartridge receptacle; a cartridge comprising: a fluid storage compartment, and a channel integral to an exterior surface of the cartridge, and an air inlet passage formed by the channel and an internal surface of the cartridge receptacle when the cartridge is inserted into the cartridge receptacle; wherein the channel forms a first side of the air inlet passage, and an internal surface of the cartridge receptacle forms a second side of the air inlet passage. In any of these variations the channel may comprise at least one of a groove, a trough, a depression, a dent, a furrow, a trench, a crease, and a gutter. The integral channel may comprise walls that are either recessed into the surface or protrude from the surface where it is formed. The internal side walls of the channel may form additional sides of the air inlet passage. The cartridge may further comprise a second air passage in fluid communication with the air inlet passage to the fluid storage compartment, wherein the second air passage is formed through the material of the cartridge. The cartridge may further comprise a heater. The heater may be attached to a first end of the cartridge. In any of these variations the heater may comprise a heater chamber, a first pair of heater contacts, a fluid wick, and a resistive heating element in contact with the wick, wherein the first pair of heater contacts comprise thin plates affixed about the sides of the heater chamber, and wherein the fluid wick and resistive heating element are suspended therebetween. The first pair of heater contacts may further comprise a formed shape that comprises a tab having a flexible spring value that extends out of the heater to couple to complete a circuit with the device body. The first pair of heater contacts may be a heat sink that absorbs and dissipates excessive heat produced by the resistive heating element. The first pair of heater contacts may contact a heat shield that protects the heater chamber from excessive heat produced by the resistive heating element. The first pair of heater contacts may be press-fit to an attachment feature on the exterior wall of the first end of the cartridge. The heater may enclose a first end of the cartridge and a first end of the fluid storage compartment. The heater may comprise a first condensation chamber. The heater may comprise more than one first condensation chamber. The first condensation chamber may be formed along an exterior wall of the cartridge. The cartridge may further comprise a mouthpiece. The mouthpiece may be attached to a second end of the cartridge. The mouthpiece may comprise a second condensation chamber. The mouthpiece may comprise more than one second condensation chamber. The second condensation chamber may be formed along an exterior wall of the cartridge. In any of these variations the cartridge may comprise a first condensation chamber and a second condensation chamber. The first condensation chamber and the second condensation chamber may be in fluid communication. The mouthpiece may comprise an aerosol outlet in fluid communication with the second condensation chamber. The mouthpiece may comprise more than one aerosol outlet in fluid communication with more than one the second condensation chamber. The mouthpiece may enclose a second end of the cartridge and a second end of the fluid storage compartment. In any of these variations, the device may comprise an airflow path comprising an air inlet passage, a second air passage, a heater chamber, a first condensation chamber, a second condensation chamber, and an aerosol outlet. The airflow path may comprise more than one air inlet passage, a heater chamber, more than one first condensation chamber, more than one second condensation chamber, more than one second condensation chamber, and more than one aerosol outlet. The heater may be in fluid communication with the fluid storage compartment. The fluid storage compartment may be capable of retaining condensed aerosol fluid. The condensed aerosol fluid may comprise a nicotine formulation. The condensed aerosol fluid may comprise a humectant. The humectant may comprise propylene glycol. The humectant may comprise vegetable glycerin. In any of these variations the cartridge may be detachable. In any of these variations the cartridge may be receptacle and the detachable cartridge form a separable coupling. The separable coupling may comprise a friction assembly, a snap-fit assembly or a magnetic assembly. The cartridge may comprise a fluid storage compartment, a heater affixed to a first end with a snap-fit coupling, and a mouthpiece affixed to a second end with a snap-fit coupling. In any of these variations, a device for generating an inhalable aerosol may comprise: a device body comprising a cartridge receptacle for receiving a cartridge; wherein an interior surface of the cartridge receptacle forms a first side of an air inlet passage when a cartridge comprising a channel integral to an exterior surface is inserted into the cartridge receptacle, and wherein the channel forms a second side of the air inlet passage. In any of these variations, a device for generating an inhalable aerosol may comprise: a device body comprising a cartridge receptacle for receiving a cartridge; wherein the cartridge receptacle comprises a channel integral to an interior surface and forms a first side of an air inlet passage when a cartridge is inserted into the cartridge receptacle, and wherein an exterior surface of the cartridge forms a second side of the air inlet passage. In any of these variations, A cartridge for a device for generating an inhalable aerosol comprising: a fluid storage compartment; a channel integral to an exterior surface, wherein the channel forms a first side of an air inlet passage; and wherein an internal surface of a cartridge receptacle in the device forms a second side of the air inlet passage when the cartridge is inserted into the cartridge receptacle. In any of these variations, a cartridge for a device for generating an inhalable aerosol may comprise: a fluid storage compartment, wherein an exterior surface of the cartridge forms a first side of an air inlet channel when inserted into a device body comprising a cartridge receptacle, and wherein the cartridge receptacle further comprises a channel integral to an interior surface, and wherein the channel forms a second side of the air inlet passage. The cartridge may further comprise a second air passage in fluid communication with the channel, wherein the second air passage is formed through the material of the cartridge from an exterior surface of the cartridge to the fluid storage compartment. The cartridge may comprise at least one of: a groove, a trough, a depression, a dent, a furrow, a trench, a crease, and a gutter. The integral channel may comprise walls that are either recessed into the surface or protrude from the surface where it is formed. The internal side walls of the channel may form additional sides of the air inlet passage. In any of these variations, a device for generating an inhalable aerosol may comprise: a cartridge comprising; a fluid storage compartment; a heater affixed to a first end comprising; a first heater contact, a resistive heating element affixed to the first heater contact; a device body comprising; a cartridge receptacle for receiving the cartridge; a second heater contact adapted to receive the first heater contact and to complete a circuit; a power source connected to the second heater contact; a printed circuit board (PCB) connected to the power source and the second heater contact; wherein the PCB is configured to detect the absence of fluid based on the measured resistance of the resistive heating element, and turn off the device. The printed circuit board (PCB) may comprise a microcontroller; switches; circuitry comprising a reference resister; and an algorithm comprising logic for control parameters; wherein the microcontroller cycles the switches at fixed intervals to measure the resistance of the resistive heating element relative to the reference resistor, and applies the algorithm control parameters to control the temperature of the resistive heating element. The micro-controller may instruct the device to turn itself off when the resistance exceeds the control parameter threshold indicating that the resistive heating element is dry. In any of these variations, a cartridge for a device for generating an inhalable aerosol may comprise: a fluid storage compartment; a heater affixed to a first end comprising: a heater chamber, a first pair of heater contacts, a fluid wick, and a resistive heating element in contact with the wick; wherein the first pair of heater contacts comprise thin plates affixed about the sides of the heater chamber, and wherein the fluid wick and resistive heating element are suspended therebetween. The first pair of heater contacts may further comprise: a formed shape that comprises a tab having a flexible spring value that extends out of the heater to complete a circuit with the device body. The heater contacts may be configured to mate with a second pair of heater contacts in a cartridge receptacle of the device body to complete a circuit. The first pair of heater contacts may also be a heat sink that absorbs and dissipates excessive heat produced by the resistive heating element. The first pair of heater contacts may be a heat shield that protects the heater chamber from excessive heat produced by the resistive heating element. In any of these variations, a cartridge for a device for generating an inhalable aerosol may comprise: a heater comprising; a heater chamber, a pair of thin plate heater contacts therein, a fluid wick positioned between the heater contacts, and a resistive heating element in contact with the wick; wherein the heater contacts each comprise a fixation site wherein the resistive heating element is tensioned therebetween. In any of these variations, a cartridge for a device for generating an inhalable aerosol may comprise a heater, wherein the heater is attached to a first end of the cartridge. The heater may enclose a first end of the cartridge and a first end of the fluid storage compartment. The heater may comprise more than one first condensation chamber. The heater may comprise a first condensation chamber. The condensation chamber may be formed along an exterior wall of the cartridge. In any of these variations, a cartridge for a device for generating an inhalable aerosol may comprise a fluid storage compartment; and a mouthpiece, wherein the mouthpiece is attached to a second end of the cartridge. The mouthpiece may enclose a second end of the cartridge and a second end of the fluid storage compartment. The mouthpiece may comprise a second condensation chamber. The mouthpiece may comprise more than one second condensation chamber. The second condensation chamber may be formed along an exterior wall of the cartridge. In any of these variations, a cartridge for a device for generating an inhalable aerosol may comprise: a fluid storage compartment; a heater affixed to a first end; and a mouthpiece affixed to a second end; wherein the heater comprises a first condensation chamber and the mouthpiece comprises a second condensation chamber. The heater may comprise more than one first condensation chamber and the mouthpiece comprises more than one second condensation chamber. The first condensation chamber and the second condensation chamber may be in fluid communication. The mouthpiece may comprise an aerosol outlet in fluid communication with the second condensation chamber. The mouthpiece may comprise two to more aerosol outlets. The cartridge may meet ISO recycling standards. The cartridge may meet ISO recycling standards for plastic waste. In any of these variations, a device for generating an inhalable aerosol may comprise: a device body comprising a cartridge receptacle; and a detachable cartridge; wherein the cartridge receptacle and the detachable cartridge form a separable coupling, wherein the separable coupling comprises a friction assembly, a snap-fit assembly or a magnetic assembly. In any of these variations, a method of fabricating a device for generating an inhalable aerosol may comprise: providing a device body comprising a cartridge receptacle; and providing a detachable cartridge; wherein the cartridge receptacle and the detachable cartridge form a separable coupling comprising a friction assembly, a snap-fit assembly or a magnetic assembly. In any of these variations, a method of fabricating a cartridge for a device for generating an inhalable aerosol may comprise: providing a fluid storage compartment; affixing a heater to a first end with a snap-fit coupling; and affixing a mouthpiece to a second end with a snap-fit coupling. In any of these variations A cartridge for a device for generating an inhalable aerosol with an airflow path comprising: a channel comprising a portion of an air inlet passage; a second air passage in fluid communication with the channel; a heater chamber in fluid communication with the second air passage; a first condensation chamber in fluid communication with the heater chamber; a second condensation chamber in fluid communication with the first condensation chamber; and an aerosol outlet in fluid communication with second condensation chamber. In any of these variations, a cartridge for a device for generating an inhalable aerosol may comprise: a fluid storage compartment; a heater affixed to a first end; and a mouthpiece affixed to a second end; wherein said mouthpiece comprises two or more aerosol outlets. In any of these variations, a system for providing power to an electronic device for generating an inhalable vapor, the system may comprise; a rechargeable power storage device housed within the electronic device for generating an inhalable vapor; two or more pins that are accessible from an exterior surface of the electronic device for generating an inhalable vapor, wherein the charging pins are in electrical communication with the rechargeable power storage device; a charging cradle comprising two or more charging contacts configured to provided power to the rechargeable storage device, wherein the device charging pins are reversible such that the device is charged in the charging cradle for charging with a first charging pin on the device in contact a first charging contact on the charging cradle and a second charging pin on the device in contact with second charging contact on the charging cradle and with the first charging pin on the device in contact with second charging contact on the charging cradle and the second charging pin on the device in contact with the first charging contact on the charging cradle. The charging pins may be visible on an exterior housing of the device. The user may permanently disable the device by opening the housing. The user may permanently destroy the device by opening the housing. Additional aspects and advantages of the present disclosure will become readily apparent to those skilled in this art from the following detailed description, wherein only illustrative embodiments of the present disclosure are shown and described. As will be realized, the present disclosure is capable of other and different embodiments, and its several details are capable of modifications in various obvious respects, all without departing from the disclosure. Accordingly, the drawings and description are to be regarded as illustrative in nature, and not as restrictive. | A24F47008 | 20171205 | 20180419 | 67573.0 | A24F4700 | 7 | MORENO HERNANDEZ, JERZI H | VAPORIZATION DEVICE SYSTEMS AND METHODS | UNDISCOUNTED | 1 | CONT-ACCEPTED | A24F | 2,017 |
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15,833,429 | PENDING | PULLING A SEMICONDUCTOR SINGLE CRYSTAL ACCORDING TO THE CZOCHRALSKI METHOD AND SILICA GLASS CRUCIBLE SUITABLE THEREFOR | In a known method for pulling a semiconductor single crystal according to the Czochralski method, a semiconductor melt is produced in a silica glass crucible and the semiconductor single crystal is pulled from said melt. The inner wall of the silica glass crucible and the exposed melt surface are in contact with one another and with a respective melt atmosphere in the region of a contact zone running radially around the crucible inner wall, and primary oscillations of the melt are triggered in said contact zone. On this basis, in order to provide a method characterised by reduced melt vibrations and in particular by a simple, short accretion process, according to the invention primary oscillations are triggered which differ from one another in their frequency. | 1-31. (canceled) 32. A quartz glass crucible configured for use in for pulling a semiconductor single crystal according to the Czochralski method, said crucible comprising: an inner wall of the crucible having a circumferentially extending contact zone that has a variation in an at least one physical, chemical or corporeal characteristic thereof, wherein said the characteristic which that varies along the circumferentially extending contact zone is the an internal structure, wherein the internal structure is defined as a bubble content of quartz glass of the inner wall of the crucible, said bubble content being determined over a measurement length of 1 cm, the bubble content varying between a maximum value Pmax and a minimum value Pmin along the circumferentially extending contact zone. 33. The quartz glass crucible according to claim 32 wherein the characteristic has a first state and a second state, and the variation of the characteristic along the circumferentially extending contact zone is such that the characteristic changes step by step or gradually from the first state to the second state. 34. The quartz glass crucible according to claim 33, wherein the stepwise or gradual change from the first state to the second state of the characteristic covers at least a tenth of a circumferential length of the contact zone. 35. The quartz glass crucible according to claim 32, wherein the characteristic has a first state and a second state, and the variation of the characteristic along the circumferentially extending contact zone is such that the first state thereof and the second state thereof alternate. 36. The quartz glass crucible according to claim 35, wherein the characteristic is in the second state over at least a tenth of a circumferential length of the contact zone. 37. The quartz glass crucible according to claim 32, wherein the internal structure of the inner wall varies within a circumferentially extending variation band that extends from the contact zone toward a crucible bottom and has a width of at least 5 mm. 38. The quartz glass crucible according to claim 37, wherein the stepwise or gradual variation from the first state to the second state of the characteristic covers at least a third of a circumferential length of the contact zone. 39. The quartz glass crucible according to claim 35, wherein the characteristic is in the second state over at least a third of a circumferential length of the circumferentially extending contact zone. 40. The quartz glass crucible according to claim 32, wherein the minimum value Pmin is less than 30% of the maximum value Pmax. 41. The quartz glass crucible according to claim 32, wherein the minimum value Pmin is less than 50% of the maximum value Pmax. 42. A quartz glass crucible configured for use for pulling a semiconductor single crystal according to the Czochralski method, said crucible comprising an inner wall of the crucible having a circumferentially extending contact zone that has a variation in an at least one physical, chemical or corporeal characteristic thereof wherein said characteristic that varies along the circumferentially extending contact zone is the chemical composition, and wherein the chemical composition includes a hydroxyl group content of quartz glass of the inner wall of the crucible, said hydroxyl group content varying between a maximal concentration COH,max and a minimal concentration COH,min along the circumferentially extending contact zone. 43. The quartz glass crucible according to claim 42,—wherein the minimal concentration COH,min is less than 80% of the maximal concentration COH,max. 44. The quartz glass crucible according to claim 42, wherein the minimal concentration COH,min is less than 60% of the maximal concentration COH,max. 45. The quartz glass crucible according to claim 42, wherein the chemical composition of the inner wall varies within a circumferentially extending variation band that runs from the contact zone in the direction of a crucible bottom and has a width of at least 10 mm. 46. The quartz glass crucible according to claim 42, wherein the chemical composition of the inner wall varies within a circumferentially extending variation band that runs from the contact zone in the direction of a crucible bottom and has a width of at least 5 mm. 47. The quartz glass crucible according to claim 42, wherein the characteristic has a first state and a second state, and the variation of the characteristic along the circumferentially extending contact zone is such that the characteristic changes step by step or gradually from the first state to the second state. 48. The quartz glass crucible according to claim 47 wherein the stepwise or gradual change from the first state to the second state of the characteristic covers at least a tenth of a circumferential length of the contact zone. 49. The quartz glass crucible according to claim 42, wherein the characteristic has a first state and a second state, and the variation of the characteristic along the circumferentially extending contact zone is such that the first state thereof and the second state thereof alternate. 50. The quartz glass crucible according to claim 49, wherein the characteristic is in the second state over at least a tenth of a circumferential length of the contact zone. 51. A quartz glass crucible configured for use for pulling a semiconductor single crystal according to the Czochralski method, said crucible comprising an inner wall of the crucible having a circumferentially extending contact zone that has a variation in an at least one physical, chemical or corporeal characteristic thereof, wherein said the characteristic which that varies along the circumferentially extending contact zone is the chemical composition and wherein the chemical composition of the inner wall of the crucible is that of synthetically produced quartz glass, quartz glass produced from naturally occurring raw material or a mixture of synthetically produced quartz glass and quartz glass produced from naturally occurring raw material, and variations in proportions of synthetically produced quartz glass and quartz glass produced from naturally occurring raw material in the inner wall result in the chemical composition of the quartz glass along the circumferentially extending contact zone varying at least once. 52. The quartz glass crucible according to claim 51, wherein the chemical composition of the inner wall varies within a circumferentially extending variation band that runs from the contact zone in the direction of a crucible bottom and has a width of at least 5 mm. 53. The quartz glass crucible according to claim 51, wherein the chemical composition of the inner wall varies within a circumferentially extending variation band that runs from the contact zone in the direction of a crucible bottom and has a width of at least 10 mm. 54. The quartz glass crucible according to claim 51, wherein the characteristic has a first state and a second state, and the variation of the characteristic along the circumferentially extending contact zone is such that the characteristic changes step by step or gradually from the first state to the second state. 55. The quartz glass crucible according to claim 54, wherein the stepwise or gradual change from the first state to the second state of the characteristic covers at least a tenth of a circumferential length of the contact zone. 56. The quartz glass crucible according to claim 51, wherein the characteristic has a first state and a second state, and the variation of the characteristic along the circumferentially extending contact zone is such that the first state thereof and the second state thereof alternate. 57. The quartz glass crucible according to claim 56, wherein the characteristic is in the second state over at least a tenth of a circumferential length of the contact zone. | TECHNICAL BACKGROUND The invention refers to a method for pulling a semiconductor single crystal according to the Czochralski method, in which a semiconductor melt is produced in a quartz glass crucible and the semiconductor single crystal is pulled therefrom, the quartz glass crucible comprising an inner wall and the semiconductor melt comprising a free melt surface which in the area of a contact zone extending radially circumferentially on the inner wall of the crucible are in contact with each other and with a melt atmosphere, respectively, wherein primary vibrations of the melt that start from the contact zone are initiated. Furthermore, the invention refers to a quartz glass crucible to be used for pulling a semiconductor single crystal according to the Czochralski method. In the so-called Czochralski method, semiconductor material, such as silicon, is molten in a quartz glass crucible and a seed crystal of a silicon single crystal is supplied from above to the melt surface, resulting in the formation of a melt meniscus between crystal and melt. The single crystal is slowly drawn off upwards under rotation of the crucible and/or the single crystal, the semiconductor single crystal growing on the seed crystal. This process shall be called “starting process” or shortly “starting” in the following. Interactions between liquid and solid phase take place on the solidification front between single crystal and semiconductor melt; these are impaired by convection or oscillation of the melt. These movements of the melt can be caused or intensified by temperature or substance gradients within the liquid, by rotation of melt and seed crystal or by immersion of the seed crystal. Particularly disadvantageous are oscillations of the melt. It is known that these occur whenever the chemical potential between the three phases semiconductor melt, melt atmosphere and crucible changes periodically. Such oscillations impair not only the quality of the semiconductor single crystal. They are particularly disadvantageously noticed in the starting process as they aggravate nucleation and can delay or even impede the same by one to several days. This reduces productivity and can go so far that the life of the quartz glass crucible is already exceeded in the starting process, or that dislocations are produced in the single crystal that require a re-melting of the solidified silicon. The quartz glass crucibles used in the Czochralski method are normally provided with a transparent inner layer on an opaque outer layer which contains pores. In the crystal pulling process the transparent inner layer is in contact with the silicon melt and is subject to high mechanical, chemical and thermal stresses. To reduce the corrosive attack of the silicon melt and, together with this, the release of impurities from the crucible wall, the inner layer is as pure as possible and homogeneous and has hardly any bubbles. The inner layer of synthetically produced quartz glass ensures a low concentration of impurities in the region near the melt and has in this respect an advantageous effect on the yield of pure and dislocation-free semiconductor single crystal. However, it has been found that crucibles with an inner layer of synthetic quartz glass as compared with quartz glass crucibles produced from naturally occurring quartz sand rather tend to cause oscillations of the melt surface. PRIOR ART Thus many different changes on the quartz glass crucible have been suggested for reducing oscillations of the melt surface. These are substantially modifications of the surface structure or the chemical composition in the region of the starting zone. “Starting zone” means here and hereinafter the circumferentially extending sidewall portion of the quartz glass crucible which at the beginning of the crystal pulling process is positioned at the height of the melt level, which is thus in contact with the surface of the melt (melt level) while the crystal is being pulled. In continuous Czochralski pulling methods in which the melt level is kept at a constant height by continuous supply of semiconductor material, the starting zone is positioned at the height of the time-constant melt level. Modifications of the Surface in the Region of the Starting Zone DE 199 17 288 C2 describes a quartz glass crucible in which the starting zone is roughened by way of multiple depressions which are spaced apart at a distance of not more than 5 mm, preferably not more than 0.1 mm. The roughening operation is to facilitate the starting process and is particularly meant to avoid a tearing off of the seed crystal by damping vibrations of the melt level. It is intended in a melt crucible of quartz glass according to EP 1 045 046 A2 that the inner wall is configured in the area of the starting zone as a circumferentially extending ring surface with multiple depressions. A similar teaching is imparted in EP 2 410 081 A1. A great number of small indentations (depressions) are here provided in the starting zone. According to WO 2011/158712 A1 the quartz glass crucible comprises a semitransparent base layer and a transparent inner layer. In the region of the melt level, the inner layer has a rough zone with a roughness in the range of 2-9 μm. JP 2007-191393 A suggests the setting of a surface tension of not more than 50 mN/m through the roughness of the inner surface on the inner wall of the quartz glass crucible in order to avoid melt vibrations. The roughened surface around the region of the starting zone may enclose all possible contact angles with the silicon melt, which prevents an in-phase wetting or non-wetting of the quartz glass surface and is thereby meant to counteract the creation of vibrations. In the quartz glass crucible according to JP 2004-250304 A, a circumferentially extending ring surface is provided at the height of the starting zone for suppressing vibrations of the silicon melt, the ring surface containing bubbles with a percentage by volume of 0.01% to 0.2%. To avoid melt vibrations at the beginning of the melt process, WO 2009/054529 A1 suggests a variation of the bubble concentration along the crucible height. Hence, the bubble content of the inner layer is to increase from the lower crucible region upwards continuously with at least 0.0002%/mm. A similar modification of the inner layer of the quartz glass crucible is also suggested in JP 2004-250305 A. In the area of the starting zone the inner layer contains a “belt-like” portion in which the surface consists of natural quartz glass and has a bubble content of 0.005-0.1%, whereas further down and on the bottom it consists of synthetic quartz glass. A multiple modification in the area of the starting zone is taught in EP 2 385 157 A1. Thus the quartz glass crucible is provided on the inside with markings used for determining changes in the position of the melt surface. In the region of the starting zone the transparent inner layer is made from natural quartz glass, whereas it consists of synthetic quartz glass in the other regions of the crucible. Moreover, the starting zone may also contain bubbles or irregularities, such as slots. Modifications in the Chemical Composition in the Region of the Starting Zone EP 1 532 297 A1 discloses a quartz glass crucible which comprises a transparent inner layer of synthetic quartz glass which, however, at the height of the starting zone is interrupted by a zone of naturally occurring quartz glass. This zone extends within a range of at least 0.5×H to 0.8×H, wherein H is the crucible height between the lower side of the bottom and the upper edge of the sidewall. WO 2001/92169 A1 suggests that hydroxyl groups should be incorporated into the quartz glass of the inner layer of the crucible. This improves the wettability thereof with the silicon melt, whereby oscillations on the melt surface are to be avoided. The hydroxyl groups are incorporated during the formation of the inner layer by introducing water vapor into the heated atmosphere. Preferably, this produces a hydroxyl group content of 80-350 wt. ppm in the inner layer. WO 2004/097080 A1 suggests the suppression of melt vibrations by varying the composition of the inner layer of the crucible along the crucible height. The quartz glass crucible with non-transparent outer layer is produced from natural quartz powder, and this layer is provided with a transparent inner layer which has a thickness of 0.4-5 mm and which in the upper part consists of a natural SiO2 material and in the bottom portion of synthetic SiO2 material. JP 2006-169084 A also recommends the suppression of melt vibrations by varying the composition of the inner layer of the crucible in the region of the starting zone. The quartz glass crucible has an opaque outer layer and a transparent inner layer. In the upper straight part the inner layer is configured as a composite consisting of two different components, the second component being welded in a dotted manner to the first component. The first component may be an amorphous quartz glass powder and the second one is natural crystalline quartz sand. According to JP 2009-029652 A, in a quartz glass crucible for pulling silicon single crystals, for avoiding melt vibrations the bottom and the inner layer in the curved region between cylindrical sidewall are fused at a thickness of at least 1 mm from crystalline start material, whereas the upper region of the inner layer is produced at a thickness of at least 1 mm from amorphous synthetic quartz-glass powder. Combinatory Measures and Other Modifications JP 2011-037708 A1 describes a method for producing a quartz glass crucible for pulling a silicon single crystal, wherein the surface tension between silicon melt and quartz glass of the inner wall of the crucible is influenced for preventing vibrations of the melt during crystal pulling. This is done by setting the surface roughness and in that in a layer of a thickness of 1 mm the hydroxyl group content and the impurity content are set to defined values. EP 1 024 118 A2 suggests the suppression of melt vibrations by setting a specified IR transmittance. To this end a transparent inner layer is produced on a translucent outer layer with structural defects. The IR transmittance is between 3% and 30% and is set by the structural defects within the crucible wall in combination with the roughness of the surface. WO 2001/92609 A2 aims at suppressing oscillations of the silicon melt by reducing thermal convection. To achieve this, a quartz glass crucible with a sandwich layer is suggested. The outer layer is a translucent layer with a great number of pores, produced from natural raw quartz materials. The intermediate layer is also translucent and is produced from synthetic quartz glass. The transparent inner layer has hardly any bubbles and is made from synthetic quartz glass. According to WO 2004/076725 A1 a quartz glass crucible with a double-layered structure is said to be of help, wherein the inner layer is without pores and transparent and the outer layer contains pores. The outer layer is made from quartz glass powder which was kept in a dry gas for achieving a hydroxyl group content of not more than 50 ppm. As a result, the outer layer also exhibits an increased viscosity, and the quartz glass crucible is thereby less deformed during use. According to JP 2004-292210 A the quartz glass crucible is optimized such that during silicon single crystal pulling the temperature at the lower end is higher than at the top upper edge. To achieve this, a crystallization promoter is used in the inner layer, said promoter being varied over the height of the quartz glass crucible such that during use of the crucible the crystallization rate is reduced in the bottom region and increased in the upper region, which is to reduce melt vibrations. The quartz glass crucible known from DE 10 2007 015 184 A1 has an opaque outer layer and a transparent inner layer, wherein the transparent inner layer is thicker in the region of the starting zone than in the remaining quartz-glass crucible. EP 2 075 355 A1 suggests a high density of brown rings on the inner wall of the crucible in the Si pulling process for avoiding melt vibrations. US 2007/0062442 A1 is concerned with the control of the oxygen content of the Si melt. In one embodiment, an asymmetrical crystal growth is aimed at by way of forced melt convection. This is e.g. achieved in that in a specific region of the silicon melt a magnetic field is produced, whereby melt convection occurs in the heating element that is next to the single crystal to be pulled. TECHNICAL OBJECT Melt vibrations in the Czochralski method and particularly during the starting process still pose a technical problem which has not satisfactorily been solved yet despite all proposals made and measures taken over a period of more than 20 years. It is therefore the object of the present invention to indicate a method for pulling a semiconductor single crystal from a quartz glass crucible that is distinguished by reduced melt vibrations and particularly by a simple and short starting process. Furthermore, it is the object of the present invention to provide a quartz glass crucible which is suited for use in the pulling method by reliably suppressing or reducing melt vibrations and thereby facilitating the single-crystal pulling process. GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION As for the method, this object starting from a method of the aforementioned type is achieved according to the invention by initiating primary vibrations that differ from one another in their frequency. The amplitude of the melt vibrations may be in the cm range. The known reduction measures aim at varying one or several characteristics through the height of the inner wall of the crucible, particularly within the height range of the starting zone, wherein the rotation symmetry of the quartz glass crucible is maintained on the whole. Together with this, a rotation-symmetrical distribution of the characteristics of relevance to the creation of melt vibrations is maintained, so that, viewed over the crucible circumference, primary vibrations with the same frequency can superpose one another into a more or less coherent and resonance-capable vibration of the melt, which continues up and into the central region of the melt crucible and causes tear-off or changes in the structure of the single crystal at that place. By contrast, it is suggested in the present invention for the first time that primary vibrations should be enforced having a frequency locally varying along the circumferentially extending contact zone. It is here important that an initiation of primary vibrations of the same frequency and thus of resonance-capable vibrations is suppressed along the contact zone or at least diminished to such an extent that no fixed-phase relation can evolve during superposition. Along the circumference of the contact zone, a rotation symmetry is thereby avoided in the case of at least one characteristic of relevance to the melt oscillator, namely a characteristic which has an impact on the frequency of the primary vibrations. Due to the prevention of the rotation symmetry a resonance-capable vibration of the semiconductor melt with fixed phase relationship can thus not build up around the contact zone. In other words, the primary vibrations arising at different places of the circumferentially extending contact zone show a different frequency. As a consequence, this will not lead to a constructional interference between the individual primary vibrations, so that the melt level in the middle region of the melt crucible stays calm, and the risk of a tearing off of the seedling or impairment of the structure of the single crystal is thereby reduced. It is essential that the variation of the frequency of the primary vibrations takes place at the contact point between the three phases solid (inner wall of the crucible), liquid (semiconductor melt) and gas (melt atmosphere), i.e. along the radially circumferentially extending contact zone. The effect is the more pronounced, the greater the difference between maximal and minimal vibration frequency is. A variation in the vibration frequency of 5% (based on the maximal vibration frequency) already shows a considerable calming of the melt oscillation. The frequency of the primary vibrations is varied in the preferred case in that the inner wall of the crucible, the melt atmosphere and/or the semiconductor melt along the radially circumferentially extending contact zone shows a variation in at least one of its physical, chemical or corporeal characteristics. This avoids the formation of rotation symmetry in at least one characteristic of the quartz glass crucible itself, which characteristic is of relevance to the melt oscillation, or of the liquid or gaseous media in the surroundings of the contact zone. To achieve this, the characteristic in question is varied along the radially circumferentially extending contact zone between semiconductor melt, quartz glass crucible and melt atmosphere. Due to the prevention of the rotation symmetry, it is not possible to build up a resonance-capable vibration of the semiconductor melt with fixed phase relationship around the contact zone. The characteristic in question is varied at the contact point between the three phases solid (inner wall of the crucible), liquid (semiconductor melt) and gas (melt atmosphere), more exactly, along the radially circumferentially extending contact zone. The characteristic is of a physical, chemical or corporeal nature and is assigned to one or more of the three aforementioned phases. As a rule, it suffices that a single characteristic of relevance is varied radially locally. As for the radial variation of the inner wall of the quartz glass crucible, its geometric shape (radius of curvature), its chemical composition or the surface quality are e.g. under consideration. However, the method according to the invention is also efficient if a characteristic of the two other phases is radially varied with impact on the vibration behavior of the melt. This primarily regards those properties that influence the surface tension, such as temperature or chemical composition of the melt atmosphere. The longitudinal section within which the characteristic in question is changed extends over the whole circumference of the contact zone or over a part thereof. In the simplest case the characteristic assumes a first state and a second state, wherein the variation of the characteristic along the circumferentially extending contact zone is such that the first state and the second state are alternating. In this procedure, the rotation symmetry of the circumferentially extending contact zone is avoided by way of local changes in the characteristic in question by changing the degree of its formation between the first and second state at least once, preferably repeatedly. The first state of the characteristic can be regarded as a basic state, and the second state marks a deviation from the basic state. The local changes in the basic state are uniformly distributed over the length of the contact zone, but preferably irregularly. The respective changes in the characteristic have an impact on the vibration behavior of the semiconductor melt that is the more pronounced the greater the difference between the first and second state is, and the greater the length portion around the contact zone, which is to be assigned to the changed second state. It has here turned out to be useful when the characteristic assumes its second state over at least a tenth, preferably over at least a third, of the circumferential length of the contact zone. In an alternative and equally suitable procedure the characteristic assumes a first state and a second state, wherein the variation of the characteristic along the circumferentially extending contact zone is such that it is changing from the first state step by step or gradually to the second state. The rotation symmetry of the circumferentially extending contact zone is avoided by a gradual change in the characteristic in question by gradually changing the degree of its formation between the first and second state step by step or gradually. The respective changes in the characteristic have an impact on the vibration behavior of the semiconductor melt that is all the more pronounced the greater the difference between first and second state is, and the greater the length portion around the contact zone where the change in the characteristic takes place. In this connection it has turned out to be useful when the stepwise or gradual change from the first to the second state of the characteristic extends over at least one tenth, preferably over at least one third, of the circumferential length of the contact zone. In the simplest case the characteristic which varies along the circumferentially extending contact zone is the chemical composition of the melt atmosphere and/or the temperature thereof. Composition and temperature of the melt atmosphere are parameters of the single crystal pulling process that have a considerable influence on the surface tension in the region of the contact zone and thus also on the vibration behavior of the melt. Hence, the rotation symmetry of a characteristic of relevance to the melt oscillation is disturbed by a radial variation of these parameters around the contact zone. A variation of the chemical composition is e.g. carried out by a gas stream locally acting on the contact zone and having a composition which differs from that of the melting crucible atmosphere. A local change in the temperature is also adjustable by way of a gas stream which has a temperature different from that of the melting crucible atmosphere and which is oriented preferably directly onto a section of the contact zone. As an alternative or as a supplement thereto, the characteristic which varies along the circumferentially extending contact zone is the internal structure, the chemical composition, the surface condition and/or the temperature of the inner wall of the crucible. The internal structure, the chemical composition, the surface condition and the temperature of the crucible wall are also parameters that have a considerable influence on the surface tension in the region of the contact zone and thus also on the vibration behavior of the melt. According to the invention a variation of one or several of said parameters is intended, namely in radial direction, along the circumferentially extending contact zone. This also disturbs the rotation-symmetrical profile of the characteristic which is of relevance to the melt oscillation. Here, a variation of the chemical composition is preferably carried out by way of the hydroxyl group content of the quartz glass of the inner wall of the crucible by varying the same between a maximal concentration COH,max and a minimal concentration COH,min along the circumferentially extending contact zone. The effect regarding the suppression of resonance-capable vibrations of the semiconductor melt with fixed relationship is the more pronounced the more distinct the difference between COH,max and COH,min is, and the greater the length section of the contact zone, over which the variation extends. In this respect it has turned out to be useful when the minimal concentration COH,min is less than 80%, preferably less than 60%, of the maximal concentration COH,max. As an alternative or supplement thereto, the chemical composition in the area of the contact zone is defined by the type of the quartz glass for the inner wall of the crucible which is either synthetically produced quartz glass or quartz glass produced from naturally occurring raw material or is a mixture of said quartz glass types, and that the concentration of the quartz glass types along the circumferentially extending contact zone varies at least once. Quartz glass of naturally occurring raw material and synthetically produced quartz glass are different types of quartz glass. Their variation over the height of the crucible wall is sufficiently known from the prior art. By contrast, according to the present invention there is a variation of the proportions of quartz glass of naturally occurring raw material and of synthetically produced quartz glass in circumferential direction, namely at least at the height of the circumferentially extending contact zone. It is thus reproducibly possible to reduce a rotation-symmetrical characteristic distribution and an accompanying risk of a resonance-capable and intensifying melt oscillation. As an alternative or supplement to the chemical composition, the surface condition of the inner wall of the crucible is varied along the circumferentially extending contact zone. A variation of the surface condition is here preferably carried out by changing the roughness of the surface. To this end a value determined over a measurement length of 1 cm for the mean surface roughness Ra of the inner wall of the crucible is defined, the mean surface roughness varying between a maximum value Ra,max and a minimum value Ra,min along the circumferentially extending contact zone. The roughness is locally changed, for instance by scratches, dents or an open porosity of the quartz glass. In this case, too, the effect as regards the suppression of resonance-capable vibrations of the semiconductor melt with fixed relationship is the more pronounced, the more distinct the difference between Ra,max and Ra,min is and the greater the length section of the contact zone over which the variation extends. Ideally, the minimum value Ra,min is less than 80%, preferably less than 60%, of the maximum value Ra,max. In the case of an open porosity, e.g. a smooth, dense inner wall with a minimum value Ra,min near zero may be interrupted by portions of an open porosity. However, length sections with a different open porosity may be alternating along the contact zone, or the open porosity is changing over the length of the contact zone (or a part of said length) gradually or step by step between Ra,min and Ra,max. As an alternative or a supplement thereto, the internal structure of the inner wall of the crucible varies along the circumferentially extending contact zone in that the bubble content of the quartz glass is locally changed. To this end, a value determined over a measurement length of 1 cm is defined for the bubble content of the quartz glass within the inner wall of the crucible, wherein the bubble content varies between a maximum value Pmax and a minimum value Pm along the circumferentially extending contact zone. The frequency of primary vibrations is here primarily influenced by the amount of closed bubbles which is directly underneath the closed surface in the region of the contact zone. Just for the purpose of clarification, “bubble content” in this sense defines the percentage by volume of closed bubbles found down to a depth of 1 cm underneath the inner wall of the crucible. The bubble content can be determined by counting. In the simplest case a transparent, bubble-free content with a minimum value Pmin=zero is interrupted by portions having a higher bubble content. However, length sections with different bubble content along the contact zone may be alternating, or the bubble content is changing over the length of the contact zone (or part of the length thereof) gradually or step by step between Pmax and Pmin. It has turned out to be advantageous when the minimum value Pmin is less than 50%, preferably less than 30%, of the maximum value Pmax. The surface condition and/or the chemical composition of the inner wall preferably changes within a circumferentially extending variation band which is running from the contact zone over a width of at least 5 mm, preferably at least 10 mm, in the direction of a crucible bottom. As for the excitation of vibrations in the semiconductor melt and the adjustment of the vibration frequency, particularly the portion of the crucible wall that is in contact with the melt, i.e., the wall portion underneath the contact zone, is of decisive importance, apart from the contact zone proper. Therefore, a variation of the surface characteristic in question is also preferably intended in this wall portion. As for the quartz glass crucible to be used for pulling a semiconductor single crystal according to the Czochralski method, the above-indicated object starting from a quartz glass crucible of the aforementioned kind is achieved according to the invention in that it comprises an inner wall of the crucible along which a radially circumferentially extending contact zone is provided which shows a variation in at least one of its physical, chemical or corporeal characteristics. In the quartz glass crucible according to the invention and in contrast to the prior art, an annulment of the rotation symmetry with respect to at least one characteristic of relevance to the melt oscillation is intended. To achieve this goal, a physical, chemical or corporeal characteristic of the quartz glass crucible is varied along a radially circumferentially extending contact zone. The contact zone conforms here to the starting zone according to the above-indicated definition. Due to the annulment of the rotation symmetry, a resonance-capable vibration of the semiconductor melt with fixed phase relationship cannot build up during the intended use of the quartz glass crucible. The reason is that due to the non-rotation-symmetrical formation of the characteristic in question, the vibrations created at different places of the circumferentially extending contact zone exhibit a different frequency. As a result, there will be no constructive interference between the individual primary vibrations, so that the melt level in the central region of the melt crucible remains calm, and the risk of a tearing off of the seedling or impairment of the structure of the single crystal is reduced. It is essential that the characteristic in question is varied at the contact point between the three phases solid (crucible inner wall), liquid (semiconductor melt) and gas (melt atmosphere), to be more exact, along the radially circumferentially extending contact zone. It is not required, but does also not present an obstacle, if the variation on the crucible wall is continued upwards or downwards. The characteristic is of a physical, chemical or corporeal nature and is to be assigned to one or several of the three phases mentioned. As a rule, it suffices to radially vary a single relevant characteristic. For the radial variation of the inner wall of the quartz glass crucible its geometrical shape, its chemical composition or the surface condition are e.g. of relevance. The length section within which the characteristic in question is changed extends over the whole circumference of the contact zone or over a part thereof. The quartz glass crucible according to the invention is particularly suited for use in the method according to the invention. Advantageous developments of the quartz glass crucible according to the invention follow from the sub-claims. Insofar as developments of the crucible indicated in the sub-claims conform to the procedures indicated in the sub-claims with respect to the method according to the invention, reference is made for a supplementary explanation to the above description of the corresponding method claims. EMBODIMENT The invention will now be explained in more detail with reference to embodiments and a drawing. In a schematic illustration, FIG. 1 shows a crystal pulling system for performing the single-crystal pulling method according to the invention; FIG. 2 shows a first embodiment of the quartz glass crucible according to the invention in section in a view on the inner wall, which shows an annular contact zone with a surface characteristic of a high-frequency variation in circumferential direction; FIG. 3 shows a second embodiment of the quartz glass crucible according to the invention in section in a view on the inner wall, which shows an annular contact zone with a surface characteristic of a low-frequency variation in circumferential direction; FIG. 4 shows a first embodiment of the quartz glass crucible according to the invention in section in a view on the inner wall, over the whole height of which a surface characteristic varies and which has several maxima and minima, viewed in circumferential direction; FIG. 5 shows a further embodiment of the quartz glass crucible according to the invention in section in a view on the inner wall, over the whole height of which a surface characteristic varies and which has a maximum and a minimum, viewed in circumferential direction; and FIG. 6 shows an apparatus for producing a quartz glass crucible according to the invention. FIG. 1 schematically shows a single-crystal pulling device. It comprises a quartz glass crucible 1 which is stabilized by a support crucible 2 and which contains a silicon melt 3 which is kept at melt temperature by a heater 4 provided laterally on the crucible wall. The quartz glass crucible 1 is rotatable about a rotation axis 5. The silicon single crystal 6 is pulled upwards out of the melt 3 and is rotated in this process in opposite direction with respect to the crucible 1, as indicated by the directional arrow 7. The single crystal 6 which is pulled upwards is surrounded by a heat shield 8. Argon is continuously supplied through the gap between heat shield 8 and single crystal 6, the argon forming the melt atmosphere 11 within the pulling chamber (not shown in the figure) and serving gas-flushing purposes. The melt surface 9 in the quartz glass crucible 1 is kept at a constant level in the course of the pulling process. For this purpose the quartz glass crucible 1 follows in upward direction, as shown by the directional arrow 10. At this position, which is here called contact zone 13, the inner wall 12 of the quartz glass crucible 1, the silicon melt 3 and the melt atmosphere 11 are thus in direct contact with one another. The invention aims at varying—at least in the region of the contact zone 13—a characteristic of the surface of the inner wall 12 of the quartz glass crucible in radially circumferentially extending direction. The radially varying surface characteristic is e.g. the hydroxyl group, the surface roughness, the bubble content, or quartz glass quality in the sense that this is quartz glass of naturally occurring or of synthetically produced start material. FIGS. 2 to 5 schematically show suitable quartz glass crucibles with radially circumferentially extending profiles of a surface characteristic. The characteristic is varied at the height of the radially circumferentially extending line of the contact zone 13 which in this case corresponds to the height of the starting zone. A coordinate plane in which the extent of the formation or the concentration K of the respective surface characteristic is plotted against the circumferential length L of the contact zone 13 is respectively laid over the view on the inner wall 12 of the crucible in the figures, with the figures only showing half of the total circumference. The ordinate value 100 of K corresponds to the useful or technologically feasible maximum value of the characteristic in question in its formation A; and the ordinate value 0 of K symbolizes the useful or technologically feasible minimum value of the characteristic in question in its formation A or the technologically feasible or useful value of the characteristic in question in its formation B. If the surface characteristic is the hydroxyl group content of the quartz glass, this content varies expediently between 80 wt. ppm (minimum value) and 150 wt. ppm (maximum value). If the surface characteristic is the surface roughness Ra of the inner value, this value varies between 5 μm (minimum value) and 200 μm (maximum value). The value for the surface roughness is determined according to DIN 4768 as a mean roughness depth Ra. If the surface characteristic is the bubble content of the quartz glass within the crucible wall in the region of the contact zone 13, it will vary between 0.01% (minimum value) and 0.03% (maximum value), namely as a mean value, measured over a layer thickness of 2 mm. In the case of the quartz glass quality the surface characteristic varies between quartz glass of naturally occurring start material and quartz glass of synthetically produced start material. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 2, the surface characteristic varies around the contact zone 13, as indicated by the profile. The same profile or at least a profile similar to the illustrated profile is also found in a certain surface area of the inner wall 12 of the crucible underneath the contact zone 13. This surface area, which is called “variation band” 14, is visible in the diagram as an area with a gray background. In the embodiment the variation band 14 extends from the contact zone 13 approximately 30 mm downwards in the direction of the crucible bottom. The formation/concentration K of the surface characteristic varies within the contact zone 13 (or within the radial circumferential course of the variation band 14) irregularly, but constantly. The variation width of the change only corresponds to a small range of the total possible scale of K. The radially circumferentially extending profile of K shows a plurality of relative maxima and minima which define a mean variation frequency (distance of maximum to maximum) of about 0.04 cm−1. In contrast to FIG. 2, in the embodiment shown in FIG. 3, the surface characteristic within the contact zone 13 or within the variation band 14 having a width of 50 mm varies almost regularly sinusoidally and at a much lower frequency of about 0.014 cm−1, but also only in a small range of the total scale of K. The profiles shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 are particularly suited for radially circumferentially extending variations of the hydroxyl group content of the quartz glass and the surface roughness and the bubble content of the inner wall of the crucible. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 4, the surface characteristic of the inner wall of the crucible varies not only circumferentially around the contact zone 13, but simultaneously over almost the whole height of the inner wall of the crucible in a similar way. The outlined contact zone 13 also corresponds here to the maximal height of the melt level (=height of the starting zone) at the beginning of the single-crystal pulling method. The variation width corresponds here to almost 100% of the whole scale of K, which means that the characteristic in question varies almost completely between its two formations A and B or between the above-defined minimum and maximum values. Similar to the profile of FIG. 4, in the embodiment shown in FIG. 5 the surface characteristic also varies between two formations A and B of the characteristic. Here, however, a continuous gradual transition from the one to the other formation takes place over the whole radial circumference, the concentration profile K having only one maximum and only one minimum in each formation. Hence, only two gradual changes take place over the circumference of the inner wall, namely a gradual change from formation A to B over a half of the circumferential length and a gradual change from formation B to A over the other half of the circumferential length. The change profiles of FIGS. 4 and 5 are particularly useful for radially circumferentially changing the composition of the inner wall of the crucible between sections of quartz glass of naturally occurring start material and sections of quartz glass of synthetically produced start material. They are however equally suited for radially circumferentially extending variations of the hydroxyl group content of the quartz glass and the surface roughness and the bubble content of the inner wall of the crucible. The manufacture of a quartz glass crucible according to the invention shall now be explained in more detail with reference to an embodiment and with reference to the melt apparatus shown in FIG. 6. The hydroxyl group content of the quartz glass is here varied along a radially circumferentially extending contact zone of the inner wall of the crucible. The crucible type melt apparatus which is diagrammatically shown in FIG. 6 comprises a melt mold 61 of metal with an inner diameter of 78 cm, a curved bottom and a sidewall with a height of 50 cm. The melt mold 61 is supported to rotate about its central axis 62. Electrodes 64 of graphite which are movable inside the interior 63 in all spatial directions, as shown by the block arrows 78, project into the interior 53 of the melt mold 61. A plurality of passages 66 through which a vacuum applied to the outside of the melt mold 61 can become operative in the interior 63 are provided in the bottom portion 73 and in the area of the lower wall half 75 of the melt mold 61. Further passages 68 through which a gas can be passed towards the melt mold interior 63 are provided in the upper wall third 74 of the melt mold 61. The passages 68 terminate in a joint groove 69 which is pierced from above into the one half of the upper side of the melt mold wall up to the height of the starting zone “Z” (corresponds to the height of the contact zone 13 during the intended use). The passages 66; 68 are each sealed with a plug of porous graphite which prevents SiO2 granules from exiting out of the interior 63. In a first method step, crystalline granules of natural quartz sand cleaned by hot chlorination are introduced into the melt mold 61. The quartz sand has a grain size ranging from 90 μm to 315 μm. Under the action of the centrifugal force and by using a template, a rotation-symmetrical, crucible-like grain layer 72 of mechanically compacted quartz sand is formed on the inner wall of the melt mold 61 rotating about the longitudinal axis 62. The layer thickness of the grain layer 72 is about the same in the bottom portion 73 and in the lower side portion 75 and in the upper side portion 74 and is about 25 mm. The height of the grain layer 72 in the sidewall portion corresponds to the height of the melt mold, i.e. 50 cm. In a second method step, the electrodes 64 are positioned near the grain layer 72 in the melt mold 61 still rotating about its longitudinal axis 62, and an electric arc is ignited between the electrodes 64. The electrodes 64 are powered with 600 kW (300 V, 2000 A) so that a high-temperature atmosphere is obtained in the melt mold interior 63. A skin layer 77 of dense transparent quartz glass with a thickness of about 0.5 mm is thereby produced on the quartz grain layer 72. The free upper side 65 of the grain layer 72 is thereby also densified. After formation of the skin layer 77 a vacuum (100 mbar absolute pressure) is applied to the grain layer 72 in the bottom portion 73 and in the lower wall portion 75 in a third method step via the passages 66. At the same time, water vapor is introduced via the passages 68 into the one half of the still porous grain layer 72. The respective gas flows during suction and introduction of water vapor are outlined in FIGS. 1 to 3 by way of arrows. Due to the flow resistance of the grain layer 72 the water vapor introduced at half the side is distributed substantially only in the one half of the grain layer 72 and also substantially only in the upper side portion 74 around the starting zone Z, so that in this portion of the grain layer the SiO2 granules are relatively heavily loaded with water vapor. During further vitrification under vacuum a melt front travels from the inside to the outside through the grain layer 72. Due to the stronger water loading in the one half of the grain layer 72 a vitrified zone is formed with a higher hydroxyl group content than in the other half. As soon as the melt front is at a distance of about 4 cm from the melt front wall, evacuation is terminated. The rear side of the grain layer 72 thereby also vitrifies in the bottom and lower sidewall portion into opaque, bubble-containing quartz glass. Vitrification is stopped before the melt front reaches the melt mold 61. Viewed over the circumference at the height of the starting zone Z, one achieves the greatest difference in the hydroxyl group content of the quartz glass between the area of the preceding air introduction (90 wt. ppm)—namely in the middle of the length of the groove 69—and the exactly opposite portion of the sidewall. It is 130 wt. ppm at that place. The OH group concentration profile obtained over the circumference of the starting zone Z is here equal to that of FIG. 5. During the intended use of the quartz glass crucible the thin skin layer 77 dissolves within a short period of time. The free surface of the inner wall of the crucible that is then exposed is distinguished by hydroxyl groups having a concentration that at the height of the starting zone Z (=contact zone 13) varies in the radially circumferentially extending direction, as explained with reference to FIG. 5. As a consequence, a different surface tension is obtained for each point between silicon melt and crucible wall and thus different excitation conditions for oscillations, so that melt vibrations are suppressed. As an alternative to the described method, a hydroxyl group content that is inhomogeneous along the contact zone, i.e. a locally different one, is produced by using a hydrogen-containing burner flame, for instance oxyhydrogen flame. The hydroxyl group content can be adjusted in a locally different way through the degree of the action (temperature and duration) of the burner flame. This method also permits the subsequent generation of a chemical variation of the chemical composition in the case of a quartz glass crucible having a homogeneous crucible wall. The crucible melt apparatus shown in FIG. 6 is also suited for producing a contact zone 13 with a radially circumferential variation in the bubble content within the crucible wall. For this purpose, in the third method step a hardly soluble gas such as nitrogen or—in the embodiment—air is passed via the passages 68 into the one half of the still porous grain layer 72 instead of water, which is relatively easily soluble in quartz glass. Due to the flow resistance of the grain layer 72 the air introduced at half the side is distributed substantially only in the one half of the grain layer 72 and also substantially only in the upper side portion 74 around the starting zone Z, so that in this area of the grain layer one obtains a relatively high concentration of hardly soluble nitrogen. During further vitrification under vacuum a melt front travels from the inside to the outside through the grain layer 72. Due to the stronger nitrogen loading in the one half of the grain layer 72 a vitrified zone with a higher bubble content is formed in the one half of the grain layer 72 than in the other half. Viewed over the circumference and at the height of the starting zone Z, one obtains the greatest difference in the bubble content between 0.01% in the area of the preceding air introduction—namely in the middle of the length of the groove 69—and the exactly opposite portion of the sidewall. It is 0.03% at that place. The bubble concentration profile obtained in this process over the circumference of the starting zone Z within the crucible wall resembles that of FIG. 5. | <SOH> TECHNICAL BACKGROUND <EOH>The invention refers to a method for pulling a semiconductor single crystal according to the Czochralski method, in which a semiconductor melt is produced in a quartz glass crucible and the semiconductor single crystal is pulled therefrom, the quartz glass crucible comprising an inner wall and the semiconductor melt comprising a free melt surface which in the area of a contact zone extending radially circumferentially on the inner wall of the crucible are in contact with each other and with a melt atmosphere, respectively, wherein primary vibrations of the melt that start from the contact zone are initiated. Furthermore, the invention refers to a quartz glass crucible to be used for pulling a semiconductor single crystal according to the Czochralski method. In the so-called Czochralski method, semiconductor material, such as silicon, is molten in a quartz glass crucible and a seed crystal of a silicon single crystal is supplied from above to the melt surface, resulting in the formation of a melt meniscus between crystal and melt. The single crystal is slowly drawn off upwards under rotation of the crucible and/or the single crystal, the semiconductor single crystal growing on the seed crystal. This process shall be called “starting process” or shortly “starting” in the following. Interactions between liquid and solid phase take place on the solidification front between single crystal and semiconductor melt; these are impaired by convection or oscillation of the melt. These movements of the melt can be caused or intensified by temperature or substance gradients within the liquid, by rotation of melt and seed crystal or by immersion of the seed crystal. Particularly disadvantageous are oscillations of the melt. It is known that these occur whenever the chemical potential between the three phases semiconductor melt, melt atmosphere and crucible changes periodically. Such oscillations impair not only the quality of the semiconductor single crystal. They are particularly disadvantageously noticed in the starting process as they aggravate nucleation and can delay or even impede the same by one to several days. This reduces productivity and can go so far that the life of the quartz glass crucible is already exceeded in the starting process, or that dislocations are produced in the single crystal that require a re-melting of the solidified silicon. The quartz glass crucibles used in the Czochralski method are normally provided with a transparent inner layer on an opaque outer layer which contains pores. In the crystal pulling process the transparent inner layer is in contact with the silicon melt and is subject to high mechanical, chemical and thermal stresses. To reduce the corrosive attack of the silicon melt and, together with this, the release of impurities from the crucible wall, the inner layer is as pure as possible and homogeneous and has hardly any bubbles. The inner layer of synthetically produced quartz glass ensures a low concentration of impurities in the region near the melt and has in this respect an advantageous effect on the yield of pure and dislocation-free semiconductor single crystal. However, it has been found that crucibles with an inner layer of synthetic quartz glass as compared with quartz glass crucibles produced from naturally occurring quartz sand rather tend to cause oscillations of the melt surface. | C30B1510 | 20171206 | 20180426 | 63013.0 | C30B1510 | 0 | KUNEMUND, ROBERT M | PULLING A SEMICONDUCTOR SINGLE CRYSTAL ACCORDING TO THE CZOCHRALSKI METHOD AND SILICA GLASS CRUCIBLE SUITABLE THEREFOR | UNDISCOUNTED | 1 | CONT-ACCEPTED | C30B | 2,017 |
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15,834,401 | PENDING | MODIFIED RELEASE PREPARATIONS CONTAINING OXCARBAZEPINE AND DERIVATIVES THEREOF | Controlled-release preparations of oxcarbazepine and derivatives thereof for once-a-day administration are disclosed. The inventive compositions comprise solubility-and/or release enhancing agents to provide tailored drug release profiles, preferably sigmoidal release profiles. Methods of treatment comprising the inventive compositions are also disclosed. | 1. A method of treating seizures comprising administering to a subject in need thereof a pharmaceutical formulation for once-a-day administration comprising oxcarbazepine in a solid homogeneous matrix comprising at least one release promoting agent comprising a polymer having pH-dependent solubility selected from the group consisting of cellulose acetate phthalate, cellulose acetate succinate, methylcellulose phthalate, ethylhydroxycellulose phthalate, polyvinylacetate phthalate, polyvinylbutyrate acetate, vinyl acetate-maleic anhydride copolymer, styrene-maleic mono-ester copolymer, Eudagrit L100-55 (Methacrylic Acid—Ethyl Acrylate Copolymer (1:1)), and methyl acrylate-methacrylic acid copolymers. 2. The method of claim 1, further comprising at least one agent that enhances the solubility of oxcarbazepine selected from the group consisting of surface active agents, complexing agents, cyclodextrins, and pH modifying agents. 3. The method of claim 2, wherein the surface active agent is selected from the group consisting of sodium docusate, sodium lauryl sulfate, sodium stearyl fumarate, polyethylene oxide (PEO) modified sorbitan monoesters, fatty acid sorbitan esters, polyethylene oxide-polypropylene oxide-(poly(ethylene oxide)) block copolymers, or combinations thereof. 4. The method of claim 1, wherein the solid homogenous matrix comprises a matrix-forming polymer. 5. The method of claim 4, wherein in vitro: (i) between 20 and 74% of the total oxcarbazepine is released by 2 hours; and (ii) between 44 and 96% of the total oxcarbazepine is released by 4 hours. 6. The method of claim 4, wherein the matrix-forming polymer is selected from the group consisting of cellulosic polymers, alginates, gums, cross-linked polyacrylic acid, carageenan, polyvinyl pyrrolidone, polyethylene oxides, and polyvinyl alcohol. 7. The method of claim 6, wherein the cellulosic polymers are selected from the group consisting of hydroxypropylmethylcellulose (HPMC), hydroxypropylcellulose (HPC), hydroxyethylcellulose (HEC), methylcellulose (MC), powdered cellulose, cellulose acetate, sodium carboxymethylcellulose, calcium salt of carboxymethylcellulose, and ethylcellulose. 8. The method of claim 4, wherein the matrix-forming polymer is present in the amount of from 1% to 50% by weight of the formulation. 9. The method of claim 1, wherein the polymer having pH dependent solubility remains intact at pH values of below 4 and dissolves at pH values of more than 4. 10. The method of claim 9, wherein the polymer having pH dependent solubility dissolves at pH values of more than 5. 11. The method of claim 10, wherein the polymer having pH dependent solubility dissolves at pH values of more than 6. 12. The method of claim 2, wherein the release promoting agent is incorporated in an amount from 10% to 90% by weight of the formulation, and the agent that enhances the solubility of oxcarbazepine is incorporated in an amount from 1% to 80% by weight of the formulation. 13. The method of claim 12, wherein the release promoting agent is incorporated in an amount from 30% to 70% by weight of the formulation, and the agent that enhances the solubility of oxcarbazepine is incorporated in an amount from 1% to 80% by weight of the formulation. 14. The method of claim 1, further comprising a lubricant selected from the group consisting of magnesium stearate, calcium stearate, zinc stearate, stearic acid, polyethylene glycol, leucine, glyceryl behenate, sodium stearyl fumarate, hydrogenated vegetable oil, and wax. 15. The method of claim 14, wherein the wax is selected from the group consisting of beeswax, carnuba wax, cetyl alcohol, glyceryl stearate, glyceryl palmitate, and stearyl alcohol. 16. The method of claim 14, wherein the lubricant is incorporated in an amount of from 0.1% to 20% by weight of the formulation. 17. The method of claim 1, wherein the amount of oxcarbazepine is effective to produce a steady state blood level of monohydroxy derivative of oxcarbazepine in the range of about 2 μg/ml to about 10 μg/ml. 18. The method of claim 1, wherein the formulation is effective in minimizing fluctuations between Cmin and Cmax of monohydroxy derivative of oxcarbazepine. 19. The method of claim 18, which provides Cmax levels of monohydroxy derivative of oxcarbazepine in the range of about 6 μg/ml to about 10 μg/ml and Cmin levels of monohydroxy derivative of oxcarbazepine in the range of about 2 μg/ml to about 5 μg/ml. 20. The method of claim 1, wherein the amount of oxcarbazepine is 600 mg. 21. The method of claim 1, in the form of pellets, tablets, granules or capsules. 22. The method of claim 21, in the form of tablets. 23. The method of claim 22, wherein the tablets comprises 600 mg of oxcarbazepine. 24. The method of claim 1, where in the formulation is administered once a day. 25. The method of claim 1, wherein the seizure is an epileptic seizure. 26. The method of claim 25, wherein the epileptic seizure is a partial seizure or a generalized tonic-clonic seizure. 27. The method of claim 1, wherein the subject is an adult or child. | CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application is a Continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 15/166,816, filed May 27, 2016, which is a Continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 14/836,179, filed Aug. 26, 2015, now U.S. Pat. No. 9,351,975, which is a Continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 14/445,233, filed Jul. 29, 2014, now U.S. Pat. No. 9,119,791, which is a Continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 14/103,103, filed Dec. 11, 2013, now U.S. Pat. No. 8,821,930, which is a Continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 13/476,337, filed May 21, 2012, now U.S. Pat. No. 8,617,600, which is a Continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 13/137,382, filed Aug. 10, 2011, now U.S. Pat. No. 8,211,464, which is a Divisional of U.S. application Ser. No. 12/230,275, filed Aug. 27, 2008, now U.S. Pat. No. 8,017,149, which is a Continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 11/734,874, filed Apr. 13, 2007, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,722,898, which claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/794,837, filed Apr. 26, 2006. FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention is directed to controlled-release preparations of oxcarbazepine and derivatives thereof for once-a-day administration. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Oxcarbazepine belongs to the benzodiazepine class of drugs and is registered worldwide as an antiepileptic drug. Oxcarbazepine is approved as an adjunct or monotherapy for the treatment of partial seizures and generalized tonic-clonic seizures in adults and children. An immediate-release (IR) formulation of oxcarbazepine is currently on the market under the trade name Trileptal® and is administered twice a day to control epileptic seizures. Such immediate release compositions provide the drug to the patient in a manner that result in a rapid rise of the plasma drug concentration followed by a rapid decline. This sharp rise in drug concentration can result in side effects, and make multiple daily administration of the drug necessary in order to maintain a therapeutic level of the drug in the body. The need for a controlled-release dosage form for drugs taken chronically such as oxcarbazepine and derivatives is self-evident. Patient compliance is greatly improved with controlled-release (CR) dosage forms that are taken, for example, once-a-day. Also, there are significant clinical advantages such as better therapeutic efficacy as well as reduced side effects with controlled-release dosage forms. Oxcarbazepine and its derivatives contemplated in this invention are poorly soluble in water. Due to their poor solubility, their release from a sustained release dosage form is rather incomplete. Whereas the in vitro release of oxcarbazepine is dependent on the dissolution method, including the dissolution media used, it has been found through in silico modeling that the release of oxcarbazepine in vivo from a traditional sustained-release dosage form is relatively low. This results in reduced bioavailability of the drug making the dosage form ineffective in providing a therapeutically effective concentration in the body. This poses a serious challenge to the successful development of sustained-release dosage forms for oxcarbazepine and its derivatives. The rate of drug release from a dosage form has a significant impact on the therapeutic usefulness of the drug and its side effects. Hence, drug release profiles must be customized to meet the therapeutic needs of the patient. An example of a customized release profile is one that exhibits a sigmoidal release pattern, characterized by an initial slow release followed by fast release which is then followed by slow release until all of the drug has been released from the dosage form. Sustained-release dosage forms for oxcarbazepine and derivatives have been described in the art. For example, Katzhendler et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 6,296,873) describes sustained-release delivery systems for carbamazepine and its derivatives. Katzhendler et al. teaches that a zero-order release profile is achieved for carbamazepine and derivatives through the use of hydrophilic and hydrophobic polymers. Zero-order (constant) release was achieved using high molecular weight hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose (HPMC) along with some optional hydrophobic excipients. A similar approach is taught by Shah et al. (US Patent Application 20020169145). Franke et al. (US Patent Application 20040142033) discloses sustained-release formulations of oxcarbazepine that are characterized by the release of 55%-85% of the drug in 15 minutes, and up to 95% in 30 minutes. According to the authors, such release profiles provide adequate sustained-release to achieve once-a-day administration of oxcarbazepine. However, the solubility and bioavailability of the drug from these enhanced preparations suitable for once-a-day administration. The prior art does not teach how to make preparations of oxcarbazepine and derivatives characterized by sigmoidal release profiles. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of this invention to provide controlled-release formulations of oxcarbazepine for once-a-day administration. The composition of this invention is administered once-a-day and yet meets the therapeutic need of the patient. It is another object of this invention to improve the bioavailability of oxcarbazepine and derivatives thereof. It is yet another object of this invention to meet the therapeutic need of the patient without causing “spikes” in blood drug concentration that may lead to toxicity. It is yet another object of this invention to keep the blood concentration of the drug within the therapeutic window. It is yet another object of this invention to minimize the fluctuation between the Cmax and Cmin that is typical of many immediate-release and sustained-release preparations. Many, if not all, of these objectives may be achieved in this invention through formulations that comprise both solubility-enhancing agents and release-promoting agents, and are characterized by release profiles that meet the requirement for once-a-day administration. The objectives may also be achieved through the combination of a multiplicity of units with different release profiles in one dosage unit. Minipellets/granules/tablets, which can be mixed in a certain ratio, provide a dosage form that meets the above stated therapeutic objectives. This invention also pertains to multi-layer tablets. Multi-layer tablets can be prepared with each layer releasing the drug at a rate that is different from the rate of release from another layer. In multi-layer tablets, each layer may or may not be coated. All of the advantages that stem from once-daily administration of a drug apply to the compositions of this invention. Some of the specific advantages of this invention may be: reduced fluctuation between Cmax and Cmin during the course of treatment and hence better therapeutic profile, reduced side-effects, improved patient compliance, and improved bioavailability of the drug. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 shows the dissolution profiles for the three exemplary (CR-F, CR-M, and CR-S) oxcarbazepine formulations containing no solubility/release enhancer. The profiles show a non-zero order release with a lag. The T80s (time for 80% of the dose to be released in vitro) for the CR-F, CR-M, and CR-S formulations were 2 Hrs, 5 Hrs and 11 Hrs, respectively. USP Apparatus II at 60 RPM was used. Dissolution medium was 1% SLS in water. FIG. 2 shows the human pharmacokinetic (PK) profiles with respect to oxcarbazepine for the three exemplary controlled-release formulations of example 1 versus an immediate-release reference product (Trileptal® 600 mg). The strength of each formulation is 600 mg oxcarbazepine per tablet. FIG. 3 shows the PK profiles with respect to the metabolite of oxcarbazepine (MHD) for the three exemplary controlled-release formulations of example 1 versus an immediate-release reference product (Trileptal® 600 mg). The strength of each formulation is 600 mg oxcarbazepine per tablet. FIG. 4 shows the solubility results of oxcarbazepine with selected excipients. FIG. 5 shows the dissolution profiles of oxcarbazepine CR formulations with solubility enhancer (CRe), without solubility enhancer (CR) and a “fast formulation” (CR-F) developed in Example 1. The time to dissolve 80% of the drug (T80) for CRe, CR, and CR-F are 5-6 Hrs, 8 Hrs, and 1.5 Hrs, respectively. FIG. 6 shows the dissolution profiles for the fast (CRe-F), medium (CRe-M), and slow (CRe-S) oxcarbazepine formulations containing solubility/release enhancers. The T80s for the CRe-F, CRe-M, and CRe-S are 1.5 Hrs, 5 Hrs, and 8 Hrs, respectively. USP Apparatus II at 60 RPM was used. Dissolution medium was 1% SLS in water. FIG. 7 shows the canine pharmacokinetic profiles with respect to oxcarbazepine, comparing the enhanced formulation (CRe) with non-enhanced formulations containing oxcarbazepine (CR and CR-F). FIG. 8 shows the canine pharmacokinetic profiles with respect to MHD, comparing the enhanced formulation (CRe) with non-enhanced formulations containing oxcarbazepine (CR and CR-F). FIG. 9 shows the PK profiles shown in FIG. 8 with in silico predicted PK profile for a twice-a-day 300 mg IR. FIG. 10 shows in silico predicted PK profiles for various in vitro release profiles. FIG. 11 shows the in silico predicted in vivo release profiles for the systems in FIG. 10. FIG. 12 shows human plasma concentration vs. time profiles with respect to MHD of the three Oxcarbazepine CR formulations in Example 4 (CRe-F, CRe-M, CRe-S) and Trileptal® as an IR control, dosed BID. FIG. 13 shows human plasma concentration vs. time profiles with respect to the oxcarbazepine of the three Oxcarbazepine CR formulations in Example 4 (CRe-F, CRe-M, CRe-S) and Trileptal® as an IR control, dosed BID. FIG. 14 shows the in silico predicted steady-state plasma profiles for the three exemplary formulations (CRe-F, CRe-M, and CRe-S) described in Example 4. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION It is the object of this invention to provide controlled-release oxcarbazepine formulations suitable for once-a-day administration. It is an additional object of the invention to incorporate a combination of solubility-enhancing excipients and/or release-promoting agents into the formulations to enhance the bioavailability of oxcarbazepine and its derivatives. Such compositions are referred to as enhanced formulations. Oxcarbazepine was formulated to provide release profiles characterized by slow release initially, followed by rapid release and then followed by another period of slow release. Such a release profile is known to those skilled in the art as sigmoidal. Oxcarbazepine formulations with sigmoidal release profiles were tested in human pharmacokinetic (PK) studies. Based on the human data, improvements were made to the formulations by incorporating solubility enhancers and/or release-promoting excipients (such formulation are referred to as enhanced formulations). The enhanced formulations were tested in canine models and were surprisingly found to provide significant increase in bioavailability of oxcarbazepine compared to formulations containing no solubility/release enhancing excipients. The incorporation of solubility enhancing agents in formulations containing poorly soluble drugs such as oxcarbazepine has a profound effect on the in vivo solubility and hence bioavailability of the drugs. Enhancing the solubility of oxcarbazepine results in an increase in its bioavailability and hence in better therapeutic performance of the drug. A combination of solubility and release promoters is contemplated in this invention. Preferable release promoting agents are pH dependent polymers, also known as enteric polymers. These materials are well known to those skilled in the art and exhibit pH dependent solubility such that they dissolve at pH values higher than about 4.0, while remaining insoluble at pH values lower than 4.0. Solubilizers function by increasing the aqueous solubility of a poorly soluble drug. When a formulation containing both the enteric polymer and solubilizer is exposed to an aqueous media of pH higher than 4.0, the enteric polymer dissolves rapidly leaving a porous structure, resulting in increased contact surface between the aqueous medium and the poorly soluble drug. This increased surface area enhances the efficiency of the solubilizer(s), and hence, the overall solubility and release rate of the drug is enhanced to a point where it impacts the availability of the drug for systemic absorption in patients. Excipients that function as solubility enhancers can be ionic and non-ionic surfactants, complexing agents, hydrophilic polymers, pH modifiers, such as acidifying agents and alkalinizing agents, as well as molecules that increase the solubility of poorly soluble drug through molecular entrapment. Several solubility enhancers can be utilized simultaneously. All enteric polymers that remain intact at pH value lower than about 4.0 and dissolve at pH values higher than 4.0, preferably higher than 5.0, most preferably about 6.0, are considered useful as release-promoting agents for this invention. Suitable pH-sensitive enteric polymers include cellulose acetate phthalate, cellulose acetate succinate, methylcellulose phthalate, ethylhydroxycellulose phthalate, polyvinylacetate phthalate, polyvinylbutyrate acetate, vinyl acetate-maleic anhydride copolymer, styrene-maleic monoester copolymer, methyl acrylate-methacrylic acid copolymer, methacrylate-methacrylic acid-octyl acrylate copolymer, etc. These may be used either alone or in combination, or together with the polymers other than those mentioned above. Preferred enteric polymers are the pharmaceutically acceptable methacrylic acid copolymers. These copolymers are anionic polymers based on methacrylic acid and methyl methacrylate and, preferably, have a mean molecular weight of about 135000. A ratio of free carboxyl groups to methyl-esterified carboxyl groups in these copolymers may range, for example, from 1:1 to 1:3, e.g. around 1:1 or 1:2. Such polymers are sold under the trade name Eudragit™ such as the Eudragit L series e.g. Eudragit L 12.5™, Eudragit L 12.5P™, Eudragit L100™, Eudragit L 100-55™, Eudragit L-30D™, Eudragit L-30 D-55™, the Eudragit S™ series e.g. Eudragit S 12.5™, Eudragit S 12.5P™, Eudragit S100™. The release promoters are not limited to pH dependent polymers. Other hydrophilic molecules that dissolve rapidly and leach out of the dosage form quickly leaving a porous structure can be also be used for the same purpose. The release-promoting agent can be incorporated in an amount from 10% to 90%, preferably from 20% to 80% and most preferably from 30% to 70% by weight of the dosage unit. The agent can be incorporated into the formulation either prior to or after granulation. The release-promoting agent can be added into the formulation either as a dry material, or it can be dispersed or dissolved in an appropriate solvent, and dispersed during granulation. Solubilizers preferred in this invention include surface active agents such as sodium docusate, sodium lauryl sulfate, sodium stearyl fumarate, Tweens® and Spans (PEO modified sorbitan monoesters and fatty acid sorbitan esters), poly(ethylene oxide)-polypropylene oxide-poly(ethylene oxide) block copolymers (aka Pluronics™); complexing agents such as low molecular weight polyvinyl pyrrolidone and low molecular weight hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose; molecules that aid solubility by molecular entrapment such as cyclodextrins, and pH modifying agents, including acidifying agents such as citric acid, fumaric acid, tartaric acid, and hydrochloric acid; and alkalizing agents such as meglumine and sodium hydroxide. Solubilizing agents typically constitute from 1% to 80% by weight, preferably from 1% to 60%, more preferably from 1% to 50%, of the dosage form and can be incorporated in a variety of ways. They can be incorporated in the formulation prior to granulation in dry or wet form. They can also be added to the formulation after the rest of the materials are granulated or otherwise processed. During granulation, solubilizers can be sprayed as solutions with or without a binder. This invention also contemplates controlled-release formulations comprising oxcarbazepine that release the drug at variable rates in the GI tract. It is also an object of this invention to design a drug delivery system to deliver drug at a very low rate early, followed by a relatively increased rate. It is another object of this invention to provide a drug release profile that is characterized by an immediate-release followed by a modified-release, such as extended-release (XR) or delayed-release (DR). These types of release profiles ensure that the Cmax (maximum concentration of the drug in blood/plasma) is kept within the therapeutic window while extending the maintenance of an effective drug level in the body. The goal of this invention is to develop a controlled-release pharmaceutical composition of oxcarbazepine that provides steady-state blood levels of MHD, an active metabolite of oxcarbazepine, at a concentration of about 2 μg/ml to about 10 μg/ml. In the preferred embodiment, steady-state blood Cmax levels of MHD fall in the range of about 6 μg/ml to about 10 μg/ml, and Cmin levels of MHD fall in the range of about 2 μg/ml to about 5 μg/ml. Reduced fluctuation between Cmax and Cmin during the course of treatment results in a better therapeutic profile, reduced side-effects, improved patient compliance, and improved bioavailability of the drug. The desired drug release pattern contemplated by this invention is achieved by using “matrix” polymers that hydrate and swell in aqueous media, such as biological fluids. As these polymers swell, they form a homogenous matrix structure that maintains its shape during drug release and serves as a carrier for the drug, solubility enhancers and/or release promoters. The initial matrix polymer hydration phase results in slow-release of the drug (lag phase). Once the polymer is fully hydrated and swollen, the porosity of the matrix increases due to the leaching out of the pH-dependent release promoters, and drug is released at a faster rate. The rate of the drug release then becomes constant, and is a function of drug diffusion through the hydrated polymer gel. Thus, the release vs. time curve is characterized by at least two slopes: one slope for the lag phase where drug release rate is low and a second slope where drug release is faster. The slope of the rising part of the release vs. time curve can be customized as to match the rate at which the drug is eliminated from the body. A desired release profile can be achieved by using swellable polymers alone or in combination with binders, such as gelling and/or network forming polymers. The water-swellable, matrix forming polymers useful in the present invention are selected from a group comprising cellulosic polymers, such as hydroxypropylmethylcellulose (HPMC), hydroxypropylcellulose (HPC), hydroxyethylcellulose (HEC), methylcellulose (MC), powdered cellulose such as microcrystalline cellulose, cellulose acetate, sodium carboxymethylcellulose, calcium salt of carboxymethylcellulose, and ethylcellulose; alginates, gums such as guar and xanthan gums; cross-linked polyacrylic acid derivatives such as Carbomers (aka Carbopol™) available in various molecular weight grades from Noveon Inc. (Cinncinatti, Ohio); carageenan; polyvinyl pyrrolidone and its derivatives such as crospovidone; polyethylene oxides; and polyvinyl alcohol. Preferred swellable polymers are the cellulosic compounds, HPMC being the most preferred. The swellable polymer can be incorporated in the formulation in proportion from 1% to 50% by weight, preferably from 5% to 40% by weight, most preferably from 5% to 20% by weight. The swellable polymers and binders may be incorporated in the formulation either prior to or after granulation. The polymers can also be dispersed in organic solvents or hydro-alcohols and sprayed during granulation. It is yet another aspect of this invention to prepare formulations of oxcarbazepine that combine multiple modified-release “units,” each “unit” prepared according to any one or more of the above-disclosed dosage forms, to provide for a customized release profile. The modified-release units comprise minipellets/granules/tablets etc., each with unique release profiles, that can be mixed in a certain ratio to provide a dosage form that meets the above-stated therapeutic objectives. Alternatively, multiple modified release units may be formed into of multi-layer tablets. Multi-layer tablets can be prepared with each layer releasing the active compound at a rate that is different from the rate of release of the active ingredient from another layer. In multi-layer tablets, each layer may optionally be coated with controlled-release polymer(s). The combination dosage forms can exhibit release profiles that comprise any/all possible combinations of immediate release (IR), delayed release (DR), and extended release (XR) formulations. Pellets/granules/tablets or each layer of a single tablet may optionally be coated. Various hydrophobic excipients can be used to modify the hydration rate of the dosage unit when exposed to water or aqueous media. These excipients retard the wetting of the dosage unit and hence modify the release of the active agent. Hydrophobic excipients suitable for this invention are represented by, but not limited to, glyceryl monstearate, mixtures of glyceryl monostearate and glyceryl monopalmitate (Myvaplex, Eastman Fine Chemical Company), glycerylmonooleate, a mixture of mono, di and tri-glycerides (ATMUL 84S), glycerylmonolaurate, glyceryl behenate, paraffin, white wax, long chain carboxylic acids, long chain carboxylic acid esters and long chain carboxylic acid alcohols. Examples of saturated straight chain acids, useful with the invention, are n-dodecanoic acid, n-tetradecanoic acid, n-hexadecanoic acid, caproic acid, caprylic acid, capric acid, lauric acid, myristic acid, palmitic acid, stearic acid, arachidic acid, behenic acid, montanic acid and melissic acid. Also useful are unsaturated monoolefinic straight chain monocarboxylic acids. Examples of these are oleic acid, gadoleic acid and erucic acid. Also useful are unsaturated (polyolefinic) straight chain monocarboxylic acids such as linoleic acid, linolenic acid, arachidonic acid and behenolic acid. Useful branched acids include, for example, diacetyl tartaric acid. Examples of long chain carboxylic acid esters include, but are not limited to: glyceryl monostearates; glyceryl monopalmitates; mixtures of glyceryl monostearate and glyceryl monopalmitate (Myvaplex 600, Eastman Fine Chemical Company); glyceryl monolinoleate; glyceryl monooleate; mixtures of glyceryl monopalmitate, glyceryl monostearate, glyceryl monooleate and glyceryl monolinoleate (Myverol 18-92, Eastman Fine Chemical Company); glyceryl monolinoleate; glyceryl monogadoleate; mixtures of glyceryl monopalmitate, glyceryl monostearate, glyceryl monooleate, glyceryl monolinoleate, glyceryl monolinoleate and glyceryl monogadoleate (Myverol 18-99, Eastman Fine Chemical Company); acetylated glycerides such as distilled acetylated monoglycerides (Myvacet 5-07, 7-07 and 9-45, Eastman Fine Chemical Company); mixtures of propylene glycol monoesters, distilled monoglycerides, sodium stearoyl lactylate and silicon dioxide (Myvatex TL, Eastman Fine Chemical Company); mixtures of propylene glycol monoesters, distilled monoglycerides, sodium stearoyl lactylate and silicon dioxide (Myvatex TL, Eastman Fine Chemical Company), d-alpha tocopherol polyethylene glycol 1000 succinate (Vitamin E TPGS, Eastman Chemical Company); mixtures of mono- and diglyceride esters such as Atmul (Humko Chemical Division of Witco Chemical); calcium stearoyl lactylate; ethoxylated mono- and di-glycerides; lactated mono- and di-glycerides; lactylate carboxylic acid ester of glycerol and propylene glycol; lactylic esters of long chain carboxylic acids; polyglycerol esters of long chain carboxylic acids, propylene glycol mono- and di-esters of long chain carboxylic acids; sodium stearoyl lactylate; sorbitan monostearate; sorbitan monooleate; other sorbitan esters of long chain carboxylic acids; succinylated monoglycerides; stearyl monoglyceryl citrate; stearyl heptanoate; cetyl esters of waxes; cetearyl octanoate; C10-C30 cholesterol/lavosterol esters; and sucrose long chain carboxylic acid esters. In addition, waxes can be useful alone or preferably in combination with the materials listed above. Examples of these are white wax, paraffin and carnauba wax. Drug, polymers, and other excipients are typically combined and wet granulated using a granulating fluid. However, other methods of forming granules such as slugging, and roller compaction can also be used to manufacture matrix granules. Matrix tablets can also be made by direct compression. In wet granulation, typical granulating fluids are: water, a mixture of water and alcohol, anhydrous alcohol. Wet granules can be made in any granulating device such as mixers, high shear granulators, and fluid bed granulators. Granules can be dried in appropriate drying equipment such as fluid bed dryers, ovens, microwave dryers etc. Granules can also be air-dried. Dried granules can be milled using appropriate milling device to achieve a particular particle size distribution. Granules can be filled in to capsules, or blended with other excipients and tableted on a tablet press. Granules can also be packaged into sachets for sprinkle application. Other excipients used to aid tableting are well known to those skilled in the art and include magnesium stearate, talc, cabosil etc. Granules and tablets can, optionally, be coated to further modify release rates. Furthermore, formulations can also optionally contain dyes. Optionally, but preferably, the tablet composition can contain one or more lubricants, which may be added to assure proper tableting. Non-limiting examples of lubricants include magnesium stearate, calcium stearate, zinc stearate, stearic acid, polyethylene glycol, leucine, glyceryl behenate, sodium stearyl fumarate, hydrogenated vegetable oils, and other waxes, including but not limited to, beeswax, carnuba wax, cetyl alcohol, glyceryl stearate, glyceryl palmitate, and stearyl alcohol. The lubricant, when present, is typically included in an amount of from about 0.1 wt. % to about 20 wt. % of the composition, preferably from about 1 to about 10 wt. %, and more preferably about 0.3 to about 3.0 wt. %. The oxcarbazepine dosage can be formulated into tablets, granules, and pellets. The steps involved in the manufacturing of these dosage forms are well known to those skilled in the art. Briefly, tablets can be compressed from directly compressible blend containing the active or pre-formed granules. The tablets can be coated or not coated. The coating may optionally impart modification of release. Granules can be made by high shear granulation or fluid bed processing. The granules may or may not be coated. Pellets can be manufactured by drug layering on inert carriers such as sugar spheres. Pellets can also be manufactured by extrusion/spheronization process. The pellets may or may not be coated. Coated pellets and granules can be filled into capsules. Formulations of this invention can also be made in pelletized forms, which can be filled into capsules or dispensed in sachets for sprinkle application. Each pellet is composed of the drug, swellable polymer(s) and other excipients that aid the processing. Pellets can be prepared in one of the many ways that are known by those skilled in the art. These include, for example, extrusion/spheronization and roller compaction (slugging). In the extrusion/spheronization technique, drug is mixed with swellable polymer(s), such as cellulosic polymers and other excipients. The blend is then granulated in a high shear granulator. The wet mass is then passed through an extruder and spheronized using a spheronizer. The pellets are then dried in an oven or fluid bed processor. The dried pellets are either processed further or encapsulated without further processing. Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention belongs. All publications, patent applications, patents, and other references mentioned herein are incorporated by reference in their entirety. In case of conflict, the present specification, including definitions, will control. In addition, the materials, methods, and examples are illustrative only and not intended to be limiting. The invention now will be described in particularity with the following illustrative examples; however, the scope of the present invention is not intended to be, and shall not be, limited to the exemplified embodiments below. EXAMPLES Example 1. Oxcarbazepine Formulations with Sigmoidal Release Profiles Table 1 provides the formula composition of oxcarbazepine controlled-release preparations with sigmoidal release profiles. Granules were prepared by high shear granulation using anhydrous ethanol as the granulating liquid. All ingredients, except for magnesium stearate, were charged in to VG-65/10M high shear granulator. The dry powders are blended by running the blade for 3 minutes, after which time the anhydrous ethanol was sprayed onto the mixing blend at a spray rate of approximately 40-60 gm/min. After about a minute of spray, the chopper on the VG-65/10M was started and run throughout the spray. Once the granulation was completed, the granulation was discharged from the VG high shear granulator, spread on an appropriate tray and placed in an oven to dry at 40° C. for 24 Hrs. Alternatively, granules can be dried using a fluid bed processor. Dry granules were screened through an 18-mesh screen. Screened granules were blended with magnesium stearate in a proportion of 99.5% granules and 0.5% magnesium stearate. The blend was then tableted on a rotary tablet press. TABLE 1 Formula composition of Oxcarbazepine CR formulations with changing slope SLI 530 SLI530 SLI530 CR-F CR-M CR-S Ingredients (Fast) (Medium) (Slow) Oxcarbazepine 60 60 60 Compritol 888ATO 9.5 7 — Prosolv HD90 9.8 20.3 15 Kollidon 25 10 — — Kollidon 90 — 3 — Methocel E5 Prem. — — 10 LV Methocel K4M — — 5 Premium CR Carbopol 971P 10 9 9 Mg Stearate 0.5 0.5 0.5 FD&C Red #40 — — 0.5 FD&C Blue #1 0.2 — — FD&C Yellow #6 — 0.2 — Anhydrous Ethanol * * * Total 100 100 100 *Removed during processing FIG. 1 shows the dissolution profiles of three exemplary oxcarbazepine CR formulations (CR-F, CR-M, and CR-S). The profiles exhibited non-zero order release. Example 2. Human Pharmacokinetic Evaluation of Oxcarbazepine CR Formulations from Example 1 The three formulations from the Example 1 were evaluated in humans to obtain pharmacokinetic information. An immediate release tablet (Trileptal® 600 mg) was used as a control reference. The formulations were examined in a randomized, single dose, crossover study in healthy human volunteers. Blood samples were analyzed for both the parent molecule oxcarbazepine and its metabolite (the monohydroxy derivative, MHD). Table 2 provides the mean PK parameters for MHD. The PK profiles are shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. TABLE 2 Pharmacokinetic parameters of the three exemplary formulations in example 1 and immediate release reference product. CR-F CR-M CR-S Trileptal ™ PK Parameters Fast Med Slow IR Tmax (Hr) 6.5 8.4 9.1 1.4 Cmax (ug/mL) 0.248 0.146 0.103 1.412 AUClast (Hr*ug/mL) 3.0 2.5 1.7 5.7 Rel BA 53% 44% 30% 100% Example 3. Solubility Enhancers Screening The solubility of oxcarbazepine in the presence of excipients was evaluated as follows: Excipients were dissolved in phosphate buffer to make solutions with concentrations shown in Table 3. One gram of oxcarbazepine was then mixed with 19 gm of the excipient solution. The mixture was rocked overnight at room temperature and then filtered using 0.22 μm filter. The filtrates were analyzed by HPLC. The solubility results are given in Table 3 and FIG. 4. TABLE 3 Solubility of Oxcarbazepine in the presence of excipients Excipient conc. Solubility Excipients (% w/w) (mg/mL) Phosphate Buffer Control NA 0.4009 Hydroxypropyl 5 1.0218 betacyclodextrin (HBCD) Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS) 5 4.1113 Kollidon 17 1 0.1717 SLS/HBCD 1, 1 0.3489 Cremophor RH40 1 0.3140 Docusate Sodium 5 6.5524 SLS/Polyethylene Glycol 400 5, 1 3.0516 (PEG400) SLS/Stearic Acid/PEG400 5, 1, 1 3.2821 De-ionized Water NA 0.2733 Example 4. Formulation of Enhanced Dosage Forms Tables 4 and 5 provide the composition of the formulation containing solubility-and release-enhancing agents. Granules were manufactured by high shear granulation using water as the granulating liquid. All ingredients, except for magnesium stearate, were charged into a VG-65/10M high shear granulator. The dry powders were blended by running the blade for 3 minutes, upon which time water was sprayed onto the mixing blend at a spray rate of approximately 40-60 gm/min. After about a minute of spray, the chopper on the VG-65/10M was started and run throughout the spray. Once the granulation was completed, the granulation was discharged from the VG high shear granulator, spread on an appropriate tray and placed in an oven to dry at 40° C. for 24 Hrs. Alternatively, granules can be dried using a fluid bed processor. Dry granules are screened through an 18-mesh screen. Screened granules were blended with magnesium stearate in a proportion of 99.5% granules and 0.5% magnesium stearate. The resulting blend was then tableted on a rotary tablet press. Dissolution profiles for these formulations are shown in FIGS. 5 and 6. TABLE 4 Percent Composition of Enhanced (CRe-M) and non-Enhanced (CR) Prototypes % PD0294-005 % PD0294-008 Formulation Enhanced Non-Enhanced Oxcarbazepine 60 60 Prosolv SMCC50 10 25 PVP K25 5 5 HPMC K4M 10 10 premium SLS 5 0 Eudragit L100-55 10 0 Magnesium 0.5 0.5 Stearate TABLE 5 Percent Composition for the three exemplary enhanced formulations: CRe-F, CRe-M, and CRe-S. % PD0294-046 % PD0294-051 % PD0294-054 Formulation CRe-F CRe-M CRe-S Oxcarbazepine 60 60 60 Prosolv SMCC50 15 10 5 PVP K25 5 5 5 HPMC K4M 5 10 15 premium SLS 5 5 5 Eudragit L100-55 10 10 10 Magnesium Stearate 0.5 0.5 0.5 Example 5. Canine PK Studies on Formulations from Example 4, Table 4 and Example 1. (SLI530CR-F) Six male beagle dogs were dosed orally with the formulations in the order given in Table 6. Blood was drawn over a 24 Hr period and blood samples were analyzed by HPLC. A noncompartmental analysis of the data was used to generate Tmax, Cmax, AUClast, and AUCinf. Relative Bioavailability was calculated in Excel using the AUClast and AUCinf for the CRf formulation as the control. The PK profiles for oxcarbazepine and 10-hydroxycarbazepine are given in FIGS. 7 and 8. TABLE 6 Prototypes tested in dogs Dose Phase Test Article SLI Lot # (mg) 1 Oxcarbazepine CR PD0294-024A 600 2 Oxcarbazepine PD0294-024B 600 CRe 3 Oxcarbazepine B04032 600 CR-F TABLE 7 Canine pharmacokinetic profiles for enhanced, non-enhanced and control formulations of oxcarbazepine Non-Enhanced Enhanced Fast CR CR (CR) CR (CRe-M) (CR-F) Prototypes PD0294-024A PD0294-024B B04032 Tmax 1.5 1.8 1.7 Cmax 1.20 1.72 0.7 AUClast 3.44 7.98 3.41 AUCinf 3.74 11.09 4.01 Rel BAlast 101% 234% 100% Rel BAinf 93% 276% 100% Example 6 in Silico Modeling of Various Release Profiles of Oxcarbazepine XR In silico modeling was carried out for various hypothetical systems. Results are shown in FIGS. 9-11. Example 7. Human Pharmacokinetic Evaluation of Solubility Enhanced Oxcarbazepine CR Formulations from Example 4 The three solubility enhanced prototypes from the Example 4 were evaluated in humans to obtain pharmacokinetic information. An immediate release tablet (Trileptal® 300 mg) given BID was used as a reference. The formulations were examined in a randomized, single dose, crossover study in healthy human volunteers. Blood samples were analyzed for both the parent molecule oxcarbazepine and its metabolite (the monohydroxy derivative, MHD). Table 8 provides the mean PK parameters for MHD. The PK profiles are shown in FIGS. 12 and 13. TABLE 8 Pharmacokinetic parameters of the three exemplary solubility enhanced formulations in Example 4 and Trileptal ™ CRe-F CRe-M CRe-S Trileptal ™ PK Parameters Fast Med Slow BID Tmax (Hr) 9 11 14 16 Cmax (ug/mL) 5.32 5.14 4.40 6.23 AUClast (Hr*ug/mL) 160.3 161.3 148.9 167.1 Rel BA 96% 97% 89% 100% | <SOH> BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION <EOH>Oxcarbazepine belongs to the benzodiazepine class of drugs and is registered worldwide as an antiepileptic drug. Oxcarbazepine is approved as an adjunct or monotherapy for the treatment of partial seizures and generalized tonic-clonic seizures in adults and children. An immediate-release (IR) formulation of oxcarbazepine is currently on the market under the trade name Trileptal® and is administered twice a day to control epileptic seizures. Such immediate release compositions provide the drug to the patient in a manner that result in a rapid rise of the plasma drug concentration followed by a rapid decline. This sharp rise in drug concentration can result in side effects, and make multiple daily administration of the drug necessary in order to maintain a therapeutic level of the drug in the body. The need for a controlled-release dosage form for drugs taken chronically such as oxcarbazepine and derivatives is self-evident. Patient compliance is greatly improved with controlled-release (CR) dosage forms that are taken, for example, once-a-day. Also, there are significant clinical advantages such as better therapeutic efficacy as well as reduced side effects with controlled-release dosage forms. Oxcarbazepine and its derivatives contemplated in this invention are poorly soluble in water. Due to their poor solubility, their release from a sustained release dosage form is rather incomplete. Whereas the in vitro release of oxcarbazepine is dependent on the dissolution method, including the dissolution media used, it has been found through in silico modeling that the release of oxcarbazepine in vivo from a traditional sustained-release dosage form is relatively low. This results in reduced bioavailability of the drug making the dosage form ineffective in providing a therapeutically effective concentration in the body. This poses a serious challenge to the successful development of sustained-release dosage forms for oxcarbazepine and its derivatives. The rate of drug release from a dosage form has a significant impact on the therapeutic usefulness of the drug and its side effects. Hence, drug release profiles must be customized to meet the therapeutic needs of the patient. An example of a customized release profile is one that exhibits a sigmoidal release pattern, characterized by an initial slow release followed by fast release which is then followed by slow release until all of the drug has been released from the dosage form. Sustained-release dosage forms for oxcarbazepine and derivatives have been described in the art. For example, Katzhendler et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 6,296,873) describes sustained-release delivery systems for carbamazepine and its derivatives. Katzhendler et al. teaches that a zero-order release profile is achieved for carbamazepine and derivatives through the use of hydrophilic and hydrophobic polymers. Zero-order (constant) release was achieved using high molecular weight hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose (HPMC) along with some optional hydrophobic excipients. A similar approach is taught by Shah et al. (US Patent Application 20020169145). Franke et al. (US Patent Application 20040142033) discloses sustained-release formulations of oxcarbazepine that are characterized by the release of 55%-85% of the drug in 15 minutes, and up to 95% in 30 minutes. According to the authors, such release profiles provide adequate sustained-release to achieve once-a-day administration of oxcarbazepine. However, the solubility and bioavailability of the drug from these enhanced preparations suitable for once-a-day administration. The prior art does not teach how to make preparations of oxcarbazepine and derivatives characterized by sigmoidal release profiles. | <SOH> SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION <EOH>It is an object of this invention to provide controlled-release formulations of oxcarbazepine for once-a-day administration. The composition of this invention is administered once-a-day and yet meets the therapeutic need of the patient. It is another object of this invention to improve the bioavailability of oxcarbazepine and derivatives thereof. It is yet another object of this invention to meet the therapeutic need of the patient without causing “spikes” in blood drug concentration that may lead to toxicity. It is yet another object of this invention to keep the blood concentration of the drug within the therapeutic window. It is yet another object of this invention to minimize the fluctuation between the C max and C min that is typical of many immediate-release and sustained-release preparations. Many, if not all, of these objectives may be achieved in this invention through formulations that comprise both solubility-enhancing agents and release-promoting agents, and are characterized by release profiles that meet the requirement for once-a-day administration. The objectives may also be achieved through the combination of a multiplicity of units with different release profiles in one dosage unit. Minipellets/granules/tablets, which can be mixed in a certain ratio, provide a dosage form that meets the above stated therapeutic objectives. This invention also pertains to multi-layer tablets. Multi-layer tablets can be prepared with each layer releasing the drug at a rate that is different from the rate of release from another layer. In multi-layer tablets, each layer may or may not be coated. All of the advantages that stem from once-daily administration of a drug apply to the compositions of this invention. Some of the specific advantages of this invention may be: reduced fluctuation between C max and C min during the course of treatment and hence better therapeutic profile, reduced side-effects, improved patient compliance, and improved bioavailability of the drug. | A61K3155 | 20171207 | 20180412 | 84906.0 | A61K3155 | 2 | DICKINSON, PAUL W | MODIFIED RELEASE PREPARATIONS CONTAINING OXCARBAZEPINE AND DERIVATIVES THEREOF | UNDISCOUNTED | 1 | CONT-ACCEPTED | A61K | 2,017 |
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15,834,674 | PENDING | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR IDENTIFYING AVAILABLE LOCATION-BASED SERVICES | Described in detail herein are methods and systems to identify available location-based services using a mobile application on a mobile computing device. The mobile application receives a code from a location-specific computing device and uses the code to identify available types of services supported at the location of the location-specific computing device. A services management framework determines what ordered services are available at the location. A user uses the mobile computing device to scan a machine-readable element at the location to initiate performance of at least one of the available ordered services. | 1. A system for identifying available location-based services, the system comprising: a mobile application executable on a mobile computing device operated by a user; a database storing one or more ordered services associated with the user; a location-specific computing device configured to use location-based wireless communication to transmit a code to the mobile application that identifies types of services available to be performed at a location of the location-specific computing device; a machine-readable element configured to provide location information used in initiating performance of one or more available ordered services; and a server communicatively coupled to the database and the mobile application and hosting a services management framework configured to map the one or more ordered services to the one or more available types of services to determine one or more available ordered services at the location of the location-specific computing device, wherein the mobile application is configured to: receive a code from the location-specific computing device; identify one or more available types of services based on the code; transmit, to the services management framework, the one or more available types of services; decode the machine-readable element; and initiate performance of at least one of the one or more available ordered services determined by the services management framework. 2. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the machine-readable element and the location-specific computing device are associated with a point of sales terminal. 3. The system of claim 1, wherein the location-based wireless communication is performed using Bluetooth or Wi-Fi. 4. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more available types of services includes at least one of purchasing goods and services, using the store payment option to pay for a pharmacy order, transferring money to a third party, receiving money from a third party, receiving an e-receipt from a purchase, and returning an item from the e-receipt. 5. The system of claim 1, wherein the machine-readable element is a QR code or a bar code. 6. The system of claim 1, wherein the mobile computing device is further configured to receive, from the services management framework, a notification regarding the one or more available ordered services determined by the services management framework, wherein the mobile application displays a query regarding the one or more available ordered services to a user. 7. The system of claim 1, wherein the mobile application is further configured to transmit to the services management framework at least one of user identification data, location data, and purchase data. 8. A method for identifying available location-based services, the method comprising: transmitting, via a location-specific computing device configured to use location-based wireless communication, a code to a mobile application executable on a mobile computing device operated by a user, wherein the code identifies types of services available to be performed at a location of the location-specific computing device; receiving, via the mobile application, the code from the location-specific computing device; identifying, via the mobile application, one or more available types of services based on the code; transmitting, via the mobile application, the one or more available types of services to a server hosting a services management framework; mapping, via the services management framework, one or more ordered services to the one or more available types of services to determine one or more available ordered services at the location of the location-specific computing device, records of the one or more ordered services previously stored in a database and associated with the user; scanning, via the mobile computing device, a machine-readable element configured to provide location information used in initiating performance of the one or more available ordered services; decoding, via the mobile application, the machine-readable element; and initiating, using the mobile application, performance of the one or more available ordered services. 9. The method of claim 8, wherein at least one of the machine-readable element and the location-specific computing device are associated with a point of sales terminal. 10. The method of claim 8, wherein the location-based wireless communication is performed using Bluetooth or Wi-Fi. 11. The method of claim 8, wherein the one or more available types of services includes at least purchasing goods and services, using the store payment option to pay for a pharmacy order, transferring money to a third party, receiving money from a third party, receiving an e-receipt from a purchase, and returning an item from the e-receipt. 12. The method of claim 8, wherein the machine-readable element is a QR code or a barcode. 13. The method of claim 8, further comprising receiving, by the mobile computing device from the services management framework, a notification regarding the one or more available ordered services determined by the services management framework, wherein the mobile application displays a query regarding the one or more available ordered services to the user. 14. The method of claim 8, further comprising transmitting, by the mobile application to the services management framework, at least one of user identification data, location data, and purchase data. 15. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing instructions to cause a processor to implement a method for identifying available location-based services, the method comprising: storing, in a database, one or more ordered services associated with a user; transmitting, via a location-specific computing device configured to use location-based wireless communication, a code to a mobile application executable on a mobile computing device operated by the user, wherein the code identifies types of services available to be performed at a location of the location-specific computing device; receiving, via the mobile application, the code from the location-specific computing device; identifying, via the mobile application, one or more available types of services based on the code; transmitting, via the mobile application, the one or more available types of services to a server hosting an services management framework; mapping, via the services management framework, the one or more ordered services to the one or more available types of services to determine one or more available ordered services at the location of the location-specific computing device; scanning, via the mobile computing device, a machine-readable element configured to provide location information used in initiating performance of one or more available ordered services; decoding, via the mobile application, the machine-readable element; and initiating, via the mobile application, performance of the one or more available ordered services. 16. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein at least one of the machine-readable element and the location-specific computing device are associated with a point of sales terminal. 17. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein the location-based wireless communication is performed using Bluetooth or Wi-Fi. 18. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein the one or more available types of services includes at least purchasing goods and services, using the store payment option to pay for a pharmacy order, transferring money to a third party, receiving money from a third party, receiving an e-receipt from a purchase, and returning an item from the e-receipt. 19. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein the machine-readable element is a QR code or a barcode. 20. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15, further comprising receiving, by the mobile computing device from the services management framework, a notification regarding the one or more available ordered services determined by the services management framework, wherein the mobile application displays a query regarding the one or more available ordered services to the user. 21. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15, further comprising transmitting, by the mobile application to the services management framework, at least one of user identification data, location data, and purchase data. | CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED PATENT APPLICATIONS This application claims priority to and benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/432,339, filed Dec. 9, 2016, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. BACKGROUND Mobile applications executing on a mobile computing device such as a smartphone may make use of the mobile computing device's wireless communication capabilities to interact with other computing devices. For example, the mobile computing device may include wireless communication capabilities such as WiFi and Bluetooth™ that can be utilized by the mobile application. BRIEF SUMMARY In one embodiment, a system for performing location-based services is provided. The system includes a mobile application executable on a mobile computing device operated by a user. The system also includes a database storing one or more ordered services associated with the user. The system further includes a location-specific computing device configured to use location-based wireless communication to transmit a code to the mobile application that identifies types of services available to be performed at a location of the location-specific computing device. The system also includes a machine-readable element configured to provide location information and used in initiating performance of one or more available ordered services. The system further includes a server communicatively coupled to the database and the mobile application and hosting a services management framework configured to map the one or more ordered services to the one or more available types of services to determine one or more available ordered services at the location of the location-specific computing device. The mobile application is configured to receive a code from the location-specific computing device and to identify the one or more available types of services based on the code. The mobile application is further configured to transmit, to the services management framework, the one or more available types of services. The mobile application is also configured to decode the machine-readable element. The mobile application is further configured to initiate performance of at least one of the one or more available ordered services determined by the services management framework. In another embodiment, a method for identifying available location-based services is provided. The method includes transmitting, via a location-specific computing device configured to use location-based wireless communication, a code to a mobile application executable on a mobile computing device operated by the user, wherein the code identifies types of services available to be performed at a location of the location-specific computing device. The method also includes receiving, via the mobile application, a code from the location-specific computing device and identifying, via the mobile application, the one or more available types of services based on the code. The method also includes transmitting, via the mobile application to a server hosting an services management framework, the one or more available types of services. The method further includes mapping, via the services management framework, one or more ordered services to the one or more available types of services to determine one or more available ordered services at the location of the location-specific computing device. Records of the one or more ordered services are previously stored in a database and associated with the user. The method also includes scanning, via the mobile application, a machine-readable element configured to provide location information used to initiate performance of the one or more available ordered services. The method further includes decoding, via the mobile application, the machine-readable element. The method also includes initiating, using the mobile application, performance of the one or more available ordered services. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS To assist those of skill in the art in making and using a location-based identification system and associated methods, reference is made to the accompanying figures. The accompanying figures, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate one or more embodiments of the invention and, together with the description, help to explain the invention. Illustrative embodiments are shown by way of example in the accompanying drawings and should not be considered as limiting. In the figures: FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an exemplary machine-readable element, in accordance with an exemplary embodiment; FIG. 2 illustrates an exemplary network environment suitable for a location-based identification system, in accordance with an exemplary embodiment; FIG. 3 is a block diagram of an exemplary computing device suitable for use in an embodiment t; and FIG. 4 illustrates a flowchart of an exemplary sequence for identifying one or more available location-based services using the location-based identification system, in accordance with an exemplary embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION Described in detail herein are methods and systems for identifying available location-based services using a location-based identification system. In one embodiment, the location-based identification system may be employed in a physical facility such as a retail store. The system includes a specialized mobile application associated with a mobile computing device, such as a smartphone. The mobile application may include authentication information for a user, such as a user name or a user identification (ID) and a password. The system also includes a location-specific computing device configured to transmit a code to the mobile computing device using a wireless location-based positioning service, such as Bluetooth short range wireless connectivity. The mobile application may use the code to identify available types of services that are supported at a location of the location-specific computing device. The available types of services are location-based computerized services that can be performed at the location-based computing device using the mobile application. Non-limiting examples of the types of services include purchasing goods and services, processing a pharmacy order, financial services such as transferring or receiving money to/from a third party, receiving an electronic receipt (i.e., an e-receipt) from a purchase, and returning an item from the e-receipt. The system also includes a server hosting an services management framework coupled in communication with a database and the mobile application. The database includes one or more services ordered by the user (hereafter referred to as “ordered services”). Ordered services are computerized services that the user would like performed in connection with their trip to a physical facility. The mobile application transmits the available types of services identified from the code to the services management framework. The services management framework is configured to map the one or more ordered services to the available types of services to determine one or more available ordered services at the location of the location-specific computing device. Available ordered services are ordered services that are able be performed at a particular location-specific computing device, such as a point of sale (POS) terminal. The system further includes a machine-readable element configured to provide the mobile application with location information used in initiating performance of at least one of the one or more available ordered services by transmitting user authentication data and the location information to the services management framework. In the exemplary embodiment, the machine-readable element is located at or within close proximity to the location-specific computing device equipped with a short-range communication protocol. In such an embodiment, the location information is associated with a location of the location-specific computing device. A user may then use the mobile computing device to scan the machine-readable element so that the performance of the one or more available ordered services is initiated. A non-limiting example of the location-based identification system includes a user at a physical facility, such as a retail store, using a mobile application on a mobile computing device, such as a Bluetooth-equipped smartphone. The user previously has ordered services whether through the mobile application or online that are not complete as they require some user interaction with the facility (i.e. picking up purchases, money, returning an item, etc.). Exemplary services include without limitation purchases of goods, pharmacy orders, transferring or receiving money to/from a third party and the return of items referenced by electronic receipts. Records of these orders are saved in a database and associated with the user. At the facility, the user may approach within transmission range of a location-specific computing device equipped with a location-based wireless communication capability, such as a POS terminal equipped with a Bluetooth low energy (BLE) beacon that connects to the mobile computing device via Bluetooth pairing. The location-specific computing device transmits a code to the mobile application. The mobile application uses the code to identify what types of services are available to the mobile application in that location. The mobile application transmits the user's identity and the available types of services to a services management framework being executed on a server. The services management framework maps the available types of services to the ordered services associated with the user to determine which ordered services are available at the particular location and transmits that information to the mobile application. In other words, these are the available types of services relevant for the user's current trip. When the user scans a machine-readable element (such as a QR code) containing location information that is located at the location-specific computing device, one or more of the user's stored ordered services may be automatically processed using the mobile application. For example, if pharmacy services are available at the location an associate may be notified to pick up a previously filled prescription for delivery to the user. Alternatively, the mobile application may adjust its displayed information regarding services based on the transmission from the services management framework and query the user as to which available ordered services the user wishes to have performed. As part of the available orders being processed following the scanning of the machine-readable element, the mobile application may transmit authentication data identifying the user and the location information to the services management framework, which in turn communicates with respective modules that perform the available ordered services. The location-based identification system may improve customer service by minimizing an individual's wait time to receive services, while also improving the ease and accuracy of performing multiple services by scanning a machine-readable element using a mobile computing device. The location-based identification system may further improve the efficiency of the computing environment by reducing network traffic by automating the authentication, payment and selection of services at a location. FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an exemplary machine-readable element 100. In one exemplary embodiment, machine-readable element 100 is a QR code or a bar code (not shown). Machine-readable element 100 includes one or more encoded identifiers identifying a location of a location-specific computing device (shown in FIG. 2) associated with machine-readable element 100. For example, machine-readable element 100 may be physically attached to the location-specific computing device, such as a sticker of machine-readable element 100 placed at a register. In another embodiment, machine-readable element 100 may be shown on a computing display associated with the location-specific computing device. A scanner or reader can scan and/or decode the identifiers from machine-readable element 100. In an exemplary embodiment, a camera associated with a mobile computing device (shown in FIG. 2) is used to scan machine-readable element 100. A mobile application (shown in FIG. 2) then decodes the identifier(s) in machine-readable element 100. In one embodiment, an identifier is alpha-numeric characters. FIG. 2 illustrates an exemplary network environment suitable for a location-based identification system 250, in accordance with an exemplary embodiment. Location-based identification system 250 includes one or more databases 205 (only one shown in FIG. 2), one or more mobile computing devices 200 (only one shown in FIG. 2), one or more location-specific computing devices 210 (only one shown in FIG. 2), one or more machine-readable elements 100 (only one shown in FIG. 2), and one or more servers 204 (only one shown in FIG. 2) hosting an services management framework 206. Mobile computing device 200 includes a mobile application 220 configured to communicate with location-specific computing device 210 via a network 217. In the exemplary embodiment, network 217 is a wireless network for exchanging data over short distances, such as using Bluetooth short range wireless connectivity. In an alternative embodiment, network 217 is a wireless network for exchanging data over longer but still limited distances, such as by using Wi-Fi connectivity. Mobile computing device 200 may also include a camera 260 used to scan machine-readable element 100. Mobile application 220 may include instructions associated with decoding identifiers encoded in machine-readable element 100. As a non-limiting example, location-based identification system 250 is associated with a physical facility 212. In the exemplary embodiment, user 230, mobile computing device 200, at least one location-specific computing device 210, and at least one machine-readable element 100 are located within physical facility 212. User 230 uses mobile computing device 200. A location of mobile computing device 200 is determined using location-specific computing device 210 and wireless communications network 217, as described below. In one embodiment, location-specific computing device 210 is located within, attached to, or in close proximity to a POS terminal. In such an embodiment, wireless communications network 217 is a short range communication network, such as Bluetooth. Location-specific computing device 210 uses wireless communications network 217 to communicate with mobile computing device 200 when within signal range. For example, in one embodiment, location-specific computing device 210 includes a Bluetooth low energy (BLE) beacon that transmits a Bluetooth signal to mobile computing device 200. It should be appreciated that a separate Bluetooth equipped device in communication with, and close proximity to, a computing device could also be employed without departing from the scope of the present invention. In an alternative embodiment, location-specific computing device 210 uses wireless communications network 217 to communicate with mobile computing device 200 through a Wi-Fi signal. For example, in one embodiment, location-specific computing device 210 transmits a Wi-Fi signal throughout the physical facility 212 and determines a location of mobile computing device 200 using a Wi-Fi positioning system (e.g., Wi-Fi positioning triangulation using a plurality of location-specific computing devices 210, RSSI-based localization, etc.). When mobile computing device 200 enters a specified location, such as in proximity to location-specific computing device 210, location-specific computing device 210 transmits a code to mobile application 220 using network 217. Mobile application 220 uses the code to identify types of services available to mobile application 220 at the location of location-specific computing device 210. Mobile application 220 is further configured to communicate with services management framework 206 via a communications network 215. In the exemplary embodiment, one or more portions of communications network 215 is an ad hoc network, an intranet, an extranet, a virtual private network (VPN), a local area network (LAN), a wireless LAN (WLAN), a wide area network (WAN), a wireless wide area network (WWAN), a metropolitan area network (MAN), a portion of the Internet, a portion of the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN), a cellular telephone network, a wireless network, a WiFi network, a WiMax network, any other type of network, or a combination of two or more such networks. In the exemplary embodiment, services management framework 206 is further in communication with database 205 and one or more modules 208 (only one shown in FIG. 2) configured to perform services. Database 205 includes one or more ordered services 235 for user 230. Each ordered service 235 is previously defined by user 230 using a computing device and is associated with a user identification (ID) for user 230. In some embodiments, user 230 creates the one or more ordered services 235 using the mobile application 220. Mobile application 220 transmits the available types of services (identified through receipt of the code) to services management framework 206 along with the user ID for user 230. Services management framework 206 is configured to retrieve from database 205 the one or more ordered services 235 for user 230 using the user ID. Services management framework 206 is further configured to map the one or more ordered services to the available types of services to determine one or more available ordered services at a location of mobile computing device 200. In some embodiments, mobile application 220 receives the determined one or more available ordered services from services management framework 206. Mobile application 220 may then display the one or more available ordered services to user 230. In further embodiments, user 230 selects from mobile application 220 the one or more available ordered services that user 230 wants performed. User 230 then uses mobile computing device 200 to scan machine-readable element 100 associated with location-specific computing device 210 to initiate performance of the one or more available ordered services, as described below. Machine-readable element 100 includes encoded identifiers containing location information. Mobile application 220 decodes the identifiers in response to mobile computing device 200 scanning machine-readable element 100. Upon decoding the identifiers in machine-readable element 100, mobile application 220 transmits data to services management framework 206 directly and/or through location-specific computing device 210 to initiate performance of the one or more available ordered services. For example, the mobile application may transmit the customer identity and location to the services management framework 206 to trigger performance of the previously ordered services that are available at the particular location. Upon receipt of the location and user identity, services management framework 206 then transmits user authentication information and location information (e.g., location information for the location-specific computing device) to the appropriate modules 208 for performing the available ordered services. For example, these services may include purchasing goods and services, pharmacy services, e-receipt services, money transfer services and payments related thereto. In one embodiment, services management framework 206 may communicate with a money transfer module for transferring money to a third party, for example, using a money transfer service such as Western Union. Database 205 is connected to communications network 215 via a wired or wireless connection. Mobile computing device 200 includes one or more processors configured to communicate with location-specific computing device 202 via network 217 and services management framework 206 via network 215. Mobile computing device 200 hosts mobile application 220 configured to interact with one or more components of services management framework 206 and location-specific computing device 210. Database 205 stores information and data related to ordered services as described herein. Database 205 can be located at one or more geographically distributed locations from other databases 205 or from services management framework 206. Alternatively, database 205 can be included within services management framework 206. In response to scanning machine-readable element 100, the location-based identification system can process multiple transactions and services at the location-specific computing device 210. Mobile application 220 may initiate the multiple transactions and services without the need to interface with multiple computing systems, thus improving the efficiency of the computing environment. By avoiding the need to use multiple computer systems, the location-based identification system reduces network communication and increases the response speed of both the network and the available services (i.e., types of services) provided by a merchant. Reducing or eliminating transaction time improves the efficiency of the computing environment by reducing network traffic and increasing the response speed of the network. FIG. 3 is a block diagram of an example computing device 300 for implementing an exemplary embodiment. Computing device 300 may be a mobile computing device (e.g. mobile computing device 200 as shown in FIG. 2), a location-specific computing device (e.g. location-specific computing device 210 shown in FIG. 2) and/or server (e.g. server 204 shown in FIG. 2). Computing device 300 includes one or more non-transitory computer-readable media for storing one or more computer-executable instructions or software for implementing exemplary embodiments. The non-transitory computer-readable media may include, but are not limited to, one or more types of hardware memory, non-transitory tangible media (for example, one or more magnetic storage disks, one or more optical disks, one or more flash drives, one or more solid state disks), and the like. For example, memory 306 included in computing device 300 may store computer-readable and computer-executable instructions or software (e.g., mobile application 220) for implementing exemplary operations of computing device 300. Computing device 300 also includes configurable and/or programmable processor 302 and associated core(s) 304, and optionally, one or more additional configurable and/or programmable processor(s) 302′ and associated core(s) 304′ (for example, in the case of computer systems having multiple processors/cores), for executing computer-readable and computer-executable instructions or software stored in memory 306 and other programs for implementing exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure. Processor 302 and processor(s) 302′ may each be a single core processor or multiple core (304 and 304′) processor. Either or both of processor 302 and processor(s) 302′ may be configured to execute one or more of the instructions described in connection with computing device 300. In some embodiments, virtualization may be employed in computing device 300 so that infrastructure and resources in computing device 300 may be shared dynamically. A virtual machine 312 may be provided to handle a process running on multiple processors so that the process appears to be using only one computing resource rather than multiple computing resources. Multiple virtual machines may also be used with one processor. Memory 306 may include a computer system memory or random access memory, such as DRAM, SRAM, EDO RAM, and the like. Memory 306 may include other types of memory as well, or combinations thereof. A user may interact with computing device 300 through a visual display device 314, such as a computer monitor or a touch screen display, which may display one or more graphical user interfaces 316, multi touch interface 320, a scanner 332, and a pointing device 318. Computing device 300 may also include one or more storage devices 326, such as a hard-drive, CD-ROM, or other computer readable media, for storing data and computer-readable instructions and/or software that implement exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure (e.g., applications). For example, exemplary storage device 326 may include one or more databases 328 for storing instructions. Databases 328 may be updated manually or automatically at any suitable time to add, delete, and/or update one or more data items in the databases. Databases 328 include information such as ordered services database 235. Ordered services database 235 stores information associated with ordered services created by or for one or more users (e.g. user 230 shown in FIG. 2). Computing device 300 includes a network interface 308 configured to interface via one or more network devices 324 with one or more networks, for example, Local Area Network (LAN), Wide Area Network (WAN) or the Internet through a variety of connections including, but not limited to, standard telephone lines, LAN or WAN links (for example, 802.11, T1, T3, 56 kb, X.25), broadband connections (for example, ISDN, Frame Relay, ATM), wireless connections, controller area network (CAN), or some combination of any or all of the above. In exemplary embodiments, the location-based identification system may include one or more antennas 322 to facilitate wireless communication (e.g., via the network interface) between computing device 300 and a network and/or between computing device 300 and other computing devices. Network interface 308 may include a built-in network adapter, network interface card, PCMCIA network card, card bus network adapter, wireless network adapter, USB network adapter, modem or any other device suitable for interfacing computing device 300 to any type of network capable of communication and performing the operations described herein. Computing device 300 may run operating system 310, such as versions of the Microsoft® Windows® operating systems, different releases of the Unix and Linux operating systems, versions of the MacOS® for Macintosh computers, embedded operating systems, real-time operating systems, open source operating systems, proprietary operating systems, or other operating systems capable of running on computing device 300 and performing the operations described herein. In exemplary embodiments, operating system 310 may be run in native mode or emulated mode. In an exemplary embodiment, operating system 310 may be run on one or more cloud machine instances. FIG. 4 illustrates an exemplary sequence 400 for location-based identification of available services in an exemplary embodiment. In operation 401, a user uses a computing device to create ordered services. It will be appreciated that the ordered services may also be created for the user by a third party. In operation 402, the user utilizes a specialized mobile application (e.g. mobile application 220 as shown in FIG. 2) on a mobile computing device (e.g. mobile computing device 200 as shown in FIG. 2) near a location-specific computing device (e.g. location-specific computing device 210 as shown in FIG. 2) in a store (e.g. store 212 as shown in FIG. 2). In operation 404, a location-specific computing device (e.g. location-specific computing device 210 as shown in FIG. 2) transmits a code to the mobile application. In one embodiment, the location-specific computing device is a computing device equipped with a Bluetooth low energy (BLE) beacon. In operation 406, the mobile application uses the code to identify available types of services that are supported at the location of the location-specific computing device. In operation 408, the mobile application transmits the available types of services to a services management framework (e.g. services management framework 206 as shown in FIG. 2). In operation 410, the services management framework 206 maps one or more ordered services to the available types of services to determine one or more available ordered services at the location of the location-specific computing device. In operation 412, the mobile computing device scans a machine-readable element (e.g. machine-readable element 100 as shown in FIG. 2). In the exemplary embodiment, the machine-readable element is located at or near a location-specific computing device. In operation 414, the mobile application decodes identifiers in the machine-readable element. In an exemplary embodiment, at least one identifier provides information on the location-specific computing device, such as location information. In operation 416, the mobile application transmits data to the services management framework. The data may include user authentication information, purchase information, and location information. In operation 418, the services management framework initiates performance of the one or more available ordered services by communicating with the appropriate modules. In describing exemplary embodiments, specific terminology is used for the sake of clarity. For purposes of description, each specific term is intended to at least include all technical and functional equivalents that operate in a similar manner to accomplish a similar purpose. Additionally, in some instances where a particular exemplary embodiment includes a multiple system elements, device components or method steps, those elements, components or steps may be replaced with a single element, component or step. Likewise, a single element, component or step may be replaced with multiple elements, components or steps that serve the same purpose. Moreover, while exemplary embodiments have been shown and described with references to particular embodiments thereof, those of ordinary skill in the art will understand that various substitutions and alterations in form and detail may be made therein without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. Further still, other aspects, types of services and advantages are also within the scope of the present disclosure. Exemplary flowcharts are provided herein for illustrative purposes and are non-limiting examples of methods. One of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that exemplary methods may include more or fewer steps than those illustrated in the exemplary flowcharts, and that the steps in the exemplary flowcharts may be performed in a different order than the order shown in the illustrative flowcharts. Portions or all of the embodiments of the present invention may be provided as one or more computer-readable programs or code embodied on or in one or more non-transitory mediums. The mediums may be, but are not limited to a hard disk, a compact disc, a digital versatile disc, ROM, PROM, EPROM, EEPROM, Flash memory, a RAM, or a magnetic tape. In general, the computer-readable programs or code may be implemented in any computing language. | <SOH> BACKGROUND <EOH>Mobile applications executing on a mobile computing device such as a smartphone may make use of the mobile computing device's wireless communication capabilities to interact with other computing devices. For example, the mobile computing device may include wireless communication capabilities such as WiFi and Bluetooth™ that can be utilized by the mobile application. | <SOH> BRIEF SUMMARY <EOH>In one embodiment, a system for performing location-based services is provided. The system includes a mobile application executable on a mobile computing device operated by a user. The system also includes a database storing one or more ordered services associated with the user. The system further includes a location-specific computing device configured to use location-based wireless communication to transmit a code to the mobile application that identifies types of services available to be performed at a location of the location-specific computing device. The system also includes a machine-readable element configured to provide location information and used in initiating performance of one or more available ordered services. The system further includes a server communicatively coupled to the database and the mobile application and hosting a services management framework configured to map the one or more ordered services to the one or more available types of services to determine one or more available ordered services at the location of the location-specific computing device. The mobile application is configured to receive a code from the location-specific computing device and to identify the one or more available types of services based on the code. The mobile application is further configured to transmit, to the services management framework, the one or more available types of services. The mobile application is also configured to decode the machine-readable element. The mobile application is further configured to initiate performance of at least one of the one or more available ordered services determined by the services management framework. In another embodiment, a method for identifying available location-based services is provided. The method includes transmitting, via a location-specific computing device configured to use location-based wireless communication, a code to a mobile application executable on a mobile computing device operated by the user, wherein the code identifies types of services available to be performed at a location of the location-specific computing device. The method also includes receiving, via the mobile application, a code from the location-specific computing device and identifying, via the mobile application, the one or more available types of services based on the code. The method also includes transmitting, via the mobile application to a server hosting an services management framework, the one or more available types of services. The method further includes mapping, via the services management framework, one or more ordered services to the one or more available types of services to determine one or more available ordered services at the location of the location-specific computing device. Records of the one or more ordered services are previously stored in a database and associated with the user. The method also includes scanning, via the mobile application, a machine-readable element configured to provide location information used to initiate performance of the one or more available ordered services. The method further includes decoding, via the mobile application, the machine-readable element. The method also includes initiating, using the mobile application, performance of the one or more available ordered services. | H04W402 | 20171207 | 20180614 | 64741.0 | H04W402 | 1 | MAPA, MICHAEL Y | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR IDENTIFYING AVAILABLE LOCATION-BASED SERVICES | UNDISCOUNTED | 0 | ACCEPTED | H04W | 2,017 |
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15,834,747 | PENDING | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR IDENTIFYING LOCATION-BASED SERVICES | Methods and systems to perform location-based services using a mobile application on a mobile computing device are discussed. A user uses the mobile computing device to scan a machine-readable element. The mobile application is configured to decode the machine-readable element to identify available types of services that are supported in a location of the machine-readable element. A services management framework determines available ordered services in the location-based on the available types of services. | 1. A system for identifying location-based services, the system comprising: a mobile application executable on a mobile computing device operated by a user; a database storing one or more ordered services associated with the user; a machine-readable element generator configured to generate and display a machine-readable element that identifies types of services available to be performed at a location of the machine-readable element; and a server communicatively coupled to the database and the mobile application and hosting a services management framework configured to map the one or more ordered services to the one or more available types of services to determine one or more available ordered services at the location of the machine-readable element, wherein the mobile application is configured to: scan and decode the machine-readable element; identify the one or more available types of services based on the decoded machine readable element; transmit, to the services management framework, the one or more available types of services so that the services management framework determines one or more available ordered services at the location of the machine-readable element; receive, from the services management framework, the one or more available ordered services; and receive a user selection to initiate performance of at least one available ordered service of the one or more available ordered services. 2. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more available types of services includes at least one of purchasing goods and services, processing a pharmacy order, transferring money to a third party, receiving money from a third party, receiving an e-receipt from a purchase, and returning an item from the e-receipt. 3. The system of claim 1, wherein the machine-readable element is a QR code or a bar code. 4. The system of claim 1, wherein the mobile application is further configured to: display a query regarding the one or more available ordered services to the user; and receive, from the user, a selection of the at least one available ordered service referenced by the query. 5. The system of claim 1, wherein the mobile application is further configured to transmit to the services management framework at least one of user identification data, location data, and purchase data. 6. The system of claim 1, wherein the machine-readable element is displayed at a point of sale terminal or a kiosk. 7. The system of claim 1, wherein the machine-readable element generator generates a new machine-readable element after the machine-readable element is scanned. 8. A method for identifying location-based services, the method comprising: storing, in a database, one or more ordered services associated with a user; generating, via a machine-readable element generator, a machine-readable element that identifies types of services available to be performed at a location of the machine-readable element; displaying the machine-readable element at a predefined location; and scanning and decoding, via a mobile application executable on a mobile computing device operated by the user, the machine-readable element; identifying, via the mobile application, the one or more available types of services based on the decoded machine-readable element; transmitting, via the mobile application, the one or more available types of services to a server communicatively coupled to the database and the mobile application and hosting a services management framework; mapping, via the services management framework, the one or more ordered services to the one or more available types of services to determine one or more available ordered services at the location of the machine-readable element; transmitting, from the services management framework, the one or more available ordered services to the mobile application; and receiving, with the mobile application, a user selection to initiate performance of at least one available ordered service of the one or more available ordered services. 9. The method of claim 8, wherein the one or more available types of services includes at least one of purchasing goods and services, processing a pharmacy order, transferring money to a third party, receiving money from a third party, receiving an e-receipt from a purchase, and returning an item from the e-receipt. 10. The method of claim 8, wherein the machine-readable element is a QR code or a bar code. 11. The method of claim 8, further comprising: displaying, by the mobile application, a query regarding the one or more available ordered services to the user; and receiving, from the user, a selection of the at least one available ordered service referenced by the query. 12. The method of claim 8, wherein the mobile application is further configured to transmit to the services management framework at least one of user identification data, location data, and purchase data. 13. The method of claim 8, wherein the machine-readable element is displayed at a point of sale terminal or a kiosk. 14. The method of claim 8, wherein the machine-readable element generator generates a new machine-readable element after the machine-readable element is scanned. 15. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions for identifying location-based services that when executed: stores, in a database, one or more ordered services associated with a user; generates, via a machine-readable element generator, a machine-readable element that identifies types of services available to be performed at a location of the machine-readable element; displays, via a machine-readable element generator, the machine-readable element at a predefined location; and scans and decodes, via a mobile application executable on a mobile computing device operated by the user, the machine-readable element; identifies, via the mobile application, the one or more available types of services based on the decoded machine-readable element; transmits, via the mobile application, the one or more available types of services to a server communicatively coupled to the database and the mobile application and hosting a services management framework; maps, via the services management framework, the one or more ordered services to the one or more available types of services to determine one or more available ordered services at the location of the machine-readable element; and transmits, from the services management framework, the one or more available ordered services to the mobile application; and receives, with the mobile application, a user selection to initiate performance of at least one available ordered service of the one or more available ordered services. 16. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein the one or more available types of services includes at least one of purchasing goods and services, processing a pharmacy order, transferring money to a third party, receiving money from a third party, receiving an e-receipt from a purchase, and returning an item from the e-receipt. 17. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein the machine-readable element is a QR code or a bar code. 18. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15, further comprising: displaying, by the mobile application, a query regarding the one or more available ordered services to the user; and receiving, from the user, a selection of the at least one available ordered service referenced by the query. 19. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein the mobile application is further configured to transmit to the services management framework at least one of user identification data, location data, and purchase data. 20. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein the machine-readable element is displayed at a point of sale terminal or a kiosk. 21. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein the machine-readable element generator generates a new machine-readable element after the machine-readable element is scanned. | CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED PATENT APPLICATIONS This application claims priority to and benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/432,267, filed Dec. 9, 2016, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. BACKGROUND Mobile applications executing on a mobile computing device such as a smartphone may make use of the mobile computing device's ability to scan machine-readable elements to obtain information on its environment. For example, a mobile application may decode a machine-readable element to receive information that can be utilized by the mobile application. BRIEF SUMMARY In one embodiment, a system for identifying available location-based services is provided. The system includes a mobile application executable on a mobile computing device operated by a user. The system further includes a database storing one or more ordered services associated with the user. The system also includes a machine-readable element generator configured to generate and display a machine-readable element that identifies types of services available to be performed at a location of the machine-readable element. The system further includes a server communicatively coupled to the database and the mobile application and hosting a services management framework configured to map the one or more ordered services to the one or more available types of services to determine one or more available ordered services at the location of the machine-readable element. The mobile application is configured to scan the machine-readable element and decode the machine-readable element. The mobile application is also configured to identify the one or more available types of services based on the decoded machine-readable element and transmit, to the services management framework, the one or more available types of services. The mobile application is further configured to receive, from the services management framework, the one or more available ordered services, and receive a user selection to initiate performance of at least one available ordered service of the one or more available ordered services. In another embodiment, a method for identifying available location-based services is provided. The method includes storing, in a database, one or more ordered services associated with a user. The method also includes generating, via a machine-readable element generator, a machine-readable element that identifies types of services available to be performed at a location of the machine-readable element. The method further includes displaying, via a machine-readable element generator, the machine-readable element at a predefined location. The method also includes scanning and decoding, via a mobile application executable on a mobile computing device operated by the user, the machine-readable element. The method also includes identifying, via the mobile application, the one or more available types of services based on the decoded machine-readable element and transmitting, via the mobile application, the one or more available types of services to a server communicatively coupled to the database and the mobile application and hosting a services management framework. The method additionally includes mapping, via the services management framework, the one or more ordered services to the one or more available types of services to determine one or more available ordered services at the location of the machine-readable element, and transmitting the one or more available ordered services to the mobile application. The method also includes receiving, with the mobile application, a user selection to initiate performance of at least one available ordered service of the one or more available ordered services. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS To assist those of skill in the art in making and using a location-based identification system and associated methods, reference is made to the accompanying figures. The accompanying figures, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate one or more embodiments of the invention and, together with the description, help to explain the invention. Illustrative embodiments are shown by way of example in the accompanying drawings and should not be considered as limiting. In the figures: FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an exemplary machine-readable element, in accordance with an exemplary embodiment; FIG. 2 illustrates an exemplary network environment suitable for a location-based identification system, in accordance with an exemplary embodiment; FIG. 3 illustrates an exemplary computing system, in accordance with an exemplary embodiment; and FIG. 4 illustrates a flowchart of an exemplary sequence for identifying one or more available location-based services using the location-based identification system, in accordance with an exemplary embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION Described in detail herein are methods and systems for identifying available location-based services using a location-based identification system. In one embodiment, the location-based identification system may be employed in a physical facility. The system includes a specialized mobile application associated with a mobile computing device, such as a smartphone. The mobile application may include authentication information for a user, such as a user name or a user identification (ID) and a password. The system also includes a machine-readable element (MRE) generator configured to generate and display a machine-readable element that identifies types of services available to be performed at a location of the displayed machine-readable element. In an exemplary embodiment, the machine-readable element is located at or within close proximity to a local computing device. A user uses the mobile computing device to scan the machine-readable element. The machine-readable element is configured to provide the mobile application with location identification information, such as identifying the local computing device associated with the machine-readable element. The machine-readable element is further configured to provide the available types of services that are supported in the location of the machine-readable element. “Available types of services” are location-based computerized services that can be performed at the location of the machine-readable element using the mobile application. Non-limiting examples of types of services include purchasing goods and services, processing a pharmacy order, financial services such as transferring or receiving money to/from a third party, receiving an e-receipt from a purchase, and returning an item from the e-receipt. The system further includes a server hosting a services management framework communicatively coupled with a database and the mobile application. The database includes one or more services previously ordered by the user (hereafter referred to as “ordered services”). Ordered services are computerized services that the user would like performed in connection with their trip to a physical facility. The mobile application transmits the available types of services identified from the machine-readable element to the services management framework. The services management framework is configured to map the one or more ordered services to the available types of services to determine one or more available ordered services in the location of the machine-readable element. “Available ordered services” are ordered services that are able be performed at the location of displayed machine-readable element (e.g. such as at the local computing device associated with the machine-readable element). Following the mapping, the services management framework transmits the one or more available ordered services to the mobile application. In an exemplary embodiment, the mobile application displays the one or more available ordered services to the user. The user selects at least one available ordered service from the one or more available ordered services that the user wants performed. The mobile application then communicates the selected available ordered services to the local computing device at the location of the machine-readable element to initiate performance of the selected available ordered services. A non-limiting example of the location-based identification system includes a user at a physical facility such as a retail store using the specialized mobile application on a mobile computing device, such as a smartphone. The user previously has ordered services whether through the mobile application or online that are not complete as they require some user interaction with the facility (i.e. picking up purchases, money, returning an item, etc.). Exemplary services include without limitation purchases of goods, pharmacy orders, transferring or receiving money to/from a third party and the return of items referenced by electronic receipts. Records of these orders are saved in a database and associated with the user. At the facility, the user may approach a local computing device such as a POS terminal in a register that includes a display for displaying a machine-readable element. The machine-readable element includes location identification information and types of services available to the mobile application at the location of the machine-readable element. The display is in communication with an MRE generator configured to generate and display the machine-readable element. It will be appreciated that the MRE generator may be integrated into the local computing device and the display may be a display of the local computing device. The user uses the mobile computing device to scan the machine-readable element. The mobile application identifies the types of services available in that location from the scanned information. The mobile application transmits the available types of services to a services management framework being executed on a server. The services management framework maps the available types of services to the ordered services associated with the user to determine which ordered services for the user are available at the particular location. In other words, these are the available types of services relevant for the user's current trip. The services management framework communicates the available ordered services to the mobile application. In one embodiment, one or more of the available ordered services may be automatically processed using the mobile application. For example, if pharmacy services are available at the location an associate may be automatically notified to pick up a previously filled prescription for delivery to the user. Alternatively, the mobile application may adjust its displayed information regarding services based on the transmission from the services management framework and query the user as to which available ordered services the user wishes to have performed. As part of the available ordered services being processed, the mobile application may transmit authentication data identifying the user, directly or indirectly, to a remote computer system. The location-based identification system may improve customer service by minimizing an individual's wait time to receive services, while also improving the ease and accuracy of performing multiple services by scanning a machine-readable element using a mobile computing device. The location-based identification system may further improve the efficiency of the computing environment by reducing network traffic by automating the authentication, payment and selection of services at a location. FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an exemplary machine-readable element 100. In one exemplary embodiment, machine-readable element 100 is a QR code or a bar code (not shown). Machine-readable element 100 includes one or more encoded identifiers identifying a location of a POS terminal (shown in FIG. 2) associated with machine-readable element 100. For example, machine-readable element 100 may be displayed at a local computing device associated with the machine-readable element 100. Machine-readable element also includes data indicating what services are available through the associated local computing device. A scanner or reader (not shown) can scan and/or decode the identifiers from machine-readable element 100. In an exemplary embodiment, a camera associated with a mobile computing device (shown in FIG. 2) is used to scan machine-readable element 100. A mobile application (shown in FIG. 2) then decodes the identifier(s) in machine-readable element 100. In one exemplary embodiment, an identifier is alpha-numeric characters. FIG. 2 illustrates an exemplary network environment suitable for a location-based identification system 250, in accordance with an exemplary embodiment. Location-based identification system 250 includes one or more databases 205 (only one shown in FIG. 2), one or more mobile computing devices 200 (only one shown in FIG. 2), one or more MRE generators 202 (only one shown in FIG. 2), one or more machine-readable elements 100 (only one shown in FIG. 2), and one or more servers 204 (only one shown in FIG. 2) hosting a services management framework 206. Mobile computing device 200 includes a mobile application 220 configured to communicate with server 204, and particularly services management framework 206, via a communications network 215. In an exemplary embodiment, one or more portions of communications network 215 is an ad hoc network, an intranet, an extranet, a virtual private network (VPN), a local area network (LAN), a wireless LAN (WLAN), a wide area network (WAN), a wireless wide area network (WWAN), a metropolitan area network (MAN), a portion of the Internet, a portion of the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN), a cellular telephone network, a wireless network, a WiFi network, a WiMax network, any other type of network, or a combination of two or more such networks. Mobile computing devices 200 may also include a camera 260 used to scan machine-readable element 100. Mobile application 220 may further include instructions associated with decoding identifiers encoded in machine-readable element 100. As a non-limiting example, location-based identification system 250 is associated with a physical facility 212. In an exemplary embodiment, user 230, mobile computing device 200, at least one local computing device 210 such as a POS terminal, and at least one machine-readable element 100 are located within physical facility 212. In an exemplary embodiment, machine-readable element 100 is located at or in close proximity to local computing device 210. MRE generator 202 may be located within physical facility 212 or at a remote location (not shown). A location of user 230 using mobile computing device 200 is determined by scanning machine-readable element 100, as described below. MRE generator 202 generates a specific machine-readable element 100 dependent on types of services available at a location. For example, processing a pharmacy order and making a payment using a store payment option are ordered services for user 230. User 230 then scans machine-readable element 100 at a pharmacy counter location. Machine-readable element 100 identifies to mobile application 220 that, for example, processing pharmacy orders and making payments using store payment options are supported in the location. As a result, these two available services would be shown to user 230 (assuming the user had previously ordered services of those types) after scanning machine-readable element 100. User 230 could then select to proceed with one or both services. In one embodiment, machine-readable element 100 is dynamic and capable of being changed after machine-readable element 100 is created. In such an embodiment, MRE generator 202 generates a different machine-readable element 100 for each transaction. A transaction occurs after user 230 scans machine-readable element 100 to execute one or more available ordered services. Machine-readable element 100 may appear different after each transaction, but may still contain the same content. For example, if machine-readable element 100 is a QR code, the QR code may have a new pattern of modules for each transaction, but may contain the same types of available services and same location information. This may be accomplished by, for example, MRE generator 202 using a different error correction level resulting in a different image that contains the same information. Machine-readable element's 100 dynamic properties enables types of available services and location information to be changed as required by the system without machine-readable element 100 having to be physically replaced with a new image every time information changes. Machine-readable element 100 being dynamic also increases security by preventing unauthorized persons from changing or manipulating machine-readable element 100 to re-direct a user to an unintended destination. User 230 uses mobile computing device 200 to scan machine-readable element 100 to identify one or more types of services available at the location. In an exemplary embodiments, machine-readable element 100 is associated with local computing device 210 disposed in physical facility 212. For example, machine-readable element 100 is located on or in close proximity to local computing device 210. Machine-readable element 100 includes encoded identifiers. Mobile application 220 decodes the identifiers in response to mobile computing device 200 scanning machine-readable element 100. Upon decoding the identifiers in machine-readable element 100, mobile application 220 transmits data to services management framework 206. The data may include, but is not limited to, the types of services available in a location identified by scanning machine-readable element 100 and a user identification (ID) for user 230. In an exemplary embodiments, services management framework 206 is further in communication with database 205. Database 205 includes one or more ordered services 235 associated with user 230. Each ordered service 235 is previously requested by user 230 (or on user's behalf) using a computing device and is associated with the user ID for user 230. In some embodiments, user 230 creates the one or more ordered services 235 using mobile application 220. Services management framework 206 is configured to retrieve from database 205 the one or more ordered services 235 for user 230 using the user ID. Services management framework 206 is further configured to map the one or more ordered services to the available types of services to determine one or more available ordered services at the location of the user (i.e. the location where the machine-readable element 100 was scanned). Services management framework 206 transmits the determined one or more available ordered services to mobile application 220. In an exemplary embodiment, mobile application 220 then displays the one or more available ordered services to user 230. User 230 selects from mobile application 220 at least one available ordered service from the one or more available ordered services that user 230 wants performed. Upon making a selection, mobile application 220 communicates with server 204 and local computing device 210 to performing the selected available ordered services. For example, mobile application 220 may transmit authentication information (i.e. customer identity) and location identification information directly or indirectly through local computing device 210 to server 204 to trigger performance of the previously ordered services available at the particular location. Server 204 may also communicate with local computing device 210 to execute and complete the selected available ordered services. Database 205 is connected to communications network 215 via a wired or wireless connection. Mobile computing device 200 includes one or more processors configured to communicate with code transmission computing device 202 via network 217 and services management framework 206 via network 215. Mobile computing device 200 hosts mobile application 220 configured to interact with one or more components of services management framework 206 and/or local computing device 210. Database 205 stores information and data related to ordered services as described herein. For example, database 205 includes ordered services 235 associated with user 230. Database 205 can be located at one or more geographically distributed locations from other databases 205 or from services management framework 206. Alternatively, database 205 can be included within services management framework 206. In response to scanning machine-readable element 100, the location-based identification system can process multiple transactions and services at local computing device 210. Mobile application 220 may initiate the multiple transactions and services without the need to interface with multiple computing systems, thus improving the efficiency of the computing environment. By avoiding the need to use multiple computer systems, the location-based identification system reduces network communication and increases the response speed of both the network and the available services (i.e., types of services) provided by a merchant. Reducing or eliminating transaction time improves the efficiency of the computing environment by reducing network traffic and increasing the response speed of the network. FIG. 3 is a block diagram of an example computing device 300 for implementing an exemplary embodiment. Computing device 300 may be a mobile computing device (e.g. mobile computing device 200 as shown in FIG. 2), a MRE generator (e.g. MRE generator 202 shown in FIG. 2), and/or an server (e.g. server 204 shown in FIG. 2). Computing device 300 includes one or more non-transitory computer-readable media for storing one or more computer-executable instructions or software for implementing exemplary embodiments. The non-transitory computer-readable media may include, but are not limited to, one or more types of hardware memory, non-transitory tangible media (for example, one or more magnetic storage disks, one or more optical disks, one or more flash drives, one or more solid state disks), and the like. For example, memory 306 included in computing device 300 may store computer-readable and computer-executable instructions or software (e.g., mobile application 220) for implementing exemplary operations of computing device 300. Computing device 300 also includes configurable and/or programmable processor 302 and associated core(s) 304, and optionally, one or more additional configurable and/or programmable processor(s) 302′ and associated core(s) 304′ (for example, in the case of computer systems having multiple processors/cores), for executing computer-readable and computer-executable instructions or software stored in memory 306 and other programs for implementing exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure. Processor 302 and processor(s) 302′ may each be a single core processor or multiple core (304 and 304′) processor. Either or both of processor 302 and processor(s) 302′ may be configured to execute one or more of the instructions described in connection with computing device 300. In some embodiments, virtualization may be employed in computing device 300 so that infrastructure and resources in computing device 300 may be shared dynamically. A virtual machine 312 may be provided to handle a process running on multiple processors so that the process appears to be using only one computing resource rather than multiple computing resources. Multiple virtual machines may also be used with one processor. Memory 306 may include a computer system memory or random access memory, such as DRAM, SRAM, EDO RAM, and the like. Memory 306 may include other types of memory as well, or combinations thereof. A user may interact with computing device 300 through a visual display device 314, such as a computer monitor or a touch screen display, which may display one or more graphical user interfaces 316, multi touch interface 320, a scanner 332, and a pointing device 318. Computing device 300 may also include one or more storage devices 326, such as a hard-drive, CD-ROM, or other computer readable media, for storing data and computer-readable instructions and/or software that implement exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure (e.g., applications). For example, exemplary storage device 326 may include one or more databases 328 for storing instructions. Databases 328 may be updated manually or automatically at any suitable time to add, delete, and/or update one or more data items in the databases. Databases 328 includes information such as ordered services database 235. Ordered services database 235 stores information associated with ordered services created by one or more users (e.g. user 230 shown in FIG. 2). Computing device 300 includes a network interface 308 configured to interface via one or more network devices 324 with one or more networks, for example, Local Area Network (LAN), Wide Area Network (WAN) or the Internet through a variety of connections including, but not limited to, standard telephone lines, LAN or WAN links (for example, 802.11, T1, T3, 56 kb, X.25), broadband connections (for example, ISDN, Frame Relay, ATM), wireless connections, controller area network (CAN), or some combination of any or all of the above. In exemplary embodiments, the location-based identification system may include one or more antennas 322 to facilitate wireless communication (e.g., via the network interface) between computing device 300 and a network and/or between computing device 300 and other computing devices. Network interface 308 may include a built-in network adapter, network interface card, PCMCIA network card, card bus network adapter, wireless network adapter, USB network adapter, modem or any other device suitable for interfacing computing device 300 to any type of network capable of communication and performing the operations described herein. Computing device 300 may run operating system 310, such as versions of the Microsoft® Windows® operating systems, different releases of the Unix and Linux operating systems, versions of the MacOS® for Macintosh computers, embedded operating systems, real-time operating systems, open source operating systems, proprietary operating systems, or other operating systems capable of running on computing device 300 and performing the operations described herein. In exemplary embodiments, operating system 310 may be run in native mode or emulated mode. In an exemplary embodiment, operating system 310 may be run on one or more cloud machine instances. FIG. 4 illustrates an exemplary sequence 400 for location-based identification of available services in an exemplary embodiment. In operation 401, a user uses a computing device to create ordered services. It will be appreciated that the ordered services may also be created for the user by a third party. In operation 402, the user utilizes a specialized mobile application (e.g. mobile application 220 as shown in FIG. 2) on a mobile computing device (e.g. mobile computing device 200 as shown in FIG. 2) near a local computing device (e.g. local computing device 210 as shown in FIG. 2) in a physical facility (e.g. physical facility 212 as shown in FIG. 2). In operation 404, a MRE generator (e.g. MRE generator 202 as shown in FIG. 2) generates a machine-readable element (e.g. machine-readable element 100 as shown in FIG. 2) scannable by the mobile computing device. In an exemplary embodiment, the machine-readable element is displayed on or near a location of the local computing device. In operation 406, the mobile computing device scans the machine-readable element. In operation 408, the mobile application decodes identifiers in the machine-readable element to identify available types of services of the mobile application that are supported in that location. In an exemplary embodiment, at least one identifier provides information on the local computing device, such as a location identifier. In operation 410, the mobile application transmits data to the services management framework (e.g. services management framework 202 as shown in FIG. 2). The data includes the available types of services identified by the machine-readable element. In operation 412, the services management framework maps the one or more ordered services to the available types of services to determine one or more available ordered services in the location. In operation 414, the services management framework transmits the one or more determined available ordered services to the mobile application. In operation 416, the mobile application initiates performance of the one or more available ordered services either through receiving a user selection or automatically. In describing exemplary embodiments, specific terminology is used for the sake of clarity. For purposes of description, each specific term is intended to at least include all technical and functional equivalents that operate in a similar manner to accomplish a similar purpose. Additionally, in some instances where a particular exemplary embodiment includes a multiple system elements, device components or method steps, those elements, components or steps may be replaced with a single element, component or step Likewise, a single element, component or step may be replaced with multiple elements, components or steps that serve the same purpose. Moreover, while exemplary embodiments have been shown and described with references to particular embodiments thereof, those of ordinary skill in the art will understand that various substitutions and alterations in form and detail may be made therein without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. Further still, other aspects, functions and advantages are also within the scope of the present disclosure. Exemplary flowcharts are provided herein for illustrative purposes and are non-limiting examples of methods. One of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that exemplary methods may include more or fewer steps than those illustrated in the exemplary flowcharts, and that the steps in the exemplary flowcharts may be performed in a different order than the order shown in the illustrative flowcharts. Portions or all of the embodiments of the present invention may be provided as one or more computer-readable programs or code embodied on or in one or more non-transitory mediums. The mediums may be, but are not limited to a hard disk, a compact disc, a digital versatile disc, ROM, PROM, EPROM, EEPROM, Flash memory, a RAM, or a magnetic tape. In general, the computer-readable programs or code may be implemented in any computing language. | <SOH> BACKGROUND <EOH>Mobile applications executing on a mobile computing device such as a smartphone may make use of the mobile computing device's ability to scan machine-readable elements to obtain information on its environment. For example, a mobile application may decode a machine-readable element to receive information that can be utilized by the mobile application. | <SOH> BRIEF SUMMARY <EOH>In one embodiment, a system for identifying available location-based services is provided. The system includes a mobile application executable on a mobile computing device operated by a user. The system further includes a database storing one or more ordered services associated with the user. The system also includes a machine-readable element generator configured to generate and display a machine-readable element that identifies types of services available to be performed at a location of the machine-readable element. The system further includes a server communicatively coupled to the database and the mobile application and hosting a services management framework configured to map the one or more ordered services to the one or more available types of services to determine one or more available ordered services at the location of the machine-readable element. The mobile application is configured to scan the machine-readable element and decode the machine-readable element. The mobile application is also configured to identify the one or more available types of services based on the decoded machine-readable element and transmit, to the services management framework, the one or more available types of services. The mobile application is further configured to receive, from the services management framework, the one or more available ordered services, and receive a user selection to initiate performance of at least one available ordered service of the one or more available ordered services. In another embodiment, a method for identifying available location-based services is provided. The method includes storing, in a database, one or more ordered services associated with a user. The method also includes generating, via a machine-readable element generator, a machine-readable element that identifies types of services available to be performed at a location of the machine-readable element. The method further includes displaying, via a machine-readable element generator, the machine-readable element at a predefined location. The method also includes scanning and decoding, via a mobile application executable on a mobile computing device operated by the user, the machine-readable element. The method also includes identifying, via the mobile application, the one or more available types of services based on the decoded machine-readable element and transmitting, via the mobile application, the one or more available types of services to a server communicatively coupled to the database and the mobile application and hosting a services management framework. The method additionally includes mapping, via the services management framework, the one or more ordered services to the one or more available types of services to determine one or more available ordered services at the location of the machine-readable element, and transmitting the one or more available ordered services to the mobile application. The method also includes receiving, with the mobile application, a user selection to initiate performance of at least one available ordered service of the one or more available ordered services. | H04W402 | 20171207 | 20180614 | 64741.0 | H04W402 | 1 | MAPA, MICHAEL Y | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR IDENTIFYING LOCATION-BASED SERVICES | UNDISCOUNTED | 0 | ACCEPTED | H04W | 2,017 |
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15,835,175 | PENDING | LIGHT EMITTING ELEMENT | A light emitting element has semiconductor layers and first and second electrodes disposed. In plan view, the first electrode has a first connecting portion, a first extending portion, and two second extending portions, and the second electrode has a second connecting portion and two third extending portions. The first extending portion of the first electrode extends linearly from the first connecting portion toward the second connecting portion, and the two second extending portions extend parallel to the first extending portion on two sides of the first extending portion. The second extending portions each has two bent portions. The third extending portions extend parallel to the first extending portion between the first extending portion and the second extending portion. With respect to an extending direction of the first extending portion, each of the second extending portions extends beyond a position of the second connecting portion. | 1. A light emitting element comprising: a semiconductor stack including a first conductivity type semiconductor layer and a second conductivity type semiconductor layer; a first electrode formed on the first conductivity type semiconductor layer; and a second electrode formed on the second conductivity type semiconductor layer, the first electrode and the second electrode being disposed on the same face side of the first conductivity type semiconductor layer and the second conductivity type semiconductor layer, in plan view, the first electrode having a first connecting portion, a first extending portion, and two second extending portions, the second electrode having a second connecting portion and two third extending portions, the first extending portion extending linearly from the first connecting portion toward the second connecting portion, and the two second extending portions arranged on two sides of the first extending portion, with each of the second extending portions having two bent portions and a linear portion extending parallel to the first extending portion and disposed between the two bent portions, the two third extending portions extending parallel to the first extending portion between the first extending portion and the two second extending portions, and with respect to an extending direction of the first extending portion, each of the second extending portions extends beyond a position of the second connecting portion. 2. The light emitting element according to claim 1, wherein distances between the first extending portion and the respective second extending portions are the same, and the distances between the first extending portion and the respective third extending portions are the same. 3. The light emitting element according to claim 1, wherein the two third extending portions extend to form a U shape. 4. The light emitting element according to claim 2, wherein the two third extending portions extend to form a U shape. 5. The light emitting element according to claim 1, wherein in plan view, the semiconductor stack is rectangular, and the first extending portion is parallel to one side of the semiconductor stack. 6. The light emitting element according to claim 1, wherein the second extending portions extend from the first connecting portion, and the third extending portions extend from the second connecting portion. 7. The light emitting element according to claim 1, wherein the second electrode further has fourth extending portions that extend parallel to the first extending portion on the outside of the second extending portions, and distal ends of the fourth extending portions are bent toward the first connecting portion, or the fourth extending portions extend from the second connecting portion. 8. The light emitting element according to claim 7, wherein distance between the respective distal ends of the fourth extending portions and the respective second extending portions in the extending direction of the first extending portion is longer than distances between portions of the respective fourth extending portions extending parallel to the first extending portion and portions of the respective second extending portions extending parallel to the first extending portion in a direction perpendicular to the first extending portion. 9. The light emitting element according to claim 1, wherein the first conductivity type semiconductor layer is disposed over the second conductivity type semiconductor layer, the first conductivity type semiconductor layer is a p-type semiconductor layer, the first electrode and the second electrode are entirely surrounded by the p-type semiconductor layer of the semiconductor stack. 10. The light emitting element according to claim 3, wherein the first conductivity type semiconductor layer is disposed over the second conductivity type semiconductor layer, the first conductivity type semiconductor layer is a p-type semiconductor layer, and the first electrode and the second electrode are entirely surrounded by the p-type semiconductor layer of the semiconductor stack. 11. The light emitting element according to claim 1, wherein the distal end of each of the second extending portions including a portion parallel to a first portion of a corresponding one of the third extending portions on the outside of the corresponding one of the third extending portions, and extending closer to the second connecting portion than an imaginary line that extends along a second portion of the corresponding one of the third extending portions, with the second portion extending parallel to the first extending portion. 12. The light emitting element according to claim 2, wherein each of distal ends of the second extending portions including a portion parallel to a first portion of a corresponding one of the third extending portions on the outside of the corresponding one of the third extending portions, and extending closer to the second connecting portion than an imaginary line that extends along a second portion of the corresponding one of the third extending portions, with the second portion extending parallel to the first extending portion. 13. The light emitting element according to claim 3, wherein each of distal ends of the second extending portions including a portion parallel to a first portion of a corresponding one of the third extending portions on the outside of the corresponding one of the third extending portions, and extending closer to the second connecting portion than an imaginary line that extends along a second portion of the corresponding one of the third extending portions, with the second portion extending parallel to the first extending portion. 14. The light emitting element according to claim 1, wherein each of the third extending portions includes a portion parallel to the first extending portion disposed between the first extending portion and a corresponding one of the second extending portions, and a distal end that is bent toward the first connecting portion from the portion parallel to the first extending portion. 15. The light emitting element according to claim 3, wherein each of the third extending portions includes a portion parallel to the first extending portion disposed between the first extending portion and a corresponding one of the second extending portions, and a distal end that is bent toward the first connecting portion from the portion parallel to the first extending portion. 16. The light emitting element according to claim 9, wherein each of the third extending portions includes a portion parallel to the first extending portion disposed between the first extending portion and a corresponding one of the second extending portions, and a distal end that is bent toward the first connecting portion from the portion parallel to the first extending portion. 17. The light emitting element according to claim 11, wherein each of the third extending portions includes a portion parallel to the first extending portion disposed between the first extending portion and a corresponding one of the second extending portions, and a distal end that is bent toward the first connecting portion from the portion parallel to the first extending portion. 18. The light emitting element according to claim 1, wherein with respect to an extending direction of the first extending portion, at least a portion of one of the bent portions of each of the second extending portions extends beyond the second connecting portion. | CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This is a continuation application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/399,196, filed on Jan. 5, 2017, which is a continuation application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/560,224, filed on Dec. 4, 2014, now U.S. Pat. No. 9,577,152. This application claims priority to Japanese Patent Application No. 2013-254243 filed on Dec. 9, 2013 and Japanese Patent Application No.2014-236462 filed on Nov. 21, 2014. The entire disclosures of U.S. patent application Ser. Nos. 15/399,196 and 14/560,224, and Japanese Patent Application Nos. 2013-254243 and No. 2014-236462 are hereby incorporated herein by reference. BACKGROUND Technical Field The present disclosure relates to a light emitting element, and particularly to an electrode structure of the light emitting element. Related Art There have been made various developments to obtain a uniform emission from a light emitting element. For example, for a light emitting element having a quadrilateral outer shape, electrode structures in which either a second electrode or a first electrode is disposed at a center portion of an upper surface of a light emitting element, and the other electrode is disposed embracing it (for example, JP 2011-61077 A, JP 2012-89695 A and JP 2011-139037 A). Each of those various electrode structures is proposed aiming to obtain a uniform distribution of current density to obtain a uniform emission over the entire surface of the light emitting element. However, even with those structures, a deviation in the distribution of current density within a region disposing between the second electrode and the first electrode occurs, which may cause concern of insufficient for obtaining a uniform emission. SUMMARY Accordingly, the present disclosure is devised to solve the problems as described above, and is aimed to provide a light emitting element reducing uneven distribution of the current density between the electrodes. The present disclosure relates to a light emitting element. A light emitting element includes a semiconductor stack, a first electrode, and a second electrode. The semiconductor stack includes a first conductivity type semiconductor layer and a second conductivity type semiconductor layer. The first electrode is formed on the first conductivity type semiconductor layer. The second electrode is formed on the second conductivity type semiconductor layer. The first electrode and the second electrode are disposed on the same face side of the first conductivity type semiconductor layer and the second conductivity type semiconductor layer. In plan view, the first electrode has a first connecting portion, a first extending portion, and two second extending portions. The second electrode has a second connecting portion and two third extending portions. The first extending portion extends linearly from the first connecting portion toward the second connecting portion, and the two second extending portions arranged on two sides of the first extending portion, with each of the second extending portions having two bent portions and a linear portion extending parallel to the first extending portion and disposed between the two bent portions. The two third extending portions extend parallel to the first extending portion between the first extending portion and the two second extending portions. With respect to an extending direction of the first extending portion, each of the second extending portions extends beyond a position of the second connecting portion. With the light emitting element according to the present disclosure, uneven distribution of the current density between the electrodes can be reduced. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1A is a plan view showing a light emitting element according to Embodiment 1 of the present disclosure; FIG. 1B is a plan view showing a Modification Example 1 of the light emitting element according to Example 1 of the present disclosure; FIG. 1C is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the light emitting element according to Example 1 of the present disclosure; FIG. 1D is a plan view showing another Modification Example of the light emitting element according to Example 1 of the present disclosure; FIG. 2A is a plan view showing a light emitting element according to Example 2 of the present disclosure; FIG. 2B is a plan view showing a Modification Example of the light emitting element according to Example 2 of the present disclosure; FIG. 3 is a plan view showing a light emitting element according to Example 3 of the present disclosure; FIG. 4 is a plan view showing a light emitting element according to Example 4 of the present disclosure; FIG. 5 is a plan view showing a light emitting element according to Example 5 of the present disclosure; FIG. 6 is a plan view showing a light emitting element according to Example 6 of the present disclosure; FIG. 7 is a plan view showing a light emitting element according to Example 7 of the present disclosure; FIG. 8 is a plan view showing a light emitting element according to Example 8 of the present disclosure; FIG. 9 is a plan view showing a light emitting element according to Example 9 of the present disclosure; FIG. 10 is a plan view showing a light emitting element according to reference; and FIG. 11 is schematic plan views showing distribution of current density of light emitting elements according to Example 1, 5 and 8 and reference. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS Embodiments for implementing the light emitting element of the present disclosure will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. The sizes and the arrangement relationships of the members in each of drawings are occasionally shown exaggerated for ease of explanation. Further, in the description below, the same designations or the same reference numerals may, in principle, denote the same or like members and duplicative descriptions will be appropriately omitted. In addition, a plurality of structural elements of the present disclosure may be configured as a single part which serves the purpose of a plurality of elements, on the other hand, a single structural element may be configured as a plurality of parts which serve the purpose of a single element. Further, constitutions described in some of examples and embodiments can be employed in other examples and embodiments. The light emitting element of the present disclosure has a first conductivity type semiconductor layer, a second conductivity type semiconductor layer, a first electrode formed on the first conductivity type semiconductor layer, and a second electrode formed on the second conductivity type semiconductor layer. The first electrode and the second electrode are disposed on the same face side of the first conductivity type semiconductor layer and the second conductivity type semiconductor layer. Here, the first conductivity type semiconductor layer and the second conductivity type semiconductor layer have different types of conductivity. The first conductivity type semiconductor layer may be either n type or p type. The second conductivity type semiconductor layer is p type if the first conductivity type semiconductor layer is n type, and vice versa. (First conductivity Type Semiconductor Layer and Second Conductivity Type Semiconductor Layer) The first conductivity type semiconductor layer and the second conductivity type semiconductor layer are members that serve as light emitting components in a light emitting element, and are usually stacked to constitute a semiconductor stack. The first conductivity type semiconductor layer and the second conductivity type semiconductor layer may each have a single-layer structure, or may have a laminated structure. In the case of a laminated structure, not all of the layers that make up the first conductivity type semiconductor layer and the second conductivity type semiconductor layer need to exhibit the first or second conductivity type. Usually, an active layer (light emitting layer) is disposed between these semiconductor layers. The active layer may have either a multiple quantum well structure or a single quantum well structure formed in a thin-film that produces a quantum effect. Of those structures, a structure having the first conductivity type semiconductor layer, the active layer, and the second conductivity type layer stacked in that order is preferably employed. In other words, it is preferable to stack the n-type semiconductor layer, the active layer, and the p-type semiconductor layer, in that order. The p-type semiconductor layer side here is the side where the first electrode and second electrode are disposed. There are no particular restrictions on the type or material of semiconductor layer, but a nitride semiconductor material such as InxAlyGa1-X-YN (0≦X, 0≦Y, X+Y≦1) can be used to advantage, for example. The first conductivity type semiconductor layer and the second conductivity type semiconductor layer are formed on a substrate. Examples of the material for the substrate include an insulating substrate such as sapphire (Al2O3) and spinel (MgAl2O4), silicone carbide (SiC), ZnS, ZnO, Si, GaAs, diamond, and an oxide substrate such as lithium niobate and neodymium gallate which are capable of forming a lattice matching with the nitride semiconductor. The substrate used for growing the semiconductor layers may be removed from the semiconductor stack, The first conductivity type semiconductor layer and the second conductivity type semiconductor layer are such that the first electrode and second electrode (discussed below) are disposed on the same face side of the first conductivity type semiconductor layer and the second conductivity type semiconductor layer, so either the second conductivity type semiconductor layer is laminated on the first conductivity type semiconductor layer so as to expose part of the first conductivity type semiconductor layer, or the first conductivity type semiconductor layer is laminated on the second conductivity type semiconductor layer so as to expose part of the second conductivity type semiconductor layer. In an embodiment, a semiconductor stack is constituted by laminating a p-type semiconductor layer via the active layer over an n-type semiconductor layer, and the p-type semiconductor layer and the active layer are partially removed so as to expose part of the n-type semiconductor layer beneath them. There are no particular restrictions on the semiconductor stack that serves as the light emitting component of the light emitting element, but the plan view shape is preferably one having a pair of opposing sides, and a rectangular shape is more preferable. The corners, however, may be rounded off. With a rectangle, variation in the angle of the four corners of about 90±10 degrees is permissible. With a square, variation in the length of one side of about ±5% of the length of the other sides is permissible. (First Electrode and Second Electrode) The first electrode and the second electrode supply current to the first conductivity type semiconductor layer and the second conductivity type semiconductor layer, respectively, and are therefore directly or indirectly electrically connected to the first conductivity type semiconductor layer and the second conductivity type semiconductor layer. The first electrode is an n side electrode if the first conductivity type semiconductor layer is n type, and the first electrode is a p side electrode if the first conductivity type semiconductor layer is p type. This is similar as to the second electrode. In a plan view, the first electrode and the second electrode are arranged at the inner side of the light emitting element. In other words, it is preferred that the first electrode is surrounded by the second conductivity type semiconductor layer, or the second electrode is surrounded by the first conductivity type semiconductor layer. With this arrangement, electric current can be diffused all around the first electrode or the second electrode. Part of the first electrode or the second electrode may not be surrounded by the first conductivity type semiconductor layer or the second conductivity type semiconductor layer. All or part of the first electrode may be surrounded by the second electrode, or vice versa. In other words, all or part of the n-side electrode may be surrounded by the p-side electrode, and all or part of the p-side electrode may be surrounded by the n-side electrode. The former is especially preferable when ensuring the proper surface area of the active layer is taken into account. The first electrode and second electrode respectively have the first connecting portion and second connecting portion. The first connecting portion and second connecting portion are so-called pad electrodes that are connected to external electrodes, external terminals, or the like to supply current to the light emitting element, and are portions where a conductive wire or the like is bonded, for example. The first connecting portion and second connecting portion are eccentrically located on a pair of opposing sides of the semiconductor stack. In particular, when the plan view shape of the semiconductor stack is rectangular, the first connecting portion and second connecting portion are preferably disposed near the respective ends of a center line. This center line is a line parallel to one side of the plan view shape of the semiconductor stack, and is preferably a line passing through the center point of another side perpendicular to this one side. This center line will sometimes be referred to as the first center line. In this Specification, however, it is permissible for the center line, center point, and so forth to vary from about a few microns to a few dozen microns due to machining precision of the light emitting element and so forth. The plan view shapes of the first connecting portion and the second connecting portion can be adjusted appropriately according to the size of the light emitting element and the arrangement of the electrodes etc., and for example, a circular shape, a polygonal shape, or the like, can be employed. Of those, in view of easiness of wire bonding, a circular shape or a shape similar to a circular shape is preferable. The size of the first connecting portion and the second connecting portion can be adjusted appropriately based on the size of the light emitting element, the arrangement of the electrodes, and the like, and their plan view shapes can be circular shapes having a diameter of about 70 to 150 μm respectively, for example. The first connecting portion and the second connecting portion may have different shapes and sizes, or the same shape and size. The first electrode has a first extending portion and a second extending portion. The second electrode has a third extending portion, and may optionally have a fourth extending portion. There are no particular restrictions on the shapes or numbers of the first extending portion, the second extending portion, the third extending portion and the fourth extending portion, and they can be set at appropriate shapes and numbers. In one embodiment, the first electrode preferably has the first extending portion that extends linearly from the first connecting portion toward the second connecting portion, and the two second extending portions that extend on two sides of (i.e., flanking) the first extending portion. The two second extending portions preferably extend on two sides of the first extending portion and parallel to the first extending portion. The second electrode preferably has two third extending portions that extend parallel to the first extending portion between the first extending portion and the two second extending portions. The second electrode preferably has two fourth extending portions. The two fourth extending portions preferably extend on the outside of the third extending portions, and more preferably extend parallel to the first extending portion on the outside of the second extending portions. The first extending portion and the second extending portions are linked to the first connecting portion, and the third extending portions and the optional fourth extending portions are linked to the second connecting portion. The first extending portion, the second extending portions, the third extending portions, and the optional fourth extending portions serve as auxiliary electrodes for uniformly diffusing the current supplied to the first connecting portion and second connecting portion to the semiconductor layers. The first extending portion and the second extending portions preferably extend from the first connecting portion. The distal ends of these are preferably located more to the second connecting portion side than a line passing through the center point of another side and perpendicular to the first center line (this will sometimes be called the second center line). In particular, as discussed above, in the case where the first connecting portion is disposed near one end of the first center line, it is preferable for the first extending portion to extend over the first center line. The second extending portions preferably extend in a direction away from the first extending portion, then gradually or suddenly change direction and extend in a direction parallel to the first extending portion. Examples of a “direction away from the first extending portion” include a direction perpendicular to a direction parallel to the first extending portion, and a direction that the two second extending portions draws an arc or a parabola having its center in the side of the second connecting portion. The third extending portions and fourth extending portions preferably extend from the second connecting portion. The distal ends of these are preferably located more to the first connecting portion side than a line passing through the center point of another side and perpendicular to the first center line (the second center line). In particular, the fourth extending portions preferably extend farther than the first connecting portion in a direction away from the second connecting portion. The two third extending portions preferably extend so as to form a single U shape. This is because the distance is shorter than in the case where the bended shape is such that straight lines are linked up, the length of the extending portions can be shorter, and thus less blockage and absorption of light by the extending portions. The two fourth extending portions preferably extend in a direction away from the third extending portions, then gradually or suddenly change direction and extend in a direction parallel to the first extending portion. Examples of a “direction away from the third extending portions” include a direction perpendicular to a direction parallel to the first extending portion, and a direction that draws an arc or a parabola having its center in the first connecting portion direction with the two fourth extending portions. The second extending portions, the third extending portions, and the fourth extending portions all may be bent at their distal ends. “Bent at their distal ends” encompasses when the extending portions bend, and when they curve. The distal ends of the second extending portions, the third extending portions, and the fourth extending portions may bend toward the first connecting portion and/or the second connecting portion, or they may bend toward the inside of the semiconductor stack and/or the first center line of the semiconductor stack. There are no particular restrictions on the width of the first extending portion, the second extending portions, the third extending portions, and the fourth extending portions, but it is preferable, for example, for the width to be about 5 to 30%, about 5 to 20%, or about 5 to 15% of the diameter or the maximum length of the first connecting portion and the second connecting portion. The widths of these extending portions may be different from one another, or may be the same. For instance, the first extending portion and the second extending portions preferably have the same width, and the third extending portions and the fourth extending portions preferably have the same width. Preferably, the first extending portion and the second extending portions, and the third extending portions and the fourth extending portions have mutually different widths. Also, the first extending portion, the second extending portions, the third extending portions, and the fourth extending portions may each have a width that varies from place to place, or the width may be constant. In the case where the semiconductor stack is a square, there are no particular restrictions on the size of the square in plan view, but one side can be from 600 to 1200 μm. The size, length, width, and/or spacing of the first extending portion, the second extending portions, the third extending portions, and the fourth extending portions can be suitably adjusted according to the size of the semiconductor stack in plan view. For example, in plan view, if the semiconductor stack measures 800 μm square, and the first connecting portion and the second connecting portion have a substantially circular shape with a diameter of about 100 μm, the first connecting portion and the second connecting portion can be separated by 420 to 660 μm. The overall length of the first extending portion can be suitably adjusted within a range of 190 to 370 μm, the overall length of the second extending portion can be suitably adjusted within a range of 750 to 1500 μm, the overall length of the third extending portion can be suitably adjusted within a range of 600 to 1100 μm, and the overall length of the fourth extending portion can be suitably adjusted within a range of 1300 to 2200 μm. The distances f and m between the distal ends of the third extending portions and the second extending portions in the direction in which the third extending portions are extended parallel to the first extending portion can be suitably adjusted within a range of 120 to 190 μm, the distances g and j between the distal ends of the second extending portions and the fourth extending portions in the direction in which the second extending portions are extended parallel to the first extending portion can be suitably adjusted within a range of 90 to 190 μm, and the distances h and k between the distal end of the first extending portion and the second connecting portion can be suitably adjusted within a range of 120 to 170 μm. The widths of the first extending portion, the second extending portions, the third extending portions, and the fourth extending portions can be within a range of about 2 to 15 μm. In the case where the plan view shape of the semiconductor stack is rectangular, the first extending portion is preferably parallel to one side of the semiconductor stack. Similarly, each of the second extending portions, the third extending portions, and the fourth extending portions preferably has a part that is parallel to one side of the semiconductor stack. Such a layout of the extending portions allows the current supplied from the first connecting portion and second connecting portion to be uniformly diffused over the entire face of the semiconductor stack. As shown in FIGS. 1A and 2A, the distances (b and b′) between the second extending portions and the third extending portions are preferably shorter than the distances (a and a′) between the first extending portion and the third extending portions. That is, the distances between the two second extending portions and the respectively adjacent two third extending portions in a direction perpendicular to the first extending portion are preferably shorter than the distances between the first extending portion and the adjacent two third extending portions. The distances (a+b and a′+b′) between the first extending portion and the two second extending portions are preferably equal. The distances (a and a′) between the first extending portion and the two third extending portions are preferably equal. As shown in FIG. 1A, in the case where the light emitting element has fourth extending portions, the distances (c and c′) between portions of the fourth extending portions extending parallel to the first extending portion and portions of the second extending portions extending parallel to the first extending portion in a direction perpendicular to the first extending portion are preferably shorter than the distances (b and b′) between the second extending portions and the third extending portions, and the distances (c and c′) are preferably shorter than the distances (a and a′) between the first extending portion and the third extending portions. Current tends to accumulate (electricity tends to flow) at the straight portion connecting the first connecting portion and second connecting portion. Accordingly, current tends to be diffused to the first extending portion and the two third extending portions near the straight portion connecting the first connecting portion and second connecting portion. Therefore, the accumulation of current can be suppressed by widening the spacing between the first extending portion and the third extending portions. On the other hand, at the area farther from the first connecting portion and the second connecting portion, that is, at the area the closer to the periphery of the semiconductor stack, the less the current tends to diffuse. Therefore, at the extending portions disposed around the periphery of the semiconductor stack, current diffusion is promoted more by narrowing the spacing between the adjacent extending portions. That is, the order, starting from the spacing with the greatest distance, is preferably the distance (a and a′) between the first extending portion and the third extending portions, the distance (b and b′) between the second extending portions and the third extending portions, and the distance (c and c′) between the fourth extending portions and the second extending portions. Disposing the extending portions in this way reduces unevenness in the current density distribution of the semiconductor stack. The a and a′ distances between the first extending portion and the two third extending portions may be different from one another. Also, in a direction perpendicular to the first extending portion, the b and b′ distances between the adjacent second extending portions and third extending portions may be different from one another. Furthermore, in a direction perpendicular to the first extending portion, the c and c′ distances between the adjacent fourth extending portions and second extending portions may be different from one another. As shown in FIG. 1A, in the case wher the distal ends of the fourth extending portions are bent, the distance (e and e′) between the distal ends of the fourth extending portions and the second extending portions in the extending direction of the first extending portion is preferably longer than the distance (c and c′) between portions of the fourth extending portions extending parallel to the first extending portion and portions of the second extending portions extending parallel to the first extending portion in a direction perpendicular to the first extending portion. This lessens the tendency for current to accumulate between the first connecting portion and the distal ends of the fourth extending portions, and allows the current to be uniformly diffused over the entire face of the semiconductor stack. The e and e′ distances between the distal ends of the fourth extending portions and the second extending portions in the extending direction of the first extending portion may be different from one another. As shown in FIG. 2A, in the case where the distal ends of the second extending portions are bent, the distance (d and d′) between the distal ends of the second extending portions and the third extending portions in the extending direction of the first extending portion is preferably longer than the distances (b and b′) between portions of the second extending portions extending parallel to the first extending portion and portions of the third extending portions extending parallel to the first extending portion in a direction perpendicular to the first extending portion. This lessens the tendency for current to accumulate between the second connecting portion and the distal ends of the second extending portions, and allows the current to be uniformly diffused over the entire face of the semiconductor stack. The d and d′ distances between the distal ends of the second extending portions and the third extending portions in the extending direction of the first extending portion may be different from one another. The first electrode and second electrode are preferably such that a light-transmissive conductive layer that covers substantially the entire surface of the first conductivity type semiconductor layer or the second conductivity type semiconductor layer is further disposed between the electrodes and the semiconductor stack, as discussed below. The light-transmissive conductive layer may be provided on both the first conductivity type semiconductor layer and the second conductivity type semiconductor layer. The term “substantially the entire surface” here means a surface area of at least 90% or about 95% of the total surface area of the second conductivity type semiconductor layer. When the light-transmissive conductive layer is formed, an insulating film may be formed under the first electrode or the second electrode, and in at least part between the light-transmissive conductive layer and the first conductivity type semiconductor layer or the second conductivity type semiconductor layer. This insulating film makes it less likely that light will hit the first electrode and the second electrode and be absorbed. The first electrode and the second electrode are generally arranged such that a planar dimension of a rectangular shape enclosing the outer edge of the first electrode or the second electrode, is preferably 60 to 90%, more preferably 70 to 90% with respect to the planar dimension of the light-transmissive conductive layer or the semiconductor stack to be described below. With this arrangement, electric current can be supplied uniformly on approximately the entire surface of the semiconductor stack. In addition, the planar dimension of the electrodes (the first electrode and the second electrode) occupying the upper surface of the semiconductor stack can be reduced, so that absorption of light by the electrodes can be reduced, thus, deterioration in the light extraction efficiency can be reduced. Particularly, the rectangular shape enclosing the outer edge of the first electrode or the second electrode is preferably a similar shape or an approximately similar shape as the external shape of the light emitting element or the external shape of the second conductivity type semiconductor layer, with a size scaling down toward the gravity point of the light emitting element. With the shape as described above, more uniform supply of electric current can be realized. “Rectangular shape enclosing the outer edge of the first electrode and the second electrode” refers to a rectangular shape which is in contact with the end portions arranged outermost side of the first electrode and the second electrode, and is enclosed by lines substantially parallel with the periphery of the light emitting element or the second conductivity type semiconductor layer. Also, in the specification, with “approximately similar shape”, variation in scale reduction of one or more sides with respect to other sides of about ±10% is permissible. For the first electrode and the second electrode, for example, a single-layer or a multi-layer of metal or alloy of Ni, Rh, Cr, Au, W, Pt, Ti, Al, etc., can be used, and of those, a multi-layer of Ti/Pt/Au, Ti/Rh/Au, or the like, respectively stacked in this order is preferably used. In one embodiment, the first electrode has a first connecting portion that is provided near one end of a center line, and a plurality of extending portions (namely, a first extending portion and second extending portions) having parts that extend parallel to the center line. The second electrode has a second connecting portion that is provided on the other side of the center line where the first connecting portion is located, and a plurality of extending portions (namely, third extending portions and, optionally, fourth extending portions) having parts that extend parallel to the center line. The first extending portion, the second extending portions, the third extending portions, and the optional fourth extending portions are disposed alternately in another center line direction that is perpendicular to the center line. The distance between the adjacent first extending portion, second extending portions, third extending portions, and optional fourth extending portions decreases toward the side closer to the outer periphery of the semiconductor stack. (Conductive Layer) The conductive layer disposed between the first electrode or the second electrode and the semiconductor stack is for supplying the electric current supplied from the first electrode or the second electrode uniformly into the entire surface of the semiconductor stack. A metal thin layer can be used for the conductive layer, but as the conductive layer is disposed at the light extracting surface-side of the light emitting element, a light-transmissive conductive layer, more specifically, a conductive oxide layer is preferably used. Examples of the conductive oxide include an oxide containing at least one selected from the group having of Zn, In, Sn, and Mg, and more specifically, ZnO, In2O3, SnO2, ITO (Indium Tin Oxide; ITO), IZO (Indium Zinc Oxide), GZO (Gallium doped Zinc Oxide) and the like. The conductive oxide (in particular, ITO) is a material which exhibits high light transmissivity (for example, 60% or greater, 70% or greater, 75% or greater, or 80% or greater) to visible light (in the visible light region) and has a relatively high electric conductivity, so that can be used preferably. (Packaging) The light emitting element can be mounted on a base member and enclosed with a sealing member to constitute a light emitting device. The light emitting element can be mounted either in a face-up manner or in a face-down manner. The base member is generally constituted with a wiring and an insulating material. The wiring is used to supply electric power to the electrode of the light emitting element. For this purpose, any electrically conductive materials which can serve this function can be used. As for such materials, appropriate materials can be selected from materials described above used for the first electrode etc. Examples of the insulating materials include ceramics, resins, dielectric materials, pulps, glass or composite materials of those, or complex materials of those materials and conductive materials (for example, metal, carbon, etc). The wiring and the insulating material may be formed integrally in an approximately rectangular parallelepiped shape or an approximately cuboid shape, and a recess may be formed in any portion for mounting the light emitting element. The sealing member is used to protect the light emitting element and the connecting members such as a wire from external environment, and any materials which allow efficient extraction of light from the light emitting element can be employed for the sealing member. For example, a light transmissive resin can be employed. The light transmissive resin can contain fluorescent materials, light diffusion materials, fillers and the like. The light transmissive resin allows penetration of light, which is 60% or greater of light emitted from the light emitting layer, and further preferably allows penetration of 70% or greater, 80% or greater, or 90% or greater of light emitted from the light emitting layer. Examples of such resin include a silicone resin, an epoxy resin, and the like. The fluorescent materials known in the art may be employed. For example, in the case where a gallium nitride based light emitting element to emit blue light is used as the light emitting element, fluorescent materials to absorb blue light, such as a YAG-based fluorescent material or a LAG-based fluorescent material to emit yellow to green light, a SiAlON-based fluorescent material (β-sialon-based fluorescent material) to emit green light, and a SCASN-based fluorescent material and a CASN-based fluorescent material to emit red light, can be used singly or in combination. Further, fluoride fluorescent materials, whose excitation band is in blue region and which is red light emitting fluorescent materials having narrow half bandwidth of the emission peak, such as IC2SiF6:Mn4+, K2TiF6:Mn4+, K2SnF6:Mn4+, Na2TiF6:Mn4+, Na2ZrF6:Mn4+, K2Si0.5Ge0.5F6:Mn4+. Example s of the light emitting element of the present disclosure will now be described in detail through reference to the drawings. EXAMPLE 1 As shown in FIGS. 1A and 1C, the light emitting element 10A in Example 1 has a substrate 2, a semiconductor stack 5 having an n-type semiconductor layer 3 (a first conductivity type semiconductor layer), an active layer 33, and a p-type semiconductor layer 4 (a second conductivity type semiconductor layer) provided in that order over the substrate 2, an n-side electrode (a first electrode 6) formed on the n-type semiconductor layer 3, and a p-side electrode (a second electrode 7) that is disposed on the p-type semiconductor layer 4 and surrounding the n-side electrode. The substrate 2 and the semiconductor stack 5 (in particular, the p-type semiconductor layer 4) has an approximately square shape in a plan view, the length of a side of the semiconductor stack 5 or the substrate 2 is 800 μm. The first electrode 6 (the n-side electrode) is formed on the n-type semiconductor layer 3 at the part of the semiconductor stack 5 exposed by removing part of the p-type semiconductor layer 4 and the active layer 33, and is electrically connected to the n-type semiconductor layer 3. The first electrode 6 (the n-side electrode) is surrounded by the p-type semiconductor layer 4 and the active layer 33. The second electrode 7 (the p-side electrode) is formed on the p-type semiconductor layer 4. A light-transmissive conductive layer 8, which is formed over substantially the entire surface of the p-type semiconductor layer 4, is disposed between the p-type semiconductor layer 4 and the second electrode 7 (the p-side electrode). The second electrode 7 (the p-side electrode) is electrically connected to the p-type semiconductor layer 4 via the conductive layer 8. The semiconductor stack 5, the n-side electrode, and the p-side electrode are covered by a protective film 9, except at a part of a first connecting portion 6a and a part of a second connecting portion 7a (discussed below). The first electrode 6 (the n-side electrode) and the second electrode 7 (the p-side electrode) respectively have the first connecting portion 6a and the second connecting portion 7a, which are electrically connected to an external circuit. The first connecting portion 6a and the second connecting portion 7a are disposed near the respective ends of a first center line of the semiconductor stack 5. This first center line is parallel to one side of the semiconductor stack 5 in the plan view, and passes through the center point of another edge that is perpendicular to this first edge. The first connecting portion 6a and the second connecting portion 7a are substantially circular, with a diameter of about 100 μm. The distance between the first connecting portion 6a and the second connecting portion 7a (between center points) is 473 μm. The first electrode 6 (the n-side electrode) has a first extending portion 6b that extends in a straight line from the first connecting portion 6a toward the second connecting portion 7a, and two second extending portions 6c that extend from the first connecting portion 6a parallel to the first extending portion 6b on two sides of (flanking) the first extending portion 6b. The first extending portion 6b extends over the first center line and parallel to one side of the semiconductor stack 5. The first extending portion 6b and the second extending portions 6c have substantially the same width, which is 12 μm. The total length of the first extending portion 6b is 215 μm. The total length of the second extending portions 6c is 1100 μm, and the straight line part of the second extending portions 6c parallel to the first extending portion 6b is about 470 μm. The second electrode 7 (the p-side electrode) has two third extending portions 7b that extend parallel to the first extending portion 6b, in between the first extending portion 6b and the two second extending portions 6c. Also, the second connecting portion 7a further has fourth extending portions 7c that extend parallel to the first extending portion 6b, on the outside of the second extending portions 6c. The distal ends 7d of these fourth extending portions 7c are bent toward the first connecting portion 6a. The width of the third extending portions 7b is 8 μm. The width of the fourth extending portions 7c decreases as distance from the second connecting portion increases, and is 10 μm at one part and 6 μm at another. The total length of the third extending portions 7b is 666 μm, and the straight line part of the third extending portions parallel to the first extending portion 6b is about 235 μm. The total length of the fourth extending portions 7c is 1940 μm, and the straight line part of the fourth extending portions parallel to the first extending portion 6b is about 760 μm. The distances a and a′ between the first extending portion 6b and the two third extending portions 7b are the same, at 130 μm. The distance f between the distal ends of the third extending portions 7b and the second extending portions 6c in the direction in which the third extending portions 7b are extended parallel to the first extending portion 6b is 166 μm. The distances b and b′ between the third extending portions 7b and the second extending portions 6c are the same, at 102 μm. The distances c and c′ between the second extending portions 6c and the fourth extending portions 7c are the same, at 60 μm. The distances e and e′ between the distal ends 7d of the fourth extending portions 7c and the second extending portions 6c are the same, at 91 μm. The distances g between the distal ends of the second extending portions 6c and the fourth extending portions 7c in the direction in which the second extending portions 6c are extended parallel to the first extending portion 6b is 104 μm. The distance h between the distal end of the first extending portion 6b and the second connecting portion 7a is 152 μm. Therefore, the distances b and b′ between the second extending portions 6c and the third extending portions 7b are shorter than the distances a and a′ between the first extending portion 6b and the third extending portions 7b. The distances c and c′ between portions of the fourth extending portions extending parallel to the first extending portion and portions of the second extending portions extending parallel to the first extending portion in a direction perpendicular to the first extending portion are shorter than the distances b and b′ between the second extending portions 6c and the third extending portions 7b. The distances c and c′ are shorter than the distances a and a′ between the first extending portion 6b and the two third extending portions 7b. The distances c and c′ are shorter than the distances e and e′ between the distal ends 7d of the fourth extending portions 7c and the second extending portions 6c. In the light emitting element 10A, the second electrode 7 which is a p-side electrode surrounding the first electrode 6 which is an n-side electrode is arranged in a region with a scale of about 70% with respect to the planar dimension of the conductive layer 8 centered at the center of the semiconductor stack 5. In other words, when assuming four straight lines which are respectively in contact with the end portions at outermost sides of the second electrode 7, and in parallel with the four outer edges of the semiconductor stack 5, the planar dimension surrounded with the four straight lines has a scale ratio of approximately 70% with respect to the planar dimension of the conductive layer 8 (see, an area enclosed by dotted line in FIG. 1A). MODIFICATION EXAMPLE 1 OF EXAMPLE 1 As shown in FIG. 1B, the light emitting element 10B of this Modification Example 1 of Example 1 has substantially the same configuration as the light emitting element 10A in Example 1, except that the first electrode 16 is the p-side electrode, and the second electrode 17 is the n-side electrode. That is, the light emitting element 10B has a first electrode 16 as the p-side electrode, which has a first connecting portion 16a, a first extending portion 16b, and two second extending portions 16c. The the light emitting element 10B has a second electrode 17 as the n-side electrode, which has a second connecting portion 17a, two third extending portions 17b, and two fourth extending portions 17c. The distal ends 17d of these fourth extending portions 17c are bent toward the first connecting portion 16a. The width of the first extending portion 16b is 12 μm. The width of the second extending portion 16c is 12 μm. The width of the third extending portion 17b is 8 μm. The width of the fourth extending portions 17c is 10 μm at a place near the second connecting portion 17a, and 6 μm at the distal end side. MODIFICATION EXAMPLE 2 OF EXAMPLE 1 As shown in FIG. 1D, the light emitting element 10C of this Modification Example 2 of Example 1 is similar to the light emitting element 10A in that the second connecting portion 7a, the third extending portions 7b, and the fourth extending portions 7c are disposed at the second electrode 7, and has substantially the same configuration as the light emitting element 10A in Example 1 except that the distal ends of the fourth extending portions 7c are not bent, and extend linearly toward the end of the light emitting element 10C, past the outermost end of the first connecting portion 6a. The distance between the distal ends of the fourth extending portions 7c near the end of the light emitting element and the end of the semiconductor stack 5 in the direction in which the fourth extending portions 7c extend parallel to the first extending portion 6b is 62 μm. EXAMPLE 2 As shown in FIG. 2A, the light emitting element 20A in this Example 2 has a substrate 2, a semiconductor stack 5 having an n-type semiconductor layer 3 (a first conductivity type semiconductor layer), an active layer 33, and a p-type semiconductor layer 4 (a second conductivity type semiconductor layer) provided in that order over the substrate 2, an n-side electrode (a second electrode 27) formed on the n-type semiconductor layer 3, and an p-side electrode (a first electrode 26) that is disposed on the p-type semiconductor layer 4 and surrounding the n-side electrode (the second electrode 27). The substrate 2 and the semiconductor stack 5 (in particular, the p-type semiconductor layer 4) have an approximately square shape in a plan view. For example, the length of a side of the semiconductor stack 5 or the substrate 2 is 800 μm. The second electrode 27 (the n-side electrode) is formed on the n-type semiconductor layer 3 at the part of the semiconductor stack 5 exposed by removing part of the p-type semiconductor layer 4 and the active layer 33, and is electrically connected to the n-type semiconductor layer 3. The second electrode 27 (the n-side electrode) is surrounded by the p-type semiconductor layer 4 and the active layer 33. The first electrode 26 (the p-side electrode) is formed on the p-type semiconductor layer 4. A light-transmissive conductive layer 28, which is formed over substantially the entire surface of the p-type semiconductor layer 4, is disposed between the p-type semiconductor layer 4 and the first electrode 26 (the p-side electrode). The first electrode 26 (the p-side electrode) is electrically connected to the p-type semiconductor layer 4 via the conductive layer 28. The semiconductor stack 5, the n-side electrode, and the p-side electrode are covered by a protective film 9, except at a part of a first connecting portion 26a and a part of a second connecting portion 27a (discussed below). The first electrode 26 (the p-side electrode) and the second electrode 27 (the n-side electrode) respectively have the first connecting portion 26a and the second connecting portion 27a. The first connecting portion 26a and the second connecting portion 27a are disposed near the respective ends of a first center line of the semiconductor stack 5. The first electrode 26 (the p-side electrode) has a first extending portion 26b that extends in a straight line from the first connecting portion 26a toward the second connecting portion 27a, and two second extending portions 26c that extend from the first connecting portion 26a parallel to the first extending portion 26b on two sides of (flanking) the first extending portion 26b. The first extending portion 26b extends over the first center line and parallel to one side of the semiconductor stack 5. The first extending portion has the width of 12 μm. The width of the second extending portions 26c decreases moving away from the first connecting portion 26a, and is 10 μm at one part and 6 μm at another. The total length of the first extending portion 26b is 248 μm. The total length of the second extending portions 26c is 1760 μm, and the straight line part parallel to the first extending portion 26b is about 880 μm. The distal ends 26d of these second extending portions 26c are bent toward the second connecting portion 27a. The second electrode 27 (the n-side electrode) has two third extending portions 27b that extend parallel to the first extending portion 26b, in between the first extending portion 26b and the two second extending portions 26c. The third extending portions 27b have distal ends 27c which are bent toward the first connecting portion 26a. The width of the the third extending portions 27b is 8 μm. The total length of the third extending portion 27b is 666 μm, and the straight line part parallel to the first extending portion 26b is about 324 μm. The distances a and a′ between the first extending portion 26b and the two third extending portions 27b are the same, at 130 μm. The distances b and b′ between the third extending portion 27b and the second extending portion 26c are the same, at 61.5 μm. The distances d and d′ between the distal ends 26d of the second extending portions 26c and the third extending portions 27b are the same, at 112 μm. In this light emitting element 20A, the first electrode 26 surrounding the the second electrode 27 is arranged in a region with a scale reduction of about 70% with respect to the planar dimension of the conductive layer 28 centered at the center of the semiconductor stack 5. The light emitting element in this Example has substantially the same configuration as the light emitting element in Example 1 except for the above. MODIFICATION EXAMPLE 1 OF EXAMPLE 2 As shown in FIG. 2B, the light emitting element 20B of this Modification Example 1 of Example 2 has substantially the same configuration as the light emitting element 20A in Example 2, except that the second electrode 227 is the p-side electrode, and the first electrode 226 is the n-side electrode. That is, the light emitting element 20B has a first electrode 226 as the n-side electrode which has a first connecting portion 226a, a first extending portion 226b, and two second extending portions 226c. The distal ends 226d of these second extending portions 226c are bent toward the second connecting portion 227a. The light emitting element 20B has a second electrode 227 as the p-side electrode, which has a second connecting portion 227a, and two third extending portions 227b. The distal ends 227c of these third extending portions 227b are bent toward the first connecting portion 226a. The width of the first extending portion 226b is 10 μm. The width of the second extending portion 226c decreases moving away from the first connecting portion 226a, and is 10 μm at one part and 6 μm at another. The width of the third extending portion 227b is 8 μm. EXAMPLE 3 As shown in FIG. 3, the light emitting element 30 in this Example 3 has substantially the same configuration as the light emitting element 10A in Example 1, except that a first connecting portion 36a of the n-side electrode (the first electrode) is moved in the direction toward a second connecting portion 37a of the p-side electrode (the second electrode), which is accompanied by a slight change in how a first extending portion 36b and second extending portions 36c extend from the first connecting portion 36a. EXAMPLE 4 As shown in FIG. 4, the light emitting element 40 in this Example 4 has substantially the same configuration as the light emitting element 10A in Example 1, except that a first connecting portion 46a of the n-side electrode is moved in the direction toward the opposite side from a second connecting portion 47a of the p-side electrode, which is accompanied by a slight change in how a first extending portion 46b and second extending portions 46c extend from the first connecting portion 46a. EXAMPLE 5 As shown in FIG. 5, the light emitting element 50 in this Example 5 is such that a first connecting portion 56a (the n-side electrode) is moved so as to come into contact with the nearest side of the semiconductor stack 5 in the plan view. Consequently, the distance between the first connecting portion 56a and a second connecting portion 57a is extended from the 473 μm of Example 1 to 593 μm. The length of the first extending portion 56b and the second extending portions 56c is increased so that the distance between the second connecting portion 57a and the distal end of the first extending portion 56b, and the distance between the distal end of the second extending portions 56c and the fourth extending portions 57c in the direction in which the second extending portions 56c extend parallel to the first extending portion 56b will be the same as the distance between these members in the light emitting element 10A. In particular, the total length of the first extending portion 56b is 335 μm, and the total length of the second extending portions 56c is 1300 μm. Also, the length of the third extending portions 57b and the fourth extending portions 57c are extended toward the one side of the semiconductor stack 5 where the first connection portion 56a comes into contact. In particular, the total length of the third extending portions 57b is 978 μm, and the total length of the fourth extending portions 57c is 1612 μm. The distance between the distal ends of the third extending portions 57b and the second extending portions 56c touching one edge of the semiconductor stack 5 is 174 μm. The distance between the distal ends of the fourth extending portions 57c and one edge of the semiconductor stack 5 is 62 μm. EXAMPLE 6 As shown in FIG. 6, the light emitting element 60 in this Example 6 is such that a first connecting portion 66a (the n-side electrode) is moved so as to come into contact with the nearest side of the semiconductor stack 5 in the plan view. Consequently, the distance between the first connecting portion 66a and a second connecting portion 67a is extended from the 473 μm of Example 1 to 593 μm. The length of the first extending portion 66b and the second extending portions 66c is increased so that the distance between the second connecting portion 67a and the distal end of the first extending portion 66b, and the distance between the distal end of the second extending portions 66c and the fourth extending portions 67c in the direction in which the second extending portions 66c extend parallel to the first extending portion 66b will be the same as the distance between these members in the light emitting element 10A. In particular, the total length of the first extending portion 66b is 335 μm, and the total length of the second extending portions 66c is 1300 μm, Also, the length of the third extending portions 67b and the fourth extending portions 67c are extended to the one edge side of the semiconductor stack 5 where the first extending connection portion 66a comes into contact. In particular, the total length of the third extending portions 67b is 978 μm, and the total length of the fourth extending portions 67c is 1486 μm. The distance between the distal ends of the third extending portions 67b and the second extending portions 66c touching one edge of the semiconductor stack 5 is 174 μm. The distance between the distal ends of the fourth extending portions 67c and one edge of the semiconductor stack 5 is 125 μm. EXAMPLE 7 As shown in FIG. 7, the light emitting element 70 in this Example 7 has substantially the same configuration as the light emitting element 10A in Example 1, except that the total length of the second extending portions 76c is shorter (total length: 832 μm), the distance between the distal ends of the second extending portions 76c and the fourth extending portions 77c in the direction in which the second extending portions 76c extend parallel to the first extending portion 76b is longer (distance j: 172 μm), the first extending portion 76b is longer, and the distance between the first extending portion 76b and the second connecting portion 77a is shorter (distance k: 136 μm). EXAMPLE 8 As shown in FIG. 8, the light emitting element 80 in this Example 8 has substantially the same configuration as the light emitting element 10A in Example 1, except that the total length of the third extending portions 87b is longer (total length: 760 μm), the distance between the distal ends of the third extending portions 87b and the second extending portions 86c in the direction in which the third extending portions 87b extend parallel to the first extending portion 86b is shorter (distance j: 130 μm). EXAMPLE 9 As shown in FIG. 9, the light emitting element 90 in this Example 9 has substantially the same configuration as the light emitting element 10A in Example 1, except that the total length of the second extending portions 96c is shorter (total length: 832 μm), the distance between the distal ends of the second extending portions 96c and the fourth extending portions 97c in the direction in which the second extending portions 96c extend parallel to the first extending portion 96b is longer (distance j: 172 μm), the first extending portion 96b is longer, the distance between the first extending portion 96b and the second connecting portion 97a is shorter (distance k: 136 μm), the total length of the third extending portions 97b is longer (total length: 760 μm), and the distance between the distal ends of the third extending portions 97b and the second extending portions 96c in the direction in which the third extending portions 97b extend parallel to the first extending portion 96b is shorter (distance m: 130 μm). REFERENCE EXAMPLE As shown in FIG. 10, the light emitting element 100 in this reference example has substantially the same configuration as in Example 1, except that the distance X between the second extending portions 106c and the third extending portions 107b is equal to the distance Y between the first extending portion 106b and the third extending portions 107b, and the distance Z between the second extending portions 106c and the fourth extending portions 107c. X=Y=Z=99 μm. Evaluation of Light Emitting Elements The distribution of current density in the light emitting elements 10A, 50, 80 of Examples 1, 5, 8 and the light emitting element 100 of Reference Example was analyzed by using simulation software based on the finite element method. The results are shown in FIG. 11. In FIG. 11, darker shading indicates a higher current density. With the light emitting element 100, since the distance between the first extending portion and the third extending portions is short, current concentrates between the first connecting portion and second connecting portion, and current tends to accumulate in the center. In contrast, with the light emitting elements 10A, 50, and 80, in which the distance between the first extending portion and the third extending portions is increased, there is less concentration of current in the center portion. Also, current is diffused up to the periphery of the semiconductor stack by shortening the distance between the second extending portions and the fourth extending portions, and the distance between the third extending portions and the second extending portions in a direction perpendicular to the first extending portion, as distance from the first connecting portion and the second connecting portion increases (that is, as the distance from the periphery of the semiconductor stack decreases). As to the light emitting element 80, the third extending portions are longer than that of the light emitting element 10A, and the distal ends of the third extending portions are closer to the first connecting portion than that of the light emitting element 10A, so current is diffused more in the center portion of the light emitting element 80. As to the light emitting element 50, because the first connecting portion is disposed around (on one side of) the semiconductor stack, and the distal ends of the fourth extending portions extend to near the corners of the semiconductor stack, it can be seen that current spreads out in the corners of the semiconductor stack as well. Similar effect is obtained in current density distribution with the light emitting elements 20A, 30, 40, 60, 70, and 90 in the other Examples. Three each of the light emitting elements of the above-mentioned Examples 1, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 8 (that is, the light emitting elements 10A, 30, 40, 50, 60, and 80) were prepared, and the light emitting element 100 of the Reference Example was similarly prepared. These light emitting elements were evaluated as follows. The light emitting elements 10A, 30, 40, 50, and 60 was checked for the effect of distance between the first connecting portion of the n-side electrode (the first electrode) and the second connecting portion of the p-side electrode (the second electrode). Current of 350 mA was applied to each light emitting element, and the Po, Vf, and initial power efficiency were compared, which revealed these to be better in the light emitting elements 10A, 30, and 40 than in the light emitting elements 50 and 60. Consequently, from the standpoint of Po, Vf, and initial power efficiency, it is preferable for the first connecting portion and the second connecting portion to be provided somewhat closer together, and it can be seen that the first connecting portion of the n-side electrode is preferably surrounded by the p-type semiconductor layer rather than being in contact with the closest edge of the semiconductor stack. A current of 350 mA was applied to the light emitting elements 10A and 80 and the light emitting element 100 of the Reference Example, and the output power (Po) and the forward voltage (Vf) were measured. The output power is given in units of mW. The initial power efficiency was found from the formula: {output power/(current×voltage)}×100 [%]. The current is in units of mA, and the voltage is in units of V. As to the initial power efficiency, the light emitting element 80 was better than the light emitting element 10A and the light emitting element 100. For Vf, the light emitting element 80 was better than the light emitting element 10A, and the light emitting element 10A was better than the light emitting element 100. These effects lead to the conclusion that providing the first connecting portion and the second connecting portion somewhat close together is effective at increasing the power output, and that increasing the distances x and y over the distance z, and somewhat shortening the distance m are effective at reducing the Vf and current accumulation. From the standpoint of initial power efficiency, the light emitting element 80 was the best in that it struck a good balance between these points. Evaluation of Light Emitting Device The light emitting element 80 of Example 8 and the light emitting element 100 of the Reference Example were each mounted in a ceramic package having a cavity (3 mm long×3 mm wide×0.52 mm high), and the light emitting element was sealed with a silicone resin containing YAG to produce a white light emitting device. These white light emitting devices were measured for Vf, light flux (lm), and emission efficiency (lm/W), and then compared. As a result, the white light emitting device in which the light emitting element 80 was mounted was found to have a Vf that was 0.59% lower, a light flux that was 0.39% higher, and an emission efficiency that was 0.93% higher than in the white light emitting device in which the light emitting element 100 was mounted. Consequently, with a white light emitting device, the current density distribution of the light emitting element 80, that is, the emission distribution, was improved over that of the light emitting device 100 in the Reference Example, so the light flux and the emission efficiency were believed to be improved. INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY A light emitting element according to the present disclosure can be suitably employed for various lighting apparatuses, in particular, a light source for lighting, an LED display, backlight source for a liquid crystal display device, signals, a lighted switch, various sensors, various indicators, an auxiliary light source for moving image, other consumer light sources, or the like. | <SOH> BACKGROUND <EOH> | <SOH> SUMMARY <EOH>Accordingly, the present disclosure is devised to solve the problems as described above, and is aimed to provide a light emitting element reducing uneven distribution of the current density between the electrodes. The present disclosure relates to a light emitting element. A light emitting element includes a semiconductor stack, a first electrode, and a second electrode. The semiconductor stack includes a first conductivity type semiconductor layer and a second conductivity type semiconductor layer. The first electrode is formed on the first conductivity type semiconductor layer. The second electrode is formed on the second conductivity type semiconductor layer. The first electrode and the second electrode are disposed on the same face side of the first conductivity type semiconductor layer and the second conductivity type semiconductor layer. In plan view, the first electrode has a first connecting portion, a first extending portion, and two second extending portions. The second electrode has a second connecting portion and two third extending portions. The first extending portion extends linearly from the first connecting portion toward the second connecting portion, and the two second extending portions arranged on two sides of the first extending portion, with each of the second extending portions having two bent portions and a linear portion extending parallel to the first extending portion and disposed between the two bent portions. The two third extending portions extend parallel to the first extending portion between the first extending portion and the two second extending portions. With respect to an extending direction of the first extending portion, each of the second extending portions extends beyond a position of the second connecting portion. With the light emitting element according to the present disclosure, uneven distribution of the current density between the electrodes can be reduced. | H01L33387 | 20171207 | 20180405 | 86613.0 | H01L3338 | 1 | TRAN, TAN N | LIGHT EMITTING ELEMENT | UNDISCOUNTED | 1 | CONT-ACCEPTED | H01L | 2,017 |
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15,835,573 | PENDING | WEARABLE ELECTRONIC DEVICE AND METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING THEREOF | A wearable electronic device includes a body part made of a non-ceramic material, having an inner surface and an outer surface, wherein at least one cavity having a depth is arranged on the inner surface of the body part, an electronic part arranged in the at least one cavity, which electronic part has a thickness that is less than the depth of the at least one cavity, and a coating made of a moldable filler material on the inner surface of the body part, covering the electronic part and the at least one cavity. | 1. A wearable electronic device comprising: a body part made of a non-ceramic material, having an inner surface and an outer surface, wherein at least one cavity having a depth is arranged on the inner surface of the body part, an electronic part arranged in said at least one cavity, which electronic part has a thickness that is less than the depth of the at least one cavity, and a coating made of a moldable filler material on the inner surface of the body part, covering the electronic part and the at least one cavity. 2. The wearable electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the non-ceramic material is a titanium material. 3. The wearable electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the non-ceramic material is a machinable material. 4. The wearable electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the non-ceramic material is a machinable titanium material. 5. The wearable device according to claim 1 wherein the non-ceramic material is a machinable metallic material comprising one or more of titanium, steel, platinum, gold, palladium, silver or bronze or a gold based alloys. 6. The wearable electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the electronic part is attached to the cavity a bottom of the cavity. 7. The wearable electronic device according to claim 6, comprising one or more of a sticker, a tape or glue that attaches the electronic part to the at least one cavity at a bottom of the at least one cavity. 8. The wearable electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the moldable filler material is selected from a group consisting of at least epoxy material, Polyethylene, Polyurethane, low temperature moldable material, Loctite M-31CL, alpha-epoxy, 1,2-epoxy, EpoxAcast® 650, Bisphenol S epoxy resin, Novolac epoxy resin, Aliphatic epoxy resin and Glycidylamine epoxy resin. 9. The wearable electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the electronic part comprises one or more of a battery, an infrared transmitter, a microcontroller, a radio frequency transceiver, a temperature sensor and an infrared receiver. 10. The wearable electronic device according to claim 9, wherein the moldable filler material comprises an ink and is configured to cover at least an area other than the infrared transmitter and the infrared receiver within the at least one cavity 11. The wearable electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the moldable filler material comprises an ink that increases a value of transmitted infrared light intensity divided by transmitted visible light intensity. 12. The wearable electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the body part comprises a ring configured to be worn on a finger. 13. A method for manufacturing a wearable electronic device, comprising: machining a body part using a non-ceramic material to form at least one cavity on an inner surface of the body part, arranging an electronic part in said at least one cavity, and coating the inner surface of the body part including covering the electronic part and filling any open regions in said at least one cavity. 14. A method according to claim 13, wherein the electronic part is attached to the cavity using one or more of a sticker, tape disposed on a bottom of the at least one cavity. 15. A method according to claim 13, comprising using an assembly guiding element to arrange the electronic part in the at least one cavity. 16. A method according to claim 13, wherein machining the body part to form the at least one cavity comprises machining a first cavity and a second cavity on the inner surface of the body part. 17. A method according to claim 16, wherein the first cavity and the second cavity are connected. 18. A method according to claim 17, wherein the electronic part comprises a battery and a support on which other components of the electronic part are arranged, and arranging the electronic part in the cavity comprises arranging the battery in the first cavity, connecting the battery to the support and arranging the support in the second cavity. 19. A method according to claim 13, wherein coating the inner surface of the body part comprises applying an epoxy resin on the inner surface and curing the resin to form an epoxy coating. 20. The method according to claim 13, wherein the body part comprises a ring configured to be worn on a finger. | CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION This application is a continuation of, claims priority to and the benefit of, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/826,360, filed 14 Aug. 2015, status pending, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. TECHNICAL FIELD The present disclosure relates generally to a wearable electronic device; and more specifically, to a wearable electronic device for analysing and processing of biological signals and a method for manufacturing such wearable electronic device. BACKGROUND Recent consumer's interest in personal health has led to a variety of personal health monitoring devices being offered in the market. For example, wearable electronic devices for monitoring personal health are well known in the art. The wearable electronic devices are measurement devices that can be worn on finger, wrist or any other body part. Generally, such devices include electronic elements, such as flexible printed circuit board, processor, sensor, battery and the like, which enable measurement and/or analysis of different physiological parameters, such as heart beat, corresponding to a user. Typically, these wearable devices are designed in a way such that it is water proof and provides a smooth skin contact to the wearer. A known way to make these devices waterproof is to have a two part cover, for the electronic elements, which are connected to each other for enclosing the electronic elements therewithin. For example, the two parts can be connected together using attachment means, such as screws or clips. Further, a sealing material, such as o-ring, is provided between the two parts while connecting the two parts for making the connection water proof. However, such water proof arrangement for the wearable devices makes their structure configuration complex due to the involvement of various components such as the first cover, the second cover, the o-ring and the screws. Further, this may lead to manufacturing defects since the components are made with small tolerances. For example, the wearable electronic devices may be subjected to manufacturing errors, such as too much tightening or loosening of one or more screws, which may lead to non-waterproof sealant. Moreover, an inner surface (contacting the user's skin) of such devices should be free from any cavity or depression (for example, grooves for screws) which may get deposited with dirt. Additionally, the inner surface should be smooth and provide good adherence with the user's skin when worn in the finger, wrist or any other body part. Therefore, in light of the foregoing discussion, there exists a need to overcome the aforementioned drawbacks of the conventional wearable electronic device. SUMMARY The present disclosure seeks to provide a wearable electronic device, particularly, for analysing and processing of biological signals. The present disclosure also seeks to provide a method for manufacturing a wearable electronic device for analysing and processing of biological signals. In one aspect, an embodiment of the present disclosure provides a wearable electronic device comprising: a molded body part made of a moldable ceramic material, having an inner surface and an outer surface, wherein at least one cavity having a depth is arranged on the inner surface of the body part, an electronic part arranged in said cavity, which electronic part has a thickness that is less than the depth of the cavity, and a coating made of a moldable filler material on the inner surface of the body part, covering the electronic part and the cavity. In another aspect, an embodiment of the present disclosure provides a method for manufacturing a wearable electronic device. The method comprises the steps of: molding a body part using a moldable ceramic material, wherein a mold is such that at least one cavity is formed on an inner surface of the body part, arranging an electronic part in said cavity, and coating the inner surface of the body part to form the coating including covering the electronic part. Embodiments of the present disclosure substantially eliminate or at least partially address the aforementioned problems in the prior art, and provides a wearable electronic device having a simple structure configuration and efficient waterproofing. Additional aspects, advantages, features and objects of the present disclosure would be made apparent from the drawings and the detailed description of the illustrative embodiments construed in conjunction with the appended claims that follow. It will be appreciated that features of the present disclosure are susceptible to being combined in various combinations without departing from the scope of the present disclosure as defined by the appended claims. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The summary above, as well as the following detailed description of illustrative embodiments, is better understood when read in conjunction with the appended drawings. For the purpose of illustrating the present disclosure, exemplary constructions of the disclosure are shown in the drawings. However, the present disclosure is not limited to specific methods and instrumentalities disclosed herein. Moreover, those in the art will understand that the drawings are not to scale. Wherever possible, like elements have been indicated by identical numbers. Embodiments of the present disclosure will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the following diagrams wherein: FIG. 1 is a schematic side view of a wearable electronic device, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure; FIG. 2 is a schematic top view of the wearable electronic device, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure; FIG. 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the wearable electronic device along an axis B-B of the FIG. 2, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure; FIGS. 4 and 5 are schematic cross-sectional views of the wearable electronic device of FIG. 1 along axes A-A and C-C, respectively, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure; FIG. 6 is an illustration of steps of a method for manufacturing a wearable electronic device, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure; FIGS. 7A-7C illustrate the steps of the method of FIG. 6, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure; FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a molded body part and an electronic part of the wearable electronic device in an unassembled state, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure; FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the molded body part and the electronic part in an assembled state, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure; FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the assembled molded body part and the electronic part, and a molding stand positioned adjacent thereto, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure; FIG. 11 is a perspective view of the molded body part, arranged with the electronic part, mounted on the molding stand, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure; and FIG. 12 is a perspective view of the wearable electronic device, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. In the accompanying drawings, an underlined number is employed to represent an item over which the underlined number is positioned or an item to which the underlined number is adjacent. A non-underlined number relates to an item identified by a line linking the non-underlined number to the item. When a number is non-underlined and accompanied by an associated arrow, the non-underlined number is used to identify a general item at which the arrow is pointing. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS The following detailed description illustrates embodiments of the present disclosure and ways in which they can be implemented. Although some modes of carrying out the present disclosure have been disclosed, those skilled in the art would recognize that other embodiments for carrying out or practicing the present disclosure are also possible. In one aspect, an embodiment of the present disclosure provides a wearable electronic device. The wearable electronic device comprises a molded body part made of a moldable ceramic material, having an inner surface and an outer surface, wherein at least one cavity having a depth is arranged on the inner surface of the body part, an electronic part arranged in said cavity, which electronic part has a thickness that is less than the depth of the cavity, and a coating made of an epoxy material on the inner surface of the body part, covering the electronic part and the cavity. In an embodiment, the wearable electronic device is operable to measure different physiological parameters corresponding to a user, such as blood volume pulse, to determine a heart rate of the user. In an example, the heart rate is determined by measuring PPG (photoplethysmogram) from the blood volume pulse. The PPG can be measured or generated using optical electronics, particularly using principle of transmittance or reflectance of light. Additionally, the wearable electronic device is also operable to measure stress of the user. In an embodiment, the wearable electronic device is a ring that can be worn by a user in a finger. For example, the wearable electronic device is sized to be suitably worn on a finger, such as an index finger, of the user. Further, it may be available in a variety of sizes for accommodating various finger sizes. In another embodiment, the wearable electronic device may be a wrist band that may be worn on a wrist of the user. In such instance, it may be evident to those skilled in the art that a size of the wearable electronic device should be large enough to be suitably worn at the wrist of the user. The wearable electronic device comprises a molded body part made of a moldable ceramic material. As mentioned herein, the wearable electronic device is a ring, therefore the molded body part may be configured to have a central portion and a loop integral with the central portion for a ring structure. Alternatively, the central portion and the loop can be formed separately and later joined together to form the body part. In an embodiment, the moldable ceramic material is selected from a group consisting of zirconia, zirconium, aluminum nitride, aluminum oxide, Boron carbide, silicon carbide, silicon nitride, titanium diboride and yttrium oxide. Alternatively, non-ceramic material, such as plastic, metal (such as titanium, steel, platinum, gold, palladium, silver or bronze or a gold based alloys), rubber or any combination thereof may be used for forming the molded body part. The molded body part includes the inner surface, the outer surface and at least one cavity having the depth arranged on the inner surface of the body part. The inner surface contacts the skin of the user, whereas the outer surface is opposite to the inner surface and externally visible. The at least one cavity is made during the molding of the body part. Alternatively it is possible form the cavities to body part by cutting or milling. Further the outer surface can be formed or finalised by milling or polishing up or other metallic workshop methods. In an embodiment, the at least one cavity of the molded body part includes two cavities, such as a first cavity and a second cavity, which are formed on the inner surface of the molded body part. Further, the first cavity and the second cavity are connected with each other. Moreover, the first cavity resides in the central portion of the molded body part and the second cavity runs along the loop and is connected to the first cavity. In an embodiment, a depth of the first cavity is slightly more than a depth of the second cavity. For example, if the second cavity has a depth of about 1 mm, then depth of the first cavity would be slightly more than 1 mm. Also, shapes of the two cavities may vary depending upon shapes of the central portion and the loop. The wearable electronic device further comprises the electronic part arranged in the cavity, which electronic part has a thickness that is less than the depth of the cavity. Specifically, the cavity is dimensioned to have the depth which is sufficient to allow the electronic part to be fully placed inside the cavity, and an unfilled space still remains when the electronic part is fully placed inside the cavity. In an embodiment, the electronic part comprises a battery and a support on which other components of the electronic part are arranged. For example, the other components of the electronic part (arranged on the support) may include but not limited to an infrared transmitter, a microcontroller, a radio frequency transceiver, a temperature sensor and an infrared receiver. In an embodiment, the support also comprises means for charging the battery, such as the charging pads (or charging pins). In an embodiment, there may be two or more charging pads arranged, for example on the inner surface of the support. In an embodiment, the support is a flexible printed circuit board (PCB), for example, a flexible plastic substrate made of polyimide, PEEK (a transparent conductive polyester film), polyester or a combination thereof. In an embodiment, the electronic part includes a first part and a second part. For example, the battery and a portion of the support (flexible PCB) on which the microcontroller is arranged (or mounted) constitute the first part of the electronic part. Further, a remaining portion of the support and the other components of the electronic part arranged on the remaining portion constitute the second part of the electronic part. In an embodiment, the first part and the second part are connected to each other using electrical wires. For example, the battery may be electrically coupled to the support (particularly to the microcontroller) using the electrical wires. As mentioned above, the electronic part is arranged in the cavity. For example, the first part of the electronic part is arranged in the first cavity and the second part of the electronic part is arranged in the second cavity. In an embodiment, the electronic part is attached to the cavity by an attachment means arranged at a bottom of the cavity. The attachment means is selected from a group consisting of a sticker, a tape, glue, and an attachment structure made in the molded body part. In an example, a sticker (or a stick foam tape) may be arranged at a bottom of the first cavity and the battery may be adhered to central portion and inside the first cavity with the help of the sticker. Similarly, another sticker (or a stick foam tape) may be arranged at a bottom of the second cavity (or on the support, i.e. flexible PCB) such that the support may be adhered to loop and within the second cavity with another sticker. In one embodiment, the electronic part is aligned in proper position with respect to the molded body part using an assembly guiding element (the attachment structure made in the molded body part). Specifically, the second part can be aligned with respect to the second cavity by using the assembly guiding element. In an example, the assembly guiding element is a protruding part, such as a tab or a spike, configured on the inner surface, preferably, on the loop. In an embodiment, there is a single assembly guiding element configured on the inner surface of the loop. Alternatively, there can be more than one assembly guiding elements arranged on the inner surface of the loop. Typically, the support includes at least one hole corresponding to the assembly guiding element for receiving the assembly guiding element therethrough and aligning the electronic part (particularly the support) with respect to the molded body part (particularly to the second cavity). The wearable electronic device further comprises a coating made of an moldable filler material on the inner surface of the body part, covering the electronic part and the cavity. For example, the moldable filler material is filled in the cavity embedded with the electronic part. Specifically, the moldable filler material is filled to cover the unfilled space that still remains, when the first cavity and the second cavity respectively receive the first part and the second part of the electronic part therein. Therefore, the coating made of the moldable filler material sealingly covers for electronic part and fills the remaining space of the cavity arranged on the inner surface of the molded body part. In an embodiment, the moldable filler material is selected from a group consisting of at least epoxy material, Polyethylene, Polyurethane, low temperature moldable material (low temperature refers to below 100 degrees of Celsius in order not to cause too high temperatures for the electronics parts), Loctite M-31CL, alpha-epoxy, EpoxAcast® 650, Bisphenol S epoxy resin, Novolac epoxy resin, Aliphatic epoxy resin and Glycidylamine epoxy resin. In an embodiment, the moldable filler material comprises optionally an ink, which ink increases value of transmitted infrared light intensity divided by transmitted light intensity. In other words relative mount of infrared light which can pass thru the moldable filler material with the ink compared to amount of visible light which can pass thru the moldable filler material is higher when the ink is used in comparison to no ink. As an example, if the moldable filler material is selected as epoxy material, the epoxy material is a mixture of an epoxy resin and a colorant (i.e. the ink). In an example, the ink is an inkjet ink, such as a Magic Black ink. Further, the moldable filler material comprising the ink is arranged to cover at least area other than the IR transmitter and the IR receiver within the cavity. The moldable filler material comprising the ink can cover also IR transmitter and the IR receiver. In another aspect, an embodiment of the present disclosure provides a method for manufacturing the wearable electronic device. The method comprises steps of molding a body part using a moldable ceramic material, wherein a mold is such that at least one cavity is formed on an inner surface of the body part; arranging an electronic part in said cavity; and coating the inner surface of the body part by applying an epoxy resin on the surface and curing the resin to form an epoxy coating, including covering the electronic part. In an embodiment, the molding of the body part is done with the use of a mold. The mold essentially comprises a first part and a second part conforming to the central portion and the loop of the molded body part, such that when the moldable ceramic material is injected into the mold, the molded body part with the central portion and the loop is formed. In an embodiment, the molded body part is formed using a ceramic injection molding (CIM) technique. As an example of CIM technique zirconia is injected in a mold and then further sintered in temperatures range of about 1300-1550 degrees Celcius. In addition a ceramic molding technique such as slip casting, ceramic shell casting and technical ceramics can be used. Typically, the ceramic molding technique is performed at a temperature range of about 1500-2500 degree Celsius depending on the moldable ceramic material used. For example, if the moldable ceramic material used is zirconium, the molding is performed at a temperature of about 1855 degree Celsius and similarly, if the moldable ceramic material used is aluminum nitride, the molding is performed at a temperature of about 2200 degree Celsius. Alternatively, the molded body part (when formed using non-ceramic material) can be molded using a molding technique, such as compression molding, extrusion molding, injection molding and rotational molding. In another embodiment, the body part can be made from other manufacturing techniques, such as forming, machining, three dimensional (3D) printing and the like. Further the molded body part can be formed for example by using ultraviolent (UV) based curing method where ceramic material such as alumina (Al2O3) is mixed in curable solution and then illuminated with high intensity ultraviolent lamps (220-450 nm) for sufficient times. The mold (used for molded body part) is such that at least one cavity is formed on an inner surface of the body part. Specifically, the mold used for forming the body part is such that at least one cavity is formed on the inner surface of the molded body part. Specifically, the molded body part is such that two cavities, a first cavity and a second cavity, are formed on the inner surface of the body part. Further, the first cavity and the second cavity are in connection with each other. The electronic part is arranged in the cavity thereafter. In an embodiment, the step of arranging the electronic part in the cavity is carried out by arranging the battery in the first cavity, connecting the battery to the support and arranging the support in the second cavity. Initially, the step involves arranging the first part of the electronic part in the first cavity. In an embodiment, the electronic part (particularly, the first part) is arranged in the first cavity using the attachment means arranged on bottom of the first cavity. Specifically, the first part (i.e. battery and the portion of the support having the microcontroller mounted thereon) is first set in the first cavity. More specifically, first an orientation of the support is matched with an orientation of an assembly guiding element. In an embodiment, a sticker (or a stick foam tape) is removed with its covers and initially pasted to the central portion (i.e. inside the first cavity), thereafter a surface of the battery is located against the sticker to fix the battery into the first cavity. For example, the battery is pressed by a finger for about 10 seconds to properly fix the battery to the first cavity. Thereafter, the portion of the support having comparatively a larger width (i.e. a width of the central portion) and the microcontroller mounted thereon is also allowed to be placed on top of the battery. In an embodiment, the battery is connected to the support. For example, the battery is connected to the support using electrical wires. Specifically, the battery is physically and electrically coupled to the support (particularly to the microcontroller) using the electrical wires, for example by soldering. In an embodiment, the battery is connected to the support with wires prior to the placement of the battery into the first cavity. Alternatively, the battery is connected to the support with the wires after the placement of the battery into the first cavity. The support is thereafter arranged in the second cavity. Specifically, a remaining portion of the support (having a width of about the loop) along with other components of the electronic part arranged or mounted thereon is arranged in the second cavity. The support is made of a flexible material (as discussed above), therefore the support is first slightly bend downwards and rotated so that it gets accommodated easily inside the second cavity of the molded body part. Further, in an embodiment, a sticker (or stick foam tape) is removed with its covers and pasted to a side (that will face the inner surface of the loop) of the support. The use of sticker for arranging the support inside the second cavity enables in proper adherence of the support with the loop of the molded body part. In another embodiment, the step of arranging the electronic part (the support) in the cavity is further carried out using at least one assembly guiding element, such a tab or spike. Specifically, the support includes at least one hole conforming to the at least one assembly guiding element for receiving the assembly guiding element therethrough. For example, the molded body part includes one assembly guiding element configured on inner surface of the one side of the loop, alternatively the molded body part may include two or more assembly guiding elements configured on inner surface of the both sides of the loop. The assembly guiding element fits into (or receives) the hole, thereby aligning the electronic part in proper position with respect to the cavity of the molded body part. In an embodiment, in order to ensure a proper alignment of the electronic part into the cavity of molded body part, a check is made to ensure that the guiding element properly fits into (or receives) the hole. For example, a check is made to ensure that the whole electronic part, i.e. the battery and the support, is fully inside the molded body part. Additionally, after the support accommodation into the second cavity, another check is made to ensure that the battery cable (the electrical wires) goes between the battery and the molded body part. In another embodiment, the support (particularly, the infrared transmitter and/or the infrared receiver mounted thereon) may not fully lie inside the cavity. For example, the infrared transmitter and receiver may be arranged in such a way that the infrared transmitter and receiver form bulges (or extension) emerging out from the support. The infrared transmitter and receiver accordingly can efficiently contact (or papule) the skin of the user when the user wears the wearable electronic device. Alternatively, the infrared transmitter and/or the infrared receiver may be fully accommodated inside the second cavity. According to an embodiment, the proper fitting of the electronic part within the cavity ensures that there is unfilled space or volume for an epoxy material coating. In an embodiment, the moldable filler material coating is made on the inner surface of the molded body part using a molding stand. The molding stand includes a base, a channel arranged on the base, and an elongate member extending from the base. The channel and the elongate member are configured to conform to a shape of the molded body part. Specifically, the channel is configured to conform to a thickness of the molded body part, whereas the elongate member is configured to conform to a circumference (or diameter) of the loop of the elongate member. This allows the elongate member to firmly fit over the molding stand. The elongate member further includes an opening and a recess surrounding the opening. The molding stand may be made of a material selected from a group consisting of fibers and fillers, latex, polyurethane rubber, thermosetting plastic and silicone rubber. Alternatively, the molding stand may be made of a material which is highly heat resilient and hard. In an embodiment, the molding stand further includes jig pads at its one side, which helps in accurately placing the molded body part (with the electronic part arranged therein) onto the molding stand. For example, charging pads of the support (arranged inside of the molded body part) are set against these jig pads and the molded body part is assembled slightly tilted towards the molding stand. Further, the molded body part (with the electronic part arranged therein) is placed onto the molding stand in such a way that contact of the electronics (embedded in the support) with an edge of the molding stand is avoided. Furthermore, the molded body part is placed against a bottom surface of the base of the molding stand by receiving the molded body part into the channel, thereby having a centre of the molded body part aligned with a centre of the molding stand. In one embodiment, the moldable filler material comprises an ink to make the modlable filler material appear dark or black for the user. The ink is selected in such a way that it allows infrared light to pass thru relatively better than visible light. The moldable filler material can be arranged thus to cover at the infrared transmitter and the infrared receiver. For example, if moldable filler material is selected to be epoxy material, the epoxy material is made by mixing the epoxy resin and the ink. Specifically, the mixture is prepared by adding a small amount of the ink (for example, in a range of 0.05 g-0.1 g) to the epoxy resin (for example, 30-70 ml) and mixing the epoxy resin and the ink uniformly with a stirrer. The mixture is then heated in an oven at a temperature of about 60 degree Celsius for about 20 minutes for uniformly mixing of the epoxy resin and the ink. Further, the mixture is again stirred for further mixing and stored in a tube. The tube may be closed using a cover, which may be prick or pierce with a needle for allowing air to escape from within the tube. More, the mixture may be further heated before dispensing (or pouring) into the molding stand. In an embodiment, flowable (or heated) mixture is poured into the opening of the elongate member of the molding stand (with the molded body part along with the electronic part mounted thereon). For example, the mixture is added into the molding stand from a dispensing container (such as the tube) through its dispensing needle. The mixture is poured into the opening of the elongate member until the mixture slightly overflows into the recess (surrounding the opening). Thereafter, the dispensing needle is removed and lifted up from the molding stand. In one embodiment, the mixture (of the epoxy resin and the ink) is cured for forming the coating on the inner surface of the molded body part. Optionally, the assembly of the molded body part (along with electronic part therein) and the molding stand may be kept in a vacuum box prior to the curing. The curing is performed for hardening the coating. For example, the assembly of molded body part and the molding stand is put into the oven at about 60 degree Celsius for about 40 minutes. Alternatively, the curing is induced with ultra violet (UV) light for hardening the coating of epoxy material. Moreover, the UV curing is performed at ambient conditions, such as room temperature. In one embodiment the method for manufacturing a wearable electronic device comprises the steps of: molding a body part using a moldable ceramic material, wherein a mold is such that at least one cavity is formed on an inner surface of the body part, arranging an electronic part in said cavity, and coating the inner surface of the body part by applying an epoxy resin on the surface and curing the resin to form an epoxy coating, including covering the electronic part. In an embodiment, after the curing of the assembly, the assembly is removed from the oven for allowing the assembly to cool down. For example, the assembly is allowed to cool down for about 5-10 minutes, and thereafter the unassembling of the molded body part from the molding stand is performed. Thereafter, an overflow gate (formed due to fluidic coupling between the molding stand and the cavity of the body part) is cut by sharp knife, when cured epoxy coating is slightly warm in order to achieve smooth surface. This forms the epoxy coating on the inner surface of the molded body part for covering the electronic part, thereby forming the wearable electronic device of the present disclosure. In one embodiment, the wearable electronic device finally passes through a finishing process. In an example, the finishing process includes visually checking an outlook of molding quality and check whether the charging pads are clean. Finally, the wearable electronic device is subjected to a polishing machine for mainly polishing the outer surface of the molded body part. The present disclosure provides a wearable electronic device and a method for manufacturing thereof. The present disclosure provides a simple and efficient waterproof construction for a wearable electronic device, such as a ring and a band. Specifically, the wearable electronic device of the present disclosure precludes a need for two-part covers, o-ring and screws for attaining waterproof construction. Further, the wearable electronic device has a smooth inner surface, i.e. free from any depression or elevation, which avoids deposit of dirt on the inner surface. Moreover, the inner surface is provided with the coating of epoxy material, which provides good adherence with user's skin when worn on a finger. Additionally, the coating of epoxy material makes the wearable electronic device hypoallergic, which does not cause skin irritations and allergies when comes in contact with the user's skin. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Referring to FIG. 1, illustrated is a schematic side view of a wearable electronic device 100, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. The wearable electronic device 100 includes a molded body part 102 made of a moldable ceramic material. As shown, the molded body part 102 is configured to have a shape of ring that can be suitably worn on a finger of a user. The molded body part 102 includes an inner surface 110 and an outer surface 112 opposite to the inner surface 110. The molded body part 102 also includes at least one cavity (shown and explained in conjunction with subsequent figures) having a depth and arranged on the inner surface 110 of the moldable body part 102. Further, as shown, the molded body part 102 includes a central portion 120 and a loop 122 integral with the central portion 120. Referring now to FIG. 2, illustrated is a schematic top view of the wearable electronic device 100, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. Specifically, FIG. 2 illustrates the molded body part 102, i.e. the central portion 120 and the loop 122 extending from the central portion 120. Referring now to FIG. 3, illustrated is a schematic cross-sectional view of the wearable electronic device 100, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. Specifically, FIG. 3 illustrates the cross-sectional view of the wearable electronic device 100 along the axis B-B of the FIG. 2. As shown, the molded body part 102 includes at least one cavity, particularly, the cavity arranged on the inner surface 110 and running along the central portion 120 and the loop 122. Specifically, the least one cavity includes a first cavity 302 and a second cavity 304 connected to the first cavity 302. The first cavity 302 is configured on the central portion 120 and the second cavity 304 is configured on the loop 122. Further, a depth of the first cavity 302 is configured to be more than a depth of the second cavity 304. The wearable electronic device 100 further includes an electronic part 310 arranged in the cavity, i.e. in the first cavity 302 and the second cavity 304. Specifically, the electronic part 310 includes a first part 312 and a second part 314. The first part 312 is configured to be received in the first cavity 302 and the second part 314 is configured to be received in the second cavity 304. For example, the first part 312 includes electronic elements such as, a battery and a microcontroller, revived in the first cavity 302. The second part 314 includes a support (a flexible printed circuit board) designed to be received, primarily in the second cavity 304 and marginally in the first cavity 302. Further, the second part 314 includes a plurality of electronic components, which includes but not be limited to an infrared (IR) transmitter, an IR receiver, a microcontroller, a RF (radio frequency) transceiver and a temperature sensor, arranged thereon. The first part 312 and the second part 314 are coupled to each other (for example with electrical wires, not shown). Moreover, the electronic part 310, i.e. the first part 312 and the second part 314, has a thickness that is less than the depth of the first cavity 302 and the second cavity 304. Specifically, when the first part 312 and the second part 314 are received in the first cavity 302 and the second cavity 304, respectively, still an unfilled space remains in the first cavity 302 and the second cavity 304. The wearable electronic device 100 includes a coating 330 made of a moldable filler material such as an epoxy material. The coating 330 is arranged on the inner surface 110 of the molded body part 102 for covering the electronic part 310 and the cavity, i.e. the first cavity 302 and the second cavity 304. Specifically, the coating 330 covers the unfilled space that remains in the first cavity 302 and the second cavity 304 after receiving the first part 312 and the second part 314, respectively, therein. Therefore, the coating 330 acts a cover for the electronic part 310 and forms a surface that contacts a skin of the user when the wearable electronic device 100 is worn on the finger. FIG. 3 also illustrates an assembly guiding element 340 arranged on the inner surface 110 of the loop 122. The assembly guiding element 340 aligns the electronic part 310 in proper position with respect to the molded body part 102. Specifically, the assembly guiding element 340 is a protruded structure adapted to be received by a hole or cavity (not shown) configured on the second part 314 (particularly on the support i.e. flexible printed circuit board) for properly aligning the electronic part 310 with respect to the molded body part 102. Referring now to FIGS. 4 and 5, illustrated are cross-sectional views of the wearable electronic device 100 (of FIG. 1) along axes A-A and C-C, respectively, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. Specifically, the FIGS. 4 and 5 illustrate cross-sectional views of the loop 122 of the molded body part 102 along the axes A-A and C-C, respectively. The molded body part 102 includes the outer surface 112, the inner surface 110 and the cavity, particularly, the second cavity 304 for receiving the electronic part, particularly, the second part 314, therein. As shown, the second part 314 sits on the second cavity 304 touching the inner surface 110. Further, the coating 330 is provided on the inner surface 110 of the molded body part 102 for covering the electronic part, particularly, the second part 314. Further, FIG. 5 illustrates the assembly guiding element 340 aligning the electronic part 310 (shown in FIG. 3) in the cavity of the molded body part 102. Specifically, the second part 314 (particularly the flexible printed circuit board of the electronic part 310) includes a hole (not shown) for receiving the assembly guiding element 340 therethrough for aligning the second part 314 (i.e. electronic part 310) in proper position with respect to the second cavity 304 of the molded body part 102. Further, the second part 314 sits on the second cavity 304 touching the inner surface 110 of the molded body part 102. Referring now to FIG. 6, illustrated are steps of a method 600 for manufacturing a wearable electronic device, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. Specifically, the method 600 illustrates the steps of manufacturing the wearable electronic device 100, explained in conjunction with the FIGS. 1-5. At step 602, a molded body part is molded using a moldable ceramic material and a mold is such that at least one cavity is formed on an inner surface of the molded body part. At step 604, an electronic part is arranged in the cavity. At step 606, the inner surface of the molded body part is applied with a coating of an epoxy resin and epoxy resin is cured to form an epoxy coating for covering the electronic part. The steps 602 to 606 are only illustrative and other alternatives can also be provided where one or more steps are added, one or more steps are removed, or one or more steps are provided in a different sequence without departing from the scope of the claims herein. For example, the method 600 further includes attachment of the electronic part to the cavity using attachment means arranged on a bottom of the cavity. Further, the method 600 includes arranging the electronic part in the cavity using an assembly guiding element. Moreover, in the method 600 the mold (for the molded body part) is such that two cavities, a first cavity and a second cavity, are formed on the inner surface of the molded body part. Additionally, the first cavity and the second cavity are in connection with each other. Further, in the method 600, arranging the electronic part (which includes a battery and a support on which other components of the electronic part are arranged) in the cavity is carried out by arranging the battery in the first cavity, connecting the battery to the support and arranging the support in the second cavity. Moreover, in the method 600, the curing is induced with UV light. Additionally, in the method 600, the coating of the inner surface of the molded body part is carried out using a molding stand. The method 600 of the present disclosure is further explained in conjunction with subsequent figures, i.e. FIGS. 7-12. Specifically, the FIGS. 7A-7C illustrate the steps 602-606, respectively, of the method 600 for manufacturing the wearable electronic device 100 (shown in FIG. 1). More specifically, FIGS. 7A-7C illustrate cross-sectional views of the loop 122 of the molded body part 102. Therefore, as mentioned above, FIG. 7A illustrates the molded body part 102 having at least one cavity, particularly the second cavity 304, formed on the inner surface 110 of the loop 122. Further, FIG. 7B illustrates the electronic part 310 (shown in FIG. 3), particularly the second part 314 (the flexible printed circuit board) arranged in the cavity, such as the second cavity 304. Moreover, FIG. 7C illustrates the inner surface 110 of the molded body part 102 applied with a layer of an epoxy resin being cured to form the coating 330 for covering the electronic part, such as the second part 314 thereof. It is to be understood that if FIGS. 7A-7C would have illustrated cross-sectional views of the central portion 120 (shown in FIG. 3) of the molded body part 102, in such instance FIGS. 7A-7C would have been explained in conjunction with the first part 312 (shown in FIG. 3) of the electronic part 310 and the first cavity 302. Referring now to FIG. 8, illustrated is a perspective view of the molded body part 102 and the electronic part 310 of the wearable electronic device 100 (as shown in FIG.1) in an unassembled state, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. As mentioned above, the molded body part 102 is made of a moldable ceramic material using a mold (not shown) such that two cavities, the first cavity 302 and the second cavity 304, are formed on the inner surface 110 of the molded body part 102. Further, the first cavity 302 and the second cavity 304 are in connection with each other. Moreover, as mentioned above, the attachment of the electronic part 310 to the cavity (i.e. the first cavity 302 and the second cavity 304) uses attachment means arranged on a bottom of the cavity. As shown, a stick foam tape 802 (i.e. attachment means) is arranged on the first cavity 302. Similarly, another stick foam tape (not shown) may be arranged on the second cavity 304 (or on the electronic part 310). As shown in FIG. 8, the electronic part 310 includes the first part 312 (such as a battery and a portion of the support mounted with a microcontroller and the second part 314 (such as the support i.e. flexible PCB) connected to the first part 312. For example, the first part 312 is connected to the second part 314, i.e. the battery is connected to the support using a wire 804. The first part 312 also includes charging pads 806 for charging the battery. Further, on the second part 314, i.e. the support, other components 810 of the electronic part 310 are arranged. For example, the other components 810 include but are not limited to IR transmitter, the IR receiver, the microcontroller, the RF transceiver and the temperature sensor. The second part 314 also includes a hole 812 for aligning the second part 314 with the molded body part 102. Referring now to FIG. 9, associated with the step of arranging the electronic part 310 in the cavity, i.e. by arranging the battery and the portion of the support mounted with the microcontroller in the first cavity 302 (shown in FIG. 8) and arranging the support (with other electronic elements arranged thereon) in the second cavity 304 (shown in FIG. 8). Specifically, FIG. 9 illustrates a perspective view of the molded body part 102 and the electronic part 310 in an assembled state. The first part 312 (as shown in FIG. 8) and the second part 314 are of the electronic part 310 received in the first and second cavities, 302,304 (shown in FIG. 8) respectively, and thereafter the first part 312 and the second part 314 are pressed to couple with the molded body part 102 with the help of the attachment means, such as the stick foam tape 802 (shown in FIG. 8). As mentioned above, the step of arranging the electronic part 310 in the cavity is carried out using the assembly guiding element 340. Specifically, the hole 812 arranged in the second part 314 of the electronic part 310 receives the assembly guiding element 340 therethrough for aligning the electronic part 310 in proper position with respect to the molded body part 102. Referring now to FIG. 10, associated with the step of coating the inner surface 110 of the body part 102 that is carried out using a molding stand 1000. Specifically, FIG. 10 illustrates a perspective view of the assembled molded body part 102 and the electronic part 310, and the molding stand 1000 positioned adjacent thereto. The molding stand 1000 includes a base 1002, a channel 1004 configured on the base 1002 and an elongate member 1006 extending from the base 1002. The channel 1004 and the elongate member 1006 are configured to conform to a shape of the molded body part 102. Specifically, the channel 1004 is configured to conform to a thickness of the molded body part 102, whereas the elongate member 1006 is configured to conform to a circumference (or diameter) of the loop 122 of the molded body part 102. This allows the molded body part 102 to firmly fit over the elongate member 1006 of the molding stand 1000. The elongate member 1006 further includes an opening 1010 and a recess 1012 surrounding the opening 1010. Referring now to FIG. 11, illustrated is a perspective view of the molded body part 102 (arranged with the electronic part therein) mounted on the molding stand 1000, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. Specifically, the channel 1004 and the elongate member 1006 receive the molded body part 102. In such instance, molten epoxy is poured through the opening 1010 for being received by the cavity (particularly the unfilled space remains in the first cavity 302 and the second cavity 304 after receiving the electronic part 310 therein, as shown in FIG. 9). This allows the formation of an epoxy coating on the inner surface 110 of the molded body part 102 for covering the electronic part and the cavity, as shown in FIG. 12. Specifically, the FIG. 12 illustrates a perspective view of the wearable electronic device 100 having the molded body part 102, the electronic part 310 (shown in FIG. 9) arranged in the molded body part 102 and the coating 330 covering the electronic part 310. Modifications to embodiments of the present disclosure described in the foregoing are possible without departing from the scope of the present disclosure as defined by the accompanying claims. Expressions such as “including”, “comprising”, “incorporating”, “have”, “is” used to describe and claim the present disclosure are intended to be construed in a non-exclusive manner, namely allowing for items, components or elements not explicitly described also to be present. Reference to the singular is also to be construed to relate to the plural. | <SOH> BACKGROUND <EOH>Recent consumer's interest in personal health has led to a variety of personal health monitoring devices being offered in the market. For example, wearable electronic devices for monitoring personal health are well known in the art. The wearable electronic devices are measurement devices that can be worn on finger, wrist or any other body part. Generally, such devices include electronic elements, such as flexible printed circuit board, processor, sensor, battery and the like, which enable measurement and/or analysis of different physiological parameters, such as heart beat, corresponding to a user. Typically, these wearable devices are designed in a way such that it is water proof and provides a smooth skin contact to the wearer. A known way to make these devices waterproof is to have a two part cover, for the electronic elements, which are connected to each other for enclosing the electronic elements therewithin. For example, the two parts can be connected together using attachment means, such as screws or clips. Further, a sealing material, such as o-ring, is provided between the two parts while connecting the two parts for making the connection water proof. However, such water proof arrangement for the wearable devices makes their structure configuration complex due to the involvement of various components such as the first cover, the second cover, the o-ring and the screws. Further, this may lead to manufacturing defects since the components are made with small tolerances. For example, the wearable electronic devices may be subjected to manufacturing errors, such as too much tightening or loosening of one or more screws, which may lead to non-waterproof sealant. Moreover, an inner surface (contacting the user's skin) of such devices should be free from any cavity or depression (for example, grooves for screws) which may get deposited with dirt. Additionally, the inner surface should be smooth and provide good adherence with the user's skin when worn in the finger, wrist or any other body part. Therefore, in light of the foregoing discussion, there exists a need to overcome the aforementioned drawbacks of the conventional wearable electronic device. | <SOH> SUMMARY <EOH>The present disclosure seeks to provide a wearable electronic device, particularly, for analysing and processing of biological signals. The present disclosure also seeks to provide a method for manufacturing a wearable electronic device for analysing and processing of biological signals. In one aspect, an embodiment of the present disclosure provides a wearable electronic device comprising: a molded body part made of a moldable ceramic material, having an inner surface and an outer surface, wherein at least one cavity having a depth is arranged on the inner surface of the body part, an electronic part arranged in said cavity, which electronic part has a thickness that is less than the depth of the cavity, and a coating made of a moldable filler material on the inner surface of the body part, covering the electronic part and the cavity. In another aspect, an embodiment of the present disclosure provides a method for manufacturing a wearable electronic device. The method comprises the steps of: molding a body part using a moldable ceramic material, wherein a mold is such that at least one cavity is formed on an inner surface of the body part, arranging an electronic part in said cavity, and coating the inner surface of the body part to form the coating including covering the electronic part. Embodiments of the present disclosure substantially eliminate or at least partially address the aforementioned problems in the prior art, and provides a wearable electronic device having a simple structure configuration and efficient waterproofing. Additional aspects, advantages, features and objects of the present disclosure would be made apparent from the drawings and the detailed description of the illustrative embodiments construed in conjunction with the appended claims that follow. It will be appreciated that features of the present disclosure are susceptible to being combined in various combinations without departing from the scope of the present disclosure as defined by the appended claims. | A61B56801 | 20171208 | 20180419 | A61B500 | 1 | HAUGHTON, ANTHONY MICHAEL | WEARABLE ELECTRONIC DEVICE AND METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING THEREOF | SMALL | 1 | CONT-ACCEPTED | A61B | 2,017 |
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15,835,864 | PENDING | Panel Interconnectable with Similar Panels for Forming a Covering | The invention relates to a panel, in particular a floor panel, interconnectable with similar panels for forming a covering. The invention also relates to a covering consisting of mutually connected floor panels according to the invention. The invention further relates to a method of assembling multiple floor panels for forming a covering. | 1. A panel, in particular a floor panel, interconnectable with similar panels for forming a covering, comprising: a centrally located core provided with an upper side and a lower side, said core being provided with: a first pair of opposite edges, comprising: a first edge comprising a sideward tongue extending in a direction substantially parallel to the upper side of the panel, a bottom back region of said tongue being configured as a bearing region, wherein the bottom back region is located closer to the level of the upper side of the panel than a lowest part of a bottom front region, an opposite, second edge comprising a recess for accommodating at least a part of the sideward tongue of a second panel, said recess being defined by an upper lip and a lower lip, said lower lip being provided with an upwardly protruding shoulder facing the bearing region of the sideward tongue, the sideward tongue being designed such that locking takes place by an introduction movement into the recess of a sideward tongue of the second panel and an angling down movement about an axis parallel to the first edge, as a result of which a top side of the sideward tongue will engage the upper lip and the bearing region of the sideward tongue will be supported by and/or facing the shoulder of the lower lip, leading to locking of the panel and the second panel at the first and second edges in both a horizontal direction and a vertical direction; and a second pair of opposite edges, comprising: a third edge comprising a single upward tongue, at least one upward flank lying at a distance from the upward tongue and a single upward groove formed between the upward tongue and the upward flank, and wherein at least a part of a side of the upward tongue facing away from the upward flank comprises a substantially rigid first locking element, and a fourth edge comprising a single downward tongue, at least one downward flank lying at a distance from the downward tongue, and a single downward groove formed between the downward tongue and the downward flank, and wherein the downward flank comprises a substantially rigid, second locking element adapted for co-action with a first rigid locking element of a third edge of a third panel, the third and fourth edges being designed such that locking takes place during angling down of the second panel at a first edge to a second edge of the panel, wherein the fourth edge of the second panel makes a scissoring movement toward the third edge of the third panel, such that the downward tongue of the fourth edge of the second panel will be forced into the upward groove of the third edge of the third panel and the upward tongue of the third panel will be forced into the downward groove of the second panel, by deformation of the third edge and/or the fourth edge, leading to locking of adjacent panels at the third and fourth edges in both the horizontal direction and the vertical direction, wherein at least a part of a side of the upward tongue facing toward the upward flank is inclined toward the upward flank and extends in the direction of the normal of the upper side of the core, and wherein at least a part of a side of the downward tongue facing toward the downward flank is inclined toward the downward flank and extends in the direction of the normal of the lower side of the core. 2. The panel according to claim 1, wherein a side of the shoulder facing the core has an inclined orientation for forcing two panels, in an assembled state, toward each other. 3. The panel according to claim 1, wherein the panel has a substantially rectangular shape, wherein the first pair of opposite edges are located on the long sides of the panel, and the second pair of opposite edges are located on the short sides of the panel. 4. The panel according to claim 1, wherein at least a part of a side of the upward tongue facing toward the upward flank forms an upward aligning edge for the purpose of coupling the third edge to a fourth edge of an adjacent panel and/or wherein at least a part of a side of the downward tongue facing away from the downward flank forms an inclined downward aligning edge for the purpose of coupling the fourth edge to a third edge of an adjacent panel. 5. The panel according to claim 1, wherein each of the upward tongue and the downward tongue is substantially rigid and/or substantially solid. 6. The panel according to claim 1, wherein at least a part of the upward flank adjoining the upper side of the panel is adapted to make contact with at least a part of the downward tongue adjoining the upper side of another panel in an assembled state. 7. The panel according to claim 1, wherein the upper side of the panel is adapted to engage substantially seamless to the upper side of another panel. 8. The panel according to claim 1, wherein the first locking element is positioned at a distance from an upper side of the upward tongue and/or wherein the first locking element is positioned at a distance from an lower side of the upward tongue. 9. The panel according to claim 1, wherein the second locking element is positioned at a distance from an upper side of the downward groove and/or wherein the second locking element is positioned at a distance from an lower side of the downward groove. 10. The panel according to claim 1, wherein the angle enclosed by, on the one hand, the direction in which at least a part of a side of the upward tongue facing toward the upward flank extends and, on the other hand, the normal of the upper side of the core lies between 0 and 60 degrees and/or wherein the angle enclosed by, on the one hand, the direction in which at least a part of a side of the downward tongue facing toward the downward flank extends and, on the other hand, the normal of the lower side of the core lies between 0 and 60 degrees. 11. The panel according to claim 1, wherein at least a part of an upper side of the upward tongue runs inclining downward in the direction of the side of the upward tongue facing away from upward flank, and wherein an upper side of the downward groove having a likewise inclining orientation upward in the direction of the side of the downward tongue facing towards to downward flank. 12. The panel according to claim 1, wherein at least a part of the aligning edge of the fourth edge has a substantially flatter orientation than at least a part of the upward flank of the third edge. 13. The panel according to claim 1, wherein a part of the upward flank of the third edge connecting to the core forms a stop surface for at least a part of the side of the downward tongue facing away from the downward flank. 14. The panel according to claim 1, wherein a part of the upward flank of the third edge connecting to the core is oriented substantially vertically and/or wherein at least a part of the side of the downward tongue facing away from the downward flank is oriented substantially vertically. 15. The panel according to claim 1, wherein the upward groove is given a form such that this upward groove is adapted for receiving in locked manner at least a part of a downward tongue of an adjacent panel wherein the upward groove is preferably adapted to receive with clamping fit a downward tongue of an adjacent panel and wherein the downward groove is preferably adapted to receive with clamping fit an upward tongue of an adjacent panel. 16. The panel according to claim 1, wherein the upward flank and the downward flank extend in a substantially parallel direction. 17. The panel according to claim 1, wherein the first locking element comprises at least one outward bulge, and that the second locking element comprises at least one recess, which outward bulge is adapted to be at least partially received in a recess of an adjacent coupled panel for the purpose of realizing a locked coupling. 18. The panel according to claim 1, wherein the second locking element comprises at least one outward bulge, and that the first locking element comprises at least one recess, which outward bulge is adapted to be at least partially received in a recess of an adjacent coupled panel for the purpose of realizing a locked coupling. 19. The panel according to claim 1, wherein a side of the downward tongue facing away from the downward flank is provided with a third locking element, and wherein the upward flank is provided with a fourth locking element, said third locking element being adapted to cooperate with a fourth locking element of another panel. 20. The panel according to claim 1, wherein the edges are integrally connected to the core. 21. The panel according to claim 1, wherein the panel is manufactured at least partially from wood and/or from plastic, in particular a thermoplastic, preferably polyvinylchloride (PVC). 22. The panel according to claim 1, wherein the panel comprises a laminate of a balancing layer, a core layer, and a top structure arranged on top of the core layer wherein the top structure preferably comprises a decorative layer and a protective layer arranged on top of said decorative layer. 23. The panel according to claim 1, wherein a part of a side of the upward tongue facing toward the upward flank forms an upward aligning edge for the purpose of coupling the third edge to a fourth edge of the second panel, wherein the first locking element is positioned at a lower level than the upward aligning edge. 24. A panel, in particular a floor panel, interconnectable with similar panels for forming a covering, comprising: a centrally located core provided with an upper side and a lower side, said core being provided with: a first pair of opposite edges, comprising: a first edge comprising a sideward tongue extending in a direction substantially parallel to the upper side of the panel, a bottom back region of said tongue being configured as a bearing region, wherein the bottom back region is located closer to the level of the upper side of the panel than a lowest part of the bottom front region, an opposite, second edge comprising a recess for accommodating at least a part of the sideward tongue of a second panel, said recess being defined by an upper lip and a lower lip, said lower lip being provided with a upwardly protruding shoulder facing the bearing region of the sideward tongue, the sideward tongue being designed such that locking takes place by an introduction movement into the recess of a sideward tongue of the second panel, as a result of which a top side of the sideward tongue will engage the upper lip and the bearing region of the sideward tongue will be supported by and/or facing the shoulder of the lower lip, leading to locking of adjacent panels at the first and second edges in both a horizontal direction and a vertical direction; and a second pair of opposite edges, comprising: a third edge comprising a single upward tongue, at least one upward flank lying at a distance from the upward tongue and a single upward groove formed between the upward tongue and the upward flank, and wherein at least a part of a side of the upward tongue facing away from the upward flank comprises a substantially rigid first locking element, and a fourth edge comprising a single downward tongue, at least one downward flank lying at a distance from the downward tongue, and a single downward groove formed between the downward tongue and the downward flank, and wherein the downward flank comprises a, preferably substantially rigid, second locking element adapted for co-action with a first locking element of a third edge of a third panel, the third and fourth edges being designed such that locking takes place during coupling of the second panel at a first edge to a second edge of the panel, and wherein downward tongue of the fourth edge of the second panel will be forced into the upward groove of the third edge of the third panel and the upward tongue of the third panel will be forced into the downward groove of the second panel, by deformation of the third edge and/or the fourth edge, leading to locking of adjacent panels at the third and fourth edges in both the horizontal direction and the vertical direction, wherein at least a part of a side of the upward tongue facing toward the upward flank is inclined toward the upward flank and extends in the direction of the normal of the upper side of the core, and wherein at least a part of a side of the downward tongue facing toward the downward flank is inclined toward the downward flank and extends in the direction of the normal of the lower side of the core. 25. The panel according to claim 24, wherein a side of the shoulder facing the core has an inclined orientation for forcing two panels, in an assembled state, toward each other. 26. The panel according to claim 24, wherein the panel has a substantially rectangular shape, wherein the first pair of opposite edges are located on the long sides of the panel, and the second pair of opposite edges are located on the short sides of the panel. 27. The panel according to claim 24, wherein at least a part of a side of the upward tongue facing toward the upward flank forms an upward aligning edge for the purpose of coupling the third edge to a fourth edge of an adjacent panel and/or wherein at least a part of a side of the downward tongue facing away from the downward flank forms an inclined downward aligning edge for the purpose of coupling the fourth edge to a third edge of an adjacent panel. 28. The panel according to claim 24, wherein each of the upward tongue and the downward tongue is substantially rigid and/or substantially solid. 29. The panel according to claim 24, wherein at least a part of the upward flank adjoining the upper side of the panel is adapted to make contact with at least a part of the downward tongue adjoining the upper side of another panel in an assembled state. 30. The panel according to claim 24, wherein the upper side of the panel is adapted to engage substantially seamless to the upper side of another panel. 31. The panel according to claim 24, wherein the first locking element is positioned at a distance from an upper side of the upward tongue and/or wherein the first locking element is positioned at a distance from an lower side of the upward tongue. 32. The panel according to claim 24, wherein the second locking element is positioned at a distance from an upper side of the downward groove and/or wherein the second locking element is positioned at a distance from an lower side of the downward groove. 33. The panel according to claim 24, wherein the angle enclosed by, on the one hand, the direction in which at least a part of a side of the upward tongue facing toward the upward flank extends and, on the other hand, the normal of the upper side of the core lies between 0 and 60 degrees and/or wherein the angle enclosed by, on the one hand, the direction in which at least a part of a side of the downward tongue facing toward the downward flank extends and, on the other hand, the normal of the lower side of the core lies between 0 and 60 degrees. 34. The panel according to claim 24, wherein at least a part of an upper side of the upward tongue runs inclining downward in the direction of the side of the upward tongue facing away from upward flank, and wherein an upper side of the downward groove having a likewise inclining orientation upward in the direction of the side of the downward tongue facing towards to downward flank. 35. The panel according to claim 24, wherein at least a part of the aligning edge of the fourth edge has a substantially flatter orientation than at least a part of the upward flank of the third edge. 36. The panel according to claim 24, wherein a part of the upward flank of the third edge connecting to the core forms a stop surface for at least a part of the side of the downward tongue facing away from the downward flank. 37. The panel according to claim 24, wherein a part of the upward flank of the third edge connecting to the core is oriented substantially vertically and/or wherein at least a part of the side of the downward tongue facing away from the downward flank is oriented substantially vertically. 38. The panel according to claim 24, wherein the upward groove is given a form such that this upward groove is adapted for receiving in locked manner at least a part of a downward tongue of an adjacent panel wherein the upward groove is preferably adapted to receive with clamping fit a downward tongue of an adjacent panel and wherein the downward groove is preferably adapted to receive with clamping fit an upward tongue of an adjacent panel. 39. The panel according to claim 24, wherein the upward flank and the downward flank extend in a substantially parallel direction. 40. The panel according to claim 24, wherein the first locking element comprises at least one outward bulge, and that the second locking element comprises at least one recess, which outward bulge is adapted to be at least partially received in a recess of an adjacent coupled panel for the purpose of realizing a locked coupling. 41. The panel according to claim 24, wherein the second locking element comprises at least one outward bulge, and that the first locking element comprises at least one recess, which outward bulge is adapted to be at least partially received in a recess of an adjacent coupled panel for the purpose of realizing a locked coupling. 42. The panel according to claim 24, wherein a side of the downward tongue facing away from the downward flank is provided with a third locking element, and wherein the upward flank is provided with a fourth locking element, said third locking element being adapted to cooperate with a fourth locking element of another panel. 43. The panel according to claim 24, wherein the edges are integrally connected to the core. 44. The panel according to claim 24, wherein the panel is manufactured at least partially from wood and/or from plastic, in particular a thermoplastic, preferably polyvinylchloride (PVC). 45. The panel according to claim 24, wherein the panel comprises a laminate of a balancing layer, a core layer, and a top structure arranged on top of the core layer wherein the top structure preferably comprises a decorative layer and a protective layer arranged on top of said decorative layer. 46. The panel according to claim 24, wherein a part of a side of the upward tongue facing toward the upward flank forms an upward aligning edge for the purpose of coupling the third edge to a fourth edge of the second panel, wherein the first locking element is positioned at a lower level than the upward aligning edge. 47. A method of assembling interconnectable panels for forming a covering, comprising the steps of: A) providing a first panel, B) inserting a sideward tongue of a first edge of a second panel in an inclined position into a recess of a second edge of the first panel, C) angling down the second panel with respect to the first panel, until both panels are situated in the same plane, D) inserting a sideward tongue of a first edge of a third panel in an inclined position into the recess of the second edge of the first panel, and E) angling down the third panel with respect to the first panel and the second panel, until the panels are situated in the same plane, wherein a downward tongue of a fourth edge of the third panel will be inserted into an upward groove of a third edge of the second panel by guiding the downward tongue of the fourth edge of the third panel along an aligning edge formed on an upward flank of the third edge of the second panel that defines the upward groove of the third edge of the second panel, and wherein an upward tongue of the third edge of the second panel will snap into a downward groove of the fourth edge of the third panel, leading to locking of the third panel with respect to the first panel at the first and second edges and with respect to the second panel at the third and fourth edges in both a horizontal direction and a vertical direction. | CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application is a continuation application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/121,460, filed on Aug. 25, 2016, which is the United States national phase of International Application No. PCT/NL2015/050120 filed Feb. 26, 2015, and claims priority to International Application No. PCT/NL2014/050118 filed Feb. 26, 2014, and Belarusian Patent Application No. a20150107 filed Feb. 23, 2015, respectively, the disclosures of which are hereby incorporated in their entirety by reference. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention The invention relates to a panel, in particular a floor panel, more in particular laminated floor panel, interconnectable with similar panels for forming a covering. The invention also relates to a covering consisting of mutually connected floor panels according to the invention. The invention further relates to a method of assembling multiple floor panels for forming a covering. Description of Related Art The last ten years has seen enormous advance in the market for laminate for hard floor covering. It is known to install floor panels on a underlying floor in various ways. It is, for example, known that the floor panels are attached at the underlying floor, either by gluing or by nailing them on. This technique has a disadvantage that is rather complicated and that subsequent changes can only be made by breaking out the floor panels. According to an alternative installation method, the floor panels are installed loosely onto the subflooring, whereby the floor panels mutually match into each other by means of a tongue and groove coupling, whereby mostly they are glued together in the tongue and groove, too. The floor obtained in this manner, also called a floating parquet flooring, has as an advantage that it is easy to install and that the complete floor surface can move which often is convenient in order to receive possible expansion and shrinkage phenomena. A disadvantage with a floor covering of the above-mentioned type, above all, if the floor panels are installed loosely onto the subflooring, consists in that during the expansion of the floor and its subsequent shrinkage, the floor panels themselves can drift apart, as a result of which undesired gaps can be formed, for example, if the glue connection breaks. In order to remedy this disadvantage, techniques have already been through of whereby connection elements made of metal are provided between the single floor panels in order to keep them together. Such connection elements, however, are rather expensive to make and, furthermore, their provision or the installation thereof is a time-consuming occupation. There is a need to improve the coupling profiles of panels, in particular floor panels, which lead to a relatively reliable and durable connection at all edges, and which can be installed relatively easily, preferably without needing additional connection means, such as glue or metal connection elements. Floor panels and their coupling is for instance known from WO03/016654, which discloses a fastening system for floor panels. The system comprises retaining profiles disposed on the small faces of the panels, wherein opposite retaining profiles match said retaining profiles in such a manner that similar panels can be interlinked. The panels are provided with opposite first retaining profiles that are configured in such a manner that on a panel being in first line a new panel can be locked in second line by attaching the new panel to the installed panel at a temporary angle relative to the installed panel and then swiveling it down into the plane of the installed panel. The panel further comprises opposite second retaining elements that comprise corresponding hook elements. A hook connection can be established by means of one of the hook elements of the new panel and a hook element of a panel that is already installed in second line by swiveling down the new panel. Every hook connection is associated with an additional locking element that prevents, in the hooked state of two panels, the hook connection from being released in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the installed panels. US2011/056167 discloses a method of assembling resilient floorboards including the step of bending an edge of a floorboard during the assembling. The bending reduces the force required for connection of the edge to another edge of a juxtaposed floorboard. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the invention to provide an improved floor panel, which can be coupled in an improved manner to other panels, and whereby preferably one or more of the aforementioned disadvantages are excluded. It is a further object of the invention to provide an improved panel, in particular floor panel, which can be connected to similar panels in a relatively easy manner while leading to a relatively reliable and firm connection between panels. The invention provides for this purpose a panel, in particular a floor panel, more in particular a laminated floor panel, interconnectable with similar panels for forming a covering, comprising: a centrally located core provided with an upper side and a lower side, said core being provided with: a first pair of opposite edges, comprising: a first edge comprising a sideward tongue extending in a direction substantially parallel to the upper side of the panel, the bottom front region of said sideward tongue being rounded at least partly and preferably substantially completely, the bottom back region of said tongue being configured as bearing region, wherein the bottom back region is located closer to the level of the upper side of the panel than a lowest part of the bottom front region, an opposite, second edge comprising a recess for accommodating at least a part of the sideward tongue of a further panel, said recess being defined by an upper lip and a lower lip, said lower lip being provided with a upwardly protruding shoulder for supporting and/or facing the bearing region of the sideward tongue, the sideward tongue being designed such that locking takes place by an introduction movement into the recess of the sideward tongue a further panel and a angling down movement about an axis parallel to the first edge, as a result of which a top side of the sideward tongue will engage the upper lip and the bearing region of the sideward tongue will be supported by and/or facing the shoulder of the lower lip, leading to locking of adjacent panels at the first and second edges in both horizontal direction and vertical direction; and a second pair of opposite edges, comprising: a third edge comprising a single upward tongue, at least one upward flank lying at a distance from the upward tongue and a single upward groove formed between the upward tongue and the upward flank, wherein at least a part of a side of the upward tongue facing toward the upward flank is inclined toward the upward flank and extends in the direction of the normal of the upper side of the core, and wherein at least a part of a side of the upward tongue facing away from the upward flank comprises a substantially rigid first locking element, and a fourth edge comprising a single downward tongue, at least one downward flank lying at a distance from the downward tongue, and a single downward groove formed between the downward tongue and the downward flank, wherein at least a part of a side of the downward tongue facing toward the downward flank is inclined toward the downward flank and extends in the direction of the normal of the lower side of the core, and wherein the downward flank comprises a, preferably substantially rigid, second locking element adapted for co-action with the first locking element of a third edge of yet a further panel, the third and fourth edges being designed such that locking takes place during angling down of a panel to be coupled at a first edge to a second edge of a further panel, wherein the fourth edge of a panel to be coupled makes a scissoring movement toward a third edge of yet another panel, such that the downward tongue of the fourth edge of the panel to be coupled will be forced into the upward groove of the third edge of said other panel and the upward tongue of said other panel will be forced into the downward groove of the panel the be coupled, by deformation of the third edge and/or the fourth edge, leading to locking of adjacent panels at the third and fourth edges in both horizontal direction, vertical direction, and leading to the first locking element to co-act with the second locking element to realise an additional locking in vertical direction as well as a locking rotational direction. The panel according to the invention comprises at a first pair of opposing edges a first set of complementary coupling profiles and at a second pair of opposing edges a distinctive second set of complementary coupling profiles. The first and second edges facilitate an easy installation of a panel by inserting the sideward tongue of the first edge of the panel to be coupled in an inclined position into the recess of the second edge of an already installed panel, after which that panel will be angled (pivoted) downwardly until both panels are situated in the same plane. Although this angling down process leads to locking of both panels at the first and second edges both in horizontal direction and in vertical direction, a substantially improved locking will be realized due to the presence of the third and fourth edges, and more in particular by forcing the fourth edge of the panel to be coupled to snap into the third edge of another panel during the angling down movement of the panel to be coupled, wherein the downward tongue is snapped into the closed upward groove, and wherein the first locking element is brought into contact with the second locking element to provide an additional locking at a distance from the upward groove. Coupling of the third edge and the complementary fourth edge of adjacent panels leads to a triple lock at between said panels, in particular (i) a locking in horizontal direction, (ii) a locking in vertical direction, and (iii) a locking in rotational direction. The locking in horizontal direction is caused by the substantially vertical orientation of the tongues of the third and the fourth edges, which act as hook-shaped elements preventing drifting apart (in horizontal direction) of third edge and the fourth edge in a coupled state. The vertical locking is firstly caused by the application of said closed upward groove (due to aforementioned inclined side surface (inner surface) of the upward tongue) and said closed downward groove (due to the aforementioned inclined side surface (inner surface) of the downward tongue, which leads to a snapping action during coupling and an enclosing of at least a part of the downward tongue by the upward groove as well as an enclosing of at least a part of the upward tongue by the downward groove after coupling, resulting in a locking in vertical direction. Hence, since the third profile is provided with a closed upward groove, whereas at least a part of a side of the upward tongue facing toward the upward flank extends in the direction of the normal of the upper side of the core, and since the fourth profile is provided with a closed downward groove, whereas at least a part of a side of the downward tongue facing toward the downward flank extends in the direction of the normal of the lower side of the core, an interconnection of the third and fourth edges of adjacent panels can only be established after a (temporary), preferably resilient, deformation of the third edge and/or the fourth edge leading. This vertical locking is secondly caused and assisted by the co-action between the first locking element and the second locking element in the coupled state of the third edge and the fourth edge. Due to both vertical locking effects the realised vertical locking as such is relatively firm. Commonly the second vertical locking effect—caused by the co-action between the first locking element and the second locking element—is required to realise a vertical locking between adjacent panels as such, though this depends on the degree of inclination of the (inner) side surfaces of the upward tongue and the downward tongue respectively. Since this inclination is commonly and preferably restricted to an extent of between 1 and 10 degrees, more preferably between 1 and 5 degrees, with respect to a vertical plane, which secures easy coupling of the third edge and the fourth edge, this inclination as such renders uncoupling of coupled panels somewhat more difficult though will commonly not lead to an aimed (stable) vertical locking between the panels as such, wherein the aimed (stable) vertical locking is merely realised by additionally allowing the first locking element and second locking element to co-act. The rotational locking prevents, or at least hinders, pivoting between panels connected at a third edge and fourth edge respectively. This rotation locking is mainly caused by the application of the first locking distant from the upward groove and the second locking element positioned inside the downward groove. Due to this triple locking mechanism a relatively firm, reliable, and durable connection can be realised between the third edge and the fourth edge of adjacent panels, which allows, moreover, easy coupling of the third edge and the fourth edge. The connection between the third edge and the fourth edge is therefore preferably free of play. Since the third and fourth edges are commonly perpendicular to the first and second edge, a scissoring movement will occur during angling down of a panel to be coupled, leading to snapping or zipping of the fourth edge of a panel to coupled and the third edge of an already installed panel into each other. Hence, the panel according to invention can be assembled in a relatively easy manner, without the need of additional connection elements, while leading to a firm and durable connection. At the first and second edges, a locking in horizontal direction between two panels is established by the presence of upwardly protruding shoulder, which prevents the bottom front region of the sideward tongue (male part) to be displaced in a horizontal direction with respect to the complementary recess (female part) and the upwardly protruding shoulder. Hence, the shoulder locks the bottom front region of the sideward tongue in place. Preferably, the shoulder has a substantially flat upper surface. An upper surface of the shoulder is preferably oriented substantially horizontally. A shoulder wall facing or directed towards the panel core is preferably sufficiently inclined (steep) to act as locking surface for locking connected panels in horizontal direction. Preferably, at least an upper end part of said (inner) shoulder wall, connecting to an upper shoulder surface, extends in a direction of at least 45 degrees, more preferably at least 60 degrees with respect to a horizontal plane, which will secure a firm locking in horizontal direction. Said shoulder wall can be flat though is preferably curved, since a curved shoulder wall facilitates insertion of a sideward tongue of a first panel into the recess of the second edge of a second panel. Preferably, a bottom region of the lower lip extending between the core and the shoulder is at least partially curved (rounded), wherein more preferably the shape of said bottom region of the lower lip is substantially complementary to the shape of the at least partially rounded bottom front region of the sideward tongue. The complementary rounded surfaces will act as sliding surfaces during coupling of the panels. The upper surface has a substantially complementary shape with respect to a corresponding bottom region of the lower lip. A locking in vertical direction at the first and second edges of two panels is established by the engagement of a top surface of the sideward tongue to a bottom surface of the upper lip acting as locking surface. In fact, the upper lip prevents the inserted sideward tongue to be displaced in vertical direction. After coupling, a top surface of the sideward tongue preferably at least partially engages a bottom surface of the upper lip. After coupling, a top surface of the sideward preferably engages the complete bottom surface of the upper lip. This partial or complete engagement prevents play between coupled panels. Hence, panels can be coupled free of play at the first edge and the second edge. At the third and fourth edges, a locking in horizontal direction between two panels is established by the presence of the upward tongue at the third edge which engages to the downward tongue at the fourth edge (of another panel), which prevents the two panels to be drifted apart. At the third and fourth edges, a locking in vertical direction between two panels is established by the application of the closed grooves as indicated above, and moreover, due to the presence of the additional first and second locking elements. Moreover, due to the particular shape of the third and fourth edges, a locking in rotational directional will commonly also be established. The third and fourth edges can be mutually connected either by a scissoring action (zipping action) during angling down of a panel to be coupled, although it is also conceivable to connect the third and fourth edges by vertical displacement, wherein the downward tongue (as a whole) is downwardly pushed into the upward groove. Regardless of the installation method, either the third edge and/or fourth edge will slightly deform during coupling to allow the tongues to be inserted into the complementary closed grooves. After establishment of the coupling, both the third edge and the fourth edge preferably have their original shape again and will no longer be deformed. Preferably, the third edge and the fourth edge have substantially complementary shapes, such that none of the third edge and the fourth edge will exert (compression) forces onto each other once coupled. The absence of any (pre)tension in the coupled state of the third and fourth edge will reduce the material stress to practically zero in the coupled state, which will be in favour of the durability of the third edge as such, the fourth edge as such, and consequently to the connection between these edges in the coupled state. Preferably, (also) the third edge and the fourth edge can be connected free of play. The (floor) panel according to the invention is primarily intended for so-called laminated floors, but generally it can also be applied for other kinds of covering, consisting of hard floor panels, such as veneer parquet, prefabricated parquet, or other floor panels which can be compared to laminated flooring. Hence, the floor panel according to the invention is preferably a laminated floor panel. A laminated floor panel is considered as a floor panel comprising multiple material layers. A typical laminated floor panel comprises at least one central core layer, and at least one further layer attached to either at a bottom surface and/or top surface of said core layer. A backing layer attached to at least a part of a bottom surface is also referred to as a balancing layer. This backing layer commonly covers the core of the panel, and optionally, though not necessarily, one or more edges of the panel. On top of the core, commonly one or more additional layers are applied, including at least one design layer (decorative layer) which is preferably covered by a substantially transparent protective layer. The decorative layer may be formed by a paper layer onto which a decorative pattern is printed, though it is also thinkable that the decorative design is directly printed onto the core or onto a core coating. The protective layer may have a profiled top surface, which may include an embossing which corresponds to the decorative pattern (design) visualised underneath the protective layer, to provide the floor panel an improved feel and touch. Different materials may be used for the layers. The core, for example, can be formed of a MDF or HDF product, provided with a protective layer. The core could also be formed of a synthetic material, such as a thermoplastic like polyvinyl chloride (PVC), and/or a thermoplastic material which is enriched with one or more additives. The thermoplastic material may be fibre reinforced and/or dust reinforced. To this end, a dust-(thermo)plastic-composite may be used as core material. The expression “dust” is understood is small dust-like particles (powder), like wood dust, cork dust, or non-wood dust, like stone powder, in particular cement. By combining bamboo dust, wood dust, or cork dust, or combination thereof, with for example high density polyethylene (HDPE), or polyvinylchloride (virgin, recycled, or a mixture thereof), a rigid and inert core is provided that does not absorb moisture and does not expand or contract, resulting in peaks and gaps. An alternative material which may be used to manufacture at least a part of the floor panel according to the invention, in particular the core layer, is ceramics or cement. Instead of a laminated floor panel, the floor panel according to the invention may also be formed by a single layer floor panel, which may for example be made of wood. Preferably, the edges are integrally connected to the core. The panel according to the invention can also be applied to form an alternative covering, for example a wall covering or a ceiling covering. The recess is preferably terminated by the shoulder. By using this definition, the recess will be configured to accommodate that front region of the tongue, while the back region acting as bearing region will be positioned outside the recess. The recess will therefore in vertical direction be limited and defined by the upper lip and the lower lip, and will in horizontal direction be limited and defined by the core and the shoulder. As indicated above, a bottom surface of the front region of the sideward tongue is at least partly rounded, which facilitates angling down of the panel, wherein a more or less central part of the front region of the sideward tongue will act as pivoting axis. Since the sideward tongue is inserted into the recess during angling down, the pivoting axis will be displaced slightly during the angling down process. Commonly, the shape of a bottom surface of the lower lip defining the recess, configured for supporting the front region of the sideward tongue, is preferably complementary to the shape of the bottom front region of the sideward tongue. In this manner, the number of gaps between the sideward tongue and the bottom surface of the lower lip defining the recess can be kept to a minimum, which will commonly be in favour of the prevention of play between the edges, and hence to the solidness of the connection. Therefore, the bottom surface of the recess is preferably also at least partly rounded. The roundness of the matching surface can be either smooth or (somewhat) hooked, for example by hooked surface segments, to form a rounded shape. Alternatively, the bottom surface of the lower lip defining the recess can also be given another shape, for example a substantially flat shape, which could be in favour of minimizing the resistance between two panels during the angling down process, which could facilitate the installation process. The upper lip and the lower lip are connected to the core, and preferably extend in a direction which is substantially parallel to the upper side of the core. Preferably, the lower lip is substantially longer than the upper lip, more preferably at least four times longer. In between the upper lip and the lower lip a cavity is created, which cavity makes part of the recess. This cavity will commonly act as locking part of the recess, wherein a top surface of said locking part acts as locking surface and is configured to co-act with a top surface of the front region of the sideward tongue of a further panel. This locking surface preferably has an inclined orientation, and wherein at least a front region of the top surface of the sideward tongue has a corresponding inclined orientation. An inclined orientation of the locking surface commonly facilitates coupling of panels at the first and second edge. It is commonly advantageous in case a side of the shoulder facing the core has an inclined orientation for forcing two panels, in an assembled state, toward each other. Preferably a complementary surface of the bearing region of the sideward tongue has a substantially identical inclined orientation. This inclination preferably runs downward from the shoulder in the direction of the core. By applying such an inclined orientation a driving surface will be created for driving (forcing) an inserted sideward tongue in the direction of the core of the panel, which will be in favour of the firmness of the coupling at the first and second edges. In a preferred embodiment, the width of the bearing region of the sideward tongue is greater than the width of the shoulder. The width is perpendicular to the length of the sideward tongue and the shoulder, and hence perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the first and second edge. By applying a bearing region having a greater width than the width of the shoulder, a gap will be created between the shoulder and the core of an adjacent panel. This gap will commonly facilitate the angling down process, since more space during the angling down process. The panel according to the invention can either have a square shape or a rectangular shape. The first pair of opposite edges have a substantially parallel orientation. The same applies to the second pair of opposites edges which also have a mutually substantially parallel orientation. The angle enclosed by the first pair of edges and the second pair of edges is substantially perpendicular. In a preferred embodiment the panel has a substantially rectangular shape, wherein the first pair of opposite edges are located on the long sides of the panel, and the second pair of opposite edges are located on the short sides of the panel. This orientation allows the long edges of a first panel and a second panel to be engaged first, after which the short edges of the first panel and a third panel will be connected during lowering (angling down) of the first panel. It is imaginable to modify this embodiment by applying the first and second edges to the short edges, and the third and fourth edges to the long edges. In this latter embodiment, first the short edges of different panels will be brought in contact which each other, after which during angling down of one of the panels the long sides of the panel will be connected to another panel. In a preferred embodiment at least a part of a side of the upward tongue facing toward the upward flank forms an (inclined) upward aligning edge for the purpose of coupling the third edge to a fourth edge of an adjacent panel. This upward aligning edge can be flat and/or rounded. The upward aligning edge facilitates a correct positioning (alignment) of the fourth edge of a panel with respect to a third edge of an adjacent panel which will commonly facilitate mutual coupling of the third edge and the fourth edge. The upward aligning edge can be considered as being a part of the (inner) side wall of the upward tongue. The upward aligning edge is preferably (substantially) smaller than an inclined remaining portion of the (inner) side wall of the upward tongue. More preferably, the upward aligning edge and the remaining portion of the upper surface of the upward tongue mutually enclose an angle, preferably an angle between 75 and 165 degrees. The upward aligning edge adjoins an upper surface of the upward tongue. Preferably, this upper surface substantially completely faces away from the upward flank. Preferably, this (complete) upper surface has an inclined orientation, wherein more preferably this upper surface runs downwardly in a direction away from the upward flank. Hence, this inclined upper surface may also act as (outer) upward aligning edge adjacent to the (inner) upward aligning edge as specified above, which further facilitates coupling of panels at the third edge and the fourth edge. The wording “aligning edge” can be replaced by the wording “guiding edge” or “guiding surface”. The upper surface of the upward tongue adjoins at an outer side surface of the upward tongue, said outer side surface being provided with the first locking element. Said outer side surface preferably has a substantially vertical orientation. Thus, preferably the first locking element is located on a substantially vertical part of the upward tongue, such that above and below the locking element the upward tongue has a substantially vertically orientated surface. The inclination of the upper surface of the upward tongue is preferably situated between 15 and 45 degrees, more preferably between 25 and 35 degrees, and is most preferably about 30 degrees, with respect to a horizontal plane. The inclination of the upper surface of the upward tongue is preferably constant, which means the upper surface has a flat orientation. Preferably, an upper side of the downward groove has a, preferably likewise (compared to the inclination of the upper surface of the upward tongue (if applied)), inclining orientation, which is more preferably upward in the direction of the side of the downward tongue facing towards to downward flank. A lower surface of a bridge connecting the downward tongue to the core is formed by the upper surface of the downward groove. Applying an inclined upper surface of the downward groove will result in a varying thickness of the bridge, as soon from the core to the outer end of the third edge. As aforementioned, the upper surface of the downward groove preferably runs inclining upward in the direction of the side of the downward tongue facing towards to downward flank, which results in the fact that the bridge thickness decreases in the direction of the downward tongue. This position-dependent bridge thickness, wherein the bridge thickness is relatively large close to the core and relatively small close to the downward tongue, bridge thickness has multiple advantages. The thicker part of the bridge, close to the core, provides the bridge more and sufficient strength and robustness, while the thinner part of the bridge, close to the downward tongue, forms the weakest point of the bridge and will therefore be decisive for the location of first deformation (pivoting point) during coupling. Since this point of deformation is located close to the downward tongue the amount of material to be deformed to be able to insert the downward tongue into the upward groove can be kept to a minimum. Less deformation leads to less material stress which is in favour of the life span of the coupling part(s) and hence of the floor panel(s). In the coupled state of adjacent floor panels, the upper surface of the downward groove is preferably at least partially, and preferably substantially completely, supported by the upper surface of the upward tongue, which provides additionally strength to the coupling as such. To this end, it is advantageous that the inclination of the upper surface of the downward groove substantially corresponds to the inclination of the upper surface of the upward tongue. This means that the inclination of the upper surface of the downward groove is preferably situated between 15 and 45 degrees, more preferably between 25 and 35 degrees, and is most preferably about 30 degrees, with respect to a horizontal plane. As already mentioned, this inclination may be either flat or rounded, or eventually hooked. The floor panel comprises a single upward tongue and a single downward tongue. The expression “single tongue” means that merely a clearly recognizable single-piece, non-segmented tongue is applied rather than multiple tongues and/or rather than a segmented (fork-like) tongue having tines or prongs (parallel or branching spikes) enclosing one or more accommodating spaces for dust and/or separate sealing elements. Each of the upward tongue and the downward tongue is preferably substantially rigid, which means that the tongues are not typically configured to be subjected to deformation. The tongues as such are preferably relatively stiff and hence practically non-flexible, also due to their relatively robust design. Moreover, the tongues are preferably substantially solid, which means that the tongues are substantially massive and thus completely filled with material and are therefore not provided with grooves at an upper surface which would weaken the construction of the tongue and hence of the floor panel connection to be realised. By applying a rigid, solid tongue a relatively firm and durable tongue is obtained by means of which a reliable and the durable floor panel connection can be realised without using separate, additional components to realise a durable connection. Just like the downward tongue being connected to the core by means of a bridge, as mentioned above, also the upward tongue is connected to the core by means of a(nother) bridge. Preferably, at least a part of the bridges, due to their limited thickness, are resilient to some extent to allow slight and commonly temporary deformation of the third and fourth edges during coupling of these edges. Preferably, the thickness of at least the bridge connecting the downward tongue to the core varies in a direction perpendicular to the fourth edge. More preferably, the thickness of at least the bridge connecting the downward tongue to the core decreases in a direction perpendicular to the fourth edge and toward the downward tongue. This, preferably continuous, decreasing thickness of the bridge has two advantages; a thicker part of the bridge provides the bridge sufficient robustness, while a thinner part of the bridge will become the weakest point and will therefore be able to deform most easily during coupling of the panels. Preferably, this deformation point (or pivoting point) is located close to the downward tongue. The core of the floor panel is preferably also substantially rigid, which means that the core is not configured to be subjected to deformation. By applying a rigid panel a relatively firm and durable panel can be obtained without using separate, additional components to realise a durable connection. Preferably, at least a part of a side of the downward tongue facing away from the downward flank forms an inclined downward aligning edge for the purpose of coupling the fourth edge to a third edge of an adjacent panel. Also this inclined aligning edge, which may also be flat and/or rounded, also serves to facilitate a correct mutual positioning of the fourth and third edges, and therefore the ease of mutual coupling of both edges. Preferably the upward and/or downward aligning edge is substantially flat and forms a linear aligning surface. This surface can, in turn, be rounded off on the edges. A substantially flat and linear aligning edge facilitates a correct positioning of different floor panels upon coupling. In yet another embodiment the effective height of the inclined downward aligning edge is larger than the effective height of the upward tongue. This commonly results in the situation that the downward aligning edge of a floor panel does not engage another floor panel in case of a pre-aligned state (intermediate state). The position-selective contactless pre-alignment does prevent or counteract forcing the downward aligning edge of a floor panel along the upper surface of another floor panel, which could damage the floor panels. In an embodiment of the floor panel, at least a part of the upward flank adjoining the upper side of the floor panel is adapted to make contact with at least a part of the downward tongue adjoining the upper side of another floor panel in a coupled state of these floor panels. Engagement of these surfaces will lead to an increase of the effective contact surface between the coupling elements and hence to an increase of stability and sturdiness of the connection between two floor panels. In a favourable embodiment the upper side of the floor panel is adapted to engage substantially seamless to the upper side of another floor panel, as a result of which a seamless connection between two floor panels, and in particular the upper surfaces thereof, can be realised. In another embodiment the first locking element is positioned at a distance from an upper side of the upward tongue. This is favourable, since this will commonly result in the situation that the first locking element is positioned at a lower level than the upward aligning edge of the floor panel, which has the advantage that the maximum deformation of the fourth edge can be reduced, whereas the connection process and deformation process can be executed in successive steps. Less deformation leads to less material stress which is in favour of the life span of the coupling part(s) and hence of the floor panel(s). In this embodiment the second locking element is complementary positioned at a distance from an upper side of the downward groove. In an alternative embodiment, the first locking element is positioned at a distance from a lower side of the upward tongue, which may also facilitate coupling. The positioning of the complementary second locking element will be such that both locking element will co-act in the coupled state of the third and fourth edge. Preferably the first locking element is located on a substantially vertical part of the upward tongue, such that above and below the locking element the upward tongue has a substantially vertically orientated surface. This allows for a clear distinguishing between the locking element(s) and the tongue, and for a clean coupling of two floor panels. The substantially vertical surface above the first locking element allows a complementary counter profile to be aligned more easily into a relatively stable intermediate coupling position (see also FIG. 7c). Moreover, positioning the first locking element at a distance from the upper surface of the upward tongue reduces the maximum deformation the profiles have to be subjected to, which reduces the risk of breakage, and which improves the durability of the profiles and their connection. Additionally, positioning the first locking element at a distance from the upper surface of the upward tongue improves at least the rotational locking effect caused by the co-action between the first locking element and the second locking element. In an embodiment the mutual angle enclosed by at least a part of a side of the upward tongue facing toward the upward flank and the normal of the upper side of the core is substantially equal to the mutual angle enclosed by at least a part of a side of the downward tongue facing toward the downward flank and the normal of the lower side of the core. A close-fitting connection of the two tongue parts to each other can hereby be realized, this generally enhancing the firmness of the coupling between the two floor panels. In an embodiment variant the angle enclosed by on the one hand the direction in which at least a part of a side of the upward tongue facing toward the upward flank extends and on the other the normal of the upper side of the core lies between 0 (or 1) and 60 degrees, in particular between 0 (or 1) and 45 degrees, more particularly between 0 (or 1) and 10 degrees. In a particular embodiment this angle lies between 0.5 and 5 degrees. In another embodiment variant the angle enclosed by on the one hand the direction in which at least a part of a side of the downward tongue facing toward the downward flank extends and on the other the normal of the lower side of the core lies between 0 and 60 degrees, in particular between 0 and 45 degrees, more particularly between 0 and 10 degrees. In a particular embodiment this angle lies between 0.5 and 5 degrees. The eventual inclination of the tongue side facing toward the flank usually also depends on the production means applied to manufacture the floor panel. In an embodiment inclination of the downward aligned edge is less than the inclination of at least an upper part of the upward flank, as result of which an expansion chamber will be formed between both surface which will be favourable to allow play and to compensate expansion, e.g. due to moist absorption by the floor panels. In another embodiment variant at least a part of the aligning edge of the fourth edge has a substantially flatter orientation than at least a part of the upward flank of the third edge. By applying this measure there is generally created in a coupled position an air gap between the aligning edge of the fourth edge and a flank of the third edge. This clearance intentionally created between the two coupling parts is usually advantageous during coupling of adjacent floor panels, since this clearance does not prevent a temporary deformation of the coupling parts, this facilitating coupling of the coupling parts. Furthermore, the created clearance is advantageous for the purpose of absorbing expansion of the floor panel, for instance resulting from moisture absorption, this not being inconceivable when the floor panel is at least partially manufactured from wood. The created clearance may also act as dust chamber. In an embodiment variant a part of the upward flank of the third edge connecting to the core forms a stop surface for at least a part of the side of the downward tongue facing away from the downward flank. In this way a close fitting of at least the upper side of the floor panels can be realized, this usually being advantageous from a user viewpoint. A part of the upward flank of the third edge connecting to the core is here preferably oriented substantially vertically. At least a part of the side of the downward tongue facing away from the downward flank is here also preferably oriented substantially vertically. Applying substantially vertical stop surfaces in both coupling parts has the advantage that in the coupled position the coupling parts can connect to each other in relatively close-fitting and firm manner. It is generally advantageous for the upward groove to be adapted to receive with clamping fit a downward tongue of an adjacent panel. Receiving the upward groove, or at least a part thereof, with clamping fit in the downward tongue has the advantage that the downward tongue is enclosed relatively close-fittingly by the upward groove, this usually enhancing the firmness of the coupled construction. The same applies for the embodiment variant in which the downward groove is adapted to receive with clamping fit an upward tongue of an adjacent panel. In an embodiment variant the upward flank and the downward flank extend in a substantially parallel direction. This makes it possible to connect the flanks, as well as the locking elements, relatively closely to each other in a coupled position, this generally enhancing the locking effect realized by the locking elements. In another embodiment variant the first locking element comprises at least one outward bulge, and the second locking element comprises at least one recess, or vice versa, which outward bulge is adapted to be at least partially received in a recess of an adjacent coupled floor panel for the purpose of realizing a locked coupling. This embodiment variant is generally advantageous from a production engineering viewpoint. The first locking element and the second locking element preferably take a complementary form, whereby a form-fitting connection of the locking elements of adjacent floor panels to each other will be realized, this enhancing the effectiveness of the locking. The fact that the first locking element preferably comprises a bulge obviously also means that the first locking element could be formed by a bulge, and the fact that the second locking element preferably comprises a recess obviously also means that the second locking element could be formed by a recess. The third edge and the fourth edge are preferably integrally connected to the core. The same applies to the first and second edges, which are preferably also integrally connected to the core. From a structural, production engineering and logistics viewpoint this integral connection between the core and the edges to form a single piece panel is generally recommended. In an embodiment variant the panel is manufactured at least partially from wood. The floor panel can herein form a wooden plank and/or a parquet floor panel. The panel according to the invention is however also exceptionally suitable for application as laminated floor panel, wherein the floor panel comprises a laminate of a balancing layer (backing layer), a core layer comprising a wood and/or plastic product and at least one top structure arranged on an upper side of the carrier layer. The top structure commonly comprises a decorative layer on top of which a transparent protective layer is applied. The top structure commonly comprises a multiple layers having different properties. A wood or tile structure can further be pressed into the protective layer, whereby the top layer in fact also forms an embossed layer. The decorative layer is generally formed by a photo of wood or of tiles printed on paper usually saturated in melamine resin. It is also possible these days to print a decorative pattern directly onto the core layer by using dedicated printing devices. The core layer generally comprises a wood fibreboard, in particular an MDF board (Medium Density Fibreboard) or HDF board (High Density Fibreboard). It is also possible to envisage the floor panel being manufactured wholly from metal and/or textile instead of being manufactured from wood and/or plastic. In a preferred embodiment variant the panel is manufactured at least partially from plastic, in particular thermoplastic, preferably polyvinylchloride (PVC). It is possible here to envisage the floor panel according to the invention being manufactured substantially wholly from plastic. Preferably, the core is made of a laminate of material layers, wherein a central layer is made of at least one thermoplastic material, wherein the core has a top surface and a bottom surface. Affixed to the top surface of the core is print layer, wherein the print has a top surface and a bottom surface. Also, an overlay layer can be affixed directly to the top surface of the core, or affixed to the top surface of the print layer. The panel can optionally contain an underlay layer located and affixed between the bottom surface of the print layer and the top surface of the core. In more detail, the core in the thermoplastic laminate panel preferably comprises at least one thermoplastic material, the at least one thermoplastic material being polyvinyl chloride. Generally, any combinations thereof, alloys thereof, or mixtures of two or more thermoplastics wherein at least one thermoplastic material is polyvinyl chloride can be used to form the core, or at least a central layer thereof. Generally, such thermoplastic materials include, but are not limited to, vinyl containing thermoplastics such as polyvinyl acetate, polyvinyl alcohol, and other vinyl and vinylidene resins and copolymers thereof; polyethylenes such as low density polyethylenes and high density polyethylenes and copolymers thereof; styrenes such as ABS, SAN, and polystyrenes and copolymers thereof; polypropylene and copolymers thereof; saturated and unsaturated polyesters; acrylics; polyamides such as nylon containing types; engineering plastics such as acetyl, polycarbonate, polyimide, polysufone, and polyphenylene oxide and sulphide resins and the like. One or more conductive polymers can be used to form the plank, which has applications in conductive flooring and the like. More preferably, the thermoplastic material is a rigid polyvinyl chloride but semi-rigid or flexible polyvinyl chloride may also be used. The flexibility of the thermoplastic material can be imparted by using at least one liquid or solid plasticizer which is preferably present in an amount of less than about 20 phr (parts per hundred parts of resin), and more preferably, less than 1 phr. A typical rigid PVC compound used in the present invention to form the core can also include, but is not limited to, pigments, impact modifiers, stabilizers, processing aids, lubricants, fillers, wood flours, other conventional additives, and the like. The invention also relates to a covering, in particular a floor covering, consisting of mutually coupled panels consisting of mutually coupled floor panels according to the invention. The invention further relates to a method of assembling interconnectable panels, in particular panels according to the invention, for forming a covering, comprising the steps of: providing a first panel, inserting a sideward tongue of a first edge of a second panel in an inclined position into a recess of a second edge of the first panel, angling down the second panel with respect to the first panel, until both panels are situated in the same plane, inserting a sideward tongue of a first edge of a third panel in an inclined position into a recess of a second edge of the first panel, and angling down the third panel with respect to the first and second panels, until the panels are situated in the same plane, wherein a downward tongue of a fourth edge of the third panel will zip into an upward groove of a third edge of the second panel, en wherein an upward tongue of the third edge of the second panel will snap into a downward groove of the fourth edge of the third panel, leading to locking of third panel with respect to the first panel at the first and second edges and with respect to the second panel at the third and fourth edges in both horizontal direction and vertical direction. Advantages and further aspects of the method according to the invention have been described above already in a comprehensive manner. It will be apparent that the invention is not limited to the exemplary embodiments shown and described here, but that within the scope of the appended claims numerous variants are possible which will be self-evident to the skilled person in this field. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The invention will be elucidated on the basis of non-limitative exemplary embodiments shown in the following figures. Herein: FIG. 1 shows a rectangular floor panel according to the present invention; FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view indicated by section A-A in FIG. 1; FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view indicated by section B-B in FIG. 1; FIGS. 4a-4f show different views of the successive steps for interconnecting multiple floor panels according to FIGS. 1-3 for forming a floor covering; FIGS. 5a-5e show different embodiments of the first and second edges of a floor panel according to the invention; and FIG. 6 shows a different embodiment of the third and fourth edges of a floor panel according to the invention. DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION FIG. 1 shows a rectangular floor panel 1 according to the present invention. The panel 1 is interconnectable with similar panels for forming a covering, as will be shown in further figures. The floor panel 1 can be made of any material, though typical materials are wood, in particular HDF, MDF, and LDF, and plastic, in particular thermoplastic, more in particular PVC. Commonly, the floor panel 1 is made of a laminate comprising a central layer (core layer) enclosed by a backing structure and a top structure (not shown). The top structure commonly comprises a decorative layer, which may be printed onto the central layer, on top of which a protective layer is applied. The panel 1 comprises a centrally located core 2 provided with an upper side 3 and a lower side 4. The core 2 is integrally connected with a first pair of opposite edges, in particular a first edge 5 and a complementary second edge 6, located at the long lateral sides of the panel 1. The core is also integrally connected with a second pair of opposite edges, in particular a third edge 7 and a complementary fourth edge 8, located a the short sides of the panel 1 in this exemplary embodiment. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view indicated by section A-A in FIG. 1. In this cross-section, the shape of the complementary first edge 5 and second 6 edge are shown in detail. The first edge 5 comprises a sideward tongue 9 which is integrally connected to the core 2. By means of the vertical dashed line the border between the sideward tongue 9 and the core 2 is visualized. A front region 9a of the sideward tongue 9 is provided with a rounded bottom surface 10. An outer end of the rounded bottom surface 10 adjoins an inclined locking surface 11. An opposite end of the rounded bottom surface 10 adjoins a bearing surface 12 making part of a back region 9b of the sideward tongue 9. The second edge 6 of the panel 1 comprises an upper lip 13 and a lower lip 14 defining a recess 15. Both lips 13, 14 are integrally connected to the core 2. By means of the vertical dashed line the border between the lips 13, 14 and the core is visualized. As shown in FIG. 2, the width of the upper lip 13 is substantially smaller than the width of the lower lip 14. The recess 15 has a shape which is complementary to the shape of the sideward tongue 9. More in particular, a top surface 16 of a back region 14a of the lower lip 14 has a (complementary) rounded shape, configured to co-act with the rounded front region 9a of the sideward tongue 9, while a front region 14b of the lower lip 14 is provided with a upwardly protruding shoulder 17, configured to co-act with the bearing surface 12 of the sideward tongue 9. A lower surface 18 of the upper lip 13 is inclined and corresponds to the locking surface 11 of the sideward tongue 9. Locking at the first edge 5 and the second edge 6 of adjacent panels 1 by insertion of the sideward tongue 9 of a panel 1 to be coupled into the recess 15, wherein said panel 1 is initially held in an inclined position. After insertion of the sideward tongue 9 into the recess, the panel 1 to be coupled will be pivoted (angled) in downward direction about an axis parallel to the first edge 5 until both panels 1 are positioned in the same—commonly horizontal—plane, wherein the locking surface 11 of the sideward tongue 9 will engage the locking surface of the upper lip 18, and wherein at least a bottom front part is accommodated substantially form-fittingly in the recess 15, and wherein the bearing surface 12 is supported by the shoulder 17. Locking at the first edge 5 and the second edge 6 leads to locking of the connected panels 1 in both horizontal direction and vertical direction. The angling down locking principle of the first and second edges 5, 6 is a relatively easy locking principle which facilitates mutual coupling of panels at these edges 5, 6 tremendously. Further details relating to this locking mechanism are visualised in FIGS. 4 and 5. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view indicated by section B-B in FIG. 1. In this cross-section, the shape of the complementary third edge 7 and second 8 edge are shown in detail. The third edge 7 comprises an upward tongue 19, an upward flank 20 and an upward groove 21 formed between upward tongue 19 and upward flank 20. The upward tongue 19 is connected to the core 2 by means of a bridge 22, which is preferably resilient to some extent. A side 19a of upward tongue 19 facing toward upward flank 20 extends in the direction of the normal N1 of the upper side 3 of the core 2. The tangent R1 and the normal N1 of the upper side 3 of the core 2 are thus directed toward each other (converging orientation), wherein the angle enclosed by R1 and N1 is preferably between 0 and 10 degrees in this exemplary embodiment. Due to the converging orientation of the upward flank 20 and the side 19a of the upward tongue 19 facing toward to the upward flank 20, the upward groove 22 is a closed groove, which is only accessible to a complementary counterpart by deformation of the upward tongue 19 and/or bridge 22. Another side 19b of upward tongue 19 facing toward upward flank 20 forms an aligning edge enabling facilitated realization of a coupling to an adjacent floor panel 1. As shown, this side 19b functioning as aligning edge is directed away from the normal N1 of upper side 3 of the core 2. An upper side 19d of upward tongue 19 does however extend in the direction of the normal N1 of the upper side 3 of the core 2, and runs inclining downward in the direction of the side 19e of upward tongue 19 facing away from upward flank 20. This chamfering provides the option of giving the complementary fourth edge 8 a more robust and therefore stronger form. A part of the side 19e of upward tongue 19 facing away from upward flank 20 is oriented substantially vertically and is moreover provided with an outward bulge 23. A lower part 20a of upward flank 20 is oriented diagonally, while an upper part 20b of upward flank 20 is shown to be substantially vertical and forms a stop surface for fourth edge 8. In between the inclined part 20a and the substantially vertical part 20b of the upward flank an additional coupling element, in particular an additional bulge 24, is provided. A lower wall part 21a of upward groove 21 is oriented substantially horizontally in this exemplary embodiment. The fourth edge 8 is substantially complementary to third edge 7. The fourth edge 8 comprises a downward tongue 25, a downward flank 26 and a downward groove 27 formed between downward tongue 25 and downward flank 26. The downward tongue 25 is connected to the core 2 by means of a bridge 28, which is preferably resilient to some extent. A side 25a of downward tongue 25 facing toward downward flank 26 lies in the direction of the normal N2 of the lower side 4 of the core 2. This means that a tangent R2 of side 25a of downward tongue 25 and the normal of the lower side 4 of the core 2 are mutually converging, wherein the angle enclosed by R2 and N2 is preferably between 0 and 10 degrees in this exemplary embodiment. More preferably, the inclination of R1 is identical to the inclination of R2; hence, R1 and R2 are preferably parallel. Due to the converging orientation of the downward flank 26 and the side 25a of the downward tongue 25 facing toward to the downward flank 26, the downward groove 27 is a closed groove, which is only accessible for the upward tongue 19 of an adjacent panel 1 by deformation of the downward tongue 25 and/or bridge 28, as a result of which the entrance of the downward groove can be widened (temporary). A side 25b of the downward tongue 25 facing away from downward flank 26 is diagonally oriented, but has a flatter orientation than the complementary side 20a of upward flank 20, whereby a gap (air space) will be formed in the coupled position, which will generally facilitate coupling between two floor panels 1. The inclining side 25b of downward tongue 25 also functions as aligning edge for the purpose of further facilitating coupling between two floor panels 1. Another side 25c facing away from downward flank 26 takes a substantially vertical form, though is provided with a small cavity 29 configured to co-act with the additional bulge 24 of another panel 1. A top part of the side 25c facing away from downward flank 26 forms a complementary stop surface for stop surface 20b of upward flank 20 (of an adjacent floor panel). Downward flank 26 is oriented substantially vertically and is provided with a recess 30 adapted to receive the outward bulge 23 of the upward tongue 19 (of an adjacent floor panel). FIGS. 4a-4f show different views of the successive steps for interconnecting multiple floor panels 1 according to FIGS. 1-3 for forming a floor covering 31. FIGS. 4a and 4b relate to the first step of the installation process, wherein a first row of floor panels 1 is generated by connecting the third edge 7 of a panel 1 to the fourth edge 8 of an adjacent panel, by pressing—in a substantially vertical direction (as indicated by the arrow)—the fourth edge 8 of a panel 1 to be coupled onto and into the third edge 7 of an already installed panel 1. Due to the vertical displacement, the third edge 7 and/or the fourth edge 8 will be deformed slightly, such that the downward tongue 25 will be pushed into the upward groove 21, and the upward tongue 19 will be pushed into the downward groove 27. Moreover, the bulges 23, 24 will be positioned in the corresponding recesses 29, 30 to better secure the floor panels 1 with respect to each other. Due to this temporary deformation, wherein both the upward groove 21 and the downward grove 27 will be widened temporary for the insertion of the downward tongue 25 and the upward tongue 19 respectively, both edges 7, 8 will snap into each other. FIGS. 4c and 4d relate to the second step of the installation process, wherein a second row of floor panels 1 is created which is connected to the first row of floor panels. To this end, a first edge 5 of a floor panel 1 to be coupled is positioned in an inclined orientation against a second edge 6 of an already installed panel 1, such that the sideward tongue 9 is at least partially inserted in the complementary recess 15 of the second profile 6. After this partial insertion the inclined panel is pivoted (angled) down—see arrow—around an axis parallel to the first edge 5, until the panel 1 is located in the same plane as defined by the first row of panels, as a result of which the sideward tongue 9 will be locked into the recess 15 both in at least one horizontal direction and in vertical direction. The first two steps as shown in FIGS. 4a-4d are preparatory steps for installation of one or more subsequent panels 1 which are to be coupled at multiple edges instead of only at a single edge. Installation of a subsequent floor panel 1 is visualized in FIGS. 4e and 4f. Again, a floor panel 1 to be coupled is held at inclined position, wherein the sideward tongue 9 of the floor panel 1 is inserted partially into the corresponding recess 15 of a second edge of at least one floor panel already installed. The fourth edge 8 of the floor panel 1 to be installed is positioned substantially above the third edge 7 of the panel 1 already installed in the second row, wherein the fourth edge 8 and the third edge 7 mutually enclose an angle (being the inclination angle of the panel to be coupled). During angling down of the panel 1 to be coupled (see arrow) both the first edge 5 and the fourth edge 8 of the panel 1 will be connected to adjacent panels 1. More in particular, during angling down of the panel 1, the front region of the sideward tongue 9 will be accommodated in the recess 15, and will be held in position by means of the limiting shoulder 17 and the limiting locking surface 18 of the upper lip 13 of the second edge 6 of the panel(s) already installed in the first row. Moreover, simultaneously the fourth edge 8 of the panel 1 to be coupled will make a downward scissoring movement with respect to the underlying third edge 7 and will zip (snap) into the third edge 7 and vice versa, leading to a firm and durable connection between the panels 1. FIGS. 5a-5e show different embodiments of the first and second edges of a floor panel according to the invention. In FIG. 5a the embodiment according to FIGS. 1-4f is shown, while in FIGS. 5b-5e alternative embodiments of these edges are shown. More in particular, FIG. 5b shows a first and second edge 40, 41 of a floor panel 42, wherein, instead of a smoothly rounded bottom portion a more hooked (segmented rounded) bottom portion is shown. In FIG. 5c, an embodiment of a floor panel 43 is shown which is almost identical to the floor panel shown in FIG. 5a, though wherein the first and second edges 44, 45 are provided with horizontal locking surfaces 44a, 45b instead of inclined locking surfaces. In FIG. 5d, an alternative embodiment of a floor panel 46 is shown, wherein the first and second edges 47, 48 are shaped such that a bottom contact portion between the two edges 47, 48 is partially smoothly rounded and partially discontinuously rounded (segmented rounded). Locking surfaces 50, 51 of a sideward tongue 49 of the first edge 47 and of an upper lip 52 of the second edge have a substantially horizontal orientation. In FIG. 5e, an embodiment of a floor panel 53 almost identical to the floor panel 46 as shown in FIG. 5d is shown, with the difference that a front bottom part 54a of a sideward tongue 54 is not smoothly rounded, but flat giving a bottom portion of the sideward tongue 54 as such a segmented rounded (hooked) shape. FIG. 6 shows a different embodiment of the third and fourth edges of a floor panel 57 according to the invention. Floor panel 57 comprises a core 58 provided with an upper side 58a and a lower side 58b, and coupling parts 59, 60 positioned on opposite longitudinal sides of core 58 and connected integrally to core 58. A first coupling part 59 comprises an upward tongue 61, an upward flank 62 and an upward groove 63 formed between upward tongue 61 and upward flank 62. A side 61a of upward tongue 61 facing toward upward flank 62 is inclined and extends in the direction of the normal N1 of the upper side 58a of core 58. The tangent R1 and the normal N1 of upper side 58a of core 58 are thus directed toward each other (converging orientation), wherein the angle enclosed by R1 and N1 amounts to 3-5 degrees. On top of side 61a, a substantially flat upward aligning edge 61b of the upward tongue 61 is positioned, which faces toward upward flank 62 and which enables facilitated realization of a coupling to an adjacent floor panel. The inclined surface 61a, acting as locking surface, and the adjoining upward aligning edge 61b together form the inner side surface of the upward tongue 61. As shown, this side 61b functioning as upward aligning edge is substantially flat and, moreover, directed away from the normal N1 of upper side 58a of the core. A (single) upper side 61d of upward tongue 61 does however extend in the direction of the normal N1 of upper side 68a of core 68, and runs inclining downward in the direction of the side 61e of upward tongue 61 facing away from upward flank 62. The angle of inclination is about 30 degrees. This chamfering provides the option of giving the complementary second coupling part 60 a more robust and therefore stronger form, as will be elucidated below. The side 61e of upward tongue 61 facing away from upward flank 62 is oriented substantially vertically and is moreover provided with an outward bulge 64 which clearly extends with respect to vertically oriented parts of the outer side wall 61 of the upward tongue 59. A lower part 62a of upward flank 62 is oriented diagonally, while an upper part 62b of upward flank 62 is shown to be substantially vertical and forms a stop surface for second coupling part 60. A lower wall part 63a of upward groove 43 is oriented substantially horizontally in this exemplary embodiment. A bridge 65 lying between lower wall part 63a of upward groove 63 and a lower side 59a has a somewhat elastic nature and is adapted to allow upward tongue 61 to slightly pivot relative to upward flank 62, this resulting in a (temporary) widening of upward groove 63, whereby coupling of floor panel 57 to an adjacent floor panel can be facilitated. Second coupling part 60 is substantially complementary to first coupling part 59. Second coupling part 60 comprises a downward tongue 66, a downward flank 67 and a downward groove 68 formed between downward tongue 66 and downward flank 67. A side 66a of downward tongue 66 facing toward downward flank 67 is inclined and extends in the direction of the normal N2 of the lower side 58b of core 58. This means that a tangent R2 of side 66a of downward tongue 66 and the normal of the lower side 58b of core 58 are mutually converging. In this exemplary embodiment the tangent R2 and the normal N2 enclose a mutual angle of 3-5 degrees. A side 66b facing away from downward flank 67 is diagonally oriented, but has a flatter orientation than the complementary side 62a of upward flank 62, whereby a gap (air space) will be formed in the coupled position, which will generally facilitate coupling between two floor panels 57. The inclining side 66b of downward tongue 66 also functions as aligning edge for the purpose of further facilitating coupling between two floor panels 57. Another side 66c facing away from downward flank 67 takes a substantially vertical form and forms a complementary stop surface for stop surface 62b of upward flank 62 (of an adjacent floor panel). Downward tongue 66 is further provided with a small aligning edge 66d which is facing toward downward flank 67. Because upper side 61d of upward tongue 61 has an inclining orientation, an upper side 68a of downward groove 68 likewise can be given, and in this embodiment has, a corresponding inclining orientation, whereby the (average) distance between upper side 68a of downward groove 68 and an upper side 60a of second coupling part 60 is sufficiently large to impart sufficient strength to second coupling part 60 as such. Downward flank 67 is oriented substantially vertically and is provided with a recess 69 adapted to receive the outward bulge 64 of upward tongue 61 (of an adjacent floor panel). A bridge 70 lying between upper side 68a of downward groove 68 and upper side 60a has a somewhat elastic nature due its reduced thickness close to the downward tongue 66 (and possibly also due to material characteristics), and is adapted to allow downward tongue 66 to slightly pivot relative to downward flank 67, this resulting in a (temporary) widening of downward groove 68, whereby coupling of floor panel 67 to an adjacent floor panel can be facilitated. This pivoting point (point of deformation) is typically formed by the weakest point in the bridge 70, which is indicated by the sign “P”. The shown floor panel 67 can form a parquet floor panel, a plank, a laminated floor panel and/or a plastic floor panel. The coupling parts 59, 60 and the core 58 are preferably integrally connected. This summary is meant to provide an introduction to the concepts that are disclosed within the specification without being an exhaustive list of the many teachings and variations upon those teachings that are provided in the extended discussion within this disclosure. Thus, the contents of this summary should not be used to limit the scope of the claims that follow. Inventive concepts are illustrated in a series of examples, some examples showing more than one inventive concept. Individual inventive concepts can be implemented without implementing all details provided in a particular example. It is not necessary to provide examples of every possible combination of the inventive concepts provide below as one of skill in the art will recognize that inventive concepts illustrated in various examples can be combined together in order to address a specific application. Other panel constructions, assembling methods, features and advantages of the disclosed teachings will be or will become apparent to one with skill in the art upon examination of the following figures and detailed description. It is intended that all such additional panel constructions, assembling methods, features and advantages be included within the scope of and be protected by the accompanying claims. | <SOH> BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION <EOH> | <SOH> SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION <EOH>It is an object of the invention to provide an improved floor panel, which can be coupled in an improved manner to other panels, and whereby preferably one or more of the aforementioned disadvantages are excluded. It is a further object of the invention to provide an improved panel, in particular floor panel, which can be connected to similar panels in a relatively easy manner while leading to a relatively reliable and firm connection between panels. The invention provides for this purpose a panel, in particular a floor panel, more in particular a laminated floor panel, interconnectable with similar panels for forming a covering, comprising: a centrally located core provided with an upper side and a lower side, said core being provided with: a first pair of opposite edges, comprising: a first edge comprising a sideward tongue extending in a direction substantially parallel to the upper side of the panel, the bottom front region of said sideward tongue being rounded at least partly and preferably substantially completely, the bottom back region of said tongue being configured as bearing region, wherein the bottom back region is located closer to the level of the upper side of the panel than a lowest part of the bottom front region, an opposite, second edge comprising a recess for accommodating at least a part of the sideward tongue of a further panel, said recess being defined by an upper lip and a lower lip, said lower lip being provided with a upwardly protruding shoulder for supporting and/or facing the bearing region of the sideward tongue, the sideward tongue being designed such that locking takes place by an introduction movement into the recess of the sideward tongue a further panel and a angling down movement about an axis parallel to the first edge, as a result of which a top side of the sideward tongue will engage the upper lip and the bearing region of the sideward tongue will be supported by and/or facing the shoulder of the lower lip, leading to locking of adjacent panels at the first and second edges in both horizontal direction and vertical direction; and a second pair of opposite edges, comprising: a third edge comprising a single upward tongue, at least one upward flank lying at a distance from the upward tongue and a single upward groove formed between the upward tongue and the upward flank, wherein at least a part of a side of the upward tongue facing toward the upward flank is inclined toward the upward flank and extends in the direction of the normal of the upper side of the core, and wherein at least a part of a side of the upward tongue facing away from the upward flank comprises a substantially rigid first locking element, and a fourth edge comprising a single downward tongue, at least one downward flank lying at a distance from the downward tongue, and a single downward groove formed between the downward tongue and the downward flank, wherein at least a part of a side of the downward tongue facing toward the downward flank is inclined toward the downward flank and extends in the direction of the normal of the lower side of the core, and wherein the downward flank comprises a, preferably substantially rigid, second locking element adapted for co-action with the first locking element of a third edge of yet a further panel, the third and fourth edges being designed such that locking takes place during angling down of a panel to be coupled at a first edge to a second edge of a further panel, wherein the fourth edge of a panel to be coupled makes a scissoring movement toward a third edge of yet another panel, such that the downward tongue of the fourth edge of the panel to be coupled will be forced into the upward groove of the third edge of said other panel and the upward tongue of said other panel will be forced into the downward groove of the panel the be coupled, by deformation of the third edge and/or the fourth edge, leading to locking of adjacent panels at the third and fourth edges in both horizontal direction, vertical direction, and leading to the first locking element to co-act with the second locking element to realise an additional locking in vertical direction as well as a locking rotational direction. The panel according to the invention comprises at a first pair of opposing edges a first set of complementary coupling profiles and at a second pair of opposing edges a distinctive second set of complementary coupling profiles. The first and second edges facilitate an easy installation of a panel by inserting the sideward tongue of the first edge of the panel to be coupled in an inclined position into the recess of the second edge of an already installed panel, after which that panel will be angled (pivoted) downwardly until both panels are situated in the same plane. Although this angling down process leads to locking of both panels at the first and second edges both in horizontal direction and in vertical direction, a substantially improved locking will be realized due to the presence of the third and fourth edges, and more in particular by forcing the fourth edge of the panel to be coupled to snap into the third edge of another panel during the angling down movement of the panel to be coupled, wherein the downward tongue is snapped into the closed upward groove, and wherein the first locking element is brought into contact with the second locking element to provide an additional locking at a distance from the upward groove. Coupling of the third edge and the complementary fourth edge of adjacent panels leads to a triple lock at between said panels, in particular (i) a locking in horizontal direction, (ii) a locking in vertical direction, and (iii) a locking in rotational direction. The locking in horizontal direction is caused by the substantially vertical orientation of the tongues of the third and the fourth edges, which act as hook-shaped elements preventing drifting apart (in horizontal direction) of third edge and the fourth edge in a coupled state. The vertical locking is firstly caused by the application of said closed upward groove (due to aforementioned inclined side surface (inner surface) of the upward tongue) and said closed downward groove (due to the aforementioned inclined side surface (inner surface) of the downward tongue, which leads to a snapping action during coupling and an enclosing of at least a part of the downward tongue by the upward groove as well as an enclosing of at least a part of the upward tongue by the downward groove after coupling, resulting in a locking in vertical direction. Hence, since the third profile is provided with a closed upward groove, whereas at least a part of a side of the upward tongue facing toward the upward flank extends in the direction of the normal of the upper side of the core, and since the fourth profile is provided with a closed downward groove, whereas at least a part of a side of the downward tongue facing toward the downward flank extends in the direction of the normal of the lower side of the core, an interconnection of the third and fourth edges of adjacent panels can only be established after a (temporary), preferably resilient, deformation of the third edge and/or the fourth edge leading. This vertical locking is secondly caused and assisted by the co-action between the first locking element and the second locking element in the coupled state of the third edge and the fourth edge. Due to both vertical locking effects the realised vertical locking as such is relatively firm. Commonly the second vertical locking effect—caused by the co-action between the first locking element and the second locking element—is required to realise a vertical locking between adjacent panels as such, though this depends on the degree of inclination of the (inner) side surfaces of the upward tongue and the downward tongue respectively. Since this inclination is commonly and preferably restricted to an extent of between 1 and 10 degrees, more preferably between 1 and 5 degrees, with respect to a vertical plane, which secures easy coupling of the third edge and the fourth edge, this inclination as such renders uncoupling of coupled panels somewhat more difficult though will commonly not lead to an aimed (stable) vertical locking between the panels as such, wherein the aimed (stable) vertical locking is merely realised by additionally allowing the first locking element and second locking element to co-act. The rotational locking prevents, or at least hinders, pivoting between panels connected at a third edge and fourth edge respectively. This rotation locking is mainly caused by the application of the first locking distant from the upward groove and the second locking element positioned inside the downward groove. Due to this triple locking mechanism a relatively firm, reliable, and durable connection can be realised between the third edge and the fourth edge of adjacent panels, which allows, moreover, easy coupling of the third edge and the fourth edge. The connection between the third edge and the fourth edge is therefore preferably free of play. Since the third and fourth edges are commonly perpendicular to the first and second edge, a scissoring movement will occur during angling down of a panel to be coupled, leading to snapping or zipping of the fourth edge of a panel to coupled and the third edge of an already installed panel into each other. Hence, the panel according to invention can be assembled in a relatively easy manner, without the need of additional connection elements, while leading to a firm and durable connection. At the first and second edges, a locking in horizontal direction between two panels is established by the presence of upwardly protruding shoulder, which prevents the bottom front region of the sideward tongue (male part) to be displaced in a horizontal direction with respect to the complementary recess (female part) and the upwardly protruding shoulder. Hence, the shoulder locks the bottom front region of the sideward tongue in place. Preferably, the shoulder has a substantially flat upper surface. An upper surface of the shoulder is preferably oriented substantially horizontally. A shoulder wall facing or directed towards the panel core is preferably sufficiently inclined (steep) to act as locking surface for locking connected panels in horizontal direction. Preferably, at least an upper end part of said (inner) shoulder wall, connecting to an upper shoulder surface, extends in a direction of at least 45 degrees, more preferably at least 60 degrees with respect to a horizontal plane, which will secure a firm locking in horizontal direction. Said shoulder wall can be flat though is preferably curved, since a curved shoulder wall facilitates insertion of a sideward tongue of a first panel into the recess of the second edge of a second panel. Preferably, a bottom region of the lower lip extending between the core and the shoulder is at least partially curved (rounded), wherein more preferably the shape of said bottom region of the lower lip is substantially complementary to the shape of the at least partially rounded bottom front region of the sideward tongue. The complementary rounded surfaces will act as sliding surfaces during coupling of the panels. The upper surface has a substantially complementary shape with respect to a corresponding bottom region of the lower lip. A locking in vertical direction at the first and second edges of two panels is established by the engagement of a top surface of the sideward tongue to a bottom surface of the upper lip acting as locking surface. In fact, the upper lip prevents the inserted sideward tongue to be displaced in vertical direction. After coupling, a top surface of the sideward tongue preferably at least partially engages a bottom surface of the upper lip. After coupling, a top surface of the sideward preferably engages the complete bottom surface of the upper lip. This partial or complete engagement prevents play between coupled panels. Hence, panels can be coupled free of play at the first edge and the second edge. At the third and fourth edges, a locking in horizontal direction between two panels is established by the presence of the upward tongue at the third edge which engages to the downward tongue at the fourth edge (of another panel), which prevents the two panels to be drifted apart. At the third and fourth edges, a locking in vertical direction between two panels is established by the application of the closed grooves as indicated above, and moreover, due to the presence of the additional first and second locking elements. Moreover, due to the particular shape of the third and fourth edges, a locking in rotational directional will commonly also be established. The third and fourth edges can be mutually connected either by a scissoring action (zipping action) during angling down of a panel to be coupled, although it is also conceivable to connect the third and fourth edges by vertical displacement, wherein the downward tongue (as a whole) is downwardly pushed into the upward groove. Regardless of the installation method, either the third edge and/or fourth edge will slightly deform during coupling to allow the tongues to be inserted into the complementary closed grooves. After establishment of the coupling, both the third edge and the fourth edge preferably have their original shape again and will no longer be deformed. Preferably, the third edge and the fourth edge have substantially complementary shapes, such that none of the third edge and the fourth edge will exert (compression) forces onto each other once coupled. The absence of any (pre)tension in the coupled state of the third and fourth edge will reduce the material stress to practically zero in the coupled state, which will be in favour of the durability of the third edge as such, the fourth edge as such, and consequently to the connection between these edges in the coupled state. Preferably, (also) the third edge and the fourth edge can be connected free of play. The (floor) panel according to the invention is primarily intended for so-called laminated floors, but generally it can also be applied for other kinds of covering, consisting of hard floor panels, such as veneer parquet, prefabricated parquet, or other floor panels which can be compared to laminated flooring. Hence, the floor panel according to the invention is preferably a laminated floor panel. A laminated floor panel is considered as a floor panel comprising multiple material layers. A typical laminated floor panel comprises at least one central core layer, and at least one further layer attached to either at a bottom surface and/or top surface of said core layer. A backing layer attached to at least a part of a bottom surface is also referred to as a balancing layer. This backing layer commonly covers the core of the panel, and optionally, though not necessarily, one or more edges of the panel. On top of the core, commonly one or more additional layers are applied, including at least one design layer (decorative layer) which is preferably covered by a substantially transparent protective layer. The decorative layer may be formed by a paper layer onto which a decorative pattern is printed, though it is also thinkable that the decorative design is directly printed onto the core or onto a core coating. The protective layer may have a profiled top surface, which may include an embossing which corresponds to the decorative pattern (design) visualised underneath the protective layer, to provide the floor panel an improved feel and touch. Different materials may be used for the layers. The core, for example, can be formed of a MDF or HDF product, provided with a protective layer. The core could also be formed of a synthetic material, such as a thermoplastic like polyvinyl chloride (PVC), and/or a thermoplastic material which is enriched with one or more additives. The thermoplastic material may be fibre reinforced and/or dust reinforced. To this end, a dust-(thermo)plastic-composite may be used as core material. The expression “dust” is understood is small dust-like particles (powder), like wood dust, cork dust, or non-wood dust, like stone powder, in particular cement. By combining bamboo dust, wood dust, or cork dust, or combination thereof, with for example high density polyethylene (HDPE), or polyvinylchloride (virgin, recycled, or a mixture thereof), a rigid and inert core is provided that does not absorb moisture and does not expand or contract, resulting in peaks and gaps. An alternative material which may be used to manufacture at least a part of the floor panel according to the invention, in particular the core layer, is ceramics or cement. Instead of a laminated floor panel, the floor panel according to the invention may also be formed by a single layer floor panel, which may for example be made of wood. Preferably, the edges are integrally connected to the core. The panel according to the invention can also be applied to form an alternative covering, for example a wall covering or a ceiling covering. The recess is preferably terminated by the shoulder. By using this definition, the recess will be configured to accommodate that front region of the tongue, while the back region acting as bearing region will be positioned outside the recess. The recess will therefore in vertical direction be limited and defined by the upper lip and the lower lip, and will in horizontal direction be limited and defined by the core and the shoulder. As indicated above, a bottom surface of the front region of the sideward tongue is at least partly rounded, which facilitates angling down of the panel, wherein a more or less central part of the front region of the sideward tongue will act as pivoting axis. Since the sideward tongue is inserted into the recess during angling down, the pivoting axis will be displaced slightly during the angling down process. Commonly, the shape of a bottom surface of the lower lip defining the recess, configured for supporting the front region of the sideward tongue, is preferably complementary to the shape of the bottom front region of the sideward tongue. In this manner, the number of gaps between the sideward tongue and the bottom surface of the lower lip defining the recess can be kept to a minimum, which will commonly be in favour of the prevention of play between the edges, and hence to the solidness of the connection. Therefore, the bottom surface of the recess is preferably also at least partly rounded. The roundness of the matching surface can be either smooth or (somewhat) hooked, for example by hooked surface segments, to form a rounded shape. Alternatively, the bottom surface of the lower lip defining the recess can also be given another shape, for example a substantially flat shape, which could be in favour of minimizing the resistance between two panels during the angling down process, which could facilitate the installation process. The upper lip and the lower lip are connected to the core, and preferably extend in a direction which is substantially parallel to the upper side of the core. Preferably, the lower lip is substantially longer than the upper lip, more preferably at least four times longer. In between the upper lip and the lower lip a cavity is created, which cavity makes part of the recess. This cavity will commonly act as locking part of the recess, wherein a top surface of said locking part acts as locking surface and is configured to co-act with a top surface of the front region of the sideward tongue of a further panel. This locking surface preferably has an inclined orientation, and wherein at least a front region of the top surface of the sideward tongue has a corresponding inclined orientation. An inclined orientation of the locking surface commonly facilitates coupling of panels at the first and second edge. It is commonly advantageous in case a side of the shoulder facing the core has an inclined orientation for forcing two panels, in an assembled state, toward each other. Preferably a complementary surface of the bearing region of the sideward tongue has a substantially identical inclined orientation. This inclination preferably runs downward from the shoulder in the direction of the core. By applying such an inclined orientation a driving surface will be created for driving (forcing) an inserted sideward tongue in the direction of the core of the panel, which will be in favour of the firmness of the coupling at the first and second edges. In a preferred embodiment, the width of the bearing region of the sideward tongue is greater than the width of the shoulder. The width is perpendicular to the length of the sideward tongue and the shoulder, and hence perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the first and second edge. By applying a bearing region having a greater width than the width of the shoulder, a gap will be created between the shoulder and the core of an adjacent panel. This gap will commonly facilitate the angling down process, since more space during the angling down process. The panel according to the invention can either have a square shape or a rectangular shape. The first pair of opposite edges have a substantially parallel orientation. The same applies to the second pair of opposites edges which also have a mutually substantially parallel orientation. The angle enclosed by the first pair of edges and the second pair of edges is substantially perpendicular. In a preferred embodiment the panel has a substantially rectangular shape, wherein the first pair of opposite edges are located on the long sides of the panel, and the second pair of opposite edges are located on the short sides of the panel. This orientation allows the long edges of a first panel and a second panel to be engaged first, after which the short edges of the first panel and a third panel will be connected during lowering (angling down) of the first panel. It is imaginable to modify this embodiment by applying the first and second edges to the short edges, and the third and fourth edges to the long edges. In this latter embodiment, first the short edges of different panels will be brought in contact which each other, after which during angling down of one of the panels the long sides of the panel will be connected to another panel. In a preferred embodiment at least a part of a side of the upward tongue facing toward the upward flank forms an (inclined) upward aligning edge for the purpose of coupling the third edge to a fourth edge of an adjacent panel. This upward aligning edge can be flat and/or rounded. The upward aligning edge facilitates a correct positioning (alignment) of the fourth edge of a panel with respect to a third edge of an adjacent panel which will commonly facilitate mutual coupling of the third edge and the fourth edge. The upward aligning edge can be considered as being a part of the (inner) side wall of the upward tongue. The upward aligning edge is preferably (substantially) smaller than an inclined remaining portion of the (inner) side wall of the upward tongue. More preferably, the upward aligning edge and the remaining portion of the upper surface of the upward tongue mutually enclose an angle, preferably an angle between 75 and 165 degrees. The upward aligning edge adjoins an upper surface of the upward tongue. Preferably, this upper surface substantially completely faces away from the upward flank. Preferably, this (complete) upper surface has an inclined orientation, wherein more preferably this upper surface runs downwardly in a direction away from the upward flank. Hence, this inclined upper surface may also act as (outer) upward aligning edge adjacent to the (inner) upward aligning edge as specified above, which further facilitates coupling of panels at the third edge and the fourth edge. The wording “aligning edge” can be replaced by the wording “guiding edge” or “guiding surface”. The upper surface of the upward tongue adjoins at an outer side surface of the upward tongue, said outer side surface being provided with the first locking element. Said outer side surface preferably has a substantially vertical orientation. Thus, preferably the first locking element is located on a substantially vertical part of the upward tongue, such that above and below the locking element the upward tongue has a substantially vertically orientated surface. The inclination of the upper surface of the upward tongue is preferably situated between 15 and 45 degrees, more preferably between 25 and 35 degrees, and is most preferably about 30 degrees, with respect to a horizontal plane. The inclination of the upper surface of the upward tongue is preferably constant, which means the upper surface has a flat orientation. Preferably, an upper side of the downward groove has a, preferably likewise (compared to the inclination of the upper surface of the upward tongue (if applied)), inclining orientation, which is more preferably upward in the direction of the side of the downward tongue facing towards to downward flank. A lower surface of a bridge connecting the downward tongue to the core is formed by the upper surface of the downward groove. Applying an inclined upper surface of the downward groove will result in a varying thickness of the bridge, as soon from the core to the outer end of the third edge. As aforementioned, the upper surface of the downward groove preferably runs inclining upward in the direction of the side of the downward tongue facing towards to downward flank, which results in the fact that the bridge thickness decreases in the direction of the downward tongue. This position-dependent bridge thickness, wherein the bridge thickness is relatively large close to the core and relatively small close to the downward tongue, bridge thickness has multiple advantages. The thicker part of the bridge, close to the core, provides the bridge more and sufficient strength and robustness, while the thinner part of the bridge, close to the downward tongue, forms the weakest point of the bridge and will therefore be decisive for the location of first deformation (pivoting point) during coupling. Since this point of deformation is located close to the downward tongue the amount of material to be deformed to be able to insert the downward tongue into the upward groove can be kept to a minimum. Less deformation leads to less material stress which is in favour of the life span of the coupling part(s) and hence of the floor panel(s). In the coupled state of adjacent floor panels, the upper surface of the downward groove is preferably at least partially, and preferably substantially completely, supported by the upper surface of the upward tongue, which provides additionally strength to the coupling as such. To this end, it is advantageous that the inclination of the upper surface of the downward groove substantially corresponds to the inclination of the upper surface of the upward tongue. This means that the inclination of the upper surface of the downward groove is preferably situated between 15 and 45 degrees, more preferably between 25 and 35 degrees, and is most preferably about 30 degrees, with respect to a horizontal plane. As already mentioned, this inclination may be either flat or rounded, or eventually hooked. The floor panel comprises a single upward tongue and a single downward tongue. The expression “single tongue” means that merely a clearly recognizable single-piece, non-segmented tongue is applied rather than multiple tongues and/or rather than a segmented (fork-like) tongue having tines or prongs (parallel or branching spikes) enclosing one or more accommodating spaces for dust and/or separate sealing elements. Each of the upward tongue and the downward tongue is preferably substantially rigid, which means that the tongues are not typically configured to be subjected to deformation. The tongues as such are preferably relatively stiff and hence practically non-flexible, also due to their relatively robust design. Moreover, the tongues are preferably substantially solid, which means that the tongues are substantially massive and thus completely filled with material and are therefore not provided with grooves at an upper surface which would weaken the construction of the tongue and hence of the floor panel connection to be realised. By applying a rigid, solid tongue a relatively firm and durable tongue is obtained by means of which a reliable and the durable floor panel connection can be realised without using separate, additional components to realise a durable connection. Just like the downward tongue being connected to the core by means of a bridge, as mentioned above, also the upward tongue is connected to the core by means of a(nother) bridge. Preferably, at least a part of the bridges, due to their limited thickness, are resilient to some extent to allow slight and commonly temporary deformation of the third and fourth edges during coupling of these edges. Preferably, the thickness of at least the bridge connecting the downward tongue to the core varies in a direction perpendicular to the fourth edge. More preferably, the thickness of at least the bridge connecting the downward tongue to the core decreases in a direction perpendicular to the fourth edge and toward the downward tongue. This, preferably continuous, decreasing thickness of the bridge has two advantages; a thicker part of the bridge provides the bridge sufficient robustness, while a thinner part of the bridge will become the weakest point and will therefore be able to deform most easily during coupling of the panels. Preferably, this deformation point (or pivoting point) is located close to the downward tongue. The core of the floor panel is preferably also substantially rigid, which means that the core is not configured to be subjected to deformation. By applying a rigid panel a relatively firm and durable panel can be obtained without using separate, additional components to realise a durable connection. Preferably, at least a part of a side of the downward tongue facing away from the downward flank forms an inclined downward aligning edge for the purpose of coupling the fourth edge to a third edge of an adjacent panel. Also this inclined aligning edge, which may also be flat and/or rounded, also serves to facilitate a correct mutual positioning of the fourth and third edges, and therefore the ease of mutual coupling of both edges. Preferably the upward and/or downward aligning edge is substantially flat and forms a linear aligning surface. This surface can, in turn, be rounded off on the edges. A substantially flat and linear aligning edge facilitates a correct positioning of different floor panels upon coupling. In yet another embodiment the effective height of the inclined downward aligning edge is larger than the effective height of the upward tongue. This commonly results in the situation that the downward aligning edge of a floor panel does not engage another floor panel in case of a pre-aligned state (intermediate state). The position-selective contactless pre-alignment does prevent or counteract forcing the downward aligning edge of a floor panel along the upper surface of another floor panel, which could damage the floor panels. In an embodiment of the floor panel, at least a part of the upward flank adjoining the upper side of the floor panel is adapted to make contact with at least a part of the downward tongue adjoining the upper side of another floor panel in a coupled state of these floor panels. Engagement of these surfaces will lead to an increase of the effective contact surface between the coupling elements and hence to an increase of stability and sturdiness of the connection between two floor panels. In a favourable embodiment the upper side of the floor panel is adapted to engage substantially seamless to the upper side of another floor panel, as a result of which a seamless connection between two floor panels, and in particular the upper surfaces thereof, can be realised. In another embodiment the first locking element is positioned at a distance from an upper side of the upward tongue. This is favourable, since this will commonly result in the situation that the first locking element is positioned at a lower level than the upward aligning edge of the floor panel, which has the advantage that the maximum deformation of the fourth edge can be reduced, whereas the connection process and deformation process can be executed in successive steps. Less deformation leads to less material stress which is in favour of the life span of the coupling part(s) and hence of the floor panel(s). In this embodiment the second locking element is complementary positioned at a distance from an upper side of the downward groove. In an alternative embodiment, the first locking element is positioned at a distance from a lower side of the upward tongue, which may also facilitate coupling. The positioning of the complementary second locking element will be such that both locking element will co-act in the coupled state of the third and fourth edge. Preferably the first locking element is located on a substantially vertical part of the upward tongue, such that above and below the locking element the upward tongue has a substantially vertically orientated surface. This allows for a clear distinguishing between the locking element(s) and the tongue, and for a clean coupling of two floor panels. The substantially vertical surface above the first locking element allows a complementary counter profile to be aligned more easily into a relatively stable intermediate coupling position (see also FIG. 7 c ). Moreover, positioning the first locking element at a distance from the upper surface of the upward tongue reduces the maximum deformation the profiles have to be subjected to, which reduces the risk of breakage, and which improves the durability of the profiles and their connection. Additionally, positioning the first locking element at a distance from the upper surface of the upward tongue improves at least the rotational locking effect caused by the co-action between the first locking element and the second locking element. In an embodiment the mutual angle enclosed by at least a part of a side of the upward tongue facing toward the upward flank and the normal of the upper side of the core is substantially equal to the mutual angle enclosed by at least a part of a side of the downward tongue facing toward the downward flank and the normal of the lower side of the core. A close-fitting connection of the two tongue parts to each other can hereby be realized, this generally enhancing the firmness of the coupling between the two floor panels. In an embodiment variant the angle enclosed by on the one hand the direction in which at least a part of a side of the upward tongue facing toward the upward flank extends and on the other the normal of the upper side of the core lies between 0 (or 1) and 60 degrees, in particular between 0 (or 1) and 45 degrees, more particularly between 0 (or 1 ) and 10 degrees. In a particular embodiment this angle lies between 0.5 and 5 degrees. In another embodiment variant the angle enclosed by on the one hand the direction in which at least a part of a side of the downward tongue facing toward the downward flank extends and on the other the normal of the lower side of the core lies between 0 and 60 degrees, in particular between 0 and 45 degrees, more particularly between 0 and 10 degrees. In a particular embodiment this angle lies between 0.5 and 5 degrees. The eventual inclination of the tongue side facing toward the flank usually also depends on the production means applied to manufacture the floor panel. In an embodiment inclination of the downward aligned edge is less than the inclination of at least an upper part of the upward flank, as result of which an expansion chamber will be formed between both surface which will be favourable to allow play and to compensate expansion, e.g. due to moist absorption by the floor panels. In another embodiment variant at least a part of the aligning edge of the fourth edge has a substantially flatter orientation than at least a part of the upward flank of the third edge. By applying this measure there is generally created in a coupled position an air gap between the aligning edge of the fourth edge and a flank of the third edge. This clearance intentionally created between the two coupling parts is usually advantageous during coupling of adjacent floor panels, since this clearance does not prevent a temporary deformation of the coupling parts, this facilitating coupling of the coupling parts. Furthermore, the created clearance is advantageous for the purpose of absorbing expansion of the floor panel, for instance resulting from moisture absorption, this not being inconceivable when the floor panel is at least partially manufactured from wood. The created clearance may also act as dust chamber. In an embodiment variant a part of the upward flank of the third edge connecting to the core forms a stop surface for at least a part of the side of the downward tongue facing away from the downward flank. In this way a close fitting of at least the upper side of the floor panels can be realized, this usually being advantageous from a user viewpoint. A part of the upward flank of the third edge connecting to the core is here preferably oriented substantially vertically. At least a part of the side of the downward tongue facing away from the downward flank is here also preferably oriented substantially vertically. Applying substantially vertical stop surfaces in both coupling parts has the advantage that in the coupled position the coupling parts can connect to each other in relatively close-fitting and firm manner. It is generally advantageous for the upward groove to be adapted to receive with clamping fit a downward tongue of an adjacent panel. Receiving the upward groove, or at least a part thereof, with clamping fit in the downward tongue has the advantage that the downward tongue is enclosed relatively close-fittingly by the upward groove, this usually enhancing the firmness of the coupled construction. The same applies for the embodiment variant in which the downward groove is adapted to receive with clamping fit an upward tongue of an adjacent panel. In an embodiment variant the upward flank and the downward flank extend in a substantially parallel direction. This makes it possible to connect the flanks, as well as the locking elements, relatively closely to each other in a coupled position, this generally enhancing the locking effect realized by the locking elements. In another embodiment variant the first locking element comprises at least one outward bulge, and the second locking element comprises at least one recess, or vice versa, which outward bulge is adapted to be at least partially received in a recess of an adjacent coupled floor panel for the purpose of realizing a locked coupling. This embodiment variant is generally advantageous from a production engineering viewpoint. The first locking element and the second locking element preferably take a complementary form, whereby a form-fitting connection of the locking elements of adjacent floor panels to each other will be realized, this enhancing the effectiveness of the locking. The fact that the first locking element preferably comprises a bulge obviously also means that the first locking element could be formed by a bulge, and the fact that the second locking element preferably comprises a recess obviously also means that the second locking element could be formed by a recess. The third edge and the fourth edge are preferably integrally connected to the core. The same applies to the first and second edges, which are preferably also integrally connected to the core. From a structural, production engineering and logistics viewpoint this integral connection between the core and the edges to form a single piece panel is generally recommended. In an embodiment variant the panel is manufactured at least partially from wood. The floor panel can herein form a wooden plank and/or a parquet floor panel. The panel according to the invention is however also exceptionally suitable for application as laminated floor panel, wherein the floor panel comprises a laminate of a balancing layer (backing layer), a core layer comprising a wood and/or plastic product and at least one top structure arranged on an upper side of the carrier layer. The top structure commonly comprises a decorative layer on top of which a transparent protective layer is applied. The top structure commonly comprises a multiple layers having different properties. A wood or tile structure can further be pressed into the protective layer, whereby the top layer in fact also forms an embossed layer. The decorative layer is generally formed by a photo of wood or of tiles printed on paper usually saturated in melamine resin. It is also possible these days to print a decorative pattern directly onto the core layer by using dedicated printing devices. The core layer generally comprises a wood fibreboard, in particular an MDF board (Medium Density Fibreboard) or HDF board (High Density Fibreboard). It is also possible to envisage the floor panel being manufactured wholly from metal and/or textile instead of being manufactured from wood and/or plastic. In a preferred embodiment variant the panel is manufactured at least partially from plastic, in particular thermoplastic, preferably polyvinylchloride (PVC). It is possible here to envisage the floor panel according to the invention being manufactured substantially wholly from plastic. Preferably, the core is made of a laminate of material layers, wherein a central layer is made of at least one thermoplastic material, wherein the core has a top surface and a bottom surface. Affixed to the top surface of the core is print layer, wherein the print has a top surface and a bottom surface. Also, an overlay layer can be affixed directly to the top surface of the core, or affixed to the top surface of the print layer. The panel can optionally contain an underlay layer located and affixed between the bottom surface of the print layer and the top surface of the core. In more detail, the core in the thermoplastic laminate panel preferably comprises at least one thermoplastic material, the at least one thermoplastic material being polyvinyl chloride. Generally, any combinations thereof, alloys thereof, or mixtures of two or more thermoplastics wherein at least one thermoplastic material is polyvinyl chloride can be used to form the core, or at least a central layer thereof. Generally, such thermoplastic materials include, but are not limited to, vinyl containing thermoplastics such as polyvinyl acetate, polyvinyl alcohol, and other vinyl and vinylidene resins and copolymers thereof; polyethylenes such as low density polyethylenes and high density polyethylenes and copolymers thereof; styrenes such as ABS, SAN, and polystyrenes and copolymers thereof; polypropylene and copolymers thereof; saturated and unsaturated polyesters; acrylics; polyamides such as nylon containing types; engineering plastics such as acetyl, polycarbonate, polyimide, polysufone, and polyphenylene oxide and sulphide resins and the like. One or more conductive polymers can be used to form the plank, which has applications in conductive flooring and the like. More preferably, the thermoplastic material is a rigid polyvinyl chloride but semi-rigid or flexible polyvinyl chloride may also be used. The flexibility of the thermoplastic material can be imparted by using at least one liquid or solid plasticizer which is preferably present in an amount of less than about 20 phr (parts per hundred parts of resin), and more preferably, less than 1 phr. A typical rigid PVC compound used in the present invention to form the core can also include, but is not limited to, pigments, impact modifiers, stabilizers, processing aids, lubricants, fillers, wood flours, other conventional additives, and the like. The invention also relates to a covering, in particular a floor covering, consisting of mutually coupled panels consisting of mutually coupled floor panels according to the invention. The invention further relates to a method of assembling interconnectable panels, in particular panels according to the invention, for forming a covering, comprising the steps of: providing a first panel, inserting a sideward tongue of a first edge of a second panel in an inclined position into a recess of a second edge of the first panel, angling down the second panel with respect to the first panel, until both panels are situated in the same plane, inserting a sideward tongue of a first edge of a third panel in an inclined position into a recess of a second edge of the first panel, and angling down the third panel with respect to the first and second panels, until the panels are situated in the same plane, wherein a downward tongue of a fourth edge of the third panel will zip into an upward groove of a third edge of the second panel, en wherein an upward tongue of the third edge of the second panel will snap into a downward groove of the fourth edge of the third panel, leading to locking of third panel with respect to the first panel at the first and second edges and with respect to the second panel at the third and fourth edges in both horizontal direction and vertical direction. Advantages and further aspects of the method according to the invention have been described above already in a comprehensive manner. It will be apparent that the invention is not limited to the exemplary embodiments shown and described here, but that within the scope of the appended claims numerous variants are possible which will be self-evident to the skilled person in this field. | E04F1502038 | 20171208 | 20180412 | 58617.0 | E04F1502 | 1 | KATCHEVES, BASIL S | Panel Interconnectable with Similar Panels for Forming a Covering | UNDISCOUNTED | 1 | CONT-ACCEPTED | E04F | 2,017 |
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15,836,020 | PENDING | MODULAR FURNITURE ASSEMBLY WITH DUAL COUPLERS | A modular furniture assembly includes: a base member having a frame assembly, a transverse member having a frame assembly, a foot configured to contact a support surface, and a mounting platform having a plurality of apertures therethrough. The mounting platform is configured to be mounted on the base member frame assembly and the transverse member frame assembly, thereby connecting the frame assemblies. The foot is selectively mounted on the mounting platform, such that the foot is configured to contact the support surface when the modular furniture assembly is in an upright configuration. The mounting platform connects the base and transverse member frame assemblies together and also acts as a platform for receiving a variety of different types of feet. | 1. A modular furniture assembly comprising: a base member providing a seating surface; a transverse member having a height that is substantially greater than the height of the seating surface of the base member; a first coupler configured to selectively couple the base member to the transverse member; and a second coupler, spaced apart from the first coupler, the second coupler being configured to selectively couple the base member to the transverse member, wherein the second coupler is positioned lower than the first coupler, so as to selectively couple together a lower portion of the base member to a lower portion of the transverse member; wherein the first coupler selectively couples together a higher portion of the base member to a higher portion of the transverse member. 2. A modular furniture assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein the transverse member provides an armrest for the modular furniture assembly. 3. A modular furniture assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein the transverse member provides a backrest for the modular furniture assembly. 4. A modular furniture assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein the second coupler is positioned below at least one of a frame assembly of the base member or a frame assembly of the transverse member. 5. A modular furniture assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein the base member and the transverse member each comprise a frame assembly, a foot being positioned below at least one of the base member frame assembly or the transverse member frame assembly. 6. A modular furniture assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein the first and second couplers manually detachably couple the base member to the transverse member. 7. A modular furniture assembly as recited in claim 6, wherein the first and second couplers manually detachably couple the base member to the transverse member without use of a hammer, screwdriver, or other tool. 8. A modular furniture assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein the base member consists of a generally rectangular shape, providing the seating surface. 9. A modular furniture assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein a foot of the transverse member is coupled by the second coupler to a foot of the base member. 10. A modular furniture assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein the first coupler clamps the higher portion of the base member to the higher portion of the transverse member. 11. A modular furniture assembly comprising: a base member providing a seating surface; a transverse member having a height that is substantially greater than the height of the seating surface of the base member; a first coupler configured to manually detachably couple the base member to the transverse member; and a second coupler, spaced apart from the first coupler, the second coupler also being configured to manually detachably couple the base member to the transverse member, wherein the second coupler is positioned lower than the first coupler, so as to selectively couple together a lower portion of the base member to a lower portion of the transverse member; wherein the first coupler is positioned both above and rearward relative to the second coupler, so as to selectively couple together a rearward portion of the base member to a rearward portion of the transverse member. 12. A modular furniture assembly as recited in claim 11, further comprising a foot configured to contact a support surface, the foot being selectively coupleable to at least one of the base member or the transverse member. 13. A modular furniture assembly as recited in claim 11, wherein the base member comprises a frame assembly and a foot positioned thereunder. 14. A modular furniture assembly as recited in claim 11, wherein the transverse member comprises a frame assembly and a foot positioned thereunder. 15. A modular furniture assembly as recited in claim 11, wherein one or both of the first and second couplers is configured to manually detachably couple the base member to the transverse member without use of a hammer, screwdriver, or other tool. 16. A modular furniture assembly comprising: a base member providing a seating surface; a transverse member having a height that is substantially greater than the height of the seating surface of the base member; a foot positioned under the transverse member, the foot being configured to contact a support surface; a first coupler configured to manually detachably couple the base member to the transverse member without use of a hammer, screwdriver, or other tool; and a second coupler, spaced apart from the first coupler, the second coupler also being configured to manually detachably couple the base member to the transverse member, without use of a hammer, screwdriver, or other tool, wherein the second coupler is positioned lower than the first coupler, so as to selectively couple together a lower portion of the base member to a lower portion of the transverse member; wherein both the first and second couplers are quick release couplers. 17. A modular furniture assembly as recited in claim 16, wherein the first coupler, which is positioned higher than the second coupler, comprises a mechanical hook and latch system. 18. A modular furniture assembly as recited in claim 16, wherein at least one of the first or second couplers comprise a mechanical hook and latch system. 19. A modular furniture assembly as recited in claim 18, wherein the mechanical hook and latch system comprises two parts, where a first portion is connected to the base member and a second portion is connected to the transverse member, wherein the two portions may be manually, detachably coupled to each other. 20. A modular furniture assembly as recited in claim 16, wherein no screws couple the base member to the transverse member. | RELATED APPLICATIONS This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/058,656, filed Mar. 2, 2016, entitled MODULAR FURNITURE ASSEMBLY WITH DUAL COUPLING MECHANISMS, which is: (1) a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/332,705, filed Jul. 16, 2014, entitled MOUNTING PLATFORM FOR MODULAR FURNITURE ASSEMBLY, now U.S. Pat. No. 9,277,826, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/164,721, filed Jun. 20, 2011, entitled MOUNTING PLATFORM FOR MODULAR FURNITURE ASSEMBLY, now U.S. Pat. No. 8,783,778, which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/484,931, filed Jun. 15, 2009, entitled MODULAR FURNITURE ASSEMBLY, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,963,612, which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/449,074, filed Jun. 8, 2006, entitled MODULAR FURNITURE ASSEMBLY, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,547,073, which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/149,913, filed Jun. 10, 2005, entitled MODULAR FURNITURE ASSEMBLY, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,213,885; and (2) which is also a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/993,533, filed Jan. 12, 2016, entitled MODULAR FURNITURE ASSEMBLY WITH DUAL COUPLING MECHANISMS, which: (A) claims priority to and the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 62/210,238, filed Aug. 26, 2015, entitled MODULAR FURNITURE ASSEMBLY WITH MAGNETIC AND MECHANICAL COUPLING; and (B) is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/967,671, filed Dec. 14, 2010, entitled MODULAR FURNITURE ASSEMBLY AND DISPLAY KIT WITH MAGNETIC COUPLING ASSEMBLY, now U.S. Pat. No. 9,277,813, which claims priority to and the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/413,125, filed Nov. 12, 2010, entitled MODULAR FURNITURE ASSEMBLY AND DISPLAY KIT WITH MAGNETIC COUPLING ASSEMBLY. Each of the foregoing applications is incorporated herein, in its entirety, by reference. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The invention relates to the field of furniture. Particularly, the invention relates to a modular furniture assembly. 2. The Relevant Technology A variety of shapes and sizes of furniture have been developed over the years to provide comfort and decoration. Consumers appreciate furniture that can serve multiple purposes and withstand the wear of everyday use without requiring much attention. Thus, what is desirable is furniture that is versatile, durable and relatively maintenance free. Once purchased, consumers expect furniture that is already assembled or can be easily assembled. Once assembled, however, most furniture cannot be easily disassembled. Most furniture is assembled using nails, staples, epoxy or some other type of fastener. Further, various types of furniture have upholstery covering the fastener thus making it difficult to disassemble the furniture. This presents a challenge for consumers, especially when the furniture needs to be transported from one location to another. Additionally, once assembled, consumers appreciate furniture which can be readily cleaned. Most upholstery is secured to the furniture through the use of nails and/or staples, thus making it difficult to remove and clean when soiled or stained. One aspect that makes furniture cost-prohibitive is shipping and packaging. For example, a large piece of furniture requires a large amount of space during shipping. The non-solid shape of most furniture makes it difficult to maximize the space utilized when packaging and shipping furniture. This adds increased costs of shipping due to the amount of space the furniture requires, regardless if the furniture fills all or most of the required space. Another aspect that makes furniture cost-prohibitive is the difficulty in stacking furniture. When large pieces of furniture are stacked, damage frequently occurs to the furniture on the bottom of the stack. This damage may result from the shape and non-solid nature of the packaged furniture. Even when furniture is disassembled and boxed in order to facilitate stacking, often there is still much wasted space. The wasted space not only increases the cost of shipping, but also provides for a less stable base for which to stack other pieces of furniture. For those consumers who cannot afford many pieces of furniture, it is also desirable to have furniture which can provide multiple functions. For example, a futon bed serves the function of both a bed and a couch. However, futon beds are bulky, and thus subject to the cost factors described above. In addition, futon mattresses are often thin and uncomfortable both as a couch and as a bed. BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The invention relates to a modular furniture assembly that can be assembled, disassembled, rearranged, moved and cleaned in a quick and efficient manner with minimal effort. In an exemplary embodiment, the modular furniture assembly comprises a base, at least one transverse member and a coupler configured to facilitate the detachable coupling of the transverse member to the base so as to form a furniture assembly. In one exemplary embodiment, the base serves as a support surface on which a user can sit, and the transverse member acts as a resting surface for a user's back or arm. The coupler is configured to allow a user to quickly couple or decouple the transverse member and the base with minimal effort without the use of a tool. The ease of coupling a transverse member to the base enables a consumer to easily form many configurations of furniture assemblies. The base is configured such that it can be positioned adjacent the transverse member in a variety of ways and detachably coupled thereto so as to provide a variety of configurations of modular furniture assemblies. As such, many bases and transverse members can be utilized to form a variety of different furniture assemblies. For instance, one embodiment utilizes one base and one transverse member coupled together to form a chair. In another embodiment, three transverse members are coupled to one base to form an arm chair. Furthermore, the base(s) and transverse member(s) can be placed in a variety of different positions so as to form a variety of different chairs. In one embodiment, the base and transverse member are sized and configured in a defined spatial relationship. For example, in such an embodiment, the length (x) of the base is substantially equal to the length (x′) of the transverse member, and the length (x) of the base is substantially equal to the sum of the width (y) of the base and the width (z) of the transverse member. Thus, x is substantially equal to y+z. This relationship enables the convenient formation of a variety of different types, sizes and configurations of furniture assemblies. In use, one or more bases having a substantially similar configuration can be employed with one or more transverse members having a substantially similar configuration. The standardized configuration of bases and transverse members enables a user to form a variety of different types and configurations of furniture assemblies. This also makes manufacturing convenient because a manufacturer can produce a series of bases that have a substantially similar configuration and a series of transverse members that have a substantially similar configuration, then arrange (or allow the end user to arrange) the bases and transverse members into a variety of configurations to form different types of furniture. The user can purchase one or more bases having the same configuration and one or more transverse members having the same configuration, then combine them to form a number of different furniture assemblies. For example, a first base and a first transverse member can be employed to form a chair having a back rest. Second and third transverse members having a substantially similar configuration as the first transverse member can be added to form an armchair. Optionally, a couch can be formed by adding: (i) a second base having a substantially similar configuration as the first base; and (ii) second, third and fourth transverse members having a substantially similar configuration as the first transverse member. An endless variety of furniture assemblies can be formed by utilizing bases and transverse members having standardized, substantially similar configurations, respectively. The spatial relationship further enables the manufacturer to proportionately size the bases and transverse members to form furniture assemblies for different sizes of individuals. For example, the bases and transverse members can be proportionately sized to form furniture assemblies for children. Likewise, the bases and transverse members can be proportionately sized to form furniture assemblies for adults, or even oversized adults. As such, the bases(s) and transverse members(s) of the present invention can be utilized to form a variety of sizes of furniture. The configuration of the base and transverse member of the present invention provides many benefits to both the consumer and retailer. For example, the present invention enables the consumer to have a piece of furniture in a remote location where previously other pieces of furniture could not be moved due to their bulkiness and/or size. The present invention is easily disassembled, thus enabling a consumer to locate the base(s) and/or transverse member(s) in an otherwise inaccessible location and then assemble them to form a furniture assembly. Furthermore, the present invention enables a manufacturer and/or retailer to stock two pieces of furniture, i.e. a base and a transverse member. This is advantageous for shipping and storing. For instance, the manufacturer and/or retailer is only required to store two primary pieces and is able to stack the bases or transverse members having the same respective configuration on top of each other when loading and unloading from freight. Likewise, the bases and transverse members can be stacked in an orderly fashion in storage. In addition, the transverse member and the base include removable outer liners. The removable outer liners allow a consumer to easily launder the furniture assembly. Further, utilizing a removable outer liner allows a consumer to interchange liners of different shades and styles to create a unique and customized furniture assembly. Thus, the furniture assembly of the present invention is versatile, modular, interchangeable and convenient. In another alternative embodiment, a plurality of shapes of transverse members may be employed in order to achieve unique and useful furniture configurations. Yet another aspect of the invention relates to a mounting platform that is selectively mounted on the frame assembly of the base and the frame assembly of the transverse member in order to allow various different types of feet, e.g., rollers, castors, rockers, and/or pegs to be employed as part of the modular furniture assembly. These and other objects and features of the present invention will become more fully apparent from the following description and appended claims, or may be learned by the practice of the invention as set forth hereinafter. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS To further clarify the above and other advantages and features of the present invention, a more particular description of the invention will be rendered by reference to specific embodiments thereof which are illustrated in the appended drawings. It is appreciated that these drawings depict only typical embodiments of the invention and are therefore not to be considered limiting of its scope. The invention will be described and explained with additional specificity and detail through the use of the accompanying drawings in which: FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating a modular furniture assembly having a base coupled to a transverse member to form a chair; FIG. 2 is an exploded cutaway view illustrating the base; FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the traverse member; FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the coupler and the foot couplers; FIG. 5a is a perspective view illustrating how the modular furniture assembly is assembled; FIG. 5b is a perspective view illustrating the positioning of the coupler in relation to the transverse member and the base; FIG. 5c is a cross-sectional view of the assembled modular furniture assembly; FIG. 6a illustrates a modular furniture assembly in the configuration of an ottoman; FIG. 6b illustrates a modular furniture assembly in the configuration of a bench; FIG. 6c illustrates a modular furniture assembly in the configuration of an arm chair; FIG. 6d illustrates a modular furniture assembly in the configuration of a chaise; FIG. 6e illustrates a modular furniture assembly in the configuration of a love seat; FIG. 6f illustrates a modular furniture assembly in the configuration of a deep sofa; FIG. 6g illustrates a modular furniture assembly in the configuration of a sectional; FIG. 6h illustrates a modular furniture assembly in the configuration of a twister; FIG. 6i illustrates a modular furniture assembly in the configuration of a playpen; FIG. 6j illustrates a modular furniture assembly in the configuration of a bed; FIG. 7 is an exploded perspective view illustrating an alternative embodiment of the base; FIG. 8 illustrates another embodiment of the base and coupler; FIGS. 9A and 9B illustrate configurations for a modular furniture assembly having transverse members of different dimensions; FIG. 10 illustrates a configuration for a modular furniture assembly including multiple bases and transverse members having different dimensions; FIG. 11 illustrates another embodiment of a base and coupler that can be used according to the various embodiments of the present invention; and FIG. 12 illustrates another embodiment of a transverse member that can be used according to the various embodiments of the present invention. FIG. 13a illustrates a mounting platform of the present invention that is selectively mounted on a frame assembly of a transverse member and a frame assembly of a base in order to couple the frame assemblies together and to enable an alternate foot, e.g., a roller, to be coupled to the combined frame assemblies. FIG. 13b is an exploded view of a mounting platform of FIG. 13a being mounted on a base frame assembly and a transverse member frame assembly and receiving a foot in the form of a roller mounted thereon. FIGS. 14a-c illustrate mounting platforms mounted on the frame assemblies of adjacent bases and transverse members to thereby couple rollers to the bases and transverse members. FIG. 14a illustrates a platform mounted on a base and transverse member and a foot in the form of a roller mounted in the center of the platform. FIG. 14b is an exploded view of a plurality of platforms and feet being mounted on adjacent bases and transverse members in order to form the sofa assembly of FIG. 14c. FIGS. 15a-c illustrate mounting platforms mounted on the frame assemblies of an adjacent base and transverse members with pegs mounted on the platforms and on transverse members. FIG. 15a illustrates a platform mounted on a base frame assembly and transverse member frame assembly and a foot in the form of a peg mounted on the corner edges of the platform; the peg is further mounted through the platform to a transverse member frame assembly, thereby connecting a portion of the platform to a transverse member. FIG. 15b is an exploded view of a plurality of platforms and feet being mounted on adjacent base frame assembly portions and transverse member frame assemblies in order to form the chair assembly of FIG. 15c. FIGS. 16a-c illustrate mounting platforms mounted on the frame assemblies of an adjacent base and transverse members to thereby couple rocker members to the bases and transverse members. FIG. 16a illustrates a platform mounted on a base and transverse member frame assembly and a foot in the form of a rocker member (shown in a cutaway view) mounted on the platform. FIG. 16b is an exploded view of a plurality of platforms and feet being mounted on adjacent base frame assembly portions and transverse member frame assemblies in order to form the rocking chair of FIG. 16c. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The invention relates to a modular furniture assembly that can be assembled, disassembled, rearranged, moved and cleaned in a quick and efficient manner with minimal effort. The invention further relates to a modular furniture assembly that has a spatial relationship that enables a user to form a number of different furniture assemblies. In an exemplary embodiment, the modular furniture assembly comprises a base, at least one transverse member and a coupler configured to detachably couple the transverse member to the base so as to form a chair. The configuration of the base and transverse member enable a user to form a number of different furniture assemblies. The base serves as a support surface on which a user can sit, and the transverse member acts as a resting surface for a user's back or arm. The base is configured such that the transverse member can be positioned adjacent the base in a variety of positions and detachably coupled thereto to form different types of furniture assemblies. The coupler is configured to allow a user to quickly couple or decouple the transverse member and the base with minimal effort without the use of a tool. The ease of coupling a transverse member to the base provides for the capability of easily forming many configurations of furniture assemblies. Many bases and transverse members can be utilized to form a variety of differing furniture assemblies. In addition, the base and transverse member can be proportionately sized to accommodate different sizes of individuals. As such, a variety of types, sizes and configurations of furniture can be made in a quick and convenient fashion by utilizing the present invention. FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary embodiment of a modular furniture assembly 10. In the illustrated embodiment, modular furniture assembly 10 comprises a base 12 and a transverse member 14 detachably coupled to base 12 by a coupler 15 (FIG. 4). Base 12 and transverse member 14 are adapted to be detachably coupled to each other in a variety of ways and configurations so as to form a variety of unique and custom furniture assemblies. Further, base 12 and transverse member 14 are sized and configured according to a defined spatial relationship. The defined spatial relationship, as described more fully hereinafter, between base 12 and transverse member 14 enables: (i) the convenient formation of a variety of different types of furniture assemblies; (ii) the convenient formation of a variety of different configurations of furniture assemblies; and (iii) a manufacturer to proportionately size the bases and transverse members for different sizes of individuals, such as for children or for adults. Base 12 is configured to provide a comfortable sitting surface for a consumer. Base 12 is also configured to be easily disassembled for rearranging, moving, storing and/or shipping. In this embodiment, base 12 comprises a frame assembly 16, a cushion 18 and a plurality of feet 20a-d mounted on frame assembly 16. Frame assembly 16 is configured to support the weight of a consumer while the consumer is sitting on base 12. Cushion 18 is configured to be mounted on frame assembly 16 so as to provide a useful and comfortable sitting area for a consumer. Cushion 18 can be easily mounted on or removed from frame assembly 16. Feet 20a-d are coupled to the underside of frame assembly 16. Feet 20a-d can be coupled to frame assembly 16 in a variety of ways. In one embodiment, feet 20a-d are coupled by screws. In this embodiment, feet 20a-d can be easily coupled to and/or removed from frame assembly 16 so as to facilitate ease in packaging, shipping, storing, moving and/or replacing feet 20a-d. However, feet 20a-d can be coupled to frame assembly 16 in a more permanent fashion, such as with a nail, an epoxy or glue, or any combination thereof. Feet 20a-d facilitate the coupling of transverse member 14 to base 12 when used in connection with a foot coupler, such as foot coupler 34 and/or 34a. Feet 20a-d are further configured to support the weight of a consumer and to elevate base 12 above the floor. When feet 20a-d are coupled to frame assembly 16 by screws, the removability of feet 20a-d in conjunction with the removability of cushion 18 enables base 12 to be easily disassembled for rearranging, moving, storing and/or shipping. Base 12 includes a plurality of abutting surfaces 26a-d that are configured to be positionable adjacent to and abut with an abutting surface 28 of transverse member 14. As will be discussed more fully herein, base 12 is configured such that transverse member 14 can be positioned adjacent any abutting surface 26a-d to form a variety of different furniture assemblies. In the illustrated embodiment, base 12 and transverse member 14 have a defined spatial relationship. The spatial relationship between base 12 and transverse member 14 enables the formation of a variety of different types, sizes and configurations of furniture assemblies. In this embodiment, base has a length (x) and a width (y), wherein the length (x) of base 12 is greater than the width (y) of base 12, and transverse member 14 has a length (x′) and a width (z), wherein the length (x′) of transverse member 14 is greater than the width (z) of transverse member 14. In this embodiment, base 12 and transverse member 14 are configured such that the length (x) of base 12 is substantially equal to the length (x′) of transverse member 14 and the length (x) of base 12 is substantially equal to the sum of the width (y) of base 12 and the width (z) of transverse member 14. As such, (x) is substantially equal to (y)+(z). This relationship of the length (x) of base 12 being substantially equal to the sum of the width (y) of base 12 and width (z) of transverse member 14 is the defined spatial relationship between base 12 and transverse member 14. Furthermore, the height (h′) of transverse member 14 is substantially greater than the height (h) of base 12, such that transverse member 14 can be conveniently employed as a backrest or armrest while base 12 is employed as a seat. This defined spatial relationship enables a user to conveniently form a variety of different types of furniture assemblies. For example, in the illustrated embodiment, a first base 12 and a first transverse member 14 are utilized to form a chair. Second and third transverse members 14 having a substantially similar configuration as the first transverse member 14 can be added to form an arm chair having a first arm rest and a second arm rest, as illustrated in FIG. 6c. As used herein, the phrase substantially similar configuration can mean that the bases and/or transverse members are respectively sized and configured so as to be interchangeable. Optionally, a couch can be formed by adding: (i) a second base 12 having a substantially similar configuration as the first base 12; and (ii) a second, third and fourth transverse member 14 having a substantially similar configuration as the first transverse member 14, as illustrated in FIG. 6e and FIG. 6f. This ability to add base(s) and/or transverse member(s) to form different types of furniture is how the defined spatial relationship enables a user to conveniently form a variety of different types of furniture. As further shown in FIGS. 6e-f, the defined spatial relationship enables a user to conveniently form a variety of different configurations of furniture assemblies. For example, the couches formed by utilizing two bases 12 and four transverse members 14 can be arranged so as to form a love seat, as illustrated by FIG. 6e, or a deep sofa, as illustrated by FIG. 6f. The love seat of FIG. 6e and the deep sofa of FIG. 6f employ the same bases 12 and the same transverse members 14, but are arranged differently. Thus, the defined spatial relationship of the present invention enables a user to conveniently form a variety of different configurations of furniture assemblies. The defined spatial relationship also enables a manufacturer to manufacture different sizes of bases and transverse members so as to accommodate different sizes of individuals. For example, a manufacturer can manufacture a base and a transverse member such that when the base and transverse member are detachably coupled together a furniture assembly is formed that is sized for a child, but may be too small for an adult to use comfortably. On the other hand, a manufacturer, utilizing the spatial relationship, can enlarge the size of the base(s) and transverse member(s) such that when the base(s) and transverse member(s) are coupled together a furniture assembly is formed that is sized to accommodate an adult comfortably. As such, the spatial relationship between base 12 and transverse member 14 enables the formation of a variety of different sizes of furniture assemblies. With continued reference to FIG. 1, transverse member 14 is configured to provide lateral support to a consumer when base 12 is coupled thereto. Transverse member 14 can be positioned adjacent any abutting surface 26a-d of base 12 to form a variety of furniture assemblies. Feet 30a-b are coupled to the underside of traverse member 14. Feet 30a-b are configured to facilitate the coupling of transverse member 14 to base 12. Feet 30a-b are further configured to support the weight of a consumer and to elevate transverse member 14 above a floor on which transverse member 14 is positioned. Feet 30a-b can be coupled to transverse member 14 in a similar fashion as feet 20a-d are coupled to base 12. In one embodiment, feet 30a-b are each positioned such that each are offset from the front and back surfaces and respective adjacent side surfaces of transverse member 14 an equal distance, the “offset distance.” For example, if the width (z) of transverse member 14 is ten inches, the offset distance is five inches. Thus, feet 30a-b are each positioned five inches from the front surface and five inches from the back surface of transverse member 14 (i.e., in the middle of the front and back surfaces), and are each positioned five inches from respective adjacent side surfaces of transverse member 14. Similarly, feet 20a-d of base 12 are each positioned such that each are offset from respective adjacent abutting surfaces 26a-d the offset distance. As such, in one such embodiment: (i) foot 20a is offset from both abutting surface 26a and abutting surface 26b the offset distance; (ii) foot 20b is offset from both abutting surface 26b and abutting surface 26c the offset distance; (iii) foot 20c is offset from both abutting surface 26c and abutting surface 26d the offset distance; and (iv) foot 20d is offset from both abutting surface 26d and abutting surface 26a the offset distance. In the illustrated embodiment, modular furniture assembly 10 further includes multiple foot couplers 34-35, which may be identical, for example. Foot couplers 34-35 are adapted to facilitate the coupling of transverse member 14 to base 12. Foot couplers 34-35 are further adapted to provide support to base 12 and transverse member 14 when coupled thereto. Foot coupler 34 utilizes foot 20d of base 12 and foot 30a of transverse member 14 which is adjacent to foot 20d of base 12 to facilitate coupling of transverse member 14 to base 12. Likewise, foot coupler 35 utilizes foot 20c of base 12 and adjacent foot 30b of transverse member 14 to facilitate coupling of transverse member 14 to base 12. In the illustrated embodiment, traverse member 14, frame assembly 16 and cushion 18 each include a selectively removable outer liner 32, 22, 24, respectively. Removable outer liners 32, 22, 24 are configured to be easily removed and reattached so as to provide easy laundering thereof, as discussed more fully herein. Further, the selective removability of outer liners 32, 22, 24 allows a consumer to mix and match colors and designs to create a unique and custom furniture assembly. FIG. 2 illustrates an exploded cutaway view of base 12. In the illustrated embodiment, frame assembly 16 comprises a frame 36 and a cushion assembly 38 associated with frame 36. Frame 36 is configured and arranged so as to support the weight of a consumer utilizing modular furniture assembly 10. Frame 36 can comprise a plurality of structural members made from wood, metal, composite, plastic, or any other structural material or combination thereof. As will be appreciated by one of ordinary skill in the art, the structural members that make up frame 36 and their orientation can be modified and/or rearranged to meet different specifications, such as size and/or weight requirements. In the illustrated embodiment, frame assembly 16 further comprises a support member 58 that is mounted on frame 36. Support member 58 is positioned in a recess 44 of frame 36. For example, in one embodiment, support member 58 is mounted on four upstanding posts 59 and/or upstanding slats 61 positioned within recess 44. Support member 58 comprises a sheet of material, such as wood or some other structural material, having a plurality of grooves 62a-f formed therein. Grooves 62a-f are positioned along the perimeter of support member 58 and are sized so as to allow a portion of coupler 15 to be received therein. Grooves 62a-f are positioned in support member 58 so as to provide a variety of coupling locations on base 12 for the coupling of transverse member 14 to base 12 and/or coupling of base 12 to another base 12. When support member 58 is positioned in recess 44 of frame 36, grooves 62a-f each form a portion of an aperture in frame assembly 16 (see FIG. 5b). In the illustrated embodiment, two grooves 62a-b,d-e are positioned adjacent respective abutting surfaces 26a,c, and one groove 62c,f is positioned adjacent respective abutting surfaces 26b,d. Two grooves 62a-b,d-e are respectively positioned adjacent respective abutting surfaces 26a,c in order to enable the positioning of transverse member 14 in two different locations adjacent each abutting surfaces 26a,c. The ability to position transverse member 14 in multiple locations adjacent base 12 enables the formation of different furniture configurations. As such, transverse member 14 can be positioned and coupled to base 12 by coupler 15 in at least six different positions in relation to base 12. This can be accomplished, for example, by aligning an aperture 64 (FIG. 3) of transverse member 14 with any of grooves 62a-f and placing a portion of coupler 15 in each of aperture 64 and the desired aperture of frame assembly 16. Thus, the configuration and positioning of grooves 62a-f in support member 58 facilitates different positioning of transverse member 14 with respect to base 12, such that a variety of shapes and configurations of modular furniture assemblies can be made. For example, aperture 64 of transverse member 14 can be aligned with any of grooves 62a-f. Once aligned, coupler 15 (FIG. 4) can be used to connect base 12 to transverse member 14, as illustrated in FIG. 5b. Similarly, grooves 62c or 62f of a first base 12 can be aligned with either groove 62c or 62f of a second base 12 so as to couple two bases together, as illustrated in FIG. 6b. The versatility of being able to couple multiple bases 12 and transverse members 14 together enables the ability to make a variety of different and unique furniture assemblies. A first base 12 can be coupled to a second base 12 by aligning an aperture of the first base 12 with an aperture of the second base 12 and placing a portion of coupler 15 in the aperture of the first base 12 and the aperture of the second base 12. FIGS. 6a-6j illustrate various examples of furniture assemblies that can be formed from bases 12 and transverse members 14 by employing coupler 15 to couple the bases 12 to the transverse members 14 and/or bases 12 as shown therein. Returning now to FIG. 2, cushion assembly 38 comprises a plurality of cushioning members 40a-c that connect to the outer surface of frame 36 and an additional cushioning member 40d that is mounted upon support member 58 when support member 58 is mounted within frame 36. Cushioning members 40a-c,d are configured to provide a cushioning surface for a consumer utilizing modular furniture assembly 10. Cushioning of frame 36 with cushioning assembly 38 provides for a more comfortable piece of furniture. Cushioning members 40a-c each comprise a rectangular piece of foam adapted to be positioned on respective outside surfaces of frame 36 so as to cover the outside portions of frame 36. An additional rectangular piece of foam employed to cushion the frame surface adjacent abutment surface 26c is not shown in the illustration of FIG. 2. Such cushioning members 40a-c (including the additional piece adjacent abutment surface 26c) can comprise a variety of types of foam in order to accommodate the desired resilience and padding of frame assembly 16; such cushioning members 40a-c may comprise a single piece of foam or can comprise a combination of foam layers, such as a layer of memory foam positioned over a layer of polyurethane foam. In the illustrated embodiment, cushioning members 40a-c are covered by an inner liner 46. In this embodiment, cushioning member 40d also comprises a piece of foam covered by a liner 42. Cushioning member 40d is configured to be positionable within recess 44 of frame 36 on top of support member 58. The foam piece of cushioning member 40d can comprise a single piece of polyurethane foam, or a combination of different types of foams. For example, cushioning member 40d can comprise a single piece of polyurethane foam and a similarly shaped piece of memory foam positioned on top of the single piece of polyurethane foam to form the cushioning member 40d. Cushioning member 40d is configured to facilitate a comfortable sitting surface for a consumer utilizing modular furniture assembly 10. Liner 42 and inner liner 46 are configured to cover and provide protection for cushioning members 40a-d of frame assembly 16. Liner 42 and inner liner 46 can comprise a fabric material that is either water permeable or impermeable. An advantage of a water impermeable liner is that the liner will help protect frame 36 and cushioning members 40a-d in the event a liquid, such as a soda, is spilled on frame assembly 16. Frame assembly 16 also includes removable outer liner 22. Removable outer liner 22 is configured to be utilized with frame assembly 16 in order to provide additional protection for frame 36 and cushioning members 40a-c, and for aesthetics. Removable outer liner 22 is mounted on inner liner 46 so as to cover exposed portions of inner liner 46 when cushion 24 is mounted thereon. In the illustrated embodiment, outer liner 22 is detachably coupled to frame assembly 16 through the means of a removable securing mechanism 48, such as a hook and pile mechanism, e.g. VELCRO. In this manner, outer liner 22 can be selectively removed and laundered in the event that outer liner 22 becomes soiled and/or stained. The removable securing mechanism 48, e.g. VELCRO, also facilitates a consumer to easily, quickly and efficiently reattach outer liner 22 to inner liner 46 of frame assembly 16. In addition, the selective removability of outer liner 22 also facilitates a consumer being able to mix and match various styles, designs and configurations of outer liners of modular furniture assembly 10 to create a customized and unique modular furniture assembly according to their desires and taste. As indicated previously, base 10 includes a plurality of abutting surfaces 26a-d. In the illustrated embodiment, abutting surfaces 26a-d are respective, substantially flat surfaces configured to be positioned adjacent and abut the substantially flat abutting surface 28 of transverse member 14. Abutting surface 28 of transverse member 14 is configured to correspond with at least one of abutting surfaces 26a-d of base 12 when base 12 is placed in an abutting relationship with transverse member 14. In this manner, coupler 15 can be utilized to couple transverse member 14 to base 12. Cushion 18 is configured to be positioned and mounted on frame assembly 16 so as to form base 12. Cushion 18 is sized such that the perimeter of cushion 18 is substantially equal to the perimeter of frame assembly 16. In the illustrated embodiment, cushion 18 comprises a piece of foam 50 covered by an inner liner 52. Foam piece 50 comprises a single piece of foam having a sufficient resilience and appropriate properties so as to provide a comfortable sitting surface when a user sits on modular furniture assembly 10. However, foam piece 50 can comprise multiple types and configurations of foam pieces, such as a layer of polyurethane foam and a layer of memory foam mounted on the polyurethane foam layer. As mentioned previously, inner liner 52 covers foam piece 50. Inner liner 52 can comprise a fabric material sufficient to substantially cover foam piece 50. Inner liner 52 can be made of substantially the same material as inner liner 46 and/or liner 42. In the illustrated embodiment, inner liner 52 is covered by removable outer liner 24 so as to provide an aesthetically pleasing and comfortable cushioning surface for a user to sit upon. Removable outer liners 24, 22 can have similarities. Removable outer liners 22, 24 can comprise a variety of different materials and may be attached in a variety of ways. For example, removable outer liners 22, 24 can be made out of materials such as cotton, leather, micro-fiber, suede, or any other type of material that a consumer may wish to utilize. Removable outer liners 22, 24 can be detachably coupled through the use of a removable securing mechanism, such as a hook and pile mechanism, e.g. VELCRO, one or more zippers, male and female snap members, hook and latch type fasteners, or any other type of securing means that will facilitate the outer liners 22, 24 being selectively removable. In this manner, a consumer has the option to mix and match varying types, styles and configurations of removable outer liners 22, 24 so as to form a customized furniture assembly according to their desire and tastes. FIG. 3 is a partial cut-away view illustrating traverse member 14. Traverse member 14 is configured to be coupled to base 12 so as to form modular furniture assembly 10. As further illustrated in FIG. 3, transverse member 14 is further configured to be positioned such that the longitudinal axis of transverse member 14 is substantially transverse to the plane of a support surface on which transverse member 14 is mounted, such as the ground or a floor. In the illustrated embodiment, transverse member 14 comprises a frame assembly 54, an inner liner 56 covering frame assembly 54, removable outer liner 32, feet 30a-b coupled to the underside of frame assembly 54, and an aperture 64 formed in frame assembly 54 to facilitate coupling of transverse member 14 to base 12. Frame assembly 54 is configured to provide lateral support to a user utilizing modular furniture assembly 10. Frame assembly 54 is further configured to provide a comfortable surface upon which a consumer can rest. In the illustrated embodiment, frame assembly 54 comprises a frame 66 and a cushion assembly 68. Frame 66 is configured to provide lateral support to a consumer sitting on modular furniture assembly 10 when transverse member 14 is coupled to base 12. Frame 66 can comprise a plurality of structural members made from wood, metal, composite, plastic, or any other structural material or combination thereof. As will be appreciated by one of ordinary skill in the art, the structural members that make up frame 66 and their orientation can be modified and/or rearranged to meet different specifications, such as size and/or weight requirements. Cushion assembly 68 comprises a plurality of cushioning members 70 and a wedge 76 in association with frame 66 to provide padded and comfortable surfaces. In the illustrated embodiment, wedge 76 comprises a piece of foam shaped like a wedge. Wedge 76 is configured to be mounted on an angled front surface of frame 66 so as to form a rectangular solid with frame 66. Cushioning members 70 are configured to surround and cover frame 66 and wedge 76. Cushioning members 70 comprise a piece of foam sized sufficiently to cover both frame 66 and wedge 76. Covering cushion assembly 68 are inner liner 56 and removable outer liner 32. Inner liner 56 can have similar characteristics as inner liners 46, 52 and liner 42. Likewise, removable outer liner 32 can have similar characteristics as outer liners 22, 24. Aperture 64 is configured and positioned to facilitate coupling of transverse member 14 to base 12. Aperture 64 is centrally positioned adjacent abutting surface 28 of transverse member 14 such that a variety of types and configurations of furniture assemblies can be formed. Aperture 64 is further positioned such that aperture 64 can be aligned with any of grooves 62a-f, such that transverse member 14 can be positioned, in relation to base 12, in a variety of ways. Aperture 64 extends through frame assembly 54 and inner and outer liners 56, 32. Aperture 64 is sized sufficiently to allow a portion of coupler 15 to be received therethrough. FIG. 4 is a perspective view illustrating certain couplers, including coupler 15 and foot couplers 34, 34a. Coupler 15 is configured to detachably couple transverse member 14 to base 12. In the illustrated embodiment, coupler 15 comprises an elongate, U-shaped member configured to be positionable within aperture 64 of transverse member 14 and one of the grooves 62a-f of support member 58, or when two bases are to be coupled together, within one of the grooves 62a-f of the first base 12 and one of the grooves 62a-f of the second base 12. Coupler 15 is further configured to engage the inner surfaces of frame 36 of base 12 and frame 66 of transverse member 14, as shown in FIGS. 5b and 5c, so as to sandwich a portion of transverse member 14 and a portion of base 12 together between portions of coupler 15. Coupler 15 is configured to substantially prevent movement of the upper portion of transverse member 14 in relation to base 12. In this manner, coupler 15 substantially prevents movement of transverse member 14 in at least a first direction with respect to base 12. Coupler 15 can be made from a metal material, or some other structural material. Coupler 15 can include an aperture on the top surface of coupler 15 in order to facilitate the ease of insertion and removal of coupler 15. Coupler 15 has a first leg 15a coupled to a body portion 15b having a second leg 15c coupled thereto. In one embodiment, first leg 15a is longer than second leg 15c in order to facilitate convenient coupling of base 12 to transverse member 14 and to resist forces induced on coupler 15. In another embodiment, first leg 15a is substantially the same length as second leg 15c. Coupler 15 and foot couplers 34, 34a can be used to facilitate the detachable coupling of transverse member 14 to base 12. In the illustrated embodiment, foot coupler 34 comprises a block having a plurality of apertures 74a-b formed there through. Apertures 74a-b are sized and configured to receive a foot of base 12 or transverse member 14 therein. Apertures 74a-b of foot coupler 34 are sufficiently spaced apart, such that when a foot 30 from transverse member 14 is positioned in aperture 74a and a foot 20 from base 12 is positioned in aperture 74b, transverse member 14 and base 12 are adjacent and in contact one with another. Foot couplers 34-35 are configured to substantially prevent movement of the bottom portion of transverse member 14 in relation to base 12. In this manner, foot couplers 34-35 substantially prevent movement of transverse member 14 in at least a second direction with respect to base 12. For example, in the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 5a-c, coupler 15 substantially prevents movement of the top portion of transverse member 14 in at least a first direction, i.e., away from base 12, while foot couplers 34-35 substantially prevent movement of the top portion of transverse member 14 in at least a second direction, i.e., towards base 12. Yet another embodiment of a foot coupler 34a is shown in FIG. 4. Foot coupler 34a can function similarly to foot coupler 34. Foot coupler 34a can replace foot coupler 34, and has additional apertures for connecting additional feet. Thus, foot coupler 34a is configured to substantially prevent movement of the bottom portion of transverse member 14 in relation to base 12. Foot coupler 34a has four apertures 74a-d, enabling foot coupler 34a to be utilized in connection with coupling a base 12 to multiple transverse members 14 and/or bases 12 to form a furniture assembly as shown in FIGS. 6c-6j. For example, in the embodiment of FIG. 6c, one foot coupler 34a may be employed to couple together one leg of base 12 to one leg of a first transverse member 14, which is positioned as a backrest, and one leg of a second transverse member 14, which is positioned as an armrest, while another foot coupler 34a may be employed to couple together a second leg of base 12 to a second leg of the first transverse member 14 and a leg of a third transverse member 14, which is positioned as another armrest. In this example, one aperture of each foot coupler 34a is not utilized, but the symmetrical configuration of foot coupler 34a enables the consumer to employ foot coupler 34a in a variety of different configurations of furniture assemblies. As will be appreciated by one of ordinary skill in the art, the foot coupler of the present invention does not need to be restricted as to the number of apertures 74 formed therein. For example, a foot coupler of the present invention can be sized and configured to include an appropriate number of apertures so as to couple the feet of two bases 12 and four transverse members 14 to facilitate the formation of a sofa. Optionally, a foot coupler can have any number of apertures necessary to couple a foot 20 of base 12 to a foot 30 of transverse member 14 or foot 20 of another base 12, and/or to couple a respective foot 20 of multiple bases 12 to a respective foot 30 of multiple transverse members 14, in any configuration. In one embodiment, apertures 74 can comprise a tapered opening so as to enable a consumer to more easily insert a foot therein. FIGS. 5a-c illustrate how modular furniture assembly 10 is assembled. Illustrated in this embodiment, frame assembly 16 of base 12 is positioned against transverse member 14, such that aperture 64 is adjacent to and aligned with groove 62f in support member 58. Once aligned, coupler 15 is positioned within aperture 64 of transverse member 14 and pushed downward by the consumer so as to engage the inner flat surface of frame 66 of transverse member 14 and the inner flat surface of frame 36 of base 12, as shown in FIGS. 5b and 5c. In this manner, coupler 15 is connected to base 12 and transverse member 14. In addition, foot 20d of base 12 is received into aperture 74b of foot coupler 34, and foot 30a of transverse member 14 is received into aperture 74a of foot coupler 34. Similarly, foot coupler 35, which may be similar or identical to foot coupler 34, is utilized in a similar manner as foot coupler 34, wherein foot 20c is received into aperture 74b of foot coupler 35 and foot 30b is received into aperture 74a of foot coupler 35. As such, utilization of coupler 15 and foot couplers 34-35 serve to detachably couple transverse member 14 to base 12 to form furniture assembly 10 of the present invention. As will be appreciated by one of ordinary skill in the art, the consumer can easily and quickly use coupler 15 and foot couplers 34, 34a and/or 35 to manually, detachably couple base 12 to transverse member 14 and/or another base 12. For instance, the consumer does not require tools to connect or disconnect coupler 15 to base 12 and transverse member 14. Since no tools are required, the consumer can manually connect or disconnect coupler 15 and foot couplers 34, 34a, 35 as the case may be, to/from base 12 and transverse member 14 and/or another base 12. Thus, as used herein, the phrase “manually, detachably couple” can mean that coupler and foot couplers conveniently couple and decouple base 12 and transverse member 14 and/or another base 12 without using a tool, such as a hammer or screwdriver, or some other mechanized machine. Once coupler 15 is connected to base 12 and transverse member 14, cushion 18 can be placed on frame assembly 16 so as to form furniture assembly 10. As will be appreciated by one who is skilled in the art, foot couplers 34, 34a and coupler 15 are easily, manually disconnected and removed in order to disassemble modular furniture assembly 10. FIG. 5b is a perspective view of modular furniture assembly 10 illustrating coupler 15 detachably coupling transverse member 14 to base 12. In this illustration, coupler 15 is received through aperture 64 of transverse member 14 and an aperture in base 12. The aperture in base 12 through which coupler 15 is received is formed by groove 62f and frame 36. In this manner, coupler 15 is utilized to facilitate the coupling of transverse member 14 to base 12. In addition, foot coupler 34 is mounted on feet 20d and 30a, and foot coupler 35 is mounted on feet 20c and 30b. FIG. 5c illustrates a cross-sectional view of modular furniture assembly 10 when coupler 15 and foot couplers 34-35 are connected to base 12 and transverse member 14. As shown in the illustrated embodiment, coupler 15 sandwiches substantially flat portions of frame 36 and substantially flat portions of frame 66 when coupler 15 is connected to base 12 and transverse member 14. Coupler 15 is received in aperture 64 and groove 62f when connected to base 12 and transverse member 14. Foot coupler 35 is also illustrated showing how a foot 30b of transverse member 14 and a foot 20c of base 12 are received in foot coupler 35. Modular furniture assembly 10 can be assembled and disassembled in a quick and efficient manner utilizing base 12, transverse member 14, coupler 15 and foot couplers 34-35. Similarly, the ease of removing coupler 15 and foot couplers 34-35 allows a consumer to easily dismantle or disassemble modular furniture assembly 10 for moving and/or packing of modular furniture assembly 10. For example, a consumer could purchase a base 12, a transverse member 14, a coupler 15, and multiple foot couplers 34-35 and thereafter assemble them to form a modular furniture assembly having a back and a base, such as a chair. The consumer could easily assemble the modular furniture assembly by positioning the base 12 adjacent the transverse member 14, inserting the coupler 15 to engage the frame of the transverse member 14 and frame of the base 12, and then position foot couplers 34-35 over the feet of opposing sides of the base 12 and the transverse member 14 to form a secure and comfortable chair, such as shown in FIG. 1. In the event that the consumer needs to move the chair, the chair is easily disassembled by removing the coupler and the foot couplers, and thereby creating two separate pieces that can be easily moved and reassembled to form the furniture assembly. The same advantages that extend to a consumer in relation to moving the furniture assembly also extend to shipping and packaging. For instance, the manufacturer of the modular furniture assembly can package the transverse member separate and apart from the base. The rectangular uniform shape of the transverse member and the base allow easy packaging and shipping of the transverse member and the base. By employing a base 12 and transverse member 14, the manufacturer and/or retailer can make, store and ship a vast number of two types of furniture pieces, thereby making the manufacturing, shipping and storing processes highly efficient. In addition, if the feet are screwed on to the transverse member and the base, the feet can be easily removed and reattached to the transverse member and the base to facilitate in the shipping and uniformity of the shape of the transverse member and the base. FIGS. 6a through 6j illustrate different configurations of furniture assemblies utilizing bases 12 and transverse members 14, as the case may be, according to the present invention. In one embodiment, each of the bases 12 shown in FIGS. 6a-6j have substantially the same dimensions as each of the other bases 12 shown therein, such that the bases 12 are interchangeable, and each of the transverse members 14 shown in FIGS. 6a-j have substantially the same dimensions as each of the other transverse members 14, such that the transverse members 14 are interchangeable. FIG. 6a illustrates the use of a base 12 alone, by itself, to form an ottoman. FIG. 6b illustrates the configuration of a bench, wherein two bases 12 are utilized and coupled together to form the bench. FIG. 6c illustrates the configuration of an arm chair. In this embodiment, three transverse members 14 are utilized in connection with one base 12 so as to form the chair. FIG. 6d illustrates the configuration of a chaise formed by two bases 12 and two transverse members 14 coupled together. An appropriate number of couplers 15 can be used for each of the furniture configurations illustrated in FIGS. 6a-j. For example, a single coupler 15 can be employed to couple base 12 to base 12 to form the bench of FIG. 6b. Alternatively, first and second couplers 15 are employed to couple base 12 to base 12 to form the bench of FIG. 6b. First, second and third couplers 15 are employed to couple respective transverse members 14 to base 12 to form the chair of FIG. 6c. In one embodiment, a single coupler 15 is employed to couple base 12 to base 12 in the chaise of FIG. 6d, and second and third couplers 15 are used to couple respective transverse members 14 to one of the bases 12. The assemblies shown in FIGS. 6e-6j can similarly be coupled together through the use of couplers, such as coupler 15 to couple respective bases 12 and transverse members 14 together to form a desired configuration. FIG. 6e illustrates a sofa formed from two bases 12 and four transverse members 14. FIG. 6f illustrates a deep love seat, utilizing two bases 12 and four transverse members 14 detachably coupled together. FIG. 6g illustrates the configuration of a sectional having six bases 12 and seven transverse members 14 coupled thereto. FIG. 6h illustrates a configuration of a twister design, utilizing four bases 12 and four transverse members 14. FIG. 6i illustrates the configuration of a playpen, utilizing four bases 12 and eight transverse members 14 detachably coupled to form the playpen, as illustrated in FIG. 6i. FIG. 6j illustrates the configuration of a bed, wherein six bases 12 are coupled together to form the bed and two transverse members 14 are coupled to two of the bases 12 to form the headboard of the bed. In this manner, the six bases 12 are configured and arranged so as to enable a user to sleep thereon. In one embodiment, a coupler 15 is employed to form a connection between each base 12 and transverse member 14 and/or other base 12 in the embodiments shown in FIGS. 6a-6j. FIG. 7 illustrates an alternative embodiment of base 112. In the illustrated embodiment, frame 136 is configured such that support member 158 is angled. Angling of support member 158 allows a user to naturally recline while sitting on base 112. In this embodiment, cushioning member 140e is a wedge shaped piece of foam configured to be received within recess 144 of frame assembly 116 to form a flush top surface. In the illustrated embodiment, cushion 118 comprises multiple foam pieces to form a cushion that will facilitate the reclining of a user sitting thereon. For example, cushion 118 can comprise a first foam wedge piece 120 and a second foam wedge piece 122 positioned adjacent to first foam wedge piece 120 to form a rectangular solid. A layer of memory foam 124 can be positioned on second foam wedge 122 so as to form a cushion 118 a user can sit upon. As will be appreciated by one of ordinary skill in the art, the layer of memory foam 124 provides additional comfort to a user sitting on base 112. First foam piece 120 can be denser than second foam piece 122 so as to allow second foam piece 122 to give more when pressure is applied thereon, such as when a user is sitting on cushion 118. The discrepancy in density of the two foam wedges 120,122 provides for the natural reclining of a consumer when the consumer sits on cushion 118. FIG. 8 illustrates another embodiment of the base and various couplers. In this embodiment, base 212 comprises a frame assembly 216 having a frame 236 and a plurality of mounting plates 261 mounted on frame 236. Frame 236 comprises a support member 258 upon which a cushion or cushioning member can be mounted. Support member 258 comprises a solid, substantially flat surface. In this embodiment, support member 258 does not comprise grooves. When coupler 15 is utilized with base 212, first end 15a of coupler 15 can be shortened so as to not interfere with support member 258. As will be appreciated by one of ordinary skill in the art, base 12 and base 212 can be employed in the same furniture assembly. Mounting plates 261 are reinforced, substantially flat surfaces configured and positioned to enable the convenient, manual, detachable coupling of base 212 to transverse member 14 by coupler 15, a flared coupler 215, and/or a ratcheting coupler 217. Mounting plates 261 are positioned along the periphery of frame 236 in a similar fashion as grooves 62a-f are positioned in relation to base 12. The respective positioning of mounting plates 261 along the periphery of base 212 enables the quick and efficient positioning of transverse member 14 in relation to base 212 so as to form a desired furniture assembly. Mounting plates 261 are mounted on the inner surface of frame 236 and/or on the transverse member 14. Flared coupler 215 comprises a U-shaped member having terminating, flared ends that curve outwardly with respect to each other. The flared ends are curved so as to facilitate the insertion of coupler 215 into transverse member 14 and base 212. Flared coupler 215 can be utilized in the same or similar fashion as coupler 15 to manually, detachably couple base 212 to transverse member 14 and/or another base 212, such as shown in FIGS. 6b-6j. The lengths of the legs of flared coupler 215 may be substantially the same, for example, or may be different. In the illustrated embodiment, ratcheting coupler 217 comprises a first portion 217a, a second portion 217b and a ratcheting portion 217c configured to enable the manual, detachable coupling of base 212 to transverse member 14. First portion 217a is configured to be selectively received within and secured by ratcheting portion 217c. Ratcheting portion 217c is coupled to second portion 217b and configured to selectively receive and secure first portion 217a therein. Ratcheting portion 217c is further configured to advance first portion 217a within ratcheting portion 217c as ratcheting portion 217c is actuated. Ratcheting portion 217c is further configured to selectively release first portion 217a therefrom to enable a consumer to quickly and efficiently detach first portion 217a from second portion 217b. In the illustrated embodiment, first portion 217a is coupled to base 212 and second portion 217b is coupled to transverse member 14. For example, first portion 217a can be selectively coupled to any mounting plate 261. First portion 217a is secured to second portion 217b so as to manually, detachably couple base 212 to transverse member 14. Ratcheting coupler 217 can be utilized with base 12. A useful example of a type of ratcheting coupler 217 is the coupler commonly utilized in connection with snowboard bindings. The ratcheting coupler commonly employed with snowboard bindings includes a first strap having a plurality of grooves formed perpendicular to the length of the strap, and an associated second strap having a ratcheting type mechanism coupled thereto. The first strap can be received within and secured by the ratcheting mechanism. The ratcheting mechanism includes a lever that when grasped and actuated will advance the first strap within the ratcheting mechanism by contact with the grooves in the first strap. Typically, a means is provided for releasing the first strap from the ratcheting mechanism, such as a button or an additional lever, such that actuation of the button or lever enables a consumer to easily remove the first strap from the ratcheting mechanism. As such, the first strap is secured to the second strap. A storage compartment 257 can be utilized in connection with frame 236 to store couplers or other items, as the consumer so chooses. Storage compartment 257 can be sized and configured to accommodate numerous and various couplers therein. Storage compartment 257 can be closed off by the use of a trapped door 259 formed in support member 258. Storage compartment 257 provides a useful and convenient storage area in which to store some of the consumer's items and/or hardware associated with the furniture assembly. Coupler 15, flared coupler 215, leg couplers 34-35 and ratcheting coupler 217 are examples of couplers that manually, detachably couple a base 212 (or 12) to transverse member 14 and/or another base 212 (or 12). As will be appreciated by one having ordinary skill in the art, a variety of types and configurations of couplers that manually, detachably couple can be utilized without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. For example, in one embodiment, the coupler could be a mechanical hook and latch system. In another embodiment, the coupler can be a clasp, such as a clasp used on watches. In yet another embodiment, the coupler can be a variety of different types of quick release systems. In yet another embodiment, the coupler can comprise a plurality of magnets. In yet another embodiment, the coupler can comprise snaps. In another embodiment, the coupler can be a strap and buckle configuration. In one such embodiment, one end of a first strap is coupled to transverse member 14 and the other end of the first strap has a female portion of a buckle coupled thereto. One end of the second strap is coupled to base 12 and the other end is slidably received within the male portion of the buckle, such that when the male portion is received within the female portion, the second strap can be pulled to cinch the pieces together. In yet another embodiment of the present invention, multiple configurations of transverse members may be employed to achieve unique, novel, and useful furniture configurations. Referring to FIGS. 9A and 9B, one or more bases 12a and one or more transverse members 14, 14a may be combined in various configurations facilitated by the spatial relationships between the bases 12a and transverse members 14, 14a. The embodiments of FIGS. 9A and 9B include one or more bases 12a and transverse members 14, 14a having a rectangular shape in a plane parallel to a support surface upon which the transverse members 14, 14a and base 12a rest when assembled. In one embodiment, base 12a of FIGS. 9A and 9B has the same attributes, dimensions, and configuration as base 12 as described in any of FIGS. 1 through 8 and the discussion relating thereto, except that base 12a has a square shape, rather than being rectangular with unequal sides. Similarly, in one embodiment, transverse member 14a of FIGS. 9A, 9B, and 10 has the same attributes, dimensions, and configuration as the transverse member 14 as described in any of FIGS. 1 through 8 and the description relating thereto, except that length (B) of transverse member 14a is shorter than length (A) of transverse member 14. Transverse member 14 of FIGS. 9A, 9B, and 10 may have the same attributes, dimensions, and configuration as the transverse member 14 of FIGS. 1 through 8 and the description relating thereto. For example, the embodiment of FIGS. 9A and 9B includes transverse members 14 and at least one transverse member 14a. The transverse members 14 and 14a each include a surface 28 for abutting against one of the surfaces 26a-26d of the base 12a. The surfaces 28 and 26a-26d may be perpendicular to a support surface upon which the transverse members 14, 14a and base 12a rest when assembled. Two or more of the sides 26a-26d of the base 12a have a length of (B) in a plane parallel to a support surface upon which the transverse members 14, 14a and base 12a rest when assembled. The base 12a has a height (h) perpendicular to the support surface upon which the transverse members 14, 14a and base 12a rest when assembled. The surfaces 28 of the transverse members 14 have a length (A) in a plane parallel to a support surface upon which the transverse members 14, 14a and base 12a rest when assembled. The surfaces 28 of the at least one transverse member 14a have a length (B′) in a plane parallel to a support surface upon which the transverse members 14 and base 12a rest when assembled. In one embodiment (B′) is substantially equal to (B). For example, (B′) may have the same length as (B). The transverse members 14, 14a have a width (C) perpendicular to the surface 28, such as along sides perpendicular to the surface 28. The transverse members 14, 14a have a height (h′) perpendicular to the support surface upon which the transverse members 14 and base 12a rest when assembled. The height (h′) is typically substantially greater than, e.g., at least more than 1.2 times, the height (h). In one embodiment, the length (A) is substantially equal to the sum of (B) and (C) such that base 12a, transverse members 14, and the one or more transverse members 14a may be removably coupled to one another using any of the couplers described herein in a variety of configurations. For example, the couplers described in FIGS. 1 through 8 and/or FIGS. 11 and 12 and the description related thereto may be employed to connect the bases 12, 12a and transverse members 14, 14a of FIGS. 9A, 9B, and 10. As shown in FIG. 9A, in one configuration the transverse member 14a forms a seat back, whereas the transverse members 14 form the sides. In the configuration of FIG. 9A, the transverse members 14 contact both the base 12a and the transverse member 14a such that the outermost surfaces of the assembled members form a rectangle. As shown in FIG. 9B, in another configuration, the transverse member 14a forms one of the sides and one of the transverse members 14 forms a side. The other transverse member 14 forms the seat back such that the surface 28 thereof engages both the transverse member 14a and the surface 26c of the base 12a. In the embodiment of FIG. 9B, a first of the transverse members 14 contacts both the base 12a and the transverse member 14a. The second of the transverse members 14 contacts both the base 12a and the first transverse member 14. Additional bases 12a with additional transverse members 14, 14a enable still other configurations. The transverse members 14, 14a and bases 12, 12a of FIGS. 9A, 9B, and 10 may be removably coupled to each other using the couplers of FIGS. 1 through 8 and/or FIGS. 11 and 12. Thus, as shown in FIGS. 9A and 9B, transverse members 14, 14a and base 12a and the couplers of FIGS. 1 through 8 and FIGS. 11 and 12 may be employed to create a chair having the configuration of FIG. 9A or FIG. 9B, such that multiple configurations may be achieved. In yet another alternative embodiment, a square shaped base 12a may be removably coupled to two or three transverse members 14a to form a unique chair configuration. FIG. 10, illustrates an example of a configuration using additional bases 12 and transverse members 14. The bases 12 of FIG. 10 may be the same as the bases 12 of FIGS. 1 through 8, for example. In the embodiment of FIG. 10, the bases 12 have a length equal to (A) along sides 26b, 26d and a width equal to (B) along sides 26a and 26c perpendicular to sides 26b, 26d. In the embodiment of FIG. 10, the bases 12 may be removably coupled to one another in a collinear fashion. For example the bases 12 may be removably coupled to one another such that they form an overall rectangle of length (N*B) and width (A), where (N) is the number of bases 12. This may be accomplished by securing the side 26b of a base 12 to the side 26d of an adjacent base 12. As shown in FIG. 10, two transverse members 14 and at least one transverse member 14a secure to the bases 12 in order to form a back for a sofa configuration. The transverse member 14a is disposed between the transverse members 14, such that the transverse members 14, 14a are collinear. Alternatively, the transverse member 14a may be positioned to one side of the two transverse members 14 that form the seat back. In FIG. 10, the combined transverse members 14, 14a may form a rectangle of length (N*B+2C), where (N) is the number of bases 12 arranged in a collinear fashion. The overall shape of the sofa configuration may be a rectangle of length (N*B+2C) and width (A+C). Each of the transverse members 14, 14a may directly, removably couple to one of the bases 12. In an alternative embodiment, the transverse members 14, 14a are selectively coupled to each other. Additional transverse members 14 form sides of the sofa configuration of FIG. 10 by coupling to the end bases 12 of the row of bases 12. Thus the surfaces 28 of the transverse members 14 forming the sides of the sofa of FIG. 10 are perpendicular to the surfaces 28 of the transverse members 14 and at least one transverse member 14a, which form the back of the sofa. As in other embodiments described herein, additional bases 12 and transverse members 14, 14a may couple to the configuration illustrated. Furthermore, the illustrated bases 12 and transverse members 14, 14a may be rearranged in other configurations. Bases 12 and transverse members 14, 14a having other shapes may also removably couple to the illustrated bases 12 and transverse members 14, 14a. For example, a wedge or “pie piece” shaped base may be employed in conjunction with one or more bases 12 (and/or 12a) and one or more transverse members 14 (and/or 14a) to form a curved sofa, e.g. a semicircular or otherwise curved shaped sofa. The couplers (e.g., foot couplers and U-shaped couplers) and methods of coupling discussed with respect to FIGS. 1 through 8 and/or FIGS. 11 and 12 and the discussion relating thereto also apply to the embodiments shown in FIGS. 9A, 9B, and 10. Furthermore, the relationships of transverse members 14 with respect to bases 12 may also be the same, or similar, to the configuration shown in FIG. 10. The transverse member 14, 14a of FIGS. 9A, 9B, and 10 may be coupled to the bases 12, 12a in at least two different positions as shown in FIGS. 1 through 8 and the discussion relating thereto. The transverse member 14, 14a of FIGS. 9A, 9B, and 10 may be coupled to the bases 12, 12a such that a flat portion of the transverse members 14, 14a engage a corresponding flat portion of one of the bases 12, 12a as shown in FIGS. 1 through 8 the discussion relating thereto. The transverse member 14, 14a and bases 12, 12a of FIGS. 9A, 9B, and 10 may include a removable outer lining similar to embodiments shown in FIGS. 1 through 8 and the discussion relating thereto. Furthermore, the transverse member 14, 14a of FIGS. 9A, 9B, and 10 may include a longitudinal axis perpendicular to a plane of a support surface. The transverse member 14, 14a and bases 12, 12a of FIGS. 9A, 9B, and 10 may be removably coupled to one another by means of U-shaped and/or foot couplers similar to embodiments shown in FIGS. 1 through 8 and the discussion relating thereto. The transverse member 14, 14a and bases 12, 12a of FIGS. 9A, 9B, and 10 may define apertures for receiving a coupler, such as a U-shaped coupler, similar to embodiments shown in FIGS. 1 through 8 and the discussion relating thereto. The U-shaped coupler can sandwich a portion of a base 12, 12a. and a transverse member 14, 14a. In some embodiments, the coupler used in the embodiments of FIGS. 9A, 9B and 10 may be a ratcheting coupler such as is illustrated in FIG. 8 and related discussion. The coupler in the embodiment of FIGS. 9A, 9B, and 10 may include two parts having one portion connected to the base 12, 12a and another portion connected to one the transverse members 14, 14a, such as is illustrated in FIG. 8. The portions of the coupler may be manually, detachably coupled to each other. Referring to FIGS. 11 and 12, in another embodiment, a base 312 and transverse member 314 are configured to provide a comfortable sitting surface for a consumer. Base 312 is also configured to be easily disassembled for rearranging, moving, storing and/or shipping. In this embodiment, base 312 comprises a frame assembly 316, a cushion 318 and a plurality of feet 320a-d mounted on frame assembly 316 (foot 320d is not shown). Frame assembly 316 is configured to support the weight of a consumer while the consumer is sitting on base 312. Cushion 318 is configured to be mounted on frame assembly 316 so as to provide a useful and comfortable sitting area for a consumer. Cushion 318 can be easily mounted on or removed from frame assembly 316. Feet 320a-d are coupled to the underside of frame assembly 316. Feet 320a-d can be coupled to frame assembly 316 in a variety of ways. In one embodiment, feet 320a-d are coupled by screws. In this embodiment, feet 320a-d can be easily coupled to and/or removed from frame assembly 316 so as to facilitate ease in packaging, shipping, storing, moving and/or replacing feet 320a-d. However, feet 320a-d can be coupled to frame assembly 316 in a more permanent fashion, such as with a nail, an epoxy or glue, or any combination thereof. Feet 320a-d facilitate the coupling of transverse member 314 to base 312 when used in connection with a foot coupler, such as foot coupler 334. Feet 320a-d are further configured to support the weight of a consumer and to elevate base 312 above the floor. When feet 320a-d are coupled to frame assembly 316 by screws, the removability of feet 320a-d in conjunction with the removability of cushion 318 enables base 312 to be easily disassembled for rearranging, moving, storing and/or shipping. The frame assembly 316 may include an internal frame covered by a liner 336 defining openings 338 for receiving a U-shaped coupler 315. The U-shaped coupler 315 may include the attributes of the U-shaped coupler 215 of FIGS. 1-8. The U-shaped coupler 315 may likewise have a strap 340 secured thereto to facilitate gripping when removing the U-shaped coupler. The inner frame of the frame assembly 316 may define pockets or openings for receiving the U-shaped coupler. Said pockets or openings are positioned corresponding to the openings 338 in the outer liner 336. In some embodiments, one or more sides of the base 312 include two openings 338 per side (or one relatively longer opening 338). The inner frame of the frame assembly has corresponding receiving pockets or openings. The frame assembly 316 may include a rectangular inner frame and an upper surface defined by straps and/or springs extending between sides and/or ends of the inner frame for resiliently supporting the cushion 318. The transverse member 314 may include an internal frame, one or more cushions, and an outer liner. The transverse member further includes feet 342a, 342b sized to be received within the foot coupler 334. The transverse member 314 likewise defines an opening 344 for receiving the U-shaped coupler 315. The base member 312 and transverse member 314 may include wear plates formed of a wear resistant material, such as masonite, secured to internal surfaces of internal frames of the base 312 and transverse member 314 that contact the U-shaped couplers when the U-shaped couplers are positioned within openings defined by the internal frames of the base member 312 and transverse member 314. FIGS. 13a-16c now illustrate another manner for coupling bases and transverse members of a modular furniture assembly of the present invention together. These figures further illustrate a method for coupling feet to the base frame assemblies and transverse member frame assemblies. FIGS. 13a-16c illustrate that holes in the transverse member frame assemblies and base frame assemblies that can be used for removably connecting the frame assemblies to the feet described above, e.g., feet 20a-d, 30a-b, 320a-d, 342a-b, can optionally be used to receive a mounting platform 400 that can connect the transverse member frame assemblies and base frame assemblies together. In FIGS. 13a-16c, instead of employing foot couplers having apertures therein that receive feet, mounting platforms 400 connect the base and transverse member frame assemblies together and a foot is mounted on the mounting platform 400. The mounting platform can receive a variety of different types of feet, mounted on different locations of the mounting platform, thereby enabling the practitioner to selectively vary the function and appearance of the resulting modular furniture assembly. With detailed reference now to FIGS. 13a-b, mounting platform 400 is selectively mounted onto the frame assembly 402 of the base 404 and the frame assembly 406 of the transverse member 408, thereby coupling base 404 to transverse member 408, and thereby enabling various different types of feet, e.g., rollers 410, castors, rockers, and/or pegs to be mounted on platform 400 so as to form a modular furniture assembly 412. Rollers 410, and the other feet shown in FIGS. 13b-16b are examples of mounting feet that are selectively mounted on a platform 400. The frame assemblies 402, 406 of FIGS. 13b-16b may be the same as or similar to frame assembly 16 and frame assembly 54 of FIGS. 1-8, for example. The frame assemblies 402, 406 of FIGS. 13b-16b may also be the same as or similar to the frame assemblies of the furniture assemblies shown in FIGS. 9A-12, for example. In addition, the base 404 and transverse member 408 represented in FIGS. 13b-16b may have the same relative dimensions and relationships with respect to each other, i.e., x=y+z, as the bases and transverse members of FIGS. 1-12, for example. FIGS. 13a-b illustrate a mounting platform 400 of the present invention that is selectively mounted on a frame assembly 402 of a base 404 and a frame assembly 406 of a transverse member 408, enabling a user to selectively couple an alternate foot, e.g., a roller 410 to the combined base/transverse member frame assembly. A variety of different types of feet, such as shown herein, can be coupled to the mounting platform 400, thereby forming different modular furniture assemblies having different shapes and types of feet. FIG. 13a illustrates that in the embodiment of FIG. 13a, mounting platform 400 is comprised of a rigid, substantially flat plate 412 (e.g., a metallic plate, such as aluminum) having a plurality of coupling apertures 416 therethrough. Plate 412 has four coupling apertures 416, although a variety of different aperture combinations are possible. Coupling apertures 416 are spaced with respect to each other such that coupling apertures 416 correspond to the apertures 420, 422 in respective base and transverse member frame assemblies 402, 406. In one embodiment, these same apertures 420, 422 are configured to receive the threaded members of feet 320a-c, 342a-b, shown in FIGS. 11 and 12, for example. Coupling apertures 416 are spaced equidistantly from each other in a square pattern, as are the mounting apertures of foot coupler 34a of FIG. 4 and foot coupler 334 of FIGS. 11-12. In one embodiment, the apertures 416 of platform 400 are spaced the same distance from each other, and in the same configuration as the apertures of foot coupler 34a, such that the same receiving apertures 420, 422 of the frame assemblies of base 402 and transverse member 406 can be used for either type of foot system. In one embodiment, the center of each aperture of mounting platform 400 corresponds to the center of each aperture of foot coupler 334 of FIGS. 11-12 such that the user can either use: (i) the feet and coupler of FIGS. 11 and 12, for example; or (ii) the feet and platform 400 of FIGS. 13a-14b to support the resulting modular furniture assembly on a support surface. As illustrated in FIGS. 13b, 14b, 15b, and 16b, the coupling apertures 416 of the platform 400 correspond to receiving apertures 420, 422 in the frames 402, 406. As discussed above, in one embodiment, respective threaded receiving apertures 420, 422 of base frame assembly 402 and transverse member frame assembly 406, and similar receiving apertures on the remaining portions of the frame assemblies, are used as connection locations for feet 30a-b and 20a-d shown above in FIGS. 5a-c, and/or for feet 320a-c, 342a-b of FIGS. 11-12, for example. These same threaded receiving apertures 420, 422 and other similar threaded receiving apertures on the frame assemblies 402, 406 can be used to receive the fasteners that connect platform 400 to the frame assemblies 402, 406. Thus, in one embodiment, feet 30a-b, 20a-d, 320a-c, 342a-b can be selectively removed (e.g., unthreaded) from their respective transverse member and base frame assemblies, then platform 400 of FIG. 13a can be used to couple the transverse member and base frame assemblies together, rather than using foot couplers 34-35, 34a, or 334. With reference to FIGS. 13a-b, central mounting aperture 418 is located in the center of the square pattern formed by the coupling apertures 416, while upper and lower mounting apertures 418a are located between respective upper and lower coupling apertures 416. The different mounting apertures 418, 418a are threaded and threadedly receive feet and enable feet to be placed in different locations, e.g., on the edge of a transverse member or base, or offset from the edge, as desired for functionality or ornamentation. In another embodiment, only a single mounting aperture is employed. As shown in FIG. 13b, mounting platform 400 can be mounted on base frame assembly 402 and transverse member frame assembly 406 such that base 404 and transverse member 408 are coupled to each other. Once base 404 and transverse member 408 are affixed, the mounting apertures 418, 418a can be used to receive a foot, e.g, roller 410, or other feet as described herein. In one embodiment, coupling apertures 416 are non-threaded, while mounting apertures 418, 418a are threaded. Fasteners, e.g., screws or bolts, are used to connect platform 400 to base frame assembly 402 and transverse member frame assembly 406, as illustrated in FIG. 13b. Such fasteners extend through coupling apertures 416 into the respective threaded receiving apertures 420, 422 of the base frame assembly 402 and transverse member frame assembly 406, thereby connecting platform 400 to base 404 and transverse member 408 and affixing base 404 and transverse member 408 to each other. Optionally, in one embodiment, a strong adhesive or other connection, can be used as a fastener for mounting platform 400 onto frame assemblies 402, 406. Feet, e.g., rollers 410 can be connected onto mounting platform 400, such as through the use of fasteners thereon, e.g., threaded member 424, which is selectively connected via threaded mounting aperture 418 to platform 400. Thus, the base member frame assembly 402 and the transverse member frame assembly 406 each have an aperture 420, 422 therein for receiving a connector. A first connector, e.g., a screw or bolt, extends through a coupling aperture 416 of platform 400 and into the aperture 422 of the transverse member frame assembly 406. A second connector, e.g., a screw or bolt, extends through another aperture 416 of platform 400 and into an aperture 420 of the base frame assembly 402. Once platform 400 is connected to frame assemblies 402, 406, feet, e.g., rollers 410 and other feet can be mounted onto platform 400, as illustrated in FIG. 14a, giving the modular furniture assembly the function and appearance of furniture with rollers, pegs, rockers, etc. Such feet are configured to contact the support surface, such as the floor or ground, when the modular furniture assembly is in an upright configuration. Platform 400 enables a variety of different types of feet to be mounted thereon, providing diversity of function and appearance. Both the foot and foot coupler technologies of FIGS. 1-12 and the platforms 400 and feet of FIGS. 13a-16b can be shipped and sold along with corresponding bases and transverse members, providing further modularity. Thus, one embodiment of a modular furniture assembly kit of the present invention comprises: (i) a base (e.g., base 12); a transverse member (e.g., transverse member 14), each having respective removable feet and foot couplers, such as shown in FIGS. 1-12; and (iii) a platform assembly comprising platform 400, two or more fasteners (e.g., the screws or bolts of FIG. 13b), and one or more mounting feet, e.g., roller 410 that is selectively mounted to platform 400. This modular furniture assembly kit enables a user to selectively, removably use feet and foot couplers such as shown in FIGS. 1-12 or to use the platform assembly shown in FIGS. 13a-16b on the same frame assemblies, thereby enabling the user to have options for function and/or decoration of the modular furniture assembly. For example, if the user no longer wants to use the feet and foot couplers of FIGS. 1-12, the user can remove the feet and foot couplers of FIGS. 1-12 and optionally use the platform 400 and feet, e.g., foot 410 of FIGS. 13a-16b. In one embodiment, the feet of FIGS. 1-12, e.g., feet 30a-b, 20a-d, 320a-c, 342a-b can be referred to as removable feet because they can be removed from their respective receiving apertures in their respective frame assemblies and replaced by mounting platform 400 and its associated fasteners (FIG. 13b) and mounting feet 410. FIG. 14b illustrates a series of mounting platforms 400 being mounted on adjacent transverse members and bases so as to form a sofa assembly, such as shown in FIG. 14c. Furniture configurations similar to those shown in FIGS. 6B-6J, having feet such as rollers, pegs, castors, rockers, etc., can be formed using platforms 400 and feet mounted on the platforms 400. FIGS. 15a-c illustrate mounting platforms 400 mounted on the frame assemblies of an adjacent base and transverse members to thereby couple the frame assemblies together. FIG. 15a illustrates a platform 400 mounted on a base frame assembly and transverse member frame assembly and a foot in the form of a peg 430 mounted on the corner edges of the platform 400. The peg 430 is further mounted through the platform 400 to a transverse member frame assembly 406, thereby connecting a portion of the platform 400 to the transverse member frame assembly 406. FIGS. 15a-c thus illustrate that a foot, e.g., peg 430 can be used to connect platform 400 to the transverse member frame assembly 406 or the base frame assembly 402. The threaded portion of peg 430 is mounted through a coupling hole 416 of platform 400 to transverse member frame assembly 406, such that peg 430 is positioned adjacent the edge of the transverse member 408 and couples platform 400 to transverse member frame assembly 406. Thus, the threaded portion of peg 430 is an integral fastener portion of the peg 430 that fastens platform 400 to a base or transverse member frame. Thus, a foot of the present invention can be mounted on the mounting platform 400 and serve as a connector to connect the mounting platform 400 to the transverse member or base. To vary function and appearance, a fastener, e.g., a screw can replace the peg 430 from its position in the coupling aperture of FIG. 15a and the peg 430 can be mounted in one of the mounting apertures of platform 400, e.g. the central mounting aperture 418. Peg 430 is an example of a foot that is selectively mounted on the mounting platform 400 and to one of: (A) the transverse member frame assembly 406 (see FIG. 15a); and (B) the base member frame assembly 402. Peg 430 thus includes an integral fastener that extends through an aperture 416 of platform 400 and connects to one of: (A) the transverse member assembly and (B) the base frame assembly. As shown in FIGS. 15a-b, another fastener in the form of a bolt or screw further connects another portion of the platform 400 to the base member assembly 402. Optionally, in another embodiment, the fastener in the form of a screw or bolt can connect a portion of the platform 400 to the transverse member frame assembly, e.g., when the peg 430 connects platform 400 to the base frame assembly. FIGS. 16a-c illustrate mounting platforms 400 mounted on the frame assemblies of an adjacent base and transverse member to thereby couple rocker members 446 to the bases and transverse members to form a rocking chair. As shown, rocker members 446, 446a have first and second connection portions, such that the rockers are fastened in two different locations to different mounting platforms 400 that are mounted on adjacent base and transverse member portions. Thus, platform 400 and associated feet, e.g., feet 410, 430, 446 of FIGS. 13-16 can be used as substitutes for the foot couplers and feet described above with respect to FIGS. 4-5c and 11-12. Platform 400 acts as a connector to connect a transverse member frame assembly to a base frame assembly and as a mounting platform upon which a foot can be mounted. The foot can be mounted in a variety of positions on platform 400 and can also serve as a connector to connect platform 400 to a transverse member frame assembly or base frame assembly. Platform 400 and associated feet, e.g., feet 410, 430, 446 can be used on any of the modular furniture assemblies described above in connection with FIGS. 1-12 or any other modular furniture assemblies described herein. As mentioned above, one embodiment of the present invention further relates to a kit comprising one or more base members 12 one or more transverse members 14, one or more foot couplers 34, one or more mounting platforms 400 and associated fasteners, and one or more feet, e.g., feet 410, 430, 446, such that a user can optionally use the feet and couplers of FIGS. 1-12 (the feet being removable) or can optionally use the feet and couplers of FIGS. 13-16. This gives the user a variety of different options for arranging furniture according to a desired function and decorative style. In another embodiment, however, the platform and feet of FIGS. 13a-16b are sold and used independently from the feet and feet couplers of FIGS. 1-12. The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from its spirit or essential characteristics. In particular references to dimensions and relationships between dimensions recited herein refer to nominal values subject to manufacturing tolerances typical in the art of furniture manufacture. The described embodiments are to be considered in all respects only as illustrative and not restrictive. The scope of the invention is, therefore, indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description. All changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are to be embraced within their scope. | <SOH> BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION <EOH> | <SOH> BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION <EOH>The invention relates to a modular furniture assembly that can be assembled, disassembled, rearranged, moved and cleaned in a quick and efficient manner with minimal effort. In an exemplary embodiment, the modular furniture assembly comprises a base, at least one transverse member and a coupler configured to facilitate the detachable coupling of the transverse member to the base so as to form a furniture assembly. In one exemplary embodiment, the base serves as a support surface on which a user can sit, and the transverse member acts as a resting surface for a user's back or arm. The coupler is configured to allow a user to quickly couple or decouple the transverse member and the base with minimal effort without the use of a tool. The ease of coupling a transverse member to the base enables a consumer to easily form many configurations of furniture assemblies. The base is configured such that it can be positioned adjacent the transverse member in a variety of ways and detachably coupled thereto so as to provide a variety of configurations of modular furniture assemblies. As such, many bases and transverse members can be utilized to form a variety of different furniture assemblies. For instance, one embodiment utilizes one base and one transverse member coupled together to form a chair. In another embodiment, three transverse members are coupled to one base to form an arm chair. Furthermore, the base(s) and transverse member(s) can be placed in a variety of different positions so as to form a variety of different chairs. In one embodiment, the base and transverse member are sized and configured in a defined spatial relationship. For example, in such an embodiment, the length (x) of the base is substantially equal to the length (x′) of the transverse member, and the length (x) of the base is substantially equal to the sum of the width (y) of the base and the width (z) of the transverse member. Thus, x is substantially equal to y+z. This relationship enables the convenient formation of a variety of different types, sizes and configurations of furniture assemblies. In use, one or more bases having a substantially similar configuration can be employed with one or more transverse members having a substantially similar configuration. The standardized configuration of bases and transverse members enables a user to form a variety of different types and configurations of furniture assemblies. This also makes manufacturing convenient because a manufacturer can produce a series of bases that have a substantially similar configuration and a series of transverse members that have a substantially similar configuration, then arrange (or allow the end user to arrange) the bases and transverse members into a variety of configurations to form different types of furniture. The user can purchase one or more bases having the same configuration and one or more transverse members having the same configuration, then combine them to form a number of different furniture assemblies. For example, a first base and a first transverse member can be employed to form a chair having a back rest. Second and third transverse members having a substantially similar configuration as the first transverse member can be added to form an armchair. Optionally, a couch can be formed by adding: (i) a second base having a substantially similar configuration as the first base; and (ii) second, third and fourth transverse members having a substantially similar configuration as the first transverse member. An endless variety of furniture assemblies can be formed by utilizing bases and transverse members having standardized, substantially similar configurations, respectively. The spatial relationship further enables the manufacturer to proportionately size the bases and transverse members to form furniture assemblies for different sizes of individuals. For example, the bases and transverse members can be proportionately sized to form furniture assemblies for children. Likewise, the bases and transverse members can be proportionately sized to form furniture assemblies for adults, or even oversized adults. As such, the bases(s) and transverse members(s) of the present invention can be utilized to form a variety of sizes of furniture. The configuration of the base and transverse member of the present invention provides many benefits to both the consumer and retailer. For example, the present invention enables the consumer to have a piece of furniture in a remote location where previously other pieces of furniture could not be moved due to their bulkiness and/or size. The present invention is easily disassembled, thus enabling a consumer to locate the base(s) and/or transverse member(s) in an otherwise inaccessible location and then assemble them to form a furniture assembly. Furthermore, the present invention enables a manufacturer and/or retailer to stock two pieces of furniture, i.e. a base and a transverse member. This is advantageous for shipping and storing. For instance, the manufacturer and/or retailer is only required to store two primary pieces and is able to stack the bases or transverse members having the same respective configuration on top of each other when loading and unloading from freight. Likewise, the bases and transverse members can be stacked in an orderly fashion in storage. In addition, the transverse member and the base include removable outer liners. The removable outer liners allow a consumer to easily launder the furniture assembly. Further, utilizing a removable outer liner allows a consumer to interchange liners of different shades and styles to create a unique and customized furniture assembly. Thus, the furniture assembly of the present invention is versatile, modular, interchangeable and convenient. In another alternative embodiment, a plurality of shapes of transverse members may be employed in order to achieve unique and useful furniture configurations. Yet another aspect of the invention relates to a mounting platform that is selectively mounted on the frame assembly of the base and the frame assembly of the transverse member in order to allow various different types of feet, e.g., rollers, castors, rockers, and/or pegs to be employed as part of the modular furniture assembly. These and other objects and features of the present invention will become more fully apparent from the following description and appended claims, or may be learned by the practice of the invention as set forth hereinafter. | A47C4028 | 20171208 | 20180412 | 74582.0 | A47C402 | 2 | WHITE, RODNEY BARNETT | MODULAR FURNITURE ASSEMBLY WITH DUAL COUPLERS | UNDISCOUNTED | 1 | CONT-ACCEPTED | A47C | 2,017 |
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15,836,182 | PENDING | DEVELOPER SUPPLY CONTAINER AND DEVELOPER SUPPLYING SYSTEM | A developer supply container includes a developer accommodating body configured to contain developer, with the developer accommodating body being rotatable about a rotational axis. A developer discharging body is provided in fluid communication with the developer accommodating body, with the developer discharging body having a discharge opening provided in a bottom portion of the developer discharging body and configured to discharge the developer from the developer discharging body, and with the developer accommodating body being rotatable relative to the developer discharging body. A track is provided on each of opposite sides of the developer discharging body. | 1-25. (canceled) 26. A developer supply container comprising: a developer accommodating body configured to contain developer, the developer accommodating body being rotatable about a rotational axis, and the developer accommodating body being provided with a gear portion provided about the rotational axis; a developer discharging body in fluid communication with the developer accommodating body and having a discharge opening that is provided in a bottom portion thereof and that is configured to permit discharge of the developer from the developer discharging body, with the developer accommodating body being rotatable relative to the developer discharging body; and a track provided on each of opposite sides of the developer discharging body and extending below a horizontal plane including the rotational axis, the track including (i) a first part that extends from a first end portion to a second end portion, with the second end portion being closer to the gear portion than the first end portion, and with the first part ascending such that the second end portion is closer to the horizontal plane than the first end portion, and (ii) a second part extending from the second end portion of the first part such that a plane perpendicular to the rotational axis and passing through the second part crosses the discharge opening. 27. The developer supply container according to claim 26, wherein the second part of each track extends along a straight line. 28. The developer supply container according to claim 26, wherein the first part of each track extends along a straight line. 29. The developer supply container according to claim 26, wherein the first part of each track extends along an arcuate line. 30. The developer supply container according to claim 26, wherein the first part of each track extends stepwise. 31. The developer supply container according to claim 26, further comprising a shutter movable relative to the developer discharging body between an open position wherein the discharge opening is open and a closed position wherein the discharge opening is closed by the shutter. 32. The developer supply container according to claim 31, wherein the developer discharging body is provided with a shutter support movably supporting the shutter, and wherein each track is integrally molded with the shutter support. 33. The developer supply container according to claim 31, wherein the shutter is provided with a shutter opening that is aligned with the discharge opening when the shutter is in the open position. 34. The developer supply container according to claim 26, further comprising a pump configured and positioned to force developer out of the developer discharging body through the discharge opening. 35. The developer supply container according to claim 26, wherein the discharge opening has an area of 0.002 mm2 to 12.6 mm2. 36. The developer supply container according to claim 26, wherein the first part of each track includes a lower part and an upper part, with the lower part being parallel to the upper part. 37. A developer supply container comprising: a developer accommodating body that is rotatable about a rotational axis, and the developer accommodating body being provided with a gear portion provided about the rotational axis; developer contained in the developer accommodating body; a developer discharging body in fluid communication with the developer accommodating body and having a discharge opening that is provided in a bottom portion thereof and that is configured to permit discharge of the developer from the developer discharging body, with the developer accommodating body being rotatable relative to the developer discharging body; and a track provided on each of opposite sides of the developer discharging body and extending below a horizontal plane including the rotational axis, the track including (i) a first part that extends from a first end portion to a second end portion, with the second end portion being closer to the gear portion than the first end portion, and with the first part ascending such that the second end portion is closer to the horizontal plane than the first end portion, and (ii) a second part extending from the second end portion of the first part such that a plane perpendicular to the rotational axis and passing through the second part crosses the discharge opening. 38. The developer supply container according to claim 37, wherein the second part of each track extends along a straight line. 39. The developer supply container according to claim 37, wherein the first part of each track extends along a straight line. 40. The developer supply container according to claim 37, wherein the first part of each track extends along an arcuate line. 41. The developer supply container according to claim 37, wherein the first part of each track extends stepwise. 42. The developer supply container according to claim 37, further comprising a shutter movable relative to the developer discharging body between an open position wherein the discharge opening is open and a closed position wherein the discharge opening is closed by the shutter. 43. The developer supply container according to claim 42, wherein the developer discharging body is provided with a shutter support movably supporting the shutter, and wherein each track is integrally molded with the shutter support. 44. The developer supply container according to claim 42, wherein the shutter is provided with a shutter opening that is aligned with the discharge opening when the shutter is in the open position. 45. The developer supply container according to claim 37, further comprising a pump configured and positioned to force developer out of the developer discharging body through the discharge opening. 46. The developer supply container according to claim 37, wherein the discharge opening has an area of 0.002 mm2 to 12.6 mm2. 47. The developer supply container according to claim 37, wherein the developer has a fluidity energy of not less than 4.3×10−4 kg·m2/s2 and not more than 4.14×10−3 kg·m2/s2. 48. The developer supply container according to claim 37, wherein the first part of each track includes a lower part and an upper part, with the lower part being parallel to the upper part. | FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a developer supply container detachably mountable to a developer receiving apparatus. Such a developer supply container is usable with an image forming apparatus of an electrophotographic type such as a copying machine, a facsimile machine, a printer or a complex machine having a plurality of functions of them. BACKGROUND ART Conventionally, an image forming apparatus of an electrophotographic type such as an electrophotographic copying machine uses a developer (toner) of fine particles. In such an image forming apparatus, the developer is supplied from the developer supply container with the consumption thereof by the image forming operation. Since the developer is very fine powder, it may scatter in the mounting and demounting of the developer supply container relative to the image forming apparatus. Under the circumstances, various connecting types between the developer supply container and the image forming apparatus have been proposed and put into practice. One of conventional connecting types is disclosed in Japanese Laid-open Patent Application Hei 08-110692, for example. With the device disclosed in Japanese Laid-open Patent Application Hei 08-110692, a developer supplying device (so-called hopper) drawn out of the image forming apparatus receives the developer from a developer accommodating container, and then is reception reset into the image forming apparatus. When the developer supplying device is set in the image forming apparatus, an opening of the developer supplying device takes the position right above the opening of a developing device. In the developing operation, the entirety of the developing device is lifted up to closely contact the developing device to the developer supplying device (openings of them are in fluid communication with each other). By this, the developer supply from the developer supplying device into the developing device can be properly carried out, so that the developer leakage can be suppressed properly. On the other hand, in the non-developing operation period, the entirety of the developing device is lowered, so that the developer supplying device is spaced from the developing device. As will be understood, the device disclosed in the Japanese Laid-open Patent Application Hei 08-110692 requires a driving source and a drive transmission mechanism for automatically moving up a down the developing device. DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION However, the device of Japanese Laid-open Patent Application Hei 08-11069 necessitates the driving source and the drive transmission mechanism for moving the entirety of the developing device up and down, and therefore, the structure of the image forming apparatus side is complicated, and the cost will increase. It is a further object of the present invention to provide an developer supply container capable of simplifying the mechanism for connecting the developer receiving portion with the developer supply container by displacing the developer receiving portion. It is a further object of the present invention to provide a developer supply container with which the developer supply container and the developer receiving apparatus can be connected properly with each other. According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a developer supply container for supplying a developer through a developer receiving portion displacably provided in a developer receiving apparatus to which said developer supply container is detachably mountable, said developer supply container comprising a developer accommodating portion for accommodating a developer; and an engaging portion, engageable with said developer receiving portion, for displacing said developer receiving portion toward said developer supply container with a mounting operation of said developer supply container to establish a connected state between said developer supply container and said developer receiving portion. According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a developer supply container for supplying a developer through a developer receiving portion displacably provided in a developer receiving apparatus to which said developer supply container is detachably mountable, said developer supply container comprising a developer accommodating portion for accommodating a developer; and an inclined portion, inclined relative to an inserting direction of said developer supply container, for engaging with said developer receiving portion with a mounting operation of said developer supply container to displace said developer receiving portion toward said developer supply container. According to the present invention, a mechanism for displacing the developer receiving portion to connect with the developer supply container can be simplified. In addition, using the mounting operation of the developer supply container, the connecting state between the developer supply container and the developer receiving portion can be made proper. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a sectional view of a main assembly of the image forming apparatus. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the main assembly of the image forming apparatus. In FIG. 3, (a) is a perspective view of a developer receiving apparatus, and (b) is a sectional view of the developer receiving apparatus. In FIG. 4, (a) is a partial enlarged perspective view of the developer receiving apparatus, (b) is a partial enlarged sectional view of the developer receiving apparatus, and (c) is a perspective view of a developer receiving portion. In FIG. 5, (a) is an exploded perspective view of a developer supply container according to Embodiment 1, (b) is a perspective view of the developer supply container of Embodiment 1. FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a container body. In FIG. 7, (a) is a perspective view (top side) of an upper flange portion, (b) is a perspective view (bottom side) of the upper flange portion. In FIG. 8, (a) is a perspective view (top side) of a lower flange portion in Embodiment 1, (b) is a perspective view (bottom side) of the lower flange portion in Embodiment 1, and (c) is a front view of the lower flange portion in Embodiment 1. In FIG. 9, (a) is a top plan view of a shutter in Embodiment 1, and (b) is a perspective view of the shutter in Embodiment 1. In FIG. 10, (a) is a perspective view of a pump, and (b) is a front view of the pump. In FIG. 11, (a) is a perspective view (top side) of a reciprocating member, (b) is a perspective view (bottom side) of the reciprocating member. In FIG. 12, (a) is a perspective view (top side) of a cover, (b) is a perspective view (bottom side) of the cover. FIG. 13 is a perspective view (a) of a partial section, a front view (b) of the partial section, a top plan view (c), an interrelation relation view (d) of the lower flange portion with developer receiving portion, illustrating a mounting and demounting operation of the developer supply container in Embodiment 1. FIG. 14 is a perspective view (a) of a partial section, a front view (b) of the partial section, a top plan view (c), an interrelation relation view (d) of the lower flange portion with developer receiving portion, illustrating a mounting and demounting operation of the developer supply container in Embodiment 1. FIG. 15 is a perspective view (a) of a partial section, a front view (b) of the partial section, a top plan view (c), an interrelation relation view (d) of the lower flange portion with developer receiving portion, illustrating a mounting and demounting operation of the developer supply container in Embodiment 1. FIG. 16 is a perspective view (a) of a partial section, a front view (b) of the partial section, a top plan view (c), an interrelation relation view (d) of the lower flange portion with developer receiving portion, illustrating a mounting and demounting operation of the developer supply container in Embodiment 1. FIG. 17 is a timing chart view of the mounting and demounting operation of the developer supply container in Embodiment 1. In FIG. 18, (a), (b) and (c) illustrate modified examples of an engaging portion of the developer supply container. In FIG. 19, (a) is a perspective view of a developer receiving portion according to Embodiment 2, and (b) is a sectional view of the developer receiving portion of Embodiment 2. In FIG. 20, (a) is a perspective view (top side) of a lower flange portion in Embodiment 2, and (b) is a perspective view (bottom side) of the lower flange portion in Embodiment 2. In FIG. 21, (a) is a perspective view of a shutter in Embodiment 2, (b) is a perspective view of an according to modified example 1, and (c) and (d) are schematic views of the shutter and the developer receiving portion. In FIG. 22, (a) and (b) are sectional views illustrating a shutter operation in Embodiment 2. FIG. 23 is a perspective view of the shutter in Embodiment 2. FIG. 24 is a front view of the developer supply container according to Embodiment 2. In FIG. 25, (a) is a perspective view of a shutter according to modified example 2, and (b) and (c) are schematic views of the shutter and the developer receiving portion. FIG. 26 is a perspective view (a) of a partial section, a front view (b) of the partial section, a top plan view (c), an interrelation relation view (d) of the lower flange portion with developer receiving portion, illustrating a mounting and demounting operation of the developer supply container in Embodiment 2. FIG. 27 is a perspective view (a) of a partial section, a front view (b) of the partial section, a top plan view (c), an interrelation relation view (d) of the lower flange portion with developer receiving portion, illustrating a mounting and demounting operation of the developer supply container in Embodiment 2. FIG. 28 is a perspective view (a) of a partial section, a front view (b) of the partial section, a top plan view (c), an interrelation relation view (d) of the lower flange portion with developer receiving portion, illustrating a mounting and demounting operation of the developer supply container in Embodiment 2. FIG. 29 is a perspective view (a) of a partial section, a front view (b) of the partial section, a top plan view (c), an interrelation relation view (d) of the lower flange portion with developer receiving portion, illustrating a mounting and demounting operation of the developer supply container in Embodiment 2. FIG. 30 is a perspective view (a) of a partial section, a front view (b) of the partial section, a top plan view (c), an interrelation relation view (d) of the lower flange portion with developer receiving portion, illustrating a mounting and demounting operation of the developer supply container in Embodiment 2. FIG. 31 is a perspective view (a) of a partial section, a front view (b) of the partial section, a top plan view (c), an interrelation relation view (d) of the lower flange portion with developer receiving portion, illustrating a mounting and demounting operation of the developer supply container in Embodiment 2. FIG. 32 is a timing chart view of the mounting and demounting operation of the developer supply container in Embodiment 2. In FIG. 33, (a) is a partial enlarged view of a developer supply container according to Embodiment 3, (b) is a partial enlarged sectional view of the developer supply container and a developer receiving apparatus according to Embodiment 3. FIG. 34 is an operation view of the developer receiving portion relative to the lower flange portion in a dismounting operation of the developer supply container in Embodiment 3. FIG. 35 illustrates a developer supply container of a comparison example. FIG. 36 is a sectional view of an example of an image forming apparatus. FIG. 37 is a perspective view of the image forming apparatus of FIG. 36. FIG. 38 is a perspective view illustrating a developer receiving apparatus according to an embodiment. FIG. 39 is a perspective view of the developer receiving apparatus of FIG. 38 as seen in a different direction. FIG. 40 is a sectional view of the developer receiving apparatus of FIG. 38. FIG. 41 is a block diagram illustrating a function and a structure of a control device. FIG. 42 is a flow chart illustrating a flow of a supplying operation. FIG. 43 is a sectional view illustrating a developer receiving apparatus without a hopper and a mounting state of the developer supply container. FIG. 44 is a perspective view illustrating an embodiment of the developer supply container. FIG. 45 is a sectional view illustrating an embodiment of the developer supply container. FIG. 46 is a sectional view of the developer supply container in which a discharge opening and an inclined surface are connected. In FIG. 47, (a) is a perspective view of a blade used in a device for measuring a flowability energy, and (b) is a schematic view of the measuring device. FIG. 48 is a graph showing a relation between a diameter of the discharge opening and a discharge amount. FIG. 49 is a graph showing a relation between a filling amount in the container and the discharge amount. FIG. 50 is a perspective view illustrating parts of operation states of the developer supply container and the developer receiving apparatus. FIG. 51 is a perspective view of the developer supply container and the developer receiving apparatus. FIG. 52 is a sectional view of the developer supply container and the developer receiving apparatus. FIG. 53 is a sectional view of the developer supply container and the developer receiving apparatus. FIG. 54 illustrates a change of an internal pressure of the developer accommodating portion in the apparatus and the system according to Embodiment 4 of the present invention. In FIG. 55, (a) is a block diagram of a developer supplying system (Embodiment 4) used in a verification experiment, and (b) is a schematic view illustrating a phenomenon-in the developer supply container. In FIG. 56, (a) is a block diagram of a developer supplying system (comparison example) used in the verification experiment, and (b) is a schematic Figure of a phenomenon-in the developer supply container. FIG. 57 is a perspective view of a developer supply container according to Embodiment 5. FIG. 58 is a sectional view of the developer supply container of FIG. 57. FIG. 59 is a perspective view of a developer supply container according to Embodiment 6. FIG. 60 is a perspective view of a developer supply container according to Embodiment 6. FIG. 61 is a perspective view of a developer supply container according to Embodiment 6. FIG. 62 is a perspective view of a developer supply container according to Embodiment 7. FIG. 63 is a sectional perspective view of a developer supply container according to Embodiment 74. FIG. 64 is a partially sectional view of a developer supply container according to Embodiment 7. FIG. 65 is a sectional view of another example according to Embodiment 7. In FIG. 66, (a) is a front view of a mounting portion, and (b) is a partial enlarged perspective view of an inside of the mounting portion. In FIG. 67, (a) is a perspective view of a developer supply container according to Embodiment 8, (b) is a perspective view around a discharge opening, and (c) and (d) are a front view and a sectional view illustrating a state in which the developer supply container is mounted to a mounting portion of the developer receiving apparatus. In FIG. 68, (a) is a perspective view of a portion of the developer accommodating portion of Embodiment 8, (b) is a perspective view of a section of the developer supply container, (c) is a sectional view of an inner surface of a flange portion, (d) is a sectional view of the developer supply container. In FIG. 69, (a) and (b) are sectional views illustrating a behavior in suction and discharging operation of a pump portion at the developer supply container of Embodiment 8. FIG. 70 is an extended elevation of a cam groove configuration of the developer supply container. FIG. 71 is an extended elevation of an example of the cam groove configuration of the developer supply container. FIG. 72 is an extended elevation of an example of the cam groove configuration of the developer supply container. FIG. 73 is an extended elevation of an example of the cam groove configuration of the developer supply container. FIG. 74 is an extended elevation of an example of the cam groove configuration of the developer supply container. FIG. 75 is an extended elevation of an example of the cam groove configuration of the developer supply container. FIG. 76 is an extended elevation of an example of the cam groove configuration of the developer supply container. FIG. 77 is graphs showing changes of an internal pressure of the developer supply container. In FIG. 78, (a) is a perspective view of a structure of a developer supply container according to Embodiment 9, and (b) is a sectional view of a structure of the developer supply container. FIG. 79 is a sectional view illustrating a structure of a developer supply container according to Embodiment 10. In FIG. 80, (a) is a perspective view of a developer supply container according to Embodiment 11, (b) is a sectional view of the developer supply container, (c) is a perspective view of a cam gear, and (d) is a partial enlarged view of a rotational engaging portion of a cam gear. In FIG. 81, (a) is a perspective view of a structure of a developer supply container according to Embodiment 12, and (b) is a sectional view of a structure of the developer supply container. In FIG. 82, (a) is a perspective view of a structure of a developer supply container according to Embodiment 13, and (b) is a sectional view of a structure of the developer supply container. In FIG. 83, (a)-(d) illustrate an operation of a drive converting mechanism. In FIG. 84, (a) is a perspective view of a structure of a developer supply container according to Embodiment 14, and (b) and (c) illustrate an operation of a drive converting mechanism. Part (a) of FIG. 85 is a sectional perspective view illustrating a structure of a developer supply container according to Embodiment 15, (b) and (c) are sectional views illustrating suction and discharging operations of a pump portion. In FIG. 86, (a) is a perspective view of another example of the developer supply container of Embodiment 15, and (b) illustrates a coupling portion of the developer supply container. In FIG. 87, (a) is a perspective view of a section of a developer supply container according to Embodiment 16, and (b) and (c) are a sectional view illustrating a state of suction and discharging operations of the pump portion. In FIG. 88, (a) is a perspective view of a structure of a developer supply container according to Embodiment 17, (b) is a perspective view of a section of the developer supply container, (c) illustrates an end portion of a developer accommodating portion, and (d) and (e) illustrate a state in the suction and discharging operations of a pump portion. In FIG. 89, (a) is a perspective view of a structure of a developer supply container according to Embodiment 18, (b) is a perspective view of a flange portion, and (c) is a perspective view of a structure of a cylindrical portion. In FIG. 90, (a) and (b) are sectional views illustrating a state of suction and discharging operations of a pump portion of a developer supply container according to Embodiment 18. FIG. 91 illustrate a structure of the pump portion of the developer supply container according to Embodiment 18. In FIG. 92, (a) and (b) are schematic sectional views of a structure of a developer supply container according to Embodiment 19. In FIG. 93, (a) and (b) are perspective views of a cylindrical portion and a flange portion of a developer supply container according to Embodiment 20. In FIG. 94, (a) and (b) are perspective views of a partial section of a developer supply container according to Embodiment 20. FIG. 95 is a time chart illustrating a relation between an operation state of a pump according to Embodiment 20 and opening and closing timing of a rotatable shutter. FIG. 96 is a partly sectional perspective view illustrating a developer supply container according to Embodiment 21. In FIG. 97, (a)-(c) are partially sectional views illustrating an operation state of a pump portion in Embodiment 21. FIG. 98 is a time chart illustrating a relation between an operation state of a pump according to Embodiment 21 and opening and closing timing of a stop valve. In FIG. 99, (a) is a perspective view of a portion of a developer supply container according to Embodiment 22, (b) is a perspective view of a flange portion, and (c) is a sectional view of the developer supply container. In FIG. 100, (a) is a perspective view of a structure of a developer supply container according to Embodiment 23, (b) is a perspective view of a section of the developer supply container. FIG. 101 is a partly sectional perspective view illustrating a structure of a developer supply container according to Embodiment 23. In FIG. 102, (a)-(d) are sectional views of a developer supply container and a developer receiving apparatus of a comparison example, illustrating a flow of developer supplying steps. FIG. 103 is a sectional view illustrating a developer supply container and a developer receiving apparatus of another comparison example. PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION The description will be made as to a developer supply container and a developer supplying system according to the present invention. In the following description, various structures of the developer supply container may be replaced with other known structures having similar functions within the scope of the concept of invention unless otherwise stated. In other words, the present invention is not limited to the specific structures of the embodiments which will be described hereinafter, unless otherwise stated. Embodiment 1 First, basic structures of an image forming apparatus will be described, and then, a developer receiving apparatus and a developer supply container constituting a developer supplying system used in the image forming apparatus will be described. (Image Forming Apparatus) Referring to FIG. 1, the description will be made as to a structure of a copying machine (electrophotographic image forming apparatus) of an electrophotographic type as an example of an image forming apparatus comprising a developer receiving apparatus to which a developer supply container (so-called toner cartridge) is detachably (removably) mounted. In the Figure, designated by 100 is a main assembly of the copying machine (main assembly of the image forming apparatus or main assembly of the apparatus). Designated by 101 is an original which is placed on an original supporting platen glass 102. A light image corresponding to image information of the original is imaged on an electrophotographic photosensitive member 104 (photosensitive member) by way of a plurality of mirrors M of an optical portion 103 and a lens Ln, so that an electrostatic latent image is formed. The electrostatic latent image is visualized with toner (one component magnetic toner) as a developer (dry powder) by a dry type developing device (one component developing device) 201a. In this embodiment, the one component magnetic toner is used as the developer to be supplied from a developer supply container 1, but the present invention is not limited to the example and includes other examples which will be described hereinafter. Specifically, in the case that a one component developing device using the one component non-magnetic toner is employed, the one component non-magnetic toner is supplied as the developer. In addition, in the case that a two component developing device using a two component developer containing mixed magnetic carrier and non-magnetic toner is employed, the non-magnetic toner is supplied as the developer. In such a case, both of the non-magnetic toner and the magnetic carrier may be supplied as the developer. As described hereinbefore, the developing device 201 of FIG. 1 develops, using the developer, the electrostatic latent image formed on the photosensitive member 104 as an image bearing member on the basis of image information of the original 101. The developing device 201 is provided with a developing roller 201f in addition to the developer hopper portion 201a. The developer hopper portion 201a is provided with a stirring member 201c for stirring the developer supplied from the developer supply container 1. The developer stirred by the stirring member 201c is fed to the feeding member 201e by a feeding member 201d. The developer having been fed by the feeding members 201e, 201b in the order named is supplied finally to a developing zone relative to the photosensitive member 104 while being carried on the developing roller 201f. In this example, the toner as the developer is supplied from the developer supply container 1 to the developing device 201, but another system may be used, and the toner and the carrier functioning developer may be supplied from the developer supply container 1, for example. Of the sheet S stacked in the cassettes 105-108, an optimum cassette is selected on the basis of a sheet size of the original 101 or information inputted by the operator (user) from a liquid crystal operating portion of the copying machine. The recording material is not limited to a sheet of paper, but OHP sheet or another material can be used as desired. One sheet S supplied by a separation and feeding device 105A-108A is fed to registration rollers 110 along a feeding portion 109, and is fed at timing synchronized with rotation of a photosensitive member 104 and with scanning of an optical portion 103. Designated by 111, 112 are a transfer charger and a separation charger. An image of the developer formed on the photosensitive member 104 is transferred onto the sheet S by a transfer charger 111. Thereafter, the sheet S fed by the feeding portion 113 is subjected to heat and pressure in a fixing portion 114 so that the developed image on the sheet is fixed, and then passes through a discharging/reversing portion 115, in the case of one-sided copy mode, and subsequently the sheet S is discharged to a discharging tray 117 by discharging rollers 116. The trailing end thereof passes through a flapper 118, and a flapper 118 is controlled when it is still nipped by the discharging rollers 116, and the discharging rollers 116 are rotated reversely, so that the sheet S is refed into the apparatus. Then, the sheet S is fed to the registration rollers 110 by way of re-feeding portions 119, 120, and then conveyed along the path similarly to the case of the one-sided copy mode and is discharged to the discharging tray 117. In the main assembly 100 of the apparatus, around the photosensitive member 104, there are provided image forming process equipment such as a developing device 201a as the developing means a cleaner portion 202 as a cleaning means, a primary charger 203 as charging means. The developing device 201 develops the electrostatic latent image formed on the photosensitive member 104 by the optical portion 103 in accordance with image information of the 101, by depositing the developer onto the latent image. The primary charger 203 uniformly charges a surface of the photosensitive member for the purpose of forming a desired electrostatic image on the photosensitive member 104. The cleaner portion 202 removes the developer remaining on the photosensitive member 104. FIG. 2 is an outer appearance of the image forming apparatus. When an exchange cover 40 which is a part of an outer casing of the image forming apparatus, a part of a developer receiving apparatus 8 which will be described hereinafter is exposed. By inserting (mounting) the developer supply container 1 into the developer receiving apparatus 8, the developer supply container 1 is set in the state capable of supplying the developer into the developer receiving apparatus 8. On the other hand, when the operator exchanges the developer supply container 1 the developer supply container 1 is taken out (disengaged) from the developer receiving apparatus 8 through the operation reciprocal to the mounting operation, and a new developer supply container 1 is set. Here, the exchange cover 40 is exclusively for mounting and demounting (exchange) of the developer supply container 1, and is opened and closed for mounting and demounting the developer supply container 1. For other maintenance operations for the main assembly of the apparatus 100, a front cover 100c is opened and closed. The exchange cover 40 and the front cover 100c may be made integral with each other, and in this case, the exchange of the developer supply container 1 and the maintenance of the main assembly of the apparatus 100 are carried out with opening and closing of the integral cover (unshown). (Developer Receiving Apparatus) Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4 the developer receiving apparatus 8 will be described. Part (a) of FIG. 3 is a schematic perspective view of the developer receiving apparatus 8, and part (b) of FIG. 3 is a schematic sectional view of the developer receiving apparatus 8. Part (a) of FIG. 4 is a partial enlarged perspective view of the developer receiving apparatus 8, part (b) of FIG. 4 is a partial enlarged sectional view of the developer receiving apparatus 8, and a part (c) of FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a developer receiving portion 11. As shown in part (a) of FIG. 3, the developer receiving apparatus 8 is provided with a mounting portion (mounting space) 8f into which the developer supply container 1 is removably (detachably) mounted. It is also provided with a developer receiving portion 11 for receiving the developer discharged through a discharge opening 3a4 (part (b) of FIG. 7), which will be described hereinafter, of the developer supply container 1. The developer receiving portion 11 is mounted so as to be movable (displaceable) relative to the developer receiving apparatus 8 in the vertical direction. As shown in part (c) of FIG. 4, the developer receiving portion 11 is provided with a main assembly seal 13 having a developer receiving port 11a at the central portion thereof. The main assembly seal 13 is made of an elastic member, a foam member or the like, and is close-contacted with an opening seal 3a5 (part (b) of FIG. 7) having a discharge opening 3a4 of the developer supply container 1, by which the developer discharged through the discharge opening 3a4 is prevented from leaking out of a developer feeding path including developer receiving port 11a. In order to prevent the contamination in the mounting portion 8f by the developer as much as possible, a diameter of the developer receiving port 11a is desirably substantially the same as or slightly larger than a diameter of the discharge opening 3a4 of the developer supply container 1. This is because if the diameter of the developer receiving port 11a is smaller than the diameter of the discharge opening 3a4, the developer discharged from the developer supply container 1 is deposited on the upper surface of the main assembly seal 13 having the developer receiving port 11a, and the deposited developer is transferred onto the lower surface of the developer supply container 1 during the dismounting operation of the developer supply container 1, with the result of contamination with the developer. In addition, the developer transferred onto the developer supply container 1 may be scattered to the mounting portion 8f with the result of contamination of the mounting portion 8f with the developer. On the contrary, if the diameter of the developer receiving port 11a is quite larger than the diameter of the discharge opening 3a4, an area in which the developer scattered from the developer receiving port 11a is deposited around the discharge opening 3a4 formed in the opening seal 3a5 is large. That is, the contaminated area of the developer supply container 1 by the developer is large, which is not preferable. Under the circumstances, the difference between the diameter of the developer receiving port 11a and the diameter of the discharge opening 3a4 is preferably substantially 0 to approx. 2 mm. In this example, the diameter of the discharge opening 3a4 of the developer supply container 1 is approx. Φ2 mm (pin hole), and therefore, the diameter of the developer receiving port 11a is approx. φ3 mm. As shown in part (b) of FIG. 3, the developer receiving portion 11 is urged downwardly by an urging member 12. When the developer receiving portion 11 moves upwardly, it has to move against an urging force of the urging member 12. As shown in part (b) of FIG. 3, below the developer receiving apparatus 8, there is provided a sub-hopper 8c for temporarily storing the developer. In the sub-hopper 8c, there are provided a feeding screw 14 for feeding the developer into the developer hopper portion 201a which is a part of the developing device 201, and an opening 8d which is in fluid communication with the developer hopper portion 201a. As shown in part (b) of FIG. 13, the developer receiving port 11a is closed so as to prevent foreign matter and/or dust entering the sub-hopper 8c in a state that the developer supply container 1 is not mounted. More specifically, the developer receiving port 11a is closed by a main assembly shutter 15 in the state that the developer receiving portion 11 is away to the upside. The developer receiving portion 11 moves upwardly (arrow E) from the position shown in part (b) of FIG. 13 toward the developer supply container 1. By this, as shown in part (b) of FIG. 15, the developer receiving port 11a and the main assembly shutter 15 are spaced from each other so that the developer receiving port 11a is open. With this open state, the developer is discharged from the developer supply container 1 through the discharge opening 3a4, so that the developer received by the developer receiving port 11a is movable to the sub-hopper 8c. As shown in part (c) of FIG. 4, a side surface of the developer receiving portion 11 is provided with an engaging portion 11b. The engaging portion 11b is directly engaged with an engaging portion 3b2, 3b4 (FIG. 8) provided on the developer supply container 1 which will be described hereinafter, and is guided thereby so that the developer receiving portion 11 is raised toward the developer supply container 1. As shown in part (a) of FIG. 3, the mounting portion 8f of the developer receiving apparatus 8 is provided with an insertion guide 8e for guiding the developer supply container 1 in the mounting and demounting direction, and by the insertion guide 8e, the mounting direction of the developer supply container 1 is made along the arrow A. The dismounting direction of the developer supply container 1 is the opposite (arrow B) to the direction of the arrow A. As shown in part (a) of FIG. 3, the developer receiving apparatus 8 is provided with a driving gear 9 functioning as a driving mechanism for driving the developer supply container 1. The driving gear 9 receives a rotational force from a driving motor 500 through a driving gear train, and functions to apply a rotational force to the developer supply container 1 which is set in the mounting portion 8f. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the driving motor 500 is controlled by a control device (CPU) 600. (Developer Supply Container) Referring to FIG. 5, the developer supply container 1 will be described. Part (a) of FIG. 5 a schematic exploded perspective view of the developer supply container 1, and part (b) of FIG. 5 is a schematic perspective view of the developer supply container 1. In the part (b) of FIG. 5, a cover 7 is partly broken for better understanding. As shown in part (a) of FIG. 5, the developer supply container 1 mainly comprises a container body 2, a flange portion 3, a shutter 4, a pump portion 5, a reciprocating member 6 and the cover 7. The developer supply container 1 is rotated about a rotational axis P shown in part (b) of FIG. 5 in a direction of an arrow R in the developer receiving apparatus 8, by which the developer is supplied into the developer receiving apparatus 8. Each element of the developer supply container 1 will be described in detail. (Container Body) FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a container body. As shown in FIG. 6, the container body (developer feeding chamber) 2 mainly comprises a developer accommodating portion 2c for accommodating the developer, and a helical feeding groove 2a (feeding portion) for feeding the developer in the developer accommodating portion 2c by rotation of the container body 2 about a rotational axis P in the direction of the arrow R. As shown in FIG. 6, a cam groove 2b and drive receiving portion (drive inputting portion) for receiving the drive from the main assembly side are formed integrally with the body 2, over the full circumference at one end portion of the container body 2. In this example, the cam groove 2b and the drive receiving portion 2d are integrally formed with the container body 2, but the cam groove 2b or the drive receiving portion 2d may be formed as another member, and may be mounted to the container body 2. In this example, the developer containing the toner having a volume average particle size of 5 μm-6 μm is accommodated in the developer accommodating portion 2c of the container body 2. In this example, the developer accommodating portion (developer accommodating space) 2c is provided not only by the container body 2 but also by the inside space of the flange portion 3 and the pump portion 5. (Flange Portion) Referring to FIG. 5, the flange portion 25 will be described. As shown in part (b) of FIG. 5, the flange portion (developer discharging chamber) 3 is rotatably the rotational axis P relative to the container body 2, and when the developer supply container 1 is mounted to the developer receiving apparatus 8, it is not rotatable in the direction of the arrow R relative to the mounting portion 8f (part (a) of FIG. 3). In addition, it is provided with the discharge opening 3a4 (FIG. 7). As shown in part (a) of FIG. 5, the flange portion 3 is divided into an upper flange portion 3a, a lower flange portion 3b taking into account an assembling property, and the pump portion 5, the reciprocating member 6, the shutter 4 and the cover 7 are mounted thereto. As shown in part (a) of FIG. 5, the pump portion 5 is connected with one end portion side of-the upper flange portion 3a by screws, and the container body 2 is connected with the other end portion side through a sealing member (unshown). The pump portion 5 is sandwiched between the reciprocating members 6, and engaging projections 6b (FIG. 11) of the reciprocating member 6 are fitted in the cam groove 2b of the container body 2. Furthermore, the shutter 4 is inserted into a gap between the upper flange portion 3a and the lower flange portion 3b. For protection of the reciprocating member 6 and the pump portion 5 and for better outer appearance, the cover 7 is integrally provided so as to cover the entirety of the flange portion 3, the pump portion 5 and the reciprocating member 6. (Upper Flange Portion) FIG. 7 illustrates the upper flange portion 3a. Part (a) of FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the upper flange portion 3a as seen obliquely from an upper portion, and part (b) of FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the upper flange portion 3ea as seen obliquely from bottom. The upper flange portion 3a includes a pump connecting portion 3a1 (screw is not shown) shown in part (a) of FIG. 7 to which the pump portion 5 is threaded, a container body connecting portion 3a2 shown in part (b) of FIG. 7 to which the container body 2 is connected, and a storage portion 3a2 shown in part (a) of FIG. 7 for storing the developer fed from the container body 2. As shown in part (b) of FIG. 7, there are provided a circular discharge opening (opening) 3a4 for permitting discharging of the developer into the developer receiving apparatus 8 from the storage portion 3a3, and a opening seal 3a5 forming a connecting portion 3a6 connecting with the developer receiving portion 11 provided in the developer receiving apparatus 8. The opening seal 3a5 is stuck on the bottom surface of the upper flange portion 35a by a double coated tape and is nipped by shutter 4 which will be described hereinafter and the flange portion 3a to prevent leakage of the developer through the discharge opening 3a4. In this example, the discharge opening 3a4 is provided to opening seal 3a5 which is unintegral with the flange portion 3a, but the discharge opening 3a4 may be provided directly in the upper flange portion 35a. As described above, the diameter of the discharge opening 3a4 is approx. 2 mm for the purpose of minimizing the contamination with the developer which may be unintentionally discharged by the opening and closing of the shutter 4 in the mounting and demounting operation of the developer supply container 1 relative to the developer receiving apparatus 8. In this example, the discharge opening 3a4 is provided in the lower surface of the developer supply container 1, that is, the lower surface of the upper flange portion 3a, but the connecting structure of this example can be accomplished if it is fundamentally provided in a side except for an upstream side end surface or a downstream side end surface with respect to the mounting and dismounting direction of the developer supply container 1 relative to the developer receiving apparatus 8. The position of the discharge opening 25a4 may be properly selected taking situation of the specific apparatus into account. A connecting operation between the developer supply container 1 and the developer receiving apparatus 8 in this example will be described hereinafter. (Lower Flange Portion) FIG. 8 shows the lower flange portion 25b. Part (a) of FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the lower flange portion 3b as seen obliquely from an upper position, part (b) of FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the lower flange portion 3b as seen obliquely from a lower position, and part (c) of FIG. 8 is a front view. As shown in part (a) of FIG. 8, the lower flange portion 3b is provided with a shutter inserting portion 3b1 into which the shutter 4 (FIG. 9) is inserted. The lower flange portion 3b is provided with engaging portions 3b2, 3b4 engageable with the developer receiving portion 11 (FIG. 4). The engaging portions 3b2, 3b4 displace the developer receiving portion 11 toward the developer supply container 1 with the mounting operation of the developer supply container 1 so that the connected state is established in which the developer supply from the developer supply container 1 to the developer receiving portion 11 is enabled. The engaging portions 3b2, 3b4 guide the developer receiving portion 11 to space away from the developer supply container 1 so that the connection between the developer supply container 1 and the developer receiving portion 39 is broken with the dismounting operation of the developer supply container 1. A first engaging portion 3b2 of the engaging portions 3b2, 3b4 displaces the developer receiving portion 11 in the direction crossing with the mounting direction of the developer supply container 1 for permitting an unsealing operation of the developer receiving portion 1. In this example, the first engaging portion 3b2 displaces the developer receiving portion 11 toward the developer supply container 1 so that the developer receiving portion 11 is connected with the connecting portion 3a6 formed in a part of the opening seal 3a5 of the developer supply container 1 with the mounting operation of the developer supply container 1. The first engaging portion 3b2 extends in the direction crossing with the mounting direction of the developer supply container 1. The first engaging portion 3b2 effects a guiding operation so as to displace the developer receiving portion 11 in the direction crossing with the dismounting direction of the developer supply container 1 such that the developer receiving portion 11 is resealed with the dismounting operation of the developer supply container 1. In this example, the first engaging portion 3b2 effects the guiding so that the developer receiving portion 11 is spaced away from the developer supply container 1 downwardly, so that the connection state between the developer receiving portion 11 and the connecting portion 3a6 of the developer supply container 1 is broken with the dismounting operation of the developer supply container 1. On the other hand, a second engaging portion 3b4 maintains the connection stated between the opening seal 3a5 and a main assembly seal 13 during the developer supply container 1 moving relative to the shutter 4 which will be described hereinafter, that is, during the developer receiving port 11a moving from the connecting portion 3a6 to the discharge opening 3a4, so that the discharge opening 3a4 is brought into communication with a developer receiving port 11a of the developer receiving portion 11 accompanying the mounting operation of the developer supply container 1. The second engaging portion 3b4 extends in parallel with the mounting direction of the developer supply container 1. The second engaging portion 3b4 maintains the connection between the main assembly seal 13 and the opening seal 3a5 during the developer supply container 1 moving relative to the shutter 4, that is, during the developer receiving port 11a moving from the discharge opening 3a4 to the connecting portion 3a6, so that the discharge opening 3a4 is resealed accompanying the dismounting operation of the developer supply container 1. A configuration of the first engaging portion 3b2 desirably includes an inclined surface (inclined portion) crossing the inserting direction of the developer supply container 1, and it is not limited to the linear inclined surface as shown in part (a) of FIG. 8. The configuration of the first engaging portion 3b2 may be a curved and inclined surface as shown in part (a) of FIG. 18, for example. Furthermore, as shown in part (b) of FIG. 18, may be stepped including a parallel surface and an inclined surface. The configuration of the first engaging portion 3b2 is not limited to the configuration shown in parts (a) or (b) of FIGS. 8 and 18, if it can displace the developer receiving portion 11 toward the discharge opening 3a4, but a linear inclined surface is desirable from the standpoint of constant manipulating force required by the mounting and dismounting operation of the developer supply container 1. An inclination angle of the first engaging portion 3b2 relative to the mounting and dismounting direction of the developer supply container 1 is desirably approx. 10-50 degrees in view of the situation which will be described hereinafter. In this example, the angle is approx. 40 degrees. In addition, as shown in part (c) of FIG. 18, the first engaging portion 3b2 and the second engaging portion 3b4 may be unified to provide a uniformly linear inclined surface. In this case, with the mounting operation of the developer supply container 1, the first engaging portion 3b2 displaces the developer receiving portion to connect the main assembly seal 13 with the shield portion 3b6 developer receiving portion 11 in the direction crossing with the mounting direction of the developer supply container 1. Thereafter, it displaces the developer receiving portion 11 while compressing the main assembly seal 13 and the opening seal 3a5, until the developer receiving port 11a and the discharge opening 3a4 are brought into fluid communication with each other. Here, when such a first engaging portion 3b2 is used, the developer supply container 1 always receives a force in the direction of B (part (a) of FIG. 16) by the relationship between the first engaging portion 3b2 and the engaging portion 11b of the developer receiving portion 11 in the completed position of the mounting of the developer supply container 1 which will be described hereinafter. Therefore, the developer receiving apparatus 8 is required to have a holding mechanism for holding the developer supply container 1 in the mounting completed position, with the result of increase in cost and/or increase in the number of parts. Therefore, this standpoint, it is preferable that the developer supply container 1 is provided with the above-described second engaging portion 3b4 so that the force in the B direction is not applied to the developer supply container 1 in the mounting completed position, thus stabilizing the connection state between the main assembly seal 13 and the opening seal 3a5. The first engaging portion 3b2 shown in part (c) of FIG. 18 has a linear inclined surface, but similar to the part (a) of FIG. 18 or part (b) of FIG. 18, for example, a curved or stepped configuration is usable, although the linear inclined surface is preferable from the standpoint of constant manipulating force in the mounting and dismounting operations of the developer supply container 1, as described hereinbefore. The lower flange portion 3b is provided with a regulation rib (regulating portion) 3b3 (part (a) of FIG. 3) for preventing or permitting an elastic deformation of a supporting portion 4d of the shutter 4 which will be described hereinafter, with the mounting or dismounting operation of the developer supply container 1 relative to the developer receiving apparatus 8. The regulation rib 3b3 protrudes upwardly from an insertion surface of the shutter inserting portion 3b1 and extends along the mounting direction of the developer supply container 1. In addition, as shown in part (b) of FIG. 8, the protecting portion 3b5 is provided to protect the shutter 4 from damage during transportation and/or mishandling of the operator. The lower flange portion 3b is integral with the upper flange portion 3a in the state that the shutter 4 is inserted in the shutter inserting portion 3b1. (Shutter) FIG. 9 shows the shutter 4. Part (a) of FIG. 9 is a top plan view of the shutter 4, and part (b) of FIG. 9 is a perspective view of shutter 4 as seen obliquely from an upper position. The shutter 4 is movable relative to the developer supply container 1 to open and close the discharge opening 3a4 with the mounting operation and the dismounting operation of the developer supply container 1. The shutter 4 is provided with a developer sealing portion 4a for preventing leakage of the developer through the discharge opening 3a4 when the developer supply container 1 is not mounted to the mounting portion 8f of the developer receiving apparatus 8, and a sliding surface 4i which slides on the shutter inserting portion 3b1 of the lower flange portion 3b on the rear side (back side) of the developer sealing portion 4a. Shutter 4 is provided with a stopper portion (holding portion) 4b, 4c held by shutter stopper portions 8n, 8p (part (a) of FIG. 4) of the developer receiving apparatus 8 with the mounting and dismounting operations of the developer supply container 1 so that the developer supply container 1 moves relative to the shutter 4. A first stopper portion 5b of the stopper portions 4b, 4c engages with a first shutter stopper portion 8n of the developer receiving apparatus 8 to fix the position of the shutter 4 relative to the developer receiving apparatus 8 at the time of mounting operation of the developer supply container 1. A second stopper portion 4c engages with a second shutter stopper portion 8b of the developer receiving apparatus 8 at the time of the dismounting operation of the developer supply container 1. The shutter 4 is provided with a supporting portion 4d so that the stopper portions 4b, 4c are displaceable. The supporting portion 4d extends from the developer sealing portion 4a and is elastically deformable to displaceably support the first stopper portion 4b and the second stopper portion 4c. The first stopper portion 4b is inclined such that an angle α formed between the first stopper portion 4b and the supporting portion 4d is acute. On the contrary, the second stopper portion 4c is inclined such that an angle β formed between the second stopper portion 4c and the supporting portion 4d is obtuse. The developer sealing portion 4a of the shutter 4 is provided with a locking projection 4e at a position downstream of the position opposing the discharge opening 3a4 with respect to the mounting direction when the developer supply container 1 is not mounted to the mounting portion 8f of the developer receiving apparatus 8. A contact amount of the locking projection 4e relative to the opening seal 3a5 (part (b) of FIG. 7) is larger than relative to the developer sealing portion 4a so that a static friction force between the shutter 4 and the opening seal 3a5 is large. Therefore, an unexpected movement (displacement) of the shutter 4 due to a vibration during the transportation or the like can be prevented. Therefore, an unexpected movement (displacement) of the shutter 4 due to a vibration during the transportation or the like can be prevented. The entirety of the developer sealing portion 4a may correspond to the contact amount between the locking projection 4e and the opening seal 3a5, but in such a case, the dynamic friction force relative to the opening seal 3a5 at the time when the shutter 4 moves is large as compared with the case of the locking projection 4e provided, and therefore, a manipulating force required when the developer supply container 1 is mounted to the developer replenishing apparatus 8 is large, which is not preferable from the standpoint of the usability. Therefore, it is desired to provide the locking projection 4e in a part as in this example. (Pump Portion) FIG. 10 shows the pump portion 5. Part (a) of FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the pump portion 5, and part (b) is a front view of the pump portion 5. The pump portion 5 is operated by the driving force received by the drive receiving portion (drive inputting portion) 2d so as to alternately produce a state in which the internal pressure of the developer accommodating portion 2c is lower than the ambient pressure and a state in which it is higher than the ambient pressure. In this example, the pump portion 5 is provided as a part of the developer supply container 1 in order to discharge the developer stably from the small discharge opening 3a4. The pump portion 5 is a displacement type pump in which the volume changes. More specifically, the pump includes a bellow-like expansion-and-contraction member. By the expanding-and-contracting operation of the pump portion 5, the pressure in the developer supply container 1 is changed, and the developer is discharged using the pressure. More specifically, when the pump portion 5 is contracted, the inside of the developer supply container 1 is pressurized so that the developer is discharged through the discharge opening 3a4. When the pump portion 5 expands, the inside of the developer supply container 1 is depressurized so that the air is taken in through the discharge opening 3a4 from the outside. By the take-in air, the developer in the neighborhood of the discharge opening 3a4 and/or the storage portion 3a3 is loosened so as to make the subsequent discharging smooth. By repeating the expanding-and-contracting operation described above, the developer is discharged. As shown in part (b) of FIG. 110, the pump portion 5 of this modified example has the bellow-like expansion-and-contraction portion (bellow portion, expansion-and-contraction member) 5a in which the crests and bottoms are periodically provided. The expansion-and-contraction portion 5a expands and contracts in the directions of arrows A and B. When the bellow-like pump portion 5 as in this example, a variation in the volume change amount relative to the amount of expansion and contraction can be reduced, and therefore, a stable volume change can be accomplished. In addition, in this example, the material of the pump portion 2 is polypropylene resin material (PP), but this is not inevitable. The material of the pump portion 5 may be any if it can provide the expansion and contraction function and can change the internal pressure of the developer accommodating portion by the volume change. The examples includes thin formed ABS (acrylonitrile, butadiene, styrene copolymer resin material), polystyrene, polyester, polyethylene materials. Alternatively, other expandable-and-contractable materials such as rubber are usable. In addition, as shown in part (a) of FIG. 10, the opening end side of the pump portion 5 is provided with a connecting portion 5b connectable with the upper flange portion 3a. Here, the connecting portion 5b is a screw. Furthermore, as shown in part (b) of FIG. 10 the other end portion side is provided with a reciprocating member engaging portion 5c engaged with the reciprocating member 5 to displace in synchronism with the reciprocating member 6 which will be described hereinafter. (Reciprocating Member) FIG. 11 shows the reciprocating member 6. Part (a) of FIG. 11 is a perspective view of the reciprocating member 6 as seen obliquely from an upper position, and part (b) is perspective view of the reciprocating member 6 as seen obliquely from a lower position. As shown in part (b) of FIG. 11, the reciprocating member 6 is provided with a pump engaging portion 6a engaged with the reciprocating member engaging portion 5c provided on the pump portion 5 to change the volume of the pump portion 5 as described above. Furthermore, as shown in part (a) and part (b) of FIG. 11 the reciprocating member 6 is provided with the engaging projection 6b fitted in the above-described cam groove 2b (FIG. 5) when the container is assembled. The engaging projection 6b is provided at a free end portion of the arm 6c extending from a neighborhood of the pump engaging portion 6a. Rotation displacement of the reciprocating member 6 about the axis P (part (b) of FIG. 5) of the arm 6c is prevented by a reciprocating member holding portion 7b (FIG. 12) of the cover 7 which will be described hereinafter. Therefore, when the container body 2 receives the drive from the drive receiving portion 2d and is rotated integrally with the cam groove 20n by the driving gear 9, the reciprocating member 6 reciprocates in the directions of arrows An and B by the function of the engaging projection 6b fitted in the cam groove 2b and the reciprocating member holding portion 7b of the cover 7. Together with this operation, the pump portion 5 engaged through the pump engaging portion 6a of the reciprocating member 6 and the reciprocating member engaging portion 5c expands and contracts in the directions of arrows An and B. (Cover) FIG. 12 shows the cover 7. Part (a) of FIG. 12 is a perspective view of the cover 7 as seen obliquely from a upper position, and part (b) is a perspective view of the cover 7 as seen obliquely from a lower position. The cover 24 is provided as shown in part (b) of FIG. 69 in order to protect the reciprocating member 38 and/or the pump portion 2 and to improve the outer appearance. In more detail, as shown in part (b) of FIG. 5, the cover 7 is provided integrally with the upper flange portion 3a and/or the lower flange portion 3b and so on by a mechanism (unshown) so as to cover the entirety of the flange portion 3, the pump portion 5 and the reciprocating member 6. In addition, the cover 7 is provided with a guide groove 7a to be guided by the insertion guide 8e (part (a) of FIG. 3) of the developer receiving apparatus 8. In addition, the cover 7 is provided with a reciprocating member holding portion 7b for regulating a rotation displacement about the axis P (part (b) of FIG. 5) of the reciprocating member 6 as described above. Mounting Operation of Developer Supply Container) Referring to FIGS. 13, 14, 15, 16 and 17 in the order of operation, mounting operation of the developer supply container 1 to the developer receiving apparatus 8 will be described in detail. Parts (a)-(d) of FIG. 13-FIG. 16 show the neighborhood of the connecting portion between the developer supply container 1 and the developer receiving apparatus 8. Parts (a) of FIG. 13-FIG. 16 are perspective view of a partial section, (b) is a front view of the partial section, (c) is a top plan view of (b), and (d) show the relation between the lower flange portion 3b and the developer receiving portion 11, particularly. FIG. 17 is a timing chart of operations of each elements relating to the mounting operation of the developer supply container 1 to the developer receiving apparatus 8 as shown in FIG. 13-FIG. 16. The mounting operation is the operation until the developer becomes able to be supplied to the developer receiving apparatus 8 from the developer supply container 1. FIG. 13 shows a connection starting position (first position) between the first engaging portion 3b2 of the developer supply container 1 and the engaging portion 11b of the developer receiving portion 11. As shown in part (a) of FIG. 13, the developer supply container 1 is inserted into the developer receiving apparatus 8 in the direction of an arrow A. First, as shown in part (c) of FIG. 13, the first stopper portion 4b of the shutter 4 contacts the first shutter stopper portion 8a of developer receiving apparatus 8, so that the position of the shutter 4 relative to the developer receiving apparatus 8 is fixed. In this state, the relative position between the lower flange portion 3b and the upper flange portion 3a of the flange portion 3 and the shutter 4 remains unchanged, and therefore, the discharge opening 3a4 is sealed assuredly by the developer sealing portion 4a of the shutter 4. As shown in part (b) of FIG. 13, the connecting portion 3a6 of the opening seal 3a5 is shielded by the shutter 4. As shown in part (c) of FIG. 13, the supporting portion 4d of the shutter 4 is displaceable in the direction of arrows C and D, since the regulation rib 3b3 of the lower flange portion 3b does not enter the supporting portion 4d. As has been described above, the first stopper portion 4b is inclined such that the angle α (part (a) of FIG. 9) relative to the supporting portion 4d is acute, and the first shutter stopper portion 8a is also inclined, correspondingly. In this example, the inclination angle α is approx. 80 degrees. Therefore, when the developer supply container 1 is inserted further in the arrow A direction, the first stopper portion 4b receives a reaction force in the arrow B direction from the first shutter stopper portion 8a, so that the supporting portion 4d is displaced in an arrow D direction. That is, the first stopper portion 4b of the shutter 4 displaces in the direction of holding the engagement state with the first shutter stopper portion 8a of the developer receiving apparatus 8, and therefore, the position of the shutter 4 is held assuredly relative to the developer receiving apparatus 8. In addition, as shown in part (d) of FIG. 13, the positional relation between the engaging portion 11b of the developer receiving portion 11 and the first engaging portion 3b2 of the lower flange portion 3b is such that they start engagement with each other. Therefore, the developer receiving portion 11 remains in the initial position in which it is spaced from the developer supply container 1. More specifically, as shown in part (b) of FIG. 13, the developer receiving portion 11 is spaced from the connecting portion 3a6 formed on a part of the opening seal 3a5. As shown in part (b) of FIG. 13, the developer receiving port 11a is in the sealed state by the main assembly shutter 15. In addition, the driving gear 9 of the developer receiving apparatus 8 and the drive receiving portion 2d of the developer supply container 1 are not connected with each other, that is, in the non-transmission state. In this example, the distance between the developer receiving portion 11 and the developer supply container 1 is approx. 2 mm. When the distance is too small, not more than approx. 1.5 mm, for example, the developer deposited on the surface of the main assembly seal 13 provided on the developer receiving portion 11 may be scattered by air flow produced locally by the mounting and dismounting operation of the developer supply container 1, the scattered developer may be deposited on the lower surface of the developer supply container 1. On the other hand, the distance is too large, a stroke required to displace the developer receiving portion 11 from the spacing position to the connected position is large with the result of upsizing of the image forming apparatus. Or, the inclination angle of the first engaging portion 3b2 of the lower flange portion 3b is steep relative to the mounting and dismounting direction of the developer supply container 1 with the result of increase of the load required to displace the developer receiving portion 11. Therefore, the distance between the developer supply container 1 and the developer receiving portion 11 is properly determined taking the specifications of the main assembly or the like into account. As described above, in this example, the inclination angle of the first engaging portion 3b2 relative to the mounting and dismounting direction of the developer supply container 1 is approx. 40 degrees. The same applies to the following embodiments. Then, as shown in part (a) of FIG. 14, the developer supply container 1 is further inserted in the direction of the arrow A. As shown in part (c) of FIG. 14, the developer supply container 1 moves relative to the shutter 4 in the direction of the arrow A, since the position of the shutter 4 is held relative to the developer receiving apparatus 8. At this time, as shown in part (b) of FIG. 14, a part of the connecting portion 3a6 of the opening seal 3a5 is exposed through the shutter 4. Further, as shown in part (d) of FIG. 14, the first engaging portion 3b2 of the lower flange portion 3b directly engages with the engaging portion 11b of the developer receiving portion 11 so that the engaging portion 11b is displaced in the direction of the arrow E by the first engaging portion 3b2. Therefore, the developer receiving portion 11 is displaced in the direction of the arrow E against the urging force of the urging member 12 (arrow F) to the position shown in part (b) of FIG. 14, so that the developer receiving port 11a is spaced from the main assembly shutter 15, thus starting to unseal. Here, in the position of FIG. 14, the developer receiving port 11a and the connecting portion 3a6 are spaced from each other. Further, as shown in part (c) of FIG. 14, the regulation rib 3b3 of the lower flange portion 3b enters of supporting portion 4d of the shutter 4, so that the supporting portion 4d can not displace in the direction of arrow C or arrow D. That is, the elastic deformation of the supporting portion 4d is limited by the regulation rib 3b3. Then, as shown in part (a) of FIG. 15, the developer supply container 1 is further inserted in the direction of the arrow A. Then, as shown in part (c) of FIG. 15, the developer supply container 1 moves relative to the shutter 4 in the direction of the arrow A, since the position of the shutter 4 is held relative to the developer receiving apparatus 8. At this time, the connecting portion 3a6 formed on the part of the opening seal 3a5 is completely exposed from the shutter 4. In addition, the discharge opening 3a4 is not exposed from the shutter 4, so that it is still sealed by the developer sealing portion 4a. Furthermore, as described hereinbefore, the regulation rib 3b3 of the lower flange portion 3b enters the supporting portion 4d of the shutter 4, by which the supporting portion 4d can not displace in the direction of arrow C or arrow D. At this time, as shown in part (d) of FIG. 15, the directly engaged engaging portion 11b of the developer receiving portion 11 reaches the upper end side of the first engaging portion 3b2. The developer receiving portion 11 is displaced in the direction of the arrow E against the urging force (arrow F) of the urging member 12, to the position shown in part (b) of FIG. 15, so that the developer receiving port 11a is completely spaced from the main assembly shutter 15 to be unsealed. At this time, the connection is established in the state that the main assembly seal 13 having the developer receiving port 11a is close-contacted to the connecting portion 3a6 of the opening seal 3a5. In other words, by the developer receiving portion 11 directly engaging with the first engaging portion 3b2 of the developer supply container 1, the developer supply container 1 can be accessed by the developer receiving portion 11 from the lower side in the vertical direction which is crossed with the mounting direction. Thus, the above-described the structure, can avoid the developer contamination at the end surface Y (part (b) of FIG. 5) in the downstream side with respect to the mounting direction of the developer supply container 1, the developer contamination having been produced in the conventional structure in which the developer receiving portion 11 accesses the developer supply container 1 in the mounting direction. The conventional structure will be described hereinafter. Subsequently, as shown in part (a) of FIG. 16, when the developer supply container 1 is further inserted in the direction of the arrow A to the developer receiving apparatus 8, the developer supply container 1 moves relative to the shutter 4 in the direction of the arrow A similar to the forgoing, up to a supply position (second position). In this position, the driving gear 9 and the drive receiving portion 2d are connected with each other. By the driving gear 9 rotating in the direction of an arrow Q, the container body 2 is rotated in the direction of the arrow R. As a result, the pump portion 5 is reciprocated by the reciprocation of the reciprocating member 6 in interrelation with the rotation of the container body 2. Therefore, the developer in the developer accommodating portion 2c is supplied into the sub-hopper 8c from the storage portion 3a3 through the discharge opening 3a4 and the developer receiving port 11a by the reciprocation of the pump portion 5 described above. In addition, as shown in part (d) of FIG. 16, when the developer supply container 1 reaches the supply position relative to the developer receiving apparatus 8, the engaging portion 11b of the developer receiving portion 11 is engaged with the second engaging portion 3b4 by way of the engaging relation with the first engaging portion 3b2 of the lower flange portion 3b. And, the engaging portion 11b is brought into the state of being urged to the second engaging portion 3b4 by the urging force of the urging member 12 in the direction of the arrow F. Therefore, the position of the developer receiving portion 11 in the vertical direction is stably maintained. Furthermore, as shown in part (b) of FIG. 16, the discharge opening 3a4 is unsealed by the shutter 4, and the discharge opening 3a4 and the developer receiving port 11a are brought into fluid communication with each other. At this time, the developer receiving port 11a slides on the opening seal 3a5 to communicate with the discharge opening 3a4 while keeping the close-contact state between the main assembly seal 13 and the connecting portion 3a6 formed on the opening seal 3a5. Therefore, the amount of the developer falling from the discharge opening 3a4 and scattering to the position other than the developer receiving port 11a. Thus, the contamination of the developer receiving apparatus 8 by the scattering of the developer is less. (Dismounting Operation of Developer Supply Container) Referring mainly to FIG. 13-FIGS. 16 and 17, the operation of dismounting of the developer supply container 1 from the developer receiving apparatus 8 will be described. FIG. 17 is a timing chart of operations of each elements relating to the dismounting operation of the developer supply container 1 from the developer receiving apparatus 8 as shown in FIG. 13-FIG. 16. The dismounting operation of the developer supply container 1 is a reciprocal of the above-described mounting operation. Thus, the developer supply container 1 is dismounted from the developer receiving apparatus 8 in the order from FIG. 16 to FIG. 13. The dismounting operation (removing operation) is the operation to the state in which the developer supply container 1 can be take out of the developer receiving apparatus 8. The amount of the developer in the developer supply container 1 placed in the supply position shown in FIG. 16 decreases, a message promoting exchange of the developer supply container 1 is displayed on the display (unshown) provided in the main assembly of the image forming apparatus 100 (FIG. 1). The operator prepares a new developer supply container 1 opens the exchange cover 40 provided in the main assembly of the image forming apparatus 100 shown in FIG. 2, and extracts the developer supply container 1 in the direction of the arrow B shown in part (a) of FIG. 16. In this process, as described hereinbefore, the supporting portion 4d of the shutter 4 can not displace in the direction of arrow C or arrow D by the limitation of the regulation rib 3b3 of the lower flange portion 3b. Therefore, as shown in part (a) of FIG. 16, when the developer supply container 1 tends to move in the direction of the arrow B with the dismounting operation, the second stopper portion 4c of the shutter 4 abuts to the second shutter stopper portion 8b of the developer receiving apparatus 8, so that the shutter 4 does not displace in the direction of the arrow B. In other words, the developer supply container 1 moves relative to the shutter 4. Thereafter, when the developer supply container 1 is drawn to the position shown in FIG. 15, the shutter 4 seals the discharge opening 3a4 as shown in part (b) of FIG. 15. Further, as shown in part (d) of FIG. 15, the engaging portion 11b of the developer receiving portion 11 displaces to the downstream lateral edge of the first engaging portion 3b2 from the second engaging portion 3b4 of the lower flange portion 3b with respect to the dismounting direction. As shown in part (b) of FIG. 15, the main assembly seal 13 of the developer receiving portion 11 slides on the opening seal 3a5 from the discharge opening 3a4 of the opening seal 3a5 to the connecting portion 3a6, and maintains the connection state with the connecting portion 3a6. Similarly to the foregoing, as shown in part (c) of FIG. 15, the supporting portion 4d is in engagement with the regulation rib 3b3, so that it can not displace in the direction of the arrow B in the Figure. Thus, when the developer supply container 1 is taken out from the position of FIG. 15 to the position of FIG. 13, the developer supply container 1 moves relative to the shutter 4, since the shutter 4 can not displace relative to the developer receiving apparatus 8. Subsequently, the developer supply container 1 is drawn from the developer receiving apparatus 8 to the position shown in part (a) of FIG. 14. Then, as shown in part (d) of FIG. 14, the engaging portion 11b slides down on the first engaging portion 3b2 to the position of the generally middle point of the first engaging portion 3b2 by the urging force of the urging member 12. Therefore, the main assembly seal 13 provided on the developer receiving portion 11 downwardly spaces from the connecting portion 3a6 of the opening seal 3a5, thus releasing the connection between the developer receiving portion 11 and the developer supply container 1. At this time, the developer is deposited substantially on the connecting portion 3a6 of the opening seal 3a5 with which the developer receiving portion 11 has been connected. Subsequently, the developer supply container 1 is drawn from the developer receiving apparatus 8 to the position shown in part (a) of FIG. 13. Then, as shown in part (d) of FIG. 13, the engaging portion 11b slides down on the first engaging portion 3b2 to reach the upstream lateral edge with respect to dismounting direction of the first engaging portion 3b2, by the urging force of the urging member 12. Therefore, the developer receiving port 11a of the developer receiving portion 11 released from the developer supply container 1 is sealed by the main assembly shutter 15. By this, it is avoided that foreign matter or the like enters through the developer receiving port 11a and that the developer in the sub-hopper 8c (FIG. 4) scatters from the developer receiving port 11a. The shutter 4 displaces to the connecting portion 3a6 of the opening seal 3a5 with which the main assembly seal 13 of the developer receiving portion 11 has been connected to shield the connecting portion 3a6 on which the developer is deposited. Further, with the above-described dismounting operation of the developer supply container 1, the developer receiving portion 11 is guided by the first engaging portion 3b2, and after the completion of the spacing operation from the developer supply container 1, the supporting portion 4d of the shutter 4 is disengaged from the regulation rib 3b3 so as to be elastically deformable. The configurations of the regulation rib 3b3 and/or the supporting portion 4d are properly selected so that the position where the engaging relation is released is substantially the same as the position where the shutter 4 enters when developer supply container 1 is not mounted to the developer receiving apparatus 8. Therefore, when the developer supply container 1 is further drawn in the direction of the arrow B shown in part (a) of FIG. 13, the second stopper portion 4c of the shutter 4 abuts to the second shutter stopper portion 8b of the developer receiving apparatus 8, as shown in part (c) of FIG. 13. By this, the second stopper portion 4c of the shutter 4 displaces (elastically deforms) in the direction of arrow C along a taper surface of the second shutter stopper portion 8b, so that the shutter 4 becomes displaceable in the direction of the arrow B relative to the developer receiving apparatus 8 together with the developer supply container 1. That is, when the developer supply container 1 is completely taken out of the developer receiving apparatus 8, the shutter 4 returns to the position taken when the developer supply container 1 is not mounted to the developer receiving apparatus 8. Therefore, the discharge opening 3a4 is assuredly sealed by the shutter 4, and therefore, the developer is not scattered from the developer supply container 1 demounted from the developer receiving apparatus 8. Even if the developer supply container 1 is mounted to the developer receiving apparatus 8, again, it can be mountable without any problem. FIG. 17 shows flow of the mounting operation of the developer supply container 1 to the developer receiving apparatus 8 (FIGS. 13-16) and the flow of the dismounting operation of the developer supply container 1 from the developer receiving apparatus 8. When the developer supply container 1 is mounted to the developer receiving apparatus 8, the engaging portion 11b of the developer receiving portion 11 is engaged with the first engaging portion 3b2 of the developer supply container 1, by which the developer receiving port displaces toward the developer supply container. On the other hand, when the image material supply container 1 is dismounted from the developer receiving apparatus 8, the engaging portion 11b of the developer receiving portion 11 engages with the first engaging portion 3b2 of the developer supply container 1, by which the developer receiving port displaces away from the developer supply container. As described in the foregoing, according to this example, the mechanism for connecting and spacing the developer receiving portion 11 relative to the developer supply container 1 by displacement of the developer receiving portion 11 can be simplified. More particularly, a driving source and/or a drive transmission mechanism for moving the entirety of the developing device upwardly is unnecessary, and therefore, a complication of the structure of the image forming apparatus side and/or the increase in cost due to increase of the number of parts can be avoided. In a conventional structure, a large space is required to avoid an interference with the developing device in the upward and downward movement, but according to this example, such a large space is unnecessary so that the upsizing of the image forming apparatus can be avoided. The connection between the developer supply container 1 and the developer receiving apparatus 8 can be properly established using the mounting operation of the developer supply container 1 with minimum contamination with the developer. Similarly, utilizing the dismounting operation of the developer supply container 1, the spacing and resealing between the developer supply container 1 and the developer receiving apparatus 8 can be carried out with minimum contamination with the developer. The developer supply container 1 of this example can cause the developer receiving portion 11 to connect upwardly and space downwardly in the direction crossing with the mounting direction of developer supply container 1, using the engaging portions 3b2, 3b4 of the lower flange portion 3b with the mounting and demounting operation to the developer receiving apparatus 8. The developer receiving portion 11 is sufficiently small relative to developer supply container 1, and therefore, the developer contamination of the downstream side end surface Y (part (b) of FIG. 5) of the developer supply container 1 with respect to the mounting direction, with the simple and space saving structure. In addition, the developer contamination by the main assembly seal 13 slides on the protecting portion 3b5 of the lower flange portion 3b and the sliding surface (lower surface of the shutter) 4i. Furthermore, according to this example, after the developer receiving portion 11 is connected to the developer supply container 1 with the mounting operation of the developer supply container 1 to the developer receiving apparatus 8, the discharge opening 3a4 is exposed from the shutter 4 so that the discharge opening 3a4 and the developer receiving port 11a can be brought into communication with each other. In other words, the timing of each step is controlled by the engaging portions 3b2, 3b4 of the developer supply container 1, and therefore, the scattering of the developer can be suppressed assuredly with a simple and easy structure, without the being influenced by the way of operation by the operator. In addition, after the discharge opening 3a4 is sealed and the developer receiving portion 11 is spaced from the developer supply container 1 with the dismounting operation of the developer supply container 1 from the developer receiving apparatus 8, the shutter 4 can shield the developer deposition portion of the opening seal 3a5. In other words, the timing of each step in the dismounting operation can be controlled by the engaging portions 3b2 and 3b4 of the developer supply container 1, and therefore, the scattering of the developer can be suppressed, and the developer deposition portion can be prevented from the exposing to the outside. In the prior-art structure, the connection relation between the connecting portion and the connected portion is established indirectly through another mechanism, and therefore, it is difficulty to control the connection relation with high precision, However, in this example, the connection relation can be established by the directly engagement between the connecting portion (developer receiving portion 11) and the connected portion (developer supply container 1). More specifically, the timing of the connection between the developer receiving portion 11 and the developer supply container 1 can be controlled easily by the positional relation, in the mounting direction, among the engaging portion 11b of the developer receiving portion 11, the first and second engaging portions 3b2 and 3a4 of the lower flange portion 3b of the developer supply container 1 and discharge opening 3a4. In other words, the timing may deviate within the tolerances of the three elements, and therefore, very high accuracy control can be performed. Therefore, the connecting operation of the developer receiving portion 11 to the developer supply container 1 and the spacing operation from the developer supply container 1 can be carried out assuredly, with the mounting operation and the dismounting operation of the developer supply container 1. Regarding the displacement amount of the developer receiving portion 11 in the direction crossing with the mounting direction of the developer supply container 1 can be controlled by the positions of the engaging portion 11b of the developer receiving portion 11 and the second engaging portion 3b4 of the lower flange portion 3b. Similarly to the foregoing, the deviation of the displacement amount may deviate within the tolerances of the two elements, and therefore, very high accuracy control can be performed. Therefore, for example, close-contact state (amount of sealing compression or the like) between the main assembly seal 13 and the discharge opening 3a4 can be controlled easily, so that the developer discharged from the discharge opening 3a4 can be fed into the developer receiving port 11a assuredly. Embodiment 2 Referring to FIG. 19 FIG. 32, Embodiment 2 will be described. Embodiment 2 is partly different from Embodiment 1 in the configuration and structure developer receiving portion 11, the shutter 4, the lower flange portion 3b, and the mounting and demounting operations of the developer supply container 1 to the developer receiving apparatus 8 are partly different, correspondingly. Of other structures are substantially the same as Embodiment 1. In this example, the same reference numerals as in the foregoing embodiments are assigned to the elements having the corresponding functions in this embodiment, and the detailed description thereof is omitted. (Developer Receiving Portion) FIG. 19 shows the developer receiving portion 11 of Embodiment 2. Part (a) of FIG. 19 is a perspective view of the developer receiving portion 11, and part (b) of FIG. 19 is a sectional view of the developer receiving portion 11. As shown in part (a) of FIG. 19, the developer receiving portion 11 of Embodiment 2 is provided with a tapered portion 11c for misalignment prevention at the end portion of the downstream side with respect to the connecting direction to the developer supply container 1, and the end surface continuing from the tapered portion 11c is substantially annular. The misalignment prevention tapered portion 11c is engaged with a misalignment prevention taper engaging portion 4 g (FIG. 21) provided on the shutter 4, as will be described hereinafter. The misalignment prevention tapered portion 11c is provided in order to prevent a misalignment between the developer receiving port 11a and a shutter opening 4f (FIG. 21) of the shutter 4 due to a vibration by a driving source inner the image forming apparatus and/or a deformation of a part. The detail of the engaging relation (contact relation) between the misalignment prevention tapered portion 11c and the misalignment prevention taper engaging portion 4 g will be described hereinafter. The material and/or configuration and dimensions of the main assembly seal 13 such as a width and/or height or the like are properly selected so that the leakage of the developer can be prevented in relation with a configuration of a close-contact portion 4h provided around the shutter opening 4f of the shutter 4 which will be described hereinafter, to which the main assembly seal 13 is connected with the mounting operation of the developer supply container 1. (Lower Flange) FIG. 20 shows the lower flange portion 3b in Embodiment 2. Part (a) of FIG. 20 is a perspective view (upward direction) of the lower flange portion 3b, and part (b) of FIG. 20 is a perspective view (downward direction) of lower flange portion 3b. The lower flange portion 3b in this embodiment is provided with a shielding portion 3b6 for shielding the shutter opening 4f which will be described hereinafter, when the developer supply container 1 is not mounted to the developer receiving apparatus 8. The provision of the shielding portion 3b6 is different from the above-described lower flange portion 3b of Embodiment 1. In this embodiment, the shielding portion 3b6 is provided in the downstream side of the lower flange portion 3b with respect to the mounting direction of the developer supply container 1. Also in this example, similarly to the above-described embodiment, the lower flange portion 3b is provided with engaging portions 3b2 and 3b4 engageable with an engaging portion 11b (FIG. 19) of the developer receiving portion 11 as shown in FIG. 20. In this example, of the engaging portions 3b2 and 3b4, the first engaging portion 3b2 displaces the developer receiving portion 11 toward the developer supply container 1 so that the main assembly seal 13 provided in the developer receiving portion 11 is connected with the shutter 4 which will be described hereinafter, with the mounting operation of the developer supply container 1. The first engaging portion 3b2 displaces the developer receiving portion 11 toward the developer supply container 1 with the mounting operation of the developer supply container 1 so that the developer receiving port 11a formed in the developer receiving portion 11 is connected with the shutter opening (communication port) 4f. In addition, the first engaging portion 3b2 guides the developer receiving portion 11 away from the developer supply container 1 so that the connection state between the developer receiving portion 11 and the shutter opening 4f of the shutter 4 is broken, with the dismounting operation of the developer supply container 1. On the other hand, a second engaging portion 3b4 holds the connected state between the shutter 4 and the main assembly seal 13 of the developer receiving portion 11 in the movement of the developer supply container 1 relative to the shutter 4, so that a discharge opening 3a4 is brought into fluid communication with the developer receiving port 11a of the developer receiving portion 11, with the mounting operation of the developer supply container 1. The second engaging portion 3b4 maintains the connected state between the developer receiving port 11a and the shutter opening 4f in the movement of the lower flange portion 3b relative to the shutter 4 with the mounting operation of the developer supply container 1, so that the discharge opening 3a4 is brought into fluid communication with the shutter opening 4f. In addition, the second engaging portion 3b4 holds the connected state between the developer receiving portion 11 and the shutter 4 in the movement of the developer supply container 1 relative to the shutter 4 so that the discharge opening 3a4 is resealed, with the dismounting operation of the developer supply container 1. (Shutter) FIG. 21-FIG. 25 show the shutter 4 in Embodiment 2. Part (a) of FIG. 21 is a perspective view of the shutter 4, part (b) of FIG. 21 illustrates a modified example 1 of the shutter 4, part (c) of FIG. 21 illustrates a connection relation between the shutter 4 and the developer receiving portion 11, part (d) of FIG. 21 is a illustration similar to the part (c) of FIG. 21. As shown in part (a) of FIG. 21, the shutter 4 of Embodiment 2 is provided with the shutter opening (communication port) 4f communicatable with the discharge opening 3a4. Further, the shutter 4 is provided with a close-contact portion (projected portion, projection) 4h surrounding an outside of the shutter opening 4f, and the misalignment prevention taper engaging portion 4 g further outside the close-contact portion 4h. The close-contact portion 4h has a projection height such that it is lower than a sliding surface 4i of the shutter 4, and a diameter of the shutter opening 4f is approx. Φ2 mm. The size is selected for the same reason as with Embodiment 1, and therefore, the explanation is omitted for simplicity. The shutter 4 is provided with a recess at a substantially central portion with respect to the longitudinal direction of the shutter 4, as a retraction space for the supporting portion 4d at the time when the supporting portion 4d of shutter 4 displaces in the direction C (part (c) of FIG. 26) with the dismounting operation. A gap between the recessed configuration and the supporting portion 4d is larger than an amount of overlapping between the first stopper portion 4b and a first shutter stopper portion 8a of the developer replenishing apparatus 8, so that the shutter 4 can be engaged with and disengaged from the developer receiving apparatus 8 smoothly. Referring to FIG. 22-FIG. 24, the configuration of the shutter 4 will be described. Part (a) of FIG. 22 shows a position (the same position as FIG. 27) where the developer supply container 1 is engaged with the developer receiving apparatus 8, which will be described hereinafter, and part (b) of FIG. 22 shows a position (the same position as FIG. 31) where the developer supply container 1 is completely mounted to the developer receiving apparatus 8. As shown in FIG. 22, a length D2 of supporting portion 4d is set such that it is larger than a displacement amount D1 of the developer supply container 1 with the mounting operation of the developer supply container 1 (D1 D2). The displacement amount D1 is the amount of the displacement of the developer supply container 1 relative to the shutter in the mounting operation of the developer supply container 1. That is, it is the displacement amount of the developer supply container 1 in the state (part (a) of FIG. 22) in which stopper portions (holding portions) 4b and 4c of the shutter 4 is in engagement with shutter stopper portions 8a and 8b of the developer receiving apparatus 8. With such a structure, the interference between a regulation rib 3b3 of the lower flange 3b and the supporting portion 4d of the shutter 4 in the process of mounting of the developer supply container 1 can be reduced. On the other hand, for the case in which D2 is smaller than D1, the supporting portion 4d of the shutter 4 may be provided with a regulated projection (projection) 4k positively engageable with the regulation rib 3b3 as shown in FIG. 23 to prevent the interference between the supporting portion 4d and the regulation rib 3b3. With such a structure, the developer supply container 1 can be mounted to the developer receiving apparatus 8 irrespective of the size relation between the displacement amount D1 in the mounting operation of the developer supply container 1 and the length D2 of the supporting portion 4d of the shutter 4. On the other hand, when the structure shown in FIG. 23 is used, the size of the developer supply container 1 is larger only a height D4 of the regulated projection 4k. FIG. 23 is a perspective view of the shutter 4 for the developer supply container 1 when D1>D2. Therefore, if the position of the developer receiving apparatus 8 inner the main assembly of the image forming apparatus 100 is the same, a cross-sectional area is larger by S than of the developer supply container 1 of this embodiment as shown in FIG. 24, and therefore, a corresponding larger space is required. The foregoing applies to the above-described Embodiment 1, and the embodiments described hereinafter. Part (b) of FIG. 21 shows a modified example 1 of the shutter 4 in which the misalignment prevention taper engaging portion 4 g is divided into a plurality of parts, as is different from the shutter 4 of this embodiment. In the other respects, substantially the equivalent performance is provided. Referring to, part (c) of FIG. 21 and part (d) of FIG. 21, the engaging relation between the shutter 4 and the developer receiving portion 11 will be described. Part (c) of FIG. 21 shows the engaging relation between the misalignment prevention taper engaging portion 4 g of the shutter 4 and the misalignment prevention tapered portion 11c of the developer receiving portion 11 in Embodiment 2. As shown in part (c) of FIG. 21 and part (d) of FIG. 21, distances of the corner lines constituting the close-contact portion 4h and the misalignment prevention taper engaging portion 4 g of the shutter 4 from a center R of the shutter opening 4f (part (a) of FIG. 21) are L1, L2, L3, L4. Similarly, as shown in part (c) of FIG. 21, distances of corner lines constituting the misalignment prevention tapered portion 11c of the developer receiving portion 11 from the center R of the developer receiving port 11a (FIG. 19) are M1, M2, M3. The positions of the centers of the shutter opening 4f and the developer receiving port 11a are set to be aligned with each other. In this embodiment, the positions of the corner lines are selected to satisfy L1<L2<M1<L3<M2<L4<M3. As shown in part (c) FIG. 21, the corner lines at the distance M2 from the center R of the developer receiving port 11a of the developer receiving portion 11 abuts to the misalignment prevention taper engaging portion 4 g of the shutter 4. Therefore, even if the positional relation between the shutter 4 and the developer receiving portion 11 is deviated more or less due to the vibration from the driving source of the main assembly of the apparatus and/or part accuracies, the misalignment prevention taper engaging portion 4 g and the misalignment prevention are guided by the tapered surfaces to align with each other. Therefore, the deviation between the center shafts of and opening 4f and the developer receiving port 11a can be suppressed. Similarly, part (d) of FIG. 21 shows a modified example of the engaging relation between the misalignment prevention taper engaging portion 4 g of the shutter 4 and the misalignment prevention tapered portion 11c of the developer receiving portion 11, according to Embodiment 2. As shown in part (d) of FIG. 21, the structure of this modified example is different from the structure shown in part (c) of FIG. 21 only in that the positional relation of the corner lines is L1<L2<M1<M2<L3<L4<M3. In this modified example, the corner lines at the position L4 away from the center R of the shutter opening 4f of the misalignment prevention taper engaging portion 4 g abuts to the tapered surface of the tapered portion 11c. Also in this case, the deviation of the center shafts of the shutter and the developer receiving port 11a can be suppressed, similarly. Referring to FIG. 25, a modified example 2 of the shutter 4 will be described. Part (a) of FIG. 25 shows modified example 2 of the shutter 4, and the part (b) of FIG. 25 and part (c) of FIG. 25 show the connection relation between the shutter 4 and the developer receiving portion 11 in the modified example 2. As shown in part (a) of FIG. 25, the shutter 4 of modified example 2 is provided with the misalignment prevention taper engaging portion 4 g in the close-contact portion 4h. The other configurations are the same as those of the shutter 4 (part (a) of FIG. 21) of this embodiment. The close-contact portion 4h is provided in order to control the amount of compression of the main assembly seal 13 (part (a) of FIG. 19). In this modified example, as shown in part (b) of FIG. 25, distances of the corner lines constituting the close-contact portion 4h and the misalignment prevention taper engaging portion 4 g of the shutter 4 from the center R of the shutter opening 4f (part (a) of FIG. 25). Similarly, distances of the corner lines constituting the misalignment prevention tapered portion 11c of the developer receiving portion 11 from the center R of the developer receiving port 11a (FIG. 19) are M1, M2, M3 (FIGS. 21, 25). As shown in part (b) of FIG. 25, the positional relation of the corner lines satisfy L1<M1<M2<L2<M3<L3<L4. As shown in part (c) of FIG. 25, the positional relation of the corner lines may be M1<L1<L2<M2<M3<L3<L4. Similarly to the relation between the shutter 4 and the developer receiving portion 11 shown in part (a) of FIG. 21, by an aligning function by the misalignment prevention taper engaging portion 4 g and the misalignment prevention tapered portion 11c, the misalignment between the center axes of the opening 4f and the developer receiving port 11a can be prevented. In this example, the misalignment prevention taper engaging portion 4 g of the shutter 4 is monotonically linearly tapered, but the tapered surface portion may be curved, that is, may be an arcuate. Furthermore, it may be a contiguous taper, having a cut-away portion or portions. The same applies to the configuration of the misalignment prevention tapered portion 11c of the developer receiving portion 11 corresponding to the misalignment prevention taper engaging portion 4g. With such structures, when the main assembly seal 13 (FIG. 19) and the close-contact portion 4h of the shutter 4 are connected with each other, the centers of the developer receiving port 11a and the shutter opening 4f are aligned, and therefore, the developer can be discharged smoothly from the developer supply container 1 into the sub-hopper 8c. If the center positions of them are deviated even by 1 mm when the shutter opening 4f and the developer receiving port 11a have small diameters, such as Φ2 mm and Φ3 mm, respectively, the effective opening area is only one half of the intended area, and therefore, the smooth discharge of the developer is not expected. Using the structures of this example, the deviation between the shutter opening 4f and the developer receiving port 11a can be suppressed to 0.2 mm or less (approx. The tolerances of the parts), and therefore, the effective through opening area can be assured. Therefore, the developer can be discharged smoothly. (Mounting Operation of Developer Supply Container) Referring to FIG. 26-FIGS. 31 and 32, the mounting operation of the developer supply container 1 of this embodiment to the developer receiving apparatus 8 will be described. FIG. 26 shows the position when the developer supply container 1 is inserted into the developer receiving apparatus 8, and the shutter 4 has not yet been engaged with the developer receiving apparatus 8. FIG. 27 shows the position (corresponding to FIG. 13 of Embodiment 1) in which the shutter 4 of the developer supply container 1 is engaged with the developer receiving apparatus 8. FIG. 28 shows the position in which the shutter 4 of the developer supply container 1 is exposed from the shielding portion 3b6. FIG. 29 shows a position (corresponding to FIG. 14 of Embodiment 1) in the process of connection between the developer supply container 1 and the developer receiving portion 11. FIG. 30 shows the position (corresponding to FIG. 15 of Embodiment 1) in which the developer supply container 1 has been connected with the developer receiving portion 11. FIG. 31 shows the position in which the developer supply container 1 is completely mounted to the developer receiving apparatus 8, and the developer receiving port 11a, the shutter opening 4f and the discharge opening 3a4 are in fluid communication therethrough, thus enabling supply of the developer. FIG. 32 is a timing chart of operations of each elements relating to the mounting operation of the developer supply container 1 to the developer receiving apparatus 8 as shown in FIG. 27-FIG. 31. As shown in part (a) of FIG. 26, in the mounting operation of the developer supply container 1, the developer supply container 1 is inserted in the direction of an arrow A in the Figure toward the developer receiving apparatus 8. At this time, as shown in part (b) of FIG. 26, the shutter opening 4f of the shutter 4 and the close-contact portion 4h is shielded by the shielding portion 3b6 of the lower flange. By this, the operator is protected from contacting to the shutter opening 4f and/or the close-contact portion 4h contaminated by the developer. In addition, as shown in part (c) of FIG. 26, in the inserting operation, a first stopper portion 4b provided in the upstream side, with respect to the mounting direction, of the supporting portion 4d of the shutter 4 abuts to an insertion guide 8e of the developer receiving apparatus 8, so that the supporting portion 4d displaces in the direction of an arrow C in the Figure. In addition, as shown in part (d) FIG. 26, and first engaging portion 3b2 of the lower flange portion 3b and the engaging portion 11b of the developer receiving portion 11 are not engaged with each other. Therefore, as shown in part (b) of FIG. 26, the developer receiving portion 11 is held in the initial position by an urging force of an urging member 12 in the direction of an arrow F. In addition, the developer receiving port 11a is sealed by a main assembly shutter 15, so that entering of a foreign matter or the like through the developer receiving port 11a and scattering of the developer through the developer receiving port 11a from the sub-hopper 8c (FIG. 4) are prevented. When the developer supply container 1 is inserted to the developer receiving apparatus 8 in the direction of an arrow A to the position shown in part (a) of FIG. 27, the shutter 4 is engaged with the developer receiving apparatus 8. That is, similarly to the developer supply container 1 of Embodiment 1 the supporting portion 4d of the shutter 4 is released from the insertion guide 8e and displaces in the direction of an arrow D in the Figure by an elastic restoring force, as shown in part (c) of FIG. 27. Therefore, the first stopper portion 4b of the shutter 4 and the first shutter stopper portion 8a of the developer receiving apparatus 8 are engaged with each other. Then, in the insertion process of the developer supply container 1, the shutter 4 is held immovably relative to the developer receiving apparatus 8 by the relation between the supporting portion 4d and the regulation rib 3b3 having been described with Embodiment 1. At this time, the positional relation between the shutter 4 and the lower flange portion 3b remains unchanged from the position shown in FIG. 26. Therefore, as shown in part (b) of FIG. 27, the shutter opening 4f of the shutter 4 keeps shielded by the shielding portion 3b6 of the lower flange portion 3b, and the discharge opening 3a4 keeps sealed by the shutter 4. Also in this position, as shown in part (d) of FIG. 27, the engaging portion 11b of the developer receiving portion 11 is not engaged with the first engaging portion 3b2 of the lower flange portion 3b. In other words, as shown in part (b) of FIG. 27, the developer receiving portion 11 is kept in the initial position, and therefore, is spaced from the developer supply container 1. Therefore, the developer receiving port 11a is sealed by the main assembly shutter 15. The center axes of the shutter opening 4f and the developer receiving port 11a are substantially coaxial. Then, the developer supply container 1 is further inserted into the developer receiving apparatus 8 in the direction of an arrow A to the position shown in part (a) of FIG. 28. At this time, since the position of the shutter 4 is retained relative to the developer receiving apparatus 8 the developer supply container 1 moves relative to the shutter 4, and therefore, the close-contact portion 4h (FIG. 25) and the shutter opening 4f of the shutter 4 are exposed through the shielding portion 3b6. Here, at this time, the shutter 4 still seals the discharge opening 3a4. In addition, as shown in part (d) of FIG. 28, the engaging portion 11b of the developer receiving portion 11 is in the neighborhood of bottom end portion of the first engaging portion 3b2 of the lower flange portion 3b. Therefore, the developer receiving portion 11 is held at the initial position as shown in part (b) of FIG. 28, and is spaced from the developer supply container 1, and therefore, the developer receiving port 11a is sealed by the main assembly shutter 15. Then, the developer supply container 1 is further inserted into the developer receiving apparatus 8 in the direction of an arrow A to the position shown in part (a) of FIG. 29. At this time, similarly to the foregoing, the position of the shutter 4 is held relative to the developer receiving apparatus 8, and therefore, as shown in part (b) of FIG. 29, the developer supply container 1 moves relative the shutter 4 in the direction of an arrow A. As shown in part (b) of FIG. 29, at this time, the shutter 4 still seals the discharge opening 3a4. At this time, as shown in part (d) of FIG. 29, the engaging portion 11b of the developer receiving portion 11 is substantially in a middle part of the first engaging portion 3b2 of the lower flange portion 3b. Thus, as shown in part (b) of FIG. 29, the developer receiving portion 11 moves in the direction of an arrow E in the Figure toward the exposed shutter opening 4f and the close-contact portion 4h (FIG. 25) with the mounting operation by the engagement with the first engaging portion 3b2. Therefore, as shown in part (b) of FIG. 29, the developer receiving port 11a having been sealed by the main assembly shutter 15 starts opening gradually. Then, the developer supply container 1 is further inserted into the developer receiving apparatus 8 in the direction of an arrow A to the position shown in part (a) of FIG. 30. Then, as shown in part (d) of FIG. 30, by the direct engagement between the engaging portion 11b of the developer receiving portion 11 and the first engaging portion 3b2, the developer supply container 1 displaces to the upper end of the first engaging portion 3b2 in the direction of the arrow E in the Figure, which is a direction crossing with the mounting direction. In other words, as shown in part (b) of FIG. 30, the developer receiving portion 11 displaces in the direction of the arrow E in the Figure, that is, in the direction crossing with the mounting direction of the developer supply container 1, so that the main assembly seal 13 connects with the shutter 4 in the state of being closely contacted with the close-contact portion 4h of the shutter 4 (FIG. 25). At this time, as described hereinbefore, the misalignment prevention tapered portion 11c of the developer receiving portion 11 and the misalignment prevention taper engaging portion 4 g of the shutter 4 are engaged with each other (part (c) of FIG. 21), and therefore, the developer receiving port 11a and the shutter opening 4f are brought into fluid communication with each other. In addition, by the displacement of the developer receiving portion 11 in the direction of the arrow E, the main assembly shutter 15 is further spaced from the developer receiving port 11a, and therefore, the developer receiving port 11a is completely unsealed. Here, also at this time, the shutter 4 still seals the discharge opening 3a4. In this embodiment, the start timing of the displacement of the developer receiving portion 11 is after the shutter opening 4f of the shutter 4 and the close-contact portion 4h are exposed assuredly, but this is not inevitable. For example, it may be before the completion of the exposure, if the shutter opening 4f and the close-contact portion 4h are completely uncovered by the shielding portion 3b6 by the time the developer receiving portion 11 reaches the neighborhood of the position of connecting to the shutter 4, that is, the engaging portion 11b of the developer receiving portion 11 comes to the neighborhood of the upper end of the first engaging portion 3b2. However, in order to connect the developer receiving portion 11 and the shutter 4 with each other assuredly, it is desired that the developer receiving portion 11 is displaced as described above after the shutter opening 4f and the close-contact portion 4h of the shutter 4 are uncovered by the shielding portion 3b6, as in this embodiment. Subsequently, as shown in part (a) of FIG. 31, the developer supply container 1 is further inserted in the direction of the arrow A into the developer receiving apparatus 8. Then, as shown in part (c) of FIG. 31, similarly to the foregoing, the developer supply container 1 moves relative to the shutter 4 in the direction of the arrow A and reaches a supply position. At this time, as shown in part (d) of FIG. 31, the engaging portion 11b of the developer receiving portion 11 displaces relative to the lower flange portion 3b to the downstream end of the second engaging portion 3b4 with respect to the mounting direction, and the position of the developer receiving portion 11 is kept at the position wherein it is connected with the shutter 4. Further, as shown in part (b) of FIG. 31, the shutter 4 unseals the discharge opening 3a4. In other words, the discharge opening 3a4, the shutter opening 4f and the developer receiving port 11a are in fluid communication with each other. In addition, as shown in part (a) of FIG. 31, a drive receiving portion 2d is engaged with a driving gear 9 so that the developer supply container 1 is capable of receiving a drive from the developer receiving apparatus 8. A detecting mechanism (unshown) provided in the developer receiving apparatus 8 detects that the developer supply container 1 is in the predetermined position (position) capable of supplying. When the driving gear 9 rotates in the direction of an arrow Q in the Figure, the container body 2 rotates in the direction of an arrow R, and the developer it supplied into the sub-hopper 8c by the operation of the above-described pump portion 5. As described above, the main assembly seal 13 of the developer receiving portion 11 is connected with the close-contact portion 4h of the shutter 4 in the state that the position of the developer receiving portion 11 with respect to the mounting direction of the developer supply container 1. In addition, by the developer supply container 1 moves relative to the shutter 4 thereafter, the discharge opening 3a4, the shutter opening 4f and the developer receiving port 11a a brought into fluid communication with each other. Therefore, as compared with Embodiment 1, the positional relation, with respect to the mounting direction of the developer supply container 1 between the main assembly seal 13 forming the developer receiving port 11a and the shutter 4 is maintained, and therefore, the main assembly seal 13 does not slide on the shutter 4. In other words, in the mounting operation of the developer supply container 1 to the developer receiving apparatus 8, no direct sliding dragging action in the mounting direction occurs between the developer receiving portion 11 and the developer supply container 1 from the start of connection therebetween to the developer suppliable state. Therefore, in addition to the advantageous effects of the above-described embodiment, the contamination of the main assembly seal 13 of the developer receiving portion 11 with the developer which may be caused by the dragging of the developer supply container 1 can be prevented. In addition, wearing of main assembly seal 13 of the developer receiving portion 11 attributable to the dragging can be prevented. Therefore, a reduction of the durability, due to the wearing, of the main assembly seal 13 of the developer receiving portion 11 can be suppressed, and the reduction of the sealing property of the main assembly seal 13 due to the wearing can be suppressed. (Dismounting Operation of Developer Supply Container) Referring to FIG. 26 to FIG. 31 and FIG. 32, the operation of removing the developer supply container 1 from the developer receiving apparatus 8 will be described. FIG. 32 is a timing chart of operations of each elements relating to the dismounting operation of the developer supply container 1 from the developer receiving apparatus 8 as shown in FIG. 27-FIG. 31. Similarly to the Embodiment 1, the removing operation of developer supply container 1 (dismounting operation) is a reciprocal of the mounting operation. As described hereinbefore, in the position of part (a) of FIG. 31, when the amount of the developer in the developer supply container 1 decreases, the operator dismounts the developer supply container 1 in the direction of an arrow B in the Figure. The position of the shutter 4 relative to the developer receiving apparatus 8 is maintained by the relation between the supporting portion 4d and the regulation rib 3b3, as described above. Therefore, the developer supply container 1 moves relative to the shutter 4. When the developer supply container 1 is moved to the position shown in part (a) of FIG. 30, the discharge opening 3a4 is sealed by the shutter 4, as shown in part (b) of FIG. 30. That is, in such a position, the developer is not supplied from the developer supply container 1. In addition, by the discharge opening 3a4 sealed, the developer does not scatter through the discharge opening 3a4 from the developer supply container 1 due to the vibration or the like resulting from the dismounting operation. The developer receiving portion 11 keeps connected with the shutter 4, and therefore, the developer receiving port 11a and the shutter are still in communication with each other. Then, when the developer supply container 1 is moved to the position shown in part (a) of FIG. 28, the engaging portion 11b of the developer receiving portion 11 displaces in the direction of the arrow F along the first engaging portion 3b2 by the urging force in the direction of the arrow F of the urging member 12, as shown in part (d) of FIG. 28. By this, as shown in part (b) of FIG. 28, the shutter 4 and the developer receiving portion 11 are spaced from each other. Therefore, in the process of reaching this position, the developer receiving portion 11 displaces in the direction of the arrow F (downwardly). Therefore, even if the developer is in the state of being packed in the neighborhood of the developer receiving port 11a, the developer is accommodated in the sub-hopper 8c by the vibration or the like resulting from the dismounting operation. By this, the developer is prevented from scattering to the outside. Thereafter, as shown in part (b) of FIG. 28, the developer receiving port 11a is sealed by the main assembly shutter 15. Then when the developer supply container 1 is removed to the position shown in part (a) of FIG. 27, the shutter opening 4f is shielded by the shielding portion 3b6 of the lower flange portion 3b. More particularly, the neighborhood of the shutter opening 4f and the close-contact portion 4h which is the only contaminated part is shielded by the shielding portion 3b6. Therefore, the neighborhood of the shutter opening 4f and the close-contact portion 4h are not seen by the operator handling the developer supply container 1. In addition, the operator is protected from touching inadvertently the neighborhood of the shutter opening 4f and the close-contact portion 4h contaminated with the developer. Furthermore, the close-contact portion 4h of the shutter 4 is stepped lower than the sliding surface 4i. Therefore, when the shutter opening 4f and the close-contact portion 4h are shielded by the shielding portion 3b6, a downstream side end surface X (part (b) of FIG. 20) of the shielding portion 3b6 with respect to the dismounting direction of the developer supply container 1 is not contaminated by the developer deposited on the shutter opening 4f and the close-contact portion 4h. Moreover, with the dismounting operation of the above-described developer supply container 1, the space operation of the developer receiving portion 11 by the engaging portions 3b2, 3b4 is completed, and thereafter, the supporting portion 4d of the shutter 4 is disengaged from the regulation rib 3b3 so as to become elastically deformable. Therefore, the shutter 4 is released from the developer receiving apparatus 8, so that it becomes displaceable (movable) together with the developer supply container 1. When the developer supply container 1 is moved to the position of part (a) of FIG. 26, supporting portion 4d of shutter 4 contacts to the insertion guide 8e of the developer receiving apparatus 8 by which it is displaced in the direction of the arrow C in the Figure, as shown in part (c) of FIG. 26. By this, the second stopper portion 4c of the shutter 4 is disengaged from the second shutter stopper portion 8b of the developer receiving apparatus 8, so that the lower flange portion 3b of the developer supply container 1 and the shutter 4 displace integrally in the direction of the arrow B. By further moving the developer supply container 1 away from the developer receiving apparatus 8 in the direction of the arrow B, by which the developer supply container 1 is completely taken out of the developer receiving apparatus 8. The shutter 4 of the developer supply container 1 thus taken out has returned to the initial position, and therefore, even if the developer receiving apparatus 8 is remounted, no problem arises. As described hereinbefore, the shutter opening 4f and the close-contact portion 4h of shutter 4 are shielded by the shielding portion 3b6, and therefore, the portion contaminated with the developer is not seen by the operator handling the developer supply container 1. Therefore, by the only portion of the developer supply container 1 that is contaminated with the developer is shielded, and therefore, the taken-out developer supply container 1 looks as if it is an unused developer supply container 1. FIG. 32 shows flow of the mounting operation of the developer supply container 1 to the developer receiving apparatus 8 (FIGS. 26-31) and the flow of the dismounting operation of the developer supply container 1 from the developer receiving apparatus 8. When the developer supply container 1 is mounted to the developer receiving apparatus 8, the engaging portion 11b of the developer receiving portion 11 is engaged with the first engaging portion 3b2 of the developer supply container 1, by which the developer receiving port displaces toward the developer supply container. On the other hand, when the image material supply container 1 is dismounted from the developer receiving apparatus 8, the engaging portion 11b of the developer receiving portion 11 engages with the first engaging portion 3b2 of the developer supply container 1, by which the developer receiving port displaces away from the developer supply container. As described in the foregoing, according to this embodiment of the developer supply container 1, the following advantageous effects can be provided in addition to the same advantageous effects of Embodiment 1. The developer supply container 1 of this embodiment the developer receiving portion 11 and the developer supply container 1 are connected with each other through the shutter opening 4f. And, by the connection, the misalignment prevention of the developer receiving portion 11 and the misalignment prevention taper engaging portion 4 g of the shutter 4 are engaged with each other. By the aligning function of such engagement, the discharge opening 3a4 is assuredly unsealed, and therefore, the discharge amount of the developer is stabilized. In the case of Embodiment 1, the discharge opening 3a4 formed in the part of the opening seal 3a5 moves on the shutter 4 the become in fluid communication with the developer receiving port 11a. In this case, the developer might enter into a seam existing between the developer receiving portion 11 and the shutter 4 in the process to completely connect with the developer receiving port 11a after the discharge opening 3a4 is uncovered by the shutter 4 with the result that a small amount of the developer scatters to the developer receiving apparatus 8. However, according to this example, the shutter opening 4f and the discharge opening 3a4 are brought into communication with each other after completion of the connection (communication) between the developer receiving port 11a of the developer receiving portion 11 and the shutter opening 4f of the shutter 4. For this reason, there is no seam between the developer receiving portion 11 and the shutter 4. In addition, positional relation between the shutter and the developer receiving port 11a does not change. Therefore, the developer contamination by the developer entered into the gap between the developer receiving portion 11 and the shutter 4 and the developer contamination caused by the dragging of the main assembly seal 13 on the surface of the opening seal 3a5 can be avoided. Therefore, this example is preferable to Embodiment 1 from the standpoint of the reduction of the contamination with the developer. In addition, by the provision of the shielding portion 3b6, the shutter opening 4f and the close-contact portion 4h that are the only portion contaminated by the developer are shielded, the developer contamination dye portion is not exposed to the outside, similarly to the Embodiment 1 in which the developer contamination dye portion of the opening seal 3a5 is shielded by the shutter 4. Therefore, similarly to Embodiment 1, the portion contaminated with the developer is not seen from the outside by the operator. Furthermore, as described in the foregoing, with respect to Embodiment 1, the connecting side (developer receiving portion 11) and the connected side (developer supply container 1) are directly engaged to establish the connection relation therebetween. More specifically, the timing of the connection between the developer receiving portion 11 and the developer supply container 1 can be controlled easily by the positional relation, with respect to mounting direction, among the engaging portion 11b of the developer receiving portion 11, the first engaging portion 3b2 and the second engaging portion 3b4 of the lower flange portion 3b of the developer supply container 1, and the shutter opening 4f of the shutter 4. In other words, the timing may deviate within the tolerances of the three elements, and therefore, very high accuracy control can be performed. Therefore, the connecting operation of the developer receiving portion 11 to the developer supply container 1 and the spacing operation from the developer supply container 1 can be carried out assuredly, with the mounting operation and the dismounting operation of the developer supply container 1. Regarding the displacement amount of the developer receiving portion 11 in the direction crossing with the mounting direction of the developer supply container 1 can be controlled by the positions of the engaging portion 11b of the developer receiving portion 11 and the second engaging portion 3b4 of the lower flange portion 3b. Similarly to the foregoing, the deviation of the displacement amount may deviate within the tolerances of the two elements, and therefore, very high accuracy control can be performed. Therefore, for example, the close-contact state between the main assembly seal 13 and the shutter 4 can be controlled easily, so that the developer discharged from the opening 4f can be fed into the developer receiving port 11a assuredly. Embodiment 3 Referring to FIGS. 33, 34, a structure of the Embodiment 3 will be described Part (a) of FIG. 33 is a partial enlarged view around a first engaging portion 3b2 of a developer supply container 1, and part (b) of FIG. 33 is a partial enlarged view of a developer receiving apparatus 8. Part (a)-part (c) of FIG. 34 are schematic view illustrating the movement of a developer receiving portion 11 in a dismounting operation. The position of part (a) of FIG. 34 corresponding to the position of FIGS. 15, 30, the position of part (c) of FIG. 34 corresponds to the position of FIGS. 13 and 28, the position of part (b) of FIG. 34 is therebetween and corresponds to the position of FIGS. 14, 29. As shown in part (a) of FIG. 33, in this example, the structure of the first engaging portion 3b2 is partly different from those of Embodiment 1 and Embodiment 2. The other structures are substantially similar to Embodiment 1 and/or Embodiment 2. In this example, the same reference numerals as in the foregoing Embodiment 1 are assigned to the elements having the corresponding functions in this embodiment, and the detailed description thereof is omitted. As shown in part (a) of FIG. 33, above engaging portions 3b2, 3b4 for moving the developer receiving portion 11 upwardly, an engaging portion 3b7 for moving the developer receiving portion 11 downwardly is provided. Here, the engaging portion comprising the first engaging portion 3b2 and the second engaging portion 3b4 for moving the developer receiving portion 11 upwardly is called a lower engaging portion. On the other hand, the engaging portion 3b7 provided in this embodiment to move the developer receiving portion 11 downwardly is called an upper engaging portion. The engaging relation between the developer receiving portion 11 and the lower engaging portion comprising the first engaging portion 3b2 and the second engaging portion 3b4 are similar to the above-described embodiments, and therefore, the description thereof is omitted. The engaging relation between the developer receiving portion 11 and the upper engaging portion comprising the engaging portion 3b7 will be described. If, for example, the developer supply container 1 is extremely quickly dismounted (quick dismounting, not practical though), in the developer supply container 1 of Embodiment 1 or Embodiment 2, the developer receiving portion 11 might not be guided by the first engaging portion 3b2 and would be lowered at delayed timing, with the result of a slight contamination with the developer to a practically no problem extent on the lower surface of the developer supply container 1, the developer receiving portion 11 and/or the main assembly seal 13. This was confirmed. In view of this, the developer supply container 1 of Embodiment 3 is improved in this respect by providing it with the upper engaging portion 3b7. When the developer supply container 1 is dismounted, the developer receiving portion 11 reaches a region contacting the first engaging portion. Even if the developer supply container 1 is taken out extremely quickly, an engaging portion 11b of the developer receiving portion 11 is engaged with the upper engaging portion 3b7 and is guided thereby, with the dismounting operation of the developer supply container 1, so that the developer receiving portion 11 is positively moved in the direction of an arrow F in the Figure. The upper engaging portion 3b7 extends to an upstream side beyond the first engaging portion 3b2 in the direction (arrow B) in which the developer supply container 1 is taken out. More particularly, a free end portion 3b70 of the upper engaging portion 3b7 is upstream of a free end portion 3b20 of the first engaging portion 3b2 with respect to the direction (arrow B) in which the developer supply container 1 is taken out. The start timing of the downward movement of the developer receiving portion 11 in the dismounting of the developer supply container 1 is after the sealing of the discharge opening 3a4 by the shutter 4 similarly to Embodiment 2. The movement start timing is controlled by the position of the upper engaging portion 3b7 shown in part (a) of FIG. 33. If the developer receiving portion 11 is spaced from the developer supply container 1 before the discharge opening 3a4 is sealed by the shutter 4, the developer may scatter in the developer receiving apparatus 8 from the discharge opening 3a4 by vibration or the like during the dismounting. Therefore, it is preferable to space the developer receiving portion 11 after the discharge opening 3a4 is sealed assuredly by the shutter 4. Using the developer supply container 1 of this embodiment, the developer receiving portion 11 can be spaced assuredly from the discharge opening 3a4 in the dismounting operation of the developer supply container 1. In addition, with the structure of this example, the developer receiving portion 11 can be moved assuredly by the upper engaging portion 3b7 without using the urging member 12 for moving the developer receiving portion 11 downwardly. Therefore, as described above, even in the case of the quick dismounting of the developer supply container 1, the upper engaging portion 3b7 assuredly guides the developer receiving portion 11 so that the downward movement can be effected at the predetermined timing. Therefore, the contamination of the developer supply container 1 with the developer can be prevented even in the quick dismounting. With the structures of Embodiment 1 and Embodiment 2, the developer receiving portion 11 is moved against the urging force of the urging member 12 in the mounting of the developer supply container 1. Therefore, a manipulating force required to the operator in the mounting increases correspondingly, and on the contrary, in the dismounting, it can be dismounted smoothly with the aid of the urging force of the urging member 12. Using this example, as shown in part (b) of FIG. 3, it may be unnecessary to provide the developer receiving apparatus 8 with a member for urging the developer receiving portion 11 downwardly. In this case, the urging member 12 is not provided, and therefore, the required manipulating force is the same irrespective of whether the developer supply container 1 is mounted or dismounted relative to the developer receiving apparatus 8. In addition, irrespective of the provision of the urging member 12, the developer receiving portion 11 of the developer receiving apparatus 8 can be connected and spaced in the direction crossing with the mounting and dismounting directions with the mounting and dismounting operation of the developer supply container 1. In other words, the contamination, with the developer, of the downstream side end surface Y (part (b) of FIG. 5) with respect to the mounting direction of the developer supply container 1, as compared with the case in which the developer supply container 1 is connected with and spaced from the developer receiving portion 11 in the direction of mounting and dismounting directions of the developer supply container 1. In addition, the developer contamination caused by the main assembly seal 13 dragging on the lower surface of the lower flange portion 3b can be prevented. From the standpoint of suppression of the maximum value of the manipulating force in the mounting and dismounting of the developer supply container 1 of this example, the omission of the urging member 12 is desired. On the other hand, from the standpoint of reduction of the manipulating force in the dismounting or from the standpoint of assuring the initial position of the developer receiving portion 11, the developer receiving apparatus 8 is desirably provided with the urging member 12. A proper selection therebetween can be made depending on the specifications of the main assembly and/or the developer supply container. Comparison Example Referring to FIG. 35, a comparison example will be described. Part (a) of FIG. 35 is a sectional view of a developer supply container 1 and a developer receiving apparatus 8 prior to the mounting, parts (b) and (c) of FIG. 35 are sectional views during the process of mounting the developer supply container 1 to the developer receiving apparatus 8, part (d) of FIG. 35 is a sectional view thereof after the developer supply container 1 is connected to the developer receiving apparatus 8. In the description of this comparison example, the same reference numerals as in the foregoing embodiments are assigned to the elements having the corresponding functions in this embodiment, and the detailed description thereof is omitted for simplicity. In the comparison example, the developer receiving portion 11 is fixed to the developer receiving apparatus 8 and is immovable in the upward or downward direction, as contrasted to Embodiment 1 or Embodiment 2. In other words, the developer receiving portion 11 and the developer supply container 1 are connected and spaced relative to each other in the mounting and dismounting direction of the developer supply container 1. Therefore, in order to prevent an interference of the developer receiving portion 11 with the shielding portion 3b6 provided in the downstream side of the lower flange portion 3b with respect to the mounting direction in Embodiment 2, for example, an upper end of the developer receiving portion 11 is lower than the shielding portion 3b6 as shown in part (a) of FIG. 35. In addition, to provide a compression state equivalent to that of Embodiment 2 between the shutter 4 and the main assembly seal 13, the main assembly seal 13 of the comparison example is longer than that of the main assembly seal 13 of Embodiment 2 in the vertical direction. As described above, the main assembly seal 13 is made of an elastic member or foam member or the like, and therefore, even if the interference occurs between the developer supply container 1 and the developer supply container 1 in the mounting and dismounting operations, the interference does not prevent the mounting and dismounting operations of the developer supply container 1 because of the elastic deformation as shown in part (b) of FIG. 35 and part (c) of FIG. 35. Experiments have been carried out about a discharge amount and an operationality as well as the developer contamination using the developer supply container 1 of the comparison example and the developer supply containers 1 of Embodiment 1-Embodiment 3. In the experiments, the developer supply container 1 is filled with a predetermined amount of a predetermined developer, and the developer supply container 1 is once mounted to the developer receiving apparatus 8. Thereafter, the developer supplying operation is carried out to the extent of one tenth of the filled amount, and the discharge amount during the supplying operation is measured. Then, the developer supply container 1 is taken out of the developer receiving apparatus 8, and the contamination of the developer supply container 1 and the developer receiving apparatus 8 with the developer is observed. Further, the operationality such as the manipulating force and the operation feeling during the mounting and dismounting operations of the developer supply container 1 are checked. In the experiments, the developer supply container 1 of Embodiment 3 was based on the developer supply container 1 of Embodiment 2. The experiments were carried out five times for each case for the purpose of reliability of the evaluations. Table 1 shows the results of the experiments and evaluations. TABLE 1 Developer contamination prevention Developer Developer supply supply Discharge Structures device side container sice performance Operativity Comp. N N F G example Emb. 1 F G F G Emb. 2 G G G G Emb. 3 E E G G Developer Contamination Prevention: E: Hardly any contamination even in extreme condition use; G: Hardly any contamination in normal condition use; F: Slight contamination (no problem practically) in normal use; and N: Contaminated (problematic practically) in normal use. Discharge Performance: G: Sufficient discharge amount per unit time; F: 70% (based on G case) (no problem practically); and N: Less than 50% (based on G case) (problematic practically). Operativity: G: Required force is less than 20N with good operation feeling; F: Required force is 20N or larger with good operation feeling; and N: Required force is 20N or larger with no good operation feeling. As to the level of the developer contamination of the developer supply container 1 or the developer receiving apparatus 8 taken out of the developer receiving apparatus 8 after the supplying operation, the developer deposited on the main assembly seal 13 is transferred onto the lower surface of the lower flange portion 3b and/or the sliding surface 4i (FIG. 35) of the shutter 4, in the developer supply container 1 of the comparison example. In addition, the developer is deposited on the end surface Y (part (b) of FIG. 5) of the developer supply container 1. Therefore, in this state, if the operator touches inadvertently the developer deposited portion, the operator's finger will be contaminated with the developer. In addition, a large amount of the developer is scattered on the developer receiving apparatus 8. With the structure of the comparison example, when the developer supply container 1 is mounted in the mounting direction (arrow A) in the Figure) from the position shown in part (a) of FIG. 35, the upper surface of the main assembly seal 13 of the developer receiving portion 11 first contacts the end surface Y the part (b) of FIG. 5) in the downstream side, with respect to the mounting direction, of the developer supply container 1. Thereafter, as shown in part (c) of FIG. 35, the developer supply container 1 displaces in the direction of an arrow A, in the state that the upper surface of the main assembly seal 13 of the developer receiving portion 11 is in contact with the lower surface of the lower flange portion 3b and the sliding surface 4i of the shutter 4. Therefore, the developer contamination by the dragging remains on the contact portions, and the developer contamination is exposed in the outside of the developer supply container 1 and scatters with the result of contamination of the developer receiving apparatus 8. It has been confirmed that the levels of the developer contamination in the developer supply containers 1 of Embodiment 1-Embodiment 3 are much improved over that in the comparison example. In Embodiment 1, by the mounting operation of the developer supply container 1, the connecting portion 3a6 of the opening seal 3a5 having been shielded by the shutter 4 is exposed, and the main assembly seal 13 of the developer receiving portion 11 is connected to the exposed portion in the direction crossing with the mounting direction. With the structure of Embodiment 2 and Embodiment 3, the shutter opening 4f and the close-contact portion 4h are uncovered by the shielding portion 3b6, and by the time immediately before the alignment between the discharge opening 3a4 and the shutter opening 4f, the developer receiving portion 11 displaces in the (upwardly in the embodiments) direction crossing with the mounting direction to connect with the shutter 4. Therefore, the developer contamination of the downstream end surface Y (part (b) of FIG. 5) with respect to the mounting direction of the developer supply container 1 can be prevented. In addition, in the developer supply container 1 of Embodiment 1, the connecting portion 3a6 formed on the opening seal 3a5 which is contaminated by the developer to be connected by the main assembly seal 13 of the developer receiving portion 11 is shielded in the shutter 4, with the dismounting operation of the developer supply container 1. Therefore, the connecting portion 3a6 of the opening seal 3a5 of the taken-out developer supply container 1 is not seen from the outside. In addition, the scattering of the developer deposited on the connecting portion 3a6 of the opening seal 3a5 of the taken-out developer supply container 1 can prevented. Similarly, in the developer supply container 1 of Embodiment 2 or Embodiment 3, the close-contact portion 4h of the shutter 4 and the shutter opening 4f contaminated with the developer in the connection of the developer receiving portion 11 is shielded in the shielding portion 3b6 with the dismounting operation of the developer supply container 1. Therefore, close-contact portion 4h of the shutter 4 and the shutter opening 4f contaminated with the developer is not seen from the outside. In addition, the scattering of the developer deposited on the close-contact portion 4h and the shutter of the shutter 4 can be prevented. The levels of the contaminations with the developer are checked in the case of the quick dismounting of the developer supply container 1. With the structures of Embodiment 1 and Embodiment 2, a slight level of developer contamination is seen, and with the structure of Embodiment 3, no developer contamination is seen on the developer supply container 1 or the developer receiving portion 11. This is because even if the quick dismounting of the developer supply container 1 of Embodiment 3 is carried out, the developer receiving portion 11 is assuredly guiding downwardly at the predetermined timing by the upper engaging portion 3b7, and therefore, no deviation of the timing of the movement of the developer receiving portion 11 occurs. It has been confirmed that the structure of Embodiment 3 is better than the structures of Embodiment 1 and Embodiment 2 with respect to the developer contamination level in the quick dismounting. Discharging performance during the supplying operation of the developer supply containers 1 is checked. For this checking, the discharge amount of the developer discharged from the developer supply container 1 per unit time is measured, and the repeatability is checked. The results show that in Embodiment 2 and Embodiment 3, the discharge amount from the developer supply container 1 per unit time is sufficient the and the repeatability is excellent. With Embodiment 1 and the comparison example, the discharge amount from the developer supply container 1 per unit time are sufficient is an occasion and is 70% in another occasion. When the developer supply container 1 is observed during the supplying operation, the developer supply containers 1 sometimes slightly offset in the dismounting direction from the mounting position by the vibration during the operation. The developer supply container 1 of Embodiment 1 is mounted and demounted relative to the developer receiving apparatus 8 a plurality of times, and the connection state is checked each time, and in one case out of five, the positions of the discharge opening 3a4 of the developer supply container 1 and the developer receiving port 11a are offset with the result that the opening communication area is relatively small. It is considered that the discharge amount from the developer supply container 1 per unit time is relatively small. From the phenomenon-and the structure, it is understood that in the developer supply containers 1 of Embodiment 2 and Embodiment 3, by the aligning function of the engaging effect between the misalignment prevention tapered portion 11c and the misalignment prevention taper engaging portion 4 g the shutter opening 4f and the developer receiving port 11a communicate with each other without the misalignment, even if the position of the developer receiving apparatus 8 is slightly offset. Therefore, it is considered that the discharging performance (discharge amount per unit time) is stabilized. The operationalities are checked. A mounting force for the developer supply container 1 to the developer receiving apparatus 8 is slightly higher in Embodiment 1, Embodiment 2 and Embodiment 3 than the comparison example. This is because, as described above, the developer receiving portion 11 is displaced upwardly against the urging force of the urging member 12 urging the developer receiving portion 11 downwardly. The manipulating force in Embodiment 1 to Embodiment 3 is approx. 8N-15N, which is not a problem. With the structure of Embodiment 3, the mounting force was checked with the structure not having the urging member 12. At this time, the manipulating force in the mounting operation is substantially the same as that of the comparison example and was approx. 5N-10N. The demounting force in the dismounting operation of the developer supply container 1 was measured. The results show that the demounting force is smaller than the mounting force in the case of the developer supply containers 1 of Embodiment 1, Embodiment 2 and Embodiment 3 and is approx. 5N-9N. As described above, this is because the developer receiving portion 11 moves downwardly by the assisting of the urging force of the urging member 12. Similarly to the foregoing, when the urging member 12 is not provided in Embodiment 3, there is no significant difference between the mounting force and the demounting force and is approx. 6N-10N. In any of the developer supply containers 1, the operation feeling has no problem. By the checking described in the foregoing, it has been confirmed that the developer supply container 1 of this embodiment is overwhelmingly better than the developer supply container 1 of the comparison example from the standpoint of prevention of the developer contamination. In addition, the developer supply container 1 of these embodiments have solved to various problems with conventional developer supply container. In the developer supply container of this embodiment, the mechanism for displacing the developer receiving portion 11 and connecting it with the developer supply container 1 can be simplified, as compared with the conventional art. More particularly, a driving source or a drive transmission mechanism for moving the entirety of the developing device upwardly is not required, and therefore, the structure of the image forming apparatus side is not complicated, and increase in cost due to the increase of the number of parts can be avoided. In the conventional art, in order to avoid the interference with the developing device when the entirety of the developing device moves up and down, a large space is required, but such upsizing of the image forming apparatus can be prevented in the present invention. The connection between the developer supply container 1 and the developer receiving apparatus 8 can be properly established using the mounting operation of the developer supply container 1 with the minimum contamination with the developer. Similarly, utilizing the dismounting operation of the developer supply container 1, the spacing and resealing between the developer supply container 1 and the developer receiving apparatus 8 can be carried out with minimum contamination with the developer. In addition, with the developer supply container 1 of this embodiment, the timing of displacing the developer receiving portion 11 in the direction crossing with the mounting and demounting direction by the developer supply container 1 in the mounting and dismounting operation of the developer supply container 1 can be controlled assuredly by the engaging portion comprising the first engaging portion 3b2 and the second engaging portion 3b4. In other words, the developer supply container 1 and the developer receiving portion 11 can be connected and spaced relative to each other without relying on the operation of the operator. Embodiment 4 Referring to the drawings, Embodiment 4 will be described. In Embodiment 4, the structure of the developer receiving apparatus and the developer supply container are partly different from those of Embodiment 1 and Embodiment 2. The other structures are substantially the same as with Embodiment 1 or Embodiment 2. In the description of this embodiment, the same reference numerals as in Embodiments 1 and 2 are assigned to the elements having the corresponding functions in this embodiment, and the detailed description thereof is omitted for simplicity. (Image Forming Apparatus) FIGS. 36 and 37 illustrate an example of the image forming apparatus comprising a developer receiving apparatus to which a developer supply container (so-called toner cartridge) is detachably mounted. The structure of the image forming apparatus is substantially the same as with Embodiment 1 or Embodiment 2 except for a structure of a part of the developer supply container and a part of the developer receiving apparatus, and therefore, the detailed description of the common parts is omitted for simplicity. (Developer Receiving Apparatus) Referring to FIGS. 38, 39 and 40, the developer receiving apparatus 8 will be described. FIG. 3 is a schematic perspective view of the developer receiving apparatus 8. FIG. 39 is a schematic perspective view of the developer receiving apparatus 8 as seen from a back side of FIG. 38. FIG. 40 is a schematic sectional view of the developer receiving apparatus 8. The developer receiving apparatus 8 is provided with a mounting portion (mounting space) 8f to which the developer supply container 1 is detachably mounted. Further, there is provided an developer receiving portion 11 for receiving a developer discharged from the developer supply container 1 through a discharge opening (opening) 1c (FIG. 43). The developer receiving portion 11 is mounted so as to be movable (displaceable) relative to the developer receiving apparatus 8 in the vertical direction. As shown in FIG. 40, the upper end surface of the developer receiving portion 11 is provided with a main assembly seal 13 having a developer receiving port 11a at the central portion. The main assembly seal 13 comprises an elastic member, a foam member or the like, and the main assembly seal 13 is closely-contacted with an opening seal (unshown) provided with a discharge opening 1c for the developer supply container 1 which will be described hereinafter to prevent leakage of the developer from the discharge opening 1c and/or the developer receiving port 11a. In order to prevent the contamination in the mounting portion 8f by the developer as much as possible, a diameter of the developer receiving port 11a is desirably substantially the same as or slightly larger than a diameter of the discharge opening 3a4 of the developer supply container 1. This is because if the diameter of the developer receiving port 11a is smaller than the diameter of the discharge opening 1c, the developer discharged from the developer supply container 1 is deposited on the upper surface of developer receiving port 11a, and the deposited developer is transferred onto the lower surface of the developer supply container 1 during the dismounting operation of the developer supply container 1, with the result of contamination with the developer. In addition, the developer transferred onto the developer supply container 1 may be scattered to the mounting portion 8f with the result of contamination of the mounting portion 8f with the developer. On the contrary, if the diameter of the developer receiving port 11a is quite larger than the diameter of the discharge opening 1c, an area in which the developer scattered from the developer receiving port 11a is deposited on the neighborhood of the discharge opening 1c is large. That is, the contaminated area of the developer supply container 1 by the developer is large, which is not preferable. Under the circumstances, the difference between the diameter of the developer receiving port 11a and the diameter of the discharge opening 1c is preferably substantially 0 to approx. 2 mm. In this example, the diameter of the discharge opening 1c of the developer supply container 1 is approx. Φ2 mm (pin hole), and therefore, the diameter of the developer receiving port 11a is approx. φ3 mm. As shown in FIG. 40, the developer receiving portion 11 is urged downwardly by an urging member 12. When the developer receiving portion 11 moves upwardly, it has to move against an urging force of the urging member 12. Below the developer receiving apparatus 8, there is provided a sub-hopper 8c for temporarily storing the developer. As shown in FIG. 40, in the sub-hopper 8c, there are provided a feeding screw 14 for feeding the developer into the developer hopper portion 201a (FIG. 36) which is a part of the developing device 201, and an opening 8d which is in fluid communication with the developer hopper portion 201a. The developer receiving port 11a is closed so as to prevent foreign matter and/or dust entering the sub-hopper 8c in a state that the developer supply container 1 is not mounted. More specifically, the developer receiving port 11a is closed by a main assembly shutter 15 in the state that the developer receiving portion 11 is away to the upside. The developer receiving portion 11 moves upwardly (arrow E) from the position shown in FIG. 43 toward the developer supply container 1 with the mounting operation of the developer supply container 1. By this, the developer receiving port 11a and the main assembly shutter 15 are spaced from each other to unseal the developer receiving port 11a. With this open state, the developer is discharged from the developer supply container 1 through the discharge opening 1c, so that the developer received by the developer receiving port 11a is movable to the sub-hopper 8c. A side surface of the developer receiving portion 11 is provided with an engaging portion 11b (FIGS. 4, 19). The engaging portion 11b is directly engaged with an engaging portion 3b2, 3b4 (FIGS. 8 and 20) provided on the developer supply container 1 which will be described hereinafter, and is guided thereby so that the developer receiving portion 11 is raised toward the developer supply container 1. As shown in FIG. 38, mounting portion 8f of the developer receiving apparatus 8 is provided with a positioning guide (holding member) 81 having a L-like shape to fix the position of the developer supply container 1. The mounting portion 8f of the developer receiving apparatus 8 is provided with an insertion guide 8e for guiding the developer supply container 1 in the mounting and demounting direction. By the positioning guide 81 and the insertion guide 8e, the mounting direction of the developer supply container 1 is determined as being the direction of an arrow A. The dismounting direction of the developer supply container 1 is the opposite (arrow B) to the direction of the arrow A. The developer receiving apparatus 8 is provided with a driving gear 9 (FIG. 39) functioning as a driving mechanism for driving the developer supply container 1 and is provided with a locking member 10 (FIG. 38). The locking member 10 is locked with a locking portion 18 (FIG. 44 the functioning as a drive inputting portion of the developer supply container 1 when the developer supply container 1 is mounted to the mounting portion 8fed of the developer receiving apparatus 8. As shown in FIG. 38, the locking member 10 is loose fitted in an elongate hole portion 8 g formed in the mounting portion 8f of the developer receiving apparatus 8, and is movable relative to the mounting portion 8f in the up and down directions in the Figure. The locking member 10 is in the form of a round bar configuration and is provided at the free end with a tapered portion 10d in consideration of easy insertion into a locking portion 18 (FIG. 44) of the developer supply container 1 which will be described hereinafter. The locking portion 10a (engaging portion engageable with locking portion 18) of the locking member 10 is connected with a rail portion 10b shown in FIG. 39. The sides of the rail portion 10b are held by a guide portion 8j of the developer receiving apparatus 8 and is movable in the up and down direction in the Figure. The rail portion 10b is provided with a gear portion 10c which is engaged with a driving gear 9. The driving gear 9 is connected with a driving motor 500. By a control device 600 effecting such a control that the rotational moving direction of a driving motor 500 provided in the image forming apparatus 100 is periodically reversed, the locking member 10 reciprocates in the up and down directions in the Figure along the elongated hole 8g. (Developer Supply Control of Developer Receiving Apparatus) Referring to FIGS. 41 and 42, a developer supply control by the developer receiving apparatus 8 will be described. FIG. 41 is a block diagram illustrating the function and the structure of the control device 600, and FIG. 42 is a flow chart illustrating a flow of the supplying operation. In this example, an amount of the developer temporarily accumulated in the hopper 8c (height of the developer level) is limited so that the developer does not flow reversely into the developer supply container 1 from the developer receiving apparatus 8 by the sucking operation of the developer supply container 1 which will be described hereinafter. For this purpose, in this example, a developer sensor 8k (FIG. 40) is provided to detect the amount of the developer accommodated in the hopper 8g. As shown in FIG. 41, the control device 600 controls the operation/non-operation of the driving motor 500 in accordance with an output of the developer sensor 8k by which the developer is not accommodated in the hopper 8c beyond a predetermined amount. The control flow will be described. First, as shown in FIG. 42, the developer sensor 8k checks the accommodated developer amount in the hopper 8c. When the accommodated developer amount detected by the developer sensor 8k is discriminated as being less than a predetermined amount, that is, when no developer is detected by the developer sensor 8k, the driving motor 500 is actuated to execute a developer supplying operation for a predetermined time period (S101). When the accommodated developer amount detected with developer sensor 8k is discriminated as having reached the predetermined amount, that is, when the developer is detected by the developer sensor 8k, as a result of the developer supplying operation, the driving motor 500 is deactuated to stop the developer supplying operation (S102). By the stop of the supplying operation, a series of developer supplying steps is completed. Such developer supplying steps are carried out repeatedly whenever the accommodated developer amount in the hopper 8c becomes less than a predetermined amount as a result of consumption of the developer by the image forming operations. In this example, the developer discharged from the developer supply container 1 is stored temporarily in the hopper 8c, and then is supplied into the developing device, but the following structure of the developer receiving apparatus can be employed. Particularly in the case of a low speed image forming apparatus 100, the main assembly is required to be compact and low in cost. In such a case, it is desirable that the developer is supplied directly to the developing device 201, as shown in FIG. 43. More particularly, the above-described hopper 8c is omitted, and the developer is supplied directly into the developing device 201a from the developer supply container 1. FIG. 43 shows an example using a two-component type developing device 201 as the developer receiving apparatus. The developing device 201 comprises a stirring chamber into which the developer is supplied, and a developer chamber for supplying the developer to the developing roller 201f, wherein the stirring chamber and the developer chamber are provided with screws 201d rotatable in such directions that the developer is fed in the opposite directions from each other. The stirring chamber and the developer chamber are communicated with each other in the opposite longitudinal end portions, and the two component developer are circulated the two chambers. The stirring chamber is provided with a magnetometric sensor 201 g for detecting a toner content of the developer, and on the basis of the detection result of the magnetometric sensor 201g, the control device 600 controls the operation of the driving motor 500. In such a case, the developer supplied from the developer supply container is non-magnetic toner or non-magnetic toner plus magnetic carrier. The developer receiving portion is not illustrated in FIG. 43, but in the case where the hopper 8c is omitted, and the developer is supplied directly to the developing device 201 from the developer supply container 1, the developer receiving portion 11 is provided in the developing device 201. The arrangement of the developer receiving portion 11 in the developing device 201 may be properly determined. In this example, as will be described hereinafter, the developer in the developer supply container 1 is hardly discharged through the discharge opening 1c only by the gravitation, but the developer is by a discharging operation by a pump portion 2, and therefore, variation in the discharge amount can be suppressed. Therefore, the developer supply container 1 which will be described hereinafter is usable for the example of FIG. 8 lacking the hopper 8c. (Developer Supply Container) Referring to FIGS. 44 and 45, the developer supply container 1 according to this embodiment will be described. FIG. 44 is a schematic perspective view of the developer supply container 1. FIG. 45 is a schematic sectional view of the developer supply container 1. As shown in FIG. 44, the developer supply container 1 has a container body 1a (developer discharging chamber) functioning as a developer accommodating portion for accommodating the developer. Designated by 1b in FIG. 45 is a developer accommodating space in which the developer is accommodated in the container body 1a. In the example, the developer accommodating space 1b functioning as the developer accommodating portion is the space in the container body 1a plus an inside space in the pump portion 5. In this example, the developer accommodating space 1b accommodates toner which is dry powder having a volume average particle size of 5 μm-6 μm. In this example, the pump portion is a displacement type pump portion 5 in which the volume changes. More particularly, the pump portion 5 has a bellow-like expansion-and-contraction portion 5a (bellow portion, expansion-and-contraction member) which can be contracted and expanded by a driving force received from the developer receiving apparatus 8. As shown in FIGS. 44 and 45, the bellow-like pump portion 5 of this example is folded to provide crests and bottoms which are provided alternately and periodically, and is contractable and expandable. When the bellow-like pump portion 2 as in this example, a variation in the volume change amount relative to the amount of expansion and contraction can be reduced, and therefore, a stable volume change can be accomplished. In this embodiment, the entire volume of the developer accommodating space 1b is 480 cm̂3, of which the volume of the pump portion 2 is 160 cm̂3 (in the free state of the expansion-and-contraction portion 5a), and in this example, the pumping operation is effected in the pump portion (2) expansion direction from the length in the free state. The volume change amount by the expansion and contraction of the expansion-and-contraction portion 5a of the pump portion 5 is 15 cm̂3, and the total volume at the time of maximum expansion of the pump portion 5 is 495 cm̂3. The developer supply container 1 filled with 240 g of developer. The driving motor 500 for driving the locking member 10 shown in FIG. 43 is controlled by the control device 600 to provide a volume change speed of 90 cm̂3/s. The volume change amount and the volume change speed may be properly selected in consideration of a required discharge amount of the developer receiving apparatus 8. The pump portion 5 in this example is a bellow-like pump, but another pump is usable if the air amount (pressure) in the developer accommodating space 1b can be changed. For example, the pump portion 5 may be a single-shaft eccentric screw pump. In this case, an opening for suction and discharging of the single-shaft eccentric screw pump is required, and such an opening requires a additional filter or the like in addition to the above-described filter, in order to prevent the leakage of the developer therethrough. In addition, a single-shaft eccentric screw pump requires a very high torque to operate, and therefore, the load to the main assembly 100 of the image forming apparatus increases. Therefore, the bellow-like pump is preferable since it is free of such problems. The developer accommodating space 1b may be only the inside space of the pump portion 5. In such a case, the pump portion 5 functions simultaneously as the developer accommodating space 1b. A connecting portion 5b of the pump portion 5 and the connected portion 1i of the container body 1a are unified by welding to prevent leakage of the developer, that is, to keep the hermetical property of the developer accommodating space 1b. The developer supply container 1 is provided with a locking portion 18 as a drive inputting portion (driving force receiving portion, drive connecting portion, engaging portion) which is engageable with the driving mechanism of the developer receiving apparatus 8 and which receives a driving force for driving the pump portion 5 from the driving mechanism. More particularly, the locking portion 18 engageable with the locking member 10 of the developer receiving apparatus 8 is mounted to an upper end of the pump portion 5. The locking portion 18 is provided with a locking hole 18a in the center portion as shown in FIG. 44. When the developer supply container 1 is mounted to the mounting portion 8f (FIG. 38), the locking member 10 is inserted into a locking hole 18a, so that they are unified (slight play is provided for easy insertion). As shown in FIG. 44, the relative position between the locking portion 18 and the locking member 10 in arrow p direction and arrow q direction which are expansion and contracting directions of the expansion-and-contraction portion 5a. It is preferable that the pump portion 5 and the locking portion 18 are molded integrally using an injection molding method or a blow molding method. The locking portion 18 unified substantially with the locking member 10 in this manner receives a driving force for expanding and contracting the expansion-and-contraction portion 5a of the pump portion 2 from the locking member 10. As a result, with the vertical movement of the locking member 10, the expansion-and-contraction portion 5a of the pump portion 5 is expanded and contracted. The pump portion 5 functions as an air flow generating mechanism for producing alternately and repeatedly the air flow into the developer supply container and the air flow to the outside of the developer supply container through the discharge opening 1c by the driving force received by the locking portion 18 functioning as the drive inputting portion. In this embodiment, the use is made with the round bar locking member 10 and the round hole locking portion 18 to substantially unify them, but another structure is usable if the relative position therebetween can be fixed with respect to the expansion and contracting direction (arrow p direction and arrow q direction) of the expansion-and-contraction portion 5a. For example, the locking portion 18 is a rod-like member, and the locking member 10 is a locking hole; the cross-sectional configurations of the locking portion 18 and the locking member 10 may be triangular, rectangular or another polygonal, or may be ellipse, star shape or another shape. Or, another known locking structure is usable. The bottom end portion of the container body 1a is provided with an upper flange portion 1 g constituting a flange held by the developer receiving apparatus 8 so as to be non-rotatable. The upper flange portion 1 g is provided with a discharge opening 1c for permitting discharging of the developer to the outer of the developer supply container 1 from the developer accommodating space 1b. The discharge opening 1c will be described in detail hereinafter. As shown in FIG. 45, an inclined surface 1f is formed toward the discharge opening 1c in a lower portion of the container body 1a, the developer accommodated in the developer accommodating space 1b slides down on the inclined surface 1f by the gravity toward a neighborhood of the discharge opening 1c. In this embodiment, the inclination angle of the inclined surface 1f (angle relative to a horizontal surface in the state that the developer supply container 1 is set in the developer receiving apparatus 8) is larger than an angle of rest of the toner (developer). As for the configuration of the peripheral portion of the discharge opening 1c, as shown in FIG. 46, the configuration of the connecting portion between the discharge opening 1c and the inside of the container body 1a may be flat (1 W in FIG. 45), or as shown in FIG. 46, the discharge opening 1c may be connected with the inclined surface 1f. The flat configuration shown in FIG. 45 provides high space efficiency in the direction of the height of the developer supply container 1, and the configuration connecting with the inclined surface 1f shown in FIG. 46 provides the reduction of the remaining developer because the developer remaining on the inclined surface 1f falls to the discharge opening 1c. As described above, the configuration of the peripheral portion of the discharge opening 1c may be selected properly depending on the situation. In this embodiment, the flat configuration shown in FIG. 45 is used. The developer supply container 1 is in fluid communication with the outside of the developer supply container 1 only through the discharge opening 1c, and is sealed substantially except for the discharge opening 1c. Referring to FIGS. 38 and 45, a shutter mechanism for opening and closing the discharge opening 1c will be described. An opening seal (sealing member) 3a5 of a elastic material is fixed by bonding to a lower surface of the upper flange portion 1 g so as to surround the circumference of the discharge opening 1c to prevent developer leakage. The opening seal 3a5 is provided with a circular discharge opening (opening) 3a4 for discharging the developer into the developer receiving apparatus 8 similarly to the above-described embodiments. There is provided a shutter 4 for sealing the discharge opening 3a4 (discharge opening 1c) so that the opening seal 3a5 is compressed between the lower surface of the upper flange portion 1g. In this manner, the opening seal 3a5 is stuck on the lower surface of the upper flange portion 1g, and is nipped by the upper flange portion 1 g and the shutter 4 which will be described hereinafter. In this example, the discharge opening 3a4 is provided on the opening seal 3a5 is unintegral with the upper flange portion 1g, but the discharge opening 3a4 may be provided directly on the upper flange portion 1 g (discharge opening 1c). Also in this case, in order to prevent the leakage of the developer, it is desired to nip the opening seal 3a5 by the upper flange portion 1 g and the shutter 4. Below the upper flange portion 1g, a lower flange portion 3b constituting a flange through the shutter 4 is mounted. The lower flange portion 3b includes engaging portions 3b2, 3b4 engageable with the developer receiving portion 11 (FIG. 4) similarly to the lower flange shown in FIG. 8 or FIG. 20. The structure of the lower flange portion 3b having the engaging portions 3b2 and 3b4 is similar to the above-described embodiments, and the description thereof is omitted. The shutter 4 is provided with a stopper portion (holding portion) held by a shutter stopper portion of the developer receiving apparatus 8 so that the developer supply container 1 is movable relative to the shutter 4, similarly to the shutter shown in FIG. 9 or FIG. 21. The structure of the shutter 4 having the stopper portion (holding portion) is similar to that of the above-described embodiments, and the description thereof is omitted. The shutter 4 is fixed to the developer receiving apparatus 8 by the stopper portion engaging with the shutter stopper portion formed on the developer receiving apparatus 8, with the operation of mounting the developer supply container 1. Then, the developer supply container 1 starts the relative movement relative to the fixed shutter 4. At this time, similarly to the above-described embodiments, the engaging portion 3b2 of the developer supply container 1 is first engaged directly with the engaging portion 11b of the developer receiving portion 11 to move the developer receiving portion 11 upwardly. By this, the developer receiving portion 11 is close-contacted to the developer supply container 1 (or the shutter opening 4f of the shutter 4), and the developer receiving port 11a of the developer receiving portion 11 is unsealed. Thereafter, the engaging portion 3b4 of the developer supply container 1 is engaged directly with the engaging portion 11b of the developer receiving portion 11, and the developer supply container 1 moves relative to the shutter 4 while maintaining the above-described close-contact state, with the mounting operation. By this, the shutter 4 is unsealed, and the discharge opening 1c of the developer supply container 1 and the developer receiving port 11a of the developer receiving portion 11 are aligned with each other. At this time, the upper flange portion 1 g of the developer supply container 1 is guided by the positioning guide 81 of the developer receiving apparatus 8 so that a side surface 1k (FIG. 44) of the developer supply container 1 abuts to the stopper portion 8i of the developer receiving apparatus 8. As a result, the position of the developer supply container 1 relative to the developer receiving apparatus 8 in the mounting direction (A direction) is determined (FIG. 52). In this manner, the upper flange portion 1 g of the developer supply container 1 is guided by the positioning guide 81, and at the time when the inserting operation of the developer supply container 1 is completed, the discharge opening 1c of the developer supply container 1 and the developer receiving port 11a of the developer receiving portion 11 are aligned with each other. At the time when the inserting operation of the developer supply container 1 is completed, the opening seal 3a5 (FIG. 52) seals between the discharge opening 1c and the developer receiving port 11a to prevent leakage of the developer to the outside. With the inserting operation of the developer supply container 1, the locking member 109 is inserted into the locking hole 18a of the locking portion 18 of the developer supply container 1 so that they are unified. At this time, the position thereof is determined by the L shape portion of the positioning guide 81 in the direction (up and down direction in FIG. 38) perpendicular to the mounting direction (A direction), relative to the developer receiving apparatus 8, of the developer supply container 1. The flange portion 1 g as the positioning portion also functions to prevent movement of the developer supply container 1 in the up and down direction (Reciprocating Direction of the Pump Portion 5). The operations up to here are the series of mounting steps for the developer supply container 1. By the operator closing the front cover 40, the mounting step is finished. The steps for dismounting the developer supply container 1 from the developer receiving apparatus 8 are opposite from those in the mounting step. The steps for dismounting the developer supply container 1 from the developer receiving apparatus 8 are opposite from those in the mounting step. More specifically, the steps described as the mounting operation and the dismounting operation of the developer supply container 1 in the above-described embodiments apply. More specifically, the steps described in conjunction with FIGS. 13-17 by Embodiment 1, or the steps described in conjunction with FIGS. 26-29 by Embodiment 2 apply here. In this example, the state (decompressed state, negative pressure state) in which the internal pressure of the container body 1a (developer accommodating space 1b) is lower than the ambient pressure (external air pressure) and the state (compressed state, positive pressure state) in which the internal pressure is higher than the ambient pressure are alternately repeated at a predetermined cyclic period. Here, the ambient pressure (external air pressure) is the pressure under the ambient condition in which the developer supply container 1 is placed. Thus, the developer is discharged through the discharge opening 1c by changing a pressure (internal pressure) of the container body 1a. In this example, it is changed (reciprocated) between 480-495 cm̂3 at a cyclic period of 0.3 sec. The material of the container body 1a is preferably such that it provides an enough rigidity to avoid collision or extreme expansion. In view of this, this example employs polystyrene resin material as the materials of the developer container body 1a and employs polypropylene resin material as the material of the pump portion 2. As for the material for the container body 1a, other resin materials such as ABS (acrylonitrile, butadiene, styrene copolymer resin material), polyester, polyethylene, polypropylene, for example are usable if they have enough durability against the pressure. Alternatively, they may be metal. As for the material of the pump portion 2, any material is usable if it is expansible and contractable enough to change the internal pressure of the space in the developer accommodating space 1b by the volume change. The examples includes thin formed ABS (acrylonitrile, butadiene, styrene copolymer resin material), polystyrene, polyester, polyethylene materials. Alternatively, other expandable-and-contractable materials such as rubber are usable. They may be integrally molded of the same material through an injection molding method, a blow molding method or the like if the thicknesses are properly adjusted for the pump portion 5b and the container body 1a. In this example, the developer supply container 1 is in fluid communication with the outside only through the discharge opening 1c, and therefore, it is substantially sealed from the outside except for the discharge opening 1c. That is, the developer is discharged through discharge opening 1c by compressing and decompressing the inside of the developer supply container 1 by the pump portion 5, and therefore, the hermetical property is desired to maintain the stabilized discharging performance. On the other hand, there is a liability that during transportation (air transportation) of the developer supply container 1 and/or in long term unused period, the internal pressure of the container may abruptly changes due to abrupt variation of the ambient conditions. For an example, when the apparatus is used in a region having a high altitude, or when the developer supply container 1 kept in a low ambient temperature place is transferred to a high ambient temperature room, the inside of the developer supply container 1 may be pressurized as compared with the ambient air pressure. In such a case, the container may deform, and/or the developer may splash when the container is unsealed. In view of this, the developer supply container 1 is provided with an opening of a diameter φ3 mm, and the opening is provided with a filter, in this example. The filter is TEMISH (registered Trademark) available from Nitto Denko Kabushiki Kaisha, Japan, which is provided with a property preventing developer leakage to the outside but permitting air passage between inside and outside of the container. Here, in this example, despite the fact that such a countermeasurement is taken, the influence thereof to the sucking operation and the discharging operation through the discharge opening 1c by the pump portion 5 can be ignored, and therefore, the hermetical property of the developer supply container 1 is kept in effect. (Discharge Opening of Developer Supply Container) In this example, the size of the discharge opening 1c of the developer supply container 1 is so selected that in the orientation of the developer supply container 1 for supplying the developer into the developer receiving apparatus 8, the developer is not discharged to a sufficient extent, only by the gravitation. The opening size of the discharge opening 1c is so small that the discharging of the developer from the developer supply container is insufficient only by the gravitation, and therefore, the opening is called pin hole hereinafter. In other words, the size of the opening is determined such that the discharge opening 1c is substantially clogged. This is expectedly advantageous in the following points: 1) the developer does not easily leak through the discharge opening 1c; 2) excessive discharging of the developer at time of opening of the discharge opening 1c can be suppressed; and 3) the discharging of the developer can rely dominantly on the discharging operation by the pump portion. The inventors have investigated as to the size of the discharge opening 1c not enough to discharge the toner to a sufficient extent only by the gravitation. The verification experiment (measuring method) and criteria will be described. A rectangular parallelepiped container of a predetermined volume in which a discharge opening (circular) is formed at the center portion of the bottom portion is prepared, and is filled with 200 g of developer; then, the filling port is sealed, and the discharge opening is plugged; in this state, the container is shaken enough to loosen the developer. The rectangular parallelepiped container has a volume of 1000 cm̂3, 90 mm in length, 92 mm width and 120 mm in height. Thereafter, as soon as possible the discharge opening is unsealed in the state that the discharge opening is directed downwardly, and the amount of the developer discharged through the discharge opening is measured. At this time, the rectangular parallelepiped container is sealed completely except for the discharge opening. In addition, the verification experiments were carried out under the conditions of the temperature of 24 degree C. and the relative humidity of 55%. Using these processes, the discharge amounts are measured while changing the kind of the developer and the size of the discharge opening. In this example, when the amount of the discharged developer is not more than 2 g, the amount is negligible, and therefore, the size of the discharge opening at that time is deemed as being not enough to discharge the developer sufficiently only by the gravitation. The developers used in the verification experiment are shown in Table 1. The kinds of the developer are one component magnetic toner, non-magnetic toner for two component developer developing device and a mixture of the non-magnetic toner and the magnetic carrier. As for property values indicative of the property of the developer, the measurements are made as to angles of rest indicating flowabilities, and fluidity energy indicating easiness of loosing of the developer layer, which is measured by a powder flowability analyzing device (Powder Rheometer FT4 available from Freeman Technology). TABLE 2 Volume average Fluidity particle Angle energy size of of (Bulk toner Developer rest density of Developers (μm) component (deg.) 0.5 g/cm3) A 7 Two- 18 2.09 × 10−3 J component non- magnetic B 6.5 Two- 22 6.80 × 10−4 J component non- magnetic toner + carrier C 7 One- 35 4.30 × 10−4 J component magnetic toner D 5.5 Two- 40 3.51 × 10−3 J component non- magnetic toner + carrier E 5 Two- 27 4.14 × 10−3 J component non- magnetic toner + carrier Referring to FIG. 47, a measuring method for the fluidity energy will be described. Here, FIG. 47 is a schematic view of a device for measuring the fluidity energy. The principle of the powder flowability analyzing device is that a blade is moved in a powder sample, and the energy required for the blade to move in the powder, that is, the fluidity energy, is measured. The blade is of a propeller type, and when it rotates, it moves in the rotational axis direction simultaneously, and therefore, a free end of the blade moves helically. The propeller type blade 51 is made of SUS (type=C210) and has a diameter of 48 mm, and is twisted smoothly in the counterclockwise direction. More specifically, from a center of the blade of 48 mm×10 mm, a rotation shaft extends in a normal line direction relative to a rotation plane of the blade, a twist angle of the blade at the opposite outermost edge portions (the positions of 24 mm from the rotation shaft) is 70°, and a twist angle at the positions of 12 mm from the rotation shaft is 35°. The fluidity energy is total energy provided by integrating with time a total sum of a rotational torque and a vertical load when the helical rotating blade 51 enters the powder layer and advances in the powder layer. The value thus obtained indicates easiness of loosening of the developer powder layer, and large fluidity energy means less easiness and small fluidity energy means greater easiness. In this measurement, as shown in FIG. 12, the developer T is filled up to a powder surface level of 70 mm (L2 in FIG. 47) into the cylindrical container 53 having a diameter φ of 50 mm (volume=200 cc, L1 (FIG. 47)=50 mm) which is the standard part of the device. The filling amount is adjusted in accordance with a bulk density of the developer to measure. The blade 54 of φ8 mm which is the standard part is advanced into the powder layer, and the energy required to advance from depth 10 mm to depth 30 mm is displayed. The set conditions at the time of measurement are, The set conditions at the time of measurement are, The rotational speed of the blade 51 (tip speed=peripheral speed of the outermost edge portion of the blade) is 60 mm/s: The blade advancing speed in the vertical direction into the powder layer is such a speed that an angle θ (helix angle) formed between a track of the outermost edge portion of the blade 51 during advancement and the surface of the powder layer is 10°: The advancing speed into the powder layer in the perpendicular direction is 11 mm/s (blade advancement speed in the powder layer in the vertical direction=(rotational speed of blade)×tan (helix angle×n/180)): and The measurement is carried out under the condition of temperature of 24 degree C. and relative humidity of 55% The bulk density of the developer when the fluidity energy of the developer is measured is close to that when the experiments for verifying the relation between the discharge amount of the developer and the size of the discharge opening, is less changing and is stable, and more particularly is adjusted to be 0.5 g/cm̂3. The verification experiments were carried out for the developers (Table 2) with the measurements of the fluidity energy in such a manner. FIG. 48 is a graph showing relations between the diameters of the discharge openings and the discharge amounts with respect to the respective developers From the verification results shown in FIG. 48, it has been confirmed that the discharge amount through the discharge opening is not more than 2 g for each of the developers A-E, if the diameter φ of the discharge opening is not more than 4 mm (12.6 mm̂2 in the opening area (circle ratio=3.14)). When the diameter φ discharge opening exceeds 4 mm, the discharge amount increases sharply. The diameter φ of the discharge opening is preferably not more than 4 mm (12.6 mm̂2 of the opening area) when the fluidity energy of the developer (0.5 g/cm̂3 of the bulk density) is not less than 4.3×10-4 kg-m̂2/ŝ2 (J) and not more than 4.14×10̂−3 kg-m̂2/ŝ2 (J). As for the bulk density of the developer, the developer has been loosened and fluidized sufficiently in the verification experiments, and therefore, the bulk density is lower than that expected in the normal use condition (left state), that is, the measurements are carried out in the condition in which the developer is more easily discharged than in the normal use condition. The verification experiments were carries out as to the developer A with which the discharge amount is the largest in the results of FIG. 48, wherein the filling amount in the container were changed in the range of 30-300 g while the diameter φ of the discharge opening is constant at 4 mm. The verification results are shown in part (b) of FIG. 49. From the results of FIG. 49, it has been confirmed that the discharge amount through the discharge opening hardly changes even if the filling amount of the developer changes. From the foregoing, it has been confirmed that by making the diameter φ of the discharge opening not more than 4 mm (12.6 mm̂2 in the area), the developer is not discharged sufficiently only by the gravitation through the discharge opening in the state that the discharge opening is directed downwardly (supposed supplying attitude into the developer receiving apparatus 201 irrespective of the kind of the developer or the bulk density state. On the other hand, the lower limit value of the size of the discharge opening 1c is preferably such that the developer to be supplied from the developer supply container 1 (one component magnetic toner, one component non-magnetic toner, two component non-magnetic toner or two component magnetic carrier) can at least pass therethrough. More particularly, the discharge opening is preferably larger than a particle size of the developer (volume average particle size in the case of toner, number average particle size in the case of carrier) contained in the developer supply container 1. For example, in the case that the supply developer comprises two component non-magnetic toner and two component magnetic carrier, it is preferable that the discharge opening is larger than a larger particle size, that is, the number average particle size of the two component magnetic carrier. Specifically, in the case that the supply developer comprises two component non-magnetic toner having a volume average particle size of 5.5 μm and a two component magnetic carrier having a number average particle size of 40 μm, the diameter of the discharge opening 1c is preferably not less than 0.05 mm (0.002 mm̂2 in the opening area). If, however, the size of the discharge opening 1c is too close to the particle size of the developer, the energy required for discharging a desired amount from the developer supply container 1, that is, the energy required for operating the pump portion 5 is large. It may be the case that a restriction is imparted to the manufacturing of the developer supply container 1. When the discharge opening 1c is formed in a resin material part using an injection molding method, a durable of a metal mold part forming the portion of the discharge opening 1c has to be high. From the foregoing, the diameter φ of the discharge opening 1c is preferably not less than 0.5 mm. In this example, the configuration of the discharge opening 1c is circular, but this is not inevitable. A square, a rectangular, an ellipse or a combination of lines and curves or the like are usable if the opening area is not more than 12.6 mm̂2 which is the opening area corresponding to the diameter of 4 mm. However, a circular discharge opening has a minimum circumferential edge length among the configurations having the same opening area, the edge being contaminated by the deposition of the developer. Therefore, the amount of the developer dispersing with the opening and closing operation of the shutter 5 is small, and therefore, the contamination is decreased. In addition, with the circular discharge opening, a resistance during discharging is also small, and a discharging property is high. Therefore, the configuration of the discharge opening 1c is preferably circular which is excellent in the balance between the discharge amount and the contamination prevention. From the foregoing, the size of the discharge opening 1c is preferably such that the developer is not discharged sufficiently only by the gravitation in the state that the discharge opening 1c is directed downwardly (supposed supplying attitude into the developer receiving apparatus 8). More particularly, a diameter φ of the discharge opening 1c is not less than 0.05 mm (0.002 mm̂2 in the opening area) and not more than 4 mm (12.6 mm̂2 in the opening area). Furthermore, the diameter φ of the discharge opening 1c is preferably not less than 0.5 mm (0.2 mm̂2 in the opening area and not more than 4 mm (12.6 mm̂2 in the opening area). In this example, on the basis of the foregoing investigation, the discharge opening 1c is circular, and the diameter φ of the opening is 2 mm. In this example, the number of discharge openings 1c is one, but this is not inevitable, and a plurality of discharge openings 1c a total opening area of the opening areas satisfies the above-described range. For example, in place of one developer receiving port 8a having a diameter φ of 2 mm, two discharge openings 3a each having a diameter φ of 0.7 mm are employed. However, in this case, the discharge amount of the developer per unit time tends to decrease, and therefore, one discharge opening 1c having a diameter φ of 2 mm is preferable. (Developer Supplying Step) Referring to FIGS. 50-53, a developer supplying step by the pump portion will be described. FIG. 50 is a schematic perspective view in which the expansion-and-contraction portion 5a of the pump portion 5 is contracted. FIG. 51 is a schematic perspective view in which the expansion-and-contraction portion 5a of the pump portion 5 is expanded. FIG. 52 is a schematic sectional view in which the expansion-and-contraction portion 5a of the pump portion 5 is contracted. FIG. 53 is a schematic sectional view in which the expansion-and-contraction portion 5a of the pump portion 5 is expanded. In this example, as will be described hereinafter, the drive conversion of the rotational force is carries out by the drive converting mechanism so that the suction step (sucking operation through discharge opening 3a) and the discharging step (discharging operation through the discharge opening 3a) are repeated alternately. The suction step and the discharging step will be described. The description will be made as to a developer discharging principle using a pump. The operation principle of the expansion-and-contraction portion 5a of the pump portion 5 is as has been in the foregoing. Stating briefly, as shown in FIG. 45, the lower end of the expansion-and-contraction portion 5a is connected to the container body 1a. The container body 1a is prevented in the movement in the arrow p direction and in the arrow q direction (FIG. 44) by the positioning guide 81 of the developer supplying apparatus 8 through the upper flange portion 1 g at the lower end. Therefore, the vertical position of the lower end of the expansion-and-contraction portion 5a connected with the container body 1a is fixed relative to the developer receiving apparatus 8. On the other hand, the upper end of the expansion-and-contraction portion 5a is engaged with the locking member 10 through the locking portion 18, and is reciprocated in the arrow p direction and in the arrow q direction by the vertical movement of the locking member 10. Since the lower end of the expansion-and-contraction portion 5a of the pump portion 5 is fixed, the portion thereabove expands and contracts. The description will be made as to expanding-and-contracting operation (discharging operation and sucking operation) of the expansion-and-contraction portion 5a of the pump portion 5 and the developer discharging. (Discharging Operation) First, the discharging operation through the discharge opening 1c will be described. With the downward movement of the locking member 10, the upper end of the expansion-and-contraction portion 5a displaces in the p direction (contraction of the expansion-and-contraction portion), by which discharging operation is effected. More particularly, with the discharging operation, the volume of the developer accommodating space 1b decreases. At this time, the inside of the container body 1a is sealed except for the discharge opening 1c, and therefore, until the developer is discharged, the discharge opening 1c is substantially clogged or closed by the developer, so that the volume in the developer accommodating space 1b decreases to increase the internal pressure of the developer accommodating space 1b. Therefore, the volume of the developer accommodating space 1b decreases, so that the internal pressure of the developer accommodating space 1b increases. Then, the internal pressure of the developer accommodating space 1b becomes higher than the pressure in the hopper 8c (substantially equivalent to the ambient pressure). Therefore, as shown in FIG. 52, the developer T is pushed out by the air pressure due to the pressure difference (difference pressure relative to the ambient pressure). Thus, the developer T is discharged from the developer accommodating space 1b into the hopper 8c. An arrow in FIG. 52 indicates a direction of a force applied to the developer T in the developer accommodating space 1b. Thereafter, the air in the developer accommodating space 1b is also discharged together with the developer, and therefore, the internal pressure of the developer accommodating space 1b decreases. (Sucking Operation) □ The sucking operation through the discharge opening 1c will be described. With upward movement of the locking member 10, the upper end of the expansion-and-contraction portion 5a of the pump portion 5 displaces in the p direction (the expansion-and-contraction portion expands) so that the sucking operation is effected. More particularly, the volume of the developer accommodating space 1b increases with the sucking operation. At this time, the inside of the container body 1a is sealed except of the discharge opening 1c, and the discharge opening 1c is clogged by the developer and is substantially closed. Therefore, with the increase of the volume in the developer accommodating space 1b, the internal pressure of the developer accommodating space 1b decreases. The internal pressure of the developer accommodating space 1b at this time becomes lower than the internal pressure in the hopper 8c (substantially equivalent to the ambient pressure). Therefore, as shown in FIG. 53, the air in the upper portion in the hopper 8c enters the developer accommodating space 1b through the discharge opening 1c by the pressure difference between the developer accommodating space 1b and the hopper 8gc. An arrow in FIG. 53 indicates a direction of a force applied to the developer T in the developer accommodating space 1b. Ovals Z in FIG. 53 schematically show the air taken in from the hopper 8c. At this time, the air is taken-in from the outside of the developer receiving device 8 side, and therefore, the developer in the neighborhood of the discharge opening 1c can be loosened. More particularly, the air impregnated into the developer powder existing in the neighborhood of the discharge opening 1c, reduces the bulk density of the developer powder and fluidizing. In this manner, by the fluidization of the developer T, the developer T does not pack or clog in the discharge opening 3a, so that the developer can be smoothly discharged through the discharge opening 3a in the discharging operation which will be described hereinafter. Therefore, the amount of the developer T (per unit time) discharged through the discharge opening 1c can be maintained substantially at a constant level for a long term. (Change of Internal Pressure of Developer Accommodating Portion) Verification experiments were carried out as to a change of the internal pressure of the developer supply container 1 The verification experiments will be described The developer is filled such that the developer accommodating space 1b in the developer supply container 1 is filled with the developer; and the change of the internal pressure of the developer supply container 1 is measured when the pump portion 5 is expanded and contracted in the range of 15 cm̂3 of volume change. The internal pressure of the developer supply container 1 is measured using a pressure gauge (AP-C40 available from Kabushiki Kaisha KEYENCE) connected with the developer supply container 1. FIG. 54 shows a pressure change when the pump portion 5 is expanded and contracted in the state that the shutter 4 of the developer supply container 1 filled with the developer is open, and therefore, in the communicatable state with the outside air. In FIG. 54, the abscissa represents the time, and the ordinate represents a relative pressure in the developer supply container 1 relative to the ambient pressure (reference (0)) (+ is a positive pressure side, and − is a negative pressure side). When the internal pressure of the developer supply container 1 becomes negative relative to the outside ambient pressure by the increase of the volume of the developer supply container 1, the air is taken in through the discharge opening 1c by the pressure difference. When the internal pressure of the developer supply container 1 becomes positive relative to the outside ambient pressure by the decrease of the volume of the developer supply container 1, a pressure is imparted to the inside developer by the pressure difference. At this time, the inside pressure eases corresponding to the discharged developer and air. By the verification experiments, it has been confirmed that by the increase of the volume of the developer supply container 1, the internal pressure of the developer supply container 1 becomes negative relative to the outside ambient pressure, and the air is taken in by the pressure difference. In addition, it has been confirmed that by the decrease of the volume of the developer supply container 1, the internal pressure of the developer supply container 1 becomes positive relative to the outside ambient pressure, and the pressure is imparted to the inside developer so that the developer is discharged. In the verification experiments, an absolute value of the negative pressure is 1.3 kPa, and an absolute value of the positive pressure is 3.0 kPa. As described in the foregoing, with the structure of the developer supply container 1 of this example, the internal pressure of the developer supply container 1 switches between the negative pressure and the positive pressure alternately by the sucking operation and the discharging operation of the pump portion 5, and the discharging of the developer is carried out properly. As described in the foregoing, in this example, a simple and easy pump capable of effecting the sucking operation and the discharging operation of the developer supply container 1 is provided, by which the discharging of the developer by the air can be carries out stably while providing the developer loosening effect by the air. In other words, with the structure of the example, even when the size of the discharge opening 1c is extremely small, a high discharging performance can be assured without imparting great stress to the developer since the developer can be passed through the discharge opening 1c in the state that the bulk density is small because of the fluidization. In addition, in this example, the inside of the displacement type pump portion 5 is utilized as a developer accommodating space, and therefore, when the internal pressure is reduced by increasing the volume of the pump portion 5, an additional developer accommodating space can be formed. Therefore, even when the inside of the pump portion 5 is filled with the developer, the bulk density can be decreased (the developer can be fluidized) by impregnating the air in the developer powder. Therefore, the developer can be filled in the developer supply container 1 with a higher density than in the conventional art. In the foregoing, the inside space in the pump portion 5 is used as a developer accommodating space 1b, but in an alternative, a filter which permits passage of the air but prevents passage of the toner may be provided to partition between the pump portion 5 and the developer accommodating space 1b. However, the embodiment described in the form of is preferable in that when the volume of the pump 5 increases, an additional developer accommodating space can be provided (Developer Loosening Effect in Suction Step) Verification has been carried out as to the developer loosening effect by the sucking operation through the discharge opening 1c in the suction step. When the developer loosening effect by the sucking operation through the discharge opening 1c is significant, a low discharge pressure (small volume change of the pump) is enough, in the subsequent discharging step, to start immediately the discharging of the developer from the developer supply container 1. This verification is to demonstrate remarkable enhancement of the developer loosening effect in the structure of this example. This will be described in detail. Part (a) of FIG. 55 and part (a) of FIG. 56 are block diagrams schematically showing a structure of the developer supplying system used in the verification experiment. Part (b) of FIG. 55 and part (b) of FIG. 56 are schematic views showing a phenomenon-occurring in the developer supply container. The system of FIG. 55 is analogous to this example, and a developer supply container C is provided with a developer accommodating portion C1 and a pump portion P. By the expanding-and-contracting operation of the pump portion P, the sucking operation and the discharging operation through a discharge opening (the discharge opening 1c of this example (unshown)) of the developer supply container C are carried out alternately to discharge the developer into a hopper H. On the other hand, the system of FIG. 56 is a comparison example wherein a pump portion P is provided in the developer receiving apparatus side, and by the expanding-and-contracting operation of the pump portion P, an air-supply operation into the developer accommodating portion C1 and the sucking operation from the developer accommodating portion C1 are carried out alternately to discharge the developer into a hopper H. In FIGS. 55 and 56, the developer accommodating portions C1 have the same internal volumes, the hoppers H have the same internal volumes, and the pump portions P have the same internal volumes (volume change amounts). First, 200 g of the developer is filled into the developer supply container C. Then, the developer supply container C is shaken for 15 minutes in view of the state after transportation, and thereafter, it is connected to the hopper H. The pump portion P is operated, and a peak value of the internal pressure in the sucking operation is measured as a condition of the suction step required for starting the developer discharging immediately in the discharging step. In the case of FIG. 55, the start position of the operation of the pump portion P corresponds to 480 cm̂3 of the volume of the developer accommodating portion C1, and in the case of FIG. 56, the start position of the operation of the pump portion P corresponds to 480 cm̂3 of the volume of the hopper H. In the experiments of the structure of FIG. 56, the hopper H is filled with 200 g of the developer beforehand to make the conditions of the air volume the same as with the structure of FIG. 55. The internal pressures of the developer accommodating portion C1 and the hopper H are measured by the pressure gauge (AP-C40 available from Kabushiki Kaisha KEYENCE) connected to the developer accommodating portion C1. As a result of the verification, according to the system analogous to this example shown in FIG. 55, if the absolute value of the peak value (negative pressure) of the internal pressure at the time of the sucking operation is at least 1.0 kPa, the developer discharging can be immediately started in the subsequent discharging step. In the comparison example system shown in FIG. 56, on the other hand, unless the absolute value of the peak value (positive pressure) of the internal pressure at the time of the sucking operation is at least 1.7 kPa, the developer discharging cannot be immediately started in the subsequent discharging step. It has been confirmed that using the system of FIG. 55 similar to the example, the suction is carries out with the volume increase of the pump portion P, and therefore, the internal pressure of the developer supply container C can be lower (negative pressure side) than the ambient pressure (pressure outside the container), so that the developer solution effect is remarkably high. This is because as shown in part (b) of FIG. 55, the volume increase of the developer accommodating portion C1 with the expansion of the pump portion P provides pressure reduction state (relative to the ambient pressure) of the upper portion air layer of the developer layer T. For this reason, the forces are applied in the directions to increase the volume of the developer layer T due to the decompression (wave line arrows), and therefore, the developer layer can be loosened efficiently. Furthermore, in the system of FIG. 55, the air is taken in from the outside into the developer supply container C1 by the decompression (white arrow), and the developer layer T is solved also when the air reaches the air layer R, and therefore, it is a very good system. As a proof of the loosening of the developer in the developer supply container C in the, experiments, it has been confirmed that in the sucking operation, the apparent volume of the whole developer increases (the level of the developer rises). In the case of the system of the comparison example shown in FIG. 56, the internal pressure of the developer supply container C is raised by the air-supply operation to the developer supply container C up to a positive pressure (higher than the ambient pressure), and therefore, the developer is agglomerated, and the developer solution effect is not obtained. This is because as shown in part (b) of FIG. 56, the air is fed forcedly from the outside of the developer supply container C, and therefore, the air layer R above the developer layer T becomes positive relative to the ambient pressure. For this reason, the forces are applied in the directions to decrease the volume of the developer layer T due to the pressure (wave line arrows), and therefore, the developer layer T is packed. Actually, a phenomenon-has been confirmed that the apparent volume of the whole developer in the developer supply container C increases upon the sucking operation in this comparison example. Accordingly, with the system of FIG. 56, there is a liability that the packing of the developer layer T disables subsequent proper developer discharging step. In order to prevent the packing of the developer layer T by the pressure of the air layer R, it would be considered that an air vent with a filter or the like is provided at a position corresponding to the air layer R thereby reducing the pressure rise. However, in such a case, the flow resistance of the filter or the like leads to a pressure rise of the air layer R. However, in such a case, the flow resistance of the filter or the like leads to a pressure rise of the air layer R. Even if the pressure rise were eliminated, the loosening effect by the pressure reduction state of the air layer R described above cannot be provided. From the foregoing, the significance of the function of the sucking operation a discharge opening with the volume increase of the pump portion by employing the system of this example has been confirmed. As described above, by the repeated alternate sucking operation and the discharging operation of the pump portion 2, the developer can be discharged through the discharge opening 1c of the developer supply container 1. That is, in this example, the discharging operation and the sucking operation are not in parallel or simultaneous, but are alternately repeated, and therefore, the energy required for the discharging of the developer can be minimized. On the other hand, in the case that the developer receiving apparatus includes the air-supply pump and the suction pump, separately, it is necessary to control the operations of the two pumps, and in addition it is not easy to rapidly switch the air-supply and the suction alternately. In this example, one pump is effective to efficiently discharge the developer, and therefore, the structure of the developer discharging mechanism can be simplified. In the foregoing, the discharging operation and the sucking operation of the pump are repeated alternately to efficiently discharge the developer, but in an alternative structure, the discharging operation or the sucking operation is temporarily stopped and then resumed. For example, the discharging operation of the pump is not effected monotonically, but the compressing operation may be once stopped partway and then resumed to discharge. The same applies to the sucking operation. Each operation may be made in a multi-stage form as long as the discharge amount and the discharging speed are enough. It is still necessary that after the multi-stage discharging operation, the sucking operation is effected, and they are repeated. In this example, the internal pressure of the developer accommodating space 1b is reduced to take the air through the discharge opening 1c to loosen the developer. On the other hand, in the above-described conventional example, the developer is loosened by feeding the air into the developer accommodating space 1b from the outside of the developer supply container 1, but at this time, the internal pressure of the developer accommodating space 1b is in a compressed state with the result of agglomeration of the developer. This example is preferable since the developer is loosened in the pressure reduced state in which is the developer is not easily agglomerated. Furthermore, also according to this example, the mechanism for connecting and separating the developer receiving portion 11 relative to the developer supply container 1 by displacing the developer receiving portion 11 can be simplified, similarly to Embodiments 1 and 2. More particularly, a driving source and/or a drive transmission mechanism for moving the entirety of the developing device upwardly is unnecessary, and therefore, a complication of the structure of the image forming apparatus side and/or the increase in cost due to increase of the number of parts can be avoided. In a conventional structure, a large space is required to avoid an interference with the developing device in the upward and downward movement, but according to this example, such a large space is unnecessary so that the upsizing of the image forming apparatus can be avoided. The connection between the developer supply container 1 and the developer receiving apparatus 8 can be properly established using the mounting operation of the developer supply container 1 with minimum contamination with the developer. Similarly, utilizing the dismounting operation of the developer supply container 1, the spacing and resealing between the developer supply container 1 and the developer receiving apparatus 8 can be carried out with minimum contamination with the developer. Embodiment 5 Referring to FIGS. 57, 58, a structure of the Embodiment 5 will be described. FIG. 57 is a schematic perspective view of a developer supply container 1, and FIG. 58 is a schematic sectional view of the developer supply container 1. In this example, the structure of the pump is different from that of Embodiment 4, and the other structures are substantially the same as with Embodiment 4. In the description of this embodiment, the same reference numerals as in Embodiment 4 are assigned to the elements having the corresponding functions in this embodiment, and the detailed description thereof is omitted. In this example, as shown in FIGS. 57, 58, a plunger type pump is used in place of the bellow-like displacement type pump as in Embodiment 4. More specifically, the plunger type pump of this example includes an inner cylindrical portion 1h and an outer cylindrical portion 6 extending outside the outer surface of the inner cylindrical portion 1h and movable relative to the inner cylindrical portion 1h. The upper surface of the outer cylindrical portion 36 is provided with a locking portion 18, fixed by bonding similarly to Embodiment 4. More particularly, the locking portion 18 fixed to the upper surface of the outer cylindrical portion 36 receives a locking member 10 of the developer receiving apparatus 8, by which they a substantially unified, the outer cylindrical portion 36 can move in the up and down directions (reciprocation) together with the locking member 10. The inner cylindrical portion 1h is connected with the container body 1a, and the inside space thereof functions as a developer accommodating space 1b. In order to prevent leakage of the air through a gap between the inner cylindrical portion 1h and the outer cylindrical portion 36 (to prevent leakage of the developer by keeping the hermetical property), a sealing member (elastic seal 7) is fixed by bonding on the outer surface of the inner cylindrical portion 1h. The elastic seal 37 is compressed between the inner cylindrical portion 1h and the outer cylindrical portion 35. Therefore, by reciprocating the outer cylindrical portion 36 in the arrow p direction and the arrow q direction relative to the container body 1a (inner cylindrical portion 1h) fixed non-movably to the developer receiving apparatus 8, the volume in the developer accommodating space 1b can be changed (increased and decreased). That is, the internal pressure of the developer accommodating space 1b can be repeated alternately between the negative pressure state and the positive pressure state. Thus, also in this example, one pump is enough to effect the sucking operation and the discharging operation, and therefore, the structure of the developer discharging mechanism can be simplified. In addition, by the sucking operation through the discharge opening, a decompressed state (negative pressure state) can be provided in the developer accommodation supply container, and therefore, the developer can be efficiently loosened. In this example, the configuration of the outer cylindrical portion 36 is cylindrical, but may be of another form, such as a rectangular section. In such a case, it is preferable that the configuration of the inner cylindrical portion 1h meets the configuration of the outer cylindrical portion 36. The pump is not limited to the plunger type pump, but may be a piston pump. When the pump of this example is used, the seal structure is required to prevent developer leakage through the gap between the inner cylinder and the outer cylinder, resulting in a complicated structure and necessity for a large driving force for driving the pump portion, and therefore, Embodiment 4 is preferable. In addition, in this example, the developer supply container 1 is provided with the engaging portion similar to Embodiment 4, and therefore, similarly to the above-described embodiments, the mechanism for connecting and separating the developer receiving portion 11 relative to the developer supply container 1 by displacing the developer receiving portion 11 of the developer receiving apparatus 8 can be simplified. More particularly, a driving source and/or a drive transmission mechanism for moving the entirety of the developing device upwardly is unnecessary, and therefore, a complication of the structure of the image forming apparatus side and/or the increase in cost due to increase of the number of parts can be avoided. The connection between the developer supply container 1 and the developer receiving apparatus 8 can be properly established using the mounting operation of the developer supply container 1 with minimum contamination with the developer. Similarly, utilizing the dismounting operation of the developer supply container 1, the spacing and resealing between the developer supply container 1 and the developer receiving apparatus 8 can be carried out with minimum contamination with the developer. Embodiment 6 Referring to FIGS. 59, 60, a structure of the Embodiment 6 will be described. FIG. 59 is a perspective view of an outer appearance in which a pump portion 38 of a developer supply container 1 according to this embodiment is in an expanded state, and FIG. 60 is a perspective view of an outer appearance in which the pump portion 38 of the developer supply container 1 is in a contracted state. In this example, the structure of the pump is different from that of Embodiment 4, and the other structures are substantially the same as with Embodiment 4. In the description of this embodiment, the same reference numerals as in Embodiment 4 are assigned to the elements having the corresponding functions in this embodiment, and the detailed description thereof is omitted. In this example, as shown in FIGS. 59, 60, in place of a bellow-like pump having folded portions of Embodiment 4, a film-like pump portion 38 capable of expansion and contraction not having a folded portion is used. The film-like portion of the pump portion 38 is made of rubber. The material of the film-like portion of the pump portion 12 may be a flexible material such as resin film rather than the rubber. The film-like pump portion 38 is connected with the container body 1a, and the inside space thereof functions as a developer accommodating space 1b. The upper portion of the film-like pump portion 38 is provided with a locking portion 18 fixed thereto by bonding, similarly to the foregoing embodiments. Therefore, the pump portion 38 can alternately repeat the expansion and the contraction by the vertical movement of the locking member 10 (FIG. 38). In this manner, also in this example, one pump is enough to effect both of the sucking operation and the discharging operation, and therefore, the structure of the developer discharging mechanism can be simplified. In addition, by the sucking operation through the discharge opening, a pressure reduction state (negative pressure state) can be provided in the developer supply container, and therefore, the developer can be efficiently loosened. In the case of this example, as shown in FIG. 61, it is preferable that a plate-like member 39 having a higher rigid than the film-like portion is mounted to the upper surface of the film-like portion of the pump portion 38, and the locking member 18 is provided on the plate-like member 39. With such a structure, it can be suppressed that the amount of the volume change of the pump portion 38 decreases due to deformation of only the neighborhood of the locking portion 18 of the pump portion 38. That is, the followability of the pump portion 38 to the vertical movement of the locking member 10 can be improved, and therefore, the expansion and the contraction of the pump portion 38 can be effected efficiently. Thus, the discharging property of the developer can be improved. In addition, in this example, the developer supply container 1 is provided with the engaging portion similar to Embodiment 4, and therefore, similarly to the above-described embodiments, the mechanism for connecting and separating the developer receiving portion 11 relative to the developer supply container 1 by displacing the developer receiving portion 11 of the developer receiving apparatus 8 can be simplified. More particularly, a driving source and/or a drive transmission mechanism for moving the entirety of the developing device upwardly is unnecessary, and therefore, a complication of the structure of the image forming apparatus side and/or the increase in cost due to increase of the number of parts can be avoided. The connection between the developer supply container 1 and the developer receiving apparatus 8 can be properly established using the mounting operation of the developer supply container 1 with minimum contamination with the developer. Similarly, utilizing the dismounting operation of the developer supply container 1, the spacing and resealing between the developer supply container 1 and the developer receiving apparatus 8 can be carried out with minimum contamination with the developer. Embodiment 7 Referring to FIGS. 62-64, a structure of the Embodiment 7 will be described. FIG. 62 is a perspective view of an outer appearance of a developer supply container 1, FIG. 63 is a sectional perspective view of the developer supply container 1, and FIG. 64 is a partially sectional view of the developer supply container 1. In this example, the structure is different from that of Embodiment 4 only in the structure of a developer accommodating space, and the other structure is substantially the same. In the description of this embodiment, the same reference numerals as in Embodiment 4 are assigned to the elements having the corresponding functions in this embodiment, and the detailed description thereof is omitted. As shown in FIGS. 62, 63, the developer supply container 1 of this example comprises two components, namely, a portion X including a container body 1a and a pump portion 5 and a portion Y including a cylindrical portion 24. The structure of the portion X of the developer supply container 1 is substantially the same as that of Embodiment 4, and therefore, detailed description thereof is omitted. (Structure of Developer Supply Container) In the developer supply container 1 of this example, as contrasted to Embodiment 4, the cylindrical portion 24 is connected by a connecting portion 14c to a side of the portion X (a discharging portion in which a discharge opening 1c is formed), as shown in FIG. 63. The cylindrical portion (developer accommodation rotatable portion) 24 has a closed end at one longitudinal end thereof and an open end at the other end which is connected with an opening of the portion X, and the space therebetween is a developer accommodating space 1b. In this example, an inside space of the container body 1a, an inside space of the pump portion 5 and the inside space of the cylindrical portion 24 are all developer accommodating space 1b, and therefore, a large amount of the developer can be accommodated. In this example, the cylindrical portion 24 as the developer accommodation rotatable portion has a circular cross-sectional configuration, but the circular shape is not restrictive to the present invention. For example, the cross-sectional configuration of the developer accommodation rotatable portion may be of non-circular configuration such as a polygonal configuration as long as the rotational motion is not obstructed during the developer feeding operation. A inside of the cylindrical portion (developer feeding chamber) 24 is provided with a helical feeding projection (feeding portion) 24a, which has a function of feeding the inside developer accommodated therein toward the portion X (discharge opening 1c) when the cylindrical portion 24 rotates in a direction indicated by an arrow R. In addition, the inside of the cylindrical portion 24 is provided with a receiving-and-feeding member (feeding portion) 16 for receiving the developer fed by the feeding projection 24a and supplying it to the portion X side by rotation of the cylindrical portion 24 in the direction of arrow R (the rotational axis is substantially extends in the horizontal direction), the moving member upstanding from the inside of the cylindrical portion 24. The receiving-and-feeding member 16 is provided with a plate-like portion 16a for scooping the developer up, and inclined projections 16b for feeding (guiding) the developer scooped up by the plate-like portion 16a toward the portion X, the inclined projections 16b being provided on respective sides of the plate-like portion 16a. The plate-like portion 16a is provided with a through-hole 16c for permitting passage of the developer in both directions to improve the stirring property for the developer. In addition, a gear portion 24b as a drive inputting mechanism is fixed by bonding on an outer surface at the other longitudinal end (with respect to the feeding direction of the developer) of the cylindrical portion 24. When the developer supply container 1 is mounted to the developer receiving apparatus 8, the gear portion 24b engages with the driving gear (driving portion) 9 functioning as a driving mechanism provided in the developer receiving apparatus 8. When the rotational force is inputted to the gear portion 14b as the driving force receiving portion from the driving gear 9, the cylindrical portion 24 rotates in the direction or arrow R (FIG. 63). The gear portion 24b is not restrictive to the present invention, but another drive inputting mechanism such as a belt or friction wheel is usable as long as it can rotate the cylindrical portion 24. As shown in FIG. 64, one longitudinal end of the cylindrical portion 24 (downstream end with respect to the developer feeding direction) is provided with a connecting portion 24c as a connecting tube for connection with portion X. The above-described inclined projection 16b extends to a neighborhood of the connecting portion 24c. Therefore, the developer fed by the inclined projection 16b is prevented as much as possible from falling toward the bottom side of the cylindrical portion 24 again, so that the developer is properly supplied to the connecting portion 24c. The cylindrical portion 24 rotates as described above, but on the contrary, the container body 1a and the pump portion 5 are connected to the cylindrical portion 24 through a flange portion 1 g so that the container body 1a and the pump portion 5 are non-rotatable relative to the developer receiving apparatus 8 (non-rotatable in the rotational axis direction of the cylindrical portion 24 and non-movable in the rotational moving direction), similarly to Embodiment 4. Therefore, the cylindrical portion 24 is rotatable relative to the container body 1a. A ring-like elastic seal 25 is provided between the cylindrical portion 24 and the container body 1a and is compressed by a predetermined amount between the cylindrical portion 24 and the container body 1a. By this, the developer leakage there is prevented during the rotation of the cylindrical portion 24. In addition, the structure, the hermetical property can be maintained, and therefore, the loosening and discharging effects by the pump portion 5 are applied to the developer without loss. The developer supply container 1 does not have an opening for substantial fluid communication between the inside and the outside except for the discharge opening 1c. (Developer Supplying Step) A developer supplying step will be described. When the operator inserts the developer supply container 1 into the developer receiving apparatus 8, similarly to Embodiment 4, the locking portion 18 of the developer supply container 1 is locked with the locking member 10 of the developer receiving apparatus 8, and the gear portion 24b of the developer supply container 1 is engaged with the driving gear 9 of the developer receiving apparatus 8. Thereafter, the driving gear 9 is rotated by another driving motor (not shown) for rotation, and the locking member 10 is driven in the vertical direction by the above-described driving motor 500. Then, the cylindrical portion 24 rotates in the direction of the arrow R, by which the developer therein is fed to the receiving-and-feeding member 16 by the feeding projection 24a. In addition, by the rotation of the cylindrical portion 24 in the direction R, the receiving-and-feeding member 16 scoops the developer, and feeds it to the connecting portion 24c. The developer fed into the container body 1a from the connecting portion 24c is discharged from the discharge opening 1c by the expanding-and-contracting operation of the pump portion 5, similarly to Embodiment 4. These are a series of the developer supply container 1 mounting steps and developer supplying steps. Here, the developer supply container 1 is exchanged, the operator takes the developer supply container 1 out of the developer receiving apparatus 8, and a new developer supply container 1 is inserted and mounted. In the case of a vertical container having a developer accommodating space 1b which is long in the vertical direction as in Embodiment 4-Embodiment 6, if the volume of the developer supply container 1 is increased to increase the filling amount, the developer results in concentrating to the neighborhood of the discharge opening 1c by the weight of the developer. As a result, the developer adjacent the discharge opening 1c tends to be compacted, leading to difficulty in suction and discharge through the discharge opening 1c. In such a case, in order to loosen the developer compacted by the suction through the discharge opening 1c or to discharge the developer by the discharging, the internal pressure (negative pressure/positive pressure) of the developer accommodating space 1b has to be enhanced by increasing the amount of the change of the pump portion 5 volume. Then, the driving forces or drive the pump portion 5 has to be increased, and the load to the main assembly of the image forming apparatus 100 may be excessive. According to this embodiment, however, container body 1a and the portion X of the pump portion 5 and the portion Y of the cylindrical portion 24 are arranged in the horizontal direction, and therefore, the thickness of the developer layer above the discharge opening 1c in the container body 1a can be thinner than in the structure of FIG. 44. By doing so, the developer is not easily compacted by the gravity, and therefore, the developer can be stably discharged without load to the main assembly of the image forming apparatus 100. As described, with the structure of this example, the provision of the cylindrical portion 24 is effective to accomplish a large capacity developer supply container 1 without load to the main assembly of the image forming apparatus. In this manner, also in this example, one pump is enough to effect both of the sucking operation and the discharging operation, and therefore, the structure of the developer discharging mechanism can be simplified. The developer feeding mechanism in the cylindrical portion 24 is not restrictive to the present invention, and the developer supply container 1 may be vibrated or swung, or may be another mechanism. Specifically, the structure of FIG. 65 is usable. As shown in FIG. 65, the cylindrical portion 24 per se is not movable substantially relative to the developer receiving apparatus 8 (with slight play), and a feeding member 17 is provided in the cylindrical portion in place of the feeding projection 24a, the feeding member 17 being effective to feed the developer by rotation relative to the cylindrical portion 24. The feeding member 17 includes a shaft portion 17a and flexible feeding blades 17b fixed to the shaft portion 17a. The feeding blade 17b is provided at a free end portion with an inclined portion S inclined relative to an axial direction of the shaft portion 17a. Therefore, it can feed the developer toward the portion X while stirring the developer in the cylindrical portion 24. One longitudinal end surface of the cylindrical portion 24 is provided with a coupling portion 24e as the rotational driving force receiving portion, and the coupling portion 24e is operatively connected with a coupling member (not shown) of the developer receiving apparatus 8, by which the rotational force can be transmitted. The coupling portion 24e is coaxially connected with the shaft portion 17a of the feeding member 17 to transmit the rotational force to the shaft portion 17a. By the rotational force applied from the coupling member (not shown) of the developer receiving apparatus 8, the feeding blade 17b fixed to the shaft portion 17a is rotated, so that the developer in the cylindrical portion 24 is fed toward the portion X while being stirred. However, with the modified example shown in FIG. 65, the stress applied to the developer in the developer feeding step tends to be large, and the driving torque is also large, and for this reason, the structure of the embodiment is preferable. Thus, also in this example, one pump is enough to effect the sucking operation and the discharging operation, and therefore, the structure of the developer discharging mechanism can be simplified. In addition, by the sucking operation through the discharge opening, a pressure reduction state (negative pressure state) can be provided in the developer supply container, and therefore, the developer can be efficiently loosened. In addition, in this example, the developer supply container 1 is provided with the engaging portion similar to Embodiment 4, and therefore, similarly to the above-described embodiments, the mechanism for connecting and separating the developer receiving portion 11 relative to the developer supply container 1 by displacing the developer receiving portion 11 of the developer receiving apparatus 8 can be simplified. More particularly, a driving source and/or a drive transmission mechanism for moving the entirety of the developing device upwardly is unnecessary, and therefore, a complication of the structure of the image forming apparatus side and/or the increase in cost due to increase of the number of parts can be avoided. The connection between the developer supply container 1 and the developer receiving apparatus 8 can be properly established using the mounting operation of the developer supply container 1 with minimum contamination with the developer. Similarly, utilizing the dismounting operation of the developer supply container 1, the spacing and resealing between the developer supply container 1 and the developer receiving apparatus 8 can be carried out with minimum contamination with the developer. Embodiment 8 Referring to FIGS. 66-68, the description will be made as to structures of Embodiment 8. Part (a) of FIG. 66 is a front view of a developer receiving apparatus 8, as seen in a mounting direction of a developer supply container 1, and (b) is a perspective view of an inside of the developer receiving apparatus 8. Part (a) of FIG. 67 is a perspective view of the entire developer supply container 1, (b) is a partial enlarged view of a neighborhood of a discharge opening 21a of the developer supply container 1, and (c)-(d) are a front view and a sectional view illustrating a state that the developer supply container 1 is mounted to a mounting portion 8f. Part (a) of FIG. 68 is a perspective view of the developer accommodating portion 20, (b) is a partially sectional view illustrating an inside of the developer supply container 1, (c) is a sectional view of a flange portion 21, and (d) is a sectional view illustrating the developer supply container 1. In the above-described Embodiment 4-7, the pump is expanded and contracted by moving the locking member 10 (FIG. 38) of the developer receiving apparatus 8 vertically. In this example, the developer supply container 1 receives only a rotational force from the developer receiving apparatus 8, similarly to the Embodiment 1-Embodiment 3. In the other respects, the structure is similar to the foregoing embodiments, and therefore, the same reference numerals as in the foregoing embodiments are assigned to the elements having the corresponding functions in this embodiment, and the detailed description thereof is omitted for simplicity. Specifically, in this example, the rotational force inputted from the developer receiving apparatus 8 is converted to the force in the direction of reciprocation of the pump, and the converted force is transmitted to the pump portion 5. In the following, the structure of the developer receiving apparatus 8 and the developer supply container 1 will be described in detail. (Developer Receiving Apparatus) Referring to FIG. 66, the developer receiving apparatus 8 will be described. The developer receiving apparatus 8 is provided with a mounting portion (mounting space) 8f to which the developer supply container 1 is detachably mounted. As shown in part (b) of FIG. 66, the developer supply container 1 is mountable in a direction indicated by an arrow A to the mounting portion 8f. Thus, a longitudinal direction (rotational axis direction) of the developer supply container 1 is substantially the same as the direction of an arrow A. The direction of the arrow A is substantially parallel with a direction indicated by X of part (b) of FIG. 68 which will be described hereinafter. In addition, a dismounting direction of the developer supply container 1 from the mounting portion 8f is opposite (the direction of arrow B) the direction of the arrow A. As shown in part (a) of FIG. 66, the mounting portion 8f of the developer receiving apparatus 8 is provided with a rotation regulating portion (holding mechanism) 29 for limiting movement of the flange portion 21 in the rotational moving direction by abutting to a flange portion 21 (FIG. 67) of the developer supply container 1 when the developer supply container 1 is mounted. Furthermore, as shown in part (b) of FIG. 66, the mounting portion 8f is provided with a regulating portion (holding mechanism) 30 for regulating the movement of the flange portion 21 in the rotational axis direction by locking with the flange portion 21 of the developer supply container 1 when the developer supply container 1 is mounted. The rotational axis direction regulating portion 30 elastic deforms with the interference with the flange portion 21, and thereafter, upon release of the interference with the flange portion 21 (part (b) of FIG. 67), it elastically restores to lock the flange portion 21 (resin material snap locking mechanism). The mounting portion 8f of the developer receiving apparatus 8 is provided with a developer receiving portion 11 for receiving the developer discharged through the discharge opening (opening) 21a (part (b) of FIG. 68) of the developer supply container 1 which will be described hereinafter. Similarly to the above-described Embodiment 1 or Embodiment 2, the developer receiving portion 11 is movable (displaceable) in the vertical direction relative to the developer receiving apparatus 8. An upper end surface of the developer receiving portion 11 is provided with a main assembly seal 13 having a developer receiving port 11a in the central portion thereof. The main assembly seal 13 is made of an elastic member, a foam member or the like, and is close-contacted with an opening seal 3a5 (part (b) of FIG. 7) having a discharge opening 3a4 of the developer supply container 1, by which the developer discharged through the discharge opening 3a4 is prevented from leaking out of a developer feeding path including developer receiving port 11a. Or, it is close-contacted with the shutter 4 (part (a) of FIG. 25) having a shutter opening 4f to prevent leakage of the developer through the discharge opening 21a, the shutter opening 4f and the developer receiving port 11a. In order to prevent the contamination in the mounting portion 8f by the developer as much as possible, a diameter of the developer receiving port 11a is desirably substantially the same as or slightly larger than a diameter of the discharge opening 21a of the developer supply container 1. This is because if the diameter of the developer receiving port 11a is smaller than the diameter of the discharge opening 21a, the developer discharged from the developer supply container 1 is deposited on the upper surface of developer receiving port 11a, and the deposited developer is transferred onto the lower surface of the developer supply container 1 during the dismounting operation of the developer supply container 1, with the result of contamination with the developer. In addition, the developer transferred onto the developer supply container 1 may be scattered to the mounting portion 8f with the result of contamination of the mounting portion 8f with the developer. On the contrary, if the diameter of the developer receiving port 11a is quite larger than the diameter of the discharge opening 21a, an area in which the developer scattered from the developer receiving port 11a is deposited on the neighborhood of the discharge opening 21a is large. That is, the contaminated area of the developer supply container 1 by the developer is large, which is not preferable. Under the circumstances, the difference between the diameter of the developer receiving port 11a and the diameter of the discharge opening 21a is preferably substantially 0 to approx. 2 mm. In this example, the diameter of the discharge opening 21a of the developer supply container 1 is approx. Φ2 mm (pin hole), and therefore, the diameter of the developer receiving port 11a is approx. φ3 mm. Further, the developer receiving portion 11 is urged downwardly by an urging member 12 (FIGS. 3 and 4). When the developer receiving portion 11 moves upwardly, it has to move against an urging force of the urging member 12. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, below the developer receiving apparatus 8, there is provided a sub-hopper 8c for temporarily storing the developer. In the sub-hopper 8c, there are provided a feeding screw 14 for feeding the developer into the developer hopper portion 201a which is a part of the developing device 201, and an opening 8d which is in fluid communication with the developer hopper portion 201a. The developer receiving port 11a is closed so as to prevent foreign matter and/or dust entering the sub-hopper 8c in a state that the developer supply container 1 is not mounted. More specifically, the developer receiving port 11a is closed by a main assembly shutter 15 in the state that the developer receiving portion 11 is away to the upside. The developer receiving portion 11 moves upwardly (arrow E) from the position spaced from the developer supply container 1 toward the developer supply container 1. By this, the developer receiving port 11a and the main assembly shutter 15 are spaced from each other so that the developer receiving port 11a is open. With this open state, the developer discharged from the developer supply container 1 through the discharge opening 21a or the shutter and received by the developer receiving port 11a becomes movable to the sub-hopper 8c. A side surface of the developer receiving portion 11 is provided with an engaging portion 11b (FIGS. 3 and 4). The engaging portion 11b is directly engaged with an engaging portion 3b2, 3b4 (FIG. 8 or 20) provided on the developer supply container 1 which will be described hereinafter, and is guided thereby so that the developer receiving portion 11 is raised toward the developer supply container 1. The mounting portion 8f of the developer receiving apparatus 8 is provided with an insertion guide 8e for guiding the developer supply container 1 in the mounting and demounting direction, and by the insertion guide 8e (FIGS. 3 and 4), the mounting direction of the developer supply container 1 is made along the arrow A. The dismounting direction of the developer supply container 1 is the opposite (arrow B) to the direction of the arrow A. As shown in part (a) of FIG. 66, the developer receiving apparatus 8 is provided with a driving gear 9 functioning as a driving mechanism for driving the developer supply container 1. The driving gear 9 receives a rotational force from a driving motor 500 through a driving gear train, and functions to apply a rotational force to the developer supply container 1 which is set in the mounting portion 8f. As shown in FIG. 66, the driving motor 500 is controlled by a control device (CPU) 600. In this example, the driving gear 9 is rotatable unidirectionally to simplify the control for the driving motor 500. The control device 600 controls only ON (operation) and OFF (non-operation) of the driving motor 500. This simplifies the driving mechanism for the developer replenishing apparatus 8 as compared with a structure in which forward and backward driving forces are provided by periodically rotating the driving motor 500 (driving gear 9) in the forward direction and backward direction. (Developer Supply Container) Referring to FIGS. 67 and 68, the structure of the developer supply container 1 which is a constituent-element of the developer supplying system will be described. As shown in part (a) of FIG. 67, the developer supply container 1 includes a developer accommodating portion 20 (container body) having a hollow cylindrical inside space for accommodating the developer. In this example, a cylindrical portion 20k and the pump portion 20b functions as the developer accommodating portion 20. Furthermore, the developer supply container 1 is provided with a flange portion 21 (non-rotatable portion) at one end of the developer accommodating portion 20 with respect to the longitudinal direction (developer feeding direction). The developer accommodating portion 20 is rotatable relative to the flange portion 21. In this example, as shown in part (d) of FIG. 68, a total length L1 of the cylindrical portion 20k functioning as the developer accommodating portion is approx. 300 mm, and an outer diameter R1 is approx. 70 mm. A total length L2 of the pump portion 20b (in the state that it is most expanded in the expansible range in use) is approx. 50 mm, and a length L3 of a region in which a gear portion 20a of the flange portion 21 is provided is approx. 20 mm. A length L4 of a region of a discharging portion 21h functioning as a developer discharging portion is approx. 25 mm. A maximum outer diameter R2 (in the state that it is most expanded in the expansible range in use in the diametrical direction) of the pump portion 20b is approx. 65 mm, and a total volume capacity accommodating the developer in the developer supply container 1 is the 1250 cm̂3. In this example, the developer can be accommodated in the cylindrical portion 20k and the pump portion 20b and in addition the discharging portion 21h, that is, they function as a developer accommodating portion. As shown in FIGS. 67 and 68, in this example, in the state that the developer supply container 1 is mounted to the developer receiving apparatus 8, the cylindrical portion 20k and the discharging portion 21h are substantially on line along a horizontal direction. That is, the cylindrical portion 20k has a sufficiently long length in the horizontal direction as compared with the length in the vertical direction, and one end part with respect to the horizontal direction is connected with the discharging portion 21h. For this reason, the suction and discharging operations can be carried out smoothly as compared with the case in which the cylindrical portion 20k is above the discharging portion 21h in the state that the developer supply container 1 is mounted to the developer receiving apparatus 8. This is because the amount of the toner existing above the discharge opening 21a is small, and therefore, the developer in the neighborhood of the discharge opening 21a is less compressed. As shown in part (b) of FIG. 67, the flange portion 21 is provided with a hollow discharging portion (developer discharging chamber) 21h for temporarily storing the developer having been fed from the inside of the developer accommodating portion (inside of the developer accommodating chamber) 20 (see parts (b) and (c) of FIG. 33 if necessary). A bottom portion of the discharging portion 21h is provided with the small discharge opening 21a for permitting discharge of the developer to the outside of the developer supply container 1, that is, for supplying the developer into the developer receiving apparatus 8. The size of the discharge opening 21a is as has been described hereinbefore. An inner shape of the bottom portion of the inner of the discharging portion 21h (inside of the developer discharging chamber) is like a funnel converging toward the discharge opening 21a in order to reduce as much as possible the amount of the developer remaining therein (parts (b) and (c) of FIG. 68, if necessary). In addition, as shown in FIG. 67, the flange portion 21 is provided with engaging portions 3b2, 3b4 engageable with the developer receiving portion 11 displacably provided in the developer receiving apparatus 8, similarly to the above-described Embodiment 1 or Embodiment 2. The structures of the engaging portions 3b2, 3b4 are similar to those of above-described Embodiment 1 or Embodiment 2, and therefore, the description is omitted. Further, the flange portion 21 is provided therein with the shutter 4 for opening and closing discharge opening 21a, similarly to the above-described Embodiment 1 or Embodiment 2. The structure of the shutter 4 and the movement of the developer supply container 1 in the mounting and demounting operation are similar to the above-described Embodiment 1 or Embodiment 2, and therefore, the description thereof is omitted. The flange portion 21 is constructed such that when the developer supply container 1 is mounted to the mounting portion 8f of the developer receiving apparatus 8, it is stationary substantially. More particularly, as shown in part (c) of FIG. 67, the flange portion 21 is regulated (prevented) from rotating in the rotational direction about the rotational axis of the developer accommodating portion 20 by a rotational moving direction regulating portion 29 provided in the mounting portion 8f. In other words, the flange portion 21 is retained such that it is substantially non-rotatable by the developer receiving apparatus 8 (although the rotation within the play is possible). Furthermore, the flange portion 21 is locked by the rotational axis direction regulating portion 30 provided in the mounting portion 8f with the mounting operation of the developer supply container 1. More specifically, the flange portion 21 contacts to the rotational axis direction regulating portion 30 in the process of the mounting operation of the developer supply container 1 to elastically deform the rotational axis direction regulating portion 30. Thereafter, the flange portion 21 abuts to an inner wall portion 28a (part (d) of FIG. 67) which is a stopper provided in the mounting portion 8f, by which the mounting step of the developer supply container 1 is completed. At this time, substantially simultaneously with and completion of the mounting, the interference by the flange portion 21 is released, so that the elastic deformation of the regulating portion 30 is released. As a result, as shown in part (d) of FIG. 67, the rotational axis direction regulating portion 30 is locked with the edge portion (functioning as a locking portion) of the flange portion 21 so that the movement in the rotational axis direction (rotational axis direction of the developer accommodating portion 20) is substantially prevented (regulated). At this time, a slight negligible movement within the play is possible. As described in the foregoing, in this example, the flange portion 21 is retained by the rotational axis direction regulating portion 30 of the developer receiving apparatus 8 so that it does not move in the rotational axis direction of the developer accommodating portion 20. Furthermore, the flange portion 21 is retained by the rotational moving direction regulating portion 29 of the developer receiving apparatus 8 such that it does not rotate in the rotational moving direction of the developer accommodating portion 20. When the operator takes the developer supply container 1 out of the mounting portion 8f, the rotational axis direction regulating portion 30 elastically deforms by the flange portion 21 so as to be released from the flange portion 21. The rotational axis direction of the developer accommodating portion 20 is substantially coaxial with the rotational axis direction of the gear portion 20a (FIG. 68). Therefore, in the state that the developer supply container 1 is mounted to the developer receiving apparatus 8, the discharging portion 21h provided in the flange portion 21 is prevented substantially in the movement of the developer accommodating portion 20 in the axial direction and in the rotational moving direction (movement within the play is permitted). On the other hand, the developer accommodating portion 20 is not limited in the rotational moving direction by the developer receiving apparatus 8, and therefore, is rotatable in the developer supplying step. However, the movement of the developer accommodating portion 20 in the rotational axis direction is substantially prevented by the flange portion 21 (the movement within the play is permitted). (Pump Portion) Referring to FIGS. 68 and 69, the description will be made as to the pump portion (reciprocable pump) 20b in which the volume thereof changes with reciprocation. Part (a) of FIG. 69 is a sectional view of the developer supply container 1 in which the pump portion 20b is expanded to the maximum extent in operation of the developer supplying step, and part (b) of FIG. 69 is a sectional view of the developer supply container 1 in which the pump portion 20b is compressed to the maximum extent in operation of the developer supplying step. The pump portion 20b of this example functions as a suction and discharging mechanism for repeating the sucking operation and the discharging operation alternately through the discharge opening 21a. As shown in part (b) of FIG. 68, the pump portion 20b is provided between the discharging portion 21h and the cylindrical portion 20k, and is fixedly connected to the cylindrical portion 20k. Thus, the pump portion 20b is rotatable integrally with the cylindrical portion 20k. In the pump portion 20b of this example, the developer can be accommodated therein. The developer accommodating space in the pump portion 20b has a significant function of fluidizing the developer in the sucking operation, as will be described hereinafter. In this example, the pump portion 20b is a displacement type pump (bellow-like pump) of resin material in which the volume thereof changes with the reciprocation. More particularly, as shown in (a)-(b) of FIG. 68, the bellow-like pump includes crests and bottoms periodically and alternately. The pump portion 20b repeats the compression and the expansion alternately by the driving force received from the developer receiving apparatus 8. In this example, the volume change of the pump portion 20b by the expansion and contraction is 15 cm̂3 (cc). As shown in part (d) of FIG. 68, a total length L2 (most expanded state within the expansion and contraction range in operation) of the pump portion 20b is approx. 50 mm, and a maximum outer diameter (largest state within the expansion and contraction range in operation) R2 of the pump portion 20b is approx. 65 mm. With use of such a pump portion 20b, the internal pressure of the developer supply container 1 (developer accommodating portion 20 and discharging portion 21h) higher than the ambient pressure and the internal pressure lower than the ambient pressure are produced alternately and repeatedly at a predetermined cyclic period (approx. 0.9 sec in this example). The ambient pressure is the pressure of the ambient condition in which the developer supply container 1 is placed. As a result, the developer in the discharging portion 21h can be discharged efficiently through the small diameter discharge opening 21a (diameter of approx. 2 mm). As shown in part (b) of FIG. 68, the pump portion 20b is connected to the discharging portion 21h rotatably relative thereto in the state that a discharging portion 21h side end is compressed against a ring-like sealing member 27 provided on an inner surface of the flange portion 21. By this, the pump portion 20b rotates sliding on the sealing member 27, and therefore, the developer does not leak from the pump portion 20b, and the hermetical property is maintained, during rotation. Thus, in and out of the air through the discharge opening 21a are carries out properly, and the internal pressure of the developer supply container 1 (pump portion 20b, developer accommodating portion 20 and discharging portion 21h) are changed properly, during supply operation. (Drive Transmission Mechanism) The description will be made as to a drive receiving mechanism (drive inputting portion, driving force receiving portion) of the developer supply container 1 for receiving the rotational force for rotating the feeding portion 20c from the developer receiving apparatus 8. As shown in part (a) of FIG. 68, the developer supply container 1 is provided with a gear portion 20a which functions as a drive receiving mechanism (drive inputting portion, driving force receiving portion) engageable (driving connection) with a driving gear 9 (functioning as driving portion, driving mechanism) of the developer receiving apparatus 8. The gear portion 20a is fixed to one longitudinal end portion of the pump portion 20b. Thus, the gear portion 20a, the pump portion 20b, and the cylindrical portion 20k are integrally rotatable. Therefore, the rotational force inputted to the gear portion 20a from the driving gear 9 is transmitted to the cylindrical portion 20k (feeding portion 20c) a pump portion 20b. In other words, in this example, the pump portion 20b functions as a drive transmission mechanism for transmitting the rotational force inputted to the gear portion 20a to the feeding portion 20c of the developer accommodating portion 20. For this reason, the bellow-like pump portion 20b of this example is made of a resin material having a high property against torsion or twisting about the axis within a limit of not adversely affecting the expanding-and-contracting operation. In this example, the gear portion 20a is provided at one longitudinal end (developer feeding direction) of the developer accommodating portion 20, that is, at the discharging portion 21h side end, but this is not inevitable, and for example, it may be provided in the other longitudinal end portion of the developer accommodating portion 20, that is, most rear part. In such a case, the driving gear 9 is provided at a corresponding position. In this example, a gear mechanism is employed as the driving connection mechanism between the drive inputting portion of the developer supply container 1 and the driver of the developer receiving apparatus 8, but this is not inevitable, and a known coupling mechanism, for example is usable. More particularly, in such a case, the structure may be such that a non-circular recess is provided in a bottom surface of one longitudinal end portion (righthand side end surface of (d) of FIG. 68) as a drive inputting portion, and correspondingly, a projection having a configuration corresponding to the recess as a driver for the developer receiving apparatus 8, so that they are in driving connection with each other. (Drive Converting Mechanism) A drive converting mechanism (drive converting portion) for the developer supply container 1 will be described. The developer supply container 1 is provided with the cam mechanism for converting the rotational force for rotating the feeding portion 20c received by the gear portion 20a to a force in the reciprocating directions of the pump portion 20b. That is, in the example, the description will be made as to an example using a cam mechanism as the drive converting mechanism, but the present invention is not limited to this example, and other structures such as with Embodiments 9 et seq. Are usable. In this example, one drive inputting portion (gear portion 20a) receives the driving force for driving the feeding portion 20c and the pump portion 20b, and the rotational force received by the gear portion 20a is converted to a reciprocation force in the developer supply container 1 side. Because of this structure, the structure of the drive inputting mechanism for the developer supply container 1 is simplified as compared with the case of providing the developer supply container 1 with two separate drive inputting portions. In addition, the drive is received by a single driving gear of developer receiving apparatus 8, and therefore, the driving mechanism of the developer receiving apparatus 8 is also simplified. In the case that the reciprocation force is received from the developer receiving apparatus 8, there is a liability that the driving connection between the developer receiving apparatus 8 and the developer supply container 1 is not proper, and therefore, the pump portion 20b is not driven. More particularly, when the developer supply container 1 is taken out of the image forming apparatus 100 and then is mounted again, the pump portion 20b may not be properly reciprocated. For example, when the drive input to the pump portion 20b stops in a state that the pump portion 20b is compressed from the normal length, the pump portion 20b restores spontaneously to the normal length when the developer supply container is taken out. In this case, the position of the drive inputting portion for the pump portion 20b changes when the developer supply container 1 is taken out, despite the fact that a stop position of the drive outputting portion of the image forming apparatus 100 side remains unchanged. As a result, the driving connection is not properly established between the drive outputting portion of the image forming apparatus 100 sides and pump portion 20b drive inputting portion of the developer supply container 1 side, and therefore, the pump portion 20b cannot be reciprocated. Then, the developer supply is not carries out, and sooner or later, the image formation becomes impossible. Such a problem may similarly arise when the expansion and contraction state of the pump portion 20b is changed by the user while the developer supply container 1 is outside the apparatus. Such a problem similarly arises when developer supply container 1 is exchanged with a new one. The structure of this example is substantially free of such a problem. This will be described in detail. As shown in FIGS. 68 and 69, the outer surface of the cylindrical portion 20k of the developer accommodating portion 20 is provided with a plurality of cam projections 20d functioning as a rotatable portion substantially at regular intervals in the circumferential direction. More particularly, two cam projections 20d are disposed on the outer surface of the cylindrical portion 20k at diametrically opposite positions, that is, approx. 180° opposing positions. The number of the cam projections 20d may be at least one. However, there is a liability that a moment is produced in the drive converting mechanism and so on by a drag at the time of expansion or contraction of the pump portion 20b, and therefore, smooth reciprocation is disturbed, and therefore, it is preferable that a plurality of them are provided so that the relation with the configuration of the cam groove 21b which will be described hereinafter is maintained. On the other hand, a cam groove 21b engaged with the cam projections 20d is formed in an inner surface of the flange portion 21 over an entire circumference, and it functions as a follower portion. Referring to FIG. 70, the cam groove 21b will be described. In FIG. 70, an arrow An indicates a rotational moving direction of the cylindrical portion 20k (moving direction of cam projection 20d), an arrow B indicates a direction of expansion of the pump portion 20b, and an arrow C indicates a direction of compression of the pump portion 20b. In FIG. 40, an arrow An indicates a rotational moving direction of the cylindrical portion 20k (moving direction of cam projection 20d), an arrow B indicates a direction of expansion of the pump portion 20b, and an arrow C indicates a direction of compression of the pump portion 20b. Here, an angle α is formed between a cam groove 21c and a rotational moving direction An of the cylindrical portion 20k, and an angle β is formed between a cam groove 21d and the rotational moving direction A. In addition, an amplitude (=length of expansion and contraction of pump portion 20b) in the expansion and contracting directions B, C of the pump portion 20b of the cam groove is L. As shown in FIG. 70 illustrating the cam groove 21b in a developed view, a groove portion 21c inclining from the cylindrical portion 20k side toward the discharging portion 21h side and a groove portion 21d inclining from the discharging portion 21h side toward the cylindrical portion 20k side are connected alternately. In this example, the relation between the angles of the cam grooves 21c, 21d is α=β. Therefore, in this example, the cam projection 20d and the cam groove 21b function as a drive transmission mechanism to the pump portion 20b. More particularly, the cam projection 20d and the cam groove 21b function as a mechanism for converting the rotational force received by the gear portion 20a from the driving gear 300 to the force (force in the rotational axis direction of the cylindrical portion 20k) in the directions of reciprocal movement of the pump portion 20b and for transmitting the force to the pump portion 20b. More particularly, the cylindrical portion 20k is rotated with the pump portion 20b by the rotational force inputted to the gear portion 20a from the driving gear 9, and the cam projections 20d are rotated by the rotation of the cylindrical portion 20k. Therefore, by the cam groove 21b engaged with the cam projection 20d, the pump portion 20b reciprocates in the rotational axis direction (X direction of FIG. 68) together with the cylindrical portion 20k. The arrow X direction is substantially parallel with the arrow M direction of FIGS. 66 and 67. In other words, the cam projection 20d and the cam groove 21b convert the rotational force inputted from the driving gear 9 so that the state in which the pump portion 20b is expanded (part (a) of FIG. 69) and the state in which the pump portion 20b is contracted (part (b) of FIG. 69) are repeated alternately. Thus, in this example, the pump portion 20b rotates with the cylindrical portion 20k, and therefore, when the developer in the cylindrical portion 20k moves in the pump portion 20b, the developer can be stirred (loosened) by the rotation of the pump portion 20b. In this example, the pump portion 20b is provided between the cylindrical portion 20k and the discharging portion 21h, and therefore, stirring action can be imparted on the developer fed to the discharging portion 21h, which is further advantageous. Furthermore, as described above, in this example, the cylindrical portion 20k reciprocates together with the pump portion 20b, and therefore, the reciprocation of the cylindrical portion 20k can stir (loosen) the developer inside cylindrical portion 20k. (Set Conditions of Drive Converting Mechanism) In this example, the drive converting mechanism effects the drive conversion such that an amount (per unit time) of developer feeding to the discharging portion 21h by the rotation of the cylindrical portion 20k is larger than a discharging amount (per unit time) to the developer receiving apparatus 8 from the discharging portion 21h by the pump function. This is because if the developer discharging power of the pump portion 20b is higher than the developer feeding power of the feeding portion 20c to the discharging portion 21h, the amount of the developer existing in the discharging portion 21h gradually decreases. In other words, it is avoided that the time period required for supplying the developer from the developer supply container 1 to the developer receiving apparatus 8 is prolonged. In the drive converting mechanism of this example, the feeding amount of the developer by the feeding portion 20c to the discharging portion 21h is 2.0 g/s, and the discharge amount of the developer by pump portion 20b is 1.2 g/s. In addition, in the drive converting mechanism of this example, the drive conversion is such that the pump portion 20b reciprocates a plurality of times per one full rotation of the cylindrical portion 20k. This is for the following reasons. In the case of the structure in which the cylindrical portion 20k is rotated inner the developer receiving apparatus 8, it is preferable that the driving motor 500 is set at an output required to rotate the cylindrical portion 20k stably at all times. However, from the standpoint of reducing the energy consumption in the image forming apparatus 100 as much as possible, it is preferable to minimize the output of the driving motor 500. The output required by the driving motor 500 is calculated from the rotational torque and the rotational frequency of the cylindrical portion 20k, and therefore, in order to reduce the output of the driving motor 500, the rotational frequency of the cylindrical portion 20k is minimized. However, in the case of this example, if the rotational frequency of the cylindrical portion 20k is reduced, a number of operations of the pump portion 20b per unit time decreases, and therefore, the amount of the developer (per unit time) discharged from the developer supply container 1 decreases. In other words, there is a possibility that the developer amount discharged from the developer supply container 1 is insufficient to quickly meet the developer supply amount required by the main assembly of the image forming apparatus 100. If the amount of the volume change of the pump portion 20b is increased, the developer discharging amount per unit cyclic period of the pump portion 20b can be increased, and therefore, the requirement of the main assembly of the image forming apparatus 100 can be met, but doing so gives rise to the following problem. If the amount of the volume change of the pump portion 20b is increased, a peak value of the internal pressure (positive pressure) of the developer supply container 1 in the discharging step increases, and therefore, the load required for the reciprocation of the pump portion 20b increases. For this reason, in this example, the pump portion 20b operates a plurality of cyclic periods per one full rotation of the cylindrical portion 20k. By this, the developer discharge amount per unit time can be increased as compared with the case in which the pump portion 20b operates one cyclic period per one full rotation of the cylindrical portion 20k, without increasing the volume change amount of the pump portion 20b. Corresponding to the increase of the discharge amount of the developer, the rotational frequency of the cylindrical portion 20k can be reduced. Verification experiments were carried out as to the effects of the plural cyclic operations per one full rotation of the cylindrical portion 20k. In the experiments, the developer is filled into the developer supply container 1, and a developer discharge amount and a rotational torque of the cylindrical portion 20k are measured. Then, the output (=rotational torque×rotational frequency) of the driving motor 500 required for rotation a cylindrical portion 20k is calculated from the rotational torque of the cylindrical portion 20k and the preset rotational frequency of the cylindrical portion 20k. The experimental conditions are that the number of operations of the pump portion 20b per one full rotation of the cylindrical portion 20k is two, the rotational frequency of the cylindrical portion 20k is 30 rpm, and the volume change of the pump portion 20b is 15 cm̂3. As a result of the verification experiment, the developer discharging amount from the developer supply container 1 is approx. 1.2 g/s. The rotational torque of the cylindrical portion 20k (average torque in the normal state) is 0.64N·m, and the output of the driving motor 500 is approx. 2 W (motor load (W)=0.1047×rotational torque (N·m)×rotational frequency (rpm), wherein 0.1047 is the unit conversion coefficient) as a result of the calculation. Comparative experiments were carried out in which the number of operations of the pump portion 20b per one full rotation of the cylindrical portion 20k was one, the rotational frequency of the cylindrical portion 20k was 60 rpm, and the other conditions were the same as the above-described experiments. In other words, the developer discharge amount was made the same as with the above-described experiments, i.e. approx. 1.2 g/s. As a result of the comparative experiments, the rotational torque of the cylindrical portion 20k (average torque in the normal state) is 0.66N·m, and the output of the driving motor 500 is approx. 4 W by the calculation. From these experiments, it has been confirmed that the pump portion 20b carries out preferably the cyclic operation a plurality of times per one full rotation of the cylindrical portion 20k. In other words, it has been confirmed that by doing so, the discharging performance of the developer supply container 1 can be maintained with a low rotational frequency of the cylindrical portion 20k. With the structure of this example, the required output of the driving motor 500 may be low, and therefore, the energy consumption of the main assembly of the image forming apparatus 100 can be reduced. (Position of Drive Converting Mechanism) As shown in FIGS. 68 and 69, in this example, the drive converting mechanism (cam mechanism constituted by the cam projection 20d and the cam groove 21b) is provided outside of developer accommodating portion 20. More particularly, the drive converting mechanism is disposed at a position separated from the inside spaces of the cylindrical portion 20k, the pump portion 20b and the flange portion 21, so that the drive converting mechanism does not contact the developer accommodated inside the cylindrical portion 20k, the pump portion 20b and the flange portion 21. By this, a problem which may arise when the drive converting mechanism is provided in the inside space of the developer accommodating portion 20 can be avoided. More particularly, the problem is that by the developer entering portions of the drive converting mechanism where sliding motions occur, the particles of the developer are subjected to heat and pressure to soften and therefore, they agglomerate into masses (coarse particle), or they enter into a converting mechanism with the result of torque increase. The problem can be avoided. (Developer Discharging Principle by Pump Portion). Referring to FIG. 69, a developer supplying step by the pump portion will be described. In this example, as will be described hereinafter, the drive conversion of the rotational force is carries out by the drive converting mechanism so that the suction step (sucking operation through discharge opening 21a) and the discharging step (discharging operation through the discharge opening 21a) are repeated alternately. The suction step and the discharging step will be described. (Suction Step) First, the suction step (sucking operation through discharge opening 21a) will be described. As shown in part (a) of FIG. 69, the sucking operation is effected by the pump portion 20b being expanded in a direction indicated by an arrow co by the above-described drive converting mechanism (cam mechanism). More particularly, by the sucking operation, a volume of a portion of the developer supply container 1 (pump portion 20b, cylindrical portion 20k and flange portion 21) which can accommodate the developer increases. At this time, the developer supply container 1 is substantially hermetically sealed except for the discharge opening 21a, and the discharge opening 21a is plugged substantially by the developer T. Therefore, the internal pressure of the developer supply container 1 decreases with the increase of the volume of the portion of the developer supply container 1 capable of containing the developer T. At this time, the internal pressure of the developer supply container 1 is lower than the ambient pressure (external air pressure). For this reason, the air outside the developer supply container 1 enters the developer supply container 1 through the discharge opening 21a by a pressure difference between the inside and the outside of the developer supply container 1. At this time, the air is taken-in from the outside of the developer supply container 1, and therefore, the developer T in the neighborhood of the discharge opening 21a can be loosened (fluidized). More particularly, by the air impregnated into the developer powder existing in the neighborhood of the discharge opening 21a, the bulk density of the developer powder T is reduced and the developer is and fluidized. Since the air is taken into the developer supply container 1 through the discharge opening 21a as a result, the internal pressure of the developer supply container 1 changes in the neighborhood of the ambient pressure (external air pressure) despite the increase of the volume of the developer supply container 1. In this manner, by the fluidization of the developer T, the developer T does not pack or clog in the discharge opening 21a, so that the developer can be smoothly discharged through the discharge opening 21a in the discharging operation which will be described hereinafter. Therefore, the amount of the developer T (per unit time) discharged through the discharge opening 3a can be maintained substantially at a constant level for a long term. (Discharging Step) As shown in part (b) of FIG. 69, the discharging operation is effected by the pump portion 20b being compressed in a direction indicated by an arrow γ by the above-described drive converting mechanism (cam mechanism). More particularly, by the discharging operation, a volume of a portion of the developer supply container 1 (pump portion 20b, cylindrical portion 20k and flange portion 21) which can accommodate the developer decreases. At this time, the developer supply container 1 is substantially hermetically sealed except for the discharge opening 21a, and the discharge opening 21a is plugged substantially by the developer T until the developer is discharged. Therefore, the internal pressure of the developer supply container 1 rises with the decrease of the volume of the portion of the developer supply container 1 capable of containing the developer T. Since the internal pressure of the developer supply container 1 is higher than the ambient pressure (the external air pressure), the developer T is pushed out by the pressure difference between the inside and the outside of the developer supply container 1, as shown in part (b) of FIG. 69. That is, the developer T is discharged from the developer supply container 1 into the developer receiving apparatus 8. Thereafter, the air in the developer supply container 1 is also discharged with the developer T, and therefore, the internal pressure of the developer supply container 1 decreases. As described in the foregoing, according to this example, the discharging of the developer can be effected efficiently using one reciprocation type pump, and therefore, the mechanism for the developer discharging can be simplified. (Set Condition of Cam Groove) Referring to FIGS. 71-76, modified examples of the set condition of the cam groove 21b will be described. FIGS. 71-76 are developed views of cam grooves 3b. Referring to the developed views of FIGS. 71-76, the description will be made as to the influence to the operational condition of the pump portion 20b when the configuration of the cam groove 21b is changed. Here, in each of FIGS. 71-76-41, an arrow A indicates a rotational moving direction of the developer accommodating portion 20 (moving direction of the cam projection 20d); an arrow B indicates the expansion direction of the pump portion 20b; and an arrow C indicates a compression direction of the pump portion 20b. In addition, a groove portion of the cam groove 21b for compressing the pump portion 20b is indicated as a cam groove 21c, and a groove portion for expanding the pump portion 20b is indicated as a cam groove 21d. Furthermore, an angle formed between the cam groove 21c and the rotational moving direction An of the developer accommodating portion 20 is α; an angle formed between the cam groove 21d and the rotational moving direction An is β; and an amplitude (expansion and contraction length of the pump portion 20b), in the expansion and contracting directions B, C of the pump portion 20b, of the cam groove is L. First, the description will be made as to the expansion and contraction length L of the pump portion 20b. When the expansion and contraction length L is shortened, for example, the volume change amount of the pump portion 20b decreases, and therefore, the pressure difference from the external air pressure is reduced. Then, the pressure imparted to the developer in the developer supply container 1 decreases, with the result that the amount of the developer discharged from the developer supply container 1 per one cyclic period (one reciprocation, that is, one expansion and contracting operation of the pump portion 20b) decreases. From this consideration, as shown in FIG. 71, the amount of the developer discharged when the pump portion 20b is reciprocated once, can be decreased as compared with the structure of FIG. 70, if an amplitude L′ is selected so as to satisfy L′<L under the condition that the angles α and β are constant. On the contrary, if L′>L, the developer discharge amount can be increased. As regards the angles α and β of the cam groove, when the angles are increased, for example, the movement distance of the cam projection 20d when the developer accommodating portion 20 rotates for a constant time increases if the rotational speed of the developer accommodating portion 20 is constant, and therefore, as a result, the expansion-and-contraction speed of the pump portion 20b increases. On the other hand, when the cam projection 20d moves in the cam groove 21b, the resistance received from the cam groove 21b is large, and therefore, a torque required for rotating the developer accommodating portion 20 increases as a result. For this reason, as shown in FIG. 72, if the angle ρ′ of the cam groove 21d of the cam groove 21d is selected so as to satisfy α′>α and β′>β without changing the expansion and contraction length L, the expansion-and-contraction speed of the pump portion 20b can be increased as compared with the structure of the FIG. 70. As a result, the number of expansion and contracting operations of the pump portion 20b per one rotation of the developer accommodating portion 20 can be increased. Furthermore, since a flow speed of the air entering the developer supply container 1 through the discharge opening 21a increases, the loosening effect to the developer existing in the neighborhood of the discharge opening 21a is enhanced. On the contrary, if the selection satisfies α′<α and β′<β, the rotational torque of the developer accommodating portion 20 can be decreased. When a developer having a high flowability is used, for example, the expansion of the pump portion 20b tends to cause the air entered through the discharge opening 21a to blow out the developer existing in the neighborhood of the discharge opening 21a. As a result, there is a possibility that the developer cannot be accumulated sufficiently in the discharging portion 21h, and therefore, the developer discharge amount decreases. In this case, by decreasing the expanding speed of the pump portion 20b in accordance with this selection, the blowing-out of the developer can be suppressed, and therefore, the discharging power can be improved. If, as shown in FIG. 73, the angle of the cam groove 21b is selected so as to satisfy α<β, the expanding speed of the pump portion 20b can be increased as compared with a compressing speed. On the contrary, as shown in FIG. 70, if the angle α>the angle β, the expanding speed of the pump portion 20b can be reduced as compared with the compressing speed. When the developer is in a highly packed state, for example, the operation force of the pump portion 20b is larger in a compression stroke of the pump portion 20b than in an expansion stroke thereof. As a result, the rotational torque for the developer accommodating portion 20 tends to be higher in the compression stroke of the pump portion 20b. However, in this case, if the cam groove 21b is constructed as shown in FIG. 73, the developer loosening effect in the expansion stroke of the pump portion 20b can be enhanced as compared with the structure of FIG. 70. In addition, the resistance received by the cam projection 20d from the cam groove 21b in the compression stroke is small, and therefore, the increase of the rotational torque in the compression of the pump portion 20b can be suppressed. As shown in FIG. 74, a cam groove 21e substantially parallel with the rotational moving direction (arrow A in the Figure) of the developer accommodating portion 20 may be provided between the cam grooves 21c, 21d. In this case, the cam does not function while the cam projection 20d is moving in the cam groove 21e, and therefore, a step in which the pump portion 20b does not carry out the expanding-and-contracting operation can be provided. By doing so, if a process in which the pump portion 20b is at rest in the expanded state is provided, the developer loosening effect is improved, since then in an initial stage of the discharging in which the developer is present always in the neighborhood of the discharge opening 21a, the pressure reduction state in the developer supply container 1 is maintained during the rest period. On the other hand, in a last part of the discharging, the developer is not stored sufficiently in the discharging portion 21h, because the amount of the developer inside the developer supply container 1 is small and because the developer existing in the neighborhood of the discharge opening 21a is blown out by the air entered through the discharge opening 21a. In other words, the developer discharge amount tends to gradually decrease, but even in such a case, by continuing to feed the developer by rotating is developer accommodating portion 20 during the rest period with the expanded state, the discharging portion 21h can be filled sufficiently with the developer. Therefore, a stabilization developer discharge amount can be maintained until the developer supply container 1 becomes empty. In addition, in the structure of FIG. 70, by making the expansion and contraction length L of the cam groove longer, the developer discharging amount per one cyclic period of the pump portion 20b can be increased. However, in this case, the amount of the volume change of the pump portion 20b increases, and therefore, the pressure difference from the external air pressure also increases. For this reason, the driving force required for driving the pump portion 20b also increases, and therefore, there is a liability that a drive load required by the developer receiving apparatus 8 is excessively large. Under the circumstances, in order to increase the developer discharge amount per one cyclic period of the pump portion 20b without giving rise to such a problem, the angle of the cam groove 21b is selected so as to satisfy α>β, by which the compressing speed of a pump portion 20b can be increased as compared with the expanding speed, as shown in FIG. 75. Verification experiments were carried out as to the structure of FIG. 75. In the experiments, the developer is filled in the developer supply container 1 having the cam groove 21b shown in FIG. 75; the volume change of the pump portion 20b is carried out in the order of the compressing operation and then the expanding operation to discharge the developer; and the discharge amounts are measured. The experimental conditions are that the amount of the volume change of the pump portion 20b is 50 cm̂3, the compressing speed of the pump portion 20b the 180 cm̂3/s, and the expanding speed of the pump portion 20b is 60 cm̂3/s. The cyclic period of the operation of the pump portion 20b is approx. 1.1 seconds. The developer discharge amounts are measured in the case of the structure of FIG. 70. However, the compressing speed and the expanding speed of the pump portion 20b are 90 cm̂3/s, and the amount of the volume change of the pump portion 20b and one cyclic period of the pump portion 20b is the same as in the example of FIG. 75. The results of the verification experiments will be described. Part (a) of FIG. 77 shows the change of the internal pressure of the developer supply container 1 in the volume change of the pump portion 50b. In part (a) of FIG. 77, the abscissa represents the time, and the ordinate represents a relative pressure in the developer supply container 1 (+ is positive pressure side, is negative pressure side) relative to the ambient pressure (reference (0)). Solid lines and broken lines are for the developer supply container 1 having the cam groove 21b of FIG. 75, and that of FIG. 70, respectively. In the compressing operation of the pump portion 20b, the internal pressures rise with elapse of time and reach the peaks upon completion of the compressing operation, in both examples. At this time, the pressure in the developer supply container 1 changes within a positive range relative to the ambient pressure (external air pressure), and therefore, the inside developer is pressurized, and the developer is discharged through the discharge opening 21a. Subsequently, in the expanding operation of the pump portion 20b, the volume of the pump portion 20b increases for the internal pressures of the developer supply container 1 decrease, in both examples. At this time, the pressure in the developer supply container 1 changes from the positive pressure to the negative pressure relative to the ambient pressure (external air pressure), and the pressure continues to apply to the inside developer until the air is taken in through the discharge opening 21a, and therefore, the developer is discharged through the discharge opening 21a. That is, in the volume change of the pump portion 20b, when the developer supply container 1 is in the positive pressure state, that is, when the inside developer is pressurized, the developer is discharged, and therefore, the developer discharge amount in the volume change of the pump portion 20b increases with a time-integration amount of the pressure. As shown in part (a) of FIG. 77, the peak pressure at the time of completion of the compressing operation of the pump portion 2b is 5.7 kPa with the structure of FIG. 75 and is 5.4 kPa with the structure of the FIG. 70, and it is higher in the structure of FIG. 75 despite the fact that the volume change amounts of the pump portion 20b are the same. This is because by increasing the compressing speed of the pump portion 20b, the inside of the developer supply container 1 is pressurized abruptly, and the developer is concentrated to the discharge opening 21a at once, with the result that a discharge resistance in the discharging of the developer through the discharge opening 21a becomes large. Since the discharge openings 21a have small diameters in both examples, the tendency is remarkable. Since the time required for one cyclic period of the pump portion is the same in both examples as shown in (a) of FIG. 77, the time integration amount of the pressure is larger in the example of the FIG. 75. Following Table 3 shows measured data of the developer discharge amount per one cyclic period operation of the pump portion 20b. TABLE 3 Amount of developer discharge (g) FIG. 67 3.4 FIG. 72 3.7 FIG. 73 4.5 As shown in Table 3, the developer discharge amount is 3.7 g in the structure of FIG. 75, and is 3.4 g in the structure of FIG. 70, that is, it is larger in the case of FIG. 75 structure. From these results and, the results of part (a) of the FIG. 77, it has been confirmed that the developer discharge amount per one cyclic period of the pump portion 20b increases with the time integration amount of the pressure. From the foregoing, the developer discharging amount per one cyclic period of the pump portion 20b can be increased by making the compressing speed of the pump portion 20b higher as compared with the expansion speed and making the peak pressure in the compressing operation of the pump portion 20b higher as shown in FIG. 75. The description will be made as to another method for increasing the developer discharging amount per one cyclic period of the pump portion 20b. With the cam groove 21b shown in FIG. 76, similarly to the case of FIG. 74, a cam groove 21e substantially parallel with the rotational moving direction of the developer accommodating portion 20 is provided between the cam groove 21c and the cam groove 21d. However, in the case of the cam groove 21b shown in FIG. 76, the cam groove 21e is provided at such a position that in a cyclic period of the pump portion 20b, the operation of the pump portion 20b stops in the state that the pump portion 20b is compressed, after the compressing operation of the pump portion 20b. With the structure of the FIG. 76, the developer discharge amount was measured similarly. In the verification experiments for this, the compressing speed and the expanding speed of the pump portion 20b is 180 cm̂3/s, and the other conditions are the same as with FIG. 75 example. The results of the verification experiments will be described. Part (b) of the FIG. 77 shows changes of the internal pressure of the developer supply container 1 in the expanding-and-contracting operation of the pump portion 2b. Solid lines and broken lines are for the developer supply container 1 having the cam groove 21b of FIG. 76, and that of FIG. 75, respectively. Also in the case of FIG. 76, the internal pressure rises with elapse of time during the compressing operation of the pump portion 20b, and reaches the peak upon completion of the compressing operation. At this time, similarly to FIG. 75, the pressure in the developer supply container 1 changes within the positive range, and therefore, the inside developer are discharged. The compressing speed of the pump portion 20b in the example of the FIG. 41 is the same as with FIG. 75 example, and therefore, the peak pressure upon completion of the compressing operation of the pump portion 2b is 5.7 kPa which is equivalent to the FIG. 76 example. Subsequently, when the pump portion 20b stops in the compression state, the internal pressure of the developer supply container 1 gradually decreases. This is because the pressure produced by the compressing operation of the pump portion 2b remains after the operation stop of the pump portion 2b, and the inside developer and the air are discharged by the pressure. However, the internal pressure can be maintained at a level higher than in the case that the expanding operation is started immediately after completion of the compressing operation, and therefore, a larger amount of the developer is discharged during it. When the expanding operation starts thereafter, similarly to the example of the FIG. 40, the internal pressure of the developer supply container 1 decreases, and the developer is discharged until the pressure in the developer supply container 1 becomes negative, since the inside developer is pressed continuously. As time integration values of the pressure are compared as shown is part (b) of FIG. 77, it is larger in the case of FIG. 76, because the high internal pressure is maintained during the rest period of the pump portion 20b under the condition that the time durations in unit cyclic periods of the pump portion 20b in these examples are the same. As shown in Table 3, the measured developer discharge amounts per one cyclic period of the pump portion 20b is 4.5 g in the case of FIG. 76, and is larger than in the case of FIG. 75 (3.7 g). From the results of the Table 3 and the results shown in part (b) of FIG. 77, it has been confirmed that the developer discharge amount per one cyclic period of the pump portion 20b increases with time integration amount of the pressure. Thus, in the example of FIG. 76, the operation of the pump portion 20b is stopped in the compressed state, after the compressing operation. For this reason, the peak pressure in the developer supply container 1 in the compressing operation of the pump portion 2b is high, and the pressure is maintained at a level as high as possible, by which the developer discharging amount per one cyclic period of the pump portion 20b can be further increased. As described in the foregoing, by changing the configuration of the cam groove 21b, the discharging power of the developer supply container 1 can be adjusted, and therefore, the apparatus of this embodiment can respond to a developer amount required by the developer receiving apparatus 8 and to a property or the like of the developer to use. In FIGS. 70-76, the discharging operation and the sucking operation of the pump portion 20b are alternately carried out, but the discharging operation and/or the sucking operation may be temporarily stopped partway, and a predetermined time after the discharging operation and/or the sucking operation may be resumed. For example, it is a possible alternative that the discharging operation of the pump portion 20b is not carried out monotonically, but the compressing operation of the pump portion is temporarily stopped partway, and then, the compressing operation is compressed to effect discharge. The same applies to the sucking operation. Furthermore, the discharging operation and/or the sucking operation may be multi-step type, as long as the developer discharge amount and the discharging speed are satisfied. Thus, even when the discharging operation and/or the sucking operation are divided into multi-steps, the situation is still that the discharging operation and the sucking operation are alternately repeated. As described in the foregoing, also in this embodiment, one pump is enough to effect the sucking operation and the discharging operation, and therefore, the structure of the developer discharging mechanism can be simplified. In addition, by the sucking operation through the discharge opening, a pressure reduction state (negative pressure state) can be provided in the developer supply container, and therefore, the developer can be efficiently loosened. In addition, in this example, the driving force for rotating the feeding portion (helical projection 20c) and the driving force for reciprocating the pump portion (bellow-like pump portion 20b) are received by a single drive inputting portion (gear portion 20a). Therefore, the structure of the drive inputting mechanism of the developer supply container can be simplified. In addition, by the single driving mechanism (driving gear 300) provided in the developer receiving apparatus, the driving force is applied to the developer supply container, and therefore, the driving mechanism for the developer receiving apparatus can be simplified. Furthermore, a simple and easy mechanism can be employed positioning the developer supply container relative to the developer receiving apparatus. With the structure of the example, the rotational force for rotating the feeding portion received from the developer receiving apparatus is converted by the drive converting mechanism of the developer supply container, by which the pump portion can be reciprocated properly. In other words, in a system in which the developer supply container receives the reciprocating force from the developer receiving apparatus, the appropriate drive of the pump portion is assured. In addition, in this example, the flange portion 21 of the developer supply container 1 is provided with the engaging portions 3b2, 3b4 similar to Embodiments 1 and 2, and therefore, similarly to the above-described embodiment, the mechanism for connecting and spacing the developer receiving portion 11 of the developer receiving apparatus 8 relative to the developer supply container 1 by displacing the developer receiving portion 11 can be simplified. More particularly, a driving source and/or a drive transmission mechanism for moving the entirety of the developing device upwardly is unnecessary, and therefore, a complication of the structure of the image forming apparatus side and/or the increase in cost due to increase of the number of parts can be avoided. The connection between the developer supply container 1 and the developer receiving apparatus 8 can be properly established using the mounting operation of the developer supply container 1 with minimum contamination with the developer. Similarly, utilizing the dismounting operation of the developer supply container 1, the spacing and resealing between the developer supply container 1 and the developer receiving apparatus 8 can be carried out with minimum contamination with the developer. Embodiment 9 Referring to FIG. 78 (parts (a) and (b)), structures of the Embodiment 9 will be described. Part (a) of the FIG. 78 is a schematic perspective view of the developer supply container 1, part (b) of the FIG. 78 is a schematic sectional view illustrating a state in which a pump portion 20b expands, and (c) is a schematic perspective view around the regulating member 56. In this example, the same reference numerals as in the foregoing embodiments are assigned to the elements having the corresponding functions in this embodiment, and the detailed description thereof is omitted. In this example, a drive converting mechanism (cam mechanism) is provided together with a pump portion 20b in a position dividing a cylindrical portion 20k with respect to a rotational axis direction of the developer supply container 1, as is significantly different from Embodiment 8. The other structures are substantially similar to the structures of Embodiment 8. As shown in part (a) of FIG. 78, in this example, the cylindrical portion 20k which feeds the developer toward a discharging portion 21h with rotation comprises a cylindrical portion 20k1 and a cylindrical portion 20k2. The pump portion 20b is provided between the cylindrical portion 20k1 and the cylindrical portion 20k2. A cam flange portion 19 functioning as a drive converting mechanism is provided at a position corresponding to the pump portion 20b. An inner surface of the cam flange portion 19 is provided with a cam groove 19a extending over the entire circumference as in Embodiment 8. On the other hand, an outer surface of the cylindrical portion 20k2 is provided a cam projection 20d functioning as a drive converting mechanism and is locked with the cam groove 19a. In addition, the developer receiving apparatus 8 is provided with a portion similar to the rotational moving direction regulating portion 29 (FIG. 66), which functions as a holding portion for the cam flange portion 19 so as to prevent the rotation. Furthermore, the developer receiving apparatus 8 is provided with a portion similar to the rotational moving direction regulating portion 30 (FIG. 66), which functions as a holding portion for the cam flange portion 19 so as to prevent the rotation. Therefore, when a rotational force is inputted to a gear portion 20a, the pump portion 20b reciprocates together with the cylindrical portion 20k2 in the directions ω and γ. As described in the foregoing, also in this embodiment, one pump is enough to effect the sucking operation and the discharging operation, and therefore, the structure of the developer discharging mechanism can be simplified. In addition, by the sucking operation through the discharge opening, a pressure reduction state (negative pressure state) can be provided in the developer supply container, and therefore, the developer can be efficiently loosened. In addition, also in the case that the pump portion 20b is disposed at a position dividing the cylindrical portion, the pump portion 20b can be reciprocated by the rotational driving force received from the developer receiving apparatus 8, as in Embodiment 8. Here, the structure of Embodiment 8 in which the pump portion 20b is directly connected with the discharging portion 21h is preferable from the standpoint that the pumping action of the pump portion 20b can be efficiently applied to the developer stored in the discharging portion 21h. In addition, this embodiment requires an additional cam flange portion (drive converting mechanism) 19 which has to be held substantially stationary by the developer receiving apparatus 8. Furthermore, this embodiment requires an additional mechanism, in the developer receiving apparatus 8, for limiting movement of the cam flange portion 19 in the rotational axis direction of the cylindrical portion 20k. Therefore, in view of such a complication, the structure of Embodiment 8 using the flange portion 21 is preferable. This is because in Embodiment 8, the flange portion 21 is held by the developer receiving apparatus 8 in order to make substantially immovable the portion where the developer receiving apparatus side and the developer supply container side are directly connected (the portion corresponding to the developer receiving port 11a and the shutter opening 4f in Embodiment 2), and one of cam mechanisms constituting the drive converting mechanism is provided on the flange portion 21. That is, the drive converting mechanism is simplified in this manner. In addition, in this example, similarly to the foregoing embodiments, the flange portion 21 of the developer supply container 1 is provided with the engaging portions 3b2, 3b4 similar to those of Embodiments 1 and 2, and therefore, similarly to the above-described embodiment, the mechanism for connecting and spacing the developer receiving portion 11 of the developer receiving apparatus 8 relative to the developer supply container 1 by displacing the developer receiving portion 11 can be simplified. More particularly, a driving source and/or a drive transmission mechanism for moving the entirety of the developing device upwardly is unnecessary, and therefore, a complication of the structure of the image forming apparatus side and/or the increase in cost due to increase of the number of parts can be avoided. The connection between the developer supply container 1 and the developer receiving apparatus 8 can be properly established using the mounting operation of the developer supply container 1 with minimum contamination with the developer. Similarly, utilizing the dismounting operation of the developer supply container 1, the spacing and resealing between the developer supply container 1 and the developer receiving apparatus 8 can be carried out with minimum contamination with the developer. Embodiment 10 Referring to FIG. 79, a structure of the Embodiment 10 will be described. In this example, the same reference numerals as in the foregoing embodiments are assigned to the elements having the corresponding functions in this embodiment, and the detailed description thereof is omitted. This example is significantly different from Embodiment 5 in that a drive converting mechanism (cam mechanism) is provided at an upstream end of the developer supply container 1 with respect to the feeding direction for the developer and in that the developer in the cylindrical portion 20k is fed using a stirring member 20m. The other structures are substantially similar to the structures of Embodiment 8. As shown in FIG. 79, in this example, the stirring member 20m is provided in the cylindrical portion 2kt as the feeding portion and rotates relative to the cylindrical portion 20k. The stirring member 20m rotates by the rotational force received by the gear portion 20a, relative to the cylindrical portion 20k fixed to the developer receiving apparatus 8 non-rotatably, by which the developer is fed in a rotational axis direction toward the discharging portion 21h while being stirred. More particularly, the stirring member 20m is provided with a shaft portion and a feeding blade portion fixed to the shaft portion. In this example, the gear portion 20a as the drive inputting portion is provided at one longitudinal end portion of the developer supply container 1 (right-hand side in FIG. 79), and the gear portion 20a is connected co-axially with the stirring member 20m. In addition, a hollow cam flange portion 21i which is integral with the gear portion 20a is provided at one longitudinal end portion of the developer supply container (right-hand side in FIG. 79) so as to rotate co-axially with the gear portion 20a. The cam flange portion 21i is provided with a cam groove 21b which extends in an inner surface over the entire inner circumference, and the cam groove 21b is engaged with two cam projections 20d provided on an outer surface of the cylindrical portion 20k at substantially diametrically opposite positions, respectively. One end portion (discharging portion 21h side) of the cylindrical portion 20k is fixed to the pump portion 20b, and the pump portion 20b is fixed to a flange portion 21 at one end portion (discharging portion 21h side) thereof. They are fixed by welding method. Therefore, in the state that it is mounted to the developer receiving apparatus 8, the pump portion 20b and the cylindrical portion 20k are substantially non-rotatable relative to the flange portion 21. Also in this example, similarly to the Embodiment 8, when the developer supply container 1 is mounted to the developer receiving apparatus 8, the flange portion 21 (discharging portion 21h) is prevented from the movements in the rotational moving direction and the rotational axis direction by the developer receiving apparatus 8. Therefore, when the rotational force is inputted from the developer receiving apparatus 8 to the gear portion 20a, the cam flange portion 21i rotates together with the stirring member 20m. As a result, the cam projection 20d is driven by the cam groove 21b of the cam flange portion 21i so that the cylindrical portion 20k reciprocates in the rotational axis direction to expand and contract the pump portion 20b. In this manner, by the rotation of the stirring member 20m, the developer is fed to the discharging portion 21h, and the developer in the discharging portion 21h is finally discharged through a discharge opening 21a by the suction and discharging operation of the pump portion 20b. As described in the foregoing, also in this embodiment, one pump is enough to effect the sucking operation and the discharging operation, and therefore, the structure of the developer discharging mechanism can be simplified. In addition, by the sucking operation through the discharge opening, a pressure reduction state (negative pressure state) can be provided in the developer supply container, and therefore, the developer can be efficiently loosened. In addition, in the structure of this example, similarly to the Embodiments 8-9, both of the rotating operation of the stirring member 20m provided in the cylindrical portion 20k and the reciprocation of the pump portion 20b can be performed by the rotational force received by the gear portion 20a from the developer receiving apparatus 8. In the case of this example, the stress applied to the developer in the developer feeding step at the cylindrical portion 20t tends to be relatively large, and the driving torque is relatively large, and from this standpoint, the structures of Embodiment 8 and Embodiment 6 are preferable. In addition, in this example, similarly to the foregoing embodiments, the flange portion 21 of the developer supply container 1 is provided with the engaging portions 3b2, 3b4 similar to those of Embodiments 1 and 2, and therefore, similarly to the above-described embodiment, the mechanism for connecting and spacing the developer receiving portion 11 of the developer receiving apparatus 8 relative to the developer supply container 1 by displacing the developer receiving portion 11 can be simplified. More particularly, a driving source and/or a drive transmission mechanism for moving the entirety of the developing device upwardly is unnecessary, and therefore, a complication of the structure of the image forming apparatus side and/or the increase in cost due to increase of the number of parts can be avoided. The connection between the developer supply container 1 and the developer receiving apparatus 8 can be properly established using the mounting operation of the developer supply container 1 with minimum contamination with the developer. Similarly, utilizing the dismounting operation of the developer supply container 1, the spacing and resealing between the developer supply container 1 and the developer receiving apparatus 8 can be carried out with minimum contamination with the developer. Embodiment 11 Referring to FIG. 80 (parts (a)-(d)), structures of the Embodiment 11 will be described. Part (a) of FIG. 80 is a schematic perspective view of a developer supply container 1, (b) is an enlarged sectional view of the developer supply container 1, and (c)-(d) are enlarged perspective views of the cam portions. In this example, the same reference numerals as in the foregoing embodiments are assigned to the elements having the corresponding functions in this embodiment, and the detailed description thereof is omitted. This example is substantially the same as Embodiment 8 except that the pump portion 20b is made non-rotatable by a developer receiving apparatus 8. In this example, as shown in parts (a) and (b) of FIG. 80, relaying portion 20f is provided between a pump portion 20b and a cylindrical portion 20k of a developer accommodating portion 20. The relaying portion 20f is provided with two cam projections 20d on the outer surface thereof at the positions substantially diametrically opposed to each other, and one end thereof (discharging portion 21h side) is connected to and fixed to the pump portion 20b (welding method). Another end (discharging portion 21h side) of the pump portion 20b is fixed to a flange portion 21 (welding method), and in the state that it is mounted to the developer receiving apparatus 8, it is substantially non-rotatable. A sealing member 27 is compressed between the cylindrical portion 20k and the relaying portion 20f, and the cylindrical portion 20k is unified so as to be rotatable relative to the relaying portion 20f. The outer peripheral portion of the cylindrical portion 20k is provided with a rotation receiving portion (projection) 20 g for receiving a rotational force from a cam gear portion 7, as will be described hereinafter. On the other hand, the cam gear portion 7 which is cylindrical is provided so as to cover the outer surface of the relaying portion 20f. The cam gear portion 22 is engaged with the flange portion 21 so as to be substantially stationary (movement within the limit of play is permitted), and is rotatable relative to the flange portion 21. As shown in part (c) of FIG. 80, the cam gear portion 22 is provided with a gear portion 22a as a drive inputting portion for receiving the rotational force from the developer receiving apparatus 8, and a cam groove 22b engaged with the cam projection 20d. In addition, as shown in part (d) of FIG. 80, the cam gear portion 22 is provided with a rotational engaging portion (recess) 7c engaged with the rotation receiving portion 20 g to rotate together with the cylindrical portion 20k. Thus, by the above-described engaging relation, the rotational engaging portion (recess) 7c is permitted to move relative to the rotation receiving portion 20 g in the rotational axis direction, but it can rotate integrally in the rotational moving direction. The description will be made as to a developer supplying step of the developer supply container 1 in this example. When the gear portion 22a receives a rotational force from the driving gear 9 of the developer receiving apparatus 8, and the cam gear portion 22 rotates, the cam gear portion 22 rotates together with the cylindrical portion 20k because of the engaging relation with the rotation receiving portion 20 g by the rotational engaging portion 7c. That is, the rotational engaging portion 7c and the rotation receiving portion 20 g function to transmit the rotational force which is received by the gear portion 22a from the developer receiving apparatus 8, to the cylindrical portion 20k (feeding portion 20c). On the other hand, similarly to Embodiments 8-10, when the developer supply container 1 is mounted to the developer receiving apparatus 8, the flange portion 21 is non-rotatably supported by the developer receiving apparatus 8, and therefore, the pump portion 20b and the relaying portion 20f fixed to the flange portion 21 is also non-rotatable. In addition, the movement of the flange portion 21 in the rotational axis direction is prevented by the developer receiving apparatus 8. Therefore, when the cam gear portion 22 rotates, a cam function occurs between the cam groove 22b of the cam gear portion 22 and the cam projection 20d of the relaying portion 20f. Thus, the rotational force inputted to the gear portion 22a from the developer receiving apparatus 8 is converted to the force reciprocating the relaying portion 20f and the cylindrical portion 20k in the rotational axis direction of the developer accommodating portion 20. As a result, the pump portion 20b which is fixed to the flange portion 21 at one end position (left side in part (b) of the FIG. 80) with respect to the reciprocating direction expands and contracts in interrelation with the reciprocation of the relaying portion 20f and the cylindrical portion 20k, thus effecting a pump operation. In this manner, with the rotation of the cylindrical portion 20k, the developer is fed to the discharging portion 21h by the feeding portion 20c, and the developer in the discharging portion 21h is finally discharged through a discharge opening 21a by the suction and discharging operation of the pump portion 20b. As described in the foregoing, also in this embodiment, one pump is enough to effect the sucking operation and the discharging operation, and therefore, the structure of the developer discharging mechanism can be simplified. In addition, by the sucking operation through the discharge opening, a pressure reduction state (negative pressure state) can be provided in the developer supply container, and therefore, the developer can be efficiently loosened. In addition, in this example, the rotational force received from the developer receiving apparatus 8 is transmitted and converted simultaneously to the force rotating the cylindrical portion 20k and to the force reciprocating (expanding-and-contracting operation) the pump portion 20b in the rotational axis direction. Therefore, also in this example, similarly to Embodiments 8-10, by the rotational force received from the developer receiving apparatus 8, both of the rotating operation of the cylindrical portion 20k (feeding portion 20c) and the reciprocation of the pump portion 20b can be effected. In addition, in this example, similarly to the foregoing embodiments, the flange portion 21 of the developer supply container 1 is provided with the engaging portions 3b2, 3b4 similar to those of Embodiments 1 and 2, and therefore, similarly to the above-described embodiment, the mechanism for connecting and spacing the developer receiving portion 11 of the developer receiving apparatus 8 relative to the developer supply container 1 by displacing the developer receiving portion 11 can be simplified. More particularly, a driving source and/or a drive transmission mechanism for moving the entirety of the developing device upwardly is unnecessary, and therefore, a complication of the structure of the image forming apparatus side and/or the increase in cost due to increase of the number of parts can be avoided. The connection between the developer supply container 1 and the developer receiving apparatus 8 can be properly established using the mounting operation of the developer supply container 1 with minimum contamination with the developer. Similarly, utilizing the dismounting operation of the developer supply container 1, the spacing and resealing between the developer supply container 1 and the developer receiving apparatus 8 can be carried out with minimum contamination with the developer. Embodiment 12 Referring to parts (a) and (b) of the FIG. 81, Embodiment 12 will be described. Part (a) of the FIG. 81 is a schematic perspective view of a developer supply container 1, part (b) is an enlarged sectional view of the developer supply container. In this example, the same reference numerals as in the foregoing embodiments are assigned to the elements having the corresponding functions in this embodiment, and the detailed description thereof is omitted. This example is significantly different from Embodiment 8 in that a rotational force received from a driving gear 9 of a developer receiving apparatus 8 is converted to a reciprocating force for reciprocating a pump portion 20b, and then the reciprocating force is converted to a rotational force, by which a cylindrical portion 20k is rotated. In this example, as shown in part (b) of the FIG. 81, a relaying portion 20f is provided between the pump portion 20b and the cylindrical portion 20k. The relaying portion 20f includes two cam projections 20d at substantially diametrically opposite positions, respectively, and one end sides thereof (discharging portion 21h side) are connected and fixed to the pump portion 20b by welding method. Another end (discharging portion 21h side) of the pump portion 20b is fixed to a flange portion 21 (welding method), and in the state that it is mounted to the developer receiving apparatus 8, it is substantially non-rotatable. Between the one end portion of the cylindrical portion 20k and the relaying portion 20f, a sealing member 27 is compressed, and the cylindrical portion 20k is unified such that it is rotatable relative to the relaying portion 20f. An outer periphery portion of the cylindrical portion 20k is provided with two cam projections 20i at substantially diametrically opposite positions, respectively. On the other hand, a cylindrical cam gear portion 22 is provided so as to cover the outer surfaces of the pump portion 20b and the relaying portion 20f. The cam gear portion 22 is engaged so that it is non-movable relative to the flange portion 21 in a rotational axis direction of the cylindrical portion 20k but it is rotatable relative thereto. The cam gear portion 22 is provided with a gear portion 22a as a drive inputting portion for receiving the rotational force from the developer replenishing apparatus 8, and a cam groove 22a engaged with the cam projection 20d. Furthermore, there is provided a cam flange portion 19 covering the outer surfaces of the relaying portion 20f and the cylindrical portion 20k. When the developer supply container 1 is mounted to a mounting portion 8f of the developer receiving apparatus 8, cam flange portion 19 is substantially non-movable. The cam flange portion 19 is provided with a cam projection 20i and a cam groove 19a. A developer supplying step in this example will be described. The gear portion 22a receives a rotational force from a driving gear 300 of the developer receiving apparatus 8 by which the cam gear portion 22 rotates. Then, since the pump portion 20b and the relaying portion 20f are held non-rotatably by the flange portion 21, a cam function occurs between the cam groove 22b of the cam gear portion 22 and the cam projection 20d of the relaying portion 20f. More particularly, the rotational force inputted to the gear portion 7a from the developer receiving apparatus 8 is converted to a reciprocation force the relaying portion 20f in the rotational axis direction of the cylindrical portion 20k. As a result, the pump portion 20b which is fixed to the flange portion 21 at one end with respect to the reciprocating direction the left side of the part (b) of the FIG. 81) expands and contracts in interrelation with the reciprocation of the relaying portion 20f, thus effecting the pump operation. When the relaying portion 20f reciprocates, a cam function works between the cam groove 19a of the cam flange portion 19 and the cam projection 20i by which the force in the rotational axis direction is converted to a force in the rotational moving direction, and the force is transmitted to the cylindrical portion 20k. As a result, the cylindrical portion 20k (feeding portion 20c) rotates. In this manner, with the rotation of the cylindrical portion 20k, the developer is fed to the discharging portion 21h by the feeding portion 20c, and the developer in the discharging portion 21h is finally discharged through a discharge opening 21a by the suction and discharging operation of the pump portion 20b. As described in the foregoing, also in this embodiment, one pump is enough to effect the sucking operation and the discharging operation, and therefore, the structure of the developer discharging mechanism can be simplified. In addition, by the sucking operation through the discharge opening, a pressure reduction state (negative pressure state) can be provided in the developer supply container, and therefore, the developer can be efficiently loosened. In addition, in this example, the rotational force received from the developer receiving apparatus 8 is converted to the force reciprocating the pump portion 20b in the rotational axis direction (expanding-and-contracting operation), and then the force is converted to a force rotation the cylindrical portion 20k and is transmitted. Therefore, also in this example, similarly to Embodiment 11, by the rotational force received from the developer receiving apparatus 8, both of the rotating operation of the cylindrical portion 20k (feeding portion 20c) and the reciprocation of the pump portion 20b can be effected. However, in this example, the rotational force inputted from the developer receiving apparatus 8 is converted to the reciprocating force and then is converted to the force in the rotational moving direction with the result of complicated structure of the drive converting mechanism, and therefore, Embodiments 8-11 in which the re-conversion is unnecessary are preferable. In addition, in this example, similarly to the foregoing embodiments, the flange portion 21 of the developer supply container 1 is provided with the engaging portions 3b2, 3b4 similar to those of Embodiments 1 and 2, and therefore, similarly to the above-described embodiment, the mechanism for connecting and spacing the developer receiving portion 11 of the developer receiving apparatus 8 relative to the developer supply container 1 by displacing the developer receiving portion 11 can be simplified. More particularly, a driving source and/or a drive transmission mechanism for moving the entirety of the developing device upwardly is unnecessary, and therefore, a complication of the structure of the image forming apparatus side and/or the increase in cost due to increase of the number of parts can be avoided. The connection between the developer supply container 1 and the developer receiving apparatus 8 can be properly established using the mounting operation of the developer supply container 1 with minimum contamination with the developer. Similarly, utilizing the dismounting operation of the developer supply container 1, the spacing and resealing between the developer supply container 1 and the developer receiving apparatus 8 can be carried out with minimum contamination with the developer. Embodiment 13 Referring to parts (a)-(b) of FIG. 82 and parts (a)-(d) of FIG. 83, Embodiment 13 will be described. Part (a) of FIG. 82 is a schematic perspective view of a developer supply container, part (b) is an enlarged sectional view of the developer supply container 1, and parts (a)-(d) of FIG. 83 are enlarged views of a drive converting mechanism. In parts (a)-(d) of FIG. 83, a gear ring 60 and a rotational engaging portion 8b are shown as always taking top positions for better illustration of the operations thereof. In this example, the same reference numerals as in the foregoing embodiments are assigned to the elements having the corresponding functions in this embodiment, and the detailed description thereof is omitted. In this example, the drive converting mechanism employs a bevel gear, as is contrasted to the foregoing examples. As shown in part (b) of FIG. 82, a relaying portion 20f is provided between a pump portion 20b and a cylindrical portion 20k. The relaying portion 20f is provided with an engaging projection 20h engaged with a connecting portion 62 which will be described hereinafter. Another end (discharging portion 21h side) of the pump portion 20b is fixed to a flange portion 21 (welding method), and in the state that it is mounted to the developer receiving apparatus 8, it is substantially non-rotatable. A sealing member 27 is compressed between the discharging portion 21h side end of the cylindrical portion 20k and the relaying portion 20f, and the cylindrical portion 20k is unified so as to be rotatable relative to the relaying portion 20f. An outer periphery portion of the cylindrical portion 20k is provided with a rotation receiving portion (projection) 20 g for receiving a rotational force from the gear ring 60 which will be described hereinafter. On the other hand, a cylindrical gear ring 60 is provided so as to cover the outer surface of the cylindrical portion 20k. The gear ring 60 is rotatable relative to the flange portion 21. As shown in parts (a) and (b) of FIG. 82, the gear ring 60 includes a gear portion 60a for transmitting the rotational force to the bevel gear 61 which will be described hereinafter and a rotational engaging portion (recess) 60b for engaging with the rotation receiving portion 20 g to rotate together with the cylindrical portion 20k. Thus, by the above-described engaging relation, the rotational engaging portion (recess) 60b is permitted to move relative to the rotation receiving portion 20 g in the rotational axis direction, but it can rotate integrally in the rotational moving direction. On the outer surface of the flange portion 21, the bevel 61 is provided so as to be rotatable relative to the flange portion 21. Furthermore, the bevel 61 and the engaging projection 20h are connected by a connecting portion 62. A developer supplying step of the developer supply container 1 will be described. When the cylindrical portion 20k rotates by the gear portion 20a of the developer accommodating portion 20 receiving the rotational force from the driving gear 9 of the developer receiving apparatus 8, gear ring 60 rotates with the cylindrical portion 20k since the cylindrical portion 20k is in engagement with the gear ring 60 by the receiving portion 20g. That is, the rotation receiving portion 20 g and the rotational engaging portion 60b function to transmit the rotational force inputted from the developer receiving apparatus 8 to the gear portion 20a to the gear ring 60. On the other hand, when the gear ring 60 rotates, the rotational force is transmitted to the bevel gear 61 from the gear portion 60a so that the bevel gear 61 rotates. The rotation of the bevel gear 61 is converted to reciprocating motion of the engaging projection 20h through the connecting portion 62, as shown in parts (a)-(d) of the FIG. 83. By this, the relaying portion 20f having the engaging projection 20h is reciprocated. As a result, the pump portion 20b expands and contracts in interrelation with the reciprocation of the relaying portion 20f to effect a pump operation. In this manner, with the rotation of the cylindrical portion 20k, the developer is fed to the discharging portion 21h by the feeding portion 20c, and the developer in the discharging portion 21h is finally discharged through a discharge opening 21a by the suction and discharging operation of the pump portion 20b. As described in the foregoing, also in this embodiment, one pump is enough to effect the sucking operation and the discharging operation, and therefore, the structure of the developer discharging mechanism can be simplified. In addition, by the sucking operation through the discharge opening, a pressure reduction state (negative pressure state) can be provided in the developer supply container, and therefore, the developer can be efficiently loosened. In addition, also in this example, similarly to the Embodiment 8-Embodiment 12, both of the reciprocation of the pump portion 20b and the rotating operation of the cylindrical portion 20k (feeding portion 20c) are effected by the rotational force received from the developer receiving apparatus 8. However, in the case of using the bevel gear, the number of parts is large, and Embodiment 8-Embodiment 12 are preferable from this standpoint. In addition, in this example, similarly to the foregoing embodiments, the flange portion 21 of the developer supply container 1 is provided with the engaging portions 3b2, 3b4 similar to those of Embodiments 1 and 2, and therefore, similarly to the above-described embodiment, the mechanism for connecting and spacing the developer receiving portion 11 of the developer receiving apparatus 8 relative to the developer supply container 1 by displacing the developer receiving portion 11 can be simplified. More particularly, a driving source and/or a drive transmission mechanism for moving the entirety of the developing device upwardly is unnecessary, and therefore, a complication of the structure of the image forming apparatus side and/or the increase in cost due to increase of the number of parts can be avoided. The connection between the developer supply container 1 and the developer receiving apparatus 8 can be properly established using the mounting operation of the developer supply container 1 with minimum contamination with the developer. Similarly, utilizing the dismounting operation of the developer supply container 1, the spacing and resealing between the developer supply container 1 and the developer receiving apparatus 8 can be carried out with minimum contamination with the developer. Embodiment 14 Referring to FIG. 84 (parts (a) and (b)), structures of the Embodiment 14 will be described. Part (a) of FIG. 84 is an enlarged perspective view of a drive converting mechanism, (b)-(c) are enlarged views thereof as seen from the top. In this example, the same reference numerals as in the foregoing embodiments are assigned to the elements having the corresponding functions in this embodiment, and the detailed description thereof is omitted. In parts (b) and (c) of FIG. 84, a gear ring 60 and a rotational engaging portion 60b are schematically shown as being at the top for the convenience of illustration of the operation. In this embodiment, the drive converting mechanism includes a magnet (magnetic field generating means) as is significantly different from Embodiments. As shown in FIG. 84 (FIG. 83, if necessary), the bevel gear 61 is provided with a rectangular parallelepiped shape magnet 63, and an engaging projection 20h of a relaying portion 20f is provided with a bar-like magnet 64 having a magnetic pole directed to the magnet 63. The rectangular parallelepiped shape magnet 63 has a N pole at one longitudinal end thereof and a S pole as the other end, and the orientation thereof changes with the rotation of the bevel gear 61. The bar-like magnet 64 has a S pole at one longitudinal end adjacent an outside of the container and a N pole at the other end, and it is movable in the rotational axis direction. The magnet 64 is non-rotatable by an elongated guide groove formed in the outer peripheral surface of the flange portion 21. With such a structure, when the magnet 63 is rotated by the rotation of the bevel gear 61, the magnetic pole facing the magnet and exchanges, and therefore, attraction and repelling between the magnet 63 and the magnet 64 are repeated alternately. As a result, a pump portion 20b fixed to the relaying portion 20f is reciprocated in the rotational axis direction. As described in the foregoing, also in this embodiment, one pump is enough to effect the sucking operation and the discharging operation, and therefore, the structure of the developer discharging mechanism can be simplified. In addition, by the sucking operation through the discharge opening, a pressure reduction state (negative pressure state) can be provided in the developer supply container, and therefore, the developer can be efficiently loosened. In addition, also in the structure of this example, similarly to the Embodiment 8-Embodiment 13, both of the reciprocation of the pump portion 20b and the rotating operation of the feeding portion 20c (cylindrical portion 20k) can be effected by the rotational force received from the developer receiving apparatus 8. In this example, the bevel gear 61 is provided with the magnet, but this is not inevitable, and another way of use of magnetic force (magnetic field) is applicable. From the standpoint of certainty of the drive conversion, Embodiments 8-13 are preferable. In the case that the developer accommodated in the developer supply container 1 is a magnetic developer (one component magnetic toner, two component magnetic carrier), there is a liability that the developer is trapped in an inner wall portion of the container adjacent to the magnet. Then, an amount of the developer remaining in the developer supply container 1 may be large, and from this standpoint, the structures of Embodiments 5-10 are preferable. In addition, in this example, similarly to the foregoing embodiments, the flange portion 21 of the developer supply container 1 is provided with the engaging portions 3b2, 3b4 similar to those of Embodiments 1 and 2, and therefore, similarly to the above-described embodiment, the mechanism for connecting and spacing the developer receiving portion 11 of the developer receiving apparatus 8 relative to the developer supply container 1 by displacing the developer receiving portion 11 can be simplified. More particularly, a driving source and/or a drive transmission mechanism for moving the entirety of the developing device upwardly is unnecessary, and therefore, a complication of the structure of the image forming apparatus side and/or the increase in cost due to increase of the number of parts can be avoided. The connection between the developer supply container 1 and the developer receiving apparatus 8 can be properly established using the mounting operation of the developer supply container 1 with minimum contamination with the developer. Similarly, utilizing the dismounting operation of the developer supply container 1, the spacing and resealing between the developer supply container 1 and the developer receiving apparatus 8 can be carried out with minimum contamination with the developer. Embodiment 15 Referring to parts (a)-(c) of FIG. 85 and parts (a)-(b) of FIG. 86, Embodiment 15 will be described. Part (a) of the FIG. 85 is a schematic view illustrating an inside of a developer supply container 1, (b) is a sectional view in a state that the pump portion 20b is expanded to the maximum in the developer supplying step, showing (c) is a sectional view of the developer supply container 1 in a state that the pump portion 20b is compressed to the maximum in the developer supplying step. Part (a) of FIG. 86 is a schematic view illustrating an inside of the developer supply container 1, (b) is a perspective view of a rear end portion of the cylindrical portion 20k, and (c) is a schematic perspective view around a regulating member 56. In this example, the same reference numerals as in the foregoing embodiments are assigned to the elements having the corresponding functions in this embodiment, and the detailed description thereof is omitted. This embodiment is significantly different from the structures of the above-described embodiments in that the pump portion 20b is provided at a leading end portion of the developer supply container 1 and in that the pump portion 20b does not have the functions of transmitting the rotational force received from the driving gear 9 to the cylindrical portion 20k. More particularly, the pump portion 20b is provided outside a drive conversion path of the drive converting mechanism, that is, outside a drive transmission path extending from the coupling portion 20s (part (b) of FIG. 86) received the rotational force from the driving gear 9 (FIG. 66) to the cam groove 20n. This structure is employed in consideration of the fact that with the structure of Embodiment 8, after the rotational force inputted from the driving gear 9 is transmitted to the cylindrical portion 20k through the pump portion 20b, it is converted to the reciprocation force, and therefore, the pump portion 20b receives the rotational moving direction always in the developer supplying step operation. Therefore, there is a liability that in the developer supplying step the pump portion 20b is twisted in the rotational moving direction with the results of deterioration of the pump function. This will be described in detail. As shown in part (a) of FIG. 85, an opening portion of one end portion (discharging portion 21h side) of the pump portion 20b is fixed to a flange portion 21 (welding method), and when the container is mounted to the developer receiving apparatus 8, the pump portion 20b is substantially non-rotatable with the flange portion 21. On the other hand, a cam flange portion 19 is provided covering the outer surface of the flange portion 21 and/or the cylindrical portion 20k, and the cam flange portion 15 functions as a drive converting mechanism. As shown in FIG. 85, the inner surface of the cam flange portion 19 is provided with two cam projections 19a at diametrically opposite positions, respectively. In addition, the cam flange portion 19 is fixed to the closed side (opposite the discharging portion 21h side) of the pump portion 20b. On the other hand, the outer surface of the cylindrical portion 20k is provided with a cam groove 20n functioning as the drive converting mechanism, the cam groove 20n extending over the entire circumference, and the cam projection 19a is engaged with the cam groove 20n. Furthermore, in this embodiment, as is different from Embodiment 8, as shown in part (b) of the FIG. 86, one end surface of the cylindrical portion 20k (upstream side with respect to the feeding direction of the developer) is provided with a non-circular (rectangular in this example) male coupling portion 20s functioning as the drive inputting portion. On the other hand, the developer receiving apparatus 8 includes non-circular (rectangular) female coupling portion) for driving connection with the male coupling portion 20s to apply a rotational force. The female coupling portion, similarly to Embodiment 8, is driven by a driving motor 500. In addition, the flange portion 21 is prevented, similarly to Embodiment 5, from moving in the rotational axis direction and in the rotational moving direction by the developer receiving apparatus 8. On the other hand, the cylindrical portion 20k is connected with the flange portion 21 through a sealing member 27, and the cylindrical portion 20k is rotatable relative to the flange portion 21. The sealing member 27 is a sliding type seal which prevents incoming and outgoing leakage of air (developer) between the cylindrical portion 20k and the flange portion 21 within a range not influential to the developer supply using the pump portion 20b and which permits rotation of the cylindrical portion 20k. A developer supplying step of the developer supply container 1 will be described. The developer supply container 1 is mounted to the developer receiving apparatus 8, and then the cylindrical portion 20k receptions the rotational force from the female coupling portion of the developer receiving apparatus 8, by which the cam groove 20n rotates. Therefore, the cam flange portion 19 reciprocates in the rotational axis direction relative to the flange portion 21 and the cylindrical portion 20k by the cam projection 19a engaged with the cam groove 20n, while the cylindrical portion 20k and the flange portion 21 are prevented from movement in the rotational axis direction by the developer receiving apparatus 8. Since the cam flange portion 19 and the pump portion 20b are fixed with each other, the pump portion 20b reciprocates with the cam flange portion 19 (arrow co direction and arrow γ direction). As a result, as shown in parts (b) and (c) of FIG. 85, the pump portion 20b expands and contracts in interrelation with the reciprocation of the cam flange portion 19, thus effecting a pumping operation. As described in the foregoing, also in this embodiment, one pump is enough to effect the sucking operation and the discharging operation, and therefore, the structure of the developer discharging mechanism can be simplified. In addition, by the sucking operation through the discharge opening 21a, a pressure reduction state (negative pressure state) can be provided in the developer supply container, and therefore, the developer can be efficiently loosened. In addition, also in this example, similar to the above-described Embodiments 8-14, the rotational force received from the developer receiving apparatus 8 is converted a force operating the pump portion 20b, in the developer supply container 1, so that the pump portion 20b can be operated properly. In addition, the rotational force received from the developer receiving apparatus 8 is converted to the reciprocation force without using the pump portion 20b, by which the pump portion 20b is prevented from being damaged due to the torsion in the rotational moving direction. Therefore, it is unnecessary to increase the strength of the pump portion 20b, and the thickness of the pump portion 20b may be small, and the material thereof may be an inexpensive one. Further with the structure of this example, the pump portion 20b is not provided between the discharging portion 21h and the cylindrical portion 20k as in Embodiment 8-Embodiment 14, but is provided at a position away from the cylindrical portion 20k of the discharging portion 21h, and therefore, the developer amount remaining in the developer supply container 1 can be reduced. As shown in (a) of FIG. 86, it is an usable alternative that the internal space of the pump portion 20b is not uses as a developer accommodating space, and the filter 65 partitions between the pump portion 20b and the discharging portion 21h. Here, the filter has such a property that the air is easily passed, but the toner is not passed substantially. With such a structure, when the pump portion 20b is compressed, the developer in the recessed portion of the bellow portion is not stressed. However, the structure of parts (a)-(c) of FIG. 85 is preferable from the standpoint that in the expanding stroke of the pump portion 20b, an additional developer accommodating space can be formed, that is, an additional space through which the developer can move is provided, so that the developer is easily loosened. In addition, in this example, similarly to the foregoing embodiments, the flange portion 21 of the developer supply container 1 is provided with the engaging portions 3b2, 3b4 similar to those of Embodiments 1 and 2, and therefore, similarly to the above-described embodiment, the mechanism for connecting and spacing the developer receiving portion 11 of the developer receiving apparatus 8 relative to the developer supply container 1 by displacing the developer receiving portion 11 can be simplified. More particularly, a driving source and/or a drive transmission mechanism for moving the entirety of the developing device upwardly is unnecessary, and therefore, a complication of the structure of the image forming apparatus side and/or the increase in cost due to increase of the number of parts can be avoided. The connection between the developer supply container 1 and the developer receiving apparatus 8 can be properly established using the mounting operation of the developer supply container 1 with minimum contamination with the developer. Similarly, utilizing the dismounting operation of the developer supply container 1, the spacing and resealing between the developer supply container 1 and the developer receiving apparatus 8 can be carried out with minimum contamination with the developer. Embodiment 16 Referring to FIG. 87 (parts (a) and (b)), structures of the Embodiment 16 will be described. Parts (a)-(c) of FIG. 87 are enlarged sectional views of a developer supply container 1. In parts (a)-(c) of FIG. 87, the structures except for the pump are substantially the same as structures shown in FIGS. 85 and 86, and therefore, the detailed description there of is omitted. In this example, the pump does not have the alternating peak folding portions and bottom folding portions, but it has a film-like pump portion 38 capable of expansion and contraction substantially without a folding portion, as shown in FIG. 87. In this embodiment, the film-like pump portion 38 is made of rubber, but this is not inevitable, and flexible material such as resin film is usable. With such a structure, when the cam flange portion 19 reciprocates in the rotational axis direction, the film-like pump portion 38 reciprocates together with the cam flange portion 19. As a result, as shown in parts (b) and (c) of FIG. 87, the film-like pump portion 38 expands and contracts interrelated with the reciprocation of the cam flange portion 19 in the directions of arrow co and arrow γ, thus effecting a pumping operation. As described in the foregoing, also in this embodiment, one pump 38 is enough to effect the sucking operation and the discharging operation, and therefore, the structure of the developer discharging mechanism can be simplified. In addition, by the sucking operation through the discharge opening 21a, a pressure reduction state (negative pressure state) can be provided in the developer supply container, and therefore, the developer can be efficiently loosened. In addition, also in this example, similar to the above-described Embodiments 8-15, the rotational force received from the developer receiving apparatus 8 is converted a force operating the pump portion 38, in the developer supply container 1, so that the pump portion 38 can be operated properly. In addition, in this example, similarly to the foregoing embodiments, the flange portion 21 of the developer supply container 1 is provided with the engaging portions 3b2, 3b4 similar to those of Embodiments 1 and 2, and therefore, similarly to the above-described embodiment, the mechanism for connecting and spacing the developer receiving portion 11 of the developer receiving apparatus 8 relative to the developer supply container 1 by displacing the developer receiving portion 11 can be simplified. More particularly, a driving source and/or a drive transmission mechanism for moving the entirety of the developing device upwardly is unnecessary, and therefore, a complication of the structure of the image forming apparatus side and/or the increase in cost due to increase of the number of parts can be avoided. The connection between the developer supply container 1 and the developer receiving apparatus 8 can be properly established using the mounting operation of the developer supply container 1 with minimum contamination with the developer. Similarly, utilizing the dismounting operation of the developer supply container 1, the spacing and resealing between the developer supply container 1 and the developer receiving apparatus 8 can be carried out with minimum contamination with the developer. Embodiment 17 Referring to FIG. 88 (parts (a) and (b)), structures of the Embodiment 17 will be described. Part (a) of FIG. 88 is a schematic perspective view of the developer supply container 1, (b) is an enlarged sectional view of the developer supply container 1, (c)-(e) are schematic enlarged views of a drive converting mechanism. In this example, the same reference numerals as in the foregoing embodiments are assigned to the elements having the corresponding functions in this embodiment, and the detailed description thereof is omitted. In this example, the pump portion is reciprocated in a direction perpendicular to a rotational axis direction, as is contrasted to the foregoing embodiments. (Drive Converting Mechanism) In this example, as shown in parts (a)-(e) of FIG. 88, at an upper portion of the flange portion 21, that is, the discharging portion 21h, a pump portion 21f of bellow type is connected. In addition, to a top end portion of the pump portion 21f, a cam projection 21 g functioning as a drive converting portion is fixed by bonding. On the other hand, at one longitudinal end surface of the developer accommodating portion 20, a cam groove 20e engageable with a cam projection 21 g is formed and it function as a drive converting portion. As shown in part (b) of FIG. 88, the developer accommodating portion 20 is fixed so as to be rotatable relative to discharging portion 21h in the state that a discharging portion 21h side end compresses a sealing member 27 provided on an inner surface of the flange portion 21. Also in this example, with the mounting operation of the developer supply container 1, both sides of the discharging portion 21h (opposite end surfaces with respect to a direction perpendicular to the rotational axis direction X) are supported by the developer receiving apparatus 8. Therefore, during the developer supply operation, the discharging portion 21h is substantially non-rotatable. Also in this example, the mounting portion 8f of the developer receiving apparatus 8 is provided with a developer receiving portion 11 (FIG. 40 or FIG. 66) for receiving the developer discharged from the developer supply container 1 through the discharge opening (opening) 21a which will be described hereinafter. The structure of the developer receiving portion 11 is similar to the those of Embodiment 1 or Embodiment 2, and therefore, the description thereof is omitted. In addition, the flange portion 21 of the developer supply container is provided with engaging portions 3b2 and 3b4 engageable with the developer receiving portion 11 displaceably provided on the developer receiving apparatus 8 similarly to the above-described Embodiment 1 or Embodiment 2. The structures of the engaging portions 3b2, 3b4 are similar to those of above-described Embodiment 1 or Embodiment 2, and therefore, the description is omitted. Here, the configuration of the cam groove 20e is elliptical configuration as shown in (c)-(e) of FIG. 88, and the cam projection 21 g moving along the cam groove 20e changes in the distance from the rotational axis of the developer accommodating portion 20 (minimum distance in the diametrical direction). As shown in (b) of FIG. 88, a plate-like partition wall 32 is provided and is effective to feed, to the discharging portion 21h, a developer fed by a helical projection (feeding portion) 20c from the cylindrical portion 20k. The partition wall 32 divides a part of the developer accommodating portion 20 substantially into two parts and is rotatable integrally with the developer accommodating portion 20. The partition wall 32 is provided with an inclined projection 32a slanted relative to the rotational axis direction of the developer supply container 1. The inclined projection 32a is connected with an inlet portion of the discharging portion 21h. Therefore, the developer fed from the feeding portion 20c is scooped up by the partition wall 32 in interrelation with the rotation of the cylindrical portion 20k. Thereafter, with a further rotation of the cylindrical portion 20k, the developer slide down on the surface of the partition wall 32 by the gravity, and is fed to the discharging portion 21h side by the inclined projection 32a. The inclined projection 32a is provided on each of the sides of the partition wall 32 so that the developer is fed into the discharging portion 21h every one half rotation of the cylindrical portion 20k. (Developer Supplying Step) The description will be made as to developer supplying step from the developer supply container 1 in this example When the operator mounts the developer supply container 1 to the developer receiving apparatus 8, the flange portion 21 (discharging portion 21h) is prevented from movement in the rotational moving direction and in the rotational axis direction by the developer receiving apparatus 8. In addition, the pump portion 21f and the cam projection 21 g are fixed to the flange portion 21, and are prevented from movement in the rotational moving direction and in the rotational axis direction, similarly. And, by the rotational force inputted from a driving gear 9 (FIGS. 67 and 68) to a gear portion 20a, the developer accommodating portion 20 rotates, and therefore, the cam groove 20e also rotates. On the other hand, the cam projection 21 g which is fixed so as to be non-rotatable receives the force through the cam groove 20e, so that the rotational force inputted to the gear portion 20a is converted to a force reciprocating the pump portion 21f substantially vertically. Here, part (d) of FIG. 88 illustrates a state in which the pump portion 21f is most expanded, that is, the cam projection 21 g is at the intersection between the ellipse of the cam groove 20e and the major axis La (point Y in (c) of FIG. 88). Part (e) of FIG. 88 illustrates a state in which the pump portion 21f is most contracted, that is, the cam projection 21 g is at the intersection between the ellipse of the cam groove 20e and the minor axis La (point Z in (c) of FIG. 53). The state of (d) of FIG. 88 and the state of (e) of FIG. 88 are repeated alternately at predetermined cyclic period so that the pump portion 21f effects the suction and discharging operation. That is the developer is discharged smoothly. With such rotation of the cylindrical portion 20k, the developer is fed to the discharging portion 21h by the feeding portion 20c and the inclined projection 32a, and the developer in the discharging portion 21h is finally discharged through the discharge opening 21a by the suction and discharging operation of the pump portion 21f. As described in the foregoing, also in this embodiment, one pump is enough to effect the sucking operation and the discharging operation, and therefore, the structure of the developer discharging mechanism can be simplified. In addition, by the sucking operation through the discharge opening, a pressure reduction state (negative pressure state) can be provided in the developer supply container, and therefore, the developer can be efficiently loosened. In addition, also in this example, similarly to the Embodiment 8-Embodiment 16, both of the reciprocation of the pump portion 21f and the rotating operation of the feeding portion 20c (cylindrical portion 20k) can be effected by gear portion 20a receiving the rotational force from the developer receiving apparatus 8. Since, in this example, the pump portion 21f is provided at a top of the discharging portion 21h (in the state that the developer supply container 1 is mounted to the developer receiving apparatus 8), the amount of the developer unavoidably remaining in the pump portion 21f can be minimized as compared with Embodiment 8. In this example, the pump portion 21f is a bellow-like pump, but it may be replaced with a film-like pump described in Embodiment 13. In this example, the cam projection 21 g as the drive transmitting portion is fixed by an adhesive material to the upper surface of the pump portion 21f, but the cam projection 21 g is not necessarily fixed to the pump portion 21f. For example, a known snap hook engagement is usable, or a round rod-like cam projection 21 g and a pump portion 3f having a hole engageable with the cam projection 21 g may be used in combination. With such a structure, the similar advantageous effects can be provided. In addition, in this example, similarly to the foregoing embodiments, the flange portion 21 of the developer supply container 1 is provided with the engaging portions 3b2, 3b4 similar to those of Embodiments 1 and 2, and therefore, similarly to the above-described embodiment, the mechanism for connecting and spacing the developer receiving portion 11 of the developer receiving apparatus 8 relative to the developer supply container 1 by displacing the developer receiving portion 11 can be simplified. More particularly, a driving source and/or a drive transmission mechanism for moving the entirety of the developing device upwardly is unnecessary, and therefore, a complication of the structure of the image forming apparatus side and/or the increase in cost due to increase of the number of parts can be avoided. The connection between the developer supply container 1 and the developer receiving apparatus 8 can be properly established using the mounting operation of the developer supply container 1 with minimum contamination with the developer. Similarly, utilizing the dismounting operation of the developer supply container 1, the spacing and resealing between the developer supply container 1 and the developer receiving apparatus 8 can be carried out with minimum contamination with the developer. Embodiment 18 Referring to FIGS. 89-91, the description will be made as to structures of Embodiment 18. Part of (a) of FIG. 89 is a schematic perspective view of a developer supply container 1, (b) is a schematic perspective view of a flange portion 21, (c) is a schematic perspective view of a cylindrical portion 20k, part art (a)-(b) of FIG. 90 are enlarged sectional views of the developer supply container 1, and FIG. 91 is a schematic view of a pump portion 21f. In this example, the same reference numerals as in the foregoing embodiments are assigned to the elements having the corresponding functions in this embodiment, and the detailed description thereof is omitted. In this example, a rotational force is converted to a force for forward operation of the pump portion 21f without converting the rotational force to a force for backward operation of the pump portion, as is contrasted to the foregoing embodiments. In this example, as shown in FIGS. 89-91, a bellow type pump portion 21f is provided at a side of the flange portion 21 adjacent the cylindrical portion 20k. An outer surface of the cylindrical portion 20k is provided with a gear portion 20a which extends on the full circumference. At an end of the cylindrical portion 20k adjacent a discharging portion 21h, two compressing projections 21 for compressing the pump portion 21f by abutting to the pump portion 21f by the rotation of the cylindrical portion 20k are provided at diametrically opposite positions, respectively. A configuration of the compressing projection 201 at a downstream side with respect to the rotational moving direction is slanted to gradually compress the pump portion 21f so as to reduce the impact upon abutment to the pump portion 21f. On the other hand, a configuration of the compressing projection 201 at the upstream side with respect to the rotational moving direction is a surface perpendicular to the end surface of the cylindrical portion 20k to be substantially parallel with the rotational axis direction of the cylindrical portion 20k so that the pump portion 21f instantaneously expands by the restoring elastic force thereof. Similarly to Embodiment 13, the inside of the cylindrical portion 20k is provided with a plate-like partition wall 32 for feeding the developer fed by a helical projection 20c to the discharging portion 21h. Also in this example, the mounting portion 8f of the developer receiving apparatus 8 is provided with a developer receiving portion 11 (FIG. 40 or FIG. 66) for receiving the developer discharged from the developer supply container 1 through the discharge opening (opening) 21a which will be described hereinafter. The structure of the developer receiving portion 11 is similar to the those of Embodiment 1 or Embodiment 2, and therefore, the description thereof is omitted. In addition, the flange portion 21 of the developer supply container is provided with engaging portions 3b2 and 3b4 engageable with the developer receiving portion 11 displaceably provided on the developer receiving apparatus 8 similarly to the above-described Embodiment 1 or Embodiment 2. The structures of the engaging portions 3b2, 3b4 are similar to those of above-described Embodiment 1 or Embodiment 2, and therefore, the description is omitted. In addition, also in this example, the flange portion 21 is substantial stationary (non-rotatable) when the developer supply container 1 is mounted to the mounting portion 8f of the developer receiving apparatus 8. Therefore, during the developer supply, the flange portion 21 does not substantially rotate. The description will be made as to developer supplying step from the developer supply container 1 in this example. After the developer supply container 1 is mounted to the developer receiving apparatus 8, cylindrical portion 20k which is the developer accommodating portion 20 rotates by the rotational force inputted from the driving gear 300 to the gear portion 20a, so that the compressing projection 21 rotates. At this time, when the compressing projections 21 abut to the pump portion 21f, the pump portion 21f is compressed in the direction of a arrow γ, as shown in part (a) of FIG. 90, so that a discharging operation is effected. On the other hand, when the rotation of the cylindrical portion 20k continues until the pump portion 21f is released from the compressing projection 21, the pump portion 21f expands in the direction of an arrow co by the self-restoring force, as shown in part (b) of FIG. 90, so that it restores to the original shape, by which the sucking operation is effected. The states shown in (a) and (b) of FIG. 90 are alternately repeated, by which the pump portion 21f effects the suction and discharging operations. That is the developer is discharged smoothly. With the rotation of the cylindrical portion 20k in this manner, the developer is fed to the discharging portion 21h by the helical projection (feeding portion) 20c and the inclined projection (feeding portion) 32a (FIG. 88). The developer in the discharging portion 21h is finally discharged through the discharge opening 21a by the discharging operation of the pump portion 21f. As described in the foregoing, also in this embodiment, one pump is enough to effect the sucking operation and the discharging operation, and therefore, the structure of the developer discharging mechanism can be simplified. In addition, by the sucking operation through the discharge opening, a pressure reduction state (negative pressure state) can be provided in the developer supply container, and therefore, the developer can be efficiently loosened. In addition, also in this example, similarly to the Embodiment 8-Embodiment 17, both of the reciprocation of the pump portion 21f and the rotating operation of the developer supply container 1 can be effected by the rotational force received from the developer receiving apparatus 8. In this example, the pump portion 21f is compressed by the contact to the compressing projection 201, and expands by the self-restoring force of the pump portion 21f when it is released from the compressing projection 21, but the structure may be opposite. More particularly, when the pump portion 21f is contacted by the compressing projection 21, they are locked, and with the rotation of the cylindrical portion 20k, the pump portion 21f is forcedly expanded. With further rotation of the cylindrical portion 20k, the pump portion 21f is released, by which the pump portion 21f restores to the original shape by the self-restoring force (restoring elastic force). Thus, the sucking operation and the discharging operation are alternately repeated. In the case of this example, the self restoring power of the pump portion 21f is likely to be deteriorated by repetition of the expansion and contraction of the pump portion 21f for a long term, and from this standpoint, the structures of Embodiments 8-17 are preferable. Or, by employing the structure of FIG. 91, the likelihood can be avoided. As shown in FIG. 91, compression plate 20q is fixed to an end surface of the pump portion 21f adjacent the cylindrical portion 20k. Between the outer surface of the flange portion 21 and the compression plate 20q, a spring 20r functioning as an urging member is provided covering the pump portion 21f. The spring 20r normally urges the pump portion 21f in the expanding direction. With such a structure, the self restoration of the pump portion 21f at the time when the contact between the compression projection 201 and the pump position is released can be assisted, the sucking operation can be carried out assuredly even when the expansion and contraction of the pump portion 21f is repeated for a long term. In this example, two compressing projections 201 functioning as the drive converting mechanism are provided at the diametrically opposite positions, but this is not inevitable, and the number thereof may be one or three, for example. In addition, in place of one compressing projection, the following structure may be employed as the drive converting mechanism. For example, the configuration of the end surface opposing the pump portion 21f of the cylindrical portion 20k is not a perpendicular surface relative to the rotational axis of the cylindrical portion 20k as in this example, but is a surface inclined relative to the rotational axis. In this case, the inclined surface acts on the pump portion 21f to be equivalent to the compressing projection. In another alternative, a shaft portion is extended from a rotation axis at the end surface of the cylindrical portion 20k opposed to the pump portion 21f toward the pump portion 21f in the rotational axis direction, and a swash plate (disk) inclined relative to the rotational axis of the shaft portion is provided. In this case, the swash plate acts on the pump portion 21f, and therefore, it is equivalent to the compressing projection. In addition, in this example, similarly to the foregoing embodiments, the flange portion 21 of the developer supply container 1 is provided with the engaging portions 3b2, 3b4 similar to those of Embodiments 1 and 2, and therefore, similarly to the above-described embodiment, the mechanism for connecting and spacing the developer receiving portion 11 of the developer receiving apparatus 8 relative to the developer supply container 1 by displacing the developer receiving portion 11 can be simplified. More particularly, a driving source and/or a drive transmission mechanism for moving the entirety of the developing device upwardly is unnecessary, and therefore, a complication of the structure of the image forming apparatus side and/or the increase in cost due to increase of the number of parts can be avoided. The connection between the developer supply container 1 and the developer receiving apparatus 8 can be properly established using the mounting operation of the developer supply container 1 with minimum contamination with the developer. Similarly, utilizing the dismounting operation of the developer supply container 1, the spacing and resealing between the developer supply container 1 and the developer receiving apparatus 8 can be carried out with minimum contamination with the developer. Embodiment 19 Referring to FIG. 92 (parts (a) and (b)), structures of the Embodiment 19 will be described. Parts (a) and (b) of FIG. 92 are sectional views schematically illustrating a developer supply container 1. In this example, the pump portion 21f is provided at the cylindrical portion 20k, and the pump portion 21f rotates together with the cylindrical portion 20k. In addition, in this example, the pump portion 21f is provided with a weight 20v, by which the pump portion 21f reciprocates with the rotation. The other structures of this example are similar to those of Embodiment 17 (FIG. 88), and the detailed description thereof is omitted by assigning the same reference numerals to the corresponding elements. As shown in part (a) of FIG. 92, the cylindrical portion 20k, the flange portion 21 and the pump portion 21f function as a developer accommodating space of the developer supply container 1. The pump portion 21f is connected to an outer periphery portion of the cylindrical portion 20k, and the action of the pump portion 21f works to the cylindrical portion 20k and the discharging portion 21h. A drive converting mechanism of this example will be described. One end surface of the cylindrical portion 20k with respect to the rotational axis direction is provided with coupling portion (rectangular configuration projection) 20s functioning as a drive inputting portion, and the coupling portion 20s receives a rotational force from the developer receiving apparatus 8. On the top of one end of the pump portion 21f with respect to the reciprocating direction, the weight 20v is fixed. In this example, the weight 20v functions as the drive converting mechanism. Thus, with the integral rotation of the cylindrical portion 20k and the pump portion 21f, the pump portion 21f expands and contract in the up and down directions by the gravitation to the weight 20v. More particularly, in the state of part (a) of FIG. 92, the weight takes a position upper than the pump portion 21f, and the pump portion 21f is contracted by the weight 20v in the direction of the gravitation (white arrow). At this time, the developer is discharged through the discharge opening 21a (black arrow). On the other hand, in the state of part (b) of FIG. 92, weight takes a position lower than the pump portion 21f, and the pump portion 21f is expanded by the weight 20v in the direction of the gravitation (white arrow). At this time, the sucking operation is effected through the discharge opening 21a (black arrow), by which the developer is loosened. As described in the foregoing, also in this embodiment, one pump is enough to effect the sucking operation and the discharging operation, and therefore, the structure of the developer discharging mechanism can be simplified. In addition, by the sucking operation through the discharge opening, a pressure reduction state (negative pressure state) can be provided in the developer supply container, and therefore, the developer can be efficiently loosened. In addition, also in this example, similarly to the Embodiment 8-Embodiment 18, both of the reciprocation of the pump portion 21f and the rotating operation of the developer supply container 1 can be effected by the rotational force received from the developer receiving apparatus 8. In this example, the pump portion 21f rotates about the cylindrical portion 20k, and therefore, the space required by the mounting portion 8f of the developer receiving apparatus 8 is relatively large with the result of upsizing of the device, and from this standpoint, the structures of Embodiment 8-Embodiment 18 are preferable. In addition, in this example, similarly to the foregoing embodiments, the flange portion 21 of the developer supply container 1 is provided with the engaging portions 3b2, 3b4 similar to those of Embodiments 1 and 2, and therefore, similarly to the above-described embodiment, the mechanism for connecting and spacing the developer receiving portion 11 of the developer receiving apparatus 8 relative to the developer supply container 1 by displacing the developer receiving portion 11 can be simplified. More particularly, a driving source and/or a drive transmission mechanism for moving the entirety of the developing device upwardly is unnecessary, and therefore, a complication of the structure of the image forming apparatus side and/or the increase in cost due to increase of the number of parts can be avoided. The connection between the developer supply container 1 and the developer receiving apparatus 8 can be properly established using the mounting operation of the developer supply container 1 with minimum contamination with the developer. Similarly, utilizing the dismounting operation of the developer supply container 1, the spacing and resealing between the developer supply container 1 and the developer receiving apparatus 8 can be carried out with minimum contamination with the developer. Embodiment 20 Referring to FIGS. 93-95, the description will be made as to structures of Embodiment 20. Part (a) of FIG. 93 is a perspective view of a cylindrical portion 20k, and (b) is a perspective view of a flange portion 21. Parts (a) and (b) of FIG. 94 are partially sectional perspective views of a developer supply container 1, and (a) shows a state in which a rotatable shutter is open, and (b) shows a state in which the rotatable shutter is closed. FIG. 95 is a timing chart illustrating a relation between operation timing of the pump portion 21f and timing of opening and closing of the rotatable shutter. In FIG. 95, contraction is a discharging step of the pump portion 21f, expansion is a suction step of the pump portion 21f. In this example, a mechanism for separating between a discharging chamber 21h and the cylindrical portion 20k during the expanding-and-contracting operation of the pump portion 21f is provided, as is contrasted to the foregoing embodiments. In this example, a mechanism for separating between a discharging chamber 21h and the cylindrical portion 20k during the expanding-and-contracting operation of the pump portion 21f is provided. The inside of the discharging portion 21h functions as a developer accommodating portion for receiving the developer fed from the cylindrical portion 20k as will be described hereinafter. The structures of this example in the other respects are substantially the same as those of Embodiment 17 (FIG. 88), and the description thereof is omitted by assigning the same reference numerals to the corresponding elements. As shown in part (a) of FIG. 93, one longitudinal end surface of the cylindrical portion 20k functions as a rotatable shutter. More particularly, said one longitudinal end surface of the cylindrical portion 20k is provided with a communication opening 20u for discharging the developer to the flange portion 21, and is provided with a closing portion 20h. The communication opening 20u has a sector-shape. On the other hand, as shown in part (b) of FIG. 93, the flange portion 21 is provided with a communication opening 21k for receiving the developer from the cylindrical portion 20k. The communication opening 21k has a sector-shape configuration similar to the communication opening 20u, and the portion other than that is closed to provide a closing portion 21m. Parts (a)-(b) of FIG. 94 illustrate a state in which the cylindrical portion 20k shown in part (a) of FIG. 93 and the flange portion 21 shown in part (b) of FIG. 93 have been assembled. The communication opening 20u and the outer surface of the communication opening 21k are connected with each other so as to compress the sealing member 27, and the cylindrical portion 20k is rotatable relative to the stationary flange portion 21. With such a structure, when the cylindrical portion 20k is rotated relatively by the rotational force received by the gear portion 20a, the relation between the cylindrical portion 20k and the flange portion 21 are alternately switched between the communication state and the non-passage continuing state. That is, rotation of the cylindrical portion 20k, the communication opening 20u of the cylindrical portion 20k becomes aligned with the communication opening 21k of the flange portion 21 (part (a) of FIG. 94). With a further rotation of the cylindrical portion 20k, the communication opening 20u of the cylindrical portion 20k becomes into non-alignment with the communication opening 21k, so that the flange portion 21 is closed, by which the situation is switched to a non-communication state (part (b) of FIG. 94) in which the flange portion 21 is separated to substantially seal the flange portion 21. Such a partitioning mechanism (rotatable shutter) for isolating the discharging portion 21h at least in the expanding-and-contracting operation of the pump portion 21f is provided for the following reasons. The discharging of the developer from the developer supply container 1 is effected by making the internal pressure of the developer supply container 1 higher than the ambient pressure by contracting the pump portion 21f. Therefore, if the partitioning mechanism is not provided as in foregoing Embodiments 8-18, the space of which the internal pressure is changed is not limited to the inside space of the flange portion 21 but includes the inside space of the cylindrical portion 20k, and therefore, the amount of volume change of the pump portion 21f has to be made eager. This is because a ratio of a volume of the inside space of the developer supply container 1 immediately after the pump portion 21f is contracted to its end to the volume of the inside space of the developer supply container 1 immediately before the pump portion 21f starts the contraction is influenced by the internal pressure. However, when the partitioning mechanism is provided, there is no movement of the air from the flange portion 21 to the cylindrical portion 20k, and therefore, it is enough to change the pressure of the inside space of the flange portion 21. That is, under the condition of the same internal pressure value, the amount of the volume change of the pump portion 21f may be smaller when the original volume of the inside space is smaller. In this example, more specifically, the volume of the discharging portion 21h separated by the rotatable shutter is 40 cm̂3, and the volume change of the pump portion 21f (reciprocation movement distance) is 2 cm̂3 (it is 15 cm̂3 in Embodiment 5). Even with such a small volume change, developer supply by a sufficient suction and discharging effect can be effected, similarly to Embodiment 5. As described in the foregoing, in this example, as compared with the structures of Embodiments 5-19, the volume change amount of the pump portion 21f can be minimized. As a result, the pump portion 21f can be downsized. In addition, the distance through which the pump portion 21f is reciprocated (volume change amount) can be made smaller. The provision of such a partitioning mechanism is effective particularly in the case that the capacity of the cylindrical portion 20k is large in order to make the filled amount of the developer in the developer supply container 1 is large. Developer supplying steps in this example will be described. In the state that developer supply container 1 is mounted to the developer receiving apparatus 8 and the flange portion 21 is fixed, drive is inputted to the gear portion 20a from the driving gear 300, by which the cylindrical portion 20k rotates, and the cam groove 20e rotates. On the other hand, the cam projection 21 g fixed to the pump portion 21f non-rotatably supported by the developer receiving apparatus 8 with the flange portion 21 is moved by the cam groove 20e. Therefore, with the rotation of the cylindrical portion 20k, the pump portion 21f reciprocates in the up and down directions. Referring to FIG. 95, the description will be made as to the timing of the pumping operation (sucking operation and discharging operation of the pump portion 21f and the timing of opening and closing of the rotatable shutter, in such a structure. FIG. 95 is a timing chart when the cylindrical portion 20k rotates one full turn. In FIG. 95, contraction means contracting operation of the pump portion 21f the discharging operation of the pump portion 21f), expansion means the expanding operation of the pump portion 21f (sucking operation of the pump portion 21f). In addition, stop means a rest state of the pump portion 21f. In addition, opening means the opening state of the rotatable shutter, and close means the closing state of the rotatable shutter. As shown in FIG. 95, when the communication opening 21k and the communication opening 20u are aligned with each other, the drive converting mechanism converts the rotational force inputted to the gear portion 20a so that the pumping operation of the pump portion 21f stops. More specifically, in this example, the structure is such that when the communication opening 21k and the communication opening 20u are aligned with each other, a radius distance from the rotation axis of the cylindrical portion 20k to the cam groove 20e is constant so that the pump portion 21f does not operate even when the cylindrical portion 20k rotates. At this time, the rotatable shutter is in the opening position, and therefore, the developer is fed from the cylindrical portion 20k to the flange portion 21. More particularly, with the rotation of the cylindrical portion 20k, the developer is scooped up by the partition wall 32, and thereafter, it slides down on the inclined projection 32a by the gravity, so that the developer moves via the communication opening 20u and the communication opening 21k to the flange 21. As shown in FIG. 95, when the non-communication state in which the communication opening 21k and the communication opening 20u are out of alignment is established, the drive converting mechanism converts the rotational force inputted to the gear portion 20b so that the pumping operation of the pump portion 21f is effected. That is, with further rotation of the cylindrical portion 20k, the rotational phase relation between the communication opening 21k and the communication opening 20u changes so that the communication opening 21k is closed by the stop portion 20h with the result that the inside space of the flange 3 is isolated (non-communication state). At this time, with the rotation of the cylindrical portion 20k, the pump portion 21f is reciprocated in the state that the non-communication state is maintained (the rotatable shutter is in the closing position). More particularly, by the rotation of the cylindrical portion 20k, the cam groove 20e rotates, and the radius distance from the rotation axis of the cylindrical portion 20k to the cam groove 20e changes. By this, the pump portion 21f effects the pumping operation through the cam function. Thereafter, with further rotation of the cylindrical portion 20k, the rotational phases are aligned again between the communication opening 21k and the communication opening 20u, so that the communicated state is established in the flange portion 21. The developer supplying step from the developer supply container 1 is carried out while repeating these operations. As described in the foregoing, also in this embodiment, one pump is enough to effect the sucking operation and the discharging operation, and therefore, the structure of the developer discharging mechanism can be simplified. In addition, by the sucking operation through the discharge opening 21a, a pressure reduction state (negative pressure state) can be provided in the developer supply container, and therefore, the developer can be efficiently loosened. In addition, also in this example, by the gear portion 20a receiving the rotational force from the developer receiving apparatus 8, both of the rotating operation of the cylindrical portion 20k and the suction and discharging operation of the pump portion 21f can be effected. Further, according to the structure of the example, the pump portion 21f can be downsized. Furthermore, the volume change amount (reciprocation movement distance) can be reduced, and as a result, the load required to reciprocate the pump portion 21f can be reduced. Moreover, in this example, no additional structure is used to receive the driving force for rotating the rotatable shutter from the developer receiving apparatus 8, but the rotational force received for the feeding portion (cylindrical portion 20k, helical projection 20c) is used, and therefore, the partitioning mechanism is simplified. As described above, the volume change amount of the pump portion 21f does not depend on the all volume of the developer supply container 1 including the cylindrical portion 20k, but it is selectable by the inside volume of the flange portion 21. Therefore, for example, in the case that the capacity (the diameter of the cylindrical portion 20k is changed when manufacturing developer supply containers having different developer filling capacity, a cost reduction effect can be expected. That is, the flange portion 21 including the pump portion 21f may be used as a common unit, which is assembled with different kinds of cylindrical portions 2k. By doing so, there is no need of increasing the number of kinds of the metal molds, thus reducing the manufacturing cost. In addition, in this example, during the non-communication state between the cylindrical portion 20k and the flange portion 21, the pump portion 21f is reciprocated by one cyclic period, but similarly to Embodiment 8, the pump portion 21f may be reciprocated by a plurality of cyclic periods. Furthermore, in this example, throughout the contracting operation and the expanding operation of the pump portion, the discharging portion 21h is isolated, but this is not inevitable, and the following in an alternative. If the pump portion 21f can be downsized, and the volume change amount (reciprocation movement distance) of the pump portion 21f can be reduced, the discharging portion 21h may be opened slightly during the contracting operation and the expanding operation of the pump portion. In addition, in this example, similarly to the foregoing embodiments, the flange portion 21 of the developer supply container 1 is provided with the engaging portions 3b2, 3b4 similar to those of Embodiments 1 and 2, and therefore, similarly to the above-described embodiment, the mechanism for connecting and spacing the developer receiving portion 11 of the developer receiving apparatus 8 relative to the developer supply container 1 by displacing the developer receiving portion 11 can be simplified. More particularly, a driving source and/or a drive transmission mechanism for moving the entirety of the developing device upwardly is unnecessary, and therefore, a complication of the structure of the image forming apparatus side and/or the increase in cost due to increase of the number of parts can be avoided. The connection between the developer supply container 1 and the developer receiving apparatus 8 can be properly established using the mounting operation of the developer supply container 1 with minimum contamination with the developer. Similarly, utilizing the dismounting operation of the developer supply container 1, the spacing and resealing between the developer supply container 1 and the developer receiving apparatus 8 can be carried out with minimum contamination with the developer. Embodiment 21 Referring to FIGS. 96-98, the description will be made as to structures of Embodiment 21. FIG. 96 is a partly sectional perspective view of a developer supply container 1. Parts (a)-(c) of FIG. 97 are a partial section illustrating an operation of a partitioning mechanism (stop valve 35). FIG. 98 is a timing chart showing timing of a pumping operation (contracting operation and expanding operation) of the pump portion 21f and opening and closing timing of the stop valve 35 which will be described hereinafter. In FIG. 98, contraction means contracting operation of the pump portion 21f the discharging operation of the pump portion 21f), expansion means the expanding operation of the pump portion 21f (sucking operation of the pump portion 21f). In addition, stop means a rest state of the pump portion 21f. In addition, opening means an open state of the stop valve 35 and close means a state in which the stop valve 35 is closed. This example is significantly different from the above-described embodiments in that the stop valve 35 is employed as a mechanism for separating between a discharging portion 21h and a cylindrical portion 20k in an expansion and contraction stroke of the pump portion 21f. The structures of this example in the other respects are substantially the same as those of Embodiment 12 (FIGS. 85 and 86), and the description thereof is omitted by assigning the same reference numerals to the corresponding elements. In this example, as contrasted to the structure of the Embodiment 15 shown in FIGS. 85 and 86, a plate-like partition wall 32 of Embodiment 17 shown in FIG. 88 is provided. In the above-described Embodiment 20, a partitioning mechanism (rotatable shutter) using a rotation of the cylindrical portion 20k is employed, but in this example, a partitioning mechanism (stop valve) using reciprocation of the pump portion 21f is employed. This will be described in detail. As shown in FIG. 96, a discharging portion 3h is provided between the cylindrical portion 20k and the pump portion 21f. A wall portion 33 is provided at a cylindrical portion 20k side of the discharging portion 3h, and a discharge opening 21a is provided lower at a left part of the wall portion 33 in the Figure. A stop valve 35 and an elastic member (seal) 34 as a partitioning mechanism for opening and closing a communication port 33a (FIG. 97) formed in the wall portion 33 are provided. The stop valve 35 is fixed to one internal end of the pump portion 20b (opposite the discharging portion 21h), and reciprocates in a rotational axis direction of the developer supply container 1 with expanding-and-contracting operations of the pump portion 21f. The seal 34 is fixed to the stop valve 35, and moves with the movement of the stop valve 35. Referring to parts (a)-(c) of the FIG. 97 (FIG. 97 if necessary), operations of the stop valve 35 in a developer supplying step will be described. FIG. 97 illustrates in (a) a maximum expanded state of the pump portion 21f in which the stop valve 35 is spaced from the wall portion 33 provided between the discharging portion 21h and the cylindrical portion 20k. At this time, the developer in the cylindrical portion 20k is fed into the discharging portion 21h through the communication port 33a by the inclined projection 32a with the rotation of the cylindrical portion 20k. Thereafter, when the pump portion 21f contracts, the state becomes as shown in (b) of the FIG. 97. At this time, the seal 34 is contacted to the wall portion 33 to close the communication port 33a. That is, the discharging portion 21h becomes isolated from the cylindrical portion 20k. When the pump portion 21f contracts further, the pump portion 21f becomes most contracted as shown in part (c) of FIG. 97. During period from the state shown in part (b) of FIG. 97 to the state shown in part (c) of FIG. 97, the seal 34 remains contacting to the wall portion 33, and therefore, the discharging portion 21h is pressurized to be higher than the ambient pressure (positive pressure) so that the developer is discharged through the discharge opening 21a. Thereafter, during expanding operation of the pump portion 21f from the state shown in (c) of FIG. 97 to the state shown in (b) of FIG. 97, the seal 34 remains contacting to the wall portion 33, and therefore, the internal pressure of the discharging portion 21h is reduced to be lower than the ambient pressure (negative pressure). Thus, the sucking operation is effected through the discharge opening 21a. When the pump portion 21f further expands, it returns to the state shown in part (a) of FIG. 97. In this example, the foregoing operations are repeated to carry out the developer supplying step. In this manner, in this example, the stop valve 35 is moved using the reciprocation of the pump portion, and therefore, the stop valve is opening during an initial stage of the contracting operation (discharging operation) of the pump portion 21f and in the final stage of the expanding operation (sucking operation) thereof. The seal 34 will be described in detail. The seal 34 is contacted to the wall portion 33 to assure the sealing property of the discharging portion 21h, and is compressed with the contracting operation of the pump portion 21f, and therefore, it is preferable to have both of sealing property and flexibility. In this example, as a sealing material having such properties, the use is made with polyurethane foam the available from Kabushiki Kaisha INOAC Corporation, Japan (tradename is MOLTOPREN, SM-55 having a thickness of 5 mm). The thickness of the sealing material in the maximum contraction state of the pump portion 21f is 2 mm (the compression amount of 3 mm). As described in the foregoing, the volume variation (pump function) for the discharging portion 21h by the pump portion 21f is substantially limited to the duration after the seal 34 is contacted to the wall portion 33 until it is compressed to 3 mm, but the pump portion 21f works in the range limited by the stop valve 35. Therefore, even when such a stop valve 35 is used, the developer can be stably discharged. As described in the foregoing, also in this embodiment, one pump is enough to effect the sucking operation and the discharging operation, and therefore, the structure of the developer discharging mechanism can be simplified. In addition, by the sucking operation through the discharge opening, a pressure reduction state (negative pressure state) can be provided in the developer supply container, and therefore, the developer can be efficiently loosened. In addition, also in this example, similarly to the Embodiment 8-Embodiment 20, both of the suction and discharging operation of the pump portion 21f and the rotating operation of the cylindrical portion 20k can be carried out by the gear portion 20a receiving the rotational force from the developer receiving apparatus 8. Furthermore, similarly to Embodiment 20, the pump portion 21f can be downsized, and the volume change volume of the pump portion 21f can be reduced. The cost reduction advantage by the common structure of the pump portion can be expected. In addition, in this example, the driving force for operating the stop valve 35 does not particularly received from the developer receiving apparatus 8, but the reciprocation force for the pump portion 21f is utilized, so that the partitioning mechanism can be simplified. In addition, in this example, similarly to the foregoing embodiments, the flange portion 21 of the developer supply container 1 is provided with the engaging portions 3b2, 3b4 similar to those of Embodiments 1 and 2, and therefore, similarly to the above-described embodiment, the mechanism for connecting and spacing the developer receiving portion 11 of the developer receiving apparatus 8 relative to the developer supply container 1 by displacing the developer receiving portion 11 can be simplified. More particularly, a driving source and/or a drive transmission mechanism for moving the entirety of the developing device upwardly is unnecessary, and therefore, a complication of the structure of the image forming apparatus side and/or the increase in cost due to increase of the number of parts can be avoided. The connection between the developer supply container 1 and the developer receiving apparatus 8 can be properly established using the mounting operation of the developer supply container 1 with minimum contamination with the developer. Similarly, utilizing the dismounting operation of the developer supply container 1, the spacing and resealing between the developer supply container 1 and the developer receiving apparatus 8 can be carried out with minimum contamination with the developer. Embodiment 22 Referring to FIG. 99 (parts (a) and (b)), structures of the Embodiment 22 will be described. Part (a) of FIG. 99 is a partially sectional perspective view of the developer supply container 1, and (b) is a perspective view of the flange portion 21, and (c) is a sectional view of the developer supply container. This example is significantly different from the foregoing embodiments in that a buffer portion 23 is provided as a mechanism separating between discharging chamber 21h and the cylindrical portion 20k. The structures of this example in the other respects are substantially the same as those of Embodiment 17 (FIG. 88), and the description thereof is omitted by assigning the same reference numerals to the corresponding elements. As shown in part (b) of FIG. 99, a buffer portion 23 is fixed to the flange portion 21 non-rotatably. The buffer portion 23 is provided with a receiving port 23a which opens upward and a supply port 23b which is in fluid communication with a discharging portion 21h. As shown in part (a) and (c) of FIG. 99, such a flange portion 21 is mounted to the cylindrical portion 20k such that the buffer portion 23 is in the cylindrical portion 20k. The cylindrical portion 20k is connected to the flange portion 21 rotatably relative to the flange portion 21 immovably supported by the developer receiving apparatus 8. The connecting portion is provided with a ring seal to prevent leakage of air or developer. In addition, in this example, as shown in part (a) of FIG. 99, an inclined projection 32a is provided on the partition wall 32 to feed the developer toward the receiving port 23a of the buffer portion 23. In this example, until the developer supplying operation of the developer supply container 1 is completed, the developer in the developer accommodating portion 20 is fed through the receiving port 23a into the buffer portion 23 by the partition wall 32 and the inclined projection 32a with the rotation of the developer supply container 1. Therefore, as shown in part (c) of FIG. 99, the inside space of the buffer portion 23 is maintained full of the developer. As a result, the developer filling the inside space of the buffer portion 23 substantially blocks the movement of the air toward the discharging portion 21h from the cylindrical portion 20k, so that the buffer portion 23 functions as a partitioning mechanism. Therefore, when the pump portion 21f reciprocates, at least the discharging portion 21h can be isolated from the cylindrical portion 20k, and for this reason, the pump portion can be downsized, and the volume change of the pump portion can be reduced. As described in the foregoing, also in this embodiment, one pump is enough to effect the sucking operation and the discharging operation, and therefore, the structure of the developer discharging mechanism can be simplified. In addition, by the sucking operation through the discharge opening, a pressure reduction state (negative pressure state) can be provided in the developer supply container, and therefore, the developer can be efficiently loosened. In addition, also in this example, similarly to the Embodiment 8-Embodiment 21, both of the reciprocation of the pump portion 21f and the rotating operation of the feeding portion 20c (cylindrical portion 20k) can be carried out by the rotational force received from the developer receiving apparatus 8. Furthermore, similarly to the Embodiment 20-Embodiment 21, the pump portion can be downsized, and the volume change amount of the pump portion can be reduced. The cost reduction advantage by the common structure of the pump portion can be expected. Moreover, in this example, the developer is used as the partitioning mechanism, and therefore, the partitioning mechanism can be simplified. In addition, in this example, similarly to the foregoing embodiments, the flange portion 21 of the developer supply container 1 is provided with the engaging portions 3b2, 3b4 similar to those of Embodiments 1 and 2, and therefore, similarly to the above-described embodiment, the mechanism for connecting and spacing the developer receiving portion 11 of the developer receiving apparatus 8 relative to the developer supply container 1 by displacing the developer receiving portion 11 can be simplified. More particularly, a driving source and/or a drive transmission mechanism for moving the entirety of the developing device upwardly is unnecessary, and therefore, a complication of the structure of the image forming apparatus side and/or the increase in cost due to increase of the number of parts can be avoided. The connection between the developer supply container 1 and the developer receiving apparatus 8 can be properly established using the mounting operation of the developer supply container 1 with minimum contamination with the developer. Similarly, utilizing the dismounting operation of the developer supply container 1, the spacing and resealing between the developer supply container 1 and the developer receiving apparatus 8 can be carried out with minimum contamination with the developer. Embodiment 23 Referring to FIGS. 100-101, the description will be made as to structures of Embodiment 23. Part (a) of FIG. 100 is a perspective view of a developer supply container 1, and (b) is a sectional view of the developer supply container 1, and FIG. 101 is a sectional perspective view of a nozzle portion 47. In this example, the nozzle portion 47 is connected to the pump portion 20b, and the developer once sucked in the nozzle portion 47 is discharged through the discharge opening 21a, as is contrasted to the foregoing embodiments. In the other respects, the structures are substantially the same as in Embodiment 14, and the detailed description thereof is omitted by assigning the same reference numerals to the corresponding elements. As shown in part (a) of FIG. 100, the developer supply container 1 comprises a flange portion 21 and a developer accommodating portion 20. The developer accommodating portion 20 comprises a cylindrical portion 20k. In the cylindrical portion 20k, as shown in (b) of FIG. 100, a partition wall 32 functioning as a feeding portion extends over the entire area in the rotational axis direction. One end surface of the partition wall 32 is provided with a plurality of inclined projections 32a at different positions in the rotational axis direction, and the developer is fed from one end with respect to the rotational axis direction to the other end (the side adjacent the flange portion 21). The inclined projections 32a are provided on the other end surface of the partition wall 32 similarly. In addition, between the adjacent inclined projections 32a, a through-opening 32b for permitting passing of the developer is provided. The through-opening 32b functions to stir the developer. The structure of the feeding portion may be a combination of the feeding portion (helical projection 20c) in the cylindrical portion 20k and a partition wall 32 for feeding the developer to the flange portion 21, as in the foregoing embodiments. The flange portion 21 including the pump portion 20b will be described. The flange portion 21 is connected to the cylindrical portion 20k rotatably through a small diameter portion 49 and a sealing member 48. In the state that the container is mounted to the developer receiving apparatus 8, the flange portion 21 is immovably held by the developer receiving apparatus 8 (rotating operation and reciprocation is not permitted). In addition, as shown in part (a) of FIG. 66, in the flange portion 21, there is provided a supply amount adjusting portion (flow rate adjusting portion) 52 which receives the developer fed from the cylindrical portion 20k. In the supply amount adjusting portion 52, there is provided a nozzle portion 47 which extends from the pump portion 20b toward the discharge opening 21a. In addition, the rotation driving force received by the gear portion 20a is converted to a reciprocation force by a drive converting mechanism to vertically drive the pump portion 20b. Therefore, with the volume change of the pump portion 20b, the nozzle portion 47 sucks the developer in the supply amount adjusting portion 52, and discharges it through discharge opening 21a. The structure for drive transmission to the pump portion 20b in this example will be described. As described in the foregoing, the cylindrical portion 20k rotates when the gear portion 20a provided on the cylindrical portion 20k receives the rotation force from the driving gear 9. In addition, the rotation force is transmitted to the gear portion 43 through the gear portion 42 provided on the small diameter portion 49 of the cylindrical portion 20k. Here, the gear portion 43 is provided with a shaft portion 44 integrally rotatable with the gear portion 43. One end of shaft portion 44 is rotatably supported by the housing 46. The shaft 44 is provided with an eccentric cam 45 at a position opposing the pump portion 20b, and the eccentric cam 45 is rotated along a track with a changing distance from the rotation axis of the shaft 44 by the rotational force transmitted thereto, so that the pump portion 20b is pushed down (reduced in the volume). By this, the developer in the nozzle portion 47 is discharged through the discharge opening 21a. When the pump portion 20b is released from the eccentric cam 45, it restores to the original position by its restoring force (the volume expands). By the restoration of the pump portion (increase of the volume), sucking operation is effected through the discharge opening 21a, and the developer existing in the neighborhood of the discharge opening 21a can be loosened. By repeating the operations, the developer is efficiently discharged by the volume change of the pump portion 20b. As described in the foregoing, the pump portion 20b may be provided with an urging member such as a spring to assist the restoration (or pushing down). The hollow conical nozzle portion 47 will be described. The nozzle portion 47 is provided with an opening 53 in an outer periphery thereof, and the nozzle portion 47 is provided at its free end with an ejection outlet 54 for ejecting the developer toward the discharge opening 21a. In the developer supplying step, at least the opening 53 of the nozzle portion 47 can be in the developer layer in the supply amount adjusting portion 52, by which the pressure produced by the pump portion 20b can be efficiently applied to the developer in the supply amount adjusting portion 52. That is, the developer in the supply amount adjusting portion 52 (around the nozzle 47) functions as a partitioning mechanism relative to the cylindrical portion 20k, so that the effect of the volume change of the pump portion 20b is applied to the limited range, that is, within the supply amount adjusting portion 52. With such structures, similarly to the partitioning mechanisms of Embodiments 20-22, the nozzle portion 47 can provide similar effects. As described in the foregoing, also in this embodiment, one pump is enough to effect the sucking operation and the discharging operation, and therefore, the structure of the developer discharging mechanism can be simplified. In addition, by the sucking operation through the discharge opening, a pressure reduction state (negative pressure state) can be provided in the developer supply container, and therefore, the developer can be efficiently loosened. In addition, in this example, similarly to Embodiments 5-19, by the rotational force received from the developer receiving apparatus 8, both of the rotating operations of the developer accommodating portion 20 (cylindrical portion 20k) and the reciprocation of the pump portion 20b are effected. Similarly to Embodiments 20-22, the pump portion 20b and/or flange portion 21 may be made common to the advantages. In this example, the developer does not slide on the partitioning mechanism as is different from Embodiment 20-Embodiment 21, the damage to the developer can be avoided. In addition, in this example, similarly to the foregoing embodiments, the flange portion 21 of the developer supply container 1 is provided with the engaging portions 3b2, 3b4 similar to those of Embodiments 1 and 2, and therefore, similarly to the above-described embodiment, the mechanism for connecting and spacing the developer receiving portion 11 of the developer receiving apparatus 8 relative to the developer supply container 1 by displacing the developer receiving portion 11 can be simplified. More particularly, a driving source and/or a drive transmission mechanism for moving the entirety of the developing device upwardly is unnecessary, and therefore, a complication of the structure of the image forming apparatus side and/or the increase in cost due to increase of the number of parts can be avoided. The connection between the developer supply container 1 and the developer receiving apparatus 8 can be properly established using the mounting operation of the developer supply container 1 with minimum contamination with the developer. Similarly, utilizing the dismounting operation of the developer supply container 1, the spacing and resealing between the developer supply container 1 and the developer receiving apparatus 8 can be carried out with minimum contamination with the developer. Comparison Example Referring to FIG. 102, a comparison example will be described. Part (a) of FIG. 102 is a sectional view illustrating a state in which the air is fed into a developer supply container 150, and part (b) of FIG. 102 is a sectional view illustrating a state in which the air (developer) is discharged from the developer supply container 150. Part (c) of FIG. 102 is a sectional view illustrating a state in which the developer is fed into a hopper 8c from a storage portion 123, and part (d) of FIG. 102 is a sectional view illustrating a state in which the air is taken into the storage portion 123 from the hopper 8c. In the description of this comparison example, the same reference numerals as in the foregoing Embodiments are assigned to the elements having the corresponding functions in this embodiment, and the detailed description thereof is omitted for simplicity. In this comparison example, the pump portion for effecting the suction and discharging, more specifically, a displacement type pump portion 122 is provided not on the side of the developer supply container 150 but on the side of the developer receiving apparatus 180. The developer supply container 150 of the comparison example corresponds to the structure of FIG. 44 (Embodiment 8) from which the pump portion 5 and the locking portion 18 are removed, and the upper surface of the container body 1a which is the connecting portion with the pump portion 5 is closed. That is, the developer supply container 150 is provided with the container body 1a, a discharge opening 1c, an upper flange portion 1g, an opening seal (sealing member) 3a5 and a shutter 4 (omitted in FIG. 102). In addition, the developer receiving apparatus 180 of this comparison example corresponds to the developer receiving apparatus 8 shown in FIGS. 38 and 40 (Embodiment 8) from which the locking member 10 and the mechanism for driving the locking member 10 are removed, and in place thereof, the pump portion, a storage portion and a valve mechanism or the like are added. More specifically, the developer receiving apparatus 180 includes the bellow-like pump portion 122 of a displacement type for effecting suction and discharging, and the storage portion 123 positioned between the developer supply container 150 and the hopper 8c to temporarily storage the developer having been discharged from the developer supply container 150. To the storage portion 123, there are connected a supply pipe portion for connecting with the developer supply container 150, and a supply pipe portion 127 for connecting with the hopper 8c. In addition, the pump portion 122 carries out the reciprocation (expanding-and-contracting operation) by a pump driving mechanism provided in the developer receiving apparatus 180. Furthermore, the developer receiving apparatus 180 is provided with a valve 125 provided in a connecting portion between the storage portion 123 and the supply pipe portion 126 on the developer supply container 150 side, and a valve 124 provided in a connecting portion between the storage portion 123 and the hopper 8c side supply pipe portion 127. The valves 124, 125 are solenoid valves which are opened and closed by a valve driving mechanism provided in the developer receiving apparatus 180. Developer discharging steps in the structure of the comparison example including is pump portion 122 on the developer receiving apparatus 180 side in this manner will be described. As shown in part (a) of FIG. 102, the valve driving mechanism is operated to close the valve 124 and open the valve 125. In this state, the pump portion 122 is contracted by the pump driving mechanism. At this time, the contracting operation of the pump portion 122 increases the internal pressure of the storage portion 123 so that the air is fed from the storage portion 123 into the developer supply container 150. As a result, the developer adjacent to the discharge opening 1c in the developer supply container 150 is loosened. Subsequently, as shown in part (b) of FIG. 102, the pump portion 122 is expanded by the pump driving mechanism, while the valve 124 is kept closed, and the valve 125 is kept opened. At this time, by the expanding operation of the pump portion 122, the internal pressure of the storage portion 123 decreases, so that the pressure of the air layer inside developer supply container 150 relatively rises. By a pressure difference between the storage portion 123 and the developer supply container 150, the air in the developer supply container 150 is discharged into the storage portion 123. With the operation, the developer is discharged together with the air from the discharge opening 1c of the developer supply container 150 and is stored in the storage portion 123 temporarily. Then, as shown in part (c) of FIG. 102, the valve driving mechanism is operated to open the valve 124 and close the valve 125. In this state, the pump portion 122 is contracted by the pump driving mechanism. At this time, the contracting operation of the pump portion 122 increases the internal pressure of the storage portion 123 to feed and discharge the developer from the storage portion 123 into the hopper 8c. Then, as shown in part (d) of FIG. 102, the pump portion 122 is expanded by the pump driving mechanism, while the valve 124 is kept opened, and the valve 125 is kept closed. At this time, by the expanding operation of the pump portion 122, the internal pressure of the storage portion 123 decreases, so that the air is taken into the storage portion 123 from the hopper 8c. By repeating the steps of parts (a)-(d) of FIG. 102, the developer in the developer supply container 150 can be discharged through the discharge opening 1c of developer supply container 150 while fluidizing the developer. However, with the structure of comparison example, the valves 124, 125 and the valve driving mechanism for controlling opening and closing of the valves as shown in parts (a)-(d) of FIG. 102 are required. In other words, the comparison example requires the complicated opening and closing control of the valves. Furthermore, the developer may be bitten between the valve and the seat with the result of stressed to the developer which may lead to formation of agglomeration masses. If this occurs, the properly opening and closing operation of the valves is not carried out, with the result that long term stability of the developer discharging is not expected. In addition, in the comparison example, by the supply of the air from the outside of the developer supply container 150, the internal pressure of the developer supply container 150 is raised, tending to agglomerate the developer, and therefore, the loosening effect of the developer is very small as shown by above-described verification experiment (comparison between FIG. 55 and FIG. 56). Therefore, Embodiment 1-Embodiment 23 prefers to the comparison example because the developer can be discharged from the developer supply container after it is sufficiently loosened. In addition, it may be considered to use a single shaft eccentric pump 400 is used in place of the pump 122 to effect the suction and discharging by the forward and backward rotations of the rotor 401, as shown in FIG. 103. However, in this case, the developer discharged from the developer supply container 150 may be stressed by sliding between the rotor 401 and a stator 402 of such a pump, with the result of production of agglomeration mass of the developer to an extent the image quality is deteriorated. The structures of the foregoing embodiments are preferable to the comparison example, because the developer discharging mechanism can be simplified. As compared with the comparison example of FIG. 103, the stress imparted to the developer can be decreased in the foregoing embodiments. While the invention has been described with reference to the structures disclosed herein, it is not confined to the details set forth, and this application is intended to cover such modification or changes as may come within the purposes of the improvements or the scope of the following claims. INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY According to the present invention, the mechanism for connecting the developer receiving portion to the developer supply container by displacing the developer receiving portion can be simplified. In addition, the connection state between the developer supply container and the developer receiving apparatus can be established properly using the mounting operation of the developer supply container. | <SOH> BACKGROUND ART <EOH>Conventionally, an image forming apparatus of an electrophotographic type such as an electrophotographic copying machine uses a developer (toner) of fine particles. In such an image forming apparatus, the developer is supplied from the developer supply container with the consumption thereof by the image forming operation. Since the developer is very fine powder, it may scatter in the mounting and demounting of the developer supply container relative to the image forming apparatus. Under the circumstances, various connecting types between the developer supply container and the image forming apparatus have been proposed and put into practice. One of conventional connecting types is disclosed in Japanese Laid-open Patent Application Hei 08-110692, for example. With the device disclosed in Japanese Laid-open Patent Application Hei 08-110692, a developer supplying device (so-called hopper) drawn out of the image forming apparatus receives the developer from a developer accommodating container, and then is reception reset into the image forming apparatus. When the developer supplying device is set in the image forming apparatus, an opening of the developer supplying device takes the position right above the opening of a developing device. In the developing operation, the entirety of the developing device is lifted up to closely contact the developing device to the developer supplying device (openings of them are in fluid communication with each other). By this, the developer supply from the developer supplying device into the developing device can be properly carried out, so that the developer leakage can be suppressed properly. On the other hand, in the non-developing operation period, the entirety of the developing device is lowered, so that the developer supplying device is spaced from the developing device. As will be understood, the device disclosed in the Japanese Laid-open Patent Application Hei 08-110692 requires a driving source and a drive transmission mechanism for automatically moving up a down the developing device. | <SOH> BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS <EOH>FIG. 1 is a sectional view of a main assembly of the image forming apparatus. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the main assembly of the image forming apparatus. In FIG. 3 , (a) is a perspective view of a developer receiving apparatus, and (b) is a sectional view of the developer receiving apparatus. In FIG. 4 , (a) is a partial enlarged perspective view of the developer receiving apparatus, (b) is a partial enlarged sectional view of the developer receiving apparatus, and (c) is a perspective view of a developer receiving portion. In FIG. 5 , (a) is an exploded perspective view of a developer supply container according to Embodiment 1, (b) is a perspective view of the developer supply container of Embodiment 1. FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a container body. In FIG. 7 , (a) is a perspective view (top side) of an upper flange portion, (b) is a perspective view (bottom side) of the upper flange portion. In FIG. 8 , (a) is a perspective view (top side) of a lower flange portion in Embodiment 1, (b) is a perspective view (bottom side) of the lower flange portion in Embodiment 1, and (c) is a front view of the lower flange portion in Embodiment 1. In FIG. 9 , (a) is a top plan view of a shutter in Embodiment 1, and (b) is a perspective view of the shutter in Embodiment 1. In FIG. 10 , (a) is a perspective view of a pump, and (b) is a front view of the pump. In FIG. 11 , (a) is a perspective view (top side) of a reciprocating member, (b) is a perspective view (bottom side) of the reciprocating member. In FIG. 12 , (a) is a perspective view (top side) of a cover, (b) is a perspective view (bottom side) of the cover. FIG. 13 is a perspective view (a) of a partial section, a front view (b) of the partial section, a top plan view (c), an interrelation relation view (d) of the lower flange portion with developer receiving portion, illustrating a mounting and demounting operation of the developer supply container in Embodiment 1. FIG. 14 is a perspective view (a) of a partial section, a front view (b) of the partial section, a top plan view (c), an interrelation relation view (d) of the lower flange portion with developer receiving portion, illustrating a mounting and demounting operation of the developer supply container in Embodiment 1. FIG. 15 is a perspective view (a) of a partial section, a front view (b) of the partial section, a top plan view (c), an interrelation relation view (d) of the lower flange portion with developer receiving portion, illustrating a mounting and demounting operation of the developer supply container in Embodiment 1. FIG. 16 is a perspective view (a) of a partial section, a front view (b) of the partial section, a top plan view (c), an interrelation relation view (d) of the lower flange portion with developer receiving portion, illustrating a mounting and demounting operation of the developer supply container in Embodiment 1. FIG. 17 is a timing chart view of the mounting and demounting operation of the developer supply container in Embodiment 1. In FIG. 18 , (a), (b) and (c) illustrate modified examples of an engaging portion of the developer supply container. In FIG. 19 , (a) is a perspective view of a developer receiving portion according to Embodiment 2, and (b) is a sectional view of the developer receiving portion of Embodiment 2. In FIG. 20 , (a) is a perspective view (top side) of a lower flange portion in Embodiment 2, and (b) is a perspective view (bottom side) of the lower flange portion in Embodiment 2. In FIG. 21 , (a) is a perspective view of a shutter in Embodiment 2, (b) is a perspective view of an according to modified example 1, and (c) and (d) are schematic views of the shutter and the developer receiving portion. In FIG. 22 , (a) and (b) are sectional views illustrating a shutter operation in Embodiment 2. FIG. 23 is a perspective view of the shutter in Embodiment 2. FIG. 24 is a front view of the developer supply container according to Embodiment 2. In FIG. 25 , (a) is a perspective view of a shutter according to modified example 2, and (b) and (c) are schematic views of the shutter and the developer receiving portion. FIG. 26 is a perspective view (a) of a partial section, a front view (b) of the partial section, a top plan view (c), an interrelation relation view (d) of the lower flange portion with developer receiving portion, illustrating a mounting and demounting operation of the developer supply container in Embodiment 2. FIG. 27 is a perspective view (a) of a partial section, a front view (b) of the partial section, a top plan view (c), an interrelation relation view (d) of the lower flange portion with developer receiving portion, illustrating a mounting and demounting operation of the developer supply container in Embodiment 2. FIG. 28 is a perspective view (a) of a partial section, a front view (b) of the partial section, a top plan view (c), an interrelation relation view (d) of the lower flange portion with developer receiving portion, illustrating a mounting and demounting operation of the developer supply container in Embodiment 2. FIG. 29 is a perspective view (a) of a partial section, a front view (b) of the partial section, a top plan view (c), an interrelation relation view (d) of the lower flange portion with developer receiving portion, illustrating a mounting and demounting operation of the developer supply container in Embodiment 2. FIG. 30 is a perspective view (a) of a partial section, a front view (b) of the partial section, a top plan view (c), an interrelation relation view (d) of the lower flange portion with developer receiving portion, illustrating a mounting and demounting operation of the developer supply container in Embodiment 2. FIG. 31 is a perspective view (a) of a partial section, a front view (b) of the partial section, a top plan view (c), an interrelation relation view (d) of the lower flange portion with developer receiving portion, illustrating a mounting and demounting operation of the developer supply container in Embodiment 2. FIG. 32 is a timing chart view of the mounting and demounting operation of the developer supply container in Embodiment 2. In FIG. 33 , (a) is a partial enlarged view of a developer supply container according to Embodiment 3, (b) is a partial enlarged sectional view of the developer supply container and a developer receiving apparatus according to Embodiment 3. FIG. 34 is an operation view of the developer receiving portion relative to the lower flange portion in a dismounting operation of the developer supply container in Embodiment 3. FIG. 35 illustrates a developer supply container of a comparison example. FIG. 36 is a sectional view of an example of an image forming apparatus. FIG. 37 is a perspective view of the image forming apparatus of FIG. 36 . FIG. 38 is a perspective view illustrating a developer receiving apparatus according to an embodiment. FIG. 39 is a perspective view of the developer receiving apparatus of FIG. 38 as seen in a different direction. FIG. 40 is a sectional view of the developer receiving apparatus of FIG. 38 . FIG. 41 is a block diagram illustrating a function and a structure of a control device. FIG. 42 is a flow chart illustrating a flow of a supplying operation. FIG. 43 is a sectional view illustrating a developer receiving apparatus without a hopper and a mounting state of the developer supply container. FIG. 44 is a perspective view illustrating an embodiment of the developer supply container. FIG. 45 is a sectional view illustrating an embodiment of the developer supply container. FIG. 46 is a sectional view of the developer supply container in which a discharge opening and an inclined surface are connected. In FIG. 47 , (a) is a perspective view of a blade used in a device for measuring a flowability energy, and (b) is a schematic view of the measuring device. FIG. 48 is a graph showing a relation between a diameter of the discharge opening and a discharge amount. FIG. 49 is a graph showing a relation between a filling amount in the container and the discharge amount. FIG. 50 is a perspective view illustrating parts of operation states of the developer supply container and the developer receiving apparatus. FIG. 51 is a perspective view of the developer supply container and the developer receiving apparatus. FIG. 52 is a sectional view of the developer supply container and the developer receiving apparatus. FIG. 53 is a sectional view of the developer supply container and the developer receiving apparatus. FIG. 54 illustrates a change of an internal pressure of the developer accommodating portion in the apparatus and the system according to Embodiment 4 of the present invention. In FIG. 55 , (a) is a block diagram of a developer supplying system (Embodiment 4) used in a verification experiment, and (b) is a schematic view illustrating a phenomenon-in the developer supply container. In FIG. 56 , (a) is a block diagram of a developer supplying system (comparison example) used in the verification experiment, and (b) is a schematic Figure of a phenomenon-in the developer supply container. FIG. 57 is a perspective view of a developer supply container according to Embodiment 5. FIG. 58 is a sectional view of the developer supply container of FIG. 57 . FIG. 59 is a perspective view of a developer supply container according to Embodiment 6. FIG. 60 is a perspective view of a developer supply container according to Embodiment 6. FIG. 61 is a perspective view of a developer supply container according to Embodiment 6. FIG. 62 is a perspective view of a developer supply container according to Embodiment 7. FIG. 63 is a sectional perspective view of a developer supply container according to Embodiment 74. FIG. 64 is a partially sectional view of a developer supply container according to Embodiment 7. FIG. 65 is a sectional view of another example according to Embodiment 7. In FIG. 66 , (a) is a front view of a mounting portion, and (b) is a partial enlarged perspective view of an inside of the mounting portion. In FIG. 67 , (a) is a perspective view of a developer supply container according to Embodiment 8, (b) is a perspective view around a discharge opening, and (c) and (d) are a front view and a sectional view illustrating a state in which the developer supply container is mounted to a mounting portion of the developer receiving apparatus. In FIG. 68 , (a) is a perspective view of a portion of the developer accommodating portion of Embodiment 8, (b) is a perspective view of a section of the developer supply container, (c) is a sectional view of an inner surface of a flange portion, (d) is a sectional view of the developer supply container. In FIG. 69 , (a) and (b) are sectional views illustrating a behavior in suction and discharging operation of a pump portion at the developer supply container of Embodiment 8. FIG. 70 is an extended elevation of a cam groove configuration of the developer supply container. FIG. 71 is an extended elevation of an example of the cam groove configuration of the developer supply container. FIG. 72 is an extended elevation of an example of the cam groove configuration of the developer supply container. FIG. 73 is an extended elevation of an example of the cam groove configuration of the developer supply container. FIG. 74 is an extended elevation of an example of the cam groove configuration of the developer supply container. FIG. 75 is an extended elevation of an example of the cam groove configuration of the developer supply container. FIG. 76 is an extended elevation of an example of the cam groove configuration of the developer supply container. FIG. 77 is graphs showing changes of an internal pressure of the developer supply container. In FIG. 78 , (a) is a perspective view of a structure of a developer supply container according to Embodiment 9, and (b) is a sectional view of a structure of the developer supply container. FIG. 79 is a sectional view illustrating a structure of a developer supply container according to Embodiment 10. In FIG. 80 , (a) is a perspective view of a developer supply container according to Embodiment 11, (b) is a sectional view of the developer supply container, (c) is a perspective view of a cam gear, and (d) is a partial enlarged view of a rotational engaging portion of a cam gear. In FIG. 81 , (a) is a perspective view of a structure of a developer supply container according to Embodiment 12, and (b) is a sectional view of a structure of the developer supply container. In FIG. 82 , (a) is a perspective view of a structure of a developer supply container according to Embodiment 13, and (b) is a sectional view of a structure of the developer supply container. In FIG. 83 , (a)-(d) illustrate an operation of a drive converting mechanism. In FIG. 84 , (a) is a perspective view of a structure of a developer supply container according to Embodiment 14, and (b) and (c) illustrate an operation of a drive converting mechanism. Part (a) of FIG. 85 is a sectional perspective view illustrating a structure of a developer supply container according to Embodiment 15, (b) and (c) are sectional views illustrating suction and discharging operations of a pump portion. In FIG. 86 , (a) is a perspective view of another example of the developer supply container of Embodiment 15, and (b) illustrates a coupling portion of the developer supply container. In FIG. 87 , (a) is a perspective view of a section of a developer supply container according to Embodiment 16, and (b) and (c) are a sectional view illustrating a state of suction and discharging operations of the pump portion. In FIG. 88 , (a) is a perspective view of a structure of a developer supply container according to Embodiment 17, (b) is a perspective view of a section of the developer supply container, (c) illustrates an end portion of a developer accommodating portion, and (d) and (e) illustrate a state in the suction and discharging operations of a pump portion. In FIG. 89 , (a) is a perspective view of a structure of a developer supply container according to Embodiment 18, (b) is a perspective view of a flange portion, and (c) is a perspective view of a structure of a cylindrical portion. In FIG. 90 , (a) and (b) are sectional views illustrating a state of suction and discharging operations of a pump portion of a developer supply container according to Embodiment 18. FIG. 91 illustrate a structure of the pump portion of the developer supply container according to Embodiment 18. In FIG. 92 , (a) and (b) are schematic sectional views of a structure of a developer supply container according to Embodiment 19. In FIG. 93 , (a) and (b) are perspective views of a cylindrical portion and a flange portion of a developer supply container according to Embodiment 20. In FIG. 94 , (a) and (b) are perspective views of a partial section of a developer supply container according to Embodiment 20. FIG. 95 is a time chart illustrating a relation between an operation state of a pump according to Embodiment 20 and opening and closing timing of a rotatable shutter. FIG. 96 is a partly sectional perspective view illustrating a developer supply container according to Embodiment 21. In FIG. 97 , (a)-(c) are partially sectional views illustrating an operation state of a pump portion in Embodiment 21. FIG. 98 is a time chart illustrating a relation between an operation state of a pump according to Embodiment 21 and opening and closing timing of a stop valve. In FIG. 99 , (a) is a perspective view of a portion of a developer supply container according to Embodiment 22, (b) is a perspective view of a flange portion, and (c) is a sectional view of the developer supply container. In FIG. 100 , (a) is a perspective view of a structure of a developer supply container according to Embodiment 23, (b) is a perspective view of a section of the developer supply container. FIG. 101 is a partly sectional perspective view illustrating a structure of a developer supply container according to Embodiment 23. In FIG. 102 , (a)-(d) are sectional views of a developer supply container and a developer receiving apparatus of a comparison example, illustrating a flow of developer supplying steps. FIG. 103 is a sectional view illustrating a developer supply container and a developer receiving apparatus of another comparison example. detailed-description description="Detailed Description" end="lead"? | G03G211676 | 20171208 | 20180412 | 60617.0 | G03G2116 | 23 | VILLALUNA, ERIKA J | DEVELOPER SUPPLY CONTAINER AND DEVELOPER SUPPLYING SYSTEM | UNDISCOUNTED | 1 | CONT-ACCEPTED | G03G | 2,017 |
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15,836,212 | PENDING | DEVELOPER SUPPLY CONTAINER AND DEVELOPER SUPPLYING SYSTEM | A developer supply container includes a developer accommodating body configured to contain developer, with the developer accommodating body being rotatable about a rotational axis. A developer discharging body is provided in fluid communication with the developer accommodating body, with the developer discharging body having a discharge opening provided in a bottom portion of the developer discharging body and configured to discharge the developer from the developer discharging body, and with the developer accommodating body being rotatable relative to the developer discharging body. A track is provided on each of opposite sides of the developer discharging body. | 1-25. (canceled) 26. A developer supply container comprising: a developer accommodating body configured to contain developer, the developer accommodating body being rotatable about a rotational axis, and the developer accommodating body being provided with a gear portion provided about the rotational axis; a developer discharging body in fluid communication with the developer accommodating body adjacent to a first end of said developer accommodating body and having a discharge opening that is provided in a bottom portion of the developer discharging body and configured to permit discharge of the developer from the developer discharging body, with the developer accommodating body being rotatable relative to the developer discharging body; and a track provided on each of opposite sides of the developer discharging body, each track including (i) a first part ascending away from a bottom of the developer supply container as a distance to a second end of said developer accommodating body which is opposite from said first end decreases and (ii) a second part extending from the second end portion of the first part such that a plane perpendicular to the rotational axis and passing through the second part passes through the discharge opening, wherein a plane parallel to the rotational axis and passing through the second parts of the tracks is between the rotational axis and the discharge opening. 27. The developer supply container according to claim 26, wherein the second part of each track extends along a straight line. 28. The developer supply container according to claim 26, wherein the first part of each track extends along a straight line. 29. The developer supply container according to claim 26, wherein the first part of each track extends along an arcuate line. 30. The developer supply container according to claim 26, wherein the first part of each track extends stepwise. 31. The developer supply container according to claim 26, further comprising a shutter movable relative to the developer discharging body between an open position wherein the discharge opening is open and a closed position wherein the discharge opening is closed by the shutter. 32. The developer supply container according to claim 31, wherein the developer discharging body is provided with a shutter support movably supporting the shutter, and wherein each track is integrally molded with the shutter support. 33. The developer supply container according to claim 31, wherein the shutter is provided with a shutter opening that is aligned with the discharge opening when the shutter is in the open position. 34. The developer supply container according to claim 26, further comprising a pump configured and positioned to force developer out of the developer discharging body through the discharge opening. 35. The developer supply container according to claim 26, wherein the discharge opening has an area of 0.002 mm2 to 12.6 mm2. 36. The developer supply container according to claim 26, wherein the first part of each track includes a lower part and an upper part, with the lower part being parallel to the upper part. 37. A developer supply container comprising: a developer accommodating body that is rotatable about a rotational axis, and the developer accommodating body being provided with a gear portion provided about the rotational axis; developer contained in the developer accommodating body; a developer discharging body in fluid communication with the developer accommodating body adjacent to a first end of said developer accommodating body and having a discharge opening that is provided in a bottom portion of the developer discharging body and configured to permit discharge of the developer from the developer discharging body, with the developer accommodating body being rotatable relative to the developer discharging body; and a track provided on each of opposite sides of the developer discharging body, each track including (i) a first part ascending away from a bottom of the developer supply container as a distance to a second end of said developer accommodating body which is opposite from said first end decreases and (ii) a second part extending from the second end portion of the first part such that a plane perpendicular to the rotational axis and passing through the second part passes through the discharge opening, wherein a plane parallel to the rotational axis and passing through the second parts of the tracks is between the rotational axis and the discharge opening. 38. The developer supply container according to claim 37, wherein the second part of each track extends along a straight line. 39. The developer supply container according to claim 37, wherein the first part of each track extends along a straight line. 40. The developer supply container according to claim 37, wherein the first part of each track extends along an arcuate line. 41. The developer supply container according to claim 37, wherein the first part of each track extends stepwise. 42. The developer supply container according to claim 37, further comprising a shutter movable relative to the developer discharging body between an open position wherein the discharge opening is open and a closed position wherein the discharge opening is closed by the shutter. 43. The developer supply container according to claim 42, wherein the developer discharging body is provided with a shutter support movably supporting the shutter, and wherein each track is integrally molded with the shutter support. 44. The developer supply container according to claim 42, wherein the shutter is provided with a shutter opening that is aligned with the discharge opening when the shutter is in the open position. 45. The developer supply container according to claim 42, further comprising a pump configured and positioned to force developer out of the developer discharging body through the discharge opening. 46. The developer supply container according to claim 37, wherein the discharge opening has an area of 0.002 mm2 to 12.6 mm2. 47. The developer supply container according to claim 37, wherein the developer has a fluidity energy of not less than 4.3×10−4 kg·m2/s2 and not more than 4.14×10−3 kg·m2/s2. 48. The developer supply container according to claim 37, wherein the first part of each track includes a lower part and an upper part, with the lower part being parallel to the upper part. | FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a developer supply container detachably mountable to a developer receiving apparatus. Such a developer supply container is usable with an image forming apparatus of an electrophotographic type such as a copying machine, a facsimile machine, a printer or a complex machine having a plurality of functions of them. BACKGROUND ART Conventionally, an image forming apparatus of an electrophotographic type such as an electrophotographic copying machine uses a developer (toner) of fine particles. In such an image forming apparatus, the developer is supplied from the developer supply container with the consumption thereof by the image forming operation. Since the developer is very fine powder, it may scatter in the mounting and demounting of the developer supply container relative to the image forming apparatus. Under the circumstances, various connecting types between the developer supply container and the image forming apparatus have been proposed and put into practice. One of conventional connecting types is disclosed in Japanese Laid-open Patent Application Hei 08-110692, for example. With the device disclosed in Japanese Laid-open Patent Application Hei 08-110692, a developer supplying device (so-called hopper) drawn out of the image forming apparatus receives the developer from a developer accommodating container, and then is reception reset into the image forming apparatus. When the developer supplying device is set in the image forming apparatus, an opening of the developer supplying device takes the position right above the opening of a developing device. In the developing operation, the entirety of the developing device is lifted up to closely contact the developing device to the developer supplying device (openings of them are in fluid communication with each other). By this, the developer supply from the developer supplying device into the developing device can be properly carried out, so that the developer leakage can be suppressed properly. On the other hand, in the non-developing operation period, the entirety of the developing device is lowered, so that the developer supplying device is spaced from the developing device. As will be understood, the device disclosed in the Japanese Laid-open Patent Application Hei 08-110692 requires a driving source and a drive transmission mechanism for automatically moving up a down the developing device. DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION However, the device of Japanese Laid-open Patent Application Hei 08-11069 necessitates the driving source and the drive transmission mechanism for moving the entirety of the developing device up and down, and therefore, the structure of the image forming apparatus side is complicated, and the cost will increase. It is a further object of the present invention to provide an developer supply container capable of simplifying the mechanism for connecting the developer receiving portion with the developer supply container by displacing the developer receiving portion. It is a further object of the present invention to provide a developer supply container with which the developer supply container and the developer receiving apparatus can be connected properly with each other. According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a developer supply container for supplying a developer through a developer receiving portion displacably provided in a developer receiving apparatus to which said developer supply container is detachably mountable, said developer supply container comprising a developer accommodating portion for accommodating a developer; and an engaging portion, engageable with said developer receiving portion, for displacing said developer receiving portion toward said developer supply container with a mounting operation of said developer supply container to establish a connected state between said developer supply container and said developer receiving portion. According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a developer supply container for supplying a developer through a developer receiving portion displacably provided in a developer receiving apparatus to which said developer supply container is detachably mountable, said developer supply container comprising a developer accommodating portion for accommodating a developer; and an inclined portion, inclined relative to an inserting direction of said developer supply container, for engaging with said developer receiving portion with a mounting operation of said developer supply container to displace said developer receiving portion toward said developer supply container. According to the present invention, a mechanism for displacing the developer receiving portion to connect with the developer supply container can be simplified. In addition, using the mounting operation of the developer supply container, the connecting state between the developer supply container and the developer receiving portion can be made proper. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a sectional view of a main assembly of the image forming apparatus. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the main assembly of the image forming apparatus. In FIG. 3, (a) is a perspective view of a developer receiving apparatus, and (b) is a sectional view of the developer receiving apparatus. In FIG. 4, (a) is a partial enlarged perspective view of the developer receiving apparatus, (b) is a partial enlarged sectional view of the developer receiving apparatus, and (c) is a perspective view of a developer receiving portion. In FIG. 5, (a) is an exploded perspective view of a developer supply container according to Embodiment 1, (b) is a perspective view of the developer supply container of Embodiment 1. FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a container body. In FIG. 7, (a) is a perspective view (top side) of an upper flange portion, (b) is a perspective view (bottom side) of the upper flange portion. In FIG. 8, (a) is a perspective view (top side) of a lower flange portion in Embodiment 1, (b) is a perspective view (bottom side) of the lower flange portion in Embodiment 1, and (c) is a front view of the lower flange portion in Embodiment 1. In FIG. 9, (a) is a top plan view of a shutter in Embodiment 1, and (b) is a perspective view of the shutter in Embodiment 1. In FIG. 10, (a) is a perspective view of a pump, and (b) is a front view of the pump. In FIG. 11, (a) is a perspective view (top side) of a reciprocating member, (b) is a perspective view (bottom side) of the reciprocating member. In FIG. 12, (a) is a perspective view (top side) of a cover, (b) is a perspective view (bottom side) of the cover. FIG. 13 is a perspective view (a) of a partial section, a front view (b) of the partial section, a top plan view (c), an interrelation relation view (d) of the lower flange portion with developer receiving portion, illustrating a mounting and demounting operation of the developer supply container in Embodiment 1. FIG. 14 is a perspective view (a) of a partial section, a front view (b) of the partial section, a top plan view (c), an interrelation relation view (d) of the lower flange portion with developer receiving portion, illustrating a mounting and demounting operation of the developer supply container in Embodiment 1. FIG. 15 is a perspective view (a) of a partial section, a front view (b) of the partial section, a top plan view (c), an interrelation relation view (d) of the lower flange portion with developer receiving portion, illustrating a mounting and demounting operation of the developer supply container in Embodiment 1. FIG. 16 is a perspective view (a) of a partial section, a front view (b) of the partial section, a top plan view (c), an interrelation relation view (d) of the lower flange portion with developer receiving portion, illustrating a mounting and demounting operation of the developer supply container in Embodiment 1. FIG. 17 is a timing chart view of the mounting and demounting operation of the developer supply container in Embodiment 1. In FIG. 18, (a), (b) and (c) illustrate modified examples of an engaging portion of the developer supply container. In FIG. 19, (a) is a perspective view of a developer receiving portion according to Embodiment 2, and (b) is a sectional view of the developer receiving portion of Embodiment 2. In FIG. 20, (a) is a perspective view (top side) of a lower flange portion in Embodiment 2, and (b) is a perspective view (bottom side) of the lower flange portion in Embodiment 2. In FIG. 21, (a) is a perspective view of a shutter in Embodiment 2, (b) is a perspective view of an according to modified example 1, and (c) and (d) are schematic views of the shutter and the developer receiving portion. In FIG. 22, (a) and (b) are sectional views illustrating a shutter operation in Embodiment 2. FIG. 23 is a perspective view of the shutter in Embodiment 2. FIG. 24 is a front view of the developer supply container according to Embodiment 2. In FIG. 25, (a) is a perspective view of a shutter according to modified example 2, and (b) and (c) are schematic views of the shutter and the developer receiving portion. FIG. 26 is a perspective view (a) of a partial section, a front view (b) of the partial section, a top plan view (c), an interrelation relation view (d) of the lower flange portion with developer receiving portion, illustrating a mounting and demounting operation of the developer supply container in Embodiment 2. FIG. 27 is a perspective view (a) of a partial section, a front view (b) of the partial section, a top plan view (c), an interrelation relation view (d) of the lower flange portion with developer receiving portion, illustrating a mounting and demounting operation of the developer supply container in Embodiment 2. FIG. 28 is a perspective view (a) of a partial section, a front view (b) of the partial section, a top plan view (c), an interrelation relation view (d) of the lower flange portion with developer receiving portion, illustrating a mounting and demounting operation of the developer supply container in Embodiment 2. FIG. 29 is a perspective view (a) of a partial section, a front view (b) of the partial section, a top plan view (c), an interrelation relation view (d) of the lower flange portion with developer receiving portion, illustrating a mounting and demounting operation of the developer supply container in Embodiment 2. FIG. 30 is a perspective view (a) of a partial section, a front view (b) of the partial section, a top plan view (c), an interrelation relation view (d) of the lower flange portion with developer receiving portion, illustrating a mounting and demounting operation of the developer supply container in Embodiment 2. FIG. 31 is a perspective view (a) of a partial section, a front view (b) of the partial section, a top plan view (c), an interrelation relation view (d) of the lower flange portion with developer receiving portion, illustrating a mounting and demounting operation of the developer supply container in Embodiment 2. FIG. 32 is a timing chart view of the mounting and demounting operation of the developer supply container in Embodiment 2. In FIG. 33, (a) is a partial enlarged view of a developer supply container according to Embodiment 3, (b) is a partial enlarged sectional view of the developer supply container and a developer receiving apparatus according to Embodiment 3. FIG. 34 is an operation view of the developer receiving portion relative to the lower flange portion in a dismounting operation of the developer supply container in Embodiment 3. FIG. 35 illustrates a developer supply container of a comparison example. FIG. 36 is a sectional view of an example of an image forming apparatus. FIG. 37 is a perspective view of the image forming apparatus of FIG. 36. FIG. 38 is a perspective view illustrating a developer receiving apparatus according to an embodiment. FIG. 39 is a perspective view of the developer receiving apparatus of FIG. 38 as seen in a different direction. FIG. 40 is a sectional view of the developer receiving apparatus of FIG. 38. FIG. 41 is a block diagram illustrating a function and a structure of a control device. FIG. 42 is a flow chart illustrating a flow of a supplying operation. FIG. 43 is a sectional view illustrating a developer receiving apparatus without a hopper and a mounting state of the developer supply container. FIG. 44 is a perspective view illustrating an embodiment of the developer supply container. FIG. 45 is a sectional view illustrating an embodiment of the developer supply container. FIG. 46 is a sectional view of the developer supply container in which a discharge opening and an inclined surface are connected. In FIG. 47, (a) is a perspective view of a blade used in a device for measuring a flowability energy, and (b) is a schematic view of the measuring device. FIG. 48 is a graph showing a relation between a diameter of the discharge opening and a discharge amount. FIG. 49 is a graph showing a relation between a filling amount in the container and the discharge amount. FIG. 50 is a perspective view illustrating parts of operation states of the developer supply container and the developer receiving apparatus. FIG. 51 is a perspective view of the developer supply container and the developer receiving apparatus. FIG. 52 is a sectional view of the developer supply container and the developer receiving apparatus. FIG. 53 is a sectional view of the developer supply container and the developer receiving apparatus. FIG. 54 illustrates a change of an internal pressure of the developer accommodating portion in the apparatus and the system according to Embodiment 4 of the present invention. In FIG. 55, (a) is a block diagram of a developer supplying system (Embodiment 4) used in a verification experiment, and (b) is a schematic view illustrating a phenomenon-in the developer supply container. In FIG. 56, (a) is a block diagram of a developer supplying system (comparison example) used in the verification experiment, and (b) is a schematic Figure of a phenomenon-in the developer supply container. FIG. 57 is a perspective view of a developer supply container according to Embodiment 5. FIG. 58 is a sectional view of the developer supply container of FIG. 57. FIG. 59 is a perspective view of a developer supply container according to Embodiment 6. FIG. 60 is a perspective view of a developer supply container according to Embodiment 6. FIG. 61 is a perspective view of a developer supply container according to Embodiment 6. FIG. 62 is a perspective view of a developer supply container according to Embodiment 7. FIG. 63 is a sectional perspective view of a developer supply container according to Embodiment 74. FIG. 64 is a partially sectional view of a developer supply container according to Embodiment 7. FIG. 65 is a sectional view of another example according to Embodiment 7. In FIG. 66, (a) is a front view of a mounting portion, and (b) is a partial enlarged perspective view of an inside of the mounting portion. In FIG. 67, (a) is a perspective view of a developer supply container according to Embodiment 8, (b) is a perspective view around a discharge opening, and (c) and (d) are a front view and a sectional view illustrating a state in which the developer supply container is mounted to a mounting portion of the developer receiving apparatus. In FIG. 68, (a) is a perspective view of a portion of the developer accommodating portion of Embodiment 8, (b) is a perspective view of a section of the developer supply container, (c) is a sectional view of an inner surface of a flange portion, (d) is a sectional view of the developer supply container. In FIG. 69, (a) and (b) are sectional views illustrating a behavior in suction and discharging operation of a pump portion at the developer supply container of Embodiment 8. FIG. 70 is an extended elevation of a cam groove configuration of the developer supply container. FIG. 71 is an extended elevation of an example of the cam groove configuration of the developer supply container. FIG. 72 is an extended elevation of an example of the cam groove configuration of the developer supply container. FIG. 73 is an extended elevation of an example of the cam groove configuration of the developer supply container. FIG. 74 is an extended elevation of an example of the cam groove configuration of the developer supply container. FIG. 75 is an extended elevation of an example of the cam groove configuration of the developer supply container. FIG. 76 is an extended elevation of an example of the cam groove configuration of the developer supply container. FIG. 77 is graphs showing changes of an internal pressure of the developer supply container. In FIG. 78, (a) is a perspective view of a structure of a developer supply container according to Embodiment 9, and (b) is a sectional view of a structure of the developer supply container. FIG. 79 is a sectional view illustrating a structure of a developer supply container according to Embodiment 10. In FIG. 80, (a) is a perspective view of a developer supply container according to Embodiment 11, (b) is a sectional view of the developer supply container, (c) is a perspective view of a cam gear, and (d) is a partial enlarged view of a rotational engaging portion of a cam gear. In FIG. 81, (a) is a perspective view of a structure of a developer supply container according to Embodiment 12, and (b) is a sectional view of a structure of the developer supply container. In FIG. 82, (a) is a perspective view of a structure of a developer supply container according to Embodiment 13, and (b) is a sectional view of a structure of the developer supply container. In FIG. 83, (a)-(d) illustrate an operation of a drive converting mechanism. In FIG. 84, (a) is a perspective view of a structure of a developer supply container according to Embodiment 14, and (b) and (c) illustrate an operation of a drive converting mechanism. Part (a) of FIG. 85 is a sectional perspective view illustrating a structure of a developer supply container according to Embodiment 15, (b) and (c) are sectional views illustrating suction and discharging operations of a pump portion. In FIG. 86, (a) is a perspective view of another example of the developer supply container of Embodiment 15, and (b) illustrates a coupling portion of the developer supply container. In FIG. 87, (a) is a perspective view of a section of a developer supply container according to Embodiment 16, and (b) and (c) are a sectional view illustrating a state of suction and discharging operations of the pump portion. In FIG. 88, (a) is a perspective view of a structure of a developer supply container according to Embodiment 17, (b) is a perspective view of a section of the developer supply container, (c) illustrates an end portion of a developer accommodating portion, and (d) and (e) illustrate a state in the suction and discharging operations of a pump portion. In FIG. 89, (a) is a perspective view of a structure of a developer supply container according to Embodiment 18, (b) is a perspective view of a flange portion, and (c) is a perspective view of a structure of a cylindrical portion. In FIG. 90, (a) and (b) are sectional views illustrating a state of suction and discharging operations of a pump portion of a developer supply container according to Embodiment 18. FIG. 91 illustrate a structure of the pump portion of the developer supply container according to Embodiment 18. In FIG. 92, (a) and (b) are schematic sectional views of a structure of a developer supply container according to Embodiment 19. In FIG. 93, (a) and (b) are perspective views of a cylindrical portion and a flange portion of a developer supply container according to Embodiment 20. In FIG. 94, (a) and (b) are perspective views of a partial section of a developer supply container according to Embodiment 20. FIG. 95 is a time chart illustrating a relation between an operation state of a pump according to Embodiment 20 and opening and closing timing of a rotatable shutter. FIG. 96 is a partly sectional perspective view illustrating a developer supply container according to Embodiment 21. In FIG. 97, (a)-(c) are partially sectional views illustrating an operation state of a pump portion in Embodiment 21. FIG. 98 is a time chart illustrating a relation between an operation state of a pump according to Embodiment 21 and opening and closing timing of a stop valve. In FIG. 99, (a) is a perspective view of a portion of a developer supply container according to Embodiment 22, (b) is a perspective view of a flange portion, and (c) is a sectional view of the developer supply container. In FIG. 100, (a) is a perspective view of a structure of a developer supply container according to Embodiment 23, (b) is a perspective view of a section of the developer supply container. FIG. 101 is a partly sectional perspective view illustrating a structure of a developer supply container according to Embodiment 23. In FIG. 102, (a)-(d) are sectional views of a developer supply container and a developer receiving apparatus of a comparison example, illustrating a flow of developer supplying steps. FIG. 103 is a sectional view illustrating a developer supply container and a developer receiving apparatus of another comparison example. PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION The description will be made as to a developer supply container and a developer supplying system according to the present invention. In the following description, various structures of the developer supply container may be replaced with other known structures having similar functions within the scope of the concept of invention unless otherwise stated. In other words, the present invention is not limited to the specific structures of the embodiments which will be described hereinafter, unless otherwise stated. Embodiment 1 First, basic structures of an image forming apparatus will be described, and then, a developer receiving apparatus and a developer supply container constituting a developer supplying system used in the image forming apparatus will be described. (Image Forming Apparatus) Referring to FIG. 1, the description will be made as to a structure of a copying machine (electrophotographic image forming apparatus) of an electrophotographic type as an example of an image forming apparatus comprising a developer receiving apparatus to which a developer supply container (so-called toner cartridge) is detachably (removably) mounted. In the Figure, designated by 100 is a main assembly of the copying machine (main assembly of the image forming apparatus or main assembly of the apparatus). Designated by 101 is an original which is placed on an original supporting platen glass 102. A light image corresponding to image information of the original is imaged on an electrophotographic photosensitive member 104 (photosensitive member) by way of a plurality of mirrors M of an optical portion 103 and a lens Ln, so that an electrostatic latent image is formed. The electrostatic latent image is visualized with toner (one component magnetic toner) as a developer (dry powder) by a dry type developing device (one component developing device) 201a. In this embodiment, the one component magnetic toner is used as the developer to be supplied from a developer supply container 1, but the present invention is not limited to the example and includes other examples which will be described hereinafter. Specifically, in the case that a one component developing device using the one component non-magnetic toner is employed, the one component non-magnetic toner is supplied as the developer. In addition, in the case that a two component developing device using a two component developer containing mixed magnetic carrier and non-magnetic toner is employed, the non-magnetic toner is supplied as the developer. In such a case, both of the non-magnetic toner and the magnetic carrier may be supplied as the developer. As described hereinbefore, the developing device 201 of FIG. 1 develops, using the developer, the electrostatic latent image formed on the photosensitive member 104 as an image bearing member on the basis of image information of the original 101. The developing device 201 is provided with a developing roller 201f in addition to the developer hopper portion 201a. The developer hopper portion 201a is provided with a stirring member 201c for stirring the developer supplied from the developer supply container 1. The developer stirred by the stirring member 201c is fed to the feeding member 201e by a feeding member 201d. The developer having been fed by the feeding members 201e, 201b in the order named is supplied finally to a developing zone relative to the photosensitive member 104 while being carried on the developing roller 201f. In this example, the toner as the developer is supplied from the developer supply container 1 to the developing device 201, but another system may be used, and the toner and the carrier functioning developer may be supplied from the developer supply container 1, for example. Of the sheet S stacked in the cassettes 105-108, an optimum cassette is selected on the basis of a sheet size of the original 101 or information inputted by the operator (user) from a liquid crystal operating portion of the copying machine. The recording material is not limited to a sheet of paper, but OHP sheet or another material can be used as desired. One sheet S supplied by a separation and feeding device 105A-108A is fed to registration rollers 110 along a feeding portion 109, and is fed at timing synchronized with rotation of a photosensitive member 104 and with scanning of an optical portion 103. Designated by 111, 112 are a transfer charger and a separation charger. An image of the developer formed on the photosensitive member 104 is transferred onto the sheet S by a transfer charger 111. Thereafter, the sheet S fed by the feeding portion 113 is subjected to heat and pressure in a fixing portion 114 so that the developed image on the sheet is fixed, and then passes through a discharging/reversing portion 115, in the case of one-sided copy mode, and subsequently the sheet S is discharged to a discharging tray 117 by discharging rollers 116. The trailing end thereof passes through a flapper 118, and a flapper 118 is controlled when it is still nipped by the discharging rollers 116, and the discharging rollers 116 are rotated reversely, so that the sheet S is refed into the apparatus. Then, the sheet S is fed to the registration rollers 110 by way of re-feeding portions 119, 120, and then conveyed along the path similarly to the case of the one-sided copy mode and is discharged to the discharging tray 117. In the main assembly 100 of the apparatus, around the photosensitive member 104, there are provided image forming process equipment such as a developing device 201a as the developing means a cleaner portion 202 as a cleaning means, a primary charger 203 as charging means. The developing device 201 develops the electrostatic latent image formed on the photosensitive member 104 by the optical portion 103 in accordance with image information of the 101, by depositing the developer onto the latent image. The primary charger 203 uniformly charges a surface of the photosensitive member for the purpose of forming a desired electrostatic image on the photosensitive member 104. The cleaner portion 202 removes the developer remaining on the photosensitive member 104. FIG. 2 is an outer appearance of the image forming apparatus. When an exchange cover 40 which is a part of an outer casing of the image forming apparatus, a part of a developer receiving apparatus 8 which will be described hereinafter is exposed. By inserting (mounting) the developer supply container 1 into the developer receiving apparatus 8, the developer supply container 1 is set in the state capable of supplying the developer into the developer receiving apparatus 8. On the other hand, when the operator exchanges the developer supply container 1 the developer supply container 1 is taken out (disengaged) from the developer receiving apparatus 8 through the operation reciprocal to the mounting operation, and a new developer supply container 1 is set. Here, the exchange cover 40 is exclusively for mounting and demounting (exchange) of the developer supply container 1, and is opened and closed for mounting and demounting the developer supply container 1. For other maintenance operations for the main assembly of the apparatus 100, a front cover 100c is opened and closed. The exchange cover 40 and the front cover 100c may be made integral with each other, and in this case, the exchange of the developer supply container 1 and the maintenance of the main assembly of the apparatus 100 are carried out with opening and closing of the integral cover (unshown). (Developer Receiving Apparatus) Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4 the developer receiving apparatus 8 will be described. Part (a) of FIG. 3 is a schematic perspective view of the developer receiving apparatus 8, and part (b) of FIG. 3 is a schematic sectional view of the developer receiving apparatus 8. Part (a) of FIG. 4 is a partial enlarged perspective view of the developer receiving apparatus 8, part (b) of FIG. 4 is a partial enlarged sectional view of the developer receiving apparatus 8, and a part (c) of FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a developer receiving portion 11. As shown in part (a) of FIG. 3, the developer receiving apparatus 8 is provided with a mounting portion (mounting space) 8f into which the developer supply container 1 is removably (detachably) mounted. It is also provided with a developer receiving portion 11 for receiving the developer discharged through a discharge opening 3a4 (part (b) of FIG. 7), which will be described hereinafter, of the developer supply container 1. The developer receiving portion 11 is mounted so as to be movable (displaceable) relative to the developer receiving apparatus 8 in the vertical direction. As shown in part (c) of FIG. 4, the developer receiving portion 11 is provided with a main assembly seal 13 having a developer receiving port 11a at the central portion thereof. The main assembly seal 13 is made of an elastic member, a foam member or the like, and is close-contacted with an opening seal 3a5 (part (b) of FIG. 7) having a discharge opening 3a4 of the developer supply container 1, by which the developer discharged through the discharge opening 3a4 is prevented from leaking out of a developer feeding path including developer receiving port 11a. In order to prevent the contamination in the mounting portion 8f by the developer as much as possible, a diameter of the developer receiving port 11a is desirably substantially the same as or slightly larger than a diameter of the discharge opening 3a4 of the developer supply container 1. This is because if the diameter of the developer receiving port 11a is smaller than the diameter of the discharge opening 3a4, the developer discharged from the developer supply container 1 is deposited on the upper surface of the main assembly seal 13 having the developer receiving port 11a, and the deposited developer is transferred onto the lower surface of the developer supply container 1 during the dismounting operation of the developer supply container 1, with the result of contamination with the developer. In addition, the developer transferred onto the developer supply container 1 may be scattered to the mounting portion 8f with the result of contamination of the mounting portion 8f with the developer. On the contrary, if the diameter of the developer receiving port 11a is quite larger than the diameter of the discharge opening 3a4, an area in which the developer scattered from the developer receiving port 11a is deposited around the discharge opening 3a4 formed in the opening seal 3a5 is large. That is, the contaminated area of the developer supply container 1 by the developer is large, which is not preferable. Under the circumstances, the difference between the diameter of the developer receiving port 11a and the diameter of the discharge opening 3a4 is preferably substantially 0 to approx. 2 mm. In this example, the diameter of the discharge opening 3a4 of the developer supply container 1 is approx. Φ2 mm (pin hole), and therefore, the diameter of the developer receiving port 11a is approx. φ3 mm. As shown in part (b) of FIG. 3, the developer receiving portion 11 is urged downwardly by an urging member 12. When the developer receiving portion 11 moves upwardly, it has to move against an urging force of the urging member 12. As shown in part (b) of FIG. 3, below the developer receiving apparatus 8, there is provided a sub-hopper 8c for temporarily storing the developer. In the sub-hopper 8c, there are provided a feeding screw 14 for feeding the developer into the developer hopper portion 201a which is a part of the developing device 201, and an opening 8d which is in fluid communication with the developer hopper portion 201a. As shown in part (b) of FIG. 13, the developer receiving port 11a is closed so as to prevent foreign matter and/or dust entering the sub-hopper 8c in a state that the developer supply container 1 is not mounted. More specifically, the developer receiving port 11a is closed by a main assembly shutter 15 in the state that the developer receiving portion 11 is away to the upside. The developer receiving portion 11 moves upwardly (arrow E) from the position shown in part (b) of FIG. 13 toward the developer supply container 1. By this, as shown in part (b) of FIG. 15, the developer receiving port 11a and the main assembly shutter 15 are spaced from each other so that the developer receiving port 11a is open. With this open state, the developer is discharged from the developer supply container 1 through the discharge opening 3a4, so that the developer received by the developer receiving port 11a is movable to the sub-hopper 8c. As shown in part (c) of FIG. 4, a side surface of the developer receiving portion 11 is provided with an engaging portion 11b. The engaging portion 11b is directly engaged with an engaging portion 3b2, 3b4 (FIG. 8) provided on the developer supply container 1 which will be described hereinafter, and is guided thereby so that the developer receiving portion 11 is raised toward the developer supply container 1. As shown in part (a) of FIG. 3, the mounting portion 8f of the developer receiving apparatus 8 is provided with an insertion guide 8e for guiding the developer supply container 1 in the mounting and demounting direction, and by the insertion guide 8e, the mounting direction of the developer supply container 1 is made along the arrow A. The dismounting direction of the developer supply container 1 is the opposite (arrow B) to the direction of the arrow A. As shown in part (a) of FIG. 3, the developer receiving apparatus 8 is provided with a driving gear 9 functioning as a driving mechanism for driving the developer supply container 1. The driving gear 9 receives a rotational force from a driving motor 500 through a driving gear train, and functions to apply a rotational force to the developer supply container 1 which is set in the mounting portion 8f. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the driving motor 500 is controlled by a control device (CPU) 600. (Developer Supply Container) Referring to FIG. 5, the developer supply container 1 will be described. Part (a) of FIG. 5 a schematic exploded perspective view of the developer supply container 1, and part (b) of FIG. 5 is a schematic perspective view of the developer supply container 1. In the part (b) of FIG. 5, a cover 7 is partly broken for better understanding. As shown in part (a) of FIG. 5, the developer supply container 1 mainly comprises a container body 2, a flange portion 3, a shutter 4, a pump portion 5, a reciprocating member 6 and the cover 7. The developer supply container 1 is rotated about a rotational axis P shown in part (b) of FIG. 5 in a direction of an arrow R in the developer receiving apparatus 8, by which the developer is supplied into the developer receiving apparatus 8. Each element of the developer supply container 1 will be described in detail. (Container Body) FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a container body. As shown in FIG. 6, the container body (developer feeding chamber) 2 mainly comprises a developer accommodating portion 2c for accommodating the developer, and a helical feeding groove 2a (feeding portion) for feeding the developer in the developer accommodating portion 2c by rotation of the container body 2 about a rotational axis P in the direction of the arrow R. As shown in FIG. 6, a cam groove 2b and drive receiving portion (drive inputting portion) for receiving the drive from the main assembly side are formed integrally with the body 2, over the full circumference at one end portion of the container body 2. In this example, the cam groove 2b and the drive receiving portion 2d are integrally formed with the container body 2, but the cam groove 2b or the drive receiving portion 2d may be formed as another member, and may be mounted to the container body 2. In this example, the developer containing the toner having a volume average particle size of 5 μm-6 μm is accommodated in the developer accommodating portion 2c of the container body 2. In this example, the developer accommodating portion (developer accommodating space) 2c is provided not only by the container body 2 but also by the inside space of the flange portion 3 and the pump portion 5. (Flange Portion) Referring to FIG. 5, the flange portion 25 will be described. As shown in part (b) of FIG. 5, the flange portion (developer discharging chamber) 3 is rotatably the rotational axis P relative to the container body 2, and when the developer supply container 1 is mounted to the developer receiving apparatus 8, it is not rotatable in the direction of the arrow R relative to the mounting portion 8f (part (a) of FIG. 3). In addition, it is provided with the discharge opening 3a4 (FIG. 7). As shown in part (a) of FIG. 5, the flange portion 3 is divided into an upper flange portion 3a, a lower flange portion 3b taking into account an assembling property, and the pump portion 5, the reciprocating member 6, the shutter 4 and the cover 7 are mounted thereto. As shown in part (a) of FIG. 5, the pump portion 5 is connected with one end portion side of-the upper flange portion 3a by screws, and the container body 2 is connected with the other end portion side through a sealing member (unshown). The pump portion 5 is sandwiched between the reciprocating members 6, and engaging projections 6b (FIG. 11) of the reciprocating member 6 are fitted in the cam groove 2b of the container body 2. Furthermore, the shutter 4 is inserted into a gap between the upper flange portion 3a and the lower flange portion 3b. For protection of the reciprocating member 6 and the pump portion 5 and for better outer appearance, the cover 7 is integrally provided so as to cover the entirety of the flange portion 3, the pump portion 5 and the reciprocating member 6. (Upper Flange Portion) FIG. 7 illustrates the upper flange portion 3a. Part (a) of FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the upper flange portion 3a as seen obliquely from an upper portion, and part (b) of FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the upper flange portion 3ea as seen obliquely from bottom. The upper flange portion 3a includes a pump connecting portion 3a1 (screw is not shown) shown in part (a) of FIG. 7 to which the pump portion 5 is threaded, a container body connecting portion 3a2 shown in part (b) of FIG. 7 to which the container body 2 is connected, and a storage portion 3a2 shown in part (a) of FIG. 7 for storing the developer fed from the container body 2. As shown in part (b) of FIG. 7, there are provided a circular discharge opening (opening) 3a4 for permitting discharging of the developer into the developer receiving apparatus 8 from the storage portion 3a3, and a opening seal 3a5 forming a connecting portion 3a6 connecting with the developer receiving portion 11 provided in the developer receiving apparatus 8. The opening seal 3a5 is stuck on the bottom surface of the upper flange portion 35a by a double coated tape and is nipped by shutter 4 which will be described hereinafter and the flange portion 3a to prevent leakage of the developer through the discharge opening 3a4. In this example, the discharge opening 3a4 is provided to opening seal 3a5 which is unintegral with the flange portion 3a, but the discharge opening 3a4 may be provided directly in the upper flange portion 35a. As described above, the diameter of the discharge opening 3a4 is approx. 2 mm for the purpose of minimizing the contamination with the developer which may be unintentionally discharged by the opening and closing of the shutter 4 in the mounting and demounting operation of the developer supply container 1 relative to the developer receiving apparatus 8. In this example, the discharge opening 3a4 is provided in the lower surface of the developer supply container 1, that is, the lower surface of the upper flange portion 3a, but the connecting structure of this example can be accomplished if it is fundamentally provided in a side except for an upstream side end surface or a downstream side end surface with respect to the mounting and dismounting direction of the developer supply container 1 relative to the developer receiving apparatus 8. The position of the discharge opening 25a4 may be properly selected taking situation of the specific apparatus into account. A connecting operation between the developer supply container 1 and the developer receiving apparatus 8 in this example will be described hereinafter. (Lower Flange Portion) FIG. 8 shows the lower flange portion 25b. Part (a) of FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the lower flange portion 3b as seen obliquely from an upper position, part (b) of FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the lower flange portion 3b as seen obliquely from a lower position, and part (c) of FIG. 8 is a front view. As shown in part (a) of FIG. 8, the lower flange portion 3b is provided with a shutter inserting portion 3b1 into which the shutter 4 (FIG. 9) is inserted. The lower flange portion 3b is provided with engaging portions 3b2, 3b4 engageable with the developer receiving portion 11 (FIG. 4). The engaging portions 3b2, 3b4 displace the developer receiving portion 11 toward the developer supply container 1 with the mounting operation of the developer supply container 1 so that the connected state is established in which the developer supply from the developer supply container 1 to the developer receiving portion 11 is enabled. The engaging portions 3b2, 3b4 guide the developer receiving portion 11 to space away from the developer supply container 1 so that the connection between the developer supply container 1 and the developer receiving portion 39 is broken with the dismounting operation of the developer supply container1. A first engaging portion 3b2 of the engaging portions 3b2, 3b4 displaces the developer receiving portion 11 in the direction crossing with the mounting direction of the developer supply container 1 for permitting an unsealing operation of the developer receiving portion 1. In this example, the first engaging portion 3b2 displaces the developer receiving portion 11 toward the developer supply container 1 so that the developer receiving portion 11 is connected with the connecting portion 3a6 formed in a part of the opening seal 3a5 of the developer supply container1 with the mounting operation of the developer supply container 1. The first engaging portion 3b2 extends in the direction crossing with the mounting direction of the developer supply container1. The first engaging portion 3b2 effects a guiding operation so as to displace the developer receiving portion 11 in the direction crossing with the dismounting direction of the developer supply container 1 such that the developer receiving portion 11 is resealed with the dismounting operation of the developer supply container 1. In this example, the first engaging portion 3b2 effects the guiding so that the developer receiving portion 11 is spaced away from the developer supply container 1 downwardly, so that the connection state between the developer receiving portion 11 and the connecting portion 3a6 of the developer supply container 1 is broken with the dismounting operation of the developer supply container 1. On the other hand, a second engaging portion 3b4 maintains the connection stated between the opening seal 3a5 and a main assembly seal 13 during the developer supply container 1 moving relative to the shutter 4 which will be described hereinafter, that is, during the developer receiving port 11a moving from the connecting portion 3a6 to the discharge opening 3a4, so that the discharge opening 3a4 is brought into communication with a developer receiving port 11a of the developer receiving portion 11 accompanying the mounting operation of the developer supply container 1. The second engaging portion 3b4 extends in parallel with the mounting direction of the developer supply container 1. The second engaging portion 3b4 maintains the connection between the main assembly seal 13 and the opening seal 3a5 during the developer supply container 1 moving relative to the shutter 4, that is, during the developer receiving port 11a moving from the discharge opening 3a4 to the connecting portion 3a6, so that the discharge opening 3a4 is resealed accompanying the dismounting operation of the developer supply container 1. A configuration of the first engaging portion 3b2 desirably includes an inclined surface (inclined portion) crossing the inserting direction of the developer supply container 1, and it is not limited to the linear inclined surface as shown in part (a) of FIG. 8. The configuration of the first engaging portion 3b2 may be a curved and inclined surface as shown in part (a) of FIG. 18, for example. Furthermore, as shown in part (b) of FIG. 18, may be stepped including a parallel surface and an inclined surface. The configuration of the first engaging portion 3b2 is not limited to the configuration shown in parts (a) or (b) of FIGS. 8 and 18, if it can displace the developer receiving portion 11 toward the discharge opening 3a4, but a linear inclined surface is desirable from the standpoint of constant manipulating force required by the mounting and dismounting operation of the developer supply container 1. An inclination angle of the first engaging portion 3b2 relative to the mounting and dismounting direction of the developer supply container 1 is desirably approx. 10-50 degrees in view of the situation which will be described hereinafter. In this example, the angle is approx. 40 degrees. In addition, as shown in part (c) of FIG. 18, the first engaging portion 3b2 and the second engaging portion 3b4 may be unified to provide a uniformly linear inclined surface. In this case, with the mounting operation of the developer supply container 1, the first engaging portion 3b2 displaces the developer receiving portion to connect the main assembly seal 13 with the shield portion 3b6 developer receiving portion 11 in the direction crossing with the mounting direction of the developer supply container 1. Thereafter, it displaces the developer receiving portion 11 while compressing the main assembly seal 13 and the opening seal 3a5, until the developer receiving port 11a and the discharge opening 3a4 are brought into fluid communication with each other. Here, when such a first engaging portion 3b2 is used, the developer supply container 1 always receives a force in the direction of B (part (a) of FIG. 16) by the relationship between the first engaging portion 3b2 and the engaging portion 11b of the developer receiving portion 11 in the completed position of the mounting of the developer supply container 1 which will be described hereinafter. Therefore, the developer receiving apparatus 8 is required to have a holding mechanism for holding the developer supply container 1 in the mounting completed position, with the result of increase in cost and/or increase in the number of parts. Therefore, this standpoint, it is preferable that the developer supply container 1 is provided with the above-described second engaging portion 3b4 so that the force in the B direction is not applied to the developer supply container 1 in the mounting completed position, thus stabilizing the connection state between the main assembly seal 13 and the opening seal 3a5. The first engaging portion 3b2 shown in part (c) of FIG. 18 has a linear inclined surface, but similar to the part (a) of FIG. 18 or part (b) of FIG. 18, for example, a curved or stepped configuration is usable, although the linear inclined surface is preferable from the standpoint of constant manipulating force in the mounting and dismounting operations of the developer supply container 1, as described hereinbefore. The lower flange portion 3b is provided with a regulation rib (regulating portion) 3b3 (part (a) of FIG. 3) for preventing or permitting an elastic deformation of a supporting portion 4d of the shutter 4 which will be described hereinafter, with the mounting or dismounting operation of the developer supply container 1 relative to the developer receiving apparatus 8. The regulation rib 3b3 protrudes upwardly from an insertion surface of the shutter inserting portion 3b1 and extends along the mounting direction of the developer supply container 1. In addition, as shown in part (b) of FIG. 8, the protecting portion 3b5 is provided to protect the shutter 4 from damage during transportation and/or mishandling of the operator. The lower flange portion 3b is integral with the upper flange portion 3a in the state that the shutter 4 is inserted in the shutter inserting portion 3b1. (Shutter) FIG. 9 shows the shutter 4. Part (a) of FIG. 9 is a top plan view of the shutter 4, and part (b) of FIG. 9 is a perspective view of shutter 4 as seen obliquely from an upper position. The shutter 4 is movable relative to the developer supply container 1 to open and close the discharge opening 3a4 with the mounting operation and the dismounting operation of the developer supply container 1. The shutter 4 is provided with a developer sealing portion 4a for preventing leakage of the developer through the discharge opening 3a4 when the developer supply container 1 is not mounted to the mounting portion 8f of the developer receiving apparatus 8, and a sliding surface 4i which slides on the shutter inserting portion 3b1 of the lower flange portion 3b on the rear side (back side) of the developer sealing portion 4a. Shutter 4 is provided with a stopper portion (holding portion) 4b, 4c held by shutter stopper portions 8n, 8p (part (a) of FIG. 4) of the developer receiving apparatus 8 with the mounting and dismounting operations of the developer supply container 1 so that the developer supply container 1 moves relative to the shutter 4. A first stopper portion 5b of the stopper portions 4b, 4c engages with a first shutter stopper portion 8n of the developer receiving apparatus 8 to fix the position of the shutter 4 relative to the developer receiving apparatus 8 at the time of mounting operation of the developer supply container 1. A second stopper portion 4c engages with a second shutter stopper portion 8b of the developer receiving apparatus 8 at the time of the dismounting operation of the developer supply container 1. The shutter 4 is provided with a supporting portion 4d so that the stopper portions 4b, 4c are displaceable. The supporting portion 4d extends from the developer sealing portion 4a and is elastically deformable to displaceably support the first stopper portion 4b and the second stopper portion 4c. The first stopper portion 4b is inclined such that an angle α formed between the first stopper portion 4b and the supporting portion 4d is acute. On the contrary, the second stopper portion 4c is inclined such that an angle β formed between the second stopper portion 4c and the supporting portion 4d is obtuse. The developer sealing portion 4a of the shutter 4 is provided with a locking projection 4e at a position downstream of the position opposing the discharge opening 3a4 with respect to the mounting direction when the developer supply container 1 is not mounted to the mounting portion 8f of the developer receiving apparatus 8. A contact amount of the locking projection 4e relative to the opening seal 3a5 (part (b) of FIG. 7) is larger than relative to the developer sealing portion 4a so that a static friction force between the shutter 4 and the opening seal 3a5 is large. Therefore, an unexpected movement (displacement) of the shutter 4 due to a vibration during the transportation or the like can be prevented. Therefore, an unexpected movement (displacement) of the shutter 4 due to a vibration during the transportation or the like can be prevented. The entirety of the developer sealing portion 4a may correspond to the contact amount between the locking projection 4e and the opening seal 3a5, but in such a case, the dynamic friction force relative to the opening seal 3a5 at the time when the shutter 4 moves is large as compared with the case of the locking projection 4e provided, and therefore, a manipulating force required when the developer supply container 1 is mounted to the developer replenishing apparatus 8 is large, which is not preferable from the standpoint of the usability. Therefore, it is desired to provide the locking projection 4e in a part as in this example. (Pump Portion) FIG. 10 shows the pump portion 5. Part (a) of FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the pump portion 5, and part (b) is a front view of the pump portion 5. The pump portion 5 is operated by the driving force received by the drive receiving portion (drive inputting portion) 2d so as to alternately produce a state in which the internal pressure of the developer accommodating portion 2c is lower than the ambient pressure and a state in which it is higher than the ambient pressure. In this example, the pump portion 5 is provided as a part of the developer supply container 1 in order to discharge the developer stably from the small discharge opening 3a4. The pump portion 5 is a displacement type pump in which the volume changes. More specifically, the pump includes a bellow-like expansion-and-contraction member. By the expanding-and-contracting operation of the pump portion 5, the pressure in the developer supply container 1 is changed, and the developer is discharged using the pressure. More specifically, when the pump portion 5 is contracted, the inside of the developer supply container 1 is pressurized so that the developer is discharged through the discharge opening 3a4. When the pump portion 5 expands, the inside of the developer supply container 1 is depressurized so that the air is taken in through the discharge opening 3a4 from the outside. By the take-in air, the developer in the neighborhood of the discharge opening 3a4 and/or the storage portion 3a3 is loosened so as to make the subsequent discharging smooth. By repeating the expanding-and-contracting operation described above, the developer is discharged. As shown in part (b) of FIG. 110, the pump portion 5 of this modified example has the bellow-like expansion-and-contraction portion (bellow portion, expansion-and-contraction member) 5a in which the crests and bottoms are periodically provided. The expansion-and-contraction portion 5a expands and contracts in the directions of arrows A and B. When the bellow-like pump portion 5 as in this example, a variation in the volume change amount relative to the amount of expansion and contraction can be reduced, and therefore, a stable volume change can be accomplished. In addition, in this example, the material of the pump portion 2 is polypropylene resin material (PP), but this is not inevitable. The material of the pump portion 5 may be any if it can provide the expansion and contraction function and can change the internal pressure of the developer accommodating portion by the volume change. The examples includes thin formed ABS (acrylonitrile, butadiene, styrene copolymer resin material), polystyrene, polyester, polyethylene materials. Alternatively, other expandable-and-contractable materials such as rubber are usable. In addition, as shown in part (a) of FIG. 10, the opening end side of the pump portion 5 is provided with a connecting portion 5b connectable with the upper flange portion 3a. Here, the connecting portion 5b is a screw. Furthermore, as shown in part (b) of FIG. 10 the other end portion side is provided with a reciprocating member engaging portion 5c engaged with the reciprocating member 5 to displace in synchronism with the reciprocating member 6 which will be described hereinafter. (Reciprocating Member) FIG. 11 shows the reciprocating member 6. Part (a) of FIG. 11 is a perspective view of the reciprocating member 6 as seen obliquely from an upper position, and part (b) is perspective view of the reciprocating member 6 as seen obliquely from a lower position. As shown in part (b) of FIG. 11, the reciprocating member 6 is provided with a pump engaging portion 6a engaged with the reciprocating member engaging portion 5c provided on the pump portion 5 to change the volume of the pump portion 5 as described above. Furthermore, as shown in part (a) and part (b) of FIG. 11 the reciprocating member 6 is provided with the engaging projection 6b fitted in the above-described cam groove 2b (FIG. 5) when the container is assembled. The engaging projection 6b is provided at a free end portion of the arm 6c extending from a neighborhood of the pump engaging portion 6a. Rotation displacement of the reciprocating member 6 about the axis P (part (b) of FIG. 5) of the arm 6c is prevented by a reciprocating member holding portion 7b (FIG. 12) of the cover 7 which will be described hereinafter. Therefore, when the container body 2 receives the drive from the drive receiving portion 2d and is rotated integrally with the cam groove 20n by the driving gear 9, the reciprocating member 6 reciprocates in the directions of arrows An and B by the function of the engaging projection 6b fitted in the cam groove 2b and the reciprocating member holding portion 7b of the cover 7. Together with this operation, the pump portion 5 engaged through the pump engaging portion 6a of the reciprocating member 6 and the reciprocating member engaging portion 5c expands and contracts in the directions of arrows An and B. (Cover) FIG. 12 shows the cover 7. Part (a) of FIG. 12 is a perspective view of the cover 7 as seen obliquely from a upper position, and part (b) is a perspective view of the cover 7 as seen obliquely from a lower position. The cover 24 is provided as shown in part (b) of FIG. 69 in order to protect the reciprocating member 38 and/or the pump portion 2 and to improve the outer appearance. In more detail, as shown in part (b) of FIG. 5, the cover 7 is provided integrally with the upper flange portion 3a and/or the lower flange portion 3b and so on by a mechanism (unshown) so as to cover the entirety of the flange portion 3, the pump portion 5 and the reciprocating member 6. In addition, the cover 7 is provided with a guide groove 7a to be guided by the insertion guide 8e (part (a) of FIG. 3) of the developer receiving apparatus 8. In addition, the cover 7 is provided with a reciprocating member holding portion 7b for regulating a rotation displacement about the axis P (part (b) of FIG. 5) of the reciprocating member 6 as described above. Mounting Operation of Developer Supply Container) Referring to FIGS. 13, 14, 15, 16 and 17 in the order of operation, mounting operation of the developer supply container 1 to the developer receiving apparatus 8 will be described in detail. Parts (a)-(d) of FIG. 13-FIG. 16 show the neighborhood of the connecting portion between the developer supply container 1 and the developer receiving apparatus 8. Parts (a) of FIG. 13-FIG. 16 are perspective view of a partial section, (b) is a front view of the partial section, (c) is a top plan view of (b), and (d) show the relation between the lower flange portion 3b and the developer receiving portion 11, particularly. FIG. 17 is a timing chart of operations of each elements relating to the mounting operation of the developer supply container 1 to the developer receiving apparatus 8 as shown in FIG. 13-FIG. 16. The mounting operation is the operation until the developer becomes able to be supplied to the developer receiving apparatus 8 from the developer supply container 1. FIG. 13 shows a connection starting position (first position) between the first engaging portion 3b2 of the developer supply container 1 and the engaging portion 11b of the developer receiving portion 11. As shown in part (a) of FIG. 13, the developer supply container 1 is inserted into the developer receiving apparatus 8 in the direction of an arrow A. First, as shown in part (c) of FIG. 13, the first stopper portion 4b of the shutter 4 contacts the first shutter stopper portion 8a of developer receiving apparatus 8, so that the position of the shutter 4 relative to the developer receiving apparatus 8 is fixed. In this state, the relative position between the lower flange portion 3b and the upper flange portion 3a of the flange portion 3 and the shutter 4 remains unchanged, and therefore, the discharge opening 3a4 is sealed assuredly by the developer sealing portion 4a of the shutter 4. As shown in part (b) of FIG. 13, the connecting portion 3a6 of the opening seal 3a5 is shielded by the shutter 4. As shown in part (c) of FIG. 13, the supporting portion 4d of the shutter 4 is displaceable in the direction of arrows C and D, since the regulation rib 3b3 of the lower flange portion 3b does not enter the supporting portion 4d. As has been described above, the first stopper portion 4b is inclined such that the angle α (part (a) of FIG. 9) relative to the supporting portion 4d is acute, and the first shutter stopper portion 8a is also inclined, correspondingly. In this example, the inclination angle α is approx. 80 degrees. Therefore, when the developer supply container 1 is inserted further in the arrow A direction, the first stopper portion 4b receives a reaction force in the arrow B direction from the first shutter stopper portion 8a, so that the supporting portion 4d is displaced in an arrow D direction. That is, the first stopper portion 4b of the shutter 4 displaces in the direction of holding the engagement state with the first shutter stopper portion 8a of the developer receiving apparatus 8, and therefore, the position of the shutter 4 is held assuredly relative to the developer receiving apparatus 8. In addition, as shown in part (d) of FIG. 13, the positional relation between the engaging portion 11b of the developer receiving portion 11 and the first engaging portion 3b2 of the lower flange portion 3b is such that they start engagement with each other. Therefore, the developer receiving portion 11 remains in the initial position in which it is spaced from the developer supply container 1. More specifically, as shown in part (b) of FIG. 13, the developer receiving portion 11 is spaced from the connecting portion 3a6 formed on a part of the opening seal 3a5. As shown in part (b) of FIG. 13, the developer receiving port 11a is in the sealed state by the main assembly shutter 15. In addition, the driving gear 9 of the developer receiving apparatus 8 and the drive receiving portion 2d of the developer supply container 1 are not connected with each other, that is, in the non-transmission state. In this example, the distance between the developer receiving portion 11 and the developer supply container 1 is approx. 2 mm. When the distance is too small, not more than approx. 1.5 mm, for example, the developer deposited on the surface of the main assembly seal 13 provided on the developer receiving portion 11 may be scattered by air flow produced locally by the mounting and dismounting operation of the developer supply container 1, the scattered developer may be deposited on the lower surface of the developer supply container 1. On the other hand, the distance is too large, a stroke required to displace the developer receiving portion 11 from the spacing position to the connected position is large with the result of upsizing of the image forming apparatus. Or, the inclination angle of the first engaging portion 3b2 of the lower flange portion 3b is steep relative to the mounting and dismounting direction of the developer supply container 1 with the result of increase of the load required to displace the developer receiving portion 11. Therefore, the distance between the developer supply container 1 and the developer receiving portion 11 is properly determined taking the specifications of the main assembly or the like into account. As described above, in this example, the inclination angle of the first engaging portion 3b2 relative to the mounting and dismounting direction of the developer supply container 1 is approx. 40 degrees. The same applies to the following embodiments. Then, as shown in part (a) of FIG. 14, the developer supply container 1 is further inserted in the direction of the arrow A. As shown in part (c) of FIG. 14, the developer supply container 1 moves relative to the shutter 4 in the direction of the arrow A, since the position of the shutter 4 is held relative to the developer receiving apparatus 8. At this time, as shown in part (b) of FIG. 14, a part of the connecting portion 3a6 of the opening seal 3a5 is exposed through the shutter 4. Further, as shown in part (d) of FIG. 14, the first engaging portion 3b2 of the lower flange portion 3b directly engages with the engaging portion 11b of the developer receiving portion 11 so that the engaging portion 11b is displaced in the direction of the arrow E by the first engaging portion 3b2. Therefore, the developer receiving portion 11 is displaced in the direction of the arrow E against the urging force of the urging member 12 (arrow F) to the position shown in part (b) of FIG. 14, so that the developer receiving port 11a is spaced from the main assembly shutter 15, thus starting to unseal. Here, in the position of FIG. 14, the developer receiving port 11a and the connecting portion 3a6 are spaced from each other. Further, as shown in part (c) of FIG. 14, the regulation rib 3b3 of the lower flange portion 3b enters of supporting portion 4d of the shutter 4, so that the supporting portion 4d can not displace in the direction of arrow C or arrow D. That is, the elastic deformation of the supporting portion 4d is limited by the regulation rib 3b3. Then, as shown in part (a) of FIG. 15, the developer supply container 1 is further inserted in the direction of the arrow A. Then, as shown in part (c) of FIG. 15, the developer supply container 1 moves relative to the shutter 4 in the direction of the arrow A, since the position of the shutter 4 is held relative to the developer receiving apparatus 8. At this time, the connecting portion 3a6 formed on the part of the opening seal 3a5 is completely exposed from the shutter 4. In addition, the discharge opening 3a4 is not exposed from the shutter 4, so that it is still sealed by the developer sealing portion 4a. Furthermore, as described hereinbefore, the regulation rib 3b3 of the lower flange portion 3b enters the supporting portion 4d of the shutter 4, by which the supporting portion 4d can not displace in the direction of arrow C or arrow D. At this time, as shown in part (d) of FIG. 15, the directly engaged engaging portion 11b of the developer receiving portion 11 reaches the upper end side of the first engaging portion 3b2. The developer receiving portion 11 is displaced in the direction of the arrow E against the urging force (arrow F) of the urging member 12, to the position shown in part (b) of FIG. 15, so that the developer receiving port 11a is completely spaced from the main assembly shutter 15 to be unsealed. At this time, the connection is established in the state that the main assembly seal 13 having the developer receiving port 11a is close-contacted to the connecting portion 3a6 of the opening seal 3a5. In other words, by the developer receiving portion 11 directly engaging with the first engaging portion 3b2 of the developer supply container 1, the developer supply container 1 can be accessed by the developer receiving portion 11 from the lower side in the vertical direction which is crossed with the mounting direction. Thus, the above-described the structure, can avoid the developer contamination at the end surface Y (part (b) of FIG. 5) in the downstream side with respect to the mounting direction of the developer supply container 1, the developer contamination having been produced in the conventional structure in which the developer receiving portion 11 accesses the developer supply container 1 in the mounting direction. The conventional structure will be described hereinafter. Subsequently, as shown in part (a) of FIG. 16, when the developer supply container 1 is further inserted in the direction of the arrow A to the developer receiving apparatus 8, the developer supply container 1 moves relative to the shutter 4 in the direction of the arrow A similar to the forgoing, up to a supply position (second position). In this position, the driving gear 9 and the drive receiving portion 2d are connected with each other. By the driving gear 9 rotating in the direction of an arrow Q, the container body 2 is rotated in the direction of the arrow R. As a result, the pump portion 5 is reciprocated by the reciprocation of the reciprocating member 6 in interrelation with the rotation of the container body 2. Therefore, the developer in the developer accommodating portion 2c is supplied into the sub-hopper 8c from the storage portion 3a3 through the discharge opening 3a4 and the developer receiving port 11a by the reciprocation of the pump portion 5 described above. In addition, as shown in part (d) of FIG. 16, when the developer supply container 1 reaches the supply position relative to the developer receiving apparatus 8, the engaging portion 11b of the developer receiving portion 11 is engaged with the second engaging portion 3b4 by way of the engaging relation with the first engaging portion 3b2 of the lower flange portion 3b. And, the engaging portion 11b is brought into the state of being urged to the second engaging portion 3b4 by the urging force of the urging member 12 in the direction of the arrow F. Therefore, the position of the developer receiving portion 11 in the vertical direction is stably maintained. Furthermore, as shown in part (b) of FIG. 16, the discharge opening 3a4 is unsealed by the shutter 4, and the discharge opening 3a4 and the developer receiving port 11a are brought into fluid communication with each other. At this time, the developer receiving port 11a slides on the opening seal 3a5 to communicate with the discharge opening 3a4 while keeping the close-contact state between the main assembly seal 13 and the connecting portion 3a6 formed on the opening seal 3a5. Therefore, the amount of the developer falling from the discharge opening 3a4 and scattering to the position other than the developer receiving port 11a. Thus, the contamination of the developer receiving apparatus 8 by the scattering of the developer is less. (Dismounting Operation of Developer Supply Container) Referring mainly to FIG. 13-FIGS. 16 and 17, the operation of dismounting of the developer supply container 1 from the developer receiving apparatus 8 will be described. FIG. 17 is a timing chart of operations of each elements relating to the dismounting operation of the developer supply container 1 from the developer receiving apparatus 8 as shown in FIG. 13-FIG. 16. The dismounting operation of the developer supply container 1 is a reciprocal of the above-described mounting operation. Thus, the developer supply container 1 is dismounted from the developer receiving apparatus 8 in the order from FIG. 16 to FIG. 13. The dismounting operation (removing operation) is the operation to the state in which the developer supply container 1 can be take out of the developer receiving apparatus 8. The amount of the developer in the developer supply container 1 placed in the supply position shown in FIG. 16 decreases, a message promoting exchange of the developer supply container 1 is displayed on the display (unshown) provided in the main assembly of the image forming apparatus 100 (FIG. 1). The operator prepares a new developer supply container 1 opens the exchange cover 40 provided in the main assembly of the image forming apparatus 100 shown in FIG. 2, and extracts the developer supply container 1 in the direction of the arrow B shown in part (a) of FIG. 16. In this process, as described hereinbefore, the supporting portion 4d of the shutter 4 can not displace in the direction of arrow C or arrow D by the limitation of the regulation rib 3b3 of the lower flange portion 3b. Therefore, as shown in part (a) of FIG. 16, when the developer supply container 1 tends to move in the direction of the arrow B with the dismounting operation, the second stopper portion 4c of the shutter 4 abuts to the second shutter stopper portion 8b of the developer receiving apparatus 8, so that the shutter 4 does not displace in the direction of the arrow B. In other words, the developer supply container 1 moves relative to the shutter 4. Thereafter, when the developer supply container 1 is drawn to the position shown in FIG. 15, the shutter 4 seals the discharge opening 3a4 as shown in part (b) of FIG. 15. Further, as shown in part (d) of FIG. 15, the engaging portion 11b of the developer receiving portion 11 displaces to the downstream lateral edge of the first engaging portion 3b2 from the second engaging portion 3b4 of the lower flange portion 3b with respect to the dismounting direction. As shown in part (b) of FIG. 15, the main assembly seal 13 of the developer receiving portion 11 slides on the opening seal 3a5 from the discharge opening 3a4 of the opening seal 3a5 to the connecting portion 3a6, and maintains the connection state with the connecting portion 3a6. Similarly to the foregoing, as shown in part (c) of FIG. 15, the supporting portion 4d is in engagement with the regulation rib 3b3, so that it can not displace in the direction of the arrow B in the Figure. Thus, when the developer supply container 1 is taken out from the position of FIG. 15 to the position of FIG. 13, the developer supply container 1 moves relative to the shutter 4, since the shutter 4 can not displace relative to the developer receiving apparatus 8. Subsequently, the developer supply container 1 is drawn from the developer receiving apparatus 8 to the position shown in part (a) of FIG. 14. Then, as shown in part (d) of FIG. 14, the engaging portion 11b slides down on the first engaging portion 3b2 to the position of the generally middle point of the first engaging portion 3b2 by the urging force of the urging member 12. Therefore, the main assembly seal 13 provided on the developer receiving portion 11 downwardly spaces from the connecting portion 3a6 of the opening seal 3a5, thus releasing the connection between the developer receiving portion 11 and the developer supply container 1. At this time, the developer is deposited substantially on the connecting portion 3a6 of the opening seal 3a5 with which the developer receiving portion 11 has been connected. Subsequently, the developer supply container 1 is drawn from the developer receiving apparatus 8 to the position shown in part (a) of FIG. 13. Then, as shown in part (d) of FIG. 13, the engaging portion 11b slides down on the first engaging portion 3b2 to reach the upstream lateral edge with respect to dismounting direction of the first engaging portion 3b2, by the urging force of the urging member 12. Therefore, the developer receiving port 11a of the developer receiving portion 11 released from the developer supply container 1 is sealed by the main assembly shutter 15. By this, it is avoided that foreign matter or the like enters through the developer receiving port 11a and that the developer in the sub-hopper 8c (FIG. 4) scatters from the developer receiving port 11a. The shutter 4 displaces to the connecting portion 3a6 of the opening seal 3a5 with which the main assembly seal 13 of the developer receiving portion 11 has been connected to shield the connecting portion 3a6 on which the developer is deposited. Further, with the above-described dismounting operation of the developer supply container 1, the developer receiving portion 11 is guided by the first engaging portion 3b2, and after the completion of the spacing operation from the developer supply container 1, the supporting portion 4d of the shutter 4 is disengaged from the regulation rib 3b3 so as to be elastically deformable. The configurations of the regulation rib 3b3 and/or the supporting portion 4d are properly selected so that the position where the engaging relation is released is substantially the same as the position where the shutter 4 enters when developer supply container 1 is not mounted to the developer receiving apparatus 8. Therefore, when the developer supply container 1 is further drawn in the direction of the arrow B shown in part (a) of FIG. 13, the second stopper portion 4c of the shutter 4 abuts to the second shutter stopper portion 8b of the developer receiving apparatus 8, as shown in part (c) of FIG. 13. By this, the second stopper portion 4c of the shutter 4 displaces (elastically deforms) in the direction of arrow C along a taper surface of the second shutter stopper portion 8b, so that the shutter 4 becomes displaceable in the direction of the arrow B relative to the developer receiving apparatus 8 together with the developer supply container 1. That is, when the developer supply container 1 is completely taken out of the developer receiving apparatus 8, the shutter 4 returns to the position taken when the developer supply container 1 is not mounted to the developer receiving apparatus 8. Therefore, the discharge opening 3a4 is assuredly sealed by the shutter 4, and therefore, the developer is not scattered from the developer supply container 1 demounted from the developer receiving apparatus 8. Even if the developer supply container 1 is mounted to the developer receiving apparatus 8, again, it can be mountable without any problem. FIG. 17 shows flow of the mounting operation of the developer supply container 1 to the developer receiving apparatus 8 (FIGS. 13-16) and the flow of the dismounting operation of the developer supply container 1 from the developer receiving apparatus 8. When the developer supply container 1 is mounted to the developer receiving apparatus 8, the engaging portion 11b of the developer receiving portion 11 is engaged with the first engaging portion 3b2 of the developer supply container 1, by which the developer receiving port displaces toward the developer supply container. On the other hand, when the image material supply container 1 is dismounted from the developer receiving apparatus 8, the engaging portion 11b of the developer receiving portion 11 engages with the first engaging portion 3b2 of the developer supply container 1, by which the developer receiving port displaces away from the developer supply container. As described in the foregoing, according to this example, the mechanism for connecting and spacing the developer receiving portion 11 relative to the developer supply container 1 by displacement of the developer receiving portion 11 can be simplified. More particularly, a driving source and/or a drive transmission mechanism for moving the entirety of the developing device upwardly is unnecessary, and therefore, a complication of the structure of the image forming apparatus side and/or the increase in cost due to increase of the number of parts can be avoided. In a conventional structure, a large space is required to avoid an interference with the developing device in the upward and downward movement, but according to this example, such a large space is unnecessary so that the upsizing of the image forming apparatus can be avoided. The connection between the developer supply container 1 and the developer receiving apparatus 8 can be properly established using the mounting operation of the developer supply container 1 with minimum contamination with the developer. Similarly, utilizing the dismounting operation of the developer supply container 1, the spacing and resealing between the developer supply container 1 and the developer receiving apparatus 8 can be carried out with minimum contamination with the developer. The developer supply container 1 of this example can cause the developer receiving portion 11 to connect upwardly and space downwardly in the direction crossing with the mounting direction of developer supply container 1, using the engaging portions 3b2, 3b4 of the lower flange portion 3b with the mounting and demounting operation to the developer receiving apparatus 8. The developer receiving portion 11 is sufficiently small relative to developer supply container 1, and therefore, the developer contamination of the downstream side end surface Y (part (b) of FIG. 5) of the developer supply container 1 with respect to the mounting direction, with the simple and space saving structure. In addition, the developer contamination by the main assembly seal 13 slides on the protecting portion 3b5 of the lower flange portion 3b and the sliding surface (lower surface of the shutter) 4i. Furthermore, according to this example, after the developer receiving portion 11 is connected to the developer supply container 1 with the mounting operation of the developer supply container 1 to the developer receiving apparatus 8, the discharge opening 3a4 is exposed from the shutter 4 so that the discharge opening 3a4 and the developer receiving port 11a can be brought into communication with each other. In other words, the timing of each step is controlled by the engaging portions 3b2, 3b4 of the developer supply container 1, and therefore, the scattering of the developer can be suppressed assuredly with a simple and easy structure, without the being influenced by the way of operation by the operator. In addition, after the discharge opening 3a4 is sealed and the developer receiving portion 11 is spaced from the developer supply container 1 with the dismounting operation of the developer supply container 1 from the developer receiving apparatus 8, the shutter 4 can shield the developer deposition portion of the opening seal 3a5. In other words, the timing of each step in the dismounting operation can be controlled by the engaging portions 3b2 and 3b4 of the developer supply container 1, and therefore, the scattering of the developer can be suppressed, and the developer deposition portion can be prevented from the exposing to the outside. In the prior-art structure, the connection relation between the connecting portion and the connected portion is established indirectly through another mechanism, and therefore, it is difficulty to control the connection relation with high precision, However, in this example, the connection relation can be established by the directly engagement between the connecting portion (developer receiving portion 11) and the connected portion (developer supply container 1). More specifically, the timing of the connection between the developer receiving portion 11 and the developer supply container 1 can be controlled easily by the positional relation, in the mounting direction, among the engaging portion 11b of the developer receiving portion 11, the first and second engaging portions 3b2 and 3a4 of the lower flange portion 3b of the developer supply container 1 and discharge opening 3a4. In other words, the timing may deviate within the tolerances of the three elements, and therefore, very high accuracy control can be performed. Therefore, the connecting operation of the developer receiving portion 11 to the developer supply container 1 and the spacing operation from the developer supply container 1 can be carried out assuredly, with the mounting operation and the dismounting operation of the developer supply container 1. Regarding the displacement amount of the developer receiving portion 11 in the direction crossing with the mounting direction of the developer supply container 1 can be controlled by the positions of the engaging portion 11b of the developer receiving portion 11 and the second engaging portion 3b4 of the lower flange portion 3b. Similarly to the foregoing, the deviation of the displacement amount may deviate within the tolerances of the two elements, and therefore, very high accuracy control can be performed. Therefore, for example, close-contact state (amount of sealing compression or the like) between the main assembly seal 13 and the discharge opening 3a4 can be controlled easily, so that the developer discharged from the discharge opening 3a4 can be fed into the developer receiving port 11a assuredly. Embodiment 2 Referring to FIG. 19 FIG. 32, Embodiment 2 will be described. Embodiment 2 is partly different from Embodiment 1 in the configuration and structure developer receiving portion 11, the shutter 4, the lower flange portion 3b, and the mounting and demounting operations of the developer supply container 1 to the developer receiving apparatus 8 are partly different, correspondingly. Of other structures are substantially the same as Embodiment 1. In this example, the same reference numerals as in the foregoing embodiments are assigned to the elements having the corresponding functions in this embodiment, and the detailed description thereof is omitted. (Developer Receiving Portion) FIG. 19 shows the developer receiving portion 11 of Embodiment 2. Part (a) of FIG. 19 is a perspective view of the developer receiving portion 11, and part (b) of FIG. 19 is a sectional view of the developer receiving portion 11. As shown in part (a) of FIG. 19, the developer receiving portion 11 of Embodiment 2 is provided with a tapered portion 11c for misalignment prevention at the end portion of the downstream side with respect to the connecting direction to the developer supply container 1, and the end surface continuing from the tapered portion 11c is substantially annular. The misalignment prevention tapered portion 11c is engaged with a misalignment prevention taper engaging portion 4 g (FIG. 21) provided on the shutter 4, as will be described hereinafter. The misalignment prevention tapered portion 11c is provided in order to prevent a misalignment between the developer receiving port 11a and a shutter opening 4f (FIG. 21) of the shutter 4 due to a vibration by a driving source inner the image forming apparatus and/or a deformation of a part. The detail of the engaging relation (contact relation) between the misalignment prevention tapered portion 11c and the misalignment prevention taper engaging portion 4 g will be described hereinafter. The material and/or configuration and dimensions of the main assembly seal 13 such as a width and/or height or the like are properly selected so that the leakage of the developer can be prevented in relation with a configuration of a close-contact portion 4h provided around the shutter opening 4f of the shutter 4 which will be described hereinafter, to which the main assembly seal 13 is connected with the mounting operation of the developer supply container 1. (Lower Flange) FIG. 20 shows the lower flange portion 3b in Embodiment 2. Part (a) of FIG. 20 is a perspective view (upward direction) of the lower flange portion 3b, and part (b) of FIG. 20 is a perspective view (downward direction) of lower flange portion 3b. The lower flange portion 3b in this embodiment is provided with a shielding portion 3b6 for shielding the shutter opening 4f which will be described hereinafter, when the developer supply container 1 is not mounted to the developer receiving apparatus 8. The provision of the shielding portion 3b6 is different from the above-described lower flange portion 3b of Embodiment 1. In this embodiment, the shielding portion 3b6 is provided in the downstream side of the lower flange portion 3b with respect to the mounting direction of the developer supply container 1. Also in this example, similarly to the above-described embodiment, the lower flange portion 3b is provided with engaging portions 3b2 and 3b4 engageable with an engaging portion 11b (FIG. 19) of the developer receiving portion 11 as shown in FIG. 20. In this example, of the engaging portions 3b2 and 3b4, the first engaging portion 3b2 displaces the developer receiving portion 11 toward the developer supply container 1 so that the main assembly seal 13 provided in the developer receiving portion 11 is connected with the shutter 4 which will be described hereinafter, with the mounting operation of the developer supply container 1. The first engaging portion 3b2 displaces the developer receiving portion 11 toward the developer supply container 1 with the mounting operation of the developer supply container 1 so that the developer receiving port 11a formed in the developer receiving portion 11 is connected with the shutter opening (communication port) 4f. In addition, the first engaging portion 3b2 guides the developer receiving portion 11 away from the developer supply container 1 so that the connection state between the developer receiving portion 11 and the shutter opening 4f of the shutter 4 is broken, with the dismounting operation of the developer supply container 1. On the other hand, a second engaging portion 3b4 holds the connected state between the shutter 4 and the main assembly seal 13 of the developer receiving portion 11 in the movement of the developer supply container 1 relative to the shutter 4, so that a discharge opening 3a4 is brought into fluid communication with the developer receiving port 11a of the developer receiving portion 11, with the mounting operation of the developer supply container 1. The second engaging portion 3b4 maintains the connected state between the developer receiving port 11a and the shutter opening 4f in the movement of the lower flange portion 3b relative to the shutter 4 with the mounting operation of the developer supply container 1, so that the discharge opening 3a4 is brought into fluid communication with the shutter opening 4f. In addition, the second engaging portion 3b4 holds the connected state between the developer receiving portion 11 and the shutter 4 in the movement of the developer supply container 1 relative to the shutter 4 so that the discharge opening 3a4 is resealed, with the dismounting operation of the developer supply container 1. (Shutter) FIG. 21-FIG. 25 show the shutter 4 in Embodiment 2. Part (a) of FIG. 21 is a perspective view of the shutter 4, part (b) of FIG. 21 illustrates a modified example 1 of the shutter 4, part (c) of FIG. 21 illustrates a connection relation between the shutter 4 and the developer receiving portion 11, part (d) of FIG. 21 is a illustration similar to the part (c) of FIG. 21. As shown in part (a) of FIG. 21, the shutter 4 of Embodiment 2 is provided with the shutter opening (communication port) 4f communicatable with the discharge opening 3a4. Further, the shutter 4 is provided with a close-contact portion (projected portion, projection) 4h surrounding an outside of the shutter opening 4f, and the misalignment prevention taper engaging portion 4 g further outside the close-contact portion 4h. The close-contact portion 4h has a projection height such that it is lower than a sliding surface 4i of the shutter 4, and a diameter of the shutter opening 4f is approx. Φ2 mm. The size is selected for the same reason as with Embodiment 1, and therefore, the explanation is omitted for simplicity. The shutter 4 is provided with a recess at a substantially central portion with respect to the longitudinal direction of the shutter 4, as a retraction space for the supporting portion 4d at the time when the supporting portion 4d of shutter 4 displaces in the direction C (part (c) of FIG. 26) with the dismounting operation. A gap between the recessed configuration and the supporting portion 4d is larger than an amount of overlapping between the first stopper portion 4b and a first shutter stopper portion 8a of the developer replenishing apparatus 8, so that the shutter 4 can be engaged with and disengaged from the developer receiving apparatus 8 smoothly. Referring to FIG. 22-FIG. 24, the configuration of the shutter 4 will be described. Part (a) of FIG. 22 shows a position (the same position as FIG. 27) where the developer supply container 1 is engaged with the developer receiving apparatus 8, which will be described hereinafter, and part (b) of FIG. 22 shows a position (the same position as FIG. 31) where the developer supply container 1 is completely mounted to the developer receiving apparatus 8. As shown in FIG. 22, a length D2 of supporting portion 4d is set such that it is larger than a displacement amount D1 of the developer supply container 1 with the mounting operation of the developer supply container 1 (D1 D2). The displacement amount D1 is the amount of the displacement of the developer supply container 1 relative to the shutter in the mounting operation of the developer supply container 1. That is, it is the displacement amount of the developer supply container 1 in the state (part (a) of FIG. 22) in which stopper portions (holding portions) 4b and 4c of the shutter 4 is in engagement with shutter stopper portions 8a and 8b of the developer receiving apparatus 8. With such a structure, the interference between a regulation rib 3b3 of the lower flange 3b and the supporting portion 4d of the shutter 4 in the process of mounting of the developer supply container 1 can be reduced. On the other hand, for the case in which D2 is smaller than D1, the supporting portion 4d of the shutter 4 may be provided with a regulated projection (projection) 4k positively engageable with the regulation rib 3b3 as shown in FIG. 23 to prevent the interference between the supporting portion 4d and the regulation rib 3b3. With such a structure, the developer supply container 1 can be mounted to the developer receiving apparatus 8 irrespective of the size relation between the displacement amount D1 in the mounting operation of the developer supply container 1 and the length D2 of the supporting portion 4d of the shutter 4. On the other hand, when the structure shown in FIG. 23 is used, the size of the developer supply container 1 is larger only a height D4 of the regulated projection 4k. FIG. 23 is a perspective view of the shutter 4 for the developer supply container 1 when D1>D2. Therefore, if the position of the developer receiving apparatus 8 inner the main assembly of the image forming apparatus 100 is the same, a cross-sectional area is larger by S than of the developer supply container 1 of this embodiment as shown in FIG. 24, and therefore, a corresponding larger space is required. The foregoing applies to the above-described Embodiment 1, and the embodiments described hereinafter. Part (b) of FIG. 21 shows a modified example 1 of the shutter 4 in which the misalignment prevention taper engaging portion 4 g is divided into a plurality of parts, as is different from the shutter 4 of this embodiment. In the other respects, substantially the equivalent performance is provided. Referring to, part (c) of FIG. 21 and part (d) of FIG. 21, the engaging relation between the shutter 4 and the developer receiving portion 11 will be described. Part (c) of FIG. 21 shows the engaging relation between the misalignment prevention taper engaging portion 4 g of the shutter 4 and the misalignment prevention tapered portion 11c of the developer receiving portion 11 in Embodiment 2. As shown in part (c) of FIG. 21 and part (d) of FIG. 21, distances of the corner lines constituting the close-contact portion 4h and the misalignment prevention taper engaging portion 4 g of the shutter 4 from a center R of the shutter opening 4f (part (a) of FIG. 21) are L1, L2, L3, L4. Similarly, as shown in part (c) of FIG. 21, distances of corner lines constituting the misalignment prevention tapered portion 11c of the developer receiving portion 11 from the center R of the developer receiving port 11a (FIG. 19) are M1, M2, M3. The positions of the centers of the shutter opening 4f and the developer receiving port 11a are set to be aligned with each other. In this embodiment, the positions of the corner lines are selected to satisfy L1<L2<M1<L3<M2<L4<M3. As shown in part (c) FIG. 21, the corner lines at the distance M2 from the center R of the developer receiving port 11a of the developer receiving portion 11 abuts to the misalignment prevention taper engaging portion 4 g of the shutter 4. Therefore, even if the positional relation between the shutter 4 and the developer receiving portion 11 is deviated more or less due to the vibration from the driving source of the main assembly of the apparatus and/or part accuracies, the misalignment prevention taper engaging portion 4 g and the misalignment prevention are guided by the tapered surfaces to align with each other. Therefore, the deviation between the center shafts of and opening 4f and the developer receiving port 11a can be suppressed. Similarly, part (d) of FIG. 21 shows a modified example of the engaging relation between the misalignment prevention taper engaging portion 4 g of the shutter 4 and the misalignment prevention tapered portion 11c of the developer receiving portion 11, according to Embodiment 2. As shown in part (d) of FIG. 21, the structure of this modified example is different from the structure shown in part (c) of FIG. 21 only in that the positional relation of the corner lines is L1<L2<M1<M2<L3<L4<M3. In this modified example, the corner lines at the position L4 away from the center R of the shutter opening 4f of the misalignment prevention taper engaging portion 4 g abuts to the tapered surface of the tapered portion 11c. Also in this case, the deviation of the center shafts of the shutter and the developer receiving port 11a can be suppressed, similarly. Referring to FIG. 25, a modified example 2 of the shutter 4 will be described. Part (a) of FIG. 25 shows modified example 2 of the shutter 4, and the part (b) of FIG. 25 and part (c) of FIG. 25 show the connection relation between the shutter 4 and the developer receiving portion 11 in the modified example 2. As shown in part (a) of FIG. 25, the shutter 4 of modified example 2 is provided with the misalignment prevention taper engaging portion 4 g in the close-contact portion 4h. The other configurations are the same as those of the shutter 4 (part (a) of FIG. 21) of this embodiment. The close-contact portion 4h is provided in order to control the amount of compression of the main assembly seal 13 (part (a) of FIG. 19). In this modified example, as shown in part (b) of FIG. 25, distances of the corner lines constituting the close-contact portion 4h and the misalignment prevention taper engaging portion 4 g of the shutter 4 from the center R of the shutter opening 4f (part (a) of FIG. 25). Similarly, distances of the corner lines constituting the misalignment prevention tapered portion 11c of the developer receiving portion 11 from the center R of the developer receiving port 11a (FIG. 19) are M1, M2, M3 (FIGS. 21, 25). As shown in part (b) of FIG. 25, the positional relation of the corner lines satisfy L1<M1<M2<L2<M3<L3<L4. As shown in part (c) of FIG. 25, the positional relation of the corner lines may be M1<L1<L2<M2<M3<L3<L4. Similarly to the relation between the shutter 4 and the developer receiving portion 11 shown in part (a) of FIG. 21, by an aligning function by the misalignment prevention taper engaging portion 4 g and the misalignment prevention tapered portion 11c, the misalignment between the center axes of the opening 4f and the developer receiving port 11a can be prevented. In this example, the misalignment prevention taper engaging portion 4 g of the shutter 4 is monotonically linearly tapered, but the tapered surface portion may be curved, that is, may be an arcuate. Furthermore, it may be a contiguous taper, having a cut-away portion or portions. The same applies to the configuration of the misalignment prevention tapered portion 11c of the developer receiving portion 11 corresponding to the misalignment prevention taper engaging portion 4g. With such structures, when the main assembly seal 13 (FIG. 19) and the close-contact portion 4h of the shutter 4 are connected with each other, the centers of the developer receiving port 11a and the shutter opening 4f are aligned, and therefore, the developer can be discharged smoothly from the developer supply container 1 into the sub-hopper 8c. If the center positions of them are deviated even by 1 mm when the shutter opening 4f and the developer receiving port 11a have small diameters, such as Φ2 mm and Φ3 mm, respectively, the effective opening area is only one half of the intended area, and therefore, the smooth discharge of the developer is not expected. Using the structures of this example, the deviation between the shutter opening 4f and the developer receiving port 11a can be suppressed to 0.2 mm or less (approx. The tolerances of the parts), and therefore, the effective through opening area can be assured. Therefore, the developer can be discharged smoothly. (Mounting Operation of Developer Supply Container) Referring to FIG. 26-FIGS. 31 and 32, the mounting operation of the developer supply container 1 of this embodiment to the developer receiving apparatus 8 will be described. FIG. 26 shows the position when the developer supply container 1 is inserted into the developer receiving apparatus 8, and the shutter 4 has not yet been engaged with the developer receiving apparatus 8. FIG. 27 shows the position (corresponding to FIG. 13 of Embodiment 1) in which the shutter 4 of the developer supply container 1 is engaged with the developer receiving apparatus 8. FIG. 28 shows the position in which the shutter 4 of the developer supply container 1 is exposed from the shielding portion 3b6. FIG. 29 shows a position (corresponding to FIG. 14 of Embodiment 1) in the process of connection between the developer supply container 1 and the developer receiving portion 11. FIG. 30 shows the position (corresponding to FIG. 15 of Embodiment 1) in which the developer supply container 1 has been connected with the developer receiving portion 11. FIG. 31 shows the position in which the developer supply container 1 is completely mounted to the developer receiving apparatus 8, and the developer receiving port 11a, the shutter opening 4f and the discharge opening 3a4 are in fluid communication therethrough, thus enabling supply of the developer. FIG. 32 is a timing chart of operations of each elements relating to the mounting operation of the developer supply container 1 to the developer receiving apparatus 8 as shown in FIG. 27-FIG. 31. As shown in part (a) of FIG. 26, in the mounting operation of the developer supply container 1, the developer supply container 1 is inserted in the direction of an arrow A in the Figure toward the developer receiving apparatus 8. At this time, as shown in part (b) of FIG. 26, the shutter opening 4f of the shutter 4 and the close-contact portion 4h is shielded by the shielding portion 3b6 of the lower flange. By this, the operator is protected from contacting to the shutter opening 4f and/or the close-contact portion 4h contaminated by the developer. In addition, as shown in part (c) of FIG. 26, in the inserting operation, a first stopper portion 4b provided in the upstream side, with respect to the mounting direction, of the supporting portion 4d of the shutter 4 abuts to an insertion guide 8e of the developer receiving apparatus 8, so that the supporting portion 4d displaces in the direction of an arrow C in the Figure. In addition, as shown in part (d) FIG. 26, and first engaging portion 3b2 of the lower flange portion 3b and the engaging portion 11b of the developer receiving portion 11 are not engaged with each other. Therefore, as shown in part (b) of FIG. 26, the developer receiving portion 11 is held in the initial position by an urging force of an urging member 12 in the direction of an arrow F. In addition, the developer receiving port 11a is sealed by a main assembly shutter 15, so that entering of a foreign matter or the like through the developer receiving port 11a and scattering of the developer through the developer receiving port 11a from the sub-hopper 8c (FIG. 4) are prevented. When the developer supply container 1 is inserted to the developer receiving apparatus 8 in the direction of an arrow A to the position shown in part (a) of FIG. 27, the shutter 4 is engaged with the developer receiving apparatus 8. That is, similarly to the developer supply container 1 of Embodiment 1 the supporting portion 4d of the shutter 4 is released from the insertion guide 8e and displaces in the direction of an arrow D in the Figure by an elastic restoring force, as shown in part (c) of FIG. 27. Therefore, the first stopper portion 4b of the shutter 4 and the first shutter stopper portion 8a of the developer receiving apparatus 8 are engaged with each other. Then, in the insertion process of the developer supply container 1, the shutter 4 is held immovably relative to the developer receiving apparatus 8 by the relation between the supporting portion 4d and the regulation rib 3b3 having been described with Embodiment 1. At this time, the positional relation between the shutter 4 and the lower flange portion 3b remains unchanged from the position shown in FIG. 26. Therefore, as shown in part (b) of FIG. 27, the shutter opening 4f of the shutter 4 keeps shielded by the shielding portion 3b6 of the lower flange portion 3b, and the discharge opening 3a4 keeps sealed by the shutter 4. Also in this position, as shown in part (d) of FIG. 27, the engaging portion 11b of the developer receiving portion 11 is not engaged with the first engaging portion 3b2 of the lower flange portion 3b. In other words, as shown in part (b) of FIG. 27, the developer receiving portion 11 is kept in the initial position, and therefore, is spaced from the developer supply container 1. Therefore, the developer receiving port 11a is sealed by the main assembly shutter 15. The center axes of the shutter opening 4f and the developer receiving port 11a are substantially coaxial. Then, the developer supply container 1 is further inserted into the developer receiving apparatus 8 in the direction of an arrow A to the position shown in part (a) of FIG. 28. At this time, since the position of the shutter 4 is retained relative to the developer receiving apparatus 8 the developer supply container 1 moves relative to the shutter 4, and therefore, the close-contact portion 4h (FIG. 25) and the shutter opening 4f of the shutter 4 are exposed through the shielding portion 3b6. Here, at this time, the shutter 4 still seals the discharge opening 3a4. In addition, as shown in part (d) of FIG. 28, the engaging portion 11b of the developer receiving portion 11 is in the neighborhood of bottom end portion of the first engaging portion 3b2 of the lower flange portion 3b. Therefore, the developer receiving portion 11 is held at the initial position as shown in part (b) of FIG. 28, and is spaced from the developer supply container 1, and therefore, the developer receiving port 11a is sealed by the main assembly shutter 15. Then, the developer supply container 1 is further inserted into the developer receiving apparatus 8 in the direction of an arrow A to the position shown in part (a) of FIG. 29. At this time, similarly to the foregoing, the position of the shutter 4 is held relative to the developer receiving apparatus 8, and therefore, as shown in part (b) of FIG. 29, the developer supply container 1 moves relative the shutter 4 in the direction of an arrow A. As shown in part (b) of FIG. 29, at this time, the shutter 4 still seals the discharge opening 3a4. At this time, as shown in part (d) of FIG. 29, the engaging portion 11b of the developer receiving portion 11 is substantially in a middle part of the first engaging portion 3b2 of the lower flange portion 3b. Thus, as shown in part (b) of FIG. 29, the developer receiving portion 11 moves in the direction of an arrow E in the Figure toward the exposed shutter opening 4f and the close-contact portion 4h (FIG. 25) with the mounting operation by the engagement with the first engaging portion 3b2. Therefore, as shown in part (b) of FIG. 29, the developer receiving port 11a having been sealed by the main assembly shutter 15 starts opening gradually. Then, the developer supply container 1 is further inserted into the developer receiving apparatus 8 in the direction of an arrow A to the position shown in part (a) of FIG. 30. Then, as shown in part (d) of FIG. 30, by the direct engagement between the engaging portion 11b of the developer receiving portion 11 and the first engaging portion 3b2, the developer supply container 1 displaces to the upper end of the first engaging portion 3b2 in the direction of the arrow E in the Figure, which is a direction crossing with the mounting direction. In other words, as shown in part (b) of FIG. 30, the developer receiving portion 11 displaces in the direction of the arrow E in the Figure, that is, in the direction crossing with the mounting direction of the developer supply container 1, so that the main assembly seal 13 connects with the shutter 4 in the state of being closely contacted with the close-contact portion 4h of the shutter 4 (FIG. 25). At this time, as described hereinbefore, the misalignment prevention tapered portion 11c of the developer receiving portion 11 and the misalignment prevention taper engaging portion 4 g of the shutter 4 are engaged with each other (part (c) of FIG. 21), and therefore, the developer receiving port 11a and the shutter opening 4f are brought into fluid communication with each other. In addition, by the displacement of the developer receiving portion 11 in the direction of the arrow E, the main assembly shutter 15 is further spaced from the developer receiving port 11a, and therefore, the developer receiving port 11a is completely unsealed. Here, also at this time, the shutter 4 still seals the discharge opening 3a4. In this embodiment, the start timing of the displacement of the developer receiving portion 11 is after the shutter opening 4f of the shutter 4 and the close-contact portion 4h are exposed assuredly, but this is not inevitable. For example, it may be before the completion of the exposure, if the shutter opening 4f and the close-contact portion 4h are completely uncovered by the shielding portion 3b6 by the time the developer receiving portion 11 reaches the neighborhood of the position of connecting to the shutter 4, that is, the engaging portion 11b of the developer receiving portion 11 comes to the neighborhood of the upper end of the first engaging portion 3b2. However, in order to connect the developer receiving portion 11 and the shutter 4 with each other assuredly, it is desired that the developer receiving portion 11 is displaced as described above after the shutter opening 4f and the close-contact portion 4h of the shutter 4 are uncovered by the shielding portion 3b6, as in this embodiment. Subsequently, as shown in part (a) of FIG. 31, the developer supply container 1 is further inserted in the direction of the arrow A into the developer receiving apparatus 8. Then, as shown in part (c) of FIG. 31, similarly to the foregoing, the developer supply container 1 moves relative to the shutter 4 in the direction of the arrow A and reaches a supply position. At this time, as shown in part (d) of FIG. 31, the engaging portion 11b of the developer receiving portion 11 displaces relative to the lower flange portion 3b to the downstream end of the second engaging portion 3b4 with respect to the mounting direction, and the position of the developer receiving portion 11 is kept at the position wherein it is connected with the shutter 4. Further, as shown in part (b) of FIG. 31, the shutter 4 unseals the discharge opening 3a4. In other words, the discharge opening 3a4, the shutter opening 4f and the developer receiving port 11a are in fluid communication with each other. In addition, as shown in part (a) of FIG. 31, a drive receiving portion 2d is engaged with a driving gear 9 so that the developer supply container 1 is capable of receiving a drive from the developer receiving apparatus 8. A detecting mechanism (unshown) provided in the developer receiving apparatus 8 detects that the developer supply container 1 is in the predetermined position (position) capable of supplying. When the driving gear 9 rotates in the direction of an arrow Q in the Figure, the container body 2 rotates in the direction of an arrow R, and the developer it supplied into the sub-hopper 8c by the operation of the above-described pump portion 5. As described above, the main assembly seal 13 of the developer receiving portion 11 is connected with the close-contact portion 4h of the shutter 4 in the state that the position of the developer receiving portion 11 with respect to the mounting direction of the developer supply container 1. In addition, by the developer supply container 1 moves relative to the shutter 4 thereafter, the discharge opening 3a4, the shutter opening 4f and the developer receiving port 11a a brought into fluid communication with each other. Therefore, as compared with Embodiment 1, the positional relation, with respect to the mounting direction of the developer supply container 1 between the main assembly seal 13 forming the developer receiving port 11a and the shutter 4 is maintained, and therefore, the main assembly seal 13 does not slide on the shutter 4. In other words, in the mounting operation of the developer supply container 1 to the developer receiving apparatus 8, no direct sliding dragging action in the mounting direction occurs between the developer receiving portion 11 and the developer supply container 1 from the start of connection therebetween to the developer suppliable state. Therefore, in addition to the advantageous effects of the above-described embodiment, the contamination of the main assembly seal 13 of the developer receiving portion 11 with the developer which may be caused by the dragging of the developer supply container 1 can be prevented. In addition, wearing of main assembly seal 13 of the developer receiving portion 11 attributable to the dragging can be prevented. Therefore, a reduction of the durability, due to the wearing, of the main assembly seal 13 of the developer receiving portion 11 can be suppressed, and the reduction of the sealing property of the main assembly seal 13 due to the wearing can be suppressed. (Dismounting Operation of Developer Supply Container) Referring to FIG. 26 to FIG. 31 and FIG. 32, the operation of removing the developer supply container 1 from the developer receiving apparatus 8 will be described. FIG. 32 is a timing chart of operations of each elements relating to the dismounting operation of the developer supply container 1 from the developer receiving apparatus 8 as shown in FIG. 27-FIG. 31. Similarly to the Embodiment 1, the removing operation of developer supply container 1 (dismounting operation) is a reciprocal of the mounting operation. As described hereinbefore, in the position of part (a) of FIG. 31, when the amount of the developer in the developer supply container 1 decreases, the operator dismounts the developer supply container 1 in the direction of an arrow B in the Figure. The position of the shutter 4 relative to the developer receiving apparatus 8 is maintained by the relation between the supporting portion 4d and the regulation rib 3b3, as described above. Therefore, the developer supply container 1 moves relative to the shutter 4. When the developer supply container 1 is moved to the position shown in part (a) of FIG. 30, the discharge opening 3a4 is sealed by the shutter 4, as shown in part (b) of FIG. 30. That is, in such a position, the developer is not supplied from the developer supply container 1. In addition, by the discharge opening 3a4 sealed, the developer does not scatter through the discharge opening 3a4 from the developer supply container 1 due to the vibration or the like resulting from the dismounting operation. The developer receiving portion 11 keeps connected with the shutter 4, and therefore, the developer receiving port 11a and the shutter are still in communication with each other. Then, when the developer supply container 1 is moved to the position shown in part (a) of FIG. 28, the engaging portion 11b of the developer receiving portion 11 displaces in the direction of the arrow F along the first engaging portion 3b2 by the urging force in the direction of the arrow F of the urging member 12, as shown in part (d) of FIG. 28. By this, as shown in part (b) of FIG. 28, the shutter 4 and the developer receiving portion 11 are spaced from each other. Therefore, in the process of reaching this position, the developer receiving portion 11 displaces in the direction of the arrow F (downwardly). Therefore, even if the developer is in the state of being packed in the neighborhood of the developer receiving port 11a, the developer is accommodated in the sub-hopper 8c by the vibration or the like resulting from the dismounting operation. By this, the developer is prevented from scattering to the outside. Thereafter, as shown in part (b) of FIG. 28, the developer receiving port 11a is sealed by the main assembly shutter 15. Then when the developer supply container 1 is removed to the position shown in part (a) of FIG. 27, the shutter opening 4f is shielded by the shielding portion 3b6 of the lower flange portion 3b. More particularly, the neighborhood of the shutter opening 4f and the close-contact portion 4h which is the only contaminated part is shielded by the shielding portion 3b6. Therefore, the neighborhood of the shutter opening 4f and the close-contact portion 4h are not seen by the operator handling the developer supply container 1. In addition, the operator is protected from touching inadvertently the neighborhood of the shutter opening 4f and the close-contact portion 4h contaminated with the developer. Furthermore, the close-contact portion 4h of the shutter 4 is stepped lower than the sliding surface 4i. Therefore, when the shutter opening 4f and the close-contact portion 4h are shielded by the shielding portion 3b6, a downstream side end surface X (part (b) of FIG. 20) of the shielding portion 3b6 with respect to the dismounting direction of the developer supply container 1 is not contaminated by the developer deposited on the shutter opening 4f and the close-contact portion 4h. Moreover, with the dismounting operation of the above-described developer supply container 1, the space operation of the developer receiving portion 11 by the engaging portions 3b2, 3b4 is completed, and thereafter, the supporting portion 4d of the shutter 4 is disengaged from the regulation rib 3b3 so as to become elastically deformable. Therefore, the shutter 4 is released from the developer receiving apparatus 8, so that it becomes displaceable (movable) together with the developer supply container 1. When the developer supply container 1 is moved to the position of part (a) of FIG. 26, supporting portion 4d of shutter 4 contacts to the insertion guide 8e of the developer receiving apparatus 8 by which it is displaced in the direction of the arrow C in the Figure, as shown in part (c) of FIG. 26. By this, the second stopper portion 4c of the shutter 4 is disengaged from the second shutter stopper portion 8b of the developer receiving apparatus 8, so that the lower flange portion 3b of the developer supply container 1 and the shutter 4 displace integrally in the direction of the arrow B. By further moving the developer supply container 1 away from the developer receiving apparatus 8 in the direction of the arrow B, by which the developer supply container 1 is completely taken out of the developer receiving apparatus 8. The shutter 4 of the developer supply container 1 thus taken out has returned to the initial position, and therefore, even if the developer receiving apparatus 8 is remounted, no problem arises. As described hereinbefore, the shutter opening 4f and the close-contact portion 4h of shutter 4 are shielded by the shielding portion 3b6, and therefore, the portion contaminated with the developer is not seen by the operator handling the developer supply container 1. Therefore, by the only portion of the developer supply container 1 that is contaminated with the developer is shielded, and therefore, the taken-out developer supply container 1 looks as if it is an unused developer supply container 1. FIG. 32 shows flow of the mounting operation of the developer supply container 1 to the developer receiving apparatus 8 (FIGS. 26-31) and the flow of the dismounting operation of the developer supply container 1 from the developer receiving apparatus 8. When the developer supply container 1 is mounted to the developer receiving apparatus 8, the engaging portion 11b of the developer receiving portion 11 is engaged with the first engaging portion 3b2 of the developer supply container 1, by which the developer receiving port displaces toward the developer supply container. On the other hand, when the image material supply container 1 is dismounted from the developer receiving apparatus 8, the engaging portion 11b of the developer receiving portion 11 engages with the first engaging portion 3b2 of the developer supply container 1, by which the developer receiving port displaces away from the developer supply container. As described in the foregoing, according to this embodiment of the developer supply container 1, the following advantageous effects can be provided in addition to the same advantageous effects of Embodiment 1. The developer supply container 1 of this embodiment the developer receiving portion 11 and the developer supply container 1 are connected with each other through the shutter opening 4f. And, by the connection, the misalignment prevention of the developer receiving portion 11 and the misalignment prevention taper engaging portion 4 g of the shutter 4 are engaged with each other. By the aligning function of such engagement, the discharge opening 3a4 is assuredly unsealed, and therefore, the discharge amount of the developer is stabilized. In the case of Embodiment 1, the discharge opening 3a4 formed in the part of the opening seal 3a5 moves on the shutter 4 the become in fluid communication with the developer receiving port 11a. In this case, the developer might enter into a seam existing between the developer receiving portion 11 and the shutter 4 in the process to completely connect with the developer receiving port 11a after the discharge opening 3a4 is uncovered by the shutter 4 with the result that a small amount of the developer scatters to the developer receiving apparatus 8. However, according to this example, the shutter opening 4f and the discharge opening 3a4 are brought into communication with each other after completion of the connection (communication) between the developer receiving port 11a of the developer receiving portion 11 and the shutter opening 4f of the shutter 4. For this reason, there is no seam between the developer receiving portion 11 and the shutter 4. In addition, positional relation between the shutter and the developer receiving port 11a does not change. Therefore, the developer contamination by the developer entered into the gap between the developer receiving portion 11 and the shutter 4 and the developer contamination caused by the dragging of the main assembly seal 13 on the surface of the opening seal 3a5 can be avoided. Therefore, this example is preferable to Embodiment 1 from the standpoint of the reduction of the contamination with the developer. In addition, by the provision of the shielding portion 3b6, the shutter opening 4f and the close-contact portion 4h that are the only portion contaminated by the developer are shielded, the developer contamination dye portion is not exposed to the outside, similarly to the Embodiment 1 in which the developer contamination dye portion of the opening seal 3a5 is shielded by the shutter 4. Therefore, similarly to Embodiment 1, the portion contaminated with the developer is not seen from the outside by the operator. Furthermore, as described in the foregoing, with respect to Embodiment 1, the connecting side (developer receiving portion 11) and the connected side (developer supply container 1) are directly engaged to establish the connection relation therebetween. More specifically, the timing of the connection between the developer receiving portion 11 and the developer supply container 1 can be controlled easily by the positional relation, with respect to mounting direction, among the engaging portion 11b of the developer receiving portion 11, the first engaging portion 3b2 and the second engaging portion 3b4 of the lower flange portion 3b of the developer supply container 1, and the shutter opening 4f of the shutter 4. In other words, the timing may deviate within the tolerances of the three elements, and therefore, very high accuracy control can be performed. Therefore, the connecting operation of the developer receiving portion 11 to the developer supply container 1 and the spacing operation from the developer supply container 1 can be carried out assuredly, with the mounting operation and the dismounting operation of the developer supply container 1. Regarding the displacement amount of the developer receiving portion 11 in the direction crossing with the mounting direction of the developer supply container 1 can be controlled by the positions of the engaging portion 11b of the developer receiving portion 11 and the second engaging portion 3b4 of the lower flange portion 3b. Similarly to the foregoing, the deviation of the displacement amount may deviate within the tolerances of the two elements, and therefore, very high accuracy control can be performed. Therefore, for example, the close-contact state between the main assembly seal 13 and the shutter 4 can be controlled easily, so that the developer discharged from the opening 4f can be fed into the developer receiving port 11a assuredly. Embodiment 3 Referring to FIGS. 33, 34, a structure of the Embodiment 3 will be described Part (a) of FIG. 33 is a partial enlarged view around a first engaging portion 3b2 of a developer supply container 1, and part (b) of FIG. 33 is a partial enlarged view of a developer receiving apparatus 8. Part (a)-part (c) of FIG. 34 are schematic view illustrating the movement of a developer receiving portion 11 in a dismounting operation. The position of part (a) of FIG. 34 corresponding to the position of FIGS. 15, 30, the position of part (c) of FIG. 34 corresponds to the position of FIGS. 13 and 28, the position of part (b) of FIG. 34 is therebetween and corresponds to the position of FIGS. 14, 29. As shown in part (a) of FIG. 33, in this example, the structure of the first engaging portion 3b2 is partly different from those of Embodiment 1 and Embodiment 2. The other structures are substantially similar to Embodiment 1 and/or Embodiment 2. In this example, the same reference numerals as in the foregoing Embodiment 1 are assigned to the elements having the corresponding functions in this embodiment, and the detailed description thereof is omitted. As shown in part (a) of FIG. 33, above engaging portions 3b2, 3b4 for moving the developer receiving portion 11 upwardly, an engaging portion 3b7 for moving the developer receiving portion 11 downwardly is provided. Here, the engaging portion comprising the first engaging portion 3b2 and the second engaging portion 3b4 for moving the developer receiving portion 11 upwardly is called a lower engaging portion. On the other hand, the engaging portion 3b7 provided in this embodiment to move the developer receiving portion 11 downwardly is called an upper engaging portion. The engaging relation between the developer receiving portion 11 and the lower engaging portion comprising the first engaging portion 3b2 and the second engaging portion 3b4 are similar to the above-described embodiments, and therefore, the description thereof is omitted. The engaging relation between the developer receiving portion 11 and the upper engaging portion comprising the engaging portion 3b7 will be described. If, for example, the developer supply container 1 is extremely quickly dismounted (quick dismounting, not practical though), in the developer supply container 1 of Embodiment 1 or Embodiment 2, the developer receiving portion 11 might not be guided by the first engaging portion 3b2 and would be lowered at delayed timing, with the result of a slight contamination with the developer to a practically no problem extent on the lower surface of the developer supply container 1, the developer receiving portion 11 and/or the main assembly seal 13. This was confirmed. In view of this, the developer supply container 1 of Embodiment 3 is improved in this respect by providing it with the upper engaging portion 3b7. When the developer supply container 1 is dismounted, the developer receiving portion 11 reaches a region contacting the first engaging portion. Even if the developer supply container 1 is taken out extremely quickly, an engaging portion 11b of the developer receiving portion 11 is engaged with the upper engaging portion 3b7 and is guided thereby, with the dismounting operation of the developer supply container 1, so that the developer receiving portion 11 is positively moved in the direction of an arrow F in the Figure. The upper engaging portion 3b7 extends to an upstream side beyond the first engaging portion 3b2 in the direction (arrow B) in which the developer supply container 1 is taken out. More particularly, a free end portion 3b70 of the upper engaging portion 3b7 is upstream of a free end portion 3b20 of the first engaging portion 3b2 with respect to the direction (arrow B) in which the developer supply container 1 is taken out. The start timing of the downward movement of the developer receiving portion 11 in the dismounting of the developer supply container 1 is after the sealing of the discharge opening 3a4 by the shutter 4 similarly to Embodiment 2. The movement start timing is controlled by the position of the upper engaging portion 3b7 shown in part (a) of FIG. 33. If the developer receiving portion 11 is spaced from the developer supply container 1 before the discharge opening 3a4 is sealed by the shutter 4, the developer may scatter in the developer receiving apparatus 8 from the discharge opening 3a4 by vibration or the like during the dismounting. Therefore, it is preferable to space the developer receiving portion 11 after the discharge opening 3a4 is sealed assuredly by the shutter 4. Using the developer supply container 1 of this embodiment, the developer receiving portion 11 can be spaced assuredly from the discharge opening 3a4 in the dismounting operation of the developer supply container 1. In addition, with the structure of this example, the developer receiving portion 11 can be moved assuredly by the upper engaging portion 3b7 without using the urging member 12 for moving the developer receiving portion 11 downwardly. Therefore, as described above, even in the case of the quick dismounting of the developer supply container 1, the upper engaging portion 3b7 assuredly guides the developer receiving portion 11 so that the downward movement can be effected at the predetermined timing. Therefore, the contamination of the developer supply container 1 with the developer can be prevented even in the quick dismounting. With the structures of Embodiment 1 and Embodiment 2, the developer receiving portion 11 is moved against the urging force of the urging member 12 in the mounting of the developer supply container 1. Therefore, a manipulating force required to the operator in the mounting increases correspondingly, and on the contrary, in the dismounting, it can be dismounted smoothly with the aid of the urging force of the urging member 12. Using this example, as shown in part (b) of FIG. 3, it may be unnecessary to provide the developer receiving apparatus 8 with a member for urging the developer receiving portion 11 downwardly. In this case, the urging member 12 is not provided, and therefore, the required manipulating force is the same irrespective of whether the developer supply container 1 is mounted or dismounted relative to the developer receiving apparatus 8. In addition, irrespective of the provision of the urging member 12, the developer receiving portion 11 of the developer receiving apparatus 8 can be connected and spaced in the direction crossing with the mounting and dismounting directions with the mounting and dismounting operation of the developer supply container 1. In other words, the contamination, with the developer, of the downstream side end surface Y (part (b) of FIG. 5) with respect to the mounting direction of the developer supply container 1, as compared with the case in which the developer supply container 1 is connected with and spaced from the developer receiving portion 11 in the direction of mounting and dismounting directions of the developer supply container 1. In addition, the developer contamination caused by the main assembly seal 13 dragging on the lower surface of the lower flange portion 3b can be prevented. From the standpoint of suppression of the maximum value of the manipulating force in the mounting and dismounting of the developer supply container 1 of this example, the omission of the urging member 12 is desired. On the other hand, from the standpoint of reduction of the manipulating force in the dismounting or from the standpoint of assuring the initial position of the developer receiving portion 11, the developer receiving apparatus 8 is desirably provided with the urging member 12. A proper selection therebetween can be made depending on the specifications of the main assembly and/or the developer supply container. Comparison Example Referring to FIG. 35, a comparison example will be described. Part (a) of FIG. 35 is a sectional view of a developer supply container 1 and a developer receiving apparatus 8 prior to the mounting, parts (b) and (c) of FIG. 35 are sectional views during the process of mounting the developer supply container 1 to the developer receiving apparatus 8, part (d) of FIG. 35 is a sectional view thereof after the developer supply container 1 is connected to the developer receiving apparatus 8. In the description of this comparison example, the same reference numerals as in the foregoing embodiments are assigned to the elements having the corresponding functions in this embodiment, and the detailed description thereof is omitted for simplicity. In the comparison example, the developer receiving portion 11 is fixed to the developer receiving apparatus 8 and is immovable in the upward or downward direction, as contrasted to Embodiment 1 or Embodiment 2. In other words, the developer receiving portion 11 and the developer supply container 1 are connected and spaced relative to each other in the mounting and dismounting direction of the developer supply container 1. Therefore, in order to prevent an interference of the developer receiving portion 11 with the shielding portion 3b6 provided in the downstream side of the lower flange portion 3b with respect to the mounting direction in Embodiment 2, for example, an upper end of the developer receiving portion 11 is lower than the shielding portion 3b6 as shown in part (a) of FIG. 35. In addition, to provide a compression state equivalent to that of Embodiment 2 between the shutter 4 and the main assembly seal 13, the main assembly seal 13 of the comparison example is longer than that of the main assembly seal 13 of Embodiment 2 in the vertical direction. As described above, the main assembly seal 13 is made of an elastic member or foam member or the like, and therefore, even if the interference occurs between the developer supply container 1 and the developer supply container 1 in the mounting and dismounting operations, the interference does not prevent the mounting and dismounting operations of the developer supply container 1 because of the elastic deformation as shown in part (b) of FIG. 35 and part (c) of FIG. 35. Experiments have been carried out about a discharge amount and an operationality as well as the developer contamination using the developer supply container 1 of the comparison example and the developer supply containers 1 of Embodiment 1-Embodiment 3. In the experiments, the developer supply container 1 is filled with a predetermined amount of a predetermined developer, and the developer supply container 1 is once mounted to the developer receiving apparatus 8. Thereafter, the developer supplying operation is carried out to the extent of one tenth of the filled amount, and the discharge amount during the supplying operation is measured. Then, the developer supply container 1 is taken out of the developer receiving apparatus 8, and the contamination of the developer supply container 1 and the developer receiving apparatus 8 with the developer is observed. Further, the operationality such as the manipulating force and the operation feeling during the mounting and dismounting operations of the developer supply container 1 are checked. In the experiments, the developer supply container 1 of Embodiment 3 was based on the developer supply container 1 of Embodiment 2. The experiments were carried out five times for each case for the purpose of reliability of the evaluations. Table 1 shows the results of the experiments and evaluations. TABLE 1 Developer contamination prevention Developer Developer supply device supply Discharge Structures side container sice performance Operativity Comp. N N F G example Emb. 1 F G F G Emb. 2 G G G G Emb. 3 E E G G Developer contamination prevention: E: Hardly any contamination even in extreme condition use; G: Hardly any contamination in normal condition use; F: Slight contamination (no problem practically) in normal use; and N: Contaminated (problematic practically) in normal use. Discharge performance: G: Sufficient discharge amount per unit time; F: 70% (based on G case) (no problem practically); and N: Less than 50% (based on G case) (problematic practically). Operativity: G: Required force is less than 20 N with good operation feeling; F: Required force is 20 N or larger with good operation feeling; and N: Required force is 20 N or larger with no good operation feeling. As to the level of the developer contamination of the developer supply container 1 or the developer receiving apparatus 8 taken out of the developer receiving apparatus 8 after the supplying operation, the developer deposited on the main assembly seal 13 is transferred onto the lower surface of the lower flange portion 3b and/or the sliding surface 4i (FIG. 35) of the shutter 4, in the developer supply container 1 of the comparison example. In addition, the developer is deposited on the end surface Y (part (b) of FIG. 5) of the developer supply container 1. Therefore, in this state, if the operator touches inadvertently the developer deposited portion, the operator's finger will be contaminated with the developer. In addition, a large amount of the developer is scattered on the developer receiving apparatus 8. With the structure of the comparison example, when the developer supply container 1 is mounted in the mounting direction (arrow A) in the Figure) from the position shown in part (a) of FIG. 35, the upper surface of the main assembly seal 13 of the developer receiving portion 11 first contacts the end surface Y the part (b) of FIG. 5) in the downstream side, with respect to the mounting direction, of the developer supply container 1. Thereafter, as shown in part (c) of FIG. 35, the developer supply container 1 displaces in the direction of an arrow A, in the state that the upper surface of the main assembly seal 13 of the developer receiving portion 11 is in contact with the lower surface of the lower flange portion 3b and the sliding surface 4i of the shutter 4. Therefore, the developer contamination by the dragging remains on the contact portions, and the developer contamination is exposed in the outside of the developer supply container 1 and scatters with the result of contamination of the developer receiving apparatus 8. It has been confirmed that the levels of the developer contamination in the developer supply containers 1 of Embodiment 1-Embodiment 3 are much improved over that in the comparison example. In Embodiment 1, by the mounting operation of the developer supply container 1, the connecting portion 3a6 of the opening seal 3a5 having been shielded by the shutter 4 is exposed, and the main assembly seal 13 of the developer receiving portion 11 is connected to the exposed portion in the direction crossing with the mounting direction. With the structure of Embodiment 2 and Embodiment 3, the shutter opening 4f and the close-contact portion 4h are uncovered by the shielding portion 3b6, and by the time immediately before the alignment between the discharge opening 3a4 and the shutter opening 4f, the developer receiving portion 11 displaces in the (upwardly in the embodiments) direction crossing with the mounting direction to connect with the shutter 4. Therefore, the developer contamination of the downstream end surface Y (part (b) of FIG. 5) with respect to the mounting direction of the developer supply container 1 can be prevented. In addition, in the developer supply container 1 of Embodiment 1, the connecting portion 3a6 formed on the opening seal 3a5 which is contaminated by the developer to be connected by the main assembly seal 13 of the developer receiving portion 11 is shielded in the shutter 4, with the dismounting operation of the developer supply container 1. Therefore, the connecting portion 3a6 of the opening seal 3a5 of the taken-out developer supply container 1 is not seen from the outside. In addition, the scattering of the developer deposited on the connecting portion 3a6 of the opening seal 3a5 of the taken-out developer supply container 1 can prevented. Similarly, in the developer supply container 1 of Embodiment 2 or Embodiment 3, the close-contact portion 4h of the shutter 4 and the shutter opening 4f contaminated with the developer in the connection of the developer receiving portion 11 is shielded in the shielding portion 3b6 with the dismounting operation of the developer supply container 1. Therefore, close-contact portion 4h of the shutter 4 and the shutter opening 4f contaminated with the developer is not seen from the outside. In addition, the scattering of the developer deposited on the close-contact portion 4h and the shutter of the shutter 4 can be prevented. The levels of the contaminations with the developer are checked in the case of the quick dismounting of the developer supply container 1. With the structures of Embodiment 1 and Embodiment 2, a slight level of developer contamination is seen, and with the structure of Embodiment 3, no developer contamination is seen on the developer supply container 1 or the developer receiving portion 11. This is because even if the quick dismounting of the developer supply container 1 of Embodiment 3 is carried out, the developer receiving portion 11 is assuredly guiding downwardly at the predetermined timing by the upper engaging portion 3b7, and therefore, no deviation of the timing of the movement of the developer receiving portion 11 occurs. It has been confirmed that the structure of Embodiment 3 is better than the structures of Embodiment 1 and Embodiment 2 with respect to the developer contamination level in the quick dismounting. Discharging performance during the supplying operation of the developer supply containers 1 is checked. For this checking, the discharge amount of the developer discharged from the developer supply container 1 per unit time is measured, and the repeatability is checked. The results show that in Embodiment 2 and Embodiment 3, the discharge amount from the developer supply container 1 per unit time is sufficient the and the repeatability is excellent. With Embodiment 1 and the comparison example, the discharge amount from the developer supply container 1 per unit time are sufficient is an occasion and is 70% in another occasion. When the developer supply container 1 is observed during the supplying operation, the developer supply containers 1 sometimes slightly offset in the dismounting direction from the mounting position by the vibration during the operation. The developer supply container 1 of Embodiment 1 is mounted and demounted relative to the developer receiving apparatus 8 a plurality of times, and the connection state is checked each time, and in one case out of five, the positions of the discharge opening 3a4 of the developer supply container 1 and the developer receiving port 11a are offset with the result that the opening communication area is relatively small. It is considered that the discharge amount from the developer supply container 1 per unit time is relatively small. From the phenomenon-and the structure, it is understood that in the developer supply containers 1 of Embodiment 2 and Embodiment 3, by the aligning function of the engaging effect between the misalignment prevention tapered portion 11c and the misalignment prevention taper engaging portion 4 g the shutter opening 4f and the developer receiving port 11a communicate with each other without the misalignment, even if the position of the developer receiving apparatus 8 is slightly offset. Therefore, it is considered that the discharging performance (discharge amount per unit time) is stabilized. The operationalities are checked. A mounting force for the developer supply container 1 to the developer receiving apparatus 8 is slightly higher in Embodiment 1, Embodiment 2 and Embodiment 3 than the comparison example. This is because, as described above, the developer receiving portion 11 is displaced upwardly against the urging force of the urging member 12 urging the developer receiving portion 11 downwardly. The manipulating force in Embodiment 1 to Embodiment 3 is approx. 8N-15N, which is not a problem. With the structure of Embodiment 3, the mounting force was checked with the structure not having the urging member 12. At this time, the manipulating force in the mounting operation is substantially the same as that of the comparison example and was approx. 5N-10N. The demounting force in the dismounting operation of the developer supply container 1 was measured. The results show that the demounting force is smaller than the mounting force in the case of the developer supply containers 1 of Embodiment 1, Embodiment 2 and Embodiment 3 and is approx. 5N-9N. As described above, this is because the developer receiving portion 11 moves downwardly by the assisting of the urging force of the urging member 12. Similarly to the foregoing, when the urging member 12 is not provided in Embodiment 3, there is no significant difference between the mounting force and the demounting force and is approx. 6N-10N. In any of the developer supply containers 1, the operation feeling has no problem. By the checking described in the foregoing, it has been confirmed that the developer supply container 1 of this embodiment is overwhelmingly better than the developer supply container 1 of the comparison example from the standpoint of prevention of the developer contamination. In addition, the developer supply container 1 of these embodiments have solved to various problems with conventional developer supply container. In the developer supply container of this embodiment, the mechanism for displacing the developer receiving portion 11 and connecting it with the developer supply container 1 can be simplified, as compared with the conventional art. More particularly, a driving source or a drive transmission mechanism for moving the entirety of the developing device upwardly is not required, and therefore, the structure of the image forming apparatus side is not complicated, and increase in cost due to the increase of the number of parts can be avoided. In the conventional art, in order to avoid the interference with the developing device when the entirety of the developing device moves up and down, a large space is required, but such upsizing of the image forming apparatus can be prevented in the present invention. The connection between the developer supply container 1 and the developer receiving apparatus 8 can be properly established using the mounting operation of the developer supply container 1 with the minimum contamination with the developer. Similarly, utilizing the dismounting operation of the developer supply container 1, the spacing and resealing between the developer supply container 1 and the developer receiving apparatus 8 can be carried out with minimum contamination with the developer. In addition, with the developer supply container 1 of this embodiment, the timing of displacing the developer receiving portion 11 in the direction crossing with the mounting and demounting direction by the developer supply container 1 in the mounting and dismounting operation of the developer supply container 1 can be controlled assuredly by the engaging portion comprising the first engaging portion 3b2 and the second engaging portion 3b4. In other words, the developer supply container 1 and the developer receiving portion 11 can be connected and spaced relative to each other without relying on the operation of the operator. Embodiment 4 Referring to the drawings, Embodiment 4 will be described. In Embodiment 4, the structure of the developer receiving apparatus and the developer supply container are partly different from those of Embodiment 1 and Embodiment 2. The other structures are substantially the same as with Embodiment 1 or Embodiment 2. In the description of this embodiment, the same reference numerals as in Embodiments 1 and 2 are assigned to the elements having the corresponding functions in this embodiment, and the detailed description thereof is omitted for simplicity. (Image Forming Apparatus) FIGS. 36 and 37 illustrate an example of the image forming apparatus comprising a developer receiving apparatus to which a developer supply container (so-called toner cartridge) is detachably mounted. The structure of the image forming apparatus is substantially the same as with Embodiment 1 or Embodiment 2 except for a structure of a part of the developer supply container and a part of the developer receiving apparatus, and therefore, the detailed description of the common parts is omitted for simplicity. (Developer Receiving Apparatus) Referring to FIGS. 38, 39 and 40, the developer receiving apparatus 8 will be described. FIG. 3 is a schematic perspective view of the developer receiving apparatus 8. FIG. 39 is a schematic perspective view of the developer receiving apparatus 8 as seen from a back side of FIG. 38. FIG. 40 is a schematic sectional view of the developer receiving apparatus 8. The developer receiving apparatus 8 is provided with a mounting portion (mounting space) 8f to which the developer supply container 1 is detachably mounted. Further, there is provided an developer receiving portion 11 for receiving a developer discharged from the developer supply container 1 through a discharge opening (opening) 1c (FIG. 43). The developer receiving portion 11 is mounted so as to be movable (displaceable) relative to the developer receiving apparatus 8 in the vertical direction. As shown in FIG. 40, the upper end surface of the developer receiving portion 11 is provided with a main assembly seal 13 having a developer receiving port 11a at the central portion. The main assembly seal 13 comprises an elastic member, a foam member or the like, and the main assembly seal 13 is closely-contacted with an opening seal (unshown) provided with a discharge opening 1c for the developer supply container 1 which will be described hereinafter to prevent leakage of the developer from the discharge opening 1c and/or the developer receiving port 11a. In order to prevent the contamination in the mounting portion 8f by the developer as much as possible, a diameter of the developer receiving port 11a is desirably substantially the same as or slightly larger than a diameter of the discharge opening 3a4 of the developer supply container 1. This is because if the diameter of the developer receiving port 11a is smaller than the diameter of the discharge opening 1c, the developer discharged from the developer supply container 1 is deposited on the upper surface of developer receiving port 11a, and the deposited developer is transferred onto the lower surface of the developer supply container 1 during the dismounting operation of the developer supply container 1, with the result of contamination with the developer. In addition, the developer transferred onto the developer supply container 1 may be scattered to the mounting portion 8f with the result of contamination of the mounting portion 8f with the developer. On the contrary, if the diameter of the developer receiving port 11a is quite larger than the diameter of the discharge opening 1c, an area in which the developer scattered from the developer receiving port 11a is deposited on the neighborhood of the discharge opening 1c is large. That is, the contaminated area of the developer supply container 1 by the developer is large, which is not preferable. Under the circumstances, the difference between the diameter of the developer receiving port 11a and the diameter of the discharge opening 1c is preferably substantially 0 to approx. 2 mm. In this example, the diameter of the discharge opening 1c of the developer supply container 1 is approx. Φ2 mm (pin hole), and therefore, the diameter of the developer receiving port 11a is approx. φ3 mm. As shown in FIG. 40, the developer receiving portion 11 is urged downwardly by an urging member 12. When the developer receiving portion 11 moves upwardly, it has to move against an urging force of the urging member 12. Below the developer receiving apparatus 8, there is provided a sub-hopper 8c for temporarily storing the developer. As shown in FIG. 40, in the sub-hopper 8c, there are provided a feeding screw 14 for feeding the developer into the developer hopper portion 201a (FIG. 36) which is a part of the developing device 201, and an opening 8d which is in fluid communication with the developer hopper portion 201a. The developer receiving port 11a is closed so as to prevent foreign matter and/or dust entering the sub-hopper 8c in a state that the developer supply container 1 is not mounted. More specifically, the developer receiving port 11a is closed by a main assembly shutter 15 in the state that the developer receiving portion 11 is away to the upside. The developer receiving portion 11 moves upwardly (arrow E) from the position shown in FIG. 43 toward the developer supply container 1 with the mounting operation of the developer supply container 1. By this, the developer receiving port 11a and the main assembly shutter 15 are spaced from each other to unseal the developer receiving port 11a. With this open state, the developer is discharged from the developer supply container 1 through the discharge opening 1c, so that the developer received by the developer receiving port 11a is movable to the sub-hopper 8c. A side surface of the developer receiving portion 11 is provided with an engaging portion 11b (FIGS. 4, 19). The engaging portion 11b is directly engaged with an engaging portion 3b2, 3b4 (FIGS. 8 and 20) provided on the developer supply container 1 which will be described hereinafter, and is guided thereby so that the developer receiving portion 11 is raised toward the developer supply container 1. As shown in FIG. 38, mounting portion 8f of the developer receiving apparatus 8 is provided with a positioning guide (holding member) 81 having a L-like shape to fix the position of the developer supply container 1. The mounting portion 8f of the developer receiving apparatus 8 is provided with an insertion guide 8e for guiding the developer supply container 1 in the mounting and demounting direction. By the positioning guide 81 and the insertion guide 8e, the mounting direction of the developer supply container 1 is determined as being the direction of an arrow A. The dismounting direction of the developer supply container 1 is the opposite (arrow B) to the direction of the arrow A. The developer receiving apparatus 8 is provided with a driving gear 9 (FIG. 39) functioning as a driving mechanism for driving the developer supply container 1 and is provided with a locking member 10 (FIG. 38). The locking member 10 is locked with a locking portion 18 (FIG. 44 the functioning as a drive inputting portion of the developer supply container 1 when the developer supply container 1 is mounted to the mounting portion 8 fed of the developer receiving apparatus 8. As shown in FIG. 38, the locking member 10 is loose fitted in an elongate hole portion 8 g formed in the mounting portion 8f of the developer receiving apparatus 8, and is movable relative to the mounting portion 8f in the up and down directions in the Figure. The locking member 10 is in the form of a round bar configuration and is provided at the free end with a tapered portion 10d in consideration of easy insertion into a locking portion 18 (FIG. 44) of the developer supply container 1 which will be described hereinafter. The locking portion 10a (engaging portion engageable with locking portion 18) of the locking member 10 is connected with a rail portion 10b shown in FIG. 39. The sides of the rail portion 10b are held by a guide portion 8j of the developer receiving apparatus 8 and is movable in the up and down direction in the Figure. The rail portion 10b is provided with a gear portion 10c which is engaged with a driving gear 9. The driving gear 9 is connected with a driving motor 500. By a control device 600 effecting such a control that the rotational moving direction of a driving motor 500 provided in the image forming apparatus 100 is periodically reversed, the locking member 10 reciprocates in the up and down directions in the Figure along the elongated hole 8g. (Developer Supply Control of Developer Receiving Apparatus) Referring to FIGS. 41 and 42, a developer supply control by the developer receiving apparatus 8 will be described. FIG. 41 is a block diagram illustrating the function and the structure of the control device 600, and FIG. 42 is a flow chart illustrating a flow of the supplying operation. In this example, an amount of the developer temporarily accumulated in the hopper 8c (height of the developer level) is limited so that the developer does not flow reversely into the developer supply container 1 from the developer receiving apparatus 8 by the sucking operation of the developer supply container 1 which will be described hereinafter. For this purpose, in this example, a developer sensor 8k (FIG. 40) is provided to detect the amount of the developer accommodated in the hopper 8g. As shown in FIG. 41, the control device 600 controls the operation/non-operation of the driving motor 500 in accordance with an output of the developer sensor 8k by which the developer is not accommodated in the hopper 8c beyond a predetermined amount. The control flow will be described. First, as shown in FIG. 42, the developer sensor 8k checks the accommodated developer amount in the hopper 8c. When the accommodated developer amount detected by the developer sensor 8k is discriminated as being less than a predetermined amount, that is, when no developer is detected by the developer sensor 8k, the driving motor 500 is actuated to execute a developer supplying operation for a predetermined time period (S101). When the accommodated developer amount detected with developer sensor 8k is discriminated as having reached the predetermined amount, that is, when the developer is detected by the developer sensor 8k, as a result of the developer supplying operation, the driving motor 500 is deactuated to stop the developer supplying operation (S102). By the stop of the supplying operation, a series of developer supplying steps is completed. Such developer supplying steps are carried out repeatedly whenever the accommodated developer amount in the hopper 8c becomes less than a predetermined amount as a result of consumption of the developer by the image forming operations. In this example, the developer discharged from the developer supply container 1 is stored temporarily in the hopper 8c, and then is supplied into the developing device, but the following structure of the developer receiving apparatus can be employed. Particularly in the case of a low speed image forming apparatus 100, the main assembly is required to be compact and low in cost. In such a case, it is desirable that the developer is supplied directly to the developing device 201, as shown in FIG. 43. More particularly, the above-described hopper 8c is omitted, and the developer is supplied directly into the developing device 201a from the developer supply container 1. FIG. 43 shows an example using a two-component type developing device 201 as the developer receiving apparatus. The developing device 201 comprises a stirring chamber into which the developer is supplied, and a developer chamber for supplying the developer to the developing roller 201f, wherein the stirring chamber and the developer chamber are provided with screws 201d rotatable in such directions that the developer is fed in the opposite directions from each other. The stirring chamber and the developer chamber are communicated with each other in the opposite longitudinal end portions, and the two component developer are circulated the two chambers. The stirring chamber is provided with a magnetometric sensor 201 g for detecting a toner content of the developer, and on the basis of the detection result of the magnetometric sensor 201g, the control device 600 controls the operation of the driving motor 500. In such a case, the developer supplied from the developer supply container is non-magnetic toner or non-magnetic toner plus magnetic carrier. The developer receiving portion is not illustrated in FIG. 43, but in the case where the hopper 8c is omitted, and the developer is supplied directly to the developing device 201 from the developer supply container 1, the developer receiving portion 11 is provided in the developing device 201. The arrangement of the developer receiving portion 11 in the developing device 201 may be properly determined. In this example, as will be described hereinafter, the developer in the developer supply container 1 is hardly discharged through the discharge opening 1c only by the gravitation, but the developer is by a discharging operation by a pump portion 2, and therefore, variation in the discharge amount can be suppressed. Therefore, the developer supply container 1 which will be described hereinafter is usable for the example of FIG. 8 lacking the hopper 8c. (Developer Supply Container) Referring to FIGS. 44 and 45, the developer supply container 1 according to this embodiment will be described. FIG. 44 is a schematic perspective view of the developer supply container1. FIG. 45 is a schematic sectional view of the developer supply container 1. As shown in FIG. 44, the developer supply container 1 has a container body 1a (developer discharging chamber) functioning as a developer accommodating portion for accommodating the developer. Designated by 1b in FIG. 45 is a developer accommodating space in which the developer is accommodated in the container body 1a. In the example, the developer accommodating space 1b functioning as the developer accommodating portion is the space in the container body 1a plus an inside space in the pump portion 5. In this example, the developer accommodating space 1b accommodates toner which is dry powder having a volume average particle size of 5 μm-6 μm. In this example, the pump portion is a displacement type pump portion 5 in which the volume changes. More particularly, the pump portion 5 has a bellow-like expansion-and-contraction portion 5a (bellow portion, expansion-and-contraction member) which can be contracted and expanded by a driving force received from the developer receiving apparatus 8. As shown in FIGS. 44 and 45, the bellow-like pump portion 5 of this example is folded to provide crests and bottoms which are provided alternately and periodically, and is contractable and expandable. When the bellow-like pump portion 2 as in this example, a variation in the volume change amount relative to the amount of expansion and contraction can be reduced, and therefore, a stable volume change can be accomplished. In this embodiment, the entire volume of the developer accommodating space 1b is 480 cm∧3, of which the volume of the pump portion 2 is 160 cm∧3 (in the free state of the expansion-and-contraction portion 5a), and in this example, the pumping operation is effected in the pump portion (2) expansion direction from the length in the free state. The volume change amount by the expansion and contraction of the expansion-and-contraction portion 5a of the pump portion 5 is 15 cm∧3, and the total volume at the time of maximum expansion of the pump portion 5 is 495 cm∧3. The developer supply container 1 filled with 240 g of developer. The driving motor 500 for driving the locking member 10 shown in FIG. 43 is controlled by the control device 600 to provide a volume change speed of 90 cm∧3/s. The volume change amount and the volume change speed may be properly selected in consideration of a required discharge amount of the developer receiving apparatus 8. The pump portion 5 in this example is a bellow-like pump, but another pump is usable if the air amount (pressure) in the developer accommodating space 1b can be changed. For example, the pump portion 5 may be a single-shaft eccentric screw pump. In this case, an opening for suction and discharging of the single-shaft eccentric screw pump is required, and such an opening requires a additional filter or the like in addition to the above-described filter, in order to prevent the leakage of the developer therethrough. In addition, a single-shaft eccentric screw pump requires a very high torque to operate, and therefore, the load to the main assembly 100 of the image forming apparatus increases. Therefore, the bellow-like pump is preferable since it is free of such problems. The developer accommodating space 1b may be only the inside space of the pump portion 5. In such a case, the pump portion 5 functions simultaneously as the developer accommodating space 1b. A connecting portion 5b of the pump portion 5 and the connected portion 1i of the container body 1a are unified by welding to prevent leakage of the developer, that is, to keep the hermetical property of the developer accommodating space 1b. The developer supply container 1 is provided with a locking portion 18 as a drive inputting portion (driving force receiving portion, drive connecting portion, engaging portion) which is engageable with the driving mechanism of the developer receiving apparatus 8 and which receives a driving force for driving the pump portion 5 from the driving mechanism. More particularly, the locking portion 18 engageable with the locking member 10 of the developer receiving apparatus 8 is mounted to an upper end of the pump portion 5. The locking portion 18 is provided with a locking hole 18a in the center portion as shown in FIG. 44. When the developer supply container 1 is mounted to the mounting portion 8f (FIG. 38), the locking member 10 is inserted into a locking hole 18a, so that they are unified (slight play is provided for easy insertion). As shown in FIG. 44, the relative position between the locking portion 18 and the locking member 10 in arrow p direction and arrow q direction which are expansion and contracting directions of the expansion-and-contraction portion 5a. It is preferable that the pump portion 5 and the locking portion 18 are molded integrally using an injection molding method or a blow molding method. The locking portion 18 unified substantially with the locking member 10 in this manner receives a driving force for expanding and contracting the expansion-and-contraction portion 5a of the pump portion 2 from the locking member 10. As a result, with the vertical movement of the locking member 10, the expansion-and-contraction portion 5a of the pump portion 5 is expanded and contracted. The pump portion 5 functions as an air flow generating mechanism for producing alternately and repeatedly the air flow into the developer supply container and the air flow to the outside of the developer supply container through the discharge opening 1c by the driving force received by the locking portion 18 functioning as the drive inputting portion. In this embodiment, the use is made with the round bar locking member 10 and the round hole locking portion 18 to substantially unify them, but another structure is usable if the relative position therebetween can be fixed with respect to the expansion and contracting direction (arrow p direction and arrow q direction) of the expansion-and-contraction portion 5a. For example, the locking portion 18 is a rod-like member, and the locking member 10 is a locking hole; the cross-sectional configurations of the locking portion 18 and the locking member 10 may be triangular, rectangular or another polygonal, or may be ellipse, star shape or another shape. Or, another known locking structure is usable. The bottom end portion of the container body 1a is provided with an upper flange portion 1 g constituting a flange held by the developer receiving apparatus 8 so as to be non-rotatable. The upper flange portion 1 g is provided with a discharge opening 1c for permitting discharging of the developer to the outer of the developer supply container 1 from the developer accommodating space 1b. The discharge opening 1c will be described in detail hereinafter. As shown in FIG. 45, an inclined surface 1f is formed toward the discharge opening 1c in a lower portion of the container body 1a, the developer accommodated in the developer accommodating space 1b slides down on the inclined surface 1f by the gravity toward a neighborhood of the discharge opening 1c. In this embodiment, the inclination angle of the inclined surface 1f (angle relative to a horizontal surface in the state that the developer supply container 1 is set in the developer receiving apparatus 8) is larger than an angle of rest of the toner (developer). As for the configuration of the peripheral portion of the discharge opening 1c, as shown in FIG. 46, the configuration of the connecting portion between the discharge opening 1c and the inside of the container body 1a may be flat (1 W in FIG. 45), or as shown in FIG. 46, the discharge opening 1c may be connected with the inclined surface 1f. The flat configuration shown in FIG. 45 provides high space efficiency in the direction of the height of the developer supply container 1, and the configuration connecting with the inclined surface 1f shown in FIG. 46 provides the reduction of the remaining developer because the developer remaining on the inclined surface 1f falls to the discharge opening 1c. As described above, the configuration of the peripheral portion of the discharge opening 1c may be selected properly depending on the situation. In this embodiment, the flat configuration shown in FIG. 45 is used. The developer supply container 1 is in fluid communication with the outside of the developer supply container 1 only through the discharge opening 1c, and is sealed substantially except for the discharge opening 1c. Referring to FIGS. 38 and 45, a shutter mechanism for opening and closing the discharge opening 1c will be described. An opening seal (sealing member) 3a5 of a elastic material is fixed by bonding to a lower surface of the upper flange portion 1 g so as to surround the circumference of the discharge opening 1c to prevent developer leakage. The opening seal 3a5 is provided with a circular discharge opening (opening) 3a4 for discharging the developer into the developer receiving apparatus 8 similarly to the above-described embodiments. There is provided a shutter 4 for sealing the discharge opening 3a4 (discharge opening 1c) so that the opening seal 3a5 is compressed between the lower surface of the upper flange portion 1g. In this manner, the opening seal 3a5 is stuck on the lower surface of the upper flange portion 1g, and is nipped by the upper flange portion 1 g and the shutter 4 which will be described hereinafter. In this example, the discharge opening 3a4 is provided on the opening seal 3a5 is unintegral with the upper flange portion 1g, but the discharge opening 3a4 may be provided directly on the upper flange portion 1 g (discharge opening 1c). Also in this case, in order to prevent the leakage of the developer, it is desired to nip the opening seal 3a5 by the upper flange portion 1 g and the shutter 4. Below the upper flange portion 1g, a lower flange portion 3b constituting a flange through the shutter 4 is mounted. The lower flange portion 3b includes engaging portions 3b2, 3b4 engageable with the developer receiving portion 11 (FIG. 4) similarly to the lower flange shown in FIG. 8 or FIG. 20. The structure of the lower flange portion 3b having the engaging portions 3b2 and 3b4 is similar to the above-described embodiments, and the description thereof is omitted. The shutter 4 is provided with a stopper portion (holding portion) held by a shutter stopper portion of the developer receiving apparatus 8 so that the developer supply container 1 is movable relative to the shutter 4, similarly to the shutter shown in FIG. 9 or FIG. 21. The structure of the shutter 4 having the stopper portion (holding portion) is similar to that of the above-described embodiments, and the description thereof is omitted. The shutter 4 is fixed to the developer receiving apparatus 8 by the stopper portion engaging with the shutter stopper portion formed on the developer receiving apparatus 8, with the operation of mounting the developer supply container 1. Then, the developer supply container 1 starts the relative movement relative to the fixed shutter 4. At this time, similarly to the above-described embodiments, the engaging portion 3b2 of the developer supply container 1 is first engaged directly with the engaging portion 11b of the developer receiving portion 11 to move the developer receiving portion 11 upwardly. By this, the developer receiving portion 11 is close-contacted to the developer supply container 1 (or the shutter opening 4f of the shutter 4), and the developer receiving port 11a of the developer receiving portion 11 is unsealed. Thereafter, the engaging portion 3b4 of the developer supply container 1 is engaged directly with the engaging portion 11b of the developer receiving portion 11, and the developer supply container 1 moves relative to the shutter 4 while maintaining the above-described close-contact state, with the mounting operation. By this, the shutter 4 is unsealed, and the discharge opening 1c of the developer supply container 1 and the developer receiving port 11a of the developer receiving portion 11 are aligned with each other. At this time, the upper flange portion 1 g of the developer supply container 1 is guided by the positioning guide 81 of the developer receiving apparatus 8 so that a side surface 1k (FIG. 44) of the developer supply container 1 abuts to the stopper portion 8i of the developer receiving apparatus 8. As a result, the position of the developer supply container 1 relative to the developer receiving apparatus 8 in the mounting direction (A direction) is determined (FIG. 52). In this manner, the upper flange portion 1 g of the developer supply container 1 is guided by the positioning guide 81, and at the time when the inserting operation of the developer supply container 1 is completed, the discharge opening 1c of the developer supply container 1 and the developer receiving port 11a of the developer receiving portion 11 are aligned with each other. At the time when the inserting operation of the developer supply container 1 is completed, the opening seal 3a5 (FIG. 52) seals between the discharge opening 1c and the developer receiving port 11a to prevent leakage of the developer to the outside. With the inserting operation of the developer supply container 1, the locking member 109 is inserted into the locking hole 18a of the locking portion 18 of the developer supply container 1 so that they are unified. At this time, the position thereof is determined by the L shape portion of the positioning guide 81 in the direction (up and down direction in FIG. 38) perpendicular to the mounting direction (A direction), relative to the developer receiving apparatus 8, of the developer supply container 1. The flange portion 1 g as the positioning portion also functions to prevent movement of the developer supply container 1 in the up and down direction (reciprocating direction of the pump portion 5). The operations up to here are the series of mounting steps for the developer supply container 1. By the operator closing the front cover 40, the mounting step is finished. The steps for dismounting the developer supply container 1 from the developer receiving apparatus 8 are opposite from those in the mounting step. The steps for dismounting the developer supply container 1 from the developer receiving apparatus 8 are opposite from those in the mounting step. More specifically, the steps described as the mounting operation and the dismounting operation of the developer supply container 1 in the above-described embodiments apply. More specifically, the steps described in conjunction with FIGS. 13-17 by Embodiment 1, or the steps described in conjunction with FIGS. 26-29 by Embodiment 2 apply here. In this example, the state (decompressed state, negative pressure state) in which the internal pressure of the container body 1a (developer accommodating space 1b) is lower than the ambient pressure (external air pressure) and the state (compressed state, positive pressure state) in which the internal pressure is higher than the ambient pressure are alternately repeated at a predetermined cyclic period. Here, the ambient pressure (external air pressure) is the pressure under the ambient condition in which the developer supply container 1 is placed. Thus, the developer is discharged through the discharge opening 1c by changing a pressure (internal pressure) of the container body 1a. In this example, it is changed (reciprocated) between 480-495 cm∧3 at a cyclic period of 0.3 sec. The material of the container body 1a is preferably such that it provides an enough rigidity to avoid collision or extreme expansion. In view of this, this example employs polystyrene resin material as the materials of the developer container body 1a and employs polypropylene resin material as the material of the pump portion 2. As for the material for the container body 1a, other resin materials such as ABS (acrylonitrile, butadiene, styrene copolymer resin material), polyester, polyethylene, polypropylene, for example are usable if they have enough durability against the pressure. Alternatively, they may be metal. As for the material of the pump portion 2, any material is usable if it is expansible and contractable enough to change the internal pressure of the space in the developer accommodating space 1b by the volume change. The examples includes thin formed ABS (acrylonitrile, butadiene, styrene copolymer resin material), polystyrene, polyester, polyethylene materials. Alternatively, other expandable-and-contractable materials such as rubber are usable. They may be integrally molded of the same material through an injection molding method, a blow molding method or the like if the thicknesses are properly adjusted for the pump portion 5b and the container body 1a. In this example, the developer supply container 1 is in fluid communication with the outside only through the discharge opening 1c, and therefore, it is substantially sealed from the outside except for the discharge opening 1c. That is, the developer is discharged through discharge opening 1c by compressing and decompressing the inside of the developer supply container 1 by the pump portion 5, and therefore, the hermetical property is desired to maintain the stabilized discharging performance. On the other hand, there is a liability that during transportation (air transportation) of the developer supply container 1 and/or in long term unused period, the internal pressure of the container may abruptly changes due to abrupt variation of the ambient conditions. For an example, when the apparatus is used in a region having a high altitude, or when the developer supply container 1 kept in a low ambient temperature place is transferred to a high ambient temperature room, the inside of the developer supply container 1 may be pressurized as compared with the ambient air pressure. In such a case, the container may deform, and/or the developer may splash when the container is unsealed. In view of this, the developer supply container 1 is provided with an opening of a diameter φ3 mm, and the opening is provided with a filter, in this example. The filter is TEMISH (registered Trademark) available from Nitto Denko Kabushiki Kaisha, Japan, which is provided with a property preventing developer leakage to the outside but permitting air passage between inside and outside of the container. Here, in this example, despite the fact that such a countermeasurement is taken, the influence thereof to the sucking operation and the discharging operation through the discharge opening 1c by the pump portion 5 can be ignored, and therefore, the hermetical property of the developer supply container 1 is kept in effect. (Discharge Opening of Developer Supply Container) In this example, the size of the discharge opening 1c of the developer supply container 1 is so selected that in the orientation of the developer supply container 1 for supplying the developer into the developer receiving apparatus 8, the developer is not discharged to a sufficient extent, only by the gravitation. The opening size of the discharge opening 1c is so small that the discharging of the developer from the developer supply container is insufficient only by the gravitation, and therefore, the opening is called pin hole hereinafter. In other words, the size of the opening is determined such that the discharge opening 1c is substantially clogged. This is expectedly advantageous in the following points: 1) the developer does not easily leak through the discharge opening 1c; 2) excessive discharging of the developer at time of opening of the discharge opening 1c can be suppressed; and. 3) the discharging of the developer can rely dominantly on the discharging operation by the pump portion. The inventors have investigated as to the size of the discharge opening 1c not enough to discharge the toner to a sufficient extent only by the gravitation. The verification experiment (measuring method) and criteria will be described. A rectangular parallelepiped container of a predetermined volume in which a discharge opening (circular) is formed at the center portion of the bottom portion is prepared, and is filled with 200 g of developer; then, the filling port is sealed, and the discharge opening is plugged; in this state, the container is shaken enough to loosen the developer. The rectangular parallelepiped container has a volume of 1000 cm∧3, 90 mm in length, 92 mm width and 120 mm in height. Thereafter, as soon as possible the discharge opening is unsealed in the state that the discharge opening is directed downwardly, and the amount of the developer discharged through the discharge opening is measured. At this time, the rectangular parallelepiped container is sealed completely except for the discharge opening. In addition, the verification experiments were carried out under the conditions of the temperature of 24 degree C. and the relative humidity of 55%. Using these processes, the discharge amounts are measured while changing the kind of the developer and the size of the discharge opening. In this example, when the amount of the discharged developer is not more than 2 g, the amount is negligible, and therefore, the size of the discharge opening at that time is deemed as being not enough to discharge the developer sufficiently only by the gravitation. The developers used in the verification experiment are shown in Table 1. The kinds of the developer are one component magnetic toner, non-magnetic toner for two component developer developing device and a mixture of the non-magnetic toner and the magnetic carrier. As for property values indicative of the property of the developer, the measurements are made as to angles of rest indicating flowabilities, and fluidity energy indicating easiness of loosing of the developer layer, which is measured by a powder flowability analyzing device (Powder Rheometer FT4 available from Freeman Technology). TABLE 2 Volume average Fluidity particle Angle energy size of of (Bulk toner Developer rest density of Developers (μm) component (deg.) 0.5 g/cm3) A 7 Two- 18 2.09 × 10−3 J component non- magnetic B 6.5 Two- 22 6.80 × 10−4 J component non- magnetic toner + carrier C 7 One- 35 4.30 × 10−4 J component magnetic toner D 5.5 Two- 40 3.51 × 10−3 J component non- magnetic toner + carrier E 5 Two- 27 4.14 × 10−3 J component non- magnetic toner + carrier Referring to FIG. 47, a measuring method for the fluidity energy will be described. Here, FIG. 47 is a schematic view of a device for measuring the fluidity energy. The principle of the powder flowability analyzing device is that a blade is moved in a powder sample, and the energy required for the blade to move in the powder, that is, the fluidity energy, is measured. The blade is of a propeller type, and when it rotates, it moves in the rotational axis direction simultaneously, and therefore, a free end of the blade moves helically. The propeller type blade 51 is made of SUS (type=C210) and has a diameter of 48 mm, and is twisted smoothly in the counterclockwise direction. More specifically, from a center of the blade of 48 mm×10 mm, a rotation shaft extends in a normal line direction relative to a rotation plane of the blade, a twist angle of the blade at the opposite outermost edge portions (the positions of 24 mm from the rotation shaft) is 70°, and a twist angle at the positions of 12 mm from the rotation shaft is 35°. The fluidity energy is total energy provided by integrating with time a total sum of a rotational torque and a vertical load when the helical rotating blade 51 enters the powder layer and advances in the powder layer. The value thus obtained indicates easiness of loosening of the developer powder layer, and large fluidity energy means less easiness and small fluidity energy means greater easiness. In this measurement, as shown in FIG. 12, the developer T is filled up to a powder surface level of 70 mm (L2 in FIG. 47) into the cylindrical container 53 having a diameter φ of 50 mm (volume=200 cc, L1 (FIG. 47)=50 mm) which is the standard part of the device. The filling amount is adjusted in accordance with a bulk density of the developer to measure. The blade 54 of φ48 mm which is the standard part is advanced into the powder layer, and the energy required to advance from depth 10 mm to depth 30 mm is displayed. The set conditions at the time of measurement are, The set conditions at the time of measurement are, The rotational speed of the blade 51 (tip speed=peripheral speed of the outermost edge portion of the blade) is 60 mm/s: The blade advancing speed in the vertical direction into the powder layer is such a speed that an angle θ (helix angle) formed between a track of the outermost edge portion of the blade 51 during advancement and the surface of the powder layer is 10°: The advancing speed into the powder layer in the perpendicular direction is 11 mm/s (blade advancement speed in the powder layer in the vertical direction=(rotational speed of blade)×tan (helix angle×n/180)): and The measurement is carried out under the condition of temperature of 24 degree C. and relative humidity of 55% The bulk density of the developer when the fluidity energy of the developer is measured is close to that when the experiments for verifying the relation between the discharge amount of the developer and the size of the discharge opening, is less changing and is stable, and more particularly is adjusted to be 0.5 g/cm∧3. The verification experiments were carried out for the developers (Table 2) with the measurements of the fluidity energy in such a manner. FIG. 48 is a graph showing relations between the diameters of the discharge openings and the discharge amounts with respect to the respective developers From the verification results shown in FIG. 48, it has been confirmed that the discharge amount through the discharge opening is not more than 2 g for each of the developers A-E, if the diameter φ of the discharge opening is not more than 4 mm (12.6 mm∧ 2 in the opening area (circle ratio=3.14)). When the diameter φ discharge opening exceeds 4 mm, the discharge amount increases sharply. The diameter φ of the discharge opening is preferably not more than 4 mm (12.6 mm∧ 2 of the opening area) when the fluidity energy of the developer (0.5 g/cm∧3 of the bulk density) is not less than 4.3×10−4 kg-m∧2/s∧2 (J) and not more than 4.14×10∧−3 kg-m∧2/s∧2 (J). As for the bulk density of the developer, the developer has been loosened and fluidized sufficiently in the verification experiments, and therefore, the bulk density is lower than that expected in the normal use condition (left state), that is, the measurements are carried out in the condition in which the developer is more easily discharged than in the normal use condition. The verification experiments were carries out as to the developer A with which the discharge amount is the largest in the results of FIG. 48, wherein the filling amount in the container were changed in the range of 30-300 g while the diameter ϕ of the discharge opening is constant at 4 mm. The verification results are shown in part (b) of FIG. 49. From the results of FIG. 49, it has been confirmed that the discharge amount through the discharge opening hardly changes even if the filling amount of the developer changes. From the foregoing, it has been confirmed that by making the diameter φ of the discharge opening not more than 4 mm (12.6 mm∧ 2 in the area), the developer is not discharged sufficiently only by the gravitation through the discharge opening in the state that the discharge opening is directed downwardly (supposed supplying attitude into the developer receiving apparatus 201 irrespective of the kind of the developer or the bulk density state. On the other hand, the lower limit value of the size of the discharge opening 1c is preferably such that the developer to be supplied from the developer supply container 1 (one component magnetic toner, one component non-magnetic toner, two component non-magnetic toner or two component magnetic carrier) can at least pass therethrough. More particularly, the discharge opening is preferably larger than a particle size of the developer (volume average particle size in the case of toner, number average particle size in the case of carrier) contained in the developer supply container 1. For example, in the case that the supply developer comprises two component non-magnetic toner and two component magnetic carrier, it is preferable that the discharge opening is larger than a larger particle size, that is, the number average particle size of the two component magnetic carrier. Specifically, in the case that the supply developer comprises two component non-magnetic toner having a volume average particle size of 5.5 μm and a two component magnetic carrier having a number average particle size of 40 μm, the diameter of the discharge opening 1c is preferably not less than 0.05 mm (0.002 mm∧ 2 in the opening area). If, however, the size of the discharge opening 1c is too close to the particle size of the developer, the energy required for discharging a desired amount from the developer supply container 1, that is, the energy required for operating the pump portion 5 is large. It may be the case that a restriction is imparted to the manufacturing of the developer supply container 1. When the discharge opening 1c is formed in a resin material part using an injection molding method, a durable of a metal mold part forming the portion of the discharge opening 1c has to be high. From the foregoing, the diameter φ of the discharge opening 1c is preferably not less than 0.5 mm. In this example, the configuration of the discharge opening 1c is circular, but this is not inevitable. A square, a rectangular, an ellipse or a combination of lines and curves or the like are usable if the opening area is not more than 12.6 mm∧ 2 which is the opening area corresponding to the diameter of 4 mm. However, a circular discharge opening has a minimum circumferential edge length among the configurations having the same opening area, the edge being contaminated by the deposition of the developer. Therefore, the amount of the developer dispersing with the opening and closing operation of the shutter 5 is small, and therefore, the contamination is decreased. In addition, with the circular discharge opening, a resistance during discharging is also small, and a discharging property is high. Therefore, the configuration of the discharge opening 1c is preferably circular which is excellent in the balance between the discharge amount and the contamination prevention. From the foregoing, the size of the discharge opening 1c is preferably such that the developer is not discharged sufficiently only by the gravitation in the state that the discharge opening 1c is directed downwardly (supposed supplying attitude into the developer receiving apparatus 8). More particularly, a diameter φ of the discharge opening 1c is not less than 0.05 mm (0.002 mm∧ 2 in the opening area) and not more than 4 mm (12.6 mm∧ 2 in the opening area). Furthermore, the diameter φ of the discharge opening 1c is preferably not less than 0.5 mm (0.2 mm∧ 2 in the opening area and not more than 4 mm (12.6 mm∧ 2 in the opening area). In this example, on the basis of the foregoing investigation, the discharge opening 1c is circular, and the diameter ϕ of the opening is 2 mm. In this example, the number of discharge openings 1c is one, but this is not inevitable, and a plurality of discharge openings 1c a total opening area of the opening areas satisfies the above-described range. For example, in place of one developer receiving port 8a having a diameter φ of 2 mm, two discharge openings 3a each having a diameter φ of 0.7 mm are employed. However, in this case, the discharge amount of the developer per unit time tends to decrease, and therefore, one discharge opening 1c having a diameter φ of 2 mm is preferable. (Developer Supplying Step) Referring to FIGS. 50-53, a developer supplying step by the pump portion will be described. FIG. 50 is a schematic perspective view in which the expansion-and-contraction portion 5a of the pump portion 5 is contracted. FIG. 51 is a schematic perspective view in which the expansion-and-contraction portion 5a of the pump portion 5 is expanded. FIG. 52 is a schematic sectional view in which the expansion-and-contraction portion 5a of the pump portion 5 is contracted. FIG. 53 is a schematic sectional view in which the expansion-and-contraction portion 5a of the pump portion 5 is expanded. In this example, as will be described hereinafter, the drive conversion of the rotational force is carries out by the drive converting mechanism so that the suction step (sucking operation through discharge opening 3a) and the discharging step (discharging operation through the discharge opening 3a) are repeated alternately. The suction step and the discharging step will be described. The description will be made as to a developer discharging principle using a pump. The operation principle of the expansion-and-contraction portion 5a of the pump portion 5 is as has been in the foregoing. Stating briefly, as shown in FIG. 45, the lower end of the expansion-and-contraction portion 5a is connected to the container body 1a. The container body 1a is prevented in the movement in the arrow p direction and in the arrow q direction (FIG. 44) by the positioning guide 81 of the developer supplying apparatus 8 through the upper flange portion 1 g at the lower end. Therefore, the vertical position of the lower end of the expansion-and-contraction portion 5a connected with the container body 1a is fixed relative to the developer receiving apparatus 8. On the other hand, the upper end of the expansion-and-contraction portion 5a is engaged with the locking member 10 through the locking portion 18, and is reciprocated in the arrow p direction and in the arrow q direction by the vertical movement of the locking member 10. Since the lower end of the expansion-and-contraction portion 5a of the pump portion 5 is fixed, the portion thereabove expands and contracts. The description will be made as to expanding-and-contracting operation (discharging operation and sucking operation) of the expansion-and-contraction portion 5a of the pump portion 5 and the developer discharging. (Discharging Operation) First, the discharging operation through the discharge opening 1c will be described. With the downward movement of the locking member 10, the upper end of the expansion-and-contraction portion 5a displaces in the p direction (contraction of the expansion-and-contraction portion), by which discharging operation is effected. More particularly, with the discharging operation, the volume of the developer accommodating space 1b decreases. At this time, the inside of the container body 1a is sealed except for the discharge opening 1c, and therefore, until the developer is discharged, the discharge opening 1c is substantially clogged or closed by the developer, so that the volume in the developer accommodating space 1b decreases to increase the internal pressure of the developer accommodating space 1b. Therefore, the volume of the developer accommodating space 1b decreases, so that the internal pressure of the developer accommodating space 1b increases. Then, the internal pressure of the developer accommodating space 1b becomes higher than the pressure in the hopper 8c (substantially equivalent to the ambient pressure). Therefore, as shown in FIG. 52, the developer T is pushed out by the air pressure due to the pressure difference (difference pressure relative to the ambient pressure). Thus, the developer T is discharged from the developer accommodating space 1b into the hopper 8c. An arrow in FIG. 52 indicates a direction of a force applied to the developer T in the developer accommodating space 1b. Thereafter, the air in the developer accommodating space 1b is also discharged together with the developer, and therefore, the internal pressure of the developer accommodating space 1b decreases. (Sucking Operation)□ The sucking operation through the discharge opening 1c will be described. With upward movement of the locking member 10, the upper end of the expansion-and-contraction portion 5a of the pump portion 5 displaces in the p direction (the expansion-and-contraction portion expands) so that the sucking operation is effected. More particularly, the volume of the developer accommodating space 1b increases with the sucking operation. At this time, the inside of the container body 1a is sealed except of the discharge opening 1c, and the discharge opening 1c is clogged by the developer and is substantially closed. Therefore, with the increase of the volume in the developer accommodating space 1b, the internal pressure of the developer accommodating space 1b decreases. The internal pressure of the developer accommodating space 1b at this time becomes lower than the internal pressure in the hopper 8c (substantially equivalent to the ambient pressure). Therefore, as shown in FIG. 53, the air in the upper portion in the hopper 8c enters the developer accommodating space 1b through the discharge opening 1c by the pressure difference between the developer accommodating space 1b and the hopper 8gc. An arrow in FIG. 53 indicates a direction of a force applied to the developer T in the developer accommodating space 1b. Ovals Z in FIG. 53 schematically show the air taken in from the hopper 8c. At this time, the air is taken-in from the outside of the developer receiving device 8 side, and therefore, the developer in the neighborhood of the discharge opening 1c can be loosened. More particularly, the air impregnated into the developer powder existing in the neighborhood of the discharge opening 1c, reduces the bulk density of the developer powder and fluidizing. In this manner, by the fluidization of the developer T, the developer T does not pack or clog in the discharge opening 3a, so that the developer can be smoothly discharged through the discharge opening 3a in the discharging operation which will be described hereinafter. Therefore, the amount of the developer T (per unit time) discharged through the discharge opening 1c can be maintained substantially at a constant level for a long term. (Change of Internal Pressure of Developer Accommodating Portion) Verification experiments were carried out as to a change of the internal pressure of the developer supply container 1 The verification experiments will be described The developer is filled such that the developer accommodating space 1b in the developer supply container 1 is filled with the developer; and the change of the internal pressure of the developer supply container 1 is measured when the pump portion 5 is expanded and contracted in the range of 15 cm∧3 of volume change. The internal pressure of the developer supply container 1 is measured using a pressure gauge (AP-C40 available from Kabushiki Kaisha KEYENCE) connected with the developer supply container 1. FIG. 54 shows a pressure change when the pump portion 5 is expanded and contracted in the state that the shutter 4 of the developer supply container 1 filled with the developer is open, and therefore, in the communicatable state with the outside air. In FIG. 54, the abscissa represents the time, and the ordinate represents a relative pressure in the developer supply container 1 relative to the ambient pressure (reference (0)) (+ is a positive pressure side, and − is a negative pressure side). When the internal pressure of the developer supply container 1 becomes negative relative to the outside ambient pressure by the increase of the volume of the developer supply container 1, the air is taken in through the discharge opening 1c by the pressure difference. When the internal pressure of the developer supply container 1 becomes positive relative to the outside ambient pressure by the decrease of the volume of the developer supply container 1, a pressure is imparted to the inside developer by the pressure difference. At this time, the inside pressure eases corresponding to the discharged developer and air. By the verification experiments, it has been confirmed that by the increase of the volume of the developer supply container 1, the internal pressure of the developer supply container 1 becomes negative relative to the outside ambient pressure, and the air is taken in by the pressure difference. In addition, it has been confirmed that by the decrease of the volume of the developer supply container 1, the internal pressure of the developer supply container 1 becomes positive relative to the outside ambient pressure, and the pressure is imparted to the inside developer so that the developer is discharged. In the verification experiments, an absolute value of the negative pressure is 1.3 kPa, and an absolute value of the positive pressure is 3.0 kPa. As described in the foregoing, with the structure of the developer supply container 1 of this example, the internal pressure of the developer supply container 1 switches between the negative pressure and the positive pressure alternately by the sucking operation and the discharging operation of the pump portion 5, and the discharging of the developer is carried out properly. As described in the foregoing, in this example, a simple and easy pump capable of effecting the sucking operation and the discharging operation of the developer supply container 1 is provided, by which the discharging of the developer by the air can be carries out stably while providing the developer loosening effect by the air. In other words, with the structure of the example, even when the size of the discharge opening 1c is extremely small, a high discharging performance can be assured without imparting great stress to the developer since the developer can be passed through the discharge opening 1c in the state that the bulk density is small because of the fluidization. In addition, in this example, the inside of the displacement type pump portion 5 is utilized as a developer accommodating space, and therefore, when the internal pressure is reduced by increasing the volume of the pump portion 5, an additional developer accommodating space can be formed. Therefore, even when the inside of the pump portion 5 is filled with the developer, the bulk density can be decreased (the developer can be fluidized) by impregnating the air in the developer powder. Therefore, the developer can be filled in the developer supply container 1 with a higher density than in the conventional art. In the foregoing, the inside space in the pump portion 5 is used as a developer accommodating space 1b, but in an alternative, a filter which permits passage of the air but prevents passage of the toner may be provided to partition between the pump portion 5 and the developer accommodating space 1b. However, the embodiment described in the form of is preferable in that when the volume of the pump 5 increases, an additional developer accommodating space can be provided (Developer Loosening Effect in Suction Step) Verification has been carried out as to the developer loosening effect by the sucking operation through the discharge opening 1c in the suction step. When the developer loosening effect by the sucking operation through the discharge opening 1c is significant, a low discharge pressure (small volume change of the pump) is enough, in the subsequent discharging step, to start immediately the discharging of the developer from the developer supply container 1. This verification is to demonstrate remarkable enhancement of the developer loosening effect in the structure of this example. This will be described in detail. Part (a) of FIG. 55 and part (a) of FIG. 56 are block diagrams schematically showing a structure of the developer supplying system used in the verification experiment. Part (b) of FIG. 55 and part (b) of FIG. 56 are schematic views showing a phenomenon-occurring in the developer supply container. The system of FIG. 55 is analogous to this example, and a developer supply container C is provided with a developer accommodating portion C1 and a pump portion P. By the expanding-and-contracting operation of the pump portion P, the sucking operation and the discharging operation through a discharge opening (the discharge opening 1c of this example (unshown)) of the developer supply container C are carried out alternately to discharge the developer into a hopper H. On the other hand, the system of FIG. 56 is a comparison example wherein a pump portion P is provided in the developer receiving apparatus side, and by the expanding-and-contracting operation of the pump portion P, an air-supply operation into the developer accommodating portion C1 and the sucking operation from the developer accommodating portion C1 are carried out alternately to discharge the developer into a hopper H. In FIGS. 55 and 56, the developer accommodating portions C1 have the same internal volumes, the hoppers H have the same internal volumes, and the pump portions P have the same internal volumes (volume change amounts). First, 200 g of the developer is filled into the developer supply container C. Then, the developer supply container C is shaken for 15 minutes in view of the state after transportation, and thereafter, it is connected to the hopper H. The pump portion P is operated, and a peak value of the internal pressure in the sucking operation is measured as a condition of the suction step required for starting the developer discharging immediately in the discharging step. In the case of FIG. 55, the start position of the operation of the pump portion P corresponds to 480 cm∧3 of the volume of the developer accommodating portion C1, and in the case of FIG. 56, the start position of the operation of the pump portion P corresponds to 480 cm∧3 of the volume of the hopper H. In the experiments of the structure of FIG. 56, the hopper H is filled with 200 g of the developer beforehand to make the conditions of the air volume the same as with the structure of FIG. 55. The internal pressures of the developer accommodating portion C1 and the hopper H are measured by the pressure gauge (AP-C40 available from Kabushiki Kaisha KEYENCE) connected to the developer accommodating portion C1. As a result of the verification, according to the system analogous to this example shown in FIG. 55, if the absolute value of the peak value (negative pressure) of the internal pressure at the time of the sucking operation is at least 1.0 kPa, the developer discharging can be immediately started in the subsequent discharging step. In the comparison example system shown in FIG. 56, on the other hand, unless the absolute value of the peak value (positive pressure) of the internal pressure at the time of the sucking operation is at least 1.7 kPa, the developer discharging cannot be immediately started in the subsequent discharging step. It has been confirmed that using the system of FIG. 55 similar to the example, the suction is carries out with the volume increase of the pump portion P, and therefore, the internal pressure of the developer supply container C can be lower (negative pressure side) than the ambient pressure (pressure outside the container), so that the developer solution effect is remarkably high. This is because as shown in part (b) of FIG. 55, the volume increase of the developer accommodating portion C1 with the expansion of the pump portion P provides pressure reduction state (relative to the ambient pressure) of the upper portion air layer of the developer layer T. For this reason, the forces are applied in the directions to increase the volume of the developer layer T due to the decompression (wave line arrows), and therefore, the developer layer can be loosened efficiently. Furthermore, in the system of FIG. 55, the air is taken in from the outside into the developer supply container C1 by the decompression (white arrow), and the developer layer T is solved also when the air reaches the air layer R, and therefore, it is a very good system. As a proof of the loosening of the developer in the developer supply container C in the, experiments, it has been confirmed that in the sucking operation, the apparent volume of the whole developer increases (the level of the developer rises). In the case of the system of the comparison example shown in FIG. 56, the internal pressure of the developer supply container C is raised by the air-supply operation to the developer supply container C up to a positive pressure (higher than the ambient pressure), and therefore, the developer is agglomerated, and the developer solution effect is not obtained. This is because as shown in part (b) of FIG. 56, the air is fed forcedly from the outside of the developer supply container C, and therefore, the air layer R above the developer layer T becomes positive relative to the ambient pressure. For this reason, the forces are applied in the directions to decrease the volume of the developer layer T due to the pressure (wave line arrows), and therefore, the developer layer T is packed. Actually, a phenomenon-has been confirmed that the apparent volume of the whole developer in the developer supply container C increases upon the sucking operation in this comparison example. Accordingly, with the system of FIG. 56, there is a liability that the packing of the developer layer T disables subsequent proper developer discharging step. In order to prevent the packing of the developer layer T by the pressure of the air layer R, it would be considered that an air vent with a filter or the like is provided at a position corresponding to the air layer R thereby reducing the pressure rise. However, in such a case, the flow resistance of the filter or the like leads to a pressure rise of the air layer R. However, in such a case, the flow resistance of the filter or the like leads to a pressure rise of the air layer R. Even if the pressure rise were eliminated, the loosening effect by the pressure reduction state of the air layer R described above cannot be provided. From the foregoing, the significance of the function of the sucking operation a discharge opening with the volume increase of the pump portion by employing the system of this example has been confirmed. As described above, by the repeated alternate sucking operation and the discharging operation of the pump portion 2, the developer can be discharged through the discharge opening 1c of the developer supply container 1. That is, in this example, the discharging operation and the sucking operation are not in parallel or simultaneous, but are alternately repeated, and therefore, the energy required for the discharging of the developer can be minimized. On the other hand, in the case that the developer receiving apparatus includes the air-supply pump and the suction pump, separately, it is necessary to control the operations of the two pumps, and in addition it is not easy to rapidly switch the air-supply and the suction alternately. In this example, one pump is effective to efficiently discharge the developer, and therefore, the structure of the developer discharging mechanism can be simplified. In the foregoing, the discharging operation and the sucking operation of the pump are repeated alternately to efficiently discharge the developer, but in an alternative structure, the discharging operation or the sucking operation is temporarily stopped and then resumed. For example, the discharging operation of the pump is not effected monotonically, but the compressing operation may be once stopped partway and then resumed to discharge. The same applies to the sucking operation. Each operation may be made in a multi-stage form as long as the discharge amount and the discharging speed are enough. It is still necessary that after the multi-stage discharging operation, the sucking operation is effected, and they are repeated. In this example, the internal pressure of the developer accommodating space 1b is reduced to take the air through the discharge opening 1c to loosen the developer. On the other hand, in the above-described conventional example, the developer is loosened by feeding the air into the developer accommodating space 1b from the outside of the developer supply container 1, but at this time, the internal pressure of the developer accommodating space 1b is in a compressed state with the result of agglomeration of the developer. This example is preferable since the developer is loosened in the pressure reduced state in which is the developer is not easily agglomerated. Furthermore, also according to this example, the mechanism for connecting and separating the developer receiving portion 11 relative to the developer supply container 1 by displacing the developer receiving portion 11 can be simplified, similarly to Embodiments 1 and 2. More particularly, a driving source and/or a drive transmission mechanism for moving the entirety of the developing device upwardly is unnecessary, and therefore, a complication of the structure of the image forming apparatus side and/or the increase in cost due to increase of the number of parts can be avoided. In a conventional structure, a large space is required to avoid an interference with the developing device in the upward and downward movement, but according to this example, such a large space is unnecessary so that the upsizing of the image forming apparatus can be avoided. The connection between the developer supply container 1 and the developer receiving apparatus 8 can be properly established using the mounting operation of the developer supply container 1 with minimum contamination with the developer. Similarly, utilizing the dismounting operation of the developer supply container 1, the spacing and resealing between the developer supply container 1 and the developer receiving apparatus 8 can be carried out with minimum contamination with the developer. Embodiment 5 Referring to FIGS. 57, 58, a structure of the Embodiment 5 will be described. FIG. 57 is a schematic perspective view of a developer supply container 1, and FIG. 58 is a schematic sectional view of the developer supply container 1. In this example, the structure of the pump is different from that of Embodiment 4, and the other structures are substantially the same as with Embodiment 4. In the description of this embodiment, the same reference numerals as in Embodiment 4 are assigned to the elements having the corresponding functions in this embodiment, and the detailed description thereof is omitted. In this example, as shown in FIGS. 57, 58, a plunger type pump is used in place of the bellow-like displacement type pump as in Embodiment 4. More specifically, the plunger type pump of this example includes an inner cylindrical portion 1h and an outer cylindrical portion 6 extending outside the outer surface of the inner cylindrical portion 1h and movable relative to the inner cylindrical portion 1h. The upper surface of the outer cylindrical portion 36 is provided with a locking portion 18, fixed by bonding similarly to Embodiment 4. More particularly, the locking portion 18 fixed to the upper surface of the outer cylindrical portion 36 receives a locking member 10 of the developer receiving apparatus 8, by which they a substantially unified, the outer cylindrical portion 36 can move in the up and down directions (reciprocation) together with the locking member 10. The inner cylindrical portion 1h is connected with the container body 1a, and the inside space thereof functions as a developer accommodating space 1b. In order to prevent leakage of the air through a gap between the inner cylindrical portion 1h and the outer cylindrical portion 36 (to prevent leakage of the developer by keeping the hermetical property), a sealing member (elastic seal 7) is fixed by bonding on the outer surface of the inner cylindrical portion 1h. The elastic seal 37 is compressed between the inner cylindrical portion 1h and the outer cylindrical portion 35. Therefore, by reciprocating the outer cylindrical portion 36 in the arrow p direction and the arrow q direction relative to the container body 1a (inner cylindrical portion 1h) fixed non-movably to the developer receiving apparatus 8, the volume in the developer accommodating space 1b can be changed (increased and decreased). That is, the internal pressure of the developer accommodating space 1b can be repeated alternately between the negative pressure state and the positive pressure state. Thus, also in this example, one pump is enough to effect the sucking operation and the discharging operation, and therefore, the structure of the developer discharging mechanism can be simplified. In addition, by the sucking operation through the discharge opening, a decompressed state (negative pressure state) can be provided in the developer accommodation supply container, and therefore, the developer can be efficiently loosened. In this example, the configuration of the outer cylindrical portion 36 is cylindrical, but may be of another form, such as a rectangular section. In such a case, it is preferable that the configuration of the inner cylindrical portion 1h meets the configuration of the outer cylindrical portion 36. The pump is not limited to the plunger type pump, but may be a piston pump. When the pump of this example is used, the seal structure is required to prevent developer leakage through the gap between the inner cylinder and the outer cylinder, resulting in a complicated structure and necessity for a large driving force for driving the pump portion, and therefore, Embodiment 4 is preferable. In addition, in this example, the developer supply container 1 is provided with the engaging portion similar to Embodiment 4, and therefore, similarly to the above-described embodiments, the mechanism for connecting and separating the developer receiving portion 11 relative to the developer supply container 1 by displacing the developer receiving portion 11 of the developer receiving apparatus 8 can be simplified. More particularly, a driving source and/or a drive transmission mechanism for moving the entirety of the developing device upwardly is unnecessary, and therefore, a complication of the structure of the image forming apparatus side and/or the increase in cost due to increase of the number of parts can be avoided. The connection between the developer supply container 1 and the developer receiving apparatus 8 can be properly established using the mounting operation of the developer supply container 1 with minimum contamination with the developer. Similarly, utilizing the dismounting operation of the developer supply container 1, the spacing and resealing between the developer supply container 1 and the developer receiving apparatus 8 can be carried out with minimum contamination with the developer. Embodiment 6 Referring to FIGS. 59, 60, a structure of the Embodiment 6 will be described. FIG. 59 is a perspective view of an outer appearance in which a pump portion 38 of a developer supply container 1 according to this embodiment is in an expanded state, and FIG. 60 is a perspective view of an outer appearance in which the pump portion 38 of the developer supply container 1 is in a contracted state. In this example, the structure of the pump is different from that of Embodiment 4, and the other structures are substantially the same as with Embodiment 4. In the description of this embodiment, the same reference numerals as in Embodiment 4 are assigned to the elements having the corresponding functions in this embodiment, and the detailed description thereof is omitted. In this example, as shown in FIGS. 59, 60, in place of a bellow-like pump having folded portions of Embodiment 4, a film-like pump portion 38 capable of expansion and contraction not having a folded portion is used. The film-like portion of the pump portion 38 is made of rubber. The material of the film-like portion of the pump portion 12 may be a flexible material such as resin film rather than the rubber. The film-like pump portion 38 is connected with the container body 1a, and the inside space thereof functions as a developer accommodating space 1b. The upper portion of the film-like pump portion 38 is provided with a locking portion 18 fixed thereto by bonding, similarly to the foregoing embodiments. Therefore, the pump portion 38 can alternately repeat the expansion and the contraction by the vertical movement of the locking member 10 (FIG. 38). In this manner, also in this example, one pump is enough to effect both of the sucking operation and the discharging operation, and therefore, the structure of the developer discharging mechanism can be simplified. In addition, by the sucking operation through the discharge opening, a pressure reduction state (negative pressure state) can be provided in the developer supply container, and therefore, the developer can be efficiently loosened. In the case of this example, as shown in FIG. 61, it is preferable that a plate-like member 39 having a higher rigid than the film-like portion is mounted to the upper surface of the film-like portion of the pump portion 38, and the locking member 18 is provided on the plate-like member 39. With such a structure, it can be suppressed that the amount of the volume change of the pump portion 38 decreases due to deformation of only the neighborhood of the locking portion 18 of the pump portion 38. That is, the followability of the pump portion 38 to the vertical movement of the locking member 10 can be improved, and therefore, the expansion and the contraction of the pump portion 38 can be effected efficiently. Thus, the discharging property of the developer can be improved. In addition, in this example, the developer supply container 1 is provided with the engaging portion similar to Embodiment 4, and therefore, similarly to the above-described embodiments, the mechanism for connecting and separating the developer receiving portion 11 relative to the developer supply container 1 by displacing the developer receiving portion 11 of the developer receiving apparatus 8 can be simplified. More particularly, a driving source and/or a drive transmission mechanism for moving the entirety of the developing device upwardly is unnecessary, and therefore, a complication of the structure of the image forming apparatus side and/or the increase in cost due to increase of the number of parts can be avoided. The connection between the developer supply container 1 and the developer receiving apparatus 8 can be properly established using the mounting operation of the developer supply container 1 with minimum contamination with the developer. Similarly, utilizing the dismounting operation of the developer supply container 1, the spacing and resealing between the developer supply container 1 and the developer receiving apparatus 8 can be carried out with minimum contamination with the developer. Embodiment 7 Referring to FIGS. 62-64, a structure of the Embodiment 7 will be described. FIG. 62 is a perspective view of an outer appearance of a developer supply container 1, FIG. 63 is a sectional perspective view of the developer supply container 1, and FIG. 64 is a partially sectional view of the developer supply container 1. In this example, the structure is different from that of Embodiment 4 only in the structure of a developer accommodating space, and the other structure is substantially the same. In the description of this embodiment, the same reference numerals as in Embodiment 4 are assigned to the elements having the corresponding functions in this embodiment, and the detailed description thereof is omitted. As shown in FIGS. 62, 63, the developer supply container 1 of this example comprises two components, namely, a portion X including a container body 1a and a pump portion 5 and a portion Y including a cylindrical portion 24. The structure of the portion X of the developer supply container 1 is substantially the same as that of Embodiment 4, and therefore, detailed description thereof is omitted. (Structure of Developer Supply Container) In the developer supply container 1 of this example, as contrasted to Embodiment 4, the cylindrical portion 24 is connected by a connecting portion 14c to a side of the portion X (a discharging portion in which a discharge opening 1c is formed), as shown in FIG. 63. The cylindrical portion (developer accommodation rotatable portion) 24 has a closed end at one longitudinal end thereof and an open end at the other end which is connected with an opening of the portion X, and the space therebetween is a developer accommodating space 1b. In this example, an inside space of the container body 1a, an inside space of the pump portion 5 and the inside space of the cylindrical portion 24 are all developer accommodating space 1b, and therefore, a large amount of the developer can be accommodated. In this example, the cylindrical portion 24 as the developer accommodation rotatable portion has a circular cross-sectional configuration, but the circular shape is not restrictive to the present invention. For example, the cross-sectional configuration of the developer accommodation rotatable portion may be of non-circular configuration such as a polygonal configuration as long as the rotational motion is not obstructed during the developer feeding operation. A inside of the cylindrical portion (developer feeding chamber) 24 is provided with a helical feeding projection (feeding portion) 24a, which has a function of feeding the inside developer accommodated therein toward the portion X (discharge opening 1c) when the cylindrical portion 24 rotates in a direction indicated by an arrow R. In addition, the inside of the cylindrical portion 24 is provided with a receiving-and-feeding member (feeding portion) 16 for receiving the developer fed by the feeding projection 24a and supplying it to the portion X side by rotation of the cylindrical portion 24 in the direction of arrow R (the rotational axis is substantially extends in the horizontal direction), the moving member upstanding from the inside of the cylindrical portion 24. The receiving-and-feeding member 16 is provided with a plate-like portion 16a for scooping the developer up, and inclined projections 16b for feeding (guiding) the developer scooped up by the plate-like portion 16a toward the portion X, the inclined projections 16b being provided on respective sides of the plate-like portion 16a. The plate-like portion 16a is provided with a through-hole 16c for permitting passage of the developer in both directions to improve the stirring property for the developer. In addition, a gear portion 24b as a drive inputting mechanism is fixed by bonding on an outer surface at the other longitudinal end (with respect to the feeding direction of the developer) of the cylindrical portion 24. When the developer supply container 1 is mounted to the developer receiving apparatus 8, the gear portion 24b engages with the driving gear (driving portion) 9 functioning as a driving mechanism provided in the developer receiving apparatus 8. When the rotational force is inputted to the gear portion 14b as the driving force receiving portion from the driving gear 9, the cylindrical portion 24 rotates in the direction or arrow R (FIG. 63). The gear portion 24b is not restrictive to the present invention, but another drive inputting mechanism such as a belt or friction wheel is usable as long as it can rotate the cylindrical portion 24. As shown in FIG. 64, one longitudinal end of the cylindrical portion 24 (downstream end with respect to the developer feeding direction) is provided with a connecting portion 24c as a connecting tube for connection with portion X. The above-described inclined projection 16b extends to a neighborhood of the connecting portion 24c. Therefore, the developer fed by the inclined projection 16b is prevented as much as possible from falling toward the bottom side of the cylindrical portion 24 again, so that the developer is properly supplied to the connecting portion 24c. The cylindrical portion 24 rotates as described above, but on the contrary, the container body 1a and the pump portion 5 are connected to the cylindrical portion 24 through a flange portion 1 g so that the container body 1a and the pump portion 5 are non-rotatable relative to the developer receiving apparatus 8 (non-rotatable in the rotational axis direction of the cylindrical portion 24 and non-movable in the rotational moving direction), similarly to Embodiment 4. Therefore, the cylindrical portion 24 is rotatable relative to the container body 1a. A ring-like elastic seal 25 is provided between the cylindrical portion 24 and the container body 1a and is compressed by a predetermined amount between the cylindrical portion 24 and the container body 1a. By this, the developer leakage there is prevented during the rotation of the cylindrical portion 24. In addition, the structure, the hermetical property can be maintained, and therefore, the loosening and discharging effects by the pump portion 5 are applied to the developer without loss. The developer supply container 1 does not have an opening for substantial fluid communication between the inside and the outside except for the discharge opening 1c. (Developer Supplying Step) A developer supplying step will be described. When the operator inserts the developer supply container 1 into the developer receiving apparatus 8, similarly to Embodiment 4, the locking portion 18 of the developer supply container 1 is locked with the locking member 10 of the developer receiving apparatus 8, and the gear portion 24b of the developer supply container 1 is engaged with the driving gear 9 of the developer receiving apparatus 8. Thereafter, the driving gear 9 is rotated by another driving motor (not shown) for rotation, and the locking member 10 is driven in the vertical direction by the above-described driving motor 500. Then, the cylindrical portion 24 rotates in the direction of the arrow R, by which the developer therein is fed to the receiving-and-feeding member 16 by the feeding projection 24a. In addition, by the rotation of the cylindrical portion 24 in the direction R, the receiving-and-feeding member 16 scoops the developer, and feeds it to the connecting portion 24c. The developer fed into the container body 1a from the connecting portion 24c is discharged from the discharge opening 1c by the expanding-and-contracting operation of the pump portion 5, similarly to Embodiment 4. These are a series of the developer supply container 1 mounting steps and developer supplying steps. Here, the developer supply container 1 is exchanged, the operator takes the developer supply container 1 out of the developer receiving apparatus 8, and a new developer supply container 1 is inserted and mounted. In the case of a vertical container having a developer accommodating space 1b which is long in the vertical direction as in Embodiment 4-Embodiment 6, if the volume of the developer supply container 1 is increased to increase the filling amount, the developer results in concentrating to the neighborhood of the discharge opening 1c by the weight of the developer. As a result, the developer adjacent the discharge opening 1c tends to be compacted, leading to difficulty in suction and discharge through the discharge opening 1c. In such a case, in order to loosen the developer compacted by the suction through the discharge opening 1c or to discharge the developer by the discharging, the internal pressure (negative pressure/positive pressure) of the developer accommodating space 1b has to be enhanced by increasing the amount of the change of the pump portion 5 volume. Then, the driving forces or drive the pump portion 5 has to be increased, and the load to the main assembly of the image forming apparatus 100 may be excessive. According to this embodiment, however, container body 1a and the portion X of the pump portion 5 and the portion Y of the cylindrical portion 24 are arranged in the horizontal direction, and therefore, the thickness of the developer layer above the discharge opening 1c in the container body 1a can be thinner than in the structure of FIG. 44. By doing so, the developer is not easily compacted by the gravity, and therefore, the developer can be stably discharged without load to the main assembly of the image forming apparatus 100. As described, with the structure of this example, the provision of the cylindrical portion 24 is effective to accomplish a large capacity developer supply container 1 without load to the main assembly of the image forming apparatus. In this manner, also in this example, one pump is enough to effect both of the sucking operation and the discharging operation, and therefore, the structure of the developer discharging mechanism can be simplified. The developer feeding mechanism in the cylindrical portion 24 is not restrictive to the present invention, and the developer supply container 1 may be vibrated or swung, or may be another mechanism. Specifically, the structure of FIG. 65 is usable. As shown in FIG. 65, the cylindrical portion 24 per se is not movable substantially relative to the developer receiving apparatus 8 (with slight play), and a feeding member 17 is provided in the cylindrical portion in place of the feeding projection 24a, the feeding member 17 being effective to feed the developer by rotation relative to the cylindrical portion 24. The feeding member 17 includes a shaft portion 17a and flexible feeding blades 17b fixed to the shaft portion 17a. The feeding blade 17b is provided at a free end portion with an inclined portion S inclined relative to an axial direction of the shaft portion 17a. Therefore, it can feed the developer toward the portion X while stirring the developer in the cylindrical portion 24. One longitudinal end surface of the cylindrical portion 24 is provided with a coupling portion 24e as the rotational driving force receiving portion, and the coupling portion 24e is operatively connected with a coupling member (not shown) of the developer receiving apparatus 8, by which the rotational force can be transmitted. The coupling portion 24e is coaxially connected with the shaft portion 17a of the feeding member 17 to transmit the rotational force to the shaft portion 17a. By the rotational force applied from the coupling member (not shown) of the developer receiving apparatus 8, the feeding blade 17b fixed to the shaft portion 17a is rotated, so that the developer in the cylindrical portion 24 is fed toward the portion X while being stirred. However, with the modified example shown in FIG. 65, the stress applied to the developer in the developer feeding step tends to be large, and the driving torque is also large, and for this reason, the structure of the embodiment is preferable. Thus, also in this example, one pump is enough to effect the sucking operation and the discharging operation, and therefore, the structure of the developer discharging mechanism can be simplified. In addition, by the sucking operation through the discharge opening, a pressure reduction state (negative pressure state) can be provided in the developer supply container, and therefore, the developer can be efficiently loosened. In addition, in this example, the developer supply container 1 is provided with the engaging portion similar to Embodiment 4, and therefore, similarly to the above-described embodiments, the mechanism for connecting and separating the developer receiving portion 11 relative to the developer supply container 1 by displacing the developer receiving portion 11 of the developer receiving apparatus 8 can be simplified. More particularly, a driving source and/or a drive transmission mechanism for moving the entirety of the developing device upwardly is unnecessary, and therefore, a complication of the structure of the image forming apparatus side and/or the increase in cost due to increase of the number of parts can be avoided. The connection between the developer supply container 1 and the developer receiving apparatus 8 can be properly established using the mounting operation of the developer supply container 1 with minimum contamination with the developer. Similarly, utilizing the dismounting operation of the developer supply container 1, the spacing and resealing between the developer supply container 1 and the developer receiving apparatus 8 can be carried out with minimum contamination with the developer. Embodiment 8 Referring to FIGS. 66-68, the description will be made as to structures of Embodiment 8. Part (a) of FIG. 66 is a front view of a developer receiving apparatus 8, as seen in a mounting direction of a developer supply container 1, and (b) is a perspective view of an inside of the developer receiving apparatus 8. Part (a) of FIG. 67 is a perspective view of the entire developer supply container 1, (b) is a partial enlarged view of a neighborhood of a discharge opening 21a of the developer supply container 1, and (c)-(d) are a front view and a sectional view illustrating a state that the developer supply container 1 is mounted to a mounting portion 8f. Part (a) of FIG. 68 is a perspective view of the developer accommodating portion 20, (b) is a partially sectional view illustrating an inside of the developer supply container 1, (c) is a sectional view of a flange portion 21, and (d) is a sectional view illustrating the developer supply container 1. In the above-described Embodiment 4-7, the pump is expanded and contracted by moving the locking member 10 (FIG. 38) of the developer receiving apparatus 8 vertically. In this example, the developer supply container 1 receives only a rotational force from the developer receiving apparatus 8, similarly to the Embodiment 1-Embodiment 3. In the other respects, the structure is similar to the foregoing embodiments, and therefore, the same reference numerals as in the foregoing embodiments are assigned to the elements having the corresponding functions in this embodiment, and the detailed description thereof is omitted for simplicity. Specifically, in this example, the rotational force inputted from the developer receiving apparatus 8 is converted to the force in the direction of reciprocation of the pump, and the converted force is transmitted to the pump portion 5. In the following, the structure of the developer receiving apparatus 8 and the developer supply container 1 will be described in detail. (Developer Receiving Apparatus) Referring to FIG. 66, the developer receiving apparatus 8 will be described. The developer receiving apparatus 8 is provided with a mounting portion (mounting space) 8f to which the developer supply container 1 is detachably mounted. As shown in part (b) of FIG. 66, the developer supply container 1 is mountable in a direction indicated by an arrow A to the mounting portion 8f. Thus, a longitudinal direction (rotational axis direction) of the developer supply container 1 is substantially the same as the direction of an arrow A. The direction of the arrow A is substantially parallel with a direction indicated by X of part (b) of FIG. 68 which will be described hereinafter. In addition, a dismounting direction of the developer supply container 1 from the mounting portion 8f is opposite (the direction of arrow B) the direction of the arrow A. As shown in part (a) of FIG. 66, the mounting portion 8f of the developer receiving apparatus 8 is provided with a rotation regulating portion (holding mechanism) 29 for limiting movement of the flange portion 21 in the rotational moving direction by abutting to a flange portion 21 (FIG. 67) of the developer supply container 1 when the developer supply container 1 is mounted. Furthermore, as shown in part (b) of FIG. 66, the mounting portion 8f is provided with a regulating portion (holding mechanism) 30 for regulating the movement of the flange portion 21 in the rotational axis direction by locking with the flange portion 21 of the developer supply container 1 when the developer supply container 1 is mounted. The rotational axis direction regulating portion 30 elastic deforms with the interference with the flange portion 21, and thereafter, upon release of the interference with the flange portion 21 (part (b) of FIG. 67), it elastically restores to lock the flange portion 21 (resin material snap locking mechanism). The mounting portion 8f of the developer receiving apparatus 8 is provided with a developer receiving portion 11 for receiving the developer discharged through the discharge opening (opening) 21a (part (b) of FIG. 68) of the developer supply container 1 which will be described hereinafter. Similarly to the above-described Embodiment 1 or Embodiment 2, the developer receiving portion 11 is movable (displaceable) in the vertical direction relative to the developer receiving apparatus 8. An upper end surface of the developer receiving portion 11 is provided with a main assembly seal 13 having a developer receiving port 11a in the central portion thereof. The main assembly seal 13 is made of an elastic member, a foam member or the like, and is close-contacted with an opening seal 3a5 (part (b) of FIG. 7) having a discharge opening 3a4 of the developer supply container 1, by which the developer discharged through the discharge opening 3a4 is prevented from leaking out of a developer feeding path including developer receiving port 11a. Or, it is close-contacted with the shutter 4 (part (a) of FIG. 25) having a shutter opening 4f to prevent leakage of the developer through the discharge opening 21a, the shutter opening 4f and the developer receiving port 11a. In order to prevent the contamination in the mounting portion 8f by the developer as much as possible, a diameter of the developer receiving port 11a is desirably substantially the same as or slightly larger than a diameter of the discharge opening 21a of the developer supply container 1. This is because if the diameter of the developer receiving port 11a is smaller than the diameter of the discharge opening 21a, the developer discharged from the developer supply container 1 is deposited on the upper surface of developer receiving port 11a, and the deposited developer is transferred onto the lower surface of the developer supply container 1 during the dismounting operation of the developer supply container 1, with the result of contamination with the developer. In addition, the developer transferred onto the developer supply container 1 may be scattered to the mounting portion 8f with the result of contamination of the mounting portion 8f with the developer. On the contrary, if the diameter of the developer receiving port 11a is quite larger than the diameter of the discharge opening 21a, an area in which the developer scattered from the developer receiving port 11a is deposited on the neighborhood of the discharge opening 21a is large. That is, the contaminated area of the developer supply container 1 by the developer is large, which is not preferable. Under the circumstances, the difference between the diameter of the developer receiving port 11a and the diameter of the discharge opening 21a is preferably substantially 0 to approx. 2 mm. In this example, the diameter of the discharge opening 21a of the developer supply container 1 is approx. Φ2 mm (pin hole), and therefore, the diameter of the developer receiving port 11a is approx. φ3 mm. Further, the developer receiving portion 11 is urged downwardly by an urging member 12 (FIGS. 3 and 4). When the developer receiving portion 11 moves upwardly, it has to move against an urging force of the urging member 12. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, below the developer receiving apparatus 8, there is provided a sub-hopper 8c for temporarily storing the developer. In the sub-hopper 8c, there are provided a feeding screw 14 for feeding the developer into the developer hopper portion 201a which is a part of the developing device 201, and an opening 8d which is in fluid communication with the developer hopper portion 201a. The developer receiving port 11a is closed so as to prevent foreign matter and/or dust entering the sub-hopper 8c in a state that the developer supply container 1 is not mounted. More specifically, the developer receiving port 11a is closed by a main assembly shutter 15 in the state that the developer receiving portion 11 is away to the upside. The developer receiving portion 11 moves upwardly (arrow E) from the position spaced from the developer supply container 1 toward the developer supply container 1. By this, the developer receiving port 11a and the main assembly shutter 15 are spaced from each other so that the developer receiving port 11a is open. With this open state, the developer discharged from the developer supply container 1 through the discharge opening 21a or the shutter and received by the developer receiving port 11a becomes movable to the sub-hopper 8c. A side surface of the developer receiving portion 11 is provided with an engaging portion 11b (FIGS. 3 and 4). The engaging portion 11b is directly engaged with an engaging portion 3b2, 3b4 (FIG. 8 or 20) provided on the developer supply container 1 which will be described hereinafter, and is guided thereby so that the developer receiving portion 11 is raised toward the developer supply container 1. The mounting portion 8f of the developer receiving apparatus 8 is provided with an insertion guide 8e for guiding the developer supply container 1 in the mounting and demounting direction, and by the insertion guide 8e (FIGS. 3 and 4), the mounting direction of the developer supply container 1 is made along the arrow A. The dismounting direction of the developer supply container 1 is the opposite (arrow B) to the direction of the arrow A. As shown in part (a) of FIG. 66, the developer receiving apparatus 8 is provided with a driving gear 9 functioning as a driving mechanism for driving the developer supply container 1. The driving gear 9 receives a rotational force from a driving motor 500 through a driving gear train, and functions to apply a rotational force to the developer supply container 1 which is set in the mounting portion 8f. As shown in FIG. 66, the driving motor 500 is controlled by a control device (CPU) 600. In this example, the driving gear 9 is rotatable unidirectionally to simplify the control for the driving motor 500. The control device 600 controls only ON (operation) and OFF (non-operation) of the driving motor 500. This simplifies the driving mechanism for the developer replenishing apparatus 8 as compared with a structure in which forward and backward driving forces are provided by periodically rotating the driving motor 500 (driving gear 9) in the forward direction and backward direction. (Developer Supply Container) Referring to FIGS. 67 and 68, the structure of the developer supply container 1 which is a constituent-element of the developer supplying system will be described. As shown in part (a) of FIG. 67, the developer supply container 1 includes a developer accommodating portion 20 (container body) having a hollow cylindrical inside space for accommodating the developer. In this example, a cylindrical portion 20k and the pump portion 20b functions as the developer accommodating portion 20. Furthermore, the developer supply container 1 is provided with a flange portion 21 (non-rotatable portion) at one end of the developer accommodating portion 20 with respect to the longitudinal direction (developer feeding direction). The developer accommodating portion 20 is rotatable relative to the flange portion 21. In this example, as shown in part (d) of FIG. 68, a total length L1 of the cylindrical portion 20k functioning as the developer accommodating portion is approx. 300 mm, and an outer diameter R1 is approx. 70 mm. A total length L2 of the pump portion 20b (in the state that it is most expanded in the expansible range in use) is approx. 50 mm, and a length L3 of a region in which a gear portion 20a of the flange portion 21 is provided is approx. 20 mm. A length L4 of a region of a discharging portion 21h functioning as a developer discharging portion is approx. 25 mm. A maximum outer diameter R2 (in the state that it is most expanded in the expansible range in use in the diametrical direction) of the pump portion 20b is approx. 65 mm, and a total volume capacity accommodating the developer in the developer supply container 1 is the 1250 cm∧3. In this example, the developer can be accommodated in the cylindrical portion 20k and the pump portion 20b and in addition the discharging portion 21h, that is, they function as a developer accommodating portion. As shown in FIGS. 67 and 68, in this example, in the state that the developer supply container 1 is mounted to the developer receiving apparatus 8, the cylindrical portion 20k and the discharging portion 21h are substantially on line along a horizontal direction. That is, the cylindrical portion 20k has a sufficiently long length in the horizontal direction as compared with the length in the vertical direction, and one end part with respect to the horizontal direction is connected with the discharging portion 21h. For this reason, the suction and discharging operations can be carried out smoothly as compared with the case in which the cylindrical portion 20k is above the discharging portion 21h in the state that the developer supply container 1 is mounted to the developer receiving apparatus 8. This is because the amount of the toner existing above the discharge opening 21a is small, and therefore, the developer in the neighborhood of the discharge opening 21a is less compressed. As shown in part (b) of FIG. 67, the flange portion 21 is provided with a hollow discharging portion (developer discharging chamber) 21h for temporarily storing the developer having been fed from the inside of the developer accommodating portion (inside of the developer accommodating chamber) 20 (see parts (b) and (c) of FIG. 33 if necessary). A bottom portion of the discharging portion 21h is provided with the small discharge opening 21a for permitting discharge of the developer to the outside of the developer supply container 1, that is, for supplying the developer into the developer receiving apparatus 8. The size of the discharge opening 21a is as has been described hereinbefore. An inner shape of the bottom portion of the inner of the discharging portion 21h (inside of the developer discharging chamber) is like a funnel converging toward the discharge opening 21a in order to reduce as much as possible the amount of the developer remaining therein (parts (b) and (c) of FIG. 68, if necessary). In addition, as shown in FIG. 67, the flange portion 21 is provided with engaging portions 3b2, 3b4 engageable with the developer receiving portion 11 displacably provided in the developer receiving apparatus 8, similarly to the above-described Embodiment 1 or Embodiment 2. The structures of the engaging portions 3b2, 3b4 are similar to those of above-described Embodiment 1 or Embodiment 2, and therefore, the description is omitted. Further, the flange portion 21 is provided therein with the shutter 4 for opening and closing discharge opening 21a, similarly to the above-described Embodiment 1 or Embodiment 2. The structure of the shutter 4 and the movement of the developer supply container 1 in the mounting and demounting operation are similar to the above-described Embodiment 1 or Embodiment 2, and therefore, the description thereof is omitted. The flange portion 21 is constructed such that when the developer supply container 1 is mounted to the mounting portion 8f of the developer receiving apparatus 8, it is stationary substantially. More particularly, as shown in part (c) of FIG. 67, the flange portion 21 is regulated (prevented) from rotating in the rotational direction about the rotational axis of the developer accommodating portion 20 by a rotational moving direction regulating portion 29 provided in the mounting portion 8f. In other words, the flange portion 21 is retained such that it is substantially non-rotatable by the developer receiving apparatus 8 (although the rotation within the play is possible). Furthermore, the flange portion 21 is locked by the rotational axis direction regulating portion 30 provided in the mounting portion 8f with the mounting operation of the developer supply container1. More specifically, the flange portion 21 contacts to the rotational axis direction regulating portion 30 in the process of the mounting operation of the developer supply container 1 to elastically deform the rotational axis direction regulating portion 30. Thereafter, the flange portion 21 abuts to an inner wall portion 28a (part (d) of FIG. 67) which is a stopper provided in the mounting portion 8f, by which the mounting step of the developer supply container 1 is completed. At this time, substantially simultaneously with and completion of the mounting, the interference by the flange portion 21 is released, so that the elastic deformation of the regulating portion 30 is released. As a result, as shown in part (d) of FIG. 67, the rotational axis direction regulating portion 30 is locked with the edge portion (functioning as a locking portion) of the flange portion 21 so that the movement in the rotational axis direction (rotational axis direction of the developer accommodating portion 20) is substantially prevented (regulated). At this time, a slight negligible movement within the play is possible. As described in the foregoing, in this example, the flange portion 21 is retained by the rotational axis direction regulating portion 30 of the developer receiving apparatus 8 so that it does not move in the rotational axis direction of the developer accommodating portion 20. Furthermore, the flange portion 21 is retained by the rotational moving direction regulating portion 29 of the developer receiving apparatus 8 such that it does not rotate in the rotational moving direction of the developer accommodating portion 20. When the operator takes the developer supply container 1 out of the mounting portion 8f, the rotational axis direction regulating portion 30 elastically deforms by the flange portion 21 so as to be released from the flange portion 21. The rotational axis direction of the developer accommodating portion 20 is substantially coaxial with the rotational axis direction of the gear portion 20a (FIG. 68). Therefore, in the state that the developer supply container 1 is mounted to the developer receiving apparatus 8, the discharging portion 21h provided in the flange portion 21 is prevented substantially in the movement of the developer accommodating portion 20 in the axial direction and in the rotational moving direction (movement within the play is permitted). On the other hand, the developer accommodating portion 20 is not limited in the rotational moving direction by the developer receiving apparatus 8, and therefore, is rotatable in the developer supplying step. However, the movement of the developer accommodating portion 20 in the rotational axis direction is substantially prevented by the flange portion 21 (the movement within the play is permitted). (Pump Portion) Referring to FIGS. 68 and 69, the description will be made as to the pump portion (reciprocable pump) 20b in which the volume thereof changes with reciprocation. Part (a) of FIG. 69 is a sectional view of the developer supply container 1 in which the pump portion 20b is expanded to the maximum extent in operation of the developer supplying step, and part (b) of FIG. 69 is a sectional view of the developer supply container 1 in which the pump portion 20b is compressed to the maximum extent in operation of the developer supplying step. The pump portion 20b of this example functions as a suction and discharging mechanism for repeating the sucking operation and the discharging operation alternately through the discharge opening 21a. As shown in part (b) of FIG. 68, the pump portion 20b is provided between the discharging portion 21h and the cylindrical portion 20k, and is fixedly connected to the cylindrical portion 20k. Thus, the pump portion 20b is rotatable integrally with the cylindrical portion 20k. In the pump portion 20b of this example, the developer can be accommodated therein. The developer accommodating space in the pump portion 20b has a significant function of fluidizing the developer in the sucking operation, as will be described hereinafter. In this example, the pump portion 20b is a displacement type pump (bellow-like pump) of resin material in which the volume thereof changes with the reciprocation. More particularly, as shown in (a)-(b) of FIG. 68, the bellow-like pump includes crests and bottoms periodically and alternately. The pump portion 20b repeats the compression and the expansion alternately by the driving force received from the developer receiving apparatus 8. In this example, the volume change of the pump portion 20b by the expansion and contraction is 15 cm∧3 (cc). As shown in part (d) of FIG. 68, a total length L2 (most expanded state within the expansion and contraction range in operation) of the pump portion 20b is approx. 50 mm, and a maximum outer diameter (largest state within the expansion and contraction range in operation) R2 of the pump portion 20b is approx. 65 mm. With use of such a pump portion 20b, the internal pressure of the developer supply container 1 (developer accommodating portion 20 and discharging portion 21h) higher than the ambient pressure and the internal pressure lower than the ambient pressure are produced alternately and repeatedly at a predetermined cyclic period (approx. 0.9 sec in this example). The ambient pressure is the pressure of the ambient condition in which the developer supply container 1 is placed. As a result, the developer in the discharging portion 21h can be discharged efficiently through the small diameter discharge opening 21a (diameter of approx. 2 mm). As shown in part (b) of FIG. 68, the pump portion 20b is connected to the discharging portion 21h rotatably relative thereto in the state that a discharging portion 21h side end is compressed against a ring-like sealing member 27 provided on an inner surface of the flange portion 21. By this, the pump portion 20b rotates sliding on the sealing member 27, and therefore, the developer does not leak from the pump portion 20b, and the hermetical property is maintained, during rotation. Thus, in and out of the air through the discharge opening 21a are carries out properly, and the internal pressure of the developer supply container 1 (pump portion 20b, developer accommodating portion 20 and discharging portion 21h) are changed properly, during supply operation. (Drive Transmission Mechanism) The description will be made as to a drive receiving mechanism (drive inputting portion, driving force receiving portion) of the developer supply container 1 for receiving the rotational force for rotating the feeding portion 20c from the developer receiving apparatus 8. As shown in part (a) of FIG. 68, the developer supply container 1 is provided with a gear portion 20a which functions as a drive receiving mechanism (drive inputting portion, driving force receiving portion) engageable (driving connection) with a driving gear 9 (functioning as driving portion, driving mechanism) of the developer receiving apparatus 8. The gear portion 20a is fixed to one longitudinal end portion of the pump portion 20b. Thus, the gear portion 20a, the pump portion 20b, and the cylindrical portion 20k are integrally rotatable. Therefore, the rotational force inputted to the gear portion 20a from the driving gear 9 is transmitted to the cylindrical portion 20k (feeding portion 20c) a pump portion 20b. In other words, in this example, the pump portion 20b functions as a drive transmission mechanism for transmitting the rotational force inputted to the gear portion 20a to the feeding portion 20c of the developer accommodating portion 20. For this reason, the bellow-like pump portion 20b of this example is made of a resin material having a high property against torsion or twisting about the axis within a limit of not adversely affecting the expanding-and-contracting operation. In this example, the gear portion 20a is provided at one longitudinal end (developer feeding direction) of the developer accommodating portion 20, that is, at the discharging portion 21h side end, but this is not inevitable, and for example, it may be provided in the other longitudinal end portion of the developer accommodating portion 20, that is, most rear part. In such a case, the driving gear 9 is provided at a corresponding position. In this example, a gear mechanism is employed as the driving connection mechanism between the drive inputting portion of the developer supply container 1 and the driver of the developer receiving apparatus 8, but this is not inevitable, and a known coupling mechanism, for example is usable. More particularly, in such a case, the structure may be such that a non-circular recess is provided in a bottom surface of one longitudinal end portion (righthand side end surface of (d) of FIG. 68) as a drive inputting portion, and correspondingly, a projection having a configuration corresponding to the recess as a driver for the developer receiving apparatus 8, so that they are in driving connection with each other. (Drive Converting Mechanism) A drive converting mechanism (drive converting portion) for the developer supply container 1 will be described. The developer supply container 1 is provided with the cam mechanism for converting the rotational force for rotating the feeding portion 20c received by the gear portion 20a to a force in the reciprocating directions of the pump portion 20b. That is, in the example, the description will be made as to an example using a cam mechanism as the drive converting mechanism, but the present invention is not limited to this example, and other structures such as with Embodiments 9 et seqq. Are usable. In this example, one drive inputting portion (gear portion 20a) receives the driving force for driving the feeding portion 20c and the pump portion 20b, and the rotational force received by the gear portion 20a is converted to a reciprocation force in the developer supply container 1 side. Because of this structure, the structure of the drive inputting mechanism for the developer supply container 1 is simplified as compared with the case of providing the developer supply container 1 with two separate drive inputting portions. In addition, the drive is received by a single driving gear of developer receiving apparatus 8, and therefore, the driving mechanism of the developer receiving apparatus 8 is also simplified. In the case that the reciprocation force is received from the developer receiving apparatus 8, there is a liability that the driving connection between the developer receiving apparatus 8 and the developer supply container 1 is not proper, and therefore, the pump portion 20b is not driven. More particularly, when the developer supply container 1 is taken out of the image forming apparatus 100 and then is mounted again, the pump portion 20b may not be properly reciprocated. For example, when the drive input to the pump portion 20b stops in a state that the pump portion 20b is compressed from the normal length, the pump portion 20b restores spontaneously to the normal length when the developer supply container is taken out. In this case, the position of the drive inputting portion for the pump portion 20b changes when the developer supply container 1 is taken out, despite the fact that a stop position of the drive outputting portion of the image forming apparatus 100 side remains unchanged. As a result, the driving connection is not properly established between the drive outputting portion of the image forming apparatus 100 sides and pump portion 20b drive inputting portion of the developer supply container 1 side, and therefore, the pump portion 20b cannot be reciprocated. Then, the developer supply is not carries out, and sooner or later, the image formation becomes impossible. Such a problem may similarly arise when the expansion and contraction state of the pump portion 20b is changed by the user while the developer supply container 1 is outside the apparatus. Such a problem similarly arises when developer supply container 1 is exchanged with a new one. The structure of this example is substantially free of such a problem. This will be described in detail. As shown in FIGS. 68 and 69, the outer surface of the cylindrical portion 20k of the developer accommodating portion 20 is provided with a plurality of cam projections 20d functioning as a rotatable portion substantially at regular intervals in the circumferential direction. More particularly, two cam projections 20d are disposed on the outer surface of the cylindrical portion 20k at diametrically opposite positions, that is, approx. 180° opposing positions. The number of the cam projections 20d may be at least one. However, there is a liability that a moment is produced in the drive converting mechanism and so on by a drag at the time of expansion or contraction of the pump portion 20b, and therefore, smooth reciprocation is disturbed, and therefore, it is preferable that a plurality of them are provided so that the relation with the configuration of the cam groove 21b which will be described hereinafter is maintained. On the other hand, a cam groove 21b engaged with the cam projections 20d is formed in an inner surface of the flange portion 21 over an entire circumference, and it functions as a follower portion. Referring to FIG. 70, the cam groove 21b will be described. In FIG. 70, an arrow An indicates a rotational moving direction of the cylindrical portion 20k (moving direction of cam projection 20d), an arrow B indicates a direction of expansion of the pump portion 20b, and an arrow C indicates a direction of compression of the pump portion 20b. In FIG. 40, an arrow An indicates a rotational moving direction of the cylindrical portion 20k (moving direction of cam projection 20d), an arrow B indicates a direction of expansion of the pump portion 20b, and an arrow C indicates a direction of compression of the pump portion 20b. Here, an angle α is formed between a cam groove 21c and a rotational moving direction An of the cylindrical portion 20k, and an angle β is formed between a cam groove 21d and the rotational moving direction A. In addition, an amplitude (=length of expansion and contraction of pump portion 20b) in the expansion and contracting directions B, C of the pump portion 20b of the cam groove is L. As shown in FIG. 70 illustrating the cam groove 21b in a developed view, a groove portion 21c inclining from the cylindrical portion 20k side toward the discharging portion 21h side and a groove portion 21d inclining from the discharging portion 21h side toward the cylindrical portion 20k side are connected alternately. In this example, the relation between the angles of the cam grooves 21c, 21d is α=ϵ. Therefore, in this example, the cam projection 20d and the cam groove 21b function as a drive transmission mechanism to the pump portion 20b. More particularly, the cam projection 20d and the cam groove 21b function as a mechanism for converting the rotational force received by the gear portion 20a from the driving gear 300 to the force (force in the rotational axis direction of the cylindrical portion 20k) in the directions of reciprocal movement of the pump portion 20b and for transmitting the force to the pump portion 20b. More particularly, the cylindrical portion 20k is rotated with the pump portion 20b by the rotational force inputted to the gear portion 20a from the driving gear 9, and the cam projections 20d are rotated by the rotation of the cylindrical portion 20k. Therefore, by the cam groove 21b engaged with the cam projection 20d, the pump portion 20b reciprocates in the rotational axis direction (X direction of FIG. 68) together with the cylindrical portion 20k. The arrow X direction is substantially parallel with the arrow M direction of FIGS. 66 and 67. In other words, the cam projection 20d and the cam groove 21b convert the rotational force inputted from the driving gear 9 so that the state in which the pump portion 20b is expanded (part (a) of FIG. 69) and the state in which the pump portion 20b is contracted (part (b) of FIG. 69) are repeated alternately. Thus, in this example, the pump portion 20b rotates with the cylindrical portion 20k, and therefore, when the developer in the cylindrical portion 20k moves in the pump portion 20b, the developer can be stirred (loosened) by the rotation of the pump portion 20b. In this example, the pump portion 20b is provided between the cylindrical portion 20k and the discharging portion 21h, and therefore, stirring action can be imparted on the developer fed to the discharging portion 21h, which is further advantageous. Furthermore, as described above, in this example, the cylindrical portion 20k reciprocates together with the pump portion 20b, and therefore, the reciprocation of the cylindrical portion 20k can stir (loosen) the developer inside cylindrical portion 20k. (Set Conditions of Drive Converting Mechanism) In this example, the drive converting mechanism effects the drive conversion such that an amount (per unit time) of developer feeding to the discharging portion 21h by the rotation of the cylindrical portion 20k is larger than a discharging amount (per unit time) to the developer receiving apparatus 8 from the discharging portion 21h by the pump function. This is because if the developer discharging power of the pump portion 20b is higher than the developer feeding power of the feeding portion 20c to the discharging portion 21h, the amount of the developer existing in the discharging portion 21h gradually decreases. In other words, it is avoided that the time period required for supplying the developer from the developer supply container 1 to the developer receiving apparatus 8 is prolonged. In the drive converting mechanism of this example, the feeding amount of the developer by the feeding portion 20c to the discharging portion 21h is 2.0 g/s, and the discharge amount of the developer by pump portion 20b is 1.2 g/s. In addition, in the drive converting mechanism of this example, the drive conversion is such that the pump portion 20b reciprocates a plurality of times per one full rotation of the cylindrical portion 20k. This is for the following reasons. In the case of the structure in which the cylindrical portion 20k is rotated inner the developer receiving apparatus 8, it is preferable that the driving motor 500 is set at an output required to rotate the cylindrical portion 20k stably at all times. However, from the standpoint of reducing the energy consumption in the image forming apparatus 100 as much as possible, it is preferable to minimize the output of the driving motor 500. The output required by the driving motor 500 is calculated from the rotational torque and the rotational frequency of the cylindrical portion 20k, and therefore, in order to reduce the output of the driving motor 500, the rotational frequency of the cylindrical portion 20k is minimized. However, in the case of this example, if the rotational frequency of the cylindrical portion 20k is reduced, a number of operations of the pump portion 20b per unit time decreases, and therefore, the amount of the developer (per unit time) discharged from the developer supply container 1 decreases. In other words, there is a possibility that the developer amount discharged from the developer supply container 1 is insufficient to quickly meet the developer supply amount required by the main assembly of the image forming apparatus 100. If the amount of the volume change of the pump portion 20b is increased, the developer discharging amount per unit cyclic period of the pump portion 20b can be increased, and therefore, the requirement of the main assembly of the image forming apparatus 100 can be met, but doing so gives rise to the following problem. If the amount of the volume change of the pump portion 20b is increased, a peak value of the internal pressure (positive pressure) of the developer supply container 1 in the discharging step increases, and therefore, the load required for the reciprocation of the pump portion 20b increases. For this reason, in this example, the pump portion 20b operates a plurality of cyclic periods per one full rotation of the cylindrical portion 20k. By this, the developer discharge amount per unit time can be increased as compared with the case in which the pump portion 20b operates one cyclic period per one full rotation of the cylindrical portion 20k, without increasing the volume change amount of the pump portion 20b. Corresponding to the increase of the discharge amount of the developer, the rotational frequency of the cylindrical portion 20k can be reduced. Verification experiments were carried out as to the effects of the plural cyclic operations per one full rotation of the cylindrical portion 20k. In the experiments, the developer is filled into the developer supply container 1, and a developer discharge amount and a rotational torque of the cylindrical portion 20k are measured. Then, the output (=rotational torque×rotational frequency) of the driving motor 500 required for rotation a cylindrical portion 20k is calculated from the rotational torque of the cylindrical portion 20k and the preset rotational frequency of the cylindrical portion 20k. The experimental conditions are that the number of operations of the pump portion 20b per one full rotation of the cylindrical portion 20k is two, the rotational frequency of the cylindrical portion 20k is 30 rpm, and the volume change of the pump portion 20b is 15 cm∧3. As a result of the verification experiment, the developer discharging amount from the developer supply container 1 is approx. 1.2 g/s. The rotational torque of the cylindrical portion 20k (average torque in the normal state) is 0.64N·m, and the output of the driving motor 500 is approx. 2 W (motor load (W)=0.1047× rotational torque (N·m)×rotational frequency (rpm), wherein 0.1047 is the unit conversion coefficient) as a result of the calculation. Comparative experiments were carried out in which the number of operations of the pump portion 20b per one full rotation of the cylindrical portion 20k was one, the rotational frequency of the cylindrical portion 20k was 60 rpm, and the other conditions were the same as the above-described experiments. In other words, the developer discharge amount was made the same as with the above-described experiments, i.e. approx. 1.2 g/s. As a result of the comparative experiments, the rotational torque of the cylindrical portion 20k (average torque in the normal state) is 0.66N·m, and the output of the driving motor 500 is approx. 4 W by the calculation. From these experiments, it has been confirmed that the pump portion 20b carries out preferably the cyclic operation a plurality of times per one full rotation of the cylindrical portion 20k. In other words, it has been confirmed that by doing so, the discharging performance of the developer supply container 1 can be maintained with a low rotational frequency of the cylindrical portion 20k. With the structure of this example, the required output of the driving motor 500 may be low, and therefore, the energy consumption of the main assembly of the image forming apparatus 100 can be reduced. (Position of Drive Converting Mechanism) As shown in FIGS. 68 and 69, in this example, the drive converting mechanism (cam mechanism constituted by the cam projection 20d and the cam groove 21b) is provided outside of developer accommodating portion 20. More particularly, the drive converting mechanism is disposed at a position separated from the inside spaces of the cylindrical portion 20k, the pump portion 20b and the flange portion 21, so that the drive converting mechanism does not contact the developer accommodated inside the cylindrical portion 20k, the pump portion 20b and the flange portion 21. By this, a problem which may arise when the drive converting mechanism is provided in the inside space of the developer accommodating portion 20 can be avoided. More particularly, the problem is that by the developer entering portions of the drive converting mechanism where sliding motions occur, the particles of the developer are subjected to heat and pressure to soften and therefore, they agglomerate into masses (coarse particle), or they enter into a converting mechanism with the result of torque increase. The problem can be avoided. (Developer Discharging Principle by Pump Portion). Referring to FIG. 69, a developer supplying step by the pump portion will be described. In this example, as will be described hereinafter, the drive conversion of the rotational force is carries out by the drive converting mechanism so that the suction step (sucking operation through discharge opening 21a) and the discharging step (discharging operation through the discharge opening 21a) are repeated alternately. The suction step and the discharging step will be described. (Suction Step) First, the suction step (sucking operation through discharge opening 21a) will be described. As shown in part (a) of FIG. 69, the sucking operation is effected by the pump portion 20b being expanded in a direction indicated by an arrow co by the above-described drive converting mechanism (cam mechanism). More particularly, by the sucking operation, a volume of a portion of the developer supply container 1 (pump portion 20b, cylindrical portion 20k and flange portion 21) which can accommodate the developer increases. At this time, the developer supply container 1 is substantially hermetically sealed except for the discharge opening 21a, and the discharge opening 21a is plugged substantially by the developer T. Therefore, the internal pressure of the developer supply container 1 decreases with the increase of the volume of the portion of the developer supply container 1 capable of containing the developer T. At this time, the internal pressure of the developer supply container 1 is lower than the ambient pressure (external air pressure). For this reason, the air outside the developer supply container 1 enters the developer supply container 1 through the discharge opening 21a by a pressure difference between the inside and the outside of the developer supply container 1. At this time, the air is taken-in from the outside of the developer supply container 1, and therefore, the developer T in the neighborhood of the discharge opening 21a can be loosened (fluidized). More particularly, by the air impregnated into the developer powder existing in the neighborhood of the discharge opening 21a, the bulk density of the developer powder T is reduced and the developer is and fluidized. Since the air is taken into the developer supply container 1 through the discharge opening 21a as a result, the internal pressure of the developer supply container 1 changes in the neighborhood of the ambient pressure (external air pressure) despite the increase of the volume of the developer supply container 1. In this manner, by the fluidization of the developer T, the developer T does not pack or clog in the discharge opening 21a, so that the developer can be smoothly discharged through the discharge opening 21a in the discharging operation which will be described hereinafter. Therefore, the amount of the developer T (per unit time) discharged through the discharge opening 3a can be maintained substantially at a constant level for a long term. (Discharging Step) As shown in part (b) of FIG. 69, the discharging operation is effected by the pump portion 20b being compressed in a direction indicated by an arrow γ by the above-described drive converting mechanism (cam mechanism). More particularly, by the discharging operation, a volume of a portion of the developer supply container 1 (pump portion 20b, cylindrical portion 20k and flange portion 21) which can accommodate the developer decreases. At this time, the developer supply container 1 is substantially hermetically sealed except for the discharge opening 21a, and the discharge opening 21a is plugged substantially by the developer T until the developer is discharged. Therefore, the internal pressure of the developer supply container 1 rises with the decrease of the volume of the portion of the developer supply container 1 capable of containing the developer T. Since the internal pressure of the developer supply container 1 is higher than the ambient pressure (the external air pressure), the developer T is pushed out by the pressure difference between the inside and the outside of the developer supply container 1, as shown in part (b) of FIG. 69. That is, the developer T is discharged from the developer supply container 1 into the developer receiving apparatus 8. Thereafter, the air in the developer supply container 1 is also discharged with the developer T, and therefore, the internal pressure of the developer supply container 1 decreases. As described in the foregoing, according to this example, the discharging of the developer can be effected efficiently using one reciprocation type pump, and therefore, the mechanism for the developer discharging can be simplified. (Set Condition of Cam Groove) Referring to FIGS. 71-76, modified examples of the set condition of the cam groove 21b will be described. FIGS. 71-76 are developed views of cam grooves 3b. Referring to the developed views of FIGS. 71-76, the description will be made as to the influence to the operational condition of the pump portion 20b when the configuration of the cam groove 21b is changed. Here, in each of FIGS. 71-76-41, an arrow A indicates a rotational moving direction of the developer accommodating portion 20 (moving direction of the cam projection 20d); an arrow B indicates the expansion direction of the pump portion 20b; and an arrow C indicates a compression direction of the pump portion 20b. In addition, a groove portion of the cam groove 21b for compressing the pump portion 20b is indicated as a cam groove 21c, and a groove portion for expanding the pump portion 20b is indicated as a cam groove 21d. Furthermore, an angle formed between the cam groove 21c and the rotational moving direction An of the developer accommodating portion 20 is a; an angle formed between the cam groove 21d and the rotational moving direction An is β; and an amplitude (expansion and contraction length of the pump portion 20b), in the expansion and contracting directions B, C of the pump portion 20b, of the cam groove is L. First, the description will be made as to the expansion and contraction length L of the pump portion 20b. When the expansion and contraction length L is shortened, for example, the volume change amount of the pump portion 20b decreases, and therefore, the pressure difference from the external air pressure is reduced. Then, the pressure imparted to the developer in the developer supply container 1 decreases, with the result that the amount of the developer discharged from the developer supply container 1 per one cyclic period (one reciprocation, that is, one expansion and contracting operation of the pump portion 20b) decreases. From this consideration, as shown in FIG. 71, the amount of the developer discharged when the pump portion 20b is reciprocated once, can be decreased as compared with the structure of FIG. 70, if an amplitude L′ is selected so as to satisfy L′<L under the condition that the angles α and β are constant. On the contrary, if L′>L, the developer discharge amount can be increased. As regards the angles α and β of the cam groove, when the angles are increased, for example, the movement distance of the cam projection 20d when the developer accommodating portion 20 rotates for a constant time increases if the rotational speed of the developer accommodating portion 20 is constant, and therefore, as a result, the expansion-and-contraction speed of the pump portion 20b increases. On the other hand, when the cam projection 20d moves in the cam groove 21b, the resistance received from the cam groove 21b is large, and therefore, a torque required for rotating the developer accommodating portion 20 increases as a result. For this reason, as shown in FIG. 72, if the angle β′ of the cam groove 21d of the cam groove 21d is selected so as to satisfy α′>α and β′>β without changing the expansion and contraction length L, the expansion-and-contraction speed of the pump portion 20b can be increased as compared with the structure of the FIG. 70. As a result, the number of expansion and contracting operations of the pump portion 20b per one rotation of the developer accommodating portion 20 can be increased. Furthermore, since a flow speed of the air entering the developer supply container 1 through the discharge opening 21a increases, the loosening effect to the developer existing in the neighborhood of the discharge opening 21a is enhanced. On the contrary, if the selection satisfies α′<α and β′<β, the rotational torque of the developer accommodating portion 20 can be decreased. When a developer having a high flowability is used, for example, the expansion of the pump portion 20b tends to cause the air entered through the discharge opening 21a to blow out the developer existing in the neighborhood of the discharge opening 21a. As a result, there is a possibility that the developer cannot be accumulated sufficiently in the discharging portion 21h, and therefore, the developer discharge amount decreases. In this case, by decreasing the expanding speed of the pump portion 20b in accordance with this selection, the blowing-out of the developer can be suppressed, and therefore, the discharging power can be improved. If, as shown in FIG. 73, the angle of the cam groove 21b is selected so as to satisfy α<β, the expanding speed of the pump portion 20b can be increased as compared with a compressing speed. On the contrary, as shown in FIG. 70, if the angle α>the angle β, the expanding speed of the pump portion 20b can be reduced as compared with the compressing speed. When the developer is in a highly packed state, for example, the operation force of the pump portion 20b is larger in a compression stroke of the pump portion 20b than in an expansion stroke thereof. As a result, the rotational torque for the developer accommodating portion 20 tends to be higher in the compression stroke of the pump portion 20b. However, in this case, if the cam groove 21b is constructed as shown in FIG. 73, the developer loosening effect in the expansion stroke of the pump portion 20b can be enhanced as compared with the structure of FIG. 70. In addition, the resistance received by the cam projection 20d from the cam groove 21b in the compression stroke is small, and therefore, the increase of the rotational torque in the compression of the pump portion 20b can be suppressed. As shown in FIG. 74, a cam groove 21e substantially parallel with the rotational moving direction (arrow A in the Figure) of the developer accommodating portion 20 may be provided between the cam grooves 21c, 21d. In this case, the cam does not function while the cam projection 20d is moving in the cam groove 21e, and therefore, a step in which the pump portion 20b does not carry out the expanding-and-contracting operation can be provided. By doing so, if a process in which the pump portion 20b is at rest in the expanded state is provided, the developer loosening effect is improved, since then in an initial stage of the discharging in which the developer is present always in the neighborhood of the discharge opening 21a, the pressure reduction state in the developer supply container 1 is maintained during the rest period. On the other hand, in a last part of the discharging, the developer is not stored sufficiently in the discharging portion 21h, because the amount of the developer inside the developer supply container 1 is small and because the developer existing in the neighborhood of the discharge opening 21a is blown out by the air entered through the discharge opening 21a. In other words, the developer discharge amount tends to gradually decrease, but even in such a case, by continuing to feed the developer by rotating is developer accommodating portion 20 during the rest period with the expanded state, the discharging portion 21h can be filled sufficiently with the developer. Therefore, a stabilization developer discharge amount can be maintained until the developer supply container 1 becomes empty. In addition, in the structure of FIG. 70, by making the expansion and contraction length L of the cam groove longer, the developer discharging amount per one cyclic period of the pump portion 20b can be increased. However, in this case, the amount of the volume change of the pump portion 20b increases, and therefore, the pressure difference from the external air pressure also increases. For this reason, the driving force required for driving the pump portion 20b also increases, and therefore, there is a liability that a drive load required by the developer receiving apparatus 8 is excessively large. Under the circumstances, in order to increase the developer discharge amount per one cyclic period of the pump portion 20b without giving rise to such a problem, the angle of the cam groove 21b is selected so as to satisfy α>β, by which the compressing speed of a pump portion 20b can be increased as compared with the expanding speed, as shown in FIG. 75. Verification experiments were carried out as to the structure of FIG. 75. In the experiments, the developer is filled in the developer supply container 1 having the cam groove 21b shown in FIG. 75; the volume change of the pump portion 20b is carried out in the order of the compressing operation and then the expanding operation to discharge the developer; and the discharge amounts are measured. The experimental conditions are that the amount of the volume change of the pump portion 20b is 50 cm∧3, the compressing speed of the pump portion 20b the 180 cm∧3/s, and the expanding speed of the pump portion 20b is 60 cm∧3/s. The cyclic period of the operation of the pump portion 20b is approx. 1.1 seconds. The developer discharge amounts are measured in the case of the structure of FIG. 70. However, the compressing speed and the expanding speed of the pump portion 20b are 90 cm∧3/s, and the amount of the volume change of the pump portion 20b and one cyclic period of the pump portion 20b is the same as in the example of FIG. 75. The results of the verification experiments will be described. Part (a) of FIG. 77 shows the change of the internal pressure of the developer supply container 1 in the volume change of the pump portion 50b. In part (a) of FIG. 77, the abscissa represents the time, and the ordinate represents a relative pressure in the developer supply container 1 (+ is positive pressure side, is negative pressure side) relative to the ambient pressure (reference (0)). Solid lines and broken lines are for the developer supply container 1 having the cam groove 21b of FIG. 75, and that of FIG. 70, respectively. In the compressing operation of the pump portion 20b, the internal pressures rise with elapse of time and reach the peaks upon completion of the compressing operation, in both examples. At this time, the pressure in the developer supply container 1 changes within a positive range relative to the ambient pressure (external air pressure), and therefore, the inside developer is pressurized, and the developer is discharged through the discharge opening 21a. Subsequently, in the expanding operation of the pump portion 20b, the volume of the pump portion 20b increases for the internal pressures of the developer supply container 1 decrease, in both examples. At this time, the pressure in the developer supply container 1 changes from the positive pressure to the negative pressure relative to the ambient pressure (external air pressure), and the pressure continues to apply to the inside developer until the air is taken in through the discharge opening 21a, and therefore, the developer is discharged through the discharge opening 21a. That is, in the volume change of the pump portion 20b, when the developer supply container 1 is in the positive pressure state, that is, when the inside developer is pressurized, the developer is discharged, and therefore, the developer discharge amount in the volume change of the pump portion 20b increases with a time-integration amount of the pressure. As shown in part (a) of FIG. 77, the peak pressure at the time of completion of the compressing operation of the pump portion 2b is 5.7 kPa with the structure of FIG. 75 and is 5.4 kPa with the structure of the FIG. 70, and it is higher in the structure of FIG. 75 despite the fact that the volume change amounts of the pump portion 20b are the same. This is because by increasing the compressing speed of the pump portion 20b, the inside of the developer supply container 1 is pressurized abruptly, and the developer is concentrated to the discharge opening 21a at once, with the result that a discharge resistance in the discharging of the developer through the discharge opening 21a becomes large. Since the discharge openings 21a have small diameters in both examples, the tendency is remarkable. Since the time required for one cyclic period of the pump portion is the same in both examples as shown in (a) of FIG. 77, the time integration amount of the pressure is larger in the example of the FIG. 75. Following Table 3 shows measured data of the developer discharge amount per one cyclic period operation of the pump portion 20b. TABLE 3 Amount of developer discharge (g) FIG. 67 3.4 FIG. 72 3.7 FIG. 73 4.5 As shown in Table 3, the developer discharge amount is 3.7 g in the structure of FIG. 75, and is 3.4 g in the structure of FIG. 70, that is, it is larger in the case of FIG. 75 structure. From these results and, the results of part (a) of the FIG. 77, it has been confirmed that the developer discharge amount per one cyclic period of the pump portion 20b increases with the time integration amount of the pressure. From the foregoing, the developer discharging amount per one cyclic period of the pump portion 20b can be increased by making the compressing speed of the pump portion 20b higher as compared with the expansion speed and making the peak pressure in the compressing operation of the pump portion 20b higher as shown in FIG. 75. The description will be made as to another method for increasing the developer discharging amount per one cyclic period of the pump portion 20b. With the cam groove 21b shown in FIG. 76, similarly to the case of FIG. 74, a cam groove 21e substantially parallel with the rotational moving direction of the developer accommodating portion 20 is provided between the cam groove 21c and the cam groove 21d. However, in the case of the cam groove 21b shown in FIG. 76, the cam groove 21e is provided at such a position that in a cyclic period of the pump portion 20b, the operation of the pump portion 20b stops in the state that the pump portion 20b is compressed, after the compressing operation of the pump portion 20b. With the structure of the FIG. 76, the developer discharge amount was measured similarly. In the verification experiments for this, the compressing speed and the expanding speed of the pump portion 20b is 180 cm∧3/s, and the other conditions are the same as with FIG. 75 example. The results of the verification experiments will be described. Part (b) of the FIG. 77 shows changes of the internal pressure of the developer supply container 1 in the expanding-and-contracting operation of the pump portion 2b. Solid lines and broken lines are for the developer supply container 1 having the cam groove 21b of FIG. 76, and that of FIG. 75, respectively. Also in the case of FIG. 76, the internal pressure rises with elapse of time during the compressing operation of the pump portion 20b, and reaches the peak upon completion of the compressing operation. At this time, similarly to FIG. 75, the pressure in the developer supply container 1 changes within the positive range, and therefore, the inside developer are discharged. The compressing speed of the pump portion 20b in the example of the FIG. 41 is the same as with FIG. 75 example, and therefore, the peak pressure upon completion of the compressing operation of the pump portion 2b is 5.7 kPa which is equivalent to the FIG. 76 example. Subsequently, when the pump portion 20b stops in the compression state, the internal pressure of the developer supply container 1 gradually decreases. This is because the pressure produced by the compressing operation of the pump portion 2b remains after the operation stop of the pump portion 2b, and the inside developer and the air are discharged by the pressure. However, the internal pressure can be maintained at a level higher than in the case that the expanding operation is started immediately after completion of the compressing operation, and therefore, a larger amount of the developer is discharged during it. When the expanding operation starts thereafter, similarly to the example of the FIG. 40, the internal pressure of the developer supply container 1 decreases, and the developer is discharged until the pressure in the developer supply container 1 becomes negative, since the inside developer is pressed continuously. As time integration values of the pressure are compared as shown is part (b) of FIG. 77, it is larger in the case of FIG. 76, because the high internal pressure is maintained during the rest period of the pump portion 20b under the condition that the time durations in unit cyclic periods of the pump portion 20b in these examples are the same. As shown in Table 3, the measured developer discharge amounts per one cyclic period of the pump portion 20b is 4.5 g in the case of FIG. 76, and is larger than in the case of FIG. 75 (3.7g). From the results of the Table 3 and the results shown in part (b) of FIG. 77, it has been confirmed that the developer discharge amount per one cyclic period of the pump portion 20b increases with time integration amount of the pressure. Thus, in the example of FIG. 76, the operation of the pump portion 20b is stopped in the compressed state, after the compressing operation. For this reason, the peak pressure in the developer supply container 1 in the compressing operation of the pump portion 2b is high, and the pressure is maintained at a level as high as possible, by which the developer discharging amount per one cyclic period of the pump portion 20b can be further increased. As described in the foregoing, by changing the configuration of the cam groove 21b, the discharging power of the developer supply container 1 can be adjusted, and therefore, the apparatus of this embodiment can respond to a developer amount required by the developer receiving apparatus 8 and to a property or the like of the developer to use. In FIGS. 70-76, the discharging operation and the sucking operation of the pump portion 20b are alternately carried out, but the discharging operation and/or the sucking operation may be temporarily stopped partway, and a predetermined time after the discharging operation and/or the sucking operation may be resumed. For example, it is a possible alternative that the discharging operation of the pump portion 20b is not carried out monotonically, but the compressing operation of the pump portion is temporarily stopped partway, and then, the compressing operation is compressed to effect discharge. The same applies to the sucking operation. Furthermore, the discharging operation and/or the sucking operation may be multi-step type, as long as the developer discharge amount and the discharging speed are satisfied. Thus, even when the discharging operation and/or the sucking operation are divided into multi-steps, the situation is still that the discharging operation and the sucking operation are alternately repeated. As described in the foregoing, also in this embodiment, one pump is enough to effect the sucking operation and the discharging operation, and therefore, the structure of the developer discharging mechanism can be simplified. In addition, by the sucking operation through the discharge opening, a pressure reduction state (negative pressure state) can be provided in the developer supply container, and therefore, the developer can be efficiently loosened. In addition, in this example, the driving force for rotating the feeding portion (helical projection 20c) and the driving force for reciprocating the pump portion (bellow-like pump portion 20b) are received by a single drive inputting portion (gear portion 20a). Therefore, the structure of the drive inputting mechanism of the developer supply container can be simplified. In addition, by the single driving mechanism (driving gear 300) provided in the developer receiving apparatus, the driving force is applied to the developer supply container, and therefore, the driving mechanism for the developer receiving apparatus can be simplified. Furthermore, a simple and easy mechanism can be employed positioning the developer supply container relative to the developer receiving apparatus. With the structure of the example, the rotational force for rotating the feeding portion received from the developer receiving apparatus is converted by the drive converting mechanism of the developer supply container, by which the pump portion can be reciprocated properly. In other words, in a system in which the developer supply container receives the reciprocating force from the developer receiving apparatus, the appropriate drive of the pump portion is assured. In addition, in this example, the flange portion 21 of the developer supply container 1 is provided with the engaging portions 3b2, 3b4 similar to Embodiments 1 and 2, and therefore, similarly to the above-described embodiment, the mechanism for connecting and spacing the developer receiving portion 11 of the developer receiving apparatus 8 relative to the developer supply container 1 by displacing the developer receiving portion 11 can be simplified. More particularly, a driving source and/or a drive transmission mechanism for moving the entirety of the developing device upwardly is unnecessary, and therefore, a complication of the structure of the image forming apparatus side and/or the increase in cost due to increase of the number of parts can be avoided. The connection between the developer supply container 1 and the developer receiving apparatus 8 can be properly established using the mounting operation of the developer supply container 1 with minimum contamination with the developer. Similarly, utilizing the dismounting operation of the developer supply container 1, the spacing and resealing between the developer supply container 1 and the developer receiving apparatus 8 can be carried out with minimum contamination with the developer. Embodiment 9 Referring to FIG. 78 (parts (a) and (b)), structures of the Embodiment 9 will be described. Part (a) of the FIG. 78 is a schematic perspective view of the developer supply container 1, part (b) of the FIG. 78 is a schematic sectional view illustrating a state in which a pump portion 20b expands, and (c) is a schematic perspective view around the regulating member 56. In this example, the same reference numerals as in the foregoing embodiments are assigned to the elements having the corresponding functions in this embodiment, and the detailed description thereof is omitted. In this example, a drive converting mechanism (cam mechanism) is provided together with a pump portion 20b in a position dividing a cylindrical portion 20k with respect to a rotational axis direction of the developer supply container 1, as is significantly different from Embodiment 8. The other structures are substantially similar to the structures of Embodiment 8. As shown in part (a) of FIG. 78, in this example, the cylindrical portion 20k which feeds the developer toward a discharging portion 21h with rotation comprises a cylindrical portion 20k1 and a cylindrical portion 20k2. The pump portion 20b is provided between the cylindrical portion 20k1 and the cylindrical portion 20k2. A cam flange portion 19 functioning as a drive converting mechanism is provided at a position corresponding to the pump portion 20b. An inner surface of the cam flange portion 19 is provided with a cam groove 19a extending over the entire circumference as in Embodiment 8. On the other hand, an outer surface of the cylindrical portion 20k2 is provided a cam projection 20d functioning as a drive converting mechanism and is locked with the cam groove 19a. In addition, the developer receiving apparatus 8 is provided with a portion similar to the rotational moving direction regulating portion 29 (FIG. 66), which functions as a holding portion for the cam flange portion 19 so as to prevent the rotation. Furthermore, the developer receiving apparatus 8 is provided with a portion similar to the rotational moving direction regulating portion 30 (FIG. 66), which functions as a holding portion for the cam flange portion 19 so as to prevent the rotation. Therefore, when a rotational force is inputted to a gear portion 20a, the pump portion 20b reciprocates together with the cylindrical portion 20k2 in the directions ω and γ. As described in the foregoing, also in this embodiment, one pump is enough to effect the sucking operation and the discharging operation, and therefore, the structure of the developer discharging mechanism can be simplified. In addition, by the sucking operation through the discharge opening, a pressure reduction state (negative pressure state) can be provided in the developer supply container, and therefore, the developer can be efficiently loosened. In addition, also in the case that the pump portion 20b is disposed at a position dividing the cylindrical portion, the pump portion 20b can be reciprocated by the rotational driving force received from the developer receiving apparatus 8, as in Embodiment 8. Here, the structure of Embodiment 8 in which the pump portion 20b is directly connected with the discharging portion 21h is preferable from the standpoint that the pumping action of the pump portion 20b can be efficiently applied to the developer stored in the discharging portion 21h. In addition, this embodiment requires an additional cam flange portion (drive converting mechanism) 19 which has to be held substantially stationary by the developer receiving apparatus 8. Furthermore, this embodiment requires an additional mechanism, in the developer receiving apparatus 8, for limiting movement of the cam flange portion 19 in the rotational axis direction of the cylindrical portion 20k. Therefore, in view of such a complication, the structure of Embodiment 8 using the flange portion 21 is preferable. This is because in Embodiment 8, the flange portion 21 is held by the developer receiving apparatus 8 in order to make substantially immovable the portion where the developer receiving apparatus side and the developer supply container side are directly connected (the portion corresponding to the developer receiving port 11a and the shutter opening 4f in Embodiment 2), and one of cam mechanisms constituting the drive converting mechanism is provided on the flange portion 21. That is, the drive converting mechanism is simplified in this manner. In addition, in this example, similarly to the foregoing embodiments, the flange portion 21 of the developer supply container 1 is provided with the engaging portions 3b2, 3b4 similar to those of Embodiments 1 and 2, and therefore, similarly to the above-described embodiment, the mechanism for connecting and spacing the developer receiving portion 11 of the developer receiving apparatus 8 relative to the developer supply container 1 by displacing the developer receiving portion 11 can be simplified. More particularly, a driving source and/or a drive transmission mechanism for moving the entirety of the developing device upwardly is unnecessary, and therefore, a complication of the structure of the image forming apparatus side and/or the increase in cost due to increase of the number of parts can be avoided. The connection between the developer supply container 1 and the developer receiving apparatus 8 can be properly established using the mounting operation of the developer supply container 1 with minimum contamination with the developer. Similarly, utilizing the dismounting operation of the developer supply container 1, the spacing and resealing between the developer supply container 1 and the developer receiving apparatus 8 can be carried out with minimum contamination with the developer. Embodiment 10 Referring to FIG. 79, a structure of the Embodiment 10 will be described. In this example, the same reference numerals as in the foregoing embodiments are assigned to the elements having the corresponding functions in this embodiment, and the detailed description thereof is omitted. This example is significantly different from Embodiment 5 in that a drive converting mechanism (cam mechanism) is provided at an upstream end of the developer supply container 1 with respect to the feeding direction for the developer and in that the developer in the cylindrical portion 20k is fed using a stirring member 20m. The other structures are substantially similar to the structures of Embodiment 8. As shown in FIG. 79, in this example, the stirring member 20m is provided in the cylindrical portion 2kt as the feeding portion and rotates relative to the cylindrical portion 20k. The stirring member 20m rotates by the rotational force received by the gear portion 20a, relative to the cylindrical portion 20k fixed to the developer receiving apparatus 8 non-rotatably, by which the developer is fed in a rotational axis direction toward the discharging portion 21h while being stirred. More particularly, the stirring member 20m is provided with a shaft portion and a feeding blade portion fixed to the shaft portion. In this example, the gear portion 20a as the drive inputting portion is provided at one longitudinal end portion of the developer supply container 1 (right-hand side in FIG. 79), and the gear portion 20a is connected co-axially with the stirring member 20m. In addition, a hollow cam flange portion 21i which is integral with the gear portion 20a is provided at one longitudinal end portion of the developer supply container (right-hand side in FIG. 79) so as to rotate co-axially with the gear portion 20a. The cam flange portion 21i is provided with a cam groove 21b which extends in an inner surface over the entire inner circumference, and the cam groove 21b is engaged with two cam projections 20d provided on an outer surface of the cylindrical portion 20k at substantially diametrically opposite positions, respectively. One end portion (discharging portion 21h side) of the cylindrical portion 20k is fixed to the pump portion 20b, and the pump portion 20b is fixed to a flange portion 21 at one end portion (discharging portion 21h side) thereof. They are fixed by welding method. Therefore, in the state that it is mounted to the developer receiving apparatus 8, the pump portion 20b and the cylindrical portion 20k are substantially non-rotatable relative to the flange portion 21. Also in this example, similarly to the Embodiment 8, when the developer supply container 1 is mounted to the developer receiving apparatus 8, the flange portion 21 (discharging portion 21h) is prevented from the movements in the rotational moving direction and the rotational axis direction by the developer receiving apparatus 8. Therefore, when the rotational force is inputted from the developer receiving apparatus 8 to the gear portion 20a, the cam flange portion 21i rotates together with the stirring member 20m. As a result, the cam projection 20d is driven by the cam groove 21b of the cam flange portion 21i so that the cylindrical portion 20k reciprocates in the rotational axis direction to expand and contract the pump portion 20b. In this manner, by the rotation of the stirring member 20m, the developer is fed to the discharging portion 21h, and the developer in the discharging portion 21h is finally discharged through a discharge opening 21a by the suction and discharging operation of the pump portion 20b. As described in the foregoing, also in this embodiment, one pump is enough to effect the sucking operation and the discharging operation, and therefore, the structure of the developer discharging mechanism can be simplified. In addition, by the sucking operation through the discharge opening, a pressure reduction state (negative pressure state) can be provided in the developer supply container, and therefore, the developer can be efficiently loosened. In addition, in the structure of this example, similarly to the Embodiments 8-9, both of the rotating operation of the stirring member 20m provided in the cylindrical portion 20k and the reciprocation of the pump portion 20b can be performed by the rotational force received by the gear portion 20a from the developer receiving apparatus 8. In the case of this example, the stress applied to the developer in the developer feeding step at the cylindrical portion 20t tends to be relatively large, and the driving torque is relatively large, and from this standpoint, the structures of Embodiment 8 and Embodiment 6 are preferable. In addition, in this example, similarly to the foregoing embodiments, the flange portion 21 of the developer supply container 1 is provided with the engaging portions 3b2, 3b4 similar to those of Embodiments 1 and 2, and therefore, similarly to the above-described embodiment, the mechanism for connecting and spacing the developer receiving portion 11 of the developer receiving apparatus 8 relative to the developer supply container 1 by displacing the developer receiving portion 11 can be simplified. More particularly, a driving source and/or a drive transmission mechanism for moving the entirety of the developing device upwardly is unnecessary, and therefore, a complication of the structure of the image forming apparatus side and/or the increase in cost due to increase of the number of parts can be avoided. The connection between the developer supply container 1 and the developer receiving apparatus 8 can be properly established using the mounting operation of the developer supply container 1 with minimum contamination with the developer. Similarly, utilizing the dismounting operation of the developer supply container 1, the spacing and resealing between the developer supply container 1 and the developer receiving apparatus 8 can be carried out with minimum contamination with the developer. Embodiment 11 Referring to FIG. 80 (parts (a)-(d)), structures of the Embodiment 11 will be described. Part (a) of FIG. 80 is a schematic perspective view of a developer supply container 1, (b) is an enlarged sectional view of the developer supply container 1, and (c)-(d) are enlarged perspective views of the cam portions. In this example, the same reference numerals as in the foregoing embodiments are assigned to the elements having the corresponding functions in this embodiment, and the detailed description thereof is omitted. This example is substantially the same as Embodiment 8 except that the pump portion 20b is made non-rotatable by a developer receiving apparatus 8. In this example, as shown in parts (a) and (b) of FIG. 80, relaying portion 20f is provided between a pump portion 20b and a cylindrical portion 20k of a developer accommodating portion 20. The relaying portion 20f is provided with two cam projections 20d on the outer surface thereof at the positions substantially diametrically opposed to each other, and one end thereof (discharging portion 21h side) is connected to and fixed to the pump portion 20b (welding method). Another end (discharging portion 21h side) of the pump portion 20b is fixed to a flange portion 21 (welding method), and in the state that it is mounted to the developer receiving apparatus 8, it is substantially non-rotatable. A sealing member 27 is compressed between the cylindrical portion 20k and the relaying portion 20f, and the cylindrical portion 20k is unified so as to be rotatable relative to the relaying portion 20f. The outer peripheral portion of the cylindrical portion 20k is provided with a rotation receiving portion (projection) 20 g for receiving a rotational force from a cam gear portion 7, as will be described hereinafter. On the other hand, the cam gear portion 7 which is cylindrical is provided so as to cover the outer surface of the relaying portion 20f. The cam gear portion 22 is engaged with the flange portion 21 so as to be substantially stationary (movement within the limit of play is permitted), and is rotatable relative to the flange portion 21. As shown in part (c) of FIG. 80, the cam gear portion 22 is provided with a gear portion 22a as a drive inputting portion for receiving the rotational force from the developer receiving apparatus 8, and a cam groove 22b engaged with the cam projection 20d. In addition, as shown in part (d) of FIG. 80, the cam gear portion 22 is provided with a rotational engaging portion (recess) 7c engaged with the rotation receiving portion 20 g to rotate together with the cylindrical portion 20k. Thus, by the above-described engaging relation, the rotational engaging portion (recess) 7c is permitted to move relative to the rotation receiving portion 20 g in the rotational axis direction, but it can rotate integrally in the rotational moving direction. The description will be made as to a developer supplying step of the developer supply container 1 in this example. When the gear portion 22a receives a rotational force from the driving gear 9 of the developer receiving apparatus 8, and the cam gear portion 22 rotates, the cam gear portion 22 rotates together with the cylindrical portion 20k because of the engaging relation with the rotation receiving portion 20 g by the rotational engaging portion 7c. That is, the rotational engaging portion 7c and the rotation receiving portion 20 g function to transmit the rotational force which is received by the gear portion 22a from the developer receiving apparatus 8, to the cylindrical portion 20k (feeding portion 20c). On the other hand, similarly to Embodiments 8-10, when the developer supply container 1 is mounted to the developer receiving apparatus 8, the flange portion 21 is non-rotatably supported by the developer receiving apparatus 8, and therefore, the pump portion 20b and the relaying portion 20f fixed to the flange portion 21 is also non-rotatable. In addition, the movement of the flange portion 21 in the rotational axis direction is prevented by the developer receiving apparatus 8. Therefore, when the cam gear portion 22 rotates, a cam function occurs between the cam groove 22b of the cam gear portion 22 and the cam projection 20d of the relaying portion 20f. Thus, the rotational force inputted to the gear portion 22a from the developer receiving apparatus 8 is converted to the force reciprocating the relaying portion 20f and the cylindrical portion 20k in the rotational axis direction of the developer accommodating portion 20. As a result, the pump portion 20b which is fixed to the flange portion 21 at one end position (left side in part (b) of the FIG. 80) with respect to the reciprocating direction expands and contracts in interrelation with the reciprocation of the relaying portion 20f and the cylindrical portion 20k, thus effecting a pump operation. In this manner, with the rotation of the cylindrical portion 20k, the developer is fed to the discharging portion 21h by the feeding portion 20c, and the developer in the discharging portion 21h is finally discharged through a discharge opening 21a by the suction and discharging operation of the pump portion 20b. As described in the foregoing, also in this embodiment, one pump is enough to effect the sucking operation and the discharging operation, and therefore, the structure of the developer discharging mechanism can be simplified. In addition, by the sucking operation through the discharge opening, a pressure reduction state (negative pressure state) can be provided in the developer supply container, and therefore, the developer can be efficiently loosened. In addition, in this example, the rotational force received from the developer receiving apparatus 8 is transmitted and converted simultaneously to the force rotating the cylindrical portion 20k and to the force reciprocating (expanding-and-contracting operation) the pump portion 20b in the rotational axis direction. Therefore, also in this example, similarly to Embodiments 8-10, by the rotational force received from the developer receiving apparatus 8, both of the rotating operation of the cylindrical portion 20k (feeding portion 20c) and the reciprocation of the pump portion 20b can be effected. In addition, in this example, similarly to the foregoing embodiments, the flange portion 21 of the developer supply container 1 is provided with the engaging portions 3b2, 3b4 similar to those of Embodiments 1 and 2, and therefore, similarly to the above-described embodiment, the mechanism for connecting and spacing the developer receiving portion 11 of the developer receiving apparatus 8 relative to the developer supply container 1 by displacing the developer receiving portion 11 can be simplified. More particularly, a driving source and/or a drive transmission mechanism for moving the entirety of the developing device upwardly is unnecessary, and therefore, a complication of the structure of the image forming apparatus side and/or the increase in cost due to increase of the number of parts can be avoided. The connection between the developer supply container 1 and the developer receiving apparatus 8 can be properly established using the mounting operation of the developer supply container 1 with minimum contamination with the developer. Similarly, utilizing the dismounting operation of the developer supply container 1, the spacing and resealing between the developer supply container 1 and the developer receiving apparatus 8 can be carried out with minimum contamination with the developer. Embodiment 12 Referring to parts (a) and (b) of the FIG. 81, Embodiment 12 will be described. Part (a) of the FIG. 81 is a schematic perspective view of a developer supply container 1, part (b) is an enlarged sectional view of the developer supply container. In this example, the same reference numerals as in the foregoing embodiments are assigned to the elements having the corresponding functions in this embodiment, and the detailed description thereof is omitted. This example is significantly different from Embodiment 8 in that a rotational force received from a driving gear 9 of a developer receiving apparatus 8 is converted to a reciprocating force for reciprocating a pump portion 20b, and then the reciprocating force is converted to a rotational force, by which a cylindrical portion 20k is rotated. In this example, as shown in part (b) of the FIG. 81, a relaying portion 20f is provided between the pump portion 20b and the cylindrical portion 20k. The relaying portion 20f includes two cam projections 20d at substantially diametrically opposite positions, respectively, and one end sides thereof (discharging portion 21h side) are connected and fixed to the pump portion 20b by welding method. Another end (discharging portion 21h side) of the pump portion 20b is fixed to a flange portion 21 (welding method), and in the state that it is mounted to the developer receiving apparatus 8, it is substantially non-rotatable. Between the one end portion of the cylindrical portion 20k and the relaying portion 20f, a sealing member 27 is compressed, and the cylindrical portion 20k is unified such that it is rotatable relative to the relaying portion 20f. An outer periphery portion of the cylindrical portion 20k is provided with two cam projections 20i at substantially diametrically opposite positions, respectively. On the other hand, a cylindrical cam gear portion 22 is provided so as to cover the outer surfaces of the pump portion 20b and the relaying portion 20f. The cam gear portion 22 is engaged so that it is non-movable relative to the flange portion 21 in a rotational axis direction of the cylindrical portion 20k but it is rotatable relative thereto. The cam gear portion 22 is provided with a gear portion 22a as a drive inputting portion for receiving the rotational force from the developer replenishing apparatus 8, and a cam groove 22a engaged with the cam projection 20d. Furthermore, there is provided a cam flange portion 19 covering the outer surfaces of the relaying portion 20f and the cylindrical portion 20k. When the developer supply container 1 is mounted to a mounting portion 8f of the developer receiving apparatus 8, cam flange portion 19 is substantially non-movable. The cam flange portion 19 is provided with a cam projection 20i and a cam groove 19a. A developer supplying step in this example will be described. The gear portion 22a receives a rotational force from a driving gear 300 of the developer receiving apparatus 8 by which the cam gear portion 22 rotates. Then, since the pump portion 20b and the relaying portion 20f are held non-rotatably by the flange portion 21, a cam function occurs between the cam groove 22b of the cam gear portion 22 and the cam projection 20d of the relaying portion 20f. More particularly, the rotational force inputted to the gear portion 7a from the developer receiving apparatus 8 is converted to a reciprocation force the relaying portion 20f in the rotational axis direction of the cylindrical portion 20k. As a result, the pump portion 20b which is fixed to the flange portion 21 at one end with respect to the reciprocating direction the left side of the part (b) of the FIG. 81) expands and contracts in interrelation with the reciprocation of the relaying portion 20f, thus effecting the pump operation. When the relaying portion 20f reciprocates, a cam function works between the cam groove 19a of the cam flange portion 19 and the cam projection 20i by which the force in the rotational axis direction is converted to a force in the rotational moving direction, and the force is transmitted to the cylindrical portion 20k. As a result, the cylindrical portion 20k (feeding portion 20c) rotates. In this manner, with the rotation of the cylindrical portion 20k, the developer is fed to the discharging portion 21h by the feeding portion 20c, and the developer in the discharging portion 21h is finally discharged through a discharge opening 21a by the suction and discharging operation of the pump portion 20b. As described in the foregoing, also in this embodiment, one pump is enough to effect the sucking operation and the discharging operation, and therefore, the structure of the developer discharging mechanism can be simplified. In addition, by the sucking operation through the discharge opening, a pressure reduction state (negative pressure state) can be provided in the developer supply container, and therefore, the developer can be efficiently loosened. In addition, in this example, the rotational force received from the developer receiving apparatus 8 is converted to the force reciprocating the pump portion 20b in the rotational axis direction (expanding-and-contracting operation), and then the force is converted to a force rotation the cylindrical portion 20k and is transmitted. Therefore, also in this example, similarly to Embodiment 11, by the rotational force received from the developer receiving apparatus 8, both of the rotating operation of the cylindrical portion 20k (feeding portion 20c) and the reciprocation of the pump portion 20b can be effected. However, in this example, the rotational force inputted from the developer receiving apparatus 8 is converted to the reciprocating force and then is converted to the force in the rotational moving direction with the result of complicated structure of the drive converting mechanism, and therefore, Embodiments 8-11 in which the re-conversion is unnecessary are preferable. In addition, in this example, similarly to the foregoing embodiments, the flange portion 21 of the developer supply container 1 is provided with the engaging portions 3b2, 3b4 similar to those of Embodiments 1 and 2, and therefore, similarly to the above-described embodiment, the mechanism for connecting and spacing the developer receiving portion 11 of the developer receiving apparatus 8 relative to the developer supply container 1 by displacing the developer receiving portion 11 can be simplified. More particularly, a driving source and/or a drive transmission mechanism for moving the entirety of the developing device upwardly is unnecessary, and therefore, a complication of the structure of the image forming apparatus side and/or the increase in cost due to increase of the number of parts can be avoided. The connection between the developer supply container 1 and the developer receiving apparatus 8 can be properly established using the mounting operation of the developer supply container 1 with minimum contamination with the developer. Similarly, utilizing the dismounting operation of the developer supply container 1, the spacing and resealing between the developer supply container 1 and the developer receiving apparatus 8 can be carried out with minimum contamination with the developer. Embodiment 13 Referring to parts (a)-(b) of FIG. 82 and parts (a)-(d) of FIG. 83, Embodiment 13 will be described. Part (a) of FIG. 82 is a schematic perspective view of a developer supply container, part (b) is an enlarged sectional view of the developer supply container 1, and parts (a)-(d) of FIG. 83 are enlarged views of a drive converting mechanism. In parts (a)-(d) of FIG. 83, a gear ring 60 and a rotational engaging portion 8b are shown as always taking top positions for better illustration of the operations thereof. In this example, the same reference numerals as in the foregoing embodiments are assigned to the elements having the corresponding functions in this embodiment, and the detailed description thereof is omitted. In this example, the drive converting mechanism employs a bevel gear, as is contrasted to the foregoing examples. As shown in part (b) of FIG. 82, a relaying portion 20f is provided between a pump portion 20b and a cylindrical portion 20k. The relaying portion 20f is provided with an engaging projection 20h engaged with a connecting portion 62 which will be described hereinafter. Another end (discharging portion 21h side) of the pump portion 20b is fixed to a flange portion 21 (welding method), and in the state that it is mounted to the developer receiving apparatus 8, it is substantially non-rotatable. A sealing member 27 is compressed between the discharging portion 21h side end of the cylindrical portion 20k and the relaying portion 20f, and the cylindrical portion 20k is unified so as to be rotatable relative to the relaying portion 20f. An outer periphery portion of the cylindrical portion 20k is provided with a rotation receiving portion (projection) 20 g for receiving a rotational force from the gear ring 60 which will be described hereinafter. On the other hand, a cylindrical gear ring 60 is provided so as to cover the outer surface of the cylindrical portion 20k. The gear ring 60 is rotatable relative to the flange portion 21. As shown in parts (a) and (b) of FIG. 82, the gear ring 60 includes a gear portion 60a for transmitting the rotational force to the bevel gear 61 which will be described hereinafter and a rotational engaging portion (recess) 60b for engaging with the rotation receiving portion 20 g to rotate together with the cylindrical portion 20k. Thus, by the above-described engaging relation, the rotational engaging portion (recess) 60b is permitted to move relative to the rotation receiving portion 20 g in the rotational axis direction, but it can rotate integrally in the rotational moving direction. On the outer surface of the flange portion 21, the bevel 61 is provided so as to be rotatable relative to the flange portion 21. Furthermore, the bevel 61 and the engaging projection 20h are connected by a connecting portion 62. A developer supplying step of the developer supply container 1 will be described. When the cylindrical portion 20k rotates by the gear portion 20a of the developer accommodating portion 20 receiving the rotational force from the driving gear 9 of the developer receiving apparatus 8, gear ring 60 rotates with the cylindrical portion 20k since the cylindrical portion 20k is in engagement with the gear ring 60 by the receiving portion 20g. That is, the rotation receiving portion 20 g and the rotational engaging portion 60b function to transmit the rotational force inputted from the developer receiving apparatus 8 to the gear portion 20a to the gear ring 60. On the other hand, when the gear ring 60 rotates, the rotational force is transmitted to the bevel gear 61 from the gear portion 60a so that the bevel gear 61 rotates. The rotation of the bevel gear 61 is converted to reciprocating motion of the engaging projection 20h through the connecting portion 62, as shown in parts (a)-(d) of the FIG. 83. By this, the relaying portion 20f having the engaging projection 20h is reciprocated. As a result, the pump portion 20b expands and contracts in interrelation with the reciprocation of the relaying portion 20f to effect a pump operation. In this manner, with the rotation of the cylindrical portion 20k, the developer is fed to the discharging portion 21h by the feeding portion 20c, and the developer in the discharging portion 21h is finally discharged through a discharge opening 21a by the suction and discharging operation of the pump portion 20b. As described in the foregoing, also in this embodiment, one pump is enough to effect the sucking operation and the discharging operation, and therefore, the structure of the developer discharging mechanism can be simplified. In addition, by the sucking operation through the discharge opening, a pressure reduction state (negative pressure state) can be provided in the developer supply container, and therefore, the developer can be efficiently loosened. In addition, also in this example, similarly to the Embodiment 8-Embodiment 12, both of the reciprocation of the pump portion 20b and the rotating operation of the cylindrical portion 20k (feeding portion 20c) are effected by the rotational force received from the developer receiving apparatus 8. However, in the case of using the bevel gear, the number of parts is large, and Embodiment 8-Embodiment 12 are preferable from this standpoint. In addition, in this example, similarly to the foregoing embodiments, the flange portion 21 of the developer supply container 1 is provided with the engaging portions 3b2, 3b4 similar to those of Embodiments 1 and 2, and therefore, similarly to the above-described embodiment, the mechanism for connecting and spacing the developer receiving portion 11 of the developer receiving apparatus 8 relative to the developer supply container 1 by displacing the developer receiving portion 11 can be simplified. More particularly, a driving source and/or a drive transmission mechanism for moving the entirety of the developing device upwardly is unnecessary, and therefore, a complication of the structure of the image forming apparatus side and/or the increase in cost due to increase of the number of parts can be avoided. The connection between the developer supply container 1 and the developer receiving apparatus 8 can be properly established using the mounting operation of the developer supply container 1 with minimum contamination with the developer. Similarly, utilizing the dismounting operation of the developer supply container 1, the spacing and resealing between the developer supply container 1 and the developer receiving apparatus 8 can be carried out with minimum contamination with the developer. Embodiment 14 Referring to FIG. 84 (parts (a) and (b)), structures of the Embodiment 14 will be described. Part (a) of FIG. 84 is an enlarged perspective view of a drive converting mechanism, (b)-(c) are enlarged views thereof as seen from the top. In this example, the same reference numerals as in the foregoing embodiments are assigned to the elements having the corresponding functions in this embodiment, and the detailed description thereof is omitted. In parts (b) and (c) of FIG. 84, a gear ring 60 and a rotational engaging portion 60b are schematically shown as being at the top for the convenience of illustration of the operation. In this embodiment, the drive converting mechanism includes a magnet (magnetic field generating means) as is significantly different from Embodiments. As shown in FIG. 84 (FIG. 83, if necessary), the bevel gear 61 is provided with a rectangular parallelepiped shape magnet 63, and an engaging projection 20h of a relaying portion 20f is provided with a bar-like magnet 64 having a magnetic pole directed to the magnet 63. The rectangular parallelepiped shape magnet 63 has a N pole at one longitudinal end thereof and a S pole as the other end, and the orientation thereof changes with the rotation of the bevel gear 61. The bar-like magnet 64 has a S pole at one longitudinal end adjacent an outside of the container and a N pole at the other end, and it is movable in the rotational axis direction. The magnet 64 is non-rotatable by an elongated guide groove formed in the outer peripheral surface of the flange portion 21. With such a structure, when the magnet 63 is rotated by the rotation of the bevel gear 61, the magnetic pole facing the magnet and exchanges, and therefore, attraction and repelling between the magnet 63 and the magnet 64 are repeated alternately. As a result, a pump portion 20b fixed to the relaying portion 20f is reciprocated in the rotational axis direction. As described in the foregoing, also in this embodiment, one pump is enough to effect the sucking operation and the discharging operation, and therefore, the structure of the developer discharging mechanism can be simplified. In addition, by the sucking operation through the discharge opening, a pressure reduction state (negative pressure state) can be provided in the developer supply container, and therefore, the developer can be efficiently loosened. In addition, also in the structure of this example, similarly to the Embodiment 8-Embodiment 13, both of the reciprocation of the pump portion 20b and the rotating operation of the feeding portion 20c (cylindrical portion 20k) can be effected by the rotational force received from the developer receiving apparatus 8. In this example, the bevel gear 61 is provided with the magnet, but this is not inevitable, and another way of use of magnetic force (magnetic field) is applicable. From the standpoint of certainty of the drive conversion, Embodiments 8-13 are preferable. In the case that the developer accommodated in the developer supply container 1 is a magnetic developer (one component magnetic toner, two component magnetic carrier), there is a liability that the developer is trapped in an inner wall portion of the container adjacent to the magnet. Then, an amount of the developer remaining in the developer supply container 1 may be large, and from this standpoint, the structures of Embodiments 5-10 are preferable. In addition, in this example, similarly to the foregoing embodiments, the flange portion 21 of the developer supply container 1 is provided with the engaging portions 3b2, 3b4 similar to those of Embodiments 1 and 2, and therefore, similarly to the above-described embodiment, the mechanism for connecting and spacing the developer receiving portion 11 of the developer receiving apparatus 8 relative to the developer supply container 1 by displacing the developer receiving portion 11 can be simplified. More particularly, a driving source and/or a drive transmission mechanism for moving the entirety of the developing device upwardly is unnecessary, and therefore, a complication of the structure of the image forming apparatus side and/or the increase in cost due to increase of the number of parts can be avoided. The connection between the developer supply container 1 and the developer receiving apparatus 8 can be properly established using the mounting operation of the developer supply container 1 with minimum contamination with the developer. Similarly, utilizing the dismounting operation of the developer supply container 1, the spacing and resealing between the developer supply container 1 and the developer receiving apparatus 8 can be carried out with minimum contamination with the developer. Embodiment 15 Referring to parts (a)-(c) of FIG. 85 and parts (a)-(b) of FIG. 86, Embodiment 15 will be described. Part (a) of the FIG. 85 is a schematic view illustrating an inside of a developer supply container 1, (b) is a sectional view in a state that the pump portion 20b is expanded to the maximum in the developer supplying step, showing (c) is a sectional view of the developer supply container 1 in a state that the pump portion 20b is compressed to the maximum in the developer supplying step. Part (a) of FIG. 86 is a schematic view illustrating an inside of the developer supply container 1, (b) is a perspective view of a rear end portion of the cylindrical portion 20k, and (c) is a schematic perspective view around a regulating member 56. In this example, the same reference numerals as in the foregoing embodiments are assigned to the elements having the corresponding functions in this embodiment, and the detailed description thereof is omitted. This embodiment is significantly different from the structures of the above-described embodiments in that the pump portion 20b is provided at a leading end portion of the developer supply container 1 and in that the pump portion 20b does not have the functions of transmitting the rotational force received from the driving gear 9 to the cylindrical portion 20k. More particularly, the pump portion 20b is provided outside a drive conversion path of the drive converting mechanism, that is, outside a drive transmission path extending from the coupling portion 20s (part (b) of FIG. 86) received the rotational force from the driving gear 9 (FIG. 66) to the cam groove 20n. This structure is employed in consideration of the fact that with the structure of Embodiment 8, after the rotational force inputted from the driving gear 9 is transmitted to the cylindrical portion 20k through the pump portion 20b, it is converted to the reciprocation force, and therefore, the pump portion 20b receives the rotational moving direction always in the developer supplying step operation. Therefore, there is a liability that in the developer supplying step the pump portion 20b is twisted in the rotational moving direction with the results of deterioration of the pump function. This will be described in detail. As shown in part (a) of FIG. 85, an opening portion of one end portion (discharging portion 21h side) of the pump portion 20b is fixed to a flange portion 21 (welding method), and when the container is mounted to the developer receiving apparatus 8, the pump portion 20b is substantially non-rotatable with the flange portion 21. On the other hand, a cam flange portion 19 is provided covering the outer surface of the flange portion 21 and/or the cylindrical portion 20k, and the cam flange portion 15 functions as a drive converting mechanism. As shown in FIG. 85, the inner surface of the cam flange portion 19 is provided with two cam projections 19a at diametrically opposite positions, respectively. In addition, the cam flange portion 19 is fixed to the closed side (opposite the discharging portion 21h side) of the pump portion 20b. On the other hand, the outer surface of the cylindrical portion 20k is provided with a cam groove 20n functioning as the drive converting mechanism, the cam groove 20n extending over the entire circumference, and the cam projection 19a is engaged with the cam groove 20n. Furthermore, in this embodiment, as is different from Embodiment 8, as shown in part (b) of the FIG. 86, one end surface of the cylindrical portion 20k (upstream side with respect to the feeding direction of the developer) is provided with a non-circular (rectangular in this example) male coupling portion 20s functioning as the drive inputting portion. On the other hand, the developer receiving apparatus 8 includes non-circular (rectangular) female coupling portion) for driving connection with the male coupling portion 20s to apply a rotational force. The female coupling portion, similarly to Embodiment 8, is driven by a driving motor 500. In addition, the flange portion 21 is prevented, similarly to Embodiment 5, from moving in the rotational axis direction and in the rotational moving direction by the developer receiving apparatus 8. On the other hand, the cylindrical portion 20k is connected with the flange portion 21 through a sealing member 27, and the cylindrical portion 20k is rotatable relative to the flange portion 21. The sealing member 27 is a sliding type seal which prevents incoming and outgoing leakage of air (developer) between the cylindrical portion 20k and the flange portion 21 within a range not influential to the developer supply using the pump portion 20b and which permits rotation of the cylindrical portion 20k. A developer supplying step of the developer supply container 1 will be described. The developer supply container 1 is mounted to the developer receiving apparatus 8, and then the cylindrical portion 20k receptions the rotational force from the female coupling portion of the developer receiving apparatus 8, by which the cam groove 20n rotates. Therefore, the cam flange portion 19 reciprocates in the rotational axis direction relative to the flange portion 21 and the cylindrical portion 20k by the cam projection 19a engaged with the cam groove 20n, while the cylindrical portion 20k and the flange portion 21 are prevented from movement in the rotational axis direction by the developer receiving apparatus 8. Since the cam flange portion 19 and the pump portion 20b are fixed with each other, the pump portion 20b reciprocates with the cam flange portion 19 (arrow co direction and arrow γ direction). As a result, as shown in parts (b) and (c) of FIG. 85, the pump portion 20b expands and contracts in interrelation with the reciprocation of the cam flange portion 19, thus effecting a pumping operation. As described in the foregoing, also in this embodiment, one pump is enough to effect the sucking operation and the discharging operation, and therefore, the structure of the developer discharging mechanism can be simplified. In addition, by the sucking operation through the discharge opening 21a, a pressure reduction state (negative pressure state) can be provided in the developer supply container, and therefore, the developer can be efficiently loosened. In addition, also in this example, similar to the above-described Embodiments 8-14, the rotational force received from the developer receiving apparatus 8 is converted a force operating the pump portion 20b, in the developer supply container 1, so that the pump portion 20b can be operated properly. In addition, the rotational force received from the developer receiving apparatus 8 is converted to the reciprocation force without using the pump portion 20b, by which the pump portion 20b is prevented from being damaged due to the torsion in the rotational moving direction. Therefore, it is unnecessary to increase the strength of the pump portion 20b, and the thickness of the pump portion 20b may be small, and the material thereof may be an inexpensive one. Further with the structure of this example, the pump portion 20b is not provided between the discharging portion 21h and the cylindrical portion 20k as in Embodiment 8-Embodiment 14, but is provided at a position away from the cylindrical portion 20k of the discharging portion 21h, and therefore, the developer amount remaining in the developer supply container 1 can be reduced. As shown in (a) of FIG. 86, it is an usable alternative that the internal space of the pump portion 20b is not uses as a developer accommodating space, and the filter 65 partitions between the pump portion 20b and the discharging portion 21h. Here, the filter has such a property that the air is easily passed, but the toner is not passed substantially. With such a structure, when the pump portion 20b is compressed, the developer in the recessed portion of the bellow portion is not stressed. However, the structure of parts (a)-(c) of FIG. 85 is preferable from the standpoint that in the expanding stroke of the pump portion 20b, an additional developer accommodating space can be formed, that is, an additional space through which the developer can move is provided, so that the developer is easily loosened. In addition, in this example, similarly to the foregoing embodiments, the flange portion 21 of the developer supply container 1 is provided with the engaging portions 3b2, 3b4 similar to those of Embodiments 1 and 2, and therefore, similarly to the above-described embodiment, the mechanism for connecting and spacing the developer receiving portion 11 of the developer receiving apparatus 8 relative to the developer supply container 1 by displacing the developer receiving portion 11 can be simplified. More particularly, a driving source and/or a drive transmission mechanism for moving the entirety of the developing device upwardly is unnecessary, and therefore, a complication of the structure of the image forming apparatus side and/or the increase in cost due to increase of the number of parts can be avoided. The connection between the developer supply container 1 and the developer receiving apparatus 8 can be properly established using the mounting operation of the developer supply container 1 with minimum contamination with the developer. Similarly, utilizing the dismounting operation of the developer supply container 1, the spacing and resealing between the developer supply container 1 and the developer receiving apparatus 8 can be carried out with minimum contamination with the developer. Embodiment 16 Referring to FIG. 87 (parts (a) and (b)), structures of the Embodiment 16 will be described. Parts (a)-(c) of FIG. 87 are enlarged sectional views of a developer supply container 1. In parts (a) -(c) of FIG. 87, the structures except for the pump are substantially the same as structures shown in FIGS. 85 and 86, and therefore, the detailed description there of is omitted. In this example, the pump does not have the alternating peak folding portions and bottom folding portions, but it has a film-like pump portion 38 capable of expansion and contraction substantially without a folding portion, as shown in FIG. 87. In this embodiment, the film-like pump portion 38 is made of rubber, but this is not inevitable, and flexible material such as resin film is usable. With such a structure, when the cam flange portion 19 reciprocates in the rotational axis direction, the film-like pump portion 38 reciprocates together with the cam flange portion 19. As a result, as shown in parts (b) and (c) of FIG. 87, the film-like pump portion 38 expands and contracts interrelated with the reciprocation of the cam flange portion 19 in the directions of arrow ω and arrow γ, thus effecting a pumping operation. As described in the foregoing, also in this embodiment, one pump 38 is enough to effect the sucking operation and the discharging operation, and therefore, the structure of the developer discharging mechanism can be simplified. In addition, by the sucking operation through the discharge opening 21a, a pressure reduction state (negative pressure state) can be provided in the developer supply container, and therefore, the developer can be efficiently loosened. In addition, also in this example, similar to the above-described Embodiments 8-15, the rotational force received from the developer receiving apparatus 8 is converted a force operating the pump portion 38, in the developer supply container 1, so that the pump portion 38 can be operated properly. In addition, in this example, similarly to the foregoing embodiments, the flange portion 21 of the developer supply container 1 is provided with the engaging portions 3b2, 3b4 similar to those of Embodiments 1 and 2, and therefore, similarly to the above-described embodiment, the mechanism for connecting and spacing the developer receiving portion 11 of the developer receiving apparatus 8 relative to the developer supply container 1 by displacing the developer receiving portion 11 can be simplified. More particularly, a driving source and/or a drive transmission mechanism for moving the entirety of the developing device upwardly is unnecessary, and therefore, a complication of the structure of the image forming apparatus side and/or the increase in cost due to increase of the number of parts can be avoided. The connection between the developer supply container 1 and the developer receiving apparatus 8 can be properly established using the mounting operation of the developer supply container 1 with minimum contamination with the developer. Similarly, utilizing the dismounting operation of the developer supply container 1, the spacing and resealing between the developer supply container 1 and the developer receiving apparatus 8 can be carried out with minimum contamination with the developer. Embodiment 17 Referring to FIG. 88 (parts (a) and (b)), structures of the Embodiment 17 will be described. Part (a) of FIG. 88 is a schematic perspective view of the developer supply container 1, (b) is an enlarged sectional view of the developer supply container 1, (c)-(e) are schematic enlarged views of a drive converting mechanism. In this example, the same reference numerals as in the foregoing embodiments are assigned to the elements having the corresponding functions in this embodiment, and the detailed description thereof is omitted. In this example, the pump portion is reciprocated in a direction perpendicular to a rotational axis direction, as is contrasted to the foregoing embodiments. (Drive Converting Mechanism) In this example, as shown in parts (a)-(e) of FIG. 88, at an upper portion of the flange portion 21, that is, the discharging portion 21h, a pump portion 21f of bellow type is connected. In addition, to a top end portion of the pump portion 21f, a cam projection 21 g functioning as a drive converting portion is fixed by bonding. On the other hand, at one longitudinal end surface of the developer accommodating portion 20, a cam groove 20e engageable with a cam projection 21 g is formed and it function as a drive converting portion. As shown in part (b) of FIG. 88, the developer accommodating portion 20 is fixed so as to be rotatable relative to discharging portion 21h in the state that a discharging portion 21h side end compresses a sealing member 27 provided on an inner surface of the flange portion 21. Also in this example, with the mounting operation of the developer supply container 1, both sides of the discharging portion 21h (opposite end surfaces with respect to a direction perpendicular to the rotational axis direction X) are supported by the developer receiving apparatus 8. Therefore, during the developer supply operation, the discharging portion 21h is substantially non-rotatable. Also in this example, the mounting portion 8f of the developer receiving apparatus 8 is provided with a developer receiving portion 11 (FIG. 40 or FIG. 66) for receiving the developer discharged from the developer supply container 1 through the discharge opening (opening) 21a which will be described hereinafter. The structure of the developer receiving portion 11 is similar to the those of Embodiment 1 or Embodiment 2, and therefore, the description thereof is omitted. In addition, the flange portion 21 of the developer supply container is provided with engaging portions 3b2 and 3b4 engageable with the developer receiving portion 11 displaceably provided on the developer receiving apparatus 8 similarly to the above-described Embodiment 1 or Embodiment 2. The structures of the engaging portions 3b2, 3b4 are similar to those of above-described Embodiment 1 or Embodiment 2, and therefore, the description is omitted. Here, the configuration of the cam groove 20e is elliptical configuration as shown in (c)-(e) of FIG. 88, and the cam projection 21 g moving along the cam groove 20e changes in the distance from the rotational axis of the developer accommodating portion 20 (minimum distance in the diametrical direction). As shown in (b) of FIG. 88, a plate-like partition wall 32 is provided and is effective to feed, to the discharging portion 21h, a developer fed by a helical projection (feeding portion) 20c from the cylindrical portion 20k. The partition wall 32 divides a part of the developer accommodating portion 20 substantially into two parts and is rotatable integrally with the developer accommodating portion 20. The partition wall 32 is provided with an inclined projection 32a slanted relative to the rotational axis direction of the developer supply container 1. The inclined projection 32a is connected with an inlet portion of the discharging portion 21h. Therefore, the developer fed from the feeding portion 20c is scooped up by the partition wall 32 in interrelation with the rotation of the cylindrical portion 20k. Thereafter, with a further rotation of the cylindrical portion 20k, the developer slide down on the surface of the partition wall 32 by the gravity, and is fed to the discharging portion 21h side by the inclined projection 32a. The inclined projection 32a is provided on each of the sides of the partition wall 32 so that the developer is fed into the discharging portion 21h every one half rotation of the cylindrical portion 20k. (Developer Supplying Step) The description will be made as to developer supplying step from the developer supply container 1 in this example When the operator mounts the developer supply container 1 to the developer receiving apparatus 8, the flange portion 21 (discharging portion 21h) is prevented from movement in the rotational moving direction and in the rotational axis direction by the developer receiving apparatus 8. In addition, the pump portion 21f and the cam projection 21 g are fixed to the flange portion 21, and are prevented from movement in the rotational moving direction and in the rotational axis direction, similarly. And, by the rotational force inputted from a driving gear 9 (FIGS. 67 and 68) to a gear portion 20a, the developer accommodating portion 20 rotates, and therefore, the cam groove 20e also rotates. On the other hand, the cam projection 21 g which is fixed so as to be non-rotatable receives the force through the cam groove 20e, so that the rotational force inputted to the gear portion 20a is converted to a force reciprocating the pump portion 21f substantially vertically. Here, part (d) of FIG. 88 illustrates a state in which the pump portion 21f is most expanded, that is, the cam projection 21 g is at the intersection between the ellipse of the cam groove 20e and the major axis La (point Y in (c) of FIG. 88). Part (e) of FIG. 88 illustrates a state in which the pump portion 21f is most contracted, that is, the cam projection 21 g is at the intersection between the ellipse of the cam groove 20e and the minor axis La (point Z in (c) of FIG. 53). The state of (d) of FIG. 88 and the state of (e) of FIG. 88 are repeated alternately at predetermined cyclic period so that the pump portion 21f effects the suction and discharging operation. That is the developer is discharged smoothly. With such rotation of the cylindrical portion 20k, the developer is fed to the discharging portion 21h by the feeding portion 20c and the inclined projection 32a, and the developer in the discharging portion 21h is finally discharged through the discharge opening 21a by the suction and discharging operation of the pump portion 21f. As described in the foregoing, also in this embodiment, one pump is enough to effect the sucking operation and the discharging operation, and therefore, the structure of the developer discharging mechanism can be simplified. In addition, by the sucking operation through the discharge opening, a pressure reduction state (negative pressure state) can be provided in the developer supply container, and therefore, the developer can be efficiently loosened. In addition, also in this example, similarly to the Embodiment 8-Embodiment 16, both of the reciprocation of the pump portion 21f and the rotating operation of the feeding portion 20c (cylindrical portion 20k) can be effected by gear portion 20a receiving the rotational force from the developer receiving apparatus 8. Since, in this example, the pump portion 21f is provided at a top of the discharging portion 21h (in the state that the developer supply container 1 is mounted to the developer receiving apparatus 8), the amount of the developer unavoidably remaining in the pump portion 21f can be minimized as compared with Embodiment 8. In this example, the pump portion 21f is a bellow-like pump, but it may be replaced with a film-like pump described in Embodiment 13. In this example, the cam projection 21 g as the drive transmitting portion is fixed by an adhesive material to the upper surface of the pump portion 21f, but the cam projection 21 g is not necessarily fixed to the pump portion 21f. For example, a known snap hook engagement is usable, or a round rod-like cam projection 21 g and a pump portion 3f having a hole engageable with the cam projection 21 g may be used in combination. With such a structure, the similar advantageous effects can be provided. In addition, in this example, similarly to the foregoing embodiments, the flange portion 21 of the developer supply container 1 is provided with the engaging portions 3b2, 3b4 similar to those of Embodiments 1 and 2, and therefore, similarly to the above-described embodiment, the mechanism for connecting and spacing the developer receiving portion 11 of the developer receiving apparatus 8 relative to the developer supply container 1 by displacing the developer receiving portion 11 can be simplified. More particularly, a driving source and/or a drive transmission mechanism for moving the entirety of the developing device upwardly is unnecessary, and therefore, a complication of the structure of the image forming apparatus side and/or the increase in cost due to increase of the number of parts can be avoided. The connection between the developer supply container 1 and the developer receiving apparatus 8 can be properly established using the mounting operation of the developer supply container 1 with minimum contamination with the developer. Similarly, utilizing the dismounting operation of the developer supply container 1, the spacing and resealing between the developer supply container 1 and the developer receiving apparatus 8 can be carried out with minimum contamination with the developer. Embodiment 18 Referring to FIGS. 89-91, the description will be made as to structures of Embodiment 18. Part of (a) of FIG. 89 is a schematic perspective view of a developer supply container 1, (b) is a schematic perspective view of a flange portion 21, (c) is a schematic perspective view of a cylindrical portion 20k, part art (a)-(b) of FIG. 90 are enlarged sectional views of the developer supply container 1, and FIG. 91 is a schematic view of a pump portion 21f. In this example, the same reference numerals as in the foregoing embodiments are assigned to the elements having the corresponding functions in this embodiment, and the detailed description thereof is omitted. In this example, a rotational force is converted to a force for forward operation of the pump portion 21f without converting the rotational force to a force for backward operation of the pump portion, as is contrasted to the foregoing embodiments. In this example, as shown in FIGS. 89-91, a bellow type pump portion 21f is provided at a side of the flange portion 21 adjacent the cylindrical portion 20k. An outer surface of the cylindrical portion 20k is provided with a gear portion 20a which extends on the full circumference. At an end of the cylindrical portion 20k adjacent a discharging portion 21h, two compressing projections 21 for compressing the pump portion 21f by abutting to the pump portion 21f by the rotation of the cylindrical portion 20k are provided at diametrically opposite positions, respectively. A configuration of the compressing projection 201 at a downstream side with respect to the rotational moving direction is slanted to gradually compress the pump portion 21f so as to reduce the impact upon abutment to the pump portion 21f. On the other hand, a configuration of the compressing projection 201 at the upstream side with respect to the rotational moving direction is a surface perpendicular to the end surface of the cylindrical portion 20k to be substantially parallel with the rotational axis direction of the cylindrical portion 20k so that the pump portion 21f instantaneously expands by the restoring elastic force thereof. Similarly to Embodiment 13, the inside of the cylindrical portion 20k is provided with a plate-like partition wall 32 for feeding the developer fed by a helical projection 20c to the discharging portion 21h. Also in this example, the mounting portion 8f of the developer receiving apparatus 8 is provided with a developer receiving portion 11 (FIG. 40 or FIG. 66) for receiving the developer discharged from the developer supply container 1 through the discharge opening (opening) 21a which will be described hereinafter. The structure of the developer receiving portion 11 is similar to the those of Embodiment 1 or Embodiment 2, and therefore, the description thereof is omitted. In addition, the flange portion 21 of the developer supply container is provided with engaging portions 3b2 and 3b4 engageable with the developer receiving portion 11 displaceably provided on the developer receiving apparatus 8 similarly to the above-described Embodiment 1 or Embodiment 2. The structures of the engaging portions 3b2, 3b4 are similar to those of above-described Embodiment 1 or Embodiment 2, and therefore, the description is omitted. In addition, also in this example, the flange portion 21 is substantial stationary (non-rotatable) when the developer supply container 1 is mounted to the mounting portion 8f of the developer receiving apparatus 8. Therefore, during the developer supply, the flange portion 21 does not substantially rotate. The description will be made as to developer supplying step from the developer supply container 1 in this example. After the developer supply container 1 is mounted to the developer receiving apparatus 8, cylindrical portion 20k which is the developer accommodating portion 20 rotates by the rotational force inputted from the driving gear 300 to the gear portion 20a, so that the compressing projection 21 rotates. At this time, when the compressing projections 21 abut to the pump portion 21f, the pump portion 21f is compressed in the direction of a arrow γ, as shown in part (a) of FIG. 90, so that a discharging operation is effected. On the other hand, when the rotation of the cylindrical portion 20k continues until the pump portion 21f is released from the compressing projection 21, the pump portion 21f expands in the direction of an arrow co by the self-restoring force, as shown in part (b) of FIG. 90, so that it restores to the original shape, by which the sucking operation is effected. The states shown in (a) and (b) of FIG. 90 are alternately repeated, by which the pump portion 21f effects the suction and discharging operations. That is the developer is discharged smoothly. With the rotation of the cylindrical portion 20k in this manner, the developer is fed to the discharging portion 21h by the helical projection (feeding portion) 20c and the inclined projection (feeding portion) 32a (FIG. 88). The developer in the discharging portion 21h is finally discharged through the discharge opening 21a by the discharging operation of the pump portion 21f. As described in the foregoing, also in this embodiment, one pump is enough to effect the sucking operation and the discharging operation, and therefore, the structure of the developer discharging mechanism can be simplified. In addition, by the sucking operation through the discharge opening, a pressure reduction state (negative pressure state) can be provided in the developer supply container, and therefore, the developer can be efficiently loosened. In addition, also in this example, similarly to the Embodiment 8-Embodiment 17, both of the reciprocation of the pump portion 21f and the rotating operation of the developer supply container 1 can be effected by the rotational force received from the developer receiving apparatus 8. In this example, the pump portion 21f is compressed by the contact to the compressing projection 201, and expands by the self-restoring force of the pump portion 21f when it is released from the compressing projection 21, but the structure may be opposite. More particularly, when the pump portion 21f is contacted by the compressing projection 21, they are locked, and with the rotation of the cylindrical portion 20k, the pump portion 21f is forcedly expanded. With further rotation of the cylindrical portion 20k, the pump portion 21f is released, by which the pump portion 21f restores to the original shape by the self-restoring force (restoring elastic force). Thus, the sucking operation and the discharging operation are alternately repeated. In the case of this example, the self restoring power of the pump portion 21f is likely to be deteriorated by repetition of the expansion and contraction of the pump portion 21f for a long term, and from this standpoint, the structures of Embodiments 8-17 are preferable. Or, by employing the structure of FIG. 91, the likelihood can be avoided. As shown in FIG. 91, compression plate 20q is fixed to an end surface of the pump portion 21f adjacent the cylindrical portion 20k. Between the outer surface of the flange portion 21 and the compression plate 20q, a spring 20r functioning as an urging member is provided covering the pump portion 21f. The spring 20r normally urges the pump portion 21f in the expanding direction. With such a structure, the self restoration of the pump portion 21f at the time when the contact between the compression projection 201 and the pump position is released can be assisted, the sucking operation can be carried out assuredly even when the expansion and contraction of the pump portion 21f is repeated for a long term. In this example, two compressing projections 201 functioning as the drive converting mechanism are provided at the diametrically opposite positions, but this is not inevitable, and the number thereof may be one or three, for example. In addition, in place of one compressing projection, the following structure may be employed as the drive converting mechanism. For example, the configuration of the end surface opposing the pump portion 21f of the cylindrical portion 20k is not a perpendicular surface relative to the rotational axis of the cylindrical portion 20k as in this example, but is a surface inclined relative to the rotational axis. In this case, the inclined surface acts on the pump portion 21f to be equivalent to the compressing projection. In another alternative, a shaft portion is extended from a rotation axis at the end surface of the cylindrical portion 20k opposed to the pump portion 21f toward the pump portion 21f in the rotational axis direction, and a swash plate (disk) inclined relative to the rotational axis of the shaft portion is provided. In this case, the swash plate acts on the pump portion 21f, and therefore, it is equivalent to the compressing projection. In addition, in this example, similarly to the foregoing embodiments, the flange portion 21 of the developer supply container 1 is provided with the engaging portions 3b2, 3b4 similar to those of Embodiments 1 and 2, and therefore, similarly to the above-described embodiment, the mechanism for connecting and spacing the developer receiving portion 11 of the developer receiving apparatus 8 relative to the developer supply container 1 by displacing the developer receiving portion 11 can be simplified. More particularly, a driving source and/or a drive transmission mechanism for moving the entirety of the developing device upwardly is unnecessary, and therefore, a complication of the structure of the image forming apparatus side and/or the increase in cost due to increase of the number of parts can be avoided. The connection between the developer supply container 1 and the developer receiving apparatus 8 can be properly established using the mounting operation of the developer supply container 1 with minimum contamination with the developer. Similarly, utilizing the dismounting operation of the developer supply container 1, the spacing and resealing between the developer supply container 1 and the developer receiving apparatus 8 can be carried out with minimum contamination with the developer. Embodiment 19 Referring to FIG. 92 (parts (a) and (b)), structures of the Embodiment 19 will be described. Parts (a) and (b) of FIG. 92 are sectional views schematically illustrating a developer supply container 1. In this example, the pump portion 21f is provided at the cylindrical portion 20k, and the pump portion 21f rotates together with the cylindrical portion 20k. In addition, in this example, the pump portion 21f is provided with a weight 20v, by which the pump portion 21f reciprocates with the rotation. The other structures of this example are similar to those of Embodiment 17 (FIG. 88), and the detailed description thereof is omitted by assigning the same reference numerals to the corresponding elements. As shown in part (a) of FIG. 92, the cylindrical portion 20k, the flange portion 21 and the pump portion 21f function as a developer accommodating space of the developer supply container 1. The pump portion 21f is connected to an outer periphery portion of the cylindrical portion 20k, and the action of the pump portion 21f works to the cylindrical portion 20k and the discharging portion 21h. A drive converting mechanism of this example will be described. One end surface of the cylindrical portion 20k with respect to the rotational axis direction is provided with coupling portion (rectangular configuration projection) 20s functioning as a drive inputting portion, and the coupling portion 20s receives a rotational force from the developer receiving apparatus 8. On the top of one end of the pump portion 21f with respect to the reciprocating direction, the weight 20v is fixed. In this example, the weight 20v functions as the drive converting mechanism. Thus, with the integral rotation of the cylindrical portion 20k and the pump portion 21f, the pump portion 21f expands and contract in the up and down directions by the gravitation to the weight 20v. More particularly, in the state of part (a) of FIG. 92, the weight takes a position upper than the pump portion 21f, and the pump portion 21f is contracted by the weight 20v in the direction of the gravitation (white arrow). At this time, the developer is discharged through the discharge opening 21a (black arrow). On the other hand, in the state of part (b) of FIG. 92, weight takes a position lower than the pump portion 21f, and the pump portion 21f is expanded by the weight 20v in the direction of the gravitation (white arrow). At this time, the sucking operation is effected through the discharge opening 21a (black arrow), by which the developer is loosened. As described in the foregoing, also in this embodiment, one pump is enough to effect the sucking operation and the discharging operation, and therefore, the structure of the developer discharging mechanism can be simplified. In addition, by the sucking operation through the discharge opening, a pressure reduction state (negative pressure state) can be provided in the developer supply container, and therefore, the developer can be efficiently loosened. In addition, also in this example, similarly to the Embodiment 8-Embodiment 18, both of the reciprocation of the pump portion 21f and the rotating operation of the developer supply container 1 can be effected by the rotational force received from the developer receiving apparatus 8. In this example, the pump portion 21f rotates about the cylindrical portion 20k, and therefore, the space required by the mounting portion 8f of the developer receiving apparatus 8 is relatively large with the result of upsizing of the device, and from this standpoint, the structures of Embodiment 8-Embodiment 18 are preferable. In addition, in this example, similarly to the foregoing embodiments, the flange portion 21 of the developer supply container 1 is provided with the engaging portions 3b2, 3b4 similar to those of Embodiments 1 and 2, and therefore, similarly to the above-described embodiment, the mechanism for connecting and spacing the developer receiving portion 11 of the developer receiving apparatus 8 relative to the developer supply container 1 by displacing the developer receiving portion 11 can be simplified. More particularly, a driving source and/or a drive transmission mechanism for moving the entirety of the developing device upwardly is unnecessary, and therefore, a complication of the structure of the image forming apparatus side and/or the increase in cost due to increase of the number of parts can be avoided. The connection between the developer supply container 1 and the developer receiving apparatus 8 can be properly established using the mounting operation of the developer supply container 1 with minimum contamination with the developer. Similarly, utilizing the dismounting operation of the developer supply container 1, the spacing and resealing between the developer supply container 1 and the developer receiving apparatus 8 can be carried out with minimum contamination with the developer. Embodiment 20 Referring to FIGS. 93-95, the description will be made as to structures of Embodiment 20. Part (a) of FIG. 93 is a perspective view of a cylindrical portion 20k, and (b) is a perspective view of a flange portion 21. Parts (a) and (b) of FIG. 94 are partially sectional perspective views of a developer supply container 1, and (a) shows a state in which a rotatable shutter is open, and (b) shows a state in which the rotatable shutter is closed. FIG. 95 is a timing chart illustrating a relation between operation timing of the pump portion 21f and timing of opening and closing of the rotatable shutter. In FIG. 95, contraction is a discharging step of the pump portion 21f, expansion is a suction step of the pump portion 21f. In this example, a mechanism for separating between a discharging chamber 21h and the cylindrical portion 20k during the expanding-and-contracting operation of the pump portion 21f is provided, as is contrasted to the foregoing embodiments. In this example, a mechanism for separating between a discharging chamber 21h and the cylindrical portion 20k during the expanding-and-contracting operation of the pump portion 21f is provided. The inside of the discharging portion 21h functions as a developer accommodating portion for receiving the developer fed from the cylindrical portion 20k as will be described hereinafter. The structures of this example in the other respects are substantially the same as those of Embodiment 17 (FIG. 88), and the description thereof is omitted by assigning the same reference numerals to the corresponding elements. As shown in part (a) of FIG. 93, one longitudinal end surface of the cylindrical portion 20k functions as a rotatable shutter. More particularly, said one longitudinal end surface of the cylindrical portion 20k is provided with a communication opening 20u for discharging the developer to the flange portion 21, and is provided with a closing portion 20h. The communication opening 20u has a sector-shape. On the other hand, as shown in part (b) of FIG. 93, the flange portion 21 is provided with a communication opening 21k for receiving the developer from the cylindrical portion 20k. The communication opening 21k has a sector-shape configuration similar to the communication opening 20u, and the portion other than that is closed to provide a closing portion 21m. Parts (a)-(b) of FIG. 94 illustrate a state in which the cylindrical portion 20k shown in part (a) of FIG. 93 and the flange portion 21 shown in part (b) of FIG. 93 have been assembled. The communication opening 20u and the outer surface of the communication opening 21k are connected with each other so as to compress the sealing member 27, and the cylindrical portion 20k is rotatable relative to the stationary flange portion 21. With such a structure, when the cylindrical portion 20k is rotated relatively by the rotational force received by the gear portion 20a, the relation between the cylindrical portion 20k and the flange portion 21 are alternately switched between the communication state and the non-passage continuing state. That is, rotation of the cylindrical portion 20k, the communication opening 20u of the cylindrical portion 20k becomes aligned with the communication opening 21k of the flange portion 21 (part (a) of FIG. 94). With a further rotation of the cylindrical portion 20k, the communication opening 20u of the cylindrical portion 20k becomes into non-alignment with the communication opening 21k, so that the flange portion 21 is closed, by which the situation is switched to a non-communication state (part (b) of FIG. 94) in which the flange portion 21 is separated to substantially seal the flange portion 21. Such a partitioning mechanism (rotatable shutter) for isolating the discharging portion 21h at least in the expanding-and-contracting operation of the pump portion 21f is provided for the following reasons. The discharging of the developer from the developer supply container 1 is effected by making the internal pressure of the developer supply container 1 higher than the ambient pressure by contracting the pump portion 21f. Therefore, if the partitioning mechanism is not provided as in foregoing Embodiments 8-18, the space of which the internal pressure is changed is not limited to the inside space of the flange portion 21 but includes the inside space of the cylindrical portion 20k, and therefore, the amount of volume change of the pump portion 21f has to be made eager. This is because a ratio of a volume of the inside space of the developer supply container 1 immediately after the pump portion 21f is contracted to its end to the volume of the inside space of the developer supply container 1 immediately before the pump portion 21f starts the contraction is influenced by the internal pressure. However, when the partitioning mechanism is provided, there is no movement of the air from the flange portion 21 to the cylindrical portion 20k, and therefore, it is enough to change the pressure of the inside space of the flange portion 21. That is, under the condition of the same internal pressure value, the amount of the volume change of the pump portion 21f may be smaller when the original volume of the inside space is smaller. In this example, more specifically, the volume of the discharging portion 21h separated by the rotatable shutter is 40 cm∧3, and the volume change of the pump portion 21f (reciprocation movement distance) is 2 cm∧3 (it is 15 cm∧3 in Embodiment 5). Even with such a small volume change, developer supply by a sufficient suction and discharging effect can be effected, similarly to Embodiment 5. As described in the foregoing, in this example, as compared with the structures of Embodiments 5-19, the volume change amount of the pump portion 21f can be minimized. As a result, the pump portion 21f can be downsized. In addition, the distance through which the pump portion 21f is reciprocated (volume change amount) can be made smaller. The provision of such a partitioning mechanism is effective particularly in the case that the capacity of the cylindrical portion 20k is large in order to make the filled amount of the developer in the developer supply container 1 is large. Developer supplying steps in this example will be described. In the state that developer supply container 1 is mounted to the developer receiving apparatus 8 and the flange portion 21 is fixed, drive is inputted to the gear portion 20a from the driving gear 300, by which the cylindrical portion 20k rotates, and the cam groove 20e rotates. On the other hand, the cam projection 21 g fixed to the pump portion 21f non-rotatably supported by the developer receiving apparatus 8 with the flange portion 21 is moved by the cam groove 20e. Therefore, with the rotation of the cylindrical portion 20k, the pump portion 21f reciprocates in the up and down directions. Referring to FIG. 95, the description will be made as to the timing of the pumping operation (sucking operation and discharging operation of the pump portion 21f and the timing of opening and closing of the rotatable shutter, in such a structure. FIG. 95 is a timing chart when the cylindrical portion 20k rotates one full turn. In FIG. 95, contraction means contracting operation of the pump portion 21f the discharging operation of the pump portion 21f), expansion means the expanding operation of the pump portion 21f (sucking operation of the pump portion 21f). In addition, stop means a rest state of the pump portion 21f. In addition, opening means the opening state of the rotatable shutter, and close means the closing state of the rotatable shutter. As shown in FIG. 95, when the communication opening 21k and the communication opening 20u are aligned with each other, the drive converting mechanism converts the rotational force inputted to the gear portion 20a so that the pumping operation of the pump portion 21f stops. More specifically, in this example, the structure is such that when the communication opening 21k and the communication opening 20u are aligned with each other, a radius distance from the rotation axis of the cylindrical portion 20k to the cam groove 20e is constant so that the pump portion 21f does not operate even when the cylindrical portion 20k rotates. At this time, the rotatable shutter is in the opening position, and therefore, the developer is fed from the cylindrical portion 20k to the flange portion 21. More particularly, with the rotation of the cylindrical portion 20k, the developer is scooped up by the partition wall 32, and thereafter, it slides down on the inclined projection 32a by the gravity, so that the developer moves via the communication opening 20u and the communication opening 21k to the flange 21. As shown in FIG. 95, when the non-communication state in which the communication opening 21k and the communication opening 20u are out of alignment is established, the drive converting mechanism converts the rotational force inputted to the gear portion 20b so that the pumping operation of the pump portion 21f is effected. That is, with further rotation of the cylindrical portion 20k, the rotational phase relation between the communication opening 21k and the communication opening 20u changes so that the communication opening 21k is closed by the stop portion 20h with the result that the inside space of the flange 3 is isolated (non-communication state). At this time, with the rotation of the cylindrical portion 20k, the pump portion 21f is reciprocated in the state that the non-communication state is maintained (the rotatable shutter is in the closing position). More particularly, by the rotation of the cylindrical portion 20k, the cam groove 20e rotates, and the radius distance from the rotation axis of the cylindrical portion 20k to the cam groove 20e changes. By this, the pump portion 21f effects the pumping operation through the cam function. Thereafter, with further rotation of the cylindrical portion 20k, the rotational phases are aligned again between the communication opening 21k and the communication opening 20u, so that the communicated state is established in the flange portion 21. The developer supplying step from the developer supply container 1 is carried out while repeating these operations. As described in the foregoing, also in this embodiment, one pump is enough to effect the sucking operation and the discharging operation, and therefore, the structure of the developer discharging mechanism can be simplified. In addition, by the sucking operation through the discharge opening 21a, a pressure reduction state (negative pressure state) can be provided in the developer supply container, and therefore, the developer can be efficiently loosened. In addition, also in this example, by the gear portion 20a receiving the rotational force from the developer receiving apparatus 8, both of the rotating operation of the cylindrical portion 20k and the suction and discharging operation of the pump portion 21f can be effected. Further, according to the structure of the example, the pump portion 21f can be downsized. Furthermore, the volume change amount (reciprocation movement distance) can be reduced, and as a result, the load required to reciprocate the pump portion 21f can be reduced. Moreover, in this example, no additional structure is used to receive the driving force for rotating the rotatable shutter from the developer receiving apparatus 8, but the rotational force received for the feeding portion (cylindrical portion 20k, helical projection 20c) is used, and therefore, the partitioning mechanism is simplified. As described above, the volume change amount of the pump portion 21f does not depend on the all volume of the developer supply container 1 including the cylindrical portion 20k, but it is selectable by the inside volume of the flange portion 21. Therefore, for example, in the case that the capacity (the diameter of the cylindrical portion 20k is changed when manufacturing developer supply containers having different developer filling capacity, a cost reduction effect can be expected. That is, the flange portion 21 including the pump portion 21f may be used as a common unit, which is assembled with different kinds of cylindrical portions 2k. By doing so, there is no need of increasing the number of kinds of the metal molds, thus reducing the manufacturing cost. In addition, in this example, during the non-communication state between the cylindrical portion 20k and the flange portion 21, the pump portion 21f is reciprocated by one cyclic period, but similarly to Embodiment 8, the pump portion 21f may be reciprocated by a plurality of cyclic periods. Furthermore, in this example, throughout the contracting operation and the expanding operation of the pump portion, the discharging portion 21h is isolated, but this is not inevitable, and the following in an alternative. If the pump portion 21f can be downsized, and the volume change amount (reciprocation movement distance) of the pump portion 21f can be reduced, the discharging portion 21h may be opened slightly during the contracting operation and the expanding operation of the pump portion. In addition, in this example, similarly to the foregoing embodiments, the flange portion 21 of the developer supply container 1 is provided with the engaging portions 3b2, 3b4 similar to those of Embodiments 1 and 2, and therefore, similarly to the above-described embodiment, the mechanism for connecting and spacing the developer receiving portion 11 of the developer receiving apparatus 8 relative to the developer supply container 1 by displacing the developer receiving portion 11 can be simplified. More particularly, a driving source and/or a drive transmission mechanism for moving the entirety of the developing device upwardly is unnecessary, and therefore, a complication of the structure of the image forming apparatus side and/or the increase in cost due to increase of the number of parts can be avoided. The connection between the developer supply container 1 and the developer receiving apparatus 8 can be properly established using the mounting operation of the developer supply container 1 with minimum contamination with the developer. Similarly, utilizing the dismounting operation of the developer supply container 1, the spacing and resealing between the developer supply container 1 and the developer receiving apparatus 8 can be carried out with minimum contamination with the developer. Embodiment 21 Referring to FIGS. 96-98, the description will be made as to structures of Embodiment 21. FIG. 96 is a partly sectional perspective view of a developer supply container 1. Parts (a)-(c) of FIG. 97 are a partial section illustrating an operation of a partitioning mechanism (stop valve 35). FIG. 98 is a timing chart showing timing of a pumping operation (contracting operation and expanding operation) of the pump portion 21f and opening and closing timing of the stop valve 35 which will be described hereinafter. In FIG. 98, contraction means contracting operation of the pump portion 21f the discharging operation of the pump portion 21f), expansion means the expanding operation of the pump portion 21f (sucking operation of the pump portion 21f). In addition, stop means a rest state of the pump portion 21f. In addition, opening means an open state of the stop valve 35 and close means a state in which the stop valve 35 is closed. This example is significantly different from the above-described embodiments in that the stop valve 35 is employed as a mechanism for separating between a discharging portion 21h and a cylindrical portion 20k in an expansion and contraction stroke of the pump portion 21f. The structures of this example in the other respects are substantially the same as those of Embodiment 12 (FIGS. 85 and 86), and the description thereof is omitted by assigning the same reference numerals to the corresponding elements. In this example, as contrasted to the structure of the Embodiment 15 shown in FIGS. 85 and 86, a plate-like partition wall 32 of Embodiment 17 shown in FIG. 88 is provided. In the above-described Embodiment 20, a partitioning mechanism (rotatable shutter) using a rotation of the cylindrical portion 20k is employed, but in this example, a partitioning mechanism (stop valve) using reciprocation of the pump portion 21f is employed. This will be described in detail. As shown in FIG. 96, a discharging portion 3h is provided between the cylindrical portion 20k and the pump portion 21f. A wall portion 33 is provided at a cylindrical portion 20k side of the discharging portion 3h, and a discharge opening 21a is provided lower at a left part of the wall portion 33 in the Figure. A stop valve 35 and an elastic member (seal) 34 as a partitioning mechanism for opening and closing a communication port 33a (FIG. 97) formed in the wall portion 33 are provided. The stop valve 35 is fixed to one internal end of the pump portion 20b (opposite the discharging portion 21h), and reciprocates in a rotational axis direction of the developer supply container 1 with expanding-and-contracting operations of the pump portion 21f. The seal 34 is fixed to the stop valve 35, and moves with the movement of the stop valve 35. Referring to parts (a)-(c) of the FIG. 97 (FIG. 97 if necessary), operations of the stop valve 35 in a developer supplying step will be described. FIG. 97 illustrates in (a) a maximum expanded state of the pump portion 21f in which the stop valve 35 is spaced from the wall portion 33 provided between the discharging portion 21h and the cylindrical portion 20k. At this time, the developer in the cylindrical portion 20k is fed into the discharging portion 21h through the communication port 33a by the inclined projection 32a with the rotation of the cylindrical portion 20k. Thereafter, when the pump portion 21f contracts, the state becomes as shown in (b) of the FIG. 97. At this time, the seal 34 is contacted to the wall portion 33 to close the communication port 33a. That is, the discharging portion 21h becomes isolated from the cylindrical portion 20k. When the pump portion 21f contracts further, the pump portion 21f becomes most contracted as shown in part (c) of FIG. 97. During period from the state shown in part (b) of FIG. 97 to the state shown in part (c) of FIG. 97, the seal 34 remains contacting to the wall portion 33, and therefore, the discharging portion 21h is pressurized to be higher than the ambient pressure (positive pressure) so that the developer is discharged through the discharge opening 21a. Thereafter, during expanding operation of the pump portion 21f from the state shown in (c) of FIG. 97 to the state shown in (b) of FIG. 97, the seal 34 remains contacting to the wall portion 33, and therefore, the internal pressure of the discharging portion 21h is reduced to be lower than the ambient pressure (negative pressure). Thus, the sucking operation is effected through the discharge opening 21a. When the pump portion 21f further expands, it returns to the state shown in part (a) of FIG. 97. In this example, the foregoing operations are repeated to carry out the developer supplying step. In this manner, in this example, the stop valve 35 is moved using the reciprocation of the pump portion, and therefore, the stop valve is opening during an initial stage of the contracting operation (discharging operation) of the pump portion 21f and in the final stage of the expanding operation (sucking operation) thereof. The seal 34 will be described in detail. The seal 34 is contacted to the wall portion 33 to assure the sealing property of the discharging portion 21h, and is compressed with the contracting operation of the pump portion 21f, and therefore, it is preferable to have both of sealing property and flexibility. In this example, as a sealing material having such properties, the use is made with polyurethane foam the available from Kabushiki Kaisha INOAC Corporation, Japan (tradename is MOLTOPREN, SM-55 having a thickness of 5 mm). The thickness of the sealing material in the maximum contraction state of the pump portion 21f is 2 mm (the compression amount of 3 mm). As described in the foregoing, the volume variation (pump function) for the discharging portion 21h by the pump portion 21f is substantially limited to the duration after the seal 34 is contacted to the wall portion 33 until it is compressed to 3 mm, but the pump portion 21f works in the range limited by the stop valve 35. Therefore, even when such a stop valve 35 is used, the developer can be stably discharged. As described in the foregoing, also in this embodiment, one pump is enough to effect the sucking operation and the discharging operation, and therefore, the structure of the developer discharging mechanism can be simplified. In addition, by the sucking operation through the discharge opening, a pressure reduction state (negative pressure state) can be provided in the developer supply container, and therefore, the developer can be efficiently loosened. In addition, also in this example, similarly to the Embodiment 8-Embodiment 20, both of the suction and discharging operation of the pump portion 21f and the rotating operation of the cylindrical portion 20k can be carried out by the gear portion 20a receiving the rotational force from the developer receiving apparatus 8. Furthermore, similarly to Embodiment 20, the pump portion 21f can be downsized, and the volume change volume of the pump portion 21f can be reduced. The cost reduction advantage by the common structure of the pump portion can be expected. In addition, in this example, the driving force for operating the stop valve 35 does not particularly received from the developer receiving apparatus 8, but the reciprocation force for the pump portion 21f is utilized, so that the partitioning mechanism can be simplified. In addition, in this example, similarly to the foregoing embodiments, the flange portion 21 of the developer supply container 1 is provided with the engaging portions 3b2, 3b4 similar to those of Embodiments 1 and 2, and therefore, similarly to the above-described embodiment, the mechanism for connecting and spacing the developer receiving portion 11 of the developer receiving apparatus 8 relative to the developer supply container 1 by displacing the developer receiving portion 11 can be simplified. More particularly, a driving source and/or a drive transmission mechanism for moving the entirety of the developing device upwardly is unnecessary, and therefore, a complication of the structure of the image forming apparatus side and/or the increase in cost due to increase of the number of parts can be avoided. The connection between the developer supply container 1 and the developer receiving apparatus 8 can be properly established using the mounting operation of the developer supply container 1 with minimum contamination with the developer. Similarly, utilizing the dismounting operation of the developer supply container 1, the spacing and resealing between the developer supply container 1 and the developer receiving apparatus 8 can be carried out with minimum contamination with the developer. Embodiment 22 Referring to FIG. 99 (parts (a) and (b)), structures of the Embodiment 22 will be described. Part (a) of FIG. 99 is a partially sectional perspective view of the developer supply container 1, and (b) is a perspective view of the flange portion 21, and (c) is a sectional view of the developer supply container. This example is significantly different from the foregoing embodiments in that a buffer portion 23 is provided as a mechanism separating between discharging chamber 21h and the cylindrical portion 20k. The structures of this example in the other respects are substantially the same as those of Embodiment 17 (FIG. 88), and the description thereof is omitted by assigning the same reference numerals to the corresponding elements. As shown in part (b) of FIG. 99, a buffer portion 23 is fixed to the flange portion 21 non-rotatably. The buffer portion 23 is provided with a receiving port 23a which opens upward and a supply port 23b which is in fluid communication with a discharging portion 21h. As shown in part (a) and (c) of FIG. 99, such a flange portion 21 is mounted to the cylindrical portion 20k such that the buffer portion 23 is in the cylindrical portion 20k. The cylindrical portion 20k is connected to the flange portion 21 rotatably relative to the flange portion 21 immovably supported by the developer receiving apparatus 8. The connecting portion is provided with a ring seal to prevent leakage of air or developer. In addition, in this example, as shown in part (a) of FIG. 99, an inclined projection 32a is provided on the partition wall 32 to feed the developer toward the receiving port 23a of the buffer portion 23. In this example, until the developer supplying operation of the developer supply container 1 is completed, the developer in the developer accommodating portion 20 is fed through the receiving port 23a into the buffer portion 23 by the partition wall 32 and the inclined projection 32a with the rotation of the developer supply container1. Therefore, as shown in part (c) of FIG. 99, the inside space of the buffer portion 23 is maintained full of the developer. As a result, the developer filling the inside space of the buffer portion 23 substantially blocks the movement of the air toward the discharging portion 21h from the cylindrical portion 20k, so that the buffer portion 23 functions as a partitioning mechanism. Therefore, when the pump portion 21f reciprocates, at least the discharging portion 21h can be isolated from the cylindrical portion 20k, and for this reason, the pump portion can be downsized, and the volume change of the pump portion can be reduced. As described in the foregoing, also in this embodiment, one pump is enough to effect the sucking operation and the discharging operation, and therefore, the structure of the developer discharging mechanism can be simplified. In addition, by the sucking operation through the discharge opening, a pressure reduction state (negative pressure state) can be provided in the developer supply container, and therefore, the developer can be efficiently loosened. In addition, also in this example, similarly to the Embodiment 8-Embodiment 21, both of the reciprocation of the pump portion 21f and the rotating operation of the feeding portion 20c (cylindrical portion 20k) can be carried out by the rotational force received from the developer receiving apparatus 8. Furthermore, similarly to the Embodiment 20-Embodiment 21, the pump portion can be downsized, and the volume change amount of the pump portion can be reduced. The cost reduction advantage by the common structure of the pump portion can be expected. Moreover, in this example, the developer is used as the partitioning mechanism, and therefore, the partitioning mechanism can be simplified. In addition, in this example, similarly to the foregoing embodiments, the flange portion 21 of the developer supply container 1 is provided with the engaging portions 3b2, 3b4 similar to those of Embodiments 1 and 2, and therefore, similarly to the above-described embodiment, the mechanism for connecting and spacing the developer receiving portion 11 of the developer receiving apparatus 8 relative to the developer supply container 1 by displacing the developer receiving portion 11 can be simplified. More particularly, a driving source and/or a drive transmission mechanism for moving the entirety of the developing device upwardly is unnecessary, and therefore, a complication of the structure of the image forming apparatus side and/or the increase in cost due to increase of the number of parts can be avoided. The connection between the developer supply container 1 and the developer receiving apparatus 8 can be properly established using the mounting operation of the developer supply container 1 with minimum contamination with the developer. Similarly, utilizing the dismounting operation of the developer supply container 1, the spacing and resealing between the developer supply container 1 and the developer receiving apparatus 8 can be carried out with minimum contamination with the developer. Embodiment 23 Referring to FIGS. 100-101, the description will be made as to structures of Embodiment 23. Part (a) of FIG. 100 is a perspective view of a developer supply container 1, and (b) is a sectional view of the developer supply container 1, and FIG. 101 is a sectional perspective view of a nozzle portion 47. In this example, the nozzle portion 47 is connected to the pump portion 20b, and the developer once sucked in the nozzle portion 47 is discharged through the discharge opening 21a, as is contrasted to the foregoing embodiments. In the other respects, the structures are substantially the same as in Embodiment 14, and the detailed description thereof is omitted by assigning the same reference numerals to the corresponding elements. As shown in part (a) of FIG. 100, the developer supply container 1 comprises a flange portion 21 and a developer accommodating portion 20. The developer accommodating portion 20 comprises a cylindrical portion 20k. In the cylindrical portion 20k, as shown in (b) of FIG. 100, a partition wall 32 functioning as a feeding portion extends over the entire area in the rotational axis direction. One end surface of the partition wall 32 is provided with a plurality of inclined projections 32a at different positions in the rotational axis direction, and the developer is fed from one end with respect to the rotational axis direction to the other end (the side adjacent the flange portion 21). The inclined projections 32a are provided on the other end surface of the partition wall 32 similarly. In addition, between the adjacent inclined projections 32a, a through-opening 32b for permitting passing of the developer is provided. The through-opening 32b functions to stir the developer. The structure of the feeding portion may be a combination of the feeding portion (helical projection 20c) in the cylindrical portion 20k and a partition wall 32 for feeding the developer to the flange portion 21, as in the foregoing embodiments. The flange portion 21 including the pump portion 20b will be described. The flange portion 21 is connected to the cylindrical portion 20k rotatably through a small diameter portion 49 and a sealing member 48. In the state that the container is mounted to the developer receiving apparatus 8, the flange portion 21 is immovably held by the developer receiving apparatus 8 (rotating operation and reciprocation is not permitted). In addition, as shown in part (a) of FIG. 66, in the flange portion 21, there is provided a supply amount adjusting portion (flow rate adjusting portion) 52 which receives the developer fed from the cylindrical portion 20k. In the supply amount adjusting portion 52, there is provided a nozzle portion 47 which extends from the pump portion 20b toward the discharge opening 21a. In addition, the rotation driving force received by the gear portion 20a is converted to a reciprocation force by a drive converting mechanism to vertically drive the pump portion 20b. Therefore, with the volume change of the pump portion 20b, the nozzle portion 47 sucks the developer in the supply amount adjusting portion 52, and discharges it through discharge opening 21a. The structure for drive transmission to the pump portion 20b in this example will be described. As described in the foregoing, the cylindrical portion 20k rotates when the gear portion 20a provided on the cylindrical portion 20k receives the rotation force from the driving gear 9. In addition, the rotation force is transmitted to the gear portion 43 through the gear portion 42 provided on the small diameter portion 49 of the cylindrical portion 20k. Here, the gear portion 43 is provided with a shaft portion 44 integrally rotatable with the gear portion 43. One end of shaft portion 44 is rotatably supported by the housing 46. The shaft 44 is provided with an eccentric cam 45 at a position opposing the pump portion 20b, and the eccentric cam 45 is rotated along a track with a changing distance from the rotation axis of the shaft 44 by the rotational force transmitted thereto, so that the pump portion 20b is pushed down (reduced in the volume). By this, the developer in the nozzle portion 47 is discharged through the discharge opening 21a. When the pump portion 20b is released from the eccentric cam 45, it restores to the original position by its restoring force (the volume expands). By the restoration of the pump portion (increase of the volume), sucking operation is effected through the discharge opening 21a, and the developer existing in the neighborhood of the discharge opening 21a can be loosened. By repeating the operations, the developer is efficiently discharged by the volume change of the pump portion 20b. As described in the foregoing, the pump portion 20b may be provided with an urging member such as a spring to assist the restoration (or pushing down). The hollow conical nozzle portion 47 will be described. The nozzle portion 47 is provided with an opening 53 in an outer periphery thereof, and the nozzle portion 47 is provided at its free end with an ejection outlet 54 for ejecting the developer toward the discharge opening 21a. In the developer supplying step, at least the opening 53 of the nozzle portion 47 can be in the developer layer in the supply amount adjusting portion 52, by which the pressure produced by the pump portion 20b can be efficiently applied to the developer in the supply amount adjusting portion 52. That is, the developer in the supply amount adjusting portion 52 (around the nozzle 47) functions as a partitioning mechanism relative to the cylindrical portion 20k, so that the effect of the volume change of the pump portion 20b is applied to the limited range, that is, within the supply amount adjusting portion 52. With such structures, similarly to the partitioning mechanisms of Embodiments 20-22, the nozzle portion 47 can provide similar effects. As described in the foregoing, also in this embodiment, one pump is enough to effect the sucking operation and the discharging operation, and therefore, the structure of the developer discharging mechanism can be simplified. In addition, by the sucking operation through the discharge opening, a pressure reduction state (negative pressure state) can be provided in the developer supply container, and therefore, the developer can be efficiently loosened. In addition, in this example, similarly to Embodiments 5-19, by the rotational force received from the developer receiving apparatus 8, both of the rotating operations of the developer accommodating portion 20 (cylindrical portion 20k) and the reciprocation of the pump portion 20b are effected. Similarly to Embodiments 20-22, the pump portion 20b and/or flange portion 21 may be made common to the advantages. In this example, the developer does not slide on the partitioning mechanism as is different from Embodiment 20-Embodiment 21, the damage to the developer can be avoided. In addition, in this example, similarly to the foregoing embodiments, the flange portion 21 of the developer supply container 1 is provided with the engaging portions 3b2, 3b4 similar to those of Embodiments 1 and 2, and therefore, similarly to the above-described embodiment, the mechanism for connecting and spacing the developer receiving portion 11 of the developer receiving apparatus 8 relative to the developer supply container 1 by displacing the developer receiving portion 11 can be simplified. More particularly, a driving source and/or a drive transmission mechanism for moving the entirety of the developing device upwardly is unnecessary, and therefore, a complication of the structure of the image forming apparatus side and/or the increase in cost due to increase of the number of parts can be avoided. The connection between the developer supply container 1 and the developer receiving apparatus 8 can be properly established using the mounting operation of the developer supply container 1 with minimum contamination with the developer. Similarly, utilizing the dismounting operation of the developer supply container 1, the spacing and resealing between the developer supply container 1 and the developer receiving apparatus 8 can be carried out with minimum contamination with the developer. Comparison Example Referring to FIG. 102, a comparison example will be described. Part (a) of FIG. 102 is a sectional view illustrating a state in which the air is fed into a developer supply container 150, and part (b) of FIG. 102 is a sectional view illustrating a state in which the air (developer) is discharged from the developer supply container 150. Part (c) of FIG. 102 is a sectional view illustrating a state in which the developer is fed into a hopper 8c from a storage portion 123, and part (d) of FIG. 102 is a sectional view illustrating a state in which the air is taken into the storage portion 123 from the hopper 8c. In the description of this comparison example, the same reference numerals as in the foregoing Embodiments are assigned to the elements having the corresponding functions in this embodiment, and the detailed description thereof is omitted for simplicity. In this comparison example, the pump portion for effecting the suction and discharging, more specifically, a displacement type pump portion 122 is provided not on the side of the developer supply container 150 but on the side of the developer receiving apparatus 180. The developer supply container 150 of the comparison example corresponds to the structure of FIG. 44 (Embodiment 8) from which the pump portion 5 and the locking portion 18 are removed, and the upper surface of the container body 1a which is the connecting portion with the pump portion 5 is closed. That is, the developer supply container 150 is provided with the container body 1a, a discharge opening 1c, an upper flange portion 1g, an opening seal (sealing member) 3a5 and a shutter 4 (omitted in FIG. 102). In addition, the developer receiving apparatus 180 of this comparison example corresponds to the developer receiving apparatus 8 shown in FIGS. 38 and 40 (Embodiment 8) from which the locking member 10 and the mechanism for driving the locking member 10 are removed, and in place thereof, the pump portion, a storage portion and a valve mechanism or the like are added. More specifically, the developer receiving apparatus 180 includes the bellow-like pump portion 122 of a displacement type for effecting suction and discharging, and the storage portion 123 positioned between the developer supply container 150 and the hopper 8c to temporarily storage the developer having been discharged from the developer supply container 150. To the storage portion 123, there are connected a supply pipe portion for connecting with the developer supply container 150, and a supply pipe portion 127 for connecting with the hopper 8c. In addition, the pump portion 122 carries out the reciprocation (expanding-and-contracting operation) by a pump driving mechanism provided in the developer receiving apparatus 180. Furthermore, the developer receiving apparatus 180 is provided with a valve 125 provided in a connecting portion between the storage portion 123 and the supply pipe portion 126 on the developer supply container 150 side, and a valve 124 provided in a connecting portion between the storage portion 123 and the hopper 8c side supply pipe portion 127. The valves 124, 125 are solenoid valves which are opened and closed by a valve driving mechanism provided in the developer receiving apparatus 180. Developer discharging steps in the structure of the comparison example including is pump portion 122 on the developer receiving apparatus 180 side in this manner will be described. As shown in part (a) of FIG. 102, the valve driving mechanism is operated to close the valve 124 and open the valve 125. In this state, the pump portion 122 is contracted by the pump driving mechanism. At this time, the contracting operation of the pump portion 122 increases the internal pressure of the storage portion 123 so that the air is fed from the storage portion 123 into the developer supply container 150. As a result, the developer adjacent to the discharge opening 1c in the developer supply container 150 is loosened. Subsequently, as shown in part (b) of FIG. 102, the pump portion 122 is expanded by the pump driving mechanism, while the valve 124 is kept closed, and the valve 125 is kept opened. At this time, by the expanding operation of the pump portion 122, the internal pressure of the storage portion 123 decreases, so that the pressure of the air layer inside developer supply container 150 relatively rises. By a pressure difference between the storage portion 123 and the developer supply container 150, the air in the developer supply container 150 is discharged into the storage portion 123. With the operation, the developer is discharged together with the air from the discharge opening 1c of the developer supply container 150 and is stored in the storage portion 123 temporarily. Then, as shown in part (c) of FIG. 102, the valve driving mechanism is operated to open the valve 124 and close the valve 125. In this state, the pump portion 122 is contracted by the pump driving mechanism. At this time, the contracting operation of the pump portion 122 increases the internal pressure of the storage portion 123 to feed and discharge the developer from the storage portion 123 into the hopper 8c. Then, as shown in part (d) of FIG. 102, the pump portion 122 is expanded by the pump driving mechanism, while the valve 124 is kept opened, and the valve 125 is kept closed. At this time, by the expanding operation of the pump portion 122, the internal pressure of the storage portion 123 decreases, so that the air is taken into the storage portion 123 from the hopper 8c. By repeating the steps of parts (a)-(d) of FIG. 102, the developer in the developer supply container 150 can be discharged through the discharge opening 1c of developer supply container 150 while fluidizing the developer. However, with the structure of comparison example, the valves 124, 125 and the valve driving mechanism for controlling opening and closing of the valves as shown in parts (a)-(d) of FIG. 102 are required. In other words, the comparison example requires the complicated opening and closing control of the valves. Furthermore, the developer may be bitten between the valve and the seat with the result of stressed to the developer which may lead to formation of agglomeration masses. If this occurs, the properly opening and closing operation of the valves is not carried out, with the result that long term stability of the developer discharging is not expected. In addition, in the comparison example, by the supply of the air from the outside of the developer supply container 150, the internal pressure of the developer supply container 150 is raised, tending to agglomerate the developer, and therefore, the loosening effect of the developer is very small as shown by above-described verification experiment (comparison between FIG. 55 and FIG. 56). Therefore, Embodiment 1-Embodiment 23 prefers to the comparison example because the developer can be discharged from the developer supply container after it is sufficiently loosened. In addition, it may be considered to use a single shaft eccentric pump 400 is used in place of the pump 122 to effect the suction and discharging by the forward and backward rotations of the rotor 401, as shown in FIG. 103. However, in this case, the developer discharged from the developer supply container 150 may be stressed by sliding between the rotor 401 and a stator 402 of such a pump, with the result of production of agglomeration mass of the developer to an extent the image quality is deteriorated. The structures of the foregoing embodiments are preferable to the comparison example, because the developer discharging mechanism can be simplified. As compared with the comparison example of FIG. 103, the stress imparted to the developer can be decreased in the foregoing embodiments. While the invention has been described with reference to the structures disclosed herein, it is not confined to the details set forth, and this application is intended to cover such modification or changes as may come within the purposes of the improvements or the scope of the following claims. INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY According to the present invention, the mechanism for connecting the developer receiving portion to the developer supply container by displacing the developer receiving portion can be simplified. In addition, the connection state between the developer supply container and the developer receiving apparatus can be established properly using the mounting operation of the developer supply container. | <SOH> BACKGROUND ART <EOH>Conventionally, an image forming apparatus of an electrophotographic type such as an electrophotographic copying machine uses a developer (toner) of fine particles. In such an image forming apparatus, the developer is supplied from the developer supply container with the consumption thereof by the image forming operation. Since the developer is very fine powder, it may scatter in the mounting and demounting of the developer supply container relative to the image forming apparatus. Under the circumstances, various connecting types between the developer supply container and the image forming apparatus have been proposed and put into practice. One of conventional connecting types is disclosed in Japanese Laid-open Patent Application Hei 08-110692, for example. With the device disclosed in Japanese Laid-open Patent Application Hei 08-110692, a developer supplying device (so-called hopper) drawn out of the image forming apparatus receives the developer from a developer accommodating container, and then is reception reset into the image forming apparatus. When the developer supplying device is set in the image forming apparatus, an opening of the developer supplying device takes the position right above the opening of a developing device. In the developing operation, the entirety of the developing device is lifted up to closely contact the developing device to the developer supplying device (openings of them are in fluid communication with each other). By this, the developer supply from the developer supplying device into the developing device can be properly carried out, so that the developer leakage can be suppressed properly. On the other hand, in the non-developing operation period, the entirety of the developing device is lowered, so that the developer supplying device is spaced from the developing device. As will be understood, the device disclosed in the Japanese Laid-open Patent Application Hei 08-110692 requires a driving source and a drive transmission mechanism for automatically moving up a down the developing device. | <SOH> BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS <EOH>FIG. 1 is a sectional view of a main assembly of the image forming apparatus. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the main assembly of the image forming apparatus. In FIG. 3 , (a) is a perspective view of a developer receiving apparatus, and (b) is a sectional view of the developer receiving apparatus. In FIG. 4 , (a) is a partial enlarged perspective view of the developer receiving apparatus, (b) is a partial enlarged sectional view of the developer receiving apparatus, and (c) is a perspective view of a developer receiving portion. In FIG. 5 , (a) is an exploded perspective view of a developer supply container according to Embodiment 1, (b) is a perspective view of the developer supply container of Embodiment 1. FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a container body. In FIG. 7 , (a) is a perspective view (top side) of an upper flange portion, (b) is a perspective view (bottom side) of the upper flange portion. In FIG. 8 , (a) is a perspective view (top side) of a lower flange portion in Embodiment 1, (b) is a perspective view (bottom side) of the lower flange portion in Embodiment 1, and (c) is a front view of the lower flange portion in Embodiment 1. In FIG. 9 , (a) is a top plan view of a shutter in Embodiment 1, and (b) is a perspective view of the shutter in Embodiment 1. In FIG. 10 , (a) is a perspective view of a pump, and (b) is a front view of the pump. In FIG. 11 , (a) is a perspective view (top side) of a reciprocating member, (b) is a perspective view (bottom side) of the reciprocating member. In FIG. 12 , (a) is a perspective view (top side) of a cover, (b) is a perspective view (bottom side) of the cover. FIG. 13 is a perspective view (a) of a partial section, a front view (b) of the partial section, a top plan view (c), an interrelation relation view (d) of the lower flange portion with developer receiving portion, illustrating a mounting and demounting operation of the developer supply container in Embodiment 1. FIG. 14 is a perspective view (a) of a partial section, a front view (b) of the partial section, a top plan view (c), an interrelation relation view (d) of the lower flange portion with developer receiving portion, illustrating a mounting and demounting operation of the developer supply container in Embodiment 1. FIG. 15 is a perspective view (a) of a partial section, a front view (b) of the partial section, a top plan view (c), an interrelation relation view (d) of the lower flange portion with developer receiving portion, illustrating a mounting and demounting operation of the developer supply container in Embodiment 1. FIG. 16 is a perspective view (a) of a partial section, a front view (b) of the partial section, a top plan view (c), an interrelation relation view (d) of the lower flange portion with developer receiving portion, illustrating a mounting and demounting operation of the developer supply container in Embodiment 1. FIG. 17 is a timing chart view of the mounting and demounting operation of the developer supply container in Embodiment 1. In FIG. 18 , (a), (b) and (c) illustrate modified examples of an engaging portion of the developer supply container. In FIG. 19 , (a) is a perspective view of a developer receiving portion according to Embodiment 2, and (b) is a sectional view of the developer receiving portion of Embodiment 2. In FIG. 20 , (a) is a perspective view (top side) of a lower flange portion in Embodiment 2, and (b) is a perspective view (bottom side) of the lower flange portion in Embodiment 2. In FIG. 21 , (a) is a perspective view of a shutter in Embodiment 2, (b) is a perspective view of an according to modified example 1, and (c) and (d) are schematic views of the shutter and the developer receiving portion. In FIG. 22 , (a) and (b) are sectional views illustrating a shutter operation in Embodiment 2. FIG. 23 is a perspective view of the shutter in Embodiment 2. FIG. 24 is a front view of the developer supply container according to Embodiment 2. In FIG. 25 , (a) is a perspective view of a shutter according to modified example 2, and (b) and (c) are schematic views of the shutter and the developer receiving portion. FIG. 26 is a perspective view (a) of a partial section, a front view (b) of the partial section, a top plan view (c), an interrelation relation view (d) of the lower flange portion with developer receiving portion, illustrating a mounting and demounting operation of the developer supply container in Embodiment 2. FIG. 27 is a perspective view (a) of a partial section, a front view (b) of the partial section, a top plan view (c), an interrelation relation view (d) of the lower flange portion with developer receiving portion, illustrating a mounting and demounting operation of the developer supply container in Embodiment 2. FIG. 28 is a perspective view (a) of a partial section, a front view (b) of the partial section, a top plan view (c), an interrelation relation view (d) of the lower flange portion with developer receiving portion, illustrating a mounting and demounting operation of the developer supply container in Embodiment 2. FIG. 29 is a perspective view (a) of a partial section, a front view (b) of the partial section, a top plan view (c), an interrelation relation view (d) of the lower flange portion with developer receiving portion, illustrating a mounting and demounting operation of the developer supply container in Embodiment 2. FIG. 30 is a perspective view (a) of a partial section, a front view (b) of the partial section, a top plan view (c), an interrelation relation view (d) of the lower flange portion with developer receiving portion, illustrating a mounting and demounting operation of the developer supply container in Embodiment 2. FIG. 31 is a perspective view (a) of a partial section, a front view (b) of the partial section, a top plan view (c), an interrelation relation view (d) of the lower flange portion with developer receiving portion, illustrating a mounting and demounting operation of the developer supply container in Embodiment 2. FIG. 32 is a timing chart view of the mounting and demounting operation of the developer supply container in Embodiment 2. In FIG. 33 , (a) is a partial enlarged view of a developer supply container according to Embodiment 3, (b) is a partial enlarged sectional view of the developer supply container and a developer receiving apparatus according to Embodiment 3. FIG. 34 is an operation view of the developer receiving portion relative to the lower flange portion in a dismounting operation of the developer supply container in Embodiment 3. FIG. 35 illustrates a developer supply container of a comparison example. FIG. 36 is a sectional view of an example of an image forming apparatus. FIG. 37 is a perspective view of the image forming apparatus of FIG. 36 . FIG. 38 is a perspective view illustrating a developer receiving apparatus according to an embodiment. FIG. 39 is a perspective view of the developer receiving apparatus of FIG. 38 as seen in a different direction. FIG. 40 is a sectional view of the developer receiving apparatus of FIG. 38 . FIG. 41 is a block diagram illustrating a function and a structure of a control device. FIG. 42 is a flow chart illustrating a flow of a supplying operation. FIG. 43 is a sectional view illustrating a developer receiving apparatus without a hopper and a mounting state of the developer supply container. FIG. 44 is a perspective view illustrating an embodiment of the developer supply container. FIG. 45 is a sectional view illustrating an embodiment of the developer supply container. FIG. 46 is a sectional view of the developer supply container in which a discharge opening and an inclined surface are connected. In FIG. 47 , (a) is a perspective view of a blade used in a device for measuring a flowability energy, and (b) is a schematic view of the measuring device. FIG. 48 is a graph showing a relation between a diameter of the discharge opening and a discharge amount. FIG. 49 is a graph showing a relation between a filling amount in the container and the discharge amount. FIG. 50 is a perspective view illustrating parts of operation states of the developer supply container and the developer receiving apparatus. FIG. 51 is a perspective view of the developer supply container and the developer receiving apparatus. FIG. 52 is a sectional view of the developer supply container and the developer receiving apparatus. FIG. 53 is a sectional view of the developer supply container and the developer receiving apparatus. FIG. 54 illustrates a change of an internal pressure of the developer accommodating portion in the apparatus and the system according to Embodiment 4 of the present invention. In FIG. 55 , (a) is a block diagram of a developer supplying system (Embodiment 4) used in a verification experiment, and (b) is a schematic view illustrating a phenomenon-in the developer supply container. In FIG. 56 , (a) is a block diagram of a developer supplying system (comparison example) used in the verification experiment, and (b) is a schematic Figure of a phenomenon-in the developer supply container. FIG. 57 is a perspective view of a developer supply container according to Embodiment 5. FIG. 58 is a sectional view of the developer supply container of FIG. 57 . FIG. 59 is a perspective view of a developer supply container according to Embodiment 6. FIG. 60 is a perspective view of a developer supply container according to Embodiment 6. FIG. 61 is a perspective view of a developer supply container according to Embodiment 6. FIG. 62 is a perspective view of a developer supply container according to Embodiment 7. FIG. 63 is a sectional perspective view of a developer supply container according to Embodiment 74. FIG. 64 is a partially sectional view of a developer supply container according to Embodiment 7. FIG. 65 is a sectional view of another example according to Embodiment 7. In FIG. 66 , (a) is a front view of a mounting portion, and (b) is a partial enlarged perspective view of an inside of the mounting portion. In FIG. 67 , (a) is a perspective view of a developer supply container according to Embodiment 8, (b) is a perspective view around a discharge opening, and (c) and (d) are a front view and a sectional view illustrating a state in which the developer supply container is mounted to a mounting portion of the developer receiving apparatus. In FIG. 68 , (a) is a perspective view of a portion of the developer accommodating portion of Embodiment 8, (b) is a perspective view of a section of the developer supply container, (c) is a sectional view of an inner surface of a flange portion, (d) is a sectional view of the developer supply container. In FIG. 69 , (a) and (b) are sectional views illustrating a behavior in suction and discharging operation of a pump portion at the developer supply container of Embodiment 8. FIG. 70 is an extended elevation of a cam groove configuration of the developer supply container. FIG. 71 is an extended elevation of an example of the cam groove configuration of the developer supply container. FIG. 72 is an extended elevation of an example of the cam groove configuration of the developer supply container. FIG. 73 is an extended elevation of an example of the cam groove configuration of the developer supply container. FIG. 74 is an extended elevation of an example of the cam groove configuration of the developer supply container. FIG. 75 is an extended elevation of an example of the cam groove configuration of the developer supply container. FIG. 76 is an extended elevation of an example of the cam groove configuration of the developer supply container. FIG. 77 is graphs showing changes of an internal pressure of the developer supply container. In FIG. 78 , (a) is a perspective view of a structure of a developer supply container according to Embodiment 9, and (b) is a sectional view of a structure of the developer supply container. FIG. 79 is a sectional view illustrating a structure of a developer supply container according to Embodiment 10. In FIG. 80 , (a) is a perspective view of a developer supply container according to Embodiment 11, (b) is a sectional view of the developer supply container, (c) is a perspective view of a cam gear, and (d) is a partial enlarged view of a rotational engaging portion of a cam gear. In FIG. 81 , (a) is a perspective view of a structure of a developer supply container according to Embodiment 12, and (b) is a sectional view of a structure of the developer supply container. In FIG. 82 , (a) is a perspective view of a structure of a developer supply container according to Embodiment 13, and (b) is a sectional view of a structure of the developer supply container. In FIG. 83 , (a)-(d) illustrate an operation of a drive converting mechanism. In FIG. 84 , (a) is a perspective view of a structure of a developer supply container according to Embodiment 14, and (b) and (c) illustrate an operation of a drive converting mechanism. Part (a) of FIG. 85 is a sectional perspective view illustrating a structure of a developer supply container according to Embodiment 15, (b) and (c) are sectional views illustrating suction and discharging operations of a pump portion. In FIG. 86 , (a) is a perspective view of another example of the developer supply container of Embodiment 15, and (b) illustrates a coupling portion of the developer supply container. In FIG. 87 , (a) is a perspective view of a section of a developer supply container according to Embodiment 16, and (b) and (c) are a sectional view illustrating a state of suction and discharging operations of the pump portion. In FIG. 88 , (a) is a perspective view of a structure of a developer supply container according to Embodiment 17, (b) is a perspective view of a section of the developer supply container, (c) illustrates an end portion of a developer accommodating portion, and (d) and (e) illustrate a state in the suction and discharging operations of a pump portion. In FIG. 89 , (a) is a perspective view of a structure of a developer supply container according to Embodiment 18, (b) is a perspective view of a flange portion, and (c) is a perspective view of a structure of a cylindrical portion. In FIG. 90 , (a) and (b) are sectional views illustrating a state of suction and discharging operations of a pump portion of a developer supply container according to Embodiment 18. FIG. 91 illustrate a structure of the pump portion of the developer supply container according to Embodiment 18. In FIG. 92 , (a) and (b) are schematic sectional views of a structure of a developer supply container according to Embodiment 19. In FIG. 93 , (a) and (b) are perspective views of a cylindrical portion and a flange portion of a developer supply container according to Embodiment 20. In FIG. 94 , (a) and (b) are perspective views of a partial section of a developer supply container according to Embodiment 20. FIG. 95 is a time chart illustrating a relation between an operation state of a pump according to Embodiment 20 and opening and closing timing of a rotatable shutter. FIG. 96 is a partly sectional perspective view illustrating a developer supply container according to Embodiment 21. In FIG. 97 , (a)-(c) are partially sectional views illustrating an operation state of a pump portion in Embodiment 21. FIG. 98 is a time chart illustrating a relation between an operation state of a pump according to Embodiment 21 and opening and closing timing of a stop valve. In FIG. 99 , (a) is a perspective view of a portion of a developer supply container according to Embodiment 22, (b) is a perspective view of a flange portion, and (c) is a sectional view of the developer supply container. In FIG. 100 , (a) is a perspective view of a structure of a developer supply container according to Embodiment 23, (b) is a perspective view of a section of the developer supply container. FIG. 101 is a partly sectional perspective view illustrating a structure of a developer supply container according to Embodiment 23. In FIG. 102 , (a)-(d) are sectional views of a developer supply container and a developer receiving apparatus of a comparison example, illustrating a flow of developer supplying steps. FIG. 103 is a sectional view illustrating a developer supply container and a developer receiving apparatus of another comparison example. detailed-description description="Detailed Description" end="lead"? | G03G211676 | 20171208 | 20180419 | 60617.0 | G03G2116 | 23 | VILLALUNA, ERIKA J | DEVELOPER SUPPLY CONTAINER AND DEVELOPER SUPPLYING SYSTEM | UNDISCOUNTED | 1 | CONT-ACCEPTED | G03G | 2,017 |
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15,836,563 | PENDING | SYSTEM FOR DRILLING A SELECTED CONVERGENCE PATH | Provided is a method for selecting one of a plurality of convergence paths that may be drilled by a bottom hole assembly (BHA) comprising identifying, by a computer system, a plurality of geometric convergence paths, wherein each of the geometric convergence paths provides a convergence solution from a defined bottom hole assembly (BHA) location to a target drilling path of a well plan. An offset distance is calculated for drilling by the BHA each of the geometric convergence paths connecting the BHA location to the target drilling path. A drill path curvature associated with drilling each of the geometric convergence paths by the BHA is determined by the computer system. A time required for drilling each of the geometric convergence paths by the BHA is determined by the computer system. An optimal geometric convergence path of the plurality of geometric convergence paths is determined responsive to the offset distance for drilling each of the geometric convergence paths, the drill path curvature associated with each of the geometric convergence paths and the time required for drilling each of the geometric convergence paths. The determined optimal geometric convergence path is fed to a controller associated with a display of a drilling rig and used to control the display of the drilling rig to display the determined optimal geometric convergence path. | 1. A drilling system comprising: a drilling system having a drill string and a bottom hole assembly at one end of the drill string; a computer system coupled to said drilling system, said computer system comprising at least one processor and at least one memory unit, wherein the at least one memory unit is coupled to the at least one processor and configured to store a plurality of instructions executable by the at least one processor, the instructions including instructions for: (i) identifying a plurality of convergence paths, wherein each of the convergence paths provides a convergence solution from a bottom hole assembly (BHA) location to a target path for a bore hole; (ii) calculating an offset distance for drilling by the BHA each of the convergence paths to the target path; (iii) identifying a drill path curvature of each convergence path; (iv) identifying an amount of time needed to drill each convergence path; (v) selecting one of the convergence paths as an optimal convergence path based on at least one of the offset distance, the drill path curvature, and the amount of time needed to drill the convergence paths; and (vi) controlling the drilling system to drill in accordance with the selected convergence path. 2. The drilling system according to claim 1, wherein the processor of the computer system receives drill plan information relating to a well plan; and identifies the plurality of convergence paths responsive to the drill plan information. 3. The drilling system according to claim 1, wherein the processor receives drill plan information comprising of at least one of a well plan, seismic data, data defining the target path, BHA location, BHA trajectory, BHA ROP, and drift information. 4. The drilling system according to claim 1, wherein the instructions further comprise instructions limiting the plurality of convergence paths to a predetermined number of convergence paths. 5. The drilling system according to claim 1, wherein the instructions further comprise instructions for eliminating a plurality of actual or potential convergence paths from consideration as an optimal convergence path. 6. The drilling system according to claim 1, wherein the instructions further comprise instructions for comparing the plurality of convergence paths to a rule set to remove a portion of the plurality of convergence paths from further consideration for violating rules of the rule set. 7. The drilling system according to claim 1, wherein the instructions for the step of selecting one of the convergence paths as an optimal convergence path is further based on drift associated with each of the plurality of convergence paths. 8. The drilling system according to claim 1, wherein the instructions for the step of selecting one of the convergence paths as an optimal convergence path further comprise instructions for normalizing each of the plurality of convergence paths against a longest convergence path. 9. The drilling system according to claim 1, wherein the instructions for the step of calculating the offset distance for each of the plurality of convergence paths further comprise instructions for calculating the offset distance for a plurality of segments making up a convergence path of the plurality of convergence paths. 10. The drilling system according to claim 1, wherein the instructions for the step of determining a drill path curvature further comprise instructions for determining, by the computer system, a peak drill path curvature associated with drilling each of the plurality of convergence paths. 11. The drilling system according to claim 1, wherein the instructions for the step of determining the time required for drilling each of the plurality of convergence paths further comprise instructions for determining a time required for drilling a plurality of segments making up a convergence path of the plurality of convergence paths. 12. The drilling system according to claim 1, wherein the instructions for the step of determining the time required for drilling each of the plurality of convergence paths comprise instructions responsive to at least one of a rate of penetration (ROP) for a slide, a slide distance, an ROP for rotation, a rotation distance, and a setup time for the slide. 13. A system for drilling a wellbore comprising: a drilling system having a drill string and a bottom hole assembly (BHA) at one end of the drill string; a control system coupled to said drilling system, said control system comprising at least one display, at least one processor, and at least one memory unit, wherein the at least one memory unit is coupled to the at least one processor and is configured to store a plurality of instructions executable by the at least one processor, the instructions including instructions for: (i) identifying a plurality of geometric convergence paths, wherein each of the geometric convergence paths provides a convergence solution from a first location of the BHA to a target path for a wellbore; (ii) calculating an offset distance for drilling by the BHA of each of the geometric convergence paths to the target path; (iii) identifying a drill path curvature of each geometric convergence path; (iv) identifying an amount of time needed to drill each geometric convergence path; (v) selecting a first one of the geometric convergence paths as a first optimal geometric convergence path based on a plurality of the offset distance, the drill path curvature, and the amount of time needed to drill the geometric convergence paths; (vi) displaying on a display at least one curve associated with at least one of the geometric convergence paths against an axis representing true vertical depth and an axis representing azimuth of the first location of the BHA on a display; (vii) responsive to manipulation of the display of the curve by a user, selecting a second one of the geometric convergence paths as a second optimal geometric convergence path; and (viii) drilling in accordance with the selected second optimal geometric convergence path. 14. The system according to claim 13 wherein at least a portion of said control system is located at a derrick in a drilling environment. 15. The system according to claim 13 wherein at least a portion of said control system is located downhole in the wellbore. 16. The system according to claim 13 wherein at least a portion of said control system is located remote from the drilling environment. 17. The system according to claim 13 wherein the display is located at the drilling environment. 18. The system according to claim 13 wherein the memory unit further comprises a drilling plan information. 19. The system according to claim 18 wherein the drilling plan information defines a target path for the wellbore. | CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application is a continuation and claims the benefit of priority of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/180,661, filed Jun. 13, 2106, which is a continuation and claims the benefit of priority of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/660,298, filed Mar. 17, 2015, which is a continuation and claims the benefit of priority of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/067,390, filed Oct. 30, 2013, now U.S. Pat. No. 8,996,396, which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/839,731, filed Jun. 26, 2013, the specifications of each of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. TECHNICAL FIELD The following disclosure relates to directional and conventional drilling. BACKGROUND Drilling a borehole for the extraction of minerals has become an increasingly complicated operation due to the increased depth and complexity of many boreholes, including the complexity added by directional drilling. Drilling is an expensive operation and errors in drilling add to the cost and, in some cases, drilling errors may permanently lower the output of a well for years into the future. Current technologies and methods do not adequately address the complicated nature of drilling. Accordingly, what is needed are a system and method to improve drilling operations. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS For a more complete understanding, reference is now made to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying Drawings in which: FIG. 1 illustrates one embodiment of an environment within which various aspects of the present disclosure may be implemented; FIG, 2A illustrates one embodiment of a drilling system that may be used within the environment of FIG. 1; FIG. 2B illustrates one embodiment of a computer system that may be used within the environment of FIG. 2A; FIG. 3 illustrates a flow chart of one embodiment of a method that may be used to select one of a plurality of convergence paths based on cost; FIG. 4 illustrates a flow chart of one embodiment of a method that may be used with the method of FIG. 3 to identify the cost of a convergence path; FIG. 5A illustrates a flow chart of one embodiment of a method that may be used with the method of FIG. 4 to identify the offset cost of a convergence path; FIGS. 5B-5D illustrate embodiments of a two dimensional diagram of a cost curve; FIG. 6 illustrates a flow chart of one embodiment of a method that may be used with the method of FIG. 4 to identify the curvature cost of a convergence path: and FIGS. 7 and 8 illustrate flow charts of different embodiments of a method that may be used with the method of FIG. 4 to identify the time cost of a convergence path. DETAILED DESCRIPTION Referring now to the drawings, wherein like reference numbers are used herein to designate like elements throughout, the various views and embodiments of a system and method for selecting a drilling path based on cost are illustrated and described, and other possible embodiments are described. The figures are not necessarily drawn to scale, and in some instances the drawings have been exaggerated and/or simplified in places for illustrative purposes only. One of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate the many possible applications and variations based on the following examples of possible embodiments. Referring to FIG. 1, one embodiment of an environment 100 is illustrated with a formation 102. A borehole is to be drilled or is being drilled within the formation 102 and there is a target path 104 for the borehole, Calculating paths for a borehole in a formation is a complex and often difficult to understand process that frequently uses a combination of known factors and estimates. Whether calculating the path prior to the beginning of drilling or attempting to return to a desired path when drilling has gone off course, there are an infinite number of paths from which to choose. Each of these paths has an associated financial cost that is difficult to identify due to the number of factors involved. However, the financial cost of a path is important to the business of drilling and needs to be taken into account. Accordingly, by normalizing drilling variables into a monetary unit (e.g., United States dollars) as described in the present disclosure, multiple path options can be evaluated in terms of financial cost and the path that best satisfies one or more defined cost parameters can be selected. In the present example, the target path 104 represents an optimal path that has zero cost and provides maximum value. In other words, following the target path 104 has no penalty as there is no “better” way to drill through the formation 102 than along the target path 104. It is understood that “better” is a relative term that may be based on various selected factors, imperfect data and/or conclusions, and/or available equipment, and so may not be the actual best possible path if other factors were selected, additional information was known, and/or if other equipment was available. In terms of cost, the target path 104 has zero cost because there is no penalty for being on target. In other words, while there is a drilling cost associated with the target path 104 because the target path 104 cannot be drilled for free, the target path 104 is assigned zero cost in the present example because the cost of the target path 104 is the baseline cost and only paths that stray from the target path 104 will be assigned cost penalties. The target path 104 may be defined by a well plan, seismic data, and/or any other information suitable for delineating the path through the formation 102. For purposes of example, paths 108, 110, 112, 114, 116, and 118 illustrate possible convergence paths from a point 106 representing a current or future bottom hole assembly (BHA) location to the target path 104, Although not discussed in detail herein, the calculation of the convergence paths themselves may use any of a number of processes. One possible method for such convergence path calculations is disclosed in. U.S. application Ser. No. 13/530,298, filed on Jun. 22, 2012, and entitled SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR DETERMINING INCREMENTAL PROGRESSION BETWEEN SURVEY POINTS WHILE DRILLING, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. As will be discussed below, after the paths 108, 110, 112, 114, 116, and 118 are calculated, each path may be assigned a cost and then evaluated based on that cost relative to the costs of the other paths. For example, from a distance perspective, path 108 has a greater length than path 116 and much of that length is farther from the target path 104 than the length of path 110. In contrast, path 110 narrows the distance to the target path 104 more rapidly. However, path 110 requires more sliding, which takes time and introduces complexities in steering. These factors and/or others need to be weighed to determine whether the shorter length of path 110 actually results in a lower cost. Paths 108 and 116 converge sharply with the target path 104 and it appears likely that overshoot will occur unless an unrealistic build rate is applied. Path 114 may converge sharply, but does not extend far enough to determine what will happen. Paths 110, 112, and 118 offer more reasonable convergence angles, although some correction may still need to be made. The paths 108, 110, 112, 114, 116, and 118 offer various alternatives, each with different curvature, length, offset from the target path 104, and time considerations that affect the cost of that particular path. To address costs beyond the point of convergence, each path may also have an extension cost, which will be discussed in greater detail below. By calculating a monetary value (e.g., a value in United States dollars) for a particular segment of a path (e.g., a unit of measure such as a foot) and adding up all the segments for the path, a cost can be identified for a particular path. For example, assume that the target path has a value of $1000 per foot based on a PV10 value (e.g., the present value of estimated future oil and gas revenues, net of estimated direct expenses, discounted at an annual discount rate of 10%). The target path 104 would be $0 per foot in cost. A cost for a convergence path can then be calculated for each segment (e.g., foot) of the convergence path based on the target path's value, and the total cost of all the segments is the cost of the convergence path. The process of calculating the cost of a path may involve identifying any of a number of different types of cost, such as, a distance cost, a sliding cost, a curvature cost, a time cost, a dogleg cost, a deviation cost, and/or a launch penalty cost. Some of these costs may be used to calculate other costs. For example, the launch penalty cost may be used to calculate the curvature cost. Accordingly, the present disclosure may be used to provide a relatively easy to understand picture of which path should be selected from many different possible paths from a cost standpoint. For example, if the borehole is being drilled and the BHA is off of the target path, a cost comparison may be used to determine the best convergence path in terms of cost for returning, the BHA to the target path when there are an infinite number of paths from which to choose. As the best convergence path may not be the shortest or most direct path, using a cost based selection analysis enables drilling decisions to be based on maximizing value and minimizing cost. Although FIG. 1 is a two-dimensional drawing, it is understood that the various paths illustrated in FIG. 1 may be three-dimensional in nature. Furthermore, it is understood that although various lines are illustrated as straight lines for purposes of clarity (e.g., the target path 104), such lines need not be straight. Furthermore, although shown as lines, it is understood that paths may be zones. For example, the target path 104 may be a three dimensional zone and drilling inside the zone may be assigned zero cost. Referring to FIG. 2A, one embodiment of a drilling environment 200 is illustrated that may be used within the environment of FIG. 1. Although the environment 200 is a drilling environment that is described with a top drive drilling system, it is understood that other embodiments may include other drilling systems, such as rotary table systems. In the present example, the environment 200 includes a derrick 202 on a surface 203. The derrick 202 includes a crown block 204. A traveling block 206 is coupled to the crown block 204 via a drilling line 208. In a top drive system (as illustrated), a top drive 210 is coupled to the traveling block 206 and provides the rotational force needed for drilling. A saver sub 212 may sit between the top drive 210 and a drill pipe 214 that is part of a drill string 216. The top drive 210 rotates the drill string 216 via the saver sub 212, which in turn rotates a drill bit 218 of a BHA 220 in a borehole 222 in the formation 102. A mud pump 224 may direct a fluid mixture (e.g., mud) 226 from a mud pit or other container 228 into the borehole 222. The mud 226 may flow from the mud pump 224 into a discharge line 230 that is coupled to a rotary hose 232 by a standpipe 234. The rotary hose 232 is coupled to the top drive 210, which includes a passage for the mud 226 to flow into the drill string 216 and the borehole 222. A rotary table 236 may be fitted with a master bushing 238 to hold the drill string 216 when the drill string is not rotating. Some or all of a control system 242 may be located at the derrick 202, may be downhole, and/or may be remote from the actual drilling location. For example, the control system 242 may be a system such as is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 8,210,283 entitled SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR SURFACE STEERABLE DRILLING, filed on Dec. 22, 2011, and issued on Jul. 3, 2012, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. Alternatively, the control system 242 may be a standalone system or may be incorporated into other systems at the derrick 202. The control system 242 may communicate via a wired and/or wireless connection (not shown). Referring to FIG. 2B, one embodiment of a computer system 250 is illustrated. The computer system 250 is one possible example of a system component or device such as the control system 242 of FIG. 2A or a separate system used to perform the various processes described herein. In scenarios where the computer system 250 is on-site, such as within the environment 100 of FIG. 1, the computer system may be contained in a relatively rugged, shock-resistant case that is hardened for industrial applications and harsh environments. It is understood that downhole electronics may be mounted in an adaptive suspension system that uses active dampening as described in various embodiments herein. The computer system 250 may include a central processing unit (“CPU”) 252, a memory unit 254, an input/output (“I/O”) device 256, and a network interface 258. The components 252, 254, 256, and 258 are interconnected by a transport system (e.g., a bus) 260. A power supply (PS) 262 may provide power to components of the computer system 250 via a power transport system 264 (shown with data transport system 260, although the power and data transport systems may be separate). It, is understood that the computer system 250 may be differently configured and that each of the listed components may actually represent several different components. For example, the CPU 252 may actually represent a multi-processor or a distributed processing system; the memory unit 254 may include different levels of cache memory, main memory, hard disks, and remote storage locations; the I/O device 256 may include monitors, keyboards, and the like; and the network interface 258 may include one or more network cards providing one or more wired and/or wireless connections to a network 266. Therefore, a wide range of flexibility is anticipated in the configuration of the computer system 250. The computer system 250 may use any operating system (or multiple operating systems), including various versions of operating systems provided by Microsoft (such as WINDOWS), Apple (such as Mac OS X), UNIX, and LINUX, and may include operating systems specifically developed for handheld devices, personal computers, and servers depending on the use of the computer system 250. The operating system, as well as other instructions (e.g., software instructions for performing the functionality described in previous embodiments) may be stored in the memory unit 254 and executed by the processor 252. For example, the memory unit 254 may include instructions for performing the various methods and control functions disclosed herein. The network 266 may be a single network or may represent multiple networks, including networks of different types. For example, the network 266 may include one or more cellular links, data packet networks such as the Internet, local area networks (LANs), and/or wide local area networks (WLAN), and/or Public Switched Telephone Networks (PSTNs). Accordingly, many different network types and configurations may be used to couple the computer system 250 to other components of the environment 200 of FIG. 2A and/or to other systems not shown (e.g., remote systems). Referring to FIG. 3, one embodiment of a method 300 illustrates a process that may be used to select a convergence path from multiple possible convergence paths when a BHA (e.g., the BHA 220 of FIG. 2A) is off a target path (e.g., the target path 104 of FIG. 1). In the three dimensional space of a formation (e.g., the formation 102 of FIG. 1), there may be an infinite number of possible convergence paths. The method 300 may be used to identify multiple possible convergence paths, narrow the identified paths to a single “best” path based on cost, and select that path as the path to be used. It is understood that “best” is a relative term that, may be based on one or more parameters, and so may not be the best path if other parameters are selected. In the present example, the best path is the lowest cost path in terms of a monetary unit, but it is understood that the best path may be otherwise defined. For example, in some embodiments, the best path may be the second to lowest cost path or may be the lowest cost path based on a particular cost parameter (e.g., time cost). Accordingly, while the best path is the path with the lowest overall cost for purposes of example, other best paths may exist and may be selected based on the particular needs for a path. In step 302, drilling plan information is obtained for convergence solution calculations if it has not already been obtained. The drilling plan information may be a well plan, seismic data, and/or any other information that defines the target path 104 that the BHA 220 is to follow. Current BHA information such as location, trajectory, ROP, and other information may also be obtained so that a convergence plan can be calculated to realign the BHA with the target path 104. Other information, such as drift information, may be obtained if not included in the drilling plan information for use in sliding and/or rotation calculations. In step 304, multiple geometric paths are calculated. The number of geometric paths that are calculated may depend on factors such as available processing power and/or the number and/or values of selected parameters (e.g., parameters may be selected to constrain the number of geometric paths). For example, parameters may limit the minimum and/or maximum length of a path, the maximum allowable dogleg severity, the direction, the inclination, and/or other path variables. The total number of paths may be limited by selecting appropriate parameters and parameter values. For purposes of example, 500,000 paths may be calculated, but it is understood that fewer or more (e.g., one million or more) paths may be calculated in other embodiments. In step 306, the geometric paths are pruned to remove illogical options. For example, while geometrically possible, some paths may go in the wrong direction at some point and yet still converge. These paths can be eliminated as they are not, likely to be the lowest cost solution. In some embodiments, step 306 may be handled as parameters used in step 304 (e.g., parameters may be selected that remove the possibility of calculating paths that go in the wrong direction). The pruning of step 306 reduces the number of paths for which later calculations are needed. This may speed up calculations, thereby providing a performance benefit. In step 308, the paths remaining after the pruning of step 306 are passed through a rule set and paths violating the rules are removed from consideration. For example, one or more rules may define a threshold for maximum allowable dogleg severity. Any paths that have doglegs above the threshold may be discarded. One or more other rules may define a threshold for a maximum allowable curvature for the entire path and any paths having an overall curvature above the threshold may be discarded. The rule set may be used to provide a relatively fine level of control and/or may be used to test different outcomes without having to redo the pruning of step 306. It is understood that the method 300 may handle steps 304, 306, and 308 in different ways depending on how the method 300 is implemented, and that steps 304, 306, and/or 308 may overlap or be combined in some embodiments. For example, as described previously, parameters may be used in step 304 to constrain the identification of the geometric convergence paths. Accordingly, the pruning of step 306 and rule set application of step 308 may vary depending on the functionality provided by step 304. Generally, steps 306 and/or 308 provide the ability to refine the selection process for deciding which geometric convergence paths are to be passed on for cost analysis. In step 310, a cost may be identified for each path remaining after step 308. As will be described later in greater detail, the cost of a path may be dependent on various factors such as an offset cost that penalizes a path based on distance from the target path, a curvature cost that penalizes a path for the path's curvature (which has an impact on friction), and/or a time cost that penalizes a path based on the amount of time the path will take. For purposes of example, all three of these costs are used to calculate the total cost for a path, but it is understood that fewer factors may be used in some embodiments, and that more factors may be used in other embodiments. In step 312, the paths are compared based on cost and, in step 314, the path that best meets one or more defined cost parameters is selected. For example, the lowest cost path may be selected. In step 316, the selected path is output. Although not shown in FIG. 3, the output may be used to provide drilling instructions for directing the BHA back to the target path. For example, the output may be used with the control system described in previously incorporated U.S. Pat. No. 8,210,283 (SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR SURFACE STEERABLE DRILLING) to provide or otherwise form the basis for drilling instructions, It is understood that various steps may be added or removed from FIG. 3. For example, in some embodiments, the method 300 may import previously calculated geometric convergence paths (removing the need for steps 302 and 304). In other embodiments, those imported paths may have already been pruned (removing the need for step 306) and/or passed through the rule set (removing the need for step 308). Referring to FIG. 4, one embodiment of a method 400 illustrates a process that may be used to identify the cost of multiple convergence paths and then select one of the paths. In the present example, the cost of a path is based on the offset cost, the curvature cost, and the time cost as described above. In step 402, the cost for a convergence path is identified. More specifically, the offset cost is identified in step 404, the curvature cost is identified in step 406, and the time cost is identified in step 408. It is understood that identifying the offset cost, the curvature cost, and the time cost may involve two or more calculations for each cost. For example, the offset cost, the curvature cost, and/or the time cost may be identified from both an azimuth perspective and a true vertical depth (TVD) perspective. These two dimensional costs may then be added together to identify a single offset cost. In other embodiments, three dimensional calculations may be used to determine the offset cost. Examples of steps 404, 406, and 408 are described in greater detail below. In step 410, the outputs of steps 404, 406, and 408 are combined to identify the total cost for the path. In step 412, a determination may be made as to whether the cost of another path is to be identified. If the cost of another path is to be identified, the method 400 returns to step 402 and calculates the cost of the next path. If no path remains for which the cost is to be calculated, the method 400 continues to step 414, where the paths are normalized. Normalization may be performed because the paths may not be the same length due to factors such as differences in the timing and length of rotation and sliding segments. The present embodiment may use rotate slide pairs for purposes of calculations, although each pair may have a zero factor where there is either zero rotation or zero sliding. This means that two rotations or two slides may be chained together directly if the intervening segment is zero. The present embodiment may have minimum and maximum path lengths defined for the geometric search engine and a path may not stop on convergence. It is understood that convergence does not necessarily mean that the path actually merges with the target path 104. Not stopping on convergence means that the path may continue after convergence, which extends the length of the path. This extension has a cost that may be calculated separately from the path cost and may be used in comparing paths to identify the least cost path. For example, referring to FIG. 1, each path 108, 110, 112, 114, 116, and 118 is extended past the planned convergence path. As discussed previously, paths 108 and 118 converge sharply (e.g, aggressively) with the target path 104, while paths 110, 112, and 118 offer more reasonable (e.g., less aggressive) convergence angles, although some correction may still need to be made. Accordingly, by extending the paths past convergence, paths with higher backend loaded costs may be identified. For example, path 108 may need a significant amount of correction to deal with the amount of overshoot caused by the aggressive convergence angle, while path 118 needs much less correction. By calculating the extension cost as well as the path cost, a more complete cost picture can be formed. A path may be defined in terms of vertical zones, build zones, and lateral zones, with each zone having its own set of rules. For example, a build zone may have a maximum allowed curvature of fourteen degrees, while a lateral zone may have a maximum allowed curvature of four degrees. Due to geological factors such as drift, drilling a path as a straight line may not actually result in a straight line because rotational drilling has a tendency to curve due to drift. When formulating and reviewing plans, the geological drift may be accounted for by drilling somewhat off course relative to a straight line path and/or by planning corrective slides. Drifting may impose a cost when it causes undesirable deviations from the plan and may also require a cost for any corrections needed to account for the drift. Furthermore, a path may use geological drift (if present in the formation) to account for sliding time and other corrective measures (e.g., may allow the drift to correct the course instead of performing a slide). However, if the amount of drift results in a course correction that is too slow and/or occurs over too great a distance, the drift correction may not occur fast enough to negate the offset cost. Accordingly, to balance these and other factors, the paths may use empirical geo-drift, ROP, and build rates (e.g., motor yields) to calculate convergence. Due to the many different factors present in a path (e.g., amount of progress made by a path), paths of different lengths (e.g., a three hundred foot path versus a four hundred foot path) may be normalized prior to comparison. For example, one path may be more expensive than another path, but the more expensive path may have made an additional fifty feet of progress compared to the cheaper path. This additional fifty feet of progress has positive value in terms of cost that is not taken into account if the paths are not normalized. This is illustrated in FIG. 1 with respect to paths 108 and 118, for example, with path 108 converging at a point farther down the target path 104 than the point at which path 118 converges. In the present example, the normalization process is performed by normalizing all paths against the longest path as follows: (cost of path being normalized/length of path being normalized)*length of longest path. For example, if the longest path is four hundred feet long and the path being normalized is two hundred feet long and costs $75,000, the normalization would result in (($75,000/200)*400=$150,000). The total cost of the two hundred foot path used for comparison purposes would be $150,000, instead of the actual $75,000 cost. The four hundred foot plan will more expensive if its cost is greater than $150,000, and less expensive if its cost is less than $150,000. Accordingly, a cost of $125,000 for the four hundred foot path would make the four hundred foot path more expensive than the two hundred foot path prior to normalization, but less expensive after normalization is performed. In step 416, following normalization, the path best meeting the cost parameter(s) is identified. For example, the lowest cost path may be identified. In step 418, the identified path is output. It is understood that steps 416 and 418 may be similar or identical to steps 316 and 318 of FIG. 3, but are included for purposes of better illustrating the overall process of FIG. 4. However, a path will generally be selected a single time (e.g., in one of steps 316 or 416) and output a single time (e.g., in one of steps 318 or 418), and so such duplicate steps may be omitted in an actual implementation of FIG. 3 and FIG. 4. For example, if steps 316 and 318 are implemented, step 416 may be omitted and step 418 may be used to output the normalized paths to step 316 for selection. Referring to FIG. 5A, one embodiment of a method 500 illustrates a process that may be used as step 404 of FIG. 4 to identify the offset cost of a convergence path. It is understood that this is only an example of step 404 and other methods may be used. In step 502, the length of a path segment is identified. For purposes of example, a segment is one foot in length, but it is understood that a segment may be defined in many different ways. For example, a segment may be defined as a distance (e.g., inches, centimeters, yards, or meters) or may be defined using one or more other measurement criteria (e.g., a length of pipe or a fraction of that length). In step 504, the path is divided into segments of the identified length. For example, a four hundred foot path would be divided into four hundred segments that are each one foot in length. In step 506, a single path segment is identified for cost calculation purposes. The present step identifies which one of the segments is to have its cost calculated in this iteration of the method 500. In step 508, the segment's distance from the target path is identified. In step 510, the segment's location on a cost curve is calculated based on distance. As described previously, this location identifies the penalty that is to be applied to the segment, with the penalty generally increasing the farther the location is from the target path. With additional reference to FIGS. 5B-D, various embodiments of a cost curve 530 are illustrated using two-dimensional diagrams. The cost curve 530 may show costs, including non-linear and/or non-symmetrical costs, against an axis 532 representing true vertical depth (TVD) and an axis 534 representing azimuth. As shown, the diagrams 530 may provide a region 536 of potential non-linear path costs surrounded by a boundary 538 that represents an outer limit of the non-linear costs. It is understood that costs may increase outside the boundary 538, but may be linear or non-linear. Without such cost increases outside the boundary, a potential solution that passes the boundary would incur no additional cost and there would be no cost pressure to return the solution to the region 536. The region 536 may include colored and/or otherwise differentiated areas to indicate costs. For example, green (the center portion of the region 536 indicated by horizontal lines) yellow (the intermediate portion of the region 536 indicated by “+” signs), and red (the outer portion of the region 536 indicated by vertical lines) may be used to indicate areas of desirable, borderline, and undesirable costs, respectively. Shading or other indicia may be used to indicate graduated costs, such as going from a lighter red to a darker red. In addition, it is understood that the colors may not be separated by a clear line, but may fade into one another. For example, green may fade into yellow to indicate that costs are increasing, rather than having an abrupt transition from green to yellow. In the present embodiment, the cost curve 530 may be manipulated along one or both axes 532 and 534 by modifying the location of lines 540 and 542. One or both of the lines 540 and 542 may be non-linear and/or non-symmetrical. Manipulation of the lines 540 and 542 may affect the region 536 (e.g., may shift the costs and therefore the coloration of the region) and/or the boundary 538 (e.g., may shift maximum costs limits). For example, line 540 may be manipulated by moving points 544 and/or 546, which may be moved relative to a cost axis 548 and a distance axis 550. The points 544 and/or 546 represent the maximum cost penalty within the boundary 538. For purposes of illustration, the point 544 may be moved to a position 552 (FIG. 5D) and the point 546 may be moved to a position 554 (FIG. 5C). A portion of the line 540 is currently at position 556 and may be moved, for example, to a position 558 or a position 560. Similarly, line 542 may be manipulated by moving points 562 and/or 564, which may be moved relative to a cost axis 566 and a distance axis 568. The points 544 and/or 546 represent the maximum cost penalty within the boundary 538. For purposes of illustration, the point 562 may be moved to a position 570 and the point 564 may be moved to a position 572. A portion of the line 542 is currently at position 574 and may be moved, for example, to a position 576 or a position 578. In some embodiments, the cost curve 530 may be provided as a graphical tool that enables a user to manipulate the lines 540 and 542 for spatial cost assessment when determining a convergence solution. For example, a computer system (e.g., the computer system 250 of FIG. 2B) may execute one or more of the methods described herein based on the actions of a geologist who is manipulating the lines 540 and 542 via a graphical user interface. Accordingly, the geologist or other user may “drive” the BHA along a desirable path as the diagram 530 may be viewed from the perspective of the drill bit/BHA looking forward into the formation from a cost perspective. The computer system may then create a convergence plan based on how the drill bit/BHA is driven. This allows the geologist to interact visually with the described methods to create a convergence plan. In some embodiments, areas (not shown) of extreme or even infinite cost may be defined within the region 536 to prevent solutions from entering those areas. For example, a property line that marks a drilling limit may be given an extreme or infinite cost with the cost rising sharply as the property line is approached. In another example, an old well may be avoided by marking it as an area of extreme or infinite cost, thereby using cost as an anti-collision measure. Accordingly, the behavior of solutions can be affected by defining geographic zones as areas of extreme or infinite cost and/or by controlling the rate at which the costs increase as those zones are approached. Referring again to FIG. 5A, in step 512, the segment's cost is calculated based on the cost assigned to the segment's location on the cost curve. Continuing the previous example of the target path 104 having a value of $1000 per foot, if the segment is at the $600 mark on the cost curve, the offset cost is $400 (i.e., $1000−$400=$600) if the cost curve is defined in terms of value. If the cost curve is defined in terms of cost, the mark would indicate the $400 cost (e.g., the mark identifies the cost rather than the value). In step 514, the segment's cost is added to the path's cost (e.g., current segment cost+current path cost=new path cost). In step 516, a determination may be made as to whether the cost of another segment of the path is to be determined. If the cost of another segment is to be identified, the method 500 returns to step 506 and begins calculating the next segment's cost. If there are no other segments for which cost is to be identified, the method 500 continues to step 518. In step 518, the path cost is output. With additional reference to FIG. 6, one embodiment of a method 600 illustrates a process that may be used as step 406 of FIG. 4 to identify the curvature cost of a convergence path. It is understood that this is only an example of step 406 and other methods may be used. The curvature cost addresses the costs associated with curves in the path. Such costs include reaming, casing requirements, the impact of friction on later well segments, and similar costs. The curvature cost may be viewed as a mixture of friction impact, steerage issues, and launch penalty. The launch penalty can be in a relative zone or an absolute zone and addresses system stability. The absolute zone launch penalty addresses drilling above a certain angle (e.g., ninety-eight degrees). This is a common problem when drilling a horizontal well because moving above that angle makes it very difficult to get the well to come back down to the desired path because there is less weight pulling the BHA down (e.g., gravity is not aiding the course correction as much). Once this tipping point angle is reached, the BHA tends to move aggressively away from the plan (e.g., launches). The relative zone launch penalty addresses the impact of geo-drift and drilling at an offset from a planned angle. When not staying on bed dip (e.g., when crossing the grain), off course movement may be accelerated. Due to this, drilling against the grain of the formation tends to create an unstable system. The launch penalty creates an exponential cost curve as the tipping point angle is approached and passed or when cross grain drilling is needed (particularly for an extended period of time) because of the difficulty in correcting the associated problems. Accordingly, the present process applies a launch penalty for approaching angles or drilling patterns where this aggressive movement may begin. Because the launch penalty is an exponential cost curve that penalizes paths that approach undesirable situations, the cost increases exponentially the closer the path gets to the absolute or relative zones. In step 602, rotation/sliding segments of the path may be identified. This may include identifying the lengths and locations of the rotation segments and the lengths, locations, and build rates of the sliding segments. Launch penalty costs may be applied based on build rate information. In step 604, the overall curvature of the path is identified. In step 606, the peak curvature of the path is identified. The peak curvature is identified using a defined window (e.g., a window spanning a defined number of feet) to identify dogleg severity. As this window is moved along the path, the peak curvature is located and generally occurs when the entire window contains a slide or when the window overlaps multiple slides. It is understood that the distance defined for the window may greatly impact the identified peak curvature. For example, assume there is a five degree curve that occurs within ten feet and there is not another curve within one hundred feet. Using a sliding window spanning one hundred feet will result in a dogleg severity of 5°/100 ft. Using a sliding window spanning ten feet will result in a dogleg severity of 5°/10 ft, which appears to be a much more severe dogleg even though it is actually the same one. The peak curvature, which may be less than the threshold for dogleg severity as applied by the rules in step 308 of FIG. 3, may be identified to determine cost because the greater the peak curvature, the greater the impact on later portions of the path. For this reason, the locations of curvature may also be identified. For example, a curve early in the well will affect the remainder of the well, while a curve near the end of the well will have far less impact on the path as a well. Accordingly, a curve early in the well may more drastically affect the cost of the remainder of the well and so may be assigned a higher cost than a curve near the end of the well. As described above, how the sample size is defined (e.g. the distance spanned by the window), may have a significant impact on how a curve is evaluated. In step 608, a curvature cost for the path is identified based on the overall (e.g., average) curvature, peak curvature, and location(s) of curvature. In step 610, the curvature cost is output. Referring to FIG. 7, one embodiment of a method 700 illustrates a process that may be used as step 408 of FIG. 4 to identify the time cost of a convergence path. It is understood that this is only an example of step 408 and other methods may be used. In step 702, rotation/sliding segments of the path may be identified. This may include identifying the length of the rotation segments and the length and build rate of the sliding segments. In some embodiments, this may use information from step 602 of FIG. 6 or information from this step of the method 700 may be used with the method 600 of FIG. 6. In step 704, a time for each segment may be identified. For example, there is an ROP for sliding and an. ROP for rotating, and one or both of these ROPs may change over time. In addition, there may be a setup time needed to prepare for a slide, which may include the time needed to orient the toolface and account, for reactional torque in preparation for the slide. Accordingly, the total time may be calculated as ((ROP for slide*slide distance)+(ROP for rotation*rotation distance)+setup time for slide). Empirical ROP information may be used to provide current time data. Generally, sliding segments will have higher time costs than rotation segments of the same length and the ROP and/or time may change depending on the bit's location in the well. There is a ratio of slide ROP versus rotation ROP and this ratio may change over the course of the well. For example, in the vertical portion of the well, the slide/rotation ROP may be a 4:1 ratio, while at the end of the lateral it may be a 20:1 ratio. This is empirically calculated in real time or near real time so that the cost penalty threshold may be continuously updated. Accordingly, the penalty for sliding at the end of the well may be different than the penalty for sliding at the beginning of the well and the method 700 may take this into account using the empirically calculated ROP. In step 706, the total time for the path may be identified. This may include adding together the times calculated in step 704 or may include other calculations. In step 708, a time cost is calculated for the path based on the cost of the rig per unit time (e.g., total path time*rig cost per unit time=path cost). Rig time may include some or all costs associated with the rig, including labor costs, operating costs (e.g., fuel), material costs (e.g., pipe), and/or other costs. For example, assume that a slide segment has a setup time of ten minutes and a slide time of forty minutes, and the rig has a time cost of $75,000 per day. The segment cost would be fifty minutes times the rig cost per minute (e.g., 50 minutes*($75,000/1440 minutes)=$2604.17). This could further be divided into cost per foot and/or otherwise converted for additional comparisons and/or calculations. In step 710, the time cost is output. Referring to FIG. 8, one embodiment of a method 800 illustrates another process that may be used as step 408 of FIG. 4 to identify the time cost of a convergence path. It is understood that this is only an example of step 408 and other methods may be used. As shown in FIG. 8, cost may be calculated per segment in step 806 and the segment costs may be added to identify the total path cost in step 808. As the steps are similar or identical to those of FIG. 7 with the exception of steps 806 and 808, FIG. 8 is not described in additional detail herein. It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art having the benefit of this disclosure that this system and method for selecting a drilling path based on cost provides an improved process for comparing drilling paths on a cost basis and selecting the drilling path that best satisfies one or more cost parameters. It should be understood that the drawings and detailed description herein are to be regarded in an illustrative rather than a restrictive manner, and are not intended to be limiting to the particular forms and examples disclosed. On the contrary, included are any further modifications, changes, rearrangements, substitutions, alternatives, design choices, and embodiments apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art, without departing from the spirit and scope hereof, as defined by the following claims. Thus, it is intended that the following claims be interpreted to embrace all such further modifications, changes, rearrangements, substitutions, alternatives, design choices, and embodiments. | <SOH> BACKGROUND <EOH>Drilling a borehole for the extraction of minerals has become an increasingly complicated operation due to the increased depth and complexity of many boreholes, including the complexity added by directional drilling. Drilling is an expensive operation and errors in drilling add to the cost and, in some cases, drilling errors may permanently lower the output of a well for years into the future. Current technologies and methods do not adequately address the complicated nature of drilling. Accordingly, what is needed are a system and method to improve drilling operations. | <SOH> BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS <EOH>For a more complete understanding, reference is now made to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying Drawings in which: FIG. 1 illustrates one embodiment of an environment within which various aspects of the present disclosure may be implemented; FIG, 2 A illustrates one embodiment of a drilling system that may be used within the environment of FIG. 1 ; FIG. 2B illustrates one embodiment of a computer system that may be used within the environment of FIG. 2A ; FIG. 3 illustrates a flow chart of one embodiment of a method that may be used to select one of a plurality of convergence paths based on cost; FIG. 4 illustrates a flow chart of one embodiment of a method that may be used with the method of FIG. 3 to identify the cost of a convergence path; FIG. 5A illustrates a flow chart of one embodiment of a method that may be used with the method of FIG. 4 to identify the offset cost of a convergence path; FIGS. 5B-5D illustrate embodiments of a two dimensional diagram of a cost curve; FIG. 6 illustrates a flow chart of one embodiment of a method that may be used with the method of FIG. 4 to identify the curvature cost of a convergence path: and FIGS. 7 and 8 illustrate flow charts of different embodiments of a method that may be used with the method of FIG. 4 to identify the time cost of a convergence path. detailed-description description="Detailed Description" end="lead"? | G06Q5002 | 20171208 | 20180412 | 63528.0 | G06Q5002 | 1 | NELSON, FREDA ANN | SYSTEM FOR DRILLING A SELECTED CONVERGENCE PATH | UNDISCOUNTED | 1 | CONT-ACCEPTED | G06Q | 2,017 |
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15,837,693 | PENDING | C1-INH COMPOSITIONS AND METHODS FOR THE PREVENTION AND TREATMENT OF DISORDERS ASSOCIATED WITH C1 ESTERASE INHIBITOR DEFICIENCY | Compositions and methods for the treatment and/or prevention of disorders associated with C1 esterase inhibitor deficiency are disclosed. | 1-15. (canceled) 16. A pharmaceutical composition comprising C1 esterase inhibitor, sodium citrate, and having a pH ranging from 6.5-8.0, wherein the C1 esterase inhibitor has a concentration of about 500 U/mL, and wherein the C1 esterase inhibitor comprises the amino acid sequence of residues 23 to 500 of SEQ ID NO: 1. 17. The pharmaceutical composition of claim 16, wherein the pH is between about 6.5 to about 7.5. 18. The pharmaceutical composition of claim 16, wherein the pH is between about 6.5 to about 7.0. 19. The pharmaceutical composition of claim 16, wherein the sodium citrate is present at about 10 mM to about 30 mM. 20. The pharmaceutical composition of claim 16, wherein the sodium citrate is present at 10 mM to 30 mM. 21. The pharmaceutical composition of claim 16, wherein the sodium citrate is present at about 10 mM. 22. The pharmaceutical composition of claim 16, wherein the composition further comprises at least one amino acid or salt thereof. 23. The pharmaceutical composition of claim 16, wherein the C1 esterase inhibitor is present in the composition in the range of about 1500 U to about 2500 U. 24. The pharmaceutical composition of claim 16, wherein the C1 esterase inhibitor is present in the composition in at least about 2000 U. 25. The pharmaceutical composition of claim 16, wherein the C1 esterase inhibitor is present in the composition at about 2000 U. 26. The pharmaceutical composition of claim 24, wherein the C1 esterase inhibitor is present in the composition less than about 5000 U. 27. The pharmaceutical composition of claim 16, wherein the C1 esterase inhibitor is present in the composition in about 5000 U. 28. The pharmaceutical composition of claim 16, wherein the C1 esterase inhibitor is isolated or purified from human plasma. 29. The pharmaceutical composition of claim 28, wherein the C1 esterase inhibitor isolated or purified from human plasma is nanofiltered. 30. The pharmaceutical composition of claim 28, wherein the C1 esterase inhibitor isolated or purified from human plasma is pasteurized. 31. The pharmaceutical composition of claim 16, wherein the pharmaceutical composition is prepared in liquid form. 32. The pharmaceutical composition of claim 16, wherein the pharmaceutical composition is reconstituted with water from at least one lyophilized powder. 33. The pharmaceutical composition of claim 16, wherein the composition has a viscosity of less than about 20 mPa-s. 34. The pharmaceutical composition of claim 16, wherein the composition has a viscosity of less than about 10 mPa-s. 35. The pharmaceutical composition of claim 16, wherein the C1 esterase inhibitor present in the composition comprises at least 50-60% of the total protein in the composition. 36. The pharmaceutical composition of claim 16, wherein the C1 esterase inhibitor present in the composition comprises at least 75% of the total protein in the composition. 37. The pharmaceutical composition of claim 16, wherein the C1 esterase inhibitor has less than a 10% loss in monomer content when stored for two years at 4° C. 38. The pharmaceutical composition of claim 16, wherein the C1 esterase inhibitor has less than about 20% loss in monomer content loss when stored for one week at 40° C. 39. The pharmaceutical composition of claim 16, wherein the C1 esterase inhibitor has less than about 10% loss in monomer content loss when stored for two weeks at 25° C. 40. The pharmaceutical composition of claim 16, wherein the C1 esterase inhibitor has less than about 2% loss in purity when stored for one week at 40° C. 41. The pharmaceutical composition of claim 16, wherein the C1 esterase inhibitor has less than about 1% loss in purity when stored for one week at 40° C. 42. The pharmaceutical composition of claim 16, wherein the C1 esterase inhibitor has less than about 2% loss in purity when stored for two weeks at 25° C. 43. The pharmaceutical composition of claim 16, wherein the C1 esterase inhibitor has less than about 1% loss in purity when stored for two weeks at 25° C. 44. The pharmaceutical composition of claim 16, wherein the pharmaceutical composition is a monoformulation of active pharmaceutical ingredient, wherein said active pharmaceutical ingredient consists essentially of C1 esterase inhibitor. 45. A lyophilized pharmaceutical composition comprising C1 esterase inhibitor, sodium citrate, at least about 2000 U C1 esterase inhibitor and less than about 5000 U C1 esterase inhibitor wherein when said lyophilized composition is reconstituted in sterile water to prepare a solution with a concentration of 500 U/mL of C1-esterase inhibitor the solution is suitable for subcutaneous administration to treat HAE, the sodium citrate has concentration of at least 10 mM, and the solution has a pH ranging from 6.5-8.0, and wherein the C1 esterase inhibitor comprises the amino acid sequence of residues 23 to 500 of SEQ ID NO: 1. | CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application is a continuous application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/411,744, filed on Jan. 20, 2017, which is a continuation application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/855,168, filed on Sep. 15, 2015, now U.S. Pat. No. 9,616,111, which is a continuation of International Patent Application No. PCT/US14/30309, filed Mar. 1, 2014 which claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119(e) to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/791,399, filed Mar. 15, 2013. The foregoing application is incorporated by reference herein. INCORPORATION-BY-REFERENCE-OF-SEQUENCE LISTING The contents of the file named “SHR-1204US ST25.txt” which was created on Jan. 20, 2017 and is 5 KB in size, are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety. FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to the field of therapeutic agents and methods of use thereof. Specifically, the instant invention provides compositions and methods for the treatment and/or prevention of disorders associated with C1 esterase inhibitor deficiency. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Several publications and patent documents are cited throughout the specification in order to describe the state of the art to which this invention pertains. Full citations of these references can be found throughout the specification. Each of these citations is incorporated herein by reference as though set forth in full. Hereditary angioedema (HAE) is a rare, life-threatening, genetic disorder caused by a deficiency of the Clesterase inhibitor (see generally www.haei.org and www.haea.org). At least 6,500 people in the United States and at least 10,000 people in Europe have HAE. HAE patients experience recurrent, unpredictable, debilitating, life-threatening attacks of inflammation and submucosal/subcutaneous swelling. The inflammation is typically of the larynx, abdomen, face, extremities, and urogenital tract. This genetic disorder is a result of a defect in the gene controlling the synthesis of the C1 esterase inhibitor. Accordingly, restoring the levels of active C1 esterase inhibitor in these patients to or near normal levels is an effective measure for treating HAE. Still, new and improved methods of treating and preventing disorders associated with a deficiency of the Clesterase inhibitor, such as HAE, are desired. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In accordance with the instant invention, methods for inhibiting, treating, and/or preventing a disorder associated with a deficiency in C1 esterase inhibitor in a subject are provided. In a particular embodiment, the method comprises administering a composition comprising at least one. C1 esterase inhibitor. In accordance with the instant invention, therapeutic compositions are also provided. In a particular embodiment, the composition comprises at least one C1 esterase inhibitor and, optionally, at least one pharmaceutically acceptable carrier for delivery (e.g. intravenous or subcutaneous delivery). Kits comprising a composition comprising at least one C1 esterase inhibitor are also provided herein. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 provides an amino acid sequence of human C1 esterase inhibitor. FIG. 2 provides a graph of the effect of protein concentration on viscosity for initial spin concentration samples. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The restoration of active C1 esterase inhibitor levels in patients having a disorder associated with deficient or reduced levels of active C1 esterase inhibitor (e.g., HAE) is an effective measure for treating such disorders. Currently, C1 esterase inhibitor (such as Cinryze® (ViroPharma, Inc.; Exton, Pa.)) is administered to a patient intravenously by a medical professional. Herein, formulations of a C1 esterase inhibitor (such as Cinryze®) are provided which are also effective for subcutaneous (SC) administration, Surprisingly, the subcutaneous administration of the C1 esterase inhibitor is sufficient to maintain the blood levels of the C1 esterase inhibitor. The SC administration of a C1 esterase inhibitor fulfills an unmet medical need due to the limitations of intravenous administration in HAE patients. In accordance with the instant invention, compositions and methods for inhibiting (e.g., reducing or slowing), treating, and/or preventing a disorder associated with C1 esterase inhibitor deficiency in a subject are provided. In a particular embodiment, the methods comprise administering (e.g., subcutaneously or intravenously) to a subject in need thereof at least one C1 esterase inhibitor. In a particular embodiment, the C1 esterase inhibitor is administered subcutaneously after an initial administration of the C1 esterase inhibitor intravenously. C1 esterase inhibitors are also known as C1 inhibitors (C1 INH). C1 esterase inhibitors are inhibitors of complement C1 and belong to the superfamily of serine proteinase inhibitors. Human C1 esterase inhibitor is a protein of 500 amino acids, including a 22 amino acid signal sequence (Carter et al, (1988) Eur. J. Biochem., 173:163). In plasma, the C1 esterase inhibitor is a heavily glycosylated glycoprotein of approximately 76 kDa (Perkins et al. (1990) J. Mol. Biol., 214:751). The activity of a C1 esterase inhibitor may be assayed by known methods (see, e.g., Drouet et al. (1988) Clin. Chim. Acta., 174:121.30), In a particular embodiment, the C1 esterase inhibitor is human. An amino acid sequence of human C1 esterase inhibitor is provided in GenBank Accession No. CAA30314 (see also GeneID: 710, which also provides nucleotide sequences of the C1 esterase inhibitor) and FIG. 1. A C1 esterase inhibitor for use in the methods of the instant invention may have an amino acid sequence that has at least 65, 70, 75, 80, 85, 90, 95, 98, 99, or 100% identity with the amino acid sequence of FIG. 1. The C1 esterase inhibitor may be isolated or purified from plasma (e.g., human plasma) or recombinantly produced. When purified from plasma, the C1 esterase inhibitor may be nanofiltered and pasteurized. In a particular embodiment, the plasma-derived C1 esterase inhibitor is Cinryze®. In a particular embodiment, the C1 esterase inhibitor is present in the compositions of the instant invention at high concentration. Indeed, compositions comprising very high levels of C1 esterase inhibitor have been determined to be surprisingly stable and active. In a particular embodiment, the C1 esterase inhibitor is present at about 250 U/ml to about 1000 U/ml, about 400 U/ml to about 600 U/ml, or about 500 U/ml. In a particular embodiment, the compositions of the instant invention do not contain citrate or citric acid. The compositions lacking citrate and citric acid are particularly useful for the subcutaneous administration of the C1 esterase inhibitor as citrate/citric acid can cause an injection site reaction. In a particular embodiment, the buffer of the instant compositions is sodium phosphate (e.g., about 5 mM to about 50 mM sodium phosphate, about 10 mM to about 30 mM sodium phosphate, or about 20 mM sodium phosphate). In a particular embodiment (e.g., for intravenous administration), the buffer of the instant compositions comprises a carboxylic group. For example, the buffer may be, without limitation, citrate, succinate, tartarate, maleate, acetate, and salts thereof. In a particular embodiment, the buffer of the instant composition is citrate or sodium citrate (e.g., about 5 mM to about 50 mM sodium citrate, about 10 mM to about 30 mM sodium citrate, or about 20 mM sodium citrate). The compositions of the instant invention may have a pH range of about 6.5 or higher, particularly about 6.5 to about 8.0, particularly about 6.5 to about 7.5, and more particularly about 6.5 to about 7.0. The compositions of the instant invention may also comprise polysorbate 80 (TWEEN). Compositions comprising polysorbate 80 are particularly useful as they reduce/mitigate, protein aggregation. Polysorbate 80 can also limit protein interactions when the composition comes into contact with silicon containing lubricants/oils such as those used in syringes and other administration devices. Compositions comprising polysorbate 80 are also useful for lyophilized preparations. In a particular embodiment, the polysorbate 80 is present at a concentration of about 0.01% to about 0.1%, particularly about 0.025% to about 0.075%, particularly about 0.05%. The compositions of the instant invention may also comprise sucrose. Sucrose can be added as a “bulking” agent as well as a lyo-protectant. In a particular embodiment, sucrose is added to compositions to be lyophilized. In a particular embodiment, the compositions comprise about 25 mM to about 125 mM sucrose, particularly about 50 mM to about 100 mM sucrose. The compositions of the instant invention may also comprise at least one amino acid or salt thereof, particularly methionine and/or arginine. Arginine carries a positive charge on its side chain can be used to buffer solutions with phosphate. Methionine acts as a stabilizer (e.g., by limiting oxidation). The amino acids may be present in the composition as individual amino acids or present as short peptides (e.g., 2 to about 5 amino acids, particularly di-peptides or tri-peptides). As stated hereinabove, the instant invention encompasses methods of treating, inhibiting, and or preventing any condition or disease associated with an absolute or relative deficiency of functional C1 esterase inhibitor. Such disorders include, without limitation, acquired angioedema (AAE) and hereditary angioedema (HAE). in a particular embodiment, the disorder is HAE and/or the attacks associated therewith. As stated hereinabove, HAE is a life-threatening and debilitating disease that manifests as recurrent, submucosal/subcutaneous swelling attacks due to a deficiency of C1 esterase inhibitor (Zuraw, B. L. (2008) N. Engl. J. Med., 359:1027-1036). In a particular embodiment, the hereditary angioedema is type I or type II. Both type I and type II have a defective gene for the synthesis of C1 esterase inhibitor that produce either no C1 inhibitor (HAE type I) or a dysfunctional C1 inhibitor (HAE type II) (Rosen et al. (1965) Science 148: 957-958; Bissler et al. (1997) Proc. Assoc. Am. Physicians 109: 164473; Zuraw et al. (2000) J. Allergy Clin. Immunol. 105: 541-546; Bowen et al. (2001) Clin. Immunol. 98: 157-163). The methods of the instant invention encompass the administration of at least one C1 esterase inhibitor. Compositions comprising at least one C1 esterase inhibitor and, optionally, at least one pharmaceutically acceptable carrier (c.a., one suitable for subcutaneous or intravenous administration) are encompassed by the instant to invention. Such compositions may be administered, in a therapeutically effective amount, to a patient in need thereof for the treatment of a disorder associated with C1 esterase inhibitor deficiency. The instant invention also encompasses kits comprising at least one composition of the instant invention, e.g., a composition comprising at least one C1 esterase inhibitor and, optionally, at least one pharmaceutically acceptable carrier (e.g., one suitable for intravenous or subcutaneous administration). The kits may further comprise at least one of reconstitution buffer(s), syringes (e.g., disposable) for parenteral (e.g., subcutaneous) injection, and instruction material. In a particular embodiment, the kit comprises at least one pre-loaded syringe comprising the C1 esterase inhibitor and at least one pharmaceutically acceptable carrier. For example, a syringe may he loaded with at least one C1 esterase inhibitor with at least one pharmaceutically acceptable carrier for administration (e.g., intravenous or subcutaneous administration). Alternatively, a single syringe may he loaded with lyophilized C1 esterase inhibitor. In a particular embodiment, the preloaded syringes have a pharmaceutical composition that contains polysorbate 80 as a component (e.g., in an amount that prevents protein-silicone interaction or protein aggregation). The agents and compositions of the present invention can be administered by any suitable route, for example, by injection (e.g., for local (direct) or systemic administration. In a particular embodiment, the composition is administered subcutaneously or intravenously. In general, the pharmaceutically acceptable carrier of the composition is selected from the group of diluents, preservatives, solubilizers, emulsifiers, adjuvants and/or carriers, The compositions can include diluents of various buffer content (e.g., Tris HCl, acetate, phosphate), pH and ionic strength; and additives such as detergents and solubilizing agents (e.g., Tween 80, Polysorbate 80), antioxidants (e.g., ascorbic acid, sodium metabisulfite), preservatives (e.g., Thimersol, benzyl alcohol) and bulking substances (e.g., lactose, mannitol). The pharmaceutical composition of the present invention can be prepared, for example, in liquid form, or can be in dried powder form (e.g., lyophilized for later reconstitution). In a particular embodiment, the compositions are formulated in lyophilized form. Where the compositions are provided in lyophilized form, the compositions are reconstituted prior to use (e.g., within an hour, hours, or day or more of use) by an appropriate buffer (e.g., sterile water, a sterile saline solution, or a sterile solution comprising the appropriate pharmaceutically acceptable carriers (e.g., to reconstitute the compositions as described hereinabove). The reconstitution buffer(s) may be provided in the kits of the instant invention or may be obtained or provided separately. As used herein, “pharmaceutically acceptable carrier” includes any and all solvents, dispersion media and the like which may be appropriate for the desired route of administration of the pharmaceutical preparation, as exemplified in the preceding paragraph. The use of such media for pharmaceutically active substances is known in the art, Except insofar as any conventional media or agent is incompatible with the molecules to be administered, its use in the pharmaceutical preparation is contemplated. Selection of a suitable pharmaceutical. preparation depends upon the method of administration chosen. In this instance, a pharmaceutical preparation comprises the molecules dispersed in a medium that is compatible with the tissue to which it is being administered. Methods for preparing parenterally or subcutaneously administrable compositions are well known in the art (see, e.g., Remington's Pharmaceutical Science (E.W. Martin, Mack Publishing Co., Easton, Pa.)). As stated hereinabove, agents of the instant invention are administered parenterally—for example by intravenous injection into the blood stream and/or by subcutaneous injection. Pharmaceutical preparations for parenteral, intravenous, and subcutaneous injection are known in the art. If parenteral injection is selected as a method for administering the molecules, steps should be taken to ensure that sufficient amounts of the molecules reach their target cells to exert a biological effect. Pharmaceutical compositions containing a compound of the present invention as the active ingredient in intimate admixture with a pharmaceutical carrier can he prepared according to conventional pharmaceutical compounding techniques. The carrier may take a wide variety of forms depending on the form of preparation desired for administration, e.g., parenterally or subcutaneous. For parenterals, the carrier will usually comprise sterile water, though other ingredients, for example, to aid solubility or for preservative purposes, may be included. Injectable suspensions may also be prepared, in which case appropriate liquid carriers, suspending agents and the like may he employed. A pharmaceutical preparation of the invention may be formulated in dosage unit form for ease of administration and uniformity of dosage. Dosage unit form, as used herein, refers to a physically discrete unit of the pharmaceutical preparation appropriate for the patient undergoing treatment, Each dosage should contain a quantity of active ingredient calculated to produce the desired effect in association with the selected pharmaceutical carrier. Dosage units may be proportionately increased or decreased based on the weight of the patient, Appropriate concentrations for alleviation of a particular pathological condition may be determined by dosage concentration curve calculations. Appropriate dosage unit may also be determined by assessing the efficacy of the treatment. The pharmaceutical preparation comprising the molecules of the instant invention may be administered at appropriate intervals, for example, daily, every other day, every three days, five out of every 7 days, or at least one, two or three times a week or more until the pathological symptoms are reduced or alleviated, after which the dosage may be reduced to a maintenance level. The appropriate interval in a particular case would normally depend on the condition of the patient. In a particular embodiment, the C1 esterase inhibitor is present in the composition or is administered in the range of about 100 Units to about 10,000 Units; about 500 Units to about 5,000 Units; about 1,000 Units to about 3,500 Units, or about 1,500 Units to about 2,500 Units. In a particular embodiment, at least about 2,000 Units is used. In a particular embodiment, a high initial dose of the C1 esterase inhibitor (as listed above (may be administered intravenously)) is used, followed by lower maintenance doses. For example, the high initial dose may be at least 1.5, 2, 3, 4, or 5 times the subsequent doses. In a particular embodiment, the C1 esterase inhibitor is present in the maintenance composition or is administered far maintenance in the range of about 100 Units to about 5,000 Units; about 250 Units to about 2,000 Units; about 250 Units to about 1,000 Units; or about 500 Units. The high initial does of the C1 esterase inhibitor is optional in the methods of the instantly claimed invention (e.g., may be optional with prophylactic methods), In a particular embodiment, the C1 esterase inhibitor is administered. with a frequency and dosage so as to increase the C1 esterase inhibitor level to at least about 0.3 or, more particularly, 0.4 U/ml or more up to about 1 U/ml (1 Unit/ml is the mean quantity of C1 inhibitor present in 1 ml of normal human plasma) in the blood of the subject. For example, the C1 esterase inhibitor level may be kept at or above 0.4 U/ml for at least 50%, at least 75%, at least 90%, at least 95% or more of time or all of the time (e.g., the time during which drug is being administered). For example, the administration of a 2000 U initial dose of C1 esterase inhibitor followed by 250 U everyday or 500 U every other day results in the maintenance of just below 0.4 U/ml in blood. Further, the administration of a 2000 U initial dose of C1 esterase inhibitor followed by 1000 U every 3 days results in the maintenance of about 0.4 U/ml in blood, Notably, for ease of use by the patient, less frequent administrations may be preferred. The administration of a 2000 U initial dose of C1 esterase inhibitor followed by 500 U everyday with weekend holidays from administration (i.e., 5 out of 7 days) also results in the maintenance of about 0.4 U/ml or higher in blood. Notably, the administration of only the maintenance doses leads to increased and physiologically relevant blood levels of the C1 esterase inhibitor, but delayed compared to those receiving an initial high dose. Definitions The singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” include plural referents unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. As used herein, the term “about” may refer to ±5%, ±2%, or ±1%. As used herein, the terms “host,” “subject,” and “patient” refer to any animal, including humans. As used herein, the term “prevent” refers to the prophylactic treatment of a subject who is at risk of developing a condition (e.g., HAE or HAE attack) resulting in a decrease in the probability that the subject will develop the condition. The term “treat” as used herein refers to any type of treatment that imparts a benefit to a patient afflicted with a disorder, including improvement in the condition of the patient (e.g., in one or more symptoms), delay in the progression of the condition, etc. In a particular embodiment, the treatment of HAE results in at least a reduction in the severity and/or number of HAE. attacks. The phrase “effective amount” refers to that amount of therapeutic agent that results in an improvement in the patient's condition. A “therapeutically effective amount” of a compound or a pharmaceutical composition refers to an amount effective to prevent, inhibit, treat, or lessen the symptoms of a particular disorder or disease. “Pharmaceutically acceptable” indicates approval by a regulatory agency of the Federal or a state government or listed in the U.S. Pharmacopeia or other generally recognized pharmacopeia for use in animals, and more particularly in humans. A “carrier” refers to, for example, a diluent, adjuvant, preservative (e.g., Thimersol, benzyl alcohol), anti-oxidant (e.g., ascorbic acid, sodium metabisulfite), solubilizer (e.g., TWEEN 80, Polysorbate 80), emulsifier, buffer (e.g., Tris acetate, phosphate), water, aqueous solutions, oils, bulking substance (e.g., lactose, mannitol), cryo-/lyo-protectants, tonicity modifier, excipient, auxiliary agent or vehicle with which an active agent of the present invention is administered. Suitable pharmaceutical carriers are described in “Remington's Pharmaceutical Sciences” by E.W. Martin (Mack Publishing Co., Easton, Pa.); German), A. R., Remington: The Science and Practice of Pharmacy, (Lippincott, Williams and Wilkins); Liberman, et al., Eds., Pharmaceutical Dosage Forms, Marcel Decker, New York, N.Y.; and Kibbe, et al., Eds., Handbook of Pharmaceutical Excipients, American Pharmaceutical Association, Washington. The term “isolated” may refer to protein, nucleic acid, compound, or cell that has been sufficiently separated from the environment with which it would naturally be associated (e.g., so as to exist in “substantially pure” form). “Isolated” does not necessarily mean the exclusion of artificial or synthetic mixtures with other compounds or materials, or the presence of impurities that do not interfere with the fundamental activity, and that may be present, for example, due to incomplete purification. The term “substantially pure” refers to a preparation comprising at least 50-60% by weight of a given material (e.g., nucleic acid, oligonucleotide, protein, etc.). In certain embodiments, the preparation comprises at least 75% by weight, particularly 90-95% or more by weight of the given compound. Purity is measured by methods appropriate for the given compound (e.g. chromatographic methods, agarose or polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, HPLC analysis, and the like). The following example is provided to illustrate various embodiments of the present invention. The example is illustrative and is not intended to limit the invention in any way. EXAMPLE Spin Concentration Studies The protein was loaded into the spin concentrators and rotated at 10,500 rpms for 5 to 10 minutes. When the samples stopped rotating, the final volumes in the spin concentrators were recorded and a rough protein concentration was calculated for each one. Additional protein was added to the spin concentrators and rotated until the desired protein concentration was reached, at which point a UV measurement was made. At each target protein concentration a UV and viscosity measurement was performed, The above procedure continued until the viscosity of the protein prevented the sample from being further concentrated. Viscosity Measurements Viscosity was determined by measuring the amount of time the sample took to be drawn to a predetermined distance in a gel loading pipette tip. In order to calculate the sample viscosity, a standard curve was first prepared using a set of standards with known viscosities. Sucrose (or Brix) solutions are suitable for preparing such a curve, but any material with known viscosity at a defined temperature should be appropriate. In order to make a measurement, the pipette plunger is depressed, the pipette tip is inserted into the sample vial, the plunger is released, and the time for the fluid to travel a predetermined distance in the pipette tip was measured with a stop watch. The distance used for these experiments was 30 μL of water. In important note, a pipette tip is only reliable for a single measurement, so multiple tips are used to make replicate measurements of a sample. Also, the volume to be drawn into the pipette tip should be larger than the volume marked on the tip to ensure a uniform pull on the sample during a measurement. For a 30 μL volume mark on the pipette tip, the micropipette was set to draw 42 μL. Results The instant example determined the ability to develop a higher concentration liquid formulation of C1 INH as a monoformulation. The initial studies focused on concentration of the stock solution of C1 INH using a spin concentration method. The solutions were initially adjusted for pH but no other excipient was added. Three pH values were investigated (pH 5.9, 6.9, and 7.9). Upon spin concentration, all of the solutions remained clear up to concentrations up ˜500 U/ml (approximately 100 nag/ml) for all pH values tested (Table 1). While the solubility limit was not reached in these studies, there were measurable increases in viscosity as the concentrations exceeded 300 U/ml (FIG. 2). At all pH values, the viscosity begins to increase markedly when the C1 INH concentration goes above 400 U/ml. TABLE 1 Final concentrations (in U/mL) and viscosities for samples prepared during the spin concentration experiments. These values were based on the initial 160 U/mL concentration of the initial bulk drug. 7.9 6.9 5.9 U/mL viscosity U/mL viscosity U/mL viscosity 93.12 0.99 182.4 4.23 187.2 2.36 415.18 3.95 289.4 4.90 296.9 7.71 454.81 13.74 378.6 12.08 396.7 5.46 501.17 30.43 479.0 14.67 478.8 24.09 A larger feasibility study was performed examining different buffers (20 mM phosphate, 20 mM citrate, and 20 mM Tris) at each of the three target values. Samples of both 400 U/ml and 500 U/ml were prepared and evaluated for stability after one week at 40° C. and after two weeks at 25° C. The initial viscosity levels were well above the values for pure water (˜1 mPa-s), but well within the limits usually set for use as an injectable product (Table 2). The viscosity values for the 400 U/ml samples were less than at 500 U/ml, usually by 7 to 1.0 mPa-s. Upon storage at 40° C. for one week, the viscosity of all of the samples increased. At pH 5.9, all of the same gelled, likely due to thermally induced aggregation. For the remaining formulations, the viscosity increased to some degree, In some cases these values exceeded 30 mPa-s. The increase in viscosity was less upon 25° C. storage than at 40° C. There was little, if any change, for the samples at pH 6.9, indicating that pH 6.9 may be more favorable for long-term storage stability. TABLE 2 Viscosity at t0 and after one week of storage at 40° C. (t1). Viscosity is reported in mPa-s. pH [C1 INH] Buffer t0 t1 t2 5.9 400 phosphate 13.3 ± 0.6 gel 17.4 ± 2.1 500 24.6 ± 1.5 gel 36.9 ± 7.3 400 histidine 14.7 ± 0.8 gel 19.1 ± 2.5 500 27.7 ± 3.8 gel 27.7 ± 3.8 6.9 400 phosphate 12.2 ± 1.5 16.1 ± 0.6 11.9 ± 3.0 500 20.8 ± 2.0 35.3 ± 2.1 32.1 ± 7.7 400 citrate 7.4 ± 0.8 9.2 ± 0.7 7.1 ± 0.6 500 14.4 ± 3.2 19.8 ± 1.1 12.6 ± 0.5 7.9 400 phosphate 8.2 ± 1.2 12.8 ± 0.7 22.0 ± 3.5 500 16.2 ± 1.4 23.1 ± 2.1 25.5 ± 7.5 400 tris 14.1 ± 0.7 18.7 ± 0.7 30.0 ± 3.8 500 20.5 ± 0.9 33.3 ± 6.2 31.0 ± 1.8 Notably, at pH 6.9, citrate formulations had lower viscosity values than for phosphate, while at pH 7.9, phosphate buffer produced lower viscosities than his buffer. Higher viscosities will mean greater force will be required to deliver a specified volume of the drug within a certain time frame. The purity by RP HPLC was initially near 86 to 87% for the formulations at pH 6.9 and above (Table 3). The initial levels were lower at pH 5.9, suggesting that some degradation had already occurred just in the process of preparing the samples. Upon storage for one week at 40° C., the pH 5.9 samples gelled, making analysis by RP HPLC impossible. For all of the other samples, the percent purity was essentially unchanged, indicating that little, if any, chemical degradation occurs for storage under these conditions. TABLE 3 Percent purity by RP HPLC upon storage at 25° C. (t2) or 40° C. (t1) pH [C1 INH] Buffer t0 t1 t2 5.9 400 phosphate 82.87 ± 0.75 gel 81.10 ± 2.11 500 84.74 ± 1.24 gel 83.61 ± 1.02 400 histidine 84.11 ± 1.53 gel 85.34 ± 1.55 500 86.36 ± 0.76 gel 82.99 ± 0.64 6.9 400 phosphate 87.14 ± 0.67 88.59 ± 0.29 85.19 ± 2.00 500 86.44 ± 1.49 85.65 ± 1.32 84.07 ± 1.24 400 citrate 86.67 ± 1.36 82.92 ± 1.48 86.03 ± 0.87 500 86.89 ± 1.24 86.74 ± 0.88 84.42 ± 1.19 7.9 400 phosphate 86.09 ± 1.14 85.29 ± 0.84 85.98 ± 0.90 500 86.47 ± 1.15 83.57 ± 1.33 84.00 ± 0.97 400 tris 87.14 ± 0.98 81.74 ± 7.89 86.14 ± 0.81 500 88.74 ± 0.82 87.24 ± 1.47 87.30 ± 0.95 For samples stored for two weeks at 25° C, there were small losses, comparable to what was seen at t1. Together. the RP HPLC data. indicate that there are small losses due to chemical degradation. Higher pH seems to diminish the rate of degradation and there may be some sensitivity to buffer composition. While the chemical stability of C1 TNH seems to he unchanged upon storage, there is come physical instability observed as indicated by SEC (Table 4). There are other proteins present in the C1 INH mixture, leading to an overall ‘purity’ of about ˜67% at t0. Upon storage at 40° C. for one week (t1), the overall monomer content of the samples decreased to 54-56% for the samples with pH 6.9 and higher. There was little difference between the two different pH conditions, the different buffers and the two protein concentrations. When stored for two weeks at 25° C. (t2), the pH 5.9 samples did not gel, as they did at the higher storage temperature. However, there was appreciably higher degradation, especially with histidine buffer, For these at pH 6.9 or 7.9, the loss as measured by SEC was about 2% or so, compared to the 10-12% loss at the higher temperature for half of the time. TABLE 4 Monomer content by SEC upon storage at 25° C. (t2) or 40° C. (t1). PH [C1 INH] Buffer t0 t1 t2 5.9 400 phosphate 68.32 ± 1.04 gel 62.56 ± 0.94 500 67.19 ± 0.14 gel 61.46 ± 0.14 400 histidine 64.68 ± 0.42 gel 46.58 ± 1.09 500 66.60 ± 0.08 gel 44.48 ± 1.04 6.9 400 phosphate 67.85 ± 0.22 55.29 ± 0.36 500 67.41 ± 0.36 54.79 ± 0.14 65.45 ± 0.23 400 citrate 67.82 ± 0.07 56.14 ± 0.41 65.49 ± 0.16 500 67.43 ± 0.30 56.59 ± 0.33 65.03 ± 0.36 7.9 400 phosphate 67.85 ± 0.09 54.96 ± 0.52 61.31 ± 0.25 500 67.58 ± 0.40 55.57 ± 0.56 64.98 ± 0.50 400 tris 67.63 ± 0.27 55.40 ± 0.30 65.70 ± 0.56 500 67.67 ± 0.47 56.18 ± 0.64 66.19 ± 0.84 The data indicate that the rate of degradation will be about 13-fold to 35-fold slower at 4° C. than at 25° C. The higher estimate comes from using an Arrhenius plot. The lower estimate comes from determine the average loss as the temperature is decreased by 5° C. and extrapolating to a storage temperature of 40° C. Using the current data as an indicator, this predicts a loss of about 3 to 10% loss after two years at refrigerated temperatures. In other words, a liquid formulation appears to be quite stable based on these data. Furthermore, the degradation rates are roughly comparable to between the 400 U/mL and 500 U/ml samples, suggesting that developing the higher concentration formulation is just as viable. The degradation rate is much faster at pH 5.9, leading to gelation at 40° C. and greater losses at 25° C., Thus, further pH/buffer screening will focus on the pH 6.5 to 8.0 range. There is a clear buffer effect on viscosity and possibly also on stability. The studies demonstrated that there is not a solubility limit to preparing C1 INH at concentrations up to 500 U/ml. There is an increase in viscosity once the concentrations reach the 400-500 U/ml range (which is buffer dependent with citrate being better than phosphate which is better than Tris), but they are manageable and still allow facile delivery by injection for standard syringe systems. In general, C1 INH is relatively stable to chemical degradation, as determined by RP HPLC. While certain of the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described and specifically exemplified above, it is not intended that the invention be limited to such embodiments. Various modifications may be made thereto without departing from the scope and spirit of the present invention, as set forth in the following claims. | <SOH> BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION <EOH>Several publications and patent documents are cited throughout the specification in order to describe the state of the art to which this invention pertains. Full citations of these references can be found throughout the specification. Each of these citations is incorporated herein by reference as though set forth in full. Hereditary angioedema (HAE) is a rare, life-threatening, genetic disorder caused by a deficiency of the Clesterase inhibitor (see generally www.haei.org and www.haea.org). At least 6,500 people in the United States and at least 10,000 people in Europe have HAE. HAE patients experience recurrent, unpredictable, debilitating, life-threatening attacks of inflammation and submucosal/subcutaneous swelling. The inflammation is typically of the larynx, abdomen, face, extremities, and urogenital tract. This genetic disorder is a result of a defect in the gene controlling the synthesis of the C1 esterase inhibitor. Accordingly, restoring the levels of active C1 esterase inhibitor in these patients to or near normal levels is an effective measure for treating HAE. Still, new and improved methods of treating and preventing disorders associated with a deficiency of the Clesterase inhibitor, such as HAE, are desired. | <SOH> SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION <EOH>In accordance with the instant invention, methods for inhibiting, treating, and/or preventing a disorder associated with a deficiency in C1 esterase inhibitor in a subject are provided. In a particular embodiment, the method comprises administering a composition comprising at least one. C1 esterase inhibitor. In accordance with the instant invention, therapeutic compositions are also provided. In a particular embodiment, the composition comprises at least one C1 esterase inhibitor and, optionally, at least one pharmaceutically acceptable carrier for delivery (e.g. intravenous or subcutaneous delivery). Kits comprising a composition comprising at least one C1 esterase inhibitor are also provided herein. | A61K3857 | 20171211 | 20180329 | 63522.0 | A61K3857 | 1 | MIKNIS, ZACHARY J | C1-INH COMPOSITIONS AND METHODS FOR THE PREVENTION AND TREATMENT OF DISORDERS ASSOCIATED WITH C1 ESTERASE INHIBITOR DEFICIENCY | UNDISCOUNTED | 1 | CONT-ACCEPTED | A61K | 2,017 |
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15,838,055 | PENDING | GNSS AND OPTICAL GUIDANCE AND MACHINE CONTROL | A global navigation satellite sensor system (GNSS) and gyroscope control system for vehicle steering control comprising a GNSS receiver and antennas at a fixed spacing to determine a vehicle position, velocity and at least one of a heading angle, a pitch angle and a roll angle based on carrier phase position differences. The system also includes a control system configured to receive the vehicle position, heading, and at least one of roll and pitch, and configured to generate a steering command to a vehicle steering system. The system includes gyroscopes for determining system attitude change with respect to multiple axes for integrating with GNSS-derived positioning information to determine-vehicle position, velocity, rate-of-turn, attitude and other operating characteristics. Relative orientations and attitudes between motive and working components can be determined using optical sensors and cameras. The system can also be used to guide multiple vehicles in relation to each other. | 1. An automatic steering system for use in an agricultural vehicle, comprising: a controller to: send one or more steering control commands for a desired track to a vehicle steering control mechanism to steer the agricultural vehicle; receive data from one or more sensors indicating a response by the agricultural vehicle to the one or more steering control commands; determine a deviation of the agricultural vehicle from the desired track based on the data from one or more sensors indicating the response by the agricultural vehicle to the one or more steering control commands; derive one or more calibration values based on the deviation of the agricultural vehicle; generate additional steering control commands based on the one or more calibration values; and send the additional steering control commands to the steering control mechanism. | CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application is a continuation of and claims the benefit of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/680,980, filed Apr. 7, 2015, flow U.S. Pat. No. 9,141,111, issued Sep. 22, 2015, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/166,666, filed Jan. 28, 2014, now U.S. Pat. No. 9,002,565, which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/426,395, filed Mar. 21, 2012, now U.S. Pat. No. 8,639,416, which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/857,298, filed Aug. 16, 2010, now U.S. Pat. No. 8,594,879, which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/355,776, filed Jan. 17, 2009, now U.S. Pat. No. 8,140,223, which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/171,399, filed Jul. 11, 2008, now U.S. Pat. No. 8,265,826, which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/804,758, filed Mar. 19, 2004, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,400,956, which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Nos. 60/456,146, filed Mar. 20, 2003 and No. 60/464,756, filed Apr. 23, 2003. This application is related to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/217,839, now U.S. Pat. No. 8,634,993. The contents of all of the aforementioned applications are incorporated by reference herein in their entireties. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention This invention relates generally to machine control using global navigation satellite systems (GNSSs) and more particularly to an equipment control system and method. 2. Description of the Related Art Movable machinery, such as excavators, graders, agricultural equipment, open-pit mining machines, aircraft crop dusters and other mobile operating equipment can benefit from accurate positioning using global navigation satellite systems (GNSSs). For example, U.S. Pat. No. 7,689,354, which is assigned to a common assignee herewith discloses agricultural equipment equipped with an adaptive guidance system including a multi-antenna GNSS system for guidance, automatic steering, independent implement positioning and spraying control. In the earth-moving field, a wide variety of equipment has been used for specific applications, such as excavators, backhoes, bulldozers, loaders and motor graders. Earth-moving projects encompass a wide variety of excavating, grading, trenching, boring, scraping, spreading and other tasks, which are performed in connection with road-building, infrastructure improvements, construction, mining and other activities. Such tasks are typically performed by specialized equipment. Such equipment can be relatively sophisticated and can handle relatively high capacities of materials. Mobile earth-moving equipment is steered and otherwise guided within jobsites. Moreover, the working components of such equipment, such as blades, drills, buckets and ground-engaging tools, are controlled through their various ranges of motion. Machine guidance and control were conventionally accomplished by human operators, who often needed relatively high levels of skill, training and experience for achieving maximum production with the equipment. For example, jobsite grading was typically accomplished by surveying the site, placing stakes at predetermined locations to indicate the locations of “cutting” (i.e. earth removal) and “filling” (i.e. earth placement) operations required to achieve a final grading plan. Cut and fill quantities are preferably balanced as much as possible to avoid added expenses for additional fill material or removing excess material. In addition to balancing material requirements, design parameters such as water runoff, slope, compaction (relating to load-bearing capacity) and thicknesses of various material layers are important grading and site design criteria. Previous earth-moving machinery tended to be highly reliant on operator skill for achieving desired final results. The present invention uses satellite positioning systems (SATPSs), such as the Global Positioning System (GPS) and other global navigation satellite systems (GNSSs) for guidance and machine control. Project bidding can thus be based on more precise labor, material quantity, fuel, equipment maintenance, material disposal, time and other cost factors. Project expenses can thus be reduced by controlling input costs of material, material hauling, fuel, labor, equipment utilization, etc. Still further, earth-moving operations that were previously conducted in separate “rough” and “fine” phases can be combined into single-phase procedures due to the greater efficiencies and accuracies achievable with the GNSS machine guidance and control of the present invention. Still further, operators tend to be less fatigued with a relatively high level of automated machine guidance and control, as opposed to manually-intensive control procedures requiring high degrees of concentration and operator interaction. Various navigation and machine control systems for ground-based vehicles have been employed but each has disadvantages. Systems using Doppler radar encounter errors with the radar and latency. Similarly, gyroscopes, which may provide heading (slew), roll, or pitch measurements, may be deployed as part of an inertial navigation package, but tend to encounter drift errors and biases and still require some external attitude measurements for gyroscope initialization and drift compensation. Gyroscopes have good short-term characteristics but undesirable long-term drift characteristics, especially gyroscopes of lower cost such as those based on a vibrating resonator. Similarly, inertial systems employing gyroscopes and accelerometers have good short-term characteristics but also suffer from drift. Providing multiple antennas on a vehicle can provide additional benefits by determining an attitude of the vehicle from the GNSS ranging signals received by its antennas, which are constrained on the vehicle at a predetermined spacing. For example, high dynamic roll compensation signals can be output directly to the vehicle steering using GNSS-derived attitude information. Components such as gyroscopes and accelerometers can be eliminated using such techniques. Real-time kinematic (RTK) can be accomplished using relatively economical single frequency L1-only receivers with inputs from at least two antennas mounted in fixed relation on a rover vehicle. Still further, moving baselines can be provided for positioning solutions involving machine components and multi-vehicle/machine GNSS control. GNSS-based equipment and methods can also be used for machine control, such as earth-moving equipment. GNSS guidance can provide a relatively high level of accuracy. For instance, prior to GNSS guidance and machine control, earth-moving operations tended to rely more on operator skill for manually spot-checking grade elevations in order to smoothly cut and fill a plot of land to a particular height. With the GNSS guidance and machine control of the present invention providing three-dimensional (3D) positional tracking, earth-moving equipment can perform cut, fill, and other earth-moving functions using GNSS positioning data for greater repeatable accuracy and operating efficiencies. Although GNSS-based control techniques have been used in earth-moving machinery, previous GNSS machine control systems used in such equipment do not provide the advantages and features of the present invention. By using GNSS-equipped earth-moving machines, the need for manual grade checks can be reduced or eliminated on many grading projects. Slope and grade measurements can be obtained with greater accuracy and quality control. Moreover, earth-moving jobs that were previously deemed challenging and complex can be simplified, thus increasing the available pool of qualified earth-moving contractors and equipment operators. GNSS-based guidance and control using the present invention can provide more information and control to the equipment operators, thus enabling them to undertake more difficult tasks than they might have with manually-controlled equipment and techniques. Consistency among operator performance can be improved via GNSS-based automation, resulting in better overall job quality. For example, relatively inexperienced operators can deliver results comparable to those achieved by more experienced operators using the information and automation features of the present invention. Another operator benefit relates to less fatigue, as compared to manually guiding and controlling the equipment and its functions. Profitability of earth-moving jobs using GNSS-equipped machines tends to improve because bidding and execution risks are more highly controlled, input (e.g., material, material hauling, fuel and labor) costs can be reduced, the necessity of reworking projects in order to meet specifications can be reduced, safety can be improved and equipment can complete more projects between service cycles due to greater operating efficiencies. Yet another application for GNSS-equipped machines involves snow management, including snow grooming procedures for ski resorts. Maximizing use of available snow, both natural and man-made, is an important aspect of managing winter sports areas, such as ski resorts. Effective snow grooming commonly involves relocating volumes of snow in order to provide sufficient snow base depth, to cover obstacles and for configuring ski runs. Skiers often divert snow while making runs. Resort operators often groom and reconfigure their ski runs after normal operating hours to avoid interfering with daytime recreational activities. At many resorts grooming activities continue through the night. Snow grooming equipment operators are often exposed to hazardous conditions on the mountain, particularly when operating at night or in bad weather conditions. For example, blizzard conditions are often associated with “white out” conditions restricting visibility. Operating heavy equipment on steep, snow-covered terrain in limited visibility can be hazardous to operators. Also, their procedures commonly require relatively precise navigation and positioning to avoid. Still further, snow base and snow depth control can be difficult without significant experience and terrain knowledge. Movable machinery, such as agricultural equipment-, open-pit mining machines, airplane crop dusters and the like all benefit from accurate global navigation satellite system (GNSS) high precision survey products, and others. However, in existing satellite positioning systems (SATPS) for guided parallel and contour swathing for precision farming, mining, and the like, the actual curvature of terrain may not be taken into account. This results in a less than precise production because of the less than precise parallel or contour swathing. Indeed, in order to provide swaths through a field (in farming, for example), the guidance system collects positions of the vehicle as it moves across the field. When the vehicle commences the next pass through the field, the guidance system offsets the collected positions for the previous pass by the width of the equipment (i.e. swath width). The next set of swath positions is used to provide guidance to the operator as he or she drives the vehicle through the field. The current vehicle location, as compared to the desired swath location, is provided to the vehicle's operator or to a vehicle's steering system. The SATPS provides the 3-D location of signal reception (for instance, the 3-D location of the antenna). If only 3-D coordinates are collected, the next swath computations assume a fiat terrain offset. However, the position of interest is often not the same as where the satellite receiver (SR) is located since the SR is placed in the location for good signal reception, for example, for a tractor towing an implement, an optimal location for the SR may be on top of the cab. However, the position of interest (POI) for providing guidance to the tractor operator may be the position on the ground below the operator. If the tractor is on flat terrain, determining this POI is a simple adjustment to account for the antenna height. However, if the tractor is on an inclined terrain with a variable tilt, which is often the case, the SATPS alone cannot determine the terrain tilt so the POI also cannot be determined. This results in a guidance error because the POI is approximated by the point of reception (POR), and this approximation worsens as the terrain inclination increases. This results in cross track position excursions relative to the vehicle ground track which would contaminate any attempt to guide to a defined field line or swath. On inclined terrain, this error can be minimized by collecting the vehicle tilt configuration along each current pass or the previous pass. The swath offset thus becomes a vector taking the terrain inclination into account with the assumption that from the first swath to the next one the terrain inclination does not change too much. It can therefore be seen that there in a need for a better navigation/guidance system for use with a ground-based vehicle that measures and takes into account vehicle tilt. Various navigation systems for ground-based vehicles have been employed but each includes particular disadvantages. Systems using Doppler radar will encounter errors with the radar and latency. Similarly, gyroscopes, which may provide heading, roll, or pitch measurements, may be deployed as part of an inertial navigation package, but tend to encounter drift errors and biases and still require some external attitude measurements for gyroscope initialization and drift compensation. Gyroscopes have good short-term characteristics but undesirable long-term characteristics, especially those gyroscopes of lower cost such as those based on a vibrating resonator. Similarly, inertial systems employing gyroscopes and accelerometers have good short-term characteristics but also suffer from drift. Various systems include navigating utilizing GNSS; however, these systems also exhibit disadvantages. Existing GNSS position computations may include lag times, which may be especially troublesome when, for example, GNSS velocity is used to derive vehicle heading. As a result, the position (or heading) solution provided by a GNSS receiver tells a user where the vehicle was a moment ago, but not in real time. Existing GNSS systems do not provide high quality heading information at slower vehicle speeds. Therefore, what is needed is a low cost sensor system to facilitate vehicle swath navigation that makes use of the desirable behavior of both GNSS and inertial units while eliminating or reducing non-desirable behavior. Specifically, what is needed is a means to employ low-cost gyroscopes (e.g., micro electromechanical (MEM) gyroscopes) which exhibit very good short-term low noise and high accuracy while removing their inherent long-term drift. Providing multiple antennas on a vehicle can provide additional benefits by determining an attitude of the vehicle from the GNSS ranging signals received by its antennas, which are constrained on the vehicle at a predetermined spacing. For example, high dynamic roll compensation signals can be output directly to the vehicle steering using GNSS-derived attitude information. Components such as gyroscopes and accelerometers can be eliminated using such techniques. Real-time kinematic (RTK) can be accomplished using relatively economical single frequency L1-only receivers with inputs from at least two antennas mounted in fixed relation on a rover vehicle. Still further, moving baselines can be provided for positioning solutions involving tractors and implements and multi-vehicle GNSS control can be provided. Providing additional antennas in combination with standard SATPS and GNSS guidance, as mentioned above, along with optional gyroscopes is a great method to increase GNSS positioning precision and accuracy, such as is described in U.S. Patent Publication No. 2009/0164067 which is assigned to a common assignee and is incorporated herein. However, accuracy and precision can only improve the efficiency of working vehicles, such as those in the agricultural field, to a limited extent. Although such systems are able to track and guide vehicles in three dimensions, including along ridges and sloped-regions, errors may appear in other aspects of a working vehicle. For example, in an agricultural field-working situation where a tractor is towing an implement, the implement may slide on a sloped-region, or the tractor may list to one side or another when entering softer soil or rocky areas. This can happen repeatedly when a vehicle is guided amend the same field, regardless of the precision of the guidance, system in pre-planning a path. Thus, a system that can detect such changes in uniformity of a field as the vehicle traverses a path and remember those changes can predict and re-route a more accurate and more economical path than a guidance system alone. Heretofore there has not been available a system and method with the advantages and features of the present invention. Heretofore there has not been available a GNSS-based guidance and control system for agricultural, earth-moving and other equipment with the advantages and features of the present invention. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Disclosed herein in an exemplary embodiment is a sensor system for vehicle steering control comprising a plurality of global navigation satellite systems (GNSSs) including receivers and antennas at a fixed spacing to determine a vehicle position, velocity and at least one of a heading (slew) angle, a pitch angle and a roll angle based on carrier phase corrected real time kinematic (RTK) position differences. The toll angle facilitates correction of the lateral motion induced position errors resultant from motion of the antennae as the vehicle moves based on an offset to ground and the roll angle. The system also includes a control system configured to receive the vehicle position, heading, and at least one of roll, pitch and yaw, and configured to generate a steering command to a vehicle steering system. Also disclosed herein in another exemplary embodiment is a method for computing a position of a vehicle comprising: initializing GNSS; computing a first position of a first GNSS antenna on the vehicle; computing a second position of a second GNSS antenna; and calculating a heading as a vector perpendicular to a vector joining the first position and the second position, in a horizontal plane aligned with the vehicle. The method also includes computing a roll angle of the vehicle as an arc-tangent of a ratio of differences in heights of the first GNSS antenna and the second GNSS antenna divided by a spacing between their respective phase centers and calculating an actual position at the center of the vehicle projected to the ground using the computed roll angle and a known height from the ground of at least one of the first GNSS antenna and the second GNSS antenna. Further disclosed herein in yet another exemplary embodiment is a method of controlling a vehicle comprising: computing a position and a heading for the vehicle; computing a steering control command based on a proportionality factor multiplied by a difference in a desired position versus an actual position, plus a second proportionality factor multiplied by a difference in a desired heading versus an actual heading, the second proportionality factor ensuring that when the vehicle attains the desired position the vehicle is also directed to the desired heading, and thereby avoiding crossing a desired track. The method also includes a recursive adaptive algorithm employed to characterize the vehicle response and selected dynamic characteristics. The method further includes applying selected control values to a vehicle steering control mechanism and measuring responses of the vehicle thereto; calculating response times and characteristics for the vehicle based on the responses; and calibrating the control commands by applying a modified control command based on the responses to achieve a desired response. Additional alternative aspects include selective sprayer nozzle control, high dynamic roll compensation using GNSS attitude solutions from multiple antennas, moving baseline implement positioning and multiple vehicle control. An additional embodiment of the present invention includes employing the above-mentioned multiple GNSS antenna guidance system on earth-moving equipment, such as an excavator, grader, bulldozer, loader or the like. GNSS guidance obtains three-dimensional positional and attitude (heading) data, including coordinates defined in relation to a geodesic coordinate system and rotation about X, Y, and Z axes. The excavator is also modified with multiple sensors on the excavation arm (e.g., “stick-and-boom”) or other such working implement. The GNSS guidance system computes the three-dimensional position of the bucket on the implement arm by comparing the GNSS position of the excavation vehicle itself with the various angle sensors placed on the implement arm holding the bucket. Using this combination, an excavator can precisely cut or fill a piece of land to a relatively precise desired elevation either based on a pre-planned terrain map or by setting an initial elevation with the GNSS guidance system and computing the cut/fill quantities and locations from that base reference point or benchmark. Still further alternative embodiments of the present invention are adapted for snow grooming operations and include equipment control subsystems mounted on snowcats, snowmobiles and other snow equipment pieces. An additional exemplary embodiment is a sensor system for vehicle guidance using one or more global navigation satellite systems (GNSSs) according to the above-mentioned embodiments, in combination with a plurality of various sensors located throughout a vehicle and a towed implement. These sensors detect additional parameters from those calculated by the GNSS positioning system, such as vehicle and implement stress levels, fuel levels, power levels, optical guide path observations via an onboard camera, multi-section (articulated) implement position and attitude sensing via multiple antennas and other characteristics of the working vehicle. The combination of the two systems results in a much more accurate and economical preplanned path generated for use in later field work. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 depicts an illustrative diagram of a vehicle including an exemplary embodiment. FIG. 2 depicts an illustrative block diagram of the vehicle including an exemplary embodiment of a sensor system. FIG. 3 depicts an illustrative block diagram of a sensor system in accordance with an exemplary embodiment. FIG. 4 depicts an illustrative sensor system in accordance with an exemplary embodiment. FIG. 5 depicts an illustrative flow chart of an exemplary process for determining a steering command for a vehicle in accordance with an exemplary embodiment. FIG. 6 depicts an illustrative flow chart of an exemplary process for determining a steering command with an exemplary sensor system in accordance with an alternative embodiment. FIG. 7A depicts a multi-axis antenna and gyroscope system embodying an aspect of the present invention and including two antennas connected by a rigid link and yaw and roll gyroscopes. FIG. 7B depicts the system in a yaw attitude. FIG. 7C depicts the system in a roll attitude. FIG. 8 depicts a tilt (roll) angle measuring application of the invention on an agricultural vehicle. FIG. 9 depicts an alternative aspect of the system with antenna and gyroscope subsystems mounted on both the vehicle and the implement, e.g. a sprayer with selectively controllable spray nozzles. FIG. 10 depicts a block diagram of the system shown in FIG. 9. FIG. 11 depicts a high dynamic roll compensation GNSS guidance system comprising an alternative aspect of the present invention. FIG. 12 depicts a block diagram of the system shown in FIG. 11. FIG. 13 depicts an alternative aspect of the present invention comprising a moving baseline GNSS system with the tractor and the implement each mounting a respective antenna for a 1+1 antenna configuration. FIG. 14 depicts an enlarged, fragmentary view thereof, particularly showing implement yaw and pitch movements in connection with the moving antenna-to-antenna baseline. FIG. 15 depicts another moving baseline alternative aspect in a 2+1 antenna configuration. FIG. 16 depicts another moving baseline alternative aspect in a 2+2 antenna configuration. FIG. 17 depicts the 2+1 moving baseline system in a contour mode of operation with a multi-position tail. FIG. 18 depicts a block diagram of the moving baseline system(s). FIG. 19 depicts a multi-vehicle GNSS relative guidance system including primary and secondary rovers. FIG. 20 depicts a block diagram of the system shown in FIG. 19. FIG. 21 is an isometric diagram of an excavator with a GNSS-machine control system comprising another alternative embodiment of the present invention in an earthmoving equipment application, the excavator including three axes and three rotational movements around the axes. FIG. 22 is an isometric diagram of the excavator with a block diagram of the major components. FIG. 23 is a vertical cross-section of a job site with the excavator, and showing volumes of earth to be cut or filled to reach a desired elevation. FIGS. 24A and 24B are phases I and II of a flowchart showing a method of an embodiment of this invention. FIGS. 24C and 24D are phases I and II of a flowchart demonstrating the steps necessary to perform a task using macros according to the invention. FIG. 25 shows another alternative embodiment application of the control system in a surface motor grader application. FIG. 26 shows another alternative embodiment of the control system in a snow grooming equipment application. FIG. 27 shows a snowcat equipped with the GNSS-based control system embodying an aspect of the present invention and adapted for snow grooming operations. FIG. 28 is a screen view of a monitor located in a cab of the snow grooming equipment, showing a graphical user interface (GUI) of the control system. FIG. 29 is another screen view of the monitor showing other aspects of the system's operation. FIG. 30 shows another alternative embodiment application of the control system in a draw line configuration. FIG. 31 shows the system in a snow grooming application using radar for measuring snow depth. FIG. 32 shows contour guidelines overlaid on a point grid for use in terrain modeling, including snow depths. FIG. 33 shows a point depth interpolation on the point grid for use in terrain modeling, including snow depths. FIG. 34 is a vertical cross-section of a snow-covered area, particularly showing elevations of interest in connection with a snow grooming operation. FIG. 35 is a flowchart of a topography modeling method embodying an aspect of the present invention using approximation based on scaling (ABOS). FIG. 36 shows another alternative embodiment application of the control system for guiding ore trucks in a mining operation. FIG. 37 shows yet another alternative embodiment of the present invention using optical targets and cameras for determining tractor-implement attitude and orientation. FIGS. 38 and 39 show crosshair displays indicating implement attitude and orientation. FIGS. 40-43 show square displays indicating tractor-implement attitude and orientation. FIGS. 44-47 show elliptical displays indicating tractor-implement attitude and orientation. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS I. GNSS Introduction Global navigation satellite systems (GNSSs) are broadly defined to include GPS (U.S.), Galileo (proposed), GLONASS (Russia), Beidou/Compass (China, proposed), IRNSS (India, proposed), QZSS (Japan, proposed) and other current and future positioning technology using signals from satellites, with or without augmentation from terrestrial sources. Inertial navigation systems (INS) include gyroscopic (gyro) sensors, accelerometers and similar technologies for providing output corresponding to the inertia of moving components in all axes, i.e. through six degrees of freedom (positive and negative directions along X, Y and Z axes). Yaw, pitch and roll refer to moving component rotation about these axes. Said terminology will include the words specifically mentioned, derivatives thereof and words of similar meaning. Disclosed herein in an exemplary embodiment is a sensor system for vehicle guidance. The sensor system utilizes a plurality of GNSS carrier phase differenced antennas to derive attitude information, herein referred to as a GNSS attitude system. Moreover, the GNSS attitude system may optionally be combined with one or more rate gyro(s) used to measure turn, roll or pitch rates and to further calibrate bias and scale factor errors within these gyros. In an exemplary embodiment, the rate gyros and GNSS receiver/antenna are integrated together within the same unit, to provide multiple mechanisms to characterize a vehicle's motion and position to make a robust vehicle steering control mechanism. It is known in the art that by using a GNSS satellite's carrier phase, and possibly carrier phases from other satellites, such as WAAS satellites, a position may readily be determined to within millimeters. When accomplished with two antennas at a fixed spacing, an angular rotation may be computed using the position differences. In an exemplary embodiment, two antennas placed in the horizontal plane may be employed to compute a heading (rotation about a vertical Z axis) from a position displacement. It will be appreciated that an exemplary embodiment may be utilized to compute not only heading, but either roll (rotation about a longitudinal Y axis) or pitch (rotation about a lateral X axis) depending on the orientation of the antennas relative to the vehicle. Heading information, combined with position, either differentially corrected (DGPS or DGNSS) or carrier phase corrected real time kinematic (RTK) provides the feedback information desired for a proper control of the vehicle direction. Addition of one or more rate gyros further provides independent measurements of the vehicle's dynamics and facilitates vehicle steering control. The combination of GNSS attitude obtained from multiple antennas with gyroscopes facilitates calibration of gyroscope scale factor and bias errors which are present in low cost gyroscopes. When these errors are removed, gyro rates are more accurate and provide better inputs for guidance and control. Furthermore, gyroscopes can now effectively be integrated to obtain roll, pitch and heading angles with occasional adjustment from the GNSS-derived attitude. Existing systems for vehicle guidance may employ separate gyros, and separate GNSS positioning or attitude systems. However, such systems do not provide an integrated heading sensor based on GNSS as disclosed herein. Moreover, separate systems exhibit the limitations of their respective technologies as mentioned earlier. The exemplary embodiments as described herein eliminate the requirements of existing systems for other means to correct for vehicle roll. Moreover, an implementation of an exemplary embodiment also provides a relatively precise, in both the short-term and the long-term, means of calculating heading and heading rate of change (turn rate). Another benefit achieved by incorporating a GNSS-based heading sensor is the elimination, or reduction, of drift and biases resultant from a gyro-only or other inertial sensor approach. Yet another advantage is that heading may be computed while the vehicle is stopped or moving slowly, which is not possible in a single-antenna GNSS based approach that requires a vehicle velocity vector to derive heading. This can be very important in applications where a vehicle has to turn slowly to align with another path. During these slow turns the gyro can drift away but by adding the use of a dual antenna GNSS solution the orientation of the gyro can be continuously corrected. This also permits immediate operation of a slow moving vehicle after being at rest, rather than-requiring an initialization from motion. Yet another advantage of an exemplary embodiment is that a combination of the aforementioned sensors provides sufficient information for a feedback control system to be developed, which is standalone and independent of a vehicle's sensors or additional external sensors. Thus, such a system is readily maintained as vehicle-independent and may be moved from one vehicle to another with minimal effort. Yet another exemplary embodiment of the sensor employs global navigation satellite system (GNSS) sensors and measurements to provide accurate, reliable positioning information. GNSS sensors include, but are not limited to GNSS, Global Navigation System (GLONAS), Wide Area Augmentation System (WAAS) and the like, as well as combinations including at least one of the foregoing. GNSS includes the Global Positioning System (GPS), which was established by the United States government and employs a constellation of 24 or more satellites in well-defined orbits at an altitude of approximately 26,500 km. These satellites continually transmit microwave L-band radio signals in three frequency bands, centred at 1575.42 MHz, 1227.60 MHz and 1176.45 MHz, denoted as L1, L2 and L5 respectively. All GNSS signals include timing patterns relative to the satellite's onboard precision clock (which is kept synchronized by a ground station) as well as a navigation message giving the precise orbital positions of the satellites. GPS receivers process the radio signals, computing ranges to the GPS satellites, and by triangulating these ranges, the GPS receiver determines its position and its internal clock error. Different levels of accuracies can be achieved depending on the techniques employed. GNSS also includes Galileo (Europe), the GLObal NAvigation Satellite System (GLONASS, Russia), Beidou (China), Compass (proposed), the Indian Regional Navigational Satellite System (IRNSS) and QZSS (Japan, proposed), Galileo will transmit signals centered at 1575.42 MHz, denoted L1 or E1, 1176.45 denoted E5a, 1207.14 MHz, denoted E5b, 1191.795 MHz, denoted E5 and 1278,75 MHz;, denoted E6. GLONASS transmits groups of FDM signals centered approximately at 1602 MHz and 1246 MHz, denoted GL1 and GL2 respectively. QZSS will transmit signals centered at E1, E2, L5 and E6. In standalone GNSS systems that determine a receiver's antenna position coordinates without reference to a nearby reference receiver, the process of position determination is subject to errors from a number of sources. These include errors in the GNSS satellite's clock reference, the location of the orbiting satellite, ionosphere induced propagation delay errors, and troposphere refraction errors. To overcome the errors of standalone GNSS systems, many positioning applications have made use of data from multiple GNSS receivers. Typically, in such applications, a reference receiver, located at a reference site having known coordinates, receives the GNSS satellite signals simultaneously with the receipt of signals by a remote receiver. Depending on the separation distance between the two GNSS receivers, many of the errors mentioned above will affect the satellite signals equally for the two receivers. By taking the difference between signals received both at the reference site and the remote location, the errors are effectively eliminated. This facilitates an accurate determination of the remote receiver's coordinates relative to the reference receiver's coordinates. The technique of differencing signals from two or more GNSS receivers to improve accuracy is known as differential GNSS (DGNSS or DGPS). Differential GNSS is well known and exhibits many forms. In all forms of DGNSS, the positions obtained by the end user's remote receiver are relative to the position(s) of the reference receiver(s). GNSS applications have been improved and enhanced by employing a broader array of satellites such as GNSS and WAAS. for example, see commonly assigned U.S. Pat. No. 6,469,663 to Measurements for Relative Positioning, dated Oct. 22, 2002, the disclosures of which are incorporated by reference herein in their entirety. Additionally, multiple receiver DGNSS has been enhanced by utilizing a single receiver to perform differential corrections. For example, see commonly assigned U.S. Pat. No. 6,397,147 to Whitehead titled Relative GNSS Positioning Using a Single GNSS Receiver with Internally Generated Differential Correction Terms, dated May 28, 2002, the disclosures of which are incorporated by reference herein in their entirety. II. GNSS and Gyro Control System and Method Referring now to FIGS. 1 through 4, an illustrative vehicle 10 is depicted including a sensor system 20 in accordance with an exemplary embodiment. Referring also to FIGS. 2 and 3, block diagrams of the sensor system 20 are depicted. The sensor system 20 includes, but is not limited to a GNSS attitude system 22, comprising at least a GNSS receiver 24 and an antenna 26. The GNSS receiver/antenna systems comprising the GNSS attitude system 22 cooperate as a primary receiver system 22a and a secondary receiver system 22b, with their respective antennas 26a and 26b mounted with a known separation. The primary receiver system 22a may also be denoted as a reference or master receiver system, while the secondary receiver system 22b may also be denoted as a remote or slave receiver system. It will also be appreciated that the selection of one receiver as primary versus secondary need not be of significance; it merely provides a means for distinguishing between systems, partitioning of functionality, and defining measurement references to facilitate description. It should be appreciated that the nomenclature could readily be transposed or modified without impacting the scope of the disclosure or the claims. The sensor system 20 is optionally configured to be mounted within a single enclosure 28 to facilitate transportability. In an exemplary embodiment, the enclosure 28 can be any rigid assembly, fixture, or structure that causes the antennas 26 to be maintained in a substantially fixed relative position with respect to one another. In an exemplary embodiment, the enclosure 28 may be a lightweight bracket or structure to facilitate mounting of other components and transportability. Although the enclosure 28 that constrains the relative location of the two antennas 26a and 26b may have virtually any position and orientation in space, the two respective receivers 24 (reference receiver 24a and remote receiver 24b) are configured to facilitate communication with one another and resolve the attitude information from the phase center of the reference antenna 26a to the phase center of the remote antenna 26b with a high degree of accuracy. Yet another embodiment employs a GNSS sensor 20 in the embodiments above augmented with supplementary inertial sensors 30 such as accelerometers, gyroscopes, or an attitude heading reference system. More particularly, in an implementation of an exemplary embodiment, one or more rate gyro(s) are integrated with the GNSS sensor 20. In yet another exemplary embodiment, a gyro that measures roll-rate may also be combined with this system's GNSS-based roll determination. A roll rate gyro denoted 30b would provide improved short-term dynamic rate information to gain additional improvements when computing the sway of the vehicle 10, particularly when traveling over uneven terrain. It will be appreciated that to supplement the embodiments disclosed herein, the data used by each GNSS receiver 24 may be coupled with data from supplementary sensors 50, including, but not limited to, accelerometers, gyroscopic sensors, compasses, magnetic sensors, inclinometers, and the like, as well as combinations including at least one of the foregoing. Coupling GNSS data with measurement information from supplementary sensors 30, and/or correction data for differential correction improves positioning accuracy, improves initialization durations and enhances the ability to recover for data outages. Moreover, such coupling may further improve, e.g., reduce, the length of time required to solve for accurate attitude data. It will be appreciated that although not a requirement, the location of the reference antenna 26a can be considered a fixed distance from the remote antenna 26b. This constraint may be applied to the azimuth determination processes in order to reduce the time required to solve for accurate azimuth, even though both antennas 26a and 26b may be moving in space or not at a known location. The technique of resolving the attitude information and position information for the vehicle 10 may employ carrier phase DGNSS techniques with a moving reference station. Additionally, the use of data from auxiliary dynamic sensors aids the development of a heading solution by applying other constraints, including a rough indication of antenna orientation relative to the Earth's gravity field and/or alignment to the Earth's magnetic field. Producing an accurate attitude from the use of two or more GNSS receiver and antenna systems 22 has been established in the art and therefore will not be expounded upon herein. The processing is utilized herein as part of the process required to implement an exemplary embodiment. Referring also to FIG. 4, a mechanism for ensuring an accurate orientation of the sensor system 20 to the vehicle 10 may be provided for by an optional mounting base 14 accurately attached to the enclosure 28. An accurate installation ensures that substantially no misalignment error is present that may otherwise cause the sensor system 20 to provide erroneous heading information. The mounting base 14 is configured such that it fits securely with a determinable orientation relative to the vehicle 10. In an exemplary embodiment, for example, the mounting base 14 is configured to fit flatly against the top surfaces of the vehicle 10 to facilitate an unimpeded view to the GNSS satellites. With the sensor system 20 affixed and secured in the vehicle 10 power up and initialization of the sensor system 20 is thereafter executed. Such an initialization may include, but not be limited to, using the control system 100 to perform any initialization or configuration that may be necessary for a particular installation, including the configuration of an internal log file within the memory of the sensor system 20. The sensor system 20 may further include additional associated electronics and hardware. For example, the sensor system 20 may also include a power source 32, e.g., battery, or other power generation, means, e.g., photovoltaic cells, and ultrahigh capacity capacitors and the like. Moreover, the sensor system 20 may further include a control system 100. The control system 100 may include, without limitation, a controller/computer 102, a display 104 and an input device 106, such as a keypad or keyboard for operation of the control system 100. The controller 102 may include, without limitation, a computer or processor, logic, memory, storage, registers, timing, interrupts, input/output signal, interfaces, and communication interfaces as required to perform the processing and operations prescribed herein. The controller preferably receives inputs from various systems and sensor elements of the sensor system 20 (GNSS, inertial, etc.), and generates output signals to control the same and direct the vehicle 10. For example, the controller 102 may receive such inputs as the GNSS satellite and receiver data and status, inertial system data, and the like from various sensors. In an exemplary embodiment, the control system 100 computes and outputs a cross-track and/or a direction error relating to the current orientation, attitude, and velocity of the vehicle 10 as well as computing a desired swath on the ground. The control system 100 will also allow the operator to configure the various settings of the sensor system 20 and monitor GNSS signal reception and any other sensors of the sensor system 20. In an exemplary embodiment, the sensor system 20 is self-contained. The control system 100, electronics, receivers 24, antennas 26, and any other sensors, including an optional power source, are contained within the enclosure 12 to facilitate ease of manipulation, transportability, and operation. Referring now to FIG. 3, a flowchart diagrammatically depicting an exemplary methodology for executing a control process 200 is provided. An exemplary control process 200, such as may be executed by an operator in conjunction with a control system 100, acts upon information from the sensor system 20 to output cross-track and/or direction error based upon corrected 3-D position, velocity, heading, tilt, heading rate (degrees per second), radius of curvature and the like. System 22a computes its position, denoted p1 (x1, y1, z1). Referring now to block 220, the secondary receiver and antenna system 22b computes its position, denoted p2 (x2, y2, z2). Referring now to block 230, optionally additional receiver and antenna system(s) 22 compute their respective positions, denoted p3 (x3, y3, z3), . . . pn (xn, yn, zn). At process block 240, employing a geometric calculation the heading is computed as the vector perpendicular to the vector joining the two positions, in the horizontal plane (assuming they are aligned with the vehicle 10). Furthermore, at block 250 the toll of the vehicle 10 may readily be computed as the arc-tangent of the ratio of the difference in heights of the two antennas 26a and 26b divided by the spacing between their phase centers (a selected distance within the enclosure 12). It will be appreciated that optionally, if additional receiver and antenna systems are utilized and configured for additional measurements, the pitch and roll angles may also be computed using differential positioning similar to the manner for computing heading. Therefore, in FIG. 5, optionally at process block 260, the pitch and roll may be computed. Continuing with FIG. 5, at process block 270, using the computed roll angle and a known antenna height (based on the installation in a gives vehicle 10), the actual position at the center of the vehicle 10 projected to the ground may be calculated. This position represents a true ground position of the vehicle 10. Once the ground position is known, the error value representing the difference between where the vehicle should be based on a computed swath or track, and where it actually is, can be readily calculated as shown at block 280. Optionally, the vector velocities of the vehicle 10 are also known or readily computed based on an existing course and heading of the vehicle 10. These vector velocities may readily be utilized for control and instrumentation tasks. Turning now to FIG. 6, in another exemplary embodiment a steering control process 300 can utilize the abovementioned information from the sensor system 20 to direct the vehicle motion. At process block 310 the steering control may be initiated by obtaining the computed errors from process 200. Turning to block 320, the steering control process 300 may be facilitated by computing a steering control command based on a proportionality factor times the difference in desired position versus actual position (computed position error), plus a second proportionality factor times the difference in desired heading versus actual heading (heading error). The second proportionality factor ensures that when the vehicle attains the desired position it is actually directed to the correct heading, rather than crossing the track. Such an approach will dramatically improve steering response and stability. At process block 330, a steering command is generated and directed to the vehicle 10. Moreover, continuing with FIG. 6, optionally a recursive adaptive algorithm may also be employed to characterize the vehicle response and selected dynamic characteristics. In an exemplary embodiment, the sensor system 20 applies selected control values to the vehicle steering control mechanism as depicted at optional block 340 and block 330. The sensor system 20 measures the response of the vehicle 10 as depicted at process block 350 and calculates the response times and characteristics for the vehicle. For example, a selected command is applied and the proportionality of the turn is measured given the selected change in steering. Turning to process block 360, the responses of the vehicle 10 are then utilized to calibrate the control commands applying a modified control command to achieve a desired response. It will be appreciated that such an auto-calibration feature would possibly be limited by constraints of the vehicle to avoid excess stress or damage as depicted at 370. It will be appreciated that while a particular series of steps or procedures is described as part of the abovementioned alignment process, no order of steps should necessarily be inferred from the order of presentation. For example, the process 200 includes installation and power up or initialization. It should be evident that power-up and initialization could potentially be performed and executed in advance without impacting the methodology disclosed herein or the scope of the claims. It should further be appreciated that while an exemplary partitioning functionality has been provided, it should be apparent to one skilled in the art that the partitioning could be different. For example, the control of the primary receiver 24a and the secondary receiver 24b, as well as the functions of the controller 102, could be integrated in other units. The processes for determining the alignment may, for ease of Implementation, be integrated into a single receiver. Such configuration variances should be considered equivalent and within the scope of the disclosure and claims herein. The disclosed invention may be embodied in the form of computer-implemented processes and apparatuses for practicing those processes. The present invention can also be embodied in the form of computer program code containing instructions embodied in tangible media, such as floppy diskettes, CD-ROMs, hard drives, or any other computer-readable storage medium 80 wherein the computer becomes an apparatus for practicing the invention when the computer program code is loaded into and executed by the computer. The present invention can also be embodied in the form of computer program code stored in a storage medium or loaded into and/or executed by a computer, for example. The present invention can also be embodied in the form of a data signal 82 transmitted by a modulated or unmodulated carrier wave, over a transmission medium, such as electrical wiring or cabling, through fiber optics or via electromagnetic radiation. When the computer program code is loaded into and executed by a computer, the computer becomes an apparatus for practicing the invention. When implemented on a general-purpose microprocessor, the computer program code segments configure the microprocessor to create specific logic circuits. III. Alternative Aspect GNSS Control Systems and Methods FIG. 7A shows another alternative aspect of the invention including a GNSS antenna and gyroscope attitude system 402 with antennas 405, 406 separated by a rigid link 407. In a typical application, the rigid link 407 is attached to the vehicle 10 and extends along the X (transverse) axis or transversely with respect to the vehicle's direction of travel, which generally corresponds to the Y (heading) axis. Alternatively, the vehicle 10 itself can provide the rigid link between the antennas 405, 406, for example, by mounting the antennas 405, 406 at predetermined, fixed locations on the roof of the vehicle cab with a predetermined, feed distance therebetween. Another alternative is to provide a GNSS attitude device with antennas, receivers and sensors (e.g., gyroscopes (gyros), accelerometers and other sensors) in a self-contained, unitary enclosure, such as the device 20 shown in enclosure 28 in FIG. 4. Regardless of the antenna-mounting structure, the orientation of the antenna pair and the rigid link 407 (or vehicle 10) is determined with respect to an Earth-fixed coordinate system. The XYZ axes shown in FIG. 7A provide an example for defining this relation. Roll and yaw gyros 430, 440 are generally aligned with the Y and Z axes respectively for detecting and measuring vehicle 10 attitude changes with respect to these axes. With the system 402 installed on a vehicle 10 (FIG. 8), the two antennas 405, 406 can provide angular orientations with respect to two axes. In the example shown, angular orientation with respect to the Y (heading) axis corresponds to vehicle roll and with respect to the Z (vertical) axis corresponds to vehicle yaw. These orientations are commonly of interest in agricultural vehicles whereby this is the preferred mounting and orientation arrangement for such applications. The vehicle's roll most adversely affects GNSS-measured vehicle cross-track error. By measuring the vehicle's roll, such cross-track errors can be compensated for or eliminated. Such roll-induced cross-track errors include variable roll errors due to uneven terrain and constant roll errors due to hill slopes. It will be appreciated that adding a third antenna provides three-axis (XYZ) attitude solutions corresponding to pitch, roll and yaw. Of course, reorienting the two-antenna system 402 can provide other attitude solutions. For example, locating the antennas' baseline (aligned with the rigid link 407) fore-and-aft along the vehicle's Y axis will provide pitch and yaw attitudes. FIG. 7B shows the system 402 in a yaw attitude or condition whereby the vehicle 10 has deviated from a desired heading along the Y axis to an actual heading by a yaw angle θY. In other words, the vehicle 10 has rotated (yawed) clockwise with respect to the Z axis. FIG. 7C shows the system 402 in a roll attitude or condition whereby the vehicle 10 has deviated from level to a tilt or roll angle of θR. In other words, the vehicle 10 has rotated (rolled) counterclockwise with respect to the Y axis. The system 402 includes roll and yaw gyros 430, 440 mounted and oriented for detecting vehicle rotational movement with respect to the Y and Z axes. The system 402 represents a typical strap-down implementation with the vehicle 10, antennas 405, 406 and gyros 430, 440 rigidly connected and moving together. A body-fixed coordinate system is thus defined with the three perpendicular axes XYZ. In all but the most extreme farmlands, the vehicle 10 would normally deviate relatively little from level and horizontal, usually less than 30° in most agricultural operations. This simplifies the process of calibrating the gyros 430, 440 using the GNSS attitude system 402 consisting of two or more antennas 405, 406. For simplicity, it is assumed that the body-fixed axes XYZ remain relatively close to level. Thus, the change in the heading (yaw) angle θY of FIG. 7B is approximately measured by the body-fixed yaw gyro 440, even though there may be some small discrepancy between the axes of rotation. Similar assumptions can be made for the roll angle θR (FIG. 7C), which is approximately measured by the body-fixed roll gyro 430. A similar assumption could be used for measuring pitch attitude or orientation angles with a pitch gyro. This simplifying assumption allows the gyros to be decoupled from one another during integration and avoids the necessity of using a full strap-down quaternion implementation. For example, heading deviation is assigned only to the yaw gyro 440 (gyro axis perturbations from the assumed level axis alignment are ignored). Similarly, vehicle roll is assumed to be measured completely by a single roll gyro 430. GNSS attitude-measured heading and roll can then be used to calibrate the gyros 430, 440. Such simplifying assumptions tend to be relatively effective, particularly for agricultural operations on relatively flat, level terrain. Alternatively, a full six-degrees-of-freedom strap-down gyro implementation with quaternion integration could be employed, but such a solution would normally be excessive and represent an ineffective use of computing resources, unless an inertial navigation system (INS) was also being used to backup GNSS, for example, in the event of GNSS signal loss. For the purpose of calibrating the gyroscopes 430, 440, the angles measured by the GNSS attitude system 402 are used as truth in a Kalman filter estimator of gyro bias and scale factor errors. Over a small interval of time, T, the following equation holds: {dot over (θ)}gyro T=A θtrue+BT Where {dot over (θ)}gyro=average gyro reading over T = 1 / n ∑ n θ . gyro (with n readings taken over time T) θtrue=truth angular change over interval T as measured by the GNSS attitude system. A=gyro scale factor error B=gyro rate bias error A two state Kalman filter is defined to have the gyro rate basis and scale factor error as states. The Kidman process model is a first-order Markov: X k + 1 = [ 1 0 0 1 ] X k + [ σ A 0 0 σ B ] W k where the state vector X = [ A B ] Here σA and σB are noise amplitudes and W is white noise. This dictates what is known as a random walk of the state [A B]. The designer of the Kalman filter chooses σA and σB according to how rapidly the bias and scale factor errors are expected to vary (usually variations due to temperature dependencies of scale and bias in a low cost gyro). Typical variations, especially of the scale factor, are quite small (A and B are nearly constant), and σA and σB are chosen accordingly. Typical values for a low-cost gyroscope, using a time interval T are: σ A = 0.02 T 1200 , σ B = T 1200 where T is expressed in seconds and 1200 means 1200 seconds. For example, here the random walk is chosen to cause a drift in scale factor of 0.02 in 1200 seconds. The Kalman measurement equation is: y=Hx+v Where y={dot over (θ)}gyroT, H=[θtrue T] and ν is measurement noise. The Kalman covariance propagation and gain calculation is designed according to well-known techniques. Similar Kalman filters are deployed in both yaw and roll (and/or pitch) channels. The GNSS attitude devices 20 provides a reference yaw and roll that act as the Kalman measurements enabling the calibration of gyro rate basis and scale factor errors. The GNSS device provides heading and roll, even when the vehicle is stationary or traveling in reverse. This provides a significant advantage over single-antenna systems which provide a vehicle direction only when moving (i.e., a velocity vector). The multi-antenna attitude device 20 enables continuous calibration regardless of whether or not and in what direction the vehicle 10 is moving. The calibrated gyros 430, 440 are highly advantageous in a vehicle steering control system. High precision heading and heading-rate produced by the calibrated yaw gyro is a very accurate and instantaneous feedback to the control of vehicle changes in direction. The angular rate produced by the gyro is at least an order of magnitude more accurate than the angular rate produced by pure GNSS systems, even those with multiple antennas. The system 402 is also very responsive. The feedback control needs such relatively high accuracy and responsiveness in heading and heading-rate to maintain control loop stability. It is well known that rate feedback in a control loop enhances stability. On a farm vehicle, where vehicle dynamics may not be fully known or modeled, this aspect is particularly important. The rate term allows a generic control system to be developed which is fairly insensitive to un-modeled vehicle dynamics. A relatively accurate heading and heading-rate-of-turn can be calculated for use in a vehicle automatic steering system. Another advantage of the system 402 is that a gyro calibrated to measure tilt angle can provide the vehicle's tilt much more accurately than a system relying exclusively on GNSS positioning signals. This advantage is particularly important in high-precision autosteering, e.g., to the centimeter level. Errors in GNSS attitude are effectively increased by the ratio of the antenna spacing to the mounted height of the antennas above the grounds, as illustrated in FIG. 8, which shows an attitude system 402 comprising a pair of antennas 405, 406 connected by a link 407, as described above. The system 402 is shown tilted through a tilt (roll) angle θR. An imaginary antenna height line perpendicular to the rigid link 407 is projected to the “true” ground position of the vehicle 10 in FIG. 8 and forms the roll angle with respect to the Z axis. The relative antenna height differential can be projected along the vertical Z axis to a ground intercept point and establishes a cross-track error (distance between the vehicle true ground position and the Z axis ground intercept point), whereby errors in the antenna height differential are amplified by the ratio of the rigid link 407 length to the antenna height. The spacing of the antennas 405, 406, which corresponds to the length of the rigid link 407, is typically limited by the width of the vehicle 10, which can be relatively tall, thereby resulting in a relatively large antenna height-to-spacing ratio, e.g., five-to-one. Furthermore, noise-induced errors present in GNSS relative antenna height differentials (e.g., carrier phase noise, etc.) will be multiplied by this ratio, which can cause steering errors, including steering oscillations, etc. The GNSS attitude system 402 utilizes a roll gyro (e.g., 430) for measuring rate-of-change of the roll angle, rather than the absolute roll angle, which rate of change is integrated to compute absolute roll angle. The constant of integration can be initialized to the current GNSS-derived roll angle and then subsequently steered to the GNSS roll angle by filtering with a Batch filter or similar filter used for smoothing the code phase against the carrier phase in the GNSS receivers. Relatively smooth vehicle foil estimates can thus be achieved with a gyro. More specifically, in an exemplary embodiment, the filtering is supplemented by the equation: θfilter(k)=Δgyro(k)+Gain*[θGNSS(k)−θfilter(k−1)−Δgyro(k)] Δgyro(k)=θgyro(k)−θgyro(k−1) Where θfilter(k) is the desired output roll angle (at time k) smoothed by gyro roll angle, but steered to GNSS roll angle. The GNSS roll (at time k) is θGNSS(k) while the raw gyro angular reading is θgyro(k) which is obtained by integrating gyro angular rate. The difference in gyro integrated rate over one time interval (k−1 to k) is denoted Δgyro(k). The filter bandwidth and weighting of the GNSS roll angle into the solution is set by the filter's gain (denoted Gain). One method to choose the gain is to assign Gain=T/τ where T is the time span from epoch to epoch and τ is a time-constant, typically much larger than T. The smaller the Gain, the less the GNSS roll angle is weighted into the solution. The gain is chosen to give a smooth filtered roll output, dominated by the low gyro noise characteristics, but also maintaining alignment with GNSS roll. Since the gyro is calibrated in terms of its scale and bias errors per the methods described earlier, the gain can be chosen to be very small (much less than 1) and still the filtered roll angle closely follows the GNSS roll angle, but without the noise of the GNSS derived roll angle. Similar schemes can be deployed for pitch and heading angles if needed, all with the benefit of improved steering if such angles are used in the steering control feedback. FIG. 9 shows a GNSS and gyroscopic control system 502 comprising an alternative aspect of the present invention in a tractor and sprayer agricultural equipment application 504. The vehicle (e.g., a motive component or tractor) 10 is connected to a working component (e.g., a sprayer) 506 by an articulated connection 508, which can comprise a conventional tongue-and-hitch connection, or a powered, implement steering system or hitch, such as those shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,865,465, No. 7,162,348 and No. 7,373,231, which are assigned to a common assignee herewith and are incorporated herein by reference. The tractor 10 and the sprayer 506 mount tractor and sprayer GNSS antenna and gyroscope attitude subsystems 510, 512 respectively, which are similar to the system 402 described above and provide GNSS-derived position and attitude outputs, supplemented by gyro-derived rate of rotation outputs for integration by the control system 502. The sprayer 506 includes a spray boom 514 with multiple nozzles 516 providing spray patterns 518 as shown, which effectively cover a swath 520. The system 502 can be programmed for selectively controlling the nozzles 516. For example, a no-spray area 522 is shown in FIG. 9 and can comprise, for example, an area previously sprayed or an area requiring spray. Based on the location of the no-spray area 522 in relation to the spray boom 514, one or more of the nozzles 516 can be selectively turned on/off. Alternatively, selective controls can be provided for other equipment, such as agricultural planters wherein the seed boxes can be selectively turned on/off. FIG. 10 shows some of the major components of the system 502, including the GNSS antenna and gyroscope attitude subsystems 510, 512 with antennas 405, 406 separated by rigid links 407, as described above, and inertial gyros 514. The tractor and implement 10, 506 can be equipped with comparable systems including DGNSS receivers 524, suitable microprocessors 526 and the inertial gyros 529. Additional sensors 528 can include wheel counters, wheel turn sensors, accelerometers, etc. The system components can be interconnected, by a CAN connection 530. Alternatively, components can be wirelessly interconnected, e.g., with RF transmitters and receivers. In operation, the functions described above can be implemented with the system 502, which has the additional ad vantage of providing GNSS and gyro-derived positioning and attitude signals independently from the tractor 10 and the implement 506. Such signals can be integrated by one or both of the microprocessors 526. The tractor 10 can be automatically steered accordingly whereby the implement 506 is maintained on course, with the additional feature of selective, automatic control of the nozzles 516. For example. FIG. 9 shows the course of the tractor 10 slightly offset to the course of the sprayer 516, which condition could be caused by a downward left-to-right field slope. Such sloping field conditions generate roll attitudes, which could also be compensated for as described above. For example, the system 502 can adjust the output from the spray nozzles 516 to compensate for such variable operating conditions as sloping terrain, turning rates, tire slippage, system responsiveness and field irregularities whereby the material is uniformly applied to the entire surface area of the field. Moreover, the GNSS-derived positioning and heading information can be compared to actual positioning and heading information-derived from other sensors, including gyros, for further calibration. IV. Multi-Antenna High Dynamic Roll Compensation and Rover L1 RTK Another alternative aspect GNSS guidance system 602 is shown in FIGS. 11 and 12 and provides high dynamic roll compensation, heading and rate-of-turn (ROT) in an RTK system including a GNSS receiver 604 including an RF converter 606 connected to a multi-channel tracking device 608 and first and second antennas 610, 612, which can be mounted on top of a vehicle 10 in fixed relation defining a transverse (X axis) fixed baseline 614. The receiver 604 provides a GNSS data output to a guidance processor (CPU) 616, which includes a GUI/display 618, a microprocessor 620 and media (e.g., for data storage) 622. A steering valve block 624 includes autosteer logic 626, hydraulic valves 628 and steering linkage 630. A wheel sensor 632 is connected to the steering valve block 624, which in turn is connected to the guidance processor 616 by a suitable CAN bus 634. GNSS positioning signals are received from a constellation of GNSS satellites and an RTK base transceiver 636, which includes a receiver 638 and a transmitter 640 for transmitting carrier phase signals to a rover RTK receiver 642. By using GNSS positioning signals from the satellites and correctional signals from the RTK base transceiver 636, the guidance system 602 can calculate a relatively accurate position relative to the base transceiver 636, which can be located at a predetermined position, such as a benchmark. The guidance system 602 described thus far is an RTK system utilizing a dual frequency receiver and is capable of achieving sub-centimeter accuracy using the carrier phase signals. Roll compensation, heading and rate of turn can all be calculated using vector-based heading (yaw and roll) information derived from the rover GNSS receiver 604. High-dynamic vehicle roll is a problem with certain applications, such as agricultural vehicles, which traverse uneven terrain and tend to be relatively tall with antennas mounted three meters or more above ground level. Antenna arrays can swing significant distances from side to side with vehicle roll, as indicated by a roll arrow 644. Such deviations can be detrimental to precision farming, and require compensation. The fixed-baseline vehicle antennas 610, 612 provide the necessary dynamic vector outputs for processing and compensation by the steering valve block 624. For example, the microprocessor 620 can be preprogrammed to instantly respond to such roll errors by providing counteracting output signals via the CAN bus 634 to autosteer logic 626, which controls the hydraulic valves 628 of the steering valve block 624. A slight delay phase shift can be programmed into the microprocessor 620, thus reflecting the inherent lag between vehicle roll and the steering system reaction. The delay phase shift can be adjustable and calibrated for accommodating different equipment configurations. The GNSS receiver 604 output provides relatively accurate guidance at slow speeds, through turns and in reverse without relying on sensing vehicle motion via an inertial navigation system (INS), utilizing gyroscopes and/or accelerometers. Moreover, the guidance system 602 can eliminate the calibration procedures normally needed for IMS-corrected systems. The system 602 can likewise provide high dynamic yaw compensation for oscillation about the vertical Z axis using the two-antenna fixed baseline configuration of the receiver 604. Adding a third antenna would enable high dynamic compensation with respect to all three axes XYZ e.g., in a six-degrees-of-freedom mode of operation. Providing multiple antennas 610, 612 on a rover vehicle 10 can significantly improve the ability to resolve integer ambiguities by first obtaining an attitude solution by solving for the locations of the rover antennas 610, 612 with respect each other. Then, using the non-relative locations and the known relative ambiguities, solving for the global ambiguities using observations taken at each antenna 610, 612. The number of observations is thus significantly increased over conventional RTK. Solving the global ambiguities enables locating the rover antennas 610,612 in a global sense relative to a base station 636. Using multiple antennas in this manner enables using L1 single frequency receivers, which tend to be less expensive than dual frequency (L1 and L2) receivers, as in conventional RTK systems. An exemplary method consists of: 1. Transmitting code and carrier phase data from a base station 636 to a multiple antenna rover system (e.g., 602). 2. At the rover 602 side, determining the relative locations and the relative ambiguities of the multiple antennas using an attitude solution taking advantage of known geometry constraints and/or a common clock. Such a method is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,388,539, which is assigned to a common assignee herewith and is incorporated herein by reference. 3. Optionally store off the attitude solution (locations and ambiguities) for later time-tag matching with the data from the base station 636. Optionally, also store off the current GNSS observations (carrier phase) for the same purpose. Although this step is not necessary, time tag matching of base and rover data improves results by avoiding extrapolation errors. 4. Form single or double difference equations and solve for the global ambiguities using knowledge of the relative antenna locations and/or common clocks and/or the relative ambiguities. Example using a two-antenna rover system (e.g., 602): At antenna 1 (e.g., 610) of the rover, we can write the equation R1=[A]x1−N1, where R1 is a carrier phase observation vector (single or double difference) at antenna 1, A is a design matrix, X1 is the location vector of antenna 1 (may include clock if single differencing is used), and N1 is an ambiguity vector for antenna 1. Similarly, at antenna 2 (e.g., 612) we can write R2=[A]x2−N2 Where R2 is a carrier phase observation vector at antenna 1, A is a design matrix, X2 is the location vector of antenna 2, and N2 is an ambiguity vector for antenna 2. Note, that in this example, the design matrix A is taken to be the same in both antenna equations. But, this is true only if both, antennas see the same satellites. A more general example would use separate A1 and A2 for the two equations. Solving an attitude solution (for example, see U.S. Pat. No. 7,388,539), we find the relative antenna displacement V, and the relative ambiguity M where V=x2−x1 and M=N2−N1 Thus, combining the above equations, we have R1=[A]x1−N1 R2=[A](x1+V)−(N1+M) Rearranging gives R1=[A]x1−N1 R2−[A]V+M=[A]x1−N1 And, combining into a single vector equations gives R=[A]x1−N Where R=[R1, R2−[A]V+M]T and N=[N1, N1]T Where ‘T’ denotes transpose Referring to the above example, twice as many equations are obtained for the same number of unknowns (e.g. X1 and N1). Solving for the global integer ambiguity N1 is facilitated by the multiple available equations. Multiple antennas can also be utilized at the base and would provide the advantage of canceling multipath signals. However, multiple antennas on the rover are generally preferred because they provide attitude for the rover 10, which is generally not of concern for the base 636. V. Moving Baseline Vehicle/Implement Guidance Systems Alternative embodiment multiple-antenna GNSS guidance systems are shown in FIGS. 13-18 and utilize a moving baseline between a vehicle-mounted antenna(s) and an implement-mounted antenna. Independent implement steering can be accomplished with a powered, implement steering system or hitch, such as those shown in U.S. Pat. No. 6,865,465, No. 7,162,348 and No. 7,373,231, which are assigned to a common assignee herewith and are incorporated herein by reference. FIGS. 13-14 show a GNSS guidance system 726 comprising another modified embodiment of the present invention and including a vehicle 10 connected to an implement 728 by a hitch 730. The hitch 730 permits the implement 728 to move through three axes of movement relative to the vehicle 10 as the system 726 maneuvers and traverses ground with irregularities causing the vehicle 10 and the implement 728 to yaw, pitch and roll somewhat independently of each other. A moving baseline 732 is defined between points on each, e.g., between a vehicle antenna 753 and an implement antenna 756. The moving baseline 732 is generally a 3D vector with variable length and direction, which can be derived from the differences between the vehicle antenna 753 location (X1, Y1, Z1) and the implement antenna location (X3, Y3, Z3), or other predetermined point locations on the vehicle 10 and the implement 728. The guidance system 726 includes a single GNSS receiver 734 (e.g., a single printed circuit board (PCB) receiver) receiving ranging data streams from the antennas 753, 756, which can include the normal front end RF downconverter components. Using the geodetic-defined position solutions for the antennas 753, 756, the moving baseline 732 is defined and used by a guidance CPU 736 in real-time for computing guidance solutions, which include steering command outputs to the steering valve block 738. The varying separation of the antennas 753, 756 occurs both at the start of attitude acquisition and during operation. FIG. 15 shows another alternative aspect vehicle/implement GNSS guidance system 740 with first and second vehicle antennas 753, 754, which can include front end down converter RF components providing ranging signal outputs, along with the implement antenna 756, to the single GNSS receiver 734 as described above. The vehicle antennas 753, 754 define a fixed baseline 754 by their respective positions (X1, Y1, Z1), (X2, Y2, Z2), which function to provide vector heading and rate-of-turn (ROT) output information. Such positioning data is input to the guidance CPU 736 by measuring yaw and roll attitudes whereby such guidance and performance information can be determined solely on GNSS-defined ranging data utilizing the fixed-relationship mounting of the vehicle antennas 753, 754 on the vehicle 10. Such information can be processed in connection with the implement antenna 756 position information in order to provide mote complete GNSS portioning and guidance solutions including travel paths for the vehicle 10 and the implement 728. FIG. 16 shows another modified aspect GNSS positioning system 752, which includes first and second vehicle antennas 753, 754 at GNSS-defined positions (X1, Y1, Z1), (X2, Y2, Z2) respectively, which positions define a vehicle fixed baseline 755. The implement 728 includes first and second implement antennas 756, 757 at GNSS-defined positions (X3, Y3, Z3), (X4, Y4, Z4) respectively, which define an implement fixed baseline 758 and from which the guidance CPU 736 determines heading and ROT for the implement 728 using similar vector techniques to those described above. A movable baseline 759 can be defined between a vehicle antenna 753 and an implement antenna 756 as shown, or between other corresponding antenna pairs, or other predetermined locations on the vehicle 10 and the implement 728. The system 752 utilizes a single GNSS receiver 734 receiving input ranging information from the four antennas 753, 754, 756, 757 and providing a single output stream to the guidance CPU 736. It will be appreciated that various other antenna/receiver combinations can be utilized. For example, a third vehicle and/or implement antenna can be provided for 3-axis attitude computation. INS components, such as gyroscopes and/or accelerometers, can also be utilized for additional guidance correction, although the systems described above can provide highly accurate guidance without such INS components, which have certain disadvantages. FIG. 17 shows the 2+1 antenna system 740 operating in a guidance mode whereby a predetermined number of positions 790 at predetermined intervals are retained by the guidance CPU 736, thereby defining a multi-position “breadcrumb” tail 792 defining the most recent guidepath segment traversed by the vehicle 10 based on the locations of the vehicle antenna(s) 753 (754). Although the 2+1 antenna guidance system 740 is used as an example, the 1+1 antenna guidance system 726 and the 2+2 guidance system 752 can also be used in this mode and function in a similar manner, with more or less ranging signal sources. The guidance CPU 736 utilizes the retained tail “breadcrumb” positions 790 in conjunction with the GNSS-derived antenna locations for computing a crosstrack error representing implement 728 deviation from a desired guidepath 794, and the necessary steering signals for correcting the vehicle 10 course to maintain the implement 728 on track. Still further, in a multi-position tail 792 operating mode the high dynamic roll compensation function described above can be utilized to compensate for vehicle and/or implement roll using the fixed baseline(s) 746, 755, 758 for further guidance solution accuracy based solely on GNSS ranging information. With the systems 726, 740 and 752, a single receiver can be used for achieving carrier phase relative accuracy, even without differential correction. A single clock associated with the receiver facilitates ambiguity resolution, as compared to dual receiver and dual clock systems. Direct connections among the components further enhance accuracy and facilitate high dynamic roll corrections, as described above. Continuous base and rover ranging data are available for positioning and control. With the 2+1 and the 2+2 configurations, the fixed baseline(s) provide heading and ROT guidance for the vehicle and/or the implement. Steering control for the vehicle is derived from crosstrack error computations utilizing the multiposition tail 792. FIG. 18 is a schematic block diagram showing the components of the GNSS guidance systems 726, 740 and 752. The vehicle 10 components include a GNSS receiver 734 including a first vehicle antenna 753, an optional second vehicle antenna 754, an RF down converter 764, a tracking device 766 and an optional rover RTK receiver 768. A guidance processor CPU 736 includes a GUI display 772, a microprocessor 774 and a media storage device 776. Vehicle steering 778 is connected to the guidance processor CPU 736 and receives steering commands therefrom. GNSS-derived data is transferred from the GNSS receiver 734 to the guidance processor CPU 736. The implement 728 mounts an implement positioning system 780 including a first implement antenna 756 and an optional second implement antenna 757, which are connected to the vehicle GNSS receiver 734 and provide GNSS data thereto. An implement steering subsystem 784 receives steering commands from the guidance processor CPU 736 via a CAN bus 786. The implement 728 is mechanically connected to the vehicle 10 by a hitch 788, which can be power-driver for active implement positioning in response to implement steering commands, or a conventional mechanical linkage. The hitch 788 can be provided with sensors for determining relative attitudes and orientations between the vehicle 10 and the implement 728. VI. Multi-Vehicle GNSS Tracking Method FIG. 19 shows a multi-vehicle GNSS tracking system 802 adapted for tracking primary and secondary rover vehicles 804, 806, which can comprise, for example, a combine and an offloading truck. Other exemplary multi-vehicle combinations include crop picking and harvesting equipment, snowplows, aircraft engaged in mid-air refueling, etc. Data transfer among the vehicles 804,806 and a base transceiver 808 can be accomplished with short-range radio links, such as Bluetooth and Wi-Fi wireless technologies. For example, the base transceiver 808 can transmit corrections to the rovers 804, 806 at predetermined intervals of one second (i.e., 1 Hz). Between the base transmissions the primary rover 804 can transmit its identifying information (ID) and GNSS-derived position and timing information to the secondary rover 806. The secondary rover 806 thus receives both differential corrections and the primary rover data over the same radio link, or through an additional radio link. Such data can comprise a multi-position tail 810 as described above and against which the secondary rover 806 can guide. For example, for secondary rover 806 can directly follow the primary rover 804 at a predetermined distance by aligning its travel path with the multi-position tail 810 at a predetermined following distance, or it can offset its own parallel travel path a predetermined offset distance, as shown in FIG. 19. The secondary rover 806 can position itself relative to the primary rover 804 based on either a predetermined time interval or a predetermined separation distance. As discussed above, the multi-position tail 810 can automatically update whereby only a predetermined number of detected positions are stored, which can correspond to a predetermined time duration or distance behind the primary rover 804. FIG. 20 shows a schematic block diagram of components comprising the multi-vehicle tracking system 802. The onboard systems for the primary rover 804 and the secondary rover 806 can be similar to the vehicle-based GNSS guidance systems described above, with the addition of an inter-rover radio link 812. VII. Earth-Moving Machine Control System 1002 to another alternative embodiment, a multi-antenna GNSS positioning and guidance control system 1003 is combined with various sensors on a piece of excavation equipment 1004 to form a GNSS positioning and guidance excavation system 1002. Without limitation on the generality of useful applications of the system 1003, an excavator 1004 is shown as an example of earth-moving equipment which can benefit from the present invention. Other suitable earth-moving examples include, without limitation, backhoes, loaders, bulldozers, trenching machines and road (motor) graders. Using GNSS positioning and guidance control can improve accuracy over manual control in typical earth-moving tasks. The positioning and guidance system 1002 can be geo-referenced based on a digital terrain map established prior to working a piece of land. Positioning in relation to a predetermined geodesic reference system is generally based on “absolute” coordinates, which can be determined using GNSS-based ranging measurements. Alternatively, “relative” positioning can be based on a site-specific benchmark position set by positioning the bucket 1010 of an excavator 1004 at a stake 1024 (FIG. 23) and programming a desired elevation level based on the X, Y and Z coordinates of the stake. Further operations are based on absolute GNSS-defined coordinates in the geo-referenced operating mode, or relative coordinates in the machine-referenced mode. Of course, the relative coordinates can be converted to absolute coordinates using, for example, an absolute position of a benchmark or monument reference point. FIG. 21 shows the excavator 1004 equipped with an articulated arm comprised of a hingedly connected boom 1006, a stick 1008 and a bucket 1010. FIG. 21 demonstrates the six possible directions of movement the GNSS system can detect, including roll, pitch and slew (comparable to yaw) rotation about the X, Y, and Z axes respectively. The system 1002 can be programmed for XYX axial orientations in various combinations and directions with respect to the equipment 1004, of which the XYZ rotational axes orientation shown in FIG. 21 is one example. Three antennas 1012a,b,c are located on the body of the excavator 1004 for 3D attitude determinations by comparing the GNSS-defined locations of the antennas 1012a,b,c relative to each other. Three or more antennas 1012 enable measuring movements in the six possible directions mentioned above using GNSS ranging measurements. Inertial gyro and accelerometer sensors can supplement the GNSS signals, or provide position and attitude solutions with one or two antennas. FIG. 22 shows the excavator 1004 with various sensors and a GNSS-based machine control system 1003. The system 1003 is comprised of typical GNSS elements, such as three antennas 1012, a GNSS receiver 1014, a guidance CPU 1016 which is capable of calculating positional data received by the receiver along with other necessary computations, and a storage device 1018 contained within the guidance CPU 1016 for storing position data, pre-created terrain maps, and other necessary data. The control CPU is connected to a graphical user interface (GUI) 1017 located within the cab. A base GNSS receiver and transmitter (transceiver) 1030 can be located at a predetermined, known location for operating in a differential GNSS (DGNSS) mode, which can significantly improve positioning accuracy. The control system 1003 can also be configured for and operate in a real-time kinematic (RTK) mode. A multiple-antenna (base and rover) system and method for vehicle guidance and machine control are shown in co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/857,298, which is assigned to a common assignee herewith and is incorporated herein by reference. Without limitation on the generality of useful antenna and receiver configurations, the A220 and A320 (rover) and A221 (base) “smart” antennas and the Crescent® (single frequency) and Eclipse™ (dual, frequency) receivers available from AgJunction LLC of Hiawatha, Kans. are suitable for use in the control system 1003. The excavator 1004 further includes an implement arm 1005 comprised of a boom 1006, a stick 1008 and a bucket 1010, each of which includes a respective articulation sensor 1007, 1009, 1011. Each of the articulation sensors measures the absolute angle of itself (i.e., boom 1006, a stick 1008 and a bucket 1010) relative to the plane of its orientation/installation (assuming single axis sensor) and the gravitational vector. The output signals from the articulation sensors 1007, 1009, 1011 are processed and combined in the control CPU 1016 with other orientation information, such as the output from other machine angle sensors, the GNSS receiver 1014 and the IMU 1015 for computing a complex position/orientation/attitude solution for the excavator 1014, including solutions for its individual articulated components of interest, in relation to a specific grading plan, GIS database or other project information source. For example, the bucket 1010 can be pivotable on multiple axes for greater control and flexibility, with such pivoting movements actuating additional sensors for monitoring and controlling the 3-D position and attitude of the bucket 1010. Still further, additional GNSS antennas can be located on components of the implement arm 1005 for locational data, either absolute or in reference to the equipment 1004. The guidance CPU 1016 determines the Z coordinate of the excavator 1004 using the onboard GNSS positioning system. Because there are at least three antennas 1012a,b,c located on the excavator 1004, the guidance CPU 1016 also detects the instantaneous pitch, roll and slew of the excavator 1004. The sensors 1007, 1009, 1011 located on the articulated arm 1005 are electrically connected to the guidance CPU 1016 and provide the additional data necessary for the guidance CPU 1016 to determine the position (including elevation) and attitude of the bucket 1010. Additional sensors can be employed for determining other equipment relationships, such as bucket 1010 orientation with respect to 3 axes for buckets and other articulated tools movable with respect to multiple axes. This is necessary because the bucket 1010 performs the digging and measuring functions necessary to determine whether the task of cutting or filling is complete. By placing the bucket 1010 on grade or beneath the ground level, the guidance CPU 1016 can determine whether the desired ground-level elevation has been reached. FIG. 23 shows a cross-sectional view of an excavator 1004 located on a sloped piece of land. The current existing or original ground line 1028 denotes where the soil surface exists prior to performing earths-moving tasks. FIG. 23 also shows a cut zone 1020 and a fill zone 1022. These zones are determined based on the desired design elevation line 1026. This design elevation line 1026 can be predetermined prior to performing excavation on the site. A design elevation 1026 can be chosen for a number of reasons, such as drainage or soil type. Soil above this design elevation 1026 is designated as a cut zone 1020, and the volume located below the design elevation 1026 is designated as a fill zone 1022. The design elevation 1026 can be established in a number of different ways. First, the design elevation 1026 may be set by creating a terrain map prior to performing any work on the site. This terrain map can be a three dimensional guidance map that is stored in the GNSS storage device 1018 connected to the guidance CPU 1016. The terrain map contains the desired elevations (Z coordinates) for a particular site, where the site is defined by the X and Y coordinates in a horizontal plane. The GNSS guidance system will then guide the excavator 1004 around the site, designating what areas need to be cut or filled, depending on the design elevation 1026. Alternatively, the relative design elevation 1026 can be defined in relative terms based on a benchmark such as a stake 1024 placed somewhere on the site at the desired design elevation 1026. If the entire site must be cut, the guidance GPU 1016 can take this into account and define the design elevation 1026 at an elevation below the stake 1024. A similar correction can be applied if the entire site is to be filled. FIGS. 24A & 24B show a flowchart demonstrating steps for performing a method of the present invention. The process starts at 1050. The chosen site is prepared at 1052 by removing brush, trees and other obstructions. A grading plan is established at 1054 to determine the desired design elevation, finished grade slope, and other options necessary for proper drainage and structural support from the soil. A choice is made at decision box 1056 whether to proceed using a digital terrain map. As described briefly above, the digital terrain map is a map of the chosen site in three dimensions (3D). The design elevation is applied to the map so that a pre-planned cut and fill, plan is created. The terrain map establishes a benchmark based on a pre-planned and pre-programmed map. The terrain map is stored in the guidance CPU's storage device 1018 at 1072. The guidance system is then initialized at 1060, and the system guides the excavator 1004 throughout the site's various cut and fill zones 1020, 1022. The system 1002 geo-references the benchmark design elevation 1026 at 1064 (“Bench In”) by referencing actual GNSS positions with the pre-planned terrain map. Cut and fill operations are initiated at 1066. Once a cut or fill has been made, the system compares the GNSS positional data of the bucket within the cut or filled zone with the desired design elevation denoted by the terrain map at 1074. A check is then performed at 1070 to determine whether a design elevation has been reached, which can be designated by a software-defined “dead zone” corresponding to the working tool (e.g., bucket 1010) being located within final design tolerances. If a design elevation 1026 has been reached (positive branch from decision box 1070), Phase One is complete, and Phase Two begins. If not (negative branch from decision box 1070), additional cuts and fills are performed, until a design elevation 1026 is met. The GUI 1017 can indicate current positions in relation to final design elevations, thus providing the operator with a visual indication of task progress. If a terrain map is not used (negative branch from decision box 1056), the next step is placing an elevation stake or stakes in the desired site at 1058. These stakes are used to set a benchmark or monument design elevation 1026. Stakes are placed at locations of known elevation throughout the field, or at one known location, and are referred to as benchmarks or monuments. The process is then initialized at 1060. The bucket is placed on top of the initial stake at 1062 (“Bench In”), the GNSS system 1003 detects and computes the 3-D position of the bucket and geo-references that as the benchmark or monument at 1064. The excavator then begins to cut and/or fill the site at 1066. After a cut or fill action is performed, the GNSS position of the bucket 1010 is checked at 1068, and a check against the design elevation is made at 1070, e.g., if the bucket is within the predefined design tolerance dead zone. The position of the bucket 1010 relative to the design elevation 1026 can be displayed to the operator via the GUI 1017, e.g., as a graphical grading depiction showing existing and final grade elevation lines and cut and fill zones similar to those shown in FIG. 23. If the design elevation 1026 has been reached, the process proceeds to Phase Two. If the design elevation 1026 has not yet been reached, the method returns to cut and/or fill the rest of the site at 1066 until the design elevation is reached. FIG. 24B contains Phase Two, which is a continuation of Phase One contained on FIG. 24B. The first step in Phase Two is to determine whether or not a slope check is desired at 1076. If yes, the bucket is placed at GNSS point ‘A’ at 1078, and then at GNSS point ‘B’ at 1080. The bucket marks these two points and they axe stored into the storage device. The guidance CPU 1016 then calculates the slope at 1082 using the “rise divided by run” formula: Slope = Z A - Z B XY A - XY B Once the slope check is performed at 1082, or alternatively if no slope check is desired at 1076, the results are displayed on the GUI 1017 at 1084. The GUI 1017 may be a computer display connected to the GNSS system wirelessly, or a wired display within the cab of the excavator, or any other feasible means of connecting a display to the GNSS guidance system. The guidance CPU then computes the volume of material (Vm) that has been cut or filled at 1086. This is calculated by the guidance system 1003 depending on the starting elevation as detected by the GNSS guidance system or as shown on the terrain map initially, and the known design elevation obtained when work is complete. The Vm is then stored at 1088, reported at 1090, and credited at 1092. The method ends at 1094. The system 1002 is adapted for interfacing with various project cost accounting and related functions. For example, work reports corresponding to material volumes (Vm) can be regularly (e.g., daily) generated for billing purposes. Productivity computations, machine scheduling and other support data processing operations can be performed remotely using data downloaded from the system 1002. For example, a centralized control operation can receive and process data from multiple systems 1002, e.g., a fleet of excavators 1004 and other equipment engaged on one or more projects. Specific assignments can be delegated to the individual equipment units based on equipment capabilities, scheduling and other variables associated with project tasks. Alternatively, “smart” excavators equipped with the system 1002 can be programmed for accomplishing such tasks on board or in a networked group of computers distributed throughout a fleet of machines. Examples of such automation, collaboration and task decomposition relating to automated machine behavior are disclosed in co-pending and commonly-assigned U.S. patent application Ser. No. 61/243,417; No. 61/243,475; No. 61/265,281; and No. 12/760,363, which are incorporated herein by reference. Still further, machine usage, productivity and profitability can be determined, analyzed and reported. Equipment maintenance and machine assignments corresponding to specific projects can also be facilitated using the data obtained via the system 1002. A repetitive, progressive pattern of motion or “macro” can be programmed to control the machine 1004 through multiple repetitive steps until a desired result, e.g., a grading plan, is achieved. For example, digging a trench typically involves removing earth from the same area and depositing it in a predetermined area with each scoop. FIGS. 24C and 24D show a flowchart demonstrating steps necessary to perform a task using macros. The process starts at 1100. Operation of the macro can be activated by operator command 1104 or by an “auto-engage” criteria 1102, such as commencing an earth-moving job involving repetitive machine motions in the same general area. The system 1003 can be preprogrammed with manual entry 1106 of either general or job-specific macros. Alternatively, the operator can create a custom macro by recording at 1108 the actions he or she takes with the machine 1004 for automated repetition. The macro can repeat the machine operation exactly at 1110 and control the machine 1004 through identical, repetitive motions, or increment machine operation at 1112 and incrementally change each motion to, for example, remove earth from slightly lower depths on each scoop until a “dead band” signal corresponding to a final design elevation is achieved. For example, in controlling a backhoe digging a trench, each scoop would be slightly deeper and/or horizontally repositioned. Still further, the macro could be “geo-referenced” at 1114 for repeating the same action in the same location, independent of the equipment positioning. Geo-referencing could occur at a particular location defined in 3 dimensions, or along a 3-dimensional courseway, such as a roadway, trench, waterway, utility line right-of-way, etc. Controlling the delta (i.e., differential Δ) corresponding to incremental machine operation changes could control the rate of progress of the job. Progress along a work path can be defined and adjusted by the operator or the macro programmer whereby predetermined increments of earth-moving occur with each repetitive machine cycle of movement (e.g., “cut-and-dump”). An operator can alter only a subsection of the macro, allowing subsequent machine cycles to resume an original preprogrammed movement. For example, a road grader might operate along a predetermined geo-referenced path in a particular manner subject to a “delta” variable controlled by the operator, whereafter predetermined macro control could resume. Alternatively, operations could be machine-referenced at 1116 rather than geo-referenced. Still further, such macro operation can be adapted for various work areas, including “courses” as discussed above, or entire field areas in agricultural operations. Still further, macro control can be “open-ended” with distinct start and end states corresponding to a finite job 1118, or an endless repetitive “loop” continuing indefinitely until the operation is terminated by an operator interrupt at 1126. After the macro has been assigned, the task 1120 is performed. If the macro is a finite job, the task is either complete at 1122 or incremented at 1124. If the macro is a loop, the task 1120 is performed continuously until there is an operator interrupt at 1126. The operator could alter the machine movement during that portion of the macro (“delta control”), and then release manual control of the operation for continuation with the original macro control. Such “delta” control could be one-time or recorded by the controller 1016 for repetition. The operator on a trenching job, for example, could merely reposition the equipment, while allowing automatic material extraction and dumping functions under computer control using such a macro. The process ends at 1128. FIG. 25 shows a road (motor) grader 1204 equipped with a GNSS guidance system 1202 comprising another alternative embodiment of the present invention. Like the excavator 1004 discussed above, three antennas 1212a,b,c are placed on the body of the grader 1204 and connected to a GNSS receiver 1214, which connects to a CPU 1216 containing a storage device 1218. The grader 1204 includes a grader blade 1206 mounting blade antennas 1213a,b. The grader blade 1206 can be raised, lowered and tilted by a pair of actuators 1208 connected to the body of the grader 1204 and controlled by the system 1202. The grader blade 1206 is adapted for vertical Z-axis movement and yaw rotation about the Z-axis. The blade 1206 can also be tilted by rotating it about a generally transverse Y axis, and can be adapted for positioning through six degrees of freedom. Thus, in performing guidance tasks similar to the excavator mentioned above, the guidance system CPU 1216 is adapted for controlling optimal positioning of the guidance blade 1206, guiding the grader 1204 and performing all necessary machine control and guidance functions for a predetermined task, such as grading a road, a paved area or other structure. Alternatively, relative positioning sensors, such as those described above, could be provided for the blade 1206. VIII. Additional Alternative Embodiments for Snow Grooming Machine Control and Guidance Applications FIGS. 26-35 show a system 1302 and method adapted for guidance and machine control in connection with, for example, snowcats, snowmobiles and other vehicles and mobile equipment used for grooming ski runs and trails, and for similar operations. The system 1302 generally includes an equipment control subsystem 1304 adapted for mounting in a mobile piece of equipment 1306, such as the snow grooming equipment, e.g. and without limitation, a snowcat as shown in FIG. 27, an RTK base unit 1308 and an interconnected facility, such as a “back office” 1310. Although snow grooming equipment 1306 is shown and described, other types of mobile equipment can be utilized with variations of the system 1302, such as the construction and maintenance equipment described above. The equipment control subsystem 1304 generally includes a GNSS receiver 1312, a vehicle-mounted antenna 1313, an RF converter 1314, a tracking device 1316 and a rover RTK receiver 1318, which is adapted to receive differential GNSS signals from the base unit 1308. Various suitable GNSS receivers can be used in the system 1302. A guidance/machine control computer 1320 includes a microprocessor 1322 and a graphic user interface (GUI)/display 1324. Data from the receiver 1312 is communicated to the computer 1320 via a data connection or link 1326. Other inputs to the computer 1320 include vehicle sensors 1328, inertial measurement units (IMUs) 1330 and an optional transceiver 1332, which can interconnect with the back-office 1310 or a network, such as the Internet/WAN/LAN, generally depicted as a cloud 1334 and interactively connected to the equipment control subsystem 1304 via a data link 1336. The mobile equipment 1306 can include snow grooming equipment 1338, such as the snowplow 1340 and the packing roller 1342 shown in FIG. 27. The snowplow 1340 can mount a pair of antennas 1339 for GNSS (e.g., RTK) based positioning and machine control in conjunction with positioning sensors mounted on the snowcat 1306. The snow grooming equipment 1338 can operate similarly to the earth working and grading equipment described above, including the use of GNSS for machine control and guidance. Positioning and operation of the snowplow 1340, the packing roller 1342 and other equipment can be independently controlled via the guidance/machine control computer 1320, which can be programmed for coordinating such control and guidance with the mobile equipment 1306. A power coupling 1344 provides power to the grooming equipment 1338 from the vehicle/equipment 1306. The power coupling 1344 can be mechanical, hydraulic, pneumatic, electrical, etc. For example, piston and cylinder units 1346 are shown in FIG. 27 for operating and variably positioning the snowplow 1340. The remote facility or back-office 1310 connects to the cloud 1334 by a data connection 1348, which can comprise a Wi-Fi connection or some other suitable wireless interconnection, such as a Bluetooth, Android or other device. Other data transfer devices and protocols can be used for transferring data from the mobile equipment 1306 to the remote facility 1310. The remote facility 1310 can include suitable components, such as an input device 1352, a computer 1354 and an output device 1356. Data received in the remote facility 1310 can be processed and utilized for business operations, recordkeeping and other functions. Moreover, automated record-keeping can facilitate repetitive operations whereby GNSS-based guidance can be utilized for repeating guide paths, or adjusting as necessary. Moreover, records of operations can be utilized for quantitative record-keeping, such as volumes (cubic meters) of material handled, placement, updating topographical maps, 2-D/3-D modeling, etc. A data link 1372 can be provided from the equipment control subsystem 1304 to other mobile equipment 1306 in a fleet 1374 for coordinating operations (FIG. 26). As shown in FIG. 27, the snowcat or mobile equipment 1306 is adapted for snow grooming operations, such as grading and shaping slopes with the adjustable snowplow 1340, the packing roller 1342 and other snow grooming equipment. The equipment control subsystem 1304 for the mobile equipment 1306 can include the GNSS receiver 1312, the control computer 1320, a steering controller 1358, a tool controller 1360 (e.g., for the snowplow 1340 and the packing roller 1342) and an interface device 1362 connecting the equipment control subsystem to the equipment. The vehicle sensor suite 1328 can include, without limitation, sensors for such operating parameters as steering angle, ground speed, video capture/camera, fuel, engine RPM (tachometer), inertial measurement unit (IMU, e.g., accelerometers and gyroscopes) and tool parameters, designated 1376a-g. FIG. 28 shows an example of a screen display 1378 of the GUI/display, (monitor) 1324, showing the snowcat or mobile equipment 1306 in a grooming operation covering an area generally designated 1380, which can comprise an area of a ski resort or other facility utilizing mobile equipment for maintenance, grounds keeping, grooming, construction, earthmoving and other operations. Agricultural operations can also be accommodated by the system 1302. The screen display 1378 generally includes a view area 1382, which shows a birds-eye view of the operation, generally following the movement of the mobile equipment 1306. Treatment guide paths or “swaths” 1384 are graphically distinguished from untreated areas 1386, e.g. by changing color or other graphical treatments. The equipment guide path 1384 can include a centerline 1388, which is followed by the equipment 1306. The guide paths 1384 and the centerlines 1388 can be preprogrammed, or generation in real-time based on previous guide paths and such parameters as equipment width, equipment speed, terrain slope, snow depth, etc. The screen display 1378 can include graphical display windows 1390 around the view area 1382, which depict various aspects of the operation, including equipment operating parameters, conditions, system status and warning indicators. Vehicle speed can be displayed at 1392 and vehicle heading (course) can be displayed at 1394. The display 1378 can also include a superimposed steering/offset guide 1396, with an upper arc 1396a indicating a steering direction and a lower, horizontal baseline 1396b showing an offset from a predetermined course. U.S. Pat. No. 6,539,303, incorporated herein by reference and assigned to a common assignee herewith, shows a similar steering/offset guidance display. The display 1378 can include a directional arrow 1395 corresponding to a direction-of-travel for the vehicle/equipment 1306. The steering/offset guidance display 1378 can be used for manually steering the vehicle/equipment 1306, or for monitoring the operation of an autosteering system. As shown in FIG. 28, terrain obstacles such as ski lifts 1398 and a draw fine 1399 can also be shown for assisting the operator with avoiding such obstacles. Another display 1402 is shown in FIG. 29 and includes “breadcrumb” trails 1404 with GNSS-defined marked points 1406 at predetermined intervals along guide paths 1408. Such guidance and path-marking are described above in connection with the antenna system 740 and are shown in FIG. 17. It will be appreciated that the displays 1378 and 402 can be selectively opened by the operator. Other displays can be utilized with appropriate emphasis on particular displays, graphics, dynamic equipment depictions, topographical mapping, operating parameters and other useful output information. FIG. 30 shows another alternative embodiment of the present invention in a draw line system 1422. Such systems are particularly useful where topographies are relatively steep, such as advanced ski runs, and present difficulties for equipment designed to operate in grooming operations. The draw line system 1422 includes an anchor post 1424 anchoring a cable 1426 which is taken up on a reel 1428 mounted on the front of the vehicle (i.e., snowcat) mounting grooming equipment 1338. FIGS. 31-34 show a terrain modeling system 1462, which uses algorithms for interpolating snow depths. The terrain modeling system 1462 can utilize a mobile radar equipped system 1432, which can be mounted on a vehicle such as a snow cat 1306. The radar equipped system 1432 can include an equipment control subsystem 1434 connected to a guidance/machine control computer 1320, a radar signal processing component 1436, a transceiver 1438 and a transducer or antenna 1440. The radar equipped system 1432 functions as a depth monitoring system 1452 in the terrain modeling system 1462. FIG. 32 shows a display 1454 with XY nodes 1456 corresponding to point locations on a topographical model. The nodes 1456 can also include elevation, i.e. the Z component along a vertical axis in an XYZ Cartesian coordinate system. Contours 1458 corresponding to elevations can be generated from the point elevations. As shown in FIG. 34, the depths d (extrapolated) at points of interest or benchmarks 1470 can be extrapolated or interpolated from adjacent depths, such as d1 and d2 based on distances dist1, dist2, dist3 and dist4 from the adjacent nodes 1456 to a point of interest (benchmark) 1470. FIGS. 31 and 34 are cross-sections of snow grooming operations showing an underlying earthen grade 1464, an existing snow base 1466 and snow fill 1468. Benchmarks 1464.1, 1466.1 and 1468.1 correspond to point elevations at the earthen grade 1464, the existing snow base 1466 and the fill 1468 respectively. For many operations these are the three elevations of interest, for which the terrain modeling system 1462 utilizes point elevations, i.e. XYZ coordinates in any suitable geodesic reference for purposes of creating topographical models. Algorithms and software for computing such depths and generating topographical maps are well known in the field. For example, Surfer contouring, grading and 3-D surface mapping software is available from Golden Software, Inc. (www.goldensoftware.com). Interpolation algorithms are described in: Yang, C., “12 Different Interpolation Methods: a Case Study of Surfer 8.0;” Dressier, M., “Art of Surface Interpolation;” and Beutel, A. et al., “Natural Neighbor interpolation-Based Grid DEM Construction Using a GPU.” Other software and algorithms could also be used in connection with the terrain modeling system 1462. The terrain models generated can be output in suitable formats, including printouts, digital files, etc. Other functions include calculating material moved, workers' time records, equipment operating hours, etc. Previously-recorded terrain models can be archived for future reference, including prescriptions for future maintenance activity and saved guide paths for vehicles. FIG. 35 is a flowchart of a surface modeling method using approximation based on scaling (ABOS), which interpolates point elevations and generates topographical models, including underlying terrain and snow depths. From a start 1472, the method proceeds to filtering points at 1474 based on their XYZ coordinates, for example, corresponding to the terrain model nodes 1456. A grid is specified at 1476, and may correspond to the grid 1453 (FIG. 33). Matrices are computed at 1478 and define the nodes 1456. Per partes interpolation occurs at 1480 and leads to the method step of tensioning and smoothing the resulting matrix at 1482, 1484. The matrix P is added to the new material, such as fill snow with a resultant new matrix P at 1486. The f(X,Y) value is subtracted from the Z (altitude) value to provide the change in elevation DZ at 1488, which is compared to the defined precision at 1490. If the maximum difference DZ is greater than the defined precision (“YES” branch from 1490) the process loops back to the interpolation step at 1482 to begin the next iteration cycle. The cycles continue until DZ is less than the defined precision, i.e. the resulting topographical model is accurate to within the specified tolerances, whereat the method ends at 1492 (“NO” branch from 1490). IX. Alternative Embodiment for Guiding Mine Trucks and Other Vehicles FIG. 36 shows a vehicle control system 1442 comprising another alternative embodiment or aspect of the present invention. Without limitation, an application of the control system 1442 is shown and described on mine trucks 1444 traversing mine roads 1446. Such operations are often repetitive whereby routes are repeated and lend themselves to automated guidance. As shown, the mine trucks 1444 can be automatically guided to avoid each other and stay on course, even under limited visibility conditions. Other aspects of the alternative embodiments discussed above can be adapted to the system 1442. X. Alternative Embodiment with Optical Sensors FIG. 37 is a block diagram of a system 1502 comprising another alternative embodiment of the present invention for a tractor 1504 pulling an implement 1506. The tractor 1504 mounts a camera 1508 connected to and attitude processor 1510. Signals from the attitude processor 1510 control a steering processor 1512, which in turn controls steering actuators 1514. Optionally, artificial intelligence at 1516 can be connected to the processor 1510. The implement 1506 includes multiple optical sensors or targets 1518 mounted thereon. Roll/pitch/yaw direction sensors 1520 can comprise inertial measurement units, such as accelerometers and gyroscopes. FIGS. 38-39 show a crosshair display adapted, for showing an implement orientation relative to a tractor orientation. Arrows in FIG. 39 indicate a misalignment between the tractor and the implement. In other words, the tractor and implement are slightly yawed relative to each other, which can be the result of field conditions or slight rolling movements of the tractor and implement. FIGS. 40-43 show square displays corresponding to the tractor and the implement and indicating relative orientations. FIGS. 44-47 show circular-elliptical target displays, which indicate misalignments and attitudes of the tractor and implement relative to each other. For example, the shape, orientation and size of the ellipses and their axes indicate relative attitudes and orientations of the tractor and the implement relative to each other. Such alignment and misalignment information can be processed and appropriate corrections implemented through the hitch connection and other control components. For example, cross track error can be compensated through a power hitch. Moreover, the alignment/misalignment information can be processed to determine actual swath widths for accurate field coverage. IX. Conclusion While the invention has been described with reference to exemplary embodiments, it will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the pertinent art that various changes may be made and equivalents may be substituted for the elements thereof without departing from the scope of the disclosure. In addition, numerous modifications may be made to adapt the teachings of the disclosure to a particular object or situation without departing from the essential scope thereof. Therefore, it is intended that the claims not be limited to the particular embodiments disclosed as the currently preferred best modes contemplated for carrying out the teachings herein, but that the claims shall cover all embodiments falling within the true scope and spirit of the disclosure. | <SOH> BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION <EOH> | <SOH> SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION <EOH>Disclosed herein in an exemplary embodiment is a sensor system for vehicle steering control comprising a plurality of global navigation satellite systems (GNSSs) including receivers and antennas at a fixed spacing to determine a vehicle position, velocity and at least one of a heading (slew) angle, a pitch angle and a roll angle based on carrier phase corrected real time kinematic (RTK) position differences. The toll angle facilitates correction of the lateral motion induced position errors resultant from motion of the antennae as the vehicle moves based on an offset to ground and the roll angle. The system also includes a control system configured to receive the vehicle position, heading, and at least one of roll, pitch and yaw, and configured to generate a steering command to a vehicle steering system. Also disclosed herein in another exemplary embodiment is a method for computing a position of a vehicle comprising: initializing GNSS; computing a first position of a first GNSS antenna on the vehicle; computing a second position of a second GNSS antenna; and calculating a heading as a vector perpendicular to a vector joining the first position and the second position, in a horizontal plane aligned with the vehicle. The method also includes computing a roll angle of the vehicle as an arc-tangent of a ratio of differences in heights of the first GNSS antenna and the second GNSS antenna divided by a spacing between their respective phase centers and calculating an actual position at the center of the vehicle projected to the ground using the computed roll angle and a known height from the ground of at least one of the first GNSS antenna and the second GNSS antenna. Further disclosed herein in yet another exemplary embodiment is a method of controlling a vehicle comprising: computing a position and a heading for the vehicle; computing a steering control command based on a proportionality factor multiplied by a difference in a desired position versus an actual position, plus a second proportionality factor multiplied by a difference in a desired heading versus an actual heading, the second proportionality factor ensuring that when the vehicle attains the desired position the vehicle is also directed to the desired heading, and thereby avoiding crossing a desired track. The method also includes a recursive adaptive algorithm employed to characterize the vehicle response and selected dynamic characteristics. The method further includes applying selected control values to a vehicle steering control mechanism and measuring responses of the vehicle thereto; calculating response times and characteristics for the vehicle based on the responses; and calibrating the control commands by applying a modified control command based on the responses to achieve a desired response. Additional alternative aspects include selective sprayer nozzle control, high dynamic roll compensation using GNSS attitude solutions from multiple antennas, moving baseline implement positioning and multiple vehicle control. An additional embodiment of the present invention includes employing the above-mentioned multiple GNSS antenna guidance system on earth-moving equipment, such as an excavator, grader, bulldozer, loader or the like. GNSS guidance obtains three-dimensional positional and attitude (heading) data, including coordinates defined in relation to a geodesic coordinate system and rotation about X, Y, and Z axes. The excavator is also modified with multiple sensors on the excavation arm (e.g., “stick-and-boom”) or other such working implement. The GNSS guidance system computes the three-dimensional position of the bucket on the implement arm by comparing the GNSS position of the excavation vehicle itself with the various angle sensors placed on the implement arm holding the bucket. Using this combination, an excavator can precisely cut or fill a piece of land to a relatively precise desired elevation either based on a pre-planned terrain map or by setting an initial elevation with the GNSS guidance system and computing the cut/fill quantities and locations from that base reference point or benchmark. Still further alternative embodiments of the present invention are adapted for snow grooming operations and include equipment control subsystems mounted on snowcats, snowmobiles and other snow equipment pieces. An additional exemplary embodiment is a sensor system for vehicle guidance using one or more global navigation satellite systems (GNSSs) according to the above-mentioned embodiments, in combination with a plurality of various sensors located throughout a vehicle and a towed implement. These sensors detect additional parameters from those calculated by the GNSS positioning system, such as vehicle and implement stress levels, fuel levels, power levels, optical guide path observations via an onboard camera, multi-section (articulated) implement position and attitude sensing via multiple antennas and other characteristics of the working vehicle. The combination of the two systems results in a much more accurate and economical preplanned path generated for use in later field work. | G05D10278 | 20171211 | 20180426 | 61043.0 | G05D102 | 2 | SHAFI, MUHAMMAD | GNSS AND OPTICAL GUIDANCE AND MACHINE CONTROL | UNDISCOUNTED | 1 | CONT-ACCEPTED | G05D | 2,017 |
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15,838,264 | PENDING | LIGHT EMITTING DIODE, METHOD OF FABRICATING THE SAME AND LED MODULE HAVING THE SAME | A light emitting diode is provided to include a first conductive-type semiconductor layer; a mesa including a second conductive-type semiconductor layer disposed on the first conductive-type semiconductor layer and an active layer interposed between the first and the second conductive-type semiconductor layers; and a first electrode disposed on the mesa, wherein the first conductive-type semiconductor layer includes a first contact region disposed around the mesa along an outer periphery of the first conductive-type semiconductor layer; and a second contact region at least partially surrounded by the mesa, the first electrode is electrically connected to at least a portion of the first contact region and at least a portion of the second contact region, and a linewidth of an adjoining region between the first contact region and the first electrode is greater than the linewidth of an adjoining region between the second contact region and the first electrode. | 1. A light emitting device comprising: a substrate having a first sidewall, a second sidewall opposite to the first sidewall along a first direction; a first semiconductor layer formed over the substrate; an active layer formed over the first semiconductor layer; a second semiconductor layer formed over the active layer; a first electrode formed over the first semiconductor layer and having first electrode portions extending from the first sidewall toward the second sidewall; and a second electrode formed over the second semiconductor layer and having a connecting portion and second electrode portions extending from the connecting portion toward the first sidewall; wherein one of the first electrode portions and the connecting portion are arranged along the first direction. 2. The light emitting device of claim 1, wherein one of the first electrode portions and one of the second electrode portions are alternately arranged along a second direction different from the first direction. 3. The light emitting device of claim 1, wherein each of the first electrode portions has a sidewall not aligned with a sidewall of the first semiconductor layer. 4. The light emitting device of claim 1, wherein the first electrode and the second electrode electrically contact with the first semiconductor layer and the second semiconductor layer, respectively. 5. The light emitting device of claim 1, further comprising an insulation layer formed over the first semiconductor layer and the second semiconductor layer and structured to expose portions of the first semiconductor layer and the second semiconductor layer. 6. The light emitting device of claim 5, wherein the insulation layer includes a distributed Bragg reflector (DBR). 7. The light emitting device of claim 1, wherein the second electrode includes indium tin oxide (ITO) or an oxide material. 8. The light emitting device of claim 1, further comprising: a first pad electrically contacting the first semiconductor layer through the exposed portion of the first semiconductor layer; and a second pad electrically contacting the second semiconductor layer through the exposed portion of the second semiconductor layer. 9. The light emitting device of claim 1, wherein the active layer and the second semiconductor layer have sidewalls not aligned with sidewalls of the first semiconductor layer. 10. A light emitting device comprising: a substrate having a first to fourth side surfaces, the first and second side surfaces parallel to each other along a first direction and the third and fourth side surfaces parallel to each other along a second direction different from the first direction; a first semiconductor layer formed over the substrate and having side surfaces aligned with the first to fourth side surfaces of the substrate; a mesa formed over the first semiconductor layer and having side surfaces not aligned with the first to fourth side surfaces of the substrate, the mesa including an active layer and a second semiconductor layer and having different widths along the first direction and the second directions; an insulation layer formed over the mesas and the first semiconductor layer and structured to expose portions of the first semiconductor layer and the second semiconductor layer; a first pad electrically contacting the first semiconductor layer through the exposed portion of the first semiconductor layer; and a second pad electrically contacting the second semiconductor layer through the exposed portion of the second semiconductor layer. 11. The light emitting device of claim 10, wherein a portion of the first semiconductor layer is disposed between portions of the mesa. 12. The light emitting device of claim 10, wherein the mesa includes branches having an elongated shape and disposed parallel to one another and a connecting portion connecting the branches. 13. The light emitting device of claim 10, wherein the mesa includes protrusions protruding toward the second side surface. 14. The light emitting device of claim 10, further comprising: a first electrode electrically coupled to the first semiconductor layer; and a second electrode electrically coupled to the second semiconductor layer. 15. The light emitting device of claim 14, wherein the first electrode has a width that varies along the first direction. 16. The light emitting device of claim 14, wherein the second electrode includes indium tin oxide (ITO) or an oxide material. 17. The light emitting device of claim 10, wherein the insulation layer includes a distributed Bragg reflector (DBR). 18. The light emitting device of claim 10, wherein the insulation layer includes multiple layers. 19. The light emitting device of claim 10, further comprising a current spreading layer formed on the insulation layer and covering the mesa and the first semiconductor layer, the current spreading layer contacting the first semiconductor layer through the exposed portion of the first semiconductor layer. | CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION This patent document is a continuation of, and claims the benefits and priority to, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/985,162, filed on Dec. 30, 2015, which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/848,232, filed on Sep. 8, 2015, which claims the benefits and priorities to International Application No. PCT/KR2014/006904, filed on Jul. 29, 2014, which further claims priorities from and the benefits of Korean Patent Application No. 10-2013-0089414, filed on Jul. 29, 2013, and Korean Patent Application No. 10-2013-0089415, filed on Jul. 29, 2013. This patent document also claims the benefits and priorities to Korean Patent Application No. 10-2014-0195162, filed on Dec. 31, 2014, and Korean Patent Application No. 10-2015-0165706, filed on Nov. 25, 2015. The above applications are all hereby incorporated by reference for all purposes as if fully set forth herein. TECHNICAL FIELD Exemplary embodiments of the disclosed technology relate to a light emitting diode (LED), an LED module including the same, and a method of fabricating the same. For example, some implementations of the disclosed technology relates to a light emitting diode having improved reliability, an LED module including the same, and a method of fabricating the same. BACKGROUND Since GaN-based light emitting diodes were first developed, GaN-based LEDs have been used for various applications including natural color LED displays, LED traffic signboards, white LEDs, and the like. Generally, a GaN-based light emitting diode is formed by growing epitaxial layers on a substrate such as a sapphire substrate, and includes an N-type semiconductor layer, a P-type semiconductor layer and an active layer interposed therebetween. In addition, an n-electrode pad is formed on the N-type semiconductor layer and a p-electrode pad is formed on the P-type semiconductor layer. The light emitting diode is connected to an external power source through the electrode pads and driven thereby. In this case, current flows from the p-electrode pad to the n-electrode pad through the semiconductor layers. On the other hand, a flip-chip type light emitting diode is used to prevent light loss due to the p-electrode pad while improving heat dissipation efficiency, and various electrode structures are proposed to promote current spreading in a large area flip-chip type light emitting diode. Examples are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,486,499. For example, a reflective electrode is formed on the P-type semiconductor layer, and extension legs are formed on a region of the N-type semiconductor layer, which is exposed by etching the P-type semiconductor layer and the active layer, to facilitate current spreading. The reflective electrode formed on the P-type semiconductor layer reflects light generated from the active layer to improve light extraction efficiency and helps current spreading in the P-type semiconductor layer. On the other hand, the extension legs connected to the N-type semiconductor layer help current spreading in the N-type semiconductor layer to allow uniform generation of light in a wide active region. Particularly, a light emitting diode having a large area of about 1 mm2 and used for high power output requires current spreading not only in the P-type semiconductor layer but also in the N-type semiconductor layer. On the other hand, a forward voltage Vf is supplied to the light emitting diode to generate light, and a light emitting diode having good luminous efficacy refers to a light emitting diode capable of emitting the same intensity of light at a lower forward voltage. Therefore, various attempts have been made to decrease forward voltage of the light emitting diode. On the other hand, in a process of dicing light emitting diodes on a wafer into individual light emitting diodes, an insulation layer exposed to a plane to be cut is likely to suffer from cracks. Such cracks can propagate into the light emitting diode. Moreover, interlayer delamination occurs due to cracks, thereby causing delamination of the insulation layer from semiconductor layers. Accordingly, moisture and contaminants can infiltrate the light emitting diode along an interface between the insulation layer and a semiconductor layer, thereby contaminating the light emitting diode, and delamination force with respect to layers in the light emitting diode can be reduced, thereby causing deterioration in reliability of the light emitting diode. SUMMARY Exemplary embodiments of the disclosed technology provide a light emitting diode chip having an electrostatic discharge protection function. In addition, exemplary embodiments of the disclosed technology provide a light emitting diode which can be directly mounted on a printed circuit board or the like using a solder paste by preventing diffusion of metal elements from the solder paste. Further, exemplary embodiments of the disclosed technology provide a light emitting diode having improved current spreading performance. Furthermore, exemplary embodiments of the disclosed technology provide a light emitting diode having improved light extraction efficiency by improving reflectivity. Furthermore, exemplary embodiments of the disclosed technology provide a light emitting diode a having low forward voltage. Furthermore, exemplary embodiments of the disclosed technology provide a light emitting diode capable of simplifying a manufacturing process by reducing the use of photomasks, an LED module including the same, and a method of fabricating the same. Furthermore, exemplary embodiments of the disclosed technology provide a light emitting diode having improved reliability and luminous efficacy by preventing damage to the light emitting diode due to cracks. Additional features of the disclosed technology will be set forth in the description which follows, and in part will become apparent from the description, or may be learned from practice of the disclosed technology. In one aspect, a light emitting diode includes: a first conductive-type semiconductor layer; a second conductive-type semiconductor layer; an active layer interposed between the first conductive-type semiconductor layer and the second conductive-type semiconductor layer; a first electrode pad region electrically connected to the first conductive-type semiconductor layer; a second electrode pad region electrically connected to the second conductive-type semiconductor layer; and a spark gap formed between a first leading end electrically connected to the first electrode pad region and a second leading end electrically connected to the second electrode pad region. The spark gap can achieve electrostatic discharge protection of the light emitting diode. In some implementations, the light emitting diode may further include an upper insulation layer covering the second conductive-type semiconductor layer, the upper insulation layer including an opening that exposes the spark gap. As the spark gap is exposed to the outside, it is possible to prevent generation of static electricity by electrical sparks via air. In some implementations, the light emitting diode may include a mesa placed on the first conductive-type semiconductor layer, the mesa including the active layer and the second conductive-type semiconductor layer, and the first electrode pad region may be electrically connected to the first conductive-type semiconductor layer at a side of the mesa. In some implementations, the light emitting diode may further include a reflective electrode structure placed on the mesa; and a current spreading layer covering the mesa and the first conductive-type semiconductor layer, and having an opening that exposes the reflective electrode structure, the current spreading layer being electrically connected to the first conductive-type semiconductor layer while being insulated from the reflective electrode structure and the mesa, wherein the upper insulation layer covers the current spreading layer and the first leading end may be a portion of the current spreading layer. In some implementations, the light emitting diode may further include an anti-diffusion reinforcing layer placed on the reflective electrode structure in the opening of the current spreading layer, wherein the second leading end may be a portion of the anti-diffusion reinforcing layer. In some implementations, the anti-diffusion reinforcing layer may be formed of the same material as that of the current spreading layer. In some implementations, the upper insulation layer may include a first opening that exposes the current spreading layer to define the first electrode pad region, and a second opening that exposes the anti-diffusion reinforcing layer to define the second electrode pad region. In some implementations, the light emitting diode may further include a lower insulation layer placed between the mesa and the current spreading layer and insulating the current spreading layer from the mesa, the lower insulation layer having an opening placed in an upper region of the mesa and exposing the reflective electrode structure. In some implementations, the spark gap may be placed between the first electrode pad region and the second electrode pad region. The spark gap generates electric sparks when static electricity of high voltage is applied between the first electrode pad region and the second electrode pad region. To this end, a gap between the first leading end and the second leading end may be narrower than other portions. In some implementations, the first leading end and the second leading end may have a semi-circular or angled shape and face each other. In another aspect, a method of fabricating a light emitting diode is provided to include: forming a first conductive-type semiconductor layer, an active layer and a second conductive-type semiconductor layer on a substrate; patterning the second conductive-type semiconductor layer and the active layer to form a mesa on the first conductive-type semiconductor layer; and forming a first electrode pad region electrically connected to the first conductive-type semiconductor layer and a second electrode pad region electrically connected to the second conductive-type semiconductor layer. Furthermore, the light emitting diode has a spark gap defined between the first leading end electrically connected to the first electrode pad region and the second leading end electrically connected to the second electrode pad region. In some implementations, the method may further include: forming a reflective electrode structure on the second conductive-type semiconductor layer; and forming a current spreading layer covering the mesa and the first conductive-type semiconductor layer, and having an opening exposing the reflective electrode structure, the current spreading layer forming ohmic contact with the first conductive-type semiconductor layer while being insulated from the mesa, wherein the first leading end is a portion of the current spreading layer. The current spreading layer allows uniform spreading of current in the first conductive-type semiconductor layer. The first leading end may be a portion of the current spreading layer. In some implementations, the method may further include forming an anti-diffusion reinforcing layer on the reflective electrode structure, the anti-diffusion reinforcing layer being formed together with the current spreading layer, wherein the second leading end is a portion of the anti-diffusion reinforcing layer. Thus, the first and second leading ends can be formed together with the current spreading layer and the anti-diffusion reinforcing layer by the same process. In some implementations, the method may further include forming an upper insulation layer covering the current spreading layer, the upper insulation layer having a first opening exposing the current spreading layer to define the first electrode pad region, and a second opening exposing the anti-diffusion reinforcing layer to define the second electrode pad region. In some implementations, the upper insulation layer may further include an opening through which the first leading end and the second leading end are exposed. The opening may be distant from the first and second openings. In some implementations, the method may further include forming a lower insulation layer covering the mesa and the first conductive-type semiconductor layer, before forming the current spreading layer, the lower insulation layer having openings that expose the reflective electrode structure and the first conductive-type semiconductor layer. In some implementations, the lower insulation layer may include a silicon oxide layer and the upper insulation layer may include a silicon nitride layer. In some implementations, the method may further include forming an anti-Sn diffusion plating layer on the first electrode pad region and the second electrode pad region using a plating technique. In another aspect, a light emitting diode (LED) module is provided to comprise: a printed circuit board; and a light emitting diode bonded to an upper side of the printed circuit board, the light emitting diode comprising: a first conductive-type semiconductor layer; a mesa placed on the first conductive-type semiconductor layer and including an active layer and a second conductive-type semiconductor layer; a reflective electrode structure placed on the mesa; a current spreading layer covering the mesa and the first conductive-type semiconductor layer, and having an opening that exposes the reflective electrode structure, the current spreading layer being electrically connected to the first conductive-type semiconductor layer while being insulated from the reflective electrode structure and the mesa; and an upper insulation layer covering the current spreading layer, the upper insulation layer has a first opening exposing the current spreading layer to define the first electrode pad region, and a second opening exposing an exposed upper region of the reflective electrode structure to define the second electrode pad region, wherein the first electrode pad region and the second electrode pad region are bonded to corresponding pads on the printed circuit boards via solder pastes, respectively. Since the first and second electrode pad regions are respectively defined by the first and second openings of the upper insulation layer, there is no need for a separate photomask for forming the first and second electrode pads. In some implementations, the light emitting diode may further include an anti-Sn diffusion plating layer formed on the first electrode pad region and the second electrode pad region. Unlike typical AuSn solders in the related art, the solder paste is a mixture of a metal alloy and an organic material and is cured by heat treatment to provide a bonding function. Thus, metal elements such as Sn in the solder paste are unlikely to diffuse, unlike metal elements in the typical AuSn solders in the related art. The anti-Sn diffusion plating layer can prevent the metal elements such as Sn in the solder paste from diffusing into the light emitting diode. Furthermore, as the anti-Sn diffusion plating layer is formed by a plating technique such as electroless plating, there is no need for a separate photomask for formation of the plating layer. In some embodiments, the light emitting diode may further include an anti-diffusion reinforcing layer placed on the reflective electrode structure in the opening of the current spreading layer, the anti-diffusion reinforcing layer being exposed through the second opening of the upper insulation layer. The anti-diffusion reinforcing layer can prevent metal elements such as Sn in the solder paste from diffusing to the reflective electrode structure in the light emitting diode. In some implementations, the anti-diffusion reinforcing layer may be formed of the same material as that of the current spreading layer. Thus, the anti-diffusion reinforcing layer may be formed together with the current spreading layer, and there is no need for a separate photomask for formation of the anti-diffusion reinforcing layer. In some implementations, the current spreading layer may include an ohmic contact layer, a reflective metal layer, an anti-diffusion layer, and an anti-oxidation layer. In some implementations, the current spreading layer may form ohmic contact with the first conductive-type semiconductor layer through the ohmic contact layer. For example, the ohmic contact layer may be formed of Ti, Cr, Ni, and the like. The reflective metal layer reflects light incident on the current spreading layer to increase reflectivity of the light emitting diode. The reflective metal layer may be formed of Al. In addition, the anti-diffusion layer prevents diffusion of metal elements and serves to protect the reflective metal layer. For example, the anti-diffusion layer can prevent diffusion of metal elements such as Sn in the solder paste. In some implementations, the anti-diffusion layer may include Cr, Ti, Ni, Mo, TiW, or W or combinations thereof. Each of Mo, TiW and W may be used to form a single layer. On the other hand, Cr, Ti, and Ni may be used to form a pair of layers. In some implementations, the anti-diffusion layer may include at least two pairs of Ti/Ni or Ti/Cr layers. In some implementations, the anti-oxidation layer is formed to prevent oxidation of the anti-diffusion layer and may include Au. In some implementations, the current spreading layer may have a reflectivity of 65% to 75%. Thus, the light emitting diode according to this embodiment of the invention can provide optical reflection by the current spreading layer in addition to optical reflection by the reflective electrode structure, whereby light traveling through a sidewall of the mesa and the first conductive-type semiconductor layer can be reflected. In some implementations, the current spreading layer may further include a bonding layer placed on the anti-oxidation layer. In some implementations, the bonding layer may include Ti, Cr, Ni or Ta. The bonding layer is used to enhance bonding strength between the current spreading layer and the upper insulation layer. In some implementations, the solder paste may adjoin the current spreading layer and the anti-diffusion reinforcing layer. Alternatively, the solder paste may adjoin the anti-Sn diffusion plating layer formed on the current spreading layer and the anti-diffusion reinforcing layer. In some implementations, the reflective electrode structure may include a reflective metal section; a capping metal section; and an anti-oxidation metal section, the reflective metal section having a slanted side surface such that an upper surface of the reflective metal section has a narrower area than a lower surface thereof, and wherein a stress relief layer is formed at an interface between the reflective metal section and the capping metal section. The stress relief layer relieves stress due to a difference in coefficient of thermal expansion between the metal layers formed of different materials. In some implementations, the mesa may include elongated branches extending parallel to each other in one direction, and a connecting portion at which the branches are connected to each other, and the opening of the current spreading layer may be placed on the connecting portion. In some implementations, the light emitting diode may further include a lower insulation layer placed between the mesa and the current spreading layer and insulating the current spreading layer from the mesa, the lower insulation layer has an opening that is placed in an upper region of the mesa and exposes the reflective electrode structure. In some implementations, the opening of the current spreading layer may have a greater width than the opening of the lower insulation layer such that the opening of the lower insulation layer is completely exposed therethrough. As a result, the current spreading layer can be insulated from the reflective electrode structure. In some implementations, the light emitting diode may further include an anti-diffusion reinforcing layer placed within the opening of the current spreading layer and the opening of the lower insulation layer, and the anti-diffusion reinforcing layer may be exposed through the second opening of the upper insulation layer. In some implementations, the lower insulation layer may include a silicon oxide layer and the upper insulation layer may include a silicon nitride layer. As the upper insulation layer is formed of silicon nitride, it is possible to prevent diffusion of metal elements from the solder paste through the upper insulation layer. In some implementations, the solder paste may include lead-free solder alloys, for example, Sn—Ag alloys, Sn—Bi alloys, Sn—Zn alloys, or Sn—Ag—Cu alloys. The light emitting diode may further include a substrate and a wavelength conversion layer covering a lower surface of the substrate. The substrate may be a growth substrate for growing the semiconductor layers. In addition, the wavelength conversion layer may cover the lower surface and a side surface of the substrate. In another aspect, a light emitting diode is provided to comprise: a first conductive-type semiconductor layer; a mesa disposed on the first conductive-type semiconductor layer and comprising an active layer and a second conductive-type semiconductor layer; a reflective electrode structure disposed on the mesa; a current spreading layer covering the mesa and the first conductive-type semiconductor layer, and having an opening exposing the reflective electrode structure, the current spreading layer being electrically connected to the first conductive-type semiconductor layer while being insulated from the reflective electrode structure and the mesa; and an upper insulation layer covering the current spreading layer, the upper insulation layer having a first opening exposing the current spreading layer to define a first electrode pad region, and a second opening exposing an exposed upper region of the reflective electrode structure to define the second electrode pad region. In some implementations, the light emitting diode further comprises: an anti-diffusion reinforcing layer disposed on the reflective electrode structure in the opening of the current spreading layer, wherein the anti-diffusion reinforcing layer is exposed through the second opening of the upper insulation layer, and is formed of the same material as that of the current spreading layer. In some implementations, the light emitting diode further comprises: anti-solder diffusion layers formed in the first opening and the second opening. In some implementations, the current spreading layer comprises an ohmic contact layer, a reflective metal layer, an anti-diffusion layer, and an anti-oxidation layer. In another aspect, a method of fabricating a light emitting diode is provided. The method may include: forming a first conductive-type semiconductor layer, an active layer and a second conductive-type semiconductor layer on a substrate; patterning the second conductive-type semiconductor layer and the active layer to form a mesa on the first conductive-type semiconductor layer while forming a reflective electrode structure on the mesa to form ohmic contact with the mesa; forming a current spreading layer covering the mesa and the first conductive-type semiconductor layer, and having an opening that exposes the reflective electrode structure, the current spreading layer forming ohmic contact with the first conductive-type semiconductor layer while being insulated from the mesa; and forming an upper insulation layer covering the current spreading layer, the upper insulation layer having a first opening exposing the current spreading layer to define a first electrode pad region, and a second opening exposing an exposed upper region of the reflective electrode structure to define the second electrode pad region. In the fabrication method, since there is no need for formation of electrode pads on the upper insulation layer, it is possible to reduce the number of photomasks for fabrication of the light emitting diode. In some implementations, the method may further include forming an anti-diffusion reinforcing layer on the reflective electrode structure, wherein the anti-diffusion reinforcing layer can be formed together with the current spreading layer, and the second opening of the upper insulation layer can expose the anti-diffusion reinforcing layer. Accordingly, the reflective electrode structure can be concealed and protected by the anti-diffusion reinforcing layer and the upper insulation layer. In some implementations, the method may further include forming a lower insulation layer covering the mesa and the first conductive-type semiconductor layer, before forming the current spreading layer; dividing the lower insulation layer and the first conductive-type semiconductor layer into chip regions by laser scribing; and patterning the lower insulation layer to form openings exposing the first conductive-type semiconductor layer and an opening exposing the reflective electrode structure. Since a chip isolation region is formed using laser scribing, there is no need for use of a photomask. In addition, since laser scribing is performed after formation of the lower insulation layer, particles formed in the laser scribing process can be easily removed by cleaning the lower insulation layer, whereby the light emitting diode can be prevented from being contaminated by the particles. In some implementations, the lower insulation layer may include a silicon oxide layer and the upper insulation layer may include a silicon nitride layer. In some implementations, the method may further include forming an anti-Sn diffusion plating layer on the first electrode pad region and the second electrode pad region using a plating technique. The plating layer may be formed by electroless plating such as ENIG (electroless nickel immersion gold) and the like. In some implementations, the substrate may be partially removed to have a small thickness by grinding and/or lapping. Then, the substrate is separated from the chip isolation region formed by laser scribing, thereby providing final individual chips separated from each other. Next, a wavelength conversion layer may be coated onto the light emitting diode chips, and the light emitting diode having the wavelength conversion layer is mounted on a printed circuit board via a solder paste, thereby providing an LED module. The wavelength conversion layer may be formed by coating a phosphor-containing resin, followed by curing the resin. Alternatively, the wavelength conversion layer may be formed by spraying phosphor powder onto the light emitting diode chip using an aerosol apparatus. In another aspect, a light emitting diode is provided to include: a first conductive-type semiconductor layer; a mesa including a second conductive-type semiconductor layer disposed over the first conductive-type semiconductor layer and an active layer interposed between the second conductive-type semiconductor layer and the first conductive-type semiconductor layer; and a first electrode disposed over the mesa, wherein the first conductive-type semiconductor layer includes a first contact region disposed around the mesa along an outer periphery of the first conductive-type semiconductor layer; and a second contact region at least partially surrounded by the mesa, the first electrode is electrically connected to at least a portion of the first contact region and at least a portion of the second contact region, and a linewidth of an adjoining region between the first contact region and the first electrode is greater than the linewidth of an adjoining region between the second contact region and the first electrode. With the structure wherein a contact area between the first electrode and the first conductive-type semiconductor layer through the first contact region is relatively increased as compared with a contact area between the first electrode and the first conductive-type semiconductor layer through the second contact region, the light emitting diode can have a reduced forward voltage (Vf). Furthermore, the light emitting diode can have improved luminous efficacy by more effectively spreading electric current in the horizontal direction. In some implementations, the second contact region may be electrically connected to the first contact region. With this structure, the light emitting diode can have improved luminous efficacy by more effectively spreading electric current in the horizontal direction. In some implementations, a length of the second contact region in a major axis direction may be 0.5 times or more the length of one side of the light emitting diode. With this structure, a contact area between the first electrode and the first conductive-type semiconductor layer can be increased, such that electric current flowing from the first electrode to the first conductive-type semiconductor layer can be more effectively dispersed, thereby further reducing forward voltage. In some implementations, the linewidth of the adjoining region between the first contact region and the first electrode may be greater than 10 μm and the linewidth of the adjoining region between the second contact region and the first electrode may be 10 μm or less. In some implementations, the light emitting diode may further include a first insulation layer interposed between the first electrode and the mesa, and the first insulation layer may partially expose the first contact region and the second contact region. In some implementations, the first insulation layer may be restrictively disposed closer to the mesa than the adjoining region between the first contact region and the first electrode. With this structure, it is possible to increase the contact area between the first electrode and the first conductive-type semiconductor layer without decreasing a light emitting area. Furthermore, in a process of dicing light emitting diodes of a wafer into individual light emitting diodes, it is possible to prevent the first insulation layer disposed along the outer periphery of the first conductive-type semiconductor layer from suffering from cracking. Accordingly, it is possible to prevent delamination force of the first electrode or a second insulation layer described below from weakening due to infiltration of moisture or contaminants through the cracks, and to prevent contamination of the first electrode, thereby improving reliability of the light emitting diode. In some implementations, the first electrode may contact the first contact region and the second contact region that are exposed through the first insulation layer while exposing an outer periphery of the first contact region. In some implementations, a portion of the first conductive-type semiconductor layer not disposed under the first insulation layer may have a smaller thickness than a portion of the first conductive-type semiconductor layer disposed under the first insulation layer. A portion of an upper surface of the first conductive-type semiconductor layer is removed by etching, so that inert particles causing deterioration in conductivity and adhesion can be removed. In some implementations, the first insulation layer disposed on an upper surface of the second conductive-type semiconductor layer may have the same thickness as the first insulation layer disposed on the upper surface of the first conductive-type semiconductor layer. Accordingly, it is possible to prevent infiltration of external contaminants into a lateral side of the mesa. In some implementations, the light emitting diode may further include a second insulation layer covering the first electrode and the second contact region exposed through the first electrode. In some implementations, the first electrode includes a plurality of layers, and an upper portion of the first electrode contacting the second insulation layer may include a Ti layer. With this structure, the light emitting diode has improved reliability through improvement in bonding strength between the first electrode and the second insulation layer. In some implementations, the second insulation layer may include an opening exposing the first electrode, and an upper portion of the first electrode exposed through the opening of the second insulation layer may include an Au layer. In some implementations, the light emitting diode may further include a first pad contacting the first electrode, wherein the first pad may contact the exposed Au layer. With this structure, the light emitting diode can exhibit improved bonding strength between the first pad and the first electrode and can reduce resistance. In some implementations, the light emitting diode may further include a second electrode disposed on the second conductive-type semiconductor layer and electrically connected to the second conductive-type semiconductor layer, wherein the second electrode may be insulated from the first electrode by the first insulation layer. In some implementations, a portion of the first insulation layer disposed on an upper surface of the second electrode may have a smaller thickness than a portion of the first insulation layer disposed on the upper surface of the second conductive-type semiconductor layer. In some implementations, the second electrode includes a plurality of layers, and an upper portion of the second electrode contacting the first insulation layer may be a Ti layer. With this structure, the light emitting diode has improved bonding strength between the second electrode and the first insulation layer, thereby providing improved reliability. In some implementations, the first insulation layer may include an opening exposing the second electrode, and an upper portion of the second electrode exposed through the opening of the first insulation layer may include an Au layer. In some implementations, the light emitting diode may further include a second pad contacting the second electrode, and the second pad may contact the exposed Au layer. With this structure, the light emitting diode can exhibit improved bonding strength between the second pad and the second electrode and can reduce resistance. In some implementations, the light emitting diode may further include a growth substrate disposed under the first conductive-type semiconductor layer. In some implementations, the second insulation layer may cover an overall region of a side surface of the first conductive-type semiconductor layer and a portion of a side surface of the growth substrate. With this structure, the light emitting diode can protect the first conductive-type semiconductor layer from external moisture or impact, and can prevent an interface between the growth substrate and the first conductive-type semiconductor layer from splitting, thereby improving reliability. In some implementations, the growth substrate may include at least one reformed region having a stripe shape and extending from at least one side surface of the growth substrate in a horizontal direction thereof. With this structure, the light emitting diode can have improved efficiency in extraction of light generated from the active layer. In some implementations, the second insulation layer may be separated from the outer periphery of the first conductive-type semiconductor layer by a predetermined distance. Accordingly, it is possible to minimize damage to the second insulation layer in a process of dividing the wafer into individual light emitting diodes. In some implementations, the mesa may include a plurality of protrusions protruding towards one side of the first conductive-type semiconductor layer; and a plurality of protrusions protruding towards the other side of the first conductive-type semiconductor layer. With this structure, not only in a region adjacent the one side of the first conductive-type semiconductor layer but also in a region adjacent the other side of the first conductive-type semiconductor layer, the light emitting diode can achieve efficient current flow between the second electrode disposed on the protrusions and the first electrode disposed on the second contact region. Accordingly, the region adjacent the other side of the first conductive-type semiconductor layer has improved luminous efficacy. According to embodiments of the disclosed technology, it is possible to protect light emitting diodes from static electricity by forming a spark gap. In addition, some implementations of the disclosed technology provide a light emitting diode, which can prevent diffusion of metal elements from a solder paste, and a method for fabricating the same. Further, some implementations of the disclosed technology provide a light emitting diode having improved current spreading performance, for example, a flip-chip type light emitting diode having improved current spreading performance. Furthermore, the light emitting diodes according to some implementations of the disclosed technology have improved reflectivity by forming a current spreading layer, thereby providing improved light extraction efficiency. Furthermore, the light emitting diodes according to some implementations of the disclosed technology can omit a photolithography process for formation of electrode pads, and can reduce the number of photomasks by forming a chip isolation region using a laser scribing technique. Furthermore, electric current flowing from the first electrode to the first conductive-type semiconductor layer can efficiently spread, thereby reducing a forward voltage. Furthermore, the first electrode can be prevented from being contaminated due to cracks in the first insulation layer, thereby improving reliability of the light emitting diode. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a schematic sectional view of an exemplary LED module in accordance with an embodiment of the disclosed technology. FIG. 2(a) to FIG. 10 are views illustrating an exemplary method of fabricating a light emitting diode in accordance with an embodiment of the disclosed technology, and in each of FIG. 2 to FIG. 9, (a) is a plan view, (b) is a cross-sectional view taken along line A-A, and (c) is a cross-sectional view taken along line B-B. FIG. 11(a) to FIG. 14(c) are views illustrating an exemplary method of fabricating a light emitting diode in accordance with an embodiment of the disclosed technology, and in each of FIG. 11 to FIG. 14, (a) is a plan view, (b) is a cross-sectional view taken along line A-A, and (c) is a cross-sectional view taken along line B-B. FIG. 15 is a plan view of a light emitting diode in accordance with an embodiment of the disclosed technology. FIG. 16 is a cross-sectional view taken along line A-B-if-A′ of FIG. 15. FIG. 17 is a cross-sectional view taken along line C-C′ of FIG. 15. FIG. 18 is an enlarged sectional view of part I1 of FIG. 16. FIG. 19 is a sectional view of a light emitting diode in accordance with an embodiment of the disclosed technology and a circuit member on which the light emitting diode is mounted. FIG. 20 is an enlarged sectional view of part 12 of FIG. 19. FIG. 21 is an enlarged sectional view of part 13 of FIG. 20. FIG. 22 is a sectional view illustrating a structure wherein the light emitting diode in accordance with an embodiment of the disclosed technology is mounted on a circuit member. FIG. 23 is a plan view of a light emitting diode in accordance with an embodiment of the disclosed technology. FIG. 24 is a cross-sectional view taken along line A-B-B′-A′ of FIG. 23. FIG. 25 is a side view of the light emitting diode of FIG. 23. FIG. 26 is a plan view of a light emitting diode in accordance with an embodiment of the disclosed technology. FIG. 27 is a cross-sectional view taken along line A-B-B′-A′ of FIG. 26. FIG. 28 is a plan view of a light emitting diode in accordance with an embodiment of the disclosed technology. FIG. 29 is a cross-sectional view taken along line A-A′ of FIG. 28. FIG. 30 is a cross-sectional view taken along line B-B′ of FIG. 28. FIG. 31 is an exploded perspective view of an exemplary lighting apparatus to which a light emitting diode in accordance with an embodiment of the disclosed technology is applied. FIG. 32 is a sectional view of an exemplary display to which a light emitting diode in accordance with an embodiment of the disclosed technology is applied. FIG. 33 is a sectional view of an exemplary display to which a light emitting diode in accordance with an embodiment of the disclosed technology is applied. FIG. 34 is a sectional view of an exemplary headlight to which a light emitting diode in accordance with an embodiment of the disclosed technology is applied. DETAILED DESCRIPTION In the related art, the light emitting diode employs linear extension legs which have high resistance, which results in imposing some limit on current spreading. Moreover, since the reflective electrode is placed only on the P-type semiconductor layer, a substantial amount of light is absorbed by the electrode pads and extension legs while not being reflected by the reflective electrode and thus, substantial light loss is caused. When used in a final product, the light emitting diode is provided by an LED module. The LED module generally includes a printed circuit board and an LED package mounted on the printed circuit board, in which the light emitting diode is mounted in chip form within the LED package. A typical LED chip is packaged after being mounted on a sub-mount, a lead frame or a lead electrode by silver pastes or AuSn solders. Then, the LED package is mounted on the printed circuit board by solder pates. As a result, pads on the LED chip are distant from the solder pastes, and bonded to the printed circuit board by a relatively stable bonding material such as silver pastes, AuSn, and the like. Recently, various attempts have been made to fabricate an LED module by directly bonding electrode pads of a light emitting diode to a printed circuit board using solder pastes. For example, an LED module can be fabricated by directly mounting an LED chip on a printed circuit board instead of packaging the LED chip. Otherwise, an LED module can be fabricated by mounting a so-called wafer level LED package on a printed circuit board. In these LED modules, since the electrode pads directly adjoin the solder pastes, metal elements such as tin (Sn) diffuse from the solder pastes into the light emitting diode through the pads and cause short circuit in the light emitting diode and device failure. GaN-based compound semiconductors are formed by epitaxial growth on a sapphire substrate, the crystal structure and lattice parameter of which are similar to those of the semiconductors, in order to reduce crystal defects. However, the epitaxial layers grown on the sapphire substrate contain many crystal defects such as V-pits, threading dislocations, and the like. When high voltage static electricity is applied to the epitaxial layers, current is concentrated at crystal defects in the epitaxial layers, causing diode breakdown. Thus, with respect to electrostatic discharge or electrical fast transient (EFT), which is a spark generated in a switch, and lightning surge in air, securing reliability of LEDs becomes important. Generally, in packaging of a light emitting diode, a Zener diode is mounted together with the light emitting diode to prevent electrostatic discharge. However, the Zener diode is expensive and a process of mounting the Zener diode increases the number of processes for packaging the light emitting diode and manufacturing costs. Moreover, since the Zener diode is placed near the light emitting diode in the LED package, the LED package has deteriorated luminous efficacy due to absorption of light by the Zener diode and deteriorated LED package yield. Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the disclosed technology will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be understood that the following embodiments are provided as some examples of the disclosed technology to facilitate understanding of the disclosed technology. Thus, it should be understood that the disclosed technology is not limited to the following embodiments and may be embodied in different ways. In addition, in the drawings, the width, length and thickness of components may be exaggerated for convenience. Further, it should be noted that the drawings are not to precise scale. Like components will be denoted by like reference numerals throughout the specification. FIG. 1 is a schematic sectional view of an LED module in accordance with one embodiment of the disclosed technology. Referring to FIG. 1, an LED module according to an exemplary embodiment of the disclosed technology includes a printed circuit board 51 having pads 53a and 53b and a light emitting diode 100 bonded to the printed circuit board 51 via solder pastes 55. The printed circuit board has a printed circuit thereon, and any substrate capable of providing an LED module can be used as the printed circuit board without limitation. Conventionally, a light emitting diode is mounted on a substrate having a lead frame or lead electrodes formed thereon, and a light emitting diode package including such a light emitting diode is mounted on a printed circuit board. According to some implementations, the light emitting diode 100 is directly mounted on the printed circuit board 51 via the solder pastes 55. The light emitting diode 100 may include a flip-chip type light emitting diode and be mounted upside down on the printed circuit board. To this end, the light emitting diode 100 has a first electrode pad region 43a and a second electrode pad region 43b. The first and second electrode pad regions 43a and 43b may be formed in a recess shape on one surface of the light emitting diode 100. On the other hand, a lower surface of the light emitting diode 100, for example, a surface of the light emitting diode opposite the first and second electrode pad regions 43a and 43b, may be covered with a wavelength conversion layer 45. The wavelength conversion layer 45 may cover not only the lower surface of the light emitting diode 100 but also side surfaces of the light emitting diode 100. In FIG. 1, the light emitting diode is schematically shown for convenience of description. The structure and respective components of the light emitting diode will be more clearly understood in the following description of a method of fabricating the light emitting diode. Furthermore, it should be noted that light emitting diodes according to embodiments of the disclosed technology are not limited to the structure in which the light emitting diode is directly mounted on the printed circuit board. FIG. 2(a) to FIG. 10 are views illustrating a method of fabricating a light emitting diode in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the disclosed technology. In each feature, (a) is a plan view, (b) is a cross-sectional view taken along line A-A, and (c) is a cross-sectional view taken along line B-B. First, referring to FIGS. 2(a) to 2(c), a first conductive-type semiconductor layer 23, an active layer 25 and a second conductive-type semiconductor layer 27 are grown on a substrate 21. The substrate 100 enables the growth of a GaN-based semiconductor layer, and may include, for example, a sapphire substrate, a silicon carbide substrate, a GaN substrate, or a spinel substrate, and the like. In some implementations, the substrate may be or include a patterned substrate such as a patterned sapphire substrate. For example, the first conductive-type semiconductor layer may include an n-type gallium nitride-based layer and the second conductive-type semiconductor layer 27 may include a p-type gallium nitride-based layer. In addition, the active layer 25 may have a single quantum well structure or a multi-quantum well structure, and may include well layers and barrier layers. In addition, the composition of the well layers may be determined according to the wavelength of light and may include, for example, AlGaN, GaN or InGaN. On the other hand, a pre-oxidation layer 29 may be formed on the second conductive-type semiconductor layer 27. The pre-oxidation layer 29 may be formed of or include, for example, SiO2 by chemical vapor deposition. Then, a photoresist pattern 30 is formed. The photoresist pattern 30 is patterned to have openings 30a. As shown in FIG. 2(a) and FIG. 2(b), the openings 30a are formed such that an inlet of each opening has a narrower width than a bottom of the opening. The photoresist pattern 30 having the openings 30a of this structure can be easily formed using a negative type photoresist. Referring to FIGS. 3(a) to 3(c), the pre-oxidation layer 29 is etched using the photoresist pattern 30 as an etching mask. The pre-oxidation layer 29 may be etched by wet etching. As a result, the pre-oxidation layer 29 in the openings 30a of the photoresist pattern 30 is etched to form openings 29a of the pre-oxidation layer 29, which expose the second conductive-type semiconductor layer 27. The bottom portions of the openings 29a are generally similar or greater than the bottom portions of the openings 30a of the photoresist pattern 30. Referring to FIG. 4, a reflective electrode structure 35 is formed by a lift-off technology. The reflective electrode structure 35 may include a reflective metal section 31, a capping metal section 32 and an anti-oxidation metal section 33. The reflective metal section 31 includes a reflective layer, and a stress relief layer may be further formed between the reflective metal section 31 and the capping metal section 32. The stress relief layer relieves stress due to difference in coefficient of thermal expansion between the reflective metal section 31 and the capping metal section 32. The reflective metal section 31 may be formed of or include, for example, Ni/Ag/Ni/Au, and may have an overall thickness of about 1600 Å. As shown, the reflective metal section 31 is formed to have a slanted side surface, for example, such that the bottom of the reflective metal section has a relatively wide area. Such a reflective metal section 31 may be formed by e-beam evaporation. The capping metal section 32 covers upper and side surfaces of the reflective metal section 31 to protect the reflective metal section 31. The capping metal section 32 may be formed by sputtering or by e-beam evaporation, for example, planetary e-beam evaporation, in which vacuum deposition is performed while rotating the substrate 21 in a slanted state. The capping metal section 32 may include Ni, Pt, Ti, or Cr, and may be formed by depositing, for example, about five pairs of Ni/Pt layers or about five pairs of Ni/Ti layers. Alternatively, the capping metal section 32 may include TiW, W, or Mo. A material for the stress relief layer may be selected in various ways depending upon metal components of the reflective layer and the capping metal section 32. For example, when the reflective layer is composed of or includes Al or Al-alloys and the capping metal section 32 is composed of or includes W, TiW or Mo, the stress relief layer may be or include a single layer of Ag, Cu, Ni, Pt, Ti, Rh, Pd or Cr, or a composite layer of Cu, Ni, Pt, Ti, Rh, Pd or Au. In addition, when the reflective layer is composed of or includes Al or Al-alloys and the capping metal section 32 is composed of or includes Cr, Pt, Rh, Pd or Ni, the stress relief layer may be or include a single layer of Ag or Cu, or a composite layer of Ni, Au, Cu or Ag. In addition, when the reflective layer is composed of or includes Ag or Ag-alloys and the capping metal section 32 is composed of or includes W, TiW or Mo, the stress relief layer may be or include a single layer of Cu, Ni, Pt, Ti, Rh, Pd or Cr, or a composite layer of Cu, Ni, Pt, Ti, Rh, Pd, Cr or Au. Further, when the reflective layer is composed of or includes Ag or Ag-alloys and the capping metal section 32 is composed of or includes Cr or Ni, the stress relief layer may be or include a single layer of Cu, Cr, Rh, Pd, TiW or Ti, or a composite layer of Ni, Au or Cu. Further, the anti-oxidation metal section 33 includes Au in order to prevent oxidation of the capping metal section 32, and may be formed of or include, for example, Au/Ni or Au/Ti. Since Ti secures adhesion of an oxide layer such as SiO2, in some implementations, Ti can be used. The anti-oxidation metal section 33 may also be formed by sputtering or by e-beam evaporation, for example, planetary e-beam evaporation, in which vacuum deposition is performed while rotating the substrate 21 in a slanted state. The photoresist pattern 30 is removed after deposition of the reflective electrode structure 35, whereby the reflective electrode structure 35 remains on the second conductive-type semiconductor layer 27, as shown in FIG. 4. The reflective electrode structure 35 may include branches 35b and a connecting portion 35a, as shown in FIG. 4. The branches 35b may have an elongated shape and be parallel to each other. The connecting portion 35a connects the branches 35b to each other. However, it should be understood that the reflective electrode structure 35 is not limited to a particular shape and may be modified into various shapes. Referring to FIG. 5, a mesa M is formed on the first conductive-type semiconductor layer 21. The mesa M includes the active layer 25 and the second conductive-type semiconductor layer 27. The active layer 25 is placed between the first conductive-type semiconductor layer 23 and the second conductive-type semiconductor layer 27. The reflective electrode structure 35 is placed on the mesa M. The mesa M is formed by patterning the second conductive-type semiconductor layer 27 and the active layer 25 so as to expose the first conductive-type semiconductor layer 23. The mesa M may be formed to have a slanted side surface by photoresist reflow technology or the like. The slanted profile of the side surface of the mesa M enhances extraction efficiency of light generated in the active layer 25. As shown, the mesa M may include elongated branches Mb extending parallel to each other in one direction and a connection portion Ma connecting the branches to each other. With such configuration of the mesa, the light emitting diode can permit uniform spreading of electric current in the first conductive-type semiconductor layer 23. Here, it should be understood that the mesa M is not limited to a particular shape and may be modified into various shapes. On the other hand, the reflective electrode structure 35 covers most of the upper surface of the mesa M and generally has the same shape as the shape of the mesa M in plan view. While the second conductive-type semiconductor layer 27 and the active layer 25 are subjected to etching, the pre-oxidation layer 29 remaining on these layers is also partially removed by etching. On the other hand, although the pre-oxidation layer 29 can remain near an edge of the reflective electrode structure 35 on each of the mesa M, the remaining pre-oxidation layer 29 can also be removed by wet etching and the like. Alternatively, the pre-oxidation layer 29 may be removed before formation of the mesa M. Referring to FIG. 6, after the mesa M is formed, a lower insulation layer 37 is formed to cover the mesa M and the first conductive-type semiconductor layer. The lower insulation layer 37 may be formed of or include an oxide layer such as SiO2 and the like, a nitride layer such as SiNx and the like, or an insulation layer of MgF2 by chemical vapor deposition (CVD) and the like. The lower insulation layer 37 may be a single layer or multiple layers. In addition, the lower insulation layer 37 may be or include a distributed Bragg reflector (DBR) in which low refractive index material layers and high refractive index material layers are alternately stacked one above another. For example, an insulating reflective layer having high reflectivity may be formed by stacking dielectric layers such as SiO2/TiO2, or SiO2/Nb2O5, and the like. Then, a chip isolation region 23h is formed by laser scribing to divide the lower insulation layer 37 and the first conductive-type semiconductor layer 23 into chip units. Grooves may be formed on the upper surface of the substrate 21 by laser scribing. As a result, the substrate 21 is exposed near an edge of the first conductive-type semiconductor layer 23. Since the first conductive-type semiconductor layer 23 is divided into chip units by laser scribing, it is possible to omit a separate photomask for an isolation process. However, it should be understood that the disclosed technology is not limited to the isolation process using laser scribing. For example, the first conductive-type semiconductor layer 23 may be divided into chip units before or after formation of the lower insulation layer 37 using a typical photolithography and etching technique. As shown in FIG. 6, the mesa M may be formed to be placed only inside an upper region of the first conductive-type semiconductor layer 23. For example, the mesa M may be placed in an island shape on the upper region of the first conductive-type semiconductor layer 23. Next, referring to FIG. 7, the lower insulation layer 37 is subjected to patterning to form openings 37a and 37b in predetermined regions to allow electrical connection to the first conductive-type semiconductor layer 23 and the second conductive-type semiconductor layer 27. For example, the lower insulation layer 37 may have openings 37b which expose the first conductive-type semiconductor layer 23, and openings 37a which expose the reflective electrode structure 35. The openings 37a are placed only in upper regions of the mesas M, for example, on the connecting portions of the mesas M. The openings 37b may be placed in regions between the branches Mb of the mesas M and near the edge of the substrate 21, and may have an elongated shape extending along the branches Mb of the mesas M. Referring to FIG. 8, a current spreading layer 39 is formed on the lower insulation layer 37. The current spreading layer 39 covers the mesa M and the first conductive-type semiconductor layer 23. In addition, the current spreading layer 39 has an opening 39a placed in the upper region of the mesa M and exposing the reflective electrode structure 35. The current spreading layer 39 may form ohmic contact with the first conductive-type semiconductor layer 23 through the opening 37b of the lower insulation layer 37. The current spreading layer 39 is insulated from the mesa M and the reflective electrodes 35 by the lower insulation layer 37. The opening 39a of the current spreading layer 39 has a greater area than the opening 37a of the lower insulation layer 37 to prevent the current spreading layer 39 from being connected to the reflective electrode structures 35. Thus, the opening 39a has sidewalls placed on the lower insulation layer 37. The current spreading layer 39 is formed on an overall upper region of the substrate 21 excluding the openings 39a. Thus, electric current can be easily dispersed through the current spreading layer 39. The current spreading layer 39 may include an ohmic contact layer, a reflective metal layer, an anti-diffusion layer, and an anti-oxidation layer. The current spreading layer can form ohmic contact with the first conductive-type semiconductor layer through the ohmic contact layer. For example, the ohmic contact layer may be formed of or include Ti, Cr, or Ni, and the like. The reflective metal layer increases reflectivity of the light emitting diode by reflecting incident light entering the current spreading layer. The reflective metal layer may be formed of or include Al. In addition, the anti-diffusion layer protects the reflective metal layer by preventing diffusion of metal elements. For example, the anti-diffusion layer can prevent diffusion of metal elements such as Sn within a solder paste. The anti-diffusion layer may be composed of or include Cr, Ti, Ni, Mo, TiW, or W or combinations thereof. The anti-diffusion layer may be a single layer including Mo, TiW or W. Alternatively, the anti-diffusion layer may include a pair of Cr, Ti or Ni layers. For example, the anti-diffusion layer may include at least two pairs of Ti/Ni or Ti/Cr layers. The anti-oxidation layer is formed to prevent oxidation of the anti-diffusion layer and may include Au. The current spreading layer may have a reflectivity of 65% to 75%. Accordingly, the light emitting diode according to this embodiment can provide optical reflection by the current spreading layer in addition to optical reflection by the reflective electrode structure, whereby light traveling through the sidewall of the mesa and the first conductive-type semiconductor layer can be reflected. The current spreading layer may further include a bonding layer placed on the anti-oxidation layer. The bonding layer may include Ti, Cr, Ni or Ta. The bonding layer is used to enhance bonding strength between the current spreading layer and the upper insulation layer, and may be omitted. For example, the current spreading layer 39 may have a multi-layer structure including Cr/Al/Ni/Ti/Ni/Ti/Au/Ti. While the current spreading layer 39 is formed, an anti-diffusion reinforcing layer 40 is formed on the reflective electrode structure 35. The anti-diffusion reinforcing layer 40 and the current spreading layer 39 may be formed of or include the same material by the same process. The anti-diffusion reinforcing layer 40 is separated from the current spreading layer 39. The anti-diffusion reinforcing layer 40 is placed within the opening 39a of the current spreading layer 39. The anti-diffusion reinforcing layer 40 has a leading end 40a extending therefrom, and the current spreading layer 39 has a leading end 39b facing the leading end 40a. The leading end 40a may be placed on the lower insulation layer 37 outside the opening 37a of the lower insulation layer 37. However, it should be understood that the disclosed technology is not limited thereto. Alternatively, the opening 37a of the lower insulation layer 37 may have a similar shape to the shape of the leading end 40a, and the leading end 40a may be placed within the opening 40a of the lower insulation layer 37. The leading end 39a of the current spreading layer 39 is placed on the lower insulation layer 37 and is separated from the leading end 40a. The leading end 39b and the leading end 40a define a spark gap therebetween. As a result, these leading ends 39b and 40a may be placed closer than other portions or may have an angled shape in order to allow generation of an electric spark between the leading ends 39b and 40a when high voltage static electricity is applied to a gap between the current spreading layer 39 and the anti-diffusion reinforcing layer 40. For example, as shown in FIG. 8, the leading ends 39b and 40a may have a semi-circular shape or an angled shape and may be disposed to face each other. Referring to FIG. 9, an upper insulation layer 41 is formed on the current spreading layer 39. The upper insulation layer 41 has an opening 41a which exposes the current spreading layer 39 to define a first electrode pad region 43a, and an opening 41b which exposes the reflective electrode structure 35 to define a second electrode pad region 43a. The opening 41a may have an elongated shape perpendicular to the branches Mb of the mesa M. The opening 41b of the upper insulation layer 41 has a narrower area than the opening 39a of the current spreading layer 39 and thus the upper insulation layer 41 can cover the sidewall of the opening 39a. When the anti-diffusion reinforcing layer 40 is formed on the reflective electrode structure 35, the opening 41b exposes the anti-diffusion reinforcing layer 40. In this case, the reflective electrode structure 35 can be concealed or sealed by the upper insulation layer 41 and the anti-diffusion reinforcing layer 40. Furthermore, the upper insulation layer 41 has an opening 41c which exposes at least part of the leading end 39b and the leading end 40a. With this configuration, the spark gap between the leading end 39b and the leading end 40a is exposed, thereby allowing generation of electrostatic discharge by an electrical spark through air. Further, the upper insulation layer 41 may be formed on the chip isolation region 23h to cover the side surface of the first conductive-type semiconductor layer 23. With this configuration, it is possible to prevent penetration of moisture and the like through upper and lower interfaces of the first conductive-type semiconductor layer. The upper insulation layer 41 may be formed of or include a silicon nitride layer to prevent diffusion of metal elements from solder pastes, and may have a thickness of 1 m to 2 m. When the thickness of the upper insulation layer is less than 1 m, it is difficult to prevent diffusion of metal the elements from the solder pastes. Optionally, an anti-Sn diffusion plating layer (not shown) may be additionally formed on the first electrode pad region 43a and the second electrode pad region 43b by electroless plating such as ENIG (electroless nickel immersion gold) and the like. The first electrode pad region 43a is electrically connected to the first conductive-type semiconductor layer 23 through the current spreading layer 39, and the second electrode pad region 43b is electrically connected to the second conductive-type semiconductor layer 27 through the anti-diffusion reinforcing layer 40 and the reflective electrode structure 35. The first electrode pad region 43a and the second electrode pad region 43b are used to mount the light emitting diode on a printed circuit board and the like via solder pastes. Thus, in order to prevent short circuit between the first electrode pad region 43a and the second electrode pad region 43b by the solder pastes, electrode pads may be separated by a distance of about 300 m or more from each other. Then, the substrate 21 may be removed to have a small thickness by partially grinding and/or lapping a lower surface of the substrate 21. Then, the substrate 21 is divided into individual chip units, thereby providing divided light emitting diode chips. Here, the substrate 21 may be divided at the chip isolation region 23h formed by laser scribing and thus there is no need for additional laser scribing for division of chips. The substrate 21 may be removed from the light emitting diode chips before or after being divided into individual light emitting diode chip units. Referring to FIG. 10, a wavelength conversion layer 45 is formed on the light emitting diodes separated from each other. The wavelength conversion layer 45 may be formed by coating a phosphor-containing resin onto the light emitting diodes using a printing technique, or by coating the substrate 21 with phosphor powder using an aerosol apparatus. For example, aerosol deposition can form a thin phosphor layer with a uniform thickness on the light emitting diodes, thereby improving color uniformity of light emitted from the light emitting diodes. As a result, the light emitting diodes according to the embodiments of the disclosed technology are completed and may be bonded to the corresponding pads 53a, 53b of the printed circuit board 51 by solder pastes, as shown in FIG. 1. In this embodiment, the first and second electrode pad regions 43a and 43b exposed by the upper insulation layer 41 are directly mounted on the printed circuit board. However, it should be understood that the disclosed technology is not limited thereto. Alternatively, additional electrode patterns are formed on the electrode pad regions 43a and 43b to form further enlarged pad regions. In this case, however, an additional photomask for formation of the electrode patterns may be used. FIG. 11(a) to FIG. 14(c) are views illustrating a method of fabricating a light emitting diode in accordance with another embodiment of the disclosed technology, and in each figure, (a) is a plan view, (b) is a cross-sectional view taken along line A-A, and (c) is a cross-sectional view taken along line B-B. In the embodiments described above, the mesa M is formed after the reflective electrode structure 35 is formed. In the present implementations, the mesa M is formed before the reflective electrode structure 35 is formed. First, referring to FIG. 11, as described with reference to FIG. 2, a first conductive-type semiconductor layer 23, an active layer 25 and a second conductive-type semiconductor layer 27 are formed on a substrate 21. Then, the mesa M is formed by a patterning process. The mesa M is similar to that described above in FIG. 5, and a detailed description thereof will be omitted. Referring to FIG. 12, a pre-oxidation layer 29 is formed to cover the first conductive-type semiconductor layer 23 and the mesa M. The pre-oxidation layer 29 may be formed of or include the same material by the same process as those described with reference to FIG. 2. A photoresist pattern 30 having openings 30a is formed on the pre-oxidation layer 29. The openings 30a of the photoresist pattern 30 are placed in an upper region of the mesa M. The photoresist pattern 30 is the same as that described with reference to FIG. 2 except that the photoresist pattern 30 is formed on the substrate 21 having the mesa M formed thereon, and a detailed description thereof will be omitted. Referring to FIG. 13, the pre-oxidation layer 29 is subjected to etching through the photoresist pattern 30 used as an etching mask, so that openings 29a are formed to expose the second conductive-type semiconductor layer 27 therethrough. Referring to FIG. 14, as described in detail with reference to FIG. 4, the reflective electrode structure 35 is formed on each mesas M by a lift-off technique. Then, light emitting diodes can be fabricated through similar processes to the processes described above with reference to FIG. 6 to FIG. 11. According to this embodiment, since the mesa M is formed prior to the reflective electrode structure 35, the pre-oxidation layer 29 can remain on side surfaces of the mesas M and in regions between the mesas M. Then, the pre-oxidation layer 29 is covered by the lower insulation layer 39 and is subjected to patterning together with the lower insulation layer 39. FIG. 15 is a plan view of a light emitting diode 200 in accordance with an embodiment of the disclosed technology, FIG. 16 is a cross-sectional view taken along line A-B-B′-A′ of FIG. 15, FIG. 17 is a cross-sectional view taken along line C-C′ of FIG. 15, and FIG. 18 is an enlarged view of part I of FIG. 16. Referring to FIG. 15 to FIG. 18, the light emitting diode 200 includes a first conductive-type semiconductor layer 111, a mesa M including an active layer 112 and a second conductive-type semiconductor layer 113, a first insulation layer 130, a first electrode 140, and a second insulation layer 150, and may further include a growth substrate 101 and a second electrode 120. The growth substrate 101 may be selected from any substrate that allows growth of the first conductive-type semiconductor layer 111, the active layer 112 and the second conductive-type semiconductor layer 113 thereon, and may include, for example, a sapphire substrate, a silicon carbide substrate, a gallium nitride substrate, an aluminum nitride substrate, or a silicon substrate, and the like. In some implementations, the growth substrate 101 may be or include a patterned sapphire substrate (PSS). The growth substrate 101 may include a slanted side surface, thereby improving extraction of light generated in the active layer 112. The second conductive-type semiconductor layer 113 may be disposed on the first conductive-type semiconductor layer 111, and the active layer 112 may be interposed between the first conductive-type semiconductor layer 111 and the second conductive-type semiconductor layer 113. The first conductive-type semiconductor layer 111, the active layer 112, and the second conductive-type semiconductor layer 113 may include III-V based compound semiconductors, for example, a nitride-based semiconductor such as (Al, Ga, In)N. The first conductive-type semiconductor layer 111 may include n-type dopants (for example, Si) and the second conductive-type semiconductor layer 113 may include p-type dopants (for example, Mg), or vice versa. The active layer 112 may include a multi-quantum well (MQM) structure. Upon application of forward bias to the light emitting diode 200, light is emitted from the active layer 112 through recombination of electrons and holes therein. The first conductive-type semiconductor layer 111, the active layer 112, and the second conductive-type semiconductor layer 113 may be grown on the growth substrate 101, for example, by metal organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD), molecular bean epitaxy (MBE), or the like. The light emitting diode 200 may include at least one mesa M that includes the active layer 112 and the second conductive-type semiconductor layer 113. Referring to FIG. 15, the mesa M may include a plurality of protrusions separated from one another. The light emitting diode 200 may include a plurality of mesas M separated from one another, without being limited thereto. The side surface of the mesa M may become a slanted side surface by a technology such as photoresist reflow, and the slanted side surface of the mesa M can improve luminous efficacy of light generated from the active layer 112. The first conductive-type semiconductor layer 111 may include a first contact region R1 and a second contact region R2 exposed through the mesa M. Since the mesa M is formed by removing the active layer 112 and the second conductive-type semiconductor layer 113 disposed on the first conductive-type semiconductor layer 111, a portion excluding the mesa M becomes a contact region, which is an exposed upper surface of the first conductive-type semiconductor layer 111. The first electrode 140 described below may be electrically connected to the first conductive-type semiconductor layer 111 by contacting the first contact region R1 and the second contact region R2. The first contact region R1 may be disposed around the mesa M along an outer periphery of the first conductive-type semiconductor layer 111, specifically, along an outer periphery of the upper surface of the first conductive-type semiconductor layer between the mesa M and the side surface of the light emitting diode 200. The second contact region R2 may be at least partially surrounded by the mesa M. For example, referring to FIG. 15 and FIG. 16, the first contact region R1 may be disposed near side surfaces of the first conductive-type semiconductor layer 111, and the second contact region R2 may be disposed between the protrusions of the mesa M to be partially surrounded by the mesa M. Although not shown in the drawings, when the light emitting diode includes a plurality of mesas, the second contact region R2 may be disposed between the plurality of mesas. Alternatively, the second contact region R1 may be entirely surrounded by the mesa M. With this structure, the light emitting diode allows electric current to flow through the outer periphery and the center of the light emitting diode 200, thereby enabling efficient current spreading. A length of the second contact region R2 in a major axis direction may be 0.5 times or more the length of one side of the light emitting diode 200. With this structure, a contact area between the first electrode 140 and the first conductive-type semiconductor layer 111 can be increased such that electric current flowing from the first electrode 140 to the first conductive-type semiconductor layer 111 can be more efficiently spread, thereby further reducing forward voltage. The first contact region R1 and the second contact region R2 may be formed by photolithography and etching. For example, an etching region is defined using a photoresist, and the first contact region R1 and the second contact region R2 may be formed by etching the second conductive-type semiconductor layer 113 and the active layer 112 using a dry etching process such as ICP. The second electrode 120 is disposed on the second conductive-type semiconductor layer 113 and may be electrically connected to the second conductive-type semiconductor layer 113. The second electrode 120 is formed on the mesa M and may have the same shape as the mesa M. The second electrode 120 may include a reflective metal layer 121 and may further include a barrier metal layer 122, which covers an upper surface and a side surface of the reflective metal layer 121. For example, the barrier metal layer 122 may be formed to cover the upper surface and the side surface of the reflective metal layer 121 by forming a pattern of the reflective metal layer 121 and then forming the barrier metal layer 122 thereon. For example, the reflective metal layer 121 may be formed by deposition and patterning of Ag, Ag alloy, Ni/Ag, NiZn/Ag, or TiO/Ag layer. In some implementations, the barrier metal layer 122 may be formed of or include Ni, Cr, Ti, Pt, or Au or combinations thereof, specifically, a combination layer formed of or including Ni/Ag/[Ni/Ti]2/Au/Ti sequentially stacked on an upper surface of the second conductive-type semiconductor layer 113. In some implementations, at least a portion of the upper surface of the second electrode 120 may include a 300 Å thick Ti layer. With the structure wherein the upper surface of the second electrode 120 contacting the first insulation layer is composed of or includes the Ti layer, the light emitting diode 200 has improved bonding strength between the second electrode 120 and the first insulation layer 130 described below, thereby providing improved reliability. The reflective metal layer 121 prevents diffusion or contamination of a metallic material. Furthermore, the second electrode 120 may include a transparent conductive layer such as indium tin oxide (ITO), zinc oxide (ZnO), and the like. ITO is composed of or includes a metal oxide having high light transmittance and thus can improve luminous efficacy by suppressing absorption of light by the second electrode 120. An electrode protective layer 160 may be disposed on the second electrode 120. As described above with reference to FIG. 15 and FIG. 16, the electrode protective layer 160 may be formed of or include the same material as the first electrode 140, without being limited thereto. The first insulation layer 130 may be disposed between the first electrode 140 and the mesa M. The first electrode 140 may be insulated from the mesa M through the first insulation layer 130, and the first electrode 140 may be insulated from the second electrode 120. The first insulation layer 130 may partially expose the first contact region R1 and the second contact region R2. Specifically, the first insulation layer 130 may have an opening 130a, through which the second contact region R2 is partially exposed, and may cover only a portion of the first contact region R1 between the outer periphery of the first conductive-type semiconductor layer 111 and the mesa M such that at least a portion of the first contact region R1 is exposed. Referring to FIG. 15 and FIG. 16, the first insulation layer 130 may be disposed along the outer periphery of the second contact region R2. At the same time, the first insulation layer 130 may be restrictively disposed close to the mesa M to be positioned more inward than an adjoining region between the first contact region R1 and the first electrode 140. Specifically, the first insulation layer 130 may be restrictively disposed more inside the light emitting diode 200 rather than the adjoining region between the first contact region R1 and the first electrode 140. With this structure, the light emitting diode can have an increased contact area between the first electrode 140 and the first conductive-type semiconductor layer 111 without decreasing a light emitting area. Furthermore, in a process of dicing light emitting diodes 200 on a wafer into individual light emitting diodes 200, the first insulation layer 130 disposed along the outer periphery of the first conductive-type semiconductor layer 111 can be prevented from cracking. Accordingly, it is possible to prevent delamination force of the first electrode 140 or a second insulation layer 150 described below from weakening due to infiltration of moisture or contaminants through cracks, and to prevent contamination of the first electrode, thereby improving reliability of the light emitting diode 200. The first insulation layer 130 may have an opening 130b exposing the second electrode 120 described below. The second electrode 120 may be electrically connected to a pad or bump through the opening 130b. As shown in FIG. 18, the first insulation layer 130 may include a preliminary insulation layer 131 and a main insulation layer 132. The preliminary insulation layer 131 may be formed on the upper surface of the mesa (m) and the first conductive-type semiconductor layer 111 so as to cover at least a region in which the second electrode 120 will be formed and at least a portion of an exposed region of the first conductive-type semiconductor layer 111. Furthermore, the preliminary insulation layer 131 may further cover the side surface of the mesa M and may partially cover the upper surfaces of the mesas M. The preliminary insulation layer 131 may contact the second electrode 120 or may be separated therefrom. In the structure wherein the preliminary insulation layer 131 is separated from the second electrode 120, the second conductive-type semiconductor layer 113 may be partially exposed between the preliminary insulation layer 131 and the second electrode 120. The preliminary insulation layer 131 may include SiO2, SiNx, or MgF2, and the like. Further, the preliminary insulation layer 131 may include multiple layers, or a distributed Bragg reflector in which materials having different indices of refraction are alternately stacked one above another. In some implementations, the preliminary insulation layer 131 may be formed before formation of the second electrode 120, after formation of the second electrode 120, or during formation of the second electrode 120. For example, when the second electrode 120 includes a conductive oxide layer and a reflective layer disposed on the conductive oxide layer and including a metal, the preliminary insulation layer 131 may be formed after formation of the conductive oxide layer on the second conductive-type semiconductor layer 225 and before formation of the reflective layer. At this time, the conductive oxide layer forms ohmic contact with the second conductive-type semiconductor layer 225 and the preliminary insulation layer 131 may be formed to a thickness of 400 Å to 2000 Å. In other implementations, the preliminary insulation layer 131 may be formed before formation of the second electrode 120. In these implementations, the second electrode 120 forms ohmic contact with the second conductive-type semiconductor layer 113 and may include a reflective layer formed of or including a metallic material. In these implementations, since the preliminary insulation layer 131 is formed before formation of the reflective layer including a metallic material, it is possible to prevent reduction in reflectivity of the reflective layer and increase in resistance due to interdiffusion of materials between the reflective layer and a light emitting structure 220. Furthermore, it is possible to prevent short circuit due to remaining materials on a portion at which the second electrode 120 is not formed during formation of the reflective layer including a metallic material. The main insulation layer 132 may be disposed to cover the preliminary insulation layer 131. The main insulation layer 132 may be formed by a suitable deposition method such as PECVD, or e-beam evaporation, and the like. The main insulation layer 132 may be formed in a shape as shown in FIG. 12 through patterning after being formed to cover the entirety of the first conductive-type semiconductor layer 111, the mesa M and the second electrode 120. Patterning may include photolithographic etching or lift-off. The main insulation layer 132 may include SiO2, SiNx, or MgF2, and the like. Furthermore, the main insulation layer 132 may include multiple layers, or a distributed Bragg reflector in which materials having different indices of refraction are alternately stacked one above another. Further, the main insulation layer 132 may be thicker than the preliminary insulation layer 131, and may have a thickness of, for example, 1,000 Å to 18,000 Å. As described above, the first insulation layer 130 may be formed in a shape as shown in FIG. 15 to FIG. 18 by etching. At this time, during etching, a portion of the upper surface of the second electrode 120 is removed such that the second electrode 120 has a reduced thickness. Specifically, the surface of the second electrode 120 exposed through the opening 130b of the first insulation layer 130 can be removed to a predetermined thickness by etching. More specifically, the Ti layer including the exposed surface of the second electrode 120 can be removed by etching. Accordingly, an adjoining region between the upper surface of the second electrode 120 and the first insulation layer 130 can maintain good bonding strength through the remaining Ti layer, which is not removed and corresponds to a portion of the upper surface of the second electrode 120 contacting the first insulation layer 130. At the same time, in other regions of the second electrode 120 to which external current is applied, connection resistance can be lowered due to removal of the Ti layer, whereby the light emitting diode can have a reduced forward voltage. After the first insulation layer 130 is formed in a shape as shown in FIG. 15 to FIG. 18 by etching, the exposed upper surface of the first conductive-type semiconductor layer 111 may be additionally etched. Specifically, after formation of the main insulation layer 132, regions of the first contact region R1 and the second contact region R2 not covered by the first insulation layer 130 may be etched. Accordingly, a portion of the first conductive-type semiconductor layer 111 not disposed under the first insulation layer 130 may have a smaller thickness than a portion of the first conductive-type semiconductor layer 111 disposed under the first insulation layer 130. Furthermore, particles derived from inert gas such as CF4 and the like used in etching of the first insulation layer 130 and remaining on the exposed region of the first conductive-type semiconductor layer 111 can be removed. Accordingly, bonding strength between the first electrode 140 and the first conductive-type semiconductor layer 111 can be improved and contact resistance between the first electrode 140 and the first conductive-type semiconductor layer 111 can be reduced. Referring to FIG. 18, since the preliminary insulation layer 131 is not disposed on the second electrode 120 and extends from the upper surface of the second conductive-type semiconductor layer 113 to cover a portion of the upper surface of the first conductive-type semiconductor layer 111, thickness 130T1 of the first insulation layer 130 disposed on the upper surface of the second electrode 120 may be smaller than thickness 130T2 of the first insulation layer 130 disposed on the upper surface of the second conductive-type semiconductor layer 113. Further, the thickness 130T2 of the first insulation layer 130 disposed on the upper surface of the second conductive-type semiconductor layer 113 may be the same as thickness 130T3 of the first insulation layer 130 disposed on the upper surface of the first conductive-type semiconductor layer 111. Accordingly, with the structure wherein the first insulation layer 130 can cover the side surface of the mesa M without decreasing the thickness thereof, the light emitting diode can prevent infiltration of external contaminants while preventing damage to the first insulation layer 130 on the side surface of the mesa M. The first electrode 140 may be disposed on the first insulation layer 130. Specifically, the first electrode 140 may cover most of the first insulation layer 130. The first electrode 140 may adjoin at least a portion of the first contact region R1 and at least a portion of the second contact region R2. With this structure, the first electrode 140 can be electrically connected to the first conductive-type semiconductor layer 111. The first electrode 140 may expose an outer periphery of the first contact region R1. Referring to FIG. 15 and FIG. 16, the adjoining region between the first contact region R1 and the first electrode 140 may be disposed closer to the mesa M than the adjoining region between the first contact region R1 and the second insulation layer 150 described below. Specifically, the adjoining region between the first contact region R1 and the first electrode 140 may be disposed further inside the light emitting diode 200 than the adjoining region between the first contact region R1 and the second insulation layer 150 described below. In this structure, since the first electrode 140 is not exposed from a side surface of the light emitting diode 200, the first electrode 140 can be effectively protected from external moisture and the like. Furthermore, the first electrode 140 may adjoin a portion of the second contact region R2 and an interface between the first electrode 140 and the second contact region R2 may be a linear plane. A first linewidth L1, which is a linewidth of the adjoining region between the first contact region R1 and the first electrode 140, may be greater than a second linewidth L2, which is a linewidth of the adjoining region between the second contact region R2 and the first electrode 140. In this structure, a contact area between the first electrode 140 and the first conductive-type semiconductor layer 111 through the first contact region R1 is relatively increased and the light emitting diode 200 can have a reduced forward voltage. Furthermore, the light emitting diode allows more efficient current spreading in the horizontal direction, thereby improving luminous efficacy. Specifically, the first linewidth L1 may be greater than 10 μm and the second linewidth L2 may be 10 μm or less. For example, the first linewidth L1 may be 11 μm and the second linewidth L2 may be 10 μm. As shown in the drawings, the first electrode 140 may be disposed on the second electrode 120 described below through the opening 130b, as in one example of the electrode protective layer 160. At the same time, the first electrode 140 contacting the first contact region R1 and the second contact region R2 may be electrically insulated from the electrode protective layer 160 on the second electrode 120 by the second insulation layer 150 described below. In this structure, when solders composed of AuSn or the like are used for electrical connection, the first electrode 140 can prevent the solders from diffusing into the second electrode 120 and a step between the first electrode 140 and the second electrode 120 can be reduced, thereby allowing the light emitting diode 200 to be more stably attached to a circuit member such as a printed circuit board. The first electrode 140 may include a highly reflective metal layer such as an Al layer, and the highly reflective metal layer may be formed on a bonding layer such as a Ti, Cr or Ni layer. Furthermore, a protective layer composed of or including a single layer or multiple layers of Ni, Cr, or Au, and the like may be formed on the highly reflective metal layer. The first electrode 140 may have a multilayer structure of, for example, Cr/Ti/Al/Ti/Ni/Au. Specifically, the first electrode 140 may be or include a laminate layer of Cr/Al/[Ti/Ni]2/Ti/Ni/Au/Ti sequentially stacked on the first conductive-type semiconductor layer 111. More specifically, an upper surface of the first electrode 140 may include a 100 Å thick Ti layer. With the structure wherein the upper surface of the first electrode 140 is composed of or including the Ti layer, the light emitting diode 200 can have improved bonding strength between the first electrode 140 and the second insulation layer 150 described below, thereby providing improved reliability. The first electrode 140 may be formed through deposition and patterning of a metallic material. The second insulation layer 150 may adjoin a portion of the first contact region R1. Specifically, the second insulation layer 150 may cover a portion of the first contact region R1 exposed through the first electrode 140. Further, the second insulation layer 150 may cover at least a portion of the first electrode 140. The second insulation layer 150 may have an opening 150a exposing the first electrode 140 and an opening 150b exposing the second electrode 120 described below. In the structure wherein the light emitting diode 200 includes the electrode protective layer 160, the second insulation layer 150 may be interposed between the first electrode 140 and the electrode protective layer 160. Accordingly, insulation between the first electrode 140 and the electrode protective layer 160 can be further secured. The second insulation layer 150 may be formed by depositing an oxide insulation layer, a nitride insulation layer, or a polymer such as polyimide, Teflon® or Parylene on the first electrode 140, followed by patterning. The second insulation layer 150 may be formed by a suitable deposition method such as PECVD, or e-beam evaporation, and the like. The second insulation layer 150 may be formed in a shape as shown in FIG. 15 to FIG. 18 through patterning after being formed to cover the entirety of the first conductive-type semiconductor layer 111 and the first electrode 140. Patterning may include photolithographic etching or lift-off. During patterning of the second insulation layer 150, a portion of the upper surface of the first electrode 140 is removed such that the first electrode 140 has a reduced thickness. Specifically, the surface of the first electrode 140 exposed through the openings 150a, 150b of the second insulation layer 150 can be removed to a predetermined thickness by etching. More specifically, the Ti layer including the exposed surface of the second electrode 140 can be removed by etching. Accordingly, an adjoining region between the upper surface of the first electrode 140 and the second insulation layer 150 can maintain good bonding strength through the remaining Ti layer, which is not removed and corresponds to a portion of the upper surface of the first electrode 140 contacting the second insulation layer 150. At the same time, in other regions of the first electrode 140 connected to an external electrode via solders and the like, connection resistance can be lowered due to removal of the Ti layer, whereby the light emitting diode can have a reduced forward voltage. The second insulation layer 150 may cover an overall area of a side surface of the first conductive-type semiconductor layer 111 and a portion of a side surface of the growth substrate 101. With this structure, the light emitting diode 200 can protect the first conductive-type semiconductor layer 111 from external moisture or impact and can prevent an interface between the growth substrate 101 and the first conductive-type semiconductor layer 111 from splitting, thereby providing improved reliability. The second insulation layer 150 may cover at least a portion of the slanted side surface of the growth substrate 101. With this structure, the second insulation layer 150 can be effectively attached to the growth substrate 101, thereby increasing delamination force while improving reliability of the light emitting diode 200. The slanted surface may be formed in the course of allowing a laser beam to enter the growth substrate in the process of dicing a wafer into individual light emitting diodes 200. FIG. 19 is a sectional view of a light emitting diode in accordance with an embodiment of the disclosed technology and a circuit member on which the light emitting diode is mounted, FIG. 20 is an enlarged sectional view of part 12 of FIG. 19, FIG. 21 is an enlarged sectional view of part 13 of FIG. 20, and FIG. 22 is a sectional view illustrating a structure wherein the light emitting diode in accordance with an embodiment of the disclosed technology is mounted on a circuit member. Referring to FIG. 19, a plurality of light emitting diodes 200 may be mounted on a circuit member 300 and may be used as a single module. The circuit member 300 may include a printed circuit board (PCB), without being limited thereto. As shown in FIG. 19, the circuit member 300 may include a base 310 and interconnection lines 321 and 322, but is not limited to the shape shown in FIG. 19. Referring to FIG. 20, the light emitting diode 200 may be mounted on the circuit member through pads 170 and 180. Specifically, the pads 170 and 180 may be interposed between the light emitting diode 200 and the interconnection lines 321 and 322 of the circuit member. The pads 170 and 180 may include solders or a eutectic metal, without being limited thereto. Specifically, AuSn may be used as the eutectic metal. Additionally referring to FIG. 21, the pads 170 and 180 may contact the first electrode 140 and the second electrode 120, respectively or if the electrode protective layer 160 is disposed on the second electrode 120, the pads 170 and 180 may contact the first electrode 140 and the electrode protective layer 160, respectively. Since the Ti layer 140a exposed through the first electrode 140 and the second electrode 120 is removed by etching upon formation of the first insulation layer 130 and the second insulation layer 150, the pads 170 and 180 can contact the first electrode 140 and the second electrode 120, respectively, from which the Ti layer 140a is removed. Specifically, since the Ti layer 140a is removed from the first electrode 140 and the second electrode 120, an Au layer 140b can be exposed to contact the pads 170 and 180. Further, in the structure wherein the electrode protective layer 160 is disposed on the second electrode 120 and is formed of or includes the same material as the first electrode 140, the Ti layer of the electrode protective layer 160 may also be removed, such that the exposed Au layer contacts the pad 180. Referring to FIG. 22, the pads 170 and 180 may include a eutectic metal. In this implementation, the pads 170 and 180 may be formed of or include an Au-containing material, for example, AuSn. Accordingly, since Au components of the pads 170 and 180 can contact the first electrode 140 and the second electrode 120, or the first electrode 140 and the Au layer of the electrode protective layer 160, bonding strength between the light emitting diode 200 and the pads 170, 180 can be increased. Accordingly, the circuit member having the light emitting diode 200 mounted thereon can have improved reliability. FIG. 23 is a plan view of a light emitting diode 201 in accordance with an embodiment of the disclosed technology, FIG. 24 is a cross-sectional view taken along line A-B-B′-A′ of FIG. 23, and FIG. 25 is a side view of the light emitting diode 201 of FIG. 23. The light emitting diode 201 shown in FIG. 23 is similar to the light emitting diode 200 described with reference to FIG. 15 to FIG. 18 except that the light emitting diode 201 includes a second insulation layer 150 separated from an outer periphery of a first conductive-type semiconductor layer 111 and a growth substrate 101 includes at least one reformed region 101R. Specifically, the growth substrate 101 may include at least one reformed region 101R that extends from at least one side surface of the growth substrate 101 in the horizontal direction and has a stripe shape. The reformed region 101R may be formed in the process of providing individual light emitting diodes through division of the growth substrate 101. For example, the reformed region 101R may be formed through internal machining of the growth substrate. A scribing plane may be formed inside the growth substrate 101 by internal laser machining. At this time, a distance from the reformed region 101R to a lower surface of the growth substrate 101 may be smaller than a distance from the reformed region 101R to an upper surface of the growth substrate 101. Considering light emitted through the side surface of the light emitting diode 201, laser machining is performed mainly with respect to a lower side of the growth substrate 101 such that the reformed region 101R is formed relatively close to the lower side thereof, thereby improving efficiency in extraction of light generated from the active layer 112. Furthermore, when the reformed region 101R is formed near the first conductive-type semiconductor layer 111, there can be a problem in terms of electrical characteristics due to damage to a nitride semiconductor during laser machining. Accordingly, with the structure wherein the reformed region 101R is formed relatively close to the lower side of the growth substrate 101, it is possible to prevent deterioration in reliability and luminous efficacy of the light emitting diode 201 due to damage to the nitride-based semiconductor. The second insulation layer 150 may be disposed to be separated from the outer periphery of the first conductive-type semiconductor layer 111. Specifically, the second insulation layer 150 may be disposed in other regions excluding the side surface of the first conductive-type semiconductor layer 111 and the side surface of the growth substrate 101, and may be separated a predetermined distance from the outer periphery of the first conductive-type semiconductor layer 111. Accordingly, it is possible to prevent damage to the first insulation layer 150 due to stress applied to interfaces between individual light emitting diodes during the process of providing the individual light emitting diodes through division of the growth substrate 101. FIG. 26 is a plan view of a light emitting diode 202 in accordance with an embodiment of the disclosed technology and FIG. 27 is a cross-sectional view taken along line A-B-B′-A′ of FIG. 26. The light emitting diode 202 shown in FIG. 26 and FIG. 27 is similar to the light emitting diode 200 described with reference to FIG. 15 and FIG. 16 except that the adjoining region between the first contact region R1 and the first electrode 140 is disposed along the outer periphery of the overall upper surface of the first conductive-type semiconductor layer. Specifically, the adjoining region between the first contact region R1 and the first electrode 140 may be disposed near all four side surfaces of the first conductive-type semiconductor layer 111 and may completely surround the mesa M. In this embodiment, a contact area between the first electrode 140 and the first conductive-type semiconductor layer 111 can be increased such that electric current flowing from the first electrode 140 to the first conductive-type semiconductor layer 111 can be more efficiently spread, thereby further reducing forward voltage. FIG. 28 is a plan view of a light emitting diode 203 in accordance with an embodiment of the disclosed technology, FIG. 29 is a cross-sectional view taken along line A-A′ of FIG. 28, and FIG. 30 is a cross-sectional view taken along line B-B′ of FIG. 28. The light emitting diode 203 shown in FIG. 28 to FIG. 30 is similar to the light emitting diode 200 described with reference to FIG. 15 and FIG. 16 excluding the shape of the mesa M. Specifically, the mesa M of the light emitting diode 200 shown in FIG. 15 and FIG. 16 includes the plurality of protrusions protruding towards one side surface of the light emitting diode 200 by way of example. On the contrary, the light emitting diode 203 shown in FIG. 28 to FIG. 30 may include not only a plurality of protrusions protruding towards one side of the first conductive-type semiconductor layer 111 but also a plurality of protrusions protruding towards the other side thereof. Accordingly, a second contact region R2 partially surrounded by the mesa M can be increased. That is, it is possible to secure the second contact region R2 disposed between the pluralities of protrusions protruding towards the one side of the first conductive-type semiconductor layer 111 and the other sides thereof. With this structure, not only in a region near the one side of the first conductive-type semiconductor layer 111 but also in a region near the other side thereof, efficient current movement can be achieved between the second electrode 120 on the protrusions and the first electrode 140 on the second contact region R2. Accordingly, light emission from the region adjacent the other side can be improved. FIG. 31 is an exploded perspective view of an exemplary lighting apparatus to which a light emitting diode in accordance with an embodiment of the disclosed technology is applied. Referring to FIG. 31, the lighting apparatus according to this embodiment includes a diffusive cover 1010, a light emitting diode module 1020, and a body 1030. The body 1030 may receive the light emitting diode module 1020 and the diffusive cover 1010 may be disposed on the body 1030 to cover an upper portion of the light emitting diode module 1020. The body 1030 may have any structure so long as the body can receive and support the light emitting diode module 1020 to supply electric power to the light emitting diode module 1020. For example, the body 1030 may include a body case 1031, a power supply 1033, a power source case 1035, and a power connector 1037, as shown in FIG. 31. The power supply 1033 is received in the power source case 1035 to be electrically connected to the light emitting diode module 1020 and may include at least one integrated circuit (IC) chip. The IC chip can regulate, change or control characteristics of power supplied to the light emitting diode module 1020. The power source case 1035 may receive and support the power supply 1033, and may be disposed inside the body case 1031, with the power supply 1033 secured inside the power source case 1035. The power connector 115 is provided to a lower end of the power source case 1035 and is coupled to the power source case 1035. With this structure, the power connector 115 is electrically connected to the power supply 1033 inside the power source case 1035 and may act as a passage through which external power can be supplied to the power supply 1033. The light emitting diode module 1020 includes a substrate 1023 and a light emitting diode 1021 disposed on the substrate 1023. The light emitting diode module 1020 may be disposed at an upper portion of the body case 1031 and electrically connected to the power supply 1033. The substrate 1023 may be selected from any substrate so long as the substrate can support the light emitting diode 1021, and may be or include, for example, a printed circuit board including interconnections. The substrate 1023 may have a shape corresponding to a securing portion at the upper portion of the body case so as to be stably secured to the body case 1031. The light emitting diode 1021 may include at least one of the light emitting diodes according to the above embodiments. The diffusive cover 1010 is disposed above the light emitting diode 1021 and is secured to the body case 1031 to cover the light emitting diode 1021. The diffusive cover 1010 may be formed of or include a light transmitting material and light orientation characteristics of the lighting apparatus can be regulated through adjustment of the shape and light transmittance of the diffusive cover 1010. Accordingly, the diffusive cover 1010 may be modified in various ways depending upon purposes and applications of the lighting apparatus. FIG. 32 is a sectional view of an exemplary display to which a light emitting diode in accordance with an embodiment of the disclosed technology is applied. The display according to this embodiment includes a display panel 2110, a backlight unit BLU1 supplying light to the display panel 2110, and a panel guide 2100 supporting a lower edge of the display panel 2110. The display panel 2110 may be, for example, a liquid crystal display panel including a liquid crystal layer, without being limited thereto. The display panel 2110 may be provided at an edge thereof with gate drive PCBs for supplying drive signals to a gate line. In some implementations, the gate drive PCBs 2112 and 2113 may be formed on a thin film transistor substrate instead of a separate PCB. The backlight unit BLU1 includes a light source module including at least one substrate 2150 and a plurality of light emitting diodes 2160. The backlight unit BLU1 may further include a bottom cover 2180, a diffusive sheet 2170, a diffusive plate 2131, and optical sheets 2130. The bottom cover 2180 is open at an upper side thereof and may receive the substrate 2150, the light emitting diodes 2160, the diffusive sheet 2170, the diffusive plate 2131 and the optical sheets 2130. In addition, the bottom cover 2180 may be coupled to the panel guide 2100. The substrate 2150 may be disposed at a lower side of the diffusive sheet 2170 to be surrounded by the diffusive sheet 2170. Alternatively, in the structure wherein a surface of the substrate 2150 is coated with a reflective material, the substrate 2150 may be disposed on the diffusive sheet 2170. In some implementations, a plurality of substrates 2150 may be arranged parallel to each other. However, it should be understood that the disclosed technology is not limited thereto and the substrate 2150 may be realized by a single substrate. The light emitting diodes 2160 may include at least one of the light emitting diodes according to the embodiments described above. The light emitting diodes 2160 may be regularly arranged in a predetermined pattern on the substrate 2150. Furthermore, a lens 2210 is disposed on each of the light emitting diodes 2160, thereby improving uniformity of light emitted from the plurality of light emitting diodes 2160. The diffusive plate 2131 and the optical sheets 2130 are disposed above the light emitting diodes 2160. Light emitted from the light emitting diodes 2160 may be supplied in the form of surface light to the display panel 2110 through the diffusive plate 2131 and the optical sheets 2130. As such, the light emitting diodes according to the embodiments of the disclosed technology may be applied to a direct type display as in this embodiment. FIG. 33 is a sectional view of an exemplary display to which a light emitting diode in accordance with an embodiment of the disclosed technology is applied. A display according to this embodiment includes a display panel 3210 on which an image is displayed, and a backlight unit BLU2 disposed at the backside of the display panel 3210 and supplying light. The display includes a frame 240 supporting the display panel 3210 and receiving the backlight unit BLU2, and covers 3240, 3280 enclosing the display panel 3210. The display panel 3210 may be, for example, a liquid crystal display panel including a liquid crystal layer, without being limited thereto. The display panel 3210 may be provided at an edge thereof with gate drive PCBs for supplying drive signals to a gate line. In some implementations, the gate drive PCBs may be formed on a thin film transistor substrate instead of a separate PCB. The display panel 3210 is secured by the covers 3240 and 3280 disposed at upper and lower sides thereof, and the cover 3280 disposed at the lower side of the display panel may be coupled to the backlight unit BLU2. The backlight unit BLU2 configured to supply light to the display panel 3210 includes a lower cover 3270 partially open at an upper side thereof, a light source module disposed at one side within the lower cover 3270 and a light guide plate 3250 disposed parallel to the light source module and converting spot light into surface light. The backlight unit BLU2 according to this embodiment may further include optical sheets 3230 disposed above the light guide plate 3250 to collect and spread light, and a reflective sheet 3260 disposed below the light guide plate 3250 to reflect light, which travels in a downward direction of the light guide plate 3250, towards the display panel 3210. The light source module includes a substrate 3220 and a plurality of light emitting diodes 3110 arranged at constant intervals on one surface of the substrate 3220. The substrate 3220 may be selected from any substrate so long as the substrate can support the light emitting diodes 3110 and be electrically connected to the light emitting diodes 3110, and may be or include, for example, a printed circuit board. The light emitting diodes 3110 may include at least one of the light emitting diodes according to the embodiments described above. Light emitted from the light source module enters the light guide plate 3250 to be supplied to the display panel 3210 through the optical sheets 3230. Through the light guide plate 3250 and the optical sheets 3230, spot light emitted from the light emitting diodes 3110 can be converted into surface light. As such, the light emitting diodes according to the embodiments of the disclosed technology may be applied to an edge type display as in this embodiment. FIG. 34 is a sectional view of an exemplary headlight to which a light emitting diode in accordance with an embodiment of the disclosed technology is applied. Referring to FIG. 34, the headlight includes a lamp body 4070, a substrate 4020, a light emitting diode 4010, and a cover lens 4050. The headlight may further include a heat dissipation portion 4030, a support rack 4060, and a connection member 4040. The substrate 4020 is secured by the support rack 4060 and disposed above the lamp body 4070 to be separated therefrom. The substrate 4020 may be selected from any substrate so long as the substrate can support the light emitting diode 4010, and may be or include, for example, a printed circuit board having a conductive pattern. The light emitting diode 4010 is disposed on the substrate 4020 and may be supported and secured by the substrate 4020. Further, the light emitting diode 4010 may be electrically connected to an external power source through the conductive pattern of the substrate 4020. The light emitting diode 4010 may include at least one of the light emitting diodes according to the embodiments described above. The cover lens 4050 is placed on an optical path along which light emitted from the light emitting diode 4010 travels. For example, as shown in FIG. 34, the cover lens 4050 may be separated from the light emitting diode 4010 by the connection member 4040 and may be disposed in a direction in which light emitted from the light emitting diode 4010 will be supplied. By the cover lens 4050, a beam angle and/or a color of light emitted from the headlight to the outside can be regulated. On the other hand, the connection member 4040 secures the cover lens 4050 to the substrate 4020 and is disposed to surround the light emitting diode 4010 so as to act as a light guide providing a light emission path 4045. Here, the connection member 4040 may be formed of a light reflective material or may be coated with the light reflective material. The heat dissipation portion 4030 may include heat dissipation fins 4031 and/or a heat dissipation fan 4033, and dissipates heat generated during operation of the light emitting diode 4010. As such, the light emitting diodes according to the embodiments of the disclosed technology may be applied to a headlight as in this embodiment, particularly, to a vehicle headlight. Although various embodiments have been described above, it should be understood that other implementations are also possible. In addition, some features of a certain embodiment may also be applied to other embodiments in the same or similar ways without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosed technology. | <SOH> BACKGROUND <EOH>Since GaN-based light emitting diodes were first developed, GaN-based LEDs have been used for various applications including natural color LED displays, LED traffic signboards, white LEDs, and the like. Generally, a GaN-based light emitting diode is formed by growing epitaxial layers on a substrate such as a sapphire substrate, and includes an N-type semiconductor layer, a P-type semiconductor layer and an active layer interposed therebetween. In addition, an n-electrode pad is formed on the N-type semiconductor layer and a p-electrode pad is formed on the P-type semiconductor layer. The light emitting diode is connected to an external power source through the electrode pads and driven thereby. In this case, current flows from the p-electrode pad to the n-electrode pad through the semiconductor layers. On the other hand, a flip-chip type light emitting diode is used to prevent light loss due to the p-electrode pad while improving heat dissipation efficiency, and various electrode structures are proposed to promote current spreading in a large area flip-chip type light emitting diode. Examples are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,486,499. For example, a reflective electrode is formed on the P-type semiconductor layer, and extension legs are formed on a region of the N-type semiconductor layer, which is exposed by etching the P-type semiconductor layer and the active layer, to facilitate current spreading. The reflective electrode formed on the P-type semiconductor layer reflects light generated from the active layer to improve light extraction efficiency and helps current spreading in the P-type semiconductor layer. On the other hand, the extension legs connected to the N-type semiconductor layer help current spreading in the N-type semiconductor layer to allow uniform generation of light in a wide active region. Particularly, a light emitting diode having a large area of about 1 mm 2 and used for high power output requires current spreading not only in the P-type semiconductor layer but also in the N-type semiconductor layer. On the other hand, a forward voltage Vf is supplied to the light emitting diode to generate light, and a light emitting diode having good luminous efficacy refers to a light emitting diode capable of emitting the same intensity of light at a lower forward voltage. Therefore, various attempts have been made to decrease forward voltage of the light emitting diode. On the other hand, in a process of dicing light emitting diodes on a wafer into individual light emitting diodes, an insulation layer exposed to a plane to be cut is likely to suffer from cracks. Such cracks can propagate into the light emitting diode. Moreover, interlayer delamination occurs due to cracks, thereby causing delamination of the insulation layer from semiconductor layers. Accordingly, moisture and contaminants can infiltrate the light emitting diode along an interface between the insulation layer and a semiconductor layer, thereby contaminating the light emitting diode, and delamination force with respect to layers in the light emitting diode can be reduced, thereby causing deterioration in reliability of the light emitting diode. | <SOH> SUMMARY <EOH>Exemplary embodiments of the disclosed technology provide a light emitting diode chip having an electrostatic discharge protection function. In addition, exemplary embodiments of the disclosed technology provide a light emitting diode which can be directly mounted on a printed circuit board or the like using a solder paste by preventing diffusion of metal elements from the solder paste. Further, exemplary embodiments of the disclosed technology provide a light emitting diode having improved current spreading performance. Furthermore, exemplary embodiments of the disclosed technology provide a light emitting diode having improved light extraction efficiency by improving reflectivity. Furthermore, exemplary embodiments of the disclosed technology provide a light emitting diode a having low forward voltage. Furthermore, exemplary embodiments of the disclosed technology provide a light emitting diode capable of simplifying a manufacturing process by reducing the use of photomasks, an LED module including the same, and a method of fabricating the same. Furthermore, exemplary embodiments of the disclosed technology provide a light emitting diode having improved reliability and luminous efficacy by preventing damage to the light emitting diode due to cracks. Additional features of the disclosed technology will be set forth in the description which follows, and in part will become apparent from the description, or may be learned from practice of the disclosed technology. In one aspect, a light emitting diode includes: a first conductive-type semiconductor layer; a second conductive-type semiconductor layer; an active layer interposed between the first conductive-type semiconductor layer and the second conductive-type semiconductor layer; a first electrode pad region electrically connected to the first conductive-type semiconductor layer; a second electrode pad region electrically connected to the second conductive-type semiconductor layer; and a spark gap formed between a first leading end electrically connected to the first electrode pad region and a second leading end electrically connected to the second electrode pad region. The spark gap can achieve electrostatic discharge protection of the light emitting diode. In some implementations, the light emitting diode may further include an upper insulation layer covering the second conductive-type semiconductor layer, the upper insulation layer including an opening that exposes the spark gap. As the spark gap is exposed to the outside, it is possible to prevent generation of static electricity by electrical sparks via air. In some implementations, the light emitting diode may include a mesa placed on the first conductive-type semiconductor layer, the mesa including the active layer and the second conductive-type semiconductor layer, and the first electrode pad region may be electrically connected to the first conductive-type semiconductor layer at a side of the mesa. In some implementations, the light emitting diode may further include a reflective electrode structure placed on the mesa; and a current spreading layer covering the mesa and the first conductive-type semiconductor layer, and having an opening that exposes the reflective electrode structure, the current spreading layer being electrically connected to the first conductive-type semiconductor layer while being insulated from the reflective electrode structure and the mesa, wherein the upper insulation layer covers the current spreading layer and the first leading end may be a portion of the current spreading layer. In some implementations, the light emitting diode may further include an anti-diffusion reinforcing layer placed on the reflective electrode structure in the opening of the current spreading layer, wherein the second leading end may be a portion of the anti-diffusion reinforcing layer. In some implementations, the anti-diffusion reinforcing layer may be formed of the same material as that of the current spreading layer. In some implementations, the upper insulation layer may include a first opening that exposes the current spreading layer to define the first electrode pad region, and a second opening that exposes the anti-diffusion reinforcing layer to define the second electrode pad region. In some implementations, the light emitting diode may further include a lower insulation layer placed between the mesa and the current spreading layer and insulating the current spreading layer from the mesa, the lower insulation layer having an opening placed in an upper region of the mesa and exposing the reflective electrode structure. In some implementations, the spark gap may be placed between the first electrode pad region and the second electrode pad region. The spark gap generates electric sparks when static electricity of high voltage is applied between the first electrode pad region and the second electrode pad region. To this end, a gap between the first leading end and the second leading end may be narrower than other portions. In some implementations, the first leading end and the second leading end may have a semi-circular or angled shape and face each other. In another aspect, a method of fabricating a light emitting diode is provided to include: forming a first conductive-type semiconductor layer, an active layer and a second conductive-type semiconductor layer on a substrate; patterning the second conductive-type semiconductor layer and the active layer to form a mesa on the first conductive-type semiconductor layer; and forming a first electrode pad region electrically connected to the first conductive-type semiconductor layer and a second electrode pad region electrically connected to the second conductive-type semiconductor layer. Furthermore, the light emitting diode has a spark gap defined between the first leading end electrically connected to the first electrode pad region and the second leading end electrically connected to the second electrode pad region. In some implementations, the method may further include: forming a reflective electrode structure on the second conductive-type semiconductor layer; and forming a current spreading layer covering the mesa and the first conductive-type semiconductor layer, and having an opening exposing the reflective electrode structure, the current spreading layer forming ohmic contact with the first conductive-type semiconductor layer while being insulated from the mesa, wherein the first leading end is a portion of the current spreading layer. The current spreading layer allows uniform spreading of current in the first conductive-type semiconductor layer. The first leading end may be a portion of the current spreading layer. In some implementations, the method may further include forming an anti-diffusion reinforcing layer on the reflective electrode structure, the anti-diffusion reinforcing layer being formed together with the current spreading layer, wherein the second leading end is a portion of the anti-diffusion reinforcing layer. Thus, the first and second leading ends can be formed together with the current spreading layer and the anti-diffusion reinforcing layer by the same process. In some implementations, the method may further include forming an upper insulation layer covering the current spreading layer, the upper insulation layer having a first opening exposing the current spreading layer to define the first electrode pad region, and a second opening exposing the anti-diffusion reinforcing layer to define the second electrode pad region. In some implementations, the upper insulation layer may further include an opening through which the first leading end and the second leading end are exposed. The opening may be distant from the first and second openings. In some implementations, the method may further include forming a lower insulation layer covering the mesa and the first conductive-type semiconductor layer, before forming the current spreading layer, the lower insulation layer having openings that expose the reflective electrode structure and the first conductive-type semiconductor layer. In some implementations, the lower insulation layer may include a silicon oxide layer and the upper insulation layer may include a silicon nitride layer. In some implementations, the method may further include forming an anti-Sn diffusion plating layer on the first electrode pad region and the second electrode pad region using a plating technique. In another aspect, a light emitting diode (LED) module is provided to comprise: a printed circuit board; and a light emitting diode bonded to an upper side of the printed circuit board, the light emitting diode comprising: a first conductive-type semiconductor layer; a mesa placed on the first conductive-type semiconductor layer and including an active layer and a second conductive-type semiconductor layer; a reflective electrode structure placed on the mesa; a current spreading layer covering the mesa and the first conductive-type semiconductor layer, and having an opening that exposes the reflective electrode structure, the current spreading layer being electrically connected to the first conductive-type semiconductor layer while being insulated from the reflective electrode structure and the mesa; and an upper insulation layer covering the current spreading layer, the upper insulation layer has a first opening exposing the current spreading layer to define the first electrode pad region, and a second opening exposing an exposed upper region of the reflective electrode structure to define the second electrode pad region, wherein the first electrode pad region and the second electrode pad region are bonded to corresponding pads on the printed circuit boards via solder pastes, respectively. Since the first and second electrode pad regions are respectively defined by the first and second openings of the upper insulation layer, there is no need for a separate photomask for forming the first and second electrode pads. In some implementations, the light emitting diode may further include an anti-Sn diffusion plating layer formed on the first electrode pad region and the second electrode pad region. Unlike typical AuSn solders in the related art, the solder paste is a mixture of a metal alloy and an organic material and is cured by heat treatment to provide a bonding function. Thus, metal elements such as Sn in the solder paste are unlikely to diffuse, unlike metal elements in the typical AuSn solders in the related art. The anti-Sn diffusion plating layer can prevent the metal elements such as Sn in the solder paste from diffusing into the light emitting diode. Furthermore, as the anti-Sn diffusion plating layer is formed by a plating technique such as electroless plating, there is no need for a separate photomask for formation of the plating layer. In some embodiments, the light emitting diode may further include an anti-diffusion reinforcing layer placed on the reflective electrode structure in the opening of the current spreading layer, the anti-diffusion reinforcing layer being exposed through the second opening of the upper insulation layer. The anti-diffusion reinforcing layer can prevent metal elements such as Sn in the solder paste from diffusing to the reflective electrode structure in the light emitting diode. In some implementations, the anti-diffusion reinforcing layer may be formed of the same material as that of the current spreading layer. Thus, the anti-diffusion reinforcing layer may be formed together with the current spreading layer, and there is no need for a separate photomask for formation of the anti-diffusion reinforcing layer. In some implementations, the current spreading layer may include an ohmic contact layer, a reflective metal layer, an anti-diffusion layer, and an anti-oxidation layer. In some implementations, the current spreading layer may form ohmic contact with the first conductive-type semiconductor layer through the ohmic contact layer. For example, the ohmic contact layer may be formed of Ti, Cr, Ni, and the like. The reflective metal layer reflects light incident on the current spreading layer to increase reflectivity of the light emitting diode. The reflective metal layer may be formed of Al. In addition, the anti-diffusion layer prevents diffusion of metal elements and serves to protect the reflective metal layer. For example, the anti-diffusion layer can prevent diffusion of metal elements such as Sn in the solder paste. In some implementations, the anti-diffusion layer may include Cr, Ti, Ni, Mo, TiW, or W or combinations thereof. Each of Mo, TiW and W may be used to form a single layer. On the other hand, Cr, Ti, and Ni may be used to form a pair of layers. In some implementations, the anti-diffusion layer may include at least two pairs of Ti/Ni or Ti/Cr layers. In some implementations, the anti-oxidation layer is formed to prevent oxidation of the anti-diffusion layer and may include Au. In some implementations, the current spreading layer may have a reflectivity of 65% to 75%. Thus, the light emitting diode according to this embodiment of the invention can provide optical reflection by the current spreading layer in addition to optical reflection by the reflective electrode structure, whereby light traveling through a sidewall of the mesa and the first conductive-type semiconductor layer can be reflected. In some implementations, the current spreading layer may further include a bonding layer placed on the anti-oxidation layer. In some implementations, the bonding layer may include Ti, Cr, Ni or Ta. The bonding layer is used to enhance bonding strength between the current spreading layer and the upper insulation layer. In some implementations, the solder paste may adjoin the current spreading layer and the anti-diffusion reinforcing layer. Alternatively, the solder paste may adjoin the anti-Sn diffusion plating layer formed on the current spreading layer and the anti-diffusion reinforcing layer. In some implementations, the reflective electrode structure may include a reflective metal section; a capping metal section; and an anti-oxidation metal section, the reflective metal section having a slanted side surface such that an upper surface of the reflective metal section has a narrower area than a lower surface thereof, and wherein a stress relief layer is formed at an interface between the reflective metal section and the capping metal section. The stress relief layer relieves stress due to a difference in coefficient of thermal expansion between the metal layers formed of different materials. In some implementations, the mesa may include elongated branches extending parallel to each other in one direction, and a connecting portion at which the branches are connected to each other, and the opening of the current spreading layer may be placed on the connecting portion. In some implementations, the light emitting diode may further include a lower insulation layer placed between the mesa and the current spreading layer and insulating the current spreading layer from the mesa, the lower insulation layer has an opening that is placed in an upper region of the mesa and exposes the reflective electrode structure. In some implementations, the opening of the current spreading layer may have a greater width than the opening of the lower insulation layer such that the opening of the lower insulation layer is completely exposed therethrough. As a result, the current spreading layer can be insulated from the reflective electrode structure. In some implementations, the light emitting diode may further include an anti-diffusion reinforcing layer placed within the opening of the current spreading layer and the opening of the lower insulation layer, and the anti-diffusion reinforcing layer may be exposed through the second opening of the upper insulation layer. In some implementations, the lower insulation layer may include a silicon oxide layer and the upper insulation layer may include a silicon nitride layer. As the upper insulation layer is formed of silicon nitride, it is possible to prevent diffusion of metal elements from the solder paste through the upper insulation layer. In some implementations, the solder paste may include lead-free solder alloys, for example, Sn—Ag alloys, Sn—Bi alloys, Sn—Zn alloys, or Sn—Ag—Cu alloys. The light emitting diode may further include a substrate and a wavelength conversion layer covering a lower surface of the substrate. The substrate may be a growth substrate for growing the semiconductor layers. In addition, the wavelength conversion layer may cover the lower surface and a side surface of the substrate. In another aspect, a light emitting diode is provided to comprise: a first conductive-type semiconductor layer; a mesa disposed on the first conductive-type semiconductor layer and comprising an active layer and a second conductive-type semiconductor layer; a reflective electrode structure disposed on the mesa; a current spreading layer covering the mesa and the first conductive-type semiconductor layer, and having an opening exposing the reflective electrode structure, the current spreading layer being electrically connected to the first conductive-type semiconductor layer while being insulated from the reflective electrode structure and the mesa; and an upper insulation layer covering the current spreading layer, the upper insulation layer having a first opening exposing the current spreading layer to define a first electrode pad region, and a second opening exposing an exposed upper region of the reflective electrode structure to define the second electrode pad region. In some implementations, the light emitting diode further comprises: an anti-diffusion reinforcing layer disposed on the reflective electrode structure in the opening of the current spreading layer, wherein the anti-diffusion reinforcing layer is exposed through the second opening of the upper insulation layer, and is formed of the same material as that of the current spreading layer. In some implementations, the light emitting diode further comprises: anti-solder diffusion layers formed in the first opening and the second opening. In some implementations, the current spreading layer comprises an ohmic contact layer, a reflective metal layer, an anti-diffusion layer, and an anti-oxidation layer. In another aspect, a method of fabricating a light emitting diode is provided. The method may include: forming a first conductive-type semiconductor layer, an active layer and a second conductive-type semiconductor layer on a substrate; patterning the second conductive-type semiconductor layer and the active layer to form a mesa on the first conductive-type semiconductor layer while forming a reflective electrode structure on the mesa to form ohmic contact with the mesa; forming a current spreading layer covering the mesa and the first conductive-type semiconductor layer, and having an opening that exposes the reflective electrode structure, the current spreading layer forming ohmic contact with the first conductive-type semiconductor layer while being insulated from the mesa; and forming an upper insulation layer covering the current spreading layer, the upper insulation layer having a first opening exposing the current spreading layer to define a first electrode pad region, and a second opening exposing an exposed upper region of the reflective electrode structure to define the second electrode pad region. In the fabrication method, since there is no need for formation of electrode pads on the upper insulation layer, it is possible to reduce the number of photomasks for fabrication of the light emitting diode. In some implementations, the method may further include forming an anti-diffusion reinforcing layer on the reflective electrode structure, wherein the anti-diffusion reinforcing layer can be formed together with the current spreading layer, and the second opening of the upper insulation layer can expose the anti-diffusion reinforcing layer. Accordingly, the reflective electrode structure can be concealed and protected by the anti-diffusion reinforcing layer and the upper insulation layer. In some implementations, the method may further include forming a lower insulation layer covering the mesa and the first conductive-type semiconductor layer, before forming the current spreading layer; dividing the lower insulation layer and the first conductive-type semiconductor layer into chip regions by laser scribing; and patterning the lower insulation layer to form openings exposing the first conductive-type semiconductor layer and an opening exposing the reflective electrode structure. Since a chip isolation region is formed using laser scribing, there is no need for use of a photomask. In addition, since laser scribing is performed after formation of the lower insulation layer, particles formed in the laser scribing process can be easily removed by cleaning the lower insulation layer, whereby the light emitting diode can be prevented from being contaminated by the particles. In some implementations, the lower insulation layer may include a silicon oxide layer and the upper insulation layer may include a silicon nitride layer. In some implementations, the method may further include forming an anti-Sn diffusion plating layer on the first electrode pad region and the second electrode pad region using a plating technique. The plating layer may be formed by electroless plating such as ENIG (electroless nickel immersion gold) and the like. In some implementations, the substrate may be partially removed to have a small thickness by grinding and/or lapping. Then, the substrate is separated from the chip isolation region formed by laser scribing, thereby providing final individual chips separated from each other. Next, a wavelength conversion layer may be coated onto the light emitting diode chips, and the light emitting diode having the wavelength conversion layer is mounted on a printed circuit board via a solder paste, thereby providing an LED module. The wavelength conversion layer may be formed by coating a phosphor-containing resin, followed by curing the resin. Alternatively, the wavelength conversion layer may be formed by spraying phosphor powder onto the light emitting diode chip using an aerosol apparatus. In another aspect, a light emitting diode is provided to include: a first conductive-type semiconductor layer; a mesa including a second conductive-type semiconductor layer disposed over the first conductive-type semiconductor layer and an active layer interposed between the second conductive-type semiconductor layer and the first conductive-type semiconductor layer; and a first electrode disposed over the mesa, wherein the first conductive-type semiconductor layer includes a first contact region disposed around the mesa along an outer periphery of the first conductive-type semiconductor layer; and a second contact region at least partially surrounded by the mesa, the first electrode is electrically connected to at least a portion of the first contact region and at least a portion of the second contact region, and a linewidth of an adjoining region between the first contact region and the first electrode is greater than the linewidth of an adjoining region between the second contact region and the first electrode. With the structure wherein a contact area between the first electrode and the first conductive-type semiconductor layer through the first contact region is relatively increased as compared with a contact area between the first electrode and the first conductive-type semiconductor layer through the second contact region, the light emitting diode can have a reduced forward voltage (Vf). Furthermore, the light emitting diode can have improved luminous efficacy by more effectively spreading electric current in the horizontal direction. In some implementations, the second contact region may be electrically connected to the first contact region. With this structure, the light emitting diode can have improved luminous efficacy by more effectively spreading electric current in the horizontal direction. In some implementations, a length of the second contact region in a major axis direction may be 0.5 times or more the length of one side of the light emitting diode. With this structure, a contact area between the first electrode and the first conductive-type semiconductor layer can be increased, such that electric current flowing from the first electrode to the first conductive-type semiconductor layer can be more effectively dispersed, thereby further reducing forward voltage. In some implementations, the linewidth of the adjoining region between the first contact region and the first electrode may be greater than 10 μm and the linewidth of the adjoining region between the second contact region and the first electrode may be 10 μm or less. In some implementations, the light emitting diode may further include a first insulation layer interposed between the first electrode and the mesa, and the first insulation layer may partially expose the first contact region and the second contact region. In some implementations, the first insulation layer may be restrictively disposed closer to the mesa than the adjoining region between the first contact region and the first electrode. With this structure, it is possible to increase the contact area between the first electrode and the first conductive-type semiconductor layer without decreasing a light emitting area. Furthermore, in a process of dicing light emitting diodes of a wafer into individual light emitting diodes, it is possible to prevent the first insulation layer disposed along the outer periphery of the first conductive-type semiconductor layer from suffering from cracking. Accordingly, it is possible to prevent delamination force of the first electrode or a second insulation layer described below from weakening due to infiltration of moisture or contaminants through the cracks, and to prevent contamination of the first electrode, thereby improving reliability of the light emitting diode. In some implementations, the first electrode may contact the first contact region and the second contact region that are exposed through the first insulation layer while exposing an outer periphery of the first contact region. In some implementations, a portion of the first conductive-type semiconductor layer not disposed under the first insulation layer may have a smaller thickness than a portion of the first conductive-type semiconductor layer disposed under the first insulation layer. A portion of an upper surface of the first conductive-type semiconductor layer is removed by etching, so that inert particles causing deterioration in conductivity and adhesion can be removed. In some implementations, the first insulation layer disposed on an upper surface of the second conductive-type semiconductor layer may have the same thickness as the first insulation layer disposed on the upper surface of the first conductive-type semiconductor layer. Accordingly, it is possible to prevent infiltration of external contaminants into a lateral side of the mesa. In some implementations, the light emitting diode may further include a second insulation layer covering the first electrode and the second contact region exposed through the first electrode. In some implementations, the first electrode includes a plurality of layers, and an upper portion of the first electrode contacting the second insulation layer may include a Ti layer. With this structure, the light emitting diode has improved reliability through improvement in bonding strength between the first electrode and the second insulation layer. In some implementations, the second insulation layer may include an opening exposing the first electrode, and an upper portion of the first electrode exposed through the opening of the second insulation layer may include an Au layer. In some implementations, the light emitting diode may further include a first pad contacting the first electrode, wherein the first pad may contact the exposed Au layer. With this structure, the light emitting diode can exhibit improved bonding strength between the first pad and the first electrode and can reduce resistance. In some implementations, the light emitting diode may further include a second electrode disposed on the second conductive-type semiconductor layer and electrically connected to the second conductive-type semiconductor layer, wherein the second electrode may be insulated from the first electrode by the first insulation layer. In some implementations, a portion of the first insulation layer disposed on an upper surface of the second electrode may have a smaller thickness than a portion of the first insulation layer disposed on the upper surface of the second conductive-type semiconductor layer. In some implementations, the second electrode includes a plurality of layers, and an upper portion of the second electrode contacting the first insulation layer may be a Ti layer. With this structure, the light emitting diode has improved bonding strength between the second electrode and the first insulation layer, thereby providing improved reliability. In some implementations, the first insulation layer may include an opening exposing the second electrode, and an upper portion of the second electrode exposed through the opening of the first insulation layer may include an Au layer. In some implementations, the light emitting diode may further include a second pad contacting the second electrode, and the second pad may contact the exposed Au layer. With this structure, the light emitting diode can exhibit improved bonding strength between the second pad and the second electrode and can reduce resistance. In some implementations, the light emitting diode may further include a growth substrate disposed under the first conductive-type semiconductor layer. In some implementations, the second insulation layer may cover an overall region of a side surface of the first conductive-type semiconductor layer and a portion of a side surface of the growth substrate. With this structure, the light emitting diode can protect the first conductive-type semiconductor layer from external moisture or impact, and can prevent an interface between the growth substrate and the first conductive-type semiconductor layer from splitting, thereby improving reliability. In some implementations, the growth substrate may include at least one reformed region having a stripe shape and extending from at least one side surface of the growth substrate in a horizontal direction thereof. With this structure, the light emitting diode can have improved efficiency in extraction of light generated from the active layer. In some implementations, the second insulation layer may be separated from the outer periphery of the first conductive-type semiconductor layer by a predetermined distance. Accordingly, it is possible to minimize damage to the second insulation layer in a process of dividing the wafer into individual light emitting diodes. In some implementations, the mesa may include a plurality of protrusions protruding towards one side of the first conductive-type semiconductor layer; and a plurality of protrusions protruding towards the other side of the first conductive-type semiconductor layer. With this structure, not only in a region adjacent the one side of the first conductive-type semiconductor layer but also in a region adjacent the other side of the first conductive-type semiconductor layer, the light emitting diode can achieve efficient current flow between the second electrode disposed on the protrusions and the first electrode disposed on the second contact region. Accordingly, the region adjacent the other side of the first conductive-type semiconductor layer has improved luminous efficacy. According to embodiments of the disclosed technology, it is possible to protect light emitting diodes from static electricity by forming a spark gap. In addition, some implementations of the disclosed technology provide a light emitting diode, which can prevent diffusion of metal elements from a solder paste, and a method for fabricating the same. Further, some implementations of the disclosed technology provide a light emitting diode having improved current spreading performance, for example, a flip-chip type light emitting diode having improved current spreading performance. Furthermore, the light emitting diodes according to some implementations of the disclosed technology have improved reflectivity by forming a current spreading layer, thereby providing improved light extraction efficiency. Furthermore, the light emitting diodes according to some implementations of the disclosed technology can omit a photolithography process for formation of electrode pads, and can reduce the number of photomasks by forming a chip isolation region using a laser scribing technique. Furthermore, electric current flowing from the first electrode to the first conductive-type semiconductor layer can efficiently spread, thereby reducing a forward voltage. Furthermore, the first electrode can be prevented from being contaminated due to cracks in the first insulation layer, thereby improving reliability of the light emitting diode. | H01L3338 | 20171211 | 20180426 | 74276.0 | H01L3338 | 3 | MARUF, SHEIKH | LIGHT EMITTING DIODE, METHOD OF FABRICATING THE SAME AND LED MODULE HAVING THE SAME | UNDISCOUNTED | 1 | CONT-ACCEPTED | H01L | 2,017 |
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15,839,144 | PENDING | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR AUTHENTICATING USERS | A security application for a computing device, e.g., a mobile phone, allows generation of a secret according to a unique user input (e.g., user credentials). The secret is stored in a directory such that it is retrievable when the unique user input is received via a user interface of a device on which the security application executes or is coupled with. Responsive to receiving an identifier associated with the secret, the security application prompts, e.g., via a user interface of the mobile phone, entry of the unique user input; and, subsequently, verifies the unique user input. Following such verification, the security application provides the secret for use in encoding a communication with a remote computer-based station. Entry of the user credentials may be required prior to the security application generating the secret, and may be responsive to receipt of an invitation (e.g., from the remote computer-based station) to generate it. | 1. A method, comprising: by an application running on a mobile device, and via a user interface associated with said application, communicating with a user to receive a unique user input, generating, by said application, a secret based upon said unique user input, and storing said secret at said mobile device, said secret being stored with an identifier so as to be retrievable when the unique user input is again received at the mobile device; receiving at the mobile device from a remote computing device a first communication, and providing the user, via the mobile device, an opportunity to respond to the first communication; authenticating the user at the mobile device by receiving a candidate user input; and said mobile device verifying said user to the remote computing device in a second communication encoded using said secret. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the secret comprises an encryption key. 3. The method of claim 1, wherein the secret comprises a static portion and a dynamic portion. 4. The method of claim 1, wherein the first communication comprises a request for user credentials of the user of the mobile device. 5. The method of claim 1, wherein the secret is stored in an encrypted format. 6. The method of claim 1, wherein the unique user input comprises user credentials. 7. The method of claim 1, wherein the first and second communications comprise two related communications of a communication session. 8. A mobile device, comprising a processor, a storage device, and a memory, said memory storing processor-executable instructions, which instructions, when executed by said processor, cause said processor to perform steps comprising: configuring an application running on said mobile device for communication with at least one remote computer-based station, said configuring including communicating with a user via a user interface to receive a unique user input, upon receipt of said unique user input, generating a secret, storing said secret in said storage device, said secret being stored with an identifier so as to be retrievable when the unique user input is again received; upon receipt at the mobile device of a first communication from said remote computer-based station, providing the user, via the mobile device, an opportunity to respond to the first communication; authenticating the user by receiving, in response to request, a proffered user input, generating a candidate identifier using the proffered user input received, and recovering the secret from said storage device if the candidate identifier matches the identifier; and responding to the remote computing device in a second communication encoded using said secret. 9. The mobile device of claim 8, wherein the secret comprises an encryption key. 10. The mobile device of claim 8, wherein the secret comprises a static portion and a dynamic portion. 11. The mobile device of claim 8, wherein the first communication comprises a request for user credentials of the user of the mobile device. 12. The mobile device of claim 8, wherein the secret is stored in an encrypted format. 13. The mobile device of claim 8, wherein the proffered user input comprises user credentials. 14. The mobile device of claim 8, wherein the first and second communications comprise two related communications of a communication session. 15. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored thereon processor-executable instructions, which instructions, when executed by a processor, cause said processor to perform steps comprising: configuring an application running on a processor-based platform on which said instructions are executed for communication with at least one remote computer-based station, said configuring including receiving a unique user input, upon receipt of said unique user input, generating a secret, storing said secret in a memory of said processor-based platform, said secret being stored with an identifier so as to be retrievable when the unique user input is again received; upon receipt at the processor-based platform of a first communication from said remote computer-based station, providing the user, via the mobile device, an opportunity to respond to the first communication; authenticating the user by receiving, in response to request, a proffered user input, generating a candidate identifier using the proffered user input, and recovering the secret from said memory if the candidate identifier matches the identifier; and responding to the remote computing device in a second communication encoded using said secret. 16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the secret comprises an encryption key. 17. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the secret comprises a static portion and a dynamic portion. 18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the first communication comprises a request for user credentials of a user of the processor-based platform. 19. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 8, wherein the secret is stored in an encrypted format. 20. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 8, wherein the proffered user input comprises user credentials. | CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This is a CONTINUATION of and claims priority to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/399,983, filed Jan. 6, 2017, which is a CONTINUATION of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/195,606, filed Jun. 28, 2016, now U.S. Pat. No. 9,577,993, which is a CONTINUATION of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/861,630, filed Sep. 22, 2015, now U.S. Pat. No. 9,411,972, which is a CONTINUATION of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/228,463, filed Mar. 28, 2014, now U.S. Pat. No. 9,165,153, which is a CONTINUATION of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/203,327, filed Aug. 25, 2011, now U.S. Pat. No. 8,726,032, which is a 371 national stage filing of International Application PCT/US10/28562, filed Mar. 25, 2010, which claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/163,406, filed Mar. 25, 2009, each of which is incorporated herein by reference. BACKGROUND The computer system assists in managing (e.g., storing, organizing, and communicating) a large amount of information. Some of the information managed by a computer system is confidential. In other words, access to such information is intended to be limited. Traditional protection schemes attempt to prevent unauthorized users from accessing the confidential information by requiring that a user provide authentication credential(s), for example a username and password, at a predefined entry point, to access an account that includes the confidential information. Protecting only the predefined entry points, however, fails to account for nefarious individuals creating other entry points by exploiting computer system vulnerabilities. For example, knowledge of a user's hardware and software system, system configuration, types of network connections, etc. may be used to create an entry point and gain access to the confidential information. In order to prevent unauthorized access to the confidential information, the confidential information may be encrypted. Encryption is a process of transforming the clear text confidential information into an encrypted format that is unreadable by anyone or anything that does not possess a corresponding decryption key. An encryption algorithm and an encryption key are used to perform the transformation. Encryption technology is classified into two primary technology types: symmetric encryption technology and asymmetric encryption technology. Symmetric encryption technology uses the same encryption key to both encrypt and decrypt confidential information. Asymmetric encryption technology uses a pair of corresponding encryption keys: this key pair share a relationship such that data encrypted using one encryption key can only be decrypted using the other encryption key of the pair. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS FIG. 1 shows a schematic diagram of a system in accordance with one or more embodiments of the invention. FIGS. 2A-5B show flowcharts in accordance with one or more embodiments of the invention. FIGS. 6A-7E show examples in accordance with one or more embodiments of the invention. FIG. 8 shows a computing device in accordance with one or more embodiments of the invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION In general, in one aspect, the invention relates to a method for protecting a first secrets file. The method includes an n-bit generator generating a secrets file name for the secrets file and generating a decoy file names for decoy files. The secrets file includes a secret. Each of the decoy files includes decoy file contents, are a same size as the secrets file, and is associated with a modification time within a range of modification times. The modification time of the secrets file is within the range of modification times. The secrets file and decoy files are stored in a secrets directory. In general, in one aspect, the invention relates to a method for encrypting communication. The method includes receiving a request to communicate with a group, obtaining a group agreed connect name corresponding to the group, obtaining a username and password of a user of a member connecting to the group, and generating a first message digest using the group agreed connect name, the username, the password, and an n-bit generator. The method further includes extracting a secrets file name from the first message digest, obtaining an encrypted secrets file from a secrets directory, decrypting the encrypted secrets file to obtain a secrets file using a secrets file encryption key obtained from the first message digest, generating a second message digest using the n-bit generator and a first secret and a second secret from the secrets file, and encrypting communication between the member and the group using an encryption key obtained, at least in part, from the second message digest. In general, in one aspect, the invention relates to a computing device for protecting a secrets file that includes a processor, a memory, and software instructions stored in memory. The software instructions cause the computing device to generate a secrets file name for the secrets file and generating a decoy file names for decoy files. The secrets file includes a secret. Each of the decoy files includes decoy file contents, are a same size as the secrets file, and is associated with a modification time within a range of modification times. The modification time of the secrets file is within the range of modification times. The secrets file and decoy files are stored in a secrets directory. In general, in one aspect, the invention relates to a computing device for protecting a secrets file that includes a processor, a memory, and software instructions stored in memory. The software instructions cause the computing device to receive a request to communicate with a group, obtain a group agreed connect name corresponding to the group, obtain a username and password of a user of a member connecting to the group, and generate a first message digest using the group agreed connect name, the username, the password, and an n-bit generator. The software instructions further cause the computing device to extract a secrets file name from the first message digest, obtain an encrypted secrets file from a secrets directory, decrypt the encrypted secrets file to obtain a secrets file using a secrets file encryption key obtained from the first message digest, generate a second message digest using the n-bit generator and a first secret and a second secret from the secrets file, and encrypt communication between the member and the group using an encryption key obtained, at least in part, from the second message digest. In general, in one aspect, the invention relates to a computer readable medium comprising computer readable program code embodied therein for causing a computer system to perform a method for protecting a first secrets file. The method includes an n-bit generator generating a secrets file name for the secrets file and generating a decoy file names for decoy files. The secrets file includes a secret. Each of the decoy files includes decoy file contents, are a same size as the secrets file, and is associated with a modification time within a range of modification times. The modification time of the secrets file is within the range of modification times. The secrets file and decoy files are stored in a secrets directory. In general, in one aspect, the invention relates to a computer readable medium comprising computer readable program code embodied therein for causing a computer system to perform a method for protecting a first secrets file. The method includes receiving a request to communicate with a group, obtaining a group agreed connect name corresponding to the group, obtaining a username and password of a user of a member connecting to the group, and generating a first message digest using the group agreed connect name, the username, the password, and an n-bit generator. The method further includes extracting a secrets file name from the first message digest, obtaining an encrypted secrets file from a secrets directory, decrypting the encrypted secrets file to obtain a secrets file using a secrets file encryption key obtained from the first message digest, generating a second message digest using the n-bit generator and a first secret and a second secret from the secrets file, and encrypting communication between the member and the group using an encryption key obtained, at least in part, from the second message digest. Specific embodiments of the invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying figures. Like elements in the various figures are denoted by like reference numerals for consistency. In the following detailed description of embodiments of the invention, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a more thorough understanding of the invention. However, it will be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art that the invention may be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well-known features have not been described in detail to avoid unnecessarily complicating the description. In general, embodiments of the invention relate to securing communication between members of a group, where each member is a computing device. In one or more embodiments of the invention, the group is two or more members that share (or intend to share) confidential information. The confidential information may be transmitted as communication (or portion thereof). Examples of communications include, but are not limited to, short messaging service (SMS) messages, electronic mail (e-mail), chat messages, audio messages, graphics, audio-visual messages (e.g., video file, streaming video, etc.). As used herein, a communication is encrypted when at least a portion of the communication is encrypted. In one embodiment of the invention, a computing device is any physical or virtual device that may be used to perform embodiments of the invention. The physical device may correspond to any physical system with functionality to implement one or more embodiments of the invention. For example, the physical device may be implemented on a general purpose computing device (i.e., a device with a processor(s) and an operating system) such as, but not limited to, a desktop computer, a laptop computer, a gaming console, a mobile device (e.g., smart phone, a personal digital assistant, gaming device). Alternatively, the physical device may be a special purpose computing device that includes an application-specific processor(s)/hardware configured to only execute embodiments of the invention. In such cases, the physical device may implement embodiments of the invention in hardware as a family of circuits and limited functionality to receive input and generate output in accordance with various embodiments of the invention. In addition, such computing devices may use a state-machine to implement various embodiments of the invention. In another embodiment of the invention, the physical device may correspond to a computing device that include both a general purposes processor(s) and an application-specific processor(s)/hardware. In such cases, one or more portions of the invention may be implemented using the operating system and general purpose processor(s) and one or more portions of the invention may be implemented using the application-specific processor(s)/hardware. The virtual device may correspond to a virtual machine. Broadly speaking, the virtual machines are distinct operating environments configured to inherit underlying functionality of the host operating system (and access to the underlying host hardware) via an abstraction layer. In one or more embodiments of the invention, a virtual machine includes a separate instance of an operating system, which is distinct from the host operating system. For example, one or more embodiments of the invention may be implemented on VMware® architectures involving: (i) one or more virtual machines executing on a host computer system such that each virtual machine serves as host to an instance of a guest operating system; and (ii) a hypervisor layer serving to facilitate intra-host communication between the one or more virtual machines and host computer system hardware. Alternatively, one or more embodiments of the invention may be implemented on Xen® architectures involving: (i) a control host operating system (e.g., Dom 0) including a hypervisor; and (ii) one or more VMs (e.g., Dom U) executing guest operating system instances. The invention is not limited to the aforementioned exemplary architectures VMware® is a registered trademark of VMware, Inc. Xen® is a trademark overseen by the Xen Project Advisory Board. Each of the members may be used by, for example, an individual, a business entity, a family, any other entity, or any combination thereof. For example, a group may have members John Smith's computing device and Jane Doe's computing device. As another example, a group may have members John Smith's smart phone, John Smith's personal computer, and John Smith's gaming console. As another example, a group may have members John Smith's computing device, Jane Smith's computing device, and the servers of the Smith's financial advisors. Other possible groups may exist without departing from the scope of the invention. In one or more embodiments of the invention, each member creates a secrets file that has secret(s). The name of the secrets file and the secret is generated by an n-bit generator. The secret(s) is used to secure communications between the members of the group. The n-bit generator also generates decoy file names and decoy file contents for decoy files. The decoy files and the secrets file are stored together in the same secrets directory. Thus, the secrets file is indistinguishable from the decoy files. Whenever the secrets file is updated, each of the decoy files are also updated such that the secrets file remains indistinguishable from the decoy files. FIG. 1 shows a schematic diagram of a system in accordance with one or more embodiments of the invention. As shown in FIG. 1, the system includes a security application (102) and a security directory (104). Both of these components are discussed below. In one or more embodiments of the invention, each member includes a security application (102). The security application (102) on each member may be instances of the same application, different versions of the same application, or different applications. Further, the security application may correspond to a complete program product or a programming module of another application. For example, the security application may be a part of and provide security for banking and/or commerce applications. In one or more embodiments of the invention, the security application (102) includes an n-bit generator (106), an encryption module (108), and a user interface (110). Each of the components of the security application (102) may be implemented in hardware, software, firmware, or a combination thereof. The components of the security application are discussed below. In one or more embodiments of the invention, an n-bit generator (106) includes functionality to receive and process one or more inputs to generate a message digest. A message digest is a string of characters, which may be represented as a bit-string, in accordance with one or more embodiments of the invention. In one or more embodiments of the invention, the message digest is a bit string. Further, the n-bit generator includes functionality to generate a deterministic and repeatable message digest, which appears pseudo-random or random, in accordance with one or more embodiments of the invention. A pseudo-random output (e.g., message digest) is output that is repeatable and predictable but appears random. Specifically, in one or more embodiments of the invention, although the message digest is repeatable and calculable when the inputs and the operations performed by the n-bit generator (106) are known, the message digest appears random. The apparent randomness may be with respect to someone who knows or does not know the inputs in accordance with one or more embodiments of the invention. Alternatively, or additionally, the apparent randomness may be with respect to someone who does not know the operations performed by the n-bit generator in accordance with one or more embodiments of the invention. In one or more embodiments of the invention, the message digest is deterministic in that a single output exists for a given set of inputs. Moreover, the message digest may be a fixed length. In other words, regardless of the input length, the same n-bit generator (106) may produce a message digest with a fixed length. The number of bits in the input to the n-bit generator may be different or the same as the number of bits in the output produced by the n-bit generator. For example, if the n-bit generator accepts n number of bits for input and produces m number of bits for output, m may be less than, equal to, or greater than n. Multiple iterations of the n-bit generator may be performed to construct an ever-increasing m-bit result that includes multiple message digests. Further, the n-bit generator (106) includes functionality to generate a deterministic message digest. Specifically, the n-bit generator (106) has the following two properties. First, the n-bit generator (106) generates the same message digest when provided with the same input(s). Second, the n-bit generator generates, with a high probability, a different message digest when provided with different input(s). For example, a single bit change in the input may result in a significant change of the bits in the resulting message digest. In the example, the change may be fifty percent of the bits depending on the type of n-bit generator used. However, a greater percentage or less percentage of bits may change without departing from the scope of the invention. The n-bit generator (106) may include multiple sub-routines, such as a bit shuffler (not shown) and a hash function (not shown). In one or more embodiments of the invention, the bit shuffler includes functionality to combine multiple inputs into a single output. Specifically, the bit shuffler applies a function to the bit level representation of inputs to generate a resulting set of output bits. The output of the bit shuffler may appear as a shuffling of bits in each of inputs and may or may not have the same ratio of 1's to 0's as the input. In one or more embodiments of the invention, the bit shuffling by the bit shuffler has a commutative property. In other words, the order that inputs are provided to the bit shuffler does not affect the output. For example, consider the scenario in which the inputs are input X, input Y, and input Z. Bit shuffling on input X, input Y, and input Z produces the same output as bit shuffling on input Y, input Z, and input X. In one embodiment of the invention, the bit shuffler may correspond to any function or series of functions for combining inputs. For example, the bit shuffler may correspond to the XOR function, the multiplication function, an addition function, or another function that may be used to combine inputs. As another example, the security application with the bit shuffler may correspond to a function that orders the inputs and then uses a non-commutative function to generate an output. The bit shuffler may correspond to other mechanisms for combining multiple inputs without departing from the scope of the invention. In one or more embodiments of the invention, a hash function is a function that includes functionality to receive an input and produce a pseudo-random output. In one or more embodiments of the invention, the hash function may include functionality to convert a variable length input into a fixed length output. For example, the hash function may correspond to GOST, HAVAL, MD2, MD4, MD5, PANAMA, SNEERU, a member of the RIPEMD family of hash functions, a member of the SHA family of hash functions, Tiger, Whirlpool, S-Box, P-Box, any other hash function, or combination thereof. Although the above description discusses the use of the bit shuffler prior to the hash function, in one or more embodiments of the invention, the hash function operations may be performed prior to the bit shuffler operations. For example, the hash function may be performed separately on each of the inputs to create hashed inputs. The hashed inputs may then be combined by the bit shuffler. Alternatively, the bit shuffler may be first performed on the inputs to create a single intermediate result before the intermediate result is provided to the hash function. The intermediate result may be stored to be used later to create subsequent message digests. Further, in one or more embodiments of the invention, the n-bit generator includes a random character generator, such as a random number generator. The random character generator includes functionality to generate a random string of characters of a specified length. The n-bit generator may use the random character generator, for example, to generate the decoy file names (e.g., 134A, 134X) and/or the decoy data (e.g., 132A, 132X). The n-bit generator (106) is operatively connected to an encryption module (108) in accordance with one or more embodiments of the invention. An encryption module (108) includes functionality to manage the encryption and decryption of information for the computing device. Specifically, the encryption module (108) includes functionality to request generation of a secrets file (112) (discussed below) and decoy files (e.g., 114A, 114X) (discussed below). The encryption module (108) may further include functionality to update files in the security directory (104) (discussed below) so that all files in the secrets directory (104) appear indistinguishable from each other. For example, the encryption module may include functionality to receive information, request one or more message digests from the n-bit generator (106), extract an encryption key from the one or more message digests, and/or encrypt the information using the encryption key. Alternatively, or additionally, the encryption module (108) may include functionality to receive encrypted information, request one or more message digests from the n-bit generator (106), extract an encryption key from the one or more message digests, and/or decrypt the encrypted information using the encryption key. In one or more embodiments of the invention, the encryption module (108) is identically configured across all members of a group to request the same number of message digests. The configuration may be based, for example, on the type of communication, the encryption algorithm, and/or the type of data to be extracted from the message digest. The encryption module (108) implements one or more encryption algorithms. In one or more embodiments of the invention, the encryption algorithm includes functionality to transform information in a clear text format into an encrypted format that is unreadable by anyone or anything that does not possess a corresponding encryption key. For example, the encryption algorithm may correspond to Data Encryption Algorithm (DEA) specified in the Data Encryption Standard (DES), Triple DES, Advanced Encryption Standard (AES), FEAL, SKIPJACK, any other encryption algorithm, or any combination thereof. In one or more embodiments of the invention, the encryption module implements only symmetric encryption algorithm(s). Although not shown in FIG. 1, the encryption module (108) may also include or be operatively connected to an algorithm selector table (not shown). An algorithm selector table is a logical association between encryption algorithms and an algorithm identifier. The algorithm identifier may be, for example, a numeric, binary, or another such value. In one or more embodiments of the invention, all algorithm identifiers in a range are present. For example, the algorithm identifier may be a range of integers (e.g., 0 . . . 15), a sequence of binary values (e.g., 000, 001, 010, . . . 111). Further, the same encryption algorithm may be associated with multiple algorithm identifiers in the table. For example, “0” may correspond to AES, “1” may correspond to Triple DES, “2” may correspond FEAL, and “3” may correspond to Triple DES. The use of the term, “table”, is only to denote a logical representation, various data structures may be used to implement the algorithm selector table without departing from the scope of the invention. Further, in one or more embodiments of the invention, the association between the encryption algorithm identifiers and the encryption algorithms is not based on a pre-defined ordering of encryption algorithms. Specifically, the association may be randomly defined. The use of the term, “table”, is only to denote a logical representation, various implementations of the algorithm selector table may be used without departing from the scope of the invention. For example, the algorithm selector table may be implemented in computer instructions using a series of conditional statements. Specifically, when a conditional statement is satisfied, the code corresponding to the implementation of the encryption algorithm is executed. By way of another example, the algorithm selector table may be implemented as a data structure that associates the consecutive encryption algorithm identifiers with identifiers used by the security application for each of the encryption algorithms. The above are only a few examples of possible implementations for the algorithm selector table and not intended to limit the scope of the invention. Further, all members associate the same encryption algorithm identifiers with the same corresponding encryption algorithms. For example, if one member associates “0” with AES, “1” with Triple DES, “2” with FEAL, and “3” with Triple DES, then the remaining members associates “0” with AES, “1” with Triple DES, “2” with FEAL, and “3” with Triple DES. Further, all members may or may not use the same implementation of the algorithm selector table. In one or more embodiments of the invention, the algorithm selector table includes separate entries for each encryption algorithm and key length pair. In one or more embodiments of the invention, the encryption module may identify the encryption algorithm from the algorithm selector table and use the key length associated with the encryption algorithm to extract the appropriate number of bits for the encryption key. For example, an entry may exist for Blowfish with an encryption key length 256 bits and a separate entry may exist for Blowfish with an encryption key length of 384 bits. In the example, if the first entry is specified in the algorithm selector bits of the message digest (discussed below), then 256 bits are extracted from the message digest(s) for the encryption key. Alternatively, in the example, if the second entry is specified, then 384 bits are extracted from the message digest for the encryption key. Further, each entry in the algorithm selector table may include a starting bit value. The starting bit value may be used to identify a first secret to use in the secrets repository or a starting bit for the encryption key in the message digest. Alternatively, although not shown in FIG. 1, the system may include a key length table. The key length table may specify an identifier with a corresponding encryption key length. Similar to the algorithm selector table, multiple different possible implementations of the key length table may be used without departing from the scope of the invention. Further, all members of the group have the associations between key length identifiers and key lengths, but may not have the same implementation of key length table. For example, “1” may be associated with “256 bits”, 2 may be associated with “128 bits”, etc. In one or more embodiment of the invention, when a key length table is used, the algorithm selector table may be used to specify the encryption algorithm, and the key length table may be used to specify the number of bits in the encryption key. Specifically, a key length field (discussed below) in the message digest may index the corresponding entry in the key length table. In one or more embodiments of the invention, if the specified encryption algorithm does not allow for variable key length, then the key length field in the message digest is ignored. Continuing with the security application (102), in one or more embodiments of the invention, the user interface (110) includes functionality to communicate with a user of the computing device. For example, the user interface (110) may include functionality to guide a user through configuring the security application to communicate with one or more groups of which the computing device is a member. Further, the user interface (110) may include functionality to inform a user when another member of a group is requesting communication and provide the user with the option of allowing the communication with the user's computing device. The user interface (110) may include hardware and/or software components, such as information boxes, menu buttons, drop down boxes, input boxes, hardware lights, hardware buttons, and/or other user interface components. Although not shown in FIG. 1, the security application may include an application programming interface (API). The security application may be configured to communicate with other applications executing on the same or different computing devices using the API. Thus, for example, the API of member A may include functionality to communicate via the network with member B's security application. As another example, the API may include functionality to receive an encrypted format of a file and provide a clear text format of the file to another application executing on member A. Conversely, the API may include functionality to receive, from another application on member A, a clear text format of a file and provide an encrypted format of the file to another application executing on member A on member B. In one or more embodiments of the invention, the security application (102) includes functionality to access and use a security directory (104). A security directory (104) is located within a file system for storage of the secrets file (112) and the decoy files (e.g., 114A, 114X). Alternatively, the file system merely includes an access point for the security directory, which is stored on an external physical storage medium that is accessible via the file system (e.g., the external physical storage medium is mounted to the file system). In one or more embodiments of the invention, the security directory (104) does not include any partitioning (e.g., in the form of subdirectories or subfolders) of the secrets file (112) and the decoy files (e.g., 114A, 114X). Further, in one or more embodiments of the invention, secrets files (112) and decoy files (e.g., 114A, 114X) generated for different groups of users are not partitioned in the security directory (104). Alternatively, the security directory (104) may include a partitioning of files for each group of which the user is a member. In one embodiment of the invention, the secrets directory (104) (or portions thereof) is located on an external device that is accessible to the security application. Examples of external devices include, but are not limited to, a mobile phone, a smart phone, a personal digital assistant, a portable gaming device, a memory device (e.g., any device with non-volatile memory) with a contactless interface (e.g., a BlueTooth Interface), a memory device (e.g., any device with non-volatile memory) with a contact interface (e.g., a Universal Serial Bus (USB) interface), etc. Although FIG. 1 shows the security directory (104) as only including the secrets file (112) and the decoy files (e.g., 114A, 114X), the security directory (104) may include other files without departing from the scope of the invention. For example, the security directory (104) may include general files for the member, general files for a computer system (not shown) connected to the member, configuration files for the security application (102), and/or any other files. Further, the other files may or may not be in the same partition in the security directory as the secrets file (112) and the decoy files (e.g., 114A, 114X). The secrets file (112) is a file for storing secrets (118). Secrets in the secrets file (112) are shared secrets. Shared secrets (118) correspond to data known only to the members of the group. Specifically, the security application (102) of each member of the group independently generates the secrets (118) using an n-bit generator (106) and the same group agreed seed as inputs to the n-bit generator (106). The group agreed seed may be any password, passphrase, or series of characters agreed upon by members of the group or their corresponding users. For example, the group agreed seed may be “the cow jumped over the moon,” “#8$#DsaVA(@12w@,” or any other collection of characters (e.g., symbols and/or alphanumeric characters). In one or more embodiments of the invention, because each secret is generated by the n-bit generator (106), each secret is pseudo-random. For example, when interpreted in textual-based format, each secret appears as random string of characters (e.g., ASCII symbols or any other character set used to represent characters). In one or more embodiments of the invention, each security application generates the same set of secrets (118). Each secret (118) in the secrets file may be associated with a unique secret identifier. The unique secret identifier may be a consecutive integer specifying when the secret was generated. For example, the first generated secret may be associated with the number one, while the second generated may be associated with the number two, etc. The consecutive integer may be explicitly or implicitly associated with the secret. For example, the number one may be stored in the secrets file (112) with the first generated secret. Alternatively, the first generated secret may be in the first position in the secrets file to indirectly associate the first generated secret with the first integer. Secrets (118) in the secrets file (112) are each associated with a given group and may be further organized according to type of communication in accordance with one or more embodiments of the invention. For example, secrets used for encryption in a chat session may be different than secrets used for encryption in an email communication. Alternatively or additionally, the secrets may be organized based on the clear text file format of a file to be encrypted. For example, secrets used to encrypt portable document formatted (PDF) files may be different than secrets used to encrypt extensible markup language (XML) files. In one or more embodiments of the invention, each shared secret may include a static secret, a dynamic secret, or both a static secret and a dynamic secret. The static secret may remain unchanged throughout the lifetime of the group in accordance with one or more embodiments of the invention. For example, the static secret may be used to recover secure communications by providing a new set of secrets when the members of the group lose synchronization with regards to the dynamic secrets. In contrast, the dynamic secret may periodically change, such as at the end of each communication session or prior to beginning a communication session. In one or more embodiments of the invention, a communication session may be a set of related communications (e.g., related short messaging service messages (SMS), related emails, chat messages, or other related communications). Alternatively, or additionally, a communication session may correspond to a set of communications starting at a first time and having a duration of a pre-defined amount of time. The pre-defined amount of time may be defined, for example, according to the amount of time after the last communication is sent and/or received. In one or more embodiments of the invention, secrets (118) are protected in the secrets file. The protection of the secrets (118) may be performed by encrypting the file. Specifically, the secrets file (112) may have an encryption key (not shown) associated with the secrets file (112), such that only the encryption module (108) can decrypt the file. Protection may further include making the secrets (118) inaccessible to the member having the secrets directory (104). Specifically, the member (or user of the member) may be unable to identify the secrets (118) or even the secrets file (112). By hiding the secrets (118) even from the member (and the user of the member) having the security application (102) and the security directory (104), the secrets (118) are highly unlikely to be compromised by the member (or the user of the member). In addition to secrets (118), the secrets file (112) also include secrets file metadata (116). The secrets file metadata (116) includes information about the secrets file (112). As shown in FIG. 1, the secrets file metadata (116) may include a file name (120), a created timestamp (122), an accessed timestamp (124), a modified timestamp (126), and a file size (128). The file name (120) is the unique identifier of the file within the security directory (104). In one or more embodiments of the invention, the file name appears randomly generated. Specifically, the file name (120) is a pseudo-random string of characters (e.g., symbols and/or alphanumeric characters) of a pre-defined length. The file name may be generated by the n-bit generator and may be converted to textual based format. The created timestamp (122) specifies when the secrets file (112) was created. If the secrets file (112) is a copy of an original secrets file (112), then the created timestamp specifies when the copy was created. Similarly, the accessed timestamp specifies when the secrets file (112) was last accessed by the user or the program. For example, the accessed timestamp may correspond to the last time in which the secrets file (112) was opened. The modified timestamp (126) specifies when the secrets file (112) was last modified. Specifically, the modified timestamp (126) specifies when a change was saved to the secrets file (112). The file size (128) provides the size of the secrets file (112). Specifically, the file size (128) may specify, for example, the amount of physical storage space required to store the secrets file. In addition to the secrets file (112), the security directory (104) also includes decoy files (e.g., 114A, 114X) in accordance with one or more embodiments of the invention. In one or more embodiments of the invention, the decoy files (e.g., 114A, 114X) are indistinguishable from the secrets file (112). Specifically, like the secrets file (112), the decoy files include metadata (e.g., 130A, 130X) [130X was omitted from FIG. 1] and data (e.g., 132A, 132X). The decoy file metadata (e.g., 130A, 130X) may include a file name (e.g., 134A, 134X), a created timestamp (e.g., 136A, 136X), accessed timestamp (e.g., 138A, 138X), modified timestamp (e.g., 140A, 140X), and file size (e.g., 142A, 142X). In one or more embodiments of the invention, the file name (e.g., 134A, 134X) of the decoy files (e.g., 114A, 114X) are similar to the file name (120) of the secrets file (112). Specifically, like the secrets file name (120), the decoy file name (e.g., 134A, 134X) is a pseudo-random string of characters. Further, the decoy file name (e.g., 134A, 134X) includes only characters that may be present in the secrets file name (120). For example, if the secrets file name (120) includes only alphanumeric characters, then the decoy file names (e.g., 134A, 134X) also only include alphanumeric characters. Thus, the secrets file name (120) appears indistinguishable from the decoy file name (e.g., 114A, 114X). Further, in one or more embodiments of the invention, the created timestamp (e.g., 136A, 136X), the accessed timestamp (e.g., 138A, 138X), the modified timestamp (e.g., 140A, 140X), and the file size (e.g., 142A, 142X) of the decoy files (e.g., 114A, 114X) are identical to created timestamp (122), accessed timestamp (124), modified timestamp (126), and the file size (128) of the secrets file (112). Rather than being completely identical, the aforementioned components may be substantially identical (e.g., have only a difference of a few seconds or millisecond). Moreover, the values of the aforementioned components of the secrets file (112) are within the range of values of the aforementioned components of the various decoy files (e.g., 114A, 114X). For example, if the modified timestamp of the secrets file is 10:21:45 AM on Aug. 1, 2010, the modified timestamp of the decoy files may range from 10:21:36 AM on Aug. 1, 2010 to 10:21:59 AM on Aug. 1, 2010. A broader range of timestamps may exist without departing from the scope of the invention. Similar to the file name (e.g., 134A, 134X) of the decoy files (e.g., 114A, 114X) and the file name (120) of the secrets file (112), the decoy data (e.g., 132A, 132X) appear indistinguishable to the secrets (118). In particular, the decoy data (e.g., 132A, 132X) has the same apparent randomization of characters as the secrets. Further, if the secrets file is partitioned into secrets (e.g., static and dynamic secrets), then the decoy data is also partitioned into strings of the same number of characters as the secrets. Similarly, if the secrets file includes identifiers, then the decoy data also includes similar identifiers. Thus, the decoy data (e.g., 132A, 132X) includes the same amount, same identifier, same file structure and the same apparent randomization of characters as the secrets (118) in accordance with one or more embodiments of the invention. The decoy data (e.g., 132A, 132X) may be encrypted, for example, using the same encryption algorithm to encrypt the secrets (118). Although FIG. 1 shows the secrets file (112) as the first file, the secrets file (112) may be intermingled between the decoy files (e.g., 114A, 114X). For example, the ordering of the files within the secrets directory does not account for fact that the secrets file is a secrets file. Thus, the secrets file (112) is not in a pre-defined position within the secrets directory. Further, a portion of the security application (102) may be remote from the computing device. For example, a portion of the security application may be stored on an external storage device. As another example, an external device that is connected to the computing device may be configured to process and display a user interface for the security application (102) executing on the computing device. Further, the metadata shown in FIG. 1 may be only a portion of the metadata (e.g., 116, 130A, 130X) that is manipulated to be identical or substantially identical for the secrets file (112) and the decoy files (e.g., 114A, 114X). Specifically, the secrets file (112) and the decoy files (e.g., 114A, 114X) may include additional metadata without departing from the scope of the invention. Further, the additional metadata may or may not be updated to be identical or substantially identical without departing from the scope of the invention. For example, if the metadata includes the file creator, then the secrets file and decoy files are forced to have the same file creator in accordance with one or more embodiments of the invention. In the example, the file creator may be the user or a pre-specified name FIGS. 2A-5B show flowcharts in accordance with one or more embodiments of the invention. While the various steps in these flowcharts are presented and described sequentially, one of ordinary skill will appreciate that some or all of the steps may be executed in different orders, may be combined or omitted, and some or all of the steps may be executed in parallel. Further, in the following flowcharts, a member of the group is deemed to perform the actions when the security application of the member performs the actions on behalf of the member. FIGS. 2A-2B show a flowchart for configuring the security application in accordance with one or more embodiments of the invention. As shown in FIG. 2A, in Step 201, execution of a configuration utility in the security application is started. In one or more embodiments of the invention, the first time that a user starts the security application, the configuration utility is started. Further, in one or more embodiments of the invention, the user may use the configuration utility after the first configuration, such as to add additional groups. As discussed below, the configuration utility may guide the user through configuring the security application to communicate with the groups of which the user's computing device is a member. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that a process executing on the computing device may initiate the configuration of the security instead of the user. Continuing with FIG. 2A, in Step 203, the security application receives new user credentials. In one or more embodiments of the invention, the new user credentials may include, for example, a username and password. Other forms of user credentials may be used without departing from the scope of the invention. After the user provides the new user credentials, the user may be required later to use the provided credentials to use the security application. Alternatively, rather than the user providing new user credentials in Step 203, the security application may be pre-configured with user credentials. For example, consider the scenario in which the security application is provided to the user by a business entity that pre-associates the security application with user credentials. In such a scenario, the user in Step 203 may be requested to provide the pre-associated credentials in order to configure the security application. Continuing with FIG. 2A, in Step 205, a configuration of a new group is initiated. For example, a user may select a menu option or software button to indicate that the user would like to add a new group. Alternatively or additionally, the configuration may be based on the user receiving an invite via the security application. The user may be invited by other members to the group. For example, consider the scenario in which the user is an employee of a company. An administrator of the company may trigger the administrator's security application to send, to the employee's work computer, an invitation to join the group. Based on the invite, the security application on the employees work computer starts the configuration of the new group. In Step 207, the name of the group is received. In one or more embodiments of the invention, the user provides a nickname for the group. The user may provide a name that the user is capable of remembering. For example, the name may be the names of the users who have computing devices that are members of the group. For example, if John's computing device, Angie's computing device, and Joe's computing device are members, then the group name may be John-Angie-Joe. Further, in one or more embodiments of the invention, the names are alphabetically ordered. For example, the group name may be Angie-Joe-John. Rather than using names associated with the members of the group, the group name may be a description of the group (e.g., “financial management team,” “work group,” “lawsuit strategy team,” etc.). In Step 209, a group agreed connect name for the new group is received. In one or more embodiments of the invention, a group agreed connect name is an identifier of the group used by all of the members. Specifically, each member of the group associates the same group agreed connect name with the group. Thus, whereas the name of the group in Step 207 may be a name used by a single member, the group agreed connect name is an identifier shared by all members. Further, the group agreed connect name may be an alphanumeric value which would be very difficult to memorize. Because all members associate the same group with the same group agreed connect name, the group agreed connect name may be used by a member of the group when triggering the start of a communication session with other members of the group. For example, consider the scenario in which group A includes Angie's computing device, Joe's computing device, and John's computing device, and has a connect name of 32. Group B includes only Joe's computing device and Angie's computing device, and has connect name 43. In the scenario, Joe's computing device may start communication with the Group A by using connect name 32. Thus, Angie's computing device uses the correct set of secrets for Group A. The group may agree on a group agreed connect name by using a negotiation protocol. For example, one or more members may broadcast a proposed connect name, which is either accepted or rejected by the other group members. If all members agree, then the agreed proposed connect name may be a group agreed connect name Alternatively, the group agreed connect name may be assigned. For example, an administrator of the group, who may or may not be a member, may assign the group agreed connect name to the group. As another example, users of the members may communicate the group agreed connect name in person, over the phone, via postal mail, or using any other alternative communication channel In Step 211, a first message digest is generated using the group agreed connect name and the user credentials as inputs into the n-bit generator. Specifically, the encryption module calls the n-bit generator using the group agreed connect name and the user credentials as the input values. The n-bit generator generates the first message digest by applying the operations of the n-bit generator (discussed above) to the input values. In Step 213, a secrets file name and a secrets file encryption key is extracted from the first message digest. Specifically, the encryption module identifies each portion of the message digest corresponding to a secrets file name and a secrets file encryption key. For example, in a 512-bit message digest, bits in bit positions 0-255 may correspond to the secrets file name, bits in bit positions corresponding to 256-383 may correspond to the secrets file encryption key, and the final 128 bits may correspond to discard bits that remain unused. In the example, the security application extracts the secrets file name by obtaining 0-255 bits and extracts the secrets file encryption key by obtaining the next 128 bits. In one or more embodiments of the invention, because the user credentials are part of the input in Step 211, with a high probability, a different message digest is generated by each member of the group. Thus, the secrets file name and the secrets file encryption key are different for each member of the group. Thus, a nefarious individual or computer system cannot correlate file names on different members to identify the secrets file or decrypt an encrypted secrets file using a secrets file encryption key generated by another member. In Step 215, a determination is made whether a file naming conflict exists in the security directory. Specifically, a determination is made whether the file name matches an existing file name in the security directory. If a file naming conflict exists, the naming conflict is corrected in Step 217. Different techniques may be used to correct the naming conflict. For example, the member having the naming conflict may request that a new group agreed connect name is used. The new group agreed connect name may be generated by incrementing or appending a value on the previous group agreed connect name or repeating Step 209. Other methods to correct the naming conflict may be used without departing from the scope of the invention. Continuing with FIG. 2B, in Step 219, regardless of whether a naming conflict exists, a group agreed seed is received for the secrets file. Specifically, the members of the group and/or their corresponding users communicate and agree on a group agreed seed. If the users communicate and agree on the group agreed seed, then the user may submit the group agreed seed to the security application. In such embodiments, the security application obtains the group agreed seed from the member. If the members communicate with the other members regarding the group agreed seed, then the member obtains the group agreed seed as the one agreed upon. The group agreed seed may be any password, passphrase, or series of characters. For example, the group agreed seed may be “the cow jumped over the moon,” “#8$#DsaVA(@12w@,” or any other collection of characters (e.g., symbols and/or alphanumeric characters). Users of the members may communicate the group agreed seed in person, over the phone, via postal mail, or using any other alternative communication channel Each member may independently submit the group agreed seed to the security application. When prompted, the user of each member may enter the group agreed seed in a field of the user interface of the security application. In Step 221, a second message digest is generated using the group agreed seed as input into the n-bit generator. Specifically, the encryption module calls the n-bit generator using the group agreed seed as the input value. The n-bit generators of each of the members performs the same one or more functions for all of the members of the group. Thus, the same message digest (i.e., the second message digest) is generated by all members of the group. In Step 223, secrets are obtained from the second message digest. Specifically, the encryption module identifies each portion of the second message digest relating to a secret. The following examples are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. Turning to an example, in a 512-bit message digest, bits in bit positions 0-127 may correspond to the static secret, bits in bit position corresponding to 128-383 may correspond to the dynamic secret and the final 128 bits may correspond to discard bits that remain unused or to a change (increment) value to be included as an input to an iterative pass of the n-bit generator. In the example, the security application extracts the static secret by obtaining the first 128 bits of the message digest and extracts the dynamic secret by obtaining the next 256 bits. As discussed, the above is only an example. For example, the ordering of the static secrets, dynamic secret, and discard bits may be different from the previous example, the discard bits may be omitted, the static secret or a portion thereof may be in different message digests, the dynamic secret or a portion thereof may be in different message digests, or one of the secrets may be omitted. In one or more embodiments of the invention, each security application extracts the same bits for each of the secrets. Thus, each member of the group generates the same set of secrets. As another example for extracting secrets, bits in the message digest may indicate the starting position of each of the secrets. For example, the first four bits low order or least significant of the message digest may be used as shift bits defining the start of a secret. In such an example, the first bit of a secret may start following the shift value. By way of an example, if the shift bits in the message digest is “0001” (or one in base 10), then the secret starts at bit position two. As another example, if the shift bits is “1000” (or eight in base 10), the secret starts a bit 9. Additional secrets may be generated for the group by repeating Steps 221 and 223 using the second message digest (or a portion thereof) and subsequent message digests (or a portion thereof) as an input to the n-bit generator. Alternatively, or additionally, Steps 221 and 223 may be repeated multiple times to generate a succession of new secrets. For example, each subsequent time may use, as input, the message digest from the previously time. Alternatively or additionally, additional secrets may be generated by repeating Steps 203-205 in which new group agreed seeds are used. In Step 225, the secrets are stored in the secrets file. As discussed above, each secret may be stored with the unique secret identifier and/or a secrets grouping identifier. In Step 227, the secrets are encrypted using the secrets file encryption key (obtained in Step 213). Specifically, the encryption module applies an encryption algorithm to the secrets file using the secrets file encryption key. Thus, the secrets in the secrets file may be protected even if the secrets file is identified. In Step 229, decoy file names and contents are generated for the decoy files. Different techniques may be used to create the decoy file names and contents. For example, the encryption module may request that the n-bit generator uses a random character generator to generate a random set of characters of an identical length as the secrets and secrets file name As another example, the encryption module may call the n-bit generator with pseudo-randomly generated input to create the decoy files. As another example, the encryption module may use the final generated secret (e.g., secret(s) obtained in Step 223) with or without modification input as input to the n-bit generator to produce additional content. In one or more embodiments of the invention, two or three decoy files are created each time a secrets file is created. More or fewer decoy files may be created without departing from the scope of the invention. Further, once the security directory has a threshold number of files (secrets file and decoy files), the encryption module may stop creating decoy files in one or more embodiments of the invention. In Step 231, the decoy files are stored in the security directory with the secrets file. In one or more embodiments of the invention, the creation storage of the decoy files is the same time as the creation and storage of the encrypted secrets file. Thus, the decoy files and the secrets file have the same timestamps. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the timestamps on the decoy files and/or the secrets file may be modified such that all timestamps are the same or within an appropriate range (as defined above). In Step 233, identifiers of members of the group are received. Specifically, an identifier for each member of the group is received. The identifier may be a unique identifier, a nickname, or another identifier. In Step 235, connection information to create a secure connection to each member of the group is received. Specifically, the connection information identifies how to access the member through a secure communication channel if it exists. Alternatively, the connection information may specify general contact information, such as a phone number, an internet protocol (IP) address, or other contact information. In Step 237, the connection information is stored with the identifiers for the group. The connection information and the identifiers may be stored in a separate file, such as a configuration file associated with the security application. Further, the same connection information may be used by the member for multiple groups that have common members. Although not shown in FIGS. 2A-2B, additional groups may be added by repeating Steps 205-237 for each group. In one or more embodiments of the invention, when a new group is created, the timestamps of all existing files are updated to match the new group. The timestamps may be updated, for example, using APIs provided by the operating system to force an update of the timestamps. FIG. 3 shows a flowchart for communicating between members of the group in one or more embodiments of the invention. In Step 231, a request for group communication is received. The request may be received from the user using the member, an application executing on the member or executing on a computer system connected to the member, another member, etc. For example, the user may start the security application and select a group using the group name to start sending communications. The user may also select the application (e.g., email application, chat application, etc.) that the user will use for the communication. In response, the security application may access the connection information for other members of the group and send an invite to the other members using the connection information. The invite may include the group agreed connect name and indicate that the member is starting a communication session for the group having the specified connect name Additionally, or alternatively, the invite may be sent with the first communication from the member. As a second example, the user may use an application (e.g., a email application, a chat application, an internet browser) to start a communication session with another user. The security application may intercept the user's connection request, identify the members of the group corresponding to the recipient users, and invite the other members of the group to the communication session using the group agreed connect name and the connection information for the other members. As a third example, the request for group communication may be initiated by the security application receiving an invite to the communication session from another member of the group. In response, the security application may notify the user that a communication session is requested in accordance with one or more embodiments of the invention. The above are only some examples of how a request for communication is received. The request for communication may be received in other manner without departing from the scope of the invention. In Step 233, user credentials are received. In one or more embodiments of the invention, the member prompts the user to provide the user credentials. For example, the user interface of the security application may display one or more input boxes for the user to submit the user's credentials. In Step 235, the n-bit generator generates the secrets file name and the secrets file encryption key using the user's credentials and the group agreed connect name Specifically, the n-bit generator generates a message digest having the secrets file name and the secrets file encryption key using the aforementioned inputs. The encryption module extracts the aforementioned components from the message digest. Generating the message digest and extracting the secrets file encryption key may be performed as discussed above with reference to Steps 211 and 213 in FIG. 2. In Step 237, a determination is made whether a matching file name is found in the security directory. If a matching file name is found, then the user's credentials are correct and the secrets file is identified. If the matching file name is not found, then the received user's credentials may be incorrect. The security application may allow the user to re-submit the credentials and/or deny access to the user. In Step 239, if the matching file name is found, the secrets file is decrypted using the secrets file encryption key. Specifically, the encryption module applies the encryption algorithm to the encrypted secrets file (i.e., the file identified in Step 237) using the secrets file encryption key to create a decrypted secrets file. In Step 241, the secrets are obtained from the decrypted secrets file. In one or more embodiments of the invention, the secrets may be obtained based on the type of unique secret identifier and/or a secrets grouping identifier. For example, the communication request may specify an application used in the communication. Accordingly, encryption module may identify the secrets grouping identifier corresponding to the specified application. The encryption module obtains the secrets from the secrets file having the specified secrets grouping identifier. In one or more embodiments of the invention, rather than opening the secrets file to obtain the secrets, the secrets file may be copied to a temporary memory location, such as cache memory, and the copy may be opened to obtain the secrets. Thus, if the dynamic secrets are not updated at the end of the communication session, then the metadata of the secrets file remains unchanged. When the metadata of the secrets file remains unchanged, then the metadata of the decoy files does not need to change. Further, the contents of the temporary memory location may be destroy so as to destroy the copy of the secrets file. The destruction may include overwriting the temporary location multiple times in accordance with one or more embodiments of the invention. As another example, the communication request may include the unique secret identifier. In the example, the encryption module may extract the secret having the unique secrets identifier from the secrets file. By way of another example, the encryption module may randomly select secrets (e.g., a static and dynamic secret) and send the unique secrets identifier of the randomly selected secrets to the other members of the group. The above are only a few examples for obtaining secrets from the secrets file. Other methods may be used without departing from the scope of the invention. In Step 243, the n-bit generator generates one or more message digests using the secrets. Generating one or more message digests is discussed below and in FIGS. 4A and 4B. Continuing with FIG. 3, the encryption module encrypts and decrypts communications transferred between the members of the group using an encryption key parsed from the message digest. As discussed below, from the message digest(s), an encryption key is generated. The encryption module applies the encryption key and an encryption algorithm to each communication for sending to encrypt the communication. The encrypted communication is sent to the other members of the group. Similarly, the encryption module applies the encryption key and the encryption algorithm to each received communication to decrypt the received communication. In one or more embodiments of the invention, the encryption module intercepts the communications sent and received from the member to the group or from a computer system connected to the member to the group. The encryption module performs the encryption and decryption steps without input from and transparently to the user (or other computer system to which the security application is connected) in one or more embodiments of the invention. In one or more embodiments of the invention, the security application may be used for communications between subgroups, in which only some of the members are present using the secrets for the group. In one or more embodiments of the invention, the sub-group may be spawned into a new group. Additionally, or alternatively, when only the subgroup is communicating, the dynamic secret is not updated for the entire group. FIGS. 4A and 4B show flowcharts for using the initial message digest to generate an encryption key. As shown in FIG. 4A, in Step 251, a shared secret(s) is obtained from the secrets file. In Step 253, a new message digest is generated using the shared secret(s) as inputs for the n-bit generator. For example, the encryption module may call the n-bit generator and pass the parameters of the shared secret(s). In Step 255, an encryption key is extracted from the resulting message digest. Extracting the encryption key may include the encryption module identifying the bit positions corresponding to the encryption key and separately storing the series of bits in the identified bit positions as the encryption key. In addition to extracting the encryption key, algorithm selector bits, key length and other components of the message digest may be extracted. The algorithm selector bits may be used, for example, as an index to the algorithm selector table to identify an encryption algorithm to use to encrypt the communications. FIG. 4B shows another example flowchart for using the initial message digest. Specifically, FIG. 4B shows an example for generating multiple message digests, where each message digest includes some of the components for encrypting a communication. In Step 257, the shared secret and dynamic secret are obtained from the secrets file. Obtaining the shared secret and the dynamic secret may be performed as discussed above. In Step 259, a second message digest is generated using the shared secret and the dynamic secret as inputs for the n-bit generator. Generating the second message digest may be performed in a similar manner to that discussed above with reference to Step 253 in FIG. 4A. In Step 261, the change value and other components are extracted from the second message digest. Extracting the components may be performed in a manner similar to the extraction of the encryption key as discussed above in Step 255 of FIG. 4A. The other components that are extracted may include, for example, the most significant bits of the encryption key, the least significant bits of the encryption key, the algorithm selector bits, etc. In Step 263 of FIG. 4B, the change value is combined with the dynamic secret to create an interim dynamic secret. Combining the change value with the dynamic secret may be performed, for example, by a bit shuffler. Specifically, any of the operations discussed above with respect to the bit shuffler may be performed to combine the change value with the dynamic secret. In one or more embodiments of the invention, a prime number is added to the change value or result to account for a possibility that the change value may be zero. For example, the combination may be the change value XOR'd with the dynamic secret plus one. In Step 265, a third message digest is generated using the interim dynamic secret and the static secret as inputs to the n-bit generator. Step 265 may be performed, for example, in a manner similar to the above discussion with reference to Step 259. In one or more embodiments of the invention, rather than performing Step 263 to create an interim dynamic secret and then performing Step 265 to generate a third message digest using the interim dynamic secret, the third message digest may be generated using the change value, the dynamic secret, and the static secrets as inputs into the n-bit generator. In Step 267, the change value and other components are extracted from the third message digest in accordance with one or more embodiments of the invention. Extracting the change value and the other components may be in a manner similar to the above discussion with reference to Step 261. In Step 269, a determination is made whether to create another message digest. In one or more embodiments of the invention, each security application is configured to create an identical number of message digests. Additional message digests may be generated to create additional bits for an encryption key or to create additional components. If a determination is made to create an additional message digest, then the steps repeat starting with Step 263. In Step 263, the change value extracted in Step 267 is used with the dynamic secret to create a new interim dynamic secret. Alternatively, rather than using the dynamic secret for subsequent message digests, the previously created interim dynamic secret may be used. Alternatively, if a determination is made not to create another message digest, an encryption solution is created from the components of the message digests in Step 271. For example, the least significant bits of the encryption key may be combined with the most significant bits of the encryption key to create a single encryption key. The encryption solution may be used to encrypt and decrypt communications. Encrypting a communication may be performed for example, by accessing the algorithm selector table to identify the encryption algorithm corresponding to the algorithm selector bits in the message digest. The communication to be encrypted is encrypted by applying the identified encryption algorithm with the encryption key to the communication. The resulting encrypted communication may be sent to the members and/or stored (e.g., stored on a local or remote storage device). In one or more embodiments of the invention, when an encrypted communication is stored, dynamic secrets are not used to create the encryption key used to encrypt the communication. During or at the end of a session, the members of a group may agree to change the encryption key and/or the dynamic secret values. For example, the agreement may be based on a signal passed between the members when one of the members elects that the encryption key should change. As another example, the agreement may be based on a pre-agreed period at which a new encryption key is generated. For example, the members may agree that a new encryption key should be generated every five minutes, with every 20 communications, after 256K bits are exchanged, etc. FIG. 5A shows a flowchart for changing an encryption key. In Step 281, a change of encryption key is initiated by the group or one of the members thereof. As discussed above, the initiation may be based on a message, a pre-agreed period, etc. In Step 283, intermediate results of the last performance of the n-bit generator and the last generated change value are obtained. As discussed above, the intermediate results may correspond to the output of the bit shuffler prior to performing the hash function. Further, each member may extract the change value from the last generated message digest. In Step 285, each member generates a new message digest using the intermediate results and the last change value as inputs to the n-bit generator. In Steps 283 and 285, rather than using the intermediate results, the dynamic secret, the dynamic secret and the static secret, or the interim dynamic secret may be used in accordance with one or more embodiments of the invention. In Step 287, a new encryption key is extracted from the new message digest. Extracting the new encryption key may be performed as discussed above with reference to Step 255 of FIG. 4A. After the new encryption key is extracted the new encryption key may be used to encrypt and decrypt communications between the members of the group. In one or more embodiments of the invention, the encryption key could be an encryption solution. The encryption solution may include, for example, the encryption key, algorithm selector bits for selecting an encryption algorithm, and/or other components used for encryption. FIG. 5B shows an example flowchart for changing the dynamic secret values at the end of a communication session in accordance with one or more embodiments of the invention. In Step 289, a communication session is finalized with the group. For example, the group members may send a message ending the communication session. Each member may wait until the member receives confirmation from all other members of the group. In Step 291, the initial dynamic secret and the final change value used in the communication session are obtained. For example, the initial dynamic secret may be the secret generated in the initial message digest or a secret stored in the secrets repository. The final change value may correspond to the last generated change value. For example, the final change value may be obtained as discussed above with reference to Step 283 in FIG. 5A. Continuing with FIG. 5B, in Step 293, a new message digest is generated using the initial dynamic secret and the change value as inputs to the n-bit generator. In Step 295, the new dynamic secret is extracted from the new message digest. The new dynamic secret may replace the initial dynamic secret in the secrets file. Specifically, in Step 297, each member of the group may store the new dynamic secret in their corresponding secrets repository. Because each member generates and stores the same new dynamic secret, the members use the same secrets in the next communication session. Further, each member updates the secrets files and the decoy files to update the file time stamps in Step 299. Specifically, each files may be opened, modified, and closed. The modification may be changing a character into a new randomly generated character and saving the changed decoy file. As another example, the modification may be writing a character to the decoy file, saving the decoy file, and then removing the character from the decoy file and the secrets files. In one or more embodiments of the invention, the update to the secrets file is performed after some of the decoy files are updated and prior to the final decoy files are updated. By modifying the decoy files when the secrets file is modified, the timestamps of the decoy files may be automatically updated. Rather than performing the modification, the metadata of the files may be updated by manipulating the metadata directly, such as through an API of an operating system, or accessing the metadata. Thus, a nefarious user or computer system could not access the modification timestamp to identify the secrets file. FIGS. 6A-6B shows an example communication session in accordance with one or more embodiments of the invention. The following is for example purposes only. In the following example, consider the scenario in which Opal and Andrew want to communicate via a chat application. Opal's computing device is an external token device that connects to a computer system that includes a chat application. Opal's token executes the security application and includes the secrets file. Opal's computing device is referred to below as the originating member. Similarly, Andrew's computing device is a smart phone that has a chat application and a security application. Andrew's smart phone is referred to below as the answering member. In the example, Opal opens her chat application on her computer system and connects her token to the computer system. Opal selects Andrew as the recipient of the communication. The chat application sends a request to the token to open a communication session with Andrew. The security application executing on the token receives the request and obtains the group agreed connect name for the group having only Opal and Andrew. The security application also identifies the connection information for Andrew. The security application sends Andrew a communication request to communicate via chat. FIGS. 6A-6B shows flowcharts from the perspective of the answering member (i.e., Andrew's smart phone). Starting with FIG. 6A, in Step 301, the answering member receives a communication request to communicate using a chat application. Specifically, Andrew's smart phone receives, from Opal's token, a request specifying the group agreed connect name, and an identifier of a chat session. Accordingly, in Step 303, the group agreed connect name is obtained from the communication request. In Step 305, the answering member informs Andrew of the communication request. Specifically, the security application on the smart phone may have a notification mechanism, such as an icon, ring tone, or other notification mechanism, that informs Andrew that a communication request is received. At this stage, Andrew may decide whether to accept or reject the communication request. If Andrew rejects the communication request, then the answering member ends the communication session with Opal. (not shown) However, if Andrew accepts the communication request, then Andrew submits his username and password. Accordingly, in Step 307, the answering system receives a username and password from Andrew. In Step 309, the n-bit generator executing on the answering system generates a first message digest using the username, password, and the group agreed connect name as inputs. For example, the n-bit generator may XOR the username, password, and group agreed connect name to create an intermediate result. The intermediate result may be input to an MD5 hash function to create a pseudo-random string as the first message digest. In Step 311, the answering member extracts the secrets file name and the secrets file encryption key from the first message digest. The secrets file name may be, in the example, the last 128 bits of the first message digest and the secrets file encryption key may be, in the example, the first 256 bits of the message digest. Based on the extracted secrets file name, the answering member identifies the secrets file on Andrew's smart phone. Because the first message digest is a pseudo-random bit string, the secrets file name is also pseudo random and can only be identified if the username, group agreed identifier, and password are correct. Thus, by finding the secrets file name, the security application authenticates Andrew as the user of the smart phone. Alternatively, the smart phone might verify the user name and password independent of the secure chat application. In Step 313, the answering member decrypts the identified secrets file using the secrets file encryption key. Specifically, the answering member uses the secrets file encryption key and a symmetric encryption algorithm to decrypt the secrets file. From the decrypted secrets file, the answering member extracts the secrets corresponding to the chat application in Step 315. For example, the answering member may identify that the fifth secret is the secret corresponding to the chat application based on a pre-defined configuration parameter or an identifier stored with the fifth secret which is 384 bits and the beginning bit is bit 84. Continuing with FIG. 6B, in Step 317, the n-bit generator on the answering system generates a second message digest using the secret. The answering system's encryption module may extract from the fifth secret, the dynamic secret and the static secret and provide the dynamic secret and the static secret as inputs to the n-bit generator. The n-bit generator combines the dynamic secret and the static secret to produce the second message digest. For example, the initial message digest may correspond to message digest (350) shown in example FIG. 6C. Referring to FIG. 6C, a message digest (350) may include an originating member's one-time password (352), discard bits (354), an encryption key most significant bits (356), and a change value (358). The originating member's one-time password (352) is a series of bits generated by the n-bit generator for the answering member to authenticate the originating member. Specifically, because both the originating member and the answering member generate the same message digest (e.g., example message digest (350)), the originating member's one-time password (352) is the same for the first member and the second member. Accordingly, if the first member's one-time password (352) that the first member sends to the second member is identical to the second member's generated first member's one time password, then the second member knows that the first member is authentic. Specifically, the first member knows that the second member received the same input and had an n-bit generator that was capable of performing the same operations. Further, in one or more embodiments, once the first member and second member passwords have been confirmed, an extremely high probability exists that the other corresponding bits of the message digest also match between systems. In one or more embodiments of the invention, prior to sending the one-time passwords, the one-time passwords are encrypted using an encryption algorithm and an encryption key. In such embodiments, the one-time passwords are sent encrypted. The receiver may encrypt their generated one-time password and compared the encrypted generated one-time password with the received one-time password. As an alternative, the receiver may decrypt the received one-time password and then compare the decrypted one-time password with the generated one-time password. Discard bits (354) are bits that are ignored when creating the encryption solution. Specifically, discard bits are bits that prevent the nefarious user or computer system from understanding the message digest. By having discard bits, the nefarious user or computer system may be unable to ascertain which bits are actually used for the encryption solution. The session encryption key most significant bits (MSB) (356) correspond to a portion of the encryption key. Specifically, the encryption key may be divided into one or more parts. A portion of the encryption key may be located in a first message digest while a second portion is located in another message digest. Because all members use the instances of the same n-bit generator to generate the message digests, the encryption key generated by each of the members is the same. Thus, the encryption key does not need to be communicated between the members. Moreover, the encryption key may be stored in the security application and not provided through any interface to any user. Thus, members (and users of the members) that leave the group remain unaware of the encryption key used to encrypt the data. In one or more embodiments of the invention, a change value (358) provides a pseudo-random value to spawn a new message digest. For example, the change value may be used to create a new encryption key or create a new dynamic secret. Further, the stored secrets may be inputted to the n-bit generator to spawn temporary use secrets. All of the spawned secrets are used only during a session in accordance with one or more embodiments of the invention. After the session, the spawned secrets are destroyed so as to be no longer accessible or otherwise obtainable through any nefarious methods. Similar to the temporary use secrets, the change value is destroyed once combined with the appropriate dynamic secret value. Returning to the example message digest (350), FIG. 6C is only one example of the components of a message digest. Some of the components may be removed while other components may be added. Returning to FIG. 6B, in Step 319, the encryption module on the answering system extracts the originating member's one time password, the encryption key's most significant bits, and a change value from the second message digest. The extracted change value is combined with the original dynamic secret in Step 321 to create an interim dynamic secret in the example. The interim dynamic secret may be obtained by performing an XOR operation on the change value and the original dynamic secret plus one. Using the interim dynamic secret, the n-bit generator generates the third message digest in Step 323. For example, the initial message digest may correspond to message digest (360) shown in example FIG. 6D. Referring to FIG. 6D, a message digest (360) may include an answering member's one-time password (362), discard bits (364), an encryption key least significant bits (366), and a change value (368). The answering member's one-time password (362), discard bits (364), an encryption key least significant bits (366), and a change value (368) are similar to the originating member's one-time password (352), discard bits (354), an encryption key most significant bits (356), and a change value (358) in FIG. 6C. Specifically, the answering member's one-time password (362) is a series of bits generated by the n-bit generator for the originating member to authenticate the answering member. Discard bits (364) are bits that are ignored when creating the encryption solution. The session encryption key least significant bits (LSB) (366) correspond to a second portion of the encryption key. The change value (368) provides a random value to create a new message digest. Returning to the example message digest (360), FIG. 6D is only one example of the components of a message digest. Some of the components may be removed while other components may be added. Returning to FIG. 6B, the answering member extracts the answering member's one-time password, the encryption key's least significant bits, the change value from the third message digest. Although not discussed above, after the originating member finds the secrets file located on the originating member, the originating member performs the same steps as the answering member. Thus, both the originating member and the answering member generate the second and third message digests. The answering member sends the answering member's one-time password to the originating member in Step 327. The originating member sends the originating member's one-time password to the answering member. Accordingly, the answering member receives the originating member's one-time password in Step 329. Both the originating member and the answering member compare the received one-time password with the generated one-time password to determine if the received password is identical to the generated password. For example, in Step 331, the answering member determines whether the received originating member's one-time password is equal to the generated originating member's one-time password. If the two passwords are not equal, then the answering member may stop communication with the originating member. Similarly, although not shown, the originating member determines whether the received answering member's one-time password is equal to the generated answering member's one-time password. If the two passwords are not equal, then the originating member may stop communication with the answering member. However, in Step 333, if the passwords are equal, then the encryption key's most significant bits are concatenated with the encryption key's least significant bits to create the encryption key. At this stage, Opal and Andrew may start communicating via the chat application. The encryption modules intercept each outgoing communication and encrypt it using the encryption key in Step 335. Similarly, the encryption modules intercept each incoming communication and decrypt it using the encryption key (not shown). Further, Steps 301, 303, and 309-335 in FIGS. 6A and 6B may be performed transparently to both Opal and Andrew. Thus, neither Opal nor Andrew need to be aware of the encryption. Further, in one or more embodiments of the invention, both Opal and Andrew cannot view the secrets or the encryption key. Thus, neither Opal nor Andrew can consciously or unconsciously provide a nefarious user with access to the shared secrets. FIGS. 7A-7E show an example in accordance with one or more embodiments of the invention. The following example is for example purposes only and not intended to limit the scope of the invention. FIG. 7A-7C show an example user interface for the configuration utility in accordance with one or more embodiments of the invention. As shown in FIG. 7A, the initial configuration utility window (400) includes an input box for the user to specify the location of the security directory (402) and an input box for the user to specify a location for storing a database about users (404). Input box (402) and input box (404) may be constrained such that only a user corresponding to an administrator can change the location. Alternatively, or additionally, the input box (402) and input box (404) may be constrained so that the user can only provide locations that are on the member itself. Additionally, in the example, the initial configuration utility window (400) includes a user manager (406). The user manager (406) allows a user to enter data specific to the user. Specifically, a user name input box (408) and password input box (410) allows the user to enter the username and password, respectively, that the user will use each time the user uses the security application. The user may be prompted to re-enter the user password in an input box (not shown) to verify that the user entered his/her intended password. Text box (412) provides a list of groups with whom the user may communicate. Specifically, text box (412) shows a list of the groups that the member has already added. Entries in the list may be displayed as a nickname of the group, the connect name, or other information useful to the user. Check box (414), nick name input box (416), connect name input box (418), and connect input box (420) allows the user to submit data for a specific group. For example, if selected, check box (414) designates that the group includes more than two members. The user may submit the nick name of the group in the nick name input box (416). The user may submit the group agreed connect name of the group in the connect name input box (418). The user may submit the connection information for the group in the connect input box (420). The connect input box (420) may be used for providing the connection information for the entire group. If the check box (414) is selected, the user interface may display additional input boxes to allow a user to submit nick names and connection information for each member of the group. The additional input boxes may be displayed to provide member specific connection information. Continuing with the example, FIG. 7B shows a user interface window (422) for submitting the group agreed seed. Specifically, the user interface window (422) may be displayed while the user is adding a new group in one or more embodiments of the invention. The user may enter the group agreed seed in input box (424) and select okay (426) to submit the group agreed seed. In response to the user entering the group and/or the user's information, the user interface may display the window (428) shown in FIG. 7C to show that the group has been added. Thus, the secrets file for the group may be generated. FIG. 7D shows an example schematic diagram for generating the secrets file name and encryption key/solution. As shown in FIG. 7D, the username (430) that the user submitted in the username input box (408 in FIG. 7A), the password (432) that the user submitted in the password input box (410 in FIG. 7A), and the group agreed connect name (434) that the user submitted in connect name input box (418) are provided as inputs to the n-bit generator (436). With the inputs, the n-bit generator (436) produces message digest (438). The message digest includes a secrets file name (440) and a secrets file encryption key (442). Accordingly, secrets created using the group agreed seed submitted in input box (424 in FIG. 7B) are stored in a secrets file, which is saved with secrets file name (440). The secrets file encryption key (442) is used to encrypt the secrets file. Accordingly, the secrets file is stored in the secrets file directory. FIG. 7E shows an example file interface window (444) showing the secrets files directory (referred as key files in FIG. 7E) (446). As shown in the example, the contents of the secrets file directory (448) includes the secrets file and decoy files. However, because the secrets file name and the decoy file names are pseudo-random strings of characters and the secrets file and the decoy files have the same metadata, the secrets file is indistinguishable from the decoy files. For example, the security application may use the n-bit generator and similar procedures to generate the secrets as to generate the decoy files. In the example, the encryption module may call the n-bit generator four times to produce the desired number of secrets bits, and, therefore, times to produce the sufficient bits for each of ten decoy files. As another example, the encryption module may request fifty iterations of the n-bit generator to produce the decoy files and the secrets file. Because the decoy files in the example are similarly produced so as to be indistinguishable, the nefarious computer system or user could not identify the secrets file based on the information provided in the list of files in the file interface window (444). Embodiments of the invention may be implemented on virtually any type of computer system regardless of the platform being used. The computing device may be the computer system, execute on the computer system, be an external device of the computer system, etc. For example, as shown in FIG. 8, a computer system (500) includes one or more computing processor(s) (502), associated memory (504) (e.g., random access memory (RAM), cache memory, flash memory, etc.), an internal and/or external storage device (506) (e.g., a hard disk, an optical drive such as a compact disk drive or digital video disk (DVD) drive, a flash memory stick, universal serial bus (USB) drive, smart card, smart phone, etc.), and numerous other elements and functionalities typical of today's computers (not shown). The computer system (500) may also include input means, such as a keyboard (508), a touch screen (512), a mouse (510), or a microphone (not shown). Further, the computer system (500) may include output means, such as a monitor (512) (e.g., a liquid crystal display (LCD), a plasma display, or cathode ray tube (CRT) monitor). The computer system (500) may be connected to a network (514) (e.g., a local area network (LAN), a wide area network (WAN) such as the Internet, or any other type of network) via a network interface connection; wired or wireless (not shown). Those skilled in the art will appreciate that many different types of computer systems exist, and the aforementioned input and output means may take other forms. Generally speaking, the computer system (500) includes at least the minimal processing, input, and/or output means necessary to practice embodiments of the invention. Computer readable program code to perform embodiments of the invention may be stored on a computer readable medium such as a compact disc (CD), a diskette, a tape, physical memory, or any other physical computer readable storage medium that includes functionality to store computer readable program code to perform embodiments of the invention. In one embodiment of the invention the computer readable program code, when executed by a processor(s), is configured to perform embodiments of the invention. While the invention has been described with respect to a limited number of embodiments, those skilled in the art, having benefit of this disclosure, will appreciate that other embodiments can be devised which do not depart from the scope of the invention as disclosed herein. Accordingly, the scope of the invention should be limited only by the attached claims. | <SOH> BACKGROUND <EOH>The computer system assists in managing (e.g., storing, organizing, and communicating) a large amount of information. Some of the information managed by a computer system is confidential. In other words, access to such information is intended to be limited. Traditional protection schemes attempt to prevent unauthorized users from accessing the confidential information by requiring that a user provide authentication credential(s), for example a username and password, at a predefined entry point, to access an account that includes the confidential information. Protecting only the predefined entry points, however, fails to account for nefarious individuals creating other entry points by exploiting computer system vulnerabilities. For example, knowledge of a user's hardware and software system, system configuration, types of network connections, etc. may be used to create an entry point and gain access to the confidential information. In order to prevent unauthorized access to the confidential information, the confidential information may be encrypted. Encryption is a process of transforming the clear text confidential information into an encrypted format that is unreadable by anyone or anything that does not possess a corresponding decryption key. An encryption algorithm and an encryption key are used to perform the transformation. Encryption technology is classified into two primary technology types: symmetric encryption technology and asymmetric encryption technology. Symmetric encryption technology uses the same encryption key to both encrypt and decrypt confidential information. Asymmetric encryption technology uses a pair of corresponding encryption keys: this key pair share a relationship such that data encrypted using one encryption key can only be decrypted using the other encryption key of the pair. | <SOH> BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS <EOH>FIG. 1 shows a schematic diagram of a system in accordance with one or more embodiments of the invention. FIGS. 2A-5B show flowcharts in accordance with one or more embodiments of the invention. FIGS. 6A-7E show examples in accordance with one or more embodiments of the invention. FIG. 8 shows a computing device in accordance with one or more embodiments of the invention. detailed-description description="Detailed Description" end="lead"? | H04L630428 | 20171212 | 20180412 | 99982.0 | H04L2906 | 1 | SHAW, BRIAN F | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR AUTHENTICATING USERS | UNDISCOUNTED | 1 | CONT-ACCEPTED | H04L | 2,017 |
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15,839,396 | PENDING | METHOD AND SYSTEMS FOR GENERATING AND SENDING A HOT LINK ASSOCIATED WITH A USER INTERFACE TO A DEVICE | Systems, methods, and computer-readable media for sending hotlinks to a device are provided. The device may be on a wireless network, a wired network, or directly coupled to the device sending the hot link. The hot link contains an associated action that is performed by the device receiving the hot link. The associated action may be performed when a user interface is activated or automatically when the hot link is received by the device. The action can be a broadcast action, Internet action, call action, download action, or upload action. The broadcast action instructs the device to tune to a particular broadcast in response to the selection of the user interface. The internet action instructs the device to access an Internet site in response to the selection of the user interface. The call action instructs the device to call a telephone number in response to the selection of use interface. | 1-53. (canceled) 54. One or more non-transitory computer-readable media (NTCRM) including program code, wherein execution of the program code by one or more processors of a computer system is to cause the computer system to: identify a trigger to generate a hot link; determine an action to be performed upon activation of the hot link, wherein activation of the hot link by individual user devices of the set of user devices is to cause the individual user devices to execute program code to perform the action; generate the hot link in response to detection of the trigger; generate a hot link message to include the hot link; and control transmission of the hot link message to the set of user devices. 55. The one or more NTCRM of claim 54, wherein execution of the program code is to cause the computer system to: identify a user interface element for activation of the hot link prior to generation of the hot link; and generate the hot link message to include assignment information, the assignment information to assign the hot link to the identified user interface element. 56. The one or more NTCRM of claim 54, wherein the individual user devices are second user devices, and execution of the program code is to cause the computer system to: provide a user interface to a first user device to be rendered and displayed by the first user device, the user interface comprising one or more graphical control elements to control selection of users associated with the set of second user devices; and control receipt, from the first user device, of a request to generate a hot link along with identification information of the set of second user devices to receive the hot link. 57. The one or more NTCRM of claim 56, wherein the information of the set of user devices comprises a selection of one or more users associated with the set of user devices or a selection of a group of users associated with the set of user devices. 58. The one or more NTCRM of claim 54, wherein the hot link comprises instructions to obtain and render a web page in a web browser, execute executable instructions of an application program, or adjust radiofrequency circuitry to obtain and display broadcasted content. 59. The one or more NTCRM of claim 54, wherein execution of the program code is to cause the computing system to: generate the hot link message to include an indication about the hot link, wherein the indication about the hot link comprises text, multimedia, or a link pointing to a resource that includes information about the hot link. 60. The one or more NTCRM of claim 59, wherein execution of the program code is to cause the computer system to: generate the hot link message as a Short Message Service (SMS) message, an instant messaging (IM) message, or an email message. 61. The one or more NTCRM of claim 54, wherein execution of the program code is to cause the computer system to: determine a location for each user device of the set of user devices; and generate the hot link message to include the location of each user device. 62. The one or more NTCRM of claim 54, wherein, to control transmission of the hot link message to the set of user devices, execution of the program code is to cause the computer system to: instruct a network interface of the computer system to send the hot link message to the set of user devices over a wired or wireless network. 63. A computer system to be employed as a server, the computer system comprising: network interface circuitry to: receive, from a first user device, a request to generate a hot link along with information of a set of second user devices to receive the hot link, and transmit a hot link message to the set of second user devices; and processor circuitry communicatively coupled with the network interface circuitry, the processor circuitry to: determine an action to be performed upon activation of the hot link, wherein activation of the hot link by individual second user devices of the set of second user devices is to cause the individual second user devices to execute program code to perform the action;, generate the hot link;, and generate the hot link message to include the hot link. 64. The computer system of claim 63, wherein the processor circuitry is to: identify a user interface element for activation of the hot link prior to generation of the hot link; and generate the hot link message to include assignment information, the assignment information to assign the hot link to the identified user interface element. 65. The computer system of claim 63, wherein the network interface circuitry is to: transmit program code to the first user device, the program code to be executed by the first user device to generate a user interface, the user interface to be rendered and displayed by the first user device, the user interface comprising one or more graphical control elements to control selection of users associated with the set of second user devices, wherein the information of the set of second user devices comprises a selection of one or more users associated with the set of second user devices or a selection of a group of users associated with the set of second user devices. 66. The computer system of claim 63, wherein the hot link comprises instructions to obtain and render a web page in a web browser, execute executable instructions of an application program, or adjust radiofrequency circuitry to obtain and display broadcasted content. 67. The computer system of claim 63, wherein the processor circuitry is to: generate the hot link message to include an indication about the hot link, wherein the indication about the hot link comprises text, multimedia, or a link pointing to a resource that includes information about the hot link. 68. The computer system of claim 63, wherein the processor circuitry is to: generate the hot link message as a Short Message Service (SMS) message for transmission over a cellular communication network, or generate the hot link message as an instant messaging (IM) message for transmission over a communications network. 69. The computer system of claim 63, wherein the processor circuitry is to: determine a location for each second user device of the set of second user devices; and generate the hot link message to include the location of each second user device. 70. The computer system of claim 63, wherein the network interface is to transmit the hot link message to the set of user devices over a wired or wireless network. 71. One or more non-transitory computer-readable media (NTCRM) including program code, wherein execution of the program code by one or more processors of a user device is to cause the user device to: control receipt of a hot link message comprising a hot link and assignment information, the assignment information to assign the hot link to a graphical control element (GCE), and the hot link comprising instructions to perform an action; generate a graphical user interface (GUI) to include the GCE to which the hot link is assigned according to the assignment information; and in response to activation of the GCE, execute the instructions of the hot link to perform the action. 72. The one or more NTCRM of claim 71, wherein execution of the instructions of the hot link is to cause the user device to: obtain and render a web page in a web browser implemented by the user device; execute executable instructions of an application program, wherein the executable instructions of the application program are stored by a memory device of the user device, or the executable instructions of the application program are to be obtained by the user device over a communication network; or adjust radio frequency circuitry of the user device to obtain broadcasted content for display. 73. The one or more NTCRM of claim 71, wherein the GUI comprises an indication about the hot link, wherein the indication about the hot link comprises text, multimedia, or a link pointing to a resource that includes information about the hot link. 74. The one or more NTCRM of claim 71, wherein the GUI is a first GUI, and execution of the program code is to cause the user device to: generate a second GUI comprising a user selection GCE and a submission GCE, the user selection GCE to control selection of a set of other user devices to be provided with a hot link, and the submission GCE to control submission of the set of other user devices; and control transmission of another hot link message that includes an indication of the selected set of other user devices in response to selection of the third GCE. 75. The one or more NTCRM of claim 74, wherein the second GUI comprises: a positive opinion GCE to control submission of a positive opinion of a content item; and a negative opinion GCE to control submission of a negative opinion of the content item. | RELATED APPLICATION This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/290,592, filed May 11, 2001, the benefit of the earlier filing date of which is hereby claimed under 35 U.S.C. § 119 (e). FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to mobile telecommunication devices, and more specifically to sending a hot link that is associated with a user interface to a device. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Since their introduction, the number of services and features for cellular telephones has steadily increased while the cost of ownership and operation has decreased. At first, these mobile telecommunication devices operated on analog wireless networks that enabled voice communication and simple paging features. Later, digital wireless networks were introduced for cellular telephones to provide more advanced features for voice and data communication, such as encryption, caller identification and sending and receiving short message service (SMS) text messages. More recently, some cellular telephones enable the browsing of web pages on the Internet or other on-line services. The functionality of cellular telephones continues to increase. Some cellular telephones incorporate many of the features originally provided for in handheld electronic devices, such as personal digital assistants (PDAs). Relatively simple PDA features such as keeping a list of contacts, a calendar, appointments, and the like have been generally integrated into recent cellular telephone models. The lower cost of ownership, along with the increased services and features available, has made it common for individuals to own a cellular telephone and use it for daily communications. Individuals are no longer restricting the use of their cellular telephone to strictly business or emergency calls. They are talking with their friends about what they are currently listening to on the radio, watching on television, viewing on the World Wide Web, and the like. The user may want their friends to listen to the same radio or television broadcast they are experiencing, or view the same website they think is interesting. However, cellular telephones do not provide this ability. Instead, a cellular telephone user has to manually change the settings or configuration of their phone, or some other device, in order to participate with their friends in the desired activity. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The invention relates to providing a method and system for generating and sending a hot link to a device. The hot link contains an action that instructs the receiving device to perform some activity when an associated user interface is selected. According to one aspect of the invention, a mobile device is configured to generate and send a hot link to another device. The hot link may direct the device receiving the hot link to perform some action. For example, the action contained within the hot link may instruct the receiving device to tune a receiver to a particular broadcast, dial a number, respond to message, and the like. According to another aspect of the invention, the hot link is associated with a user interface. When the user interface is selected the hot link action is performed. The user interface may be a physical button or a virtual button, icon, symbol, or some other user interface associated with the device receiving the hot link. The user interface may be a predetermined button on the device. For example, the * key on a device may be the predetermined button. According to yet another aspect of the invention, a message that includes the hot link is generated and sent to the device. The message may be generated by the mobile device or may be generated by an external computer, such as a server. The message is sent using an appropriate message protocol for the receiving device. For example, the message may be sent to a mobile device using the SMS protocol. According to still yet another aspect of the invention, the message includes an identification field that corresponds to the message delivered to the user of the device when the message is received. For example, the identification field could simply be a text statement such as: “Do you want to view HBO now?” According to another aspect of the invention, the message contains a field that identifies the type of hot link contained within the message. Character codes are used to indicate the type of hot link. For example, the character code “!RS****” may be used to indicate that the type of action is a broadcast action that instructs the device to change a tuner to a radio station using the characters supplied in the wildcard pattern *****. According to yet another aspect of the invention, the hot link may be generated automatically based on the current configuration of the mobile device or selected manually. For example, when the user is listening to a radio station, a hot link is generated instructing a device to change to the radio station currently on the user's device. The user may also select the hot link from a list of available hot links. According to still yet another aspect of the invention, the selection of devices that are to receive the hot link may be manually or automatically generated. The user may select each device manually, or the selection may be based on a user's preferences, such as the preferences found in a PAL list. These and various other features as well as advantages, which characterize the present invention, will be apparent from a reading of the following detailed description and a review of the associated drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram that shows an exemplary system overview; FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram that illustrates an exemplary system overview in which local area networks and a wide area network are interconnected by routers; FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram that shows an exemplary server; FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram that illustrates an exemplary mobile device; FIG. 5 illustrates another exemplary embodiment of a mobile device for generating, sending and receiving hot links; FIG. 6 shows a functional block diagram of a hot link transfer system utilizing a server and mobile devices; FIG. 7 illustrates an exemplary display for selecting the action associated with the hot link; FIG. 8 illustrates a functional block diagram for a hot link system; FIG. 9 illustrates an exemplary hot link message format; FIG. 10 illustrates a process for generating and sending a hot link to a device; FIG. 11 illustrates a set of exemplary actions that may be included within a hot link; FIG. 12 illustrates a process for identifying devices to send the hot link message; and FIG. 13 illustrates a process for generating a hot link message for a device, in accordance with aspects of the invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT In the following detailed description of exemplary embodiments of the invention, reference is made to the accompanied drawings, which form a part hereof, and which is shown by way of illustration, specific exemplary embodiments of which the invention may be practiced. Each embodiment is described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention, and it is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized, and other changes may be made, without departing from the spirit or scope of the present invention. The following detailed description is, therefore, not to be taken in a limiting sense, and the scope of the present invention is defined only by the appended claims. Throughout the specification and claims, the following terms take the meanings explicitly associated herein, unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. The term “a broadcast spectrum” means any portion or portions of the range of frequencies, channels, or Internet addresses employed for broadcasting that are selected for tuning in conjunction with the practice of the invention disclosed herein. The term “broadcast” includes but is not limited to commercial radio and television stations, Internet radio and the like. The term “user preference” can include a plurality of elements. For example, a user preference for disco music circa 1980 has at least two elements, i.e., the type of music and the era. The term “user interface” can include any type of element that is selectable on a device, including, but not limited to, push-button, rocker switch, slider, dial, key, mouse, pointer, touch-sensitive pad, touch sensitive screen, and soft key. Referring to the drawings, like numbers indicate like parts throughout the views. Additionally, a reference to the singular includes a reference to the plural unless otherwise stated or is inconsistent with the disclosure herein. Briefly described, the present invention is directed to generating and sending a hot link to a telecommunications device. The hot link is associated with an action that can be performed by the receiving device. The hot link may be associated with a user interface that when selected activates the hot link. Alternatively, the action may automatically be performed when the hot link and the associated action are received. For example, a hot link may be associated with an action to call another user upon activation of a user interface, or when the hot link is received by the device, automatically performing the associated action. With reference to FIG. 1, an exemplary system in which the invention operates includes wireless mobile devices 105-108, wireless network 110, gateway 115, wide area network (WAN)/local area network (LAN) 200 and one or more world wide web (WWW) servers 300. Wireless devices 105-108 are coupled to wireless network 110 and are described in more detail in conjunction with FIG. 4 and FIG. 5. Generally, mobile devices 105-108 include any device capable of connecting to a wireless network such as wireless network 110. Such devices include cellular telephones, smart phones, pagers, radio frequency (RF) devices, infrared (IR) devices, citizen band radios (CBs), integrated devices combining one or more of the preceding devices, and the like. Mobile devices 105-108 may also include other devices that have a wireless interface such as PDAs, handheld computers, personal computers, multiprocessor systems, microprocessor-based or programmable consumer electronics, network PCs, wearable computers, and the like. Wireless network 110 transports information to and from devices capable of wireless communication, such as mobile devices 105-108. Wireless network 110 may include both wireless and wired components. For example, wireless network 110 may include a cellular tower that is linked to a wired telephone network. Typically, the cellular tower carries communication to and from cell phones, pagers, and other wireless devices, and the wired telephone network carries communication to regular phones, long-distance communication links, and the like. Wireless network 110 is coupled to WAN/LAN through gateway 115. Gateway 115 routes information between wireless network 110 and WAN/LAN 200. For example, a user using a wireless device may browse the Internet by calling a certain number or tuning to a particular frequency. Upon receipt of the number, wireless network 110 is configured to pass information between the wireless device and gateway 115. Gateway 115 may translate requests for web pages from wireless devices to hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP) messages, which may then be sent to WAN/LAN 200. Gateway 115 may then translate responses to such messages into a form compatible with the requesting device. Gateway 115 may also transform other messages sent from wireless devices 105-108 into information suitable for WAN/LAN 200, such as e-mail, audio, voice communication, contact databases, calendars, appointments, and the like. Typically, WAN/LAN 200 transmits information between computing devices as described in more detail in conjunction with FIG. 2. One example of a WAN is the Internet, which connects millions of computers over a host of gateways, routers, switches, hubs, and the like. An example of a LAN is a network used to connect computers in a single office. A WAN may connect multiple LANs. WWW servers 300 are coupled to WAN/LAN 200 through communication mediums. WWW servers 300 provide access to information and services as described in more detail in conjunction with FIG. 3. FIG. 2 shows another exemplary system in which the invention operates in which a number of local area networks (“LANs”) 220a-d and wide area network (“WAN”) 230 interconnected by routers 210. Routers 210 are intermediary devices on a communications network that expedite message delivery. On a single network linking many computers through a mesh of possible connections, a router receives transmitted messages and forwards them to their correct destinations over available routes. On an interconnected set of LANs—including those based on differing architectures and protocols—, a router acts as a link between LANs, enabling messages to be sent from one to another. Communication links within LANs typically include twisted wire pair, fiber optics, or coaxial cable, while communication links between networks may utilize analog telephone lines, full or fractional dedicated digital lines including T1, T2, T3, and T4, Integrated Services Digital Networks (ISDNs), Digital Subscriber Lines (DSLs), wireless links, or other communications links known to those skilled in the art. Furthermore, computers, such as remote computer 240, and other related electronic devices can be remotely connected to either LANs 220a-d or WAN 230 via a modem and temporary telephone link. The number of WANs, LANs, and routers in FIG. 2 may be increased or decreased without departing from the spirit or scope of this invention. As such, it will be appreciated that the Internet itself may be formed from a vast number of such interconnected networks, computers, and routers and that an embodiment of the invention could be practiced over the Internet without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. The media used to transmit information in communication links as described above illustrates one type of computer-readable media, namely communication media. Generally, computer-readable media includes any media that can be accessed by a computing device. Computer-readable media may include computer storage media, communication media, or any combination thereof. Communication media typically embodies computer-readable instructions, data structures, program modules, or other data in a modulated data signal such as a carrier wave or other transport mechanism and includes any information delivery media. The term “modulated data signal” means a signal that has one or more of its characteristics set or changed in such a manner as to encode information in the signal. By way of example, communication media includes wired media such as twisted pair, coaxial cable, fiber optics, wave guides, and other wired media and wireless media such as acoustic, RF, infrared, and other wireless media. The Internet has recently seen explosive growth by virtue of its ability to link computers located throughout the world. As the Internet has grown, so has the WWW. Generally, the WWW is the total set of interlinked hypertext documents residing on HTTP servers around the world. Documents on the WWW, called pages or Web pages, are typically written in HTML (Hypertext Markup Language) or some other markup language, identified by URLs (Uniform Resource Locators) that specify the particular machine and pathname by which a file can be accessed, and transmitted from server to end user using HTTP. Codes, called tags, embedded in an HTML document associate particular words and images in the document with URLs so that a user can access another file, which may literally be halfway around the world, at the press of a key or the click of a mouse. These files may contain text (in a variety of fonts and styles), graphics images, movie files, media clips, and sounds as well as Java applets, ActiveX controls, or other embedded software programs that execute when the user activates them. A user visiting a Web page also may be able to download files from an FTP site and send messages to other users via email by using links on the Web page. A WWW server, as described in more detail in conjunction with FIG. 3, is a computer connected to a network having storage facilities for storing hypertext documents for a WWW site and running administrative software for handling requests for the stored hypertext documents. A hypertext document normally includes a number of hyperlinks, i.e., highlighted portions of text which link the document to another hypertext document possibly stored at a WWW site elsewhere on the Internet. Each hyperlink is associated with a URL that provides the location of the linked document on a server connected to the Internet and describes the document. Thus, whenever a hypertext document is retrieved from any WWW server, the document is considered to be retrieved from the WWW. As is known to those skilled in the art, a WWW server may also include facilities for storing and transmitting application programs, such as application programs written in the JAVA programming language from Sun Microsystems, for execution on a remote computer. Likewise, a WWW server may also include facilities for executing scripts and other application programs on the WWW server itself. A user may retrieve hypertext documents from the WWW via a WWW browser application program located on a wired or wireless device. A WWW browser, such as Netscape's NAVIGATOR® or Microsoft's INTERNET EXPLORER®, is a software application program for providing a graphical user interface to the WWW. Upon request from the user via the WWW browser, the WWW browser accesses and retrieves the desired hypertext document from the appropriate WWW server using the URL for the document and HTTP. HTTP is a higher-level protocol than TCP/IP and is designed specifically for the requirements of the WWW. HTTP is used to carry requests from a browser to a Web server and to transport pages from Web servers back to the requesting browser or client. The WWW browser may also retrieve application programs from the WWW server, such as JAVA applets, for execution on a client computer. FIG. 3 shows an exemplary WWW server 300 that is operative to provide a WWW site. Accordingly, WWW server 300 transmits WWW pages to the WWW browser application program executing on requesting devices to carry out this process. For instance, WWW server 300 may transmit pages and forms for receiving information about a user, such as user preferences, address, telephone number, billing information, credit card numbers, and the like. Moreover, WWW server 300 may transmit WWW pages to a requesting device that allow a user to participate in a WWW site. WWW server 300 may also generate and send hot links to devices on a network. The transactions may take place over the Internet, WAN/LAN 200, or some other communications network known to those skilled in the art. Those of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the WWW server 300 may include many more components than those shown in FIG. 3. However, the components shown are sufficient to disclose an illustrative embodiment for practicing the present invention. As shown in FIG. 3, WWW server 300 is connected to WAN/LAN 200, or other communications network, via network interface unit 310. Those of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that network interface unit 310 includes the necessary circuitry for connecting WWW server 300 to WAN/LAN 200, and is constructed for use with various communication protocols including the TCP/IP protocol. Typically, network interface unit 310 is a card contained within WWW server 300. WWW server 300 also includes processing unit 312, video display adapter 314, and a mass memory, all connected via bus 322. The mass memory generally includes RAM 316, ROM 332, and one or more permanent mass storage devices, such as hard disk drive 328, a tape drive, CD-ROM/DVD-ROM drive 326, and/or a floppy disk drive. The mass memory stores operating system 320 for controlling the operation of WWW server 300. It will be appreciated that this component may comprise a general purpose server operating system as is known to those of ordinary skill in the art, such as UNIX, LINUX™, or Microsoft WINDOWS NT®. Basic input/output system (“BIOS”) 318 is also provided for controlling the low-level operation of WWW server 300. The mass memory as described above illustrates another type of computer-readable media, namely computer storage media. Computer storage media may include volatile and nonvolatile, removable and non-removable media implemented in any method or technology for storage of information, such as computer readable instructions, data structures, program modules or other data. Examples of computer storage media include RAM, ROM, EEPROM, flash memory or other memory technology, CD-ROM, digital versatile disks (DVD) or other optical storage, magnetic cassettes, magnetic tape, magnetic disk storage or other magnetic storage devices, or any other medium which can be used to store the desired information and which can be accessed by a computing device. The mass memory also stores program code and data for providing a WWW site. More specifically, the mass memory stores applications including WWW server application program 330, programs 334, and hot link application 336. Generally, hot link application 336 may generated and send messages containing hot links to other devices. The hot link contains an action that instructs the receiving device to perform some action upon activation of the hot link (See figures and related discussion below). WWW server application program 330 includes computer executable instructions which, when executed by WWW server computer 300, generate WWW browser displays, including performing the logic described above. WWW server 300 may include a JAVA virtual machine, an SMTP handler application for transmitting and receiving email, an HTTP handler application for receiving and handing HTTP requests, JAVA applets for transmission to a WWW browser executing on a client computer, and an HTTPS handler application for handling secure connections. The HTTPS handler application may be used for communication with external security applications (not shown), to send and receive private information in a secure fashion. WWW server 300 also comprises input/output interface 324 for communicating with external devices, such as a mouse, keyboard, scanner, or other input devices not shown in FIG. 3. Likewise, WWW server 300 may further comprise additional mass storage facilities such as CD-ROM/DVD-ROM drive 326 and hard disk drive 328. Hard disk drive 328 is utilized by WWW server 300 to store, among other things, application programs, databases, and program data used by WWW server application program 330, and hot link application 336. For example, customer databases, product databases, image databases, and relational databases may be stored. The operation and implementation of these databases is well known to those skilled in the art. FIG. 4 shows an exemplary mobile device 400, according to one embodiment of the invention. Mobile device 400 may be arranged to transmit and receive data. For instance, mobile device 400 may send and receive messages from other mobile devices and servers as well as receiving broadcasts. For example, mobile device 400 may receive SMS messages containing a hot link. The data transmissions may take place over the Internet, WAN/LAN 200, or some other communications network known to those skilled in the art. Those of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that mobile device 400 may include many more components than those shown in FIG. 4. However, the components shown are sufficient to disclose an illustrative embodiment for practicing the present invention. As shown in the figure, mobile device 400 includes processing unit 412, memory 448, RAM 416, ROM 432, operating system 420, application 430, programs 434, data storage 436, bios 418, power 426, input/output interface 424, wireless interface unit 410, LED 450, tuner(s) 452, audio 454, display 456, keypad 458, infrared input/output 460, and barcode input/output 462. Mobile device 400 may connect to WAN/LAN 200, or other communications network, via wireless interface unit 410. Those of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that wireless interface unit 410 includes the necessary circuitry for connecting mobile device 400 to WAN/LAN 200, and is constructed for use with various communication protocols including the TCP/IP protocol. Wireless interface unit 410 may include a radio layer (not shown) that is arranged to transmit and receive radio frequency communications. Wireless interface unit 410 connects mobile device 400 to external devices, via a communications carrier or service provider. Mass memory 448 generally includes RAM 416, ROM 432, and one or more data storage units 436. The mass memory stores operating system 420 for controlling the operation of mobile device 400. It will be appreciated that this component may comprise a general purpose server operating system as is known to those of ordinary skill in the art, such as a version of UNIX, LINUX™, or Microsoft WINDOWS®. Basic input/output system (“BIOS”) 418 is also provided for controlling the low-level operation of mobile device 400. The mass memory as described above illustrates another type of computer-readable media, namely computer storage media. Computer storage media may include volatile and nonvolatile, removable and non-removable media implemented in any method or technology for storage of information, such as computer readable instructions, data structures, program modules or other data. Examples of computer storage media include RAM, ROM, EEPROM, flash memory or other memory technology, CD-ROM, digital versatile disks (DVD) or other optical storage, magnetic cassettes, magnetic tape, magnetic disk storage or other magnetic storage devices, or any other medium which can be used to store the desired information and which can be accessed by a computing device. The mass memory also stores program code and data used within mobile device 400. More specifically, the mass memory stores applications including opinion application 430, and programs 434. Programs 434 may include computer executable instructions which, when executed by mobile device 400, transmit and receive hot links, WWW pages, e-mail, audio, video, and the like. One or more programs 434 may be loaded into memory 448 and run under control of operating system 420. Hot link application 430 performs the methods described below. Generally, hot link application 430 may generate, send and receive hot links. When hot link application 430 receives a hot link, the action corresponding to the hot link is associated with a user interface on mobile device 400. The user interface may be a physical button or a virtual button. When hot link application 430 sends a hot link, a message is formed containing the hot link and instructions relating to the action associated with the hot link. Examples of application programs include radio tuner programs, phone programs, communication programs, productivity programs (word processing, spreadsheet, etc.), browser programs, and the like. Mobile computing device 400 also includes ROM 432. ROM 432 may be used to store data that should not be lost when mobile device 400 loses power. Mobile device 400 also comprises input/output interface 424 for communicating with external devices, such as a headset, or other input or output devices not shown in FIG. 4. Data storage 436 is utilized by mobile device 400 to store, among other things, application programs, databases, and program data used by the mobile device broadcast delivery application. For example, user databases, product databases, image databases, and relational databases may be stored. The operation and implementation of these databases is well known to those skilled in the art. Keypad 458 may be any input device arranged to receive inputs from a user. For example, keypad 458 may be a push button numeric dialing, or a keyboard. Display 456 may be a liquid crystal display, or any other type of display commonly used in mobile devices. Keypad 458 may also include a button that is associated with hot links. Display 456 may also be a touch screen arranged to receive a users inputs. Infrared input/output 460 may be used to send and receive infrared commands to/from other devices. Barcode input/output 462 may be used in a manner consistent with barcode readers. For example, barcode input/output 462 may be used to scan and identify items including a barcode. Power supply 426 provides power to mobile device 400. According to one embodiment, a rechargeable battery provides power. The power may be also be provided by an external power source, such as an AC adapter or a powered docking cradle that supplements or recharges the battery. As shown, mobile device 400 includes light emitting diode (LED) display 450, tuner(s) 452, and audio interface 454. LED display 450 may be controlled to remain active for specific periods or events. For example, an LED display may stay on while the phone is powered or may light up in various patterns. The patterns may be a predetermined or random pattern. Audio interface 454 is arranged to receive and provide audio signals. For example, audio interface 454 may be coupled to a speaker (not shown) to provide audio from a telephone call, tuner(s) 452, or from some other audio source. Audio interface 454 may also be coupled to an input device, such as a microphone, to receive audio input. Tuner(s) 452 may be any tuner to receive a broadcast. For example, tuner(s) 452 may be an AM tuner, an FM tuner, an AM/FM tuner, an Internet radio tuner, a television tuner, and the like. FIG. 5 illustrates another exemplary embodiment of a mobile device for generating, sending and receiving hot links, according to one embodiment of the invention. Mobile device 501 appears as a typical cellular telephone having a display 502 and a set of 12 input keys 503 that form a telephone keypad. Mobile device 501 possesses one or more audio speakers 504 for generating audio data for users and an audio input microphone 505 for accepting audio input data from users. Devices 502-505 may be used when mobile device 501 operates as a telephone as well as when mobile device 501 receives data such as broadcast data or Internet data for display. One skilled in the art will also recognize that these devices may be implemented using external headphones and microphones. Mobile device 501 also possesses three additional input buttons: command button 520, positive opinion button 521 and negative opinion button 522. Command button 520 is one type of user interface that may be associated with a hot link. When command button 520 is activated, an action corresponding to a hot link is performed. Command button 520 may be selected to send a hot link to another device, or perform an action associated with a received hot link. Command button 520 may be associated with any information that instructs mobile device 501 to perform some action. Positive opinion button 521 and negative opinion button 522 provide a simple mechanism for permitting a user to input positive and negative opinion about an item. For example, an item may be a current song playing on the mobile device. The user may depress positive opinion button 521 one or more times to provide an indication of his or her positive opinion of the song. This opinion information may be transmitted to a central database on a web server, along with identifying information about the item. A user may generate and transmit similar information indicating a negative opinion of the item, as well as the degree of the negative opinion about the item, by using negative opinion button 522 in the same manner as positive opinion button 521. A user may set up a preference list that automatically sends a hot link to a predetermined list of users based on their opinion of an item. For example, a user may set up a preference to send a hot link to a group of users to tune to a particular radio station, based on their level of opinion of the song playing on the station. For example, the user may set up a preference list that automatically sends a hot link containing an action instructing the device to tune to a radio station when the level opinion for an item exceeds seven (7) on a scale of one (1) to ten (10). Alternatively, the user may use command button 520 to send a hot link to another device or group of devices. The device's display 502 may also provide data associated with a PAL LIST of other users of similar mobile devices. The PAL LIST may include one or more entries for friends of the user. This list is similar to a friends or buddy list that may be part of instant messaging systems operating over the Internet. For each member of the PAL LIST, a set of status data for the individual user may be displayed. This status data may include an indication of the user's location, an indication of the broadcast station currently being played (if any), and any current aggregated opinion data. For example, an entry for “Joe” 511 indicates that he is watching television station identified as “HBO” and he has currently provided four (4) positive opinions for the show he is currently viewing. User 512 is the current user of mobile device 501. Currently, user 512 is online and is listening to radio station identified as “THE END” and has provided seven (7) positive opinions for the song currently playing. According to one embodiment of the invention, user 512 may select command button 520 to send a hot link to another device. For example, according to the present example, a hot link may be sent to “Joe” that includes instructions to tune Joe's device to “THE END” when he activates the hot link by selecting a user interface. As will be appreciated, the hot link may be associated with any action performable by the device receiving the hot link. The actions performable vary by the functionality provided by the receiving device. For example, a mobile device will typically have some functionality that is different than a personal computer. The PAL LIST mechanism includes a feature in which a particular user must “opt-in” or affirmatively agree to provide this status data to a requesting user of another mobile device 501 before the web server will share this data. The members of the PAL LIST may remove any previously granted permission to receive status data from a first user to block a second user from receiving information about the first user. As such, no user of the mobile devices will have status data shared with other individuals without their approval. In various embodiments, the mobile device may be a selected one of a wireless mobile phone, a pager, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a palm-sized computing device, a laptop computer, a portable radio, a portable MPx player, and a portable CD/DVD player. FIG. 6 shows a functional block diagram of a hot link transfer system utilizing a server and mobile devices, in accordance with the present invention. As shown in the figure, hot link transfer system 600 includes personal computer 670, mobile device 620, mobile device 630, radio broadcast 660, TV broadcast 650, and data broadcast 626. Personal computer 670 includes display 675 and hot link application 680. Server 640 includes hot link application 680. Mobile device 620 includes display 622, command button 624, and hot link application 680. Mobile device 630 includes display 632, command button 634, and hot link application 680. In this implementation, server 640 is a computing device such as the one described above in conjunction with FIG. 3, and mobile devices 620 and 630 are mobile computing devices such as the ones described above in conjunction with FIG. 4 or FIG. 5. Hot link application 680 may generate hot links, send hot links, and receive hot links to/from other devices. Server 640 may route hot links to other devices, as well as be programmed to automatically generate hot links and send them to requesting devices. For example, server hot link application 680 may generate hot links for a user based on their user preferences. One particular example would include when a user desires to have a hot link sent to his device when a certain song is playing. When the song is playing, server hot link application 680 may send a hot link instructing the user's device to receive the broadcast of the song when the command button is activated. The server may access a remote data source to identify the songs that are currently being played. For example, songlist information is typically available from CLEAR CHANNEL. Hot link application 680 may generate a message format using a specified protocol for each type of device receiving the hot link. For example, hot link application 680 may generate an SMS message containing the hot link for a mobile device, or a hot link containing java script for other devices. An illustrative example will now be described. As illustrated on display 632, the user of mobile device 630 is listening to “THE END.” According to this example, the user of mobile device 630 desires to send a hot link to the users of mobile device 620 and personal computer 670 that will tune their devices to the broadcast identified by “THE END” when they select a command button on their device. To transfer the hot link, the user of mobile device 630 may select command button 634, or some other user interface such as a physical or virtual button on mobile device 630. In response to the selection of a user interface, mobile device's 630 hot link application 680 generates the message containing the hot link and sends the message to the other devices. Alternatively, hot link application 680 or mobile device 630 may send a message to server 640 indicating the hot link to generate and the devices to receive the hot link. When the hot link is sent to mobile device 620 and personal computer 670, the user of the device is notified of the received hot link. One method of notification is delivering a visual indication to the user on the device's display. According to the present example, the message “Listen, to THE END?” is shown on display 622 of mobile device 620 as well as on display 675 of personal computer 670. The user may also be notified by some other method, including an audio notification, or some other type of visual notification. As will be appreciated, many types of messages may be generated notifying the user of the received hot link. The user of device 620 and personal computer 670 may decide whether or not to activate the hot link. If the user desires to activate the hot link, the user selects the command button and the device is tuned to “THE END.” FIG. 7 illustrates an exemplary display for selecting the action associated with the hot link, according to one embodiment of the invention. As shown in the figure, hot link action selection system 700, includes display 701, hot link items 710, PALS button 731, SIMILAR button 732, EVERYONE button 733, and SELECT USER button 734. Hot link items 710 include opinion indicators 720, titles 724, and descriptions 726. Hot link items 710 contain a set of actions that may be used to generate a hot link. Display 701 may contain titles 724 identifying the action, as well as descriptions 726 of the action. The title may be the broadcast name, item, song name, movie, product number, and the like. Display 701 may also provide a visual representation of the number of users who have provided positive and negative opinions corresponding to the action. Display 701 also shows levels 720 of the user opinions. Levels 720 indicate the level of the positive or negative opinion expressed by a particular user or group of users. The group of users may be the users within the PAL list specified by the user, or some other list. The opinion data may be used in many different ways. For example, the opinion data may be used to help select the action to be associated with the hot link. For example, when the action item has been given a negative opinion, the user may decide not to select the action to associate with a hot link. When the opinions are positive for an item, however, the user may select the action to be associated with the hot link. For example, the user may decide to select an action relating to the radio station “THE END” since the opinion level is positive. Display 701 may also provide mechanisms, such as buttons 731-734 to indicate which groups should receive the hot link. For example, PALS button 731 may indicate to send the hot link to other users found on their PAL LIST. SIMILAR button 732 may be used to send the hot link to only those people whose opinions are similar to their own. For example, the similar individuals may be generated based on the users previous opinions expressed and compared with other similar users who have expressed opinions in the system. Similarly, an EVERYONE button 733 may be used to send the hot link to all devices. Select user button 734 may be used to select a particular user in which to send the hot link. Of course, any other groups of users may be generated automatically or manually. The groups may be generated based on a user's preferences, demographic data, and the like. FIG. 8 illustrates a functional block diagram for a hot link system, according to one embodiment of the invention. As shown in the figure, hot link system 800 includes user interface module 802, that interacts with the user of the device through the a set of modules. These modules include hot link interface module 811, audio interface module 812, video interface module 813, display interface module 814, Internet communication module 821, web browser module 822, and telecommunications interface module 823. Hot link interface module 811 generates, sends and receives hot links. Hot link interface module 811 interacts with the other interface modules to obtain the information used to generate and perform the action associated with the hot link. Hot link Interface module 811 may also generate a data message containing the hot link and generate instructions that instruct the device to send the hot link to other devices. Audio interface module 812 processes the audio broadcast data received from all sources, including any broadcast tuners (not shown), web browser module 822, telecommunications interface module 823 and any other sources of audio data. Audio interface module 812 performs any processing necessary to format and decode any audio data so that it may be output to the user. This module may process audio data in any format including sampled analog data and encoded audio data as well as merely control the output of an analog signal received from the radio tuner. Audio interface module 812 may provide audio data to hot link interface 811 used in generation of the hot link. Audio interface module 812 may also receive tuning instructions from hot link interface 811 to tune to a particular broadcast. Video interface module 813 processes video broadcast data received that is to be displayed as a rendered image on the mobile device's display. Video interface module 813 processes the data to display web pages rendered from a mark-up language such as HTML, static graphic images in any format, such as GIF, JPEG, TIFF, BMP, and similar representations of audio data, and video sequences of images such as streaming video, QUICKTIME movies, MPEG movies and similar representations of video data. Video interface module 813 may provide video data to hot link interface 811 used in generation of the hot link associated with video. Video interface module 813 may also receive tuning instructions from hot link interface 811 to tune to a particular broadcast. Display interface module 814 processes any data that specifies how other display elements on the mobile device, such as the color, intensity and display characteristics of input buttons on the mobile device. As is discussed above, LEDs may be placed on the mobile device and display various patterns. For example, LEDs of various colors may be associated with input buttons. As such, display interface module 814 processes received data to illuminate various buttons as desired. Display interface module 814 may provide visual data to hot link interface 811 used in generation of the hot link associated with the display of the device. Display interface module 814 may also receive display instructions from hot link interface 811 to create a particular display in response to the performed hot link. User interface module 802 interacts with the telecommunications interface module 823 to process any telephone call related operations of the device. Telecommunications interface module 833 may provide call data to hot link interface 811 used in generation of the hot link associated with telecommunications. Telecommunications interface module 833 may also receive calling instructions from hot link interface 811 to call to a particular telephone number. User interface module 802 also interacts with web browser module 822 to receive, process and display Internet-related data. Broadcast related modules interact with user interface module 802 to receive and output radio related data to a user. Browser module 822 may provide browser data to hot link interface 811 used in generation of the hot link associated with browsing a Web site. Browser module 822 may also receive instructions from hot link interface 811 to retrieve or send information to/from a particular site. Web browser module 822 communicates with web sites on the Internet through Internet communications module 821. Web browser module 822 receives the web page data and renders the image corresponding to the data and web pages that are displayed to the user. Internet communication module 821 performs the communications functions necessary to connect to the Internet as well as send and receive web page data that may be specified in a web page mark-up language such as HTML, WAP, or similar web page specification languages. FIG. 9 illustrates an exemplary hot link message format, in accordance with aspects of the invention. As shown in the figure, hot link message format 900 includes header 910, hot link type 915, link assign 920, link action 925, and message 930. The hot link message format is exemplary only and not intended to be limiting. Header 910 is used to store routing information for the message. The header contains information relating to the location of the device that will receive the hot link. For example, the header may indicate the location of mobile device 620. According to another example, the header may indicate the location for the personal computer 670 (See FIG. 6 and related discussion). Hot link type field 915 indicates the type of hot link is contained within the message. The hot link may be many different types, including, but not limited to: a broadcast type, a telecommunications type, a network type, a message type, a data type, and the like. The broadcast type indicates that the hot link is associated with a broadcast. For example, the hot link tunes the device to a particular broadcast station. A telecommunications type indicates that the hot link is associated with the telecommunications portion of the device. For example, the hot link is associated with calling a particular telephone number. A network type indicates that the hot link is associated with sending or retrieving information over a network, such as the Internet. A message type indicates that the hot link is a message to a device that requests a response. For example, the message may be: “Do you like this station?” and request an answer from the device. A data type indicates that the hot link is associated with sending or receiving data by using components within the device. For example, the data may be received using an infrared port on the device. As will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill, in the art in view of the present disclosure, any message protocol used by the devices may be used to send and receive the hot link. For example, the short message service (SMS) protocol may be used. Generally, SMS is a protocol that allows short text and data messages to be sent and received over wireless networks. These SMS messages may be sent and received on a variety of cellular networks, including Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) cellular networks. Generally, there are three types of SMS messages: GSM character set-encoded messages (effectively 7-bit encoded text), UCS2-encoded messages (Unicode encoded 16-bit text), and 8-bit binary-encoded messages. Typically, GSM-encoded messages and UCS2-encoded messages are textual and are displayed to the user by a messaging application as soon as they are received, whereas 8-bit binary-encoded messages are generally directed at providing device-specific information, such as device configuration messages. The Short Message Service (SMS) is the ability to send and receive text messages to and from mobile telephones. The text can comprise of words or numbers or an alphanumeric combination. A single short message can be up to 160 characters of text in length using default GSM alphabet coding, 140 characters when Cyrillic character set is used and 70 characters when UCS2 international character coding is used. Although SMS messages have a maximum length, the length of the ud element data field is not limited. The message may be split into pieces and then sent piece by piece. The device may then concatenate the pieces automatically. SMS messages have a “User Data Header” which can contain additional information, such as source and destination port numbers (similar to TCP/IP), concatenation information that is used to support multi-part SMS messages, and the like. The User Data Header allows SMS messages to be customized. Special characters or strings may be placed into an SMS messages to denote the message includes a hot link. For example, a message containing the string “!LI!” may indicate that the message contains a hot link and should be processed accordingly. Other information following the identifier “!LI!” may indicate the actions to perform. For example, “!RS****” may be used to indicate that the device should change a tuner to a radio station using the characters supplied in the wildcard pattern *****. Similarly, “!TV****” may indicate an action to tune a television to a certain station. “!CALL***-***-****” may indicate to call the corresponding telephone number. “!DOWNLOAD(LOCATION)” may be used to download a file from a specified location. For example, the location may be a web address or some other network address. As will be appreciated, the special characters are not displayed to the user. The message may also contain information linking the actions with some user interface (physical or virtual) on the receiving device using link assign field 920. For example, “!LinkActionToCB” may instruct the receiving device to link the hot link to a command button. Link action field 925 contains the instructions used to perform the action on the device. The instructions may be in any format that is understood by the receiving device. For example, the instructions may be device specific or a device independent set of instructions that are converted to the appropriate set of codes within the device to perform the actions. Message field 930 stores a message provided to the user indicating the nature of the hot link. The message may be a text, sound, video, or a multimedia message. Message field 930 may also include a link to a location that includes the message. The link may be a pointer to a specific file, a link to a network address, and the like. The specific message format may be many different types, and the example illustrated here is merely exemplary and not limiting. FIG. 10 illustrates a process for generating and sending a hot link to a device, according to one embodiment of the invention. After a start block, the logic advances to block 1010 where the hot link action is determined. The action can be performed by the device receiving the hot link either automatically or when a user interface is activated. For example, the action may be to tune a tuner within the device to a particular station, download a file, call a telephone number, fax a document, ask a question from other users, and the like. (See FIG. 11 and related discussion). Moving to block 1020, the devices to receive the hot link are identified. Briefly described, the devices are selected manually by the user, or automatically according to a set of preferences (See FIG. 12 and related discussion). Transitioning to block 1030, the process generates the hot link message. Generally, the hot link message is prepared corresponding to the specifications of the devices receiving the hot link (See FIG. 13 and related discussion). Flowing to block 1040, the hot link message is sent to the identified devices. The hot link message is sent using the determined protocol and selected delivery method. The logical flow then returns to performing other actions. FIG. 11 illustrates a set of exemplary actions that may be included within a hot link message, according to one embodiment of the invention. Action routine 1105 is associated with broadcast action 1110, Internet action 1120, download action 1130, upload action 1140, call action 1150, and other action 1160. The action to include within the hot link may be provided in many different ways. For example, the action may be automatically identified based on the current use of the device generating the hot link, or manually selected by the user (See FIG. 7 and related discussion). For example, suppose the user desires to send a hot link to a device instructing it to tune to a station playing a particular song when the user interface is activated. The mobile device may determine the identifying information relating to the song as it is playing on the device. Broadcast action 1110 may be any action relating to a broadcast. The broadcast may be a television broadcast, a radio broadcast, or some other broadcast: The broadcast action indicates to action routine 1105 the broadcast location corresponding to the desired broadcast. For example, the call letters of the broadcast may be used to identify the broadcast location. The user may also manually identify the broadcast action. For example, the user may enter a text description of the broadcast. The input may include the call letters, the name of the show, and the like. Internet action 1140 is an action related to the Internet. For example, the Internet action may access a particular site on the Internet. Download action 1130 and upload action 1140 instruct the device to download or upload data from/to a particular location. The data may be on a network or the data may be on another device and beamed to the receiving device, or a cable connection may be used to couple the devices to transfer the data. Call action 1150 is an action instructing the device to call a particular number. The call may be a voice or data call. Other action 1160 instructs the device to perform some other action. FIG. 12 illustrates a process for identifying devices to send the hot link message, according to one embodiment of the invention. After a start block, the process moves to decision block 1210 that determines whether the receiving device is a network device. When the device is a network device the process moves to block 1220, where the logic determines the network type. For example, is the network a wireless network or a wired network. The network type is used to determine the protocol and message format used to send the hot link message to the device. When the device is not a network device, the process moves to block 1230 that determines the type of connection used between the device sending the hot link message and the device receiving the hot link message. The connection may be a wireless connection or a wired connection. For example, an infrared port may be used to communicate with another device wirelessly, or an RS-232, USB, FIREWIRE, or some other physical cable connection may be used to connect the devices physically. Transitioning to block 1240, a location for the device is determined. The location may be a network address, a telephone number, a frequency, or some other information uniquely identifying the location of the device receiving the hot link message. Moving to block 1250, the type of device is determined. The type of device relates to information that is used to create a set of instructions relating to the action that are generated for the device. For example, the device may be a certain brand of cell phone, PDA, personal computer, and the like. A default device may also be used if the device type may not be determined. For example, the default device type may only support a subset of the instructions for the device but are selected to work across a number of supported devices. At block 1260, the device is added to a list of devices to which the hot link message is to be sent. The list contains the information used to create the hot link message. The list may contain as few as one device. The process then ends. FIG. 13 illustrates a process for generating a hot link message for a device, according to one embodiment of the invention. After a start block, the process moves to block 1310 at which point the process determines information relating to the device for which to prepare the message. The device information may be obtained from the list of devices assembled according to the process described in FIG. 12. The information is used to prepare the message according to the specifications of the receiving devices. For example, the instructions to tune a personal computer to a particular broadcast may be different than to tune a mobile device to the same broadcast. Flowing to block 1320, the header of the hot link message is generated. The header contains the address information for the receiving device. For example, the address may be an IP address associated with the receiving device. Moving to block 1330, the hot link type is added to the message. For example, a hot link type could be a hypertext type, a telephone number type, a broadcast type (e.g. radio or television station call letters), a user's name type, a display type, a download type, an upload type, and the like. If special characters or strings are used to indicate the type, then those characters are generated and inserted into the message. As discussed above, the hot link message may contain many different fields. A special character or string can be used to denote the presence of a hot link within a message. For example, the string “!LI!” could be placed in the message to indicate that a hot link is present. Numerical designators may be used as to indicate the type of link. For example, adding the number “1” to the string could indicate that a hypertext link is present in the hot link message. The number “2” could represent the presence of a radio station frequency, the number “3” could represent the presence of radio station call letters, and the number “4” could represent the presence of television station call letters. Thus, the presence of a hypertext link in a message would be disclosed by string “!LI!1”, a link to radio station by frequency would be string “!LI!2”, a link to a radio station by call letters would be “!LT!3”, and a link to a television by call letters would be “!LT!4.” Many other identifying methods may be used to identify the hot link within the message. At block 1340, the process generates the link assign information. The link assign information assigns the hot link to a user interface on the receiving device. The information may indicate a particular key on the receiving device, such as a command button, or may be automatically assigned to another user interface based on a user's preference or other factors. In one embodiment, a user can predetermine a button on a key pad to be used as a user interface. For example, the user may have a preference that sets the “#” button on their device as the user interface. Transitioning to block 1350, the instructions to perform the action are generated and included within the message. The generated link action instructs the device receiving the link to perform a set of actions to perform the various action associated with the hot link. Moving to block 1360, a user message may be generated that is presented to the user, either visual or auditory, to inform the user of the receiving device that the hot link has been received. The process then returns to performing other actions. The above specification, examples and data provide a complete description of the manufacture and use of the composition of the invention. Since many embodiments of the invention can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, the invention resides in the claims hereinafter appended. | <SOH> BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION <EOH>Since their introduction, the number of services and features for cellular telephones has steadily increased while the cost of ownership and operation has decreased. At first, these mobile telecommunication devices operated on analog wireless networks that enabled voice communication and simple paging features. Later, digital wireless networks were introduced for cellular telephones to provide more advanced features for voice and data communication, such as encryption, caller identification and sending and receiving short message service (SMS) text messages. More recently, some cellular telephones enable the browsing of web pages on the Internet or other on-line services. The functionality of cellular telephones continues to increase. Some cellular telephones incorporate many of the features originally provided for in handheld electronic devices, such as personal digital assistants (PDAs). Relatively simple PDA features such as keeping a list of contacts, a calendar, appointments, and the like have been generally integrated into recent cellular telephone models. The lower cost of ownership, along with the increased services and features available, has made it common for individuals to own a cellular telephone and use it for daily communications. Individuals are no longer restricting the use of their cellular telephone to strictly business or emergency calls. They are talking with their friends about what they are currently listening to on the radio, watching on television, viewing on the World Wide Web, and the like. The user may want their friends to listen to the same radio or television broadcast they are experiencing, or view the same website they think is interesting. However, cellular telephones do not provide this ability. Instead, a cellular telephone user has to manually change the settings or configuration of their phone, or some other device, in order to participate with their friends in the desired activity. | <SOH> SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION <EOH>The invention relates to providing a method and system for generating and sending a hot link to a device. The hot link contains an action that instructs the receiving device to perform some activity when an associated user interface is selected. According to one aspect of the invention, a mobile device is configured to generate and send a hot link to another device. The hot link may direct the device receiving the hot link to perform some action. For example, the action contained within the hot link may instruct the receiving device to tune a receiver to a particular broadcast, dial a number, respond to message, and the like. According to another aspect of the invention, the hot link is associated with a user interface. When the user interface is selected the hot link action is performed. The user interface may be a physical button or a virtual button, icon, symbol, or some other user interface associated with the device receiving the hot link. The user interface may be a predetermined button on the device. For example, the * key on a device may be the predetermined button. According to yet another aspect of the invention, a message that includes the hot link is generated and sent to the device. The message may be generated by the mobile device or may be generated by an external computer, such as a server. The message is sent using an appropriate message protocol for the receiving device. For example, the message may be sent to a mobile device using the SMS protocol. According to still yet another aspect of the invention, the message includes an identification field that corresponds to the message delivered to the user of the device when the message is received. For example, the identification field could simply be a text statement such as: “Do you want to view HBO now?” According to another aspect of the invention, the message contains a field that identifies the type of hot link contained within the message. Character codes are used to indicate the type of hot link. For example, the character code “!RS****” may be used to indicate that the type of action is a broadcast action that instructs the device to change a tuner to a radio station using the characters supplied in the wildcard pattern *****. According to yet another aspect of the invention, the hot link may be generated automatically based on the current configuration of the mobile device or selected manually. For example, when the user is listening to a radio station, a hot link is generated instructing a device to change to the radio station currently on the user's device. The user may also select the hot link from a list of available hot links. According to still yet another aspect of the invention, the selection of devices that are to receive the hot link may be manually or automatically generated. The user may select each device manually, or the selection may be based on a user's preferences, such as the preferences found in a PAL list. These and various other features as well as advantages, which characterize the present invention, will be apparent from a reading of the following detailed description and a review of the associated drawings. | H04W412 | 20171212 | 20180614 | 92993.0 | H04W412 | 3 | IBRAHIM, MOHAMED | METHOD AND SYSTEMS FOR GENERATING AND SENDING A HOT LINK ASSOCIATED WITH A USER INTERFACE TO A DEVICE | UNDISCOUNTED | 1 | CONT-ACCEPTED | H04W | 2,017 |
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15,840,052 | PENDING | Method for Immediate Boolean Operations Using Geometric Facets | A method for performing Boolean operations using a computer to create geometric models from primary geometric objects and their facets, comprises calculating intersection lines of facets, splitting facets through which the intersection lines pass, determining each facet is visible or obscure, and regrouping the facets to form one or more geometric objects. This method does not utilize the most popular data structures CSG and B-REP in CAD/CG/Solid Modeling systems, but has the advantages of both CSG and B-REP: easy to implement and flexible. Additionally it is a united method for solid modeling and surface modeling systems, and it is able to generate variant and editable models. | 1. A method that performs immediate Boolean Operations using geometric facets implemented in a computer system and operating with a computer, the method comprising: mapping rendering facets to extended triangles that contain neighbors; searching for the first pair of triangles that hold a start point of an intersection line by detecting whether two minimum bounding boxes overlap and performing edge-triangle intersection; extending the intersection lines until they get closed by searching neighboring triangles or all triangles are traversed; splitting triangles through which intersection lines pass; checking each triangle is obscure or visible; regrouping facets, deleting, and reserving triangles according to Boolean operation types; and mapping extended triangles to rendering facets. 2. The method of claim 1 wherein any Boolean operations, including combination, division, intersection, difference, and exclusion, use rendering facets of the geometric objects to create new geometric objects and the resultants are immediately mapped to rendering triangles without the data structure Constructive Solid Geometry, CSG, and Boundary Representation, B-REP. 3. The method of claim 1 wherein any Boolean operations, including combination, intersection, exclusion, difference, and division, use rendering facets of the geometric objects to create new geometric objects and the resultants are immediately mapped to rendering triangles with the data structure CSG and B-REP. 4. The method of claim 1 wherein building intersection lines uses the minimum bounding boxes to detect whether two facets do not overlap and carries out edge-triangle intersection calculation so that the intersection points are exact and the intersection lines are not approximate curves. 5. The method of claim 1 wherein searching an intersection point calculates edge-triangle intersection and employees neighboring facets so that direct calculation of edge-edge intersection is replaced by verifying whether a point is on an edge of a triangle. 6. The method of claim 1 wherein splitting a triangle projects every three (3) dimensional triangles and all its sub-intersection lines onto a two (2) dimensional plane and builds Delaunay 2D mesh with modified Watson method in which the triangle is divided into different partitions even when the sub-intersection lines are not convex. 7. The method of claim 1 wherein the step checking whether a triangle Ta belongs to A is bounded by a geometric objectB utilizes t-buffer further composing: calculating the centroid c of Ta; building a line l: p−c+t*N passing through the centroid c and along the normal of Ta; for each triangle Tb of objectB, checking whether l intersects with Tb at an interior point p and adding t to t-Buffer; and setting Ta to be “obscure” when the size of negative t equals to that of positive t in t-Buffer. 8. The method of claim 1 wherein the step checking whether a triangle is “obscure” when trimming a surface patch further composing: setting m_ID of regular points of BlOpTriangleSet of the concerned patch to be 0 and m_ID of points of the intersection lines of the said patch in ascending or descending order, which is depending on whether the said line and trimming contour are in the same direction; according to m_ID of the member m_Points of each triangle, deciding whether it is a boundary triangle; for each boundary triangle, determining it is to the left or right side of the trimming contour, and setting its neighbors that are not boundary ones to be “left” or “right”. 9. The method of claim 1 wherein a Boolean operation, such as a combination, an intersection, an exclusion, a difference, or a division, reserves visible, or obscure facets, or a mixture of visible and obscure facets for constructing its operational result. 10. The method of claim 1 wherein the Boolean operation result is directly mapped to rendering data for being displayed and providing data to next Boolean operations. 11. A computer system consisting of hardware and software that performs immediate Boolean operations using rendering facets of geometric objects, the system comprising: a computer with input devices for entering data and commands, and a display device showing user interface, geometric objects, and additional data, having a medium storing geometric data and instructions that make up of a software system, or having a microchip or integrated circuit embedding partially or totally the instructions, and a processor that executes these calculations: creating, modifying or loading primary geometric objects including swept and extruded ones and relocating them at different positions or orientations with input devices of the computer; selecting two of the geometric objects; mapping rendering facets to extended triangles that contain neighbors; searching for the first pair of triangles that hold a start point of an intersection line by detecting whether two minimum bounding boxes overlap and by performing edge-triangle intersection; extending the intersection lines until they get closed by searching neighboring triangles or all triangles are traversed; splitting facets through which intersection lines pass; checking each triangle is obscure or visible; regrouping facets, deleting, reserving, and merging facets according to Boolean operation types; and mapping extended triangles to rendering triangles. 12. The system of claim 11 wherein any Boolean operations, including combination, intersection, exclusion, difference, and division, use rendering facets of the geometric objects to create new geometric objects and the resultants are immediately mapped to rendering data without the data structure CSG and B-REP. 13. The system of claim 11 wherein any Boolean operations, including combination, intersection, exclusion, difference, and division, use rendering facets of the geometric objects to create new geometric objects and the resultants are immediately mapped to rendering data with the data structure CSG and B-REP. 14. The system of claim 11 wherein building intersection lines uses the minimum bounding boxes to detect whether two facets do not overlap and carries out edge-triangle intersection calculation so that the intersection points are exact and the intersection lines are not approximate curves. 15. The system of claim 11 wherein searching an intersection point calculates edge-triangle intersection and employees neighboring triangles so that direct calculation of edge-edge intersection is replaced by verifying whether a point is on an edge of a triangle. 16. The system of claim 11 wherein splitting a triangle projects every three (3) dimensional triangle and all its sub-intersection lines onto a two (2) dimensional plane and builds Delaunay 2D mesh in which the triangle is divided into different partitions even when the sub-intersection lines are not convex. 17. The system of claim 11 wherein the step checking whether a triangle Ta belongs to A is bounded by a geometric objectB utilizes t-Buffer further composing: calculating the centroid c of Ta; building a line l: p−c+t*N passing through the centroid c and along the normal of Ta; for each triangle Tb of objectB checking whether l intersects with Tb at an interior point p and adding t to t-Buffer; and setting Tb to be “obscure” when the size of negative t equals to that of positive t in t-Buffer. 18. The system of claim 11 wherein the step checking whether a triangle is “obscure” when trimming a surface patch further composing: setting m ID of regular points of BlOpTriangleSet of the concerned patch to be 0 and m_ID of points of the intersection lines of the said patch in ascending or descending order, which is depending on whether the said line and trimming contour are in the same direction; according to m_ID of the member m_Points of each triangle, deciding whether it is a boundary triangle; for each boundary triangle, determining it is to the left or right side of the trimming contour, and setting its neighbors that are not boundary ones to be “left” or “right”. 19. The system of claim 11 wherein a Boolean operation, such as a combination, an intersection, an exclusion, a difference, or a division, reserves visible, or obscure facets, or a mixture of the two types of geometric facets for constructing its operational result. 20. The system of claim 11 wherein the Boolean operation result is directly mapped to rendering data for being displayed and providing data to next Boolean operations. | BACKGROUND Field of the Invention This invention provides an immediate Boolean operation method for building three (3) dimensional geometric models from primary geometric objects to Computer Aided Design, Computer Graphics, Solid Modeling systems, and Surface Modeling systems, which are widely used in product design, manufacturing, and simulation. Mechanic industry, culture and sports, everywhere there are geometric shapes, may have CAD/CG applications. Related Art Computer hardware is so highly developed that even an ordinary Personal Computer may be used to install and run a commercial CAD/CG system, which normally has Boolean operation functions including AND, OR, and NOT. PC components comprise input devices, such as a mouse and a keyboard, a main machine, a screen, and a printer. The software system contains geometric and non geometric functions. FIG. 1 shows the main PC components and FIGS. 2A through 2D depict a typical CAD/CG software system architecture. Boolean operations provide a general process of building complex solid geometric objects from different geometric shapes, which include primary geometric objects, swept or extruded objects, to CAD/CG/Solid Modeling systems. Lee applied Boolean operations to divide surface [Lee U.S. Pat. No. 6,307,555]. Boolean operations may rely on Constructive Solid Geometry, CSG, to record primary geometric objects and operation sequence in a hierarchic way, which technically is easy to implement, whereas Boundary Representation, B-REP, is regarded as a more flexible way that supports more geometric object types like extended geometries [Gursoz, 1990]. This invention presents five (5) Boolean operation commands: combination, intersection, exclusion, difference, and division, which directly work on triangles decomposed from geometric facets used for rendering functions and do not require the data structure Constructive Solid Geometry or Boundary Representation. The data structures defined in this invention are a few of simple classes, the algorithms incorporated in this invention are concise and easy to implement, and the five (5) commands allow the user to create geometric models not only by selecting the types of geometric objects but also by defining their facets. FIG. 3 presents a box with 6 facets and a sphere with different facets make distinct results. Although the five (5) commands are designed for solid modeling and surface modeling, surface trimming command is incorporated in this invention provides an alternative for surface modeling and it identifies whether a facet is obscure in a different way. This invention presents data structures and algorithms differ from CSG and B-REP, and the algorithms incorporated in this invention include triangle-triangle intersections, splitting triangles with sub-intersection lines, identifying whether a facet is obscure, and regrouping triangles to form geometric models. DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION This invention provides a set of data structures and algorithms for performing Boolean operations, which are used to build complex geometric models and work directly on triangles decomposed from geometric facets used as rendering data by computer hardware and rendering functions like OpenGL libraries. A geometric shape, for example, a sphere, a cone, a cylinder, a box, triangular facets, an extruded or swept object, and a surface patch, is triangulated to build a set, noted as TriangleSet, for displaying. When two geometric shapes are selected for performing a Boolean operation, neighboring triangles will be added to each triangle in TriangleSet to form another set for each of the shapes, BlOpTriangleSet. The second step of a Boolean operation this invention described is to search and build intersection lines between triangle sets. It starts with finding the first pair of intersecting triangles: this system builds an axis aligned minimum bounding box for each triangle and checks whether two bounding boxes overlap to decide if edge-triangle intersection needs to be calculated. Once the edge-triangle intersection point(s) falls inside a triangle, this system completes the searching task and stores the point data into an intersection line set. To extend the current intersection line, this method traces neighboring triangles and calculates edge-triangle intersection points until the intersection line becomes closed. The third step of a Boolean operation this invention described is to split triangles. Each segment of the intersection lines references two (2) triangles, each of the triangles has at least one sub-intersection line that contains one or more segments, which divide a triangle into three (3) or more smaller triangles. After splitting the triangles, the original triangles are removed, and those smaller triangles are added to the BlOpTriangleSet. The fourth step of a Boolean operation this invention described is to decide each triangle is obscure or visible. If a triangle is enclosed by other triangles, it is obscure. A triangle is visible means it is outside another object. The fifth step of a Boolean operation this invention described is to regroup the triangles: some of them have to be removed and some need to be put together, and there are five (5) cases for regrouping. The final step of a Boolean operation this invention described is to map BlOpTriangleSet to TriangleSet. The process of the said surface trimming command contains six (6) steps, too. Initially, this system maps a surface to a BlOpTriangleSet and one of its trimming contour to an extruded shape to form a BlOpTriangleSet. Step two (2), three (3), and six (6) are the same as that of the Boolean operations. Step four (4) checks a triangle is to the left or right side of the trimming contour to decide whether it is necessary to be reserved. The regrouping function, step five (5), deletes only left side or right side triangles when the system trims a surface. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 shows the main personal computer components, which generally contain a main machine, input devices including mouse and keyboard, a display, and a printer. A highly developed CAD/CG system can run on a PC machine. FIGS. 2A through 2D describe a software architecture in which a CAD/CG/Geometric Modeling system uses Boolean operations and surface trimming to build geometric models. FIG. 3 represents that distinct facets make various results even their original geometric object types and sizes are the same: the left side example has less facets and the right side has more facets. In these examples, Boolean Intersection operations work on a box and a sphere. FIG. 4 is a flowchart for immediate Boolean operations using geometric facets. FIG. 5 depicts that a triangle has three (3) neighbors. Given a triangle and its two vertices, there is one and only one neighboring triangle in solid models. FIGS. 6A and 6B show two minimum bounding boxes do not overlap and two boxes overlap each other. Each triangle virtually has a minimum bounding box. If two boxes do not overlap, the triangles contained in the two boxes do not intersect. If the boxes overlap, edge-triangle intersection calculation is required. FIGS. 7A through 7C depict three (3) edge-triangle intersection cases: an intersection point falls inside a triangle, an intersection point locates on an edge of a triangle, an intersection point is a vertex of a triangle. FIGS. 8A through 8D show the searching candidate set, which allows the system to traverse next triangle for extending intersection lines by conducting edge-triangle calculation. Triangles filled with colors are the last pair of triangles that intersect each other, the triangles not filled are referenced by the member m_NeigTri of the data structure Triangle3dEx, which guides the system searching a minimum set of triangles when building intersection lines. The set contains one triangle, two triangles, or zero. FIGS. 9A through 9D show four (4) examples of intersection lines. A box intersects a sphere, which has different facet numbers. FIGS. 10A through 10C give three (3) examples of sub-intersection lines in darker color. FIG. 10A has one (1) sub-intersection line, 10B two (2), and 10C one (1). FIGS. 11A through 11D show four (4) examples that sub-intersection lines divided a triangle into a set of triangles. FIGS. 12A through 12H show a Delaunay mesh sequence in which each intersection point is inserted into the mesh step by step. FIG. 13 is the flowchart of Delaunay mesh Watson method that created the sequence of FIGS. 12A through 12H. FIG. 14 shows a triangle and its Delaunay mesh. The original triangle is removed and only the Delaunay mesh is reserved for late computations. FIG. 15 shows t-Buffer where t may be negative and positive. If the size of negative t and positive t is balanced in t-Buffer, the triangle concerned is closed by another object and is obscure. FIGS. 16A through 16E show five (5) examples of Boolean operations conducted with a box and a sphere. FIGS. 16F and 16G depict the internal mesh of two Boolean operation resultants: combination and exclusion. FIG. 17 shows a contour line trims a closed surface, a deformed sphere, and generates two (2) holes. FIG. 18 gives an example in which an extruded surface, a tube, is trimmed by a contour line and creates a hole. DETAILED DESCRIPTION This invention defines these data structures: Point3dEx, Triangle3dEx, and BlOpTriangle3dSet that inherit Point3d, Triangle 3d, Triangle3dSet storing facets for rendering geometric objects. When performing a Boolean operation, the system maps rendering facets to BlOpTriangle3dSet and all following processes focus on the members and attributes of BlOpTriangle3dSet. FIG. 4 is the flowchart describing the main procedure of Boolean operations conducted by the present invention. After a Boolean operation is completed, the system maps the resultant stored in BlOpTriangle3dSet to rendering facets. Geometric Facets for Rendering CAD systems render facets to represent a geometric object, such as a sphere, a cone, a box, a cylinder, an extruded or swept object. A facet may compose three (3) or more points, and facets are usually decomposed into triangles for easy calculations. A box has six (6) facets decomposed into twelve (12) triangles. A sphere may have eighteen (18) facets, composing twenty four (24) triangles. A sphere may also be rendered using more than one thousand (1,000) facets and triangles. FIG. 3 shows a sphere rendered with different facets. This method uses Triangle3dSet to note triangle set data structure for rendering a geometric object, it contains two (2) attributes: a three (3) dimensional point set and a triangle set, where Triangle3d references Point3d. class Triangle3dSet { DataSet<Point3d> m_PointSet; DataSet<Triangle3d> m_TriangleSet; }; class Triangle3d { Point3d *m_Points[3]; }; class Point3d { DataTypeI m_X, m_Y, m_Z; }; Triangles for Boolean Operations The Boolean Operation method described in this invention defined three (3) key classes: BlOpTriangleSet, Triangle3dEx, and Point3dEx. class BlOpTriangleSet { DataSet<Point3dEx> m_PointSet; DataSet<Triangle3dEx> m_TriangleSet; }; class Point3dEx : Point3d { DataTypeII m_ID; // position and sequence index DataTypeIII m_X, m_Y, m_Z; // DataType III may }; be different from DataTypeI class Triangle3dEx : Triangle3d { Point3dEx *m_Points[3]; DataTypeII m_ID; Plane m_Plane; DataTypeIV m_Normal[3]; Triangle3dEx *m_NeigTri[3]; // neighboring triangles }; DataTypeII may be int, long, unsigned long, or other integer types. DataTypeIII is a floating point data type, such as float, double, even long double. The class Triangle3dEx specifies each triangle may have three (3) neighboring triangles, and every triangle is stored just one (1) copy in BlOpTriangleSet. Given the box example, the simplest way it has twelve (12) triangles, even each of them has three (3) neighbors, BlOpTriangleSet still stores a total of twelve (12) triangles. Technically Triangle3d may have the attribute m Normal. If DataTypeI and DataTypeIV are the same type, for example, double, the attribute m_Normal can be inherited. Data Mapping The process of mapping Triangle3dSet to BlOpTriangleSet copies point set and triangle set from rendering statue and fills default attributes. Data mapping contains the following procedure: 1) Copy points from Triangle3dSet to BlOpTriangleSet and ensure there are not identical points. 2) Copy triangles from Triangle3dSet to BlOpTriangleSet. 3) For each triangle in BlOpTriangleSet, set its neighboring triangles. 4) Calculate the normal and build the plane equation for each triangle in BlOpTri bangleSet. Remark 1: Given two (2) points a and b, if |xa-xb|< and |ya-yb|<, and |za-zb|<, where is a positive floating point number, for example 5.0e-16, then b is identical to a. Remark 2: When mapping points from rendering data to BlOpTriangleSet, the system checks if there is an identical point in BlOpTriangleSet. Remark 3: A triangle, which has three (3) points, defines a plane whose mathematical formula is ax+by+cz+d=0 and the class Plane internally records it as an array of four (4) numbers, such as double m_ABCD[4]. Remark 4: A triangle, if its three (3) points are not identical, always has a valid normal. Even it is related to m_ABCD, a separate copy makes things more clear and easy to handle later. Remark 5: Every triangle has three (3) edges, when there are no duplicated points, it has three (3) neighboring triangles in solid models. FIG. 5 shows an example: a triangle filled with dark color and its three (3) neighbors. When concerning a surface patch for surface trimming, one or two neighbors of a triangle may be null. The First Intersection Point Every triangle has three (3) vertices, which define a minimum bounding box. This method adopted the concept of axis aligned minimum bounding box. Given a pair of triangles, if their bounding boxes do not overlap, the two triangles have no intersection point; otherwise, this method carries out edge-triangle intersection calculation. If an edge of a triangle Ta intersects with a plane defined by a triangle Tb and the intersection point pet falls inside Tb, then pet is the first intersection point. If pet is outside of Tb, then switch the triangle position in the pair, (Ta, Tb) changed to (Tb, Ta), and conduct edge-triangle intersection calculation. Given the i-th edge of a triangle Ta, i∈[0, 2], its formula is: p−pi−t*(p(i+1)%3-pi), and the plane defined by the triangle Tb, its formula is: ax+by+cz+d=0. If the two formulas have a solution, the edge intersects with the plane. If the edge-plane intersection point falls inside the triangle Tb, then the point is the edge-triangle intersection point. Extending an Intersection Line This method defines a data structure for recording an intersection point as PntEgTri: class PntEgTri { Triangle3dEx *m_Tri0, *m_Tri1; DataTypeII m_EdgeIndex; DataTypeII m_PointPosi; Point3dEx m_Point; Point3dEx *m_PntGlobalIndexA, *m_PntGlobalIndexB; }; According to the location of an intersection point on a triangle, a PntEgTri, simply pet, can be classified into three (3) categories shown in FIGS. 7A through 7C. 1) The most popular case is the edge-triangle intersection, pet locates on an edge of triangle Ta and inside triangle Tb. 2) Edge-edge intersection, pet locates on an edge of triangle Ta and on an edge of triangle Tb. 3) Edge-vertex intersection, pet locates on an edge of triangle Ta and on a vertex of triangle Tb. To extend an intersection line, this system catches next neighboring triangle(s) and checks edge-triangle intersection until the intersection line gets closed or all triangles are traversed. Sub-intersection Line An intersection line passes through a set of triangles and divides each triangle into multi partitions. The segments of an intersection line inside a triangle make up a sub-intersection line. FIGS. 10A through 10C show three (3) examples in which the dark lines are sub-intersection lines. In practice, a triangle may have zero (0), one (1), two(2) or three (3) sub-intersection lines. The following algorithm shows how to get a valid reference to a triangle that has at least one sub-intersection line: for each intersection line for each intersection point, get the triangle references: (m_Tri0, m_Tri1) for each triangle of the triangle pair, if it is not split for each intersection line search and build a sub-intersection line Given a valid triangle and an intersection line, to decide if a pet belongs to the sub-intersection line of the triangle, this method checks whether 1) pet is on an edge of the triangle, 2) or pet is inside the triangle, 3) or pet equals a vertex of the triangle. Splitting a Triangle Given a set of sub-intersection lines, to split a triangle, this method 1) Removes duplicated pets. If neighboring pets are identical, this method reserves just one copy. 2) Identifies the position of end pets: checks each pet locates on which edge of the triangle. 3) Splits the upper partition, down partition, and middle partition of the triangle where applicable. Given a set of points on a plane that represents a partition of a triangle, to decompose the plane into a group of triangles, this invention modified Delaunay 2D mesh Watson method, which is published in 1981 [Watson, 1981]. A Delaunay 2D mesh has three (3) data set: triangle set that holds the generated triangles, deleted triangle set that stores just deleted triangles, and polygon that records the outline of deleted triangle set. The modified Delaunay 2D mesh method contains the following steps: 1) Build an outline point sequence that links sub-intersection lines and vertices of the triangle where applicable. 2) Map the three (3) dimensional point sequence to two (2) dimensional points according to the aspect of the plane. 3) Add four (4) points to form a bigger bounding box that encloses all the two (2) dimensional points. 4) Assume that one dialog line of the bounding box splits the box into two (2) triangles and adding them into the triangle set. 5) Insert every point except bounding ones into the triangle set. a) For each point, check every triangle in the triangle set whether its circumcircle contains the point or the last segment passes through the triangle. If the condition is met, erase it from the triangle set and add it to the deleted triangle set. b) Use the deleted triangle set to extend the polygon and clear the deleted triangle set immediately. c) Use the polygon to generate triangles and add them to the triangle set. FIGS. 12A through 12H show a Delaunay 2D mesh sequence. Deleting Split Triangles In the above step, a split triangle got a mark. After all triangles have been traversed, this method deletes the marked triangles. FIG. 14 shows a deletion result. Obscure Facets Given two sets of triangles A and B, if A bounds a triangle of B, Tb, then Tb is obscure; if B bounds a triangle of A, Ta, then Ta is obscure. To check whether a triangle T is bounded by an object O, this invention uses the following steps. 1) Calculate the centroid, c, of the triangle T. 2) Build a line l: p=c−t*N, which starts from the centroid and passes along the normal N of the triangle T. 3) For each triangle To of the object O, calculate line-plane intersection point. If there is a valid intersection point pet that falls inside the triangle To, then calculate t that is determined by centroid c and the pet, and add t to a depth buffer, butterT. 4) Check the size of negative t and positive t stored in butterT. If the two sizes are equal, then the triangle T is bounded and obscure. When performing surface trimming, this system calls the followings procedure to determine whether a triangle is obscure. 1) Set the member m_ID of each Point3dEx of BlOpTriangleSet of the concerned surface patch to be 0. 2) Mark m_ID of Point3dEx of the intersection lines of the said patch in ascending or descending order, which is depending on whether the said line and trimming contour are in the same direction, for example, both of them are counterclockwise. 3) According to m_ID of the member m_Points of each triangle, decide whether it is a boundary triangle. 4) For each boundary triangle, decide it is to the left or right side of the trimming contour, and set its neighbors that are not boundary ones to be “left” or “right”. Regrouping the Facets This invention states five (5) kinds of Boolean operations, each of them has a different regrouping procedure. The combination operation, logically it is OR, combines two solid geometric objects and generates a new object, which normally discards obscure partitions and reserves visible ones viewing from outside, has the following procedure. 1) Delete obscure triangles of objectA. 2) Delete obscure triangles of objectB. 3) Merge the triangles of objectA and B. The intersection operation, logically it is AND, which creates a solid geometric object using public sections of two geometric objects and discards any partitions of A and B outside the shared public sections, has the following procedure. 1) Delete NOT obscure triangles of objectA. 2) Delete NOT obscure triangles of objectB. 3) Merge the triangles of objectA and B. The exclusion operation, which builds a solid geometric object by removing public sections of two geometric objects and keeping not shared partitions, has the following procedure. 1) Copy objectA's obscure triangles to a buffer, bufferA. 2) Delete obscure triangles from objectA. 3) Copy objectB's obscure triangles to objectA. 4) Delete obscure triangles from objectB. 5) Copy the triangles in bufferA to objectB. 6) Reverse the normal of every obscure triangle of A and B. 7) Merge the triangles of the two objects. The difference operation, which cuts geometric objectA with another objectB by removing any partitions of A inside B, has the following procedure. 1) Delete obscure triangles of objectA. 2) Delete NOT obscure triangles of objectB. 3) Reverse the normal of every triangle of objectB. 4) Merge triangles of objectA and B. The division operation, which divides two solid geometric objectA and B into three (3) objects, public sections of the two geometric objects, the NOT shared partitions of A and partitions of B, has the following procedure. 1) Copy objectA's obscure triangles to a buffer, bufferA. 2) Copy objectB's obscure triangles to bufferA. 3) Copy objectA's obscure triangles to another buffer, bufferB. 4) Delete objectA's obscure triangles. 5) Copy objectB's obscure triangles to objectA. 6) Delete objectB's obscure triangles. 7) Copy objectA's obscure triangles stored in bufferA to objectB. 8) Reverse the normal of every obscure triangles of A and B. Mapping to Rendering Facets Once a Boolean operation is finished, this method maps BlOpTriangleSet to rendering triangles. 1) Each Point3dEx of BlOpTriangleSet is mapped to a Point3d of TriangleSet; 2) Each Triangle3dEx of BlOpTriangleSet is mapped to a Triangle3d of TriangleSet. U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS U.S. Pat. No. 6,307,555 October, 2001, Lee, 345/423. OTHER PUBLICATIONS “Non-Regularlized Boolean Set Operations on Non-Manifold B-Rep Objects”, E. Gursoz et al., Carnegie Mellon University, Technical Report, 1990. “Computing the n-dimensional Delaunay tessellation with application to Voronoi polytopes”, D. F. Watson, The Computer Journal 24 (2) 1981. | <SOH> BACKGROUND <EOH> | <SOH> BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS <EOH>FIG. 1 shows the main personal computer components, which generally contain a main machine, input devices including mouse and keyboard, a display, and a printer. A highly developed CAD/CG system can run on a PC machine. FIGS. 2A through 2D describe a software architecture in which a CAD/CG/Geometric Modeling system uses Boolean operations and surface trimming to build geometric models. FIG. 3 represents that distinct facets make various results even their original geometric object types and sizes are the same: the left side example has less facets and the right side has more facets. In these examples, Boolean Intersection operations work on a box and a sphere. FIG. 4 is a flowchart for immediate Boolean operations using geometric facets. FIG. 5 depicts that a triangle has three (3) neighbors. Given a triangle and its two vertices, there is one and only one neighboring triangle in solid models. FIGS. 6A and 6B show two minimum bounding boxes do not overlap and two boxes overlap each other. Each triangle virtually has a minimum bounding box. If two boxes do not overlap, the triangles contained in the two boxes do not intersect. If the boxes overlap, edge-triangle intersection calculation is required. FIGS. 7A through 7C depict three (3) edge-triangle intersection cases: an intersection point falls inside a triangle, an intersection point locates on an edge of a triangle, an intersection point is a vertex of a triangle. FIGS. 8A through 8D show the searching candidate set, which allows the system to traverse next triangle for extending intersection lines by conducting edge-triangle calculation. Triangles filled with colors are the last pair of triangles that intersect each other, the triangles not filled are referenced by the member m_NeigTri of the data structure Triangle3dEx, which guides the system searching a minimum set of triangles when building intersection lines. The set contains one triangle, two triangles, or zero. FIGS. 9A through 9D show four (4) examples of intersection lines. A box intersects a sphere, which has different facet numbers. FIGS. 10A through 10C give three (3) examples of sub-intersection lines in darker color. FIG. 10A has one (1) sub-intersection line, 10 B two (2), and 10 C one (1). FIGS. 11A through 11D show four (4) examples that sub-intersection lines divided a triangle into a set of triangles. FIGS. 12A through 12H show a Delaunay mesh sequence in which each intersection point is inserted into the mesh step by step. FIG. 13 is the flowchart of Delaunay mesh Watson method that created the sequence of FIGS. 12A through 12H . FIG. 14 shows a triangle and its Delaunay mesh. The original triangle is removed and only the Delaunay mesh is reserved for late computations. FIG. 15 shows t-Buffer where t may be negative and positive. If the size of negative t and positive t is balanced in t-Buffer, the triangle concerned is closed by another object and is obscure. FIGS. 16A through 16E show five (5) examples of Boolean operations conducted with a box and a sphere. FIGS. 16F and 16G depict the internal mesh of two Boolean operation resultants: combination and exclusion. FIG. 17 shows a contour line trims a closed surface, a deformed sphere, and generates two (2) holes. FIG. 18 gives an example in which an extruded surface, a tube, is trimmed by a contour line and creates a hole. detailed-description description="Detailed Description" end="lead"? | G06F1750 | 20171213 | 20180426 | 90424.0 | G06F1750 | 1 | OLSON, JASON C | Method for Immediate Boolean Operations Using Geometric Facets | MICRO | 1 | CONT-ACCEPTED | G06F | 2,017 |
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15,841,885 | PENDING | FASTENER TOOLS AND TECHNIQUES | Provided is, among other things, an apparatus for facilitating the hanging of an object on a wall or other surface. The apparatus includes: a main body section having a front surface and an elongated first opening; an upper section connected to the main body section and having a protruding portion that protrudes away from the front surface; a lower section connected to the main body section and having a second opening for accepting, as well as a structure for holding, a hanging/attachment element; and a securing mechanism. The upper section is slidably attached to the main body section via the elongated first opening and thereby capable of moving vertically up and down said main body section, but can be temporarily fixed at a desired position along the main body section by using the securing mechanism. | 1. An apparatus for facilitating the hanging of an object on a wall or other surface, said apparatus comprising: a main body section having a front surface and an elongated first opening; an upper section connected to the main body section and having a protruding portion that protrudes away from the front surface; a lower section connected to the main body section and having a second opening for accepting, as well as a structure for holding, a hanging/attachment element; and a securing mechanism, wherein the upper section is slidably attached to the main body section via the elongated first opening and thereby capable of moving vertically up and down said main body section, but can be temporarily fixed at a desired position along the main body section by using said securing mechanism. 2. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the structure includes a slot formed into a sidewall of the second opening. 3. An apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said slot is angled downwardly from front to rear. 4. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the structure includes an upwardly angled support. 5. An apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said upwardly angled bottom bottom support has a top edge that curves downwardly from a high point disposed near an edge of the second opening. 6. An apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said high point comprises an inner high point and an outer high point which is vertically higher than the inner high point as a result of said upward angle, and wherein the inner high point is at approximately a same vertical level as a bottom edge of said second opening. 7. An apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the structure further comprises a magnet disposed adjacent the second opening. 8. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said lower section further comprises: (a) third and fourth openings, one on each side of said second opening, each for accepting an additional hanging/attachment element of the same type as said hanging/attachment element; and (b) second and third structures for holding said additional hanging/attachment elements. 9. An apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said structure and each of said second and third structures is adapted to hold two different kinds of hanging/attachment elements. 10. An apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said structure, and each of said second and third structures, includes: (a) a slot formed into a sidewall of a corresponding one of the second, third or fourth opening; and (b) an upwardly angled support. 11. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the protruding portion of the upper section has a substantially straight bottom edge that is oriented substantially perpendicular to a vertical direction in which said upper section slides relative to the main body section. 12. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the main body section includes markings to indicate distance. 13. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the securing mechanism comprises a first component having female threads and a second component having mating male threads engaged with the female threads of the first component. 14. An apparatus according to claim 13, wherein said elongated first opening includes a slot along each edge, and wherein said first component comprises an engagement piece that engages with each said slot. 15. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the securing mechanism: (a) is included within said slidable section; and (b) includes an engagement element that can be biased toward the main body section for temporarily fixing said slidable section at said arbitrary position along the main body section, but also can be retracted for permitting said slidable section to slide. 16. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the elongated first opening and the second opening extend into each other, forming a single continuous opening. 17. An apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising at least one level for identifying a line perpendicular to gravitational pull. 18. An apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a handle, disposed above the upper section and fixedly connected to the main body section. 19. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein sufficient friction exists between the upper section and the main body section so that the upper section only slides with application of force. | This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 62/438,571, filed Dec. 23, 2016, and is a continuation in part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/146,118 (filed on May 4, 2016), which in turn claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 62/156,761 (the '761 application), filed on May 4, 2015. All the foregoing applications are incorporated by reference herein as though set forth herein in full. FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention concerns, among other things, tools and/or other apparatuses and devices that can be used in relation to the insertion of a fastener, such as a nail or screw, into a wall or other surface, e.g., for the purpose of hanging a picture or other item on the wall, as well as related techniques for using such tools and/or other apparatuses and devices. BACKGROUND Certain conventional tools have been provided for helping people to hang a picture on a wall. However, the present inventor has discovered that such existing tools typically have significant drawbacks. One example of a conventional tool is the Hang & Level™ sold by Under the Roof Decorating™. The present inventor has discovered that this particular product can be awkward and difficult to use, particularly for hanging large and/or heavy pictures or other items and/or when using picture-hanging hooks or other mounting hardware beyond just a simple nail. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention addresses the foregoing problems by providing, among other things, improved tools for facilitating the hanging of pictures and other items, as well as related methods for using such tools. Thus, in one respect, the invention is directed to an apparatus for facilitating the hanging of an object on a wall or other surface. The apparatus includes: a main body section having a front surface and an elongated first opening; an upper section connected to the main body section and having a protruding portion that protrudes away from the front surface; a lower section connected to the main body section and having a second opening for accepting, as well as a structure for holding, a hanging/attachment element; and a securing mechanism. The upper section is slidably attached to the main body section via the elongated first opening and thereby capable of moving vertically up and down said main body section, but can be temporarily fixed at a desired position along the main body section by using the securing mechanism. In another respect, the invention is directed to an apparatus for facilitating the hanging of an object on a wall or other surface. The apparatus includes: a main body section having a first surface; an upper section connected to the main body section and having a protruding portion that protrudes away from the first surface; a lower section connected to the main body section and having an opening for accepting and holding a hanging/attachment element; and a securing mechanism. At least one of the upper section or the lower section is a slidable section that is slidably attached to the main body section and thereby capable of moving vertically up and down the main body section, but can be temporarily fixed (or secured) at an arbitrary position along the main body section using the securing mechanism. In another respect, the invention is directed to an apparatus for facilitating the hanging of an object on a wall or other surface. The apparatus includes: a main body section having a first surface and a first portion of an elongated opening; an upper section connected to the main body section and having a protruding portion that protrudes away from the first surface; a lower section connected to the main body section and having a second portion of the elongated opening that includes structures for accepting and holding two different kinds of hanging/attachment elements; and a securing mechanism. The upper section is slidably attached to the main body section via the elongated opening and thereby capable of moving vertically up and down said main body section, but can be temporarily fixed at an arbitrary position along the main body section using the securing mechanism. A method of using an apparatus according to the present invention involves: (a) placing the hanging/attachment element within an opening in the tool; (b) supporting an item to be hung from the hanging/attachment element while the hanging/attachment element is disposed within the opening; (c) following step (b), sliding the upper section down the main body section until the protruding portion makes contact with the item, thereby identifying a vertical position for the upper section; (d) following step (c), temporarily fixing the upper section at the position using the securing mechanism; (e) following step (d), removing the item from the hanging/attachment element; (f) following step (e), placing the apparatus at a location on a desired surface, with the upper section at the identified vertical position, and with a bottom edge of the protruding portion designating where a top edge of the item will be; and (g) with the apparatus placed at the location on the desired surface, and with the hanging/attachment element disposed within the opening, attaching the hanging/attachment element to the desired surface. An alternate method of using an apparatus according to the present invention involves: (a) identifying an opening in the apparatus into which a hanging/attachment element eventually will be placed; (b) supporting an item to be hung from a structure (such as an upwardly angled support) associated with such opening; (c) following step (b), sliding the upper section down the main body section until the protruding portion makes contact with the item, thereby identifying a vertical position for the upper section; (d) following step (c), temporarily fixing the upper section at the position using the securing mechanism; (e) following step (d), removing the item from the apparatus and inserting the hanging/attachment element into the opening; (f) following step (e), placing the apparatus at a location on a desired surface, with the upper section at the identified vertical position, and with a bottom edge of the protruding portion designating where a top edge of the item will be; and (g) with the apparatus placed at the location on the desired surface, and with the hanging/attachment element disposed within the opening, attaching the hanging/attachment element to the desired surface. By virtue of the foregoing arrangements, it can be possible to identify and preserve the distance between the top of a picture frame, mirror or other item to be hung and one or more hanging/attachment element(s), while the item to be hung is in a position (e.g., at a height) at which it is relatively easy to manipulate. Then, the item can be removed from the apparatus (or tool), and the apparatus alone (without the weight and bulk of the picture, mirror or other item to be hung) preferably is placed against a wall and used to insert the hanging/attachment element (e.g., mounting hardware) at a position that is appropriate to the desired location of the item to be hung. The preferred embodiments of the present invention accommodate different types and sizes of hanging/attachment elements, e.g., including just a nail or screw alone and/or a picture-hanging hook (which typically is attached to a wall using a nail). In addition, the desired item (e.g., picture, other decorative item, mirror or clock) preferably is actually hung from the desired hanging/attachment element while such hanging/attachment element is within the tool, thereby accurately establishing the distance between the top of the item and the point(s) at which it will be hung under the actual hanging conditions (e.g., using the same hardware and with the full weight of the item applied). With this distance established and preserved, the tool typically can be used to accurately position the hanging/attachment element such that when the item is hung from it, the item will be at its desired location. The foregoing summary is intended merely to provide a brief description of certain aspects of the invention. A more complete understanding of the invention can be obtained by referring to the claims and the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments in connection with the accompanying figures. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the following disclosure, the invention is described with reference to the attached drawings. However, it should be understood that the drawings merely depict certain representative and/or exemplary embodiments and features of the present invention and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention in any manner. The following is a brief description of each of the attached drawings. FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a tool having side slots according to the present invention, with two different types of hanging/attachment elements (a plain nail and a picture-hanging hook) exploded out from it. FIG. 2 is a front elevational view of the tool. FIG. 3 is a front elevational view of the tool in use, immediately after having been adjusted to an item that is intended to be hung on a wall or other surface. FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a user employing the tool to begin attaching a hanging/attachment element to a wall at a position appropriate to the desired location for the item to be hung. FIG. 5 is a front elevational view of a portion of the tool with the two different types of hanging/attachment elements (a plain nail and a picture-hanging hook) seated within it. FIG. 6 is a side sectional view of the portion of the tool shown in FIG. 5. FIG. 7 is a front elevational view of a tool having side meshing elements. FIG. 8 is a side sectional view of a portion of the foregoing tool, showing the engagement element engaged with notches on a surface of the main body of the tool, thereby temporarily locking the upper section into position. FIG. 9 is a side sectional view of a portion of the foregoing tool, showing the engagement element disengaged from the notches on the surface of the main body of the tool, thereby allowing the upper section to slide along the main body of the tool. FIG. 10A is a front conceptual view of a first configuration of a nail/screw opening and adjacent portion of its corresponding slot; FIG. 10B is a front conceptual view of a second configuration of a nail/screw opening and adjacent portion of its corresponding slot; and FIG. 10C is front conceptual view of a third configuration of a nail/screw opening and adjacent portion of its corresponding slot. FIG. 11 is a flow diagram illustrating a process for hanging an item using a tool according to the present invention. FIG. 12 is a front elevational view of a tool having a central slot for slidably attaching its upper section to its main body section. FIG. 13 is a left side elevational view of the foregoing tool. FIG. 14 is a rear elevational view of the foregoing tool. FIG. 15 is a top-left-side perspective view of the foregoing tool. FIG. 16 is a front elevational view of the bottom portion of the foregoing tool, with markings added. FIG. 17 is a left side elevational view of the bottom portion of the foregoing tool, with markings added. FIG. 18 is a perspective view of the bottom leftmost edge of the foregoing tool, with markings and channels or indentations added. FIG. 19 is a front elevational view of a tool having, among other features, an enlarged central picture-hook opening and bottom supports with curved top edges. FIG. 20 is a rear elevational view of the foregoing tool. FIG. 21 is a top-right-side perspective view of the foregoing tool. FIG. 22 is a left side elevational view of the foregoing tool. FIG. 23 is a plan view of the left inner surface of the narrower bottom portion of the central hook opening for the foregoing tool, showing the nail or screw slot within such surface. FIG. 24 is an enlarged front elevational view of a portion of the tool, approximately centered around the opening for the nail or screw slot within such surface at the edge of the lower (hook) portion of the central opening, in which such slot has a V-shaped cross-section. FIG. 25 is an enlarged front elevational view of a portion of a modified version of the tool, approximately centered around the opening for the nail or screw slot within such surface at the edge of the lower (hook) portion of the central opening, in which such slot has a curved or rounded cross-section. DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT(S) Certain tools for facilitating the hanging of a picture or other item were disclosed in the '761 application. Another exemplary tool 500 for a similar purpose is illustrated in FIGS. 1-6. As shown, tool 500 includes a main body section 502, which preferably is an elongated, substantially rectangular structure. Disposed closer to the top end of the main body section 502 is an upper section 504, and disposed closer to the bottom end of the main body section 502 is a lower section 505. In ordinary use, tool 500 is oriented as shown in FIGS. 1-6, with the main body section 502 being substantially vertical and with the upper section 504 disposed above the lower section 505. Preferably, a handle 506 is disposed above the upper section 504. Also, in the preferred embodiments length-measuring (or ruler) markings 507 are provided along the length of the tool 500 for the user's reference. It is noted that the attached drawings frequently show different types of hanging/attachment elements (e.g., both a simple nail 555 and a picture-hanging hook 556) disposed within a tool according to the present invention (e.g., tool 500) at the same time. However, such depictions merely show the different ways in which the tool 500 can be used. Ordinarily, only one type of hanging/attachment element will be used at any given time. Also, in the current embodiment, for reasons which will become apparent below, upper section 504 is slidably attached to the main body section 502 of the tool 500, while the lower section 505 is fixedly connected to (and more preferably, integrally formed with) the main body section 502. However, in alternate embodiments, upper section 504 is fixedly connected to the main body section 502, and lower section 505 is slidably attached to the main body section 502. In still further embodiments, both upper section 504 and lower section 505 are slidably attached to the main body section 502. In any event, the distance between upper section 504 and lower section 505 preferably can be varied by a user, and once a desirable distance has been identified the two sections 504 and 505 can be temporarily fixed relative to each other through the use of a securing mechanism (as discussed in more detail below). Although the upper section 504 is slidably attached to the main body section 502, and lower section 505 is fixedly connected to it in the current embodiment, no loss of generality is intended, and descriptions relating to the sliding of upper section 504 can apply to lower section 505 in those embodiments in which it (also or instead) is slidable. In certain embodiments, clearance is provided between the slidable section(s) and the main body section 502 so that such slidable section(s) can pass over any components that protrude forward of the front surface 501. In the current embodiment, upper section 504 includes tabs 550 on each side that engage with slots 552 on the left and right edges of main body section 502 (e.g., in a tongue-and-groove manner), thereby allowing the upper section 504 to slide along main body section 502. However, in alternate embodiments, other sliding mechanisms (e.g., such as by providing one or more tabs on upper section 504 that engage with corresponding slot(s) on the front surface of main body section 502) are used. Preferably, however, any engagement between the upper section 504 and the main body section 502 is confined to the side edges and/or front surface of main body section 502, and the rear or back surface 511 of the entire tool 500 (i.e., including the combination of the rear surfaces of the main body section 502 and any fixedly attached sections) is completely flat (e.g., so that any slidable sections do not extend beyond this flat surface). Also, depending, e.g., upon the type of securing mechanism used, it sometimes will be preferable to provide sufficient friction between the slidable section(s) and the main body section 502 so that they can only be slid relative to each other by applying manual force (e.g., gravity alone being insufficient). However, particularly for embodiments where both sliding and securing can be accomplished simultaneously with a user's single hand (e.g., as described below), in some cases such friction might be unnecessary and/or result in more of a burden than any benefit it would provide. Each slidable section (only upper section 504 in the current embodiment) preferably includes (or at least has associated with it) a securing mechanism, allowing a user to slide it up and down the main body section 502 when desired and then temporarily secure (or lock) it into a desired position. For the current embodiment of tool 500, upper section 504 includes a set screw 508 for this purpose (which, although shown in a particular location in the drawings, can in fact be located anywhere on the upper section 504). Preferably, in order to avoid having to use a screwdriver, set screw 508 is provided with wings, tabs, or some other large structure at its head, so that a user can turn (i.e. tighten or loosen) the screw 508 with his or her fingers alone. When the securing mechanism comprises such a set screw 508, friction between the corresponding slidable section and the main body section 502, as described in the preceding paragraph, can be provided, if desired, in order to lessen the likelihood that the slidable section (i.e., upper section 504 in the current embodiment) will move inadvertently between the time that it is moved into the desired position and the time that set screw 508 can be adequately tightened to secure it into that position. As indicated above, in the present embodiment upper section 504 slides vertically up and down along main body section 502 and includes a protruding portion 510 extending forward of the front surface 501 of main body section 502. In the preferred embodiments, such protruding portion 510 is elongated, substantially straight (or at least has a substantially straight bottom edge) and oriented horizontally when the tool 500 is used (i.e., substantially perpendicular to the vertical direction in which the upper section 504 slides relative to the main body section 502). In the current embodiment, the protruding portion 510 constitutes substantially all of upper section 504, so the two sometimes are referenced herein interchangeably; however, no loss of generality is intended. Once again, the rear surface 511 of tool 500 preferably is completely flat, thereby allowing it to make maximum contact with a wall 560 or similar surface. Still further, as shown, e.g., in FIG. 1, in the current embodiment upper section 504 (and, more specifically in the current embodiment, the protruding portion 510 of upper section 504) includes a level 512 (e.g., oriented horizontally for determining when protruding portion 510 is perpendicular to gravitational pull). However, level 512 instead could be provided on any other portion of tool 500. In addition, another level 513, perpendicular to level 512, preferably is provided on the main body section 502 (although it too instead could be provided on any other portion of tool 500). Also, although shown extending forward of the front surface 501 (e.g., in FIG. 1), in alternate embodiments level 513 is fully embedded within the tool 500 so as to lessen the need for the clearance (discussed above) between upper section 504 and the main body section 502. As also indicated above, lower section 505 of tool 500 is integrally formed with the main body section 502. As shown, lower section 505 includes one or more openings (a total of 12 openings in the current embodiment), each for accommodating (e.g., accepting and holding) a hanging/attachment element, such as a simple conventional nail 555 or screw, or a conventional picture-hanging hook 556 (which typically is attached to a wall 560 with a nail 557). More specifically, in the current embodiment lower section 505 includes three sets 514-516 of openings. Each such set (set 515 being representative), in turn, includes three openings 517-519 through the lower section 505 of the tool 500. As shown, the sets 514-516 are aligned horizontally and are uniformly spaced apart from each other in the current embodiment, with the openings 517-519 of set 515 being centered on the tool 500 (preferably also centered on lower section 505). As also shown, each of such openings 517-519 is disposed at the end of a corresponding horizontal slot 521-523, having the same width as its respective opening 517-519, in the current embodiment. In this latter regard, each of the openings 517-519 is sized differently, with opening 517 being the widest and with openings 518 and 519, respectively, being progressively narrower. As will be readily appreciated, openings 517-519 are configured for accepting and holding a nail, screw or similar simple hanging/attachment element. Because the openings 517-519 have different widths, each can be appropriate to a different-sized nail (or other hanging/attachment element), i.e., nails and/or screws having different shaft widths. In any event, in the present embodiment all of the horizontal slots 521-523 within a given set (again, set 515 being representative) terminate at their right ends in a wider vertically oriented opening (or slot) 524. As discussed in greater detail below, each such opening 524 preferably is wide enough to allow the head of any nail, screw or similar hanging/attachment element that is intended to be used to pass through it. As shown most clearly in FIG. 6, openings 517-519 preferably are angled downwardly from front to rear (e.g., at approximately 45° relative to the front surface 501) through the depth of lower section 505, so that a nail 555 or screw will be inserted into the wall 560 (or other surface) at the same angle. However, in alternate embodiments, any other angle may be used, or such openings 517-519 might be made entirely horizontal in this dimension, e.g., depending upon user preference, the type of material of which the wall 560 is made, whether the hanging/attachment element is being inserted into a stud, an anchor (or other female receptacle), or just drywall alone, etc. Also, in still further embodiments, multiple different slots for accommodating a nail or screw, each providing a different angle (e.g., both 45° and 90° relative to the front surface 501), are provided. In the present embodiment, each of the openings 517-519 can be considered just the (e.g., circular) left end portion of its corresponding slot 521-523, i.e., with no specific demarcation between any given one of the openings 517-519 and its corresponding slot 521-523 (e.g., as shown more clearly with reference to opening 518A and slot 522A in FIG. 10A). However, in alternate embodiments, e.g., to help maintain the hanging/attachment element within its corresponding opening 517-519, each opening 517-519 is physically distinguishable from its corresponding slot 521-523, e.g., with each such opening 517-519 disposed slightly lower than its corresponding slot 521-523 (e.g., as shown with reference to opening 518B and slot 522B in FIG. 10B), essentially resulting in a notch 525, and/or with a small tab 526 extending inwardly from the top and/or bottom edge of the opening 518 (e.g., as shown with reference to opening 518C and slot 522C in FIG. 10C). The tab(s) 526 (when provided) can be integrally formed with the lower section 505 (e.g., molded as a single piece of plastic), or can be separate pieces that are inserted (e.g. snapped or screwed) into the surfaces from which they protrude. In addition, such tab(s) 526 (when provided) preferably are resilient, thereby allowing a screw, nail or similar hanging/attachment element to be snapped into the opening 518C. Still further, referring again to FIG. 2, for similar reasons (e.g., to help maintain the hanging/attachment element within its corresponding opening 517-519), a magnet 530 preferably also (or instead) is provided adjacent to each opening 517-519 (in the present embodiment, embedded within the lower section 505 just to the left of each such opening 517-519, with a single elongated magnet 530 provided for each set 514-516 of openings). Three additional openings 534-536 within lower section 505 are configured for accommodating (e.g., accepting and holding) conventional picture-hanging hooks. For this purpose, in the current embodiment, each of openings 534-536 is accompanied by (in reference to opening 535) a short backing section 541, an upwardly angled front section 542 and a bottom section (or bottom support) 543, with the combination of these elements 541-543 providing a location to seat the picture-hanging hook 556. Because most such conventional picture-hanging hooks include a vertical backing section and, at its bottom, a hook that is angled, relative to the backing section, at approximately 45°, in the current embodiment upwardly angled support 542 preferably also is angled at (or approximately at) 45°. Bottom support 543 preferably is long enough (e.g., 2-5 mm to accommodate the largest anticipated picture-hanging hook 556 and to provide adequate clearance from the front surface 501. Such an arrangement typically can allow the user to simply drop the picture-hanging hook into the bottom portion of any desired opening 534-536. However, in alternate embodiments, other structures and/or mechanisms can be used for holding a picture-hanging hook within the tool (e.g., clamping mechanism(s) to adjust the width of the openings 534-536 and/or to adjust the length of bottom support 543, etc.). Similar to the nail-holding structures described above, a magnet 544 preferably is provided adjacent to each of the openings 534-536 to help hold the corresponding picture-hanging hook in place. In the present embodiment, a separate magnet 544 (such as a Velleman™ MAGNET8™ button-type or barrel-shaped rare-earth magnet) is provided below each such opening 534-536 (i.e., in the present embodiment, below the corresponding upwardly angled support 542). However, in alternate embodiments a single (e.g., bar) magnet is adjacent to (and, therefore, retains hanging/attachment elements within) multiple or even all of such openings 534-536. Whatever type and/or quantity of magnet(s) 544 used, they typically will be hidden from view (contrary to the depiction in the present drawings). In addition to, or instead of, magnets, other structures or devices, such as clamping mechanisms and/or clips, can be used to secure any or all of the hanging/attachment elements (e.g., simple nails 555 or screws, or picture-hanging hooks 556) accommodated by the tool 500. As discussed in greater detail below, the opening above the short backing section 541 (e.g., opening 535) preferably is sufficiently far above the top of the largest picture-hanging hook 556 that is expected to be used, to allow the tool 500 to be removed after the nail 557 (or similar hanging/attachment element) has been at least partially inserted into the wall 560 or other surface. Unlike the nail-holding openings 517-519 discussed above, openings 534 and 536 preferably are aligned horizontally, but opening 535 is disposed lower to help prevent interference with the unused opening(s) when the pair of openings 534 and 536 are being used or when the single opening 535 is being used. In addition, opening 535 preferably is centered on the tool 500 and openings 534 and 536 are evenly spaced from opening 535, so that the center opening 535 can be used if just a single picture-hanging hook is to be used for hanging the desired item, or else the two outer openings 534 and 536 can be used if two hooks are to be used. Preferably, each of the openings 534-536 is large enough (e.g., at least 2-3 inches high and, more preferably, at least 2½ inches high and sufficiently wide) to accommodate the largest picture-hanging hook that is intended to be used with the tool 500. In the alternate embodiments (discussed above) in which the hook 556 is clamped into the desired opening 534-536, it might be possible to obtain more accurate positioning, e.g., if a hook much narrower than the largest accommodated is being used. In the embodiment described above, a set screw 508 is used as the securing mechanism for securing the upper section 504 at a desired position. However, other mechanisms are used in alternate embodiments. For example, the tool 600 shown in FIG. 7, uses a retractable (preferably spring-biased) engagement element 602 (shown in greater detail in FIGS. 8 and 9. In this alternate embodiment, engagement element 602 includes one or more components that engage with one or more vertically arranged sequences of slots, notches, teeth, etc., on one or more surfaces of the main body section 502 (in the current embodiment, on the edge of the main body section 502. As indicated above, the engagement element 602 preferably is spring-biased against the surface of the main body section 502, i.e., so that its default position is to engage and thereby prevent sliding of the upper section 504. In such embodiments, a release actuator 604 preferably is provided to disengage engagement element 602. In the current embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, the release actuator 604 is implemented as a tab, fixedly attached to the engagement element 602, on the upper section 504. As a result, simply pressing release actuator 604 outwardly retracts (i.e., disengages) the engagement element 602, allowing upper section 504 to be slid, and then releasing release actuator 604 causes engagement element 602 to be re-engaged at that position, thereby inhibiting any further sliding. Typically, upper section 504 can be slid and release actuator 604 can be simultaneously operated with the use of a single hand. In the current embodiment, the securing mechanism uses meshing elements (e.g., teeth, notches, slots, etc.), one or more on the engagement element 602 and a sequence of meshing elements 605 on the main body section 502. One benefit of this approach is that a more secure attachment often can be achieved. However, the cost of doing so is that the attachment can only be made at discrete positions along the length of the main body section 502. On the other hand, if the spacings between such slots or notches is made small enough, the importance of this drawback can be minimized. Nevertheless, in alternate embodiments, the engagement element 602 just makes frictional contact with the main body section 502 of tool 500, thereby allowing the upper section 504 to be secured at any desired location. In another alternate embodiment, similar to that described above, the release actuator 604 is provided on the inner surface of a handle that extends from the protruding portion 510 (e.g., at or near the center of protruding portion 510, where the level 512 is located in the current embodiments) or from some other portion of upper section 504, and the engagement element 602 preferably engages with the front surface 501 of the main body section 502. As a result, upper section 504 can be slid and the engagement element 602 engaged and disengaged with the use of a single hand operating the handle. That is, squeezing the handle retracts the engagement element 602, allowing the handle to be used to slide the upper section 504 up and down. However, as soon as the user stops squeezing the handle, by default engagement element 602 re-engages with the main body section 502, thereby inhibiting any further sliding. In this alternate embodiment, the horizontal level 512 can be relocated to another position on the tool 500, so that it will not be obscured by the user's hand in ordinary use. In a still further embodiment, the release actuator 604 is provided on handle 506. In such an embodiment, if the handle 506 is fixedly attached to the main body section 502, the engagement element 602 preferably is provided on the main body section 502, and it engages with a surface (e.g., flat or a sequence of notches) on the slidable upper section 504. More generally, it should be noted that the engagement element 602 and the release actuator 604 can be provided on either or both of the main body section 502 and the movable section (e.g., upper section 504). Also, although the engagement element 602 generally is discussed herein as continually tending toward engagement, in other embodiments a stop is included and may be activated by the user to allow the user to maintain the engagement element 602 in the disengaged state without continuous application of manual force. In still further embodiments, engagement element 602 need not be spring-biased. However, in many of such further embodiments, engagement element 602 then essentially functions in a manner similar to a set screw, typically requiring some additional manual action to lock it into place. More generally, a securing mechanism used in the present invention can take any of a variety of different forms, e.g., button, screw or quick-release mechanism and can be located anywhere on the tool 500. It is noted that each of the foregoing embodiments uses horizontal slots (e.g., slots 521-523) between the nail or screw openings (e.g., openings 517-519) and the corresponding wider vertically oriented opening (e.g., opening 524). While such horizontal slots can sometimes help reduce the likelihood that the hanging/attachment element within a particular opening (e.g., any of openings 517-519) might accidentally slide into the wider vertically oriented opening 524, in alternate embodiments such horizontal slots are omitted, particularly in alternate embodiments in which adequate means are provided for securing the hanging/attachment element. Also, in the foregoing embodiments separate sliding and securing mechanisms are provided in relation to the slidable section(s). However, in alternate embodiments a single structure is used to accomplish both functions. For instance, some of such alternate embodiments employ a slot-and-tab (e.g., tongue-and-groove) structure, such as described above in connection with slots 552 and tabs 550. However, unlike the previously described embodiment, in such alternate embodiments the tab on the upper section 504 is expandable (e.g., a threaded structure or a spring-biased or resilient structure) and retractable, so that it can be made to press against the inner walls of the slot (or mesh with structure on such inner walls) when desired to temporarily fix (or secure) the position of the upper section 504, and then made to retract (and thereby disengage or simply reduce friction with such inner walls) when it is desired to slide the upper section 504. As with the previously described embodiment, in such alternate embodiments the tab-and-slot combination can be located anywhere on the tool 500, e.g., on the side edges (as in the specific embodiment described above) and/or on the front surface 501. As indicated above, the lower section 505 preferably is just defined so as to include one or more of the hanging/attachment element openings. An exact dividing line between the lower section 505 and the main body section 502, therefore, typically is not critical and can be set, e.g., just above openings 514-516 or just above openings 534-536. Similarly, it generally is not necessary for the upper section 504 to be capable of sliding along the entire length of main body section 502, but rather just along some (typically, a substantial) portion of it. Also, in some embodiments, upper section 504 also is capable of sliding along some portion of lower section 505. The main consideration in these types of embodiments is that the upper section 504 is capable of sliding sufficiently to come into contact with the top of a picture or other item to be hung, as described in greater detail below. As discussed elsewhere, in alternate embodiments the lower section 505 also (or instead) is capable of sliding relative to the main body section 502, and in these embodiments, similar considerations pertain to the range of its sliding motion. A method 650 for using a tool according to representative embodiments of the present invention (e.g., tool 500 or 600) is now discussed, primarily in reference to FIG. 11, but also with additional references to certain of the other drawings. Although the following discussion generally refers to tool 500, such references are for convenience only and may be replaced with references to any other tool, e.g., according to the present invention. Initially, in step 651 the hanging/attachment element(s) (usually just one, or a pair of the same type and size) are inserted into the tool 500. For instance, a nail 555 or screw might be inserted into the appropriate sized opening of 517-519 of the middle set 515 (when a single hanging/attachment element is to be used), or one might be inserted into each of the appropriate sized openings in each of the outer sets 514 and 516 (when two hanging/attachment elements are to be used). Preferably, in order to avoid unnecessary movement of such nail or screw, the smallest opening 517-519 that can accommodate such nail or screw is used. Alternatively, a picture hanging hook 556 might be inserted into the middle opening 535 (when a single hanging/attachment element is to be used), or one might be inserted into each of the outer openings 534 and 536 (when two hanging/attachment elements are to be used). In certain cases, the picture hanging hook 556 is tilted rearwardly to make contact with the short backing section 541. As noted above, in the preferred embodiments, a mechanism is provided (e.g., a magnet 530 or 544, a notch 525, one or more tabs 526 and/or a clip) for automatically helping to hold such hanging/attachment element(s) in place. In other embodiments, the user instead (or in addition) manually adjusts a mechanism (such as one or more clamps that adjust the size of the corresponding openings) to help secure the hanging/attachment element(s) in place. In other embodiments, e.g., as discussed in greater detail below, this step 651 is omitted entirely. Next, in step 652, the item to be hung (e.g., a framed picture, some other type of decorative item or a wall clock) is supported from such hanging/attachment element(s) which were inserted in step 651 (or from some portion of the tool, e.g., as discussed in greater detail below). Preferably, the hanging/attachment element(s), if inserted in step 651, remain in the tool 500, and the item is hung from such hanging/attachment element(s) in the same manner that it would/will be when hanging on the wall 560. For this purpose, e.g., a hanging wire, notch or other structure on the item is engaged with the hanging/attachment element(s) and then the entire tool 500 is lifted by the handle 506 so that the full weight (or at least sufficient weight) of the item to be hung is applied to the hanging/attachment element(s) to simulate the situation that will occur when such item is hung on the wall 560 (or other desired surface), e.g., the hanging wire or string (if any) is pulled taut and any stretching of it occurs. Next, in step 654, with the item to be hung preferably still supported by the hanging/attachment element(s), the upper section 504 is slid down until the bottom edge of protruding portion 510 makes contact with such item to be hung, e.g., with the results shown in FIG. 3. For this reason, in certain embodiments such bottom edge of protruding portion 510 is made of (or coated with) plastic, rubber or some similar material that is less likely to scratch or otherwise damage the item. Preferably, upper section 504 begins this process 650 at its very highest point. Prior to sliding upper section 504, any actions necessary to make it slidable (e.g., loosening of a set screw 508, or retracting or otherwise disengaging an engagement element 602) preferably are performed. Next, in step 655, the upper section 504 is temporarily fixed (or secured) at the position identified in step 654, e.g., using a provided securing mechanism, such as by tightening set screw 508 or engaging engagement element 602. In certain embodiments, this step 655 is performed by the user's other hand (i.e., the one not holding handle 506). For example, for embodiments in which a set screw 508 is used, gravity typically will maintain upper section 504 (more specifically, the bottom edge of its protruding portion 510) in contact with the top of the item, so that the user's other hand can be used to tighten the set screw 508. In certain embodiments in which an engagement element 602 is used as the securing mechanism, the user's other hand, which has been used to slide the upper section 504 into position, simply releases pressure on the release actuator 604, thereby causing engagement element 602 to engage. Next, in step 657 the item is removed from the hanging/attachment element(s) (or just the tool if step 651 was omitted). Sometimes, depending upon the configuration of the tool (e.g., tool 500), because the bottom edge of the protruding portion 510 is at this point in contact with the top edge of the item, it will not be possible to simply lift the item off of the tool 500, as one ordinarily would do. Also, because the item might be large and heavy, in many cases it will be preferable to remove the tool 500 from the item (e.g., with the item resting on another surface). Therefore, in such cases, which preferably, the top edge of the item is first tilted forward, relative to the tool 500, thereby allowing it to clear the bottom edge of the protruding portion 510, and then the item either is lifted off the hanging/attachment element(s) or, more preferably, the tool 500 is slid downwardly and then separated from the item. In any event, once the item has been removed, with the upper section 504 fixed into position as a result of step 655 and, typically (although not necessarily) with the hanging/attachment element(s) still in place within the tool 500, the bottom edge of the protruding portion 510 represents where the top edge of the item would be if the item were to be suspended from such hanging/attachment element(s) at their position(s) within the tool 500. Accordingly, in step 658 (after inserting the hanging/attachment element(s) into the tool, if not previously done so in step 651), the tool 500 is placed at the location at which the item is desired to be hung and, more specifically, such that the bottom edge of the protruding portion 510 is where the top edge of the item is desired to be. For this purpose, horizontal level 512 can be employed to help the user find an appropriate orientation (e.g., when the item has a straight top edge). It is noted that because the item is no longer suspended within the tool 500, unlike conventional tools, it often will be much easier to manipulate the tool 500 into different potential positions on the wall 560 (or other surface) in order to ultimately find the desired position for the item, and then to perform the other steps discussed below. Next, in step 660, with the tool 500 positioned at the location identified in step 658, the hanging/attachment element(s) are attached to the surface. FIG. 4 shows a user holding a tool 500 at the desired location and about to begin pounding in one or more nails within the tool 500. As indicated above, such hanging/attachment element(s) often will already be disposed within the tool 500. If not, it/they are reinserted and then attached in this step 660. In some cases, the attachment in this step 660 will involve just starting a nail or screw into the wall 560 (or other surface), i.e., inserting it/them partially into such surface. In others, the nail or screw will be inserted all (or almost all) of the way into the wall 560 (e.g., using the thickness of the tool 500 to provide the desired amount of extension for a simple screw or a simple nail 555. If a screw is being used, it often will be desirable to first drill a hole to the surface, e.g., through the opening (such as one of openings 517-519) into which it is ultimately to be inserted or through the opening(s) in the picture hook 556 which is to be used. Next, in step 661 the tool 500 is removed from the hanging/attachment element(s), which ordinarily is/are now at least partially inserted into the wall 560 (or other surface). For example, if one or more simple nails or screws is/are being used as the hanging/attachment element(s), the tool 500 is manipulated such that the shaft of the (or each) hanging/attachment element slides along its corresponding slot (e.g., one of slots 521-523) until the head of such nail or screw can pass through the vertically oriented opening 524, thereby allowing the tool 500 to be removed from such hanging/attachment element(s). On the other hand, if one or more picture-hanging hooks 556 had been used as the hanging/attachment element(s), it ordinarily will be desirable to tilt the top of the tool 500 forward and/or slide the tool 500 downwardly in order to allow the top edge of the corresponding opening (e.g., any of openings 534-536) to clear the top of the corresponding picture-hanging hook 556. In any event, once the bottom of the picture-hanging hook 556 clears the top edge of the backing section 541, the tool 500 typically can be simply pulled away from the hanging/attachment element(s). If the hanging/attachment element(s) had only been started in step 660, then in step 663 it/they are more securely attached with the tool 500 removed. Typically, this will involve pounding a nail or screwing a screw further (e.g., the rest of the way) into the wall 560 or other surface. Finally, in step 664, the item is hung from the hanging/attachment element(s). For this purpose, the item preferably is hung in the same manner that it was in step 652. Additionally, the user may rotate the tool 500 by 90° in order to use the main body section 502 as a straight edge and the level 513 to ensure that the item is not tilted. It is noted that in the foregoing method 650, the item is removed from the tool 500 before identifying the desired position on the wall 560. However, in alternate methods the item remains on the tool 500 until the desired position is found, and only then is it removed (e.g., after marking a spot on the wall 560 to help the user relocate that position). A tool 700 according to the present invention is illustrated in FIGS. 12-15. As shown, tool 700 has a continuous elongated central opening 735 that serves several functions (e.g., essentially is a combination of two openings that extend into each other). First, rather than sliding along slots (such as slots 552 discussed above) on the outer longitudinal edges of main body section 702, upper section 704 slides along slots 752 along the longitudinal edges of central opening 735. In the current embodiment, slots 752 are open when viewed from the rear side of the tool 700. However, in alternate embodiments, such slots 752 are closed on the rear side, e.g., by simply attaching a rear panel to tool 700. Tool 700 includes an engagement piece 750 (which is at least approximately rectangular in the current embodiment) that is wider than the opening 735 but slightly narrower than the distance between the outer edges of the slots 752 and connects to a front knob 708 through a shaft 709 that fits through opening 735. In the current embodiment, shaft 709 has exterior threading that mates with female threading within a corresponding opening in engagement piece 750. As a result, by turning knob 708 in one direction (typically clockwise), engagement piece 750 is clamped against the main body section 702, thereby locking upper section 704 into its current position. On the other hand, by turning knob 708 in the opposite direction (typically counterclockwise), the clamp is loosened, thereby allowing upper section 704 to slide freely along the length of main body section 702 (subject to any provided friction, as discussed above). For that purpose, engagement piece 750 preferably has opposite parallel edges that engage with the slots 752, although it instead could use wheels, ball bearings or other mechanisms that permit it to slide within central opening 735. Also, in alternate embodiments, any other mechanism (such as any of the options discussed above) may be used for clamping or otherwise temporarily releasably locking upper section 704 into a desired position. Also, in tool 700, each of the elongated openings 734-736 includes similar structure to that discussed above for seating a picture-hanging hook 556 (i.e., a short backing section 741, an upwardly angled front/bottom support 742, a horizontal shelf 743 and a magnet 744) at the bottom of such opening. However, in tool 700 each of the elongated openings 734-736 also includes horizontally (or sideways) extending slots 721 and 722, with each such slot 721 or 722 for seating an individual nail or screw, disposed above such hook-seating structure, with a magnet 730 adjacent to such slots 721 and 722 for holding the inserted nail or screw into position). One of the main differences between the present embodiment of tool 700 and the preceding embodiments is that the slots 721 and 722 extend from the same opening (e.g., each of openings 734-736) as is used for the picture-hook-hanging structure. Doing so, among other benefits, allows the overall length of tool 700 to be shorter. Also, by extending the central opening 735 and using it also for engaging with the upper section 704 (such that the upper section 704 slides along it) allows the upper section 704 to descend all the way down to at the top of the two outside hooks (if inserted). In certain embodiments, a stop is included within central opening 735 to prevent the upper section 704 from descending into opening 737 (which is used to accept the hanging/attachment element). However, in the present embodiment, slots 752 simply terminate at the desired point 753. As a further alternative, in other embodiments, the upper portion of central opening 735 is completely separate from its lower portion (i.e., opening 737). Finally, it is noted that although the present embodiment of tool 700 only employs two horizontal (or otherwise sideways-extending, but not necessarily exactly horizontal) nail slots 721 and 722, alternate embodiments may employ one, three or any other number, e.g., to accommodate any desired number of different sized nails and/or screws. In the current embodiment, tool 700 preferably also includes a set of markings 761-764, e.g., as shown in FIGS. 16 and 17. According to the first variation of this embodiment, each of such markings 761-764 is provided at least once on the face of the tool 700 and also is provided on each side edge (which in the current embodiment is tapered from rear to front). More specifically, in the current embodiment each of the markings 761-764 on the front surface corresponds to the opening for an attachment element (e.g., a nail or screw), and the identical markings on the side edges denote the vertical position at which the attachment element would enter the wall or other surface. Because the attachment element slots are angled downwardly from the front surface to the rear surface of tool 700, the markings 761-764 on the side edges are below the respective markings 761-764 on the front surface. With the use of markings 761-764, it is possible to identify the horizontal line at which one or more desired attachment devices will enter the wall or other surface. As a result, it can be possible to later move the attachment device(s) to a different position at the same height on the wall or other surface, or even to move the attachment device(s) further together or further apart (e.g., to accommodate the hanging of an object which has a fixed horizontal separation between where its attachment devices must be inserted). With respect to the former, for example, the marking 763 on the front surface of the tool 700 designates the center wider/higher nail slot 721. Once the tool 700 has been used to identify the desired location for hanging the object (e.g., as discussed above), the user can simply insert an attachment device into the center slot 721 and, e.g., pound or screw it into the wall or other surface. Alternatively, the user instead might (e.g., using a pen, pencil or other type of marker) mark the wall at the two spots 763 indicated on the side of the tool 700. Then, the tool 700 can be turned 90° so that one of its side edges is used as a straight edge in order to find the line between the two spots that have just been marked on the wall or other surface. Inserting an attachment device at any position along this line will result in the object being hung at the desired height (once the object is placed on it). With respect to the latter, for example, if the user wants or needs to employ two hanging/attachment devices, he or she can use the tool 700 to find the desired location for the object (e.g., as discussed above) and then can simply insert two attachment devices into the outer slots 722 (assuming a narrower attachment device is being used). Alternatively, the user instead might (e.g., using a pen, pencil or other type of marker) mark the wall at the two spots 762 indicated on the side of the tool 700. Then, the tool 700 can be turned 90° so that one of its side edges is used as a straight edge in order to find the line between the two spots that have just been marked on the wall or other surface. Inserting the two attachment devices at any positions along this line, but at the same relative separation, will result in the object being hung at the desired height (once the object is placed on it). If a different separation is desired, a height adjustment might need to be made (e.g., when hanging the object by a wire, string or other flexible line, although in such cases the amount of separation between the attachment devices typically is not critical and, therefore, a different separation than what is provided by the tool 700 typically will not be needed). If an adjustment is needed, it can be performed in a variety of different ways, such as by: (1) using just one of the slots 722 in step 651 of method 650, discussed above, and using a finger or other hanging point located at the desired separation distance in step 652 of that method 650; or (2) using an electronic adjustment calculator (e.g., optionally included within tool 700) which calculates the height adjustment based on simple geometric/trigonometric functions using the length of the line, the horizontal distance between its end points, and the two separation distances. Each of the different corresponding marking sets 761-764 can be distinguished from the others in any of a variety of different ways, such as using different colors, different letters or other symbols, or in any other way. For example, all the markings 761 might be green, while all the markings 762 are blue, all the markings 763 are orange, and all the markings 764 are black. In a second variation of this embodiment, the front markings 761-764 are the same as described above. However, as shown in FIG. 18, instead of including matching markings 761-764 on the side edges of the tool 700, the side edges include channels or indentations 771-774, respectively, and, optionally, the front surface, near such channels or indentations 771-774, includes markings 781-784, respectively. Preferably, markings 781-784 include identical identification information as markings 761-764, respectively (e.g., matching colors, letters or other symbols), on the front surface of the tool 700. Channels or indentations 771-774 preferably have a concave curvature, allowing a user to guide a pen, pencil or other marking device to the correct position on the wall or other surface. Although only one side is shown in the drawings, the opposite (right) side preferably is just the mirror image. According to this variation, the user still finds the pair of matching markings along the sides of the tool 700, although in this case, such markings (any one of 781-784) are on the front surface near the edge. However, rather than having to match the marking instrument (e.g., pen or pencil, or even a nail if the user wanted to make an indentation as the marking) to a visible mark, the user instead simply places the marking instrument in the channel (i.e., any one of channels 771-774) indicated by the matching marking (i.e., any one of markings 781-784, respectively) and then slides it along that channel until the marking is made on the wall or other surface. When such channels or indentations 771-774 are used, the markings 781-784 can be placed in other locations, so long as the user is able to tell which corresponds to which channel, or they may be omitted entirely. In this case, the channels or indentations 771-774 themselves may be marked (e.g., with different colors, letters or other symbols) to match the markings 761-764, respectively, to which they pertain. The foregoing markings and (if used) channels or indentations are described above primarily in reference to the nail slots. However, similar devices can be used for other kinds of hanging/attachment elements, although in such cases the provided markings and channels or indentations might need to be matched to the kind of hanging/attachment element that is intended to be used with it because such elements often provide their own attachment element insertion angles and distances. As with certain previous embodiments, the present embodiment of tool 700 also includes a horizontally oriented level 712, a vertically oriented level 713 and a top handle 706. Although disclosed in particular positions, which currently are preferred for their ease of use, the levels 712 and 713 instead may be located at any other positions on tool 700. Pads 755 (e.g., extending slightly, such as 0.05-015. inch, or approximately 0.1 inch, from the rear plane of the tool 700 preferably are used in the rear surface of tool 700 to protect the wall or other surface on which the tool 700 is used. In this regard, tool 700 may be used in the same manner discussed above in connection with method 650. In the foregoing specific embodiment, there is no need to reference a separate lower section because only the upper section 704 slides along the main body section 702. However, in alternate embodiments, a movable lower section that includes hanging/attachment element openings (e.g., openings 517-519 and/or openings 534-536) instead (or in addition, slides along the main body section 702. Also, whether or not movable, the lower portion of what is referred to above as main body section 702 (i.e., a portion including one or more of the hanging/attachment elements) may be referred to as a lower section. A tool 800 that includes a main body section 802, a slidable upper section 804 and a top handle 806 is shown in FIGS. 19-22. In order to best accommodate various sizes of items to be hung while still being manageable by most people, tool 800 preferably is 12-18 inches long, 4-6 inches wide and 1-2 inches deep and, more preferably, approximately 15 inches long, 5 inches wide and 1.5 inches deep. Except as otherwise discussed below, tool 800 and its various components (e.g., main body section 802, slidable upper section 804, top handle 806, front knob 808 and its corresponding threaded shaft 809, horizontally oriented level 812, vertically oriented level 813, nail or screw slots 821, magnets 830, elongated openings 834-836, upwardly angled support 842, horizontal shelf 843, engagement piece 850, slots 852 along the longitudinal edges of central opening 835, termination point 853 of the slots 852, and pads 855) preferably are similar or identical to, are subject to the same considerations and variations as, and provide the same advantages as, tool 700 and its various components (e.g., main body section 702, slidable upper section 704, top handle 706, front knob 708 and its corresponding threaded shaft 709, horizontally oriented level 712, vertically oriented level 713, nail or screw slots 721, magnets 730, elongated openings 734-736, upwardly angled support 742, horizontal shelf 743, engagement piece 750, slots 752 along the longitudinal edges of central opening 735, termination point 753 of the slots 752, and pads 755), respectively, as described above. Accordingly, the following discussion mainly focuses on the differences between tool 800 and tool 700. As noted elsewhere herein, the various features that are discussed herein generally may be combined in any desired manner, in order to achieve the corresponding desired features, and therefore, the particular embodiments described herein should be understood as merely exemplary, and/or in some cases, currently preferred. In tool 800, the widest part (i.e., the upper part) of the center hook opening 837 (i.e., the lower portion of the central combined opening 835) is wider than corresponding opening 737 (in tool 700) and also has a tapered section near its bottom. As a result, opening 837 is able to accommodate hooks, such as the OOK™ brand Model #50616, which have a triangular-shaped top portion, e.g., with multiple nail openings. In the preferred embodiments, this widest part of opening 837 is at least 1 inch, and more preferably, approximately 1.5 inches, or at least 1.5 inches, wide. At the same time, the very bottom part of opening portion 837 is narrower (e.g., exactly or approximately as wide as openings 834 and 836, such as 0.25-0.50 inch wide, or more preferably, approximately 0.38 inch wide), e.g., for accommodating the more common types of picture-hanging hooks. Also, in tool 800 there is no backing section (such as backing section 741 in tool 700). Instead, tool 800 mainly relies upon its magnet configuration and the upwardly angled support(s) 842 to hold the hook(s) in place. As to the former, a magnet 830 is disposed at the bottom left edge of each opening 834-836 (e.g., as shown in FIG. 20). As to the latter, in tool 800 each of the upwardly angled supports 842 has a curved or rounded top edge, with a high point disposed immediately adjacent to the magnet 830 for the corresponding opening 834-836. Preferably, the entire (or at least a significant part of the) top surface of the upwardly angled support 842 is angled upwardly away from the front surface 825 of the main body section 802 (e.g., as shown in FIG. 22), with the inner high point 845 approximately corresponding to the level of horizontal shelf 843 for the corresponding opening 834-836, and with the outer high point 846 elevated above that point. Such a configuration can, e.g., provide adequate support for a picture-hanging hook (or similar hanging/attachment element) while also allowing easier removal of such hanging/attachment element from the tool 800, and also can better serve to engage with a wire, notch or other structure on the item to be hung (e.g., by more specifically defining the point of contact) if the hanging/attachment element(s) are not inserted into the tool 800 in step 651 of method 650 (as discussed above). As to this latter point, such a configuration of upwardly angled supports 842 can facilitate the adjustment of the tool 800 to the dimensions of the item to be hung without having to first place the hanging/attachment element(s) in the tool 800 (e.g., the performance of steps 652, 654, 655 and 657 in method 650 without any attachment element inserted into the tool 800 and, instead, the deferring of step 651 until after the performance of step 657). In such a case, the item's hanging wire, notch or other structure instead is engaged with the inner high point 845 or the outer high point 846 (preferably depending upon the nature of such hanging structure), e.g., in step 652. For example, if the item to be hung includes a hanging wire, such wire preferably engages with the inner high point 845. On the other hand, if the item to be hung includes a notch (typically for hanging the item on a screw or nail), then such a notch preferably engages with the outer high point 846. Because the height of the engagement point differs depending upon whether inner high point 845 or outer high point 846 is used, an adjustment can be made in certain circumstances. For instance, in certain embodiments, the inner high point 845 corresponds fairly closely to the point where the (or each) hook, screw, nail or other hanging/attachment element will engage with the item when the item is hung using a hanging wire, cord or string. Therefore, when the inner high point 845 is used to adjust the tool 800 to the item (in steps 652, 654, 655 and 657 but without the hanging/attachment element(s) placed in tool 800), no adjustment generally will be needed. On the other hand, if the item includes a notch (e.g., for hanging the item from a screw or nail), the outer high point 846 preferably is used to adjust the tool 800 to the item (in steps 652, 654, 655 and 657 but without the hanging/attachment element(s) placed into tool 800). In the present embodiment, the entry point of the nail/screw slot 821 on the front surface 825 of the main body section 802 is higher than the outer high point 846 (e.g., as shown most clearly in FIG. 19. As a result, without adjustment, a vertical positioning error in the amount of that height differential might occur in this circumstance. For this purpose, a provided (optional) easily attachable/detachable (e.g., snap-fit and/or slidably attachable/detachable) bottom strip 805 of slidable upper section 804, which is approximately equal in width to such height differential can be used. Then, e.g., the strip 805 can be attached while fitting the tool 800 to the item (e.g., in steps 652, 654, 655 and 657 but without the hanging/attachment element(s) placed into tool 800) and then detached prior to using the tool 800 to find the appropriate location(s) to insert the hanging/attachment element(s) (e.g., in step 658 of method 600). An alternate approach to address this problem, rather than using a detachable strip 805, is to make the outer high point 846 correspond to the same vertical position as the entry point of the nail/screw slot 821 on the front surface 825 of the main body section 802. It is noted that nail/screw slots 821 (in tool 800) are narrower and shallower than corresponding slots 721 (in tool 700), and there is only one such slot 821 for each of the openings 834-836, rather than two. However, any number and any dimensions may be used in the various embodiments of the present invention. FIG. 23 is a plan view of the left inner surface of the narrower bottom portion (up until the line 847 at which the slope of such surface changes from vertical to angled) of the central hook opening 837 (i.e., the bottom part of combined central opening 835) for tool 800. A similar configuration for the nail/screw slots 821 is present in the bottom portion of openings 834 and 836, although for openings 834 and 836, such surface is continuously vertical along its entire length in the present embodiment. As shown, each such nail/screw slot 821 is angled downwardly from the front surface 825 to the rear surface 826 of the main body section 802. In the current embodiment, the cross-sections of the nail/screw slots 821 are V-shaped, e.g., as shown in FIG. 24. However, in alternate embodiments nail/screw slots 821′, having circular or rounded cross-sections (preferably having a large enough radius of curvature to accommodate the widest desired nail or screw), such as shown in FIG. 25, instead are used. In either event, because such slots (821 or 821′) are immediately adjacent magnets 830, a screw or nail will be temporarily held in place when inserted into any one of them. A final difference from tool 700 is the inclusion of front and side measurement markings 857 on tool 800. In the current embodiment, such markings 857 are designated by surface markings of a different color than the surrounding area of main body section 802, and also by very fine grooves. However, in alternate embodiments, such grooves are made wider (e.g., to facilitate marking with the pen or pencil at a desired position) or simply omitted. Also, in the current embodiment, adjacent markings 857 are 0.2 inch apart. However, any of the desired spacing instead may be used. One similarity to tool 700 is that each of the openings 834, 836 and 837 in tool 800 has a top edge 839 that is angled upwardly from the rear side 826 to the front side 825 of the tool 800. Additional Considerations. As used herein, each use of the term “attached” or “connected”, or any other form of either such word, without further modification, is intended to mean directly attached, attached through one or more other intermediate elements or components, or integrally formed together, in any manner. In the drawings and/or the discussion, where two individual components or elements are shown and/or discussed as being directly attached to each other, such attachments should be understood as being merely exemplary, and in alternate embodiments the attachment instead may include additional components or elements between such two components. Similarly, method steps discussed and/or claimed herein are not intended to be exclusive; rather, intermediate steps may be performed between any two steps expressly discussed or claimed herein. Unless otherwise clearly stated herein, all relative directions (e.g., left, right, top, bottom, above, below) mentioned herein in relation to an article are from the perspective of the article itself and, therefore, are consistent across different views. In the event of any conflict or inconsistency between the disclosure explicitly set forth herein (including the accompanying drawings), on the one hand, and any materials incorporated by reference herein, on the other, the present disclosure shall take precedence. In the event of any conflict or inconsistency between the disclosures of any applications or patents incorporated by reference herein, the disclosure most recently added or changed shall take precedence. Unless clearly indicated to the contrary, words such as “optimal”, “optimize”, “maximize”, “minimize”, “best”, as well as similar words and other words and suffixes denoting comparison, in the above discussion are not used in their absolute sense. Instead, such terms ordinarily are intended to be understood in light of any other potential constraints, such as user-specified constraints and objectives, as well as cost and processing or manufacturing constraints. In the above discussion, certain methods are explained by breaking them down into steps listed in a particular order. However, it should be noted that in each such case, except to the extent clearly indicated to the contrary or mandated by practical considerations (such as where the results from one step are necessary to perform another), the indicated order is not critical but, instead, that the described steps can be reordered and/or two or more of such steps can be performed concurrently. References herein to a “criterion”, “multiple criteria”, “condition”, “conditions” or similar words which are intended to trigger, limit, filter or otherwise affect processing steps, other actions, the subjects of processing steps or actions, or any other activity or data, are intended to mean “one or more”, irrespective of whether the singular or the plural form has been used. For instance, any criterion or condition can include any combination (e.g., Boolean combination) of actions, events and/or occurrences (i.e., a multi-part criterion or condition). Similarly, in the discussion above, functionality sometimes is ascribed to a particular module or component. However, functionality generally may be redistributed as desired among any different modules or components, in some cases completely obviating the need for a particular component or module and/or requiring the addition of new components or modules. The precise distribution of functionality preferably is made according to known engineering tradeoffs, with reference to the specific embodiment of the invention, as will be understood by those skilled in the art. In the discussions above, the words “include”, “includes”, “including”, and all other forms of the word should not be understood as limiting, but rather any specific items following such words should be understood as being merely exemplary. Several different embodiments of the present invention are described above and/or in any documents incorporated by reference herein, with each such embodiment described as including certain features. However, it is intended that the features described in connection with the discussion of any single embodiment are not limited to that embodiment but may be included and/or arranged in various combinations in any of the other embodiments as well, as will be understood by those skilled in the art. Thus, although the present invention has been described in detail with regard to the exemplary embodiments thereof and accompanying drawings, it should be apparent to those skilled in the art that various adaptations and modifications of the present invention may be accomplished without departing from the intent and the scope of the invention. Accordingly, the invention is not limited to the precise embodiments shown in the drawings and described above. Rather, it is intended that all such variations not departing from the intent of the invention are to be considered as within the scope thereof as limited solely by the claims appended hereto. | <SOH> BACKGROUND <EOH>Certain conventional tools have been provided for helping people to hang a picture on a wall. However, the present inventor has discovered that such existing tools typically have significant drawbacks. One example of a conventional tool is the Hang & Level™ sold by Under the Roof Decorating™. The present inventor has discovered that this particular product can be awkward and difficult to use, particularly for hanging large and/or heavy pictures or other items and/or when using picture-hanging hooks or other mounting hardware beyond just a simple nail. | <SOH> SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION <EOH>The present invention addresses the foregoing problems by providing, among other things, improved tools for facilitating the hanging of pictures and other items, as well as related methods for using such tools. Thus, in one respect, the invention is directed to an apparatus for facilitating the hanging of an object on a wall or other surface. The apparatus includes: a main body section having a front surface and an elongated first opening; an upper section connected to the main body section and having a protruding portion that protrudes away from the front surface; a lower section connected to the main body section and having a second opening for accepting, as well as a structure for holding, a hanging/attachment element; and a securing mechanism. The upper section is slidably attached to the main body section via the elongated first opening and thereby capable of moving vertically up and down said main body section, but can be temporarily fixed at a desired position along the main body section by using the securing mechanism. In another respect, the invention is directed to an apparatus for facilitating the hanging of an object on a wall or other surface. The apparatus includes: a main body section having a first surface; an upper section connected to the main body section and having a protruding portion that protrudes away from the first surface; a lower section connected to the main body section and having an opening for accepting and holding a hanging/attachment element; and a securing mechanism. At least one of the upper section or the lower section is a slidable section that is slidably attached to the main body section and thereby capable of moving vertically up and down the main body section, but can be temporarily fixed (or secured) at an arbitrary position along the main body section using the securing mechanism. In another respect, the invention is directed to an apparatus for facilitating the hanging of an object on a wall or other surface. The apparatus includes: a main body section having a first surface and a first portion of an elongated opening; an upper section connected to the main body section and having a protruding portion that protrudes away from the first surface; a lower section connected to the main body section and having a second portion of the elongated opening that includes structures for accepting and holding two different kinds of hanging/attachment elements; and a securing mechanism. The upper section is slidably attached to the main body section via the elongated opening and thereby capable of moving vertically up and down said main body section, but can be temporarily fixed at an arbitrary position along the main body section using the securing mechanism. A method of using an apparatus according to the present invention involves: (a) placing the hanging/attachment element within an opening in the tool; (b) supporting an item to be hung from the hanging/attachment element while the hanging/attachment element is disposed within the opening; (c) following step (b), sliding the upper section down the main body section until the protruding portion makes contact with the item, thereby identifying a vertical position for the upper section; (d) following step (c), temporarily fixing the upper section at the position using the securing mechanism; (e) following step (d), removing the item from the hanging/attachment element; (f) following step (e), placing the apparatus at a location on a desired surface, with the upper section at the identified vertical position, and with a bottom edge of the protruding portion designating where a top edge of the item will be; and (g) with the apparatus placed at the location on the desired surface, and with the hanging/attachment element disposed within the opening, attaching the hanging/attachment element to the desired surface. An alternate method of using an apparatus according to the present invention involves: (a) identifying an opening in the apparatus into which a hanging/attachment element eventually will be placed; (b) supporting an item to be hung from a structure (such as an upwardly angled support) associated with such opening; (c) following step (b), sliding the upper section down the main body section until the protruding portion makes contact with the item, thereby identifying a vertical position for the upper section; (d) following step (c), temporarily fixing the upper section at the position using the securing mechanism; (e) following step (d), removing the item from the apparatus and inserting the hanging/attachment element into the opening; (f) following step (e), placing the apparatus at a location on a desired surface, with the upper section at the identified vertical position, and with a bottom edge of the protruding portion designating where a top edge of the item will be; and (g) with the apparatus placed at the location on the desired surface, and with the hanging/attachment element disposed within the opening, attaching the hanging/attachment element to the desired surface. By virtue of the foregoing arrangements, it can be possible to identify and preserve the distance between the top of a picture frame, mirror or other item to be hung and one or more hanging/attachment element(s), while the item to be hung is in a position (e.g., at a height) at which it is relatively easy to manipulate. Then, the item can be removed from the apparatus (or tool), and the apparatus alone (without the weight and bulk of the picture, mirror or other item to be hung) preferably is placed against a wall and used to insert the hanging/attachment element (e.g., mounting hardware) at a position that is appropriate to the desired location of the item to be hung. The preferred embodiments of the present invention accommodate different types and sizes of hanging/attachment elements, e.g., including just a nail or screw alone and/or a picture-hanging hook (which typically is attached to a wall using a nail). In addition, the desired item (e.g., picture, other decorative item, mirror or clock) preferably is actually hung from the desired hanging/attachment element while such hanging/attachment element is within the tool, thereby accurately establishing the distance between the top of the item and the point(s) at which it will be hung under the actual hanging conditions (e.g., using the same hardware and with the full weight of the item applied). With this distance established and preserved, the tool typically can be used to accurately position the hanging/attachment element such that when the item is hung from it, the item will be at its desired location. The foregoing summary is intended merely to provide a brief description of certain aspects of the invention. A more complete understanding of the invention can be obtained by referring to the claims and the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments in connection with the accompanying figures. | B25C3008 | 20171214 | 20180628 | 76453.0 | B25C300 | 1 | SAFAVI, MICHAEL | APPARATUS FOR FACILITATING THE HANGING OF AN OBJECT ON A WALL | MICRO | 1 | CONT-ACCEPTED | B25C | 2,017 |
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15,842,112 | PENDING | MAGNETIC ATTACHMENT MECHANISM FOR ELECTRONIC WEARABLE DEVICE | An electronic wearable device may include a device body including at least one electronic component, the device body having an attachment side configured to movably attach the electronic wearable device directly to an eyewear temple by magnetic attraction between the electronic wearable device and the eyewear temple, wherein a first magnet or ferromagnetic material is located on or within the electronic wearable device and a second magnet or ferromagnetic material is located within or on the eyewear temple, wherein the device body is positionable at a first position along a length of the eyewear temple and in a second position along the length of the eyewear temple while remaining attached to the eyewear temple, and wherein the first magnet or ferromagnetic material does not contact a surface of the second magnet or ferromagnetic material. | 1. An electronic wearable device comprising: a device body including at least one electronic component, the device body having an attachment side configured to movably attach the electronic wearable device directly to an eyewear temple by magnetic attraction between the electronic wearable device and the eyewear temple, wherein a first magnet or ferromagnetic material is located on or within the electronic wearable device and a second magnet or ferromagnetic material is located within or on the eyewear temple, and wherein the device body is positionable at a first position along a length of the eyewear temple and in a second position along the length of the eyewear temple while remaining attached to the eyewear temple; and wherein the first magnet or ferromagnetic material does not contact a surface of the second magnet or ferromagnetic material. 2. The electronic wearable device of claim 1, wherein the device body includes a protrusion extending from the attachment side for movably coupling the device body to the eyewear temple, and wherein the magnet is arranged proximate the protrusion such that an outermost lateral surface of the magnet is medially positioned relative to an outermost surface of the protrusion. 3. The electronic wearable device of claim 2, wherein the magnet is an elongate magnet having a first longitudinal end and a second longitudinal end, and wherein the protrusion comprises a plurality of bumps extending from the attachment side of the device body, each of the plurality of bumps positioned proximate one of the first or second longitudinal ends of the magnet. 4. The electronic wearable device of claim 3, wherein the plurality of bumps comprise a softer material than the magnet, the surface of the eyewear temple, or both. 5. The electronic wearable device of claim 3, wherein the plurality of bumps are made of a polymer. 6. The electronic wearable device of claim 3, wherein the bumps are coated with a polymer. 7. The electronic wearable device of claim 2, wherein the protrusion is configured for a cooperating fit with an eyewear track. 8. The electronic wearable device of claim 7, wherein the protrusion or an outermost surface of the protrusion is made of a material which has a hardness equal to or less than a hardness of a coating of the track. 9. The electronic wearable device of claim 7, wherein the protrusion is configured to be received in the eyewear temple track such that the protrusion is restricted from movement laterally to the length of the track. 10. The electronic wearable device of claim 7, wherein the attachment side is configured such that the magnet does not contact any surface of the eyewear track when the electronic wearable device is coupled to the eyewear via the track. 11. The electronic wearable device of claim 1, wherein the magnet is recessed below a surface of the attachment side. 12. The electronic wearable device of claim 1, wherein the device body defines a cavity on the attachment side and wherein the magnet is positioned in the cavity such that it is below a surface of the attachment side, and wherein an outermost lateral side of the magnet is exposed through an opening of the cavity. 13. The electronic wearable device of claim 1, wherein the magnet is embedded below a surface of the attachment side. 14. The electronic wearable device of claim 1, wherein the electronic wearable device is a camera, an image capture device, a light, a sensor, an augmented reality device, a virtual reality device, or a mixed reality device. 15. The electronic wearable device of claim 1, wherein the electronic wearable device is removably attachable to any of a plurality of different types of wearable articles other than eyewear. 16. A system comprising the electronic wearable device of claim of claim 15 and a wearable article selected from the group of a hat, a facemask, a necklace, a ring, a helmet, a wearable article other than eyewear, and an accessory. 17. An eyewear system comprising the electronic wearable device of claim 7 and an eyewear including the eyewear temple, wherein the eyewear temple includes an insert, and wherein a base of the track is defined, at least in part, by the insert. 18. The eyewear system of claim 17, wherein the insert is made of a ferromagnetic material. 19. The eyewear system of claim 18, wherein the insert is coated by a non-ferromagnetic material. 20. The eyewear system of claim 17, wherein the insert is coated by a ferromagnetic material. 21. The eyewear system of claim 17, wherein a width of the track does not exceed 3.0 mm, wherein a depth of the track does not exceed 2.0 mm, or both. | CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application is a continuation-in-part of pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/179,018 filed Jun. 10, 2016, which application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/173,741 entitled “ROBUST EYEWEAR TRACK, WIRELESS ENERGY TRANSFER SYSTEM AND ATTACHMENT MEANS FOR ELECTRONIC DEVICE”, filed Jun. 10, 2015, U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/180,199 entitled “WIRELESS ENERGY TRANSFER CAMERA SYSTEM”, filed Jun. 16, 2015, U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/186,341 entitled “WIRELESS ENERGY TRANSFER CAMERA SYSTEM”, filed Jun. 29, 2015, U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/246,803 entitled “TEMPLE TRACK COMPRISING A MAGNET ATTRACTING MATERIAL”, filed Oct. 27, 2015, U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/249,839 entitled “TEMPLE TRACK COMPRISING ELECTRONIC WEARABLE DEVICE AND A SAFETY CATCH”, filed Nov. 2, 2015, U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/253,813 entitled “ENHANCED TEMPLE TRACK”, filed Nov. 11, 2015, U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/289,488 entitled “INSTRUMENT AND METHOD TO MEASURE THE MAGNETIC ATTRACTION FOR EYEWEAR”, filed Feb. 1, 2016, U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/306,331 entitled “EYEWEAR WITH ADVANCED TRACK”, filed Mar. 10, 2016. The aforementioned applications are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety, for any purpose. This application also claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C. 119 of the earlier filing date of U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/536,573 entitled “REFINED MAGNETIC BASE FOR WEARABLE DEVICE”, filed Jul. 25, 2017. The aforementioned provisional application is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety, for any purpose. TECHNICAL FIELD The present disclosure relates to eyewear systems, which may include eyewear with a magnetic track for attaching an electronic wearable device thereto. BACKGROUND The number and types of commercially available electronic wearable devices continues to expand. Forecasters are predicting that the electronic wearable devices market will more than quadruple in the next ten years. Some hurdles to realizing this growth remain. Two major hurdles are the cosmetics/aesthetics of existing electronic wearable devices and their limited battery life. Consumers typically desire electronic wearable devices to be small, less noticeable, and require less frequent charging. The smaller the electronic wearable device, the more challenging it may be to removably attach the device to a wearable article, such as eyewear and further solutions in this area may thus be desirable. SUMMARY An electronic wearable device according to some examples herein may include a device body including at least one electronic component, the device body having an attachment side configured to movably attach the electronic wearable device directly to an eyewear temple by magnetic attraction between the electronic wearable device and the eyewear temple, wherein a first magnet or ferromagnetic material is located on or within the electronic wearable device and a second magnet or ferromagnetic material is located within or on the eyewear temple, wherein the device body is positionable at a first position along a length of the eyewear temple and in a second position along the length of the eyewear temple while remaining attached to the eyewear temple, and wherein the first magnet or ferromagnetic material does not contact a surface of the second magnet or ferromagnetic material. In some embodiments, the protrusion may be configured to a cooperating fit with an eyewear track. In some embodiments, the electronic wearable device may be a camera. In some embodiments, the electronic wearable device may be part of an eyewear system that includes the device and the eyewear. The eyewear may include a temple with an insert and a base of the track may be defined, at least in part, by the insert. In some embodiments, the electronic wearable device may be removably attachable to any of a plurality of different types of wearable articles other than eyewear. In some embodiments, the electronic wearable device may be part of a system including the device and the wearable article, which may any one of a hat, a facemask, a necklace, a ring, a helmet, or an accessory. Features from any of the disclosed embodiments may be used in combination with one another, without limitation. In addition, other features and advantages of the present disclosure will become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art through consideration of the following detailed description and the accompanying drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Features, aspects and attendant advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of various embodiments, including the best mode presently contemplated of practicing the invention, when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which: FIG. 1 shows a block diagram of an eyewear system in accordance with the present disclosure; FIGS. 2A-2D show isometric, top, side, and transverse cross-sectional views of an eyewear system according to a first embodiment; FIGS. 3A and 3B show a side and cross-sectional views of an insert in according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; FIG. 4A shows a transverse cross-sectional view of a temple of an eyewear system according to another embodiment; FIG. 4B shows a partial plan cross-sectional view of the temple in FIG. 4A and an electronic wearable device attached thereto; FIG. 4C shows a transverse plan cross-sectional view of a temple and electronic wearable device according to another embodiment; FIGS. 5A-5C shows eyewear systems according to further embodiments; FIG. 6 shows a simplified cross-sectional view of a temple and electronic wearable device attached to the temple according to another embodiment; FIG. 7 shows a simplified cross-sectional view of a temple and electronic wearable device attached to the temple according to yet another embodiment; FIGS. 8A and 8B show partial side and cross-sectional views of a temple according to another embodiment; FIGS. 9A and 9B show partial side and cross-sectional views of a temple according to yet another embodiment; FIG. 10 shows a simplified cross-sectional view of a temple and electronic wearable device attached to the temple according to yet another embodiment; FIG. 11 shows a view of an eyewear system according to a further embodiment; FIGS. 12A-12C show views of a temple of the eyewear in FIG. 11; FIG. 13 shows a view of an exemplary electronic wearable device in the form of a camera which includes a device guide in accordance with some examples herein; FIGS. 14A-14D show views of a thin eyewear temple with a temple guide according to another embodiment; and FIGS. 15A-15E show views of an adapter in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. FIGS. 16A-16B show views of an adapter in accordance with another embodiment of the present disclosure. FIGS. 17A-17C show views of a camera with a device guide in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. FIGS. 18A and 18B show views of a camera with a device guide in accordance with another embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 19 shows a view of a camera with a device guide in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. FIGS. 20A, 20B, and 20C show electronic wearable devices configured for magnetic attachment to wearable articles according to further examples of the present disclosure. FIG. 21 shows a camera configured for magnetic attachment to wearable articles according to further examples of the present disclosure. FIGS. 21A and 21B show enlarged views of portions of the camera in FIG. 21. DETAILED DESCRIPTION The present application describes eyewear system which may include eyewear to which an electronic wearable device, such as a wearable camera, may be movably (e.g., slidably) attached. In some examples, the electronic wearable device may be removably attached to the eyewear. To that end, the eyewear may be provided with a guide for engagement with the electronic wearable device. The guide may be configured to restrict movement of the electronic wearable device in one or more directions. In some examples, the guide may steer the electronic device along a predetermined direction. The guide may be provided on the temple of the eyewear and may be referred to as temple guide. In some examples, the guide may be in the form of a magnetic track, which may be provided on a temple of the eyewear, and may also be referred to as temple track. The guide may be oriented along the length of the temple such that the electronic wearable device may be movable (e.g., slidable) between a forward position and an aft position along the length of the temple. The guide may be configured to restrict movement of the electronic wearable device in directions other than the direction defined between the forward and aft positions (e.g., longitudinal direction). The electronic wearable device may be removable from the guide for example by movement of the electronic wearable device in a direction substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal directions. The electronic wearable device, for example a camera, may include a device guide which is configured for cooperating fit with the guide on the eyewear (e.g., a temple guide). For examples, the device guide may be a male guide and the temple guide may be a female guide. In other examples, the device guide may be a female guide and the temple guide may be a male guide. In some examples, the guide may be integral with the temple, e.g., not removable from the temple in the normal course of use of the eyewear. In other examples, the guide may be removably attached to the temple. For example, the guide may be incorporated into a guide adapter configured to engage the electronic wearable device. The guide adapter may be a universal adapter in that it may be configured for mounting to a variety of differently shaped pre-existing eyewear. In this manner, the guide adapter may enable pre-existing eyewear to be retrofitted for engagement with an electronic wearable device in accordance with the examples herein. FIG. 1 shows a block diagram of an eyewear system 5, which includes eyewear 20 and an electronic wearable device 10 attached to the eyewear 20. An eyewear frame 22 of the eyewear 20 includes at least one temple 24. Typically, the eyewear frame 22 may include two temples, a left and a right temple configured for placement over a left and a right ear, respectively, of a user when the eyewear frame 22 is worn. The eyewear also typically includes at least one lens or a pair of lenses configured to be provided in the field of view of the user when the eyewear frame 22 is worn. A guide 30 is provided on the temple 24, also referred to as temple guide, for engaging with a guide 12 (e.g., male guide 13, female guide 15) provided on the electronic wearable device 10, also referred to as device guide. The temple guide 30 and device guide 12 are configured to slidably engage such that the electronic wearable device may be retained in slidable attachment with the temple 24. The temple guide 30 may be configured to guide movement of the electronic wearable device 10 along a sliding direction. In accordance with the examples herein, the temple guide 30 and device guide 12 may be configured to attach magnetically. In some examples, the device guide 12 may include one or more magnets 16. In some examples, the one or more magnets 16 may include a neodymium-type magnet, a permanent magnet, or magnet(s) comprised of ferromagnetic material. The magnet(s) 16 may be of any shape, for example an elongate magnet (e.g., a bar magnet), one or more round magnets (e.g., circular or oval magnet(s)), or other. The guide 30 may include a guide surface 32, which is configured for magnetic attraction with the device guide 12. In some examples, the guide surface 32 may be defined by a ferromagnetic material of the temple such that the guide 30 may magnetically retain the electronic wearable device 10. The guides 30 and 12 may be configured such that relative lateral movement of the electronic wearable device 10 is restricted when the electronic wearable device 10 is engaged with the temple guide 30. That is, the guides 30 and 12 may be configured such that movement of the electronic wearable device 10 in one or more directions other than the sliding direction is constrained. FIGS. 2A-2D show isometric, top or plan, side, and transverse cross-sectional views of components of an eyewear system according to a first embodiment. Components of the eyewear system 95 may be used to implement components of the eyewear system 5 in FIG. 1. For example, the electronic wearable device 10 of FIG. 1 may be a camera 11 as illustrated in FIG. 2B, although the present disclosure is not limited only to a camera for the electronic wearable device, as will be further described. In the embodiment in FIGS. 2A-2D, the eyewear 100 includes a frame 101 configured to retain one or more lenses (e.g., prescription lenses, tinted lenses, shatter-resistant or ballistic lenses, combinations thereof or other types of lenses). The frame 101 includes a lens-retaining portion 102 which includes first and second end portions 104-1, 104-2 disposed at opposite ends of the lens-retaining portion 102. The frame 101 further includes a pair of temples 110 including first temple 110-1 (e.g., left temple) and second temple 110-2 (e.g., right temple). The first temple 110-1 is attached to the first end portion 104-1 and the second temple 110-2 is attached to the second end portion 104-2. The eyewear 100 may be provided in an unfolded configuration as illustrated in FIGS. 2A and 2B, e.g., as may be suitable when the eyewear 100 is worn. The temples 110-1, 110-2 are pivotally attached to the end portions 104-1, 104-2. In the illustrated example, each of the temples 110-1, 110-2 includes a hinge portion 125 (e.g., left and right hinge portions 125-1, 125-2, respectively), and the temples 110 are each attached to the lens-retaining portion 102 via their respective hinge portions 125-1, 125-2. In other examples, the temples 110 may be pivotally attached to the lens-retaining portion using any other type of flexure (e.g., a living hinge), which may enable the frame 101 to be provided in a folded configuration when not worn. The eyewear 100 may include a guide 118 for attaching an electronic wearable device (e.g., camera 11) to the eyewear. The guide 118 may be configured to magnetically retain the electronic wearable device (e.g., camera 11) in attachment with the eyewear 100. In some examples, the electronic wearable device (e.g., camera) may be implemented in accordance with any of the examples in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/757,753 filed Dec. 23, 2015, and titled “Wireless Camera Systems and Methods”, which application is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety for any purpose. The guide 118 may be configured to magnetically retain the electronic wearable device (e.g., camera 11) in attachment with the eyewear 100. The guide 118 may be configured to retain the electronic wearable device in slidable attachment with the eyewear 100. In other words, the electronic wearable device may be slidable or movable along a length of the guide while remaining in attachment with the eyewear 100. The guide 118 may be configured to restrict movement of the electronic wearable device in one or more directions with respect to the part of the frame to which the electronic wearable device is attached. The guide 118 may be integrally formed with the frame 101 or may be irremovably attached (e.g., welded, bolted, bonded, etc.) to the frame 101. In some examples, the guide may be removably attachable to the frame such as to enable removal of the guide from the frame during normal course of use. The guide 118 may be provided on the temple 110 and may thus be interchangeably referred to as temple guide 118. The temple guide 118 may be used to implement the temple guide 30 in FIG. 1. In some examples, a temple guide 118 may be provided on one or both of the temples 110-1, 110-2. The eyewear system 95 may include an electronic wearable device (e.g., camera 11) which is configured to attach and detach from the temple guide. The electronic wearable device (e.g., camera 11) may include a device guide (e.g., camera guide 19 as shown for example in FIG. 2B) which may be configured to engage the guide 118 of eyewear 100. Further aspects of the device guide will be described with reference to camera guide 19 but it will be understood that these aspects may apply to device guides on different types of electronic devices. The camera guide 19 is shaped for slidable engagement with the temple guide 118 of the eyewear 100. The camera guide 19 in this example is a male guide in the form of a protrusion attached to or integrally formed with the housing. The camera guide is configured to be inserted into a female guide (e.g., track 130) on the temple along a direction perpendicular to the base of the track. The camera guide 19 includes at least one magnet 16, e.g., as shown in FIG. 4B, which illustrates further details of the camera 11. The one or more magnets can be a rare earth neodymium type magnet or other type of magnet. In the illustrated example, the magnets are cylindrical (e.g., disc) magnets however other shapes and configurations may be used. Any number of magnets, for example one to six magnets, may be used to provide sufficient force to retain the camera on the temple. The force of attraction between the magnets and ferromagnetic material of the guide surface, which can be defined based on a measured force required to pull the magnet off the magnet attracting surface (i.e., a pull force), may be tailored to provide enough force to maintain the camera in attachment with the temple without inhibiting the sliding of the magnet or otherwise affecting the optics of the eyewear. That is, the pull force may be sufficiently high to keep the camera attached to the temple while sliding yet low enough so as not to inhibit the movement of the camera and also to ensure that the temple is not significantly deflected which may affect the optical performance of the eyewear and/or result in damage. In some examples, the pull force may range from about 0.5 Newtons to about 10 Newtons. In some examples, the pull force may range from about 1.5 Newtons to about 5 Newtons. That is, the magnet(s) may be attracted to the ferromagnetic material of the temple by a force within the range of about 1.5 Newtons to about 5 Newtons. In some examples, the pull force may be less than 0.5 Newtons or exceed 10 Newtons. The number and size of magnets may be tailored. A relevant magnet property that may be taken into consideration is the maximum pull force. Also, pole orientation, magnetic direction, field shape and other properties of the magnets may be considered when tailoring the magnet configuration in the device guide. Also, although the examples herein describe temple guide and device guide that include a magnetic material and a magnet, respectively, it will be understood that this arrangement may be reversed, e.g., the magnet may be provided on the temple and the ferromagnetic material may be provided on the electronic wearable device. In some examples one or more bar magnets may be used, e.g., as in the examples shown in FIGS. 17-19. In the embodiment in FIGS. 17A-17C, the camera 11 includes a camera guide 1619, which includes custom shaped bar magnet 1616. The bar magnet 1616 is T-shaped with the exposed side of the magnet being narrower than the side that closer to the camera body. That, is the magnet 1616 includes a wider bottom portion 1616-1 and a narrower top portion 1616-2. In one non-limiting embodiment, the magnet has a height of about 1.5 mm a width at the narrow portion of about 2.0 mm and a length of about 12 mm. Other dimensions may be used as may be desired for a particular configuration of a device guide and corresponding temple guide. The slotted protrusion 1620 is similarly shaped having the width of the slot being wider at the bottom (e.g., closer to the camera body) and narrower at the top. This arrangement mechanically retains the magnet within slotted protrusion 1620 such as when magnetic force is experienced due to attraction with the temple guide. During assembly, the magnet 1616 is inserted into the slotted protrusion 1620 to form the camera guide 1619. In some examples, the magnet 1616 may be additionally attached to the camera 11 for example using an adhesive or other conventional fastening technique. In other embodiments, the magnet may not be adhered to the camera but may instead be retained in the slot via a snap feature. As shown in cross-section in FIG. 17C, the walls of the slotted protrusion 1620 may include a lip 1622 at the open end (e.g., insertion end) of the slotted protrusion 1620. The width of the slot at the lip WS may be slightly less the width of the magnet WM such that the lip 1622 is temporarily deformed during insertion of the magnet, such as along direction 1624, and then returns to its nominal shape to retain the magnet in the slot. In some examples, the exposed surface of the magnet may be flush (e.g., in plane) with the bottom surface 1626 of the protrusion, as shown in FIG. 17B. In other examples, as described herein, the magnet may be recessed from the bottom surface 1626 of the protrusion. FIGS. 18A and 18B show another embodiment of a camera 11 with a device guide 1819, which is in the form of a male guide. The device guide 1819 includes a T-shaped bar magnet 1816 similar to the bar magnet 1616 of the example in FIGS. 17A-17C. The wider bottom portion 1816-1 is retained in a slotted protrusion 1820, which is shorter in height than the magnet 1816. As such, the upper narrower upper portion 1816-2 is fully exposed and functions as the portion that is inserted into the temple guide. In other words, the height of the exposed magnet portion (e.g., upper portion 1816-2) is substantially the same as the depth D of the track and the width of the exposed magnet portion (e.g., upper portion 1816-2) is substantially the same as the width W of the track. The magnet 1816 may be similarly retained in the slot of the protrusion 1820, e.g., by a lip portion. In other examples, the magnet 1816 may be additionally or alternatively attached to the camera by an adhesive or other means. FIG. 19 shows yet another embodiment of a camera 11 with a device guide 1919 in the form of a male guide. A portion of the device guide 1919, namely the exposed portion of the magnet 1916 is configured for insertion into a temple track. Similar to the magnet 1816 of the previous example, the magnet 1916 includes a wider lower portion 1916-1 and a narrower upper portion 1916-2. The lower portion 1916-1 is enclosed by the retention plate 1920, which acts to attach the magnet 1916 to the camera 11. The upper portion 1916-2 is exposed and similarly configured as upper portion 1816-2 to function as the portion that is inserted into the temple guide. The retention plate 1920 may be laser welded to the camera via the bosses 1922 or otherwise attached such as with conventional fasteners (e.g., bolts, rivets, snap features, etc.). Referring now back to FIGS. 2B-2D, the temples 110 may each include an insert 120. The insert 120 may be a metal insert (also referred to as core wire or stiffener), which may function to structurally reinforce the temple 110. In the embodiment in FIGS. 2A-2D, the insert 120 is formed of a ferromagnetic material, such as spring steel, stainless steel (e.g., AISI 420), or combinations thereof. In other examples, the insert may comprise AISI 301 steel, series 400 stainless steel, ferritic stainless steel, martensitic stainless steel, duplex stainless steel. In some examples, the ferromagnetic material may have magnetic permeability in the range of 1.3-700. In some examples, ferromagnetic material may have magnetic permeability in greater than 700. The insert 120 may be enclosed or substantially enclosed by a second material 128 (also referred to as outer material) to form the temple 110. The second material 128 may be different from the material from which the insert is formed. For example, the second material 128 may be plastic, such as an injection molded plastic or acetate. In some examples, the second material 128 may be metal, e.g., a different metal than that of the insert, such as a non-ferromagnetic metal. The insert 120 may extend from a hinge portion 125 towards a distal end 116 of the temple 110. In some examples, the insert 120 may be connected to the hinge portion 125. For example, the temple 110 may include a hinge barrel 126, which is configured to receive a hinge pin 127 for pivotally securing the hinge portion 125 to the lens-retaining portion 102. In some examples, the hinge barrel 126 may be metal and may be rigidly connect to (e.g., welded to or integrally formed with) the insert 120. In other examples, the insert may not be connected to the hinge portion. In some examples, the temple guide 118 may be implemented in the form of a female guide (e.g., a track 130). In other examples, the temple guide 118 may have a different shape or configuration. For example, the temple guide may be in the form of a male guide (e.g., a rail), examples of which will be described further with reference to FIGS. 11-13. The temple guide 118 may include one or more guide surfaces, e.g., base, sidewalls, top surface, or other depending on the configuration of the guide. In the embodiment in FIGS. 2A-2D, the temple guide 118 is implemented in the form of a track 130, which is defined by a groove formed in the second material 128. The track has a bottom surface or base 131 and sidewalls 133. The track has a width W defined by the distance between the sidewalls 133. The track terminates at a forward end 135 defined by a forward end wall 136 and an aft end 137 defined by an aft end wall 138. The track extends to a depth D, which exposes the insert 120. Thus, the insert 120 functions as both a stiffening member (e.g., core wire) for the temple and also provides a ferromagnetic base for the track 130 for magnetically attaching an electronic wearable device thereto. In some examples, the width W may be constant along the length LG of the guide. In other examples, the track may taper (e.g., the width W may narrow) towards the forward end 135, the aft end 137, or both. In some examples the track may be have an open forward end and/or an open aft end and the taper may prevent the electronic wearable device from sliding out of the track. In some examples, the width W may be constant along the depth D, the track thereby having a generally rectangular cross section. In such examples, the electronic wearable device (e.g., camera 11) may be attachable and removable from the track 130 by insertion of the device guide (e.g., camera guide 19) into the track 130 along a direction perpendicular to the base 131 (e.g., a direction parallel with the Y direction). In specific exemplary but non-limiting embodiments, the width of the track may not exceed 2.5 mm (e.g., the width W is about 2 mm), the depth of the track may not exceed 1.5 mm (e.g., the depth D is about 1.25 mm), the forward end of the track may be located from about 5 mm to about 20 mm distally from the hinge portion, plus or minus engineering tolerances (e.g., plus or minus 10-15% of the specified dimension based on the appropriate tolerances) and the track spans between about 45% to about 85% of the length L of the temple. In some embodiments, the length of the track may be less than 45% or greater than 85% the length of the temple. Embodiments of the present invention may be implemented in temples having a variety of shapes and size, for example temples having a relatively simple profile or the temples that contoured in one or more directions. For example, as illustrated in FIGS. 2A-2C, the temple 110 may follow a curved profile viewed in plan. That is, the temple 110 may include a generally flat portion 111 and a contoured portion 112. The flat portion 111 may extend from the hinge portion 125 to about ¼ or ⅓ of the length L of the temple, although in other examples the flat portion 111 may be shorter than ¼ of the length L of the temple or longer than a ⅓ of the length L of the temple. The contoured portion 112 may extend from the flat portion 111 to the distal end 116. The contoured portion 112 may define a generally simple curve (e.g., a C-shaped curve) or a more complex curve (e.g., an S-shaped curve, in which the contoured portion curves in one direction and then flattens out or curves in an opposite direction as you move towards the distal end). In some examples, as in the embodiment in FIGS. 1-4, the guide 118 extends at least partially along both of the flat and contoured portions 111 and 112. In such examples, the guide follows the curvature of the temple. In such examples, the curvature (e.g., minimum temple radius RMIN, see e.g., FIG. 4B) may be selected to ensure that device guide remains in engagement with the temple guide along the full length of the temple guide. In some examples, the minimum temple radius may be about 90 cm. In other examples, the temple, when viewed in plan, may be contoured along substantially all of the length of the temple and may not include a flat portion 111, and the curvature may be such as to ensure that the device remain in engagement with the temple guide when moved along the length of the temple guide. In yet further examples, the temple, when viewed in plan, may be generally flat along substantially the full length of the temple. In some examples, the temple guide may span only a generally flat portion of the temple (such as in the embodiments in FIGS. 14-15). When viewed from the side (see e.g., FIG. 2C), the temple 110 may include an arm portion 113 and an earpiece portion 114. The arm portion 113 may extend generally straight aft from the hinge portion 125 towards the distal end 116 of the temple. The arm portion 113 may span more than half (e.g., 60%, 70%, 75%, 80% or other) of the length L of the temple 110. In some examples, the arm portion 113 may include part or all of the flat portion 111 and at least part of the contoured portion 112. The earpiece portion 114 may extend from a bend, which is positionable over the wearer's ear to the distal end 116 of the temple. The earpiece portion 114 may curve downward such that the distal end 116 of the temple is positionable behind the ear of the user, e.g., to secure the temples to the user's head when the eyewear is worn. In accordance with the examples herein, the guide 118 may span one or more of the above described portions of the temple 110. In some examples, the guide 118 may span most of the length of the arm portion 113 but may not extend along the earpiece portion 114. The guide 118 may therefore be generally straight along its longitudinal direction and may thereby restrict movement of the electronic wearable device along a straight path. In other examples, the guide 118 may extend along only a small portion (e.g., 50% or less) of the arm portion 113. In yet further examples, the guide 118 may extend at least partially along both of the arm and the earpiece portions 113 and 114, respectively, and the guide 118 may therefore guide the electronic wearable device along a curved path. The temple and device guides may be configured such that the electronic wearable device is positionable substantially flush with a front face of the eyewear. For example, the forward end 135 of the track 130 may be spaced from a font face of the eyewear by an offset distance O (see e.g., FIG. 2B) substantially matching the distance between the forward face of the electronic wearable device and the forward end of the device guide. In one specific embodiment the electronic device includes a plurality of cylindrical magnets (e.g., 1-6 magnets having a diameter of about 1/16 inches), each of which may be an NdFeB with Ni plating axially magnetized with 0.12 lbs pull force. The size and pull force of the magnets may be tailored taking into account the form factor of the electronic wearable device and the required force to maintain the electronic wearable device in magnetic attachment with the temple while still enabling the electronic wearable device to be slidable along the track. In some examples, the one or more magnets may be spaced from the base of the track by a gap when the electronic wearable device is attached to the track. In such examples, the magnetically attached electronic wearable device may essentially float over the surface of the track (e.g., the base 131) which may improve slidability of the electronic wearable device along the track and or reduce the risk of scratching the aesthetic surface of the eyewear. In some examples, the base 131 may be coated with an additional layer, which may be aesthetic or functional. For example, the base 131 may be coated with a friction reducing layer (e.g., a low-friction material such as TEFLON). In some examples, the base 131 may be coated with a corrosion resistant material. In some examples, the additional layer may be a layer or paint such as to paint the base in a color matching the color of the second material or to paint the base in an accent color. In some examples, the base 131 may be coated with a lacquer, paint, varnish or any other type of coating. In some examples, the base 131 may be plated with nickel, copper, zinc, gold, silver, or combinations thereof. In some examples, the coating on the base of a track may itself be the ferromagnetic material, which enables magnetic attraction between the electronic wearable device and the track. In some examples, the spacing between the track and the magnet(s) of the electronic wearable device may be achieved by configuring the depth of the track, the height of the guide or any enclosure around the magnet, or any combination thereof in such manner as to position the magnet in a spaced or distance-separated relationship to the base of the track and/or any other surfaces of the track, thereby reducing the risk of damage to surfaces of the track. FIGS. 3A and 3B show an insert 220 prior to its assembly into a temple (e.g., temple 110). The insert 220 may be a generally flat elongate member, which may be formed for example by stamping a thin metal strip in the desired shape (e.g., as shown in FIG. 3B) from bulk material such as stainless or spring steel sheet metal. In some examples, the insert 220 may be generally flat along the entire length of the insert. The insert may be made from steel, stainless steel, for example steel alloy with minimum 10.5% chromium content by mass, or others. Different alloys of steel may be used and relevant properties to be considered in determining a suitable alloy may include level of hardness (e.g., martensitic microstructure) and nickel content. In some examples, the insert 220 or a portion thereof may be coated, for example a side of the insert that is exposed and provides a guide surface may be coated with a corrosion resistant material, a friction reducing material, a colored material such as paint which may be the same as the color of the other material or an accent color, or another type of coating. In some examples, the insert 220 may be so coated before assembly into the temple. In other examples, only the exposed portion of the insert 220 may be coated after the insert has been assembled into the temple. The insert 220 may optionally include one or more grippers 221 configured to resist relative lengthwise movement between the insert 220 and the outer material enclosing the insert (e.g., second material 128). The grippers 221 may be implemented as textured portions, which may increase the friction between the insert 220 and the outer material. The grippers 221 may be located at one or more locations along the length of the insert 220, for example at a forward end and/or at an intermediate location along the length of insert 220. Grippers may be provided along any surface of the insert 220. The insert 220 may include a forward portion 223 and an aft portion 222. The forward portion 223 may have a length selected to substantially correspond to the length of a straight portion of the temple (e.g., straight portion 113). The aft portion 222 may have a length selected to substantially correspond to the length of a curved portion of the temple (e.g., curved portion 114). The forward portion 223 may be wider than the aft portion 222. The forward portion 223 may be wide enough to serve as a base of the track. In other words, the width WI of the forward portion 223 may be greater than the width W of the track 130. The width of the insert may range from about 2.5 mm to about 6 mm or greater and the thickness TI may range from about 0.3 mm to about 1 mm or greater depending on the geometry of the temple. In one specific non-limiting embodiment, the insert may have a width WI of about 4.8 mm and a thickness TI of about 0.6 mm. Other dimensions may of course be used in other embodiments. In an exemplary non-limiting embodiment, the width of the forward portion 223 may be from about 3.0 mm to about 5 mm, in some examples from about 3.5 mm to about 4.8 mm, although this width may be different depending on the particular temple design. The width of the aft portion 222 may be half or less of the width of the forward portion 223. The aft portion may include one or more notches 225 arranged along the lower side of the aft portion 222, an upper side of the aft portion 222, or along both sides of the aft portion 222. The notches 225 may enable the aft portion 222 to be more easily deformed to a shape corresponding to the curved portion of the temple (e.g., as shown in FIG. 2C), as well as enable further adjustments of the shape of the temple (e.g., a curvature of the curved portion) to fit a particular user. The insert (e.g., core wire) may be attached (e.g., welded) to a hinge barrel inserted into a softened injection molded plastic temple. In other examples, a plastic temple may be insert molded around the core wire, with the temple being both shaped and attached to the core wire during the cooling/curing phase. In yet further examples, the insert may be embedded in an acetate laminate temple, which can then be shaped and polished to achieve its final aesthetic look. The optional grippers, particularly in cases in which the insert is not attached to the hinge, may improve the attachment between outer material and insert. In some examples, the track may be formed in the temple after the temple and core wire have been assembled, e.g., by cutting, such as by laser cutting, a slot in the plastic material to a depth that reaches the flat insert. In other examples, the track may be initially formed during the molding process, e.g., by using a mold or additional/removable inserts to define the shape of the track during the molding process. In some examples, the eyewear system may include a safety catch 180. The safety catch 180 may be configured to prevent separation of the electronic wearable device (e.g., camera 11) from the eyewear 100 in the event that the electronic wearable device becomes inadvertently disengaged from the guide 118. The safety catch 180 may include a strap 182 (e.g., a securing ring, a lanyard, or another), which is secured to the electronic wearable device (e.g., camera 11) and the eyewear frame 101. In some examples, the strap 182 may be made from plastic, for example a flexible plastic material. In some examples, the strap 182 may be a securing ring, which encircles a cross section of the temple 110. The securing ring may be made from translucent or transparent material. In other examples, the strap 182 may be the same color as the color of the temple. In some examples, the securing ring may have a cross sectional core thickness of less than 1.5 mm. In some examples, the strap 182 may be made from a monofilament strand or string of nylon, polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF), polyethylene, DACRON, DYNEEMA, or others. In some examples, the strap 182 may be made from an elastic material such as rubber. For example, the strap 182 may be made from an elastomer such as silicon rubber. Other materials, such as natural fibers or synthetic materials may be used. The strap may be made from metal (e.g., single or multi-strand wire, a chain, or others). The strap 182 may be attached to a securing feature 184 provided on the electronic wearable device. Other configurations may be used for the safety catch, examples of some of which are further described below with reference to FIGS. 5A-5C. Referring now to FIGS. 4A and 4B, partial cross-sectional views of eyewear system in accordance with another embodiment are shown. The temple 210 includes a temple guide 118 in the form of a track 230 provided on an outside side 207 of the temple 210. The temple 210 may include an insert 224 (e.g., a core wire), which increases the stiffness of the temple 210. The insert 224 need not be ferromagnetic as the insert in this embodiment does not form part of the magnetic track. In this embodiment, the temple additionally includes a strip 229 made from ferromagnetic material (also referred to as metal strip) arranged at the base 131 of the temple guide 118. The strip 229 may be provided by depositing a layer of metallic material onto a surface of the temple (e.g., along the base of the slot that defines the track) or by attaching (e.g., by bonding) a separate metallic strip to the base of the track. The strip 229 may facilitate the magnetic attraction between the temple guide 118 and a guide of an electronic wearable device. The strip 229 may be spaced from the insert 224. The depth D2 of the track 230 may be substantially the same in the embodiment in FIG. 2A, although a thickness T2 of the temple 210 in this second embodiment may be greater than the thickness T1 of the temple 110 in the first embodiment where the insert provides the functionality of both a stiffening core wire and a magnetic base of the track 230. In some examples, the insert may be omitted. In some examples, the depth D2 of the track 230 may be up to about 1 mm. In such examples, the temple may be made substantially from a non-metallic material (e.g., injection-moldable plastic or acetate) except for a thin layer (e.g., a coating) of metallic material provided along the base of the track. Such a layer may not significantly increase the stiffness of the temple to act as a stiffener but would otherwise facilitate magnetic attraction between the temple guide 118 and a guide of an electronic wearable device. FIG. 4B shows a partial plan cross-sectional view of the temple 210 and an exemplary electronic wearable device (e.g., camera 11) attached to the temple 210. The camera 11 includes a device guide 19, which is configured to be received, at least partially, within the track 230. FIG. 4C shows a partial cross-sectional view of a temple 310 and an exemplary electronic wearable device (e.g., camera 11′) attached to the temple 210 in accordance with another embodiment. In this illustrated embodiment, the camera 11′ includes a camera guide 19, which is configured to be received, at least partially, within the track 230. The track 230 includes a base 131 which is defined by a ferromagnetic material of the temple (e.g., an exposed surface of a ferromagnetic insert as in the example in FIG. 2D, or a ferromagnetic layer such as the strip 229 as in the example in FIG. 4A). The camera guide 19 in this example is a male guide (e.g., a protrusion 172). One or more magnets 16 are attached to the protrusion 172. The one or more magnets 16 may be attached to corresponding recesses in the protrusion 172. The one or more magnets may have an outer surface, which is exposed, or they may be embedded within the protrusion 172 such that the surfaces of the magnets are not exposed. In some examples, the magnets may be flush with the outermost surface of the protrusion and the protrusion 172 may thus have a top or outermost surface, which may be defined by an exposed surface of the one or more magnets. In other examples, the magnet(s) may be embedded and the top or outermost surface of the protrusion may be defined by the surface of an enclosure around the embedded magnet(s). In this illustrated example, the protrusion 172 is configured such that the top surface does not contact the base 131 when the camera 11′ is attached to the temple 210. The height of the protrusion 172 may be slightly less than a depth of the track thereby defining a gap G between the protrusion and base of the track when the electronic wearable device (e.g., camera 11′) is attached thereto. The gap G defined between the opposing top surface of protrusion 172 and base 131 when the camera 11′ is attached to the temple 210 may enable the camera 11′ to more easily slide along the temple guide 118 (e.g., float over the base 131 of the track 230). In some examples, the gap G may be less than 0.1 mm. In some examples the gap G may be less than 0.05 mm, such as 0.04 mm, 0.03 mm or 0.01 mm. In some examples, a gap G may be defined between the base of the track and the outermost surface of the magnet irrespective of whether a surface of the protrusion contacts the base of the track. In examples, the magnet and base 131 may be spaced apart or distance-separated even though a surface of the protrusion or other enclosure around the magnet contacts the base of the track. It will be understood that any of the embodiments of eyewear systems may be configured to include a gap G between the opposing and magnetically attracting faces of the device guide and temple guide. In other words, the camera 11′ and temple guide 118, for example, may be configured such that the bottom surface of the camera guide 19 and the base 131 of the track 130 do not contact during normal use. In some examples, the magnets specifically may be spaced apart from the temple surfaces such as to avoid rubbing of the magnets against any of the aesthetic surfaces of the temple. This spacing may be achieved by recessing the magnet below the bottom surface of the device guide such that the bottom surface of the device guide may contact the base of the track while the magnet itself does not. The bottom surface of the device guide may be part of the housing or attached thereto and may be formed of a plastic material thus reducing the risk of damage to the temples. As will be appreciated, all exposed surfaces of the temple, such as on the outside side of the temple, including the walls and base of the track, may be considered to be finished surfaces (e.g., surfaces that function as part of the finished aesthetic look of the eyewear). In other words, the eyewear may be worn with or without an electronic wearable device attached thereto without diminishing the aesthetic look of the eyewear, and in some examples the aesthetic look of the eyewear may be enhanced by the presence of the track. As such, the attachment of an electronic wearable device to the temple is not a necessary condition for a wearer to enjoy the use of the eyewear, e.g., attaching an electronic wearable device or any other type of feature is not essential to provide a finished aesthetic look for the eyewear. Further examples of safety catches of eyewear systems are described with reference to FIGS. 5A-5C. The safety catch 180′ in FIG. 5A includes a lanyard 182 which is attached to the temple 110 and a securing feature 184 attached to the camera 11. Instead of being looped around the temple as described with reference to FIG. 2B, the lanyard is attached to an underside 103 of the temple 110. The lanyard includes a T-shaped fitting 186, which is received in a T-shaped slot on the underside 103 of the temple. The T-shaped slot may span the same or substantially the same distance as the length of the guide 118 such that the lanyard may slide along with the camera while remaining attached to the T-shaped slot via the fitting 186. The T-shaped slot may have an open end, e.g., at the forward end 115 or the distal end 116 of the temple, to enable removal of the camera 11 from the eyewear frame when desired. The safety catch 180″ in FIG. 5B includes a lanyard 182 which is attached to the temple 110 and a securing feature 184 attached to the camera 11. Instead of being looped around the temple as described with reference to FIG. 2B, the lanyard is attached to a trolley 188 which is also configured to slide along the guide 118. The trolley may be magnetically attached to the guide 118 in a manner similar to the device guide. In some examples, the trolley is configured to exhibit a stronger magnetic attraction with the temple guide as compared to the magnetic force between the device guide and the temple guide. In some examples, the temple guide may shaped to mechanically retain the trolley therewithin. In the example in FIG. 5C, the safety catch 180′″ includes a lanyard 182 which is irremovably attached at one end to a fixture 187 disposed at the aft end of the guide 118 and at the opposite end to the securing feature 184. The length of the lanyard 182 is sufficient to allow the camera to move from the aft end all the way to the forward end of the guide. In this manner, the safety catch 180′″ maintains the camera 11 tethered to the temple while allowing movement of the camera along the guide. FIG. 6 illustrates a simplified cross-sectional view of another embodiment of an eyewear system 405. The eyewear system include a temple 410 of an eyewear frame and electronic wearable device 411 (e.g., camera) attached to the temple 410. The electronic wearable device 411 includes a device guide 412. The device guide 412 may be provided on an arm 417. The arm 417 is configured to be positioned over a top side 409 of the temple 410. The arm 417 may be extendible (e.g., a telescoping arm) such that the electronic wearable device 411 may be attachable to temples of different thicknesses. The device guide 412 includes a magnet 416, attached to the arm. In some examples, a surface of the magnet may be exposed such that it contacts the temple when the electronic wearable device 411 is attached thereto. In other examples, an interface layer may be provided between the magnet and temple surface to reduce damage to the aesthetic surface of the eyewear (e.g., scratches), which may be otherwise caused by a magnet sliding in contact with the eyewear. The interface layer may be provided for example by embedding the magnet slightly below the contact surface of the arm or by a coating provided on the exposed surface of the magnet. The coating may be friction reducing coating. The temple 410 may include a temple guide 418. The temple guide in this example is located on the top side of the temple 410. The temple guide is in the form of a female guide (e.g., track) which includes a ferromagnetic strip 429 provided at the base of the guide. The temple 410 may optionally include an insert 424, which may or may not be ferromagnetic, and an outer material 428, which encloses the insert. In accordance with the examples herein, the temple guide 418 includes guide surfaces (e.g., base 431 and sidewall 433), which constrain movement of the electronic wearable device 411 in one or more directions relative to the temple. At least one of the guide surfaces, in this example base 431, is defined by the ferromagnetic material of the strip 429. In other examples, the strip 429 may be arranged such that it defines the sidewall 433 instead of the base 431, such as by positioning the strip closer to the top side 409. In other examples, the strip 429 may be arranged such that it defines both the sidewall 433 and the base 431, such as by using an L-shaped ferromagnetic member to define the shape of the track. FIG. 7A illustrates a simplified cross-sectional view of another embodiment of an eyewear system 505. The eyewear system includes a temple 510 and electronic wearable device 511 attached to the temple 510. The electronic wearable device 511 includes a device guide 512, which may be provided along a side 513 of the electronic wearable device 511. The device guide 512 may include a magnet 516 and optionally a guide protrusion 514 spaced from the magnet. The temple may be formed of a material 528 and may optionally include a core wire 524 embedded in the material 528. The temple 510 may include a temple guide 518. The temple guide 518 may include a ferromagnetic strip 529, which may be flush with the outer surface of the material 528. The temple guide 518 may optionally include a groove 515 spaced from the strip 529 and shaped to receive the protrusion 514. The magnet 516 may be arranged to engage the strip 529 when the side 513 of the electronic wearable device 511 is positioned against the outside side 507 of the temple 510. The protrusion 514 and groove 515 may serve as locating and interlocking features, e.g., to position the electronic wearable device 511 for engagement with the temple guide 518 and to restrict movement of the electronic wearable device 511 in one or more directions relative to the temple 510 while the electronic wearable device 511 remains attached thereto. In the illustrated example, the strip 529 is positioned near a top side 509 of the temple 510 and a single groove 515 is provided spaced downward from the strip 529. In other examples, the strip may be different positioned and a different arrangement and number of grooves may be used. For example, FIGS. 8A and 8B illustrate partial side and cross-sectional views of a temple 610 in accordance with another embodiment. The temple 610 may be formed of a material 628, such as plastic, and may optionally include a core wire 624 embedded in the material 628. The temple 610 includes a guide 618 that includes a ferromagnetic strip 629 positioned substantially flush with the outside side 607 of temple 610. One or more grooves 615 may be provided spaced apart from and extending along the length of the strip 629. Each of the grooves may be configured to engage a corresponding protrusion on an electronic wearable device (not shown in this view). In this manner, the guide 618 may be configured to magnetically retain the electronic wearable device in attachment (e.g., by magnetic attraction) to the temple and may further function to restrain movement of the electronic wearable device in one or more directions (e.g., up and down, in-plane rotation, etc.) relative to the temple. In another example, as shown in FIGS. 9A and 9B, the temple 710 may similarly be formed of a material 728, such as plastic, and may optionally include a core wire 724 embedded in the material 728. The temple 610 may similarly include a guide 718 that includes a ferromagnetic strip 729 positioned substantially flush with the outside side 707 of temple 710. However, in this example, one or more grooves 715 may be provided in the strip 729. The groove 715 may be a generally rectangular channel open to the exposed surface of the strip 729 and extending along the length of the strip 729. The groove 715 may be configured to engage a corresponding protrusion on an electronic wearable device (not shown in this view). In this manner, the guide 718 may be configured to magnetically retain the electronic wearable device in attachment (e.g., by magnetic attraction) to the temple and may further function to restrain movement of the electronic wearable device in one or more directions (e.g., up and down, in-plane rotation, etc.) relative to the temple. FIG. 10 illustrates a simplified cross-sectional view of yet another embodiment of an eyewear system 805. The eyewear system include a temple 810 of an eyewear frame and electronic wearable device 811 (e.g., camera) in engagement with the temple 810. The temple 810 is formed of a material 828, such as plastic, and includes an insert 820 made from a ferromagnetic material, e.g., stainless steel. The electronic wearable device 811 is slidably attached to the temple 810 via with a temple guide 818. The electronic wearable device 811 includes a device guide 812, which is provided on an arm 817. The arm 817 is configured to be positioned over a top side 809 of the temple 810. The arm 817 may be extendible such as to be positionable over temples of different thicknesses. The device guide is implemented as a male guide (e.g., a protrusion 870) and includes a magnet 816 attached to the arm. The temple 810 may include a temple guide 818. The temple guide 818 in this example is located on the top side 809 of the temple 810 and is implemented in the form of a female guide (e.g., a track 830). The track is defined by a longitudinal slot formed in the temple (e.g., on the top side 809) and extending to a depth sufficient to expose the insert 820. The guide 818 includes one or more guide surfaces (e.g., base 831 and sidewalls 833 of track 830) which are operable to constrain movement of the electronic wearable device 811 in one or more directions relative to the temple 810. At least one of the guide surfaces, in this case the base 831, is defined by a ferromagnetic material of the temple (e.g., the insert). In some examples, the magnet 816 may be exposed or embedded within the material forming the arm (e.g., a rigid plastic material), which may be the same material as used for the housing of the electronic wearable device 811. In other examples, a coating (e.g., friction-reducing coating) may be provided over an exposed surface of the magnet 816 to reduce the frictional between the magnet 816 and temple 810. In yet further examples, the magnet 816 and/or the bottom surface of the protrusion 870 may be spaced from the base 831 of the track 830 such that the protrusion 870 floats over the base 831 of track 830 with a small gap remaining between the facing surfaces of the protrusion 870 and track 830 when the electronic wearable device 811 is attached to the temple 810. As will be appreciated, the guides 812 and 818 are configured such as to enable attachment and detachment of the electronic wearable device 811 by insertion of a portion of the electronic wearable device 811 (e.g., the protrusion 870) into the track 830 along a direction perpendicular to the base of the track. In this manner, attachment and detachment of the electronic wearable device 811 may be simplified. Attachment may be achieved by simply placing the electronic wearable device 811 over the temple and allowing the magnetic attraction force to move the electronic wearable device 811 perpendicularly to the track to snap the electronic wearable device 811 into engagement with the temple. As such, attachment and detachment may not require manipulation of any miniaturized or intricate connection components in order to secure the electronic wearable device 811, which may improve the user experience. This functionality may of course apply to other embodiments described herein, such as any of the embodiments describes in FIGS. 1-9 or any of the embodiments described further below. It will be generally understood that aspects of any of the examples herein may be used in combination with any other examples of the present disclosure. For example, any of the temples described herein (e.g., temple 410, 510, 610, 710, 810, etc.) may be used to implement the temple 24 of FIG. 1 and any of the device guides (e.g., guide 412, 512, 812, etc.) may be used to implement the device guide 12 of FIG. 1. Also, one or more of the aspects of the eyewear systems described with reference to FIGS. 1-5 and also described further below with reference to FIGS. 11-15 may be applied to the examples in FIGS. 6-10. FIGS. 11-13 show components of an eyewear system according to another embodiment. The eyewear system includes a temple 1110 for eyewear and an electronic wearable device (e.g., camera 1111). A temple guide 1118 is provided on the temple for attaching the electronic wearable device (e.g., camera 1111) to the temple 1110. The temple guide 1118 is implemented as a male guide (e.g., a rail 1170). The rail 1170 protrudes from the outside side 1107 of the temple 1110. The temple 1110 includes an insert 1120 which may be embedded within an outer material 1128 (e.g., plastic) and may function to reinforce the temple 1110. In some examples, the temple guide 1118 includes a ferromagnetic material (e.g., stainless steel). The ferromagnetic material may be provided as a coating on one or more surfaces of the rail (e.g., on the top surface 1172 and/or sidewalls 1171). In some examples, the rail may be made from the ferromagnetic material. In some examples, the insert may be made from a ferromagnetic material. In some examples, the insert 1120 and temple guide 1118 may be made from the same material and formed integrally with one another. As shown in the illustrated example, the insert and temple guide form a T-shaped beam (see e.g., FIG. 11) along a portion of the length of the temple. In other examples, the insert and rail may be formed of different material and joined together to form the T-shaped beam. Different arrangements, for example an insert and rail combination having a different cross-sectional geometry (e.g., an L-shaped beam, I-shaped beam, U-shaped beam, etc.) may be used. In the illustrated example, the rail is shorter than the length of the insert; however the length of the rail may be increased to provide a longer path for the camera. Of course, a shorter rail may also be used. In some specific non-limiting embodiments, the rail may be about 65 mm to about 100 mm long, in some examples from about 75 mm to about 85 mm, in some examples 80 mm. The forward end 1135 of the rail 1170, the aft end 1137 of the rail 1170, or both, may be beveled. In some examples, forward end 1135, the aft end 1137, or both may include a hard stop, which prevent the camera from sliding off the rail along the rail direction. In the illustrated embodiment, the rails has a generally rectangular cross section and the camera 1111 may thereby be attached and removed from the rail in a direction perpendicular to the rail (e.g., to top surface 1172). Other cross-sections for the rail may also be used. The rail 1170 may be aligned with a predetermined direction (e.g., a centerline of the temple 1110) and may thus function to align the orientation of the camera 1111 (e.g., a line of sight of the camera 1111) with a predetermined direction (e.g., the centerline of the temple 1110). The camera 1111 includes a device guide 1112, which is configured to engage the temple guide 1118. The temple and device guides 1118, 1112 respectively may be configured for slidably engagement with one another. In other words, the electronic wearable device (e.g., camera 1111) is slidable along the temple guide 1118 when the electronic wearable device is attached to the temple. For example, the device guide 1112 may define a guide channel 1174 for receiving the rail 1170. In the specific illustrated embodiment, the device guide 1112 includes first and second guide members 1176, which define the channel 1174 therebetween. The guide members 1176 may be configured to each be provided on opposite side of the rail 1170 (e.g., adjacent the sidewalls 1171) to restrict movement of the camera 1111 along the direction defined by the rail 1170. The guide members 1176 may be attached to or integrally formed with the housing of the camera. In the illustrated example, the device guide 1112 is configured to magnetically attach to the temple via the temple guide 1118. To that end, the device guide includes a magnet 1178. The magnet 1178 is disposed in the channel 1174 between the guide members 1176. In some examples, the temple and device guide members 1118, 1112, respectively are configured such that the magnet does not contact the top surface of the rail 1170 when the camera 1111 is attached to the temple. For example, the height of the rail 1170 and the depth of the channel 1174 may be selected such that a gap is maintained between the base of the channel and the top surface 1172 of the rail 1170 while magnetic attraction between the magnet 1178 and ferromagnetic material of rail 1170 maintains the camera 1111 attached to the temple. FIGS. 14A-D shows an eyewear temple 1410 with a short temple guide in accordance with another embodiment. As illustrated in FIGS. 14A-D, a temple guide 1418 in accordance with the present disclosure may be provided even on very thin temples, such as on thin metal temple also referred to as a wire temple. The temple guide 1418 may extend along only a small portion of the temple, e.g., less than about 50% of the length of the temple, and in some examples less than about 30% of the length of the temple. In some examples, the guide 1418 extends about ⅓ of the length of the substantially straight arm portion of the temple, although in other embodiments, the length of the guide may be different. To that end, the temple 1410 may include a relatively wider landing or forward portion 1480 attached or integrally formed with a relatively thinner aft portion 1482 that curves to form the earpiece portion of the temple. In some examples, the width WF of the temple at the forward portion may be at least three times greater than the width WA at the aft portion. Although FIGS. 14A-14D illustrated an embodiment of a temple with rectangular cross-sections, the cross-section of the forward and/or aft portions may be different (e.g., the aft portion may be circular in cross-section). The landing portion 1480 may taper towards the thinner aft portion 1482 at the interface between the two portions. The guide 1418 may include one or more of the features of guides described herein. For example, the guide 1418 may be in the form of a female guide (e.g., a track) formed in the landing portion 1480 of the temple. The track may include a base 1431 comprising a ferromagnetic material. In some examples, the temple 1410 itself may be made from the ferromagnetic material and the guide may be implemented by a groove cut into the outside side 1407 of the temple, with the material of the temple providing the guide surface. In other examples, the temple 1410 may include a layer or strip 1470 of ferromagnetic material provided at the base of a female guide 1418. In yet further examples, the guide 1418 may be a male guide, which is implemented in the form of a protrusion similar to the example in FIG. 11. In accordance with some examples of the present disclosure, an adapter for attaching a wearable electronic device to an eyewear temple is described. The adapter may be configured to align the electronic wearable device in a predetermined orientation relative to the eyewear temple when the electronic wearable device is attached to the eyewear using the wearable device adapter. The adapter may be configured to position the electronic wearable device to an outside side of the temple when the electronic wearable device is attached to the eyewear using the wearable device adapter. The adapter may include a body and a metallic feature. The body may be configured to removably attach the adapter to an eyewear temple of a plurality of differently shaped eyewear frames. In some examples, the body may be configured to be provided at least partially around an eyewear temple. For example, the body may define a passage through which the temple may be inserted to secure the adapter to the temple. In some examples, the body may be configured to be adjustable (e.g., stretchable or otherwise adjustable) to accommodate temples of different sizes. That is, the passage may be adjustable from a nominal shape or size to another shape or size. For example, the body may be formed of a stretchable material such as a stretchable plastic material. In some examples, the body may be formed of urethane or rubber (e.g., neoprene rubber). The body may be formed of a material including polyvinyl chloride, acrylic terminated urethane polymer, polyurethane, epoxyacrylate, epoxyurethane, polyethylene, polypropylene, polyethers, polyvinyl acetat, polysiloxane, siloxyacrylate, or combinations thereof. Other materials may be used. In some examples, the body may be formed of a fabric comprising natural or synthetic fibers. The metallic feature of the adapter is attached to the body and configured for magnetically retaining an electronic wearable device in attachment with the adapter. FIG. 15 illustrates an embodiment of an adapter 1700 for attaching a wearable device (e.g., a camera) to eyewear. The adapter 1700 includes a body 1702 and a magnetic feature 1704. The body 1702 may be configured to removably attach the adapter 1700 to a variety of differently sized eyewear temples. The body 1702 may be in the form a tubular member (e.g., a sleeve) made from a stretchable material (e.g., urethane, rubber, stretchable cloth, or others). The body 1702 may be positionable around an eyewear temple, e.g., by insertion of the eyewear temple through the passage 1714 defined by the stretchable material of the body 1702. The passage 1714 may be circular, ovular, or differently shaped. The magnetic feature 1704 may include a magnet or be attractable to a magnet. For example, the magnetic feature 1704 may be a strip 1706 of magnetic material (e.g., ferromagnetic material). In yet further examples, the magnetic feature 1704 may include a strip 1706 of non-ferromagnetic material provided with a layer of magnetic material on an exposed side of the strip 1706. The strip 1706 may be provided between the body 1702 and an adapter plate 1708, which defines a groove 1712. In some examples, the strip 1706 may be attached (e.g., bonded, fastened) to the body 1702. In some examples, the adapter plate 1708 may be attached to the body 1702 (e.g., bonded or fastened) with the strip 1706 sandwiched between the adapter plate 1708 and the body 1702, the adapter plate 1708 thereby attaching the strip 1706 to the body 1702. In some examples, the strip 1706 may be secured (e.g., bonded) to the adapter plate 1708 but not to the body 1702. The adapter plate 1708 and strip 1706 may be removable from the body 1702 such that another adapter plate with a differently sized or shaped groove may be attached to the body 1702 to permit attachment with a different wearable device. In some examples, the device guides on a variety of wearable devices may be standardized such that one universal adapter may enable attached of any such wearable device with virtually any eyewear. The magnetic feature 1704 may be attached to an exterior side of the body, e.g., centered along the wall 1716. In this manner, when the electronic wearable device is attached to the eyewear temple via the adapter 1700, the electronic wearable device may be substantially aligned with the centerline of the temple. The body 1702 may be rotatable around the longitudinal axis of the temple to enable adjustment of the orientation of the electronic wearable device with respect to the centerline of the temple. In some examples, the metallic feature may be part of a guide for an electronic wearable device, which may enable the removable attachment as well as slidable engagement between the electronic wearable device and the temple. In such examples, the adapter may fix the orientation of the electronic wearable device with respect to the temple but may not fix the position of the electronic wearable device on the temple. In other examples, the metallic features may be part of an attachment interface configured to substantially fix both the position and orientation of the electronic wearable device with respect to the adapter. In such examples, the attachment interface may have a size and shape substantially corresponding to the size and shape of a device guide. The attachment interface may be configured to receive the device guide and restrain movement of the electronic wearable device in both the longitudinal and lateral directions (plus or minus slight movement in either direction as may be due to manufacturing tolerances). When the attachment interface and device guide are engaged in a cooperating fit the electronic wearable device may be fixed (e.g., non-movable) with respect to the adapter. FIG. 16 illustrate another embodiment of an adapter 1520 for attaching a wearable device (e.g., a camera) to eyewear (e.g., eyewear 1501). The adapter 1520 includes a body 1524 and a magnetic feature 1522 attached to the body 1524. The body 1524 may be configured to removably attach the adapter 1520 to a variety of differently sized eyewear temples. One or more flexible attachment portions 1528 extend from an interface portion 1530 of the body 1524. The flexible attachment portions 1528, the interface portion 1530, or both may be made from a stretchable material (e.g., a stretchable fabric). During use, the flexible attachment portions 1528 may be folded over (e.g., as shown by arrows 1535) to be wrapped around the temple and ends of the flexible attachment portions 1528 may be secured to the interface portion, for example using an adhesive or a fastener, such that the body 1524 encircles the temple 1510 (e.g., the body 1524 surrounds a cross-section of the temple 1510). In some examples, the flexible attachment portions 1528 and interface portion 1530 may be integrally formed, for example from a sheet of stretchable fabric, which is able to adhere to itself without a tacky adhesive. For example, the flexible attachment portions 1528 and interface portion 1530 may be formed of self-adherent tape similar to that used in medical applications for bandages or wraps. The use of self-adherent material that does not include tacky adhesives may prevent damage to the temples (e.g., marring aesthetic surfaces of the temple with tacky residue from an adhesive). In other examples, only the end portions of the interface portion 1530, which underlie the flexible attachment portions 1528 when secured thereto, may be formed from self-adherent material. In other examples, other combinations of materials and securing means may be used to enable the adapter 1520 to be removably attached to any of a variety of dimple shapes. When attached to the temple, the adapter 1520 or at least a portion thereof may encircle the temple defining a passage similarly to adapter 1700. The adapter 1520 when attached to the temple may be rotatable and/or movable along the temple to adjust a position, alignment or orientation of the wearable electronic device. The magnetic feature 1522 may be attached to the interface portion 1530 of the body 1524 for example using conventional techniques (e.g., adhesive, fasteners or via intermediate mechanical components, such as a clip or brackets). In some examples, the magnetic feature may be attached using an adapter plate 1526, which may be similar to the adapter plate 1708 of the previous example. The adapter plate 1526 may include a groove configured for cooperating fit with a device guide of an electronic wearable device. In some examples, the adapter and corresponding the groove may be sized to fix the position of the electronic wearable device with respect to the adapter. In other words, the groove may be of a corresponding shape or size to that of the protrusion of a device guide, such that when the protrusion is inserted in the groove the electronic wearable device is substantially prevented from moving in the longitudinal and lateral directions relative to the adapter and is only free to move in a direction perpendicular to the magnetic feature 1522 (e.g., out of the plane of the illustration in FIG. 16A) to enable the attachment and removal of the electronic wearable device to the adapter. In other examples, the groove may be longer to permit sliding engagement similar to a temple guide as described herein. Although the examples of guides and eyewear systems including such guides have been described herein with an exemplary electronic wearable device in the form of a camera, the electronic wearable device 10 may be virtually any miniaturized electronic device, for example and without limitation a camera, image capture device, IR camera, still camera, video camera, image display system, image sensor, repeater, resonator, sensor, sound amplifier, directional microphone, eyewear supporting an electronic component, spectrometer, microphone, camera system, infrared vision system, night vision aid, night light, illumination system, pedometer, wireless cell phone, mobile phone, wireless communication system, projector, laser, holographic device, holographic system, display, radio, GPS, data storage, memory storage, power source, speaker, fall detector, alertness monitor, geo-location, pulse detection, gaming, eye tracking, pupil monitoring, alarm, air quality sensor, CO sensor, CO detector, CO2 sensor, CO2 detector, air particulate sensor, air particulate meter, UV sensor, HEV sensor, UV meter, IR sensor IR meter, thermal sensor, thermal meter, poor air sensor, poor air monitor, bad breath sensor, bad breath monitor, alcohol sensor, alcohol monitor, motion sensor, motion monitor, thermometer, smoke sensor, smoke detector, pill reminder, audio playback device, audio recorder, acoustic amplification device, acoustic canceling device, hearing aid, assisted hearing assisted device, informational earbuds, smart earbuds, smart ear-wearables, video playback device, video recorder device, image sensor, alertness sensor, information alert monitor, health sensor, health monitor, fitness sensor, fitness monitor, physiology sensor, physiology monitor, mood sensor, mood monitor, stress monitor, motion detector, wireless communication device, gaming device, eyewear comprising an electronic component, augmented reality system, virtual reality system, eye tracking device, pupil sensor, pupil monitor, automated reminder, light, cell phone device, phone, mobile communication device, poor air quality alert device, sleep detector, doziness detector, alcohol detector, refractive error measurement device, wave front measurement device, aberrometer, GPS system, kinetic energy source, virtual keyboard, face recognition device, voice recognition device, sound recognition system, radioactive detector, radiation detector, radon detector, moisture detector, humidity detector, atmospheric pressure indicator, loudness indicator, noise indicator, acoustic sensor, range finder, laser system, topography sensor, motor, micro motor, nano motor, switch, battery, dynamo, thermal power source, fuel cell, solar cell, thermo electric power source, a blue tooth enabled communication device such as blue tooth headset, a hearing aid or an audio system. In some examples, the electronic device may be a smart device. FIGS. 20-21 illustrate further examples in accordance with the present disclosure. As described herein, systems for magnetically attaching an electronic wearable device, for example a camera, may be provided by way of a track located on a side of an eyewear temple to which the camera is magnetically attracted to and thereby attachable to. The eyewear temple tracks may include a coated or uncoated ferromagnetic material. In some examples, the ferromagnetic material of the track may be provided by a ferromagnetic insert in the eyewear temple. The surface of the insert may be exposed and define the base of the track or the insert may be slightly below the base of the track or function to attract the camera even in the absence of a track. In some examples, the ferromagnetic material may be provided by a ferromagnetic coating on the base of the track, which may be defined by a non-metallic or non-ferromagnetic metallic material. In some examples, any of a variety of other coatings may, alternatively or additionally, be applied to the track, for example to the base of the track, (e.g., friction reducing, corrosion reducing, paint, lacquer or any other type of aesthetic coating). The track and cooperating attachment means on the electronic wearable device (e.g., camera) may be configured such that the electronic wearable device (e.g., camera) may be slidable forward and backward along the track, which may enable the positioning of the camera at any number of a plurality of different positions along the length of an eyewear temple. For example, the camera may be thus positionable at a forward position, in which the camera may be aligned with or forward of the forward most portion of the eyewear (e.g., to provide a large unobstructed field of view of the camera), at a rear position, in which the camera is towards or substantially at the back end of the track (e.g., to conceal or reduce the visibility of the camera from bystanders), and at any number of other intermediate positions between the forward and rear position of the camera. The camera may be so positionable while remaining attached to the eyewear by way of the magnetic attraction between the camera and the track. As described herein, the track may also provide aesthetic benefit to the user (e.g., by enhancing the appealing look of the eyewear). In some instances, over time, the track and/or camera attachment means may exhibit wear such as may be due to the repeated movement (e.g., sliding or attachment/detachment) of the camera to the track. For example, repeated forward and backward sliding of the camera along the track and thus the repeated rubbing of the ferromagnetic materials on the camera and track (e.g., magnet on camera against ferromagnetic metal on the track, or vice versa) may cause scratching of the coating of a coated track. These scratches or other type of cosmetic blemishes due to use of the track may not acceptable to a wearer of the eyewear. In accordance with some examples, herein, an eyewear system may include features to prevent or reduce the risk of damage (e.g., scratches or other cosmetic blemishes) to an eyewear equipped with the ability to attach a wearable device. In accordance with some of the examples herein, the system may be configured such as to enable a user to slide the electronic wearable device forward and backward along the track over 2,500 times without causing any perceivable (to a human eye) scratches of the eyewear temple track. As a general estimate, a user may slide a wearable device about 2,000 times during a typical 2-year use period and thus, the improvements herein may significantly reduce or eliminate any visible aesthetic damage to the eyewear track over a life of 2 years of use of the eyewear with the electronic wearable device. Eyewear is generally is replaced every 2-3 years in the US. An electronic wearable device according to some examples herein may include a device body including at least one electronic component, the device body having an attachment side configured to movably attach the electronic wearable device directly to an eyewear temple by magnetic attraction between the electronic wearable device and the eyewear temple such that the device body is positionable at a first position along a length of the eyewear temple and in a second position along the length of the eyewear temple while remaining attached to the eyewear temple, and a magnet arranged proximate the attachment side such that the magnet does not contact a surface of the eyewear temple when attached thereto. In some examples, the device body includes a protrusion extending from the attachment side for movably coupling the device body to the eyewear temple, and wherein the magnet is arranged proximate the protrusion such that an outermost lateral surface of the magnet is medially positioned relative to an outermost surface of the protrusion. FIG. 21A shows an electronic wearable device 2000 in accordance with the some examples of the present disclosure. The electronic wearable device 2000 may be a camera, such as any of the cameras described herein or any wearable camera implemented in accordance with the examples in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/802,782, titled “Wearable Camera System,” and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/802,782, titled “Architecture for Camera Devoid of Viewfinder,” which applications are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety for any purpose. The electronic wearable device 2000 may have an elongate device body 2002 (e.g., a body that has a frontal dimension, for example a height (HD) which is smaller than a length (LD) of the device). The longitudinal or length-wise dimension or direction would be understood to be the dimension or direction generally aligned with the length LD of the device 2000. The lateral direction would be understood to refer to a direction generally perpendicular to the longitudinal direction. The terms “laterally” and “medially” would be understood to refer to relative positions along the lateral direction, which are away from (see arrow 2016) and towards (see arrow 2018) a longitudinal centerline 2014 of the device, respectively. The electronic wearable device 2000 includes an attachment portion 2004, which includes at least one ferromagnetic member (e.g., magnet 2020). In this illustrated example, the magnet 2020 is arranged proximate the attachments side 2006 of the device 2000. In the illustrated example, the magnet 2020 extends or protrudes from the attachment side 2006 by a distance DM. The device 2000 includes a protrusion 2008 extending from the attachment side 2006 by a distance DP, which is greater than the distance DM, such that an outermost lateral surface 2012 of the magnet 2020 is located medially relative to the outermost surface(s) 2013 of the protrusion 2008. The surface 2012 of the magnet may be exposed, coated, or enclosed below a surface of an enclosure defined by the protrusion. In some examples, a portion of the magnet may be below a surface 2007 of the attachment side 2006, which may facilitate a stronger attachment between the magnet 2020 and device body 2002; however, it will be understood that embodiments in which the bottom surface of the magnet is substantially flush with the surface 2007 or above the surface 2007 (e.g., fully within the protrusion) are also envisioned. In some examples, a portion of the magnet 2020 may be embedded below a portion of the protrusion 2008. For example, the magnet may include front and/or rear lip portions 2021, which may be positioned such that they are below the bumps 2010 defining the protrusion 2008. In this manner, a stronger mechanical connection between the magnet and device body may be achieved. In some examples, the magnet 2020 may be additionally or alternatively bonded to the device body 2002. In some examples, the bonding may be achieved by overmolding a plastic, e.g., a portion of the housing of the electronic wearable device, over at least a portion of the magnet 2020. As described herein the protrusion 2008 may be configured for a cooperating fit with an eyewear track (e.g., track 130). In some examples, the protrusion 2008 or at least a portion thereof (e.g., an outer surface of the protrusion) may be made of a material which is softer or of equal hardness as the hardness of the track. In some examples in which the track is coated, the protrusion or portion thereof may be softer or of equal hardness than the coating of the track. In some examples, the protrusion 2008 may be configured to be received in an eyewear track (e.g., a temple track) such that the protrusion is restricted from movement laterally to the length of the track. The attachment side 2006 of the electronic wearable device may be configured in any number of ways such that the magnet does not contact any surface of the eyewear track when the electronic wearable device is coupled to the eyewear via the track. For example, and referring now also to FIG. 20B, electronic wearable device 2000′ includes an attachment portion 2004 similarly to the device 2000 of FIG. 20A but in this example the magnet 2020 is positioned relative to the attachment side 2006 such that it is below the outermost surface 2007 of the attachment side. That is, the outermost surface 2012 of magnet 2020 is located medially in relation to the outermost surface 2007 of the device 2000. In this example, the magnet 2020 is provided in a cavity 2024. In some examples, the surface 2012 of the magnet may be exposed through the opening of the cavity 2024. In some examples, the surface may be coated, painted or otherwise covered. For example, and referring further to FIG. 20C, the magnet 2020 may be embedded below a surface 2026 of the attachment side 2006 such that the surface 2012 of the magnet is not exposed. In both of the examples in FIGS. 20B and 20C, the surface 2012 of the magnet 2020 would be spaced apart from the base of the track by virtue of the magnet being located medially to the outermost surface of the attachment side, and also optionally additionally by virtue of any spacing between the device and the base of the track when coupled thereto, if such spacing is designed into the particular configuration. In some examples, the protrusion may be defined by at least one bump extending from the attachment side of the device. In some examples, the electronic wearable device may include at least two bumps that are higher (e.g., extend laterally by a greater distance) than the magnet. The bumps may be arranged relative to the magnet such that they are aligned with the length-wise direction of the magnet. As such the bumps may serve as a spacer (e.g., between the outermost surface of the magnet and the track) and/or bumpers (e.g., between the forward and rear end of the magnet so as to prevent the magnet from contacting the front and rear walls of the track when sliding the device along the track). In some examples, the protrusion may be defined by a continuation or at least partially continuous border surrounding at least part of the perimeter of the magnet portion that extends from the attachment side. Other arrangements may be used to implement a protrusion in accordance with the examples herein. For example, where multiple magnets are used, each may be associated with one or more bumps and/or one or more at least partially continuous borders or enclosures around the magnets. Referring to FIG. 21, an electronic wearable device in the form of a camera 2100 is shown. The camera 2100 includes one or more electronic components (e.g., an image capture device) within a camera body 2102. The device 2100 includes a magnet 2020 for magnetically attaching the device 2100 to any of a plurality of wearable articles, for example eyewear, which may be provided with an eyewear track (e.g., temple track). It will be understood that while specific examples are described herein with reference to attaching electronic wearable devices to eyewear, the examples herein are equally applicable to attaching electronic wearable devices to other types of articles, e.g., a hat, a facemask, a necklace, a ring, a helmet, an accessory or other. In the example in FIG. 21, the magnet 2020 is an elongate magnet (e.g., a bar magnet) having a first and second longitudinal ends. The protrusion 2108 in this example includes a pair of bumps 2110 extending from the attachment side 2106 and located proximate the first and second longitudinal ends. A first bump is positioned adjacent the first longitudinal end and a second bump is positioned adjacent the second longitudinal end such that the bumps are generally aligned with the longitudinal direction of the magnet. The magnet in this example is aligned with the longitudinal direction of the device 2100 and thus the bumps are also in length-wise alignment with the device. In this arrangement, the bumps 2110 define a length LP of the protrusion, which is greater than a length LM of the magnet (or at least of the exposed portion of the magnet). In some examples, the length LM may be about 12 mm, or anywhere between 10 mm and 16 mm, or anywhere between 8 mm and 20 mm. In some embodiments the length of the protrusion may be about 14 mm, or anywhere between 12 mm and 18 mm, or anywhere between 10 mm and 22 mm. The individual bumps 2110 may be made of any type of material, which is softer than the magnet, softer than a surface of the eyewear track, or both. In some examples, the bumps can be made of a material that is equal to or less hard than a coating of the eyewear track. In some examples, the bumps or a portion of a bump (e.g., an outer portion or surface of a bump) may be made of a polymer. In some examples, the bumps may be coated with a polymer. As would be appreciated, even a rigid polymer may be softer than the magnet and may thus provide effective protection against scratches. In some examples, the bump or portion thereof may be made of a metal, which is softer than the magnet and/or one or more surfaces of the track. In other examples, wood, paper, a plastic or composite material may be used. Referring also to the detail views of FIGS. 21A and 21B, the individual bumps 2110 may have a width (WB), a length (LB), and a height (HB) configured to reduce or eliminate any physical contact between the magnet and the eyewear. For example, bump 2110 may have a height HB, which is greater than the height of the protruding portion of the magnet HM, such that the outermost surface (or top surface 2111) of bump 2110 may be above or laterally positioned in relation to the outermost or top surface 2112 of the magnet 2120, as shown in FIG. 21B. IN some examples, the difference in height may be about 0.005 mm or greater. In some examples, the difference in height may be up to about 0.05 mm, up to about 0.1 mm, up to about 0.25 mm, or up to about 1 mm. The width of the bumps may be slightly smaller than the width of the magnet. For example, the magnet may be about 2 mm wide and the bumps may be about 1.85 mm wide, or anywhere in the range of 1.6 mm to 2 mm. These dimensions are illustrative only and the dimensions as well as relative size of components may be different in other examples. In some examples, the bumps may be as wide or slightly wider than the magnet. In such example, the bumps may thus also prevent contact between the magnet and walls of the track. As described, in yet future examples, bumps or at least a partial border may be provided along the longitudinal sides of the magnet. The bumps can have one or more rounded edges. The rounded edge of a bump can be rounded vertically. The rounded edge can be rounded horizontally. In some examples, the bumps can have a straight edge. In some examples, the bumps may come into contact with the base and/or walls of the track or they may be spaced from the base of the track. In some examples the bumps may be at least partially formed by overmolding or coating a portion of the housing of the device 2100 and/or the magnet 2120 with another material, e.g., a plastic or polymer. In some examples, the bumps may be integrally formed with the housing (e.g., may be of the same material as the housing of the device 2100). Although the examples in FIGS. 20 and 21 have been described with reference to a camera, the electronic wearable device may be any other type of electronic wearable device other than camera. For example, the electronic wearable device may be or include an image sensing device. The electronic wearable device may be or include an image capture device. The electronic wearable device may be or include a light, a sensor, a switch (e.g., a tilt switch), a motion detector (e.g., an accelerometer), a pedometer, a gas detector (e.g., a CO2 detector), a radiation detector, an energy harvesting device (e.g., a solar energy harvesting device, RF energy harvesting device, or other), an audio device, an assistive hearing device (e.g., a hearing aid), a microphone, a speaker, a health monitor, a location device (e.g., a geolocation device), a laser, a projector, an augmented reality device or system, a virtual reality device or system, a mixed reality device or system, or any combinations thereof. Although the present disclosure includes, by way of example, illustration and description of some embodiments, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that several modifications to the described embodiments, as well as other embodiments are possible without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. It will be appreciated that any of the components, features, or aspects from any of the disclosed embodiments may be used in combination with one another, without limitation, and without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. It will be understood that one or more aspects of any embodiment described herein may be used in combination with aspects of other embodiments. It will also be understood one or more of illustration in the figures herein may not be to scale and certain features may be exaggerated for clarity to illustrate aspects of the present invention. | <SOH> BACKGROUND <EOH>The number and types of commercially available electronic wearable devices continues to expand. Forecasters are predicting that the electronic wearable devices market will more than quadruple in the next ten years. Some hurdles to realizing this growth remain. Two major hurdles are the cosmetics/aesthetics of existing electronic wearable devices and their limited battery life. Consumers typically desire electronic wearable devices to be small, less noticeable, and require less frequent charging. The smaller the electronic wearable device, the more challenging it may be to removably attach the device to a wearable article, such as eyewear and further solutions in this area may thus be desirable. | <SOH> SUMMARY <EOH>An electronic wearable device according to some examples herein may include a device body including at least one electronic component, the device body having an attachment side configured to movably attach the electronic wearable device directly to an eyewear temple by magnetic attraction between the electronic wearable device and the eyewear temple, wherein a first magnet or ferromagnetic material is located on or within the electronic wearable device and a second magnet or ferromagnetic material is located within or on the eyewear temple, wherein the device body is positionable at a first position along a length of the eyewear temple and in a second position along the length of the eyewear temple while remaining attached to the eyewear temple, and wherein the first magnet or ferromagnetic material does not contact a surface of the second magnet or ferromagnetic material. In some embodiments, the protrusion may be configured to a cooperating fit with an eyewear track. In some embodiments, the electronic wearable device may be a camera. In some embodiments, the electronic wearable device may be part of an eyewear system that includes the device and the eyewear. The eyewear may include a temple with an insert and a base of the track may be defined, at least in part, by the insert. In some embodiments, the electronic wearable device may be removably attachable to any of a plurality of different types of wearable articles other than eyewear. In some embodiments, the electronic wearable device may be part of a system including the device and the wearable article, which may any one of a hat, a facemask, a necklace, a ring, a helmet, or an accessory. Features from any of the disclosed embodiments may be used in combination with one another, without limitation. In addition, other features and advantages of the present disclosure will become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art through consideration of the following detailed description and the accompanying drawings. | G02C1110 | 20171214 | 20180510 | 67162.0 | G02C1100 | 1 | DANG, HUNG XUAN | MAGNETIC ATTACHMENT MECHANISM FOR ELECTRONIC WEARABLE DEVICE | UNDISCOUNTED | 1 | CONT-ACCEPTED | G02C | 2,017 |
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15,843,750 | PENDING | System for logging and reporting driver activity and operation data of a vehicle | An automated at-the-pump method manages vehicle fuel purchases at a fuel station. The method includes transmitting driver identification data to a mobile device assigned to a vehicle driver. The driver identification data is electronically verified to confirm that the driver identification data received by the mobile device matches the assigned vehicle driver. Vehicle data is transmitted from a data bus of the vehicle to the mobile device for storage in the memory. The vehicle data and driver identification data are transmitted to a remote terminal. Using the remote terminal, the vehicle data and driver identification data are electronically authenticated. An authorization signal is then transmitted from the remote terminal to an at-the-pump fuel control terminal. | 1. An onboard electronic system for logging and reporting driver activity and operation data of a vehicle, said system comprising: a power supply; an electronic memory device; at least one vehicle interface operatively connected to a data bus of the vehicle, and adapted for obtaining vehicle mileage data to be stored in said memory device; a driver interface adapted for use by a driver for entering driver identification information and duty status to be stored in said memory device; an onboard signal receiving device configured to link with a global navigation satellite system, and adapted for obtaining vehicle location data to be stored in said memory device; a processor cooperating with said memory device and collectively forming a logic component adapted for calculating and electronically logging at least one of a group consisting of hours of service, fuel tax, and engine hours; and an onboard signal transmitting device configured to transmit data from said memory device to a signal receiving device external to the vehicle using a wireless communications network. 2. The onboard electronic system according to claim, and comprising an RFID card for electronically storing the driver identification data. 3. The onboard electronic system according to claim, wherein the driver identification data comprises at least one in a group consisting of first and last name, e-mail address, and telephone number. 4. The onboard electronic system according to claim, wherein said driver interface comprises a keypad. 5. The onboard electronic system according to claim, wherein said driver interface comprises a microphone. 6. The onboard electronic system according to claim, wherein said driver interface comprises means for electronically reading biometric data of the vehicle driver. 7. The onboard electronic system according to claim, wherein said biometric data is selected from a group consisting of facial, retinal, and thumb print identifiers. 8. The onboard electronic system according to claim 8, wherein said vehicle interface is further adapted for obtaining at least one in a group consisting of fuel level, trailer identification, engine VIN, and diagnostic fault codes. 9. The onboard electronic system according to claim 8, wherein said vehicle data bus comprises at least one in a group consisting of RS232, SAE J1708, SAE J1850, SAE J1939, SAE J2497, OB-2, and CAN. 10. The onboard electronic system according to claim 8, wherein data is communicated between the mobile device and the at-the-pump fuel control terminal utilizing a wireless connection selected from a group consisting of a WIFI connection, a BLUETOOTH connection, and an infrared connection. | TECHNICAL FIELD AND BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE The present disclosure relates broadly and generally systems, methods, and apparatus for logging and reporting driver activity and vehicle operation. In other exemplary embodiments, the disclosure comprises systems, methods, and apparatus for automated at-the-pump management of vehicle fuel purchases. In still further embodiments, the disclosure comprises systems, methods, and apparatus for diagnosing and managing vehicle faults. SUMMARY OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS Various exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure are described below. Use of the term “exemplary” means illustrative or by way of example only, and any reference herein to “the invention” is not intended to restrict or limit the invention to exact features or steps of any one or more of the exemplary embodiments disclosed in the present specification. References to “exemplary embodiment,” “one embodiment,” “an embodiment,” “various embodiments,” and the like, may indicate that the embodiment(s) of the invention so described may include a particular feature, structure, or characteristic, but not every embodiment necessarily includes the particular feature, structure, or characteristic. Further, repeated use of the phrase “in one embodiment,” or “in an exemplary embodiment,” do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment, although they may. It is also noted that terms like “preferably”, “commonly”, and “typically” are not utilized herein to limit the scope of the claimed invention or to imply that certain features are critical, essential, or even important to the structure or function of the claimed invention. Rather, these terms are merely intended to highlight alternative or additional features that may or may not be utilized in a particular embodiment of the present invention. According to one exemplary embodiment, the present disclosure comprises an automated at-the-pump method for managing vehicle fuel purchases at a fuel station. The method comprises transmitting driver identification data to a mobile device assigned to a vehicle driver. The mobile device comprises wireless communication hardware (e.g., WIFI, BLUETOOTH, infrared), an input means, a processor, and memory. The exemplary method electronically verifies that the driver identification data received by the mobile device matches the assigned vehicle driver. In other words, the method uses the driver identification data received by the mobile device to confirm that the vehicle driver is an authorized (and proper) user of the mobile device. Event setting data is recorded in the memory of the mobile device. Vehicle data is transmitted from a data bus of the vehicle to the mobile device for storage in the memory. The vehicle data and driver identification data are transmitted to a remote terminal. Using the remote terminal, the vehicle data and driver identification data are electronically authenticated. An authorization signal is transmitted from the remote terminal to an at-the-pump fuel control terminal. The authorization signal enables dispensing of fuel from a station pump to the vehicle. After the vehicle is fueled, fuel purchase data is transmitted from the at-the-pump fuel control terminal to at least one of the remote terminal and mobile device. According to another exemplary embodiment, the method further comprises electronically storing the driver identification data on an RFID card. According to another exemplary embodiment, the driver identification data comprises at least one in a group consisting of a passcode, first and last name, e-mail address, and telephone number. According to another exemplary embodiment, the input means of the mobile device comprises a keypad. The step of electronically verifying further comprises matching a passcode entered by the driver using the keypad of the mobile device to a passcode stored in memory of the mobile device. According to another exemplary embodiment, the input means of the mobile device comprises a microphone. The step of electronically verifying further comprises matching a voice code spoken by the driver into the microphone of the mobile device to a voice code stored in memory of the mobile device. According to another exemplary embodiment, the step of electronically verifying comprises reading biometric data of the vehicle driver and matching the biometric data to data stored in memory of the mobile device. According to another exemplary embodiment, the biometric data is selected from a group consisting of facial, retinal, and thumb print identifiers. According to another exemplary embodiment, the event setting data comprises at least one in a group consisting of current time, date, and (GPS) location. The event setting data may be recorded in the memory of the mobile device automatically at any step of the exemplary method; for example, at the time the authorization signal is transmitted from the remote terminal to an at-the-pump fuel control terminal, or at the time the fuel purchase data is transmitted from the at-the-pump fuel control terminal. According to another exemplary embodiment, the vehicle data comprises at least one in a group consisting of, for example, vehicle serial number, engine VIN, mileage, diagnostic codes, fuel level, battery voltage, tire pressure, and ABS and alternator status. According to another exemplary embodiment, the vehicle data bus comprises at least one in a group consisting of RS232, SAE J1708, SAE J1850, SAE J1939, SAE J2497, OB-2, and CAN. According to another exemplary embodiment, the fuel purchase data comprises at least one in a group consisting of gallons of fuel purchased, cost per gallon, and total fuel cost. According to another exemplary embodiment, the method further comprises storing the fuel purchase data on an electronic on-board recorder in the vehicle. According to another exemplary embodiment, the method further comprises storing the vehicle data on an electronic on-board recorder in the vehicle. According to another exemplary embodiment, the method further comprises storing the driver identification data on an electronic on-board recorder in the vehicle, According to another exemplary embodiment, after the vehicle is fueled, the method comprises transmitting the fuel purchase data from the at-the-pump fuel control terminal to the electronic on-board recorder in the vehicle. According to another exemplary embodiment, the step of transmitting vehicle data from the data bus of the vehicle to the mobile device comprises utilizing wireless near-field communication technology. According to another exemplary embodiment, the method further comprises transmitting vehicle data from the mobile device to the at-the-pump fuel control terminal. According to another exemplary embodiment, the step of transmitting vehicle data from the mobile device to the at-the-pump fuel control terminal comprises utilizing wireless near-field communication technology. According to another exemplary embodiment, the method further comprises transmitting the fuel purchase data from the at-the-pump fuel control terminal to the mobile device utilizing wireless near-field communication technology. According to another exemplary embodiment, data is communicated between the mobile device, at-the-pump fuel control terminal, and remote terminal utilizing a wireless connection selected from a group consisting of a WIFI connection, a BLUETOOTH connection, cellular connection, and an infrared connection. The term “remote terminal” refers broadly herein to any mobile device, as described below, network server, cloud server, desktop, laptop computer, netbook, e-reader, tablet computer, mobile phone, personal digital assistant, or other fixed or mobile electronic data processing, collection, transmission and/or storage device (programmable or non-programmable) which is physically separate from and unattached to components of the station pump including the at-the-pump fuel control terminal. In one example, the remote terminal is physically distant from the fuel station. In another example, the remote terminal is located at a corporate office, fleet management center, or other such establishment—also physically distant from the fuel station. Exemplary Mobile Device The mobile computing device (or “Mobile Device”) may incorporate or comprise any general or specific purpose machine with processing logic capable of manipulating data according to a set of program instructions. Examples of Mobile Devices include a laptop computer, netbook, e-reader, tablet computer, mobile phone, personal digital assistant, desktop, and others. In one exemplary embodiment, the Mobile Device comprises a smartphone or other high-end mobile phone using an operating system such as Google's Android, Apple's iOS4 and iOS5, Maemo, Bada, Symbian, Windows Phone, Palm, Blackberry, and others. The exemplary Mobile Device may include a high-resolution touchscreen (display screen), a web browser, high-speed data access via Wi-Fi and mobile broadband, and advanced application programming interfaces (APIs) for running third-party applications. The Mobile Device may also be equipped with NFC, and paired with NFC tags or stickers which can be programmed by NFC apps and other mobile apps on the device. For example, BlackBerry devices support NFC using BlackBerry Tag on a number of devices running BlackBerry OS 7.0 and greater. Microsoft has also added native NFC functionality in its mobile OS with Windows Phone 8, as well as the Windows 8 operating system. Other handheld mobile devices without built-in NFC chips may utilize MicroSD and UICC SIM cards incorporating industry standard contactless smartcard chips with ISO14443 interface, with or without built-in antenna. The exemplary mobile device may also include card slots for removable or non-removable flash and SIM cards, and may have up to 32 GB of non-volatile internal memory. One or more of the flash and SIM cards and internal memory may comprise computer-readable storage media containing program instructions applicable for effecting the present system and method for vehicle tire and parts management. As generally known and understood in the art, the flash card is an electronic flash memory data storage device used for storing digital information. The card is small, re-recordable, and able to retain data without power. For example, Secure Digital (SD) is a non-volatile memory card format developed by the SD Card Association for use in portable devices. SD has an official maximum capacity of 2 GB, though some are available up to 4 GB. The SIM card contains an integrated circuit that securely stores the service-subscriber key (IMSI) used to identify a subscriber on the Mobile Device. SIM hardware typically consists of a microprocessor, ROM, persistent (non-volatile) EEPROM or flash memory, volatile RAM, and a serial I/O interface. SIM software typically consists of an operating system, file system, and application programs. The SIM may incorporate the use of a SIM Toolkit (STK), which is an application programming interface (API) for securely loading applications (e.g., applets) or data to the SIM for storage in the SIM and execution by the Mobile Device. The STK allows a mobile operator (such as a wireless carrier) to create/provision services by loading them into the SIM without changing other elements of the Mobile Device. One convenient way for loading applications to the SIM is over-the-air (OTA) via the Short Message Service (SMS) protocol. Secure data or application storage in a memory card or other device may be provided by a Secure Element (SE). The SE can be embedded in the logic circuitry of the Mobile Device (e.g., smartphone), can be installed in a SIM, or can be incorporated in a removable SD card (secure digital memory card), among other possible implementations. Depending on the type of Secure Element (SE) that hosts an applet, the features implemented by the applet may differ. Although an SE is typically Java Card compliant regardless of its form factor and usage, it may implement features or functions (included in the operating system and/or in libraries) that are specific to that type of SE. For example, a UICC (Universal Integrated Circuit Card) may implement features that are used for network communications, such as text messaging and STK, whereas in certain embedded SE devices, these features may not be implemented. Additionally, to identify a user's Mobile Device, a unique serial number called International Mobile Equipment Identity, IMEI, may be assigned to the device. As known by persons skilled in the art, IMEI is standardized by ETSI and 3GPP, and mobile devices which do not follow these standards may not have an IMEI. The IMEI number is used by the network to identify valid mobile devices. IMEI identifies the device, not the user (the user is identified by an International Mobile Subscriber Identity, IMSI), by a 15-digit number and includes information about the source of the mobile device, the model, and serial number. Other features of the exemplary Mobile Device may include front-facing and rear-facing cameras, Dolby Digital 5.1 surround sound, video mirroring and video out support, built-in speaker and microphone, built-in 25-watt-hour rechargeable lithium-polymer battery, and sensors including three-axis gyro, accelerometer, and ambient light sensor. The exemplary Mobile Device may also combine aGPS and other location services including WIFI Positioning System and cell-site triangulation, or hybrid positioning system. Mobile Phone Tracking tracks the current position of a mobile device, even when it is moving. To locate the device, it must emit at least the roaming signal to contact the next nearby antenna tower, but the process does not require an active call. GSM localization is then done by multilateration based on the signal strength to nearby antenna masts. Mobile positioning, which includes location based service that discloses the actual coordinates of a mobile device bearer, is a technology used by telecommunication companies to approximate where a mobile device, and thereby also its user (bearer), temporarily resides. The exemplary Mobile Device may comprise BLUETOOTH, WIFI, and NFC technologies. BLUETOOTH and WIFI are similar to NFC in that all three technologies allow wireless communication and data exchange between digital devices like the present Mobile Device. NFC, however, utilizes electromagnetic radio fields while technologies such as BLUETOOTH and WIFI focus on radio transmissions. The present Mobile Device may comprise an active NFC device, enabling it to collect information from NFC tags and to exchange information with other compatible devices. The Mobile Device may also write information to NFC tags. To ensure security, NFC often establishes a secure channel and uses encryption when sending sensitive information. In another aspect, the present disclosure comprises a method for logging and reporting driver activity and vehicle operation. The method includes identifying a driver of a vehicle and recording operating data. The operating data is recorded with an electronic on-board recorder that is hard-wired to a data bus, for example, an engine control module, of the vehicle, coupled to a vehicle mileage sensing system, and linked to a global navigation satellite system. The operating data includes mileage obtained from at least one of the vehicle mileage sensing system and the vehicle data bus; engine use, time, and date obtained from the vehicle data bus; and location, time, and date obtained from the global navigation satellite system. The method includes recording a duty status of the driver. The duty status includes (a) off duty status, (b) sleeper berth status, (c) driving-on duty status, and (d) not driving-on duty status. The method further includes creating an hours of service log from time, date, and duty status, the hours of service log including a change in duty status of the driver, time and date the change occurred, hours within each duty status, total hours driven today, total hours on duty for seven days, and total hours on duty for eight days; creating a fuel tax log from mileage obtained from the vehicle mileage sensing system, location obtained from the global navigation satellite system, time obtained from at least one of the vehicle data bus and the global navigation satellite system, and date obtained from at least one of the vehicle data bus and the global navigation satellite system, the fuel tax log including miles traveled between periodic recording intervals, and location, time, and date recorded at each periodic recording interval; comparing the driver's hours of service log to an applicable requirement, for example, law or regulation; indicating to the driver with the on-board recorder whether the driver is in-compliance or out-of-compliance with the applicable requirement; automatically uploading the hours of service log and the fuel tax log to a receiver external to the vehicle using a wireless telecommunications network; and emitting a compliance signal representative of whether the driver is in-compliance or out-of-compliance with the applicable requirement to a second receiver external to the vehicle and under control of authorities. Embodiments of this aspect may include one or more of the following features. The method includes identifying the driver of the vehicle by interfacing with a portable memory device, and importing a driver's hours of service log through the portable memory device or the wireless network. The portable memory device is, for example, a smart card or contact memory button. The method further includes verifying the identity of the driver of the vehicle using, for example, biometric verification, and enabling the vehicle to be started, moved, or engine idled in response to identifying the driver of the vehicle. Recording operating data includes automatically recording the mileage from the vehicle mileage sensing system; the mileage, engine use, time, and date obtained from the vehicle data bus; and the location, time, and date obtained from the global navigation satellite system. Recording the duty status can include automatically determining a change in the duty status and at least one of the time, date and location of the change in the duty status from the operating data. Recording the duty status includes logging a change in the duty, status from a manual input by the driver. The fuel tax log is used to create an IFTA (International Fuel Tax Agreement) compliant fuel tax report. The method includes manually inputting an indication of a border crossing. When team driving, the method includes logging the duty status of a first driver of the vehicle with the on-board recorder; identifying a next driver of the vehicle with the on-board recorder; logging the duty status of the first driver and the next driver of the vehicle with the on-board recorder; and importing data for an hours of service log for the next driver into the on-board recorder from at least one of a portable memory device and a wireless telecommunications network. The fuel tax log can be created for a single vehicle having the first driver and the second driver. The method includes calibrating mileage received from the vehicle mileage sensing system using data received from the global navigation satellite system or using vehicle tire size, and providing mileage from the recorder to an odometer display and to the vehicle data bus. An exceptions report can be created from the comparison of the driver's hours of service log to the applicable requirement, and a cause of being out-of-compliance displayed to the driver. The method includes encrypting the operating data, the hours of service log, the fuel tax log, and the compliance signal emitted from the recorder to ensure data integrity. Operating data can be modified by a driver input and/or by a fleet carrier input, and any alterations of operating data recorded with a track changes function of the on-board recorder and/or on the host server. The hours of service log can be displayed, for example, inside or outside the vehicle on an external display, as a graphical grid. Automatically uploading includes uploading over a pager connection, a cellular telephone connection, a wide area network connection, an infrared connection, a radio connection, and/or a satellite connection. Automatically uploading includes uploading during an off-peak operating period, for example between 1:00 am and 5:00 am and/or on a weekend, for a wireless telecommunications network. Automatically uploading includes attempting to upload at least daily first over a least expensive connection and, if unsuccessful, then over at least one next least expensive connection, and uploading over a satellite connection when successive daily uploads are unsuccessful. Automatically uploading includes attempting to upload at least daily first over a predetermined wireless telecommunications network connection and, if unsuccessful, then over another predetermined wireless telecommunications network. Automatic uploading is an uploading of the current day, previous days, or day prior to the previous day hours of service and/or fuel tax logs. The method includes uploading to the second receiver external to the vehicle when a compliance status check is requested by law enforcement, and/or when the vehicle is within a predetermined range of the second receiver. The second receiver is located, for example, on a handheld device, along a highway, at a weigh station, or within a law enforcement vehicle. The compliance signal is uploaded, for example, through a wired or wireless connection connected to a data port inside or outside of the vehicle. The hours of service log is output to, for example, a display on the on-board recorder, a display on an external display device, the second receiver, or a wired connection connected to a data port inside or outside of the vehicle. The output of the hours of service log occurs responsive to a request from, for example, the driver, a fleet carrier, or the authorities. A data transfer and storage device can be placed in communication with the on-board recorder; and the hours of service log, fuel tax log, and the compliance signal uploaded to the data transfer and storage device. The receiver to which the logs are automatically uploaded is, for example, a host server, and the fuel tax logs are uploaded from the host server to an external server that creates and files fuel tax reports. In particular embodiments, the method may include notifying the driver if a particular event occurs, for example, notifying the driver to log into the recorder if the vehicle moves and the driver has not logged in, emitting an out-of-compliance signal if the driver is not logged in within a predetermined period, notifying the driver to log operating data on a paper log if the recorder is malfunctioning, and notifying a driver when the driver is nearing the end of an hours of service parameter. The driver can be notified by, for example, a text message, a visual indicator, and/or an audible signal. Compliance can be indicated by red, yellow, and green lights. A light on the recorder can be flashed when the driver is within a first predetermined time period of the end of the parameter, and another light on the recorder flashed when the driver is within another predetermined time period of the end of the parameter. The carrier can also be notified when the driver is nearing the end of a parameter. The method can also include emitting a signal indicating whether the recorder is present. The method further includes, for example, the driver certifying the hours of service log prior to the automatic upload, and initiating a self-diagnostic function on the recorder upon a predetermined event. The predetermined event is at least one of a vehicle start, once in a 24-hour cycle, upon demand by law enforcement, and upon demand by the driver. According to another aspect, a method for logging and reporting driver activity and vehicle operation includes recording only the following operating data mileage obtained from at least one of the vehicle mileage sensing system and the vehicle data bus; engine use, time, and date obtained from the vehicle data bus; and location, time, and date obtained from the global navigation satellite system. According to another aspect, an on-board recorder for logging and reporting driver activity and vehicle operation includes a memory device configured to store operating data; a power supply; a first interface configured to connect to a vehicle mileage sensing system; a second interface configured to connect to an vehicle data bus of the vehicle; a receiver configured to link with a global navigation satellite system; at least one data portal configured to upload data from the memory device to a receiver external to the vehicle using a wireless telecommunications network, and supporting a connection with a receiver external to the vehicle and under control of authorities; a driver interface configured to record driver identification information input by a driver of the vehicle and duty status input by the driver; a processor operatively connected to the memory device for processing encoded instructions, recording operating data, and creating an hours of service log, a fuel tax log, and determining whether the driver is in compliance with an applicable requirement; and a display. According to another aspect, a system for logging and reporting driver activity and vehicle operation includes an on-board recorder; wired connection between the on-board recorder and the vehicle data bus; a first server connected with the vehicle through the wireless telecommunications network, the on-board recorder being configured to automatically download the hours of service log, the fuel tax log, and the compliance signal; and a second server connected with the first server and configured to receive the fuel tax log, the second server including a computer readable media encoded with one or more computer programs for filing fuel tax reports based on the fuel tax log. According to another aspect, a device for logging and reporting driver activity and vehicle operation includes one or more of the following means: means for identifying a driver of a vehicle and recording operating data; means for recording a duty status of the driver; means for creating an hours of service log; means for creating a fuel tax log; means for comparing the driver's hours of service log to an applicable requirement; means for indicating to the driver with the on-board recorder whether the driver is in-compliance or out-of-compliance with the applicable requirement; means for automatically uploading the hours of service log and the fuel tax log to a receiver external to the vehicle; and means for emitting a compliance signal representative of whether the driver is in-compliance or out-of-compliance with the applicable governmental reporting requirement to a second receiver external to the vehicle and under control of authorities. According to another aspect, a method includes one or more of the following and/or an apparatus includes one or more of the following means for: identifying one or more drivers of a vehicle; verifying the identity of the one or more drivers by at least one of biometric and visual means; determining driver hours of service for more than one driver concurrently; recording driver hours of service for more than one driver concurrently; uploading data via a least cost method over a wireless telecommunications network; uploading through the recorder, via a wireless telecommunications network, driver identity, whether or not verified; identifying a driver, tying identity information to a driver record, determining driver hours of service, recording hours of service, uploading hours of service via a wireless telecommunications network, and optionally verifying identity information and optionally tying verification information to the driver record. According to another aspect, a method includes one or more of the following and/or an apparatus includes one or more of the following means for: determining miles driven by a vehicle; recording miles driven by a vehicle; determining at least one of present and past location of a vehicle within a jurisdiction; determining at least one of present and past location of a vehicle between jurisdictions; determining border crossings between jurisdictions; recording at least one of present and past location of a vehicle within a jurisdiction; recording at least one of present and past location of a vehicle within two or more jurisdictions; recording border crossings between jurisdictions; uploading via a wireless telecommunications network at least one of present and past location of a vehicle within a jurisdiction; uploading via a wireless telecommunications network at least one of present and past location of a vehicle within two or more jurisdictions; uploading via a wireless telecommunications network border crossings between jurisdictions; and uploading via a least cost method over a wireless telecommunications network at least one of present and past location of a vehicle within a jurisdiction, at least one of present and past location of a vehicle within two or more jurisdictions, and/or border crossings between jurisdictions. According to another aspect, a method includes one or more of the following and/or an apparatus includes one or more of the following means for: calculating, for example, periodically, when interrogated by authorities, or continuously, whether or not a driver is driving within parameters established by at least one of law(s) or regulation(s); wirelessly notifying, signaling, alerting or informing authorities that a driver is not in compliance with applicable hours of service laws or regulations; transmitting driver hours of service data to law enforcement via at least one of a wired connection, portable memory device and wirelessly, displaying data residing on the recorder via at least one of a wired connection, portable memory device and wirelessly, displaying remaining time for driver hours of service in at least one duty status generated from the recorder; exchanging data between the recorder and devices used to pump fuel into a vehicle; determining a driver's hours of service in compliance with home country and country of operation laws and regulations determining more than one driver's hours of service concurrently in compliance with home country and country of operation laws and regulations; and displaying hours of service data in any one or more languages. According to another aspect, a method includes one or more of the following and/or an apparatus includes one or more of the following means for: identifying the location at which a trailer is at least one of tethered or un-tethered from a vehicle; recording the location at which a trailer is at least one of tethered or un-tethered from a vehicle; uploading the location at which a trailer is at least one of tethered or un-tethered from a vehicle; identifying the location of a trailer tethered to a vehicle; recording the location of a trailer tethered to a vehicle; and uploading the location of a trailer tethered to a vehicle. The details of one or more embodiments of the invention are set forth in the accompanying drawings and the description below. Other features, objects, and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the description and drawings, and from the claims. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure will hereinafter be described in conjunction with the following drawing figures, wherein like numerals denote like elements, and wherein: FIG. 1 is a front view of a display of an on-board recorder; FIG. 2 is a schematic view of the on-board recorder; FIG. 3 is a flowchart of a system and method for logging and reporting driver and vehicle operating data; FIG. 4 is a flowchart of processing steps for logging and reporting driver and vehicle operating data; FIG. 5 is a flowchart of processing steps for logging and reporting driver and vehicle operating data; FIG. 6 is a graphical view of an hours-of-service log generated by the on-board recorder; FIG. 7 is a front view of a display external to the recorder; FIG. 8 is a schematic view of a device for receiving a signal indicating compliance status of a driver or vehicle; FIGS. 9 and 10 are schematic drawings illustrating various features and devices of an exemplary system and method for managing vehicle fuel purchases; and FIG. 11 is a flow diagram illustrating an exemplary implementation of the present system and method for managing vehicle fuel purchases. DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS AND BEST MODE The present invention is described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which one or more exemplary embodiments of the invention are shown. Like numbers used herein refer to like elements throughout. This invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be operative, enabling, and complete. Accordingly, the particular arrangements disclosed are meant to be illustrative only and not limiting as to the scope of the invention, which is to be given the full breadth of the appended claims and any and all equivalents thereof. Moreover, many embodiments, such as adaptations, variations, modifications, and equivalent arrangements, will be implicitly disclosed by the embodiments described herein and fall within the scope of the present invention. Although specific terms are employed herein, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation. Unless otherwise expressly defined herein, such terms are intended to be given their broad ordinary and customary meaning not inconsistent with that applicable in the relevant industry and without restriction to any specific embodiment hereinafter described. As used herein, the article “a” is intended to include one or more items. Where only one item is intended, the term “one”, “single”, or similar language is used. When used herein to join a list of items, the term “or” denotes at least one of the items, but does not exclude a plurality of items of the list. For exemplary methods or processes of the invention, the sequence and/or arrangement of steps described herein are illustrative and not restrictive. Accordingly, it should be understood that, although steps of various processes or methods may be shown and described as being in a sequence or temporal arrangement, the steps of any such processes or methods are not limited to being carried out in any particular sequence or arrangement, absent an indication otherwise. Indeed, the steps in such processes or methods generally may be carried out in various different sequences and arrangements while still falling within the scope of the present invention. Additionally, any references to advantages, benefits, unexpected results, or operability of the present invention are not intended as an affirmation that the invention has been previously reduced to practice or that any testing has been performed. Likewise, unless stated otherwise, use of verbs in the past tense (present perfect or preterit) is not intended to indicate or imply that the invention has been previously reduced to practice or that any testing has been performed. Referring now specifically to the drawings, the present disclosure comprises exemplary systems, methods and apparatus capable of logging driver activity and vehicle operating data, creating reports from the data containing information required to comply with HOS regulations and IFTA fuel tax reporting, and emitting a signal indicating whether the driver is in-compliance or out-of-compliance with applicable HOS laws or regulations. In other exemplary embodiments, the disclosure comprises systems, methods, and apparatus for automated at-the-pump management of vehicle fuel purchases. In still further embodiments, the disclosure comprises systems, methods, and apparatus for diagnosing and managing vehicle faults. I. System and Method for Logging Driver Activity and Vehicle Operation Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, an on-board recorder 200 includes various inputs and outputs for interfacing with a driver of the vehicle, a host server (typically located at the fleet carrier), authorities, a vehicle mileage sensing system, for example, a speed sensor (such as a magnetic pickup) and vehicle odometer sensor display of the vehicle, a data bus of the vehicle, for example, the vehicle engine control module (ECM), and a global navigation satellite system. The driver communicates with recorder 200 via a driver interface 240 permitting data input and interaction with the driver through the use of a portable memory device reader 241, and duty status buttons 244. Recorder 200 includes a front panel 240 having a display screen 250, for example, a scrolling text message bar, for displaying text messages to the driver, a portable memory device reader 241, such as a contact memory button reader or smart card reader, to permit logging-in and logging-out of the driver from recorder 200 as well as transfer of prior driver activity to and from recorder 200, and duty status buttons 244 permitting the driver to manually change the driver's duty status, i.e., “on-duty driving,” “off-duty, ” “on-duty, not driving,” or “sleeper berth.” Front panel 240 has a self-test button 245 that allows the driver to initiate testing of the operability of recorder 200, and an indicator light 246, 248, such as an LED light, that indicates proper or improper operation of recorder 200 and/or the driver that is currently driving when team driving. Additional indicating lights 246 provide a visual indication of whether the driver's hours of service is in compliance or out-of-compliance with applicable hours of service regulations, for example, a red light indicates out-of-compliance, a green light indicates in-compliance, and a yellow light indicates that the driver is approaching the end of permitted driving time. Additionally or alternatively, compliance information can be conveyed to the driver audibly and/or on display screen 250. Front panel 240 also includes either or both of on-duty time remaining and a scrolling text message bar on display 250. Driver buttons 247 permit recorder 200 to switch the display between the drivers driving. The front panel 240 of the driver interface includes optional biometric reading device(s) 242, 249, for example, a fingerprint recognition reader 242 and a camera 249. Recorder 200 also includes a wired data port 243, such as a USB port, to permit data transfer between the recorder 200 and other external devices or media, such as an electronic display (shown in FIG. 7). Recorder 200 continuously obtains mileage from the vehicle mileage sensing system through a mileage sensing system interface 220, as well as mileage, engine use, miles driven, time and date obtained from the ECM through an ECM interface 225. Vehicle location (latitude and longitude), date, and time are input to recorder 200 from a global navigation satellite system, e.g., GPS, via a satellite interface 230 periodically, such as every fifteen minutes. In addition, a wireless data portal 235 is provided to permit the uploading and downloading of data from and to recorder 200. On-board recorder 200 includes a back-up power supply 215, for example, an internal battery, processor 205, and a memory device 210. Primary power to on-board recorder 200 is provided by a connection to the vehicle battery. The processor 205 is, for example, a central processing unit (CPU) or a simpler data storage device utilizing encoded and encrypted instructions with processing capabilities in accordance with the available memory 210. The memory device 210 includes read and write capabilities and a variety of commercial, off the shelf memory media. The processor 205 and memory 210 collectively form the logic component of the recorder 200. Recorder 200 includes a display 250 for informing the driver of the remaining driving time permitted by the HOS laws or regulations, and for displaying relevant information to federal, national, state, provincial or local authorities, as discussed below. Referring to FIG. 3, a process 100 for logging and reporting driver activity and vehicle operating data includes driver identification 110, data acquisition and recording 130, data processing 140, and data reporting 150. On-board recorder 200 is always powered on. Recorder 200 can automatically enter a “sleep mode” in which non-essential systems such as the display screen are powered down to conserve power, and the driver can awaken recorder 200 by pushing any key, or recorder 200 can be awakened by starting the vehicle or if the vehicle moves. The ability of the driver to cause the unit to go into sleep mode or to power-off can be limited or prevented. The identity of the driver is determined by the use of a unique driver ID, for example, a portable memory device issued to the operator and operable with a portable memory device reader 241, such as a smart card or contact memory button. The ability to start, move, or disable the vehicle can be controlled by or contingent upon an accurate identification of the driver. Referring to FIG. 4, data acquisition and recording 130 encompasses acquiring data from the vehicle mileage sensing system, the vehicle ECM, GPS, driver input, and data portal 235. The on-board recorder 200 is connected to the ECM of the vehicle through a data bus, such as an SAE J1708, J1850 or J1939 data bus connected through the ECM interface 225. The data on the bus is translated into an RS232 signal via a commercial off-the-shelf data translator and fed into the on-board recorder processor 205 and memory 210. The vehicle mileage sensing system interface 220 is formed, for example, by hard-wiring on-board recorder 200 to the vehicle's magnetic speed sensor. Recorder 200 includes a Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver which forms satellite interface 230 and derives its input signal from an antenna located on the interior or exterior of the vehicle. Mileage can be determined from only the ECM or through a broadcasting of an odometer reading from a vehicle dashboard, such as on a SAE J 1708 MID 140 bus. Alternatively, data received from the vehicle mileage sensing system, such as a speed sensor positioned at the transmission tail shaft of a vehicle can be automatically calibrated, for example, by comparing the data to mileage determined from GPS or through GPS mapping from a central server. The device can be automatically re-calibrated, by programming recorder 200 with the size and wear of the vehicle's tires and/or for different gear ratios. Recorder 200 can then provide the calibrated mileage to at least one of the odometer display and the ECM. Vehicle mileage can also be calibrated by using the GPS mapping at the central server and then sending the calibration back to the vehicle. Recorder 200 automatically, continuously records the vehicle operating data as raw vehicle operating data obtained from the vehicle mileage sensing system and the ECM, and records GPS data at a set period time, for example, every fifteen minutes. GPS data can also be recorded upon the detection of a specific event, such as a change in duty status, or operating parameter, such as the engine being off for more than a specified period of time. To determine the hours of service, the driver's duty status throughout the day is also determined. Duty status includes driving-on duty, not driving-on duty, off duty, and sleeper berth. Each change in duty status can be manually input to recorder 200 by the driver using duty status buttons 244 and recorded with a time and date stamp obtained via GPS. Certain changes in duty status can also be determined automatically by recorder 200, as discussed below. Data processing 140 creates an HOS log 141 and an IFTA log 142 from the raw data, and compares the HOS log to applicable regulations to determine whether the driver is in-compliance with HOS regulations. A more detailed exceptions report can be created from the comparison of the HOS log to applicable regulations that provide the detail of the comparison. In creating the HOS log, recorder 200 continuously calculates the time the driver has been in each duty status over the course of a day. The HOS log includes the time per duty status for eight consecutive days, including a calculation of the total hours driven today, total hours on duty for the past seven days, and total hours on duty for the past eight days. The hours of service log is typically created from date, time, mileage and duty status. In creating the IFTA log, at every acquisition of data from GPS, for example, every fifteen minutes, the miles driven over that time period are calculated from mileage data obtained from the vehicle mileage sensing system and/or ECM, and recorded with a location, time, and date stamp obtained from the GPS data. A fuel tax report is then created, preferably by an external server, such as the host server or a second server communicating with the host server, having the requisite software to create a report in compliance with IFTA regulations, from the IFTA log and any required fuel purchase information. Data processing 140 can also include an automatic determination of change in duty status from off-duty to driving on-duty. By recording the time when the vehicle starts to move, as determined by the ECM indicating engine use, i.e., that the vehicle has been started, and by the vehicle mileage sensing system or ECM indicating motion, recorder 200 automatically records a change of duty status to driving-on duty at that time. By recording the time when the engine is turned off for a predetermined period, such as four minutes, recorder 200 automatically prompts the driver to input a change of duty status to not driving-on duty, off duty, or sleeper berth. Also, by recording the time when the engine remains on but the vehicle is not moving (determined from, for example, either a speed of zero obtained from the ECM or there being no change in mileage) for a predetermined period, such as four minutes, recorder 200 can automatically prompt the driver to input a change of duty status to not driving-on duty, off duty, or sleeper berth. Off duty status is automatically determined at the time the driver logs out from recorder 200, for example, by removing the smart card from smart card reader 241. Alternatively, the driver can use the keys to indicate off-duty status while leaving the card in the reader. Data reporting 150 includes using recorder 200 to provide information to the driver, as discussed above, displaying on display device 250 the hours of service log and compliance status, with display 250 and indicator lights 246. An additional display tablet can be connected to recorder 200 to display the hours of service log in grid form. For example, operator's total hours driven today, total hours on duty today, total miles driven today, total hours on duty for seven days, total hours on duty for eight days, and the operator's changes in duty status and the times the changes occurred are displayed. Data reporting 150 also encompasses the ability of system 100 to automatically upload the hours of service log and the fuel tax log to a receiver external to the vehicle using a wireless telecommunications network. Recorder 200 also emits, such as periodically or continuously, a signal representative of the compliance status to a second receiver external to the vehicle and under control of authorities, such as law enforcement, carrier management, regulatory agencies or other approved inspector or agent. In addition, the compliance status, HOS logs or a more detailed exceptions report can be uploaded to a second receiver external to the vehicle when recorder 200 is queried. Recorder 200 is configured to automatically attempt to transmit data to a host server via the wireless telecommunications network's off-peak hours, e.g., at a pre-determined period of time (e.g., 1:00 am-5:00 am) that is selected because it is available at low cost. A wireless telecommunications network made up of pager networks, cell phone networks and wide area networks provides low cost options. Other options are an infrared connection, a radio connection, and a satellite connection. Recorder 200 is programmed to seek a single wireless telecommunications network to upload data to a host server. Alternatively, recorder 200 can be programmed to seek various wireless telecommunications networks to upload data to a host server, from the least cost to the next most expensive cost and so on until the device finds such a data link and uploads its data. If after a predetermined time period for performing an upload, such as fourteen days, upload has not been successful, each day's HOS log, and IFTA log, and alternatively an exceptions report as well, can be uploaded whenever the recorder comes into contact with the predetermined method of uploading data, or can be uploaded over a satellite connection. Data is stored on recorder 200 for not less than 14 consecutive days and is organized by driver for hours of service purposes and/or by vehicle for fuel tax reporting purposes. By continuously emitting a signal indicating the compliance status of the driver, recorder 200 provides a way whereby authorized federal, state or local officials can immediately check the status of a driver's hours of service. Authorities receive this signal whenever the vehicle is within a predetermined range of the second receiver located, for example in a hand-held device, law enforcement vehicle, weigh station, or along a highway. The entire hours of service log can be displayed on recorder 200 or on an electronic display or tablet connected thereto, or downloaded, when recorder 200 is queried. Data can be downloaded to law enforcement personnel using a receiver tied to a computer, for example; in the law enforcement vehicle, that wirelessly interrogates recorder 200 and displays the data, by using a handheld device in the possession of a law enforcement officer that wirelessly interrogates recorder 200 and displays the data, or by using a wired connection through a port inside or outside of the vehicle. The capability can also be provided to download information from a host server to the recorder. For example, using the communication link by which data is downloaded to the host server, the host server can also communicate data to recorder 200 at the end of the daily upload cycle. Data transmitted can include driver regime, such as 7 day/60 hour or 8 day/70 hour regime. The host server can also communicate with recorder 200 as desired via a wireless telecommunications network to ascertain information, such as compliance status, location as of the last GPS recording and remaining HOS. Referring to FIG. 5, the overall process includes driver and vehicle identification and verification 505, acquiring and recording GPS data at pre-determined intervals, for example, every 15 minutes 510, acquiring mileage and ECM data, for example, continuously, recording mileage and ECM data, for example, at least every 15 minutes, 515, determining duty status from driver input and/or automatically and recording duty status 520, calculating total hours per day in each duty status to create an HOS log 530, recording latitude and longitude for fuel tax reporting 535, comparing the HOS log to regulations to determine compliance, uploading compliance status or a detailed exceptions report to federal, national, state, provincial or local authorities 550 continuously, periodically or upon receipt of authority's or driver request, uploading to the host server 560, for example, daily, and uploading to the recorder display 570, for example, every five minutes. Recorder 200 automatically records data formatted to meet home country legal requirements and country of operation legal requirements. For example, a driver whose home country is Mexico, may operate a vehicle over a period of time in the United States. The operation of the vehicle within these countries, and their respective states, provincial or local jurisdictions triggers different reporting requirements to comply with respective HOS laws or regulations. Recorder 200 simultaneously records hours of service and/or fuel tax information that is country-specific, such as for the United States, Canada, and Mexico, and has multi-lingual reporting capability, such as English, French and/or Spanish. As seen in FIG. 6, a graphical representation of an hours of service log includes duty status (off-duty, sleeper berth, driving, and on duty-not driving) on the vertical axis, and hours of the day on the horizontal axis. The log line indicates each change in duty status, the time the change occurred, and the hours within each duty status between changes. In the example shown for Day 1, the driver was in “off duty” status for 10 hours (midnight to 10 am on Day 1), followed by five hours of on “duty-driving” (10 am to 3 pm on Day 1), followed by a “sleeper berth” period of five hours (3 pm to 8 pm). The driver was then back on duty “driving” for another five hours (8 pm to 1 am on Day 2) when the driver was pulled over for a routine roadside inspection or weigh station. In this situation, the driver was in compliance with the hours of service regulations. Accordingly, a signal representing a compliance status (in-compliance state) would have been emitted by the on-board recorder during the inspection. The law enforcement officer would have known before inspecting the hours of service log shown in FIG. 6 that the driver was already in compliance. A complete display of an hours of service log can provide eight such graphical representations, one for each of the eight days, and a summary of the total hours driven today, total hours on duty for seven days and total hours on duty for eight days. As seen in FIG. 7. the hours of service log shown in FIG. 6 can be displayed separately from recorder 200. For example, an external display device 700 is connected to recorder 200 to provide a more detailed review of recorded data. External display device 700, such as an electronic tablet connected wirelessly or through a wired connection such as a USB connection with recorder 200, has a relatively large display 750 for viewing detailed HOS logs (see FIG. 6) that are not as easily viewed on the display 250 of recorder 200. The external display device 700 includes a device functioning indicator 710, compliance status indicators 720, a home or operating country selector 730, driver selectors or indicators 740, a duty status selector 760 and a data transmission port 770, such as a USB connection or wireless transceiver for wirelessly communicating with recorder 200. Referring to FIG. 8, a device 800 for receiving a signal indicating a compliance status of a driver or vehicle has an “in-compliance” indicator 810, an “out-of-compliance” indicator 820, an input/keypad 830, and a receiver 840 for receiving emitted compliance status signals from nearby recorders 200. Device 800 can be powered from a law enforcement officer's vehicle (such as plugged into a cigarette lighter), or battery, and can be a handheld device that is used to monitor passing and nearby vehicles for HOS compliance status. Recorder 200 can have a short range RF transmitter which broadcasts the driver's HOS compliance status, electronic vehicle license plate, drivers risk factor based oh past records, etc. The receiver can be an RF receiver distributed to state, local, and federal authorities providing snapshot monitoring of the status of drivers (HOS compliant or non-compliant), high risk drivers and vehicles at toll gates and border crossings. A number of embodiments of the invention have been described. Nevertheless, it will be understood that various modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. For example, the on-board recorder may be configured to include one or more of the following features. Recorder 200 can include a biometric reader for verifying the identity of the driver using, for example, facial, retinal or thumbprint recognition. The identity data is compared to a database within recorder 200 to verify the identity of the driver by matching the biometric with a specific driver. The unique driver ID can be a Transportation Worker Identification Card (TWIC) currently being developed by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) or a commercial driver's license (CDL) issued by various state or federal governments. The vehicle can be disabled if the identity of the driver cannot be verified after some predetermined time. Camera 249 can be a miniature camera, such as with IR lighting for night driving, positioned on the front face of recorder 200 for visual analyzing the driver. The camera is used to identify the driver and visually tie the driver to the HOS data. Facial recognition, retinal or IRIS mapping, and driver behavior can be periodically assessed such as for drowsy driver syndrome from the recorder or an external source, such as through an external host server. The digital camera feature can be used for gate authorization by sending the drivers' ID and photograph ahead to a destination, such as a shipping dock or border crossing. The camera feature can be used for on-board documentation to the central server. Once the vehicle is in the non-moving and park mode the digital camera can also be used as a FAX/Scanner. The portable memory device carried by the driver, for example, the smart card or contact memory button (such as the IBUTTON® device available from Maxim Integrated Products, Inc. of Sunnyvale, Calif.), can be configured to retain driver identity data, driving regime (such as, 7 day or 8 day regime), and the driver's hours of service log such that this information is automatically downloaded from the portable memory device to recorder 200 whenever a driver logs into a vehicle. In this way, the driver's hours of service log and related information can be transferred from one vehicle to another as the driver changes vehicle. Such data can also be downloaded into recorder 200 from the fleet carrier via several methods, for example, a wired connection at the fleet terminal, a wireless connection at the fleet terminal and/or a wireless download at any location within the range of a wireless telecommunications network. The portable memory device can include a programmable logic controller, such as an electrically erasable, programmable, read-only memory (EEPROM) of flash EEPROM. Additional information that can be stored on the portable memory device includes the driver's current driving regime, the commercial driver license number (CDL #), commercial driver endorsements (e.g., HAZMAT), traffic violations and high risk driver data (e.g., DWI convictions). Transactions such as the last vehicle driven can also be stored on the driver card. Portable memory device technology, such as the IBUTTON®, can be used to transfer fuel purchase information about the vehicle and/or driver to a fuel pump and/or from the fuel pump to recorder 200. Alternatively, or in combination, infrared and RFID technology can be used to transfer data to and from recorder 200 to a user ID card or other external data source. Recorder 200 can separately record each driver's duty status when more than one driver is driving the vehicle, for example team driving. While the hours of service for a particular driver are transferred, for example, by a wireless telecommunications network connection or portable memory device, when the driver moves to a new vehicle, the IFTA logs, which are vehicle dependent, remain with the recorder on the old vehicle. IFTA reports identify the miles driven in each jurisdiction. Border crossings, for example, between states, countries, and provinces, can be determined by the driver inputting to recorder 200 when a border is crossed, by mapping software on an external server, or by mapping software on recorder 200. Recorder 200 can emit a signal indicating whether the recorder is present and thus recording data for compliance with applicable IFTA laws or regulations, and can emit safety related information such as tire pressure. For each change of duty status, whether input manually or determined automatically, location as determined by GPS can be recorded. If a vehicle is equipped with an Intelligent Dash Board with speedometer, on dash odometer and fuel gage 225, data can be collected by recorder 200 from the Intelligent Dash Board rather than through the vehicle mileage sensing system interface 220. The data processing 140 and data reporting 150 sections can also provide the capability of data encryption to ensure data integrity and to prevent tampering by the vehicle operator. However, the driver and/or carrier can be permitted to modify the operating data, and the processor includes a track changes function that records any alterations of operating data. Recording 200 can also provide the capability of authenticating the recipient of data such that data is only available to authorized users. Recorder 200 can prompt the driver to review and verify that all entries are accurate prior to uploading data to the carrier. Recorder 200 can further prompt the driver to certify that all entries made by the driver are true and correct or that recorder 200 is operating properly. If recorder 200 malfunctions, the recorder can notify the driver visually, audibly and/or using a text message, prompt the driver to revert to a paper log, and/or emit an out-of-compliance signal. If recorder 200 determines that the vehicle is moving but no driver is logged on, a visual/audio/or text warning is provided to the driver signaling that the driver is not logged-in, and an out-of-compliance signal is emitted. Recorder 200 can also warn the driver when the driver is approaching the maximum limitations established by the hours of service laws or regulations. Recorder 200 can also upload such a warning to the carrier. To limit “double counting,” whereby a driver uses a paper log book when recorder 200 is on-board, recorder 200 can emit a signal indicating that recorder 200 is on-board the vehicle. Recorder 200 has logic built in to account for, for example, gaps in miles or time to ensure the driver does not tamper with recorder 200, such as by disconnecting the power source, pulling a fuse, or similar tampering. Recorder 200 continually or periodically performs self-testing and can prompt the driver to troubleshoot for system errors and system rebooting. Recorder 200 can self-test upon demand from law enforcement. WIFI or BLUETOOTH technology can be utilized to facilitate data transfer and/or permit the communication of many different devices to form a communication network. BLUETOOTH technology can be used to permit the downloading of fuel purchase information to recorder 200 and/or as the communication protocol for the recorder itself in communications with law enforcement or any other data transfer. Recorder 200 can have a short range RF transmitter which broadcasts the driver's HOS compliance status, electronic vehicle license plate, driver's risk factor based on past records, etc. The receiver can be an RF receiver distributed to state, local, and federal authorities for a snapshot monitoring status of drivers (HOS compliant or non compliant) high risk drivers and vehicles at toll gates and border crossings, and for Homeland Security purposes generally. The receiver can plug into the cigarette lighter of the law enforcement vehicle, similar power source or be positioned within a handheld device. A non-compliant driver can be identified by recorder 200 emitting short range signals, such as 315 MHZ or 434 MHZ (approximately 200 ft) RF signals, which can be detected by authorities. The receiver held by authorities can be a 315 MHZ or 434 MHZ RF device. The data exchange is dependent upon an authentication process, whereby only authorized users (the authorities) can access the data. The authorities can then be alerted while driving past a vehicle on the highway or when sitting along an interstate and monitoring for violators. Once a violation has been detected the authorities can obtain a detailed log from the recorder via a hard connection or a wireless connection, such as BLUETOOTH or WIFI adapter in the USB data port of recorder 200. Also the non compliant driver status can be broadcasted on the SAE J1708/1587 data bus and the RS-232 port from the recorder. As another method the RS-232 and/or SAE J1708 data can allow existing telecommunication products on the vehicle such as QUALCOMM®,)XATA® and PEOPLENET® to transmit the driver log report status. Also, as another method the RS232, SAE J1708 or USB data port can allow the driver logs to be downloaded via WIFI or BLUETOOTH adapters or devices at WIFI hot spots at truck stops, for example, SIRICOMM has incorporated WIFI hot spots at Pilot Service Centers, and WIFI Hot(s) Networks are planned at weigh stations, toll gates, and Fleet Terminals. Vehicles emitting an in-compliance signal can pass through a checkpoint or roadside inspection without further delay and those that are not in-compliance can be stopped for further investigation. Recorder 200 can be queried to generate a driver's hours of service graph and display the graph, for example, on a display tablet that can be connected to recorder 200. Electronic tablet 700 can be equipped with a rechargeable battery, such as a NiCd battery or a standard NiCad battery pack used on video cameras. The electronic tablet device 700 can include an antenna for all types of wireless communication and a connection permitting wired communication. The electronic tablet 700 can include a USB port so that printers and other devices can communicate to the electronic table 700. The recorder can be provided with a USB Port to form a direct, non-wireless connection to the tablet. Recorder 200 can also be provided with the option of detecting whether or not a trailer is tethered to the vehicle. If tethered, recorder 200 connects to a PLC chip located in the trailer from the ABS Trailer Module that contains the trailer's ID number and related data and a PLC receiver chip located in the recorder. The trailer ID information can be obtained from various sources, for example, via a PLC4Trucks power line communications, such as defined in SAE J2497. If the fleet operator wants to locate that particular trailer it can access the PLC network chip via cell or pager network, or via satellite, through recorder 200. The Recorder 200 can be equipped with a Tractor PLC ID transmitter chip and the driver log information can be downloaded from a Trailer Tracking System, such as TERION®, using a SAE J 2497 power line communication protocol. This method allows the driver's log report along with a tractor ID to be sent through an existing power line, for example, using a standard SAE J560 tractor/trailer connector and SAE J2497 protocol to a trailer communication wireless product. II. Automated At-the-Pump Management of Vehicle Fuel Purchases FIGS. 9, 10 and 11 illustrate embodiments of a system, method, and apparatus for automated at-the-pump management of vehicle fuel purchases at a fuel station “S”. As shown in FIG. 9, the exemplary vehicle 900 (e.g., heavy-duty tractor/trailer combination) includes an electronic on-board recorder 901 (EOBR), such as recorder 200 described above, and a data communications adapter 902 operatively connected to an existing vehicle data bus 903 including, for example, SAE J1708/1587, SAE J1708, SAE J1850, SAE J1939, SAE J2497, SAE J560, OB-2, CAN, and RS-232. The data communications adapter 902 receives and converts the serial packed vehicle data for transmission via wired or wireless communication means. The exemplary data communications adapter 902 incorporates an embedded NFC/RFID transceiver 905, a microcontroller 906, and hardware 907 comprising BLUETOOTH and WIFI communications modules. In alternative embodiments, the data communications adapter 902 is integrated with the EOBR 901, which may also comprise NFC technology and BLUETOOTH, WIFI, and cellular communications modules. The present disclosure is implemented utilizing a Mobile Device 910 (e.g., smartphone) assigned to and carried by the vehicle driver, and incorporating one or more of the elements and features described above. The exemplary Mobile Device 910 comprises NFC technology allowing it to wirelessly read/write and otherwise communicate data to and from other NFC enabled devices, such as the EOBR 901 and data communications adapter 902. In an exemplary embodiment, the disclosure requires an association between the driver, the vehicle 900, and the driver's Mobile Device 910. As referenced in FIG. 9, the driver carries an NFC/RFID identification card 915 which electronically stores driver data including, for example, first and last name, e-mail address, and telephone number. This same driver data may also be pre-stored in the persistent (non-volatile) memory of the Mobile Device 910—e.g., stored at the time the Mobile Device 910 is assigned to the driver. Referring to FIGS. 9 and 10 and the flow diagram of FIG. 11, the exemplary method for automated at-the-pump management of vehicle fuel purchases begins as the vehicle 900 enters the fuel station, as indicated at 921 in FIG. 11. At the fuel station, using the NEC-enabled Mobile Device 910 the driver electronically reads the data stored on his NFC/RFID driver identification card 915, as indicated at 922 in FIG. 11. The driver data is wirelessly communicated from the identification card 915 to the Mobile Device 910, and compared in realtime using the processing logic of the Mobile Device 910 to the driver data pre-stored in the persistent memory (or cloud storage). If the driver data read from the identification card 915 matches the data stored in the Mobile Device 910 or cloud storage, the driver will be prompted to enter a verification key (e.g., 4-character code or password) using an input keypad of the Mobile Device 910. In an alternative embodiment, the verification key may comprise a voice code spoken by the driver into the microphone of the Mobile Device 910, and compared using voice recognition software to an audio (voice) clip pre-stored in memory. In another embodiment, the verification key may comprise a driver thumb print captured using the touchscreen of the Mobile Device 910, and compared to a thumb print pre-stored in memory. In yet another embodiment, the verification key may comprise a digital photograph of the driver's face captured using the camera of the Mobile Device 910, and compared using facial recognition software to a digital photograph pre-stored in memory. In further alternative embodiments, the verification key may utilize other biometric data, such as a retinal identifier. The verification key may also comprises a hand drawn pattern entered by the driver on the display screen of the Mobile Device 910, such as disclosed in published U.S. Patent Application, Publication No. US/2013/0212674-A1. The complete disclosure of this prior publication is incorporated herein by reference. After successful driver verification, as indicated at 923 in FIG. 11, the date and time the driver's identification card 915 was read and the exact GPS location where the reading occurred, collectively “event setting”, is recorded in the memory of the Mobile Device 910, as indicated at 924 in FIG. 11, and may be communicated (via WIFI, cellular or satellite transmission) to the EOBR 901 for storage and/or a remote terminal “R” located at a corporate office. The driver then uses the Mobile Device 910, as indicated at 925 in FIG. 11, to capture vehicle data communicated via NFC/RFID transmission (e.g., using “bump data transfer”) from the data communications adapter 902 connected to the vehicle data bus 903. The vehicle data may comprise, for example, current fuel level, milage, trailer identification, engine VIN, engine oil level, oil analysis, and diagnostic fault codes. As shown in FIG. 10, after capturing the vehicle data, the driver carries the Mobile Device 910 to a fuel control terminal “P” located at the fuel pump of station “S”. The exemplary fuel control terminal “P” may comprise integrated and/or externally connected hardware (such as transponders, transverters, repreaters, transceivers, transmitters, receivers, antennas, and the like), software, firmware, wireless technology including WIFI and BLUETOOTH, and NFC and other RFID standards enabling wireless transmission and receipt of signals and data (NFC tag reading/rewriting) at 125 kHz, 13 MHz, 315 MHz, 433-434 MHz, and other frequencies. In one embodiment, the fuel control terminal may comprise a microcontroller, 2 GB RAM memory, 8 GB solid state hard drive, keypad, display screen, and communications technology comprising hard wire Cat5/6-TCP/IP, NFC/RFID devices, BLUETOOTH device, cellular 3G/4G, and WIFI 802.11B/G-(WPA2-PSK). The fuel control terminal may also incorporate a cellular modem to communicate collected data directly to the remote terminal, EOBR, vehicle telematics (information and communications technology, or ITC), sealed splice pack system (e.g., VES-PAC™ inline circuit fuse holder), and/or other vehicle-mounted or integrated computing/communications unit. In the exemplary method, the fuel control terminal “P” receives the driver data and vehicle data (e.g., via NFC bump transfer) from the Mobile Device 910, as indicated at 926 in FIG. 11, and then wirelessly transmits this data to the remote terminal “R” located at the corporate office, as indicated at 927 in FIG. 11. The data is authenticated at the remote terminal “R” using software designed to confirm the driver's association with the vehicle 900 and Mobile Device 910, and to process current fuel level and miles driven since last fueling. After the data is authenticated, as indicated at 928 in FIGS. 11, an authorization signal is transmitted from the remote terminal “R” to the at-the-pump fuel control terminal “P”, as indicated at 929 in FIG. 11. The authorization signal allows the driver to dispense a pre-determined quantity of fuel from a station pump to the vehicle 900 (including the trailer “reefer”), as indicated at 930 in FIG. 11. After fueling, purchase data including fuel cost and gallons dispensed may be wirelessly transmitted (e.g., via NFC bump transfer), as indicated at 931 in FIG. 11, from the fuel control terminal to the Mobile Device, or from the fuel control terminal directly to the remote terminal, EOBR, or vehicle telematics via cellular or satellite communication. In the exemplary embodiments described above, certain data is transmitted via short-range communication technologies, such as NFC. This short-range transmission reduces the likelihood of unwanted interception, and is particularly suited for crowded areas where correlating a signal with its transmitting physical device (and by extension, its user) becomes difficult. Additionally, the connection between two NFC-enabled devices is automatically established quickly, generally in less than a tenth of a second, and conveniently. The exemplary Mobile Device 910 incorporates “active” NFC technoloy enabling the device to read and write to other active or passive NFC devices (e.g., tags) incorporated in the fuel control terminal “P”, EOBR 901, and data communications adapter 902. In an alternative embodiment, the Mobile Device 910 may activate passive NFC tags in the fuel control terminal “P”, EOBR 901, and/or data communications adapter 902 to place the associated device in a “discoverable” mode. Once activated or discovered, the Mobile Device 910 may wirelessly connect to the device and communicate data using BLUETOOTH or other short range communications technology. III. Automated Vehicle Diagnostics In further exemplary embodiments, the present disclosure comprises systems, methods, and apparatus for diagnosing and managing vehicle faults. As previously described, the vehicle (e.g., heavy-duty tractor/trailer combination) includes an electronic on-board recorder (EOBR) and a data communications adapter operatively connected to an existing vehicle data bus including, for example, SAE J1708/1587, SAE J1708, SAE J1850, SAE J1939, SAE J2497, SAE J560, OB-2, CAN, and RS-232. The exemplary data communications adapter incorporates an embedded NFC/RFID transceiver, a microcontroller, and hardware comprising BLUETOOTH and WIFI communications modules. The data communications adapter may be integrated with the EOBR, which may also comprise NFC technology and BLUETOOTH, WIFI, and cellular communications modules. In the present application, the exemplary data communications adapter receives, converts, stores, and transmits serial packed vehicle diagnostic data. The diagnostic data can be wirelessly captured from the data communications adapter using Mobile Device, describe above, or a dedicated NFC-enabled portable memory device, such as the IBUTTON® device. The IBUTTON® device automatically wirelessly receives vehicle diagnostic data by simply touching the data communications adapter. After receiving the diagnostic data transmitted by the adapter, the IBUTTON® device can be conveniently carried by the driver or other user to any remote terminal location (e.g., corporate office, vehicle parts store, vehicle service facility), and the diagnostic data transferred to the remote terminal to process the vehicle fault codes. The vehicle faults may also be transmitted from the IBUTTON® device directly to the vehicle's EOBR via NFC bump data transfer or other communication means. In further embodiments of the present disclosure, the driver's Mobile Device and/or the EOBR may comprise or interface with hardware, software, and firmware designed to monitor driver health conditions including (e.g.) oxygen level, heart rate, breathing patterns, blood pressure, pulse, brainwave patterns, pupil dilation, glucose level, and blood alcohol level. The hardware/sensors may be integrated with the vehicle steering wheel or with other components of the vehicle. The driver health data may be transmitted in realtime from the Mobile Device or EOBR directly to the remote terminal (located at the corporate office). In other applications, the driver's Mobile Device and/or EOBR may utilize GPS road data to calculate and store any history of vehicle over speeding, and may then report that data to the remote terminal or cloud storage. Mobile Device and/or EOBR may also notify the driver of upcoming high accident areas and work zones, and may record the driver's reaction and maneuvering through such areas. For the purposes of describing and defining the present invention it is noted that the use of relative terms, such as “substantially”, “generally”, “approximately”, and the like, are utilized herein to represent an inherent degree of uncertainty that may be attributed to any quantitative comparison, value, measurement, or other representation. These terms are also utilized herein to represent the degree by which a quantitative representation may vary from a stated reference without resulting in a change in the basic function of the subject matter at issue. Exemplary embodiments of the present invention are described above. No element, act, or instruction used in this description should be construed as important, necessary, critical, or essential to the invention unless explicitly described as such. Although only a few of the exemplary embodiments have been described in detail herein, those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that many modifications are possible in these exemplary embodiments without materially departing from the novel teachings and advantages of this invention. Accordingly, all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of this invention as defined in the appended claims. In the claims, any means-plus-function clauses are intended to cover the structures described herein as performing the recited function and not only structural equivalents, but also equivalent structures. Thus, although a nail and a screw may not be structural equivalents in that a nail employs a cylindrical surface to secure wooden parts together, whereas a screw employs a helical surface, in the environment of fastening wooden parts, a nail and a screw may be equivalent structures. Unless the exact language “means for” (performing a particular function or step) is recited in the claims, a construction under 35 U.S.C. § 112(f) [or 6th paragraph/pre-AIA] is not intended. Specifically, use of the claim term “input means” is not intended to invoke a construction under § 112(f). Additionally, it is not intended that the scope of patent protection afforded the present invention be defined by reading into any claim a limitation found herein that does not explicitly appear in the claim itself. | <SOH> TECHNICAL FIELD AND BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE <EOH>The present disclosure relates broadly and generally systems, methods, and apparatus for logging and reporting driver activity and vehicle operation. In other exemplary embodiments, the disclosure comprises systems, methods, and apparatus for automated at-the-pump management of vehicle fuel purchases. In still further embodiments, the disclosure comprises systems, methods, and apparatus for diagnosing and managing vehicle faults. | <SOH> SUMMARY OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS <EOH>Various exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure are described below. Use of the term “exemplary” means illustrative or by way of example only, and any reference herein to “the invention” is not intended to restrict or limit the invention to exact features or steps of any one or more of the exemplary embodiments disclosed in the present specification. References to “exemplary embodiment,” “one embodiment,” “an embodiment,” “various embodiments,” and the like, may indicate that the embodiment(s) of the invention so described may include a particular feature, structure, or characteristic, but not every embodiment necessarily includes the particular feature, structure, or characteristic. Further, repeated use of the phrase “in one embodiment,” or “in an exemplary embodiment,” do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment, although they may. It is also noted that terms like “preferably”, “commonly”, and “typically” are not utilized herein to limit the scope of the claimed invention or to imply that certain features are critical, essential, or even important to the structure or function of the claimed invention. Rather, these terms are merely intended to highlight alternative or additional features that may or may not be utilized in a particular embodiment of the present invention. According to one exemplary embodiment, the present disclosure comprises an automated at-the-pump method for managing vehicle fuel purchases at a fuel station. The method comprises transmitting driver identification data to a mobile device assigned to a vehicle driver. The mobile device comprises wireless communication hardware (e.g., WIFI, BLUETOOTH, infrared), an input means, a processor, and memory. The exemplary method electronically verifies that the driver identification data received by the mobile device matches the assigned vehicle driver. In other words, the method uses the driver identification data received by the mobile device to confirm that the vehicle driver is an authorized (and proper) user of the mobile device. Event setting data is recorded in the memory of the mobile device. Vehicle data is transmitted from a data bus of the vehicle to the mobile device for storage in the memory. The vehicle data and driver identification data are transmitted to a remote terminal. Using the remote terminal, the vehicle data and driver identification data are electronically authenticated. An authorization signal is transmitted from the remote terminal to an at-the-pump fuel control terminal. The authorization signal enables dispensing of fuel from a station pump to the vehicle. After the vehicle is fueled, fuel purchase data is transmitted from the at-the-pump fuel control terminal to at least one of the remote terminal and mobile device. According to another exemplary embodiment, the method further comprises electronically storing the driver identification data on an RFID card. According to another exemplary embodiment, the driver identification data comprises at least one in a group consisting of a passcode, first and last name, e-mail address, and telephone number. According to another exemplary embodiment, the input means of the mobile device comprises a keypad. The step of electronically verifying further comprises matching a passcode entered by the driver using the keypad of the mobile device to a passcode stored in memory of the mobile device. According to another exemplary embodiment, the input means of the mobile device comprises a microphone. The step of electronically verifying further comprises matching a voice code spoken by the driver into the microphone of the mobile device to a voice code stored in memory of the mobile device. According to another exemplary embodiment, the step of electronically verifying comprises reading biometric data of the vehicle driver and matching the biometric data to data stored in memory of the mobile device. According to another exemplary embodiment, the biometric data is selected from a group consisting of facial, retinal, and thumb print identifiers. According to another exemplary embodiment, the event setting data comprises at least one in a group consisting of current time, date, and (GPS) location. The event setting data may be recorded in the memory of the mobile device automatically at any step of the exemplary method; for example, at the time the authorization signal is transmitted from the remote terminal to an at-the-pump fuel control terminal, or at the time the fuel purchase data is transmitted from the at-the-pump fuel control terminal. According to another exemplary embodiment, the vehicle data comprises at least one in a group consisting of, for example, vehicle serial number, engine VIN, mileage, diagnostic codes, fuel level, battery voltage, tire pressure, and ABS and alternator status. According to another exemplary embodiment, the vehicle data bus comprises at least one in a group consisting of RS232, SAE J1708, SAE J1850, SAE J1939, SAE J2497, OB-2, and CAN. According to another exemplary embodiment, the fuel purchase data comprises at least one in a group consisting of gallons of fuel purchased, cost per gallon, and total fuel cost. According to another exemplary embodiment, the method further comprises storing the fuel purchase data on an electronic on-board recorder in the vehicle. According to another exemplary embodiment, the method further comprises storing the vehicle data on an electronic on-board recorder in the vehicle. According to another exemplary embodiment, the method further comprises storing the driver identification data on an electronic on-board recorder in the vehicle, According to another exemplary embodiment, after the vehicle is fueled, the method comprises transmitting the fuel purchase data from the at-the-pump fuel control terminal to the electronic on-board recorder in the vehicle. According to another exemplary embodiment, the step of transmitting vehicle data from the data bus of the vehicle to the mobile device comprises utilizing wireless near-field communication technology. According to another exemplary embodiment, the method further comprises transmitting vehicle data from the mobile device to the at-the-pump fuel control terminal. According to another exemplary embodiment, the step of transmitting vehicle data from the mobile device to the at-the-pump fuel control terminal comprises utilizing wireless near-field communication technology. According to another exemplary embodiment, the method further comprises transmitting the fuel purchase data from the at-the-pump fuel control terminal to the mobile device utilizing wireless near-field communication technology. According to another exemplary embodiment, data is communicated between the mobile device, at-the-pump fuel control terminal, and remote terminal utilizing a wireless connection selected from a group consisting of a WIFI connection, a BLUETOOTH connection, cellular connection, and an infrared connection. The term “remote terminal” refers broadly herein to any mobile device, as described below, network server, cloud server, desktop, laptop computer, netbook, e-reader, tablet computer, mobile phone, personal digital assistant, or other fixed or mobile electronic data processing, collection, transmission and/or storage device (programmable or non-programmable) which is physically separate from and unattached to components of the station pump including the at-the-pump fuel control terminal. In one example, the remote terminal is physically distant from the fuel station. In another example, the remote terminal is located at a corporate office, fleet management center, or other such establishment—also physically distant from the fuel station. Exemplary Mobile Device The mobile computing device (or “Mobile Device”) may incorporate or comprise any general or specific purpose machine with processing logic capable of manipulating data according to a set of program instructions. Examples of Mobile Devices include a laptop computer, netbook, e-reader, tablet computer, mobile phone, personal digital assistant, desktop, and others. In one exemplary embodiment, the Mobile Device comprises a smartphone or other high-end mobile phone using an operating system such as Google's Android, Apple's iOS4 and iOS5, Maemo, Bada, Symbian, Windows Phone, Palm, Blackberry, and others. The exemplary Mobile Device may include a high-resolution touchscreen (display screen), a web browser, high-speed data access via Wi-Fi and mobile broadband, and advanced application programming interfaces (APIs) for running third-party applications. The Mobile Device may also be equipped with NFC, and paired with NFC tags or stickers which can be programmed by NFC apps and other mobile apps on the device. For example, BlackBerry devices support NFC using BlackBerry Tag on a number of devices running BlackBerry OS 7.0 and greater. Microsoft has also added native NFC functionality in its mobile OS with Windows Phone 8, as well as the Windows 8 operating system. Other handheld mobile devices without built-in NFC chips may utilize MicroSD and UICC SIM cards incorporating industry standard contactless smartcard chips with ISO14443 interface, with or without built-in antenna. The exemplary mobile device may also include card slots for removable or non-removable flash and SIM cards, and may have up to 32 GB of non-volatile internal memory. One or more of the flash and SIM cards and internal memory may comprise computer-readable storage media containing program instructions applicable for effecting the present system and method for vehicle tire and parts management. As generally known and understood in the art, the flash card is an electronic flash memory data storage device used for storing digital information. The card is small, re-recordable, and able to retain data without power. For example, Secure Digital (SD) is a non-volatile memory card format developed by the SD Card Association for use in portable devices. SD has an official maximum capacity of 2 GB, though some are available up to 4 GB. The SIM card contains an integrated circuit that securely stores the service-subscriber key (IMSI) used to identify a subscriber on the Mobile Device. SIM hardware typically consists of a microprocessor, ROM, persistent (non-volatile) EEPROM or flash memory, volatile RAM, and a serial I/O interface. SIM software typically consists of an operating system, file system, and application programs. The SIM may incorporate the use of a SIM Toolkit (STK), which is an application programming interface (API) for securely loading applications (e.g., applets) or data to the SIM for storage in the SIM and execution by the Mobile Device. The STK allows a mobile operator (such as a wireless carrier) to create/provision services by loading them into the SIM without changing other elements of the Mobile Device. One convenient way for loading applications to the SIM is over-the-air (OTA) via the Short Message Service (SMS) protocol. Secure data or application storage in a memory card or other device may be provided by a Secure Element (SE). The SE can be embedded in the logic circuitry of the Mobile Device (e.g., smartphone), can be installed in a SIM, or can be incorporated in a removable SD card (secure digital memory card), among other possible implementations. Depending on the type of Secure Element (SE) that hosts an applet, the features implemented by the applet may differ. Although an SE is typically Java Card compliant regardless of its form factor and usage, it may implement features or functions (included in the operating system and/or in libraries) that are specific to that type of SE. For example, a UICC (Universal Integrated Circuit Card) may implement features that are used for network communications, such as text messaging and STK, whereas in certain embedded SE devices, these features may not be implemented. Additionally, to identify a user's Mobile Device, a unique serial number called International Mobile Equipment Identity, IMEI, may be assigned to the device. As known by persons skilled in the art, IMEI is standardized by ETSI and 3GPP, and mobile devices which do not follow these standards may not have an IMEI. The IMEI number is used by the network to identify valid mobile devices. IMEI identifies the device, not the user (the user is identified by an International Mobile Subscriber Identity, IMSI), by a 15-digit number and includes information about the source of the mobile device, the model, and serial number. Other features of the exemplary Mobile Device may include front-facing and rear-facing cameras, Dolby Digital 5.1 surround sound, video mirroring and video out support, built-in speaker and microphone, built-in 25-watt-hour rechargeable lithium-polymer battery, and sensors including three-axis gyro, accelerometer, and ambient light sensor. The exemplary Mobile Device may also combine aGPS and other location services including WIFI Positioning System and cell-site triangulation, or hybrid positioning system. Mobile Phone Tracking tracks the current position of a mobile device, even when it is moving. To locate the device, it must emit at least the roaming signal to contact the next nearby antenna tower, but the process does not require an active call. GSM localization is then done by multilateration based on the signal strength to nearby antenna masts. Mobile positioning, which includes location based service that discloses the actual coordinates of a mobile device bearer, is a technology used by telecommunication companies to approximate where a mobile device, and thereby also its user (bearer), temporarily resides. The exemplary Mobile Device may comprise BLUETOOTH, WIFI, and NFC technologies. BLUETOOTH and WIFI are similar to NFC in that all three technologies allow wireless communication and data exchange between digital devices like the present Mobile Device. NFC, however, utilizes electromagnetic radio fields while technologies such as BLUETOOTH and WIFI focus on radio transmissions. The present Mobile Device may comprise an active NFC device, enabling it to collect information from NFC tags and to exchange information with other compatible devices. The Mobile Device may also write information to NFC tags. To ensure security, NFC often establishes a secure channel and uses encryption when sending sensitive information. In another aspect, the present disclosure comprises a method for logging and reporting driver activity and vehicle operation. The method includes identifying a driver of a vehicle and recording operating data. The operating data is recorded with an electronic on-board recorder that is hard-wired to a data bus, for example, an engine control module, of the vehicle, coupled to a vehicle mileage sensing system, and linked to a global navigation satellite system. The operating data includes mileage obtained from at least one of the vehicle mileage sensing system and the vehicle data bus; engine use, time, and date obtained from the vehicle data bus; and location, time, and date obtained from the global navigation satellite system. The method includes recording a duty status of the driver. The duty status includes (a) off duty status, (b) sleeper berth status, (c) driving-on duty status, and (d) not driving-on duty status. The method further includes creating an hours of service log from time, date, and duty status, the hours of service log including a change in duty status of the driver, time and date the change occurred, hours within each duty status, total hours driven today, total hours on duty for seven days, and total hours on duty for eight days; creating a fuel tax log from mileage obtained from the vehicle mileage sensing system, location obtained from the global navigation satellite system, time obtained from at least one of the vehicle data bus and the global navigation satellite system, and date obtained from at least one of the vehicle data bus and the global navigation satellite system, the fuel tax log including miles traveled between periodic recording intervals, and location, time, and date recorded at each periodic recording interval; comparing the driver's hours of service log to an applicable requirement, for example, law or regulation; indicating to the driver with the on-board recorder whether the driver is in-compliance or out-of-compliance with the applicable requirement; automatically uploading the hours of service log and the fuel tax log to a receiver external to the vehicle using a wireless telecommunications network; and emitting a compliance signal representative of whether the driver is in-compliance or out-of-compliance with the applicable requirement to a second receiver external to the vehicle and under control of authorities. Embodiments of this aspect may include one or more of the following features. The method includes identifying the driver of the vehicle by interfacing with a portable memory device, and importing a driver's hours of service log through the portable memory device or the wireless network. The portable memory device is, for example, a smart card or contact memory button. The method further includes verifying the identity of the driver of the vehicle using, for example, biometric verification, and enabling the vehicle to be started, moved, or engine idled in response to identifying the driver of the vehicle. Recording operating data includes automatically recording the mileage from the vehicle mileage sensing system; the mileage, engine use, time, and date obtained from the vehicle data bus; and the location, time, and date obtained from the global navigation satellite system. Recording the duty status can include automatically determining a change in the duty status and at least one of the time, date and location of the change in the duty status from the operating data. Recording the duty status includes logging a change in the duty, status from a manual input by the driver. The fuel tax log is used to create an IFTA (International Fuel Tax Agreement) compliant fuel tax report. The method includes manually inputting an indication of a border crossing. When team driving, the method includes logging the duty status of a first driver of the vehicle with the on-board recorder; identifying a next driver of the vehicle with the on-board recorder; logging the duty status of the first driver and the next driver of the vehicle with the on-board recorder; and importing data for an hours of service log for the next driver into the on-board recorder from at least one of a portable memory device and a wireless telecommunications network. The fuel tax log can be created for a single vehicle having the first driver and the second driver. The method includes calibrating mileage received from the vehicle mileage sensing system using data received from the global navigation satellite system or using vehicle tire size, and providing mileage from the recorder to an odometer display and to the vehicle data bus. An exceptions report can be created from the comparison of the driver's hours of service log to the applicable requirement, and a cause of being out-of-compliance displayed to the driver. The method includes encrypting the operating data, the hours of service log, the fuel tax log, and the compliance signal emitted from the recorder to ensure data integrity. Operating data can be modified by a driver input and/or by a fleet carrier input, and any alterations of operating data recorded with a track changes function of the on-board recorder and/or on the host server. The hours of service log can be displayed, for example, inside or outside the vehicle on an external display, as a graphical grid. Automatically uploading includes uploading over a pager connection, a cellular telephone connection, a wide area network connection, an infrared connection, a radio connection, and/or a satellite connection. Automatically uploading includes uploading during an off-peak operating period, for example between 1:00 am and 5:00 am and/or on a weekend, for a wireless telecommunications network. Automatically uploading includes attempting to upload at least daily first over a least expensive connection and, if unsuccessful, then over at least one next least expensive connection, and uploading over a satellite connection when successive daily uploads are unsuccessful. Automatically uploading includes attempting to upload at least daily first over a predetermined wireless telecommunications network connection and, if unsuccessful, then over another predetermined wireless telecommunications network. Automatic uploading is an uploading of the current day, previous days, or day prior to the previous day hours of service and/or fuel tax logs. The method includes uploading to the second receiver external to the vehicle when a compliance status check is requested by law enforcement, and/or when the vehicle is within a predetermined range of the second receiver. The second receiver is located, for example, on a handheld device, along a highway, at a weigh station, or within a law enforcement vehicle. The compliance signal is uploaded, for example, through a wired or wireless connection connected to a data port inside or outside of the vehicle. The hours of service log is output to, for example, a display on the on-board recorder, a display on an external display device, the second receiver, or a wired connection connected to a data port inside or outside of the vehicle. The output of the hours of service log occurs responsive to a request from, for example, the driver, a fleet carrier, or the authorities. A data transfer and storage device can be placed in communication with the on-board recorder; and the hours of service log, fuel tax log, and the compliance signal uploaded to the data transfer and storage device. The receiver to which the logs are automatically uploaded is, for example, a host server, and the fuel tax logs are uploaded from the host server to an external server that creates and files fuel tax reports. In particular embodiments, the method may include notifying the driver if a particular event occurs, for example, notifying the driver to log into the recorder if the vehicle moves and the driver has not logged in, emitting an out-of-compliance signal if the driver is not logged in within a predetermined period, notifying the driver to log operating data on a paper log if the recorder is malfunctioning, and notifying a driver when the driver is nearing the end of an hours of service parameter. The driver can be notified by, for example, a text message, a visual indicator, and/or an audible signal. Compliance can be indicated by red, yellow, and green lights. A light on the recorder can be flashed when the driver is within a first predetermined time period of the end of the parameter, and another light on the recorder flashed when the driver is within another predetermined time period of the end of the parameter. The carrier can also be notified when the driver is nearing the end of a parameter. The method can also include emitting a signal indicating whether the recorder is present. The method further includes, for example, the driver certifying the hours of service log prior to the automatic upload, and initiating a self-diagnostic function on the recorder upon a predetermined event. The predetermined event is at least one of a vehicle start, once in a 24-hour cycle, upon demand by law enforcement, and upon demand by the driver. According to another aspect, a method for logging and reporting driver activity and vehicle operation includes recording only the following operating data mileage obtained from at least one of the vehicle mileage sensing system and the vehicle data bus; engine use, time, and date obtained from the vehicle data bus; and location, time, and date obtained from the global navigation satellite system. According to another aspect, an on-board recorder for logging and reporting driver activity and vehicle operation includes a memory device configured to store operating data; a power supply; a first interface configured to connect to a vehicle mileage sensing system; a second interface configured to connect to an vehicle data bus of the vehicle; a receiver configured to link with a global navigation satellite system; at least one data portal configured to upload data from the memory device to a receiver external to the vehicle using a wireless telecommunications network, and supporting a connection with a receiver external to the vehicle and under control of authorities; a driver interface configured to record driver identification information input by a driver of the vehicle and duty status input by the driver; a processor operatively connected to the memory device for processing encoded instructions, recording operating data, and creating an hours of service log, a fuel tax log, and determining whether the driver is in compliance with an applicable requirement; and a display. According to another aspect, a system for logging and reporting driver activity and vehicle operation includes an on-board recorder; wired connection between the on-board recorder and the vehicle data bus; a first server connected with the vehicle through the wireless telecommunications network, the on-board recorder being configured to automatically download the hours of service log, the fuel tax log, and the compliance signal; and a second server connected with the first server and configured to receive the fuel tax log, the second server including a computer readable media encoded with one or more computer programs for filing fuel tax reports based on the fuel tax log. According to another aspect, a device for logging and reporting driver activity and vehicle operation includes one or more of the following means: means for identifying a driver of a vehicle and recording operating data; means for recording a duty status of the driver; means for creating an hours of service log; means for creating a fuel tax log; means for comparing the driver's hours of service log to an applicable requirement; means for indicating to the driver with the on-board recorder whether the driver is in-compliance or out-of-compliance with the applicable requirement; means for automatically uploading the hours of service log and the fuel tax log to a receiver external to the vehicle; and means for emitting a compliance signal representative of whether the driver is in-compliance or out-of-compliance with the applicable governmental reporting requirement to a second receiver external to the vehicle and under control of authorities. According to another aspect, a method includes one or more of the following and/or an apparatus includes one or more of the following means for: identifying one or more drivers of a vehicle; verifying the identity of the one or more drivers by at least one of biometric and visual means; determining driver hours of service for more than one driver concurrently; recording driver hours of service for more than one driver concurrently; uploading data via a least cost method over a wireless telecommunications network; uploading through the recorder, via a wireless telecommunications network, driver identity, whether or not verified; identifying a driver, tying identity information to a driver record, determining driver hours of service, recording hours of service, uploading hours of service via a wireless telecommunications network, and optionally verifying identity information and optionally tying verification information to the driver record. According to another aspect, a method includes one or more of the following and/or an apparatus includes one or more of the following means for: determining miles driven by a vehicle; recording miles driven by a vehicle; determining at least one of present and past location of a vehicle within a jurisdiction; determining at least one of present and past location of a vehicle between jurisdictions; determining border crossings between jurisdictions; recording at least one of present and past location of a vehicle within a jurisdiction; recording at least one of present and past location of a vehicle within two or more jurisdictions; recording border crossings between jurisdictions; uploading via a wireless telecommunications network at least one of present and past location of a vehicle within a jurisdiction; uploading via a wireless telecommunications network at least one of present and past location of a vehicle within two or more jurisdictions; uploading via a wireless telecommunications network border crossings between jurisdictions; and uploading via a least cost method over a wireless telecommunications network at least one of present and past location of a vehicle within a jurisdiction, at least one of present and past location of a vehicle within two or more jurisdictions, and/or border crossings between jurisdictions. According to another aspect, a method includes one or more of the following and/or an apparatus includes one or more of the following means for: calculating, for example, periodically, when interrogated by authorities, or continuously, whether or not a driver is driving within parameters established by at least one of law(s) or regulation(s); wirelessly notifying, signaling, alerting or informing authorities that a driver is not in compliance with applicable hours of service laws or regulations; transmitting driver hours of service data to law enforcement via at least one of a wired connection, portable memory device and wirelessly, displaying data residing on the recorder via at least one of a wired connection, portable memory device and wirelessly, displaying remaining time for driver hours of service in at least one duty status generated from the recorder; exchanging data between the recorder and devices used to pump fuel into a vehicle; determining a driver's hours of service in compliance with home country and country of operation laws and regulations determining more than one driver's hours of service concurrently in compliance with home country and country of operation laws and regulations; and displaying hours of service data in any one or more languages. According to another aspect, a method includes one or more of the following and/or an apparatus includes one or more of the following means for: identifying the location at which a trailer is at least one of tethered or un-tethered from a vehicle; recording the location at which a trailer is at least one of tethered or un-tethered from a vehicle; uploading the location at which a trailer is at least one of tethered or un-tethered from a vehicle; identifying the location of a trailer tethered to a vehicle; recording the location of a trailer tethered to a vehicle; and uploading the location of a trailer tethered to a vehicle. The details of one or more embodiments of the invention are set forth in the accompanying drawings and the description below. Other features, objects, and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the description and drawings, and from the claims. | G06Q20405 | 20171215 | 20180419 | 72745.0 | G06Q2040 | 3 | NGUYEN, TAN QUANG | System for logging and reporting driver activity and operation data of a vehicle | UNDISCOUNTED | 1 | CONT-ACCEPTED | G06Q | 2,017 |
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15,846,286 | PENDING | USER INTERFACE FOR HOSPITAL BED | A user module for a patient support apparatus is provided. The user module has a user interface operably coupled thereto. The user interface includes an input device and an output device. The output device includes a visual display including textual and non-textual elements. The non-textual elements include enhanced, graphical, and animated portions relating to one or more operational features of the patient support or to a person positionable on the patient support. The input device includes one or more touch sensors corresponding to defined regions of the visual display. | 1. (canceled) 2. A patient support apparatus, comprising: a support surface, a user module operably coupled to the support surface, a display operably coupled to the user module, the display being configured to graphically display a graphical depiction of a person positioned on the support surface responsive to a selection made by a user relating to an alarm function of the patient support apparatus. 3. The patient support apparatus of claim 2, wherein the graphical depiction of a person includes an arrow and a portion of the graphical depiction of a person positioned on the support surface. 4. The patient support apparatus of claim 2, wherein the graphical depiction of a person includes concentric circles and a portion of the graphical depiction of a person positioned on the support surface. 5. The patient support apparatus of claim 2, wherein the display is further configured to substantially simultaneously display current data relating to the alarm function and current data relating to at least one therapy function of the patient support apparatus. 6. The patient support apparatus of claim 2, wherein the display is configured to display a first region including a first selectable option and a second region spaced from the first region, the second region includes a second selectable option, the first selectable option is displayed in a first color and the second selectable option is displayed in a second color contrasting with the first color. 7. The patient support apparatus of claim 6, wherein the second selectable option is displayed in the second color prior to selection by a user of the second selectable option and the second selectable option is displayed in a third color contrasting with the second color and the first color after selection by a user of the second selectable option. 8. The patient support apparatus of claim 7, wherein the second color is green and the third color is red. 9. The patient support apparatus of claim 2, wherein the display is further configured to display in a data region current data relating to a function of the patient support apparatus or a characteristic of a patient positionable on the support surface, and the data region is defined relative to the rest of the display by yellow highlighting. 10. The patient support apparatus of claim 2, further comprising a user control to configure a setting of the patient support apparatus, the user control including a touch sensor associated with a graphical depiction of the user control displayed on the display, wherein the depiction of the user control includes a first numerical value representative of the current configuration of the setting, the user control is configured to enable a user to select a second numerical value indicative of a second configuration for the setting by applying one touch to the touch sensor, and the depiction of the user control automatically changes to replace the first numerical value with the second numerical value on the user control when the second numerical value is selected by the user. 11. The patient support apparatus of claim 2, wherein the alarm function includes bed exit and head angle alarms. 12. A patient support apparatus, comprising: a siderail, a user module coupled to the siderail, and a display operably coupled to the user module, the display being configured to display a graphical depiction of a person positioned on a support surface responsive to a selection made by a user relating to an alarm function of the patient support apparatus. 13. The patient support apparatus of claim 12, wherein the graphical depiction of a person includes an arrow and a portion of the graphical depiction of a person positioned on the support surface. 14. The patient support apparatus of claim 12, wherein the graphical depiction of a person includes concentric circles and a portion of the graphical depiction of a person positioned on the support surface. 15. The patient support apparatus of claim 12, wherein the display is further configured to substantially simultaneously display current data relating to the alarm function and current data relating to at least one therapy function of the patient support apparatus. 16. The patient support apparatus of claim 12, wherein the display is configured to display a first region including a first selectable option and a second region spaced from the first region, the second region includes a second selectable option, the first selectable option is displayed in a first color and the second selectable option is displayed in a second color contrasting with the first color. 17. The patient support apparatus of claim 16, wherein the second selectable option is displayed in the second color prior to selection by a user of the second selectable option and the second selectable option is displayed in a third color contrasting with the second color and the first color after selection by a user of the second selectable option. 18. The patient support apparatus of claim 17, wherein the second color is green and the third color is red. 19. The patient support apparatus of claim 12, wherein the display is further configured to display in a data region current data relating to a function of the patient support apparatus or a characteristic of a patient positionable on the suppport surface, and the data region is defined relative to the rest of the display by yellow highlighting. 20. The patient support apparatus of claim 12, further comprising a user control to configure a setting of the patient support apparatus, the user control including a touch sensor associated with a graphical depiction of the user control displayed on the display, wherein the depiction of the user control includes a first numerical value representative of the current configuration of the setting, the user control is configured to enable a user to select a second numerical value indicative of a second configuration for the setting by applying one touch to the touch sensor, and the depiction of the user control automatically changes to replace the first numerical value with the second numerical value on the user control when the second numerical value is selected by the user. 21. The patient support apparatus of claim 12, wherein the alarm function includes bed exit and head angle alarms. | RELATED APPLICATIONS This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/075,610, filed Mar. 21, 2016, now U.S. Pat. No. 9,849,051 and also a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/069,484, filed Nov. 1, 2013, now U.S. Pat. No. 9,320,664, and also a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/960,287, filed Dec. 19, 2007, now U.S. Pat. No. 8,572,778, which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/982,300, filed Oct. 24, 2007, and claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/921,192, filed Mar. 30, 2007, all of which are incorporated herein by this reference. This application is related to U.S. Utility patent application Ser. No. 11/672,274, filed Feb. 7, 2007, entitled USER MODULE FOR A PATIENT SUPPORT, to Newkirk, et al., and PCT Patent Application Serial No. PCT/US06/61795, filed Feb. 7, 2007 entitled USER MODULE FOR A PATIENT SUPPORT, to Newkirk et al., both of which are incorporated herein by this reference. BACKGROUND Patient supports, such as hospital beds, mattresses, stretchers, operating room tables, and the like, are commonly used in a variety of care environments to facilitate patient care and transport. User modules are often provided to enable a user to perform a variety of automated functions relating to a patient support. Examples of such automated functions include raising or lowering one or more sections of the patient support, adjusting the configuration of a bed frame or support surface or a portion thereof, and activating or deactivating selected therapies, alarms, communications, and other automated features of the patient support. As such, user modules may be operably coupled to a bed and/or support surface controller or control system, a remote computer, an air supply or other like service supply or supplies. Many conventional user modules are either fixed in or coupled to a siderail or footboard of a patient support, or are provided as pendants or removable modules that may be stored in the siderail or footboard and removed for use. Healthcare professionals often have many demanding responsibilities and need to work as efficiently as possible. However, many conventional patient support user modules are cumbersome for a caregiver or technician to use due to a non-intuitive design, inefficient feedback from the module or other reasons. Such shortcomings can result in reduced efficiency of caregivers and other healthcare professionals. Clear, succinct, easy to understand instructions for using the module are often desirable. Non-textual indicators that can quickly be understood without requiring fluency in any particular language may also be desirable. Particularly with graphic displays, lack of user-friendly feedback can leave users in doubt as to whether their input selections have been accepted by the user module. Additionally, with larger amounts of informational content being provided on compact displays available to caregivers in patient care environments, verification of a single changed parameter on such displays can become exceedingly difficult. Further, the lack of a clear, easy to understand or current depiction of information such as the patient's weight, therapeutic settings, status of the patient support, and historical data can result in not only inefficiencies but also user frustration if the caregiver's time must be spent figuring out how to use the module rather than on providing patient care. Some patient supports are configured to provide therapeutic functions or features to the patient, for example, pressure redistribution, turning assistance, rotation, percussion and vibration, low air loss, and the like. Pressure redistribution generally refers to efforts to reduce or redistribute pressure away from parts of the patient's body that are in frequent contact with the patient support, in an effort to reduce the risk of the patient developing pressure ulcers or bed sores. Turning assistance refers to a feature in which either longitudinal side of the bed or mattress is automatically raised to assist a caregiver in turning the patient onto his or her side. In general, rotation therapy provides periodic rotational motion for the patient in order to avoid physiological issues related to prolonged confinement to a patient support apparatus. In patients that have pulmonary infections or conditions, rotation may also be used to help mobilize the secretions of the lungs by angling the chest so that secretions can move away from the affected lobe. Percussion and vibration are also therapies directed to pulmonary infections such as pneumonia and other lung complications. In general, percussion helps mobilize secretions from the lung, while vibration helps columnize the secretions to help create a productive cough. Low air loss generally refers to a process whereby air is circulated underneath the patient to provide a cooling effect. Patient supports that provide one or more of such automated therapy functions and features also have a user interface for a caregiver to control the operation of such features. Because such features often involve movement of the patient, appropriate configuring, operation, and duration of the automated therapy function is important. Therefore, it is particularly desirable to address all of the shortcomings of known user modules in this environment. SUMMARY In this disclosure, a user module for a patient support is described. The user module includes a communication interface configured to communicate signals from the user module to a patient support having at least one automated function and being configured to support a patient in at least a substantially horizontal position and to communicate signals from the patient support to the user module. The user module includes an input device configured to receive a signal indicative of a selection made by a user relating to an automated function of the patient support, and an output device including a visual display configured to display a first graphical depiction of a person positioned on a patient support in response to a selection made by a user relating to a first function and to display a second graphical depiction of a person positioned on a patient support in response to a selection made by a user relating to a second function of the patient support. The first graphical depiction includes a first animated element indicative of movement associated with operation of the first function and the second graphical depiction includes a second animated element indicative of movement associated with operation of the second function. The output device may be configured to display the first graphical depiction and the second graphical depiction at the same time. The first animated element may include an arrow and a portion of the graphical depiction of a person positioned on a patient support. The second animated element may include concentric circles and a portion of the graphical depiction of a person positioned on a patient support. The output device may be configured to substantially simultaneously display current data relating to at least one alarm feature of the patient support, current data relating to at least one therapy function of the patient support, and a graphical representation of a patient support including an animated portion indicative of a status of an automated function of the patient support. The output device may be configured to display a first region including a first selectable option and a second region spaced from the first region, where the second region includes a second selectable option, the first selectable option is displayed in a first color and the second selectable option is displayed in a second color contrasting with the first color. The second selectable option may be displayed in the second color prior to selection by a user of the second selectable option and the second selectable option may be displayed in a third color contrasting with the second color after selection by a user of the second selectable option. The second color may be green and the third color may be red. The output device may be configured to display in a data region current data relating to a function of the patient support or a characteristic of a patient positionable on the patient support, where the data region is defined relative to the rest of the display by yellow highlighting. The user module may include a user control to configure a setting of the patient support, the user control including a touch sensor associated with a graphical depiction of the user control displayed on the visual display, wherein the depiction of the user control includes a first numerical value representative of the current configuration of the setting, the user control is configured to enable a user to select a new configuration for the setting with one touch, and the depiction of the user control automatically changes to replace the first numerical value with a second numerical value on the user control when the second numerical value is selected by the user. A patient support apparatus is also described, including a frame having first and second longitudinally spaced ends and first and second laterally spaced sides, a housing positionable adjacent one of the sides or ends of the frame, a user interface supported by the housing, the user interface including a dynamic display and at least one touchscreen control associated with a region of the dynamic display, and at least one electromechanical switch supported by the housing, wherein activation of at least one of the switches activates a display of the user interface. The housing may have a front panel, where the user interface is supported by the front panel, and an electromechanical switch, which is spaced from the user interface on the front panel and electrically coupled to the user interface. Activation of the electromechanical switch may cause a pop-up window to appear on the dynamic display. The user interface and an electromechanical switch may be coupled to a siderail of the patient support. The user interface and an electromechanical switch may alternatively or in addition be coupled to a footboard of the patient support. Also described is a patient support apparatus including a bed having first and second longitudinally spaced ends, first and second laterally spaced sides and at least one computer-controllable function, a controller operably coupled to the bed to control at least one bed function, a plurality of user modules operably coupled to the controller, each user module being configured to display output relating to a bed function and receive input from a user relating to a bed function, and a memory including instructions executable to process a first input received by a first user module and second input received by a second user module and update the displays of the user modules. At least one of the user modules may include a user interface including a graphical element and a touchscreen control. The touchscreen control may be activatable by a user to configure a setting for a bed therapy function for which a single value is selectable from a plurality of values, the plurality of values are displayed on the user interface, and the touchscreen control is configured to enable the user to select a value from the plurality of values by contacting the touchscreen control only one time. The executable instructions may include instructions to display the same output on all of the user modules at the same time. The second user module display may be updated in response to the first input and the first user module display is updated in response to the second input. Also described is a patient support apparatus including a patient support including a computer-controllable weigh system, a user module operably coupled to the bed to control the weigh system, and a memory operably coupled to the user module, where the memory includes executable instructions configured to determine a weight of a patient positioned on the patient support, including instructions to prompt a user to identify one or more items added or removed from the patient support, weigh the patient, and automatically account for weight changes due to the identified items such that the weight change due to the identified items is included in the determination of the patient's weight. The executable instructions may include waiting a period of time before weighing the patient to allow the user time to add or remove items from the patient support. The executable instructions may include waiting a period of time before weighing the patient to allow the user time to let go of the patient support. A patient support apparatus is also described, in which a patient support includes at least one computer-controllable bed function. The apparatus also includes a user module operably coupled to the patient support to control the at least one function of the patient support, and a memory operably coupled to the user module, where the memory includes executable instructions configured to enable a user to set a reminder relating to at least one patient support function, including instructions to prompt the user to set a predetermined amount of time after which the user module will generate an alert relating to a patient support function, and cause the user module to generate the alert if the predetermined amount of time has elapsed. The instructions may include permitting a user to set a first reminder relating to a turning assistance function, a second reminder relating to a rotation therapy function, and a third reminder relating to a percussion and vibration function. A patient support apparatus including a patient support, a communications port and a user module is also described. The patient support includes a frame having first and second laterally spaced sides and first and second longitudinally spaced ends, and a plurality of automated functions. The communications port includes a connector to connect with a remote device having a memory and programming information stored in the memory of the remote device. The user module is operably coupled to the communications port and to the patient support. The user module is usable to control operation of at least one of the automated functions of the patient support. The user module includes an input mechanism, a display, a memory, programming information stored in the memory, a processor, and electrical circuitry. The programming information of the user module includes instructions executable to cause the user module to automatically detect connection of a remote device to the communications port. The programming information of the user module may include executable instructions to receive programming information from the remote device via the communications port. The programming information of the user module may include executable instructions to update the display of the user module when programming information is received from the remote device. The patient support may include a network and a plurality of function modules coupled to the network, and the programming information of the user module may include executable instructions to provide programming information received from the remote device to a function module over the network. Patentable subject matter may include one or more features or combinations of features shown or described anywhere in this disclosure including the written description, drawings, and claims. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The detailed description of the drawings refers to the following figures in which: FIG. 1 is a simplified perspective view of an embodiment of a patient support, with portions cut away, including a siderail-mounted user module including a dynamic display and touch-sensitive controls, and a plurality of hardpanel controls; FIG. 2 is a block diagram of an architecture of a patient support apparatus including a patient support, a plurality of function modules, a controller and a user module; FIG. 3 is a timing diagram illustrating interaction between a user module, a controller, and one or more function modules of a patient support apparatus; FIG. 4 is perspective view of a user module mounted at an angle in a siderail adjacent a region of the siderail that includes hardpanel controls, where the user module has a graphical user interface including a graphical display region, text display regions, highlighting, and user controls; FIG. 5 is a screen shot of a user interface for weigh scale features of a patient support, including instructional information, text data, graphical data, selective highlighting, and user controls; FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating steps in the operation of the weigh scale features including weighing a patient, zeroing the scale, adjusting the weight, converting the weight from kilograms to pounds, and viewing a patient's weight history; FIG. 7 is a screen shot of a user interface for an adjust weight feature of a patient support, including graphical icons, text, selective highlighting, and user controls relating to an option to manually change a patient's weight and an option to automatically account for items in the patient's bed when weighing the patient; FIG. 8 is a screen shot of a user interface including information relating to the automatic weight adjustment feature, a graphical icon, selective highlighting, and user controls; FIG. 9 is a screen shot of a user interface for alarms features of a patient support, including text, graphics, selective highlighting and user controls for a bed exit alarm, a head angle alarm, work flow alerts, and viewing a patient's history of alarms; FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating steps in the operation of the alarms features including a bed exit alarm, a head angle alarm, work flow alerts, and viewing a patient's history of alarms; FIG. 11 is a screen shot of a user interface for surfaces features of a patient support, including text, graphical icons, user controls, selective highlighting and selective coloration; FIG. 12 is a diagram illustrating surface feature options of a patient support; FIG. 13 is a screen shot of a user interface for activating a reminder feature of a patient support including text, graphical icons, user controls, reverse highlighting, selective coloration, and a “one-touch” pop-up input region; FIG. 14 is a screen shot of a user interface for therapy features of a patient support, including graphical elements, text, user controls, and highlighting for rotation and percussion and vibration features; FIG. 15 is a diagram illustrating steps in the operation of therapy features for rotation and percussion and vibration; FIG. 16 is a screen shot of a user interface for a rotation feature of a patient support including text, instructions, data, graphical icons, user controls, selective highlighting and selective coloration; FIG. 17 is a screen shot of a user interface for configuring rotation settings including text, instructions, graphical elements, user controls, reverse highlighting, selective coloration, and a one touch pop-up input region; FIG. 18 is a screen shot of a user interface for selecting a rotation training feature of a patient support, including text, instructions, graphical elements, user controls, reverse highlighting, selective coloration, and a pop-up region; FIG. 19 is a screen shot of a user interface for displaying information relating to a rotation feature while the rotation feature is in operation, including text, numerical data, graphical icons, user controls and selective coloration; FIG. 20 is a screen shot of a user interface for a main menu displayed while a therapy is in operation, including text, static graphical elements, animated graphical elements, data, user controls, selective highlighting, and selective coloration, where current data relating to alarms, bed status, bed connectivity, therapy status is all displayed on a single screen; FIG. 21 is a screen shot of a user interface for a main menu displayed while a therapy is paused, including text, static graphical elements, animated graphical elements, data, user controls, selective highlighting, reverse highlighting, and selective coloration, where current data relating to alarms, bed status, bed connectivity, therapy status is all displayed on a single screen; FIG. 22 is a screen shot of a user interface for configuring settings for a percussion and vibration feature of a patient support, including text, instructions, numerical data, user controls, graphical elements, selective highlighting, and selective coloration; FIG. 23 is another screen shot of a user interface for configuring settings for a percussion and vibration feature, including text, instructions, graphical elements, user controls, reverse highlighting, selective coloration, and a one touch pop-up input region; FIG. 24 is another screen shot of a user interface for configuring settings for a percussion and vibration feature including text, graphical elements, user controls, and selective highlighting; FIG. 25 is a screen shot of a user interface for displaying information relating to a percussion and vibration feature while the rotation feature is in operation, including text, numerical data, graphical icons, user controls and selective coloration; FIG. 26 is a screen shot of a user interface for a main menu displayed while a therapy is running, including text, static graphical elements, animated graphical elements, data, user controls, selective highlighting, and selective coloration, where current data relating to alarms, bed status, bed connectivity, and therapy status is all displayed on a single screen; FIG. 27 is a screen shot of a user interface for patient history features of a patient support, including graphical elements, text, user controls and selective highlighting; FIG. 28 is a screen shot of a user interface for displaying information relating to a bed exit alarm of a patient support, including text, graphical elements, selective highlighting, and user controls; FIG. 29 is a screen shot of a user interface for displaying information relating to a head angle alarm of a patient support, including text, graphical elements, selective highlighting, and user controls; FIG. 30 is a screen shot of a user interface for configuring settings relating to a display of information relating to a head angle alarm, including text, graphical elements, reverse highlighting, and a one touch pop up input region; FIG. 31 is a perspective view of a patient support including multiple user modules and docking regions for the user modules on the patient support; FIG. 32 is a simplified block diagram of components of a system including a patient support, a controller and multiple user modules; FIG. 33 is simplified block diagram of components of another system including a patient support, a controller, multiple user modules, and a network connecting the controller, the user modules and the patient support; FIG. 34 is a bottom perspective view of a user module including a data and logic connectivity port; FIG. 35 is a simplified perspective view of an embodiment of a patient support apparatus including siderail-mounted user modules, including a dynamic display, touch-sensitive controls, and a plurality of hardpanel controls located adjacent to the dynamic display; and FIGS. 36A-36D are a simplified schematic of an electrical system for the patient support apparatus of FIG. 35. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS This disclosure refers to illustrative embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings and described herein. An embodiment of a patient support 10 including a head end 12 and a foot end 14 is depicted in FIG. 1, with portions of the head and foot ends 12, 14 not shown. In general, patient support 10 includes a bed frame having a base 16, a deck 18, an upper or intermediate frame 20, a lift mechanism 30 configured to raise and lower frame 20 relative to base 16, head articulation mechanism 32 configured to raise and lower a head and/or upper torso section of deck 18, foot articulation mechanism 34 configured to raise and lower a foot, leg, and/or lower torso section of deck 18. As such, patient support 10 may be configurable to assume a variety of positions including a horizontal position, a chair-like position, Trendelenburg, reverse Trendelenburg and/or other positions. In this disclosure, unless specifically stated otherwise, the term “patient support” may be used to refer to a bed, a patient support surface, mattress, or a bed and surface or mattress combination, “bed” may be used to refer to a hospital bed, stretcher, or other similar device for supporting a person in at least a horizontal position, and a “surface” or “mattress” may include powered or nonpowered surfaces with or without built-in therapeutic features. The TotalCare® bed, sold by the Hill-Rom Company, Inc. of Batesville, Ind., U.S.A., is an example of a patient support. Barriers such as endboards and/or siderails may be provided adjacent the perimeter of patient support 10. In FIG. 1, an exemplary footboard 14 and siderails 22, 24 are illustrated. Footboard 14 is mounted to frame 20 adjacent the foot end 14. A headboard (not shown) may additionally be mounted to frame 20 adjacent the head end 12. Siderails 22, 24 are pivotably mounted to frame 20 via couplers 26. Wheels or casters also may be provided to provide mobility of the bed. One or more sensors 28, 36, 38 may be provided to enable automatic detection of a change in position of patient support 10 or a portion thereof. One or more siderail sensors 28 may be coupled to each siderail 22, 24 to transmit a signal to a control system (described below) to indicate that a siderail is being raised or lowered or is in an “up” or “down” position. Sensors 28 may include reed switches, proximity sensors, or the like. A head of bed angle sensor 36 transmits a signal to a control system to indicate that the head section of the patient support is being raised or lowered, or is in an “up” or “down” position, or is at a particular angle relative to the bed frame 20 or other horizontal axis, or is within or outside a particular range of angles. Similarly, a foot of bed angle sensor 38 transmits a signal to a control system to indicate that the foot section of the patient support is being raised or lowered, or is in an “up” or “down” position, or is at a particular angle relative to a horizontal axis or frame 20, or is within or outside a particular range of angles. In general, angle sensors 36, 38 may include potentiometers, ball switches, accelerometers, inclinometers, or any other type of device that is usable to measure or determine an angle or relative position and produce an output relating to the angle or position. A patient support surface 40 is supportable by deck 18. In general, patient support surface 40 includes a cover defining an interior region in which a variety of support components such as air bladders, foam, three-dimensional thermoplastic fibers, and/or other support elements may be arranged. In the illustrated embodiment, air bladders are configured to provide one or more therapeutic services to a person positioned on the surface 40. A user module 42 and one or more hardpanel controls 44 are operably coupled to patient support 10 to enable a person to electronically control one or more features of the patient support, including positioning of the bed or mattress, and activation or deactivation of therapy functions and other features of the bed or mattress. User module 42 has a display configured to show graphics 46 and touchscreen controls 48. In general, user module 42 includes a “dynamic” interface, meaning that the display including graphics 46 and controls 48 can change substantially in real time, as bed functions and features are activated, in progress, or deactivated, or as a patient's position or physiological status changes, for example. In general, hardpanel controls 44 are electromechanical switches such as membrane buttons or keys that may be depressed, turned or otherwise physically displaced to some degree, to activate or deactivate a bed function or feature. In FIG. 1, user module 42 and hardpanel controls 44 are shown mounted to siderail 22. Alternatively or in addition, one or more user modules 42 and/or hardpanel controls 44 may be coupled to other barriers, such as siderail 24 or footboard 14, or may be coupled to patient support 10 by a mounting bracket, beam, or support, or may be positionable adjacent or alongside of patient support 10, such as on a service cart, support column, overbed table, or the like. One or more of controls 42, 44 may be wirelessly connected to patient support 10 and thereby movable remotely from patient support 10. For example, controls 42, 44 may be embodied in a portable housing that may be removably attachable to a caregiver such as by clipping to a labcoat, pocket, belt or waistband. FIG. 2 diagrammatically illustrates a control system 50 for a patient support 52 including many of the aspects of patient support 10 described above. The system 50 includes one or more function or feature modules 60, 62, 64, 66, 68, 70, 72, 74, 76, 78 operably coupled to patient support 52 and a main controller 54 via one or more communication links 56, and at least one user module 58. The system 50 is configurable to add additional feature or function modules or remove existing feature or function modules as may be required according to a particular use of the patient support, usage setting (i.e. hospital, clinical or home environment), patient type (i.e., immobile, bariatric, ICU, maternity, etc.), or other parameters. In general, the term “module” describes programming logic embodying commands, data, and/or instructions relating to a feature or function of the bed or mattress. The programming logic is stored in a memory such as volatile or non-volatile computer memory. The memory may be included in an integrated circuit mounted on a circuit board or substrate, which may be coupled to or embedded in a physical component of the bed or mattress, such as a frame member, lift or articulating mechanism, barrier, mattress ticking, mattress interior component, or the like. In general, memory as disclosed here and elsewhere herein may take the form of a permanent, temporary or portable storage device, recordable media or other components configured to retain information in digital form for some interval of time, and may include semiconductor-based integrated circuitry (such as flash memory), magnetic storage (such as hard disks), optical storage (such as CD disks), or the like. As shown in FIG. 2, each of the function or feature modules 60, 62, 64, 66, 68, 70, 72, 74, 76, 78 is coupled to patient support 52 by electrical and/or mechanical couplings 100, 102, 104, 106, 108, 110, 112, 114, 116, 118 and is coupled to one or more communication links 56 by electrical and/or communication couplings 118, 120, 122, 124, 126 128, 130, 132, 134, 136. Mechanical couplings may include a mounting bracket, hook, strap, adhesive or other suitable mounting structure or fastener. Electrical couplings may include insulated wiring, fiber optics, wireless connection, or other suitable data, logic and/or power conduit. Communication couplings may include a hard-wired or network (wired and/or wireless) connection. Communication link(s) 56 are coupled to controller 54 via link 138. User module 58 may be coupled to controller by links 56 and 140 or link 140 may be directly coupled to controller 54. In general, each function or feature module is configured to operate or control one or more predetermined features or functions of the bed or mattress. Each module includes a memory such as volatile or non-volatile computer memory, in which a module identifier is stored. The module identifier 80, 82, 84, 86, 88, 90, 92, 94, 96, 98 for each module is unique relative to all of the other modules coupled to the patient support 52, so that each module can be independently identified to the system 50. Scale module 60 has a memory including programming logic to operate the patient weighing feature of the bed, including accepting user input from user module 58 relating to the “zero” or tare of the scale, or input relating to patient characteristics and the like. User input may be saved in the memory of the scale module 60. Scale module 60 may also have a processor, such as an embedded microprocessor, configured to perform certain operations locally at the module. Scale module 60 includes at least one communication interface for communicating data and/or instructional signals to and from controller 54 and/or user module 58. Other feature or function modules are configured similarly to scale module 60 in that they have module identifiers and their own memory, software, and processors. Alarms module 62 includes programming logic and data to operate alarms and/or alerts associated with patient support 52, including a bed exit alarm triggerable by a patient exiting the bed or approaching a bed exit (e.g. positioned on the side or edge of the bed), a “siderail down” alert triggerable by lowering of a siderail alone or in combination with attempted activation or deactivation of another bed or mattress function or feature, a head or foot of bed angle alarm triggerable by the head or foot of bed angle going above, below or equaling a defined value or range of values, and nurse call, patient status, and “workflow” features such as may be provided by the Navicare™ patient flow system, the COMLinx®, OnSite™, and/or Vocera systems sold by the Hill-Rom Company, Inc. of Batesville, Ind. Alarms module 62 includes programming logic to automatically determine whether a particular patient support as configured includes any functions or features that have an alarm associated with them, and then provides a user interface to enable a caregiver or other user to configure the settings for the alarms and activate and deactivate the alarms. Surface module 64 includes programming logic and data to operate certain therapeutic features of a patient support, such as turning assistance, maximum inflate, pressure redistribution, and the like. Rotation module 66 includes programming logic and data to operate a rotation therapy feature of the mattress that is often directed to relieving a patient's respiratory complications. Percussion and vibration module 68 includes programming logic and data to operate a percussion and vibration therapy feature of the mattress that is also often directed to relieving a patient's respiratory complications. Head angle module 70 includes programming logic and data to monitor the head of bed angle via signals received from a sensor such as head angle sensor 36 and communicate information to alarms module 62. Head angle module 70 may also include logic configured to output data indicative of the head of bed angle or an audible or visual indicator thereof on an output device such as may be provided with user module 58. Similarly, foot angle module 72 includes programming logic and data to monitor the foot of bed angle via signals received from a sensor such as foot angle sensor 38 and communicate information to alarms module 62. Foot angle module 72 may also include logic configured to output data indicative of the foot of bed angle or an audible or visual indicator thereof on an output device such as may be provided with user module 58. Siderail module 74 includes programming logic and data to monitor the position of a siderail coupled to the patient support 52 and communicate information to alarms module 62. Siderail module 74 may also include logic configured to output data indicative of the siderail status or an audible or visual indicator thereof on an output device such as may be provided with user module 58. Bed exit module 76 includes programming logic and data to monitor the position of a patient relative to the bed, via signals received from one or more position sensors coupled to the bed or mattress. Bed exit module 76 communicates information to alarms module 62. Bed exit module 76 may also include logic configured to output data indicative of the patient position or an audible or visual indicator thereof on an output device such as may be provided with user module 58. Upgrade and/or diagnostics module 78 includes programming logic and data to detect when an upgrade, fix, patch, new version or new release of programming logic associated with one of the other modules has become available, and provide audible or visual prompts to a service technician or other authorized person via a user module 58 to perform the upgrade. Alternatively or in addition, module 78 includes software to run diagnostic tests on other modules or components of the bed system, or on the bed system as a whole. Diagnostics software, upgrades, fixes, patches, new versions, new releases, and the like may be transferred or uploaded from a portable device such as a memory stick, which is connected to a communication port of the module 78, or via another suitable file transfer mechanism. Controller 54 generally controls and coordinates the operation of the function or feature modules 60, 62, 64, 66, 68, 70, 72, 74, 76, 78 and interaction with the patient support 52 and user module 58. For these purposes, controller 54 includes a communication interface 142 operably coupled to communication link 56 via link 138, an embedded processor 146, a memory 144 including programming logic 154 and data 156, and a communication interface 148 to connect the system 50 to an external network 152 such as a telecommunications network. A power supply or power conduit 150 may provide power directly or indirectly to controller 54. In general, power supply or conduit 150 includes a battery power supply and a connector configured to conduct power received from another source (such as a wall outlet), including power conversion components. Although not shown for simplicity, user module 58 and each of the function or feature modules 60, 62, 64, 66, 68, 70, 72, 74, 76, 78 generally includes a power supply or power conduit as well. User module 58 is configured to enable a person to interact with, operate, configure and/or control the bed system 50 substantially in real time. For these purposes, user module 58 includes a communication interface 158 operably coupled to communication link 56 via link 140, an embedded processor 160, a memory 166 including programming logic 168, data 170, and a user module identifier 172, an input device 162 and an output device 164. Link 140 may be directly connected to controller 54 as mentioned above. Input device 162 includes a touch sensor in the form of touchscreen controls. Output device 164 includes a liquid-crystal or similar display. In the illustrated embodiment, output device 164 includes a high pixel density (e.g. more than 640×480 pixel resolution) and high contrast screen and backlighting to improve visibility from various angles, and the touchscreen 162 is layered above the LCD display. In one embodiment, input device 162 and output device 164 are provided together as one device, such as models manufactured by Okaya Electric Industries Co., Ltd., of Tokyo, Japan or the OSD TN84 LCD and touchscreen. Alternatively or in addition, input device 162 may include a microphone, voice or sound recognition device, keypad, or membrane-style controls, and output device 164 may include a speaker, LEDs, or other like indicators. FIG. 3 is a high-level timing diagram showing interaction between a user module 180, a controller 182 and a function or feature module 184. User module 180, controller 182 and function or feature module are components of a patient support system generally configured as described above. At block 186, user module 180 receives a signal from a user to activate a bed function or feature. The user signal may be the act of pressing a button, making contact with a touch-sensitive area of a user interface, saying a word recognized by the system, or other action taken by a user. User module 180 sends a message to the controller 182 identifying the selected bed function or feature and indicating that the selected function or feature is to be activated. Controller 182 determines the appropriate function module to activate, and sends an “activate function” message including a destination module identifier and a function identifier to the designated function module 184. Function module 184 sends a message including its function identifier to controller 182 to indicate that the selected function is being activated. Controller 182 then sends a message to user module 180 including the function identifier to indicate via an output device that the selected function has been activated. User module 180 then generates the appropriate output. In the illustrated embodiment, the output is a visual indicator such as a textual message or graphical illustration, but it could alternatively or in addition include an audible indicator or a message sent to a remote device (such as through a nurse call system). The graphical illustration may include an animated graphic that is designed to simulate motion or movement of the patient support resulting from activation of the selected function, to convey the information to a caregiver or user without using language. At block 188, the controller 182 sends a message periodically to the function module 184 to check the progress or status of the selected function, and the function module 184 returns a progress or status message including the function identifier to the controller 182. Upon receiving the progress or status message from the function module 184, controller 182 sends a message to user module 180 to provide an indication of the function's status or progress to the user. User module 180 determines the appropriate indicator to output based on the function identifier and then updates the output device. In the illustrated embodiment, a visual indicator is updated on a display. For example, a “thermometer”-style graphic may be presented, graphically showing the level of completion of the selected function by filling in the amount completed with a contrasting color or shade. Alternatively or in addition, a textual message such as “In Progress” is displayed. At block 190, user module 180 receives a signal from a user to pause the selected bed function or feature. The user signal may be the act of pressing a button, making contact with a touch-sensitive area of a user interface, saying a word recognized by the system, or other action taken by a user. User module 180 sends a message to the controller 182 indicating that the “pause” feature has been activated by a user. Controller 182 determines the proper function module to receive the pause signal and sends a message to the function module 184 with instructions to at least temporarily suspend performing the selected function. Function module 184 returns a message to controller 182 including the function identifier, when the selected function has been paused, and controller 182 sends a message to the user module 180 including the function identifier to give an indication to the user that the selected function is paused. User module 180 then updates the output device. In the illustrated embodiment, a visual display is updated. For example, a “pause” button is converted to a “resume” button after the function has been paused by replacing the word “pause” with the word “resume.” Alternatively or in addition, the color of the button changes from a first color or shade to a second color or shade (such as from red to green). At block 192, controller 182 checks the progress or status of the selected function by sending a message including a function identifier to function module 184. If the selected function has completed its operation, function module 184 returns a “completed” message to controller 182. Controller 182 then sends a message to user module 180 to instruct it to update its output to indicate that the selected function has completed its operation. User module 180 then updates its output relating to the selected function. For example, the “thermometer” described above may be completely filled in with a contrasting color or shade, or a text message may be updated from “In Progress” to “Completed”. Alternatively or in addition, a “stop” button may be converted to a “start” button and the color or shade of the button may change from a first color or shade to a second color or shade (i.e. red to green), to visually indicate without using language that the function is ready to be selected again. FIG. 4 illustrates a portion of a siderail 200 with a user module 204 mounted at an angle, creating a recess 208 from panel 202. Hardpanel controls are positioned on panel 202 adjacent user module 204. User module 204 includes a display 210 supported by a housing 212. Housing 212 is constructed of molded plastic or similarly suitable material. Housing 212 is coupled to siderail 200. Housing 212 may be molded in siderail 200 such that it is an integral part thereof. In other embodiments, such as shown in FIG. 31, housing 212 may be pivotably coupled to siderail 200 and/or entirely removable from siderail 200, to be used as a portable or handheld device, for example. Display 210 includes a first dynamic region 214, a second dynamic region 216, a third dynamic region 218, a fourth dynamic region 220, touchscreen controls 222, 224, 226, 228, 230, 232, and 234, and a fifth dynamic region 236. In the illustrated embodiment, first dynamic region 220 is an informational status area indicating the current status of alarms that have been set or enabled. Region 220 includes a title line (“Active Alarms”). Below the title line, information is displayed if one or more alarms have been set by the caregiver. If no alarms have been activated, the area under the title line appears “blank”. If, as shown, the “out of bed” alarm is activated, a graphical icon indicative of a person standing next to a bed and a textual “out of bed” message is displayed in region 220. If, as shown, the “30 degree head angle” alarm is activated, a graphical icon indicative of a person lying on a bed with the head of bed elevated to 30 degrees and a textual “30 degree head angle” message is displayed in region 220. Other active alarms are similarly displayed. Second dynamic region 220 is an informational status area indicating the current status of the bed. In the illustration, a horizontal text line is provided for each bed status indicator, and for each indicator, a textual description is followed by the current data value for that indicator set off in bold type, contrasting color, or the like. For example, as shown in FIG. 4, the text “Head Angle” is followed by the current actual value of the head of bed angle, displayed in degrees in bold type. Also, as shown, if the bed is connected to an external system or network (such as the NaviCare™ system), the same is indicated in region 220. Third dynamic region 218 is an informational status area indicating the current surface status or status of available therapies, such as “Rotation,” percussion and vibration (“P&V”), “Opti-Rest,” airflow or “low air loss” (“L.A. L.”), and “Surface” (pressure redistribution). In the illustration, a horizontal text line is provided for each therapy indicator, and for each indicator, a textual description is followed by the current data value for that indicator set off in bold type, contrasting color, or the like. For example, as shown, the text “Rotation” is followed by the current actual status of the rotation therapy (“Off”), displayed in bold type. Dynamic region 220 includes a graphical representation of a patient positioned on a patient support including a surface, a patient positioned on the surface in the supine position, siderails, and a footboard. Portions of this graphical representation may become animated in response to activation or deactivation of certain functions, as described below. The illustration of region 220 shown in FIG. 4 represents the bed and patient graphic as displayed when neither the rotation nor the percussion and vibration therapies are active. Touchscreen controls 222, 224, 226, 228, 230 are in the form of function tabs positioned along the lower portion of the display and include both a brief text description of the function and a graphical icon illustrative of the function that may be selected. Controls 232, 234 are generally used less frequently than controls 222, 224, 226, 228, 230 and are therefore positioned in another part of the display as shown. Each control corresponds to a main function or feature of the patient support. The user can quickly switch between functions or features by activating (e.g. by contact) the tab associated with the next desired function or feature. The currently active function tab is set off from the others by a contrasting color or shade. In the illustration, the “main menu” tab 222 is lighter in shade than the other tabs because the “main menu” screen is currently displayed. The title of the currently active screen is also displayed in textual form at region 236. One or more of hardpanel controls 206 may be configured as a “hotkey” or “hotbutton” to cause a change or result on the touchscreen display 204. For example, to conserve power, display 204 “times out” (backlighting is turned off) after a period of time. A first hardpanel control 206 is configured so that when depressed by a user, the backlighting of display 204 is turned back on to “reactivate” a display. As another example, there are certain bed movement functions that are automatically disabled based on certain conditions of the bed. For example, if the siderails are down, the bed may not be able to be moved into “chair” position and rotation therapy may be disabled when any of the siderails are down. A second hardpanel control 206 is configured to automatically put the bed into the chair position. However, if the siderails are down, a pop-up window is displayed on the display 204 informing the user that the siderails need to be raised before the bed can go into chair position. In this way, hardpanel controls 206 may act as an input device 162 by being configured to send input to processor 160, and output device 164 may be configured to display output relating to input received from hardpanel controls 206 and processed by processor 160. Alternatively or in addition, with reference to FIG. 2, display 204 may be considered to be a first user module 58 and hardpanel controls 206 may be considered to be second user module 58, and the modules 204, 206 may communicate over a link 56. FIG. 5 depicts a user interface 250 for a patient weighing function of a patient support. In general, a patient support may be configured to weigh a patient positioned thereon. Illustratively, the patient support may include a weigh frame and a plurality of load beams or cells coupled to the weigh frame. In such event, a scale module 60 is provided. Scale module 60 receives signals from the load cells and determines a weight therefrom. Scale module 60 outputs a signal representative of the weight to a controller or network, to be displayed at the user module, transmitted to a remote device, or other purpose. Interface 250 includes instructional text 252, a graphical representation of a patient's weight history over time 254, a non-text communicative element 256, selective highlighting 258, a “weigh patient” touchscreen control 260, a “zero scale” touchscreen control 262, an “adjust weight” touchscreen control 264, a “kg/lbs” touchscreen control 266, and a “view history” touchscreen control 268 for viewing the history of a patient's weight. Scale tab 270 is set off in contrasting coloring or shading to indicate that it is active as shown. The instructional text 252 is dynamically updated according to functions or features selected by the user. The data area 258 is selectively set off with “highlighting,” i.e. a perceptively different coloration or shading, such as bright yellow, to direct the user's attention in a non-textual way to the data presented therein. The communicative element 256 is shown as a “down arrow” to indicate in a way that does not involve language interpretation that the patient has lost weight during a period of measurement. The time period of measurement may be pre-selected or user-configurable. In the illustrated embodiment, the time period is shown as 24 hours. The graphical representation 254 is, in the illustration, a line graph displaying the patient's weight over a period of time. The weigh patient button 260 is set off from the others by selective coloration, i.e. using a perceptively different color or shading to fill in the button. The functions and features of the controls 260, 262, 264, 266, 268 are described below. It may be desirable to obtain a patient's weight in a variety of treatment and/or therapy circumstances. Certain protocols may require the patient's weight to be obtained before an automated bed function or therapy feature can be activated, such as such as automated pulmonary therapies including rotation and percussion and vibration. FIG. 6 shows diagrammatically a progression of steps to perform the functions made accessible to the user by the Scale menu 250, represented by scale block 280 in FIG. 6. Selecting the weigh patient button 260 to obtain a patient's weight is represented by weigh patient block 282. At block 291, the system checks the head angle of the patient support. If the head angle is already less than or equal to 30 degrees, the system proceeds to function block 292. If the head angle is greater than thirty degrees, the system prompts the user to lower the head angle before proceeding. In some embodiments, an option may be provided to override the head angle check and proceed to weigh the patient even if the head angle is greater than or equal to thirty degrees. At block 292, the bed system allows the caregiver an amount of time to let go of the bed after selecting the function (i.e., so that contact with the bed does not affect the weight reading). Also, if the system detects that the head angle is above 30 degrees and/or the deck is not in a flat position, a pop-up window is displayed to inform the user that more accurate results may be obtained if the head section of the bed is lowered below 30 degrees and the deck is in a flat position. The system allows the user time to lower the head section and/or reposition the bed. Further, percussion and vibration therapy is active, the system will not allow the patient weight to be taken until the therapy is paused or stopped. In addition, if a patient is positioned on the patient support but not weighed after a period of time has elapsed, the system will inform the user by displaying a message and/or graphic on the display and give the user an option to weigh the patient, indicate that the bed is empty, or to set a reminder to be prompted again after a further period of time elapses. After the time has expired, which may be represented on the display by a “countdown,” or the user indicates it is “ok” to weigh the patient, or the system detects that the bed is in an appropriate condition or state to weigh the patient, the system proceeds to weigh the patient at block 294. At block 296 the numerical value of the patient's weight is displayed, at which point the user may choose to accept the weight value at block 298, re-weigh the patient at block 300 or cancel out of the weighing function at block 302. If the patient's weight is accepted, the weight value is saved into memory and the display is updated at block 304. If the re-weigh option is selected, the system returns to function block 292 to repeat the process. If the cancel option is selected, the system returns to the main scale block 280. Selecting the zero scale button 262 is represented by the zero scale block 284 of FIG. 6. In general, zeroing the bed scale provides a baseline reading against which future weights can be compared. At block 310, instructions for zeroing the scale are displayed. These instructions may include reminding the user that the bed should not be occupied and that standard linens and other items should be placed on the bed before zeroing. After the user indicates “ok” at block 312, the system allows time to let go of the bed at block 316, and then the system proceeds to zero the scale at block 320 and update the display with the zeroed information at block 322. The user may decide to cancel the operation at block 314, in which case the system returns to scale block 280. Scale module 60 also includes programming logic to detect when the patient support is equipped with a pulmonary therapy module, such as percussion and vibration or rotation therapy modules. As these modules add extra weight to the bed, scale module 60 automatically re-calculates the zero weight value if one or more of these modules is present. After zeroing the bed scale, it may be desirable to have the patient support automatically adjust the patient's weight to take other items into consideration, such as additional support pillows, blankets, equipment, and the like that may be connected to the patient but which are not part of the patient support. In such case, scale module 60 may be configured to automatically adjust the patient's weight value to account for such items. Selecting the adjust weight button 264 is represented by the adjust weight block 286. As shown in FIG. 7 described below, the user may manually adjust the patient's weight by pressing plus or minus buttons 368, 370, at function block 324 of FIG. 6. An “automatic compensation” feature is also provided, as shown by region 364 and control 372 of FIG. 7, at function block 326 of FIG. 6. This feature allows the weigh scale to be customized for individual patient needs. When the “add/remove items” button 372 is selected, the system informs the user that it will weigh or re-weigh the patient before additional items can be added or removed. Such items may include therapy devices, IV poles, or other items that an individual patient may normally have with them on the bed and that may affect accurate weighing. Once the patient is weighed, the system prompts the user to add or remove those items to/from the bed and weighs the items at block 338. The system then informs the user of the new weight including the items added or removed as shown in FIG. 8. The user may opt to save the weight at block 340 by pressing button 374 in which case the display is updated to inform the user that such items will be discounted from the patient's weight in the future, thereby enabling a caregiver to obtain an accurate weight of the patient without having to add or remove the patient's items from the bed each time. The “kg/lbs” function at block 288 allows the user to switch between methods of measurement, selecting either kilograms or pounds. The “view history” function at block 290 allows the user to view a graphical representation of the patient's weight values over time. The patient's weight history is displayed in the form of a bar graph or line graph, similar to FIGS. 28 and 29, described below, at block 352. FIGS. 9 and 10 relate to alarm features of a patient support. FIG. 9 depicts a main user interface 410 from which a user may select an alarm option to configure. Main alarm screen 410 is represented by function block 440 of FIG. 10. In the illustration of FIG. 9, the alarms function tab 412 is offset by a contrasting color or shade from the other function tabs to indicate nontextually that the alarms screen 410 is active. In the illustration, alarms that may be configured include a bed exit alarm 412, a head angle alarm 444, and work flow (illustratively: NaviCare™) alerts 446. Additional alarms may be added or may be substituted in place of one of these alarm features by upgrade module 78. Bed exit alarm 412 may be set to activate an alarm or alert if the system detects a patient exiting the bed. The alarm may alternatively or in addition activate an alarm if a patient is sitting up in bed, on the edge of the bed, or already out of the bed. Head angle alarm 444 may be set to detect when the head of bed angle is above or below a certain value or range of values, and generate a notification when the condition is met. The alarm screen 410 of FIG. 9 includes a brief textual instruction 414, a first display and input region 416, a second display and input region 418, a third display and input region 420, and a “view history” user control. First display and input region 414 is set off from the other areas of screen 410 by highlighting or selective coloration, as are regions 418 and 420. Each of regions 416, 418, 420 includes a data/status region 422, 424, 426 in which current data relating to the alarm feature is displayed. For example, in the bed exit alarm region 416, the word “off” is displayed when the bed exit alarm has not been activated. If the alarm is activated, the word “on” is displayed, and a graphical representation of a person exiting a bed may also be displayed. In the head angle alarm region 418, the word “on” is displayed when the head angle alarm has been set or enabled and a graphical depiction is also used to communicate that information without use of words. The numerical value of a head angle currently associated with an alarm (e.g., 30 degrees) is also displayed. In region 426, the current status of the work flow alerts (i.e., “active”) is displayed in text form but also could be depicted graphically. Each of regions 414, 418, 420 also includes a touchscreen control 428, 430, 432, respectively, to modify or change parameters associated with the alarm or in the case of region 426, to pause or at least temporarily suspend the alerts. Referring to FIG. 10, activation of the “modify” or “change” function 450, 458 results in discrete choices being displayed for selection by the user (blocks 452, 460). For example, if modify button 430 is activated to configure a head of bed angle alarm, the discrete choices may relate to the numerical value or range of values of the angle associated with the alarm, such as 30 degrees, 45 degrees, less than 30 degrees, greater than 30 degrees, greater than 45 degrees, etc. If modify button 428 is activated to configure a bed exit alarm, the discrete choices may include out of bed, edge of bed, sitting up in bed, and the like. The NaviCare™ system and other similar systems connect and monitor powered beds, patient supports and surfaces by sending bed and surface data to network applications for caregivers to view and receive alerts at a nurse's station. The work flow alerts feature 420 of the patient support enables a caregiver or other user to pause or at least temporarily suspend the work flow alerts directly at the bedside of the patient. As an example, if the user activates the work flow alerts by pressing alerts button 432, then status information from the patient support will be communicated to the nurse's station over a network through the work flow or bed status system. For instance, if the head of bed angle is lowered below 30 degrees, an alert may be generated and sent to the nurse's station. It may be desirable to a caregiver to be able to temporarily suspend the sending of these types of messages to a nurse's station, for example while a patient is receiving a treatment, diagnostic test, is exiting the bed for therapy or other reasons, or the like. Pressing the pause alerts button 432 may thereby enable a caregiver to eliminate unnecessary nurse calls due to changes in the bed's status that are part of the patient's normal routine, for example. As a result of feature 420, the caregiver does not need to exit the patient's room to turn off or disable the alerts at a nurse's station. Instead, the caregiver can pause the alerts right from the patient's bedside. Alarms module 62 includes programming logic to automatically detect whether the bed position, status or conditions are appropriate before activating a selected alarm. For example, if the actual head of bed angle is lower than about 30 degrees, alarms module 62 will prompt the user to raise the head section of the bed before the head of bed angle alarm can be set. Alarms module 62 continues to monitor the bed position, status and conditions after an alarm is set and/or while another bed function, feature or therapy is in progress. For instance, an automated rotation therapy may be stopped or at least temporarily suspended if the head of bed angle is above about 40 degrees and/or the foot of bed angle is below about 30 degrees. In addition, if a user desires to start an automated rotation therapy while an automated percussion and vibration therapy is already active, the system will display a pop-up window prompting the user to decide whether to continue and may at least temporarily pause the percussion and vibration therapy. Likewise, if a user desires to start an automated percussion and vibration therapy while an automated rotation therapy is already running, the system will display a pop-up window prompting the user to decide whether to start the percussion and vibration therapy and may at least temporarily pause the rotation therapy. In these and similar cases, alarms module 62 will issue pop-up windows containing alert messages and/or graphics to communicate with the user. Alarms module 62 includes programming logic configured to color-code messages according to severity or type of message. For example, a message that is printed in a first color (such as blue) or presented against a first background color (e.g. blue) may be primarily informational in nature. A message that is displayed in a second color (such as yellow) or displayed against a second (e.g. yellow) background color may indicate a possible safety issue or indicate a possible bed limitation or unsafe condition relating to the patient support. A message that is printed in a third color (such as orange) or displayed against a third (e.g. orange) background color may indicate a safety issue relating to the patient. Steps associated with the view history button 434 are depicted in FIG. 10 beginning with block 448. Examples of alarm history reports are shown in FIGS. 28-30. The reports may be configured by the user at the select view block 468, in which the date range, time of day, and duration scales may be adjusted (i.e. the “x” axis and “y” axis). The patient's history data is displayed according to the selected view criteria at block 470 in the form of a bar graph or line graph. While viewing the graph of the data, the user may modify the view parameters at block 472, at which point the system displays the choices of parameters that can be modified at block 474, urges the user to make a selection at block 476 and updates the display according to the modified selections at block 478. FIG. 11 depicts a main screen 490 for configuring surfaces related features and functions of a patient support. As described above, function tab 492 is offset by contrasting color or shading to indicate nonverbally that the surfaces screen is active. Also as described above, a brief instructional text 494 is provided, main function or feature areas or control regions 496, 498, 500, 502 are offset from each other by selective coloration or highlighting, and touchscreen controls 504, 506, 508, 510, 512 are provided in each control region. Text and graphical icons are provided to quickly direct the user's attention to the desired function. Functions configurable by surface screen 490 are shown in FIG. 12 and include maximum inflation 522, opti-rest 524, turning assistance—patient right 526, turning assistance—patient left 528, seat deflate 530, reminder 532 and low air loss 534. For example, a graphical representation of a person positioned on a maximum-inflated surface is associated with the max-inflate control region 496 and a downwardly pointing arrow above the seat section is associated with the seat deflate feature 510. In general, the automated max-inflate module 522 may be activated to help facilitate changing a patient's position on the support surface or transfer of the patient to another surface (such as a stretcher or operating room table). With regard to the turning assistance features 506, 508, the feature is configured with reference to the patient, i.e., “patient right” and “patient left”. In general, the automated turning assistance modules 526, 528 may help facilitate linen changes or wound inspection by facilitating rotation of a patient onto his or her side. Graphical representations aid the caregiver in quickly determining which of the controls 506, 508 is associated with each side of the patient. The clear and succinct indication of the point of reference may help reduce potential confusion and resulting mistakes. Selective coloration may also be used in the user controls. For example, the “start opti-rest” control 512 is filled in with a first suggestive color, i.e., green for “go”. If the button 512 is activated, the text changes to “stop opti-rest” and the filling changes to a second suggestive color, i.e. red for “stop”. In general, activation of the “opti-rest” module 524 causes the patient support surface to automatically repeat a cycle of varying the pressure underneath a patient's chest, seat and thighs, producing a wave-like motion. In general, seat-deflate module 530 includes programming logic to selectively deflate the seat section of the patient support surface, to help facilitate side ingress and egress or for other reasons. Low air loss module 534 generally includes programming logic to provide air circulation underneath a patient positioned on the patient support. The “remind me” button 514 enables configuration of a caregiver reminder feature of the patient support, wherein a caregiver may schedule the patient support system to issue a reminder to the caregiver to activate or deactivate a therapy or other bed or mattress function or feature. For example, a reminder may be configured to remind the user to repeat a therapy function (such as weighting a patient, performing turning assistance, or performing an automated pulmonary therapy) after a period of time that may be pre-defined or selected on the fly by the user, or to remind the user to repeat, start or stop a function, feature or therapy before or after a certain amount of time has elapsed (as may be desirable in the case of percussion and vibration therapy). Such a reminder may be sent by the bed through a network to a wireless communication device (e.g., PDA, Vocera badge, wireless telephone handset or the like, carryable by a caregiver, as described in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2006-0049936 A1, incorporated herein by this reference). FIG. 13 shows a screen 540 for configuring a reminder to the caregiver if the turning assistance operation has been stopped for a defined period of time. Such a reminder may be desirable to remind the caregiver that it is now time to activate turning assistance again. A brief textual instruction 550 relating to the active function 544 is provided and may change as the active function changes. Screen 540 shows locked-out functions, i.e., functions that are not currently available to be configured, in reverse highlighting or “grayed out” mode 546. The remind me button 544 is activated and is shown filled in with a contrasting color in comparison to FIG. 11. A pop-up area 548 includes “one touch” selection buttons that allow the user to quickly select the period of time after which the reminder should be generated by only requiring a single action of the user: pressing or contacting one of the available buttons. Pressing in the grayed out area outside of region 548 does not result in any action or response by the patient support system. In addition, only one of the selection buttons in region 548 can be activated at a time. The screen 540 is thereby designed to reduce the risk of error due to confusion or unintentional or accidental button pressing by the user. Similar screens are used to facilitate user configuration of other types of reminders. Reminders may be set in a like manner for rotation, percussion and vibration, turning assistance, and/or other therapies, features or functions of the patient support. A visual display of the time remaining until the next reminder may be presented, as shown by countdown area 672 of FIG. 16. If the reminder feature is in progress, and a user then starts a therapy, then the reminder countdown will automatically be stopped while the therapy is in progress, and the clock will reset and restart the countdown after the therapy is stopped or completed. When the reminder clock finishes its countdown and issues the reminder, the user may have the option to reset the reminder clock. In the illustrated embodiment, a user can select a discrete amount of time to elapse after completion of a therapy after which a reminder will issue. For rotation therapy, the available reminder time choices may include 10, 20, 30 and 40 minutes. For percussion and vibration therapy, the reminder time choices may include 1, 2, 4, 5, and 6 minutes. For turn assist, the reminder time choices may include 30, 60, 90, and 120 minutes. After the desired reminder time is selected, the countdown clock 672 is displayed. FIGS. 14 and 15 relate to operation of therapy functions of a patient support. FIG. 14 illustrates a user interface for selecting a therapy function and FIG. 15 is a diagram of steps performed in the operation of the functions. Main therapy screen 560 is similar to other main screens described above, in that the therapy function tab 562 is displayed in a contrasting color relative to the other function tabs to visually indicate that the therapy screen is active, and additionally, the “Therapy” title appears at the top of the screen. Screen 560 includes a first control region 564 and a second control region 566. Additional control regions may be added in area 584 or control regions 564, 566 may be replaced by other control regions, as new or upgraded therapies are loaded or added to the system, for example by upgrade module 78. Each of the control regions is set off from the others by selective highlighting, shading or coloration for ease of use. Control region 564 includes textual and graphical elements to communicate to the user that the region is associated with rotation therapy. Textual elements include the button 568 titled “rotation”. Graphical elements include an arrow 572 extending laterally across a graphical depiction of a patient 574 positioned on a patient support. The tail of arrow 572 is curved or arced to suggest movement in the direction of the arrow head. When the patient is rotated in the opposite direction, the direction of the curved arrow is reversed. Control region 566 includes the function description “percussion and vibration” label on the user control 570 and graphical elements including a patient body 576 supinely positioned on a support surface 582, siderails 578 in the “up” position, and percussion and vibration elements 580 located on the surface 582 adjacent the shoulders and hands of the body 576. In general, elements 580 have the appearance of concentric circular ripples. Buttons 568, 570 are touchscreen controls in the illustrated embodiment. Button 568 is represented in FIG. 15 as rotation function block 592. When button 568 is activated, a main rotation screen 640, such as shown in FIG. 16, is displayed. Screen 640 provides options to the user including selecting or configuring rotation settings 596, configuring or activating a reminder 598, and viewing rotation history 600. Referring to FIG. 16, the configurable rotation settings are set off from the rest of the display screen 640 by highlighting, shading or coloration of control region 644 relative to the rest of the display screen 640. Control region 644 includes a plurality of touchscreen controls 650, 652, 654, 656, 658, 662. These controls are designed as “one touch” controls as described above, such that after a control is selected for configuring, only one touch is required by the caregiver to select the appropriate value for the control. This is illustrated in FIG. 17, wherein the “patient right” button 684 is indicated by selective coloration as being selected. Selection of button 684 results in pop-up area 688 being displayed. The user may select only one of the available buttons 690 at a time. Once a button 690 is selected, the pop-up disappears and the selected button value is displayed at button 684 (i.e., if the user selects “80%”, the value “80%” would replace the “100%” previously displayed at button 684). These and other similarly configured buttons on the user module effectively act as both an input device and output device, because the new value selected by the user is subsequently displayed on the selection button itself. This type of “one touch” rotation selection allows for faster adjustments by a caregiver than prior art systems in which a caregiver must press and hold a button (pr press the button multiple times) while the rotation amount scrolls numerically up or down, or in which a dial is turned or lever moved or a graphical icon is moved via touching and dragging from the prior setting to the new setting. In FIG. 16, a user may select a preset condition via touchscreen control 650. The preset conditions include predefined rotation settings, for example: “minimum” at 8 cycles per hour (cyc/hr), 50% turn; “moderate” at 10 cyc/hr, 70% turn; or “full” at 12 cyc/hr, 100% turn. Alternatively, the user may select “custom” via control 650, in which case buttons 652, 654, 656, 658, 662 become enabled, thereby allowing the user to more specifically configure the rotation settings. Turn percentage buttons 652, 654 enable the user to select an amount of turn to the right or left. Right pause 656, center pause 658, and left pause 662 enable the user to select an mount of time to pause or hold the patient in the right side-lying, centered, and left side-lying positions before proceeding to the next position. A graphical indicator, such as triangle 674, positioned on a control button, may be used to indicate that the element is configurable. For example, pressing a button that has an indicator 674 results in a pop-up display of selectable choices. If a “preset” configuration is selected, the “custom” controls are disabled or grayed out. While a rotation setting is being configured, other functions available on screen 680 are disabled. This is indicated to the user by reverse highlighting or “gray” shading as shown at region 686 of screen 680. Region 644 of FIG. 16 also includes graphic elements 646, 648, which are displayed from the patient's reference point. For example, element 646 appears tilted toward the left side of the user interface from the perspective of a person viewing the screen 640, but corresponds to how a patient rotated to the patient's right side would appear from the perspective of a caregiver located at the foot end of the bed. Element 648 is similarly configured to represent rotation to the patient's left side. Region 644 also includes a numerical value 660, which represents the number of cycles per hour that correspond to the number of minutes of rotation selected by the caregiver at button 658. When the user selects a new setting at button 658, the numerical value 660 is automatically calculated and updated. Screen 640 also includes a textual instruction 642 that is updated as the user selects different functions on the screen, a back button 664 to return the user to the previously selected function, a therapy history button 666 corresponding to function block 600 to enable the user to view a history of rotation therapy applied to the patient, and a reminder button 668 corresponding to function block 598 of FIG. 15. Also included on screen 640 is a “start” button 670, which, when activated, starts the operation of the rotation therapy according to the user selected parameters. Prior to activation, button 670 is filled in with a first suggestive color (e.g., green for “go”). When the rotation therapy is in progress, button 670 converts to a “stop” button filled in with a second suggestive color (e.g., red for “stop”), as shown in FIG. 19. Referring to FIG. 15, once the user configures the rotation settings at block 596, the system automatically checks whether the siderails are up or down (e.g., via siderail module 74) at block 602. If any of the siderails are down, the user will be prompted via an appropriate message on the display screen to raise them before rotation therapy can start. The system also automatically checks whether the seat deflate feature is active, at function block 603. If seat deflate is active, the user will be prompted to deactivate the seat deflate feature before rotation therapy can start. The user may then be prompted to decide whether to use rotation training as shown in FIG. 18. Rotation “training” may be used to gradually introduce the patient to the rotation therapy. In the illustrated embodiment, rotation will begin at half the maximum turn degree and gradually increase over time to acclimate the patient. In general, rotation therapy may be at least temporarily suspended or paused when any siderail is lowered, when head of bed angle is raised higher than about 40 degrees, when foot of bead angle is lowered more than about 30 degrees, when the patient support is in or moving into or attempted to be moved into the chair position, if percussion and vibration, max-inflate, or turning assistance is activated, or if CPR is activated, or for other reasons. When the rotation parameters are set, rotation therapy is started as indicated at block 604. The user display is updated as shown in FIG. 19 once the rotation therapy is in progress. Rotation status display screen 700 displays the current rotation settings in region 702, which is set off from the rest of screen 700 by highlighting, shading or coloration, and button 704 is modified to enable the user to stop the therapy as described above. FIG. 20 illustrates a main menu screen as updated at block 606, while rotation therapy is in operation. Screen 710 is similar to the main menu screens previously described, except that portions of the patient and bed graphic 744 are animated to simulate rotational movement of the support surface and patient that occurs when rotation therapy is in operation. Also, a thermometer-style status bar 712 indicates the amount of progress completed for the rotation therapy. Status bar 712 is set off from other parts of the screen 710 by selective coloration, highlighting or shading 740. In addition, a “pause” button 742 is provided to allow the user to at least temporarily suspend the therapy in progress. The button is generally made conspicuous (e.g., larger size, centrally located) for easy access by the caregiver. Graphic 744 includes animated graphical elements that dynamically change the display to simulate rotation of the surface and patient when rotation therapy is activated. In particular, the surface 724 is shown as rising on one side of the patient thereby “elevating” the corresponding shoulder 716 and leg 720 of the patient, in the graphical depiction. The graphical depiction of the surface and patient continue to dynamically change in an animated fashion as a side of the support surface and patient graphical elements rises and rotates. For instance, the patient's head 714, arm 718 and leg 722 become animated to indicate rotation in the reverse direction. Arrow graphical element 736 is also animated to indicate motion in the direction of the arrow head 738. Coloring or shading of the arrow body is configured to convey a sense of motion in the direction of the arrow head 738 as well. For instance, the arrow tail is filled with a lighter shade and the arrow is gradually darkened toward the arrow head 738. These animated features communicate patient support therapy information to caregivers in a manner that is easy to view, simple to understand, and not hindered by any language barriers or translation issues. While in rotation therapy, the user may pause the therapy by pressing button 742. In general, when a therapy is paused, another bed function may be activated, such as another therapy, the weigh scale, or other function or feature of the bed or mattress. If pause button 742 is activated, the animation of graphical element 744 also pauses and “moving arrow” 736, 738 is not displayed during the pause, as shown in FIG. 21. Also shown in screen 750 is that the status thermometer 712 is shown in reverse highlighting or “grayed out” mode 754 when the therapy is paused. A textual indicator that the therapy is “paused” is also provided. In addition, button 752 is converted from a “pause” button to a “resume” button. Alternatively or in addition to the animated graphics, the user interface may display a visual message such as “In Progress” to indicate that a therapy is in progress. In general, the system will also automatically temporarily pause an in-progress rotation therapy if the user activates a percussion and vibration therapy while rotation therapy is running, and then will resume the rotation therapy so that both rotation and percussion and vibration therapies can be in operation at the same time. If a percussion and vibration therapy is in progress, however, a new rotation therapy may be started without pausing the percussion and vibration therapy. In general, multiple therapies, such as rotation, percussion and vibration, and surface therapies, may be requested. When multiple therapies are in operation at the same time, each therapy type may be paused or stopped without affecting the other ongoing therapies. FIGS. 22-26 relate to an automated percussion and vibration therapy of a patient support, and FIG. 15 illustrates steps performed in configuring a percussion and vibration therapy. Screen 760 of FIG. 22 is displayed when a percussion and vibration therapy is not already in progress. The user may configure the settings for percussion and vibration therapy via controls 768, 770, 772, 774, 776, 778, 789, 784, 786, 788, 792. These controls are “one touch” controls as shown in FIGS. 23 and 24 and described above with reference to the rotation therapy configuration screens. As shown in FIG. 22, an option is presented to the user to select a predetermined percussion and vibration therapy setting using touchscreen control 768. Activating control 768 enables the user to select from a plurality of discrete preset choices, such as “low” at 4 bps (beats per second) and duration of 10 minutes; “medium” at 5 bps and 10 minutes duration; “high” at 5 bps and 15 minutes duration. To use the customized settings, “custom” is selected at control 768, in which case touchscreen controls 770, 776, 772, 778, 774, 780 become enabled. If “preset” configuration is selected, the “custom” controls are disabled or grayed out. Intensity may be customized for percussion and vibration by using controls 770, 776. Discrete choices for each control 770, 776, such as “low”, “medium”, and “high” are displayed and one of the choices may be selected by the user for each control 770, 776. For percussion frequency button 772, the discrete choices include 1 to 5 beats per second, for example. For vibration frequency button 778, the discrete choices include 5 to 25 beats per second, in 5 bps increments, for example. For duration buttons 774, 780, the choices include a range of values between and including 1 to 30 minutes, for example. In one embodiment, a minimum duration of about 3 minutes is required for therapy history statistics to be captured. Patient position for percussion and vibration therapy is selectable by activating modify control 784. Discrete choices for position control 782 include patient's right side 816, patient's left side 820, centered 818, or rotation 814, as shown in FIG. 24. If right side 816 or left side 820 is selected, then the amount of turning (i.e. percentage) is selected for automated turning assistance to that side. If rotation is selected, then the rotation settings are configured as described above with reference to FIG. 16. If the user selects OK at control 830, then the position selected is displayed at control 782 of FIG. 22. The user may initiate operation of the therapy via control 788. Prior to starting the percussion and vibration therapy, the patient support system checks the siderails at function block 620 and checks the head of bed angle at function block 622. If one or more of the siderails is down or the head of bed angle is above an acceptable range (e.g. above 40 degrees), the system prompts the user via an appropriate message on the display screen to make the appropriate adjustments to the patient support before the therapy can be started. When the percussion and vibration therapy is started, the user interface display is updated at function block 626 to activate the animated features of the graphical user interface, as shown in FIG. 26. When percussion and vibration therapy is running, the portions of graphical element 842 of screen 840 become animated to simulate the percussion and vibration motion experienced by the patient positioned on the patient support. This is accomplished by providing animated elements 844, 846, 848, 850. These elements are “active” concentric circular ripples that appear as though they are vibrating through the use of animation. A thermometer-like status bar 852 is also provided in a highlighted region 854 to communicate the status of the therapy to the user. A pause button 856 is also provided and operates in like fashion to similar buttons described above. If both rotation therapy and percussion and vibration therapy are in operation at the same time, then the rotation therapy animations (i.e., “turning” patient and “moving” arrow) and the percussion and vibration animations (i.e., “vibrating” ripples) are active. FIG. 27 illustrates a patient history reports screen 860, which gives the user access to historical data about the patient, the patient support, and features, functions, and therapies provided by the patient support. Available historical data includes data relating to the patient's weight 872, the length of time the patient support is in the chair position 874, the history of vibration therapy performed 876, the history of active bed exit alarms 878, the history of rotation therapy performed 880, the history of “opti-rest” or pressure redistribution or other surface therapies performed 882, the history of active head of bed angle alarms 886, and the history of percussion and vibration therapy performed 888. A graphical icon 884 sets off the alarm history features from the other available options for easy identification by the user as indicated by legend 870. A graphical element 864 is used in conjunction with the textual screen title 862 to orient the user with the screen. FIGS. 28-30 illustrate historical data graphs for bed exit alarm history and head of bed angle history as described above. Selective coloration is used to indicate to the user the time periods of active alarms, as shown. For example, in FIG. 28, the relatively darker areas of the graph 904, 908 indicate time periods in which the bed exit alarm is enabled or set, while the relative lighter shaded areas 892 indicate time periods in which the bed exit alarm is turned off. In FIG. 29, the darker shaded areas 936 indicate time periods when the head of bed angle alarm is enabled or set. In other embodiments, such historical information may be provided in a tabular form or another graphical form, or other suitable format as may be considered desirable by the user. In general, the user may customize the “x” and “y” axes of the graphs of FIGS. 28-30. For example, the “y” axis 894, 924 indicates the time period during the day and may be extended up to 24 hours or shortened to a shorter period within the day. The “x” axis 896, 926 shows the days in the date range monitored. The “duration” 898, 928 is an automatically calculated value representing the amount of time the particular alarm was enabled or set for each day shown in the graph. For example, referring to FIG. 28, on 10/11/06 the bed exit alarm was set for a total of 12 hours and 19 minutes on that day. The duration feature enables a caregiver to quickly spot days that may have been out of the ordinary in terms of the duration of alarms set. The caregiver can then go directly to the bed exit alarm configuration screen (e.g. FIG. 9) to reconfigure the alarm settings, via control 900. In the head angle history graph of FIGS. 29 and 30, touchscreen control 930 enables the user to change the current view, while control 932 displays the current view (e.g., times and durations of monitoring the head of bed angle and the head of bed angle was above 30 degrees). Pressing the modify view button 930 presents discrete choices 956, such as above 30 degrees, above 45 degrees, and the like, at control 954. Control 954 also provides the user with an option to view the alarm history, i.e., the history of occurrences of the head of bed angle actually having been triggered or activated by the head of bed angle going below the preset alarm condition. An alarm history graphical report representing the history of activated alarms may then be viewed. FIG. 31 illustrates an embodiment of a patient support 970 including multiple user modules 1016, 1018 and multiple user module mounting regions 1002, 1004, 1006, 1008, 1012. Patient support 970 has a head end 972 and a foot end 974, a base 976, frame 978 supported above the base 976 by a lift mechanism 982, a deck 980, wheels or casters 984, 986, a mattress 988, a head of bed angle sensor 990 coupled to mattress 988, and perimeter barriers 992, 994, 996, 998, 1000, 1002. User module docking regions 1004, 1006, 1008, 1010, 1012 are provided in the barriers as shown. A user module mounting bracket such as element 1014 may be provided to fixedly, pivotably, or releasably secure a user module within or to a mounting region. User interfaces 1016, 1018 are generally configured with graphical, textual, and touchscreen elements as described above. In such embodiments, any one of the multiple user modules may be used to operate the patient support or features thereof. Each of the user interfaces of the multiple user modules are synchronized to provide the same display and data substantially at the same time. In one embodiment, if a user on the right side of the patient support pushes a button while the user on the left side is doing something, the system treats each button activation in sequential order. This makes the workflow “interruptible” by any user module. Two users can also work together to complete an operation such as weighing a patient. For example, a first user presses the scale control of a user interface of a first user module to activate the patient weighing feature. The first user then holds IV lines or other items or equipment away from the bed surface, while a second user presses the “weigh patient” button and reads or records the patient's weight. FIG. 32 is a simplified block diagram of one embodiment of a multiple user module system including a patient support 1030, a controller 1038, and a plurality of user modules 1032, 1034, 1036, which are operably coupled to patient support by mechanical and/or electrical links 1042, 1044, 1046 and are electrically coupled controller 1038 via links 1048, 1050, 1052, respectively. Controller 1038 includes synchronization logic 1040 stored in a memory and executable by a processor to synchronize the activities and the displays of the multiple user modules so that when an action is taken at one user module, the displays of the other user modules are automatically updated. Controller 1038 receives input signals from a first user module 1032, a second user module 1034, and a third user module 1036, or any number of user modules. Such signals are time-stamped and controller 1038 applies synchronization logic to process the signals in sequential order and update the output to the displays as needed. FIG. 33 is a simplified block diagram of another embodiment of a multiple user interface system including a patient support 1060, a network 1062, a plurality of user modules 1064, 1066, 1068, and a controller 1070. Each of patient support 1060, controller 1070, and user modules 1064, 1066, 1068 are operably coupled to communication network 1062 by communication links 1072, 1074, 1076, 1078, 1080. In this embodiment, the user modules receive input signals from the user via a touchscreen control or other input device. The input signals are converted by programming logic stored at the module to a network-readable format and sent over the network 1062. The other user modules and the controller 1070 receive the network message. The other user modules acknowledge the message and update their displays as needed. Controller 1070 monitors the network, forwards the message to the appropriate function module 1082, 1084 to perform the requested bed or mattress function, checks for acknowledgement messages confirming that the function has been performed, converts acknowledgement messages to network-readable messages and sends the acknowledgement messages to the user modules over the network. The user modules each receive the acknowledgment messages and update their displays as appropriate. The user modules may each send a reply message to the controller so that the controller knows that each user module has been updated. The network 1062 may include peer-to-peer connections (for example, as between the user modules and the controller or between the function modules and the controller), master/slave connections, or a combination of peer-to-peer and master-slave connections. An example of a master/slave configuration is a function module that receives input that originates from an analog device, such as a load cell, angle sensor, pressure sensor, position sensor, or the like. For example, a scale module for obtaining patient weight is connected to load cell modules in a master/slave configuration where the load cell modules are the “slaves” because they only communicate with the scale function module. FIG. 34 is a bottom-end perspective view of an exemplary user module 1090. User module 1090 includes a housing 1092 having a top end 1096 and a bottom end 1098. A data/communication port 1100 is located in the bottom end 1098 (although it could be located elsewhere on the user module). Data/communication port 1100 may include a standardized electrical connector 1102, such as a Universal Serial Bus (USB) port, memory card slot, memory stick reader, or similar connector. Connector 1102 enables a peripheral device, storage media, remote computer, or other computing devices, such as portable memory card readers, laptops, or printers, to be connected to the user module 1090 at port 1100. A memory card (such as SD, MMC, CompactFlash, or the like) or portable memory card reader or other computing device may be directly inserted into or connected to the port 1100 at connector 1102. User module 1090 includes programming logic configured to recognize the existence of a connection at connector 1102, indicate the connection on the display, and display prompts to enable a service technician or other authorized person to perform functions at the user module relating to the connected device or media. For example, software fixes, upgrades or new releases to the user module or modules may be performed, or software fixes, upgrades, or new releases for a bed or mattress function module may be received at the port 1100 and then transmitted to the appropriate function module by the user module over a bed or mattress network. In addition, if a new user module or function module is added to the bed or mattress system, or an existing module is being replaced, software configured for the new module may be uploaded to the system via port 1100. FIG. 35 illustrates an embodiment of a patient support apparatus 1200, which is a powered hospital bed configurable to assume a plurality of different positions, including a horizontal or flat position (shown), a chair position, positions intermediate the horizontal and chair positions, Trendelenburg and reverse Trendelenburg and hi-low positions. Bed 1200 has a bed frame including a base 1202, an intermediate frame 1204, a weigh frame 1206 and a deck 1208. Deck 1208 includes an articulatable head section and an articulatable foot section. Intermediate frame 1204 is supported above base 1202 by lift or articulation arms 1210, 121, and thereby has an adjustable height. Frame 1204 has a retractable and extendable foot section 1238, which includes an automated mechanism for shortening and lengthening the foot section 1238. The length of foot section 1238 may be adjustable to customize the length of the sleep surface for a patient. Alternatively or in addition, the length may be automatically adjusted to facilitate moving bed 1200 into and out of a chair position, i.e., automatically shortened as bed 1200 moves into a chair position and automatically lengthened as bed 1200 moves from the chair position into one of the bed positions. A support surface 1230 is supported by deck 1208. In the illustrated embodiment, surface 1230 includes a plurality of inflatable bladders, however, surface 1230 may include other types of support members such as foam, three-dimensional material, and the like, and may include additional elements to be configured as a treatment surface (e.g. including pressure reduction and/or low airloss features) or therapy surface (e.g. including pulmonary features such as rotation or percussion and vibration). Additionally, surface 1230 may be usable with patients weighing up to or over 500 pounds. Further, surface 1230 generally has resilient, retractable/extendable, or length-adjustable members (such as specially cut foam or deflatable bladders) in the foot section to cooperate with the length-adjustable foot section 1238. Head end siderails 1264, 1266 are positioned adjacent the lateral sides of the head section. Intermediate siderails 1268, 170 are also positioned adjacent the lateral sides of the bed and are longitudinally spaced from head end siderails 1264, 1266 as shown. A removable headboard 1218 and removable footboard 1232 are positioned adjacent the head end and foot end, respectively, of bed 1200. Bed 1200 also includes one or more transport handles 1214, which are configured to enable bed 1200 to be maneuvered or transported manually or with the assistance of a powered transport system 1248, such as the IntelliDrive® transport system sold by the Hill-Rom Company. Each of siderails 1264, 1266, 1268, 1270 includes an outer panel facing outwardly away from the surface 1230 and an inner panel facing inwardly toward the surface 1230, wherein the inner panel may generally be configured to be accessible to a person positioned on the surface 1230 and the outer panel may be generally configured to be accessible to a user or caregiver not located on the surface 1230. A head of bed angle indicator 1216 provides a visual cue indicative of the current angle of the head section of bed 1200. Indicator 1216 is located on an outer panel of head section siderail 1266 in the illustrated embodiment. Similarly, a Trendelenburg angle indicator 1220 provides a visual cue indicative of the current Trendelenburg angle of the bed 1200. Indicator 1220 is located on an outer panel of intermediate siderail 1270 in the illustrated embodiment. A speaker 1222 is located on the inner panel of head end siderail 1264 in the illustrated embodiment. Speaker 1222 is operably connected to a nurse call system and/or to a patient entertainment system. A patient control panel 1228 is located on the inner panel of intermediate siderail 1268 in the illustrated embodiment and includes buttons, switches, or controls to enable the patient to adjust a position, function or feature of the bed 1200, such as to raise the head section or call a nurse. Outer panel of head end siderail 1266 also includes a bed hi-low control 1258, which includes buttons or switches to raise and lower the frame 1204 relative to the base 1202. Outer panel of intermediate siderail 1270 also includes siderail controls 1224 and a graphical user interface or graphical caregiver interface (GCI) 1226. In general, siderail controls 1224 include hardpanel electromechanical switches while GCI 1226 includes a dynamic display with touchscreen controls as described above. GCI 1226 is may be pivotably coupled to siderail 1270 as previously described. In the illustrated embodiment, the inner and outer panels of head end siderails 1264, 1266 are substantially identical and are provided with the same features and functions, and the inner and outer panels of intermediate siderails 1268, 1270 are substantially identical and are provided with the same features and functions, so that a patient or caregiver can access the controls from either side of the bed; however, this need not be the case. Other features of bed 1200 may include equipment electrical sockets 1234, one or more bumpers or wall guards 1236, drainage bag holders 1240, one or more accessory outlets 1242, casters 1244 (single or dual wheel), foot pedal 1246, emergency Trend or CPR lever 1246, brake and steering system 1252, siderail release mechanisms 1254 (on each siderail), one or more IV poles 1256, and/or patient helper 1260, which includes a trapeze 1262. Additional details of the above-described features and functions of bed 1200 are further described in U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/982,300, filed Oct. 24, 2007, incorporated herein by reference. A simplified schematic of an electrical system for bed 1200 is shown in FIGS. 36A-36D. Electrical system 1300 includes base frame components and circuitry 1302, intermediate frame components and circuitry 1304, weigh frame components and circuitry 1306, left and right head siderail components and circuitry 1308, 1310, and left and right intermediate siderail components and circuitry 1312, 1314. Base frame components and circuitry 1302 are coupled to base frame 1202, intermediate frame components and circuitry 1304 are coupled to intermediate frame 1204, weigh frame components and circuitry 1306 are coupled to weigh frame 1206, left and right head siderail components and circuitry 1308, 1310 are coupled to left and right head siderails 1264, 1266, respectively, and left and right intermediate siderail components and circuitry 1312, 1314 are coupled to left and right intermediate siderails 1268, 1270, respectively. In general, the electrical components and circuitry may be embedded in, adhered to, or otherwise mounted in or fastened to a physical component or member of the corresponding frame or barrier member in such a way as to be permanently fixed relative to the frame or barrier member, or may be removable or replaceable relative to the frame or barrier member. Base frame components and circuitry 1302 includes a power control module 1316, which is electrically connected to a plurality of printed circuit board assemblies and cables, including air source/blower assembly 1318, transformer assembly 1320, battery assembly 1322, manifold and pump assembly 1324, foot hi-low position sensor assembly 1326, head hi-low position sensor assembly 1328, brake safety switch assembly 1330, scale assembly 1332, CPR switch assembly 1334, emergency trend switch assembly 1336, night light assembly 1338, accessory A/C plug and cable assembly 1340, and electrical line cord assembly 1342. Intermediate frame components and circuitry 1304 includes a plurality of printed circuit board assemblies and cables including a patient control pendant assembly 1344, a plurality of load beam assemblies (four, in the illustrated embodiment) 1346, and sidecomm, nurse call, entertainment, and lighting assemblies 1348. The sidecomm assembly 1348 is coupled to a becon module 1352 and the nurse call assembly is coupled to a network connection 1350 (such as Ethernet) to communicate with an external network. Weigh frame components and circuitry 1306 includes a plurality of printed circuit board assemblies and cables including a weigh frame junction assembly 1354, siderail detection switch assemblies 1356 (one for each siderail, illustratively), knee position sensor assembly 1358, head position sensor assembly 1360 and foot position sensors 1362. Left and right head siderail components and circuitry 1308, 1310 include, respectively, a plurality of printed circuit board assemblies and cables including speaker assemblies 1364, 1368 and bed up/down assemblies 1366, 1370. Left and right intermediate siderail components and circuitry 1312, 1314 include, respectively, left and right caregiver positioning assemblies 1372, 1392. Left and right patient articulation assemblies 1374, 1394, left and right patient entertainment assemblies 1376, 1396, left and right bedside hardpanel assemblies 1378, 1398, left and right nurse call switch assemblies 1380, 1400, and left and right GCIs 1382, 1402, are coupled to left and right intermediate siderail components and circuitry 1312, 1314, respectively. Each GCI assembly 1382, 1402 includes a baseboard 1284, 1404, an LCD 1386, 1406, a touchscreen 1390, 1410, and an inverter 1388, 1408. Each GCI assembly 1382, 1402 displays and operates a graphical user interface including enhanced, highlighted, selectively colored or shaded, and/or animated portions as described above. Power control module 1316 of the base frame components 1302 is electrically coupled to weigh frame junction assembly 1354 via link 1412. Scale assembly 1332 is electrically coupled to load beam assemblies 1346 of intermediate frame components 1304 via link 1426 and to weigh frame junction assembly 1354 of weigh frame components 1306 via link 1414. Pendant assembly 1344 is electrically coupled to weigh frame junction assembly 1354 by link 1416. Left and right head siderail components 1308, 1310 are electrically coupled to weigh frame junction assembly 1354 by links 1418, 1420, respectively. Left and right caregiver positioning assemblies 1372, 1392 are electrically coupled to weigh frame junction assembly 1354 by links 1422, 1424, respectively. In general, electrical couplings as shown in FIG. 36 are usable to communicate power, and/or data, instructions, or commands in digital form, among the various components and assemblies of bed 1200, by insulated wiring, cables, wireless transmission or other type of suitable communication link or electrical or power conduit. The various electrical components and circuitry may be interconnected by a network, such as a CAN or Echelon configuration. Additional details relating to these electrical components and circuitry are provided in U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/982,300, filed Oct. 24, 2007, incorporated herein by reference. The drawings are provided to facilitate understanding of the disclosure, and may depict a limited number of elements for ease of explanation. No limits on the number or types of user modules, function modules or other components, features or functionality that may be provided by or connected to any of the disclosed apparatus and systems are intended to be implied by the drawings. Also, in general, features, functional blocks or user interface elements shown but not specifically described herein operate in a like fashion to other similar function blocks or elements as described herein. The present disclosure describes patentable subject matter with reference to certain illustrative embodiments. Variations, alternatives, and modifications to the illustrated embodiments may be included in the scope of protection available for the patentable subject matter. | <SOH> BACKGROUND <EOH>Patient supports, such as hospital beds, mattresses, stretchers, operating room tables, and the like, are commonly used in a variety of care environments to facilitate patient care and transport. User modules are often provided to enable a user to perform a variety of automated functions relating to a patient support. Examples of such automated functions include raising or lowering one or more sections of the patient support, adjusting the configuration of a bed frame or support surface or a portion thereof, and activating or deactivating selected therapies, alarms, communications, and other automated features of the patient support. As such, user modules may be operably coupled to a bed and/or support surface controller or control system, a remote computer, an air supply or other like service supply or supplies. Many conventional user modules are either fixed in or coupled to a siderail or footboard of a patient support, or are provided as pendants or removable modules that may be stored in the siderail or footboard and removed for use. Healthcare professionals often have many demanding responsibilities and need to work as efficiently as possible. However, many conventional patient support user modules are cumbersome for a caregiver or technician to use due to a non-intuitive design, inefficient feedback from the module or other reasons. Such shortcomings can result in reduced efficiency of caregivers and other healthcare professionals. Clear, succinct, easy to understand instructions for using the module are often desirable. Non-textual indicators that can quickly be understood without requiring fluency in any particular language may also be desirable. Particularly with graphic displays, lack of user-friendly feedback can leave users in doubt as to whether their input selections have been accepted by the user module. Additionally, with larger amounts of informational content being provided on compact displays available to caregivers in patient care environments, verification of a single changed parameter on such displays can become exceedingly difficult. Further, the lack of a clear, easy to understand or current depiction of information such as the patient's weight, therapeutic settings, status of the patient support, and historical data can result in not only inefficiencies but also user frustration if the caregiver's time must be spent figuring out how to use the module rather than on providing patient care. Some patient supports are configured to provide therapeutic functions or features to the patient, for example, pressure redistribution, turning assistance, rotation, percussion and vibration, low air loss, and the like. Pressure redistribution generally refers to efforts to reduce or redistribute pressure away from parts of the patient's body that are in frequent contact with the patient support, in an effort to reduce the risk of the patient developing pressure ulcers or bed sores. Turning assistance refers to a feature in which either longitudinal side of the bed or mattress is automatically raised to assist a caregiver in turning the patient onto his or her side. In general, rotation therapy provides periodic rotational motion for the patient in order to avoid physiological issues related to prolonged confinement to a patient support apparatus. In patients that have pulmonary infections or conditions, rotation may also be used to help mobilize the secretions of the lungs by angling the chest so that secretions can move away from the affected lobe. Percussion and vibration are also therapies directed to pulmonary infections such as pneumonia and other lung complications. In general, percussion helps mobilize secretions from the lung, while vibration helps columnize the secretions to help create a productive cough. Low air loss generally refers to a process whereby air is circulated underneath the patient to provide a cooling effect. Patient supports that provide one or more of such automated therapy functions and features also have a user interface for a caregiver to control the operation of such features. Because such features often involve movement of the patient, appropriate configuring, operation, and duration of the automated therapy function is important. Therefore, it is particularly desirable to address all of the shortcomings of known user modules in this environment. | <SOH> SUMMARY <EOH>In this disclosure, a user module for a patient support is described. The user module includes a communication interface configured to communicate signals from the user module to a patient support having at least one automated function and being configured to support a patient in at least a substantially horizontal position and to communicate signals from the patient support to the user module. The user module includes an input device configured to receive a signal indicative of a selection made by a user relating to an automated function of the patient support, and an output device including a visual display configured to display a first graphical depiction of a person positioned on a patient support in response to a selection made by a user relating to a first function and to display a second graphical depiction of a person positioned on a patient support in response to a selection made by a user relating to a second function of the patient support. The first graphical depiction includes a first animated element indicative of movement associated with operation of the first function and the second graphical depiction includes a second animated element indicative of movement associated with operation of the second function. The output device may be configured to display the first graphical depiction and the second graphical depiction at the same time. The first animated element may include an arrow and a portion of the graphical depiction of a person positioned on a patient support. The second animated element may include concentric circles and a portion of the graphical depiction of a person positioned on a patient support. The output device may be configured to substantially simultaneously display current data relating to at least one alarm feature of the patient support, current data relating to at least one therapy function of the patient support, and a graphical representation of a patient support including an animated portion indicative of a status of an automated function of the patient support. The output device may be configured to display a first region including a first selectable option and a second region spaced from the first region, where the second region includes a second selectable option, the first selectable option is displayed in a first color and the second selectable option is displayed in a second color contrasting with the first color. The second selectable option may be displayed in the second color prior to selection by a user of the second selectable option and the second selectable option may be displayed in a third color contrasting with the second color after selection by a user of the second selectable option. The second color may be green and the third color may be red. The output device may be configured to display in a data region current data relating to a function of the patient support or a characteristic of a patient positionable on the patient support, where the data region is defined relative to the rest of the display by yellow highlighting. The user module may include a user control to configure a setting of the patient support, the user control including a touch sensor associated with a graphical depiction of the user control displayed on the visual display, wherein the depiction of the user control includes a first numerical value representative of the current configuration of the setting, the user control is configured to enable a user to select a new configuration for the setting with one touch, and the depiction of the user control automatically changes to replace the first numerical value with a second numerical value on the user control when the second numerical value is selected by the user. A patient support apparatus is also described, including a frame having first and second longitudinally spaced ends and first and second laterally spaced sides, a housing positionable adjacent one of the sides or ends of the frame, a user interface supported by the housing, the user interface including a dynamic display and at least one touchscreen control associated with a region of the dynamic display, and at least one electromechanical switch supported by the housing, wherein activation of at least one of the switches activates a display of the user interface. The housing may have a front panel, where the user interface is supported by the front panel, and an electromechanical switch, which is spaced from the user interface on the front panel and electrically coupled to the user interface. Activation of the electromechanical switch may cause a pop-up window to appear on the dynamic display. The user interface and an electromechanical switch may be coupled to a siderail of the patient support. The user interface and an electromechanical switch may alternatively or in addition be coupled to a footboard of the patient support. Also described is a patient support apparatus including a bed having first and second longitudinally spaced ends, first and second laterally spaced sides and at least one computer-controllable function, a controller operably coupled to the bed to control at least one bed function, a plurality of user modules operably coupled to the controller, each user module being configured to display output relating to a bed function and receive input from a user relating to a bed function, and a memory including instructions executable to process a first input received by a first user module and second input received by a second user module and update the displays of the user modules. At least one of the user modules may include a user interface including a graphical element and a touchscreen control. The touchscreen control may be activatable by a user to configure a setting for a bed therapy function for which a single value is selectable from a plurality of values, the plurality of values are displayed on the user interface, and the touchscreen control is configured to enable the user to select a value from the plurality of values by contacting the touchscreen control only one time. The executable instructions may include instructions to display the same output on all of the user modules at the same time. The second user module display may be updated in response to the first input and the first user module display is updated in response to the second input. Also described is a patient support apparatus including a patient support including a computer-controllable weigh system, a user module operably coupled to the bed to control the weigh system, and a memory operably coupled to the user module, where the memory includes executable instructions configured to determine a weight of a patient positioned on the patient support, including instructions to prompt a user to identify one or more items added or removed from the patient support, weigh the patient, and automatically account for weight changes due to the identified items such that the weight change due to the identified items is included in the determination of the patient's weight. The executable instructions may include waiting a period of time before weighing the patient to allow the user time to add or remove items from the patient support. The executable instructions may include waiting a period of time before weighing the patient to allow the user time to let go of the patient support. A patient support apparatus is also described, in which a patient support includes at least one computer-controllable bed function. The apparatus also includes a user module operably coupled to the patient support to control the at least one function of the patient support, and a memory operably coupled to the user module, where the memory includes executable instructions configured to enable a user to set a reminder relating to at least one patient support function, including instructions to prompt the user to set a predetermined amount of time after which the user module will generate an alert relating to a patient support function, and cause the user module to generate the alert if the predetermined amount of time has elapsed. The instructions may include permitting a user to set a first reminder relating to a turning assistance function, a second reminder relating to a rotation therapy function, and a third reminder relating to a percussion and vibration function. A patient support apparatus including a patient support, a communications port and a user module is also described. The patient support includes a frame having first and second laterally spaced sides and first and second longitudinally spaced ends, and a plurality of automated functions. The communications port includes a connector to connect with a remote device having a memory and programming information stored in the memory of the remote device. The user module is operably coupled to the communications port and to the patient support. The user module is usable to control operation of at least one of the automated functions of the patient support. The user module includes an input mechanism, a display, a memory, programming information stored in the memory, a processor, and electrical circuitry. The programming information of the user module includes instructions executable to cause the user module to automatically detect connection of a remote device to the communications port. The programming information of the user module may include executable instructions to receive programming information from the remote device via the communications port. The programming information of the user module may include executable instructions to update the display of the user module when programming information is received from the remote device. The patient support may include a network and a plurality of function modules coupled to the network, and the programming information of the user module may include executable instructions to provide programming information received from the remote device to a function module over the network. Patentable subject matter may include one or more features or combinations of features shown or described anywhere in this disclosure including the written description, drawings, and claims. | A61G705 | 20171219 | 20180419 | 93546.0 | A61G705 | 2 | KURILLA, ERIC J | USER INTERFACE FOR HOSPITAL BED | UNDISCOUNTED | 1 | CONT-ACCEPTED | A61G | 2,017 |
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15,846,386 | PENDING | MULTI-AXIS ACCELEROMETERS WITH REDUCED CROSS-AXIS SENSITIVITY | A multi-axis accelerometer may include a proof mass, a first electrode set, and a second electrode set. The first electrode set may detect acceleration along a second axis of the accelerometer, and may include a first electrode (C1) and a second electrode (C2). The second electrode set may detect acceleration along a first axis of the accelerometer that is orthogonal to the second axis, and may include a third electrode (C3) and a fourth electrode (C4). Application of a force along only the second axis may result in the exhibition of a non-zero change in differential capacitance between at least C1 and C2, but a zero net change in the differential capacitance between at least C3 and C4. As such, the accelerometer may exhibit little or no cross axis sensitivity in response to the applied force. | 1. A multi-axis accelerometer comprising: a proof mass; a first electrode set configured to detect acceleration along a second axis of the accelerometer, the first electrode set comprising a first electrode (C1) and a second electrode (C2); a second electrode set configured to detect acceleration along a first axis of the accelerometer that is orthogonal to the second axis, the second electrode set comprising a third electrode (C3) and a fourth electrode (C4); wherein the first and second electrode sets are configured such that in response to a force applied only along the second axis of the accelerometer: a non-zero change in differential capacitance is exhibited between at least C1 and C2, the non-zero net change in differential capacitance corresponding to acceleration along the first axis due to the force applied only along the second axis; and a zero net change in differential capacitance is exhibited between at least C3 and C4. 2. The multi-axis accelerometer of claim 1, wherein the first and second electrode sets are configured such that in response to a force applied only along the first axis of the accelerometer: a non-zero change in differential capacitance is exhibited between at least C3 and C4, the non-zero net change in differential capacitance corresponding to acceleration along the first axis due to the force applied only along the first axis; and a zero net change in differential capacitance is exhibited between at least C1 and C2. 3. The multi-axis accelerometer of claim 2, wherein: the first and second electrode sets are configured such that a zero net change in differential capacitance is exhibited between at least C1 and C2 and between at least C3 and C4 in response to a force applied only along a third axis of the accelerometer; and the third axis is orthogonal to the first axis and the second axis. 4. The multi-axis accelerometer of claim 1, wherein: C1, C2, C3, and C4 each comprise a plurality of rotors and a plurality of stators; the accelerometer further comprises an elastic member and a substrate; and the elastic member is configured to support the plurality of rotors and the proof mass on the substrate, or to suspend the plurality of rotors and the proof mass from the substrate. 5. The multi-axis accelerometer of claim 3, wherein: C1 is disposed proximate a first side of the proof mass; C2 is disposed proximate a second side of the proof mass that is opposite the first side of the proof mass; C3 is disposed proximate a third side of the proof mass that is orthogonal to at least one of the first and second sides of the proof mass; and C4 is disposed proximate a fourth side of the proof mass that is opposite the third side of the proof mass, and which is orthogonal to at least one of the first and second sides of the proof mass. 6. The multi-axis accelerometer of claim 5, wherein: C1 comprises a plurality of first capacitive pairs; C2 comprises a plurality of second capacitive pairs; and each of the first and second capacitive pairs is defined by a rotor and a stator that are spaced apart by a gap having a long dimension extending parallel to the first axis. 7. The multi-axis accelerometer of claim 6, wherein: C3 comprises a plurality of third capacitive pairs; C4 comprises a plurality of fourth capacitive pairs; and each of the third and fourth capacitive pairs is defined by a rotor and a stator that are spaced apart by a gap having a long dimension extending parallel to the second axis. 8. The multi-axis accelerometer of claim 5, wherein: C1 comprises a plurality of first rotors extending from said proof mass and a plurality of first stators extending from a first stator body; C2 comprises a plurality of second rotors extending from said proof mass and a plurality of second stators extending from a second stator body; each of said plurality of first rotors is spaced apart from a respective one of said plurality of first stators by a first gap with a gap spacing g1, so as to define a plurality of first capacitive pairs; each of said plurality of second rotors is spaced apart from a respective one of said plurality of second stators by a second gap with a gap spacing g1, so as to define a plurality of second capacitive pairs; and each of the plurality of first and second rotors is configured to move parallel to the second axis in response to the force applied along the second axis, such that the gap between each of the plurality of first rotors decreases, and the gap between each of the plurality of second rotors increases. 9. The multi-axis accelerometer of claim 8, wherein each of the plurality of first and second stators is integral with or coupled to the substrate, and are configured to remain stationary in response to application of the force along one or more axes of the accelerometer. 10. The multi-axis accelerometer of claim 8, wherein: C3 comprises a plurality of third rotors extending from said proof mass and a plurality of third stators extending from a third stator body; C4 comprises a plurality of fourth rotors extending from said proof mass and a plurality of fourth stators extending from a fourth stator body; each of said plurality of third rotors is spaced apart from a respective one of said plurality of third stators by a third gap with a gap spacing g2, so as to define a plurality of third capacitive pairs; each of said plurality of fourth rotors is spaced apart from a respective one of said plurality of fourth stators by a fourth gap with a gap spacing g1, so as to define a plurality of fourth capacitive pairs; and each of the plurality of third and fourth rotors is configured to move parallel to the second axis in response to the force applied only along the second axis. 11. The multi-axis accelerometer of claim 10, wherein each of the plurality of third and fourth stators is integral with or coupled to the substrate, and are configured to remain stationary in response to application of the force along one or more axes of the accelerometer. 12. The multi-axis accelerometer of claim 10, wherein: the gap spacing g2 of the third and fourth gaps remains constant when the plurality of third and fourth rotors move in response to the force applied only along the second axis; and a total effective capacitive area of the plurality of third and fourth capacitive pairs remains constant when the plurality of third and fourth rotors move in response to the force applied only along the second axis. 13. The multi-axis accelerometer of claim 8, wherein: each of the plurality of first stators and second stators have opposing first and second sides; the first side of each the plurality of first stators and the first side of each of the plurality of second stators face the same direction and are oriented in parallel with the first axis of the accelerometer; the second side of each the plurality of first stators and the second side of each of the plurality of second stators face the same direction and are oriented in parallel with the first axis of the accelerometer; the plurality of first rotors are positioned proximate the first side of the plurality of first stators; and the plurality of second rotors are positioned proximate the second side of the plurality of second stators. 14. The multi-axis accelerometer of claim 10, wherein: each of the plurality of third stators and fourth stators have opposing first and second sides; the first side of each the plurality of third stators and the first side of each of the plurality of fourth stators face the same direction and are oriented in parallel with the second axis of the accelerometer; the second side of each the plurality of third stators and the second side of each of the plurality of fourth stators face the same direction and are oriented in parallel with the second axis of the accelerometer; the plurality of third rotors are positioned proximate the first side of the plurality of third stators; and the plurality of fourth rotors are positioned proximate the second side of the plurality of fourth stators. 15. The multi-axis accelerometer of claim 4, wherein the elastic member comprises at least one spring. 16. The multi-axis accelerometer of claim 5, wherein the at least one spring is a plurality of crab leg springs. 17. The multi-axis accelerometer of claim 1, further comprising a measurement unit, wherein the measurement unit is configured to: apply a measurement voltage Vm to C1, C2, C3, and C4; determine a capacitance of C1, C2, C3, and C4; and determine the differential capacitance between C1 and C2 and the differential capacitance between C3 and C4. 18. The multi-axis accelerometer of claim 17, wherein said measurement unit comprises a voltage generator for generating Vm. 19. The multi-axis accelerometer of claim 17, wherein said measurement unit comprises an amplifier to amplify signals representative of the capacitance of C1, C2, C3, and C4 to produce amplified signals, and circuitry to determine the differential capacitance of C1, C2 and the differential capacitance of C3, C4 from the amplified signals. | CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application claims the benefit of priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/436,390, filed Dec. 19, 2016, the entire content of which is incorporated by reference. FIELD The present disclosure generally relates to accelerometers and, more specifically, to multi-axis accelerometers with reduced cross-axis sensitivity. BACKGROUND An accelerometer is a sensor which detects/measures acceleration due to gravity and/or an applied force (e.g., from physical motion). Such devices have numerous applications in the automotive, consumer products, and other industries. Although various accelerometer configurations are known, capacitive accelerometers (which detect/measure acceleration by converting a capacitance change into a proportional voltage) are popular due to their relatively low power and noise, their relatively high sensitivity, and their relatively small device footprint. While accelerometers are now in widespread use, they may suffer from one or more drawbacks such as cross-axis sensitivity. Cross-axis sensitivity is the output detected on one axis (the sensing axis) of an accelerometer that is due to acceleration imposed on another axis (e.g., an orthogonal axis, which may also be referred to as the cross direction). The percentage cross-axis sensitivity is often expressed as a ratio of the measured sensitivity in the cross direction to the measured sensitivity in the sensing direction. As noted above, capacitive accelerometers convert a detected change in capacitance to a proportional voltage that is representative of the acceleration of a proof mass. With such designs, cross-axis sensitivity can cause a capacitance change to be detected in one axis when acceleration is occurring along another axis of the accelerometer, potentially resulting in sensing errors. Indeed as cross axis sensitivity increases, the relative accuracy of an accelerometer may decrease. Many current commercial grade accelerometers have relatively high (≥2%) cross axis sensitivity, which may make them unsuitable for high precision applications. Although cross-axis sensitivity may be reduced by using several accelerometers in parallel, such an approach may undesirably increase the cost of the device. Hence, the development of new accelerometer designs that address the cross-axis sensitivity issue remain of interest. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Features and advantages of the claimed subject matter will be apparent from the following detailed description of embodiments consistent therewith, which description should be considered with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein: FIG. 1 is a block diagram of one example of an accelerometer consistent with the present disclosure. FIG. 2A is a plan view of another example of an accelerometer consistent with the present disclosure. FIG. 2B is a magnified view of first (C1), second (C2), third (C3), and fourth (C4) electrodes of the accelerometer of FIG. 2A, in an at rest condition. FIG. 2C is a magnified view of the first and second electrodes of the accelerometer of FIG. 2A, when a force is applied along one (e.g., negative Y) axis and, due to spring restoring force, a proof mass and associated rotors are displaced in a positive Y axis. FIG. 2D is a magnified view of the third and fourth electrodes of the accelerometer of FIG. 2A, when a force is applied along one (e.g., negative Y) axis. FIGS. 3A-3C are plan views of an example mode shapes when accelerometer of FIG. 2A responding to an acceleration in one or more dimensions, consistent with embodiments of the present disclosure. FIG. 4 is a plot of differential capacitance versus acceleration along a y axis for one example of an accelerometer consistent with embodiments of the present disclosure. FIG. 5 is a plot of proof mass displacement versus voltage for one example of an accelerometer consistent with embodiments of the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION Multi-axis accelerometers are designed to detect acceleration in two or more axes, e.g., the X, Y, and/or Z axes. Some current multi-axis accelerometers, however, can suffer from relatively high cross-axis sensitivity between two orthogonal axes (e.g., the X and Y axes, the X and Z axes, and/or the Y and Z axes). High cross-axis sensitivity can lead to measurement errors, which may be problematic for high precision applications. The present disclosure is generally directed to multi-axis accelerometers that mitigate or even eliminate the effect of cross-axis sensitivity between two or more orthogonal axes. In embodiments the multi-axis accelerometers described herein are configured as a relatively high sensitivity 2-axis or 3-axis micro electromechanical (MEM) accelerometer, in which acceleration of a proof mass along a first axis, second axis, and optionally a third axis is detected using a change in differential capacitance between rotors and stators in two or more electrodes. In embodiments the multi-axis accelerometers described herein may have a detection sensitivity of about 70 femto Farads per g (Ff/g), about 80 fF/g, about 90 fF/g or more, where g is 9.8 meters per second squared (M/s2) or, equivalently, 9.8 Newtons per kilogram (N/kg). The accelerometers described herein may also achieve a mode separation (e.g., of about 4.6 kHz) between in-plane and out-of plane modes which may significantly reduce cross-axis sensitivity between the two directions. Such accelerometers may be manufactured to relatively small dimensions (e.g., with a footprint of less than 2 square millimeters (mm), such as a foot print of 1.5 mm×1.5 mm). The multi-axis accelerometers described herein may also be configured such that cross-axis sensitivity between at least two orthogonal axes of the device is mitigated or eliminated. For example, in embodiments the accelerometers described herein exhibit no (0) cross axis sensitivity between the X and Y axes (also referred to as “in-plane axes), between the X and Z axes, and/or between the Y and Z axes. In further embodiments, the multi-axis accelerometers described herein exhibit no (0) cross-axis sensitivity between at least the X and Y axes. And in still further embodiments, the multi-axis accelerometers described herein exhibit no (0) cross-axis sensitivity between the X and Y axes, and between one or both of the X and Z axes and the Y and Z axes. The accelerometers described herein may therefore be of particular use in applications in which little or no cross-axis sensitivity is desired, such as high precision applications. For the sake of illustration and ease of understanding, example accelerometers consistent with the present disclosure are described in the form factor of a multi-axis micro electromechanical (MEM) accelerometer. It should be understood that the accelerometers of the present disclosure are not limited to the form factor of a MEM device, and may be constructed to any suitable scale. The multi-axis accelerometers described herein generally include a proof mass, a first electrode set, and a second electrode set. The first electrode set includes at least a first electrode proximate a first side of the proof mass and a second electrode proximate a second side of the proof mass, wherein the first and second sides are opposite or substantially opposite one another. The second electrode set includes at least a third electrode proximate a third side of the proof mass and a fourth electrode proximate a fourth side of the proof mass, wherein the third and fourth sides are opposite (or substantially opposite) one another, and are orthogonal (or substantially orthogonal) to the first and second sides of the proof mass. Each of the first, second, third, and fourth electrodes includes a rotor set and a stator set. Each rotor set includes two or more rotors, and each stator set includes two or more stators. Each of the rotors may be integral with or otherwise coupled to the proof mass. The proof mass and each of the rotors may be coupled to one or more springs or other elastically deformable components, which in turn are coupled to a base, such as a substrate of a MEM device. IN embodiments, the spring(s) or other elastically deformable member(s) suspend or support the proof mass and rotors from or above the substrate. In response to an applied force (e.g., due to gravity or physical motion), the proof mass and each of the rotors may be physically displaced from a default (at rest) position. The degree to which such components are displaced by the applied force may depend on the spring constant (stiffness coefficient) of the spring or other elastically deformable member, the magnitude of the force, and/or other factors. In contrast, the stators are configured such that their position does not (or does not substantially) change in response to an applied force. Thus for example, each stator may be integral with or coupled to a stator body, which in turn is integral with or coupled to a substrate or other suitable base. Movement of the stators described herein may, therefore, be limited by the degree to which the materials forming the stator may bend or otherwise deform in response to the applied force. In embodiments the stators are configured such that they do not bend or otherwise deform in response to an applied force within a designed operating range of the accelerometer. The rotors and stators are positioned relative to one another such that each electrode includes at least two capacitive pairs, wherein one of the capacitive pairs is disposed proximate a first side of a stator body, and the other of the capacitive pairs is disposed proximate a second side of the stator body that is opposite or substantially opposite the first side of the stator body. Each of the capacitive pairs has a default (static) capacitance when the accelerometer is in an at rest condition and a measuring voltage (Vm) is applied. For convenience, the default capacitance of each capacitive pair is referred to herein as “C0,” and may be calculated using formula (I) below: C 0 = ∈ A g . I where ∈ is the permittivity of the material forming the rotors and stators, A is the effective capacitive area between the rotors and stators, and g is the spacing between the rotors and stators. Notably, C0 may be the same for all capacitive pairs, or it may differ between capacitive pairs. Differences in C0 between capacitive pairs may be attributable to various factors, such as differences in the spacing of rotors in stators in different capacitive pairs, difference in the effective capacitive area of different capacitive pairs (e.g., due to variations in the degree to which rotors and stators overlap), etc. In embodiments the first electrode set (or, more specifically, the capacitive pairs therein) may be configured to detect acceleration along a second axis (e.g., the Y axis), whereas the second electrode set (or, more specifically, the rotors and stators therein) may be configured to detect acceleration along a first axis that is orthogonal to the second axis (e.g., the X axis). Thus, when a force is applied to the accelerometer (e.g., due to gravity, motion, etc.) along only the second axis (e.g., only the Y axis) the force may displace the rotor(s) in the first and second electrode sets. Such displacement may change the gap spacing of the capacitive pairs in the first electrode set, resulting in a detectable change in differential capacitance between the first and second electrodes (C1 and C2) that, in turn, can be converted to acceleration along the second axis (sensing direction). In contrast, the displacement in the first direction may cause little or no change in the gap spacing or overall capacitive effective area of the capacitive pairs in the second electrode set (C3 and C4). Consequently, little or no change in the differential capacitance between the third and fourth electrodes will arise, thereby mitigating or even eliminating the effect of cross-axis sensitivity along the first axis due to a force applied only along the second axis. Similarly, the first and second electrode sets may be configured such that when a force is applied to the accelerometer only along a first axis (e.g., only the X axis) the force may displace the rotors in the first and second electrode sets in the first direction (i.e., along the first axis). That displacement may change the gap spacing of the capacitive pairs in the second electrode set, resulting in a detectable change in differential capacitance between the third and fourth electrodes that, in turn, can be converted to acceleration along the second axis (sensing direction). In contrast, the displacement in the second direction may cause little or no change in the gap spacing or overall capacitive effective area of the capacitive pairs in the first electrode set. Consequently, little or no change in the differential capacitance between the first and second electrodes will arise, thus mitigating or even eliminating the effect of cross-axis sensitivity along the first axis due to a force applied only along the second axis. Still further, in embodiments the first and second electrode sets may be configured such that when a force is applied to the accelerometer only along a third axis (e.g., only the Z axis) the force may displace the rotors in the first and second electrode sets in a first direction and/or a second direction that is that is orthogonal or substantially orthogonal to the first direction. Such displacement may cause capacitance of the electrodes in each of the first and second electrode sets to change by the same amount. Because the accelerometers described herein determine acceleration based on differential capacitance and because the capacitance of each of the electrodes may change by the same amount (and the same sign) in response to acceleration only along the third axis, little or no net change in differential capacitance between the first and second electrodes and between the third and fourth electrodes will arise—thus mitigating or even eliminating the effect of cross-axis sensitivity along the first and second axes due to a force applied only along the third axis. Put differently, in embodiments the accelerometers described herein are configured to detect acceleration due to a force imparted along a second (e.g., Y) axis from a change in differential capacitance between a first electrode set, and to detect acceleration due to a force imparted along a first axis (e.g., X) from a change in differential capacitance between a second electrode set. The first electrode set includes at least first and second electrodes, and the second electrode set includes at least third and fourth electrodes. The first and second electrodes are positioned relative to first and second opposing sides of a proof mass, and the third and fourth electrodes are positioned relative to third and fourth opposing sides of the proof mass. Each of the first, second, third, and fourth electrodes include at least two capacitive pairs, each of which is formed by a rotor coupled to the proof mass and a stator coupled to a stator body. Each of the first through fourth electrodes may include a stator body and two or more stators, wherein the two or more stators are in the form of protuberances or “fingers” that extend from opposing sides of the stator body. In such embodiments the rotors in each electrode may include or be in the form of protuberances or “fingers” that extend from the proof mass. Each of the rotors is positioned relative to a corresponding one of the stators in the electrode such that each electrode includes at least first and second capacitive pairs that are disposed on opposing sides of a corresponding stator body, with each capacitive pair defined by at least one rotor and at least one stator. The rotor and stator protuberances or “fingers” in the first electrode set may be oriented along a first direction, whereas the rotor and stator protuberances or “fingers” in the second electrode set may be oriented along a second direction that is orthogonal or substantially orthogonal to the first direction. Rotors in the first electrode and third electrodes may be disposed proximate a first side of their corresponding stator, whereas rotors in the second electrode may be disposed proximate a second side of their corresponding stator. As a result, a force imparted along a second axis (e.g., Y) may produce a detectable change in the differential capacitance of the first electrode set, but may produce little or no change in the differential capacitance of the second electrode set. Likewise, a force imparted along a first axis (e.g., X) may produce a detectable change in the differential capacitance of the second electrode set, but may produce little or no change in the differential capacitance of the first electrode set. Similarly, a force imparted along a third axis (e.g., Z) may produce little or no change in the differential capacitance of the first and second electrode sets. Thus, the accelerometers of the present disclosure may exhibit little or no cross axis sensitivity. Reference is now made to FIG. 1, which is a block diagram of one example of an accelerometer 100 consistent with the present disclosure. For context, accelerometer 100 is described herein in the form of MEM accelerometer, but as noted above the accelerometers described herein are not limited to a MEM form factor. With that in mind, accelerometer 100 is in the form of a MEM accelerometer that is formed from or includes one or more device structural layers. The device structural layers may be made of any suitable material, such as but not limited to low resistance single crystalline silicon. Accelerometer 100 includes a substrate 101, a proof mass 102, a first electrode set, and a second electrode set. The first and second electrode sets may include any suitable number of electrodes, provided that the number of electrodes therein may be equally distributed on two opposing sides of the proof mass 102. In embodiments, the first electrode set includes a first electrode C1 and a second electrode C2, and the second electrode set includes a third electrode C3 and a fourth electrode C4. Each of the first, second, third, and fourth electrodes (C1-C4) include a rotor set and a stator set. More specifically, first electrode C1 includes a first rotor set 104 and a first stator set 112. The second electrode C2 includes a second rotor set 104′ and a second stator set 112′. The third electrode C3 includes a third rotor set 106 and a third stator set 114. And the fourth electrode C4 includes a fourth rotor set 106′ and a fourth stator set 114′. In the embodiment of FIG. 1, the first and second electrodes C1, C2 are disposed proximate to opposing first and second sides (respectively) of the proof mass 102, and the third and fourth electrodes are disposed proximate to opposing third and fourth sides (respectively) of the proof mass 102. The first and second sides of the proof mass 102 are orthogonal or substantially orthogonal to the third and fourth sides of the proof mass, respectively. Each of the rotor sets (104, 104′, 106, 106′) is integral with or coupled to the proof mass 102, and the proof mass 102 and each of the rotor sets (104, 104′, 106, 106′) are suspended from or supported over the substrate 101 by a spring or other elastically deformable member (not shown). The proof mass 102 and each of the rotor sets (104, 104′, 106, 106′) each have a default position while accelerometer 100 is at rest, but may be displaced in response to an applied force (e.g., due to gravity or motion of the accelerometer 101). The degree to which the proof mass 102 and the rotors in the rotor sets (104, 104′, 106, 106′) are displaced by the applied force may depend on the spring constant (stiffness coefficient) of the spring or other elastically deformable member, the magnitude of the applied force, and/or other factors. In contrast, each of the stator sets (112, 112′, 114, 114′) is configured such that it remains stationary (or substantially stationary) in response to an applied force. In that regard, each of the stator sets (112, 112′, 114, 114′) may include a stator body that is integral with or otherwise coupled to substrate 101, and stators within the stator sets (112, 112′, 114, 114′) may be integral with or coupled to a respective one of the stator bodies. Thus, movement of stators in the stator sets (112, 112′, 114, 114′) in response to an applied force may be inhibited or prevented. Each of the rotor sets (104, 104′, 106, 106′) include a plurality of rotors. The number of rotors in each rotor set is not limited, provided that the number of rotors is at least two and the rotors may be equally distributed on opposing sides of a stator body of a corresponding stator set, In embodiments the number of rotors in each of the rotor sets (104, 104′, 106, 106′) is 2 or greater than 2. Thus, for example, each of the rotor sets (104, 104′, 106, 106′) may include 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20 or more rotors. The rotors in each of the rotor sets (104, 104′, 106, 106′) may have any suitable geometry. In embodiments, the rotors in each of the rotor sets (104, 104′, 106, 106′) are in the form of protuberances or “fingers” that extend from or are otherwise coupled to the proof mass 102. In some embodiments the rotors are in the form of protuberances or “fingers” that have a long axis that extends in oriented parallel to one of a first axis 120 (e.g., the X axis) or a second axis 130 (e.g., the Y axis) of the accelerometer. In embodiments the rotors of the first electrode set (i.e., of the first and second electrodes C1, C2) are in the form of rectangular protuberances or “fingers” that extend from or are otherwise coupled to the proof mass 102, and which have a long dimension that is parallel to the first axis 120 (e.g., the X axis) of the accelerometer 100. In contrast, the rotors of the second electrode set (i.e., of the third and fourth electrodes C3, C4) may be in the form of rectangular protuberances or “fingers” that extend from or are otherwise coupled to the proof mass 102, and which have a long dimension that is parallel to the second axis 130 (e.g., the Y axis) of the accelerometer 100. Each of the stator sets (112, 112′, 114, 114′) include a stator body (not shown) and a plurality of stators. The number of stators in each of the stator sets is not limited, provided it is greater than two and an equal number of stators may be equally distributed on opposing sides of a corresponding stator body. In embodiments the number of stators in each of the stator sets (112, 112′, 114, 114′) is 2 or greater than 2. Thus, for example, each of the stator sets (112, 112′, 114, 114′) may include 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20 or more stators. The stators in each of the stator sets (112, 112′, 114, 114′) may have any suitable geometry. In embodiments, the stators in each of the stator sets (112, 112′, 114, 114′) are in the form of protuberances or “fingers” that extend from or are otherwise coupled to a stator body of a corresponding one of the stator sets. In some embodiments the stators are in the form of protuberances or “fingers” that have a long axis that extends from a stator body and which have a long dimension that is oriented parallel to the first axis 120 or the second axis 130 of the accelerometer. For example, in embodiments the stators of the first electrode set (i.e., of the first and second electrodes C1, C2) may be in the form of rectangular protuberances or “fingers” that extend from or are otherwise coupled to a corresponding first or second stator body, and have a long dimension that is parallel to the first axis 120 (i.e., the X axis) of the accelerometer 100. In contrast, the stators of the second electrode set (i.e., of the third and fourth electrodes C3, C4) may be in the form of rectangular protuberances or “fingers” that extend from or are otherwise coupled to a corresponding third or fourth stator body, and have a long dimension that is parallel to the second axis 130 (i.e., the Y axis) of the accelerometer 100. As will be explained further in connection with FIGS. 2A-2D, the rotors in each of the rotor sets (104, 104′, 106, 106′) is positioned relative to a corresponding one of the stators in stator sets (112, 112′, 114, 114′), so as to form a capacitive pair. As a result, each of the electrodes (C1, C2, C3, and C4) include two or more capacitive pairs (e.g., 2, 4, 6, 8, 10 or more), with each capacitive pair defined by at least one rotor and at least one stator. The number of capacitive pairs in each electrode is not limited, provided that an equal number of capacitive pairs can be disposed on at least two opposing sides of a stator body in the electrode. For example, each electrode (C1, C2, C3, C4) may include at least a first capacitive pair and a second capacitive pair, wherein the first capacitive pair is formed by a first rotor and a first stator extending from or coupled to a first side of a stator body, and the second capacitive pair is formed by a second rotor and a second stator extending from or coupled to a second side of the stator body that is opposite or substantially opposite the first side of the stator body. In some embodiments the first and second rotors/stators are in the form of protuberances or fingers, and are arranged relative to and in parallel with one another such that a gap is present between them. In such instances each capacitive pair may be thought of as a parallel plate capacitor, wherein one plate of the capacitor is formed from a rotor protuberance (or “finger”), and the other plate of the capacitor is formed from a stator protuberance (or “finger”). The capacitance of each of those capacitive pairs may depend on, among other things, the spacing between the rotor and stator (i.e. the gap spacing), the degree to which the rotor and stator overlap (i.e., the effective capacitive area), etc. As noted above, the rotors and stators in each of the electrodes may be in the form of protuberances or fingers having a long axis that is oriented in parallel with one another, and in parallel with one of the two in-plane axes (120, 130) of the accelerometer 100. In such instances the gap between the rotor and stators in each capacitive pair may also have a long axis that is oriented in parallel with one of the two in-plane axes (120, 130). For example, rotors and stators in the first and second electrodes C1, C2, may be in the form of protuberances or “fingers” that are oriented in parallel with one another and with the first axis 120 of the accelerometer 100. In contrast, the rotors and stators in the third and fourth electrodes C3, C3, may be in the form of protuberances or “fingers” that are oriented in parallel with one another and with the second axis 130. As a result, the gap in the capacitive pairs of the first and second electrodes C1, C2 may have a long axis that is oriented in parallel with the first axis 120, and the gap in the capacitive pairs of the third and fourth electrodes may have a long axis that is oriented in parallel with the second axis 130. In such a configuration a force applied only along the second axis 130 may cause a detectable change in the differential capacitance between the first and second electrodes C1, C2, but will not (or will not substantially) affect the differential capacitance between the third and fourth electrodes. More specifically, the force applied along the second axis 130 may change the gap spacing of capacitive pairs in the first and second electrodes C1 and C2—resulting in a detectable change in differential capacitance between those electrodes. However, that force will not (or will not substantially) change the gap spacing or the total effective capacitive area of the capacitive pairs in the third and fourth electrodes, thus resulting in little or no change in the differential capacitance between those electrodes. In that way, the above described configuration can eliminate the effect of cross axis sensitivity on the output corresponding to acceleration on the first axis 120 due to a force applied along the second axis 130. Similarly, a force applied only along the first axis 120 may cause a detectable change in the differential capacitance between the third and fourth electrodes, but will not (or will not substantially) affect the differential capacitance between the first and second electrodes. More specifically, the force applied along the first axis 120 will change the gap spacing of capacitive pairs in the third and fourth electrodes C3 and C4—resulting in a detectable change in differential capacitance between those electrodes. However, that force will not (or will not substantially) change the gap spacing or the total effective capacitive area of the capacitive pairs in the first and second electrodes, C1, C2, thus resulting in little or no change in the differential capacitance between those electrodes. In that way, the above described configuration can eliminate the effect of cross axis sensitivity on the output corresponding to acceleration on the second axis 130 due to a force applied along the first axis 120. In sum, the electrode sets in the above described configuration self-correct for the issue of cross-axis sensitivity. Put in other terms, each rotor and stator in a capacitive pair may be thought of as a capacitive plate (or other capacitive element), wherein the position of the rotor relative to the stator in the capacitive pair may change in response to an applied force (e.g., in response to acceleration along one or more axes). The rotors and stators included in each of the first through fourth electrodes may have a default position relative to one another when the accelerometer is at rest. In response to an applied force, rotors within the first and second electrodes may move relative to their corresponding stators, and rotors within the third and fourth electrodes may move relative to their corresponding stators. Movement of the rotors relative to stators included within the capacitive pairs may affect the capacitance of the capacitive pair and, hence, the differential capacitance between the first and second electrodes and/or the third and fourth electrodes. The capacitance of each capacitive pair may be measured using a measuring voltage (Vm), which may be applied across each electrode and produce an output voltage (representative of a capacitance), which may be detected at one or more outputs (e.g., outputs 116-1 to 116-4) of the accelerometer 100. The generated output may be representative of one or more of the acceleration of the accelerometer 100 in response to an applied force, and/or noise attributable to cross-axis sensitivity. For example, when a force is applied only in a direction parallel to the second axis 130, the difference between the output generated by capacitive pairs in the first and second electrodes C1, C2 may be representative of the acceleration applied along the second axis 130, whereas the difference between the output generated by the capacitive pairs in the third and fourth electrodes C3, C4 in response to that force may be due to cross-axis sensitivity. As mentioned above, however, the capacitive pairs of the electrodes described herein are configured to self-correct for cross-axis sensitivity, and thus reduce or even eliminate the impact of cross-axis sensitivity from the output generated by capacitive pairs that are oriented parallel to (or substantially parallel to) the sensing direction (in this case, the second axis 130). More specifically, because the accelerometers described herein measure acceleration based on differential capacitance of electrodes in an electrode set, the effect of cross-axis sensitivity in the cross axis direction may be reduced or eliminated by subtraction, as discussed further below. It is noted that while the present disclosure focuses on the use of this principal to address cross-axis sensitivity in the in-plane axes (e.g., in the X or Y axis), the effect of cross-axis sensitivity resulting from a movement in an out of plane axis (e.g., a z-axis) to both in plane axes may also be accounted for in the same manner. Reference is now made to FIGS. 2A-2D, which are various views of another example of an accelerometer 200 consistent with the present disclosure. Like the accelerometer of FIG. 1, accelerometer 200 is a MEMs accelerometer that includes a proof mass, 102, a first electrode C1, a second electrode C2, a third electrode C3, and a fourth electrode C4. The first and second electrodes C1, C2 make up a first electrode set, and the third and fourth electrodes C3, C4, make up a second electrode set. The first electrode C1 is disposed proximate a first side of the proof mass 102, and includes a first rotor set and a first stator set. The first rotor set includes a plurality of first rotors 204 in the form of protuberances or “fingers” that extend from the proof mass 102 in a direction parallel to a first axis of the accelerometer, which in this case is the X-axis. The first stator set includes a first stator body 250 and a plurality of first stators 212. The plurality of first stators are in the form of protuberances that extend from the first stator body 250 in a direction parallel to the first (X) axis, such that the gap in each of the first capacitive pairs has a long dimension oriented along the first axis. The first rotors 204 and first stators 212 are positioned relative to one another so as to form a plurality of first capacitive pairs, wherein each of the first capacitive pairs is formed by a respective one of the first rotors 204 and first stators 212. The first rotors 204 and first stators 212 are also configured such that an equal number of first capacitive pairs are formed on opposing first and second sides of the first stator body 250. In the illustrated embodiment, the opposing first and second sides of the stator body 250 are oriented parallel (or substantially parallel) to a second axis of the accelerometer 200 (in this case, the Y axis), but the accelerometers described herein are not limited to that configuration. The second electrode C2 is disposed proximate a second side of the proof mass 102 that is opposite or substantially opposite the first side of the proof mass 102. Similar to the first electrode C1, the second electrode C2 includes a second rotor set and a second stator set. The second rotor set includes a plurality of second rotors 204′, and the second stator set includes a second stator body 260 and plurality of second stators 212′. The plurality of second rotors 204′ are in the form of protuberances or “fingers” that extend from the proof mass in a direction parallel to the first (X) axis. Similarly, the plurality of second stators 212 are in the form of protuberances or “fingers” that extend from the second stator body 260 in a direction parallel to the first (X) axis. The second rotors 204′ and second stators 212′ are positioned relative to one another so as to form a plurality of second capacitive pairs, wherein each of the second capacitive pairs is formed by a respective one of the second rotors 204′ and second stators 212′. Moreover, the second rotors 204′ and second stators 212′ are configured such that an equal number of capacitive pairs are formed on opposing first and second sides of second stator body 260. In this case, the opposing first and second sides of the second stator body 260 are oriented parallel (or substantially parallel) to the second (Y) axis of the accelerometer 200, but the accelerometers described herein are not limited to that configuration. The second rotors 204′ and second stators 212′ are also configured such that a gap of each of the second capacitive pairs has a long dimension oriented along the first (X) axis of the accelerometer. As best shown in FIG. 2B, the gap may have a default gap width g1 when the accelerometer 200 is at rest. The gap width g1 may change in response to a force applied along the second (Y) axis of the accelerometer, but may remain unchanged (or substantially unchanged) by a force applied along the first (X) axis of the accelerometer) and/or a third (e.g., Z) axis of the accelerometer. The number of first and second capacitive pairs in the first and second electrodes C1 and C2 is not limited, provided that the number of first and second capacitive pairs is the same. For the sake of illustration, FIGS. 2A, 2B, and 2C illustrate an embodiment in which the first and second electrodes C1 and C2 each include 8 capacitive pairs, with 4 capacitive pairs located on a first side of stator bodies 250, 260, and 4 capacitive pairs located on a second side of stator bodies 250, 260. Such illustration is for the sake of example only, and any suitable number of capacitive pairs may be used in the first and second electrodes C1, C2. For example, the first and second electrodes C1, C2 may each include 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20 or more capacitive pairs, with an equal number of capacitive pairs disposed on opposing sides of a corresponding stator body. The first capacitive pairs of the first electrode C1 are configured differently from the second capacitive pairs of the second electrode C2. More specifically and as best shown in FIGS. 2B and 2C, first stators 212 are in the form of protuberances or “fingers” that have opposing first and second sides 220, 221, which in this case face the same direction and are oriented in parallel with the first (X) axis of accelerometer 200. Likewise, second stators 212′ are in the form of protuberances or “fingers” that have opposing first and second sides 220′, 221′, and which also face the same direction and are oriented in parallel with the first (X) axis. Similarly, the first and second rotors 204, 204′ are in the form or protuberances or “fingers” having a first side 222, 222′ and an opposing second side (223, 223′, respectively, which are oriented in parallel with the first (X) axis. Notably, the first rotors 204 in the first electrode C1 are positioned so that their first side 222 is positioned proximate to the second side 221 of a respective one of the first stators 212. In contrast, the second rotors 204′ in the second electrode C2 are positioned so that their second side 223′ is positioned proximate to the first side 220′ of a respective one of the second stators 212′. Put differently, the first and second stators 212, 212′ may be understood as each having opposing positive and negative sides, which face the same direction and are oriented in parallel with a first (X) axis of the accelerometer. With that in mind, the first rotors 204 of the first electrode C1 are positioned proximate the positive side of a corresponding one of the first stators 212, whereas the second rotors 204′ of the second electrode C2 are positioned proximate the negative side of a corresponding one of the second stators 212′. As will be further explained, that configuration can allow a detectable change in differential capacitance between C1 and C2 to arise when a force is applied only along a second (Y) axis of the accelerometer, but limits or prevents a change in differential capacitance between C1 and C2 when a force is applied only along a first (e.g., X) axis of the accelerometer. The third electrode C3 is disposed proximate a third side of the proof mass 102 that is orthogonal or substantially orthogonal to the first and second sides of the proof mass 102. Similar to the first and second electrodes, the third electrode C3 includes a third rotor set and a third stator set. The third rotor set includes a plurality of third rotors 206, and the third stator set includes a third stator body 270 and plurality of third stators 214. The plurality of third rotors 206 are in the form of protuberances or “fingers” that extend from the proof mass in a direction parallel to the second (Y) axis of the accelerometer 200. Similarly, the plurality of third stators 214 are in the form of protuberances or “fingers” that extend from the third stator body 270 in a direction parallel to the second (Y) axis of the accelerometer. The third rotors 206 and third stators 214 are positioned relative to one another so as to form a plurality of third capacitive pairs, wherein each of the third capacitive pairs is formed by a respective one of the third rotors 206 and third stators 214. The third rotors 206 and third stators 214 are also configured such that an equal number of third capacitive pairs are formed on opposing first and second sides of third stator body 270. In this case, the opposing first and second sides of the third stator body 270 are oriented parallel (or substantially parallel) to the first (X) axis of the accelerometer 200, but the accelerometers described herein are not limited to that configuration. The third rotors 206 and third stators 214 are also configured such that a gap of each of the first capacitive pairs has a long dimension oriented along the second (Y) axis of the accelerometer. As best shown in FIG. 2B, the gap may have a default gap width g2 when the accelerometer 200 is at rest. That gap width may change in response to a force applied along the first (X) axis of the accelerometer, but may remain unchanged (or substantially unchanged) by a force applied along the second (Y) axis of the accelerometer) and/or a third (e.g., Z) axis of the accelerometer. The fourth electrode C4 is disposed proximate a second side of the proof mass 102 that is opposite or substantially opposite the third side of the proof mass 102. Similar to the third electrode C3, the fourth electrode C4 includes a fourth rotor set and a fourth stator set. The fourth rotor set includes a plurality of fourth rotors 206′, and the fourth stator set includes a fourth stator body 280 and plurality of fourth stators 214′. The plurality of fourth rotors 206′ are in the form of protuberances or “fingers” that extend from the proof mass 202 in a direction parallel to the second (Y) axis of the accelerometer. Similarly, the plurality of fourth stators 214′ are in the form of protuberances or “fingers” that extend from the second stator body 280 in a direction parallel to the second (Y) axis of the accelerometer. The fourth rotors 206′ and fourth stators 214′ are positioned relative to one another so as to form a plurality of fourth capacitive pairs, wherein each of the fourth capacitive pairs is formed by a respective one of the fourth rotors 206′ and fourth stators 214′. Moreover, the fourth rotors 206′ and fourth stators 214′ are configured such that an equal number of capacitive pairs are formed on opposing first and second sides of fourth stator body 280. In this case, the opposing first and second sides of the fourth stator body 280 are oriented parallel (or substantially parallel) to the first (X) axis of the accelerometer 200, but the accelerometers described herein are not limited to that configuration. The fourth rotors 206′ and fourth stators 214′ are also configured such that a gap of each of the second capacitive pairs has a long dimension oriented along the second (Y) axis of the accelerometer. The number of third and fourth capacitive pairs in the third and fourth electrodes C3 and C4 is not limited, provided that the number of third and fourth capacitive pairs is the same and an equal number of capacitive pairs can be positioned on opposing sides of a corresponding stator body. For the sake of illustration, FIGS. 2A, 2B, and 2D illustrate an embodiment in which the third and fourth electrodes C3 and C4 each include 8 capacitive pairs, with 4 capacitive pairs located on a first side of stator bodies 270, 280, and 4 capacitive pairs located on a second side of stator bodies 270, 280. Such illustration is for the sake of example only, and any suitable number of capacitive pairs may be used in the third and fourth electrodes C3, C4. For example, the third and fourth electrodes, C3, C4 may each include 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20 or more capacitive pairs, wherein an equal number of capacitive pairs are formed on opposing sides of a corresponding stator body. The third capacitive pairs of the third electrode C3 are configured differently from the fourth capacitive pairs of the fourth electrode C4. More specifically and as best shown in FIGS. 2B and 2D, third stators 214 are in the form of protuberances or “fingers” that have opposing first and second sides 224, 225, which face the same direction and are oriented in parallel with the second (Y) axis of accelerometer 200 Likewise, fourth stators 214′ are in the form of protuberances or “fingers” that have opposing first and second sides 224′, 225′, which also face the same direction and are oriented in parallel with the second (Y) axis. Similarly, the third and fourth rotors 206, 206′ are in the form or protuberances or “fingers” having a first side 226, 226′ and an opposing second side 227, 227′, respectively, which face the same direction and are oriented parallel to the second (Y) axis. Notably, the third rotors 206 in the third electrode C3 are positioned so that their first side 226 is positioned proximate to the first side 224 of a respective one of the third stators 214. In contrast, the fourth rotors 206′ in the fourth electrode C4 are positioned so that their second side 227′ is positioned proximate to the second side 225′ of a respective one of the second stators 212′. Put differently, the third and fourth stators 214, 214′ may be understood as each having opposing positive and negative sides, which face the same direction and are oriented in parallel with the second (Y) axis of the accelerometer 200. With that in mind, the third rotors 206 of the third electrode C3 are positioned proximate the positive side of a corresponding one of the third stators 214, whereas the fourth rotors 206′ of the fourth electrode C4 are positioned proximate the negative side of a corresponding one of the fourth stators 214′. As will be further explained, that configuration can allow a detectable change in differential capacitance between C3 and C4 to arise when a force is applied only along the first (X) axis of the accelerometer, but limits or prevents a change in differential capacitance between C3 and C4 when a force is applied only along the second (Y) axis of the accelerometer. Returning to FIG. 2A, the accelerometer 200 includes one or more of elastic members 201 that suspend or support the proof mass and rotors of electrodes C1-C4 from or above a substrate (not shown). Any suitable elastic member may be used as elastic member(s) 201. Non-limiting examples of suitable elastic members that may be used as elastic member(s) 201 include springs, struts, or other suitable structures. Without limitation, in embodiments elastic members 201 are crab leg springs that support or suspend proof mass and the rotors of C1-C4 above or from a substrate. When used, such crab leg springs may be integral with the underlying substrate, and may be formed by photolithography or another suitable process from the material of the substrate. While various FIGS. show embodiments in which four elastic members 201 are used, such illustration is for the sake of example only and the accelerometers described herein are not limited thereto. Indeed the accelerometers described herein may utilize any suitable number of elastic members to support or suspend the proof mass 102 and the rotors of electrodes C1-C4 above or from an underlying substrate. In any case, elastic members 201 are generally configured to allow the proof mass and rotors to move in response to an applied force. Movement of the rotors relative to the stators may cause a detectable change in differential capacitance to arise between C1 and C2 or C3 and C4, which in turn may be used to determine the acceleration applied along the second (e.g., Y) and first (e.g., X) axes, respectively. In contrast, the stator bodies and stators of electrodes C1-C4 may be integral with or otherwise attached to the underlying substrate, so as to limit or prevent their displacement in response to an applied force. For the sake of illustration and ease of understanding, the general operating principals of accelerometers consistent with the present disclosure will now be described in connection with FIGS. 2B-2D, assuming the application of a force to accelerometer 200 only along the negative Y axis direction, which displaces the proof mass 102 (and associated rotors) along the positive Y axis direction. As noted above, prior to the application of a force (i.e., when accelerometer 200 is at rest), the proof mass 102 is at rest and the capacitance of the C1, C2, C3, and C4 is nominally equal to the static capacitance, C0. That concept is shown in FIG. 2B, which shows that the first and second capacitive pairs in the first and second electrodes C1, C2, have a default gap spacing g1 in the at rest condition. The rotors and stators of the first and second capacitive pairs overlap to a default degree in the at rest condition. Similarly, FIG. 2B shows that in the at rest condition, the third and fourth capacitive pairs in the third and fourth electrodes C3, C4 have a default gap spacing g2, and an effective capacitance area A. Notably, g1 and the effective capacitive area of the first electrode C1 is the same as g1 and the effective capacitive area of the second electrode C2. Likewise, g2 and the effective capacitive area A of the third electrode C3 is the same as g2 and the effective capacitive area A of the fourth electrode. Thus, in the at rest condition, the capacitance of each of the electrodes C1, C2, C3, and C4 is equal to C0. As a result, no voltage will be measured at the output of the first electrode set (C1, C2) or the second electrode set (C3, C4), as shown by equation II below: V r = V m [ ( C a - C b ) ( C a + C 2 b ) ] = V m [ ( C 0 - C 0 ) ( 2 C 0 ) ] = 0 ( II ) Where Ca and Cb are the capacitance of electrodes C1 and C2 or electrodes C3 and C4, respectively, and Vm is a measuring voltage. Turning now to FIG. 2C, when a force is applied along the negative Y axis direction, the first rotors 204 of C1 are displaced by a distance x toward their corresponding stator 212, and the second rotors 204′ of C2 are displaced away from their corresponding stator 212′ by x. As a result, the gap spacing of the first capacitive pairs in C1 decreases to g1−x, whereas the gap spacing of the second capacitive pairs in C2 increases to g1+x. Consequently, the capacitance (C1) of the first electrode C1 increases and the capacitance (C2) of the second electrode decreases, as shown by equations III and IV below: C 1 = ɛ × A g 1 - x ( III ) C 2 = ɛ × A g 1 + x (IV) Where ∈ is the permittivity, A is the effective capacitive area between the first/second rotors and stators of the first or second capacitive pairs, g1 is the gap spacing, and x is the displacement of the first/second rotors in response to the force applied in the Y axis direction. Based on the differential capacitance of the first and second electrodes C1, C2, the voltage at the output for the first electrode set is given by eauation V below: V Y ( AY ) = ( C 1 - C 2 ) ( C 1 + C 2 ) × V m = Δ C C 0 × V m ( V ) Where VY(AY) is the voltage output for the first electrode set (C1, C2) due to acceleration along the Y axis direction, ΔC is the differential capacitance between C1 and C2, and the other symbols are as defined above for equations III and IV. Because ΔC is non-zero, VY(AY) is non-zero and is representative of the acceleration applied along the Y axis due to the force applied in the negative Y direction. Turning now to FIG. 2D, when a force is applied along the negative Y axis direction, the third rotors 206 of C3 are displaced relative to third stator body 270 and the fourth rotors 206′ of C4 are displaced relative to fourth stator body 280, but the gap spacing g2 of the third and fourth capacitive pairs does not change. As a result, the capacitive area of the third capacitive pairs on one side of the third stator body 270 changes by an amount, −ΔA, and the capacitive area on the other side of the third stator body 270 changes by an amount, +ΔA. Likewise, the capacitive area of the fourth capacitive pairs on one side of the fourth stator body 280 changes by −ΔA, and the capacitive area on the other side of the fourth stator body 280 changes by +ΔA. Hence, the total effective capacitive area (A) of C3 and C4 and the gap spacing g2 remains constant and the capacitance of C3 and C4 will each equal C0. Thus, based on the differential capacitance of the third and fourth electrodes C3, C4, the voltage of the output of the second electrode set (C3, C4) due to acceleration along the negative Y axis (i.e., due to cross axis sensitivity) is given by equation VI below: V X ( AY ) = ( C 3 - C 4 ) ( C 3 + C 4 ) × V m = C 0 - C 0 2 C 0 × V m = 0 2 C 0 = 0 ( VI ) Wherein VX(AY) is the voltage of the second electrode set due to acceleration along the negative Y axis direction, C3 and C4 are the capacitance of C3 and C4, and Vm is a measurement voltage. As can be seen, VX(AY) is 0, meaning that the accelerometer exhibits 0 cross-axis sensitivity in the X dimension in response to a force applied along only the negative Y axis. The net capacitance change of the first electrode set (C1, C2) introduced by a force applied along only the X axis is cancelled in the same manner. With regard to cross axis sensitivity for a force applied along the Z axis, although the stiffness coefficient (spring constant) of the elastic member may be significantly greater in the Z axis than along the X and/or Y axes, a force applied on the Z axis may also cause a small displacement of the rotors in the first through fourth electrodes in the Z direction. As a result, the effective capacitive area of each of C1, C2, C3, and C4 will be reduced by ΔC, resulting in a corresponding reducing in their capacitance. The change in capacitance of C1, C2, C3, and C4 may be equal and have the same sign. Thus, for example, based on the differential capacitance of the first, second, third and fourth electrodes C1, C2, C3, C4, the voltage of the output of the second electrode set (C3, C4) due to acceleration along the Z axis (i.e., due to cross axis sensitivity) is given by equation VII below: V X ( AZ ) = ( C 3 - C 4 ) ( C 3 + C 4 ) × V m = ( C 0 - Δ C ) - ( C 0 - Δ C ) 2 C 0 × V m = 0 2 C 0 = 0 ( VII ) Where VX(AZ) is the voltage of the second electrode set (C3, C4) due to acceleration in the Z dimension, and the other variables are as defined above. The net capacitance change of the first electrode set (C1, C2) introduced by a force applied along only the Z axis is cancelled in the same manner. As explained above the accelerometers described herein utilize the difference in the capacitance sensed between two or more electrodes in an electrode set to determine acceleration along one or more axes. In that regard the accelerometers described herein may include or be coupled to a measurement unit that is configured to determine the differential capacitance between electrodes in an electrode set. The measurement unit may be or include, for example, a controller (e.g., microcontroller) that is configured to apply a measurement voltage (Vm) across the electrodes in an electrode set (e.g., across C1, C2 or C3, C4), and to determine the differential capacitance between those electrodes in response to the application of Vm. In embodiments, the measurement unit include a voltage generator that is configured to generate the measurement voltage and detection circuitry configured to determine the capacitance (and/or differential capacitance) between electrodes in an electrode set in response to the applying of Vm. In further embodiments, the detection circuitry may include an amplifier or means for amplifying signals measured from electrodes in an electrode set, and circuitry for determining the capacitance (and/or differential capacitance) between electrodes in an electrode set based on the amplified or unamplified signal(s). FIGS. 3A, 3B, and 3C show example mode shapes exhibited by an accelerometer consistent with the present disclosure. The mode shape exhibited by such an example accelerometer when a proof mass 102 and rotors integral with or coupled thereto are translated along the X axis is shown in FIG. 3A. The mode shape exhibited by the example when the proof mass 102 and the rotors integral with or coupled thereto are translated along the Y axis is shown in FIG. 3B. And the mode shape of the example when the proof mass 102 and the rotors integral with or coupled thereto are rotated about the z-axis is shown in FIG. 3C. EXAMPLE To investigate the efficacy of the multi-axis accelerometer designs discussed herein, a multi-axis accelerometer consistent with the design of FIG. 2A was constructed using to the parameter shown in Table 1 below: TABLE 1 Elastic member Design Crab leg springs Stiffness coefficient 59.47 (x dimension - Newtons/Meter) Stiffness coefficient 59.69 (y dimension- Newtons/Meter) Stiffness coefficient 279 (z dimension - Newtons/Meter) Beam length (microns) 300 Beam width (microns) 7 Beam thickness (microns) 30 Electrode Design 1st Electrode Set 2nd Electrode Set (C1, C2) (C1, C2) Static Capacitance (Pico farad) 5.16 5.16 Rotor/Stator Length (microns) 82 82 Rotor/Stator Width (microns) 5 5 Rotor/Stator Thickness (microns) 30 30 Gap spacing (g1, g2 - microns) 1.25 (g1) 1.25 (g2) Natural Frequency (kilohertz) 3.784 kHz 3.791 kHz Cross-Axis sensitivity_X 0 0 Cross-Axis sensitivity_Y 0 0 Cross-Axis sensitivity_Z 0 0 The differential capacitive sensitivity (ΔC/g) of the example accelerometer was calculated to be 80.9 femto Farads/g. As the accelerometer operates on a gap changing principal (i.e., a change in the gap spacing g1, g2 of the first and second electrode sets), the response of the accelerometer was non-linear at high g accelerations, but as shown in FIG. 4, the sensitivity was linear in a range of +/−10 g. The non-linear response at high g accelerations is believed to be attributable to increases in the pull-in voltage of the accelerometer as the displacement of the rotors in the electrode sets increases beyond a threshold amount. This is reflected in FIG. 5, which is a plot of the rotor displacement versus pull in voltage. As shown, the pull-in voltage of the example accelerometer increased with increasing rotor displacement. The example accelerometer exhibited a maximum pull-in voltage of about 6 V. The foregoing description of example embodiments has been presented for the purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the present disclosure to the precise forms disclosed. Many modifications and variations are possible in light of this disclosure. It is intended that the scope of the present disclosure be limited not by this detailed description, but rather by the claims appended hereto. Future filed applications claiming priority to this application may claim the disclosed subject matter in a different manner, and may generally include any set of one or more limitations as variously disclosed or otherwise demonstrated herein. | <SOH> BACKGROUND <EOH>An accelerometer is a sensor which detects/measures acceleration due to gravity and/or an applied force (e.g., from physical motion). Such devices have numerous applications in the automotive, consumer products, and other industries. Although various accelerometer configurations are known, capacitive accelerometers (which detect/measure acceleration by converting a capacitance change into a proportional voltage) are popular due to their relatively low power and noise, their relatively high sensitivity, and their relatively small device footprint. While accelerometers are now in widespread use, they may suffer from one or more drawbacks such as cross-axis sensitivity. Cross-axis sensitivity is the output detected on one axis (the sensing axis) of an accelerometer that is due to acceleration imposed on another axis (e.g., an orthogonal axis, which may also be referred to as the cross direction). The percentage cross-axis sensitivity is often expressed as a ratio of the measured sensitivity in the cross direction to the measured sensitivity in the sensing direction. As noted above, capacitive accelerometers convert a detected change in capacitance to a proportional voltage that is representative of the acceleration of a proof mass. With such designs, cross-axis sensitivity can cause a capacitance change to be detected in one axis when acceleration is occurring along another axis of the accelerometer, potentially resulting in sensing errors. Indeed as cross axis sensitivity increases, the relative accuracy of an accelerometer may decrease. Many current commercial grade accelerometers have relatively high (≥2%) cross axis sensitivity, which may make them unsuitable for high precision applications. Although cross-axis sensitivity may be reduced by using several accelerometers in parallel, such an approach may undesirably increase the cost of the device. Hence, the development of new accelerometer designs that address the cross-axis sensitivity issue remain of interest. | <SOH> BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS <EOH>Features and advantages of the claimed subject matter will be apparent from the following detailed description of embodiments consistent therewith, which description should be considered with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein: FIG. 1 is a block diagram of one example of an accelerometer consistent with the present disclosure. FIG. 2A is a plan view of another example of an accelerometer consistent with the present disclosure. FIG. 2B is a magnified view of first (C 1 ), second (C 2 ), third (C 3 ), and fourth (C 4 ) electrodes of the accelerometer of FIG. 2A , in an at rest condition. FIG. 2C is a magnified view of the first and second electrodes of the accelerometer of FIG. 2A , when a force is applied along one (e.g., negative Y) axis and, due to spring restoring force, a proof mass and associated rotors are displaced in a positive Y axis. FIG. 2D is a magnified view of the third and fourth electrodes of the accelerometer of FIG. 2A , when a force is applied along one (e.g., negative Y) axis. FIGS. 3A-3C are plan views of an example mode shapes when accelerometer of FIG. 2A responding to an acceleration in one or more dimensions, consistent with embodiments of the present disclosure. FIG. 4 is a plot of differential capacitance versus acceleration along a y axis for one example of an accelerometer consistent with embodiments of the present disclosure. FIG. 5 is a plot of proof mass displacement versus voltage for one example of an accelerometer consistent with embodiments of the present disclosure. detailed-description description="Detailed Description" end="lead"? | G01P1513 | 20171219 | 20180705 | 59247.0 | G01P1513 | 0 | ROBERTS, HERBERT K | MULTI-AXIS ACCELEROMETERS WITH REDUCED CROSS-AXIS SENSITIVITY | SMALL | 0 | ACCEPTED | G01P | 2,017 |
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15,847,167 | PENDING | DOSING DISPENSER SYSTEM AND METHOD | A dosing dispenser includes a housing, a traveler, and a plunger. The housing defines a chamber, and the traveler and plunger are each positionable within the chamber. The traveler is independently positionable along an axis relative to the plunger in at least one direction within the chamber. A method of dispensing a flowable composition with a dosing dispenser includes positioning the plunger within the chamber, positioning the traveler within the chamber such that the traveler is spaced apart from the plunger, loading the flowable composition within the chamber, and dispensing the flowable composition. | 1. A dosing dispenser comprising: a housing defining a chamber; a traveler within the chamber; and a plunger within the chamber, wherein the traveler is movable along an axis between an engaged position and a disengaged position relative to the plunger, and wherein the traveler is spaced apart from the plunger in the disengaged position. 2. The dosing dispenser of claim 1, wherein the plunger comprises a first end and a second end, wherein the second end of the plunger defines a plunger cavity, and wherein the plunger defines a filling portion of the chamber between the first end of the housing and the first end of the plunger. 3. The dosing dispenser of claim 1, wherein the traveler is configured to abut and selectively position the plunger in the engaged position. 4. The dosing dispenser of claim 3, wherein the traveler comprises a first end and a second end, wherein the first end comprises a plunger driver configured to selectively engage the plunger within a plunger cavity of the plunger and movably position the plunger within the chamber. 5. The dosing dispenser of claim 1, further comprising a base assembly coupled to the housing, the base assembly comprising a base and configured to movably position the traveler within the chamber through rotation of the base. 6. The dosing dispenser of claim 1, wherein in the disengaged position, the traveler is spaced apart from the plunger, and wherein in the engaged position, a plunger driver of the traveler abuts the plunger within a plunger cavity of the plunger. 7. The dosing dispenser of claim 1, wherein the housing comprises a dispensing channel, wherein the plunger comprises a crown, wherein the plunger defines a filling portion of the chamber between the dispensing channel and the plunger, and wherein at least a portion of the crown is positionable within the dispensing channel of the housing when a volume of the filling portion of the chamber is at a minimum. 8. The dosing dispenser of claim 7, wherein the housing further comprises an intermediate chamber between the chamber and the dispensing channel, and wherein at least a portion of the crown is positionable within the intermediate chamber when the volume of the filling portion of the chamber is at the minimum. 9. A dosing dispenser comprising: a housing defining a chamber; a traveler positionable within the chamber; and a plunger positionable within the chamber, wherein the traveler is independently positionable along an axis relative to the plunger in at least one direction within the chamber. 10. The dosing dispenser of claim 9, wherein the chamber comprises a first end and a second end, wherein the housing further comprises a dispensing channel in fluid communication with the chamber at the first end, and wherein the at least one direction is away from the first end. 11. The dosing dispenser of claim 9, wherein the housing further comprises a dispensing channel in fluid communication with the chamber, and wherein the at least one direction is away from the dispensing channel. 12. The dosing dispenser of claim 9, wherein the traveler is configured to abut and selectively position the plunger in the a direction opposite the at least one direction. 13. The dosing dispenser of claim 9, further comprising a base assembly configured to movably position the traveler within the chamber. 14. The dosing dispenser of claim 13, wherein the base assembly comprises: a base; a drive screw threadably engaged with the traveler and coupled to the base such that rotation of the base rotates the drive screw and axially moves the traveler within the chamber; a base support rotatably supporting the drive screw and the base, the base support comprising a mounting portion and a supporting portion, the supporting portion comprising at least one notch; and a cam mounted on the drive screw and comprising at least one extension configured to engage the at least one notch as the cam is rotated through the drive screw. 15. The dosing dispenser of claim 9, wherein a cross-sectional shape of the plunger is substantially similar to a cross-sectional shape of the chamber such that the plunger forms a fluid tight seal with the housing within the chamber as the plunger is movably positioned within the chamber. 16. A method of dispensing a flowable composition with a dosing dispenser, the method comprising: positioning a plunger within a chamber defined by a housing of the dosing dispenser; positioning a traveler within the chamber such that the traveler is spaced apart from the plunger; and loading the flowable composition within the chamber, wherein loading the flowable composition within the chamber abuts the flowable composition against the plunger and moves the plunger within the chamber independently from the traveler. 17. The method of claim 16, wherein the housing comprises a first end and a second end, wherein the first end comprises a dispensing channel in fluid communication with the chamber, wherein positioning the plunger within the chamber comprises abutting the plunger against the first end of the housing within the chamber, and wherein loading the flowable composition comprises loading the flowable composition through the dispensing channel. 18. The method of claim 16, wherein loading the flowable composition within the chamber abuts the flowable composition against the plunger such that no air gaps are formed between the plunger and the flowable composition. 19. The method of claim 16, wherein loading the flowable composition comprises loading a predetermined volume of the flowable composition within the chamber between a dispensing end of the housing and a first end of the plunger facing the dispensing end, and wherein the method further comprises: advancing the traveler within the chamber such that the traveler abuts a second end of the plunger opposite the first end after the predetermined volume is loaded; and dispensing the flowable composition from the dispensing end of the housing by advancing the traveler towards the dispensing end. 20. The method of claim 16, further comprising: positioning the traveler within the chamber such that the traveler abuts the plunger after the flowable composition is loaded; and advancing the traveler within the chamber such that the traveler movably positions the plunger within the chamber and dispenses the flowable composition from the housing. | REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/439,280, filed Dec. 27, 2016 and entitled DOSING DISPENSER SYSTEM AND METHOD, the content of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. FIELD OF THE INVENTION This application relates to dispensers for flowable compositions, and more particularly to a dispenser having a base which causes a plunger to urge a predetermined amount of flowable composition through an opening in the dispenser. BACKGROUND Traditionally, topically administered medicine was often formulated as liquids. Applying a liquid to a skin surface often resulted in a portion of the dose spreading beyond the target area. Cream-based formulations were developed as viscous liquids to prevent the unintended application of the medicine to an unaffected area. More recently, pharmacists have been taking traditional medicines and “compounding” them in a cream base. Administering the cream-based medicines is a challenge because providing an accurate measured dose is not easy. One common form of a dispenser is a traditional hypodermic syringe, without the needle. The user can depress the plunger to force an amount of cream out of the barrel as indicated by markings on the side of the barrel. For older patients, it is not always easy to measure out 0.1 ml or so of medicine, as this may require more dexterity than is available. In addition, it may be difficult for patients to visually track the amount of liquid dispensed by relying on the markings on the side of the barrel because eyesight may vary from patient to patient. Furthermore, depending on the dispenser, more or less liquid may appear to be dispensed compared to the actual amount dispensed when relying on the markings. SUMMARY The terms “invention,” “the invention,” “this invention” and “the present invention” used in this patent are intended to refer broadly to all of the subject matter of this patent and the patent claims below. Statements containing these terms should be understood not to limit the subject matter described herein or to limit the meaning or scope of the patent claims below. Embodiments of the invention covered by this patent are defined by the claims below, not this summary. This summary is a high-level overview of various embodiments of the invention and introduces some of the concepts that are further described in the Detailed Description section below. This summary is not intended to identify key or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used in isolation to determine the scope of the claimed subject matter. The subject matter should be understood by reference to appropriate portions of the entire specification of this patent, any or all drawings, and each claim. According to various examples, a dosing dispenser includes a housing defining a chamber, a traveler within the chamber, and a plunger within the chamber. In some aspects, the traveler is movable along an axis between an engaged position and a disengaged position relative to the plunger, and the traveler is spaced apart from the plunger in the disengaged position. In some cases, the plunger includes a first end and a second end, the second end of the plunger defines a plunger cavity, and the plunger defines a filling portion of the chamber between the first end of the housing and the first end of the plunger. In certain aspects, the traveler is configured to abut and selectively position the plunger in the engaged position. In various aspects, the traveler includes a first end and a second end, and the first end includes a plunger driver configured to selectively engage the plunger within a plunger cavity of the plunger and movably position the plunger within the chamber. In various examples, a base assembly is coupled to the housing. In certain examples, the base assembly includes a base and is configured to movably position the traveler within the chamber through rotation of the base. According to some examples, in the disengaged position, the traveler is spaced apart from the plunger, and in the engaged position, a plunger driver of the traveler abuts the plunger within a plunger cavity of the plunger. In various aspects, the housing includes a dispensing channel, the plunger includes a crown, the plunger defines a filling portion of the chamber between the dispensing channel and the plunger, and at least a portion of the crown is positionable within the dispensing channel of the housing when a volume of the filling portion of the chamber is at a minimum. According to certain examples, the housing further includes an intermediate chamber between the chamber and the dispensing channel, and at least a portion of the crown is positionable within the intermediate chamber when the volume of the filling portion of the chamber is at the minimum. According to some examples, a dosing dispenser includes a housing defining a chamber, a traveler positionable within the chamber, and a plunger positionable within the chamber. In certain cases, the traveler is independently positionable along an axis relative to the plunger in at least one direction within the chamber. In various aspects, the chamber includes a first end and a second end, the housing further includes a dispensing channel in fluid communication with the chamber at the first end, and the at least one direction is away from the first end. In some cases, the housing further includes a dispensing channel in fluid communication with the chamber, and the at least one direction is away from the dispensing channel. In some examples, the traveler is configured to abut and selectively position the plunger in the a direction opposite the at least one direction. In certain examples, a base assembly is configured to movably position the traveler within the chamber. In some aspects, the base assembly includes a base, a drive screw threadably engaged with the traveler and coupled to the base such that rotation of the base rotates the drive screw and axially moves the traveler within the chamber, a base support rotatably supporting the drive screw and the base, the base support including a mounting portion and a supporting portion, the supporting portion including at least one notch, and a cam mounted on the drive screw and including at least one extension configured to engage the at least one notch as the cam is rotated through the drive screw. In various aspects, a cross-sectional shape of the plunger is substantially similar to a cross-sectional shape of the chamber such that the plunger forms a fluid tight seal with the housing within the chamber as the plunger is movably positioned within the chamber. According to certain examples, a method of dispensing a flowable composition with a dosing dispenser includes positioning a plunger within a chamber defined by a housing of the dosing dispenser, positioning a traveler within the chamber such that the traveler is spaced apart from the plunger, and loading the flowable composition within the chamber. In certain examples, the housing includes a first end and a second end, the first end includes a dispensing channel in fluid communication with the chamber, positioning the plunger within the chamber includes abutting the plunger against the first end of the housing within the chamber, and loading the flowable composition includes loading the flowable composition through the dispensing channel. In some cases, the plunger includes a crown, and positioning the plunger within the chamber includes positioning at least a portion of the crown within the dispensing channel. In various cases, loading the flowable composition includes loading a predetermined volume of the flowable composition within the chamber between a dispensing end of the housing and a first end of the plunger facing the dispensing end, and the method further includes advancing the traveler within the chamber such that the traveler abuts a second end of the plunger opposite the first end after the predetermined volume is loaded, and dispensing the flowable composition from the dispensing end of the housing by advancing the traveler towards the dispensing end. According to some examples, the method includes positioning the traveler within the chamber such that the traveler abuts the plunger after the flowable composition is loaded, and advancing the traveler within the chamber such that the traveler movably positions the plunger within the chamber and dispenses the flowable composition from the housing. Various implementations described in the present disclosure can include additional systems, methods, features, and advantages, which cannot necessarily be expressly disclosed herein but will be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art upon examination of the following detailed description and accompanying drawings. It is intended that all such systems, methods, features, and advantages be included within the present disclosure and protected by the accompanying claims. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The features and components of the following figures are illustrated to emphasize the general principles of the present disclosure. Corresponding features and components throughout the figures can be designated by matching reference characters for the sake of consistency and clarity. FIG. 1 is a partially-exploded perspective view of a dosing dispenser including a housing, a base assembly, a drive screw, a traveler, an application tool, a cap, and a plunger according to aspects of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the traveler of FIG. 1. FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the traveler of FIG. 2. FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the drive screw of FIG. 1. FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the plunger of FIG. 1. FIG. 6 is an end view of the plunger of FIG. 5. FIG. 7 is an end view of a plunger for a dosing dispenser according to an example of the present invention. FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a base support of the base assembly of FIG. 1. FIG. 9 is a sectional view of the base support of FIG. 8. FIG. 10 is an end view of the base support of FIG. 8. FIG. 11 is an end view of a cam of the base assembly of FIG. 1. FIG. 12 is an end view of the cam of FIG. 11 mounted on the base support of FIG. 8. FIG. 13 is an exploded assembly view of the drive screw of FIG. 1 with the base support of FIG. 8 and the cam of FIG. 11. FIG. 14 is a partially exploded assembly view of the drive screw, base support, and cam of FIG. 13 with a base of the base assembly of FIG. 1. FIG. 15 is a perspective view of the drive screw, base support, cam, and base FIG. 14 with the traveler of FIG. 1. FIG. 16 is a sectional view of the drive screw, base support, cam, base, and traveler of FIG. 15. FIG. 17 is a perspective view of the driver screw, base support, cam, base, and traveler of FIG. 15 with the housing and plunger of FIG. 1. FIG. 18 is a partially exploded assembly view of the dispenser of FIG. 1 with the cap and application tool removed. FIG. 19 is a perspective view of a dispensing end of the housing. FIG. 20 is an enlarged sectional view of a portion of the dispenser of FIG. 1 including the plunger, housing, cap, and application tool. FIG. 21 is a perspective view of the dispenser of FIG. 1. FIG. 22 is a perspective view of the dosing dispenser of FIG. 1 with the cap and application removed, a flowable composition in the housing, and the plunger and traveler in a first position. FIG. 23 is perspective view of the dosing dispenser of FIG. 22 with the plunger and traveler in a second position. FIG. 24 is a perspective view of the dosing dispenser of FIG. 23 with the application tool attached to the housing and the cap removed. FIG. 25 is sectional view of an application tool according to aspects of the present invention. FIG. 26 is sectional view of another application tool according to aspects of the present invention. FIG. 27 is sectional view of another application tool according to aspects of the present invention. FIG. 28 is a perspective view of a portion of a housing of a dispenser according to aspects of the present invention. FIG. 29 is an enlarged sectional view of the portion of the housing of FIG. 28 with a plunger. FIG. 30 is a perspective view of a portion of a dispenser including a cap and housing. FIG. 31 is a detail sectional view of the dispensing end of FIG. 28 with an application tool and cap. FIG. 32 is a sectional view of a portion of a dosing dispenser according to aspects of the present invention. FIG. 33 is an enlarged sectional view of a portion of the dosing dispenser of FIG. 32. FIG. 34 is a perspective view a portion of a dosing dispenser with a lock tab in a disengaged configuration according to aspects of the present invention. FIG. 35 is a perspective view of the portion of the dosing dispenser of FIG. 34 with the lock tab in an engaged configuration. FIG. 36 is an exploded assembly view of a dosing dispenser according to aspects of the present invention. FIG. 37 is a sectional view of the dosing dispenser of FIG. 36. FIG. 38 is an exploded assembly view of a dosing dispenser according to aspects of the present invention. FIG. 39 is a sectional view of the dosing dispenser of FIG. 38. FIG. 40 an exploded assembly view of a dosing dispenser according to aspects of the present invention. FIG. 41 is a sectional view of the dosing dispenser of FIG. 40. FIG. 42 is a partially exploded assembly view of a dosing dispenser according to aspects of the present invention. FIG. 43 is a sectional view of the dosing dispenser of FIG. 42. FIG. 44 is a sectional view of a dosing dispenser according to aspects of the present invention. FIG. 45 is an exploded assembly view of a dosing dispenser according to aspects of the present invention. FIG. 46 is a perspective view of a portion of the dosing dispenser of FIG. 45. FIG. 47 is an enlarged sectional view of a portion of the dosing dispenser of FIG. 45 including a housing, plunger, applicator tool, and cap. FIG. 48 is an enlarged sectional view of a portion of the dosing dispenser 45 including a housing and applicator tool. FIG. 49 is a perspective view of an applicator tool of the dosing dispenser of FIG. 45. FIG. 50 is a perspective view of a portion of a dosing dispenser according to aspects of the present disclosure. FIG. 51 is a perspective sectional view of the portion of the dosing dispenser of FIG. 50. FIG. 52 is a perspective view of a dosing dispenser according to aspects of the present invention. FIG. 53 is a sectional view of the dosing dispenser of FIG. 52. FIG. 54 is a sectional view of a portion of the dosing dispenser of FIG. 52 engaged with a refilling device. FIG. 55 is a sectional view of a portion of the dosing dispenser of FIG. 52. FIG. 56 is a perspective view of a traveler and drive screw of the dosing dispenser of FIG. 52. FIG. 57 is a perspective view of the traveler, drive screw, base support, cam, and base of the dosing dispenser of FIG. 52. FIG. 58 is a perspective view of the traveler, housing, plunger, drive screw, base support, cam, and base of the dosing dispenser of FIG. 52. FIG. 59 is a perspective view of the traveler, housing, applicator tool, cap, plunger, drive screw, base support, can, and base of the dosing dispenser of FIG. 52 DETAILED DESCRIPTION The subject matter of embodiments of the present invention is described here with specificity to meet statutory requirements, but this description is not necessarily intended to limit the scope of the claims. The claimed subject matter may be embodied in other ways, may include different elements or steps, and may be used in conjunction with other existing or future technologies. This description should not be interpreted as implying any particular order or arrangement among or between various steps or elements except when the order of individual steps or arrangement of elements is explicitly described. Directional references such as “forward,” “aft,” “up,” “down,” “top,” “left,” “right,” “front,” and “back,” among others are intended to refer to the orientation as illustrated and described in the figure (or figures) to which the components and directions are referencing. Disclosed is a dosing dispenser and associated methods, systems, devices, and various apparatus. The dispenser includes a housing, a plunger, a drive screw, and a traveler. It will be understood by those having ordinary skill in the art that the disclosed dispenser is described in but a few examples among many. To ensure that the dispenser provides an accurate dosage, the patient may be consistently alerted to stop rotation of the drive screw at the appropriate location, and the amount of medicine that is pushed through a dispensing end may not vary due to leaks or fluctuation in the movement of the plunger. FIG. 1 illustrates example of a dispenser 10 that is configured to dispense a flowable composition. The flowable composition may include but is not limited to creams or semi-solid emulsions such as oil-in-water creams and water-in-oil creams, gels, sols, colloids, suspensions, solutions, liquids with positive viscosity such as syrups, or other suitable flowable compositions or medicaments. In various examples, the dispenser 10 includes a housing 100, a plunger 200, a traveler 300, a drive screw 400, a base support 500, a cam 600, a base 700, a cap 800, and an applicator 900. Some or all of the parts that comprise the dispenser 10 may be formed of materials including but not limited to polymer, plastic, composite, or other formable or moldable material. As illustrated in FIG. 1, the housing 100 includes a body 102 having a first end 104 and a second end 106. In various aspects, the body 102 defines a chamber 108 extending from the first end 104 to the second end 106 that is dimensioned and configured to store the flowable composition. The chamber 108 may have any cross-sections desired. In some cases, a shape of the chamber 108 may be different from an exterior shape of the body 102. In some examples, the exterior shape of the body 102 may be oval, elliptical, triangular, square, hexagonal, pentagonal, circular, rectilinear, parabolic, hexagonal, other polygonal, irregular circular, or any other desired shape. In some cases, the body 102 is an ergonomic shape. In various examples, the first end 104 is a dispensing end of the housing 100 that includes a dispensing aperture 110. As described in detail below, during use of the dispenser 10, the flowable composition may flow into or out of the chamber 108 through the dispensing aperture 110. In various examples, the first end 104 of the housing 100 also includes an applicator locking interface 112 (see, e.g., FIGS. 18-20). In some examples, the locking interface 112 has a male Luer-style surface (see, e.g., FIGS. 28-31) or a female Luer-style surface (see, e.g., FIGS. 19-20). In these examples, and as described below, the applicator 900 may include a locking interface 906 that is complimentary to the locking interface 112 of the housing 100. In various cases, the locking interface 112 may also optionally include anti-rotation ribs 122. In these examples, the anti-rotation ribs 122 may provide an interface that resists casual rotation of the applicator 900 while the dispenser 10 is being used. In some cases where the locking interface 112 includes the anti-rotation ribs 122, the applicator 900 may optionally include complimentary anti-rotation grooves (not shown) that are configured to engage with the anti-rotation ribs 122. In various examples, the anti-rotation ribs 122 may be provided on the applicator 900 and the first end 104 may include the complimentary anti-rotation grooves. In some examples, the first end 104 may also include threading 118 that is configured to engage with threading 806 of the cap 800. In various cases, the first end 104 may optionally comprise ribs 120 that are configured to engage with grooves 808 of the cap 800 to provide a stopping interface and align a shape of the cap 800 with a shape of the housing 100. In other examples, the grooves may be provided on the first end 104 and the ribs 120 may be provided on the cap 800. In various examples (see, e.g., FIGS. 1 and 21), the housing 100 may optionally include mounting slots 114 that are configured to engage the base support 500 in a snap-fit configuration. In some cases, the mounting slots 114 are provided proximate to the second end 106 of the housing 100, although they need not be. It will be appreciated that the disclosure of mounting slots 114 should not be considered limiting on the current disclosure as in various other examples, various other suitable mounting mechanisms may be utilized to assemble the base support 500 with the housing 100. As illustrated in FIGS. 1, 5, and 6, the plunger 200 includes a body 202 having a first end 204 and a second end 206. The shape of the plunger 200 is selected such that the body 102 of the housing 100 and the plunger 200 may form a fluid tight seal within the chamber 108 and engage with each other in a way that prevents the plunger 200 from freely rotating within the chamber 108 as the plunger 200 is moved axially along the chamber 108, as described in detail below. For example and without limitation, in some examples, the chamber 108 and the plunger 200 may have any suitable interlocking shapes such as oval, elliptical, triangular, rectilinear, parabolic, hexagonal, other polygonal, irregular circular, or any other interlocking shapes. As one non-limiting example, FIG. 6 illustrates the plunger 200 having one cross-sectional profile shape, and FIG. 7 illustrates a plunger 200 having another cross-sectional profile shape. The plunger 200 is shaped to snugly fit within the chamber 108 without freely rotating within the chamber 108. In certain embodiments, the chamber 108 may have some variation in size from top to bottom, with the second end typically being slightly smaller in cross-sectional area than the first end. Also, there may be some variation in sizes among chambers 108 and plungers 200. Therefore, the plunger 200 is configured with a flexible design that provides a fluid tight seal along the entire length of the chamber 108 and between variations among housing 100 sizes. In these embodiments, the plungers 200 may be formed to have a greater degree of flexibility that allows the plunger 200 to bend or compress as needed to form a fluid tight seal inside smaller cross-section areas, and to flex or expand as needed to form a fluid tight seal inside larger cross-section areas. In certain embodiments, the plunger 200 includes a sealing member 214 that includes a flexible design configured to flexibly bend, compress, flex, and/or expand as needed to allow the plunger 200 to maintain a fluid tight seal within the chamber 108. In the present example, the plunger 200 includes two sealing members 214, although it will be appreciated that any desired number of sealing members 214, including zero sealing members 214, may be used. As illustrated in FIG. 5, in various cases, the first end 204 of the plunger 200 may optionally include a crown 216. The crown 216 may be provided to reduce the volume of residual flowable composition within the chamber 108 after use of the dispenser 10. In some examples, the crown 216 may partially extend into the dispensing aperture 110 before the chamber 108 is filled with the flowable composition, at various positions or dosages while or after the flowable composition is being dispensed, or both. In some cases, the crown 216 may be provided to provide resistance to fold-over of the plunger 200 during filling of the chamber 108 with the flowable composition. In other cases, the first end 204 of the plunger 200 may be flat, arcuate, angled, or have various other suitable shapes as desired. In some examples, the first end 204 of the plunger 200 may also include ribs 218. The ribs 218 may provide air passages between adjacent ribs 218 which may allow for pressure to build up across the first end 204 and reduce the initial force needed to start filling the chamber 108 with the flowable composition. In various cases, second end 206 of the plunger 200 defines a cavity 208 having a cavity sidewall 210 and a cavity end wall 212. The cavity 208 is dimensioned and configured to engage a plunger driver 314 of the traveler 300 such that the plunger 200 is movably positioned within the chamber 108 through the traveler 300. In various cases, a skirt of the plunger 200, or the portion of the body that extends from the cavity end wall 212 to the second end 206, is provided to reduce fold-over or rotation of the plunger 200 during filling or dispensing of the flowable composition. In various examples, the plunger 200 is configured to be positioned within the chamber 108 such that the first end 204 of the plunger 200 faces the first end 104 of the housing 100 and the second end 206 faces the second end 106 of the housing 100. Referring to FIGS. 1-3, the traveler 300 includes a body 302 having a first end 304 and a second end 306. In various aspects, the body 302 defines a chamber 308 that extends from the first end 304 to the second end 306. The chamber 308 is shaped and dimensioned to accommodate the drive screw 400, as described in detail below. In some aspects, the chamber 308 includes threading 310 that are configured to threadably engage the drive screw 400. In various cases, at least a portion of the chamber 308, such as a portion of the chamber 308 proximate to the second end 306, includes the threading 310. In other cases, the threading 310 may be provided throughout the chamber 308 from the first end 304 to the second end 306. In various examples, the traveler 300 includes collars 312 at various positions on the body 302. The collars 312 have a shape that is complimentary to the shape of the chamber 108 of the housing 100 such that rotation of the traveler 300 is resisted as the drive screw 400 moves the traveler 300 axially along the drive screw 400 within the chamber 108. The number of collars 312, the shape of the collars 312, or the location of the collars 312 on the body 302 should not be considered limiting on the present disclosure. In the present example, the traveler 300 includes two collars 312A and 312B. In this example, the collar 312B is proximate to the second end 306 of the body 302 and the collar 312A is proximate to the first end 304. In some cases, the traveler 300 includes a plunger driver 314 extending from proximate the first end 304. The plunger driver 314 is shaped and dimensioned such that the plunger driver 314 may engage the plunger 200 within the plunger cavity 208 to movably position the plunger 200 within the chamber 108. In various cases, an end 316 of the plunger driver 314 is configured to engage the plunger 200. Thus, the plunger driver 314 may have a cross-sectional profile shape that is complimentary to the shape of the plunger cavity 208. In various cases, the plunger driver 314 may optionally define a plunger drive chamber 318 that is in fluid communication with the chamber 308. In such cases, the end 316 of the plunger driver 314 may define an opening 320, as illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3. However, in other examples, the end 316 may be solid. In various other cases, the entire plunger driver 314 may be solid (i.e. the plunger driver 314 does not define a plunger drive chamber 318). As illustrated in FIG. 4, the drive screw 400 includes a body 402 having a first end 404, a second end 406, and a support collar 410 between the first end 404 and the second end 406. In various cases, the body 402 includes threading 408 between the first end 404 and the support collar 410 that are configured to threadably engage the threading 310 of the traveler 300 such that rotation of the drive screw 400 axially moves the traveler 300 along the body 402. In various cases, at least a portion of the body 402 between support collar 410 and the second end 406 is a key 412 having a key profile that is configured to engage the base 700 such that rotation of the base 700 rotates the drive screw 400, as described in detail below. Referring to FIGS. 8-10, the base support 500 includes a body 502 having a first end 504 and a second end 506. In various cases, the body 502 defines a central opening 508 extending through the body 502 from the first end 504 to the second end 506 that is dimensioned to accommodate the drive screw 400. In some cases, the body 502 has a mounting portion 510 proximate to the first end 504 and a supporting portion 512 proximate to the second end 506. In various examples, the base support 500 optionally defines an attachment groove 514 between the mounting portion 510 and the supporting portion 512 that is configured to engage the base 700 such that the base 700 is rotatably supported on the base support 500, as described in detail below. As illustrated in FIGS. 8-10, in some cases, the mounting portion 510 and the supporting portion 512 may have different cross-sectional profile shapes. In other cases, the mounting portion 510 and the supporting portion 512 may have similar cross-sectional profile shapes. In the present example, the mounting portion 510 has a profile shape that is complimentary to the shape of the chamber 108 such that the mounting portion 510 may be inserted into the chamber 108 to couple the base support 500 with the housing 100. Optionally, in this example, the mounting portion 510 may include engagement projection 524 which are configured to engage the mounting slots 114 of the housing 100 in a snap-fit engagement. This engagement may also resist rotation of the base support 500 during use. It will be appreciated that in various other examples, various other suitable attachment mechanisms for engaging the base support 500 with the housing 100 may be used, such as screws, pins, bolts, dips, clasps, etc. The mounting portion 510 defines a mounting portion cavity 516 that is dimensioned and configured to accommodate the support collar 410 of the drive screw 400. In sonic cases, mounting projections 518 are provided within the mounting portion cavity 516 to retain the drive screw 400 axially relative to the base support 500 while allowing for rotation of the drive screw 400 relative to the base support 500. In some cases, the mounting projections 518 provide a snap-fit engagement with the support collar 410 of the drive screw 400. In various other examples, other suitable mechanisms for retaining the drive screw 400 relative to the base support 500 while allowing for rotation of the drive screw 400 relative to the base support 500 may be used. The supporting portion 512 defines a supporting portion cavity 520 that is dimensioned and configured to accommodate the cam 600. As illustrated in FIGS. 8-10 and 12, the supporting portion 512 defines notches or slots 522 that are configured to engage arms 606 of the cam 600, as described in detail below. The number of shape of the slots 522 should not be considered limiting on the current disclosure. The slots 522 define one or more home or “click” positions that are provided at predetermined intervals on the supporting portion 512. The intervals of the slots 522 may correspond with a predefined amount of flowable composition is dispensed from the dispenser 10 upon rotation of the drive screw 400 between successive home positions, as described in detail below. In some cases, the slots 522 may be omitted and a sidewall of the supporting portion 512 may define projections and recesses that are configured to engage with the cam 600 in a similar manner (see FIGS. 46-51). Referring to FIG. 11, the cam 600 includes a body 602 that defines a keyhole 604. The keyhole 604 has a shape that is complimentary to the key 412 of the drive screw 400 such that the key 412 is insertable through the keyhole 604, and rotation of the drive screw 400 rotates the cam 600. As illustrated in FIGS. 11 and 12, the cam 600 includes at least one arm 606. In the present example, the cam 600 includes three arms 606. Some or all of the arms 606 may have the same engagement end 608, or each arm 606 may have a different engagement end 608, depending on the purpose of each arm 606. In various cases, the cam 600 may include the same number of arms 606 as the number of slots 522 of the base support 500. In various cases, at least one engagement end 608 includes a projection 610 and a trailing edge 612. In some cases, the trailing edge 612 is configured to engage the supporting portion 512 when the projection 610 is within one of the slots 522 to prevent rotation of the cam 600 in the direction of the trailing edge 612. The trailing edge 612 may have various suitable profiles and geometries that provide an interface that resists rotation of the cam 600 in the direction of the trailing edge 612 when the projections 610 are within the slots 522. In some cases, the trailing edge 612 may have a profile that engages the supporting portion 512 such that the arms 606 of the cam 600 will break before allowing back rotation. In some cases, at least one projection 610 also has a clicking profile 614. In various examples with multiple arms 606, one, some, or all of the projections 610 may have the clicking profile 614. The clicking profile 614 is configured to sufficiently radially bend the engagement end 608 so as to emit an audible “click” when the engagement end 608 returns to an unbent stage after travelling over the supporting portion 512 and engages one of the slots 522. Thus, in certain embodiments, the interaction between at least one of the projections 610 with the clicking profile 614 and at least one of the slots 522 may provide the audible “click” response, while the interaction between at least one of the projections 610 without the clicking profile 614 merely provide the anti-reverse rotation feature. The interaction between at least one of the projections 610 with the clicking profile 614 and at least one of the slots 522 may also provide tactile feedback. In other embodiments, the interaction between at least one of the projections 610 without the clicking profile 614 (or with an additional clicking profile 614) may provide a back-up audible “click” to the audible “click” that is also emitted by the interaction between at least one of the projections 610 with the clicking profile 614 and at least one of the slots 522. As described in detail below, the auditory and/or tactile feedback from the interaction between at least one of the projections 610 with the clicking profile 614 and at least one of the slots 522 may alert the user that a predetermined amount of the flowable composition was dispensed. The base 700 includes a body 702 having a first end 704 and a second end 706. The base 700 may have a profile shape that is similar to the profile shape of the base support 500 and/or the housing 100, although it need not. In various other cases, the base 700 may have any desired profile shape. The base 700 defines a keyhole 708 that is dimensioned to accommodate and receive the key 412 of the drive screw 400. The base 700 defines a base cavity 710 that is configured to accommodate the cam 600 and the supporting portion 512. In some aspects, the base 700 includes projections 712 which are configured to engage the attachment groove 514 such that the base 700 is retained on the base support 500 while being rotatable relative to the base support 500. In various other examples, various other mounting mechanisms may be utilized. When assembled on the base support 500, the base 700 retains the cam 600 on the drive screw 400 between the base support 500 and the base 700. In sonic cases, the base 700 may provide visual feedback to the user to indicate when at least one of the projections 610 with the clicking profile 614 is engaged with at least one of the slots 522. For example, in some cases where the base 700has a profile shape that is similar to the profile shape of the base support 500 and/or the housing 100, the base 700 may provide visual feedback that the at least one projection 610 is not engaged with the slot 522 when the profile of the base 700 is misaligned with the profile of the base support 500 and/or the housing 100. In a similar manner, the base 700 may provide visual feedback that the at least one projection 610 is engaged within the slot 522 when the profile of the base 700 is aligned with the profile of the base support 500 and/or the housing 100. Various other visual feedback may be provided by the base 700 when compared to the base support 500 and/or the housing 100. FIGS. 13-18 illustrate another non-limiting example of steps for assembling the dispenser 10. In FIG. 13, the drive screw 400 is inserted through the central opening 508 of the base support 500 and the support collar 410 of the drive screw 400 is snap-fit into the mounting portion cavity 516 of the base support 500. The keyhole 604 of the cam 600 is aligned with the key 412 of the drive screw 400 and the cam 600 is slid onto the drive screw 400. In FIG. 14, the base 700 is rotatably mounted on the base support 500 such that the cam 600 is captured on the drive screw 400 between the base 700 and the base support 500. In FIGS. 15 and 16, the traveler 300 is threaded onto the drive screw 400 and run along the drive screw 400 such that the second end 306 of the traveler 300 is relatively close to the support collar 410 of the drive screw 400. In some cases, the second end 306 may abut the support collar 410, although it need not. In FIG. 17, the plunger 200 is inserted into the chamber 108 of the housing 100 such that the first end 204 of the plunger 200 faces the first end 104 of the housing 100 and the second end 206 of the plunger 200 faces the second end 106 of the housing 100. In some cases, the plunger 200 is inserted such that the first end 204 abuts the first end 104 of the housing 100 within the chamber 108. In various examples where the plunger 200 includes the crown 216, a portion of the crown 216 may be inserted into the dispensing aperture 110 of the housing 100. The base support 500, which indirectly supports the traveler 300, the drive screw 400, the cam 600, and the base 700, is coupled to the housing 100. In the present embodiment, the base support 500 is coupled to the housing 100 by inserting the mounting portion 510 of the base support 500 within the chamber 108 and snap-fitting the engagement projections 524 of the mounting portion 510 with the mounting slots 114 of the housing 100. As described in detail below, various other mounting mechanisms and configurations may be used to mount the base support 500, traveler 300, drive screw 400, cam 600, and base 700 to the housing 100. In FIG. 18, the desired applicator 900 is attached to the first end 104 of the housing 100. In addition, the cap 800 is removably attached to the housing 100 at the first end 104. The cap 800 includes a body 802 that defines a cavity 804. In various aspects, at least a portion of the cavity 804 includes threading 806 that is configured to engage the threading 118 of the housing 100. As described previously, in some cases, the cap 800 includes grooves 808 that are configured to engage the ribs 120 to provide a stopping interface and align a shape of the cap 800 with a shape of the housing 100. In other examples, the grooves may be provided on the first end 104 and the ribs 120 may be provided on the cap 800. The applicator 900 includes a body 902 having an applicator surface 904 and a housing locking interface 906. A dispensing channel 908 is defined through the body 902. As illustrated in FIGS. 25-27, the applicator surface 904 may have various profiles depending on an intended use of the dispenser 10. For example and without limitation, the applicator surface 904 may have an angled profile (see, e.g., FIGS. 25 and 27), arcuate profile (see, e.g., FIG. 26), ribbed profile, flat profile, or various other suitable profiles as desired. The housing locking interface 906 is complimentary to the applicator locking interface 112. For example, in some cases, the locking interface 906 may be a male Luer-style interface or a female Luer-style interface. In some cases, the locking interface 906 (or the locking interface 112) may be tamper-proof such that a user may not remove the applicator 900 after a doctor or other person initially fills the dispenser with the flowable composition and attaches the applicator 900 to the housing 100. When assembled, the dispensing channel 908 is in fluid communication with the chamber 108 and dispensing aperture 110 of the housing 100. FIGS. 19 and 20 illustrate the applicator locking interface 112 and the applicator locking interface 112 engaged with the housing locking interface 906. FIG. 21 illustrates the dispenser 10 fully assembled and with the cap 800 attached. FIGS. 22-24 illustrate steps for dispensing a flowable composition 1000 using the dispenser 10. In various cases, before distribution to a patient, the chamber 108 of the housing 100 is filled with the flowable composition 1000 by injecting the flowable composition through the dispensing aperture 110 and into the chamber 108 between the plunger 200 and the first end 104 of the housing 100. In various cases, when the flowable composition 1000 is injected into the chamber 108, only the flowable composition 1000 is between the plunger 200 and the first end 104 of the housing 100. As illustrated in FIG. 22, in some cases, the flowable composition 1000 may initially cause the plunger 200 to “float” within the chamber 108 between the traveler 300 and the first end 104 of the housing 100. In some examples, the floating plunger 200 may reduce or limit the formation of air bubbles within the flowable composition as additional components that may cause bubble formation are reduced or eliminated within the chamber 108 between the plunger 200 and the first end 104. As illustrated in FIG. 23, after the base 700 has been sufficiently rotated, which in turn rotates the drive screw 400 and axially moves the traveler 300, the traveler 300 engages the plunger 200, various cases, the plunger driver 314 engages the plunger 200 within the plunger cavity 208. In some examples, the end 316 of the plunger driver 314 engages the cavity end wall 212 of the plunger 200. In FIG. 24, the applicator 900 is attached to the first end 104 of the housing 100. FIGS. 25-27 illustrate various non-limiting examples of applicators 900 having the applicator surface 904 with various profiles. FIGS. 28-31 illustrate an example of the dispenser 10 where the locking interface 112 of the housing 100 is a male Luer-style surface and the locking interface 906 of the applicator 900 is a female Luer-style surface. As illustrated in FIG. 30, in some cases, the housing 100 includes ribs 128. The ribs 128 may provide a stopping interface with the locking interface 906, somewhat similar to the ribs 120. As illustrated in these figures, in some cases, the locking interface 112 may extend a certain distance above the threads 118, which may help reduce the amount of flowable composition that may get caught in the threads 118 during use. FIGS. 32 and 33 illustrate an example of a dispenser 20 that is substantially similar to the dispenser 10 except that the first end 204 of the plunger 200 is flat and does not include the crown 216. FIGS. 34 and 35 illustrate another example of a dispenser 30 that is substantially similar to the dispenser 10 except that the housing 100 of the dispenser 30 optionally includes a locking tab 116 at the second end 106 that is movable between an unlocked position (FIG. 34) and a locked position (FIG. 35). In various examples, the locking tab 116 may be manually movable relative to the housing 100 or mechanically movable relative to the housing 100, such as through springs, biasing members, etc. In these examples, the locking tab 116 is configured to engage a corresponding locking groove 714 on the base 700. In some cases, the locking tab 116 engages the locking groove 714 automatically after a single turn of the base 700, as described in detail below. In other examples, the locking tab 116 may engage the locking groove 714 as desired by the user. The locking tab 116 engaged with the locking groove 714 may prevent inadvertent rotation of the base 700. The locking tab 116 may also be provided for child-resistant operation of the dispenser 10. FIGS. 36 and 37 illustrate an example of a dispenser 40 that is substantially similar to the dispenser 10 except that the traveler 300 and base support 500 are modified. In this example, the base support 500 includes two halves 526A-AB that are coupled to each other through snap-fitting or various other suitable attachment mechanisms. Each half 526A-B includes a locking groove 528 that is configured to retain the support collar 410 of the drive screw 400 when the halves 526A-B are assembled. The mounting portion 510 of each half includes a guide 530. The guides 530 are configured to engage projections 322 provided along the body 302 of the traveler 300 to prevent rotation of the traveler 300 as the traveler 300 is axially positioned along the drive screw 400. In this example, the cross-sectional shape of the assembled base support 500 is different that the cross sectional shape of the housing 100. Optionally, the base support 500 and housing 100 of the dispenser 40have a circular shape, although they need not. In addition, in this example, the base support 500 is coupled to the housing 100 in a snap-fit configuration such that a portion of the base support 500 overlaps a portion of the housing 100. For example, the second end 106 of the housing 100 is within the mounting portion cavity 516 of the base support 500. In various cases, the base 700 includes a base projection 716 that is insertable into the supporting portion cavity 520 of the base support such that the base 700 is rotatably supported by the base support 500. FIGS. 38 and 39 illustrate an example of a dispenser 50 that is substantially similar to the dispenser 40 except that the drive screw 400 includes an intermediate drive screw 414. As illustrated, in this example, the intermediate drive screw 414 includes a body 416 having a first end 418 and a second end 420. The body 416 defines a central channel 422 that extends from the first end 418 to the second end 420. Threads 424 are provided along the central channel 422 and are configured to engage with the threading 408 of the drive screw 400. As illustrated in FIG. 39, in some cases, the threads 408 of the drive screw 400 may only be provided along a portion of the body 402. Threads 426 are provided along the outer surface of the body 416 and are configured to engage with the threads 310 of the traveler 300. In some cases, a first stopper 428 may be provided on the outer surface proximate to the first end 418 to prevent disengagement of the traveler 300 from the intermediate drive screw 414. In a similar manner, a second stopper 430 may be provided within the central channel 422 proximate to the second end 420 to prevent disengagement of the intermediate drive screw 414 from the drive screw 400. In various examples, this screw within a screw arrangement of the traveler 300, intermediate drive screw 414, and drive screw 400 may be used to reduce an overall length of the dispenser 50. As illustrated in FIGS. 38 and 39, the traveler 300also includes a traveler cover 324. The traveler cover 324 includes at least one slot 326 that may be used as a guide for projections 328 of the traveler 300. The traveler cover 324 may also include projections 330 that are configured to engage with the housing 100 or the base support 500 to reduce or restrict rotation of the traveler 300 and traveler cover 324 during use. FIGS. 40 and 41 illustrate an example of a dispenser 60 that is substantially similar to the dispenser 40 except that the halves 526A-B define the attachment groove 514. Similar to the dispenser 10, in this example, the base 700 attaches to the base support 500 by engaging the attachment groove 514 such that at least a portion of the base support 500 is within the base cavity 710. In this example, the dispenser 60 may function as a syringe when the halves 526A-B are omitted. FIGS. 42 and 43 illustrate an example of a dispenser 70 that is similar to the dispenser 60 except that the base support 500 is a unitary piece rather than having the two halves 526A-B that are detachably connected. FIG. 44 illustrates another example of a dispenser 80 in which the traveler 300 and plunger 200 are integrally formed as a single component 201. The housing 100, base support 500 and/or base 700 may he similar to that of any of the dispensers described previously. FIGS. 45-49 illustrate an example of a dispenser 90 that is substantially similar to the dispenser 10 except that the locking interface 112 of the housing 100 is a female Luer-style surface and the locking interface 906 of the applicator 900 is a male Luer-style surface. In some examples, the female Luer-style locking interface 112 may allow for direct attachment of the dispenser 90 to various Luer-lock syringes on the market for filling without an adapter. In various examples, as illustrated in FIGS. 45 and 47-49, the housing locking interface 906 includes an engagement collar 918 that is configured to snap-fit onto the housing 100 within the chamber 108 (see, e.g., FIG. 47). The snap-fit engagement between the applicator 900 and the housing 100 through the engagement collar 918 may provide a more consistent and/or tight gap between the housing 100 and the applicator 900. In some examples, the snap-fit engagement through the engagement collar 918 may limit or prevent removal of the applicator 900 from the housing 100. As illustrated in FIG. 47, in some examples where the applicator 900 includes the engagement collar 918, the crown 216 of the plunger 200 optionally includes an applicator recess 220 that is dimensioned to accommodate the engagement collar 918 when the plunger 200 abuts the first end 104 of the housing 100 within the chamber 108. In these examples, the crown 216 may or may not be insertable within the dispensing channel 908. In other examples, the applicator recess 220 is omitted from the plunger 200. The size and shape of the applicator recess 220 should not be considered limiting on the current disclosure. FIGS. 50 and 51 illustrate an example of a dispenser 1100 that is substantially similar to the dispenser 10 except that the locking interface 112 of the housing 100 is a female Luer-style surface that further includes internal cored sections 1102 and external cored sections 1104. In certain examples, the cored sections 1102 and 1104 may reduce thick sections of the housing 100 that may otherwise be present, and therefore reduce the weight of the dispenser 1100. In certain cases, the cored sections 1102 and 1104 alternate around a perimeter of the dispensing aperture 110, although they need not. As illustrated in FIGS. 50 and 51, in various examples, the internal cored sections 1102 are offset from the external cored sections 1104, which may allow for thickness reduction of the housing 100 while maintaining the chamber 108. FIGS. 52-59 illustrate an example of a dispenser 1200 that is substantially similar to the dispenser 10 except that the crown 216 of the plunger 200 is modified and the housing 100 defines an intermediate chamber 124 between the chamber 108 and the dispensing aperture 110. In certain examples, as illustrated in FIG. 54, the crown 216 may partially extend into the dispensing aperture 110 and/or the intermediate chamber 124 before the chamber 108 is filled with the flowable composition, at various positions or dosages while or after the flowable composition is being dispensed, or both. As illustrated in FIG. 54, in some examples, the crown 216 optionally may engage a refilling device 1202 (e.g., a filling syringe) during filling of the dispenser 1200 with the flowable composition, although it need not. Optionally, air gaps 1204 are defined in the intermediate chamber 124 when the plunger 200 is in the intermediate chamber 124. In other examples, the air gaps 1204 may be omitted. In various examples, as illustrated in FIG. 55, the housing 100 also includes a locking tab 126 or other similar mechanism in or proximate to the dispensing aperture 110. As illustrated in FIG. 55, the locking tab 126 may facilitate engagement and securing the applicator 900 on the housing 100 (and optionally within the dispensing aperture 110. FIGS. 56-59 illustrate a non-limiting example of steps for assembly the dispenser 1200. In some examples, in a first step, the traveler 300 is run all the way up the drive screw 400 (see FIG. 56). Optionally, the traveler 300 is run up the drive screw 400 such that the traveler abuts the support collar 410. In various examples, in a second step, the base support 500, cam 600, and base 700 are assembled and secured onto the drive screw 400 (see FIG. 57). Optionally, in a third step the plunger 200 is positioned within the chamber 108 of the housing 100. In some examples, the plunger 200 is inserted such that the plunger is at least partially positioned within the intermediate chamber 124 (see FIG. 58). After the plunger 200 is positioned within the chamber 108, the assembled traveler 300, drive screw 400, base support 500, cam 600, and base 700 are assembled with the housing 100 such that the traveler 300 is movable within the chamber 108 (see FIG. 59). In general, once the dispenser 10 (or any of the dispensers 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90, 1100, or 1200) is assembled but prior to coupling of the applicator 900, the chamber 108 is filled with the appropriate measured amount of flowable composition. The base 700 is turned so that the drive screw 400 turns and advances the plunger 200 and flowable composition toward the first end 104 of the housing 100. The applicator 900 is then snapped onto the first end 104 of housing 100. The base 700 is turned and the plunger 200 is advanced until there is essentially no air inside the chamber 108 between the flowable composition and the applicator 900. The cap 800 is placed on the applicator 900 and the dispenser 10 is ready for use. The user removes the cap 800 and turns the base 700 the appropriate amount of clicks (typically as directed on the instructions given to the user by the dispensing physician or pharmacy). As the base 700 is turned, the arms 606 of the cam 600 flex and move over the cam 600 as described above, and/or at least projection 610 moves toward at least one of the slots 522. As the projection 610 passes over and into the slot 522, at least one audible “click” is heard when the base 700 reaches a home or “click” position. Also, the user may sense a vibration when the base 700 reaches a home or “click” position. With each click, a predetermined amount of flowable composition 1000 is forced by the rising plunger 200 to be dispensed through the applicator 900. In the embodiments where the flowable composition 1000 is an emulsion, cream, or other semi-solid composition, the dispensed flowable composition 1000 may form a bead or pool over the central area of the applicator surface 904 of the applicator 900. The user applies the flowable composition 1000 to the skin by rubbing the applicator 900 on the skin. The flowable composition 1000 at least partially spreads out over the applicator surface 904 and is rubbed into the skin. The tactile and audible click heard as the base 700 is rotated provides feedback as to how much flowable composition 1000 is dispensed. For example, the prescription might be for 1 cc of flowable composition 1000 per dose to be applied to the skin. If each click is 0.25 cc, for example, then the prescription might instruct the user to turn the base 700 to hear four clicks so as to dispense 1 cc of flowable composition 1000. The design of the present invention substantially prevents reverse rotation of the base 700 with respect to the housing 100 so that flowable composition 1000 is not inadvertently sucked back into the dispenser 10, which may reduce the effective dosage dispensed and may contaminate the flowable composition 1000 in the chamber 108. The click also provides positive feedback when the right amount of flowable composition 1000 has been dispensed per turn. In various cases, the amount of flowable composition 1000 dispensed per click may be adjusted or varied by changing the distance or amount of rotation of the base 700 between clicks. In some cases, changing the amount of rotation of the base 700 between clicks may include changing the size, number, or shape of the slots 522 of the base support 500, changing the threads 408 on the drive screw 400, and/or changing the size, number, or shape of the arms 606 of the cam 600, among others. In certain embodiments, the dispenser 10 of the present invention may optionally include a vibration mechanism whereby the dispenser 10 and, in particular, the applicator 900 area vibrates when activated so as to improve transfer of the flowable composition 1000 to the skin. The vibration mechanism may be one of several possible mechanisms known to those skilled in the art. The dispenser of the present invention may also include an indicator mechanism either to show the approximate number of remaining doses or to show when the chamber 108 is near empty, both so that the user can have advance awareness that a refill may be needed. In certain embodiments, the indicator may be a visual indicator, such as ruler with a set of marks along the side of the housing 100, with each mark being correlated to a particular quantity of flowable composition 1000 remaining in the dispenser 10. In these embodiments, the housing 100, or at least a portion thereof (such as an elongated window extending from near the first end 104 to near the second end 106) may be clear or translucent. As one non-limiting example, FIG. 18 illustrates the dispenser with a visual indicator 101 wherein the visual indicator 101 includes at least one mark. In certain examples, the visual indicator 101 may provide a visual indication for home or “click” positions. In other examples, the visual indicator 101 may be through a shape of components, such as the shape of the base 700 and the shape of the body 102. In one non-limiting example, the dispenser 10 provides a visual indication of the home or “click” positions when the shape or outline of the base 700 aligns with the shape or outline of the body 102 as the base 700 is rotated relative to the body 102. For example, both the body 102 and the base 700 may be triangular shaped, and a home or “click” position is visually indicated when the corners of the base 700 align with the corners of the body 102. Various other visual indicators may be provided for providing visual indication of the home or “click positions,” including, but not limited to, aligning components, marks, dots, stripes, colors, etc. In that various components may be reused in different capacities. For example, in one aspect, the volume is modular so that different housings 100 having chambers 108 with different volumes may be interchanged while using the same plunger 200, base support 500, cam 600 base 700, cap 800, and applicator 900. In some cases, the same traveler 300 and drive screw 400 may be used with the different sized housing 100, or the size of the traveler 300 and drive screw 400 may be adjusted depending on the size of the chamber 108. A collection of exemplary embodiments, including at least some explicitly enumerated as “ECs” (Example Combinations), providing additional description of a variety of embodiment types in accordance with the concepts described herein are provided below. These examples are not meant to be mutually exclusive, exhaustive, or restrictive, and the invention is not limited to these example embodiments but rather encompasses all possible modifications and variations within the scope of the issued claims and their equivalents. EC 1. A dosing dispenser including: a housing having a first end and a second end, the housing defining a chamber extending from the first end to the second end, the first end of the housing including a dispensing channel in fluid communication with the chamber; a plunger including a first end and a second end, the plunger positionable within the chamber with the first end proximate to the first end of the housing and the second end proximate to the second end of the housing, the second end of the plunger defining a plunger cavity, the plunger defining a filling portion of the chamber between the first end of the housing and the first end of the plunger; and a traveler including a first end and a second end, the traveler positionable within the chamber, the first end including a plunger driver configured to selectively engage the plunger within the plunger cavity and movably position the plunger within the chamber. EC 2. The dosing dispenser of any of the preceding or subsequent example combinations, further including a base assembly coupled to the second end of the housing, the base assembly including a base and configured to movably position the traveler within the chamber through rotation of the base. EC 3. The dosing dispenser of any of the preceding or subsequent example combinations, wherein the base assembly further includes: a drive screw threadably engaged with the traveler and coupled to the base such that rotation of the base rotates the drive screw and axially moves the traveler within the chamber; a base support rotatably supporting the drive screw and the base, the base support including a mounting portion and a supporting portion, the supporting portion including at least one notch; and a cam mounted on the drive screw and including at least one extension configured to engage the at least one notch as the cam is rotated through the drive screw. EC 4. The dosing dispenser of any of the preceding or subsequent example combinations, wherein the drive screw includes a first end, a second end, and a support collar between the first end and the second end, wherein the drive screw includes external threads between the first end and the support collar configured to threadably engage the traveler, and wherein the base support axially retains the drive screw relative to the base support through engagement of the base support with the support collar of the drive screw. EC 5. The dosing dispenser of any of the preceding or subsequent example combinations, wherein the traveler is movable between an engaged position and a disengaged position relative to the plunger; wherein in the disengaged position, the traveler is spaced apart from the plunger, and wherein in the engaged position, the plunger driver of the traveler abuts the plunger within the plunger cavity. EC 6. The dosing dispenser of any of the preceding or subsequent example combinations, wherein a cross-sectional shape of the plunger is substantially similar to a cross-sectional shape of the chamber such that the plunger forms a fluid tight seal with the housing within the chamber as the plunger is movably positioned within the chamber. EC 7. The dosing dispenser of any of the preceding or subsequent example combinations, wherein the first end of the plunger includes a crown, and wherein at least a portion of the crown is positionable within the dispensing channel of the housing when a volume of the filling portion of the chamber is at a minimum. EC 8. A dosing dispenser including: a housing having a first end and a second end, the housing defining a chamber extending from the first end to the second end, the first end of the housing including a dispensing channel in fluid communication with the chamber; a plunger including a first end and a second end, the plunger positionable within the chamber with the first end proximate to the first end of the housing and the second end proximate to the second end of the housing, the second end of the plunger defining a plunger cavity, the plunger defining a filling portion of the chamber between the first end of the housing and the first end of the plunger; and a base assembly coupled to the second end of the housing, the base assembly including a base and configured to movably position the plunger within the chamber through rotation of the base. EC 9. The dosing dispenser of any of the preceding or subsequent example combinations, further including a traveler within the chamber and coupled to the base assembly, wherein the traveler includes a plunger driver configured to selectively engage the plunger within the plunger cavity, and wherein the traveler is configured to axially move within the chamber through rotation of the base of the base assembly. EC 10. The dosing dispenser of any of the preceding or subsequent example combinations, wherein the base assembly further includes a drive screw, wherein the base is coupled to the drive screw such that rotation of the base rotates the drive screw, and wherein the drive screw is threadably engaged with the traveler such that rotation of the drive screw axially moves the traveler. EC 11. The dosing dispenser of any of the preceding or subsequent example combinations, wherein the traveler is movable between a disengaged position and an engaged position relative to the plunger, wherein in the disengaged position, the traveler is spaced apart from the plunger within the chamber, and wherein in the engaged position, the plunger driver abuts the plunger within the plunger cavity. EC 12. The dosing dispenser of any of the preceding or subsequent example combinations, wherein the base assembly further includes: a base support including a mounting portion and a supporting portion, wherein the mounting portion is coupled to the second end of the housing, wherein the supporting portion defines a supporting portion cavity and at least one notch, and wherein the base support rotatably supports the base relative to the housing; and a cam including a body and at least one arm, wherein the cam is retained within the supporting portion cavity and rotatable relative to the base support, and wherein the cam is configured to provide auditory feedback upon engagement of the at least one arm with the at least one notch as the cam is rotated. EC 13. The dosing dispenser of any of the preceding or subsequent example combinations, wherein a cross-sectional shape of the mounting portion of the base support is different from a cross-sectional shape of the supporting portion of the base support, and wherein a cross-sectional shape of the housing is substantially similar to a cross-sectional shape of the base. EC 14. The dosing dispenser of any of the preceding or subsequent example combinations, wherein a cross-sectional shape of the plunger is substantially similar to a cross-sectional shape of the chamber such that the plunger forms a fluid tight seal with the housing within the chamber as the plunger is movably positioned within the chamber. EC 15. A dosing dispenser including: a housing having a first end and a second end, the housing defining a chamber extending from the first end to the second end, the first end of the housing including a dispensing channel in fluid communication with the chamber; a plunger including a first end and a second end, the plunger positionable within the chamber with the first end proximate to the first end of the housing and the second end proximate to the second end of the housing, the second end of the plunger defining a plunger cavity, the plunger defining a filling portion of the chamber between the first end of the housing and the first end of the plunger; and a traveler including a plunger driver, the traveler configured to movably position the plunger within the chamber, the traveler movable between a disengaged position and an engaged position relative to the plunger, wherein in the disengaged position, the traveler is spaced apart from the plunger within the chamber, and wherein in the engaged position, the plunger driver abuts the plunger within the plunger cavity. EC 16. The dosing dispenser of any of the preceding or subsequent example combinations, wherein in the engaged position, the traveler and plunger are movable within the chamber between a filled position and a dispensed position, wherein in the filled position, the first end of the plunger is spaced apart from the first end of the housing and volume of the filling portion of the chamber is at a maximum, and wherein in the dispensed position, the first end of the plunger abuts the first end of the housing and the volume of the filling portion of the chamber is at a minimum. EC 17. The dosing dispenser of any of the preceding or subsequent example combinations, wherein the traveler includes a first end and a second end, wherein the plunger driver extends from the first end of the traveler, wherein the traveler includes at least one collar between the first end and the second end that is configured to resist rotation of the traveler as the traveler is movably positioned within the chamber. EC 18. The dosing dispenser of any of the preceding or subsequent example combinations, wherein the traveler defines a traveler chamber extending from the first end to the second end, wherein at least a portion of the traveler chamber includes threading, and wherein the dosing dispenser further includes a drive screw threadably engaged with the threading of the traveler and configured to movably position the traveler within the chamber. EC 19. The dosing dispenser of any of the preceding or subsequent example combinations, further including a base assembly coupled to the second end of the housing, the base assembly including a base and configured to movably position the traveler within the chamber through rotation of the base, wherein the base assembly further includes: a drive screw threadably engaged with the traveler and coupled to the base such that rotation of the base rotates the drive screw and axially moves the traveler within the chamber; a base support rotatably supporting the drive screw and the base, the base support including a mounting portion and a supporting portion, the supporting portion including at least one notch; a cam mounted on the drive screw and including at least one extension configured to engage the at least one notch as the cam is rotated through the drive screw. EC 20. The dosing dispenser of any of the preceding or subsequent example combinations, wherein the drive screw includes a first end, a second end, and a support collar between the first end and the second end, wherein the drive screw includes external threads between the first end and the support collar configured to threadably engage the traveler, wherein the drive screw includes a key between the support collar and the second end, and wherein the base and cam each define a keyhole dimensioned to accommodate the key. EC 21. A dosing dispenser comprising: a housing defining a chamber; a traveler within the chamber; and a plunger within the chamber, wherein the traveler is movable along an axis between an engaged position and a disengaged position relative to the plunger, and wherein the traveler is spaced apart from the plunger in the disengaged position. EC 22. The dosing dispenser of any of the preceding or subsequent example combinations, wherein the plunger comprises a first end and a second end, wherein the second end of the plunger defines a plunger cavity, and wherein the plunger defines a filling portion of the chamber between the first end of the housing and the first end of the plunger. EC. 23. The dosing dispenser of any of the preceding or subsequent example combinations, wherein the traveler is configured to abut and selectively position the plunger in the engaged position. EC 24. The dosing dispenser of any of the preceding or subsequent example combinations, wherein the traveler comprises a first end and a second end, wherein the first end comprises a plunger driver configured to selectively engage the plunger within a plunger cavity of the plunger and movably position the plunger within the chamber. EC 25. The dosing dispenser of any of the preceding or subsequent example combinations, further comprising a base assembly coupled to the housing, the base assembly comprising a base and configured to movably position the traveler within the chamber through rotation of the base. EC 26. The dosing dispenser of any of the preceding or subsequent example combinations, wherein in the disengaged position, the traveler is spaced apart from the plunger, and wherein in the engaged position, a plunger driver of the traveler abuts the plunger within a plunger cavity of the plunger. EC 27. The dosing dispenser of any of the preceding or subsequent example combinations, wherein the housing comprises a dispensing channel, wherein the plunger comprises a crown, wherein the plunger defines a filling portion of the chamber between the dispensing channel and the plunger, and wherein at least a portion of the crown is positionable within the dispensing channel of the housing when a volume of the filling portion of the chamber is at a minimum. EC 28. The dosing dispenser of any of the preceding or subsequent example combinations, wherein the housing further comprises an intermediate chamber between the chamber and the dispensing channel, and wherein at least a portion of the crown is positionable within the intermediate chamber when the volume of the filling portion of the chamber is at the minimum. EC 29. A dosing dispenser comprising: a housing defining a chamber; a traveler positionable within the chamber; and a plunger positionable within the chamber, wherein the traveler is independently positionable along an axis relative to the plunger in at least one direction within the chamber. EC 30. The dosing dispenser of any of the preceding or subsequent example combinations, wherein the chamber comprises a first end and a second end, wherein the housing further comprises a dispensing channel in fluid communication with the chamber at the first end, and wherein the at least one direction is away from the first end. EC 31. The dosing dispenser of any of the preceding or subsequent example combinations, wherein the housing further comprises a dispensing channel in fluid communication with the chamber, and wherein the at least one direction is away from the dispensing channel. EC 32. The dosing dispenser of any of the preceding or subsequent example combinations, wherein the traveler is configured to abut and selectively position the plunger in the a direction opposite the at least one direction. EC 33. The dosing dispenser of any of the preceding or subsequent example combinations, further comprising a base assembly configured to movably position the traveler within the chamber. EC 34. The dosing dispenser of any of the preceding or subsequent example combinations, wherein the base assembly comprises: a base; a drive screw threadably engaged with the traveler and coupled to the base such that rotation of the base rotates the drive screw and axially moves the traveler within the chamber; a base support rotatably supporting the drive screw and the base, the base support comprising a mounting portion and a supporting portion, the supporting portion comprising at least one notch; and a cam mounted on the drive screw and comprising at least one extension configured to engage the at least one notch as the cam is rotated through the drive screw. EC 35. The dosing dispenser of any of the preceding or subsequent example combinations, wherein a cross-sectional shape of the plunger is substantially similar to a cross-sectional shape of the chamber such that the plunger forms a fluid tight seal with the housing within the chamber as the plunger is movably positioned within the chamber. EC 36. A method of dispensing a flowable composition with a dosing dispenser, the method comprising: positioning a plunger within a chamber defined by a housing of the dosing dispenser; positioning a traveler within the chamber such that the traveler is spaced apart from the plunger; and loading the flowable composition within the chamber. EC 37. The method of any of the preceding or subsequent example combinations, wherein the housing comprises a first end and a second end, wherein the first end comprises a dispensing channel in fluid communication with the chamber, wherein positioning the plunger within the chamber comprises abutting the plunger against the first end of the housing within the chamber, and wherein loading the flowable composition comprises loading the flowable composition through the dispensing channel. EC 38. The method of any of the preceding or subsequent example combinations, wherein the plunger comprises a crown, and wherein positioning the plunger within the chamber comprises positioning at least a portion of the crown within the dispensing channel. EC 39. The method of any of the preceding or subsequent example combinations, wherein loading the flowable composition comprises loading a predetermined volume of the flowable composition within the chamber between a dispensing end of the housing and a first end of the plunger facing the dispensing end, and wherein the method further comprises: advancing the traveler within the chamber such that the traveler abuts a second end of the plunger opposite the first end after the predetermined volume is loaded; and dispensing the flowable composition from the dispensing end of the housing by advancing the traveler towards the dispensing end. EC 40. The method of any of the preceding or subsequent example combinations, further comprising: positioning the traveler within the chamber such that the traveler abuts the plunger after the flowable composition is loaded; and advancing the traveler within the chamber such that the traveler movably positions the plunger within the chamber and dispenses the flowable composition from the housing. EC 42. A method of dispensing a flowable composition with a dosing dispenser, the method comprising: positioning a plunger within a chamber defined by a housing of the dosing dispenser; positioning a traveler within the chamber such that the traveler is spaced apart from the plunger; and loading the flowable composition within the chamber, wherein loading the flowable composition within the chamber abuts the flowable composition against the plunger and moves the plunger within the chamber independently from the traveler. EC 43. The method of any of the preceding or subsequent example combinations, wherein loading the flowable composition within the chamber abuts the flowable composition against the plunger such that no air gaps are formed between the plunger and the flowable composition. The above-described aspects are merely possible examples of implementations, merely set forth for a clear understanding of the principles of the present disclosure. In some of the figures, various components are illustrated as transparent (represented by dashed lines) to show additional features of the dosing dispenser. It will be appreciated that in other examples, the components need not be transparent and may be opaque and/or have any other colors or shading. Many variations and modifications can be made to the above-described embodiment(s) without departing substantially from the spirit and principles of the present disclosure. All such modifications and variations are intended to be included herein within the scope of the present disclosure, and all possible claims to individual aspects or combinations of elements or steps are intended to be supported by the present disclosure. Moreover, although specific terms are employed herein, as well as in the claims which follow, they are used only in a generic and descriptive sense, and not for the purposes of limiting the described invention, nor the claims which follow. | <SOH> BACKGROUND <EOH>Traditionally, topically administered medicine was often formulated as liquids. Applying a liquid to a skin surface often resulted in a portion of the dose spreading beyond the target area. Cream-based formulations were developed as viscous liquids to prevent the unintended application of the medicine to an unaffected area. More recently, pharmacists have been taking traditional medicines and “compounding” them in a cream base. Administering the cream-based medicines is a challenge because providing an accurate measured dose is not easy. One common form of a dispenser is a traditional hypodermic syringe, without the needle. The user can depress the plunger to force an amount of cream out of the barrel as indicated by markings on the side of the barrel. For older patients, it is not always easy to measure out 0.1 ml or so of medicine, as this may require more dexterity than is available. In addition, it may be difficult for patients to visually track the amount of liquid dispensed by relying on the markings on the side of the barrel because eyesight may vary from patient to patient. Furthermore, depending on the dispenser, more or less liquid may appear to be dispensed compared to the actual amount dispensed when relying on the markings. | <SOH> SUMMARY <EOH>The terms “invention,” “the invention,” “this invention” and “the present invention” used in this patent are intended to refer broadly to all of the subject matter of this patent and the patent claims below. Statements containing these terms should be understood not to limit the subject matter described herein or to limit the meaning or scope of the patent claims below. Embodiments of the invention covered by this patent are defined by the claims below, not this summary. This summary is a high-level overview of various embodiments of the invention and introduces some of the concepts that are further described in the Detailed Description section below. This summary is not intended to identify key or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used in isolation to determine the scope of the claimed subject matter. The subject matter should be understood by reference to appropriate portions of the entire specification of this patent, any or all drawings, and each claim. According to various examples, a dosing dispenser includes a housing defining a chamber, a traveler within the chamber, and a plunger within the chamber. In some aspects, the traveler is movable along an axis between an engaged position and a disengaged position relative to the plunger, and the traveler is spaced apart from the plunger in the disengaged position. In some cases, the plunger includes a first end and a second end, the second end of the plunger defines a plunger cavity, and the plunger defines a filling portion of the chamber between the first end of the housing and the first end of the plunger. In certain aspects, the traveler is configured to abut and selectively position the plunger in the engaged position. In various aspects, the traveler includes a first end and a second end, and the first end includes a plunger driver configured to selectively engage the plunger within a plunger cavity of the plunger and movably position the plunger within the chamber. In various examples, a base assembly is coupled to the housing. In certain examples, the base assembly includes a base and is configured to movably position the traveler within the chamber through rotation of the base. According to some examples, in the disengaged position, the traveler is spaced apart from the plunger, and in the engaged position, a plunger driver of the traveler abuts the plunger within a plunger cavity of the plunger. In various aspects, the housing includes a dispensing channel, the plunger includes a crown, the plunger defines a filling portion of the chamber between the dispensing channel and the plunger, and at least a portion of the crown is positionable within the dispensing channel of the housing when a volume of the filling portion of the chamber is at a minimum. According to certain examples, the housing further includes an intermediate chamber between the chamber and the dispensing channel, and at least a portion of the crown is positionable within the intermediate chamber when the volume of the filling portion of the chamber is at the minimum. According to some examples, a dosing dispenser includes a housing defining a chamber, a traveler positionable within the chamber, and a plunger positionable within the chamber. In certain cases, the traveler is independently positionable along an axis relative to the plunger in at least one direction within the chamber. In various aspects, the chamber includes a first end and a second end, the housing further includes a dispensing channel in fluid communication with the chamber at the first end, and the at least one direction is away from the first end. In some cases, the housing further includes a dispensing channel in fluid communication with the chamber, and the at least one direction is away from the dispensing channel. In some examples, the traveler is configured to abut and selectively position the plunger in the a direction opposite the at least one direction. In certain examples, a base assembly is configured to movably position the traveler within the chamber. In some aspects, the base assembly includes a base, a drive screw threadably engaged with the traveler and coupled to the base such that rotation of the base rotates the drive screw and axially moves the traveler within the chamber, a base support rotatably supporting the drive screw and the base, the base support including a mounting portion and a supporting portion, the supporting portion including at least one notch, and a cam mounted on the drive screw and including at least one extension configured to engage the at least one notch as the cam is rotated through the drive screw. In various aspects, a cross-sectional shape of the plunger is substantially similar to a cross-sectional shape of the chamber such that the plunger forms a fluid tight seal with the housing within the chamber as the plunger is movably positioned within the chamber. According to certain examples, a method of dispensing a flowable composition with a dosing dispenser includes positioning a plunger within a chamber defined by a housing of the dosing dispenser, positioning a traveler within the chamber such that the traveler is spaced apart from the plunger, and loading the flowable composition within the chamber. In certain examples, the housing includes a first end and a second end, the first end includes a dispensing channel in fluid communication with the chamber, positioning the plunger within the chamber includes abutting the plunger against the first end of the housing within the chamber, and loading the flowable composition includes loading the flowable composition through the dispensing channel. In some cases, the plunger includes a crown, and positioning the plunger within the chamber includes positioning at least a portion of the crown within the dispensing channel. In various cases, loading the flowable composition includes loading a predetermined volume of the flowable composition within the chamber between a dispensing end of the housing and a first end of the plunger facing the dispensing end, and the method further includes advancing the traveler within the chamber such that the traveler abuts a second end of the plunger opposite the first end after the predetermined volume is loaded, and dispensing the flowable composition from the dispensing end of the housing by advancing the traveler towards the dispensing end. According to some examples, the method includes positioning the traveler within the chamber such that the traveler abuts the plunger after the flowable composition is loaded, and advancing the traveler within the chamber such that the traveler movably positions the plunger within the chamber and dispenses the flowable composition from the housing. Various implementations described in the present disclosure can include additional systems, methods, features, and advantages, which cannot necessarily be expressly disclosed herein but will be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art upon examination of the following detailed description and accompanying drawings. It is intended that all such systems, methods, features, and advantages be included within the present disclosure and protected by the accompanying claims. | B65D830022 | 20171219 | 20180628 | 87687.0 | B65D8300 | 1 | LONG, DONNELL ALAN | DOSING DISPENSER SYSTEM | UNDISCOUNTED | 0 | ACCEPTED | B65D | 2,017 |
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15,848,017 | PENDING | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR CHARGING ELECTRIC VEHICLES UTILIZING A TOUCH-SENSITIVE INTERFACE | Systems and methods for charging electric vehicles and for quantitative and qualitative load balancing of electrical demand are provided. | 1. A computer readable storage medium storing instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to: retrieve from a memory storage device one or more electric charge parameters describing one or more electric charge parameters of an electric vehicle; and display via a user interface of a mobile device at least one of the one or more electric charge parameters. 2. The computer readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the mobile device comprises a Smartphone. 3. The computer readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the user interface is adapted to display the one or more electric charge parameters as a vehicle charge indicator element comprising a first portion indicative of an amount of charge residing in a battery of the electric vehicle and a second portion indicative of an uncharged capacity of the battery of the electric vehicle. 4. The computer readable storage medium of claim 3, wherein the vehicle charge indicator element further comprises a slider by which an amount of charge may be specified. 5. The computer readable storage medium of claim 4, wherein the amount of charge is displayed as a distance of travel. 6. The computer readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the user interface is adapted to enable a selection of one or more user specified alerts wherein the selection is stored on the memory storage device. 7. The computer readable storage medium of claim 6, wherein at least one of the user specified alerts comprises a threshold for the internal temperature of the electric vehicle. 8. The computer readable storage medium of claim 7, wherein the electric vehicle is adapted to maintain an internal temperature based, at least in part, on the threshold via the utilization of electrical charge derived, at least in part, from a solar panel forming an integral part of the electric vehicle. 9. The computer readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the user interface is adapted to enable a selection of an estimated parking duration wherein the selection is stored on the memory storage device. 10. The computer readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the user interface is adapted to enable a selection of an electricity price above which no charging of the electric vehicle is to be performed. 11. The computer readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the user interface is adapted to display a webpage. 12. The computer readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the user interface is adapted to enable a selection of a future time at which charging of the electric vehicle is to be performed wherein the selection is stored on the memory storage device. 13. The computer readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the electric vehicle is charged, at least in part, via inductive charging. 14. The computer readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the mobile device comprises a touch screen display of the electric vehicle. 15. A method comprising: requesting via an application operating on a mobile device one or more electric charge parameters of an electric vehicle stored in a memory storage device via a user interface forming a part of the mobile device; receiving the one or more requested electric charge parameters; and displaying the received one or more requested electric charge parameters via the user interface. 16. The method of claim 15, wherein the mobile device comprises a Smartphone. 17. The method of claim 15, wherein the displaying comprises displaying the one or more received electric charge parameters as a vehicle charge indicator element comprising a first portion indicative of an amount of charge residing in a battery of the electric vehicle and a second portion indicative of an uncharged capacity of the battery of the electric vehicle. 18. The method of claim 17, wherein the vehicle charge indicator element further comprises a slider by which an amount of charge may be specified. 19. The method of claim 15, further comprising utilizing the user interface to change a value of at least one of the one or more displayed electric charge parameters. 20. The method of claim 19, further comprising transmitting at least one of the changed values to the memory storage device. 21. The method of claim 15, further comprising receiving an alert indicating that at least one of the electric charge parameters stored on the memory device cannot be satisfied by a charge schedule for the electric vehicle. 22. The method of claim 21, further comprising, in response to receiving the alert, utilizing the user interface to change a value of at least one of the one or more displayed electric charge parameters. 23. A method comprising: requesting one or more electric charge parameters of an electric vehicle stored in a memory storage device via a touch-sensitive user interface adapted to display a webpage; receiving the one or more requested electric charge parameters; and displaying the received one or more requested electric charge parameters via the user interface. 24. An electric vehicle charging system comprising: a non-transitory memory storage device upon which is stored data describing one or more electric charge parameters of an electric vehicle; and a mobile device comprising a user interface and adapted to remotely retrieve from the memory storage device one or more of the electric charge parameters and display via the user interface at least one of the one or more electric charge parameters. | CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS The present Application claims benefit and priority under 35 U.S.C. § 120 to, and is a Continuation of, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/502,041 filed on Jul. 13, 2009 and titled “SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR ELECTRIC VEHICLE CHARGING AND POWER MANAGEMENT” which issues as U.S. Pat. No. 9,853,488 on Dec. 26, 2017 and which itself claims benefit and priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119(e) to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/134,646 filed Jul. 11, 2008, entitled “SYSTEM AND METHOD OF DISTRIBUTION FOR CHARGING ELECTRIC VEHICLES”, the entirety of each of which is incorporated by reference herein for all purposes. BACKGROUND Improvements in battery technology provide the potential of economically viable electric-powered modes of transportation including, but not limited to, automobiles, motorcycles, buses, etc. One oft cited drawback of such electrical vehicles is the need to plug them in regularly to replenish their electrical charge. First, such charging will likely require more time than is typically required to fill up an automobile with a petroleum based product. As a result, the owner of an electrical automobile must often times adhere to a schedule of charging that renders the automobile unusable for protracted stretches of time. In addition, there exists a resistance to performing the act of plugging in an automobile and subsequently unplugging the vehicle in order to maintain a charged vehicle. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS An understanding of embodiments described herein and many of the attendant advantages thereof may be readily obtained by reference to the following detailed description when considered with the accompanying drawings, wherein: FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a system according to some embodiments; FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a system according to some embodiments; FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a system according to some embodiments; FIG. 4 is a block diagram of a system according to some embodiments; FIG. 5 is a perspective diagram of a system according to some embodiments; FIG. 6 is a perspective diagram of a system according to some embodiments; FIG. 7 is a diagram of an exemplary interface according to some embodiments; FIG. 8 is a flow diagram of a method according to some embodiments; FIG. 9 is a flow diagram of a method according to some embodiments; and FIG. 10 is a flow diagram of a method according to some embodiments DETAILED DESCRIPTION I. Introduction Applicant has recognized that, in some situations, it may be advantageous to intelligently charge vehicles. In some embodiments, for example, intelligent vehicle charging may comprise receiving (e.g., from a vehicle sensor) information indicative of a presence of a vehicle in a parking space. Intelligent charging may also or alternatively comprise receiving (e.g., from a communication device) information indicative of an identifier of the vehicle, determining, based at least on the information indicative of the identifier of the vehicle, a charging schedule for the vehicle, and/or charging, in accordance with the charging schedule, the vehicle. Applicant has also recognized that, in some situations, it may be advantageous to provide intelligent quantitative load balancing for vehicle charging. In some embodiments, for example, intelligent quantitative load balancing for vehicle charging may comprise determining an estimated amount of power required to charge a plurality of vehicles to desired levels. Intelligent quantitative load balancing for vehicle charging may also or alternatively comprise providing (e.g., via a communication device), to a Power Supplying Entity (PSE), information indicative of the required power, receiving (e.g., via the communication device), from the PSE, information indicative of a time when a best available rate will be available to purchase the required power, and/or charging, at the indicated time and via a plurality of vehicle charging devices, the plurality of vehicles. Applicant has further recognized that, in some situations, it may be advantageous to provide intelligent qualitative load balancing for electrical loads (e.g., vehicle charging). In some embodiments, for example, intelligent qualitative load balancing for electrical loads may comprise determining an electrical load that requires electrical power, determining a plurality of available sources of electrical power, determining a characteristic of each of the plurality of available sources of power, selecting, based at least in part on the determined characteristics of the plurality of available sources of power, one or more of the available sources of power, and/or activating at least one of electrical switch to cause electrical power from the selected one or more of the available sources of power to be provided to the electrical load. II. Terms and Definitions Throughout the description that follows and unless otherwise specified, the following terms may include and/or encompass the example meanings provided in this section. These terms and illustrative example meanings are provided to clarify the language selected to describe embodiments both in the specification and in the appended claims, and accordingly, are not intended to be limiting. Some embodiments described herein are associated with a “Power Supplying Entity (PSE)”. As used herein, the terms “power supplying entity” and “PSE” may generally be utilized interchangeably and may generally refer to any entity (e.g., person, company, and/or organization or group) that is associated with the generation and/or provision, transmission, storage, and/or conversion of electrical energy. A PSE device may comprise any type of device associated with such generation and/or provision, transmission, storage, and/or conversion of electrical energy. Examples of PSE devices may include, but are not limited to, a power generation unit (e.g., a gas, coal, oil, biomass, and/or solar boiler and/or generator), a power generation facility (e.g., a hydroelectric facility), electric transmission lines, a transformer and/or inverter, a battery, a meter, and/or a capacitor. Some embodiments described herein are associated with an “Electric Charging System (ECS)”. As used herein, the terms “electric charging system” and “ECS” may generally be utilized interchangeably and may generally refer to any combination of hardware, software, firmware, and/or microcode that is operative to conduct, manage, schedule, and/or otherwise facilitate the charging of one or more vehicles. As utilized in some embodiments, an ECS may comprise a system configured to charge a plurality of vehicles (such as electric and/or hybrid-electric vehicles) parked in a parking lot and coupled to accept (e.g., from the ECS and/or a component thereof) electrical power. In some embodiments, such vehicles may be coupled to accept electrical power from an ECS in a wired and/or wireless fashion. As used herein, the term “electric vehicle” may generally refer to any vehicle that utilizes, stores, and/or provides electrical power (e.g., buses, trains, cars, semi-trucks, ships, submarines, aircraft, dirt bikes, All Terrain Vehicles (ATV), scooters, and/or lawn mowers). Almost all typical vehicles comprise a battery, for example, and would thus qualify as “electric vehicles”. Similarly, the term “electric car” as utilized herein may generally refer to any electric vehicle that may suitably be described as a car. This may include, in some embodiments, passenger cars of any size or class or configuration, passenger trucks such as pickup trucks, vans, etc. Some embodiments are more specifically directed to and/or may be particularly advantageously applied to certain types or classes of electric vehicles and/or electric cars. Electric-drive vehicles or “True Electric Cars (TEC)”, for example, comprise a class of vehicles that derive power (and thus motion) by utilizing one or more electric motors. Some electric-drive vehicles may store energy for powering such motors in one or batteries (the typical configuration for a TEC). Some electric-drive vehicles may instead utilize power obtained from operation of a small internal combustion engine, fuel cell, or the like. This class of vehicle is typically referred to as a “hybrid” electric vehicle. Some embodiments described herein are associated with a “control system”. As used herein, the term “control system” may generally refer to any combination of hardware, software, firmware, and/or microcode that is operative to carry out and/or facilitate embodiments described herein. For example, a control system may comprise a processor performing instructions of a program to facilitate intelligent vehicle charging. The control system may comprise, according to some embodiments, a single device and/or component or may comprise any practicable number of networked devices. Some embodiments described herein are associated with a “network device”. As used herein, the term “network device” may generally refer to any device that can communicate via a network. Examples of network devices include a PC, a workstation, a server, a printer, a scanner, a facsimile machine, a copier, a PDA, a storage device (e.g., a disk drive), a hub, a router, a switch, and a modem or a wireless phone. In some embodiments, network devices may comprise one or more network components, such as a Static Random Access Memory (SRAM) device or module, a network processor, and/or a network communication path, connection, port, or cable. Some examples of network devices may include, but are not limited to, servers or controllers, customer devices, vehicles and/or vehicle components, input devices, output devices, and peripheral devices. As used herein, the terms “server” and “controller” may be used interchangeably and may generally refer to any device that may communicate with one or more vehicles, PSE devices, ECS devices, one or more third-party servers, one or more remote controllers, one or more customer devices, one or more peripheral devices and/or other network nodes, and may be capable of relaying communications to and/or from each such device. A controller or server may, for example, comprise one or more network devices and/or components. Some embodiments described herein are associated with an “input device”. As used herein, the term “input device” may generally refer to any device that is used to receive or process input. An input device may communicate with and/or be part of another device (e.g., a wagering game device). Some examples of input devices include, but are not limited to: a button, a key, one or more softkeys and/or variable function input devices, a bar-code scanner, a magnetic stripe reader, a computer keyboard, a pointing device (e.g., a computer mouse, touchpad, and/or trackball), a point-of-sale terminal keypad, a touch-screen, a microphone, an infrared sensor, a sonic ranger, a computer port, a video camera, a motion detector, an accelerometer, a thermometer, a digital camera, a network card, a Universal Serial Bus (USB) port, a Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver, a Radio Frequency IDentification (RFID) receiver, a RF receiver, a pressure sensor, and a weight scale or mass balance. Some embodiments described herein are associated with an “output device”. As used herein, the term “output device” may generally refer to a device that is used to output information. An output device may communicate with and/or be part of another device. Some examples of output devices may include, but are not limited to: a Cathode Ray Tube (CRT) monitor, a Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) screen, a Light Emitting Diode (LED) screen, a printer, an audio speaker (or other sound or noise-producing device), an Infra-red Radiation (IR) transmitter, a RF transmitter, a vibration device, an olfactory emitter, and/or a data port. It should be understood that some devices may function and/or operate as both input and output devices. A touch-sensitive display device (or “touch screen”), for example, may both receive input by receiving pressure and/or electrostatic indications via a display screen and may also provide output such as graphics, text, and/or other data via the same display screen. Some embodiments herein are associated with “communication”. As used herein, the term “communication” may refer to any information, data, and/or signal that is provided, transmitted, received, and/or otherwise processed by an entity, and/or that is shared or exchanged between two or more people, devices, and/or other entities. Communications may be external to one or more devices, internal (e.g., within a device and/or component), wired, wireless, continuous, and/or intermittent. Communications may involve, for example, one or more of transmitting, receiving, relaying, processing, and/or otherwise interfacing with information and/or data. Some, but not all, possible communication networks that may be utilized for such communications include: a Local Area Network (LAN), a Wide Area Network (WAN), the Internet, a telephone line (e.g., a Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN)), a cable line, a radio channel, an optical communications line, and/or a satellite communications link. A variety of communications protocols may be utilized to facilitate and/or conduct such communications, including but not limited to: Ethernet (or IEEE 802.3), Internetwork Packet Exchange IPX), Service Advertising Protocol (SAP), Asynchronous Transfer Protocol (ATP), Bluetooth®, and/or Transmission Control Protocol (TCP)/Internet Protocol (IP). Communications may be encrypted to ensure privacy and prevent fraud in any of a variety of ways that are or become known or practicable. Devices in communication with each other need not be continually transmitting to each other. On the contrary, such devices need only transmit to each other as necessary, and may actually refrain from exchanging data most of the time. For example, a device in communication with another device via the Internet may not transmit data to the other device for weeks at a time. As used herein, the terms “information” and “data” may be used interchangeably and may refer to any data, text, voice, video, image, message, bit, packet, pulse, tone, waveform, and/or other type or configuration of signal and/or information. Information may be or include information packets transmitted, for example, in accordance with the IP Version 6 (IPv6) standard as defined by “Internet Protocol Version 6 (IPv6) Specification” RFC 1883, published by the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF), Network Working Group, S. Deering et al. (December 1995). Information may, according to some embodiments, be compressed, encrypted, and/or otherwise packaged or manipulated in accordance with any method that is or becomes known or practicable. In addition, some embodiments described herein are associated with an “indication”. As used herein, the term “indication” may be used to refer to any indicia and/or other information indicative of or associated with a subject, item, entity, and/or other object and/or idea. As used herein, the phrases “information indicative of” and “indicia” may be used to refer to any information that represents, describes, and/or is otherwise associated with a related entity, subject, or object. Indicia of information may include, for example, a code, a reference, a link, a signal, an identifier, and/or any combination thereof and/or any other informative representation associated with the information. In some embodiments, indicia of information (or indicative of the information) may be or include the information itself and/or any portion or component of the information. In some embodiments, an indication may include a request, a solicitation, a broadcast, and/or any other form of information gathering and/or dissemination. As used herein, the term “coupled” may generally refer to any type or configuration of coupling that is or becomes known or practicable. Coupling may be descriptive, for example, of two or more objects, devices, and/or components that are communicatively coupled, mechanically coupled, electrically coupled, and/or magnetically coupled. The term “communicatively coupled” generally refers to any type or configuration of coupling that places two or more objects, devices, components, or portions, elements, or combinations thereof in communication. Mechanical, electrical, and magnetic communications are examples of such communications. The term “mechanically coupled” generally refers to any physical binding, adherence, attachment, and/or other form of physical contact between two or more objects, devices, components, or portions, elements, or combinations thereof. The term “electrically coupled” indicates that one or more objects, devices, components, or portions, elements, or combinations thereof, are in electrical contact such that an electrical signal, pulse, or current (e.g., electrical energy) is capable of passing between the one or more objects, enabling the objects to electrically communicate with one another. In some embodiments, electrical coupling may enable electrical energy to be transmitted wirelessly between two or more objects and/or devices. The term “magnetically coupled” indicates that one or more objects, devices, components, or portions, elements, or combinations thereof, are within one or more associated magnetic fields. Objects may be electrically and/or magnetically coupled without themselves being physically attached or mechanically coupled. For example, objects may communicate electrically through various wireless forms of communication or may be within (at least partially) a magnetic field, without being physically touching or even adjacent. III. General Electrical Distribution Systems Referring first to FIG. 1, a block diagram of a system 100 according to some embodiments is shown. The various systems described herein are depicted for use in explanation, but not limitation, of described embodiments. Different types, layouts, quantities, and configurations of systems described herein may be utilized without deviating from the scope of some embodiments. According to some embodiments, the system 100 may comprise one or more power sources 102 that are coupled to provide electrical power to one or more power distribution networks 104, which are commonly referred to as electrical “grids”. Such electrical grids 104 may, in some embodiments, be coupled via inter-grid distribution lines 106. While such inter-grid power transfer couplings are generally referred to as transmission lines, it should be understood that other forms of inter-grid power transfer couplings may also or alternatively be utilized, whether or not they actually comprise lines, wires, or other physical electrical conduits (e.g., RF and/or microwave wireless power transmission). In some embodiments, the system 100 may comprise one or more electrical demands or loads and/or types of such loads to which the electrical grid 104 provides electrical energy. The system 100 may comprise, for example, a residential demand 110, a transportation demand 120, an industrial demand 130, and/or a commercial demand 140. In some embodiments, the system 100 may comprise fewer or more types of electrical demands 110, 120, 130, 140 than are shown in FIG. 1. According to some embodiments, any of the various types of electrical demands 110, 120, 130, 140 may be comprised of one or more electrical loads, nodes, and/or other types and/or configurations of electrical demands. In some embodiments, electrical energy from the one or more power sources 102 may be “intelligently” directed, via the grid 104 (and/or specific components thereof not explicitly shown in FIG. 1), to selected electrical nodes or loads and/or to selected types of electrical demands 110, 120, 130, 140. According to some embodiments, one or more of the electrical demands 110, 120, 130, 140 may communicate with the grid 104 to schedule specific known and/or estimated electrical demands or loads. Such scheduling may, for example, be configured to reduce the cost of any such specific known and/or estimated electrical demands or loads (e.g., by taking advantage of time-of-day rates) and/or may be configured to more efficiently manage electrical generation (e.g., by the one or more power sources 102) and/or transmission (e.g., via the grid 104). Turning to FIG. 2, a block diagram of a system 200 according to some embodiments is shown. In some embodiments, the system 200 may be similar in configuration and/or functionality to the system 100 of FIG. 1. As shown in FIG. 2, for example, the system 200 may comprise a hydroelectric facility 202 coupled to provide power to a power distribution network/grid 204. The system 200 may also or alternatively comprise transmission lines 206, which may for example, carry electrical energy from the hydroelectric facility 202 to and/or through the grid 204 and/or to one or more other grids (not shown in FIG. 2). The transmission lines 206 may also or alternatively carry electrical energy to one or more of a residential subdivision 210, an electric train facility 220 (e.g., a train station and/or electric train tracks—“third” rails and/or overhead lines), a factory 230, and/or an office building 240. In some embodiments, any or all components 202, 204, 206, 210, 220, 230, 240 of the system 200 may be similar in configuration and/or functionality to any similarly named and/or numbered components of FIG. 1. According to some embodiments, electrical energy from the hydroelectric facility 202 may be “intelligently” directed by the grid 204 to, for example, the office building 240. Such direction may be effectuated in response to one or more specific parameters such ed one or more specific characteristics associated with the hydroelectric facility 202 and/or the office building 240. Such direction may be effectuated via management of one or more electrical switching devices (not explicitly shown in FIG. 2) or may only be “virtually” directed (or re-directed). The grid 204 may, for example, cause one or more electrical switches or gates to be activated (or deactivated), thus sending power from the hydroelectric facility 202 to the office building 240. Some or all of the electrical energy from the hydroelectric facility 202 may be directed to the office building 240 in such a manner. In some embodiments, the direction of the electrical energy may only be “virtual”. While no specific electrical switching may be effectuated, for example, and thus no specific electrical energy may be directed (or re-directed), the office building 240 may be specifically allotted an amount of energy produced by the hydroelectric facility 202. Such “virtual” redirection is similar to the currently utilized process of allocating or attributing a certain amount of energy from a certain type of power source to a specific customer and/or load (e.g., such as when electric utility customers designate that “their” energy come only from renewable power sources). In some embodiments, the office building 240 (and/or the residential subdivision 210, the electric train facility 220, and/or the factory 230) may be tasked with and/or configured to charge electric, hybrid-electric, and/or other types of vehicles. The parking lot shown at the office building 240 may, for example, be outfitted to charge one or more vehicles (not shown in FIG. 2) parked therein. In such embodiments, the office building 240 (and/or an entity associated therewith, such as a parking lot management company) may communicate with the grid 204 to schedule and/or otherwise manage the charging of the vehicles. IV. Electric Car Charging Systems Referring to FIG. 3, for example, a block diagram of a system 300 according to some embodiments is shown. In some embodiments, the system 300 may be similar in configuration and/or functionality to the systems 100, 200 of FIG. 1 and/or FIG. 2 herein. As shown in FIG. 3, for example, the system 300 may comprise a Power Supplying Entity (PSE) supply line 304 coupled to provide power to an Electrical Charging System (ECS) 340. The ECS 340 may comprise one or more electrical meters 342a-b and/or a processor 346. In some embodiments, the ECS 340 may also comprise or be associated with a power management device 348. The system 300 may also or alternatively comprise a parking lot 350 containing one or more parked vehicles 360. In some embodiments, any or all components 304, 340 of the system 300 may be similar in configuration and/or functionality to any similarly named and/or numbered components of FIG. 1 and/or FIG. 2 herein. According to some embodiments, the system 300 may be utilized to provide electrical charging services to the one or more vehicles 360. It should be understood that fewer or more vehicles 360 than are shown in FIG. 3 may be included in the system 300. In some embodiments, the ECS 340 and/or the power management device 348 may communicate with one or more of the vehicles 360 and/or may otherwise obtain information associated with the one or more vehicles 360. The ECS and/or the power management device 348 may, for example, electronically receive information from each vehicle 360 and/or may communicate with a server and/or controller (neither of which is explicitly shown in FIG. 3) to receive information associated with each vehicle 360. Such information may then, for example, be utilized to determine how and/or when to charge each vehicle 360. In some embodiments, the ECS 340 may communicate with a PSE (e.g., that operates and/or provides the supply line 304) to determine time-of-day rates for purchasing electrical energy. The ECS 340 and/or the processor 346 thereof may then, for example, utilize the time-of-day rate information to determine a schedule for charging the one or more vehicles 360, such that the schedule results in the lowest estimated cost for charging the one or more vehicles 360. The ECS 340 may also or alternatively communicate with the PSE to otherwise develop a charging schedule such as to facilitate management of electrical energy generation (e.g., by assisting in flattening usage peaks or spikes) or making use of available excess capacity. According to some embodiments, the processor 346 may communicate with the electrical meters 342a-b to determine where any electrical energy required by the ECS 340 should be drawn from. In some embodiments, the processor 346 may be included in a single device with one or more of the electrical meters 342a-b (e.g., the combination comprising a single “smart” meter). In the case that one or more of the vehicles 360 comprise batteries and/or electrical generation capabilities (e.g., solar panels), for example, the ECS 340 may have the option of drawing electricity from the supply line 304 or the parking lot 350 (e.g., the collective power available from the vehicles 360). In some embodiments, the processor 346 may determine which available source has cheaper and/or otherwise more desirable energy (e.g., from “green” sources). In some embodiments, the power management device 348 may comprise one or more transformers, inverters, filters, switches, gates, and/or other electrical load balancing and/or management devices. The power management device 348 may comprise, for example, an inverter for converting Alternating Current (AC) energy to Direct Current (DC) energy, and/or vice versa. It is anticipated, in accordance with some embodiments, that electric vehicles, hybrid-electric vehicles, and/or other vehicles requiring electrical charging (and/or providing electrical energy) may be configured to require (and/or provide) DC energy (e.g., provided to and/or from one or more batteries). In some embodiments, the power management device 348 may manage the charging of the vehicles 360. The In some embodiments, the power management device 348 may, for example, communicate with the vehicles 360 to determine charging requirements and/or may couple to the vehicles to provide wired and/or wireless electrical energy transfer (e.g., charging). In some embodiments, the power management device 348 may also or alternatively manage (alone or in coordination with or conjunction with the processor 346 and/or the electrical meters 342a-b) the flow of electrical energy between the parking lot 350 and the ECS 340. The power management device 348 may, such as in the case that at least some of the vehicles 360 are equipped to provide electrical energy (e.g., via electrical generation devices and/or from on-board stored energy sources) for example, utilize any energy provided by one or more vehicles 360 to satisfy (in part or in whole) the charging demands of one or more other vehicles 360. Any net extra energy provided by the parking lot 350 may then, for example, be provided for use by the ECS 340 and/or for selling back to the PSE via the supply line 304. Turning now to FIG. 4, a block diagram of a system 400 according to some embodiments is shown. In some embodiments, the system 400 may be similar in configuration and/or functionality to the systems 100, 200, 300 of FIG. 1, FIG. 2, and/or FIG. 3 herein. As shown in FIG. 4, for example, the system 400 may comprise a PSE supply 404 coupled to provide power to an ECS 440. The ECS 440 may comprise various components such as a processor 446 and/or a data store 448. In some embodiments, the ECS 440 may comprise and/or the PSE supply 404 may provide power directly to one or more parking space charge devices 452. The ECS 440 may, in some embodiments, comprise one or more vehicle sensors 454. According to some embodiments, the system 400 may comprise one or more vehicles 460. Any or all of the one or more vehicles 460 may comprise a vehicle charge device 462, a vehicle data store 464, and/or a communication device 466. The system 400 may also or alternatively comprise a server 470. In some embodiments, any or all components 404, 440, 446, 448, 460 of the system 400 may be similar in configuration and/or functionality to any similarly named and/or numbered components of FIG. 1, FIG. 2, and/or FIG. 3 herein. In some embodiments, the ECS 440 may be coupled to provide and/or receive electric energy to/from the vehicle 460. As shown in FIG. 4, for example, the parking space charge device 452 may be physically and/or electrically coupled to the vehicle 460 and/or the vehicle charge device 462 thereof. The parking space charge device 452 may, in some embodiments, comprise a wireless charging device configured and coupled to provide electrical energy to the vehicle 460 and/or the vehicle charge device 462 and/or may comprise a physically coupling device configured to mate with the vehicle 460 and/or the vehicle charge device 462. According to some embodiments, the vehicle sensor 454 may be coupled (such as in and/or near a parking space) to detect an arrival, proximity, and/or presence of the vehicle 460. The vehicle sensor 454 may, for example, comprise a magnetically actuated device that reacts to the large volume of metal that many vehicles are comprised of, and/or may comprise a pressure sensor (e.g., to detect the weight/mass of the vehicle 460), a motion sensor (which may include both electrical and non-electric devices), and/or other electronic devices. In some embodiments, the vehicle sensor 454 may comprise a communication device such as a Bluetooth® and/or passive-inductive device that is operable to detect the presence of the vehicle 460 utilizing wireless interrogation methodologies. In such a manner, for example, the vehicle sensor 454 may communicate with the communication device 466 and/or the vehicle data store 464, both of the vehicle 460. According to some embodiments, the vehicle sensor 454 may receive data from the communication device 466 and/or the vehicle data store 464. The vehicle sensor 454 may receive, for example, an indication of an identifier of the vehicle 460 such as a Vehicle Identification Number (VIN), a license plate number, an electric utility account number, an EZ-Pass® account and/or tag number, and/or another identifier or account number such as a PayPal® account number. Such identifying information may be stored, for example, in the vehicle data store 464 and may be communicated directly to the vehicle sensor 454 of the ECS 440 or via the communication device 466 of the vehicle 460. In some embodiments, other information may also or alternatively be provided by the vehicle 460 to the ECS 440. Preference data defining, at least in part for example, desired vehicle charging parameters, charging schedules, and/or rules regarding how, when, and/or where (e.g., designating specific parking spaces and/or parking lots) the vehicle 460 should be charged and/or how, when, and/or where electrical energy should be received from the vehicle 460 (e.g., via generation of energy by the vehicle 460 and/or via discharging of one or more batteries or capacitors on the vehicle 460). In some embodiments, preference data may be received from the vehicle 460 (e.g., as stored in the vehicle data store 464 and/or may be retrieved and/or looked-up in the data store 448 of the ECS 440 and/or via the server 470. The processor 446 may, for example, utilize an identifier of the vehicle 460 (e.g., received by the vehicle sensor 454) to query the vehicle data store 464, the data store 448, and/or the server 470. Preference data associated with the identifier of the vehicle 460 may accordingly be identified, selected, retrieved, and/or otherwise determined (e.g., encoded and/or encrypted identification and/or preference data may be retrieved and then decoded and/or decrypted as needed). According to some embodiments, the processor 446 may utilize the identification and/or preference data to determine, select, calculate, and/or otherwise derive a charging schedule for the vehicle 460. Similarly, in the case that the vehicle 460 is configured to provide electrical energy to the ECS 440, the processor 446 may utilize the identification and/or preference data to determine, select, calculate, and/or otherwise derive a schedule and/or routine (e.g., rules-based strategy) for receiving electrical energy from the vehicle 460. In some embodiments, the processor 446 may determine (e.g., by communicating with the PSE associated with the PSE supply 404) available market rates (e.g., a time-of-day and/or usage-based rate schedule) for purchasing electrical energy from the PSE supply 404. The processor 446 may utilize such rate information in combination with the identification and/or preference information, for example, to determine the most cost-effective schedule for charging the vehicle 460. In the case that the preference information includes an indication of how much energy is desired to be stored by the vehicle 460 by a certain time, the processor 446 may calculate an estimated time to achieve the desired charge and may identify when, during the available charging window (e.g., a time window bounded by the current time and the desired total charge end time) would be most cost effective (e.g., cheapest) to acquire the desired estimated charge. According to some embodiments, such as in the case one or more vehicles 460 in a parking lot (and/or adjacent lots or otherwise within a proximity) are scheduled to charge while one or more other vehicle 460 are scheduled to provide electrical energy to the ECS 440, the processor 446 may determine the charging schedule of a vehicle 460 based at least in part on information regarding electrical energy provisioning by one or more other vehicles 460. In the case that it is determined that a vehicle 460 requires an amount of charge ‘A’, for example, and that one or more other vehicles 460 are estimated to be capable of providing the amount of charge ‘A’, the processor 446 may determine that the most cost-effective way of providing the charge to the vehicle 460 is to direct electrical energy from the one or more providing vehicles 460 to the vehicle in need of charge. A rate table and/or other rate and/or cost information associated with and/or descriptive of the provision of electrical energy from one or more vehicles 460 (e.g., directly) to one or more other vehicles 460 may be utilized to facilitate a determination of whether purchasing power from the PSE would be more or less cost-effective than purchasing and/or otherwise acquiring the required power from distributed generation sources such as other vehicles 460 parked nearby (e.g., more near than the nearest source utilized by the PSE). In some embodiments, such as in the case that the server 470 manages and/or coordinates multiple ECS 440 facilities, the server 470 may communicate with the PSE supply 406 (and/or another or different device owned and/or operated by the PSE) to determine and/or facilitate determination and/or calculation of vehicles charging schedules. In such a manner, for example, the server 470 may be able to negotiate better rates and/or sooner charging times with the PSE by leveraging bulk electrical energy purchasing. According to some embodiments, vehicle identification information and/or vehicle charging preferences and/or parameters may be communicated to the server 470 (and/or data store 448 of the ECS 440) via the communication device 466 of the vehicle 460. An operator of the vehicle 460 whom defines and/or provides such identification and/or preference information, for example, may utilize a navigational and/or other touch-screen or communication device 466 of the vehicle 460 to select, program, define, and/or transmit the desired data. In some embodiments, the communication device 466 may comprise a wireless and/or cellular communication device 466 such as an OnStar® system and/or a cellular telephone operated in proximity to the vehicle 460 (e.g., connected through the vehicle via Bluetooth® technology such as utilized by Uconnect® systems). Referring to FIG. 5, a block diagram of a system 500 according to some embodiments is shown. In some embodiments, the system 500 may be similar in configuration and/or functionality to the systems 100, 200, 300, 400 of FIG. 1, FIG. 2, FIG. 3, and/or FIG. 4 herein. As shown in FIG. 5, for example, the system 500 may comprise a PSE supply line 504 coupled to provide power to an ECS 540. The ECS 540 may comprise various components such as a meter 542. In some embodiments, the ECS 540 may comprise and/or the PSE supply line 504 may provide power directly to a power management device 548. In some embodiments, the ECS 540 may also or alternatively generate power such as via one or more distributed generation devices 544 (such as internal combustion generators, batteries, and/or renewable energy generators such as wind, hydro, and/or solar (as shown) generators). The ECS 540 may, in some embodiments, comprise and/or be associated with a parking lot 550 comprising one or more parking space charge devices 552a-b and/or one or more vehicle sensors 554a-b. According to some embodiments, the system 500 may comprise one or more vehicles 560a-b. Any or all of the one or more vehicles 560a-b may comprise a vehicle charge device 562a-b. Some vehicles 560a-b (or all vehicles 560a-b), such as the first vehicle 560a depicted in FIG. 5, may comprise a vehicle charge device 560a-1 that is operable to generate and/or otherwise provide electrical energy (e.g., to the ECS 540 and/or to the PSE supply line 506). In some embodiments, any or all components 504, 540, 542, 548, 550, 552a-b, 554, 560a-b, 562a-b of the system 500 may be similar in configuration and/or functionality to any similarly named and/or numbered components of FIG. 1, FIG. 2, FIG. 3, and/or FIG. 4 herein. In some embodiments, such as shown in FIG. 5, the ECS 540 may comprise an office and/or other building that includes and/or is otherwise associated with the parking lot 550 for vehicles 560a-b. The office building 540 may typically receive electrical power from the PSE supply line 506 via the power management device 548, which may comprise (as depicted) a transformer (e.g., to step-down the voltage of the PSE supply line 506 to the desired voltage for utilization by the office building 540). The electrical energy flowing from the transformer 548 into the office building 540 may generally be monitored, tabulated, and/or recorded by the meter 542. In some embodiments, such as in the case that the office building 540 generates electrical power, such as via the distributed generation solar panels 544, the meter 542 may also monitor, tabulate, and/or record electrical energy provided and/or sold back to the PSE supply line 506 (e.g., a meter 542 than can record bi-directional electrical flow and/or that can run backwards). In the case that the power management device 548 functions as an inverter to convert DC energy produced by the solar panels 544 into AC energy, the meter 542 may be positioned on the PSE-side of the electrical circuit (e.g., as opposed to the ECS-side of the circuit as shown in FIG. 5). In some embodiments, the parking space charge devices 552a-b may be positioned and/or configured to provide electrical energy from the PSE supply line 504 and/or the transformer/inverter 548 to the vehicles 560a-b. As shown in FIG. 5, the parking space charge devices 552a-b may be provided in various forms and/or configurations. A first parking space charge device 552a may comprise a fixed-position, shock-absorbing electrical contact device that is designed to physically and electrically couple with the first vehicle 560a, for example. The first vehicle charge device 562a of the first vehicle 560a may be configured to mate and/or otherwise couple with the first parking space charge device 552a such as by utilizing flat-plate contact and/or other forms of electrical connections (e.g., male/female connections of any know or practicable type). According to some embodiments, a second parking space charge device 552b may simply comprise an electrical outlet that is configured to accept a second vehicle charge device 562b of the second vehicle 560b. Further, while not specifically or explicitly depicted in FIG. 5, a parking space charge device 552a-b may be configured to provide wireless transmission of electrical power to and/or from a vehicle 560a-b. In some embodiments, the vehicle charge device 562a-1 may comprise an electrical energy generation device (such as the hood-mounted/integrated solar panels as shown in FIG. 5) that is coupled to provide power to the first parking space charge device 552a. According to some embodiments, the vehicle charge device 562a-1 may comprise any device capable of providing electrical energy such as a battery, a capacitor, an engine powering an alternator, a wind power device, etc. In some embodiments, as described herein, the vehicle sensors 554a-b may detect a proximity and/or presence of the vehicles 560a-b and/or may communicate with the vehicles 560a-b (e.g., to receive and/or retrieve vehicle identification information and/or charging preference information). As shown in FIG. 5, a first vehicle sensor 554a may comprise a pressure sensor oriented and/or configured to detect a physical coupling of the first vehicle charge device 562a to the first parking space charge device 552a. In some embodiments, a second vehicle sensor 554b may comprise a ground-integrated pressure sensor (e.g., to detect the weight/mass of a parked second vehicle 560b) and/or may comprise a magnetically-actuated device to detect the presence of large metal/ferrous components typically to be integrated into the second vehicle 560b. In some embodiments, the second vehicle sensor 554b may comprise a plurality of different types of sensors and/or may also or alternatively comprise an electronic communication device such as a Bluetooth® transceiver and/or a camera. The second vehicle sensor 554b may also or alternatively be utilized as a parking space charge device 552a-b that, for example, provides wireless power transmission from underneath the second vehicle 560b. V. Electric Car Charging Interfaces Turning now to FIG. 6, a perspective diagram of a system 600 according to some embodiments is shown. In some embodiments, the system 600 may be similar in configuration and/or functionality to the systems 100, 200, 300, 400, 500 of FIG. 1, FIG. 2, FIG. 3, FIG. 4, and/or FIG. 5 herein. The system 600 may comprise, for example, a vehicle 660 (a portion of the interior of which is depicted in FIG. 6) comprising a communication device 666. In some embodiments, the communication device 666 may provide a plurality of available menu options 668a-d. The system 600 may comprise, in some embodiments, a user device 680 comprising one or more menu options 682 and/or one or more charging preference options 684a-c. In some embodiments, the system 600 may be utilized to setup, define, store, and/or update or change preference, option, and/or parameter data that is utilized by an ECS (not shown in FIG. 6) to determine how, when, and/or where to transfer electrical energy to and/or from the vehicle 660. An operator of the user device 680 may, for example, select the menu option 682 (and the user device 680 may receive an indication of such selection), which is depicted as being a menu option defining a situation of a pet being in the vehicle 660. The operator may then, for example, (i) determine whether it is desired that the vehicle 660 only be allowed to be charged in such a circumstance—as opposed to allowing the vehicle 660 to provide and/or sell stored and/or vehicle-generated power (e.g., the first preference option 684a), (ii) determine whether it is desired that the operator be notified if the current charge level of the vehicle 660 falls below a level that allows the Air Conditioning (A/C) to remain on for fifteen (15) minutes (e.g., the second preference option 684b), and/or (iii) determine whether it is desired that the operator be notified if the temperature inside the vehicle 660 climbs above seventy (70) degrees (e.g., the third preference option 684c). In such a manner, for example, the user device 680 may receive indications of the desired parameters to be utilized in governing charging (and/or electrical transmission from) the vehicle 660. The user device 660 may then, for example, transmit indications of such preferences to a central server (not shown in FIG. 6; such as the server 470 of FIG. 4) and/or transmit indications of such preferences to the vehicle 660 (e.g., via the communication device 666). An ECS may accordingly access such preference data and utilize the data to manage, define, and/or govern how, when, and/or where electrical energy is transmitted to and/or from the vehicle 660. In some embodiments, such preference data may be defined, stored, managed, and/or updated or changed via the communication device 666. The operator of the vehicle 660 may, for example, select a first menu option 668a to define settings regarding desired charge levels, charging times, desired travel distances and/or itineraries, etc. The operator of the vehicle 660 may also or alternatively select a second menu option 668b to define settings regarding rules and/or parameters governing how electrical energy should be sold to the ECS. The operator of the vehicle 660 may also or alternatively select a third menu option 668c to define settings regarding rules and/or parameters governing how electrical energy should be received and/or provided and/or what types of alerts should be established when a pet is on the vehicle (e.g., similar to the menu option 682 shown on the user device 680). The operator of the vehicle 660 may also or alternatively select a fourth menu option 668d to access current charge levels, battery statistics, charging history, electrical energy purchase and/or sale history, account balance information, etc. Turning now to FIG. 7, a diagram of an exemplary interface 700 according to some embodiments is shown. In some embodiments, the exemplary interface 700 may be utilized in conjunction with and/or to effectuate and/or facilitate operation of the systems 100, 200, 300, 400, 500, 600 of FIG. 1, FIG. 2, FIG. 3, FIG. 4, FIG. 5, and/or FIG. 6 herein. The exemplary interface 700 may comprise, for example, a Uniform Resource Locator (URL) address bar 702 that shows the current Internet address of the displayed interface 700, a personalized welcome bar 704, and/or various menu and/or tab option such as a “main” menu item 706, a “My Account” menu item 708, a “charging history” menu item 710, and/or a “help” menu item 712. The “My Account” menu item 708 may generally, for example, contain data descriptive of account setup and/or preference data such as billing parameters, contact information, etc. The “charging history” menu item 710 may generally contain data descriptive of metrics regarding how, when, and/or where a vehicle has been interfaced with an ECS. The “help” menu item 712 may generally provide data regarding help and assistance for using the interface 700 and/or for setting up various vehicle charging parameters and/or preferences. In some embodiments, the “main” menu item 706 may comprise a “dashboard” and/or primary screen via which vehicle charging parameters may be established, stored, viewed, and/or changed. The “main” menu item 706 may comprise, for example, a vehicle charge indicator 714 that visually indicates a current charge level 716 of the vehicle. Similarly, a desired charge percent level 718 may be both shown and alterable. A user may select the desired charge percent level 718, for example, and may slide the marker on the vehicle charge indicator 714 to a new described location and/or may utilize the exemplary up/down arrow controls to increase or decrease the desired charge percent level 718. The user may also or alternatively view and/or change the desired charge range level 720. An estimate of how far the vehicle can travel on a given charge amount (which may be a general average and/or may be computed based on a specific itinerary and/or past driving habits) can be determined, for example, and utilized to express the desired charge level in terms of distance capable of being traveled. In such a manner, for example, a user may determine a desired distance to travel (e.g., how far it is from home to work or vice versa) and may set the desired charge range level 720 to match the desired distance. In some embodiments, the “main” menu item 706 may comprise a time to charge definition field 722. Knowing, for example, that the vehicle will be sitting in a parking lot at the user's workplace for the next six (6) hours, an ECS may determine when would be most cost-effective and/or otherwise desirably during that charging window to provide the necessary electrical energy to the vehicle. In some embodiments, the ECS may determine that the window is too short to provide the necessary charge (e.g., even if the entire charging window was to be utilized to charge the vehicle) and may notify (e.g., via the interface 700) the user of the potential problem/deficiency. As shown in FIG. 7, the time to charge definition field 722 may provide the user with several options such as defining the time to charge in terms of number of parked hours expected and/or in terms of expected departure time. In some embodiments, the “main” menu item 706 may comprise a monetary charge setting field 724. The monetary charge setting field 724, for example, may allow the user to specify whether the vehicle should be charged as much as possible during the charging window and/or otherwise charged regardless of energy rate costs, whether the vehicle should be charged “intelligently” during the charging window to minimize energy rate costs (e.g., taking advantage of time-of-day energy rates), and/or whether the vehicle should be allowed to sell energy to make money for the user (e.g., by providing energy generated by the vehicle and/or by depleting battery levels of the vehicle to some specified minimum amount). In some embodiments, the “main” menu item 706 may comprise a factor of safety field 726 via which the user may set a factor of safety to be utilized in calculations regarding charging levels and schedules for the vehicle. The “main” menu item 706 may also or alternatively comprise contact information 728 for the user. The contact information 728 may be utilized by the interface 700 (and/or an ECS), for example, to send alerts and/or messages to the user and/or other designated parties. The “main” menu item 706 may comprise, for example, an alerts field 730 that allows the use to specify various conditions and/or events that may trigger alerts and/or actions with respect to the vehicle. The user may turn “All Alerts On”, for example, and/or may individually activate (i) charge thresholds (e.g., minimum, maximum, and/or desired charge thresholds), (ii) rate thresholds (e.g., minimum, maximum, and/or desired rate thresholds), (iii) internal temperature thresholds e.g., minimum, maximum, and/or desired temperature thresholds), and/or (iv) vehicle diagnostics (e.g., poor battery health, low oil, low tire pressure, alarm conditions, and/or maintenance reminders). As shown in FIG. 7, the “main” menu item 706 may comprise a “pet in car” button 732. The “pet in car” button 732 may, for example, automatically set alerts and/or charge parameters to levels conducive to maintaining the comfort and safety of a pet left in a parked vehicle. In such a manner, for example, a user may safely leave a pet in a parked vehicle by establishing and/or setting charging parameters designed to keep the A/C on to maintain a cool vehicle and/or to keep the heat on to maintain a warm vehicle (e.g., depending upon the relevant season and/or external weather conditions). The interface 700 may receive indications of any or all desired parameters, options, and/or settings designated and/or defined by a user. Such information may then, for example, be stored in relation to an identifier of the vehicle and/or the user and may accordingly be utilized by an ECS (or a plurality of ECS facilities) to mange transmission of electrical energy to and/or from one or more desire vehicles. VI. Processes Various embodiments will now be described with references to methods, procedures, and/or processes associated with some embodiments. The methods, procedures, and/or processes described herein may generally be performed by any of the systems 100, 200, 300, 400, 500, 600 of FIG. 1, FIG. 2, FIG. 3, FIG. 4, FIG. 5, and/or FIG. 6 and/or any of the many components and/or specific devices described herein. Other configurations of systems and devices may also or alternatively be utilized to perform the methods described herein without deviating from the scope of some embodiments. The procedures described herein do not necessarily imply a fixed order to the actions, and embodiments may be performed in any order that is practicable. Note that any of the methods described herein may be performed by hardware, software (including microcode), firmware, or any combination thereof. For example, a storage medium may store thereon instructions that when executed by a machine result in performance according to any of the embodiments described herein. Referring to FIG. 8, for example, a flow diagram of a method 800 according to some embodiments is shown. The method 800 may be performed, for example, by an ECS and/or one or more components thereof as described herein. In some embodiments, the method 800 may comprise receiving (e.g., from a vehicle sensor) information indicative of a presence of a vehicle in a parking space, at 802. The sensor may detect proximity of the vehicle via motion sensing, pressure sensing, light sensing, metal detecting, and/or wireless electronic transmission sensing, for example. In some embodiments, the sensor may detect an actual physical coupling of the vehicle to a charge management device, may detect an electrical coupling of the vehicle to the charge management device, and/or may detect and/or analyze a positioning of the vehicle (e.g., to determine whether the vehicle is properly positioned, oriented, and/or outfitted for charging services). The method 800 may also or alternatively comprise receiving (e.g., from a communication device of a vehicle) information indicative of an identifier of the vehicle, at 804. Vehicle identification information may be read and/or scanned from a camera image of the vehicle or a portion thereof (e.g., a license plate and/or a VIN area), for example, and/or may be electrically determined such as by receiving signals from the vehicle. In some embodiments, charging preference and/or parameter information may also or alternatively be obtained. The vehicle identifier may be utilized to look-up the preference information, for example, and/or the preference information may be directly provided. The method 800 may also or alternatively comprise determining, based at least on the information indicative of the identifier of the vehicle, a charging schedule for the vehicle, at 806. The preference information stored in relation to the vehicle identification information may, for example, be utilized to determine one or more rules and/or parameters that govern electrical transmissions to and/or from the vehicle (and/or a group or class of vehicles). In some embodiments, an ECS and/or control system may calculate, based on the charging parameters and/o preferences, how much energy the vehicle needs, how much energy is desired for the vehicle, when the needed and/or desired charge levels should be reached by, desired charging rate cost thresholds, etc. The method 800 may also or alternatively comprise charging, in accordance with the charging schedule, the vehicle, at 808. One or more parking space charge devices may, for example, couple to provide (and/or receive) electrical energy from the vehicle in accordance with the determined schedule and/or regimen. Referring to FIG. 9, a flow diagram of a method 900 according to some embodiments is shown. The method 900 may be performed, for example, by an ECS and/or one or more components thereof as described herein. In some embodiments, the method 900 may comprise determining an estimated amount of power required to charge a plurality of vehicles to desired levels, at 902. Utilizing information received and/or determined regarding the plurality of vehicles, for example, the ECS may compute an estimated amount of energy required to satisfy the desired charging regimens of the plurality of vehicles and/or an estimated amount of time required to achieve and/or implement such charging regimens. The method 900 may also or alternatively comprise providing (e.g., via a communication device), to a PSE, information indicative of the required power, at 904. The requirements and/or estimates determined and/or calculated at 902, for example, may be provided to the PSE. The method 900 may also or alternatively comprise receiving (e.g., via the communication device), from the PSE, information indicative of a time when a best available rate will be available to purchase the required power, at 906. The PSE may analyze the charging requirement information provided by the ECS and may provide a suggested schedule to the ECS. In some embodiments, the information provided by the PSE may simply comprise rate and/or usage information, and the ECS may utilize such information to formulate and/or derive appropriate charging schedules. The method 900 may also or alternatively comprise charging, at the indicated time and via a plurality of vehicle charging devices, the plurality of vehicles, at 908. The charging at 908 may, in some embodiments, be similar to the charging conducted at 808 of the method 800 herein. Referring to FIG. 10, a flow diagram of a method 1000 according to some embodiments is shown. In some embodiments, the method 1000 may comprise determining an electrical load that requires electrical power, at 1002. A processor may determine an electrical draw on a circuit, for example, and/or may communicate with an entity associated with a load (e.g., an ECS and/or an electric vehicle) to determine the requirements of the load. The method 1000 may also or alternatively comprise determining a plurality of available sources of electrical power, at 1004. An ECS and/or “intelligent” electric switching device may, for example, be provided with a list of available power sources and/or may query to determine and/or discover available sources of power. The method 1000 may also or alternatively comprise determining a characteristic of each of the plurality of available sources of power, at 1006. Various characteristics such as voltage, amperage, available quantity, consistency of generation, cost, generation type, and/or distance to the load (e.g., either “as-the-crow-flies” or along one or more specific electrical traces and/or transmission paths) may, for example, be looked-up and/or determined. In some embodiments, information transmitted with electrical energy may provide some or all of the characteristic information. The method 1000 may also or alternatively comprise selecting, based at least in part on the determined characteristics of the plurality of available sources of power, one or more of the available sources of power, at 1008. One or more stored rules may govern, for example, how a preferred power source is selected. In some embodiments, preferred power sources may comprise power sources that are located closer to the electrical load than other power sources. Such power sources may be more desirable, for example, due to the smaller amount of losses (and accordingly, increased efficiency) associated with delivering power from such sources to the load. In some embodiments, the “greenness” and/or relative environmental friendliness of energy produced by a specific power source may be determined as a characteristic. Preferred power sources may then, for example, comprise renewable energy sources (e.g., regardless of distance from the load), taking into account externalities that may otherwise not be taken into account when operating electrical switching equipment. In some embodiments, various characteristics may be scored and power sources may be assigned an overall point total. The power source listing may then be ranked, for example, and the highest ranking power source (or the highest ranking number of power sources; e.g., the top three (3)) may be selected as the preferred power source(s). The method 1000 may also or alternatively comprise activating at least one of the one or more electrical switches to cause electrical power from the selected one or more of the available sources of power to be provided to the electrical load, at 1010. VII. Other Details of Embodiments A. Wireless Charging Nodes A parking space or other expanse suitable for maintaining an automobile in a generally stationary fashion is equipped with a means for wirelessly charging an automobile. Various methods for wirelessly transmitting an electrical charge are known including, but not limited to, resonant inductive coupling, and wireless microwave transmission. In addition, a company referred to as Powercast™ has demonstrated power transmission for quite a distance using RF (Radio Frequency) technology to beam EM waves in a direction to a transceiver which then converts the EM waves back to electricity. While described with reference to various technologies for enabling the wireless transmission of electrical energy, the exemplary embodiments described are not limited to any particular mode or process of such wireless transmission. Rather, the invention is broadly drawn to encompass any and all technologies that facilitate or otherwise enable the provision of electricity, electrical energy, and/or electrical power from a source to a receiver without a physical connection (i.e., a wire or other physical electricity conducting medium) between the source and receiver. While many embodiments described herein are directed to wireless charging and/or energy transmission between vehicles and a power grid, some embodiments herein may be practiced utilizing plug-in and/or physical coupling to provide energy transmission. Load distribution, balancing, and/or pricing embodiments may, for example, be practiced in conjunction with any electrical transmission apparatus that is or becomes known or practicable (e.g., not limited to wireless charging and/or transmissions). When an automobile is positioned within a distance suitable for the provision of wireless electrical power, the provision of electrical power is enabled. In one embodiment, electrical power is wirelessly transmitted from a transmitter positioned underground or flush with the surface of the ground or pavement. In another embodiment, a transmitter is configured around the periphery of a space such that it is in sufficient proximity to a parked or stationary automobile to enable the transmission of electrical power. The presence of an automobile may be sensed, as by a pressure sensor or via short range electronic communication such as Bluetooth or the like. In the latter instance, data may be transmitted between the automobile and a transceiver associated with the electrical transmitter. Such data may include, for example, a unique automobile identifier (e.g., a Vehicle Identification Number (VIN)), an account identifier (e.g., a credit card account, bank account, EZ-Pass® Account, Pay-Pal® Account, and/or electrical supplier account), and user selected parameters defining user charging preferences. For example, upon pulling up to a space enabled/operable to provide electricity in a wireless fashion from one or more transmitters embedded flush with the surface of the pavement, a sensor receives an interrogation signal sent via Bluetooth® from the automobile sent as function of the automobile being put into park (and/or put into neutral, the parking brake being engaged, the engine being shut off, and/or the key being turned to a specific position—e.g., position “IV” may comprise a position dedicated to indicating that the driver describes to activate one or more charging and/or power transmission sequences). The sensor receives an identifier of the automobile and interfaces with a central server to retrieve account information of an owner of the automobile. Likewise, such information can be stored in a memory device associated with the automobile and sent to the sensor. In addition, either sent from the automobile or retrieved from a server using the identifier, the sensor receives information regarding parameters defining how the automobile is to be charged. For example, such information might define a maximum rate willing to be paid for electricity. In addition, such information might specify a time by which the car is to be a certain percent charged. For example, a user may have specified that the car is not to be charged if the cost of electricity is over $0.10/kWh. The user may also have specified that the automobile needs to be 80% charged at the end of eight hours. In some embodiments, the user may indicate a desired charging level (and/or a desired charging level may be automatically calculated) based on a desired distance of travel. In the case that the vehicle/charging facility is located 20 miles from the driver's home, for example, the driver (and/or the vehicle or charging station) may determine that the vehicle should be charged to have enough power to travel the 20 miles home (with or without a factor of safety and/or reserve travel capacity). In the above example, the information may be entered into a central server for retrieval by the electrical charging system (ECS)(comprising the sensor and means for electrical charging), such as via a web page configuration page accessible by the driver or entered into the automobile such as via a dashboard based interface. Any other well known method incorporating a graphical user interface (GUI) may be employed to enter data into the automobile based memory or server. For example, an iPhone® interface may communicate via Bluetooth® with a memory device and processor resident in the automobile to make and/or change parameter selections. [Microsoft Sync . . . ] Once the information is received, the ECS operates to determine an appropriate charging schedule. For example, a driver parks his car in a space having an ECS. The driver knows that his car will sit in the space all work day, hence the chosen charging duration of eight hours. The ECS, perhaps relying on other retrieved information specifying the charging characteristics of the automobile, computes that it will take approximately three hours of charging to charge the automobile to a minimum of 80% charged. The ECS, via communication with the power supplier, determines that the present cost of electricity is $0.12/kWh but will fall to $0.09/kWh in two hours. The system therefore waits for two hours before charging the automobile for approximately three hours. In addition to computing and implementing a charging regimen to meet the user specified parameters, the ECS can communicate with the user/driver to alert the driver to potential problems. For example, with reference to the example above, the ECS may determine that the cost of electricity will be below $0.10/kWh for only two of the next eight hours. The ECS may send a message to this effect to the user via a user specified node, such as a message on a dashboard display device, a message sent to a cell phone, an email account or the like. The user may be enabled to reply so as to modify or override a predetermined parameter selection. For example, the user may relax the maximum price for electricity attribute. In addition, the predefined parameter selections may include directions for actions to be taken when the predetermined charging regime cannot be met. When charging is enabled, the system stores and makes accessible information regarding the operation of the ECS. For example, the user/driver can access real time (or near real time) charging information via a web page interface. For example, the user may enter a userid and password to view charging/account information. The viewable information may be maintained by the entity supplying the electrical power and/or by the proprietor of the ECS (which may be the same entity). The user may see that, at present, the ECS has scheduled charging to begin in two hours and proceed for the next three hours at a rate of $0.085/kWh at which time the automobile will be 80% charged. At such time, the user may change selected parameters, such as the degree of desired charging and request an updated charging profile. For example, the user may change the requested charge percentage to be 100%. In response, ECS recomputes a charging regimen for display to the user/driver. In the above described manner, the driver predefines a charging profile that is read and acted upon the ECS without required further input from the user/driver. By employing a central server, the charging regimen can be maintained as the user/driver leaves one ECS and parks at another ECS. B. Load Balancing As noted briefly above, when computing a charging regimen to match the user defined charging parameters, the ECS may communicate with a system or systems operated by the power supplying entity (PSE). In this manner, load balancing can be affected. For example, by communicating with the power supplier, the ECS may be able to obtain/“lock in” a desirable price for electricity at present or at a time in the future. For example, at peak times when electricity is most expensive, the PSE may inform the ECS that it will commit to providing three hours of electricity at $0.085/kWh in two hours provided that it not provide any electricity for the next two hours. If thousands of cars are in communication with a PSE via an ECS and are somewhere within a charging regimen at any one time, such a shifting of the provision of electricity to a future time operates to balance the load at the PSE so as better obtain maximally efficient electricity generation. □ Such load balancing may be implemented in real time. For example, if the PSE experiences an unexpected peak consumption requiring the inefficient firing up of additional electricity providing elements, the PSE can communicate with the ECSs to request a delay in providing electricity to automobiles. With reference to the above example, the ECS has determined that the automobile requires only three hours over the course of the next eight hours to charge the automobile to the requested level. As a result, the ECS can delay providing electricity to the automobile for up to five hours as load balancing requires. In one embodiment, electric cars are power generating entities. For example, the top and sides of an automobile may be fitted with solar panels. A typical automobile so outfitted may comprise approximately 60 ft2 of solar panels. In addition, solar panels can be extended to incorporate more surface area, for example, when the automobile is substantially stationary. When parked outside, as in an outdoor parking lot with individual spaces configured to contain ECSs, a modest sized parking lot full of automobiles fitted with solar panels can generate a relatively large amount of electricity. When fitted with solar panels, the ECS can operate to receive electricity from an automobile. For example, a user/driver may store amongst the preselected charging attributes that he will sell electricity generated by his automobile at a minimum price of $0.11/kWh or at any price when the automobile does not need to be charged. For example, to shed some load, a PSE, currently charging $0.14/kWh requests the ECSs to delay the charging of five hundred cars. The ECSs reply that five hundred cars can be delayed and, in addition, two hundred cars (perhaps some of which are included in the five hundred) have the capacity to sell electricity at various prices because they are either already charged or have specified a preference to sell electricity when possible (for the sake of simplicity, in the present example, they all agree to sell at $0.11/kWh). The PSE instructs the ECSs to receive electricity from the two hundred automobiles while crediting the accounts of the users/drivers providing electricity. In another embodiment, the automobiles using the ECS are not electric cars but have likewise been fitted with solar panels and equipments required to transmit electricity to an ECS. One problem with encouraging the widespread use of solar panels, such as on the roofs of existing houses, is the large cost of installation and maintenance. By installing solar panels at an automobile factory, economies of scale are introduced. In addition, the surfaces of an automobile are readily accessible for maintenance purposes. In addition, most automobiles spend extended periods of time exposed to sunlight during the daylight hours. If exposed while connected to an ECS, such automobiles provide a large, at present untapped, source of electricity. Furthermore, if such automobiles are provided with a battery to store power when away from an ECS, the stored power can be transferred to a PSE via an ECS when possible. C. Energy Costs Electrical energy costs are typically comprised of two components: (i) an electrical energy generation charge, and (ii) an electrical energy transmission charge. While electrical energy generation charges vary depending upon the supplier of electrical energy (e.g., customers choosing to be supplied solely by renewable sources may pay more than customers receiving a mix of electrical energy), transmission charges are generally fixed. In some embodiments, electrical energy transmission costs may vary depending upon various factors such as a distance of an electrical load from one or more electrical sources. Electric vehicles provided with electrical charging energy from an ECS, for example, may be charged one transmission rate for electrical energy that comes from the PSE (e.g., “the grid”), while they may be charged a second (and likely lower) transmission rate for electrical energy supplied by other vehicles coupled to the ECS (e.g., since there is a very short transmission distance and/or very small transmission losses). Similarly, an office building receiving energy from an ECS in an adjacent parking lot may pay little or no transmission costs while it may pay standard transmission costs when purchasing power from the grid/PSE. In some embodiments, the actual distance between loads and sources may be utilized to calculate an appropriate transmission charge and/or to look-up an appropriate transmission charge in a pre-stored table and/or other data store. According to some embodiments, other factors such as total expected transmission losses, installation and/or maintenance costs of utilized transmission components, etc., may be utilized to determine an appropriate transmission rate or cost. While a load may pull energy from a nearby source, for example, a transmission means such as an undersea cable or microwave transmission tower may comprise relatively expensive infrastructure that causes the transmission rate to be higher than if the source pulled power from a further source from which power could be delivered via a much less expensive means (e.g., a standard utility pole and power line configuration). In some embodiments, the cheapest available electrical transmission rate may be determined and/or the associated source(s) may be selected as the most appropriate source from which power should be supplied. According to some embodiments, the transmission route via which the smallest expected losses will occur may be determined and/or selected. In such a manner, for example, the power grid may be most efficiently managed to reduce transmission losses and maximize availability and usage of available power. In some embodiments, the ‘quality’ of available electricity/energy from various sources may be compared and/or analyzed to determine from which available power source the power should be supplied. Some power sources and/or transmission means may provide power that is more consistent (e.g., with respect to supplied frequency, voltage, and/or amperage) than power/energy provided from other sources. For critical loads such as power supply to hospitals, for example, the closest power source may comprise an ECS from an adjacent parking lot/parking garage, but that source may provide intermittent and/or otherwise lower-quality energy than, say, a large hydropower facility several miles (or more) away, that is estimated to be capable of consistently providing steady and/or high quality power for longer periods of time (e.g., at night and/or during inclement weather). According to some embodiments, the ‘quality’ may also or alternatively be determined based on various externalities such as perceived environmental benefits and/or “greenness” of available power and/or power choices perceived to benefit the locality/local economy (e.g., coal power may be preferred and/or selected for a source in a small town in western Pennsylvania, even though other sources may be cheaper, higher quality, closer, and/or “greener”, because the local and/or state or regional economy may be determined to be best served by purchasing relatively “local” products). In some instances, electricity generated by solar panels attached to one or more automobiles in communication with one or more ECS may provide enough electricity to fully charge all of the automobiles in communication with the ECS. For example, the parking lot of a single office building may install an ECS that enables charging at a plurality of parking spaces. The automobiles utilizing the ECS may provide enough electricity, via solar panels, to meet all of the charging needs of the automobiles and may then divert additional electricity to the building. Various exemplary embodiments described above allow for a multi-tiered approach to utilizing an ECS wherein additional benefits are realized with each additional tier of functionality. Such benefits include, but are not limited to, the following: First, enabling the charging of automobiles (EVS) and other vehicles in a variety of environments allows for the charging of vehicles in an efficient manner. For example, vehicles typically remain parked in a single place for long periods of time each day. The ECS and described methods for using the ECS permit a vehicle to recharge, generally, throughout the day at times most convenient to the owner/operator of the vehicle. In the instance that the charging is enabled via wireless charging, the additional effort required by the operator of the vehicle is negligible; Second, when the ECS is capable of communicating with the automobile, data may be exchanged to control the charging process. User defined preferences, stored at the automobile, on a server, or at any location accessible by the ECS can direct the charging process. In addition to enabling charging according to user defined preferences, the ECS may enable access by the user, such as via a web page, to view the charging status of the automobile in real time. By accessing profile information indicative of the individual performance of the automobile (such as prior charging times, battery life, battery performance, etc.), the ECS can customize the charging process as desired; Third, when the ECS is enabled to communicate with a power generating entity, load balancing is enabled. In the scenario where millions of automobiles utilize an ECS, thus substantially shifting energy consumption from petroleum based products in the form of gasoline, diesel fuel and the like to nuclear or coal generated electricity, exemplary embodiments enable load balancing to, for example, permit the efficient operation of such electricity generating facilities; and Fourth, when automobiles incorporate solar panels, electricity can be generated and added to the grid, or otherwise utilized to power entities in communication with the ECS, via the ECS. VIII. Rules of Interpretation Numerous embodiments are described in this disclosure, and are presented for illustrative purposes only. The described embodiments are not, and are not intended to be, limiting in any sense. The presently disclosed invention(s) are widely applicable to numerous embodiments, as is readily apparent from the disclosure. One of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that the disclosed invention(s) may be practiced with various modifications and alterations, such as structural, logical, software, and electrical modifications. Although particular features of the disclosed invention(s) may be described with reference to one or more particular embodiments and/or drawings, it should be understood that such features are not limited to usage in the one or more particular embodiments or drawings with reference to which they are described, unless expressly specified otherwise. The present disclosure is neither a literal description of all embodiments nor a listing of features of the invention that must be present in all embodiments. Neither the Title (set forth at the beginning of the first page of this disclosure) nor the Abstract (set forth at the end of this disclosure) is to be taken as limiting in any way as the scope of the disclosed invention(s). The term “product” means any machine, manufacture and/or composition of matter as contemplated by 35 U.S.C. § 101, unless expressly specified otherwise. The terms “an embodiment”, “embodiment”, “embodiments”, “the embodiment”, “the embodiments”, “one or more embodiments”, “some embodiments”, “one embodiment” and the like mean “one or more (but not all) disclosed embodiments”, unless expressly specified otherwise. The terms “the invention” and “the present invention” and the like mean “one or more embodiments of the present invention.” A reference to “another embodiment” in describing an embodiment does not imply that the referenced embodiment is mutually exclusive with another embodiment (e.g., an embodiment described before the referenced embodiment), unless expressly specified otherwise. The terms “including”, “comprising” and variations thereof mean “including but not limited to”, unless expressly specified otherwise. The terms “a”, “an” and “the” mean “one or more”, unless expressly specified otherwise. The term “plurality” means “two or more”, unless expressly specified otherwise. The term “herein” means “in the present disclosure, including anything which may be incorporated by reference”, unless expressly specified otherwise. The phrase “at least one of”, when such phrase modifies a plurality of things (such as an enumerated list of things) means any combination of one or more of those things, unless expressly specified otherwise. For example, the phrase at least one of a widget, a car and a wheel means either (i) a widget, (ii) a car, (iii) a wheel, (iv) a widget and a car, (v) a widget and a wheel, (vi) a car and a wheel, or (vii) a widget, a car and a wheel. The phrase “based on” does not mean “based only on”, unless expressly specified otherwise. In other words, the phrase “based on” describes both “based only on” and “based at least on”. Where a limitation of a first claim would cover one of a feature as well as more than one of a feature (e.g., a limitation such as “at least one widget” covers one widget as well as more than one widget), and where in a second claim that depends on the first claim, the second claim uses a definite article “the” to refer to the limitation (e.g., “the widget”), this does not imply that the first claim covers only one of the feature, and this does not imply that the second claim covers only one of the feature (e.g., “the widget” can cover both one widget and more than one widget). Each process (whether called a method, algorithm or otherwise) inherently includes one or more steps, and therefore all references to a “step” or “steps” of a process have an inherent antecedent basis in the mere recitation of the term ‘process’ or a like term. Accordingly, any reference in a claim to a ‘step’ or ‘steps’ of a process has sufficient antecedent basis. When an ordinal number (such as “first”, “second”, “third” and so on) is used as an adjective before a term, that ordinal number is used (unless expressly specified otherwise) merely to indicate a particular feature, such as to distinguish that particular feature from another feature that is described by the same term or by a similar term. For example, a “first widget” may be so named merely to distinguish it from, e.g., a “second widget”. Thus, the mere usage of the ordinal numbers “first” and “second” before the term “widget” does not indicate any other relationship between the two widgets, and likewise does not indicate any other characteristics of either or both widgets. For example, the mere usage of the ordinal numbers “first” and “second” before the term “widget” (1) does not indicate that either widget comes before or after any other in order or location; (2) does not indicate that either widget occurs or acts before or after any other in time; and (3) does not indicate that either widget ranks above or below any other, as in importance or quality. In addition, the mere usage of ordinal numbers does not define a numerical limit to the features identified with the ordinal numbers. For example, the mere usage of the ordinal numbers “first” and “second” before the term “widget” does not indicate that there must be no more than two widgets. When a single device or article is described herein, more than one device or article (whether or not they cooperate) may alternatively be used in place of the single device or article that is described. Accordingly, the functionality that is described as being possessed by a device may alternatively be possessed by more than one device or article (whether or not they cooperate). Similarly, where more than one device or article is described herein (whether or not they cooperate), a single device or article may alternatively be used in place of the more than one device or article that is described. For example, a plurality of computer-based devices may be substituted with a single computer-based device. Accordingly, the various functionality that is described as being possessed by more than one device or article may alternatively be possessed by a single device or article. The functionality and/or the features of a single device that is described may be alternatively embodied by one or more other devices that are described but are not explicitly described as having such functionality and/or features. Thus, other embodiments need not include the described device itself, but rather can include the one or more other devices which would, in those other embodiments, have such functionality/features. Devices that are in communication with each other need not be in continuous communication with each other, unless expressly specified otherwise. On the contrary, such devices need only transmit to each other as necessary or desirable, and may actually refrain from exchanging data most of the time. For example, a machine in communication with another machine via the Internet may not transmit data to the other machine for weeks at a time. In addition, devices that are in communication with each other may communicate directly or indirectly through one or more intermediaries. A description of an embodiment with several components or features does not imply that all or even any of such components and/or features are required. On the contrary, a variety of optional components are described to illustrate the wide variety of possible embodiments of the present invention(s). Unless otherwise specified explicitly, no component and/or feature is essential or required. Further, although process steps, algorithms or the like may be described in a sequential order, such processes may be configured to work in different orders. In other words, any sequence or order of steps that may be explicitly described does not necessarily indicate a requirement that the steps be performed in that order. The steps of processes described herein may be performed in any order practical. Further, some steps may be performed simultaneously despite being described or implied as occurring non-simultaneously (e.g., because one step is described after the other step). Moreover, the illustration of a process by its depiction in a drawing does not imply that the illustrated process is exclusive of other variations and modifications thereto, does not imply that the illustrated process or any of its steps are necessary to the invention, and does not imply that the illustrated process is preferred. Although a process may be described as including a plurality of steps, that does not indicate that all or even any of the steps are essential or required. Various other embodiments within the scope of the described invention(s) include other processes that omit some or all of the described steps. Unless otherwise specified explicitly, no step is essential or required. Although a product may be described as including a plurality of components, aspects, qualities, characteristics and/or features, that does not indicate that all of the plurality are essential or required. Various other embodiments within the scope of the described invention(s) include other products that omit some or all of the described plurality. An enumerated list of items (which may or may not be numbered) does not imply that any or all of the items are mutually exclusive, unless expressly specified otherwise. Likewise, an enumerated list of items (which may or may not be numbered) does not imply that any or all of the items are comprehensive of any category, unless expressly specified otherwise. For example, the enumerated list “a computer, a laptop, a PDA” does not imply that any or all of the three items of that list are mutually exclusive and does not imply that any or all of the three items of that list are comprehensive of any category. Headings of sections provided in this disclosure are for convenience only, and are not to be taken as limiting the disclosure in any way. “Determining” something can be performed in a variety of manners and therefore the term “determining” (and like terms) includes calculating, computing, deriving, looking up (e.g., in a table, database or data structure), ascertaining, recognizing, and the like. A “display” as that term is used herein is an area that conveys information to a viewer. The information may be dynamic, in which case, an LCD, LED, CRT, Digital Light Processing (DLP), rear projection, front projection, or the like may be used to form the display. The aspect ratio of the display may be 4:3, 16:9, or the like. Furthermore, the resolution of the display may be any appropriate resolution such as 480i, 480p, 720p, 1080i, 1080p or the like. The format of information sent to the display may be any appropriate format such as Standard Definition TeleVision (SDTV), Enhanced Definition TV (EDTV), High Definition TV (HDTV), or the like. The information may likewise be static, in which case, painted glass may be used to form the display. Note that static information may be presented on a display capable of displaying dynamic information if desired. Some displays may be interactive and may include touch screen features or associated keypads as is well understood. A control system, as that term is used herein, may be a computer processor coupled with an operating system, device drivers, and appropriate programs (collectively “software”) with instructions to provide the functionality described for the control system. The software is stored in an associated memory device (sometimes referred to as a computer readable medium). While it is contemplated that an appropriately programmed general purpose computer or computing device may be used, it is also contemplated that hard-wired circuitry or custom hardware (e.g., an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC)) may be used in place of, or in combination with, software instructions for implementation of the processes of various embodiments. Thus, embodiments are not limited to any specific combination of hardware and software. A “processor” means any one or more microprocessors, Central Processing Unit (CPU) devices, computing devices, microcontrollers, digital signal processors, or like devices. Exemplary processors are the INTEL PENTIUM or AMD ATHLON processors. The term “computer-readable medium” refers to any medium that participates in providing data (e.g., instructions) that may be read by a computer, a processor or a like device. Such a medium may take many forms, including but not limited to, non-volatile media, volatile media, and transmission media. Non-volatile media include, for example, optical or magnetic disks and other persistent memory. Volatile media include DRAM, which typically constitutes the main memory. Transmission media include coaxial cables, copper wire and fiber optics, including the wires that comprise a system bus coupled to the processor. Transmission media may include or convey acoustic waves, light waves and electromagnetic emissions, such as those generated during RF and IR data communications. Common forms of computer-readable media include, for example, a floppy disk, a flexible disk, hard disk, magnetic tape, any other magnetic medium, a CD-ROM, Digital Video Disc (DVD), any other optical medium, punch cards, paper tape, any other physical medium with patterns of holes, a RAM, a PROM, an EPROM, a FLASH-EEPROM, a USB memory stick, a dongle, any other memory chip or cartridge, a carrier wave as described hereinafter, or any other medium from which a computer can read. The terms “computer-readable memory” and/or “tangible media” specifically exclude signals, waves, and wave forms or other intangible media that may nevertheless be readable by a computer. Various forms of computer readable media may be involved in carrying sequences of instructions to a processor. For example, sequences of instruction (i) may be delivered from RAM to a processor, (ii) may be carried over a wireless transmission medium, and/or (iii) may be formatted according to numerous formats, standards or protocols. For a more exhaustive list of protocols, the term “network” is defined below and includes many exemplary protocols that are also applicable here. It will be readily apparent that the various methods and algorithms described herein may be implemented by a control system and/or the instructions of the software may be designed to carry out the processes of the present invention. Where databases are described, it will be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art that (i) alternative database structures to those described may be readily employed, and (ii) other memory structures besides databases may be readily employed. Any illustrations or descriptions of any sample databases presented herein are illustrative arrangements for stored representations of information. Any number of other arrangements may be employed besides those suggested by, e.g., tables illustrated in drawings or elsewhere. Similarly, any illustrated entries of the databases represent exemplary information only; one of ordinary skill in the art will understand that the number and content of the entries can be different from those described herein. Further, despite any depiction of the databases as tables, other formats (including relational databases, object-based models, hierarchical electronic file structures, and/or distributed databases) could be used to store and manipulate the data types described herein. Likewise, object methods or behaviors of a database can be used to implement various processes, such as those described herein. In addition, the databases may, in a known manner, be stored locally or remotely from a device that accesses data in such a database. Furthermore, while unified databases may be contemplated, it is also possible that the databases may be distributed and/or duplicated amongst a variety of devices. As used herein a “network” is an environment wherein one or more computing devices may communicate with one another. Such devices may communicate directly or indirectly, via a wired or wireless medium such as the Internet, LAN, WAN or Ethernet (or IEEE 802.3), Token Ring, or via any appropriate communications means or combination of communications means. Exemplary protocols include but are not limited to: Bluetooth™, Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA), Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA), Global System for Mobile communications (GSM), Enhanced Data rates for GSM Evolution (EDGE), General Packet Radio Service (GPRS), Wideband CDMA (WCDMA), Advanced Mobile Phone System (AMPS), Digital AMPS (D-AMPS), IEEE 802.11 (WI-FI), IEEE 802.3, SAP, SAS™ by IGT, OASIS™ by Aristocrat Technologies, SDS by Bally Gaming and Systems, ATP, TCP/IP, GDS published by the Gaming Standards Association of Fremont Calif., the best of breed (BOB), system to system (S2S), or the like. Note that if video signals or large files are being sent over the network, a broadband network may be used to alleviate delays associated with the transfer of such large files, however, such is not strictly required. Each of the devices is adapted to communicate on such a communication means. Any number and type of machines may be in communication via the network. Where the network is the Internet, communications over the Internet may be through a website maintained by a computer on a remote server or over an online data network including commercial online service providers, bulletin board systems, and the like. In yet other embodiments, the devices may communicate with one another over RF, cable TV, satellite links, and the like. Where appropriate encryption or other security measures such as logins and passwords may be provided to protect proprietary or confidential information. Communication among computers and devices may be encrypted to insure privacy and prevent fraud in any of a variety of ways well known in the art. Appropriate cryptographic protocols for bolstering system security are described in Schneier, APPLIED CRYPTOGRAPHY, PROTOCOLS, ALGORITHMS, AND SOURCE CODE IN C, John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 2d ed., 1996, which is incorporated by reference in its entirety. The term “whereby” is used herein only to precede a clause or other set of words that express only the intended result, objective or consequence of something that is previously and explicitly recited. Thus, when the term “whereby” is used in a claim, the clause or other words that the term “whereby” modifies do not establish specific further limitations of the claim or otherwise restricts the meaning or scope of the claim. It will be readily apparent that the various methods and algorithms described herein may be implemented by, e.g., appropriately programmed general purpose computers and computing devices. Typically a processor (e.g., one or more microprocessors) will receive instructions from a memory or like device, and execute those instructions, thereby performing one or more processes defined by those instructions. Further, programs that implement such methods and algorithms may be stored and transmitted using a variety of media (e.g., computer readable media) in a number of manners. In some embodiments, hard-wired circuitry or custom hardware may be used in place of, or in combination with, software instructions for implementation of the processes of various embodiments. Thus, embodiments are not limited to any specific combination of hardware and software. The present disclosure provides, to one of ordinary skill in the art, an enabling description of several embodiments and/or inventions. Some of these embodiments and/or inventions may not be claimed in the present application, but may nevertheless be claimed in one or more continuing applications that claim the benefit of priority of the present application. Applicant intends to file additional applications to pursue patents for subject matter that has been disclosed and enabled but not claimed in the present application. | <SOH> BACKGROUND <EOH>Improvements in battery technology provide the potential of economically viable electric-powered modes of transportation including, but not limited to, automobiles, motorcycles, buses, etc. One oft cited drawback of such electrical vehicles is the need to plug them in regularly to replenish their electrical charge. First, such charging will likely require more time than is typically required to fill up an automobile with a petroleum based product. As a result, the owner of an electrical automobile must often times adhere to a schedule of charging that renders the automobile unusable for protracted stretches of time. In addition, there exists a resistance to performing the act of plugging in an automobile and subsequently unplugging the vehicle in order to maintain a charged vehicle. | <SOH> BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS <EOH>An understanding of embodiments described herein and many of the attendant advantages thereof may be readily obtained by reference to the following detailed description when considered with the accompanying drawings, wherein: FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a system according to some embodiments; FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a system according to some embodiments; FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a system according to some embodiments; FIG. 4 is a block diagram of a system according to some embodiments; FIG. 5 is a perspective diagram of a system according to some embodiments; FIG. 6 is a perspective diagram of a system according to some embodiments; FIG. 7 is a diagram of an exemplary interface according to some embodiments; FIG. 8 is a flow diagram of a method according to some embodiments; FIG. 9 is a flow diagram of a method according to some embodiments; and FIG. 10 is a flow diagram of a method according to some embodiments detailed-description description="Detailed Description" end="lead"? | H02J71446 | 20171220 | 20180510 | 70307.0 | H02J714 | 1 | BORISSOV, IGOR N | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR CHARGING ELECTRIC VEHICLES UTILIZING A TOUCH-SENSITIVE INTERFACE | SMALL | 1 | CONT-ACCEPTED | H02J | 2,017 |
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15,848,367 | ACCEPTED | Access Control Method for Administering an Event Tracking Service Based on Multiple Levels of User Access Privileges to Group Notifications Sent When Events Occur Based on Locations of Mobile Objects | An improved system and method for defining an event based upon an object location and a user-defined zone and managing the conveyance of object location event information among computing devices where object location events are defined in terms of a condition based upon a relationship between user-defined zone information and object location information. One or more location information sources are associated with an object to provide the object location information. One or more user-defined zones are defined on a map and one or more object location events are defined. The occurrence of an object location event produces object location event information that is conveyed to users based on user identification codes. Accessibility to object location information, zone information, and object location event information is based upon an object location information access code, a zone information access code, and an object location event information access code, respectively. | 1. (canceled) 2. An access control method executed in one or more servers having access to a central or distributed database management system (DBMS) of an internet service provider (ISP) having one or more administrators each having a corresponding level of administrative privilege to administer a tracking service that tracks locatable objects that are subject to periods of movements and periods of non-movements of objects, wherein the tracking service sends notifications amongst authorized users of the ISP when events occur based on locations of objects that are identified in the DBMS by corresponding object IDs (Ms) as determined by one or more location information sources (LISs), wherein the DBMS identifies users who are authorized to use the tracking service after they log into the ISP with their authorized user IDs and corresponding passwords, the method comprising steps executed by one or more processors in the one or more servers that are configured to: (a) provide a first administrator with a first level of administrative privilege to control access privileges of those authorized users who are logged into the ISP, wherein the first administrator exercises the first level of administrative privilege by identifying a group with a group ID (GID) that is associated in the DBMS with a first user group ID (UGID) of a first user sub-group within the group, wherein the first user sub-group includes a first authorized user and a second authorized user each other than the administrator that are identified by corresponding first and second authorized user IDs, wherein the DBMS further associates the first UGID with a first object sub-group ID (SGID) of a first object sub-group comprising a first object having a first OID associated with a first LIS and a second object having a second OID associated with a second LIS, wherein the first and second LISs provide corresponding location information of the first and the second objects at a first time and a second time determined based on the same or different coordinate references; (b) check the first level of administrative privilege before providing the first administrator interface to associate the first authorized user ID with the GID thereby providing the first authorized user a second level of administrative privilege to identify one or more sub-groups within the group identified by the GID, wherein the first authorized user exercises the second level of administrative privilege to limit access to a first notification sent after events occur at the first time and the second time by specifying a first information access code, wherein the first information access code comprises a first access control list that identifies one or more recipients of the first notification such that anyone who is not identified on the first access control list is not allowed to be a recipient of the first notification; (d) check the second level of administrative privilege before providing one or more first user interfaces other than the administrator interface to the first authorized user to 1) set a first event condition identified by a first event ID to determine whether the events occur based on multiple location information of two objects at the first time and the second time and 2) add the second authorized user ID on the first access control list, thereby identifying the second authorized user as a recipient of the first notification; (d) cause the first notification to be sent when it is determined that the first event condition is met based on a comparison of a first determined location information by either the first LIS or the second LIS at the first time with a second determined location information by either the first LIS or the second LIS at the second time; and (e) associate the first information access code with the first event ID to prevent access to the first notification by someone other than a recipient. 3. The method of claim 2, wherein the one or more servers are further configured to associate the object IDs with the GID based on the first level of administrative privilege. 4. The method of claim 3, wherein the one or more servers are further configured to associate the object SGID with the user SGID based on the second level of administrative privilege. 5. The method of claim 3, wherein the one or more servers are further configured to check the second level of administrative privilege to associate a third user ID of a third user with the user SGID, wherein the third user has a third level of administrative privilege to specify grouped selections for the first and the second objects, and wherein the object location information determined at the first and second LISs having corresponding first and second LIS IDs are associated with the information access code, wherein at least one of the first or the second location information is determined based on a relative coordinate reference within an absolute coordinate reference. 6. The method of claim 2, wherein an object is carried by corresponding locatable carriers, each carrier being any one of or a combination of a person, an authorized user, another object inside or outside of the object, a vehicle having an engine that is subject to a motion, a driver of the vehicle, a device carried by the person who moves and later stops the carrier, wherein the first object is carried by a first carrier and the second object is carried by a second carrier, and wherein the first and the second carriers are in a carrier sub-group identified by a carrier SGID associated with the with the GID. 7. The method of claim 6, wherein the first carrier is a first vehicle having a first vehicle ID (VID) and the second carrier is a second vehicle having a second vehicle ID (VID) associated with the carrier SGID based on the second level of administrative privilege, wherein the first vehicle is driven by a first driver having a first driver ID and the second vehicle is driven by a second driver having a second driver ID, wherein the first and the second drivers are in a driver sub-group identified by a driver SGID associated with the GID based on the second level of administrative privilege. 8. The method of claim 7, wherein the first vehicle is equipped with a first proximity LIS and the second vehicle is equipped with a second proximity LIS, wherein the first driver carries a first device having a first device ID (DID) associated with the first driver ID and the second driver carries a second device having a second DID associated with the second driver ID, wherein the first DID is associated with the first VID when the first device is determined to be in the proximity of the first proximity LIS and the second DID is associated with the second VID when the second device is determined to be in the proximity of the second proximity LIS, and wherein the first and the second devices are in a device sub-group identified by a device SGID associated with the GID based on the second level of administrative privilege. 9. The method of claim 7, wherein the first driver ID is associated with the first OID via a first driver user interface at the first object and the second driver ID is associated with the second OID via a second driver user interface at the second object, wherein the first group notification contains time stamped log files, wherein the log files include the driver and vehicle IDs, a date, a time, a location information, a distance traveled, and a sensor information derived from motion. 10. The method of claim 7, wherein the first driver ID is associated with the first OID via a first driver user interface at the first object which executes a first tracking application downloaded over the internet and the second driver ID is associated with the second OID via a second driver user interface at the second object which executes a second tracking application downloaded over the internet, wherein when the first notification is received by either the first or the second object a function is caused to be performed by the first or the second application. 11. The method of claim 7, wherein the first authorized user exercises the second level of administrative privilege to track events that are based on movements and non-movements of the first and the second driver based on a third level of administrative privilege given to a third user based the third user's role or function in an organization or a government. 12. The method of claim 6, wherein the first and the second objects provide corresponding log-in user interfaces to the first and the second carriers to become authorized users using authorized user IDs and corresponding passwords. 13. The method of claim 12, wherein the first authorized user exercises the second level of administrative privilege at the first object, and wherein the second authorized user receives the first group notification at the second object. 14. The method of claim 13, wherein the first event condition is based on whether either one of the first object or second carrier is within a first zone identified by a first zone ID, and wherein the method further comprises the step of receiving at least one of a first image, a video, or a multi-media file from the first object and conveying the at least one of the first image, the video, or the multi-media file to the second object as part of the first group notification after the first event occurs, wherein the first zone comprises at least one of a zip-code, a city name, a state name, a destination, an airport, a hospital, a first aid station, a hazardous location, a repair shop, a shopping mall, a museum, a park, a residence, a business, a train station, a bus station, a post office, a bank, a police station, a truck station, a store, or a bin. 15. The method of claim 14, further comprising the steps of: a. determining occurrence of a second event based on a second event condition having a second event ID, wherein the second event condition is based on whether either one of the first object or the second object is within a second zone having a second zone ID different from the first zone ID; and b. receiving from the second object and conveying the at least one of the second image, the video, or the multi-media file to the first object when the second event occurs, wherein the second zone comprises one of an identified zip-code, a city, a state, a destination, an airport, a hospital, a first aid station, a hazardous location, a repair shop, a shopping mall, a museum, a park, a residence, a business, a train station, a bus station, a post office, a bank, a police station, a truck station, a store, or a bin. 16. The method of claim 14, further comprising the step of checking the first level of administrative privilege of the administrator before setting the first zone and the second zone. 17. The method of claim 15, further comprising the step of checking the second level of administrative privilege of the authorized user before setting the first zone and the second zone. 18. The method of claim 2, wherein the first and second objects are equipped with GPS and Bluetooth for determining the first and the second location information. 19. The method of claim 2, wherein the first event condition is based on a common zone or speed or proximity to a fixed or a mobile location determined at two different times. 20. The method of claim 2, wherein the first event condition is based on a sequence of first and second events that occur based on a period of movement at the first time and a period of non-movement after the period of movement, wherein the period of movement or the period of non-movement is determined based on a speed of a vehicle. 21. The method of claim 2, wherein the first group notification contains 1) logged times for a first period of movement and a first period of non-movement of a first vehicle having a first VID or 2) logged times for a second period of movement and a second period of non-movement of a second vehicle having a second VID, wherein the first vehicle and the second vehicle are in a vehicle sub-group identified by a vehicle SGID associated with the GID based on the second level of administrative privileges, wherein a period of movement or a period of non-movement is determined based on a sensed motion. 22. The method of claim 7, wherein the second level of administrative privilege is exercised by the first authorized user to provide the second authorized user with a third level of administrative privilege to specify a second information access code that controls access to a second group notification sent based on a second access control list that identifies one or more drivers of vehicles as recipients of the second group notification, wherein movements of the first and the second vehicles are tracked as a carrier group identified by a carrier group ID associated with the GID, wherein the second group notification contains 1) logged times for a first period of movement and a first period of non-movement of a first carrier having a first carrier ID or 2) logged times for a second period of movement and a second period of non-movement of a second carrier having a second carrier ID, wherein the first and the second carrier IDs are associated with the first and the second VIDs, wherein a driver carries a device that includes a LIS that provides the proximity of the driver to the vehicle. 23. The method of claim 2, wherein the first group notification contains 1) logged times for a first speed of a first carrier of the first object having a first carrier ID or 2) logged times for a second speed of a second carrier of the second object having a second carrier ID, wherein the first and second carrier IDs are associated with a carrier SGID of a carrier sub-group, wherein the first carrier ID has the first authorized user ID and the second carrier ID has the second authorized user ID. 24. The method of claim 2, further comprising the step of configuring the one or more servers to receive the first location information and the second location information; and determining whether the first event condition is met. 25. The method of claim 2, wherein the first event condition is determined by the first object and the second object. 26. The method of claim 2, wherein the first event condition is based on a proximity to a location, and wherein the first location information comprises a first positioning data derived by the first LIS based on an absolute coordinate reference and the second location information comprises a second positioning data derived by the second LIS based on a relative coordinate reference within the absolute coordinate system, wherein the first event condition is met either based on the proximity of the first or the second object to a fixed location or based on the proximity of locations of the first and the second objects to each other or based on the proximity of locations of the first or the second objects to another fixed or mobile object. 27. The method of claim 26, wherein the fixed location comprises at least one of a destination, an airport, a hospital, a first aid station, a hazardous location, a repair shop, a shopping mall, a museum, a park, a residence, a business, a train station, a bus station, a post office, a bank, a police station, truck station, a department store, or a storage bin. 28. The method of claim 2, wherein the first location information comprises a first real-time location information and the second location information comprises a second real-time location information. 29. The method of claim 2, further comprising the step of configuring the one or more servers to analyze period of movement data based on proximities of simulated objects, events and zones displayed on a mobile display device having an interface for receiving real time event and location information, wherein the first location information comprises a first simulated positioning data for a first simulated object that is based on a first coordinate system and the second location information comprises a second simulated positioning data for a second simulated object that is based on a second coordinate system. 30. The method of claim 2, wherein the first and second location information comprises corresponding first and second positioning data captured at the first and the second mobile devices, the method further comprising the step of playing back either one of the first or second positioning data for object proximity analysis at the one or more servers. 31. The method of claim 2, wherein the first group notification includes a first logged time for when a location information is determined by either the first LIS or the second LIS and a second logged time for when a physical characteristic is sensed at either one of the first or second objects, the physical characteristic comprising at least one of an identified image, a temperature, a radioactivity, a humidity, a heart rate, a breathing rate, a period of movement or a speed. 32. The method of claim 31, wherein each LIS logs the time when a location information is determined, the method further comprising the step of configuring the one or more servers to: a. receive a first logged time from the first object for the first location information; b. receive a second logged time from the second object for the second location; c. determine whether the first event condition is met after either the first logged time or the second logged time; and d. after the first event condition is met, cause an e-mail notification to be sent with either the first logged time or the second logged time. e. 33. The method of claim 2, wherein a. a first group of mobile devices is associated with a first group of drivers; b. a second group of mobile devices is associated with a second group of drivers; and c. a third group of mobile devices is associated with a group of individuals interested in locating a driver; wherein the information includes a phone number for each mobile device in each group, and wherein one or more interfaces for a driver are used to select one of the groups of drivers; wherein a request from a driver to join one of the groups of drivers is checked before adding the driver to the requested group of drivers; wherein the more or more servers are configured to provide one or more interfaces for an individual to obtain information about a group of drivers, where the one or more interfaces: i. allow the individual to select one of the first group of drivers or the second group of drivers; ii. provide a map showing the streets of a city and a location of the individual; iii. location of one or more drivers in the selected group of drivers; and iv. allow the individual to use the map to set a location; receive location information for at least one driver in the selected group of drivers; compare the location information for the at least one driver in the selected group of drivers with the location to determine whether to send an alert to the individual's mobile device phone number; and cause the alert to be sent to the individual's mobile device phone number. 34. An access control method executed in one or more servers having access to a central or distributed database management system (DBMS) of an internet service provider (ISP) having one or more administrators each having a corresponding level of administrative privilege to administer a tracking service that tracks locatable electronic logging devices (ELDs) that are subject to periods of movements and periods of non-movements of ELDs, wherein the tracking service sends notifications amongst authorized users of the ISP when events occur based on sensor information from those ELDs that are identified in the DBMS by corresponding ELD IDs (EIDs) at locations determined by one or more location information sources (LISs), wherein the DBMS identifies users who are authorized to use the tracking service after they log into the ISP with authorized user IDs and corresponding passwords, the method comprising steps executed by one or more processors in the one or more servers that are configured to: (b) provide a first administrator with a first level of administrative privilege to control access privileges of those authorized users who are logged into the ISP, wherein the first administrator exercises the first level of administrative privilege by identifying a group with a group ID (GID) that is associated in the DBMS with a first user group ID (UGID) of a first user sub-group within the group, wherein the first user sub-group includes a first authorized user and a second authorized user each other than the administrator that are identified by corresponding first and second authorized user IDs, wherein the DBSM further associates the first UGID with a first ELD sub-group ID (SGID) of a first ELD sub-group comprising a first ELD having a first EID associated with a first sensor that provides a first sensor information at a first location information provided by a first LIS and a second ELD associated with a second sensor that provides a second sensor information at a second location information provided by a second LIS, wherein the first and second sensors provide corresponding sensor information determined at a first time and a second time; (b) check the first level of administrative privilege before providing the first administrator an interface to associate the first authorized user ID with the GID thereby providing the first authorized user a second level of administrative privilege to identify one or more sub-groups within the group identified by the GID, wherein the first authorized exercises the second level of administrative privilege to limit access to a first notification sent after events occur at the first time and the second time by specifying a first information access code, wherein the first information access code comprises a first access control list that identifies one or more recipients of the first notification such that anyone who is not identified on the first access control list is not allowed to be a recipient of the first notification; (d) check the second level of administrative privilege before providing one or more user interfaces other than the administrator interface to the first authorized user to 1) set a first event condition identified by a first event ID to determine whether the events occur based on multiple sensor information captured at the first time and at the second time and 2) add the second authorized user ID to the first access control list, thereby identifying the second authorized user as a recipient of the first notification; (d) cause the first notification to be sent when it is determined that the first event condition is met based on a comparison of a first sensor information at the first time with a second sensor information at the second time; and (e) associate the first information access code with the first event ID to prevent access to the first notification by someone other than a recipient, wherein each ELD logs the times when a physical characteristic is sensed, wherein the physical characteristic comprises at least one of an image, a temperature, a radioactivity, a humidity, a heart rate, a breathing rate, a period of movement or a speed. 35. The method of claim 34, wherein an ELD comprises a proximity device and a GPS device that are grouped as a device sub-group within the group to convey location and sensor information, and wherein the first LIS ID is associated with a first GPS ID of a first GPS device and a first proximity device ID of a first proximity device and the second LIS ID is associated with a second GPS ID of a second GPS device and a second proximity device ID of a second proximity device, wherein a proximity device ID is one of a Bluetooth device ID, a GPS device ID, an RFID device ID, an NFC device ID, a USB device ID, or a UWB device ID. 36. The method of claim 34, further comprising the steps of configuring the one or more servers to: a. check the second level of administrative privilege before providing a user interface to the first authorized user to set a second event condition defining the occurrence of a second event that occurs after the first event; and b. cause a second group notification to be sent when it is determined that the second event condition is met based on either one of the first location and sensor information or the second location and sensor information, wherein the second group notification is sent based on either the first access information access code or a second information access code specified by the first authorized user based on the second level of administrative privilege, wherein the second information access code comprises a second access control list that identifies one or more recipients of the second group notification that that prevents access to the second group notification by someone other than the one or more recipients when the second event occurs. 37. The method of claim 35, wherein the first event condition is based on whether either one of the first ELD or the second ELD is moving at a speed and the second event is based on whether either one of the first ELD or the second object is not moving at any speed. 38. The method of claim 34, further comprising the step of configuring the one or more servers to receive the first sensor information and the second sensor information, wherein the second group notification contains at least one of the first or the second sensor information. 39. The method of claim 34, wherein the first event condition is based on a speed of either one of the first object or the second object, and wherein the first group notification includes the speed of either one of the first object or the second object. 40. The method of claim 34, wherein the first event condition is based on locations of either one of the first ELD or the second ELD in two different zones. 41. The method of claim 40, wherein the first event condition is based on a first coded common zone for a first closed boundary and a second coded common zone for a second boundary within the first coded common zone, wherein the first event occurs when either the first or the ELDs are moved to cross the second boundary. 42. The method of claim 41, wherein the second boundary is a closed boundary and wherein the first coded common zone is a first zip code in a first United States (US) state, and wherein the administrator comprises a first administrator in the first US state and a second administrator in a second US state having a second zip code that is the second coded common zone and wherein the first event is determined in the first US state and the second US state, wherein the first authorized user provides an interface for a driver of a vehicle to control conveyance of vehicle locations using an object access code provided by the authorized user to the driver, wherein the ELDs are selected from a list specified by a second administrator having a third level of administrative privilege to provide an interface to select ELDs. 43. A method for controlling conveyance of location and tracking information provided as an Internet service, comprising: providing a computer server connected to the Internet, said computer server executing first database management system software that maintains a database of location and tracking information about a first information sharing environment used by a plurality of authorized users; providing one or more first administrative privileges used by a first administrator to maintain said first information sharing environment, said first administrative privileges being used to: a) define a plurality of second information sharing environments corresponding to a plurality of purchasers of said Internet service, b) provide each authorized user of said plurality of authorized users a respective user account name and password to use as part of a login process, and c) assign each authorized user of said plurality of authorized users to only one of said second information sharing environments of said plurality of second information sharing environments, said plurality of second information environments coexisting independent of each other within said first information sharing environment; providing second administrative privileges used to maintain said plurality of second information sharing environments to a plurality of second administrators, said second administrative privileges being used to: a) define one or more groups within a respective second information sharing environment, and b) assign each authorized user of the respective second information sharing environment to one or more of said groups; providing a plurality of second database management system software that executes on a plurality of computing devices of said plurality of authorized users, said plurality of second database management system software interfacing with said first database management system software, each second database management system software of said plurality of second database management system software enabling a first authorized user of said plurality of authorized users to: a) define an event condition based on an object location information corresponding the location of an object and a zone information corresponding to a zone, and b) define an event information access code that is a first access list that specifies one or more authorized users of said plurality of users to be provided an event information comprising an alert when said event condition has been met, said object location being a coordinate within a coordinate system provided by a location information source, said zone having a boundary defined by a plurality of coordinates within said coordinate system; monitoring by said first database management system software said object location information; determining by said first database management system software said event condition has been met; and conveying by said first database management system software said alert to said second database management software of only those authorized users included on said first access list. 44. The method of claim 43, wherein said object location information specifies the location of a second authorized user. 45. The method of claim 44, wherein said first access list specifies a third authorized user. 46. The method of claim 43, wherein said first authorized user can define zone information that specifies a user-defined zone. 47. The method of claim 46, wherein said first authorized user can define a zone information access code that is a second access list that specifies one or more authorized users of said plurality of users to be provided access to said zone information. 48. The method of claim 47, wherein said first database management system software conveys said zone information to said second database management software of only those authorized users included on said second access list. 49. The method of claim 43, wherein said first authorized user can associate an information location source with an object. 50. The method of claim 49, wherein said first authorized user can define an object location information access code that is a third access list that specifies one or more authorized users of said plurality of users to be provided access to said object location information. 51. The method of claim 50, wherein said first database management system software conveys said object location information to said second database management software of only those authorized users included on said third access list. 52. The method of claim 43, wherein said first database management system software conveys said object location information to said second database management software of only those authorized users included on said first access list. | FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates generally to a system and method for defining an event based on the relationship of an object location and a user-defined zone and managing the conveyance of information related to such object location event among computing devices. More particularly, the present invention relates to defining an object location event based on the location of an object relative to a user-defined zone and managing the conveyance of object location event information among computing devices based on user identification codes associated with the computing devices. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Various sources of information are available for determining the location of an object. Such location information sources include Global Positioning System (GPS) receivers, radars, radio frequency identification (RFID) tags, and variety of other technologies that can be used to determine location information pertaining to an object, which might be moving or stationary. Such location information has been used to track vehicles, packages, people, etc. and to enable a variety of location aware applications including location aware toll systems, material handling and supply chain management systems, and the like. Thus far, such location aware applications have mostly involved computing devices specifically programmed to provide location-aware functionality in a useful but predetermined manner. For example, scanners have been used as sources of information to convey the locations of shipping containers as they progress through various stages en route to a destination, where the specific location of a given shipping container on a shipping dock or in a cargo hold can be accessed at any given time Technological advancements in computing devices and information networks, in particular wireless networks, have enabled users of a variety of computing devices such as smart phones, personal digital assistants (PDAs), laptop computers, etc. to access and utilize information in more and more locations. For example, such advances now allow users to wirelessly check their email or to surf the Internet from anywhere that is covered by an appropriate data service. Some computing devices have become equipped with technologies that integrate various sources that provide information about the location of the devices. For example, known mobile devices have been equipped with GPS receivers, which enable the users to know where they are located at any given time. As sources that offer location information become more useful in computing devices and within information networks, there is a need for a system and method that correlates events with location of objects and conveys information about such events to computing devices. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Briefly, the present invention relates to conveying information relating to an object to one or more users. The invention requires defining a zone by the one or more users. An event is also defined in terms of a condition related to a relationship between an object location and the zone. The condition can relate to entry by the object into the zone, exit by the object from the zone, or proximity of the object to the zone Upon meeting the condition, information regarding the event is conveyed to the at least one of the one or more users. The one or more users can access at least one of the location information, information relating to the zone or conveyed information regarding the event using one or more access control codes. The access control codes can be configured to require multiple levels of access control. Thus, the present invention relates to a system and method for defining events that are correlated with the location of one or more objects to one or more zones. Hereinafter, such events are referred to as object location events. The object location events can be defined at an application level or a user level. The system and method of the invention also conveys information relating to the object location event to one or more computing devices, which, in an exemplary embodiment of the invention, are associated with corresponding identification codes of one or more users. For example, association of a user identification code with a computing device can be an embedded association (e.g., hard-wired) or it can be based on a user log-in at the computing device. In one embodiment, the object location event relates to information about a location of an object and information about a zone that is defined by a user. The information about the location can be derived from a location information source that is associated with the object. Under this embodiment, the object location event occurs by satisfaction of a defined relationship or condition between the object location information and user-defined zone information. Once the condition is satisfied, information corresponding to the occurrence of the object location event is conveyed to a computing device. In one embodiment of the invention, the information is conveyed to the computing device in accordance with a corresponding user identification code. In one exemplary embodiment, a user can associate a source of location information with an object and define a zone. Under this arrangement, any other authorized user that has access to information about location of an object and a user-defined zone can also define an object location event for that zone and receive information about occurrence of the event. Under another arrangement, only the user who defines a user-defined zone can define an object location event for that zone. In a further embodiment, an access code is associated with information about the location of an object. Under this embodiment, the object location information is conveyed to the computing device based upon the user identification code and an access code associated with the location information. Under another arrangement, only the user that associates a source of location information with an object can associate the access code with the object location information as determined by the source of location information. In yet another embodiment, an access code is associated with the user-defined zone information. Under this embodiment, the user-defined zone information is conveyed to at least one of the computing devices based upon a corresponding user identification code and an access code for the user-defined zone information. Under another arrangement, only the user that defines a user-defined zone can associate the access code with the user-defined zone information. In still another embodiment, an access code is associated with information about an object location event. Under this embodiment, the information about the object location event is conveyed to at least one of the computing devices based upon a corresponding user identification code and an access code for the object location event information. Under another arrangement, only the user that defines the object location event can associate the access code with the object location event information. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The present invention is described with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the drawings, like reference numbers indicate identical or functionally similar elements. Additionally, the left-most digit(s) of a reference number identifies the drawing in which the reference number first appears. FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary information-sharing environment including computing devices having wired or wireless connectivity to the Internet and a map server, and various objects for which location information sources provide object location information; FIG. 2 illustrates an exemplary map retrieved from the map server of FIG. 1 via the Internet that includes an icon indicating a location of a vehicle relative to three user-defined zones. FIG. 3 illustrates a first embodiment of a method of the invention where object location event information is conveyed to computing devices based upon user identification codes; FIG. 4 illustrates a second embodiment of a method of the invention where object location information is conveyed to computing devices based upon an object location information access code and user identification codes, and object location event information is conveyed to computing devices based upon user identification codes; FIG. 5 illustrates a third embodiment of a method of the invention where user-defined zone information is conveyed to computing devices based upon a user-defined zone information access code and user identification codes, and object location event information is conveyed to computing devices based upon user identification codes; FIG. 6 illustrates a fourth embodiment of a method of the invention where object location event information is conveyed to computing devices based upon an object location event information access code and user identification codes; FIG. 7 illustrates a fifth embodiment of a method of the invention where object location information are conveyed to computing devices based upon an object location information access code and user identification codes, user-defined zone information is conveyed to computing devices based upon a user-defined zone information access code and user identification codes, and object location event information is conveyed to computing devices based upon an object location event information access code and user identification codes; FIG. 8 illustrates an exemplary PDA Application Launch Screen used to begin execution of a Location and Tracking software as implemented according to the present invention; FIG. 9 illustrates an exemplary Main Screen of the Location and Tracking software from which additional screens are accessed; FIG. 10 illustrates an exemplary Configuration Screen of the Location and Tracking software used to manage information corresponding to the user of the PDA; FIG. 11 illustrates an exemplary GPS Screen of the Location and Tracking software used to manage a GPS receiver that is associated with a user's PDA via a Bluetooth connection; FIG. 12a illustrates an exemplary Tracking Setup Screen of the Location and Tracking software used to control the rate at which GPS data is polled; FIG. 12b illustrates an exemplary Log File Selection Screen of the Location and Tracking software used to select a log file for storing GPS information; FIG. 13a illustrates an exemplary Map Screen of the Location and Tracking software used to display a map received from a map server; FIG. 13b illustrates an exemplary Data Screen of the Location and Tracking software used to manage conveyance of tracking and zone information to specific users based on access codes; FIG. 13c illustrates an exemplary Zone Screen of the Location and Tracking software used to define user-defined zones; FIG. 13d illustrates an exemplary Size Screen of the Location and Tracking software used to manage the size and other characteristics of a displayed map; FIG. 13e illustrates an exemplary About Screen of the Location and Tracking software used to provide a notice concerning Tracking Privacy Issues, software version information, and copyright information; FIG. 14 illustrates an exemplary Group Screen of the Location and Tracking software used to manage information corresponding to groups of contacts; FIG. 15 illustrates an exemplary Contact Screen of the Location and Tracking software used to manage information corresponding to contacts; FIG. 16 illustrates an exemplary Camera Screen of the Location and Tracking software used to manage pictures to be associated with contact location information; FIG. 17 illustrates an exemplary Big Buttons Screen of the Location and Tracking software used to provide easy access to key application commands while walking or driving; FIG. 18 illustrates an exemplary Map Viewer Web Page used for displaying maps and other information conveyed by the Location and Tracking software; FIG. 19 illustrates an exemplary Contact Viewer Web Page used for displaying contact information conveyed by the Location and Tracking software; FIG. 20 illustrates an exemplary web page-based display of a map overlaid with GPS tracking and zone information conveyed by the Location and Tracking software; FIG. 21 illustrates an exemplary web page for creation of a zone used by the Location and Tracking software; FIG. 22 illustrates an exemplary map displayed on a web page depicting logging of contact location information while a contact is within a zone and logging of contact location information when a contact enters or leaves a zone; and FIG. 23 illustrates an exemplary map displayed on a web page depicting a picture associated with a location of a contact. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention will now be described more fully in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which the preferred embodiments of the invention are shown. This invention should not, however, be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather, they are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete and will fully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art. Like numbers refer to like elements throughout. The present invention provides a system and method for defining an event that relates to a location of an object and managing the conveyance of related information among computing devices associated with corresponding user identification codes. In accordance with the present invention, an information-sharing environment consists of a computing network including a map server and computing devices. Objects associated with sources of location information provide object location information comprising one or more coordinates. In an exemplary embodiment, the coordinates correspond to one or more determined locations of the objects within an established coordinate system. In the system and method of the present invention, an object can comprise any device, thing, person or entity that can be located or tracked. A user of a computing device can retrieve a map, for example, from a map server and define a user-defined zone on the map. According to one aspect of the invention, an object location event is defined based on a relationship between one or more object locations and one or more user-defined zones, where the occurrence of the object location event is determined when a condition associated with the relationship is satisfied. Thus, an occurrence of the object location event is determined based on object location information and user-defined zone information. In other words, an object location event is determined based on the location of an object relative to a user-defined zone. More generally, an object location event may be determined based on the location(s) of one or more objects relative to one or more user-defined zones. Upon occurrence of the object location event, object location event information is conveyed to at least one computing device based upon a corresponding user identification code(s) associated with the computing device(s). The present invention can be implemented in a variety of information-sharing environments. The sharing of information may be managed among a small number of users such as a family or group of friends, or among a very large number of users such as among employees of very large business, or among a worldwide user base such as a might be provided via an Internet service. Furthermore, information-sharing environments may involve information-sharing environments within information-sharing environments. That is, one or more smaller information-sharing environments may overlap or coexist independent of each other within one or more larger information-sharing environments. In one embodiment, one or more administrators may be given privileges to configure the information-sharing environment. Such configuration could include specifying authorized users of the environment and their access privileges, etc. Such configuration can also define groups of users as part of an established organizational structure associated with the information-sharing environment. Pre-defined zones comprising domains can be configured along with events that define relationships between object locations relative to such domains. Moreover, sources of publicly available object location information, such as weather tracking systems; can also be configured for use with the system and method of the present invention. Because smaller information-sharing environments can exist within larger information-sharing information environments, various levels of administrator privileges can exist. For example, an Internet service based on the present invention can be provided and administered such that anyone having access to the Internet can purchase the service and be an authorized user. A purchaser of the service can set up a company-wide information-sharing environment within the larger world-wide information-sharing environment that includes company employees, affiliates, Board members, guests, etc. A division within a company may set up its own information-sharing environment, and so on. A family can set up its own information-sharing environment and an individual may set up his or her own information-sharing environment. As such, each information-sharing environment can be administered so as to manage conveyance of information among computing devices based on user identification codes. Management of users, groups, domains, and publicly available object location information sources is described in greater detail below. Referring to FIG. 1, information-sharing environment 100 includes computing network 102 having wired and wireless network links 104, 106 and connectivity to the Internet 108 that provides access to a map server 110 and map information 112. Also shown are objects associated with sources that provide object location information. Location information sources are shown including Global Positioning System (GPS) satellites 114a and GPS receivers 114b. Examples of various types of computing devices are shown interfacing with the computing network 102 including a PDA 116a, PDA having a GPS receiver 116b, a wireless smart phone 118a, a wireless smart phone having a GPS receiver 118b, a laptop computer 120a, a laptop computer having a GPS receiver 120b, a personal computer 122a, a personal computer having a GPS receiver 122b, and a digital television 124. Typically, one or more of the computing devices could be used as a control station. FIG. 1 also illustrates various examples of objects (e.g., devices, things, people, vehicles, animals, etc.) that can be associated with location information sources enabling object location information to be conveyed to computing devices. Examples of such objects depicted in FIG. 1 include a fireman 126a, semi truck 126b, crate 126c, car 126d, cow 126e, woman 126f, soldier 126g, child 126h, dog 126i, and a building 126j. Generally, any object can be associated with a location information source in accordance with the present invention including the computing devices themselves. Such objects may be outdoors or indoors and may be included within another object such as, for example, a crate 126c within a semi truck 126b. Such objects may be mobile or fixed. At any given time, mobile objects may be moving or stationary. An object may located in any place, or be any thing. Examples of a place, or thing, in accordance with the invention include a restaurant, gas station, destination, airport, hospital, first aid station, hazardous location, vehicle repair shop, shopping mall, museum, park, residence, business, train station, bus station, post office, bank, police station, first station, department store, or storage bin. Although FIG. 1 depicts a wireless network tower to represent wireless connectivity, any of various well known forms of networking technologies such as WI-FI, Wireless USB, cellular, Bluetooth, optical wireless, etc. can be used alone or in combination to provide the wired and/or wireless connectivity among the computing devices. Furthermore, any of various other location information sources can be used in place of or in combination with GPS to provide object location information. Alternative location information sources include cellular network based wide area location systems, infrared-based location systems, ultrasound-based location systems, video surveillance location systems, RF signal-based location systems such as WLAN-based location systems, ultra wideband location systems, and near field electromagnetic ranging location systems. GPS systems may be augmented using space based augmentation systems (SBAS) and/or local area augmentation systems (LAAS), radar-based information sources, and a data file. GPS systems can be outdoor GPS sources or indoor GPS sources. Alternatives to GPS also include GLONASS and Galileo. Generally, any form of location information system can be used that can provide a coordinate of an object allowing an icon indicating the object location to be depicted on a map. In accordance with the present invention, the users of the computing devices each have user identification codes that can be associated with the computing devices in order to manage the conveyance of information to the computing devices based upon the identity of the user and information access privileges. Such user identification codes may be managed by a control station or may be established based on user unique user information. Such codes would typically include an identifier (e.g., a user account name or user number) and can be associated with one or more groups, and one or more information access privilege classifications, etc. For example, a given user may be included in a group indicating members of a family, a company, a club, or an association. Similarly, employees of a company may belong to one or more defined groups within the company (e.g., Management, Engineering, Accounting, etc.). Membership within a group may indicate the user can have access to confidential information such as company proprietary information or classified information such as the coordinates of military assets on a battlefield. Access to confidential information may also be based on an access privilege classification, such as a security clearance level. In accordance with the invention, a user's access privileges can change by entering or leaving a domain, for example, the premises of a shopping mall, a particular store within a shopping mall, a museum, a restaurant, an airport, etc. The use of domains in accordance with the present invention is described in greater detail below. Furthermore, user identification codes are typically associated with other user information such as the user name, title, address information, email address, phone numbers, etc. As such, user identification codes can be associated with computing devices and used to manage the conveyance of information among the computing devices. Association of a given user identification code with a given computing device may be via a user login process whereby a user enters a user account name and password. Certain computing devices (e.g., a PDA or smart phone) may allow a user identification code to be embedded or programmed into a computing device's memory such that any user of the computing device is considered to be the user owning the device. In accordance with the present invention, access codes can be associated with information to manage the conveyance of the information to computing devices. Specifically, an object location information access code can be associated with object location information. A user-defined zone information access code can be associated with user-defined zone information and/or an object location event information access code can be associated with object location event information. These access codes can be used in various ways. In one arrangement, an access code specifies the individual users and/or groups of users having access to the information to which the access code is associated. Such an access code would typically include specific user identification codes and/or group codes. For example, by a user logging into a computing device, a given user identification code is associated with the computing device. The user identification code may also be associated with one or more groups having corresponding group identification codes. The user identification code and group identification code(s) are compared to those included in the access code whereby a match would indicate the user is authorized to receive the information. As such, the information is conveyed to those computing devices that are associated with the users having access to the information as specified by the access code. Under another arrangement, an access code is assigned to information in the form of a user-defined access code (i.e., a password) that a given user must have knowledge of in order to be granted access to the information. With this approach, the user associating the access code with information defines the user-defined access code and then conveys the user-defined access code to other trusted users to which the user desires to have access to the information. Those trusted users must enter the access code into their computing devices in order to be granted access to the information. Under still another arrangement, an access code specifies the individual users or groups having access to the information to which the access code is associated provided a given user knows the password. As such, the access code may specify one or more users and/or one or more groups that can enter the appropriate password in order to access the information. With this approach, there are two conditions that must be met to gain access, being included on the access list and having knowledge of the password allowing access to information to be managed by changing the access list and/or changing the password. Under yet another arrangement, an access code may include a clearance classification code such as Proprietary, Confidential, Secret, Top Secret, etc. These access codes may also specify individual users or groups and may be used with passwords. For example, employees of a company having at least a Secret clearance classification that know the password are provided access to certain information. Generally, many different variations of access code approaches can be used to practice the present invention. FIG. 2 illustrates an exemplary map 200 retrieved via the Internet from a map service provider, such as YAHOO!, displayed on a PDA or other computing device. Any map available from any of various map providers via the Internet can be used in accordance with the present invention. Referring to FIG. 2, map 200 depicts an area including a portion of Huntsville, Ala. alongside part of Redstone Arsenal, Ala. Shown on the map is an icon 202 that indicates the location of a car equipped or somehow associated with a source of location information, such as GPS. The location information source determines the location of the car and conveys the object location information to the computing environment to which the computing device displaying the map is interfaced. Most location information sources include communications capabilities enabling them to convey object location information. Also shown in FIG. 2 are three user-defined zones 204, 206, and 208. Such user-defined zones can be defined using various graphical techniques such as selecting a point and dragging to another point causing a rectangular shaped zone (like 208) to be defined. Alternatively, a point can be selected indicating the center of a circular zone and a dragging action made to define a range of the circular zone (like 206). Various other common drawing techniques such as free form drawing can be used to define a zone not having a basic shape (like 204). Furthermore, non drawing techniques can be employed to define a user-defined zone including use of coordinates stored in a database. For example, the perimeter coordinates of a surveyed property that are stored in a database could be automatically used to define a user-defined zone in accordance with the invention. In accordance with the present invention, one or more object location events can be defined relating a given user-defined zone to the location of a given object or objects. Occurrence of an object location event can result in generating relevant information (i.e., object location event information) or performing a function (i.e., object location event function). The object location event function can include generating a time/date stamp, send an email, place a call, sound an alarm, etc. Thus, an object location event in accordance with the invention can require the performance or control of a function based on an object location relative to a user-defined zone. An object location event can, for example, be defined to occur when a specific object or any one or more objects enter, leave, or are within a defined proximity of a user-defined zone. An object location event may also be defined to occur periodically as long as an object is outside a user-defined zone or inside a user-defined zone. Alternatively, an object location event may be defined to occur when the location of an object is determined to be within a given proximity of a user-defined zone, for example, within 500 feet of a user-defined zone corresponding to the grounds of a school, a shopping mall, a building, an army base, etc. An event may also be defined to occur when one or more objects or specific objects have entered or exited one or user-defined zones or specific user-defined zones. Referring again to FIG. 2, an example scenario is described relating the location of the vehicle 202 to the three user-defined zones 204, 206, and 208. The exemplary scenario involves a mother desiring to track the location of a teenage daughter while she drives the vehicle 202. The vehicle 202 is equipped with a location information source (e.g., a GPS receiver) and is configured to transmit the location of the car at some data rate (e.g., transmits location every 5 seconds) when the car is powered on (i.e., car key is in the on position). The mother sets an object location information access code such that only the mother, specifically, a PDA or other computing device used by the mother, has authorized access to the object location information of the vehicle 202. The mother and daughter discuss her scheduled activity for the day and the corresponding travel among different places the daughter plans to go. According to the daughter's schedule, the daughter is to attend a softball game at a local ballpark, have lunch with friends at a local restaurant, and then go to a library on the campus of a local university to do research for a paper. After discussing the daughter's plans for the day, the mother, using a PDA, retrieves a map and defines the three user-defined zones relating to three locations the daughter is supposed to be at during the day. Specifically, the mother creates the three user-defined zones 204, 206, 208 corresponding to the ballpark parking lot, restaurant, and university library, respectively, and defines object location events for each user-defined zone. For each of the three user-defined zones 204, 206, and 208, the mother defines an object location event where the mother will receive an email indicating the occurrence and time of the object location events, which correspond to when her daughter's car enters or leaves any of the three user-defined zones. The mother defines each of the three ‘leaving user-defined zone’ object location events such that when they occur they cause her PDA to make a sound (e.g., beep). The user-defined zones and defined object location events allow the mother to know when the daughter has safely arrived at the three places the daughter is to go that day. Furthermore, when the PDA beeps, the mother knows the daughter is in transit and can view the displayed map on the PDA to watch the icon indicating the location of the car as it travels between the user-defined zones or to home. The emails received based on the defined events provide a record of the daughter's entering and leaving the three user-defined zones and can be used to indicate characteristics of movement including the speed of a vehicle. FIG. 3 illustrates a first embodiment of a method of the invention where object location event information is conveyed to computing devices based upon user identification codes. Referring to FIG. 3, a first embodiment of a method 300 of the invention consists of six steps 302-312. The first step 302 is to associate user identification codes with computing devices. The association can be an embedded association, for example, programming the user identification code in the memory of the computing device, or it can be accomplished via a log-in process at the computing devices using the user identification codes. The second step 304 is to associate a location information source with an object. Such association may involve equipping or attaching the object with or to the source of location information. A third step 306 is to define a zone. The zone can be defined by a user at any time. A fourth step 308 defines an object location event in terms of a relationship between information relating to the object location and user-defined zone. The fifth step 310 is to determine an occurrence of the object location event for example by detecting entry into, exit from or proximity with the user-defined zone. A sixth step 312 is to convey object location event information to computing devices based upon the user identification codes, for example, by sending an e-mail. The step 312 can also involve performing a function such as generating an alarm. In accordance with one embodiment of the invention, any user can associate a source of location information with an object, define a user-defined zone, and define an object location event. As such, in relation to the example scenario of FIG. 2, steps 304-308 of method 300 are used by the user (i.e., a mother) to associate a GPS device with her daughter's vehicle and define three user-defined zones corresponding to the ballpark parking lot, restaurant, and university library. The user can also define object location events in terms of conditions that relate to entering into, leaving from or being in the proximity of the three user-defined zones. As stated above, upon the occurrence of the object location events, information can be conveyed to the mother's computing device via emails. Occurrence of event can also result in performance of certain functions, e.g., causing the mother's PDA to beep. In addition to or alternatively to the event information, object location and/or zone information can be conveyed to the computing devices based on user identification codes, which comprise a first level of access control. The conveyance of any one or combination of the foregoing information, i.e., location, zone and/or event, can be to the same users or groups or different users or groups. A second, third, or additional layers of access control can also be applied to any one or combination of the location, zone and/or event information using corresponding access codes as further described below. Referring to FIG. 4, another embodiment of a method 400 of the invention consists of six steps 302-312 of the first method 300 along with two additional steps 402, 404. As with the first method 300, the first two steps 302, 304 of method 400 associate user identification codes with computing devices and associate a source of location information with an object. With method 400, however, the added two steps 402, 404 associate an access code with the object location information and convey the object location information to computing devices based upon the access code of the object location information and user identification codes. The final four steps 306-312 of method 400 are the same as those of method 300, including conveying object location event information to computing devices based upon user identification codes. Thus, FIG. 4 illustrates an embodiment where the object location information can be accessed by those users that have knowledge of the access code of the object location information. Under this embodiment, the user can give the access code to other trusted users for accessing the location information. Those having the knowledge of access code for the location information may or may not have access to other information such as the zone or event. Alternatively, users may be granted access to the object location information based on the access code without having knowledge of the access code. In accordance with another exemplary embodiment, any one user can associate a location information source with an object, define a user-defined zone, and define an object location event. The user that associates a location information source with an object can also associate an access code with the object location information provided by the source. As such, in relation to the example scenario of FIG. 2, the mother can facilitate the conveyance of the object location information to another trusted user, who has knowledge of the access code, such as the father of the daughter. The mother may or may not allow conveyance of the zone or event information to the father. Alternatively, a user may be granted access to the object location information based on the object location information access code without having knowledge of the access code. Referring to FIG. 5, a third embodiment of a method 500 of the invention consists of six steps 302-312 of the first method 300 along with two additional steps 502, 504. As with the first method 300, the first three steps 302, 304, 306 of method 500 are to associate user identification codes with computing devices, to associate a location information source with an object, and to define a user-defined zone. With method 500, however, the added two steps 502, 504 also associate an access code with the user-defined zone information. As a result, zone information can be conveyed to the computing devices based upon the access code for the user-defined zone information and user identification codes. The final three steps 308-312 of method 500 are the same as those of method 300, including conveying object location event information to computing devices based upon user identification codes. The event information under this embodiment however may or may be conveyed to those users with knowledge of the user-defined zone information access code. As such, in relation to the example scenario of FIG. 2, the method 500 enables the user (i.e., the mother) to associate a GPS device with her daughter's vehicle, to define three user-defined zones, and to define object location events associated with the three user-defined zones causing, upon the occurrence of the object location events, emails to the sent to the mother and her PDA to beep. By also associating user-defined zone information access codes with the three defined user-defined zones, the mother also enables the user-defined zone information to be conveyed to another user with knowledge of the access code, such as the father of the daughter. In a further embodiment, steps 402 and 404 of method 400 could also be used with method 500, whereby the user (i.e., the mother) also associates an object location access code with the object location information such that both the mother and father receive the object location information allowing both parents to see the icon indicating the position of the daughter's car in relation to the three user-defined zones. In an alternative embodiment, any user having access to the user-defined zone information is enabled to define an object location event relating object location information to the user-defined zone information. Thus, under one arrangement, only the user who defines a user-defined zone can define an object location event relating to the user-defined zone, while under another arrangement, any user(s) having access to user-defined zone information can define an object location event relating to the corresponding user-defined zone. FIG. 6 illustrates a fourth embodiment of a method of the invention where object location event information is conveyed to computing devices based upon an object location event information access code and user identification codes. Referring to FIG. 6, a fourth embodiment of a method 600 of the invention consists of five steps 302-310 of the first method 300 along with two additional steps 602, 604. As with the first method 300, the first four steps 302, 304, 306, 308 of method 600 associate user identification codes with computing devices, associate a location information source with an object, define a user-defined zone, and define an object location event in terms of a relationship between object location information and user-defined zone information. With method 600, however, step five 602 associates an object location event information access code with the object location event information relating to the object location event. After step six 310 determines the occurrence of an object location event, step seven 604 conveys object location event information to the computing devices based upon an access code for the object location event information and user identification codes. Thus, by using the object location event information access code, the mother could enable both parents to receive the object location event information corresponding to the object location events defined by the mother. In other words, both parents could receive emails indicating when the daughter entered or exited one of the three user-defined zones. In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention, the user that defines object location events can also associate access code for information that correspond to object location events. By also associating object location event information access codes with the defined object location events, the mother can enable the object location event information to be conveyed to another user with knowledge of such access code, such as the father of the daughter. Thus, with the method 600 in relation to the example of FIG. 2, the father would receive the object location event information but may or may not receive object location information or user-defined zone information. In an alternative arrangement, steps 502 and 504 of method 500 could also be used with method 600 whereby a user (e.g., the mother) also associates an access code with the user-defined zone information for conveyance to another user with knowledge of such access code (e.g., the father). Under such an alternative arrangement, the object location event can be defined by any user(s) having access to the user-defined zone information or only the user that defined the user-defined zone. In either case, only the user that defines an object location event can associate an object location event information access code with object location event information corresponding to the object location event. FIG. 7 illustrates a fifth embodiment of a method of the invention where object location information is conveyed to computing devices based upon an object location information access code and user identification codes, user-defined zone information is conveyed to computing devices based upon a user-defined zone information access code and user identification codes, and object location event information is conveyed to computing devices based upon an object location event information access code and user identification codes. Referring to FIG. 7, in the method 700, the steps of method 600 are again used with the addition of the two steps 402, 404 of method 400 and the two steps 502, 504 of method 500. With these additional four steps, when referring to the example of FIG. 2, the mother could associate object location information access codes and user-defined zone information access codes with object location information and user-defined zone information, respectively, in such a way as to allow both parents to receive emails, beeps, and view the movement of the daughter's car using their respective PDAs. In accordance with the present invention, an administrator of an information-sharing environment maintains a database of user information for those having access to the information-sharing environment. Such a database can be maintained on a central or distributed control station that may be a company's computer server or on an individual's personal computer. Information maintained for a user typically includes a user account name and password and a user identification code, and may include a variety of information about the user including the user's name, address, phone number(s), email address(s), company name, title, birth date, etc. A user may be given access privileges to certain classes of information based on the user's position or role within a company or family, a Government security clearance, and/or for other reasons deemed appropriate for a given information-sharing environment. An administrator can define one or more groups to which a given user can be associated. Groups may be defined in accordance with an organizational structure or hierarchy. For example, an administrator for an information-sharing environment corresponding to a company may define groups for the various organizations within the company, such as legal, accounting, shipping, etc., and for groups of users not based on organization, such as executive, management, administrative, exempt employees, non-exempt employees, etc. After a group has been defined, the administrator can associate individual users with one or more of the defined groups. Similarly, a parent administering an information-sharing environment might define groups such as parents, teenagers, children, drivers, and so forth. Information maintained for a group typically includes a group name and group identification code, and may include a variety of information about the group including the group's address, phone number, email address, website, point-of-contact, etc. As such, a user may be associated with one or more groups defined by an administrator of an information-sharing environment. In accordance with the present invention, any user can define a group, for example, a group of friends, a study group, etc. Information for such user-defined groups may be maintained in a central database or may be maintained on an individual user's computer. As such, knowledge of the defined group my be available to other users of an information-sharing environment or may be maintained solely for an individual user's benefit. In accordance with the present invention, one or more location information sources can be associated with an object to provide object location information consisting of a one or more coordinates corresponding to one or more determined locations of the object within an established coordinate system. In accordance with the invention, one or more coordinate systems can be established by an administrator to describe object locations within an information-sharing environment. The coordinate system may be established to accommodate the coordinate system used by any suitable map service. A typical coordinate system is known as the latitude, longitude, and height system. Alternative coordinate systems include the Earth Centered, Earth Fixed Cartesian (ECEF X-Y-Z) coordinate system, Universal Transverse Mercator (UTM) coordinate system, Military Grid Reference System (MGRS), World Geographic Reference System (GEOREF), Universal Polar Stereographic projection (UPS), national grid systems, state plane coordinates, public land rectangular surveys, metes and bounds, etc. A coordinate system may also be established corresponding to a domain, for example, an office building or a shopping mall. Additionally, one or more users may define a coordinate system for example, making the location of a user's home or business or a user's own location the (0,0) reference point within an X-Y coordinate system. As such, computing devices used in accordance with the invention may include means for translating between coordinate systems. Coordinate systems may be based upon the location information source(s) used. For example, a GPS receiver location information source may be placed at a location, for example the entry door of a building, and its GPS location in latitude and longitude and height used as a (0,0,0) reference point for a coordinate system used inside the building along with a second location information source such as UWB system better suited for indoor operation. As such, one or more coordinate systems established by an administrator or by a user of an information-sharing environment can be used to provide object location information. In accordance with the present invention, when a user associates multiple location information sources with an object, the user can determine whether or how the object location information is used (e.g., combined). In particular, the user can determine how handoffs are to occur between location information sources such as switching among available GPS satellites based on received signal strength or switching between a GPS and UWB system when a user goes indoors, which might be based on loss or degradation of a GPS signal. Handoff among location information sources can be based upon object location information. In accordance with the present invention, a user that associates an information location source with an object can determine how often object location information is updated. Under one arrangement, the user can determine the rate at which object location information is provided. Under another arrangement, object location information may be provided by the location information source at a certain rate which the user may select as the appropriate update rate or the user may select to update object location information less often or to only maintain (or use) the current object location information. Depending on whether object location information is being logged (i.e., stored) and/or conveyed to other users, decisions concerning the update rate typically involve a tradeoff of available storage capabilities (e.g., in memory, to a physical storage media, etc.) versus granularity of stored object location information and resulting accuracy of its display on a map. For example, object location information stored in a log file once every 5 seconds would allow a more accurate display of the movement of a vehicle than object location information stored once per minute, but the once per 5 second update rate requires twelve times the storage space compared to the space required to store object location information once per minute. When only maintaining the current object location information, the same memory/storage location can be repeatedly rewritten. The selected update rate also determines how often the object location information can be conveyed to users. The user can also determine whether a time stamp is associated with each update to indicate the actual time that an object was at a given location. As previously described, the user that associates an information location source with an object can also associate an object location information access code with the object location information provided by the information source and can thereby manage the conveying of the object location information to one or more users. As generally described above, an object location information access code can specify individual users or groups allowed access to the object location information, may specify a password a user must know to receive access to the object location information, and/or may include a clearance classification code. As such, the object location information access code determines which user(s) are conveyed the object location information. In accordance with the present invention, a user that associates an information location source with an object can determine whether to store object location information in a log file, which can be played back. The storage of object location information to a log file may be the result of the occurrence of a defined object location event. For example, a user could define two zones, a first object location event that starts logging object location information when an object exits the first zone, and a second object location event that ends the logging of object location information when the object enters the second zone, thereby allowing the movement of the object between the two zones to be reviewed at a later time. Alternatively, object location information may be provided by a simulation. For example, military officers could define battle plans based upon movement of personnel and equipment having location information sources into and out of defined zones and corresponding object location events. For training purposes, the movement of personnel and equipment could be produced by a simulation that inputs the object location information into the information sharing environment allowing the military officers to react by changing plans, defining new zones, new object location events, etc. Furthermore, object location information may be provided by emergency information sources, which might indicate the location of a fire, flood, earthquake, bridge out, etc. or by weather information sources, which might indicate the location of a severe thunderstorm, tornado, winter storm, hurricane, etc. In accordance with the present invention, object location information and zone information is displayed on a map received from a map information source. In the example described previously in relation to FIG. 2, a map from an Internet map service was used that shows the streets of the city of Huntsville, Ala. at an appropriate scale for illustrating the movement of the daughter among three locations in the city. Under one scenario, a user could zoom in or out from a street scale to a world scale. Generally, any electronic map can be used in accordance with the present invention as appropriate to meet the informational requirements of the users involved. Furthermore, multiple maps can be used allowing different levels of scale as appropriate for the requirements of the user(s) involved in the sharing of information. A world map might be used, for example, that enables the locations of ships traveling to and from user-defined zones associated with various ports around the world to be displayed. A map of an amusement park might be used by a family visiting the park. A map may correspond to the inside of a building such as an office building or a shopping mall. A map may correspond to a battlefield. As such, map information corresponding to a given electronic map would be accessible to the computing devices of the information sharing environment receiving object location information, zone information, and/or object location event information that is to be displayed on the map. However, certain types of devices may be included in the information sharing environment that do not have the ability to receive or display a map but that can receive useful object location information, zone information, and/or object location event information, nonetheless. For example, an expecting woman might define a zone around her hospital and an object location event causing her Blackberry to call her sister's cellular telephone when her car enters the zone telling her that she has safely arrived at the hospital to deliver her baby. Various commonly used map display management techniques can be employed in accordance with the present invention. For instance, an automatic zoom level selection scheme may be established where the zoom level defaults to the closest in level that can display all user-defined zones. An automatic centering approach might set the center of the map to correspond to the location of a given object such as the current location of a user or to the average location of multiple objects. Icons can be set to flash to indicate movement or non-movement of an object. Colors of lines or areas indicating a zone may change when an object has entered or exited the zone. Such map display management techniques may be controllable by an administrator and/or by individual users. In accordance with the present invention, a user can define a user-defined zone on a map that can then be used to define an object location event relating object location information to user-defined zone information. A user-defined zone can be defined graphically using various techniques such as selecting a point and then dragging to another point to define either a rectangular shaped zone or a circular zone, drawing a zone by freehand to create a zone having an oddly shaped boundary, etc. As such, a user-defined zone has a boundary that can be specified in accordance with an established coordinate system. Typically user-defined zone information maintained for a user-defined zone includes a zone identification code and its boundary coordinates and may include a zone name, a zone security level, a zone danger level, etc. Generally, a user that defines a zone can associate zone information with the zone that can be conveyed to other users. As stated above, a user that defines a zone can also associate a zone information access code with the user-defined zone information corresponding to the user-defined zone and can thereby manage the conveying of the user-defined zone information to one or more users. As generally described above, a user-defined zone information access code can specify individual users or groups allowed access to the user-defined zone information, may specify a password a user must know to receive access to the user-defined zone information, and/or may include a clearance classification code. As such, the user-defined zone information access code determines which user(s) are conveyed the user-defined zone information. In accordance with the present invention, a user can define an object location event relating object location information to user-defined zone information. An object location event may be something that is to occur whenever a specific object enters and/or leaves a specific user-defined zone or an object location event may be something that is to occur whenever an object is or is not within a specified proximity of a user-defined zone. Under one aspect the invention, the occurrence of an object location event results in the conveyance of object location event information which includes object location information and user-defined zone information. Typically, object location event information maintained for a defined object location event includes an object location event identification code and may include an object location event name, a time stamp, an object location event security level, an object location event danger level, etc. Generally, a user that defines an object location event can associate object location event information with the object location event that can be conveyed to other users. Under another aspect of the invention, the occurrence of an object location event results in performance of a function, including the control of a device such as a camera, motion sensor, garage door, web cam, lighting device, etc. In accordance with the present invention, a user that defines an object location event can also associate an object location event information access code with the object location event information corresponding to the object location event and can thereby manage the conveying of the object location event information to one or more users. As generally described above, an object location event information access code can specify individual users or groups allowed access to the object location event information, may specify a password a user must know to receive access to the object location event information, and/or may include a clearance classification code. As such, the object location event information access code determines which user(s) are conveyed the object location event information. An important distinction exists between the user-defined zones and object location events of the present invention, and predefined zones (or domains) and predefined object location events that have previously been used in location-aware applications. Predefined zones are used to provide location-aware functionality in a useful but predetermined manner where users of computing devices within the information sharing environment do not define the domain(s) or the events that occur as objects enter or leave the domains. A predefined zone may be a house, a room, a business perimeter, or a predefined area within a much larger area. One or more events involving the location of objects relative to the predefined zone is predetermined. The user of the computing devices in prior art shared information environment participates but does not otherwise control or manage the conveyance of information, which has all been predetermined. For instance, an alarm condition may be set when a person carries an object having a non-deactivated RFID tag into a predefined zone about an exit to a store whereby the alarm condition causes a recorded warning message to play on a loudspeaker. A motion detector may detect a person walking through a predefined area near a building and turn on a light. Kiosks within a zoo may interact with individuals carrying tracking devices that enter predefined areas about the kiosks. A super mall, itself a domain, may be subdivided into its tenant stores or even departments within stores, each a separate domain, and customers carrying tracking devices may be offered specials as they move about the mall. The user-defined zones of the present invention can be defined by any user of the information sharing environment. User-defined zones can be used in conjunction with domains. For example, three teenage girls, each carrying a smart phone with a location information source, go to a mall where each of the three girls is a member of the mall's interactive shopping club. As they enter the mall, their smart phones automatically interface with the information sharing environment available within the mall. Their phones load the mall's map and begin to indicate their locations within the mall. The girls decide to split up and meet later at their favorite hangout spot within the mall, which is a sitting area near an escalator. One of them defines a user-defined zone on the mall's map corresponding to the sitting area and an object location event whereby the smart phones are sent an email and caused to beep when any of the girls enters the sitting area. They then split up to do some shopping. As they walk about the mall, they walk near kiosks that recognize their presence within predefined areas within the mall (via the smart phones) and the kiosks provide personalized specials such as, “Cindy. Your favorite pre-washed jeans are 30% off!” When one of the girls finishes shopping, and goes to the sitting area, the other two girls are automatically emailed and their phones beep so that they know to go meet their friend at the sitting area. With this example, the user-defined zone (i.e., the sitting area) and the object location event (i.e., the emails/beeps) were not predefined as were the personalized specials provided by the kiosks as the girls walked into predefined zones. Thus, a key distinction between the user-defined zones of the present invention and predefined zones of previous location-aware applications is that the occurrence of object location events and the management of the conveyance of object location event information is determined by the user of the computing device and not by someone else. Take for example, a traveling salesman who wants to make his day more efficient. In accordance with the present invention, prior to venturing out on the road, the salesman determines the nine sales calls he intends to make for the day and defines a user-defined zone about each sales call location. For each user-defined zone he defines object location events related to the location of his car and each zone. The time he enters or leaves each zone is to be recorded and, as he enters each zone, his PDA is to automatically receive the latest, up-to-the-minute customer information maintained by his sales office. For all but his last sales call he defines an object location event for when he leaves the corresponding zone to email his next sales call to let them know that he's en route to their business. The email sent when leaving his fourth call specifically mentions he'll be arriving in about one hour that is to include a lunch break. He also defines an object location event to email his wife letting her know the time when he leaves the zone corresponding to his last sales call thus allowing her to better plan her evening. In accordance with the present invention, information packages can be associated with object location information, user-defined zone information, and/or object location event information where an information package may include a picture, movie, audio file, document, and/or data file. The information packages may include sensor information received from one or more sensors including those sensors that measure a characteristic of a physical environment, such as temperature, humidity, radioactivity, etc. and/or sensors that measure physical characteristics, such as heart rate, breathing rate, etc. At least one time stamp may be associated with an information package indicating the timing of the information included in the package, for example, the times when pictures were taken or sensor measurements were made. Under one arrangement, any user can associate an information package with object location information, user-defined zone information, and/or object location event information. In accordance with the present invention, a user that associates an information package with object location information, user-defined zone information, and/or object location event information can also associate an information package access code with the information package and can thereby manage the conveying of the information package to one or more users. As generally described above, an information package access code can specify individual users or groups allowed access to the information package, may specify a password a user must know to receive access to the information package, and/or may include a clearance classification code. As such, the information package access code determines which user(s) are conveyed the information package. Generally, the present invention enables any user of a multiple user computing environment to define object location events relating object location information to user-defined zones and to manage to conveyance of object location event information based on user identification codes. By also using access codes, multiple users can collaboratively define and manage events and manage the conveyance of corresponding object location information, user-defined zone information, and/or object location event information among computing devices. Moreover, the present invention provides a system and method for generating user-defined location aware applications. Described below are four examples of such user-defined location aware applications that are supported by the present invention. Parole Officer Support Parolees have associated with them a location information source. A parole officer can, on a case-by-case basis, identify good locations and bad locations for parolees and define object location events for entering such good and bad locations causing him to be notified of a given parolee visiting the locations. Pet Tracking A pet has associated with it a location information source. The pet owner defines zones that the pet is supposed to stay in (e.g., a yard) and may define zones in which the pet is not allowed (e.g., a garden). An object location event for leaving the yard sends an email and phones the pet owner. An object location event for entering the garden might cause a siren to go off to scare the pet. Child Tracking A child has associated with it a location information source. A parent identifies zones in the neighborhood where the child is allowed to play and explicitly not allowed to play. Object location events are defined where the parent is emailed or otherwise notified as the child moves about the neighborhood. Hiking Several hikers have associated with them location information sources. The hiking trail as indicated on a map includes user-defined zones corresponding to key locations along the route. Object location events are defined such that each hiker receives an email on their smart phone whenever another hiker enters or exits a zone. The present invention is implemented by a Location and Tracking software that executes on PDAs, telephones, and personal computers. The Location and Tracking software is used for tracking the location of a user whereby user location information is conveyed to contacts based upon the location of the user relative to one or more zones defined by the user. As such, user location information described below corresponds to object location information generally described above. The Location and Tracking software is typically used in the LOCATION mode. This means that a GPS connection is active and a polling rate is set to periodically send location packets indicating the location of the user to a central database. If a user sets TRACKING to OFF, location packets only update the current location record. If TRACKING is set to ON, location packet are saved in individual records that can be displayed as a ‘Mapped Track’ on a user's PDA, Phone, or PC. Current and prior user location information for one or more users can be conveyed to one or more users having access privileges to the user location information for display on the one or more users' computing device(s). The current position of a given user is indicated by a black square. As such, as the user moves, black squares indicate the current and past location of the user thereby showing the movement or path of the user. Zones comprise geographic boundaries. If the GPS receiver indicates a user's location passes over a zone boundary, an exit or entry alert is issued. A notification is sent to one or more individuals as defined when the zone is created. Different types of zones can be created with each zone type causing different types of information to be conveyed when a user's location enters, exits, and/or is within a zone. Codes associated with the zones determine which users receive location information. As such, the codes associated with the zones correspond to the zone information access codes and object location event information access codes described generally above. Specifically, by sharing the Phone number and Code other users can ‘load’ the zone into their device and it will respond with alerts to the defined addressees thereby enabling group tracking and location management. FIG. 8 illustrates an exemplary PDA Application Launch Screen 800 used to begin execution of the Location and Tracking software. Referring to FIG. 8, a PDA application launch screen 800 typically includes various icons corresponding to programs available for execution such as the Location and Tracking software icon 802. When a user selects the Location and Tracking software icon 802, the Location and Tracking software is executed. FIG. 9 illustrates an exemplary Main Screen 900 of the Location and Tracking software that appears when the software is launched. The Main Screen 900 is the primary screen from which additional screens of the software are accessed via the buttons labeled Maps, Contacts, GPS, Config, Groups, Camera, and Buttons. Main Screen 900 is also the screen to which the user of the software is returned when closing screens associated with the buttons. The Exit button ends execution of the software and returns the user to the Application Launch Screen 800. FIG. 10 illustrates an exemplary Configuration Screen 1000 of the Location and Tracking software used to manage information corresponding to the user of the PDA (or other computing device). The user of the program accesses the Configuration Screen 1000 by selecting the Config button of the Main Screen 900. Configuration Screen 1000 provides fields for entering a user data access code, user phone number, log file name, and a user domain or IP address. The screen is also used to toggle logging on and off. FIG. 11 illustrates an exemplary GPS Screen 1100 of the Location and Tracking software used to manage a GPS receiver that is associated with a user's PDA (or other computing device) via a Bluetooth connection. GPS Screen 1100 includes fields for displaying and controlling GPS device settings, a button for turning the Bluetooth connection on and off, a button for turning the GPS device on and off, and buttons for controlling whether real-time or simulated GPS data is conveyed. GPS Screen 1100 also includes Setup button 1102 used to launch the Tracking Setup Screen. FIG. 12a illustrates an exemplary Tracking Setup Screen 1200 of the Location and Tracking software used to control the rate at which GPS information is polled, to examine GPS information records, and to turn on or off the TRACKING mode. Tracking Setup Screen 1200 includes Files button 1202 that is used to launch Log File Selection Screen 1204 that is used to select a log file. A log file can be written to and then later read, as controlled by the Use button, to cause a play back of GPS information. FIG. 12b illustrates an exemplary Log File Selection Screen 1204 of the Location and Tracking software used to select a log file for storing GPS information. Log File Selection Screen 1024 provides a typical Open dialog window allowing a user to open a log file stored at any storage location to which the user (and the user's device) has access. FIG. 13a illustrates an exemplary Map Screen 1300 of the Location and Tracking software used to display a map received from a map server. The Map Screen 1300 is used to request and locate a map using the current latitude and longitude of the user, to turn the TRACKING mode on or off, to display/edit data location records, to create zones, and to size the map. These various functions are controlled via a row of buttons 1302 at the bottom of Map Screen 1300. The row of buttons 1302 is also displayed on the bottom of Data Screen 1304, Zone Screen 1306, Size Screen 1308, and About Screen 1310. FIG. 13b illustrates an exemplary Data Screen 1304 of the Location and Tracking software used to manage conveyance of tracking and zone information to specific users based on access codes. It is accessed by selecting the Data button included in the row of buttons 1302 displayed on the bottom of Data Screen 1304, Zone Screen 1306, Size Screen 1308, and About Screen 1310. Specifically, Data Screen 1304 is used to set access codes and to associate email addresses and phone alerts with zones. FIG. 13c illustrates an exemplary Zone Screen 1306 of the Location and Tracking software used to define user-defined zones. It is accessed by selecting the Zone button included in the row of buttons 1302 displayed on the bottom of Data Screen 1304, Zone Screen 1306, Size Screen 1308, and About Screen 1310. The Zone Screen is used to define a zone and/or to load a zone defined by another user. A user can use the Zone Screen to control whether zone information is shared (i.e., made public) to other users and to control whether the TRACKING mode is on or off. FIG. 13d illustrates an exemplary Size Screen 1308 of the Location and Tracking software used to manage the size and other characteristics of a displayed map. It is accessed by selecting the Size button included in the row of buttons 1302 displayed on the bottom of Data Screen 1304, Zone Screen 1306, Size Screen 1308, and About Screen 1310. The Size Screen 1308 is used to set the scale (or zoom) of the map, to turn on or off the display of zone boundaries, and to control auto centering of maps. FIG. 13e illustrates an exemplary About Screen 1310 of the Location and Tracking software used to provide a notice concerning Tracking Privacy Issues, software version information, and copyright information. It is accessed by selecting the About button included in the row of buttons 1302 displayed on the bottom of Data Screen 1304, Zone Screen 1306, Size Screen 1308, and About Screen 1310. The row of buttons 1302 displayed on the bottom of Data Screen 1304, Zone Screen 1306, Size Screen 1308, and About Screen 1310 also includes a Close button that when selected returns the user to the Main Screen 900. FIG. 14 illustrates an exemplary Group Screen 1400 of the Location and Tracking software used to manage information corresponding to groups of contacts. The Group Screen 1400 is used to add or remove users from a stored ‘buddy list’ containing the user name, phone number and code for each ‘buddy’. If a public zone is available it can be selected and loaded into the user's device. Users share access codes in order to share zones. As such, a user tells another user the access code needed to load a zone. FIG. 15 illustrates an exemplary Contact Screen 1500 of the Location and Tracking software used to manage information corresponding to contacts (i.e., other users). The Contact Screen 1500 allows the user to populate information corresponding to contacts such as name and address information. FIG. 16 illustrates an exemplary Camera Screen 1600 of the Location and Tracking software used to manage pictures associated with user location information. The Camera Screen 1600 is used to associate pictures and text with a user and to convey the picture information to other users. The pictures correspond to information packages described generally above, which could also include other forms of information. The Camera Screen 1600 could alternatively be a Device Screen that controlled multiple devices including cameras, motion sensors, garage doors, web cams, etc. and corresponding information as described previously. As described previously, picture or other information packages can be associated with zone information or event information. FIG. 17 illustrates an exemplary Big Buttons Screen 1700 of the Location and Tracking software used to provide easy access to key application commands while walking or driving. FIG. 18 illustrates an exemplary Map Viewer Web Page 1800 used for displaying maps and other information conveyed by the Location and Tracking software. FIG. 19 illustrates an exemplary Contact Viewer Web Page 1900 used for displaying contact information conveyed by the Location and Tracking software. FIG. 20 illustrates an exemplary web page-based display of a map 2000 overlaid with GPS tracking and zone information conveyed by the Location and Tracking software. In FIG. 20, balloon icons labeled alphabetically that indicate logged locations of a user for which information is available. Also shown are two zones represented by rectangles. When a given balloon is selected, information is displayed, for example, as shown in the information box in the center of the map corresponding to the balloon labeled F. Similarly, information is displayed corresponding to either of the zones when either is selected. FIG. 21 illustrates an exemplary web page for creation of zones 2100 that can be used with the Location and Tracking software. As shown in FIG. 21, a zone is created by selecting a first point on a map indicated by a first balloon and dragging to another point on a map indicated by a second balloon where the two points correspond to opposite corners of a rectangle representing the user-defined zone boundary. FIG. 22 illustrates an exemplary map displayed on a web page 2200 depicting logging of user location information while a user is within a zone and logging of user location information when a user enters or leaves a zone. As depicted in FIG. 22, one type of zone 2202 provides user location information periodically while a user is within the zone. Another type of zone 2204 only provides user location information when the user enters or exits the zone. FIG. 23 illustrates an exemplary map displayed on a web page 2300 depicting a picture associated with a location of a user. As shown in FIG. 23, a balloon labeled F corresponds to a location of a user. An information package consisting of a picture that has been associated with the user's location is available as part of the information displayed when the balloon is selected. In the information window is a thumbnail of the picture which when selected displays the fully enlarged picture. The Location and Tracking software described herein was provided as an example of the types of applications that are enabled by the present invention. While particular embodiments and several exemplary applications (or implementations) of the invention have been described, it will be understood, however, that the invention is not limited thereto, since modifications may be made by those skilled in the art, particularly in light of the foregoing teachings. It is, therefore, contemplated by the appended claims to cover any such modifications that incorporate those features or those improvements which embody the spirit and scope of the present invention. | <SOH> BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION <EOH>Various sources of information are available for determining the location of an object. Such location information sources include Global Positioning System (GPS) receivers, radars, radio frequency identification (RFID) tags, and variety of other technologies that can be used to determine location information pertaining to an object, which might be moving or stationary. Such location information has been used to track vehicles, packages, people, etc. and to enable a variety of location aware applications including location aware toll systems, material handling and supply chain management systems, and the like. Thus far, such location aware applications have mostly involved computing devices specifically programmed to provide location-aware functionality in a useful but predetermined manner. For example, scanners have been used as sources of information to convey the locations of shipping containers as they progress through various stages en route to a destination, where the specific location of a given shipping container on a shipping dock or in a cargo hold can be accessed at any given time Technological advancements in computing devices and information networks, in particular wireless networks, have enabled users of a variety of computing devices such as smart phones, personal digital assistants (PDAs), laptop computers, etc. to access and utilize information in more and more locations. For example, such advances now allow users to wirelessly check their email or to surf the Internet from anywhere that is covered by an appropriate data service. Some computing devices have become equipped with technologies that integrate various sources that provide information about the location of the devices. For example, known mobile devices have been equipped with GPS receivers, which enable the users to know where they are located at any given time. As sources that offer location information become more useful in computing devices and within information networks, there is a need for a system and method that correlates events with location of objects and conveys information about such events to computing devices. | <SOH> SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION <EOH>Briefly, the present invention relates to conveying information relating to an object to one or more users. The invention requires defining a zone by the one or more users. An event is also defined in terms of a condition related to a relationship between an object location and the zone. The condition can relate to entry by the object into the zone, exit by the object from the zone, or proximity of the object to the zone Upon meeting the condition, information regarding the event is conveyed to the at least one of the one or more users. The one or more users can access at least one of the location information, information relating to the zone or conveyed information regarding the event using one or more access control codes. The access control codes can be configured to require multiple levels of access control. Thus, the present invention relates to a system and method for defining events that are correlated with the location of one or more objects to one or more zones. Hereinafter, such events are referred to as object location events. The object location events can be defined at an application level or a user level. The system and method of the invention also conveys information relating to the object location event to one or more computing devices, which, in an exemplary embodiment of the invention, are associated with corresponding identification codes of one or more users. For example, association of a user identification code with a computing device can be an embedded association (e.g., hard-wired) or it can be based on a user log-in at the computing device. In one embodiment, the object location event relates to information about a location of an object and information about a zone that is defined by a user. The information about the location can be derived from a location information source that is associated with the object. Under this embodiment, the object location event occurs by satisfaction of a defined relationship or condition between the object location information and user-defined zone information. Once the condition is satisfied, information corresponding to the occurrence of the object location event is conveyed to a computing device. In one embodiment of the invention, the information is conveyed to the computing device in accordance with a corresponding user identification code. In one exemplary embodiment, a user can associate a source of location information with an object and define a zone. Under this arrangement, any other authorized user that has access to information about location of an object and a user-defined zone can also define an object location event for that zone and receive information about occurrence of the event. Under another arrangement, only the user who defines a user-defined zone can define an object location event for that zone. In a further embodiment, an access code is associated with information about the location of an object. Under this embodiment, the object location information is conveyed to the computing device based upon the user identification code and an access code associated with the location information. Under another arrangement, only the user that associates a source of location information with an object can associate the access code with the object location information as determined by the source of location information. In yet another embodiment, an access code is associated with the user-defined zone information. Under this embodiment, the user-defined zone information is conveyed to at least one of the computing devices based upon a corresponding user identification code and an access code for the user-defined zone information. Under another arrangement, only the user that defines a user-defined zone can associate the access code with the user-defined zone information. In still another embodiment, an access code is associated with information about an object location event. Under this embodiment, the information about the object location event is conveyed to at least one of the computing devices based upon a corresponding user identification code and an access code for the object location event information. Under another arrangement, only the user that defines the object location event can associate the access code with the object location event information. | H04L6718 | 20171220 | 20180424 | 20180426 | 59096.0 | H04L2908 | 5 | BARAKAT, MOHAMED | A METHOD FOR LOGGING TIMES AND LOCATIONS OF CARRIERS OF OBJECTS OR ELECTRONIC LOGGING DEVICES (ELDS) OR SENSORS IN IDENTIFIED USER, DRIVER OR VEHICLE SUB-GROUPS WITHIN A GROUP OR FLEET | UNDISCOUNTED | 1 | CONT-ACCEPTED | H04L | 2,017 |
15,849,414 | PENDING | COMPOSITIONS AND METHODS FOR TREATING DISEASES OF THE NAIL | Methods and compositions for treating disorders of the nail and nail bed. Such compositions contain a vehicle in which all components of the composition are dissolved, suspended, dispersed, or emulsified, a non-volatile solvent, a wetting agent, and a pharmaceutically active ingredient that is soluble in the non-volatile solvent and/or a mixture of the vehicle and the non-volatile solvent, and which composition is effective in treating a disorder of the nail or nail bed. | 1. A method for the treatment of a disorder of the nail or nail bed comprising topically applying to the surface of the nail of an individual suffering from said disorder a pharmaceutical composition comprising a vehicle that is volatile and/or that rapidly penetrates a nail following the application onto the surface of the nail, a non-volatile solvent that is dissolved, suspended, dispersed, or emulsified within the vehicle, a triazole antifungal agent, and a wetting agent, and wherein the application of the composition is in an amount and for a time sufficient to ameliorate the symptoms of the disorder. 2. The method of claim 1 wherein the wetting agent is a volatile silicone. 3. The method of claim 1 wherein the vehicle is an alcohol. 4. The method of claim 1 wherein the non-volatile solvent is one or more esters of the formula RCO—OR′, wherein R and R′ may be identical or different and each of R and R′ represents a linear or branched chain of an alkyl, alkenyl, alkoxycarbonylalkyl, or alkoxycarbonyloxyalkyl radical having from 1 to 25 carbon atoms. 5. The method of claim 1 wherein the triazole antifungal agent is (2R,3R)-2-(2,4-difluorophenyl)-3-(4-methylenepiperidine-1-yl)-1-(1H-1,2,4-triazole-1-yl)butane-2-ol. 6. The method of claim 1 wherein the pharmaceutical composition comprises an alcohol vehicle, a non-volatile solvent comprising one or more esters of the formula RCO—OR′, wherein R and R′ may be identical or different and each of R and R′ represents a linear or branched chain of an alkyl, alkenyl, alkoxycarbonylalkyl, or alkoxycarbonyloxyalkyl radical having from 1 to 25 carbon atoms, and a volatile silicone wetting agent. 7. The method of claim 6 wherein the triazole antifungal agent is (2R,3R)-2-(2,4-difluorophenyl)-3-(4-methylenepiperidine-1-yl)-1-(1H-1,2,4-triazole-1-yl)butane-2-ol. 8. The method of claim 6 wherein the alcohol is ethanol. 9. The method of claim 6 wherein the non-volatile solvent comprises diisopropyl adipate and C12-15 alkyl lactate. 10. The method of claim 6 wherein the volatile silicone wetting agent is cyclomethicone. 11. The method of claim 1 wherein the disorder is onychomycosis. 12. The method of claim 1 wherein the composition does not comprise a polymeric film forming compound. 13. A method for the treatment of onychomycosis comprising topically applying to the surface of the nail of an individual suffering from onychomycosis a pharmaceutical composition comprising ethanol, diisopropyl adipate, C12-15 alkyl lactate, cyclomethicone, and a triazole antifungal agent; wherein the composition is formulated as a solution; wherein the ethanol is present in the composition at a concentration of at least 50% w/w; wherein the cyclomethicone is present in the composition at a concentration less than 25% w/w; wherein the diisopropyl adipate and C12-15 alkyl lactate are present in the composition at a total concentration between 15 and 50% w/w; and wherein the application of the composition is in an amount and for a time sufficient to ameliorate the symptoms of the onychomycosis. 14. The method of claim 13 wherein the triazole antifungal agent is (2R,3R)-2-(2,4-difluorophenyl)-3-(4-methylenepiperidine-1-yl)-1-(1H-1,2,4-triazole-1-yl)butane-2-ol. 15. The method of claim 13 wherein the composition does not comprise a polymeric film forming compound. | CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS The present application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/332,909, filed Oct. 24, 2016, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/755,699, filed Jun. 30, 2015 (now U.S. Pat. No. 9,566,272), which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/006,531, filed Jan. 3, 2008, which applications are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. FIELD OF THE INVENTION The invention pertains to the field of treatment of diseases of the nail and nail bed. In particular, the invention pertains to methods for treatment of disorders such as onychomycosis or psoriasis involving the nails. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Onychomycosis, a fungal disease of the nail unit caused by yeasts, dermatophytes, or other molds, accounts for approximately 50% of all nail disorders in humans. In about 80% of onychomycosis cases, the toenails are infected, whereas in the remaining 20%, the fingernails are infected. The symptoms of this disease include split, thickened, hardened, and rough nail plates. Another common disorder of nails is nail psoriasis, which affects up to 50% of patients with psoriasis. Characteristic nail psoriasis symptoms include pitting, which appears as punctuated or irregularly shaped depressions arranged on the surface of the body of the nail; discoloration of the nail bed; onycholysis or detachment of the body of the nail from the nail bed; subungual keratosis; or anomalies of the body of the nail. Other diseases and disorders involving the nails in humans and in other animals include onychia, onychocryptosis, onychodystrophy, onychogryposis, onycholysis, onychomadesis, onychophosis, onychoptosis, paronychia, koilonychia, subungual hematoma, and laminitis. The nail plate is thick, hard, and dense, and represents a formidable barrier to drug penetration. Although nail material is similar in various ways to the stratum corneum of the skin, the nail is composed primarily of hard keratin which is highly disulfide-linked and is approximately 100-fold thicker than stratum corneum. Various topical therapies have been suggested for treatment of nail disorders, such as onychomycosis. Nail lacquers, coating, polishes, enamels, and varnishes have been described. Bohn, U.S. Pat. No. 4,957,730, describes a nail varnish containing a water-insoluble film-forming substance and antimycotic compound. Ferro, U.S. Pat. No. 5,120,530, describes an antimycotic nail varnish containing amorolfine in quaternary ammonium acrylic copolymer. The water-insoluble film former is a copolymerizate of acrylic acid esters and methacrylic acid esters having a low content of quaternary ammonium groups. Bohn, U.S. Pat. No. 5,264,206, describes a nail lacquer with antimycotic activity, which contains an antimycotic agent and water-insoluble film formers including polyvinyl acetate, a copolymer of polyvinyl acetate and acrylic acid, copolymers of vinyl acetate and crotonic acid. Wohlrab, U.S. Pat. No. 5,346,692, describes a nail lacquer for treating onychomycosis, comprised of a film-forming agent, an antimycotically active substance, and urea, wherewith the antimycotic agent and urea are liberated from the lacquer when the lacquer is applied. A preferred formulation comprises cellulose derivatives as film former, clotrimazole as the antimycotic agent, dibutyl phthalate as a plasticizer, and a mixture of acetone and ethanol as solvent. Nimni, U.S. Pat. No. 5,487,776, describes a nail lacquer composition which forms a water permeable film containing griseofulvin when the organic solvent system evaporates, wherein a portion of the griseofulvin is in solution and a portion of griseofulvin is present as a colloidal suspension. Chaudhuri, U.S. Pat. No. 6,143,794, describes a topical formulation for the treatment of nail fungal infections that includes an antifungal, solvent, gelling agent, adhesion-promoting agent, film-forming agent, surfactant, and optionally a keratolytic agent. The adhesion-promoting agent was a hydroxy-terminated polyurethane such as polyolprepolymer-2. All of these patents and publications describe products applied to the nail that form a substantive nail coating or film containing a drug from which the drug is to penetrate into the nail. None of these methods has proven to be consistently effective in treating disorders of the nail such as onychomycosis. Various topical therapies utilizing chemical compounds disclosed to enhance penetration through the nail have been described. Knowles, U.S. Pat. No. 5,652,256, describes the use of methyl acetate as a penetration enhancing compound in combination with naftifine or sulconazole and naftifine as a topical gel for fungal treatment of the nails. Sorenson, U.S. Pat. No. 5,972,317, discloses that a proteolytic enzyme such as papain, delivered by pads soaked in the enzyme solution, produces a more permeable nail. Sun, U.S. Pat. No. 6,231,875, describes acidified compositions of antifungals to enhance transport across nails and skin. Reeves, U.S. Pat. No. 6,391,879, describes the combination of an anti-fungal agent dissolved in an anhydrous blend of polyglycol and DMSO. Although these and other enhanced penetration formulations were reported to increase penetration through the nail, they have not been shown to be clinically effective in treating conditions of the nail, such as onychomycosis. Because of the difficulty in obtaining clinically effective concentrations of medication to the nail bed by topical application of a pharmaceutical composition to the affected nail, nail disorders, such as onychomycosis, are typically treated with systemic medications or with topical medications following removal of the nail. Systemic treatment for onychomycosis and other nail disorders is often not satisfactory because therapy must be continued for long periods of time, often many weeks or months, and the medication has effects on tissues other than on the affected nail. Antifungal compounds, such as miconazole and ketoconazole, have been demonstrated to be effective in topically treating onychomycosis after nail removal. However, it is clear that removal of the nail is a measure than most individuals suffering from onychomycosis would prefer not to undergo if a less drastic therapeutic method would be efficacious. Pitre, U.S. Patent Publication 2007/0041910, filed as U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/432,410; and Mallard, U.S. Patent Publication 2006/0147383, filed as U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/315,259, disclose that application of a pharmaceutical composition containing a vehicle, a volatile silicone, and a non-volatile oily phase, provides increased penetration of a pharmaceutically active compound when topically to skin or mucous membrane. This enhanced penetration is obtained without the use of glycols, such as propylene glycol, which are known to augment skin penetration of pharmaceutical compounds but which are also known to be irritating to skin. The formulations of Pitre and Mallard contain at least 25% w/w of a volatile silicone and, if formulated with an alcoholic vehicle, contain at least 15% of alcohol. All alcoholic compositions disclosed in Pitre and Mallard contain greater than 50% volatile silicone and the concentration of the volatile silicone is at least twice the concentration of the alcohol in the composition. Pitre and Mallard do not disclose or suggest the use of such compositions for the treatment of diseases of a nail, such as onychomycosis. Moreover, studies have been conducted, including studies conducted in the laboratories of the present inventors, that show that the penetrating ability of an active agent from a composition into skin cannot be correlated to the penetrating ability of the active agent from the composition into or through a nail. A significant need remains for a pharmaceutical composition that provides for enhanced penetration of a pharmaceutical agent contained within the composition into and through an intact nail. Such a composition would be valuable for topically treating conditions affecting the nail or nail bed, such as onychomycosis. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a graph showing the in vitro penetration of KP-103 through skin from a formulation of the invention and from three prior art formulations. FIG. 2 is a graph showing the in vitro penetration of KP-103 through nail tissue from a formulation of the invention and from three prior art formulations. DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION It has been unexpectedly discovered that a pharmaceutical composition containing an active pharmaceutical ingredient (API), a solvent, referred to herein as the “vehicle” or the “volatile vehicle”, a wetting agent which may or may not be the same compound as the vehicle, and a non-volatile solvent which has limited water miscibility provides enhanced penetration of the API into and through an intact nail. Preferably, the composition of the invention is free of film forming polymeric compounds. It is conceived that such compositions may be used to deliver an API in order to treat medical conditions involving the nail and/or the underlying nail bed. In one embodiment, the invention is a pharmaceutical composition for the treatment of disorders of the nail or nail bed. The pharmaceutical composition of the invention contains a volatile and/or penetrating vehicle, a non-volatile solvent that is dissolved, suspended, dispersed, or emulsified within the vehicle, an API that is soluble in the non-volatile solvent and/or a mixture of the vehicle and the non-volatile solvent and is optionally soluble in the vehicle, and a wetting agent, which may or may not be the vehicle itself. In another embodiment, the invention is a pharmaceutical formulation for delivery of an API to the nail or nail bed in order to treat disorders of this area. According to this embodiment, the formulation contains a volatile and/or penetrating vehicle, a non-volatile solvent that is dissolved, suspended, dispersed, or emulsified within the vehicle, and a wetting agent, which may or may not be the vehicle itself. The API that is to be used with the formulation of the invention is one that is soluble in the non-volatile solvent and/or a mixture of the vehicle and the non-volatile solvent and is optionally soluble in the vehicle alone. In another embodiment, the invention is a method for treating a disorder of the nail or nail bed. According to this embodiment of the invention, a pharmaceutical composition containing a volatile and/or penetrating vehicle, a non-volatile solvent that is dissolved, suspended, dispersed, or emulsified within the vehicle, an API that is soluble in the non-volatile solvent and/or a mixture of the vehicle and the non-volatile solvent and is optionally soluble in the vehicle alone, and a wetting agent, which may or may not be the vehicle itself, is topically applied to the surface of a nail that is suffering from a disorder in an amount and for a time sufficient to ameliorate the symptoms of the disorder. As used herein, the term “volatile” when referring to the vehicle means that the vehicle is a compound that evaporates from the surface of the nail when applied. Volatile vehicles are compounds which have a measurable vapor pressure, and preferably are compounds that have a vapor pressure of greater than 100 Pa at room temperature. Examples of volatile vehicles include: acetone, 2-amino-2-methyl-1-propanol, 1, 2-butanediol, 1, 4-butanediol, 2-butanol, cyclomethicone-4, cyclomethicone-5, cyclomethicone-6, ethanol, ethyl acetate, n-heptane, isobutanol, isopropyl alcohol, 1-propanol and 2-propanol. As used herein, the term “penetrating” when referring to the vehicle means that the vehicle is a compound that rapidly penetrates into a nail when applied to the surface of the nail so that, after 10 minutes following the application of a thin layer of the vehicle onto the surface of a nail, no more than 10% of the applied amount remains on the nail surface. The term “penetrating” thus includes both volatile and non-volatile vehicles. Examples of pharmaceutical compositions that may be used in the method of the present invention are disclosed in Pitre, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/432,410; and in Mallard, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/315,259, which applications are incorporated herein in their entirety. In accordance with the present invention, the pharmaceutical compositions of Pitre and Mallard that may be used to treat medical conditions of the nail in accordance with the present invention may contain Vitamin D as the API as disclosed in Pitre or clobetasol as disclosed in Mallard, or may contain other APIs in place of, or in addition to, these APIs, as disclosed herein. The API of the composition of the invention is one that is useful in the treatment of a disorder of the nail or nail bed. The API is soluble in the solvent of the composition and/or in the combination of the solvent and vehicle of the composition. Examples of suitable APIs include anti-inflammatory agents, antimicrobial agents such as antibiotics and antifungal agents, anesthetic agents, steroidal agents, vitamins and derivatives thereof, anti-psoriatic drugs, and analgesic agents. In a preferred embodiment, the API of the composition of the invention is an antifungal chemical compound, particularly those effective in the treatment of onychomycosis. Examples of suitable antifungal agents include polyene antimycotic agents such as natamycin, rimocidin, filipin, nystatin, and amphotericin B; imidazole compounds such as miconazole, ketoconazole, clotrimazole, econazole, bifonazole, butoconazole, fenticonazole, isoconazole, oxiconazole, sertaconazole, suconazole, and tioconazole; triazole compounds such as fluconazole, itraconazole, ravuconazole, posaconazole, voriconazole, (2R,3R)-2-(2,4-difluorophenyl)-3-(4-methylenepiperidine-1-yl)-1-(1H-1,2,4-triazole-1-yl)butane-2-ol (referred to herein as “KP-103”), and terconazole; allylamine compounds such as terbinafine, amorolfine, naftifine, and butenafine; echinocandin compounds such as anidulafungin, caspfungin, and micafungin; and other antifungal drugs such as ciclopirox, flucytosine, griseofulvin, gentian violet, haloprogin, tolnaftate, and undecylenic acid. Any antifungal compound suitable for pharmaceutical use in humans or mammals, and particularly those which are active in vitro against Candida albicans, Trichophyton rubrum or Trichophyton mentagrophytes, is suitable for the API of the invention. Particularly preferred are antifungal APIs that have relatively low binding to keratin, such as triazole compounds like KP-103. Other APIs that are suitable for the composition of the invention include those that are effective in treating diseases and disorders of nails other than onychomycosis, especially those diseases and disorders affecting tissues deep to the external surface of the nail, such as the internal portion of the nail, the deep nail surface adjacent to the nail bed, and the nail bed. Such diseases and disorders may include onychia, onychocryptosis, onychodystrophy, onychogryposis, onycholysis, onychomadesis, onychophosis, onychoptosis, paronychia, koilonychia, subungual hematoma, and laminitis. The vehicle of the composition of the invention is a pharmaceutically acceptable vehicle in which the constituents of the composition of the invention can be dissolved, suspended, disbursed, or emulsified. The constituents of the composition may be all within a single phase in the vehicle. For example, the API, wetting agent, and the non-volatile phase may be dissolved in the vehicle. Alternatively, the constituents may occupy separate phases within the vehicle. For example, the API may be dissolved in the vehicle and the other constituents may be suspended, dispersed, or emulsified in solvent. For another example, the API may be dissolved in the solvent which is suspended, dispersed, or emulsified in the vehicles, with the remaining constituents being dissolved in either the vehicle or the solvent. Preferably, but not necessarily, the API, wetting agent, and non-volatile phase are all miscible in the vehicle. Examples of suitable vehicles include one or more of water, alcohols, polyols, ethers, esters, aldehydes, ketones, fatty acids, fatty alcohols, and fatty esters. Specific examples of suitable vehicles include ethanol; 3-propanediol; 1, 2-butanediol; 1,2,3-propanetriol; 1, 3-butanediol; 1, 4-butanediol; isopropyl alcohol; and 2-amino-2-methyl-1-propanol. In a preferred embodiment, the vehicle is an alcohol, and most preferably a linear or branched aliphatic lower alcohol, such as methanol, ethanol, propanol, or isopropanol. The wetting agent of the composition of the invention is a chemical compound that reduces the surface tension of liquid compositions and that does not build viscosity. The wetting agent may be a surfactant, which may be anionic, cationic, or non-ionic. Preferably, the wetting agent is a volatile silicone. Such volatile silicones include linear or cyclic polyorganosiloxane compounds of formula [R1SiOR2]n wherein n=6 or less and R1 and R2 are alkyl groups that may be the same or different, and which compound has a measurable vapor pressure under ambient conditions. Preferably, n=from 3 to 6, and most preferably n=4 or 5. Preferably R1 and R2=methyl. Examples of cyclic volatile silicones include polydimethylcyclosiloxanes, generally known as cyclomethicones. Particular examples of cyclic volatile silicones include cyclopentasiloxane, cyclotetrasiloxane, decylmethylcyclopentasiloxane, and octylmethylcyclotetrasiloxane. Examples of linear volatile silicones include linear polysiloxanes. Particular examples of linear volatile silicones include hexamethyldisiloxane, octamethyltrisiloxane, and dimethicones. In one particular embodiment of the invention, a single compound forms both the vehicle and the wetting agent of the composition. For example, the vehicle may be a volatile silicone. In this situation, the volatile silicone may also be the wetting agent of the composition. In the case in which the wetting agent serves also as the vehicle, the concentration of the wetting agent in the composition is sufficiently high to function as a vehicle in which all other components of the composition are dissolved, suspended, dispersed, or emulsified. The non-volatile solvent of the composition is a non-aqueous solvent that may or may not be soluble or miscible in the vehicle of the composition. The API of the composition is preferably, but not necessarily, soluble in the non-volatile solvent. In a preferred embodiment wherein the API is hydrophilic, the non-volatile solvent is a polar or semi-polar molecule. In another preferred embodiment wherein the API is hydrophobic, the non-volatile solvent is non-polar. Suitable non-volatile solvents for hydrophobic drugs are disclosed in Pitre, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/432,410 in paragraphs 0069 to 0082, which paragraphs are incorporated herein by reference. For example, the non-volatile solvent may be an ester of the formula RCO—OR′, wherein R and R′ may be identical or different and each of R and R′ represents a linear or branched chain of an alkyl, alkenyl, alkoxycarbonylalkyl, or alkoxycarbonyloxyalkyl radical having from 1 to 25 carbon atoms, preferably from 4 to 20 carbon atoms. The non-volatile solvent may be a glyceryl ester of a fatty acid, such as fatty esters of natural fatty acids or triglycerides of animal or plant origin. The non-volatile solvent may be a fatty acid glyceride, including synthetic or semi-synthetic glyceryl esters, such as fatty acid mono-, di-, or triglycerides, which are oils or fats. The non-volatile solvent may be a non-volatile hydrocarbon, such as paraffins, isoparaffins, and mineral oil. The non-volatile solvent may be a guerbet ester. The non-volatile solvent may be a non-volatile silicone, provided that the presence of the non-volatile silicone in the composition does not result in the formation of a hard polymeric film upon application of the composition onto a nail. Included within such non-film forming silicones are polyorganosiloxane compounds that have the formula [R1SiOR2]n wherein n>6 and R1 and R2 are alkyl groups that may be the same or different, and which compound may or may not have a measurable vapor pressure under ambient conditions. Other examples of suitable non-volatile solvents for hydrophobic drugs in addition to those disclosed in Pitre include squalane, dibutyl sebacate, isopropyl laurate, isopropyl myristate, isopropyl palmitate, isopropyl strearate, myristyl alcohol, oleyl alcohol, oleic acid, lauryl lactate, myristyl lactate, mixed C12-15 alkyl lactates, diisopropyl adipate, octyldodecanol, caproic acid, caprylic acid, capric acid, lauryl benzoate, myristyl benzoate, mixed C12 15 alkyl benzoates, benzyl benzoate, tridecyl neopentanoate, spermaceti, petrolatum, and alpha terpineol. Examples of suitable non-volatile solvents for hydrophilic drugs include diethylene glycol monoethyl ether, n-methyl pyrrolidone, dimethyl sulfoxide, ethyl lactate, hexylene glycol, glycerol, benzyl alcohol and glycerol triacetate. The composition of the invention may contain additional optional components, such as wetting agents, preservatives, stabilizers, lubricants, humectants, moisture regulators, foaming agents, binders, pH regulators, osmotic pressure modifiers, emulsifiers, antioxidants, colors, fragrances, or odor maskers. If desired, the composition may also contain additional nail modifiers or penetration enhancers, such as urea, propylene glycol, sodium lauryl sulfate, and glycolic acid. The composition is intended to remain in a liquid or semi-solid state after application to the nail and does not form a hard lacquer, shell, or film on the nail following application, which occurs by a process of solvent casting following evaporation of a volatile solvent which leaves behind a solid residue that forms the lacquer, shell or film. Therefore, it is preferred that the components of the composition are miscible in the composition and also are miscible in the “secondary” composition that remains after the volatile vehicle has evaporated or penetrated the nail. It is also suitable for the components of the composition, other than the vehicle, to be suspendible, dispersible, or emulsifiable, in the secondary composition, such as in the non-volatile solvent. The composition of the invention may be prepared in any number of forms, such as ointments, creams, milks, salves, impregnated pads, solutions, tinctures, liniments, liquids, sprays, foams, suspensions, lotions, or patches. The composition may be formulated to provide for immediate or controlled release of the API from the composition. The concentration of the various essential and optional components of the composition of the invention will vary, depending on the particular components contained in the composition, the form of the composition, the particular disease or condition that is to be treated with the composition, and whether the formulation is for immediate or for controlled release. The API of the composition is at a concentration that is effective to treat a disorder or disease of the nail or nail bed. Typically, the concentration of the API will constitute between 0.0001 to 30% or higher by weight of the composition. The concentration of the wetting agent in the composition may vary depending on several factors, including the identity of the wetting agent and whether the wetting agent is also the vehicle of the composition. Generally, the concentration of the wetting agent, such as a volatile silicone, will be between 0.001% to 95% by weight of the composition. Preferably, the concentration of the wetting agent is between 5% and 80%, more preferably between 7% and 60%, and most preferably between 10% and 40% w/w of the composition. In a particularly preferred embodiment, the concentration of wetting agent in the composition is between 10% and 15% w/w. In the case where the wetting agent is not functioning as a vehicle of the composition, the concentration of wetting agent in the composition will generally be towards the lower end of the above range of concentration, such as between 0.001% and 10%. The concentration of the non-volatile solvent will constitute between 5 and 90% w/w of the composition. Generally, with less viscous forms of the compositions, lower concentrations of non-volatile phase will be present, and with more viscous forms, higher concentrations of the non-volatile phase will be used. Also, ointment and other predominately oil-based compositions tend to have a higher concentration of non-volatile phase or components than do compositions such as sprays, gels, and lotions and so will have a higher concentration of a non-volatile solvent. Typical concentrations of non-volatile solvent are between 10 and 80%, with preferred concentrations being between 12 and 60%, and most preferred concentrations between 15 and 50% w/w. The concentration of the vehicle will be that which is sufficient to dissolve, suspend, disperse, or emulsify the other components of the composition. In many but not all cases, the concentration of the vehicle will be higher than that of any other constituent of the composition. In some cases, the concentration of the vehicle will be higher than that of the combined concentration of the other constituents of the composition. In a preferred embodiment in which the vehicle is an alcohol, the composition will contain at least 10% alcohol, more typically at least 15% alcohol, and most typically at least 25% alcohol. The concentration of alcohol in the composition may be as high as 80%, or higher. In one preferred embodiment, the concentration of alcohol is at least 50% w/w of the composition. In a particularly preferred embodiment of the invention, the composition of the invention is an alcoholic composition containing a volatile silicone. In a first preferred embodiment, the ratio of alcohol to volatile silicone in the composition % w/w is at least 2:3, preferably at least 1:1, more preferably at least 2:1, and most preferably at least 3:1. In a second preferred embodiment, the concentration of the volatile silicone in the composition is less than 25% w/w. In a third preferred embodiment, the concentration of the alcohol in the composition is at least 40%, more preferably at least 45%, and most preferably at least 50% w/w. The composition of the invention, according to this embodiment of the invention, may be made so as to encompass any one, two, or all three of the embodiments described above. It has been determined that, when applied to the surface of a nail, the alcoholic composition of the invention containing a volatile silicone provides a high degree of penetration of an API contained therein into the nail. Although the compositions of the invention may be used to treat various diseases and disorders of the skin or mucous membranes, they are most advantageously used to treat conditions involving the nails of the hands or feet. The compositions and methods of the invention provide increased penetration of API in the composition into and through the nail and to the nail bed. The compositions of the invention may be used effectively to treat diseases and disorders in humans or in other animals, such as cats, dogs, horses, cattle, sheep, goats, pigs, and birds. In human and in veterinary patients, the compositions of the invention may be used, depending on the particular animal treated, to treat conditions involving nails, hooves, horns, or beaks. The compositions of the invention are especially well suited for the treatment of onychomycosis and other disorders of the nail and nail bed. The composition is topically applied to the surface of the nail and surrounding tissue by any means by which the composition may be applied. The method of application may vary depending on the physical state of the composition, whether it is in a liquid, semisolid, or solid form, and on the viscosity of the composition if it is a liquid. Thus, for example, the composition may be rubbed, painted, dabbed, dripped, sprayed, wiped, spread, or poured onto the affected nail and surrounding tissues, or utilized as a soak. Frequency of treatment and duration of therapy will very depending on several factors, including the condition that is being treated, the identity and concentration of the API in the composition, and constituents of the composition other than the API. Typically, the frequency of treatment will be twice daily to once weekly, and preferably once daily. To further illustrate the invention, the following examples are provided. It is to be understood that these examples are provided for illustrative purposes and are not to be construed as limiting the scope of the invention. Example 1—Skin Penetration Study Four different formulations were tested to determine the penetrability of an API into skin. The formulations each contained 5.00% w/w of a triazole antifungal API compound, KP-103. The compositions of the four formulations are shown in Table 1. All concentrations of the components of the formulations are in % w/w. TABLE 1 Formulation No. 078 080 082 107 KP-103 5.00 5.00 5.00 5.00 alcohol 19.35 20.00 59.998 — triacetin 15.00 — — — glycerin 35.00 24.998 — — 1,3-butylene glycol 25.00 — — — carbomer 980 0.50 — — — diisopropanolamine 0.10 — — — Vitamin E 0.05 0.002 0.002 0.05 propylene glycol — 50.00 — — cyclomethicone — — 13.00 — diisopropyl adipate — — 12.00 8.20 myristyl lactate — — 10.00 — isopropyl myristate — — — 5.48 white petrolatum — — — 51.27 urea — — — 30.00 Each of the formulations of Table 1 were spiked with tracer amounts of radiolabeled KP-103 at approximately 0.90 μCi/dose. A single clinically relevant dose (5 mg/cm2) was applied to dermatomed human skin obtained from one donor following elective surgery. Percutaneous absorption was evaluated by mounting the dermatomed tissue in Bronaugh flow-through diffusion cells at 32 C. Six replicates were performed for each formulation. Fresh receptor fluid, PBS containing 0.1% w/v sodium azide and 1.5% Oleth-20, was continuously pumped under the skin at a nominal flow rate of 1 ml/hr and collected in 6-hour intervals. Following 24-hours of exposure, the residual formulation remaining on the skin surface was removed by repeated tape stripping (5 strips/cell). Subsequently, the epidermis was physically separated from the dermis by gentle peeling. The quantity of radioactivity in the tape-strips, epidermis, dermis, and receptor fluid samples was determined using liquid scintillation counting. The results for the calculated quantity of API collected in the receptor for each of the formulations of Table 1 are shown in FIG. 1. As shown in FIG. 1, Formulations 080 and 107 demonstrated considerably higher skin penetration than did Formulations 078 and 082. Formulation 080 contains propylene glycol, a known skin-penetration enhancer, and exhibited a higher penetration through skin than any of the other formulations. Formulation 107 contains urea, a known skin-penetration enhancer, and exhibited the second highest skin penetration of the four formulations tested. Formulation 082 is a formulation according to the present invention and exhibited the lowest skin penetration of the tested formulations. Formulation 078 is a composition that is not within the scope of the invention and exhibited slightly higher penetration into and through skin than did Formulation 082. Of the four formulations, the formulation with the lowest level of skin penetration was formulation 082, the only formulation of the four that is a composition of the invention. Example 2—Nail Penetration Study The formulations 078, 080, 082, and 107 of Example 1 were tested to determine penetration of the API from the formulation into and through nail plates. Each of the formulations of Table 1 was spiked with tracer amounts of radiolabeled KP-103 at approximately 0.90 μCi/dose. A clinically relevant protocol was followed, which entailed dosing 10 μL/cm2 per day for 14 days onto healthy human finger nail plates, which were obtained from multiple donors. Nail penetration was evaluated by mounting the finger nail plates into custom diffusion cells. Five replicates were performed for each formulation. A small cotton ball wetted with 0.1 mL normal saline was used as a receptor. For each day of the study, the surface of the nail was washed, and 10 μL of formulation was applied to the surface. Every second day, the cotton ball receptor was replaced. After fourteen days of exposure, the nail plate was sectioned into three sections, a central dorsal (upper) section, central ventral (lower) section and the remaining peripheral material. The quantity of radioactivity in the daily surface washes, cotton ball receptors, dorsal nail, ventral nail and peripheral nail was determined using liquid scintillation counting. The results are shown in FIG. 2. As shown in FIG. 2, the formulation of the invention, Formulation 082, provided over 6 times the penetration through the nail and into the saturated cotton ball receptor than did the other formulations, calculated as a percentage of the applied dose. The penetration of Formulations 080 and 107 had been expected to be highest through nail because they had exhibited a significantly higher penetration through skin. However, the penetration of API from Formulations 080 and 107 was, in fact, lower than from the other formulations even though these Formulations 080 and 107 contained well known skin penetration enhancers. This study establishes that the penetration of API from a formulation through skin is not predictive of the penetration of the API from the formulation through nail tissue. This study further establishes the unexpected ability of a preferred formulation of the invention, Formulation 082, to increase the penetration of API within the formulation through nail tissue. Example 3—Clinical Assessment in Animal Model of Onychomycosis The efficacy of a formulation of the invention, Formulation 087, containing 3.00% w/w of a triazole antifungal API, KP-103, was evaluated in an animal model of onychomycosis and, in two separate studies, was compared with that of several commercial products intended for the treatment of onychomycosis. The composition of Formulation 087 is shown in Table 2. TABLE 2 FORMULATION 087 Component Concentration (% w/w) KP-103 3.00 Alcohol 60.00 Vitamin E 0.002 Cyclomethicone 13.00 Diisopropyl adipate 10.00 Myristyl lactate 13.998 In order to test the efficacy of Formulation 087 and the comparison products, onychomycosis was induced in six-week old Hartley guinea pigs. Each of Formulation 087 and the comparison products were tested in five animals. Two hundred (200) μL of a suspension of Trichophyton mentagrophytes SM-110 (1_108 arthrospores/mL) was inoculated to the plantar and interdigital skin of the hind paws, and the entire feet were then covered with bandage. The bandage was removed 28 days after fungal inoculation. Test treatments were applied for a period of 30 days, starting on the 60th day after infection. The infected nails were removed from the feet 7 days following the final treatment and were minced with scissors. The nails were placed in a glass homogenizer and PBS (phosphate buffer solution) containing 0.25% porcine pancreatic trypsin was added at a rate of 1 mL/50 mg of wet nail weight, and the nail was homogenized. The homogenate was allowed to stand at 37_C for 1 hour. One hundred microliters of the nail homogenate or its dilution was spread on a GPLP agar medium containing antibiotics and cultured at 30_C for 7 days. After culturing, the fungal colonies that appeared on the medium were counted, and the number of colony forming units (CFU) of fungi in the nails was calculated. The nail sample was considered culture-negative when no fungal colony appeared on the plate. In Study 1, the efficacy of Formulation 087, applied to the nails at 30 μL/foot once a day for 30 days, was compared with untreated control animals and with 5% Amorolfine lacquer (Loceryl®) applied to the nails at 30 μL/foot once a week for 30 days. In Study 2, 1% naftifine gel (Naftin®) and 8% ciclopirox lacquer (Penlac®), each applied to the nails at 30 μL/foot once a day for 30 days, were compared with untreated control animals. The results of Study 1 and Study 2 are shown in Table 3. TABLE 3 Mean no. of No. of feet with CFU in culture-negative nails/foot nails/total after treatment no. of feet (%) Treatment (Log 10) after treatment Study 1 Control (no treatment) 29512 (4.47 ± 0.37) N/A 5% Amorolfine lacquer 2398 (3.38 ± 0.87) 0/10 (0%) (Loceryl ®) Formulation 087 63 (1.80 ± 0.53) 6/10 (60%) Study 2 Control (no treatment) 10964 (4.04 ± 0.69) N/A 1% Ciclopirox lacquer 214 (2.33 ± 1.10) 1/10 (10%) (Penlac ®) 1% Naftifine gel (Naftin ®) 501 (2.70 ± 1.45) 1/10 (10%) The data of Table 3 establishes that the formulation of the invention was more efficacious in treating onychomycosis in an animal model of human disease than were several currently available therapies for onychomycosis. With Formulation 087 of the invention, 60% of the infected nails were culture-negative following treatment. With the compositions of the prior art, 10% or less of the infected nails were culture-negative following treatment. Example 4—Clinical Assessment in Human Treatment An adult male human suffering from onychomycosis of the left large toenail was treated daily by topical application of a 10% topical formulation of the invention containing KP-103. Additional components of the 10% topical formulation were alcohol, vitamin E, butylated hydroxytoluene, cyclomethicone, diisopropyl alcohol, and C12-15 alkyl lactates. Nail involvement at the initiation of treatment was 80% with onycholysis (separation of the nail plate from the nail bed) and thickening of subungual area. Following six months of treatment, the diseased proximal portion of the nail had grown out beyond the distal end of the nail plate (hyponychium) and was subsequently clipped off. There was no active fungal involvement of the nail plate, signs of onycholysis or thickening of the subungual area, or nail involvement after 6 months of treatment. Example 5—Additional Formulations of the Invention Containing KP-103 Several additional formulations of the invention were made containing identical components, but in varying concentrations, as shown in Table 4. TABLE 4 10% 5% MATERIAL FUNCTION SOLUTION SOLUTION VEHICLE Alcohol vehicle 56.73 59.85 63.04 Cyclomethicone 5 wetting agent 12.30 13.00 13.67 Diisopropyl non-volatile 11.36 12.00 12.62 adipate solvent C12-15 alkyl non-volatile 9.46 10.00 10.52 lactate solvent KP-103 API 10.00 5.00 0.00 Vitamin E anti-oxidant 0.05 0.05 0.05 Butylated anti-oxidant 0.10 0.10 0.10 hydroxytoluene While preferred embodiments of the invention have been described in detail, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the disclosed embodiments may be modified. It is intended that such modifications be encompassed in the following claims. Therefore, the foregoing description is to be considered to be exemplary rather than limiting, and the scope of the invention is that defined by the following claims. | <SOH> BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION <EOH>Onychomycosis, a fungal disease of the nail unit caused by yeasts, dermatophytes, or other molds, accounts for approximately 50% of all nail disorders in humans. In about 80% of onychomycosis cases, the toenails are infected, whereas in the remaining 20%, the fingernails are infected. The symptoms of this disease include split, thickened, hardened, and rough nail plates. Another common disorder of nails is nail psoriasis, which affects up to 50% of patients with psoriasis. Characteristic nail psoriasis symptoms include pitting, which appears as punctuated or irregularly shaped depressions arranged on the surface of the body of the nail; discoloration of the nail bed; onycholysis or detachment of the body of the nail from the nail bed; subungual keratosis; or anomalies of the body of the nail. Other diseases and disorders involving the nails in humans and in other animals include onychia, onychocryptosis, onychodystrophy, onychogryposis, onycholysis, onychomadesis, onychophosis, onychoptosis, paronychia, koilonychia, subungual hematoma, and laminitis. The nail plate is thick, hard, and dense, and represents a formidable barrier to drug penetration. Although nail material is similar in various ways to the stratum corneum of the skin, the nail is composed primarily of hard keratin which is highly disulfide-linked and is approximately 100-fold thicker than stratum corneum. Various topical therapies have been suggested for treatment of nail disorders, such as onychomycosis. Nail lacquers, coating, polishes, enamels, and varnishes have been described. Bohn, U.S. Pat. No. 4,957,730, describes a nail varnish containing a water-insoluble film-forming substance and antimycotic compound. Ferro, U.S. Pat. No. 5,120,530, describes an antimycotic nail varnish containing amorolfine in quaternary ammonium acrylic copolymer. The water-insoluble film former is a copolymerizate of acrylic acid esters and methacrylic acid esters having a low content of quaternary ammonium groups. Bohn, U.S. Pat. No. 5,264,206, describes a nail lacquer with antimycotic activity, which contains an antimycotic agent and water-insoluble film formers including polyvinyl acetate, a copolymer of polyvinyl acetate and acrylic acid, copolymers of vinyl acetate and crotonic acid. Wohlrab, U.S. Pat. No. 5,346,692, describes a nail lacquer for treating onychomycosis, comprised of a film-forming agent, an antimycotically active substance, and urea, wherewith the antimycotic agent and urea are liberated from the lacquer when the lacquer is applied. A preferred formulation comprises cellulose derivatives as film former, clotrimazole as the antimycotic agent, dibutyl phthalate as a plasticizer, and a mixture of acetone and ethanol as solvent. Nimni, U.S. Pat. No. 5,487,776, describes a nail lacquer composition which forms a water permeable film containing griseofulvin when the organic solvent system evaporates, wherein a portion of the griseofulvin is in solution and a portion of griseofulvin is present as a colloidal suspension. Chaudhuri, U.S. Pat. No. 6,143,794, describes a topical formulation for the treatment of nail fungal infections that includes an antifungal, solvent, gelling agent, adhesion-promoting agent, film-forming agent, surfactant, and optionally a keratolytic agent. The adhesion-promoting agent was a hydroxy-terminated polyurethane such as polyolprepolymer-2. All of these patents and publications describe products applied to the nail that form a substantive nail coating or film containing a drug from which the drug is to penetrate into the nail. None of these methods has proven to be consistently effective in treating disorders of the nail such as onychomycosis. Various topical therapies utilizing chemical compounds disclosed to enhance penetration through the nail have been described. Knowles, U.S. Pat. No. 5,652,256, describes the use of methyl acetate as a penetration enhancing compound in combination with naftifine or sulconazole and naftifine as a topical gel for fungal treatment of the nails. Sorenson, U.S. Pat. No. 5,972,317, discloses that a proteolytic enzyme such as papain, delivered by pads soaked in the enzyme solution, produces a more permeable nail. Sun, U.S. Pat. No. 6,231,875, describes acidified compositions of antifungals to enhance transport across nails and skin. Reeves, U.S. Pat. No. 6,391,879, describes the combination of an anti-fungal agent dissolved in an anhydrous blend of polyglycol and DMSO. Although these and other enhanced penetration formulations were reported to increase penetration through the nail, they have not been shown to be clinically effective in treating conditions of the nail, such as onychomycosis. Because of the difficulty in obtaining clinically effective concentrations of medication to the nail bed by topical application of a pharmaceutical composition to the affected nail, nail disorders, such as onychomycosis, are typically treated with systemic medications or with topical medications following removal of the nail. Systemic treatment for onychomycosis and other nail disorders is often not satisfactory because therapy must be continued for long periods of time, often many weeks or months, and the medication has effects on tissues other than on the affected nail. Antifungal compounds, such as miconazole and ketoconazole, have been demonstrated to be effective in topically treating onychomycosis after nail removal. However, it is clear that removal of the nail is a measure than most individuals suffering from onychomycosis would prefer not to undergo if a less drastic therapeutic method would be efficacious. Pitre, U.S. Patent Publication 2007/0041910, filed as U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/432,410; and Mallard, U.S. Patent Publication 2006/0147383, filed as U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/315,259, disclose that application of a pharmaceutical composition containing a vehicle, a volatile silicone, and a non-volatile oily phase, provides increased penetration of a pharmaceutically active compound when topically to skin or mucous membrane. This enhanced penetration is obtained without the use of glycols, such as propylene glycol, which are known to augment skin penetration of pharmaceutical compounds but which are also known to be irritating to skin. The formulations of Pitre and Mallard contain at least 25% w/w of a volatile silicone and, if formulated with an alcoholic vehicle, contain at least 15% of alcohol. All alcoholic compositions disclosed in Pitre and Mallard contain greater than 50% volatile silicone and the concentration of the volatile silicone is at least twice the concentration of the alcohol in the composition. Pitre and Mallard do not disclose or suggest the use of such compositions for the treatment of diseases of a nail, such as onychomycosis. Moreover, studies have been conducted, including studies conducted in the laboratories of the present inventors, that show that the penetrating ability of an active agent from a composition into skin cannot be correlated to the penetrating ability of the active agent from the composition into or through a nail. A significant need remains for a pharmaceutical composition that provides for enhanced penetration of a pharmaceutical agent contained within the composition into and through an intact nail. Such a composition would be valuable for topically treating conditions affecting the nail or nail bed, such as onychomycosis. | <SOH> BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS <EOH>FIG. 1 is a graph showing the in vitro penetration of KP-103 through skin from a formulation of the invention and from three prior art formulations. FIG. 2 is a graph showing the in vitro penetration of KP-103 through nail tissue from a formulation of the invention and from three prior art formulations. detailed-description description="Detailed Description" end="lead"? | A61K31454 | 20171220 | 20180503 | 81633.0 | A61K31454 | 10 | STEVENS, MARK V | COMPOSITIONS AND METHODS FOR TREATING DISEASES OF THE NAIL | UNDISCOUNTED | 1 | CONT-ACCEPTED | A61K | 2,017 |
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15,850,063 | PENDING | MULTIPLE DISPLAYS FOR A PORTABLE ELECTRONIC DEVICE AND A METHOD OF USE | A multiple display system having at least two mechanical arrangements such that in one of the at least two arrangements one of the multiple displays is stowed, out of the way mechanically and visually, when only a first display is in use; and one of the other of the at least two arrangements wherein the other of the multiple displays is substantially coplanar and adjacent to the one screen when both screens are in use. The other display in the one of the other of the at least two arrangements also runs the graphical user interface of an application, permitting the multiple display system to offer at least two programs running simultaneously, each with its own visual user-interface operating on its own display. | 1. A portable device comprising: a primary display and one or more secondary displays; the one or more secondary displays are physically protected when stowed; the one or more secondary display runs a second application, while the primary display runs a first application in at least one of a plurality operating modes; wherein the primary display and the one or more secondary displays are both easily visible at the same time by the user of the device during the one operating mode. 2. The portable device of claim 1 wherein the plurality of operating modes of the device include: (a) both displays off, (b) only primary display on, (c) both primary and secondary displays on; wherein one or more secondary display is generally out of sight, or stowed, in said operating modes (a) and (b); 3. The portable device of claim 2 wherein: the one or more secondary displays is mechanically moved from said stowed position to a deployed position at the initiation of the operator of the device, in order to initiate operating mode (c). 4. The portable device of claim 2 wherein: the one or more secondary displays is moved from said stowed position to a deployed position by a manual mechanical motion of the operator of the device, in order to initiate operating mode (c). 5. The portable device of claim 1 wherein: the one or more secondary displays are moved via a folding mechanism. 6. The portable device of claim 1 wherein: the one or more secondary displays are moved via a sliding mechanism. 7. The portable device of claim 1 wherein: the one or more secondary displays are moved via a rotating mechanism. 8. The portable device of claim 1 wherein: the one or more secondary displays are approximately the same size as the said primary display. 9. The device of claim 1 wherein: the one or more secondary displays are approximately coplanar with the primary display when deployed. 10. The portable device of claim 1 wherein: the act of deploying the one or more secondary displays causes a second software application to launch, using the one or more secondary displays as the graphical user interface for the second software application, and not disrupting the appearance of a first application running on the said primary display; and the second application is determined by the first application. 11. The portable device of claim 1 wherein: the act of deploying the one or more secondary displays causes a second software application to launch, using the one or more secondary displays as the graphical user interface for the said second application, and not disrupting the first application running on the said primary display; and the second application is determined by the information displayed by the first application on the primary display. 12. The portable device of claim 10 wherein: the second application contains user instructions, a user manual, or help screens for the first application. 13. The portable device of claim 10 wherein: the first application is an email program; and the second application displays an attachment to an email selected in the primary display; 14. The portable device of claim 10 wherein: the first application displays a link in the world wide web (www); and the second application displays the target of said link. 15. The portable device of claim 10 wherein: the first application displays the name, location, email address, phone number, image, advertisement or other identifying information about an individual, address, event, company or product; and the second application displays additional information about said individual, address, event, company or product. 16. The portable device of claim 10 wherein: the d first application displays information about an event, company or product; and the second application displays information regarding the purchase of ticket(s) for the said event, or information regarding the purchase of product(s)s from the said company, or information regarding the purchase of the said product. 17. The portable device of claim 10 wherein: the first application displays the name, location, email address, phone number, image, advertisement or other identifying information about an individual, address, event, company or product; and the second application displays information about the location of said individual, address, event, company or nearby product. 18. The portable device of claim 1 wherein: when the user of the device selects or identifies via an action a piece of information in the primary display that action causes the one or more secondary display to provide additional or more detailed information about piece of information, without disrupting the information in the primary display. 19. The portable device of claim 18 wherein: when the user of the device selects or identifies via an action a piece of information in the one or more secondary displays that the action causes the primary display to provide additional or more detailed information about the piece of information, without disturbing the information in the one or more secondary display. 20. The portable device of claim 1 wherein: when new information arrives at or in the device, such as an email, an instant message, a text message, a phone call, or an error, that details about said new information display on the one or more secondary displays, without disturbing the information in the primary display. | CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION This application is a continuation of U.S. Ser. No.: 14/589,853, filed Jan. 5, 2015, now U.S. Pat. No.: 9,864,401, issues Jan. 9, 2018, and claims the benefit of priority to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/829,262, filed on Jul. 1, 2010, entitled “MULTIPLE DISPLAYS FOR A PORTABLE ELECTRONIC DEVICE AND A METHOD OF USE”, now U.S. Pat. No.: 8,928,551, issued Jan. 6, 2015, which claims benefit under 35 USC 119(e) of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/223,653, filed Jul. 7, 2009, all of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties. FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates generally to portable electronic devices and more particularly to multiple displays for such a device. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION A range of electronic devices use display screens. Such devices include desktop computers, laptop computers, hand-held computers, cell phones, PDAs, music players, video players, video games, portable email devices, GPSs, cameras, barcode scanners, as well as a variety of industrial and commercial special-purpose devices. Typically, portable devices use flat-panel displays, which are most commonly LCD (liquid crystal displays) but may also, be other technologies, including organic electroluminescent or organic LED, or other flat-screen technologies. The majority of electronic devices currently in use have a single display. However, there are patents that describe electronic devices that utilize multiple displays. For example, Moscovitch (U.S. Pat. No. 6,343,006) teaches how to place multiple displays on base with supporting arms. However, Moscovitch does not teach how to have a second display that is hidden or protected, and Moscovitch does not teach how to use applications on the second display. Wen (U.S. Pat. No. 7,075,597) teaches how to stack two LCD displays on top of one another. Wen does not teach how to have co-planer displays, both visible at the same time. Chao (U.S. Pat. No. 7,030,552) teaches how to package two organic electroluminescent displays into one package, but does not teach how to create a movable second display, or how to automatically launch a second application. Lebby (U.S. Pat. No. 5,534,888) teaches how to place two displays inside an enclosure, but not how to see only one display (the primary display) while hiding and protecting a secondary display. Nor does Lebby teach how to use applications effectively on multiple screens. Ozolins (U.S. Pat. No. D496,362) teaches an ornamental design for two coplanar screens, but no means to hide or protect the second display when only a single display is required. Rubincam (U.S. Pat. No. 41,159,417) teaches how to place the contents of a book on a removable memory device, but does not teach how to have only one display visible. Nor does Rubincam teach how to use applications other than for reading a book, magazine, and the like. Lebby et al (U.S. Pat. No. 5,534,888) teaches how to make a book-like device using a pair of hollow bodies. However, Lebby does not teach how to hide a second display when not required, nor does Lebby teach how to automatically launch additional applications. For many such devices, the size of the display is a major limitation in both the convenience value of the device as well as the number of applications that the device may realistically run, or display simultaneously. In desktop computers, multiple displays are utilized in a variety of applications. Typically these displays are either (1) logically connected to provide a single, virtually contiguous display surface, or (2) are operated independently to provide multiple general-purpose display surfaces. In most cases each runs a “windows” graphical user interface, in which the user of the device may select any reasonable number of applications to display simultaneously. However, for portable devices, with the general exception of laptop computers, no such similar capability exists to readily support two or more simultaneous applications due to the small physical size of the single display. Therefore, having a second display available for use with portable electronic devices could make the device more capable and more valuable to the user. The downside of dual-displays, as taught in the literature, is that the second display is bulky and thus interferes with the convenience and portability of the device. Paying for the disadvantage of larger physical size when, frequently, only a single application is needed at one time has discouraged device manufacturers from offering dual-screen portable devices. Accordingly, what is needed is a system and method to address the above-identified issues. The present invention addresses such a need. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A multiple display system having at least two mechanical arrangements such that in one of the at least two arrangements one of the multiple displays is stowed, out of the way mechanically and visually, when only a first display is in use; and one of the other of the at least two arrangements wherein the other of the multiple displays is substantially coplanar and adjacent to the one screen when both screens are in use. The other display in the one of the other of the at least two arrangements also runs the graphical user interface of an application, permitting the multiple display system to offer at least two programs running simultaneously, each with its own visual user-interface operating on its own display. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1A illustrates a folding mode composite device where the screens are in a closed position. FIG. 1B shows a second screen of the folding mode composite device in the process of deployment, by folding the second display downward. FIG. 1C shows the second display of the folding mode composite device in the further process of deployment. FIG. 1D shows the second display of the folding mode composite device fully deployed. FIG. 2A illustrates a rotating mode composite device where the displays are in a closed position. FIG. 2B shows a second display of the rotating mode composite device in the process of deployment. FIG. 2C shows the second display of the rotating mode composite device fully deployed. FIG. 3A illustrates a sliding mode composite device where the displays of the device are in a closed position. FIG. 3B shows a second display of the sliding mode composite device in the process of deployment. FIG. 3C shows the second screen of the sliding mode composite device fully deployed. FIG. 4 illustrates a portable device that includes two display stacks. As is seen two display stacks (screen 1 and screen 2) and (screen 3) are directly coupled to the ribbon/desktop. FIGS. 5A-5D illustrates two display stacks in action. FIG. 6 illustrates an alternate display stack embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION The present invention relates generally to electronic devices and more particularly to multiple displays for such a device. The following description is presented to enable one of ordinary skill in the art to make and use the invention and is provided in the context of a patent application and its requirements. Various modifications to the preferred embodiment and the generic principles and features described herein will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art. Thus, the present invention is not intended to be limited to the embodiment shown but is to be accorded the widest scope consistent with the principles and features described herein. A system and method in accordance with the present invention provides a second display on a portable device that can be utilized for a variety of purposes. This display is stowed when not in use, so as to add minimally to the physical size of the device. In addition, the display automatically turns on when deployed and off when stowed. As well, the display automatically launches a second, appropriate application when deployed. This saves the user from the difficulty of manually selecting and launching a frequently desired second application, while still using a first application. Prior multiple displays have generally been treated, or it is assumed that the data on the additional displays was an extension of the data on the primary display. For example, in a windowed user environment, the user could extend any window on the primary display to cross the physical boundaries of the multiple displays. Or, alternatively, the user could manually open one or more separate windows on additional displays. However, in both cases the operating system or windows user interface managed the multiple displays as if they were either one large logically contiguous display, or two equal displays with comparable capabilities, but running under the control of the user-interface. A key feature of the present invention is that a second display can run a second application, on a device that normally has only one visible application on the first display. In most cases the applications for portable devices have been optimized for a fixed display window size where the window size is equal to the display size. A system and method in accordance with the present invention takes advantage of this alternative optimization because each of the two running applications has a dedicated display of the desired size. In addition, various methods are described for automatically launching and closing the second application in conjunction with the mechanical deployment of the second display. In a number of applications on the first display, certain actions of the user, such as selecting a name, message, or link, causes an appropriate second application to launch on the second display and to provide appropriate details about the item selected by the user on the first display. To describe the features of the present invention in more detail, refer now to the following description in conjunction with the accompanying Figures. Mechanical Apparatus FIGS. 1A-1D illustrates a folding mode composite device 100. In FIG. 1A, the device 100 is closed. The optional display is powered down. In FIG. 1B, the optional display 104 in the process of deployment is shown by folding the second display 104 downward. The optional display 104 is still powered down. In FIG. 1C, the second display 104 is in the further process of deployment is shown by sliding the second display 104 upward. In FIG. 1D, the second display 104 is fully deployed by folding flat to be flush with the primary display 102. The second display turns on and shows content. FIGS. 2A-2C illustrates a rotating mode composite device 200. In FIG. 2A, the device 200 is closed. The optional display 204 is powered down. In FIG. 2B, the optional display 204 in the process of deployment is shown by rotating the displays 202 and 204 devices. In FIG. 2C, the second display 204 is fully deployed by rising upward, flush with the first display 202 and then snapping into position. The optional display 204 turns on and shows content. FIGS. 3A-3C illustrates a sliding mode composite device 300. In FIG. 3A, the device 300 is closed. The optional display 304 is powered down. In FIG. 3B, the optional display 304 is in the process of deployment by sliding upward. The optional display is powered down. In FIG. 3D, the optional display 304 is fully deployed by rising upwards, flush with the first display 302 and snapping into position. The second display turns on and displays content. In each of the above embodiments, there are two mechanical methods in which the second display may be moved from its hidden, “stowed,” position to its active, “deployed” position. The first method is for the user to physically move the second display. Typically user's hand or fingers, or a single finger, pushing, pulling, turning, or sliding the second display into the deployed position would accomplish this. Ideally the second display has two mechanical detents at the extreme ends of travel, one at the stowed position and one at the deployed position to hold the display securely in one of these two positions. The second method is to have an automatic, or powered, mechanism to move the display. Such mechanisms are well known in the art, and include the use of springs and/or motors. Drive mechanisms could include a friction capstan, a belt, a screw driver, or other mechanisms. For this method, movement would be initiated by some mechanical or electronic action of the user, or by the device itself, according to preset options or preferences. For example, the user might touch an icon on the first screen with a finger or stylus. Alternatively, the user might select from a menu item to deploy or to stow the second display. Ideally, in most cases, the user indicating a desire to see more data about an item selected on the first display would deploy the second display. A variation of the second method is to have an automatic deployment means that is powered by a spring that is “wound” by the user automatically as the user stows the second display each time. Thus, the mechanical action of rotating, sliding or folding the second display as it is put away “cocks” the spring, storing the necessary energy for later deployment. This variation allows the device to automatically move the second display into deployed position under electronic control. Mechanisms to release the stored energy in the spring causing the second display to deploy are well known, including devices such as solenoids and piezoelectric actuators. Initiating Display Deployment The term, “select,” means one of several mechanisms for the user to select a piece of displayed information. Select mechanisms include but are not limited to a single tap, click or touch, a double tap, click or touch, a sliding motion, or combination of motions. This is not a comprehensive list of selection means. Items that might be selected include a word, a fragment of text, an icon, a photograph or image, a menu item, a location on a map, a location within an image, a position on a slider, or other virtual objects. The item selected could be a single item, a group of items, or multiple non-contiguous items. The item(s) selected could be still (stationary) on a display, or they could be moving on the display. Such movement might be caused by the use of Flash, video, scrolling, executing software or scripts, or other means. Selection mechanisms could also be time-based, or based on hearing something in an audio stream. Selection is typically a conscious action on the part of the user of the device, such as highlighting a specific word, name or link. However, selection may also be automatic. It could be based on the piece of information that is first, highest, largest, most prominent, or most important in the display. For example on a list of links on the primary display, the first link might open a web page for that link on the secondary display. Similarly, text on the primary display might have only a single link in the text, and this link would then open the corresponding web page on the secondary display. As a second example, a name might appear first (or anywhere) on the primary display. Additional information about this person, product, place, event, company or product might then appear in the secondary display. As a third example a complex word or term might appear in the text in the primary display. Additional information, such as a definition or a “help” screen might appear on the secondary display. As a fourth example, a location might appear on a map in the primary display. This location might be the most important location on the map, or otherwise be known of interest to the user. Additional information about that location could appear on the secondary display. Such additional information might be, for example, directions to the location, other businesses near the location, a photograph of the location, or transportation information associated with the location. Thus we see that while “selection” has traditionally referred to a specific action of the user, in this document we do not so limit the meaning of selection. Ideally, an action that causes the second display to be deployed, such as selecting an item on the primary display, both causes the second display to be mechanically deployed, activated and illuminated, it also launches an appropriate second application for the second display, where this second application displays additional information about the selected item. However, the user may have to manually deploy the second display. Usage of the terms, “second” and “secondary” in this document are largely interchangeable, as are the terms, “primary” and “first.” Note, however, that because the two displays are ideally the same or nearly the same size, that, from the user's perspective, primary and secondary displays and applications could temporarily swap places. From the mechanical design of the device, however, the first or primary display is physically always the same display, and the second or secondary display is always the same display. When only one display is visible, that display is always the primary display. When one display is stowed, that display is always the secondary display. Note, that it may be possible to build a device where the two displays may be physically removed from the device. It is also possible that the user or a technician could then swap the two displays, as if they were interchangeable spare parts. In such a scenario, the functions of the primary and secondary displays have not changed, as the positions of the two displays in an operating device have not changed; only the physical hardware has been swapped, presumably for a maintenance or cosmetic purpose. With either automatic or manual secondary display deployment, a key value of this invention is that a single action of the user, namely selecting an item on the first display, launches an appropriate application and directs that application what to show on the second display. When we refer to a “second application,” this includes a second display window managed by the same program or module that is displaying information on the first display. For example, the first display might show a list of emails the user has received. By selecting one email, that email is opened and its contents are displayed on the second window. The program running the second display might be the same program showing the list of emails on the first display, or it might be a second, different program. However, a key feature of a system and method in accordance with the present invention is that the information shown on the first display is not “disrupted.” What is meant by this is that first of all the image on the first screen is not covered up by a new window. For example, the most common situation currently is that opening a detail window causes some or all of the first display to be hidden “underneath” a new window. In a system and method in accordance with the present invention, the first display information is not covered, and is still usable. Secondly, we mean that the first display is not disrupted by making it smaller, or by “borrowing” a portion of the first display, or by re-arranging the contents of the first display to make room for the new information. Disruption does not include minor changes in the first display that might indicate that the second display and/or second application is or is about to be available. Such indications might include, for example, changing the color of a link, or placing a box around an item. Another such example would be changing the nature of the “selection” indication. Another feature of a system and method in accordance with the present invention is the ability to select an item on the second, deployed display to cause information to change on the first display. Thus, in a similar fashion to keeping the information on the first display while opening a new application or window on the second display, the user may open a third new application or window back on the first display, while keeping the information on the second display visible and active. For example, the first display might show a list of emails received by the user, while the second display shows the detail within one selected email. The user may then select a link (from the World Wide Web, or another Internet protocol link, a phone number, contact name, or song; as a few examples). This action would cause that link to open and show information relevant to the link on the first display. The user could continue to select items, first on one display and then on the other. The invention would keep, in most cases, the “source” display visible at the same time the “target,” or new display shows the most recently requested information. Deployment Scenarios One possible deployment scenario is for the user to mechanically deploy the second display, perhaps by sliding or rotating it from its stowed and protected position into its active position above the first display. As the display is being moved, or after it has reached its final detent position the display turns on. At approximately the same time the second application launches, based on the information shown or selected on the first display. In this scenario the only action taken by the user of the device is the physical positioning of the display from stowed to deployed. Now the user can take advantage of the additional information and application interface on the second display. A second possible deployment scenario is for the user to “double click” (or provide some other additional selection means) an item in the first display. The first display might show a dialog box asking the user to confirm the deployment of the second display. The user confirms the choice. The device then uses its automatic or motorized means to move the second display into position. From this point, progress continues as in the above scenario. Other Mechanical Advantage The arrangement of displays in this invention has an additional potential mechanical and economic advantage. To explain this advantage, we first describe the mechanical situation in two common devices: a traditional clamshell laptop and a traditional hinged “flip-phone.” Both of these devices provide a “closed” and an “open” position. Transport generally occurs in the closed position, and user operation generally occurs in the open position. Both devices have a keyboard on one half of the clamshell and the display on the other half. When the devices are closed, the keyboard and display face each other. When the devices are closed, the outside of the device consists of a relatively strong and resilient plastic or metal case. Generally, the closed position of the devices provides much more protection against impact, abrasion, scratches, liquids and other potential harms than the open position. This feature is desirable, as such physical risks and assaults on the device are expected to be more common during transport than during operation, when the user of the device is expected to exercise sufficient control to minimize the number and extent of potential harms. Providing the protection of a case includes two elements. The first element is the thickness of the case. The second is the design of the device such that pressure or impact on the case is transmitted to relatively resilient parts of the internal apparatus of the device, such as a frame or perhaps a strong circuit board. In a first implementation, the order of elements when the device is closed, from back to front are: (1) back case, (2) secondary display, (3) primary display. In front of the primary display might be a keyboard, electronics and a front case, but these elements are not part of this invention. When the device is closed, the three numbered elements above are either touching or in close physical proximity. As such these three layers provide a certain amount of mechanical strength and integrity against pressure, impact, and other possible, potentially damaging forces. When the second display is deployed, there are several possible mechanical ordering of these elements. In one design scenario the back case is fixed relative to the primary display and the secondary display rotates or slides out from between the primary display and the back case. Thus, in the deployed mode, the secondary display lacks the protection from the back afforded by the back case of the device. Additionally, the back case lacks the physical support provided the relatively solid secondary display (which, although it might not be solid, is more resilient against deflection than air). In addition, when the secondary display is in the deployed mode, the primary display also lacks the physical support of having the secondary display behind it. Thus, the device, in aggregate, is considerably more rugged and less at risk to physical damage in the closed position or in the secondary display stowed position than it is in the secondary display deployed position. This situation is acceptable because use of the secondary display is expected to be less common than use of primary display. The user will tolerate a lower level of physical protection in exchange for the benefits of a second display. Note, however, that in this scenario the second display does not need to be thick or as protected as the primary display. In exchange for the fact that the secondary display is not used as often as the primary display, the manufacturer may be able to save on weight and thickness by making the secondary display, its housing, or its supporting components, thinner than for the primary display. Similarly, the manufacturer may be able to make the back case lighter or thinner than they would for a single-display device because some of the time the device is in use the secondary display is located next to the back case providing some of the mechanical strength of the overall device. A second possible mechanical scenario is that the back case is attached to the secondary display. So, when the secondary display is moved from the stowed to the deployed position, the back case moves with the secondary display. In this scenario, when the secondary display is in the deployed position the back of the primary display is relatively exposed. However, in this scenario, like the first scenario, the manufacturer and the users may be willing to live with the reduced mechanical protection when the device has both displays deployed. What is seen from both of these mechanical scenarios is that the overall negative mechanical impact in terms of weight, size and cost of the second display is likely to be less than the impact of the primary display. One should expect that the final size and cost of a two-display system is thus not twice the cost of a one-display system. Alternatively, if a manufacturer decides to make the secondary display and its necessary housing the same thickness as the primary display and its housing, then the overall ruggedness of the device should be improved over the ruggedness of a single-display device because of the additional strength imparted to the device by the additional number of resilient layers in the final device. Embodiments FIG. 1 illustrates two display stacks. A ribbon/desktop is connected to screen 1, screen 2 and screen 3. FIGS. 2a-2c illustrates display stacks in action. In FIG. 2a, the first application is opened. In FIG. 2b, the second application is opened. In FIG. 2c, the second screen is opened in the first application. In FIG. 2d, the second application is closed. FIG. 6 illustrates an alternate display stack embodiment where the stacks 402 and 404 are coupled in series. Details of Secondary Display Deployment Sensing Ideally two binary sensors would be used. The first sensor would indicate that the secondary display is fully in its stowed position. The second sensor would indicate that the secondary display is in its fully deployed position. The two sensors would indicate one of four states: (a) the secondary display is fully stowed; (b) the secondary display is being moved from stowed to deployed or deployed to be stowed; (c) the secondary display is in the fully deployed position; (d) there is a mechanical problem with one or both of the sensors. State (b) maybe further resolved into (b1) the display was most recently in the (a) stowed state, therefore it is assumed the secondary display is being moved from stowed to deployed, and (b2) the display was most recently in the (c) deployed state, therefore it is assumed the secondary display is being moved from deployed to stowed. The four states, or five states, counting (b1) and (b2) as distinct are used to power-up or power-down the secondary display; and to launch or close the secondary application; and to inform the primary application of the status of the secondary display. A usable although less desirable sensing arrangement is to use a single binary sensor. In this case the single sensor might indicate any of the three mechanical positions of the secondary display identified above as states (a), (b), or (c). The sensor state, possibly in conjunction with other device state information, would produce a single binary state being either (e) the secondary display is stowed or close to stowed, or (g) the secondary display is deployed or close to deployed. It is also possible to use one or more analog or multi-modal digital sensors to determine the location of the secondary display on the path between stowed and deployed. A wide variety of possible analog sensors for this purpose exist, including linear potentiometers, a strain-gauge, a piezoelectric transducer (PZT), hall-effect devices, sonic-transducers, optical sensors, or even temperature sensors. Multi-mode digital sensors include coding wheels or linear position or pulse transducers. However, the current state of technology indicates that simple binary sensors, such as mechanical, electrical or magnetic switches are simpler and lower cost. It is possible to implement many of the advantages of this invention with no sensor on the position of the secondary display at all. In this case the position of the secondary display must be provided by user input, or deduced from other information. For example, if the device has been just powered up, it may be appropriate to assume the secondary display is stowed. If the user has selected an item in such a way on the primary display that indicates a desire for additional information, then it may be appropriate to assume that the secondary display is deployed, or is about to be deployed. If the secondary display incorporates some type of input sensor, such as a touch screen, then information from this sensor may be used to deduce the state of the secondary display. Finally, a dedicated button or switch (including a virtual button or switch) may be used for the user to directly indicate “power,” “deploy,” “activate,” “launch,” or similarly indicate the desire to start using or stop using the secondary display. GUI System Integration With the proper integration of this new hardware with existing graphical user interface (GUI) software systems, current mobile devices can easily utilize the new hardware capability without requiring changes to be made in existing software applications. Current GUI systems for mobile devices are quite different from the GUI systems for desktop computers, because the displays on desktop computers are so large that they can easily support multiple windows, and allow the user to control the size and position of these windows. On mobile devices, the displays are so small, that the GUI systems do not support multiple window systems. Instead, mobile devices implement the concept of a stack of screens or windows. The GUI system allows a new screen to be created by an application in such a way that it replaces the current screen, while keeping the state of the current screen in a stack. When the new screen is finally closed, it is “popped” off the stack to reveal the original screen “beneath” it. Default Utilization of Displays FIG. 4 illustrates a portable device 400 that includes two display stacks 402 and 404. As is seen two display stacks 402 and 404 (screen 1 and screen 2) and (screen 3) are directly coupled to the ribbon/desktop 406. FIGS. 5A-5D illustrates the two display stacks 402 and 404 in action. In FIG. 5A, a first application is opened and shown on the first display 502 and the ribbon/desktop is shown on the second display 504. In FIG. 5B, a second application is opened. As is shown, the first application is remain shown on the first display 504 using a newly created stack for the second display 506. In FIG. 5C, a new screen is opened by the first application and placed onto the first display stack. The second application is shown on the second display 506 and the new screen from the first application is shown on the first display 504. In FIG. 5D, the second application is closed and the screen 1 from the first display stack is visible on the display 506. Given such a system, it would be easy for the operating system to cause existing software applications to immediately take advantage of a second display, without modifying the software applications, by simply using the two displays to show the top two screens on the stack instead of only the top screen. This could be done in one of two ways: 1) by opening a new screen on the second display (assuming the second display was deployed), or 2) by opening the new screen on the first display and moving the previous screen onto the second display. It would be easy to allow the user to choose between these two default behaviors in the “preferences” settings for the mobile or portable device. If two screens from the single screen stack are being displayed on the two displays, and the user stows the second display, then regardless of which screen was being displayed on the main display, the top screen of the screen stack would now be shown on the first display. Once the second display has been deployed, however, it would be possible for the GUI system to support a second screen stack. Each time an application is opened from the “ribbon” or “desktop”, This is referred to as starting a screen stack. Once one application is open and using one of the displays, the “ribbon” or “desktop” is still being shown on the other display, as shown in FIG. 5A. If the ribbon on the second display is used to open a second application, then the second application will be given its own screen stack as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5B. If another screen is opened from within the first application, the second application continues to be shown on the second display, and the second screen from the first application (“screen 3” in the Figures) is shown on the main display as in FIG. 5C. If the second application is closed, the second display stack could be destroyed, causing both screens from the first application to be shown on the two displays, as shown in FIG. 5D, as would have happened if the second screen had been opened in the first application before opening the second application. With this behavior, “screen 3” from our first application would have to be closed before the ribbon on the second display could be observed. This default behavior simultaneously allows one application to utilize both displays at once, but also allows the user to use the two displays for two different applications at once. An anomalous situation arises if two screen stacks have been created while the second display was deployed, but then the user stows the second display. In this case, the entire second screen stack of FIG. 5C should be put on top of the main screen stack of FIG. 6, but a method invoked indicating that the display on which this screen was displayed has been stowed. The default handler for this method will invoke the “Close” method, allowing software applications that are unaware of the existence of the second screen to continue to operate reasonably. If any dialog boxes arise when the screens are being closed, these dialog boxes will now appear on the main display. Once that application has been closed, then the primary screen stack will reappear on the main display, in the state it had when the optional screen was stowed. Dialog Boxes The limited windowing systems of mobile devices usually include support for dialog boxes. It would be possible to view dialog boxes as being suitable for placement on the second screen, but most applications will prefer to keep dialog box behavior as it exists now. Some mobile device manufacturers might want to provide default dialog box behavior in which a dialog box is considered to be just like a screen that goes on the screen stack unless only one screen is deployed. Most manufacturers will prefer to keep default behavior of dialog boxes as they are now, without making additional use of a second optional display. Application software might want to be able to specify a dialog box that is treated like a separate screen on the screen stack if the second screen is deployed, but using current dialog box behavior when there is only one screen deployed. Input Focus Switching If there are two active applications, then the issue arises of how input can be directed to each of the two applications. This will naturally be handled in one of three different ways, depending on the nature of the input devices used for pointing to items on the screen. If the two displays are touch sensitive, then the method of pointing to items on the display is by touching the display. In this case, the hardware distinguishes between pointing input to the two displays directly. The remaining issue of focus is to which application keyboard input should be directed. At any moment in time, all input actions will be directed to one of the two active applications at the top of the two GUI stacks. One of the displays will be “active” since it has the focus of the keyboard. The operating system should detect touches on the inactive display, and should use this to switch the input focus to the application associated with that display. If there is a pointing device such as a track wheel or mouse pad, then a different means of switching input focus must be used. In this case, one of three techniques may be used: a) the mouse may be moved off of one display and onto the other if the pointer is moved in the direction of the other screen. Although this is the traditional method of focus transfer on desktop computers, this is likely to be less useful than the other techniques, b) a menu command should exist on one of the menus of each screen that specifies that the input should be switched to the other screen; this menu item should not appear or be grayed out if both displays have not been deployed, c) a keyboard shortcut will exist for the menu command specified in the last alternative; this keyboard shortcut can be invoked by typing it on the keyboard, and switching the focus of all input to the other display. If there is no pointing device at all, but just a trackwheel, then the operating system will provide an additional command on the menu invoked by the track wheel whenever both displays are deployed that cause input focus to switch to the other display. In addition, a keyboard shortcut may be available to invoke this focus switch command. If the two displays are voice sensitive then the method of selection for the user is through spoken interaction by microphone. The issue of menu coordination is a discrete point and one of several options in selection of the applications including speech recognition, keyboard and pointing device manipulated through a switching device. Timing one of the two active applications at the top of the two GUI stacks with one display “active” as the verbally selected interface is ongoing, specifying which display is the focus of the input devices. The input focus will be determined by the operating system to switch to the application associated with the selected display. Programmed Utilization of Displays Once mobile devices have been made available that have an interesting default utilization for the second optional display, applications software developers will want to take greater control of the utilization of the displays, but in such a way that the application works well whether the second display is deployed or not and continues to work well if the second display is deployed or stowed during execution of the application. Each graphical user interface system will have slightly different changes that will need to be made in order to allow applications running in these GUI systems to do this. The key way of providing application control to the second display, when deployed for example, in a BlackBerry GUI system is by providing additional styles for the Screen constructor. By default, the new screen should be created on the current screen stack, and utilize the default handling of which display it should be shown on. A new value is: SAME_DISPLAY, which specifies that the new screen should be put on the current screen stack, but it should be shown on the current display, and the previous screen switched to the other display, if it is available. Another value is: ALTERNATE_DISPLAY, which specifies that the new screen should be put on the current screen stack, but displayed on the alternate screen from the previous screen, if it is available. Another value is: HIDE_CURRENT, which specifies that the new screen should be put on the current screen stack, but the current screen should be hidden, and the current screen used to display the new screen instead. Thus the contents of the alternate display would not change. If it was displaying a screen deeper in the stack, it would continue showing the same display. Once the new screen is popped off the stack, then the current screen will be displayed again, but again without altering the contents of the alternate display. In order to create a new stack, a new constructor for UiApplication is provided: getOptionalUiApplication. This constructs a new screen stack, if the second optional display is deployed. Once created, screens can be pushed onto this stack. If no screens have been pushed onto this stack, then the operating system is free to put a screen from a different application (or the next screen in our display stack) onto the optional display. If the optional display is stowed, all of the screens on this stack are pushed onto the main stack for the application. In order to ensure that the user remains in control of their mobile device, it would be wise for the operating system to provide an access control rule for each application that can be set by the user of the device that specifies whether an exception will be thrown by the getOptionalUiApplication operation if another screen stack already exists. Some applications may ask for user input as to whether the application should occupy both displays even if another application is already using the other display. Javax Microedition Enhancements The previous section refers to graphical user interface systems that are more advanced than Javax Microedition. For mobile devices that offer software support at this level, only one enhancement is needed to this interface to provide access to the second optional display. In Javax Microedition, there are no concepts of display stacks, so the discussion above is not very helpful. Instead, each application (or midlet, using the terminology of Javax Microedition), has a Display object. The operating system can deploy these Display objects to the two screens in whatever way would be appropriate. In Javax Microedition, there is the greatest desire to minimize changes to the software interface, and to maximize default behavior with regard to the second optional display, since much of this software is portable software that can run on a large number of difference mobile devices. By adding a single additional static method to the Display class, adequate control of the second optional display can be given to application software. static Display getOptionalDisplay(MIDlet m)—Gets the Optional Display object that is unique to this MIDlet. If the second optional display is not deployed, then this optional display object is not displayed at all. If the second optional display is deployed, then the screen either contains the current main display of the previously executing MIDlet, or it contains the current display that has been placed on the optional display of the currently running MIDlet. When the optional display is stowed, this optional Display object is no longer displayed, and its CommandListener will no longer receive commands. RIM Enhancements The windowing system provided by Research In Motion for BlackBerry devices has the more sophisticated features of a stack of screens as discussed at length above. We will specify specific enhancements to the net.rim.device.api classes that would be needed to allow application software written for these classes to be able to have access to the non-default application control of the second alternate display described in the larger discussion above. First we have an additional method in the net.rim.device.api.ui.UiApplication class: UiApplication getOptionalUiApplication( ) If the second optional display is deployed, creates a second display stack for the current application. This is actually a constructor method that should be invoked from a related constructor in the application's UI subclass. Throws: net.rim.device.api.system.ApplicationManagerException If this application is not allowed to use the second optional display, or the display is not currently deployed, or an optional UiApplication has already been created for this Application. There are some additional style bits specified for the net.rim.device.api.ui.Screen class: static long SAME_DISPLAY If specified, then when this screen stack is using the second optional display as well as a primary display, this screen will be shown on the same display as the currently active screen, and the currently active screen will be moved to the second optional display. static long ALTERNATE_DISPLAY If specified, then when this screen stack is using the second optional display as well as a primary display, the currently active screen will remain on its display and the new screen will be placed on the alternate display. static long HIDE_CURRENT If specified, then even if this screen stack is using the second optional display as well as a primary display, the currently active screen will disappear, and be replaced by this screen. When this screen is finally popped off the stack, then the underlying screen will come back onto the display by using the same display as the screen that was popped off. Determining Deployment Status If application software successfully creates an optional UiApplication, then the application software knows that the second optional display has been deployed. Each time a screen is constructed for the optional UiApplication, this indicates that the second optional display is still deployed. If the optional display is stowed, all of the screens that should be displayed on this display are moved onto the end of the main screen stack for the application, presumably so they can be closed. This provides the most frequently needed sensing about the deployment status of the second display. If greater control is needed over this, then there are two reasonable enhancements to the net.rim.device.api.system: one is to merely add a few static int fields to the Sensor class, and the other is to create a class very much like the Sensor class, possibly using the same SensorListener class used by the Sensor, with the new static int fields defined for this new class instead. static int OPTIONAL_DISPLAY Sensor ID of the second optional display sensor. static int STATE_OPTIONAL_DISPLAY_DEPLOYED A state of the optional display sensor that indicates the display is deployed. static int STATE_OPTIONAL_DISPLAY_STOWED A state of the optional display sensor that indicates the display is stowed. Applications A key aspect of this invention is that the secondary display provides additional details about an item selected in the primary display. Thus, although two separate applications (or two different views of information from one application) are running, one for each display, and the two sets of information are linked, at least initially, in a useful way. The list of examples below is by no means meant to be comprehensive or to restrict the scope of the patent to these applications. For every example below, the roles of the primary and secondary displays swap position if the item selected happens to be on the secondary display. In this case, a new window opens on the primary display, covering the existing window. In the ideal case, the information covered is not lost, and shows again when the overlying window is closed. However, in the use of this invention such preservation of the information in the primary display is not required. (1) In a list of emails, or one email, select an attachment to view the attachment on the secondary display. (2) In a list of emails, or one email, select a link to a web page to view the web page on the secondary display. (3) In a list of emails, or one email, select a name to view information about that individual from your contact data on the secondary display. (4) In a view of text, select a word or phrase to view more information about that word or phrase on the secondary display. This additional information may be (a) from a dictionary, (b) from a web search, (c) from a search of data on your device or computer, (d) from a search of recent activity, (e) from a help database, which might be local or remote. (5) In a view of text, select the name of an individual to display information about that individual from the user's contacts data on the secondary display. (6) In a view of text, select a name of an individual to display a photograph of that individual on the secondary display. (7) In a list of emails, or one email, select an action, such as reply, save, forward or mark, to open a window appropriate to complete that action on the secondary display. (8) While viewing a web page, select a link on that web page to open the selected web page on the secondary display. (9) While viewing a web page, select a thumbnail image to view a larger image on the secondary display. (10) While viewing a web page, select a block of text or area to view a larger image (larger font and/or magnified view) of the selected text or area on the secondary display. (11) While viewing a map, select a point or area on the map to view a magnified view of that point or area on the secondary display. (12) While viewing a map, select a point or area on the map to view directions to that point or area on the secondary display. (13) While viewing a map, select a point or area on the map to view a choice of services available near that point or area on the secondary display. (14) While viewing a map, select a point or area on the map to view a list of transportation options to or from that point or area on the secondary display. These transportation options may come from a web search, from stored data or recent activity on the device, from personal preferences or from other sources. (15) While viewing a map, select a point or area on the map to view a satellite or street-level photograph of that point or area on the secondary display. (16) In a view of text, or an advertisement for a product, select the name of the product or the ad for the product to display information on how to buy the product in the secondary display. (17) In a view of text, or an advertisement for an event, select the name of the event or the ad to display information on how to buy tickets for the event in the secondary display. (18) In a view related to an incoming or outgoing phone call, email, text message, video message, or Instant Message, information about the person on the other end of the phone call, email, text message, video message or Instant Message appears on the secondary display. (19) In a view related to an incoming or outgoing phone call, email, text message, video message, or Instant Message, information managing the phone call, email, text message, video message or Instant Message appears on the secondary display. Such information may include billing information, saving or archiving options, recording or deleting options, privacy or encryption options, information about similar messages, or other information. (20) In a view related to purchasing a product or service, a window opens up on the secondary display related to payment details. (21) In a view that contains a company name or stock-trading symbol, selecting the name or stock-trading symbol brings up current information about the stock of that company in the secondary display. (22) In a view that contains a company name or stock-trading symbol, selecting the name or stock-trading symbol brings up current information about the user's holdings of stock in that company in the secondary display. (23) In a view that contains a company name or stock-trading symbol, selecting the name or stock-trading symbol brings up a window permitting purchasing or selling the stock of that company in the secondary display. (24) In a view that contains an image, selecting a point or region in the image brings up a magnified view including the point or region of the image in the secondary display. (25) In a view containing a video or moving image, selecting the moving image brings up a stored, still view of the video or moving image at the time the user selected it, in the secondary display. A variation of this feature is to display a view slightly earlier in time than the time the user selected the moving image, so as to attempt to show the still view of the video at the moment the user decided he or she wished to see or save a still image. (26) In a view containing information about an audio or video track being played on the device, selecting an appropriate element or elements in the primary display causes additional information or options about the audio or video track being played to show in the secondary display. For example, if a video is being played on the primary display, the secondary display might show a volume control. As another example, if an audio track is being played, selecting the name of the artist might bring up an image of the artists, or other tracks or albums or event by that artist in the secondary display. Although the present invention has been described in accordance with the embodiments shown, one of ordinary skill in the art will readily recognize that there could be variations to the embodiments and those variations would be within the spirit and scope of the present invention. | <SOH> BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION <EOH>A range of electronic devices use display screens. Such devices include desktop computers, laptop computers, hand-held computers, cell phones, PDAs, music players, video players, video games, portable email devices, GPSs, cameras, barcode scanners, as well as a variety of industrial and commercial special-purpose devices. Typically, portable devices use flat-panel displays, which are most commonly LCD (liquid crystal displays) but may also, be other technologies, including organic electroluminescent or organic LED, or other flat-screen technologies. The majority of electronic devices currently in use have a single display. However, there are patents that describe electronic devices that utilize multiple displays. For example, Moscovitch (U.S. Pat. No. 6,343,006) teaches how to place multiple displays on base with supporting arms. However, Moscovitch does not teach how to have a second display that is hidden or protected, and Moscovitch does not teach how to use applications on the second display. Wen (U.S. Pat. No. 7,075,597) teaches how to stack two LCD displays on top of one another. Wen does not teach how to have co-planer displays, both visible at the same time. Chao (U.S. Pat. No. 7,030,552) teaches how to package two organic electroluminescent displays into one package, but does not teach how to create a movable second display, or how to automatically launch a second application. Lebby (U.S. Pat. No. 5,534,888) teaches how to place two displays inside an enclosure, but not how to see only one display (the primary display) while hiding and protecting a secondary display. Nor does Lebby teach how to use applications effectively on multiple screens. Ozolins (U.S. Pat. No. D496,362) teaches an ornamental design for two coplanar screens, but no means to hide or protect the second display when only a single display is required. Rubincam (U.S. Pat. No. 41,159,417) teaches how to place the contents of a book on a removable memory device, but does not teach how to have only one display visible. Nor does Rubincam teach how to use applications other than for reading a book, magazine, and the like. Lebby et al (U.S. Pat. No. 5,534,888) teaches how to make a book-like device using a pair of hollow bodies. However, Lebby does not teach how to hide a second display when not required, nor does Lebby teach how to automatically launch additional applications. For many such devices, the size of the display is a major limitation in both the convenience value of the device as well as the number of applications that the device may realistically run, or display simultaneously. In desktop computers, multiple displays are utilized in a variety of applications. Typically these displays are either (1) logically connected to provide a single, virtually contiguous display surface, or (2) are operated independently to provide multiple general-purpose display surfaces. In most cases each runs a “windows” graphical user interface, in which the user of the device may select any reasonable number of applications to display simultaneously. However, for portable devices, with the general exception of laptop computers, no such similar capability exists to readily support two or more simultaneous applications due to the small physical size of the single display. Therefore, having a second display available for use with portable electronic devices could make the device more capable and more valuable to the user. The downside of dual-displays, as taught in the literature, is that the second display is bulky and thus interferes with the convenience and portability of the device. Paying for the disadvantage of larger physical size when, frequently, only a single application is needed at one time has discouraged device manufacturers from offering dual-screen portable devices. Accordingly, what is needed is a system and method to address the above-identified issues. The present invention addresses such a need. | <SOH> SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION <EOH>A multiple display system having at least two mechanical arrangements such that in one of the at least two arrangements one of the multiple displays is stowed, out of the way mechanically and visually, when only a first display is in use; and one of the other of the at least two arrangements wherein the other of the multiple displays is substantially coplanar and adjacent to the one screen when both screens are in use. The other display in the one of the other of the at least two arrangements also runs the graphical user interface of an application, permitting the multiple display system to offer at least two programs running simultaneously, each with its own visual user-interface operating on its own display. | G06F11616 | 20171221 | 20180426 | 72499.0 | G06F116 | 2 | WATKO, JULIE ANNE | MULTIPLE DISPLAYS FOR A PORTABLE ELECTRONIC DEVICE AND A METHOD OF USE | SMALL | 1 | CONT-ACCEPTED | G06F | 2,017 |
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15,850,606 | PENDING | ROBOT | A robot has a first member, an optical wire placed in the first member, a power line placed in the first member, a photoelectric conversion unit placed in the first member, and an encoder placed in the first member, wherein the optical wire is connected to be optically communicable with the photoelectric conversion unit, the power line is connected to be conductive to the encoder and the photoelectric conversion unit, and a current flowing in the power line is distributed to the encoder and the photoelectric conversion unit. | 1. A robot comprising: a first member; an optical wire placed in the first member; a power line placed in the first member; a photoelectric conversion unit placed in the first member; and an encoder placed in the first member, wherein the optical wire is connected to be optically communicable with the photoelectric conversion unit, the power line is connected to be conductive to the encoder and the photoelectric conversion unit, and a current flowing in the power line is distributed to the encoder and the photoelectric conversion unit. 2. The robot according to claim 1, wherein the power line is branched inside of the first member and connected to the encoder and the photoelectric conversion unit. 3. The robot according to claim 1, wherein an electrical signal output from the encoder is converted into a light signal by the photoelectric conversion unit and propagated by the optical wire. 4. A robot comprising: a first member; an optical wire placed in the first member; a power line placed in the first member; a photoelectric conversion unit placed in the first member; and a motor placed in the first member, wherein the optical wire is connected to be optically communicable with the photoelectric conversion unit, the power line is connected to be conductive to the motor and the photoelectric conversion unit, and a current flowing in the power line is distributed to the motor and the photoelectric conversion unit. 5. The robot according to claim 4, further comprising an encoder placed in the first member, wherein an electrical signal output from the encoder is converted into a light signal by the photoelectric conversion unit and propagated by the optical wire. 6. A robot comprising: a first member; an optical wire placed in the first member; a power line placed in the first member; a photoelectric conversion unit placed in the first member; and an electronic component placed in the first member, wherein the optical wire is connected to be optically communicable with the photoelectric conversion unit, the power line is connected to be conductive to the electronic component and the photoelectric conversion unit, and a current flowing in the power line is distributed to the electronic component and the photoelectric conversion unit. 7. The robot according to claim 1, further comprising: a second member; and a rotary connecting part that rotatably couples the first member to the second member, wherein the optical wire and the power line are placed inside of the first member and inside of the second member through inside of the rotary connecting part, respectively. 8. The robot according to claim 4, further comprising: a second member; and a rotary connecting part that rotatably couples the first member to the second member, wherein the optical wire and the power line are placed inside of the first member and inside of the second member through inside of the rotary connecting part, respectively. 9. The robot according to claim 6, further comprising: a second member; and a rotary connecting part that rotatably couples the first member to the second member, wherein the optical wire and the power line are placed inside of the first member and inside of the second member through inside of the rotary connecting part, respectively. | BACKGROUND 1. Technical Field The present invention relates to a robot. 2. Related Art Patent Document 1 (JP-A-63-288693) discloses a robot that transmits and receives signals using an optical transceiver (photon-to-current conversion unit, current-to-photon conversion unit) that can switch between an electrical signal and a light signal. However, the optical transceiver requires a power source and, for example, when a power source line for optical transceiver is mounted, upsizing of the robot is caused. That is, in the robot of Patent Document 1, downsizing is difficult. SUMMARY An advantage of some aspects of the invention is to provide a robot that can make optical communications while upsizing is suppressed. The invention can be implemented as the following configurations. A robot according to an aspect of the invention includes a first member, an optical wire placed in the first member, a power line placed in the first member, a photoelectric conversion unit placed in the first member, and an encoder placed in the first member, wherein the optical wire is connected to be optically communicable with the photoelectric conversion unit, the power line is connected to be conductive to the encoder and the photoelectric conversion unit, and a current flowing in the power line is distributed to the encoder and the photoelectric conversion unit. With this configuration, a power supply wire used exclusively for the photoelectric conversion unit is unnecessary and upsizing of the robot may be suppressed. In the robot according to the aspect of the invention, it is preferable that the power line is branched inside of the first member and connected to the encoder and the photoelectric conversion unit. With this configuration, the wiring length of the power line from the branched portion to the photoelectric conversion unit may be made shorter (that is, the placement space of the power line within the first member may be made smaller) and upsizing of the robot 100 may be suppressed. In the robot according to the aspect of the invention, it is preferable that an electrical signal output from the encoder is converted into a light signal by the photoelectric conversion unit and propagated by the optical wire. With this configuration, a detection signal of the encoder may be transmitted faster. Further, the light signal is hard to be affected by surrounding electrical wires or the like, and noise is hard to be superimposed on the detection signal. A robot according to an aspect of the invention includes a first member, an optical wire placed in the first member, a power line placed in the first member, a photoelectric conversion unit placed in the first member, and a motor placed in the first member, wherein the optical wire is connected to be optically communicable with the photoelectric conversion unit, the power line is connected to be conductive to the motor and the photoelectric conversion unit, and a current flowing in the power line is distributed to the motor and the photoelectric conversion unit. With this configuration, a power supply wire used exclusively for the photoelectric conversion unit is unnecessary and upsizing of the robot may be suppressed. In the robot according to the aspect of the invention, an encoder placed in the first member is provided and it is preferable that an electrical signal output from the encoder is converted into a light signal by the photoelectric conversion unit and propagated by the optical wire. With this configuration, a detection signal of the encoder may be transmitted faster. Further, the light signal is hard to be affected by surrounding electrical wires or the like, and noise is hard to be superimposed on the detection signal. A robot according to an aspect of the invention includes a first member, an optical wire placed in the first member, a power line placed in the first member, a photoelectric conversion unit placed in the first member, and an electronic component placed in the first member, wherein the optical wire is connected to be optically communicable with the photoelectric conversion unit, the power line is connected to be conductive to the electronic component and the photoelectric conversion unit, and a current flowing in the power line is distributed to the electronic component and the photoelectric conversion unit. With this configuration, a power supply wire used exclusively for the photoelectric conversion unit is unnecessary and upsizing of the robot may be suppressed. In the robot according to the aspect of the invention, a second member and a rotary connecting part that rotatably couples the first member to the second member are provided, and it is preferable that the optical wire and the power line are placed inside of the first member and inside of the second member through inside of the rotary connecting part, respectively. With this configuration, the optical wire and the power line may be protected. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein like numbers reference like elements. FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a robot according to a first embodiment of the invention. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an electrical and optical configuration of the robot shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 3 is a block diagram in which apart of the block diagram shown in FIG. 2 is enlarged. FIG. 4 is a perspective view for explanation of a method of routing wires of the robot shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing an electrical and optical configuration of a robot according to a second embodiment of the invention. FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing an electrical and optical configuration of a robot according to a third embodiment of the invention. FIG. 7 is a block diagram showing an electrical and optical configuration of a robot according to a fourth embodiment of the invention. FIG. 8 is a block diagram showing an electrical and optical configuration of a robot according to a fifth embodiment of the invention. FIG. 9 is a block diagram showing an electrical and optical configuration of a robot according to a sixth embodiment of the invention. DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS As below, a robot according to the invention will be explained in detail based on embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings. First Embodiment First, a robot according to the first embodiment of the invention will be explained. FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the robot according to the first embodiment of the invention. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an electrical and optical configuration of the robot shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 3 is a block diagram in which a part of the block diagram shown in FIG. 2 is enlarged. FIG. 4 is a perspective view for explanation of a method of routing wires of the robot shown in FIG. 1. A robot 100 shown in FIG. 1 may perform work including supply, removing, carrying, and assembly of precision apparatuses and components (objects) forming the apparatuses. The robot 100 is a six-axis robot (multi-joint robot), and has a base 101 to be fixed to a floor, ceiling, or the like, an arm 102 rotatably coupled to the base 101 via a joint part 111 as a rotary connecting part, an arm 103 rotatably coupled to the arm 102 via a joint part 112 as a rotary connecting part, an arm 104 rotatably coupled to the arm 103 via a joint part 113 as a rotary connecting part, an arm 105 rotatably coupled to the arm 104 via a joint part 114 as a rotary connecting part, an arm 106 rotatably coupled to the arm 105 via a joint part 115 as a rotary connecting part, an arm 107 rotatably coupled to the arm 106 via a joint part 116 as a rotary connecting part, a control box 108 provided on a side part of the base 101, a robot control unit 180 housed within the control box 108 and controlling driving of the respective arms 102, 103, 104, 105, 106, 107. The base 101 and the respective arms 102, 103, 104, 105, 106, 107 respectively have spaces (cavity parts) within (inside), and may house optical wires 260, power supply wires for motor 210, power supply wires for encoder 220, and optical transceivers 250, which will be described later. Further, a hand connecting portion is provided in the arm 107, and a hand 190 (end effector) according to work to be executed by the robot 100 is attached to the hand connecting portion. Furthermore, drive units 120 are mounted in the respective joint parts 111, 112, 113, 114, 115, 116, and the respective arms 102, 103, 104, 105, 106, 107 rotate by driving of the drive units 120. The respective drive units 120 have motors 121 and reducers (not shown) for rotation of the corresponding arms and encoders 122 that detect rotation angles of the corresponding arms, and is controlled by a robot control unit 180. Hereinafter, for convenience of explanation, the drive unit 120 (motor 121, encoder 122) of the joint part 111 is also referred to as “drive unit 120A (motor 121A, encoder 122A)”, the drive unit 120 (motor 121, encoder 122) of the joint part 112 is also referred to as “drive unit 120B (motor 121B, encoder 122B)”, the drive unit 120 (motor 121, encoder 122) of the joint part 113 is also referred to as “drive unit 120C (motor 121C, encoder 122C)”, the drive unit 120 (motor 121, encoder 122) of the joint part 114 is also referred to as “drive unit 120D (motor 121D, encoder 122D)”, the drive unit 120 (motor 121, encoder 122) of the joint part 115 is also referred to as “drive unit 120E (motor 121E, encoder 122E)”, and the drive unit 120 (motor 121, encoder 122) of the joint part 116 is also referred to as “drive unit 120F (motor 121F, encoder 122F)”. Next, the electrical and optical configuration of the robot 100 will be explained. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the robot control unit 180 and the respective drive units 120 are connected by the optical wires and electrical wires. As shown in FIG. 2, the robot 100 electrically connects the robot control unit 180 and the motors 121 of the respective drive units 120, and has a plurality (six) of the power supply wires for motor 210 that supply drive power from the robot control unit 180 to the respective motors 121. The drive power is supplied from the robot control unit 180 to the respective motors 121 via the power supply wires for motor 210, and thereby, the respective motors 121 are driven and the respective arms 102, 103, 104, 105, 106, 107 may be moved at predetermined times and predetermined rotation angles. Note that, hereinafter, for convenience of explanation, the power supply wire for motor 210 that electrically connects the robot control unit 180 and the motor 121A is also referred to as “power supply wire for motor 210A”, the power supply wire for motor 210 that electrically connects the robot control unit 180 and the motor 121B is also referred to as “power supply wire for motor 210B”, the power supply wire for motor 210 that electrically connects the robot control unit 180 and the motor 121C is also referred to as “power supply wire for motor 210C”, the power supply wire for motor 210 that electrically connects the robot control unit 180 and the motor 121D is also referred to as “power supply wire for motor 210D”, the power supply wire for motor 210 that electrically connects the robot control unit 180 and the motor 121E is also referred to as “power supply wire for motor 210E”, and the power supply wire for motor 210 that electrically connects the robot control unit 180 and the motor 121F is also referred to as “power supply wire for motor 210F”. Further, the robot 100 electrically connects the robot control unit 180 and the encoders 122 of the respective drive units 120, and has a plurality (six) of the power supply wires for encoder 220 that supply drive power from the robot control unit 180 to the respective encoders 122. The drive power is supplied from the robot control unit 180 to the respective encoders 122 via the power supply wires for encoder 220, and thereby, the respective encoders 122 are driven and the rotation angles of the respective arms 102, 103, 104, 105, 106, 107 may be detected. Note that, hereinafter, for convenience of explanation, the power supply wire for encoder 220 that electrically connects the robot control unit 180 and the encoder 122A is also referred to as “power supply wire for encoder 220A”, the power supply wire for encoder 220 that electrically connects the robot control unit 180 and the encoder 122B is also referred to as “power supply wire for encoder 220B”, the power supply wire for encoder 220 that electrically connects the robot control unit 180 and the encoder 122C is also referred to as “power supply wire for encoder 220C”, the power supply wire for encoder 220 that electrically connects the robot control unit 180 and the encoder 122D is also referred to as “power supply wire for encoder 220D”, the power supply wire for encoder 220 that electrically connects the robot control unit 180 and the encoder 122E is also referred to as “power supply wire for encoder 220E”, and the power supply wire for encoder 220 that electrically connects the robot control unit 180 and the encoder 122F is also referred to as “power supply wire for encoder 220F”. The power supply wires for motor 210 and the power supply wires for encoder 220 (except the power supply wire for motor 210A and the power supply wire for encoder 220A) are routed into the respective arms through inside of the respective joint parts located between the base 101 and the arms, and substantially have no parts exposed outside of the robot 100. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 2, the power supply wire for motor 210B and the power supply wire for encoder 220B are routed from the base 101 to the arm 102 through the joint part 111. The power supply wire for motor 210C and the power supply wire for encoder 220C are routed from the base 101 to the arm 103 through the joint parts 111, 112. The power supply wire for motor 210D and the power supply wire for encoder 220D are routed from the base 101 to the arm 104 through the joint parts 111, 112, 113. The power supply wire for motor 210E and the power supply wire for encoder 220E are routed from the base 101 to the arm 105 through the joint parts 111, 112, 113, 114. The power supply wire for motor 210F and the power supply wire for encoder 220F are routed from the base 101 to the arm 106 through the joint parts 111, 112, 113, 114, 115. As described above, the respective power supply wires 210, 220 are routed within the robot 100, and thereby, the respective power supply wires 210, 220 may be protected. Note that the placement of the respective power supply wires 210, 220 is not particularly limited, but, for example, at least part may be routed outside of the robot 100. Here, the encoders 122 are not particularly limited as long as the encoders may detect the rotation angles of the arms 102, 103, 104, 105, 106, 107. For example, optical encoders having rotary plates having polarizer portions, light emitting elements that output lights toward the rotary plates, and light receiving elements that receive the lights reflected by the rotary plates or lights transmitted through the rotary plates and detecting the rotation angles of the arms based on the intensity of the lights received by the light receiving elements may be used. In this case, for example, the drive power for the light emitting elements and the light receiving elements are supplied from the robot control unit 180 to the encoders 122 via the power supply wires for encoder 220. Or, as the encoders 122, for example, image-recognition encoders having rotary plates with markers for image recognition, cameras for image recognition of the markers provided on the rotary plates, and image processing parts that process images captured by the cameras and detecting the rotation angles of the arms based on the types and locations of the markers captured by the cameras may be used. In this case, for example, the drive power for the cameras and the image processing parts are supplied from the robot control unit 180 to the encoders 122 via the power supply wires for encoder 220. The robot 100 connects the robot control unit 180 and the encoders 122 of the respective drive units 120, and has detection signal transmission paths 230 that transmit detection signals (information on the rotation angle of the arms) of the respective encoders 122 to the robot control unit 180. The detection signals of the respective encoders 122 are transmitted to the robot control unit 180 via the detection signal transmission paths 230, and thereby, the robot control unit 180 may feed back the detection signals and control driving of the respective motors 121. Accordingly, the driving of the respective arms 102, 103, 104, 105, 106, 107 may be controlled more accurately. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the detection signal transmission paths 230 have electrical wires 240 connected to the encoders 122, the optical transceivers 250 (photoelectric conversion units) electrically connected to the encoders 122 via the electrical wires 240 and converting the detection signals (electrical signals) of the encoders 122 into light signals, the optical wires 260 optically connected to the optical transceivers 250 and propagating the light signals converted by the optical transceivers 250, optical transceivers 270 (photoelectric conversion units) connected to the optical transceivers 250 via the optical wires 260 and converting the light signals from the optical transceivers 250 into electrical signals, and electrical wires 280 that electrically connect the optical transceivers 270 and the robot control unit 180 and transmit the electrical signals converted from the light signals by the optical transceivers 270 (the detection signals of the encoders 122) to the robot control unit 180. According to the detection signal transmission paths 230, the detection signals from the encoders 122 may be transmitted to the robot control unit 180 via optical communications, and thereby, the detection signals may be transmitted faster compared to the case where electrical wires are used for transmission of the detection signals to the robot control unit 180. Accordingly, the transmission times of the detection signals are shortened and the driving of the respective arms 102, 103, 104, 105, 106, 107 may be controlled more accurately by the robot control unit 180. Further, larger volumes of data may be transmitted. The light signals are hard to be affected by the surrounding electrical wires and, according to the detection signal transmission paths 230, noise from the surrounding electrical wires is hard to be superimposed on the detection signals. Accordingly, the detection signals with less noise and higher S/N ratios may be transmitted to the robot control unit 180, and the robot control unit 180 may control the driving of the respective arms 102, 103, 104, 105, 106, 107 more accurately. Note that, hereinafter, for convenience of explanation, the detection signal transmission path 230 (optical transceivers 250, 270, optical wire 260) connected to the encoder 122A is also referred to as “detection signal transmission paths 230A (optical transceivers 250A, 270A, optical wire 260A)”, the detection signal transmission path 230 (optical transceivers 250, 270, optical wire 260) connected to the encoder 122B is also referred to as “detection signal transmission paths 230B (optical transceivers 250B, 270B, optical wire 260B)”, the detection signal transmission path 230 (optical transceivers 250, 270, optical wire 260) connected to the encoder 122C is also referred to as “detection signal transmission paths 230C (optical transceivers 250C, 270C, optical wire 260C)”, the detection signal transmission path 230 (optical transceivers 250, 270, optical wire 260) connected to the encoder 122D is also referred to as “detection signal transmission paths 230D (optical transceivers 250D, 270D, optical wire 260D)”, the detection signal transmission path 230 (optical transceivers 250, 270, optical wire 260) connected to the encoder 122E is also referred to as “detection signal transmission paths 230E (optical transceivers 250E, 270E, optical wire 260E)”, and the detection signal transmission path 230 (optical transceivers 250, 270, optical wire 260) connected to the encoder 122F is also referred to as “detection signal transmission paths 230F (optical transceivers 250F, 270F, optical wire 260F)”. The respective optical transceivers 270 are provided within the control box 108. Thereby, the optical transceivers 270 are placed close to the robot control unit 180, and the electrical wires 280 may be shortened. In other words, occupancy of the optical wires 260 in the detection signal transmission paths 230 may be made higher. Accordingly, the light signals are harder to be affected by the surrounding electrical wires and the noise is harder to be superimposed on the detection signals. Note that the placement of the respective optical transceivers 270 is not particularly limited, but the optical transceivers may be placed in another part (e.g. within the base 101) than the control box 108. Or, for example, the robot control unit 180 may have the respective optical transceivers 270. That is, the detection signal transmission paths 230 may have the electrical wires 240, the optical transceivers 250, and the optical wires 260, and the optical wires 260 may be connected to the optical transceivers 270 provided in the robot control unit 180. The configuration of the above described optical transceiver 270 is not particularly limited as long as the optical transceiver may convert the light signal into the electrical signal. For example, the optical transceiver 270 may have an optical sub-assembly connected to the optical wire 260 and receiving the light signal (ROSA: Receiving Optical Sub-Assembly), a control part that executes electrical signal processing and control for the optical sub-assembly, and a connecting portion connected to the electrical wire 280. On the other hand, the respective optical transceivers 250 are provided within the arms located on the proximal end sides (root sides, base 101 sides) of the joint parts in which the corresponding encoders 122 are placed. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 2, the optical transceiver 250A connected to the encoder 122A is placed within the base 101, the optical transceiver 250B connected to the encoder 122B is placed within the arm 102, the optical transceiver 250C connected to the encoder 122C is placed within the arm 103, the optical transceiver 250D connected to the encoder 122D is placed within the arm 104, the optical transceiver 250E connected to the encoder 122E is placed within the arm 105, and the optical transceiver 250F connected to the encoder 122F is placed within the arm 106. Thereby, the respective optical transceivers 250 may be placed close to the corresponding encoders 122, and the electrical wires 240 may be shortened. In other words, the occupancy of the optical wires 260 in the detection signal transmission paths 230 may be made higher. Accordingly, the light signals are harder to be affected by the surrounding electrical wires and the noise is harder to be superimposed on the detection signals. Note that the placement of the optical transceivers 250 is particularly effective when the encoders 122 are placed in the arms on the proximal end sides with respect to the corresponding joint parts (for example, the encoder 122D is placed in the arm 104 and the encoder 122E is placed in the arm 105). That is, it is preferable that the respective optical transceivers 250 are placed within the same arms as the arms in which the corresponding encoders 122 (more specifically, the connecting portions to the electrical wires 240) are placed. Thereby, the respective optical transceivers 250 may be placed closer to the corresponding encoders 122 and the electrical wires 240 may be made shorter. Note that the placement of the respective optical transceivers 250 is not particularly limited, but may be appropriately set according to the placement of the corresponding encoders 122. For example, in contrast to the above described configuration, when the encoders 122 are placed in the arms on the distal end sides with respect to the corresponding joint parts (for example, the encoder 122D is placed in the arm 105 and the encoder 122E is placed in the arm 106), the optical transceivers 250 may be placed within the arms located on the distal end sides of the joint parts in which the corresponding encoders 122 are placed (for example, the optical transceiver 250D is placed within the arm 105 and the optical transceiver 250E is placed within the arm 106). According to the placement, the respective optical transceivers 250 may be placed closer to the corresponding encoders 122 and the electrical wires 240 may be made shorter. Therefore, the light signals are harder to be affected by the surrounding electrical wires and the noise is harder to be superimposed on the detection signals. Or, the optical transceivers 250 placed within the arms located on the distal end sides of the joint parts in which the corresponding encoders 122 are placed and the optical transceivers 250 placed within the arms located on the proximal end sides may be mixed. Or, the optical transceivers 250 may be provided in other locations. The configuration of the optical transceiver 250 is not particularly limited as long as the optical transceiver may convert the electrical signal into the light signal. For example, the optical transceiver 250 may have an optical sub-assembly connected to the optical wire 260 and transmitting the light signal (TOSA: Transmitting Optical Sub-Assembly), a control part that executes electrical signal processing and control for the optical sub-assembly, and a connecting portion connected to the electrical wire 240. The optical wires 260 are routed into the arms through inside of the joint parts and substantially have no parts exposed outside of the robot 100. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 2, the optical wire 260B is routed from the base 101 to the arm 102 through the joint part 111. The optical wire 260C is routed from the base 101 to the arm 103 through the joint parts 111, 112. The optical wire 260D is routed from the base 101 to the arm 104 through the joint parts 111, 112, 113. The optical wire 260E is routed from the base 101 to the arm 105 through the joint parts 111, 112, 113, 114. The optical wire 260F is routed from the base 101 to the arm 106 through the joint parts 111, 112, 113, 114, 115. As described above, the optical wires 260 are routed within the robot 100, and thereby, the optical wires 260 may be protected. Note that the placement of the optical wires 260 is not particularly limited, but, for example, at least part may be routed outside of the robot 100. Here, the optical wires 260 are not particularly limited as long as the optical wires may propagate the light signals. For example, optical fibers may be used. The optical fibers are used as the optical wires 260, thereby, contributes to reduction in diameter of the optical wires 260, and the robot 100 may be downsized. As above, the configuration of the detection signal transmission paths 230 is explained. Here, electric power is required for driving of the respective optical transceivers 250, 270. Accordingly, for example, a plurality of power supply wires electrically connecting the robot control unit 180 and the respective optical transceivers 250 and supplying drive power from the robot control unit 180 to the respective optical transceivers 250 and a plurality of power supply wires electrically connecting the robot control unit 180 and the respective optical transceivers 270 and supplying drive power from the robot control unit 180 to the respective optical transceivers 270 are required. However, spaces for routing of those power supply wires within the robot 100 are required and upsizing of the respective arms 102, 103, 104, 105, 106, 107 and the respective joint parts 111, 112, 113, 114, 115, 116, i.e., upsizing of the robot 100 is caused. Accordingly, in the embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 (particularly, FIG. 3), the power supply wires for encoder 220 are branched at some midpoints and connected to the optical transceivers 250, 270 so that the electric power may be supplied (distributed) to the optical transceivers 250, 270 via the power supply wires for encoder 220. That is, the currents flowing in the power supply wires for encoder 220 are distributed to the optical transceivers 250, 270. Thereby, compared to the configuration described in the previous paragraph, the number of wires may be reduced and upsizing of the robot 100 may be suppressed. Specifically, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the optical transceiver 270A is electrically connected to the power supply wire for encoder 220A and supplied with drive power from the robot control unit 180 via the power supply wire for encoder 220A (particularly, see FIG. 3). The optical transceiver 270B is electrically connected to the power supply wire for encoder 220B and supplied with drive power from the robot control unit 180 via the power supply wire for encoder 220B. The optical transceiver 270C is electrically connected to the power supply wire for encoder 220C and supplied with drive power from the robot control unit 180 via the power supply wire for encoder 220C. The optical transceiver 270D is electrically connected to the power supply wire for encoder 220D and supplied with drive power from the robot control unit 180 via the power supply wire for encoder 220D. The optical transceiver 270E is electrically connected to the power supply wire for encoder 220E and supplied with drive power from the robot control unit 180 via the power supply wire for encoder 220E. The optical transceiver 270F is electrically connected to the power supply wire for encoder 220F and supplied with drive power from the robot control unit 180 via the power supply wire for encoder 220F. According to the configuration, as described above, the power supply wires used exclusively for the optical transceivers 270 are unnecessary and upsizing of the robot 100 may be suppressed. Particularly, the respective power supply wires for encoder 220 are branched within the control box 108 in which the respective optical transceivers 270 are placed, and thereby, the wiring lengths from the branched portions to the optical transceivers 270 may be made shorter. Accordingly, the above described advantages are more remarkable. Note that, as described above, the respective optical transceivers 270 are electrically connected to the corresponding power supply wires for encoder 220 so that the optical transceiver 270A may be electrically connected to the power supply wire for encoder 220A and the optical transceiver 270B may be electrically connected to the power supply wire for encoder 220B, however, not limited to that. That is, for example, the respective optical transceivers 270 may be electrically connected to the non-corresponding power supply wires for encoder 220 so that the optical transceiver 270B may be electrically connected to the power supply wire for encoder 220C. According to the configuration, the same advantages as those of the embodiment may be offered. Further, the optical transceiver 250A is electrically connected to the power supply wire for encoder 220A and supplied with drive power from the robot control unit 180 via the power supply wire for encoder 220A. The optical transceiver 250B is electrically connected to the power supply wire for encoder 220B and supplied with drive power from the robot control unit 180 via the power supply wire for encoder 220B. The optical transceiver 250C is electrically connected to the power supply wire for encoder 220C and supplied with drive power from the robot control unit 180 via the power supply wire for encoder 220C. The optical transceiver 250D is electrically connected to the power supply wire for encoder 220D and supplied with drive power from the robot control unit 180 via the power supply wire for encoder 220D. The optical transceiver 250E is electrically connected to the power supply wire for encoder 220E and supplied with drive power from the robot control unit 180 via the power supply wire for encoder 220E. The optical transceiver 250F is electrically connected to the power supply wire for encoder 220F and supplied with drive power from the robot control unit 180 via the power supply wire for encoder 220F. According to the configuration, as described above, the power supply wires used exclusively for the optical transceivers 250 are unnecessary and upsizing of the robot 100 may be suppressed. Particularly, the respective power supply wires for encoder 220 are branched within the arms in which the corresponding optical transceivers 250 are placed (for example, the power supply wire for encoder 220D is branched within the arm 104 and the power supply wire for encoder 220E is branched within the arm 105), and thereby, the wiring lengths from the branched portions to the optical transceivers 250 may be made shorter. Accordingly, the above described advantages are more remarkable. Note that, as described above, the respective optical transceivers 250 are electrically connected to the corresponding power supply wires for encoder 220, however, not limited to that. The respective optical transceivers may be electrically connected to the non-corresponding power supply wires for encoder 220. According to the configuration, the same advantages as those of the embodiment may be offered. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the robot 100 has a battery 290. The battery 290 is a power source for emergency in a power failure or the like and placed in the control box 108, for example. The battery 290 is electrically connected to the respective encoders 122 and used as a power source for storing the rotation angles of the respective arms sensed by the respective encoders 122 (position information of the respective arms immediately before stopping) in a power failure until restart. Note that the use of the battery 290 is not limited to that. For example, the battery may be used as a power source electrically connected to the respective motors 121 for driving the respective motors 121 to rotate the respective arms to the initial positions (predetermined positions) in a power failure. Or, the battery 290 may be omitted. As above, the robot 100 is explained in detail. When at least one of the base 101 and the arms 102, 103, 104, 105, 106 is “first member” according to the invention, as shown in FIG. 3, the robot 100 has the first member, the optical wire 260 placed in the first member (inside of the first member), the power supply wire for encoder 220 as a power line placed in the first member (inside of the first member), the optical transceiver 250 as a photoelectric conversion unit placed in the first member (inside of the first member), and the encoder 122 placed in the first member (inside of the first member). Further, the optical wire 260 is connected to be optically communicable with the optical transceiver 250, the power supply wire for encoder 220 is connected to be conductive to the encoder 122 and the optical transceiver 250, and the current flowing in the power supply wire for encoder 220 is distributed to the encoder 122 and the optical transceiver 250. According to the configuration, the power supply wire used exclusively for the optical transceiver 250 is unnecessary and upsizing of the robot 100 may be suppressed. The communication speed via optical communications may be made higher and the noise of the detection signals may be made lower, and the robot 100 having the better operating characteristics may be obtained. Further, as described above, in the robot 100, the power supply wire for encoder 220 is branched inside of the first member and connected to the encoder 122 and the optical transceiver 250 within the first member. Accordingly, the wiring length of the power supply wire for encoder 220 from the branched portion to the optical transceiver 250 may be made shorter (that is, the placement space of the power supply wire for encoder 220 within the first member may be made smaller) and upsizing of the robot 100 may be suppressed. Particularly, according to the configuration, the number of wires passing through the joint part may be reduced and the joint part may be downsized. If the joint part is not downsized, a space for routing other wires may be secured in the joint part. Specifically, for example, as shown in FIG. 4, the power supply wire for motor 210 and the power supply wire for encoder 220 with connectors C for connection to the motor 121 and the encoder 122 are passed through a gap S provided in the joint part 113 and routed to the arm 103 and the arm 104. Accordingly, a space for the connectors C to pass through is required in the joint part 113, and the required space through the joint 113 is larger because the connectors C are larger and harder relative to the wire main bodies. Therefore, as described above, the space for routing the other wires may be secured in the joint part, and thereby, routing of the power supply wire for motor 210 and the power supply wire for encoder 220 is easier. As described above, in the robot 100, the electrical signals (detection signals) output from the encoders 122 are converted into the light signals by the optical transceivers 250 and propagated by the optical wires 260. Thereby, the detection signals of the encoders 122 may be transmitted faster. Further, the light signals are hard to be affected by the surrounding electrical wires or the like and noise is hard to be superimposed on the detection signals. Accordingly, the rotation of the respective arms 102, 103, 104, 105, 106, 107 may be controlled more accurately. When two of the base 101 and the arms 102, 103, 104, 105, 106 coupled via a predetermined joint part (one of the joint parts 111, 112, 113, 114, 115, 116) are respectively “first member” and “second member” and the second member is on the proximal end side (base 101 side) of the first member, the robot 100 has the second member and the rotary connecting part rotatably coupling the first member to the second member, the optical wire 260 and the power supply wire for encoder 220 are placed inside of the first member and inside of the second member through inside of the rotary connecting part, respectively. As an example, the robot 100 has the arm 103 as the second member, the arm 104 as the first member, and the joint part 113 as the rotary connecting part rotatably coupling the arm 104 to the arm 103, and the optical wire 260C and the power supply wire for encoder 220C are placed inside of the arm 103 and inside of the arm 104 through inside of the joint part 113, respectively. As described above, the optical wire 260C and the power supply wire for encoder 220C are placed inside of the robot 100, and thereby, the optical wire 260C and the power supply wire for encoder 220C may be protected. As above, the robot 100 of the first embodiment is explained. Note that, in the robot 100 of the first embodiment, the optical transceivers 250 are provided in all of the drive units 120, however, the optical transceiver 250 may be provided in at least one drive unit 120. That is, in the embodiment, all of the drive units 120 transmit the detection signals of the encoders 122 to the robot control unit 180 via optical communications, however, the configuration is not limited to that. It is only necessary that at least one drive unit 120 transmits the detection signal of the encoder 122 to the robot control unit 180 via optical communications. In the embodiment, the power supply wires for encoder 220 are branched at some midpoints and connected to the optical transceivers 250, 270, however, the wires are not limited to that as long as the electric power may be supplied to the optical transceivers 250, 270 via the power supply wires for encoder 220. For example, the optical transceivers 250, 270 may be connected to some midpoints of the power supply wires for encoder 220. Second Embodiment Next, a robot according to the second embodiment of the invention will be explained. FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing an electrical and optical configuration of the robot according to the second embodiment of the invention. The embodiment is the same as the above described first embodiment except that the electrical and optical configuration (wiring structure) is different. In the following explanation, the embodiment will be explained with a focus on the differences from the above described first embodiment and the explanation of the same items will be omitted. Further, in FIG. 5, the same configurations as those of the above described embodiment have the same signs. As shown in FIG. 5, in the embodiment, the power supply wires for motor 210 are branched at some midpoints and connected to the optical transceivers 250, 270 so that the electric power may be supplied to the optical transceivers 250, 270 via the power supply wires for motor 210. That is, the currents flowing in power supply wires for motor 210 are distributed to the optical transceivers 250, 270. Thereby, as is the case of the above described first embodiment, the number of wires may be reduced and upsizing of the robot 100 may be suppressed. Specifically, the optical transceiver 270A is electrically connected to the power supply wire for motor 210A and supplied with drive power from the robot control unit 180 via the power supply wire for motor 210A. The optical transceiver 270B is electrically connected to the power supply wire for motor 210B and supplied with drive power from the robot control unit 180 via the power supply wire for motor 210B. The optical transceiver 270C is electrically connected to the power supply wire for motor 210C and supplied with drive power from the robot control unit 180 via the power supply wire for motor 210C. The optical transceiver 270D is electrically connected to the power supply wire for motor 210D and supplied with drive power from the robot control unit 180 via the power supply wire for motor 210D. The optical transceiver 270E is electrically connected to the power supply wire for motor 210E and supplied with drive power from the robot control unit 180 via the power supply wire for motor 210E. The optical transceiver 270F is electrically connected to the power supply wire for motor 210F and supplied with drive power from the robot control unit 180 via the power supply wire for motor 210F. According to the configuration, the power supply wires used exclusively for the optical transceivers 270 are unnecessary and upsizing of the robot 100 may be suppressed. Particularly, the respective power supply wires for motor 210 are branched within the control box 108 in which the respective optical transceivers 270 are placed, and thereby, the wiring lengths from the branched portions to the optical transceivers 270 may be made shorter. Accordingly, the above described advantages are more remarkable. Further, the optical transceiver 250A is electrically connected to the power supply wire for motor 210A and supplied with drive power from the robot control unit 180 via the power supply wire for motor 210A. The optical transceiver 250B is electrically connected to the power supply wire for motor 210B and supplied with drive power from the robot control unit 180 via the power supply wire for motor 210B. The optical transceiver 250C is electrically connected to the power supply wire for motor 210C and supplied with drive power from the robot control unit 180 via the power supply wire for motor 210C. The optical transceiver 250D is electrically connected to the power supply wire for motor 210D and supplied with drive power from the robot control unit 180 via the power supply wire for motor 210D. The optical transceiver 250E is electrically connected to the power supply wire for motor 210E and supplied with drive power from the robot control unit 180 via the power supply wire for motor 210E. The optical transceiver 250F is electrically connected to the power supply wire for motor 210F and supplied with drive power from the robot control unit 180 via the power supply wire for motor 210F. According to the configuration, the power supply wires used exclusively for the optical transceivers 250 are unnecessary and upsizing of the robot 100 may be suppressed. Particularly, the respective power supply wires for motor 210 are branched within the arms in which the corresponding optical transceivers 250 are placed (for example, the power supply wire for motor 210D is branched within the arm 104 and the power supply wire for motor 210E is branched within the arm 105), and thereby, the wiring lengths from the branched portions to the optical transceivers 250 may be made shorter. Accordingly, the above described advantages are more remarkable. Here, in the embodiment, the motors 121 include motor drivers (not shown) that control the driving thereof, and the power supply wires for motor 210 are connected to the motor drivers. Accordingly, the driving of the motors 121 can be controlled by constant and continuous supply of electric power to the optical transceivers 250, 270 via the power supply wires for motor 210, for example. Further, in the embodiment, the optical transceivers 250, 270 have the function of converting electrical signals into light signals and the function of converting light signals into electrical signals, respectively. Thereby, the detection signal transmission paths 230 can perform interactive communications. The optical transceivers 250 are connected to the encoders 122 and the motors 121 (motor drivers) via the electrical wires 240. Two of the optical wires 260 are provided for interactive communications, and control signals of the motors 121 are transmitted from the robot control unit 180 to the motor drivers via one optical wire 260 and the detection signals of the encoders 122 are transmitted from the encoders 122 to the robot control unit 180 via the other optical wire 260. Note that the configurations of the optical transceivers 250, 270 are not particularly limited, but may have e.g. an optical sub-assembly receiving the light signal (ROSA: Receiving Optical Sub-Assembly), an optical sub-assembly transmitting the light signal (TOSA: Transmitting Optical Sub-Assembly), a control part that executes electrical signal processing and control for these optical sub-assemblies, and connecting portions connected to the electrical wires. As above, the robot 100 of the embodiment is explained in detail. When at least one of the base 101 and the arms 102, 103, 104, 105, 106 is “first member” according to the invention, the robot 100 has the first member, the optical wire 260 placed in the first member (inside of the first member), the power supply wire for motor 210 as a power line placed in the first member (inside of the first member), the optical transceiver 250 as a photoelectric conversion unit placed in the first member (inside of the first member), and the motor 121 placed in the first member (inside of the first member). Further, the optical wire 260 is connected to be optically communicable with the optical transceiver 250, the power supply wire for motor 210 is connected to be conductive to the motor 121 and the optical transceiver 250, and the current flowing in the power supply wire for motor 210 is distributed to the motor 121 and the optical transceiver 250. According to the configuration, the power supply wire used exclusively for the optical transceiver 250 is unnecessary and upsizing of the robot 100 may be suppressed. The communication speed via optical communications may be made higher and the noise of the detection signals may be made lower, and the robot 100 having the better operating characteristics may be obtained. Further, as described above, in the robot 100, the encoder 122 placed in the first member is provided, and the electrical signal (detection signal) output from the encoder 122 is converted into the light signal by the optical transceiver 250 and propagated by the optical wire 260. Thereby, the detection signals of the encoder 122 may be transmitted faster. Further, the light signals are hard to be affected by the surrounding electrical wires or the like and noise is hard to be superimposed on the detection signals. Accordingly, the rotation of the respective arms 102, 103, 104, 105, 106 may be controlled more accurately. Also, the control signal of the motors 121 may be transmitted faster. According to the above described second embodiment, the same advantages as those of the above described first embodiment may be offered. Third Embodiment Next, a robot according to the third embodiment of the invention will be explained. FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing an electrical and optical configuration of the robot according to the third embodiment of the invention. The embodiment is the same as the above described first embodiment except that the electrical and optical configuration (wiring structure) is different. In the following explanation, the embodiment will be explained with a focus on the differences from the above described first embodiment and the explanation of the same items will be omitted. Further, in FIG. 6, the same configurations as those of the above described embodiments have the same signs. As shown in FIG. 6, in the embodiment, battery wires 300 electrically connecting the battery 290 and the encoders 122 are branched at some midpoints and connected to the optical transceivers 250, 270 so that electric power may be supplied from the battery 290 to the optical transceivers 250, 270 via the battery wires 300. Thereby, as is the case of the above described first embodiment, the number of wires may be reduced and upsizing of the robot 100 may be suppressed. Note that, hereinafter, the battery wire 300 connecting the battery 290 and the encoder 122A is also referred to as “battery wire 300A”, the battery wire 300 connecting the battery 290 and the encoder 122B is also referred to as “battery wire 300B”, the battery wire 300 connecting the battery 290 and the encoder 122C is also referred to as “battery wire 3000”, the battery wire 300 connecting the battery 290 and the encoder 122D is also referred to as “battery wire 300D”, the battery wire 300 connecting the battery 290 and the encoder 122E is also referred to as “battery wire 300E”, and the battery wire 300 connecting the battery 290 and the encoder 122F is also referred to as “battery wire 300F”. Specifically, the optical transceiver 270A is electrically connected to the battery wire 300A and supplied with drive power from the battery 290 via the battery wire 300A. The optical transceiver 270B is electrically connected to the battery wire 300B and supplied with drive power from the battery 290 via the battery wire 300B. The optical transceiver 270C is electrically connected to the battery wire 300C and supplied with drive power from the battery 290 via the battery wire 300C. The optical transceiver 270D is electrically connected to the battery wire 300D and supplied with drive power from the battery 290 via the battery wire 300D. The optical transceiver 270E is electrically connected to the battery wire 300E and supplied with drive power from the battery 290 via the battery wire 300E. The optical transceiver 270F is electrically connected to the battery wire 300F and supplied with drive power from the battery 290 via the battery wire 300F. According to the configuration, the power supply wires used exclusively for the optical transceivers 270 are unnecessary and upsizing of the robot 100 may be suppressed. Particularly, the respective battery wires 300 are branched within the control box 108 in which the respective optical transceivers 270 are placed, and thereby, the wiring lengths from the branched portions to the optical transceivers 270 may be made shorter. Accordingly, the above described advantages are more remarkable. Further, the optical transceiver 250A is electrically connected to the battery wire 300A and supplied with drive power from the battery 290 via the battery wire 300A. The optical transceiver 250B is electrically connected to the battery wire 300B and supplied with drive power from the battery 290 via the battery wire 300B. The optical transceiver 250C is electrically connected to the battery wire 300C and supplied with drive power from the battery 290 via the battery wire 300C. The optical transceiver 250D is electrically connected to the battery wire 300D and supplied with drive power from the battery 290 via the battery wire 300D. The optical transceiver 250E is electrically connected to the battery wire 300E and supplied with drive power from the battery 290 via the battery wire 300E. The optical transceiver 250F is electrically connected to the battery wire 300F and supplied with drive power from the battery 290 via the battery wire 300F. According to the configuration, the power supply wires used exclusively for the optical transceivers 250 are unnecessary and upsizing of the robot 100 may be suppressed. Particularly, the respective battery wires 300 are branched within the arms in which the corresponding optical transceivers 250 are placed (for example, the battery wire 300D is branched within the arm 104 and the battery wire 300E is branched within the arm 105), and thereby, the wiring lengths from the branched portions to the optical transceivers 250 may be made shorter. Accordingly, the above described advantages are more remarkable. According to the above described third embodiment, the same advantages as those of the above described first embodiment may be offered. Fourth Embodiment Next, a robot according to the fourth embodiment of the invention will be explained. FIG. 7 is a block diagram showing an electrical and optical configuration of the robot according to the fourth embodiment of the invention. The embodiment is the same as the above described first embodiment except that the electrical and optical configuration (wiring structure) is different. In the following explanation, the embodiment will be explained with a focus on the differences from the above described first embodiment and the explanation of the same items will be omitted. Further, in FIG. 7, the same configurations as those of the above described embodiments have the same signs. As shown in FIG. 7, in the embodiment, the single power supply wire for motor 210 is branched at some midpoints and electrically connected to the respective motors 121A, 121B, 121C, 121D, 121E, 121F. Specifically, the power supply wire for motor 210 is branched within the base 101 and connected to the motor 121A, branched within the arm 102 and connected to the motor 121B, branched within the arm 103 and connected to the motor 121C, branched within the arm 104 and connected to the motor 121D, branched within the arm 105 and connected to the motor 121E, and branched within the arm 106 and connected to the motor 121F. Note that the respective motors 121 of the embodiment have motor drivers like those of the above described second embodiment and the driving thereof is controlled by the motor drivers. Further, the single power supply wire for encoder 220 is branched at some midpoints and electrically connected to the respective encoders 122A, 122B, 122C, 122D, 122E, 122F and the respective optical transceivers 250A, 250B, 250C, 250D, 250E, 250F, 270A, 270B, 270C, 270D, 270E, 270F. Specifically, the power supply wire for encoder 220 is branched within the control box 108 and electrically connected to the respective optical transceivers 270A, 270B, 270C, 270D, 270E, 270F, branched within the base 101 and respectively connected to the encoder 122A and the optical transceiver 250A, branched within the arm 102 and respectively connected to the encoder 122B and the optical transceiver 250B, branched within the arm 103 and respectively connected to the encoder 122C and the optical transceiver 250C, branched within the arm 104 and respectively connected to the encoder 122D and the optical transceiver 250D, branched within the arm 105 and respectively connected to the encoder 122E and the optical transceiver 250E, and branched within the arm 106 and respectively connected to the encoder 122F and the optical transceiver 250F. Furthermore, the single battery wire 300 is branched at some midpoints and electrically connected to the respective encoders 122A, 122B, 122C, 122D, 122E, 122F. Specifically, the battery wire 300 is branched within the base 101 and connected to the encoder 122A, branched within the arm 102 and connected to the encoder 122B, branched within the arm 103 and connected to the encoder 122C, branched within the arm 104 and connected to the encoder 122D, branched within the arm 105 and connected to the encoder 122E, and branched within the arm 106 and connected to the encoder 122F. Thereby, for example, compared to the configuration of the above described first embodiment, the numbers of power supply wires for motor 210, power supply wires for encoder 220, and battery wires 300 (the occupancy within the robot 100) may be reduced. Accordingly, the robot 100 may be downsized. Particularly, compared to the configuration of the above described first embodiment, the numbers of the power supply wires for motor 210, power supply wires for encoder 220, and battery wires 300 passing through the respective joint parts 111, 112, 113, 114, 115, 116 are smaller, and thereby, the respective joint parts 111, 112, 113, 114, 115, 116 may be downsized or, if not downsized, spaces for routing other wires may be secured in the respective joint parts 111, 112, 113, 114, 115, 116. According to the above described fourth embodiment, the same advantages as those of the above described first embodiment may be offered. Fifth Embodiment Next, a robot according to the fifth embodiment of the invention will be explained. FIG. 8 is a block diagram showing an electrical and optical configuration of the robot according to the fifth embodiment of the invention. The embodiment is the same as the above described fourth embodiment except that the electrical and optical configuration (wiring structure) is different. In the following explanation, the embodiment will be explained with a focus on the differences from the above described fourth embodiment and the explanation of the same items will be omitted. Further, in FIG. 8, the same configurations as those of the above described embodiments have the same signs. As shown in FIG. 8, in the embodiment, the optical wire 260 with one end connected to the optical transceiver 270 is branched at some midpoints and electrically connected to the respective optical transceivers 250A, 250B, 250C, 250D, 250E, 250F. Thereby, for example, compared to the configuration of the above described first embodiment, the number of optical wires 260 (the occupancy within the robot 100) may be reduced. Accordingly, the robot 100 may be downsized. Particularly, compared to the configuration of the above described first embodiment, the number of optical wires 260 passing through the respective joint parts 111, 112, 113, 114, 115, 116 is smaller, and thereby, the respective joint parts 111, 112, 113, 114, 115, 116 may be downsized or, if not downsized, spaces for routing other wires may be secured in the respective joint parts 111, 112, 113, 114, 115, 116. For example, half mirrors may be used for branching of the optical wire 260. Note that, in the configuration of the embodiment, for example, the detection signals from the respective encoders 122 are time-divisionally transmitted to the robot control unit 180. According to the above described fifth embodiment, the same advantages as those of the above described first embodiment may be offered. Sixth Embodiment Next, a robot according to the sixth embodiment of the invention will be explained. FIG. 9 is a block diagram showing an electrical and optical configuration of the robot according to the sixth embodiment of the invention. The embodiment is the same as the above described first embodiment except that the electrical and optical configuration (wiring structure) is different. In the following explanation, the embodiment will be explained with a focus on the differences from the above described first embodiment and the explanation of the same items will be omitted. Further, in FIG. 9, the same configurations as those of the above described embodiments have the same signs. As shown in FIG. 9, the robot 100 of the embodiment has an electronic component 400 and a power supply wire for electronic component 410 that electrically connects the robot control unit 180 and the electronic component 400 and supplies drive power from the robot control unit 180 to the electronic component 400. The power supply wire for electronic component 410 is routed from the control box 108 into the hand 190 through within the robot 100. The drive power is supplied from the robot control unit 180 to the electronic component via the power supply wire for electronic component 410, and thereby, the electronic component 400 is driven and actions according to the electronic component 400 may be exerted. Note that the electronic component 400 is not particularly limited to, but includes various sensors e.g. an acceleration sensor, angular velocity sensor, pressure sensor (atmospheric sensor), force sensor, tactile sensor, temperature sensor, humidity sensor, and camera (imaging device). Further, the placement of the electronic component 400 is not particularly limited. For example, in the embodiment, the electronic component 400 is a camera provided in the hand 190. In the embodiment, the detection signal transmission path 230 is provided to connect the electronic component 400 and the robot control unit 180. The detection signal transmission path 230 is routed from the control box 108 into the hand 190 through within the robot 100, and the optical transceiver 250 is provided within the hand 190. Then, the detection signals (image signals) from the electronic component 400 are transmitted to the robot control unit 180 via the detection signal transmission path 230. Further, in the embodiment, the power supply wire for electronic component 410 is branched at some midpoints and connected to the optical transceivers 250, 270 so that electric power may be supplied to the optical transceivers 250, 270 via the power supply wire for electronic component 410. According to the configuration, the power supply wires used exclusively for the optical transceivers 250, 270 are unnecessary and upsizing of the robot 100 may be suppressed. Particularly, in the embodiment, the power supply wire for electronic component 410 is branched within the hand 190 in which the optical transceiver 250 is placed and branched within the control box 108 in which the optical transceiver 270 is placed, and thereby, the wiring lengths from the branched portions to the optical transceivers 250, 270 may be made shorter. Accordingly, the above described advantages are more remarkable. As above, the robot 100 of the embodiment is explained. The robot 100 has the hand 190 as a first member, the optical wire 260 placed in the hand 190 (inside of the hand 190), the power supply wire for electronic component 410 as a power line placed in the hand 190 (inside of the hand 190), the optical transceiver 250 as a photoelectric conversion unit placed in the hand 190 (inside of the hand 190), and the electronic component 400 placed in the hand 190 (inside of the hand 190). Further, the optical wire 260 is connected to be optically communicable with the optical transceiver 250, the power supply wire for electronic component 410 is connected to be conductive to the electronic component 400 and the optical transceiver 250, and the current flowing in the power supply wire for electronic component 410 is distributed to the electronic component 400 and the optical transceiver 250. According to the configuration, the power supply wire used exclusively for the optical transceiver 250 is unnecessary and upsizing of the robot 100 may be suppressed. Further, the communication speed via optical communications may be made higher and the noise of the detection signals may be made lower, and the robot 100 having the better operating characteristics may be obtained. According to the above described sixth embodiment, the same advantages as those of the above described first embodiment may be offered. Note that, in the embodiment, the detection signals of the respective encoders 122 are transmitted to the robot control unit 180 via electrical wires (not shown). When the robot 100 has a plurality of the electronic components 400, the wiring structure shown in FIG. 9 is employed for the respective electronic components 400. Or, in the wiring structures shown in FIGS. 5 to 9, for example, a wiring structure in which one of the motor 121 and the encoder 122 is replaced by the electronic component 400, i.e., a configuration in which at least one of the electrical wire and the optical wire is branched at some midpoints may be employed. As above, the robot according to the invention is explained with reference to the illustrated embodiments, however, the invention is not limited to those. The configurations of the respective parts may be replaced by arbitrary configurations having the same functions. Further, other arbitrary configurations may be added to the invention. Furthermore, the respective embodiments may be appropriately combined. The power supply wires for supplying electric power to the optical transceivers are not particularly limited as long as the wires may supply, preferably constantly, electric power to the optical transceivers during operation of the robot 100. For example, some robots have terminals that can be freely used by users and, in this case, electric power may be supplied from power supply wires routed to the terminals to the optical transceivers. Further, in the above described embodiments, the configuration of the robot as the six-axis robot is explained, however, the robot is not particularly limited to, but includes e.g. a dual-arm robot and scalar robot. The entire disclosure of Japanese Patent Application No. 2016-252460, filed Dec. 27, 2016 is expressly incorporated by reference herein. | <SOH> BACKGROUND <EOH> | <SOH> SUMMARY <EOH>An advantage of some aspects of the invention is to provide a robot that can make optical communications while upsizing is suppressed. The invention can be implemented as the following configurations. A robot according to an aspect of the invention includes a first member, an optical wire placed in the first member, a power line placed in the first member, a photoelectric conversion unit placed in the first member, and an encoder placed in the first member, wherein the optical wire is connected to be optically communicable with the photoelectric conversion unit, the power line is connected to be conductive to the encoder and the photoelectric conversion unit, and a current flowing in the power line is distributed to the encoder and the photoelectric conversion unit. With this configuration, a power supply wire used exclusively for the photoelectric conversion unit is unnecessary and upsizing of the robot may be suppressed. In the robot according to the aspect of the invention, it is preferable that the power line is branched inside of the first member and connected to the encoder and the photoelectric conversion unit. With this configuration, the wiring length of the power line from the branched portion to the photoelectric conversion unit may be made shorter (that is, the placement space of the power line within the first member may be made smaller) and upsizing of the robot 100 may be suppressed. In the robot according to the aspect of the invention, it is preferable that an electrical signal output from the encoder is converted into a light signal by the photoelectric conversion unit and propagated by the optical wire. With this configuration, a detection signal of the encoder may be transmitted faster. Further, the light signal is hard to be affected by surrounding electrical wires or the like, and noise is hard to be superimposed on the detection signal. A robot according to an aspect of the invention includes a first member, an optical wire placed in the first member, a power line placed in the first member, a photoelectric conversion unit placed in the first member, and a motor placed in the first member, wherein the optical wire is connected to be optically communicable with the photoelectric conversion unit, the power line is connected to be conductive to the motor and the photoelectric conversion unit, and a current flowing in the power line is distributed to the motor and the photoelectric conversion unit. With this configuration, a power supply wire used exclusively for the photoelectric conversion unit is unnecessary and upsizing of the robot may be suppressed. In the robot according to the aspect of the invention, an encoder placed in the first member is provided and it is preferable that an electrical signal output from the encoder is converted into a light signal by the photoelectric conversion unit and propagated by the optical wire. With this configuration, a detection signal of the encoder may be transmitted faster. Further, the light signal is hard to be affected by surrounding electrical wires or the like, and noise is hard to be superimposed on the detection signal. A robot according to an aspect of the invention includes a first member, an optical wire placed in the first member, a power line placed in the first member, a photoelectric conversion unit placed in the first member, and an electronic component placed in the first member, wherein the optical wire is connected to be optically communicable with the photoelectric conversion unit, the power line is connected to be conductive to the electronic component and the photoelectric conversion unit, and a current flowing in the power line is distributed to the electronic component and the photoelectric conversion unit. With this configuration, a power supply wire used exclusively for the photoelectric conversion unit is unnecessary and upsizing of the robot may be suppressed. In the robot according to the aspect of the invention, a second member and a rotary connecting part that rotatably couples the first member to the second member are provided, and it is preferable that the optical wire and the power line are placed inside of the first member and inside of the second member through inside of the rotary connecting part, respectively. With this configuration, the optical wire and the power line may be protected. | G08C2306 | 20171221 | 20180628 | 59027.0 | G08C2306 | 0 | PASCAL, LESLIE C | ROBOT | UNDISCOUNTED | 0 | ACCEPTED | G08C | 2,017 |
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15,851,444 | PENDING | Anti-Androgens For The Treatment Of Non-Metastatic Castrate-Resistant Prostate Cancer | Described herein are methods of treating non-metastatic castrate-resistant prostate cancer with anti-androgens. | 1.-20. (canceled) 21. A method of treating a male human with non-metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer, the method comprising administering an anti-androgen at a dose of about 30 mg per day to about 480 mg per day to a male human in need of such treatment, wherein the anti-androgen is: 4-[7-(6-cyano-5-trifluoromethylpyridin-3-yl)-8-oxo-6-thioxo-5,7-diazaspiro[3.4]oct-5-yl]-2 fluoro-N-methylbenzamide, 4-(3-(4-cyano-3-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl)-5,5-dimethyl-4-oxo-2-thioxoimidazolidin-1-yl)-2-fluoro-N-methylbenzamide, or 4-[7-[4-cyano-3-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl]-8-oxo-6-thioxo-5,7-diazaspiro[3.4]oct-5-yl]-2-fluoro-N-methylbenzamide; wherein said method further comprises administering a gonadotropin releasing hormone (GnRH) agonist. 22. The method of claim 21, wherein the non-metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer is a high risk non-metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer. 23. The method of claim 21, wherein the anti-androgen is 4-[7-(6-cyano-5-trifluoromethylpyridin-3-yl)-8-oxo-6-thioxo-5,7-diazaspiro [3.4]oct-5-yl]-2-fluoro-N-methylbenzamide. 24. The method of claim 23, wherein 4-[7-(6-cyano-5-trifluoromethylpyridin-3-yl)-8-oxo-6-thioxo-5,7-diazaspiro [3.4]oct-5-yl]-2-fluoro-N-methylbenzamide is administered daily to the male human. 25. The method of claim 23, wherein 4-[7-(6-cyano-5-trifluoromethylpyridin-3-yl)-8-oxo-6-thioxo-5,7-diazaspiro [3 .4 ]oct-5-yl]-2-fluoro-N-methylbenzamide (ARN-509) is administered orally to the male human at a dose of about 180 mg per day to about 480 mg per day. 26. The method of claim 23, wherein 4-[7-(6-cyano-5-trifluoromethylpyridin-3-yl)-8-oxo-6-thioxo-5,7-diazaspiro [3.4]oct-5-yl]-2-fluoro-N-methylbenzamide (ARN-509) is administered orally to the male human at a dose of: (a) about 30 mg per day; (b) about 60 mg per day; (c) about 90 mg per day; (d) about 120 mg per day; or (e) about 240 mg per day. 27. The method of claim 23, wherein 4-[7-(6-cyano-5-trifluoromethylpyridin-3-yl)-8-oxo-6-thioxo-5,7-diazaspiro [3.4]oct-5-yl]-2-fluoro-N-methylbenzamide is administered orally to the male human on a continuous daily dosage schedule. 28. The method of claim 23, wherein the GnRH agonist is leuprolide, buserelin, naferelin, histrelin, goserelin or deslorelin. 29. The method of claim 21, wherein the anti-androgen is 4-(3-(4-cyano-3-(trifluoromethyl) phenyl)-5,5-dimethyl-4-oxo-2-thioxoimidazolidin-1-yl)-2-fluoro-N-methylbenzamide. 30. The method of claim 29, wherein the GnRH agonist is leuprolide, buserelin, naferelin, histrelin, goserelin or deslorelin. 31. The method of claim 21, wherein the anti-androgen is 4-[7-[4-cyano-3-(trifluoromethyl) phenyl]-8-oxo-6-thioxo-5,7-diazaspiro[3.4]oct-5-yl]-2-fluoro-N-methylbenzamide. 32. The method of claim 31, wherein the GnRH agonist is leuprolide, buserelin, naferelin, histrelin, goserelin or deslorelin. 33. The method of claim 21, wherein the anti-androgen is administered orally to the male human. 34. A method of treating a male human with non-metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer, the method consisting essentially of administering an anti-androgen at a dose of about 30 mg per day to about 480 mg per day to a male human in need of such treatment, wherein the anti-androgen is: 4-[7-(6-cyano-5-trifluoromethylpyridin-3-yl)-8-oxo-6-thioxo-5,7-diazaspiro[3.4]oct-5-yl]-2 fluoro-N-methylbenzamide, 4-(3-(4-cyano-3-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl)-5,5-dimethyl-4-oxo-2-thioxoimidazolidin-1-yl)-2-fluoro-N-methylbenzamide, or 4-[7-[ 4-cyano-3-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl]-8-oxo-6-thioxo-5,7-diazaspiro[3.4]oct-5-yl]-2-fluoro-N-methylbenzamide; wherein said method further comprises administering a gonadotropin releasing hormone (GnRH) agonist. 35. The method of claim 34, wherein the anti-androgen is 4-[7-(6-cyano-5-trifluoromethylpyridin-3-yl)-8-oxo-6-thioxo-5,7-diazaspiro [3.4]oct-5-yl]-2-fluoro-N-methylbenzamide. 36. The method of claim 35, wherein the GnRH agonist is leuprolide, buserelin, naferelin, histrelin, goserelin or deslorelin. 36. The method of claim 35, wherein 4-[7-(6-cyano-5-trifluoromethylpyridin-3-yl)-8-oxo-6-thioxo-5,7-diazaspiro [3.4]oct-5-yl]-2-fluoro-N-methylbenzamide (ARN-509) is administered orally to the male human at a dose of: (a) about 30 mg per day; (b) about 60 mg per day; (c) about 90 mg per day; (d) about 120 mg per day; or (e) about 240 mg per day. | CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application claims priority to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 61/705,900, filed Sep. 26, 2012, the contents of which are incorporated by reference herein in its entirety for all purposes FIELD OF THE INVENTION Described herein are methods of treating non-metastatic castrate-resistant prostate cancer with anti-androgens, including but not limited to, 4-[7-(6-cyano-5-trifluoromethylpyridin-3-yl)-8-oxo-6-thioxo-5,7-diazaspiro[3.4]oct-5-yl]-2-fluoro-N-methylbenzamide. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Prostate cancer is the second most frequently diagnosed cancer and the second leading cause of cancer death in males. The course of prostate cancer from diagnosis to death is best categorized as a series of clinical states based on the extent of disease, hormonal status, and absence or presence of detectable metastases: localized disease, rising levels of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) after radiation therapy or surgery with no detectable metastases, and clinical metastases in the non-castrate or castrate state. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In one aspect, described herein is a method of treating non-metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer in a male human comprising administering a therapeutically effective amount of an anti-androgen to a male human with non-metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer. In some embodiments, wherein the non-metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer is high risk non-metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer. In some embodiments, the male human with high risk non-metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer has a prostate-specific antigen doubling time (PSADT) that is less than or equal to 10 months. In some embodiments, administration of the anti-androgen provides an increase in the metastasis-free survival of the male human. In another aspect, described herein is a method of providing an increase in the metastasis-free survival of a male human with prostate cancer comprising administering a therapeutically effective amount of an anti-androgen to the male human with prostate cancer. In some embodiments, the prostate cancer is non-metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer. In some embodiments, the prostate cancer is high risk non-metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer. In some embodiments, the male human with high risk non-metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer has a prostate-specific antigen doubling time (PSADT) that is less than or equal to 10 months. In some embodiments, the anti-androgen is a non-steroidal anti-androgen. In some embodiments, the anti-androgen binds directly to the ligand-binding domain of the androgen receptor. In some embodiments, the anti-androgen is a second-generation anti-androgen. In some embodiments, the anti-androgen is 4-[7-(6-cyano-5-trifluoromethylpyridin-3-yl)-8-oxo-6-thioxo-5,7-diazaspiro[3.4]oct-5-yl]-2-fluoro-N- methylbenzamide; 4-(3-(4-cyano-3-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl)-5,5-dimethyl-4-oxo-2-thioxoimidazolidin-1-yl)-2-fluoro-N-methylbenzamide (enzalutamide); or 4-[7-(4-cyano-3-trifluoromethylphenyl)-8-oxo-6-thioxo-5,7-diazaspiro[3.4]oct-5-yl]-2-fluoro-N-methylbenzamide (RD162). In some embodiments, the anti-androgen is administered orally to the male human. In some embodiments, the anti-androgen is administered to the male human in the form of a tablet, a pill, a capsule, a solution, a suspension, or a dispersion. In some embodiments, the anti-androgen is administered to the male human on a continuous daily dosing schedule. In some embodiments, the anti-androgen is 4-[7-(6-cyano-5-trifluoromethylpyridin-3-yl)-8-oxo-6-thioxo-5,7-diazaspiro [3.4]oct-5-yl]-2-fluoro-N-methylbenzamide. In some embodiments, 4-[7-(6-cyano-5-trifluoromethylpyridin-3-yl)-8-oxo-6-thioxo-5,7-diazaspiro[3.4]oct-5-yl]-2-fluoro-N-methylbenzamide is administered daily to the male human. In some embodiments, 4-[7-(6-cyano-5-trifluoromethylpyridin-3-yl)-8-oxo-6-thioxo-5,7-diazaspiro [3.4]oct-5-yl]-2-fluoro-N-methylbenzamide is administered orally to the male human. In some embodiments, 4-[7-(6-cyano-5-trifluoromethylpyridin-3-yl)-8-oxo-6-thioxo-5,7-diazaspiro [3.4]oct-5-yl]-2-fluoro-N-methylbenzamide is administered orally to the male human at a dose of about 30mg per day to about 480mg per day. In some embodiments, 4-[7-(6-cyano-5-trifluoromethylpyridin-3-yl)-8-oxo-6-thioxo-5,7-diazaspiro[3.4]oct-5-yl]-2-fluoro-N-methylbenzamide is administered orally to the male human at a dose of about 180mg per day to about 480mg per day. In some embodiments, 4-[7-(6-cyano-5-trifluoromethylpyridin-3-yl)-8-oxo-6-thioxo-5,7-diazaspiro [3.4]oct-5-yl]-2-fluoro-N-methylbenzamide is administered orally to the male human at a dose of about 30 mg per day, about 60 mg per day, about 90 mg per day, about 120 mg per day, about 180 mg per day, about 240 mg per day, about 300 mg per day, about 390 mg per day, or about 480 mg per day. In some embodiments, 4-[7-(6-cyano-5-trifluoromethylpyridin-3-yl)-8-oxo-6-thioxo-5,7-diazaspiro [3.4]oct-5-yl]-2-fluoro-N-methylbenzamide is administered orally to the male human at a dose of about 240 mg per day. In some embodiments, 4-[7-(6-cyano-5-trifluoromethylpyridin-3-yl)-8-oxo-6-thioxo-5,7-diazaspiro [3.4]oct-5-yl]-2-fluoro-N-methylbenzamide is administered orally to the male human on a continuous daily dosing schedule. In any of the embodiments described herein, the methods of treatment further comprises administering a gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) agonist. In some embodiments, the GnRH agonist is leuprolide, buserelin, nafarelin, histrelin, goserelin, or deslorelin. In any of the aforementioned aspects the effective amount of the anti-androgen is: (a) systemically administered to the male human; and/or (b) administered orally to the male human; and/or (c) intravenously administered to the male human; and/or (d) administered by injection to the male human. In any of the aforementioned aspects, the effective amount of the anti-androgen is administered (i) once a day; or (ii) multiple times over the span of one day. In some embodiments, the effective amount of the anti-androgen is administered once a day, twice a day, three times a day or four times a day. In any of the aforementioned aspects the effective amount of the anti-androgen is administered continuously or intermittently. In some embodiments, the effective amount of the anti-androgen is administered continuously. In some embodiments, the effective amount of the anti-androgen is administered daily. In some embodiments, compounds provided herein are orally administered. Other objects, features and advantages of the methods, uses and compositions described herein will become apparent from the following detailed description. It should be understood, however, that the detailed description and the specific examples, while indicating specific embodiments, are given by way of illustration only, since various changes and modifications within the spirit and scope of the instant disclosure will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this detailed description DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION It is to be appreciated that certain features of the invention which are, for clarity, described herein in the context of separate embodiments, may also be provided in combination in a single embodiment. That is, unless obviously incompatible or specifically excluded, each individual embodiment is deemed to be combinable with any other embodiment(s) and such a combination is considered to be another embodiment. Conversely, various features of the invention that are, for brevity, described in the context of a single embodiment, may also be provided separately or in any sub-combination. Finally, while an embodiment may be described as part of a series of steps or part of a more general structure, each said step may also be considered an independent embodiment in itself, combinable with others. The transitional terms “comprising,” “consisting essentially of,” and “consisting” are intended to connote their generally in accepted meanings in the patent vernacular; that is, (i) “comprising,” which is synonymous with “including,” “containing,” or “characterized by,” is inclusive or open-ended and does not exclude additional, unrecited elements or method steps; (ii) “consisting of” excludes any element, step, or ingredient not specified in the claim; and (iii) “consisting essentially of” limits the scope of a claim to the specified materials or steps “and those that do not materially affect the basic and novel characteristic(s)” of the claimed invention. Embodiments described in terms of the phrase “comprising” (or its equivalents), also provide, as embodiments, those which are independently described in terms of “consisting of” and “consisting essentially of” When a list is presented, unless stated otherwise, it is to be understood that each individual element of that list, and every combination of that list, is a separate embodiment. For example, a list of embodiments presented as “A, B, or C” is to be interpreted as including the embodiments, “A,” “B,” “C,” “A or B,” “A or C,” “B or C,” or “A, B, or C.” Androgen receptor (AR) is a member of the steroid and nuclear receptor superfamily. Among this large family of proteins, only five vertebrate steroid receptors are known and include the androgen receptor, estrogen receptor, progesterone receptor, glucocorticoid receptor, and mineralocorticoid receptor. AR is a soluble protein that functions as an intracellular transcriptional factor. AR function is regulated by the binding of androgens, which initiates sequential conformational changes of the receptor that affect receptor-protein interactions and receptor-DNA interactions. AR is mainly expressed in androgen target tissues, such as the prostate, skeletal muscle, liver, and central nervous system (CNS), with the highest expression level observed in the prostate, adrenal gland, and epididymis. AR can be activated by the binding of endogenous androgens, including testosterone and 5α-dihydrotestosterone (5α-DHT). The androgen receptor (AR), located on Xq11-12, is a 110 kD nuclear receptor that, upon activation by androgens, mediates transcription of target genes that modulate growth and differentiation of prostate epithelial cells. Similar to the other steroid receptors, unbound AR is mainly located in the cytoplasm and associated with a complex of heat shock proteins (HSPs) through interactions with the ligand-binding domain. Upon agonist binding, AR goes through a series of conformational changes: the heat shock proteins dissociate from AR, and the transformed AR undergoes dimerization, phosphorylation, and translocation to the nucleus, which is mediated by the nuclear localization signal. Translocated receptor then binds to the androgen response element (ARE), which is characterized by the six-nucleotide half-site consensus sequence 5′-TGTTCT-3′ spaced by three random nucleotides and is located in the promoter or enhancer region of AR gene targets. Recruitment of other transcription co-regulators (including co-activators and co-repressors) and transcriptional machinery further ensures the transactivation of AR-regulated gene expression. All of these processes are initiated by the ligand-induced conformational changes in the ligand-binding domain. AR signaling is crucial for the development and maintenance of male reproductive organs including the prostate gland, as genetic males harboring loss of function AR mutations and mice engineered with AR defects do not develop prostates or prostate cancer. This dependence of prostate cells on AR signaling continues even upon neoplastic transformation. Androgen depletion (such as using GnRH agonists) continues to be the mainstay of prostate cancer treatment. However androgen depletion is usually effective for a limited duration and prostate cancer evolves to regain the ability to grow despite low levels of circulating androgens. Castration resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) is a lethal phenotype and almost all of patients will die from prostate cancer . Interestingly, while a small minority of CRPC does bypass the requirement for AR signaling, the vast majority of CRPC, though frequently termed “androgen independent prostate cancer” or “hormone refractory prostate cancer,” retains its lineage dependence on AR signaling. Prostate cancer is the second most common cause of cancer death in men in the US, and approximately one in every six American men will be diagnosed with the disease during his lifetime. Treatment aimed at eradicating the tumor is unsuccessful in 30% of men, who develop recurrent disease that is usually manifest first as a rise in plasma prostate-specific antigen (PSA) followed by spread to distant sites. Given that prostate cancer cells depend on androgen receptor (AR) for their proliferation and survival, these men are treated with agents that block production of testosterone (e.g. GnRH agonists), alone or in combination with anti-androgens (e.g. bicalutamide), which antagonize the effect of any residual testosterone on AR. The approach is effective as evidenced by a drop in PSA and regression of visible tumor (if present) in some patients; however, this is followed by regrowth as a castration resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) to which most patients eventually succumb. Recent studies on the molecular basis of CRPC have demonstrated that CRPC continues to depend on AR signaling and that a key mechanism of acquired resistance is an elevated level of AR protein (Nat. Med, 2004, 10, 33-39). AR targeting agents with activity in castration sensitive and castration resistant resistant prostate cancer have great promise in treating this lethal disease. The course of prostate cancer from diagnosis to death is best categorized as a series of clinical states based on the extent of disease, hormonal status, and absence or presence of detectable metastases: localized disease, rising levels of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) after radiation therapy or surgery with no detectable metastases, and clinical metastases in the non-castrate or castrate state. Although surgery, radiation, or a combination of both can be curative for patients with localized disease, a significant proportion of these patients have recurrent disease as evidenced by a rising level of PSA, which can lead to the development of metastases, especially in the high risk group—a transition to the lethal phenotype of the disease. Androgen depletion is the standard treatment with a generally predictable outcome: decline in PSA, a period of stability in which the tumor does not proliferate, followed by rising PSA and regrowth as castration-resistant disease. Molecular profiling studies of castration-resistance prostate cancers commonly show increased androgen receptor (AR) expression, which can occur through AR gene amplification or other mechanisms. Anti-androgens are useful for the treatment of prostate cancer during its early stages. However, prostate cancer often advances to a ‘hormone-refractory’ state in which the disease progresses in the presence of continued androgen ablation or anti-androgen therapy. Instances of antiandrogen withdrawal syndrome have also been reported after prolonged treatment with anti-androgens. Antiandrogen withdrawal syndrome is commonly observed clinically and is defined in terms of the tumor regression or symptomatic relief observed upon cessation of antiandrogen therapy. AR mutations that result in receptor promiscuity and the ability of these anti-androgens to exhibit agonist activity might at least partially account for this phenomenon. For example, hydroxyflutamide and bicalutamide act as AR agonists in T877A and W741L/W741C AR mutants, respectively. In the setting of prostate cancer cells that were rendered castration resistant via overexpression of AR, it has been demonstrated that certain anti-androgen compounds, such as bicalutamide, have a mixed antagonist/agonist profile (Science, 2009 May 8;324(5928): 787-90). This agonist activity helps to explain a clinical observation, called the anti-androgen withdrawal syndrome, whereby about 30% of men who progress on AR antagonists experience a decrease in serum PSA when therapy is discontinued (J Clin Oncol, 1993. 11(8): p. 1566-72). Prostate Cancer Stages In the early stages of prostate cancer, the cancer is localized to the prostate. In these early stages, treatment typically involes either surgical removal of the prostate or radiation therapy to the prostate or observation only with no active intervention therapy in some patients. In the early stages where the prostate cancer is localized and requires intervention, surgery or radiation therapy are curative by eradicating the cancerous cells. About 30% of the time these procedures fail, and the prostate cancer continues to progress, as typically evidenced by a rising PSA level. Men whose prostate cancer has progressed following these early treatment strategies are said to have advanced or recurrent prostate cancer. Because prostate cancer cells depend on the androgen receptor (AR) for their proliferation and survival, men with advanced prostate cancer are treated with agents that block the production of testosterone (eg, GnRH agonists), alone or in combination with anti-androgens (eg, bicalutamide), which antagonize the effect of any residual testosterone on AR. These treatments reduce serum testosterone to castrate levels, which generally slows disease progression for a period of time. The approach is effective as evidenced by a drop in PSA and the regression of visible tumors in some patients. Eventually, however, this is followed by regrowth referred to as castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC), to which most patients eventually succumb. Castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) is categorized as non-metastatic or metastatic, depending on whether or not the prostate cancer has metastasized to other parts of the body. In some embodiments, prior to treatment with a second-generation anti-androgen men with non-metastatic CRPC are characterized as having the following: 1. Histologically or cytologically confirmed adenocarcinoma of the prostate without neuroendocrine differentiation or small cell features, with high risk for development of metastases. 2. Castration-resistant prostate cancer demonstrated during continuous androgen deprivation therapy (ADT)/post orchiectomy. For example defined as 3 consecutive rises of PSA, 1 week apart, resulting in two 50% increases over the nadir, with the last PSA>2 ng/mL. 3. Maintain castrate levels of testosterone (<50 ng/dL [1.72 nmol/L]) within 4 weeks of randomization and throughout the study. 4. Absence of distant metastasis by bone scan, CT or MRI scans. Anti-Androgens As used herein, the term “anti-androgen” refers to a group of hormone receptor antagonist compounds that are capable of preventing or inhibiting the biologic effects of androgens on normally responsive tissues in the body. In some embodiments, an anti-androgen is a small molecule. In some embodiments, an anti-androgen is an AR antagonist. In some embodiments, an anti-androgen is an AR full antagonist. In some embodiments, an anti-androgen is a first-generation anti-androgen. In some embodiments, an anti-androgen is a second-generation anti-androgen. As used herein, the term “AR antagonist” or “AR inhibitor” are used interchangeably herein and refer to an agent that inhibits or reduces at least one activity of an AR polypeptide. Exemplary AR activities include, but are not limited to, co-activator binding, DNA binding, ligand binding, or nuclear translocation. As used herein, a “full antagonist” refers to an antagonist which, at an effective concentration, essentially completely inhibits an activity of an AR polypeptide. As used herein, a “partial antagonist” refers an antagonist that is capable of partially inhibiting an activity of an AR polypeptide, but that, even at a highest concentration is not a full antagonist. By ‘essentially completely’ is meant at least about 80%, at least about 90%, at least about 95%, at least about 96%, at least about 97%, at least about 98% at least about 99%, or greater inhibition of the activity of an AR polypeptide. As used herein, the term “first-generation anti-androgen” refers to an agent that exhibits antagonist activity of a wild-type AR polypeptide. However, first-generation anti-androgens differ from second-generation anti-androgens in that first-generation anti-androgens can potentially act as agonists in castration resistant prostate cancers (CRPC). Exemplary first-generation anti-androgens include, but are not limited to, flutamide, nilutamide and bicalutamide. As used herein, the term “second-generation anti-androgen” refers to an agent that exhibits full antagonist activity of a wild-type AR polypeptide. Second-generation anti-androgens differ from first-generation anti-androgens in that second-generation anti-androgens act as full antagonists in cells expressing elevated levels of AR, such as for example, in castration resistant prostate cancers (CRPC). Exemplary second-generation anti-androgens include 4-[7-(6-cyano-5-trifluoromethylpyridin-3-yl)-8-oxo-6-thioxo-5,7-diazaspiro[3.4]oct-5-yl]-2-fluoro-N-methylbenzamide (also known as ARN-509; CAS No. 956104-40-8); 4-(3-(4-cyano-3-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl)-5,5-dimethyl-4-oxo-2-thioxoimidazolidin-1-yl)-2-fluoro-N- methylbenzamide (also known as MDV3100 or enzalutamide; CAS No: 915087-33-1) and 4-[7-(4-cyano-3-trifluoromethylphenyl)-8-oxo-6-thioxo-5,7-diazaspiro [3.4]oct-5-yl]-2-fluoro-N-methylbenzamide (RD162; CAS No. 915087-27-3). In some embodiments, a second-generation anti-androgen binds to an AR polypeptide at or near the ligand binding site of the AR polypeptide. In some embodiments, an anti-androgen contemplated in the methods described herein inhibits AR nuclear translocation, DNA binding to androgen response elements, and coactivator recruitment. In some embodiments, an anti-androgen contemplated in the methods described herein exhibits no agonist activity in AR-overexpressing prostate cancer cells. 4-17-(6-Cyano-5-trifluoromethylpyridin-3-yl)-8-oxo-6-thioxo-5,7-diazaspiro[3.41oct-5-yl]-2-fluoro-N-methylbenzamide 4-[7-(6-Cyano-5-trifluoromethylpyridin-3-yl)-8-oxo-6-thioxo-5,7-diazaspiro [3.4]oct-5-yl]-2-fluoro-N-methylbenzamide is a second-generation anti-androgen that binds directly to the ligand-binding domain of AR, impairing nuclear translocation, AR binding to DNA and AR target gene modulation, thereby inhibiting tumor growth and promoting apoptosis. 4-[7-(6-Cyano-5-trifluoromethylpyridin-3-yl)-8-oxo-6-thioxo-5,7-diazaspiro [3.4]oct-5-yl]-2-fluoro-N-methylbenzamide binds AR with greater affinity than bicalutamide, and induces partial or complete tumor regression in non-castrate hormone-sensitive and bicalutamide-resistant human prostate cancer xenograft models (Clegg et al. Cancer Res Mar. 15, 2012 72; 1494). 4-[7-(6-Cyano-5-trifluoromethylpyridin-3-yl)-8-oxo-6-thioxo-5,7-diazaspiro [3.4]oct-5-yl]-2-fluoro-N-methylbenzamide lacks the partial agonist activity seen with bicalutamide in the context of AR overexpression. Disclosed herein is the use of 4-[7-(6-Cyano-5-trifluoromethylpyridin-3-yl)-8-oxo-6-thioxo-5,7-diazaspiro [3.4]oct-5-yl]-2-fluoro-N-methylbenzamide in the treatment of non-metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer in a male human. Also described herein, is the use of a second-generation anti-androgen in the treatment of non-metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer in a male human. In a Phase II clinical trial of male humans with non-metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer, oral administration of 240 mg of 4-[7-(6-cyano-5-trifluoromethylpyridin-3-yl)-8-oxo-6-thioxo-5,7-diazaspiro [3.4]oct-5-yl]-2-fluoro-N-methylbenzamide on a continuous daily dosing schedule resulted in a ≥50% decline in PSA from baseline at week 12 (i.e. about 3 months) in a portion of the patients. At 3 months, a PSA50 (i.e. ≥50% decline in PSA from baseline) and a PSA90 (i.e. ≥90% decline in PSA from baseline) were observed in 91% and 38% of the males that were orally administered 240 mg of 4-[7-(6-cyano-5-trifluoromethylpyridin-3-yl)-8-oxo-6-thioxo-5,7-diazaspiro[3.4]oct-5-yl]-2-fluoro-N-methylbenzamide on a continuous daily dosing schedule, respectively. At 6 months, a PSA50 and a PSA90 were observed in 91% and 55% of the males that were orally administered 240 mg of 4-[7-(6-cyano-5-trifluoromethylpyridin-3-yl)-8-oxo-6-thioxo-5,7-diazaspiro [3.4]oct-5-yl]-2-fluoro-N-methylbenzamide on a continuous daily dosing schedule, respectively. Certain Terminology Throughout this specification, words are to be afforded their normal meaning, as would be understood by those skilled in the relevant art. However, so as to avoid misunderstanding, the meanings of certain terms will be specifically defined or clarified. The term “cancer” as used herein refers to an abnormal growth of cells which tend to proliferate in an uncontrolled way and, in some cases, to metastasize (spread). The term “prostate cancer” as used herein refers to histologically or cytologically confirmed adenocarcinoma of the prostate. The term “NM-CRPC” as used herein refers to non-metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer. In some embodiments, NM-CRPC is assessed with bone scan and computed tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans. The term “high risk NM-CRPC” as used herein refers to probability of a man with NM-CRPC developing metastases. In some embodiments, high risk for development of metastases is defined as prostate specific antigen doubling time (PSADT) ≤20 months, ≤19 months, ≤18 months, ≤17 months, ≤16 months, ≤15 months, ≤14 months, ≤13 months, ≤12 months, or ≤11 months, ≤10 months, ≤9 months, ≤8 months, ≤7 months, ≤6 months, ≤5 months, ≤4 months, ≤3 months, ≤2 months, or ≤1 month. In some embodiments, high risk for development of metastases is defined as prostate specific antigen doubling time (PSADT) ≤10 months. The terms “co-administration” or the like, as used herein, are meant to encompass administration of the selected therapeutic agents to a single patient, and are intended to include treatment regimens in which the agents are administered by the same or different route of administration or at the same or different time. The terms “effective amount” or “therapeutically effective amount,” as used herein, refer to a sufficient amount of an anti-androgen being administered which will relieve to some extent one or more of the symptoms of the disease or condition being treated. The result can be reduction and/or alleviation of the signs, symptoms, or causes of a disease, or any other desired alteration of a biological system. For example, an effective amount of an anti-androgen is the amount of the anti-androgen that after administration for 3 months to a male human with non-metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer provides a PSA50 or PSA90 or demonstrates a robust (such as ≥90%) AR blockade (e.g. by FDHT-PET). In some embodiments, an effective amount of an anti-androgen is the amount of the anti-androgen that after administration for 6 months to a male human with non-metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer provides a PSA50 or PSA90. In some embodiments, the anti-androgen is administered on a continuous daily dosing schedule. An appropriate “effective” amount in any individual case may be determined using techniques, such as a dose escalation study. The term “FDHT-PET” refers to 18F-16β-fluoro-5α-dihydrotestosterone Positron Emission Tomography and is a technique that uses a tracer based on dihydrotestosterone, and allows for a visual assessment of ligand binding to the androgen receptor in a patient. It may be used to evaluate pharmacodynamics of an androgen receptor directed therapy The term “continuous daily dosing schedule” refers to the administration of an anti-androgen daily without any drug holidays. In some embodiments, a continuous daily dosing schedule comprises administration of an anti-androgen everyday at roughly the same time each day. The terms “treat,” “treating” or “treatment,” as used herein, include alleviating, abating or ameliorating at least one symptom of a disease disease or condition, preventing additional symptoms, inhibiting the disease or condition, e.g., arresting the development of the disease or condition, relieving the disease or condition, causing regression of the disease or condition, delaying progression of condition, relieving a condition caused by the disease or condition, or stopping the symptoms of the disease or condition either prophylactically and/or therapeutically. In some embodiments, in the context of administering an anti-androgen to a male human with NM-CRPC, treating comprises any one, or a combination, of the following: providing a PSA50 or PSA90 in men with NM-CRPC as compared to placebo at 3 months; providing a PSA50 or PSA90 in men with NM-CRPC as compared to placebo at 6 months; demonstrating superiority in the metastasis-free survival (MFS) of men with NM-CRPC as compared to placebo (i.e. not administering a second-generation anti-androgen); increasing the overall survival (OS) of men with NM-CRPC as compared to placebo; increasing the time to metastasis (TTM) in men with NM-CRPC as compared to placebo; increasing the progression-free survival (PFS) in men with NM-CRPC as compared to placebo; increasing the time to PSA progression (TTPP) in men with NM-CRPC as compared to placebo; increasing the health-related quality of life and prostate cancer-specific symptoms in men with NM-CRPC as compared to placebo. In some embodiments, the NM-CRPC is high-risk NM-CRPC. The term “metastasis-free survival” or “MFS” refers to the the percentage of subjects in a study who have survived without cancer spread for a defined period of time or death. MFS is usually reported as time from the beginning of treatment in the study. MFS is reported for an individual or a study population. In the context of treatment of NM-CRPC with an anti-androgen, an increase in the metastasis-free survival is the additional time that is observed without cancer having spread or death, whichever occurs first, as compared to treatment with placebo. In some embodiments, the increase in the metastasis-free survival is about 1 month, about 2 months, about 2 months, about 3 months, about 4 months, about 5 months, about 6 months, about 7 months, about 8 months, about 10 months, about 11 months, about 12 months, about 13 months, about 14 months, about 15 months, about 16 months, about 17 months, about 18 months, about 19 months, about 20 months, or greater than 20 months. The term “placebo” as used herein means administration of a pharmaceutical composition that does not include a second-generation anti-androgen. In the context of treatment of NM-CRPC, men that are administered an anti-androgen or placebo will need to continue to maintain castrated levels of testosterone by either coadministration of a GnRH agonist/antagonist or orchiectomy. Routes of Administration Suitable routes of administration of the anti-androgen include, but are not limited to, oral or parenteral (e.g., intravenous, subcutaneous, intramuscular). The anti-androgen is administered in the form of a dispersion, solution, suspension, tablet, capsule, or pill. All formulations for oral administration are in dosages suitable for such administration. A summary of pharmaceutical compositions can be found, for example, in Remington: The Science and Practice of Pharmacy, Nineteenth Ed (Easton, Pa.: Mack Publishing Company, 1995); Hoover, John E., Remington's Pharmaceutical Sciences, Mack Publishing Co., Easton, Pa. 1975; Liberman, H. A. and Lachman, L., Eds., Pharmaceutical Dosage Forms, Marcel Decker, New York, N.Y., 1980; and Pharmaceutical Dosage Forms and Drug Delivery Systems, Seventh Ed. (Lippincott Williams & Wilkins 1999), herein incorporated by reference for such disclosure. A therapeutically effective amount of an anti-androgen can vary widely depending on the severity of the disease, the age and relative health of the subject, the potency of the anti-androgen used and other factors. The term “acceptable” with respect to a formulation, composition or ingredient, as used herein, means having no persistent detrimental effect on the general health of the male human being treated. Methods of Dosing and Treatment Regimens In one aspect, a second-generation anti-androgen is administered daily to men with NM-CRPC. In some embodiments, the second-generation anti-androgen is orally administered to men with NM-CRPC. In some embodiments, the second-generation anti-androgen is administered once-a-day to men with NM-CRPC. In some embodiments, the second-generation anti-androgen is administered twice-a-day to men with NM-CRPC. In some embodiments, the second-generation anti-androgen is administered three times-a-day to men with NM-CRPC. In general, doses of a second-generation anti-androgen employed for treatment of NM-CRPC in adult male humans are typically in the range of 10 mg-1000 mg per day. In one embodiment, the desired dose is conveniently presented in a single dose or in divided doses administered simultaneously (or over a short period of time) or at appropriate intervals, for example as two, three, four or more sub-doses per day. In some embodiments, the second-generation anti-androgen is conveniently presented in divided doses that are administered simultaneously (or over a short period of time) once a day. In some embodiments, the second-generation anti-androgen is conveniently presented in divided doses that are administered in equal portions twice-a-day. In some embodiments, the second-generation anti-androgen is 4-[7-(6-cyano-5-trifluoromethylpyridin-3-yl)-8-oxo-6-thioxo-5,7-diazaspiro [3.4]oct-5-yl]-2-fluoro-N-methylbenzamide. In some embodiments, 4-[7-(6-cyano-5-trifluoromethylpyridin-3-yl)-8-oxo-6-thioxo-5,7-diazaspiro [3.4]oct-5-yl]-2-fluoro-N-methylbenzamide is administered daily to the male human. In some embodiments, 4-[7-(6-cyano-5-trifluoromethylpyridin-3-yl)-8-oxo-6-thioxo-5,7-diazaspiro [3.4]oct-5-yl]-2-fluoro-N-methylbenzamide is administered orally to the male human. In some embodiments, 4-[7-(6-cyano-5-trifluoromethylpyridin-3-yl)-8-oxo-6-thioxo-5,7-diazaspiro [3.4]oct-5-yl]-2-fluoro-N-methylbenzamide is administered orally to the male human at a dose of about 30 mg per day to about 960 mg per day. In some embodiments, 4-[7-(6-cyano-5-trifluoromethylpyridin-3-yl)-8-oxo-6-thioxo-5,7-diazaspiro[3.4]oct-5-yl]-2-fluoro-N-methylbenzamide is administered orally to the male human at a dose of about 30 mg per day to about 480 mg per day. In some embodiments, 4-[7-(6-cyano-5-trifluoromethylpyridin-3-yl)-8-oxo-6-thioxo-5,7-diazaspiro [3.4]oct-5-yl]-2-fluoro-N-methylbenzamide is administered orally to the male human at a dose of about 180 mg per day to about 480 mg per day. In some embodiments, 4-[7-(6-cyano-5-trifluoromethylpyridin-3-yl)-8-oxo-6-thioxo-5,7-diazaspiro [3.4]oct-5-yl]-2-fluoro-N-methylbenzamide is administered orally to the male human at a dose of about 30 mg per day, about 60 mg per day, about 90 mg per day, about 120 mg per day, about 180 mg per day, about 240 mg per day, about 300 mg per day, about 390 mg per day, about 480 mg per day, about 600 mg per day, about 780 mg per day, or about 960 mg per day. In some embodiments, 4-[7-(6-cyano-5-trifluoromethylpyridin-3-yl)-8-oxo-6-thioxo-5,7-diazaspiro [3.4]oct-5-yl]-2-fluoro-N-methylbenzamide is administered orally to the male human at a dose of about 240 mg per day. In some embodiments, 4-[7-(6-cyano-5-trifluoromethylpyridin-3-yl)-8-oxo-6-thioxo-5,7-diazaspiro [3.4]oct-5-yl]-2-fluoro-N-methylbenzamide is administered orally to the male human on a continuous daily dosing schedule. In some embodiments, 4-[7-(6-cyano-5-trifluoromethylpyridin-3-yl)-8-oxo-6-thioxo-5,7-diazaspiro [3.4]oct-5-yl]-2-fluoro-N-methylbenzamide is administered orally to the male human with NM-CRPC at a dose of about 240 mg per day. In some embodiments, greater than 240 mg per day of 4-[7-(6-cyano-5-trifluoromethylpyridin-3-yl)-8-oxo-6-thioxo-5,7-diazaspiro [3.4]oct-5-yl]-2-fluoro-N-methylbenzamide is administered to the male human with NM-CRPC. In some embodiments, the amount of 4-[7-(6-cyano-5-trifluoromethylpyridin-3-yl)-8-oxo-6-thioxo-5,7-diazaspiro [3.4]oct-5-yl]-2-fluoro-N-methylbenzamide is administered once-a-day. In some other embodiments, the amount of 4-[7-(6-cyano-5-trifluoromethylpyridin-3-yl)-8-oxo-6-thioxo-5,7-diazaspiro [3.4]oct-5-yl]-2-fluoro-N-methylbenzamide is administered twice-a-day. In some embodiments, 4-(3-(4-cyano-3-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl)-5,5-dimethyl-4-oxo-2-thioxoimidazolidin-1-yl)-2-fluoro-N-methylbenzamide is administered orally to the male human with NM-CRPC at a dose of about 160 mg per day. In some embodiments, greater than 160 mg per day of 4-(3-(4-cyano-3-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl)-5,5-dimethyl-4-oxo-2-thioxoimidazolidin-1-yl)-2-fluoro-N-methylbenzamide is administered orally to the male human with NM-CRPC. In certain embodiments wherein improvement in the status of the NM-CRPC in the male is not observed, the daily dose of the second-generation anti-androgen is increased. In some embodiments, a once-a-day dosing schedule is changed to a twice-a-day dosing schedule. In some embodiments, a three times a day dosing schedule is employed to increase the amount of second-generation anti-androgen that is administered. In some embodiments, the amount of the second-generation anti-androgen that is given to the men with NM-CRPC varies depending upon factors such as, but not limited to, the particular second-generation anti-androgen, condition and severity of the NM-CRPC, and the identity (e.g., weight) of the man. The following listing of Embodiments in intended to complement, rather than displace or supersede, the previous descriptions. Embodiment 1 A method of treating non-metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer in a male human comprising administering a therapeutically effective amount of an anti-androgen to a male human with a non-metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer Embodiment 2 The method of Embodiment 1, wherein the non-metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer is a high risk non-metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer. Embodiment 3 The method of Embodiment 2, wherein the male human with the high risk non-metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer has a prostate-specific antigen doubling time (PSADT) that is less than or equal to 10 months. Embodiment 4 The method of any one of Embodiments 1 to 3, wherein administration of the anti-androgen provides an increase in the metastasis-free survival of the male human. Embodiment 5 A method of providing an increase in the metastasis-free survival of a male human with prostate cancer comprising administering administering a therapeutically effective amount of an anti-androgen to the male human with prostate cancer. Embodiment 6 The method of Embodiment 5, wherein the prostate cancer is non-metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer. Embodiment 7 The method of Embodiment 5, wherein the prostate cancer is high risk non-metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer. Embodiment 8 The method of Embodiment 7, wherein the male human with high risk non-metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer has a prostate-specific antigen doubling time (PSADT) that is less than or equal to 10 months. Embodiment 9 The method of any one of Embodiments 1 to 8, wherein the anti-androgen is a non-steroidal anti-androgen. Embodiment 10 The method of any one of Embodiments 1 to 9, wherein the anti-androgen binds directly to the ligand-binding domain of the androgen receptor. Embodiment 11 The method of any one of Embodiments 1 to 10, wherein the anti-androgen is a second-generation anti-androgen. Embodiment 12 The method of any one of Embodiments 1 to 11, wherein the anti-androgen is 4-[7-(6-cyano-5-trifluoromethylpyridin-3-yl)-8-oxo-6-thioxo-5,7-diazaspiro [3.4]oct-5-yl]-2-fluoro-N-methylbenzamide; 4-(3-(4-cyano-3-(trifluoromethyl) phenyl)-5,5-dimethyl-4-oxo-2-thioxoimidazolidin-1-yl)-2-fluoro-N-methylbenzamide (enzalutamide); or 4-[7-(4-cyano-3-trifluoromethylphenyl)-8-oxo-6-thioxo-5,7-diazaspiro [3.4]oct-5-yl]-2-fluoro-N-methylbenzamide (RD162). Embodiment 13 The method of any one of Embodiments 1 to 12, wherein the anti-androgen is 4-[7-(6-cyano-5-trifluoromethylpyridin-3-yl)-8-oxo-6-thioxo-5,7-diazaspiro [3.4]oct-5-yl]-2-fluoro-N-methylbenzamide. Embodiment 14 The method of Embodiment 13, wherein 4-[7-(6-cyano-5-trifluoromethylpyridin-3-yl)-8-oxo-6-thioxo-5,7-diazaspiro [3.4]oct-5-yl]-2-fluoro-N-methylbenzamide is administered daily to the male human. Embodiment 15 The method of Embodiment 13 or 14, wherein 4-[7-(6-cyano-5-trifluoromethylpyridin-3-yl)-8-oxo-6-thioxo-5,7-diazaspiro [3.4]oct-5-yl]-2-fluoro-N-methylbenzamide is administered orally to the male human. Embodiment 16 The method of any one of Embodiments 13 to 15, wherein 4-[7-(6-cyano-5-trifluoromethylpyridin-3-yl)-8-oxo-6-thioxo-5,7-diazaspiro [3.4]oct-5-yl]-2-fluoro-N-methylbenzamide is administered orally to the male human at a dose of about 30 mg per day to about 480 mg per day. Embodiment 17 The method of any one of Embodiments 13 to 15, wherein 4-[7-(6-cyano-5-trifluoromethylpyridin-3-yl)-8-oxo-6-thioxo-5,7-diazaspiro [3.4]oct-5-yl]-2-fluoro-N-methylbenzamide is administered orally to the male human at a dose of about 180 mg per day to about 480 mg per day. Embodiment 18 The method of any one of Embodiments 13 to 15, wherein 4-[7-(6-cyano-5-trifluoromethylpyridin-3-yl)-8-oxo-6-thioxo-5,7-diazaspiro [3.4]oct-5-yl]-2-fluoro-N-methylbenzamide is administered orally to the male human at a dose of about 30 mg per day, about 60 mg per day, about 90 mg per day, about 120 mg per day, about 180 mg per day, about 240 mg per day, about 300 mg per day, about 390 mg per day, or about 480 mg per day. Embodiment 19 The method of any one of Embodiments 13 to 15, wherein 4-[7-(6-cyano-5-trifluoromethylpyridin-3-yl)-8-oxo-6-thioxo-5,7-diazaspiro [3.4]oct-5-yl]-2-fluoro-N-methylbenzamide is administered orally to the male human at a dose of about 240 mg per day. Embodiment 20 The method of any one of Embodiments 13 to 19, wherein 4-[7-(6-cyano-5-trifluoromethylpyridin-3-yl)-8-oxo-6-thioxo-5,7-diazaspiro [3.4]oct-5-yl]-2-fluoro-N-methylbenzamide is administered orally to the male human on a continuous daily dosing schedule. EXAMPLES These examples are provided for illustrative purposes only and not to limit the scope of the claims provided herein. Example 1 Phase III Clinical Trial of 4-[7-(6-Cyano-5-trifluoromethylpyridin-3-yl)-8-oxo-6-thioxo-5,7-diazaspiro [3.4]oct-5-yl]-2-fluoro-N-methylbenzamide in Men with Non-Metastatic Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancer (NM-CRPC) This is a randomized, multicenter, double-blind, Phase III clinical trial evaluating the efficacy and safety of 4-[7-(6-cyano-5-trifluoromethylpyridin-3-yl)-8-oxo-6-thioxo-5,7-diazaspiro [3.4]oct-5-yl]-2-fluoro-N-methylbenzamide (treatment arm A) versus placebo (treatment arm B) in men with high risk NM-CRPC, defined as PSA Doubling Time (PSADT) ≤10 months. All men participating in the clinical trial should maintain castrated levels of testosterone (<50 ng/dL [1.72 nmol/L]) by continuous administration of a GnRH agonist or antagonist, or by orchiectomy. 4-[7-(6-Cyano-5-trifluoromethylpyridin-3-yl)-8-oxo-6-thioxo-5,7-diazaspiro [3.4]oct-5-yl]-2-fluoro-N-methylbenzamide will be administered orally on a continuous daily dosing schedule, at a starting dose of 240 mg per day in treatment arm A. Matched placebo will be administered orally on a continuous daily dosing schedule, at a starting dose of 240 mg per day in treatment arm B. Patients will be followed for safety and efficacy as per the schedule of assessments and will remain on study treatment until documented progression (development of metastases as assessed by blinded independent central review) or unacceptable toxicity. Patients discontinuing treatment due to disease progression will be followed for survival and subsequent anticancer therapies every 4 months until death, loss of follow-up, or withdrawal of consent, whichever comes first. Patients discontinuing treatment prior to disease progression will continue to have scheduled disease assessments until progression, initiation of a subsequent anticancer therapy in the absence of documented disease progression, withdrawal of consent, loss of follow-up, or until death, whichever comes first. Endpoints The primary endpoint is metastasis-free survival (MFS). The secondary endpoints include overall survival (OS); time to metastasis (TTM); progression-free survival (PFS); health-related quality of life and prostate cancer-specific symptoms; type, incidence, severity, timing, seriousness, and relatedness of adverse events and laboratory abnormalities; pharmacokinetics parameters. Target Population Inclusion Criteria 1. Histologically or cytologically confirmed adenocarcinoma of the prostate without neuroendocrine differentiation or small cell features, with high risk for development of metastases, defined as PSADT ≤10 months 2. Castration-resistant prostate cancer demonstrated during continuous androgen deprivation therapy (ADT)/post orchiectomy, defined as 3 consecutive rises of PSA, 1 week apart, resulting in two 50% increases over the nadir, with the last PSA>2 ng/mL 3. Maintain castrate levels of testosterone (<50 ng/dL [1.72 nmol/L]) within 4 weeks of randomization and throughout the study 4. Patients currently receiving bone loss prevention treatment with bone-sparing agents (e.g., bisphosphonates, denosumab [Prolia®]) must be on stable doses for at least 4 weeks prior to randomization 5. Patients who received a first generation anti-androgen (e.g., bicalutamide, flutamide, nilutamide) as part of an initial combined androgen blockade therapy or as second-line hormonal therapy must show continuing disease (PSA) progression off the anti-androgen for at least 4 weeks prior to randomization 6. At least 4 weeks must have elapsed from the use of 5-α reductase inhibitors (e.g., dutasteride, finasteride, aminoglutethamide), estrogens, and any other anti-cancer therapy prior to randomization, including chemotherapy given in the adjuvant/neoadjuvant setting (e.g., clinical trial) 7. At least 4 weeks must have elapsed from major surgery or radiation therapy prior to randomization 8. Age≥18 years 9. Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) Performance Status 0 or 1 10. Resolution of all acute toxic effects of prior therapy or surgical procedure to Grade 1 or baseline prior to randomization 11. Adequate organ function as defined by the following criteria: Serum aspartate transaminase (AST; serum glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase [SGOT]) and serum alanine transaminase (ALT; serum glutamic pyruvic transaminase [SGPT])≤2.5×upper limit of normal (ULN) Total serum bilirubin≤1.5×ULN Serum creatinine≤2 ×ULN Absolute neutrophil count (ANC)≥1500/μL Platelets≥100,000/μL Hemoglobin≥9.0 g/dL Administration of growth factors or blood transfusions will not be allowed within 4 weeks of the hematology labs required to confirm eligibility 12. Signed and dated informed consent document indicating that the patient (or legally acceptable representative) has been informed of all pertinent aspects of the trial prior to randomization 13. Willingness and ability to comply with scheduled visits, treatment plans, laboratory and radiographic assessments, and other study procedures, including ability to swallow large capsules, the completion of patient reported outcomes questionnaires and long-term survival follow-up visits Exclusion Criteria 1. Presence of distant metastases, including CNS and vertebral or meningeal involvement. Exception: pelvic lymph nodes <2 cm in short axis (N1) located below the iliac bifurcation are allowed 2. Symptomatic loco-regional disease requiring medical intervention, such as moderate or severe urinary obstruction or hydronephrosis due to primary tumor (e.g., tumor obstruction of bladder trigone) 3. Prior treatment with second-generation antiandrogens (e.g., enzalutamide) 4. Prior treatment with CYP17 inhibitors (e.g., abiraterone acetate, orteronel, galeterone, ketoconazole) 5. Prior treatment with radiopharmaceutical agents (e.g., Strontium-89), immunotherapy (e.g., sipuleucel-T) or any other investigational agent for NM-CRPC 6. Prior chemotherapy, except if administered in the adjuvant/neoadjuvant setting 7. History of seizure or condition that may pre-dispose to seizure (e.g., prior stroke within 1 year prior to randomization, brain arteriovenous malformation, Schwannoma, meningioma, or other benign CNS or meningeal disease which may require treatment with surgery or radiation therapy) 8. Concurrent therapy with any of the following (all must have been discontinued or substituted for at least 4 weeks prior to randomization): Medications known to lower the seizure threshold Herbal and non-herbal products that may decrease PSA levels (i.e., saw palmetto, pomegranate juice) Systemic (oral/IV/IM) corticosteroids. Short term use (≤4 weeks) of corticosteroids during the study is allowed if clinically indicated, but it should be tapered off as soon as possible Any other experimental treatment on another clinical trial 9. History or evidence of any of the following conditions: Any prior malignancy (other than adequately treated basal cell or squamous cell skin cancer, superficial bladder cancer, or any other cancer in situ currently in complete remission) within 5 years prior to randomization Severe/unstable angina, myocardial infarction, symptomatic congestive heart failure, arterial or venous thromboembolic events (e.g., pulmonary embolism, cerebrovascular accident including transient ischemic attacks), or clinically significant ventricular arrhythmias within 6 months prior to randomization Uncontrolled hypertension (≥160 mmHg systolic blood pressure and/or diastolic blood pressure≥100 mmHg) Gastrointestinal disorder affecting absorption Active infection, such as human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) Any other condition that, in the opinion of the Investigator, would impair the patient's ability to comply with study procedures Assessment Schedule Safety Assessment Plan Patients will be assessed for adverse events at each monthly clinic visit while on the study. Adverse events will be graded according to the NCI Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE) Version 4.0. Adverse events will be assessed by the investigator as related or not related to study drug. Dose interruptions and/or reductions to the next lower dose level will be permitted as needed, provided that study discontinuation criteria have not been met (e.g., documented disease progression or unacceptable toxicity, such as seizure). An independent third-party Data Monitoring Committee (DMC) will monitor the safety of the patients, with meetings at least twice per year to determine overall safety and benefit:risk assessment. Periodic quarterly adverse event data review will also be performed by designated members of the sponsor's primary study team and will be blinded to treatment assignment with adverse event from both treatment groups combined. Any safety issues of concern identified by the primary study team will be promptly reported to the DMC, as per the DMC charter. As those skilled in the art will appreciate, numerous modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in light of these teachings, and all such are contemplated hereby. For example, in addition to the embodiments described herein, the present invention contemplates and claims those inventions resulting from the combination of features of the invention cited herein and those of the cited prior art references which complement the features of the present invention. Similarly, it will be appreciated that any described material, feature, or article may be used in combination with any other material, feature, or article, and such combinations are considered within the scope of this invention. The disclosures of each patent, patent application, and publication cited or described in this document are hereby incorporated herein by reference, each in its entirety, for all purposes. | <SOH> BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION <EOH>Prostate cancer is the second most frequently diagnosed cancer and the second leading cause of cancer death in males. The course of prostate cancer from diagnosis to death is best categorized as a series of clinical states based on the extent of disease, hormonal status, and absence or presence of detectable metastases: localized disease, rising levels of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) after radiation therapy or surgery with no detectable metastases, and clinical metastases in the non-castrate or castrate state. | <SOH> SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION <EOH>In one aspect, described herein is a method of treating non-metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer in a male human comprising administering a therapeutically effective amount of an anti-androgen to a male human with non-metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer. In some embodiments, wherein the non-metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer is high risk non-metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer. In some embodiments, the male human with high risk non-metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer has a prostate-specific antigen doubling time (PSADT) that is less than or equal to 10 months. In some embodiments, administration of the anti-androgen provides an increase in the metastasis-free survival of the male human. In another aspect, described herein is a method of providing an increase in the metastasis-free survival of a male human with prostate cancer comprising administering a therapeutically effective amount of an anti-androgen to the male human with prostate cancer. In some embodiments, the prostate cancer is non-metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer. In some embodiments, the prostate cancer is high risk non-metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer. In some embodiments, the male human with high risk non-metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer has a prostate-specific antigen doubling time (PSADT) that is less than or equal to 10 months. In some embodiments, the anti-androgen is a non-steroidal anti-androgen. In some embodiments, the anti-androgen binds directly to the ligand-binding domain of the androgen receptor. In some embodiments, the anti-androgen is a second-generation anti-androgen. In some embodiments, the anti-androgen is 4-[7-(6-cyano-5-trifluoromethylpyridin-3-yl)-8-oxo-6-thioxo-5,7-diazaspiro[3.4]oct-5-yl]-2-fluoro-N- methylbenzamide; 4-(3-(4-cyano-3-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl)-5,5-dimethyl-4-oxo-2-thioxoimidazolidin-1-yl)-2-fluoro-N-methylbenzamide (enzalutamide); or 4-[7-(4-cyano-3-trifluoromethylphenyl)-8-oxo-6-thioxo-5,7-diazaspiro[3.4]oct-5-yl]-2-fluoro-N-methylbenzamide (RD162). In some embodiments, the anti-androgen is administered orally to the male human. In some embodiments, the anti-androgen is administered to the male human in the form of a tablet, a pill, a capsule, a solution, a suspension, or a dispersion. In some embodiments, the anti-androgen is administered to the male human on a continuous daily dosing schedule. In some embodiments, the anti-androgen is 4-[7-(6-cyano-5-trifluoromethylpyridin-3-yl)-8-oxo-6-thioxo-5,7-diazaspiro [3.4]oct-5-yl]-2-fluoro-N-methylbenzamide. In some embodiments, 4-[7-(6-cyano-5-trifluoromethylpyridin-3-yl)-8-oxo-6-thioxo-5,7-diazaspiro[3.4]oct-5-yl]-2-fluoro-N-methylbenzamide is administered daily to the male human. In some embodiments, 4-[7-(6-cyano-5-trifluoromethylpyridin-3-yl)-8-oxo-6-thioxo-5,7-diazaspiro [3.4]oct-5-yl]-2-fluoro-N-methylbenzamide is administered orally to the male human. In some embodiments, 4-[7-(6-cyano-5-trifluoromethylpyridin-3-yl)-8-oxo-6-thioxo-5,7-diazaspiro [3.4]oct-5-yl]-2-fluoro-N-methylbenzamide is administered orally to the male human at a dose of about 30mg per day to about 480mg per day. In some embodiments, 4-[7-(6-cyano-5-trifluoromethylpyridin-3-yl)-8-oxo-6-thioxo-5,7-diazaspiro[3.4]oct-5-yl]-2-fluoro-N-methylbenzamide is administered orally to the male human at a dose of about 180mg per day to about 480mg per day. In some embodiments, 4-[7-(6-cyano-5-trifluoromethylpyridin-3-yl)-8-oxo-6-thioxo-5,7-diazaspiro [3.4]oct-5-yl]-2-fluoro-N-methylbenzamide is administered orally to the male human at a dose of about 30 mg per day, about 60 mg per day, about 90 mg per day, about 120 mg per day, about 180 mg per day, about 240 mg per day, about 300 mg per day, about 390 mg per day, or about 480 mg per day. In some embodiments, 4-[7-(6-cyano-5-trifluoromethylpyridin-3-yl)-8-oxo-6-thioxo-5,7-diazaspiro [3.4]oct-5-yl]-2-fluoro-N-methylbenzamide is administered orally to the male human at a dose of about 240 mg per day. In some embodiments, 4-[7-(6-cyano-5-trifluoromethylpyridin-3-yl)-8-oxo-6-thioxo-5,7-diazaspiro [3.4]oct-5-yl]-2-fluoro-N-methylbenzamide is administered orally to the male human on a continuous daily dosing schedule. In any of the embodiments described herein, the methods of treatment further comprises administering a gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) agonist. In some embodiments, the GnRH agonist is leuprolide, buserelin, nafarelin, histrelin, goserelin, or deslorelin. In any of the aforementioned aspects the effective amount of the anti-androgen is: (a) systemically administered to the male human; and/or (b) administered orally to the male human; and/or (c) intravenously administered to the male human; and/or (d) administered by injection to the male human. In any of the aforementioned aspects, the effective amount of the anti-androgen is administered (i) once a day; or (ii) multiple times over the span of one day. In some embodiments, the effective amount of the anti-androgen is administered once a day, twice a day, three times a day or four times a day. In any of the aforementioned aspects the effective amount of the anti-androgen is administered continuously or intermittently. In some embodiments, the effective amount of the anti-androgen is administered continuously. In some embodiments, the effective amount of the anti-androgen is administered daily. In some embodiments, compounds provided herein are orally administered. Other objects, features and advantages of the methods, uses and compositions described herein will become apparent from the following detailed description. It should be understood, however, that the detailed description and the specific examples, while indicating specific embodiments, are given by way of illustration only, since various changes and modifications within the spirit and scope of the instant disclosure will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this detailed description detailed-description description="Detailed Description" end="lead"? | A61K314439 | 20171221 | 20180426 | 66080.0 | A61K314439 | 6 | HUI, SAN MING R | Anti-Androgens For The Treatment Of Non-Metastatic Castrate-Resistant Prostate Cancer | UNDISCOUNTED | 1 | CONT-ACCEPTED | A61K | 2,017 |
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15,851,952 | PENDING | APPARATUS FOR CLEANING VIEW SCREENS AND LENSES AND METHOD FOR THE USE THEREOF | A lens and/or a view screen of an electronic device having at least one case can be cleaned by wiping the view screen with a cleaning component wherein the cleaning component is configured to selectively couple to the at least one case or some other substrate using a magnetic attractive force. The cleaning devices may have secondary applications such as securing fly fishing lures, activating or deactivating a device having a magnetic switch, or preventing sunglasses from sinking. They may also be manufactured without a cleaning component for use with the secondary applications. | 1. A system comprising: a portable switching device coupled to a portable electronic device; wherein: the switching device and the electronic device are configured to selectively couple to each other employing magnetic force from a first magnet disposed within the switching device; the switching device comprises a first case; the electronic device comprises a second case and an electronic circuit that is responsive to the switching device; the electronic device comprises at least one element selected from the group consisting of beveled edges, ridges, recessed areas, grooves, slots, indented shapes, bumps, raised shapes, and combinations thereof; configured to correspond to complimentary surface elements on the switching device; and when coupled, the second case functions to protect the first case. 2. The system of claim 1 wherein the electronic device has a lens. 3. The system of claim 1 wherein the electronic device has a view screen. 4. The system of claim 1 wherein the switching device has a lens. 5. The system of claim 1 wherein the switching device has a view screen. 6. The system of claim 1 wherein the electronic device includes a lid and hinge attaching the lid to the electronic device. 7. The system of claim 6 wherein the lid is recessed to configure to the switching device. 8. The system of claim 6 wherein the lid has a second magnet disposed within it. 9. The system of claim 8 wherein the lid is configured to employ the second magnet to secure the lid in a closed position. 10. The system of claim 1 wherein the switching device is wireless earplugs. 11. The system of claim 1 wherein the switching device has a tab or knob configured to be manipulated by an external force. 12. The system of claim 2 wherein a surface of the first case is composed of a material nonabrasive to the lens. 13. The system of claim 3 wherein a surface of the first case is composed of a material nonabrasive to the view screen. 14. The system of claim 4 wherein a surface of the first case is composed of a material nonabrasive to the lens. 15. The system of claim 5 wherein a surface of the first case is composed of a material nonabrasive to the view screen. 16. The system of claim 1 wherein the first magnet is employed in actuating the electronic circuit. 17. The system of claim 8 wherein the second or a third magnet is employed in the lid to actuate the electronic circuit. 18. The system of claim 1 wherein the switching device additionally comprises a laser. 19. The system of claim 1 wherein the switching device can be employed to perform at least one function selected from the group consisting of: control volume, pause, play, next slide, switch on, switch off, and combinations thereof; to an electronic device. | CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/597,005, filed May 16, 2017, which is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 14/343,665, filed Jul. 14, 2014, which is a national stage entry of PCT application No.: PCT/US2012/049562, filed, Aug. 3, 2012, which claims priority from U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 61/661,090, filed Jun. 18, 2012, and U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 61/619,229; and U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 61/592,344, filed Jan. 30, 2012; and U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 61/576,834, filed Dec. 16, 2011; and U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 61/569,093, filed Dec. 9, 2011; and U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 61/568,031, filed Dec. 7, 2011; and U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 61/561,087, filed Nov. 17, 2011; and U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 61/555,310, filed Nov. 3, 2011; and U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 61/515,752, filed Aug. 5, 2011, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The invention relates to an apparatus for cleaning view screens. The invention particularly relates to such an apparatus used with electrical devices. 2. Background of the Art Cleaning lenses has long been an issue for the users of devices employing them. For example, telescopes, glasses, binoculars, and cameras have long been used and keeping the lenses of such devices clean has been the subject of many creative efforts. More recently, there are new devices to clean. With the advent of portable electronic devices, it has become common to observe such devices being used in many public venues. Such venues include coffee shops, restaurants, shopping malls, and the like. These devices can be seen in just about any public setting. Many of the portable electronic devices have a view screen for displaying text. Some of these devices also are used for displaying photographs and in some cases movies. The newest of these devices display photographs and movies in high definition. While the view screens are usually rugged, and often covered with a protective film or screen, they are still subject to becoming dirty. Oils from human skin, environmental liquids and powders, and even airborne aerosols and dust can collect on a view screen and make it difficult to use. Cleaning the view screen of a portable electronic device can be problematic. It is often not desirable to use materials that are readily available to clean the view screen. For example, paper towels and paper napkins or sometimes composed of materials that may scratch and thereby damage a view screen. Carrying appropriate cleaning materials is sometimes a problem. Cleaning devices are sometimes too bulky to be comfortably carried. In their rush to get ready in the morning, it is easy for users of electronic devices to forget or overlook such preparations for their day. It would be desirable in the art of manufacturing portable electronic devices to incorporate into such devices the cleaning apparatus. It would also be desirable in the art of providing accessories for portable electronic devices to provide a cleaning component that can be carried on an electronic device case. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In one aspect, the invention is a method of cleaning a view screen of an electronic device having at least one case comprising wiping the view screen with a cleaning component wherein the cleaning component is configured to selectively couple to the at least one case using a magnetic attractive force. In another aspect, the invention is a cleaning component for use on an electronic device view screen comprising a cleaning material covering at least one surface of a ferromagnetic or ferrimagnetic substrate wherein the cleaning component has a maximum thickness of 1.5 cm. In still another aspect, the invention is a small electronic device comprising a case, a view screen, and internal electronic components wherein the view screen and internal electronic components are mounted within the case and the view screen is externally visible in at least one configuration of the case. Also, the case has a surface that is substantially diamagnetic and at least a part of the surface of the case has been configured to receive a cleaning component wherein: the cleaning component is configured to selectively couple to the at least one part of the surface of the case that has been configured to receive the cleaning component; the at least one part of the surface of the case that has been configured to receive the cleaning component is ferromagnetic or ferrimagnetic or overlays a ferromagnetic or ferrimagnetic material; and the cleaning component comprises a cleaning material covering at least one surface of a ferromagnetic or ferrimagnetic substrate. Another aspect of the invention is a second case, that functions to protect an electronic device's primary case, and has a surface that is substantially diamagnetic and at least a part of the surface of the second case has been configured to receive a cleaning component wherein: the cleaning component is configured to selectively couple to the at least one part of the surface of the second case that has been configured to receive the cleaning component; the at least one part of the surface of the second case that has been configured to receive the cleaning component is ferromagnetic or ferrimagnetic or overlays a ferromagnetic or ferrimagnetic material; and the cleaning component comprises a cleaning material covering at least one surface of a ferromagnetic or ferrimagnetic substrate. In still another aspect, the invention is a method of cleaning a view screen or a lens for use with a mechanical or non-electronic device having a view screen or a lens comprising wiping the view screen or lens with a cleaning component wherein the cleaning component is configured to selectively couple to the at least one part of the mechanical or non-electrical device using a magnetic attractive force. In yet another aspect, the invention is a method of cleaning a view screen or a lens using a cleaning component wherein the cleaning component is configured to adhere to portable object different from the object having the view screen or lens. Another aspect of the invention is employing a cleaning component having a magnet element to activate or deactivate a magnetic switch. In still another aspect, the invention is a cleaning component having a cleaning surface that is replaceable and held in place within the cleaning component with a tacky adhesive wherein the tacky adhesive is directly on the surface of the non-cleaning surface or the tacky adhesive is in the form of a double sided tape. In yet another aspect, the invention is a cleaning component having an external cover for protecting one both sides of a cleaning material wherein the external cover is reversible so that it may be folded over to expose the cleaning surface. In still another aspect, the invention is a case for an electronic device having a magnetic switch, and in the area of the case over the magnetic switch, a recessed area that functions to facilitate a cleaning component having a magnet moving past the switch in order to activate or deactivate the switch. Another aspect of the invention is a cleaning system having at least one element being a piece of clothing selected from the group consisting of a hat, helmet, sweatband or other headgear; a jacket or coat; a shirt or top; a skirt or pants; and a shoe or boot, wherein the piece of clothing is configured to accept a cleaning component and the cleaning component is held in place, at least in part, using a magnet. In yet another aspect, the invention may be cleaning system comprising a cleaning component and an area on a device case configured to receive the cleaning component wherein the area of the device case configured to receive the cleaning component and the cleaning component may be used as a game wherein the cleaning component is tossed at the device case configured to receive the cleaning component. In still another aspect, the invention is a stylus configured to receive a cleaning component. Another aspect of the invention is a cleaning system having at least one element being an accessory selected from the group consisting of a purse, wallet, computer case, gun case, glasses strap, gloves, backpack, and a belt, wherein the piece of clothing is configured to accept a cleaning component and the cleaning component is held in place, at least in part, using a magnet. Yet another aspect of the invention is a cleaning component for use on an electronic device view screen comprising a cleaning material covering at least one surface of a ferromagnetic or ferrimagnetic substrate wherein the cleaning component also includes a tab. In one embodiment, the tab is elongated so that it can function as a stand to hold the electronic device upright. Another aspect of the invention is a cleaning device having a hard surface and cleaning surface and including at least one ferromagnetic or ferrimagnetic material within the cleaning device wherein the at least one ferromagnetic or ferrimagnetic material may function to actuate a power switch or sensor that is capable of being actuated using a magnet. Another aspect of the invention is a cleaning device having additional functionality such as a remote control, laser pointer or the like. In one aspect, the invention is a switching device for use with a portable electronic device having a view screen and at least one switch that can be activated or de-activated by introducing a magnetic field to the at least one switch wherein the switching device has at least one magnet and at least one surface that is non-abrasive to the surface of the view screen. In another aspect, the invention is a switching device for an electronic apparatus that can be activated or deactivated by employing a magnet, the switching device having (i) at least one magnet, (ii) a body surrounding the magnet, and (iii) at least one surface configured to contact any surface of the device, including the view screen; wherein the surface configured to contact the electronic apparatus is non-abrasive to the view screen of the apparatus. In another aspect, the invention is a method of conserving power when using a portable electronic device having a view screen and at least one switch that can activated or de-activated by introducing a magnetic field to the at least one switch wherein the switching device has at least one magnet and at least one surface that is non-abrasive to the surface of the view screen, wherein the method includes using the switching device to turn the portable electronic device off when the portable electronic device is not in actual use and then on when the portable electronic device is needed. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The above and other features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent by describing in detail embodiments thereof with reference to the attached drawings in which: FIG. 1A illustrates the top view of an embodiment of a cleaning component; FIG. 1B illustrate the side view of an embodiment of a cleaning component; FIG. 2A illustrates the top view of a second embodiment of a cleaning component; FIG. 2B illustrate the side view of a second embodiment of a cleaning component; and FIG. 2C illustrates an embodiment similar to that of FIG. 2B, but having a tab; FIG. 3 illustrates a computer case configured to receive a cleaning component; FIG. 4 illustrates a flip type phone case configured to receive a cleaning component; FIG. 5A illustrates a lateral type phone case configured to receive a cleaning component; FIG. 5B illustrates the interaction of two components of the lateral type phone case configured to receive a cleaning component; FIG. 6 illustrates a cleaning component with a single offset magnet; FIG. 7 illustrates a cleaning component having multiple layers; FIG. 8 illustrates a cleaning component used with a set of binoculars; FIG. 9 illustrates a cleaning component employing a structural feature to enhance adhesion; FIG. 10A illustrates a cleaning component employing replaceable cleaning surface held in place with a tacky adhesive; FIG. 10B illustrates the cleaning component of FIG. 10B wherein the acky adhesive is in the form of a double sided tape; FIG. 11A illustrates a cleaning component employing a revisable cover; FIG. 11B illustrates a the cleaning component of FIG. 11A where the cleaning surface is not attached to the cover; FIG. 11C illustrates a the cleaning component of FIG. 11A where the cleaning surface is detachable; FIG. 12 illustrates a cleaning component including a brush; FIG. 13A illustrates a cap having a cleaning component located on the bill of the cap; FIG. 13B illustrates a bottom view of the bill of the cap having a cleaning component located on the bill of the cap; FIG. 13C illustrates a bottom view of the bill of the cap having a cleaning component located on the bill of the cap with the cleaning component in place; FIG. 14A illustrates a cleaning component having a “quick release” capability; FIG. 14B illustrates a cleaning component having a “quick release” capability with cleaning component in the released state; FIG. 15 illustrates a stylus for use with a cleaning component; FIG. 16A illustrates a purse having a cleaning component attached thereto; FIG. 16B illustrates an alternative embodiment of the purse having a cleaning component attached thereto; FIG. 17A illustrates a top view of a cleaning component having a tab and a magnetic tab hold-down; FIG. 17B illustrates a side view of a cleaning component having a tab and a magnetic tab hold-down; FIG. 17C illustrates a side view of a cleaning component having a tab and a magnetic tab hold-down with the tab in the raised position; FIG. 18 illustrates a side view of a cleaning component having a tab wherein the tab is elongated and functions as a stand for an electronic device; FIG. 19A illustrates a top view of a cleaning component which may also be a switch for electronic devices having a magnetically activated switch or sensor; FIG. 19B illustrates a side view of a cleaning component which may also be a switch for electronic devices having a magnetically activated switch or sensor; FIG. 20 illustrates a cleaning component which may also include a powered devices such as a remote control, laser pointer or the like; FIG. 21 illustrates a combination cleaner and glasses holder that is also buoyant; and FIG. 22 is a photograph illustrating an example of a device as illustrated in FIG. 21 preventing a pair of glasses from sinking; FIG. 23 is an illustration of an embodiment which may be used to affix objects to clothing. FIG. 24 is an illustration of a tablet computer and a switching device of the application; FIG. 25 illustrates a side view of a the switching device in FIG. 24; and FIG. 26 is a photograph of a trademarked doll used as a component of the switching device of the disclosure, perched on an APPLE iPad. DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS One embodiment of the invention is a method of cleaning a view screen of an electronic device having at least one case comprising wiping the view screen with a cleaning component wherein: the cleaning component is configured to selectively couple to the at least one case using a magnetic attractive force. For the purposes of this application, the term “at least one case” means the primary case used by a manufacturer to hold and protect the individual electronic components of which an electronic device is composed, but it can also mean a protective case that functions to protect the primary case. For example, a smartphone generally comprises electronics disposed within a rigid shell like case. This would be the primary case. There are available protective cases, often made of leather, rubber, and/or rigid are flexible plastic, that serve to prevent scratches and blemishes on the primary case and sometimes to impart a bit of shock resistance as well. The term electronic device means such devices having a view screen including, but not limited to cell phones, smartphones, some cameras, some telescopes, some weapons scopes, tablet computers, laptop computers, DVD players, and the like. Other examples include computer monitors, televisions, laboratory apparatus (both portable and non portable), and the like. The method of this application may be used with any electronic device having a view screen. The term “selectively couple” describes the process wherein a cleaning component of the disclosure is applied to an electronic device and adheres to it because of a magnetic force. In one embodiment of the disclosure, there is sufficient magnetic force to allow the cleaning component to remain in place despite casual movements of the electronic device, but to still be easily removed by a human operator. Turning to FIGS. 1A and 1B, a top and side view of a round cleaning component (100) are shown. As can be observed, the cleaning component is covered with a cleaner material (101). Cleaner materials useful with the method and apparatus of the application include, but are not limited to fabrics. Exemplary fabrics include microfiber cloths, open-end weave microfiber cloths, double layer cloths wherein the outer layer which would make contact with a view screen is a microfiber cloth, and combinations thereof. For the purposes of this application, the term “fabrics” is defined to further include non-plant materials such as animal skins and/or cloth prepared using synthetic materials or animal materials. In at least one embodiment, the fabric may be a shammy (a.k.a. chamois). In another preferred embodiment, the cleaning material may be the material commonly known in the art as a Micro Shamois Cloth such as is available from iKlear. Any cleaning material that can be used to clean a view screen that does not cause excessive wear or abrasions may be used with the method and apparatus of the application. A ferromagnetic or ferrimagnetic substrate (102) is also shown. Turning to FIGS. 2A and 2 B, a side view of the cleaning component, it can be seen that disposed within the cleaner material (201) is a ferromagnetic or ferrimagnetic substrate (202). The ferromagnetic or ferrimagnetic substrate may be made of iron or other conventional ferrimagnetic and ferrimagnetic materials. In may also be a composite. Exemplary composites include combinations of aluminum, nickel, and cobalt compound with iron. Such composites may be made by sintering metals or by mixing the metallic components with a resin and injection molding. Mixtures of iron oxide and ceramic components such as barium and strontium carbonate may be used to make ceramic magnets for use as the Ferromagnetic or ferrimagnetic substrates useful with the application. For the purposes of this application, rare earth magnets, such as but not limited to samarian and neodymium based magnets, are ferrimagnetic and ferrimagnetic materials and may be used to prepare the Ferromagnetic or ferrimagnetic substrates useful with the application. Any magnetic material or material that is attracted to magnets may be used to prepare the Ferromagnetic or ferrimagnetic substrates useful with the application. In another embodiment, the invention is a cleaning component for use on an electronic device view screen comprising a cleaning material covering at least one surface of a ferromagnetic or ferrimagnetic substrate wherein the cleaning component has a maximum thickness of 1.5 cm. Turning to FIGS. 2A and 2B, a top and side view of a rectangular cleaning component is shown. In this embodiment, a cleaner material (201) is shown surrounding, on both sides, a ferromagnetic or ferrimagnetic substrate (202) that is rectangular in shape. In some embodiments, the cleaning material is present only on one side of the substrate. On the other side of the substrate is a different material that is selected to facilitate movement of the cleaning component on a view screen or to protect from a hostile environment. This material may be textured or it may be one that has a higher coefficient of friction than the cleaning material. In a variation of this embodiment, the cleaning component may include a tab that can be pinched to facilitate moving the cleaning component. In still another variation, in this latter embodiment, the tab may be constructed such that it can lay down in order to lower the profile of the cleaning component. Turning to FIG. 2C, a cleaning component otherwise identical to that of FIGS. 2A and 2B is shown, except that a tab (203) is shown in the raised position. The dimensions of the cleaning component may vary according to its intended use. For example, one class of small electronic devices upon which the cleaning components may be employed is cell phones. The cell phone class includes both cell phones and devices combining cell phone functionality with computing power such as the so called smart phones. When the cleaning component will be used with a cell phone, it may have dimensions ranging as follows. Length may range from about 2.1 cm to about 0.5 cm. In one embodiment, the length may be about 1.7 cm. Width may range from 1.9 cm to about 0.5 cm. In one embodiment, the width may be about 1.7 cm. Another class of small electronic devices is the so called tablet computers. When the cleaning component will be used with a tablet computer, it may have dimensions ranging as follows. Length may range from about 7.5 cm to about 0.6 cm. In one embodiment, the length may be about 2.5 cm. Width may range from 3 cm to about 0.5 cm. In one embodiment, the width may be about 2.5 cm. In embodiments of the disclosure wherein the cleaning component will be employed on a cell phone or tablet computer, it may be desirable to make the cleaning component as thin as possible. This is of course the subject the caveat that the cleaning component is thick enough to be easily manipulated during the cleaning process. While in some embodiments the cleaning component may be as thin as a sheet of paper, but in most embodiments it will have a thickness of from about 0.5 cm to about 1 mm. The overall shape of the cleaning component when used with cell phones and tablet computers may be round, oval, rectangular, or square. In some embodiments, in order to avoid overlapping with a view screen, the cleaning component may be shaped to fit available space. The cleaning components of the disclosure may be used with another class of small electronic devices, commonly referred to as laptop computers. They may also be used with televisions, laboratory instruments, and the like. Because these devices are larger it may be desirable in some embodiments to increase the dimensions of the cleaning component. For example, the length of cleaning component used with these devices may range from about 10 cm to about 1 cm. The optimum length may range from about five cm to about 8 cm. The width may range from about 0.5 cm to about 5 cm. The optimum width may be from about 0.5 to about 5 cm. Similar to the other classes, the cleaning component may be as thin as a sheet of paper, but in most embodiments it will have a thickness of from about 0.5 cm to about 1 mm. For the larger devices, shape is generally not as critical. There are often larger areas to which the cleaning component can be coupled. For these applications, it is often desirable to make the cleaning component rectangular in shape. Still, other shapes would be within the scope of the claims of this application. Another embodiment of the application invention is a small electronic device comprising a case, a view screen, and internal electronic components wherein the view screen and internal electronic components are mounted within the case. In this embodiment, the view screen is externally visible in at least one configuration of the case and the case has a surface that is substantially diamagnetic. At least a part of the surface of the case has been configured to receive a cleaning component. Further, the cleaning component is configured to selectively couple to the at least one part of the surface of the case that has been configured to receive the cleaning component; the at least one part of the surface of the case that has been configured to receive the cleaning component is ferromagnetic or ferrimagnetic or overlays a ferromagnetic or ferrimagnetic material; and the cleaning component comprises a cleaning material covering at least one surface of a ferromagnetic or ferrimagnetic substrate. It may be desirable, in some applications, to make the cleaning components such that they have beveled edges. Such components could be particularly useful when coupled with devices having a case configured to accept the cleaning component wherein there is a ridge configured to accept the beveled edge to more securely hold it in place. Some electronic devices have view screens that are always visible. Exemplary of this are some cell phones and tablet computers that do not have covers. Other devices such as laptops have view screens that may be seen only when the cover is lifted. In embodiments of the disclosure where a case has been configured to receive a cleaning component, it may be so configured in several ways. In one embodiment, such a case is configured by placing a ferromagnetic or ferrimagnetic material onto the surface of the case where the cleaning component is received. In another embodiment, the case is prepared such that the case itself is composed of a ferromagnetic or ferrimagnetic material at the point where the cleaning component is received. In still another embodiment, the case is prepared by placing a ferromagnetic or ferrimagnetic material underneath where the cleaning component is received. Additionally, the case may be fabricated such that the cleaning component is received into a groove, slot, or other indented geometrical shape to lower the profile of the cleaning component to facilitate closing a cover or prevent snagging a cleaning component. Another reason to lower the profile that the cleaning component may be to enhance the aesthetics of the device. Turning to FIG. 3, the base of a laptop computer (300) is shown. Above and to the right of the keyboard (301) is a rectangular indention (302) having dimensions and all three directions that are slightly larger than those of a cleaning component (303). In one embodiment of the disclosure, the cleaning component has a ferromagnetic or ferrimagnetic substrate that is a permanent magnet. The case, at the base of the invention, is prepared using a ferromagnetic material. In employing the method of the disclosure, the cleaning component is coupled to the base of the laptop computer by placing it within the invention. The magnetic attractive force between the permanent magnet and the ferromagnetic material holds the cleaning component in place as a laptop computer is moved. The cleaning component is decoupled from the laptop computer base by lifting it to overcome the magnetic force. The cleaning component is then placed on the view screen (not shown) and is then moved across the view screen using one or more fingers. After the view screen has been cleaned, the cleaning component may be recoupled to the computer base. Similarly, the method and apparatus of this disclosure may apply to a second case. In this embodiment, a case constructed to protect the primary case of a small electronic device may be similarly configured to receive a cleaning component. Such cases which are sometime manufactured by 3rd party providers generally serve to protect the finish of the primary case and/or provide additional impact protection for the electrical components of the small electronic devices. In practicing the method of the disclosure, there are three basic embodiments regarding the source of magnetic force used. In one embodiment, the cleaning component may include a magnet and the case may include an unmagnetized ferromagnetic or ferrimagnetic material. In a second embodiment, the cleaning device may have only an unmagnetized ferromagnetic or ferrimagnetic material and the magnet may be in or on the case. In the third embodiment, both the cleaning component and the case may include a magnet. When a magnet or a ferromagnetic or ferrimagnetic material is applied to a case, in one embodiment, it may be adhered using a tacky adhesive. One such embodiment includes using double sided gaffer's tape as the source of the tacky adhesive. Any tacky adhesive can be used with the method of the application. In one embodiment, the cleaning component of the application may be used as a source of advertising. For example, in one embodiment of the application, a cleaning component may have imprinted upon it a logo, trademark, slogan, or the like. In another embodiment, a pre-printed substrate having a logo or decorative side, and optionally, a second adhesive side may be used. In some of these embodiments where the substrate includes an adhesive, it may be used to secure a magnet to the cleaning component. In another embodiment, the substrate having an adhesive may be free of advertisements and/or decoration. In this application, the term diamagnetic is used to delineate materials that are not ferromagnetic or ferrimagnetic. From a practical perspective, the materials that are paramagnetic have such a weak attraction to magnets that they would not be effective if utilized and thus are to be treated as if they are diamagnetic. While, generally speaking, the cleaning components are meant to be unitary, in some embodiments, the cleaning material may be removed and replaced with new cleaning material. Also, the cleaning components may be configured such that they have a thinner center to allow a user to employ lateral force to the cleaning component to more easily slide it across the surface of a view screen. In some embodiments, the cleaning component may have a profile such that the cleaning component is thinner in the middle and near the edge of the cleaning component. Other embodiments of the invention include those such as are illustrated in FIG. 4. In this embodiment, a flip case and a smart phone 400 is shown. The flip case includes a cover 401, a hinge 403, and a base 404 holding the smartphone 405. The cleaning device 402 is held in place by means of a magnet (not shown). In one embodiment, the magnet is built into the cover. In another embodiment, the magnet is attached to the cover using an adhesive. In still another embodiment, the cover includes a ferromagnetic or ferrimagnetic material rather than a magnet. While many of the cleaning components have a single magnet or ferromagnetic or ferrimagnetic substrate, this is not a limitation of the application. In some embodiments, it may be desirable to have multiple magnets in a cleaning component. For Example, at FIG. 5, a case having two magnets to hold it closed 500 is shown. This case consists of a body 504 which functions to hold a smartphone; and a lid having a top 501, a side 502, and a hinge 507. Also shown is the cleaning component 503 adhering to the inside of the side of the lid. The side is shown again at 502a from lateral perspective with the magnets visible 506. The cleaning component 503a is also shown from a lateral perspective, again showing two magnets 506. The two magnets of the case line up with the two magnets of the cleaning component in some embodiments to allow for a more secure fit to the case. Note that in the embodiments shown in FIG. 5, the magnets are offset from center. The magnets may be placed anywhere within the cleaning component as necessary to facilitate their use with a device. For example, in FIG. 6, a cleaning component 602 is shown with a magnet 601 offset near the edge of the component. In one example of a method of the application, the cleaning component is adhered to the top of a device having a case that closes, such as a laptop computer, with the body of the cleaning component rotated down when the case is closed. When the laptop is opened for use, the body can be rotated up and away from the screen. In some embodiments, the cleaning component of the application can be composed of multiple layers. For example, in one such embodiment illustrated in FIG. 7, a three layer cleaning component may be seen. Therein, a cleaning component having an offset magnet 702 and as described hereinabove is shown. It is sandwiched between two additional layers (701 & 703) that serve to protect the cleaning layer from ambient conditions that might shorten its useful life. One such environment could be one that is dusty such as in a production facility that employs saws or knives to cut dust generating objects. In an alternative embodiment, there may be multiple cleaning components so that dirty or worn components can be discarded. In an alternative embodiment, the layers of the cleaning component may be stitched or otherwise joined with the caveat that at least one external layer will have a magnet or a ferromagnetic or ferrimagnetic substrate. The cleaning components of the application may be used with mechanical and/or non-electrical devices having small view screens, windows, or lens. For example, in one embodiment, a cleaning component may be used with a site glass in a chemical manufacturing facility. In another embodiment, the cleaning component may be used with a pump to facilitate the cleaning a window used to make visual inspections of the material within the feed or flow lines. The cleaning components are particularly useful with devices having lens. Devices that have lens include, but are not limited to telescopes, binoculars, eye glasses, and weapon scopes. Turning to FIG. 8, a pair of binoculars is shown having eye pieces 801, a body 803, and objective lens 804. In one embodiment, a cleaning component for the lenses may be secured in place using a magnet directly upon the body of the binoculars. However, in a preferred embodiment, the cleaning component (804 or 806) is secured to the inside of a lens cap or an eyepiece cap (805 or 807). In such an embodiment, different sized cleaning components may be employed and by placing them under the lens cap, they are protected from the environment except when in use, thereby extending their use-life. In one preferred embodiment, a lens cap may be prepared or even retrofitted to work with the cleaning components of the disclosure by deploying a magnet on the outside of the lens cap using an adhesive. In an especially useful embodiment, the magnet serves as the base for a tether that terminates in an element useful for attaching the lens cap to another object, such as the device to which it is employed to protect a lens. In an alternative embodiment, the cleaning component may be configured to adhere to a case for the objects having lens. While the adhesive may be a tacky adhesive such as already discussed hereinabove, it may also be a permanent adhesive. Such permanent adhesives may be selected from acrylic emulsion adhesives, rubber-based adhesives, or any other suitable material exhibiting durable bonding qualities. In a related embodiment, a cleaning component of the invention may be secured to a portable object, such as, but not limited to, a set of keys, jacket, other clothing items, jewelry, belts, or other items worn or kept in a pocket, by employing a tether having a first end terminating in form suitable for connecting to, for example the key chain and a second end terminating in a magnet configured to secure a cleaning component as describe hereinabove. Two uses for this embodiment would be the cleaning of glasses and also the cleaning of goggles or other protective eyewear. In an alternative embodiment, the magnet that was on the tether can attached a clip or other device suitable for affixing the cleaning component to the portable object. In yet another alternative embodiment, the portable object may be modified to include a magnet so that the cleaning component can be secured directly to the portable object. In still another related embodiment, a cleaning component of the application can be adhered to a personal accessory such as a wallet, change purse, purse or the like. The cleaning components may be configured with sufficient structural integrality that they have constant or at least resilient shape at the magnet so that they may employed with devices having cases configured to utilize that dimensional stability to increase the security with which the cleaning components are adhered to the case. FIG. 9 shows such a device case 901 having a raised section 902 configured to fit within a recess 904 of a cleaning component 903. The magnets (not shown) are within the recessed and raised parts of the case and cleaning component. When joined, the fitting of the raised section and recessed sections add an additional level of security to the magnetic adhesion. Another embodiment of the disclosure includes incorporating a magnet or ferromagnetic or ferrimagnetic material into a rigid or semi rigid construction configured to accept a cleaning material as defined hereinabove. In some applications of this embodiment the rigid or semi-rigid construction can be used to facilitate moving the cleaning material during the process of cleaning. In addition to their cleaning functionality, the cleaning components of the application have a functionality of being able to active magnetic switches on devices having such switches. This is particularly useful in saving battery life as it does not require the cover of such devices to be closed (the normal mode for activation of such switches). In the use of tablet devices having a magnetic switch, the cleaning components are particularly useful as the tablet can be put into hibernation mode with a single touch to the cleaning component as compared to the multiple touches required to do the same thing using the touch pad of the tablet. In one embodiment where a cleaning component of the application is employed on a tablet using the Apple® Smart Cover, it may be employed on the outside of the smart cover to function as a handle for more easily manipulating the cover. Magnets at the bottom of the Smart Cover allow for a very efficient employment of the cleaning component. Another embodiment of the cleaning components of the application is one where the cleaning component has a cleaning surface that is replaceable and held in place within the cleaning component with a tacky adhesive wherein the tacky adhesive is directly on the surface of the non-cleaning surface or the tacky adhesive is in the form of a double sided tape. Turning to FIG. 10A, there is an illustration of an enhancement to any of the other cleaning components discussed herein, wherein a cleaning surface 1001 is held in place on a non-cleaning surface 1002 using a tacky adhesive 1003. In FIG. 10B, an alternative embodiment is shown wherein the tacky adhesive is in the form of a double sided tape 1004. In still another embodiment, the cleaning component is one having an external cover for protecting one or both sides of a cleaning material wherein the external cover is reversible so that it may be folded over to expose the cleaning surface. Turning to FIG. 11A, a configuration where single side of two cleaning surfaces 1102 is protected by an external cover 1101. The external cover 1101 includes a hinge 1103 which may be a cloth hinge or a mechanical hinge or any other type of hinge known to those of ordinary skill in the art which would not interfere with the cleaning functionality of the cleaning component. In one embodiment, the configuration of FIG. 11A when not reversed is particularly useful for cleaning both sides of a lens such as in a pair of eyeglasses. In some embodiments, the cleaning surfaces may be specialized with one side of the cleaning surface being more useful removing oily materials while the other side is more useful for removing water based materials from a lens or view screen surface. The cleaning component may be, in some embodiments, stored in an eyeglasses case configured to receive the cleaning component. In some embodiments, this case may include a magnet and in other embodiments, the case may be prepared using a ferromagnetic or ferrimagnetic substrate. Turning to FIG. 11B, in this embodiment the same a single sheet of cleaning material 1102 is shown where the cleaning material hangs from the hinge area of the cleaning component 1103. In either of these embodiments, the external component may be fully opened and folded back upon itself to serve as a support of the cleaning surface. Turning to FIG. 11C, still another useful configuration is shown where the cleaning material, 1102 is shown to be detachable. In some embodiments, the cleaning material is held in place with a magnet or ferromagnetic or ferrimagnetic substrate. If there is a magnet in both the cleaning material and the cover, in some embodiments, at least one of the magnets will be on a swivel to facilitate the easy replacement of the cleaning material within the cover. In another embodiment, the cleaning component is a configured to work with optical devices such as scopes and binoculars wherein the cleaning component includes at least one cleaning surface and brush. Such a cleaning component is illustrated in FIG. 12. The body of the cleaning component 1201 has at least one surface that is a cleaning surface and in some embodiments, the entire body is a cleaning surface. The body also acts as a support for a brush 1202. The bristles of the brush may be employed to remove sand, dust or other materials from a lens or view screen. After this removal, the cleaning surfaces may be used to further clean the lens or view screen. In one particularly desirable embodiment, the cleaning component is sized to fit within a lens cap and may be held in place in the lens cap employing an magnet (not shown), In still another embodiment, the cleaning component has a cleaning only one side and the other side a tab or other construction to facilitate holding the component. And, yet another embodiment, there is no cleaning surface and this configuration functions only as a brush. In another embodiment, a cleaning system having at least one element being a piece of clothing may be selected from the group consisting of a hat, helmet, sweatband or other headgear; a jacket or coat; a shirt or top; a skirt or pants; and a shoe or boot, wherein the piece of clothing is configured to accept a cleaning component and the cleaning component is held in place, at least in part, using a magnet. The magnet may be incorporated using any method known to those of ordinary skill in the art of preparing clothing. Turning to FIG. 13A, a cap 1300 having a bill 1301 is shown. In this embodiment, at FIG. 13B, a magnet 1303 is located on or in the bill of the hat. FIG. 13C illustrates a cleaning component 1304 in place on the bill. The cleaning components of the application may be placed in any type of clothing. For example, the cleaning devices may be employed with a boot having an magnet located on the upper quadrant of the boot. In another example, the magnet may be incorporated into a pocket of a pair of trousers analogous to a watch pocket within a pocket of times past. Any employment of a magnet to secure the cleaning devices of the application within a piece of clothing is within the scope of the invention. Turning to FIG. 14, an embodiment of the disclosure is illustrated that is a quick release cleaning component. In this embodiment, at FIG. 14A, a cleaning component which includes a flexible cover 1400 and a cleaning material 1402 within the flexible cover bends or folds such that two magnets 1401 at the ends may function to keep it folded when not in use. A third magnet in the middle of the cleaning component serves to secure it to the body of a holding component having index number 1403. The holding component is composed of the same flexible cover material, at least in some embodiments, and usually will not include a cleaning material. The holding component will also have magnets 1401 at the ends. FIG. 14B shows this cleaning component engaged upon a substrate 1404, often a key ring, a caribbeaner, or a ring on a jacket or other article of clothing. When engaged with the cleaning component, the holding component wraps around the substrate and the magnets at the end of the holding component hold the cleaning component in place employing the magnet at the middle of the cleaning component. The cleaning component can be quickly removed by pulling it with a force sufficient to overcome the attraction of the magnets. As the cleaning component leaves the holding component, the magnets of the holding component will be attracted to each other thereby keeping the holding component wrapped around the substrate. Turning to FIG. 15, a stylus 1500 is shown that is configured to accept a cleaning component of the disclosure (not shown). In this figure, the stylus may be prepared wherein the entire stylus exterior is a magnet or a substrate that would be attracted to a magnet. In an alternative embodiment, the stylus includes a clip 1501 or other decorative component which can serve as a substrate to accept and hold a cleaning component. Note that the stylus may also be a writing implement. Another aspect of the invention is a cleaning system having at least one element being an accessory. The accessory may be selected from the group consisting of a purse, wallet, computer case, gun case, glasses strap, gloves, backpack, and a belt, wherein the accessory is configured to accept a cleaning component and the cleaning component is held in place, at least in part, using a magnet. In FIG. 16A, a purse 1600 is shown having attached thereto a cleaning component 1601 of the application. The cleaning component is shown attached to the handle 1602 of the purse. The cleaning component is shown in this illustration as being attached via a simple loop 1603 from the handle, but it can be attach using any means known to those of ordinary skill in the art or otherwise already disclosed herein. For example, the cleaning component may be attached to the pull tab of a zipper. It may also be attached to a decorative ring. On a backpack, it may be attached to a ring which also allows for the attachment of a shoulder strap. Also shown in FIG. 16A is the use of a logo for advertising purposes wherein the logo is clearly visible on the cleaning component. In FIG. 16B, an alternative embodiment of the purse is shown wherein the cleaning component is attached to a purse having a flap 1604. In this embodiment, the cleaning component, shown in a cut-away view, is protected from environmental damage by being between the flap and the side of the purse. In one embodiment, the purse includes a magnet that then couples with the magnet of the cleaning component to hold it in place. The cleaning components may be enhanced by adding additional features. For example, the cleaning component having a tab illustrated in FIG. 2C may be further enhanced by employing a magnetic hold-down. Turning to FIG. 17A, a cleaning component 1700 having a tab 1701 is shown with the tab in the closed position. FIG. 17B is a side view of the same cleaning component. Also shown in this view are the magnet 1702 and cleaning material 1703. It can be seen in this view that the tab has a hinge 1704 at its center. In FIG. 17C, the cleaning component is shown with the tab in the raised position and also showing a magnet 1705 within the raised portion of the tab. The magnet, when the tab is closed, functions to hold the tab down which may prevent the tab from being broken or the tab being caught by another object resulting in the cleaning component being unintentionally removed from its substrate. In another embodiment featuring a tab, FIG. 18 illustrates an electronic device 1801 having a cleaning component 1802 with an elongated tab 1803. The tab is hinged (not shown) so that it may be positioned to act as a stand. FIG. 18 illustrates a “portrait” configration, but in another embodiment, the stand may be used to hold the device in a “landscape” configuration. Any cleaning component useful with the application may be prepared using additives that may be applied to the cleaning material to make it more suitable to a specific cleaning job. For example, in some embodiments, the cleaning material may be treated to make it better at removing oily smudges from a lens while in other embodiments, the cleaning material may be modified to make it better for removing hydrophilic dirt or smudges. In still other embodiments, the cleaning material(s) in a cleaning component maybe selected to have part of the component be useful for oily smudges while another part of the cleaning component is more useful for hydrophilic dirt or smudges. In embodiments where the cleaning components have more than one cleaning surface, then the cleaning materials and/or additives may be selected so that they are useful for cleaning both types of smudges/dirt. In some embodiments of the cleaning components of the application, the use of magnets or ferromagnetic or ferrimagnetic substrates is done with magnetic orientation utilized to facilitate the removal or replacement of the cleaning component to/or a case or other substrate. For example, when possible it is desirable to employ only a single magnet at a contact/adhesion point where the magnet is affixed using a ferromagnetic or ferrimagnetic substrate. This avoids entirely the problem of magnetic orientation when returning the cleaning component. When the strength of two magnets is necessary, then the use of a swivel as described above may be desirable. Other means of mitigating the issues arising with magnetic orientation include but are not limited to printing a notice on the device (such as “this side up” or configuring the shape of the cleaning component such that it is obvious which side of the cleaning component will have an attraction to the magnet fixed on or within the case to which it is being applied. Any cleaning device of the application may be prepared using an additional layer that functions to stiffen the cleaning device. As the objects to be cleaned, be they viewscreens or lens, get larger, it may be desirable to stiffen the cleaning device. Materials useful as a stiffening layer include, but are not limited to plastic, metal, wood and heavy fabrics. The cleaning components of the disclosure, when prepared with especially strong magnets, can have a dual purpose of being a game component. For example, in an embodiment where a smart phone is within a case having a recessed area configured to receive a cleaning component, the recessed area and the cleaning component may be shaped to resemble a ball or other game object. If the cleaning component is tossed accurately, it will be attached into the recessed area and such a toss could be a goal or score. Any such game is within the scope of the invention. In order to make the cleaning components more desirable to young users, they may be converted into or incorporated into dolls or toys with the caveat that the doll or toy is configured to be attached to or perched upon an electronic device and secured thereon using a magnet. While trademarked and/or copyrighted toys and dolls may be used (subject to proper licensing), even generic toys and dolls may be used, particularly if they will function to encourage proper maintenance of devices by, at least in some instances, young users. For example a Mini Beanie Baby™ from TY™ may be configured to sit upon a rectangular cleaning component wherein the cleaning component resembles a “rug.” In another embodiment, covers and cases for electronic devices may be configured to resemble a cage or a house and an appropriately selected figure prepared using a cleaning material on at least one surface and at least one magnet. The figure/cleaning component could be adhered to the cover or case such that it appears to be using the cage/house. One example would be the use of a Snoopy™ shaped cleaning component on a case or cover having a doghouse design or shape. In another embodiment, an Angry Bird™ figure could be configured to sit upon (aka perch) upon the top of a case or cover being secured from falling by the magnet containing within the cleaning component. In yet another example of employing the cleaning components of the application, a cleaning component may be used on the contact surface of interactive toys used with electronic devices. The advantage of this embodiment would be that the toy would simultaneously clean a view screen/monitor while providing entertainment. In still another embodiment, such devices may be employed for purposes of therapy rather than entertainment, or they may be used for both. The cleaners of the application, in some embodiments, may be prepared from wood, plastic or even metal. Turning to FIGS. 19A&B, a combination switch and cleaner for an electronic device is shown. The switch/cleaner may be made with, for example, acrylic plastic. In this embodiment, the switch is shown from above in FIG. 19A where the hard shell is 1901 and three magnets are enclosed within the shell and have the reference number 1902. FIG. 19B is a side view that also shows the cleaning material, 1903. Cleaners such as those illustrated in FIG. 19 may be employed with devices that have power switches or sensors that may be actuated using a magnet. In some embodiments, the magnets of these cleaners may serve a dual function of both actuating a sensor or switch and holding the cleaner in place when not in use. As devices change, the number and location of the magnets could be modified to fit new devices. In addition to the shape shown in the drawing, the cleaner/switches may be further modified to facilitate use by incorporating recesses (not shown). In an alternative embodiment, the switch may also have a knob, or “bumps” or surface features that allow for an easier “grip” by the finger, two fingers, one or two fingers and thumb used to move the cleaner/switch. In some embodiments, a tacky adhesive may even be employed upon the surface. Another embodiment of the application is a cleaning device having additional functionality such as a remote control, laser pointer or the like. Turning to FIG. 20, a device 2000 including both a laser pointer and a remote control is shown. This device includes and a case, 2001, a battery 2002, a remote transmitter and/or receiver 2004 and a laser 2007. Power is provided to the remote over circuit 2003 and to the laser over circuit 2008. The remote device is controlled using the buttons shown at 2005. An off/on switch is provided for the laser at 2006 which actuates a switch on the top of the laser (not shown). This device may or may not include cleaning capabilities but will include a rare earth magnet or magnets such as are already disclosed. Ideally, the device may be deployed with an apparatus with which the additional functionality is complementary. For example, a laser pointer and a remote functionality for sending signals to a laptop computer to aid in providing visual aids during a conference presentation or lecture. Capabilities that can be included with this embodiment include, but are not limited to: pointing devices such as a laser pointer; remote functionality such as a transmitter that can send mouse inputs to control a presentation; a wife hotspot, and the like. The remote function can be particularly useful for volume control, off/on switching, pause/play, and next/previous slide functionality. Still other functionality that may be incorporated into such a device may include, but not be limited to a flash drive or other solid-state recording device, earplugs, Bluetooth earplugs, credit card reader, microphone, and the like. In some embodiments, the devices of the application may be held in place using both magnetic and frictional forces. For the purposes of this, the term frictional forces includes those such as are obtained by including a ridge on a cleaning device that fits into a slot on a case. For example, a smart phone case having a slot which is configured to receive a cleaning device of the application wherein the cleaning device has a ridge that fits into that slot. By having both magnetic and frictional forces in play, such a cleaning device could be employed where it would otherwise be likely that the cleaning device would be separated from the smart phone case. Also within the scope of the application are embodiments wherein the cleaning material is replaceable. In these embodiments, the cleaning material may be such that it is held in place by an adhesive or the cleaning material may be rigid and fit within a slot configured to receive it. This is true of any of the previously disclosed embodiments. The cleaning devices of the application may be prepared using material that is foamed or otherwise buoyant. For example, in one application, a glasses holder can be configured to prevent a pair of glasses from sinking if dropped into water. For Example, in FIG. 21, a cleaning device 2100 is shown that has an outside cover 2101 and two cleaning surfaces within 2104. Within the outside cover are two foamed inserts 2103 and two magnets 2102 which function to hold the cover together when the cleaning device is not in use. FIG. 22 is a photograph showing such a device in use. Note that the cleaning device prevents the glasses from sinking. Embodiments of the disclosure that are hourglass in shape may be prepared using exceptionally strong magnets. Turning to FIG. 23, these embodiments, in addition to being useful for cleaning lenses, may also be employed to affix items such as glasses, golf tees, flies for fly-fishing and other fish hooks, and the like to clothing and hats. The device 2300 is employed by opening the device and then placing the magnets 2302 on either side of a substrate like the sleeve or pocket of a shirt. The body of the cleaner, which is flexible, then “snaps” shut as the magnets divided only the thin material of the shirt or hat. By inserting a pen, pair of glasses or the like before bringing the magnets together, the item can be held in place. In one particularly useful embodiment, two such devices can be applied to the lens of a pair of glasses thereby protecting the lens from scratches and other perils of the environment. In another embodiment, the cleaners of the application can be applied to a non-magnetic surface using an adhesive, a clamp, an elastic snap on design or the like. The previous embodiment is just one example of how to prepare a buoyant cleaner. Any buoyant material can be employed in the making such an apparatus. For example the cleaning material themselves can be encapsulated around the buoyant core. Many the features of the illustrated devices of the application can be employed on other embodiments. For example, the use of buoyant materials may be employed with cleaning devices such as those illustrated in FIGS. 13 and 14. Also, any of the embodiment of the application with sufficient internal volume, may include a reservoir for a cleaning fluid which may be dispensed as a spray or any other method known to those of ordinary skill in the art. One embodiment of the invention is a switching device for use a portable electronic device having a view screen, a switch for turning the portable device off and on that can be activated or deactivated by the application of a magnetic field and at least one case. The term portable electronic device means such devices having a view screen including, but not limited to, tablet computers, laptop computers, portable DVD players, and the like. The switching devices of the application selectively couple with the case or cases of the portable electronic devices. The term “selectively couple” describes the process wherein a switching device of the disclosure is applied to a portable electronic device and adheres to it because of a magnetic force. In one embodiment of the disclosure, there is sufficient magnetic force to allow the witching device to remain in place despite casual movements of the portable electronic device, but to still be easily removed by a human operator. Turning to FIG. 24, a front view of a portable electronic device, in this case a table computer (2400) is shown. As can be observed, the switching device (2401) is selectively coupled to the front of the portable electronic device 2402 outside of the view screen 2403. The magnetic switch is normally disposed with the portable electronic device but is shown here for illustration purposes (2404). In employing the method of the application, the switching component may be picked up and, depending upon the model and functionality of the magnetic switch, the switching device is either applied directly to the magnetic switch or applied to either side of the switch and then slid past it to activate or deactivate the portable electronic device. Turning to FIG. 25, a side view of the switching device 2401 of FIG. 25 may be seen. The body of the switching device has a bottom surface (2501) and a top surface 2502. This particular embodiment has a tab (2503) on the top surface to facilitate its manipulation. Disposed within the switching device is a ferromagnetic or ferrimagnetic substrate (2504). In this embodiment, the bottom of the switching device is in contact with portable electronic device and is composed of a material that is not abrasive to the portable electronic device generally and the view screen in particular. Except for this limitation, the switching devices may be prepared with any material known to be useful to those of ordinary skill in the art for such applications. In some embodiments, the switching device may include a tab that can be pinched to facilitate moving the switching device. In still another variation, in this latter embodiment, the tab may be constructed such that it can lie down in order to lower the profile of the switching device. The dimensions of the switching device may vary according to its intended use. For some embodiments, length may range from about 12.5 cm to about 5 cm. In one embodiment, the length may be about 7 cm. Width may range from 1.5 cm to about 4 cm. In one embodiment, the width may be about 2 cm. The overall shape of the switching device may be round, oval, rectangular, or square. In some embodiments, in order to avoid overlapping with a view screen, the switching device may be shaped to fit available space. Another embodiment of the application invention is a small electronic device comprising a case, a view screen, and internal electronic components wherein the view screen and internal electronic components are mounted within the case. In this embodiment, the view screen is externally visible in at least one configuration of the case and the case has a surface that is substantially diamagnetic. At least a part of the surface of the case has been configured to receive a switching device. Further, the switching device is configured to selectively couple to the at least one part of the surface of the case that has been configured to receive the switching device; the at least one part of the surface of the case that has been configured to receive the switching device is ferromagnetic or ferrimagnetic or overlays a ferromagnetic or ferrimagnetic material. It may be desirable, in some applications, to make the switching devices such that they have beveled edges. Such components could be particularly useful when coupled with devices having a case configured to accept the switching device wherein there is a ridge configured to accept the beveled edge to more securely hold it in place. In embodiments of the disclosure where a case has been configured to receive a switching device, it may be so configured in several ways. In one embodiment, such a case is configured by placing a ferromagnetic or ferrimagnetic material onto the surface of the case where the switching device is received. In another embodiment, the case is prepared such that the case itself is composed of a ferromagnetic or ferrimagnetic material at the point where the switching device is received. In still another embodiment, the case is prepared by placing a ferromagnetic or ferrimagnetic material underneath where the switching device is received. Additionally, the case may be fabricated such that the switching device is received into a groove, slot, or other indented geometrical shape to lower the profile of the switching device to facilitate closing a cover or prevent snagging a switching device. Another reason to lower the profile that the switching device may be to enhance the aesthetics of the device. In employing the method of the disclosure, the switching device is coupled to the base of, for example, a laptop computer by placing it within the invention. The magnetic attractive force between the permanent magnet and the ferromagnetic material holds the switching device in place as a laptop computer is moved. The switching device is decoupled from the laptop computer base by lifting it to overcome the magnetic force. The switching device is then placed on the view screen (not shown) and is then moved across the view screen using one or more fingers. After the device has been activated or deactivated, the switching device may be recoupled to the computer base. Similarly, the method and apparatus of this disclosure may apply to a second case. In this embodiment, a case constructed to protect the primary case of a small electronic device may be similarly configured to receive a switching device. Such cases which are sometime manufactured by 3rd party providers generally serve to protect the finish of the primary case and/or provide additional impact protection for the electrical components of the small electronic devices. In practicing the method of the disclosure, there are three basic embodiments regarding the source of magnetic force used. In one embodiment, the switching device may include a magnet and the case may include an unmagnetized ferromagnetic or ferrimagnetic material. In a second embodiment, the switching device may have only an unmagnetized ferromagnetic or ferrimagnetic material and the magnet may be in or on the case. In the third embodiment, both the switching device and the case may include a magnet. When a magnet or a ferromagnetic or ferrimagnetic material is applied to a case, in one embodiment, it may be adhered using a tacky adhesive. One such embodiment includes using double sided gaffer's tape as the source of the tacky adhesive. Any tacky adhesive can be used with the method of the application. In one embodiment, the switching device of the application may be used as a source of advertising. For example, in one embodiment of the application, a switching device may have imprinted upon it a logo, trademark, slogan, or the like. In another embodiment, a pre-printed substrate having a logo or decorative side, and optionally, a second adhesive side may be used. In some of these embodiments where the substrate includes an adhesive, it may be used to secure a magnet to the switching device. In another embodiment, the substrate having an adhesive may be free of advertisements and/or decoration. In this application, the term diamagnetic is used to delineate materials that are not ferromagnetic or ferrimagnetic. From a practical perspective, the materials that are paramagnetic have such a weak attraction to magnets that they would not be effective if utilized and thus are to be treated as if they are diamagnetic. While many of the switching device have a single magnet or ferromagnetic or ferrimagnetic substrate, this is not a limitation of the application. In some embodiments, it may be desirable to have multiple magnets in a switching device. In one example of a method of the application, the switching device is adhered to the top of a device having a case that closes, such as a laptop computer, with the body of the switching device rotated down when the case is closed. When the laptop is opened for use, the body can be rotated up and away from the screen. The switching devices have a functionality of being able to active magnetic switches on devices having such switches. This is particularly useful in saving battery life as it does not require the cover of such devices to be closed (the normal mode for activation of such switches). In the use of tablet devices having a magnetic switch, the switching devices are particularly useful as the tablet can be put into hibernation mode with a single touch to the switching device as compared to the multiple touches required to do the same thing using the touch pad of the tablet. In one embodiment where a switching device of the application is employed on a tablet using the Apple® Smart Cover, it may be employed on the outside of the smart cover to function as a handle for more easily manipulating the cover. Magnets at the bottom of the Smart Cover allow for a very efficient employment of the switching device. The switching device of the disclosure, when prepared with especially strong magnets, can have a dual purpose of being a game component. For example, in an embodiment where a smart phone is within a case having a recessed area configured to receive a switching device, the recessed area and the switching device may be shaped to resemble a ball or other game object. If the switching device is tossed accurately, it will be attached into the recessed area and such a toss could be a goal or score. Any such game is within the scope of the invention. In order to make the switching device more desirable to young users, they may be converted into or incorporated into dolls or toys with the caveat that the doll or toy is configured to be attached to or perched upon an electronic device and secured thereon using a magnet. While trademarked toys and dolls, such as Angry Birds™ doll in FIG. 3 may be used, even generic toys and dolls may be used, particularly if they will function to encourage proper maintenance of devices by, at least in some instances, young users. For example a Mini Beanie Baby™ from TY™ may be configured to sit upon a rectangular switching device wherein the switching device resembles a “rug.” In another embodiment, covers and cases for electronic devices may be configured to resemble a cage or a house and an appropriately selected figure prepared using a nonabrasive material on at least one surface and at least one magnet. The figure/switching device could be adhered to the cover or case such that it appears to be using the cage/house. One example would be the use of a Snoopy™ shaped switching device on a case or cover having a doghouse design or shape. In another embodiment, a cartoon figure could be configured to sit upon (aka perch) upon the top of a case or cover being secured from falling by the magnet containing within the switching device. The switching devices of the application have many advantages as compared to the conventional switching devices which are generally fixed within the covers of cases. The conventional switches often cannot be moved from side to side and usually block the view screen when employed. The switching devices of the application do not have these limitations. In fact, the switching devices of the application may be perched or attached to the front of a portable electronic device whether the device is off or on. The switching devices of the application do not server as a cover, but this allows them to be of very low weight compared to the conventional covers/switches. Where a conventional case lacks a handle, the switching devices of the application may do double duty as a handle when the case, such as the Apple® Smart Case, is in place. The cleaning materials that are employed in some of the embodiments of the application may be removable. For example, the cleaning devices illustrated in FIGS. 19A and 19B may be prepared with a cleaning material that 1903 that can be removed and replaced. While in some embodiment a tacky adhesive or other adhesive may be employed for the purpose of holding the cleaning material in place, because the device includes at least one magnet, a cleaning material that has been impregnated with iron particles (such as dust of filings) may be employed so that the magnet also serves to hold the cleaning material in place. In the alternative a metal foil could be used. An adhesive can be selected to secure the impregnated metal particles of foil in place. The adhesive, in some embodiments, can function to protect the metal particles from corrosion as well as to prevent their escape. It would be desirable that especially metal particles such as iron dust of filings be secured and not escape onto surfaces being cleaned. Some of the cleaning devices, such as those illustrated at FIG. 23, have secondary uses. For example, these devices may also be prepared with a surface made out a material suitable for holding fly fishing lures and other fishhooks. Where such a secondary use has been disclosed, then such devices, with or without the cleaning material are also within the scope of the application. | <SOH> BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION <EOH> | <SOH> SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION <EOH>In one aspect, the invention is a method of cleaning a view screen of an electronic device having at least one case comprising wiping the view screen with a cleaning component wherein the cleaning component is configured to selectively couple to the at least one case using a magnetic attractive force. In another aspect, the invention is a cleaning component for use on an electronic device view screen comprising a cleaning material covering at least one surface of a ferromagnetic or ferrimagnetic substrate wherein the cleaning component has a maximum thickness of 1.5 cm. In still another aspect, the invention is a small electronic device comprising a case, a view screen, and internal electronic components wherein the view screen and internal electronic components are mounted within the case and the view screen is externally visible in at least one configuration of the case. Also, the case has a surface that is substantially diamagnetic and at least a part of the surface of the case has been configured to receive a cleaning component wherein: the cleaning component is configured to selectively couple to the at least one part of the surface of the case that has been configured to receive the cleaning component; the at least one part of the surface of the case that has been configured to receive the cleaning component is ferromagnetic or ferrimagnetic or overlays a ferromagnetic or ferrimagnetic material; and the cleaning component comprises a cleaning material covering at least one surface of a ferromagnetic or ferrimagnetic substrate. Another aspect of the invention is a second case, that functions to protect an electronic device's primary case, and has a surface that is substantially diamagnetic and at least a part of the surface of the second case has been configured to receive a cleaning component wherein: the cleaning component is configured to selectively couple to the at least one part of the surface of the second case that has been configured to receive the cleaning component; the at least one part of the surface of the second case that has been configured to receive the cleaning component is ferromagnetic or ferrimagnetic or overlays a ferromagnetic or ferrimagnetic material; and the cleaning component comprises a cleaning material covering at least one surface of a ferromagnetic or ferrimagnetic substrate. In still another aspect, the invention is a method of cleaning a view screen or a lens for use with a mechanical or non-electronic device having a view screen or a lens comprising wiping the view screen or lens with a cleaning component wherein the cleaning component is configured to selectively couple to the at least one part of the mechanical or non-electrical device using a magnetic attractive force. In yet another aspect, the invention is a method of cleaning a view screen or a lens using a cleaning component wherein the cleaning component is configured to adhere to portable object different from the object having the view screen or lens. Another aspect of the invention is employing a cleaning component having a magnet element to activate or deactivate a magnetic switch. In still another aspect, the invention is a cleaning component having a cleaning surface that is replaceable and held in place within the cleaning component with a tacky adhesive wherein the tacky adhesive is directly on the surface of the non-cleaning surface or the tacky adhesive is in the form of a double sided tape. In yet another aspect, the invention is a cleaning component having an external cover for protecting one both sides of a cleaning material wherein the external cover is reversible so that it may be folded over to expose the cleaning surface. In still another aspect, the invention is a case for an electronic device having a magnetic switch, and in the area of the case over the magnetic switch, a recessed area that functions to facilitate a cleaning component having a magnet moving past the switch in order to activate or deactivate the switch. Another aspect of the invention is a cleaning system having at least one element being a piece of clothing selected from the group consisting of a hat, helmet, sweatband or other headgear; a jacket or coat; a shirt or top; a skirt or pants; and a shoe or boot, wherein the piece of clothing is configured to accept a cleaning component and the cleaning component is held in place, at least in part, using a magnet. In yet another aspect, the invention may be cleaning system comprising a cleaning component and an area on a device case configured to receive the cleaning component wherein the area of the device case configured to receive the cleaning component and the cleaning component may be used as a game wherein the cleaning component is tossed at the device case configured to receive the cleaning component. In still another aspect, the invention is a stylus configured to receive a cleaning component. Another aspect of the invention is a cleaning system having at least one element being an accessory selected from the group consisting of a purse, wallet, computer case, gun case, glasses strap, gloves, backpack, and a belt, wherein the piece of clothing is configured to accept a cleaning component and the cleaning component is held in place, at least in part, using a magnet. Yet another aspect of the invention is a cleaning component for use on an electronic device view screen comprising a cleaning material covering at least one surface of a ferromagnetic or ferrimagnetic substrate wherein the cleaning component also includes a tab. In one embodiment, the tab is elongated so that it can function as a stand to hold the electronic device upright. Another aspect of the invention is a cleaning device having a hard surface and cleaning surface and including at least one ferromagnetic or ferrimagnetic material within the cleaning device wherein the at least one ferromagnetic or ferrimagnetic material may function to actuate a power switch or sensor that is capable of being actuated using a magnet. Another aspect of the invention is a cleaning device having additional functionality such as a remote control, laser pointer or the like. In one aspect, the invention is a switching device for use with a portable electronic device having a view screen and at least one switch that can be activated or de-activated by introducing a magnetic field to the at least one switch wherein the switching device has at least one magnet and at least one surface that is non-abrasive to the surface of the view screen. In another aspect, the invention is a switching device for an electronic apparatus that can be activated or deactivated by employing a magnet, the switching device having (i) at least one magnet, (ii) a body surrounding the magnet, and (iii) at least one surface configured to contact any surface of the device, including the view screen; wherein the surface configured to contact the electronic apparatus is non-abrasive to the view screen of the apparatus. In another aspect, the invention is a method of conserving power when using a portable electronic device having a view screen and at least one switch that can activated or de-activated by introducing a magnetic field to the at least one switch wherein the switching device has at least one magnet and at least one surface that is non-abrasive to the surface of the view screen, wherein the method includes using the switching device to turn the portable electronic device off when the portable electronic device is not in actual use and then on when the portable electronic device is needed. | B08B1006 | 20171222 | 20180517 | 80630.0 | B08B100 | 2 | HAUGHTON, ANTHONY MICHAEL | APPARATUS FOR CLEANING VIEW SCREENS AND LENSES AND METHOD FOR THE USE THEREOF | UNDISCOUNTED | 1 | CONT-ACCEPTED | B08B | 2,017 |
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15,852,000 | PENDING | APPARATUS FOR CLEANING VIEW SCREENS AND LENSES AND METHOD FOR THE USE THEREOF | A lens and/or a view screen of an electronic device having at least one case can be cleaned by wiping the view screen with a cleaning component wherein the cleaning component is configured to selectively couple to the at least one case or some other substrate using a magnetic attractive force. The cleaning devices may have secondary applications such as securing fly fishing lures, activating or deactivating a device having a magnetic switch, or preventing sunglasses from sinking. They may also be manufactured without a cleaning component for use with the secondary applications. | 1. A system comprising: a portable switching device coupled to a portable electronic device; wherein: the switching device and the electronic device are configured to selectively couple to each other employing magnetic force; the switching device comprises a first case; the electronic device comprises a second case and an electronic circuit that is responsive to the switching device; a first magnet is fully disposed within the electronic device; the electronic device comprises at least one element selected from the group consisting of beveled edges, ridges, recessed areas, grooves, slots, indented shapes, bumps, raised shapes, and combinations thereof; configured to correspond to complimentary surface elements on the switching device; and when coupled, the first case functions to protect the second case. 2. The system of claim 1 wherein the electronic device has a lens. 3. The system of claim 1 wherein the electronic device has a view screen. 4. The system of claim 1 wherein the switching device has a lens. 5. The system of claim 1 wherein the switching device has a view screen. 6. The system of claim 1 wherein the switching device includes a lid and hinge attaching the lid to the switching device. 7. The system of claim 6 wherein the lid is recessed to configure to the electronic device. 8. The system of claim 6 wherein the lid has a second magnet disposed within it. 9. The system of claim 8 wherein the lid is configured to employ the second magnet to secure the lid in a closed position. 10. The system of claim 1 wherein the electronic device is wireless earplugs. 11. The system of claim 1 wherein the electronic device has a tab or knob configured to be manipulated by an external force. 12. The system of claim 2 wherein a surface of the first case is composed of a material nonabrasive to the lens. 13. The system of claim 3 wherein a surface of the first case is composed of a material nonabrasive to the view screen. 14. The system of claim 4 wherein a surface of the first case is composed of a material nonabrasive to the lens. 15. The system of claim 5 wherein a surface of the first case is composed of a material nonabrasive to the view screen. 16. The system of claim 1 wherein the first magnet is employed in actuating the electronic circuit. 17. The system of claim 8 wherein the second or a third magnet is employed in the lid to actuate the electronic circuit. 18. The system of claim 1 wherein the switching device additionally comprises a laser. 19. The system of claim 1 wherein the switching device can be employed to perform at least one function selected from the group consisting of: control volume, pause, play, next slide, switch on, switch off, and combinations thereof; to an electronic device. | CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/597,005, filed May 16, 2017, which is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 14/343,665, filed Jul. 14, 2014, which is a national stage entry of PCT application No.: PCT/US2012/049562, filed, Aug. 3, 2012, which claims priority from U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 61/661,090, filed Jun. 18, 2012, and U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 61/619,229; and U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 61/592,344, filed Jan. 30, 2012; and U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 61/576,834, filed Dec. 16, 2011; and U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 61/569,093, filed Dec. 9, 2011; and U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 61/568,031, filed Dec. 7, 2011; and U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 61/561,087, filed Nov. 17, 2011; and U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 61/555,310, filed Nov. 3, 2011; and U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 61/515,752, filed Aug. 5, 2011, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The invention relates to an apparatus for cleaning view screens. The invention particularly relates to such an apparatus used with electrical devices. 2. Background of the Art Cleaning lenses has long been an issue for the users of devices employing them. For example, telescopes, glasses, binoculars, and cameras have long been used and keeping the lenses of such devices clean has been the subject of many creative efforts. More recently, there are new devices to clean. With the advent of portable electronic devices, it has become common to observe such devices being used in many public venues. Such venues include coffee shops, restaurants, shopping malls, and the like. These devices can be seen in just about any public setting. Many of the portable electronic devices have a view screen for displaying text. Some of these devices also are used for displaying photographs and in some cases movies. The newest of these devices display photographs and movies in high definition. While the view screens are usually rugged, and often covered with a protective film or screen, they are still subject to becoming dirty. Oils from human skin, environmental liquids and powders, and even airborne aerosols and dust can collect on a view screen and make it difficult to use. Cleaning the view screen of a portable electronic device can be problematic. It is often not desirable to use materials that are readily available to clean the view screen. For example, paper towels and paper napkins or sometimes composed of materials that may scratch and thereby damage a view screen. Carrying appropriate cleaning materials is sometimes a problem. Cleaning devices are sometimes too bulky to be comfortably carried. In their rush to get ready in the morning, it is easy for users of electronic devices to forget or overlook such preparations for their day. It would be desirable in the art of manufacturing portable electronic devices to incorporate into such devices the cleaning apparatus. It would also be desirable in the art of providing accessories for portable electronic devices to provide a cleaning component that can be carried on an electronic device case. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In one aspect, the invention is a method of cleaning a view screen of an electronic device having at least one case comprising wiping the view screen with a cleaning component wherein the cleaning component is configured to selectively couple to the at least one case using a magnetic attractive force. In another aspect, the invention is a cleaning component for use on an electronic device view screen comprising a cleaning material covering at least one surface of a ferromagnetic or ferrimagnetic substrate wherein the cleaning component has a maximum thickness of 1.5 cm. In still another aspect, the invention is a small electronic device comprising a case, a view screen, and internal electronic components wherein the view screen and internal electronic components are mounted within the case and the view screen is externally visible in at least one configuration of the case. Also, the case has a surface that is substantially diamagnetic and at least a part of the surface of the case has been configured to receive a cleaning component wherein: the cleaning component is configured to selectively couple to the at least one part of the surface of the case that has been configured to receive the cleaning component; the at least one part of the surface of the case that has been configured to receive the cleaning component is ferromagnetic or ferrimagnetic or overlays a ferromagnetic or ferrimagnetic material; and the cleaning component comprises a cleaning material covering at least one surface of a ferromagnetic or ferrimagnetic substrate. Another aspect of the invention is a second case, that functions to protect an electronic device's primary case, and has a surface that is substantially diamagnetic and at least a part of the surface of the second case has been configured to receive a cleaning component wherein: the cleaning component is configured to selectively couple to the at least one part of the surface of the second case that has been configured to receive the cleaning component; the at least one part of the surface of the second case that has been configured to receive the cleaning component is ferromagnetic or ferrimagnetic or overlays a ferromagnetic or ferrimagnetic material; and the cleaning component comprises a cleaning material covering at least one surface of a ferromagnetic or ferrimagnetic substrate. In still another aspect, the invention is a method of cleaning a view screen or a lens for use with a mechanical or non-electronic device having a view screen or a lens comprising wiping the view screen or lens with a cleaning component wherein the cleaning component is configured to selectively couple to the at least one part of the mechanical or non-electrical device using a magnetic attractive force. In yet another aspect, the invention is a method of cleaning a view screen or a lens using a cleaning component wherein the cleaning component is configured to adhere to portable object different from the object having the view screen or lens. Another aspect of the invention is employing a cleaning component having a magnet element to activate or deactivate a magnetic switch. In still another aspect, the invention is a cleaning component having a cleaning surface that is replaceable and held in place within the cleaning component with a tacky adhesive wherein the tacky adhesive is directly on the surface of the non-cleaning surface or the tacky adhesive is in the form of a double sided tape. In yet another aspect, the invention is a cleaning component having an external cover for protecting one both sides of a cleaning material wherein the external cover is reversible so that it may be folded over to expose the cleaning surface. In still another aspect, the invention is a case for an electronic device having a magnetic switch, and in the area of the case over the magnetic switch, a recessed area that functions to facilitate a cleaning component having a magnet moving past the switch in order to activate or deactivate the switch. Another aspect of the invention is a cleaning system having at least one element being a piece of clothing selected from the group consisting of a hat, helmet, sweatband or other headgear; a jacket or coat; a shirt or top; a skirt or pants; and a shoe or boot, wherein the piece of clothing is configured to accept a cleaning component and the cleaning component is held in place, at least in part, using a magnet. In yet another aspect, the invention may be cleaning system comprising a cleaning component and an area on a device case configured to receive the cleaning component wherein the area of the device case configured to receive the cleaning component and the cleaning component may be used as a game wherein the cleaning component is tossed at the device case configured to receive the cleaning component. In still another aspect, the invention is a stylus configured to receive a cleaning component. Another aspect of the invention is a cleaning system having at least one element being an accessory selected from the group consisting of a purse, wallet, computer case, gun case, glasses strap, gloves, backpack, and a belt, wherein the piece of clothing is configured to accept a cleaning component and the cleaning component is held in place, at least in part, using a magnet. Yet another aspect of the invention is a cleaning component for use on an electronic device view screen comprising a cleaning material covering at least one surface of a ferromagnetic or ferrimagnetic substrate wherein the cleaning component also includes a tab. In one embodiment, the tab is elongated so that it can function as a stand to hold the electronic device upright. Another aspect of the invention is a cleaning device having a hard surface and cleaning surface and including at least one ferromagnetic or ferrimagnetic material within the cleaning device wherein the at least one ferromagnetic or ferrimagnetic material may function to actuate a power switch or sensor that is capable of being actuated using a magnet. Another aspect of the invention is a cleaning device having additional functionality such as a remote control, laser pointer or the like. In one aspect, the invention is a switching device for use with a portable electronic device having a view screen and at least one switch that can be activated or de-activated by introducing a magnetic field to the at least one switch wherein the switching device has at least one magnet and at least one surface that is non-abrasive to the surface of the view screen. In another aspect, the invention is a switching device for an electronic apparatus that can be activated or deactivated by employing a magnet, the switching device having (i) at least one magnet, (ii) a body surrounding the magnet, and (iii) at least one surface configured to contact any surface of the device, including the view screen; wherein the surface configured to contact the electronic apparatus is non-abrasive to the view screen of the apparatus. In another aspect, the invention is a method of conserving power when using a portable electronic device having a view screen and at least one switch that can activated or de-activated by introducing a magnetic field to the at least one switch wherein the switching device has at least one magnet and at least one surface that is non-abrasive to the surface of the view screen, wherein the method includes using the switching device to turn the portable electronic device off when the portable electronic device is not in actual use and then on when the portable electronic device is needed. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The above and other features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent by describing in detail embodiments thereof with reference to the attached drawings in which: FIG. 1A illustrates the top view of an embodiment of a cleaning component; FIG. 1B illustrate the side view of an embodiment of a cleaning component; FIG. 2A illustrates the top view of a second embodiment of a cleaning component; FIG. 2B illustrate the side view of a second embodiment of a cleaning component; and FIG. 2C illustrates an embodiment similar to that of FIG. 2B, but having a tab; FIG. 3 illustrates a computer case configured to receive a cleaning component; FIG. 4 illustrates a flip type phone case configured to receive a cleaning component; FIG. 5A illustrates a lateral type phone case configured to receive a cleaning component; FIG. 5B illustrates the interaction of two components of the lateral type phone case configured to receive a cleaning component; FIG. 6 illustrates a cleaning component with a single offset magnet; FIG. 7 illustrates a cleaning component having multiple layers; FIG. 8 illustrates a cleaning component used with a set of binoculars; FIG. 9 illustrates a cleaning component employing a structural feature to enhance adhesion; FIG. 10A illustrates a cleaning component employing replaceable cleaning surface held in place with a tacky adhesive; FIG. 10B illustrates the cleaning component of FIG. 10B wherein the tacky adhesive is in the form of a double sided tape; FIG. 11A illustrates a cleaning component employing a revisable cover; FIG. 11B illustrates a the cleaning component of FIG. 11A where the cleaning surface is not attached to the cover; FIG. 11C illustrates a the cleaning component of FIG. 11A where the cleaning surface is detachable; FIG. 12 illustrates a cleaning component including a brush; FIG. 13A illustrates a cap having a cleaning component located on the bill of the cap; FIG. 13B illustrates a bottom view of the bill of the cap having a cleaning component located on the bill of the cap; FIG. 13C illustrates a bottom view of the bill of the cap having a cleaning component located on the bill of the cap with the cleaning component in place; FIG. 14A illustrates a cleaning component having a “quick release” capability; FIG. 14B illustrates a cleaning component having a “quick release” capability with cleaning component in the released state; FIG. 15 illustrates a stylus for use with a cleaning component; FIG. 16A illustrates a purse having a cleaning component attached thereto; FIG. 16B illustrates an alternative embodiment of the purse having a cleaning component attached thereto; FIG. 17A illustrates a top view of a cleaning component having a tab and a magnetic tab hold-down; FIG. 17B illustrates a side view of a cleaning component having a tab and a magnetic tab hold-down; FIG. 17C illustrates a side view of a cleaning component having a tab and a magnetic tab hold-down with the tab in the raised position; FIG. 18 illustrates a side view of a cleaning component having a tab wherein the tab is elongated and functions as a stand for an electronic device; FIG. 19A illustrates a top view of a cleaning component which may also be a switch for electronic devices having a magnetically activated switch or sensor; FIG. 19B illustrates a side view of a cleaning component which may also be a switch for electronic devices having a magnetically activated switch or sensor; FIG. 20 illustrates a cleaning component which may also include a powered devices such as a remote control, laser pointer or the like; FIG. 21 illustrates a combination cleaner and glasses holder that is also buoyant; and FIG. 22 is a photograph illustrating an example of a device as illustrated in FIG. 21 preventing a pair of glasses from sinking; FIG. 23 is an illustration of an embodiment which may be used to affix objects to clothing. FIG. 24 is an illustration of a tablet computer and a switching device of the application; FIG. 25 illustrates a side view of a the switching device in FIG. 24; and FIG. 26 is a photograph of a trademarked doll used as a component of the switching device of the disclosure, perched on an APPLE iPad. DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS One embodiment of the invention is a method of cleaning a view screen of an electronic device having at least one case comprising wiping the view screen with a cleaning component wherein: the cleaning component is configured to selectively couple to the at least one case using a magnetic attractive force. For the purposes of this application, the term “at least one case” means the primary case used by a manufacturer to hold and protect the individual electronic components of which an electronic device is composed, but it can also mean a protective case that functions to protect the primary case. For example, a smartphone generally comprises electronics disposed within a rigid shell like case. This would be the primary case. There are available protective cases, often made of leather, rubber, and/or rigid are flexible plastic, that serve to prevent scratches and blemishes on the primary case and sometimes to impart a bit of shock resistance as well. The term electronic device means such devices having a view screen including, but not limited to cell phones, smartphones, some cameras, some telescopes, some weapons scopes, tablet computers, laptop computers, DVD players, and the like. Other examples include computer monitors, televisions, laboratory apparatus (both portable and non portable), and the like. The method of this application may be used with any electronic device having a view screen. The term “selectively couple” describes the process wherein a cleaning component of the disclosure is applied to an electronic device and adheres to it because of a magnetic force. In one embodiment of the disclosure, there is sufficient magnetic force to allow the cleaning component to remain in place despite casual movements of the electronic device, but to still be easily removed by a human operator. Turning to FIGS. 1A and 1B, a top and side view of a round cleaning component (100) are shown. As can be observed, the cleaning component is covered with a cleaner material (101). Cleaner materials useful with the method and apparatus of the application include, but are not limited to fabrics. Exemplary fabrics include microfiber cloths, open-end weave microfiber cloths, double layer cloths wherein the outer layer which would make contact with a view screen is a microfiber cloth, and combinations thereof. For the purposes of this application, the term “fabrics” is defined to further include non-plant materials such as animal skins and/or cloth prepared using synthetic materials or animal materials. In at least one embodiment, the fabric may be a shammy (a.k.a. chamois). In another preferred embodiment, the cleaning material may be the material commonly known in the art as a Micro Shamois Cloth such as is available from iKlear. Any cleaning material that can be used to clean a view screen that does not cause excessive wear or abrasions may be used with the method and apparatus of the application. A ferromagnetic or ferrimagnetic substrate (102) is also shown. Turning to FIGS. 2A and 2 B, a side view of the cleaning component, it can be seen that disposed within the cleaner material (201) is a ferromagnetic or ferrimagnetic substrate (202). The ferromagnetic or ferrimagnetic substrate may be made of iron or other conventional ferrimagnetic and ferrimagnetic materials. In may also be a composite. Exemplary composites include combinations of aluminum, nickel, and cobalt compound with iron. Such composites may be made by sintering metals or by mixing the metallic components with a resin and injection molding. Mixtures of iron oxide and ceramic components such as barium and strontium carbonate may be used to make ceramic magnets for use as the Ferromagnetic or ferrimagnetic substrates useful with the application. For the purposes of this application, rare earth magnets, such as but not limited to samarian and neodymium based magnets, are ferrimagnetic and ferrimagnetic materials and may be used to prepare the Ferromagnetic or ferrimagnetic substrates useful with the application. Any magnetic material or material that is attracted to magnets may be used to prepare the Ferromagnetic or ferrimagnetic substrates useful with the application. In another embodiment, the invention is a cleaning component for use on an electronic device view screen comprising a cleaning material covering at least one surface of a ferromagnetic or ferrimagnetic substrate wherein the cleaning component has a maximum thickness of 1.5 cm. Turning to FIGS. 2A and 2B, a top and side view of a rectangular cleaning component is shown. In this embodiment, a cleaner material (201) is shown surrounding, on both sides, a ferromagnetic or ferrimagnetic substrate (202) that is rectangular in shape. In some embodiments, the cleaning material is present only on one side of the substrate. On the other side of the substrate is a different material that is selected to facilitate movement of the cleaning component on a view screen or to protect from a hostile environment. This material may be textured or it may be one that has a higher coefficient of friction than the cleaning material. In a variation of this embodiment, the cleaning component may include a tab that can be pinched to facilitate moving the cleaning component. In still another variation, in this latter embodiment, the tab may be constructed such that it can lay down in order to lower the profile of the cleaning component. Turning to FIG. 2C, a cleaning component otherwise identical to that of FIGS. 2A and 2B is shown, except that a tab (203) is shown in the raised position. The dimensions of the cleaning component may vary according to its intended use. For example, one class of small electronic devices upon which the cleaning components may be employed is cell phones. The cell phone class includes both cell phones and devices combining cell phone functionality with computing power such as the so called smart phones. When the cleaning component will be used with a cell phone, it may have dimensions ranging as follows. Length may range from about 2.1 cm to about 0.5 cm. In one embodiment, the length may be about 1.7 cm. Width may range from 1.9 cm to about 0.5 cm. In one embodiment, the width may be about 1.7 cm. Another class of small electronic devices is the so called tablet computers. When the cleaning component will be used with a tablet computer, it may have dimensions ranging as follows. Length may range from about 7.5 cm to about 0.6 cm. In one embodiment, the length may be about 2.5 cm. Width may range from 3 cm to about 0.5 cm. In one embodiment, the width may be about 2.5 cm. In embodiments of the disclosure wherein the cleaning component will be employed on a cell phone or tablet computer, it may be desirable to make the cleaning component as thin as possible. This is of course the subject the caveat that the cleaning component is thick enough to be easily manipulated during the cleaning process. While in some embodiments the cleaning component may be as thin as a sheet of paper, but in most embodiments it will have a thickness of from about 0.5 cm to about 1 mm. The overall shape of the cleaning component when used with cell phones and tablet computers may be round, oval, rectangular, or square. In some embodiments, in order to avoid overlapping with a view screen, the cleaning component may be shaped to fit available space. The cleaning components of the disclosure may be used with another class of small electronic devices, commonly referred to as laptop computers. They may also be used with televisions, laboratory instruments, and the like. Because these devices are larger it may be desirable in some embodiments to increase the dimensions of the cleaning component. For example, the length of cleaning component used with these devices may range from about 10 cm to about 1 cm. The optimum length may range from about five cm to about 8 cm. The width may range from about 0.5 cm to about 5 cm. The optimum width may be from about 0.5 to about 5 cm. Similar to the other classes, the cleaning component may be as thin as a sheet of paper, but in most embodiments it will have a thickness of from about 0.5 cm to about 1 mm. For the larger devices, shape is generally not as critical. There are often larger areas to which the cleaning component can be coupled. For these applications, it is often desirable to make the cleaning component rectangular in shape. Still, other shapes would be within the scope of the claims of this application. Another embodiment of the application invention is a small electronic device comprising a case, a view screen, and internal electronic components wherein the view screen and internal electronic components are mounted within the case. In this embodiment, the view screen is externally visible in at least one configuration of the case and the case has a surface that is substantially diamagnetic. At least a part of the surface of the case has been configured to receive a cleaning component. Further, the cleaning component is configured to selectively couple to the at least one part of the surface of the case that has been configured to receive the cleaning component; the at least one part of the surface of the case that has been configured to receive the cleaning component is ferromagnetic or ferrimagnetic or overlays a ferromagnetic or ferrimagnetic material; and the cleaning component comprises a cleaning material covering at least one surface of a ferromagnetic or ferrimagnetic substrate. It may be desirable, in some applications, to make the cleaning components such that they have beveled edges. Such components could be particularly useful when coupled with devices having a case configured to accept the cleaning component wherein there is a ridge configured to accept the beveled edge to more securely hold it in place. Some electronic devices have view screens that are always visible. Exemplary of this are some cell phones and tablet computers that do not have covers. Other devices such as laptops have view screens that may be seen only when the cover is lifted. In embodiments of the disclosure where a case has been configured to receive a cleaning component, it may be so configured in several ways. In one embodiment, such a case is configured by placing a ferromagnetic or ferrimagnetic material onto the surface of the case where the cleaning component is received. In another embodiment, the case is prepared such that the case itself is composed of a ferromagnetic or ferrimagnetic material at the point where the cleaning component is received. In still another embodiment, the case is prepared by placing a ferromagnetic or ferrimagnetic material underneath where the cleaning component is received. Additionally, the case may be fabricated such that the cleaning component is received into a groove, slot, or other indented geometrical shape to lower the profile of the cleaning component to facilitate closing a cover or prevent snagging a cleaning component. Another reason to lower the profile that the cleaning component may be to enhance the aesthetics of the device. Turning to FIG. 3, the base of a laptop computer (300) is shown. Above and to the right of the keyboard (301) is a rectangular indention (302) having dimensions and all three directions that are slightly larger than those of a cleaning component (303). In one embodiment of the disclosure, the cleaning component has a ferromagnetic or ferrimagnetic substrate that is a permanent magnet. The case, at the base of the invention, is prepared using a ferromagnetic material. In employing the method of the disclosure, the cleaning component is coupled to the base of the laptop computer by placing it within the invention. The magnetic attractive force between the permanent magnet and the ferromagnetic material holds the cleaning component in place as a laptop computer is moved. The cleaning component is decoupled from the laptop computer base by lifting it to overcome the magnetic force. The cleaning component is then placed on the view screen (not shown) and is then moved across the view screen using one or more fingers. After the view screen has been cleaned, the cleaning component may be recoupled to the computer base. Similarly, the method and apparatus of this disclosure may apply to a second case. In this embodiment, a case constructed to protect the primary case of a small electronic device may be similarly configured to receive a cleaning component. Such cases which are sometime manufactured by 3rd party providers generally serve to protect the finish of the primary case and/or provide additional impact protection for the electrical components of the small electronic devices. In practicing the method of the disclosure, there are three basic embodiments regarding the source of magnetic force used. In one embodiment, the cleaning component may include a magnet and the case may include an unmagnetized ferromagnetic or ferrimagnetic material. In a second embodiment, the cleaning device may have only an unmagnetized ferromagnetic or ferrimagnetic material and the magnet may be in or on the case. In the third embodiment, both the cleaning component and the case may include a magnet. When a magnet or a ferromagnetic or ferrimagnetic material is applied to a case, in one embodiment, it may be adhered using a tacky adhesive. One such embodiment includes using double sided gaffer's tape as the source of the tacky adhesive. Any tacky adhesive can be used with the method of the application. In one embodiment, the cleaning component of the application may be used as a source of advertising. For example, in one embodiment of the application, a cleaning component may have imprinted upon it a logo, trademark, slogan, or the like. In another embodiment, a pre-printed substrate having a logo or decorative side, and optionally, a second adhesive side may be used. In some of these embodiments where the substrate includes an adhesive, it may be used to secure a magnet to the cleaning component. In another embodiment, the substrate having an adhesive may be free of advertisements and/or decoration. In this application, the term diamagnetic is used to delineate materials that are not ferromagnetic or ferrimagnetic. From a practical perspective, the materials that are paramagnetic have such a weak attraction to magnets that they would not be effective if utilized and thus are to be treated as if they are diamagnetic. While, generally speaking, the cleaning components are meant to be unitary, in some embodiments, the cleaning material may be removed and replaced with new cleaning material. Also, the cleaning components may be configured such that they have a thinner center to allow a user to employ lateral force to the cleaning component to more easily slide it across the surface of a view screen. In some embodiments, the cleaning component may have a profile such that the cleaning component is thinner in the middle and near the edge of the cleaning component. Other embodiments of the invention include those such as are illustrated in FIG. 4. In this embodiment, a flip case and a smart phone 400 is shown. The flip case includes a cover 401, a hinge 403, and a base 404 holding the smartphone 405. The cleaning device 402 is held in place by means of a magnet (not shown). In one embodiment, the magnet is built into the cover. In another embodiment, the magnet is attached to the cover using an adhesive. In still another embodiment, the cover includes a ferromagnetic or ferrimagnetic material rather than a magnet. While many of the cleaning components have a single magnet or ferromagnetic or ferrimagnetic substrate, this is not a limitation of the application. In some embodiments, it may be desirable to have multiple magnets in a cleaning component. For Example, at FIG. 5, a case having two magnets to hold it closed 500 is shown. This case consists of a body 504 which functions to hold a smartphone; and a lid having a top 501, a side 502, and a hinge 507. Also shown is the cleaning component 503 adhering to the inside of the side of the lid. The side is shown again at 502a from lateral perspective with the magnets visible 506. The cleaning component 503a is also shown from a lateral perspective, again showing two magnets 506. The two magnets of the case line up with the two magnets of the cleaning component in some embodiments to allow for a more secure fit to the case. Note that in the embodiments shown in FIG. 5, the magnets are offset from center. The magnets may be placed anywhere within the cleaning component as necessary to facilitate their use with a device. For example, in FIG. 6, a cleaning component 602 is shown with a magnet 601 offset near the edge of the component. In one example of a method of the application, the cleaning component is adhered to the top of a device having a case that closes, such as a laptop computer, with the body of the cleaning component rotated down when the case is closed. When the laptop is opened for use, the body can be rotated up and away from the screen. In some embodiments, the cleaning component of the application can be composed of multiple layers. For example, in one such embodiment illustrated in FIG. 7, a three layer cleaning component may be seen. Therein, a cleaning component having an offset magnet 702 and as described hereinabove is shown. It is sandwiched between two additional layers (701 & 703) that serve to protect the cleaning layer from ambient conditions that might shorten its useful life. One such environment could be one that is dusty such as in a production facility that employs saws or knives to cut dust generating objects. In an alternative embodiment, there may be multiple cleaning components so that dirty or worn components can be discarded. In an alternative embodiment, the layers of the cleaning component may be stitched or otherwise joined with the caveat that at least one external layer will have a magnet or a ferromagnetic or ferrimagnetic substrate. The cleaning components of the application may be used with mechanical and/or non-electrical devices having small view screens, windows, or lens. For example, in one embodiment, a cleaning component may be used with a site glass in a chemical manufacturing facility. In another embodiment, the cleaning component may be used with a pump to facilitate the cleaning a window used to make visual inspections of the material within the feed or flow lines. The cleaning components are particularly useful with devices having lens. Devices that have lens include, but are not limited to telescopes, binoculars, eye glasses, and weapon scopes. Turning to FIG. 8, a pair of binoculars is shown having eye pieces 801, a body 803, and objective lens 804. In one embodiment, a cleaning component for the lenses may be secured in place using a magnet directly upon the body of the binoculars. However, in a preferred embodiment, the cleaning component (804 or 806) is secured to the inside of a lens cap or an eyepiece cap (805 or 807). In such an embodiment, different sized cleaning components may be employed and by placing them under the lens cap, they are protected from the environment except when in use, thereby extending their use-life. In one preferred embodiment, a lens cap may be prepared or even retrofitted to work with the cleaning components of the disclosure by deploying a magnet on the outside of the lens cap using an adhesive. In an especially useful embodiment, the magnet serves as the base for a tether that terminates in an element useful for attaching the lens cap to another object, such as the device to which it is employed to protect a lens. In an alternative embodiment, the cleaning component may be configured to adhere to a case for the objects having lens. While the adhesive may be a tacky adhesive such as already discussed hereinabove, it may also be a permanent adhesive. Such permanent adhesives may be selected from acrylic emulsion adhesives, rubber-based adhesives, or any other suitable material exhibiting durable bonding qualities. In a related embodiment, a cleaning component of the invention may be secured to a portable object, such as, but not limited to, a set of keys, jacket, other clothing items, jewelry, belts, or other items worn or kept in a pocket, by employing a tether having a first end terminating in form suitable for connecting to, for example the key chain and a second end terminating in a magnet configured to secure a cleaning component as describe hereinabove. Two uses for this embodiment would be the cleaning of glasses and also the cleaning of goggles or other protective eyewear. In an alternative embodiment, the magnet that was on the tether can attached a clip or other device suitable for affixing the cleaning component to the portable object. In yet another alternative embodiment, the portable object may be modified to include a magnet so that the cleaning component can be secured directly to the portable object. In still another related embodiment, a cleaning component of the application can be adhered to a personal accessory such as a wallet, change purse, purse or the like. The cleaning components may be configured with sufficient structural integrality that they have constant or at least resilient shape at the magnet so that they may employed with devices having cases configured to utilize that dimensional stability to increase the security with which the cleaning components are adhered to the case. FIG. 9 shows such a device case 901 having a raised section 902 configured to fit within a recess 904 of a cleaning component 903. The magnets (not shown) are within the recessed and raised parts of the case and cleaning component. When joined, the fitting of the raised section and recessed sections add an additional level of security to the magnetic adhesion. Another embodiment of the disclosure includes incorporating a magnet or ferromagnetic or ferrimagnetic material into a rigid or semi rigid construction configured to accept a cleaning material as defined hereinabove. In some applications of this embodiment the rigid or semi-rigid construction can be used to facilitate moving the cleaning material during the process of cleaning. In addition to their cleaning functionality, the cleaning components of the application have a functionality of being able to active magnetic switches on devices having such switches. This is particularly useful in saving battery life as it does not require the cover of such devices to be closed (the normal mode for activation of such switches). In the use of tablet devices having a magnetic switch, the cleaning components are particularly useful as the tablet can be put into hibernation mode with a single touch to the cleaning component as compared to the multiple touches required to do the same thing using the touch pad of the tablet. In one embodiment where a cleaning component of the application is employed on a tablet using the Apple® Smart Cover, it may be employed on the outside of the smart cover to function as a handle for more easily manipulating the cover. Magnets at the bottom of the Smart Cover allow for a very efficient employment of the cleaning component. Another embodiment of the cleaning components of the application is one where the cleaning component has a cleaning surface that is replaceable and held in place within the cleaning component with a tacky adhesive wherein the tacky adhesive is directly on the surface of the non-cleaning surface or the tacky adhesive is in the form of a double sided tape. Turning to FIG. 10A, there is an illustration of an enhancement to any of the other cleaning components discussed herein, wherein a cleaning surface 1001 is held in place on a non-cleaning surface 1002 using a tacky adhesive 1003. In FIG. 10B, an alternative embodiment is shown wherein the tacky adhesive is in the form of a double sided tape 1004. In still another embodiment, the cleaning component is one having an external cover for protecting one or both sides of a cleaning material wherein the external cover is reversible so that it may be folded over to expose the cleaning surface. Turning to FIG. 11A, a configuration where single side of two cleaning surfaces 1102 is protected by an external cover 1101. The external cover 1101 includes a hinge 1103 which may be a cloth hinge or a mechanical hinge or any other type of hinge known to those of ordinary skill in the art which would not interfere with the cleaning functionality of the cleaning component. In one embodiment, the configuration of FIG. 11A when not reversed is particularly useful for cleaning both sides of a lens such as in a pair of eyeglasses. In some embodiments, the cleaning surfaces may be specialized with one side of the cleaning surface being more useful removing oily materials while the other side is more useful for removing water based materials from a lens or view screen surface. The cleaning component may be, in some embodiments, stored in an eyeglasses case configured to receive the cleaning component. In some embodiments, this case may include a magnet and in other embodiments, the case may be prepared using a ferromagnetic or ferrimagnetic substrate. Turning to FIG. 11B, in this embodiment the same a single sheet of cleaning material 1102 is shown where the cleaning material hangs from the hinge area of the cleaning component 1103. In either of these embodiments, the external component may be fully opened and folded back upon itself to serve as a support of the cleaning surface. Turning to FIG. 11C, still another useful configuration is shown where the cleaning material, 1102 is shown to be detachable. In some embodiments, the cleaning material is held in place with a magnet or ferromagnetic or ferrimagnetic substrate. If there is a magnet in both the cleaning material and the cover, in some embodiments, at least one of the magnets will be on a swivel to facilitate the easy replacement of the cleaning material within the cover. In another embodiment, the cleaning component is a configured to work with optical devices such as scopes and binoculars wherein the cleaning component includes at least one cleaning surface and brush. Such a cleaning component is illustrated in FIG. 12. The body of the cleaning component 1201 has at least one surface that is a cleaning surface and in some embodiments, the entire body is a cleaning surface. The body also acts as a support for a brush 1202. The bristles of the brush may be employed to remove sand, dust or other materials from a lens or view screen. After this removal, the cleaning surfaces may be used to further clean the lens or view screen. In one particularly desirable embodiment, the cleaning component is sized to fit within a lens cap and may be held in place in the lens cap employing an magnet (not shown), In still another embodiment, the cleaning component has a cleaning only one side and the other side a tab or other construction to facilitate holding the component. And, yet another embodiment, there is no cleaning surface and this configuration functions only as a brush. In another embodiment, a cleaning system having at least one element being a piece of clothing may be selected from the group consisting of a hat, helmet, sweatband or other headgear; a jacket or coat; a shirt or top; a skirt or pants; and a shoe or boot, wherein the piece of clothing is configured to accept a cleaning component and the cleaning component is held in place, at least in part, using a magnet. The magnet may be incorporated using any method known to those of ordinary skill in the art of preparing clothing. Turning to FIG. 13A, a cap 1300 having a bill 1301 is shown. In this embodiment, at FIG. 13B, a magnet 1303 is located on or in the bill of the hat. FIG. 13C illustrates a cleaning component 1304 in place on the bill. The cleaning components of the application may be placed in any type of clothing. For example, the cleaning devices may be employed with a boot having an magnet located on the upper quadrant of the boot. In another example, the magnet may be incorporated into a pocket of a pair of trousers analogous to a watch pocket within a pocket of times past. Any employment of a magnet to secure the cleaning devices of the application within a piece of clothing is within the scope of the invention. Turning to FIG. 14, an embodiment of the disclosure is illustrated that is a quick release cleaning component. In this embodiment, at FIG. 14A, a cleaning component which includes a flexible cover 1400 and a cleaning material 1402 within the flexible cover bends or folds such that two magnets 1401 at the ends may function to keep it folded when not in use. A third magnet in the middle of the cleaning component serves to secure it to the body of a holding component having index number 1403. The holding component is composed of the same flexible cover material, at least in some embodiments, and usually will not include a cleaning material. The holding component will also have magnets 1401 at the ends. FIG. 14B shows this cleaning component engaged upon a substrate 1404, often a key ring, a caribbeaner, or a ring on a jacket or other article of clothing. When engaged with the cleaning component, the holding component wraps around the substrate and the magnets at the end of the holding component hold the cleaning component in place employing the magnet at the middle of the cleaning component. The cleaning component can be quickly removed by pulling it with a force sufficient to overcome the attraction of the magnets. As the cleaning component leaves the holding component, the magnets of the holding component will be attracted to each other thereby keeping the holding component wrapped around the substrate. Turning to FIG. 15, a stylus 1500 is shown that is configured to accept a cleaning component of the disclosure (not shown). In this figure, the stylus may be prepared wherein the entire stylus exterior is a magnet or a substrate that would be attracted to a magnet. In an alternative embodiment, the stylus includes a clip 1501 or other decorative component which can serve as a substrate to accept and hold a cleaning component. Note that the stylus may also be a writing implement. Another aspect of the invention is a cleaning system having at least one element being an accessory. The accessory may be selected from the group consisting of a purse, wallet, computer case, gun case, glasses strap, gloves, backpack, and a belt, wherein the accessory is configured to accept a cleaning component and the cleaning component is held in place, at least in part, using a magnet. In FIG. 16A, a purse 1600 is shown having attached thereto a cleaning component 1601 of the application. The cleaning component is shown attached to the handle 1602 of the purse. The cleaning component is shown in this illustration as being attached via a simple loop 1603 from the handle, but it can be attach using any means known to those of ordinary skill in the art or otherwise already disclosed herein. For example, the cleaning component may be attached to the pull tab of a zipper. It may also be attached to a decorative ring. On a backpack, it may be attached to a ring which also allows for the attachment of a shoulder strap. Also shown in FIG. 16A is the use of a logo for advertising purposes wherein the logo is clearly visible on the cleaning component. In FIG. 16B, an alternative embodiment of the purse is shown wherein the cleaning component is attached to a purse having a flap 1604. In this embodiment, the cleaning component, shown in a cut-away view, is protected from environmental damage by being between the flap and the side of the purse. In one embodiment, the purse includes a magnet that then couples with the magnet of the cleaning component to hold it in place. The cleaning components may be enhanced by adding additional features. For example, the cleaning component having a tab illustrated in FIG. 2C may be further enhanced by employing a magnetic hold-down. Turning to FIG. 17A, a cleaning component 1700 having a tab 1701 is shown with the tab in the closed position. FIG. 17B is a side view of the same cleaning component. Also shown in this view are the magnet 1702 and cleaning material 1703. It can be seen in this view that the tab has a hinge 1704 at its center. In FIG. 17C, the cleaning component is shown with the tab in the raised position and also showing a magnet 1705 within the raised portion of the tab. The magnet, when the tab is closed, functions to hold the tab down which may prevent the tab from being broken or the tab being caught by another object resulting in the cleaning component being unintentionally removed from its substrate. In another embodiment featuring a tab, FIG. 18 illustrates an electronic device 1801 having a cleaning component 1802 with an elongated tab 1803. The tab is hinged (not shown) so that it may be positioned to act as a stand. FIG. 18 illustrates a “portrait” configuration, but in another embodiment, the stand may be used to hold the device in a “landscape” configuration. Any cleaning component useful with the application may be prepared using additives that may be applied to the cleaning material to make it more suitable to a specific cleaning job. For example, in some embodiments, the cleaning material may be treated to make it better at removing oily smudges from a lens while in other embodiments, the cleaning material may be modified to make it better for removing hydrophilic dirt or smudges. In still other embodiments, the cleaning material(s) in a cleaning component maybe selected to have part of the component be useful for oily smudges while another part of the cleaning component is more useful for hydrophilic dirt or smudges. In embodiments where the cleaning components have more than one cleaning surface, then the cleaning materials and/or additives may be selected so that they are useful for cleaning both types of smudges/dirt. In some embodiments of the cleaning components of the application, the use of magnets or ferromagnetic or ferrimagnetic substrates is done with magnetic orientation utilized to facilitate the removal or replacement of the cleaning component to/or a case or other substrate. For example, when possible it is desirable to employ only a single magnet at a contact/adhesion point where the magnet is affixed using a ferromagnetic or ferrimagnetic substrate. This avoids entirely the problem of magnetic orientation when returning the cleaning component. When the strength of two magnets is necessary, then the use of a swivel as described above may be desirable. Other means of mitigating the issues arising with magnetic orientation include but are not limited to printing a notice on the device (such as “this side up” or configuring the shape of the cleaning component such that it is obvious which side of the cleaning component will have an attraction to the magnet fixed on or within the case to which it is being applied. Any cleaning device of the application may be prepared using an additional layer that functions to stiffen the cleaning device. As the objects to be cleaned, be they viewscreens or lens, get larger, it may be desirable to stiffen the cleaning device. Materials useful as a stiffening layer include, but are not limited to plastic, metal, wood and heavy fabrics. The cleaning components of the disclosure, when prepared with especially strong magnets, can have a dual purpose of being a game component. For example, in an embodiment where a smart phone is within a case having a recessed area configured to receive a cleaning component, the recessed area and the cleaning component may be shaped to resemble a ball or other game object. If the cleaning component is tossed accurately, it will be attached into the recessed area and such a toss could be a goal or score. Any such game is within the scope of the invention. In order to make the cleaning components more desirable to young users, they may be converted into or incorporated into dolls or toys with the caveat that the doll or toy is configured to be attached to or perched upon an electronic device and secured thereon using a magnet. While trademarked and/or copyrighted toys and dolls may be used (subject to proper licensing), even generic toys and dolls may be used, particularly if they will function to encourage proper maintenance of devices by, at least in some instances, young users. For example a Mini Beanie Baby™ from TY™ may be configured to sit upon a rectangular cleaning component wherein the cleaning component resembles a “rug.” In another embodiment, covers and cases for electronic devices may be configured to resemble a cage or a house and an appropriately selected figure prepared using a cleaning material on at least one surface and at least one magnet. The figure/cleaning component could be adhered to the cover or case such that it appears to be using the cage/house. One example would be the use of a Snoopy™ shaped cleaning component on a case or cover having a doghouse design or shape. In another embodiment, an Angry Bird™ figure could be configured to sit upon (aka perch) upon the top of a case or cover being secured from falling by the magnet containing within the cleaning component. In yet another example of employing the cleaning components of the application, a cleaning component may be used on the contact surface of interactive toys used with electronic devices. The advantage of this embodiment would be that the toy would simultaneously clean a view screen/monitor while providing entertainment. In still another embodiment, such devices may be employed for purposes of therapy rather than entertainment, or they may be used for both. The cleaners of the application, in some embodiments, may be prepared from wood, plastic or even metal. Turning to FIGS. 19A&B, a combination switch and cleaner for an electronic device is shown. The switch/cleaner may be made with, for example, acrylic plastic. In this embodiment, the switch is shown from above in FIG. 19A where the hard shell is 1901 and three magnets are enclosed within the shell and have the reference number 1902. FIG. 19B is a side view that also shows the cleaning material, 1903. Cleaners such as those illustrated in FIG. 19 may be employed with devices that have power switches or sensors that may be actuated using a magnet. In some embodiments, the magnets of these cleaners may serve a dual function of both actuating a sensor or switch and holding the cleaner in place when not in use. As devices change, the number and location of the magnets could be modified to fit new devices. In addition to the shape shown in the drawing, the cleaner/switches may be further modified to facilitate use by incorporating recesses (not shown). In an alternative embodiment, the switch may also have a knob, or “bumps” or surface features that allow for an easier “grip” by the finger, two fingers, one or two fingers and thumb used to move the cleaner/switch. In some embodiments, a tacky adhesive may even be employed upon the surface. Another embodiment of the application is a cleaning device having additional functionality such as a remote control, laser pointer or the like. Turning to FIG. 20, a device 2000 including both a laser pointer and a remote control is shown. This device includes and a case, 2001, a battery 2002, a remote transmitter and/or receiver 2004 and a laser 2007. Power is provided to the remote over circuit 2003 and to the laser over circuit 2008. The remote device is controlled using the buttons shown at 2005. An off/on switch is provided for the laser at 2006 which actuates a switch on the top of the laser (not shown). This device may or may not include cleaning capabilities but will include a rare earth magnet or magnets such as are already disclosed. Ideally, the device may be deployed with an apparatus with which the additional functionality is complementary. For example, a laser pointer and a remote functionality for sending signals to a laptop computer to aid in providing visual aids during a conference presentation or lecture. Capabilities that can be included with this embodiment include, but are not limited to: pointing devices such as a laser pointer; remote functionality such as a transmitter that can send mouse inputs to control a presentation; a wife hotspot, and the like. The remote function can be particularly useful for volume control, off/on switching, pause/play, and next/previous slide functionality. Still other functionality that may be incorporated into such a device may include, but not be limited to a flash drive or other solid-state recording device, earplugs, Bluetooth earplugs, credit card reader, microphone, and the like. In some embodiments, the devices of the application may be held in place using both magnetic and frictional forces. For the purposes of this, the term frictional forces includes those such as are obtained by including a ridge on a cleaning device that fits into a slot on a case. For example, a smart phone case having a slot which is configured to receive a cleaning device of the application wherein the cleaning device has a ridge that fits into that slot. By having both magnetic and frictional forces in play, such a cleaning device could be employed where it would otherwise be likely that the cleaning device would be separated from the smart phone case. Also within the scope of the application are embodiments wherein the cleaning material is replaceable. In these embodiments, the cleaning material may be such that it is held in place by an adhesive or the cleaning material may be rigid and fit within a slot configured to receive it. This is true of any of the previously disclosed embodiments. The cleaning devices of the application may be prepared using material that is foamed or otherwise buoyant. For example, in one application, a glasses holder can be configured to prevent a pair of glasses from sinking if dropped into water. For Example, in FIG. 21, a cleaning device 2100 is shown that has an outside cover 2101 and two cleaning surfaces within 2104. Within the outside cover are two foamed inserts 2103 and two magnets 2102 which function to hold the cover together when the cleaning device is not in use. FIG. 22 is a photograph showing such a device in use. Note that the cleaning device prevents the glasses from sinking. Embodiments of the disclosure that are hourglass in shape may be prepared using exceptionally strong magnets. Turning to FIG. 23, these embodiments, in addition to being useful for cleaning lenses, may also be employed to affix items such as glasses, golf tees, flies for fly-fishing and other fish hooks, and the like to clothing and hats. The device 2300 is employed by opening the device and then placing the magnets 2302 on either side of a substrate like the sleeve or pocket of a shirt. The body of the cleaner, which is flexible, then “snaps” shut as the magnets divided only the thin material of the shirt or hat. By inserting a pen, pair of glasses or the like before bringing the magnets together, the item can be held in place. In one particularly useful embodiment, two such devices can be applied to the lens of a pair of glasses thereby protecting the lens from scratches and other perils of the environment. In another embodiment, the cleaners of the application can be applied to a non-magnetic surface using an adhesive, a clamp, an elastic snap on design or the like. The previous embodiment is just one example of how to prepare a buoyant cleaner. Any buoyant material can be employed in the making such an apparatus. For example the cleaning material themselves can be encapsulated around the buoyant core. Many the features of the illustrated devices of the application can be employed on other embodiments. For example, the use of buoyant materials may be employed with cleaning devices such as those illustrated in FIGS. 13 and 14. Also, any of the embodiment of the application with sufficient internal volume, may include a reservoir for a cleaning fluid which may be dispensed as a spray or any other method known to those of ordinary skill in the art. One embodiment of the invention is a switching device for use a portable electronic device having a view screen, a switch for turning the portable device off and on that can be activated or deactivated by the application of a magnetic field and at least one case. The term portable electronic device means such devices having a view screen including, but not limited to, tablet computers, laptop computers, portable DVD players, and the like. The switching devices of the application selectively couple with the case or cases of the portable electronic devices. The term “selectively couple” describes the process wherein a switching device of the disclosure is applied to a portable electronic device and adheres to it because of a magnetic force. In one embodiment of the disclosure, there is sufficient magnetic force to allow the witching device to remain in place despite casual movements of the portable electronic device, but to still be easily removed by a human operator. Turning to FIG. 24, a front view of a portable electronic device, in this case a table computer (2400) is shown. As can be observed, the switching device (2401) is selectively coupled to the front of the portable electronic device 2402 outside of the view screen 2403. The magnetic switch is normally disposed with the portable electronic device but is shown here for illustration purposes (2404). In employing the method of the application, the switching component may be picked up and, depending upon the model and functionality of the magnetic switch, the switching device is either applied directly to the magnetic switch or applied to either side of the switch and then slid past it to activate or deactivate the portable electronic device. Turning to FIG. 25, a side view of the switching device 2401 of FIG. 25 may be seen. The body of the switching device has a bottom surface (2501) and a top surface 2502. This particular embodiment has a tab (2503) on the top surface to facilitate its manipulation. Disposed within the switching device is a ferromagnetic or ferrimagnetic substrate (2504). In this embodiment, the bottom of the switching device is in contact with portable electronic device and is composed of a material that is not abrasive to the portable electronic device generally and the view screen in particular. Except for this limitation, the switching devices may be prepared with any material known to be useful to those of ordinary skill in the art for such applications. In some embodiments, the switching device may include a tab that can be pinched to facilitate moving the switching device. In still another variation, in this latter embodiment, the tab may be constructed such that it can lie down in order to lower the profile of the switching device. The dimensions of the switching device may vary according to its intended use. For some embodiments, length may range from about 12.5 cm to about 5 cm. In one embodiment, the length may be about 7 cm. Width may range from 1.5 cm to about 4 cm. In one embodiment, the width may be about 2 cm. The overall shape of the switching device may be round, oval, rectangular, or square. In some embodiments, in order to avoid overlapping with a view screen, the switching device may be shaped to fit available space. Another embodiment of the application invention is a small electronic device comprising a case, a view screen, and internal electronic components wherein the view screen and internal electronic components are mounted within the case. In this embodiment, the view screen is externally visible in at least one configuration of the case and the case has a surface that is substantially diamagnetic. At least a part of the surface of the case has been configured to receive a switching device. Further, the switching device is configured to selectively couple to the at least one part of the surface of the case that has been configured to receive the switching device; the at least one part of the surface of the case that has been configured to receive the switching device is ferromagnetic or ferrimagnetic or overlays a ferromagnetic or ferrimagnetic material. It may be desirable, in some applications, to make the switching devices such that they have beveled edges. Such components could be particularly useful when coupled with devices having a case configured to accept the switching device wherein there is a ridge configured to accept the beveled edge to more securely hold it in place. In embodiments of the disclosure where a case has been configured to receive a switching device, it may be so configured in several ways. In one embodiment, such a case is configured by placing a ferromagnetic or ferrimagnetic material onto the surface of the case where the switching device is received. In another embodiment, the case is prepared such that the case itself is composed of a ferromagnetic or ferrimagnetic material at the point where the switching device is received. In still another embodiment, the case is prepared by placing a ferromagnetic or ferrimagnetic material underneath where the switching device is received. Additionally, the case may be fabricated such that the switching device is received into a groove, slot, or other indented geometrical shape to lower the profile of the switching device to facilitate closing a cover or prevent snagging a switching device. Another reason to lower the profile that the switching device may be to enhance the aesthetics of the device. In employing the method of the disclosure, the switching device is coupled to the base of, for example, a laptop computer by placing it within the invention. The magnetic attractive force between the permanent magnet and the ferromagnetic material holds the switching device in place as a laptop computer is moved. The switching device is decoupled from the laptop computer base by lifting it to overcome the magnetic force. The switching device is then placed on the view screen (not shown) and is then moved across the view screen using one or more fingers. After the device has been activated or deactivated, the switching device may be recoupled to the computer base. Similarly, the method and apparatus of this disclosure may apply to a second case. In this embodiment, a case constructed to protect the primary case of a small electronic device may be similarly configured to receive a switching device. Such cases which are sometime manufactured by 3rd party providers generally serve to protect the finish of the primary case and/or provide additional impact protection for the electrical components of the small electronic devices. In practicing the method of the disclosure, there are three basic embodiments regarding the source of magnetic force used. In one embodiment, the switching device may include a magnet and the case may include an unmagnetized ferromagnetic or ferrimagnetic material. In a second embodiment, the switching device may have only an unmagnetized ferromagnetic or ferrimagnetic material and the magnet may be in or on the case. In the third embodiment, both the switching device and the case may include a magnet. When a magnet or a ferromagnetic or ferrimagnetic material is applied to a case, in one embodiment, it may be adhered using a tacky adhesive. One such embodiment includes using double sided gaffer's tape as the source of the tacky adhesive. Any tacky adhesive can be used with the method of the application. In one embodiment, the switching device of the application may be used as a source of advertising. For example, in one embodiment of the application, a switching device may have imprinted upon it a logo, trademark, slogan, or the like. In another embodiment, a pre-printed substrate having a logo or decorative side, and optionally, a second adhesive side may be used. In some of these embodiments where the substrate includes an adhesive, it may be used to secure a magnet to the switching device. In another embodiment, the substrate having an adhesive may be free of advertisements and/or decoration. In this application, the term diamagnetic is used to delineate materials that are not ferromagnetic or ferrimagnetic. From a practical perspective, the materials that are paramagnetic have such a weak attraction to magnets that they would not be effective if utilized and thus are to be treated as if they are diamagnetic. While many of the switching device have a single magnet or ferromagnetic or ferrimagnetic substrate, this is not a limitation of the application. In some embodiments, it may be desirable to have multiple magnets in a switching device. In one example of a method of the application, the switching device is adhered to the top of a device having a case that closes, such as a laptop computer, with the body of the switching device rotated down when the case is closed. When the laptop is opened for use, the body can be rotated up and away from the screen. The switching devices have a functionality of being able to active magnetic switches on devices having such switches. This is particularly useful in saving battery life as it does not require the cover of such devices to be closed (the normal mode for activation of such switches). In the use of tablet devices having a magnetic switch, the switching devices are particularly useful as the tablet can be put into hibernation mode with a single touch to the switching device as compared to the multiple touches required to do the same thing using the touch pad of the tablet. In one embodiment where a switching device of the application is employed on a tablet using the Apple® Smart Cover, it may be employed on the outside of the smart cover to function as a handle for more easily manipulating the cover. Magnets at the bottom of the Smart Cover allow for a very efficient employment of the switching device. The switching device of the disclosure, when prepared with especially strong magnets, can have a dual purpose of being a game component. For example, in an embodiment where a smart phone is within a case having a recessed area configured to receive a switching device, the recessed area and the switching device may be shaped to resemble a ball or other game object. If the switching device is tossed accurately, it will be attached into the recessed area and such a toss could be a goal or score. Any such game is within the scope of the invention. In order to make the switching device more desirable to young users, they may be converted into or incorporated into dolls or toys with the caveat that the doll or toy is configured to be attached to or perched upon an electronic device and secured thereon using a magnet. While trademarked toys and dolls, such as Angry Birds™ doll in FIG. 3 may be used, even generic toys and dolls may be used, particularly if they will function to encourage proper maintenance of devices by, at least in some instances, young users. For example a Mini Beanie Baby™ from TY™ may be configured to sit upon a rectangular switching device wherein the switching device resembles a “rug.” In another embodiment, covers and cases for electronic devices may be configured to resemble a cage or a house and an appropriately selected figure prepared using a nonabrasive material on at least one surface and at least one magnet. The figure/switching device could be adhered to the cover or case such that it appears to be using the cage/house. One example would be the use of a Snoopy™ shaped switching device on a case or cover having a doghouse design or shape. In another embodiment, a cartoon figure could be configured to sit upon (aka perch) upon the top of a case or cover being secured from falling by the magnet containing within the switching device. The switching devices of the application have many advantages as compared to the conventional switching devices which are generally fixed within the covers of cases. The conventional switches often cannot be moved from side to side and usually block the view screen when employed. The switching devices of the application do not have these limitations. In fact, the switching devices of the application may be perched or attached to the front of a portable electronic device whether the device is off or on. The switching devices of the application do not server as a cover, but this allows them to be of very low weight compared to the conventional covers/switches. Where a conventional case lacks a handle, the switching devices of the application may do double duty as a handle when the case, such as the Apple® Smart Case, is in place. The cleaning materials that are employed in some of the embodiments of the application may be removable. For example, the cleaning devices illustrated in FIGS. 19A and 19B may be prepared with a cleaning material that 1903 that can be removed and replaced. While in some embodiment a tacky adhesive or other adhesive may be employed for the purpose of holding the cleaning material in place, because the device includes at least one magnet, a cleaning material that has been impregnated with iron particles (such as dust of filings) may be employed so that the magnet also serves to hold the cleaning material in place. In the alternative a metal foil could be used. An adhesive can be selected to secure the impregnated metal particles of foil in place. The adhesive, in some embodiments, can function to protect the metal particles from corrosion as well as to prevent their escape. It would be desirable that especially metal particles such as iron dust of filings be secured and not escape onto surfaces being cleaned. Some of the cleaning devices, such as those illustrated at FIG. 23, have secondary uses. For example, these devices may also be prepared with a surface made out a material suitable for holding fly fishing lures and other fishhooks. Where such a secondary use has been disclosed, then such devices, with or without the cleaning material are also within the scope of the application. | <SOH> BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION <EOH> | <SOH> SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION <EOH>In one aspect, the invention is a method of cleaning a view screen of an electronic device having at least one case comprising wiping the view screen with a cleaning component wherein the cleaning component is configured to selectively couple to the at least one case using a magnetic attractive force. In another aspect, the invention is a cleaning component for use on an electronic device view screen comprising a cleaning material covering at least one surface of a ferromagnetic or ferrimagnetic substrate wherein the cleaning component has a maximum thickness of 1.5 cm. In still another aspect, the invention is a small electronic device comprising a case, a view screen, and internal electronic components wherein the view screen and internal electronic components are mounted within the case and the view screen is externally visible in at least one configuration of the case. Also, the case has a surface that is substantially diamagnetic and at least a part of the surface of the case has been configured to receive a cleaning component wherein: the cleaning component is configured to selectively couple to the at least one part of the surface of the case that has been configured to receive the cleaning component; the at least one part of the surface of the case that has been configured to receive the cleaning component is ferromagnetic or ferrimagnetic or overlays a ferromagnetic or ferrimagnetic material; and the cleaning component comprises a cleaning material covering at least one surface of a ferromagnetic or ferrimagnetic substrate. Another aspect of the invention is a second case, that functions to protect an electronic device's primary case, and has a surface that is substantially diamagnetic and at least a part of the surface of the second case has been configured to receive a cleaning component wherein: the cleaning component is configured to selectively couple to the at least one part of the surface of the second case that has been configured to receive the cleaning component; the at least one part of the surface of the second case that has been configured to receive the cleaning component is ferromagnetic or ferrimagnetic or overlays a ferromagnetic or ferrimagnetic material; and the cleaning component comprises a cleaning material covering at least one surface of a ferromagnetic or ferrimagnetic substrate. In still another aspect, the invention is a method of cleaning a view screen or a lens for use with a mechanical or non-electronic device having a view screen or a lens comprising wiping the view screen or lens with a cleaning component wherein the cleaning component is configured to selectively couple to the at least one part of the mechanical or non-electrical device using a magnetic attractive force. In yet another aspect, the invention is a method of cleaning a view screen or a lens using a cleaning component wherein the cleaning component is configured to adhere to portable object different from the object having the view screen or lens. Another aspect of the invention is employing a cleaning component having a magnet element to activate or deactivate a magnetic switch. In still another aspect, the invention is a cleaning component having a cleaning surface that is replaceable and held in place within the cleaning component with a tacky adhesive wherein the tacky adhesive is directly on the surface of the non-cleaning surface or the tacky adhesive is in the form of a double sided tape. In yet another aspect, the invention is a cleaning component having an external cover for protecting one both sides of a cleaning material wherein the external cover is reversible so that it may be folded over to expose the cleaning surface. In still another aspect, the invention is a case for an electronic device having a magnetic switch, and in the area of the case over the magnetic switch, a recessed area that functions to facilitate a cleaning component having a magnet moving past the switch in order to activate or deactivate the switch. Another aspect of the invention is a cleaning system having at least one element being a piece of clothing selected from the group consisting of a hat, helmet, sweatband or other headgear; a jacket or coat; a shirt or top; a skirt or pants; and a shoe or boot, wherein the piece of clothing is configured to accept a cleaning component and the cleaning component is held in place, at least in part, using a magnet. In yet another aspect, the invention may be cleaning system comprising a cleaning component and an area on a device case configured to receive the cleaning component wherein the area of the device case configured to receive the cleaning component and the cleaning component may be used as a game wherein the cleaning component is tossed at the device case configured to receive the cleaning component. In still another aspect, the invention is a stylus configured to receive a cleaning component. Another aspect of the invention is a cleaning system having at least one element being an accessory selected from the group consisting of a purse, wallet, computer case, gun case, glasses strap, gloves, backpack, and a belt, wherein the piece of clothing is configured to accept a cleaning component and the cleaning component is held in place, at least in part, using a magnet. Yet another aspect of the invention is a cleaning component for use on an electronic device view screen comprising a cleaning material covering at least one surface of a ferromagnetic or ferrimagnetic substrate wherein the cleaning component also includes a tab. In one embodiment, the tab is elongated so that it can function as a stand to hold the electronic device upright. Another aspect of the invention is a cleaning device having a hard surface and cleaning surface and including at least one ferromagnetic or ferrimagnetic material within the cleaning device wherein the at least one ferromagnetic or ferrimagnetic material may function to actuate a power switch or sensor that is capable of being actuated using a magnet. Another aspect of the invention is a cleaning device having additional functionality such as a remote control, laser pointer or the like. In one aspect, the invention is a switching device for use with a portable electronic device having a view screen and at least one switch that can be activated or de-activated by introducing a magnetic field to the at least one switch wherein the switching device has at least one magnet and at least one surface that is non-abrasive to the surface of the view screen. In another aspect, the invention is a switching device for an electronic apparatus that can be activated or deactivated by employing a magnet, the switching device having (i) at least one magnet, (ii) a body surrounding the magnet, and (iii) at least one surface configured to contact any surface of the device, including the view screen; wherein the surface configured to contact the electronic apparatus is non-abrasive to the view screen of the apparatus. In another aspect, the invention is a method of conserving power when using a portable electronic device having a view screen and at least one switch that can activated or de-activated by introducing a magnetic field to the at least one switch wherein the switching device has at least one magnet and at least one surface that is non-abrasive to the surface of the view screen, wherein the method includes using the switching device to turn the portable electronic device off when the portable electronic device is not in actual use and then on when the portable electronic device is needed. | B08B1006 | 20171222 | 20180503 | 80630.0 | B08B100 | 2 | HAUGHTON, ANTHONY MICHAEL | APPARATUS FOR CLEANING VIEW SCREENS AND LENSES AND METHOD FOR THE USE THEREOF | UNDISCOUNTED | 1 | CONT-ACCEPTED | B08B | 2,017 |
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15,852,436 | ACCEPTED | HANGING CHAIR | A hanging chair that includes an upper frame member, a lower frame member, and a plurality of upright supports. The upper frame member is connectable to an external support structure and having a top plate and a bottom plate. The lower frame member has a top plate and a bottom plate. Each upright support having a first end and a second end. The first end of each upright support is connected to the upper frame member between the top plate and the bottom plate of the upper frame member. The second end of each upright support is connected to the lower frame member between the top plate and the bottom plate of the lower frame member. The plurality of upright supports are pivotally moveable between a collapsed position, where the plurality of upright supports are pivoted toward one another, and an expanded position. | 1. A hanging chair, comprising: an upper frame member connectable to an external support structure, the upper frame member having a top plate, a bottom plate, and a side plate; a lower frame member having a top plate, a bottom plate, and a side plate; and a plurality of upright supports that each are arcuate members that extend from the upper frame member to the lower frame member, each upright support having a first end and a second end, the first end of each upright support is pivotally connected to the upper frame member between the top plate and the bottom plate, the second end of each upright support is pivotally connected to the lower frame member between the top plate and the bottom plate, wherein two upright supports from the plurality of upright supports, the side plate of the upper frame member, and the side plate of the lower frame member define an opening. 2. The hanging chair of claim 1, further comprising: a flexible cover that is connected to at least two of the upright supports. 3. The hanging chair of claim 2, wherein the flexible cover extends between adjacent pairs of the upright supports, and the flexible cover does not obstruct the opening defined by the upright supports. 4. The hanging chair of claim 3, wherein the flexible cover includes pockets that enclose the upright supports. 5. The hanging chair of claim 1, further comprising: a free-standing, suspension frame having a suspension member, wherein the suspension member is connectable to the upper frame member. 6. The hanging chair of claim 5, wherein the upper frame member includes a mounting member for connecting the upper frame member to the suspension member. 7. The hanging chair of claim 1, wherein the upright supports are movable between a collapsed position and an expanded position, the hanging chair further comprising: two releasable locking structures that allow the two upright supports that define the opening to be fixed in the expanded position. 8. The hanging chair of claim 1, wherein: the side plate of the upper frame member is connected to a portion of an outer periphery of the top plate of the upper frame member and a portion of an outer periphery of the bottom plate of the upper frame member and wherein the top plate of the upper frame member and the bottom plate of the upper frame member are substantially coplanar and spaced apart, and the side plate of the lower frame member is connected to a portion of an outer periphery of the top plate of the lower frame member and a portion of an outer periphery of the bottom plate of the lower frame member and wherein the top plate of the lower frame member and the bottom plate of the lower frame member are substantially coplanar and spaced apart. 9. The hanging chair of claim 1, wherein at least some of the upright supports are rigid tubular members. 10. The hanging chair of claim 1, wherein at least some of the upright supports are non-structural cover supports. 11. A hanging chair, comprising: an upper frame member connectable to an external support structure, the upper frame member having a top plate, a bottom plate, and a side plate, wherein the top plate and the bottom plate are substantially coplanar and spaced apart, wherein the side plate is connected to a portion of an outer periphery of the top plate and a portion of an outer periphery of the bottom plate; a lower frame member having a top plate, a bottom plate, and a side plate, wherein the top plate and the bottom plate are substantially coplanar and spaced apart, wherein the side plate is connected to a portion of an outer periphery of the top plate and a portion of an outer periphery of the bottom plate; a plurality of upright supports that each extend from the upper frame member to the lower frame member, each upright support having a first end and a second end, the first end of each upright support is connected to the upper frame member between the top plate and the bottom plate, the second end of each upright support is connected to the lower frame member between the top plate and the bottom plate, wherein the plurality of upright supports are pivotally moveable between a collapsed position, where the plurality of upright supports are pivoted toward one another, and an expanded position, and wherein two upright supports from the plurality of upright supports, the side plate of the upper frame member, and the side plate of the lower frame member define an ovoid opening; and a flexible cover that is connected to at least two of the upright supports. 12. The hanging chair of claim 11, wherein the flexible cover extends between adjacent pairs of the upright supports, and the flexible cover does not obstruct the ovoid opening defined by the upright supports. 13. The hanging chair of claim 12, wherein the flexible cover includes pockets that enclose the upright supports. 14. The hanging chair of claim 11, wherein the flexible cover is formed from an elastic material. 15. The hanging chair of claim 11, wherein the flexible cover is formed from an inelastic material. 16. The hanging chair of claim 11, wherein the flexible cover is configured to cover a majority of a length of each of the upright supports. 17. The hanging chair of claim 11, further comprising: a plurality non-structural cover supports. 18. The hanging chair of claim 17, wherein the non-structural cover supports are embedded in the flexible cover. 19. The hanging chair of claim 17, wherein the non-structural cover supports are not directly connected to the upper frame member or the lower frame member. 20. A hanging chair, comprising: a frame having: a first frame member connectable to an external support structure having a top plate, a bottom plate, and a side plate, wherein the side plate is connected to a portion of an outer periphery of the top plate and a portion of an outer periphery of the bottom plate, a second frame member having a top plate, a bottom plate, and a side plate, wherein the side plate is connected to a portion of an outer periphery of the top plate and a portion of an outer periphery of the bottom plate, and a plurality of upright supports having a substantially arcuate configuration wherein each upright support extends from the first frame member to the second frame member, each upright support having a first end and a second end, the first end of each upright support is connected to the first frame member between the top plate and the bottom plate, the second end of each upright support is connected to the second frame member between the top plate and the bottom plate, wherein two upright supports from the plurality of upright supports define an ovoid opening, and wherein the lower frame member and the second end of each upright support form a support surface; a cover that is connected to at least two of the upright supports and occupies spaces between adjacent pairs of bars, and terminates at the ovoid opening, such that the ovoid opening is not obstructed by the cover; and a seat cushion supported on the support surface defined by the frame. | CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/277,105, filed on Sep. 27, 2016, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/719,685, filed on May 22, 2015, now U.S. Pat. No. 9,468,284, which claims benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 62/002,428 filed on May 23, 2014 and U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 62/039,530 filed on Aug. 20, 2014, the disclosures of which are incorporated in their entireties by reference. BACKGROUND This disclosure relates to the field of hanging chairs. Hanging chairs of many types are well known. Hanging chairs generally include a mounting structure at the top of the chair, such as a hook or eye. The mounting structure is used to suspend the hanging chair from an external structure, such as an overhead structural member of a building or a frame. Hanging chairs lack legs, with the entire weight of the chair instead being borne by the mounting structure by which the chair is suspended. One common type of hanging chair is known as an egg chair. A typical egg chair includes a half-ovoid shell that defines a seating surface and seat back, and an upright, substantially oval-shaped open side of the chair through which the occupant enters and sits in the chair. Traditionally, such a chair would be constructed from wicker or a similar material. Some recent designs define the shell with a frame of welded-together metal tubes. Many variations of this basic design have been made over the years, for example, some designs replace the half ovoid shape with a slightly more rectangular shape. The weight of an occupant of a hanging chair is transmitted from a bottom interior surface of the chair through structure of the chair to the mounting structure. Because of this, the materials and construction techniques selected for the chair must be able to resist the tensile loading placed on nearly all of the chair's structure. This is in contrast to chairs having legs, where most of the structure of the chair is subjected to compressive forces. SUMMARY One aspect of the disclosed embodiments is a hanging chair that includes an upper frame member connectable to an external support structure, the upper frame member having a top plate, a bottom plate, and a side plate, and a lower frame member having a top plate, a bottom plate, and a side plate. A plurality of upright supports are each arcuate members that extend from the upper frame member to the lower frame member, each upright support having a first end and a second end, the first end of each upright support is pivotally connected to the upper frame member between the top plate and the bottom plate, the second end of each upright support is pivotally connected to the lower frame member between the top plate and the bottom plate, wherein two upright supports from the plurality of upright supports, the side plate of the upper frame member, and the side plate of the lower frame member define an opening. Another aspect of the disclosed embodiments is a hanging chair that includes an upper frame member and a lower frame member. The upper frame member is connectable to an external support structure, the upper frame member having a top plate, a bottom plate, and a side plate, wherein the top plate and the bottom plate are substantially coplanar and spaced apart, wherein the side plate is connected to a portion of an outer periphery of the top plate and a portion of an outer periphery of the bottom plate. The lower frame member having a top plate, a bottom plate, and a side plate, wherein the top plate and the bottom plate are substantially coplanar and spaced apart, wherein the side plate is connected to a portion of an outer periphery of the top plate and a portion of an outer periphery of the bottom plate. The hanging chair also includes a plurality of upright supports that each extend from the upper frame member to the lower frame member, each upright support having a first end and a second end, the first end of each upright support is connected to the upper frame member between the top plate and the bottom plate, the second end of each upright support is connected to the lower frame member between the top plate and the bottom plate. The plurality of upright supports are pivotally moveable between a collapsed position, where the plurality of upright supports are pivoted toward one another, and an expanded position, and wherein two upright supports from the plurality of upright supports, the side plate of the upper frame member, and the side plate of the lower frame member define an ovoid opening. The hanging chair also includes a flexible cover that is connected to at least two of the upright supports. Another aspect of the disclosed embodiments is a hanging chair that includes a frame, a cover, and a seat cushion. The frame includes a first frame member that is connectable to an external support structure having a top plate, a bottom plate, and a side plate, wherein the side plate is connected to a portion of an outer periphery of the top plate and a portion of an outer periphery of the bottom plate, a second frame member having a top plate, a bottom plate, and a side plate, wherein the side plate is connected to a portion of an outer periphery of the top plate and a portion of an outer periphery of the bottom plate, and a plurality of upright supports having a substantially arcuate configuration wherein each upright support extends from the first frame member to the second frame member, each upright support having a first end and a second end, the first end of each upright support is connected to the first frame member between the top plate and the bottom plate, the second end of each upright support is connected to the second frame member between the top plate and the bottom plate, wherein two upright supports from the plurality of upright supports define an ovoid opening, and wherein the lower frame member and the second end of each upright support form a support surface. The cover is connected to at least two of the upright supports and occupies spaces between adjacent pairs of bars, and terminates at the ovoid opening, such that the ovoid opening is not obstructed by the cover. The seat cushion supported on the support surface defined by the frame. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an assembly that includes a suspension frame and a folding chair according to a first example; FIG. 2 is a front view of a frame of the folding chair of FIG. 1; FIG. 3 is a top view of the frame of the folding chair of FIG. 1 in an expanded position; FIG. 4 is a top view of the frame of the folding chair of FIG. 1 in a collapsed position; FIG. 5 is a detail view of an upper frame member and a plurality of upright supports of the folding chair of FIG. 1; FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view showing the upper frame member and an upright support from the plurality of upright supports; FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing a folding chair according to a second example; FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing a folding chair according to a third example; FIG. 9 is a front view of a frame of the folding chair of FIG. 8; FIG. 10 is a top view of the frame of the folding chair of FIG. 8 in an expanded position; FIG. 11 is a top view of the frame of the folding chair of FIG. 8 in a collapsed position; FIG. 12 is a detail view of an upper frame member and a plurality of upright supports of the folding chair of FIG. 8; FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view showing the upper frame member and an upright support from the plurality of upright supports of the folding chair of FIG. 8; FIG. 14 is a detail view of an upper frame member and a plurality of upright supports in a first alternative embodiment of the folding chair of FIG. 8; and FIG. 15 is a cross-sectional view showing the upper frame member and an upright support from the plurality of upright supports in the first alternative embodiment of the folding chair of FIG. 8. DETAILED DESCRIPTION This disclosure is directed to hanging chairs, such as egg chairs, that have a folding frame that allows the chair to be collapsed for storage and transportation. FIG. 1 shows an assembly 100 that includes a suspension frame 110 and a folding chair 120. The folding chair 120 is suspended from the suspension frame 110. As illustrated, the suspension frame 110 is a free-standing includes a plurality of interconnected structural elements, such as welded-together tubular metal members. The suspension frame 110 includes a plurality of legs 112 that extend outward from an upstanding arcuate mast 114. In this example the arcuate mast has a C-shape with a first end of the mast 114 being connected to and supported by the legs 112 and a second end that is disposed directly above the first end, albeit with a substantial distance (e.g. six feet) separating the first end and the second end. A suspension member 116 is located at the second end of the mast 114. The suspension member is the portion of the suspension frame that is connectable to the folding chair 120. Accordingly, the suspension member is located at an elevation suitable for keeping the folding chair 120 separated from the ground or other underlying surface. The suspension member 116 can be, for example, a hook, an eye, or any other suitable. The suspension frame 110 is an example of a structure from which the folding chair 120 can be suspended. The folding chair 120 can also be suspended from other structures such as a tree or an overhead structure of a building that is suitable for carrying suspended loads. In these examples, hardware similar to the suspension member 116 can be utilized to allow connection of the folding chair 120 to whatever external structure it is used in conjunction with. The folding chair 120 includes a flexible cover 122 that is supported by a frame. The frame of the folding chair 120 includes an upper frame member 130, a lower frame member 140, and a plurality of upright supports 150. The upper frame member 130 and the lower frame member 140 are rigid members that interconnect the upright supports 150. The folding chair 120 can also include a seat cushion 124 that is disposed inside the folding chair 120, and is supported by the frame and the flexible cover 122 to define a seating surface. The flexible cover 122 may be of any configuration, including but not limited to, having pockets sewn into the flexible cover 122 to enclose the plurality of upright supports 150 or an opening to allow easy access to either the upper frame member 130 or the lower frame member 140. As shown in FIG. 2, the upper frame member 130 is connectable to an external support structure such as the suspension frame 110. A mounting member 132 is connected to and extends upward from the upper frame member 130 for connecting the upper frame member to the suspension frame 110 or other external support structure. For instance, the mounting member 132 can be a hook or an eye that is connectable to the suspension member 116 of the suspension frame 110. Each of the upright supports 150 can have a lower end that is connected to the lower frame member 140 and each of the upright supports 150 can have an upper end that is connected to the upper frame member 130. To allow the chair to be folded and unfolded, each of the upright supports 150 is movable between a collapsed position and an expanded position. In particular, each of the upright supports 150 is pivotally connected to the lower frame member 140 and is also pivotally connected to the upper frame member 130. At least some of the upright supports 150 are rigid members that are connected to the upper frame member 130 and the lower frame member 140 in a manner that allows force to be transmitted through the upright supports 150 to support and suspend the lower frame member 140 with respect to the upper frame member 130. In the illustrated example, all of the upright supports 150 are rigid. In some implementations, one or more of the upright supports 150 could be flexible supports that are connected to the upper frame member 130 and the lower frame member 140, semi-rigid supports that are connected to the upper frame member 130 and the lower frame member 140, or supports that are embedded in the flexible cover 122 without being connected to the upper frame member 130 or the lower frame member 140. In the illustrated example, the upright supports 150 are rigid, tubular metal members having an arcuate shape, with each of the upright supports 150 being a solid, one-piece member. Other shapes, configurations, and materials can be used, such as non-tubular supports, extruded shapes, and/or multi-piece supports. The flexible cover 122 is disposed over at least part of the frame, and typically covers the majority of the length of each of the upright supports 150. In combination with a pair of upright supports from the plurality of upright supports 150, the flexible cover defines an open side for the folding chair 120, which has a substantially ovoid opening that is defined between the pair of upright supports. The flexible cover 122 can be made from any of a number of suitable materials, such as canvas or nylon. Solid sheet fabrics materials can be used or other materials can be used such as screen, mesh, netting, or rope. Elastic or inelastic materials can be utilized for the flexible cover 122. Windows, vents, or other openings can be incorporated in the flexible cover 122. The flexible cover 122 can be removably attached to the upright supports 150 and/or other portions of the frame work of the folding chair 120 to allow the flexible cover 122 to be removed and replaced. Removable connection of the flexible cover 122 can be achieved by a number of suitable structures, including sleeves or straps that are formed as part of the flexible cover 122 and attach to the upright supports by hook-and-loop fasteners, zippers, buttons, snaps, knots, or other types of fasteners. As seen in FIGS. 3-4, the upright supports 150 extend outward from the upper frame member 130 and the lower frame member 140 (not visible in FIGS. 3-4). In the expanded position (FIG. 3), the upright supports 150 extend radially outward from the upper frame member 130, with the mounting member 132 being located approximately at the radial center of the upright supports 150. In the collapsed position (FIG. 4), the upright supports 150 are pivoted toward one another to reduce the overall size of the frame. To allow pivoting of the upright supports 150, each is connected to the upper frame member 130 by a pivot pin 134, as shown in FIGS. 5-6. The pivot pins 134 are arrayed on the upper frame member 130 at spaced locations to allow the upright supports 150 to pivot with respect to one another during movement between the expanded and collapsed positions. Each pivot pin 134 extends through aligned apertures in a top portion 135 and a bottom portion 136 of the upper frame member 130, which are spaced apart planar structures that are connected by a side portion 137. Each pivot pin 134 also extends through one of the upright supports 150. The pivot pins 134 can be fixed to the upper frame member 130, but sized and configured to allow the upright supports 150 to pivot on them. A releasable locking structure can be provided for each of the upright supports 150 to allow the upright supports 150 to be fixed in expanded position with respect to the upper frame member 130. As an example, a spring pin 138 can be disposed in each of the upright supports 150 and engageable with a respective aperture in the upper frame member 130. The spring pins 138 can each be axially compressed to disengage them from the upper frame member 130, which allows the upright supports 150 to be pivoted from the expanded position toward the collapsed position. Once re-aligned with the apertures in the upper frame member, the spring pins 128 extend and re-engage the upper frame member 130. The lower frame member 140 is constructed in the same manner described with respect to the upper frame member 130 including connection of the upright supports 150 to the lower frame member 140 by pivot pins. Spring pins can be provided for engagement with the lower frame member 140 or omitted. If omitted, the upright supports 150 and the lower frame member 140 are maintained in position with respect to one another by engagement of the spring pins 138 with the upper frame member 130. In operation, the folding chair 120 may initially be in the collapsed position and not connected to an external support structure. A user pivots each of the upright supports 150 with respect to upper frame member 130 and the lower frame member 140 and toward the expanded position. Once in the expanded position, the upright supports 150 are locked into position, for example, by engagement of the spring pins 138. If the flexible cover is not currently attached to the frame of the chair, it is connected to the upright supports 150 by the user. The folding chair 120 is then suspended from an external support structure, such as the suspension frame 110. For example, the folding chair 120 can be connected to the suspension frame 110 by connecting the mounting member 132 of the folding chair 120 to the suspension member 116 of the suspension frame 110. The seat cushion 124 is then installed in the folding chair 120, which is now ready for use. Disassembly of the folding chair 120 is accomplished by reversing the assembly steps. FIG. 7 shows a folding chair 220 according to a second example. The folding chair 220 can be suspended from an external support structure, such as the suspension frame 110. The folding chair 220 includes a frame that supports a flexible cover 222, which is similar or identical to the flexible cover 122. The frame of the folding chair 220 includes an upper frame member 230 having a mounting member 232 as well as a lower frame member 240, which are similar to the upper frame member 130, the mounting member 132, and the lower frame member 140. The folding chair 220 differs from the folding chair 120 by virtue of a rigid, fixed, non-pivotal frame member 231 that is arcuate or substantially C-shaped and interconnects the upper frame member 230 and lower frame member to suspend the lower frame member 240 from the upper frame member. The non-pivotal frame member is fixedly connected to each of the upper frame member 230 and the lower frame member 240, and can be the sole structural connection between the two. A plurality of non-structural cover supports 223 are connected to each of the upper frame member 230 and the lower frame member 240 by one of a removable connection (i.e. disconnectable), or a pivotal connection to each of the upper frame member 230 and the lower frame member 240, where the folding chair 220 is moved to the collapsed position by pivoting and/or disconnecting the non-structural cover supports 223. As one example, the non-structural cover supports 223 are spring steel members. As another example, the non-structural cover supports 223 are fiber poles. As another example, the non-structural cover supports 223 are plastic rods. Use of the folding chair 220 is similar to use of the folding chair 120. FIG. 8 shows an assembly 300 according to a third example that includes a suspension frame 310 and a folding chair 320. The folding chair 320 is suspended from the suspension frame 310. As illustrated, the suspension frame 310 is free-standing and includes a plurality of interconnected structural elements, such as welded-together tubular metal members. The suspension frame 310 includes a plurality of legs 312 that extend outward from an upstanding arcuate mast 314. The arcuate mast may have a C-shape with a first end of the mast 314 being connected to and supported by the legs 312 and a second end that is disposed directly above the first end, albeit with a substantial distance (e.g. six feet) separating the first end and the second end. A suspension member 316 is located at the second end of the mast 314. The suspension member 316 is the portion of the suspension frame 310 that is connectable to the folding chair 320. Accordingly, the suspension member 316 is located at an elevation suitable for keeping the folding chair 320 separated from the ground or other underlying surface. The suspension member 316 can be, for example, a hook, an eye, or any other suitable. As shown, the suspension member 316 is a bolt 317 attached to a spring 318 with hooks on a free end. The bolt 317 extends through the second end of the mast 314 toward the folding chair 320. It is anticipated that the spring 318 could have hooks on both free ends. The suspension frame 310 is an example of a structure from which the folding chair 320 can be suspended. The folding chair 320 can also be suspended from other structures, such as a tree or an overhead structure of a building that is suitable for carrying suspended loads. In these examples, hardware similar to the suspension member 316 can be utilized to allow connection of the folding chair 320 to the external structure the folding chair 320 is used in conjunction with. The folding chair 320 includes a flexible cover 322 that is supported by a frame 360. The chair can also include a seat cushion 324 that is disposed inside the folding chair 320 and is supported by the frame 360 and the flexible cover 322 to define a seating surface (not shown). The frame 360 of the folding chair 320 includes an upper frame member 330, a lower frame member 340, and a plurality of upright supports 350. The upper frame member 330 and the lower frame member 340 are rigid members that interconnect the upright supports 350. As shown in FIG. 9, the upper frame member 330 is connectable to an external support structure, such as the suspension frame 310. A mounting member 332 is connected to and extends upward from the upper frame member 330 for connecting the upper frame member to the suspension frame 310 or other external support structure. The mounting member 332 may be a hook or an eye that is connectable to the suspension member 316 of the suspension frame 310. Each of the upright supports 350 can have a lower end that is connected to the lower frame member 340, and each of the upright supports 350 can have an upper end that is connected to the upper frame member 330. To allow the chair to be folded and unfolded, each of the upright supports 350 is movable between a collapsed position and an expanded position. In particular, each of the upright supports 350 is pivotally connected to the lower frame member 340 and is also pivotally connected to the upper frame member 330. At least some of the upright supports 350 are rigid members that are connected to the upper frame member 330 and the lower frame member 340 in a manner that allows force to be transmitted through the upright supports 350 to support and suspend the lower frame member 340 with respect to the upper frame member 330. In some implementations, one or more of the upright supports 350 could be flexible supports that are connected to the upper frame member 330 and the lower frame member 340, semi-rigid supports that are connected to the upper frame member 330 and the lower frame member 340, or supports that are embedded in the flexible cover 322 without being connected to the upper frame member 330 or the lower frame member 340. As shown, the upright supports 350 are rigid, tubular metal members having an arcuate shape with each of the upright supports 350 being a solid, one-piece member. Other shapes, configurations, and materials can be used, such as non-tubular supports, extruded shapes, and/or multi-piece supports. The flexible cover 322 is disposed over at least part of the frame 360, and typically covers the majority of the length of each of the upright supports 350. In combination with a pair of upright supports 351 from the plurality of upright supports 350, the flexible cover 322 defines an open side for the folding chair 320, which has a substantially ovoid opening that is defined between the pair of upright supports 351. The flexible cover 322 can be made from any of a number of suitable materials, such as canvas or nylon. Solid sheet fabrics materials could be used or other materials, such as screen, mesh, netting, or rope, could be used. Elastic or inelastic materials can be utilized for the flexible cover 322. Windows, vents, or other openings can be incorporated in the flexible cover 322. The flexible cover 322 can be removably attached to the upright supports 350 and/or other portions of the frame 360 of the folding chair 320 to allow the flexible cover 322 to be removed and replaced. Removable connection of the flexible cover 322 can be achieved by a number of suitable structures, including sleeves or straps that are formed as part of the flexible cover 322 and attach to the upright supports 350 by hook-and-loop fasteners, zippers, buttons, snaps, knots, or other types of fasteners. As seen in FIGS. 10-11, the upright supports 350 extend outward from the upper frame member 330 and the lower frame member 340 (not visible in FIGS. 10-11). In the expanded position (FIG. 10), the upright supports 350 extend radially outward from the upper frame member 330, with the mounting member 332 being located approximately at the radial center of the upright supports 350. In the collapsed position (FIG. 11), the upright supports 350 are pivoted toward one another to reduce the overall size of the frame 360. To allow pivoting of the upright supports 350, each is connected to the upper frame member 330 by a pivot pin 334, as shown in FIGS. 12-13. The pivot pins 334 are arrayed on the upper frame member 330 at spaced locations to allow the upright supports 350 to pivot with respect to one another during movement between the expanded and collapsed positions. Each pivot pin 334 extends through aligned apertures in a top portion 335 and a bottom portion 336 of the upper frame member 330, which are spaced apart planar structures that are connected by a side portion 337. Each pivot pin 334 also extends through one of the upright supports 350. The pivot pins 334 can be fixed to the upper frame member 330 but sized and configured to allow the upright supports 350 to pivot on them. Locking structures can be provided to allow the pair of upright supports 351 that define the substantially ovoid opening to be fixed in expanded position with respect to the upper frame member 330. The locking structures are each disposed in a pair of substantially vertically aligned apertures 333 in the upper frame member. Each pair of vertically aligned apertures 333 is positioned at any point between one of the upright supports 351 that define the substantially ovoid opening and the closest upright support 350. As shown in FIG. 12, the vertically aligned apertures 333 are positioned closer to upright supports 351 that define the substantially ovoid opening than the closest upright support 350. The locking structure will extend through the upper frame member 330 but not the upright supports 350. In the illustrated example, the locking structures include pins 338 with clips 339. Each pin 338 would extend through one pair of substantially vertically aligned apertures 333 with one clip 339 connected to both ends of the pin 338 to secure the pin 338 to the upper frame member 330. The clips 339 are shown as being positioned between the upright supports 351 that define the substantially ovoid opening and the closest upright support 350. However, other configurations are anticipated, such as positioning the clips 339 between the upright supports 351 that define the substantially ovoid opening and the side portion 337. Other examples of locking structures include a pin without clips and a fastener such as a bolt that is secured to the upper frame member by a nut. The lower frame member 340 is constructed in the same manner described with respect to the upper frame member 330, including the fixation of the pair of upright supports 351 the define the substantially ovoid opening by the locking structures. The locking structures can be provided or omitted. If omitted, the pair of upright supports 351 and the lower frame member 340 are maintained in position with respect to one another by engagement of the locking structures with the upper frame member 330. In operation, the folding chair 320 may initially be in the collapsed position and not connected to an external support structure. A user pivots each of the upright supports 350 with respect to upper frame member 330 and the lower frame member 340 and toward the expanded position. Once in the expanded position, the pair of upright supports 351 that define the substantially ovoid opening are locked into position, for example, by locking structures such as pins 338 with clips 339. Thus, the upright supports 351 are substantially restrained from pivoting with respect to the upper frame member 330 and the lower frame member 340 by engagement of outside surfaces of the upright supports 351 with the locking structures, while the remainder of the upright supports 350 are able to pivot with respect to the upper frame member 330 and the lower frame member 340 over at least a limited range of motion. If the flexible cover 322 is not currently attached to the frame 360 of the folding chair 320, the flexible cover 322 is connected to the upright supports 350 by the user. The folding chair 320 is then suspended from an external support structure, such as the suspension frame 310. For example, the folding chair 320 can be connected to the suspension frame 310 by connecting the mounting member 332 of the folding chair 320 to the suspension member 316 of the suspension frame 310. The seat cushion 324 is then installed in the folding chair 320, which is now ready for use. Disassembly of the folding chair 320 is accomplished by reversing the assembly steps. In the folding chair 320 of FIGS. 8-13, the pair of upright supports 351 that define the substantially ovoid opening are locked into position while the remainder of the upright supports 350 are not locked. FIGS. 14-15 show an upper frame member 430 according to an alternative embodiment in which the vertically aligned apertures 333 and associated locking structures are eliminated in favor of locking structures that extend through the pair of upright supports 351 that define the substantially ovoid opening, with the remainder of the upright supports 350 remaining unlocked. The upper frame member 430 can be incorporated in the folding chair 320, and the disclosure regarding the folding chair 320 applies equally to the alternative embodiment of FIGS. 14-15 except as otherwise noted herein. The upper frame member 430 includes apertures 433 that are formed through it above and below each of the upright supports 351 that define the substantially ovoid opening when the upright supports 351 are in the fully expanded position. Corresponding apertures 452 are formed in the upright supports 351, such that the apertures 433 are aligned with the apertures 452 when the upright supports 351 are in the fully expanded position. Locking structures pass through the upper frame member 430 and through the upright supports 351 via the apertures 433 and the apertures 452 to lock the upright supports 351 into position with respect to the upper frame member 430 and prevent relative movement. In particular, relative movement is restrained by engagement of the locking structures with the apertures 433 and the apertures 452. In the illustrated example, the locking structure includes a bolt 438 and a nut 439. In another example the locking structure includes a pin and clip as explained with respect to FIGS. 12-13. In another example the locking structure includes a spring pin as described with respect to FIGS. 5-6. Use of the chair is the same as described previous with the exception that the locking structures are engaged with the apertures 433 and 452. It is to be understood that the disclosure is not to be limited to the disclosed embodiments but, on the contrary, is intended to cover various modifications and equivalent arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the appended claims. | <SOH> BACKGROUND <EOH>This disclosure relates to the field of hanging chairs. Hanging chairs of many types are well known. Hanging chairs generally include a mounting structure at the top of the chair, such as a hook or eye. The mounting structure is used to suspend the hanging chair from an external structure, such as an overhead structural member of a building or a frame. Hanging chairs lack legs, with the entire weight of the chair instead being borne by the mounting structure by which the chair is suspended. One common type of hanging chair is known as an egg chair. A typical egg chair includes a half-ovoid shell that defines a seating surface and seat back, and an upright, substantially oval-shaped open side of the chair through which the occupant enters and sits in the chair. Traditionally, such a chair would be constructed from wicker or a similar material. Some recent designs define the shell with a frame of welded-together metal tubes. Many variations of this basic design have been made over the years, for example, some designs replace the half ovoid shape with a slightly more rectangular shape. The weight of an occupant of a hanging chair is transmitted from a bottom interior surface of the chair through structure of the chair to the mounting structure. Because of this, the materials and construction techniques selected for the chair must be able to resist the tensile loading placed on nearly all of the chair's structure. This is in contrast to chairs having legs, where most of the structure of the chair is subjected to compressive forces. | <SOH> SUMMARY <EOH>One aspect of the disclosed embodiments is a hanging chair that includes an upper frame member connectable to an external support structure, the upper frame member having a top plate, a bottom plate, and a side plate, and a lower frame member having a top plate, a bottom plate, and a side plate. A plurality of upright supports are each arcuate members that extend from the upper frame member to the lower frame member, each upright support having a first end and a second end, the first end of each upright support is pivotally connected to the upper frame member between the top plate and the bottom plate, the second end of each upright support is pivotally connected to the lower frame member between the top plate and the bottom plate, wherein two upright supports from the plurality of upright supports, the side plate of the upper frame member, and the side plate of the lower frame member define an opening. Another aspect of the disclosed embodiments is a hanging chair that includes an upper frame member and a lower frame member. The upper frame member is connectable to an external support structure, the upper frame member having a top plate, a bottom plate, and a side plate, wherein the top plate and the bottom plate are substantially coplanar and spaced apart, wherein the side plate is connected to a portion of an outer periphery of the top plate and a portion of an outer periphery of the bottom plate. The lower frame member having a top plate, a bottom plate, and a side plate, wherein the top plate and the bottom plate are substantially coplanar and spaced apart, wherein the side plate is connected to a portion of an outer periphery of the top plate and a portion of an outer periphery of the bottom plate. The hanging chair also includes a plurality of upright supports that each extend from the upper frame member to the lower frame member, each upright support having a first end and a second end, the first end of each upright support is connected to the upper frame member between the top plate and the bottom plate, the second end of each upright support is connected to the lower frame member between the top plate and the bottom plate. The plurality of upright supports are pivotally moveable between a collapsed position, where the plurality of upright supports are pivoted toward one another, and an expanded position, and wherein two upright supports from the plurality of upright supports, the side plate of the upper frame member, and the side plate of the lower frame member define an ovoid opening. The hanging chair also includes a flexible cover that is connected to at least two of the upright supports. Another aspect of the disclosed embodiments is a hanging chair that includes a frame, a cover, and a seat cushion. The frame includes a first frame member that is connectable to an external support structure having a top plate, a bottom plate, and a side plate, wherein the side plate is connected to a portion of an outer periphery of the top plate and a portion of an outer periphery of the bottom plate, a second frame member having a top plate, a bottom plate, and a side plate, wherein the side plate is connected to a portion of an outer periphery of the top plate and a portion of an outer periphery of the bottom plate, and a plurality of upright supports having a substantially arcuate configuration wherein each upright support extends from the first frame member to the second frame member, each upright support having a first end and a second end, the first end of each upright support is connected to the first frame member between the top plate and the bottom plate, the second end of each upright support is connected to the second frame member between the top plate and the bottom plate, wherein two upright supports from the plurality of upright supports define an ovoid opening, and wherein the lower frame member and the second end of each upright support form a support surface. The cover is connected to at least two of the upright supports and occupies spaces between adjacent pairs of bars, and terminates at the ovoid opening, such that the ovoid opening is not obstructed by the cover. The seat cushion supported on the support surface defined by the frame. | A45F326 | 20171222 | 20180710 | 20180503 | 81805.0 | A45F326 | 2 | MATTEI, BRIAN DAVID | HANGING CHAIR | SMALL | 1 | CONT-ACCEPTED | A45F | 2,017 |
15,852,480 | PENDING | System and Method For Parallel Processing Using Dynamically Configurable Proactive Co-Processing Cells | A parallel processing architecture includes a CPU, a task pool populated by the CPU, and a plurality of autonomous co-processing cells each having an agent configured to proactively interrogate the task pool to retrieve tasks appropriate for a particular so-processor. Each co-processor communicates with the task pool through a switching fabric, which facilitates connections for data transfer and arbitration between all system resources. Each so-processor notifies the task pool when a task or task thread is completed, whereupon the task pool notifies the CPU. | 1. A processing system, comprising: a task pool; a controller configured to populate the task pool with a first task; and a first co-processor configured to proactively retrieve the first task from the task pool without communicating with the controller. 2. The processing system of claim 1, wherein the first co-processor is configured to modify a task within the task pool. 3. The processing system of claim 2, wherein the first task includes indicia of a first task type, the first co-processor is configured to perform tasks of the first type, and the first agent is configured to search the task pool for a task of the first type. 4. The processing system of claim 1, wherein the first co-processor is further configured to process the first and notify the task pool upon completion of the first task. 5. The processing system of claim 1, wherein the task pool is configured to notify the controller upon completion of the first task. 6. The processing system of claim 1, wherein the controller and the first co-processor are configured communicate with each other only through the task pool. 7. The processing system of claim 1, wherein the first co-processor is configured to deposit a new task into the task pool. 8. The processing system of claim 2, wherein the first co-processor is configured to determine that it has available processing capacity, and to dispatch the agent to the task pool in response to the determination. 9. The processing system of claim 3, wherein the controller is further configured to populate the task pool with a second task, and wherein the system further comprises a second co-processor having a second agent configured to proactively retrieve the second task from the task pool. 10. The processing system of claim 9, wherein the second task includes indicia of a second task type, the second co-processor is configured to perform tasks of the second type, and the second agent is configured to search the task pool for a task of the second type. 11. The processing system of claim 1, wherein the controller and the task pool reside on a monolithic integrated circuit (IC), and the first co-processor does not reside on the IC. 12. The processing system of claim 9, wherein the controller, the task pool, and the first and second co-processors reside on a monolithic integrated circuit (IC). 13. A method of dynamically controlling processing resources in a network of the type including a central processing unit (CPU) configured to populate a task pool with a first task having a first task type, the method comprising the steps of: programming a first cell to perform the first task type; adding the programmed first cell to the network; proactively sending a first agent from the first cell to the task pool without communicating with the CPU; searching the task pool, by the first agent, for a task of the first type; retrieving, by the first agent, the first task from the task pool; transporting, by the first agent, the first task to the first cell; processing, by the first cell, the first task; and sending a notification from the first cell to the task pool that the first task is completed. 14. The method of claim 13, further comprising: marking, by the task pool, the first task as being completed; and sending a notification from the task pool to the CPU that the first task is completed. 15. The method of claim 13, further comprising: configuring the first cell to determine that the first cell has available processing capacity as a predicate to proactively sending the first agent to the task pool. 16. The method of claim 13, further comprising: integrating the first cell into a first device prior to adding the programmed first cell to the network. 17. The method of claim 16, wherein the first device comprises one of a sensor, light bulb, power switch, appliance, biometric device, medical device, diagnostic device, lap top, tablet, smartphone, motor controller, and security device. 18. The method of claim 13, wherein adding the programmed first cell to the network comprises: establishing a communication link between the first cell and the task pool. 19. The method of claim 13, wherein the (CPU) is further configured to populate the task pool with a second task having a second task type, the method further comprising the steps of: programming the second cell to perform the second task type; establishing a communication link between the second cell and the task pool; proactively sending a second agent from the second cell to the task pool; searching the task pool, by the second agent, for a task of the second type; retrieving, by the second agent, the second task from the task pool; transporting, by the second agent, the second task to the second cell; processing, by the second cell, the second task; sending a notification from the second cell to the task pool that the second task is completed; marking, by the task pool, the second task as being completed; and sending a notification from the task pool to the CPU that the second task is completed. 20. A system for controlling distributed processing resources in an internet of things (IoT) computing environment, comprising: a CPU configured to partition an aggregate computing requirement into a plurality of tasks and place the tasks in a pool; and a plurality of devices each having a unique dedicated agent configured to proactively retrieve a task from the pool without direct communication with the CPU. | PRIORITY DATA This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 14/340,332, filed Jul. 24, 2014, now U.S. Pat. No. 9,852,004, issued on Dec. 26, 2017, which is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 13/750,696, filed Jan. 25, 2013, now U.S. Pat. No. 9,146,777, issued on Sep. 29, 2015, which are incorporated herein by reference. FIELD OF INVENTION The present invention generally relates to parallel-process computing, and particularly to a processing architecture which involves autonomous co-processors configured to proactively retrieve tasks from a task pool populated by a central processing unit. BACKGROUND The Internet of Things (also referred to as the Cloud of Things) refers to an ad hoc network of uniquely identifiable embedded computing devices within the existing Internet infrastructure. The internet of things (IoT) portends advanced connectivity of devices, systems, and services that goes beyond machine-to-machine communications (M2M). The scope of things contemplated by the IoT is unlimited, and may include devices such as heart monitoring implants, biochip transponders, automobile sensors, aerospace and defense field operation devices, and public safety applications that assist fire-fighters in search and rescue operations, for example. Current market examples include home based networks that involve smart thermostats, light bulbs, and washer/dryers that utilize wifi for remote monitoring. Due to the ubiquitous nature of connected objects in the IoT, it is estimated that more than 30 billion devices will be wirelessly connected to the Internet of Things by 2020. Harnessing the processing capacity of the controllers and processors associated with these devices is one of the objectives of the present invention. Computer processors traditionally execute machine coded instructions serially. To run a plurality of applications concurrently, a single processor interleaves instructions from various programs and executes them serially, although from the user's perspective the applications appear to be processed in parallel. True parallel or multi-core processing, on the other hand, is a computational approach that breaks large computational tasks into individual blocks of computations and distributes them among two or more processors. A computing architecture that uses task parallelism (parallel processing) divides a large computational requirement into discrete modules of executable code. The modules are then executed concurrently or sequentially, based on their respective priorities. A typical multiprocessor system includes a central processing unit (“CPU”) and one or more co-processors. The CPU partitions the computational requirements into tasks and distributes the tasks to co-processors. Completed threads are reported to the CPU, which continues to distribute additional threads to the co-processors as needed. Presently known multiprocessing approaches are disadvantageous in that a significant amount of CPU bandwidth is consumed by task distribution; waiting for tasks to be completed before distributing new tasks (often with dependencies on previous tasks); responding to interrupts from co-processors when a task is completed; and responding to other messages from co-processors. In addition, co-processors often remain idle while waiting for a new task from the CPU. A multiprocessor architecture in thus needed which reduces CPU management overhead, and which also more effectively harnesses and exploits available co-processing resources. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Various embodiments of a parallel processing computing architecture include a CPU configured to populate a task pool, and one or more co-processors configured to proactively retrieve threads (tasks) from the task pool. Each co-processor notifies the task pool upon completion of a task, and pings the task pool until another task becomes available for processing. In this way, the CPU communicates directly with the task pool, and communicates indirectly with the co-processors through the task pool. The co-processors may also be capable of acting autonomously; that is, they may interact with the task pool independently of the CPU. In a preferred embodiment, each co-processor includes an agent that interrogates the task pool to seek a task to perform. As a result, the co-processors work together “in solidarity” with one another and with the task pool to complete aggregate computational requirements by autonomously retrieving and completing individual tasks which may or may not be inter-related. By way of non-limiting example, suppose a task B involves computing an average temperature over time. By defining a task A to include capturing temperature readings over time, and further by defining task B to including obtaining the captured readings, the CPU and the various co-processors may thereby inferentially communicate with each other via the task pool. In various embodiments the co-processors are referred to as autonomous, proactive solidarity cells. In this context, the term autonomous implies that a co-processor may interact with the task pool without being instructed to do so by the CPU or by the task pool. The term proactive suggests that each co-processor may be configured (e.g., programmed) to periodically send an agent to monitor the task pool for available tasks appropriate to that co-processor. The term solidarity implies that co-processing cells share a common objective in monitoring and executing all available tasks within the task pool. A solidarity cell (co-processor) may be a general purpose or special purpose processor, and therefore may have the same or different instruction set, architecture, and microarchitecture as compared to the CPU and other solidarity cells in the system. Moreover, the software programs to be executed and data to be processed may be contained within one or more memory units. In a typical computer system, for example, a software program consists of a series of instructions that may require data to be used by the program. For example, if the program corresponds to a media player, then the data contained in memory may be compressed audio data which is read by a co-processor and eventually played on a speaker. Each solidarity cell in the system may be configured to communicate, ohmically or wirelessly, with the task pool through a crossbar switch, also known as fabric. In a purely wireless mesh topology, the radio signals themselves may constitute the fabric. In various embodiments, the co-processors may also communicate directly with the CPU. The switching fabric facilitates communication among system resources. Each solidarity cell is proactive, in that it obtains a task to perform by sending its agent to the task pool when the solidarity cell has no processing to perform or, alternatively, when the solidarity cell is able to contribute processing cycles without impeding its normal operation. By way of non-limiting example, in the context of the Internet-of-Things (discussed in greater detail below), a co-processor associated with a device such as a light bulb may be programmed to listen for “on” and “off” commands from a master device (such as a smartphone) as its normal operation, but its processing resources may also be harnessed through a task pool. In the context of various embodiments described herein, the term agent refers to a software module, analogous to a network packet, associated with a co-processor that interacts with the task pool to thereby obtain available tasks which are appropriate for that co-processor cell. The solidarity cells may execute the tasks sequentially, when the tasks are contingent on the execution of a previous task, or in parallel, when more than one solidarity cell is available and more than one matching tasks are available for execution. The tasks may be executed independently or collaboratively, depending on the task thread restrictions (if any) provided by the CPU. Interdependent tasks within the task pool may be logically combined. The task pool notifies the CPU when a task thread is completed. If a task thread is composed of a single task, then the task pool may notify the CPU at completion of such task. If a task thread is composed of multiple tasks, the task pool may notify the CPU at completion of such chain of tasks. Since task threads may be logically combined, it is conceivable to have a case in which the task pool notifies the CPU after completion of logically combined task threads. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that interoperability among the CPU and co-processors may be facilitated by configuring the CPU to compose and/or structure tasks at a level of abstraction which is independent of the instruction set architecture associated with the various co-processors, thereby allowing the components to communicate at a task level rather than at an instruction level. As such, devices and their associated co-processors may be added to a network on a “plug and play” basis. Another aspect of this invention provides interoperability within a heterogeneous array of CPUs with different instruction set architectures. Various features of the invention are applicable to, inter alia, a network of Internet-of-Things devices and sensors; heterogeneous computing environments; high performance computing, two dimensional and three dimensional monolithic integrated circuits; and motion control and robotics. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The present invention will hereinafter be described in conjunction with the appended drawing figures, wherein like numerals denote like elements, and: FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram of a parallel processing architecture including a CPU, memory, task pool, and a plurality of co-processors configured to communicate through a fabric in accordance with an embodiment; FIG. 2 is a schematic block diagram illustrating details of an exemplary task pool in accordance with an embodiment; FIG. 3 is a schematic block diagram of a network including co-processing cells and their corresponding agents interacting with a task pool in accordance with an embodiment; FIG. 4 is a schematic layout of an internet of things network including available plug and play devices in accordance with an embodiment; and FIG. 5 is a schematic layout diagram of an exemplary internet of things use case illustrating dynamic harnessing of nearby devices in accordance with an embodiment; and FIG. 6 is a flow chart illustrating the operation of an exemplary parallel computing environment in accordance with an embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION Various embodiments relate to parallel processing computing systems and environments, from simple switching and control functions to complex programs and algorithms including, without limitation: data encryption; graphics, video, and audio processing; direct memory access; mathematical computations; data mining; game algorithms; ethernet packet and other network protocol processing including construction, reception and transmission of data the outside network; financial services and business methods; search engines; internet data streaming and other web-based applications; execution of internal or external software programs; switching on and off and/or otherwise controlling or manipulating appliances, light bulbs, consumer electronics, and the like, e.g., in the context of the Internet-of-Things. Various features may be incorporated into any presently known or later-developed computer architecture. For example, parallel processing concerns relating to synchronization, data security, out-of-order execution, and main processor interrupts may be addressed using the inventive concepts described herein. Referring now to FIG. 1, a distributed processing system 10 includes a single or multi-core CPU 11 and one or more solidarity or co-processing cells 12A-12 configured to communicate with a task pool 13 through a cross-bar switching fabric 14. The solidarity cells 12 may also communicate with each other through the switching fabric 14 or through a separate cell bus (not shown). The CPU 11 may communicate with the task pool 13 directly or through the switching fabric 14. One or more memory units 15 each contain data and/or instructions. In this context, the term “instructions” include a software program that may be compiled for execution by the CPU 11. The memory units 15, cells 12, and the task pool 13 may be ohmically or wirelessly interconnected to communicate with the CPU and/or with each other via the switching fabric 14. In some embodiments, the CPU 11 communicates with the cells 12 only indirectly through the task pool. In other embodiments, the CPU 11 may also communicate directly with the cells 12 without using the task pool as an intermediary. In some embodiments the system 10 may include more than one CPU 11 and more than one task pools 13, in which case a particular CPU 11 may interact exclusively with a particular task pool 13, or multiple CPUs 11 may share one or more task pools 13. Moreover, each solidarity cell may be configured to interact with more than one task pool 13. Alternatively, a particular cell may be configured to interact with a single designated task pool, for example, in a high performance or high security context. In various embodiments cells may be dynamically paired, ohmically (plug and play) or wirelessly (on the fly), with a task pool when the following three conditions are meet: 1) The cell is able to communicate, ohmically or wirelessly, with the task pool. The connection to the task pool can be through a port in the task pool itself, or through a switching fabric that is connected to the task pool; 2) The task pool recognizes the agent sent by the cell as trustworthy, for example, using input from the user, with or without password, through traditional Wi-Fi, Bluetooth or similar pairing, manually through a graphical software program running on a smartphone or tablet, or by any other secure or unsecure method; and 3) At least one of the available tasks within the task pool is compatible with the capabilities of the solidarity cell. In the case of a multi-processor environment with multiple task pools, the foregoing dynamic pairing conditions apply, except that a given cell may be locked or restricted to work with only one of the task pools; otherwise, the cells may connect with one or more task pools, using a first found basis, round robin basis or any other selection scheme. It is also possible to assign priorities to the tasks within the task pools, whereby the cells give preference to the high priority tasks and serve the lower priority tasks when not otherwise engaged by the higher priority tasks. The CPU 11 may be any single or multi-core processor, applications processor or microcontroller, used to execute a software program. The system 10 may be implemented on a personal computer, smart phone, tablet, or Internet-of-Things device, in which case the CPU 11 may be any personal computer, central processor, or processor cluster, such as an Intel® Pentium® or multi-core processor local to or remote from the immediate computing environment. Alternatively, the system 10 may be implemented on a supercomputer and the CPU 11 may be a reduced instruction set computer (“RISC”) processor, applications processor, a microcontroller, or the like. In other embodiments, the system 10 may be implemented on a locally connected series of personal computers, such as a Beowulf cluster, in which case the CPU 11 may include the central processors of all, a subset, or one of the networked computers. Alternatively, the system 10 may be implemented on a network of remotely connected computers, in which case the CPU 11 may be a presently known or later developed central processor for a server or mainframe. The particular manner in which the CPU 11 performs the subject parallel processing methods within the presently described system 10 may be influenced by the CPU's operating system. For example, the CPU 11 may be configured for use within the system 10 by programming it to recognize and communicate with the task pool 13 and divide the computing requirements into threads, as described below. It is further contemplated that the system 10 may be implemented retroactively on any computer or computer network having an operating system that may be modified or otherwise configured to implement the functionality described herein. As is known in the art, the data to be processed is contained within the memory units 15, for example in the context of addressable regions or sectors of random access or read-only memory, cache memory for the CPU 11, or other forms of data storage such as flash memory and magnetic storage. The memory units 15 contain the data to be processed as well as the location to place the results of the processed data. Not every task is required to access the memory units 15, as in the case of, for example, smart meters and automotive instrumentation, which may return data to the system 10, or as in the case of a robot and motor controllers which may actuate a mechanism. Each cell 12 is a conceptually or logically independent computational unit capable of executing one or more tasks/threads. A cell 12 may be a microcontroller, a microprocessor, application processor, a “dumb” switch, or a standalone computer such as a machine in a Beowulf cluster. A cell 12 may be a general or special purpose co-processor configured to supplement, perform all of, or perform a limited range of functions of the CPU, or functions that are foreign to the CPU 11 such as ambient monitoring and robotic actuators, for example. A special-purpose processor may be a dedicated hardware module designed, programmed, or otherwise configured to perform a specialized task, or it may be a general-purpose processor configured to perform specialized tasks such as graphics processing, floating-point arithmetic, or data encryption. In an embodiment, any cell 12 that is a special-purpose processor may also be configured to access and write to memory and execute descriptors, as described below, as well as other software programs. Moreover, any number of cells 12 may comprise a heterogeneous computing environment; that is, a system that uses more than one kind of processor such as an AMD-based and/or an Intel-based processor, or a mixture of 32-bit and 64-bit processors. Each cell 12 configured to perform one or a plurality of specialized tasks, as illustrated in the following sequence of events. During a poll phase each cell periodically sends an agent to the task pool until a matching task is found. To facilitate this matching, both the cell and the task pool may be equipped with a transceiver. In the case of the task pool, the transceiver maybe located in the task pool itself or in the switching fabric to which the task pool is connected. When a task match is found within a task pool, the task pool transmits an acknowledgement to the cell. The next step is the “communication channel” phase. During the communication channel phase, the cell receives the task and begins to execute the task. In one implementation, once the first task is completed, the communication channel is maintained so that the solidary cell can fetch another task without having to repeat the “poll” and “acknowledge” phases. The system 10 may include a plurality of cells, wherein some of the cells are capable of performing the same task types as other cells, to thereby create redundancy in the system 10. The set of task types performed by a given cell 12 may be a subset of the set of task types performed by another cell. For example, in FIG. 1, the system 10 may divides an aggregate computational problem into a group of tasks, and populate the task pool 13 with a first type, a second type, and a third type of tasks. A first cell 12A may capable of performing only tasks of the first type; a second cell 12B may be capable of perform tasks of the second type; a third cell 12C may be capable of performing tasks of the third type; a fourth cell 12D may be capable of performing tasks of the second or third types; and a fifth cell 12N may be capable of performing all three task types. The system 10 may be configured with this redundancy so that if a given cell is removed from the system 10 (or currently busy or otherwise unavailable), the system 10 may continue to function seamlessly. Furthermore, if a cell is dynamically added to the system 10, the system 10 may continue to function seamlessly with the benefit of increased performance. Referring now to FIGS. 1 and 2, the task pool 13 may occupy a region of physical memory that is accessible by the CPU 11. Alternatively, the task pool 13 may be accessible by MAC address or IP address. Multiple embodiments are envisioned for the task pool 13; it may be physically located with the CPU in the same 2D or 3D monolithic IC, or it may be implemented as a stand-alone IC and be physically interconnected to a computer board, smart phone, tablet, router or Internet-of-Things device. In a further alternative embodiment, the task pool may be a stand-alone multi-port, wired and/or wireless connected device which may be shared among multiple CPU 11 systems, or dedicated to a given CPU 11. The task pool 13 may also be addressable by the cells 12. The task pool 13 may be disposed in a dedicated hardware block to provide maximum access speed by the CPU 11 and cells 12. Alternatively, the task pool 13 may be software based, wherein the contents of the task pool 13 are stored in memory, analogous to the hardware-based embodiment, but represented by data structures. Upon being populated by the CPU 11, the task pool 13 contains one or more task threads 21. Each task thread 21 represents a computational task that may be a component or subset of the larger aggregate computational requirement imposed on the CPU 11. In one embodiment, the CPU 11 may initialize and then populate the task pool 13 with concurrently executable threads 21. Each thread 21 may include one or more discrete tasks 22. A task 22 may have a task type and a descriptor. The task type indicates which cells 12 are capable of performing the task 22. The task pool 13 may also use the task type to prioritize tasks 22 having the same type. In one embodiment, the task pool 13 may maintain a prioritization table (not shown) that documents the solidarity cells 12 present in the system 10, the types of tasks 22 each cell is capable of performing, and whether or not each cell is presently processing a task 22. The task pool 13 may use the prioritization table to determine which of the eligible tasks 22 to assign to a requesting cell, as described below. In some embodiments, the CPU 11 may retrieve and execute a task or thread from the task pool. Moreover, the CPU 11 may abort any task that is determined to be stale, broken, stuck, or erroneous. In such case, the CPU 11 may refresh the task, making available for subsequent processing. Nothing precludes the CPU 11 from implementing adaptive task management, for example, as may be required by Artificial Intelligence, whereupon the CPU 11 may add, remove, or change tasks within an unfinished existing thread 21. The descriptor may contain one or more of a specific instruction to be executed, a mode of execution, the location (e.g., address) of the data to be processed, and the location for placement of the task results, if any. The location for placement of results is optional, such as in the case of animation and multimedia tasks that often present results to a display rather than storing them in memory. Moreover, task descriptors may be chained together, as in a linked list, so that the data to be processed may be accessed with fewer memory calls than if the descriptors were not chained together. In an embodiment, the descriptor is a data structure containing a header and a plurality of reference pointers to memory locations, and the task 22 includes the memory address of the data structure. The header defines the function or instruction to be executed. A first pointer references the location of the data to be processed. A second, optional pointer, references the location for placement of processed data. If the descriptor is linked to another descriptor to be sequentially executed, the descriptor may include a third pointer that references the next descriptor. In an alternative embodiment where the descriptor is a data structure, the task 22 may include the full data structure. A thread 21 may further comprise a “recipe” describing the order in which the tasks 22 may be performed and any conditions that affect the order of performance. According to the recipe, the tasks 22 may be executed sequentially, concurrently, out-of order, interdependently, or conditionally according to Boolean operations. For example, in FIG. 2, thread 21A comprises four tasks: 22A, 22B, 22C, and 22D. In the illustrated embodiment, the first task 22A must be completed before either the second task 22B or the third task 22C can begin. According to the recipe, once either the second task 22B or third task 22C is complete, the fourth task 22D may begin. Threads 21 may also be interdependent. For example, as shown in FIG. 2, due to the Boolean operation in thread 21B, a completed task 22C may allow processing of tasks in thread 21B to continue. The task pool 13 may lock a task 22 while the task 22 is waiting for completion of another task 22 upon which it depends. When a task 22 is locked, it cannot be acquired by a cell. When the tasks 22 of a thread 21 are completed, the task pool 13 may notify the CPU 11 of the completion. The CPU may then advance processing beyond the completed thread 21. The cells advantageously maintain solidarity with each other and with the CPU 11, thereby helping the system 10 to perform complex computations by autonomously and proactively retrieving tasks from the task pool 13. The cells 12 act autonomously in that they may act independently of the CPU 11 or any other coprocessor. Alternatively, a cell may be acted upon or instructed directly by the CPU. Each cell acts proactively in that it seeks a task 22 from the task pool 13 as soon as the cell becomes available for further processing. More particularly, in an embodiment, a cell 12 acquires a task from the task pool by sending an agent 30 to interrogate (search for) the task pool and retrieve an available task 22 that requires completion, is not locked, and that has a task type that can be performed by the cell. Typically, the system 10 has the same number of agents as solidarity co-processing cells. In this context, an agent is generally analogous to a data frame in the networking sense, in that an agent may be equipped with a source address, a destination address, and a payload. In an embodiment, the destination address is the address of the task pool 13 when the agent 30 is seeking a task 22, and the destination address is the address of the corresponding cell 12 when the agent 30 is returning to its cell with a task 22. Correspondingly, the source address is the address of the cell 12 when the agent 30 is seeking a task 22, and the source address is the address of the task pool 13 when the agent 30 is returning to its cell with a task 22. In addition, the source and destination addresses may facilitate frame synchronization. That is, the system 10 may be configured to unequivocally differentiate addresses from payload data, so that when the contents of an agent 30 are read, the destination address indicates the beginning of the frame and the source address indicates the end of the frame, or vice versa. This allows the payload to vary in size when it is placed between the addresses. In another embodiment of a variable-size payload, an agent 30 may include a header that indicates the payload size. The header information may be compared to the payload to verify the data integrity. In still another embodiment, the payload may be a fixed length. When an agent 30 is dispatched to the task pool 13 by its co-processor cell, the payload contains identifying information of the types of tasks the cell 12 can perform. When the agent 30 returns from the task pool 13, the payload contains the descriptor of the task 22, either in the form of a memory location or the full descriptor data structure. In other embodiments, some or all of the agents 30 are autonomous representatives of their respective corresponding cells 12. That is, each agent 30 may be dispatched by its corresponding cell 12 to retrieve a task 22 any time the cell is idle or capable of performing additional processing. In this way, the processing capacity of the solidarity cells 12 may be more fully exploited, inasmuch as the cells need not wait idly for an instruction from the CPU 11. This approach has the additional benefit of reducing CPU overhead by relieving the CPU of the need to send a request to a cell to retrieve a task from the task pool. These advantages render the system 10 more efficient than traditional computer architectures in which auxiliary modules and co-processors are dependent on instructions from the main CPU. Further, the solidarity cells 12A-12n are ambivalent as to the particular composition of the thread itself. Rather, an agent is only concerned about finding a match between the capabilities of its corresponding cell and an available task 22 to be completed in the task pool 13. That is, as long as there are available tasks 22 in the task pool 13, and an available task 22 matches the capability of the cell, then the system may effectively harness the processing capacity of the cell. Some or all of the solidarity cells 12A-12n may work independently of each other, or may communicate with each other directly, through the switching fabric 14, through the task pool 13, or pursuant to a command or request from the CPU to invoke another solidarity cell to assist in processing, moving, or transmitting data. In one embodiment, the agent 30A may search for a match between the task type of the ready tasks 22 and the types of tasks that the cell 12A is able to perform. This architecture may involve hard-coding of the types of tasks that the CPU 11 is configured to create. Thus, if the task pool 13 contains three types of tasks 22, and the large computational requirement includes a task of a fourth type, this fourth type of task may not be placed in the task pool 13 even if a cell capable of performing tasks of the fourth type is included in or added to the system 10. Consequently, the CPU 11 may be configured to “learn” or be taught how to create tasks of the fourth type in order to more fully exploit the available processing resources. In another embodiment, the agent 30A searches the task 22 descriptors for an executable instruction that matches one of the instructions that that cell 12A is capable of executing. When a matching task 22 is found, the agent 30A delivers the descriptor of the matching task 22 to the cell 12A, whereupon the cell 12A begins to process the task 22. In particular, the agent 30A may deliver the memory address of the descriptor to the cell 12A, and the cell 12A retrieves the data structure from memory. Alternatively, where the descriptor's entire data structure is contained in the task 22, the agent 30A may deliver the complete data structure to the cell 12A for processing. The descriptor informs the cell 12A which instruction to execute, the location in memory units 15 where the data to be processed may be found, and the location in memory 15 where the results are to be placed. Upon completion of the task 22, the cell 12A notifies the task pool 13 to change the status of the selected task 22 from ‘to be completed’ to ‘completed.’ Further, once the cell 12A finishes a task 22, the cell may dispatch its agent 30A to the task pool 13 to seek another task 22. Some or all of the agents 30A-30n may travel through the system 10 by wire or wirelessly, for example, using a Wi-Fi network, wireless Ethernet, wireless USB, wireless bridge, wireless repeater, wireless router, Zigbee®, ANT+® or Bluetooth® pairing, according to the particular architecture and/or implementation of the system 10. In an embodiment, an agent 30 may be guided to the task pool 13 wirelessly by including a receptor feature at the task pool 13 and further by including a transmitter feature with the cell 12. Similarly, the task pool may answer wirelessly to the cells by equipping the task pool with a transmitter and the solidarity cells with a receiver. In this manner, the cells may communicate wirelessly with the task pool with or without use of the switching fabric. In a preferred embodiment, however, some form of switching fabric 14 is used. The switching fabric 14 facilitates connections for data transfer and arbitration between system resources. The switching fabric 14 may be a router or crossbar switch that provides connectivity between the various cells and the task pool. The switching fabric 14 may further provide connectivity between each solidarity cell 12A-12n and system resources such as the CPU 11, memory units 15, and traditional system components including, without limitation: direct memory access units, transmitters, hard disks and their controllers, display and other input/output devices, and other coprocessors. The cells 12A-12n may be connected physically to the switching fabric 14, or the cells may be connected wirelessly. The wireless connection of cells into the system 10 facilitates the dynamic addition and/or removal of cells for use in the system 10. For example, the CPU 11 may recruit cells from other cell systems, allowing for dynamic expansion and increased performance. In this manner, two or more cell systems (e.g., networks) may share solidarity cells. In one embodiment, a cell that becomes idle may look for and/or be recruited by another system that has a need for additional processing resources, i.e., it has available processing tasks that need to be completed. Similarly, the system 10 may expand performance by incorporating clusters of additional cells for a particular task. For example, the system 10 may enhance performance of an encryption/decryption function, or the processing of audio and/or video data, by incorporating nearby cells capable of performing these tasks. To guard against undesirable connections, the CPU 11 may provide the task pool 13 with a list of or, alternatively, criteria for identifying trusted and/or untrusted cells as well as authentication requirements or protocols. Moreover, the task pool itself may exclude particular cells on the basis of low performance, unreliable connection, poor data throughput, or suspicion of malicious or otherwise inappropriate activity. In various embodiments, cells 12 may be added to a task pool 13, or excluded from a task pool 13, by a user through the use of a smartphone, tablet or other device or application. In one embodiment, a graphical application interface may provide the user with useful statistical and/or iconic information such as location of available cells and other devices, performance gain, or performance penalty, as a result of adding or removing particular cells from a network. In an alternative embodiment, some or all of the co-processing cells may connect directly to the task pool 13, such as by a wired configuration that does not require a switching fabric 14 for communication. The wired connection of cells may further facilitate dynamic expansion and contraction of the system 10 analogous to the wireless configuration discussed above, although wired connections may physical (e.g., manual) integration and extraction of peripheral devices. In either case, scalability of the system is greatly enhanced over conventional parallel processing schemes, as co-processors may be added and removed without reprogramming the CPU 11 to account for the changes to the system 10. Referring now to FIG. 3, a network 300 includes a CPU 302, a first memory 304, a second memory 306, a task pool 308, a switching fabric 310, a first co-processing cell 312 configured to perform (execute) type A tasks, a second cell 314 configured to perform type B tasks, a third cell 316 configured to perform type C tasks, and a fourth cell 318 configured to perform both type A and type B tasks. As shown, the task pool 308 is populated (e.g., by the CPU 302) with tasks (or task threads) 330 and 332 of task type A; tasks 334 and 336 of task type B; and tasks 340 and 342 of task type C. In an embodiment, each cell preferably has a unique, dedicated agent. In particular, cell 312 includes an agent 320; cell 314 includes an agent 322; cell 316 includes an agent 324; and cell 318 includes an agent 326. Each agent preferably includes an information field or header which identifies the type of tasks its associated cell is configured to perform, for example, a single task or combination of tasks A, B, C. During operation, when a cell is either idle or otherwise has available processing capacity, its agent proactively interrogates the task pool to determine whether any tasks are in the task queue which are appropriate for that particular cell. For example, cell 312 may dispatch its agent 320 to retrieve one or both of tasks 330 and 332 corresponding to task type A. Similarly, cell 314 may dispatch its agent 322 to retrieve either task 334 or 336 (depending on their relative priorities) corresponding to task type B, and so on. For cells which are capable of performing more than one task type, such as cell 318 configured to perform task types A and B, agent 326 may retrieve any one of tasks 330, 332, 334, and/or 336. Upon retrieving a task from the task pool, a cell may then process that task, typically by retrieving data from a particular location in first memory 304, processing that data, and storing the processed data at a particular location within second memory 306. When a task is completed, the cell notifies the task pool, the task pool marks the task as completed, and the task pool notifies the CPU that the task is completed. Alternatively, the task pool may notify the CPU when a task thread is completed, inasmuch as a task thread may comprise a single task, a series of tasks, or Boolean combination of tasks. Significantly, the retrieval of tasks and the processing of data by the cells may occur without direct communication between the CPU and the various cells. Referring now to FIG. 4, an internet of things network 400 includes a controller (CPU) 402, a task pool 408, and various devices 410-422, some or all of which include an associated or embedded microcontroller, such as an integrated circuit (IC) chip or other component which embodies processing capacity. By way of non-limiting example, the devices may include a light bulb 410, a thermostat 412, an electrical receptacle 414, a power switch 416, an appliance (e.g., toaster) 418, a vehicle 420, a keyboard 422, and virtually any other plug and play device or application capable of interfacing with a network. In the illustrated embodiment, the controller 402 may be a smartphone, tablet, laptop, or other device which may include a display 404 and a user interface (e.g., keypad) 406 for facilitating user interaction with the various devices on the network. To the extent the processing capacity (e.g., bandwidth) of the controller 402 may be insufficient to adequately support the network, the controller may effectively harvest or recruit processing resources from the peripheral devices via the task pool, for example as explained below in conjunction with FIG. 5. Referring now to FIG. 5, an internet of things network 500 use case illustrates the dynamic harnessing of nearby (or otherwise available) devices. Network 500 includes a primary control unit 502 (e.g., a laptop, tablet, or gaming device), a task pool 504, a first co-processor device 506, and a second co-processor device 508. An exemplary use case in the context of network 500 will now be described. Suppose a user is playing a video game on her laptop computer 502. The video game requires detailed computer-generated imagery, and perhaps the processing power in laptop 502 is sufficient to render a single realistic-looking character, but when a second character is introduced onto the screen, the image quality degrades, and the movement of the characters is no longer continuous. The present invention proposes a method to harness the processing power of underutilized computer resources located within the vicinity of, or otherwise available to, the user. To address the need for additional processing power, the laptop 502 connects to the task pool 504. In this regard, the laptop itself may be equipped with a task pool, or the task pool may be in the form an external device or application located within wireless reach from the laptop 502. In the case of an external task pool, the task pool itself could perform the duties of a switching fabric with ports to allow connection to multiple co-processing cells. The laptop 502 populates the task pool 504 with computationally intensive tasks. A nearby underutilized device, such as a smartphone 508, subsequently connects to the task pool 504 and sends its agent to fetch a matching task type. Consequently, the smart phone 508 becomes a co-processor seamlessly assisting the laptop 502, thereby enhancing the video game experience. The same method may be repeated in the event other underutilized processing resources exist and are needed. Indeed, even the processing power of an available light-bulb 506 may become a co-processor to the laptop. FIG. 6 is a flow chart illustrating the operation of an exemplary parallel computing environment. In particular, a method 600 includes populating a task pool with tasks (Step 602), proactively dispatching one or more agents from one or more corresponding cells to the task pool (Step 604), retrieving and processing a task (Step 606), and notifying the task pool and the CPU that the task thread has been performed (Step 608). The method 600 further includes dynamically incorporating (Step 610) an additional device into the network, as needed. A processing system is thus provided which includes a task pool, a controller configured to populate the task pool with a first task, and a first co-processor configured to proactively retrieve the first task from the task pool. In an embodiment, the first co-processor comprises a first agent configured to retrieve the first task from the task pool without communicating with the controller. In an embodiment, the first task includes indicia of a first task type, the first co-processor is configured to perform tasks of the first type, and the first agent is configured to search the task pool for a task of the first type. In an embodiment, the first co-processor is further configured to process the first and notify the task pool upon completion of the first task, and the task pool is configured to notify the controller upon completion of the first task. In an embodiment, the controller and the first co-processor are configured communicate with each other only through the task pool. In an embodiment, the controller and the first co-processor are configured communicate with each other directly and through the task pool. In an embodiment, the first co-processor is configured to determine that it has available processing capacity, and to dispatch the agent to the task pool in response to the determination. In an embodiment, the controller is further configured to populate the task pool with a second task, and wherein the system further comprises a second co-processor having a second agent configured to proactively retrieve the second task from the task pool. In an embodiment, the second task includes indicia of a second task type, the second co-processor is configured to perform tasks of the second type, and the second agent is configured to search the task pool for a task of the second type. In an embodiment, the controller and the task pool reside on a monolithic integrated circuit (IC), and the first co-processor does not reside on the IC. In another embodiment, the controller, the task pool, and the first and second co-processors reside on a monolithic integrated circuit (IC). A method is also provided for dynamically controlling processing resources in a network of the type including a central processing unit (CPU) configured to populate a task pool with a first task having a first task type. The method includes the steps of: programming a first cell to perform the first task type; adding the programmed first cell to the network; proactively sending a first agent from the first cell to the task pool; searching the task pool, by the first agent, for a task of the first type; retrieving, by the first agent, the first task from the task pool; transporting, by the first agent, the first task to the first cell; processing, by the first cell, the first task; and sending a notification from the first cell to the task pool that the first task is completed. In an embodiment, the method also includes: marking, by the task pool, the first task as being completed; and sending a notification from the task pool to the CPU that the first task is completed. In an embodiment, the method also includes configuring the first cell to determine that the first cell has available processing capacity as a predicate to proactively sending the first agent to the task pool. In an embodiment, the method also includes integrating the first cell into a first device prior to adding the programmed first cell to the network. In an embodiment, the first device comprises one of a sensor, light bulb, power switch, appliance, biometric device, medical device, diagnostic device, lap top, tablet, smartphone, motor controller, and a security device. In an embodiment, adding the programmed first cell to the network comprises establishing a communication link between the first cell and the task pool. In an embodiment, the (CPU) is further configured to populate the task pool with a second task having a second task type, the method further comprising the steps of: programming the second cell to perform the second task type; establishing a communication link between the second cell and the task pool; proactively sending a second agent from the second cell to the task pool; searching the task pool, by the second agent, for a task of the second type; retrieving, by the second agent, the second task from the task pool; transporting, by the second agent, the second task to the second cell; processing, by the second cell, the second task; sending a notification from the second cell to the task pool that the second task is completed; marking, by the task pool, the second task as being completed; and sending a notification from the task pool to the CPU that the second task is completed. A system is also provided for controlling distributed processing resources in an internet of things (IoT) computing environment, including: a CPU configured to partition an aggregate computing requirement into a plurality of tasks and place the tasks in a pool; and a plurality of devices each having a unique dedicated agent configured to proactively retrieve a task from the pool without direct communication with the CPU. While there has been illustrated an enabling description of various embodiments including the best mode known to the inventors, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made and equivalents may be substituted for various elements without departing from the scope of the invention. Therefore, it is intended that the inventions disclosed herein not be limited to the particular embodiments disclosed, but that the invention will include all embodiments falling within the literal and equivalent scope of the appended claims. | <SOH> BACKGROUND <EOH>The Internet of Things (also referred to as the Cloud of Things) refers to an ad hoc network of uniquely identifiable embedded computing devices within the existing Internet infrastructure. The internet of things (IoT) portends advanced connectivity of devices, systems, and services that goes beyond machine-to-machine communications (M2M). The scope of things contemplated by the IoT is unlimited, and may include devices such as heart monitoring implants, biochip transponders, automobile sensors, aerospace and defense field operation devices, and public safety applications that assist fire-fighters in search and rescue operations, for example. Current market examples include home based networks that involve smart thermostats, light bulbs, and washer/dryers that utilize wifi for remote monitoring. Due to the ubiquitous nature of connected objects in the IoT, it is estimated that more than 30 billion devices will be wirelessly connected to the Internet of Things by 2020. Harnessing the processing capacity of the controllers and processors associated with these devices is one of the objectives of the present invention. Computer processors traditionally execute machine coded instructions serially. To run a plurality of applications concurrently, a single processor interleaves instructions from various programs and executes them serially, although from the user's perspective the applications appear to be processed in parallel. True parallel or multi-core processing, on the other hand, is a computational approach that breaks large computational tasks into individual blocks of computations and distributes them among two or more processors. A computing architecture that uses task parallelism (parallel processing) divides a large computational requirement into discrete modules of executable code. The modules are then executed concurrently or sequentially, based on their respective priorities. A typical multiprocessor system includes a central processing unit (“CPU”) and one or more co-processors. The CPU partitions the computational requirements into tasks and distributes the tasks to co-processors. Completed threads are reported to the CPU, which continues to distribute additional threads to the co-processors as needed. Presently known multiprocessing approaches are disadvantageous in that a significant amount of CPU bandwidth is consumed by task distribution; waiting for tasks to be completed before distributing new tasks (often with dependencies on previous tasks); responding to interrupts from co-processors when a task is completed; and responding to other messages from co-processors. In addition, co-processors often remain idle while waiting for a new task from the CPU. A multiprocessor architecture in thus needed which reduces CPU management overhead, and which also more effectively harnesses and exploits available co-processing resources. | <SOH> SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION <EOH>Various embodiments of a parallel processing computing architecture include a CPU configured to populate a task pool, and one or more co-processors configured to proactively retrieve threads (tasks) from the task pool. Each co-processor notifies the task pool upon completion of a task, and pings the task pool until another task becomes available for processing. In this way, the CPU communicates directly with the task pool, and communicates indirectly with the co-processors through the task pool. The co-processors may also be capable of acting autonomously; that is, they may interact with the task pool independently of the CPU. In a preferred embodiment, each co-processor includes an agent that interrogates the task pool to seek a task to perform. As a result, the co-processors work together “in solidarity” with one another and with the task pool to complete aggregate computational requirements by autonomously retrieving and completing individual tasks which may or may not be inter-related. By way of non-limiting example, suppose a task B involves computing an average temperature over time. By defining a task A to include capturing temperature readings over time, and further by defining task B to including obtaining the captured readings, the CPU and the various co-processors may thereby inferentially communicate with each other via the task pool. In various embodiments the co-processors are referred to as autonomous, proactive solidarity cells. In this context, the term autonomous implies that a co-processor may interact with the task pool without being instructed to do so by the CPU or by the task pool. The term proactive suggests that each co-processor may be configured (e.g., programmed) to periodically send an agent to monitor the task pool for available tasks appropriate to that co-processor. The term solidarity implies that co-processing cells share a common objective in monitoring and executing all available tasks within the task pool. A solidarity cell (co-processor) may be a general purpose or special purpose processor, and therefore may have the same or different instruction set, architecture, and microarchitecture as compared to the CPU and other solidarity cells in the system. Moreover, the software programs to be executed and data to be processed may be contained within one or more memory units. In a typical computer system, for example, a software program consists of a series of instructions that may require data to be used by the program. For example, if the program corresponds to a media player, then the data contained in memory may be compressed audio data which is read by a co-processor and eventually played on a speaker. Each solidarity cell in the system may be configured to communicate, ohmically or wirelessly, with the task pool through a crossbar switch, also known as fabric. In a purely wireless mesh topology, the radio signals themselves may constitute the fabric. In various embodiments, the co-processors may also communicate directly with the CPU. The switching fabric facilitates communication among system resources. Each solidarity cell is proactive, in that it obtains a task to perform by sending its agent to the task pool when the solidarity cell has no processing to perform or, alternatively, when the solidarity cell is able to contribute processing cycles without impeding its normal operation. By way of non-limiting example, in the context of the Internet-of-Things (discussed in greater detail below), a co-processor associated with a device such as a light bulb may be programmed to listen for “on” and “off” commands from a master device (such as a smartphone) as its normal operation, but its processing resources may also be harnessed through a task pool. In the context of various embodiments described herein, the term agent refers to a software module, analogous to a network packet, associated with a co-processor that interacts with the task pool to thereby obtain available tasks which are appropriate for that co-processor cell. The solidarity cells may execute the tasks sequentially, when the tasks are contingent on the execution of a previous task, or in parallel, when more than one solidarity cell is available and more than one matching tasks are available for execution. The tasks may be executed independently or collaboratively, depending on the task thread restrictions (if any) provided by the CPU. Interdependent tasks within the task pool may be logically combined. The task pool notifies the CPU when a task thread is completed. If a task thread is composed of a single task, then the task pool may notify the CPU at completion of such task. If a task thread is composed of multiple tasks, the task pool may notify the CPU at completion of such chain of tasks. Since task threads may be logically combined, it is conceivable to have a case in which the task pool notifies the CPU after completion of logically combined task threads. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that interoperability among the CPU and co-processors may be facilitated by configuring the CPU to compose and/or structure tasks at a level of abstraction which is independent of the instruction set architecture associated with the various co-processors, thereby allowing the components to communicate at a task level rather than at an instruction level. As such, devices and their associated co-processors may be added to a network on a “plug and play” basis. Another aspect of this invention provides interoperability within a heterogeneous array of CPUs with different instruction set architectures. Various features of the invention are applicable to, inter alia, a network of Internet-of-Things devices and sensors; heterogeneous computing environments; high performance computing, two dimensional and three dimensional monolithic integrated circuits; and motion control and robotics. | G06F94843 | 20171222 | 20180503 | 62774.0 | G06F948 | 2 | RASHID, WISSAM | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR SWARM COLLABORATIVE INTELLIGENCE USING DYNAMICALLY CONFIGURABLE PROACTIVE AUTONOMOUS AGENTS | SMALL | 1 | CONT-ACCEPTED | G06F | 2,017 |
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15,852,709 | PENDING | Cooler Lock | A cooler access control system locks a cooler when occurrence of an event is detected that requires limiting access to the inside of the cooler. Examples of such events include the loss of power to the cooler for a predetermined period of time, the opening of the cooler door for longer than an allowed time, the loss of functionality of a temperature probe and others. In an embodiment, a service mode is supported wherein the door is left unlocked despite the occurrence of such an event, to allow a stocker or other personnel to leave the cooler door open while stocking the cooler with product. | 1. A lock for a food storage vending cooler or freezer having a cabinet, a door on the cabinet, the door and the cabinet together defining a refrigerated food storage vending area, and cooler controller circuitry to detect a fault event requiring the cooler or freezer to be locked, the lock comprising: a locking element being on the door; an electronic lock mechanism mounted on the cabinet, the lock mechanism configured to selectively engage the locking element to lock and unlock the door to the cabinet, the lock mechanism comprising an electronic actuator operatively connected to an engaging member, the engaging member having an extended locked position and a retracted unlocked position; lock controller circuitry associated with the lock mechanism to actuate the lock mechanism to lock the door to the cabinet, wherein the lock controller circuitry is communicably linked to the cooler controller circuitry; at least one lock controller power source operatively connected to the lock controller circuitry; and a secured unlocking implement independent from the cooler controller circuitry and external to the refrigerated vending area to selectively unlock the locked mechanism after actuation of the lock mechanism; a non-secured unlocking implement independent from the lock controller circuitry to selectively unlock the locked mechanism after actuation of the lock mechanism, wherein at least a portion of the non-secured unlocking implement is inside the refrigerated vending area; wherein the lock controller circuitry is configured to permit unsecured access to the refrigerated food storage vending area during operation of the food storage vending cooler or freezer at or below a temperature of 42 degrees F. 2. The lock of claim 1, wherein the lock actuator is selectively energized to lock the lock mechanism. 3. The lock of claim 1, wherein the lock controller selectively energizes and de-energizes the lock actuator to lock the lock mechanism. 4. The lock of claim 1, wherein the engaging member is biased by a spring. 5. The lock of claim 1, wherein the engaging member moves in a linear plane between the retracted and the extended positions. 6. The lock of claim 4, wherein the spring biases the engaging member toward the locked position. 7. The lock of claim 1, wherein operation of the lock actuator permits movement of the engaging member into the locked position. 8. The lock of claim 4, wherein the spring moves the engaging member to the locked position. 9. The lock of claim 7, wherein the lock actuator is de-energized and the engaging member remains in the locked position. 10. The lock of claim 1, wherein the non-secured unlocking implement is operatively connected to the engaging member. 11. The lock of claim 1, wherein the non-secured unlocking implement is configured to move the engaging member independent of the lock actuator. 12. The lock of claim 1, wherein operation of the lock actuator permits movement of the engaging member into the unlocked position. 13. The lock of claim 10, wherein the non-secured unlocking implement is operated from the refrigerated vending area to move the engaging member into the unlocked position. 14. The lock of claim 9, wherein operation of the non-secured unlocking implement is a force applied to the non-secured unlocking implement toward the electronic actuator. 15. The lock of claim 9, wherein operation of the non-secured unlocking implement is opposite the spring biased force. 16. A lock for a food storage vending cooler or freezer having a cabinet, a door on the cabinet, the door and the cabinet together defining a refrigerated food storage vending area, and cooler controller circuitry to detect a fault event requiring the cooler or freezer to be locked, the lock comprising: a locking element being on the door; an electronic lock mechanism mounted on the cabinet, the lock mechanism configured to selectively engage the locking element to lock and unlock the door to the cabinet, the lock mechanism comprising an electronic actuator operatively connected to an engaging member, the engaging member having an extended locked position and a retracted unlocked position; lock controller circuitry associated with the lock mechanism to actuate the lock mechanism to lock the door to the cabinet, the lock controller circuitry being communicably linked to the cooler controller circuitry; at least one lock controller power source operatively connected to lock controller circuitry, wherein the engaging member is moved to or remains in the extended locked position upon loss of power from the at least one lock controller power source; a secured unlocking implement independent from the cooler controller circuitry and external to the refrigerated vending area to selectively unlock the locked mechanism after actuation of the lock mechanism; wherein the lock controller circuitry is configured to permit unsecured access to the refrigerated food storage vending area during operation of the food storage vending cooler or freezer at or below a temperature of 42 degrees F. 17. The lock of claim 16, further comprising a non-secured unlocking implement independent from the lock controller circuitry to selectively unlock the lock mechanism after actuation of the lock mechanism, wherein at least a portion of the non-secured unlocking implement is inside the refrigerated vending area. 18. A lock for a food storage vending cooler or freezer having a cabinet, a door on the cabinet, the door and the cabinet together defining a refrigerated food storage vending area, and cooler controller circuitry configured to detect a fault event requiring the cooler or freezer to be locked, the lock comprising: a locking element being on the door; an electronic lock mechanism mounted on the cabinet, the lock mechanism configured to selectively engage the locking element to lock and unlock the door to the cabinet, the lock mechanism comprising an electronic actuator operatively connected to an engaging member, the engaging member having an extended locked position and a retracted unlocked position; lock controller circuitry associated with the lock mechanism to actuate the lock mechanism to lock the door to the cabinet, wherein the lock controller circuitry is communicably linked to the cooler controller circuitry; at least one lock controller power source operatively connected to the lock controller circuitry; and a secured unlocking implement independent from the cooler controller circuitry and external to the refrigerated vending area to selectively unlock the lock mechanism after actuation of the lock mechanism; wherein during operation of the food storage vending cooler or freezer at or below a temperature of 42 degrees F., the lock controller circuitry is configured to permit unsecured access to the refrigerated food storage vending area when receiving power from the at least one lock controller power source, and is further configured to restrict unsecured access to the refrigerated food vending area upon a loss of power from the at least one lock controller power source. 19. The lock of claim 18, further comprising a non-secured unlocking implement independent from the controller to selectively unlock the locked mechanism after actuation of the lock mechanism, wherein at least a portion of the non-secured unlocking implement is inside the refrigerated vending area. 20. The lock of claim 18, wherein the at least one lock controller power source comprises an AC power source for powering the electronic lock mechanism during normal operation of the cooler or freezer; and a battery back-up power source for powering the electronic lock mechanism during power loss of the AC power source. | RELATED APPLICATIONS This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 13/930,664, entitled “Cooler Lock” filed on Jun. 28, 2013, which is related to and claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 61/754,332, entitled “Cooler Lock,” filed on Jan. 18, 2013, which applications are herein incorporated by reference in their entirety for all that they suggest, disclose, and teach, without exclusion of any portion thereof. TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE The disclosure is directed generally to enclosure locking mechanisms, and, more particularly, to an access control system that includes features for providing locking and access to a refrigerated cooler. The lock mechanism consists of a strike mounted on the door or cabinet, and a motor-controllable latch mounted on the other of the door or cabinet. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1A is a simplified perspective view of a cooler structure within which aspects of the disclosure may be implemented; FIG. 1B is a simplified perspective view of an alternative cooler structure within which aspects of the disclosure may be implemented; FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective view of a cooler locking structure in accordance with an aspect of the disclosure; FIG. 3 is simplified interior view of the cooler locking structure of FIG. 2 in accordance with an aspect of the disclosure; FIG. 4 is a simplified exploded view of the lock structure of FIG. 2 in accordance with an aspect of the disclosure; FIG. 5 is a further simplified exploded view of the lock structure of FIG. 2 in accordance with an aspect of the disclosure: FIG. 6 is a further simplified exploded view of the lock structure of FIG. 2 in accordance with an aspect of the disclosure; FIG. 7 is a further simplified exploded view of the lock structure of FIG. 2 in accordance with an aspect of the disclosure; FIG. 8 is a further simplified interior view of the cooler locking structure of FIG. 2 in accordance with an aspect of the disclosure; FIG. 9 is a further simplified interior view of the cooler locking structure of FIG. 2 in accordance with an aspect of the disclosure; FIG. 10 is a further simplified interior view of the cooler locking structure of FIG. 2 in accordance with an aspect of the disclosure; FIG. 11 is a further simplified interior view of the cooler locking structure of FIG. 2 in accordance with an aspect of the disclosure; FIG. 12 is a further simplified interior view of the cooler locking structure of FIG. 2 in accordance with an aspect of the disclosure; FIG. 13 is a simplified circuit diagram in accordance with an aspect of the disclosure; FIG. 14 is a simplified circuit diagram in accordance with an alternative aspect of the disclosure; FIG. 15 is a process flow chart illustrating a process executed by a cooler controller in an embodiment; and FIG. 16 is a process flow chart illustrating a process executed by a lock controller in an embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION A refrigerated cooler typically consists of a refrigerated cabinet to hold food and beverages and a glass door that swings outward via a hinge. Typically the door or the cabinet has a rubber gasket or other flexible sealing element (collectively “gasket”) along the edge to create a barrier between the cold air inside the cabinet and the warm air outside the cabinet. The gasket further serves to accommodate misalignments between the cabinet and the door, when for example the cooler is placed on a floor that is not level such that the structure is twisted, or when over time the door droops downward from the hinge and fails to maintain alignment with the cabinet. Typically the inner surface of the door will interface to the outer surface of the cabinet, and as such the door usually does not reside on the interior of the cabinet. Typically the door is held to the edge surface of the cabinet by a magnet. In addition, typically the door is hung and the hinge is aligned such that the door is naturally biased to swing toward the cabinet without applying an external force to a surface of the door. When the door is opened, e.g., by a consumer in order to retrieve product, and is then released, the door will naturally swing toward the closed position. As the door reaches the closed position from the open position, its movement is accelerating slightly and needs to be stopped. The gasket will serve to absorb some of the energy released by the door as it abruptly stops. The magnet serves to some extent to maintain the door in the closed position and the magnet and the gasket together also serve to minimize the amount of bounce the door may exhibit as it moves to a stopped position. FIG. 1A is a perspective view of a cooler 1 within which embodiments of the invention may be implemented. FIGS. 2 and 3 illustrate the lock mechanism 2 mounted to the cooler 1, showing the lock 2 while the strike 3 is entering the latch 4. The mechanism may be mounted in a door centered position on the vertical edge of the door/cabinet as shown in FIG. 1, and it can be mounted at the top or bottom of the door/cabinet at the vertical edge or along either of the horizontal edges at the top or bottom of the door/cabinet in order to hide or protect the mechanism from the reach of customers. In an embodiment shown, the lock mechanism is mounted to the cooler cabinet and the strike is mounted to the door. In alternative embodiments, the lock can be mounted to the door and the strike mounted to the cabinet. In another embodiment, the strike unit or function can be provided by the outside surface of the door, or a surface provided by a slot within either the door or the cabinet. As noted above, in an embodiment, the lockable enclosure is a freezer. Moreover, whether a freezer or a cooler, enclosures having sliding rather than hinged doors may also benefit from application of the disclosed principles. Referring to FIG. 1B, typically such enclosures IA include two doors mounted in tracks adjacent to but offset from one another, with one or both doors being slidable across the front of the cooler. In such coolers, each door may also include a gasket on one or both of the door and the cabinet, used to seal the door and cabinet together when the door is closed. The sliding doors are typically biased to slide back to the closed position in the event that the user does not properly slide the door to the closed position. For sliding door coolers, the lock can be applied to either the door or the cabinet of each door, or, a lock can be applied to one door and the strike can be applied to the other door, such that when the lock and strike are engaged, neither door can slide open or parallel to the other door. In any case, the lock mechanism consists of a number of components as labeled in FIG. 4 and as shown in different views in FIGS. 5-7. The components include the mounting base 5, latch base 6, claw 7, claw spring 8, shaft 9, circuit board 10, manual release push rod 11, slider 12, slider spring 13, cam 14, cam sensor 15, claw sensor 16, and motor 17. The components are primarily mounted to the latch base 6 and the mounting base 5, which are stationary. The latch base 6 has a “Y” shaped opening and serves to help guide the strike to connect to the claw 7 properly when the door is closed. The claw 7 rotates clock-wise and against the force of the claw spring 8 as the door is closed and it receives the strike. The force of the claw spring 8 is ideally light enough so the force of the door closing will overcome the claw spring force and the claw 7 will receive the strike and rotate clock-wise. In the strike received position of FIG. 9, the claw sensor 17 will detect that the claw 7 has received the strike. The claw spring 8 is biased to push the claw 7 out so when the door is opened the claw 7 will rotate counter-clockwise to move to the receive position as in FIG. 8. This cycle whereby the claw 7 rotates clockwise to counterclockwise while the door moves from closed to open repeats over and over again as food or other material is being vended from the cooler, as shown in FIGS. 8 and 9. The slider 12 when extended to the right acts to lock the claw 7 holding the strike in the clockwise rotated position during certain conditions while the door is closed, as shown in FIG. 10. The slider 12 is biased to the locked extended position by the slider spring 13 when the door is intended to be locked. The cam 14 connected to the motor 17 will act to move the slider 12 via the inner surface of the slider 12 to the unlocked position upon being energized by the circuit board 10 as shown in FIG. 9. A cam sensor 16 on the circuit board 10 senses the position of the cam 14 to determine the slider 12 has moved to the required position. Once the slider 12 moves to the far right extended position behind the rear surface of the claw 7, the claw 7 will no longer be able to rotate counter-clockwise as the door is attempted to be opened as shown in FIG. 11; the rear surface of the claw 7 is blocked from rotating counterclockwise by the right extended edge of the slider 12. Thus, the claw 7 and extended slider 12 will serve to hold the strike in the position in FIG. 11 to keep the door closed or locked. Once the electronics determine the door should be unlocked, the motor 17 rotates and moves the cam 14 so that it applies a force to the slider 12 to make it retract, such that the slider 12 will no longer be in a position to hold the claw 7 in the full clockwise position as in FIG. 9. The claw will then be free to rotate counterclockwise as the door is pulled opened as in FIG. 8. The manual release 11 serves to manually force the slider 12 from the rightward position to the leftward retracted position to release the slider interference from the claw 7, and allowing the door to be opened. The feature is useful in the event that a person, for example a child, climbs into the cooler and the cooler door closes and locks. A person inside the cooler can push the manual release 11, serving to apply a force to the inclined surface of the slider 12 so the slider 12 retracts by overcoming the force of the slider spring 13 and retracting to the left to release the lock. As an alternative to the push-rod method, a cable can be attached to, for example, the left end position of the slider 12 to pull the slider 12 to the retracted position to release the claw 7 and unlock the unit. In this embodiment, the cooler controller 10 comprises sensors and inputs for measuring a temperature of the enclosure 1 it is locking and unlocking, see FIG. 13. In one example, the cooler controller will control the actuator of an electronic lock mechanism based on the temperature of the enclosure. The cooler 1 has a refrigerator for maintaining products at a temperature around or below 42° F. As long as the temperature is maintained below the desired temperature of 42° F., the cooler can be opened by any patron who desires to open the door, so that the patron can select a product to be purchased. When the door is closed, the strike mounted on the door is engaged with the latch mounted to the cabinet (or vice versa in an alternative embodiment). If the temperature is proper, for example 42° F. or less, and when the door is pulled open, the latch mechanism allows the strike to be released and the door will swing open. The temperature of the cooler can be communicated remotely over a local or wide-area network. In the event that the temperature of the cooler exceeds a pre-determined limit for a period of time such as 45 minutes, there is a risk of spoilage of the food or beverage in the cooler. Thus, in an embodiment, when this occurs, the cooler controller proceeds to enable the lock controller and in turn the lock controller energizes the motor and latches the strike so that the door is locked and cannot be withdrawn from the cabinet. The locking event can be communicated remotely over a local or wide-area network. If the temperature returns to a safe/proper temperature, it may be possible for the controller to determine the contents are safe to consume because the cooler temperature only stayed in the elevated range for a short period of time, i.e., too short for the food to spoil. In such a case, the controller may unlock the door. In another example, the status of the sensors is communicated to a person remote to the cooler over a local or wide-area network, and this person may send a remote signal or command the controller to unlock the controller. As an alternative, the lock controller can also provide a local interface to an electronic or mechanical key or a keypad to signal the controller to unlock the door as shown in FIG. 13. The latch provides a sensor for detecting the strike releasing from the latch and thus the door swinging open. This door opening sensor can be useful by the controller for measuring the time the door remains open, and alerting someone either locally or remotely (and/or storing this data remote to the cooler) that the door is open for too long to avoid spoilage of food or other items in the cooler. The latch also comprises a sensor for detecting the locked/unlocked position of the latch. As the motor controls the latch to change states from locked to unlocked, or from unlocked to locked, the sensor will detect the change of state so the lock controller can properly control the state of the latch and report the state of the latch to a device external to the cooler. The controllers may be powered by AC line voltage and by a battery as a back-up for example. The advantage of the combination of both the AC power and the battery is that the lock controller will be powered primarily from the AC power while it is assumed the cooler will also have the same AC power for operating the refrigerator. Thus the refrigerator should normally be successful keeping the temperature at or below 42° F. If and when the AC voltage is lost for an extended time period, it is expected the temperature in the cooler will increase to a temperature and for a time period that could cause the food and/or beverages to spoil. In the event of lost power, the controller has the capability, in an embodiment, to control the lock actuator to lock the door, or to latch the strike so the door cannot be withdrawn. During the time that AC power is lost, the controller may be configured to continue to monitor all the sensors, such as for example, the temperature sensor, and also to measure elapsed time. Thus by conducting these measurements during a power outage, the controller(s) can determine if the temperature has exceeded certain undesirable levels for an extended period of time, in order to determine if the cooler can be unlocked to allow products to be distributed once the AC power resumes. In addition, the controllers can communicate status of the power and the sensor measurements during the power outage event. In the event of a temperature limit event, the controllers may also serve to control alternative devices related to the cooler, such as the lighting for the cooler. For example, if the temperature limit is exceeded, the controller may be configured to turn off the lights of the cooler, to discourage patrons from trying to access the cooler (a cooler without lights would visually indicate the cooler has a malfunction). Another feature of the cooler lock is to lock the door based on a timer or a schedule regardless of cooler temperature. For example, if the cooler is in an office that is typically closed after 6 PM, the cooler may be automatically locked after 6 PM to discourage maintenance or cleaning crews from taking items from the cooler. If the office re-opens at 8 AM, the cooler would unlock at approximately that time. In another example, the cooler lock can be in a default locked state. In this embodiment, the patrons can select which products they intend to purchase before opening the cooler door and removing the products. After the products are selected and payment is collected or authorized by credit or debit card, the cooler door can be unlocked for either a) a short period of time, or b) a single access event so the customer can remove the purchased products. In this example, in the event the cooler temperature exceeds certain limits or power is lost as described above, the cooler would remain locked and the customers would be discouraged from paying for products. In another embodiment, the access control system further includes additional features for providing locking and access to a refrigerated cooler as in FIG. 1A. As shown in FIG. 14, while the cooler door is open the slider can move from the unlocked position shown initially in FIG. 8 to the locked position shown in FIG. 14. In FIG. 8, the cooler door is open, the claw is rotated counter clockwise, and the slider is in the unlocked position and retracted from touching the claw. In the event the door is unlocked and a customer opens the door to select a product, it is possible the controller could send a locked signal to the lock. This situation could take place if, for example, the door is left open for too long of a period of time. In this situation, it is desirable to move the slider to the extended locked position while the claw is rotated counter clockwise and to rest on the curved surface of the claw before the door is closed and before the claw is rotated clockwise. Once the door is closed and then after the strike rotates the claw clockwise, the slider will continue to move to the extended position and block the movement of the claw, and will maintain the claw in the locked counterclockwise position as shown in FIG. 11. This feature provides for locking the cooler door upon closing the cooler door if a lock event is triggered while the cooler door is open. In another embodiment, if the cooler door is open and a lock event is triggered by a failed probe or an over temperature event, the lock delays the locking event until the cooler door is properly shut. This is accomplished by monitoring the door position, and if the door is open during the lock trigger event the lock, delaying going to the locked condition; later upon sensing the cooler door is closed, the lock then moves to the locked position and the door is locked. In the embodiment, the lock controller can provide a reset signal to the cooler controller as described below. The reset signal source can come from another source, for example from a separate switch in a secured location (not shown) that is only reached via authorized access. In the event the cooler controller senses a cooler fault and sends the lock signal to the lock controller, and the lock controller locks the cooler door, the service technician must provide a system for repairing the equipment and resetting the lock and cooler controller. Once the lock controller has locked the cooler door, the lock controller is configured to sense a secured signal to indicate the cooler has been repaired and should be reset back to the unlocked condition. In this embodiment, the lock controller will sense a signal via the keypad or the key sensor, and when this signal is received the lock controller will unlock the cooler door and send a reset signal to the cooler controller, and the cooler controller will release lock signal to the lock controller. In another embodiment, the lock or cooler controller will sense a reset signal from a mechanical switch accessible by a mechanical or electronic lock. Upon either a power-up condition or upon receiving a reset signal from the lock controller, the cooler controller will wait for the cooler to begin cooling and the temperature to reach a low temperature, for example 37° F., before proceeding to the lock control measurement algorithm. Prior to reaching the lower temperature, e.g., 37° F., the cooler controller will continue to output the unlock signal. Once a temperature of 37° F. or below is attained, the cooler controller begins the lock control algorithm and continues to output the unlock signal since the temperature is proper. Once the cooler controller measures a higher than normal temperature for a certain time period (over-temperature time), for example 42′F for 15 minutes, the cooler controller will send the lock controller the lock signal. The cooler or lock controller may be powered by a battery and may be programmed to lock the cooler door after loss of AC power, regardless if the temperature has exceeded the temperature limit of 42° F. This will insure the cooler door will be locked before the back-up battery has depleted, and it would be too late to lock the cooler door. In an embodiment a service mode of operation is provided, whereby the cooler and lock controllers are placed into an operation mode that will not provide for the cooler door to be locked for a period of time typically longer than the over-temperature trigger time (for example ½ hour), so that the cooler can stand open and be loaded with products. After the service mode time period, the cooler controller resumes monitoring for a temperature default. It is desirable to exit the service mode after one single service mode time period, and to restrict consecutive service mode time periods. As an alternative to a manually-entered service mode, in an embodiment, the cooler controller intelligently controls the service mode of the cooler by measuring the temperature rate of change. For example, if the temperature of the cooler rises above 42 degrees this could be due to either a fault of the cooler, or due to the cooler being refilled or serviced. After being filled or serviced, the door is closed and the temperature should begin to decrease rapidly toward the proper level provided the cooler is functioning properly. In this embodiment, when the cooler temperature exceeds the over-temperature trigger time while it is in the process of rapidly cooling down, the controller logic refrains from locking the cooler because as the controller measures the rapid rate of temperature change it can determine that a service condition is in process and determine to not lock the door, since it has determined that he temperature variation is not a faulty cooler refrigeration condition. The cooler controller may also sense for a failed temperature probe in an embodiment, and may communicate a cooler lock event with the lock controller. The time period that the cooler controller senses for the failed probe before the lock signal is communicated from the cooler controller to the lock controller is typically shorter than the over-temperature delay time as described above. It is desirable to quickly lock the door in the event of a temperature probe fault because the integrity of the entire cooler system is in question, and the risk of serving spoiled food is minimized by locking the door. The cooler locking system may also include a test switch (not shown, typically mounted in a location that is easily accessible without the use of tools) that will be used by an equipment technician or health inspector to simulate an over-temperature condition or a failed probe condition to determine if the lock if functioning properly. In a working system, when the test switch is activated, the controller will sense (erroneously) that there is a malfunction of the cooler or the probe and will send a lock signal to the lock, and the cooler will proceed to lock. The system will return to normal operation after the switch is deactivated or if the system receives another signal, such as an access signal from the key or a reset signal. FIGS. 15 and 16 describe an example of the control logic of the cooler controller (CC) and the cooler lock (CL) in greater detail. Referring to FIG. 15 first, the cooler controller process begins at stage 25, wherein the system powers up. Subsequently at stage 26, the cooler is unlocked, e.g., the cooler controller outputs a 0V signal to the lock. The cooler controller then determines at stage 27 whether the internal temperature of the cooler is at or below a threshold value such as 38° F. If the temperature is determined to be at or below the threshold value, the process continues to stage 28, wherein the cooler controller determines if the system is in service mode as described above. In the event that the system is in service mode, the process flows to stage 29, wherein a 30 minute delay, or other suitable delay period, is imposed and the process flows back into stage 28. If instead it was determined that the system is not in service mode, the process flows to stage 30, wherein the cooler controller determines whether there has been a power loss exceeding some time threshold, such as 2 minutes. If so, the process flows to stage 31, wherein the cooler controller determines whether there is a probe fault, and if there is not, the process continues to stage 31a. At stage 31a, if the measured temperature is decreasing at a rapid rate, it is assumed the cooler is working properly and it may have been recently opened for service or re-filling, and thus it should remain unlocked and should not proceed to stage 32. If the temperature is not decreasing at a rapid rate, the process flows to stage 32. At stage 32, the cooler controller determines whether the internal temperature has been above a second threshold temperature, e.g., 42° F., for greater than a predetermined period, e.g., 15 minutes. In the event that the temperature has not been above the second threshold temperature for greater than the predetermined period, the process flows back to stage 28. Otherwise, the process flows to stage 33, wherein the cooler controller locks the cooler, e.g., by sending a 12V signal to the lock motor. From stage 33, the cooler controller determines at stage 34 whether a reset signal has been received, and if such a signal has been received, the process returns to stage 26. Otherwise, the process flows back to stage 33. Returning to the decision stages 30 and 31, if either of these stages results in an affirmative determination (yes, probe faulted and/or yes power lost for greater than the prescribed period), then the process flows immediately to stage 33. From there, the process continues as described above. Turning to FIG. 16, this figure shows the control process from the standpoint of the cooler lock controller. Starting at stage 40, the cooler is unlocked. Next at stage 41, it is determined whether a 12 v (lock) signal is received from the cooler controller. If so, the cooler lock locks at stage 42. Subsequently at stage 43, the lock controller determines whether CC is set, e.g., whether it reads 12V. If so, the controller checks for a valid key access at stage 44. If a valid key access is detected at stage 44, the process continues to stage 45, wherein the lock controller unlocks the cooler and sends a cooler controller reset signal. If at stage 43 it is determined that CIF is not set, then the process flows to stage 46 to unlock the cooler and then returns to stage 41. If at stage 44 it is determined that there is no valid key access, then the process returns to stage 43. If at stage 41 it determined that a 12 v (lock) signal is not received from the cooler controller, the process looks for a valid key access at stage 47, and if such access is not found, proceeds back to stage 41. Otherwise, the process flows to stage 48, and the cooler is locked. Subsequently at stage 49, is again determined whether a valid key access has occurred. If so, the process moves on to stage 46 and continues thence as described above. If, however, no valid key access is found, the process loops at stage 49. As noted above, FIG. 13 is a simplified schematic of a control system usable to implement the processes described herein. The illustrated system includes primarily a cooler controller 50 and a lock controller 51. Both controllers may be, for example, microcomputer or microprocessor-based controllers. In an alternative embodiment, the two microcomputers may be integrated together into a single microcomputer controller. The cooler controller 50 includes inputs for power 52 and a temperature probe 53. The cooler controller 50 also includes outputs. e.g., for light control 54, lock control 55, lock controller power 56, as well as an Ethernet or other data connection 57 to access a LAN or a WAN, such as the Internet. The cooler controller 50 may also include a battery 58 for back-up purposes. The lock controller 51 includes a clock 60 and a lock actuator 61. The lock controller 51 also includes inputs for a key sensor 62, a keypad 63, a door sensor 64, and a latch position sensor 65. In an embodiment wherein a reset capability is included, the system also includes a reset line 66 providing input from the lock controller 51 to the cooler controller 50, as shown in FIG. 14. It will be appreciated that a new and useful system for cooler lock function and control has been disclosed and described herein. However, while the foregoing detailed description has been given and provided with respect to certain specific embodiments, it is to be understood that the scope of the disclosure should not be limited to such embodiments, but that the same are provided simply for enablement and best mode purposes. The breadth and spirit of the present disclosure are broader than the embodiments specifically disclosed and are encompassed within the claims appended hereto. While certain features are described in conjunction with specific embodiments of the invention, these features are not limited to use with only the embodiment with which they are described, but instead may be used together with or separate from, other features disclosed in conjunction with alternate embodiments of the invention. | <SOH> TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE <EOH>The disclosure is directed generally to enclosure locking mechanisms, and, more particularly, to an access control system that includes features for providing locking and access to a refrigerated cooler. The lock mechanism consists of a strike mounted on the door or cabinet, and a motor-controllable latch mounted on the other of the door or cabinet. | <SOH> BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS <EOH>FIG. 1A is a simplified perspective view of a cooler structure within which aspects of the disclosure may be implemented; FIG. 1B is a simplified perspective view of an alternative cooler structure within which aspects of the disclosure may be implemented; FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective view of a cooler locking structure in accordance with an aspect of the disclosure; FIG. 3 is simplified interior view of the cooler locking structure of FIG. 2 in accordance with an aspect of the disclosure; FIG. 4 is a simplified exploded view of the lock structure of FIG. 2 in accordance with an aspect of the disclosure; FIG. 5 is a further simplified exploded view of the lock structure of FIG. 2 in accordance with an aspect of the disclosure: FIG. 6 is a further simplified exploded view of the lock structure of FIG. 2 in accordance with an aspect of the disclosure; FIG. 7 is a further simplified exploded view of the lock structure of FIG. 2 in accordance with an aspect of the disclosure; FIG. 8 is a further simplified interior view of the cooler locking structure of FIG. 2 in accordance with an aspect of the disclosure; FIG. 9 is a further simplified interior view of the cooler locking structure of FIG. 2 in accordance with an aspect of the disclosure; FIG. 10 is a further simplified interior view of the cooler locking structure of FIG. 2 in accordance with an aspect of the disclosure; FIG. 11 is a further simplified interior view of the cooler locking structure of FIG. 2 in accordance with an aspect of the disclosure; FIG. 12 is a further simplified interior view of the cooler locking structure of FIG. 2 in accordance with an aspect of the disclosure; FIG. 13 is a simplified circuit diagram in accordance with an aspect of the disclosure; FIG. 14 is a simplified circuit diagram in accordance with an alternative aspect of the disclosure; FIG. 15 is a process flow chart illustrating a process executed by a cooler controller in an embodiment; and FIG. 16 is a process flow chart illustrating a process executed by a lock controller in an embodiment. detailed-description description="Detailed Description" end="lead"? | F25D23028 | 20171222 | 20180517 | 70720.0 | F25D2302 | 2 | MCCLURE, MORGAN J | Cooler Lock | SMALL | 1 | CONT-ACCEPTED | F25D | 2,017 |
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15,853,016 | ACCEPTED | DEVICES, METHODS, AND COMPUTER-READABLE MEDIA FOR REDEMPTION HEADER FOR MERCHANT OFFERS | Devices, computer-implemented methods, and computer-readable media for a redemption header for merchant offers, such as online coupons, are provided. In some embodiments, an offers website may provide offers, such as online coupons, in a browser executing on a user device. When a user selects an online coupon, the browser is redirected to a merchant website associated with the online coupon and a coupon code value is copied to a clipboard. Additionally, a redemption header having the coupon code and instructions is added in the merchant webpage. A webpage element for the redemption header, such as an inline frame, is created in the merchant webpage and the redemption header is provided based on an offer identifier stored in a browser-accessible storage item such as a cookie. | 1. A tangible, non-transitory, machine-readable medium storing instructions that when executed by one or more processors effectuate operations comprising: sending, with one or more processors, via a network, from a first domain, at least part of a first webpage to a web browser executing on a user computing device, wherein sending the at least part of the first webpage comprises: causing the web browser to obtain and display a plurality of content items in the first webpage, each of the content items being associated in the web browser with a content-item identifier that distinguishes the content items from one another; causing, with one or more processors, the web browser to store in client-side browser-accessible storage at least some of the content items, wherein: the web browser executing on the user computing device is caused to store the at least some of the content items in response to a user input to the web browser; the web browser executing on the user computing device implements a security policy prohibiting web content from cross-domain access to browser memory; the web browser executing on the user computing device has an added program installed in the web browser configured to bypass the security policy and provide cross-domain access to browser memory; and the added program installed in the web browser stores the at least some of the content items in the client-side browser-accessible storage; after sending the at least part of the first webpage, and after the user input to the web browser is received, coordinating, with one or more processors, consistent content across domains after the web browser navigates to a second webpage from a second domain different from the first domain, wherein consistent content across domains is coordinated by: communicating the at least some of the content items across domains via the client-side browser-accessible storage, from content associated with the first domain to content associated with the second domain, by accessing, with the added program installed in the web browser, the client-side browser-accessible storage after the web browser has navigated to the second web page; and causing the web browser to display the second webpage concurrently with displaying information related to the at least some of the content items in response to the at least some of the content items being communicated across domains, wherein causing the web browser to display the second webpage concurrently with displaying information related to the at least some of the content items comprises: inserting browser-executable content of a redemption bar in a merchant webpage after the merchant webpage is provided to the web browser, wherein the merchant webpage is the second webpage. 2. The medium of claim 1, wherein: the added program installed in the web browser is a browser plug-in configured to provide cross-domain access to browser memory. 3. The medium of claim 1, wherein: the added program installed in the web browser is a browser add-on having elevated security privileges relative to the security policy of the web browser. 4. The medium of claim 1, wherein: sending at least part of the first webpage to the web browser executing on the user computing device comprises: receiving, with an offers engine, an XMLHttpRequest request from the web browser for data in a serialized format, wherein the offers engine comprises: an application program interface (API) server configured to provide a response to the XMLHttpRequest; and a web server configured to provide a response to a request for an offers interface webpage; and sending the plurality of content items in the serialized format in response to the XMLHttpRequest request; at least some static content of the at least part of the first webpage is sent to the first web browser by a content delivery network, wherein the content delivery network is a cookieless domain; and content of the redemption bar is retrieved asynchronously relative to loading of the merchant webpage. 5. The medium of claim 1, wherein the operations comprise: steps for auto-populating a text box input field of the merchant webpage with a coupon code stored in the client-side browser-accessible store; steps for maintaining device-independent user profiles; steps for modifying web content based on a type of a user device; steps for caching a subset of offers in a data store of offers; and steps for receiving data about new offers. 6. The medium of claim 1, wherein sending at least part of the first webpage to the web browser executing on the user computing device comprises: receiving a request with an offers engine, the request being associated with an identifier of a device-independent user profile of the user; accessing the device independent user profile based on the identifier associated with the request; and determining at least some of the plurality of content items based on the device independent user profile. 7. The medium of claim 6, wherein the device independent user profile comprises: account information defining a configuration of an interface with a third-party service with which the user has an account, the third-party service being configured to embed data from the offers engine in websites; an OAuth access token credential issued by the third-party service at the user's request; and an expiration time of the credential. 8. The medium of claim 6, wherein: the device independent user profile comprises a set of offers previously designated by the user in previous sessions with the offers engine on one or more different client computing devices from the user computing device; and the operations comprise sending the user computing device at least part of a user interface by which the user is presented with at least some of the set of offers previously designated by the user, the at least some of the set of previously designated offers being sent responsive to the user having previously designated the at least some of the set of offers. 9. The medium of claim 1, comprising: receiving a user selection of one of the plurality of content items; and in response to receiving the selection, causing a value associated with the one of the plurality of content items to be copied to clipboard memory of the user computing device in addition to causing the web browser to store in client-side browser-accessible storage the at least some of the content items. 10. The medium of claim 1, comprising: causing the web browser to retrieve a plurality of merchant tiles, each including a merchant logo image, and each being associated with one or more online coupons, and display the merchant lines in a scrollable carousel. 11. The medium of claim 1, wherein: the redemption bar is an overlaid box displaying one or more offer redemption codes, the redemption bar being overlaid on the merchant webpage. 12. The medium of claim 1, the operations comprising: auto-populating a text box input field of the merchant webpage with a coupon code stored in the client-side browser-accessible storage and among the at least some of the content items. 13. The medium of claim 12, the operations comprising: detecting the text box input field in the merchant webpage with code associated with the redemption bar, wherein auto-populating is performed based on detecting the text box input field. 14. The medium of claim 13, the operations comprising: detecting the text box input field in the merchant webpage by detecting a webpage element of the merchant webpage including the text box input field, wherein the text box input field is a coupon code input of a checkout webpage or shopping cart checkout webpage of the merchant; and submitting the coupon code to the merchant by selecting a user input that causes the coupon code to be sent to a server of the merchant at the second domain. 15. The medium of claim 13, the operations comprising: receiving, with code associated with code associated with the redemption bar, feedback regarding success or failure of the coupon code; and ranking or selecting offers based on the feedback. 16. The medium of claim 13, the operations comprising: detecting, with the code associated with the redemption bar, the loading of different webpage content in the web browser executing on the user computing device. 17. The medium of claim 16, the operations comprising: in response to detecting the loading of the different webpage content, determining a type of the different webpage content; determining that the type is a confirmation of the merchant website; and in response to determining that the type is the confirmation, receiving, with the code associated with the redemption bar, feedback regarding success or failure of a coupon code and ranking or selecting offers based on the feedback. 18. The medium of claim 16, wherein detecting the loading of different webpage content comprises: detecting a GET or POST hypertext transport protocol request; and parsing and analyzing data included in the detected GET or POST hypertext transport protocol request. 19. The medium of claim 1, the operations comprising: detecting, with code associated with the redemption bar, a change in the merchant webpage or web content of the merchant webpage; and in response to detecting the change, selecting content to display in the redemption bar and causing the selected content to be displayed in the redemption bar. 20. The medium of claim 1, wherein inserting browser-executable content of the redemption bar in the merchant webpage comprises: inserting, with client-side code executed by the web browser, a webpage element in a document object model of the merchant webpage, the webpage element including the redemption bar. 21. The medium of claim 1, wherein inserting browser-executable content of the redemption bar in the merchant webpage comprises: inserting, with code executed by the web browser, in a document object model of the merchant webpage, the redemption bar, the redemption bar displaying the at least some of the content items. 22. The medium of claim 21, wherein: a subset of displayed content of the redemption bar is obtained via a cookieless domain of a content delivery network responsive to a request from code inserted into the merchant webpage. 23. The medium of claim 21, wherein inserting comprises: accessing an identifier of a merchant domain associated with the at least some of the content items stored in client-side browser-accessible storage; and determining that the identifier of the merchant domain stored in client-side browser-accessible storage matches a domain of the merchant webpage and, in response, causing the content items stored in client-side browser-accessible storage to be displayed in the redemption bar. 24. The medium of claim 1, wherein: the client-side browser-accessible storage is persistent memory of the web browser that lasts between sessions. 25. The medium of claim 1, wherein: sending the at least part of the first webpage comprises sending the plurality of content items from an offers engine; and the offers engine comprises an in-random-access-memory cache server storing in key-value pairs in random-access-memory a collection of online offers including the plurality of content items. 26. The medium of claim 25, wherein: the offers engine comprises a data store storing the collection of online offers; cache server mirrors the collection of online offers from the data store; and the cache server is configured to facilitate faster access to offer data than the data store. 27. The medium of claim 26, wherein: a subset of offers in the data store are selected to be stored in the collection of offers stored by the cache server based on a likelihood of being accessed; inconsistent data is temporarily maintained in the cache server to conserve computing resources; and at least some of the plurality of content items are retrieved by the cache server by determining a hash key value based on a parameter of a request, the hash key being paired with an address of the at least one of the plurality of content items. 28. The medium of claim 1, the operations comprising: ingesting a data feed having offers and associated data in serialized format; and concurrently analyzing the plurality of offers of the data feed by mapping each of the ingested offers to one of a plurality of processes operating in parallel. 29. The medium of claim 1, wherein: the added program installed in the web browser comprises means for providing cross-domain access to browser memory. 30. A method, comprising: sending, with one or more processors, via a network, from a first domain, at least part of a first webpage to a web browser executing on a user computing device, wherein sending the at least part of the first webpage comprises: causing the web browser to obtain and display a plurality of content items in the first webpage, each of the content items being associated in the web browser with a content-item identifier that distinguishes the content items from one another; causing, with one or more processors, the web browser to store in client-side browser-accessible storage at least some of the content items, wherein: the web browser executing on the user computing device is caused to store the at least some of the content items in response to a user input to the web browser; the web browser executing on the user computing device implements a security policy prohibiting web content from cross-domain access to browser memory; the web browser executing on the user computing device has an added program installed in the web browser configured to bypass the security policy and provide cross-domain access to browser memory; and the added program installed in the web browser stores the at least some of the content items in the client-side browser-accessible storage; after sending the at least part of the first webpage, and after the user input to the web browser is received, coordinating, with one or more processors, consistent content across domains after the web browser navigates to a second webpage from a second domain different from the first domain, wherein consistent content across domains is coordinated by: communicating the at least some of the content items across domains via the client-side browser-accessible storage, from content associated with the first domain to content associated with the second domain, by accessing, with the added program installed in the web browser, the client-side browser-accessible storage after the web browser has navigated to the second web page; and causing the web browser to display the second webpage concurrently with displaying information related to the at least some of the content items in response to the at least some of the content items being communicated across domains, wherein causing the web browser to display the second webpage concurrently with displaying information related to the at least some of the content items comprises: inserting browser-executable content of a redemption bar in a merchant webpage after the merchant webpage is provided to the web browser, wherein the merchant webpage is the second webpage. | CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS The present application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/471,682 filed on Mar. 28, 2017, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/837,790, filed on Mar. 15, 2013, now U.S. Pat. No. 9,639,853, which claims the benefit of each of the following pending U.S. provisional patent applications: provisional application 61/707,527, filed Sep. 28, 2012; provisional application 61/665,740, filed Jun. 28, 2012; provisional application 61/658,408, filed Jun. 12, 2012; provisional application 61/658,404, filed Jun. 11, 2012; and provisional application 61/658,387, filed Jun. 11, 2012. Each aforementioned patent filing is incorporated by reference in its entirety. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention This invention relates generally to merchant offers for goods and service and, more particularly, to redemption of certain offers such as online coupons. 2. Description of the Related Art Offer-discovery systems provide a service by which merchants inform customers of offers, for example deals (e.g., discounts, favorable shipping terms, or rebates) or coupons (e.g., printable coupons for in-store use or coupon codes for use online). Typically, the systems store information about offers from a relatively large number of merchants and provide an interface by which customers can identify offers in which the customer is likely to be interested. Merchants have found the offer-discovery systems to be a relatively effective form of marketing, as cost-sensitive consumers are drawn to such systems due to their relatively comprehensive listings of offers. Such offers may include coupons, such as include traditional in-store coupons, and online coupons typically obtained via the Internet, such as from merchant websites, e-mail distributions, etc. To use an online coupon, a customer typically provides an identifier, such as a coupon code, when purchasing goods and services from a merchant's online store. However, a customer may forget about the existence of the coupon and, as a result, fail to take advantage of the offer presented by the coupon. Additionally, it may be challenging for a customer to remember the identifier presented by the coupon and to use the online coupon in the manner specified by the online store. And, the advent of smaller computing devices having different or limited interfaces may increase the challenges faces by customers attempting to use online coupons. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Various embodiments of devices, computer-implemented methods, and computer-readable media for a redemption header for merchant offers are provided herein. In some embodiments, a method is provided that includes providing (e.g., obtaining and rendering) in a browser executing on a user device an offers webpage from an offers engine, the offers webpage having: a plurality of offers associated with a respective plurality of merchants and a respective plurality of offer redemption identifiers. The method also includes receiving a selection of one of the plurality of offers, the selected offer associated with a selected offer redemption identifier and a selected merchant. The method further includes redirecting the browser to a merchant webpage of the selected merchant. Additionally, the method includes determining, with one or more processors, whether an offer identifier associated with the selected offer is stored in a storage item accessible by the browser. The method further includes inserting, if (e.g., if and only if) the offer identifier is stored in the storage item, a redemption header in a webpage element of the merchant webpage, the redemption header including the offer identifier associated with the selected offer and the redemption header being displayed on the merchant webpage. The method further includes providing, if the offer identifier is not stored in the storage item, an empty webpage element of the merchant webpage. Additionally, in some embodiments, a non-transitory computer-readable medium having executable computer code stored thereon is provided. The executable computer code includes instructions that, when executed, cause one or more processors to effectuate operations including the following: providing in a browser executing on a user device an offers webpage from an offers engine, the offers webpage having a plurality of offers associated with a respective plurality of merchants and a respective plurality of offer redemption identifiers and receiving a selection of one of the plurality of offers, the selected offer associated with a selected offer redemption identifier and a selected merchant. Additionally, the executable computer code includes instructions that, when executed, cause one or more processors to perform the following: redirecting the browser to a merchant webpage of the selected merchant. The executable computer code further includes instructions that, when executed, cause one or more processors to perform the following: determining, by one or more processors, whether an offer identifier associated with the selected offer is stored in a storage item accessible by the browser. The executable computer code further includes instructions that, when executed, cause one or more processors to perform the following: inserting, if the offer identifier is stored in the storage item, a redemption header in a webpage element of the merchant webpage, the redemption header including the offer redemption identifier associated with the selected offer and the redemption header being displayed on the merchant webpage. The executable computer code further includes instructions that, when executed, cause one or more processors to perform the following: providing, if the offer identifier is not stored in the storage item, an empty webpage element of the merchant webpage. Further, in some embodiments, a system is provided that includes one or more processors and a non-transitory tangible computer-readable memory communicatively coupled to the processor. The non-transitory tangible computer-readable memory includes executable computer code stored thereon. The executable computer code includes instructions that, when executed, cause one or more processors to perform the following: providing in a browser executing on a user device an offers webpage from an offers engine, the offers webpage comprising a plurality of offers associated with a respective plurality of merchants and a respective plurality of offer redemption identifiers and receiving a selection of one of the plurality of offers, the selected offer associated with a selected offer redemption identifier and a selected merchant. Additionally, the executable computer code includes instructions that, when executed, cause one or more processors to perform the following: redirecting the browser to a merchant webpage of the selected merchant. The executable computer code further includes instructions that, when executed, cause one or more processors to perform the following: determining, by one or more processors, whether an offer identifier associated with the selected offer is stored in a storage item accessible by the browser. The executable computer code further includes instructions that, when executed, cause one or more processors to perform the following: inserting, if the offer identifier is stored in the storage item, a redemption header in a webpage element of the merchant webpage, the redemption header including the offer redemption identifier associated with the selected offer and the redemption header being displayed on the merchant webpage. The executable computer code further includes instructions that, when executed, cause one or more processors to perform the following: providing, if the offer identifier is not stored in the storage item, an empty webpage element of the merchant webpage. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram of an example of an offer-discovery system in accordance with some embodiments; FIG. 2 is a block diagram an example of a process by which an offers engine in the offer-discovery system of FIG. 1, in some embodiments, obtains and processes data related to offers; FIG. 3 is a block diagram an example of a process by which a user device in the offer-discovery system of FIG. 1, in some embodiments, obtains and presents to users data related to offers; FIGS. 4A-4F are schematic diagrams illustrating screens of a user device executing a browser in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 5 is a block diagram illustrating user actions and a redemption header process in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; FIGS. 6A and 6B are block diagrams are block diagrams for providing a redemption header in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; and FIG. 7 is a block diagram of a computer in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; and Although the invention is susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms, specific embodiments thereof are shown by way of example in the drawings and will herein be described in detail. The drawings may not be to scale. It should be understood, however, that the drawings and detailed description thereto are not intended to limit the invention to the particular form disclosed, but to the contrary, the intention is to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims. DETAILED DESCRIPTION The above-mentioned deficiencies in existing offer-discovery systems may be mitigated by certain embodiments of an offer-discovery system 10 illustrated by FIG. 1. The exemplary system 10 includes an offers engine 12 that, in some embodiments, is capable of reducing the burden on users attempting to identify offers relevant to them from among a relatively large pool of offers (e.g., more than 100, more than 1,000, or more than 10,000) and redeem selected offers. The system 10 provides instructions to user devices that, when executed by the user devices, implement an offer redemption user interface described below with reference to FIGS. 4-6. This interface, in some cases, assets the user with recall and entry of a coupon code or other offer-related data at a merchant's website. This interface and the associated instructions are described in greater detail below, following a description of other aspects of the system 10, which provides complimentary, but independent benefits to those of the interfaces of FIGS. 4-6. In some embodiments, the offers engine 12 maintains device-independent user profiles (or portions of user profiles) by which offers interfaces may be relatively consistently configured across multiple user devices with which the user interacts with the offers engine 12. Further, the offers engine 12, in some embodiments, includes a number of features expected to facilitate relatively quick identification of relevant offers by a user, features that include cached storage of data related to likely relevant offers, faceted presentation of offers by which users can select among offers within various categories, and a number of other techniques described below for assisting with offer identification. The offers engine 12 is also expected to facilitate relatively low operating costs by, in some embodiments, automating parts of the process by which offer related data is acquired from sources, such as affiliate networks merchants, administrators, or users, and automating parts of the process by which transaction data indicative of acceptance, settlement, or clearing of offers is obtained and processed. These and other benefits are described in greater detail below, after introducing the components of the system 10 and describing their operation. It should be noted, however, that not all embodiments necessarily provide all of the benefits outlined herein, and some embodiments may provide all or a subset of these benefits or different benefits, as various engineering and cost tradeoffs are envisioned. In the illustrated embodiment, the offers engine 12 includes a control module 14, an application program interface (API) server 16, a web server 18, an ingest module 20, an administration module 22, a data store 24, and a cache server 23. These components, in some embodiments, communicate with one another in order to provide the functionality of the offers engine 12 described herein. As described in greater detail below, in some embodiments, the data store 24 may store data about offers and users' interactions with those offers; the cache server 23 may expedite access to this data by storing likely relevant data in relatively high-speed memory, for example, in random-access memory or a solid-state drive; the web server 20 may serve webpages having offers interfaces by which users discover relevant offers; the API server 16 may serve data to various applications that process data related to offers; the ingest module 20 may facilitate the intake of data related to offers from affiliate networks, users, administrators, and merchants; and the administration module 22 may facilitate curation of offers presented by the API server 16 and the web server 18. The operation of these components 16, 18, 20, 22, 24, and 23 may be coordinated by the control module 14, which may bidirectionally communicate with each of these components or direct the components to communicate with one another. Communication may occur by transmitting data between separate computing devices (e.g., via transmission control protocol/internet protocol (TCP/IP) communication over a network), by transmitting data between separate applications or processes on one computing device; or by passing values to and from functions, modules, or objects within an application or process, e.g., by reference or by value. Among other operations, the offers engine 12 of this embodiment presents offers to users; receives data from users about their interaction with the offers (for example, the user's favorite offers or offer attributes; statistics about the offers the user has identified, accepted, or otherwise provided data about; or the identity of other users with whom the user communicates about offers and the content of those communications; provided thatusers opt to have such data obtained); customizes the presentation of offers based on this received data; and facilitates the processing of compensation from merchants (either directly or through affiliate networks) as a result of users accepting (or taking a specific action, like clicking or viewing, in some embodiments or use cases) offers. This interaction with users may occur via a website viewed on a desktop computer, tablet, or a laptop of the user. And in some cases, such interaction occurs via a mobile website viewed on a smart phone, tablet, or other mobile user device, or via a special-purpose native application executing on a smart phone, tablet, or other mobile user device. Presenting and facilitating interaction with offers across a variety of devices is expected to make it easier for users to identify and recall relevant offers at the time the user is interested in those offers, which is often different from the time at which the user first discovers the offers. In particular, some embodiments allow users to store data indicative of offers relevant to that user using one device, such as a desktop computer in the user's home, and then view those offers at a later time, such as on a native mobile application when in a retail store. To illustrate an example of the environment in which the offers engine 12 operates, the illustrated embodiment of FIG. 1 includes a number of components with which the offers engine 12 communicates: mobile user devices 28 and 30; a desk-top user device 32; a third party server 34; an administrator device 36; merchant servers 38, 40, and 42; and affiliate-network servers 44 and 46. Each of these devices communicates with the offers engine 12 via a network 48, such as the Internet or the Internet in combination with various other networks, like local area networks, cellular networks, or personal area networks. The mobile user devices 28 and 30 may be smart phones, tablets, gaming devices, or other hand-held networked computing devices having a display, a user input device (e.g., buttons, keys, voice recognition, or a single or multi-touch touchscreen), memory (such as a tangible, machine-readable, non-transitory memory), a network interface, a portable energy source (e.g., a battery), and a processor (a term which, as used herein, includes one or more processors) coupled to each of these components. The memory of the mobile user devices 28 and 30 may store instructions that when executed by the associated processor provide an operating system and various applications, including a web browser 50 or a native mobile application 52. The native application 52, in some embodiments, is operative to provide an offers interface that communicates with the offers engine 12 and facilitates user interaction with data from the offers engine 12. Similarly, the web browser 50 may be configured to receive a website from the offers engine 12 having data related to deals and instructions (for example, instructions expressed in JavaScript™) that when executed by the browser (which is executed by the processor) cause the mobile user device to communicate with the offers engine 12 and facilitate user interaction with data from the offers engine 12. The native application 52 and the web browser 50, upon rendering a webpage from the offers engine 12, may generally be referred to as client applications of the offers engine 12, which in some embodiments may be referred to as a server. Embodiments, however, are not limited to client/server architectures, and the offers engine 12, as illustrated, may include a variety of components other than those functioning primarily as a server. The desk-top user device 32 may also include a web browser 54 that serves the same or similar role as the web browser 50 in the mobile user device 30. In addition, the desk-top user device 32 may include a monitor; a keyboard; a mouse; memory; a processor; and a tangible, non-transitory, machine-readable memory storing instructions that when executed by the processor provide an operating system and the web browser. Third-party offer server 34 may be configured to embed data from the offers engine 12 in websites or other services provided by the third-party offer server 34. For example, third-party offer server 34 may be a server of a social networking service upon which users post comments or statistics about offers with which the user has interacted, or the users may use the offer server 34 to recommend offers to others or identify offers to avoid. In another example, third-party offer server 34 may include various services for publishing content to the Web, such as blogs, tweets, likes, dislikes, ratings, and the like. In another example, third-party offer server 34 provides services by which third-parties curate offers hosted by the offers engine 12. Merchant servers 38, 40, and 42 host websites or other user accessible content interfaces by which users can accept offers hosted by the offers engine 12. In some embodiments, and in some use cases, the merchant servers 38, 40, and 42 host retail websites that present a plurality of items for sale by the merchant, a subset of which may include items to which offers apply, thereby generally making the item for sale more desirable to cost-sensitive consumers than under the terms presented by the merchant in the absence of the offer. For example, the offers may include free or discounted shipping, a discounted price, a bulk discount, a rebate, a referral award, or a coupon, such as a coupon acceptable by presenting a coupon code during checkout on the merchant website, or a printable or displayable coupon (e.g., on the screen of a mobile device) for in-store use, the printable or otherwise displayable coupon having, in some cases, a machine readable code (e.g., a bar code or QR code for display and scanning, or a code passed via near-field communication or Bluetooth™). In some embodiments, the merchant website includes a checkout webpage having an interface for the user to enter payment information and a coupon code, and the merchant website (either with logic on the client side or the server-side) may validate the coupon code entered by the user and, upon determining that the coupon code is valid, adjust the terms presented to the user for acceptance in accordance with the offer. Some merchants may limit the number of uses of a given coupon, limit the duration over which the coupon is valid, or apply other conditions to use of the coupon, each of which may add to the burden faced by users seeking to find valid coupons applicable to an item the user wishes to purchase. As noted above, some embodiments of the offers engine 12 are expected to mitigate this burden. Further, in some embodiments, the merchant servers 38, 40, and 42 provide data about offers to the offers engine 12 or (i.e., and/or, as used herein, unless otherwise indicated) data about transactions involving offers. In use cases in which the operator of the offers engine 12 has a direct affiliate-marketing relationship with one of the merchants of the merchant servers 38, 40, or 42, the transaction data may provide the basis for payments by the merchant directly to the operator of the offers engine 12. For example, payments may be based on a percentage of transactions to which offers were applied, a number of sales to which offers were applied, or a number of users who viewed or selected or otherwise interacted with an offer by the merchant. Affiliate-network servers 44 and 46, in some embodiments and some use cases, are engaged when the entity operating the offers engine 12 does not have a direct affiliate-marketing relationship with the merchant making a given offer. In many affiliate marketing programs, merchants compensate outside entities, such as third-party publishers, for certain activities related to sales by that merchant and spurred by the outside entity. For example, in some affiliate marketing programs, merchants compensate an affiliate, such as the entity operating the offers engine 12, in cases in which it can be shown that the affiliate provided a given coupon code to a given user who then used that coupon code in a transaction with the merchant. Demonstrating this connection to the merchant is one of the functions of the affiliate-networks. Affiliate-networks are used, in some use cases, because many coupon codes are not affiliate specific and are shared across multiple affiliates, as the merchant often desires the widest distribution of a relatively easily remembered coupon code. Accordingly, in some use cases, the merchant, affiliate network, and affiliate cooperate to use client-side storage to indicate the identity of the affiliate that provided a given coupon code to a user. To this end, in some embodiments, when a webpage offers interface is presented by the offers engine 12 in the web browsers 50 or 54, that webpage is configured by the offers engine 12 to include instructions to engage the affiliate network server 44 or 46 when a user selects an offer, for example, by clicking on, touching, or otherwise registering a selection of an offer. The website provided by the offers engine 12 responds to such a selection by, in some embodiments, transmitting a request to the appropriate affiliate-network server 44 or 46 (as identified by, for example, an associated uniform resource locator (URL) in the webpage) for a webpage or portion of a webpage (e.g., browser-executable content). The request to the affiliate-network server may include (e.g., as parameters of the URL) an identifier of the affiliate, the offer, and the merchant, and the returned content from the affiliate-network server may include instructions for the web browser 50 or 54 to store in memory (e.g., in a cookie, or other form of browser-accessible memory, such as a SQLite database or in a localStorage object via a localStorage.setItem command) an identifier of the affiliate that provided the offer that was selected. The webpage from the offers engine 12 (or the content returned by the affiliate network server 44 or 46) may further include browser instructions to navigate to the website served by the merchant server 38, 40, or 42 of the merchant associated with the offer selected by the user, and in some cases to the webpage of the item or service associated with the offer selected by the user. When a user applies the offer, for example by purchasing the item or service or purchasing the item or service with the coupon code, the merchant server 38, 40, or 42 may transmit to the user device upon which the item was purchased browser instructions to request content from the affiliate network server 44 or 46, and this requested content may retrieve from the client-side memory the identifier of the affiliate, such as the operator of the offers engine 12, who provided the information about the offer to the user. The affiliate network may then report to the merchant the identity of the affiliate who should be credited with the transaction, and the merchant may compensate the affiliate (or the affiliate network may bill the merchant, and the affiliate network may compensate the affiliate), such as the operator of the offers engine 12. Thus, the affiliate network in this example acts as an intermediary, potentially avoiding the need for cross-domain access to browser memory on the client device, a feature which is generally not supported by web browsers for security reasons. (Some embodiments may, however, store in client-side browser-accessible memory an identifier of the affiliate upon user selection of the offer, with this value designated as being accessible via the merchant's domain, and provide the value to the merchant upon a merchant request following acceptance of the offer, without passing the identifier through an affiliate network, using a browser plug-in for providing cross-domain access to browser memory or a browser otherwise configured to provide such access.) A similar mechanism may be used by the native application 52 for obtaining compensation from merchants. In some embodiments, the native application 52 includes or is capable of instantiating a web browser, like the web browser 50, in response to a user selecting an offer presented by the native application 52. The web browser instantiated by the native application 52 may be initialized by submitting the above-mentioned request for content to the affiliate-network server 44 or 46, thereby storing an identifier of the affiliate (i.e., the entity operating the offers engine 12 in this example) in client-side storage (e.g., in a cookie, localStorage object, or a database) of the mobile user device 28, and thereby navigating that browser to the merchant website. In other use cases, the operator of the offers engine 12 has a direct relationship with the merchant issuing the offer, and the selection of an offer within the native application 52 or the desktop or mobile website of the offers engine 12 (generally referred to herein as examples of an offer interface) may cause the user device to request a website from the associated merchant with an identifier of the affiliate included in the request, for example as a parameter of a URL transmitted in a GET request to the merchant server 38, 40, or 42 for the merchant's website. Administrator device 36 may be a special-purpose application or a web-based application operable to administer operation of the offers engine 12, e.g., during use by employees or agents of the entity operating the offers engine 12. In some embodiments, the administration module 22 may communicate with the administrator device 36 to present an administration interface at the administrator device 36 by which an administrator may configure offers interfaces presented to users by the offers engine 12. In some embodiments, the administrator may enter offers into the offers engine 12; delete offers from the offers engine 12; identify offers for prominent placement within the offers interface (e.g., for initial presentation prior to user interaction); moderate comments on offers; view statistics on offers, merchants, or users; add content to enhance the presentation of offers; or categorize offers. Thus, the offers engine 12, in some embodiments, operates in the illustrated environment by communicating with a number of different devices and transmitting instructions to various devices to communicate with one another. The number of illustrated merchant servers, affiliate network servers, third-party servers, user devices, and administrator devices is selected for explanatory purposes only, and embodiments are not limited to the specific number of any such devices illustrated by FIG. 1. The offers engine 12 of some embodiments includes a number of components introduced above that facilitate the discovery of offers by users. For example, the illustrated API server 16 may be configured to communicate data about offers via an offers protocol, such as a representational-state-transfer (REST)-based API protocol over hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP). Examples of services that may be exposed by the API server 18 include requests to modify, add, or retrieve portions or all of user profiles, offers, or comments about offers. API requests may identify which data is to be modified, added, or retrieved by specifying criteria for identifying records, such as queries for retrieving or processing information about particular categories of offers, offers from particular merchants, or data about particular users. In some embodiments, the API server 16 communicates with the native application 52 of the mobile user device 28 or the third-party offer server 34. The illustrated web server 18 may be configured to receive requests for offers interfaces encoded in a webpage (e.g. a collection of resources to be rendered by the browser and associated plug-ins, including execution of scripts, such as JavaScript™, invoked by the webpage). In some embodiments, the offers interface may include inputs by which the user may request additional data, such as clickable or touchable display regions or display regions for text input. Such inputs may prompt the browser to request additional data from the web server 18 or transmit data to the web server 18, and the web server 18 may respond to such requests by obtaining the requested data and returning it to the user device or acting upon the transmitted data (e.g., storing posted data or executing posted commands). In some embodiments, the requests are for a new webpage or for data upon which client-side scripts will base changes in the webpage, such as XMLHttpRequest requests for data in a serialized format, e.g. JavaScript™ object notation (JSON) or extensible markup language (XML). The web server 18 may communicate with web browsers, such as the web browser 50 or 54 executed by user devices 30 or 32. In some embodiments, the webpage is modified by the web server 18 based on the type of user device, e.g., with a mobile webpage having fewer and smaller images and a narrower width being presented to the mobile user device 30, and a larger, more content rich webpage being presented to the desk-top user device 32. An identifier of the type of user device, either mobile or non-mobile, for example, may be encoded in the request for the webpage by the web browser (e.g., as a user agent type in an HTTP header associated with a GET request), and the web server 18 may select the appropriate offers interface based on this embedded identifier, thereby providing an offers interface appropriately configured for the specific user device in use. The illustrated ingest module 20 may be configured to receive data about new offers (e.g., offers that are potentially not presently stored in the data store 24), such as data feeds from the affiliate network servers 44 and 46, identifications of offers from user devices 28, 30, or 32, offers identified by third-party offer server 34, offers identified by merchant servers 38, 40, or 42, or offers entered by an administrator via the administrator device 36. In some embodiments, the ingest module 20 may respond to receipt of a record identifying a potentially new offer by querying the data store 24 to determine whether the offer is presently stored. Upon determining that the offer is not presently stored by the data store 24, the ingest module 20 may transmit a request to the data store 24 to store the record. In some cases, the data about new offers may be an affiliate data-feed from an affiliate network containing a plurality of offer records (e.g., more than 100), each record identifying offer terms, a merchant, a URL of the merchant associated with the offer, a product description, and an offer identifier. The ingest module 22 may periodically query such data-feeds from the affiliate-network servers 44 or 46, parse the data-feeds, and iterate through (or map each entry to one of a plurality of processes operating in parallel) the records in the data-feeds. Bulk, automated processing of such data-feeds is expected to lower operating costs of the offers engine 12. The administration module 22 may provide an interface by which an administrator operating the administrator device 36 curates and contextualizes offers. For example, the administration module 22 may receive instructions from administrator that identify offers to be presented in the offer interface prior to user interaction with the offer interface, or offers to be presented in this initialized offers interface for certain categories of users, such as users having certain attributes within their user profile. Further, in some embodiments, the administration module 22 may receive data descriptive of offers from the administrator, such as URLs of images relevant to the offer, categorizations of the offer, normalized data about the offer, and the like. The illustrated data store 24, in some embodiments, stores data about offers and user interactions with those offers. The data store 24 may include various types of data stores, including relational or non-relational databases, document collections, hierarchical key-value pairs, or memory images, for example. In this embodiment, the data store 24 includes a user data store 56, a session data store 58, an offers data store 60, and an analytics data store 62. These data stores 56, 58, 60, and 62 may be stored in a single database, document, or the like, or may be stored in separate data structures. In this embodiment, the illustrated user data store 56 includes a plurality of records, each record being a user profile and having a user identifier, a list of offers (e.g., identifiers of offers) identified by the user as favorites, a list of categories of offers identified by the user as favorites, a list of merchants identified by the user as favorites, account information for interfacing with other services to which the user subscribes (e.g., a plurality of access records, each record including an identifier of a service, a URL of the service, a user identifier for the service, an OAuth access token credential issued by the service at the user's request, and an expiration time of the credential), a user password for the offers engine 12, a location of the user device or the user (e.g., a zip code of the user), and a gender of the user. In some embodiments, each user profile includes a list of other users identified by the user of the user profile as being people in whose commentary on, or curation of, offers the user is interested, thereby forming an offers-interest graph. In some embodiments, users have control of their data, including what is stored and who can view the data, and can choose to opt-in to the collection and storage of such user data to improve their experience with the offers engine 12. In this embodiment, the session data store 58 stores a plurality of session records, each record including information about a session a given user is having or has had with the offers engine 12. The session records may specify a session identifier, a user identifier, and state data about the session, including which requests have been received from the user and what data has been transmitted to the user. Session records may also indicate the IP address of the user device, timestamps of exchanges with the user device, and a location of the user device (e.g., retail store or aisle in a retail store in which the user device is located). The illustrated offers data store 60, in some embodiments, includes a plurality of offer records, each offer record may identify a merchant, offers by that merchant, and attributes of the relationship with the merchant, e.g., whether there is a direct relationship with the merchant by which the merchant directly compensates the operator of the offers engine 12 or whether the merchant compensates the operator of the offers engine 12 via an affiliate network and which affiliate network. The offers by each merchant may be stored in a plurality of merchant-offer records, each merchant-offer record may specify applicable terms and conditions of the offer, e.g., whether the offer is a discount, includes free or discounted shipping, requires purchase of a certain number of items, is a rebate, or is a coupon (which is not to suggest that these designations are mutually exclusive). In records in which the offer is a coupon, the record may further indicate whether the coupon is for in-store use (e.g. whether the coupon is associated with a printable image for presentation at a point-of-sale terminal, a mobile device-displayable image, or other mediums) or whether the coupon is for online use and has a coupon code, in which case the coupon code is also part of the merchant-offer record. The merchant-offer records may also include an expiration date of the offer, comments on the offer, rankings of the offer by users, a time at which the offer was first issued or entered into the offers engine 12, and values (e.g., binary values) indicating whether users found the offer to be effective, with each value or ranking being associated with a timestamp, in some embodiments. The values and rankings may be used to calculate statistics indicative of the desirability of the offer and likely success of accepting the offer. The timestamps associated with the values, rankings, and time of issuance or entry into the offers engine 12 may also be used to weight rankings of the offer, with older values being assigned less weight than newer values and older offers being ranked lower than newer offers, all other things being equal, as many offers expire or have a limited number of uses. The illustrated analytics data store 62 may store a plurality of records about historical interactions with the offers engine 12, such as aggregate statistics about the performance of various offers. In some embodiments, the analytics data store 62 stores a plurality of transaction records, each transaction record identifying an offer that was accepted by a user at a merchant, the merchant, the time of presentation of the offer to the user, and an indicator of whether the merchant has compensated the entity operating the offers engine 12 for presentation of the offer to the user. Storing and auditing these transaction records is expected to facilitate relatively accurate collection of payments owed by merchants and identification of future offers likely to lead to a relatively high rates of compensation for prominent presentation based on past performance of offers having similar attributes. The cache server 23 stores a subset of the data in the data store 24 that is among the more likely data to be accessed in the near future. To facilitate relatively fast access, the cache server 23 may store cached data in relatively high speed memory, such as random access memory or a solid-state drive. The cached data may include offers entered into the offers engine 12 within a threshold period of time, such as offers that are newer than one day. In another example, the cache data may include offers that are accessed with greater than a threshold frequency, such as offers that are accessed more than once a day, or offers accessed within the threshold, such as offers accessed within the previous day. Caching such offer data is expected to facilitate faster access to offer data than systems that do not cache offer data. The illustrated control module 14, in some embodiments, controls the operation of the other components of the offers engine 12, receiving requests for data or requests to add or modify data from the API server 16, the web server 18, the ingest module 20, and the administration module 22, and instructing the data store 24 to modify, retrieve, or add data in accordance with the request. The control module 14 may further instruct the cache server 23 to modify data mirrored in the cache server 23. In some embodiments, the cache server 23 may be updated hourly, and inconsistent data may potentially be maintained in the cache server 23 in order to conserve computing resources. The illustrated components of the offers engine 12 are depicted as discrete functional blocks, but embodiments are not limited to systems in which the functionality described herein is organized as illustrated by FIG. 1. The functionality provided by each of the components of the offers engine 12 may be provided by software or hardware modules that are differently organized than is presently depicted, for example such software or hardware may be intermingled, broken up, distributed (e.g. within a data center or geographically), or otherwise differently organized. The functionality described herein may be provided by one or more processors of one or more computers executing code stored on a tangible, non-transitory, machine readable medium. FIG. 2 is a flowchart of a process 64 for acquiring data related to offers within some embodiments of the offer engine 12 discussed above. In this embodiment, the process 64 begins with receiving offer data describing a plurality of offers from affiliate networks, merchants, and users, as illustrated by block 66. This step may be performed by the above-mentioned ingest module 20. As noted above, the received offer data may be received from one or all of these sources. The received offer data may be received via an offer interface by which users associated with these sources enter data about offers, or the received offer data may be received in a predefined format, such as a serialized data format, in an automatic data feed pushed or pulled periodically or in response to the availability of new data from affiliate networks or merchants. Receiving the offer data may include determining whether the offer data is redundant to offer data already received and normalizing the offer data. The process 64, in some embodiments, includes normalizing and enriching the offer data. Normalizing may include normalizing field names of the data and normalizing the way in which dates are expressed, for example. Enriching may include associating images with the offers for presentation with the offers and adding metadata to the offers to assist users searching for offers. Next, in the present embodiment, the received offer data is stored in an offer data store, as indicated by block 68. Storing the offer data in the offer data store may include identifying a merchant to which the offer pertains and storing the offer in a merchant-offer record associated with that merchant. Further, some embodiments may include inserting the offer in order in a sorted list of offers for relatively fast retrieval of offers using a binary search algorithm or other techniques to facilitate relatively quick access to data that has been preprocessed (e.g., using a prefix trie). In some embodiments, storing the received offer may further include updating hash tables by which the offer may be retrieved according to various parameters, each hash table being associated with one parameter and including a hash key value calculated based on the parameter and paired with an address of the offer. Such hash tables are expected to facilitate relatively fast access to a given offer as the need to iterate through potentially all offers meeting certain criteria may be potentially avoided. In some embodiments, the process 64 further includes receiving a request from a user device for offers, as indicated by block 70. The request may specify criteria for identifying offers, such as categories of offers, search terms for offers, or requests for offers designated as favorites. Next, the present embodiment includes identifying offers in the offer data store responsive to the user request, as indicated by block 72. Identifying offers in the offer data store may be performed by the above-mentioned controller 14 (FIG. 1) by constructing a query to the offer data store 60 based on a request received from the web server 18 or the API server 16. The query may be transmitted to the offer data store 60, or to the cache server 23, each of which may return responsive records. Next, the identified offers are transmitted to the user device, as indicated by block 74. Transmitting the identified offers may include transmitting the identified offers in an offer interface, such as a webpage, or an API transmission to a native mobile application, for example by the web server 18, or the API server 16 of FIG. 1, respectively. The device receiving the identified offers may, in response, perform a process described below with reference to FIG. 3 by which additional offers are requested or an offer is selected and a purchase is executed. This process of FIG. 3 and steps 70 through 74 of FIG. 2 may be repeated numerous times, in some use cases, before advancing to the next steps. Further, the steps 66 through 68 may be repeated numerous times independently of (e.g., concurrent with) the performance of steps 70 through 74 of FIG. 2 (which is not to suggest that other steps described herein may not also be executed independently). That is, the process 64 may undergo step 60 and 68, for example, 50 times within a given time, while performing steps 70 through 74 500 times within that given time, and performing the remaining steps of process 64 a single time. In some embodiments, a user device undergoing the process of FIG. 3 may indicate to an offers engine that the user has selected an offer (e.g., by clicking on or touching a selectable element in an offers interface associated with the offer). In response, the offers engine may direct the user device to an affiliate-network server or a merchant server associated with the offer, as illustrated by block 75. Next, this embodiment of the process 64 includes receiving from merchants or affiliate networks transaction data identifying offers accepted via the user device, as illustrated by block 76. The transaction data may be pulled from these sources, for example, by the ingest module 20 of FIG. 1, periodically, or in response to some threshold number of transactions having occurred. Next, in this embodiment, the receipt transaction data may be stored in an analytics data store, as indicated by block 78. In some embodiments, this data may be stored in the analytics data store 62 of FIG. 1. Storing the transaction data is expected to facilitate the identification of attributes of relatively profitable offers, as the transaction data indicates which offers historically yielded compensable transactions. Further, storing the transaction data is expected to facilitate relatively accurate auditing of payments from merchants or affiliate networks. FIG. 3 is a flowchart of an embodiment of a process 80 that provides an example of an offer interface at a user device. The process 80 may be performed by the above-mentioned native application 52 or web browser 50 or 54 in cooperation with the offers engine 12. Some embodiments of process 80 begin with receiving, at a user device, instructions that cause the user device to display an offers interface, as indicated by block 82. The received instructions may be in the form of a downloaded native application, such as one downloaded from an application store hosted by a provider of mobile devices, or the received instructions may be in the form of a web site received from the offers engine 12 and rendered in a browser of the user device. In some embodiments, the process 80 further includes receiving, at the user device, a plurality of offers, as indicated by block 84, and displaying, at the user device, the offers in the offer interface, as indicated by block 86. The offers may be received at approximately the same time the instructions of step 82 are received, for example along with a webpage, or the offers may be received at a later date, for example during a session subsequent to downloading the native application. The offers interface may include inputs by which the user may search, filter, or otherwise browse offers having various attributes. Some of these interfaces are described below with reference to steps performed to determine whether the user has engaged these inputs. In some embodiments, determining whether the user has engaged these inputs may be performed by an event handler executed by the user device, the event handler causing the user device to perform the corresponding, below-described requests to the offers engine 12 based on the type of event, e.g., whether the user touched, clicked, or otherwise selected a particular button on the offers interface. Illustrated process 80 includes determining whether the user is searching for offers, as indicated by block 88. With the offers interface, the user may express their intention to search for offers by entering search terms in a text entry box and selecting a button to request a search in accordance with the entered search term. Upon selecting this button, the user device may transmit a request for offers satisfying the entered search criteria, as indicated by block 90. The transmitted request may be in the form of a GET request or an API call to the web server 18 or the API server 16 of the offers engine 12 of FIG. 1. In some embodiments, the process 80 further includes determining whether the user requests offers within a collection of offers, as indicated by block 92. The offers interface may include selectable inputs that identify the collections, such as clickable collection names, collection selection buttons, or collection selection tabs. Examples of collections include categories of goods or services, such as sporting goods, house-wares, groceries, and the like; collections of modes of coupon redemption, such as in-store coupon redemption and online coupon redemption; collections based on offer statistics, such as newest offers, most popular offers, highest ranked offers; collections of offers designated by a user or other users; or collections based the value conferred by the offer, such as discounts, free shipping, rebates, and referral fees. Upon determining that the user has requested offers within a collection, the user device may transmit a request for offers within the collection to the offers engine 12, as indicated by block 94, which may return data responsive to the request. In some embodiments, the process 80 includes determining whether the user requests offers previously designated by the user, as indicated by block 96. In some embodiments, the offers interface may include an input by which a user can designate an offer, such as designating offers as being a user favorite, designating offers as being ranked in a particular fashion, or designating offers as likely being of interest to some other user, such as users adjacent one another in a social graph. The offers interface may include an input for a user to make designations, such as a user selectable input labeled “add to my favorites,” or “add to my wallet,” and an input for a user to request offers having a designation, such as a user selectable input labeled “view my favorites.” or “view my wallet.” Upon determining that the user made such a request, the process 80 includes transmitting a request for the offers previously designated by the user, as indicated by block 88. The transmission may be made to the offers engine 12, to the API server 16 or the web server 18, as described above with reference to FIG. 1, and may include an identification of the designation and the user. The process 80, in some embodiments, further includes determining whether the user requests offers previously designated by another user, as indicated by block 100. The offers interface, in some embodiments, may include an input by which a user makes such a request, such as a user selectable input labeled “offers recommended by my friends.” Upon determining that the user has made such a request, the process 80 transmits a request for offers previously designated by the other user (or users), as indicated by block 102. Again, the transmission may be to the offers engine 12 of FIG. 1, which may store or otherwise have access to offers designated by other users and a social graph of the user by which responsive offers are identified. Further, the offers interface may include an input by which the user may view identifiers of other users and add the other users to an offer-interest graph of the user. This offer interest graph may be referenced by the offers engine 12 to identify offers in response to the request of step 102. The process 80 further includes, in some embodiments, receiving, at the user device, one or more offers responsive to the request, as indicated by block 104, and displaying the responsive offers on the offers interface, as indicated by block 106. In some embodiments and some use cases, a selection from the user is received via the offers interface, thereby identifying an offer among the displayed offers, as indicated by block 108. In some embodiments, each of the offers may be displayed with an associated input by which the user selects the offer, such as a touchable or clickable button, region, or text. The selection, in some embodiments, may cause the offers interface to request additional data from the offers engine, such as instructions from the offers engine to navigate to an affiliate-network server associated with the offer or to navigate to a merchant server associated with the offer. In other embodiments, such instructions may be present within the offers interface, e.g., in the form of URLs linking to these servers. The process 80 further includes determining whether the selected offer is compensable through an affiliate network, as indicated by block 110. This determination may be made by the offers engine 12, in some embodiments, for each of the offers being displayed prior to transmission of the offers to the user device. For example, each offer may be associated with a designation indicating whether the offer is compensable in this fashion, and the designation may be transmitted along with the offer, for instance, by associating the offer with HTML or JavaScript™ that so designate the offer, or by including a field including the designation in a response to an API call for each offer. The user device, in some embodiments, may take different actions depending on the designation associated with the selected offer. Upon determining that the selected offer is not compensable through an affiliate network, the process 80 of this embodiment includes determining whether the selected offer is compensable directly from the merchant associated with the offer, as indicated by block 112. Again, the determination of block 112 may be performed, in some embodiments, by the offers engine 12 for each of the offers being displayed prior to transmission of the displayed offers, and each displayed offer may be associated with a designation based on the results of the determination, such as different HTML or JavaScript™ or a different field value in an API response. The user device may take different actions depending on this designation. Upon determining that the selected offer is not compensable directly from the merchant, the process 80 may proceed to block 118 described below. Upon determining that the selected offer is compensable, the process 80, in this embodiment, may proceed to request the website of the merchant issuing the selected offer with a request that identifies the affiliate from whom the selected offer was obtained, as indicated by block 114. The request may be in the form of a URL having as a parameter an identifier of the entity operating the offer engine 12, thereby indicating to the merchant that the affiliate should be compensated in accordance with an arrangement between the merchant and the affiliate. Upon performance of step 114, the process 80 of the present embodiment proceeds to step 120 described below. As indicated by block 110, upon determining that the selected offer is compensable through an affiliate network, the process 80 proceeds to transmit a request to the affiliate-network server for instructions to store data identifying an affiliate from whom the selected offer was obtained, as indicated by block 116. This request may be a request for content from the affiliate-network server that is not displayed to the user, or is not displayed to the user for an appreciable amount of time (e.g., less than 500 ms), and the request may include an identifier of the affiliate, the merchant, and the offer. The requested content may cause the user device to store in persistent memory of the browser of the user device (e.g., memory that lasts between sessions, such as a cookie or a database of the browser) an identifier of the affiliate operating the offers engine 12. This value may be retrieved later by the affiliate-network at the instruction of the merchant upon the user accepting the offer, for example by the user using a coupon code associated with the offer at the merchant, thereby allowing the merchant (or the affiliate network) to identify the appropriate party to compensate for the sale. The coupon code may be a relatively short text string (e.g., shorter than 25 characters or 5 words) selected to be both distinct and memorable to users. In some cases, an image or other visibly distinctive user-manipulable body of data serves the role of the coupon code. Upon transmitting the request the affiliate network server, the process 80 further includes requesting the website of the merchant issuing the selected offer, as indicated by block 118, and transmitting acceptance of the offer to the merchant via the merchant's website, as indicated by block 120. Accepting the offer, as noted above, may cause the merchant to compensate the affiliate operating the offers engine 12. The process 80 of FIG. 3 is expected to facilitate relatively fast access to offers that are likely to be relevant to a user, as each of the determinations of step 88, 92, 96, and 100 provide different paths by which the user can specify offers in which the user is likely to be interested. Further, the determinations of step 110 and 112 provide dual mechanisms by which the operator of the offers engine 12 can be compensated, thereby potentially increasing revenue. In some embodiments, as described further below, a website from the offers engine 12 (referred to as an offers website, but which is not limited to websites) that provides offers to users may include functionality to enable users to redeem certain types of offers, e.g., online coupons. In such embodiments, the offers engine 12 may provide a redemption header (also referred to as a “traveling header”) in a merchant website for easier and faster redemption of online coupons and elimination or reduction of complicated user actions needed to redeem the online coupons. The header may be characterized as “traveling” in the sense that it is presented in or with webpages from two or more domains, and as the header travels, it may carry data from a domain having offers data (e.g., coupon codes in the offers engine website) to a domain in which the offers data is used to redeem the offer (e.g., a merchant website), thereby relieving the user of the burden of retaining and recalling this information. Accordingly, the redemption header may result in increased rates of coupon redemption and increased sales for merchants offering online coupons provided by the offers engine. Embodiments, however, are not limited to systems that provide these benefits, and some embodiments may provide other benefits, as various engineering and cost tradeoffs are envisioned. As explained below, the redemption header may be provided in merchant websites provided from merchant servers 38 to enable a user to easily view offer information after leaving the offers website from the offers engine 12 (FIG. 1). The header may be provided by the merchant server in the sense that the merchant server stores and sends the instructions and resources by which the header is rendered or in the sense that the merchant server sends instructions directing a web browser to retrieve these instructions and resources from another server, e.g., a GET request to a network address of the offers engine of FIG. 1 or a content delivery network. FIGS. 4A-4E depict screens of a browser executing on a user device, such as mobile user device 28, desktop user device 32, and other devices, illustrating the redemption of an offer, e.g., an online coupon, and a redemption header in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. Although the redemption header described below is illustrated and referred to as “header,” it should be appreciated that other embodiments may include a redemption bar provided at any location of a merchant webpage (e.g., a redemption footer). Thus, other embodiments having a redemption bar similar to the redemption header but in a different location may be provided in the manner described below. The shape of the redemption bar is not limited to “bars,” e.g., generally rectangular display elements that horizontally span a webpage, and may include other forms of presentation, e.g., an overlaid box. FIG. 4A depicts a screen 400 of a web browser, e.g., an application for receiving, rendering, interaction with, and viewing web content in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. As will be appreciated, the screen 400 and other screens described below may be presented in a display of a user device that may receive inputs from a user and provide outputs on the display. In some embodiments, inputs may be received from a keyboard, a pointing device (e.g., a mouse) or other input device. In some embodiments, a user interface may include a touchscreen, software modules, or any combination thereof, and inputs may be received as touches on the touchscreen, such as from a digit of a user, a stylus, etc. The screen 400 depicts an offers webpage 402 (a term which includes web apps having a document object model dynamically constructed client-side with AJAX requests) provided by the offers engine 12. The webpage 402 may include various elements to display information to a user, and in some instances, receive user input. For example, the webpage 402 may include a search field 404, a search control 406, navigation tabs 408, a sign-up control 410 and login control 412. Additionally, the webpage 402 may include other elements, such as a store panel 414, an offers area 416 having a title 418, and various other elements 420. The search field 404 may enable a user to enter a search query and execute a search by selecting the search control 406 (e.g., a search button). The search may include searches for offers, categories of offers, merchants, or any other suitable search queries. The navigation tabs 408 may enable a user to navigate to different sections of an offers website, such as by selecting (e.g., clicking) one of the navigation tabs 408. For example, as shown in FIG. 4A, the navigation tabs 408 may include, for example, a “Coupon Codes” tab, a “Printable Coupons” tab, a “Grocery Coupons” tab, a “Community” tab, and so on. The sign-up control 410, e.g., the illustrated “Sign-Up” button, may enable a user to create a user profile with the offers engine 12 for customizing the content provided by the offers engine 12. Accordingly, the login control 412 (e.g., the illustrated “Login” button) may enable a user having a user profile with the offers engine 12 to login and retrieve customizations and other profile attributes. The merchant panel 414 may include a title 422 (e.g., “Popular Stores”) and a carousel 423 or other visual element that displays selectable merchant tiles 424 (e.g., “Merchant3”, “Merchant4”, “Merchant5”, and “Merchant6”). The merchant tiles 424 may each display text, images (e.g., a logo), or both associated with a merchant. A user may select one of the merchant tiles 424 to select a merchant and display offers associated with the selected merchant in the offers area 416. Additionally, a user may scroll the carousel 423 by selecting (e.g., clicking) the scroll controls 426 to scroll through the merchant tiles 424 and view other merchants. The other elements 420 may include selectable advertisements, links to social networking integration (e.g., a “Like” button, a “+1” button, etc.), links to other sections of the offers website, links to regional versions of the offers website, input fields for submission of user information (e.g., email addresses), and so on. The offers area 416 may present offers, e.g., online coupons 430, for viewing and selection by a user. The offers area 416 may include any number of offers associated with merchants providing goods, services, or a combination thereof. The offers area 416 may present offers based on ranking criteria, user selections (e.g., selections of a merchant, offer categories, etc.) or other parameters. For example, as shown in FIG. 4A, the offers area 416 depicts top ranked offers as indicated by the “Today's Top Coupons” text displayed in the title 418. Each coupon 430 may be presented with information associated with the coupon 430, such as a merchant tile 432 and a descriptive text 434. Additionally, each coupon 430 may include a coupon code box 436 having an offer redemption identifier, e.g., a coupon code 438, associated with each coupon 430. The coupon code 438 may be displayed in the coupon code box 436 or other visual element, such as a circle, balloon, etc. As described in detail below, upon selection of one of the coupons 430, the coupon code of a selected coupon may be conveyed to and displayed in a redemption header in a merchant website. The offer redemption identifier may also include, for example, discount descriptions (e.g., “50% off of all sweatshirts”), rebate instructions (e.g., “Receive $20 rebate when purchasing a flash drive from Merchant1”), identifiers of free goods or services (e.g., “Free tokens with the order of any large pizza”), or any other identifier associated with an offer that enables or describes the redemption of the offer to a user. Other offer redemption identifiers may be displayed in a box or other visual element in the offers area 416. The merchant tile 432 may include a text, image (e.g., a merchant logo), or combination thereof identifying the merchant associated with the coupon. The descriptive text 434 may include information about the coupon, such as the goods, services, or both associated with the coupon, the discount or other offer provided by the coupon, the expiration date, or any other suitable information or combination thereof. For example, as shown in FIG. 4A, a first online coupon 430A may be presented with a merchant graphic 432A (e.g., “Merchant1”) and descriptive text 434A (e.g., “40% Off Save up to 40% on select diapers from Acme Co. Exp. Jun. 4, 2012). Additionally, the first online coupon 430A includes a coupon box 436A having a coupon code 438A (“PMPRSYT8”) associated with the coupon 430A. The other coupon 430B illustrated in FIG. 4A may include similar information, such as merchant tile 432B, descriptive text 434B, coupon code box 436B, and so on. To use a coupon, a user may select (e.g., touch, click, etc.) one of the online coupons 430. For example, a user may select any portion of the coupon 430A, such as the merchant tile 432A, the descriptive text 434A, the coupon code box 436A, etc. As described below, upon selection of a coupon, the browser executing on the user device may be redirected to the merchant website associated with the selected coupon. For example, the merchant website may be presented in an existing window of the browser, in a new window of the browser, in a new tab of the browser, or via other functions of the browser. Additionally, upon selection of a coupon, a value of the coupon code may be copied to a clipboard or other temporary storage. For example, upon selection of the coupon 430A, the value of the coupon code 438A (“PMPRSYT8”) may be copied to a clipboard. The interactions described herein may be implemented with an event handler conveyed in instructions, such as JavaScript™, from the offers engine of FIG. 1 and executed by the web browser. Such instructions may include a mapping of events, e.g., onclick, ontouch, and the like, to JavaScript™ functions (also provided by the offers engine) that implement the corresponding functionality upon occurrence of the corresponding event. In some cases, a browser add-on, such as Adobe Flash Player™ or other multimedia player having elevated security privileges relative to the browser, is used to access the temporary storage. Or (i.e., and/or) the coupon code may be stored in a subsequently created document object model (DOM) element of a traveling header. FIG. 4B depicts another screen 440 of a browser in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. The screen 440 displays a merchant webpage 442 of a merchant website 444 that may be presented in response to a user selection of an online coupon, such as a selection of the online coupon 430A depicted in FIG. 4A. To this end, at the selection interface element for a given offer, the web content from the offers engine (e.g., HTML, CSS, images, and JavaScript™) may include a link to the merchant's website or an affiliate network server that redirects to the merchant's website. Accordingly, after a user selects an online coupon from the offers webpage 402, the merchant website 444 may be presented in the browser to enable a user to redeem the selected coupon. As described in detail below, a redemption header 446 may be added to the merchant website 442 to display the offer redemption identifier associated with the selected offer and text (e.g., instructions) associated with redemption of the selected offer. Additionally, the redemption header 446 may be retrieved asynchronously relative to loading of the merchant webpage 442, as described below with reference to FIG. 6. For example, web content for rendering the header 446 may be requested from one server, such as the offer's engine of FIG. 1, while the rest of the webpage is being requested from a merchant server and rendered. Thus, when a user selects the selected coupon 430A, the merchant webpage 442 may load in the browser without interruption by the retrieval of the redemption header 446. It should be appreciated that the merchant website 444 may include any number and type of webpages. For example, the merchant webpage 442 may include a landing page, a storefront webpage, a product webpage, and other webpages. Additionally, the merchant website 444 may be provided via different types of domains associated with a merchant, such as a parent domain associated with the merchant, subdomains of the parent domain, an mdot domain (i.e., “m.”) associated with the merchant, and so on. The redemption header 446 may be provided in the merchant webpage 442, as described in FIGS. 5, 6A, and 6B below, and may remain on the other webpages of the merchant website 444 as a user navigates the website 444. Thus, the redemption header “travels” from the offers webpage to the merchant webpage 442 and other webpages of the merchant web site. By retaining the redemption header 446, a user may have access to the coupon code 438A required to redeem the coupon 430A and instructions and other text associated with the selected coupon 430A. As shown in FIG. 4B, the redemption header 446 may include descriptive text 448, a coupon code box 450, instructions 452, and a close control 454 (e.g., a close button). The descriptive text 448 may describe the contents, function, or both of the redemption header 446. For example, the descriptive text 448 may include the text “Here is your Coupon Code” describing the contents of the coupon code box 450 presented in the bar 446. Accordingly, the coupon code box 450 may include the coupon code 438A associated with the selected coupon 430A. Additionally, the instructions 452 may provide instructions to the user on how to use the coupon code 438A and redeem the selected coupon 430A. For example, as shown in FIG. 4B, the instructions include the text “Copy & paste at checkout to see your savings.” Displaying the coupon code adjacent or in the merchant website may facilitate copying and pasting even if the browser does not have access to clipboard memory, e.g., if an Adobe Flash browser plug-in is disabled or absent, as the user may highlight, copy, and paste the code manually, accessing the clipboard memory, from within the same visual context, e.g., without switching to another window, tab, or website, or writing down the code and typing it. The merchant web site 444 may include a variety of web content that enables a user to search or browse for goods, services, or both and select and order such goods and services. As shown in FIG. 4B, for example, web content of the merchant web site 444 may include a search field 456, search button 458, and a merchant storefront 460. It should be appreciated that the web content depicted in FIG. 4B is merely an example and merchant websites may include a wide variety of web content, designs, and functionality. Such functionality may include, for example, the ability to search the merchant website 444 by entering a search query into the search field 456 and selecting (e.g., touching, clicking, etc.) the search button 458. Additionally, the merchant storefront 460 may display goods, services, or both offered by the merchant and available for order by a user. In some embodiments, a user may use the search field 456 to find the goods, services, or both associated with the selected coupon. In other embodiments, the goods or services may be presented to the user in the merchant storefront 460 based on the selected coupon 430A. As mentioned above, a user may navigate the merchant website 444 by selecting the search button 458, selecting links in the merchant storefront 460, and so on. In response, various webpages of the merchant website may be requested and displayed by the web browser. The redemption header 446 may remain in such webpages until the user selects the close button 454, which may be mapped by an event handler of the website to a JavaScript™ function that removes an element of the document object model corresponding to the redemption header. Thus, regardless of the portion of the merchant website 444 displayed by the web browser, in some embodiments, the redemption header 446 (and coupon code 438A) may remain accessible (e.g., visible and retrievable via a copy command) to the user. For example, FIG. 4C depicts another screen 461 of a browser illustrating a webpage 462 of the merchant website 444 in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 4C, the webpage 462 of the merchant web site 444 may include a product listing having product text 464 and product images 466. For example, the webpage 462 may include product text 464A and product image 466A associated with a first product, product text 464B and product image 466B associated with a second product, and so on. A user may navigate to the webpage 462 by searching for a product, selecting links in the merchant storefront 460, or other navigation actions within the merchant website 444. Moreover, as shown in FIG. 4C, the redemption header 446 remains (i.e., travels) in the webpage 462 through a sequence of merchant webpages. Thus, while a user is viewing various products on the webpage 462, the redemption header 446 may remain to allow access to the information associated with the selected coupon. As described above, a user may use the merchant website to order goods and services associated with the selected coupon, such as by adding the goods and services to a virtual “shopping cart” and selecting an option to checkout. FIG. 4D depicts a screen 468 of the browser illustrating a checkout page 470 of the merchant web site 444 in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. As described above, web content such as the checkout page 470 may be retrieved from the Internet via a network accessible by a user device executing the browser, and this web content may be displayed by browser. As shown in FIG. 4D, the redemption header 446 remains in the checkout webpage 470 and includes the coupon code box 450 and the coupon code 438A. The redemption header 446 may remain accessible while a user completes a transaction, e.g., an order for goods, services, or both with the merchant. Here again, a user may remove the redemption header 446 by selecting the close control 454. In some cases, the header is only shown at the check-out page, or the header may be displayed in the preceding webpages, e.g., while the user shops to serve as a reminder of a discount while the user makes purchasing decisions. The merchant checkout page may include various web content that enables a user to view and enter order information and complete an order for goods, services, or both. For example, the merchant checkout page 470 may include an order information portion 474, a shipping information portion 476, a code entry portion 478, and a checkout button 480. The order information portion 474 enables a user to enter a shipping address, a billing address, payment information, and the like. By selecting the checkout out button 480 (“Place Your Order”), a user may submit an order for fulfillment by the merchant. The order information portion 474 may include order information, such as products or services in the order, quantities, prices, payment information, etc., and may include a button or other control for changing the order. Similarly, the shipping information portion 476 may include shipping address, a billing address, and other shipping information and may include a button or other control to enable a user to change the shipping information. The code entry portion 478 may enable a user to enter coupon codes, promotional codes, gift card codes, or any other codes that may be applied to an order. The code entry portion 478 may include an input field 482 (e.g., a text field that receives text input) and a submission button 484 (“Apply”). By entering a coupon code or other code into the input field 482 and selecting the submission button 484, a user may submit a coupon code to apply a coupon associated with the merchant. In some embodiments, the input field 482 may accept images or other input. As shown below in FIG. 4E, a user may enter the value associated with the coupon code into the input field 482 by pasting a value of the coupon code 438A from the clipboard into the input field 482. FIG. 4E further depicts the screen 468 and the checkout page 470 illustrating entry of a coupon code value 486 in the input field in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. As mentioned above, a value corresponding to the coupon code 438A may be copied to a clipboard or other temporary storage upon selection of the selected coupon. Thus, a user may simply paste the contents of the clipboard into the input field 482 to enter the coupon code value 486 into the input field 482, and a user does not need to memorize the coupon code or manually type the code directly into the input field 482. Alternatively, a user may type or otherwise enter the coupon code value 486 into the input field 482 and may easily obtain the coupon code from the redemption header 446 included in the checkout webpage 470. In other embodiments, the input field 482 may be automatically populated (“auto-populated”) with the coupon code value 486. For example, the code (e.g., JavaScript™) associated with the redemption header 446 may detect the input field 482 when the code is executed as the redemption bar 446 is loaded, and the coupon code value 486 may be automatically entered into the input field 482. Or the code may be loaded by such a script in response to a click event on an apply-coupon button of the header or a click even on the coupon code. In some cases, the header is reloaded with each merchant web page, or executes a script with each loaded merchant web page to determine whether the web page is a checkout webpage in which the code may be applied, e.g., by detecting the presence of keywords, such as “shipping information,” or “checkout,” in the webpage or a portion of a URL of the webpage know to correspond with the merchant's checkout webpage. In some embodiments, a <div>tag of other element including the input field 482 may be detected to detect the input field 482, such as an input element of type text within an HTML form element of a div box containing the string “coupon” or related keywords. In some cases, other content may be conveyed and entered via the header content. For instance, user shipping addresses, billing information, and the like may be retrieved from a user profile of the offers engine, stored in non-visible content of the header (e.g., a JavaScript™ variable), and entered by a script of the header in response to a request from the user, e.g., in response to a user clicking an auto-populate button. In yet other embodiments, a merchant may specifically identify the webpage element of the input field 482 or may identify the input field 482 using a standardized identification. In some embodiments, a checkout-page identifier (e.g., keywords, a URL, or the like) may be stored in association with the merchant by the offers engine above and sent as an variable in the script or other code associated with the header, such that the value can be referenced when a checkout-page detection function is executed in response to a merchant webpage loading. A user may then select the submission button 484 to apply the coupon code to the order. Thus, the coupon code may be entered into the input field 482 by merely pasting the contents of a clipboard or other temporary storage into the input field 482 or by auto-populating the input field 482. After application of the coupon code 438A, a user may submit the order to the merchant by selecting the checkout button 478. Although FIGS. 4D and 4E are described with reference to an input field of a checkout webpage associated with a merchant, it should be appreciated that the same techniques may apply to input fields located in any webpage associated with a merchant that may receive a coupon code and for which a user desired to enter the code. For example, a shopping cart webpage, a product webpage, or other merchant webpages may have an input field that may be processed in the manner described above. In some embodiments, as shown in FIG. 4F, the redemption header 446 may provide different content in response to changes in the webpage or web content displayed in the browser. For example, after a different merchant webpage loads or web content within a merchant webpage changes, the redemption header 446 may change based on the different webpage or changed web content. An order confirmation page may be detected using techniques like those described above for detecting checkout pages, e.g., executing a page classification script upon loading of each merchant webpage and determining based on keywords or URL attributes associated with the merchant in the header script and offers engine whether the webpage is a checkout page, an order confirmation page, or a shopping page. Upon detecting the order confirmation page, the header of FIG. 4F may be presented. FIG. 4F depicts a screen 488 of a browser illustrating an order confirmation webpage 490 in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. For example, after a user submits an order, such as from the checkout page 470 depicted in FIG. 4E, a user may be presented with the order confirmation webpage 490. The order confirmation webpage 490 may include order information 492 and a “Continue Shopping” button 494. The order information 492 may include a verification of order submission (“Order successful!”), order information, shipping information, or any other information associated with an order. The “Continue Shopping” button 494 may enable a user to navigate to additional webpages of the merchant website 444, such as by returning to a merchant storefront or a product webpage. As shown in FIG. 4E, in response to the loading of the order confirmation webpage 490, the redemption header 446 may include different content that may be based on the order confirmation webpage 490. As shown in FIG. 4E, the redemption header 446 may include user feedback instructions 496 (“Was coupon successful?”) and feedback buttons 498. A user may indicate the success of the selected coupon by selecting the “YES” feedback button 498A and the failure of the selected coupon by selecting the “NO” feedback button 498B. Upon selection of one of the buttons 498A or 498B, the selection may be transmitted to the offers engine 12, a transmission which includes an identifier of the offer. In this manner, user feedback regarding the success or failure of an online coupon or other offer may be collected and used for offer analysis, offer ranking, affiliate payments, merchant payments, or other purposes. In some embodiments, after a user selects a feedback button 498, the redemption header 446 may be removed from the order confirmation webpage 490, e.g., by a script or code of the header executed in response to a click event on one of the buttons 498A or 498B. In other embodiments, the redemption header 446 may remain on the order confirmation webpage and may again present different content based on user selection of another webpage (e.g., by selecting the “Continue Shopping” button 480). As mentioned above, in some embodiments, the loading of a different webpage in a browser may be detected. In such an embodiment, for example, the code associated with the redemption header 446 may detect a POST, a GET, or other HTTP request method to detect the loading of a different webpage. Additionally, the data included in the request method may be parsed and analyzed to determine the type of webpage requested. For example, if an order confirmation webpage is detected, e.g., based on a requested URL in a GET request, then in response, the user feedback text 496 and feedback buttons 498 may be provided in the redemption header 446. In other embodiments, the asynchronous loading of different web content in a merchant webpage may be detected. In such an embodiment, the merchant webpage may call a method that provides a message or other indication to the redemption header 446 that different web content is loading. Such a method may be provided in an application programming interface (API) provided by the provider of the offers engine 12. FIG. 5 depicts user actions 500 and a redemption header process 502 in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. Some or all steps of the process portion 502 may be implemented as executable computer code stored on a non-transitory tangible computer-readable storage medium and executed by one or more processors of a special-purpose machine, e.g., a computing device programmed to execute the code. Initially a user may select an offer, e.g., an online coupon, from an offers website displayed in a browser (block 504), such as described above and illustrated in FIG. 4A, and the online coupon selection may be received (block 506). Next, a value corresponding to the offer redemption identifier, e.g., a coupon code, associated with the selected coupon may be copied to a clipboard or other temporary storage (block 508). Additionally, in response to the user selection, the browser may be redirected to a merchant webpage (block 510), such as by providing a merchant webpage in a new tab or window of the browser. For example, as described above, a merchant webpage may be requested from one or more merchant webservers and provided to the browser. As described above and illustrated in FIG. 4B, a redemption header that includes the offer redemption identifier, e.g., a coupon code, may be provided in the merchant webpage (block 512). A user may then perform other user actions to interact with the redemption header and merchant webpages. For example, a user may select the close control of the redemption header (block 514), and the selection of the close control may be received (block 516). In response, the redemption header may be removed from the merchant webpage (block 518). A user may also search and browse a merchant website to purchase goods, services, or both associated with the coupon. Subsequently, a user may navigate to a merchant webpage having an input field to complete an order for goods, services, or both, such as a checkout webpage, a shopping cart webpage, or other merchant webpage (block 520). A user may then paste a coupon code value from the clipboard or other temporary storage into the input field of the merchant webpage (block 522). As described above and as illustrated in FIG. 4E, the input field may then be populated with the value of the coupon code of the selected coupon (block 524). After the coupon code is entered into the input field, a user may submit the coupon code for redemption and continue the checkout to complete the order (block 526). As described above in FIG. 3, redemption of offers, such as a selected coupon, may occur through an affiliate network or directly from a merchant. FIG. 6A depicts a process 600 for providing a redemption header in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. Some or all steps of the process 600 may be implemented as executable computer code stored on a non-transitory tangible computer-readable storage medium and executed by one or more processors of a special-purpose machine, e.g., a computing device programmed to execute the code. Initially, as described above, a selection of an online coupon from an offers website may be received (block 602). Next, an offer identifier associated with the selected online coupon may be stored in a browser-accessible storage item (e.g., a cookie, a SQLite database, a localStorage object, etc.). In some embodiments, for example, the browser-accessible storage item may be a session cookie that expires when a session ends (e.g., when the browser is shutdown). As described above and as illustrated in FIG. 4B, the browser may be redirected to a merchant webpage (block 606), such as a landing webpage of a merchant website. For example, the redirect request may request the merchant webpage from merchant servers and the merchant webpage may be provided to the browser from the merchant servers. Next, code for a redemption header may be inserted into the merchant webpage (block 610), and this redemption header code may be executed by the browser during loading of the merchant webpage. In some embodiments, the redemption header code may include JavaScript™ and may be inserted as a HTML <script> tag. In such embodiments, the redemption header code may be inserted asynchronously via JavaScript™ provided by the offers engine 12, such as JavaScript™ provided in the offers website having the selectable offer. As described above, in some embodiments the offers engine 12 may include a content delivery network (CDN), and the redemption header code and other static content associated with the redemption header may be served via the CDN. Additionally, the size of the redemption header code may be minimized or reduced to optimize or improve the transmission and loading time of the redemption header code. Next, a webpage element for the redemption header may be created in the merchant webpage (block 612), such as in a document object model (DOM) associated with the merchant webpage. For example, in some embodiments an inline frame may be created via the HTML <iframe> tag. In such embodiments, the redemption header code may load content from the offers engine 12 within the inline frame. Additionally, the redemption header code may use a relatively unique namespace to avoid conflicts with other elements. Thus, in some embodiments, nodes or other elements inserted into the DOM of a merchant webpage may be associated with a unique namespace to eliminate conflicts with existing elements. The process 600 continues in FIG. 6B, as shown by connector block A. FIG. 6B further depicts the process 600 for generating a redemption header in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 6B, after creating a webpage element for the redemption header (block 612), a request for the redemption header may be received (block 614), such as from the redemption header code inserted into the merchant webpage. In some embodiments, any parameters provided in the request may be encoded. Next, the existence of the offer identifier in the cookie or other browser-accessible storage item may be determined (decision block 616). If the offer identifier is stored (line 618), then the offer identifier associated with the selected offer may be read (block 620). In contrast, if the offer identifier is not stored (line 622), then an empty webpage element may be provided, e.g., no content is provided for display in the webpage elements (block 624). In other embodiments, a message may be provided to remove the webpage element (e.g., an inline frame) created for the redemption header. Accordingly, the redemption header may not be included in the merchant webpage (and is not displayed by the browser). After reading the offer identifier, the requester of the redemption header may be compared to an expected domain to determine if the requester matches the expected domain (block 628). For example, the domain of the merchant website requesting the redemption header may be compared to the expected merchant domain associated with the offer identifier for the offer. If there is a match between the requester and the expected domain (line 630), then the redemption header may be provided to the browser (block 632). As described above, the providing may include providing images, text, and other components that form the redemption header to the browser. In some embodiments, the static content such as images and text associated with the redemption header may be provided from a CDN (e.g., a CDN having a cookieless domain) and may be compressed to optimize transmission and loading time. Additionally, in some embodiments, the size and number of content associated with the redemption header may be minimized to facilitate faster transmission and loading time. The redemption header may be then be displayed by the browser in the webpage element created for the redemption header (block 634). As discussed above, the redemption header may be displayed in the merchant webpage, such as in a header portion of the merchant webpage. If there is not a match between the requester and the expected domain (line 636), then an empty webpage element may be provided (block 624) and no redemption header is included in the merchant webpage. As described above, after the redemption header is provided, a user may select the close control to remove the redemption header from the merchant webpage. In such embodiments, a message may be asynchronously provided to remove the redemption header (and the associated webpage element) from the merchant webpage and to remove the browser-accessible storage item. The redemption header may remain removed from the merchant webpage until the user returns to the offers webpage and selects a new offer. In other embodiments, the merchant website may be provided in an inline frame of the offers website provided by the offers engine 12. For example, when a user selects an offer, the offers website may load another webpage having the redemption header. A merchant webpage may then be asynchronously loaded in an inline frame of the webpage, such that the redemption header 446 is still visually displayed with the merchant webpage. In such embodiments, the user may interact with the merchant website and redemption header in the manner described above. Additionally merchant webpages may be loaded in the inline frame, and the redemption header may remain on the webpage as the user navigates the merchant website. FIG. 7 depicts of a computer 700 in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. Various sections of systems and computer-implemented methods described herein, may include or be executed on one or more computers similar to computer 700. Further, processes and modules described herein may be executed by one or more processing systems similar to that of computer 700. The computer 700 may include various internal and external components that contribute to the function of the device and which may allow the computer 700 to function in accordance with the techniques discussed herein. It should further be noted that FIG. 7 depicts merely one example of a particular implementation and is intended to illustrate the types of components and functionalities that may be present in computer 700. Computer 700 may include any combination of devices or software that may perform or otherwise provide for the performance of the techniques described herein. For example, computer 700 may include a tablet, a mobile phone, such as a smartphone, a video game device, and other hand-held networked computing devices, a desktop user device, a server, or other computing devices. Computer 700 may also be connected to other devices that are not illustrated, or may operate as a stand-alone system. In addition, the functionality provided by the illustrated components may in some embodiments be combined in fewer components or distributed in additional components. Similarly, in some embodiments, the functionality of some of the illustrated components may not be provided or other additional functionality may be available. In addition, the computer 700 may allow a user to connect to and communicate through a network (e.g., the Internet, a local area network, a wide area network, etc.) and may provide communication over a satellite-based positioning system (e.g., GPS). For example, the computer 700 may allow a user to communicate using e-mail, text messaging, instant messaging, or using other forms of electronic communication, and may allow a user to obtain the location of the device from the satellite-based positioning system, such as the location on an interactive map. As shown in FIG. 7, the computer 700 may include a processor 702 (e.g., one or more processors) coupled to a memory 704, a display 706, and a network interface 708 via an interface 710. It should be appreciated the computer 700 may include other components not shown in FIG. 7, such as a power source (e.g., a battery), I/O ports, expansion card interfaces, hardware buttons, etc. In some embodiments, the display 706 may include a liquid crystal display (LCD) or an organic light emitting diode (OLED) display. The display 706 may display a user interface (e.g., a graphical user interface), and may also display various function and system indicators to provide feedback to a user, such as power status, call status, memory status, etc. These indicators may be in incorporated into the user interface displayed on the display 706. In accordance with some embodiments, the display 706 may include or be provided in conjunction with touch sensitive elements through which a user may interact with the user interface. Such a touch-sensitive display may be referred to as a “touchscreen” and may also be referred to as a touch-sensitive display. In such embodiments, the display 706 may include a capacitive touchscreen, a resistive touchscreen, or any other suitable touchscreen technology. The processor 702 may provide the processing capability required to execute the operating system, programs, user interface, and any functions of the computer 700. The processor 702 may include one or more processors that may include “general-purpose” microprocessors and special purpose microprocessors, such as one or more reduced instruction set (RISC) processors, such as those implementing the Advanced RISC Machine (ARM) instruction set. Additionally, the processor 702 may include single-core processors and multicore processors and may include graphics processors, video processors, and related chip sets. A processor may receive instructions and data from a memory (e.g., system memory 704). Processes, such as those described herein may be performed by one or more programmable processors executing computer code to perform functions by operating on input data and generating corresponding output. The memory 704 (which may include tangible non-transitory computer readable storage mediums) may include volatile memory and non-volatile memory accessible by the processor 702 and other components of the computer 700. The memory 704 may include volatile memory, such as random access memory (RAM), and non-volatile memory, such as ROM, flash memory, a hard drive, any other suitable optical, magnetic, or solid-state storage medium, or a combination thereof. The memory 704 may store a variety of information and may be used for a variety of purposes. For example, the memory 704 may store executable code, such as the firmware for the computer 700, an operating system for the computer 700, and any other programs. The executable computer code may include instructions executable by a processor, such as processor 702, and the computer may include instructions for implementing one or more techniques described herein with regard to various processes. For example, the memory 704 may store an application 712. For example, if the computer 700 represents a user device, the application 712 may include a web browser and may enable a user to view offers, such as online coupons, and select and redeem online coupons using the user actions described above. In other embodiments, for example, the computer 700 may represent a server and the application 712 may implement some or all of the processes described above in FIGS. 5, 6A and 6B. The executable code may be written in a programming language, including compiled or interpreted languages, or declarative or procedural language, and may be composed into a unit suitable for use in a computing environment, including as a stand-alone program, a module, a component, a subroutine. Such code program may be stored in a section of a file that holds other programs or data (e.g., one or more scripts stored in a markup language document), in a single file dedicated to the program in question, or in multiple coordinated files (e.g., files that store one or more modules, sub programs, or sections of code). Additionally, the copies of the executable code may be stored in both non-volatile and volatile memories, such as in a non-volatile memory for long-term storage and a volatile memory during execution of the code. The interface 710 may include multiple interfaces and may couple various components of the computer 700 to the processor 702 and memory 704. In some embodiments, the interface 710, the processor 702, memory 704, and one or more other components of the computer 700 may be implemented on a single chip, such as a system-on-a-chip (SOC). In other embodiments, these components, their functionalities, or both may be implemented on separate chips. The interface 710 may be configured to coordinate I/O traffic between processor 702, memory 704, network interface 706, and other internal and external components of the computer 700. The interface 710 may include functionality for interfacing via various types of peripheral buses, such as a variant of the Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) bus standard, the Universal Serial Bus (USB) standard, and the like. The computer 700 depicted in FIG. 7 also includes a network interface 708, such as a wired network interface, wireless (e.g., radio frequency) receivers, etc. For example, the network interface 708 may receive and send electromagnetic signals and communicate with communications networks and other communications devices via the electromagnetic signals. The network interface 708may include known circuitry for performing these functions, including an antenna system, an RF transceiver, one or more amplifiers, a tuner, one or more oscillators, a digital signal processor, a CODEC chipset, a subscriber identity module (SIM) card, memory, and so forth. The network interface 704 may communicate with networks (e.g., network XXX), such as the Internet, an intranet, a cellular telephone network, a wireless local area network (LAN), a metropolitan area network (MAN), or other devices by wireless communication. The network interface 708 may suitable any suitable communications standard, protocol and technology, including Ethernet, Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM), Enhanced Data GSM Environment (EDGE), a 4G network (e.g., based upon the IMT-2000 standard), high-speed downlink packet access (HSDPA), wideband code division multiple access (W-CDMA), code division multiple access (CDMA), time division multiple access (TDMA), a 4G network (e.g., IMT Advanced, Long-Term Evolution Advanced (LTE Advanced), etc.), Bluetooth, Wireless Fidelity (Wi-Fi) (e.g., IEEE 702.11a, IEEE 702.11b, IEEE 702.11g or IEEE 702.11n), voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP), Wi-MAX, a protocol for email (e.g., Internet message access protocol (IMAP) or post office protocol (POP)), instant messaging (e.g., extensible messaging and presence protocol (XMPP), Session Initiation Protocol for Instant Messaging and Presence Leveraging Extensions (SIMPLE), Instant Messaging and Presence Service (IMPS)), Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS), Short Message Service (SMS), or any other suitable communication protocol. Those skilled in the art will also appreciate that, while various items are illustrated as being stored in memory or on storage while being used, these items or sections of them may be transferred between memory and other storage devices for purposes of memory management and data integrity. Alternatively, in other embodiments some or all of the software components may execute in memory on another device and communicate with the illustrated computer system via inter-computer communication. Some or all of the system components or data structures may also be stored (e.g., as instructions or structured data) on a computer-readable medium or a portable article to be read by an appropriate drive, various examples of which are described above. In some embodiments, instructions stored on a computer- readable medium separate from computer 700 may be transmitted to computer 700 via transmission media or signals such as electrical, electromagnetic, or digital signals, conveyed via a communication medium such as a network or a wireless link. Various embodiments may further include receiving, sending or storing instructions or data implemented in accordance with the foregoing description upon a computer-accessible medium. Accordingly, the present invention may be practiced with other computer system configurations. Various embodiments may further include receiving, sending or storing instructions and/or data implemented in accordance with the foregoing description upon a computer-accessible medium. Generally speaking, a computer-accessible/readable storage medium may include a non-transitory storage media such as magnetic or optical media, (e.g., disk or DVD/CD-ROM), volatile or non-volatile media such as RAM (e.g. SDRAM, DDR, RDRAM, SRAM, etc.), ROM, etc., as well as transmission media or signals such as electrical, electromagnetic, or digital signals, conveyed via a communication medium such as network and/or a wireless link. Further modifications and alternative embodiments of various aspects of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art in view of this description. Accordingly, this description is to be construed as illustrative only and is for the purpose of teaching those skilled in the art the general manner of carrying out the invention. It is to be understood that the forms of the invention shown and described herein are to be taken as examples of embodiments. Elements and materials may be substituted for those illustrated and described herein, parts and processes may be reversed or omitted, and certain features of the invention may be utilized independently, all as would be apparent to one skilled in the art after having the benefit of this description of the invention. Changes may be made in the elements described herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as described in the following claims. Headings used herein are for organizational purposes only and are not meant to be used to limit the scope of the description. As used throughout this application, the word “may” is used in a permissive sense (i.e., meaning having the potential to), rather than the mandatory sense (i.e., meaning must). The words “include”, “including”, and “includes” mean including, but not limited to. As used throughout this application, the singular forms “a”, “an” and “the” include plural referents unless the content clearly indicates otherwise. Thus, for example, reference to “an element” includes a combination of two or more elements. Unless specifically stated otherwise, as apparent from the discussion, it is appreciated that throughout this specification discussions utilizing terms such as “processing”, “computing”, “calculating”, “determining” or the like refer to actions or processes of a specific apparatus, such as a special purpose computer or a similar special purpose electronic processing/computing device. In the context of this specification, a special purpose computer or a similar special purpose electronic processing/computing device is capable of manipulating or transforming signals, typically represented as physical electronic or magnetic quantities within memories, registers, or other information storage devices, transmission devices, or display devices of the special purpose computer or similar special purpose electronic processing/computing device. | <SOH> BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION <EOH> | <SOH> SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION <EOH>Various embodiments of devices, computer-implemented methods, and computer-readable media for a redemption header for merchant offers are provided herein. In some embodiments, a method is provided that includes providing (e.g., obtaining and rendering) in a browser executing on a user device an offers webpage from an offers engine, the offers webpage having: a plurality of offers associated with a respective plurality of merchants and a respective plurality of offer redemption identifiers. The method also includes receiving a selection of one of the plurality of offers, the selected offer associated with a selected offer redemption identifier and a selected merchant. The method further includes redirecting the browser to a merchant webpage of the selected merchant. Additionally, the method includes determining, with one or more processors, whether an offer identifier associated with the selected offer is stored in a storage item accessible by the browser. The method further includes inserting, if (e.g., if and only if) the offer identifier is stored in the storage item, a redemption header in a webpage element of the merchant webpage, the redemption header including the offer identifier associated with the selected offer and the redemption header being displayed on the merchant webpage. The method further includes providing, if the offer identifier is not stored in the storage item, an empty webpage element of the merchant webpage. Additionally, in some embodiments, a non-transitory computer-readable medium having executable computer code stored thereon is provided. The executable computer code includes instructions that, when executed, cause one or more processors to effectuate operations including the following: providing in a browser executing on a user device an offers webpage from an offers engine, the offers webpage having a plurality of offers associated with a respective plurality of merchants and a respective plurality of offer redemption identifiers and receiving a selection of one of the plurality of offers, the selected offer associated with a selected offer redemption identifier and a selected merchant. Additionally, the executable computer code includes instructions that, when executed, cause one or more processors to perform the following: redirecting the browser to a merchant webpage of the selected merchant. The executable computer code further includes instructions that, when executed, cause one or more processors to perform the following: determining, by one or more processors, whether an offer identifier associated with the selected offer is stored in a storage item accessible by the browser. The executable computer code further includes instructions that, when executed, cause one or more processors to perform the following: inserting, if the offer identifier is stored in the storage item, a redemption header in a webpage element of the merchant webpage, the redemption header including the offer redemption identifier associated with the selected offer and the redemption header being displayed on the merchant webpage. The executable computer code further includes instructions that, when executed, cause one or more processors to perform the following: providing, if the offer identifier is not stored in the storage item, an empty webpage element of the merchant webpage. Further, in some embodiments, a system is provided that includes one or more processors and a non-transitory tangible computer-readable memory communicatively coupled to the processor. The non-transitory tangible computer-readable memory includes executable computer code stored thereon. The executable computer code includes instructions that, when executed, cause one or more processors to perform the following: providing in a browser executing on a user device an offers webpage from an offers engine, the offers webpage comprising a plurality of offers associated with a respective plurality of merchants and a respective plurality of offer redemption identifiers and receiving a selection of one of the plurality of offers, the selected offer associated with a selected offer redemption identifier and a selected merchant. Additionally, the executable computer code includes instructions that, when executed, cause one or more processors to perform the following: redirecting the browser to a merchant webpage of the selected merchant. The executable computer code further includes instructions that, when executed, cause one or more processors to perform the following: determining, by one or more processors, whether an offer identifier associated with the selected offer is stored in a storage item accessible by the browser. The executable computer code further includes instructions that, when executed, cause one or more processors to perform the following: inserting, if the offer identifier is stored in the storage item, a redemption header in a webpage element of the merchant webpage, the redemption header including the offer redemption identifier associated with the selected offer and the redemption header being displayed on the merchant webpage. The executable computer code further includes instructions that, when executed, cause one or more processors to perform the following: providing, if the offer identifier is not stored in the storage item, an empty webpage element of the merchant webpage. | G06Q300222 | 20171222 | 20180508 | 20180503 | 75276.0 | G06Q3002 | 2 | JOHNSON, ROBERT C | DEVICES, METHODS, AND COMPUTER-READABLE MEDIA FOR REDEMPTION HEADER FOR MERCHANT OFFERS | UNDISCOUNTED | 1 | CONT-ACCEPTED | G06Q | 2,017 |
15,854,208 | PENDING | PERSONALIZED NETWORK SEARCHING | Personalized network searching, in which a search query is received from a user, and a request is received to personalize a search result. Responsive to the search query and the request to personalize the search result, a personalized search result is generated by searching a personalized search object. Responsive to the search query, a general search result is generated by searching the general search object. The personalized search result and the general search result are provided to a client device, an advertisement is selected based at least in part upon the personalized search object, and the advertisement, the personalized search result, and the general search result are displayed. | 1.-20. (canceled) 21. A computer-implemented method performed by data processing apparatus, the computer-implemented method comprising: identifying a user; receiving user input from the user through an interface of a client device, the user input indicating a modification to a set of favorite items for the user; in response to receiving the user input: modifying the set of favorite items stored for the user in a client-side storage of the client device; and synchronizing the set of favorite items modified responsive to the user input with a server-side storage system configured to synchronize favorite items for the user with one or more other client devices. 22. The computer-implemented method of claim 21, wherein the client device comprises at least one of a digital assistant, a smart phone, a digital tablet, a laptop computer, or an Internet appliance. 23. The computer-implemented method of claim 21, wherein the set of favorite items comprises an identifier to a resource. 24. The computer-implemented method of claim 21, wherein the set of favorite items comprises an identifier to an audio file. 25. The computer-implemented method of claim 21, wherein the set of favorite items comprises an identifier to an audio file that is accessible via a network. 26. The computer-implemented method of claim 21, wherein the user input indicating the modification to the set of favorite items for the user comprises an indication to create a favorite item to add to the set of favorite items for the user, the computer-implemented method comprising: adding the favorite item to the set of favorite items in the client-side storage of the client device; and adding the favorite item to the set of favorite items in the server-side storage system. 27. The computer-implemented method of claim 21, comprising: adding a favorite item to the set of favorite items stored on the one or more other client devices. 28. The computer-implemented method of claim 21, wherein the user input indicating the modification to the set of favorite items for the user comprises an indication to delete a favorite item from the set of favorite items for the user. 29. The computer-implemented method of claim 21, comprising: deleting a favorite item from the set of favorite items in the client-side storage of the client device; deleting the favorite item from the set of favorite items in the server-side storage system; and deleting the favorite item from the set of favorite items stored on the one or more other client devices. 30. The computer-implemented method of claim 21, comprising: storing the set of favorite items in a bookmark file on at least one of the client-side storage of the client device, the server-side storage system, or a second client device of the one or more other client devices. 31. The computer-implemented method of claim 21, wherein the interface of the client device through which the client device receives the user input comprises a built-in interface of a client-side application. 32. The computer-implemented method of claim 21, wherein the interface of the client device comprises a pop-up window. 33. The computer-implemented method of claim 21, comprising: providing, by an application, via the client device, the interface through which the user provides the user input. 34. The computer-implemented method of claim 33, wherein the application comprises at least one of a manager, HTML-based application, JavaScript-based application, an ActiveX component, a Java applet, or a C++ program. 35. The computer-implemented method of claim 21, wherein the client device is associated with a valid user identifier and the one or more other client devices are associated with the valid user identifier. 36. The computer-implemented method of claim 21, comprising: authenticating, via a user identifier, the client device for synchronization of the set of favorite items; authenticating, via the user identifier, the one or more other client devices for synchronization of the set of favorite items; and subsequent to authenticating the one or more other client devices for synchronization of the set of favorite items, synchronizing the set of favorite items among the one or more other client devices. 37. A system to synchronize bookmarks among devices, comprising: a first client device comprising one or more processors and memory, the first client device comprising a first application program stored in the memory of the first client device and executed by the first client device; and a second client device comprising one or more processors and memory, the second client device comprising a second application program stored in the memory of the second client device and executed by the second client device, wherein the first application program of the first client device is configured to: authenticate with a server for synchronizing with a set of bookmarks stored in a server-side storage of the server; receive an input via an interface of the first client device, the input comprising an instruction to the first client device to modify a set of bookmarks stored in a client-side storage of the first client device; and transmit, from the first client device and to the server, an indication to modify the set of bookmarks stored in the server-side storage, and wherein the second application program of the second client device is configured to: authenticate with the server for synchronizing with the set of bookmarks stored in the server-side storage of the server; receive, at the second client device and from the server, an indication to modify a set of bookmarks stored in a client-side storage of the second client device; and modify, responsive to the indication to modify the set of bookmarks received from the server, the set of bookmarks stored in the client-side storage of the second client device. 38. The system of claim 37, wherein the set of bookmarks stored in the server-side storage of the server comprises one or more favorite items, wherein the set of bookmarks stored in the client-side storage of the first client device comprises the one or more favorite items, and wherein the set of bookmarks stored in the client-side storage of the second client device comprises the one or more favorite items. 39. The system of claim 37, wherein the set of bookmarks stored in the server-side storage of the server comprises one or more identifiers of one or more audio files, wherein the set of bookmarks stored in the client-side storage of the first client device comprises the one or more identifiers of the one or more audio files, and wherein the set of bookmarks stored in the client-side storage of the second client device comprises the one or more identifiers of the one or more audio files. 40. The system of claim 39, wherein the second client device is further configured to: display, via an interface of the second client device, an indication of modification of bookmark information for at least one of the one or more audio files identified by the set of bookmarks stored in the client-side storage of the second client device. | CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/492,513, filed Apr. 20, 2017, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/516,019, filed Oct. 16, 2014, now U.S. Pat. No. 9,679,067 which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/074,872, filed Nov. 8, 2013, now U.S. Pat. No. 8,886,626, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/442,386, filed Apr. 9, 2012, now U.S. Pat. No. 8,612,415, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/172,961, filed Jun. 30, 2011, now U.S. Pat. No. 8,166,017, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/099,583, filed Apr. 8, 2008, now U.S. Pat. No. 8,015,170, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/726,410, filed Dec. 3, 2003, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,523,096, all of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates generally to methods and systems for network searching. The present invention relates particularly to methods and systems for personalized network searching. BACKGROUND In general, most page visits on the World Wide Web are revisits; in other words, the user is returning to a web page previously visited. As search engines have improved, many users have turned to search engines for navigating to often-visited sites, rather than typing in uniform resource locators (URLs) or using browser bookmarks. A search engine performs the search based on a conventional search method. For example, one known method, described in an article entitled “The Anatomy of a Large-Scale Hypertextual Search Engine,” by Sergey Brin and Lawrence Page, assigns a degree of importance to a document, such as a web page, based on the link structure of the web page. As these navigational queries become increasingly common, users are able to learn which queries will take them to their favorite sites. Bookmarks, however, can provide a benefit to the user. For example, a common use of bookmarks is for navigation to sites that search engines (such as the Google™ Search Engine) do not rank highly or that are otherwise hard to find via a search query. Accordingly, bookmarks that the user continues to use are a valuable resource for the user. An Internet user often has difficulty propagating bookmarks between the various machines on which the user depends. For example, many users have a computer at work and at home. Often, the bookmarks relied on in the work setting are useful at home as well. In most cases, however, the user must manually synchronize the bookmark lists of the two machines. In addition, conventional methods of organizing bookmarks tend to be limited at best, making it difficult for the user to find a favorite site. Some users have attempted to solve the propagation problem by using a commercial product that allows the user to store bookmarks on a server on the web, such as BlinkPro (Blink.com, Inc.; www.blinkpro.com) or BookmarkTracker (BookmarkTracker.com, Inc.; www.bookmarktracker.com). Such products allow the bookmarks to be managed and utilized from a browser application. In some cases, the user can also automatically synchronize each of the user's computers to the common list stored on-line. While storing the bookmarks on-line addresses the propagation problem, such systems fail td address the organizational problems inherent in conventional bookmarks. Various other conventional bookmark-related software products provide the user with functionality to facilitate the use of bookmarks. For example, systems and methods for automatically organizing bookmarks on a client machine, searching previously-stored bookmarks by keyword, and integrating the back, history, and bookmark functions to improve the user's ability to visit previously visited sites have been described (see, e.g., Integrating Back, History and Bookmarks in Web Browsers, Kaasten, S. and Greenberg, S. (2001), In Extended Abstracts of the ACM Conference of Human Factors in Computing Systems (CHI'01), 379-380, ACM Press.). These tools, however, do not effectively leverage the user's preferences to provide personalized search results. Thus, a need exists to provide an improved system and method for providing personalized network searching. SUMMARY Embodiments of the present invention provide systems and methods for personalized network searching. In one embodiment, a search engine implements a method comprising receiving a search query, determining a personalized result by searching a personalized search object using the search query, determining a general result by searching a general search object using the search query, and providing a search result for the search query based at least in part on the personalized result and the general result. An embodiment of the present invention may utilize ratings, annotations, history of use, or other data associated with the previously-identified uniform resource locator to locate and sort results. Further details and advantages of embodiments of the present invention are set forth below. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention are better understood when the following Detailed Description is read with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein: FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating an exemplary environment in which one embodiment of the present invention may operate; FIG. 2 is a flowchart, illustrating a method for storing bookmarks, ratings, and annotations in an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating a method of performing a network search in one embodiment of the present invention; and FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating a process of implicitly rating a page ‘One embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION Embodiments of the present invention comprise methods and systems for personalized network searching. In one embodiment, a search engine combines search results obtained from a global index or global indexes with those retrieved from a list of a user's favorite sites to produce a combined search result set. The combined result set may be sorted, marked, or otherwise used based on the user's preferences. Such an embodiment may provide the user with a mechanism to perform searches and visit favorite sites from one interface. Referring now to the drawings in which like numerals indicate like elements throughout the several figures, FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating an exemplary environment for implementation of an embodiment of the present invention. The system 100 shown in FIG. 1 includes multiple client devices 102a-n in communication with a server device 104 over a network 106. The network 106 shown includes the Internet. In other embodiments, other networks, such as an intranet may be used. Moreover, methods according to the present invention may operate within a single computer. The client devices 102a-n shown each includes a computer-readable medium, such as a random access memory (RAM) 108 coupled to a processor 110. The processor 110 executes computer-executable program instructions stored in memory 108. Such processors may include a microprocessor, an ASIC, and state machines. Such processors include, or may be in communication with, media, for example computer-readable media, which stores instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform the steps described herein. Embodiments of computer-readable media include, but are not limited to, an electronic, optical, magnetic, or other storage or transmission device capable of providing a processor, such as the processor 110 of client 102a, with computer-readable instructions. Other examples of suitable media include, but are not limited to, a floppy disk, CD-ROM, DVD, magnetic disk, memory chip, ROM, RAM, an ASIC, a configured processor, all optical media, all magnetic tape or other magnetic media, or any other medium from which a computer processor can read instructions. Also, various other forms of computer-readable media may transmit or carry instructions to a computer, including a router, private or public network, or other transmission device or channel, both wired and wireless. The instructions may comprise code from any computer-programming language, including, for example, C, C++, C#, Visual Basic, Java, Python, Perl, and JavaScript. Client devices 102a-n may also include a number of external or internal devices such as a mouse, a CD-ROM, DVD, a keyboard, a display, or other input or output devices. Examples of client devices 102a-n are personal computers, digital assistants, personal digital assistants, cellular phones, mobile phones, smart phones, pagers, digital tablets, laptop computers, Internet appliances, and other processor-based devices. In general, a client device 102a may be any type of processor-based platform that is connected to a network 106 and that interacts with one or more application programs. Client devices 102a-n may operate on any operating system capable of supporting a browser or browser-enabled application, such as Microsoft® Windows® or Linux. The client devices 102a-n shown include, for example, personal computers executing a browser application program such as Microsoft Corporation's Internet Explorer™, Netscape Communication Corporation's Netscape Navigator™, and Apple Computer, Inc.'s Safari™. Through the client devices 102a-n, users 112a-n can communicate over the network 106 with each other and with other systems and devices coupled to the network 106. As shown in FIG. 1, a server device 104 is also coupled to the network 106. In the embodiment shown, a user 112a-n generates a search query 114 at a client device 102a. The client device 102a transmits the query 114 the server device 104 via the network 106. For example, a user 112a types a textual search query into a query field of a web page of a search engine interface or other client-side software displayed on the client device 102a, which is then transmitted via the network 106 to the server device 104. In the embodiment shown, a user 112a inputs a search query 114 at a client device 102a, which transmits an associated search query signal 130 reflecting the search query 114 to the server device 104. The search query 114 may be transmitted directly to the server device 104 as shown. In another embodiment, the query signal 130 may instead be sent to a proxy server (not shown), which then transmits the query signal 130 to server device 104. Other configurations are possible. The server device 104 shown includes a server executing a search engine application program, such as the Google™ search engine. Similar to the client devices 102a-n, the server device 104 shown includes a processor 116 coupled to a computer-readable memory 118. Server device 104, depicted as a single computer system, may be implemented as a network of computer processors. Examples of a server device 104 are servers, mainframe computers, networked computers, a processor-based device, and similar types of systems and devices. Client processor 110 and the server processor 116 can be any of a number of computer processors, such as processors from Intel Corporation of Santa Clara, Calif. and Motorola Corporation of Schaumburg, Ill. Memory 118 contains the search engine application program, also known as a search engine 120. The search engine 120 locates relevant information in response to a search query 114 from a user 112a-n. In the embodiment shown, the server device 104, or related device, has previously performed a crawl of the network 106 to locate articles, such as web pages, stored at other devices or systems connected to the network 106, and indexed the articles in memory 118 or on another data storage device. Articles include, for example, web pages of various formats, such as HTML, XML, XHTML, Portable Document Format (PDF) files, and word processor, database, and application program document files, audio, video, or any other documents or information of any type whatsoever made available on a network (such as the Internet), a personal computer, or other computing or storage means. The embodiments described herein are described generally in relation to HTML files or documents, but embodiments may operate on any type of article, including any type of image. In an embodiment of the present invention, the search engine 120 also searches a user's list of favorite sites, which personalizes the search. For example, a user's list of favorite sites may be saved as a list of bookmarks. Bookmarks are objects that include a uniform resource locator (URL) identified by a user. A bookmark may be referred to by different terms in different applications. For example, Microsoft® products often refer to bookmarks as “favorites.” Similar to the client devices 102a-n and the server device 104, the server device 122 shown includes a processor 124 coupled to a computer-readable memory 126. As with server device 104, server device 122, depicted as a single computer system, may be implemented as a network of computer processors or may be incorporated into the server device 104. Examples of a server device 122 are servers, mainframe computers, networked computers, a processor-based device, and similar types of systems and devices. Memory 126 contains the bookmark manager application program, also known as a bookmark manager 128. In the embodiment shown, the bookmark manager 128 is a C++ program, however, the bookmark manager 128 may be constructed from various other programming languages as well. Referring still to the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the bookmark manager 128 comprises an interface so that a user 112a may manage bookmarks on the server. For example, in one embodiment, the bookmark manager 128 provides a browser-based application that allows the user to create, modify, delete, and save bookmarks on the network. The application may comprise, for example, HTML and JavaScript, an ActiveX component, or a Java applet. The bookmarks are saved in the bookmark database 140. In an embodiment of the present invention, the bookmark manager 128 also provides the data stored in the bookmark database 140 to the search engine 120. When the search engine 120 performs a search in response to the query search query signal 130, the search engine 120 searches previously indexed articles. The search engine 120 also creates a bookmark request 136, corresponding to user 112a. The bookmark manager 128 responds by sending one or more bookmarks 138 to the search engine 120. The search engine 120 utilizes the bookmarks, 138 to search sites previously identified by the user 112a. The search engine then merges the results of the two searches to provide a result set 134 to the client 102a. It should be noted that the present invention may comprise systems having different architecture than that which is shown in FIG. 1. For example, in some systems according to the present invention, server device 104 and server device 122 may comprise a single physical or logical server. The system 100 shown in FIG. 1 is merely exemplary, and is used to explain the exemplary methods shown in FIGS. 2 through 4. In embodiments of the present invention, a user 112a can track their conventional browser bookmarks using server-side storage. These bookmarks can then be made available to the user on all the various computers the user uses and can be integrated with browser bookmarks and with the browser (e.g., via a toolbar). For example, a user's set of bookmarks can be primed on a server by having the user POST their bookmarks file to the server, and the user can be permitted to download the bookmarks as a bookmarks file or other related representation. Alternatively, client-side software may implicitly manage the server-side storage. In one embodiment, the bookmarks may comprise a continuous user rating, e.g., 0.0-1.0, rather than just a discrete bookmarked-or-not bit. In another embodiment, a user can integrate per-page annotations into their data regarding bookmarks or favorites. In yet another embodiment, a user can store multiple user personalities (e.g., previously defined sets of bookmarks) and can receive recommendations based on the set of bookmarks saved by users with similar tastes as derived by their bookmarks or other stored or monitored preferences. Various methods may be implemented in the environment shown in FIG. 1 and other environments according to the present invention. For example in one embodiment, a user 112a enters a search query 114, which a client 102a transmits as a query signal 130 to a server device 104 over a network 106. The server device 104 executes a search engine 120. The search engine 120 receives the query signal 130. The search engine 120 determines a personalized result by searching a personalized search object using the search query. Examples of a personalized search object include, for example, a list of bookmarks or favorites and the history list of a browser. The search engine 120 also determines a general search result by searching a general search object. The general search object may comprise, for example, an index of articles, such as, for example, those associated with a conventional search engine. The search engine 120 provides a search result to the user based at least in part on the personalized result and the general result. In another embodiment, the search engine 120 provides a search result to the user based solely on the personalized result. The search engine 120 may generate the search result by combining the general results and the personalized results. The search engine may instead provide separate lists: one containing the general search result and a second containing the personalized search result. The search engine 120 transmits the search result as a result set 134 to the client 102a. In one embodiment, the search engine 120 returns the list sorted as in a conventional search engine and with the personalized search results indicated in some way, such as, for example, highlighted or shown with a symbol beside the personalized search result. In another embodiment, the search engine sorts the combined results list based at least in part on a rating that the user 112a has associated with the uniform resource locator. The results may be sorted in a number of ways. For example, in one embodiment, the combined results list is sorted based at least in part on an annotation or rating that has been associated with the user 112a and the uniform resource locator. The results may instead or further be sorted based on whether the result in the combined result list originated in the global results list or in the personalized search result. For example, the user 112a may wish to see their personalized results displayed at the top. The results may be instead or further sorted based on a rating of a page provided by or created for the user 112a. In one embodiment, rather than changing the sorting order of the pages provided in a result set, the search engine 120 marks results that originated in the user's personalized search results. A fuzzy algorithm may also be employed to sort the results. For example, the sorting of the combined results list may only slightly favor the personalized search result. In another embodiment, the results list is sorted by measures indicating user preferences. For example, if many of the user's bookmarks are computer-related, computer-related results are sorted closer to the top of the result set 134 than non-computer related results. Other operations may also be performed on the results based at least in part on user-specific information. For example, the results may be interleaved, merged where necessary or desired, presented with annotations, or presented in other ways that provide useful information to the user 112a. An embodiment of the present invention may comprise features to facilitate community building. For example, in one embodiment, the uniform resource locator comprises a community bookmark. The bookmark may be shared by a set of users or may be transmitted by one user and received by another. The second user can then perform personalized queries that are based, at least in part, on the shared bookmark. In another embodiment, a cluster of users is identified based at least in part on the bookmarks and annotations that they have previously identified. A user 112a may specify bookmarks explicitly. In one embodiment, the bookmarks are implicitly identified based on a measure of the behavior of the user. For example, in one embodiment, the implicit measure comprises the linger time. In other words, if a user spends a great deal of time on a site, it is identified as a bookmark for later personalized searches. In other embodiments, the implicit measure may comprise at least one of the quantity of repeat visits to the site or the quantity of click-throughs on the site. In one embodiment, temporal decay of ratings may be utilized so that unused or rarely used bookmarks, whether explicitly marked or implicitly marked, become unmarked over time. Other implicit measures include printing the page, saving the page, and the amount of scrolling performed on the page. In one embodiment of the present invention, the user associates a text string with a uniform resource locator (URL). The text string may comprise, for example, a search query, a URL-format text string, or a short-hand indicator of the URL. The client 102a receives the personalized association data associating the text string with the URL and stores the personalized association data in a personalized search object. The client 102a subsequently receives an input signal comprising the search string, determines the URL associated with the text string and displays an article associated with the URL. The article may be received from a global network element, such as a web server. FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating a method for storing bookmarks, ratings, and annotations in an embodiment of the present invention. In the embodiment shown, a user 112a navigates to a site by typing in a URL or other means. The user 112a determines that the site is useful and that the user 112a will revisit the site. Accordingly, the user 112a bookmarks the site using a bookmark manager 128. The user 112a may access the bookmark manager 128 in various ways. For example, in one embodiment, the user 112a accesses a client-side application via a built-in user-interface element or one available via a toolbar or other available plug-in in a browser executing on the client 102a. The button causes a popup window to be displayed in which the user enters an annotation and rating. When the user clicks a submit button, the information is submitted to the bookmark manager 128 for storage as a bookmark in the bookmark database 140. In the embodiment shown, the bookmark manager 128 first receives a valid user identifier (ID) 202 from the client 102a. Users who desire synchronization across different browsers/computers or other types of personalization need to identify themselves to the bookmark manager 128 to some extent so that the bookmark manager 128 has a primary key with which to store a user's bookmarks. The bookmark manager 128 can perform the identification and authentication in numerous ways. For example, in one embodiment, the IP address is tracked throughout a session. In another embodiment, the authentication is done via a user manager system. In another embodiment, a cookie on the client 102a may include user-identifying information, which is supplied to the bookmark manager 128 by the client 102a. The bookmark manager 128 then receives the URL for the site that the user identifies 204. The bookmark manager 128 stores the URL, its rating(s), and its annotations) in the bookmark database 140 for later retrieval 206. It is likely that a user already has a set of bookmarks (or several sets of bookmarks) that they would like to make available for their searches. Accordingly, in one embodiment, the bookmark manager 128 includes a mechanism for migrating that data to the bookmark database 140. The hierarchy of bookmarks can be used as implicit annotations on the named URLs and can at least be preserved when synchronizing the bookmarks among browsers. In another embodiment, the full text of an article when it was last visited serves as an annotation of the URL. In still another embodiment, as bookmarks are edited on a supported browser's native interface, the corresponding edits are made to the server-side bookmarks. In one embodiment, the bookmark manager 128 provides a server-side management tool via an HTML interface (which, again may mirror changes into a supported browser's native bookmarks). Synchronization of client and server-side bookmarks may increase adoption of the bookmark manager 128 if the user can at least manually synchronize server-side bookmarks into client-side browser bookmark lists. In one embodiment, the management tool also displays the bookmark rating for a given page and allows the user 112a to manipulate the rating and/or an annotation associated with the page. In another embodiment, bookmark manager 128 supports listing recently rated pages to facilitate returning to recently bookmarked pages, thus enabling a work-list like review of a surfing session. Referring still to FIG. 2, the bookmark manager 128 also receives 208 and stores 210 an annotation of the URL in the bookmark database 140. The annotation is a remark that the user provides regarding the URL. The annotation may simply be a text string stored in a database 140 and associated with the URL. The annotation may be instead stored in a standardized format, see, e.g., Annotea: An Open RDF Infrastructure for Shared Web Annotations, J. Kahan, M. Koivunen, E. Prud′Hommeaux, and R. Swick (2001), In Proceedings of WWW10, May 1-5, 2001 Hong Kong. In the embodiment shown, the bookmark manager 128 also receives 212 and stores 214 the rating of the site provided by the user 112a in the bookmark database 140. For example, in one embodiment, the user 112a clicks a rating button. In response, the user 112a is presented with a series of ten radio buttons labeled 0.0 through 1.0. The user selects one of the radio buttons and clicks submit. The bookmark manager 128 receives the rating and the URL and saves the two data values in the bookmark database 140. FIG. 2 is merely exemplary. In other embodiments the user may provide more or less information related to a site to the bookmark manager 128. Although in the embodiment shown, the reception and storage of the URL, annotation, and rating are shown as linear steps, they may be performed in other ways as well. For example, the bookmark manager may receive the URL, annotation, and rating together and perform one step to store them in the bookmark database 140. The data stored in the bookmark database 140 may be updated fairly frequently as pages are bookmarked (or the bookmark is toggled, or a rating slider is changed). FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating a method of performing a network search in one embodiment of the present invention. Embodiments of the present invention may combine conventional network searches with, for example, personalized searches utilizing information provided by the user previously or in conjunction with the submission of the search. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 3, the search engine 120 receives a query signal 130 from a client (102a) 302. The search engine 120 responds to the query signal 130 by performing a search. In the embodiment shown, the search comprises three sub-processes, which may be run in parallel. These three processes comprise: searching global indices 304, searching the URLs stored as bookmarks 306, and searching annotations 308. Other embodiments may employ a fewer or greater number of sub-processes: For example, in one embodiment, the URLs present in the navigation history of the browser are searched. Conventional search engines search global search objects, such as global search indices. Embodiments of the present invention are also capable of searching personal search objects, such as bookmarks, annotations, ratings, and other objects. In one embodiment, such searching comprises reading a list of URLs from the bookmark database 140, and for each page, searching the various parts of the page using the search query 114 submitted by the user 112a. In another embodiment, an agent operating on the client 102a searches a personal search object stored on the client 102a or in a repository accessible to the client 102a via the network 106. Searching annotations comprises searching the user-entered annotations using the search query 114 submitted by the user 112a. For example, a user 112a may enter the term “boat” as an annotation for a page comprising marine supplies. If the users 112a enters “boat” as part of the search query 114 utilized by the search engine 120, the page with the “boat” annotation will be returned by the search annotations component. Another embodiment of the present invention searches not only the pages that the user has bookmarked or annotated, but also pages similar to the pages that the user has bookmarked or pages with similar annotations. Each of the sub-processes 304, 306, and 308 shown may generate a separate result set in the embodiment shown. In other embodiments, the sub-processes 304, 306, and 308 may be combined and/or configured to provide a combined result set automatically. The result sets may overlap to some degree. In the embodiment shown, the search engine 120 merges the search results into one list 310. The search engine 120 then ranks the pages 312. Various methods may be utilized to rank the pages. For example, the search engine 120 may rank results returned via annotation based on their user-based ratings, if any, then per the standard ranking algorithm. Several examples are set out below. The search engine 120 then provides a sorted result set 134 to the user 112a requesting the search 314. In another embodiment, the user supplies an annotation that is associated with a URL. The annotation is stored on a per-user basis to supplement the search results and to further improve scoring. Other users who share similar interests with the user who provided the annotation may use the annotation. Embodiments of the present invention may make further use of the annotation. For example, in one embodiment, the search engine 120 searches for the keywords provided in a search query 114 in user-supplied annotations, e.g., treating those annotations as user-specific anchor text that refer to the annotated URL. The result set generated by a search engine in one such embodiment reflects the union of the global index and the results from the annotation keyword search. Embodiments may also utilize other data, such as user ratings to determine the ranking of the results, to mark the results, or for other purposes. For example, in one embodiment, the page rankings that the search engine 120 provides are not affected by the user-supplied ratings for each page, but an indicator, such as an asterisk or other small image, identifies specific results that are rated based on ratings data stored in the bookmark database 140. Embodiments of the present invention may combine the results of several types of results, or may present the results separately. For example, in one embodiment, a user 112a submits a search query 114. The search engine 120 searches a global search object and presents the results in one list. The search engine 120 also searches a personal search object and presents the results of the search in a second list. In another embodiment of the present invention, the search engine 120 also uses a user-applied rating to rank the pages. For example, a user 112a applies a rating (e.g., between 0.0 and 10.0) to each of the bookmarks stored in the bookmark database 140. The search engine 120 utilizes the user-applied rating in determining where in the result set 134 a particular article should be displayed. For, example, a rating of 0.5 might represent indifference, and lower ratings would penalize a result while higher ratings would make it score higher. In yet another embodiment, the search engine 120 more highly scores unrated pages that are similar to the content of highly rated URLs. In one embodiment, in which a large set of diverse user ratings and annotations have been stored, the search engine 120 may provide additional related features such as page suggestions based on similar users' ratings, e.g., via simple clustering approaches. The term or alternate URL associated with the primary URL is a distinct token in the personalized search that indicates a desire of the user not to search for the term or navigate to the alternate URL, as would be the case in a conventional browser application, but instead to immediately go directly to a specific page that is associated with the term or alternate URL for the user 112a. In one embodiment, a user 112a associates a specific term or alternate URL with a primary URL, such as the URL associated with a previously-stored bookmark in the bookmark database 140. For example, the user 112a may enter a term in one text box and a URL in another text box and then click a button to associate the two. The association is then stored in a computer-readable medium on the client machine 102a or in a computer-readable medium accessible by a server 104, such as in the bookmark database 140. The term or alternate URL becomes a “speed-dial” navigation link to the URL. In one embodiment, the user 112a enters the term in a query search box and clicks a link or control, such as a standard search link or button, and, rather than performing a search for the term using a search engine, the browser or browser-enabled application retrieves the URL previously associated with the term and immediately jumps to the site associated with the URL. In another embodiment, a keyboard binding causes the browser to jump to the site associated with the URL. In either case, the command by the user 112a causes a behavior to occur that is personalized to the user as opposed to the conventional query behavior common to all users of the search engine. In other words, no search is performed; the browser simply navigates to the URL associated with the term in lieu of performing the search. In yet another embodiment, the user 112a enters the alternate URL in the address field of the browser and clicks the “go” control or otherwise causes the browser to evaluate the alternate URL. Rather than navigating to the URL, the browser first searches for the alternate URL in the list of URL's associated with bookmarks. If the alternate URL is found, the browser navigates directly to the primary URL that is associated with the alternate URL. For example, in one embodiment, a user 112a associates the term “home” with the user's corporate intranet page. The user 112a enters the term “home” in a text box and the URL for the corporate intranet page in another text box and clicks a control to associate the two. Alternatively, the user clicks a control during display of the corporate intranet page that provides the user 112a with an opportunity to associate the term and the page. Subsequently, the user 112a enters the term “home” in a search field and clicks the search control. Since the term “home” has been associated with the corporate intranet homepage, the browser immediately navigates to the user's corporate intranet homepage rather than executing a search for the term “home.” The user 112a may want to select terms or phrases for association that are unlikely to be used in standard searches. For example, the user 112a may use a single number (e.g., “1”) to associate with a URL. In another embodiment, the user 112a associates the alternate URL “www.myhome.com” with the actual or primary URL for the user's 112a personal homepage. When the user 112a enters the URL “www.myhome.com” in the address line of the browser executing on the client 102a, the browser locates the association between the alternate and primary URL's and navigates to the page identified by the primary URL, the user's personal home page. An embodiment of the present invention may provide various user interfaces. For example, in one embodiment, two distinct user interfaces are provided: one for novice users and one for advanced users. The novice interface may simply give visual feedback about whether a page is bookmarked or not and permits the user to toggle that state with a simple click. The richer, advanced-user interface may utilize a slider control reflecting a rating for the current page and a personality-mode (e.g., work/home/hobby) drop-down box that switches among different rating sets. Another embodiment includes an intermediate-level interface that includes a bookmark (vote positive) and a booknegate (vote negative) button (not unlike the voting buttons as part of the advanced features of some search toolbars, such as the Google Toolbar). A user interface according the present invention may also include a personalized result page that includes a visual indication of a result that was reordered due to personalization. In one embodiment of the present invention, the user interface includes a means for toggling the personalization of results. For example, in one embodiment, the user clicks a button on the HTML interface to turn on personalization. If personalization is active, the user may click a button disabling personalization. Such a feature addresses the need to depersonalize results before sharing a query result links with other users (e.g., via email). One embodiment of the present invention supports applying bookmarks directly via a results page. For more advanced users, bookmark manager 128 may support a “Rank these results” link that lets advanced users select a rating (perhaps using radio buttons) for each result on a given page. Because of privacy concerns, bookmark manager 128 may disallow access to “View bookmarks” to not-logged-in users; nevertheless, search results may be appropriately personalized based on just the cookie of not-logged-in users. Embodiments of the present invention implement various measures to help encourage user adoption. For example, although not. all users may be willing to expend the effort to provide ratings, an embodiment of the present invention provides noticeable benefits for relatively low effort on the part of the user. In addition, by incorporating bookmark synchronization, an embodiment of the present invention helps drive adoption. Embodiments of the present invention may also implement network and community features to foster adoption of the service. For example, as described above, an embodiment of the present invention may utilize like-user recommendations to locate and rank results. One embodiment of the present invention implements user groups and friend-lists whereby a user can choose to expose a bookmark list to friends or the public at large. In another embodiment, a user has the ability to transparently overlay a weighted set of bookmarks onto their own set of bookmarks. An organization implementing an embodiment of the present invention may utilize partnerships to encourage adoption of the service. For example, a service provider may encourage partner sites to display a “bookmark this page!” snippet on their homepages and other content pages. For the partner, an embodiment of the present invention provides a means to ask users to opt-in to making it especially easy to get at their site via a search. And for users it's a nice reminder to mark the page or add an annotation. For the provider of the bookmark and search service, such an arrangement helps introduce users to the idea of bookmarks at the moment it matters most: when they are visiting a page they are interested in. It may be advantageous to (e.g., for security reasons) to have partners wishing to display a “bookmark this page!” link to register with the service provider first. Registration with the service provider also helps the service provider to develop relationships with additional content providers. A provider of a bookmark service may receive various benefits from implementing the service. For example, the provider is able to collect data concerning users' attribution of value on pages. One embodiment of the present invention utilizes an anti-spamming mechanism to avoid the problem of companies with a financial interest in driving traffic to their sites attempting to falsify end user interest in their pages. In one embodiment, the search engine 120 addresses this problem by not trusting the bookmark signal globally, but leveraging it only for user personalization. In one embodiment, the bookmark manager employs credit card validation (for identification only) and/or CAPTCHAs (Completely Automated Public Turing Test to Tell Computers and Humans Apart) to gain evidence that bookmark manager 128 is interacting with a legitimate user. An embodiment of the present invention may provide other features as well. For example, one embodiment provides collaborative link recommendations. When logged in, a user 112a is provided a link with anchor text, such as “See related bookmarks for users similar to you.” The linked page provides other suggested links that may be of interest to the user 112a. This feature may be integrated into or separate from the main results page. An embodiment of the present invention may provide useful information to the provider of the bookmark service. For example, for sites that users visit most frequently, client-side bookmarks are often the tools of choice. An unfortunate consequence is that those page visits are largely hidden from the provider of a search service. With bookmarks being used as a navigational tool according to the present invention, the service provider has access to the previously unavailable data and may be better equipped to provide user-personalized portals. For example, pattern recognition might let the service provider realize that a user visit various stock quotes every Monday morning, checks CNN.com in the afternoons, etc. In such an embodiment, the search engine 120 may anticipate the pages that users will likely require. An embodiment of the present invention may also improve the relevance of advertisements presented in conjunction with search results. For example, one embodiment of the present invention is able to use bookmarks to cluster user interests and leverage click-through data of various advertisements for similar users to present even more relevant advertisements. In other words, the advertisements are based, at least in part, on the search results returned based on the bookmarks or other personal search object. This feature provides numerous benefits. Not only are users more likely to be satisfied because the advertising is more targeted, but the click-through rate for the service provider may increase, resulting in increased revenue. In one embodiment, a user may share or overlay bookmarks. For example in one embodiment, a user is able to open up their bookmarks for others to view. In another embodiment, a user is able to aggregate other users' bookmarks into their own set of bookmarks (either via copying or via an overlaid reference semantics). Such a feature may prove useful for community building (e.g., “Add this group's bookmarks to your favorites” when joining a new mailing list). In one such embodiment, the bookmark indicators in results pages distinguish between those pages explicitly bookmarked by the user from those gathered by others. Given a canonical URL through which to reference another individual/organization's bookmarks, the service provider can derive a sense of the popularity of a person's links and weight those bookmarks correspondingly (a la PageRank applied to the subgraph of bookmark interlinks). One embodiment of the present invention fosters community and relationship building. In one embodiment, the search engine is able to recognize clusters or pairs of users having similar interests. Such an embodiment is able to suggest other users with which to network. An embodiment of the present invention may include various other features as well. For example, in one embodiment, linger time and/or repeat visits is used to implicitly bookmark a page. Other implicit measures, such as the ones described above, may also be utilized. With this feature, a toolbar slider may start inching to the right as you view a given page (and should attempt to alert the user that the change has occurred, perhaps by flashing). The user explicitly dragging the slider would override the setting (and turn off the implicit rating improvement for this visit to the site). FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating a process of implicitly rating a page in one embodiment of the present invention. In the embodiment shown, the bookmark manager 128 receives a URL 402. The bookmark manager 128 determines whether or not the URL has been saved as a in the bookmark database 140 as a bookmark 403. If so, the process ends 414. Otherwise, the bookmark manager 128 determines whether this is a first visit by the user to the URL 404. If so, the bookmark manager adds the bookmark to the bookmark database 140 and sets the rating equal to 0.5 408. The process then ends 414. In the embodiment shown, the bookmark manager 120 does not identify the URL as a bookmark, but merely adds an entry to maintain the rating of the site. If the bookmark has been visited before, the bookmark manager 128 adds 0.05 to the value of the rating 406. Once the rating has been set or adjusted, the bookmark manager 128 determines whether the rating is greater than or equal to 0.7 410. The value 0.7 is a threshold for implicitly creating a bookmark and may be adjusted in various embodiments. If the value is greater than or equal to 0.7, the bookmark manager 128 marks the URL as a favorite in the bookmark database (140) 412. The process then ends 414. If the value is less than 0.7, the process ends, and the bookmark is not added to the bookmark database 140. Another embodiment of the present invention utilizes linger time in addition to or instead of page visits for implicitly bookmarking pages. An embodiment of the present invention may use the ratings, annotations, or any other data in presenting search results. In several of the examples described above, the data is used to sort or mark search results shown to a user 112a. In one embodiment, the data is used to exclude search results from those shown to the user. Embodiments of a rating process according to the present invention may provide other features as well. For example, one embodiment provides the capability to search previously stored bookmarks as a completely separate search experience rather than integrating the results into the basic results page. In one such embodiment, the interface on the client 102a presents the user with two checkboxes. By checking the first checkbox, the user 112a specifies that the search engine 120 should search global indices. By checking the second checkbox, the user 112a specifies that the search engine 120 should search the user's bookmarks. The user 112a is able to vary the search based on the particular type of search that the user 112a wishes to perform. In another embodiment, hits due to indexed annotations are presented separately at the top, and hits due to results that were otherwise found are marked in their usual ranking position and may also be shown at the top. The links presented at the top of the result set 134 may not include snippets. To mitigate privacy concerns, embodiments of the present invention may require users to opt-in to the tracking. In such an embodiment, the system alerts the user when personalized search is in effect and provides a simple mechanism for reverting to generic search. In such an embodiment, bookmark data may be stored in a secure data center separate from a user's other personal data. Various interface designs may be implemented in an embodiment of the present invention. For example, in one embodiment, marking of pages of interest and non-interest is provided via JavaScript bookmarklets. One such embodiment displays the user-specified ranking (if any) by usurping the PageRank display to be user-specific. The color changes when the bookmark rating exceeds the mark threshold (0.7 in FIG. 3). In another embodiment of a user interface according to the present invention, the user is provided with a simple user interface for adding an annotation for an arbitrary page, such as via a new menu option in the toolbar's Info drop-down or via a star button in the browser or a toolbar or a plug-in of the browser. The bookmarked or booknegated pages in results sets are displayed and the bookmarks and booknegates may be edited directly in the results list. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, client 102a transmits query signal 130 to the server device 104 executing the search engine 120. In another embodiment, the server device 122 executing the bookmark manager 128 may receive queries directly. In one such embodiment, seven queries are defined to retrieve and/or save various pieces of data. In each of the queries, the user identifier is provided as a primary identifier. In a first query, a user provides a rating of a page. The rating may be a simple yes/no or up/down rating or may include a rating across a scale. The response may just be the new bookmark rating (for example, as an ASCII-encoded integer). For a query implementing an up/down rating, the rating may be boosted or dropped slightly along a scale. An example of a rating query is: GET/set-bookmark?rating=NUM&url-URL&annotation=ANNOTATION. In a second query, information for new pages visited by the user is requested. Such a query may include a features parameter, which may be extended to explicitly ask for bookmark ratings. The response may be something like: “Rank_I:1:8.” One example of such a query is: GET/search?client=navclient-auto&q=info:URL. In a third query, a bare bookmark rating is requested for a set of documents. In the query shown, the URLLIST is a list of URLS, separated by spaces, re-urlencoded, and DocIds is a space-separated list of docids, url-encoded. Results for all of these are returned, one per line. One example of such a query is: GET/get-bookmarks?urls=URLLIST&docids=DOCIDLIST. In a fourth query, an annotation for a URL is requested. In one embodiment, when the URL is not specified, the server returns a list of URLs that have bookmark annotations in a HTML user interface that permits a user to view and edit those annotations. One example of such a query is GET/annotations?ur1=URL. A fifth query transmits a list of bookmarks to a server. One example of a bookmark POST acceptor is as follows: POST/set-bookmarks. In the POST acceptor query, the POST-data may have a Content-Type of “text/html” and be a favorites list represented in HTML, for example, in the format Microsoft Internet Explorer™ exports. A sixth query provides a means to get a full bookmark list in XML format. One such query is as follows: GET/get-bookmarks.xml. A seventh query provides a means for searching an annotation and returning URLs or Docids that match the query terms provided in the query. One such query is as follows: GET/search-annotations?q=QUERYTERMS. Embodiments of the present invention provide numerous advantages to the user and to the provider of the search service. An embodiment of the present invention improves the user experience by providing personalized search results and rankings. An embodiment of the present invention provides advantages to the provider of a search service by (1) increasing the stickiness of the search experience by giving users a compelling reason to identify themselves and share their interest in topics with the provider, and (2) gathering better data regarding the relevancy of pages to different users and different classes of users. In an embodiment of the present invention, the user providing bookmarks to the service provider enables the search provider to personalize the search for them. The feature can be viewed as a server-side generalization of bookmarks integrated with annotations. Users are able to share that personalization data across different browsers (e.g., work and home) if desired and hence eliminate the drudgery associated with managing bookmarks. An embodiment of the present invention also unifies all navigational queries under a single experience. The foregoing description of the preferred embodiments of the invention has been presented only for the purpose of illustration and description and is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed. Numerous modifications and adaptations thereof will be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. | <SOH> BACKGROUND <EOH>In general, most page visits on the World Wide Web are revisits; in other words, the user is returning to a web page previously visited. As search engines have improved, many users have turned to search engines for navigating to often-visited sites, rather than typing in uniform resource locators (URLs) or using browser bookmarks. A search engine performs the search based on a conventional search method. For example, one known method, described in an article entitled “The Anatomy of a Large-Scale Hypertextual Search Engine,” by Sergey Brin and Lawrence Page, assigns a degree of importance to a document, such as a web page, based on the link structure of the web page. As these navigational queries become increasingly common, users are able to learn which queries will take them to their favorite sites. Bookmarks, however, can provide a benefit to the user. For example, a common use of bookmarks is for navigation to sites that search engines (such as the Google™ Search Engine) do not rank highly or that are otherwise hard to find via a search query. Accordingly, bookmarks that the user continues to use are a valuable resource for the user. An Internet user often has difficulty propagating bookmarks between the various machines on which the user depends. For example, many users have a computer at work and at home. Often, the bookmarks relied on in the work setting are useful at home as well. In most cases, however, the user must manually synchronize the bookmark lists of the two machines. In addition, conventional methods of organizing bookmarks tend to be limited at best, making it difficult for the user to find a favorite site. Some users have attempted to solve the propagation problem by using a commercial product that allows the user to store bookmarks on a server on the web, such as BlinkPro (Blink.com, Inc.; www.blinkpro.com) or BookmarkTracker (BookmarkTracker.com, Inc.; www.bookmarktracker.com). Such products allow the bookmarks to be managed and utilized from a browser application. In some cases, the user can also automatically synchronize each of the user's computers to the common list stored on-line. While storing the bookmarks on-line addresses the propagation problem, such systems fail td address the organizational problems inherent in conventional bookmarks. Various other conventional bookmark-related software products provide the user with functionality to facilitate the use of bookmarks. For example, systems and methods for automatically organizing bookmarks on a client machine, searching previously-stored bookmarks by keyword, and integrating the back, history, and bookmark functions to improve the user's ability to visit previously visited sites have been described (see, e.g., Integrating Back, History and Bookmarks in Web Browsers , Kaasten, S. and Greenberg, S. (2001), In Extended Abstracts of the ACM Conference of Human Factors in Computing Systems (CHI'01), 379-380, ACM Press.). These tools, however, do not effectively leverage the user's preferences to provide personalized search results. Thus, a need exists to provide an improved system and method for providing personalized network searching. | <SOH> SUMMARY <EOH>Embodiments of the present invention provide systems and methods for personalized network searching. In one embodiment, a search engine implements a method comprising receiving a search query, determining a personalized result by searching a personalized search object using the search query, determining a general result by searching a general search object using the search query, and providing a search result for the search query based at least in part on the personalized result and the general result. An embodiment of the present invention may utilize ratings, annotations, history of use, or other data associated with the previously-identified uniform resource locator to locate and sort results. Further details and advantages of embodiments of the present invention are set forth below. | G06F1730867 | 20171226 | 20180503 | 94805.0 | G06F1730 | 1 | LEWIS, CHERYL RENEA | PERSONALIZED NETWORK SEARCHING | UNDISCOUNTED | 1 | CONT-ACCEPTED | G06F | 2,017 |
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15,854,462 | PENDING | LIGHT EMITTING DEVICE | A light-emitting device, comprising: a substrate; a semiconductor stacking layer comprising a first type semiconductor layer on the substrate, an active layer on the first semiconductor layer, and a second semiconductor layer on the active layer; and an electrode structure on the second semiconductor layer, wherein the electrode structure comprises a bonding layer, a conductive layer, and a first barrier layer between the bonding layer and the conductive layer; wherein the conductive layer has higher standard oxidation potential than that of the bonding layer. | 1. A light-emitting device, comprising: a first semiconductor layer; an active layer on the first semiconductor layer; a second semiconductor layer on the active layer; and an electrode structure on the second semiconductor layer, wherein the electrode structure comprises a conductive layer on the second semiconductor layer, a bonding layer on the conductive layer, and a first barrier layer between the bonding layer and the conductive layer, wherein the first barrier layer comprises a third metal layer and a fourth metal layer, the third metal layer or the fourth metal layer comprises a material selected from a group consisting of Cr, Pt, Ti, TiW, W, and Zn, wherein the bonding layer comprises a first metal, the conductive layer comprises a second metal, the second metal has higher standard oxidation potential than the first metal, and wherein a thickness of the conductive layer is 0.1˜10 times a thickness of the bonding layer or a total thickness of the conductive layer and the bonding layer is 0.75˜0.95 times a thickness of the electrode structure. 2. A light-emitting device according to claim 1, wherein the electrode structure further comprises an adhesion layer between the second semiconductor layer and the conductive layer. 3. A light-emitting device according to claim 2, wherein the adhesion layer comprises Cr or Rh, and the adhesion layer comprises a thickness between 5 Å and 50 Å. 4. A light-emitting device according to claim 1, further comprising a mirror layer between the second semiconductor layer and the conductive layer, wherein the mirror layer comprises Al or Ag. 5. A light-emitting device according to claim 4, wherein the mirror layer comprises a thickness between 500 Å and 5000 Å. 6. A light-emitting device according to claim 1, wherein the first metal comprises Au, and the second metal comprises Al, Ag, or Cu. 7. A light-emitting device according to claim 1, wherein the third metal layer is one to three times thicker than the fourth metal layer. 8. A light-emitting device according to claim 4, further comprising a second barrier layer between the mirror layer and the conductive layer, wherein the second barrier layer comprises a fifth metal layer and a sixth metal layer, and the fifth metal layer or the sixth metal layer comprises a material selected from a group consisting of Cr, Pt, Ti, TiW, W, and Zn. 9. A light-emitting device, comprising: a first semiconductor layer; an active layer on the first semiconductor layer; a second semiconductor layer comprising a top surface and formed on the active layer; and an electrode structure on the second semiconductor layer, wherein the electrode structure comprises a conductive layer on the second semiconductor layer, a bonding layer on the conductive layer, and a first barrier layer between the bonding layer and the conductive layer, wherein the first barrier layer comprises a third metal layer and a fourth metal layer, the third metal layer or the fourth metal layer comprises a material selected from a group consisting of Cr, Pt, Ti, TiW, W, and Zn, and wherein an angle between a sidewall of the bonding layer and a first virtual plan parallel to the top surface is larger than an angle between a sidewall of the first barrier layer and the first virtual plan parallel to the top surface, or an angle between a sidewall of the conductive layer and the first virtual plan parallel to the top surface is larger than an angle between the sidewall of the first barrier layer and the first virtual plan parallel to the top surface. 10. A light-emitting device according to claim 9, wherein the bonding layer comprises a first metal, the conductive layer comprises a second metal, and the second metal has higher standard oxidation potential than the first metal. 11. A light-emitting device according to claim 9, wherein the electrode structure comprises an adhesion layer between the conductive layer and the second semiconductor layer, and the adhesion layer comprises Cr or Rh. 12. A light-emitting device according to claim 11, wherein the adhesion layer comprises a thickness between 5 Å and 50 Å. 13. A light-emitting device according to claim 9, further comprising a mirror layer between the second semiconductor layer and the conductive layer, wherein the mirror layer comprises Al or Ag. 14. A light-emitting device according to claim 13, wherein the mirror layer comprises a thickness between 500 Å and 5000 Å. 15. A light-emitting device according to claim 10, wherein the first metal comprises Au, and the second metal comprises Al, Ag, or Cu. 16. A light-emitting device, comprising: a first semiconductor layer; an active layer on the first semiconductor layer; a second semiconductor layer on the active layer; and an electrode structure on the second semiconductor layer, wherein the electrode structure comprises a conductive layer on the second semiconductor layer, a bonding layer on the conductive layer, and a barrier layer between the bonding layer and the conductive layer, wherein the barrier comprises a third metal layer and a fourth metal layer, and the third metal layer is thicker than the fourth metal layer, wherein the electrode structure comprises a center region and an edge region, a thickness of the bonding layer at the edge region of the electrode structure is smaller than that at the center region, a thickness of the barrier layer at the edge region of the electrode structure is smaller than that at the center region, or a thickness of the conductive layer at the edge region of the electrode structure is smaller than that at the center region, and wherein the bonding layer comprises a first most bottom surface formed above a second most bottom surface of the barrier layer or a third most bottom surface of the conductive layer. 17. A light-emitting device according to claim 16, wherein the bonding layer comprises a first metal, the conductive layer comprises a second metal, and the second metal has higher standard oxidation potential than the first metal. 18. A light-emitting device according to claim 17, wherein the first metal comprises Au, and the second metal comprises Al, Ag, or Cu. 19. A light-emitting device according to claim 16, wherein the electrode structure comprises an adhesion layer between the second semiconductor layer and the conductive layer, and the adhesion layer comprises Cr or Rh. 20. A light-emitting device according to claim 19, further comprising a mirror layer between the second semiconductor layer and the conductive layer, wherein the mirror layer comprises Al or Ag. | REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION This application is a continuation application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/357,334, filed on Nov. 21, 2016, which is a continuation application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/049,917, filed on Feb. 22, 2016, which is a continuation application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/854,212, filed on Apr. 1, 2013, now issued, which claims the right of priority based on U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/721,737, filed on Nov. 2, 2012 and the contents of which are hereby incorporated by references in their entireties. TECHNICAL FIELD The present application relates to a light-emitting device with an excellent electrode structure to improve the reliability thereof. DESCRIPTION OF BACKGROUND ART As the light-emitting efficiency is increased and the cost of manufacturing is decreased, the dream for solid lighting device to replace the traditional lighting device may come true in recent years. Currently, the internal light-emitting efficiency of the light-emitting diode is about 50% to 80%, but a part of the light may be absorbed by the electrode or the light-emitting layer so the total light-emitting efficiency is degraded. Therefore, the mirror layer under the electrode has been provided to solve the problem. When the route of the light extracted from the light-emitting layer is blocked by the electrode, the mirror can reflect but not absorbs the light. On the other hand, the electrode has a bonding pad for wire bonding, and the bonding pad is usually made of gold (Au). Since gold (Au) is very expensive, the cost of the electrode is increased. SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE A light-emitting device, comprising: a substrate; a semiconductor stacking layer comprising a first type semiconductor layer on the substrate, an active layer on the first semiconductor layer, and a second semiconductor layer on the active layer; and an electrode structure on the second semiconductor layer, wherein the electrode structure comprises a bonding layer, a conductive layer, and a first barrier layer between the bonding layer and the conductive layer; wherein the conductive layer has higher standard oxidation potential than that of the bonding layer. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIGS. 1A and 1B show a light-emitting device in accordance with the first embodiment of the present application; FIG. 2 shows the detailed structure of an electrode structure in accordance with the first embodiment of the present application; FIGS. 3A and 3B show the detailed structure of an electrode structure in accordance with the second embodiment of the present application; FIG. 4 shows the detailed structure of an electrode structure in accordance with the third embodiment of the present application. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Exemplary embodiments of the present application will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings hereafter. The following embodiments are given by way of illustration to help those skilled in the art fully understand the spirit of the present application. Hence, it should be noted that the present application is not limited to the embodiments herein and can be realized by various forms. Further, the drawings are not precise scale and components may be exaggerated in view of width, height, length, etc. Herein, the similar or identical reference numerals will denote the similar or identical components throughout the drawings. FIG. 1A shows a light-emitting device 1 comprising a substrate 10, a first semiconductor layer 11 having a first polarity, such as an n-type GaN layer, on the substrate 10, an active layer 12 having a structure, such as InGaN-based multiple-quantum-well (MQW) structure, on the first semiconductor layer 11, a second semiconductor layer 13 having a second polarity, such as a p-type GaN layer, on the active layer 12, a transparent conductive oxide layer 14 comprising a first metal material, such as indium tin oxide (ITO), on the second semiconductor layer 13, a top surface S2 of the first semiconductor layer 11 revealed from the active layer 12 and the second semiconductor layer 13, a first electrode structure 61 on the top surface S2, and a second electrode structure 62 on a top surface 51 of the transparent conductive oxide layer 14. The substrate 10 can be an insulating substrate, such as sapphire. In another embodiment, a vertical-type light-emitting device 2 is also disclosed in FIG. 1B by arranging a third electrode structure 63 and the second electrode structure 62 on opposite sides of a conductive substrate 21. The conductive substrate 21 comprises a conductive material, such as metal, e.g. Cu, Al, In, Sn, Zn, W or the combination thereof, or semiconductor, e.g. Si, SiC, GaN, GaAs, etc. The material of the first semiconductor layer 11, the active layer 12, and the second semiconductor layer 13 comprise group III-V compound semiconductor, such as gallium phosphide (GaP), gallium arsenide (GaAs), or gallium nitride (GaN). The first semiconductor layer 11, the second semiconductor layer 13, or the active layer 12 may be formed by a known epitaxy method such as metallic-organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) method, a molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) method, or a hydride vapor phase epitaxy (HVPE) method. The material of the transparent conductive oxide layer 14 comprises transparent conductive oxide material, such as indium tin oxide (ITO), cadmium tin oxide (CTO), antimony tin oxide, indium zinc oxide, zinc aluminum oxide, zinc oxide, and zinc tin oxide. The transparent conductive oxide layer 14 has a predetermined thickness such as smaller than 3000 angstroms and if formed by a evaporation deposition method under chamber conditions of around room temperature, N2 ambient environment, and a pressure between 1×10−4 Torr and 1×10−2 Torr, or preferably around 5×10−3 Torr. First Embodiment FIG. 2 shows an electrode structure 7 which details the first electrode structure 61, the second electrode structure 62, and the third electrode structure 63 in accordance with the first embodiment. The electrode structure 7 comprises a bonding layer 71 for wire bonding, a conductive layer 76 under the bonding layer 71, a mirror layer 72 under the conductive layer 76 for reflecting the light emitted from the active layer 12, an adhesion layer 73 for increasing the adhesion between the mirror layer 72 and the transparent conductive structure 14 or the first semiconductor layer 11, a second barrier layer 74 between the conductive layer 76 and the mirror layer 72 for separating the conductive layer 76 from directly contacting the mirror layer 72, and a first barrier layer 75 between the bonding layer 71 and the conductive layer 76 for separating the conductive layer 76 from directly contacting the bonding layer 71. The bonding layer 71 comprises a first metal, e.g. Au. The thickness of the bonding layer 71 is between 1000 Å and 42000 Å, and preferably is between 5000 Å and 10000 Å. The conductive layer 76 comprises a second metal different from the first metal, e.g. Al, Ag, or Cu. The electrical conductivity of the second metal is 0.1˜10 times the electrical conductivity of the first metal. The first metal is more chemically stable than the second metal, or the second metal has higher standard oxidation potential than the first metal. The thickness of the conductive layer 76 is 0.1˜10 times the thickness of the bonding layer 71. The thickness of the conductive layer 76 depends on the amount of operating current flowing through the electrode structure 7. If the electrical conductivity of the bonding layer 71 is smaller than that of the conductive layer 76 under a low to moderate driving current injected into the electrode structure 7, e.g. 120 mA˜300 mA, a first ratio of the thickness of the conductive layer 76 to the total thickness of the electrode structure 7 is between 0.3 and 0.5. The total thickness of the conductive layer 76 and the bonding layer 71 is about 0.4˜0.7 times the total thickness of the electrode structure 7. If the electrical conductivity of the bonding layer 71 is smaller than that of the conductive layer 76 under a high driving current injected into the electrode structure 7, e.g. 350 mA˜1000 mA, a second ratio of the thickness of the conductive layer 76 to the total thickness of the electrode structure 7, which is greater than the first ratio, is between 0.5 and 0.8. The total thickness of the conductive layer 76 and the bonding layer 71 is about 0.6˜0.9 times the total thickness of the electrode structure 7. If the electrical conductivity of the bonding layer 71 is greater than that of the conductive layer 76, when a low to moderate driving current injects into the electrode structure 7, e.g. 120 mA˜300 mA, a third ratio of the thickness of the conductive layer 76 to the total thickness of the electrode structure 7 is between 0.4 and 0.7, or the total thickness of the conductive layer 76 and the bonding layer 71 is about 0.5˜0.8 times the total thickness of the electrode structure 7. If the electrical conductivity of the bonding layer 71 is greater than that of the conductive layer 76 under a high driving current injected into the electrode structure 7, e.g. 350 mA˜1000 mA, a fourth ratio of the thickness of the conductive layer 76 to the total thickness of the electrode structure 7, which is greater than the third ratio, is between 0.55 and 0.85. The total thickness of the conductive layer 76 and the bonding layer 71 is about 0.75˜0.95 times the total thickness of the electrode structure 7. The mirror layer 72 comprises metal having a reflectivity greater than 80% to the light emitted from active layer 12, e.g. Al or Ag. The thickness of the mirror layer 72 is preferably between 500 Å and 5000 Å. The second barrier layer 74 serves to separate the mirror layer 72 from the conductive layer 76 to prevent the conductive layer 76 from inter-diffusing with the mirror layer 72 at the in-between interface and form low contact resistance and good adhesion between the mirror layer 72 and the bonding layer 71. The second barrier layer 74 comprises a third metal layer and a fourth metal layer stacked on the third metal layer, wherein the fourth metal layer comprises a material different from the third metal layer. In another embodiment, the second barrier layer 74 comprises a plurality of the third metal layers and a plurality of fourth metal layers alternately stacked, e.g. Ti/Pt/Ti/Pt or Ti/Pt/Ti/Pt/Ti/Pt. The third metal layer is preferred about one to three times thicker than the fourth metal layer. The thickness of the third metal layer is between 500 Å and 1500 Å and the thickness of the fourth metal layer is between 250 Å and 750 Å. The third metal layer and the fourth metal layer each comprises a material selected from the group consisting of Cr, Pt, Ti, TiW, W, and Zn. Therefore, the second barrier layer 74 comprises at least two materials selected from the group consisting of Cr/Pt, Cr/Ti, Cr/TW, Cr/W, Cr/Zn, Ti/Pt, Ti/W, Ti/TiW, Ti/W, Ti/Zn, Pt/TiW, Pt/W, Pt/Zn, TiW/W, TiW/Zn, and W/Zn. The first barrier layer 75 serves to separate the bonding layer 71 from the conductive layer 76 to prevent the conductive layer 76 from inter-diffusing with the bonding layer 71 at the in-between interface and form low contact resistance and good adhesion between the bonding layer 71 and the conductive layer 76. The first barrier layer 75 comprises a first metal layer and a second metal layer stacked on the first metal layer, wherein the first metal layer comprises a material different from the second metal layer. In another embodiment, the first barrier layer 75 comprises a plurality of the first metal layers and a plurality of second metal layers alternately stacked, e.g. Ti/Pt/Ti/Pt or Ti/Pt/Ti/Pt/Ti/Pt. The first metal layer is preferred about one to three times thicker than the second metal layer. The thickness of the first metal layer is between 500 Å and 1500 Å and the thickness of the second metal layer is between 250 Å and 750 Å. The first metal layer and the second metal layer each comprises a material selected from the group consisting of Cr, Pt, Ti, TiW, W, and Zn. Therefore the first barrier layer 75 comprises at least two materials selected from the group consisting of Cr/Pt, Cr/Ti, Cr/TW, Cr/W, Cr/Zn, Ti/Pt, Ti/W, Ti/TiW, Ti/W, Ti/Zn, Pt/TiW, Pt/W, Pt/Zn, TiW/W, TiW/Zn, and W/Zn. The adhesion layer 73 is used to increase adhesion between the mirror layer 72 and the transparent conductive structure 14 or the first semiconductor layer 11. The adhesion layer 73 preferably comprises Cr or Rh. The thickness of the adhesion layer 73 is preferably between 5 Å and 50 Å such that the adhesion layer 73 is thin enough to be pervious to the light emitted from the active layer 12. For each of the mirror layer 72, the second barrier layer 74, the conductive layer 76, the first barrier layer 75, and the bonding layer 71, the thickness of each of these layers in an edge region A or B is smaller than that in a center region C. The shape of the electrode structure 7 is approximately a trapezoid, or preferred a non-symmetrical trapezoid with two opposite sides having different slopes. Second Embodiment FIG. 3A shows an electrode structure 8 which details the first electrode structure 61, the second electrode structure 62, and the third electrode structure 63 in accordance with the second embodiment. FIG. 3B shows the scanning electron microscope (SEM) figure of the detailed structure of the electrode structure 8. The difference between the electrode structure 8 of FIG. 3A and the electrode structure 7 of FIG. 2 is that the conductive layer 76 of the electrode structure 7 is divided into two parts, i.e. a first conductive layer 761 and a second conductive layer 762, and a third barrier layer 77 is between the first conductive layer 761 and the second conductive layer 762 to reduce out-diffusing of the first conductive layer 761 and the second conductive layer 762 to the bonding layer 71 or the mirror layer 72 caused by electron migration effect when a high driving current injected into the electrode structure 8. The first conductive layer 761 and the second conductive layer 762 comprise substantially the same material, and the thickness of the first conductive layer 761 is about equal to or of the same order as that of the second conductive layer 762. The third barrier layer 77 comprises a material different from the material of the first conductive layer 761 or the second conductive layer 762. The third barrier layer 77 comprises a single metal layer selected from the group consisting of Cr, Pt, Ti, TiW, W, and Zn. The thickness of the single metal layer is between 500 Å and 1500 Å. For each of the mirror layer 72, the second barrier layer 74, the first conductive layer 761, the third barrier layer 77, the second conductive layer 762, the first barrier layer 75, and the bonding layer 71, the thickness of each of these layers in an edge region A or B is smaller than that in a center region C. The shape of the electrode structure 8 is approximately a trapezoid, or preferred a non-symmetrical trapezoid with two opposite sides having different slopes. Third Embodiment FIG. 4 shows an electrode structure 9 which details the first electrode structure 61, the second electrode structure 62, and the third electrode structure 63 in accordance with the third embodiment. The difference between the electrode structure 9 of FIG. 4 and the electrode structure 7 of FIG. 2 is that the conductive layer 76 of the electrode structure 7 is divided into three parts, i.e. the first conductive layer 761, the second conductive layer 762 and a third conductive layer 763, and the second conductive layer 762 and the third conductive layer 763 is separated by a fourth barrier layer 78. The thicknesses of the first conductive layer 761, the second conductive layer 762 and the third conductive layer 763 are about equal, or of the same order. The fourth barrier layer 78 comprises the same material as the third barrier layer 77. For each of the mirror layer 72, the second barrier layer 74, the first conductive layer 761, the third barrier layer 77, the second conductive layer 762, the fourth barrier layer 78, the third conductive layer 763, the first barrier layer 75, and the bonding layer 71, the thickness of each of these layers in an edge region A or B is smaller than that in a center region C, and each of these layers in the edge region A or B is bended downward toward the active layer 12. The shape of the electrode structure 9 is approximately a symmetrical trapezoid, or preferred a non-symmetrical trapezoid with two opposite sides having different slopes. The foregoing description of preferred and other embodiments in the present disclosure is not intended to limit or restrict the scope or applicability of the inventive concepts conceived by the Applicant. In exchange for disclosing the inventive concepts contained herein, the Applicant desires all patent rights afforded by the appended claims. Therefore, it is intended that the appended claims include all modifications and alterations to the full extent that they come within the scope of the following claims or the equivalents thereof. | <SOH> DESCRIPTION OF BACKGROUND ART <EOH>As the light-emitting efficiency is increased and the cost of manufacturing is decreased, the dream for solid lighting device to replace the traditional lighting device may come true in recent years. Currently, the internal light-emitting efficiency of the light-emitting diode is about 50% to 80%, but a part of the light may be absorbed by the electrode or the light-emitting layer so the total light-emitting efficiency is degraded. Therefore, the mirror layer under the electrode has been provided to solve the problem. When the route of the light extracted from the light-emitting layer is blocked by the electrode, the mirror can reflect but not absorbs the light. On the other hand, the electrode has a bonding pad for wire bonding, and the bonding pad is usually made of gold (Au). Since gold (Au) is very expensive, the cost of the electrode is increased. | <SOH> SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE <EOH>A light-emitting device, comprising: a substrate; a semiconductor stacking layer comprising a first type semiconductor layer on the substrate, an active layer on the first semiconductor layer, and a second semiconductor layer on the active layer; and an electrode structure on the second semiconductor layer, wherein the electrode structure comprises a bonding layer, a conductive layer, and a first barrier layer between the bonding layer and the conductive layer; wherein the conductive layer has higher standard oxidation potential than that of the bonding layer. | H01L3362 | 20171226 | 20180517 | 75592.0 | H01L3362 | 1 | HENRY, CALEB E | LIGHT EMITTING DEVICE | UNDISCOUNTED | 1 | CONT-ACCEPTED | H01L | 2,017 |
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15,855,105 | PENDING | METHOD FOR SIGNALING BANDWIDTH PART (BWP) INDICATORS AND RADIO COMMUNICATION EQUIPMENT USING THE SAME | A method for signaling radio access network (RAN) profile index is disclosed. The method includes transmitting, by a first cell operating on a first component carrier, a first RAN profile indexing message to a user equipment (UE), the first RAN profile indexing message comprising a first plurality of Bandwidth Part (BWP) indicators (e.g., BWP indices) corresponding to a first plurality of BWP configurations, the first plurality of BWP configurations being configured for at least one of a first plurality of component carriers in frequency domain; and transmitting, by the first cell on a first Resource Block (RB) of the first component carrier, a first BWP index, wherein the first BWP index corresponds to a first BWP configuration in the first plurality of BWP configurations for the first plurality of component carriers. | 1. A method for signaling radio access network (RAN) profile index, the method comprising: transmitting, by a first cell operating on a first component carrier, a first RAN profile indexing message to a user equipment (UE), the first RAN profile indexing message comprising a first plurality of Bandwidth Part (BWP) indicators corresponding to a first plurality of BWP configurations, the first plurality of BWP configurations being configured for at least one of a first plurality of component carriers in frequency domain; and transmitting, by the first cell on a first Resource Block (RB) of the first component carrier, a first BWP index, wherein the first BWP index corresponds to a first BWP configuration in the first plurality of BWP configurations for the first plurality of component carriers. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein each of the first plurality of BWP configurations includes at least one of the following: a numerology having a cyclic prefix and a subcarrier spacing configuration; a bandwidth in frequency domain; a frequency location of the BWP configuration; a Control-Resource Set (CORESET) configuration; a transmission type; a uplink (UL) grant free resource configuration; a Semi-Persistent-Scheduling (SPS) configuration; a default BWP indication having an applicable RRC state; and a BWP index corresponding to the BWP configuration. 3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first RAN profile indexing message is contained in at least one radio resource control (RRC) message or in a portion of system information (SI). 4. The method of claim 3, further comprising: transmitting, by the first cell on the first RB as part of a first downlink control information (DCI) message, a BWP indicator field (BIF) contained in the first DCI message to indicate the first BWP configuration; and transmitting, by the first cell, a second plurality of DCI messages, wherein the second plurality of DCI messages is encoded based on a CORESET configuration of the first BWP configuration. 5. The method of claim 4, further comprising: decoding, by the UE, the first RAN profile indexing message; storing, by the UE, the first RAN profile indexing message; decoding, by the UE, the first DCI message to obtain the first BWP index indicated by the first cell; and decoding, by the UE, the second plurality of DCI messages based on the CORESET configuration of the first BWP configuration. 6. The method of claim 5, wherein the second plurality of DCI messages further indicates a first plurality of RB allocations to indicate a first plurality of data RBs for the UE to transmit and/or receive data on the first component carrier, wherein the first plurality of data RBs is encoded based on the first BWP configuration corresponding to the first BWP index. 7. The method of claim 4, wherein the second plurality of DCI messages further comprises: a first SPS activation message, having a first SPS RB allocation, to activate a first SPS configuration, which is provided in the first BWP configuration, wherein the first SPS configuration is in a downlink, uplink, or sidelink direction, wherein the downlink, uplink, or sidelink direction of the first SPS RB allocation is decided by the first SPS configuration; and a first SPS de-activation message for de-activating the first SPS configuration after the first SPS configuration is activated by the first SPS activation message. 8. The method of claim 7, further comprising: decoding, by the UE, the first SPS activation message to obtain the first SPS RB allocation; transmitting or receiving packets continuously in time domain, by the UE, according to the first SPS configuration and the first SPS RB allocation; and suspending, by the UE, the first SPS configuration, and releasing, by the UE, the first SPS RB allocation, after receiving the first SPS de-activation message. 9. The method of claim 4, further comprising: transmitting, by the UE, at least a first UL grant free packet on a first UL grant free resource after the UE decodes the first DCI message, wherein the first UL grant free resource is configured in the first BWP configuration. 10. The method of claim 1, wherein the first plurality of BWP configurations and the corresponding first plurality of BWP indices are configured for each of the first plurality of component carriers independently, and the first plurality of component carriers are operated by at least one of a primary cell (PCell), a secondary cell (SCell), and a primary SCell (PSCell) to the UE. 11. The method of claim 1, further comprising: transmitting, by a second cell on a second RB of a second component carrier as part of a third DCI message, a second BWP index, wherein the second BWP index corresponds to a second BWP configuration in a second plurality of BWP configurations for the second component carrier, wherein the second BWP index is part of the first plurality of BWP indices, and the second plurality of BWP configurations are part of the first plurality of BWP configurations; and decoding, by the UE on the secondary component carrier, the third DCI message to obtain the second BWP index and identify a corresponding one of the second plurality of BWP configurations. 12. The method of claim 11, further comprising: transmitting, by the second cell, a fourth plurality of DCI messages, wherein the fourth plurality of DCI messages further indicates a second plurality of RB allocations to indicate a second plurality of data RBs for UE to transmit and/or receive data on the second component carrier, and the fourth plurality of DCI messages are encoded based on a CORESET configuration of the second BWP configuration; decoding, by the UE, the fourth plurality of DCI messages based on the CORESET configuration of the second BWP configuration; and transmitting or receiving, by the UE, packets based on the fourth plurality of DCI messages and the secondary plurality of RB allocations. 13. The method of claim 12, wherein the fourth plurality of DCI messages further comprises: a second SPS activation message, having a second SPS RB allocation, to activate a second SPS configuration, which is provided in the second BWP configuration, wherein the second SPS configuration is in a downlink, uplink, or sidelink direction, wherein the downlink, uplink, or sidelink direction of the second SPS RB allocation would be decided by the second SPS configuration; and a second SPS de-activation message for de-activating the second SPS configuration after the second SPS configuration is activated by the second SPS activation message. 14. The method of claim 13, further comprising: decoding, by the UE, the second SPS activation message to obtain the second SPS RB allocation; transmitting or receiving packets periodically, by the UE, based on the second SPS configuration and the second SPS RB allocation; suspending, by the UE, the second SPS configuration and releasing, by the UE, the second SPS RB allocation, after receiving the second SPS de-activation message. 15. The method of claim 11, further comprising: transmitting, by the UE, at least a second UL grant free packet on a second UL grant free resource after the UE decodes the third DCI message, wherein the second UL grant free resource is configured in the second BWP configuration. 16. A user equipment (UE) for wireless communication in a wireless communication network, the UE comprising: one or more non-transitory computer-readable media having computer-executable instructions embodied thereon; at least one processor coupled to the one or more non-transitory computer-readable media, and configured to execute the computer-executable instructions to: receive, from a first cell operating on a first component carrier, a first RAN profile indexing message, the first RAN profile indexing message comprising a first plurality of Bandwidth Part (BWP) indicators corresponding to a first plurality of BWP configurations, the first plurality of BWP configurations being configured for at least one of a first plurality of component carriers in frequency domain; and receive, from the first cell on a first Resource Block (RB) of the first component carrier, a first BWP index, wherein the first BWP index corresponds to a first BWP configuration in the first plurality of BWP configurations for the first plurality of component carriers. 17. The UE of claim 16, wherein each of the first plurality of BWP configurations includes at least one of the following: a numerology having a cyclic prefix and a subcarrier spacing configuration; a bandwidth in frequency domain; a frequency location of the BWP configuration; a Control-Resource Set (CORESET) configuration; a transmission type; a uplink (UL) grant free resource configuration; a Semi-Persistent-Scheduling (SPS) configuration; a default BWP indication having an applicable RRC state; and a BWP index corresponding to the BWP configuration. 18. The UE of claim 16, wherein the first RAN profile indexing message is contained in at least one radio resource control (RRC) message or in a portion of system information (SI). 19. The UE of claim 18, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to execute the computer-executable instructions to: receive, from the first cell on the first RB as part of a first downlink control information (DCI) message, a BWP indicator field (BIF) contained in the first DCI message to indicate the first BWP configuration; and receive, from the first cell, a second plurality of DCI messages, wherein the second plurality of DCI messages is encoded based on a CORESET configuration of the first BWP configuration. 20. The UE of claim 19, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to execute the computer-executable instructions to: decode the first RAN profile indexing message; store the first RAN profile indexing message; decode the first DCI message to obtain the first BWP index indicated by the first cell; and decode the second plurality of DCI messages based on the CORESET configuration of the first BWP configuration. 21. The UE of claim 20, wherein the second plurality of DCI messages further indicates a first plurality of RB allocations to indicate a first plurality of data RBs for the UE to transmit and/or receive data on the first component carrier, wherein the first plurality of data RBs is encoded based on the first BWP configuration corresponding to the first BWP index. 22. The UE of claim 19, wherein the second plurality of DCI messages further comprises: a first SPS activation message, having a first SPS RB allocation, to activate a first SPS configuration, which is provided in the first BWP configuration, wherein the first SPS configuration is in a downlink, uplink, or sidelink direction, wherein the downlink, uplink, or sidelink direction of the first SPS RB allocation is decided by the first SPS configuration; and a first SPS de-activation message for de-activating the first SPS configuration after the first SPS configuration is activated by the first SPS activation message. 23. The UE of claim 22, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to execute the computer-executable instructions to: decode the first SPS activation message to obtain the first SPS RB allocation; transmit or receive packets continuously in time domain according to the first SPS configuration and the first SPS RB allocation; and suspend the first SPS configuration, and release the first SPS RB allocation, after receiving the first SPS de-activation message. 24. The UE of claim 19, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to execute the computer-executable instructions to: transmit at least a first UL grant free packet on a first UL grant free resource after the UE decodes the first DCI message, wherein the first UL grant free resource is configured in the first BWP configuration. 25. The UE of claim 16, wherein the first plurality of BWP configurations and the corresponding first plurality of BWP indices are configured for each of the first plurality of component carriers independently, and the first plurality of component carriers are operated by at least one of a primary cell (PCell), a secondary cell (SCell), and a primary SCell (PSCell) to the UE. 26. The UE of claim 16, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to execute the computer-executable instructions to: receive, from a second cell on a second RB of a second component carrier as part of a third DCI message, a second BWP index, wherein the second BWP index corresponds to a second BWP configuration in a second plurality of BWP configurations for the second component carrier, wherein the second BWP index is part of the first plurality of BWP indices, and the second plurality of BWP configurations are part of the first plurality of BWP configurations; and decode, on the secondary component carrier, the third DCI message to obtain the second BWP index and identify a corresponding one of the second plurality of BWP configurations. 27. The UE of claim 26, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to execute the computer-executable instructions to: receive, from the second cell, a fourth plurality of DCI messages, wherein the fourth plurality of DCI messages further indicates a second plurality of RB allocations to indicate a second plurality of data RBs for UE to transmit and/or receive data on the second component carrier, and the fourth plurality of DCI messages are encoded based on a CORESET configuration of the second BWP configuration; decode the fourth plurality of DCI messages based on the CORESET configuration of the second BWP configuration; and transmit or receive packets based on the fourth plurality of DCI messages and the secondary plurality of RB allocations. 28. The UE of claim 27, wherein the fourth plurality of DCI messages further comprises: a second SPS activation message, having a second SPS RB allocation, to activate a second SPS configuration, which is provided in the second BWP configuration, wherein the second SPS configuration is in a downlink, uplink, or sidelink direction, wherein the downlink, uplink, or sidelink direction of the second SPS RB allocation would be decided by the second SPS configuration; and a second SPS de-activation message for de-activating the second SPS configuration after the second SPS configuration is activated by the second SPS activation message. 29. The UE of claim 28, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to execute the computer-executable instructions to: decode the second SPS activation message to obtain the second SPS RB allocation; transmit or receive packets periodically, by the UE, based on the second SPS configuration and the second SPS RB allocation; suspend the second SPS configuration, and release the second SPS RB allocation, after receiving the second SPS de-activation message. 30. The UE of claim 26, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to execute the computer-executable instructions to: transmit at least a second UL grant free packet on a second UL grant free resource after the UE decodes the third DCI message, wherein the second UL grant free resource is configured in the second BWP configuration. | CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION(S) The present application claims the benefit of and priority to a provisional U.S. Patent Application Ser. No. 62/439,434 filed Dec. 27, 2016, entitled “METHOD FOR SIGNALING RAN SLICING INDEX AND RADIO COMMUNICATION EQUIPMENT USING THE SAME,” Attorney Docket No. US60891 (hereinafter referred to as “US60891 application”). The disclosure of the US60891 application is hereby incorporated fully by reference into the present application. FIELD The present application generally relates to wireless communications, and pertains particularly to a method for signaling bandwidth part (BWP) indices and radio communication equipment using the same. BACKGROUND New Radio (NR) has been discussed in the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) as a key technology for supporting the operation of the next generation (the fifth generation (5G)) wireless network. NR technology is expected to provide flexible radio protocol structure and architecture to accommodate a wide variety of service scenario requirements, such as high throughput, high reliability, low latency, and lower energy consumption. RAN profile (also referred to as RAN slicing) is envisioned as a key enabling technology in NR. RAN profile allows a cell in a radio access network to adaptively configure parameters of a physical layer includes waveform parameters, coding parameters, modulation parameters, to accommodate the communications between the base station and the respective user equipments (UEs). It is desirable for a cell to dynamically configure the RAN profile settings to accommodate the communication capability and service requirements of each UE in the cell. However, significant signaling overhead may be required every time the UE communicates (e.g., transmission/reception) with a base station, resulting in a waste of network resources and significant energy consumption. Thus, there is a need in the art for a method for providing RAN profile information with reduced signaling overhead and latency. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Aspects of the exemplary disclosure are best understood from the following detailed description when read with the accompanying figures. Various features are not drawn to scale, dimensions of various features may be arbitrarily increased or reduced for clarity of discussion. FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a radio access network (RAN) profile operation of a cell, in accordance with an exemplary implementation of the present application. FIG. 2A is a diagram illustrating an exemplary paired Bandwidth Part (BWP) configuration, in accordance with an exemplary of the present application. FIG. 2B is a diagram illustrating exemplary unpaired BWPs, in accordance with an exemplary of the present application. FIG. 3 shows a diagram illustrating a method for signaling RAN profile indexing, in accordance with an exemplary implementation of the present application. FIG. 4 illustrates a cell-specific RAN profile indexing operation, in accordance with an exemplary implementation of the present application. FIG. 5 illustrates a user-specific RAN profile indexing operation, in accordance with an exemplary implementation of the present application. FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a RAN profile indexing format for index signaling, in accordance with an exemplary implementation of the present application. FIG. 7 illustrates a diagram of a bitmap indexing format, in accordance with an exemplary implementation of the present application. FIG. 8A is a diagram showing a BWP switching procedure using downlink control information (DCI), in accordance with an exemplary implementation of the present application. FIG. 8B is a diagram showing a BWP activation procedure using DCI, in accordance with an exemplary implementation of the present application. FIG. 9A is a diagram illustrating a method of a RAN profile index provision under carrier aggregation (CA), in accordance with an exemplary implementation of the present application. FIG. 9B is another diagram illustrating a method of a RAN profile index provision under carrier aggregation (CA), in accordance with an exemplary implementation of the present application. FIG. 10A is a diagram illustrating a DCI format having a BWP indicator field (BIF), in accordance with an exemplary implementation of the present application. FIG. 10B is a diagram illustrating a DCI format having a BIF and a Carrier indicator filed (CIF), in accordance with an exemplary implementation of the present application. FIG. 11A is a schematic diagram of a frame structure of a two-level DCI with multiple resource block allocations, in accordance with an exemplary implementation of the present application. FIG. 11B is a diagram illustrating a method of a two-level DCI with multiple resource block allocations, in accordance with an exemplary implementation of the present application. FIG. 12 is a diagram illustrating SPS/GF radio resources in a BWP, in accordance with an exemplary implementation of the present application. FIG. 13A is a diagram illustrating a method of RAN profile index provision with Semi-Persistent-Scheduling (SPS) resource, in accordance with an exemplary implementation of the present application. FIG. 13B a diagram illustrating DL SPS resource reception, in accordance with an exemplary implementation of the present application FIG. 14A is a diagram illustrating a method of RAN profile index provision with grant free (GF) resource transmission, in accordance with an exemplary implementation of the present application. FIG. 14B is a diagram illustrating UL GF resource transmission, in accordance with an implementation of the present application. FIG. 15 is a diagram illustrating a method of a RAN profile index provision under dual-connectivity (DC), in accordance with an exemplary implementation of the present application. FIG. 16A is a schematic diagram illustrating RAN profile indexing acquisition in dual-connectivity, in accordance with an exemplary implementation of the present application. FIG. 16B is a diagram illustrating RAN profile indexing acquisition in dual-connectivity, in accordance with an exemplary implementation of the present application. FIG. 17 is a diagram illustrating a RAN profile index provision for a sidelink mechanism, in accordance with an exemplary implementation of the present application. FIG. 18 is a block diagram illustrating a radio communication equipment for a cell, in accordance with an exemplary implementation of the present application. DETAILED DESCRIPTION The following description contains specific information pertaining to implementations in the present application. The drawings in the present application and their accompanying detailed description are directed to merely exemplary implementations. Unless noted otherwise, like or corresponding elements among the figures may be indicated by like or corresponding reference numerals. Moreover, the drawings and illustrations in the present application are generally not to scale, and are not intended to correspond to actual relative dimensions. For the purpose of consistency and ease of understanding, like features are identified (although, in some examples, not shown) by numerals in the exemplary figures. However, the features in different implementations may be differed in other respects, and thus shall not be narrowly confined to what is shown in the figures. The description uses the phrases “in one implementation,” or “in some implementations,” which may each refer to one or more of the same or different implementations. The term “coupled” is defined as connected, whether directly or indirectly through intervening components, and is not necessarily limited to physical connections. The term “comprising,” when utilized, means “including, but not necessarily limited to”; it specifically indicates open-ended inclusion or membership in the so-described combination, group, series and the equivalent. Additionally, for the purposes of explanation and non-limitation, specific details, such as functional entities, techniques, protocols, standard, and the like are set forth for providing an understanding of the described technology. In other examples, detailed description of well-known methods, technologies, system, architectures, and the like are omitted so as not to obscure the description with unnecessary details. Persons skilled in the art will immediately recognize that any network function(s) or algorithm(s) described in the present application may be implemented by hardware, software or a combination of software and hardware. Described functions may correspond to modules may be software, hardware, firmware, or any combination thereof. The software implementation may comprise computer executable instructions stored on computer readable medium such as memory or other type of storage devices. For example, one or more microprocessors or general purpose computers with communication processing capability may be programmed with corresponding executable instructions and carry out the described network function(s) or algorithm(s). The microprocessors or general purpose computers may be formed of applications specific integrated circuitry (ASIC), programmable logic arrays, and/or using one or more digital signal processor (DSPs). Although some of the exemplary implementations described in the present application are oriented to software installed and executing on computer hardware, nevertheless, alternative exemplary implementations implemented as firmware or as hardware or combination of hardware and software are well within the scope of the present application. The computer readable medium includes but is not limited to random access memory (RAM), read only memory (ROM), erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM), electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), flash memory, compact disc read-only memory (CD ROM), magnetic cassettes, magnetic tape, magnetic disk storage, or any other equivalent medium capable of storing computer-readable instructions. The present application provides a method for signaling RAN parameters adopting a RAN profile indexing mechanism to facilitate the transmission and reception operations, where the RAN profile indices correspond to the physical layer compositions between a cell in a radio access network and at least one mobile station (e.g., a UE). By using the indexing mechanism to indicate the RAN profile information, the amount of signaling overhead and latency incurred for RAN profile may be greatly reduced, while supporting the flexibility of NR network system. A radio communication network architecture (e.g., a long term evolution (LTE) system, a LTE-Advanced (LTE-A) system, or a LTE-Advanced Pro system) typically includes at least one base station, at least one user equipment (UE), and one or more optional network elements that provide connection towards a network. The UE communicates with the network (e.g., a core network (CN), an evolved packet core (EPC) network, an Evolved Universal Terrestrial Radio Access (E-UTRA) network, a Next-Generation Core (NGC), or an internet), through a radio access network (RAN) established by the base station. It should be noted that, in the present application, a UE may include, but is not limited to, a mobile station, a mobile terminal or device, a user communication radio terminal. For example, a UE may be a portable radio equipment, which includes, but is not limited to, a mobile phone, a tablet, a wearable device, a sensor, or a personal digital assistant (PDA) with wireless communication capability. The UE is configured to receive and transmit signals over an air interface to one or more cells in a radio access network. A base station may include, but is not limited to, a node B (NB) as in the LTE, an evolved node B (eNB) as in the LTE-A, a radio network controller (RNC) as in the UMTS, a base station controller (BSC) as in the GSM/GERAN, a new radio evolved node B (NR eNB) as in the NR, a next generation node B (gNB) as in the NR, and any other apparatus capable of controlling radio communication and managing radio resources within a cell. The base station may connect to serve the one or more UEs through a radio interface to the network. A base station may be configured to provide communication services according to at least one of the following radio access technologies (RATs): Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMAX), Global System for Mobile communications (GSM, often referred to as 2G), GSM EDGE radio access Network (GERAN), General Packet Radio Service (GRPS), Universal Mobile Telecommunication System (UMTS, often referred to as 3G) based on basic wideband-code division multiple access (W-CDMA), high-speed packet access (HSPA), LTE, LTE-A, New Radio (NR, often referred to as 5G), and/or LTE-A Pro. However, the scope of the present application should not be limited to the above mentioned protocols. The base station is operable to provide radio coverage to a specific geographical area using a plurality of cells forming the radio access network. The base station supports the operations of the cells. Each cell is operable to provide services to at least one UE within its radio coverage indicated by 3GPP TS 36.300, which is hereby also incorporated by reference. More specifically, each cell (often referred to as a serving cell) provides services to serve one or more UEs within its radio coverage, (e.g., each cell schedules the downlink and optionally uplink resources to at least one UE within its radio coverage for downlink and optionally uplink packet transmissions). The base station can communicate with one or more UEs in the radio communication system through the plurality of cells. A cell may allocate sidelink (SL) resources for supporting proximity service (ProSe). Each cell may have overlapped coverage areas with other cells. As discussed above, the frame structure for NR is to support flexible configurations for accommodating various next generation (e.g., 5G) communication requirements, such as enhanced mobile broadband (eMBB), massive machine type communication (mMTC), ultra reliable communication and low latency communication (URLLC) more efficiently, while fulfilling high reliability, high data rate and low latency requirements. The orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing (OFDM) technology as agreed in 3GPP may serve as a baseline for NR waveform. The scalable OFDM numerology, such as the adaptive sub-carrier spacing, the channel bandwidth, and the Cyclic Prefix (CP) may be also used. Additionally, three candidate coding schemes are considered for NR: (1) low-density parity-check (LDPC), (2) Polar Code, and (3) Turbo Code. The coding scheme adaption may be configured based on the channel conditions and/or the service applications. Moreover, it is also considered that in a transmission time interval Tx of a single NR frame, a downlink (DL) transmission data, a guard period, and an uplink (UL) transmission data should at least be included, where the respective portions of the DL transmission data, the guard period, the UL transmission data should also be configurable, for example, based on the network dynamics of NR. According to exemplary implementations of the present application, various RAN profile techniques are adopted to support the above-mentioned flexibilities in NR. FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a RAN profile operation of a cell, in accordance with an exemplary implementation of the present application. In FIG. 1, each RAN profile may be composed of a corresponding Bandwidth Part (BWP) configuration. As shown in FIG. 1, component carrier 100A includes BWPs 101, 103, and 105. In addition, a cell may assign different resource blocks (RBs) RB1, RB2, RB3, RB4, and RB5 to different UEs in a radio access network. Each RB represents a set of radio resource including, but is not limited to, a group of resource elements spanning a number of subcarriers in the frequency domain and a number of symbols in the time domain. As shown in FIG. 1, the transmission of sub-frame 104 precedes the transmission of sub-frame 106. In the radio access network, each BWP may be configured to provide different physical layer (PHY) compositions. Each BWP configuration may comprise a PHY composition, which may include at least one of the following: a numerology having a cyclic prefix and a subcarrier spacing configuration; a bandwidth in frequency domain; a frequency location of the BWP configuration; Control-Resource Set (CORESET) configurations, which may include control search space configuration for UE to monitor and decode control signalings; a transmission type (e.g., DL, guard, SL, or UL); a uplink (UL) grant free resource configuration; a Semi-Persistent-Scheduling (SPS) configuration; a default BWP indication having an applicable RRC state; and a BWP indicator (e.g., BWP index) corresponding to the BWP configuration. In addition, each BWP configuration may also include a coding scheme, a modulation scheme, and the like. Different BWPs may have the different PHY compositions. For instance, RB1 and RB4 in sub-frame 104, which are configured based on BWP 101, may be configured with 15 kHz sub-carrier spacing, 0.25 ms transmission time interval (TTI), LDPC coding for DL transmission, while RB2 in sub-frame 104, which is configured based on BWP 103, may be configured with 60 kHz sub-carrier spacing, 0.75 ms TTI, and Turbo coding for UL transmission. The cell (e.g., eNB in LTE/LTE-A, NR eNB in NR, or NR gNB in NR) may allocate resource blocks RB1 and RB4 in sub-frame 104 to UE 1 and RB2 in sub-frame 104 to UE2, depending on the capabilities of UE1 and UE2. The cell may reconfigure the BWP configuration(s) to the same UE in a subsequent transmission frame(s) (e.g., sub-frame 106) depending on the required transmission/reception criteria, such as the channel quality (e.g., CQI) between the cell and the UE, the service requirement of the UE and/or the available network resource. For example, sub-frame 106 may have RB1 with a different BWP configuration from that of RB1 in sub-frame 104 to the same UE. In contrast, the cell does not need to reconfigure or indicate the BWP configuration(s) in a subsequent transmission frame(s) to the same UE. For example, BWP 105 is configured to a UE, and RB5 is allocated to this UE in subframe 104. Then, the cell may allocate RB5 to the same UE in sub-frame 106 without further indicating the configured BWP (e.g., BWP 105) to the UE. So, the UE may keep transmit/receive packets on the given RB5 of sub-frame 106 based on the PHY composition of BWP 105. In addition, the size of each resource block in one BWP may vary, and may be dynamically configured based on the scheduling operation. For example, the size of RB5 of BWP 105 allocated in sub-frame 104 is smaller than the size of RB5 (which is also configured by the PHY composition of BWP 105) in sub-frame 106. Since a cell can dynamically configure RAN profile settings (e.g., BWP configurations each having a PHY composition) based on the network operation or applications, the cell may need to constantly communicate with the one or more UEs within its cell coverage and send the PHY compositions adoption information to the UEs for the UEs to be able to properly encode/decode the corresponding RBs, accordingly. As a result, implementations of the present application provide RAN profile indexing signaling mechanisms for an NR communication system capable of reducing the amount of signaling overhead resulting from these dynamic PHY compositions, thereby reducing the radio resource consumption during transmission as well as the latency incurred between end-to-end transmissions. According to an exemplary implementation of the present application, an NR communication system includes at least one base station and at least one UE. The base station provides a radio coverage for a specific geographical area forming a radio access network using a plurality of cells. The cells are communicatively linked to a base station, and the base station coordinates the operations of the cells. The cells may have one or more overlapped coverage areas. Each cell operatively allocates and schedules downlink and uplink resources to the respective UE within its cell coverage. Each cell may further allocate sidelink (SL) resources for supporting proximity service (ProSe) communication. Each cell performs a RAN profile indexing operation and defines a plurality sets of RAN parameters corresponding to a plurality of RAN profiles, where each RAN profile is composed of a corresponding BWP configuration having a PHY composition, and each BWP configuration is identified by a corresponding BWP index. During the execution of the RAN profile indexing operation, a cell assigns each of PHY compositions 1 through N of the respective BWP configurations 1 through N with a corresponding BWP index (e.g., BWP indices 1 through N, wherein N is an integer). Each BWP index has a specific mapping with the PHY composition of the corresponding BWP configuration (e.g., L1 configuration in LTE/LTE-A system). Each of the BWP indices 1 through N and each of the PHY compositions 1 through N have one-to-one correspondence. For example, BWP Index #1 may be configured to correspond to PHY composition of BWP configuration #1 (BWP #1), while BWP Index#2 may be configured to correspond to PHY composition of BWP configuration #2 (BWP #2) and so on. Thereafter, each cell can simply transmit an BWP index corresponding a particular set of RAN parameters, which in turn corresponds to a particular PHY composition of a BWP. In addition, UE may keep encoding and/or decoding RBs based on the given PHY compositions of the BWPs in the subsequent packet transmissions/receptions in the cell until the base station switches the PHY compositions for the UE in the same cell. That is, the BWP index represents the type of RAN profile applied to the corresponding RB(s) assigned to the corresponding UE during subsequent transmissions/receptions, thereby greatly reducing the signaling overhead and the latency that may incur. In one implementation, each cell may periodically signal the RAN profile adaption by broadcasting the BWP index or indices (e.g., through broadcasting system information) to facilitate the transmission and reception operations between the cell and the respective one or more UEs in the cell after executing the RAN profile indexing operation. In some implementations, each cell may send the RAN profile indexing information to one or more UEs within its cell coverage using unicast transmission, for example, when a UE enters the cell coverage (e.g., through dedicated Radio Resource Control signaling to the UE) or upon receiving the request for system information (SI) from the UE. FIG. 2A is a diagram illustrating an exemplary paired BWP configuration, in accordance with an implementation of the present application. In component carrier 200A, paired BWP 202A includes a spectrum and a (portion of) shared PHY composition for both downlink and uplink operations through time division duplex (TDD). In one implementation for paired BWP configuration, the configuration of DL/UL division is part of the PHY composition of the paired BWP configuration. So, a UE can retrieve the configuration DL/UL division after obtaining the BWP index of the corresponding BWP configuration. In some other embodiments, the network may deliver the configuration of DL/UL division by another control signaling, which is encoded and multiplexed based on at least one of the CORESET configurations of the indicated BWP configuration. So, UE may obtain the configuration DL/UL division by searching control signaling based on the retrieved CORESET configuration of the indicated BWP configuration. FIG. 2B is a diagram illustrating exemplary unpaired BWPs, in accordance with an implementation of the present application. As shown in FIG. 2B, DL and UL BWPs are each configured in a separate component carrier. For example, unpaired BWP 202B includes a spectrum of downlink BWP in component carrier 200B, while unpaired BWP 202C includes a spectrum of uplink BWP in component carrier 200C. In one implementation, for unpaired BWPs, DL BWP 202B and UL BWP 202C may be jointly configured with different bandwidths, for example. FIG. 3 shows a diagram illustrating a method for signaling RAN profile indexing, according to an exemplary implementation of the present application. In action 310, cell 304, operating on a component carrier, transmits (e.g., periodically or aperiodically) a RAN profile indexing message to one or more UEs within its cell coverage, for example, using a broadcasting channel (BCH). The RAN profile indexing message at least contains information on a plurality of sets of RAN parameters, each set of the RAN parameters corresponds to the settings (e.g., BWP configuration) of a specific BWP. The RAN profile indexing message also contains a plurality of BWP indices corresponding to the plurality of sets of RAN parameters. Each of the plurality of sets of RAN parameters corresponds to a specific PHY composition. The PHY compositions can each map to a BWP index that corresponds to a specific BWP configuration of a BWP. UE 302, upon receiving the RAN profile indexing message, stores the RAN profile indexing information having the BWP configurations (e.g., PHY compositions) and the corresponding BWP indices for subsequent transmission/reception operations. It should be noted that, in the present implementation, cell 304 may be an NR eNB/gNB in an NR communication network or an eNB in a LTE/LTE-A communication network. In action 320A, cell 304 transmits to UE 302 using a Downlink Control Information (DCI) message in a Physical Downlink Control Channel (PDCCH), where the DCI message may include a BWP index that corresponds to one specific BWP configuration. For example, when cell 304 decides to apply the PHY composition of BWP configuration #2 (i.e., BWP #2) in a Physical Downlink Shared Channel (PDSCH) for downlink (DL) transmission, cell 304 may transmit the DCI message, containing information indicating BWP Index #2, to UE 302 via a PDCCH. In action 322A, UE 302 decodes the DCI message to retrieve the BWP index (e.g., BWP Index #2). Based on the decoded BWP index, UE 302 may further retrieve the corresponding PHY composition of the corresponding BWP (e.g., PHY composition of BWP#2) for the subsequent communication with cell 304. Then, UE 302 may decode subsequent DL packets continuously based on the PHY composition of BWP configuration #2. In action 320B, cell 304 transmits to UE 302 a DCI message in a PDCCH. The DCI message may include resource block allocation information. For example, when cell 304 decides to allocate a specific resource block (e.g., RB1 of FIG. 1) in a Physical Downlink Shared Channel (PDSCH), in which the PHY composition of BWP#2 is applied for downlink (DL) transmission to UE 302, the DCI message may contain information indicating the allocation of assigned RB1 for a subsequent PDSCH for data transmission, for example. In action 330, UE 302 decodes the DCI message to retrieve the resource block allocation information, the allocation of the assigned RB (e.g., RB1) in the subsequent PDSCH for data transmission, for example. In one implementation, the BWP index that corresponds to one of the plurality of sets of PHY compositions for a specific RAN profile (BWP configuration) in action 320A and the resource block allocation information in action 320B may be transmitted to UE 302 from cell 304 in a single DCI message, in which case, UE 302 may decode the DCI message to retrieve both the BWP index (and then retrieve the corresponding PHY composition) and the resource block allocation information. In one implementation, cell 304 may allocate the resource block within the PDSCH through a scheduling operation. Scheduling may involve known resource allocation techniques in the art, the descriptions of which are hereby omitted for brevity. In action 340, cell 304 transmits a PDSCH containing downlink data to UE 302 in the assigned resource block (e.g., RB1). In action 350, UE 302 decodes the assigned resource block (e.g., RB1) in the PDSCH according to the PHY composition of the corresponding to the BWP (e.g., BWP#2). By using the indexing mechanism for RAN profile, UE 302 can decode the DL transmission data with the index information received from cell 304 without requiring additional PHY composition information, thereby reducing signaling overhead and latency. In one implementation, cell 304 may execute a RAN profile indexing operation and update RAN profile settings (e.g., reconfiguring BWP parameters and indices) upon receiving the request for system information from one or more UEs within its cell coverage. Cell 304 may then transmit the updates or the changes to the RAN profile settings to the respective UEs within its cell coverage. In one implementation, cell 304 may execute the RAN profile indexing operation and update RAN profile settings (e.g., reconfigure BWP configurations and BWP indices) upon receiving a report from the core network (CN) indicating the backhaul capability and types of service application processing. The cell may then broadcast the updates or the changes to the RAN profile settings to notify the UEs within its cell coverage. In one implementation, it may be advantageous to allocate the same resource block(s) with the corresponding BWP index(ices) to the same UE. In another implementation, it may be advantageous to allocate the same resource block(s) with the corresponding BWP index(ices) to different UEs. In yet another implementation, it may be advantageous to allocate different resource block(s) with the corresponding BWP index(ices) to different UEs. For example, when a cell is communicating with two UEs (e.g., UE 1 and UE 2) within its cell coverage, the cell may allocate the same resource block to both UEs, but assigning different BWP indices indicating different modulation schemes. For example, the cell may require UE 1 to apply non-orthogonal multiplexing upon receiving the assigned RB, and require UE 2 to apply orthogonal multiplexing upon receiving the assigned RB. In one implementation, the base station may comprise a plurality of radio communication equipments. The plurality of radio communication equipments is configured to support the operation the plurality of cells. More specifically, the radio communication equipments may each be configured to allocate uplink, downlink, and/or sidelink resources to one or more UEs within its cell coverage. The radio communication equipments may each include a built-in memory configured to store the RAN profile information (e.g., BWP configurations and corresponding BWP indices) of the corresponding cell. It is worthy to note that the RAN profile indexing operation may be either cell-based (cell-specific RAN profile) or user-based (user-specific RAN profile) depending on the service requirement and capability of the UE and/or the network resource and system capability of the cell. In other words, RAN profile (e.g., BWP configuration) may be performed based on the overall cell dynamics or performed to accommodate the communication capability of the UE. Various implementations on signaling RAN profile indexing in a radio communication system are next described. In a cell-specific RAN profile scenario, the RAN profile indexing and PHY composition mapping may be common for all serving UEs within the radio coverage of a specific cell. However, different cells may have their own RAN profile indexing mechanisms and PHY composition mappings (to the corresponding BWP) within their respective cell coverages. For example, different cells may have different RAN profile indexing within the coverage of each cell (e.g., the PHY composition of cell 1's BWP configuration #1 (BWP index #1) is different from the PHY composition of cell 2's BWP configuration #2 (BWP index #1)). In one implementation, a cell may include a gNB. In another implementation, a cell may include a remote radio head (RRH). In another implementation, a cell may include a component carrier (CC). In yet another implementation, a cell may include a base station (BS). FIG. 4 illustrates a cell-specific RAN profile operation, in accordance with an exemplary implementation of the present application. Exemplary radio communication system 400 includes a radio access network (RAN) and a core network (CN). The RAN comprises cell 410a and cell 410b. Each cell (e.g., cell 410a/410b) covers a geographical area. The radio coverage of cells 410a and 410b may have an overlapped geographical area as depicted in FIG. 4. Cells 410a and 410b are communicatively linked to a base station (e.g., a physical base station, not explicitly shown in FIG. 4). The operations of cells 410a and 410b may be coordinated by the base station. Radio communication system 400 further includes UEs 413a and 413b presently located within the radio coverage of cell 410a. Radio communication equipment 411a may be deployed in cell 410a to provide the radio converge to the corresponding cell area. Radio communication equipment 411a communicates with the base station, and provides services to UEs 413a and 413b. Radio communication equipment 411b may be deployed in cell 410b to provide the radio converge to the corresponding cell area. Radio communication equipment 411b communicates with the base station, and provides services to the UEs within its cell coverage. As shown in FIG. 4, UE 413b is moving from cell 410a toward cell 410b. Cell 410a adopts the indices 1 through 9 (e.g., BWP indices 1 through 9) for indicating PHY compositions 1 through 9 of BWP configurations 1 through 9, respectively. Cell 410b adopts indices 1′ through 9′ (e.g., BWP indices 1′ through 9′) for indicating PHY compositions F through 9′ of BWP configurations 1′ through 9′, respectively. In the present implementation, indices 1 through 9 adopted by cell 410a are different from indices 1′ through 9′ adopted by cell 410b, respectively. As such, RAN profile indexing acquisition procedures may be required, as UE 413b moves from cell 410a toward cell 410b. During the RAN profile indexing acquisition procedures, cell 410a is the source cell and cell 410b is the target cell. The RAN profile indexing of the cells may be reconfigured by a downlink control message (e.g., RRC signaling, RRCConnecitonReconfiguration). In some implementations, the RAN profile indexing may be reconfigured semi-statically. In some implementations, the RAN profile indexing may be reconfigured dynamically. Moreover, for semi-static reconfiguration, in some implementations, a timer of the cell prevents the cell from reconfiguring the RAN profile indexing for a period of time. After the RAN profile indexing is acquired by the UE, the timer of the cell will start and the UE does not need to trace the RAN profile indexing until the timer of the cell expired. The cell may then reconfigure the timer value to the UE by another signaling. In some implementations, the cell may then reconfigure the timer value to the UE with the RAN profile indexing. Furthermore, when the cell entity is collocated for different PLMNs, the cell can have respective RAN profile indexing for each PLMN. In some implementations, the indication of RAN profile indexing may be transmitted via dedicated RRC message. In some implementations, the indication of RAN profile indexing may be transmitted via periodic SI (System Information). In some implementations, the indication of RAN profile indexing may be transmitted via on-demand SI. Moreover, the core network may also provide its recommends toward the RAN profile indexing. In some implementations, in order to fulfill end-to-end latency requirement, different cells may require different PHY compositions based on the backhaul capability of each cell to the core network. In some implementations, a plurality of cells has a RAN profile indexing, (e.g., a default and common index table for describing the associating composition). Therefore, the cells are not required to provide the RAN profile indexing. Therefore, the RAN profile indexing is configured for all serving UEs within the cell coverage. Different from the cell-specific RAN profile implementation, under a user-specific RAN profile implementation, each UE may have its own dedicated RAN profile indexing and PHY composition mapping information within a cell coverage. The UEs within one cell coverage may have the same or have different RAN profile indexing settings. FIG. 5 illustrates a user-specific RAN profile indexing operation, in accordance with an exemplary implementation of the present application. Exemplary radio communication system 500 includes a radio access network (RAN) and a core network (CN). The RAN includes cell 510a and cell 510b. Each cell (e.g., cell 510a or cell 510b) covers a geographical area. the radio coverage of cells 510a and cell 510b may have an overlapped geographical area as depicted in FIG. 5. The cells are communicatively linked to a base station (e.g., a physical base station, not explicitly shown in FIG. 5). The operations of cells 510a and 510b are coordinated by the base station. UEs 513a and 513b are presently located within the radio coverage of cell 510a, and served by cell 510a. UE 513b is moving toward the cell 510b, such that a handover procedure may be implemented to UE 513b. During the handover procedure, cell 510a is the source cell and cell 510b is the target cell. In FIG. 5, radio communication equipment 511a may be deployed in cell 510a to provide the radio converge to the corresponding cell area. Radio communication equipment 511a communicates with the base station, and provides services to the UEs 513a and 513b. Radio communication equipment 511b may be also deployed in cell 510b to provide the radio converge to the corresponding cell area. Radio communication equipment 511b communicates with the base station, and provides services to the UEs within its cell coverage. UE 513a and UE 513b in the present implementation may support different PHY compositions due to their different capabilities, therefore have different RAN profiles (hence different PHY compositions where each PHY composition corresponds to a specific BWP configuration). UE 513a and UE 513b may have different sets of indices (e.g., BWP indices) and PHY compositions (e.g., BWP configurations) mapping. Specifically, UE 513a may adopt indices 1 through 9 (e.g., BWP indices 1 through 9) corresponding to PHY compositions 1 through 9 (e.g., corresponding to BWP configurations 1 through 9), respectively. UE 513b may adopt indices 1′ through 5′ (e.g., BWP indices 1′ through 5′) corresponding to PHY compositions F through 5′ (e.g., corresponding to BWP configurations 1′ through 5′), respectively. Cells 510a and 510b may execute RAN profile indexing operation based on their individual communication capabilities, types of subscription, service requirements, and QoS requirements of UEs 513a and 513b. In one implementation, the CN in radio communication system 500 may recommend the RAN profile indexing and the PHY composition settings related to UE's RAN profile indexing to cells 510a and 510b based on CN/RAN operation criteria, such as fronthaul and backhaul capabilities. Different cells may require different PHY compositions to fulfill end-to-end latency requirements. In one implementation, the CN may include one or more network elements for configuring RAN profile indexing based on the network operating criteria, such as the fronthaul capability between the UEs and the cells and/or the backhaul capability between the cells in radio communication system 500. In some implementations, each of the UEs may have different RAN profile indexing amount. Moreover, the core network may provide recommendations toward the RAN profile indexing, since different cells may require different PHY compositions (e.g., of the corresponding BWP configurations) to respectively fulfill end-to-end latency requirement of UEs in response to backhaul capability of each cell. In some implementations, the core network may provide recommendations toward the RAN profile indexing, since different cells may require different PHY compositions (e.g., of the corresponding BWP configurations) to respectively fulfill end-to-end latency requirement of UEs in response to front-haul capability of each cell. Furthermore, in some implementations, the cell may exchange the RAN profile indexing with neighboring cells. For example, in handover preparation, the cell may exchange the RAN profile indexing with neighboring cells via X2 interface or S1 interface. Moreover, when a cell does not assign any RAN profile indexing to a UE (e.g., did not signal the UE with an assigned RAN profile indexing during an RRC connection establishment phase), the UE may use a default PHY composition (e.g., a default BWP configuration) for resource block (RB) processing during the transmission/reception operations. In some embodiments, the default PHY composition may be pre-defined in technical specifications. In some implementations, when the cell assigns RAN profile indexing, the cell may further indicate the RAN profile indexing in response to RRC states. If the cell does not indicate the RAN profile indexing for different RRC states, the cell may provide a RAN profile indexing for all RRC states. In some implementations, if the cell does not indicate the RAN profile indexing for different RRC states, the cell may provide a RAN profile indexing for the current RRC state. Moreover, The RRC states include RRC connected state, RRC inactive state, light connected RRC connected state, light connected RRC idle state, and RRC idle state. As shown in FIG. 5, in some implementations, when UE 513b moves from cell 510a to cell 510b, RAN profile indexing acquisition procedures of UE 513b and cell 510b may not be required since cell 510b may support the RAN profile indexing of UE 513b provided by cell 510a. Furthermore, in some implementations, the RAN profile indexing of the UE and the cell may be configured in response to the running applications and cell condition. In some implementations, when a UE roams to another PLMN, the RAN profile indexing of the UE and the cell may be re-assigned by the RAN. In some implementations, when UE roams to another PLMN, the RAN profile indexing of the UE and the cell may be re-assigned by the CN. In some other implementations, when a UE makes an RRC state transition, the RAN profile indexing of the UE and the cell may be configured. Therefore, the RAN profile indexing of the UE and the cell may be configured semi-statically within the cell's coverage. In some other implementations, the RAN profile indexing of a UE and a cell may be configured dynamically within the cell's coverage. Furthermore, the indication of RAN profile indexing may be transmitted via an RRC message. In some implementations, the indication of RAN profile indexing may be transmitted via a MAC Control Element (CE). FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a RAN profile indexing format for index signaling, in accordance with an exemplary implementation of the present application. In one implementation, the RAN profile indexing information may take the form of an information element (IE). FIG. 6 shows an exemplary index format in the form of an information element, according to an exemplary implementation of the present application. As shown in FIG. 6, a RAN profile indexing format in the form of an information element (IE) comprises BWP indices 0 through k, where k is an integer, and each BWP index is associated with a corresponding RAN parameter IE, which comprising a set of RAN parameters. Each RAN parameter IE may include a set of PHY composition fields. Each PHY composition is corresponding to one BWP configuration, where the BWP configuration may include, but is not limited to, a sub-carrier spacing, a multiplexing scheme, a channel coding scheme, a transmission time interval (TTI), a cyclic prefix and a modulation scheme, where the field addresses may be associated with the adopted physical layer parameters linked to and the BWP Index assigned. In one implementation, the IE may further include the RRC states that each BWP configuration is associated with. Each Index in the BWP Index field may be associated with a set of fields within the IE. For example, Index 0 may correspond to a sub-carrier spacing #1, a multiplexing #1, a channel coding scheme #2, a TTI #1, a CP #1, and a modulation scheme #1. Index 1 may correspond to a sub-carrier spacing #1, a multiplexing #1, a channel coding scheme #1, a TTI #1, a CP #1, and a modulation scheme #1. Index k may correspond to a sub-carrier spacing #1, a multiplexing #3, a channel coding scheme #1, a TTI #2, a CP #1, and a modulation scheme #4. It may be advantageous to have the IE cover more transmission related parameters. Thus, the IE shall not be limited by the listed fields/elements shown in FIG. 6. Moreover, a cell may optionally append the fields in the IE based on its determination from the channel condition, the network system capability, and the UE's capability. For the fields that do not appear in the IE, the UE is to apply a set of default parameters. In some implementations, the IE may carry a field of direction (e.g., DL, UL, SL, and etc.). In some implementations, the IE may carry a field of respective field addresses of the adopted parameter for the relevant index. The RAN profile indexing further includes a frame structure (e.g., mini-slot configuration). In some implementations, the IE of a cell may carry fields in response to the cell's decision. For fields not explicitly appeared in the IE, a UE may apply default parameters accordingly. Thus, the default parameters may represent the default parameters stored in hardware module or default RAN profile indexing provided by the RAN or CN or by technical specifications. Among other advantages, using information element to conveying RAN profile indexing for signaling procedure allows a cell to flexibly construct PHY compositions and to map the PHY compositions to the respective information elements based on criteria, such as channel condition, service requirement, quality of service (QoS) requirements and the like. FIG. 7 illustrates a diagram of a bitmap indexing format, in accordance with an exemplary implementation of the present application. In FIG. 7, a predetermined bitmap 710 may be used by a cell for signaling RAN profile indexing. Bitmap 710 has a fixed length and limited number of components. The components include, but are not limited to, sub-carrier spacing 721, channel coding 723, TTI value 725, and CP length 727. Bits can be allocated to represent the PHY composition settings, such as a sub-carrier spacing value, a channel coding mode, a TTI value, a CP length value, a multiplexing mode, and/or a frame type mode. The cell may configure the specific PHY composition setting by manipulating specific bits. The UE can later translate the specific bitmaps to the dedicated PHY compositions of the corresponding BWP configurations. A cell may include a network element specifying the payload lengths of all RAN profile indexing formats, and append the bitmap for each associated index. The bitmap format of RAN profile indexing is valid for all cells and UEs within the radio communication system and UEs regardless of cell-specific or user-specific RAN profile indexing. FIG. 8A is a diagram showing a BWP switching procedure using DCI, in accordance with an exemplary implementation of the present application. As shown in FIG. 8A, component carrier 800A includes a plurality of physical resource blocks 870A. A cell may transmit (e.g., broadcast) packets based on the default BWP 880A to one or more UEs in its coverage area. In one implementation, the cell transmits to a UE, in default BWP 880A, DCI message #1 (DCI #1), where DCI #1 includes a configured BWP index that corresponds to configured BWP 890A, and a switching/activation instruction to switch to configured BWP 890A. When the UE receives DCI #1 in default BWP 880A, the UE decodes DCI #1 to retrieve the BWP index and the switching/activation instruction. The UE may switch to configured BWP 890A based on the decoded BWP index, as shown in FIG. 8A. In one implementation, DCI #2 may be a CORESET. The UE receives the CORESET to receive further control information (PDCCHs) in the CORESET. The PDCCHs in the CORESET may indicate other RBs, which may include data or other control information, for UE to communicate with the RAN. In some implementations, the CORESET configuration is pre-configured with the BWP configuration (through RRC signaling). In some implementations, the CORESET configuration is pre-configured through system information (e.g., Remaining Minimum System Information). The CORESET configuration may include the following information to indicate the location of RBs and its periodicity: (1) a first symbol index: CORESET-start-symb; (2) contiguous time duration of the CORESET in number of symbols; (3) CORESET-time-duration; (4) a set of resource blocks in frequency domain: CORESET-freq-dom. When configured BWP 890A is activated by DCI #1, the UE may know how to receive the CORESET of configured BWP 890A. It should be noted that in the implementation shown in FIG. 8A, default BWP 880A and configured BWP 890A have no overlapping portion in time domain. That is, in component carrier 800A, there is only one active BWP at any given time. On or before the UE switching to configured BWP 890A, default BWP 880A is de-activated. FIG. 8B is a diagram showing a BWP activation procedure using DCI, in accordance with an exemplary implementation of the present application. As shown in FIG. 8B, component carrier 800B includes a plurality of physical resource blocks 870B. A cell may transmit (e.g., broadcast) packets based on the default BWP 880B to one or more UEs in its coverage area. In one implementation, the cell may transmit to a UE, in default BWP 880B, DCI message #1 (DCI #1), where DCI #1 includes a BWP index that corresponds to configured BWP 890B, and a BWP activation instruction to activate configured BWP 890B. When the UE receives DCI #1 in default BWP 880B, the UE decodes DCI #1 to retrieve the BWP index and the activation instruction. The UE may activate the configured BWP 890B. Then, the UE may transmit/receive packets continuously based on the PHY composition of configured BWP 890B. It should be noted that in the implementation shown in FIG. 8B, default BWP 880B and configured BWP 890B may be simultaneously active in time domain. That is, after the UE activates the configured BWP 890B, default BWP 880B may remain active simultaneously with configured BWP 890B in component carrier 800B, as shown in FIG. 8B. FIG. 9A is a diagram illustrating a method of a RAN profile index provision under carrier aggregation (CA), in accordance with an exemplary implementation of the present application. As shown in FIG. 9A, Primary Cell (PCell) 904 and at least one Secondary Cell (SCell) 906 when the CA is configured/activated. PCell 904 and SCell 906 are operated on CC#1 and CC#2, respectively, in the frequency domain. According to CA specifications, control signaling of UE 902 may be provided by PCell 904. In some implementations, radio resource allocation of SCell 906 may be configured by a PDCCH of PCell 904. In some implementations, radio resource allocation of SCell 906 may be configured by a PDCCH of SCell 906. As shown in FIG. 9A, in the present implementation, PCell 904 and the at least one SCell 906 may have different RAN profile indices (e.g., BWP indices) and mappings (RAN profile indexing) for their respective PHY compositions (e.g., BWP configurations). In the present implementation, in action 910, PCell 904 provides RAN profile indexing of PCell 904 to UE 902 (e.g., by system information) in action 912. PCell 904 provides RAN profile indexing of SCell 906 to UE 902 in action 914, for example, by RRC signaling. Therefore, in the RRC signaling, PCell 904 may provide SCell 906's SCell ID and the corresponding RAN profile indexing of SCell 906. Each of SCells 906 may be indicated with an individual RAN profile indexing. In some implementations, PCell 904 may provide the RRC signaling for RAN profile indexing with the configuration of SCell 906. The RAN profile indexing of SCell 906 is still valid even SCell 906 has been deactivated and then be re-activated by PCell 904. Therefore, PCell 904 does not need to re-provide RRC signaling for the RAN profile indexing of SCell 906, when SCell 906 is re-activated by PCell 904. In the present implementation, PCell 904 may also provide RRC signaling with the activation/deactivation of SCell 906. In the present implementation, the indicated RAN profile indexing may be invalid when SCell 906 is deactivated. In the present implementation, the RAN profile indexing of PCell 904 may be applied to SCell 906, when a valid RAN profile indexing of SCell 906 is not indicated by PCell 904. As shown in FIG. 9A, after providing the RAN profile indexing message in action 910, PCell 904 in action 922 (of action 920) transmits to UE 902 a DCI message (DCI #1) in a component carrier (CC#1) via a PDCCH (PDCCH #1), where the DCI message includes the resource allocation of PCell 904 (e.g., RB1) and the corresponding BWP index (e.g., BWP index #2) which corresponds to one of the plurality of sets of PHY compositions (with a corresponding BWP configuration) of PCell 904 (e.g., BWP configuration #2). In action 924 (of action 920), PCell 904 transmits data/control signaling to UE 902 on RB1 in a component carrier via a PDCCH (e.g., via PDCCH #2 in CC #1) based on BWP configuration #2. In action 930, the UE 902 decodes RB1 based on the PHY composition of BWP configuration #2 (e.g., BWP #2). In one implementation, RB1 may be located in the CORESET on BWP #2. PCell 904 may not indicate the location of RB1 explicitly in action 922. Instead, UE 902 may implement blind decoding in action 930 based on the CORESET configuration of the BWP configuration corresponding to BWP index #2, thus the resource allocation of RB1 may not be provided in action 922. In action 940, for the resource allocation of SCell 906, in some implementations, in action 942, PCell 904 transmits to UE 902 a DCI message (DCI #2) in a component carrier (CC #1) via a PDCCH (PDCCH #3), where the DCI message includes the resource allocation of SCell 906 (e.g., RB2 in CC #2) and the corresponding BWP index (e.g. BWP index #4) that corresponds to one of the plurality of sets of PHY compositions (with a corresponding BWP configuration) of SCell 906 (e.g., BWP configuration #4). In action 944 (of action 940), SCell 906 transmits data/control signaling to UE 902 on RB2 in a component carrier via a PDCCH (e.g., via PDCCH #4 in CC#2) based on BWP configuration #4. In action 946, the UE 902 decodes RB2 based on BWP index #4, which corresponds to BWP configuration #4 of SCell 906. In one implementation, RB2 may be located in the CORESET on BWP #4. SCell 906 may not need to indicate the location of RB2 explicitly in action 942. Instead, UE 902 may implement blind decoding in action 946 based on the CORESET configuration of the BWP configuration corresponding to BWP index #4, thus the resource allocation of RB2 may not be provided in action 942. FIG. 9B is a diagram illustrating a method of a RAN profile index provision under carrier aggregation (CA) of an exemplary implementation of the present application. In FIG. 9B, actions 912, 914, 920, 922, 924, and 930 may be substantially similar to actions 912, 914, 920, 922, 924, and 930, respectively, in FIG. 9A. As shown in FIG. 9B, for the resource allocation of SCell 906, in action 952, SCell 906 transmits to UE 902 a DCI message (DCI #3) in a component carrier (CC#2) via a PDCCH (PDCCH #3), where the DCI message includes the resource allocation of SCell 906 and the corresponding BWP index (e.g., BWP index #3) that corresponds to resource block allocation information (e.g., RB3 in CC#2) which corresponds to one of the plurality of sets of PHY compositions (with a corresponding BWP configuration) of SCell 906 (e.g., BWP configuration #3). In action 954, SCell 906 transmits data/control signaling to UE 902 on RB3 in CC #2 via PDCCH #4. In action 956, the UE 902 decodes RB3 on PDCCH #4 of SCell 906 based on BWP index #3, which corresponds to PHY composition of BWP configuration #3 (e.g., BWP #3) of SCell 906. In some implementations, in Long Term Evolution (LTE) architecture, an eNB may provide a default RAN profile indexing to the UE 902 in the carrier aggregation. The default RAN profile indexing to different CC may be decided independently. The eNB may decide the (default) RAN profile indexing of each cell in response to capability of the UE 902. According to implementations of the present application, a DCI message may include a Bandwidth Part indicator field (BIF). Table 1 below shows that each BIF represents a different BWP index (e.g., RAN profile index). TABLE 1 BIF and the Corresponding BWP indices BIF Note 00 BWP index #0 01 BWP index #1 10 BWP index #2 11 BWP index #3 FIG. 10A is a diagram illustrating a DCI format having a BIF, in accordance with an exemplary implementation of the present application. After receiving the DCI, the UE may know which BWP is to be activated/de-activated based on the received BIF. For example, an inactive BWP may be activated, when the UE receives the corresponding BIF in a DCI. Also, an active BWP may be de-activated if the UE receives the corresponding BIF in a DCI. FIG. 10B is a diagram illustrating a DCI format having a BIF and a Carrier indicator filed (CIF), in accordance with an exemplary implementation of the present application. The DCI format shown in FIG. 10B may be applied for cross carrier BWP activation/de-activation. CIF is for the UE to recognize which cell that the RAN wants to indicate (e.g. SCell#1). The CIF in implementations of the present application may be substantially similar to CIF in the LTE protocols. So, after receiving the DCI, for example, having a CIF (e.g., pointing to SCell #1) and a BIF (e.g., BIF=01), the UE may know that it needs to activate/de-activate BWP configuration #1 in SCell #1. Also, it should be noted that, since each cell may have different BWP configurations, the BWP configurations of BWP index #1 in SCell #1 may be different from the BWP configuration of BWP index #1 in other serving cells (if any). FIG. 11A is a schematic diagram of a frame structure of a two-level DCI with multiple resource block allocations, in accordance with an exemplary implementation of the present application. As shown in FIG. 11A, the frame structure of sub-frame 1100, provided by a cell, includes PDCCH 1111, a plurality of mini-slots 1113A, 1113B, and 1113C, and control search space 1115A, 1115B, and 1115C in mini-slots 1113A, 1113B, and 1113C, respectively. In the present implementation, PDCCH 1111 is at the beginning of the sub-frame 1100 and an active UE (not shown) is acknowledged to monitor PDCCH 1111 in sub-frame 1100. As shown in FIG. 11A, in the present implementation, DCI #0 in PDCCH 1111 includes one BWP index which corresponds to one BWP configuration. Then, after decoding the BWP index successfully, a UE may retrieve the corresponding PHY composition, which also includes the CORESET configuration (e.g., the configuration of mini-slots 1313A, 1113B, and 1113C and the control (ctrl) search space 1115A, 1115B, and 1115C in each mini-slot, respectively) of the indicated BWP. Then, based on the CORESET configuration, the UE may search the control (ctrl) search space in the mini-slots to find out and decode RB_A, RB_B and RB_C successfully (e.g., through blind decoding). In some implementations, DCI #0 is scrambled by a specific Radio Network Temporary Identifier (RNTI). Therefore, in some implementations, the UE may decode control signals based on the specific RNTI. After decoding DCI #0 successfully, the UE may retrieve the structure of sub-frame 1100, which includes the number of mini-slots 1113A, 1113B, and 1113C and the time span (e.g., the number of symbols in time domain) for each of mini-slots 1113A, 1113B, and 1113C respectively. In addition, the UE may know the control search space of each mini-slot, so that the UE may also find out RB_A, RB_B, and RB_C in each mini-slot successfully. In some implementations, PDCCH 1111 includes resource allocations of control channel in each of mini-slots 1113A, 1113B, and 1113C. FIG. 11B is a diagram illustrating a method of a two-level DCI with multiple resource block allocations, in accordance with an exemplary implementation of the present application. As shown in FIG. 11B, in action 1110, cell 1104 transmits (e.g., periodically or aperiodically) a RAN profile indexing message to UE 1102 within its cell coverage, for example, using a dedicated control signaling (e.g. RRC signaling). The RAN profile indexing message at least contains information on a plurality of sets of RAN parameters, each set of the RAN parameters corresponds to the settings (e.g., BWP configuration) of a specific BWP. The RAN profile indexing message also contains a plurality of BWP indices corresponding to the plurality of sets of RAN parameters. Each of the plurality of sets of RAN parameters corresponds to a specific PHY composition. The PHY compositions can each map a BWP index that corresponds to a specific BWP configuration of a BWP. UE 1102, upon receiving the RAN profile indexing message, stores the RAN profile indexing information having the BWP configurations (e.g., PHY compositions) and the corresponding BWP indices for subsequent transmission/reception operations. It should be noted that cell 1104 may be an NR eNB/gNB in an NR communication network or an eNB in a LTE/LTE-A communication network. In action 1120, cell 1104 transmits to UE 1102 using a DCI message (DCI #0) in a PDCCH (PDCCH #1), where the DCI message may include a BWP index (e.g., BWP index #3) that corresponds to one BWP configuration, which also includes the configuration of mini-slots. For example, when cell 1104 decides to apply the PHY composition of BWP configuration #3 in a PDSCH for DL transmission, cell 1104 may transmit the DCI message, containing information indicating BWP index #3, to UE 1102 via PDCCH #1. In action 1130, UE 1102 decodes the DCI #0 for obtaining the configurations of the mini-slots and the PHY compositions for control signaling. In action 1140, cell 1104 transmits RB_A in the control search space 1115A in mini-slot 1113A. In action 1150, UE 1102 obtains a control message RB_A and decodes the control message RB_A based on BWP index #3 (corresponding to PHY composition of BWP configuration #3, BWP #3) for obtaining DCI #X. In the present implementation, the DCI #X includes resource allocation of RB_X. The RB_X may also be encoded and multiplexed based on the PHY composition of BWP configuration #3. In action 1162, cell 1104 transmits RB_X having DL data in mini-slot 1113A to UE 1102. In action 1164, cell 1104 transmits RB_B in the control search space 1115B in mini-slot 1113B to UE 1102. In action 1170, UE 1102 obtains a control message RB_B and decodes the control message RB_B based on BWP index #3 (corresponding to PHY composition of BWP configuration #3, BWP #3) for obtaining DCI #Y. In the present implementation, the DCI #Y includes resource allocation of RB_Y. The RB_Y may also be encoded and multiplexed based on the PHY composition of BWP configuration #3. In action 1182, cell 1104 transmits to UE 1102 RB_Y having DL data in mini-slot 1113B. In action 1184, cell 1104 transmits RB_C to UE 1102 in the control search space 1115C in mini-slot 1113C. In action 1190, UE 1102 obtains a control message RB_C and decodes the control message RB_C based on BWP index #3 (corresponding to PHY composition of BWP configuration #3, BWP #3) for obtaining DCI #Z. In the present implementation, the DCI #Z includes resource allocation of RB_Z. The RB_Z may also be encoded and multiplexed based on the PHY composition of BWP configuration #3. In action 1192, cell 1104 transmits to UE 1102 RB_Z having DL data in mini-slot 1113C. Consequently, UE 1102 can follow the indicated RAN profile indexing to respectively decode the corresponding RB_X, RB_Y, RB_Z based on the PHY composition of BWP configuration #3. In the present implementation, RB_X, RB_Y, RB_Z include data that cell 1104 delivers to UE 1102 in mini-slots 1113A, 1113B, and 1113C, respectively. It should be noted that, the mini-slot configurations, which are part of a CORESET configuration, are pre-configured in the PHY composition. Thus, the UE may retrieve the mini-slot configuration after obtaining BWP index #3 is delivered by cell 1104 in DCI #0. It should be noted that in blocks 1150, 1170, and 1190, since RB_X, RB_Y, and RB_Z are in the same BWP activated by BWP index #3, and since each of DCI #X, DCI #Y, and DCI #Z does not specify a RAN profile index, RB_X, RB_Y, and RB_Z are decoded based on BWP Index #3 corresponding to PHY composition #3, which is transmitted from cell 1104 to UE 1102 in DCI #0. It should be noted that the CORESET configuration may be pre-configured in one BWP configuration (the ctrl fields in one sub-frame). When the BWP is activated, the UE may know where to find the CORESET (e.g., control fields in each mini-slot). So, the UE may find RB_A, RB_B, and RB_C in the CORESETs (e.g., through blind decoding). Then, the UE may know to receive RB_X, RB_Y, and RB_Z, in subsequent receptions. It is noted that the methods can be applied to DL, UL, and SL. For uplink (UL) transmission, both UL Grant Free (GF) transmission (Type 1) and UL Semi-Persistent-Scheduling (SPS) transmission (Type 2) are supported in NR. For Type 1-UL GF transmission, gNB may provide GF resource to UE through dedicated signaling (e.g., RRC signaling). The GF resource can be considered a group of resource blocks, which may be shared among UEs. In addition, the GF resources may appear periodically. For Type 2-UL SPS transmission, gNB may provide SPS resource to UE through RRC signalings. However, it is worthy to note that, while the RRC signalings may configure the periodicity of the SPS resource, gNB may need to activate a SPS resource through DCI, which includes the location of resource blocks and further configuration (e.g., modulation and coding scheme, and etc.). For Type 1-UL GF transmission, a UE can apply GF resource after receiving RRC signaling which configures the GF resource. For Type 2-UL SPS transmission, a UE needs to use a DCI to activate/de-activate a SPS resource, since the RAN may provide the resource location and size only through the DCI. FIG. 12 is a diagram illustrating SPS/GF radio resources in a BWP, in accordance with an exemplary implementation of the present application. As shown in FIG. 12, BWP #1 in component carrier 1200A includes SPS or GF UL resources which may be periodic UL resources for a US to transmits UL packets without dynamic grant. With the introduction of BWP switching/BWP activation, the impact of BWP on Type 1 and Type 2 resources will be discussed below. In one implementation, a BWP may be configured with one or more Type 1-GF resources, where all of the configured Type 1-GF resources may be activated automatically when the base station actives one BWP through a DCI. In addition, all of the configured Type 1-GF resources may not be activated with the de-activation of BWP. It is also noted that a UE may keep the configuration of de-activated Type 1-GF resource when the BWP is de-activated. In another implementation, each cell may be configured with one or more Type 2-SPS resources. For each Type 2-SPS configuration, the UL grant and the PHY composition of resource may vary with the BWP activation/de-activation. Thus, RAN may change the BWP index of the SPS for UE to transmit UL packet based on different BWP configurations. FIG. 13A is a diagram illustrating a method of RAN profile index provision with Semi-Persistent-Scheduling (SPS) resource, in accordance with an exemplary implementation of the present application. FIG. 13B a diagram illustrating DL SPS resource reception, in accordance with an exemplary implementation of the present application. As shown in FIGS. 13A and 13B, in action 1310, cell 1304 transmits a RAN profile indexing message to UE 1302 within its cell coverage, for example, using a dedicated control message (e.g., RRC signaling). The RAN profile indexing message at least contains information on a plurality of sets of RAN parameters, each set of the RAN parameters corresponds to the settings (e.g., BWP configuration) of a specific BWP. The RAN profile indexing message also contains a plurality of BWP indices corresponding to the plurality of sets of RAN parameters. Each of the plurality of sets of RAN parameters corresponds to a specific PHY composition. The PHY compositions can each map to a BWP index that corresponds to a specific BWP configuration of a BWP. UE 1302, upon receiving the RAN profile indexing message, stores the BWP configurations (e.g., PHY compositions) and the corresponding BWP indices for subsequent transmission/reception operations. It should be noted that, in the present implementation, cell 1304 may be an NR eNB/gNB in an NR communication network or an eNB in a LTE/LTE-A communication network. In action 1320, cell 1304 transmits a DCI message (DCI #1) to UE 1302, where the DCI message may include the configurations of the mini-slots, and an BWP index (e.g., BWP index #6) that corresponds to one of the plurality of sets of PHY compositions corresponding to a specific BWP configuration (e.g., BWP #6). For example, when cell 1304 decides to apply the PHY composition of BWP configuration #6 in a PDSCH for DL transmission, cell 1304 may transmit the DCI message, containing information indicating BWP index #6, to UE 1302. Cell 1304 may also configure the periodicity (periodicity #6 in FIG. 13B) of the SPS resource, for example, within the BWP configuration #6. In action 1330, cell 1304 transmits a DCI message (DCI #2) to UE 1302, where the DCI message includes the location of resource blocks (e.g., SPS resource #6) and other configurations (e.g., modulation and coding scheme, and etc.) of the SPS resources needed to activate the SPS packet reception in BWP #6. In action 1340, UE 1302 receives resource blocks (e.g., RB_A, RB_B, and etc.) and decodes the resource blocks using BWP index #6 corresponding to PHY composition of BWP configuration #6 configured by cell 1304. As shown in FIG. 13B, RB_A and RB_B and the subsequent continuous DL packet transmissions before the reception of DIC #3 are transmitted periodically according to the periodicity of BWP #6. In action 1352, cell 1304 transmits a DCI message (DCI #3) to UE 1302, where the DCI message with an BWP index (e.g., BWP index #8) that corresponds to another one of the plurality of sets of PHY compositions for a specific BWP configuration (e.g., BWP #8). Upon decoding DCI #3, UE 1302 switches from BWP #6 to BWP #8, as BWP index #8 (hence BWP index #8) was indicated in DCI #3. In action 1354, cell 1304 transmits a DCI message (DCI #4) to UE 1302, where the DCI message includes the location of resource blocks (e.g., SPS resource #8) and other configurations (e.g., modulation and coding scheme, and etc.) of the SPS resources needed to activate the SPS packet reception in BWP #8. In some implementations, the information in DCI #3 and DCI #4 may be merged in one DCI, such that UE 1302 can access SPS resources directly after the BWP switching. In some other implementations, one BWP may be configured with multiple SPS configurations. In such condition, each SPS configuration may be configured with a SPS index in each BWP. In addition, in DCI #4, Cell 1304 may include at least one SPS index in the DCI #4, so that UE 1302 may know which SPS configuration is activated by DCI #4. In action 1360, UE 1302 receives resource blocks (e.g., RB_X, RB_Y, and etc.) and decodes the resource blocks using BWP index #8 corresponding to PHY composition of BWP configuration #8 configured by cell 1304. As shown in FIG. 13B, RB_X and RB_Y and the subsequent continuous DL packet transmissions before the reception of DIC #5 are transmitted periodically according to the periodicity of SPS configuration in BWP #8. In action 1370, cell 1304 transmits a DCI message (DCI #5) to UE 1302, where the DCI message includes BWP index #8. Upon decoding DCI #5, UE 1302 knows to de-activate SPS packet reception in BWP #8. It should be noted that although FIGS. 13A and 13B apply to DL SPS resource reception on the UE side, similar approach may be applicable to UL and sidelink SPS resource transmission. FIG. 14A is a diagram illustrating a method of RAN profile index provision with grant free (GF) resource transmission, in accordance with an exemplary implementation of the present application. FIG. 14B is a diagram illustrating UL GF resource transmission, in accordance with an implementation of the present application. As shown in FIGS. 14A and 14B, in action 1410, cell 1404 transmits a RAN profile indexing message to UE 1402 within its cell coverage, for example, using a dedicated control signaling (e.g. RRC signaling). The RAN profile indexing message at least contains information on RAN profile settings having a plurality of sets of RAN parameters, and a plurality of indices which are corresponding to The RAN profile indexing message at least contains information on a plurality of sets of RAN parameters, each set of the RAN parameters corresponds to the settings (e.g., BWP configuration) of a specific BWP. The RAN profile indexing message also contains a plurality of BWP indices corresponding to the plurality of sets of RAN parameters. Each of the plurality of sets of RAN parameters corresponds to a specific PHY composition. The PHY compositions can each map to a BWP index that corresponds to a specific BWP configuration of a BWP. UE 1402, upon receiving the RAN profile indexing message, stores BWP configurations (e.g., PHY compositions) and the corresponding BWP indices for subsequent transmission/reception operations. It should be noted that cell 1404 may include an NR eNB/gNB in an NR communication network or an eNB in a LTE/LTE-A communication network. In action 1420, cell 1404 transmits a DCI message (DCI #I) to UE 1402, where the DCI message may include a BWP index (BWP index #I) that corresponds to one of the plurality of sets of PHY compositions of a specific BWP configuration #I (e.g., BWP #I). For example, when cell 1404 may decide to have UE 1402 apply the PHY composition of BWP configuration #I for UL transmission, cell 1404 may transmit the DCI message, containing information indicating BWP index #I, to UE 1402. GF resource configuration and the periodicity of the GF resource are provided within the PHY composition corresponding to BWP configuration #I. In action 1430, UE 1402 may transmit data to cell 1404 based on UL GF configuration in BWP index #I. As can be seen in FIG. 14B, the GF resources may appear periodically such that UE 1402 may transmit RB_A, RB_B, RB_C, and etc. to cell 1404 using the periodic GF resources in BWP #I. In action 1440, cell 1404 transmits a DCI message (DCI #B) to UE 1402, where the DCI message includes an BWP index (BWP Index #J) that corresponds to one specific BWP configuration (BWP #J). Upon decoding DCI #B, UE 1402 switches from BWP #1 to BWP #J, as BWP index #J was indicated in DCI #B. In one implementation, cell 1404 may provide GF resources to UE 1402 through a BWP configuration (e.g., in the configuration of BWP #J). In action 1450, UE 1402 may transmit data to cell 1404 based on UL GF configuration in BWP index #J. As can be seen in FIG. 14B, the GF resources may appear periodically such that UE 1402 may transmit RB_X, RB_Y, and etc. to cell 1404 using the periodic GF resources in BWP #J. It should be noted that although FIGS. 14A and 14B apply to UL GF resource transmission, similar approach may be applicable to DL GF resource transmission. FIG. 15 is a diagram illustrating a method of a RAN profile index provision under dual-connectivity (DC), in accordance with an exemplary implementation of the present application. As shown in FIG. 15, in action 1510, PCell 1504 and PsCell 1506 may need to negotiate with UE 1502 for acquiring RAN profile indexing. In some implementations, PCell 1504 may have different RAN profile indexing from PsCell 1506. As shown in FIG. 15, in action 1522, PCell 1504 provides the resource allocation (e.g., RB 1) and the corresponding BWP index (e.g., BWP index #2) via PDCCH #1 in CC#1 to UE 1502 for DL resource allocation in PCell 1504. In action 1524, PCell 1504 transmits RB1 to UE 1502 via PDSCH #1 in CC #1. In action 1530, UE 1502 performs RB1 decoding in response to PHY composition of BWP #2. Moreover, for the resource allocation of PsCell 1506, in action 1552, PsCell 1506 indicates the resource allocation of PsCell 1506 (e.g., RB2) and the corresponding BWP index (BWP index #4) via PDCCH #2 in CC#2. In action 1554, PsCell 1506 transmits RB2 to UE 1502 via PDSCH #2 in CC #2. Therefore, in action 1556, UE 1502 receives RB2 on the PDSCH #2 of PsCell 1506 in CC#2 (e.g. CC#2 acts as a PCC in SeNB) and then decodes RB2 in response to PHY composition of BWP #4 of PsCell 1506. In some implementations, PCell 1504 and PsCell 1506 may broadcast the RAN profile indexing via system information. In some implementations, PCell 1504 and PsCell 1506 may unicast the RAN profile indexing via RRC signaling. In the present implementation, PsCell 1506 is required to acquire capability of UE 1502 for facilitating respective RAN profile indexing and scheduling. Moreover, PCell 1504 and PsCell 1506 may need to negotiate with UE 1502 for acquiring RAN profile indexing. In some implementations, PCell 1504 may have different RAN profile indexing from PsCell 1506. Furthermore, in some implementations, PCell 1504 may relay RAN profile information of PsCell 1506 to UE 1502 and vice versa (i.e., relay capability information of UE 1502 to PsCell 1506), if PsCell 1506 does not negotiate with UE 1502 directly. In some implementations, PCell 1504 belongs to a MeNB (Master eNB) controlled by a MCG (Master Cell Group). The MCG may include a group of cells (e.g., component carriers) and UE 1502 communicates with one PCell in the MCG. The RAN profile indexing in CA of FIG. 9A and FIG. 9B can be implemented in the MCG. In some implementations, PsCell 1506 belongs to a SeNB (Secondary eNB) controlled by a SCG (Secondary Cell Group). The SCG may include a group of cells and the UE communicates with one PsCell in the SCG. The RAN profile indexing in CA of FIG. 9A and FIG. 9B can be implemented in the SCG. Moreover, the MCG and the SCG may be implemented on different RAT. In some implementations, the MCG is implemented on LTE advanced. In some implementations, the MCG is implemented on LTE-Advanced Pro. In some implementations, the SCG is implemented on NR. In some implementations, the MCG is implemented on NR. In some implementations, the SCG is implemented on LTE Advanced, and in more implementations, the SCG is implemented on LTE-Advanced Pro. More specifically, either MCG or SCG implemented on LTE/LTE-Advanced Pro, a default RAN profile (e.g., default BWP configuration) is applied. FIG. 16A is a schematic diagram illustrating RAN profile indexing acquisition in dual-connectivity, in accordance with an exemplary implementation of the present application. As shown in FIG. 16A, in the present implementation, MeNB 1604 may provide the RAN profile indices (e.g., BWP indices), PHY compositions (e.g., BWP configurations), and software/hardware/backhaul/front-haul capabilities of MCG, and SCG provided by SeNB 1606, since SeNB 1606 may not negotiate with UE 1602 directly. Then, MeNB 1604 may deliver RAN profile indexing message, covering both MCG and SCG in RAN profile indexing acquisition procedure. More specifically, when bearer splitting is configured (e.g., for dual connectivity), a common RAN profile indexing may be required to support the packet transmission/reception between UE 1602 and MeNB 1604/SeNB 1606. Moreover, in some implementations, the RAN profile indexing would be modified once the combination of MCG or/and SCG is changed. In another implementation, MeNB 1604/SeNB 1606 may decide the RAN profile indexing of MCG/SCG in response to the capability of MCG/SCG respectively. Moreover, MeNB 1604 may negotiate with UE 1602 directly during the RAN profile indexing acquisition process. MeNB 1604 may help relay the signaling between SeNB 1606 and UE 1602 during the RAN profile indexing acquisition procedure. MeNB 1604 may signal RAN profile indexing, for example, one for MCG and another for SCG to UE 1602. Moreover, SeNB 1606 may still decide the RAN profile indexing of SCG. Therefore, the RAN profile indexing of MCG and SCG are respectively provided via the signaling of MeNB 1604. Thus, the RAN profile indexing of SCG may be changed once the combination of SCG is changed. Since MeNB 1604 dominantly negotiates with UE 1602, the RAN profile indexing of both MCG and SCG may become invalid once MeNB 1604 is changed. In some implementations, MeNB 1604 and SeNB 1606 may need to negotiate with each other for deciding the RAN profile indexing of MCG and SCG, when bearer splitting is applied. FIG. 16B is a diagram illustrating RAN profile indexing acquisition in dual-connectivity, in accordance with an exemplary implementation of the present application. As shown in FIG. 16B, MeNB 1604 and SeNB 1606 may individually/separately negotiate with UE 1602 during the RAN profile indexing acquisition procedure. Therefore, MeNB 1604/SeNB 1606 may respectively decide the RAN profile indexing of MCG/SCG in response to the capability of MCG/SCG. Furthermore, MeNB 1604 and/or SeNB 1606 may build an air link connection to negotiate with UE 1602. As such, the diversity in downlink control signaling (e.g. RRC diversity) among UE 1602, MeNB 1604 and SeNB 1606 can be achieved. In some implementations, SeNB 1606 may help MeNB 1604 relay control signaling to UE 1602 and vice versa during the RAN profile indexing acquisition procedure. In some implementations, MeNB 1604 and SeNB 1606 may respectively negotiate with UE 1602. UE 1602 may then realize two independent RAN profile indexing acquisition procedures which respectively provided by MeNB 1604 and SeNB 1606. In some implementations, MeNB 1604 and SeNB 1606 may need to negotiate with each other for deciding the RAN profile indexing of MCG and SCG under bearer splitting. Moreover, in some implementations, a UE is required to transmit a confirm signaling after acquiring the RAN profile indexing from a cell. However, when the UE is at RRC idle state, RRC inactive state, light connected RRC connected state, light connected RRC idle state, the UE is not required to send the confirm signaling, e.g. the cell shall ensure the RAN profile indexing applied for these RRC states are feasible to all of the UEs in these RRC states. In unicast RAN profile indexing signaling implementation, when the UE receives the RAN profile indexing signaling, the UE may respond a confirm message including a list of un-supporting RAN profile(s) to the cell. In some other implementations, the UE 1602 may send a failure message to the Cell if the UE does not support at least part of the PHY composition of one RAN profile. In the present implementation, in carrier aggregation, a PCell negotiates with a UE during the RAN profile indexing acquisition procedure. Therefore, the UE sends the confirm message to the PCell. In the present implementation, in dual-connectivity, the UE sends the confirm message to a MeNB directly. The UE needs to respectively create two confirm messages for the RAN profile indexing of MCG and SCG. Then, the UE would multiplex the two confirm messages on a UL signaling to the MeNB. The MeNB may then de-multiplex the confirm messages and forward the confirm message of SCG RAN profile indexing to the SeNB. In some other implementations, the UE would respectively transmit the confirm messages for MCG RAN profile indexing and SCG RAN profile indexing to the MeNB and the SeNB. In some implementations, the UE may multiplex two of the confirm messages on a UL signaling to the SeNB. The SeNB may de-multiplex the confirm messages and then forward the confirm message of MCG RAN profile indexing to the MeNB if the SeNB could help to forward control sigalings for the MeNB. The UE replies capability of RAN profile indexing after the UE sends confirm messages for RAN profile indexing. In broadcast RAN profile indexing signaling implementation, during RRC connection establishment, a UE may acquire RAN profile indexing and reply the capability of RAN profile indexing in UE capability negotiation. For example, an RAN profile indexing confirm Information Element (IE) indicating the invalidation of a RAN profile indexing is included in UECapabilityInformation message. In the present implementation, a cell would not reconfigure the RAN profile indexing after receiving the confirm signaling from a UE. Moreover, for a UE that does not support the RAN profile (e.g., BWP configuration), the cell will keep the information and the cell will not take the specific RAN profile into scheduling account for the UE. Furthermore, in some implementations, if a UE does not support the PHY composition (e.g., BWP configuration) in the broadcasted RAN profile indexing, the cell then serves the UE by a default PHY composition (e.g., default BWP configuration). In some implementation, if a UE does not support the PHY composition in the broadcasted RAN profile indexing, the cell simply treats the UE as a legacy UE. The UE replies capability of RAN profile indexing after the UE sends confirm messages for RAN profile indexing. Moreover, a cell may reconfigure the RAN profile (e.g., BWP configuration) indexing in the following cases: (1) Add a new RAN profile; (2) Delete a previous RAN profile; (3) Modify the PHY composition of one specific RAN profile; (4) Cancel all existing RAN profile(s). In some implementations, for RAN profile indexing reconfiguration, as shown in Table 2, the cell can transmit a RRC signaling (e.g. RRCConnectionReconfiguration message) with an Action field for specifying changes being implemented. In some implementations, for RAN profile indexing reconfiguration, the cell can transmit a specific system information with the Action field for specifying changes being implemented. TABLE 2 RAN profile indexing change indication in RRC signaling Bits Action 00 Add 01 Delete 10 Modify 11 Cancel After the UE reading the Action field, the UE would perform an action of RAN profile indexing in response to the Action field. For example, when the UE reads the Action field including bits of “10”, the cell will indicate the RAN profile index (e.g. BWP index) with delta information, representing the modified composition, the format shown in FIG. 6 may be applied. Moreover, when a new bitmap of the Action field is created, the format shown in FIG. 7 may be applied. In some implementations, for RAN profile indexing reconfiguration, the cell uses respective downlink control messages (e.g. RRC signaling, such as ProfileAdd/ProfileDelete/ProfileModify/ProfileCancel) for different purposes. Moreover, in some implementations, the cell includes a PCell in the carrier aggregation. In other implementations, the cell may be replaced with a MeNB/a SeNB in the dual-connectivity. Furthermore, the UE may send a confirm message to inform the supporting of RAN profile indexing changes. FIG. 17 is a diagram illustrating a RAN profile index provision for a sidelink mechanism, in accordance with an exemplary implementation of the present application. In action 1710, UE 1702 and UE 1704 are configured with RAN profile indexing with cell 1706. In action 1722, cell 1706 may provide a sidelink resource allocation message to 1704 (e.g. through an RRC signaling) to transmit at least one sidelink packet to UE 1702. Cell 1706 may allocate at least one RB in the sidelink resource allocation message, for cell 1706 to deliver the at least one sidelink packet to UE 1702. In the present implementation, the BWP index for decoding the RB (e.g., BWP index #2) may be included in the sidelink resource allocation message provided by cell 1706 in action 1722. In some implementations, cell 1706 allocates an RB for UE 1704 to deliver Sidelink Control Information (SCI) to UE 1702. In action 1724, UE 1704 may deliver the resource allocation and BWP index of the at least one sidelink packet in the SCI. In action 1730, UE 1702 decodes the SCI, in response to the RAN profile indexing to obtain sidelink resource allocation based on the BWP index (BWP index #2), for obtaining the at least one sidelink (SL) packet. In one implementation, UE 1704 may deliver the SCI based on a default BWP index, when cell 1706 does not indicate the BWP index of the SCI to UE 1702 and UE 1704. In action 1740, UE 1702 may decode the SL packet based on the BWP index for decoding the RB (e.g., using BWP#2) for obtaining the at least one SL packet. FIG. 18 is a block diagram illustrating a radio communication equipment for a cell, in accordance with an exemplary implementation of the present application. The radio communication equipment may be configured to implement the RAN profile indexing methods described with reference to FIGS. 1 through 17 above. In FIG. 18, radio communication equipment 1800 includes antenna module 1810, communication module 1820, memory 1830, and processing unit 1840. Antenna module 1810 is coupled to communication module 1820. Communication module 1820 and memory 1830 are configured to couple to processing unit 1840. Antenna module 1810 may comprise one or more antennas, and may be configured to perform beamforming omni-transmission with one or more UEs within its serving cell. Communication module 1820 may comprise one or more transmitters and one or more receivers for allowing the cell to perform data transmission and reception with the UEs within its cell coverage using antenna module 1810. Processing unit 1840 is configured to control the operation of the cell and function as the central processing core for the cell. Memory 1830 is configured to store program instructions for the execution by processing unit 1840. Memory 1830 is further configured to allocate a memory space for storing RAN profile indexing data (e.g., BWP indices) and the corresponding PHY composition settings (e.g., BWP configurations). The program instructions stored upon execution by processing unit 1840, causes the processing unit 1840 to implement one or more the aforementioned methods for signaling RAN profile indexing. In one implementation, radio communication equipment 1800 may further include a timer (not explicitly shown in FIG. 18). The timer is configured for timing a predefined time interval after that radio communication equipment 1800 signals the RAN profile indexing information to the one or more UEs within its radio coverage using broadcast or unicast transmission. During the predefined time interval, radio communication equipment 1800 may not make any updates to its current RAN profile indexing and PHY compositions. Additionally, radio communication equipment 1800 may further include other necessary network elements for supporting the network operations of the cell may not be essential to the present application. The details of such elements are hereby omitted for brevity. | <SOH> BACKGROUND <EOH>New Radio (NR) has been discussed in the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) as a key technology for supporting the operation of the next generation (the fifth generation (5G)) wireless network. NR technology is expected to provide flexible radio protocol structure and architecture to accommodate a wide variety of service scenario requirements, such as high throughput, high reliability, low latency, and lower energy consumption. RAN profile (also referred to as RAN slicing) is envisioned as a key enabling technology in NR. RAN profile allows a cell in a radio access network to adaptively configure parameters of a physical layer includes waveform parameters, coding parameters, modulation parameters, to accommodate the communications between the base station and the respective user equipments (UEs). It is desirable for a cell to dynamically configure the RAN profile settings to accommodate the communication capability and service requirements of each UE in the cell. However, significant signaling overhead may be required every time the UE communicates (e.g., transmission/reception) with a base station, resulting in a waste of network resources and significant energy consumption. Thus, there is a need in the art for a method for providing RAN profile information with reduced signaling overhead and latency. | <SOH> BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS <EOH>Aspects of the exemplary disclosure are best understood from the following detailed description when read with the accompanying figures. Various features are not drawn to scale, dimensions of various features may be arbitrarily increased or reduced for clarity of discussion. FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a radio access network (RAN) profile operation of a cell, in accordance with an exemplary implementation of the present application. FIG. 2A is a diagram illustrating an exemplary paired Bandwidth Part (BWP) configuration, in accordance with an exemplary of the present application. FIG. 2B is a diagram illustrating exemplary unpaired BWPs, in accordance with an exemplary of the present application. FIG. 3 shows a diagram illustrating a method for signaling RAN profile indexing, in accordance with an exemplary implementation of the present application. FIG. 4 illustrates a cell-specific RAN profile indexing operation, in accordance with an exemplary implementation of the present application. FIG. 5 illustrates a user-specific RAN profile indexing operation, in accordance with an exemplary implementation of the present application. FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a RAN profile indexing format for index signaling, in accordance with an exemplary implementation of the present application. FIG. 7 illustrates a diagram of a bitmap indexing format, in accordance with an exemplary implementation of the present application. FIG. 8A is a diagram showing a BWP switching procedure using downlink control information (DCI), in accordance with an exemplary implementation of the present application. FIG. 8B is a diagram showing a BWP activation procedure using DCI, in accordance with an exemplary implementation of the present application. FIG. 9A is a diagram illustrating a method of a RAN profile index provision under carrier aggregation (CA), in accordance with an exemplary implementation of the present application. FIG. 9B is another diagram illustrating a method of a RAN profile index provision under carrier aggregation (CA), in accordance with an exemplary implementation of the present application. FIG. 10A is a diagram illustrating a DCI format having a BWP indicator field (BIF), in accordance with an exemplary implementation of the present application. FIG. 10B is a diagram illustrating a DCI format having a BIF and a Carrier indicator filed (CIF), in accordance with an exemplary implementation of the present application. FIG. 11A is a schematic diagram of a frame structure of a two-level DCI with multiple resource block allocations, in accordance with an exemplary implementation of the present application. FIG. 11B is a diagram illustrating a method of a two-level DCI with multiple resource block allocations, in accordance with an exemplary implementation of the present application. FIG. 12 is a diagram illustrating SPS/GF radio resources in a BWP, in accordance with an exemplary implementation of the present application. FIG. 13A is a diagram illustrating a method of RAN profile index provision with Semi-Persistent-Scheduling (SPS) resource, in accordance with an exemplary implementation of the present application. FIG. 13B a diagram illustrating DL SPS resource reception, in accordance with an exemplary implementation of the present application FIG. 14A is a diagram illustrating a method of RAN profile index provision with grant free (GF) resource transmission, in accordance with an exemplary implementation of the present application. FIG. 14B is a diagram illustrating UL GF resource transmission, in accordance with an implementation of the present application. FIG. 15 is a diagram illustrating a method of a RAN profile index provision under dual-connectivity (DC), in accordance with an exemplary implementation of the present application. FIG. 16A is a schematic diagram illustrating RAN profile indexing acquisition in dual-connectivity, in accordance with an exemplary implementation of the present application. FIG. 16B is a diagram illustrating RAN profile indexing acquisition in dual-connectivity, in accordance with an exemplary implementation of the present application. FIG. 17 is a diagram illustrating a RAN profile index provision for a sidelink mechanism, in accordance with an exemplary implementation of the present application. FIG. 18 is a block diagram illustrating a radio communication equipment for a cell, in accordance with an exemplary implementation of the present application. detailed-description description="Detailed Description" end="lead"? | H04L50042 | 20171227 | 20180628 | 62307.0 | H04L500 | 1 | LOO, JUVENA W | METHOD FOR SIGNALING BANDWIDTH PART (BWP) INDICATORS AND RADIO COMMUNICATION EQUIPMENT USING THE SAME | UNDISCOUNTED | 0 | ACCEPTED | H04L | 2,017 |
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15,856,468 | PENDING | TWO-LEVEL LED SECURITY LIGHT WITH MOTION SENSOR | A two-level LED security light within it has a light-emitting unit including an LED load which may be turned on or turned off by a loading and power control unit activated by a light sensing control unit and a motion sensing unit. When the motion sensing unit detects a motion signal, the light-emitting unit is switched to a high level illumination for a predetermined time length adjustable by a time setting unit, and then the loading and power control unit manages to turn off the light-emitting unit thru a soft off process. The LED load is configured with a plurality of LEDs accommodating to the power supply unit wherein a voltage V across each LED is confined in a range Vth<V<Vmax, with Vth being a minimum voltage to turn on the LED and Vmax a maximum voltage to avoid damaging the LED. | 1. An LED security light, comprising: a power supply unit; a light-emitting unit, including an LED load; a loading and power control unit; a light sensing control unit; a motion sensing unit, including at least one motion sensor; and a time setting unit; wherein the loading and power control unit comprises a controller and a switching circuitry, and the controller is electrically coupled with the switching circuitry; wherein the switching circuitry is electrically coupled with a power source of the power supply unit and the light-emitting unit, and the power source is a DC power source configured in the power supply unit; wherein the switching circuitry comprises at least one unidirectional semiconductor switching device; wherein the controller outputs pulse width modulation (PWM) signals to control average conduction rates of the switching circuitry for delivering different average electric currents from the power supply unit to drive the LED load of the light-emitting unit such that the light-emitting unit respectively generates illuminations of different light intensities for performing different illumination modes activated by the light sensing control unit, the motion sensing unit and the time setting unit; wherein at dusk when an ambient light detected by the light sensing control unit is lower than a first predetermined value, the light-emitting unit is turned on by the loading and power control unit activated by the light sensing control unit to perform a first illumination mode with the motion sensing unit in a deactivated state, and the first illumination mode continues for a first predetermined time duration; wherein upon a maturity of the first predetermined time duration the loading and power control unit manages to decrease the average electric current delivered to the LED load of the light-emitting unit to perform a second illumination mode for a second predetermined time duration, and at the same time the motion sensing unit is activated; wherein when a motion signal is detected by the motion sensing unit, the loading and power control unit manages to increase the average electric current delivered to the LED load of the light-emitting unit to perform a third illumination mode for a third predetermined time duration before being switched back to the second illumination mode; wherein at dawn when the ambient light detected by the light sensing control unit is higher than a second predetermined value, and the loading and power control unit manages to switch off the light-emitting unit; wherein the light intensity of the third illumination mode is higher than the light intensity of the second illumination mode; wherein the time setting unit is used for adjusting and setting at least a time length of at least one of the first predetermined time duration, the second predetermined time duration and the third predetermined time duration; wherein the LED load in conjunction with the DC power source is designed with an adequate combination of in series and in parallel connections such that an electric current passing through each LED of the LED load remains at an adequate level, and a voltage V across each LED complies with a constraint of Vth<V<Vmax featuring electrical characteristics of the LED; wherein Vth is a minimum threshold voltage required to trigger the LED to start emitting light and Vmax is a maximum operating voltage across the LED to avoid a thermal damage to LED construction; and wherein the controller comprises at least a programmable integrated circuit device or an application specific integrated circuit. 2. The LED security light according to claim 1, wherein the value of Vth is equal or greater than 2.5 volts, and the value of Vmax is in a range between 3.5 volts and 20 volts depending on a packaging specification of the LED. 3. The LED security light according to claim 2, wherein the value of the voltage V across the LED is confined to be in an operating range from 2.5 volts to 20 volts. 4. The LED security light according to claim 1, wherein the first predetermined time duration is programmable by the time setting unit. 5. The LED security light according to claim 1, wherein the light intensity of the first illumination mode is adjustable by an external control unit. 6. The LED security light according to claim 1, wherein the time length of the second predetermined duration is set to end at dawn activated by the light sensing control unit. 7. The LED security light according to claim 1, wherein the second predetermined duration is programmable by the time setting unit. 8. The LED security light according to claim 1, wherein the light intensity of the second illumination mode is adjustable by an external control unit. 9. The LED security light according to claim 1, wherein the motion sensor is a passive infrared sensor. 10. The LED security light according to claim 1, wherein the motion sensor is a microwave motion sensor or an ultrasonic motion sensor. 11. An LED security light, comprising: a power supply unit; a light-emitting unit, including an LED load; a loading and power control unit; a light sensing control unit; a motion sensing unit, including at least one motion sensor; and a time setting unit; wherein the loading and power control unit comprises a controller and a switching circuitry, and the controller is electrically coupled with the switching circuitry; wherein the switching circuitry is electrically coupled with a power source of the power supply unit and the light-emitting unit, and the power source is a DC power source configured in the power supply unit; wherein the switching circuitry comprises at least one unidirectional semiconductor switching device; wherein the controller outputs pulse width modulation (PWM) signals to control average conduction rates of the switching circuitry for delivering different average electric currents from the power supply unit to drive the LED load of the light-emitting unit such that the light-emitting unit respectively generates illuminations of different light intensities for performing different illumination modes activated by the light sensing control unit, the motion sensing unit and the time setting unit; wherein at dusk when an ambient light detected by the light sensing control unit is lower than a first predetermined value, the light-emitting unit is turned on by the loading and power control unit activated by the light sensing control unit to perform a first illumination mode with a first level illumination and with the motion sensing unit being in a deactivated state, and the first illumination mode continues for a first predetermined time duration; wherein upon a maturity of the first predetermined time duration the loading and power control unit manages to cutoff the average electric current delivered to the LED load of the light-emitting unit and at the same time the motion sensing unit is activated; wherein when a motion signal is detected by the motion sensing unit, the loading and power control unit manages to deliver an average electric current to the LED load of the light-emitting unit to perform a second illumination mode with a second level illumination for a second predetermined time duration before being switched back to the turned off state; wherein at dawn when the ambient light detected by the light sensing control unit is higher than a second predetermined value, the light-emitting unit is switched off by the loading and power control unit; wherein the time setting unit is used for adjusting and setting at least a time length of at least one of the first predetermined time duration and the second predetermined time duration; wherein the LED load in conjunction with the DC power source is designed with an adequate combination of in series and in parallel connections such that an electric current passing through each LED of the LED load remains at an adequate level, and a working voltage V across each LED complies with a constraint of Vth<V<Vmax featuring electrical characteristics of the LED; wherein Vth is a minimum threshold voltage required to trigger the LED to start emitting light and Vmax is a maximum operating voltage across the LED to avoid a thermal damage to LED construction; and wherein the controller comprises at least a programmable integrated circuit device or an application specific integrated circuit. 12. The LED security light according to claim 11, wherein the value of Vth is equal or greater than 2.5 volts, and the value of Vmax is in a range between 3.5 volts and 20 volts depending on a packaging specification of the LED. 13. The LED security light according to claim 12, wherein the value of the voltage V across the LED is confined to be in an operating range from 2.5 volts to 20 volts. 14. The LED security light according to claim 11, wherein the time length of the first predetermined time duration is programmable by the time setting unit. 15. The LED security light according to claim 11, wherein the light intensity of the first illumination mode is adjustable by an external control unit. 16. The LED security light according to claim 11, wherein the time length of the second predetermined time duration is programmable by the time setting unit. 17. The LED security light according to claim 11, wherein the light intensity of the second illumination mode is adjustable by an external control unit. 18. The LED security light according to claim 11, wherein the motion sensor is a passive infrared sensor. 19. The LED security light according to claim 11, wherein the motion sensor is a microwave motion sensor or an ultrasonic motion sensor. 20. An LED security light, comprising: a power supply unit; a light-emitting unit, including an LED load; a loading and power control unit; a light sensing control unit; a motion sensing unit, including at least one motion sensor; and a time setting unit; wherein the loading and power control unit comprises a controller and a switching circuitry, and the controller is electrically coupled with the switching circuitry; wherein the switching circuitry is electrically coupled with a power source of the power supply unit and the light-emitting unit, and the power source is a DC power source configured in the power supply unit; wherein the switching circuitry comprises at least one unidirectional semiconductor switching device; wherein the controller outputs pulse width modulation (PWM) signals to control average conduction rates of the switching circuitry for delivering different average electric currents from the power supply unit to drive the LED load of the light-emitting unit such that the light-emitting unit respectively generates illuminations of different light intensities for performing different illumination modes activated by the light sensing control unit, the motion sensing unit and the time setting unit; wherein at dusk when an ambient light detected by the light sensing control unit is lower than a first predetermined value, the loading and power control unit operates to turn on the light emitting unit to perform a low level illumination mode comprising at least a first level illumination for a first predetermined time duration; wherein when a motion signal is detected by the motion sensing unit, the loading and power control unit operates to increase the average electric current delivered to the LED load of the light-emitting unit to perform a high level illumination mode for a preset time period before being switched back to the low level illumination mode; wherein the light intensity of the high level illumination mode is higher than the light intensity of the low level illumination mode; wherein at dawn when the ambient light detected by the light sensing control unit is higher than a second predetermined value, the light-emitting unit is switched off by the loading and power control unit; wherein the time setting unit is used for adjusting and setting at least a time length of at least one of the first predetermined time duration of the low level illumination mode and the preset time period of the high level illumination mode; wherein the LED load in conjunction with the DC power source is designed with an adequate combination of in series and in parallel connections such that an electric current passing through each LED of the LED load remains at an adequate level, and a working voltage V across each LED of the LED load complies with a constraint of Vth<V<Vmax featuring electrical characteristics of the LED; wherein Vth is a minimum threshold voltage required to trigger the LED to start emitting light and Vmax is a maximum operating voltage across the LED to avoid a thermal damage to LED construction; and wherein the controller comprises at least a programmable integrated circuit device or an application specific integrated circuit. 21. The LED security light according to claim 20, wherein the low level illumination mode further comprises a second level illumination; wherein upon a maturity of the first predetermined time duration, the loading and power control unit operates to further reduce the light intensity of the low level illumination mode to perform the second level illumination to end at dawn activated by the light sensing control unit. 22. The LED security light according to claim 21, wherein the light intensity of the second level illumination is set at zero. 23. The LED security light according to claim 21, wherein the maturity of the first predetermined time duration is set to end at a midnight time point. 24. The LED security light according to claim 20, wherein the value of Vth is equal or greater than 2.5 volts, and the value of Vmax is in a range between 3.5 volts and 20 volts depending on a packaging specification of the LED. 25. The LED security light according to claim 20, wherein the value of the voltage V across each LED is confined to be in an operating range from 2.5 volts to 20 volts. 26. The LED security light according to claim 20, wherein the motion sensor is a passive infrared sensor. 27. The LED security light according to claim 20, wherein the motion sensor is a microwave motion sensor or an ultrasonic motion sensor. 28. The LED security light according to claim 20, wherein the time length of the low level illumination mode is set to end at dawn activated by the light sensing control unit. 29. The LED security light according to claim 20, wherein the first predetermined duration is programmable by the time setting unit. 30. The LED security light according to claim 20, wherein the time length of the preset time period is programmable by the time setting unit. 31. An LED security light, comprising: a power supply unit; a light-emitting unit, including an LED load; a loading and power control unit; a light sensing control unit; a motion sensing unit, including at least one motion sensor; and a time setting unit; wherein the loading and power control unit comprises a controller and a switching circuitry, and the controller is electrically coupled with the switching circuitry; wherein the switching circuitry is electrically coupled with a power source of the power supply unit and the light-emitting unit, and the power source is a DC power source configured in the power supply unit; wherein the switching circuitry comprises at least one unidirectional semiconductor switching device; wherein the controller outputs pulse width modulation (PWM) signals to control average conduction rates of the switching circuitry for delivering different average electric currents from the power supply unit to drive the LED load of the light-emitting unit such that the light-emitting unit respectively generates illuminations of different light intensities for performing different illumination modes for respective predetermined time durations activated by the light sensing control unit, the motion sensing unit and the time setting unit; wherein the time setting unit is used for adjusting and setting at least a time length of the predetermined time durations; wherein the power supply unit is a structure of DC power sources comprising an AC/DC power converter to convert AC power into DC powers required for operating the LED security light; wherein the LED load in conjunction with the DC power source is designed with an adequate combination of in series and in parallel connections such that an electric current passing through each LED of the LED load remains at an adequate level, and a working voltage V across each LED complies with a constraint of Vth<V<Vmax featuring electrical characteristics of the LED; wherein Vth is a minimum threshold voltage required to trigger the LED to start emitting light and Vmax is a maximum operating voltage across the LED to avoid a thermal damage to LED construction; and wherein the controller comprises at least a programmable integrated circuit device or an application specific integrated circuit. 32. The LED security light according to claim 31, wherein at dusk when an ambient light detected by the light sensing control unit is lower than a first predetermined value, the loading and power control unit operates to switch on the light-emitting unit; wherein when a motion signal is detected by the motion sensing unit, the loading and power control unit manages to turn on the light-emitting unit thru a soft on process, wherein the controller successively outputs a series of PWM signals to gradually increase the average electric current to drive the LED load of the light-emitting unit to generate a high level illumination, and the high level illumination continues for a predetermined time duration; wherein when the ambient light detected by the light sensing control unit is higher than a second predetermined value, the light-emitting unit is turned off by the controller. 33. The LED security light according to claim 31, wherein at dusk when an ambient light detected by the light sensing control unit is lower than a first predetermined value, the loading and power control unit operates to switch on the light-emitting unit; wherein when a motion signal is detected by the motion sensing unit, the loading and power control unit manages to turn on the light-emitting unit to generate a high level illumination, the high level illumination continues for a predetermined time duration before the loading and power control unit manages to reduce illumination intensity of the light-emitting unit thru a soft off process, wherein the controller successively outputs a series of PWM signals to gradually decrease the average electric current to drive the LED load of the light-emitting unit such that the illumination intensity of the light-emitting unit is gradually reduced. 34. The LED security light according to claim 31, wherein at dusk when an ambient light detected by the light sensing control unit is lower than a first predetermined value, the light-emitting unit is switched on by the loading and power control unit; wherein when a motion signal is detected by the motion sensing unit, the loading and power control unit manages to turn on the light-emitting unit to perform a high level illumination for a predetermined time duration, wherein upon a maturity of the predetermined time duration the loading and power control unit manages to turn off the light-emitting unit thru a soft off process, wherein the soft off process is designed with a two stage approach; wherein for the first stage of the soft off process, the loading and power control unit manages to instantly reduce the illumination level of the light-emitting unit to a low level illumination and continues the low level illumination for a first short time interval, wherein for the second stage of the soft off process the loading and power control unit operates to turn off the light-emitting unit. 35. The LED security light according to claim 34, wherein for the second stage of the soft off process the loading and power control unit operates to gradually turn off the illumination of the light-emitting unit over a second short time interval. 36. The LED security light according to claim 34, wherein during the soft off process if a new motion signal is further detected by the motion sensing unit indicating an occupant remaining in the detection area, the loading and power control unit instantly operates to restart a new cycle of the high level illumination for a new predetermined time duration; wherein during the soft off a process if no further motion signal is received indicating the detection area is unoccupied, the light-emitting unit is thereby successfully turned off 37. The LED security light according to claim 36, wherein the new predetermined time duration is equal to the predetermined time duration used prior to restarting the new cycle of the high level illumination. 38. The LED security light according to claim 36, wherein the new predetermined time duration is programmed to be longer than the predetermined time duration used prior to restarting the new cycle of the high level illumination according to a programmed combination of increasing delay times. 39. The LED security light according to claim 31, wherein at dusk when an ambient light detected by the light sensing control unit is lower than a first predetermined value, the light-emitting unit is switched on by the loading and power control unit; wherein when a motion signal is detected by the motion sensing unit, the loading and power control unit manages to turn on the light-emitting unit to perform a high level illumination for a predetermined time duration, and upon a maturity of the predetermined time duration the loading and power control unit manages to turn off the light-emitting unit with a two stage shutoff process; wherein for the first stage of the shutoff process, the loading and power control unit manages to perform a sudden disruption of illumination for a short moment and resume instantly back to the high level illumination to continue for a first short time interval, wherein for the second stage of the shutoff process the loading and power control unit operates to gradually turn off the light-emitting unit over a second short time interval. 40. The LED security light according to claim 39, wherein during the two stage shutoff process if a new motion signal is further detected by the motion sensing unit indicating an occupant remaining in the detection area, the loading and power control unit instantly manages to resume the high level illumination and restarts a new cycle of the high level illumination for a new predetermined time duration; wherein during the two stage shutoff process if no further motion signal is received indicating the detection area is unoccupied, the light-emitting unit is thereby successfully turned off 41. The LED security light according to claim 40, wherein the time length of the new predetermined time duration is equal to the time length of the predetermined time duration. 42. The LED security light according to claim 40, wherein the time length of the new predetermined time duration is longer than the time length of the predetermined time duration according to a programmed combination of increasing delay times. 43. The LED security light according to claim 31, wherein at dusk when an ambient light detected by the light sensing control unit is lower than a first predetermined value, the light-emitting unit is switched on by the loading and power control unit to generate a low level illumination; wherein when a motion signal is detected by the motion sensing unit, the loading and power control unit manages to increase the average electric current from the power source to the LED load of the light-emitting unit to generate a high level illumination for a predetermined time duration, wherein upon a maturity of the predetermined time duration the loading and power control unit manages the light-emitting unit to resume the low level illumination, wherein if a new motion signal is further detected by the motion sensing unit within a short predetermined time interval after the light-emitting unit being switched back to the low level illumination, the loading and power control unit instantly manages to resume the high level illumination and restart a new cycle of illumination for a new predetermined time duration, wherein the time length of the new predetermined time duration is longer than the time length of the predetermined time duration according to a programmed combination of increasing delay times. 44. The LED security light according to claim 31, wherein the value of Vth is equal or greater than 2.5 volts, and the value of Vmax is in a range between 3.5 volts and 20 volts depending on a packaging specification of the LED. 45. The security light according to claim 44, wherein the value of the voltage V across each LED is confined to be in an operating range from 2.5 volts to 20 volts 46. The LED security light according to claim 31, wherein the motion sensor is a passive infrared sensor. 47. The LED security light according to claim 31, wherein the motion sensor is a microwave motion sensor or an ultrasonic motion sensor. 48. An LED security light, comprising: a power supply unit; a light-emitting unit, including an LED load; a loading and power control unit; a light sensing and control unit; and a time setting unit; wherein the loading and power control unit comprises a controller and a switching circuitry, the controller is electrically coupled with the switching circuitry, the switching circuitry is electrically coupled between a power source and the light-emitting unit, and the power source is a DC power source configured in the power supply unit; wherein with the switching circuitry the light-emitting unit is turned on or turned off by the loading and power control unit, and the switching circuitry comprises at least one unidirectional semiconductor switching device; wherein the controller outputs pulse width modulation (PWM) signals to control average conduction rates of the switching circuitry for delivering different average electric currents from the power supply unit to drive the LED load of the light-emitting unit such that the light-emitting unit respectively generates illuminations of different light intensities for performing different illumination modes activated by the light sensing control unit and the time setting unit; wherein at dusk when an ambient light detected by the light sensing control unit is lower than a first predetermined value, the light-emitting unit is turned on by the loading and power control unit to perform a first illumination mode for a predetermined time duration set by the time setting unit, and then the controller manages to change the lighting performance of the LED security light from the first illumination mode to a second illumination mode; wherein the light intensity of the second illumination mode is lower than the light intensity of the first illumination mode; wherein at dawn when the ambient light detected by the light sensing control unit is higher than a second predetermined value, the light-emitting unit is turned off by the controller; wherein the time setting unit is used for adjusting and setting a time length of the predetermined time duration; wherein the LED load in conjunction with the DC power source is designed with an adequate combination of in series and in parallel connections such that an electric current passing through each LED of the LED load remains at an adequate level, and a working voltage V across each LED complies with a constraint of Vth<V<Vmax featuring electrical characteristics of the LED; wherein Vth is a minimum threshold voltage required to trigger the LED to start emitting light and Vmax is a maximum operating voltage across the LED to avoid a thermal damage to LED construction; and wherein the controller comprises at least a programmable integrated circuit device or an application specific integrated circuit. 49. The LED security light according to claim 48, wherein the value of Vth is equal or greater than 2.5 volts, and the value of Vmax is in a range between 3.5 volts and 20 volts depending on a packaging specification of the LED. 50. The LED security light according to claim 49, wherein the value of the working voltage V across each LED is confined to be in an operating range from 2.5 volts to 20 volts. 51. An LED security light, comprising: a power supply unit; a light-emitting unit, including an LED load; a loading and power control unit; and a light sensing control unit; wherein the loading and power control unit comprises a controller and a switching circuitry, the controller is electrically coupled with the switching circuitry, the switching circuitry is electrically coupled between a power source and the LED load of the light-emitting unit, and the power source is a DC power source configured in the power supply unit; wherein with the switching circuitry the light-emitting unit is turned on or turned off by the loading and power control unit, and the switching circuitry comprises at least one unidirectional semiconductor switching device; wherein at dusk when an ambient light detected by the light sensing control unit is lower than a first predetermined value, the controller of the loading and power control unit outputs a control signal to conduct the switching circuitry to deliver an average electric current to the LED load such that to turn on the light-emitting unit for generating an illumination; wherein at dawn when the ambient light detected by the light sensing control unit is higher than a second predetermined value, the controller of the loading and power control unit outputs a control signal to cutoff the switching circuitry to turn off the light-emitting unit; wherein the LED load in conjunction with the DC power source is designed with a configuration of in series or in parallel connections such that an electric current passing through each LED of the LED load remains at an adequate level, and a working voltage V across each LED of the LED load complies with a constraint of Vth<V<Vmax featuring electrical characteristics of the LED; wherein Vth is a minimum threshold voltage required to trigger the LED to start emitting light and Vmax is a maximum operating voltage across the LED to avoid a thermal damage to LED construction; and wherein the controller comprises at least an integrated circuit device programmable for generating the control signals or an application specific integrated circuit customized for generating the control signals. 52. The LED security light according to claim 51, wherein the value of Vth is equal or greater than 2.5 volts, and the value of Vmax is in a range between 3.5 volts and 20 volts depending on a packaging specification of the LED. 53. The LED security light according to claim 52, wherein the value of the working voltage V across each LED is confined to be in an operating range from 2.5 volts to 20 volts. 54. An LED security light, comprising: a power supply unit; a light-emitting unit, including an LED load; a loading and power control unit; a light sensing control unit; and an external control unit; wherein the loading and power control unit comprises a controller and a switching circuitry, the controller is electrically coupled with the switching circuitry, the switching circuitry is electrically coupled between a power source and the LED load of the light-emitting unit, and the power source is a DC power source configured in the power supply unit; wherein with the switching circuitry the light-emitting unit is turned on or turned off by the loading and power control unit, and the switching circuitry comprises at least one unidirectional semiconductor switching device, wherein the controller outputs control signals to control average conduction rates of the switching circuitry for delivering different average electric currents from the power supply unit to drive the LED load of the light-emitting unit such that the light-emitting unit respectively generates illuminations of different light intensities for performing at least a first illumination mode and a second illumination mode activated by the light sensing control unit and the external control unit; wherein the external control unit is a power interruption detection circuitry electrically coupled to the controller for detecting a short power interruption signal, wherein the controller controls the switching circuitry in response to the short power interruption signal detected to alternately switch the light-emitting unit between performing a first illumination mode and performing a second illumination mode, wherein the light intensity of the first illumination mode is higher than the light intensity of the second illumination mode; wherein at dusk when an ambient light detected by the light sensing control unit is lower than a first predetermined value, the light-emitting unit is turned on by the loading and power control unit to perform the first illumination mode; wherein whenever the short power interruption signal is detected by the external control unit, the controller operates to alternately switch the light-emitting unit between performing the first illumination mode and performing the second illumination mode; wherein at dawn when the ambient light detected by the light sensing control unit is higher than a second predetermined value, the controller of the loading and power control unit operates to cutoff the switching circuitry to turn off the light emitting unit. wherein the LED load in conjunction with the DC power source is designed with a configuration of in series or in parallel connections such that an electric current passing through each LED of the LED load remains at an adequate level, and a working voltage V across each LED of the LED load complies with a constraint of Vth<V<Vmax featuring electrical characteristics of the LED; wherein Vth is a minimum threshold voltage required to trigger the LED to start emitting light and Vmax is a maximum operating voltage across the LED to avoid a thermal damage to LED construction; and wherein the controller comprises at least an integrated circuit device programmable for generating the control signals or an application specific integrated circuit customized for generating the control signals. 55. The LED security light according to claim 54, wherein the value of Vth is equal or greater than 2.5 volts, and the value of Vmax is in a range between 3.5 volts and 20 volts depending on a packaging specification of the LED. 56. The LED security light according to claim 55, wherein the value of the working voltage V across each LED is confined to be in an operating range from 2.5 volts to 20 volts. 57. An LED motion sensing security light, comprising: a power supply unit; a light-emitting unit, including an LED load; a loading and power control unit; a light sensing control unit; a motion sensing unit, including at least one motion sensor; and a time setting unit; wherein the loading and power control unit comprises a controller and a switching circuitry, and the controller is electrically coupled with the switching circuitry; wherein the switching circuitry is electrically coupled with a power source of the power supply unit and the light-emitting unit, and the power source is a DC power source configured in the power supply unit; wherein the switching circuitry comprises at least one unidirectional semiconductor switching device; wherein the controller outputs a pulse width modulation (PWM) signal to control a conduction rate of the switching circuitry for transmitting an average electric current from the power source to drive the LED load of the light-emitting unit to generate an illumination activated by the motion sensing unit for performing a motion sensing illumination mode; wherein the time setting unit is used for adjusting and setting at least a time length of the predetermined time durations; wherein the power supply unit is a structure of DC power sources comprising an AC/DC power converter to convert AC power into DC powers required for operating the LED security light; wherein the LED load in conjunction with the DC power source is designed with an adequate combination of in series and in parallel connections such that an electric current passing through each LED of the LED load remains at an adequate level, and a working voltage V across each LED complies with a constraint of Vth<V<Vmax featuring electrical characteristics of the LED; wherein Vth is a minimum threshold voltage required to trigger the LED to start emitting light and Vmax is a maximum operating voltage across the LED to avoid a thermal damage to LED construction; wherein at dusk when an ambient light detected by the light sensing control unit is lower than a first predetermined value, the loading and power control unit operates to switch on the light-emitting unit; wherein when a motion signal is detected by the motion sensing unit, the loading and power control unit manages to conduct the switching circuitry to deliver the average electric current to drive the LED load for generating the illumination for a predetermined time duration preset by the time setting unit; wherein when the ambient light detected by the light sensing control unit is higher than a second predetermined value, the light-emitting unit is turned off by the controller. 58. The LED motion sensing security light according to claim 57, wherein the value of Vth is equal or greater than 2.5 volts, and the value of Vmax is in a range between 3.5 volts and 20 volts depending on a packaging specification of the LED. 59. The LED motion sensing security light according to claim 58, wherein the value of the working voltage V across each LED is confined to be in an operating range from 2.5 volts to 20 volts. 60. The LED motion sensing security light according to claim 57, wherein an external control unit is further installed and electrically coupled with the controller to receive and convert an external control signal into a message signal interpretable by the controller, wherein upon receiving the message signal the controller operates to activate a switching process to alternately perform among a high level non-motion sensing illumination mode, a low level non-motion sensing illumination mode and the motion sensing illumination mode. 61. The LED motion sensing security light according to claim 60, wherein the external control unit is a short power interruption detection circuitry and the external control signal is an short power interruption signal, wherein when a first short power interruption signal is detected, the controller operates to change the performance of the light emitting unit from the motion sensing illumination mode to the high level non-motion sensing illumination mode, wherein when a second short power interruption signal is furthered detected, the controller operates to change the performance of the light emitting unit from the high level non-sensing illumination mode to the low level non-sensing illumination mode, wherein when a third short power interruption signal is further detected, the controller manages to change the performance of the light emitting unit back to the motion sensing illumination mode to complete a cycle of the switching process. 62. The LED motion sensing security light according to claim 57, wherein an external control unit is further installed and electrically coupled with the controller to receive and convert an external control signal into a message signal interpretable by the controller, wherein upon receiving the message signal the controller operates to activate a switching process to alternately perform between a low level non-motion sensing illumination mode and the motion sensing illumination mode. 63. The LED motion sensing security light according to claim 62, wherein the external control unit is a short power interruption detection circuitry and the external control signal is a short power interruption signal, wherein when a first short power interruption signal is detected, the controller operates to change the performance of the light emitting unit from the motion sensing illumination mode to the low level non-motion sensing illumination mode, wherein when a second short power interruption signal is furthered detected, the controller operates to change the performance of the light emitting unit from the low level non-sensing illumination mode back to the motion sensing illumination mode to complete a cycle of the switching process. | CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This is a continuation application of prior application Ser. No. 15/637,175 filed on Jun. 29, 2017, currently pending, which is a continuation application of prior application Ser. No. 15/230,752 filed on Aug. 8, 2016, issued as U.S. Pat. No. 9,743,480 on Aug. 22, 2017, which is a continuation application of prior application Ser. No. 14/478,150 filed on Sep. 5, 2014, issued as U.S. Pat. No. 9,445,474 on Sep. 13, 2016, which is a continuation application of prior application Ser. No. 13/222,090 filed on Aug. 31, 2011, issued as U.S. Pat. No. 8,866,392 on Oct. 21, 2014. BACKGROUND 1. Technical Field The present disclosure relates to a lighting apparatus, in particular, to a two-level security LED light with motion sensor. 2. Description of Related Art Lighting sources such as the fluorescent lamps, the incandescent lamps, the halogen lamps, and the light-emitting diodes (LED) are commonly found in lighting apparatuses for illumination purpose. Photo resistors are often utilized in outdoor lighting applications for automatic illuminations, known as the Photo-Control (PC) mode. Timers may be used in the PC mode for turning off the illumination or for switching to a lower level illumination of a lighting source after the lighting source having delivered a high level illumination for a predetermined duration, referred as the Power-Saving (PS) mode. Motion sensors are often used in the lighting apparatus for delivering full-power illumination thereof for a short duration when a human motion is detected, then switching back to the PS mode. Illumination operation controls such as auto-illumination in accordance to the background brightness detection, illumination using timer, illumination operation control using motion sensing results (e.g., dark or low luminous power to fully illuminated), and brightness control are often implemented by complex circuitries. In particular, the design and construction of LED drivers are still of a complex technology with high fabrication cost. Therefore, how to develop a simple and effective design method on illumination controls such as enhancing contrast in illumination and color temperature for various types lighting sources, especially the controls for LEDs are the topics of the present disclosure. SUMMARY An exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure provides a two-level LED security light with motion sensor which may switch to high level illumination in the Power-Saving (PS) mode for a predetermined duration time when a human motion is detected thereby achieve warning purpose using method of electric current or lighting load adjustment. Furthermore, prior to the detection of an intrusion, the LED security light may be constantly in the low level illumination to save energy. An exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure provides a two-level LED security light including a power supply unit, a light sensing control unit, a motion sensing unit, a loading and power control unit, and a light-emitting unit. The light-emitting unit further includes one or a plurality of series-connected LEDs; when the light sensing control unit detects that an ambient light is lower than a predetermined value, the loading and power control unit turns on the light-emitting unit to generate a high level or a low level illumination; when the light sensing control unit detects that the ambient light is higher than the predetermined value, the loading and power control unit turns off the light-emitting unit; when the motion sensing unit detects a human motion in the PS mode, the loading and power control unit increases the electric current that flows through the light-emitting unit so as to generate the high level illumination for a predetermined duration. Another exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure provides a two-level LED security light including a power supply unit, a light sensing control unit, a motion sensing unit, a loading and power control unit, a light-emitting unit. The light-emitting unit includes a plurality of series-connected LEDs. When the light sensing control unit detects that an ambient light is lower than a predetermined value, the loading and power control unit turns on a portion or all the LEDs of the light-emitting unit to generate a low level or a high level illumination; when the light sensing control unit detects that the ambient light is higher than the predetermined value, the loading and power control unit turns off all the LEDs in the light-emitting unit; when the motion sensing unit detects a human motion in the PS mode, the loading and power control unit turns on a plurality of LEDs in the light-emitting unit and generates the high level illumination for a predetermine duration. An electric current control circuit is integrated in the exemplary embodiment for providing constant electric current to drive the LEDS in the light-emitting unit. One exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure provides a two-level LED security light including a power supply unit, a light sensing control unit, a motion sensing unit, a loading and power control unit, and a light-emitting unit. The light-emitting unit includes one or a plurality of parallel-connected alternating current (AC) LEDs. A phase controller is coupled between the described one or a plurality parallel-connected ACLEDs and AC power source. The loading and power control unit may through the phase controller control the average power of the light-emitting unit; when the light sensing control unit detects that an ambient light is lower than a predetermined value, the loading and power control unit turns on the light-emitting unit to generate a high level or a lower level illumination; when the light sensing control unit detects that the ambient light is higher than the predetermined value, the loading and power control unit turns off the light-emitting unit; when the motion sensing unit detects a human motion in the PS mode, the loading and power control unit increases the average power of the light-emitting unit thereby generates the high level illumination for a predetermine duration. According to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, a two-level LED security light includes a power supply unit, a light sensing control unit, a motion sensing unit, a loading and power control unit, and a light-emitting unit. The light-emitting unit includes X high wattage ACLEDs and Y low wattage ACLEDs connected in parallel. When the light sensing control unit detects that an ambient light is lower than a predetermined value, the loading and power control unit turns on the plurality of low wattage ACLEDs to generate a low level illumination; when the light sensing control unit detects that the ambient light is higher than a predetermined value, the loading and power control unit turns off the light-emitting unit; when the motion sensor detects an intrusion, the loading and power control unit turns on both the high wattage ACLEDs and the low wattage ACLEDs at same time thereby generates a high level illumination for a predetermine duration, wherein X and Y are of positive integers. According to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, a two-level LED security light with motion sensor includes a power supply unit, a light sensing control unit, a motion sensing unit, a loading and power control unit, and a light-emitting unit. The light-emitting unit includes a rectifier circuit connected between one or a plurality of parallel-connected AC lighting sources and AC power source. The loading and power control unit may through the rectifier circuit adjust the average power of the light-emitting unit. When the light sensing control unit detects that an ambient light is lower than a predetermined value, the loading and power control unit turns on the light-emitting unit to generate a low level illumination; when the light sensing control unit detects that the ambient light is higher than the predetermined value, the loading and power control unit turns off the light-emitting unit; when the motion sensing unit detects an intrusion, the loading and power control unit increases the average power of the light-emitting unit thereby generates a high level illumination for a predetermine duration. The rectifier circuit includes a switch parallel-connected with a diode, wherein the switch is controlled by the loading and power control unit. To sum up, a two-level LED security light with motion sensor provided by an exemplary embodiment in the preset disclosure, may execute Photo-Control (PC) and Power-Saving (PS) modes. When operates in the PC mode, the lighting apparatus may auto-illuminate at night and auto turn off at dawn. The PC mode may generate a high level illumination for a predetermined duration then automatically switch to the PS mode by a control unit to generate a low level illumination. When the motion sensor detects a human motion, the disclosed LED security light may immediately switch to the high level illumination for a short predetermined duration thereby achieve illumination or warning effect. After the short predetermined duration, the LED security light may automatically return to the low level illumination for saving energy. The PC mode may alternatively generate the low level illumination to begin with and when the motion sensor is detected the disclosed LED security may immediately switch to a high level illumination for a short predetermined duration to provide security protection and then automatically return to the low level illumination. In order to further understand the techniques, means and effects of the present disclosure, the following detailed descriptions and appended drawings are hereby referred, such that, through which, the purposes, features and aspects of the present disclosure can be thoroughly and concretely appreciated; however, the appended drawings are merely provided for reference and illustration, without any intention to be used for limiting the present disclosure. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The accompanying drawings are included to provide a further understanding of the present disclosure, and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification. The drawings illustrate exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the present disclosure. FIG. 1 schematically illustrates a block diagram of a two-level LED security light in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 2A illustrates a schematic diagram of a two-level LED security light in accordance to the first exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 2B graphically illustrates a timing waveform of a pulse width modulation (PWM) signal in accordance to the first exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 3A illustrates a schematic diagram of a two-level LED security light in accordance to the second exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 3B illustrates a schematic diagram of a two-level LED security light in accordance to the second exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 4A illustrates a schematic diagram of a two-level LED security light in accordance to the third exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 4B illustrates a timing waveform of two-level LED security light in accordance to the third exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 5 illustrates a schematic diagram of a two-level LED security light in accordance to the third exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 6 illustrates a schematic diagram of a two-level LED security light in accordance to the fourth exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 7 illustrates a schematic diagram of a two-level LED security light in accordance to the fifth exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. DESCRIPTION OF THE EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS Reference is made in detail to the exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Wherever possible, the same reference numbers are used in the drawings and the description to refer to the same or alike parts. First Exemplary Embodiment Refer to FIG. 1, which schematically illustrates a block diagram of a two-level LED security light in accordance to the first exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. A two-level LED security light (herein as the lighting apparatus) 100 includes a power supply unit 110, a light sensing control unit 120, a motion sensing unit 130, a loading and power control unit 140, and a light-emitting unit 150. The power supply unit 110 is used for supplying power required to operate the system, wherein the associated structure includes the known AC/DC voltage converter. The light sensing control unit 120 may be a photoresistor, which may be coupled to the loading and power control unit 140 for determining daytime or nighttime in accordance to the ambient light. The motion sensing unit 130 may be a passive infrared sensor (PIR), which is coupled to the loading and power control unit 140 and is used to detect intrusions. When a person is entering a predetermined detection zone of the motion sensing unit 130, a sensing signal thereof may be transmitted to the loading and power control unit 140. The loading and power control unit 140 which is coupled to the light-emitting unit 150 may be implemented by a microcontroller electrically coupled with a switching circuitry electrically connected between the light emitting unit 150 and the power supply unit 110. The switching circuitry may comprise a plurality of semiconductor switching components. The loading and power control unit 140 may control the illumination levels of the light-emitting unit 150 in accordance to the sensing signal outputted by the light sensing control unit 120 and the motion sensing unit 130. The light-emitting unit 150 may include a plurality of LEDs. The loading and power control unit 140 may control the light-emitting unit 150 to generate at least two levels of illumination variations. When the light sensing control unit 120 detects that an ambient light is lower than a predetermined value (i.e., nighttime), the loading and power control unit 140 executes the Photo-Control (PC) mode by turning on the light-emitting unit 150 to generate a high level illumination for a predetermined duration then return to a low level illumination for Power-Saving (PS) mode or it may alternatively generate the low level illumination to perform the power saving mode. When the light sensing control unit 120 detects that the ambient light is higher than a predetermined value (i.e., dawn), the loading and power control unit 140 turns off the light-emitting unit 150. In the PS mode, when the motion sensing unit 130 detects a human motion, the loading and power control unit 140 may increase the electric current which flows through the light-emitting unit 150, to generate another high level illumination for a short predetermined duration. After the short predetermined duration, the loading and power control unit 140 may automatically lower the electric current that flow through the light-emitting unit 150 thus have the light-emitting unit 150 return to low level illumination for saving energy. Refer to 2A, which illustrates a schematic diagram of a two-level LED security light in accordance to the first exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. The light sensing control unit 120 may be implemented by a light sensor 220; the motion sensing unit 130 may be implemented by a motion sensor 230; the loading and power control unit 140 may be implemented by a microcontroller 240 electrically coupled to a switching circuitry Q1. The light-emitting unit 250 includes three series-connected LEDs L1˜L3. The LEDs L1˜L3 is connected between a DC source and a transistor Q1, wherein the DC source may be provided by the power supply unit 110. The transistor Q1 may be an N-channel metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect-transistor (NMOS). The transistor Q1 is connected between the three series-connected LEDs L1˜L3 and a ground GND. The loading and power control unit 140 implemented by the microcontroller 240 may output a control signal like a pulse width modulation (PWM) signal to control an average electric current delivered to the light emitting unit 250. It is worth to note that the electric components depicted in FIG. 2A only serves as an illustration for the exemplary embodiment of the present disclose and hence the present disclosure is not limited thereto. Refer to FIG. 2B concurrently, which graphically illustrates a timing waveform of a pulse width modulation (PWM) signal in accordance to the first exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. In the PC mode, the PWM signal may be used to configure the transistor Q1 to have the conduction period Ton being longer than the cut-off period Toff. On the other hand in the PS mode, the PWM signal may configure the transistor Q1 to have the conduction period Ton being shorter than the cut-off period Toff. In comparison of the illumination levels between the PC and PS modes, as the conduction period Ton of transistor Q1 being longer under the PC mode, therefore have higher average electric current driving the light-emitting unit 250 thereby generate high illumination, which may be classified as the high level illumination; whereas as the conduction period Ton of transistor Q1 is shorter in the PS mode, therefore have lower average electric current driving the light-emitting unit 250 thereby generate low illumination, which may be classified as the low level illumination. The microcontroller 240 turns off the light-emitting unit 250 during the day and activates the PC mode at night by turning on the light-emitting unit 250 to generate the high level illumination for a short predetermined duration then return to the low level illumination thereby entering the PS mode. When the motion sensor 230 detects a human motion in the PS mode, the light-emitting unit 250 may switch to the high level illumination for illumination or warning application. The light-emitting unit 250 may return to the low level illumination after maintaining at the high level illumination for a short predetermined duration to save energy. In addition, the microcontroller 240 is coupled to a time setting unit 260, wherein the time setting unit 260 may allow a user to configure the predetermined duration associated with the high level illumination in the PC mode, however the present disclosure is not limited thereto. The time setting unit 260 may also be used for setting a predetermined time duration associated with the low level illumination as well as a predetermined time duration associated with a motion activated high level illumination. The time setting unit 260 is typically configured with an analogue circuitry comprising a resister and a capacitor for setting a time length. However, if precision of time length is crucial or much preferred, a digital circuitry may be employed, wherein a voltage divider with a variable resister coupled to the microcontroller designed with a time setting subroutine or a push button device coupled with a grounding pin of the microcontroller designed with the time setting subroutine for more precisely setting a time length for performing an illumination mode. Second Exemplary Embodiment Refer again to FIG. 1, wherein the illumination variations of the light-emitting unit 150 may be implemented through the number of light-source loads being turned on to generate more than two levels of illumination. The lighting apparatus 100 in the instant exemplary embodiment may be through turning on a portion of LEDs or all the LEDs to generate a low and a high level of illuminations. Refer to FIG. 3A concurrently, which illustrates a schematic diagram of a two-level LED security light 100 in accordance to the second exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. The main difference between FIG. 3A and FIG. 2A is in the light-emitting unit 350, having three series-connected LEDs L1˜L3 and NMOS transistors Q1 and Q2. The LEDs L1˜L3 are series connected to the transistor Q1 at same time connected between the DC source and a constant electric current control circuit 310. Moreover, transistor Q2 is parallel connected to the two ends associated with LEDs L2 and L3. The gates of the transistors Q1 and Q2 are connected respectively to a pin PC and a pin PS of the microcontroller 240. The constant electric current control circuit 310 in the instant exemplary embodiment maintains the electric current in the activated LED at a constant value, namely, the LEDs L1˜L3 are operated in constant-current mode. Refer to FIG. 3A, the pin PC of the microcontroller 240 controls the switching operations of the transistor Q1; when the voltage level of pin PC being either a high voltage or a low voltage, the transistor Q1 may conduct or cut-off, respectively, to turn the LEDs L1˜L3 on or off. The pin PS of the microcontroller 240 controls the switch operations of the transistor Q2, to form two current paths 351 and 352 on the light-emitting unit 350. When the voltage at the pin PS of the microcontroller 240 is high, the transistor Q2 conducts, thereby forming the current path 351 passing through the LED L1 and the transistor Q2; when the voltage at the pin PS being low, the transistor Q2 cuts-off, thereby forming the current path 352 passing through all the LEDs L1˜L3. The microcontroller 240 may then control the switching operation of the transistor Q2 to turn on the desired number of LEDs so as to generate a high or a low level illumination. When light sensor 220 determines that an ambient light is higher than a predetermined value, the microcontroller 240 through the pin PC outputs a low voltage, which causes the transistor Q1 to cut-off and turns off all the LEDs L1˜L3 in the light-emitting unit 350. Conversely, when the light sensor 220 detects that the ambient light is lower than the predetermined value, the microcontroller 240 activates the PC mode, i.e., outputting a high voltage from pin PC and a low voltage from pin PS, to activate the transistor Q1 while cut-off the transistor Q2, thereby forming the current path 352, to turn on the three LEDs L1˜L3 in the light-emitting unit 350 so as to generate the high level illumination for a predetermined duration. After the predetermined duration, the microcontroller 240 may switch to the PS mode by having the pin PC continue outputting a high voltage and the pin PS outputting a high voltage, to have the transistor Q2 conducts, thereby forming the current path 351. Consequently, only the LED L1 is turned on and the low level illumination is generated. When the motion sensor detects a human motion in the PS mode, the pin PS of the microcontroller 240 temporarily switches from the high voltage to a low voltage, to have the transistor Q2 temporarily cuts-off thus forming the current path 352 to activate all the LEDs in the light-emitting unit 350, thereby temporarily generates the high level illumination. The light-emitting unit 350 is driven by a constant electric current, therefore the illumination level generated thereof is directly proportional to the number of LEDs activated. FIG. 3B illustrates another implementation for FIG. 3A, wherein the relays J1 and J2 are used in place of NMOS transistors to serve as switches. The microcontroller 240 may control the relays J2 and J1 through regulating the switching operations of the NPN bipolar junction transistors Q4 and Q5. Moreover, resistors R16 and R17 are current-limiting resistors. In the PC mode, the relay J1 being pull-in while the relay J2 bounce off to have constant electric current driving all the LEDs L1˜L3 to generate the high level illumination; in PS mode, the relays J1 and J2 both pull-in to have constant electric current only driving the LED L1 thus the low level illumination may be thereby generated. Furthermore, when the motion sensor 230 detects a human motion, the pin PS of the microcontroller 240 may temporarily switch from high voltage to low voltage, forcing the relay J2 to temporarily bounce off and the relay J1 pull-in so as to temporarily generate the high level illumination. The LED L1 may adopt a LED having color temperature of 2700K while the LEDs L2 and L3 may adopt LEDs having color temperature of 5000K in order to increase the contrast between the high level and the low level illuminations. The number of LEDs included in the light-emitting unit 350 may be more than three, for example five or six LEDs. The transistor Q2 may be relatively parallel to the two ends associated with a plurality of LEDs to adjust the illumination difference between the high and the low illumination levels. Additionally, the light-emitting unit 350 may be connected to a plurality of transistors Q2, which are respectively coupled to the two ends associated with each LED to provide more lighting variation selections. The microcontroller 240 may decide the number of LEDs to turn on in accordance to design needs at different conditions. Based on the explanation of the aforementioned exemplary embodiment, those skills in the art should be able to deduce other implementation and further descriptions are therefore omitted. Third Exemplary Embodiment Refer back to FIG. 1, wherein the light-emitting unit 150 may include one or more parallel-connected alternating current (AC) LEDs. A phase controller is coupled between the described one or more parallel-connected ACLEDs and AC power source. The loading and power controller 140 in the instant exemplary embodiment may through the phase controller adjust the average power of the light-emitting unit 150 so as to generate variations in the low level and the high level illuminations. Refer to FIG. 4A, which illustrates a schematic diagram of a two-level LED security light 100 in accordance to the third exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. The main difference between FIG. 4A and FIG. 3 is in that the light-source load is an ACLED, which is coupled to the AC power source, and further the light-emitting unit 450 is connected to a phase controller 451. The phase controller 451 includes a bi-directional switching device 452, here, a triac, a zero-crossing detection circuit 453, and a resistor R. The microcontroller 240 turns off the light-emitting unit 450 when the light sensor 220 detects that the ambient light is higher than a predetermined value. Conversely, when the light sensor 220 detects that the ambient light is lower than the predetermined value, the microcontroller 240 activates the PC mode by turning on the light-emitting unit 450. In the PC mode, the microcontroller 240 may select a control pin for outputting a pulse signal which through a resistor R triggers the triac 452 to have a large conduction angle. The large conduction angle configures the light-emitting unit 450 to generate a high level illumination for a predetermined duration. Then the microcontroller 240 outputs the pulse signal for PS mode through the same control pin to trigger the triac 452 to have a small conduction angle for switching the light-emitting unit 450 from the high level illumination to the low level illumination of the PS mode. Moreover, when the motion sensor 230 (also called motion sensing unit) detects a human motion in the PS mode, the microcontroller 240 temporarily outputs the PC-mode pulse signal through the same control pin to have the light-emitting unit 450 generated the high level illumination for a short predetermined duration. After the short predetermined duration, the light-emitting unit 450 returns to the low level illumination. In the illumination control of the ACLED, the microcontroller 240 may utilize the detected zero-crossing time (e.g., the zero-crossing time of an AC voltage waveform) outputted from the zero-crossing detection circuit 453 to send an AC synchronized pulse signal thereof which may trigger the triac 452 of the phase controller 451 thereby to change the average power input to the light-emitting unit 450. As the ACLED has a cut-in voltage Vt for start conducting, thus if the pulse signal inaccurately in time triggers the conduction of the triac 452, then the instantaneous value of AC voltage may be lower than the cut-in voltage Vt of ACLED at the trigger pulse. Consequently, the ACLED may result in the phenomenon of either flashing or not turning on. Therefore, the pulse signal generated by the microcontroller 240 must fall in a proper time gap behind the zero-crossing point associated with the AC sinusoidal voltage waveform. Supposing an AC power source having a voltage amplitude Vm and frequency f, then the zero-crossing time gap tD of the trigger pulse outputted by the microcontroller 240 should be limited according to to<tD<½f−to for a light-source load with a cut-in voltage Vt, wherein to=(½πf)sin−1(Vt/Vm). The described criterion is applicable to all types of ACLEDs to assure that the triac 452 can be stably triggered in both positive and negative half cycle of the AC power source. Take ACLED with Vt(rms)=80V as an example, and supposing the Vm(rms)=110V and f=60 Hz, then to=2.2 ms and (½f)=8.3 ms may be obtained. Consequently, the proper zero-crossing time gap tD associated with the phase modulation pulse outputted by the microcontroller 240 which lagged the AC sinusoidal voltage waveform should be designed in the range of 2.2 ms<tD, <6.1 ms. Refer to FIG. 4B, which illustrates a timing waveform of the two-level LED security light in accordance to the third exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. Waveforms (a)˜(d) of FIG. 4B respectively represent the AC power source, the output of the zero-crossing detection circuit 453, the zero-crossing delay pulse at the control pin of the microcontroller 240, and the voltage waveform across the two ends of the ACLED in the light-emitting unit 450. The zero-crossing detection circuit 453 converts the AC voltage sinusoidal waveform associated with the AC power source to a symmetric square waveform having a low and a high voltage levels as shown in FIG. 4B(b). At the zero-crossing point of the AC voltage sinusoidal wave, the symmetric square waveform may transit either from the low voltage level to the high voltage level or from the high voltage level to the low voltage level. Or equivalently, the edge of the symmetric square waveform in the time domain corresponds to the zero-crossing point of the AC voltage sinusoidal waveform. As shown in FIG. 4B(c), the microcontroller 240 outputs a zero-crossing delay pulse in correspondence to the zero-crossing point of the AC sinusoidal waveform in accordance to the output waveform of the zero-crossing detection circuit 453. The zero-crossing delay pulse is relative to an edge of symmetric square waveform behind a time gap tD in the time domain. The tD should fall in a valid range, as described previously, to assure that the triac 452 can be stably triggered thereby to turn on the ACLED. FIG. 4B(d) illustrates a voltage waveform applied across the two ends associated with the ACLED. The illumination level of the light-emitting unit 450 is related to the conduction period ton of the ACLED, or equivalently, the length ton is directly proportional to the average power inputted to the ACLED. The difference between the PC mode and the PS mode being that in the PC mode, the ACLED has longer conduction period, thereby generates the high level illumination; whereas in the PS mode, the ACLED conduction period is shorter, hence generates the low level illumination. Refer to FIG. 5, which illustrates a schematic diagram of a two-level LED security light 100 in accordance to the third exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. The light-emitting unit 550 of the lighting apparatus 100 includes an ACLED1, an ACLED2. The phase controller 551 includes triacs 552 and 553, the zero-crossing detection circuit 554 as well as resistors R1 and R2. The light-emitting unit 550 of FIG. 5 is different from the light-emitting unit 450 of FIG. 4 in that the light-emitting unit 550 has more than one ACLED and more than one bi-directional switching device. Furthermore, the color temperatures of the ACLED1 and the ACLED2 may be selected to be different. In the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 5, the ACLED1 has a high color temperature, and the ACLED2 has a low color temperature. In the PC mode, the microcontroller 240 uses the phase controller 551 to trigger both ACLED1 and ACLED2 to conduct for a long period, thereby to generate the high level illumination as well as illumination of mix color temperature. In the PS mode, the microcontroller 240 uses the phase controller 551 to trigger only the ACLED2 to conduct for a short period, thereby generates the low level illumination as well as illumination of low color temperature. Moreover, in the PS mode, when the motion sensor 230 detects a human motion, the microcontroller 240 may through the phase controller 551 trigger the ACLED1 and ACLED2 to conduct for a long period. Thereby, it may render the light-emitting unit 450 to generate the high level illumination of high color temperature and to produce high contrast in illumination and hue, for a short predetermined duration to warn the intruder. Consequently, the lighting apparatus may generate the high level or the low level illumination of different hue. The rest of operation theories associated with the light-emitting unit 550 are essentially the same as the light-emitting unit 450 and further descriptions are therefore omitted. Fourth Exemplary Embodiment Refer to FIG. 6, which illustrates a schematic diagram of a two-level LED security light 100 in accordance to the fourth exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. The light-emitting unit 150 of FIG. 1 may be implemented by the light-emitting unit 650, wherein the light-emitting unit 650 includes three ACLED1˜3 having identical luminous power electrically connected to switches 651 and 652. In which, switches 651 and 652 may be relays. The parallel-connected ACLED1 and ACLED2 are series-connected to the switch 652 to produce double luminous power, and of which the ACLED3 is parallel connected to, to generate triple luminous power, and of which an AC power source is further coupled to through the switch 651. Moreover, the microcontroller 240 implements the loading and power control unit 140 of FIG. 1. The pin PC and pin PS are respectively connected to switches 651 and 652 for outputting voltage signals to control the operations of switches 651 and 652 (i.e., open or close). In the PC mode, the pin PC and pin PS of the microcontroller 240 control the switches 651 and 652 to be closed at same time. Consequently, the ACLED1˜3 are coupled to the AC power source and the light-emitting unit 650 may generate a high level illumination of triple luminous power. After a short predetermined duration, the microcontroller 240 returns to PS mode. In which the switch 651 is closed while the pin PS controls the switch 652 to be opened, consequently, only the ACLED3 is connected to AC power source, and the light-emitting unit 650 may thus generate the low level illumination of one luminous power. In the PS mode, when the motion sensor 230 detects a human motion, the microcontroller 240 temporarily closes the switch 652 to generate high level illumination with triple luminous power for a predetermined duration. After the predetermined duration, the switch 652 returns to open status thereby to generate the low level illumination of one luminous power. The lighting apparatus of FIG. 6 may therefore through controlling switches 651 and 652 generate two level illuminations with illumination contrast of at least 3 to 1. The ACLED1 and ACLED2 of FIG. 6 may be high power lighting sources having color temperature of 5000K. The ACLED3 may be a low power lighting source having color temperature of 2700K. Consequently, the ACLED may generate two levels of illuminations with high illumination and hue contrast without using a zero-crossing detection circuit. Fifth Exemplary Embodiment Refer to FIG. 7, which illustrates a schematic diagram of a two-level LED security light in accordance to the fifth exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. The light-emitting unit 750 of FIG. 7 is different from the light-emitting unit 640 of FIG. 6 in that the ACLED3 is series-connected to a circuit with a rectified diode D and a switch 753 parallel-connected together, and of which is further coupled through a switch 751 to AC power source. When the switch 753 closes, the AC electric current that passes through the ACLED3 may be a full sinusoidal waveform. When the switch 753 opens, the rectified diode rectifies the AC power, thus only one half cycle of the AC electric current may pass through the ACLED, consequently the luminous power of ALCED3 is cut to be half. The pin PS of the microcontroller 240 synchronously controls the operations of switches 752 and 753. If the three ACLED1˜3 have identical luminous power, then in the PC mode, the pin PC and pin PS of the microcontroller 240 synchronously close the switches 751˜753 to render ACLED1˜3 illuminating, thus the light-emitting unit 750 generates a high level illumination which is three-times higher than the luminous power of a single ACLED. When in the PS mode, the microcontroller 240 closes the switch 751 while opens switches 752 and 753. At this moment, only the ACLED3 illuminates and as the AC power source is rectified by the rectified diode D, thus the luminous power of ACLED3 is half of the AC power source prior to the rectification. The luminous power ratio between the high level and the low level illuminations is therefore 6 to 1. Consequently, strong illumination contrast may be generated to effectively warn the intruder. It should be noted that the light-emitting unit in the fifth exemplary embodiment is not limited to utilizing ACLEDs. In other words, the light-emitting unit may include any AC lighting sources such as ACLEDs, incandescent lamps, or fluorescent lamps. In respect to the LED load of the light emitting unit 150, the cut-in voltage Vt of ACLEDs or a plurality of LEDs is attributable to unique electrical characteristics of a light emitting diode, which are completely different from the conventional incandescent light bulb. The light emitting diode is made with a semiconductor material characterized with three unique electrical features, the first feature is one way conduction, the second feature is a minimum threshold voltage Vth to trigger each light emitting diode to start emitting light and the third feature is a maximum working voltage Vmax allowed to impose on each light emitting diode to avoid a thermal damage or burning out the semiconductor construction of the light emitting diode. The described cut-in voltage Vt refers to a total threshold voltage of the light emitting unit 150 while the minimum threshold voltage Vth and the maximum working voltage Vmax are related to individual light emitting diode. For each light emitting diode of the light emitting unit 150, regardless the light-source load being configured with an AC LED module or a DC LED module, the working voltage of each light emitting diode is confined to operate in a domain established by the minimum threshold Vth and the maximum working voltage Vmax. It is required that the configuration of the light emitting unit and the power source is designed with a configuration of in series and/or in parallel connections such that the electric current passing through each LED of the light emitting unit remains at an adequate level and thus a voltage V across each LED of the LED lamp complies with an operating constraint of Vth<V<Vmax featuring electrical characteristics of the LED, wherein Vth is a minimum threshold voltage required to trigger each LED to start emitting light and Vmax is a maximum operating voltage across each LED to avoid a thermal damage or burning out a semiconductor structure of the LED construction. The voltage operating domain characterized by Vth<V<Vmax is in practice restricted in a range between 2.5 volts and 20 volts. Such narrow operating range therefore posts an engineering challenge for a circuit designer to successfully design a reliable circuitry configured with an adequate combination of in series connection and in parallel connection for operating a higher power LED security light. A lighting apparatus may be implemented by integrating a plurality of LEDs with a microcontroller and various types of sensor components in the controlling circuit in accordance to the above described five exemplary embodiments. This lighting apparatus may automatically generate high level illumination when the ambient light detected is insufficient and time-switch to the low level illumination. In addition, when a person is entering the predetermined detection zone, the lighting apparatus may switch from the low level illumination to the high level illumination, to provide the person with sufficient illumination or to generate strong illumination and hue contrast for monitoring the intruder. The above-mentioned descriptions represent merely the exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, without any intention to limit the scope of the present disclosure thereto. Various equivalent changes, alternations or modifications based on the claims of present disclosure are all consequently viewed as being embraced by the scope of the present disclosure. | <SOH> BACKGROUND <EOH> | <SOH> SUMMARY <EOH>An exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure provides a two-level LED security light with motion sensor which may switch to high level illumination in the Power-Saving (PS) mode for a predetermined duration time when a human motion is detected thereby achieve warning purpose using method of electric current or lighting load adjustment. Furthermore, prior to the detection of an intrusion, the LED security light may be constantly in the low level illumination to save energy. An exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure provides a two-level LED security light including a power supply unit, a light sensing control unit, a motion sensing unit, a loading and power control unit, and a light-emitting unit. The light-emitting unit further includes one or a plurality of series-connected LEDs; when the light sensing control unit detects that an ambient light is lower than a predetermined value, the loading and power control unit turns on the light-emitting unit to generate a high level or a low level illumination; when the light sensing control unit detects that the ambient light is higher than the predetermined value, the loading and power control unit turns off the light-emitting unit; when the motion sensing unit detects a human motion in the PS mode, the loading and power control unit increases the electric current that flows through the light-emitting unit so as to generate the high level illumination for a predetermined duration. Another exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure provides a two-level LED security light including a power supply unit, a light sensing control unit, a motion sensing unit, a loading and power control unit, a light-emitting unit. The light-emitting unit includes a plurality of series-connected LEDs. When the light sensing control unit detects that an ambient light is lower than a predetermined value, the loading and power control unit turns on a portion or all the LEDs of the light-emitting unit to generate a low level or a high level illumination; when the light sensing control unit detects that the ambient light is higher than the predetermined value, the loading and power control unit turns off all the LEDs in the light-emitting unit; when the motion sensing unit detects a human motion in the PS mode, the loading and power control unit turns on a plurality of LEDs in the light-emitting unit and generates the high level illumination for a predetermine duration. An electric current control circuit is integrated in the exemplary embodiment for providing constant electric current to drive the LEDS in the light-emitting unit. One exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure provides a two-level LED security light including a power supply unit, a light sensing control unit, a motion sensing unit, a loading and power control unit, and a light-emitting unit. The light-emitting unit includes one or a plurality of parallel-connected alternating current (AC) LEDs. A phase controller is coupled between the described one or a plurality parallel-connected ACLEDs and AC power source. The loading and power control unit may through the phase controller control the average power of the light-emitting unit; when the light sensing control unit detects that an ambient light is lower than a predetermined value, the loading and power control unit turns on the light-emitting unit to generate a high level or a lower level illumination; when the light sensing control unit detects that the ambient light is higher than the predetermined value, the loading and power control unit turns off the light-emitting unit; when the motion sensing unit detects a human motion in the PS mode, the loading and power control unit increases the average power of the light-emitting unit thereby generates the high level illumination for a predetermine duration. According to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, a two-level LED security light includes a power supply unit, a light sensing control unit, a motion sensing unit, a loading and power control unit, and a light-emitting unit. The light-emitting unit includes X high wattage ACLEDs and Y low wattage ACLEDs connected in parallel. When the light sensing control unit detects that an ambient light is lower than a predetermined value, the loading and power control unit turns on the plurality of low wattage ACLEDs to generate a low level illumination; when the light sensing control unit detects that the ambient light is higher than a predetermined value, the loading and power control unit turns off the light-emitting unit; when the motion sensor detects an intrusion, the loading and power control unit turns on both the high wattage ACLEDs and the low wattage ACLEDs at same time thereby generates a high level illumination for a predetermine duration, wherein X and Y are of positive integers. According to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, a two-level LED security light with motion sensor includes a power supply unit, a light sensing control unit, a motion sensing unit, a loading and power control unit, and a light-emitting unit. The light-emitting unit includes a rectifier circuit connected between one or a plurality of parallel-connected AC lighting sources and AC power source. The loading and power control unit may through the rectifier circuit adjust the average power of the light-emitting unit. When the light sensing control unit detects that an ambient light is lower than a predetermined value, the loading and power control unit turns on the light-emitting unit to generate a low level illumination; when the light sensing control unit detects that the ambient light is higher than the predetermined value, the loading and power control unit turns off the light-emitting unit; when the motion sensing unit detects an intrusion, the loading and power control unit increases the average power of the light-emitting unit thereby generates a high level illumination for a predetermine duration. The rectifier circuit includes a switch parallel-connected with a diode, wherein the switch is controlled by the loading and power control unit. To sum up, a two-level LED security light with motion sensor provided by an exemplary embodiment in the preset disclosure, may execute Photo-Control (PC) and Power-Saving (PS) modes. When operates in the PC mode, the lighting apparatus may auto-illuminate at night and auto turn off at dawn. The PC mode may generate a high level illumination for a predetermined duration then automatically switch to the PS mode by a control unit to generate a low level illumination. When the motion sensor detects a human motion, the disclosed LED security light may immediately switch to the high level illumination for a short predetermined duration thereby achieve illumination or warning effect. After the short predetermined duration, the LED security light may automatically return to the low level illumination for saving energy. The PC mode may alternatively generate the low level illumination to begin with and when the motion sensor is detected the disclosed LED security may immediately switch to a high level illumination for a short predetermined duration to provide security protection and then automatically return to the low level illumination. In order to further understand the techniques, means and effects of the present disclosure, the following detailed descriptions and appended drawings are hereby referred, such that, through which, the purposes, features and aspects of the present disclosure can be thoroughly and concretely appreciated; however, the appended drawings are merely provided for reference and illustration, without any intention to be used for limiting the present disclosure. | H05B330854 | 20171228 | 20180503 | 57220.0 | H05B3308 | 1 | LE, TUNG X | A LIFE-STYLE LED SECURITY LIGHT | SMALL | 1 | CONT-ACCEPTED | H05B | 2,017 |
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15,857,236 | ACCEPTED | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PROVISIONING USER COMPUTING DEVICES BASED ON SENSOR AND STATE INFORMATION | A system and method is provided for using information broadcast by devices and resources in the immediate vicinity of a mobile device, or by sensors located within the mobile device itself, to ascertain and make a determination of the immediate environment and state of the mobile device. This determination may be used to control and manage the actions that the device is asked to carry out by or on behalf of the user. | 1. A method for controlling access to a functionality of a user device, the method comprising: receiving a capabilities list (CL) from one or more external resources available to and in proximity with the user device, each CL specifying one or more attributes of the respective external resource from which it is received; storing each of the received CLs in a resource registry associated with the user device; dynamically updating the resource registry with one or more updated CLs; determining an environment map for the user device, the environment map comprising (i) resource environment information obtained from the resource registry and (ii) physical environment information obtained from one or more sensors; matching access policies of the user device with the environment map to dynamically assign a profile to the user device; and controlling access to the functionality of the user device based on the profile assigned to the user device, wherein the one or more external resources include an external resource connected to the user device via a wireless network and configured to deliver content to a user of the user device. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the wireless network is a Bluetooth network. 3. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more external resources include a display device. 4. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more attributes include a network address. 5. The method of claim 1, wherein the physical environment information comprises location information. 6. The method of claim 1, wherein the physical environment information comprises proximity information. 7. The method of claim 6, wherein the proximity information comprises proximity to a user's body. 8. The method of claim 1, wherein the physical environment information comprises gravity information. 9. The method of claim 8, wherein the gravity information comprises device orientation information. 10. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more sensors are located within the user device. 11. The method of claim 1, further comprising: transmitting a resource update from the user device to a service delivery platform, the resource update including the resource environment information. 12. The method of claim 1, wherein controlling access to the functionality of the user device includes limiting access to mobile applications running on the user device. 13. The method of claim 1, wherein controlling access to the functionality of the user device includes limiting display of content on a display of the user device. 14. The method of claim 1, wherein controlling access to the functionality of the user device includes limiting a communication functionality of the user device. 15. The method of claim 1, wherein the content is video content. 16. A user device comprising: a processor; and a non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions stored thereon, that when executed on the processor, perform the steps of: receiving a capabilities list (CL) from one or more external resources available to and in proximity with the user device, each CL specifying one or more attributes of the respective external resource from which it is received; storing each of the received CLs in a resource registry associated with the user device; dynamically updating the resource registry with one or more updated CLs; determining an environment map for the user device, the environment map comprising (i) resource environment information obtained from the resource registry and (ii) physical environment information obtained from one or more sensors; matching access policies of the user device with the environment map to dynamically assign a profile to the user device; and controlling access to the functionality of the user device based on the profile assigned to the user device, wherein the one or more external resources include an external resource connected to the user device via a wireless network and configured to deliver content to a user of the user device. 17. The user device of claim 16, wherein the wireless network is a Bluetooth network. 18. The user device of claim 16, wherein the one or more external resources include a display device. 19. The user device of claim 16, wherein the one or more attributes include a network address. 20. The user device of claim 16, wherein the physical environment information comprises location information. 21. The user device of claim 16, wherein the physical environment information comprises proximity information. 22. The user device of claim 21, wherein the proximity information comprises proximity to a user's body. 23. The user device of claim 16, wherein the physical environment information comprises gravity information. 24. The user device of claim 23, wherein the gravity information comprises device orientation information. 25. The user device of claim 16, wherein the one or more sensors are located within the user device. 26. The user device of claim 16, wherein the instructions further perform the steps of: transmitting a resource update from the user device to a service delivery platform, the resource update including the resource environment information. 27. The user device of claim 16, wherein controlling access to the functionality of the user device includes limiting access to mobile applications running on the user device. 28. The user device of claim 16, wherein controlling access to the functionality of the user device includes limiting display of content on a display of the user device. 29. The user device of claim 16, wherein controlling access to the functionality of the user device includes limiting a communication functionality of the user device. 30. The user device of claim 16, wherein the content is video content. | BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention The present invention relates to the delivery, discovery, management and control of information to mobile consumers, and more particularly to consumers who have access to multiple devices, capabilities and networks, and to the efficient use and control of these resources to consume and generate information. Description of the Related Art It has become customary for people to generate and consume information in a variety of contexts and situations. This need is never more prominent as when people are mobile. Starting with the simply stated need to be “reachable,” people now want to be connected to various information resources and use the associated networks and resources to carry out simple and complex tasks that they face everyday. A decade or so ago, the personal computer (PC), either desktop or laptop, was the main tool for accessing information. A necessary aspect of the PC is that it requires almost the complete attention of the user, i.e., it is difficult to do many other things at the same time as using the PC because of the tethering, weight, and form factor of the device. With the advent of mobile computing devices such as smartphones, it is now commonplace to find people attempting multiple tasks simultaneously, e.g., driving while talking on a mobile phone. In some cases multi-tasking is useful and advantageous, while in other cases it may be physically dangerous to others and oneself. Management of capabilities that are potentially available to a consumer would be an extremely valuable service. The systems and methods in use today that enable a user to be “reachable” or to have access rely heavily on the user carrying a mobile device. However, mobile devices often have limitations in bandwidth, capacity or connectivity that prevent their use in certain situations. For example, consider a mobile device that may be connected to a network that has low bandwidth but is within range of other resources, e.g., a different network that provides more bandwidth. A mobile device, however, may only support one network interface and, hence, may not be capable of utilizing the higher bandwidth network because it is connected to the lower bandwidth network. Even when a mobile device is connected to a resource (i.e., access network, display device, storage and computing resource, etc.), it may not be adequately connected since the suitability of a connection depends on the service, i.e., the application that the user intends to run on the device. In present day mobile computing environments some applications mandate a certain type of network. For example, early versions of the iPhone mandated that mobile video could only be accessed using a WiFi network. More recent versions of the iPhone support both WiFi and cellular 3G access to mobile video resources, leaving the user to decide which access network to use, or the device uses a programmed policy to choose a network type. The current trend in mobile devices and networks is to support multiple radios and multiple radio access bearers (mRAB), a feature of the so-called 3G UMTS (Universal Mobile Terrestrial System) technology. With the introduction of various types of networking technologies, it is expected that a variety of devices will broadcast information about themselves and their capabilities for other devices to use. Thus, the ability of devices to carry out multiple simultaneous tasks is expected to continue to grow. A device concurrently executing a multiplicity of tasks has need for many resources and may carry out those tasks more efficiently by switching resources around. A pre-determined policy of matching resources to tasks, however, may be too restrictive. Allowing a single application to demand a resource without knowledge of all the resource options may be of detriment to it and other concurrent applications. Further, when concurrent applications are being run on a mobile device, the service provider may choose to disallow the concurrent execution of certain applications, e.g., initiating a voice call and a mobile video session while a video session is in progress. Alternatively, certain combinations of concurrent applications may be allowed or disallowed only when certain resources are or become available. For example, in some networks, call forwarding commands were disallowed when such commands led from one device to another that was previously in the call forwarding loop. But detecting such feature interaction problems is computationally difficult and in general undefined. The problem becomes further complicated when external resources become a part of the problem specification. There is, therefore, a need for an entity to match the needs of concurrent mobile applications on a mobile device with the available resources in the device's environment in order for successfully carrying out or limiting and controlling the tasks at hand. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION These and other drawbacks in the prior art are overcome in large part by a system and method according to embodiments of the present invention. A telecommunications method in accordance with embodiments of the present invention includes receiving registry map information of network environmental indicia from a mobile device concurrently along with location information to a home location registry; generating an environment map for the mobile device based on the registry map information, the environment map including a device, application, and network component environment; defining service provisioning based on the environment map in response to a request for service from the mobile device, the service provisioning including and excluding predetermined elements of the environment map; and providing network service in accordance with the defined service provisioning. In some embodiments, the service provisioning includes accommodating a service provider policy. In others, the service provisioning includes accommodating a user selected preference. Further embodiments include defining a user context based on the environment map and including or excluding predetermined elements for provisioning based on the user context. A telecommunications system in accordance with embodiments of the present invention includes a plurality of user devices, the user devices configured to monitor available resources and dynamically maintain a resource registry of the available resources and transmit the registry to a service provider; a service delivery platform associated with the service provider and configured to dynamically maintain profiles of a plurality of user devices based on the resource registry information and allow access to resources based on the profiles. In some embodiments, the plurality of user device configured to maintain a capabilities list of user device attributes. The user devices may include one or more sensors for identifying a physical device environment and storing physical device environment information in the registry and may be configured to transmit the resource registry information to the service provider during a home location register location update. In some embodiments, the plurality of user devices are configured to transmit the resource registry information to the service provider as binary-coded data during a home location register location update. In some embodiments, the profiles define access based on physical device environment. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The present invention may be better understood, and its numerous objects, features, and advantages made apparent to those skilled in the art by referencing the accompanying drawings. The use of the same reference symbols in different drawings indicates similar or identical items. FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary system according to embodiments of the present invention. FIG. 2 illustrates a CL according to embodiments of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating operation of embodiments of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a diagram of an exemplary system map according to embodiments of the present invention. FIG. 5 is a diagram of an exemplary system map according to embodiments of the present invention. FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating operation of embodiments of the present invention. FIG. 7 is an exemplary SDP in accordance with embodiments of the present invention. FIG. 8 is an exemplary user device in accordance with embodiments of the present invention. FIG. 9 is a flowchart illustrating operation of embodiments of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION In accordance with embodiments of the present invention, a system and method is provided for using information broadcast by devices and resources in the immediate vicinity of a mobile device, or by sensors located within the mobile device itself, to ascertain and make a determination of the immediate environment and state of the mobile device. This determination may be used to control and manage the actions that the device is asked to carry out by or on behalf of the user. Advantageously, a carrier can define hundreds of device profiles and automatically and dynamically associate them with user devices, based on the device sensing its environment. The profiles allow or disallow certain actions or combinations of actions, as will be described in greater detail below. Embodiments of the present invention address locating mobile devices in a telecommunications network that uses a mechanism of “paging requests” by certain network elements and “location updates” by mobile devices to update and maintain a database called the Home Location register (HLR). The term “location” typically refers to the cellular site (cell site) within which the mobile device was last known to be located, although other location methods may be employed. In accordance with embodiments of the present invention, paging requests and location updates include not only cell site information, but also the availability of other access networks to the mobile device such as WiFi, Bluetooth, WiMax, etc. Moreover, any other resources, e.g., display devices, that could be used in conjunction with the mobile device that are “attached” to the new access network and which “announce” their capabilities and availability are also included in the updates. Internal sensor information, such as device orientation, may also be provided. The information so obtained from the environment surrounding a mobile device is captured in a series of update messages, referred to as resource updates, by a network facility that processes and stores the messages. In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the mobile device contains a registry wherein all applications are authenticated and registered before they can be used in the mobile device. The registry may additionally contain a profile stating what resources an application needs. A network facility uses an application profile and the information obtained from resource updates to dynamically assign a profile to the mobile device. This profile may be re-assigned and modified whenever the resource updates or the registry information in the mobile device warrant a change based on service logic executing in the network facility. Consider, for example, a mobile device that is engaged in a voice telephone call connected to a circuit-switched network. Assume the mobile device contains applications for streaming mobile video and SMS text messaging, the applications registered within the registry of the mobile device. The mobile device will have an associated profile in the network facility that details the resources available to the mobile device, i.e., the circuit-switched network, the mobile video and SMS applications, and any resources needed by the applications. Now, assume a Bluetooth access network announces itself, its capabilities and its resources. For example, the Bluetooth network may announce its type is “automobile” and that it supports a display device with certain attributes, e.g., resolution, size, etc. Assume the mobile device attaches itself to the new network. The mobile device will update its registry to include the Bluetooth network and its associated display device. Resource updates from the mobile device to the network facility likewise now list the new access network available to the device (Bluetooth), and any resources that have become available, i.e., the new display device. This causes the network facility to assign a new profile to the mobile device wherein delivery and display of mobile video may now be effectuated on the newly discovered display device, i.e., the monitor in the automobile. Moreover, a policy restriction stated by the service provider preventing SMS messages from being received and initiated while in an automobile may cause the registry to disable the SMS application, thus preventing the user from launching or receiving SMS messages. Thus, the user may now view mobile content on the automobile display, rather than on the display of the mobile device, and may not initiate or receive SMS messages while connected to the automobile's Bluetooth network. Alternatively, the service provider may choose to display a warning message to the user without disabling any of the applications in the mobile device. Similarly, the device internal sensors may identify a particular physical orientation or other characteristic of the device, and cause the network facility to enable or disable based thereon. For example, if the device is being held to the ear, then a rule may be provided that video content is on the automobile display other than the mobile device display. Turning now to the drawings and, with particular attention to FIG. 1, a diagram of a telecommunications system 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown. The telecommunications system 100 may include a network facility, such as a service delivery platform 102, which may include or be in communication with a resource map 104, a resource profile 106, and a recognition unit 115. As will be explained in greater detail below, the resource map 104 contains an environment map of resources available to particular users, while the resource profile 106 defines particularized rules for making those resources available. The recognition unit 115, as will be explained in greater detail below, contains matching rules for comparing access policies to the user device's environment maps. That is, the service delivery platform 102 makes the resources available to the user devices in accordance with the resource map 104, profile 106, and recognition unit 115. The service delivery platform 102 may include or be in communication with one or more user devices 108, and one or more Home Location register (HLR) databases 116. Typically, as will be explained in greater detail below, an HLR 116 is provided for each cell site in the network to which the user device is registered. The user devices may further include or be in communication with resource registries 110, capabilities lists (CL) 112, and resource monitors 114. As will be explained in greater detail below, the resource monitor 114 monitors the network and resource environment (either passively or actively) for devices or resources that have become available or unavailable. The capabilities lists 112 are lists maintained by all network devices and resources. Specifically, it is envisaged that networks and devices, i.e., all resources, contain an internal capability list (CL) that contains not only the identification number of the resource but also attributes that may be of interest and use to applications. For example, a network CL may show the bandwidth, average latency, etc. A storage device CL may show the amount of available storage, the random access time, etc. A display device CL may show the resolution, number of pixels, etc. Indeed, the attributes in the CL for most popular devices and networks could be standardized. A particular device or entity's CL may be updated when it receives a CL from other resources. The resource registries 110, on the other hand, are registries maintained by the user device of CLs of other devices that are currently available to it. FIG. 2 illustrates an exemplary CL for a display device that would be maintained in the registry of, say, a mobile telephone. Attributes in the CL describe the capabilities of the resource, its external interfaces, and intrinsic properties. For example, in the case of a display device, this can include resolution, display size, refresh rate, etc. In certain embodiments, the user devices 108 may be implemented as telephones, cellular telephones, PDAs, computers, hard or soft clients, etc. While typically implemented as a smartphone, the user devices 108 also may be embodied as personal computers implementing a Windows operating system and the Explorer web browser. The user devices 108 thus may include telephony and other multimedia messaging capability using, for example, peripheral cameras, Webcams, microphones, and speakers (not shown) or peripheral telephony handsets. In general, while the user devices 108 may implement one or more of the systems and methods described herein, the user devices also may implement one or more client devices or programs that communicate with services that implement such systems and methods provided remotely. In certain embodiments, the system 100 may also include other hardware and/or software components (e.g., gateways, proxy servers, registration server, presence servers, redirect servers, databases, applications, etc.). The devices may also contain sensors for the state of the device and/or the state of its immediate environment, such as temperature and orientation. For example, several current mobile devices, such as smartphones, sense WiFi and cellular networks. Others sense the orientation of the device and allow the display to be used in either a portrait or a landscape mode, using a gravity-based pendulum sensor. In addition, proximity sensors turn the display off when the device is held to the ear. In accordance with embodiments of the present invention, such physical sensors may be used to define not simply local characteristics of the telephone, but may be sent to the registry and uploaded to the network for use in implementing and/or determining network and device access policies. As will be discussed in greater detail below, in order to receive information, a mobile device must be located by the network since it could physically be anywhere in the geographical area. Each mobile device periodically generates a message called the location update that is recorded in a Home Location Register (HLR) 116. The location update message typically contains the identity of the cell site in which the mobile device is currently located and some other network-related information, e.g., signal strength, etc. Whenever the network needs to reach a mobile device, e.g., to initiate an incoming voice call, it sends a paging request to the last cell site in which the mobile device was located. Upon receiving the paging request the mobile device may respond to it. If, however, the mobile device has re-located to another cell site since the last location update, the paging request goes unanswered. In accordance with embodiments of the present invention, the location update message from a mobile device 108 is further loaded with information about other resources that are currently “available” to the mobile device 108. Specifically, resources “announce” or make available their CLs. This may be achieved either by accepting a specific request on a well-defined interface and responding to the request or by doing a broadcast. The current generation of RFID devices, by way of example, announce themselves through a broadcast mechanism, as do certain WiMax and Wifi networks. The mobile device 108 receives the announcements and aggregates them into one or more resource updates. In some embodiments of the present invention, the announcements include other device CLs. The mobile device 108 periodically broadcasts these resource updates, which are then received by the service delivery platform 102. As can be appreciated, such updates from the user devices to the service delivery platform 102 via the HLRs 116 could be bandwidth and/or processing intensive. As such, in accordance with embodiments of the present invention, any of a variety of techniques may be used to minimize such effects. For example, less-bandwidth-intensive binary encoding may be used for the uplink registry messages. Alternatively, or additionally, rather than having the uplink occur every time the HLR is updated, it may occur only every other time, or every tenth time, or any other predetermined period. Also, rather than having periodic updates, in some embodiments, the registry upload may occur only if the registry itself has actually been updated. Furthermore, the service delivery platform 102, in conjunction with the recognition unit 115, the resource map 104 and resource profile 106, may implement one or more databases (not shown) that will require speedy and frequent updates. Accordingly, embodiments of the present invention may make use of “active” databases to accommodate the heavy traffic. Turning now to FIG. 3, a flowchart 300 illustrating operation of embodiment of the present invention is shown. The particular arrangement of elements in the flowchart 300 is not meant to imply a fixed order to the elements; embodiments can be practiced in any order that is practicable. More particularly, the flowchart 300 illustrates the aggregation process in a mobile device for a plurality of CLs In a process step 302, the mobile device 108 receives or discovers a CL. Receipt or discovery may be an out-of-band process and may be accomplished through the resource broadcasting or otherwise announcing presence and/or the CL. In a process step 304, the user device 108 and, particularly, the resource monitor 114, checks if the CL is from a previously known resource. An affirmative response can lead to updating of the CL in the user device's lists (typically, the received CL may itself be updated and thus different from that previously stored), in a process step 306. Once updated, the information is integrated into the next resource update to the service delivery platform 102, as shown at process step 312. More particularly, the information is loaded with the location information to the Home Location Register 116, which provides it to the service delivery platform 102. As noted above, this may be sent with every HLR update, or on an event basis or some periodic basis, and/or using a low bandwidth binary encoding. If, in process step 304, the CL was determined to be unknown, the resource will be registered in the mobile device registry 110, in a process step 308. A new CL is created for the new resource from the received CL in a process step 310, and the new CL is integrated into a resource update, in a process step 312. Once a resource update is ready, the update is sent to another process 1000 that perpetually loops on a timer at process step 314, and periodically generates a resource update, at steps 316, 318. As noted above, resource updates from mobile devices are received and stored by the Service Delivery Platform (SDP) 102. Using information from the resource updates, the SDP 102 constructs a conceptual map 104 of the immediate environment of a mobile device, generates a resource profile 106 of a current environment of the device, and uses the recognition unit 115 to allow or disallow functionality based on the map. For example, shown in FIG. 4 is a user device 108 that has received CLs from other resources 402, 404, 406. The CLs 402, 406, 408 may be, for example, a cell site, a display resource, and a network resource. The mobile device 108 integrates these CLs into a resource update 408 which in turn is broadcast by the mobile device 108 and received and stored by the SDP 102. The stored representation of the environment is shown at 410 and includes a cell site 412, a display resource 414 and a network resource 416. The resources 412, 414, 416 correspond to the CLs 402, 404, 406, respectively. It is noted that the graphical representation of FIG. 4 is for purposes of simplicity only; the typical environment map uses internal digital computer data structures to effectively store objects such as CL 402, 404, 406. In the example illustrated, the informational attributes of CL 402 may describe a cell site of a cellular network 412 with interface 420; the informational attributes of CL 404 may describe a RFID display device depicted as 414 with interface 424; and the informational attributes of CL 406 may describe a WiFi network depicted as 416 with interface 422. The mobile device itself is shown as a unitary structure 430 for purposes of this depiction but will be discussed later. Thus, with reference to FIG. 4, the environment map 104 of the mobile device 108 shows that the device is in association with a display device 414 using interface 424, and has access to two networks 412 and 416 using interfaces 420, 422 respectively, the former being a WiFi network and the latter a cellular network. The inventions discussed herein do not presuppose that a resource is necessarily associated exclusively with a single mobile device. Resources may be shared between multiples of mobile devices. It is also envisaged that the SDP 102 maintains an environment map for a plurality of mobile devices and, typically, maintains one map for all mobile devices in its purview. As noted above, the environment map of mobile devices may be used to efficiently deliver to and receive information from the mobile devices. As an exemplary case, consider the problem of delivering video content from a source to the mobile device whose map 104 is depicted in FIG. 5. The mobile device 108 is associated with a display resource 414, a cellular network 412 and a WiFi network 416. Also shown are a variety of network paths, 101, 201, 301, 501, 601, 701. Given the environment map of mobile device 108, a service profile 106 (FIG. 1) may be associated with the device that specifies that video content from a content server 502 may be delivered to either the mobile device 108 or to the display resource 414 and may further define the network path for the delivery. In particular, the SDP 102 may choose a network path 101, 201, 301 to deliver the video content to the display resource 424. Alternatively, it may deliver the video content using the network path 101, 201, 501, 601, 301 to the mobile device 108; or it may also use the network path 701, 412. The service profile may further direct the mobile device 108 to consume the video content or to “relay” content to the display resource 424. Such a directive may be dictated by policies stated by the service provider. The SDP 102 may contain service logic using cost functions to choose any one of these paths. It may also use current network traffic and policies to prefer one path over the other possible paths. If the SDP 102 chooses to deliver the video content to the display resource 424 and not the mobile device 108, it may first seek permission from the mobile device 100 by engaging in user dialog, such as via a graphical user interface. It is thus apparent that a user of a mobile device 108 may request video content from a server and in some cases, as depicted in FIG. 5, the video content will be received and relayed by the mobile device 108, to be displayed on a device 424 in close proximity to the mobile device. Continuing with the example shown in FIG. 5, if the environment map of the mobile device 108 depicts that the device is in association with, for example, a Bluetooth (WiFi) network 416 generated by an automobile, the system and method of the present invention may employ a recognition unit 114 to examine the environment map 104 of a mobile device 108 to recognize that the mobile device 108 is in a pre-defined context, e.g., in an automobile and may limit access to features and services in response. This is explained further with reference to FIG. 6. The SDP 102 receives resource updates in step 602, and determines whether a resource update is for a new or a previously known mobile device (step 604). Steps 606 and 608 incorporate the received resource update into the environment map 104. In step 610, a recognition unit 115 containing pre-defined pattern matching rules is invoked that examines the environment map 104 for the mobile device 108 with the recently received resource update to determine if the map matches any of the pattern-rules of the recognition unit 115. If a match is found, i.e., the mobile device 108 is determined to be in a pre-defined network or context or environment, e.g., connected to an automobile wifi network 416, then the recognition unit 115 returns an affirmative response and may apply a service provider policy to the environment of the mobile device, e.g., restrict SMS usage. In another exemplary embodiment, the SDP 102 may dictate the network path chosen to deliver the video content to the display resource 424 and not to the mobile device 108. The policy enforced by the SDP 102 on behalf of the service provider may be the result of safety considerations calculated by the service provider. Thus, the user of a mobile device 108 in an automobile may view video content on the external display provided by the automobile. Continuing further with the example depicted in FIG. 5, suppose the mobile device 108 is to be used to transmit content to the network, i.e., in the uplink direction. Again, it is apparent, that the mobile device 108 may query the environment map 104 via the SDP 102 to select a suitable network interface to use for making the transmission. The present embodiment envisages that computing, display, storage and network resources may be abundantly available to a mobile consumer, and the consumer may choose to use such resources through the system and method described in the present invention. Moreover, as the consumer travels, his environment and availability of resources changes, the changes being recorded in the registries and environment map corresponding to the user's mobile device. The description of the present embodiment, so far, has concentrated on the external resources available to a mobile device 108, and not on the applications available within the device itself. It is envisaged, as previously stated, that mobile devices contain a registry of all applications that have been loaded on to a mobile device by the service provider or by the user himself. Applications that are not registered in the registry are considered as “rogue” applications and are outside the scope of the present invention. As described earlier, the environment map for a mobile device depicts the immediate environment of the mobile device and the SDP 102 assigns a network profile 106 to the mobile device based on the current environment map 104. It is envisaged by the present invention that the SDP 102 is also aware of the applications within the registry of the mobile device 108, and when assigning a service profile, may enforce one or more policies on the profile that cause the enablement or disablement of certain applications in the mobile device or impact delivery of information to the mobile device by other network elements. Continuing with the example of FIG. 5, the exemplary depiction shows mobile device 108 in association with a WiFi network resource 416 generated by an automobile. This association may be assumed to trigger a policy that disables the web browser and the SMS applications in the registry of the mobile device 108. Thus, the user of the mobile device 108 will not be capable of launching the SMS or the web browser applications from the mobile device. Furthermore, the service provider may trigger network elements to disable the delivery of messages to the mobile device in question, e.g., by marking the status of the mobile device as “unavailable” in the HLR will temporarily stop delivery of messages, including SMS messages, to the mobile device. Turning now to FIG. 9, a flowchart 900 illustrating operation of embodiment of the present invention is shown. The particular arrangement of elements in the flowchart 900 is not meant to imply a fixed order to the elements; embodiments can be practiced in any order that is practicable. In a process step 902, a user device 108 receives or detects the addition of one or more new programs, resources, or processes that may be available to it. The new additions can include new CLs 112 and result in an updated resource registry 110, as discussed above. In a process step 904, the user device transmits the update to the SDP 102. As discussed above, this can include the user device 108 transmitting a location signal to the Home Location Register and piggy-backing the CL and registry information on top. The HLR 116 in turn provides the information to the SDP 102. In a process step 906, the SDP 102's resource monitor 114 receives the update and provides the information to the resource map 104. In response, in a process step 908, the resource map 104 determines a new environment map for the user device (and other devices). In a process step 910, the SDP 102's recognition unit 115 accesses or updates the resource profile 106 of the particular device whose update has been received. As noted above, the profile includes one or more rules based on inferences from user contexts resulting from knowledge of the user position, device orientation, etc. In a process step 912, the SDP 102 can receive a service request from a user device. For example, as discussed above, this can include requests for video content or the like. In a process step 914, in response, the SDP 102's recognition unit 115 determines a user situation or device, i.e., accesses and applies the rules or policy for user access to the program or application or resource. Finally, in a process step 914, the SDP 102 can allow access per the rules. FIG. 7 shows a block diagram of components of a service delivery platform or service provider implemented as a computing device 700, e.g., personal, or laptop computer or server. In some embodiments, the computing device 700 may implement one more elements of the methods disclosed herein. The system unit 11 includes a system bus or a plurality of system buses 21 to which various components are coupled and by which communication between the various components is accomplished. A processor 22, such as a microprocessor, is coupled to the system bus 21 and is supported by the read only memory (ROM) 23 and the random access memory (RAM) 24 also connected to the system bus 21. The computer 700 may be capable of high volume transaction processing, performing a significant number of mathematical calculations in processing communications and database searches. A Pentium™ or other similar microprocessor manufactured by Intel Corporation may be used for the processor 22. Other suitable processors may be available from Freescale Semiconductor, Inc., Advanced Micro Devices, Inc., or Sun Microsystems, Inc. The processor 22 also may be embodied as one or more microprocessors, computers, computer systems, etc. The ROM 23 contains among other code the basic input output system (BIOS) which controls basic hardware operations such as the interaction of the disk drives and the keyboard. The ROM 23 may be embodied, e.g., as flash ROM. The RAM 24 is the main memory into which the operating system and applications programs are loaded. The memory management chip 25 is connected to the system bus 21 and controls direct memory access operations including passing data between the RAM 24 and hard disk drive 26 and removable drive 27 (e.g., floppy disk or flash ROM “stick”). A CD ROM drive (or DVD or other optical drive) 32 may also be coupled to the system bus 21 and is used to store a large amount of data, such as a multimedia program or a large database. Also connected to the system bus 21 are various I/O controllers: The keyboard controller 28, the mouse controller 29, the video controller 30, and the audio controller 31. The keyboard controller 28 provides the hardware interface for the keyboard; the mouse controller 29 provides the hardware interface for the mouse 13 (or other cursor pointing device); the video controller 30 is the hardware interface for the video display 14; and the audio controller 31 is the hardware interface for a speaker and microphone (not shown). It is noted that while the various I/O controllers are illustrated as discrete entities, in practice, their functions may be performed by a single I/O controller known as a “super I/O.” Thus, the figures are exemplary only. In operation, keyboard strokes are detected by the keyboard controller 28 and corresponding signals are transmitted to the microprocessor 22; similarly, mouse movements (or cursor pointing device movements) and button clicks are detected by the mouse controller and provided to the microprocessor 22. Typically, the keyboard controller 28 and the mouse controller 29 assert interrupts at the microprocessor 22. In addition, a power management system 33 may be provided which causes the computer to enter a power down mode if no activity is detected over a predetermined period. One or more network interfaces 40 enable communication over a network 46, such as a packet network like the Internet. The network interfaces 40 may be implemented as wired or wireless network interfaces operating in accordance with, for example, one or more of the IEEE 802.11x standards and may also or alternatively implement a Bluetooth interface. One embodiment of the present invention is as a set of instructions in a code module resident in the RAM 24. Until required by the computer system, the set of instructions may be stored in another computer memory, such as the hard disk 26, on an optical disk for use in the CD ROM drive 32, a removable drive 27, or the flash ROM. As shown in the figure, the operating system 50, resource monitor 104, resource map 106, resource profile(s) 114, and recognition unit 115 are resident in the RAM 24. The operating system 50 functions to generate a graphical user interface on the display 14. Execution of sequences of the instructions in the programs causes the processor 22 to perform various of the process elements described herein. In alternative embodiments, hard-wired circuitry may be used in place of, or in combination with, software instructions for implementation of some or all of the methods described herein. Thus, embodiments are not limited to any specific combination of hardware and software. The processor 22 and the data storage devices 26, 27, 32 in the computer 700 each may be, for example: (i) located entirely within a single computer or other computing device; or (ii) connected to each other by a remote communication medium, such as a serial port cable, telephone line or radio frequency transceiver. In one embodiment, the computer 100 may be implemented as one or more computers that are connected to a remote server computer. As noted above, embodiments of the present invention may be implemented in or in conjunction with a telephone, such as a wireless or cellular “smart” telephone. An exemplary cellular telephone 800 including capabilities in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention is shown in FIG. 8. In some embodiments, the cellular telephone 800 may implement one or more elements of the methods disclosed herein. As shown, the cellular telephone includes control logic 802 and cellular transceiver 804. The cellular transceiver 804 allows communication over a cellular telephone network, such as a GSM or GPRS based cellular telephone network. The control logic 802 generally controls operation of the cellular telephone and, in some embodiments, implements CLs and resource registry, as well as other services or clients in accordance with embodiments of the present invention. The control logic 802 interfaces to a memory 818 for storing, among other things, contact or address lists 107. The control logic 802 also interfaces to a user interface(s) 810. The user interface(s) 810 can include a keypad 820, speaker 822, microphone 824, and display 826. The keypad may include one or more “hard” keys, but may be implemented in whole or in part as a cursor pointing device in association with one or more “virtual” keys on the display 826. In general, a user may make use of the keypad 820 and display 826 to enter contact information, and may speak into the microphone to provide the audio input(s). It is noted that other interfaces, such as voice-activated interfaces may be provided. Thus, the figure is exemplary only. In addition, a Bluetooth or WiFi interface 806 may be provided. A memory 808 for storing program code and data, such as the CL 112 and registry 110, also may be provided. While specific implementations and hardware/software configurations for the mobile device and SDP have been illustrated, it should be noted that other implementations and hardware configurations are possible and that no specific implementation or hardware/software configuration is needed. Thus, not all of the components illustrated may be needed for the mobile device or SDP implementing the methods disclosed herein. As used herein, whether in the above description or the following claims, the terms “comprising,” “including,” “carrying,” “having,” “containing,” “involving,” and the like are to be understood to be open-ended, that is, to mean including but not limited to. Only the transitional phrases “consisting of” and “consisting essentially of,” respectively, shall be considered exclusionary transitional phrases, as set forth, with respect to claims, in the United States Patent Office Manual of Patent Examining Procedures. Any use of ordinal terms such as “first,” “second,” “third,” etc., in the claims to modify a claim element does not by itself connote any priority, precedence, or order of one claim element over another, or the temporal order in which acts of a method are performed. Rather, unless specifically stated otherwise, such ordinal terms are used merely as labels to distinguish one claim element having a certain name from another element having a same name (but for use of the ordinal term). The above described embodiments are intended to illustrate the principles of the invention, but not to limit the scope of the invention. Various other embodiments and modifications to these preferred embodiments may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the present invention. | <SOH> BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION <EOH> | <SOH> SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION <EOH>These and other drawbacks in the prior art are overcome in large part by a system and method according to embodiments of the present invention. A telecommunications method in accordance with embodiments of the present invention includes receiving registry map information of network environmental indicia from a mobile device concurrently along with location information to a home location registry; generating an environment map for the mobile device based on the registry map information, the environment map including a device, application, and network component environment; defining service provisioning based on the environment map in response to a request for service from the mobile device, the service provisioning including and excluding predetermined elements of the environment map; and providing network service in accordance with the defined service provisioning. In some embodiments, the service provisioning includes accommodating a service provider policy. In others, the service provisioning includes accommodating a user selected preference. Further embodiments include defining a user context based on the environment map and including or excluding predetermined elements for provisioning based on the user context. A telecommunications system in accordance with embodiments of the present invention includes a plurality of user devices, the user devices configured to monitor available resources and dynamically maintain a resource registry of the available resources and transmit the registry to a service provider; a service delivery platform associated with the service provider and configured to dynamically maintain profiles of a plurality of user devices based on the resource registry information and allow access to resources based on the profiles. In some embodiments, the plurality of user device configured to maintain a capabilities list of user device attributes. The user devices may include one or more sensors for identifying a physical device environment and storing physical device environment information in the registry and may be configured to transmit the resource registry information to the service provider during a home location register location update. In some embodiments, the plurality of user devices are configured to transmit the resource registry information to the service provider as binary-coded data during a home location register location update. In some embodiments, the profiles define access based on physical device environment. | H04W4001 | 20171228 | 20180619 | 20180503 | 78187.0 | H04W400 | 1 | LE, DANH C | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PROVISIONING USER COMPUTING DEVICES BASED ON SENSOR AND STATE INFORMATION | SMALL | 1 | CONT-ACCEPTED | H04W | 2,017 |
15,857,854 | PENDING | ANNOTATED 3D MODELS OF TELECOMMUNICATION SITES FOR PLANNING, ENGINEERING, AND INSTALLATION | Systems and method for creating, modifying, and utilizing a virtual 360-degree view of a telecommunications site with annotations thereon include obtaining data capture from the telecommunications site, wherein the data capture includes one or more of photos and video; processing the data capture to create a three-dimensional (3D) model of the telecommunications site with associated geography, buildings, and constructions therein; obtaining object data associated with one or more objects of interest located at the telecommunications site, in the associated geography, the buildings, and the constructions; inserting annotations for each of the one or more objects of interest in the 3D model at associated locations and with associated information for each of the one or more objects of interest; and utilizing the 3D model with the annotations for one or more of planning, engineering, and installation associated with the telecommunications site. | 1. A method for creating, modifying, and utilizing a virtual 360-degree view of a telecommunications site with annotations thereon, the method comprising: obtaining data capture from the telecommunications site, wherein the data capture comprises one or more of photos and video; processing the data capture to create a three-dimensional (3D) model of the telecommunications site with associated geography, buildings, and constructions therein; obtaining object data associated with one or more objects of interest located at the telecommunications site, in the associated geography, the buildings, and the constructions; inserting annotations for each of the one or more objects of interest in the 3D model at associated locations and with associated information for each of the one or more objects of interest; and utilizing the 3D model with the annotations for one or more of planning, engineering, and installation associated with the telecommunications site. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the data capture is performed via an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV). 3. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more objects of interest comprise any of fiber locations, cell towers, underground utilities, roads, and fall lines of the cell towers. 4. The method of claim 1, wherein the utilizing comprises displaying the 3D model via a server. 5. The method of claim 1, wherein the utilizing comprises viewing the 3D model via virtual reality hardware. 6. The method of claim 1, wherein the object data is obtained via public databases. 7. A server for creating, modifying, and utilizing a virtual 360-degree view of a telecommunications site, the server comprising: a network interface and a processor communicatively coupled to one another; and memory storing instructions that, when executed, cause the processor to obtain data capture from the telecommunications site, wherein the data capture comprises one or more of photos and video; process the data capture to create a three-dimensional (3D) model of the telecommunications site with associated geography, buildings, and constructions therein; obtain object data associated with one or more objects of interest located at the telecommunications site, in the associated geography, the buildings, and the constructions; insert annotations for each of the one or more objects of interest in the 3D model at associated locations and with associated information for each of the one or more objects of interest; and utilize the 3D model with the annotations for one or more of planning, engineering, and installation associated with the telecommunications site. 8. The server of claim 7, wherein the data capture is performed via an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV). 9. The server of claim 7, wherein the one or more objects of interest comprise any of fiber locations, cell towers, underground utilities, roads, and fall lines of the cell towers. 10. The server of claim 7, wherein the utilizing comprises displaying the 3D model via a server. 11. The server of claim 7, wherein the utilizing comprises viewing the 3D model via virtual reality hardware. 12. The server of claim 7, wherein the object data is obtained via public databases. 13. A non-transitory computer readable medium includes instructions that, when executed, cause one or more processors to perform the steps of: obtaining data capture from the telecommunications site, wherein the data capture comprises one or more of photos and video; processing the data capture to create a three-dimensional (3D) model of the telecommunications site with associated geography, buildings, and constructions therein; obtaining object data associated with one or more objects of interest located at the telecommunications site, in the associated geography, the buildings, and the constructions; inserting annotations for each of the one or more objects of interest in the 3D model at associated locations and with associated information for each of the one or more objects of interest; and utilizing the 3D model with the annotations for one or more of planning, engineering, and installation associated with the telecommunications site. 14. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 13, wherein the data capture is performed via an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV). 15. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 13, wherein the one or more objects of interest comprise any of fiber locations, cell towers, underground utilities, roads, and fall lines of the cell towers. 16. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 13, wherein the utilizing comprises displaying the 3D model via a server. 17. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 13, wherein the utilizing comprises viewing the 3D model via virtual reality hardware. 18. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 13, wherein the object data is obtained via public databases. | CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION(S) The present patent/application is continuation-in-part of and the content of each are incorporated by reference herein: Filing Date Serial No. Title Aug. 25, 2017 15/686,431 VIRTUAL 360-DEGREE VIEW MODIFICATION OF A TELECOMMUNICATIONS SITE FOR PLANNING, ENGINEERING, AND INSTALLATION Aug. 14, 2017 15/675,930 VIRTUAL 360-DEGREE VIEW OF A TELECOMMUNICATIONS SITE Jul. 7, 2017 15/644,144 DETECTING CHANGES AT CELL SITES AND SURROUNDING AREAS USING UNMANNED AERIAL VEHICLES May 17, 2017 15/597,320 MODELING FIBER CABLING ASSOCIATED WITH CELL SITES Apr. 6, 2017 15/480,792 SUBTERRANEAN 3D MODELING AT CELL SITES Mar. 27, 2017 15/469,841 CELL SITE AUDIT AND SURVEY VIA PHOTO STITCHING Jan. 25, 2017 15/415,040 SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR OBTAINING ACCURATE 3D MODELING DATA USING MULTIPLE CAMERAS Oct. 31, 2016 15/338,700 SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR OBTAINING ACCURATE 3D MODELING DATA USING UAVS FOR CELL SITES Oct. 3, 2016 15/283,699 OBTAINING 3D MODELING DATA USING UAVS FOR CELL SITES Aug. 19, 2016 15/241,239 3D MODELING OF CELL SITES TO DETECT CONFIGURATION AND SITE CHANGES Jul. 15, 2016 15/211,483 CLOSE-OUT AUDIT SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR CELL SITE INSTALLATION AND MAINTENANCE May 31, 2016 15/168,503 VIRTUALIZED SITE SURVEY SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR CELL SITES May 20, 2016 15/160,890 3D MODELING OF CELL SITES AND CELL TOWERS WITH UNMANNED AERIAL VEHICLES Apr. 14, 2015 14/685,720 UNMANNED AERIAL VEHICLE-BASED SYSTEMS AND METHODS ASSOCIATED WITH CELL SITES AND CELL TOWERS FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE The present disclosure relates generally to telecommunication site engineering and planning systems and methods. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to systems and methods for an annotated virtual 360-degree view of a telecommunications site, such as a cell site, for purposes of planning, engineering, and installation, and the like. BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE Due to the geographic coverage nature of wireless service, there are hundreds of thousands of cell towers in the United States. For example, in 2014, it was estimated that there were more than 310,000 cell towers in the United States. Cell towers can have heights up to 1,500 feet or more. There are various requirements for cell site workers (also referred to as tower climbers or transmission tower workers) to climb cell towers to perform maintenance, audit, and repair work for cellular phone and other wireless communications companies. This is both a dangerous and costly endeavor. For example, between 2003 and 2011, 50 tower climbers died working on cell sites (see, e.g., www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/social-issues/cell-tower-deaths/in-race-for-better-cell-service-men-who-climb-towers-pay-with-their-lives/). Also, OSHA estimates that working on cell sites is 10 times more dangerous than construction work, generally (see, e.g., www.propublica.org/article/cell-tower-work-fatalities-methodology). Furthermore, the tower climbs also can lead to service disruptions caused by accidents. Thus, there is a strong desire, from both a cost and safety perspective, to reduce the number of tower climbs. Concurrently, the use of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV), referred to as drones, is evolving. There are limitations associated with UAVs, including emerging FAA rules and guidelines associated with their commercial use. It would be advantageous to leverage the use of UAVs to reduce tower climbs of cell towers. US 20140298181 to Rezvan describes methods and systems for performing a cell site audit remotely. However, Rezvan does not contemplate performing any activity locally at the cell site, nor various aspects of UAV use. US20120250010 to Hannay describes aerial inspections of transmission lines using drones. However, Hannay does not contemplate performing any activity locally at the cell site, nor various aspects of constraining the UAV use. Specifically, Hannay contemplates a flight path in three dimensions along a transmission line. Of course, it would be advantageous to further utilize UAVs to actually perform operations on a cell tower. However, adding one or more robotic arms, carrying extra equipment, etc. presents a significantly complex problem in terms of UAV stabilization while in flight, i.e., counterbalancing the UAV to account for the weight and movement of the robotic arms. Research and development continues in this area, but current solutions are complex and costly, eliminating the drivers for using UAVs for performing cell tower work. 3D modeling is important for cell site operators, cell tower owners, engineers, etc. There exist current techniques to make 3D models of physical sites such as cell sites. One approach is to take hundreds or thousands of pictures and to use software techniques to combine these pictures to form a 3D model. Generally, conventional approaches for obtaining the pictures include fixed cameras at the ground with zoom capabilities or pictures via tower climbers. It would be advantageous to utilize a UAV to obtain the pictures, providing 360-degree photos from an aerial perspective. Use of aerial pictures is suggested in US 20100231687 to Armory. However, this approach generally assumes pictures taken from a fixed perspective relative to the cell site, such as via a fixed, mounted camera and a mounted camera in an aircraft. It has been determined that such an approach is moderately inaccurate during 3D modeling and combination with software due to slight variations in location tracking capabilities of systems such as Global Positioning Satellite (GPS). It would be advantageous to adapt a UAV to take pictures and provide systems and methods for accurate 3D modeling based thereon to again leverage the advantages of UAVs over tower climbers, i.e., safety, climbing speed and overall speed, cost, etc. In the process of planning, installing, maintaining, and operating cell sites and cell towers, site surveys are performed for testing, auditing, planning, diagnosing, inventorying, etc. Conventional site surveys involve physical site access including access to the top of the cell tower, the interior of any buildings, cabinets, shelters, huts, hardened structures, etc. at the cell site, and the like. With over 200,000 cell sites in the U.S., geographically distributed everywhere, site surveys can be expensive, time-consuming, and complex. The various parent applications associated herewith describe techniques to utilize UAVs to optimize and provide safer site surveys. It would also be advantageous to further optimize site surveys by minimizing travel through virtualization of the entire process. As the number of cell sites increases, there are various concerns relative to site planning, engineering, and installation. New site construction requires approval from various stakeholders, i.e., local communities, governmental agencies, land owners, tower operators, etc. The trend in new site construction is toward aesthetically pleasing designs which attempt to conceal cell site components, e.g., disguising towers as trees, placing components on roofs in a concealed manner, etc. There is a need to accurately and effectively represent planned sites for the purposes of planning, approval, engineering, and installation. BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE In an exemplary embodiment, a method for creating, modifying, and utilizing a virtual 360-degree view of a telecommunications site with annotations thereon includes obtaining data capture from the telecommunications site, wherein the data capture comprises one or more of photos and video; processing the data capture to create a three-dimensional (3D) model of the telecommunications site with associated geography, buildings, and constructions therein; obtaining object data associated with one or more objects of interest located at the telecommunications site, in the associated geography, the buildings, and the constructions; inserting annotations for each of the one or more objects of interest in the 3D model at associated locations and with associated information for each of the one or more objects of interest; and utilizing the 3D model with the annotations for one or more of planning, engineering, and installation associated with the telecommunications site. In another exemplary embodiment, a server for creating, modifying, and utilizing a virtual 360-degree view of a telecommunications site includes a network interface and a processor communicatively coupled to one another; and memory storing instructions that, when executed, cause the processor to obtain data capture from the telecommunications site, wherein the data capture includes one or more of photos and video; process the data capture to create a three-dimensional (3D) model of the telecommunications site with associated geography, buildings, and constructions therein; obtain object data associated with one or more objects of interest located at the telecommunications site, in the associated geography, the buildings, and the constructions; insert annotations for each of the one or more objects of interest in the 3D model at associated locations and with associated information for each of the one or more objects of interest; and utilize the 3D model with the annotations for one or more of planning, engineering, and installation associated with the telecommunications site. In a further exemplary embodiment, a non-transitory computer readable medium includes instructions that, when executed, cause one or more processors to perform the steps of obtaining data capture from the telecommunications site, wherein the data capture includes one or more of photos and video; processing the data capture to create a three-dimensional (3D) model of the telecommunications site with associated geography, buildings, and constructions therein; obtaining object data associated with one or more objects of interest located at the telecommunications site, in the associated geography, the buildings, and the constructions; inserting annotations for each of the one or more objects of interest in the 3D model at associated locations and with associated information for each of the one or more objects of interest; and utilizing the 3D model with the annotations for one or more of planning, engineering, and installation associated with the telecommunications site. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The present disclosure is illustrated and described herein with reference to the various drawings, in which like reference numbers are used to denote like system components/method steps, as appropriate, and in which: FIG. 1 is a diagram of a side view of an exemplary cell site; FIG. 2 is a diagram of a cell site audit performed with a UAV; FIG. 3 is a screen diagram of a view of a graphical user interface (GUI) on a mobile device while piloting the UAV; FIG. 4 is a perspective view of an exemplary UAV; FIG. 5 is a block diagram of a mobile device; FIG. 6 is a flow chart of a cell site audit method utilizing the UAV and the mobile device; FIG. 7 is a network diagram of various cell sites deployed in a geographic region; FIG. 8 is a diagram of the cell site and an associated launch configuration and flight for the UAV to obtain photos for a 3D model of the cell site; FIG. 9 is a satellite view of an exemplary flight of the UAV at the cell site; FIG. 10 is a side view of an exemplary flight of the UAV at the cell site; FIG. 11 is a logical diagram of a portion of a cell tower along with associated photos taken by the UAV at different points relative thereto; FIG. 12 is a screen shot of a GUI associated with post processing photos from the UAV; FIG. 13 is a screen shot of a 3D model constructed from a plurality of 2D photos taken from the UAV as described herein; FIGS. 14-19 are various screen shots of GUIs associated with a 3D model of a cell site based on photos taken from the UAV as described herein; FIG. 20 is a photo of the UAV in flight at the top of a cell tower; FIG. 21 is a flowchart of a process for modeling a cell site with an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV); FIG. 22 is a diagram of an exemplary interior of a building, such as a shelter or cabinet, at the cell site; FIG. 23 is a flowchart of a virtual site survey process for the cell site; FIG. 24 is a flowchart of a close-out audit method performed at a cell site subsequent to maintenance or installation work; FIG. 25 is a flowchart of a 3D modeling method to detect configuration and site changes; FIG. 26 is a flow diagram of a 3D model creation process; FIG. 27 is a flowchart of a method using an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) to obtain data capture at a cell site for developing a three dimensional (3D) thereof; FIG. 28 is a flowchart of a 3D modeling method for capturing data at the cell site, the cell tower, etc. using the UAV; FIGS. 29A and 29B are block diagrams of a UAV with multiple cameras (FIG. 29A) and a camera array (FIG. 29B); FIG. 30 is a flowchart of a method using multiple cameras to obtain accurate three-dimensional (3D) modeling data; FIGS. 31 and 32 are diagrams of a multiple camera apparatus and use of the multiple camera apparatus in a shelter or cabinet or the interior of a building; FIG. 33 is a flowchart of a data capture method in the interior of a building using the multiple camera apparatus; FIG. 34 is a flowchart of a method for verifying equipment and structures at the cell site using 3D modeling; FIG. 35 is a diagram of a photo stitching User Interface (UI) for cell site audits, surveys, inspections, etc. remotely; FIG. 36 is a flowchart of a method for performing a cell site audit or survey remotely via a User Interface (UI); FIG. 37 is a perspective diagram of a 3D model of the cell site, the cell tower, the cell site components, and the shelter or cabinet along with surrounding geography and subterranean geography; FIG. 38 is a flowchart of a method for creating a three-dimensional (3D) model of a cell site for one or more of a cell site audit, a site survey, and cell site planning and engineering; FIG. 39 is a perspective diagram of the 3D model of FIG. 37 of the cell site, the cell tower, the cell site components, and the shelter or cabinet along with surrounding geography, subterranean geography, and including fiber connectivity; FIG. 40 is a flowchart of a method for creating a three-dimensional (3D) model of a cell site and associated fiber connectivity for one or more of a cell site audit, a site survey, and cell site planning and engineering; FIG. 41 is a perspective diagram of a cell site with the surrounding geography; FIG. 42 is a flowchart of a method for cell site inspection by a cell site operator using the UAV; FIG. 43 is a flowchart of a virtual 360 view method 2700 for creating and using a virtual 360 environment; FIGS. 44-55 are screen shots from an exemplary implementation of the virtual 360-degree view environment from FIG. 43; FIG. 56 is a flowchart of a virtual 360 view method for creating, modifying, and using a virtual 360 environment; FIGS. 57 and 58 are screen shots of a 3D model of a telecommunications site of a building roof with antenna equipment added in the modified 3D model; FIG. 59 is a perspective diagram of a 3D model of the cell site, the cell tower, the cell site components, and the shelter or cabinet along with surrounding geography and annotations; and FIG. 60 is a flowchart of an annotated 3D model process. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DISCLOSURE Again, the present disclosure relates to systems and methods for an annotated virtual 360-degree view of a telecommunications site, such as a cell site, for purposes of planning, engineering, and installation, and the like. Specifically, the systems and methods include various approaches to creating a 3D model, including use of an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV). The 3D model is modified to include annotations to note objects of interest such as fiber locations, cell towers, underground utilities, roads, fall lines, and the like. With the annotated 3D model, operators can perform various functions such as planning, engineering, installation, and the like. Further, the present disclosure relates to systems and methods for a virtual 360-degree view modification of a telecommunications site, such as a cell site, for purposes of planning, engineering, and installation, and the like. The systems and methods include a three-dimensional (3D) model of the telecommunications site, including exterior and surrounding geography as well as internal facilities. Various techniques are utilized for data capture including use of an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV). With the 3D model, various modifications and additions are added after the fact, i.e., to a preexisting environment, for the purposes of planning, engineering, and installation. Advantageously, the modified 3D model saves time in site inspection and engineering, improves the accuracy in planning and installation, and decreases the after installation changes increasing the overall planning phase of construction and telecommunication operations. Further, the present disclosure relates to systems and methods for a virtual 360-degree view of a telecommunications site, such as a cell site, for purposes of site surveys, site audits, and the like. The objective of the virtual 360 view is to provide an environment, viewable via a display, where personnel can be within the telecommunications site remotely. That is, the purpose of the virtual 360 view creation is to allow industry workers to be within the environment of the location captured (i.e. telecommunications cellular site). Within this environment, there is an additional augmented reality where a user can call information from locations of importance. This environment can serve as a bid walk, pre-construction verification, post installation verification, or simply as an inventory measurement for companies. The information captured with the virtual 360 view captures the necessary information to create action with respect to maintenance, upgrades, or the like. This actionable information creates an environment that can be passed from tower owner, carrier owner, construction company, and installation crews with the ease of an email with a Uniform Resource Locator (URL) link to the web. This link can be sent to a user's phone, Virtual Reality (VR) headset, computer, tablet, etc. This allows for a telecom engineer to be within the reality of the cell site or telecommunications site from their desk. For example, the engineer can click on an Air Conditioning (AC) panel and a photo is overlaid in the environment showing the engineer the spaces available for additional breakers or the sizes of breakers being used. Further, in an exemplary embodiment, the present disclosure relates to systems and methods for verifying cell sites using accurate three-dimensional (3D) modeling data. In an exemplary embodiment, systems and method for verifying a cell site utilizing an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) include providing an initial point cloud related to the cell site to the UAV; developing a second point cloud based on current conditions at the cell site, wherein the second point cloud is based on data acquisition using the UAV at the cell site; detecting variations between the initial point cloud and the second point cloud; and, responsive to detecting the variations, determining whether the variations are any of compliance related, load issues, and defects associated with any equipment or structures at the cell site. Further, in an exemplary embodiment, the present disclosure relates to systems and methods for obtaining accurate three-dimensional (3D) modeling data using a multiple camera apparatus. Specifically, the multiple camera apparatus contemplates use in a shelter or the like to simultaneously obtain multiple photos for purposes of developing a three-dimensional (3D) model of the shelter for use in a cell site audit or the like. The multiple camera apparatus can be portable or mounted within the shelter. The multiple camera apparatus includes a support beam with a plurality of cameras associated therewith. The plurality of cameras each face a different direction, angle, zoom, etc. and are coordinated to simultaneously obtain photos. Once obtained, the photos can be used to create a 3D model. Advantageously, the multiple camera apparatus streamlines data acquisition time as well as ensures the proper angles and photos are obtained. The multiple camera apparatus also is simply to use allowing untrained technicians the ability to easily perform data acquisition. Further, in an exemplary embodiment, the present disclosure relates to systems and methods for obtaining three-dimensional (3D) modeling data using Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) (also referred to as “drones”) or the like at cell sites, cell towers, etc. Variously, the systems and methods describe various techniques using UAVs or the like to obtain data, i.e., pictures and/or video, used to create a 3D model of a cell site subsequently. Various uses of the 3D model are also described including site surveys, site monitoring, engineering, etc. Further, in various exemplary embodiments, the present disclosure relates to virtualized site survey systems and methods using three-dimensional (3D) modeling of cell sites and cell towers with and without unmanned aerial vehicles. The virtualized site survey systems and methods utilizing photo data capture along with location identifiers, points of interest, etc. to create three-dimensional (3D) modeling of all aspects of the cell sites, including interiors of buildings, cabinets, shelters, huts, hardened structures, etc. As described herein, a site survey can also include a site inspection, cell site audit, or anything performed based on the 3D model of the cell site including building interiors. With the data capture, 3D modeling can render a completely virtual representation of the cell sites. The data capture can be performed by on-site personnel, automatically with fixed, networked cameras, or a combination thereof. With the data capture and the associated 3D model, engineers and planners can perform site surveys, without visiting the sites leading to significant efficiency in cost and time. From the 3D model, any aspect of the site survey can be performed remotely including determinations of equipment location, accurate spatial rendering, planning through drag and drop placement of equipment, access to actual photos through a Graphical User Interface, indoor texture mapping, and equipment configuration visualization mapping the equipment in a 3D view of a rack. Further, in various exemplary embodiments, the present disclosure relates to three-dimensional (3D) modeling of cell sites and cell towers with unmanned aerial vehicles. The present disclosure includes UAV-based systems and methods for 3D modeling and representing of cell sites and cell towers. The systems and methods include obtaining various pictures via a UAV at the cell site, flying around the cell site to obtain various different angles of various locations, tracking the various pictures (i.e., enough pictures to produce an acceptable 3D model, usually hundreds, but could be more) with location identifiers, and processing the various pictures to develop a 3D model of the cell site and the cell tower. Additionally, the systems and methods focus on precision and accuracy ensuring the location identifiers are as accurate as possible for the processing by using multiple different location tracking techniques as well as ensuring the UAV is launched from the same location and/or orientation for each flight. The same location and/or orientation, as described herein, was shown to provide more accurate location identifiers versus arbitrary location launches and orientations for different flights. Additionally, once the 3D model is constructed, the systems and methods include an application which enables cell site owners and cell site operators to “click” on any location and obtain associated photos, something extremely useful in the ongoing maintenance and operation thereof. Also, once constructed, the 3D model is capable of various measurements including height, angles, thickness, elevation, even Radio Frequency (RF), and the like. § 1.0 Exemplary Cell Site Referring to FIG. 1, in an exemplary embodiment, a diagram illustrates a side view of an exemplary cell site 10. The cell site 10 includes a cell tower 12. The cell tower 12 can be any type of elevated structure, such as 100-200 feet/30-60 meters tall. Generally, the cell tower 12 is an elevated structure for holding cell site components 14. The cell tower 12 may also include a lighting rod 16 and a warning light 18. Of course, there may various additional components associated with the cell tower 12 and the cell site 10 which are omitted for illustration purposes. In this exemplary embodiment, there are four sets 20, 22, 24, 26 of cell site components 14, such as for four different wireless service providers. In this example, the sets 20, 22, 24 include various antennas 30 for cellular service. The sets 20, 22, 24 are deployed in sectors, e.g. there can be three sectors for the cell site components—alpha, beta, and gamma. The antennas 30 are used to both transmit a radio signal to a mobile device and receive the signal from the mobile device. The antennas 30 are usually deployed as a single, groups of two, three or even four per sector. The higher the frequency of spectrum supported by the antenna 30, the shorter the antenna 30. For example, the antennas 30 may operate around 850 MHz, 1.9 GHz, and the like. The set 26 includes a microwave dish 32 which can be used to provide other types of wireless connectivity, besides cellular service. There may be other embodiments where the cell tower 12 is omitted and replaced with other types of elevated structures such as roofs, water tanks, etc. § 2.0 Cell Site Audits via UAV Referring to FIG. 2, in an exemplary embodiment, a diagram illustrates a cell site audit 40 performed with an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) 50. As described herein, the cell site audit 40 is used by service providers, third party engineering companies, tower operators, etc. to check and ensure proper installation, maintenance, and operation of the cell site components 14 and shelter or cabinet 52 equipment as well as the various interconnections between them. From a physical accessibility perspective, the cell tower 12 includes a climbing mechanism 54 for tower climbers to access the cell site components 14. FIG. 2 includes a perspective view of the cell site 10 with the sets 20, 26 of the cell site components 14. The cell site components 14 for the set 20 include three sectors—alpha sector 54, beta sector 56, and gamma sector 58. In an exemplary embodiment, the UAV 50 is utilized to perform the cell site audit 40 in lieu of a tower climber access the cell site components 14 via the climbing mechanism 54. In the cell site audit 40, an engineer/technician is local to the cell site 10 to perform various tasks. The systems and methods described herein eliminate a need for the engineer/technician to climb the cell tower 12. Of note, it is still important for the engineer/technician to be local to the cell site 10 as various aspects of the cell site audit 40 cannot be done remotely as described herein. Furthermore, the systems and methods described herein provide an ability for a single engineer/technician to perform the cell site audit 40 without another person handling the UAV 50 or a person with a pilot's license operating the UAV 50 as described herein. § 2.1 Cell Site Audit In general, the cell site audit 40 is performed to gather information and identify a state of the cell site 10. This is used to check the installation, maintenance, and/or operation of the cell site 10. Various aspects of the cell site audit 40 can include, without limitation: Verify the cell site 10 is built according to a current revision Verify Equipment Labeling Verify Coax Cable (“Coax”) Bend Radius Verify Coax Color Coding/Tagging Check for Coax External Kinks & Dents Verify Coax Ground Kits Verify Coax Hanger/Support Verify Coax Jumpers Verify Coax Size Check for Connector Stress & Distortion Check for Connector Weatherproofing Verify Correct Duplexers/Diplexers Installed Verify Duplexer/Diplexer Mounting Verify Duplexers/Diplexers Installed Correctly Verify Fiber Paper Verify Lacing & Tie Wraps Check for Loose or Cross-Threaded Coax Connectors Verify Return (“Ret”) Cables Verify Ret Connectors Verify Ret Grounding Verify Ret Installation Verify Ret Lightning Protection Unit (LPI) Check for Shelter/Cabinet Penetrations Verify Surge Arrestor Installation/Grounding Verify Site Cleanliness Verify LTE GPS Antenna Installation Of note, the cell site audit 40 includes gathering information at and inside the shelter or cabinet 52, on the cell tower 12, and at the cell site components 14. Note, it is not possible to perform all of the above items solely with the UAV 50 or remotely. § 3.0 Piloting the UAV at the Cell Site It is important to note that the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is in the process of regulating commercial UAV (drone) operation. It is expected that these regulations would not be complete until 2016 or 2017. In terms of these regulations, commercial operation of the UAV 50, which would include the cell site audit 40, requires at least two people, one acting as a spotter and one with a pilot's license. These regulations, in the context of the cell site audit 40, would make use of the UAV 50 impractical. To that end, the systems and methods described herein propose operation of the UAV 50 under FAA exemptions which allow the cell site audit 40 to occur without requiring two people and without requiring a pilot's license. Here, the UAV 50 is constrained to fly up and down at the cell site 10 and within a three-dimensional (3D) rectangle at the cell site components. These limitations on the flight path of the UAV 50 make the use of the UAV 50 feasible at the cell site 10. Referring to FIG. 3, in an exemplary embodiment, a screen diagram illustrates a view of a graphical user interface (GUI) 60 on a mobile device 100 while piloting the UAV 50. The GUI 60 provides a real-time view to the engineer/technician piloting the UAV 50. That is, a screen 62 provides a view from a camera on the UAV 50. As shown in FIG. 3, the cell site 10 is shown with the cell site components 14 in the view of the screen 62. Also, the GUI 60 has various controls 64, 66. The controls 64 are used to pilot the UAV 50, and the controls 66 are used to perform functions in the cell site audit 40 and the like. § 3.1 FAA Regulations The FAA is overwhelmed with applications from companies interested in flying drones, but the FAA is intent on keeping the skies safe. Currently, approved exemptions for flying drones include tight rules. Once approved, there is some level of certification for drone operators along with specific rules such as speed limit of 100 mph, height limitations such as 400 ft, no-fly zones, day only operation, documentation, and restrictions on aerial filming. Accordingly, flight at or around cell towers is constrained, and the systems and methods described herein fully comply with the relevant restrictions associated with drone flights from the FAA. § 4.0 Exemplary hardware Referring to FIG. 4, in an exemplary embodiment, a perspective view illustrates an exemplary UAV 50 for use with the systems and methods described herein. Again, the UAV 50 may be referred to as a drone or the like. The UAV 50 may be a commercially available UAV platform that has been modified to carry specific electronic components as described herein to implement the various systems and methods. The UAV 50 includes rotors 80 attached to a body 82. A lower frame 84 is located on a bottom portion of the body 82, for landing the UAV 50 to rest on a flat surface and absorb impact during landing. The UAV 50 also includes a camera 86 which is used to take still photographs, video, and the like. Specifically, the camera 86 is used to provide the real-time display on the screen 62. The UAV 50 includes various electronic components inside the body 82 and/or the camera 86 such as, without limitation, a processor, a data store, memory, a wireless interface, and the like. Also, the UAV 50 can include additional hardware, such as robotic arms or the like that allow the UAV 50 to attach/detach components for the cell site components 14. Specifically, it is expected that the UAV 50 will get bigger and more advanced, capable of carrying significant loads, and not just a wireless camera. The present disclosure contemplates using the UAV 50 for various aspects at the cell site 10, including participating in construction or deconstruction of the cell tower 12, the cell site components 14, etc. These various components are now described with reference to a mobile device 100. Those of ordinary skill in the art will recognize the UAV 50 can include similar components to the mobile device 100. Of note, the UAV 50 and the mobile device 100 can be used cooperatively to perform various aspects of the cell site audit 40 described herein. In other embodiments, the UAV 50 can be operated with a controller instead of the mobile device 100. The mobile device 100 may solely be used for real-time video from the camera 86 such as via a wireless connection (e.g., IEEE 802.11 or variants thereof). Some portions of the cell site audit 40 can be performed with the UAV 50, some with the mobile device 100, and others solely by the operator through visual inspection. In some embodiments, all of the aspects can be performed in the UAV 50. In other embodiments, the UAV 50 solely relays data to the mobile device 100 which performs all of the aspects. Other embodiments are also contemplated. Referring to FIG. 5, in an exemplary embodiment, a block diagram illustrates a mobile device 100, which may be used for the cell site audit 40 or the like. The mobile device 100 can be a digital device that, in terms of hardware architecture, generally includes a processor 102, input/output (I/O) interfaces 104, wireless interfaces 106, a data store 108, and memory 110. It should be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art that FIG. 5 depicts the mobile device 100 in an oversimplified manner, and a practical embodiment may include additional components and suitably configured processing logic to support known or conventional operating features that are not described in detail herein. The components (102, 104, 106, 108, and 102) are communicatively coupled via a local interface 112. The local interface 112 can be, for example, but not limited to, one or more buses or other wired or wireless connections, as is known in the art. The local interface 112 can have additional elements, which are omitted for simplicity, such as controllers, buffers (caches), drivers, repeaters, and receivers, among many others, to enable communications. Further, the local interface 112 may include address, control, and/or data connections to enable appropriate communications among the aforementioned components. The processor 102 is a hardware device for executing software instructions. The processor 102 can be any custom made or commercially available processor, a central processing unit (CPU), an auxiliary processor among several processors associated with the mobile device 100, a semiconductor-based microprocessor (in the form of a microchip or chip set), or generally any device for executing software instructions. When the mobile device 100 is in operation, the processor 102 is configured to execute software stored within the memory 110, to communicate data to and from the memory 110, and to generally control operations of the mobile device 100 pursuant to the software instructions. In an exemplary embodiment, the processor 102 may include a mobile optimized processor such as optimized for power consumption and mobile applications. The I/O interfaces 104 can be used to receive user input from and/or for providing system output. User input can be provided via, for example, a keypad, a touch screen, a scroll ball, a scroll bar, buttons, bar code scanner, and the like. System output can be provided via a display device such as a liquid crystal display (LCD), touch screen, and the like. The I/O interfaces 104 can also include, for example, a serial port, a parallel port, a small computer system interface (SCSI), an infrared (IR) interface, a radio frequency (RF) interface, a universal serial bus (USB) interface, and the like. The I/O interfaces 104 can include a graphical user interface (GUI) that enables a user to interact with the mobile device 100. Additionally, the I/O interfaces 104 may further include an imaging device, i.e. camera, video camera, etc. The wireless interfaces 106 enable wireless communication to an external access device or network. Any number of suitable wireless data communication protocols, techniques, or methodologies can be supported by the wireless interfaces 106, including, without limitation: RF; IrDA (infrared); Bluetooth; ZigBee (and other variants of the IEEE 802.15 protocol); IEEE 802.11 (any variation); IEEE 802.16 (WiMAX or any other variation); Direct Sequence Spread Spectrum; Frequency Hopping Spread Spectrum; Long Term Evolution (LTE); cellular/wireless/cordless telecommunication protocols (e.g. 3G/4G, etc.); wireless home network communication protocols; paging network protocols; magnetic induction; satellite data communication protocols; wireless hospital or health care facility network protocols such as those operating in the WMTS bands; GPRS; proprietary wireless data communication protocols such as variants of Wireless USB; and any other protocols for wireless communication. The wireless interfaces 106 can be used to communicate with the UAV 50 for command and control as well as to relay data therebetween. The data store 108 may be used to store data. The data store 108 may include any of volatile memory elements (e.g., random access memory (RAM, such as DRAM, SRAM, SDRAM, and the like)), nonvolatile memory elements (e.g., ROM, hard drive, tape, CDROM, and the like), and combinations thereof. Moreover, the data store 108 may incorporate electronic, magnetic, optical, and/or other types of storage media. The memory 110 may include any of volatile memory elements (e.g., random access memory (RAM, such as DRAM, SRAM, SDRAM, etc.)), nonvolatile memory elements (e.g., ROM, hard drive, etc.), and combinations thereof. Moreover, the memory 110 may incorporate electronic, magnetic, optical, and/or other types of storage media. Note that the memory 110 may have a distributed architecture, where various components are situated remotely from one another but can be accessed by the processor 102. The software in memory 110 can include one or more software programs, each of which includes an ordered listing of executable instructions for implementing logical functions. In the example of FIG. 5, the software in the memory 110 includes a suitable operating system (O/S) 114 and programs 116. The operating system 114 essentially controls the execution of other computer programs, and provides scheduling, input-output control, file and data management, memory management, and communication control and related services. The programs 116 may include various applications, add-ons, etc. configured to provide end user functionality with the mobile device 100, including performing various aspects of the systems and methods described herein. It will be appreciated that some exemplary embodiments described herein may include one or more generic or specialized processors (“one or more processors”) such as microprocessors, digital signal processors, customized processors, and field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs) and unique stored program instructions (including both software and firmware) that control the one or more processors to implement, in conjunction with certain non-processor circuits, some, most, or all of the functions of the methods and/or systems described herein. Alternatively, some or all functions may be implemented by a state machine that has no stored program instructions, or in one or more application specific integrated circuits (ASICs), in which each function or some combinations of certain of the functions are implemented as custom logic. Of course, a combination of the aforementioned approaches may be used. Moreover, some exemplary embodiments may be implemented as a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having computer readable code stored thereon for programming a computer, server, appliance, device, etc. each of which may include a processor to perform methods as described and claimed herein. Examples of such computer-readable storage mediums include, but are not limited to, a hard disk, an optical storage device, a magnetic storage device, a ROM (Read Only Memory), a PROM (Programmable Read Only Memory), an EPROM (Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory), an EEPROM (Electrically Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory), Flash memory, and the like. When stored in the non-transitory computer readable medium, software can include instructions executable by a processor that, in response to such execution, cause a processor or any other circuitry to perform a set of operations, steps, methods, processes, algorithms, etc. § 4.1 RF sensors in the UAV In an exemplary embodiment, the UAV 50 can also include one or more RF sensors disposed therein. The RF sensors can be any device capable of making wireless measurements related to signals associated with the cell site components 14, i.e., the antennas. In an exemplary embodiment, the UAV 50 can be further configured to fly around a cell zone associated with the cell site 10 to identify wireless coverage through various measurements associated with the RF sensors. § 5.0 Cell site audit with UAV and/or mobile device Referring to FIG. 6, in an exemplary embodiment, a flow chart illustrates a cell site audit method 200 utilizing the UAV 50 and the mobile device 100. Again, in various exemplary embodiments, the cell site audit 40 can be performed with the UAV 50 and the mobile device 100. In other exemplary embodiments, the cell site audit 40 can be performed with the UAV 50 and an associated controller. In other embodiments, the mobile device 100 is solely used to relay real-time video from the camera 86. While the steps of the cell site audit method 200 are listed sequentially, those of ordinary skill in the art will recognize some or all of the steps may be performed in a different order. The cell site audit method 200 includes an engineer/technician at a cell site with the UAV 50 and the mobile device 100 (step 202). Again, one aspect of the systems and methods described herein is the usage of the UAV 50, in a commercial setting, but with constraints such that only one operator is required and such that the operator does not have to hold a pilot's license. As described herein, the constraints can include a flight of the UAV 50 at or near the cell site 10 only, a flight pattern up and down in a 3D rectangle at the cell tower 12, a maximum height restriction (e.g., 500 feet or the like), and the like. For example, the cell site audit 40 is performed by one of i) a single operator flying the UAV 50 without a license or ii) two operators including one with a license and one to spot the UAV 50. The engineer/technician performs one or more aspects of the cell site audit 40 without the UAV 50 (step 204). Note, there are many aspects of the cell site audit 40 as described herein. It is not possible for the UAV 50 to perform all of these items such that the engineer/technician could be remote from the cell site 10. For example, access to the shelter or cabinet 52 for audit purposes requires the engineer/technician to be local. In this step, the engineer/technician can perform any audit functions as described herein that do not require climbing. The engineer/technician can cause the UAV 50 to fly up the cell tower 12 or the like to view cell site components 14 (step 206). Again, this flight can be based on the constraints, and the flight can be through a controller and/or the mobile device 100. The UAV 50 and/or the mobile device 100 can collect data associated with the cell site components 14 (step 208), and process the collected data to obtain information for the cell site audit 40 (step 210). As described herein, the UAV 50 and the mobile device 100 can be configured to collect data via video and/or photographs. The engineer/technician can use this collected data to perform various aspects of the cell site audit 40 with the UAV 50 and the mobile device 100 and without a tower climb. The foregoing descriptions detail specific aspects of the cell site audit 40 using the UAV 50 and the mobile device 100. In these aspects, data can be collected—generally, the data is video or photographs of the cell site components 14. The processing of the data can be automated through the UAV 50 and/or the mobile device 100 to compute certain items as described herein. Also, the processing of the data can be performed either at the cell site 10 or afterward by the engineer/technician. In an exemplary embodiment, the UAV 50 can be a commercial, “off-the-shelf” drone with a Wi-Fi enabled camera for the camera 86. Here, the UAV 50 is flown with a controller pad which can include a joystick or the like. Alternatively, the UAV 50 can be flown with the mobile device 100, such as with an app installed on the mobile device 100 configured to control the UAV 50. The Wi-Fi enable camera is configured to communicate with the mobile device 100—to both display real-time video and audio as well as to capture photos and/or video during the cell site audit 40 for immediate processing or for later processing to gather relevant information about the cell site components 14 for the cell site audit 40. In another exemplary embodiment, the UAV 50 can be a so-called “drone in a box” which is preprogrammed/configured to fly a certain route, such as based on the flight constraints described herein. The “drone in a box” can be physically transported to the cell site 10 or actually located there. The “drone in a box” can be remotely controlled as well. § 5.1 Antenna Down Tilt Angle In an exemplary aspect of the cell site audit 40, the UAV 50 and/or the mobile device 100 can be used to determine a down tilt angle of individual antennas 30 of the cell site components 14. The down tilt angle can be determined for all of the antennas 30 in all of the sectors 54, 56, 58. The down tilt angle is the mechanical (external) down tilt of the antennas 30 relative to a support bar 200. In the cell site audit 40, the down tilt angle is compared against an expected value, such as from a Radio Frequency (RF) data sheet, and the comparison may check to ensure the mechanical (external) down tilt is within ±1.0° of specification on the RF data sheet. Using the UAV 50 and/or the mobile device 100, the down tilt angle is determined from a photo taken from the camera 86. In an exemplary embodiment, the UAV 50 and/or the mobile device 100 is configured to measure three points—two defined by the antenna 30 and one by the support bar 200 to determine the down tilt angle of the antenna 30. For example, the down tilt angle can be determined visually from the side of the antenna 30—measuring a triangle formed by a top of the antenna 30, a bottom of the antenna 30, and the support bar 200. § 5.2 Antenna Plumb In an exemplary aspect of the cell site audit 40 and similar to determining the down tilt angle, the UAV 50 and/or the mobile device 100 can be used to visually inspect the antenna 30 including its mounting brackets and associated hardware. This can be done to verify appropriate hardware installation, to verify the hardware is not loose or missing, and to verify that antenna 30 is plumb relative to the support bar 200. § 5.3 Antenna Azimuth In an exemplary aspect of the cell site audit 40, the UAV 50 and/or the mobile device 100 can be used to verify the antenna azimuth, such as verifying the antenna azimuth is oriented within ±5° as defined on the RF data sheet. The azimuth (AZ) angle is the compass bearing, relative to true (geographic) north, of a point on the horizon directly beneath an observed object. Here, the UAV 50 and/or the mobile device 100 can include a location determining device such as a Global Positioning Satellite (GPS) measurement device. The antenna azimuth can be determined with the UAV 50 and/or the mobile device 100 using an aerial photo or the GPS measurement device. § 5.4 Photo collections As part of the cell site audit 40 generally, the UAV 50 and/or the mobile device 100 can be used to document various aspects of the cell site 10 by taking photos or video. For example, the mobile device 100 can be used to take photos or video on the ground in or around the shelter or cabinet 52 and the UAV 500 can be used to take photos or video up the cell tower 12 and of the cell site components 14. The photos and video can be stored in any of the UAV 50, the mobile device 100, the cloud, etc. In an exemplary embodiment, the UAV can also hover at the cell site 10 and provide real-time video footage back to the mobile device 100 or another location (for example, a Network Operations Center (NOC) or the like). § 5.5 Compound length/width The UAV 50 can be used to fly over the cell site 10 to measure the overall length and width of the cell site 10 compound from overhead photos. In one aspect, the UAV 50 can use GPS positioning to detect the length and width by flying over the cell site 10. In another aspect, the UAV 50 can take overhead photos which can be processed to determine the associated length and width of the cell site 10. § 5.6 Data Capture—Cell Site Audit The UAV 50 can be used to capture various pieces of data via the camera 86. That is, with the UAV 50 and the mobile device 100, the camera 86 is equivalent to the engineer/technician's own eyes, thereby eliminating the need for the engineer/technician to physically climb the tower. One important aspect of the cell site audit 40 is physically collecting various pieces of information—either to check records for consistency or to establish a record. For example, the data capture can include determining equipment module types, locations, connectivity, serial numbers, etc. from photos. The data capture can include determining physical dimensions from photos or from GPS such as the cell tower 12 height, width, depth, etc. The data capture can also include visual inspection of any aspect of the cell site 10, cell tower 12, cell site components 14, etc. including, but not limited to, physical characteristics, mechanical connectivity, cable connectivity, and the like. The data capture can also include checking the lighting rod 16 and the warning light 18 on the cell tower 12. Also, with additional equipment on the UAV 50, the UAV 50 can be configured to perform maintenance such as replacing the warning light 18, etc. The data capture can also include checking maintenance status of the cell site components 14 visually as well as checking associated connection status. Another aspect of the cell site audit 40 can include checking the structural integrity of the cell tower 12 and the cell site components 14 via photos from the UAV 50. § 5.7 Flying the UAV at the Cell Site In an exemplary embodiment, the UAV 50 can be programmed to automatically fly to a location and remain there without requiring the operator to control the UAV 50 in real-time, at the cell site 10. In this scenario, the UAV 50 can be stationary at a location in the air at the cell site 10. Here, various functionality can be incorporated in the UAV 50 as described herein. Note, this aspect leverages the ability to fly the UAV 50 commercially based on the constraints described herein. That is, the UAV 50 can be used to fly around the cell tower 12, to gather data associated with the cell site components 14 for the various sectors 54, 56, 58. Also, the UAV 50 can be used to hover around the cell tower 12, to provide additional functionality described as follows. § 5.8 Video/Photo Capture—Cell Site With the UAV 50 available to operate at the cell site 10, the UAV 50 can also be used to capture video/photos while hovering. This application uses the UAV 50 as a mobile video camera to capture activity at or around the cell site 10 from the air. It can be used to document work at the cell site 10 or to investigate the cell site 10 responsive to problems, e.g. tower collapse. It can be used to take surveillance video of surrounding locations such as service roads leading to the cell site 10, etc. § 5.9 Wireless Service Via the UAV Again, with the ability to fly at the cell site 10, subject to the constraints, the UAV 50 can be used to provide temporary or even permanent wireless service at the cell site. This is performed with the addition of wireless service-related components to the UAV 50. In the temporary mode, the UAV 50 can be used to provide services over a short time period, such as responding to an outage or other disaster affecting the cell site 10. Here, an operator can cause the UAV 50 to fly where the cell site components 14 are and provide such service. The UAV 50 can be equipped with wireless antennas to provide cell service, Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) service, or the like. The UAV 50 can effectively operate as a temporary tower or small cell as needed. In the permanent mode, the UAV 50 (along with other UAVs 50) can constantly be in the air at the cell site 10 providing wireless service. This can be done similar to the temporary mode but over a longer time period. The UAV 50 can be replaced over a predetermined time to refuel or the like. The replacement can be another UAV 50. The UAV 50 can effectively operate as a permanent tower or small cell as needed. § 6.0 Flying the UAV from Cell Site to Another Cell Site As described herein, the flight constraints include operating the UAV 50 vertically in a defined 3D rectangle at the cell site 10. In another exemplary embodiment, the flight constraints can be expanded to allow the 3D rectangle at the cell site 10 as well as horizontal operation between adjacent cell sites 10. Referring to FIG. 7, in an exemplary embodiment, a network diagram illustrates various cell sites 10a-10e deployed in a geographic region 300. In an exemplary embodiment, the UAV 50 is configured to operate as described herein, such as in FIG. 2, in the vertical 3D rectangular flight pattern, as well as in a horizontal flight pattern between adjacent cell sites 10. Here, the UAV 50 is cleared to fly, without the commercial regulations, between the adjacent cell sites 10. In this manner, the UAV 50 can be used to perform the cell site audits 40 at multiple locations—note, the UAV 50 does not need to land and physically be transported to the adjacent cell sites 10. Additionally, the fact that the FAA will allow exemptions to fly the UAV 50 at the cell site 10 and between adjacent cell sites 10 can create an interconnected mesh network of allowable flight paths for the UAV 50. Here, the UAV 50 can be used for other purposes besides those related to the cell site 10. That is, the UAV 50 can be flown in any application, independent of the cell sites 10, but without requiring FAA regulation. The applications can include, without limitation, a drone delivery network, a drone surveillance network, and the like. As shown in FIG. 7, the UAV 50, at the cell site 10a, can be flown to any of the other cell sites 10b-10e along flight paths 302. Due to the fact that cell sites 10 are numerous and diversely deployed in the geographic region 300, an ability to fly the UAV 50 at the cell sites 10 and between adjacent cell sites 10 creates an opportunity to fly the UAV 50 across the geographic region 300, for numerous applications. § 7.0 UAV and Cell Towers Additionally, the systems and methods described herein contemplate practically any activity at the cell site 10 using the UAV 50 in lieu of a tower climb. This can include, without limitation, any tower audit work with the UAV 50, any tower warranty work with the UAV 50, any tower operational ready work with the UAV 50, any tower construction with the UAV 50, any tower decommissioning/deconstruction with the UAV 50, any tower modifications with the UAV 50, and the like. § 8.0 Cell Site Operations There are generally two entities associated with cell sites—cell site owners and cell site operators. Generally, cell site owners can be viewed as real estate property owners and managers. Typical cell site owners may have a vast number of cell sites, such as tens of thousands, geographically dispersed. The cell site owners are generally responsible for the real estate, ingress and egress, structures on site, the cell tower itself, etc. Cell site operators generally include wireless service providers who generally lease space on the cell tower and in the structures for antennas and associated wireless backhaul equipment. There are other entities that may be associated with cell sites as well including engineering firms, installation contractors, and the like. All of these entities have a need for the various UAV-based systems and methods described herein. Specifically, cell site owners can use the systems and methods for real estate management functions, audit functions, etc. Cell site operators can use the systems and methods for equipment audits, troubleshooting, site engineering, etc. Of course, the systems and methods described herein can be provided by an engineering firm or the like contracted to any of the above entities or the like. The systems and methods described herein provide these entities time savings, increased safety, better accuracy, lower cost, and the like. § 10.0 3D Modeling Systems and Methods with UAVs Referring to FIG. 8, in an exemplary embodiment, a diagram illustrates the cell site 10 and an associated launch configuration and flight for the UAV 50 to obtain photos for a 3D model of the cell site 10. Again, the cell site 10, the cell tower 12, the cell site components 14, etc. are as described herein. To develop a 3D model, the UAV 50 is configured to take various photos during flight, at different angles, orientations, heights, etc. to develop a 360-degree view. For post processing, it is important to differentiate between different photos accurately. In various exemplary embodiments, the systems and methods utilize accurate location tracking for each photo taken. It is important for accurate correlation between photos to enable construction of a 3D model from a plurality of 2D photos. The photos can all include multiple location identifiers (i.e., where the photo was taken from, height and exact location). In an exemplary embodiment, the photos can each include at least two distinct location identifiers, such as from GPS or GLONASS. GLONASS is a “GLObal NAvigation Satellite System” which is a space-based satellite navigation system operating in the radio navigation-satellite service and used by the Russian Aerospace Defence Forces. It provides an alternative to GPS and is the second alternative navigational system in operation with global coverage and of comparable precision. The location identifiers are tagged or embedded to each photo and indicative of the location of the UAV 50 where and when the photo was taken. These location identifiers are used with objects of interest identified in the photo during post processing to create the 3D model. In fact, it was determined that location identifier accuracy is very important in the post processing for creating the 3D model. One such determination was that there are slight inaccuracies in the location identifiers when the UAV 50 is launched from a different location and/or orientation. Thus, to provide further accuracy for the location identifiers, each flight of the UAV 50 is constrained to land and depart from a same location and orientation. For example, future flights of the same cell site 10 or additional flights at the same time when the UAV 50 lands and, e.g., has a battery change. To ensure the same location and/or orientation in subsequent flights at the cell site 10, a zone indicator 800 is set at the cell site 10, such as on the ground via some marking (e.g., chalk, rope, white powder, etc.). Each flight at the cell site 10 for purposes of obtaining photos for 3D modeling is done using the zone indicator 800 to land and launch the UAV 50. Based on operations, it was determined that using conventional UAVs 50; the zone indicator 800 provides significantly more accuracy in location identifier readings. Accordingly, the photos are accurately identified relative to one another and able to create an extremely accurate 3D model of all physical features of the cell site 10. Thus, in an exemplary embodiment, all UAV 50 flights are from the same launch point and orientation to avoid calibration issues with any location identifier technique. The zone indicator 800 can also be marked on the 3D model for future flights at the cell site 10. Thus, the use of the zone indicator 800 for the same launch location and orientation along with the multiple location indicators provide more precision in the coordinates for the UAV 50 to correlate the photos. Note, in other exemplary embodiments, the zone indicator 800 may be omitted, or the UAV 50 can launch from additional points, such that the data used for the 3D model is only based on a single flight. The zone indicator 800 is advantageous when data is collected over time or when there are landings in flight. Once the zone indicator 800 is established, the UAV 50 is placed therein in a specific orientation (orientation is arbitrary so long as the same orientation is continually maintained). The orientation refers to which way the UAV 50 is facing at launch and landing. Once the UAV 50 is in the zone indicator 800, the UAV 50 can be flown up (denoted by line 802) the cell tower 12. Note, the UAV 50 can use the aforementioned flight constraints to conform to FAA regulations or exemptions. Once at a certain height and certain distance from the cell tower 12 and the cell site components 14, the UAV 50 can take a circular or 360-degree flight pattern about the cell tower 12, including flying up as well as around the cell tower 12 (denoted by line 804). During the flight, the UAV 50 is configured to take various photos of different aspects of the cell site 10 including the cell tower 12, the cell site components 14, as well as surrounding area. These photos are each tagged or embedded with multiple location identifiers. It has also been determined that the UAV 50 should be flown at a certain distance based on its camera capabilities to obtain the optimal photos, i.e., not too close or too far from objects of interest. The UAV 50 in a given flight can take hundreds or even thousands of photos, each with the appropriate location identifiers. For an accurate 3D model, at least hundreds of photos are required. The UAV 50 can be configured to take pictures automatically are given intervals during the flight, and the flight can be a preprogrammed trajectory around the cell site 10. Alternatively, the photos can be manually taken based on operator commands. Of course, a combination is also contemplated. In another exemplary embodiment, the UAV 50 can include preprocessing capabilities which monitor photos taken to determine a threshold after which enough photos have been taken to construct the 3D model accurately. Referring to FIG. 9, in an exemplary embodiment, a satellite view illustrates an exemplary flight of the UAV 50 at the cell site 10. Note, photos are taken at locations marked with circles in the satellite view. Note, the flight of the UAV 50 can be solely to construct the 3D model, or as part of the cell site audit 40 described herein. Also note, the exemplary flight allows photos at different locations, angles, orientations, etc. such that the 3D model not only includes the cell tower 12, but also the surrounding geography. Referring to FIG. 10, in an exemplary embodiment, a side view illustrates an exemplary flight of the UAV 50 at the cell site 10. Similar to FIG. 9, FIG. 10 shows circles in the side view at locations where photos were taken. Note, photos are taken at different elevations, orientations, angles, and locations. The photos are stored locally in the UAV 50 and/or transmitted wirelessly to a mobile device, controller, server, etc. Once the flight is complete and the photos are provided to an external device from the UAV 50 (e.g., mobile device, controller, server, cloud service, or the like), post processing occurs to combine the photos or “stitch” them together to construct the 3D model. While described separately, the post processing could occur in the UAV 50 provided its computing power is capable. Referring to FIG. 11, in an exemplary embodiment, a logical diagram illustrates a portion of a cell tower 12 along with associated photos taken by the UAV 50 at different points relative thereto. Specifically, various 2D photos are logically shown at different locations relative to the cell tower 12 to illustrate the location identifiers and the stitching together of the photos. Referring to FIG. 12, in an exemplary embodiment, a screen shot illustrates a Graphic User Interface (GUI) associated with post processing photos from the UAV 50. Again, once the UAV 50 has completed taking photos of the cell site 10, the photos are post processed to form a 3D model. The systems and methods contemplate any software program capable of performing photogrammetry. In the example of FIG. 12, there are 128 total photos. The post processing includes identifying visible points across the multiple points, i.e., objects of interest. For example, the objects of interest can be any of the cell site components 14, such as antennas. The post processing identifies the same object of interest across different photos, with their corresponding location identifiers, and builds a 3D model based on multiple 2D photos. Referring to FIG. 13, in an exemplary embodiment, a screen shot illustrates a 3D model constructed from a plurality of 2D photos taken from the UAV 50 as described herein. Note, the 3D model can be displayed on a computer or another type of processing device, such as via an application, a Web browser, or the like. The 3D model supports zoom, pan, tilt, etc. Referring to FIGS. 14-19, in various exemplary embodiments, various screen shots illustrate GUIs associated with a 3D model of a cell site based on photos taken from the UAV 50 as described herein. FIG. 14 is a GUI illustrating an exemplary measurement of an object, i.e., the cell tower 12, in the 3D model. Specifically, using a point and click operation, one can click on two points such as the top and bottom of the cell tower and the 3D model can provide a measurement, e.g. 175′ in this example. FIG. 15 illustrates a close-up view of a cell site component 14 such as an antenna and a similar measurement made thereon using point and click, e.g. 4.55′ in this example. FIGS. 16 and 17 illustrate an aerial view in the 3D model showing surrounding geography around the cell site 10. From these views, the cell tower 12 is illustrated with the surrounding environment including the structures, access road, fall line, etc. Specifically, the 3D model can assist in determining a fall line which is anywhere in the surroundings of the cell site 10 where the cell tower 12 may fall. Appropriate considerations can be made based thereon. FIGS. 18 and 19 illustrate the 3D model and associated photos on the right side. One useful aspect of the 3D model GUI is an ability to click anywhere on the 3D model and bring up corresponding 2D photos. Here, an operator can click anywhere and bring up full sized photos of the area. Thus, with the systems and methods described herein, the 3D model can measure and map the cell site 10 and surrounding geography along with the cell tower 12, the cell site components 14, etc. to form a comprehensive 3D model. There are various uses of the 3D model to perform cell site audits including checking tower grounding; sizing and placement of antennas, piping, and other cell site components 14; providing engineering drawings; determining characteristics such as antenna azimuths; and the like. Referring to FIG. 2021, in an exemplary embodiment, a photo illustrates the UAV 50 in flight at the top of a cell tower 12. As described herein, it was determined that the optimum distance to photograph the cell site components 14 is about 10′ to 40′ distance. Referring to FIG. 21, in an exemplary embodiment, a flowchart illustrates a process 850 for modeling a cell site with an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV). The process 850 includes causing the UAV to fly a given flight path about a cell tower at the cell site, wherein a launch location and launch orientation is defined for the UAV to take off and land at the cell site such that each flight at the cell site has the same launch location and launch orientation (step 852); obtaining a plurality of photographs of the cell site during about the flight plane, wherein each of the plurality of photographs is associated with one or more location identifiers (step 854); and, subsequent to the obtaining, processing the plurality of photographs to define a three dimensional (3D) model of the cell site based on the associated with one or more location identifiers and one or more objects of interest in the plurality of photographs (step 856). The process 850 can further include landing the UAV at the launch location in the launch orientation; performing one or more operations on the UAV, such as changing a battery; and relaunching the UAV from the launch location in the launch orientation to obtain additional photographs. The one or more location identifiers can include at least two location identifiers including Global Positioning Satellite (GPS) and GLObal NAvigation Satellite System (GLONASS). The flight plan can be constrained to an optimum distance from the cell tower. The plurality of photographs can be obtained automatically during the flight plan while concurrently performing a cell site audit of the cell site. The process 850 can further include providing a graphical user interface (GUI) of the 3D model; and using the GUI to perform a cell site audit. The process 850 can further include providing a graphical user interface (GUI) of the 3D model; and using the GUI to measure various components at the cell site. The process 850 can further include providing a graphical user interface (GUI) of the 3D model; and using the GUI to obtain photographs of the various components at the cell site. § 11.1 3D Modeling Systems and Methods without UAVs The above description explains 3D modeling and photo data capture using the UAV 50. Additionally, the photo data capture can be through other means, including portable cameras, fixed cameras, heads up displays (HUD), head mounted cameras, and the like. That is the systems and methods described herein contemplate the data capture through any available technique. The UAV 50 will be difficult to obtain photos inside the buildings, i.e., the shelter or cabinet 52. Referring to FIG. 22, in an exemplary embodiment, a diagram illustrates an exemplary interior 900 of a building 902, such as the shelter or cabinet 52, at the cell site 10. Generally, the building 902 houses equipment associated with the cell site 10 such as wireless RF terminals 910 (e.g., LTE terminals), wireless backhaul equipment 912, power distribution 914, and the like. Generally, wireless RF terminals 910 connect to the cell site components 14 for providing associated wireless service. The wireless backhaul equipment 912 includes networking equipment to bring the associated wireless service signals to a wireline network, such as via fiber optics or the like. The power distribution 914 provides power for all of the equipment such as from the grid as well as a battery backup to enable operation in the event of power failures. Of course, additional equipment and functionality are contemplated in the interior 900. The terminals 910, equipment 912, and the power distribution 914 can be realized as rack or frame mounted hardware with cabling 916 and with associated modules 918. The modules 918 can be pluggable modules which are selectively inserted in the hardware and each can include unique identifiers 920 such as barcodes, Quick Response (QR) codes, RF Identification (RFID), physical labeling, color coding, or the like. Each module 918 can be unique with a serial number, part number, and/or functional identifier. The modules 918 are configured as needed to provide the associated functionality of the cell site. The systems and methods include, in addition to the aforementioned photo capture via the UAV 50, photo data capture in the interior 900 for 3D modeling and for virtual site surveys. The photo data capture can be performed by a fixed, rotatable camera 930 located in the interior 900. The camera 930 can be communicatively coupled to a Data Communication Network (DCN), such as through the wireless backhaul equipment 912 or the like. The camera 930 can be remotely controlled, such as by an engineer performing a site survey from his or her office. Other techniques of photo data capture can include an on-site technician taking photos with a camera and uploading them to a cloud service or the like. Again, the systems and methods contemplate any type of data capture. Again, with a plurality of photos, e.g., hundreds, it is possible to utilize photogrammetry to create a 3D model of the interior 900 (as well as a 3D model of the exterior as described above). The 3D model is created using physical cues in the photos to identify objects of interest, such as the modules 918, the unique identifiers 920, or the like. Note, the location identifiers described relative to the UAV 50 are less effective in the interior 900 given the enclosed, interior space and the closer distances. § 12.0 Virtual Site Survey Referring to FIG. 23, in an exemplary embodiment, a flowchart illustrates a virtual site survey process 950 for the cell site 10. The virtual site survey process 950 is associated with the cell site 10 and utilizes three-dimensional (3D) models for remote performance, i.e., at an office as opposed to in the field. The virtual site survey process 950 includes obtaining a plurality of photographs of a cell site including a cell tower and one or more buildings and interiors thereof (step 952); subsequent to the obtaining, processing the plurality of photographs to define a three dimensional (3D) model of the cell site based on one or more objects of interest in the plurality of photographs (step 954); and remotely performing a site survey of the cell site utilizing a Graphical User Interface (GUI) of the 3D model to collect and obtain information about the cell site, the cell tower, the one or more buildings, and the interiors thereof (step 956). The 3D model is a combination of an exterior of the cell site including the cell tower and associated cell site components thereon, geography local to the cell site, and the interiors of the one or more buildings at the cell site, and the 3D model can include detail at a module level in the interiors. The remotely performing the site survey can include determining equipment location on the cell tower and in the interiors; measuring distances between the equipment and within the equipment to determine actual spatial location; and determining connectivity between the equipment based on associated cabling. The remotely performing the site survey can include planning for one or more of new equipment and changes to existing equipment at the cell site through drag and drop operations in the GUI, wherein the GUI includes a library of equipment for the drag and drop operations; and, subsequent to the planning, providing a list of the one or more of the new equipment and the changes to the existing equipment based on the library, for implementation thereof. The remotely performing the site survey can include providing one or more of the photographs of an associated area of the 3D model responsive to an operation in the GUI. The virtual site survey process 950 can include rendering a texture map of the interiors responsive to an operation in the GUI. The virtual site survey process 950 can include performing an inventory of equipment at the cell site including cell site components on the cell tower and networking equipment in the interiors, wherein the inventory from the 3D model uniquely identifies each of the equipment based on associated unique identifiers. The remotely performing the site survey can include providing an equipment visual in the GUI of a rack and all associated modules therein. The obtaining can include the UAV 50 obtaining the photographs on the cell tower, and the obtaining includes one or more of a fixed and portable camera obtaining the photographs in the interior. The obtaining can be performed by an on-site technician at the cell site, and the site survey can be remotely performed. In another exemplary embodiment, an apparatus adapted to perform a virtual site survey of a cell site utilizing three-dimensional (3D) models for remote performance includes a network interface and a processor communicatively coupled to one another; and memory storing instructions that, when executed, cause the processor to receive, via the network interface, a plurality of photographs of a cell site including a cell tower and one or more buildings and interiors thereof process the plurality of photographs to define a three dimensional (3D) model of the cell site based on one or more objects of interest in the plurality of photographs, subsequent to receiving the photographs; and provide a Graphical User Interface of the 3D model for remote performance of a site survey of the cell site utilizing the 3D model to collect and obtain information about the cell site, the cell tower, the one or more buildings, and the interiors thereof. In a further exemplary embodiment, a non-transitory computer readable medium includes instructions that, when executed, cause one or more processors to perform the steps of: receiving a plurality of photographs of a cell site including a cell tower and one or more buildings and interiors thereof processing the plurality of photographs to define a three dimensional (3D) model of the cell site based on one or more objects of interest in the plurality of photographs, subsequent to receiving the photographs; and rendering a Graphical User Interface of the 3D model for remote performance of a site survey of the cell site utilizing the 3D model to collect and obtain information about the cell site, the cell tower, the one or more buildings, and the interiors thereof. The virtual site survey can perform anything remotely that traditionally would have required on-site presence, including the various aspects of the cell site audit 40 described herein. The GUI of the 3D model can be used to check plumbing of coaxial cabling, connectivity of all cabling, automatic identification of cabling endpoints such as through unique identifiers detected on the cabling, and the like. The GUI can further be used to check power plant and batteries, power panels, physical hardware, grounding, heating and air conditioning, generators, safety equipment, and the like. The 3D model can be utilized to automatically provide engineering drawings, such as responsive to the planning for new equipment or changes to existing equipment. Here, the GUI can have a library of equipment (e.g., approved equipment and vendor information can be periodically imported into the GUI). Normal drag and drop operations in the GUI can be used for equipment placement from the library. Also, the GUI system can include error checking, e.g., a particular piece of equipment is incompatible with placement or in violation of policies, and the like. § 13.0 Close-Out Audit Systems and Methods Again, a close-out audit is done to document and verify the work performed at the cell site 10. The systems and methods eliminate the separate third-party inspection firm for the close-out audit. The systems and methods include the installers (i.e., from the third-party installation firm, the owner, the operator, etc.) performing video capture subsequent to the installation and maintenance and using various techniques to obtain data from the video capture for the close-out audit. The close-out audit can be performed off-site with the data from the video capture thereby eliminating unnecessary tower climbs, site visits, and the like. Referring to FIG. 24, in an exemplary embodiment, a flowchart illustrates a close-out audit method 1350 performed at a cell site subsequent to maintenance or installation work. The close-out audit method 1350 includes, subsequent to the maintenance or installation work, obtaining video capture of cell site components associated with the work (step 1352); subsequent to the video capture, processing the video capture to obtain data for the close-out audit, wherein the processing comprises identifying the cell site components associated with the work (step 1354); and creating a close-out audit package based on the processed video capture, wherein the close-out audit package provides verification of the maintenance or installation work and outlines that the maintenance or installation work was performed in a manner consistent with an operator or owner's guidelines (step 1356). The video capture can be performed by a mobile device and one or more of locally stored thereon and transmitted from the mobile device. The video capture can also be performed by a mobile device which wirelessly transmits a live video feed, and the video capture is remotely stored from the cell site. The video capture can also be performed by an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) flown at the cell site. Further, the video capture can be a live video feed with two-way communication between an installer associated with the maintenance or installation work and personnel associated with the operator or owner to verify the maintenance or installation work. For example, the installer and the personnel can communicate to go through various items in the maintenance or installation work to check/audit the work. The close-out audit method 1350 can also include creating a three-dimensional (3D) model from the video capture; determining equipment location from the 3D model; measuring distances between the equipment and within the equipment to determine actual spatial location; and determining connectivity between the equipment based on associated cabling from the 3D model. The close-out audit method 1350 can also include uniquely identifying the cell site components from the video capture and distinguishing in the close-out audit package. The close-out audit method 1350 can also include determining antenna height, azimuth, and down tilt angles for antennas in the cell site components from the video capture; and checking the antenna height, azimuth, and down tilt angles against predetermined specifications. The close-out audit method 1350 can also include identifying cabling and connectivity between the cell site components from the video capture and distinguishing in the close-out audit package. The close-out audit method 1350 can also include checking a plurality of factors in the close-out audit from the video capture compared to the operator or owner's guidelines. The close-out audit method 1350 can also include checking the grounding of the cell site components from the video capture, comparing the checked grounding to the operator or owner's guidelines and distinguishing in the close-out audit package. The close-out audit method 1350 can also include checking mechanical connectivity of the cell site components to a cell tower based on the video capture and distinguishing in the close-out audit package. In another exemplary embodiment, a system adapted for a close-out audit of a cell site subsequent to maintenance or installation work includes a network interface and a processor communicatively coupled to one another; and memory storing instructions that, when executed, cause the processor to, subsequent to the maintenance or installation work, obtain video capture of cell site components associated with the work; subsequent to the video capture, process the video capture to obtain data for the close-out audit, wherein the processing comprises identifying the cell site components associated with the work; and create a close-out audit package based on the processed video capture, wherein the close-out audit package provides verification of the maintenance or installation work and outlines that the maintenance or installation work was performed in a manner consistent with an operator or owner's guidelines. In a further exemplary embodiment, a non-transitory computer readable medium includes instructions that, when executed, cause one or more processors to perform the steps of, subsequent to the maintenance or installation work, obtaining video capture of cell site components associated with the work; subsequent to the video capture, processing the video capture to obtain data for the close-out audit, wherein the processing comprises identifying the cell site components associated with the work; and creating a close-out audit package based on the processed video capture, wherein the close-out audit package provides verification of the maintenance or installation work and outlines that the maintenance or installation work was performed in a manner consistent with an operator or owner's guidelines. The close-out audit package can include, without limitation, drawings, cell site component settings, test results, equipment lists, pictures, commissioning data, GPS data, Antenna height, azimuth and down tilt data, equipment data, serial numbers, cabling, etc. § 14.0 3D Modeling Systems and Methods Referring to FIG. 25, in an exemplary embodiment, a flowchart illustrates a 3D modeling method 1400 to detect configuration and site changes. The 3D modeling method 1400 utilizes various techniques to obtain data, to create 3D models, and to detect changes in configurations and surroundings. The 3D models can be created at two or more different points in time, and with the different 3D models, a comparison can be made to detect the changes. Advantageously, the 3D modeling systems and methods allow cell site operators to manage the cell sites without repeated physical site surveys efficiently. The modeling method 1400 includes obtaining first data regarding the cell site from a first audit performed using one or more data acquisition techniques and obtaining second data regarding the cell site from a second audit performed using the one or more data acquisition techniques, wherein the second audit is performed at a different time than the first audit, and wherein the first data and the second data each comprise one or more location identifiers associated therewith (step 1402); processing the first data to define a first model of the cell site using the associated one or more location identifiers and processing the second data to define a second model of the cell site using the associated one or more location identifiers (step 1404); comparing the first model with the second model to identify the changes in or at the cell site (step 1406); and performing one or more actions based on the identified changes (step 1408). The one or more actions can include any remedial or corrective actions including maintenance, landscaping, mechanical repair, licensing from operators who install more cell site components 14 than agreed upon, and the like. The identified changes can be associated with cell site components installed on a cell tower at the cell site, and wherein the one or more actions comprises any of maintenance, licensing with operators, and removal. The identified changes can be associated with physical surroundings of the cell site, and wherein the one or more actions comprise maintenance to correct the identified changes. The identified changes can include any of degradation of gravel roads, trees obstructing a cell tower, physical hazards at the cell site, and mechanical issues with the cell tower or a shelter at the cell site. The first data and the second data can be obtained remotely, without a tower climb. The first model and the second model each can include a three-dimensional model of the cell site, displayed in a Graphical User Interface (GUI). The one or more data acquisition techniques can include using an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) to capture the first data and the second data. The one or more data acquisition techniques can include using a fixed or portable camera to capture the first data and the second data. The one or more location identifiers can include at least two location identifiers comprising Global Positioning Satellite (GPS) and GLObal NAvigation Satellite System (GLONASS). The second model can be created using the first model as a template for expected objects at the cell site. In another exemplary embodiment, a modeling system adapted for detecting changes in or at a cell site includes a network interface and a processor communicatively coupled to one another; and memory storing instructions that, when executed, cause the processor to obtain first data regarding the cell site from a first audit performed using one or more data acquisition techniques and obtain second data regarding the cell site from a second audit performed using the one or more data acquisition techniques, wherein the second audit is performed at a different time than the first audit, and wherein the first data and the second data each comprise one or more location identifiers associated therewith; process the first data to define a first model of the cell site using the associated one or more location identifiers and process the second data to define a second model of the cell site using the associated one or more location identifiers; compare the first model with the second model to identify the changes in or at the cell site; and cause performance of one or more actions based on the identified changes. In a further exemplary embodiment, a non-transitory computer readable medium includes instructions that, when executed, cause one or more processors to perform the steps of: obtaining first data regarding the cell site from a first audit performed using one or more data acquisition techniques and obtaining second data regarding the cell site from a second audit performed using the one or more data acquisition techniques, wherein the second audit is performed at a different time than the first audit, and wherein the first data and the second data each comprise one or more location identifiers associated therewith; processing the first data to define a first model of the cell site using the associated one or more location identifiers and processing the second data to define a second model of the cell site using the associated one or more location identifiers; comparing the first model with the second model to identify the changes in or at the cell site; and performing one or more actions based on the identified changes. § 15.0 3D Modeling Data Capture Systems and Methods Again, various exemplary embodiments herein describe applications and uses of 3D models of the cell site 10 and the cell tower 12. Further, it has been described using the UAV 50 to obtain data capture for creating the 3D model. The data capture systems and methods described herein provide various techniques and criteria for properly capturing images or video using the UAV 50. Referring to FIG. 26, in an exemplary embodiment, a flow diagram illustrates a 3D model creation process 1700. The 3D model creation process 1700 is implemented on a server or the like. The 3D model creation process 1700 includes receiving input data, i.e., pictures and/or video. The data capture systems and methods describe various techniques for obtaining the pictures and/or video using the UAV 50 at the cell site 10. In an exemplary embodiment, the pictures can be at least 10 megapixels, and the video can be at least 4 k high definition video. The 3D model creation process 1700 performs initial processing on the input data (step 1702). An output of the initial processing includes a sparse point cloud, a quality report, and an output file can be camera outputs. The sparse point cloud is processed into a point cloud and mesh (step 1704) providing a densified point cloud and 3D outputs. The 3D model is an output of the step 1704. Other models can be developed by further processing the densified point cloud (step 1706) to provide a Digital Surface Model (DSM), an orthomosaic, tiles, contour lines, etc. The data capture systems and methods include capturing thousands of images or video which can be used to provide images. Referring to FIG. 27, in an exemplary embodiment, a flowchart illustrates a method 1750 using an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) to obtain data capture at a cell site for developing a three dimensional (3D) thereof. The method 1750 includes causing the UAV to fly a given flight path about a cell tower at the cell site (step 1752); obtaining data capture during the flight path about the cell tower, wherein the data capture comprises a plurality of photos or video, wherein the flight path is subjected to a plurality of constraints for the obtaining, and wherein the data capture comprises one or more location identifiers (step 1754); and, subsequent to the obtaining, processing the data capture to define a three dimensional (3D) model of the cell site based on one or more objects of interest in the data capture (step 1756). The method 1750 can further include remotely performing a site survey of the cell site utilizing a Graphical User Interface (GUI) of the 3D model to collect and obtain information about the cell site, the cell tower, one or more buildings, and interiors thereof (step 1758). As a launch location and launch orientation can be defined for the UAV to take off and land at the cell site such that each flight at the cell site has the same launch location and launch orientation. The one or more location identifiers can include at least two location identifiers including Global Positioning Satellite (GPS) and GLObal NAvigation Satellite System (GLONASS). The plurality of constraints can include each flight of the UAV having a similar lighting condition and at about a same time of day. Specifically, the data capture can be performed on different days or times to update the 3D model. Importantly, the method 1750 can require the data capture in the same lighting conditions, e.g., sunny, cloudy, etc., and at about the same time of day to account for shadows. The data capture can include a plurality of photographs each with at least 10 megapixels and wherein the plurality of constraints can include each photograph having at least 75% overlap with another photograph. Specifically, the significant overlap allows for ease in processing to create the 3D model. The data capture can include a video with at least 4 k high definition and wherein the plurality of constraints can include capturing a screen from the video as a photograph having at least 75% overlap with another photograph captured from the video. The plurality of constraints can include a plurality of flight paths around the cell tower with each of the plurality of flight paths at one or more of different elevations, different camera angles, and different focal lengths for a camera. The plurality of flight paths can be one of: a first flight path at a first height and a camera angle and a second flight path at a second height and the camera angle; and a first flight path at the first height and a first camera angle and a second flight path at the first height and a second camera angle. The plurality of flight paths can be substantially circular around the cell tower. In another exemplary embodiment, an apparatus adapted to obtain data capture at a cell site for developing a three dimensional (3D) thereof includes a network interface and a processor communicatively coupled to one another; and memory storing instructions that, when executed, cause the processor to cause the UAV to fly a given flight path about a cell tower at the cell site; cause data capture during the flight path about the cell tower, wherein the data capture comprises a plurality of photos or video, wherein the flight path is subjected to a plurality of constraints for the data capture, and wherein the data capture comprises one or more location identifiers; and, subsequent to the data capture, process the data capture to define a three dimensional (3D) model of the cell site based on one or more objects of interest in the data capture. § 15.1 3D Methodology for Cell Sites Referring to FIG. 28, in an exemplary embodiment, a flowchart illustrates a 3D modeling method 1800 for capturing data at the cell site 10, the cell tower 12, etc. using the UAV 50. The method 1800, in addition to or in combination with the method 1750, provides various techniques for accurately capturing data for building a point cloud generated a 3D model of the cell site 10. First, the data acquisition, i.e., the performance of the method 1800, should be performed in the early morning or afternoon such that nothing is overexposed and there is a minimum reflection off of the cell tower 12. It is also important to have a low Kp Index level to minimize the disruption of geomagnetic activity on the UAV's GPS unit, sub level six is adequate for 3D modeling as described in this claim. Of course, it is also important to ensure the camera lenses on the UAV 50 are clean prior to launch. This can be done by cleaning the lenses with alcohol and a wipe. Thus, the method 1800 includes preparing the UAV 50 for flight and programming an autonomous flight path about the cell tower 12 (step 1802). The UAV 50 flight about the cell tower 12 at the cell site 10 can be autonomous, i.e., automatic without manual control of the actual flight plan in real-time. The advantage here with autonomous flight is the flight of the UAV 50 is circular as opposed to a manual flight which can be more elliptical, oblong, or have gaps in data collection, etc. In an exemplary embodiment, the autonomous flight of the UAV 50 can capture data equidistance around the planned circular flight path by using a Point of Interest (POI) flight mode. The POI flight mode is selected (either before or after takeoff), and once the UAV 50 is in flight, an operator can select a point of interest from a view of the UAV 50, such as but not limited to via the mobile device 100 which is in communication with the UAV 50. The view is provided by the camera 86, and the UAV 50 in conjunction with the device identified to be in communication with the UAV 50 can determine a flight plan about the point of interest. In the method 1800, the point of interest can be the cell tower 12. The point of interest can be selected at an appropriate altitude and once selected, the UAV 50 circles in flight about the point of interest. Further, the radius, altitude, direction, and speed can be set for the point of interest flight as well as a number of repetitions of the circle. Advantageously, the point of interest flight path in a circle provides an even distance about the cell tower 12 for obtaining photos and video thereof for the 3D model. In an exemplary embodiment of a tape drop model, the UAV 50 will perform four orbits about a monopole cell tower 12 and about five or six orbits about a self-support/guyed cell tower 12. In the exemplary embodiment of a structural analysis model, the number of orbits will be increased from 2 to 3 times to acquire the data needed to construct a more realistic graphic user interface model. Additionally, the preparation can also include focusing the camera 86 in its view of the cell tower 12 to set the proper exposure. Specifically, if the camera 86's view is too bright or too dark, the 3D modeling software will have issues in matching pictures or frames together to build the 3D model. Once the preparation is complete and the flight path is set (step 1802), the UAV 50 flies in a plurality of orbits about the cell tower 12 (step 1804). The UAV obtains photos and/or video of the cell tower 12 and the cell site components 14 during each of the plurality of orbits (step 1806). Note, each of the plurality of orbits has different characteristics for obtaining the photos and/or video. Finally, photos and/or video is used to define a 3D model of the cell site 10 (step 1808). For the plurality of orbits, a first orbit is around the entire cell site 10 to cover the entire cell tower 12 and associated surroundings. For monopole cell towers 12, the radius of the first orbit will typically range from 100 to 150 ft. For self-support cell towers 12, the radius can be up to 200 ft. The UAV 50's altitude should be slightly higher than that of the cell tower for the first orbit. The camera 86 should be tilted slightly down capturing more ground in the background than sky to provide more texture helping the software match the photos. The first orbit should be at a speed of about 4 ft/second (this provides a good speed for battery efficiency and photo spacing). A photo should be taken around every two seconds or at 80 percent overlap decreasing the amount that edges and textures move from each photo. This allows the software to relate those edge/texture points to each photo called tie points. A second orbit of the plurality of orbits should be closer to the radiation centers of the cell tower 12, typically 30 to 50 ft with an altitude still slightly above the cell tower 12 with the camera 86 pointing downward. The operator should make sure all the cell site components 12 and antennas are in the frame including those on the opposite side of the cell tower 12. This second orbit will allow the 3D model to create better detail on the structure and equipment in between the antennas and the cell site components 14. This will allow contractors to make measurements on equipment between those antennas. The orbit should be done at a speed around 2.6 ft/second and still take photos close to every 2 seconds or keeping an 80 percent overlap. A third orbit of the plurality of orbits has a lower altitude to around the mean distance between all of the cell site components 14 (e.g., Radio Access Devices (RADs)). With the lower altitude, the camera 86 is raised up such as 5 degrees or more because the ground will have moved up in the frame. This new angle and altitude will allow a full profile of all the antennas and the cell site components 14 to be captured. The orbit will still have a radius around 30 to 50 ft with a speed of about 2.6 ft/second. The next orbit should be for a self-support cell tower 12. Here, the orbit is expanded to around 50 to 60 ft, and the altitude decreased slightly below the cell site components 14 and the camera 86 angled slightly down more capturing all of the cross barring of the self-support structure. All of the structure to the ground does not need to be captured for this orbit but close to it. The portion close to the ground will be captured in the next orbit. However, there needs to be clear spacing in whatever camera angle is chosen. The cross members in the foreground should be spaced enough for the cross members on the other side of the cell tower 12 to be visible. This is done for self-support towers 12 because of the complexity of the structure and the need for better detail which is not needed for monopoles in this area. The first orbit for monopoles provides more detail because they are at a closer distance with the cell towers 12 lower height. The speed of the orbit can be increased to around 3 ft/second with the same spacing. The last orbit for all cell towers 12 should have an increased radius to around 60 to 80 ft with the camera 86 looking more downward at the cell site 10. The altitude should be decreased to get closer to the cell site 10 compound. The altitude should be around 60 to 80 ft but will change slightly depending on the size of the cell site 10 compound. The angle of the camera 86 with the altitude should be such to where the sides and tops of structures such as the shelters will be visible throughout the orbit. It is important to make sure the whole cell site 10 compound is in the frame for the entire orbit allowing the capture of every side of everything inside the compound including the fencing. The speed of the orbit should be around 3.5 ft/second with same photo time spacing and overlap. The total amount of photos that should be taken for a monopole cell tower 12 should be around 300-400 and the total amount of photos for self-support cell tower 12 should be between 400-500 photos. Too many photos can indicate that the photos were taken too close together. Photos taken in succession with more than 80 percent overlap can cause errors in the processing of the model and cause extra noise around the details of the tower and lower the distinguishable parts for the software. § 16.0 3D Modeling Data Capture Systems and Methods Using Multiple Cameras Referring to FIGS. 29A and 29B, in an exemplary embodiment, block diagrams illustrate a UAV 50 with multiple cameras 86A, 86B, 86C (FIG. 29A) and a camera array 1900 (FIG. 29B). The UAV 50 can include the multiple cameras 86A, 86B, 86C which can be located physically apart on the UAV 50. In another exemplary embodiment, the multiple cameras 86A, 86B, 86C can be in a single housing. In all embodiments, each of the multiple cameras 86A, 86B, 86C can be configured to take a picture of a different location, different area, different focus, etc. That is, the cameras 86A, 86B, 86C can be angled differently, have a different focus, etc. The objective is for the cameras 86A, 86B, 86C together to cover a larger area than a single camera 86. In a conventional approach for 3D modeling, the camera 86 is configured to take hundreds of pictures for the 3D model. For example, as described with respect to the 3D modeling method 1800, 300-500 pictures are required for an accurate 3D model. In practice, using the limitations described in the 3D modeling method 1800, this process, such as with the UAV 50, can take hours. It is the objective of the systems and methods with multiple cameras to streamline this process such as reduce this time by half or more. The cameras 86A, 86B, 86C are coordinated and communicatively coupled to one another and the processor 102. In FIG. 29B, the camera array 1900 includes a plurality of cameras 1902. Each of the cameras 1902 can be individual cameras each with its own settings, i.e., angle, zoom, focus, etc. The camera array 1900 can be mounted on the UAV 50, such as the camera 86. The camera array 1900 can also be portable, mounted on or at the cell site 10, and the like. In the systems and methods herein, the cameras 86A, 86B, 86C and the camera array 1900 are configured to work cooperatively to obtain pictures to create a 3D model. In an exemplary embodiment, the 3D model is of a cell site 10. As described herein, the systems and methods utilize at least two cameras, e.g., the cameras 86A, 86B, or two cameras 1902 in the camera array 1900. Of course, there can be greater than two cameras. The multiple cameras are coordinated such that one event where pictures are taken produce at least two pictures. Thus, to capture 300-500 pictures, less than 150-250 pictures are actually taken. Referring to FIG. 30, in an exemplary embodiment, a flowchart illustrates a method 1950 using multiple cameras to obtain accurate three-dimensional (3D) modeling data. In the method 1950, the multiple cameras are used with the UAV 50, but other embodiments are also contemplated. The method 1950 includes causing the UAV to fly a given flight path about a cell tower at the cell site (step 1952); obtaining data capture during the flight path about the cell tower, wherein the data capture includes a plurality of photos or video subject to a plurality of constraints, wherein the plurality of photos are obtained by a plurality of cameras which are coordinated with one another (step 1954); and, subsequent to the obtaining, processing the data capture to define a three dimensional (3D) model of the cell site based on one or more objects of interest in the data capture (step 1956). The method 1950 can further include remotely performing a site survey of the cell site utilizing a Graphical User Interface (GUI) of the 3D model to collect and obtain information about the cell site, the cell tower, one or more buildings, and interiors thereof (step 1958). The flight path can include a plurality of orbits comprising at least four orbits around the cell tower each with a different set of characteristics of altitude, radius, and camera angle. A launch location and launch orientation can be defined for the UAV to take off and land at the cell site such that each flight at the cell site has the same launch location and launch orientation. The plurality of constraints can include each flight of the UAV having a similar lighting condition and at about a same time of day. A total number of photos can include around 300-400 for the monopole cell tower and 500-600 for the self-support cell tower, and the total number is taken concurrently by the plurality of cameras. The data capture can include a plurality of photographs each with at least 10 megapixels and wherein the plurality of constraints comprises each photograph having at least 75% overlap with another photograph. The data capture can include a video with at least 4 k high definition and wherein the plurality of constraints can include capturing a screen from the video as a photograph having at least 75% overlap with another photograph captured from the video. The plurality of constraints can include a plurality of flight paths around the cell tower with each of the plurality of flight paths at one or more of different elevations and each of the plurality of cameras with different camera angles and different focal lengths. In another exemplary embodiment, an apparatus adapted to obtain data capture at a cell site for developing a three dimensional (3D) thereof includes a network interface and a processor communicatively coupled to one another; and memory storing instructions that, when executed, cause the processor to cause the UAV to fly a given flight path about a cell tower at the cell site; obtain data capture during the flight path about the cell tower, wherein the data capture comprises a plurality of photos or video subject to a plurality of constraints, wherein the plurality of photos are obtained by a plurality of cameras which are coordinated with one another; and process the obtained data capture to define a three dimensional (3D) model of the cell site based on one or more objects of interest in the data capture. In a further exemplary embodiment, an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) adapted to obtain data capture at a cell site for developing a three dimensional (3D) thereof includes one or more rotors disposed to a body; a plurality of cameras associated with the body; wireless interfaces; a processor coupled to the wireless interfaces and the camera; and memory storing instructions that, when executed, cause the processor to fly the UAV about a given flight path about a cell tower at the cell site; obtain data capture during the flight path about the cell tower, wherein the data capture comprises a plurality of photos or video, wherein the plurality of photos are obtained by a plurality of cameras which are coordinated with one another; and provide the obtained data for a server to process the obtained data capture to define a three dimensional (3D) model of the cell site based on one or more objects of interest in the data capture. § 17.0 Multiple Camera Apparatus and Process Referring to FIGS. 31 and 32, in an exemplary embodiment, diagrams illustrate a multiple camera apparatus 2000 and use of the multiple camera apparatus 2000 in the shelter or cabinet 52 or the interior 900 of the building 902. As previously described herein, the camera 930 can be used in the interior 900 for obtaining photos for 3D modeling and for virtual site surveys. The multiple camera apparatus 2000 is an improvement to the camera 930, enabling multiple photos to be taken simultaneously of different views, angles, zoom, etc. In an exemplary embodiment, the multiple camera apparatus 2000 can be operated by a technician at the building 902 to quickly, efficiently, and properly obtain photos for a 3D model of the interior 900. In another exemplary embodiment, the multiple camera apparatus 2000 can be mounted in the interior 900 and remotely controlled by an operator. The multiple camera apparatus 2000 includes a post 2002 with a plurality of cameras 2004 disposed or attached to the post 2002. The plurality of cameras 2004 can be interconnected to one another and to a control unit 2006 on the post. The control unit 2006 can include user controls to cause the cameras 2004 to each take a photo and memory for storing the photos from the cameras 2004. The control unit 2006 can further include communication mechanisms to provide the captured photos to a system for 3D modeling (either via a wired and/or wireless connection). In an exemplary embodiment, the post 2002 can be about 6′ and the cameras 2004 can be positioned to enable data capture from the floor to the ceiling of the interior 900. The multiple camera apparatus 2000 can include other physical embodiments besides the post 2002. For example, the multiple camera apparatus 2000 can include a box with the multiple cameras 2004 disposed therein. In another example, the multiple camera apparatus 2000 can include a handheld device which includes the multiple cameras 2004. The objective of the multiple camera apparatus 2000 is to enable a technician (either on-site or remote) to quickly capture photos (through the use of the multiple cameras 2004) for a 3D model and to properly capture the photos (through the multiple cameras 2004 have different zooms, angles, etc.). That is, the multiple camera apparatus 2000 ensures the photo capture is sufficient to accurately develop the 3D model, avoiding potentially revisiting the building 902. Referring to FIG. 33, in an exemplary embodiment, a flowchart illustrates a data capture method 2050 in the interior 900 using the multiple camera apparatus 2000. The method 2050 includes obtaining or providing the multiple camera apparatus 2000 at the shelter or cabinet 52 or the interior 900 of the building 902 and positioning the multiple camera apparatus 2000 therein (step 2052). The method 2050 further includes causing the plurality of cameras 2004 to take photos based on the positioning (step 2054) and repositioning the multiple camera apparatus 2000 at a different location in the shelter or cabinet 52 or the interior 900 of the building 902 to take additional photos (step 2056). Finally, the photos taken by the cameras 2004 are provided to a 3D modeling system to develop a 3D model of the shelter or cabinet 52 or the interior 900 of the building 902, such as for a virtual site survey (step 2058). The repositioning step 2056 can include moving the multiple camera apparatus to each corner of the shelter, the cabinet, or the interior of the building. The repositioning step 2056 can include moving the multiple camera apparatus to each row of equipment in the shelter, the cabinet, or the interior of the building. The multiple camera apparatus can include a pole with the plurality of cameras disposed thereon, each of the plurality of cameras configured for a different view. The plurality of cameras are communicatively coupled to a control unit for the causing step 2054 and/or the providing step 2058. Each of the plurality of cameras can be configured on the multiple camera apparatus for a different view, zoom, and/or angle. The method 2050 can include analyzing the photos subsequent to the repositioning; and determining whether the photos are suitable for the 3D model, and responsive to the photos not being suitable for the 3D model, instructing a user to retake the photos which are not suitable. The method 2050 can include combing the photos of the shelter, the cabinet, or the interior of the building with photos of a cell tower at the cell site, to form a 3D model of the cell site. The method 2050 can include performing a virtual site survey of the cell site using the 3D model. The repositioning step 2056 can be based on a review of the photos taken in the causing. In a further exemplary embodiment, a method for obtaining data capture at a cell site for developing a three dimensional (3D) thereof includes obtaining or providing the multiple camera apparatus comprising a plurality of cameras at a shelter, a cabinet, or an interior of a building and positioning the multiple camera apparatus therein; causing the plurality of cameras to simultaneously take photos based on the positioning; repositioning the multiple camera apparatus at a different location in the shelter, the cabinet, or the interior of the building to take additional photos; obtaining exterior photos of a cell tower connect to the shelter, the cabinet, or the interior of the building; and providing the photos taken by the multiple camera apparatus and the exterior photos to a 3D modeling system to develop a 3D model of the cell site, for a virtual site survey thereof. § 18.0 Cell Site Verification Using 3D Modeling Referring to FIG. 34, in an exemplary embodiment, a flowchart illustrates a method 2100 for verifying equipment and structures at the cell site 10 using 3D modeling. As described herein, an intermediate step in the creation of a 3D model includes a point cloud, e.g., a sparse or dense point cloud. A point cloud is a set of data points in some coordinate system, e.g., in a three-dimensional coordinate system, these points are usually defined by X, Y, and Z coordinates, and can be used to represent the external surface of an object. Here, the object can be anything associated with the cell site 10, e.g., the cell tower 12, the cell site components 14, etc. As part of the 3D model creation process, a large number of points on an object's surface are determined, and the output is a point cloud in a data file. The point cloud represents the set of points that the device has measured. Various descriptions were presented herein for site surveys, close-out audits, etc. In a similar manner, there is a need to continually monitor the state of the cell site 10. Specifically, as described herein, conventional site monitoring techniques typically include tower climbs. The UAV 50 and the various approaches described herein provide safe and more efficient alternatives to tower climbs. Additionally, the UAV 50 can be used to provide cell site 10 verification to monitor for site compliance, structural or load issues, defects, and the like. The cell site 10 verification can utilize point clouds to compare “before” and “after” data capture to detect differences. With respect to site compliance, the cell site 10 is typically owned and operated by a cell site operator (e.g., real estate company or the like) separate from cell service providers with their associated cell site components 14. The typical transaction includes leases between these parties with specific conditions, e.g., the number of antennas, the amount of equipment, the location of equipment, etc. It is advantageous for cell site operators to periodically audit/verify the state of the cell site 10 with respect to compliance, i.e., has cell service provider A added more cell site components 14 than authorized? Similarly, it is important for cell site operators to periodically check the cell site 10 to proactively detect load issues (too much equipment on the structure of the cell tower 12), defects (equipment detached from the structure), etc. One approach to verifying the cell site 10 is a site survey, including the various approaches to site surveys described herein, including the use of 3D models for remote site surveys. In various exemplary embodiments, the method 2100 provides a quick and automated mechanism to quickly detect concerns (i.e., compliance issues, defects, load issues, etc.) using point clouds. Specifically, the method 2100 includes creating an initial point cloud for a cell site 10 or obtaining the initial point cloud from a database (step 2102). The initial point cloud can represent a known good condition, i.e., with no compliance issues, load issues, defects, etc. For example, the initial point cloud could be developed as part of the close-out audit, etc. The initial point cloud can be created using the various data acquisition techniques described herein using the UAV 50. Also, a database can be used to store the initial point cloud. The initial point cloud is loaded in a device, such as the UAV 50 (step 2104). The point cloud data files can be stored in the memory in a processing device associated with the UAV 50. In an exemplary embodiment, multiple point cloud data files can be stored in the UAV 50, allowing the UAV 50 to be deployed to perform the method 2100 at a plurality of cell sites 10. The device (UAV 50) can be used to develop a second point cloud based on current conditions at the cell site 10 (step 2106). Again, the UAV 50 can use the techniques described herein relative to data acquisition to develop the second point cloud. Note, it is preferable to use a similar data acquisition for both the initial point cloud and the second point cloud, e.g., similar takeoff locations/orientations, similar paths about the cell tower 12, etc. This ensures similarity in the data capture. In an exemplary embodiment, the initial point cloud is loaded to the UAV 50 along with instructions on how to perform the data acquisition for the second point cloud. The second point cloud is developed at a current time, i.e., when it is desired to verify aspects associated with the cell site 10. Variations are detected between the initial point cloud and the second point cloud (step 2108). The variations could be detected by the UAV 50, in an external server, in a database, etc. The objective here is the initial point cloud and the second point cloud provides a quick and efficient comparison to detect differences, i.e., variations. The method 2100 includes determining if the variations are ant of compliance related, load issues, or defects (step 2110). Note, variations can be simply detected based on raw data differences between the point clouds. The step 2110 requires additional processing to determine what the underlying differences are. In an exemplary embodiment, the variations are detected in the UAV 50, and, if detected, additional processing is performed by a server to actually determine the differences based on creating a 3D model of each of the point clouds. Finally, the second point cloud can be stored in the database for future processing (step 2112). An operator of the cell site 10 can be notified via any technique of any determined variations or differences for remedial action based thereon (addressing non-compliance, performing maintenance to fix defects or load issues, etc.). § 19.0 Cell Site Audit and Survey Via Photo Stitching Photo stitching or linking is a technique where multiple photos of either overlapping fields of view or adjacent fields of view are linked together to produce a virtual view or segmented panorama of an area. A common example of this approach is the so-called Street view offered by online map providers. In various exemplary embodiments, the systems and methods enable a remote user to perform a cell site audit, survey, site inspection, etc. using a User Interface (UI) with photo stitching/linking to view the cell site 10. The various activities can include any of the aforementioned activities described herein. Further, the photos can also be obtained using any of the aforementioned techniques. Of note, the photos required for a photo stitched UI are significantly less than those required by the 3D model. However, the photo stitched UI can be based on the photos captured for the 3D model, e.g., a subset of the photos. Alternatively, the photo capture for the photo stitched UI can be captured separately. Variously, the photos for the UI are captured, and a linkage is provided between photos. The linkage allows a user to navigate between photos to view up, down, left, or right, i.e., to navigate the cell site 10 via the UI. The linkage can be noted in a photo database with some adjacency indicator. The linkage can be manually entered via a user reviewing the photos or automatically based on location tags associated with the photos. Referring to FIG. 35, in an exemplary embodiment, a diagram illustrates a photo stitching UI 2200 for cell site audits, surveys, inspections, etc. remotely. The UI 2200 is viewed by a computer accessing a database of a plurality of photos with the linkage between each other based on adjacency. The photos are of the cell site 10 and can include the cell tower 12 and associated cell site components as well as interior photos of the shelter or cabinet 52 of the interior 900. The UI 2200 displays a photo of the cell site 12 and the user can navigate to the left to a photo 2202, to the right to a photo 2204, up to a photo 2206, or down to a photo 2208. The navigation between the photos 2202, 2204, 2206, 2208 is based on the links between the photos. In an exemplary embodiment, a navigation icon 2210 is shown in the UI 2200 from which the user can navigate the UI 2200. Also, the navigation can include opening and closing a door to the shelter or cabinet 52. In an exemplary embodiment, the UI 2200 can include one of the photos 2202, 2204, 2206, 2208 at a time with the navigation moving to a next photo. In another exemplary embodiment, the navigation can scroll between the photos 2202, 2204, 2206, 2208 seamlessly. In either approach, the UI 2200 allows virtual movement around the cell site 10 remotely. The photos 2202, 2204, 2206, 2208 can each be a high-resolution photo, e.g., 8 megapixels or more. From the photos 2202, 2204, 2206, 2208, the user can read labels on equipment, check cable runs, check equipment location and installation, check cabling, etc. Also, the user can virtually scale the cell tower 12 avoiding a tower climb. An engineer can use the UI 2200 to perform site expansion, e.g., where to install new equipment. Further, once the new equipment is installed, the associated photos can be updated to reflect the new equipment. It is not necessary to update all photos, but rather only the photos of new equipment locations. The photos 2202, 2204, 2206, 2208 can be obtained using the data capture techniques described herein. The camera used for capturing the photos can be a 180, 270, or 360-degree camera. These cameras typically include multiple sensors allowing a single photo capture to capture a large view with a wide lens, fish eye lens, etc. The cameras can be mounted on the UAV 50 for capturing the cell tower 12, the multiple camera apparatus 2000, etc. Also, the cameras can be the camera 930 in the interior 900. Referring to FIG. 36, in an exemplary embodiment, a flowchart illustrates a method 2300 for performing a cell site audit or survey remotely via a User Interface (UI). The method 2300 includes, subsequent to capturing a plurality of photos of a cell site and linking the plurality of photos to one another based on their adjacency at the cell site, displaying the UI to a user remote from the cell site, wherein the plurality of photos cover a cell tower with associated cell site components and an interior of a building at the cell site (step 2302); receiving navigation commands from the user performing the cell site audit or survey (step 2304); and updating the displaying based on the navigation commands, wherein the navigation commands comprise one or more of movement at the cell site and zoom of a current view (step 2306). The capturing the plurality of photos can be performed for a cell tower with an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) flying about the cell tower. The linking the plurality of photos can be performed one of manually and automatically based on location identifiers associated with each photo. The user performing the cell site audit or survey can include determining a down tilt angle of one or more antennas of the cell site components based on measuring three points comprising two defined by each antenna and one by an associated support bar; determining plumb of the cell tower and/or the one or more antennas, azimuth of the one or more antennas using a location determination in the photos; determining dimensions of the cell site components; determining equipment type and serial number of the cell site components; and determining connections between the cell site components. The plurality of photos can be captured concurrently with developing a three-dimensional (3D) model of the cell site. The updating the displaying can include providing a new photo based on the navigation commands. The updating the displaying can include seamlessly panning between the plurality of photos based on the navigation commands. § 20.0 Subterranean 3D Modeling The foregoing descriptions provide techniques for developing a 3D model of the cell site 10, the cell tower 12, the cell site components 14, the shelter or cabinet 52, the interior 900 of the building 902, etc. The 3D model can be used for a cell site audit, survey, site inspection, etc. In addition, the 3D model can also include a subterranean model of the surrounding area associated with the cell site 10. Referring to FIG. 37, in an exemplary embodiment, a perspective diagram illustrates a 3D model 2400 of the cell site 10, the cell tower 12, the cell site components 14, and the shelter or cabinet 52 along with surrounding geography 2402 and subterranean geography 2404. Again, the 3D model 2400 of the cell site 10, the cell tower 12, the cell site components 14, and the shelter or cabinet 52 along with a 3D model of the interior 900 can be constructed using the various techniques described herein. In various exemplary embodiments, the systems and methods extend the 3D model 2400 to include the surrounding geography 2402 and the subterranean geography 2404. The surrounding geography 2402 represents the physical location around the cell site 10. This can include the cell tower 12, the shelter or cabinet 52, access roads, etc. The subterranean geography 2404 includes the area underneath the surrounding geography 2402. The 3D model 2400 portion of the surrounding geography 2402 and the subterranean geography 2404 can be used by operators and cell site 10 owners for a variety of purposes. First, the subterranean geography 2404 can show locations of utility constructions including electrical lines, water/sewer lines, gas lines, etc. Knowledge of the utility constructions can be used in site planning and expansion, i.e., where to build new structures, where to run new underground utility constructions, etc. For example, it would make sense to avoid new above ground structures in the surrounding geography 2402 on top of gas lines or other utility constructions if possible. Second, the subterranean geography 2404 can provide insight into various aspects of the cell site 10 such as depth of support for the cell tower 12, the ability of the surrounding geography 2402 to support various structures, the health of the surrounding geography 2402, and the like. For example, for new cell site components 14 on the cell tower 12, the 3D model 2400 can be used to determine whether there will be support issues, i.e., a depth of the underground concrete supports of the cell tower 12. Data capture for the 3D model 2400 for the subterranean geography 2404 can use various known 3D subterranean modeling techniques such as sonar, ultrasound, LIDAR (Light Detection and Ranging), and the like. Also, the data capture for the 3D model 2400 can utilize external data sources such as utility databases which can include the location of the utility constructions noted by location coordinates (e.g., GPS). In an exemplary embodiment, the data capture can be verified with the external data sources, i.e., data from the external data sources can verify the data capture using the 3D subterranean modeling techniques. The 3D subterranean modeling techniques utilize a data capture device based on the associated technology. In an exemplary embodiment, the data capture device can be on the UAV 50. In addition to performing the data capture techniques described herein for the cell tower 12, the UAV 50 can perform data capture by flying around the surrounding geography 2402 with the data capture device aimed at the subterranean geography 2404. The UAV 50 can capture data for the 3D model 2400 for both the above ground components and the subterranean geography 2404. In another exemplary embodiment, the data capture device can be used separately from the UAV 50, such as via a human operator moving about the surrounding geography 2402 aiming the data capture device at the subterranean geography 2404, via a robot or the like with the data capture device connected thereto, and the like. Referring to FIG. 38, in an exemplary embodiment, a flowchart illustrates a method 2400 for creating a three-dimensional (3D) model of a cell site for one or more of a cell site audit, a site survey, and cell site planning and engineering. The method 2450 includes obtaining first data capture for above ground components including a cell tower, associated cell site components on the cell tower, one or more buildings, and surrounding geography around the cell site (step 2402); obtaining second data capture for subterranean geography associated with the surrounding geography (step 2404); utilizing the first data capture and the second data capture to develop the 3D model which includes both the above ground components and the subterranean geography (step 2406); and utilizing the 3D model to perform the one or more of the site audit, the site survey, and the cell site planning and engineering (step 2408). The method 2450 can further include obtaining third data capture of interiors of the one or more buildings; and utilizing the third data capture to develop the 3D model for the interiors. The obtaining second data capture can be performed with a data capture device using one of sonar, ultrasound, and LIDAR (Light Detection and Ranging). The obtaining first data capture can be performed with an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) flying about the cell tower, and wherein the obtaining second data capture can be performed with the data capture device on the UAV. The obtaining first data capture can be performed with an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) flying about the cell tower. The first data capture can include a plurality of photos or video subject to a plurality of constraints, wherein the plurality of photos are obtained by a plurality of cameras which are coordinated with one another. The 3D model can be presented in a Graphical User Interface (GUI) to perform the one or more of the site audit, the site survey, and the cell site planning and engineering. The subterranean geography in the 3D model can illustrate support structures of the cell tower and utility constructions in the surrounding geography. The method can further include utilizing an external data source to verify utility constructions in the second data capture for the subterranean geography. §60 21.0 3D Model of Cell Sites for Modeling Fiber Connectivity As described herein, various approaches are described for 3D models for cell sites for cell site audits, site surveys, close-out audits, etc. which can be performed remotely (virtual). In an exemplary embodiment, the 3D model is further extended to cover surrounding areas focusing on fiber optic cables near the cell site. Specifically, with the fiber connectivity in the 3D model, backhaul connectivity can be determined remotely. Referring to FIG. 39, in an exemplary embodiment, a perspective diagram illustrates the 3D model 2400 of the cell site 10, the cell tower 12, the cell site components 14, and the shelter or cabinet 52 along with surrounding geography 2402, subterranean geography 2404, and fiber connectivity 2500. Again, the 3D model 2400 of the cell site 10, the cell tower 12, the cell site components 14, and the shelter or cabinet 52 along with a 3D model of the interior 900 can be constructed using the various techniques described herein. Specifically, FIG. 39 extends the 3D model 2400 in FIG. 38 and in other areas described herein to further include fiber cabling. As previously described, the systems and methods extend the 3D model 2400 to include the surrounding geography 2402 and the subterranean geography 2404. The surrounding geography 2402 represents the physical location around the cell site 10. This can include the cell tower 12, the shelter or cabinet 52, access roads, etc. The subterranean geography 2404 includes the area underneath the surrounding geography 2402. Additionally, the 3D model 2400 also includes the fiber connectivity 2500 including components above ground in the surrounding geography 2402 and as well as the subterranean geography 2404. The fiber connectivity 2500 can include poles 2502 and cabling 2504 on the poles 2502. The 3D model 2400 can include the fiber connectivity 2500 at the surrounding geography 2402 and the subterranean geography 2404. Also, the 3D model can extend out from the surrounding geography 2402 on a path associated with the fiber connectivity 2500 away from the cell site 10. Here, this can give the operator the opportunity to see where the fiber connectivity 2500 extends. Thus, various 3D models 2400 can provide a local view of the cell sites 10 as well as fiber connectivity 2500 in a geographic region. With this information, the operator can determine how close fiber connectivity 2500 is to current or future cell sites 10, as well as perform site planning. A geographic region can include a plurality of 3D models 2400 along with the fiber connectivity 2500 across the region. A collection of these 3D models 2400 in the region enables operators to perform more efficient site acquisition and planning. Data capture of the fiber connectivity 2500 can be through the UAV 50 as described herein. Advantageously, the UAV 50 is efficient to capture photos or video of the fiber connectivity 2500 without requiring site access (on the ground) as the poles 2502 and the cabling 2504 may traverse private property, etc. Also, other forms of data capture are contemplated such as via a car with a camera, a handheld camera, etc. The UAV 50 can be manually flown at the cell site 10 and once the cabling 2504 is identified, an operator can trace the cabling 2504 to capture photos or video for creating the 3D model 2400 with the fiber connectivity 2500. For example, the operator can identify the fiber connectivity 2500 near the cell site 10 in the surrounding geography 2402 and then cause the UAV 50 to fly a path similar to the path taken by the fiber connectivity 2500 while performing data capture. Once the data is captured, the photos or video can be used to develop a 3D model of the fiber connectivity 2500 which can be incorporated in the 3D model 2400. Also, the data capture can use the techniques for the subterranean geography 2404 as well. Referring to FIG. 40, in an exemplary embodiment, a flowchart illustrates a method 2550 for creating a three-dimensional (3D) model of a cell site and associated fiber connectivity for one or more of a cell site audit, a site survey, and cell site planning and engineering. The method 2550 includes determining fiber connectivity at or near the cell site (step 2552); obtaining first data capture of the fiber connectivity at or near the cell site (step 2554); obtaining second data capture of one or more paths of the fiber connectivity from the cell site (step 2556); obtaining third data capture of the cell site including a cell tower, associated cell site components on the cell tower, one or more buildings, and surrounding geography around the cell site (step 2558); utilizing the first data capture, the second data capture, and the third data capture to develop the 3D model which comprises the cell site and the fiber connectivity (step 2560); and utilizing the 3D model to perform the one or more of the site audit, the site survey, and the cell site planning and engineering (step 2560). The method 2550 can further include obtaining fourth data capture for subterranean geography associated with the surrounding geography of the cell site; and utilizing the fourth data capture with the first data capture, the second data capture, and the third data capture to develop the 3D model. The fourth data capture can be performed with a data capture device using one of sonar, ultrasound, photogrammetry, and LIDAR (Light Detection and Ranging). The method 2550 can further include obtaining fifth data capture of interiors of one or more buildings at the cell site; and utilizing the fifth data capture with the first data capture, the second data capture, the third data capture, and the fourth data capture to develop the 3D model. The obtaining first data capture and the obtaining second data capture can be performed with an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) flying about the cell tower with a data capture device on the UAV. An operator can cause the UAV to fly the one or more paths to obtain the second data capture. The obtaining first data capture, the obtaining second data capture, and the obtaining third data capture can be performed with an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) flying about the cell tower with a data capture device on the UAV. The third data capture can include a plurality of photos or video subject to a plurality of constraints, wherein the plurality of photos are obtained by a plurality of cameras which are coordinated with one another. The 3D model can be presented in a Graphical User Interface (GUI) to perform the one or more of the site audit, the site survey, and the cell site planning and engineering. In a further exemplary embodiment, an apparatus adapted to create a three-dimensional (3D) model of a cell site and associated fiber connectivity for one or more of a cell site audit, a site survey, and cell site planning and engineering includes a network interface, a data capture device, and a processor communicatively coupled to one another; and memory storing instructions that, when executed, cause the processor to determine fiber connectivity at or near the cell site based on feedback from the data capture device; obtain first data capture of the fiber connectivity at or near the cell site; obtain second data capture of one or more paths of the fiber connectivity from the cell site; obtain third data capture of the cell site including a cell tower, associated cell site components on the cell tower, one or more buildings, and surrounding geography around the cell site; utilize the first data capture, the second data capture, and the third data capture to develop the 3D model which comprises the cell site and the fiber connectivity; and utilize the 3D model to perform the one or more of the site audit, the site survey, and the cell site planning and engineering. § 22.0 Detecting Changes at the Cell Site and Surrounding Area Using UAVs Referring to FIG. 41, in an exemplary embodiment, a perspective diagram illustrates a cell site 10 with the surrounding geography 2402. FIG. 41 is an example of a typical cell site. The cell tower 12 can generally be classified as a self-support tower, a monopole tower, and a guyed tower. These three types of cell towers 12 have different support mechanisms. The self-support tower can also be referred to as a lattice tower, and it is free standing, with a triangular base with three or four sides. The monopole tower is a single tube tower, and it is also free standing, but typically at a lower height than the self-support tower. The guyed tower is a straight rod supported by wires attached to the ground. The guyed tower needs to be inspected every 3 years, or so, the self-support tower needs to be inspected every 5 years, and the monopole tower needs to be inspected every 7 years. Again, the owners (real estate companies generally) of the cell site 10 have to be able to inspect these sites efficiently and effectively, especially given the tremendous number of sites—hundreds of thousands. A typical cell site 10 can include the cell tower 12 and the associated cell site components 14 as described herein. The cell site 10 can also include the shelter or cabinet 52 and other physical structures—buildings, outside plant cabinets, etc. The cell site 10 can include aerial cabling, an access road 2600, trees, etc. The cell site operator is concerned generally about the integrity of all of the aspects of the cell site 10 including the cell tower 12 and the cell site components 14 as well as everything in the surrounding geography 2402. In general, the surrounding geography 2402 can be about an acre; although other sizes are also seen. Conventionally, the cell site operator had inspections performed manually with on-site personnel, with a tower climb, and with visual inspection around the surrounding geography 2402. The on-site personnel can capture data and observations and then return to the office to compare and contrast with engineering records. That is, the on-site personnel capture data, it is then compared later with existing site plans, close-out audits, etc. This process is time-consuming and manual. To address these concerns, the systems and methods propose a combination of the UAV 50 and 3D models of the cell site 10 and surrounding geography 2402 to quickly capture and compare data. This capture and compare can be done in one step on-site, using the UAV 50 and optionally the mobile device 100, quickly and accurately. First, an initial 3D model 2400 is developed. This can be as part of a close-out audit or part of another inspection. The 3D model 2400 can be captured using the 3D modeling systems and methods described herein. This initial 3D model 2400 can be referred to as a known good situation. The data from the 3D model 2400 can be provided to the UAV 50 or the mobile device 100, and a subsequent inspection can use this initial 3D model 2400 to simultaneously capture current data and compare the current data with the known good situation. Any deviations are flagged. The deviations can be changes to the physical infrastructure, structural problems, ground disturbances, potential hazards, loss of gravel on the access road 2600 such as through wash out, etc. Referring to FIG. 42, in an exemplary embodiment, a flowchart illustrates a method 2650 for cell site inspection by a cell site operator using the UAV 50 and a processing device, such as the mobile device 100 or a processor associated with the UAV 50. The method 2650 includes creating an initial computer model of a cell site and surrounding geography at a first point in time, wherein the initial computer model represents a known good state of the cell site and the surrounding geography (step 2652); providing the initial computer model to one or more of the UAV and the processing device (step 2654); capturing current data of the cell site and the surrounding geography at a second point in time using the UAV (step 2656); comparing the current data to the initial computer model by the processing device (step 2658); and identifying variances between the current data and the initial computer model, wherein the variances comprise differences at the cell site and the surrounding geography between the first point in time and the second point in time (step 2660). The method can further include specifically describing the variances based on comparing the current data and the initial computer model, wherein the variances comprise any of changes to a cell tower, changes to cell site components on the cell tower, ground hazards, state of an access road, and landscape changes in the surrounding geography. The initial computer model can be a three-dimensional (3D) model describing by a point cloud, and where the comparing comprises a comparison of the current data to the point cloud. The initial computer model can be determined as part of one of a close-out audit and a site inspection where it is determined the initial computer model represents the known good state. The UAV can be utilized to capture data for the initial computer model, and the UAV is utilized in the capturing the current data. A flight plan of the UAV around a cell tower can be based on a type of the cell tower including any of a self-support tower, a monopole tower, and a guyed tower. The initial computer model can be a three-dimensional (3D) model viewed in a Graphical User Interface, and wherein the method can further include creating a second 3D model based on the current data and utilizing the second 3D model if it is determined the cell site is in the known good state based on the current data. In another exemplary embodiment, a processing device for cell site inspection by a cell site operator using an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) includes a network interface and a processor communicatively coupled to one another; and memory storing instructions that, when executed, cause the processor to, responsive to creation of an initial computer model of a cell site and surrounding geography at a first point in time, wherein the initial computer model represents a known good state of the cell site and the surrounding geography, receive the initial computer model; receive captured current data of the cell site and the surrounding geography at a second point in time using the UAV; compare the current data to the initial computer model; and identify variances between the current data and the initial computer model, wherein the variances comprise differences at the cell site and the surrounding geography between the first point in time and the second point in time. In a further exemplary embodiment, a non-transitory computer readable medium includes instructions that, when executed, cause one or more processors to perform the steps of: creating an initial computer model of a cell site and surrounding geography at a first point in time, wherein the initial computer model represents a known good state of the cell site and the surrounding geography; providing the initial computer model to one or more of an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV), and a processing device; capturing current data of the cell site and the surrounding geography at a second point in time using the UAV; comparing the current data to the initial computer model by the processing device; and identifying variances between the current data and the initial computer model, wherein the variances comprise differences at the cell site and the surrounding geography between the first point in time and the second point in time. § 23.0 Virtual 360 View Systems and Methods Referring to FIG. 43, in an exemplary embodiment, a flowchart illustrates a virtual 360 view method 2700 for creating and using a virtual 360 environment. The method 2700 is described referencing the cell site 10 and using the UAV 50; those skilled in the art will recognize that other types of telecommunication sites are also contemplated such as data centers, central offices, regenerator huts, etc. The objective of the method 2700 is to create the virtual 360 environment and an example virtual 360 environment is illustrated in FIGS. 44-53. The method 2700 includes various data capture steps including capturing 360-degree photos at multiple points around the ground portion of the cell site 10 (step 2702), capturing 360-degree photos of the cell tower 12 and the surrounding geography 2402 with the UAV 50 (step 2704), and capturing photos inside the shelter or cabinet 52 (step 2706). Once all of the data is captured, the method 2700 includes stitching the various photos together with linking to create the virtual 360-degree view environment (step 2708). The virtual 360-degree view environment can be hosted on a server, in the cloud, etc. and accessible remotely such as via a URL or the like. The hosting device can enable display of the virtual 360-degree view environment for an operator to virtually visit the cell site 10 and perform associated functions (step 2710). For example, the operator can access the virtual 360-degree view environment via a tablet, computer, mobile device, etc. and perform a site survey, site audit, site inspection, etc. for various purposes such as maintenance, installation, upgrades, etc. An important aspect of the method 2700 is proper data capture of the various photos. For step 2702, the photos are preferably captured with a 360-degree camera or the like. The multiple points for the ground portion of the cell site 10 can include taking one or more photos at each corner of the cell site 10 to get all of the angles, e.g., at each point of a square or rectangle defining the surrounding geography 2402. Also, the multiple points can include photos at gates for a walking path, access road, etc. The multiple points can also include points around the cell tower 12 such as at the base of the cell tower, points between the cell tower 12 and the shelter or cabinet 52, points around the shelter or cabinet 52 including any ingress (doors) points. The photos can also include at the ingress points into the shelter or cabinet 52 and then systematically working down the rows of equipment in the shelter or cabinet 52 (which is covered in step 2706). For step 2704, the UAV 50 can employ the various techniques described herein. In particular, the UAV 50 is used to take photos at the top of the cell tower 12 including the surrounding geography 2402. Also, the UAV 50 is utilized to take detailed photos of the cell site components 14 on the cell tower 12, such as sector photos of the alpha, beta, and gamma sectors to show the front of the antennas and the direction each antenna is facing. Also, the UAV 50 or another device can take photos or video of the access road, of a tower climb (with the UAV 50 flying up the cell tower 12), at the top of the cell tower 12 including pointing down showing the entire cell site 10, etc. The photos for the sectors should capture all of the cell site equipment 14 including cabling, serial numbers, identifiers, etc. For step 2706, the objective is to obtain photos inside the shelter or cabinet 52 to enable virtual movement through the interior and to identify (zoom) items of interest. The photos capture all model numbers, labels, cables, etc. The model numbers and/or labels can be used to create hotspots in the virtual 360-degree view environment where the operator can click for additional details such as close up views. The data capture should include photos with the equipment doors both open and closed to show equipment, status identifiers, cabling, etc. In the same manner, the data capture should include any power plant, AC panels, batteries, etc. both with doors open and closed to show various details therein (breakers, labels, model numbers, etc.). Also, the data capture within the shelter or cabinet 52 can include coax ports and ground bars (inside/outside/tower), the telco board and equipment, all technology equipment and model numbers, all rack mounted equipment, all wall mounted equipment. For ground-based photo or video capture, the method 2700 can use the multiple camera apparatus 2000 (or a variant thereof with a single camera such as a 360-degree camera). For example, the ground-based data capture can use a tripod or pole about 4-7′ tall with a 360-degree camera attached thereto to replicate an eye-level view for an individual. A technician performing this data capture place the apparatus 2000 (or variant thereof) at all four corners of the cell site 10 to capture the photos while then placing and capturing in between the points to make sure every perspective and side of objects can be seen in a 360/VR environment of the virtual 360-degree view environment. Also, items needing additional detail for telecommunication audits can be captured using a traditional camera and embedded into the 360/VR environment for viewing. For example, this can include detailed close-up photos of equipment, cabling, breakers, etc. The individual taking the photos places themselves among the environment where the camera cannot view them in that perspective. For UAV-based data capture, the UAV 50 can include the 360-degree camera attached thereto or mounted. Importantly, the camera on the UAV 50 should be positioned so that the photos or video are free from the UAV, i.e., the camera's field of view should not include any portion of the UAV 50. The camera mount can attach below the UAV 50 making sure no landing gear or other parts of the UAV 50 are visible to the camera. The camera mounts can be attached to the landing gear or in place of or on the normal payload area best for the center of gravity. Using the UAV 50, data capture can be taken systematically around the cell tower 12 to create a 360 view on sides and above the cell tower 12. For step 2708, the 360-degree camera takes several photos of the surrounding environment. The photos need to be combined into one panoramic like photo by stitching the individual photos together. This can be performed at the job site to stitch the photos together to make it ready for the VR environment. Also, the various techniques described herein are also contemplated for virtual views. Once the virtual 360-degree view environment is created, it is hosted online for access by operators, installers, engineers, etc. The virtual 360-degree view environment can be accessed securely such as over HTTPS, over a Virtual Private Network (VPN), etc. The objective of the virtual 360-degree view environment is to provide navigation in a manner similar to as if the viewer was physically located at the cell site 10. In this manner, the display or Graphical User Interface (GUI) of the virtual 360-degree view environment supports navigation (e.g., via a mouse, scroll bar, touch screen, etc.) to allow the viewer to move about the cell site 10 and inspect/zoom in on various objects of interest. FIGS. 44-55 illustrate screen shots from an exemplary implementation of the virtual 360-degree view environment. FIG. 44 is a view entering the cell site 10 facing the cell tower 12 and the shelter or cabinet 52. Note, this is a 360-view, and the viewer can zoom, pan, scroll, etc. as if they were at the cell site 10 walking and/or moving their head/eyes. The display can include location items which denote a possible area the viewer can move to, such as the northwest corner or the back of shelter in FIG. 44. Further, the display can include information icons such as tower plate which denotes the possibility of zooming in to see additional detail. In FIG. 45, the viewer has moved to the back of the shelter, and there are now information icons for the GPS antenna and the exterior coax port. In FIG. 46, the viewer navigates to the top of the cell tower 12 showing a view of the entire cell site 10. In FIG. 47, the viewer zooms in, such as via an information icon, to get a closer view of one sector. In FIG. 48, the viewer navigates to the side of the shelter or cabinet 52, and there is an information icon for the propane tank. In FIG. 49, the viewer navigates to the front of the shelter or cabinet 52 showing doors to the generator room and to the shelter itself along with various information icons to display details on the door. In FIG. 49, the viewer navigates into the generator room, and this view shows information icons for the generator. In FIG. 50, the viewer navigates into the shelter or cabinet 52 and views the wall showing the power panel with associated information icons. In FIG. 51, the viewer looks around the interior of the shelter or cabinet 52 showing racks of equipment. In FIG. 52, the viewer looks at a rack with the equipment door closed, and this view shows various information icons. Finally, in FIG. 53, the viewer virtually opens the door for LTE equipment. FIGS. 54 and 55 illustrate the ability to “pop-up” or call an additional photo within the environment by clicking the information icons. Note, the viewer can also zoom within the environment and on the popped out photos. § 24.0 Modified Virtual 360 View Systems and Methods Referring to FIG. 56, in an exemplary embodiment, a flowchart illustrates a virtual 360 view method 2800 for creating, modifying, and using a virtual 360 environment. The method 2800 includes performing data capture of the telecommunications site (step 2802). The data capture can utilize the various techniques described herein. Of note, the data capture in the method 2800 can be performed prior to construction of the cell site 10, for planning, engineering, compliance, and installation. The entire construction area can be captured in a quick flight with the UAV 50. For example, the photos of the cell site 10 or recommended construction zone can be captured with the UAV 50, in a manner that the environment can be reconstructed virtually into a point cloud model using photogrammetry software. Once the data capture is obtained, a 3D model is created based on processing the data capture (step 2804). The 3D model can be created based on the various techniques described herein. Again, the cell site 10 here does not necessarily have the cell tower 12 and/or various cell site components 14, etc. The objective of the method 2800 is to create the 3D model where 3D replications of future installed equipment can be placed and examined. Once created from the data capture, the 3D model is exported and imported into modification software (step 2806). For example, the 3D model can be exported using a file type/extension such as .obj with texture files. The file and its textures are imported into a 3D design software where 3D modifications can be performed to the imported 3D model of already preexisting objects scanned and where new 3D objects can be created from scratch using inputted dimensions or the like. The modification software can be used to modify the 3D model to add one or more objects (step 2808). Specifically, the one or more objects can include the cell tower 12, the cell site components 14, the shelter or cabinet 52, or the like. That is, from the customer's specifications or construction drawings, equipment is added using their dimensions using the software. This can also be performed using a GUI and drag/drop operations. The modification software can add/combine the newly created 3D objects to the cell site or construction zone model at the correct distances from objects (georeferenced location) as illustrated in the construction drawings or client details. The model is then exported as a new 3D model file where it can be viewed by the customer in various 3D model software or web based viewing packages where the additions can be viewed from any perspective they choose (step 2810). The modified 3D model can be utilized for planning, engineering, and/or installation (step 2812). The 3D model in its future replicated form can then be shared easily among contractors, engineers, and city officials to exam the future installation in a 3D virtual environment where each can easily manipulate the environment to express their needs and come to a unified plan. This process will allow construction companies, engineers, and local official to see a scaled size rendering of the plans (i.e., CDs—Constructions Drawings). Referring to FIGS. 57-58, in an exemplary embodiment, screen shots illustrate a 3D model of a telecommunications site 2850 of a building roof with antenna equipment 2852 added in the modified 3D model. Here, the antenna equipment 2852 is shown with a fence on top of the building roof, showing the proposed construction is obscured. This can be used to show the building owner the actual look of the proposed construction in the modified 3D model as well as other stakeholders to assist in planning (approvals, etc.) as well as to assist engineers in engineering and installation. § 25.0 Annotated 3D Model Referring to FIG. 59, in an exemplary embodiment, a perspective diagram illustrates the 3D model 2400 of the cell site 10, the cell tower 12, the cell site components 14, and the shelter or cabinet 52 along with surrounding geography 2402 and annotations 2900. Again, the 3D model 2400 of the cell site 10, the cell tower 12, the cell site components 14, and the shelter or cabinet 52 along with a 3D model of the interior 900 can be constructed using the various techniques described herein. The annotations 2900 are added at various points in the 3D model 2400 to note objects of interest. Non-limiting examples of the objects of interest can include fiber locations, cell towers, underground utilities, roads, fall lines (of the cell tower 12), and the like. A user of the 3D model 2400 can select the annotations 2900 such as by hovering over each annotation 2900 or clicking/selecting each annotation 2900, and various information can be displayed for the annotation 2900 such as via a pop up window or the like. The information can provide details regarding the annotation 2900. For example, in the case an annotation 2900 is for fiber connectivity, the information may include distance, fiber owner, number of strands, fiber type, etc. In the case an annotation 2900 is for a cell tower, the information may include tower owner/operator, height of the cell tower 12, available space, etc. In the case an annotation 2900 is a utility, the information may include utility type (gas, power, water, etc.), utility operator, location, underground depth, contact info, etc. The location and the information for the annotations 2900 can be determined from one or more data sources. The data sources can include public databases, cell tower databases, utility databases, operator data maintained in various formats such as spreadsheets, etc. In an exemplary embodiment, the 3D model 2400 can be viewed using virtual reality or augmented reality hardware such as googles or the like. The annotations 2900 can provide the user a notification of an object of interest in the field of view. Referring to FIG. 60, in an exemplary embodiment, a flowchart illustrates an annotated 3D model process 2950. The process includes obtaining data capture from the telecommunications site, wherein the data capture comprises one or more of photos and video (step 2952); processing the data capture to create a three-dimensional (3D) model of the telecommunications site with associated geography, buildings, and constructions therein (step 2954); obtaining object data associated with one or more objects of interest located at the telecommunications site, in the associated geography, the buildings, and the constructions (step 2956); inserting annotations for each of the one or more objects of interest in the 3D model at associated locations and with associated information for each of the one or more objects of interest (step 2958); and utilizing the 3D model with the annotations for one or more of planning, engineering, and installation associated with the telecommunications site (step 2960). The data capture can be performed via an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV). The one or more objects of interest can include any of fiber locations, cell towers, underground utilities, roads, and fall lines of the cell towers. The utilizing can include displaying the 3D model via a server. The utilizing can include viewing the 3D model via virtual reality hardware. The object data can be obtained via public databases. In another exemplary embodiment, a server for creating, modifying, and utilizing a virtual 360-degree view of a telecommunications site includes a network interface and a processor communicatively coupled to one another; and memory storing instructions that, when executed, cause the processor to obtain data capture from the telecommunications site, wherein the data capture includes one or more of photos and video; process the data capture to create a three-dimensional (3D) model of the telecommunications site with associated geography, buildings, and constructions therein; obtain object data associated with one or more objects of interest located at the telecommunications site, in the associated geography, the buildings, and the constructions; insert annotations for each of the one or more objects of interest in the 3D model at associated locations and with associated information for each of the one or more objects of interest; and utilize the 3D model with the annotations for one or more of planning, engineering, and installation associated with the telecommunications site. In a further exemplary embodiment, a non-transitory computer readable medium includes instructions that, when executed, cause one or more processors to perform the steps of obtaining data capture from the telecommunications site, wherein the data capture includes one or more of photos and video; processing the data capture to create a three-dimensional (3D) model of the telecommunications site with associated geography, buildings, and constructions therein; obtaining object data associated with one or more objects of interest located at the telecommunications site, in the associated geography, the buildings, and the constructions; inserting annotations for each of the one or more objects of interest in the 3D model at associated locations and with associated information for each of the one or more objects of interest; and utilizing the 3D model with the annotations for one or more of planning, engineering, and installation associated with the telecommunications site. Although the present disclosure has been illustrated and described herein with reference to preferred embodiments and specific examples thereof, it will be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that other embodiments and examples may perform similar functions and/or achieve like results. All such equivalent embodiments and examples are within the spirit and scope of the present disclosure, are contemplated thereby, and are intended to be covered by the following claims. | <SOH> BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE <EOH>Due to the geographic coverage nature of wireless service, there are hundreds of thousands of cell towers in the United States. For example, in 2014, it was estimated that there were more than 310,000 cell towers in the United States. Cell towers can have heights up to 1,500 feet or more. There are various requirements for cell site workers (also referred to as tower climbers or transmission tower workers) to climb cell towers to perform maintenance, audit, and repair work for cellular phone and other wireless communications companies. This is both a dangerous and costly endeavor. For example, between 2003 and 2011, 50 tower climbers died working on cell sites (see, e.g., www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/social-issues/cell-tower-deaths/in-race-for-better-cell-service-men-who-climb-towers-pay-with-their-lives/). Also, OSHA estimates that working on cell sites is 10 times more dangerous than construction work, generally (see, e.g., www.propublica.org/article/cell-tower-work-fatalities-methodology). Furthermore, the tower climbs also can lead to service disruptions caused by accidents. Thus, there is a strong desire, from both a cost and safety perspective, to reduce the number of tower climbs. Concurrently, the use of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV), referred to as drones, is evolving. There are limitations associated with UAVs, including emerging FAA rules and guidelines associated with their commercial use. It would be advantageous to leverage the use of UAVs to reduce tower climbs of cell towers. US 20140298181 to Rezvan describes methods and systems for performing a cell site audit remotely. However, Rezvan does not contemplate performing any activity locally at the cell site, nor various aspects of UAV use. US20120250010 to Hannay describes aerial inspections of transmission lines using drones. However, Hannay does not contemplate performing any activity locally at the cell site, nor various aspects of constraining the UAV use. Specifically, Hannay contemplates a flight path in three dimensions along a transmission line. Of course, it would be advantageous to further utilize UAVs to actually perform operations on a cell tower. However, adding one or more robotic arms, carrying extra equipment, etc. presents a significantly complex problem in terms of UAV stabilization while in flight, i.e., counterbalancing the UAV to account for the weight and movement of the robotic arms. Research and development continues in this area, but current solutions are complex and costly, eliminating the drivers for using UAVs for performing cell tower work. 3D modeling is important for cell site operators, cell tower owners, engineers, etc. There exist current techniques to make 3D models of physical sites such as cell sites. One approach is to take hundreds or thousands of pictures and to use software techniques to combine these pictures to form a 3D model. Generally, conventional approaches for obtaining the pictures include fixed cameras at the ground with zoom capabilities or pictures via tower climbers. It would be advantageous to utilize a UAV to obtain the pictures, providing 360-degree photos from an aerial perspective. Use of aerial pictures is suggested in US 20100231687 to Armory. However, this approach generally assumes pictures taken from a fixed perspective relative to the cell site, such as via a fixed, mounted camera and a mounted camera in an aircraft. It has been determined that such an approach is moderately inaccurate during 3D modeling and combination with software due to slight variations in location tracking capabilities of systems such as Global Positioning Satellite (GPS). It would be advantageous to adapt a UAV to take pictures and provide systems and methods for accurate 3D modeling based thereon to again leverage the advantages of UAVs over tower climbers, i.e., safety, climbing speed and overall speed, cost, etc. In the process of planning, installing, maintaining, and operating cell sites and cell towers, site surveys are performed for testing, auditing, planning, diagnosing, inventorying, etc. Conventional site surveys involve physical site access including access to the top of the cell tower, the interior of any buildings, cabinets, shelters, huts, hardened structures, etc. at the cell site, and the like. With over 200,000 cell sites in the U.S., geographically distributed everywhere, site surveys can be expensive, time-consuming, and complex. The various parent applications associated herewith describe techniques to utilize UAVs to optimize and provide safer site surveys. It would also be advantageous to further optimize site surveys by minimizing travel through virtualization of the entire process. As the number of cell sites increases, there are various concerns relative to site planning, engineering, and installation. New site construction requires approval from various stakeholders, i.e., local communities, governmental agencies, land owners, tower operators, etc. The trend in new site construction is toward aesthetically pleasing designs which attempt to conceal cell site components, e.g., disguising towers as trees, placing components on roofs in a concealed manner, etc. There is a need to accurately and effectively represent planned sites for the purposes of planning, approval, engineering, and installation. | <SOH> BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE <EOH>In an exemplary embodiment, a method for creating, modifying, and utilizing a virtual 360-degree view of a telecommunications site with annotations thereon includes obtaining data capture from the telecommunications site, wherein the data capture comprises one or more of photos and video; processing the data capture to create a three-dimensional (3D) model of the telecommunications site with associated geography, buildings, and constructions therein; obtaining object data associated with one or more objects of interest located at the telecommunications site, in the associated geography, the buildings, and the constructions; inserting annotations for each of the one or more objects of interest in the 3D model at associated locations and with associated information for each of the one or more objects of interest; and utilizing the 3D model with the annotations for one or more of planning, engineering, and installation associated with the telecommunications site. In another exemplary embodiment, a server for creating, modifying, and utilizing a virtual 360-degree view of a telecommunications site includes a network interface and a processor communicatively coupled to one another; and memory storing instructions that, when executed, cause the processor to obtain data capture from the telecommunications site, wherein the data capture includes one or more of photos and video; process the data capture to create a three-dimensional (3D) model of the telecommunications site with associated geography, buildings, and constructions therein; obtain object data associated with one or more objects of interest located at the telecommunications site, in the associated geography, the buildings, and the constructions; insert annotations for each of the one or more objects of interest in the 3D model at associated locations and with associated information for each of the one or more objects of interest; and utilize the 3D model with the annotations for one or more of planning, engineering, and installation associated with the telecommunications site. In a further exemplary embodiment, a non-transitory computer readable medium includes instructions that, when executed, cause one or more processors to perform the steps of obtaining data capture from the telecommunications site, wherein the data capture includes one or more of photos and video; processing the data capture to create a three-dimensional (3D) model of the telecommunications site with associated geography, buildings, and constructions therein; obtaining object data associated with one or more objects of interest located at the telecommunications site, in the associated geography, the buildings, and the constructions; inserting annotations for each of the one or more objects of interest in the 3D model at associated locations and with associated information for each of the one or more objects of interest; and utilizing the 3D model with the annotations for one or more of planning, engineering, and installation associated with the telecommunications site. | G06T1920 | 20171229 | 20180524 | 99058.0 | G06T1920 | 1 | DEMETER, HILINA K | ANNOTATED 3D MODELS OF TELECOMMUNICATION SITES FOR PLANNING, ENGINEERING, AND INSTALLATION | SMALL | 1 | CONT-ACCEPTED | G06T | 2,017 |
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15,859,705 | PENDING | DATA LEAK PROTECTION | Methods and systems for Data Leak Prevention (DLP) in an enterprise network are provided. According to one embodiment, a network security device maintains a filter database containing multiple filtering rules. Each filtering rule specifies a watermark value, a set of network services for which the filtering rule is active and an action to be taken. Network traffic directed to a destination residing outside of an enterprise network, associated with a particular network service and containing a file is received. A watermark value embedded within the file is identified. When there exists a filtering rule specifying a matching watermark value and for which the filtering rule is active for the particular network service, the action specified by the filtering rule is performed. | 1. A data leak protection method comprising: maintaining, by a network security device protecting an enterprise network, a filter database containing a plurality of filtering rules, wherein each filtering rule of the plurality of filtering rules specifies a watermark value, a set of network services for which the filtering rule is active and an action to be taken by the network security device, wherein the network services comprise one or more of a web-based electronic mail (email) service, Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP), Internet Message Access Protocol (IMAP), Post Office Protocol 3 (POP3), an instant messaging program, a file sharing service and a device synchronization service; receiving, by the network security device, network traffic originated within the enterprise network, wherein the network traffic is directed to a destination residing outside of the enterprise network, is associated with a particular network service and contains a file; identifying, by the network security device, a watermark value embedded within the file; determining, by the network security device, whether there exists a filtering rule of the plurality of filtering rules specifying a watermark value matching the watermark value embedded within the file and for which the filtering rule is active for the particular network service; and when said determining is affirmative, then performing, by the network security device, the action specified by the filtering rule. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the action includes one or more of (i) logging information associated with observation of the file, (ii) blocking the file, (iii) quarantining a user associated with the file, (iv) quarantining an Internet Protocol (IP) address associated with a sender of the file and (v) quarantining an interface of the network security device through which the file was received. 3. The method of claim 1, wherein the watermark value comprises a result of a hash function or a message-digest algorithm performed on a watermark payload including one or more of information specifying a user with which the file is associated, information specifying a company with which the file is associated and information specifying a sensitivity level of the file. 4. The method of claim 3, wherein the hash function comprises a Fowler-Noll-Vo hash function. 5. The method of claim 3, wherein the result of the hash function or the message-digest algorithm is further converted to Base-64 encoding. 6. The method of claim 3, further comprising, prior to said receiving, embedding, by a separate client program, the watermark value into the file responsive to the file being identified as one that is to be protected. 7. The method of claim 6, wherein the separate client program comprises a command-line client program that receives as an input parameter\ one or more of a name of the file, a company identifier and the sensitivity level. 8. The method of claim 6, wherein the separate client program comprises a command-line client program that receives as an input parameter one or more of a name of a directory in which the file resides within a file system, a company identifier and the sensitivity level. 9. The method of claim 6, further comprising identifying, by the separate client program, a file type of the file, and wherein said embedding the watermark value into the file is based upon the file type. 10. The method of claim 9, wherein: when the file type indicates the file is a Portable Document Format (PDF) file, then said embedding the watermark value into the file includes inserting the watermark value within a watermark section immediately before a last cross reference table found within the file; and when the file type indicates the file comprises a zip file containing extensible markup language (XML) files, then embedding the watermark value into the file includes adding the watermark value as a new property tag. 11. A non-transitory program storage device readable by a network security device protecting an enterprise network, embodying a program of instructions executable by one or more computer processors of the network security device to perform a method of data leak protection, the method comprising: maintaining a filter database containing a plurality of filtering rules, wherein each filtering rule of the plurality of filtering rules specifies a watermark value, a set of network services for which the filtering rule is active and an action to be taken by the network security device, wherein the network services comprise one or more of a web-based electronic mail (email) service, Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP), Internet Message Access Protocol (IMAP), Post Office Protocol 3 (POP3), an instant messaging program, a file sharing service and a device synchronization service; receiving network traffic originated within the enterprise network, wherein the network traffic is directed to a destination residing outside of the enterprise network, is associated with a particular network service and contains a file; identifying a watermark value embedded within the file; determining whether there exists a filtering rule of the plurality of filtering rules specifying a watermark value matching the watermark value embedded within the file and for which the filtering rule is active for the particular network service; and when said determining is affirmative, then performing the action specified by the filtering rule. 12. The non-transitory program storage device of claim 11, wherein the action includes one or more of (i) logging information associated with observation of the file, (ii) blocking the file, (iii) quarantining a user associated with the file, (iv) quarantining an Internet Protocol (IP) address associated with a sender of the file and (v) quarantining an interface of the network security device through which the file was received. 13. The non-transitory program storage device of claim 11, wherein the watermark value comprises a result of a hash function or a message-digest algorithm performed on a watermark payload including one or more of information specifying a user with which the file is associated, information specifying a company with which the file is associated and information specifying a sensitivity level of the file. 14. The non-transitory program storage device of claim 13, wherein the hash function comprises a Fowler-Noll-Vo hash function. 15. The non-transitory program storage device of claim 13, wherein the result of the hash function or the message-digest algorithm is further converted to Base-64 encoding. 16. The non-transitory program storage device of claim 13, wherein the watermark value was inserted into the file responsive to the file being identified as one that is to be protected. 17. The non-transitory program storage device of claim 16, wherein the watermark value was inserted into the file by a command-line client program that receives as an input parameter one or more of a name of the file, a company identifier and the sensitivity level. 18. The non-transitory program storage device of claim 16, wherein the watermark value was inserted into the file by a command-line client program that receives as an input parameter one or more of a name of a directory in which the file resides within a file system, a company identifier and the sensitivity level. 19. The non-transitory program storage device of claim 16, wherein the watermark value was inserted into the file based on a file type of the file. 20. The non-transitory program storage device of claim 19, wherein: when the file type indicates the file is a Portable Document Format (PDF) file, then the watermark value is within a watermark section immediately before a last cross reference table found within the file; and when the file type indicates the file comprises a zip file containing extensible markup language (XML) files, then the watermark value is contained within a property tag. | CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/350,083, filed on Nov. 13, 2016, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/971,340, filed Dec. 16, 2015, now U.S. Pat. No. 9,497,192, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/287,040, filed on May 25, 2014, now U.S. Pat. No. 9,246,927, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/536,062, filed on Jun. 28, 2012, now U.S. Pat. No. 9,319,417, all of which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety for all purposes. COPYRIGHT NOTICE Contained herein is material that is subject to copyright protection. The copyright owner has no objection to the facsimile reproduction of the patent disclosure by any person as it appears in the Patent and Trademark Office patent files or records, but otherwise reserves all rights to the copyright whatsoever. Copyright © 2012-2017, Fortinet, Inc. BACKGROUND Field Embodiments of the present invention generally relate to the field of Internet communication. In particular, various embodiments relate to a method and system for using digital watermarks to facilitate data leak protection. Description of the Related Art The digitization of information stored in an organization, such as an enterprise, has increased over the years. In addition, the distribution of content via networks has also begun to grow through information infrastructures such as the Internet. The Internet speeds the communication process; however it also makes it much easier to intentionally or accidentally send confidential document in a corporation to an unauthorized receiver. Further, it is easy to make perfect copies of the digital information via networks. All information users thus may become information transmitters. To cope with such a situation, as a security measure, a digital watermark may be used. The digital watermark is a technology for embedding information, such as the name of a copyright holder, reproduction history and the like in data, such as an image, document, voice and the like. By embedding such digital watermark information in important data within an organization, products provided outside an organization, information leakage and its reproduction may be prevented. SUMMARY Methods and systems are described for Data Leak Prevention (DLP) in an enterprise network. According to one embodiment, a data leak protection method is provided. A network security device, protecting an enterprise network, maintains a filter database containing multiple filtering rules. Each filtering rule specifies a watermark value, a set of network services for which the filtering rule is active and an action to be taken by the network security device. The network services include a web-based electronic mail (email) service, Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP), Internet Message Access Protocol (IMAP), Post Office Protocol 3 (POP3), an instant messaging program, a file sharing service and/or a device synchronization service. Network traffic is received by the network security device that is originated within the enterprise network. The network traffic is directed to a destination residing outside of the enterprise network, is associated with a particular network service and contains a file. A watermark value embedded within the file is identified by the network security device. A determination is made by the network security device regarding whether there exists a filtering rule specifying a watermark value matching the watermark value embedded within the file and for which the filtering rule is active for the particular network service. When the determination is affirmative, the action specified by the filtering rule is performed by the network security device. Other features of embodiments of the present invention will be apparent from the accompanying drawings and from the detailed description that follows. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Embodiments of the present invention are illustrated by way of example, and not by way of limitation, in the figures of the accompanying drawings and in which like reference numerals refer to similar elements and in which: FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating an enterprise network in which embodiments of the present invention may be employed. FIG. 2 is a block diagram conceptually illustrating interaction among various functional units of a gateway in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating various fields in a watermark according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4 shows a Graphical User Interface (GUI) for enforcing a watermark at the Data Leak Prevention (DLP) sensor according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 5 shows a Graphical User Interface (GUI) for viewing file filters of a DLP sensor according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 6 shows a Graphical User Interface (GUI) for viewing/editing a file filter of a DLP sensor according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIGS. 7A and 7B show a Graphical User Interface (GUI) for creating new file filters for a DLP sensor according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 8 shows a Graphical User Interface (GUI) for a DLP sensor according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 9 shows a Graphical User Interface (GUI) for creating a new DLP sensor filter according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 10 shows a Graphical User Interface (GUI) for creating a new DLP sensor filter according to another embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 11 is a flow diagram illustrating a method for Data Leak Prevention (DLP) in an enterprise network in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 12 is a flow diagram illustrating a method for implementing a filter at a DLP sensor, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 13 is an exemplary computer system with which embodiments of the present invention may be utilized. DETAILED DESCRIPTION Methods and systems are described for Data Leak Prevention (DLP) in an enterprise network. To prevent accidental or intentional dissemination of confidential documents and messages to unauthorized users, it is desirable to have a DLP system that allows the transmission of such documents only to authorized personnel. According to an embodiment of the present invention, at least one file in an enterprise network is initially analyzed for a document type. Based on this analysis, a watermark is embedded in the file. Subsequently, when the file passes through the gateway during transfer between a first computer system to a second computer system, the watermark is detected and/or extracted at the gateway. Based on this detected watermark, a DLP sensor is employed at the gateway to take an appropriate action on the file. In the following description, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of embodiments of the present invention. It will be apparent, however, to one skilled in the art that embodiments of the present invention may be practiced without some of these specific details. In other instances, well-known structures and devices are shown in block diagram form. The steps may be performed by hardware components or may be embodied in machine-executable instructions, which may be used to cause a general purpose or special-purpose processor programmed with the instructions to perform the steps. Alternatively, the steps may be performed by a combination of hardware, software, firmware and/or by human operators. Embodiments of the present invention may be provided as a computer program product, which may include a machine-readable storage medium tangibly embodying thereon instructions, which may be used to program a computer (or other electronic devices) to perform a process. The machine-readable medium may include, but is not limited to, fixed (hard) drives, magnetic tape, floppy diskettes, optical disks, compact disc read-only memories (CD-ROMs), and magneto-optical disks, semiconductor memories, such as ROMs, PROMs, random access memories (RAMs), programmable read-only memories (PROMs), erasable PROMs (EPROMs), electrically erasable PROMs (EEPROMs), flash memory, magnetic or optical cards, or other type of media/machine-readable medium suitable for storing electronic instructions (e.g., computer programming code, such as software or firmware). Moreover, embodiments of the present invention may also be downloaded as one or more computer program products, wherein the program may be transferred from a remote computer to a requesting computer by way of data signals embodied in a carrier wave or other propagation medium via a communication link (e.g., a modem or network connection). In various embodiments, the article(s) of manufacture (e.g., the computer program products) containing the computer programming code may be used by executing the code directly from the machine-readable storage medium or by copying the code from the machine-readable storage medium into another machine-readable storage medium (e.g., a hard disk, RAM, etc.) or by transmitting the code on a network for remote execution. Various methods described herein may be practiced by combining one or more machine-readable storage media containing the code according to the present invention with appropriate standard computer hardware to execute the code contained therein. An apparatus for practicing various embodiments of the present invention may involve one or more computers (or one or more processors within a single computer) and storage systems containing or having network access to computer program(s) coded in accordance with various methods described herein, and the method steps of the invention could be accomplished by modules, routines, subroutines, or subparts of a computer program product. While for sake of illustration embodiments of the present invention are described with reference to networking devices (e.g., switching devices, gateway devices and firewall security devices) available from the assignee of the present invention, it is to be understood that the methods and systems of the present invention are equally applicable to networking devices manufactured by others, including, but not limited to, Barracuda Networks, Brocade Communications Systems, Inc., CheckPoint Software Technologies Ltd., Cisco Systems, Inc., Citrix Systems, Inc., Imperva Inc., Juniper Networks, Inc., Nokia, Palo Alto Networks, SonicWall, Inc. and Syntensia AB. Terminology Brief definitions of terms used throughout this application are given below. The term “client” generally refers to an application, program, process or device in a client/server relationship that requests information or services from another program, process or device (a server) on a network. Importantly, the terms “client” and “server” are relative since an application may be a client to one application but a server to another. The term “client” also encompasses software that makes the connection between a requesting application, program, process or device to a server possible, such as an FTP client. The terms “connected” or “coupled” and related terms are used in an operational sense and are not necessarily limited to a direct connection or coupling. Thus, for example, two devices may be coupled directly, or via one or more intermediary media or devices. As another example, devices may be coupled in such a way that information can be passed there between, while not sharing any physical connection with one another. Based on the disclosure provided herein, one of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate a variety of ways in which connection or coupling exists in accordance with the aforementioned definition. The phrases “in one embodiment,” “according to one embodiment,” “and the like” generally mean the particular feature, structure, or characteristic following the phrase is included in at least one embodiment of the present invention, and may be included in more than one embodiment of the present invention. Importantly, such phrases do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment. If the specification states a component or feature “may”, “can”, “could”, or “might” be included or have a characteristic, that particular component or feature is not required to be included or have the characteristic. The term “server” generally refers to an application, program, process or device in a client/server relationship that responds to requests for information or services by another program, process or device (a server) on a network. The term “server” also encompasses software that makes the act of serving information or providing services possible. The term “watermark” generally refers to information or a fingerprint embedded within a document that is indicative of one or more of a source, origin, owner or author of the document (e.g., a company, group, division, end user or other entity or person) and a sensitivity level of the document or information contained therein (e.g., critical, high, medium, low). According to one embodiment, a watermark includes plain text (a visible watermark) or encoded information (an invisible watermark) containing a company identifier and a sensitivity level. In other embodiments, the watermark is a value (e.g., a hash value) that can be used to look up the associated company identifier and sensitivity level. FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating an enterprise network 100 in which embodiments of the present invention may be employed. Network 100 may represent a private or public network, such as a Local Area Network (LAN), a Wireless LAN (WLAN) or the Internet 102. In the present example, network 100 includes Internet 102, a gateway 104, and computer systems 106a-d. In an embodiment network 100a comprises gateway 104, and computer systems 106a-b. On the other hand, network 100b comprises gateway 104 and computer systems 106c-d. In an embodiment, network 100 is an enterprise network. The enterprise network connects computer systems of network 100a and 100b, i.e. computer systems 106a-b with computer systems 106c-d into an intra company network and allows exchange of data between any two computer systems within the enterprise network. According to one embodiment, gateway 104 is a network node for interfacing one network with another network, which may use a different protocol. For example, gateway 104 interfaces network 100a with network 100b. In an embodiment, gateway 104 also acts as a proxy server and/or a firewall server. Firewall servers are used to protect networks from unauthorized access while permitting legitimate communication to pass. Firewall servers add a level of protection between computer systems, for example 106a-d and the Internet 102, and permit or deny network transmissions based upon a set of rules. Further, firewall servers help prevent viruses and worms from entering computer systems 106a-d and hence protect the computer systems from threats. Firewall servers may further implement firewall policies to control what users of computer systems 106a-d have access to. In an embodiment, gateway 104 may also include a router. Routers are devices that forward data packets from one network to another. For example, gateway 104 forwards data packets from network 100a to network 100b. Referring to FIG. 1, gateway 104 is connected to computer systems 106a-d. Though in FIG. 1, for the sake of illustration, four computer systems 106a-d are shown, network 100 can have more or fewer computer systems. In an embodiment, computer systems 106a-d are configured to work as client devices. In another embodiment, computer systems 106a-d are configured to work as server computers. In still another embodiment, computer systems 106a-d may comprise a combination of client devices and server computers. According to various embodiments of the present invention, computer systems 106a-d may serve as a data center to house telecommunications and storage systems. The data center may include backup power supplies, data communications connections, environmental controls and security devices. Examples of computer systems 106a-d include desktop computers, laptops, notebook computers, handheld devices, such as mobile phones, smartphones, palm-top computers, Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs), navigational units and so forth. Various applications may be run on computer systems 106a-d. Examples of the applications include, but are not limited to, web browsers, software applications, email applications and chat applications. In an embodiment, one or more of computer systems 106a-d may be configured by an administrator to function as a watermarking console to embed watermarks within files passing through the gateway 104. A watermarking program may be installed on one of computer systems 106a-d, such as computer system 106d to mark a target set of files/documents in the network 100 with a watermark. In one embodiment, the watermarking program is a client program and a Windows® based tool. In another embodiment, the watermarking program is a UNIX based tool. The watermarking program may operate through a Common Internet File System (CIFS) share. CIFS is an application layer network protocol used for providing shared access to files, printers, serial ports, and other communications between nodes, such as computer systems 106a-d, on a network. CIFS servers thus make their file systems and other resources available to clients on the network. The user (e.g. an end user of a particular computer system or a network or system administrator) may run the watermarking program on a server containing the target set of files that are desired to be protected. The user configures the list of files to be marked as described further below, sets the watermark to be used and applies it to the list of files. In an embodiment, the watermarking program supports embedding watermarks within files of at least the following document types: text, PDF, Windows Office documents, such as those having .doc, .docx, .ppt and .xls file extensions, Open Office documents, Mac OS documents and source code documents, including, but not limited to those having .c, .h, .cpp, .js and .py extensions. Further, the user may also add custom document types. The embedded watermark may contain information, including, but not limited to, a company identifier (which may be used to identify each user's installation) and a built-in sensitivity level (e.g., critical, high, medium and low). In an embodiment, the watermarking program is operable as part of an offline tool project with a user interface and a feature list. In another embodiment, the watermarking program includes a web-based user interface. In addition to causing the desired files to be watermarked, the user also configures a DLP sensor at the gateway 104. The DLP sensor is a module that is capable of detecting watermarks in files and/or extracting the information contained in the watermark and the file. The user may log into the gateway 104 and configure the DLP sensor to detect a particular watermark and responsive to the detection perform a specified action. The action may include either blocking or passing the file at the gateway 104, when files containing the particular watermark are received by (attempted to be transferred through) the gateway 104. It should be noted that, for the sake of illustration, in the above embodiment, one of the computer systems 106a-d is configured to work as a watermarking console. However, it should be apparent to a person ordinarily skilled in the art that an external client device (not shown) or other internal computer system (not shown) may perform the watermarking embedding functions. Additionally, although the network has been described as an enterprise network, any other network may also use the features described herein. In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, gateway 104 may be a FORTIGATE gateway available from Fortinet, Inc. of Sunnyvale, Calif. (FORTIGATE is a trademark or registered trademark of Fortinet, Inc.). FIG. 2 is a block diagram conceptually illustrating interaction among various functional units of gateway 104, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. Gateway 104 includes a local interface module 202, an external communications module 204, a router 206, a firewall module 208, a watermark detection module 210, and an action module 212. According to one embodiment, the local interface module 202 provides a physical and data-link layer communication interface with one or more computer systems, such as computer systems 106a-d. Local interface module 202 accepts and provides IP packets over an internal data path and interfaces with the network link. The external interface module 204 accepts and provides IP packets over data paths from and to other modules in the gateway, and provides physical and data-link layer interfaces to a communication link that couples the gateway 104 to the external network. Further, the external communication module 204 is coupled to the router 206. Router 206 accepts IP packet from a number of data paths within the gateway 104, and routes those packets to other data paths. For example, router 206 accepts IP packets over a data path from the local interface module 202. Furthermore, router 206 is connected to firewall module 208. Firewall module 208 adds a level of protection between computer systems 106a-d, and permits or denies network transmissions based upon a set of rules. The rules are run and the outcome is then communicated by the firewall module 208 to the external communications module 204 and an action is taken accordingly. Gateway 104 further comprises a watermark detection module 210. In an embodiment, the watermark detection module 210 is capable of detecting a watermark in the files passing through the gateway 104. Watermark detection module 210 detects and/or extracts watermark information (e.g., a company identifier and a sensitivity level) embedded within the files by a watermarking program, for example. In another embodiment, the watermark detection module 210 is capable of analyzing various parameters of a file, such as file type, file size and the like. In yet another embodiment, watermark detection module 210 is capable of detecting the presence of particular words, word types in the file passing through the gateway 104. According to an embodiment, watermark detection module 210 includes a package of DLP rules. Traffic passing through the gateway 104 is searched for patterns defined by the DLP rules (as described below with reference to FIGS. 9 and 10). Based on the matching traffic and how the DLP rules are defined, action module 212 takes an appropriate action on the file, such as blocking the file at the gateway 104, allowing the file to pass through the gateway 104, logging the traffic and/or the like. According to various embodiments of the present invention, the functional modules can be any suitable type of logic (e.g., digital logic) for executing the operations described herein. Any of the functional modules used in conjunction with embodiments of the present invention can include machine-readable media including instructions for performing operations described herein. Machine-readable media include any mechanism that provides (i.e., stores and/or transmits) information in a form readable by a machine (e.g., a computer). For example, a machine-readable medium includes read only memory(ROM), random access memory (RAM), magnetic disk storage media, optical storage media, flash memory devices, electrical, optical, acoustical or other forms of propagated signals (e.g., carrier waves, infrared signals, digital signals, etc.), etc. FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating various fields in a watermark 300 according to an embodiment of the present invention. In the present example, the watermark 300 is a series of characters that depend on some input parameters. The watermark 300 includes fields such as owner identification 302, a company identifier 304, and a sensitivity level 306. Owner identification 302 is used to identify each user's installation. In an embodiment, different users use the same feature and it is hence possible to watermark the file multiple times. Further, the watermark 300 also includes company identifier 304, such as corporate name, and built-in sensitivity level 306. In an embodiment, the sensitivity level 306 may be chosen from critical sensitivity, high sensitivity, medium sensitivity, low sensitivity, and the like. In an embodiment, depending on the sensitivity level 306 embedded in the watermark 300, the gateway 104 takes a specified action on the file within which the watermark 300 is embedded. Optionally, watermark 300 may also include field 308 for carrying other data such as type of document, number of flags to indicate actions that should be taken for a particular document and the like. It should be understood that the fields shown are merely representative and may take many alternative forms. In an embodiment, a watermark is embedded within a document or file at each point of distribution. If the document is found later, the watermark may be retrieved and the source of distribution may be ascertained. This helps in source tracking and the path the document has followed. Further, a watermark may be embedded within an individual document or a whole directory of documents. In an embodiment, the way a watermark is embedded into a document depends on the type and structure of the document at issue. For example, a watermark is embedded within a PDF document in a different manner than a watermark is embedded within a .docx document and so on. Further, the watermark should be embedded in a manner that does not interfere with typical usage of the document or file. Information regarding Those skilled in the art will appreciate watermarks may be embedded in a similar matter in other file formats. According to an embodiment, a visible watermark is embedded by a watermarking program in a document or a list of documents. The visible watermark may be added in the form of plain text containing the various data fields described above. In another embodiment, the visible watermark is a binary watermark in the form of encoded and/or encrypted text. In another embodiment, the watermark embedded in the document as an invisible watermark. According to an embodiment, an invisible watermark may be generated based on a watermark string, such as watermark 300 by running an MD5 checksum on the watermark 300 and then embedding the resulting checksum (instead of the string) within the file to be watermarked. The MD5 Message-Digest algorithm is a cryptographic hash function that produces a 128-bit hash value, and is used to check data integrity, but in this case it serves as an identifier of the original watermark string that can be used as an index into a table of configured watermarks and corresponding actions stored on a gateway device, e.g., gateway 104. It should be apparent to a person ordinarily skilled in the art that various other techniques of adding watermarks may be used in the above examples. Further, when a watermark is added to the document, the watermark does not affect the file coding of the document. In one embodiment, a command line client program is used to insert watermarks into documents. The client program may have the following usage: ./watermark <options> -f <file name> -1 <identifier> -1 <sensitivity level>; or ./watermark <options> -d <directory> -1 <identifier> -1 <sensitivity level> Options: -h print help -v verbose information -I in-place watermarking (i.e., don't copy the file) -o output directory -e encode <to non-readable (invisible watermark)> -a add additional watermark (by default replaces existing watermarks) -D delete all watermarks In one embodiment, the watermark that gets inserted into files at its base level could look something like the following: =_=_=_=_=_=_=_=identifier=<corp identifier> sensitivity <sensitivity>=_=_=_=_=_=_=_= So, if the −e (encode) option is not used, this is what the gateway would be looking for. If −e is used, then a Fowler-Noll-Vo hash function (e.g., FNV1 checksum) or a message-digest algorithm (e.g., MD5), for example, may be run on the watermark content to make it into a 64-bit or 128-bit number, which would be inserted into the document(s) at issue and searched for by the gateway. Notably, some file types require “readable” text, not arbitrary digits. For these, the 64-bit or 128-bit encoded number can be converted to Base-64 encoding. According to one embodiment, the client program identifies the file type based on the file name. If a file has an un-supported file extension, that can be reported on the console; otherwise, the watermark is generated and inserted into the designated file(s). At a minimum, inserting a watermark should still allow the file to be read. Ideally, the watermark should be invisible to the user, and also should be retained after a file is edited and saved. For simple text files (e.g., *.txt), the options for inserting a watermark are limited as there is nowhere to hide meta information. As such, in one embodiment, the watermark is simply appended to the end of the file. Depending on the “encoding option” either the original watermark or the “printable” MD5 checksum can be inserted so it doesn't look garbled. For PDF files, they are broken into sections. There are also multiple cross-reference tables to find the start and end of the section. In one embodiment, to insert a watermark, the following steps may be performed: Find the last xref (cross reference table). Insert the watermark section immediately before the xref table in its own section, for example, as follows (Note: The contents of the section will be ignored by PDF readers since they don't know what to make of the/Watermark tag): <id> 0 obj << /WaterMark <watermark text or encoded> >> endobj Add a new part to the xref table with this new section, for example, as follows: <id> 1 <offset of new section> <size of new section> Update the file trailer to the new location of the xref table. For old Microsoft office documents (e.g., *.doc, *.xls and *.ppt), they use a proprietary meta-file system. According to one embodiment, to watermark these files, a 512 “page” containing the watermark is simply appended to the end of the file. MS office and other readers will ignore this section when displaying the file. For new Microsoft Office documents (e.g., *.docx, *.xlsx and *.pptx), the file format is actually a zip file containing XML files. Since the format is known, a custom property with the watermark in it can be inserted in the document. In one embodiment, a library that can read files from a zip or write to a zip may be used by the client program. The client program opens up the original file, and goes through each file within the zip looking for the docProps/custom.xml file. If this file exists, a new property tag may be added within the XML file at the end of the <Properties> . . . </Properties> section, for example, as follows: <property fmtid=“{D5CDD505-2E9C-101B-9397- 08002B2CF9AE}” pid=“2” name=\“watermark1\”><vt:lpwstr>{watermark string}</vt:lpwstr></property> In the above example, { } has been used instead of < > for the boundary of where the watermark string goes. Note that the watermark should be a readable string in this context, so the client program would use the base 64 version, not the encoded binary version if the “−e” option was used. To detect the above-described watermarks, the gateway, e.g., gateway 104, takes the sensitivity level and the corporate identifier from the DLP filter, and builds up the watermark string, and encodes it with FLV1, for example, and base-64 encodes that. Then, as files are passed through the gateway, it searches each file for each of these encodings within its content. In the case of new MS Office documents, the gateway will unzip the file and scan each member file for one of these. FIG. 4 shows a Graphical User Interface (GUI) 400 for enforcing a watermark at the Data Leak Prevention (DLP) sensor according to an embodiment of the present invention. The DLP sensor may comprise a combination of watermark detection module 210 and action module 212. GUI 400 illustrates a method of facilitating creation of a DLP filter. In general, a DLP filter is a rule containing various data fields, e.g., Name, Description, Filter, Company Identifier, Sensitivity Level, and Action. Based on these filters/rules defined for the DLP sensor at the gateway 104, an action is taken accordingly. A brief description of various exemplary data fields that may be part of a DLP filter follows: Name: Name of the rule Description: a textual description of the particular rule/filter Filter: It defines on what basis the files are to be filtered on by the gateway. For example, in the context of the illustrated embodiment, the files would be filtered on the basis of the watermark, i.e., detection and/or extraction of a watermark from the files passing through the gateway is performed. This may include the sensitivity level embedded in the watermark. For example, an action may be performed on the file passing through the gateway only if the sensitivity level of the file is Critical. Further, the files may also be filtered based on the type of file/document i.e. PDF, .doc, .xls etc, the size of the file/document, and/or the presence of certain words in the content of the file as described below with reference to FIG. 9. Company Identifier: According to one embodiment, when a user selects the filter to be based on ‘Watermark’, this field is added as a sub-field to the Watermark tab. This section contains information related to the company such as Corporate name, Corporate ID or the like. This information typically uniquely identifies a company or entity. Sensitivity Level: This field contains the sensitivity level in which the file passing through the gateway is categorized under. In an embodiment, the sensitivity level is set to one of Critical sensitivity, high sensitivity, medium sensitivity, and low sensitivity. Action: This field defines an action to be taken on the file passing through the gateway 104, when a DLP filter established on the gateway matches a watermark embedded within a file observed by the gateway. Various actions that may be taken on the file including, but not limited to, Log only (logging an event), Block (blocking the file), Quarantine user (Block based on authenticated user), Quarantine IP address (Block sender IP address), Quarantine Interface (block all traffic from that networking interface on the gateway) and Exempt. It should be apparent to a person ordinarily skilled in the art that the above-defined fields are merely exemplary, and other fields may be added or removed from the above mentioned list without deviating from the scope of the invention. For example, another field could be used to differentiate between intra-enterprise traffic and traffic intended for a destination external to the enterprise network. The above mentioned filters/rules are defined at the DLP sensor and stored in an associated database. In an embodiment, when a file passes through the gateway 104, the DLP sensor detects the watermark contained in the file and/or extracts the information contained in the watermark such as Company Identifier, and sensitivity level. Based on this detected watermark, the information is compared to the rules defined at the DLP sensor, and when there is a match, the associated action is performed. For example, assume a DLP filter is defined at the DLP sensor for Company identifier ‘ABC’ and Sensitivity Level ‘Critical’, and the associated action defined under these parameters is ‘Quarantine User’. Subsequently, when computer system 106a, for example, tries to send a file with the watermark information containing ‘ABC, Critical’ to computer system 106b, for example, gateway 104 locates the watermark information embedded within the file, compares it to the rule database and upon determining a the existence of a matching DLP filter, blocks the file from being transferred as well as subsequent file transfers from computer system 106a until a system or network administrator can investigate the situation, for example. It should be noted that the above is merely a simplified example of a rule combination that could be in a database of the DLP sensor. The database could include more rules. FIG. 5 shows a Graphical User Interface (GUI) 500 for viewing file filters of a DLP sensor according to an embodiment of the present invention. In an embodiment, a remote management system for an enterprise network contains a GUI with the menu layout as depicted in GUI 500. GUI 500 comprises various tabs such as System, Router, Policy, Firewall Objects, and UTM Security Profiles. When a user selects UTM Security Profiles a Data Leak Prevention a File Filter, file filter main table 502 is displayed. The existing file filters and their corresponding entries are displayed in the main table. In an exemplary embodiment, file filters ‘all_executables’ and ‘all_archives’ are displayed. In an embodiment, there exists a pre-defined entry for a factory default, e.g., all_executables. This entry may contain all the file name patterns and built-in file patterns. These file types and file patterns are then examined/scanned for a watermark when they pass through the gateway 104. FIG. 6 shows a Graphical User Interface (GUI) 600 for viewing/editing file filters of a DLP sensor according to an embodiment of the present invention. When a user selects one of the entries in the file filter main table 502 of GUI 500, a page similar to GUI 600 may be displayed. GUI 600 displays the name of the selected file filter and all file name patterns and file types associated with that file filter. For example, when a user selects ‘all_executables’ in the main table 502, GUI 600 may be displayed with the file name patterns and file types that lie under all_executables. Examples of file name patterns include, but are not limited to, *.bat, *.elf, *.exe, *.hta, *.html, *.javascript, *.msoffice, *.fsg, *.upx, *.petite, *.aspack, *.prc, and *.sis. The corresponding file types of these patterns may also be displayed, such as, Batch file (bat), executable (elf), executable (exe), HTML application (hta), HTML file (html), JavaScript file (javascript), Microsoft office (msoffice), packer (fsg), packer (upx), packer (petite), packer (aspack), and so on. FIGS. 7A and 7B show a Graphical User Interface (GUI) for creating new file filter for a DLP sensor according to an embodiment of the present invention. When a user selects the ‘Create New’ button on GUI 600, a dialog box similar to dialog box 702a may be displayed on a screen of a computer. The dialog box 702a asks a user for the type of file filter the user wishes to create: based on File name pattern or based on File Type. FIG. 7A depicts dialog box 702a for creating a file filter based on File type. The corresponding File type is entered in the dialog box 702a below. In an embodiment, the file type is selected from a drop down menu. In another embodiment, a custom file type or file type not present in the list may also be added. In an exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 7A a new file filter for file type Executable (exe) is added. FIG. 7B depicts dialog box 702b for creating a file filter based on File Name Pattern. The corresponding File Name Pattern is entered in the dialog box 702b below. In an exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 7B a new file filter for file name pattern *.exe is added. FIG. 8 shows a Graphical User Interface (GUI) for a DLP sensor according to an embodiment of the present invention. When a user selects UTM Security profiles a Data Leak Prevention a Sensor, a page similar to GUI 800 may be displayed. GUI 800 shows the DLP Sensor Main table containing the existing rules/filters applicable at the DLP sensor and the type of inspection method used: Flow-based detection or proxy-based detection. In an embodiment, the DLP sensor rules are provided with sequence numbers. In an exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 8, there are two sensor filters: ‘1’ and ‘2’. The DLP sensor filters may be defined for ‘Messages’ (e.g., email or instant message content) and ‘Files’ (e.g., file content). The DLP sensor filters may be sorted based on Seq #, File Type or Action. FIG. 9 shows a Graphical User Interface (GUI) 900 for creating a new DLP sensor filter according to an embodiment of the present invention. When a user selects the ‘Create New’ button on GUI 800, a dialog box similar to dialog box 902 may be displayed. The dialog box 902 asks a user if the user wishes to create a filter based on ‘Messages’ or ‘Files’. When the user selects ‘Messages’, a sub-field ‘Containing’ is displayed to allow the user to designate the type of content to be scanned for. In an embodiment, the data entry for ‘Containing’ can be selected from a drop down menu including the following items: ‘Any’, ‘Credit Card #’, ‘SSN’, and ‘Regex’. The user selects one from the drop down menu and also chooses the services for which such messages are to be examined, as shown in FIG. 9. The services include, but are not limited to, SMTP, POP3, IMAP, Yahoo mail, Gmail, MSN Mail, MSN messenger, Yahoo Messenger, ICQ messenger, Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn. The corresponding action, such as log event, archive message, or block the message is also selected. For example, a new filter for ‘Message’ may be created containing ‘Credit Card #’. Services, such as Yahoo Mail, Gmail, and Facebook, may be designated to be examined and the action log event may be selected. Subsequently, when computer system 106a sends or receives a message via Yahoo Messenger containing information that appears to be in the form of a credit card number, then that message/event is logged by the gateway 104. FIG. 10 shows a GUI 1000 for creating a new DLP sensor filter according to another embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 9, when a user selects ‘Files’ in dialog box 902, then a dialog box similar to 1002 may be displayed. The dialog box 1002 contains sub-fields corresponding to ‘Files’, such as File size, File type included in, and File fingerprint. In an embodiment, if the size of a file is greater than, less than or equal to a particular value, then the file may be filtered by the DLP sensor at the gateway 104. In an exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 10, if the file size is greater than or equal to 50,000 bytes, then the mentioned services are examined and an action taken accordingly. Further, a filter may also be created for various file types. In an embodiment, ‘File Type included in’ contains available filters defined in the file filter main table 502 explained in FIG. 5. For example, the drop down menu of ‘File Type included in’ may include elements ‘all_executables’ and ‘all_archives’. Furthermore, a filter may also be created based on the file watermark/fingerprint detected. In an embodiment, the drop down menu of ‘File Fingerprint’ may include critical sensitivity, high sensitivity, medium sensitivity, and low sensitivity. Based on the watermark detected by the DLP sensor in the file passing through the gateway 104, an action is taken based on the matching DLP filter, if any. As explained above, three individual filters for ‘Files’ or any combination of these 3 individual filters may be created. After defining the basis of the filters, i.e. file size, file type or file fingerprint, the services are selected which are to be examined for these criterion, and the action defined in the filter is then taken by the gateway 104 for subsequently identified matches. For example, a filter may be defined for file size >=50000 bytes with file fingerprint ‘Critical’ and the Action corresponding to ‘Block’. Thereafter, the selected services are continuously monitored. When the gateway 104 detects the sensitivity level of a file passing through it to be ‘Critical’ having a file size of 60000 bytes, for example, that file will be blocked at gateway 104 and not allowed to be transferred to the intended destination. FIG. 11 is a flow diagram illustrating a method for Data Leak Prevention (DLP) in an enterprise network in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. Depending upon the particular implementation, the various process and decision blocks described below may be performed by hardware components, embodied in machine-executable instructions, which may be used to cause a general-purpose or special-purpose processor programmed with the instructions to perform the steps, or the steps may be performed by a combination of hardware, software, firmware and/or involvement of human participation/interaction. At block 1104, a file is received at a filtering device, e.g., gateway 104. At block 1106, a watermark detection module, e.g., watermark detection module 210, analyzes the file for various parameters, such as a watermark and document type. At block 1108, it is determined if a watermark is detected by the watermark detection module 210. If a watermark is not found, then at block 1110, the file is allowed to pass through the gateway 104. However, if a watermark is detected at block 1108, then at block 1112, information regarding the watermark and document type are determined from the file. In an embodiment, the watermark contains a company identifier and a sensitivity level or a unique identifier, such as an MD5 checksum, corresponding to a company identifier and a sensitivity level, as explained with reference to FIG. 3. At block 1114, the information ascertained by the watermark detection module at block 1112 is compared with rules and filter database, as explained with reference to FIGS. 9 and 10, for example. At block 1116, it is determined if a match in the database is found. If a match is found, then at block 1118, an action is taken by the action module 212 according to what is defined in the matching DLP sensor filter. Various actions that can take place include blocking the file, allowing the file, archiving the file, logging the event, blocking the user and so on. However, if no match is found in the DLP sensor filter, then the file is passed through the gateway 104. FIG. 12 is a flow diagram illustrating a method for implementing a filter at a DLP sensor, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. At block 1202, a file is received at the gateway 104. The watermark detection module 210 analyzes the file at block 1204 for any filters associated with the document type of the file. At block 1206, it is determined if a filter is associated. If no filter is associated, then at block 1208, the file is allowed to pass through the gateway 104. However, if it is found that a filter is associated with the file then at block 1210, it is determined if the filter is a message filter. If a message filter is present, then at block 1212, the file is analyzed for the presence of any filtered content. During this process the DLP sensor checks the message in the file to contain some specific words such as Credit Card #, SSN, Regex, and the like, as defined in FIG. 9. At block 1214, if it is determined that filtered content is present, then at block 1216, an action is taken according to the defined rule (as explained in FIG. 9). However, if at block 1214, it is determined that no filtered content is present, then the file is allowed to pass through the gateway 104 without any intervention. At block 1210, if it is determined that it is not a message filter, then at block 1218, the file is checked for its size. Further at block 1220, the file is checked for a file type, for example all_executable, all_archives (see, e.g., FIG. 10). Furthermore, at block 1222, the file is checked for the sensitivity level detected in its watermark. Based on these parameters detected, a comparison is made to a DLP sensor filter database. When a match is found, an action is taken by the gateway 104 depending on the match. The action includes blocking the file, allowing the file to pass, logging the event, archiving the file, exemption, and the like. FIG. 13 is an example of a computer system 1300 with which embodiments of the present disclosure may be utilized. Computer system 1300 may represent or form a part of a network gateway, a firewall, a network appliance, a switch, a bridge, a router, data storage devices, a server, a client workstation and/or other network devices in a network. Embodiments of the present invention include various steps, which have been described above. A variety of these steps may be performed by hardware components or may be tangibly embodied on a computer-readable storage medium in the form of machine-executable instructions, which may be used to cause a general-purpose or special-purpose processor programmed with instructions to perform these steps. Alternatively, the steps may be performed by a combination of hardware, software, and/or firmware. As shown, computer system 1300 includes a bus 1330, a processor 1305, communication port 1310, a main memory 1315, a removable storage media 1340, a read only memory 1320 and a mass storage 1325. A person skilled in the art will appreciate that computer system 1300 may include more than one processor and communication ports. Examples of processor 1305 include, but are not limited to, an Intel® Itanium® or Itanium 2 processor(s), or AMD® Opteron® or Athlon MP® processor(s), Motorola® lines of processors, FortiSOC™ system on a chip processors or other future processors. Processor 1305 may include various modules associated with monitoring unit as described in FIG. 2. Processor 1305 may include resource communication module 220 for establishing communication with resources coupled to the network. Processor 1305 may further include policy module 225 for including various policies and scoring schemes. In addition, processor 1305 may include reputation module 230 for generating reputation of the resources coupled to the network. Communication port 1310 can be any of an RS-232 port for use with a modem based dialup connection, a 10/100 Ethernet port, a Gigabit or 10 Gigabit port using copper or fiber, a serial port, a parallel port, or other existing or future ports. Communication port 1310 may be chosen depending on a network, such a Local Area Network (LAN), Wide Area Network (WAN), or any network to which computer system 1300 connects. Memory 1315 can be Random Access Memory (RAM), or any other dynamic storage device commonly known in the art. Read only memory 1320 can be any static storage device(s) such as, but not limited to, a Programmable Read Only Memory (PROM) chips for storing static information such as start-up or BIOS instructions for processor 1305. Mass storage 1325 may be any current or future mass storage solution, which can be used to store information and/or instructions. Exemplary mass storage solutions include, but are not limited to, Parallel Advanced Technology Attachment (PATA) or Serial Advanced Technology Attachment (SATA) hard disk drives or solid-state drives (internal or external, e.g., having Universal Serial Bus (USB) and/or Firewire interfaces), such as those available from Seagate (e.g., the Seagate Barracuda 7200 family) or Hitachi (e.g., the Hitachi Deskstar 7K1000), one or more optical discs, Redundant Array of Independent Disks (RAID) storage, such as an array of disks (e.g., SATA arrays), available from various vendors including Dot Hill Systems Corp., LaCie, Nexsan Technologies, Inc. and Enhance Technology, Inc. Bus 1330 communicatively couples processor(s) 1305 with the other memory, storage and communication blocks. Bus 1330 can be, such as a Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI)/PCI Extended (PCI-X) bus, Small Computer System Interface (SCSI), USB or the like, for connecting expansion cards, drives and other subsystems as well as other buses, such a front side bus (FSB), which connects processor 1305 to system memory. Optionally, operator and administrative interfaces, such as a display, keyboard, and a cursor control device, may also be coupled to bus 1330 to support direct operator interaction with computer system 1300. Other operator and administrative interfaces can be provided through network connections connected through communication port 1310. Removable storage media 1340 can be any kind of external hard-drives, floppy drives, IOMEGA® Zip Drives, Compact Disc—Read Only Memory (CD-ROM), Compact Disc—Re-Writable (CD-RW), Digital Video Disk—Read Only Memory (DVD-ROM). Components described above are meant only to exemplify various possibilities. In no way should the aforementioned exemplary computer system limit the scope of the present disclosure. While embodiments of the present invention have been illustrated and described, it will be clear that the invention is not limited to these embodiments only. Numerous modifications, changes, variations, substitutions, and equivalents will be apparent to those skilled in the art, without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, as described in the claims. | <SOH> BACKGROUND <EOH> | <SOH> SUMMARY <EOH>Methods and systems are described for Data Leak Prevention (DLP) in an enterprise network. According to one embodiment, a data leak protection method is provided. A network security device, protecting an enterprise network, maintains a filter database containing multiple filtering rules. Each filtering rule specifies a watermark value, a set of network services for which the filtering rule is active and an action to be taken by the network security device. The network services include a web-based electronic mail (email) service, Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP), Internet Message Access Protocol (IMAP), Post Office Protocol 3 (POP3), an instant messaging program, a file sharing service and/or a device synchronization service. Network traffic is received by the network security device that is originated within the enterprise network. The network traffic is directed to a destination residing outside of the enterprise network, is associated with a particular network service and contains a file. A watermark value embedded within the file is identified by the network security device. A determination is made by the network security device regarding whether there exists a filtering rule specifying a watermark value matching the watermark value embedded within the file and for which the filtering rule is active for the particular network service. When the determination is affirmative, the action specified by the filtering rule is performed by the network security device. Other features of embodiments of the present invention will be apparent from the accompanying drawings and from the detailed description that follows. | H04L630245 | 20180101 | 20180510 | 67020.0 | H04L2906 | 1 | BROWN, ANTHONY D | DATA LEAK PROTECTION | UNDISCOUNTED | 1 | CONT-ACCEPTED | H04L | 2,018 |
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15,859,930 | PENDING | COMPRESSION OF DISTORTED IMAGES FOR HEAD-MOUNTED DISPLAY | A method and device for distorted compression of images displayed over a head mounted display (HMD) are provided. The method includes receiving, at a sink device, an image from a source device over a transport medium; determining, based on the optical means of the HMD, a circumscribed circle of the received image; determining a compression ratio based on at least radial attributes of the received image; and compressing, using a compression process, pixels inside the circumscribed circle of the received image, wherein the compression is based on the determined compression ratio. | 1. A method for distorted compression of images displayed over a head mounted display (HMD), comprising: receiving, at a sink device, an image from a source device over a transport medium; determining, based on the optical means of the HMD, a circumscribed circle of the received image; determining a compression ratio based on at least radial attributes of the received image; and compressing, using a compression process, pixels inside the circumscribed circle of the received image, wherein the compression is based on the determined compression ratio. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the compression ratio further comprises: determining a fovea area in the received image; and determining a first compression ratio for each pixel based on a location of the pixel relative to the fovea area, wherein a compression ratio of a pixel outside of the fovea area is higher than a pixel inside the fovea area. 3. The method of claim 2, wherein determining the fovea area further comprising: receiving at least a sensory signal indicating a gaze direction of a user wearing the HMD. 4. The method of claim 3, wherein determining the compression ratio further comprising: distorting the received image; determining a radial distance of each pixel in the distorted image; computing using a distorted function a radial distance of each pixel; and determining a second compression ratio for each pixel based on the location of the pixel relative to the fovea area, wherein a second compression ratio of a pixel corresponds to the radial distance of the pixel. 5. The method of claim 4, wherein the distortion of the image is a geometric distortion and the distortion is a chromatic aberration function of a single basic color. 6. The method of claim 5, further comprising: calibrating the sink device to determine the distortion function and the values of the function. 7. The method of claim 4, wherein the compression ratio is the maximum between ratio value between the first compression ratio and the second compression ratio. 8. The method of claim 1, wherein further comprising: adjusting the compression ratio based on an available bandwidth on the transport medium. 9. The method of claim 1, wherein the transport medium is at least a wireless medium. 10. The method of claim 1, wherein the image is any type of multimedia content received from the source device. 11. The method of claim 1, wherein the compression process includes at least any one of: a texture compression, a block compression, a JPEG, a PNG, and a MPEG compression. 12. The method of claim 1, wherein the sink device is connected to the HMD. 13. A non-transitory computer readable medium having stored thereon instructions for causing one or more processing circuity to execute a process for distorted compression of images displayed over a head mounted display (HMD), comprising: receiving, at a sink device, an image from a source over a transport medium; determining, based on the optical means of the HMD, a circumscribed circle of the received image; determining a compression ratio based on at least radial attributes of the received image; and compressing, using a compression process, pixels inside the circumscribed circle of the received image, wherein the compression is based on the determined compression ratio. 14. A device for distorted compression of images displayed over a head mounted display (HMD), comprising: a processing circuity; and a memory, the memory containing instructions that, when executed by the processing circuity, configure the device to: receive an image from a source device over a transport medium; determine, based on the optical means of the HMD, a circumscribed circle of the received image; determine a compression ratio based on at least radial attributes of the received image; and compress, using a compression process, pixels inside the circumscribed circle of the received image, wherein the compression is based on the determined compression ratio. 15. The device of claim 14, wherein the device is further configured to: determine a fovea area in the received image; and determine a first compression ratio for each pixel based on a location of the pixel relative to the fovea area, wherein a compression ratio of a pixel outside of the fovea area is higher than a pixel inside the fovea area. 16. The device of claim 2, wherein the device is further configured to: receive at least a sensory signal indicating a gaze direction of a user wearing the HMD. 17. The device of claim 16, wherein the device is further configured to: distort the received image; determine a radial distance of each pixel in the distorted image; compute using a distorted function a radial distance of each pixel; and determine a second compression ratio for each pixel based on the location of the pixel relative to the fovea area, wherein a second compression ratio of a pixel corresponds to the radial distance of the pixel. 18. The device of claim 17, wherein the distortion of the image is a geometric distortion and the distortion is a chromatic aberration function of a single basic color. 19. The device of claim 17, wherein the compression ratio is the maximum between ratio value between the first compression ratio and the second compression ratio. 20. The device of claim 19, wherein the device is further configured to: adjust the compression ratio based on an available bandwidth on the transport medium. 21. The device of claim 14, further comprising: a wireless medium for at least communicating with the source device over the transport medium. 22. The device of claim 21, wherein the communication protocol carried by the wireless mode is at least an IEEE 802.11ad communication standard. 23. The device of claim 21, further comprising: a decoder configured to decode the received image; and a graphical processing unit configured to render an image to be displayed on the HMD. 24. The device of claim 14, wherein the compression process includes at least any one of: a texture compression, a block compression, a JPEG, a PNG, and a MPEG compression. 25. The device of claim 1, wherein the device is a sink device connected to the HMD. | CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application claims priority from U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/441,765 filed on Jan. 3, 2017. TECHNICAL FIELD The present disclosure generally relates to image compression, and more particularly to compression of distorted images to be displayed on a HMD. BACKGROUND Head mounted displays (hereinafter “HMDs”) are often used as visual displays. HMDs are used, for example, for playing games in a virtual three-dimensional space, for simulating the interior of a building, and in various other fields. Typically, an HMD includes a small liquid-crystal display (LCD) for displaying images, an optical means for guiding the images projected on this LCD toward both eyes, and position sensors for detecting the position and direction of the head. The computer connected to the HMD determines the position and direction of the head based on signals received from the position sensors, and presents the LCD with video signals corresponding to the position and direction of the head. This allows the user wearing an HMD to experience the same sensation as when scanning a wide three-dimensional space. In current implementations, the computer is coupled to the HMD using one or more cables. Typically, the sensory signals are communicated over a USB cable while the video signals are communicated over a HDMI cable. While the cables do provide a secure connection between the signals, the wired connections may be inconvenient and cumbersome for the user in certain situations. Currently, there is an attempt in the industry to provide a solution that de-couples the HMD from the computer. That is, a wireless HMD device that would be able to communicate with the computers over the air. However, wireless HMDs are immature, inefficient, and thus are not commercially available. One of the reasons for such deficiencies is the low latency and high data rate that is required to display a video on a HMD. Thus, in order to allow wireless transmission of video signals from a computer to a HMD, it is desirable to reduce the data rate with minimum latency while preserving the high quality of the video. One technique for reducing the data rate is using image (or video frame) compression. However, a straightforward image compression would not be optimized due to the specific structure of the optical means in the HMD. Further, straightforward image compression would usually introduce unacceptable latency and/or require additional circuity for decoding, which increases the total cost of the HMD. Geometric distortion is a type of optical distortion that occurs in HMDs. The two common types of geometric distortion are barrel distortion and pincushion distortion. Barrel distortion typically occurs when straight lines are curved inwards in a shape of a barrel. This type of distortion is commonly seen on wide angle lenses, because the field of view of the lens is much wider than the size of the image. As an example, FIG. 1A shows an image 100 as rendered by a computer and FIG. 1B is the image 100 in its barrel distortion form as shown on the HMD. In a pincushion distortion, image magnification increases with the distance from the optical axis. The visible effect is that lines that do not go through the center of the image are bowed inwards, towards the center of the image. The pincushion distortion occurs due to the binoculars-like shape of the HMD. Further, due to optical attributes of HMD's lenses and display the images are displayed as fisheye images. That is, information is displayed in the circumscribed circle, while peripheral areas are “blacked” out. A fisheye image is depicted FIG. 1A. Another optical phenomenon specific structure of the optical means in the HMDs is a chromatic distortion (aberration). This type of an effect resulting from dispersion in which there is a failure of a lens to focus all colors to the same convergence point. This type of distraction is illustrated in FIGS. 2A and 2B. FIG. 2A shows an image 200 as rendered by a computer and FIG. 2B is the image 200 in its chromatic distortion form as shown on the HMD. As depicted in FIG. 2B, each “white” point 210 is displayed as the three colored components (Red 221, Green 222, Blue 223). When rendering images to be displayed on the HMDs, the above-mentioned distortions are considered. That is, a different distortion function would be typically applied to each color component when rendering the image. However, compressing images without considering the various distortions functions would result in an image that cannot be properly displayed on the HMD or with an inefficient compression. That is, currently available compression techniques are not optimized to meet the constraints noted above. Therefore, it would be advantageous to provide a compression solution that would overcome the deficiencies noted above. SUMMARY A summary of several example embodiments of the disclosure follows. This summary is provided for the convenience of the reader to provide a basic understanding of such embodiments and does not wholly define the breadth of the disclosure. This summary is not an extensive overview of all contemplated embodiments, and is intended to neither identify key or critical elements of all embodiments nor to delineate the scope of any or all aspects. Its sole purpose is to present some concepts of one or more embodiments in a simplified form as a prelude to the more detailed description that is presented later. For convenience, the term “some embodiments” or “certain embodiments” may be used herein to refer to a single embodiment or multiple embodiments of the disclosure. Some embodiments disclosed herein include a method for distorted compression of images displayed over a head mounted display (HMD). The method comprises receiving, at a sink device, an image from a source device over a transport medium; determining, based on the optical means of the HMD, a circumscribed circle of the received image; determining a compression ratio based on at least radial attributes of the received image; and compressing, using a compression process, pixels inside the circumscribed circle of the received. Some embodiments disclosed herein also include a device for distorted compression of images displayed over a head mounted display (HMD). The device comprises a processing circuity; and a memory, the memory containing instructions that, when executed by the processing circuity, configure the device to: receive an image from a source device over a transport medium; determine, based on the optical means of the HMD, a circumscribed circle of the received image; determine a compression ratio based on at least radial attributes of the received image; and compress, using a compression process, pixels inside the circumscribed circle of the received image, wherein the compression is based on the determined compression ratio. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The subject matter disclosed herein is particularly pointed out and distinctly claimed in the claims at the conclusion of the specification. The foregoing and other objects, features, and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. FIGS. 1A and 1B are images depicting the barrel distortion. FIGS. 2A and 2B are images depicting the chromatic distortion. FIG. 3 illustrates a wireless connection to a HMD utilized to describe the various disclosed embodiments. FIG. 4 illustrates source and distorted images utilized to describe the various disclosed embodiments. FIG. 5 is a flowchart of the distorted compression method according to an embodiment. FIG. 6 is a block diagram of a source device implemented according to an embodiment. FIG. 7 is a block diagram of a sink device implemented according to an embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION It is important to note that the embodiments disclosed herein are only examples of the many advantageous uses of the innovative teachings herein. In general, statements made in the specification of the present application do not necessarily limit any of the various claimed embodiments. Moreover, some statements may apply to some inventive features but not to others. In general, unless otherwise indicated, singular elements may be in plural and vice versa with no loss of generality. In the drawings, like numerals refer to like parts through several views. FIG. 3 shows an example diagram 300 illustrating a wireless connection to a HMD according to an embodiment. As illustrated in FIG. 3, a source device 310 is communicatively connected to a sink device 320 over a wireless medium 330. The sink device 320 is coupled to a HMD 340. The communication over the wireless medium 330 may be achieved using wireless protocols including, but not limited to, Wi-Fi (covered by the IEEE 802.11b/g/n communication standards), WiGig® (covered by the IEEE 802.11ad communication standards), and the like. The source device 310 may include, but is not limited to, a personal computer, a laptop computer, a tablet computer, a smartphone, a gaming console, and the like. In certain configurations, the source device 310 may be realized as a chipset integrated or coupled to any of these devices. According to the disclosed embodiments, the source device 310 is configured to render and compress (encode) video signals and transmit the video signals over the wireless medium 330 to the sink device 320. In some configurations the sink device 320 is integrated in HMD 340. In an embodiment, the compression is a distorted compression discussed in detail below. In yet another embodiment, the distorted compression and rendering processes are performed in a single pass, thus significantly reducing the processing time of rendered video signals. It should be noted that the transmission of the video signal of the wireless (physical) medium is performed based on the respective wireless protocols. That is, such transmission must meet at least the bandwidth, latency, and packet structure requirements set by the respective wireless protocols. The sink device 320 is coupled to the HMD 340 using cables, such as HDMI®, Display Port, USB, and the like. In certain embodiments, the sink device 320 is realized as a chipset connected to the HMD 340. In an embodiment, the sink device 320 is configured to receive the video signals over the wireless medium 330, de-compress (decode) the received signals, and display the de-compressed signals on the HMD 340. In an embodiment, the decompression or decoding is performed based on the compression performed by the source device 310. The HMD 340 is conventionally structured to include a small liquid-crystal display (LCD) for displaying images, an optical means (lenses) for guiding the images projected on this LCD toward both eyes, and position sensors for detecting the position and direction of the head. The sensory signals are transmitted to the source device 310 by the sink device 320. The source device 310 is configured to determine the position and direction of the head based on the sensory signals, and render video signals corresponding to the position and direction of the head. The components of the HMD 340 are not shown in FIG. 3. According to the disclosed embodiments, in order to allow efficient transmission over the wireless medium 330, so that video can be continuously displayed on the HMD, distorted compression is performed at the source device 310, and its respective decompression at the sink device 320. The disclosed distorted compression is designed to compress images (e.g., video frames) while considering the bandwidth over the wireless medium 330, fovea, geometric distortion, and the chromatic distortion. The available bandwidth determines, in part, the compression ratio of each frame. To meet the fovea constraint, the distorted compression is designed to ensure that the low compression ratio (thus high quality) is at the direction of the gaze and thus the eye fovea. Further, a high compression ratio (thus low quality) is at all directions other than the fovea. The geometric distortion is caused due to the optical properties of the optical means (lens) in the HMD. As noted above, two common types of distortions: barrel and pincushion may occur in the displayed image. Both types of distortions are substantially radial, i.e., the amount of distortion is a function of how far a pixel is relative to the optical axis (e.g. the center of the lens). As such, the quality of a peripheral area in an image is relatively low. Thus, according to an embodiment, the distorted compression compresses the images based on the distorted (radial) function. That is, the compression ratio would be a function of the distance of a pixel from the center of the lens, where centered pixels are compressed with a lower compression ratio than “peripheral” pixels. It should be noted the distortion (radial) function is different from one optical lens to another. The chromatic distortion causes a white dot to be broken up to its primary colors (red, green, blue) when passing through the optical system. The chromatic distortion function is different from one optical means (or lens) to another. According to the disclosed embodiment, the distorted compression utilizes the chromatic distortion function to minimize the color artifacts in an image displayed on the HMD optics. According to one embodiment, the distortion functions are provided by a vendor of the optical means. The distortion functions may include the geometric and chromatic functions for each RGB color. In another embodiment, the distortion functions are determined during a calibration process. The calibration process may be performed at a lab to determine the distortion functions of different types of optical means commonly installed in HMDs. Alternatively or collectively, the calibration process may be performed when the source device 310 is initially connected to the sink device 320, for example, upon the setting of the system illustrated in FIG. 3. In an example embodiment, in order to determine a geometric distortion function, the calibration process includes comparing a “source image” to a “sink image”. A source image is an image generated by the source device 310 and a sink image is the corresponding image produced by the sink device 320. The calibration process is configured to measure a location (x, y coordinates) of each pixel in the source (undistorted) image and the sink (distorted) image. The distortion function is determined based on these measures. As an example, a geometric distortion function typically has the following form: xd=xu(1+K1r2+K1r4+ . . . ) yd=yu(1+K1r2+K1r4+ . . . ) r=√{square root over ((xu−xc)2+(yu−yc)2)} Where, (xd,yd) is a sink (distorted) image pixel; (xu,yu) is a source (undistorted) image pixel, r is the radial distance, (xc,yc) is a pixel (point) indicating the center of the distortion, and Ki(i=1, . . . , n) are the radial distortion coefficient. It should be emphasized that the calibration process is performed merely to determine the distortion function(s). The disclosed compression method can be performed without executing the calibration process. The disclosed compression method can be preconfigured with the distortion function(s). In an embodiment, the above determined function is computed for each basic color consisting in a pixel. Thus, creating the chromatic aberration for each of such color (Red, Green, Blue) for each function. According to the disclosed embodiment, in order to perform the distorted compression, the source device 310 is configured to analyze each source image to determine the circumscribed circle in the image. As demonstrated in FIG. 4, a source image 400 is a kind of a fisheye image where information is displayed in the circumscribed circle 410, while all peripheral areas 420 outside of the circle 410 are blacked out. According to an embodiment, the source device 310 does not compress the areas 420, or transmit information from the peripheral areas 420 to the sink device 320, or both. That is, the source device 310 is configured to compress and/or transmit only information in the circumscribed circle 410. The source device 310 is further configured to determine the fovea area in the source image. In an embodiment, the fovea area is determined using an assumption that the gaze direction is straight. In another embodiment, the fovea area may be determined based on the sensory signals received from the HMD 340. As noted above, such signals provide information on the position and direction of the head of the device HMD's 340 wearer. As illustrated in the example FIG. 4, a fovea area is bordered by a circle 430. According to the disclosed embodiment, all pixels enclosed in the fovea area are compressed using a lower compression ratio relative to pixels outside of this area. That is, a pixel inside the fovea area will be represented with more bits relative to a pixel outside of the area. The compression ratio is determined based on the allocated bandwidth (bits/second). A different bandwidth may be allocated (or available) for each different source image (frame). The allocated bandwidth may be based on the type of the wireless modem (not shown) being utilized for the transmission, the current condition of the wireless channel, and so on. The source device 310 is further configured to process a source image in order to generate a distorted image respective thereof. To this end, the distortion function is applied on each pixel in the source image to determine the coordinates (and the thus the radial distance) of the pixel in a distorted image (or sink image as noted above). The distortion function is determined based on the optical means of the HMD 340. In an embodiment, only pixels in the circumscribed circle 410 are processed. Returning to FIG. 4, as an example, an image 400 is an undistorted image while an image 450 is a distorted image. A pixel ‘Q’ in the source image 400 will have a smaller radial distance than the corresponding of the pixel ‘q’, in the distorted image 450. According to the disclosed embodiment, the compression ratio of each pixel is based on its radial distance in the distorted image. The longer the radial distance, the higher the compression ratio. That is, a pixel with a short radial distance is represented with more bits relative to a pixel with a relative large distance. In the example shown in FIG. 4, the pixel ‘q’ is compressed with a lower compression ratio than the pixel ‘s’ as the radial distance rq is smaller than rs. As discussed above, the compression ratio is further determined based on the allocated bandwidth (bits/second) for the source image. According to an embodiment, the source device 310 is further configured to apply a chromatic aberration function of only a single color on each pixel. For example, only a red-colored chromatic aberration function can be applied on all pixels in the source image. Once all pixels are distorted using that function, the pixels are compressed and the image is transmitted to the sink device. In this embodiment, the compression ratio of a pixel may be determined based on its radial distance as noted above. In an embodiment, only pixels in the circumscribed circle 410 are processed. In the sink device 320, each pixel will be separated into its 3 points, each point being one of the 3 basic colors, red, green and blue (an example is provided in FIG. 2B). To compensate for the chromatic distortion at the sink device 320, the location of each color's point is offset respective to the color utilized for chromatic distortion. For example, if the red chromatic aberration function utilized to distort the pixel, the blue and green points are shifted respective to the red point. The shift is a constant value that can be determined from the chromatic aberration functions of all 3 colors. As noted above, the sink device 320 and the source 310 can be configured with these functions as they are based on the type of optical means installed in the HMD 340. According to the disclosed embodiments various compression techniques can be utilized to compress the source image where the compression ratio to apply on each image and pixel is based on the methods discussed above. Examples of such compression techniques include, but are not limited to, texture compression, block compression, JPEG, PNG, and the like. When compressing a series of frames (images), MPEG compression can be utilized. One of ordinary skill would be familiar with these techniques. In an embodiment, the sink device 320 is configured to decompress the received image based on the respective compression technique utilized by the source device and the distortion functions. The decompressed image is rendered and displayed on the HMD 340. In an embodiment, the decompression and rendering is performed in one pass. It should be noted that the distorted compression discussed above can be performed by utilizing any of, or any combination of, the fovea, geometric distortion, and chromatic aberration. For example, the distorted compression may include only compressing pixels in the fovea using the geometric distortion, but without applying the chromatic aberration. As another example, the distorted compression may include applying geometric distortion with the chromatic aberration on all pixels regardless of the fovea area. It should be noted that the same distorted compression techniques disclosed herein can be performed regardless of the type of the medium between the source and the sink devices. That is, the disclosed techniques are applicable to a wired or wireless medium. Further, the disclosed compression techniques are agnostic to the type of transport protocol being utilized to communicate data between the source and the sink device. FIG. 5 is an example flowchart 500 illustrating the operation of a distorted compression method according to an embodiment. At S510, various parameters require to perform compression are input. Such parameters may include, for example, the allocated (available) bandwidth, various distortion functions of the HMD, and optical parameters of the HMD's optical means. At S520, a source image is received. The source image is typically rendered by the source sink. For example, a gaming application can render the source image. At S530, at least the circumscribed circle in the source image is determined. This can be performed using the optical parameters of the HMD's optical means. At S535, all pixels outside of the circumscribed circle are marked as not requiring processing and/or transmission to the source device. At S540, the fovea area in the source image is determined. As noted above such determination may be performed based on the assumption that the gaze direction is straight. In another embodiment, the fovea area may be determined based on sensory signals received from the HMD. Such signals provide an indication on the gaze direction. In an embodiment, at S545, the compression ratio of each pixel is determined based on its location relative to the fovea area. That is, the compression ratio of a pixel outside of the fovea area would be higher than a pixel inside that area. The compression ratio is a function of the allocated bandwidth. At S550, the source image is distorted using a geometric distortion function. In an embodiment, the image is distorted using on a chromatic aberration function of a single basic color. At S555, the radial distance of each pixel in the distorted image is determined. For example, the distance can be computed based on the respective distortion function. At S557, the compression ratio of each pixel is determined based on its radial distance. The shorter the radial distance, the lower the compression ratio is. The compression ratio is also a function of the allocated bandwidth. In embodiments, S530-S535, S540-S545, and S550-S557 can be performed in parallel or a different order than the order discussed above. In a further embodiment, the method can be performed using only one or more of S530-S535, S540-S545, and S550-S557. At S560, the source image is compressed using a predetermined compression technique and the determined compression ratio determined for each pixel. In an example embodiment, the compression ratio is the maximum between the ratios computed or determined for the Fovea distance and the radial distance. In yet another example embodiment, the compression ratio is the maximum between the ratios computed or determined for the Fovea distance and the radial distance. In some embodiments, the distorted image is compressed, thus providing distortion and compression at one path. Examples for such compression techniques are discussed above. At S570, the compressed (distorted) image is output. At S580, it is checked if additional source images are available. If so, execution returns to S520; otherwise, execution ends. FIG. 6 shows an example block diagram of a source device 310 implemented according to an embodiment. The source device 310 includes a graphics processing unit (GPU) 610, an encoder 620, a central processing unit (CPU) 630, a wireless modem 640, and a memory 650 coupled to each other as shown in FIG. 6. The GPU 610 renders the source images that are input to the encoder 620. The encoder 620 is configured to generate a compressed and distorted image based on the source images. To this end, the encoder 620 implements the distorted compression discussed in detail above. The CPU 630 processes the output of the encoder 620 into bit streams that are wirelessly transmitted to the sink device by the wireless modem 630. The memory 650 may be shared by the various components and/or by a local memory of each component. The memory 650 may also include machine-readable media for storing software. Software shall be construed broadly to mean any type of instructions, whether referred to as software, firmware, middleware, microcode, hardware, description language, or otherwise. Instructions may include code (e.g., in source code format, binary code format, executable code format, or any other suitable format of code). The instructions are executed by the GPU 610, the encoder 620, and/or the CPU 630. The GPU 610, the encoder 620, and/or the CPU 630 can be realized as software, hardware, or any combination thereof. A hardware element may be realized as any combination of general-purpose microprocessors, multi-core processors, microcontrollers, digital signal processors (DSPs), field programmable gate array (FPGAs), programmable logic devices (PLDs), controllers, state machines, gated logic, discrete hardware components, dedicated hardware, finite state machines, or any other suitable entities that can perform calculations or other manipulations of information. The wireless modem 640 transmits and receives wireless signals in accordance with a wireless protocol. The wireless protocol may include Wi-Fi (covered by the IEEE 802.11b/g/n communication standards), WiGig® (covered by the IEEE 802.11ad communication standards), and the like. The wireless modem 640 typically includes an RF circuitry (not shown) and an array of antennas (not shown). FIG. 7 shows an example block diagram of a sink device 320 implemented according to an embodiment. The sink device 320 includes a graphics processing unit (GPU) 710, a decoder 720, a central processing unit (CPU) 730, a wireless modem 740, and a memory 750 coupled to each other as shown in FIG. 6. The wireless modem 740 receives RF signals encapsulating the bit streams transmitted by the source device 310. The CPU 730 processes the bit streams to generate the compressed (and distorted) image. The decoder 720 is configured to compress the input image based on the compression technique utilized at the source. In an embodiment, the decoder 720 performs the chromatic correction as discussed above. The decompressed image is fed to the GPU 710 that renders the image to be displayed on the HMD. The memory 750 may be shared by the various components and/or by a local memory of each component. The memory 750 may also include machine-readable media for storing software. Software shall be construed broadly to mean any type of instructions, whether referred to as software, firmware, middleware, microcode, hardware description language, or otherwise. Instructions may include code (e.g., in source code format, binary code format, executable code format, or any other suitable format of code). The instructions are executed by the GPU 710, the decoder 720, and/or the CPU 730. The GPU 710, the encoder 720, and/or the CPU 730 can be realized as software, hardware, or any combination thereof. A hardware element may be realized as any combination of general-purpose microprocessors, multi-core processors, microcontrollers, DSPs, FPGAs, PLDs, controllers, state machines, gated logic, discrete hardware components, dedicated hardware, finite state machines, or any other suitable entities that can perform calculations or other manipulations of information. The wireless modem 740 transmits and receives wireless signals in accordance with a wireless protocol. The wireless protocol may include Wi-Fi (covered by the IEEE 802.11b/g/n communication standards), WiGig® (covered by the IEEE 802.11ad communication standards), and the like. The wireless modem 740 typically includes an RF circuitry (not shown) and an array of antennas (not shown). The various embodiments disclosed herein can be implemented as hardware, firmware, software, or any combination thereof. Moreover, the software is preferably implemented as an application program tangibly embodied on a program storage unit or computer readable medium consisting of parts, or of certain devices and/or a combination of devices. The application program may be uploaded to, and executed by, a machine comprising any suitable architecture. Preferably, the machine is implemented on a computer platform having hardware such as one or more central processing units (“CPUs”), a memory, and input/output interfaces. The computer platform may also include an operating system and microinstruction code. The various processes and functions described herein may be either part of the microinstruction code or part of the application program, or any combination thereof, which may be executed by a CPU, whether or not such a computer or processor is explicitly shown. In addition, various other peripheral units may be connected to the computer platform such as an additional data storage unit and a printing unit. Furthermore, a non-transitory computer readable medium is any computer readable medium except for a transitory propagating signal. It should be understood that any reference to an element herein using a designation such as “first,” “second,” and so forth does not generally limit the quantity or order of those elements. Rather, these designations are generally used herein as a convenient method of distinguishing between two or more elements or instances of an element. Thus, a reference to first and second elements does not mean that only two elements may be employed there or that the first element must precede the second element in some manner. Also, unless stated otherwise a set of elements comprises one or more elements. In addition, terminology of the form “at least one of A, B, or C” or “one or more of A, B, or C” or “at least one of the group consisting of A, B, and C” or “at least one of A, B, and C” used in the description or the claims means “A or B or C or any combination of these elements.” For example, this terminology may include A, or B, or C, or A and B, or A and C, or A and B and C, or 2A, or 2B, or 2C, and so on. All examples and conditional language recited herein are intended for pedagogical purposes to aid the reader in understanding the principles of the disclosed embodiments and the concepts contributed by the inventor to furthering the art, and are to be construed as being without limitation to such specifically recited examples and conditions. Moreover, all statements herein reciting principles, aspects, and embodiments, as well as specific examples thereof, are intended to encompass both structural and functional equivalents thereof. Additionally, it is intended that such equivalents include both currently known equivalents as well as equivalents developed in the future, i.e., any elements developed that perform the same function, regardless of structure. | <SOH> BACKGROUND <EOH>Head mounted displays (hereinafter “HMDs”) are often used as visual displays. HMDs are used, for example, for playing games in a virtual three-dimensional space, for simulating the interior of a building, and in various other fields. Typically, an HMD includes a small liquid-crystal display (LCD) for displaying images, an optical means for guiding the images projected on this LCD toward both eyes, and position sensors for detecting the position and direction of the head. The computer connected to the HMD determines the position and direction of the head based on signals received from the position sensors, and presents the LCD with video signals corresponding to the position and direction of the head. This allows the user wearing an HMD to experience the same sensation as when scanning a wide three-dimensional space. In current implementations, the computer is coupled to the HMD using one or more cables. Typically, the sensory signals are communicated over a USB cable while the video signals are communicated over a HDMI cable. While the cables do provide a secure connection between the signals, the wired connections may be inconvenient and cumbersome for the user in certain situations. Currently, there is an attempt in the industry to provide a solution that de-couples the HMD from the computer. That is, a wireless HMD device that would be able to communicate with the computers over the air. However, wireless HMDs are immature, inefficient, and thus are not commercially available. One of the reasons for such deficiencies is the low latency and high data rate that is required to display a video on a HMD. Thus, in order to allow wireless transmission of video signals from a computer to a HMD, it is desirable to reduce the data rate with minimum latency while preserving the high quality of the video. One technique for reducing the data rate is using image (or video frame) compression. However, a straightforward image compression would not be optimized due to the specific structure of the optical means in the HMD. Further, straightforward image compression would usually introduce unacceptable latency and/or require additional circuity for decoding, which increases the total cost of the HMD. Geometric distortion is a type of optical distortion that occurs in HMDs. The two common types of geometric distortion are barrel distortion and pincushion distortion. Barrel distortion typically occurs when straight lines are curved inwards in a shape of a barrel. This type of distortion is commonly seen on wide angle lenses, because the field of view of the lens is much wider than the size of the image. As an example, FIG. 1A shows an image 100 as rendered by a computer and FIG. 1B is the image 100 in its barrel distortion form as shown on the HMD. In a pincushion distortion, image magnification increases with the distance from the optical axis. The visible effect is that lines that do not go through the center of the image are bowed inwards, towards the center of the image. The pincushion distortion occurs due to the binoculars-like shape of the HMD. Further, due to optical attributes of HMD's lenses and display the images are displayed as fisheye images. That is, information is displayed in the circumscribed circle, while peripheral areas are “blacked” out. A fisheye image is depicted FIG. 1A . Another optical phenomenon specific structure of the optical means in the HMDs is a chromatic distortion (aberration). This type of an effect resulting from dispersion in which there is a failure of a lens to focus all colors to the same convergence point. This type of distraction is illustrated in FIGS. 2A and 2B . FIG. 2A shows an image 200 as rendered by a computer and FIG. 2B is the image 200 in its chromatic distortion form as shown on the HMD. As depicted in FIG. 2B , each “white” point 210 is displayed as the three colored components (Red 221 , Green 222 , Blue 223 ). When rendering images to be displayed on the HMDs, the above-mentioned distortions are considered. That is, a different distortion function would be typically applied to each color component when rendering the image. However, compressing images without considering the various distortions functions would result in an image that cannot be properly displayed on the HMD or with an inefficient compression. That is, currently available compression techniques are not optimized to meet the constraints noted above. Therefore, it would be advantageous to provide a compression solution that would overcome the deficiencies noted above. | <SOH> SUMMARY <EOH>A summary of several example embodiments of the disclosure follows. This summary is provided for the convenience of the reader to provide a basic understanding of such embodiments and does not wholly define the breadth of the disclosure. This summary is not an extensive overview of all contemplated embodiments, and is intended to neither identify key or critical elements of all embodiments nor to delineate the scope of any or all aspects. Its sole purpose is to present some concepts of one or more embodiments in a simplified form as a prelude to the more detailed description that is presented later. For convenience, the term “some embodiments” or “certain embodiments” may be used herein to refer to a single embodiment or multiple embodiments of the disclosure. Some embodiments disclosed herein include a method for distorted compression of images displayed over a head mounted display (HMD). The method comprises receiving, at a sink device, an image from a source device over a transport medium; determining, based on the optical means of the HMD, a circumscribed circle of the received image; determining a compression ratio based on at least radial attributes of the received image; and compressing, using a compression process, pixels inside the circumscribed circle of the received. Some embodiments disclosed herein also include a device for distorted compression of images displayed over a head mounted display (HMD). The device comprises a processing circuity; and a memory, the memory containing instructions that, when executed by the processing circuity, configure the device to: receive an image from a source device over a transport medium; determine, based on the optical means of the HMD, a circumscribed circle of the received image; determine a compression ratio based on at least radial attributes of the received image; and compress, using a compression process, pixels inside the circumscribed circle of the received image, wherein the compression is based on the determined compression ratio. | G09G5005 | 20180102 | 20180705 | 94549.0 | G09G500 | 0 | DU, HAIXIA | COMPRESSION OF DISTORTED IMAGES FOR HEAD-MOUNTED DISPLAY | SMALL | 0 | ACCEPTED | G09G | 2,018 |
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15,861,743 | PENDING | INFLATOR | An inflator tool includes a handle portion extending between a battery receiving portion and a tool head portion. The handle portion defines a longitudinal axis. The tool head portion includes an air inlet, a compression chamber, and an air outlet. A motor is at least partially supported within the handle portion and includes an output shaft. The air inlet defines an inlet axis, and the air outlet defines an outlet axis. The longitudinal axis is disposed at an oblique angle relative to each of the inlet axis and the outlet axis. | 1. An inflator tool comprising: a handle portion extending between a battery receiving portion and a tool head portion, the handle portion defining a longitudinal axis, and the tool head portion including an air inlet, a compression chamber, and an air outlet; and a motor at least partially supported within the handle portion and including an output shaft, wherein the air inlet defines an inlet axis, and the air outlet defines an outlet axis, and wherein the longitudinal axis is disposed at an oblique angle relative to each of the inlet axis and the outlet axis. 2. The inflator tool of claim 1, wherein the output shaft defines a motor axis, the motor axis parallel with the inlet axis, and wherein the motor axis is substantially orthogonal to the outlet axis. 3. The inflator tool of claim 1, wherein the inlet axis is substantially orthogonal to the outlet axis. 4. The inflator tool of claim 1, further comprising an air driving assembly including a rotor supported within the tool head portion, the motor operatively coupled to the rotor for driving pressurized airflow from the air inlet to the air outlet, wherein the compression chamber extends around the air driving assembly. 5. The inflator tool of claim 4, wherein the tool head portion includes an arcuate body and an outlet body extending radially away from the arcuate body, the arcuate body delimiting the compression chamber extending concentrically about the rotor. 6. The inflator tool of claim 1, wherein the compression chamber includes a spirally shaped delimiting wall extending around the compression chamber, the wall having a center defined by a center of a rotor positioned within the compression chamber. 7. The inflator tool of claim 6, further comprising a circumferential clearance defined between an outer periphery of the rotor and the wall, the circumferential clearance in fluid communication with the air outlet. 8. The inflator tool of claim 6, further comprising a radius defined by the wall, the radius increasing along a circumferential direction of the wall to form a circumferential clearance. 9. The inflator tool of claim 8, wherein the rotor includes channels defined between adjacent blades of the rotor, the channels extending from the center towards an outer periphery of the rotor, the channels fluidly communicating the air inlet with the circumferential clearance. 10. A combination inflator and deflator tool comprising: a handle portion extending between a battery receiving portion and a tool head portion, the tool head portion including an air inlet, a compression chamber, and an air outlet, wherein the air inlet is disposed along a first axis, and the air outlet is disposed along a second axis that is substantially orthogonal to the first axis. 11. The inflator tool of claim 10, wherein the tool head portion includes an arcuate body and an outlet body extending radially away from the arcuate body, the arcuate body including the air inlet, the outlet body including the air outlet. 12. The inflator tool of claim 11, wherein the air inlet includes a cylindrical inlet member having a bore extending therethrough, the bore defining the first axis. 13. The inflator tool of claim 12, wherein the air inlet is formed on a top surface of the arcuate body, the air inlet configured to fluidly communicate the compression chamber with the surrounding environment via the bore. 14. The inflator tool of claim 11, wherein the outlet body extends from the arcuate body to the air outlet, the outlet body defining the second axis. 15. The inflator tool of claim 10, wherein the handle portion defines a longitudinal axis, the longitudinal axis disposed at an oblique angle relative to each of the first axis and the second axis. 16. The inflator tool of claim 10, further comprising a motor at least partially supported within the handle portion and including an output shaft defining a motor axis, the motor axis coaxial with the first axis. 17. An inflator and deflator tool comprising: a handle portion extending between a battery receiving portion and a tool head portion; a motor at least partially supported within the handle portion and including an output shaft defining a motor axis; and an air driving assembly supported within a compression chamber of the tool head portion, the air driving assembly configured to drive air from an air inlet, disposed on a top surface of the tool, into the compression chamber and out of an air outlet formed on the tool head portion, wherein the air inlet extends along a first direction that is collinear with the motor axis, and the air outlet extends along a second direction substantially orthogonal to the first direction. 18. The inflator and deflator tool of claim 17, wherein the handle portion defines a longitudinal axis, the longitudinal axis disposed at an oblique angle relative to each of the first direction and the second direction. 19. The inflator and deflator tool of claim 17, wherein the tool head portion includes an arcuate body and an outlet body extending radially away from the arcuate body, the arcuate body including the air inlet and the compression chamber, the outlet body including the air outlet. 20. The inflator tool of claim 19, wherein the air inlet includes a cylindrical inlet member having a bore extending therethrough, the cylindrical inlet member defining the first direction, and wherein the outlet body defines the second direction. | CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application claims priority to pending U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/442,265, filed on Jan. 4, 2017, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to an inflator, and more particularly to a handheld inflator tool. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Inflators are used to drive air into an inflatable device. Inflators generally include a fan or rotor to drive pressurized airflow from an inlet of the tool into the inflatable device. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The invention provides, in one aspect, an inflator tool including a handle portion extending between a battery receiving portion and a tool head portion. The handle portion defines a longitudinal axis. The tool head portion includes an air inlet, a compression chamber, and an air outlet. A motor is at least partially supported within the handle portion and includes an output shaft. The air inlet defines an inlet axis, and the air outlet defines an outlet axis. The longitudinal axis is disposed at an oblique angle relative to each of the inlet axis and the outlet axis. The invention provides, in another aspect, a combination inflator and deflator tool including a handle portion extending between a battery receiving portion and a tool head portion. The tool head portion includes an air inlet, a compression chamber, and an air outlet. The air inlet is disposed along a first axis, and the air outlet is disposed along a second axis that is substantially orthogonal to the first axis. The invention provides, in yet another aspect, an inflator and deflator tool including a handle portion extending between a battery receiving portion and a tool head portion. A motor is at least partially supported within the handle portion, and includes an output shaft defining a motor axis. An air driving assembly is supported within a compression chamber of the tool head portion. The air driving assembly is configured to drive air from an air inlet, disposed on a top surface of the tool, into the compression chamber and out of an air outlet formed on the tool head portion. The air inlet extends along a first direction that is collinear with the motor axis, and the air outlet extends along a second direction substantially orthogonal to the first direction. Other features and aspects of the invention will become apparent by consideration of the following detailed description and accompanying drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an inflator tool. FIG. 2 is a second perspective view of the inflator tool. FIG. 3 is a first side view of the inflator tool. FIG. 4 is a second side view of the inflator tool. FIG. 5 is a rear view of the inflator tool. FIG. 6 is a front view of the inflator tool. FIG. 7 is a top view of the inflator tool. FIG. 8 is a top view of a cross section taken along line 8-8 of the inflator tool in FIG. 3. FIG. 9 is a side view of a cross section taken along line 9-9 of the inflator tool in FIG. 5. Before any embodiments of the invention are explained in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of embodiment and the arrangement of components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the following drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or of being carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology used herein is for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. DETAILED DESCRIPTION FIGS. 1-9 illustrate an inflator tool 10 that is used to inflate or deflate inflatable devices (e.g., an air mattress, a tire, etc.). The inflator tool 10 is a handheld, battery operated power tool having a motor 14 (e.g., a brushed or brushless AC or DC motor 14) operatively coupled to a rotor or fan 18 that drives pressurized airflow (FIG. 9). As will be described in greater detail below, the spatial configuration of the components of the inflator tool 10 allow for a compact inflator. The inflator tool 10 includes a housing 22 having a handle portion 26 extending between a tool head portion 30 and a battery receiving portion 34. The handle portion 26 includes a generally cylindrical grip 38 defining a longitudinal axis 42 of the handle portion 26. The handle portion 26 further includes an actuator 46 (e.g., a trigger) movable relative to the handle portion 26 that is configured to control operation of the inflator tool 10 (e.g., activate the motor 14). At least a portion of the motor 14 is supported within the handle portion 26 (FIG. 9). With reference to FIG. 2, the battery receiving portion 34 is disposed at a first end of the handle portion 26 and is configured to detachably receive a rechargeable power tool battery pack (e.g., a lithium-ion battery pack; not shown) within a battery cavity 50. The battery cavity 50 is disposed on a lower surface of the tool 10 and includes engagement features to electrically and mechanically couple the battery pack such that the battery pack can provide power to the inflator tool 10. The engagement features include, for example, electrical contacts to facilitate electrical communication, alignment members guiding attachment of the battery pack, and a latch mechanism to maintain engagement of the battery pack to the tool. In one embodiment, the battery pack is a ‘slide on’ battery pack that is attached to the inflator tool 10 along a first battery insertion axis 54 that extends in a direction that is generally orthogonal to the longitudinal axis 42 of the handle portion 26 (FIG. 2). In another embodiment, the battery pack is an axially insertable battery pack that is attached to the inflator tool 10 along a second battery insertion axis 58 that is generally parallel to or collinear with the longitudinal axis 42 of the handle portion 26 (FIG. 2). In yet another embodiment, the inflator tool 10 is configured to be coupled to an external power source via a cord (i.e., the inflator tool 10 is a corded power tool). With reference to FIGS. 3 and 4, the battery receiving portion 34 also includes a retention member 62 disposed on a surface of the battery receiving portion 34 that is opposite the battery cavity 50. The retention member 62 releasably retains at least one inflator tool accessory 66, such as an inflation adapter or a deflation adapter. The retention member 62 may engage the inflator tool 10 accessories by any known mechanism (e.g., interference fit, snap fit, threaded engagement, sliding engagement, etc.). With continued reference to FIGS. 3 and 4, the tool head portion 30 is disposed on a second end of the handle portion 26 and is defined by a substantially arcuate body 70 and an outlet body 78 extending radially away from the arcuate body 70. The body 70 delimits an air driving chamber or compression chamber 74 extending concentrically about the rotor 18 (FIGS. 8-9). One lateral side of the body 70 includes a planar outer surface 82 (FIG. 3). An opposite side of the body 70 includes a channel 86 defined by an inner wall 90 facing laterally outward, an upper surface 94, a lower surface 98 and ribs 102 extending between the upper surface 94 and the lower surface 98 (FIG. 4). As seen in FIGS. 4-7, an outer periphery of the upper and lower surfaces 94, 98 defines a first radius R1 of the body 70 that is substantially equivalent to a radius R defined by the planar outer surface 82. However, the inner wall 90 defines a second radius R2 that is less than the first radius R1. As will be described in greater detail below, this results in the compression chamber 74 having a spirally shaped delimiting interior wall 126 (FIG. 8). With reference to FIG. 7, an air inlet 106 is formed on a top surface 110 of the arcuate body 70 to fluidly communicate the air compression chamber 74 with the surrounding environment. The air inlet 106 includes a cylindrical inlet member 114 having a bore 118 extending therethrough. In the illustrated embodiment, the bore 118 includes one or more ribs or vanes 122 extending across the bore 118 that may, for example, prevent foreign objects from entering the compression chamber 74. As seen in FIG. 7, the illustrated inlet member 114 is disposed in a central location on the top surface 110 of the arcuate body 70. With reference to FIG. 8, the compression chamber 74 is delimited by the interior wall 126 extending around an air driving assembly 130 that is a centrifugal fan or pump including the rotor 18 in the illustrated embodiment. The rotor 18 is operatively coupled to an output shaft 134 of the motor 14 (FIG. 9) and includes curved blades 138 extending from a hub 142 toward the interior wall 126. The interior wall 126 is a curved wall having a center defined by the center of the rotor 18. A radius defined by the wall 126 increases along a circumferential direction of the wall 126 (e.g., along a counter-clockwise direction with respect to FIG. 8). Accordingly, a circumferential clearance C1 is defined between an outer periphery of the rotor 18 and the interior wall 126. The circumferential clearance C1 is in fluid communication with the outlet body 78. With continued reference to FIG. 8, channels 148 in the rotor 18 are defined between adjacent blades 138, such that the channels 148 extend from the hub 142 to the outer periphery of the rotor 18. The channels 148 fluidly communicate the air inlet 106 with the circumferential clearance C1. The outlet body 78 extends away from the arcuate body 70 and defines an air outlet 80 (FIG. 8). The air outlet 80 includes at least one retention member for engaging an inflation adapter 150. In the illustrated embodiment, the retention member is a bayonet style retention mechanism including a protrusion on the tool that is received and retained within a slot of the adapter 150. However, other retention mechanisms (e.g., interference fit, threaded engagement, etc.) may be used in place of the bayonet style retention mechanism. With reference to FIGS. 8 and 9, the outlet body 78 expands in the radial direction moving towards the air outlet 80 to define a diffusion portion 154. At the air outlet 80, the inflation adapter 150 may be attached. In the illustrated example, the inflation adapter 150 includes a body that narrows radially inwardly to define a nozzle portion. However, in other embodiments, the outlet body 78, the inflation adapter 150 or both the outlet body 78 and the inflation adapter 150 may extend linearly (i.e., a diffusion portion or a nozzle portion are not defined). Collectively, the air inlet 106, the compression chamber 74, and the air outlet 80 define an airflow path 146 extending through the inflator tool 10 (FIG. 9). Air is drawn in through the air inlet 106 to the compression chamber 74, where the air is pressurized/accelerated and driven through the outlet body 78 toward the air outlet 80. More specifically, air drawn through the air inlet 106 enters the compression chamber 74 at the hub 142 of the rotor 18 and is directed to flow radially outwardly along the channels 148 of the rotor 18. After exiting the rotor 18, the air enters into the circumferential clearance C1 and is directed to flow to the outlet body 78 (e.g., in a counter-clockwise direction in FIG. 8). From the outlet body 78, the air is directed out of the air outlet 80. FIG. 9 illustrates the spatial relationships and orientations of the components of the inflator tool 10. The motor 14 includes the output shaft 134 operatively coupled to the rotor 18. The output shaft 134 defines a motor axis or rotor rotation axis 158. The inlet member 114 and the air inlet 106 define an air inlet axis 162 that is generally coaxial with the motor axis 158. However, in other embodiments, the inlet member 114 may be disposed on the housing 22 at different location such that the air inlet axis 162 is spaced from the motor axis 158. In such an embodiment, the air inlet axis 162 may be parallel to the motor axis 158, or alternatively may be disposed at an oblique angle relative to the motor axis 158. With continued reference to FIG. 9, the motor axis 158 is disposed an oblique angle relative to the longitudinal axis 42 of the handle portion 26 (e.g., an angle that is less than approximately 30 degrees). However, in other embodiments, the motor axis 158 and the axis 42 of the handle may be parallel or collinear. With continued reference to FIG. 9, the outlet body 78 extends along an outlet axis 166 that is substantially orthogonal to the motor axis 158 and the air inlet axis 162. In addition, the outlet axis 166 is angled relative to the longitudinal axis 42 of the handle portion (e.g., an angle of approximately 60-120 degrees). This orientation results in the airflow path 146 entering along a first axis and exiting along a second axis. However, in other embodiments, the outlet axis 166 may be disposed at an oblique angle to the air inlet axis 162 and/or the motor axis 158. In operation, a user couples the inflator tool 10 to an inflatable device (e.g., via engagement between the inflation adapter 150 and a port on the inflatable device) and operates the actuator 46 to drive the motor 14 and, in turn, the rotor 18. Rotation of the rotor 18 draws air into the compression chamber 74 via the air inlet 106 towards the hub 142, where the air is directed into the channels 148 between the blades 138. The air in the channels 148 is driven in a radial and circumferential direction to drive airflow into the circumferential clearance C1 and along the interior wall 126 toward the outlet body 78. When the air reaches the diffusion portion of the outlet body 78, the air is decelerated and the pressure is increased as it continues toward the air outlet 80. At the air outlet 80, when the inflation adapter 150 is attached, the nozzle portion accelerates the air and the pressure is decreased as it exits the air outlet 80 and enters the inflatable device. When the inflator tool 10 is desired for use as a deflator tool, a user may couple the inlet member 114 to the port of an inflatable device either directly or via an adapter. As described above, the user will then operate the inflator tool 10 to drive airflow through the air inlet 106 and out of the air outlet 80, thereby driving air out of the inflatable device. The inflator tool 10 described above advantageously provides a compact tool for driving airflow based on the spatial configuration and components of the tool described above. In addition, the tool provides a handheld, ‘pistol grip’ style powered tool for inflating and deflating inflatable devices. Although the invention has been described in detail with reference to certain preferred embodiments, variations and modifications exist within the scope and spirit of one or more independent aspects of the invention as described. Various features of the invention are set forth in the following claims. | <SOH> BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION <EOH>Inflators are used to drive air into an inflatable device. Inflators generally include a fan or rotor to drive pressurized airflow from an inlet of the tool into the inflatable device. | <SOH> SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION <EOH>The invention provides, in one aspect, an inflator tool including a handle portion extending between a battery receiving portion and a tool head portion. The handle portion defines a longitudinal axis. The tool head portion includes an air inlet, a compression chamber, and an air outlet. A motor is at least partially supported within the handle portion and includes an output shaft. The air inlet defines an inlet axis, and the air outlet defines an outlet axis. The longitudinal axis is disposed at an oblique angle relative to each of the inlet axis and the outlet axis. The invention provides, in another aspect, a combination inflator and deflator tool including a handle portion extending between a battery receiving portion and a tool head portion. The tool head portion includes an air inlet, a compression chamber, and an air outlet. The air inlet is disposed along a first axis, and the air outlet is disposed along a second axis that is substantially orthogonal to the first axis. The invention provides, in yet another aspect, an inflator and deflator tool including a handle portion extending between a battery receiving portion and a tool head portion. A motor is at least partially supported within the handle portion, and includes an output shaft defining a motor axis. An air driving assembly is supported within a compression chamber of the tool head portion. The air driving assembly is configured to drive air from an air inlet, disposed on a top surface of the tool, into the compression chamber and out of an air outlet formed on the tool head portion. The air inlet extends along a first direction that is collinear with the motor axis, and the air outlet extends along a second direction substantially orthogonal to the first direction. Other features and aspects of the invention will become apparent by consideration of the following detailed description and accompanying drawings. | F04D250673 | 20180104 | 20180705 | 70848.0 | F04D2506 | 1 | BERTHEAUD, PETER JOHN | INFLATOR | UNDISCOUNTED | 0 | ACCEPTED | F04D | 2,018 |
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15,862,016 | ACCEPTED | HORIZONTAL-TRANSVERTEBRAL CURVILINEAR NAIL-SCREWS WITH INTER-LOCKING RIGID OR JOINTED FLEXIBLE RODS FOR SPINAL FUSION | A horizontal-transvertebral curvilinear nail-screw (HTCN) including a body portion having a first end and a second end, wherein the first end is opposed to the second end; and a head at the first end of the body portion, wherein the body portion has a predetermined curvilinear shape and includes a pointed tip at the second end of the body portion, and a method of surgically implanting universal horizontal-transvertebral curvilinear nail-screws (HTCN) into a plurality of adjacent vertebrae. | 1. (canceled) 2. A spinal fusion implant comprising: a first curvilinear nail-screw for penetration and implantation into a first vertebral body along a first curved trajectory that avoids penetrating pedicles, wherein the first curvilinear nail screw extends from a first proximal end to a first distal end along the first curved trajectory with a first head at the first proximal end and a first bone penetrating pointed tip at the first distal end, wherein the first curvilinear nail-screw comprises first means for engaging a first cancellous core of the first vertebral body positioned along a first distal portion of the first curvilinear nail-screw proximate the first distal end; a second curvilinear nail-screw for penetration and implantation into a second vertebral body along a second curved trajectory that avoids penetrating pedicles, wherein the second curvilinear nail screw extends from a second proximal end to a second distal end along the second curved trajectory with a second head at the second proximal end and a second bone penetrating pointed tip at the second distal end, wherein the second curvilinear nail-screw comprises second means for engaging a second cancellous core of the second vertebral body positioned along a second distal portion of the second curvilinear nail-screw proximate the second distal end; and a connecting support structure defining a first hole sized and configured for receiving the first curvilinear nail screw and a second hole sized and configured for receiving the second curvilinear nail screw such that the first curvilinear nail-screw is held with respect to the second curvilinear nail-screw with the first curvilinear nail-screw extending into the first vertebral body without penetrating pedicles and the second curvilinear nail-screw extending into the second vertebral body without penetrating pedicles. 3. The spinal fusion implant of claim 2, and further comprising first and second rotatable connectors configured for retaining the first and second curvilinear nail-screws to the connecting support structure. 4. The spinal fusion implant of claim 2, wherein the first means for engaging a first cancellous core of the first vertebral body and the second means for engaging a second cancellous core of the second vertebral body comprise radially arranged fish-hooks. 5. The spinal fusion implant of claim 2, wherein the first means for engaging a first cancellous core of the first vertebral body and the second means for engaging a second cancellous core of the second vertebral body comprise threads. 6. The spinal fusion implant of claim 2, wherein the first curvilinear nail-screw comprises a first smooth portion between the first head and the first distal portion and wherein the second curvilinear nail-screw comprises a second smooth portion between the second head and the second distal portion, and wherein the first means for engaging a first cancellous core of the first vertebral body and the second means for engaging a second cancellous core of the second vertebral body each comprise one or more ridges. 7. The spinal fusion implant of claim 2, wherein the connecting support comprises at least first and second components, wherein the first component defines the first hole for the first curvilinear nail screw, and wherein the first component is connected directly to the second component. 8. The spinal fusion implant of claim 7, wherein the connecting support comprise a third component that defines the second hole for the second curvilinear nail screw and wherein the third component is connected directly to the second component. 9. The spinal fusion implant of claim 2, wherein the connecting support structure is a bar. 10. The spinal fusion implant of claim 2, wherein the first and second curvilinear nail-screws are oriented by the connecting support structure to be introduced laterally into the first and second vertebral bodies. 11. The spinal fusion implant of claim 2, wherein the first and second curvilinear nail-screws are oriented by the connecting support structure to be introduced posteriorly into the first and second vertebral bodies. 12. The spinal fusion implant of claim 2, wherein the first and second curvilinear nail-screws are oriented by the connecting support structure to be introduced anteriorly into the first and second vertebral bodies. 13. The spinal fusion implant of claim 2, wherein the first and second heads comprise first and second caps. 14. The spinal fusion implant of claim 2, wherein the connecting support structure is sized and configured to be positioned exterior to the first and second vertebral bodies when connecting the first and second curvilinear nail-screws while the first and second curvilinear nail-screws penetrate into the first and second vertebral bodies. 15. A method of implanting a spinal fusion implant, the method comprising: implanting a first curvilinear nail-screw to penetrate into a first vertebral body along a first curved trajectory that avoids pedicles, wherein the first curvilinear nail screw extends from a first proximal end to a first distal end along the first curved trajectory with a first head at the first proximal end and a first bone penetrating pointed tip at the first distal end, wherein the first curvilinear nail-screw comprises first means for engaging a first cancellous core of the first vertebral body positioned along a first distal portion of the first curvilinear nail-screw proximate the first distal end, wherein the first head is positioned exterior to the first vertebral body and the first distal portion is positioned in the first cancellous core when implanted; implanting a second curvilinear nail-screw to penetrate into a second vertebral body along a second curved trajectory that avoids pedicles, wherein the second curvilinear nail screw extends from a second proximal end to a second distal end along the second curved trajectory with a second head at the second proximal end and a second bone penetrating pointed tip at the second distal end, wherein the second curvilinear nail-screw comprises second means for engaging a second cancellous core of the second vertebral body positioned along a second distal portion of the second curvilinear nail-screw proximate the second distal end, wherein the second head is positioned exterior to the second vertebral body and the second distal portion is positioned in the second cancellous core when implanted; connecting the first curvilinear nail-screw to the second curvilinear nail-screw via a connecting support structure such that the first curvilinear nail-screw is held with respect to the second curvilinear nail-screw with the first curvilinear nail-screw extending into the first vertebral body without penetrating pedicles and the second curvilinear nail-screw extending into the second vertebral body without penetrating pedicles. 16. The method of claim 15, wherein the first curvilinear nail-screw penetrates into the first vertebral body so as to traverse no more than 50% of the first vertebral body and the second curvilinear nail-screw penetrates into the second vertebral body so as to traverse no more than 50% of the second vertebral body. 17. The method of claim 15, wherein the first and second curvilinear nail-screws penetrate into the first and second vertebral bodies without traversing an intervertebral disk. 18. The method of claim 15, wherein the first means for engaging a first cancellous core of the first vertebral body and the second means for engaging a second cancellous core of the second vertebral body comprise radially arranged fish-hooks. 19. The method of claim 15, wherein the first means for engaging a first cancellous core of the first vertebral body and the second means for engaging a second cancellous core of the second vertebral body comprise threads. 20. The method of claim 15, wherein the first and second curvilinear nail-screws are introduced laterally into the first and second vertebral bodies. 21. The method of claim 15, wherein the first and second curvilinear nail-screws are introduced anteriorly into the first and second vertebral bodies. | This application is a Continuation-In-Part Application of co-pending application Ser. No. 12/471,340 filed on May 22, 2009, which is a Continuation-In-Part of co-pending application Ser. No. 12/054,335 filed on Mar. 24, 2008, which is a Continuation-In-Part of application Ser. No. 11/842,855, filed on Aug. 21, 2007, which is a Continuation-In-Part of application Ser. No. 11/536,815, filed on Sep. 29, 2006, which is a Continuation-In-Part of application Ser. No. 11/208,644, filed on Aug. 23, 2005, and this application also claims priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119(e) of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/670,231, filed on Apr. 12, 2005, and U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/265,752, filed on Dec. 1, 2009; the entire contents of all of the above identified patent applications are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety. FIELD OF DISCLOSURE The present invention relates to a unique universal horizontal-transvertebral curvilinear nail-screw (HTCN) and to a method of applying such an HTCN to the spine, whereby a series of NTCN's, according to the exemplary embodiments, can be implanted into adjacent vertebrae can be inter-connected with either rigid or flexible jointed rods, fusing two or more adjacent vertebral bodies together thereby achieving either rigid or flexible fusion, respectively, and thus obviating the need for pedicle screw fixation in many but not all cases. The exemplary embodiments also can be used to salvage and/or extend pre-existing pedicle screw fusions. BACKGROUND The history and evolution of instrumented spinal fusion in the entire human spine has been reviewed in related applications Ser. No. 12/054,335 filed on Mar. 24, 2008, Ser. No. 11/842,855, filed on Aug. 21, 2007, Ser. No. 11/536,815 filed on Sep. 29, 2006, and Ser. No. 11/208,644 filed on Aug. 23, 2005, the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety. Conventionally, the majority of posterior and anterior spinal fusion surgical techniques are typically supplemented with the posterior placement of adjacent vertebral trans-pediclar screws. Complications of pedicle screw placement in the spine include misplaced screws with neural and/or vascular injury, excessive blood loss, prolonged recovery, incomplete return to work, and excessive rigidity leading to adjacent segmental disease requiring further fusions and re-operations. Recent advances in pedicle screw fixation including minimally invasive, and stereotactic CT image-guided technology, imperfectly address some but not all of these issues. SUMMARY The present invention recognizes the aforementioned problems with conventional apparatus and solves these problems. Herein described are exemplary embodiments of novel HTCNs which are implanted and embedded within adjacent vertebral bodies using a lateral horizontal side-to-side-trajectory avoiding the pedicles entirely, and thereby avoiding all the risks associated with the placement of transpedicular vertebral screws. Direct non-trans-pedicular placement of HTCNs into the vertebral bodies, according to the exemplary embodiments, is possible because the HTCN is curved, and thus, can achieve horizontal transvertebral access, which is not possible by conventional straight screws/nails. Likewise, the inter-connection of HTCNs with either rigid rods, or multiple embodiments of jointed flexible rods, can achieve rigid or flexible fusion, respectively. The exemplary embodiments of a Horizontal transvertebral curvilinear nails (HTCN) can provide a segmental vertebral spinal fusion having a strength that is equal to or greater than a strength of conventional pedicle screws without the complications arising from conventional pedicle screw placement, which include misplacement with potential nerve and/or vascular injury, violation of healthy facets, and possible pedicle destruction. By placing HTCNs horizontally across the vertebral body, and not into the vertebral bodies via the transpedicular route, thereby excluding the posterior spinal column, the exemplary embodiments can preserve healthy facet joints and pedicles. The exemplary embodiments of HTCNs are designed with predetermined curved angles to avoid laterally exiting nerve roots. Furthermore, with respect to patients who already have had pedicle screws, with concomitant pedicular destruction, placement of HTCNs according to the exemplary embodiments can be employed as a salvage procedure achieving segmental fixation without having to engage additional rostral and caudal vertebrae transpedicularly, unnecessarily lengthening a spinal fusion, and adding more operative risk per fused level. Furthermore, as a result of the orientation and length of the HTCNs according to the exemplary embodiments, multiple level fusions can be easily performed. For example, exemplary embodiments are directed to one or more HTCNs, one or more interconnecting rigid rods, and one or more interconnecting jointed flexible rods. The HTCN can include a nail/screw which is precurved in multiple angles (e.g., a plurality of predetermined angles), for example, that take into account a safe trajectory upon insertion into the lateral posterior vertebral body beneath the pedicle and spinal canal, through the transverse process (or lateral to it), whose entry point and trajectory avoids exiting/traversing nerve roots from the spinal canal. The connecting rod can include a solid rod which can achieve rigid fusion. The embodiments of the connecting rod can include one or more flexible rods. For example, the flexible rods can include side to side, or head to head ball-socket joints that can allow multiple degrees of freedom of movement. The exemplary embodiment of the rods can be locked onto rostral and caudal vertebral HTCNs via locking mechanisms. In an exemplary embodiment, all of the rods can be locked onto rostral and caudal vertebral HTCNs via locking mechanisms. Another exemplary embodiment is directed to a method of inserting a HTCN laterally into the vertebral body. The method can include, for example, either direct, fluoroscopic, or navigational image guidance visualization of the transverse process to determine the initial entry point through the transverse process (or lateral, caudal or cephalad to it), and its curvilinear trajectory to the vertebral, lateral, sub-pedicular, sub-canalicular lateral entry point into the vertebral body. Exemplary methods of interlocking sequential HTCNs with rigid or jointed rods and their interlocking connectors are described herein. Once the surgeon is satisfied with the position and placement of the HTCNs either in unilateral or bilateral adjacent vertebral bodies, interconnecting rods that are either rigid, or jointed, can be attached and locked to the HTCNs achieving rigid or flexible fusion depending on the need of the patient and the choice of the surgeon. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The accompanying drawings are presented to aid in the description of embodiments of the invention and are provided solely for illustration of the embodiments and not limitation thereof. FIGS. 1A-H illustrate an exemplary embodiment of an HTCN solid-flat head embodiment I in lateral (Figure A), and en-face (Figure B) views, and lateral views of an exemplary embodiment of a threaded screw cap embodiment II (Figure C), an exemplary embodiment of a threaded nail body embodiment III (Figure D), an exemplary embodiment of a fish-hooked tail embodiment IV (Figures E and F), and an exemplary embodiment of a threaded tail/screw embodiment V (Figures G and H). FIGS. 2A-D illustrate exemplary embodiments of an HTCN, embodiments (I-V), inserted bilaterally into two adjacent transparent vertebral bodies in top-oblique (Fig A), lateral (Figure B), axial (Figure C) and top (Figure D) views. FIGS. 3A-D illustrate exemplary embodiments of an HTCN, embodiments (I-V), inserted bilaterally into two adjacent non-transparent vertebral bodies in top-oblique (Fig A), lateral (Figure B), axial (Figure C) and top (Figure D) views. FIG. 4A illustrates exemplary embodiments of a rigid connecting rod-HTCN construct (Embodiment I) inserted bilaterally into two adjacent vertebral bodies in the superior oblique view FIG. 4B illustrates an exploded view of the rigid connecting rod-HTCN construct (Embodiment I) of FIG. 4A. FIGS. 4C, D and E illustrate lateral (Figure C), axial (Figure D), and top (Figure E) view of exemplary embodiments of a rigid connecting rod-HTCN construct (Embodiment I) inserted bilaterally into two adjacent vertebral bodies. FIG. 5A illustrates exemplary embodiments of a ball-socket, side-side jointed connecting rod-HTCN construct (Embodiment II) in the superior-oblique view. FIG. 5B illustrates an exploded view of the ball-socket, side-side jointed connecting rod-HTCN construct (Embodiment II) of FIG. 5A. FIGS. 6A-D illustrate superior-oblique (Figure A), lateral (Figure B), axial (Figure C), and top (Figure D) view of exemplary embodiments of a ball-socket, side-side jointed connecting rod-HTCN construct inserted bilaterally into two adjacent vertebral bodies. FIG. 7A illustrates exemplary embodiments of a ball-socket, head-head, jointed connecting rod-HTCN construct (Embodiment III) in the superior oblique view. FIG. 7B illustrates an exploded view of the ball-socket, head-head jointed connecting rod-HTCN construct (Embodiment III) of FIG. 7A. FIGS. 8A-D illustrate the superior-oblique (Figure A), lateral (Figure B), axial (Figure C), and top (Figure D) views of exemplary embodiments of a ball-socket, head-head jointed connecting rod-HTCN construct inserted bilaterally into two adjacent vertebral bodies. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION Aspects of the invention are disclosed in the following description and related drawings directed to specific embodiments of the invention. Alternate embodiments may be devised without departing from the scope of the invention. Additionally, well-known elements of the invention will not be described in detail or will be omitted so as not to obscure the relevant details of the invention. The word “exemplary” is used herein to mean “serving as an example, instance, or illustration.” Any embodiment described herein as “exemplary” is not necessarily to be construed as preferred or advantageous over other embodiments. Likewise, the term “embodiments of the invention” does not require that all embodiments of the invention include the discussed feature, advantage or mode of operation. With reference to FIGS. 1A-8D, exemplary embodiments of the invention will now be described. 1. The Medical Device Referring to FIGS. 1A-8D, the above described problems of the conventional art can be solved in the spine by horizontal transvertebral insertion into adjacent vertebral bodies either unilateral or bilateral HTCN-interconnecting rigid or flexible jointed connecting constructs according to the exemplary embodiments, thereby achieving rigid or flexible vertebral fusion/fixation. For example, FIGS. 1A-H illustrate three-dimensional views of five different exemplary embodiments of a single HTCN which can be horizontally inserted unilaterally into a single vertebra. FIGS. 1A-B illustrate an exemplary embodiment of a solid flat-head HTCN 10 (embodiment I). The HTCN 10 can include a single piece construct manufactured out of any type of bio-compatible material. The HTCN 10 can include a body 12 having a sharp pointed tip 14 and a head 16. The HTCN 10 can include a geometry that is curvilinear, allowing its sharp pointed tip 14 to be posteriorly or laterally, or anteriorly introduced, and to penetrate the mid lateral aspect of a vertebral body. The head 16 can include a flat head that provides a surface which can be tamped upon by any variety of instruments in order to insert the pointed tip 14 (e.g., tail portion) and a portion of the body 12 into the core of the vertebral body. In this example, the orientation of the HTCN 10 within the vertebral body is horizontal, as opposed to trans-pedicular. Hence, the exemplary embodiment allows a non-pedicular based posterior, lateral or anterior vertebral fusion. FIG. 1C illustrates an exemplary embodiment of an HTCN 10 having a threaded screw cap 16 (embodiment II). In this embodiment, the geometry of the HTCN 10 can be identical to the embodiment I described above. Rather than being one solid piece, the exemplary HTCN 10 can include two separate pieces or portions, such as a) a screw cap 16a, and b) the HTCN body 12 and portion (e.g., tail portion) with a pointed tip 14. The superior flat headed surface 16 of the HTCN 10 can include a central threaded perforation or opening 16b into which a threaded screw portion 17 of the cap 16a can be secured by threaded engagement or screwed into. The screw cap 16a can secure the HTCN 10 to the interconnecting rod locking devices (described in greater detail below). FIG. 1D illustrates an exemplary embodiment of an HTCN 10 having a body 12 includes a threaded head or portion 16d (embodiment III). In this embodiment, the upper outer surface of the head 16d is threaded to accept a screw cap 16c having internal corresponding threading. The HTCN 10 according to this embodiment can function similar to the embodiment II described above. FIGS. 1E and F illustrate an exemplary embodiment of an HTCN 10 including a fish-hooked tail or portion 18 (embodiment IV). In this embodiment, the tail 18 of the HTCN 10 can include a series of radially arranged fish-hooks 20 to engage the cancellous core of the vertebral body. FIG. 1F is an enlargement illustrating details of an exemplary embodiment of the radial fish-hook 18. FIGS. 1G and H illustrate an exemplary embodiment of an HTCN 10 including a threaded tail-screw 22 (embodiment V). The threaded tail 22 can include threads 24 that can engage the cancellous core of the vertebral body. FIG. 1H is an enlargement illustrating details of an exemplary embodiment the threads 24. Other variations and embodiments of the HTCN 10 can include any other type of mechanism that allows insertion and immobility of the HTCN 10 into and within the vertebral body (bodies). The angle and geometric configuration of the HTCN 10 also can be altered or varied in multiple manners. The HTCN 10 also can be manufactured in varying sizes with respect to length and width providing a selection from which to choose to address different sized vertebral bodies in the same and/or different patients. FIGS. 2A-D exemplarily illustrate the placement of a total of four HTCNs 10 into two adjacent transparent vertebral bodies in order to achieve their fusion, according to an exemplary method. A first HTCN 10 is inserted unilaterally into the right transparent vertebral body, a second HTCN 10 is inserted unilaterally into the left transparent vertebral body, a third HTCN 10 is inserted into the adjacent right transparent vertebral body, and a fourth HTCN 10 is inserted into the adjacent left transparent vertebral body. Two of the HTCNs 10 are lined up on the right, and two of the HTCNs 10 are lined up on the left. The initiating path of the curvilinear HTCNs 10 may begin posteriorly, laterally, or anteriorly, and the trajectory of the HTCN 10, for example, in all cases, is horizontal from its mid-lateral vertebral entry point to its final destination which is the relative inner center of the vertebral body. The HTCNs 10 are seen perforating the transverse processes. This is the estimated trajectory orientation for avoiding (e.g., necessary to avoid) exiting nerve roots. The entry point of the HTCN can be more medial, lateral, caudal or rostral to the transverse process. The initial position of insertion may be via a posterior, lateral or surgical approaches. FIGS. 2A-D are transparent in order to appreciate the necessary HTCN trajectory, its position and orientation within the vertebrae, its entry point into the mid lateral vertebrae (FIG. 2B) and its starting and destination points. FIGS. 3A-D exemplarily illustrate the placement of a total of four HTCNs 10 into two adjacent non-transparent vertebral bodies 100 in order to achieve fusion of these two adjacent bodies. A first HTCN 10 is inserted unilaterally into the right non-transparent vertebral body 100, a second HTCN 10 is inserted unilaterally into the left non-transparent vertebral body 100, a third HTCN 100 is inserted into the adjacent right non-transparent vertebral body 100, and a fourth HTCN 10 is inserted into the adjacent left non-transparent vertebral body 100. In the exemplary embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 3A-D, two of the HTCNs 10 are lined up on the right, and two of the HTCNs 10 are lined up on the left. The path of the curvilinear HTCNs 10 begins posteriorly, and its trajectory is horizontal from its entry point into the mid lateral vertebral body 100 to its final destination which is the relative center of the vertebral body 100. The HTCNs 100 are illustrated as perforating the transverse processes 102. FIGS. 3A-D illustrate an example of an estimated trajectory and orientation for avoiding (e.g., necessary to avoid) exiting nerve roots. In other embodiments, the entry point of the HTCN 10 can be more medial, lateral, caudal, or rostral to the transverse process 102. The initial position of insertion may be via posterior, lateral, or anterior surgical approaches. FIGS. 3A-D exemplarily illustrate how the HTCNs 10 may appear to the surgeon during a hypothetical operation. FIGS. 4A-E exemplarily illustrate an example of a rigid connecting bar-HTCN construct (Embodiment I) that can achieve rigid segmental fusion of two adjacent vertebral bodies 100. This exemplary embodiment can include two HTCNs 10 coupled together. This connection can be rigid or fixed in at least one degree of movement, or more than one degree of movement. As illustrated in the exemplary embodiment, the HTCNs 10 can be coupled together by a rigid HTCN connecting bar 30, which can be threaded on either end, two connecting bar links 32, which can couple the bar 30 to each of the two HTCNs 10, and two tightening nuts 34 on the outsides of the connecting bar links 32, which can secure the connecting bar links 32 and bar 30 to the HTCNs 10. The connecting bar link 32 can include a first (upper) perforation (e.g., opening, through-hole, etc.) 39 that receives or engages a portion of the connecting bar 32, and a second (lower) perforation (e.g., opening, through-hole, etc.) 38 that receives or engages a portion of the HTCN 10, such as the head 16 of the HTCN 10. The HTCNs 10 are inserted into the second (lower) perforations 38 of the connecting bar link 32. In this manner, when the HTCNs 10 are secured to the vertebral bodies 100, each of the heads 16 of the HTCNs 10 is placed into a second (lower) perforation 38 of each of the two adjacent connecting bar links 32. This exemplary embodiment can include an HTCN 10 according to any of the exemplary embodiments (I-V) described above, as well as other arrangements. The threaded rigid HTCN connecting bar 30 then can be implanted into the superior perforations (first or upper perforations) 39 of the connecting link 32 such that the threaded ends of the connecting bar 30 are disposed on the outside of the connecting links 32. A threaded tightening nut 34 can be secured to either or both ends of the connecting bar 30. In this manner, the exemplary embodiment can securely and effectively link two adjacent HTCNs 10 together in a rigid manner, thereby effectively achieving a rigid segmental fusion of two adjacent vertebrae. FIGS. 4A-E exemplarily illustrate the implantation of these constructs into both the left and right sides of the spine. The exemplary embodiment is illustrated with two HTCNs 10 per connecting bar 30. However, one or ordinary skill in the art will recognize that more than two THCNs 10 can be coupled to each connecting bar 30. Furthermore, the threading on the connecting bar 30 is not limited to the illustrated embodiment and can extend along a portion or all of the length of the connecting bar 30. For example, in an alternative embodiment, three or more nuts 34 can be secured to the threaded connecting bar 30 to secure two or more connecting bar links 34 (e.g., three or four links 34, etc.) to the connecting bar 30, such that two or more HTCNs 10 (e.g., three or four HTCNs 10, etc.) can be coupled to the same connecting bar 30. The diameter of the connecting bar 30 is illustrated as being uniform along a length of the connecting bar 30. However, other embodiments are possible in which the diameter of the body of the connecting bar 30, the diameter of the threads, etc. can be different at different portions of the connecting bar 30. Other embodiments can include more than two connecting bar links 32, and more than two tightening nuts 34. FIGS. 5A through 5B illustrate an exemplary embodiment of a plurality of HTCNs 10 coupled together with a flexible or movable connecting rod-HTCN construct (Embodiment II). For example, a ball and trough, side-side jointed connecting rod 40 can couple two or more HTCNs 10 together such that the HTCNs can move with respect to each other while being secured to each other. The connecting rod 40 can provide a flexible fusion or coupling (e.g., a movable coupling in at least one dimension) between the plurality of HTCNs 10. In this embodiment, rather than using a horizontal rigid rod, such as the rod 30 in the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 4A-E, the connecting rod 40 that connects two adjacent implanted HTCNs 10 can include two inter-locking components that allow for movement. The inter-locking components can include, for example: a) a first hemi-rod 44 having a distal end with a ball portion projecting from a side, and b) a second hemi-rod 42 having a distal end with an accepting trough (e.g. socket) projecting from its side. The first hemi-rod 44 can be coupled to the second hemi-rod 42 in a ball and socket manner. The side to side interaction of the ball and trough components 44, 42 can provide a certain or predetermined degree of flexibility with motion or movement between the adjacent HTCNs 10 being coupled together. Hence, the exemplary embodiment can provide a flexible fusion or coupling between adjacent HTCNs 10. This exemplary embodiment can include, for example, similar components as the embodiment I illustrated in FIGS. 4A-E. For example, two connecting bar links 32 and two or more tightening nuts 46 can be provided on either side of the two rod components 44, 42. The ends of the ball and trough rod components 44, 42 can be threaded 48 to receive or engage the nuts 46 to secure the connecting bar links 32 to the ball and trough rod components 44, 42, enable tightening of the constructs. The connecting bar link 32 can include a first (superior, upper) perforation (e.g., opening, through-hole, etc.) 52 that receives or engages a portion of one of the rod components 44, 42, and a second (inferior, lower) perforation (e.g., opening, through-hole, etc.) 50 that receives or engages a portion of the HTCN 10, such as the head 16 of the HTCN 10. The HTCNs 10 are inserted into the second (inferior, lower) perforations 50 of the connecting bar link 32. In this manner, when the HTCNs 10 are secured to the vertebral bodies 100, each of the heads 16 of the HTCNs 10 is placed into a second (lower) perforation 50 of each of the two adjacent connecting bar links 32. This exemplary embodiment can include an HTCN 10 according to any of the exemplary embodiments (I-V) described above, as well as other arrangements. The threaded portions or ends of each of the rod components 44, 42 can be inserted into the first (upper) perforations 52 of the connecting link 32 such that the threaded ends 48 of each of the rod components 44, 42 are disposed on the outside of the connecting links 32. A threaded tightening nut 46 can be secured to the end of each of the rod components 44, 42. In this manner, the exemplary embodiment can securely and effectively link two adjacent HTCNs 10 together in a flexible or moveable manner, thereby effectively achieving a flexible or moveable segmental fusion of two adjacent vertebrae. FIGS. 6A-D exemplarily illustrate the ball and trough, side-side jointed connecting rod-HTCN construct (Embodiment II) that can provide a flexible fusion inserted bilaterally into adjacent vertebral bodies of the spine. Any of the five disclosed exemplary embodiments of the HTCN 10 (embodiments I-V), as well as other arrangements, may be selected for these constructs to insert into two adjacent vertebral bodies 100. Once this is done, the threaded, ball and trough, side-to-side jointed HTCN connecting bar 40 (rod components 44, 42) then can be implanted into the superior perforations (upper perforations) 52 of the connecting link 32, with at least a part of the threaded portions 48 of the rod components 44, 42 protruding outside these connecting links 32. Then the threaded tightening nuts 46 can be secured to either threaded end 48 of the rod components 44, 42 of the connecting bar 40. This construct effectively links two adjacent HTCNs 10 together in a non-rigid manner, effectively achieving flexible segmental fusion of two adjacent vertebrae. FIGS. 6A-D exemplarily illustrate the implantation of these constructs into both the left and right sides of the spine. The exemplary embodiment is illustrated with two HTCNs 10 per connecting bar 40. However, in alternative embodiments, more than two THCNs 10 can be coupled to each connecting bar 40. Furthermore, the threading 48 on the connecting bar 40 is not limited to the illustrated embodiment. For example, in an alternative embodiment, three or more nuts 34 can be secured to the threaded connecting bar 40 to secure two or more connecting bar links 34 (e.g., three or four links 34, etc.) to the connecting bar 40, such that two or more HTCNs 10 (e.g., three HTCNs 10) can be coupled to the same connecting bar 40. Other embodiments can include more than two connecting bar links 32, and more than two tightening nuts 34. FIGS. 7A and B illustrate another exemplary embodiment of a plurality of HTCNs 10 coupled together with a ball and trough, head-to-head jointed connecting rod-HTCN construct (Embodiment III) to provide a flexible (or moveable) segmental fusion between the HTCNs 10. For example, rather than using a horizontal rigid connecting rod 30, or a side-to-side ball and trough connecting rod 40, this exemplary embodiment includes a connecting rod 60 that connects two adjacent implanted HTCNs 10 and that includes two (a pair of) inter-locking components including, for example: a) a first hemi-rod 64 having a distal end including a ball projecting from its head, and b) a second hemi-rod 62 having a distal end including an accepting trough (or socket) projecting from its head. This exemplary embodiment can include, for example, similar components as the embodiment I illustrated in FIGS. 4A-6D. The connecting rod 60 can include two connecting bar links 66 and two tightening nuts 70 on either side of the two rod components 64, 62 of the rod components 64, 62 of the connecting bar 60. The ends of the ball and trough head-head rod components 64, 62 can be threaded 68 to enable securing and tightening of the nuts 70 to the bar links 66, thereby securing the connecting bar links 66 to the ball and trough rod components 64, 62, enable tightening of the constructs. The connecting bar link 66 can include a first (superior, upper) perforation (e.g., opening, through-hole, etc.) 74 that receives or engages a portion of one of the rod components 64, 62, and a second (inferior, lower) perforation (e.g., opening, through-hole, etc.) 72 that receives or engages a portion of the HTCN 10, such as the head 16 of the HTCN 10. The HTCNs 10 are inserted into the second (inferior, lower) perforations 72 of the connecting bar link 66. In this manner, when the HTCNs 10 are secured to the vertebral bodies 100, each of the heads 16 of the HTCNs 10 is placed into a second (lower) perforation 72 of each of the two adjacent connecting bar links 66. This exemplary embodiment can include an HTCN 10 according to any of the exemplary embodiments (I-V) described above, as well as other arrangements. The threaded portions or ends 68 of each of the rod components 64, 62 can be inserted into the first (upper) perforations 74 of the connecting link 66 such that at least a portion of the threaded ends 68 of each of the rod components 64, 62 are disposed on the outside of the connecting links 66. A threaded tightening nut 70 can be secured to the threaded end 68 of each of the rod components 64, 62. In this manner, the head-head to side interaction of the ball and trough can enable or provide a certain (or predetermined) degree of flexibility with respect to motion between two adjacent and secured HTCNs 10, and hence, can provide a flexible fusion. FIGS. 8A-D illustrate an exemplary embodiment of the ball and trough, head-head jointed connecting rod-HTCN construct (Embodiment III) that can provide a flexible fusion inserted bilaterally into the spine. Any of the five exemplary embodiments of the HTCN 10 (I-V) illustrated in FIGS. 1A-3D, as well as other arrangements, may be selected for these constructs to insert into two adjacent vertebral bodies 100. Once this is done, the threaded ball and trough, head-head jointed HTCN connecting bar 60 then can be implanted into the superior perforations 74 of the connecting link 66, with at least a portion of the threaded portion 68 of the rod components 64, 62 protruding outside the connecting links 66. Then, the threaded tightening nuts 70 can be secured to either threaded end 68 of the rod components 64, 62 of the connecting bar 60. This exemplary embodiment can provide a construct that effectively links two adjacent HTCNs 10 together in a non-rigid manner, effectively achieving flexible segmental fusion of two adjacent vertebrae. FIGS. 8A-D exemplarily illustrate the implantation of these constructs into both the left and right sides of the spine. All of the exemplary embodiments can be made of any biocompatible material, and can be manufactured in different sizes. The HTCNs 10 can be coupled together with various other interconnecting devices that can secured, either rigidly or non-rigidly, the HTCNs 10 together, and the embodiments are not limited to the exemplary embodiments illustrated in FIGS. 4A-8D. 2. Surgical Method With reference again to FIGS. 1A-8D, exemplary methods and surgical steps for practicing one or more of the foregoing exemplary embodiments will now be described. In practice, the HTCNs 10 are surgically implanted into two or more adjacent vertebrae, either unilaterally or bilaterally (see, e.g., FIGS. 2 and 3). The HTCNs 10 can be inserted using posterior, lateral, or anterior approaches. The HTCNs 10 can be inserted posterior through midline, or par midline approaches through opened, closed, endoscopic, or tubular techniques with or without fluoroscopic monitoring, or any other form of image guidance. The HTCNs 10 can be inserted through a lateral or anterior approach in likewise manner. The surgeon can select an HTCN 10 according to any of the five HTCN embodiments (I-V) described herein, as well as other arrangements, for implantation (e.g., see FIG. 1A-H). Once two or more HTCNs 10 are inserted either unilaterally or bilaterally into adjacent vertebral bodies, then the surgeon can choose to connect two or more HTCNs 10 using, for example, the exemplary rigid HTCN connecting rod 30 for providing rigid segmental fusion (e.g., see FIG. 4). Alternatively, the surgeon can choose to connect one or more HTCNs 10 using, for example, (a) a flexible connecting rod 40 to form a ball and trough, side to side, jointed flexible rod-HTCN construct (embodiment II, FIGS. 5 and 6), or (b) a flexible connecting rod 60 to form a ball and trough, head to head, jointed flexible rod-HTCN construct (embodiment III), FIGS. 7 and 8. The surgical procedure performed when choosing the rigid rod-HTCN construct (Embodiment I) begins with implantation of the HTCNs 10 into the lateral vertebral body 100 (e.g., FIGS. 2 and 3). One of the five embodiments of HTCNs 10, or other arrangements, can be chosen (e.g., FIG. 1A-H). Next, the HTCNs 10 can be tapped/screwed into the vertebral body 100 using a tamp and/or screw driver, or other suitable tool or device. Fluoroscopy/x-ray/image guidance can be used to confirm the entry point into the mid vertebral body, as well as the inner core mid-vertebral destination of the tapered end (pointed tip 14) of the HTCN 10. With posterior implantation, the pointed tip 14 of the HTCN 10 will often, but not necessarily always, traverse and perforate the transverse process (processes) 102 en route to its entry point into the mid-lateral vertebral body 100. Once two or more adjacent HTCNs 10 are successfully implanted into two adjacent vertebral bodies 100, then the heads 16 of the HTCN 10 can be placed into the inferior perforations 38 of two adjacent connecting bar links 32 (e.g., see FIGS. 4A-E). The threaded rigid HTCN connecting bar 30 then can be inserted into the superior perforations 39 of the adjacent connecting bar links 32 with its threaded ends 36 protruding out of these links 32 (FIGS. 4A-E). Next, the threaded tightening nuts 34 can be secured to either threaded end 36 of the connecting bar 30. This construct effectively links two adjacent HTCNs 10 together in a rigid manner effectively achieving rigid fusion of two adjacent vertebrae. In other embodiments, the HTCN 10 can include a screw cap 16a, 16c that is fastened and tightened to a threaded portion 16b, 16d of the body 12 of the HTCN 10 to secure the head 16 of the HTCN to the inferior perforation 38 of the connecting rod link 32. With reference to FIGS. 1A-3D and 5A-6D, exemplary methods and surgical steps for practicing one or more of the exemplary embodiments of flexible connecting bar constructs will now be described. An example of a method or surgical procedure performed when choosing the flexible, ball and trough, side-side, rod-HTCN construct (Embodiment II) begins with implantation of the HTCNs 10 into the lateral vertebral body 100 (FIGS. 2 and 3). One of five exemplary embodiments of HTCNS 10, or other suitable arrangement, can be chosen (FIGS. 1A-H). Next, the HTCNs 10 can be tapped/screwed into the vertebral body 100 using a tamp and/or a screw driver, or other suitable tool or device. Fluoroscopy/x-ray/image guidance can be used to confirm the entry point into the mid vertebral body, as well as the ultimate inner core mid-vertebral destination of the tapered end (pointed tip 14) of the HTCN 10. With posterior implantation, the pointed tip 14 of the HTCN 10 will often, but not always, traverse and perforate the transverse process (processes) 102 en route to the entry point of the HTCN 10 into the mid-lateral vertebral body 100. Other trajectories also can be used. Once two or more adjacent HTCNs 10 are successfully implanted into two adjacent vertebral bodies 100, then the heads 16 of the HTCN 10 can be placed into the inferior perforations 50 of two adjacent connecting bar links 36 (e.g., see FIGS. 5 and 6). The threaded flexible HTCN connecting bar 40 is then inserted into the superior perforations 52 of the adjacent connecting bar links 32 with at least a portion of the threaded ends 48 protruding out of these links 32 (FIGS. 5 and 6). One hemi-rod (ball) 44 is inserted into one connecting link 32, and the other hemi-rod (trough) 42 is inserted into the adjacent connecting link 32. The placement of the ball 44 against the trough 42 can be optimized for flexibility. Next, the threaded tightening nuts 46 are secured to either of the threaded ends 48 of the rod components 44, 42 of the hemi-connecting bars 40. These exemplary constructs can effectively link two adjacent HTCNs 10 together in a flexible manner effectively achieving rigid fusion of two adjacent vertebrae. With respect to the HTCN embodiments with screw caps 16a, 16c, once the construct is created, the screw caps 16a, 16c can be fastened and tightened to the superior ends 16b, 16d of the body 12 of the HTCNs 10 which protrude from outside the inferior perforations 50 of the connecting bar links 32, thereby securing the head 16 of the HTCN 10 to the inferior perforation 50 of the connecting bar link 32. With reference to FIGS. 1A-3D and 7A-8D, exemplary methods and surgical steps for practicing one or more of the exemplary embodiments of flexible connecting bar constructs will now be described. An example of a method or surgical procedure performed when choosing the flexible, ball and trough, head-head, rod-HTCN construct (Embodiment III) begins with implantation of the HTCNs 10 into the lateral vertebral body 100 (FIGS. 2 and 3). One of five exemplary embodiments of HTCNs 10, or other suitable arrangements, can be chosen (FIGS. 1A-H). Next, the HTCNs 10 are tapped/screwed into the vertebral body 100 using a tamp and/or a screw driver, or other suitable tool or device. Fluoroscopy/x-ray/navigational image guidance can be used to confirm the entry point into the mid vertebral body, as well as the ultimate inner core mid-vertebral destination of the tapered end (pointed tip 14) of the HTCN 10. With posterior implantation, the pointed tip 14 of the HTCN 10 will often, but not always, traverse and perforate the transverse process (processes) 102 en route to its entry point into the mid-lateral vertebral body 100. Other trajectories also can be used. Once two or more adjacent HTCNs 10 are successfully implanted into two adjacent vertebral bodies 100, then the heads 16 of the HTCN 10 are placed into the inferior perforations 72 of two adjacent connecting bar links 66 (e.g., see FIGS. 7 and 8). The threaded flexible HTCN connecting bar 60 is then inserted into the superior perforations 74 of the adjacent connecting bar links 66 with at least a portion of the threaded ends 68 protruding out of these links 66 (FIGS. 7 and 8). One hemi-rod (ball) 64 is inserted into one connecting link 66, and the other hemi-rod (trough) 62 is inserted into the adjacent connecting link 66. The placement of the ball 64 against the trough 62 can be optimized for flexibility. Next, the threaded tightening nuts 70 can be secured to either threaded end 48 of the rod components 64, 62 of the hemi-connecting bar 60. This exemplary construct can effectively link two adjacent HTCNs 10 together in a flexible manner effectively achieving flexible segmental fusion of two adjacent vertebrae. With respect to the HTCN embodiments with screw caps 16a, 16c, once the construct is created, the screw caps 16a, 16c can be fastened and tightened to the superior ends 16c, 16d of the HTCNs 10 which protrude from outside the inferior perforations 72 of the connecting bar links 66, thereby securing the head 16 of the HTCN 10 to the inferior perforation 72 of the connecting rod link 66. The exemplary embodiments of the Horizontal Curvilinear Transvertebral Nail-screws (HTCNs) described herein can provide a segmental vertebral spinal fusion that has a strength that is equal to or greater than a strength provided by conventional pedicle screws without the complications arising from pedicle screw placement, which can include, for example, misplacement with potential nerve and/or vascular injury, violation of healthy facets, and possible pedicle destruction. By placing the exemplary HTCNs 10 horizontally across the vertebral body, and not into the vertebral bodies via the transpedicular route thereby excluding the posterior spinal column, then healthy facet joints and pedicles can be preserved. The exemplary HTCNs 10 can include predetermined curved angles to avoid laterally exiting nerve roots. Furthermore, with respect to patients who already have had pedicle screws, with concomitant pedicular destruction, the placement of the exemplary HTCNs 10 can be employed as a salvage procedure achieving segmental fixation without, for example, having to engage additional rostral and caudal vertebrae transpedicularly, unnecessarily lengthening a spinal fusion, and adding more operative risk per fused level. Furthermore, because of the orientation and length of the exemplary HTCNs, multiple level fusions can be easily performed. The present invention has been described herein in terms of several preferred embodiments. However, modifications and additions to these embodiments will become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art upon a reading of the foregoing description. It is intended that all such modifications and additions comprise a part of the present invention to the extent that they fall within the scope of the several claims appended hereto. Like numbers refer to like elements throughout. In the figures, the thickness of certain lines, layers, components, elements or features may be exaggerated for clarity. The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the invention. Unless otherwise defined, all terms (including technical and scientific terms) used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention belongs. It will be further understood that terms, such as those defined in commonly used dictionaries, should be interpreted as having a meaning that is consistent with their meaning in the context of the specification and relevant art and should not be interpreted in an idealized or overly formal sense unless expressly so defined herein. Well-known functions or constructions may not be described in detail for brevity and/or clarity. As used herein, the singular forms “a”, “an” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will be further understood that the terms “comprises” and/or “comprising,” when used in this specification, specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof. As used herein, the term “and/or” includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items. As used herein, phrases such as “between X and Y” and “between about X and Y” should be interpreted to include X and Y. As used herein, phrases such as “between about X and Y” mean “between about X and about Y.” As used herein, phrases such as “from about X to Y” mean “from about X to about Y.” It will be understood that when an element is referred to as being “on”, “attached” to, “connected” to, “coupled” with, “contacting”, etc., another element, it can be directly on, attached to, connected to, coupled with or contacting the other element or intervening elements may also be present. In contrast, when an element is referred to as being, for example, “directly on”, “directly attached” to, “directly connected” to, “directly coupled” with or “directly contacting” another element, there are no intervening elements present. It will also be appreciated by those of skill in the art that references to a structure or feature that is disposed “adjacent” another feature may have portions that overlap or underlie the adjacent feature. Spatially relative terms, such as “under”, “below”, “lower”, “over”, “upper”, “lateral”, “left”, “right” and the like, may be used herein for ease of description to describe one element or feature's relationship to another element(s) or feature(s) as illustrated in the figures. It will be understood that the spatially relative terms are intended to encompass different orientations of the device in use or operation in addition to the orientation depicted in the figures. For example, if the device in the figures is inverted, elements described as “under” or “beneath” other elements or features would then be oriented “over” the other elements or features. The device may be otherwise oriented (rotated 90 degrees or at other orientations) and the descriptors of relative spatial relationships used herein interpreted accordingly. | <SOH> BACKGROUND <EOH>The history and evolution of instrumented spinal fusion in the entire human spine has been reviewed in related applications Ser. No. 12/054,335 filed on Mar. 24, 2008, Ser. No. 11/842,855, filed on Aug. 21, 2007, Ser. No. 11/536,815 filed on Sep. 29, 2006, and Ser. No. 11/208,644 filed on Aug. 23, 2005, the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety. Conventionally, the majority of posterior and anterior spinal fusion surgical techniques are typically supplemented with the posterior placement of adjacent vertebral trans-pediclar screws. Complications of pedicle screw placement in the spine include misplaced screws with neural and/or vascular injury, excessive blood loss, prolonged recovery, incomplete return to work, and excessive rigidity leading to adjacent segmental disease requiring further fusions and re-operations. Recent advances in pedicle screw fixation including minimally invasive, and stereotactic CT image-guided technology, imperfectly address some but not all of these issues. | <SOH> SUMMARY <EOH>The present invention recognizes the aforementioned problems with conventional apparatus and solves these problems. Herein described are exemplary embodiments of novel HTCNs which are implanted and embedded within adjacent vertebral bodies using a lateral horizontal side-to-side-trajectory avoiding the pedicles entirely, and thereby avoiding all the risks associated with the placement of transpedicular vertebral screws. Direct non-trans-pedicular placement of HTCNs into the vertebral bodies, according to the exemplary embodiments, is possible because the HTCN is curved, and thus, can achieve horizontal transvertebral access, which is not possible by conventional straight screws/nails. Likewise, the inter-connection of HTCNs with either rigid rods, or multiple embodiments of jointed flexible rods, can achieve rigid or flexible fusion, respectively. The exemplary embodiments of a Horizontal transvertebral curvilinear nails (HTCN) can provide a segmental vertebral spinal fusion having a strength that is equal to or greater than a strength of conventional pedicle screws without the complications arising from conventional pedicle screw placement, which include misplacement with potential nerve and/or vascular injury, violation of healthy facets, and possible pedicle destruction. By placing HTCNs horizontally across the vertebral body, and not into the vertebral bodies via the transpedicular route, thereby excluding the posterior spinal column, the exemplary embodiments can preserve healthy facet joints and pedicles. The exemplary embodiments of HTCNs are designed with predetermined curved angles to avoid laterally exiting nerve roots. Furthermore, with respect to patients who already have had pedicle screws, with concomitant pedicular destruction, placement of HTCNs according to the exemplary embodiments can be employed as a salvage procedure achieving segmental fixation without having to engage additional rostral and caudal vertebrae transpedicularly, unnecessarily lengthening a spinal fusion, and adding more operative risk per fused level. Furthermore, as a result of the orientation and length of the HTCNs according to the exemplary embodiments, multiple level fusions can be easily performed. For example, exemplary embodiments are directed to one or more HTCNs, one or more interconnecting rigid rods, and one or more interconnecting jointed flexible rods. The HTCN can include a nail/screw which is precurved in multiple angles (e.g., a plurality of predetermined angles), for example, that take into account a safe trajectory upon insertion into the lateral posterior vertebral body beneath the pedicle and spinal canal, through the transverse process (or lateral to it), whose entry point and trajectory avoids exiting/traversing nerve roots from the spinal canal. The connecting rod can include a solid rod which can achieve rigid fusion. The embodiments of the connecting rod can include one or more flexible rods. For example, the flexible rods can include side to side, or head to head ball-socket joints that can allow multiple degrees of freedom of movement. The exemplary embodiment of the rods can be locked onto rostral and caudal vertebral HTCNs via locking mechanisms. In an exemplary embodiment, all of the rods can be locked onto rostral and caudal vertebral HTCNs via locking mechanisms. Another exemplary embodiment is directed to a method of inserting a HTCN laterally into the vertebral body. The method can include, for example, either direct, fluoroscopic, or navigational image guidance visualization of the transverse process to determine the initial entry point through the transverse process (or lateral, caudal or cephalad to it), and its curvilinear trajectory to the vertebral, lateral, sub-pedicular, sub-canalicular lateral entry point into the vertebral body. Exemplary methods of interlocking sequential HTCNs with rigid or jointed rods and their interlocking connectors are described herein. Once the surgeon is satisfied with the position and placement of the HTCNs either in unilateral or bilateral adjacent vertebral bodies, interconnecting rods that are either rigid, or jointed, can be attached and locked to the HTCNs achieving rigid or flexible fusion depending on the need of the patient and the choice of the surgeon. | A61B170642 | 20180104 | 20180724 | 20180510 | 67489.0 | A61B17064 | 2 | JOHANAS, JACQUELINE T | SPINAL FUSION IMPLANT WITH CURVILINEAR NAIL-SCREWS | SMALL | 1 | CONT-ACCEPTED | A61B | 2,018 |
15,863,064 | PENDING | ELECTRIC PUSH ROD AND ELECTRIC HEADREST SUPPORT | An electric push rod includes a drive motor, an outer tube, a threaded rod, a screw nut and a slider block. The outer tube is fixed to the drive motor, the threaded rod and the screw nut are located in the outer tube, the screw nut is in a threaded connection with the threaded rod, the drive motor is connected with the threaded rod to drive the threaded rod, and the slider block is sleeved on the outer tube and supported on the screw nut. When the threaded rod is rotated inversely to actuate the screw nut to move downwards, the slider block will not move downwards or trend to move downwards due to the screw nut fails to fix on the slider block, thus hands or fingers will not be jammed by the headrest even if the hands or fingers are rested beneath the headrest. | 1. An electric push rod, comprising a drive motor, an outer tube, a threaded rod, a screw nut and a slider block, wherein the outer tube is fixed to the drive motor, the threaded rod and the screw nut are located in the outer tube, the screw nut is in a threaded connection with the threaded rod, the drive motor is connected with the threaded rod to drive the threaded rod, and the slider block is sleeved on the outer tube and supported on the screw nut. 2. The electric push rod according to claim 1, further comprising a fixed base, wherein the outer tube and the drive motor are fixed on the fixed base respectively, and output axis of the threaded rod and the drive motor are extended into the fixed base. 3. The electric push rod according to claim 1, wherein a limiting cover is provided at a top of the outer tube to limit the slider block. 4. The electric push rod according to claim 1, wherein a side wall of the outer tube is provided with a guiding slot that is extended from up to down, and the screw nut is provided with a guiding rib that is slid within the guiding slot. 5. The electric push rod according to claim 1, wherein a side wall of the outer tube is provided with a guiding slot that is extended from up to down, the slider block comprises a main body that is sleeved around the outer tube and a support portion located in the outer tube, the support portion is fixed on the main body via a connection portion which is slid within the guiding slot, and the support portion is provided with a through hole through which the threaded rod passes. 6. An electric headrest support, comprising an adjusting assembly and the electric push rod according to claim 1, wherein the adjusting assembly comprises a sliding rail, a first fastener, a second fastener, a first linkage, a second linkage, a third linkage and a fourth linkage; wherein the sliding rail comprises a first rail and a second rail that are slidably connected with each other, the first rail is fixed on the first fastener, the second rail is fixed on a lower end of the first linkage, one end of the second fastener is pivotally connected to an upper end of the first linkage, one end of the second linkage is pivotally connected to one end of the second fastener, the first linkage and the second linkage are adjacently connected to the second fastener, one end of the third linkage is pivotally connected to a middle part of the first linkage, another end of the third linkage is pivotally connected to one end of the fourth linkage, another end of the fourth linkage is pivotally connected to the first rail, another end of the second linkage is pivotally connected to a middle part of the third linkage, the drive motor of the electric push rod is connected with the first fastener, and the slider block is connected with the first linkage. 7. The electric headrest support according to claim 6, wherein two said adjusting assemblies are arranged, and the electric push rod is configured between the two adjusting assemblies. 8. The electric headrest support according to claim 7, further comprising a fixed rod and a drive rod, wherein two ends of the fixed rod are respectively fixed to two first fasteners of the two adjusting assemblies, two ends of the drive rod are respectively fixed to two first linkages of the two adjusting assemblies, the drive motor is configured on the fixed rod, and the slider block is connected with the drive rod. 9. The electric headrest support according to claim 6, wherein a top of the first linkage is provided with an arc-shape limiting slot, the second fastener is provided with a limiting pin which is slid within the limiting slot. 10. The electric headrest support according to claim 6, wherein an elastic member is arranged between the first linkage and the second fastener to cause the second fastener to fold. | RELATED APPLICATIONS This application claims the benefit of priority to Chinese Utility Model Application No. 201720994080.6 filed on Aug. 9, 2017, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a field of furniture parts, more particularly to an electric headrest support and an electric push rod. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Generally, angles of a headrest of sofa can be adjusted to improve comfort. One of the achievement manners is to set a headrest support in the sofa. The headrest support includes two fasteners, an electric push rod and a plurality of linkages, therein one fastener is fixed to the sofa body, another one is fixed to the headrest, the electric push rod is for driving the linkages to fold or unfold to change the relative position of the two fasteners, so that the angles of the headrest can be adjusted. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a conventional electric push rod 9 includes a drive motor 91, an outer tube 92, a threaded rod 93 and a slider block 94. Specifically, the outer tube 92 is hollow and fixed to the drive motor 91, the threaded rod 93 is located in the outer tube 92 and driven by the drive motor 91. The slider block 94 is sleeved on the outer tube 92 connected with the threaded rod 93 in the outer tube 92 via a screw hole 95, and then the slider block 94 is fixed to the linkages of the headrest. When the drive motor 91 is started up, the slider block 94 will move upwards or downwards to achieve the adjustment of the headrest angles. However, such electric push rod has following disadvantages. Since the slider 94 is moved along with the rotation of the threaded rod 93, thus when the headrest is retracted to fold, the continuous movement of the slider block 94 may jam user's hands or fingers if the hands or fingers are rested under the headrest. Thus it's necessary to provide an electric push rod that can prevent user's hands or fingers from being jammed, so as to ensure the user safety. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION One objective of the present invention is to provide an electric push rod that can prevent user's hands from being jammed. Another objective of the present invention is to provide an electric headrest support with an electric push rod. To achieve the above objectives, an electric push rod of the present invention includes a drive motor, an outer tube, a threaded rod, a screw nut and a slider block. The outer tube is fixed to the drive motor, the threaded rod and the screw nut are located in the outer tube, the screw nut is in a threaded connection with the threaded rod, the drive motor is connected with the threaded rod to drive the threaded rod, and the slider block is sleeved on the outer tube and supported on the screw nut. When the threaded rod is rotated positively to actuate the screw nut to move upwards, the slider block will be pushed by the screw nut to actuate the linkages to expand the angle of the headrest due to the slider block is supported on the screw; when the threaded rod is rotated inversely to actuate the screw nut to move downwards, the slider block will not move downwards or trend to move downwards due to the screw nut fails to fix on the slider block, thus hands or fingers will not be jammed by the headrest even if the hands or fingers are rested under the headrest. By this token, the device is safe. Preferably, the electric push rod further includes a fixed base, the outer tube and the drive motor are fixed on the fixed base respectively, and output axis of the threaded rod and the drive motor are extended into the fixed base. Preferably, a limiting cover is provided at a top of the outer tube to limit the slider block. Preferably, a side wall of the outer tube is provided with a guiding slot that is extended from up to down, and the screw nut is provided with a guiding rib that is slid within the guiding slot. Preferably, a side wall of the outer tube is provided with a guiding slot that is extended from up to down, the slider block comprises a main body that is sleeved around the outer tube and a support portion located in the outer tube, the support portion is fixed on the main body via a connection portion which is slid within the guiding slot, and the support portion is provided with a through hole through which the threaded rod passes. An electric headrest support of the present invention includes an adjusting assembly and the electric push rod. The adjusting assembly includes a sliding rail, a first fastener, a second fastener, a first linkage, a second linkage, a third linkage and a fourth linkage. The sliding rail includes a first rail and a second rail that are slidably connected with each other, the first rail is fixed on the first fastener, the second rail is fixed on a lower end of the first linkage, one end of the second fastener is pivotally connected to an upper end of the first linkage, one end of the second linkage is pivotally connected to one end of the second fastener, the first linkage and the second linkage are adjacently connected to the second fastener, one end of the third linkage is pivotally connected to a middle part of the first linkage, another end of the third linkage is pivotally connected to one end of the fourth linkage, another end of the fourth linkage is pivotally connected to the first rail, another end of the second linkage is pivotally connected to a middle part of the third linkage, the drive motor of the electric push rod is connected with the first fastener, and the slider block is connected with the first linkage Preferably, two said adjusting assemblies are arranged, and the electric push rod is configured between the two adjusting assemblies. Preferably, the electric headrest support further includes a fixed rod and a drive rod. Two ends of the fixed rod are respectively fixed to two first fasteners of the two adjusting assemblies, two ends of the drive rod are respectively fixed to two first linkages of the two adjusting assemblies, the drive motor is configured on the fixed rod, and the slider block is connected with the drive rod. Preferably, a top of the first linkage is provided with an arc-shape limiting slot, the second fastener is provided with a limiting pin which is slid within the limiting slot. Preferably, an elastic member is arranged between the first linkage and the second fastener to cause the second fastener to fold. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The accompanying drawings facilitate an understanding of the various embodiments of this invention. In such drawings: FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a conventional electric push rod; FIG. 2 is an exploded view of a conventional electric push rod; FIG. 3 is a perspective view of an electric push rod according to one embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 4 is an exploded view of an electric push rod according to one embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 5 is a perspective view of an electric headrest support according to one embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 6 is a partial exploded view of an electric headrest support according to one embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 7 is a structural view of a sliding rail of the electric headrest support; and FIG. 8 is an exploded view of the slider rail of FIG. 7. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF ILLUSTRATED EMBODIMENTS As illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4, an electric push rod 1 according to one embodiment of the present invention includes a fixed base 11, a drive motor 12, an outer tube 13, a threaded rod 14, a screw nut 15 and a slider block 16. Specifically, the drive motor 12 is fixed on one side of the fixed base 11, and the outer tube 13 that is a hollow structure is fixed on the top of the fixed base 11. The threaded rod 14 is located inside the outer tube 13 and inserted into the fixed base 11, and an output axis of the drive motor 12 is extended into the fixed base 11 to connect with and drive the threaded rod 14. Of course, the fixed base 11 is provided with related structures by which the action of the output axis of the drive motor 12 can pass to the threaded rod 14. The output axis of the drive motor 12 can rotate positively or inversely, accordingly, the threaded rod 14 can rotate positively or inversely. The screw nut 15 is located within the outer tube 13 and sleeved on the threaded rod 14 in threaded connection. The screw nut 15 will move upwards relative to the threaded rod 14 if the threaded rod 14 rotates positively, instead will move downwards if the threaded rod 14 rotates inversely. A guiding slot 131 that is extended from up to down is provided at a side wall of the outer tube 13, a guiding rib 151 is provided at an outer wall of the screw nut 15, and the guiding rib 151 is extended into the guiding slot 131 and slideable in the guiding slot 131. By means of the match of the guiding rib 151 and the guiding slot 131, the screw nut 15 can move along the threaded rod 14. Specifically, the outer tube 13 in the present embodiment is a square tube and has four side walls each of which is provided with the guiding slot 131, accordingly, four guiding ribs 151 are formed on the outer wall of the screw nut 15. Of course, the outer tube 12 can be a circular tube or other shapes, and the amounts of the guiding slots 131 and the guiding ribs 151 can be more than or less than four. The slider block 16 includes a main body 161 sleeved on the outer tube 13, which has a cavity and a support portion 162 located in the cavity. The support portion 162 is connected with the main body 161 via four connecting portions 163 which are located in the four guiding slots 131 of the outer tube 13 so that the slider block 16 can stably slide along the outer tube 13. A through hole 164 is formed on the support portion 162, through which the threaded rod 14 passes. It should be noted that, there is no connection relationship between the threaded rod 14 and the support portion 162, the rotation of the threaded rod 14 is independent with the sliding of the slider block 16. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, a limiting cover 17 is provided at a top of the outer tube 13, which has lager size than the outer tube 13. In such s way, the stroke of slider block 16 can be limited by the limiting cover 17, to prevent the disengagement of the slider block 16. Combining with FIGS. 5 and 6, an electric headrest support including the electric push rod 1 is provided, for automatically adjusting the angle of the headrest and preventing the user's finger from being jammed. The electric headrest support includes an adjusting assembly 2, and the adjusting assembly 2 includes a sliding rail, a first fastener 20, a second fastener 21, a first linkage 22, a second linkage 23, a third linkage 24 and a fourth linkage 25. Specifically, the first fastener 20 is fixed to the sofa body, and the second fastener 21 is fixed to the sofa headrest. The sliding rail includes a first rail 26 and a second rail 27 that are slidably connected with each other, the first rail 26 is fixed on the first fastener 20, the second rail 26 is fixed on a lower end of the first linkage 22, one end of the second fastener 21 is pivotally connected to an upper end of the first linkage 22, one end of the second linkage 23 is pivotally connected to one end of the second fastener 21, the first linkage 22 and the second linkage 23 are connected to the second fastener 21 adjacently, one end of the third linkage 24 is pivotally connected to a middle part of the first linkage 22, another end of the third linkage 24 is pivotally connected to one end of the fourth linkage 25, another end of the fourth linkage 25 is pivotally connected to the first rail 26, another end of the second linkage 23 is pivotally connected to a middle part of the third linkage 24, the drive motor 12 of the electric push rod 1 is connected with the first fastener 20, and the slider block 16 is connected with the first linkage 22. In this embodiment, the number of the adjusting assembly 2 is two, and the electric headrest support further includes a fixed rod 3 and a drive rod 4, the electric push rod 1 is configured between the two adjusting assemblies 2 by means of the fixed rod 3 and the drive rod 4 to actuate the adjusting assemblies 2. For each adjusting assembly 2, the second, third and fourth linkages 23, 24, 25 are arc-shaped linkages, while the first linkage 21 is a long strip structure. Relative to the first linkage 22, the second fastener 21, the second, third and fourth linkages 23, 24, 25 and the sliding rail are located at the same side of the first linkage 22. Relative to the sliding rail. The first fastener 20 and the first linkage 22 are respectively fixed on the front and rear side of the sliding rail. As shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, the sliding rail further includes an inner member 28 and multiple roll balls 29 inside the first and the second rails 26 and 27. Two rolling slots 261 are formed at both sides of the first rail 26. The inner member 28 is fixed to the first rail 26, and the cross section of the inner member 28 is in a shape of “”, and the inner member 28 has two bent end portions that are corresponding to the two rolling slots 261. The two bent end portions of the inner member 28 are provided with a row of holes where the roll balls 29 are fixed, meanwhile, a part of each roll ball 29 is received in the rolling slot 261. Similarly, the cross section of the second rail 27 is in a shape of “” as well, and the second rail 27 is covered on the first rail 26, the inner member 28 and the roll balls 29, further, the bent side portions of the second rail 27 clap a part of the roll balls 29. In such a way, the second rail 27 and the first rail 26 are connected together, and the first rail 26 can slide relative to the second rail 27 under the rolling action of the roll balls 29. Further, a limiting portion 271 is formed at the inner walls of the bent sides of the second rail 27 to contact with the roll balls 29, thereby limiting the stroke of the second rail 27 relative to the first rail 26. Of course, other suitable sliding rails also can be used. Referring to FIGS. 5 and 6, the first fastener 20 includes a first portion 201 and a second portion 202 that are parallel to each other, and a connection portion 203 connected between the first and the second portions 201, 202. The first rail 26 is fixed to the first portion 201, the connection portion 203 is located at a side of the sliding rail, while the second portion 202 is fixed to the sofa body by means of rivets, etc. Specifically, the first portion 201, the second portion 202 and the connection portion 203 are integrated in a unity. The second fastener 21 includes a main member 211 and a fixed portion 213 which is connected at one end of the main member 211 and approximately perpendicular to the main member 211, and the fixed portion 213 is fixed to the sofa headrest by rivets, and the like. As shown, a top of the first linkage 22 is provided with an arc-shape limiting slot 221, the second fastener 21 is provided with a limiting pin 216 which is extended into the limiting slot 221. When the second fastener 21 pivots relative to the first linkage 22, the limiting pin 216 is slid within the limiting slot 221. In such a way, the swing range of the second fastener 21 can be limited, so as to define the adjusting range of the headrest. In the embodiment, all pivotal connections between two adjacent linkages, between the linkage and the fastener, and between the linkage and the first rail 26 are achieved by means of rivets, and all pivoting axis are parallel to each other. Specifically, two ends of the fixed rod 3 are respectively connected with the two first fasteners 20 of the two adjusting assemblies 2. The drive rod 4 is located above the fixed rod 3 and parallel to the fixed rod 3, two ends of the drive rod 4 are respectively fixed to the two first linkages 22 of the two adjusting assemblies 2. Specifically, two ends of the drive rod 4 are provided with a connecting member 5 respectively, one end of the connecting member 5 is fixed to the drive rod 4, and the other end of the connecting member 5 is fixed to the first linkage 22. Since the first fastener 20 is arranged at the inner side of the sliding rail, while the first linkage 22 is arranged at the outer side of the sliding rail, thus this connecting member 5 is necessary to arrange at the end of the drive rod 4, so that the connection between the drive rod 4 and the first linkage 22 can be achieved, and the action of the drive rod 4 may not be interfered by the first fastener 20. As illustrated, the fixed base of the electric push rod 1 is pivotally connected to a middle position of the fixed rod 3, so that the entirety of the electric push rod 1 can pivot relative to the fixed rod 3. Two pivoting arms 41 protruding toward the electric push rod 1 are formed on the drive rod 4 and located at two sides of the slider block 16 to connect with the slider block 16. Combing with FIGS. 3 and 5, when the threaded rod 14 is rotated positively to actuate the screw nut 15 to move upwards, the slider block 16 is pushed accordingly to actuate the drive rod 4 to move upwards, further, the adjusting assemblies 2 are driven to unfold the multiple linkages, finally the headrest is unfolded to the highest position as shown in FIG. 5. Conversely, when the threaded rod 14 is driven by the drive motor 14 to rotate inversely, the screw nut 15 will move down, accordingly, the slider block 16 will be disengaged from the screw nut 15, by this token, the rotation of the threaded rod 14 will not cause the headrest to fold. Therefore, user's hand or fingers will not be jammed by the headrest even if the slider block 16 moves down due to the weight itself. In the above embodiment, since the drive motor 12 can't drive the headrest to retract, thus it's required to retract the headrest manually, which is inconvenient. For simplifying the operation, an elastic member can be arranged between the first linkage 22 and the second fastener 21, so as to urge the automatic retraction of the second fastener 21. As illustrated in FIG. 6, the elastic member is a coil spring 7 of which one end is fixed to a fixing pin 215 mounted on the second fastener 21, another end is hooked to a fixing pole 222 mounted on the first linkage 22. During the angle of the headrest is expanded by swinging the second fastener 21, the coil spring 7 is compressed gradually. Once the slider block 16 disengages from the screw nut 15, the coil spring 7 urges the second fastener 21 to swing reversely, thereby folding the multiple linkages to cause the slider block 16 to move to the initial position on the screw nut 15 finally. Optionally, the coil spring 7 can be arranged in either adjusting assembly 2; however, both adjusting assemblies 2 equipped with a respective coil spring 7 are preferred to make force balanced. In addition, an outer cover 8 is coved on the coil spring 7 for protection. While the invention has been described in connection with what are presently considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is not to be limited to the disclosed embodiments, but on the contrary, is intended to cover various modifications and equivalent arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the invention. | <SOH> BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION <EOH>Generally, angles of a headrest of sofa can be adjusted to improve comfort. One of the achievement manners is to set a headrest support in the sofa. The headrest support includes two fasteners, an electric push rod and a plurality of linkages, therein one fastener is fixed to the sofa body, another one is fixed to the headrest, the electric push rod is for driving the linkages to fold or unfold to change the relative position of the two fasteners, so that the angles of the headrest can be adjusted. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 , a conventional electric push rod 9 includes a drive motor 91 , an outer tube 92 , a threaded rod 93 and a slider block 94 . Specifically, the outer tube 92 is hollow and fixed to the drive motor 91 , the threaded rod 93 is located in the outer tube 92 and driven by the drive motor 91 . The slider block 94 is sleeved on the outer tube 92 connected with the threaded rod 93 in the outer tube 92 via a screw hole 95 , and then the slider block 94 is fixed to the linkages of the headrest. When the drive motor 91 is started up, the slider block 94 will move upwards or downwards to achieve the adjustment of the headrest angles. However, such electric push rod has following disadvantages. Since the slider 94 is moved along with the rotation of the threaded rod 93 , thus when the headrest is retracted to fold, the continuous movement of the slider block 94 may jam user's hands or fingers if the hands or fingers are rested under the headrest. Thus it's necessary to provide an electric push rod that can prevent user's hands or fingers from being jammed, so as to ensure the user safety. | <SOH> SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION <EOH>One objective of the present invention is to provide an electric push rod that can prevent user's hands from being jammed. Another objective of the present invention is to provide an electric headrest support with an electric push rod. To achieve the above objectives, an electric push rod of the present invention includes a drive motor, an outer tube, a threaded rod, a screw nut and a slider block. The outer tube is fixed to the drive motor, the threaded rod and the screw nut are located in the outer tube, the screw nut is in a threaded connection with the threaded rod, the drive motor is connected with the threaded rod to drive the threaded rod, and the slider block is sleeved on the outer tube and supported on the screw nut. When the threaded rod is rotated positively to actuate the screw nut to move upwards, the slider block will be pushed by the screw nut to actuate the linkages to expand the angle of the headrest due to the slider block is supported on the screw; when the threaded rod is rotated inversely to actuate the screw nut to move downwards, the slider block will not move downwards or trend to move downwards due to the screw nut fails to fix on the slider block, thus hands or fingers will not be jammed by the headrest even if the hands or fingers are rested under the headrest. By this token, the device is safe. Preferably, the electric push rod further includes a fixed base, the outer tube and the drive motor are fixed on the fixed base respectively, and output axis of the threaded rod and the drive motor are extended into the fixed base. Preferably, a limiting cover is provided at a top of the outer tube to limit the slider block. Preferably, a side wall of the outer tube is provided with a guiding slot that is extended from up to down, and the screw nut is provided with a guiding rib that is slid within the guiding slot. Preferably, a side wall of the outer tube is provided with a guiding slot that is extended from up to down, the slider block comprises a main body that is sleeved around the outer tube and a support portion located in the outer tube, the support portion is fixed on the main body via a connection portion which is slid within the guiding slot, and the support portion is provided with a through hole through which the threaded rod passes. An electric headrest support of the present invention includes an adjusting assembly and the electric push rod. The adjusting assembly includes a sliding rail, a first fastener, a second fastener, a first linkage, a second linkage, a third linkage and a fourth linkage. The sliding rail includes a first rail and a second rail that are slidably connected with each other, the first rail is fixed on the first fastener, the second rail is fixed on a lower end of the first linkage, one end of the second fastener is pivotally connected to an upper end of the first linkage, one end of the second linkage is pivotally connected to one end of the second fastener, the first linkage and the second linkage are adjacently connected to the second fastener, one end of the third linkage is pivotally connected to a middle part of the first linkage, another end of the third linkage is pivotally connected to one end of the fourth linkage, another end of the fourth linkage is pivotally connected to the first rail, another end of the second linkage is pivotally connected to a middle part of the third linkage, the drive motor of the electric push rod is connected with the first fastener, and the slider block is connected with the first linkage Preferably, two said adjusting assemblies are arranged, and the electric push rod is configured between the two adjusting assemblies. Preferably, the electric headrest support further includes a fixed rod and a drive rod. Two ends of the fixed rod are respectively fixed to two first fasteners of the two adjusting assemblies, two ends of the drive rod are respectively fixed to two first linkages of the two adjusting assemblies, the drive motor is configured on the fixed rod, and the slider block is connected with the drive rod. Preferably, a top of the first linkage is provided with an arc-shape limiting slot, the second fastener is provided with a limiting pin which is slid within the limiting slot. Preferably, an elastic member is arranged between the first linkage and the second fastener to cause the second fastener to fold. | A47C738 | 20180105 | 20180510 | 61268.0 | A47C738 | 0 | BARFIELD, ANTHONY DERRELL | ELECTRIC PUSH ROD AND ELECTRIC HEADREST SUPPORT | SMALL | 0 | ACCEPTED | A47C | 2,018 |
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15,863,276 | PENDING | T-BAR FOR SUSPENDED CEILING WITH HEAT DISSIPATION SYSTEM FOR LED LIGHTING | The T-bar includes an elongate rigid spine extending between terminal ends including either a fixed anchor or adjustable anchor for attachment to adjacent T-bars or other supports. An upper heat sink is provided on an upper portion of the spine to enhance heat transfer from the T-bar to air surrounding upper portions of the T-bar. A light housing is provided on a lower portion of the T-bar which is configured to support a lighting module therein, such as a light emitting diode (LED) light. A lower heat sink is provided above this light housing and integrated into a rest shelf which supports ceiling tiles adjacent the T-bar. A power supply is provided which can be removably attached to the T-bar and provide appropriately conditioned power for the lighting module. | 1. A T-bar for a suspended ceiling, the T-bar comprising: an elongated rigid spine extending from a first terminal end to a second terminal end; a fixed anchor attached to the elongated rigid spine on at least one of the first or second terminal ends; a lower portion of the elongated rigid spine including a rest shelf extending to both lateral sides of the elongated rigid spine, the rest shelf and elongated rigid spine forming a constant cross-sectional form of the T-bar from the first terminal end to the second terminal end; at least one light source located on a bottom side of the rest shelf and attached to the bottom side of the rest shelf; and a light source covering, the light source covering attachable to the rest shelf and configured to allow passage of light illuminating from the light source through the light source covering. 2. The T-bar of claim 1, further comprising a fixed anchor located on the other of the first and second terminal end of the elongated rigid spine. 3. The T-bar of claim 1, further comprising an adjustable anchor located on the other of the first and second terminal end of the elongated rigid spine, the adjustable anchor attached to the elongated rigid spine by an adjustable fastener to allow movement of the adjustable anchor. 4. The T-bar of claim 1, wherein the rest shelf further comprises a plurality of side walls extending downward from a first terminal end of the rest shelf and a second terminal end of the rest shelf, the plurality of side walls and the bottom side of the rest shelf forming a light housing to contain the at least one light source of the T-bar. 5. The T-bar of claim 4, wherein each side wall of the plurality of side walls has a track slot facing an interior of the light housing. 6. The T-bar of claim 5, wherein the light source covering is contained within the track slot of the plurality of side walls to allow passage of light illuminating from the at least one light source through the light source covering. 7. The T-bar of claim 4, further comprising a reflector located within the light housing and positioned to reflect light from the at least one light source out of the light housing. 8. A T-Bar with a light source for use in a suspended ceiling, the T-bar with light source comprising: an elongated spine extending from a first terminal end to a second terminal end, the elongated spine being a thin planar structure with a longitudinal edge extending between the first and second terminal ends; a rest shelf spaced from the longitudinal edge of the elongated spine extending to both lateral sides of the elongated spine, wherein the rest shelf is positioned so that at least one ceiling tile may rest upon each lateral side of the rest shelf extending from the elongated spine; a plurality of anchors, each anchor located at each terminal end of the elongated spine and connectable to either a second T-bar with light source or a common T-bar used for a suspended ceiling frame; and a light housing, the light housing located on a bottom side of the rest shelf and containing the light source such that the light source is positioned below the at least one suspended ceiling tile resting upon the rest shelf. 9. The T-bar with light source of claim 8, further comprising a power source connected to the light source to illuminate an area below the T-bar with light source. 10. The T-bar with light source of claim 9, wherein the power source is located remote from the T-bar with light source and connected to the light source by wiring traveling through a hole in the rest shelf. 11. The T-Bar with light source of claim 9, wherein the power source is attached to the elongated spine through use of a power source fastener, the power source connected to the light source by wiring through a hole in a top side of the rest shelf. 12. The T-bar with light source of claim 8, further comprising an upper heat sink formed adjacent to the longitudinal edge of the elongated spine. 13. The T-bar with light source of claim 12, wherein the upper heat sink comprises at least one fin protruding laterally from each side of the elongated spine. 14. The T-bar with light source of claim 8, further comprising a lower heat sink formed adjacent to the rest shelf. 15. The T-bar with light source of claim 14, wherein the lower heat sink comprises at least one fin protruding from a top side of the rest shelf on each lateral side of the rest shelf separated by the elongated spine. 16. A T-bar for a suspended ceiling, the T-bar comprising: an elongated spine extending from a first terminal end to a second terminal end, the elongated spine have an upper heat sink formed into the elongated spine; a rest shelf forming a lower portion of the elongated spine, the rest shelf extending to both lateral sides of the elongated spine and having a lower heat sink formed into the rest shelf on each lateral side, wherein the rest shelf with the lower heat sink and the elongated spine with the upper heat sink create a constant cross-sectional form of the T-bar; a light housing, the light housing located on a bottom side of the rest shelf and containing a light source attached to the bottom side of the rest shelf; and a power source, the power source connected to the light source to power the light source and illuminate an area below the T-bar. 17. The T-bar of claim 16, further comprising at least one fin protruding laterally from at least one side of the elongated spine to form the upper heat sink. 18. The T-bar of claim 16, further comprising at least one fin protruding from a top side of the rest shelf on at least one lateral side of the rest shelf to form the lower heat sink. 19. The T-bar of claim 16, wherein the power source is located remote from the T-bar and connected to the light source by wiring traveling through a hole in the rest shelf. 20. The T-bar of claim 16, further comprising a plurality of anchors, each anchor located at each terminal end of the elongated spine, the plurality of anchors connectable to either a second T-bar with light source or a common T-bar used for a suspended ceiling frame. | CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/634,219 filed on Sep. 11, 2012, which is a continuation and claims benefit of the earlier filing dates associated with International Application No. PCT/US2011/000455 filed on Mar. 10, 2011, which designates the United States and other countries; and is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/661,252 filed on Mar. 11, 2010 and issued as U.S. Pat. No. 8,177,385 on May 15, 2012, which was claimed for priority in the above-identified international application. FIELD OF THE INVENTION The following invention relates to T-bars for use in supporting ceiling tiles within a suspended ceiling. More particularly, this invention relates to T-bars which include lighting supported therefrom, and particularly LED lighting, with the T-bar configured to include a heat sink for dissipating heat generated by the light source. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION A common form of surface finish for ceilings, especially within commercial construction is the “dropped ceiling.” With a dropped ceiling a lattice of T-bars is suspended at a height desired for the ceiling. Ceiling tiles are provided which have a size and shape matching gaps in this lattice of T-bars. These ceiling tiles are placed within these gaps to fill these gaps between the T-bars. The T-bars generally have a shape with a vertically extending spine portion and a horizontally extending rest shelf so that the T-bar is generally in the form of an upside down “T.” Lighting for interior building spaces can be provided in a variety of different ways. Often the most effective lighting for an interior space is overhead lighting. In a commercial environment where rooms are typically quite large, it is often advantageous to suspend lighting from the ceiling or embed lighting within the ceiling. When the ceiling includes a “dropped ceiling” arrangement, often some of the gaps in the lattice of T-bars are filled with lighting bays. For instance, fluorescent light tubes can reside within lighting bays that are sized to fill typical gaps within the T-bar lattice. Thus, rather than place a ceiling tile within certain gaps, lighting bays are installed. An important consideration in the design and construction of buildings is the energy utilized by such buildings. One major factor in energy consumption of a building is the efficiency with which the space is heated and cooled. When the space utilizes a dropped ceiling, typically the conditioned space is only that space below the ceiling tiles of the“dropped ceiling.” Heating, ventilating and air conditioning (HVAC) ducts can be mounted in gaps between T-bars within the lattice forming the dropped ceiling in place of a ceiling tile, to deliver conditioned air into the conditioned space within the building. Space above the dropped ceiling typically has an undesirably hot or cold temperature compared to the conditioned space below. To enhance the effectiveness of HVAC systems in such buildings, ceiling tiles typically have a degree of resistance to heat transfer therethrough, such that temperature differentials between space above the dropped ceiling and conditioned space below the dropped ceiling can be efficiently maintained. An additional source of power consumption within a building is the power consumed by lighting. Not only does lighting within a building directly affect energy consumption due to the power utilized to drive the light sources, but also lighting often generates significant heat within the conditioned space which then must be transferred from the space when the space is experiencing an unacceptably high temperature. Prior art attempts to reduce the energy consumption associated with lighting have included use of lower power higher efficiency lighting sources, such as fluorescent lighting and light emitting diode (LED) lighting. Beneficially, such alternative lighting sources both require less power to drive the light sources, and also typically generate less heat, minimizing heat sources which the HVAC systems of the building thus need to contend with. LED lighting also typically has a longer life than other lighting technologies. One problem that is generated by utilization of LED lightings in particular, is that while a relatively low amount of heat is generated by the LED lighting, this heat is concentrated in a particularly small space directly adjacent the LED electronics required to generate the light. A major factor in the operating life of such LED lighting is the degree to which this heat can be effectively dissipated to avoid excessive heating of the electronics associated with the LED and other components of the LED which experience a shorter operational life when excess temperatures are experienced. Accordingly, a need exists for heat management associated with LED lighting, particularly when LED lighting is incorporated into a dropped ceiling of a building. Secondarily, other light sources and other sources of heat can benefit from having heat associated therewith transferred out of the conditioned space within a building, rather than the heat adding to the heat load within the conditioned space and requiring additional load on the HVAC equipment within the building. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION With this invention, a T-bar is provided for a dropped ceiling which is configured to transfer heat effectively away from T-bar and ceiling mounted light sources and other heat sources, and into a space above a dropped ceiling. The T-bar can have any of a variety of different general cross-sections including a spine and a rest shelf at a lower end of the spine. Anchors are provided at terminal ends of the T-bar for attachment of ends of the T-bar within a conventional dropped ceiling system. For instance, the T-bar anchors can attach to adjacent T-bars or other supports in the forming of an entire lattice of T-bars within an existing conventional dropped ceiling system. A lower portion of the T-bar and beneath the rest shelf includes a light housing which can contain a lighting module therein. In a preferred form of this invention this lighting module includes at least one light emitting diode (LED) light source therein. An upper heat sink is coupled to the spine. This upper heat sink includes fins with gaps between the fins to enhance a rate of heat transfer between the heat sink and air adjacent the upper heat sink and above the ceiling tiles. The T-bar preferably also includes a lower heat sink in the form of fins extending from the rest shelf. Preferably these fins include an outer fin and short fins closer to the spine than the outer fin. The outer fin is preferably longer than the short fins. In this way, an air pathway is provided from gaps between the fins of the lower heat sink and a ceiling tile resting upon the outer fin, for effective natural convection heat transfer away from the lower heat sink. The lower heat sink and light housing, as well as the spine and upper heat sink are preferably each formed together from a unitary mass of material to maximize heat transfer from the LED or other heat source to the heat sinks and then to the air within the space above the dropped ceiling. The entire T-bar is formed of a material having a higher than average thermal conductivity so that efficient heat transfer away from the LED or other heat source is accomplished. A power supply for the LED is configured to be attachable to the upper heat sink so that a complete assembly for powering the LED lighting within the T-bar is suspended from the T-bar within the dropped ceiling system. By placing the lighting suspended from a lower surface of the T-bar, gaps within the T-bar lattice of the dropped ceiling system that would otherwise contain lighting can contain additional ceiling tiles to further enhance a resistance to heat transfer through the dropped ceiling to enhance an overall efficiency of the space conditioned by the HVAC system. Also, the aesthetic appearance of the ceiling can be enhanced by eliminating breaks in the ceiling for large prior art lighting bays. For instance, an entire ceiling of uniform ceiling panels can be provided, including the option to provide unique regular patterns, such as alternating colors in a checkered pattern. OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, a primary object of the present invention is to provide a T-bar which supports a light source on a lower side thereof and which includes a heat sink on an upper portion thereof to dissipate heat from the light source. Another object of the present invention is to provide a T-bar with included heat dissipation structures to dissipate heat from a heat source adjacent a lower surface of the T-bar. Another object of the present invention is to provide a method for drawing heat away from a light source on a lower portion of a T-bar of a dropped ceiling system. Another object of the present invention is to provide a dropped ceiling system with T-bars that include lighting therein and associated heat dissipation structures for optimal lighting performance. Another object of the present invention is to minimize energy utilized by a lighted building space. Another object of the present invention is to provide lighting for a building space with a minimum power required. Another object of the present invention is to provide a lighting system for a building space which is easy and inexpensive to install and which exhibits a long life. Another object of the present invention is to provide a lighting system for a building which can easily be replaced and reconfigured. Another object of the present invention is to provide an LED light source for mounting within a dropped ceiling of a building and which effectively dissipates heat from the LED light source for optimal service life. Other further objects of the present invention will become apparent from a careful reading of the included drawing figures, the claims and detailed description of the invention. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a T-bar according to a preferred embodiment of this invention configured to include lighting mounted to a lower portion thereof and with heat dissipating structures above the light source. FIG. 2 is a detail of that which is shown in FIG. 1 and with central portions of the T-bar cut away. FIG. 3 is a full sectional view of the T-bar of FIGS. 1 and 2. FIG. 4 is a full sectional view similar to that which is shown in FIG. 3 but with included ceiling panels resting upon the T-bar and a lighting module located within a light housing of the T-bar. FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a dropped ceiling system including the T-bar of this invention and with a portion of a ceiling tile cut away to reveal portions of the T-bar above the dropped ceiling, as well as a power supply coupled to the T-bar and for supplying electric power to the lighting according to this invention. FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the power supply for supplying power to the light module of this invention, shown attached to the T-bar of FIG. 1, with the T-bar shown in broken lines. FIG. 7 is a sectional view of that which is shown in FIG. 6 and with the power supply exploded away from the T-bar and shown in phantom coupled to the T-bar to illustrate how the power supply is removably attachable to the T-bar. FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a T-bar with included lighting module according to an alternative embodiment featuring low intensity light emitting diode (LED) lighting technology. FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the T-bar of one form of this invention with included lighting module in the form of three high intensity light emitting diodes (LEDs), for example. DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals represent like parts throughout the various drawing figures, reference numeral 10 is directed to a T-bar (FIG. 1) forming a portion of a dropped ceiling system (FIG. 5) with the T-bar including a lighting module 70 (FIGS. 4, 5, 8 and 9) coupled to a lower end of the T-bar 10 for providing lighting in a space below the dropped ceiling system. The T-bar 10 includes heat dissipating structures including an upper heat sink 40 and lower heat sink 60 in this preferred embodiment for dissipating heat from the lighting module 70 or other heat sources adjacent the T-bar 10. In essence, and with particular reference to FIGS. 1-3, basic details of the T-bar 10 and associated features of this invention are described, according to this most preferred embodiment. The T-bar 10 is an elongate rigid structure extending between terminal ends and preferably having a substantially constant contour between the two terminal ends of the T-bar 10. A fixed anchor 20 is located at one of the terminal ends of the T-bar 10. An adjustable anchor 30 is provided at the opposite terminal end of the T-bar 10. The adjustable anchor 30 can be adjusted in length slightly (arrow A of FIGS. 1 and 2). The anchors allow the T-bar 10 to be connected to adjacent T-bars or other suspension structures, with the adjustable anchor 30 facilitating the process of attaching and detaching the T-bar 10 to adjacent structures, typically standard conventional prior art T-bars within a conventional dropped ceiling system. The T-bar 10 includes an upper heat sink 40 on an upper portion of the T-bar 10. This upper heat sink 40 is adapted to efficiently transfer heat away from the T-bar 10 to air surrounding upper portions of the T-bar 10. A lower portion of the T-bar 10 preferably supports a light housing 50. This light housing 50 is configured to be located below a dropped ceiling of which the T-bar 10 is a part, with the light housing 50 adapted to hold a lighting module 70 therein, such as a light emitting diode (LED) lighting module 70. Preferably, a lower heat sink 60 is also provided on the T-bar 10. This lower heat sink 60 is preferably built into a rest shelf 62 of the T-bar 10 which also functions to hold edges of ceiling tiles C (FIGS. 4 and 5) adjacent the T-bar 10. A power supply 80 is provided (FIGS. 6 and 7) which can be attached to the T-bar 10, such as by removable attachment in a manner gripping the upper heat sink 40. The T-bar 10 thus supports the ceiling tiles C and also is configured to include lighting therein and adapted to transfer heat away from lighting or other structures adjacent lower portions of the T-bar 10 and to also support a power supply 80 for the lighting. More specifically, and with continuing reference to FIGS. 1-3, particular details of the structure of the T-bar 10 itself are described, according to this most preferred embodiment. The T-bar 10 is preferably a rigid elongate structure formed of aluminum. Most preferably, the T-bar 10 is extruded so that it has a constant cross-sectional form (FIG. 3) including the various features provided by the preferred embodiment of this invention. The T-bar 10 could be formed of other materials, with emphasis placed on the ability of the material to facilitate conduction heat transfer therethrough, and also have desirable weight and strength characteristics to operate as a portion of a dropped ceiling system. Other materials which might be suitable in some circumstances include steel. It is also conceivable that the T-bar 10 could be formed of separate components attached together, with the separate components either being made of a common material or from different materials. If the different portions of the T-bar 10 are formed of different materials and different subassemblies, these subassemblies are preferably fixedly held adjacent each other such that the T-bar 10 functions primarily as a single unit. The cross-section of the T-bar 10 generally includes a spine 12 which is preferably a somewhat thin planar structure which extends substantially vertically up from a rest shelf 62. The spine 12 and rest shelf 62 together form an inverted “T” to generally form the T-bar 10. The spine 12 preferably includes a slot 14 near a midpoint thereof, and potentially at other portions passing through the spine 12. The slot 14 is configured to receive tabs 22 of adjacent T-bars 10 that might be suspended from the slot 14 in the T-bar 10 to complete the dropped ceiling. Suspension holes 16 also preferably pass through the spines 12. These suspension holes 16 can accommodate wires or other suspension lines which extend up to anchor points above the dropped ceiling so that the suspension holes 16 act to support the entire dropped ceiling in a desired position (FIG. 5). Additional suspension holes 16 can be provided if required. The T-bar 10 in this embodiment is approximately two feet long. In other embodiments, the T-bar 10 could be longer (or shorter) but preferably has a contour similar to that disclosed in FIGS. 1-3 regardless of the length of the T-bar 10. Another standard size for the T-bar 10 would typically be four feet. Conceivably in particularly long lengths, the T-bar 10 might be slightly changed in geometry to have the structural strength required to remain rigid over such long spans. Other modifications to the T-bar 10 can be made consistent with known techniques for T-bar modification within the dropped ceiling T-bar art. With particular reference to FIG. 2, details of the fixed anchor 20 and adjustable anchor 30 for the terminal ends of the T-bar 10 are described, according to this preferred embodiment. While the T-bar 10 could conceivably include two fixed anchors 20 or two adjustable anchors 30, preferably the T-bar 10 includes one fixed anchor 20 and one adjustable anchor 30. The fixed anchor 20 includes a tab 22 defining a thin axial extension from the spine 12 sized to fit within the slot 14 of another T-bar. A lower portion of this tab 22 is preferably configured with a lower notch 24. A tooth 26 preferably is provided beyond the lower notch 24 and defines a portion of the tab 22 lower than other portions of the tab 22. Taken together, the tab 22 with the lower notch 24 and tooth 26 allow the fixed anchor 20 to pass through a slot 14 or other related support structure with the tooth 26 hanging down beyond the slot 14 and with the lower notch 24 straddling the slot 14, so that the tab 22 is generally held within the slot 14. To remove the fixed anchor 20 from within the slot 14, a user would lift slightly on the T-bar 10 and then translate the tab 22 of the fixed anchor 20 out of the slot 14 by translating the entire T-bar 10. When the end of the T-bar 10 opposite the fixed anchor 20 is positioned so that it cannot be readily moved, it is desirable to utilize an adjustable anchor 30 on at least one end of the T-bar 10. With the adjustable anchor 30, the tab 22 can be removed from one of the terminal ends of the T-bar 10 even when each end of the T-bar 10 is positioned where it cannot be translated linearly axial to an elongate axis of the T-bar 10 due to constraints adjacent ends of the T-bar 10. In particular, and in this exemplary embodiment, the adjustable anchor 30 preferably has a form similar to the fixed anchor 20, except that the tab 22 is capable of translating horizontally and axially along a long axis of the T-bar 10 (along arrow A of FIGS. 1 and 2). The adjustable anchor 30 is preferably mounted on a plate 32. This plate 32 includes a slot 34 therein and resides within a recess 36 at an end of the spine 12, adjacent the terminal end having the adjustable anchor 30 thereon. The recess 36 defines a portion of the spine 12 of only partial thickness within which the plate 32 resides. A threaded shaft 35 passes through the slot 34 and is fixed to the spine 12. This slot 34 can slide relative to the threaded shaft 35 so that the adjustable anchor 30 is allowed to translate linearly in a horizontal direction, but is restrained from other motion. A wing nut 37 or other fastener is preferably provided which can attach to the threaded shaft 35 and affix the adjustable anchor 30 in any given position relative to the slot 34. Thus, for instance, when the T-bar 10 is to be removed from an adjacent T-bar, the wing nut 37 of the adjustable anchor 30 is loosened. Next, the adjustable anchor 30 is allowed to translate with the slot 34 sliding over the threaded shaft 35 until the tab 22 associated with the adjustable anchor 30 has been moved out of the slot 14 in which it is anchored. The entire T-bar 10 can then be translated in a downward direction. The T-bar 10 can then be replaced with a replacement T-bar of any variety. The adjustable anchor 30 can be modified to connect within other existing ceiling systems. In such other ceiling systems the fixed anchor 20 could also be modified to attach within such systems. With particular reference to FIGS. 2-4, particular details of the upper heat sink 40 of the T-bar 10 are described, according to this most preferred embodiment. The T-bar 10 is preferably configured with the upper heat sink 40 formed and positioned to efficiently transfer heat from the T-bar 10 to air space adjacent upper portions of the T-bar 10. To facilitate such heat transfer, the upper heat sink 40 is provided. By enhancing a surface area of the T-bar 10 adjacent the upper heat sink 40, natural convection is accelerated so that heat is drawn away from the T-bar 10 more rapidly. Conduction heat transfer between a lighting module 70 adjacent a lower end of the T-bar 10 can thus more effectively occur through the T-bar 10, to the upper heat sink 40. Convection heat transfer then effectively moves the heat from the heat sink 40 out to air surrounding the upper heat sink 40, to minimize temperature increase of the lighting module 70 and enhance its operating longevity. Also, with LED lighting, such temperature reduction causes the lighting module 70 to most efficiently convert electric power to light, enhancing the efficiency with which the lighting module 70 operates. The upper heat sink 40 includes at least one fin, but most preferably includes a series of fins extending laterally from each side of an upper end of the spine 12. In the embodiment shown, six fins 44 extend laterally from each side of the spine 12, between an upper end 42 and a lower end 48. Lateral gaps 46 are provided between the adjacent lateral fins 44. Air within the lateral gaps 46 is heated and then passes out of the lateral gaps 46 by natural convection, being replaced by cooler air which is then heated and travels out by natural convection, with this process continuing so that natural convection heat transfer accelerates removal of heat from the T-bar 10 through the upper heat sink 40. The upper heat sink 40 also acts as a portion of the T-bar 10 which conveniently facilitates attachment of the power supply 80 associated with the lighting module 70 to be mounted to the T-bar 10 in a convenient and reliable manner, as described in detail below. With continuing reference to FIGS. 2-4, details of the light housing 50 of this invention are described according to this most preferred embodiment. The light housing 50 defines a portion of the T-bar 10 which is particularly configured to contain a lighting module 70 therein, such as a light emitting diode (LED) lighting module 70. The light housing 50 could have a variety of different configurations with the configurations shown here merely being one such effective configuration. The light housing 50 is preferably rigid in form and shaped along with the other portions of the T-bar 10 as a single unitary mass of material. This light housing 50 includes a top wall 52 which is preferably planar and extends substantially horizontally and acts as an underside of the rest shelf 62 upon which ceiling tiles C are positioned. Side walls 54 extend down from front and back edges of the top wall 52. These side walls 54 are preferably parallel with each other and substantially mirror images of each other. Tips 56 of the side walls 54 define lowermost portions of this light housing 50, with a light supporting space therebetween. Track slots 58 are preferably provided in the side walls 54 adjacent the tips 56. These track slots 58 can help to hold and direct into the light housing 50 a lighting module 70, such as that described and shown in FIG. 4, including a light element 76 that is preferably in the form of a light emitting diode (LED). The lighting module 70 can be any of a variety of different kinds of lighting modules, but is most preferably an LED lighting module such as the low intensity lighting module 70′ associated with the T-bar 10′ (FIG. 8) or the high intensity lighting module 70 associated with the T-bar 10 shown in FIG. 9. In the embodiment of FIG. 8, thirty separate LEDs make up the low intensity lighting module 70. In the embodiment of FIG. 9, three high intensity LEDs provide the lighting module 70 and would typically provide a similar amount of light (if not more) than that supplied by the low intensity lighting module of FIG. 8. High intensity LEDs require an even greater amount of heat dissipation than low intensity LEDs for optimal life. With further reference to FIG. 4, the particular details of the lighting module 70 preferably include an enclosure 72 which fits within the light housing 50 and includes side rails 74 which rest within the track slots 58 of the light housing 50 to support the lighting module 70 within the light housing 50. A light element 76 is included within the lighting module 70 as well as required electronics. A reflector 78 is preferably provided to optimally reflect most of the light down to the space below the lighting module 70. Preferably, portions of the lighting module 70 including the enclosure 72 are formed of aluminum or other relatively high rate of heat transfer materials to optimize heat transfer from the light element 76 and associated electronics to the adjacent light housing 50 and other portions of the T-bar 10. The top wall 52 of the light housing 50 is configured to be directly adjacent upper portions of the enclosure 72 of the lighting module 70. In this way, conduction heat transfer can efficiently occur between the lighting module 70 and the light housing 50 of the T-bar 10. Most preferably, the T-bar 10 includes a lower heat sink 60 in addition to the upper heat sink 40, but could optionally have only the upper heat sink 40 or only the lower heat sink 60. Additionally, further heat sinks could be attached to or formed with the T-bar 10, such as extending laterally from the spine 12 below the upper heat sink 40. The lower heat sink 60 includes a plurality of fins extending up from the rest shelf 62. These fins preferably include an outer fin 64 most distant from the spine 12 and short fins 66 between the outer fins 64 and the spine 12. Vertical gaps 68 are provided between the fins 64, 66. While these fins 64, 66 generally act to enhance convection heat transfer, these fins 64, 66 also are preferably configured so that air between the fins 64, 66, and within the gaps 68 is not trapped, but rather can travel out (along arrow H of FIG. 4) of these gaps. By providing the outer fins 64 as tall fins, taller than the short fins 66, such a gap is provided for passage of air (along arrow H of FIG. 4) with the ceiling tile C resting upon the outer fin 64 and above the short fins 66. If required, portions of the ceiling tile C adjacent the rest shelf 62 could be adjusted geometrically and/or formed of alternate materials to ensure that this gap for heat transfer along arrow H is maintained. With particular reference to FIGS. 5-7, details of the power supply 80 for conditioning and delivering power to the lighting module 70 and mounting the power supply 80 to the T-bar 10 are described, according to a most preferred embodiment. The light element 76 within the lighting module 70 typically requires electric power having a particular voltage, current and potentially cycle rate (for AC power) and perhaps other characteristics for optimal performance. The power supply 80 is preferably provided to transform available power into power having a form most optimal for powering the light source 76 within the lighting module 70. In the case of LED lighting, typically low voltage DC power is required. Often available power for the lighting is in the form of between 110 volt and 277 volt AC power. The power supply 80 in such a configuration would be primarily in the form of an AC to DC transformer with an output voltage matching that required for the LED lighting involved. The power supply 80 is preferably generally provided as a module 84 in an enclosure that is mounted upon a plate 82 which is preferably substantially planar and configured to be aligned substantially coplanar with the spine 12. In this way, the power supply 80 and associated mounting hardware generally remain in an area directly above the T-bar 10 so that ceiling tiles C resting upon the T-bar 10 can still be readily moved off of the T-bar 10 to replace ceiling tiles C and to access space above the dropped ceiling. A separate bracket 86 is preferably provided which is removably and adjustably attachable, such as through a fastener 88 to the plate 82. In one embodiment, this fastener 88 is in the form of a wing nut acting on a threaded shaft mounted to the plate 82. A channel 83 is preferably formed of a plate 82 and a channel 87 is preferably formed on the bracket 86. These channels 83, 87 are preferably complemental in form and facing each other. These channels 83, 87 preferably have a height similar of a height between the upper end 42 and lower end 48 of the upper heat sink 40. Thus, when the fastener 88 tightens the bracket 86 toward the plate 82, the channels 83, 87 can grip the upper heat sink 40 and hold the entire plate 82 and associated module 84 of the power supply 80 rigidly to the T-bar 10. Wiring (FIG. 5) extends from a source of power down to the module 84 of the power supply 80. Additional wiring (not shown) would be routed from the module 84 down to the lighting module 70, such as through holes in the top wall 52 of the light housing 50, to provide power to the lighting module 70. It is conceivable that a single power supply 80 could be provided for each lighting module 70 of each T-bar 10, or a single power supply 80 could serve more than one lighting module 70 of multiple separate T-bars 10. While the T-bar 10 of this preferred embodiment has been described in an embodiment where a lighting module is held within a light housing 50 of the T-bar 10, the T-bar 10 could support other structures which require heat dissipation, other than lighting, or lighting other than LED lighting. For instance, a fluorescent light bulb could be supported within the light housing 50 according to this invention. Other heat generating accessories desired to be mounted within the ceiling could also be mounted to the T-bar 10, for instance loud speakers could be fitted to lower portions of the T-bar 10 with heat dissipation provided by the various heat sinks 40, 60 of the T-bar 10 according to various different embodiments of this invention. This disclosure is provided to reveal a preferred embodiment of the invention and a best mode for practicing the invention. Having thus described the invention in this way, it should be apparent that various different modifications can be made to the preferred embodiment without departing from the scope and spirit of this invention disclosure. When structures are identified as a means to perform a function, the identification is intended to include all structures which can perform the function specified. When structures of this invention are identified as being coupled together, such language should be interpreted broadly to include the structures being coupled directly together (or formed together) or coupled together through intervening structures. Such coupling could be permanent or temporary and either in a rigid fashion or in a fashion which allows pivoting, sliding or other relative motion while still providing some form of attachment, unless specifically restricted. | <SOH> BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION <EOH>A common form of surface finish for ceilings, especially within commercial construction is the “dropped ceiling.” With a dropped ceiling a lattice of T-bars is suspended at a height desired for the ceiling. Ceiling tiles are provided which have a size and shape matching gaps in this lattice of T-bars. These ceiling tiles are placed within these gaps to fill these gaps between the T-bars. The T-bars generally have a shape with a vertically extending spine portion and a horizontally extending rest shelf so that the T-bar is generally in the form of an upside down “T.” Lighting for interior building spaces can be provided in a variety of different ways. Often the most effective lighting for an interior space is overhead lighting. In a commercial environment where rooms are typically quite large, it is often advantageous to suspend lighting from the ceiling or embed lighting within the ceiling. When the ceiling includes a “dropped ceiling” arrangement, often some of the gaps in the lattice of T-bars are filled with lighting bays. For instance, fluorescent light tubes can reside within lighting bays that are sized to fill typical gaps within the T-bar lattice. Thus, rather than place a ceiling tile within certain gaps, lighting bays are installed. An important consideration in the design and construction of buildings is the energy utilized by such buildings. One major factor in energy consumption of a building is the efficiency with which the space is heated and cooled. When the space utilizes a dropped ceiling, typically the conditioned space is only that space below the ceiling tiles of the“dropped ceiling.” Heating, ventilating and air conditioning (HVAC) ducts can be mounted in gaps between T-bars within the lattice forming the dropped ceiling in place of a ceiling tile, to deliver conditioned air into the conditioned space within the building. Space above the dropped ceiling typically has an undesirably hot or cold temperature compared to the conditioned space below. To enhance the effectiveness of HVAC systems in such buildings, ceiling tiles typically have a degree of resistance to heat transfer therethrough, such that temperature differentials between space above the dropped ceiling and conditioned space below the dropped ceiling can be efficiently maintained. An additional source of power consumption within a building is the power consumed by lighting. Not only does lighting within a building directly affect energy consumption due to the power utilized to drive the light sources, but also lighting often generates significant heat within the conditioned space which then must be transferred from the space when the space is experiencing an unacceptably high temperature. Prior art attempts to reduce the energy consumption associated with lighting have included use of lower power higher efficiency lighting sources, such as fluorescent lighting and light emitting diode (LED) lighting. Beneficially, such alternative lighting sources both require less power to drive the light sources, and also typically generate less heat, minimizing heat sources which the HVAC systems of the building thus need to contend with. LED lighting also typically has a longer life than other lighting technologies. One problem that is generated by utilization of LED lightings in particular, is that while a relatively low amount of heat is generated by the LED lighting, this heat is concentrated in a particularly small space directly adjacent the LED electronics required to generate the light. A major factor in the operating life of such LED lighting is the degree to which this heat can be effectively dissipated to avoid excessive heating of the electronics associated with the LED and other components of the LED which experience a shorter operational life when excess temperatures are experienced. Accordingly, a need exists for heat management associated with LED lighting, particularly when LED lighting is incorporated into a dropped ceiling of a building. Secondarily, other light sources and other sources of heat can benefit from having heat associated therewith transferred out of the conditioned space within a building, rather than the heat adding to the heat load within the conditioned space and requiring additional load on the HVAC equipment within the building. | <SOH> SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION <EOH>With this invention, a T-bar is provided for a dropped ceiling which is configured to transfer heat effectively away from T-bar and ceiling mounted light sources and other heat sources, and into a space above a dropped ceiling. The T-bar can have any of a variety of different general cross-sections including a spine and a rest shelf at a lower end of the spine. Anchors are provided at terminal ends of the T-bar for attachment of ends of the T-bar within a conventional dropped ceiling system. For instance, the T-bar anchors can attach to adjacent T-bars or other supports in the forming of an entire lattice of T-bars within an existing conventional dropped ceiling system. A lower portion of the T-bar and beneath the rest shelf includes a light housing which can contain a lighting module therein. In a preferred form of this invention this lighting module includes at least one light emitting diode (LED) light source therein. An upper heat sink is coupled to the spine. This upper heat sink includes fins with gaps between the fins to enhance a rate of heat transfer between the heat sink and air adjacent the upper heat sink and above the ceiling tiles. The T-bar preferably also includes a lower heat sink in the form of fins extending from the rest shelf. Preferably these fins include an outer fin and short fins closer to the spine than the outer fin. The outer fin is preferably longer than the short fins. In this way, an air pathway is provided from gaps between the fins of the lower heat sink and a ceiling tile resting upon the outer fin, for effective natural convection heat transfer away from the lower heat sink. The lower heat sink and light housing, as well as the spine and upper heat sink are preferably each formed together from a unitary mass of material to maximize heat transfer from the LED or other heat source to the heat sinks and then to the air within the space above the dropped ceiling. The entire T-bar is formed of a material having a higher than average thermal conductivity so that efficient heat transfer away from the LED or other heat source is accomplished. A power supply for the LED is configured to be attachable to the upper heat sink so that a complete assembly for powering the LED lighting within the T-bar is suspended from the T-bar within the dropped ceiling system. By placing the lighting suspended from a lower surface of the T-bar, gaps within the T-bar lattice of the dropped ceiling system that would otherwise contain lighting can contain additional ceiling tiles to further enhance a resistance to heat transfer through the dropped ceiling to enhance an overall efficiency of the space conditioned by the HVAC system. Also, the aesthetic appearance of the ceiling can be enhanced by eliminating breaks in the ceiling for large prior art lighting bays. For instance, an entire ceiling of uniform ceiling panels can be provided, including the option to provide unique regular patterns, such as alternating colors in a checkered pattern. | F21V29767 | 20180105 | 20180510 | 82886.0 | F21V2302 | 2 | SONG, ZHENG B | T-BAR FOR SUSPENDED CEILING WITH HEAT DISSIPATION SYSTEM FOR LED LIGHTING | SMALL | 1 | CONT-ACCEPTED | F21V | 2,018 |
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15,863,474 | PENDING | WEARABLE CAMERA SYSTEMS AND APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR ATTACHING CAMERA SYSTEMS OR OTHER ELECTRONIC DEVICES TO WEARABLE ARTICLES | Wearable electronic devices, for example wearable camera systems, and methods for attaching electronic devices such as camera systems to eyewear or other wearable articles are described. | 1. A wearable camera system, wherein the wearable camera system includes a wearable camera and a remote device, wherein the camera has a camera body having a width or a height that is smaller than a length of the camera body, wherein the camera body is devoid of a view finder, where in the camera body contains an accelerometer or motion detector, wherein the wearable camera is attachable to and detachable from an eyewear temple, wherein the camera can be connected to the remote device by a wired connection, wherein the camera can transfer an image to said remote device by way of said wired connection and wherein the remote device is a smart phone. 2. The camera system of claim 1, wherein the camera can capture an image by a tap. 3. The camera system of claim 1, wherein the camera comprises a light for signaling when camera is capturing an image. 4. The camera system of claim 1, wherein the camera is configured to emit a sound when the camera is capturing an image. 5. The camera system of claim 1, wherein the camera is attachable magnetically. 6. The camera system of claim 1, wherein the camera weighs less than 10 grams. 7. The camera system of claim 1, wherein the camera comprises a vibrator. 8. The camera system of claim 1, wherein the camera is further configured to connect to the remote device wirelessly. 9. The camera system of claim 8, wherein the wireless connection can be achieved by one of Bluetooth, Wifi, magnetic resonance energy transfer, or induction. 10. The camera system of claim 1, wherein the camera body includes a microphone. 11. The camera system of claim 1, wherein the camera can also be attached to one of a ring, a bracelet, a watch, a shirt, pants, a belt, a helmet, a tie, a coat, a dashboard, an automobile mirror, an automobile visor, an automobile windshield, an automobile, a hair clip, a hair band, a hat, a necklace, a key ring, a bicycle, a motor bike, or a drone. 12. The camera system of claim 1, wherein the camera is attachable to and detachable from an eyewear temple via a primary attachment mechanism, the camera system further comprising a secondary attachment mechanism. 13. The camera system of claim 1, wherein the camera is movable along the side of the eyewear temple. 14. The camera system of claim 1, wherein the camera comprises GPS. 15. The camera system of claim 1, wherein the camera is operable to provide a date, a time, or a combination thereof. 16. The camera system of claim 1, wherein the remote device is operable to trigger an image capture of the camera. 17. The camera system of claim rein the camera can be triggered by a voice command. 18. The camera system of claim 1, wherein the camera can be triggered by a sound 19. The camera system of claim 1, wherein the camera body has a volume of 6,000 cubic mm or less. 20. The camera system of claim 1, wherein the camera body includes a capacitance switch. 21. The camera system of claim 1, wherein the camera comprises a level indicator that is visible to a user. 22. A mobile camera system, wherein the mobile camera system includes a camera and a remote device, wherein the camera has a camera body having a width or a height that is smaller than a length of the camera body, wherein the camera body is devoid of a view finder, wherein the camera is attachable to and detachable from an eyewear temple, wherein the camera can be connected to the remote device by a wired connection, wherein the camera can transfer an image to said remote device by way of said wired connection, wherein the remote device can control a function of the camera, and wherein the remote device is a smart phone. 23. The camera system of claim 22, wherein the camera can capture an image by a tap. 24. The camera system of claim 22, wherein the camera comprises a light for signaling when camera is capturing an image. 25. The camera system of claim 22, wherein the camera emits a sound when the camera is capturing an image. 26. The camera system of claim 22, wherein the camera is attachable magnetically. 27. The camera system of claim 22, wherein the camera weighs less than 10 grams. 28. The camera system of claim 22, wherein the camera can comprise a vibrator. 29. The camera system of claim 22, wherein the camera can connect to the remote device wirelessly. 30. The camera system of claim 22, wherein the remote device is operable to provide power or memory to the camera. | CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application is a continuation of pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/809,383 filed Nov. 10, 2017, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/816,995 filed Aug. 3, 2015 and issued as U.S. Pat. No. 9,823,494 on Nov. 21, 2017, which application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application 62/032,589 entitled “EYEWEAR WITH CAMERA SYSTEM AND ATTACHMENT MECHANISM”, filed Aug. 3, 2014, U.S. Provisional Application 62/045,246 entitled “MULTI-USE ATTACHABLE EYEGLASS CAMERA”, filed Sep. 3, 2014, U.S. Provisional Application 62/086,747 entitled “CAMERA SYSTEM FOR EYEWEAR”, filed Dec. 3, 2014, U.S. Provisional Application 62/091,697 entitled “EYEWEAR SYSTEM FOR CAMERA”, filed Dec. 15, 2014, U.S. Provisional Application 62/153,999 entitled “CAMERA SYSTEM CAPABLE OF WIRELESS ENERGY TRANSFER”, filed Apr. 28, 2015, U.S. Provisional Application 62/048,820 entitled “EYEWEAR WITH TEMPLE TRACK”, filed Sep. 11, 2014, U.S. Provisional Application 62/052,910 entitled “FASHIONABLE EYEWEAR COMPRISING A TRACK”, filed Sep. 19, 2014, U.S. Provisional Application 62/053,275 entitled “EYEWEAR COMPRISING A TRACK”, filed Sep. 22, 2014, U.S. Provisional Application 62/140,276 entitled “OPTIMIZED EYEWEAR TRACK AND ATTACHMENT MEANS FOR ELECTRONIC DEVICE,” filed Mar. 30, 2015, U.S. Provisional Application 62/154,007 entitled “EYEWEAR TRACK, WIRELESS ENERGY TRANSFER SYSTEM AND ATTACHMENT MEANS FOR ELECTRONIC, DEVICE” filed Apr. 28, 2015, and U.S. Provisional Application 62/080,437 entitled “EYEWEAR WITH GUIDE FOR WEARABLE DEVICES”, filed Nov. 17, 2014. The aforementioned applications are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety, for any purpose. TECHNICAL FIELD The present disclosure relates to wearable electronic devices, for example wearable camera systems, and more particularly to apparatuses and methods for attaching electronic devices such as camera systems to eyewear or other wearable articles. BACKGROUND The world is quickly becoming a world of instant or near instant information availability. Certain of this information are photographs and videos. In addition, intelligent wireless devices and apps allow for the transfer of this information quickly, seamlessly and effortlessly. It is estimated that over one trillion digital photos will be taken in 2015 with the vast majority being taken by mobile phone cameras. Further, there are now over 6 billion mobile phones owned and actively used in the world or which approximately 4 billion have cameras associated. There are 2 Billion individuals in the world who wear prescription eyeglasses and over an estimated 300 Million pairs of eyeglasses sold in the world each year. Conventional eyeglasses may not include a camera, mainly because eyeglasses/eyewear are perceived to be a fashion item by the consumer. Attaching a conventional camera to eyewear by any conventional techniques may distract from the cosmetics or fashion-look of the eyeglasses or eyewear. Examples in the present disclosure may address some of the shortcomings in this field. SUMMARY Wearable electronic device systems, for example wearable camera systems, and apparatuses and methods for attaching electronic devices such as cameras to eyewear or other wearable articles are described. An electronic device system according to some examples of the present disclosure may include an eyewear frame including a temple and a first guide integral with the temple, the temple having a finished surface, and the first guide extending between a first location on the temple and a second location on the temple. The first guide may be formed on a side of the temple and extend partially through a thickness of the temple or protrude from the temple, the first guide comprising a base and at least one sidewall adjacent to the base, the finished surface of the temple including surfaces of the base and the at least one sidewall. The system may further include an electronic device movably coupled to the temple, the electronic device comprising a second guide coupled to the first guide, and an attachment system securing the electronic device to the temple, whereby the electronic device is movable along the guide while remaining secured to the temple. In some examples, the first guide may include a rail or a groove. An electronic device system according to further examples of the present disclosure may include an eyewear frame including a temple and a first securing guide integral with the temple, the temple having a finished surface and the first securing guide extending between a first location on the temple and a second location on the temple. The first securing guide may be formed on a side of the temple and may extend partially through a thickness of the temple or may protrude from the temple. The first securing guide may include a base and at least one sidewall adjacent to the base, the finished surface of the temple including surfaces of the base and the at least one sidewall. The first and second securing guides may be configured to maintain the electronic device on the temple as the electronic device is moved along the first guide. In some examples, the first securing guide may include a rail or a groove. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The above objectives, features, aspects and attendant advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of various embodiments, including the best mode presently contemplated of practicing the invention, when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which: FIG. 1 is a view of a system including a securing guide according to some examples of the present disclosure; FIG. 2 is another view of the system in FIG. 1; FIG. 3 is yet another view of the system in FIG. 1; FIG. 4 is a partial view of a system including a non-securing guide according to some examples of the present disclosure; FIG. 5A is a partial view of a system including a securing guide according to further examples of the present disclosure; FIG. 5B is another partial view of the system in FIG. 5A; FIG. 6 is a side view of a bifurcated temple for eyewear according to some examples of the present disclosure; FIG. 7 are views of temples including guides according to examples of the present disclosure; FIG. 8 is a view of a temple including an offset according to examples of the present disclosure; FIGS. 9A-9D are cross-sectional views of temples including guides according to some examples herein, for example a non-securing guide (FIG. 9A), and securing guides (FIGS. 9B, 9C, 9D); FIGS. 10A and 10B are cross-sectional views of guides including a female groove according to some examples herein; FIGS. 11A-11F are cross-sectional views of guides according to further examples herein; FIGS. 12A-12C are cross-sectional views of securing guides including magnetic means for securing the electronic device to the temple; FIGS. 13A-13E are views of a camera according to some examples of the present disclosure; FIGS. 14A and 14B are views of cameras configured for slidable engagement with a temple using a shoe according to some examples herein; FIG. 15 is a view of a camera according to further examples of the present disclosure; FIG. 16 is a view of a camera according to yet further examples of the present disclosure; FIG. 17A shows cross sectional views of a guide including a dove tail female groove configured for engagement with a split male rail according to examples herein; FIG. 17B shows a split male rail according to the example in FIG. 17A; FIG. 17C shows a dove tail female groove according to the example in FIG. 17A; FIGS. 18A-18C are views of an electronic device slidably and pivotably coupled to a temple according to some examples herein; FIGS. 19A-19D are top, front, side, and partial isometric views of a system according to some examples of the present disclosure; and FIGS. 20A-20D are top, front, side, and partial isometric views of a system according to further examples of the present disclosure. FIGS. 21A-21C are views of a camera according to further examples of the present disclosure. FIG. 22 is a view and a cross section of a stretchable band in the form of an O-ring according to an example of the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION An electronic device system according to some examples of the present disclosure may include an eyewear frame including a temple and a first guide integral with the temple, the temple having a finished surface, and the first guide extending between a first location on the temple and a second location on the temple. The first guide may be formed on a side of the temple and extend partially through a thickness of the temple or protrude from the temple, the first guide comprising a base and at least one sidewall adjacent to the base, the finished surface of the temple including surfaces of the base and the at least one sidewall. The system may further include an electronic device movably coupled to the temple, the electronic device comprising a second guide coupled to the first guide. In some examples, the first guide may include a rail or a groove. In some examples, the first and second securing guides may be configured to maintain the electronic device on the temple as the electronic device is moved along the first guide. In some examples, the system may include an attachment system securing the electronic device to the temple, whereby the electronic device is movable along the guide while remaining secured to the temple. FIGS. 1-3 are views of a wearable camera system 100 according to some examples of the present disclosure. The system 100 includes eyewear 105 and electronic device 130 attached thereto. The eyewear 105 includes an eyewear frame 110 which includes a temple 112. Typically, an eyewear frame 110 includes a pair of temples 112 (e.g., left and right temples), one for each side of a wearer's head. In some examples, the temples 112 are pivotably coupled to a lens portion 117 of the frame via a hinge 113. The lens portion may include a pair of lenses 102, for example and without limitation prescription lenses, non-prescription lenses, tinted lenses, changeable tint lenses, variable focus lenses, switchable focus lenses, or any combinations thereof. The lens portion may include a rim 104, as in the example in FIGS. 1-3, or the lens portion may be rimless in other embodiments. One or both of the temples 112 of eyewear frame 110 may include a guide 120 for coupling an electronic device 130 to the temple of eyewear frame 110. The guide 120 may be part of an attachment system including a first guide and a second guide configured for slidable engagement with one another. In this regard, the guide 120 may be a first guide configured for slidable engagement with a second guide on the electronic device 130. The first guide (e.g., guide 120) may include a rail or a groove, which may be implemented according to any of the examples herein, and the second guide on the electronic device may include a groove or a rail configured for cooperating fit with the rail or groove of the first guide 120. The electronic device 130 may be a miniaturized self-contained electronic system such as a camera system or simply camera 132. The electronic device 130 may be virtually any miniaturized electronic device, for example and without limitation a camera, image capture device, IR camera, still camera, video camera, image sensor, repeater, resonator, sensor, hearing aid, sound amplifier, directional microphone, eyewear supporting an electronic component, spectrometer, directional microphone, microphone, camera system, infrared vision system, night vision aid, night light, illumination system, sensor, pedometer, wireless cell phone, mobile phone, wireless communication system, projector, laser, holographic device, holographic system, display, radio, GPS, data storage, memory storage, power source, speaker, fall detector, alertness monitor, geo-location, pulse detection, gaming, eye tracking, pupil monitoring, alarm, CO sensor, CO detector, CO2 sensor, CO2 detector, air particulate sensor, air particulate meter, UV sensor, UV meter, IR sensor, IR meter, thermal sensor, thermal meter, poor air sensor, poor air monitor, bad breath sensor, bad breath monitor, alcohol sensor, alcohol monitor, motion sensor, motion monitor, thermometer, smoke sensor, smoke detector, pill reminder, audio playback device, audio recorder, speaker, acoustic amplification device, acoustic canceling device, hearing aid, video playback device, video recorder device, image sensor, fall detector, alertness sensor, alertness monitor, health sensor, health monitor, fitness sensor, fitness monitor, physiology sensor, physiology monitor, mood sensor, mood monitor, stress monitor, pedometer, motion detector, geo-location, pulse detection, wireless communication device, gaming device, eye tracking device, pupil sensor, pupil monitor, automated reminder, light, alarm, cell phone device, phone, mobile communication device, poor air quality alert device, sleep detector, dizziness detector, alcohol detector, thermometer, refractive error measurement device, wave front measurement device, aberrometer, GPS system, smoke detector, pill reminder, speaker, kinetic energy source, microphone, projector, virtual keyboard, face recognition device, voice recognition device, sound recognition system, radioactive detector, radiation detector, radon detector, moisture detector, humidity detector, atmospheric pressure indicator, loudness indicator, noise indicator, acoustic sensor, range finder, laser system, topography sensor, motor, micro motor, nano motor, switch, battery, dynamo, thermal power source, fuel cell, solar cell, kinetic energy source, thermo electric power source. The guide 120 may be provided on any side of temple 112, for example an outside side 111, on a top and/or bottom sides (e.g., as in FIGS. 5A and 5B), or any combinations thereof. The guide 120 may be configured to guide a movement of the electronic device 130 (e.g., camera 132) along a predetermined direction, e.g., as indicated by arrow 140. For example, the guide 120 may constrain one or more degrees of freedom of the electronic device 130 when the electronic device 130 is coupled to the temple 112. As such, movement of the electronic device 130 may be confined to one or more predetermined directions. In some examples, the guide 120 may be configured to guide movement of the electronic device 130 substantially along a longitudinal direction 140 of the temple. The longitudinal direction, also referred to herein as length-wise direction, may be a direction oriented substantially along a length of the temple 112. The guide may begin at the front of the temple and extend to the back of the temple. The guide may begin at the front one half of the temple and extend to the back one half of the temple. The guide may begin at the front one third of the temple and extend to the back one third of the temple. The guide may start at the front of the temple and extend to the back one half of the temple. An electronic device can be loaded on the guide at a point between the front of the guide and the back of the guide. An electronic device can be loaded on the guide at the front of the guide. An electronic device can be loaded on the guide at the back of the guide. An electronic device can be loaded on the guide at the front of the temple. An electronic device can be located on the guide at the back of the temple. Guides according to the present disclosure may be configured as securing guides or non-securing guides. A securing guide may be configured to guide movement of the electronic device (e.g. camera 132) along a predetermined direction (e.g., longitudinal direction 140) and to maintain the electronic device (e.g. camera 132) in position (e.g., in engagement with the temple 112). For example, a securing guide may include features configured to maintain the electronic device (e.g. camera 132) in engagement with the guide 120. In some examples, a securing guide may be configured to constrain five (all three rotational and two of the three translational) of the six degrees of freedom of the camera 132 leaving one degree of freedom (translation in a predetermined direction, for example the longitudinal direction 140) unconstrained. A non-securing guide may be configured to guide movement of the electronic device 130 along a predetermined direction while also allowing movement of the electronic device 130 along other direction including a direction which may cause the device to disengage from the guide 120. That is, a non-securing guide may only constrain one or more degrees of freedom as appropriate to guide the electronic device 130 along a path corresponding to the predetermined direction of movement. In such examples, a securing mechanism may be included to maintain the electronic device 130 in engagement with the guide 120. In some examples, securing mechanism may comprise one or more bands, as will be further described below, e.g., with reference to FIG. 4. An example of a band, without limitation, may be an adjustable strap, an elastic ring such as an O-ring, a stretchable slide member, or combinations thereof. In some examples, an attachment system for attaching an electronic device to eyewear may include a plurality of band configured for coupling the electronic device to temples that have different sizes and/or geometries. For example, the plurality of bands may comprise a plurality of elastic rings (e.g., O-rings) having different diameters. In some examples, the securing mechanism may comprise magnetic means. For example, the temple may include a metallic material (e.g., a metallic member) which may be attached to or embedded within the temple for magnetically coupling to a magnet on the electronic device as will be further described, e.g., with reference to FIGS. 11A and 11B as well as FIGS. 12A and 12B. In the example in FIGS. 1-3, guide 120 comprises a female groove 122 which is configured to receive a male rail 124 of a second guide at least partially therein. The male rail 124 may be provided on an electronic device and may be shaped for a cooperating fit with the female groove 122. For example, the male rail 124 may include a protrusion which is sized and shaped for insertion into a groove of the female groove 122. In the example in FIGS. 1-3, guide 120 is configured as a securing guide. The female groove 122 comprises a cross-sectional shape selected to prevent the male rail 124 from disengaging from the female groove 122. In this example, the female groove 122 has a generally trapezoidal cross-section and the male rail 124 has an inverted generally trapezoidal cross-section which is shaped and sized to fit within the female groove 122. The female groove 122 having a generally trapezoidal cross-section implies that a width of the female groove 122 at the top of the groove is smaller than a width of the female groove 122 at the base of the groove 122 thereby preventing movement of the male rail 124 in a direction generally perpendicular to the groove. The geometry of the slidable joint defined by the groove and rail in the example in FIG. 2 may also be referred to as a dovetail geometry. As such, the slidable joint may also be said to have a dove-tail cross-sectional shape. In the present disclosure, groove may be interchangeably used with female groove and rail may be interchangeably used with male rail. As further illustrated in FIG. 1-3, the electronic device (e.g. camera 132) may be coupled to temple 112 using an intermediate component, e.g., a shoe 134. The shoe may be formed of a rigid material, such as a rigid plastic material, and may include the second guide. The shoe may be configured to slidably engage with the first guide 120 via the second guide. For example, if guide 120 comprises a female groove 122 as in the present example, the shoe may include a male rail 124. In other example, the shoe may include a female groove and the temple 112 may include a male rail configured for insertion into the female groove of the shoe 134. In some example, the shoe 134 may be removably coupled to the electronic device 130 (e.g., camera 132). In some examples, the shoe may have a geometry configured to at least partially wrap around the camera 132. In some examples, the shoe may have a generally C-shaped cross section. In further example, the shoe may have a generally I-shaped cross section, e.g., as in the example in FIGS. 5A and 5B described further below. The shoe 134 may include a generally planar body 136 and generally perpendicular extensions (only one of the extensions in the pair, extension 137, is visible in FIG. 2) disposed on opposite ends of the body 136. The extensions may be configured to engage with opposite sides of the electronic device 130 (e.g., camera 132), for example top and bottom sides. In some examples, the shoe 134 may engage with forward and aft sides of the electronic device 130 (e.g., camera 132). Each of the extensions in the pair may be configured to snap into engagement with a housing 154 of the camera 132. For example, the extensions 137 may include attachment features which may be received into surface features of the housing 154. The shoe 134 may have a length, which may be substantially the same as a length of the camera (e.g., as in FIG. 16B) or shorter than a length of the camera (e.g., as in FIGS. 1-3). The length may be selected such that the shoe 134 firmly engages with the camera 132 when coupled thereto. In some examples, the length of the shoe 134 may be between about one half and one quarter of the length of the camera 132. In some examples, the length of the shoe may be about one third of the length of the camera 132. As described herein, a guide may extend along a temple between a first location on the temple and a second location on the temple. In some examples, the first guide may be formed on an outside side of the temple, e.g., as illustrated in the examples in FIGS. 1-4. The first location on the temple may be a location at a forward end of the temple and the second location on the temple may be a location near an aft end of the temple. For example, the second location may be a location which is a distance of about ⅓ of the length of the temple forward of the aft end of the temple. In some examples, the guide may extend a certain percentage of the length of the temple, for example the guide may extend about 50%, about 60%, about 70%, or about 80% of the length of the temple or anywhere between about 40% to about 90% of the length of the temple. In some examples, the guide extends sufficiently far along the temple such that an electronic device can be moved to a location nearest the ear where a width of the electronic device is greater than a distance between the inside of the temple and the wearer's head. For example, the electronic device may be positioned at least partially above, below, or outside the temple such that it may be moved along the guide toward the wearer's ear far enough back that it reaches a place where the width of the electronic device would have caused it to hit the wearer's face if it were positioned inside the temple. The guide may be inside the temple, outside the temple, on the top or bottom of the temple, or combinations thereof. FIG. 4 is a partial view of a system 200 comprising a temple 212 of an eyewear frame 210 (only partially shown in FIG. 4). In some examples, the system may also include a camera 232 according slidably engaged with the temple 212. The camera 232 is slidably engaged with the temple 212 via guide 220 such that the camera 232 is movable along the temple 212. For example, the camera 232 may be movable between a first position and a second position along a length of the temple 212. The first position may be a forward position and the second position may be an aft position. When the camera 232 is in the first position, a forward end 233 of the camera 232 may be at substantially at, slightly forward of, or slightly aft of a forward end 206 of the temple 212. The aft position may be a position selected to substantially conceal the camera 232 from view (e.g., behind an ear of a person wearing the eyewear frame 210). In the example in FIG. 4, the guide 220 is configured to guide movement of the camera 232 along a length-wise direction 240 of temple 212. In this regard, the guide 220 extends along at least part of the length of temple 212. In some examples, the temple includes a first portion 214 and a second portion 216. The first portion 214 (e.g., forward portion 214) of temple 212 may extend from the forward end 206 of the temple 212 to a location where the temple 212 curves downward, e.g., for engagement with the wearer's head and more specifically for placement behind the wearer's ears. The second portion 216 (e.g., aft portion 216) of temple 212 may extend from the location where the temple curves downward to the aft end 215 of the temple. In some examples, the guide may extend along at least part of the length of temple 212, for example the length of the first portion. In some examples, the guide may extend partially along the length of the first portion or beyond the first portion. The guide 220 may be a first guide which is configured to engage with a second guide on the camera 232. As previously described, guides according to the present disclosure may be securing guides or non-securing guides. A securing guide holds an electronic device in place as the device is moved along the guide. A non-securing guide may not hold an electronic device in place as it is moved along the guide. A securing mechanism may be used with a non-securing guide in order to secure an electronic device to the non-securing guide as it moves along the guide. In some examples, the guide may include a non-securing female groove (e.g., as in the example in FIG. 4), a securing female groove (e.g., as in the previous example in FIGS. 1-3), a non-securing male rail, or a securing male rail as will be further described. As will be understood, guides according to the present disclosure may include one or more rails or one or more tracks disposed or coupled to one or more sides of a temple and/or disposed or coupled to an electronic device. The specific examples of guides described herein, for example with reference to FIGS. 9-12, are illustrative only. Any of the rails and/or tracks according to the present disclosure may interchangeably be provided on either the temple or the electronic device. Temples and attachment systems for electronic devices to eyewear may include guides with one or more of any of the rail(s), groove(s), and features thereof described herein in any combination. In the example in FIG. 4 the guide 220 is implemented as a non-securing guide, in that the guide 220 guides movement of the camera 232 but does not otherwise secure the camera 232 to the eyewear. By securing, it is implied that the camera is coupled to the eyewear such that it remains in engagement with the guide 220, e.g., in engagement with the rail or groove provided on the temple. The guide 220 in FIG. 4 includes a non-securing female groove configured to receive a male rail (not shown). The male rail may be integrated into or coupled to the camera 232. For example, the male rail may be integrated into a housing 254 of camera 232. In further example, the male rail may be incorporated into an intermediate component (e.g., a shoe as illustrated in the example in FIGS. 1-3), and the intermediate component may be coupled to the camera 232. In some examples, the system 200 may include a securing mechanism 250. In some examples, the securing mechanism may include one or more bands 252, which may be configured to engage with surface features 256 on a housing 254 of camera 232 to maintain the camera 232 in engagement with the guide 220. The bands 252 may be stretchable bands. For example, the bands 252 in FIG. 4 are implemented as elastic rings 253 (e.g., O-rings as in the example in FIG. 22), which bias the camera 232 towards the temple 212 while allowing movement of the camera 232 along the length of the temple 212. A stretchable band may adapt to changes in the design, contour, thickness and width of the eyewear temple while securing the electronic device on a non-securing guide. In some examples, a securing mechanism may be used with a securing guide for added protection, e.g., for reducing a risk of the electronic device accidently becoming disengaged from the securing guide. The surface features 256 may include ribs (see also surface features 93 in FIGS. 21A-21C), which may extend from a surface of the housing 254. The elastic ring 253 may engage with the surface features 256, for example by being positioned between a pair of ribs to bias the camera 232 towards the temple 212. In some examples, the surface features 256 may include indentations in a surface of the housing 254, which may receive the elastic ring 253 therein. The surface features reduce the risk of the securing mechanism (e.g., stretchable band) sliding off the electronic device as the electronic device is moved along the guide. In this manner, the surface features may maintain the securing mechanism in attachment with the electronic device while the electronic device is moved along the guide. In other examples, the securing mechanism 250 may include magnetic means, e.g., as will be described with reference to FIGS. 12A-12C. Referring now to FIGS. 5A and 5B, attachment systems including first and second guides for attaching an electronic device to eyewear according to further examples will be described. FIGS. 5A and 5B show partial views of a system 300 according to the present disclosure. System 300 includes a temple 312 of an eyewear frame, the temple 312 comprising a first guide 320. Guide 320 is configured for slidable engagement with a second guide on an electronic device 330. In some examples, the electronic device may be a camera. The guide 320 in this example is implemented as a securing guide. The guide 320 comprises a pair of female tracks 322 disposed on opposite sides of temple 312. That is, guide 320 includes a first groove 322-1 (e.g., top groove 322-1) provided on a first side 318 (e.g., top side 318) of temple 312 and a second groove 322-2 (e.g., bottom groove 322-2) provided on a second side 319 (e.g., bottom side 319) of temple 312. The tracks 322-1, 322-2 comprise grooves having a generally U-shaped cross section, also referred to as closed grooves. In some examples, and without limitation, tracks according to the present disclosure may have other cross-sections such as an L-shaped cross section (also referred to as open groove), a generally C-shaped cross section (also referred to as hook groove), an inverted T-shaped cross section, a V-shaped cross section, or a dovetail cross section. A partially closed groove includes two opposing side walls extending from a base of the groove, the side walls having the same or dissimilar heights. An open groove includes only one side wall. A hook groove includes a side wall and a top wall adjacent to the side wall and opposite a base of the groove. A groove having an inverted T-shaped cross section includes partial top wall extending toward one another from opposing side walls of the groove, thereby defining a groove having a base which is wider than the top portion and/or opening of the groove. A groove with a V-shaped cross section includes a base which generally defines an angle between the sidewalls of the groove. In this example, the electronic device 330 is coupled to the temple 312 using an intermediate component such as a shoe 334. The shoe 334 is disposed between the electronic device 330 and the temple 312. The shoe 334 is configured for slidable engagement with guide 320 and is further configured for engagement with the electronic device 330. The shoe 334 is generally I-shaped in cross-section. That is, the shoe 334 includes a body 336 having a generally planar geometry. The shoe 334 further includes a guide comprising a pair of male rails 324-1, 324-2 extending from opposite ends of the body towards a first direction generally perpendicular to the body 336. Each of the male rails 324-1 and 324-2 is configured for insertion into respective ones of the female tracks 322 (e.g., first and second tracks 322-1, 322-2, respectively). The shoe 334 is further configured to be coupled to the electronic device 330, e.g., via the extensions 337 and 338 which extend from body 336 in a second direction opposite the first direction. Referring now to FIGS. 6-8 additional features of temples according to the present disclosure are described. In some examples, it may be desirable to provide an extended guide, which may enable a user to slide the electronic device further aft, such as to better conceal the electronic device behind the user's ear, than may otherwise be possible without an extended guide. FIG. 6 illustrates a partial view of another system 600 including an electronic device 630 slidably engaged with a temple 612, in this case a bifurcated temple 612. The temple 612 includes a guide 620 which includes a groove 622. Although not specifically illustrated, it will be understood that the guide 620 may, in other examples, include a rail. In this example, the electronic device 630 is slidably coupled to a guide 620 using a shoe 634. The temple 612 includes a forward portion 614 and an aft portion 616. The aft portion is forked into an aft upper portion 616-1 and aft lower portion 616-2. The aft upper portion 616-1 may be generally in line with the forward portion 614, while the aft lower portion 616-2 may be curve downward, thus also referred to as curved portion 616-2. The guide 620 extends along the forward portion 614 and the aft upper portion 616-1 of temple 612. The guide 620 may extend along some or substantially all of the lengths of the forward and aft upper portions 614 and 616-1, respectively. The curved portion 616-2 of temple 612 may be generally shaped to fit behind and/or around a user's ear. In some examples, a guide may terminate proximate or ahead of the curved portion, e.g., as illustrated in the examples in FIGS. 1-5. In such examples, the farthest position to which the electronic device may be movable may be a position at or ahead of the curved portion. In the example in FIG. 6, the bifurcated temple 612 may extend the amount of travel available to the electronic device 630 such that the electronic device 630 may be positionable farther back relative to the lens portion (not shown in this figure) and thus be better concealed from view. FIG. 7 illustrates three examples 700, 700′, and 700″ of temples with guides having different geometries. In a first example 700, temple 712 includes a guide 720 which comprises a groove 722. The groove 722, when viewed in plan, has a generally rectangular shape. A distance d between the sidewalls of groove 722 remains substantially constant along the length of the groove 722. In a second example 700′, temple 712′ includes a guide 720′. The guide 720′ comprises a groove 722′, which has a tapered geometry, in plan view. In example 700′, a forward portion of the groove 722′ narrows towards a forward end of the groove. In a third example 700″, temple 712″ includes a guide 720″ comprising a groove 722″, which also has a tapered geometry, in plan view. In this third example 700″, the groove 722″ tapers toward the aft end of the groove. That is, an aft portion of the groove 722″ narrows towards an aft end of the groove. As such, a distance d′ between the sidewalls of the groove 722′ decreases along at least a portion of the length of the groove 722′. Similarly, a distance d″ between the sidewalk of the groove 722″ decreases along at least a portion of the length of the groove 722″. A groove according to the present disclosure typically includes at least one sidewall and may also include a second opposite sidewall, a top wall, or combinations thereof. A sidewall is a wall of the groove that extends from a base of the groove and spans a portion of the length of the groove. A top wall is a wall of the groove that extends from one of the side walls. A top wall may be a partial wall which may be arranged generally opposite the base of the groove and may also span at least a portion of a length of the groove. In some examples, the groove may include a forward groove wall, an aft groove wall, or both. The forward and aft groove walls are walls of the groove which extend from the base of the groove and span the distance between the sidewalls. The groove 722 has an open forward end and a closed aft end. That is, the groove 722 includes an aft groove wall but does not include a forward groove wall. The groove 722′ has a closed aft end and an open forward end, which is tapered. In this example, the groove 722′ includes an aft wall but does not include a forward groove wall. The groove 722″ has a closed forward end and an open aft end, which is tapered. That it, the groove 722″ includes a forward groove wall but does not include an aft groove wall. It will be appreciated that tracks according to the present disclosure may have other geometries than the examples specifically illustrated. For example, a groove may have both a closed forward end and a closed aft end, e.g., as illustrated in FIG. 3. In some examples, the groove may taper both towards the forward end and towards the aft end. In further examples, the groove may include a closed end, which is tapered. FIG. 8 is a partial top view of a system 800 including a temple 812 with an offset according to further examples of the present disclosure. The system 800 includes a temple 812 of an eyewear frame and an electronic device 830 (e.g., camera 832). The electronic device 830 is slidably coupled to the temple 812. The system 800 further includes a securing mechanism 850 (e.g., bands 852-1 and 852-2). The securing mechanism is configured to maintain electronic device 830 in engagement with a guide provided on the temple 812. The temple 812 includes a first portion 814 and a second portion 816. The second portion 816 is offset from the first portion 814 by an offset distance 821 selected to accommodate the securing mechanism 850 or portions thereof. For example, the offset distance 821 may be greater than or equal to a dimension 823 of the securing mechanism, such as a thickness t of any of the bands 852-1 and 852-2. In some examples, the thickness t may be about 2 mm or less. In some examples, the bands 852-1 and 852-2 may have a rounded cross-section (e.g., a circular cross-section). In such examples, the thickness may interchangeably be referred to as a diameter of the cross-section. It will be understood that embodiments of the present disclosure may include any combinations of features described with reference to any of the specific examples herein. For example, a temple may be a bifurcated temple as described with reference to FIG. 6 and may also include an offset as described with reference to FIG. 8. Temple according to the present disclosure may include any of the features of temples and/or any of the guides described herein in any combination. With reference now to FIGS. 9-14, features of guides according to the present disclosure will be further described. A guide according to the present disclosure may include a male rail or a female groove. By male rail (interchangeably rail) it is meant that the rail includes one or more protrusions configured for insertion into a female groove. Similarly, by female groove (interchangeably groove) it is implied that the groove includes one or more grooves which are shaped to accommodate the rail at least partially therein. In some examples, the term groove is meant to imply not only an indentation in a surface of a temple but also a through feature such as a slot through a thickness of the temple. In examples herein, a female groove may comprise a single groove or a plurality of tracks, which may be located on one or more sides of a temple, for example a top side of the temple, a bottom side of the temple, an outside side of the temple, an inner side of the temple, or combinations thereof. In examples, a female groove may comprise a single groove or a plurality of tracks on any side of an electronic device. Any number of tracks may be included having any combination of geometries as may be desired. Analogously, a male rail according to the present disclosure may comprise a single rail or a plurality of rails located on one or more sides of the temple, for example a top side of the temple, a bottom side of the temple, an outside side of the temple, an inner side of the temple, or combinations thereof. In examples, a male rail may comprise a single rail or a plurality of rails on any side of an electronic device. Any number of tracks may be included having any combination of geometries as may be desired. Attachment systems according to the present disclosure may include a first guide which is incorporated into the temple (e.g., embedded into or coupled to the temple), which may comprise either one of the rail or the groove, the attachment system further including a second guide provided on the electronic device (e.g., embedded into or coupled to the electronic device), the second guide comprising a corresponding rail or groove configured to be coupled to the rail or groove of the temple. The terms embedded or integrated are meant to imply that a feature is integral with or non-removably attached to a component (e.g., the electronic device or the temple). The term incorporated or incorporating includes coupling as well as integrating or embedding components. That is, a component which is incorporated may be removably coupled to another component or it may be embedded into the other component. It will be appreciated that the illustrations in the figures herein are provided to facilitate an understanding of the present disclosure and some or all of the temples, guides, rails, tracks, and/or features thereof may not be to scale and/or some of the illustrations may be simplified so as not to obfuscate the present disclosure. In some examples, the guide may be integral with the temple and may be part of the design of the temple. In some examples, the guide may be built into the surface contour of the temple. In some examples, the guide may manufactured separately from the temple and attached thereto, removably or irremovably, by any appropriate known techniques, for example and without limitation by screws, bolts, hooks, temperature shrink material, glue, adhesive, Velcro, magnet, strap(s). In some example, the guide may be detachable from the temple. In this regard, a separate guide, which is attachable to an existing eyewear frame may serve to address the eyewear aftermarket, e.g., for retrofitting eyewear that is already been manufactured and/or sold to consumers. In examples, a guide may be integral with the electronic device and may be part of the design of the electronic device (e.g., integral with a housing of the electronic device). In some example, the guide may be coupled to the electronic device, e.g. via a shoe or another intermediate component. In some examples, the electronic device may include a guide integral to the electronic device and may also be operable to couple to an intermediate component for engaging with different guides from the guide provided integral to the electronic device, as described in further detail below. An attachment system according to some examples may include an elongate member configured to be coupled to a wearable article, the elongate member comprising a guide extending along a length of the elongate member and configured for slidable engagement with the electronic device. In some examples, the electronic device may be a camera. In some examples, the attachment system may be provided as a kit which includes the elongate member including a rail or a groove and the electronic device which includes the other opposing rail or groove. The elongate member may attach to the temple, for example by way of fasteners, adhesive, straps, bands, elastic rings, or the like, or using one or more magnets. In some examples, the system may also include a securing mechanism configured to bias the electronic device toward the elongate member and the wearable article when the elongate member is coupled thereto. For example, the securing mechanism may include a band, an adjustable strap, an elastic ring, a stretchable slide member, or combinations thereof. In some examples, a plurality of bands, adjustable straps, elastic rings, and/or slide members may be included in a single kit to enable the user to couple the electronic device to any of a variety of temples of different shapes and sizes. In some examples, the securing mechanism between the electronic device and the elongate member comprising the guide may be a magnetic mechanism, for example as described below with reference to FIG. 12. According to some examples of the present disclosure, an electronic device kit may include an electronic device and a stretchable band, whereby the electronic device comprises a surface feature to engage the band and whereby the electronic device can be applied to an eyewear temple allowing movement of the electronic device and the band from a point located within the front one third of an eyewear temple to a point within the back one third of the eyewear temple while the electronic device and band remains attached to the eyewear temple and while the eyewear is being worn by a wearer. The stretchable band may be an O-ring having a rounded core cross section, for example as described with reference to FIG. 22. FIGS. 9A-9D show cross-sectional views of guides including a male rail according to some examples herein. It will be appreciated that some or all of the temples, guides, rails, tracks, and/or features thereof may not be to scale and the illustrations are provided only to facilitate an understanding of the present disclosure. It will be further appreciated that while examples of rails described here with reference to FIGS. 9A-9F are illustrated in the context of being incorporated into a temple, any of the embodiments of rails according to the present disclosure may instead be provided on the electronic device for coupling to a rail provided on the temple. FIG. 9A shows, in cross section, a temple 912a comprising a guide 920a, in this example a non-securing guide. The guide 920a comprises a rail 924a having a generally rectangular cross-sectional shape. The rail 924a includes sidewalls 961a which are generally parallel to one another from a base 962a to a top 963a of the rail 924a. In some examples, the rail may have a generally rounded cross-sectional shape (e.g., as shown in dashed line), such as a semi-circular cross-sectional shape or a semi-ovular cross-sectional shape. In further example, the protrusion may have a generally trapezoidal cross-sectional shape. The rail 924a in this example is located on an outside side 911a of the temple 912a. In some examples, the rail 924a may be on a top side 918a, a bottom side 919a, or combinations thereof. FIG. 9B shows, in cross section, another example of a temple 912b comprising a guide 920b, in this example a securing guide. The guide 920b comprises a rail 924b having a generally T-shaped cross-section. The rail 924b includes a head portion 964b and a neck portion 966b. The width 956b of the head portion 964b is greater than a width 967b of the neck portion 966b. By including a narrower neck portion 966b, the rail 924b is configured to engage securing features of the groove such that the electronic device 930b is maintained in engagement with the guide 920b when coupled thereto. In the example in FIG. 9B, side walls 968b of the neck portion 966b are generally parallel to one another. FIG. 9C shows, in cross section, a temple 912c comprising a guide 920c, in this example a securing guide. The guide 920c comprises a rail 924c which includes a head portion 964c and a neck portion 966c. A width 965c of the head portion 964c is greater than a width 967c of the neck portion 966c. In this manner, the rail 924c may serve to maintain an electronic device (not shown) in engagement with the guide 920c. In this example, the neck portion 966c is tapered. The side walls 968c of the neck portion 966c are angled towards one another such that a width 967c of the neck portion 966c decreases from a base 962c of the rail 924c towards the head portion 964c. FIG. 9D shows, in cross section, a temple 912d comprising a guide 920d, in this example a securing guide. The guide 920d comprises a rail 924d including a head portion 964d and a neck portion 966d. The neck portion 966d is arranged on a platform 969d, which may provide clearance for certain features and/or components of an electronic device coupled to the temple 912d. In this example, the neck portion 966d may be configured similarly to the neck portion 966c in that it tapers along its length. However, in this example, the neck portion 966d tapers in an opposite direction of neck portion 966c in FIG. 9C. Side walls 968d of the neck portion 966d may be angled towards one another such that a width 967d of the neck portion decreases from the head portion 964d towards the base 962d of the rail 924d. In other examples, the neck portion 966d may taper in the same direction as in the example in FIG. 9C. Referring now to FIGS. 10-14, temples including guides comprising tracks according to examples herein will be further describes. The tracks may have virtually any shape as may be desired, for example, the tracks may have a generally rectangular, square, rounded, triangular, trapezoidal or inverted trapezoidal shape, or any combinations thereof. While tracks having different cross sections are described with reference to guides on a temple, guides on electronic devices which include tracks with any of the cross sections described herein are also within the scope of this disclosure. FIGS. 10A and 10B show cross-sectional views of temples comprising guides 1020a and 1020b, both configured as securing guides. Guide 1020a in FIG. 10A includes a groove 1022a having an inverted generally T-shaped cross section. The groove 1022a is configured to receive a rail 1024a of an electronic device 1030a, the rail 1024a having a generally T-shaped cross-section. The rail 1024a may include some or all of the features of rail 924b described previously with reference to FIG. 9B. To that end, the groove may have a first width 1072a selected to accommodate a head portion of the rail and a second width 1074a selected to accommodate a neck portion of the rail, the second width being smaller than the width of the head portion. The groove may comprise a groove defined by sidewalls 1061a and partial top walls 1070a extending towards one another from the sidewalls. The partial top walls 1070a may extend inward towards the neck portion thereby retaining the rail into engagement with the groove. Guide 1020b in FIG. 10B is a securing guide which comprises a plurality of tracks 1022b including first groove 1022b-1, second groove 1022b-2, and third groove 1022b-3. In this examples, one of the tracks features for securing a rail on the electronic device into engagement with the guide 1020b. For example, the first groove 1022b-1 may include some or all of the features of groove 1022a described with reference to FIG. 10A. For example, groove 1022b-1 includes a groove which has an inverted generally T-shaped cross section defined by sidewalls 1061b and partial top walls 1070b extending towards one another from the sidewalk. Other ones of the plurality of tracks may be securing or non-securing and may have virtually any geometry as may be desired. In the specific example herein, grooves 1022b-2 and 1022b-3 are non-securing and have a generally rectangular geometry. All of the grooves in this example are arranged on an outside side 1011b of the temple 1012b. In other example, grooves may be disposed on a top side, bottom side, outside side, inner side, or combinations thereof. In the context of the present disclosure, the outside side of the temple is the side of the temple which is farthest away from the wearer's head, when the eyewear is worn, and the inner side being the side closest to the wearer's head. The top side is the side closest to a top of the wearer's head and the bottom side is the side opposite the top side and farthest from the top of the wearer's head. It will be understood that the designations of top, bottom, inner and outside are arbitrary but provided herein for illustration of examples of the present disclosure. With reference now also to FIGS. 11A-11F, further examples of guides comprising tracks according to the present disclosure are described. FIGS. 11A-11F are cross-sectional views of guides including at least one groove disposed on a top side of the temple. FIG. 11A shows a cross-sectional view of a temple 1112a including a guide 1120a, in this example a non-securing guide having an open groove geometry. The groove 1122a-1 has a generally L-shaped cross section defined by a base 1171a and a single sidewall 1161. The guide 1120a in this example is located on a top side 1118a of the temple 1112a. In some examples, the temple may include a metal portion 1180a, indicated generally by the dashed line, and the groove 1122a-1 may be located in the metal portion 1180a. Locating the groove in the metal portion may enhance the structural integrity of the groove which may have a relatively thin sidewalls. In some examples, the guide may include additional tracks, for example tracks located on an outside side of the temple (e.g., tracks 1122a-2, 1122a-3) or on a bottom side of the temple as will be described further with reference to FIG. 11F. The tracks may have virtually any geometry, for example a second groove 1122a-2 may have a generally U-shaped cross section. In some examples, a third groove 1122a-3 may have a generally V-shaped cross section defined by a groove with walls angled to one another towards a base of the groove. FIG. 11B shows a cross-sectional view of a temple 1112b including a guide 1120b, in this case a securing guide. The guide 1120b includes a plurality of tracks including a first groove 1122b-1 and a second groove 1122b-2. The first groove 1122b-1 is located on a top side 1118b of the temple 1112b. The first groove 1122b-1 has an open groove geometry. That is, groove 1122b-1 has a generally L-shaped cross section defined by a base 1171b and a single sidewall 1161b-1. The second groove 1122b-2 is located on a side of the temple adjacent to the top side 1118b, in this cases the outside side 1111b. groove 1122b-1 is configured to constrain the downward and partially the lateral movement of the electronic device (not shown) relative to guide 1120b. groove 1122b-2 constrains the upward movement as well as lateral movement of the electronic device. The second groove includes a partial top wall 1170b, which extends from one of the sidewalk 1161b-2 of the second groove. In this manner, the second groove also restrains a rotational degree of freedom of the electronic device when the electronic device is coupled thereto by virtue of the partial top wall. The first and second tracks also constrain the remaining two rotational degrees of freedom to thereby guide the electronic device along a longitudinal direction of the temple (e.g., in and out of the page). In this manner, the combined first and second tracks function as a securing guide. The temple 1112b may, in some examples, include a metal portion (e.g., portion 1180b) and the first groove, the second groove, or both may be located in the metal portion. FIG. 11C shows a cross-sectional view of a temple 1112c including a guide 1120c, in this case a securing guide. The guide 1120c includes a plurality of tracks including a first groove 1122c-1 and a second groove 1122c-2. The first groove 1122c-1 may be similar to groove 1122b-1 of the example in FIG. 11B. For example, groove 1122c-1 is located on a top side of the temple and has an open groove geometry. The second groove 1122c-2 is located on an adjacent side of temple 1112c, in this case on the outside side 1111c. The temple 1112c may, in some examples, include a metal portion (e.g., portion 1180c) and the first groove, the second groove, or both may be located in the metal portion. The second groove 1122c-2 may be angled relative to the first groove 1122c-1, which may improve functionality of guide 1120c as a securing guide. For example, groove 1122c-2 may be oriented such that centerline 1177c-2 of groove 1122c-2 defines an obtuse angled relative to centerline 1177c-1 of groove 1122c-1. Such relative orientation of the tracks 1122c-1 and 1122c-2 may better constrain any rotation of an electronic device coupled thereto about the longitudinal direction of temple 1112c. FIG. 11D shows a cross-sectional view of a temple 1112d including a guide 1120d, in this case a non-securing guide. The guide 1120d includes a groove 1122d which is located on a top side of the temple and has a generally C-shaped geometry. That is, groove 1122d comprises a groove (e.g., a hook groove), which includes a single sidewall 1161d and a top wall 1170d. The top wall 1170d may be a partial top wall having a width 1173d selected such that component(s) of the electronic device 1130d and/or attachment system (e.g., rail 1124d) does not contact the user's head when the rail is provided into engagement with the groove. For example, the top wall 1170d may have a width 1173d which is less than a width 1176d of the base of the groove by an amount which is substantially the same or greater than a cross-section dimension 1178d of the rail 1124d. The groove 1122d is configured to engage with a rail 1124d which may extend from a top side 1131d of the electronic device 1130d. However, in some examples the rail 1124d may extend from another wall, for example a bottom wall, or a sidewall of the electronic device 1130d. FIG. 11E shows a cross-sectional view of another example of a temple 1112e comprising a guide 1120e, in this case a securing guide. The guide 1120e includes a plurality of tracks, including a first groove 1122e-1 configured to receive a first rail 1124e-1 and a second groove 1122e-2 configured to receive a second rail 1124e-2. The first and second groove 1122e-1, 1122e-2, respectively, are located on adjacent sides of the temple 1112e, in this case the top side and outside side, respectively. The first groove 1122e-1 is a generally U-shaped groove comprising a groove defined by opposing sidewalls. The second groove 1122e-2 is also a generally U-shaped groove (e.g., a groove having a generally rectangular cross section). The temple 1112e may include one or more metal portions, metal portion 1180e. One or more of the tracks may be in the metal portion, in this example the first groove 1122e-1 is in the metal portion 1180e and the second groove 1122e-2 is in a plastic portion 1181e of the temple. It will be understood that the temple, in some examples may not include a plastic portion and may be made entirely of metal. In some examples, the temple may be made entirely of plastic. In some examples, the temple can be made of both plastic and metal. In some cases the temple can comprise one of or any combination of, by way of example only, plastic, rubber, metal, wood. The guide can be made of the same material as that of the temple or different material than that of the temple. In many examples the guide is comprised of the same material and finish as that of the finished outer surface of the temple. In many examples, the guide is a contour design of the outer finished surface of the temple. In many examples, the guide is free of an aperture and maintains the integrity of the outside finish of the temple. FIG. 11F shows a cross-sectional view of yet another example of a temple 1112f comprising a guide 1120f, in this case a securing guide. The guide 1120f includes a plurality of tracks, including a first groove 1122f-1 configured to receive a first rail 1124f-1 and a second groove 1122f-2 configured to receive a second rail 1124f-2. The first and second groove 1122f-1, 1122f-2, respectively, are located on opposite sides of the temple 1112f, in this case the top side and bottom side, respectively. The first groove 1122f-1 is a generally U-shaped groove comprising a groove defined by opposing sidewalk. The second groove 1122f-2 is also a generally U-shaped groove (e.g., a groove having a generally rectangular cross section). The second groove 1122f-2 comprises sidewalk having dissimilar heights. The temple 1112f may include one or more metal portions, e.g., metal portions 1180f-1 and 1180f-2. One or more of the tracks may be in the metal portion, in this example both the first and second tracks 1122f-1, 1122f-2, respectively are in the metal portions 1180f-1, 1180f-2. FIGS. 12A-12C are partial cross-sectional views of further examples of systems according to the present disclosure. The systems in FIGS. 12A-12C include magnetic means for securing an electronic device to the temple. FIG. 12A shows a cross section of a temple 1212a comprising a guide 1220a which is similar to the guide 1120a in FIG. 11A. For example, the guide includes a groove 1222a having a generally L-shaped cross section and located on a top side of the temple 1212a, the groove 1222a configured to receive a rail 1224a coupled to or integrated with the electronic device 1230a. The system further includes a securing mechanism 1250a coupled to the temple 1212a. The securing mechanism 1250a includes a metallic strip 1291a located on the outside side 1211a of the temple 1212a. The metallic strip 1291a is positioned for engagement with a magnet 1292a located on the electronic device 1230a. In this example, the metallic strip 1291a is located in an indentation in the surface of the temple 1212a with one side of the metallic strip 1291a exposed. The metallic strip 1291a may be removably or irremovably attached to the temple 1212a. The magnet 1292a may be attached to or embedded within a housing 1254a of the electronic device 1230a. The metallic strip 1291a may extend substantially along the length of the groove such that the magnet may retain, via magnetic attraction, the electronic device 1230a in engagement with the guide at any position of the electronic device along the groove. FIG. 12B shows a cross section of another example of a system including a temple 1212b. The temple 1212b includes a guide 1220b according to the present disclosure. In this example, the guide 1220b includes a groove 1222b having a generally U-shaped cross section and located on a top side of the temple 1212b, the groove 1222b configured to receive a rail 1224b coupled to or integrated with the electronic device 1230b. The temple 1212b includes a metal portion 1280b and the groove 1222b is in the metal portion 1280b. The electronic device 1230b is slidably engaged with the guide 1220b and is further secured into engagement with the guide 1220b by means of magnetic attraction. To that end, the rail 1224b includes a magnet 1292b, which may be coupled to an end of the rail 1224b or it may be embedded within the rail 1224b. In some examples, the rail 1224b itself or portions thereof may be made of a magnetic material. In this manner, the magnet 1292b which is coupled to the electronic device 1230b may maintain the electronic device 1230b in engagement with the guide 1220b, e.g., by way of magnetic attraction between the magnet 1292b and metal portion 1280b in which the groove 1222b is provided. FIG. 12C shows a cross section of yet another example of a system including a temple 1212c which includes a guide 1220c according to the present disclosure. In this example, the guide 1220c includes a groove 1222c having a generally U-shaped cross section and located on a top side of the temple 1212c, the groove 1222c configured to receive a rail 1224c coupled to or integrated with the electronic device 1230c. The temple 1212c may include a metal portion 1280c, and the groove 1222c may be in the metal portion 1280c. The electronic device 1230c is slidably engaged with the guide 1220c and is further secured into engagement with the guide 1220c by means of magnetic attraction. To that end, the system may include a securing mechanism 1250c comprising a metallic strip 1291c which may be embedded in the temple 1212c. The metallic strip 1291c may be positioned for engagement with a magnet 1292c which may be coupled to or embedded within the electronic device. It will be appreciated that in other examples, the location of the magnet and metallic material may be reversed, for example, the temple may include a strip of magnetic material coupled to or embedded within the temple and the electronic device may include a metallic member coupled to or embedded in the electronic device. FIGS. 13A-13E are views of a camera (also referred to as camera system or self-contained point and shoot camera) according to some examples of the present disclosure. The camera 10 includes an image capture device 12, which may be located in a first portion 20, e.g., a forward portion, of the camera 10. The camera 10 further includes a battery 14 and circuitry 16, which may be located in a second portion 21, e.g., an aft portion, of the camera 10. The camera 10 may be coupled to a temple of an eyewear, for example by slidably engaging the camera 10 with a guide incorporated into the temple, e.g., as illustrated in FIG. 14A and FIGS. 19 and 20. The camera 10 may include one of a groove (e.g., groove 22) or a rail and may engage with a rail or a groove provided on the temple. The groove or rail may be coupled to a housing 23 of the camera 10 or it may be integral with the housing 23. The electronic device in the form of a camera can comprise a female groove that acts to engage a non-securing guide in the form of a male rail on the outside side of the temple. The electronic device in the form of a camera can comprise a male rail that acts to engage a non-securing guide in the form of a female groove on the outside side of the temple. The electronic device in the form of a camera can comprise a male rail that acts to engage a securing guide in the form of a female groove on the outside side of the temple. The electronic device in the form of a camera can comprise a female groove that acts to engage a securing guide in the form of a male rail on the outside side of the temple. In some examples, the camera may include software for automatically centering an image, also referred to as auto-centering or auto-alignment software. Auto-centering or auto-alignment software may be embedded software on the camera or may reside on a remote electronic device (e.g., a smart phone or other mobile device to which the camera may be communicatively coupled to transfer images thereto). In examples, the circuitry 16 of camera 10 may include a processor and memory comprising processor-executable instructions (e.g., software) for modifying an image prior to or after capture of the image. For example, the instructions may program the camera to adjust a size and/or orientation of the image. In some examples, the memory may include instructions for centering an image captured by the camera. The instructions may program the camera to detect a center of the image and relocate the center of the image by cropping the image. In some examples, the instructions may program the camera to center the image in a horizontal direction by detecting a horizontal center of the image and cropping the image in the horizontal direction such that the horizontal center is equally spaced between left and right sides of the image. Instructions for centering an image in a horizontal direction may include instructions for counting a number of objects (e.g., a number of people, a number of heads) in an image and determining the horizontal center of the image by referencing a first look-up table. The first look-up table may, for example, indicate that if five heads are counted, the horizontal center of the image is at or near the third head. The first look-up table may indicate that if two heads are counted, the horizontal center of the image is at or approximately between the two heads. Instructions for centering an image in the horizontal direction may thus include instructions for automatically relocating the horizontal center of the image to a location determined based on the information in the first look-up table. Instructions for centering an image in a vertical direction may include instructions for determining a position of the horizon, for example by detecting a color difference. For example, the instructions may program the camera to detect a first object in the captured image which corresponds to the sky and a second object in the captured image which corresponds to the ground or land based on a difference in color between the first and second objects in the captured image. The instructions may further program the camera to crop the image such that the horizon is relocated to a new position. The new position may be determined by referencing a second look-up table. The second look up table may indicated that an image may be centered in the vertical direction by relocating the horizon to a position at which the image comprises a certain percentage of sky and a certain percentage of land, for example 50% sky and 50% land, or 40% sky and 60% land, or 30% sky and 70% land, any percentages in between. In some examples, the instructions may program the camera to crop the image such that the horizon is relocated to a position at which the image comprises about ⅓ sky and ⅔ land. The first portion 20 of the camera 10 may be pivotably coupled to the second portion 21 of the camera 10 using a pivot joint 18, such that an orientation of the image capture device 12 may be changed. For example, the forward portion 20 may be coupled to the aft portion 21 using a ball and socket type joint, e.g., as best seen in the cross-sectional view in FIG. 13E. In other examples, the forward and aft portions 20, 21, respectively, may be pivotably coupled to one another using a pin and connector type joint. Any suitable pivot joint may be used. In some examples, the pivot joint may enable rotation of the forward portion 20 and thereby the image capture device 12 about a first axis, a second axis, a third axis, or combinations thereof, the first, second, and third axes being generally parallel with respective x, y and z axes of the camera. The camera 10 includes a rail which may be inserted into a groove provided on the temple. In the case of a non-securing groove, the camera 10 may include securing features for engaging with a securing mechanism and thereby maintaining the camera 10 into engagement with the temple. The camera 10 in the example in FIGS. 13A-13E includes surface features 13 configured to engage with a securing mechanism in the form of a stretchable band (not shown in this figure). The surface features 13 may be ribs, which may be spaced apart a sufficient distance to accommodate the securing mechanism in the form of a stretchable band there between. The camera 10 in this example further includes features 15 for engaging with attachment features of a shoe (also not shown in this figure). That is, the camera 10 of this example may be coupled to the temple having a groove via the rail 22 embedded into the camera. In some examples, e.g., if a user wishes to couple the camera 10 to a temple which instead comprises a rail, the camera 10 may be coupled to a shoe which may comprise a groove configured to be received in the rail of the temple. The camera 10 of this particular example is operable to be coupled to any number of temples comprising a variety and/or types of rails or tracks. In some examples, as best seen in FIG. 13D, the camera 10 may include a privacy indicator 17. The privacy indicator may comprise one or more LEDs 19 which may illuminate when an image (e.g., a still image or video) is being captured. The illumination may notify others that an image is being captured. In some examples, the camera may also include a functional indicator 37 which may provide feedback to the wearer as to whether an image was successfully captured. For example, the functional indicator 37 may include one or more LEDs 39 which may for example, illuminate, change color, or blink upon the successful capture of the image. In some examples, an illumination in one color may indicate a successful capture while illumination in a different color may indicate a failed capture. In other examples, successful or failed capture may be indicated by way of different number or different speed of blinking of the LED. In yet further examples, the functional indicator may include a vibration source, a speaker, a buzzer, or other audio generating device and the feedback may be provided by tactile or audible means. The cameras according to the present disclosure may be a miniaturized self-contained electronic device. The camera may have a length L of about 8 mm to about 50 mm. In some examples, the camera may have a length from about 12 mm to about 45 mm. In some examples, the camera may have a length not exceeding 30 mm. In some examples the camera may be about 12 mm long. The camera may have a width W of about 6 mm to about 12 mm. In some examples, the camera may be about 8 mm wide. In some example, the camera may have a width not exceeding about 10 mm. In some example, the camera may have a height of about 6 mm to about 12 mm. In some examples, the camera may be about 8 mm high. In some examples, the camera may have a height H not exceeding about 10 mm. In some examples, the camera may weigh from about 5 grams to about 10 grams. In some examples the camera may weigh be about 7 grams or less. In some examples, the camera may have a volume of about 6,000 cubic millimeters or less. In some examples, the camera may have a volume of about 3,000 cubic millimeters or less. In some examples, the camera may have a volume of about 2,000 cubic millimeters or less. In some examples, the camera may be a waterproof camera. In some examples, the camera can be water resistant. In some examples, the camera can be sweat resistant. In some examples, the camera may include a compliant material or coating on an external surface of the housing 23, for example to reduce or eliminate the camera damage (e.g., scratches) to the finished surface of the eyewear temple including the guide as the camera is moved along the guide. The camera may be configured to capture an image (e.g., still image or video image). An image capture functionality of the camera may be activated by a variety of triggers, for example by a touch switch, membrane switch, capacitance switch or sensor, motion detector sensor such as by way of example only, a micro accelerometer, voice or sound recognition system. In some examples, the swipe of a finger forward or backward may serve as a trigger and may cause an image to be captured. In other examples, a tap of the temple of the eyewear, or a movement of a forced blink may cause an image to be captured. In some examples, a tap of the temple or a tapping of the temple can cause the camera to capture an image. In yet further examples, the clicking of the wearer's teeth may serve as a trigger and may cause an image to be captured. When the wearer clicks his or her teeth, a sound may be generated which may function as the trigger. In yet further examples, the trigger may be a predetermined word, tone, or a phrase. In examples according to the present disclosure, the circuitry 16 may include voice recognition software. The camera may include a microphone, which may detect the sound such that the camera may determine if a trigger has been generated. If a trigger was generated, the image capture functionality of the camera may be activated responsive to the trigger. FIGS. 14A and 1413 are partial views of systems including electronic devices configured for slidable engagement with a temple using a shoe according to some examples herein. The system 1400a in FIG. 14A includes an electronic device which may be the camera 10 of FIGS. 13A-13E. The camera 10 is coupled to a temple 1412a via a shoe 1434a. The temple 1412a includes a female groove 1422a, which may be a securing groove. The shoe 1434a may include a securing rail, in which case no additional means for securing the camera 10 to the temple 1412a may be required. In some examples, the groove may be a non-securing groove and the system may further include one or more bands which may engage with the surface features 13 on the camera 10. FIG. 14B shows another example of a camera 50 having a generally cylindrical or semi-cylindrical body. The camera 50 may include an image capture device, a battery and circuitry within a single housing 53. The camera 50 may be slidably coupled to the temple 1412b using a shoe 1434b. The temple 1412b in this example includes a securing guide, comprising a groove with a generally trapezoidal cross-section. The shoe 1434b includes a rail with an inverted generally trapezoidal cross-section. The groove incorporated into temple 1412b and the rail on the shoe 1434b are configured to form a slidable dovetail joint, which not only serves to guide movement of the camera 50 along the groove but also secures the camera 50 to the groove and thereby secures the camera 50 to the temple 1412b. The camera 50 may optionally include surface features 55 for engaging with a band (e.g., an elastic ring, a strap), in the even that a user desires to couple the camera 50 to a temple which includes a non-securing guide, e.g., as show in the example in FIG. 15 and described further below. FIGS. 15 shows a partial view of a system 1500 including an electronic device (e.g., camera 50) configured for slidable engagement with a temple 1512. The temple 1512 in FIG. 15 comprises a guide 1520, which is a non-securing guide. The guide may be implemented according to any of the example herein. The camera includes surface features 55 (e.g., ribs) configured to engage with a band 57 (e.g., an elastic ring such as an O-ring). The band 57 (e.g., an elastic ring) biases the camera 50 towards the temple 1512 such that the camera 50 remains into engagement with the guide 1520, while the elasticity of the band 57 allows for movement of the camera 50 along the temple 1512, the thickness and/or width of which may vary along the length of the temple 1512. In the examples in FIGS. 14-15, the cameras are positioned adjacent to an outside side of the temple. It will be understood that cameras which are positioned adjacent a top side, a bottom side and/or an interior side of the temple are within the scope of the present disclosure. FIG. 16 shows a partial view of another example of a camera 60 according to the present disclosure. The camera 60 is configured for engagement with a securing guide. The camera 60 includes a rail 62 comprising a pair of legs 64 spaced a distance 66 apart from one other. A rail comprising a plurality of legs may be referred to as a split rail. In this example, the distance 66 between the legs increases from the base 63 of the rail to the top 65 of the rail. The rail 62 is configured to be inserted into a groove having a generally trapezoidal geometry. When inserted therein, the rail 62 and groove form a slidable dovetail joint. By using a split rail as in this example rather than a solid rail having an inverted generally trapezoidal cross section, the system may offer an added weight savings. Variations of split rail configurations may further enable coupling between the rail and the groove by way of a snap fit as will be described further with reference to FIGS. 17A-17C. FIGS. 17A-C shows cross sectional views of an attachment system 1700a including guides according to further examples herein. The guide 1720 includes a first guide incorporated into temple 1712 and comprising a female groove 1722 having a generally U-shaped geometry. The groove 1722 is configured for engagement with a rail 1724 of a second guide, e.g., which may be provided on an electronic device, the rail 1724 also having a generally U-shaped cross section to form a slidable joint with the groove 1722. The slidable joint formed by the first and second guides is illustrated at different stages 1700a-1 through 1700a-3 of coupling the rail to the groove. The rail 1724 is a split rail comprising a pair of legs 1796. The rail 1724 is configured to couple to the groove 1722 by a snap fit. For example, the rail 1724 may be sized for a press fit into the groove 1722, as described herein. The rail 1724 has a first rail width 1793 at its widest location, which may be an intermediate location between the base and top of the rail, for example a midpoint location. The groove may have a first groove width 1794 at its narrowest location, which may be an intermediate location along the height of the groove, for example a midpoint location. The first rail width 1793 may be greater than the first groove width 1794 such that the rail may be press fit into the groove. In a first stage 1700a-1 (e.g., pre-installation), the rail and groove are shown adjacent one another prior to inserting the rail into the groove. In this stage, the rail and groove are in a zero engagement state with the rail decoupled from the groove and freely movable with respect to the groove. In a second stage 1700a-2 (e.g., during installation), the rail is partially inserted into the groove by moving the rail in a direction 1795 of the insertion force. At this stage 1700a-2, the rail and groove are in a partial engagement state. Due to the width of the rail at its widest location being greater than a width of the groove at its narrowest location the legs 1796 may deflect inward (e.g., toward one another) when the rail is moved in the direction 1795. The rail is fully inserted into the groove by further movement of the rail along the direction 1795 until the rail and groove are provided in a third stage 1700a-3 (e.g., post-installation). As the rail is further inserted into the groove, the legs 1796 may deflect outward (e.g., spring back to their neutral position) to lock the rail into engagement with the groove. At this stage 1700a-3, the rail and groove are in a full engagement state. In this stage 1700a-3, the top of the rail (e.g., ends of the legs) may abut the surface at the base of the groove. In some example, some clearance may remain between sidewalls of the rail and sidewalk of the groove to facilitate sliding of the rail within the groove. FIG. 17B shows a cross sectional view of the second guide including the split rail with a partial detail view of one of the legs 1796 of the split rail. The split rail comprises a pair of legs 1796 including a first leg 1796-1 and a second leg 1796-2 spaced apart from the first leg 1796-1. A width of the rail may vary along its height. For example, the rail may have a first rail width at the base of the rail, a second rail width at the top of the rail and a third rail width at an intermediate location of the rail between the base and the top. The first, second, and/or third rail widths may be different. In some examples, the first rail width may be substantially the same as the third rail width and may be less than the second rail width. The intermediate location may be referred to as the widest location of the rail. A distance between the legs 1796 may also vary. In some example, the distance between the legs may be the same along the height of the rail. FIG. 17C shows a cross sectional view of the first guide including the groove 1722 with a partial detail view of one of the sidewalls 1797-1 of the groove. The groove comprises a generally U-shaped groove defined by sidewalls 1797 which narrow from a base to an intermediate location along the height of the groove and then widen from the intermediate location to the top (e.g., opening) of the groove. As such, the width of the groove varies along the height of the groove such that the groove has a first groove width at the base of the groove, a second groove width at the top of the groove and a third groove width at an intermediate location of the groove between the base and the top. The first, second, and/or third groove widths may be different. In some examples, the first groove width may be substantially the same as the third groove width and may be greater than the second groove width. In this regard, the intermediate location may be referred to as the narrowest location of the groove. In some example, the first and/or third groove widths may be greater than the first and/or third rail widths to provide clearance for sliding movement of the rail 1724 within the groove 1722. In other examples, the location of the first and second guides may be reversed. That is, a temple may include a split rail similar to split rail 1724 of the example in FIGS. 17A-C, and an electronic device or an intermediate component attachable to the electronic device may include a groove 1722 similar to the groove 1722 of the example in FIGS. 17A-C and configured for coupling to a split rail as described herein. Guides according to the present disclosure may be provided on a finished surface of the temple. That is, the groove or tracks, or rail or rails of the guide may be formed such that they comprise a finished surface of the temple which does not distract from the cosmetic appearance of the eyewear. Furthermore, guides according to the present disclosure may include low profile guides which may be incorporated into relatively thin temples of eyewear. For example, the height of a rail (e.g., the split rail 1724) may be about 1 mm or less and a width of the rail may be about 3 mm or less. In a specific example, a split rail having a height of about 0.5 mm and a width of about 1.5 mm was implemented and shown to effectively couple an electronic device to a temple of an eyewear frame. The thickness of each of the legs may in some examples be less than about 0.5 mm and in some examples, less than about 0.3 mm. Such relatively thin cross section of the legs may allow for elastic deformation when moving from the first 1700a-1 through the second 1700a-2 and to the third 1700a-3 stages described with reference with FIG. 17A. Low profile guides according to the present disclosure may have the added advantage that they may be nearly unperceivable by an onlooker without close inspection of the eyewear. In this regard, guides according to the examples herein may function to preserve the aesthetic look of the eyewear. In some examples, a guide in the form of a male rail according to the present disclosure may be about 3 mm wide or less, about 1.5 mm high or less, and between about 10 mm and about 145 mm long. In some examples, a guide in the form of a female groove may be about 4 mm wide or less, about 1.5 mm deep or less, and between about 10 mm and about 145 mm long. In some example, a guide may be in excess of about 40 mm long. In some examples, a guide may be in excess of about 80 mm long. In some cases a guide may be in excess of 145 mm long as in the case of a guide on a bifurcated temple. The guide may be located on the outside side of a temple. The guide may be located on the inside side of a temple. The guide may be located on the top edge of the temple. The guide may be located on the bottom edge of the temple. In some examples, the electronic device (e.g., camera) may be pivotably coupled to the temple, for example using a hinge joint or a pivot joint, e.g., as illustrated in the example in FIGS. 18A-18C. FIGS. 18A-18C are views of an electronic device slidably and pivotably coupled to a temple according to further examples herein. The electronic device may be a camera 70 which includes an image capture device enclosed within a housing 72. The camera 70 may further include surface features 74 incorporated into the housing and configured for engagement with a band. The camera 70 may include an image capture device. The camera 70 may be coupled to the temple using an intermediate component (e.g., an interface 80), which may be pivotably coupled to the camera 70 via the pivot joint 82. In some examples, the pivot joint 82 may enable rotation of the camera 70 and thereby a rotation of the image capture device, about an axis of the camera, e.g., the x axis of the camera. One advantage may be the ability to align the image capture device with a desired object or scene to be capture even if the temple is otherwise angled relative to the object or scene. The pivot joint 82 may be configured to enable up to 20 degrees of upward and downward rotation about the x axis. In some examples, the pivot joint 82 may be configured to enable up to about 15 degrees of upward and/or downward rotation of the camera 70. As described herein, the intermediate component 80 may comprise a rail or a groove for slidably engaging with a groove or a rail on the temple 1812. In the specific example illustrated, the interface includes a split rail of the type described with reference to FIG. 17 and a groove configured for cooperating fit with the rail. In some examples, the camera 70 may be coupled to the temple via a hinge joint having a hinge axis generally parallel to a longitudinal axis of the temple. In such examples, the hinge joint may be operable to rotate the camera about the longitudinal axis of the temple, for example to change an orientation of the image capture device from a portrait orientation to a landscape orientation and vice versa. FIGS. 19A-19D and 20A-20D show top, front, side, and partial isometric views of systems according to some examples of the present disclosure. System 1900 in FIG. 19 may include an eyewear frame 1910 including a temple 1912. The system 1900 may further include an electronic device, for example camera 10, as described previously with reference to FIGS. 13A-13E. The camera 10 may be slidably engaged with the temple 1912 via a shoe (e.g., shoe 1434 of FIG. 14A). The camera 10 may include a forward portion 20 which comprises an image capture device. The forward portion 20 may be pivotably coupled to an aft portion 21 of the camera such that an orientation of the image capture device 12 may be changed, for example to compensate for misalignment of the camera 10 with a desired line of sight of the camera. In some examples, the camera 10 may include a ball and socket joint which may enable rotation of the forward portion about one or more axes parallel to one or more of the axes (e.g., the x-axis, the y-axis, and the z-axis) of the camera 10. The camera 10 may be coupled to the temple 1912 such that the camera 10 is generally parallel with a longitudinal axis of the temple 1912. In some examples, the longitudinal axis of the temple 1912 may be aligned with a neutral axis which may be generally parallel to a line of sight of the user and may thus be aligned with a desired line of sight for the capture of an image (e.g., still image, or a video image). In some examples, the longitudinal axis may not be aligned with the neutral axis but may instead be angled upward or downward with respect to the neutral axis. For example, the temple may be in a first inclined position (shown in dashed line), which may be angled upward relative to the neutral position, thus causing the image capture device of the camera to be oriented downward relative to a desired object or scene. In other examples, the temple may be in a second inclined position (shown in dashed line), which may be angled downward relative to the neutral position, thus causing the image capture device of the camera to be oriented upward relative to a desired object or scene. In this example, an image capture device of the camera 10 may be rotated about an axis that is parallel to the x axis of the camera 10. That is the forward portion of camera 10 may be rotated and the rotation of the forward portion about an axis that is parallel to the x axis would effect a change in orientation of the image capture device in an upward or downward direction relative to the line of sight of the user. With further reference to FIGS. 20A-20D, system 2000 may include an eyewear frame 2010 comprising a temple 2012. The system 2000 may further include an electronic device, for example camera 10, as described previously with reference to FIGS. 13A-13E and FIG. 19. The camera 10 may be slidably engaged with the temple and the forward portion of the camera may be pivotably coupled to an aft portion of the camera such that an orientation of the image capture device may be changed. The camera 10 may be coupled to the temple 2012 such that the camera 10 is generally parallel with a longitudinal axis of the temple 2012, which in some examples may be generally aligned with a neutral axis and thus may be aligned with a desired line of sight. In some examples, the temple may instead be angled inwardly or outwardly with respect to the neutral axis. For example, the temple may be in a first deflected position (shown in dashed line), which may be angled inward relative to the neutral axis, thus causing the image capture device of the camera to be oriented outward relative to a desired object or scene. In other examples, the temple may be in a second deflected position (shown in dashed line), which may be angled outward relative to the neutral axis, thus causing the image capture device of the camera to be oriented inward relative to a desired object or scene. In such examples, the camera may be rotated about an axis which is generally parallel to the y axis of the camera. Rotation about an axis which is parallel to the y axis of the camera may effect a change in orientation of the image capture device in a side to side or inward and outward direction with respect to a line of sight of the user. In further examples, the image capture device may be angularly misaligned. For example, by reasons of an irregularly shaped temple 2012, the x and y axes of the camera 10 and/or the image capture device may be rotated by an angle relative to the x and y axes of the eyewear frame. As such, an image captured by the camera in such an orientation may have an angular misalignment (e.g., be rotated about the z axis). Such misalignment may be resolved according to the examples herein by rotation of the forward portion of the image capture device about the z axis as illustrated in FIG. 20D. FIG. 21 shows yet another example of an electronic device according to the present disclosure, which may, by way of example, be a camera 90. The electronic device (e.g., camera 90) may include some or all of the features of electronic devices described herein. The camera 90 in this example includes a male rail 94 which is located on a bottom side 95 of the camera 90. When the camera 90 is coupled to a temple according to the examples herein, the bottom side 95 of the camera 90 is provided opposite the temple such that the guide in the form of a male rail 94 is in engagement with a guide on the temple. As will be appreciated, the rail 94 may extend along the length of the camera or partially along the length of the camera. For example, the rail 94 may have a length LR which is less than a length LC of the camera 90. The rail 94 may be positioned proximate the aft end 92 of the camera. The rail 94 may be spaced from the front end 91 of the camera 90 by a distance 96. Positioning of the rail 94 a distance 96 aft of the front end of the camera may enable the front end 91 of the camera 90, to be positioned in line with the front of the eyewear or slightly in front of the eyewear while the camera remains engaged with the guide on the temple. While the specific example illustrated shows a camera including a guide in the form of a rail, in other examples, the camera may include a guide in the form of a groove. In some examples, the rail may be part of a shoe attached to the electronic device. The rail incorporated in the shoe may similarly be spaced from a front end of the shoe to enable placement of the camera in line with or ahead of the eyewear frame. FIG. 22 shows an example of a stretchable band in the form of an O-ring according to examples of the present disclosure. The O-ring 97 may be generally circular and may have an outside diameter (ID). In some examples, an outside diameter (ID) of the O-ring 97 may range from about 8 mm to about 16 mm. The O-ring may have a rounded cross section, for example a circular cross section as illustrated in FIG. 22. A cross-sectional diameter 98 (e.g., the radial cross section diameter, the axial cross section diameter, or both) of the O-ring 97 may range from about 1 mm to about 2 mm. In some examples, the O-ring may be circular in cross section and the radial cross section diameter and axial cross section diameters of the O-ring may be about 1 mm. A rounded cross section of the O-ring may facilitate sliding of the O-ring along the temple without excessive twisting of the O-ring or otherwise impeding the movement of the electronic device along the temple. The O-ring 97 may be made from rubber, for example Buna N A70 durometer rubber. In some examples, the stretchable band may be an elastic ring made from other elastic materials such as silicon or ethylene propylene diene terpolymer (EPDM). One or more O-Rings can be applied to secure the electronic device to the eyewear temple and also the temple guide when it is present. The O-Ring can be applied in a manner whereby it covers one or more outer surfaces of the electronic device and the inside side of the eyewear temple. The O-Ring can be used to completely encircle the electronic device and the eyewear temple including the eyewear guide when and if present. One or more surface features located on the electronic device can receive the O-ring and prevent the O-Ring from becoming disengaged when the electronic device is being moved from a point near the front of the eyewear temple to a point near the back of the eyewear temple. The surface feature can form a depression on the surface of the electronic device for receiving the O-Ring. The depression can have a depth ranging from 0.50 mm-2.2 mm. When an O-Ring is used having a cross section of 1.0 mm the surface depression ranges from 0.75 mm to 1.25 mm. By example and without limitation, embodiments are disclosed according to the following enumerated paragraphs: A1. An electronic device system comprising: an eyewear frame including a temple and a first guide integral with the temple, the temple having a finished surface, and the first guide extending between a first location on the temple and a second location on the temple, wherein the first guide is formed on a side of the temple and extends partially through a thickness of the temple or protrudes from the temple, the first guide comprising a base and at least one sidewall adjacent to the base, the finished surface of the temple including surfaces of the base and the at least one sidewall; an electronic device movably coupled to the temple, the electronic device comprising a second guide coupled to the first guide; and an attachment system securing the electronic device to the temple, whereby the electronic device is movable along the guide while remaining secured to the temple, A2. The electronic device system according to paragraph A1, wherein the first guide comprises a rail or a groove. A3. The electronic device system according to paragraph A1 or A2, wherein the first guide is formed on an outside side of the temple, and wherein the first location is at a forward end of the temple and the second location is at a distance of about ⅓ of a length of the temple from an aft end of the temple. A4. The electronic device system according to paragraph A1, wherein the first guide is a groove and a depth of the groove is 2 mm or less. A5. The electronic device system according to paragraph A1, wherein the first guide is a groove and a width of the groove is 4 mm or less. A6. The electronic device system according to paragraph A1, wherein the first guide is a groove and a length of the groove is between 10 mm and 145 mm. A7. The electronic device system according to any of the paragraphs A1 through A6, wherein the electronic device comprises surface features configured to engage with the attachment system, and wherein the attachment system comprises an elastic band having a rounded cross-section and wherein a diameter of the cross-section is 2 mm or less. A8. The electronic device system according to paragraph A7, wherein the temple comprises a first portion and a second portion offset from the first portion by an offset distance, the offset distance greater than or equal to a thickness of the elastic hand. A9. The electronic device system according to any of the paragraphs A1 through A8, wherein the temple comprises a metal portion and wherein the first guide is located in the metal portion. A10. The electronic device system according to any of the paragraphs A1 through A8, the eyewear frame further comprising a metallic strip in the temple configured to engage with a magnet coupled to or embedded in the electronic device. A11. The electronic device system according to any of the paragraphs A1 through A10, wherein the electronic device is a camera removably coupled to the temple. A12. The electronic device system according to any of the paragraphs A1 through A10, wherein the camera is pivotably coupled to the temple. A13. The electronic device system according to any of the paragraphs A1 through A10, wherein the electronic device is a camera comprising an image capture device configured to be angled relative to an axis of the camera. A14. The electronic device system according to any of the paragraphs A1 through A10, wherein the electronic device is a camera and wherein the camera is waterproof. A15. The electronic device system according to any of the paragraphs A1 through A10, wherein the electronic device is a camera and wherein the camera comprises a compliant material provided on an external surface of the housing. A16. The electronic device system according to any of the paragraphs A1 through A10, wherein the electronic device is a camera and wherein the camera is configured to capture an image responsive to a tap of the temple or responsive to a voice command. A17. The electronic device system according to any of the paragraphs A1 through A10, wherein the electronic device is a camera, the camera comprising a camera front end and wherein the camera is configured to position the camera front end in line with or in front of the eyewear frame when the camera is moved to the first location on the temple. A18. The electronic device system according to any of the paragraphs A1 through A10, wherein the electronic device is a camera having a width and a height of about 8 mm each and a length of about 25 mm to about 30 mm. A19. The electronic device system according to any of the paragraphs A1 through A10, wherein the electronic device is a camera having a volume of less than 6,000 cubic millimeters. A20. The electronic device system according to any of the paragraphs A1 through A10, wherein the electronic device is a camera having a volume of less than 3,000 cubic millimeters. A21. The electronic device system according to any of the paragraphs A1 through A10, wherein the electronic device is a camera having a volume of less than 2,000 cubic millimeters. A22. The electronic device system according to any of the paragraphs A1 through A10, wherein the electronic device is a camera having a height between 6 mm and 12 mm. A23. The electronic device system according to any of the paragraphs A1 through A10, wherein the electronic device is a camera having a width between 6 mm and 12 mm. A24. The electronic device system according to any of the paragraphs A1 through A10, wherein the electronic device is a camera having a length between 12 mm and 45 mm. A25. The electronic device system according to any of the paragraphs A12 through A24, wherein the camera comprises a processor and memory comprising processor-executable instructions for centering an image captured by the camera, the processor-executable instructions configured to program the camera to detect a center of an image and relocate the center of the image by cropping the image. A26. The electronic device system according to paragraph A25, wherein the processor-executable instructions are further configured to program the camera to center the image in a vertical direction by determine a position of the horizon by detecting a color difference between a first object in the captured image which corresponds to the sky and a second object in the captured image which corresponds to the ground, and further configured to program the camera to center the image in a horizontal direction by detecting a horizontal center of the image and cropping the image in the horizontal direction such that the horizontal center is equally spaced between left and right sides of the image. A27. The electronic device system according to any of the paragraph A1 through A26, further comprising one or more lenses coupled to the eyewear frame, the one or more lenses comprising a prescription lens, a non-prescription lens, a tinted lens, a changeable tint lens, a variable focus lens, a switchable focus lens, or combinations thereof. A28. An electronic device system comprising: an eyewear frame including a temple and a first securing guide integral with the temple, the temple having a finished surface, and the first securing guide extending between a first location on the temple and a second location on the temple, wherein the first securing guide is formed on a side of the temple and extends partially through a thickness of the temple or protrudes from the temple, the first securing guide comprising a base and at least one sidewall adjacent to the base, the finished surface of the temple including surfaces of the base and the at least one sidewall; an electronic device movably coupled to the temple, the electronic device comprising a second securing guide coupled to the first securing guide; and wherein the first and second securing guides are configured to maintain the electronic device on the temple as the electronic device is moved along the first guide. A29. The electronic device system according to paragraph A28, wherein the first securing guide comprises a groove or a rail. A30. The electronic device system according to paragraph A28 or A29, wherein at least one of the first or second securing guides has a cross-sectional shape configured to maintain the electronic device on the temple as the electronic device is moved along the first guide. Although the present disclosure includes, by way of example, illustration and description of some embodiments, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that several modifications to the described embodiments, as well as other embodiments are possible without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. It will be appreciated that any of the components, features, or aspects from any of the disclosed embodiments may be used in combination with one another, without limitation, and without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. | <SOH> BACKGROUND <EOH>The world is quickly becoming a world of instant or near instant information availability. Certain of this information are photographs and videos. In addition, intelligent wireless devices and apps allow for the transfer of this information quickly, seamlessly and effortlessly. It is estimated that over one trillion digital photos will be taken in 2015 with the vast majority being taken by mobile phone cameras. Further, there are now over 6 billion mobile phones owned and actively used in the world or which approximately 4 billion have cameras associated. There are 2 Billion individuals in the world who wear prescription eyeglasses and over an estimated 300 Million pairs of eyeglasses sold in the world each year. Conventional eyeglasses may not include a camera, mainly because eyeglasses/eyewear are perceived to be a fashion item by the consumer. Attaching a conventional camera to eyewear by any conventional techniques may distract from the cosmetics or fashion-look of the eyeglasses or eyewear. Examples in the present disclosure may address some of the shortcomings in this field. | <SOH> SUMMARY <EOH>Wearable electronic device systems, for example wearable camera systems, and apparatuses and methods for attaching electronic devices such as cameras to eyewear or other wearable articles are described. An electronic device system according to some examples of the present disclosure may include an eyewear frame including a temple and a first guide integral with the temple, the temple having a finished surface, and the first guide extending between a first location on the temple and a second location on the temple. The first guide may be formed on a side of the temple and extend partially through a thickness of the temple or protrude from the temple, the first guide comprising a base and at least one sidewall adjacent to the base, the finished surface of the temple including surfaces of the base and the at least one sidewall. The system may further include an electronic device movably coupled to the temple, the electronic device comprising a second guide coupled to the first guide, and an attachment system securing the electronic device to the temple, whereby the electronic device is movable along the guide while remaining secured to the temple. In some examples, the first guide may include a rail or a groove. An electronic device system according to further examples of the present disclosure may include an eyewear frame including a temple and a first securing guide integral with the temple, the temple having a finished surface and the first securing guide extending between a first location on the temple and a second location on the temple. The first securing guide may be formed on a side of the temple and may extend partially through a thickness of the temple or may protrude from the temple. The first securing guide may include a base and at least one sidewall adjacent to the base, the finished surface of the temple including surfaces of the base and the at least one sidewall. The first and second securing guides may be configured to maintain the electronic device on the temple as the electronic device is moved along the first guide. In some examples, the first securing guide may include a rail or a groove. | G02C1110 | 20180105 | 20180524 | 94211.0 | G02C1100 | 1 | AGGARWAL, YOGESH K | WEARABLE CAMERA SYSTEMS AND APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR ATTACHING CAMERA SYSTEMS OR OTHER ELECTRONIC DEVICES TO WEARABLE ARTICLES | SMALL | 1 | CONT-ACCEPTED | G02C | 2,018 |
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15,864,325 | PENDING | ORNAMENT ASSEMBLY | An ornament assembly forms a ring hole for a string or a latch through fabric or leather goods. The ornament assembly includes a first body and a second body. The first body includes a first base defining a first through hole at a center of the first base and a first protrusion protruded from a boundary of the first through hole. The second body includes a second base defining a second through hole at a center of the second base and a second protrusion protruded from a boundary of the second through hole. The first protrusion defines an insert groove at a surface which is opposite to the second protrusion. The second protrusion is configured to be inserted into the insert groove to be combined with the first protrusion. | 1. An ornament assembly comprising: a first body comprising a first base defining a first through hole at a center of the first base and a first protrusion protruded from a boundary of the first through hole; and a second body comprising a second base defining a second through hole at a center of the second base and a second protrusion protruded from a boundary of the second through hole, wherein the first protrusion is protruded toward the second body, and the second protrusion is protruded toward the first body; and the first protrusion has an insert groove at a surface which is opposite to the second protrusion, and the second protrusion is inserted into the insert groove to be combined with the first protrusion. 2. The ornament assembly of claim 1, wherein an end of the second protrusion is received within the first protrusion of the first body. 3. The ornament assembly of claim 1, wherein the first body further comprises an incision portion which is formed at a side of the first protrusion, and the incision portion is connected to the insert groove. 4. The ornament assembly of claim 3, wherein an end of the second protrusion is received within the insert groove and the incision portion. 5. The ornament assembly of claim 3, wherein a diameter of an inner sidewall of the insert groove close to the first base is greater than a diameter of the inner sidewall of the insert groove further from the first base; and the second protrusion is inserted into the insert groove along the inner sidewall, and the second protrusion is guided to the incision portion. 6. The ornament assembly of claim 5, wherein the incline angle of the inner sidewall of the insert groove is 7 degree to 10 degree with respect to a central axis. 7. The ornament assembly of claim 1, wherein the second protrusion is divided into a plurality of parts along the boundary of the second through hole; and the insert groove of the first protrusion is divided into plurality of parts. 8. The ornament assembly of claim 7, wherein the first body further comprises a dividing rib formed between the insert grooves disposed adjacent to each other. 9. The ornament assembly of claim 5, wherein an outer side-surface of the second protrusion of the second body is inclined, and an outer diameter of the second protrusion is gradually decreased as going to an end of the second protrusion, and an inner surface of the second protrusion is perpendicularly formed. 10. An ornament assembly comprising: a first body comprising a first base having a first through hole at a center of the first base and a first protrusion protruded from the first base and formed around the first through hole, the first protrusion having an insert groove formed in a top surface of the first protrusion; and a second body comprising a second base having a second through hole at a center of the second base and a second protrusion protruded toward the first base from the second base and formed around the second through hole, the second protrusion inserted into the insert groove to be combined with the first protrusion. 11. The ornament assembly of claim 10, wherein the insert groove comprises a plurality of insert grooves; and the second protrusion comprises a plurality of second protrusions formed in positions facing the plurality of insert grooves. 12. The ornament assembly of claim 11, wherein the plurality of insert grooves are formed around the first through hole; and the plurality of second protrusions are formed around the second through hole. 13. The ornament assembly of claim 10, wherein the first body further comprises an incision portion which is formed at a side of the first protrusion; and the second protrusion has a locking portion protruding outwardly from an end of the second protrusion, and the locking portion is inserted into the insert groove. 14. The ornament assembly of claim 13, wherein a diameter of an inner sidewall of the insert groove close to the first base is greater than a diameter of the inner sidewall of the insert groove further from the first base; and the second protrusion is inserted into the insert groove along the inner sidewall, and the second protrusion is guided to the incision portion. 15. The ornament assembly of claim 10, wherein the insert groove comprises a plurality of insert grooves formed around the first through hole; and the second protrusion comprises a plurality of second protrusions formed in positions facing the plurality of insert grooves and formed around the second through hole; and the first body further comprises a dividing rib formed on the first base and formed between the insert grooves disposed adjacent to each other. | CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS The present application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/425,577, filed Mar. 3, 2015, which is a National Phase application under 35 U.S.C. § 371 of International Application No. PCT/KR2014/013111, with an International Filing Date of Dec. 31, 2014, which claims the benefit of Korean Patent Applications No. 10-2014-0107284, filed on Aug. 18, 2014 and Korean Patent Applications No. 10-2014-0150510, filed on Oct. 31, 2014 at the Korean Intellectual Property Office, the disclosures of which are incorporated by reference herein in their entirety. BACKGROUND Field of the Disclosure Example embodiments of the disclosure relate to an ornament assembly. More particularly, example embodiments of the disclosure relate to an ornament assembly, which is an ornament itself, to form a ring hole for a string or a latch through fabric or leather goods. Related Art A bag is a fashion item with a cloth, as well as an item for receiving stuffs in daily life. Especially, a women's handbag is sensitive to fashion, so that changes of design are needed according to changes of fashion such as various ages, jobs, clothing, seasons, places and trip purposes. An example of these latest designs, a case that shoulder straps of bag or handbag are provided by metal chains, has been recently increased. However, material for the bag or handbag is usually soft material such as fabric or leather which is thin and easy to be damaged on a surface thereof, so that there is a problem with damages on a connecting portion of the metal chains and the fabric or leather due to friction. Therefore, a connecting ring may be attached where the metal chain is connected, so that wearing of the fabric of the bag or handbag may be prevented. This connecting ring may be an ornament itself due to its color and shapes. A traditional connecting ring has a first body at a side of the bag or handbag, and a second body which is disposed at an opposite side of the bag or handbag and combined with the first body. However, combination type of the traditional connecting ring to fix the first and second bodies may be a screw combination of the first and second bodies, or a riveting combination which is bending a protrusion of the first or second bodies after combining the first body to the second body. However, the traditional connecting ring according to the screw combination type has a problem with decrease of combining force due to a relative rotation of the first and second bodies. In addition, the traditional connecting ring according to the riveting combination type has a problem with poor workability, poor design, and durability. In relation to poor workability, the traditional connecting ring may need a press process. In relation to poor design, the protrusion may be shown by user. In relation to poor durability, the fabric between the first and second bodies may be damaged by the relative rotation of the first and second bodies. SUMMARY The purpose of the disclosure is providing an ornament assembly which is capable of improving workability and coupling function to solve the above-mentioned problems. Another purpose of the disclosure is providing an ornament assembly to prevent disassemble of the ornament assembly in use, by preventing from relative rotation of a first body and a second body. Another purpose of the disclosure is providing an ornament assembly. The ornament assembly which is an ornament itself, may reinforce the strength of a connecting ring which connects a string to bag, handbag, banner, tent and the like, so that a damage due to wear and tear may be prevented. According to an example embodiment of the disclosure, an ornament assembly includes a first body and a second body. The first body includes a first base defining a first through hole at a center of the first base and a first protrusion protruded from a boundary of the first through hole. The second body includes a second base defining a second through hole at a center of the second base and a second protrusion protruded from a boundary of the second through hole. The first protrusion defines an insert groove at a surface which is opposite to the second protrusion. The second protrusion is configured to be inserted into the insert groove to be combined with the first protrusion. In an example embodiment, the first body may further include an incision portion which is formed at a side of the first protrusion. The incision portion may be connected to the insert groove. In an example embodiment, the second body may include a locking portion which is protruded from an end portion of the second protrusion toward outside. The locking portion may be inserted in the insert groove and supported by a side of the incision portion. In an example embodiment, an inner sidewall of the insert groove of the first protrusion may be inclined, so that the locking portion of the second body may be guided to the incision portion of the first body. In an example embodiment, the incline angle of the inner sidewall of the insert groove may be 7 degree to 10 degree with respect to a central axis. In an example embodiment, the second protrusion may be divided into a plurality of parts along the boundary of the second through hole. The insert groove of the first protrusion may be divided into plurality of parts. In an example embodiment, the first body may further include a dividing rib formed between the insert grooves disposed adjacent to each other. In an example embodiment, outer side-surface of the second protrusion of the second body may be inclined, so that outer diameter of the second protrusion may be gradually decreased as going to an end thereof. In an example embodiment, an outer side-surface of the second protrusion of the second body may be inclined, so that outer diameter of the second protrusion may be gradually decreased as going to a lower portion of the locking portion. In an example embodiment, the first body may further include a locking jaw which is formed at a side of the insert groove of the first protrusion. The second body may further include a locking portion which is protruded at an end portion of the second protrusion toward outside. The locking portion may be inserted in the insert groove and is stuck and supported by the locking jaw. In an example embodiment, the second body may further include a single stepped portion at an inner side of the second protrusion. According to the ornament assembly of the disclosure, the second protrusion of the second body is inserted in the first protrusion of the first body, so that the end portion of the second protrusion is not shown to users. Thus, a design of the ornament assembly may be improved. In addition, according to the ornament assembly of the disclosure, relative rotation of the first and second bodies after the combination of the first and second bodies may be prevented. Thus, problem with separation during the use of the ornament assembly and problem with damage on the fabric may be prevented. In addition, according to the ornament assembly of the disclosure, the first body and the second body may be combined together by simply pressing them, so that workability may be improved. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a combined perspective view illustrating an ornament assembly according to an example embodiment of the disclosure; FIGS. 2 and 3 are exploded perspective views illustrating an ornament assembly according to an example embodiment of the disclosure; FIG. 4 is a plan view illustrating a first body according to an example embodiment of the disclosure; FIG. 5 is a bottom view illustrating a first body according to an example embodiment of the disclosure; FIG. 6 is a plan view illustrating a second body according to an example embodiment of the disclosure; FIG. 7 is a bottom view illustrating a second body according to an example embodiment of the disclosure; FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view illustrating an ornament assembly according to an example embodiment of the disclosure; FIG. 9 is a perspective view illustrating an ornament assembly according to another example embodiment of the disclosure; FIGS. 10 and 11 are exploded perspective views illustrating an ornament assembly according to another example embodiment of the disclosure; FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view illustrating an ornament assembly according to another example embodiment of the disclosure; FIG. 13 is a perspective view illustrating an ornament assembly according to still another example embodiment of the disclosure; FIGS. 14 and 15 are exploded perspective views illustrating an ornament assembly according to still another example embodiment of the disclosure; and FIG. 16 is a cross-sectional view illustrating an ornament assembly according to still another example embodiment of the disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION Hereinafter, the disclosure is described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which example embodiments of the disclosure are shown. The disclosure may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the example embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these example embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the disclosure to those skilled in the art. Like reference numerals refer to like elements throughout the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1 is a combined perspective view illustrating an ornament assembly according to an example embodiment of the disclosure. According to the example embodiment of the disclosure, an ornament assembly 1000 is combined with a fabric 1 such as cloth, leather or synthetic resin and works as a connecting ring, so that a string (not shown) may be attached to the fabric through the ornament assembly 1000. The ornament assembly 1000 includes a first body 2000 which is disposed at a surface of the fabric 1, and a second body 3000 which is disposed an opposite surface of the fabric 1 and combined with the first body 2000. At this time, shapes of the first body 2000 and the second body 3000 may be various as needed such as circular, elliptical or polygonal shapes. According to an example embodiment of the disclosure of FIG. 1, the first and second bodies 2000, 3000 have ring shapes, and are combined with each other in a vertical direction. When the first body 2000 is combined with the second body 3000, a gap 1100 is formed along outer peripheral surfaces of the first body 2000 and the second body 3000, so that the fabric 1 may be disposed in the gap 1100. The first body 2000 and the second body 3000 may include a various material having elasticity such as a plastic, metal and etc., as considering the fabric 1 and material of a string which is connected to the fabric 1. FIGS. 2 and 3 are exploded perspective views illustrating an ornament assembly according to an example embodiment of the disclosure. FIGS. 4 and 5 are plan view and bottom view illustrating a first body according to an example embodiment of the disclosure. FIGS. 6 and 7 are plan view and bottom view illustrating a second body according to an example embodiment of the disclosure. Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, an ornament assembly 1000 according to an example embodiment of the disclosure includes a first body 2000 and a second body 3000 which is opposite to the first body 2000. A fabric 1 such as cloth, leather or synthetic resin is disposed between the first body 2000 and the second body 3000. For example the fabric 1 may be a portion of bag, handbag, banner, tent and the like, and a string may be connected to the portion. A hole 2 is formed through the fabric 1 for connecting the string to the fabric 1. According to an example embodiment of the disclosure, the first body 2000 is disposed at a side of the fabric (upper side of the figure), and the second body 3000 is disposed at other side of the fabric (lower side of the figure). And then, the first body 2000 and the second body 3000 are combined with each other through the hole 2. At this time, positions of the first body 2000 and the second body 3000 can be changed. The first body 2000 includes a first base 2100 which defines a first through hole 2110 at a central portion thereof, and a first protrusion 2200 which is formed along a boundary of the first through hole 2110. The first protrusion 2200 is protruded toward lower direction in the figure, and inserted to the hole 2 of the fabric 1. The second body 3000 includes a second base 3100 which defines a second through hole 3110 at a central portion thereof, a second protrusion 3200 which is formed along a boundary of the second through hole 3110. The second protrusion 3200 is protruded toward upper direction in the figure, and is combined with the first protrusion 2200 of the first body 2000 through the hole 2 of the fabric 1. At this time, the second protrusion 3200 is spaced apart from the second through hole 3110 in an outer direction of a radius. Thus, a single stepped portion 3210 is formed between the second through hole 3110 and the second protrusion 3200 along the boundary of the through hole 3110. As the first base 2100 and the second base 3100 have circular shape as an example in the figure, it is an example embodiment of the disclosure. Each of the first base 2100 and the second base 3100 may have various shapes such as elliptical or polygonal shapes. Similarly, the hole 2 of the fabric 1, the first through hole 2110 of the first body 2000, and the second through hole 3110 of the second body 3000 may have various shapes such as elliptical or polygonal shapes. In addition, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, a round portion 2111 which is convex toward inner side may be formed on the first base 2100 along the boundary of the first through hole 2110. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 7, a round portion 3111 which is convex toward inner side may be formed on the second base 3100 along the boundary of the second through hole 3110. Accordingly, wear and damage of the string which is connected to the first and second through holes 2110 and 3110 in a traditional ornament assembly due to a friction on edges of the first and second through holes 2110 and 3110, may be prevented in the disclosure. In addition, an insert groove 2210 is formed on a bottom surface of the first body 2000. The insert groove 2210 is opposite to the second protrusion 3200 of the second body 3000. When the first body 2000 is combined with the second body 3000, the second protrusion 3200 of the second body 3000 is inserted in the insert groove 2210 of the first body 2000. Accordingly, when the first body 2000 is combined with the second body 3000, the second protrusion 3200 of the second body 3000 is received in the first protrusion 2200 of the first body 2000, so that an end portion of the second protrusion 3200 of the second body 3000 may be not exposed to outside through the first through hole 2110. Thus, design and touch feeling of the ornament assembly may be improved. Thus, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 7, the ornament assembly 1000 according to an example embodiment of the disclosure, the end portions of the second protrusion 3200 and the first protrusion 2200 may not be exposed to outside through the first through hole 2110 and the second through hole 3110. Referring to FIGS. 2 and 6, a locking portion 3220 is protruded from the upper portion of the second protrusion 3200 toward outside. A locking jaw 2221 is formed on an inside surface of an outer sidewall 2212 which surrounds the insert groove 2210. When the first body 2000 is combined with the second body 3000, the locking portion 3220 of an end portion of the second protrusion 3200 is inserted into the insert groove 2210, and then the locking portion 3220 is stuck and supported by the locking jaw 2221, so that the first body 2000 and the second body 3000 may be completely combined with each other. For example, as shown in FIG. 3, an incision portion 2220 which is connected to the insert groove 2210 may be formed along an outer peripheral surface of the first protrusion 2200 to form the locking jaw 2221 as a lower portion of incision portion 2220. At this time, although the incision portion 2220 is formed at an upper portion of the first protrusion 2200 in the figure, the incision portion 2220 may be formed at a proper position as needed. FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view illustrating an ornament assembly according to an example embodiment of the disclosure. Referring to FIG. 8, an ornament assembly 1000 according to an example embodiment of the disclosure includes a first body 2000 and a second body 3000 which is opposite to the first body 2000. A fabric 1 is disposed between the first body 2000 and the second body 3000, and the first body 2000 and the second body 3000 are combined with each other. When the first and the second bodies 2000 and 3000 are combined, the second protrusion 3200 of the second body 3000 is inserted into the insert groove 2210 which is formed on the bottom surface of the first protrusion 2200 of the first body 2000. At this time, an inner sidewall 2211 of the insert groove 2210 is inclined toward an upper outer direction. Accordingly, the second protrusion 3200 is inserted into the insert groove 2210 along the inner sidewall 2211 with being widen toward outer direction, and the locking portion 3220 at the end portion of the second protrusion 3200 is stuck and supported by the locking jaw 2221. Thus, the inner sidewall 2211 of the insert groove 2210 guides the locking portion 3220 at the end portion of the second protrusion 3200 to the locking jaw 2221 when the first body 2000 and the second body 3000 are combined with each other. The second protrusion 3200 may preferably be divided into a plurality of parts along the boundary of the second through hole 3110, so that the second protrusion 3200 may easily widen toward the outer direction. The insert groove 2210 may preferably be divided into a plurality of parts corresponding to each part of the second protrusion 3200. Referring to FIGS. 3 and 5, a dividing rib 2230 is formed between the adjacent insert grooves 2210, and between the adjacent incision portions, respectively. In addition, referring to FIGS. 2 and 6, the plurality of the second protrusions 3200 are disposed along the boundary of the second through hole 3110, and are spaced apart from each other by a predetermined gap. An example showing that each of the second protrusion 3200 and the insert groove 2210 has four parts in the figures, the number of divided parts may be properly determined according to deformation property of material and a product specification. Thus, if the second protrusion 3200 and the insert groove 2210 are divided into plurality of parts, each of the locking portions 3220 is supported by each of the locking jaws 2221 between the adjacent dividing ribs 2230 when the first body 200 and the second body 3000 are combined with each other. At this time, relative rotation of the first body 2000 and the second body 3000 due to the dividing ribs 2230 disposed at both sides of the locking portion 3220 in a circumferential direction. Thus, noise and wear or damage of the fabric 1 or the ornament assembly 1000 due to relative rotation of the first and second bodies 2000 and 3000 may be prevented. In addition, inclined angle of the inner sidewall 2211 of the insert groove 2210 may preferably be 7 degree to 10 degree with respect to a central axis. If the inclined angle is smaller than 7 degree, combining force may be decreased because the locking portion 3220 at the end portion of the insert groove 2210 cannot be supported by the locking jaw 2221. If the inclined angle is larger than 10 degree, assembly workability of the second protrusion 3200 may be declined, and the second protrusion 3200 may be damaged or deformed during the assembly work. The inclined angle of the inner sidewall 2211 of the insert groove 2210 may more preferably be 8.5 degree with considering the assembly workability, preventing damage or deform of the second protrusion 3200 and the combining force after assembly. In addition, an inner surface of the second protrusion 3200 may preferably be perpendicularly formed, so that the second protrusion 3200 may be tightly inserted in the insert groove 2210. And an outer surface of the second protrusion 3200 may preferably be inclined toward upper and inner direction to a lower portion of the locking portion 3220. Thus, the outer surface of the second protrusion 3200 may be inclined, so that external diameter of the second protrusion 3200 is gradually decreased as going to an end portion thereof, which is a lower portion of the locking portion 3220. When the first body 2000 and the second body 3000 are combined with each other, the inner surface of the second protrusion 3200 contacts to the inner sidewall 2211 of the insert groove 2210, and the outer surface of the second protrusion 3200 contacts to the outer sidewall 2212 of the insert groove 2210. The end portion of the first protrusion 2200 of the first body 2000 may preferably make contact with an upper surface of the second base 3100 of the second body 3000. At this time, a lower portion of the inner sidewall 2211 of the insert groove 2210 contacts to and is supported by a single stepped portion 3210 of an inner side of the second protrusion 3200 FIG. 9 is a perspective view illustrating an ornament assembly according to another example embodiment of the disclosure. FIGS. 10 and 11 are exploded perspective views illustrating an ornament assembly according to another example embodiment of the disclosure. FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view illustrating an ornament assembly according to another example embodiment of the disclosure. An ornament assembly 1000′ according to another example embodiment of the disclosure is substantially same as the above example embodiment, except that a first base 2100′ of a first body 2000′ and a second base 3100′ of the second body 3000′ have quadrangle shapes. Thus, like reference numerals refer to like elements of the above example embodiment having like functions, and any further detailed descriptions concerning the same elements will be omitted. According to another example embodiment of the disclosure, the first base 2100′ and the second base 3100′ have quadrangle shapes. At this time, although a first through hole 2110 and a second through hole 3110 have circular shapes in the figure, the first through hole 2110 and the second through hole 3110 may have various shapes such as elliptical or polygonal shapes as mentioned above. When the first body 2000′ and the second body 3000′ are combined with each other, a second protrusion 3200 of the second body 3000′ is inserted into an insert groove 2210 which is formed at a bottom surface of a first protrusion 2200 of the first body 2000. A locking portion 3220 at an end portion of the second protrusion 3200 is stuck and supported by a locking jaw 2221 at a side of an insert groove 2210. The second protrusion 3200 of the second body 3000′ is received in the first protrusion 2200 of the first body 2000, so that the end portion of the second protrusion 3200 may be not exposed to outside through the first through hole 2110. Both sides of the locking portion 3220 are blocked by a dividing rib 2230, so that noise and wear or damage due to relative rotation of the first and second bodies 2000′ and 3000′ may be prevented. FIG. 13 is a perspective view illustrating an ornament assembly according to still another example embodiment of the disclosure. FIGS. 14 and 15 are exploded perspective views illustrating an ornament assembly according to still another example embodiment of the disclosure. FIG. 16 is a cross-sectional view illustrating an ornament assembly according to still another example embodiment of the disclosure. An ornament assembly 1000′ according to another example embodiment of the disclosure is substantially same as the above example embodiment, except that a first base 2100″ and a first through hole 2110″ of a first body 2000″, and a second through hole 3110″ and a second base 3100′ of the second body 3000′ have elliptical shapes. Hereinafter, like reference numerals refer to like elements of the above example embodiment having like functions, and any further detailed descriptions concerning the same elements will be omitted. According to still another example embodiment of the disclosure, a first protrusion 2200″ having an elliptical shape is formed along a boundary of the first through hole 2200″, and a second protrusion 3200″ which is spaced apart from a boundary of the second through hole 3110″ and having an elliptical shape is formed along the second through hole 3110″. An insert groove 2210″ and the second protrusion 3200″ may preferably be divided into a plurality of parts. The insert groove 2210″ may be divided into a plurality parts by at least one or more of dividing rib 2230. The second protrusions 3200″ may be spaced apart from each other by a predetermined distance along the boundary of the second through hole 3110″. At this time, width or thickness of the dividing rib 2230 may be properly determined according to property of material and a product specification such as thickness and size of the product. The incision portion 2200″ is formed along a circumference of an upper and outer surface the first protrusion 2220″ to be connected to the insert groove 2210″. The dividing rib 2230 divides adjacent incision portion 2220″. When the first body 2000″ and the second body 3000″ are combined with each other, a second protrusion 3200″ of the second body 3000″ is inserted into the insert groove 2210″ which is formed at a bottom surface of the first protrusion 2200″ of the first body 2000″. A locking portion 3220″ at an end portion of the second protrusion 3200″ is stuck and supported by a locking jaw 2221″ at a side of the insert groove 2210″. At this time, the second protrusion 3200″ of the second body 3000″ is received in the first protrusion 2200″ of the first body 2000″, so that an end portion of the second protrusion 3200″ of the second body 3000″ may be not exposed to outside through the first through hole 2110″. Thus, design and touch feeling of the ornament assembly may be improved. The foregoing is illustrative of the disclosure and is not to be construed as limiting thereof. Although a few example embodiments of the disclosure have been described, those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that many modifications are possible in the example embodiments within the scope of the disclosure as defined in the claims. According to the ornament assembly of the disclosure, the end portion of the second protrusion is not shown to users. Thus, a design of the ornament assembly may be improved. In addition, according to the ornament assembly of the disclosure, problem with separation during the use of the ornament assembly and problem with damage on the fabric may be prevented. In addition, according to the ornament assembly of the disclosure, workability may be improved, so that manufacturing time and cost may be decreased. Thus, productivity may be improved. | <SOH> BACKGROUND <EOH> | <SOH> SUMMARY <EOH>The purpose of the disclosure is providing an ornament assembly which is capable of improving workability and coupling function to solve the above-mentioned problems. Another purpose of the disclosure is providing an ornament assembly to prevent disassemble of the ornament assembly in use, by preventing from relative rotation of a first body and a second body. Another purpose of the disclosure is providing an ornament assembly. The ornament assembly which is an ornament itself, may reinforce the strength of a connecting ring which connects a string to bag, handbag, banner, tent and the like, so that a damage due to wear and tear may be prevented. According to an example embodiment of the disclosure, an ornament assembly includes a first body and a second body. The first body includes a first base defining a first through hole at a center of the first base and a first protrusion protruded from a boundary of the first through hole. The second body includes a second base defining a second through hole at a center of the second base and a second protrusion protruded from a boundary of the second through hole. The first protrusion defines an insert groove at a surface which is opposite to the second protrusion. The second protrusion is configured to be inserted into the insert groove to be combined with the first protrusion. In an example embodiment, the first body may further include an incision portion which is formed at a side of the first protrusion. The incision portion may be connected to the insert groove. In an example embodiment, the second body may include a locking portion which is protruded from an end portion of the second protrusion toward outside. The locking portion may be inserted in the insert groove and supported by a side of the incision portion. In an example embodiment, an inner sidewall of the insert groove of the first protrusion may be inclined, so that the locking portion of the second body may be guided to the incision portion of the first body. In an example embodiment, the incline angle of the inner sidewall of the insert groove may be 7 degree to 10 degree with respect to a central axis. In an example embodiment, the second protrusion may be divided into a plurality of parts along the boundary of the second through hole. The insert groove of the first protrusion may be divided into plurality of parts. In an example embodiment, the first body may further include a dividing rib formed between the insert grooves disposed adjacent to each other. In an example embodiment, outer side-surface of the second protrusion of the second body may be inclined, so that outer diameter of the second protrusion may be gradually decreased as going to an end thereof. In an example embodiment, an outer side-surface of the second protrusion of the second body may be inclined, so that outer diameter of the second protrusion may be gradually decreased as going to a lower portion of the locking portion. In an example embodiment, the first body may further include a locking jaw which is formed at a side of the insert groove of the first protrusion. The second body may further include a locking portion which is protruded at an end portion of the second protrusion toward outside. The locking portion may be inserted in the insert groove and is stuck and supported by the locking jaw. In an example embodiment, the second body may further include a single stepped portion at an inner side of the second protrusion. According to the ornament assembly of the disclosure, the second protrusion of the second body is inserted in the first protrusion of the first body, so that the end portion of the second protrusion is not shown to users. Thus, a design of the ornament assembly may be improved. In addition, according to the ornament assembly of the disclosure, relative rotation of the first and second bodies after the combination of the first and second bodies may be prevented. Thus, problem with separation during the use of the ornament assembly and problem with damage on the fabric may be prevented. In addition, according to the ornament assembly of the disclosure, the first body and the second body may be combined together by simply pressing them, so that workability may be improved. | A44B130088 | 20180108 | 20180510 | 62989.0 | A44B1300 | 1 | SULLIVAN, MATTHEW J | ORNAMENT ASSEMBLY | SMALL | 1 | CONT-ACCEPTED | A44B | 2,018 |
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15,864,749 | PENDING | Computer Recovery or Return | A computer return apparatus includes a processor. The apparatus includes a memory connected to the processor. The apparatus includes a display. The apparatus includes a return screen that the processor automatically causes to appear during or after boot-up of the processor on the display, that displays information concerning an owner who owns the computer, concerning user information about who the user is who the computer is assigned to for use, and return information for returning the computer to the owner from data stored in the memory. A method for displaying information to assist with returning a computer to its owner. | 1. A method for displaying information to assist with returning a computer comprising the steps of: activating a processor to display on a display screen on the computer which displays information concerning return information for returning the computer to an owner from data stored in a memory of the computer, the screen displaying return information, to facilitate return of the computer so the return information is visible to anyone viewing the display screen; initiating or changing return information which appears on the display through remote communication without assistance by a user with the computer, wherein the changing of the return information is done through an interactive program stored in the memory of the computer which is remotely accessed only by the owner of the computer or the party authorized by the owner to enable the initiating or changing of the display screen; displaying the screen before or with a security prompt which prevents the user from accessing operatively the computer; and activating the processor to allow a message to the user. 2. The method as described in claim 1 including the step of selecting by the owner or user an Internet link on the screen, an Internet location associated with the Internet link stored in the memory of the computer, the owner or user is automatically able to access the computer and the Internet location associated with the Internet link. 3. The method as described in claim 1 wherein the screen having an active link allowing remote communication to a remote server which provides return information to facilitate return of the computer. 4. An apparatus for displaying information at a computer owned by an owner which can be used by an owner or user, the apparatus comprising: a computer comprising; a memory; a display; and a processor in communication with the display and the memory which displays on the display with the computer recovery information for returning the computer to an owner from data stored in the memory of the computer to facilitate return of the computer so the recovery information is visible to anyone viewing the display, the processor initiating or changing the recovery information through remote communication without assistance by the user with the computer, wherein the changing of the recovery information is done through an interactive program stored in the memory of the computer and which is remotely accessed only by the owner of the computer or the party authorized by the owner to enable the initiating or changing of the recovery information on the display. 5. The apparatus as described in claim 4 wherein the display includes an Internet link that can be selected by the owner or user, an Internet location associated with the Internet link stored in the memory of the computer, the owner or user is able to access the computer and the Internet location associated with the Internet link. 6. The system as described in claim 4 wherein the display having an active link to allow remote communication to the remote server which provides recovery information to facilitate return of the computer. 7. A computer program stored in a non-transient memory for displaying information to assist with returning a computer to its owner comprising the computer generated steps of: displaying by a processor on a display of the computer which displays recovery information for returning the computer to an owner from data stored in a memory of the computer, the display displaying the recovery information, to facilitate return of the computer so the recovery information is visible to anyone viewing the display; and initiating or changing the recovery information through remote communication without assistance by the user with the computer, wherein the initiating or changing of the recovery information is done through an interactive program stored in the memory of the computer and is remotely accessed only by the owner of the computer or the party authorized by the owner to enable the initiating or changing of the recovery information. | CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/601,645 filed May 22, 2017, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/199,316 filed Jun. 30, 2016, now U.S. Pat. No. 9,672,388 issued Jun. 6, 2017, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/691,222 filed Apr. 20, 2015, now U.S. Pat. No. 9,390,296 issued Jul. 12, 2016, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/087,866 filed Nov. 22, 2013, now U.S. Pat. No. 9,021,610 issued Apr. 28, 2015, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/945,332 filed Sep. 20, 2004, now U.S. Pat. No. 8,601,606 issued Dec. 3, 2013, which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/304,827 filed Nov. 25, 2002, all of which are incorporated by reference herein. FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention is related to the return of lost or stolen computers. More specifically, the present invention is related to the return of lost or stolen computers using a recovery screen that appears during or after boot-up of the computer. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Current methods of computer return or recovery products include: (1) Physical labels that attach to the outside hardware of the computer equipment. These hardware labels can contain custom recovery information, but because they are hardware based, they can not be interactively changed by the owner. Also, since they do not have any ability to affect the computer boot-up process, they can do nothing to help protect the confidential owner information on the hard drive. An example of a well known physical hardware/recovery label is the STOP Tag by Security Tracking of Office Property in Connecticut. This labeling system has been patented in France, the US, and other countries. The product can be easily defeated by removing the physical label. In the case of STOP Tag which includes a ‘recovery mark’ which states “STOLEN PROPERTY” underneath the label, a new label can be simply added over the ‘recovery mark’ to hide the STOLEN PROPERTY sign. (The Security Tracking of Office Property equipment recovery patent is U.S. Pat. No. 5,163,711 This patent actually refers to how the labels adhere to the equipment—but this is their patent). The computer security recovery/return program of the present invention utilizes this type of hardware recovery approach to a small degree, but is greatly different from this system, because this is a software program rather than a hardware solution. Additionally, the present invention is greatly superior, since the owner can interactively customize the return/recovery information displayed at any time, and the present invention also helps protect the important, confidential owner information on the hard drive, by the positioning of the program layer in the equipment boot-up process. (2) Computer Software Programs that attempt recovery through the use of the modem. There are several patented computer security software products on the market today that are designed for the purpose of recovering lost or stolen equipment. These programs use the computer's modem to regularly call a recovery center. Then once a computer is stolen, the recovery center waits for the stolen computer to call in. When the computer modem calls in, the recovery centers use something similar to the reverse 911 system to get the phone number that the stolen equipment is accessing. Using the phone number, the recovery system then can try to get a map of where the computer is. Some of these computer security recovery programs can also attempt to locate stolen computers through an IP address. Some of these computer security recovery software programs, can actually attempt to seize the communication between the stolen computer and the recovery center and delete selected files to help protect the owner's confidential information. Products like these include CompuTrace, PC Phone Home, CyberAngel, LapTrak and Luceria. The present invention is also designed for the purpose of recovering lost or stolen equipment, but the method is distinctively different and unique from the current methods. The present invention does not rely on the use of the computer modem. The present invention uses a layered program in the boot-up process to provide a display of the proper owner recovery and return information using the computer's own monitor or screen. The present invention is also different and superior to the above software tracking products, in helping to accomplish international recovery. None of the above products to date have been able to use the modem phone or IP system to track stolen equipment internationally. The present invention provides international recovery by displaying owner email information as well as providing recovery help through an international recovery internet web site. There are other differences as well in how these programs try to also protect the information on the hard drive. The present invention automatically initiates during the boot-up process of the equipment, in order to display the recovery/return information before a security prompt screen to always help protect the owner's confidential information on the hard drive. Some of the programs above do nothing to protect the user information. Others like LapTrak include a Hide-A-File feature that an owner can access after the user enters the operating system. CyberAngel includes an encryption feature. Luceria includes the ability to delete pre-selected files from the recovery center. By layering this computer security application strategically before or during a security prompt in the boot-up process, this application provides a unique and different method to help protect owner information. (An example of patents for these types of products would be the CompuTrace U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,715,174, 5,764,892, and 5,802,280). (3) Bios Based Password Identification systems. There are some computers that are sold with Bios based identification systems included. These products activate immediately when a computer is turned on, and prompt the user for a password before accessing the data on the computer. The present invention is very different and unique from the Bios based program, for many reasons. Most importantly the bios based password identification products are built into the hardware of the computer equipment—not the hard drive. In other words, if you removed the hard drive from a stolen or lost laptop, and inserted the stolen hard drive into a different laptop, you would bypass the bios based password identification system, and the bios based password identification system would remain with the original equipment. Thus, the Bios Based Password Identification system can identify the computer hardware, but not the hard drive (the most important part of the computer equipment). In addition, the Bios Based Password Identification systems are designed as a unique method for providing an additional layer of password protection to the equipment hardware, but are not designed for recovery or return. There is no design for including complete owner information, no recovery information displayed, no effective protection of the information on the hard drive, no effective method for the recovery or return of the hard drive—the most important item that a consumer would want back. In fact the Bios Password Identification product occurs before allowing the hard drive to boot up. The present invention is unique because it is an application software program that provides its layer of protection during the hoot-up process (not before), and thus allows the security product to move with the hard drive, the most critical part of the computer. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention pertains to a computer return apparatus. The apparatus comprises a processor. The apparatus comprises a memory connected to the processor. The apparatus comprises a display. The apparatus comprises a return screen that the processor automatically causes to appear during or after boot-up of the processor on the display, that displays ownership information concerning who owns the computer and return information for returning the computer to the owner from data stored in the memory. The present invention pertains to a method for returning a computer to its owner. The method comprises the steps of activating a computer. Then there is the step of displaying automatically a return screen on a display of the computer during or after boot-up of the computer, which displays information concerning owner information about who owns the computer and return information for returning the computer to the owner from data stored in the memory of the computer. The present invention pertains to a computer readable medium whose contents cause a computer to show who is its owner by performing the steps of activating a computer. Then there is the step of displaying automatically a return screen on a display of the computer during or after boot-up of the computer, which displays information concerning owner information about who owns the computer and return information for returning the computer to the owner from data stored in the memory of the computer. The present invention pertains to a computer return apparatus. The apparatus comprises a processor. The apparatus comprises a memory connected to the processor. The apparatus comprises a display. The apparatus comprises a return screen that the processor automatically causes to appear during or after boot-up of the processor on the display, that displays information concerning an owner who owns the computer, concerning user information about who the user is who the computer is assigned to for use, and return information for returning the computer to the owner from data stored in the memory. The present invention pertains to a method for displaying information to assist with returning a computer to its owner. The method comprises the steps of activating a computer. There is the step of displaying automatically a return screen on a display of the computer during or after boot-up which displays information concerning owner information about who owns the computer, concerning user information about who the user is who the computer is assigned to for use, and return information for returning the computer to the owner from data stored in a memory of the computer. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the accompanying drawings, the preferred embodiment of the invention and preferred methods of practicing the invention are illustrated in which: FIG. 1 is a schematic representation of the apparatus of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a representation of a return/recovery dialog box of an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a flow chart regarding an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a flow chart regarding a second embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 5 is a representation of an administration program section of the present invention. FIG. 6 is a representation of a return screen of the present invention. FIG. 7 is an example of a password screen utilized by the present invention. FIG. 8 is a return administration screen of the present invention. FIG. 9 is a second return administration screen of the present invention. FIG. 10 is a third return administration screen of the present invention. FIG. 11 is a fourth return administration screen of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION Referring now to the drawings wherein like reference numerals refer to similar or identical parts throughout the several views, and more specifically to FIG. 1 thereof, there is shown a computer 12 return apparatus 10. The apparatus 10 comprises a processor 14. The apparatus 10 comprises a memory 16 connected to the processor 14. The apparatus 10 comprises a display 18. The apparatus 10 comprises a return screen 20 that the processor 14 automatically causes to appear during or after boot-up of the processor 14 on the display 18, that displays ownership information concerning who owns the computer 12 and return information for returning the computer 12 to the owner from data stored in the memory 16. The Owner is defined as the person or entity that owns, rents, or licenses the Retriever, and/or the person or entity who controls the recovery service. The Owner has greater control over the computer 12 than the user. This could include, but not be limited to, an employee of a company that owns the computer 12, or an agent of the owner or a friend that has the permission of the owner to use or have or recover the computer 12. Preferably, the apparatus 10 includes means for causing the screen to appear on the display 18 with the owner and return information. The causing means 22 is stored in the memory 16. The causing means 22 preferably is a software program 24. Preferably, the memory 16 includes a primary operating system having an operating screen 26 for the computer 12, and the return screen 20 appears on the display 18 before the operating screen 26 of the operating system appears on the display 18. The software program 24 preferably appears before a security prompt such as a password to be entered to obtain access to the primary operating system of the computer 12. Preferably, the software program 24 allows the owner to change the return information and the owner information, after the password or security prompt is satisfied for the computer 12. The software program 24 is preferably able to communicate through a modem (or wireless) to a predetermined location to transfer the return information to the location to facilitate return of the computer 12 if it becomes lost by the owner. The present invention pertains to a method for returning a computer 12 to its owner. The method comprises the steps of activating a computer 12. Then there is the step of displaying automatically a return screen 20 on a display 18 of the computer 12 during or after boot-up of the computer 12, which displays information concerning owner information about who owns the computer 12 and return information for returning the computer 12 to the owner from data stored in the memory 16 of the computer 12. Preferably, the displaying step includes the step of displaying automatically the return screen 20 before an operating screen 26 of the primary operating system of the computer 12. There is preferably the step of displaying the return screen 20 before satisfying a security prompt such as entering a password into the computer 12 to access the primary operating system. Preferably, there is the step of changing the return information, and the owner information after the step of satisfying a security prompt such as entering the password into the computer 12. The present invention pertains to a computer 12 readable medium whose contents cause a computer 12 to show who is its owner by performing the steps of activating a computer 12. Then there is the step of displaying automatically a return screen 20 on a display 18 of the computer 12 during or after boot-up of the computer 12, which displays information concerning owner information about who owns the computer 12 and return information for returning the computer 12 to the owner from data stored in the memory 16 of the computer 12. Preferably, the displaying step includes the step of displaying automatically the return screen 20 before an operating screen 26 of the primary operating system of the computer 12. There is preferably the step of displaying the return screen 20 before satisfying a security prompt such as entering a password into the computer 12 to access the primary operating system. Preferably, there is the step of changing the return information and the owner information after the step of satisfying a security prompt such as entering a password into the computer 12. In the operation of the invention, first, the owner of the computer 12 would install the computer 12 security recovery/return software program 24 application. The program could be installed to work on any type of computer 12 screen including but not limited to, PC's, laptops, handheld computers (such as blackberries, palm pilots), UPS computerized handheld tracking display units, and even cell phone displays. The unique recovery/return computer 12 security program could in fact, be installed and used by any type of computer 12 that utilized a monitor display screen. The software application program provides an additional layer to the existing operating system of each computer 12. The coding language used for the software program 24 could and would vary depending upon the computer 12 equipment, but the core structure of how the program operates would be similar in all items. Once the computer 12 security software program 24 is installed, the monitor of the computer 12 will display the complete and current recovery/return information that the program has allowed the owner of the equipment to interactively enter, change and update at anytime. This “on the fly” ability to change owner recovery information to aid return of equipment is an important feature for anyone, including college students who travel from home to college during different parts of the year, people who move, and particularly business people who travel throughout the world. The recovery/return information would not only allow the display 18 of physical address return information, and owner contact telephone information, but would also provide for international internet based recovery through the added display 18 of owner email information, as well as the ability to display an international recovery center web site. In addition to increasing chances of return and recovery of the stolen or lost equipment by using the computer's 12 display 18 monitor, the program is an additional programming layer added into the initial start up program of the computer 12, so that the recovery/return display 18 information occurs during or before a password or security prompt screen. This is an important feature that helps create an environment whereby the individual that happens upon a stolen or lost piece of equipment will see the owner recovery/return information displayed before a password or security prompt screen. By automatically initiating this program during or before a user's security prompt, such as a password screen program, the recovery/return program will not only increase chances of recovery, but will also increase chances that the computer 12 information on the hard drive is protected while the computer 12 is not in the owner's possession. For example, the actual step by step operation of the program is as follows: (1) Someone finds a lost or stolen computer 12. The person who finds the computer 12, turns the computer 12 on. (The software program 24 could be provided with a warning sticker that will be placed on the outside of the equipment telling anyone finding the equipment, about the program and the display recovery screen.) (2) The computer 12 display 18 screen turns on. The computer 12 security software return/recovery program automatically initiates during the computer's 12 boot-up process. (3) As the computer 12 booting up process moves the user to a password or security prompt screen, the computer 12 security software program 24 displays a dialog box which includes owner recovery and return information, so that the person finding the equipment can return the equipment either directly or through the international web site recovery center. The information screen can include any of the following items of information that the owner would like displayed including but not limited to: contact name, organization name, owner address, owner telephone number, owner email, international web site recovery site, international recovery email information, unique program seriallregistration number. (See FIG. 2). Virtually all of this information would have been interactively inputted by the owner, and the owner would have control over how much recovery information is displayed. (This is important, because some owners would like all the available information displayed, and others would not. For example, a U.S. secret service agent, accountant, or military personnel, might only want his name and phone number displayed, and would not like the organization name displayed for fear that would encourage a thief to try harder to break into the system rather than return the equipment.) (4) The individual who has found the lost or stolen computer 12, is now able to easily return the equipment to the rightful owner. Because the display 18 screen showing the owner information is before, or during a password or security prompt screen that occurs before allowing the user to access the full operating system, the person recovering the equipment is blocked by the password or security prompt screen from accessing the data, and is unable to avoid seeing the recovery information screen. It is important to note only that the computer 12 security software recovery/return program be displayed on the computer 12 screen monitor before, or during a password or security prompt display screen, because the operating system password screen creates a ‘wall’ before taking the computer 12 user to the computer 12 operating system. (See FIG. 3). This helps not only protect the owner's information on the hard drive, but also ensures that the person finding the equipment will see the owner recovery/return information. If the program initiated after the password or security prompt screen, the person finding the lost or stolen equipment would have difficulty ever seeing the recovery/return display 20. It is also important to note that even through the recovery screen dialog box would ideally be the first screen, this may not be possible due to the wide variety of software operating systems used by computer 12 systems. Each computer 12 security program will attempt to display the recovery information on the initial screen when possible. However, for one of the Window operating systems for example, the first boot-up default screen is a CTR+ALT+DEL screen, and then the program can move to a password screen. In this case, the recovery/return program could provide a display 18 dialog screen that would be an additional layer between the CTR+ALT+DEL dialog box and the password dialog box. (See FIG. 4). Other operating systems could allow the program to display the recovery dialog box, with the password or security prompt at the bottom of the dialog box (so that even though the recovery dialog application is an additional layer during the boot-up, it would appear that the password or security prompt is included within the same dialog box). (See FIGS. 2 and 3). The recovery dialog box would occur before or during the password or security dialog box that ‘blocks’ the user from accessing the operating system. Operation Administration Feature: The computer 12 security software recovery/return program would also include an administration section to the program through hard drive or remote. The operation of the administration section features could work like this: (1) The owner of the computer 12 would turn their machine on. (2) As the boot-up begins, the owner sees the recovery/return display 18 dialog box appear. (3) The owner then may see a password or security prompt to allow the owner into the operating system. (4) In the event that there is a security prompt, the owner types in the correct password or satisfies the security prompt to access the hard drive's operating system and programs. (5) Once the owner gains access to the primary operating system, the owner will have the ability to select an administration section for the computer 12 security software recovery/return program through the Start Up button or a shortcut icon on the display 18 screen. (See FIG. 5). The administration dialog box will allow the owner to interactively change the recovery/return display 18 information that appears in the recovery/return dialog box displayed during the boot-up process. (6) There are additional features to the administration dialog box that may be added. Some of the features include: a) added password or security protection prompt to allow the owner to access the administrative part of the program in order to change the recovery/return dialog display information, b) interactive email based registration capability that would export owner information to an international recovery center using the internet, c) a ‘where to order more licenses’ information screen (that could be tailored to allow dealer/distributor contact information), d) screen saver lock feature, and e) possible audit log to track user activity. There are at least 3 important features that are critical and unique to the program, and make this program vastly different from other equipment security recovery products: (1) The ability to display recovery/return information on the computer's 12 monitor screen. (2) The ability to make sure that the display 18 occurs before or during a password or security prompt stopping the user from accessing the full operating system and hard drive information. (3) The ability using an administrative program feature to allow the owner to interactively change the recovery/return information at any time. Installation of the program is simple. The owner would load an installation CD into the computer 12 equipment or download the program from the internet. During the installation process, the owner will be prompted to provide some recovery/return information that the owner would like displayed; for example, contact name, phone and email information. The installation process will create the recovery/return display 18 screen, input the owner information, and create an administration section that can be accessed by the owner to be able to change recovery information at any time. After installation is complete, the computer 12 will be rebooted, and the program installation will be complete. The program is essentially a recovery/return information screen that is displayed, and does not attempt to duplicate or replace more sophisticated access security programs already on the system. In the event that there is a security access program on the system using a password, security card, or biometric recognition device, the recovery/return screen 20 is ideally layered before the security screen (otherwise the recovery/return information would never be displayed—except to the owner since the person finding the equipment would not be able to enter the correct security information to get to the return screen 20). In operation: 1) The equipment is turned on. 2) The equipment processor 14 begins to go through the steps necessary to open up and allow access to the equipment's operating system. These steps may involve displaying various visual screens, depending upon the equipment. a) For example, a typical Gateway computer may have the following series of displays: 3) The Return/Recovery owner information display screen is displayed before the main operating system. The Return/Recovery owner information screen has been customized by the owner (and can be interactively changed using an administrative program that can be accessed when the user gets to the operating system). 4) Once the owner information dialog box is displayed, it remains displayed until the user satisfies a security prompt and/or pushes an OK button or says “OK”. The security program prompt could include a password that might need to be entered, a card access card that might need to be used, or a biometric impression that might need to be used, such as fingerprint, face, eye, or voice recognition system. Once the security program is satisfied, the computer 12 program continues to the main operating system. The definition of the “boot-up” process includes a series of steps that the computer 12 is taking (including the series of displays that the programs are automatically displaying) in order to move the user to gaining access to the main operating system. And, as can be seen from the 3 examples above, the booting up process entails different steps and different display 18 screens on its way to the operating system. It is important that 1) the Recovery/Return screen 20 be displayed before the operating system, and 2) that the display remains displayed until the user does something (like pushes an OK button on the screen, or says OK for future voice activation programs, or satisfies a security prompt). This software application: should be layered before the main operating system, and in the event that a security program exists, should be layered before or during the security program prompt (otherwise the recovery screen would only be seen by the authorized owner). Security programs that currently exist could include: a) entering a correct password (in the example of the current computers that have a Microsoft password system already built in and available). b) entering another type of security prompt such as future security applications with a voice activated security prompt, an access card which needs to be within the vicinity of the computer 12, or even a fingerprint or eye recognition security program (which are currently available). The basic Recovery/Return computer 12 security software program 24 may or may not include a security prompt feature as an option. The point of the program is that the recovery information can be customized, interactively changed, and displayed using the computer's 12 screen, and layered at the correct point (before the operating system, and before or during a security program prompt if a security program exists). The present invention pertains to a computer 12 return apparatus 10, as shown in FIG. 1. The apparatus 10 comprises a processor 14. The apparatus 10 comprises a memory 16 connected to the processor 14. The apparatus 10 comprises a display 18. The apparatus 10 comprises a return screen 20 that the processor 14 automatically causes to appear during or after boot-up of the processor 14 on the display 18, that displays information concerning an owner who owns the computer, concerning user information about who the user is who the computer 12 is assigned to for use, and return information for returning the computer 12 to the owner from data stored in the memory 16. Preferably, the apparatus 10 includes means 22 for causing the screen to appear on the display 18 with the owner, user and return information. The causing means 22 is stored in the memory 16. The apparatus 10 preferably includes means for changing the return information by the user through remote communication with the computer 12. Preferably, the changing means changes a security prompt by the owner, overriding any security prompt entered into the computer 12 by the user. The apparatus 10 preferably includes means for changing recovery information of additional computers 12 owned by the owner through remote communication by the owner with the additional computers 12. The present invention pertains to a method for displaying information to assist with returning a computer 12 to its owner. The method comprises the steps of activating a computer 12. There is the step of displaying automatically a return screen 20 on a display 18 of the computer 12 during or after boot-up which displays information concerning owner information about who owns the computer 12, concerning user information about who the user is who the computer 12 is assigned to for use, and return information for returning the computer 12 to the owner from data stored in a memory 16 of the computer 12. Preferably, the displaying step includes the step of changing the return information by the user. The changing step preferably includes the step of changing the return information by the user through remote communication with the computer 12. Preferably, there is the step of changing a security prompt by the owner, overriding any security prompt entered into the computer 12 by the user. There is preferably the step of the owner changing recovery information of additional computers 12 owned by the owner through remote communication by the owner with the additional computers 12. The Retriever is preferably a software program 24 that is disposed in a memory 16 of a computer 12 and at a remote station to allow an owner to communicate and control the computer 12, as needed. The Retriever clearly distinguishes between the “Owner” of the equipment and the person(s) “Assigned To” the equipment. See FIGS. 9 and 10. The Owner is defined as the person or entity that owns, rents, or licenses the Retriever, and/or the person or entity who controls the recovery service. The Owner has greater control over the computer 12 than the user. The Retriever allows the ability to distinguish between the ‘owner’ and the ‘assigned to’ person who may be allowed possession of the equipment. These two entities can be the same, but very often are not. For example, a bank may be the owner of 5,000 laptops, and then issue them out to 5,000 different employees. The Bank owns the laptops, and the employees are the “assigned to” persons. Another example would be a company that may provide a recovery security service to equipment owners, and would also be able to control the recovery screen information and display through their recovery service. The Retriever allows the ‘owner’ of the protected equipment to ultimately control the recovery information displayed on the protected equipment, not the user. The current PDA recovery programs, for example, are all completely controlled by the equipment user. Again the ‘owner’ and ‘assigned to’ user of the equipment may or may not be the same people, but the Retriever is unique because it allows the ability to distinguish between the ‘owner’ and the ‘assigned to’ person. The Retriever allows the ‘owner’ to have control over both the ‘owner’ recovery information displayed AND the ‘assigned to’ recovery information displayed. The ‘assigned to’ person(s) can only change or control the ‘assigned to’ recovery information. The Retriever also allows the owner ultimate control over the security prompt, not the user. The current PDA software recovery program gives ultimate control over the security prompt to the user or ‘assigned to’ individual(s). The ‘owner’ would want the ability to reassign the equipment to a new person. The current PDA recovery program does not satisfy this need. If a disgruntled employee quits or gets fired and hands back their PDA with a unique secret password prompt and says they cannot remember the password, the current PDA recovery program makes it very difficult for the owner to be able to regain control over the password prompt and assign the equipment to someone new. Both the pocket PC, Palm and other handhelds do have the ability to create a screen on the monitor in conjunction with a password prompt. However, the design of these current programs are flawed, as evidenced by the fact that the program feature is rarely used, even though available. The Retriever satisfies a need that the pocket PC, Palm and other PDA recovery programs do not. It is the ‘owner’ of the equipment that needs to have ultimate control of (1) the program, (2) the recovery screen and (3) the password—not the person who is using the equipment. There are many reasons why this is important. Examples. There is a school district in Virginia that issued 25,000 laptops to students at the high school and middle school level last year. The school district owns the laptops—not the students assigned to the equipment. The students are unlikely to care as much as the school district as to the loss of the equipment. If the current PDA recovery software program 24 was loaded onto these laptops, the kids could easily (and more than likely would) disable the security prompt since it would be inconvenient to continually have to satisfy a password prompt every time the computer 12 was turned on or timed out. In addition, with the current PDA recovery system the owner of the equipment (the school district) would loose control of not only the recovery information displayed on the monitor, but the password that allows access to the equipment. The Retriever is unique since it distinguishes between the ‘owner’ and the ‘assigned to’ person, allows the owner to have ultimate control over the display 18 screen, allows the ‘owner’ to override recovery information displayed by the ‘assigned to’ person if necessary, and allows the ‘owner’ to have ultimate control of the password to access the equipment. Individuals who are ‘assigned to’ equipment have inherently less liability and concern if the equipment is lost or stolen than ‘the owner’. This is true for not only students, but employees at sales firms, banks, accounting firms, corporations, healthcare facilities, high school students, university personnel, people who rent or lease equipment, etc. It is the ‘owner’ who should have ultimate control over security decisions regarding the equipment, not necessarily the person who happens to be in possession of or assigned to the equipment. The current PDA design causes an ‘inconvenience’ by creating an extra logon screen, and therefore, is not likely to be used by the equipment holder, especially if the equipment holder is not the owner. The owner needs the ability to control whether the program is enabled, and thus ensure that the ‘assigned to’ person use the program if the owner desires for them to use it. The current PDA recovery system design is indeed flawed. With the current PDA recovery program, the user or person assigned to the equipment has complete and sole control over recovery information, complete and sole control over the security password, and complete and sole control over whether the security program is even enabled or not. These are some of the reasons that help explain why people that do have a PDA rarely use the recovery security feature available. As further proof as to the inadequacy of this current program, is the fact that The World Computer Security Company of Colorado has sold “outside” glue on recovery labels to customers to protect hundreds of PDAs, Palms, etc. that indeed already have the PDA recovery program mentioned by the patent office. In fact, this company recently sold a couple hundred of these glue-on security STOP Tag recovery labels that were PDA size this month to Bertek Pharmaceuticals and Washington University St. Louis (June 2004). This is further proof that the current program design is flawed and not commercially viable. Most alarmingly, the current program does not take into account that many crime statistics suggest that 90% of all theft is internal (committed by those non-owners allowed access to property)! Perhaps one of the most important and critical differences between the Retriever and the existing programs is the type of communication possible made possible with the Retriever. The Retriever is designed to enable communication of the recovery display information back and forth from the recovery administration center to the equipment being protected to control changes to the recovery display 18 screen, and this communication from the recovery administration center is not limited to only the hard drive of the equipment being protected or the computer 12 that the equipment is synchronized with. The recovery administration update center for the current PDA recovery program is limited to the user updating the owner information directly on the PDA, or directly on the computer 12 the PDA is set up to synchronize with when accessing the PDA program on the main computer 11 This recovery display information can then be synchronized using the PDA synchronize capability. The Retriever's recovery administration update center can be an administration program located on the hard drive of the protected equipment, an administration program located on a server on a network and/or an administration program located on a hard drive of a computer 12 that is completely remote from the protected equipment, for example, a web based recovery center. This is an very unique and important feature. The program design feature allows the ‘owner’ to access the recovery center administration program, initiate a download of changes to the protected equipment, control the entire recovery screen displayed, and even override the ‘assigned to’ person's input. This is an important feature, in case the ‘assigned to’ person is a disgruntled employee who simply reports equipment as stolen and is still using the equipment or has sold it. The Retriever program design allows the owner to make changes at the recovery center level, have the recovery center attempt to communicate those changes to the ‘stolen equipment’ via phone line (or cable, wi-fi, bluetooth, satellite etc. in the future). This allows the owner to eliminate erroneous or misleading ‘assigned to’ recovery information that might have been created by the rogue “assigned to” individual, replace the display 18 screen with correct owner recovery information and even change or delete the ‘assigned to’ password to stop access to the equipment information. By attempting to disable the ‘assigned to’ password from remote, the equipment becomes extremely difficult if not impossible to use, the information on the hard drive is better protected, and the chances of a quick recovery of the stolen equipment are dramatically enhanced. This remote communication ability makes the Retriever design completely unique and very different from the current PDA recovery software programs. It is this remote communication ability in the design of the Retriever software recovery program that helps better meet the challenges of internal theft (again many statistics suggest that it is internal theft that comprises 90% of all theft). With the current PDA recovery program, the ‘owner’ is limited to only making changes directly on the ‘assigned to’ person's equipment and/or the ‘assigned to’ person's computer 12 or over a limited network that the assigned to person may never access again. With the Retriever's recovery software design, the ‘owner’ can also attempt to access the ‘assigned to’ person's equipment by additional ways, such as over the Internet, phone lines, cable, etc. thereby having a more effective ability to try to locate the equipment and control the recovery information displayed by remote. The “assigned to” person can only control the “assigned to” recovery information and password. The “owner” can control both the owner information and all the “assigned to” recovery information at the recovery center level, and then attempt to communicate this to the protected equipment using the Retriever licensed security recovery program. Using this unique communication power, both ‘owner’ and “assigned to” information can be uploaded to the recovery center and/or downloaded to the protected equipment in order to synchronize the international recovery center information and the recovery information displayed on the initial display 18 screen. (This is a combination of the PDA type of synchronization between the main computer 12 and the PDA, and the McAfee anti-virus software Internet updating capability where every time you go on-line, your computer 12 automatically checks to make sure that you have the most current anti-virus software and automatically updates your computer 12 with the latest changes.) Nobody has ever before considered or designed a product combining this type of communication ability with this type of recovery security program that seizes control of the display 18 monitor until a security prompt is satisfied. The Retriever design allows an equipment recovery capability that just does not exist on today's market, and is completely unique from all current products on the market, Current PDA Communication is limited: User input/update PDA <---> User input/update Host Computer w/PDA program The Retriever Design Communication is much broader: The Retriever design has both a stand-alone and a network based program. This allows an owner to handle multiple machines easily for organizations or entities with more than one equipment. Each program license has a unique program registration license number that is unique. This is extremely important feature that allows many features that owners would need in handling the protection of multiple machines. From looking at the current PDA security recovery software, the program appears to be only to have ‘single license’ capability. The Retriever program design can also allow global changes by the owner who might handle multiple computers. This is a very important feature for organizations who are in charge of large numbers of computers. For example, let's say that Sgt. Cody is the crime prevention officer at Georgetown University and then retires. Let's say that Sgt. Grier is the contact person currently listed on 700 university owned computers. Now Sgt. Smith is in charge. The Retriever program design allows Sgt. Smith (assuming she uses the correct password), to access the recovery center and globally change all the computers that she wants to change and display her phone number and name to help with recovery. This ability to allow the owner to globally make changes to certain display information over multiple licensed computers is also extremely useful if a phone number changes, a corporate name or logo changes, a recovery contact name changes or a phone number area code changes. The program also allows owners to easily tag or mark equipment that is ready or available to be sold making it easy for new owners to re-register under the initial security software license registration number. Let's say for example that ABC Telecommunications decided to sell 100 laptops that they are replacing with new ones. The owner or authorized person representing the owner (the IT director for example) can preset the 100 serial license numbers as for sale to allow easier sales to new owners using organizations such as Ebay. New owners can easily be allowed to re-register under the released registration number that is associated with the Retriever recovery license. The program also allows owners to easily report equipment as stolen over the internet. Owners can go to the recovery administration center, find the license number of the equipment they believe might be lost or stolen, update the information for this specific license number and report the information over the internet for all to see. This is very helpful resource for both owners and authorities to facilitate recovery of lost or stolen items. The security program can also not only display ‘owner’ and ‘assigned to’ information but also display organization logos and/or other pictures or designs. This is another extremely important feature. The Retriever program seizes control of the entire display 18 screen. Many, many customers currently desire to customize their physical security tags with owner and logo information. This is often difficult, since the security label manufacturer has to get art design approval, fit corporate and logo information on an often limited space, and then set the tool to run the special labels at the manufacturing plant. Lead times can often go over 3 weeks, and once the customer has their special customized tag, they must often order a minimum amount (STOP Tag has a minimum order of 200 tags for customization for example). If the company changes names, logos or phone numbers the physical security label suddenly becomes incorrect. And, when these customized security tag customers want to sell their equipment, it becomes difficult, since the security label can permanently read ‘Property of ABC Corp”. Let's say the company wants to donate 25 laptops to the church. A nun or other church personnel would not really want to be carrying around laptops where the cover of the laptops state “Property of the US Army”, “Property of Waste Management Company”, or “Property of XYZ University”. This becomes awkward for the new owner who actually is the new rightful owner, and cannot always easily remove the existing security label. The Retriever provides an interactive method of designing and changing the entire recovery screen ‘on the fly’ that eliminates all of these current problems. Organization logos or ads can be easily and quickly downloaded onto the recovery screens of protected equipment. The current PDA system does not allow this. The Retriever creates an audit trail of changes. Time and Date fields registering changes are logged and maintained at the recovery center to provide the customer with a security audit trail of changes. The Retriever display not only appears during the initial boot-up, but the Retriever program security recovery display screen can also be manually initiated by the computer 12 user. This would be the Workstation Locked display. (FIG. 10). This allows the computer 12 user to manually lock the computer 12 screen and protect the computer 12 if they need to leave their computer 12 for a few minutes. This feature is handy for all types of situations, like emergency room laptops at hospitals, etc. The Retriever display not only appears during the initial boot-up or with a manual activation by the computer 12 user; the Retriever workstation locked recovery screen can also be initiated automatically using a screen saver timer feature that can be changed by the Owner or the Assigned To person. For example, let's say the computer 12 screen saver time feature has a 10 minute timer. If there is no activity on the computer 12, the Workstation Locked security Recovery screen will display and stay displayed until the password prompt is satisfied. The owner can browse the entire database of there own licensed Retriever security software licenses. The owner can look at an individual license record, or browse the entire database and use features such as EDIT, SORT, SEARCH/FIND, and EXPORT when working with the licensed records. The Retriever provides the owner with extra data information fields that owners can assign their own values to. These data fields are not really related to recovery information displayed, but this is a handy convenience for owners who would like to correlate their own inventory numbers to Retriever license numbers, search by lease dates on equipment, etc. It should be noted that the communication ability is not limited to Internet communication. Satellite, WI-FI, cable, bluetooth, or any other type of remote communication can be used. Although the invention has been described in detail in the foregoing embodiments for the purpose of illustration, it is to be understood that such detail is solely for that purpose and that variations can be made therein by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention except as it may be described by the following claims. | <SOH> BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION <EOH>Current methods of computer return or recovery products include: (1) Physical labels that attach to the outside hardware of the computer equipment. These hardware labels can contain custom recovery information, but because they are hardware based, they can not be interactively changed by the owner. Also, since they do not have any ability to affect the computer boot-up process, they can do nothing to help protect the confidential owner information on the hard drive. An example of a well known physical hardware/recovery label is the STOP Tag by Security Tracking of Office Property in Connecticut. This labeling system has been patented in France, the US, and other countries. The product can be easily defeated by removing the physical label. In the case of STOP Tag which includes a ‘recovery mark’ which states “STOLEN PROPERTY” underneath the label, a new label can be simply added over the ‘recovery mark’ to hide the STOLEN PROPERTY sign. (The Security Tracking of Office Property equipment recovery patent is U.S. Pat. No. 5,163,711 This patent actually refers to how the labels adhere to the equipment—but this is their patent). The computer security recovery/return program of the present invention utilizes this type of hardware recovery approach to a small degree, but is greatly different from this system, because this is a software program rather than a hardware solution. Additionally, the present invention is greatly superior, since the owner can interactively customize the return/recovery information displayed at any time, and the present invention also helps protect the important, confidential owner information on the hard drive, by the positioning of the program layer in the equipment boot-up process. (2) Computer Software Programs that attempt recovery through the use of the modem. There are several patented computer security software products on the market today that are designed for the purpose of recovering lost or stolen equipment. These programs use the computer's modem to regularly call a recovery center. Then once a computer is stolen, the recovery center waits for the stolen computer to call in. When the computer modem calls in, the recovery centers use something similar to the reverse 911 system to get the phone number that the stolen equipment is accessing. Using the phone number, the recovery system then can try to get a map of where the computer is. Some of these computer security recovery programs can also attempt to locate stolen computers through an IP address. Some of these computer security recovery software programs, can actually attempt to seize the communication between the stolen computer and the recovery center and delete selected files to help protect the owner's confidential information. Products like these include CompuTrace, PC Phone Home, CyberAngel, LapTrak and Luceria. The present invention is also designed for the purpose of recovering lost or stolen equipment, but the method is distinctively different and unique from the current methods. The present invention does not rely on the use of the computer modem. The present invention uses a layered program in the boot-up process to provide a display of the proper owner recovery and return information using the computer's own monitor or screen. The present invention is also different and superior to the above software tracking products, in helping to accomplish international recovery. None of the above products to date have been able to use the modem phone or IP system to track stolen equipment internationally. The present invention provides international recovery by displaying owner email information as well as providing recovery help through an international recovery internet web site. There are other differences as well in how these programs try to also protect the information on the hard drive. The present invention automatically initiates during the boot-up process of the equipment, in order to display the recovery/return information before a security prompt screen to always help protect the owner's confidential information on the hard drive. Some of the programs above do nothing to protect the user information. Others like LapTrak include a Hide-A-File feature that an owner can access after the user enters the operating system. CyberAngel includes an encryption feature. Luceria includes the ability to delete pre-selected files from the recovery center. By layering this computer security application strategically before or during a security prompt in the boot-up process, this application provides a unique and different method to help protect owner information. (An example of patents for these types of products would be the CompuTrace U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,715,174, 5,764,892, and 5,802,280). (3) Bios Based Password Identification systems. There are some computers that are sold with Bios based identification systems included. These products activate immediately when a computer is turned on, and prompt the user for a password before accessing the data on the computer. The present invention is very different and unique from the Bios based program, for many reasons. Most importantly the bios based password identification products are built into the hardware of the computer equipment—not the hard drive. In other words, if you removed the hard drive from a stolen or lost laptop, and inserted the stolen hard drive into a different laptop, you would bypass the bios based password identification system, and the bios based password identification system would remain with the original equipment. Thus, the Bios Based Password Identification system can identify the computer hardware, but not the hard drive (the most important part of the computer equipment). In addition, the Bios Based Password Identification systems are designed as a unique method for providing an additional layer of password protection to the equipment hardware, but are not designed for recovery or return. There is no design for including complete owner information, no recovery information displayed, no effective protection of the information on the hard drive, no effective method for the recovery or return of the hard drive—the most important item that a consumer would want back. In fact the Bios Password Identification product occurs before allowing the hard drive to boot up. The present invention is unique because it is an application software program that provides its layer of protection during the hoot-up process (not before), and thus allows the security product to move with the hard drive, the most critical part of the computer. | <SOH> SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION <EOH>The present invention pertains to a computer return apparatus. The apparatus comprises a processor. The apparatus comprises a memory connected to the processor. The apparatus comprises a display. The apparatus comprises a return screen that the processor automatically causes to appear during or after boot-up of the processor on the display, that displays ownership information concerning who owns the computer and return information for returning the computer to the owner from data stored in the memory. The present invention pertains to a method for returning a computer to its owner. The method comprises the steps of activating a computer. Then there is the step of displaying automatically a return screen on a display of the computer during or after boot-up of the computer, which displays information concerning owner information about who owns the computer and return information for returning the computer to the owner from data stored in the memory of the computer. The present invention pertains to a computer readable medium whose contents cause a computer to show who is its owner by performing the steps of activating a computer. Then there is the step of displaying automatically a return screen on a display of the computer during or after boot-up of the computer, which displays information concerning owner information about who owns the computer and return information for returning the computer to the owner from data stored in the memory of the computer. The present invention pertains to a computer return apparatus. The apparatus comprises a processor. The apparatus comprises a memory connected to the processor. The apparatus comprises a display. The apparatus comprises a return screen that the processor automatically causes to appear during or after boot-up of the processor on the display, that displays information concerning an owner who owns the computer, concerning user information about who the user is who the computer is assigned to for use, and return information for returning the computer to the owner from data stored in the memory. The present invention pertains to a method for displaying information to assist with returning a computer to its owner. The method comprises the steps of activating a computer. There is the step of displaying automatically a return screen on a display of the computer during or after boot-up which displays information concerning owner information about who owns the computer, concerning user information about who the user is who the computer is assigned to for use, and return information for returning the computer to the owner from data stored in a memory of the computer. | G06F2188 | 20180108 | 20180517 | G06F2188 | 1 | REVAK, CHRISTOPHER A | Computer Recovery or Return | SMALL | 1 | CONT-ACCEPTED | G06F | 2,018 |
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15,864,869 | PENDING | LIQUID RECOVERY FILTER | A liquid recovery filter assembly for recovering filtered liquid trapped within a core or downstream side of a filter element. Multiple embodiments each include a recovery port and a recovery filter in fluid communication with the core or downstream side of the filter element. The recovery port is opened following filtration operations to permit and to facilitate filtered liquid to flow from a downstream or outlet port, thus allowing recovery of liquid remaining in the filter core or downstream side following filtering operations. The recovery filter permits the introduction of pressurized gas to force the filtered liquids from the filter assembly without compromising the sterility and/or non-contaminant condition of the liquid. Additional aspects include exchangeable filter cartridges or filter elements in single and multi-round configurations, embodiments with aspiration tubes and dip tubes and still others with hydrophilic/hydrophobic recovery filters that function as filters and as valves for the recovery port. | 1-31. (canceled) 32. A liquid recovery filter assembly comprising: a filter assembly housing having a shell wall with an upper end cap and a lower end cap, wherein the upper end cap and the lower end cap are secured to the shell wall, and wherein the combination of the shell wall and the end caps define an internal volume; at least one processing filter defining a filter core secured in the housing and occupying a portion of the internal volume, wherein the filter core is in fluid communication with the recovery filter and the recovery port, and wherein an upstream volume is defined by the filter assembly housing and an upstream designated surface of the processing filter; an aspiration tube secured to, or formed with the filter housing, wherein the aspiration tube extends at least partially into the at least one processing filter core at one end and extends out of the filter housing at a second end; a recovery filter secured in-line with the aspiration tube; an inlet port extending from the housing in fluid communication with the upstream volume; and, an outlet port extending from the housing in fluid communication with the processing filter core. 33. The liquid recovery filter assembly of claim 32 further comprising an upstream vent port extending from the filter housing, wherein the vent port is in fluid communication with the upstream volume. 34. The liquid recovery filter assembly of claim 33 further comprising an upstream vent port valve secured in-line with the vent port. 35. The liquid recovery filter assembly of claim 34 further comprising an aspiration tube valve secured in-line with the aspiration tube on a side of the recovery filter distal from the filter assembly housing. 36. The liquid recovery filter assembly of claim 32 wherein the assembly comprises a plurality of processing filters secured in the housing, wherein each processing filter defines a filter core, and wherein the assembly further comprises a plurality of aspiration tubes, wherein each processing filter of the plurality of processing filters has a dedicated aspiration tube extending at least partially into the core of each processing filter at one end and extending outwardly from the filter housing at a second end. 37. The liquid recovery filter assembly of claim 36 further comprising a plurality of recovery filters each secured in-line with one aspiration tube, whereby each aspiration tube has a single recovery filter attached thereto. 38. The liquid recovery filter of claim 37 wherein each aspiration tube has a dedicated aspiration tube valve secured thereto on a side of the attached recovery filter distal from the filter assembly housing. 39. The liquid recovery filter assembly of claim 36, wherein the plurality of aspiration tubes are joined at distal ends with an aspiration tube manifold, wherein the aspiration tubes are in fluid communication with the manifold. 40. The liquid recovery filter assembly of claim 39 further comprising a plurality of recovery filters, wherein each recovery filter is secured in-line with one aspiration tube, wherein each aspiration tube has a single recovery filter secured thereto. 41. The liquid recovery filter assembly of claim 39 further comprising a manifold extension tube in fluid communication with the manifold and the plurality of aspiration tubes and further comprising at least one recovery filter secured to the manifold extension. 42. The liquid recovery filter assembly of claim 41 further comprising a manifold extension tube valve secured to the extension tube on a side of the recovery filter distal from the filter assembly housing. 43. A liquid recovery filter assembly comprising: a filter assembly housing having a shell wall with an upper end cap and a lower end cap, wherein the upper end cap and the lower end cap are secured to the shell wall, and wherein the combination of the shell wall and the end caps define an internal volume; a recovery port extending from the filter assembly housing; a recovery filter secured in-line with the recovery port; a plurality of filter elements each defining a filter core secured in the housing and each occupying a portion of the internal volume, wherein the filter cores are in fluid communication with the recovery filter and the recovery port, and wherein an upstream volume is defined by the filter assembly housing and collectively upstream designated surfaces of the processing filters; an inlet port extending from the housing in fluid communication with the upstream volume; and, an outlet port extending from the housing in fluid communication with the filter element cores. 44. The liquid recovery filter assembly of claim 43 wherein the plurality of filter elements are filter cartridges, each having an upper mounting post extending upwardly from the cartridge and a lower mounting post extending downwardly from the cartridge. 45. The liquid recovery filter assembly of claim 44 further comprising an outlet manifold secured in the filter assembly housing, wherein the outlet manifold is in fluid communication with the plurality of processing filter cores and with the outlet port. 46. The liquid recovery filter assembly of claim 45 wherein the outlet manifold further comprises a plurality of lower cartridge receiving walls, wherein each receiving wall is dimensioned to receive the filter cartridge lower post of one of the plurality of filter cartridges secured to the receiving wall. 47. The liquid recovery filter assembly of claim 46 further comprising at least one lower O-ring secured between each of the combinations of filter cartridge lower posts and lower cartridge receiving walls. 48. The liquid recovery filter assembly of claim 47 further comprising a vent manifold secured in the filter assembly housing, wherein the vent manifold is in fluid communication with the plurality of filter cartridge cores and with the recovery port. 49. The liquid recovery filter assembly of claim 48 wherein the vent manifold further comprises a plurality of upper cartridge receiving walls, wherein each upper receiving wall is dimensioned to receive the filter cartridge upper post of one of the plurality of filter cartridges secured to the upper receiving wall. 50. The liquid recovery filter assembly of claim 49 further comprising at least one upper O-ring secured between each of the combinations of filter cartridge upper posts and upper cartridge receiving walls. 51. The liquid recovery filter assembly of claim 50 further comprising valves secured to the inlet and outlet ports. 52. The liquid recovery filter assembly of claim 51 further comprising a drain port extending from the filter housing, wherein the drain port is in fluid communication with the upstream volume. 53. The liquid recovery filter assembly of claim 52 further comprising clamps to secure the upper end cap and the lower end cap to the shell wall. 54. The liquid recovery filter assembly of claim 53 wherein the plurality of filter cartridges each comprise a cage wall, an upper cartridge end cap secured to the cage wall and a lower cartridge end cap secured to the cage wall that in combination define a cartridge chamber, and filter material secured in the filter cartridge chamber, wherein the filter material is selected from the group consisting of filter membranes, filter media, hollow fibers, tubular membranes and combinations thereof. | CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. Ser. No. 13/460,583 filed Apr. 30, 2012, and PCT Application Serial No. PCT/US13/37671 filed 23 Apr. 2013, the contents all of which are incorporated in their entirety herein by reference. This application also claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 61/992,029 filed May 12, 2014, the contents of which are incorporated in their entirety herein by reference. BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE 1. Field of the Disclosure The present disclosure relates generally to filtration devices and systems, and particularly to liquid recovery filter assemblies having inlet and outlet ports and, in some embodiments, vent, drain and/or recovery ports for the drainage and recovery of filtered liquids from the filter housing and enclosed filter after filtering operations. More particularly, the disclosure relates to apparatus and methods to retrieve liquids retained in filtration apparatus after filtration processes. 2. Description of the Related Art Innumerable filtration devices and systems have been developed for the cleaning and purification of a wide range of gases and liquids. One area that requires extremely high quality filtration is in the field of pharmaceutical manufacture, where a number of different liquids are involved in the manufacturing processes of a large number of drugs and medications. These various liquids are often quite costly to produce, and as a result, much effort and expense is expended to recover such liquids in a sterile manner during the manufacturing process, insofar as practicable. During liquid filtration processes, liquid is passed through the filter assembly(s) and the filtered liquid is recovered from the downstream or outlet side of the enclosed filter element. In one type of filter element used, the filter element conventionally has a generally toroidal configuration wherein the unfiltered liquid passes through the filter element from outside the filter and through the filter material to a hollow inner core. Other filter element configurations may also be used in a similar manner or in a reverse manner flowing from the inner core to the outside of the element. One problem with such filter configurations is that when the filtration process is completed, there is a volume of purified, filtered liquid still resident in the filter element, as well as unfiltered liquid remaining within the filter housing and outside the filter element. These liquids are often quite valuable, as noted above. Discarding these liquids when the filtration process is completed or interrupted results in the loss of a considerable amount of valuable and usable liquid, particularly after numerous filtration processes. One method used to remove the resident filtered liquids is to introduce pressurized gas into the system to force the liquids out of the filter assembly. This approach, although effective, is problematic due to the relatively high bubble points of the filter materials used for many specific applications, including many of the filtration processes common in the pharmaceutical industry. When the filtration material of the filter element is wetted (as is typically the case after use for liquid processing), bulk gas flow through the filter element is blocked by the wetted filter material at pressures below the bubble point pressure, as is commonly known in the art. Therefore, gas pressurized to pressures below the bubble point pressure cannot efficiently clear the downstream (filtered) liquid. Filter materials with pore sizes about and below 0.2 microns have particularly high bubble point pressures that require relatively high gas pressures (typically greater than 40 psi for membrane-based absolute-rated filters wet with water or other liquid of similar surface tension) to evacuate the liquid in the wetted filter material. Even filter materials with pore sizes greater than 0.2 microns can have bubble points higher than the pressure limits of other components that commonly make up filter assemblies. The introduction of high pressure gas can compromise the physical and functional integrity of the filter element and/or filter assembly by, for example, causing the filter element to separate from its attachment points, or causing the filter element to physically break and potentially compromise the desired separation of unfiltered and filtered liquids, allowing them to mix downstream. Mixture of the filtered and unfiltered liquids would invariably compromise the intended purity or sterility of the filtered liquid. In addition, assemblies using, for example, barbed connectors for hoses can experience hose breakage or separation from the barbed connectors when gas at a relatively high pressure is introduced into the filtering apparatus. Moreover, pressure-sensitive components such as those incorporating thin films have pressure ratings and operational limits well below the bubble points of many filter materials. What is needed is a filter recovery system that provides a means to remove valuable filtered liquids from a filter apparatus in a sterile or otherwise contamination-free manner. What is also needed is a filter recovery system that permits the use of a gas applied at a relatively low pressure to effectively remove resident filtered liquids while maintaining the sterility and/or any other required characteristics of the liquids in the downstream locations within, and external to (further downstream of), a filter assembly. These and other problems are solved by the disclosed liquid recovery filter apparatus as shown and described in the appended drawings, disclosure summary, and more particularly in the detailed description of the disclosure. SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE The liquid recovery filter assembly disclosed herein comprises a number of embodiments, wherein each of the embodiments includes a filter housing or shell containing a filter element secured therein. All of the embodiments have an inlet port that extends into the upstream or inlet side of the housing, and an outlet port extending from the downstream or outlet side of the housing. The terms “inlet side,” “upstream,” “upstream side,” and similar terms all refer to the section or volume of the filter assembly located on the inlet portion of the apparatus, i.e., the portion of the filter assembly that may contain unfiltered liquid during operation. The terms “outlet side,” “downstream,” “downstream side,” and similar terms all refer to the sections or volumes of the filter assembly located within the core of the filter element(s) for filter elements having a core and with an outside-in flow path, sections or volumes of the filter assembly located at a downstream end or on a side of the filter element that contains filtered liquid that has passed through the filter element during operation of the filter assembly, or in components, e.g., tubes and connectors, downstream of the filter core and the filter assembly. For all embodiments, the demarcation or boundary between “upstream,” i.e., “unfiltered” liquid and “downstream,” i.e., “filtered” liquid is the filter element constructed from filtration material and any associated non-porous filter element features including, but not limited to, filter cartridge end caps, end cap adaptors, sealing mechanisms and the like used to define and connect the filter element to the filter assembly housing. More particularly, “upstream” is defined and demarcated by an upstream designated surface of the filtration material and any associated non-porous filter element feature. Likewise, “downstream” is defined and demarcated by a downstream designated surface of the filtration material and any associated non-porous filter element features. Any liquids resident in the filter apparatus upstream of the “upstream” surface of the filtration material shall be considered “unfiltered liquid” for the purposes of this disclosure. Any liquids resident in the filter apparatus downstream of the “downstream” surface of the filtration material shall be considered “filtered liquid” for purposes of this disclosure. Any liquids resident in the filter apparatus contained between the upstream surface and the downstream surface of the filtration material shall be considered “filtration material holdup” for purposes of this disclosure. As used herein, “filter material” and/or “filtration material” shall mean any filter membrane, filter media, or any other material or substance used to filter fluids including liquids and gases. The filter assemblies disclosed herein are constructed so that essentially all liquid introduced into any embodiment of the filter assemblies will pass through the filter element from the designated inlet port to the designated outlet port of the filter assembly. The filter housing or shell may also have upstream or inlet side vents or passages, and/or upstream or inlet side drain ports or passages. These optional upstream ports or passages allow the upstream portion of the filter housing to be drained of unfiltered liquid, i.e., liquid that has not passed through the filter element from the upstream or inlet side to the downstream or outlet side of the filter element during a filtration operation. These ports are also used to remove gas trapped on the upstream side of the filter membrane, to monitor pressure, to perform integrity tests, and for other purposes as are commonly known in the art. Each of the liquid recovery filter embodiments may further include downstream or outlet side ports or passages in addition to the primary outlet port that communicate liquidly with the downstream core, or downstream end/side of the filter element. These downstream or outlet ports are normally closed during filtering operations, but may be opened in some applications to remove air bubbles or when the filtration operation has been completed. The opening of these downstream ports allows air or other gas to flow into the core or downstream end/side of the filter element, thus “breaking the seal” or hydraulic lock commonly formed within the core, or downstream side, of the filter element. In some currently available filter assemblies, this allows the valuable filtered liquid contained within the core or downstream side of the filter element to flow from the filter assembly. Exposure to the environment external to the filter assembly, however, through opened downstream ports commonly present in related art filter assemblies, may bring unwanted contamination that if brought in contact with a batch of filtered product, could compromise the batch. The embodiments disclosed herein provide filter assembly constructions that permit recovery of filtered liquid from the downstream side and prevent the contamination of downstream filtered liquids. Two basic configurations of the liquid recovery filter are disclosed herein (along with several additional embodiments of each), one having a downstream or outlet port disposed at the bottom of the filter assembly, and the other having a downstream or outlet port disposed at or near the top of the assembly. The second of these configurations includes a dip tube (extending internally from the outlet port) to allow liquid to flow from the bottom of the core, or bottom of the downstream side of the filter element and out of the outlet port for recovery. The first basic configuration, i.e., having the primary outlet port or passage disposed below the filter element, includes embodiments that differ due to the different locations or arrangements of the primary inlet and outlet ports or passages. The second basic configuration, i.e., having the primary outlet port or passage extending from the top or upper portion of the filter assembly, includes additional embodiments that also differ due to the different arrangements of the primary inlet and outlet ports or passages. All of the embodiments disclosed herein include means for recovering filtered liquid from the core or downstream side of the filter element aseptically and/or without contamination of the filtered liquid. Also disclosed are port/valve configurations, settings and port assignments that permit liquid to be introduced into the filter assemblies in a reverse direction with the reassignment of inlet, outlet, vent, drain, and recovery ports to remove the resident filtered liquids in a sterile or contamination-free manner from the apparatus after a filtering event. In these configurations, what would be considered downstream elements are reassigned as upstream elements and what would be considered upstream elements are reassigned as downstream elements. It should be understood that a recovery filter should be secured to any port that will function as, and be assigned as, a downstream recovery port. As used herein, “recovery port” is defined as a port that allows sterile or otherwise contaminant-free gas to be introduced into the liquid recovery filter assembly from an external source into the downstream side of the filter assembly. In a further aspect of the disclosure, an aspiration tube is incorporated into the downstream side of the filter assembly and extends out of the housing to form a recovery port. The tube can be formed to extend into a lower end of the assembly or filter element, or may extend through the filter element core to a point proximal to an upper end of the filter element and any length in between these two extremes. For filter assembly embodiments with multiple enclosed filter elements, each element has a dedicated aspiration tube. The tubes may be joined via a manifold to share a single recovery port and inline air filter, or may have dedicated recovery ports and inline air filters among some of the disclosed embodiments. In a still further aspect of the disclosure, single and multi-round filter assemblies include replaceable filter cartridges. The filter assembly housings may include removable sections (such as a lid, end cap, removable bowl, access panel, etc.) to permit entry into the assemblies to remove and replace used filter cartridges. The filter housings include receiving walls or posts to secure the filter cartridges in the housings. These embodiments may also include aspiration tubes to assist the liquid recovery function to force filtered liquids from the filter assemblies. In a yet further aspect of the disclosure, a hydrophobic or combination hydrophilic/hydrophobic filter is secured in an end cap or other location on a filter cartridge to permit aseptic or contamination-free removal of filtered liquids remaining in the filter assembly after a filtration operation with the use of gases introduced under pressure. The combination hydrophilic/hydrophobic filter provides a dual function to filter gases introduced into the filter assemblies and to act as a valve to eliminate the need for a recovery port and a mechanical valve. In some embodiments, however, the hydrophilic/hydrophobic filter could be attached to a recovery port with or without a mechanical valve. These and other features of the present disclosure will become readily apparent upon further review of the following drawings and detailed disclosure. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a front elevation view of a first embodiment of a liquid recovery filter according to one aspect of the disclosure, illustrating its general external configuration. FIG. 2 is an elevation view in section of a liquid recovery filter according to another aspect of the disclosure having a generally inline flow path, illustrating its internal configuration. FIG. 3 is an elevation view in section of a liquid recovery filter according to a further aspect of the disclosure having a generally C-shaped flow path, illustrating its internal configuration. FIG. 4 is an elevation view in section of a liquid recovery filter according to a still further aspect of the disclosure having a generally L-shaped flow path, illustrating its internal configuration. FIG. 5 is an elevation view in section of a liquid recovery filter according to yet another aspect of the disclosure having a generallyT-shaped flow path, illustrating its internal configuration. FIG. 6 is an elevation view in section of a liquid recovery filter according to another aspect of the disclosure having a generally S-shaped flow path, illustrating its internal configuration. FIG. 7 is a front top perspective view of a liquid recovery filter assembly according to the embodiment shown in FIG. 4. FIG. 8 is a front top perspective view of a liquid recovery filter assembly according to the embodiment shown in FIG. 3 FIG. 9 is a front top perspective view of a liquid recovery filter assembly according to the embodiment shown in FIG. 5. FIG. 10 is a front top perspective view of a liquid recovery filter assembly according to the embodiment shown in FIG. 2. FIG. 11 is a side view in elevation of the liquid recovery filter assembly shown in FIGS. 4 and 7. FIG. 12 is a side sectional view of the liquid recovery filter assembly shown in FIGS. 4, 7 and 11. FIG. 13 is a front top perspective view of a liquid recovery filter assembly according to the embodiment shown in FIGS. 4, 7, 11 and 12. FIG. 14 is a sectional view in elevation of a single-round liquid recovery filter assembly with an aspiration tube according to another aspect of the disclosure. FIG. 15 is a sectional view in elevation of a multi-round liquid recovery filter assembly with aspiration tubes according to a further aspect of the disclosure. FIG. 16 is a sectional view of a liquid recovery filter assembly with a filter cartridge shown in perspective with a hydrophobic/hydrophilic filter insert according to a still further aspect of the disclosure. FIG. 17 is a sectional view in elevation of a single-round liquid recovery filter assembly with an aspiration tube according to yet another aspect of the disclosure. FIG. 18 is a sectional view in elevation of a multi-round liquid recovery filter assembly with aspiration tubes according to a yet further aspect of the disclosure. FIG. 19 is a sectional view in elevation of a multi-round liquid recovery filter assembly with aspiration tubes according to a still further aspect of the disclosure. FIG. 20 is a sectional view in elevation of a multi-round liquid recovery filter assembly with aspiration tubes according to still another aspect of the disclosure. FIG. 21 is a sectional view in elevation of a single-round liquid recovery filter assembly with a double open ended filter cartridge according to yet another aspect of the disclosure. FIG. 22 is a sectional view in elevation of a multi-round liquid recovery filter assembly with double open ended filter cartridges according to still another aspect of the disclosure. FIG. 23 is a sectional view in elevation of a liquid recovery assembly with a dip tube according to a still further embodiment of the disclosure. FIG. 24 is a sectional view of a combination hydrophobic/hydrophilic pleated membrane according to another embodiment of the disclosure. FIG. 25 is a bottom perspective view of a filter cartridge according to one embodiment of the disclosure. FIG. 26 is a bottom perspective view of a filter cartridge according to a further embodiment of the disclosure. FIG. 27 is a side perspective view of a dual layer hydrophobic/hydrophilic membrane according to another aspect of the disclosure. FIG. 28 is a side perspective view of a hydrophilic/hydrophobic membrane embedded into a membrane according to a further aspect of the disclosure. FIG. 29 is a sectional view in elevation of an “L” shaped liquid recovery assembly with a secondary valve positioned between the assembly housing and a recovery filter according to an aspect of the disclosure. FIG. 30 is a sectional view in elevation of a “T” shaped liquid recovery assembly with a secondary valve positioned between the assembly housing and a recovery filter according to a different aspect of the disclosure. FIG. 31 is a sectional view in elevation of an “L” shaped liquid recovery assembly with a secondary valve positioned between the assembly housing and a recovery filter with an upstream drain port and an upstream vent port according to yet another aspect of the disclosure. FIG. 32 is a sectional view in elevation of a “T” shaped liquid recovery assembly with a secondary valve positioned between the assembly housing and a recovery filter with an upstream drain port and an upstream vent port according to yet another aspect of the disclosure. FIG. 33 is a partial sectional view in elevation and in partial phantom of a liquid recovery assembly with a collapsible valve with a screw-type shutoff in an open position according to yet another aspect of the disclosure. FIG. 34 is a partial sectional view in elevation and in partial phantom of a liquid recovery assembly with a collapsible valve with a screw-type shutoff in a closed position according to still another aspect of the disclosure. FIG. 35 is a partial sectional view in elevation and in partial phantom of a liquid recovery assembly with a collapsible valve with a lever-type shutoff in an open position according to a further aspect of the disclosure. FIG. 36 is a partial sectional view in elevation and in partial phantom of a liquid recovery assembly with a collapsible valve with a lever-type shutoff in a closed position according to a further aspect of the disclosure. FIG. 37 is a partial sectional view in elevation and in partial phantom of a liquid recovery assembly with a collapsible one-way valve according to a yet further aspect of the disclosure. FIG. 38 is a partial sectional view in elevation and in partial phantom of a liquid recovery assembly with a membrane one-way valve according to a still further aspect of the disclosure. FIG. 39 is a partial sectional view in partial phantom of a membrane valve according to the embodiment of the disclosure shown in FIG. 38. FIG. 40 is a side sectional view in elevation and in partial phantom of a liquid recovery assembly with a concentrically arranged outlet and recovery port according to yet another aspect of the disclosure. FIG. 41 is a side sectional view of a liquid recovery assembly with a recovery filter secured inside the assembly housing according to still another aspect of the disclosure. FIG. 42 is a side view in elevation of the liquid recovery assembly shown in FIG. 41. FIG. 43 is a side sectional view in elevation and in partial phantom of a line clearing filter inlet/outlet assembly according to a further aspect of the disclosure. FIG. 44 is a side sectional view in elevation and in partial phantom of a line clearing filter inlet/outlet assembly with a valve according to a yet further aspect of the disclosure. FIG. 45 is a side sectional view in elevation and in partial phantom of a line clearing filter inlet/outlet assembly with an upstream recovery valve and a downstream recovery valve according to a still further aspect of the disclosure. FIG. 46 is a side sectional view of the liquid recovery assembly shown in FIGS. 41 and 42. FIG. 47 is a side sectional view of the vent port bleed valve of the liquid recovery assembly shown in FIGS. 41 and 42 in an open position. FIG. 48 is a side sectional view of the vent port bleed valve shown in FIG. 47 in a closed position. FIG. 49 is a side sectional view of a recovery filter subassembly according to the embodiment of the disclosure shown in FIGS. 41 and 42. FIG. 50 is a side sectional view of a filter assembly with an enclosed recovery filter subassembly and a processing filter secured in the housing via O-ring attachment according to an embodiment of the disclosure. FIG. 51 is a side sectional view of a filter assembly with an enclosed recovery filter subassembly and a processing filter permanently secured to the filter assembly housing according to another embodiment of the disclosure. FIG. 52 is a side sectional view of a filter assembly with a processing filter secured in the housing with O-rings according to a further embodiment of the disclosure. FIG. 53 is a side view of a vent port valve subassembly in an open position according to the embodiment of the disclosure shown in FIGS. 41 and 42. FIG. 54 is a side view of the vent port valve subassembly shown in FIG. 53 with the valve in a closed position. FIG. 55 is a side sectional view of a drain port valve subassembly in an open position according to the embodiment of the disclosure shown in FIGS. 41 and 42. FIG. 56 is a side sectional view of the drain port valve subassembly shown in FIG. 55 with the valve in a closed position. FIG. 57 is a top view of a cross-section of the bottom half of the filter assembly shown in FIG. 50. FIG. 58 is a top view of a cross-section of a filter assembly according to another embodiment of the disclosure. FIG. 59 is a side sectional view of the recovery port bleed valve of the liquid recovery assembly shown in FIGS. 41 and 42 in an open position. FIG. 60 is a side sectional view of the recovery port bleed valve shown in FIG. 59 in a closed position. FIG. 61 is a side view of a recovery port valve subassembly in an open position according to the embodiment of the disclosure shown in FIGS. 41 and 42. FIG. 62 is a side view of the recovery port valve subassembly shown in FIG. 61 with the valve in a closed position. FIG. 63 is a side sectional view of an internal recovery filter subassembly with an upper attachment post secured with an O-ring seal and a lower attachment post permanently secured to a filter element according to one embodiment of the disclosure. FIG. 64 is a side sectional view of an internal recovery filter subassembly with an upper attachment post permanently secured to a filter housing upper end cap and a lower attachment post secured with an O-ring seal to a filter element according to another embodiment of the disclosure. FIG. 65 is a side sectional view of an internal recovery filter subassembly with an upper attachment post and a lower attachment post both permanently secured to a housing assembly upper end cap and a filter element, respectively, according to a further embodiment of the disclosure. It should be understood that similar reference characters denote corresponding features consistently throughout the attached drawings. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DISCLOSURE The liquid recovery filter comprises several embodiments, each configured for the recovery of liquids within the filter capsule, filter housing, the filter element, and any attached downstream components, e.g., tubes and connectors, downstream of the filter core and the filter assembly after the completion of filtration operations, e.g., when a batch has been filtered and/or the filter element is to be changed, etc. It should be understood that the filter capsule or housing embodiments may be constructed as permanently sealed structures (with the exception of their various ports or passages), or constructed as reusable units with removable end caps and/or multi-piece housings, permitting access to the filter element therein for replacement or cleaning and reuse, or may be configured as replaceable modular units having pre-installed filter elements. Referring to FIG. 1, a liquid recovery filter assembly is shown designated generally as 110. Filter assembly 110 includes a filter housing or shell designated generally as 111 having a shell wall 112 with an upper end 114 and an opposite lower end 116, both secured to, or integral with, shell wall 112 that may be substantially cylindrical in one embodiment. As used herein, relative terms “upper” and “lower” are used as component designations to define the spatial orientation of components based on the influence of gravity on the direction of liquid flow in the filter assemblies with gravitationally influenced flow defined as going from an upper end to a lower end. It should be understood that any of the filter assembly embodiments disclosed herein may be oriented in multiple spatial orientations, e.g., upside down and sideways relative to the orientation shown in any figure, wherein the different orientations may reverse or alter the functional meaning of the “upper” and “lower” designations without altering the relative orientation and cooperation of the various filer assembly components. Filter assembly 110 may be oriented as shown in FIG. 1, with inlet end 114 disposed above outlet end 116. It should be understood the orientation can vary and be reversed as needed for a particular application. Filter assembly 110 includes an upstream or inlet port 118, and a generally opposite downstream or outlet port 120 for the flow of liquid to and from the device. A recovery port 122, apart from its function in this disclosure to maximize recovery of filtered liquids from the filter assembly, may function as a vent to the outlet or downstream side of a filter element secured in the filter assembly (as disclosed below). An upstream vent port 124 extends from upper end 114 and is in fluid communication with an upstream internal volume of the filter assembly defined as being between housing 111 and an upstream designated surface of the filter element therein. An upstream drain port 126 extends from lower end 116 and can be used to drain liquids from the upstream side of the enclosed filter element, i.e., the upstream internal volume defined above. All of the liquid recovery device embodiments disclosed herein include combinations or sub-combinations of these various vents, ports, and passages. However, the relationship and orientation of the various vents, ports, and passages are arranged differently in different embodiments. Some embodiments relative to others include one or more additional ports or passages to accommodate specific arrangements, orientations and functions of the other ports and passages. It should be understand that all ports may be configured with adaptors to allow connection to a tube, pipe, sub-assembly, equipment, etc. These adaptors can be of any type including, but not limited to, barbed, threaded, gasket and clamp, quick connect, compression-type, as well as any other adaptor disclosed herein and/or known in the art. Moreover, the operational states and settings of the ports and associated valves (disclosed further herein) may be varied and ports reassigned function to permit the reverse flow of liquid through the assembly embodiments. The locations and orientations of the various ports 118 through 126 most closely resemble the configuration of the liquid recovery filter embodiment shown in FIG. 4, disclosed in detail below. Moreover, while filter assembly 110 is shown having a relatively tall and narrow configuration, it should be understood that other dimensional and geometrically shaped configurations may be constructed, depending upon the shape and configuration of the filter element contained therein, the placement of the various inlet and outlet ports or passages, the spatial limitations of the apparatus to which the filter assembly is attached, and other factors. The various fittings and connectors, illustratively barbed connectors and quick connects (shown in other figures), for the various ports and passages of filter assembly 110 are conventional in the industry and are disclosed as a matter of illustration and not limitation. Referring now to FIGS. 2 and 10, in another aspect of the disclosure, a liquid recovery filter is shown designated generally as filter assembly 210. It should be understood that the length and width of any of the filter embodiments shown in the drawings are by way of illustration and not limitation, and will depend upon the configuration of the filter element installed therein according to the intended use and operating environment. Filter assembly 210 includes a housing or shell designated generally as 211 having a shell wall 212 with an inlet end 214 and an opposite outlet end 216, each secured to, or integral with, shell wall 212. The combination of shell wall 212, and ends 214 and 216 define an internal volume 228. An inlet port 218 extends from inlet end 214 substantially axially parallel to a longitudinal axis of the enclosed filter, as defined by its inlet and outlet ends. It should be understood that the parallel orientation of inlet port 218 relative to the longitudinal axis of the enclosed filter may be altered (angled away from a parallel orientation including an orthogonal orientation), to accommodate particular spatial needs. Inlet port 218 is in fluid communication with an upstream internal volume 234 defined by the combination of shell 211 and an upstream designated surface of a filter element 230 (more particularly an upstream designated surface of the filter element and filtration material as defined above) secured in the filter assembly. An outlet port 220 extends coaxially (with the filter) from outlet end 216 and is in fluid communication with a core 232, or downstream side of filter element 230. As shown in FIG. 2, outlet port 220 has a longitudinal axis aligned with the longitudinal axis of the enclosed filter element. It should be understood this orientation can be altered (offset), in similar fashion to inlet port 218 to accommodate specific spatial needs. A recovery port 222 extends from upper inlet end 214 of filter housing 211. Recovery port 222 communicates with the outlet portion or core 232 of the filter element disposed within housing 211, as described in more detail below. Recovery port 222 is shown as being oriented coaxially with the enclosed filter element in FIG. 2 and radially in FIG. 10. It should be understood that although the lumen of recovery port 222 must be in physical communication with core 232, i.e., an extension of the core space, a recovery filter 223 (disclosed in more detail below) may block the flow of liquids from the core into port 222 (but not gas flow from the port into the core), the coaxial or radial orientation can be altered to accommodate spatial needs. Recovery filter 223 is shown connected in-line (outside of, or within housing 211 as disclosed hereinbelow) to recovery port 222 such that any air, gas, or other fluid introduced into recovery port 222 must first pass through recovery filter 223 prior to contacting the downstream filtered liquid. Recovery filter 223—as well as all recovery filters throughout this disclosure—is chosen to have the appropriate properties, e.g., porosity, pore size, material compatibility with gas or liquids exposed to the filter, and efficiency rating to ensure that fluids entering the filter assembly through recovery port 222 are of an appropriate purity for contact with the downstream filtered liquid. In the case of sterile filtration in the pharmaceutical industry, a sterile filter could be selected as the recovery filter. However, recovery filters with other efficiency ratings (more or less efficient than a sterile filter) and with specific purification properties (such as adsorptive capacities through the use of activated carbon, desiccants, soda-lime, etc. or other depending on the purity requirements of the downstream filtered liquid) could be selected. As a further alternative, filter materials with hydrophobic property functions may be used to prevent or reduce the likelihood of the recovery filter being wet by the processing liquid. Of course, it should be understood that there could be applications when a filter material with hydrophilic properties and/or combined hydrophilic/hydrophobic properties may be used as the recovery filter and should be considered within the scope of the disclosure. Preventing the recovery filter from being wetted is beneficial, as it allows the recovery filter to more easily pass air or gas introduced through recovery port 222. In some cases, the use of oleophobic or super-hydrophobic recovery filters or recovery filters with other surface properties is beneficial to further reduce the likelihood of wetting by the processing fluid. Recovery filter 223 may be of any type (e.g. disc, pleated cartridge, etc.) as is known in the art for filters and can be removable and/or replaceable, or permanently attached to recovery port 222 in a permanent, reusable or replaceable housing using any method known for attaching filters as is known in the art. An upstream vent port 224 also extends from inlet end 214 to vent upstream internal volume 234. Lastly, an upstream drain port 226 extends from outlet end 216 for draining liquids from upstream internal volume 234. As previously disclosed, filter shell or housing 211 defines internal volume 228 having a filter element 230 disposed therein. The filter element may have a generally toroidal configuration and a hollow downstream core 232. It should be understood that filter element 230 as well as all filter elements or cartridges disclosed herein (functioning as a processing filter that performs the primary filtering function of the filter assembly) may conform to any regular or irregular geometric shape and configuration, e.g., pleated, hollow fiber, tubular, stacked disc, and may be formed from a variety of materials, e.g., polymeric, ceramic, or metallic membranes, hydrophobic membrane, hydrophilic membrane, nonwoven media and combinations thereof, with varying pore sizes, porosities, surface areas, and the like and still be within the scope and spirit of the disclosed and claimed filter assembly embodiments. It further should be understood for filter elements made from, for example, hollow fiber and tubular materials, there is no “core”, but one or more lumen that collectively function as a core in similar fashion to the core disclosed herein. It should be also further understood that filter 230 may be secured in any of the disclosed filter housings via thermal or sonic bonding, adhesive, O-ring seals and any combination of these methods as well any other method such as mated threading used to secure filters in housings as are well known in the art. As previously disclosed, recovery filter 223 provides a barrier to contamination entering the downstream portion of filter assembly 210. Recovery filter 223 may be secured in any of the disclosed embodiments via permanent methods including thermal or sonic bonding, adhesive, and any combination of these methods as well any other method to secure filters as is well known in the art or via removable non-permanent or semi-permanent methods such as mated threading, O-ring seals, sanitary fittings and any combination of these methods as well as any other non-permanent or semi-permanent method used to secure filters as is well known in the art. As previously disclosed, the combination of shell or housing 211 and an upstream designated surface of filter element 230 define an upstream volume 234. For filter elements not having a generally toroidal configuration with a downstream core, upstream volume portion 234 is defined similarly by housing 211 and an upstream designated surface of the filter element. To control the flow of liquids through filter assembly 210, each of the various ports 218 through 226 may include a dedicated valve therein. Although each port may be configured with a valve, different embodiments may be configured with valves for only some and even none of the passages and/or ports. Multiple combinations of passages and ports with or without valves are within the contemplation and scope of the disclosure. As used herein, numeric reference characters designating valves will include a “v” at the end of the numerical designation. Dedicated valves for selective ports of filter assembly 210 are designated as valves 222v through 226v. Valves 222v, 224v and 226v are shown schematically in FIG. 2. All optional dedicated valves may be any suitable type of valve, e.g., needle valves, known and used in the art. In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 2 and 10, during normal filtering operations, valves 222v, 224v, and 226v often remain closed. With this port and associated valve setting configuration, liquid enters via inlet port 218 and passes into upstream volume 234, through permeable filter element 230, into hollow core 232 where the liquid is now filtered liquid and exits filter assembly 210 through the downstream or outlet port 220. In the case of filtration processes common in the biopharmaceutical industry, the filtered liquid is sterile. The above-described operation should not present any problems with liquid recovery, as long as the filter element is in good working order, the various passages are clear and the operation is essentially continuous. However, when the filtration process is completed, or the filter must be disconnected from the downstream process for some reason, e.g., because the filter has become plugged, to clean the liquid delivery lines or passages, to replace the filter or filter element, etc., some quantity of both unfiltered and filtered liquid is typically trapped within the filter assembly 210. As this liquid is often quite valuable, particularly in the pharmaceutical industry, it represents a fairly substantial financial cost, or loss, if it is discarded when filter assembly 210 is removed or replaced. Furthermore, efforts to capture the liquid from commercially available filter assemblies or products risk breach of asepsis on the downstream/sterile side of the filter assembly in pharmaceutical applications, or general contamination in non-sterile applications. Moreover, there may be additional costs associated with disposing of a filter containing such a liquid, particularly if the liquid is considered to be a biohazard or requires special handling to contain and/or discard. The various aspects and embodiments of the liquid recovery filter assemblies disclosed herein are configured to address this problem by providing structural and procedural means to evacuate the filter housing or shell wall, core, and downstream lines of resident liquid in a sterile or otherwise contamination-free manner through the designated filter outlet port when the filtering operation is terminated. This permits the recovery of the valuable liquid within the filter for use, storage, packaging, or further downstream processing. With respect to filter assembly 210, liquid, filtered and unfiltered, resident in the assembly (and/or lines downstream of the assembly) after the desired liquid filtration process has been accomplished, may be removed from the assembly via a two-step process. At this point in the process, valves 222v, 224v and 226v remain in a closed condition, the same condition in which these valves are commonly maintained during the primary filtering operation. One or more of these valves may be opened during start-up of the primary filtering operation to facilitate initial liquid flow through the filter assembly, but are otherwise commonly closed during the primary filtering operation. In some applications, some or all of these valves remain opened or partially opened to continually remove gas as it builds up in the upstream or downstream portions, or to monitor pressure in the filter assembly, or for other purposes as are well known in the art. Filtration of the unfiltered liquid remaining within the upstream or inlet side volume portion 234 is accomplished by forcing it through the filter element 230 as processed or filtered liquid from the filter outlet passage 220. Positive gas pressure can be used to achieve this goal by attaching a compressed air/gas line to the upstream tubing, the filter inlet port 218, the filter upstream vent port 224, or the filter upstream drain port 226 to drive air/gas into the filter assembly. If the compressed gas is attached to an upstream port other than the inlet, the valve(s) on the port to which the compressed air/gas is attached must be opened to allow the compressed air to enter into the upstream volume portion 234. In this case, the inlet would need to be closed by way of a valve, tubing clamp, welded tubing, or other means well known in the art to prevent the compressed air/gas from escaping and to allow pressure to build at the upstream or inlet side of the filter element. The upstream port may be constructed with a filter of similar design and function to a recovery filter to preclude further contamination of the liquid prior to being forced through the filter element by the air or gas introduced through the upstream passage. However, since the liquid will be filtered by the process filter element 230 prior to reaching the downstream (clean) side, this is generally unnecessary. If positive gas pressure, a peristaltic pump or other positive displacement pump, or any means capable of driving gas into the filter housing is used to bring liquid to the filter, the same means can be used to drive air or gas into the filter assembly after the liquid source is exhausted. The upstream ports not used to introduce air or gas into the filter assembly, e.g., valves 222v, 224v and 226v when bringing air or gas into the system via inlet port 218, will be closed to allow the pressure on upstream volume portion 234 to build up in the filter assembly from about 5 to about 10 psi, but higher pressures can be used, if required to achieve flow due to a plugged filter element, or a high viscosity liquid so long as maximum pressure limits are not exceeded. Once the pressure buildup has reached this pressure range and the unfiltered liquid remaining within the upstream side has passed to the downstream side, the clamp or valve upstream of the port used to introduce air or gas into the filter assembly, e.g., inlet 218 when bringing air or gas into the system via the inlet port 218, is engaged to stop all flow into filter assembly 210. It should be understood that in order to maintain pressure within the desired range, the flow of gas may be periodically stopped to give liquid time to flow to the downstream side and then restarted to make-up pressure lost as a result of liquid (as well as low levels of gas) flowing to the downstream side. Alternatively, if positive gas pressure is used, a regulator can be used to maintain pressure within the desired range. At this point in the process, the downstream side of filter element 230 should be at or about ambient pressure. To initiate the second step, valve 222v is opened. This permits any liquid remaining in outlet core 232 to flow into outlet port 220 and out of filter assembly 210 via gravity or compressed air/gas assist. The gas may be, illustratively, air, nitrogen, carbon dioxide, etc., as application appropriate. If compressed air is to be used for this purpose, a compressor or like device is attached, if needed, to recovery port 222 and regulated to the appropriate pressure. Any air introduced into recovery port 222 must first pass through recovery filter 223 to ensure the filtered liquids forced out of outlet core 232 remain sterile and/or free from contamination. The compressed air/gas should be introduced into the assembly from about 1 to about 2 psi, or at some pressure lower than the upstream pressure to prevent flow from the downstream side to the upstream side of filter element 230. The pressure is also chosen to provide the desired liquid recovery rate as well as to maintain a pressure below the maximum pressure rating or maximum recommended operating pressure for all components in the system that may become pressurized. During this second step of the liquid recovery process, it should be noted that valves 224v and 226v remain closed if pressurizing on the upstream side via inlet port 218. Once this second step is completed, i.e., all, or substantially all, of the liquid resident in outlet core 232 has been evacuated, the compressed air/gas source can be turned off, and/or the pressure can be otherwise relieved. A brief discussion of the characteristics of a conventional filter element, similar to element 230 is warranted. Filter elements used in many areas of the pharmaceutical industry, and likewise for other industries and operations, often utilize extremely fine filtration membranes having pore size ratings on the order of fractional micron sizes. One characteristic of microporous membranes and filters constructed of these membranes is known as the “bubble point” of the membrane or filter, i.e., the differential pressure required to force air (or other gas) through the wetted membrane or filter element. As is well known in the art, the smaller the filter pore size, the greater the bubble point. The bubble point of many filters used in the pharmaceutical industry may be 40 psi, or even higher, so the pressure required to force a gas through the wetted filter membrane can exceed the maximum pressure rating of componentry often used to produce single-use systems common in the pharmaceutical industry. With this explanation in mind, to maximize filtered liquid recovery with respect to currently available filter assemblies (as well as for any of the filter assembly embodiments disclosed herein), air (or other gas) applied to the open upstream vent port 224 or inlet port 218 at sufficient pressure to force the residual unfiltered liquid through the filter element 230 and out of the upstream volume 234 can efficiently remove much of the unfiltered liquid within upstream volume 234. However, in order to recover the liquid as filtered and processed liquid, the liquid must further travel through core 232 and outlet passage 220 as well as any lines downstream of the filter assembly. Due to the properties of a conventional filter element, the gas applied to the upstream side of filter element 230 cannot travel through the membrane to evacuate core 232 and outlet passage 220 as well as any lines downstream of the filter assembly unless the bubble point pressure is exceeded. This presents a problem, as described previously, due to the common use of relatively high bubble point filter elements coupled with the pressure limitations commonly found in systems and filter assemblies themselves. Although not part of the filtered liquid recovery process for which this disclosure is directed, should any unfiltered liquids remain in upstream internal volume 234 after pressure is applied to force unfiltered liquids through the filter membrane, drain valve 226v may be opened to permit the unfiltered liquids to drain via gravity (often once the upstream volume 234 has been depressurized for safety purposes) through upstream drain port 226. Valve 224v may also be opened to overcome any vacuum effect to facilitate liquid flow out of drain port 226. The filtered liquid remaining in core 232 and outlet passage 220 as well as any lines downstream of the filter assembly cannot easily be recovered using currently available filter assemblies without risk to asepsis or contamination of the filtered liquid. Due to the use of recovery port 222 and recovery filter 223, the pressure of gas needed to evacuate the resident liquid within the downstream portion of the filter assembly will be lower than what would be needed if recovery port 222 was not incorporated into the disclosed filter assemblies and contamination of the filtered liquid being removed from filter core 232 by the air or gas introduced through recovery port 222 will be prevented. The configuration of filter assembly 210 may also perform the intended liquid filter and recovery functions when the liquid flow is reversed through the assembly. It should be understood that to operate filter assembly 210 in the reverse flow direction, the filter assembly may have to be spatially reoriented gravitationally to have reassigned ports positioned in locations to optimize performance with respect to their reassigned functions. For example, a port reassigned as an outlet port should be oriented gravitationally in a low or down position relative to the body of the filter assembly. This requirement may be eliminated in some embodiments if a dip tube (disclosed hereinbelow) is used. In one possible reverse functional configuration, the assembly is reoriented such that such that outlet port 220, reassigned as an inlet port, is located at the gravitational top or high position. Upstream drain port 226 (and an optional drain port valve 226v, if present) is reassigned as a downstream recovery port (and a reassigned optional downstream recovery port valve) and will incorporate an inline recovery filter similar to, or the same as, recovery filter 223. Recovery port 222 (and an optional recovery port valve 222v, if present) is reassigned as an upstream drain port (and a reassigned optional upstream drain port valve) and often maintained in a closed condition during the main filtering operation. The use of a recovery filter 223 on port 222 is optional in this functional configuration and may require removal in applications where the recovery filter's properties (such as its hydrophobicity) would prevent port 222 from performing its designated draining function, if such a function is desired. When used in this manner, liquid introduced into port 220 (with valve 220v open, if present), flows into core 232 (or the lumen of the filter element if constructed from, for example, hollow fiber or tubular material), and radially outwardly through filter element 230 into internal volume 234 (now a downstream volume) and out of the filter assembly through port 218 as processed liquid. In this functional configuration, the remaining port(s), e.g., port 224 in the embodiment shown in FIG. 2, is/are maintained in a closed condition by, for example, closing inlet valve 224v in the embodiment shown in FIG. 2, or could be eliminated from the embodiment, as use of these ports risk contamination of the downstream filtered liquid when not coupled with a recovery filter. To remove the resident unfiltered liquid (resident in core 232) after the primary filtration process, pressurized gas is introduced into the filter assembly via recovery port 222 (reassigned as an upstream drain port), or through port 220 in a similar fashion by using the reassigned ports as disclosed previously for the functional configuration that flows from volume 234 to core 232. Alternatively, a reassigned upstream vent port at the reassigned gravitational top 216 (not pictured in FIG. 2) could be used to introduce the pressurized gas. Reassigned recovery port 222 may include an inline recovery filter reassigned as an upstream filter 223 to preclude further contamination of the liquid prior to being forced through the filter element 230 by the air or gas introduced through the reassigned upstream vent passage 222. However, as previously described, since the liquid will be filtered by the process filter element 230 prior to reaching the reassigned downstream volume 234 (clean) side, this is generally unnecessary. Also, as previously described, the inclusion of a recovery filter reassigned as an upstream filter 223 may limit the reassigned function of port 222 as an upstream drain port, if the recovery filter's properties (such as its hydrophobicity) would prevent liquid from flowing through port 222. Once the resident unfiltered liquid is forced through filter element 230, filtered liquid remaining in internal volume 234 may be removed by introducing pressurized gas into the filter assembly via port 226, to force the remaining liquid through port 218, in a similar fashion (by using the reassigned ports) as disclosed previously for the functional configuration which flows from volume 234 to core 232. Referring now to FIGS. 3 and 8, in another aspect of the disclosure, an alternative embodiment of the liquid recovery filter assembly is shown designated generally as 310. Filter assembly 310 includes all of the components and elements disclosed above for filter assembly 210, i.e., a filter housing or shell 311 having a shell wall 312 with mutually opposed first or upper and second or lower ends designated 314 and 316, respectively, (the combination of which define an internal volume 328), and a toroidal filter element 330 secured therein. An upstream surface (or designated upstream surface) of filter element 330 and surrounding housing 311 define an upstream or inlet volume 334 therebetween. In the embodiment shown, filter element 330 has a hollow core 332, but may also be one of the other filter constructions disclosed herein. An upstream vent port 324 and its optional associated valve 324v extend from upper end 314. An opposite upstream drain port 326 and its optional associated valve 326v extend from lower end 316 as shown schematically in FIG. 3, but not in FIG. 8. A downstream recovery port 322 extends from upper end 314 and has an optional recovery port valve 322v secured inline therein. A recovery filter 323 is secured in line with port 322 between upper end 314 and valve 322v, or may be enclosed in filter housing 311 and in fluid communication with port 322 as disclosed in detail hereinbelow. Recovery filter 323 should be selected from among the same construction material options and the same property/characteristic options disclosed for recovery filter 223. The difference between filter assembly 210 and filter assembly 310 lies in the orientation of their respective inlet and outlet ports or passages. It will be seen in FIG. 3 that an upstream or inlet port 318 and its optional associated valve 318v extend radially from upper end 314. It should be understood this port (and optional associated valve) may extend also from any point on shell wall 312 upstream of filter element 330. A downstream or outlet port 320 and its associated valve 320v extend from filter core 332 radially from lower end 316. It should be understood this port (and optional associated valve) may extend also from any point on shell wall 312 downstream of filter element 330. This configuration may be more readily installed in certain processing systems than the inline configuration of filter assembly 210. The liquid flow paths through filter assembly 310 during normal filtering operations and during the draining or recovery of liquids from filter assembly 310 are essentially the same as those disclosed above for filter assembly 210. During normal filtering and recovery operations, filter assembly 310 is operated in the same manner as disclosed for filter assembly 210. The positions of the valves present on filter assembly 310 (open, closed, partially open) during normal filtering and recovery operations are identical to the corresponding valve positions of the corresponding valves of filter assembly 210 during normal filtering and recovery operations, e.g., upstream vent port valve 324v, and upstream drain port valve 326v (corresponding to upstream vent port valve 224v and upstream drain port valve 226v) are commonly closed during the primary filtration function. As such, the disclosure regarding the operation of filter assembly 210 for normal (primary) filtering and recovery operations is incorporated here by reference. The configuration of filter assembly 310 may also perform the intended liquid filter and recovery functions when the liquid flow is reversed through the assembly. It should be understood that to operate filter assembly 310 in the reverse flow direction, the filter assembly may have to be spatially reoriented gravitationally to have reassigned ports positioned in locations to optimize performance with respect to their reassigned functions. For example, a port reassigned as an outlet port should be oriented gravitationally in a low or down position relative to the body of the filter assembly. This requirement may be eliminated in some embodiments if a dip tube (disclosed hereinbelow) is used. In one possible reverse functional configuration, the assembly is reoriented such that outlet port 320, reassigned as an inlet port, is located at the gravitational top or high position. Upstream drain port 326 is reassigned as a downstream recovery port and will incorporate an inline recovery filter similar to, or the same as, recovery filter 323. Recovery port 322 is reassigned as an upstream drain port and often maintained in a closed condition during the main filtering operation. The use of a recovery filter 323 on port 322 is optional in this functional configuration and would need to be removed in certain cases, as disclosed above. When used in this manner, liquid introduced into port 320 (with valve 320v open, if present), flows into core 332 (or the lumen of the filter element if constructed from, for example, hollow fiber or tubular material), and radially outwardly through filter element 330 into internal volume 334 (now a downstream volume) and out of the filter assembly through port 318 as processed liquid. In this functional configuration, the remaining port(s) (port 324 in the embodiment shown in FIG. 3) is/are maintained in a closed condition (by, for example, closing valve 324v in the embodiment shown in FIG. 3) or could be eliminated from the embodiment as use of these ports risk contamination of the downstream filtered liquid when not coupled with a recovery filter. Once the intended volume of liquid is filtered through assembly 310, valve 320v is closed to cease flow. The procedure to remove the resident unfiltered and filtered liquid within assembly 310 when operated in the reverse direction is the same as that disclosed for filter assembly 210 when operated in the reverse direction. Accordingly, the procedure disclosed for removing filtered and unfiltered liquid from filter assembly 210 when operated in a reverse direction is incorporated here by reference with respect to filter assembly 310. Referring now to FIGS. 4, 7, 11, 12 and 13, another alternative embodiment of the liquid recovery filter assembly is shown designated generally as 410. Filter assembly 410 includes all of the components and elements disclosed above for filter assemblies 210 and 310, i.e., a filter housing or shell 411 having a shell wall 412 with mutually opposed first or upper and second or lower ends designated 414 and 416, respectively, the combination of which define an internal volume 428. A toroidal filter element 430 is secured therein. An upstream surface (or designated upstream surface) of filter element 430 and surrounding housing 411 define an upstream volume 434 therebetween. In the embodiment shown, filter element 430 has a hollow core 432, but may also be one of the other filter constructions disclosed herein. An upstream vent port 424 and its optional associated valve 424v extend from upper end 414. An opposite upstream drain port 426 and its optional associated valve 426v extend from lower end 416. A downstream recovery port 422 extends from upper end 414 and has an optional recovery port valve 422v secured inline therein. A recovery filter 423 is secured in line with port 422 between upper end 414 and valve 422v, or may be enclosed in filter housing 411 and in fluid communication with port 422 as disclosed in detail hereinbelow. Recovery filter 423 should be selected from among the same construction material options and the same property/characteristic options disclosed for recovery filter 223. Filter assembly 410 may be considered a hybrid of filter assemblies 210 and 310. An upstream or inlet port 418 and its optional associated valve 418v extend radially from upper end 414 in essentially the same orientation as the corresponding component 318 of filter assembly 310. It should be understood this port (and optional associated valve) may extend also from any point on shell wall 412 upstream of filter element 430. A downstream or outlet port 420 and its optional associated valve 420v extend coaxially from filter shell wall 412 in the manner of outlet port 220 of filter housing 210. It should be understood this port orientation can be altered (offset), in similar fashion as described for inlet port 218 to accommodate specific spatial needs. During normal filtering and recovery operations, filter assembly 410 is operated in the same manner as disclosed for filter assemblies 210 and 310. The positions of the valves present on filter assembly 410 (open, closed, partially open) during normal filtering and recovery operations are identical to the corresponding valve positions of the corresponding valves of filter assembly 210 during normal filtering and recovery operations, e.g., upstream vent port valve 424v, and upstream drain port valve 426v (corresponding to upstream vent port valve 224v and upstream drain port valve 226v) are commonly closed during the primary filtration function. As such, the disclosure regarding the operation of filter assembly 210 for normal (primary) filtering and recovery operations is incorporated here by reference. The configuration of filter assembly 410 may also perform the intended liquid filter and recovery functions when the liquid flow is reversed through the assembly. It should be understood that to operate filter assembly 410 in the reverse flow direction, the filter assembly may have to be spatially reoriented gravitationally to have reassigned ports positioned in locations to optimize performance with respect to their reassigned functions. For example, a port reassigned as an outlet port should be oriented gravitationally in a low or down position relative to the body of the filter assembly. This requirement may be eliminated in some embodiments if a dip tube (disclosed hereinbelow) is used. In one possible reverse functional configuration, the assembly is reoriented such that outlet port 420, reassigned as an inlet port, is located at the gravitational top or high position. Upstream drain port 426 (and if present, optional drain port valve 426v) is reassigned as a downstream recovery port (and optional downstream recovery port valve) and will incorporate an inline recovery filter similar to, or the same as, recovery filter 423. Recovery port 422 (and if present, optional recovery port valve 426v) is reassigned as an upstream drain port (and optional reassigned upstream drain port valve) and often maintained in a closed condition during the main filtering operation. The use of a recovery filter 423 on port 422 is optional in this functional configuration and may need to be removed in certain cases, as disclosed above. When used in this manner, liquid introduced into port 420 (with valve 420v open, if present), flows into core 432 (or the lumen of the filter element if constructed from, for example, hollow fiber or tubular material), and radially outwardly through filter element 430 into internal volume 434 (now a downstream volume) and out of the filter assembly through port 418 as processed liquid. In this functional configuration, the remaining port(s) (port 424 in the embodiment shown in FIG. 4) is/are maintained in a closed condition (by, for example, closing valve 424v in the embodiment shown in FIG. 4), or could be eliminated from the embodiment, as use of these ports risk contamination of the downstream filtered liquid when not coupled with a recovery filter. The procedure to remove the resident unfiltered and filtered liquid within assembly 410 when operated in the reverse direction is the same as that disclosed for filter assembly 210 when operated in the reverse direction. Accordingly, the procedure disclosed for removing filtered and unfiltered liquid from filter assembly 210 when operated in a reverse direction is incorporated here by reference with respect to filter assembly 410. Referring now to FIGS. 5 and 9, a liquid recovery filter assembly 510 is shown that includes corresponding components to those disclosed above for filter assemblies 210 through 410, i.e., a filter housing or shell 511 having a shell wall 512 with mutually opposed first or upper and second or lower ends designated 514 and 516, respectively, collectively defining an internal volume 528. A toroidal filter element 530 is secured therein. An upstream surface (or upstream designated surface) of filter element 530 and surrounding housing 511 define an upstream or inlet volume 534 therebetween. Filter element 530 has a hollow core 532, but may also be one of the other filter constructions disclosed herein. An upstream vent port 524 and its optional associated valve 524v extend from upper end 514. An opposite upstream or inlet side drain port 526 and its optional associated valve 526v extend from lower end 516 as shown schematically in FIG. 5, but not in FIG. 9. A downstream recovery port 522 extends from upper end 514 and has an optional recovery port valve 522v secured inline therein. A recovery filter 523 is secured in-line with port 522 between upper end 514 and valve 522v, or may be enclosed in filter housing 511 and in fluid communication with port 522 and filter core 532 as disclosed in detail hereinbelow. Recovery filter 523 should be selected from among the same construction material options and the same property/characteristic options disclosed for recovery filter 223. The placement of an upstream or inlet port 518 (and an optional inlet port valve 518v secured in-line with the port) extending substantially radially from lower end 516 and a downstream or outlet port 520 (and an optional outlet port valve 520v secured in-line with the port) also extending substantially radially from lower end 516 (albeit from an opposite or different radial direction relative to a filter assembly longitudinal axis) requires liquid passing through filter assembly 510 to flow initially upward into upstream volume 534 through filter element 530 then downwardly through core 532 and into outlet port 518 from which the filtered liquid exits the filter assembly. This flow path should not present any problems with flow, particularly with pressurized filtering systems. Apart from this flow path distinction, liquid flow through filter assembly 510 is substantially as disclosed above for the other filter assembly embodiments. During normal filtering and recovery operations, filter assembly 510 is operated in the same manner as disclosed for filter assembly 210. The positions of the valves present on filter assembly 510 (open, closed, partially open) during normal filtering and recovery operations are identical to the corresponding valve positions of the corresponding valves of filter assembly 210 during normal filtering and recovery operations, e.g., upstream vent port valve 524v, and upstream drain port valve 526v (corresponding to upstream vent port valve 224v and upstream drain port valve 226v) are commonly closed during the primary filtration function. As such, the disclosure regarding the operation of filter assembly 210 for normal (primary) filtering and recovery operations is incorporated here by reference. The configuration of filter assembly 510 may also perform the intended liquid filter and recovery functions when the liquid flow is reversed through the assembly. It should be understood that to operate filter assembly 510 in the reverse flow direction, the filter assembly may have to be spatially reoriented gravitationally to have reassigned ports positioned in locations to optimize performance with respect to their reassigned functions. For example, a port reassigned as an outlet port should be oriented gravitationally in a low or down position relative to the body of the filter assembly. This requirement may be eliminated in some embodiments if a dip tube (disclosed hereinbelow) is used. In one possible reverse functional configuration that differs from the reverse functional configurations of filter assembly embodiments 210, 310, 410 and 610, the assembly may be maintained in the orientation shown schematically in FIGS. 5 and 9, such that outlet port 520, reassigned as an inlet port, remains located at the gravitational bottom or low position. It should be noted that reorientation is not necessary for this functional configuration compared to the orientation shown as the reassigned outlet port is located at the gravitational bottom or low position in the orientation shown schematically in FIGS. 5 and 9. Upstream vent port 524 is reassigned as a downstream recovery port and will incorporate an inline recovery filter similar to, or the same as, recovery filter 523. Recovery port 522 is reassigned as an upstream vent port and often maintained in a closed condition during the main filtering operation. The use of a recovery filter 523 on port 522 is optional in this functional configuration. When used in this manner, liquid introduced into port 520 (with valve 520v open, if present), flows into core 532 (or the lumen of the filter element if constructed from, for example, hollow fiber or tubular material), and radially outwardly through filter element 530 into internal volume 534 (now a downstream volume) and out of the filter assembly through port 518 as processed liquid. In this functional configuration, the remaining port(s) (port 526 in the embodiment shown in FIG. 5) is/are maintained in a closed condition (by, for example, closing valve 526v in the embodiment shown in FIG. 5) or could be eliminated from the embodiment, as use of these ports risk contamination of the downstream filtered liquid when not coupled with a recovery filter. Once the intended volume of liquid is filtered through assembly 510, valve 520v may be closed to cease flow. The procedure to remove the resident unfiltered and filtered liquid within assembly 510 when operated in the reverse direction is the same as that disclosed for filter assembly 210 when operated in the reverse direction, with the noted exception that in filter assembly 510, port 524 is reassigned as a downstream recovery port (providing comparable functionality to port 226 reassigned as a downstream recovery port in filter assembly 210) and port 526 is maintained closed, or may be removed. Accordingly, the procedure disclosed for removing filtered and unfiltered liquid from filter assembly 210 when operated in a reverse direction is incorporated here by reference with respect to filter assembly 510. Referring now to FIG. 6, a yet further aspect of the liquid recovery filter assembly designated generally as 610 has a configuration that differs from that of filter assembly 510, i.e., filter assembly 610's filter inlet port extends radially from an upper end of the filter assembly rather than from a lower end as shown for filter assembly 510. Filter assembly 610, however, includes several components corresponding to those disclosed above for filter assemblies 210 through 510, i.e., a filter housing or shell 611 having a shell wall 612 with mutually opposed first or upper and second or lower ends 614 and 616, respectively, collectively defining an internal volume 628. A toroidal filter element 630 is secured therein. Filter element 630 and surrounding housing 611 define an upstream or inlet volume 634 therebetween. Filter element 630 has a hollow core 632. An upstream vent port 624 and its associated valve 624v extend radially from upper or inlet end 614. An opposite upstream or inlet side drain port 626 and its associated valve 626v extend downwardly from lower end 616. A recovery port 622 and its optional associated valve 622v extend from upper end 614 and are in fluid communication with core 632. A recovery filter 623 is secured in-line and in fluid communication with port 622 between core 632 and recovery port valve 622v. Recovery filter 623 should be selected from among the same construction material options and the same property/characteristic options disclosed for recovery filter 223. Liquid flow through filter housing 610 is essentially the same as disclosed above for filter assembly 310. Liquid flow during normal filtering operations initially passes through radially disposed inlet port 618 and its normally open valve 618v at upper end 614, and then enters upstream internal volume 634. The liquid then passes through filter element 630 into filter core 632, and downwardly out of core 632 to flow out of filter assembly 610 from radially disposed downstream or outlet port 620 and its normally open valve 620v at lower end 614. During normal filtering and recovery operations, filter assembly 610 is operated in the same manner as disclosed for filter assemblies 210 through 510. The positions of the valves present on filter assembly 610 (open, closed, partially open) during normal filtering and recovery operations are identical to the corresponding valve positions of the corresponding valves of filter assembly 210 during normal filtering and recovery operations, e.g., upstream vent port valve 624v, and upstream drain port valve 626v (corresponding to upstream vent port valve 224v and upstream drain port valve 226v) are commonly closed during the primary filtration function. As such, the disclosure regarding the operation of filter assembly 210 for normal (primary) filtering and recovery operations is incorporated here by reference. The configuration of filter assembly 610 may also perform the intended liquid filter and recovery functions when the liquid flow is reversed through the assembly. It should be understood that to operate filter assembly 610 in the reverse flow direction, the filter assembly may have to be spatially reoriented gravitationally to have reassigned ports positioned in locations to optimize performance with respect to their reassigned functions. For example, a port reassigned as an outlet port should be oriented gravitationally in a low or down position relative to the body of the filter assembly. This requirement may be eliminated in some embodiments if a dip tube (disclosed hereinbelow) is used. In one possible reverse functional configuration, the assembly is reoriented such that outlet port 620, reassigned as an inlet port, is located at the gravitational top or high position. Upstream drain port 626 is reassigned as a downstream recovery port and will incorporate an inline recovery filter similar to, or the same as, recovery filter 623. Recovery port 622 is reassigned as an upstream drain port and often maintained in a closed condition during the main filtering operation. The use of a recovery filter 623 on port 622 is optional in this functional configuration and may need to be removed in certain cases, as disclosed above. When used in this manner, liquid introduced into port 620 (with valve 620v open, if present), flows into core 632 (or the lumen of the filter element if constructed from, for example, hollow fiber or tubular material), and radially outwardly through filter element 630 into internal volume 634 (now a downstream volume) and out of the filter assembly through port 618 as processed liquid. In this functional configuration, the remaining port(s) (port 624 in the embodiment shown in FIG. 6) is/are maintained in a closed condition (by, for example, closing valve 624v in the embodiment shown in FIG. 6), or may be eliminated from the embodiment, as use of these ports risk contamination of the downstream filtered liquid when not coupled with a recovery filter. Once the intended volume of liquid is filtered through assembly 610, valve 620v is closed to cease flow. The procedure to remove the resident unfiltered and filtered liquid within assembly 610 when operated in the reverse direction is the same as that disclosed for filter assembly 210 when operated in the reverse direction. Accordingly, the procedure disclosed for removing filtered and unfiltered liquid from filter assembly 210 when operated in a reverse direction is incorporated here by reference with respect to filter assembly 610. Referring now to FIG. 21, in another aspect of the disclosure, a liquid recovery filter is shown designated generally as filter assembly 710. This schematic representation shows an embodiment very similar to 210 disclosed in FIGS. 2 and 10; however, additional detail and features are shown to highlight how a replaceable filter cartridge may be disposed in a filter assembly housing or shell that can be disassembled to retrieve and replace used cartridges. Filter assembly 710 is configured as a single round housing that encloses a single filter cartridge. It should be understood that the length and width and overall geometric configuration of the filter assembly embodiment shown in FIG. 21 is by way of illustration and not limitation, and will depend upon the configuration of the filter element installed therein according to the intended use and operating environment. Filter assembly 710 includes a housing or shell 711 having a shell wall 712 with an upper end cap 714 and an opposite lower end cap 716, both of which are secured to shell wall 712. It should be understood that either end cap can be integral to shell wall 712 as long as one of the end caps is removable to permit extraction and replacement of the enclosed filter cartridge. The combination of shell wall 712, upper end cap 714 and lower end cap 716 define a filter assembly inner chamber 728. In the configuration shown, the two end caps are secured to shell wall 712 with band clamps 715 that secure shell wall flanges 713 to upper end cap flanges 717 and lower end cap flanges 719. It should be understood that various other methods of attachment may be used such as bolt and nut assemblies or other types of clamps such as sanitary style clamps. A gasket may or may not be used between the registered surfaces of the shell wall and end cap(s). An inlet port 718 extends (upwardly based on the filter assembly orientation shown in FIG. 21) from upper end cap 714 axially parallel to a longitudinal axis of the enclosed filter, as defined by its inlet and outlet ends. It should be understood that the parallel orientation of inlet port 718 relative to the longitudinal axis of the enclosed filter may be altered (angled away from a parallel orientation including an orthogonal orientation), to accommodate particular spatial needs. Inlet port 718 may also connect directly to shell wall 712 rather than upper end cap 714. Inlet port 718 is in fluid communication with an upstream internal volume 734 defined by the combination of shell wall 712, upper end cap 714, lower end cap 716 and a designated upstream surface of an enclosed filter element disclosed in more detail below. An outlet port 720 extends coaxially (with the filter) downwardly from lower end cap 716 and is in liquid communication with a filter core 732, or downstream side of the enclosed filter element. As shown in FIG. 21, outlet port 720 has a longitudinal axis aligned with the longitudinal axis of the enclosed filter element. It should be understood this orientation can be altered (offset), in similar fashion to inlet port 718 to accommodate specific spatial needs. Alternatively, the orientation of inlet port 718 and outlet port 720 may be arranged to conform to the orientations disclosed in embodiments 210 through 610, or to any orientation known in the art for the arrangement of inlet and outlet ports for filter assemblies. A recovery port 722 extends from upper end cap 714. Recovery port 722 communicates with the outlet portion or core 732 of the filter cartridge, as described in more detail below. Recovery port 722 is shown as being oriented coaxially with the enclosed filter element. It should be understood that although port 722 must be in fluid communication with the core of the enclosed filter cartridge, the coaxial orientation can be altered to accommodate spatial needs. A recovery filter 723 is secured to port 722 between the two ends of the port and is in fluid communication with a lumen formed by the port. Recovery filter 723 should be selected from among the same construction material options and the same property/characteristic options disclosed for recovery filter 223. A recovery port valve 722v is secured to port 722 on a side of recovery filter 723 distal from upper end 714. Valve 722v is maintained in a closed position during normal filtering operations and is opened to permit the introduction of pressurized gas to recovery filtered liquids resident in the filter core (or to function as a vent). An optional upstream vent port 724 also extends from upper end cap 714 to vent upstream internal volume 734. Lastly, an optional upstream drain port 726 extends from lower end cap 716 for draining liquids from upstream internal volume 734. This general external configuration of filter assembly 710 is similar to filter assembly 210. As previously disclosed, filter housing 711 defines internal volume 728 having a filter cartridge 730 disposed therein. The filter cartridge may have a generally toroidal configuration (such as the pleated cartridge filter shown in cross-section) and a hollow outlet core 732. It should be understood that filter cartridge 730 may conform to any of the embodiments disclosed herein and be made from any of the materials disclosed herein, or from those generally well known in the art for filter elements. To secure a first end of filter cartridge 730 in filter assembly 710, upper end cap 714 is formed with an upper cartridge receiving wall 738 dimensioned and shaped to conform to the shape of the cartridge registration or mounting surfaces of filter cartridge 730 as are well known in the art. For cylindrical cartridges, receiving wall 738 is circular in cross-section (although other cross-sectional shapes are possible and within the scope of this disclosure), and has an inner diameter greater than the diameter of the mounting surfaces of filter cartridge 730. Alternatively, receiving wall 738 can be substituted with a mounting post with an outside diameter less than an inner diameter of an annular axially projecting mounting surface on the cartridge. With either mounting configuration, to secure filter cartridge 730 to upper end cap 714, one or more O-rings 727 are positioned between the capsule and filter registration surfaces as shown in FIG. 21 to create a releasable, but substantially liquid tight seal between wall 738 and filter cartridge 730. As previously stated, it should also be understood that the relative diameters of the receiving wall or post 738 and the cartridge mounting surfaces can be reversed wherein the inner diameter of the mounting surfaces are greater than the out diameter of the receiving wall or post. In this reversed configuration, the O-rings seal the inner mounting surface of the filter cartridge to the outer surface of the receiving wall or post. It should also be understood that other mounting methods, e.g., gasket seals, threading one cartridge end and using an O-ring seal on the other, or an O-ring seal on one end and a flat gasket seal on the other end, as well as other methods commonly known in the art for attaching filter elements into housings may be used to secure the filter cartridge to the shell wall. To secure a second end of filter cartridge 730 in filter assembly 710, lower end cap 716 is formed with a lower cartridge receiving wall 736 dimensioned and shaped to conform to the shape of the cartridge registration surfaces of filter cartridge 730 as are well known in the art. For cylindrical cartridges, lower receiving wall 736 is circular in cross-section (although other cross-sectional shapes are possible and within the scope of this disclosure) and has an inner diameter greater than the diameter of the mounting surfaces of filter cartridge 730. To secure filter cartridge 730 to lower end cap 716, one or more O-rings 727 are positioned between the surfaces as shown in FIG. 21 to create a releasable, but substantially liquid and air tight seal between wall 736 and filter cartridge 730. It should also be understood that the relative diameters of the receiving wall or post 736 and the cartridge mounting surfaces can be reversed wherein the inner diameter of the mounting surfaces are greater than the outer diameter of the receiving wall or post. In this reversed configuration, the O-rings seal the inner mounting surface of the filter cartridge to the outer surface of the receiving wall or post. It should be understood that other mounting methods, as described elsewhere in the disclosure as well as other methods commonly known in the art for attaching filter elements into housings, may be used to secure the filter cartridge to the shell wall. It further should be understood that the filter cartridge can be permanently secured to one of the end caps and that such end cap can be removed from housing 711. In practice, for the embodiment shown in FIG. 21, upper end cap 714 will be removed from filter assembly 710 and filter cartridge 730 will be placed into internal volume 728 and inserted into lower receiving wall 736. Upper end cap 714 will then be placed onto shell wall 712 with upper receiving wall 738 aligned with a top end of filter cartridge 730. Once upper end cap 714 is fully registered against shell wall 712, clamp 715, (or any other method used to secure the end caps), is secured to the shell wall and end cap flanges to complete the assembly (or re-assembly) process to prepare filter assembly 710 for use, or further assembly to a larger assembly. It should be understood that other methods disclosed herein as well as other methods known in the art for securing end caps to housing walls may be used and are within the contemplation and scope of the disclosure. It further should be understood this process may also be reversed whereby the lower cap is removed and the filter cartridge is inserted into the filter housing and secured to the upper receiving wall or post first and then secured to the receiving wall or post of the outlet end cap when the outlet end cap is placed back on the filter housing or shell wall. It should be understood further that the foregoing assembly procedure relates to filter cartridges designed to be removed and replaced. For assemblies designed for one-time or continual use, it should be also further understood that filter cartridge 730 may be secured in any of the disclosed filter housings via thermal or sonic bonding, adhesive, O-ring seals and any combination of these methods as well as any another other method used to secure filters in housings or capsules as disclosed herein and/or well known in the art. As previously disclosed, the combination of filter housing 711 and an upstream designated surface of filter element 730 define an upstream volume 734. Unfiltered liquid enters upstream volume 734 of filter assembly 710 via upstream or inlet passage 718 and passes through liquid permeable filter element 730 to hollow outlet core 732 of filter cartridge 730, and then exits filter assembly 710 through outlet port 720 as filtered liquid. To control the flow of liquids through filter assembly 710, each of the various passages or ports 718 through 726 may include a dedicated valve therein. Although each passage or port may be configured with a valve, different embodiments may be configured with valves for only some and even none of the passages and/or ports. Multiple combinations of passages and ports with or without valves are within the contemplation and scope of the disclosure. For purposes of illustration as well as for completeness of the disclosure, dedicated valves for selective ports of filter assembly 710 are designated as valves 722v through 726v. Valves 722v through 726v are shown schematically in FIG. 21, and may be any suitable type of valve known in the art. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 21, during normal filtering and recovery operations, filter assembly 710 is operated in the same manner as disclosed for filter assemblies 210 through 610. The positions of the valves present on filter assembly 710 (open, closed, partially open) during normal filtering and recovery operations are identical to the corresponding valve positions of the corresponding valves of filter assembly 210 during normal filtering and recovery operations, e.g., upstream vent port valve 724v, and upstream drain port valve 726v (corresponding to upstream vent port valve 224v and upstream drain port valve 226v) are commonly closed during the primary filtration function. As such, the disclosure regarding the operation of filter assembly 210 for normal (primary) filtering and recovery operations is incorporated here by reference. The configuration of filter assembly 710 may also perform the intended liquid filter and recovery functions when the liquid flow is reversed through the assembly. It should be understood that to operate filter assembly 710 in the reverse flow direction, the filter assembly may have to be spatially reoriented gravitationally to have reassigned ports positioned in locations to optimize performance with respect to their reassigned functions. For example, a port reassigned as an outlet port should be oriented gravitationally in a low or down position relative to the body of the filter assembly. This requirement may be eliminated in some embodiments if a dip tube (disclosed hereinbelow) is used. In one possible reverse functional configuration, the assembly is reoriented such that outlet port 720, reassigned as an inlet port, is located at the gravitational top or high position. Upstream drain port 726 (and if present, optional drain port valve 726v) is reassigned as a downstream recovery port (and optional downstream recovery port valve) and will incorporate an inline recovery filter similar to, or the same as, recovery filter 723. Recovery port 722 (and if present, optional recovery port valve 726v) is reassigned as an upstream drain port (and optional reassigned upstream drain port valve) and often maintained in a closed condition during the main filtering operation. The use of a recovery filter 723 on port 722 is optional in this functional configuration and may need to be removed in certain cases, as disclosed above. When used in this manner, liquid introduced into port 720 (with valve 720v open, if present), flows into core 732 (or the lumen of the filter element if constructed from, for example, hollow fiber or tubular material), and radially outwardly through filter element 730 into internal volume 734 (now a downstream volume) and out of the filter assembly through port 718 as processed liquid. In this functional configuration, the remaining port(s) (port 724 in the embodiment shown in FIG. 21) is/are maintained in a closed condition (by, for example, closing valve 724v in the embodiment shown in FIG. 21), or could be eliminated from the embodiment, as use of these ports risk contamination of the downstream filtered liquid when not coupled with a recovery filter. The procedure to remove the resident unfiltered and filtered liquid within assembly 710 when operated in the reverse direction is the same as that disclosed for filter assembly 210 when operated in the reverse direction. Accordingly, the procedure disclosed for removing filtered and unfiltered liquid from filter assembly 210 when operated in a reverse direction is incorporated here by reference with respect to filter assembly 710. Referring now to FIG. 22, in another aspect of the disclosure, a liquid recovery filter is shown designated generally as filter assembly 810. This embodiment is similar to the embodiment shown in FIG. 21 in that it incorporates replaceable filter cartridges disposed in a filter assembly housing or shell wall that can be disassembled to retrieve and replace used cartridges. Filter assembly 810 is configured as a multi-round housing that encloses two or more filter cartridges. It should be understood that the length and width of the filter assembly embodiment shown in FIG. 22 is by way of illustration and not limitation, and will depend upon the configuration of the filter elements installed therein according to the intended use and operating environment. Filter assembly 810 includes a housing or shell 811 having a shell wall 812 with an upper inlet end cap 814 and an opposite lower outlet end cap 816, both of which are secured to shell wall 812 and that collectively define an internal volume 828. It should be understood that either end cap can be integral to shell wall 812 as long as one of the end caps is removable to permit extraction and replacement of the enclosed filter cartridges. In the configuration shown, the two end caps are secured to shell wall 812 with band clamps 815 that secure shell wall flanges 813 to upper end cap flanges 817 and lower end cap flanges 819. It should be understood that various other methods of attachment may be used such as bolt and nut assemblies, or other types of clamps such as sanitary type clamps. A gasket may or may not be used between the registered surfaces of the shell wall and end caps. An inlet port 818 extends laterally from shell wall 812. It should be understood that the location of inlet port 818 in terms of its height or radial position as well as its orientation relative to the longitudinal axis of the enclosed filter may be altered (raised, lowered, rotated, angled away from an orthogonal orientation, etc.), to accommodate particular spatial needs. Inlet port 818 may also may also connect directly to inlet cap 814 rather than shell wall 812. Inlet port 818 is in liquid communication with an upstream internal volume 834 defined by the combination of housing 811 and an upstream designated surface of filter element 830. An outlet port 820 extends substantially parallel to the longitudinal axes of enclosed filter cartridges 830 downwardly from lower end cap 816 and is in liquid communication with filter cores 832, or downstream side of the enclosed filter cartridges via an outlet manifold 850 that connects cores 832 with outlet 820. As shown in FIG. 22, outlet port 820 has a longitudinal axis substantially parallel with the longitudinal axis of the enclosed filter cartridges. It should be understood this orientation can be altered (offset), in similar fashion to inlet port 818 to accommodate specific spatial needs. Alternatively, the orientation of inlet port 818 and outlet port 820 may conform to the orientations disclosed in embodiments 210 through 610, or to any orientation known in the art for the arrangement of inlet and outlet ports for filter assemblies. As shown in FIG. 22, outlet manifold 850 is formed by a combination of a bottom end 851 of shell wall 812 that has portions defining lower end filter cartridge receiving walls 852 disclosed in more detail below. It should be understood that outlet manifold 850 may be formed entirely as an integral part of outlet end cap 816, or an integral part of shell wall 812. A recovery port 822 extends from upper end cap 814. Recovery port 822 communicates with the outlet portions or cores 832 of the filter cartridges via an outlet vent manifold 840, as described in more detail below. Recovery port 822 is shown as being oriented substantially parallel with the longitudinal axes of the enclosed filter cartridges. It should be understood that although port 822 must be in liquid communication with the cores of the enclosed filter cartridges, the substantially parallel orientation can be altered to accommodate spatial needs. A recovery filter 823 is secured to port 822 between the two ends of the port and is in fluid communication with a lumen formed by the port. Recovery filter 823 should be selected from among the same construction material options and the same property/characteristic options disclosed for recovery filter 223. A recovery port valve 822v is secured to port 822 on a side of recovery filter 823 distal from upper end 814. Valve 822v is maintained in a closed position during normal filtering operations and is opened to permit the introduction of pressurized gas to recovery filtered liquids resident in the filter core (or to function as a vent). An upstream vent port 824 also extends from inlet end cap 814 to vent upstream internal volume 834 (defined by the combination of housing 811 and upstream designated surfaces of the filter cartridges). Lastly, an upstream drain port 826 extends laterally from a lower end of shell wall 812 for draining liquids from upstream internal volume 834 and may be located at any radial orientation relative to the location of inlet 818. This general external configuration of filter assembly 810 is similar to filter assembly 110 of FIG. 1, with the exception of the orientation of inlet port 818 and upstream drain passage 826. As previously disclosed, filter housing 811 defines an internal volume 828 having two or more filter cartridges 830 disposed therein in what can be a circular arrangement of filter cartridges although other orientations (linear, rows, etc.) may be used. The filter cartridges may have a generally toroidal configuration (such as the pleated cartridge filters as shown in cross-section) and hollow outlet cores 832. It should be understood that filter cartridges 830 may conform to any of the embodiments disclosed herein and be made from any of the materials disclosed herein, or from those generally well known in the art for filter elements. To secure a first end of filter cartridges 830 in filter assembly 810, vent manifold 840, secured to inlet end cap 814, is formed with a plurality of upper cartridge receiving walls 842 dimensioned and shaped to conform to the shape of the cartridge registration or mounting surfaces of filter cartridges 830 as are well known in the art. For cylindrical cartridges, receiving walls 842 will be circular in cross-section (although other cross-sectional shapes are possible and within the scope of this disclosure) and have an inner diameter greater than the diameter of the mounting surfaces of filter cartridges 830. To secure filter cartridge 830 to inlet cap 814, one or more O-rings 827 are positioned between the surfaces as shown in FIG. 22 to create a releasable, but substantially liquid and air tight seal between walls 838 and filter cartridges 830. It should also be understood that the relative diameters of the receiving walls or posts 838 and the cartridges' mounting surfaces can be reversed wherein the inner diameter of the mounting surfaces are greater than the out diameter of the receiving walls or posts. In this reversed configuration, the O-rings seal the inner mounting surfaces of the filter cartridges to the outer surfaces of the receiving wall or post. It should also be understood that other mounting methods, e.g., flat gasket seals, threading one cartridge end and using an O-ring seal on the other, or an O-ring seal on one end and a flat gasket seal on the other end, as well as other methods commonly known in the art for attaching filter elements into housings (as well as any of the methods disclosed for filter assembly 710), may be used to secure the filter cartridges to the shell walls. To secure second ends of filter cartridges 830 in filter assembly 810, the bottom end of shell wall 812, (or portions of outlet end cap 816), is formed with a plurality of lower cartridge receiving walls 852 dimensioned and shaped to conform to the shape of the cartridge registration surfaces of filter cartridges 830 as are well known in the art. For cylindrical cartridges, lower receiving walls 836 will be circular in cross-section (although other cross-sectional shapes are possible and within the scope of this disclosure) and have inner diameters greater than the diameters of the mounting surfaces of filter cartridges 830. To secure filter cartridges 830 to outlet cap 816, (or bottom end of shell wall 812), one or more O-rings 827 are positioned between the surfaces as shown in FIG. 22 to create a releasable, but substantially liquid and air tight seal between walls 852 and filter cartridges 830. It should be understood that the relative diameters of the receiving walls or posts 836 and the cartridges' mounting surfaces can be reversed wherein the inner diameter of the mounting surfaces are greater than the out diameter of the receiving walls or posts. In this reversed configuration, the O-rings seal the inner mounting surfaces of the filter cartridges to the outer surfaces of the receiving walls or posts. It also should be understood that other mounting methods, described elsewhere in this disclosure as well as other methods commonly known in the art for attaching filter elements to and into housings, may be used to secure the filter cartridge to the shell wall. In practice, for the embodiment shown in FIG. 22, inlet cap 814 will be removed from filter assembly 810 and filter cartridges 830 will be placed into internal volume 828 and each inserted into one of the lower receiving walls 836. Inlet cap 814 will then be placed onto shell wall 812 with upper receiving walls 842 each aligned with a top end of one of the plurality of filter cartridges 830. Once upper end cap 814 is fully registered against shell wall 812, clamps 815, (or any other method used to secure the end caps), is secured to the shell wall and end cap flanges to complete the assembly (or re-assembly) process to prepare filter assembly 810 for use, or further assembly to a larger assembly. It should be understood this process may also be reversed whereby the outlet cap is removed and the filter cartridges are inserted into the filter housing and secured to the upper receiving walls or posts first and then secured to the receiving walls or posts of the outlet end cap when the outlet end cap is placed back on the filter housing or shell wall. It should be understood the foregoing assembly procedure relates to filter cartridges designed to be removed and replaced. For assemblies designed for one-time or continual use, it should be also further understood that filter cartridges 830 may be secured in any of the disclosed filter housings via thermal or sonic bonding, adhesive, O-ring seals and any combination of these methods as well any another other method used to secure filters in housings or capsules as disclosed herein and/or well known in the art. As previously disclosed, the combination of housing 811 and an upstream designated surface of filter cartridges 830 define an upstream volume 834. Unfiltered liquid enters upstream volume 834 via inlet port 818 and passes through liquid permeable filter cartridges 830 to hollow outlet cores 832 of filter cartridges 830, and then exits filter assembly 810 through outlet manifold 850 and then outlet port 820 as filtered liquid. To control the flow of liquids through filter assembly 810, each of the various ports 818 through 826 may include a dedicated valve therein. Although each port may be configured with a valve, different embodiments may be configured with valves for only some and even none of the ports. Multiple combinations of ports with or without valves are within the contemplation and scope of the disclosure. For purposes of illustration as well as for completeness of the disclosure, dedicated valves for selective ports of filter assembly 810 are designated as valves 822v through 826v. Valves 822v through 826v are shown schematically in FIG. 22, and may be any suitable type of valve known in the art. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 22, during normal filtering and recovery operations, filter assembly 810 is operated in the same manner as disclosed for filter assemblies 210 through 710. The positions of the valves present on filter assembly 810 (open, closed, partially open) during normal filtering and recovery operations are identical to the corresponding valve positions of the corresponding valves of filter assembly 210 during normal filtering and recovery operations, e.g., upstream vent port valve 824v, and upstream drain port valve 826v (corresponding to upstream vent port valve 224v and upstream drain port valve 226v) are commonly closed during the primary filtration function. As such, the disclosure regarding the operation of filter assembly 210 for normal (primary) filtering and recovery operations is incorporated here by reference. The configuration of filter assembly 810 may also perform the intended liquid filter and recovery functions when the liquid flow is reversed through the assembly. It should be understood that to operate filter assembly 810 in the reverse flow direction, the filter assembly may have to be spatially reoriented gravitationally to have reassigned ports positioned in locations to optimize performance with respect to their reassigned functions. For example, a port reassigned as an outlet port should be oriented gravitationally in a low or down position relative to the body of the filter assembly. This requirement may be eliminated in some embodiments if a dip tube (disclosed hereinbelow) is used. In one possible reverse functional configuration, the assembly is reoriented such that outlet port 820, reassigned as an inlet port, is located at the gravitational top or high position. Upstream drain port 826 (and if present, optional drain port valve 826v) is reassigned as a downstream recovery port (and optional downstream recovery port valve) and will incorporate an inline recovery filter similar to, or the same as, recovery filter 823. Recovery port 822 (and if present, optional recovery port valve 826v) is reassigned as an upstream drain port (and optional reassigned upstream drain port valve) and often maintained in a closed condition during the main filtering operation. The use of a recovery filter 823 on port 822 is optional in this functional configuration and may need to be removed in certain cases, as disclosed above. When used in this manner, liquid introduced into port 820 (with valve 820v open, if present), flows into core 832 (or the lumen of the filter element if constructed from, for example, hollow fiber or tubular material), and radially outwardly through filter element 830 into internal volume 834 (now a downstream volume) and out of the filter assembly through port 818 as processed liquid. In this functional configuration, the remaining port(s) (port 824 in the embodiment shown in FIG. 22) is/are maintained in a closed condition (by, for example, closing valve 824v in the embodiment shown in FIG. 22), or could be eliminated from the embodiment, as use of these ports risk contamination of the downstream filtered liquid when not coupled with a recovery filter. The procedure to remove the resident unfiltered and filtered liquid within assembly 810 when operated in the reverse direction is the same as that disclosed for filter assembly 210 when operated in the reverse direction. Accordingly, the procedure disclosed for removing filtered and unfiltered liquid from filter assembly 210 when operated in a reverse direction is incorporated here by reference with respect to filter assembly 810. Referring now to FIG. 14, in another aspect of the disclosure, a liquid recovery filter is shown designated generally as filter assembly 1010. This embodiment differs from the previously disclosed embodiments in that it incorporates an aspiration tube 1060 in place of a recovery port or passage. The filter assembly shown in FIG. 14 has a filter element secured in a capsule or housing. It should be understood that an aspiration tube can be used in place of a downstream recovery port with a filter configuration incorporating a filter cartridge, such as those shown in FIGS. 21 and 22. Filter assembly 1010 is configured as a single round housing that encloses a single filter element 1030. It should be understood further that the length and width of the filter assembly embodiment shown in FIG. 14 is by way of illustration and not limitation, and will depend upon the configuration of the filter element installed therein according to the intended use and operating environment. Filter assembly 1010 includes a housing or shell 1011 having a shell wall 1012 with an upper end 1014 and an opposite lower end 1016. It should be understood that either end can be integral to shell wall 1012, or modular in construction as end caps, particularly if a replaceable filter cartridge is secured in the housing or shell wall to permit extraction and replacement of the enclosed filter cartridge. It should also be understood that upper end 1014 is referenced as upper and lower end 1016 is referenced as lower as much function is gained from using this embodiment in this orientation for liquid recovery; however during normal filtration and other times during use it may be possible and even advantageous for end 1016 to be oriented gravitationally above end 1014. The means and/or methods used to secure such end caps is the same as disclosed for the end caps described for filter assemblies 210 through 810. An inlet port 1018 extends laterally from shell wall 1012 or from lower end 1016. It should be understood that the orientation of inlet port 1018 relative to the longitudinal axis of the enclosed filter may be altered (angled away from its orthogonal orientation), to accommodate particular spatial needs. Inlet port 1018 is in liquid communication with an internal upstream volume 1034 defined by the combination of shell 1011 and an upstream designated surface of filter element 1030. An outlet port 1020 also extends laterally from shell wall 1012 or from lower end 1016 and is in liquid communication with a filter core 1032, or downstream side of the enclosed filter element. As shown in FIG. 14, outlet port 1020 has a longitudinal axis orthogonal to the longitudinal axis of the enclosed filter element. It should be understood this orientation can be altered (offset), in similar fashion to inlet port 1018 to accommodate specific spatial needs. Furthermore and alternatively, the orientation of inlet port 1018 and outlet port 1020 may be configured to the orientations disclosed in embodiments 210 through 610 or to any orientation known in the art for the arrangement of inlet and outlet ports for filter assemblies. Outlet aspiration tube 1060 extends into a lower end of core 1032 from lower end 1016 and is in fluid communication with downstream recovery port 1022, core 1032, and the exterior of filter assembly 1010 through recovery port 1022. It should be understood that aspiration tube 1060 can extend any distance into core 1032 including the distance shown in FIG. 14 and have openings formed anywhere along its length to direct air or gas into the downstream side of element 1030 so as to facilitate and allow downstream liquids to be recovered. Recovery port 1022 extends outwardly from end 1016 and is in fluid communication with the outlet portion or core 1032 of the filter element via tube 1060, as described in more detail below. Recovery port 1022 is shown as being oriented coaxially with the enclosed filter element. It should be understood that although recovery port 1022 must be in fluid communication with the core of the enclosed filter element, the coaxial orientation can be altered to accommodate spatial needs. A recovery filter 1023 is secured to recovery port 1022 between the two ends of the port and is in fluid communication with a lumen formed by the port. Recovery filter 1023 should be selected from among the same construction material options and the same property/characteristic options disclosed for recovery filter 223. A recovery port valve 1022v is secured to port 1022 on a side of recovery filter 1023 distal from lower end 1016. Valve 1022v is maintained in a closed position during normal filtering operations and is opened to permit the introduction of pressurized gas to recover filtered liquids resident in the filter core (or to function as a vent). An upstream vent port 1024 extends from upper end 1014 to vent upstream internal volume 1034 and can be also used to perform other functions including, but not limited to integrity testing and pressurization during liquid recovery. Lastly, an optional upstream drain port (not shown) may be included and extend from lower end 1016 for draining liquids from upstream internal volume 1034. This general external configuration of filter assembly 1010 is similar to filter assembly 510 of FIG. 5, with the exception of the absence of an upstream drain port and the location of port 1022 compared with the location port 522, which is reoriented to lower end 1016 due to the use of tube 1060. As previously disclosed, filter shell 1011 defines internal volume 1028 having a filter element 1030 disposed therein. The filter element may have a generally toroidal configuration (such as the pleated filter shown in cross-section) and a hollow outlet core 1032. It should be understood that filter element 1030 may conform to any of the embodiments disclosed herein and be made from any of the materials disclosed herein, or any materials known in the art for filter elements. Filter element 1030 may be secured in any of the disclosed filter housings via thermal or sonic bonding, adhesive, O-ring seals and any combination of these methods as well as any another other method used to secure filters in housings or capsules as disclosed herein and/or as well known in the art. For filter elements in the form of filter cartridges, the cartridges may be secured in the housing in the same manner and with the same features as disclosed and shown in FIGS. 21 and 22. As previously disclosed, the combination of shell 1011 and a designated upstream surface of filter element 1030 define an upstream volume 1034. Unfiltered liquid enters upstream volume 1034 of filter assembly 1010 via inlet port 1018 and passes through filter element 1030 to hollow outlet core 1032, and then exits filter assembly 1010 through outlet port 1020 as filtered liquid. To control the flow of liquids through filter assembly 1010, each of the various ports or tubes 1018 through 1024 (and upstream drain ports in some embodiments) may include a dedicated valve therein. Although each tube or port may be configured with a valve, different embodiments may be configured with valves for only some and even none of the tubes and/or ports. Multiple combinations of tubes and ports with or without valves are within the contemplation and scope of the disclosure. For purposes of illustration as well as for completeness of the disclosure, dedicated valves for selective ports of filter assembly 1010 are designated as valves 1022v through 1024v. Valves 1022v through 1024v are shown schematically in FIG. 14, and may be any suitable type of valve known in the art. Tube 1060 and downstream recovery port 1022 may be made from aluminum, stainless steel, metallic alloys, or other metal-based materials. Other suitable materials include polymeric materials including, but not limited to, polypropylene, nylon, polyester, polyethylene, PSA and combinations thereof that are generally compatible with the fluids and/or gasses intended to be introduced into the filter assembly as is known in the art. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 14, during normal filtering and recovery operations, filter assembly 1010 is operated in the same manner as disclosed for filter assemblies 210 through 810. The positions of the valves present on filter assembly 1010 (open, closed, partially open) during normal filtering and recovery operations are identical to the corresponding valve positions of the corresponding valves of filter assembly 210 during normal filtering and recovery operations, e.g., upstream vent port valve 1024v, and upstream drain port valve 1026v, if present, (corresponding to upstream vent port valve 224v and upstream drain port valve 226v) are commonly closed during the primary filtration function. As such, the disclosure regarding the operation of filter assembly 210 for normal (primary) filtering and recovery operations is incorporated here by reference. The configuration of filter assembly 1010 may also perform the intended liquid filter and recovery functions when the liquid flow is reversed through the assembly. It should be understood that to operate filter assembly 1010 in the reverse flow direction, the filter assembly may have to be spatially reoriented gravitationally to have reassigned ports positioned in locations to optimize performance with respect to their reassigned functions. For example, a port reassigned as an outlet port should be oriented gravitationally in a low or down position relative to the body of the filter assembly. This requirement may be eliminated in some embodiments if a dip tube (disclosed hereinbelow) is used. In one possible reverse functional configuration, similar to the reverse functional configuration disclosed for embodiment 510, the assembly may be maintained in the orientation shown schematically in FIG. 14, such that outlet port 1020, reassigned as an inlet port, remains located at the gravitational bottom or low position. It should be noted that reorientation is not necessary for this functional configuration compared to the orientation shown as the reassigned outlet port is located at the gravitational bottom or low position in the orientation shown schematically in FIG. 14. Upstream vent port 1024 is reassigned as a downstream recovery port and will incorporate an inline recovery filter similar to, or the same as, recovery filter 1023. Recovery port 1022 is reassigned as an upstream vent port and often maintained in a closed condition during the main filtering operation. It should be understood, that outlet aspiration tube 1060, as shown in FIG. 14 and described as extending into a lower end of core 1032, would provide improved venting efficiency if it were to extend upwardly toward, and in close proximity to, a top end of core 1032, similar to aspiration tube 1260 shown in FIG. 17 and disclosed in further detail below. The use of a recovery filter 1023 on port 1022 is optional in this functional configuration. When used in this manner, liquid introduced into port 1020 (with valve 1020v open, if present), flows into core 1032 (or the lumen of the filter element if constructed from, for example, hollow fiber or tubular material), and radially outwardly through filter element 1030 into internal volume 1034 (now a downstream volume) and out of the filter assembly through port 1018 as processed liquid. In this functional configuration, any the remaining port(s), if present, is/are maintained in a closed condition (by, for example, closing their associated valve) or could be eliminated from the embodiment, as shown in FIG. 14, as use of additional downstream ports risk contamination of the downstream filtered liquid when not coupled with a recovery filter. Once the intended volume of liquid is filtered through assembly 1010, valve 1020v may be closed to cease flow. The procedure to remove the resident unfiltered and filtered liquid within assembly 1010 when operated in the reverse direction is the same as that disclosed for filter assembly 210 when operated in the reverse direction, with the noted exception that in filter assembly 1010, port 1024 is reassigned as a downstream recovery port (providing comparable functionality to port 226 reassigned as a downstream recovery port in filter assembly 210) and port 1026 is not depicted. Accordingly, the procedure disclosed for removing filtered and unfiltered liquid from filter assembly 210 when operated in a reverse direction is incorporated here by reference with respect to filter assembly 1010. Referring now to FIG. 17, in an embodiment substantially similar to the one shown in FIG. 14, a filter assembly designated generally as 1210 incorporates the same features as filter assembly 1010 except the aspiration tube designated 1260 in filter assembly 1210 extends from its point of entry at a bottom end of a filter shell wall 1212 into a filter core 1232 and extends upwardly toward, and in close proximity to, a top end of a filter element 1230. This aspiration tube places the point of gas introduction at a higher point in filter core 1232 than its counterpart, aspiration tube 1060 in filter assembly 1010. This configuration may improve the efficiency of liquid flow out of filter assembly by more advantageously introducing gas into the filter assembly at a location less likely to interfere with the flow of liquid out through core 1232 and outlet 1220. The function and operation of filter assembly 1210 is essentially the same as described and disclosed for filter assembly 1010. The description of the construction of filter assembly 1010 also corresponds to the construction of filter assembly 1210. The disclosure of the construction, operation and function of filter assembly 1010 is thus incorporated here to describe the construction, operation and function of filter assembly 1210. It should be noted that the reference character designations for filter assembly 1010 correspond to, and may be transferred to, filter assembly 1210 by removing the second digit “0” of each reference character and replacing it with a “2”. Referring now to FIG. 15, in a yet further aspect of the disclosure, a multi-round filter assembly incorporating dedicated aspiration tubes and recovery filters for each enclosed filter element/cartridge is shown designated generally as 1110. This embodiment differs from the previously disclosed single-round filter housing embodiment shown in FIG. 14 in that it incorporates multiple filter elements/cartridges, each with dedicated aspiration tubes 1160 and recovery filters 1123. Each aspiration tube has a dedicated recovery port 1122 and an optional associated valve 1122v. The filter assembly shown in FIG. 15 has a filter element secured in a capsule or housing. It should be understood that dedicated aspiration tubes can be used in place of downstream recovery ports with a filter configuration incorporating filter cartridges, such as those shown in FIGS. 21 and 22. It should be understood further that the length and width of the filter assembly embodiment shown in FIG. 15 is by way of illustration and not limitation, and will depend upon the configuration of the filter element installed therein according to the intended use and operating environment. Filter assembly 1110 includes a housing or shell 1111 having a shell wall 1112 having an upper end 1114 and an opposite lower end 1116. It should be understood that either end can be integral to shell wall 1112, or modular in construction as end caps, particularly if a replaceable filter cartridge is secured in the housing or shell wall to permit extraction and replacement of the enclosed filter cartridge. The means and/or methods used to secure such end caps are the same as those disclosed for the end caps described for filter assemblies 710 and 810. An inlet port 1118 extends laterally or radially from shell wall 1112. It should be understood that the orientation of inlet port 1118 relative to the longitudinal axis of the enclosed filter may be altered (angled away from its orthogonal orientation), to accommodate particular spatial needs. Inlet port 1118 is in liquid communication with an internal upstream volume 1134 defined by the combination of shell 1111 and an upstream designated surface of filter element 1030. An outlet port 1120 also extends laterally from shell wall 1112 or from lower end 1116 and is in liquid communication with filter core 1132, or the downstream side of the enclosed filter elements. As shown in FIG. 15, outlet port 1120 has a longitudinal axis orthogonal to the longitudinal axis of the enclosed filter element. It should be understood that this orientation can be altered (offset), in similar fashion to inlet port 1118 to accommodate specific spatial needs. Outlet aspiration tubes 1160 each extend into a lower end of one filter core 1132 from lower end 1116 and are in fluid communication with downstream recovery ports 1122, cores 1132, and the exterior of filter assembly 1110 through recovery ports 1122. It should be understood, that aspiration tube 1160 can extend any distance into core 1132 including the distance shown in FIG. 15 and have openings formed anywhere along its length to direct air or gas into the downstream side of element 1130 so as to facilitate and allow downstream liquids to be recovered. Recovery ports 1122 extend outwardly from end 1116. Each downstream recovery port 1122, communicates with the outlet portion or core 1132 of one filter element 1130 via tube 1160, as described in more detail below. Each recovery port 1122 is shown as being oriented coaxially with its corresponding enclosed filter element/cartridge 1130. It should be understood that although recovery port 1122 must be in fluid communication with the core of the enclosed filter element, the coaxial orientation can be altered to accommodate spatial needs. A recovery filter 1123 is secured to recovery port 1122 between the two ends of the port and is in fluid communication with a lumen formed by the port. Recovery filter 1123 should be selected from among the same construction material options and the same property/characteristic options disclosed for recovery filter 223. A recovery port valve 1122v is secured to port 1122 on a side of recovery filter 1123 distal from lower end 1116. Valve 1122v is maintained in a closed position during normal filtering operations and is opened to permit the introduction of pressurized gas to recover filtered liquids resident in the filter core (or to function as a vent). An upstream vent port 1124 also extends from upper end 1114 to vent an upstream internal volume 1134 described in more detail below. Lastly, an optional upstream drain port (not shown) may be included and extend from lower end 1116 to drain liquids from upstream internal volume 1134. This general external configuration of filter assembly 1110 is similar to filter assembly 510 of FIG. 5, with the exception of the absence of an upstream drain port and the location of ports 1122 compared with the location of port 522, which is reoriented to lower end 1116 due to the use of tube 1160. As previously disclosed, filter shell wall 1112 defines internal volume 1128 having a plurality of filter elements/cartridges 1130 disposed therein. The filter elements may have a generally toroidal configuration (such as the pleated filter shown in cross-section) and a hollow core 1132. It should be understood that filter elements 1130 may conform to any of the embodiments disclosed herein and be made from any of the materials disclosed herein for filter elements. Filter elements 1130 may be secured in any of the disclosed filter housings via thermal or sonic bonding, adhesive, O-ring seals and any combination of these methods as well as any another other method used to secure filters in housings as are well known in the art. For filter elements in the form of filter cartridges, the cartridges may be secured in the housing in the same manner and with the same features as disclosed and shown in FIGS. 21 and 22. As previously disclosed, the combination of shell 1111 and a designated upstream surface of filter elements 1130 define an upstream volume. Unfiltered liquid enters upstream volume 1134 via inlet port 1118 and passes through liquid permeable filter elements 1130 to hollow cores 1132, and then exits filter assembly 1110 through outlet port 1120 as filtered liquid. To control the flow of liquids through filter assembly 1110, each of the various ports or tubes 1118 through 1124 (and upstream drain ports in some embodiments) may include a dedicated valve therein. Although each port may be configured with a valve, different embodiments may be configured with valves for only some and even none of the ports. Multiple combinations of ports with or without valves are within the contemplation and scope of the disclosure with respect to this filter assembly embodiment. For purposes of illustration as well as for completeness of the disclosure, dedicated valves for selective ports of filter assembly 1110 are designated as valves 1122v through 1124v. Valves 1122v through 1124v are shown schematically in FIG. 15, and may be any suitable type of valve known and used in the art. Tubes 1160 and downstream recovery ports 1122 may be made from the same materials described and disclosed for tube 1060 and recovery ports 1022. It should be understood that the list of potential materials described herein are not exhaustive and include those materials commonly used in the art to construct such features in filter housings and assemblies. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 15, during normal filtering and recovery operations, filter assembly 1110 is operated in the same manner as disclosed for filter assemblies 210 through 1010. The positions of the valves present on filter assembly 1110 (open, closed, partially open) during normal filtering and recovery operations are identical to the corresponding valve positions of the corresponding valves of filter assembly 210 during normal filtering and recovery operations, e.g., upstream vent port valve 1124v, and upstream drain port valve 1126v, if present, (corresponding to upstream vent port valve 224v and upstream drain port valve 226v) are commonly closed during the primary filtration function. As such, the disclosure regarding the operation of filter assembly 210 for normal (primary) filtering and recovery operations is incorporated here by reference. The configuration of filter assembly 1110 may also perform the intended liquid filter and recovery functions when the liquid flow is reversed through the assembly. It should be understood that to operate filter assembly 1110 in the reverse flow direction, the filter assembly may have to be spatially reoriented gravitationally to have reassigned ports positioned in locations to optimize performance with respect to their reassigned functions. For example, a port reassigned as an outlet port should be oriented gravitationally in a low or down position relative to the body of the filter assembly. This requirement may be eliminated in some embodiments if a dip tube (disclosed hereinbelow) is used. In one possible reverse functional configuration, similar to the reverse functional configuration disclosed for embodiment 510, the assembly may be maintained in the orientation shown schematically in FIG. 15, such that outlet port 1120, reassigned as an inlet port, remains located at the gravitational bottom or low position. It should be noted that reorientation is not necessary for this functional configuration compared to the orientation shown as the reassigned outlet port is located at the gravitational bottom or low position in the orientation shown schematically in FIG. 15. Upstream vent port 1124 is reassigned as a downstream recovery port and will incorporate an inline recovery filter similar to, or the same as, recovery filter 1123. Recovery port 1122 is reassigned as an upstream vent port and often maintained in a closed condition during the main filtering operation. It should be understood, that outlet aspiration tubes 1060, as shown in FIG. 15 and described as extending into a lower end of cores 1132, would provide improved venting efficiency if they were to extend upwardly toward, and in close proximity to, a top end of cores 1132, similar to aspiration tubes 1360 shown in FIG. 18 and disclosed in further detail below. The use of recovery filters 1123 on ports 1122 are optional in this functional configuration. When used in this manner, liquid introduced into port 1120 (with valve 1120v open, if present), flows into cores 1132 (or the lumen of the filter elements if constructed from, for example, hollow fiber or tubular material), and radially outwardly through filter elements 1130 into internal volume 1134 (now a downstream volume) and out of the filter assembly through port 1118 as processed liquid. In this functional configuration, any the remaining port(s), if present, is/are maintained in a closed condition (by, for example, closing their associated valve) or could be eliminated from the embodiment, as shown in FIG. 15, as use of additional downstream ports risk contamination of the downstream filtered liquid when not coupled with a recovery filter. Once the intended volume of liquid is filtered through assembly 1010, valve 1020v may be closed to cease flow. The procedure to remove the resident unfiltered and filtered liquid within assembly 1110 when operated in the reverse direction is the same as that disclosed for filter assembly 210 when operated in the reverse direction, with the noted exception that in filter assembly 1110, port 1124 is reassigned as a downstream recovery port (providing comparable functionality to port 226 reassigned as a downstream recovery port in filter assembly 210) and port 1126 is not depicted. Accordingly, the procedure disclosed for removing filtered and unfiltered liquid from filter assembly 210 when operated in a reverse direction is incorporated here by reference with respect to filter assembly 1110. Referring now to FIG. 18, another multi-round filter assembly is shown with identical features to the embodiment shown in FIG. 15 except the aspiration tubes designated 1360 in filter assembly 1310 extend from their point of entry at a bottom end of a filter shell wall 1312 into filter cores 1332 and extend upwardly toward, and in close proximity to, a top end of filter elements 1330. These aspiration tubes place the point of gas introduction at a higher point in filter cores 1332 than their counterpart, relatively short aspiration tubes 1160 in filter assembly 1110. This configuration may improve the efficiency of liquid flow out of filter assembly 1310 by more advantageously introducing gas into the filter assembly at a location less likely to interfere with the flow of liquid out through core 1332 and outlet 1320. The function and operation of filter assembly 1310 is essentially the same as described and disclosed for filter assembly 1110. The description of the construction of filter assembly 1110 also corresponds to the construction of filter assembly 1310. The disclosure of the construction, operation and function of filter assembly 1110 is thus incorporated here to describe the construction, operation and function of filter assembly 1310. It should be noted that the reference character designations for components of filter assembly 1110 correspond to, and may be transferred to, character designations for components of filter assembly 1310 by removing the second digit “1” of each reference character and replacing it with a “3”. Referring now to FIG. 19, in another aspect of the disclosure, a multi-round filter assembly shown designated generally as 1410 includes aspiration tubes 1460 that share a common aspiration tube manifold 1462 and a single recovery filter 1423 secured to a manifold extension tube 1464 with an optional manifold extension tube valve 1464v also secured to extension tube 1464. The aspiration tubes 1160, tube manifold 1462, extension tube 1464, recovery filter 1423 and optional tube valve 1464v are all in fluid communication with cores 1432. The remaining features of filter assembly 1410 are identical to the features shown in FIG. 18 for filter assembly 1310 and could alternatively be constructed with shorter aspiration tubes, similar to assembly 1110 as shown in FIG. 15. More particularly, a housing or shell designated generally as 1211 includes a shell wall 1412, and upper end 1414 and a lower end 1416, the combination of which define an internal chamber in which one or more filter elements 1430 are secured. Each enclosed filter element defines a downstream designated core 1432 in fluid communication with aspiration tubes 1160 and all the tubes connected to tubes 1160. The function, operation and performance of filter assembly 1410 are the same as for filter assembly 1310. The description of the function, operation and performance of filter assembly 1310 is thus incorporated here with respect to filter assembly 1410. Referring now to FIG. 20, in a still further aspect of the disclosure, a multi-round filter assembly shown designated generally as 1510 includes dedicated aspirating tubes 1560 and dedicated recovery filters 1523 secured to, and in fluid communication with, tubes 1560 that share a common recovery tube 1564 and optional recovery tube valve 1564v secured to recovery tube 1564. The remaining features of filter assembly 1510 are identical to the features shown in FIG. 18 for filter assembly 1310 and could alternatively be constructed with shorter aspiration tubes, similar to assembly 1110 as shown in FIG. 15. The function, operation and performance of filter assembly 1510 are the same as for filter assembly 1310. The description of the function, operation and performance of filter assembly 1310 is thus incorporated here with respect to filter assembly 1510. Referring now to FIG. 23, in a yet further aspect of the disclosure, a filter assembly shown designated generally as 1610 incorporates the same features as filter assembly 510 shown in FIG. 5 in a gravitationally opposite orientation and with the addition of an outlet dip tube 1668. Outlet dip tube 1668 creates a partition within the downstream side of element 1630 and is in liquid communication with outlet port 1620 and core 1632. The partition formed by outlet dip tube 1668 directs fluid introduced through recovery port 1622 down to the bottom of core 1632 before flowing out through dip tube 1668 and through outlet port 1620. This flow path assures that air or gas introduced into recovery port 1622 clears all or substantially all liquid from the downstream core 1632 as opposed to taking the path of least resistance and flowing directly to outlet port 1620 as would be the case if embodiment 510 were to be used in its opposite gravitational orientation without the addition of a dip tube 568. The forward function, operation and performance of filter assembly 1610 are the same as for filter assembly 510, where each is operated in the gravitational orientation depicted in their respective FIGS. 5 and 23. The description of the forward function, operation and performance of filter assembly 510 is thus incorporated here with respect to filter assembly 1610. To function in the gravitational orientation illustrated in FIG. 23 when the flow is reversed through the assembly, a dip tube is connected to inlet port 1618 (reassigned as an outlet port) to assure that air or gas introduced through upstream vent port 1624 (reassigned as a recovery port and configured with a recovery filter similar to, or the same as, recovery filter 1623) is forced to the bottom of volume 1634 (now a downstream volume) to allow for the recovery of filtered liquids. The use of the dip tube prevents the air or gas from exiting through reassigned outlet port 1618 without driving filtered liquids out of the downstream volume 1634. The reverse function, operation and performance of filter assembly 1610 are the same as those for filter assembly 510, where each is operated in the gravitational orientation depicted in FIGS. 5 and 23, respectively. The description of the reverse function, operation and performance of filter assembly 510 is thus incorporated here with respect to filter assembly 1610. Referring now to FIG. 16, in another aspect of the disclosure, a single hybrid hydrophilic/hydrophobic filter material, or a dual layer filter material with one layer having hydrophobic characteristics and the other layer having hydrophilic characteristics is positioned in an upper end cap of a filter cartridge to provide a functional valve to permit the processing of liquids through a process filter and maintain a pressure gradient from an upstream side of a processing filter to a downstream side of the processing filter when a recovery function is performed after the main liquid processing function. Use of this “valve” eliminates the need for a recovery port, or similar feature. This filter may also be used as the recovery filter in the other embodiments disclosed herein, which in some applications may eliminate the need for a valve in the other embodiments. For purposes of clarity and illustration, but not limitation, as used in the description of embodiments incorporating a hydrophilic/hydrophobic valve, the terms hydrophilic, hydrophobic, and liquid are used to describe the function and design of a filter assembly apparatus and method for liquid recovery. A liquid or process liquid is defined to be a process liquid that will spontaneously wet-out one type of filter material and not another. A hydrophilic filter material is defined as a filter material that will spontaneously wet-out in the process liquid. A hydrophobic filter material is defined as a filter material that will not spontaneously wet-out in the process liquid. In certain applications, such as the filtration of alcohols or low-polarity liquids, a filter material with hydrophobic properties could be used in place of the hydrophilic filter material, since many of these liquids will spontaneously wet-out a hydrophobic filter material as is well known in the art. In such a case, use of a filter material with oleophobic, super-hydrophobic, or other surface properties may be required to be used in place of the hydrophobic filter material in order to prevent wetting of the filter material in this position by the process liquid. Accordingly, though hydrophilic and hydrophobic filtration materials and layers are described throughout the disclosure, the use of filter materials and layers with other surface properties (such as oleophobicity and super-hydrophobicity as disclosed above) to provide the desired selectivity whereas one filtration material spontaneously wets out in a liquid and one filtration material does not is within the contemplation and scope of the disclosure. As shown in FIG. 16, a filter assembly shown designated generally as 910, includes a housing or shell 911 dimensioned to enclose a filter cartridge 930. An inlet 918, outlet 920 and an upstream vent 924 extend from housing 911. Inlet 918 extends from an upper inlet end 914 and may be aligned with the longitudinal axis of the enclosed filter cartridge 930 or may be oriented away from the longitudinal axis to accommodate any spatial requirements. Inlet 918 is in liquid communication with an upstream internal volume 934 of filter assembly 910, as defined by shell 911 and an upstream designated surface of filter element 930. Outlet 920 extends from a lower outlet end 916 of the filter assembly 910 and is in liquid communication with a core 932 of filter cartridge 930. Upstream vent 924 extends laterally or radially from an upper end of filter housing 911 and may be oriented at different angles to accommodate spatial needs. Each port may have an optional dedicated valve to open and close the ports. If present, valve 918v is attached to inlet 918, valve 920v is attached to outlet 920 and valve 924v is attached to upstream vent port 924. Multiple combinations of passages and ports with or without valves are within the contemplation and scope of the disclosure. It should be understood that in assembly 910, ends 914 and 916 can be integral to shell wall 912 or can be removable to permit extraction and replacement of the enclosed filter cartridge 930. In the configuration shown, the two ends 914 and 916 are shown integral to shell wall 910 by way of illustration and not limitation, and the integral versus removable nature of ends 914 and 916 and filter cartridge 930 as well as the methods used to seal the assembly (including the seal of cartridge filter 930) will depend upon the intended use and operating environment as well as the configuration of the filter element installed therein. Methods used to seal the assemblies of other embodiments disclosed herein may be used also to seal the components of filter assembly 910. To permit the recovery of liquid held up within filter assembly 910 without a dedicated recovery port, a valve filter 970 is used to perform a dual filter and valve function. Valve filter 970 may be a combination hydrophobic/hydrophilic filter material (including a filter material having either a sole hydrophilic or a sole hydrophobic property with a surface modified to have the opposite property), a hydrophobic/hydrophilic dual layer filter material and any combinations thereof. Valve filter 970 is secured in an upper end cap 931 of filter cartridge 930 and represents one way to eliminate the need for a recovery port such as those disclosed herein. A filtration material with only hydrophobic functionality may be used in the locations disclosed for valve filter 970 to permit contaminant-free recovery of liquid within the downstream portions of a filter assembly as well as downstream lines, etc. However, for embodiments that have the valve function disclosed in detail below that permits the additional recovery of upstream unfiltered fluid, use of filtration material with only hydrophobic functionality cannot be used as explained and disclosed in more detail below. With respect to the use of a filter material at location 970 that has only a hydrophobic functionality, it should be understood that although such a filter material is suitable to perform the downstream recovery process, as disclosed in detail herein, for many of the aspects and embodiments of the liquid recovery assemblies, it will not function as a valve to maintain a pressure gradient from an upstream side 934 of processing filter 930 to a downstream side of the processing filter 930 when a recovery function is performed after the main liquid processing function. This gradient is required in order to force unfiltered liquids in upstream side 934 to the downstream side prior to initiating recovery of the filtered liquids in the downstream side of the assembly. As shown in FIGS. 16, 25 and 26, filter material used at the location of valve filter 970—whether a hydrophobic filtration material or one of the dual-function filtration material embodiments—may be positioned in a variety of different locations on filter cartridge 930 including end cap 931, end cap 935 and/or an outlet port receiving segment 933 and perform the same functions described and disclosed herein with limited modification to the disclosed recovery methods. The embodiments disclosed in FIGS. 16, 25 and 26 may be used in combination with other features described within this disclosure to improve functionality and/or efficiency, e.g., dip tube 1668 shown in FIG. 23 in combination with the valve filter 970 location shown in FIG. 26). The hydrophilic layer or portion of valve filter 970 is positioned in direct contact with the downstream side of filter cartridge 930. This permits the hydrophilic component to be wetted during the main liquid processing procedure, but will not permit bulk flow through valve filter 970, as the liquid cannot pass through the hydrophobic component at pressures below the water intrusion pressure (or liquid intrusion pressure). It should be understood, that while use of the valve filter in this orientation provides advantages (such as reducing the likely hood of a liquid-lock on the hydrophobic filter material) it is possible and may even be advantageous to orient the valve filter in the reverse direction in some cases and that all orientations are within the contemplation and scope of the disclosure. By including an appropriately selected hydrophobic filter material, layer, or surface modified hydrophobic layer, the filter material or layer prevents the bulk migration of liquids from the upstream side through filter cartridge end cap 931 and/or end cap 935 and/or an outlet port receiving segment 933 and concurrently maintains a porous and sterile (or otherwise contamination-preventing) barrier between the upstream and downstream sides of filter cartridge 930. By including an appropriately selected hydrophilic filter material or layer that becomes wetted in use, the filter material or layer prevents the bulk migration of air or gas from the upstream side of cartridge 930 through the filter cartridge end cap 931 and/or end cap 935 and/or an outlet port receiving segment 933 at pressures below the bubble point of the selected filtration material or layer. During the unfiltered liquid recovery function, this enables the filter assembly to maintain a relatively low pressure on the downstream side of processing filter cartridge 930 and a relatively higher pressure on the upstream side of cartridge 930 to drive liquids held upstream of filter cartridge 930 into the downstream portion of filter assembly 910 through the processing filter material so long as the pressure differential between the upstream and downstream sides of cartridge 930 does not exceed the bubble point of the hydrophilic filter material or layer. During the main liquid processing function, upstream vent valve 924v is maintained in a closed position, but may be opened periodically or even continuously to evacuate gas or air from the upstream side of cartridge 930. To ensure proper functioning, the hydrophobic component of filter valve 970 is selected to have a liquid intrusion pressure that exceeds the pressure in the upstream side of filter cartridge 930 during the main liquid processing procedure, for example to accommodate processing conditions from about 1 to about 2 psi up to about 20 to about 30 psi depending on the system constraints and filtration processing conditions. Intrusion pressure is selected by adjusting the pore size and/or surface properties (such as surface energy) of the hydrophobic filter material. Filtration materials constructed with polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF), and polyethylene with naturally occurring low surface energies as well as filtration materials (including those naturally or typically modified to become hydrophilic) that have been modified to achieve low surface energies are known to resist the flow of aqueous liquids (with sufficiently high surface tensions) and therefore will exhibit an intrusion pressure for such liquids. The value of the intrusion pressure is further dependent on the pore size of the filtration media. In the case of membranes constructed from PTFE, PVDF, and polyethylene, water intrusion pressures exceeding 30 psi are typical for membranes of 0.2 μm pore size ratings and below. Once the main processing function is performed to recover the resident filtered liquids (resident in filter core 932 and other downstream locations), and unfiltered liquids in the upstream internal volume 934, pressurized gas is introduced via inlet 918, or vent 924 via a peristaltic pump, compressed gas source, or like device. It should be understood that the valve associated with the port to which the pump or compressed gas is attached will be open while the other upstream port valve(s) will be closed so as to permit the creation of a pressure gradient from the upstream side of filter cartridge 930 to the downstream side. Since the hydrophobic component of valve filter 970 will freely permit the passage of gas, it is the hydrophilic portion or layer of valve filter 970 that will prevent gas from passing from the upstream side of filter cartridge 930 to the downstream side via valve filter 970 until the bubble point of the hydrophilic component of valve filter 970 is exceeded. Thus, a pore size for the hydrophilic component can be selected to achieve the desired bubble point as is well known in the art (or cracking pressure of the valve filter). Filtration materials constructed with hydrophilized polyethersulfone, nylon, cellulose acetate, cellulose nitrate, hydrophilized PVDF, polycarbonate, as well as others well known in the art with pore sizes greater than or equal to that of the processing filtration material pore size (dependent also on the material properties and morphology) will have bubble points in a range that lower the gas pressure required to bypass filter cartridge 930 by way of valve filter 970 in comparison to the gas pressure required to bypass the processing filtration material itself. The surface energy of the membrane is chosen such that it is spontaneously wetted by the processing liquid and will depend on the material chosen as well as the membrane manufacture or modification. Selecting a hydrophilic filtration material with the appropriate bubble point ensures a positive pressure gradient from the upstream to the downstream side to facilitate the forcing of unfiltered liquids in upstream internal volume 934 into the downstream side as filtered liquid. To evacuate the filtered liquids remaining in core 932, the gas pressure is increased to exceed the bubble point pressure of the hydrophilic component of valve filter 970. This causes gas to flow through valve filter 970 to force filtered liquids in core 932 into outlet 920 and ultimately out of the filter assembly (clearing downstream lines, if present) with the added assistance of gravity should outlet 920 be oriented at a gravitationally lower end of the filter cartridge. It should be understood the orientation of the filter cartridge can be reversed with the inlet end positioned lower than the outlet end, or any rotation of the filter assembly between the two extreme positions to accommodate any spatial needs in assemblies to which the filter assembly is attached. In some orientations, it may be necessary or advantageous to implement additional features described within this disclosure to improve functionality and/or efficiency (e.g. the dip tube 1668 feature shown in FIG. 23 in combination with the valve filter 970 location shown in FIG. 26). It should be further understood that the functions of the various ports can be reversed wherein outlet 920 is reassigned as an inlet port, inlet port 918 is reassigned as an outlet port, core 932 is reassigned as an upstream internal volume and upstream internal volume 934 is reassigned as the downstream side. The orientation of valve filter 970 must be reversed such that the hydrophilic filter material layer or side of valve filter 970 is positioned in direct contact with the downstream side of filter cartridge 930, now volume 934. This will permit the hydrophilic component to be wetted during the main liquid processing procedure, but will not permit bulk flow through valve filter 970 as the liquids cannot pass through the hydrophobic component. With this orientation, the valve filter 970 will still perform the intended function. As previously stated, valve filter 970 may be constructed in a variety of configurations including a hydrophobic material with one side or layer modified to be hydrophilic, a hydrophilic material with one side or layer modified to be hydrophobic, or dual or multi-layer filter materials or filter materials with layers dedicated hydrophobic or hydrophilic. The configurations may also take on various alternatives such as a pleated configuration shown in FIG. 24, with a pleated hydrophobic or combination hydrophobic/hydrophilic filter material, hydrophobic/hydrophilic dual layer filter material, or hydrophobic/hydrophilic filter material portion 974 sandwiched between two hydrophilic portions 972 joined as seams 976. Section 972 and 974 can be sealed by many methods well known in the art, including thermal sealing, ultrasonic thermal sealing, adhesive bonding, thermal melt sealing, solvent bonding and combinations thereof. Referring now to FIG. 27, in another aspect of the disclosure, a multi-layer hydrophilic/hydrophobic filter subassembly is shown designated generally as 970. In this multi-layer embodiment, subassembly 970 includes a hydrophobic layer 972 and a hydrophilic layer 974 arranged in a layer configuration wherein the plane occupied by the layers is substantially orthogonal to the direction of gas flow shown in FIG. 27 via the arrow in bold. It should be understood the orientation of subassembly 970 relative to the direction of gas/liquid flow can be modified to accommodate different applications and to address any spatial requirements. The channel defined as 938 is formed or provided according to the specific embodiment in which the valve filter is incorporated. As illustratively shown in FIG. 25, channel 938 is formed as a bore through end cap 931 that receives valve filter subassembly 970 and directs the flow through valve membrane 970 in the general direction depicted by the arrow in FIG. 27. It should be understood that in some applications of the valve membrane, the layered arrangement shown in FIG. 27 can be reversed if, for example, the valve were to function as a liquid filter valve rather than a gas valve as may be required in some applications. To function as a liquid filter valve (which restricts the flow of liquid up until a cracking pressure defined now by the hydrophobic filter material's intrusion pressure), the valve could function independent of the orientation of the hydrophilic/hydrophobic filtration media arrangement so long as the hydrophilic filtration material were chosen to provide the desired filtration efficiency and the hydrophobic filtration material were chosen to provide the appropriate cracking pressure based on the liquid intrusion pressure for the liquid intruding into the pores of the hydrophobic filtration material. Referring now to FIG. 28, in a further aspect of the disclosure, a combined hydrophilic/hydrophobic valve and processing filter assembly shown designated generally as 900 includes a processing filter material 930′ having a gap, bore, slit, or other portal configuration that allows fluid to bypass the processing filter formed therein. A hydrophobic filter material 972′ is placed over one side of filter material 930′ and a hydrophilic filter material 974′ is placed over the other side of filter material 930′ to form a hydrophilic/hydrophobic valve within the processing filter material field. Filtration materials 972′ and 974′ are secured to processing filter 970′ via thermal or sonic bonding or by other methods for securing filtration materials as disclosed herein or by other methods for securing filtration materials as is known in the art. It should be known that although FIG. 28 depicts hydrophobic filter membrane 972′ placed over one side of filter material 930′ and hydrophilic filter membrane 974′ placed over the other side of filter material 930′, other configurations are possible in which both materials are bonded to one or the other side of filter material 930′. In the configuration shown, the valve functions to permit the passage of gases once the bubble point of the wetted hydrophilic filtration material is exceeded. Referring now to FIG. 29, in another aspect of the disclosure, a liquid recovery filter assembly shown generally as 1710 includes many of the components and elements disclosed above for filter assembly 410, i.e., a filter housing or shell designated generally as 1711 having a shell wall 1712 and mutually opposed first or upper and second or lower ends designated 1714 and 1716, respectively, and defining an internal volume 1728. As shown in this illustrative embodiment, a toroidal filter element 1730 is secured therein. An upstream designated surface of filter element 1730 and surrounding housing 1711 define an upstream volume 1734 therebetween. Filter element 1730 has a hollow core 1732. Although not shown, an optional upstream vent port and an optional associated upstream vent port valve (such as that shown in FIG. 4) may be included and extend from upper end 1714. Also not shown, but also optional is an upstream or inlet side drain port and an associated drain port valve (such as that shown in FIG. 4) that, if included, extends from lower end 1716. An upstream or inlet port 1718 of filter assembly 1710 extends radially in close proximity to, or from, upper end 1714. A downstream or outlet port 1720 extends downwardly from lower end 1716 and substantially coaxially from filter housing 1711 although the coaxial orientation can be displaced to accommodate specific spatial needs. A recovery port 1722 extends from upper end 1714 and is in fluid communication with filter core 1732. A recovery filter 1723 is secured to port 1722 between the two ends of the port and is in fluid communication with a lumen formed by the port. Recovery filter 1723 should be selected from among the same construction material options and the same property/characteristic options disclosed for recovery filter 223. A recovery port valve 1722v is secured to port 1722 on a side of recovery filter 1723 distal from upper end 1714. Valve 1722v is maintained in a closed position during normal filtering operations and is opened to permit the introduction of pressurized air or gas to recover filtered liquids resident in the filter core (or to function as a vent). An optional recovery filter protection valve 1725v may be secured to vent port 1722 between upper end 1714 and recovery filter 1723. Valve 1725v is maintained in a closed position during normal filtering operations to protect recovery filter 1723 from being wetted by the liquids flowing through filter assembly 1710. Similar valves may be incorporated into the other embodiments disclosed herein in order to protect recovery filters from being wetted by the liquids flowing through the filter assemblies. Multiple combinations of passages and ports with or without valves are within the contemplation and scope of the disclosure. The liquid flow paths through filter assembly 1710 during normal filtering operations and during the drainage or recovery of filtered liquids from filter assembly 1710 are essentially the same as those disclosed above for filter assembly 410. Recovery port valve 1722v, and to the extent incorporated into the filter assembly, any upstream vent port valve and any upstream drain port valve are closed during normal filtering operations. To the extent an upstream inlet valve and/or a downstream outlet valve are incorporated into the filter assembly to control flow into inlet 1718 and flow out of outlet 1720, respectively, those optional valves are maintained in an open position to permit flow through the filter assembly 1710. Referring now to FIGS. 29 and 31, liquid recovery filter assemblies shown generally as 1710 and 1910 include many of the same components and features; however, optional upstream vent port 1924 and associated optional valve 1924v as well as optional upstream vent port 1926 and associated optional valve 1926v shown in FIG. 31 for embodiment 1910 are not depicted in FIG. 29 for embodiment 1710. As all accessory vent and drain ports are optional, the function of 1710 and 1910 are essentially the same, and the reference character designations for filter assembly 1710 correspond to, and may be transferred to, filter assembly 1910 by removing the second digit “7” of each reference character and replacing it with a “9”. During normal filtering and recovery operations, filter assemblies 1710 and 1910 are operated in the same manner as disclosed for filter assembly 410 and other similar assemblies. The positions of the valves present on filter assemblies 1710 and 1910 (open, closed, partially open) during normal filtering and recovery operations are identical to the corresponding valve positions of the corresponding valves of filter assembly 410 during normal filtering and recovery operations, e.g., upstream vent port valve 1724v or 1924v, if present, and upstream drain port valve 1726v or 1926v, if present, (corresponding to upstream vent port valve 424v and upstream drain port valve 426v) are commonly closed during the primary filtration function. As such, the disclosure regarding the operation of filter assembly 410 for normal (primary) filtering and recovery operations is incorporated here by reference. The configuration of filter assemblies 1710 and 1910 may also perform the intended liquid filter and recovery functions when the liquid flow is reversed through the assembly. It should be understood that to operate filter assemblies 1710 and 1910 in the reverse flow direction, the filter assemblies may have to be spatially reoriented gravitationally to have reassigned ports positioned in locations to optimize performance with respect to their reassigned functions. For example, a port reassigned as an outlet port should be oriented gravitationally in a low or down position relative to the body of the filter assembly. This requirement may be eliminated in some embodiments if a dip tube (disclosed herein) is used. In one possible reverse functional configuration, the assembly is reoriented such that outlet port 1720 or 1920, reassigned as an inlet port, is located at the gravitational top or high position. Optional upstream drain port 1726 or 1926 and, if present, optional drain port valve 1726v or 1926v, are reassigned as a downstream recovery port and optional downstream recovery port valve, respectively, and will incorporate an inline recovery filter similar to, or the same as, recovery filter 1723 or 1923. Recovery port 1722 or 1922 and, if present, optional recovery port valve 1726v or 1926v are reassigned as an upstream drain port and optional reassigned upstream drain port valve, respectively, and often maintained in a closed condition during the main filtering operation. The use of a recovery filter 1723 or 1923 on port 1722 or 1922 is optional in this functional configuration and may need to be removed in certain cases, as disclosed above. When used in this manner, liquid introduced into port 1720 or 1920 (with valve 1720v or 1920v open, if present), flows into core 1732 or 1932 (or the lumen of the filter element if constructed from, for example, hollow fiber or tubular material), and radially outwardly through filter element 1730 or 1930 into internal volume 1734 or 1934 (now a downstream volume) and out of the filter assembly through port 1718 or 1918 as processed liquid. In this functional configuration, the remaining port(s) (port 1724 or 1924 in the embodiment shown in FIG. 31, but not in FIG. 29) is/are maintained in a closed condition (by, for example, closing valve 1724v or 1924v in the embodiment shown in FIG. 31, but not shown in FIG. 29), or could be eliminated from the embodiment, as use of these ports risk contamination of the downstream filtered liquid when not coupled with a recovery filter. The procedure to remove the resident unfiltered and filtered liquid within assembly 1710 or 1910 when operated in the reverse direction is the same as that disclosed for filter assembly 410 when operated in the reverse direction. Accordingly, the procedure disclosed for removing filtered and unfiltered liquid from filter assembly 410 when operated in a reverse direction is incorporated here by reference with respect to filter assembly 1710 or 1910. Referring now to FIG. 30, in another aspect of the disclosure, a liquid recovery filter assembly shown generally as 1810 includes many of the components and elements disclosed above for filter assembly 1710, with the primary difference being the orientation of the inlet port and the outlet port. In filter assembly 1710, the ports are arranged in a “T” configuration with inlet port 1818 occupying substantially the same plane as outlet port 1820, similar to the embodiment 510 of FIG. 5. In this configuration, inlet port 1818 extends radially outwardly from a bottom end of filter assembly 1810 while outlet port 1820 extends radially outwardly from the bottom end in a direction substantially opposite the direction of inlet port 1818. It should be understood that the relative orientation and direction of the two ports can be modified to extend radially from a variety of different orientations to accommodate any particular application or spatial requirement. A filter housing or shell 1811 having a shell wall 1812 with mutually opposed first or upper and second or lower ends designated 1814 and 1816, respectively, collectively define an internal volume 1828. A toroidal filter element 1830 is secured therein. An upstream designated surface of filter element 1830 and surrounding housing 1811 define an upstream or inlet volume 1834 therebetween. Filter element 1830 has a hollow core 1832. Although not shown, an upstream vent port and an optional associated upstream vent port valve (such as that shown in FIG. 5) may be included and extend from upper end 1814. Also not shown, but also optional is an upstream drain port and an optional associated drain valve (such as that shown in FIG. 5) that, if included, extends from the lower or downstream end 1816. A recovery port 1822 extends from upper end 1814 and is in liquid communication with filter core 1832. A recovery filter 1823 is secured to port 1822 between the two ends of the port and is in fluid communication with a lumen formed by the port. Recovery filter 1823 should be selected from among the same construction material options and the same property/characteristic options disclosed for recovery filter 223. A recovery port valve 1822v is secured to port 1822 on a side of recovery filter 1823 distal from upper end 1814. Valve 1822v is maintained in a closed position during normal filtering operations and is opened to permit the introduction of pressurized gas to recover filtered liquids resident in the filter core. An optional recovery filter protection valve 1825v may be secured to recovery port 1822 between upper end 1814 and recovery filter 1823. Valve 1825v is maintained in a closed position during normal filtering operations to protect recovery filter 1823 from being wetted by the liquids flowing through filter assembly 1810. Similar valves may be incorporated into the other embodiments disclosed herein in order to protect recovery filters from being wetted by the liquids flowing through the filter assemblies. Multiple combinations of passages and ports with or without valves are within the contemplation and scope of the disclosure. The liquid flow paths through filter assembly 1810 during normal filtering operations and during the drainage or recovery of filtered liquids in filter assembly 1810 are essentially the same as those disclosed above for filter assembly 510. Recovery port valve 1822v, and to the extent incorporated into the filter assembly, any upstream vent port valve and any upstream drain port valve are closed during normal filtering operations. To the extent an inlet valve and/or an outlet valve are incorporated into the filter assembly to control flow into inlet 1818 and flow out of outlet 1820, respectively, those optional valves are maintained in an open position to permit flow through filter assembly 1810. Referring now to FIGS. 30 and 32, liquid recovery filter assemblies shown generally as 1810 and 2010 include many of the same components and features, however, optional upstream vent port 1824 and associated optional valve 1824v as well as optional upstream vent port 1826 and associated optional valve 1826v shown in FIG. 30 for embodiment 1810 are not depicted in FIG. 32 for embodiment 1810. As all accessory vent and drain ports are optional, the function of 1810 and 2010 are essentially the same, and the reference character designations for filter assembly 1810 correspond to, and may be transferred to, filter assembly 2010 by removing the first and second digits “18” of each reference character and replacing them with a “20”. During normal filtering and recovery operations, filter assemblies 1810 and 2010 is operated in the same manner as disclosed for filter assembly 510. The positions of the valves present on filter assembly 1810 and 2010 (open, closed, partially open) during normal filtering and recovery operations are identical to the corresponding valve positions of the corresponding valves of filter assembly 510 during normal filtering and recovery operations, e.g., upstream vent port valve 1824v and 2024v, and upstream drain port valve 1826v and 2026v (corresponding to upstream vent port valve 524v and upstream drain port valve 526v) are commonly closed during the primary filtration function. As such, the disclosure regarding the operation of filter assembly 510 for normal (primary) filtering and recovery operations is incorporated here by reference. The configuration of filter assembly 1810 and 2010 may also perform the intended liquid filter and recovery functions when the liquid flow is reversed through the assembly. It should be understood that to operate filter assembly 1810 and 2010 in the reverse flow direction, the filter assembly may have to be spatially reoriented gravitationally to have reassigned ports positioned in locations to optimize performance with respect to their reassigned functions. For example, a port reassigned as an outlet port should be oriented gravitationally in a low or down position relative to the body of the filter assembly. This requirement may be eliminated in some embodiments if a dip tube (disclosed hereinbelow) is used. In one possible reverse functional configuration, again, similar to that disclosed for 510, the assembly may be maintained in the orientation shown schematically in FIGS. 30 and 32, such that outlet port 1820 or 2020, reassigned as an inlet port, remains located at the gravitational bottom or low position. It should be noted that reorientation is not necessary for this functional configuration compared to the orientation shown as the reassigned outlet port is located at the gravitational bottom or low position in the orientation shown schematically in FIGS. 30 and 32. Upstream vent port 1824 or 2024 is reassigned as a downstream recovery port and will incorporate an inline recovery filter and optional associated recovery filter valves and recovery filter protection valves similar to, or the same as, recovery filter 1823 or 2023 and optional associated valves. Recovery port 1822 or 2022 is reassigned as an upstream vent port and often maintained in a closed condition during the main filtering operation. The use of a recovery filter 1823 or 2023 on port 1822 or 2022 is optional in this functional configuration. When used in this manner, liquid introduced into port 1820 or 2020 (with valve 1820v or 2020v open, if present), flows into core 1832 or 2032 (or the lumen of the filter element if constructed from, for example, hollow fiber or tubular material), and radially outwardly through filter element 1830 or 2030 into internal volume 1834 or 2034 (now a downstream volume) and out of the filter assembly through port 1818 or 2018 as processed liquid. In this functional configuration, the remaining port(s), if present, (port 1826 or 2026 in the embodiment shown in FIG. 32 but not shown in FIG. 30) is/are maintained in a closed condition (by, for example, closing valve 1826v or 2026v in the embodiment shown in FIG. 32 but not shown in FIG. 30) or could be eliminated from the embodiment, as use of these ports risk contamination of the downstream filtered liquid when not coupled with a recovery filter. Once the intended volume of liquid is filtered through assembly 1810 or 2010, valve 1820v or 2020v may be closed to cease flow. The procedure to remove the resident unfiltered and filtered liquid within assembly 1810 or 2010 when operated in the reverse direction is the same as that disclosed for filter assembly 510 when operated in the reverse direction. Accordingly, the procedure disclosed for removing filtered and unfiltered liquid from filter assembly 510 when operated in a reverse direction is incorporated here by reference with respect to filter assemblies 1810 or 2010. Referring now to FIGS. 33 and 34, in another aspect of the disclosure, a recovery filter protection valve assembly is incorporated into a liquid recovery filter assembly designated generally as 2110. The recovery filter protection valve assembly shown on assembly 2110 is meant to be illustrative and not limiting with respect to recovery filter protection valve assemblies suitable for use in the disclosed filter assemblies. Filter assembly 2110 includes many of the same features as prior disclosed embodiments including a housing or shell 2111 having a shell wall 2112 with an upper end 2114 and a lower end (not shown) that in combination define an internal volume 2128. A filter element 2130 having a downstream core 2132, or other type of filter element, as disclosed herein, is secured in internal volume 2128 with any of the methods for securing filter elements disclosed herein. Filter assembly 2110 may include any or all of the upstream and/or downstream ports and optional associated valves disclosed with respect to other filter assembly embodiments disclosed herein. Filter assembly 2110 also includes a recovery port 2122 that incorporates an in-line recovery filter protection valve body 2150 between recovery filter 2123 and core or downstream volume 2132. A collapsible recovery filter protection valve tube 2152 is contained within valve body 2150 and defines the flow path through valve body 2150. A recovery filter 2123 is secured in-line with port 2122 and is in fluid communication with filter core 2132 via port 2122 and tube 2152. Recovery filter 2123 should be selected from among the same construction material options and the same property/characteristic options disclosed for recovery filter 223. Valve body 2150 extends upwardly from upper end 2114 and may terminate at any point between volume 2132 and recovery filter 2123. Valve body 2150 defines a chamber to attach to port 2122 and to provide a surface to assist compression of tube 2152. A bore 2151 is formed in a sidewall of body 2150 to receive a tube compression bolt or pin 2154. Bolt 2154 may include threading with corresponding mated threading formed on the surface of bore 2151. It should be understood that the method used to advance and retract bolt 2154 may be accomplished by other methods such as bolt treading and a retainer clip secured inside body 2150 with a bore dimensioned to engage the threading of bolt 2154. Tube 2152 is compressed by torqueing bolt 2154 onto a sidewall of tube 2152 so as to compress the sleeve against the inner wall of body 2150 as shown in FIG. 34. To reopen the tube lumen, bolt 2154 is backed off tube 2152 as shown in FIG. 33. An optional rigid, or otherwise protective material, not shown, may be included between bolt 2154 and tube 2152 to protect tube 2152 from damage and wear caused by contact or interaction with bolt 2154. The cylindrical edge of the terminus of bolt 2154 may be radiused to prevent the edge from tearing into tube 2152 when compressed against the tube. A first or lower end of recovery port 2122 extends from upper end 2114 and is in fluid communication with core 2132 of filter element 2130. Filter element 2130 is secured in housing 2111 by any of the means disclosed herein including mated surfaces with O-rings, thermal or sonic welding, adhesive and the like. The same methods to join the components together may be used if a filter cartridge is secured in shell housing 2111. A second or upper end of the recovery port 2122 extends above or beyond a top surface of body 2150. Recovery filter 2123 is secured within a top end of recovery port 2122 and is in fluid communication with a lumen of recovery port 2122. It should be understood that body 2150 may be dimensioned to house recovery filter 2123 within its borders and may be used to eliminate the need for a capsule to enclose recovery filter 2123. Tube 2152 may be secured to port 2122 by dimensioning an internal cross-sectional diameter of tube 2152 to be greater than the outer cross-sectional diameter of port 2122. Tube 2152 is then slipped onto the outer wall of port 2122 and secured by the elasticity of the material used to construct tube 2152 that constricts onto tube 2122. Barbs, adhesives, thermal and/or sonic bonding, other methods disclosed herein as well as any method known in the art for connecting fluid pathways may also be used. It should be understood that the dimensional orientation of the parts may be reversed whereby the outside cross-sectional diameter of tube 2152 is smaller than the inner cross-sectional diameter of port 2122. In this configuration, tube 2152 is inserted into port 2122 and secured with adhesive, thermal and/or sonic bonding, crimping and the like as well as any method disclosed herein or known in the art for connecting tubular fluid pathways. The means to join the two tubular elements may include another tube (not shown) that functions as an internal or external coupling sleeve, or as an additional component inserted into or around an outer surface of port 2122 and tube 2152. The materials used to make tube 2152 may be chosen to be the same materials of construction used for the shell, end caps, ports of the filters disclosed herein and may include, but are not limited to, polypropylene, polyethylene, nylon, polyester, fluoropolymers, metals and metallic alloys, etc. It is important to select a materials that will not react to, or interact with, the materials intended to be introduced into the filter assembly. Referring now to FIGS. 35 and 36, in yet another aspect of the disclosure, a liquid recovery filter assembly shown designated generally as 2210 includes essentially the same corresponding features of filter assembly 2110 except bolt 2154 is not present in this embodiment. To open and close tube 2252, a lever control 2254 is used. A recovery filter protection valve body 2250 is dimensioned to receive lever control 2254. Lever control 2254 is secured to body 2250 via an axle (not shown) about which control 2254 can rotate from a closed position (tube compression position shown in FIG. 36) to an open position (tube open position shown in FIG. 35). Stops may be incorporated into body 2250 to limit the range of motion of lever control 2254. A slot is formed in body 2250 to receive the axle and optional bearing used to secure lever control 2254 and to permit free rotation about the axle. A tube impinging segment 2259 is positioned inside body 2250. A lever operating segment 2257 extends from the axle outside body 2250. In an open position, tube impinging segment 2259 is either disengaged from tube 2252 or in registration against it, but not compressing the tube to an extent that would restrict flow through the lumen within tube 2252. In a closed position, impinging segment 2259 is registered against tube 2252 and compressing it against an inner wall of post 2250 to close the lumen and prevent fluid and/or gas flow through the sleeve. An optional rigid, or otherwise protective material, not shown, may be included between impinging segment 2259 and tube 2252 to protect tube 2252 from damage and wear caused by contact with and impingement by 2259. Any surface of impinging segment 2259 that contacts tube 2252 may be radiused to prevent tearing of the tube. The orientation of impinging segment 2259 is determined by the operation and orientation of operating segment 2257. In an open position, operating segment is in an “up” position as shown in FIG. 35. In a closed position, operating segment 2257 is in a “down” position shown in FIG. 36. It should be understood that the orientation of lever 2254 can be reversed on the axle whereby the operating segment is in a “down” position in the open position and in an “up” position in the closed position. Lever 2254 can be manually or automatically operating with a step motor and the like. Referring now to FIG. 37, in a further aspect of the disclosure, a liquid recovery filter assembly shown designated generally as 2310 includes essentially the same corresponding features as most of the embodiments disclosed herein with the addition of a check valve 2352 secured in a downstream recovery port 2322 between a recovery filter 2323 (similar to, or the same as, recovery filter 223) and a filter core or downstream volume 2332 rather than a conventional valve or the collapsible valves of filter assembly embodiments 2110 and 2210. The check valve provides a means for limiting liquid and/or gas flow to one direction, into the core. This enables the filtered liquid to be recovered by introducing a gas through recovery port 2322 into recovery filter 2323 and into core 2332. Check valve 2352 prevents fluids from flowing into filter 2323. The materials used to construct valve 2352 include natural and synthetic rubbers, elastomers, plastics, and other materials disclosed herein as well as other materials known in the art to construct one-way valves. As with other features of the disclosed embodiments, material selection should take into account the liquids and gases that will contact the valve. Referring now to FIGS. 38 and 39, in a still further aspect of the disclosure, a liquid recovery filter assembly shown designated generally as 2410 includes a check valve 2452 to prevent flow between a filter element core 2432 and a recovery filter 2423 (similar to, or the same as, recovery filter 223). Check valve 2452 includes an upper (closest to recovery filter 2423) porous or otherwise non-contiguous layer 2456 secured in and fully integral with recovery port 2422 such that all fluid passing from filter 2423 to core 2432 must pass through the pores or openings in layer 2456. A lower non-porous or otherwise flow-restrictive layer 2458 is secured to upper layer 2456 at one or more points such that it is held in position, but may be bent or angled away from layer 2458 if force is applied. In FIG. 39, it is shown that a center section of layer 2458 is secured to upper layer 2456, while an outer annular (or other shape) segment 2460 of lower layer 2458 is free to rotate or bend away from upper layer 2456, and is dimensioned to contact the inner wall of recovery port 2322 when flattened against upper layer 2456 so as to create a seal when in a closed position. Operation of valve 2452 is determined by pressure gradient. During regular filtering operations with the processing filter, a pressure gradient is created with a higher pressure below the valve and a lower pressure above the valve as shown in FIG. 39. This pressure gradient causes segment 2460 to remain in a closed position and prevent liquids in the downstream side of the processing filter from gaining access to recovery filter 2423. Following the primary filtering operation, to recover filtered liquids remaining in the downstream side, pressurized gas is introduced into recovery port 2422 and flows through check valve 2452. The addition of the pressurized gas reverses the pressure gradient to now have the higher pressure on the upper side of valve 2452. This causes segment 2460 to rotate or bend downwardly so as to permit the gas to pass beyond valve 2452 and into downstream volume or core 2432. Any sudden reversal of the pressure gradient will cause the segment 2460 to rotate or bend back up into a closed position and protect recovery filter 2423 from the liquids in the filter assembly. Upper layer 2456 may be constructed from the same materials of construction used for the shell, end caps and ports of the filter assemblies disclosed herein and may include, but are not limited to, polypropylene, polyethylene, nylon, polyester, fluoropolymers, metals and metallic alloys, etc. Further, upper layer 2456 may be constructed as a recovery filter using the same materials and considerations disclosed for recovery filter 223. If layer 2456 is constructed as a recovery filter with properties capable of ensuring the purity of fluids passing through layer 2456 are appropriate for contact with the filtered liquid, recovery filter 2423 can be eliminated from recovery port 2422. Additional supportive layers or materials may be necessary to provide structural as well as fluid integrity to layer 2423, if constructed as a recovery filter. Lower layer 2458 may be constructed from natural and synthetic rubbers, elastomers, plastics, and other materials disclosed herein as well as other materials known in the art to construct one-way valves. As with other embodiments, material selection should take into account the liquids and gases the materials will contact. Referring now to FIG. 40, in yet another aspect of the disclosure, a liquid recovery filter assembly shown designated generally as 2510 includes an upstream vent port 2524 coaxially arranged with a downstream recovery port 2522. This embodiment provides an additional means to reduce the overall size of the filter assembly when external spatial requirements require a more compact filter assembly design. Filter assembly 2510 includes most of the features of the other filter assembly embodiments disclosed herein including a housing or shell 2511, shell wall 2512, internal volume 2528, upper housing end 2514, lower housing end 2516, filter element 2530 secured in the housing, filter core 2532, inlet port 2518, outlet port 2520 and recovery filter 2523 (similar to, or the same as, recovery filter 223), secured in line and in fluid communication with the lumen of downstream recovery port 2522. It should be understood that although this embodiment is shown in the “T” configuration (inlet and outlet ports orientation), the coaxial upstream and downstream vent and recovery ports can be incorporated into any of the other filter assembly configurations disclosed herein. As shown, filter assembly 2510 includes upstream vent port 2524 that extends from upper end 2514 and is dimensioned to enclose recovery filter 2523 and downstream recovery port 2522. A distal end of port 2524 includes a barb 2525 to receive a hose/tube or other further assembly. Quick connects, sterile clamps and the like may also be secured to upstream vent port 2524. In this configuration, vent port 2524 may be used to integrity test the filter assembly. Downstream recovery port 2522 is connected to and/or in fluid communication with filter core 2532. The method to connect port 2522 to core 2532 is the same as disclosed for other filter assembly embodiments disclosed herein. Port 2522 has a cross-sectional diameter smaller than the cross-sectional diameter of upstream vent port 2524 and is arranged in a substantially coaxial arrangement with a shared longitudinal axis. It should be understood that downstream recovery port 2522 may be offset so as to have an independent axis and remain contained within upstream vent port 2524. An optional stabilizing ring 2570 may be secured to, or in close proximity to, upper end 2514 and to downstream recovery port 2522 to stabilize the port in the filter assembly. Ring 2570 is formed with slots or perforations to permit liquids and/or gases to pass between an upstream volume of the filter assembly and upstream vent port 2524. Recovery filter 2523 is secured to downstream recovery port 2522 within the inner wall of upstream vent port 2524. An annular gap exists between the perimeter of filter 2523 and the inner wall of port 2524 to permit fluid and/or gas flow in the port. Alternatively, the capsule for recovery filter 2523 may be secured to the inner wall of upstream vent port 2524 at one or more points to add structural support. Gaps between the contact/connection points provide the pathways for fluid/gas flow through upstream vent port 2524. A distal end of downstream recovery port 2522 includes a downstream vent barb 2527 to receive a hose/tube or other further assembly. Quick connects, sterile clamps and the like may also be secured to downstream recovery port 2522. Referring now to FIGS. 41, 42, 46-49, 53-56 and 59-65 in yet another aspect of the disclosure, a liquid recovery filter assembly shown designated generally as 2610 includes a recovery filter subassembly secured within the assembly's housing or shell so as to provide a more compact filter assembly and to provide additional structural protection for the recovery filter. Filter assembly 2610 includes many of the same features as the other filter assembly embodiments disclosed herein. A housing or shell 2611 having a shell wall 2612 with an upper end or upper end cap 2614 and a lower end or lower end cap 2616 that, in combination, define an internal volume 2628. As shown in FIGS. 41 and 42, shell 2611 is a two-piece design with the shell ends being integral to one half, or one section of shell wall 2612, the two sections of which are secured together via thermal bonding, or other method to form the shell wall. It should be understood that shell 2611 may also be formed with a single piece shell wall with one integral end and one end cap, or with two end caps. A filter element 2630 having a downstream core 2632 is secured in internal volume 2628. An inlet port 2618 is in fluid communication with an inlet channel 2619 and with an upstream portion 2634 of internal volume 2628 (defined by the inner surfaces of shell wall 2612, upper end 2614, outlet end or end 2616 and an outer upstream designated surface of filter element 2630). An outlet port 2620 is in fluid communication with filter core 2632. In the embodiment shown, filter assembly 2610 has an upstream vent port subassembly 2624, an upstream drain port subassembly 2626 and a downstream liquid recovery port subassembly 2622 that also functions as a downstream vent port. Each port includes an optional bleed valve with each valve having a valve stem, valve adjustment cap and O-ring(s) to create sliding seals as disclosed in more detail below. Filter element 2630 may be in a cartridge form wherein a filter cage designated generally as 2631 is superposed about the filter media and defines an upstream boundary of the filter media portion of the filter element. Cage 2631 is formed from non-porous materials such as those disclosed herein as being suitable for formation of the various filter assembly housing embodiments. Cage 2631 is formed with bores, channels and/or a lattice-like structure to permit liquids and gases to pass from upstream volume 2634 into the enclosed filter material. An upper cage end cap 2637 is secured to, or integral with, filter cage 2631 and is formed from a non-porous material like cage 2631 with or without bores and/or channels, or a lattice-like structure to permit liquid transmission from the upstream side to the filter material inside the cage. A lower cage end cap 2637a is secured to, or integral with, filter cage 2631 and is formed also from a non-porous material like cage 2631 with or without bores and/or channels, or a lattice-like structure to permit liquid transmission from the upstream side to the filter material inside the cage. The filter cage and filter cage end caps collectively define a filter cartridge chamber within which is secured filter material. The enclosed filter material may be thermally bonded to one or both end caps, or alternatively, may be potted at one or both ends with an adhesive to form a smooth continuous surface for one or both end caps. Filter element 2630 has additional features to secure the cartridge to housing 2611. Specifically, a lower hollow post 2633 extends downwardly from a main body of filter element 2630. An inner wall of post 2633 defines a post lumen in liquid communication with filter core 2632 and outlet channel 2621. Lower end or end cap 2616 has a filter cartridge lower receiving sleeve 2635 with an inner diameter dimensioned to receive lower post 2633. A lower O-ring annular channel 2639 is formed on the outer surface of post 2633 and/or an inner surface of sleeve 2635 to receive a lower O-ring 2641 to form a substantially liquid-tight, friction-type and/or compressive-type seal between the sleeve and the post. The channel defined by sleeve 2635 is in fluid communication with core 2632 and outlet port 2620. It should be understood that the post and sleeve combination as disclosed for this embodiment can be formed also in an opposite configuration with the hollow post formed on the lower end, or end cap and the sleeve formed on filter element 2630. It should also be understood that other methods disclosed herein as well as other methods known in the art (e.g., a luer lock design) can be used to connect upper and/or lower ends of element 2630 to shell or housing 2611 and remain within the scope of the disclosure. With respect to alternative methods to secure filter cartridge 2630, lower post 2633 may be permanently secured to lower end 2616, or to an inner wall of outlet port 2620 as shown and disclosed in more detail herein. The means used to permanently secure post 2633 to the sleeve of lower end 2616 (or the opposite sleeve and post alternative disclosed above) include thermal or sonic bonding, adhesive as well as combinations of the different bonding methods. The use of a permanent method of bonding the cartridge to the housing eliminates the need for an O-ring seal and any modifications necessary to incorporate an O-ring seal. An upper filter element sleeve or bore 2643 is formed on a top end of filter element 2630 and is dimensioned to receive a segment of a recovery filter subassembly designated generally as 2623, disclosed in detail below. Alternatively, the upper portion of filter element 2630 can be configured as a hollow upper post (not shown) such as lower post 2633 to receive recovery filter subassembly 2623. It should also be understood that other methods disclosed herein as well as other methods known in the art can be used to connect the upper and/or the lower ends of element 2630 to shell 2611 and remain within the scope of the disclosure. By way of illustration, the methods used to permanently secure lower post 2633 to the lower end cap or outlet port may also be used with respect to sleeve 2643 or the alternative upper post configuration. An O-ring seal may also be used as disclosed in more detail herein. Recovery filter subassembly shown designated generally as 2623 is dimensioned to fit within housing 2611. Subassembly 2623 has a recovery filter housing, capsule or shell 2670 having portions defining a recovery filter chamber 2672 dimensioned to receive and support a recovery filter 2674 (at least functionally similar to, or the same as, recovery filter 223). Housing 2670 has further portions defining a fluid channel 2677 in fluid communication with processing filter core 2632 and with a lumen or channel of a recovery port 2622a. Subassembly 2623 has a hollow core receiving lower post 2678a extending downwardly from housing 2670 and proximal to filter cartridge 2630. Post 2678a is dimensioned to fit within sleeve 2643 and has an annular channel 2680a formed in an outer surface dimensioned to receive an O-ring 2682 to create a substantially liquid-tight, friction-type seal between the sleeve and the post. O-ring 2682 is seated in channel 2680 and has an outer surface that registers against an inner wall of sleeve 2633 to create the seal. It should be understood that channel 2680a may also be formed on the inner wall of sleeve 2643 to receive the O-ring and have an inner surface of the O-ring register against a substantially smooth outer surface of lower post 2678a. Moreover, more than one O-ring and/or O-ring/channel combination may be used to secure each post and sleeve combination as shown in FIG. 22. It should be further understood that other means known in the art to attach recovery filter subassembly 2623 to filter element 2630 may be used and remain with the scope of the disclosure. With respect to other methods to secure filter subassembly 2623 to filter element 2630, as shown in FIGS. 63 and 65, post 2678a may be permanently sealed to sleeve 2643. The means used to permanently secure post 2678a to sleeve 2643 (or the opposite sleeve and post alternative disclosed above) include thermal or sonic bonding, adhesive as well as combinations of the different bonding methods. The use of a permanent method of bonding filter cartridge 2630 to recovery filter assembly 2623 eliminates the need for an O-ring seal and any modifications necessary to incorporate an O-ring seal such as channel 2680a. Subassembly 2623 further has a hollow upper post 2684 that extends upwardly from housing 2670 and distal from filter core 2632 to provide a structural means to secure subassembly 2623 to filter assembly upper end or upper end cap 2614. Upper post 2684 has portions defining an annular upper O-ring channel 2675 formed on an outer wall and dimensioned to receive an O-ring 2686 secured therein. Upper end cap 2614 has portions defining a sleeve 2615 dimensioned to receive upper post 2684 and O-ring 2686. O-ring 2686 registers against an inner wall of sleeve 2615 so as to create a substantially liquid-tight, friction-type and/or compressive-type seal between subassembly 2623 and upper end 2614. It should be understood that upper O-ring channel 2675 can be formed instead on the inner wall of sleeve 2615 to receive the O-ring, an inner surface of which will register against an outer wall of upper post 2684 to create the seal. Other means disclosed herein or known in the art may also be used to secure subassembly 2623 to upper end 2614 and remain within the scope of the disclosure. With respect to other methods to secure filter subassembly 2623 to upper end 2614, as shown in FIGS. 64 and 65, post 2684 may be permanently sealed to sleeve 2615. The means used to permanently secure post 2684 to sleeve 2615 (or the opposite sleeve and post alternative disclosed above) include thermal or sonic bonding, adhesive as well as combinations of the different bonding methods. The use of a permanent method of bonding filter assembly upper end cap 2615 to recovery filter assembly 2623 eliminates the need for an O-ring seal and any modifications necessary to incorporate an O-ring seal such as channel 2675. To maintain a fluid path from core 2630 to the lumen or channel of recovery port 2622a, the depth of upper end or upper end cap sleeve 2615 is dimensioned to be greater than the length of upper post 2684 so as to create a gap that connects the fluid path from the lumen of recovery port 2622a to channel 2677. In this configuration, an upper surface of the main body of recovery filter subassembly 2623 registers against an annular shoulder defined by a lower edge of upper sleeve 2615. In an alternative embodiment, the depth of sleeve 2615 can be dimensioned to be the same as the length of upper post 2684 so that a top end of the post registers against a bottom of sleeve 2615. In this configuration, a radial channel (not shown) is formed on a top end of upper post 2684 to connect the lumen of recovery port 2622a to channel 2677 and any channels disclosed herein as being therebetween. The combination of upper end or end cap 2614, recovery filter subassembly 2623 and the upper portion of filter element 2630 provide the means to anchor the top end of filter element 2639 to housing 2611. It should be understood for embodiments that present the recovery filter in-line with the recover port, outside the filter assembly housing, that the same sleeve/post configuration used to secure the recovery filter subassembly inside the housing can also be used to secure the upper end of the filter element directly to the housing without the use of O-rings. FIGS. 63-65 show illustrative examples of one post (FIGS. 63 and 64), or both (FIG. 65) posts of recovery filter assembly 2623 permanently fixed, i.e., without an O-ring seal. Other construction alternatives to secure the filter element to the filter housing are disclosed hereinbelow. The internalization of recovery filter subassembly 2623 does not require any special consideration with respect to function and use. The procedures disclosed herein with respect to the primary liquid processing function and the filtered liquid recovery function for filter assembly 210 apply equally to filter assembly 2610. The disclosure of those procedures is therefore incorporated here by reference with respect to filter assembly 2610. Upper end/upper end cap 2614 has additional portions defining a radially extending recovery port connector 2621a that defines recovery channel 2677 in fluid communication with fluid channel 2676 and with a lumen or channel of recovery port 2622a. An exterior surface of recovery port 2622a is formed with a pin 2622b to receive, control and limit the movement range of an adjustable recovery port cap 2688 as disclosed in more detail below. An internal surface of recovery port 2622a is formed with two differently dimensioned channels with a first outer channel 2678 having a cross-sectional diameter greater than the cross-sectional diameter of an inner recovery port channel 2679. The junction of the two channels may take the form of a defined annular shoulder or an annular sloped surface that joins the two differently dimensioned channels. A recovery port valve stem 2680 dimensioned to fit within channels 2678 and 2679 is substantially cylindrical in shape and has portions that define a recovery port valve stem channel 2681 open at a distal end and closed at a proximal end relative to recovery port 2622. A radially disposed, recovery port valve stem bore 2682 is formed toward the proximal end so as to intersect valve stem channel 2681 and provide liquid communication between channel 2681 and recovery channel lumen 2677 via recovery port channels 2678 and 2679. An outer surface of valve stem 2680 is formed with two segments having different diameters, the junction of which form an annular shoulder or barb-like ring. A recovery valve stem proximal segment 2683 that defines at least a part of the proximal end terminus for channel 2681 has a cross-sectional diameter dimensioned to fit within the inner recovery port channel 2679. A recovery valve stem distal segment 2684 has a cross-sectional diameter dimensioned to fit within outer recovery port channel 2678. The transition between the two valve stem surfaces may form a defined annular shoulder, or may be an annular sloped surface from a substantially smooth transition between the two differently sized valve stem surfaces. A distal tip of valve stem 2680 may be formed with a barbed feature or other end modification to receive tubes, connectors, quick connects and the like. Proximal segment 2683 has a recovery valve stem first annular channel 2685 formed thereon and dimensioned to receive a first recovery valve O-ring 2686. Distal segment 2684 has a recovery valve stem second annular channel 2687a formed thereon and dimensioned to receive a second recovery valve O-ring 2687. An outer surface of first valve O-ring 2686 registers against the inner wall of inner recovery port channel 2679 to form a substantially liquid-tight seal. An outer surface of second valve O-Ring 2687 registers against an inner wall of outer recovery port channel 2678 to form a substantially liquid-tight seal. It should be understood that the seals formed by these O-rings are meant to be sliding seals in that the valve stem can freely move within recovery port 2622 along a longitudinal axis of the recovery port. Valve stem 2680 motion is restricted by an adjustable recovery port valve cap 2688 disclosed in detail below. In a closed position, first valve O-Ring 2686 registers against the wall of recovery port channel 2679 to form a liquid-tight seal and prevent fluid and/or gas from entering or exiting the recovery port. In an open position, first valve O-ring 2688 is positioned away from recovery port channel 2679 (in a distal direction) so as to create a fluid path from channel 2677 (shown in FIG. 46), to inner recovery port channel 2679 to the larger outer recovery port channel 2678 in through radial recovery port valve stem bore 2682 then into valve stem channel 2681 and out (or into) the filter assembly depending upon the direction of flow. Radial bore 2682 is positioned on the valve stem at a point or location between the two O-rings so that when the valve stem is moved into any position within its range of travel, liquids cannot escape between the interface of recovery port 2622a and valve stem 2680. As shown in FIGS. 59-62, adjustable recovery port valve cap 2688 has an inner wall that defines a valve cap channel 2689. The wall is formed with a helically oriented slot 2688a dimensioned to receive pin 2688b that projects into the slot from external surface of recovery port 2622a. The slot may be formed with an enlarged distal end 2688c to provide a releasable locking edge that pin 2688b registers against when the port is in a closed condition. This helps prevent unwanted opening of the valve without the deliberate use of force to open the valve. The length of axial travel of valve stem 2680 within recovery port 2622a is determined by the length of slot 2688a with the ends of the slot functioning as stops that limit the length of axial travel. Opening and closing the valve is performed by rotating cap 2688 about an external surface of recovery port 2622a in either a clockwise, or counterclockwise direction. The cross-sectional diameter of channel 2689 is dimensioned to permit cap 2688 to fit on, and rotate freely about, the external surface of recovery port 2622a. A distal end defines an annular radially inwardly projecting ridge or lip 2690 with a cross-sectional diameter smaller than the cross-sectional diameter of valve cap channel 2689. An annular cap-receiving channel 2691 is formed on valve stem 2680 to receive ridge 2690. Alternatively, the channel may be formed by two substantially parallel recovery valve stem annular rings or walls 2692 formed on the outer surface of the valve stem and spaced to receive ridge 2690. Regardless whether the channel is formed below the outer surface of the valve stem or thereon, the cross-sectional diameter of cap-receiving channel 2691 is smaller than the cross-sectional diameter of ridge 2690 and the cross-sectional diameter of walls 2692 (or the cross-sectional diameter of the valve stem if the channel is formed below the outer surface of the valve stem) are greater than the cross-sectional diameter of ridge 2690. This configuration traps the relative location of ridge 2690 and thus cap 2688 on valve stem 2680 so that rotation in either direction (clockwise, counterclockwise) of cap 2688 and its movement along the external surface of recovery port 2622a via the slot and pin configuration causes a corresponding axial movement of the valve stem to retreat from, or advance into, recovery port 2622a to open and close the valve, respectively. As should be understood in the art, angular orientation of the slot on the cap can be altered to cause valve closure by turning the cap in either direction. In one orientation, rotation of the cap clockwise will close the valve. In a second orientation, rotation of the cap in a counterclockwise direction will close the valve. Ridge 2690 freely rotates about valve stem 2680 and delivers axial force to the valve stem by registering against at least the leading channel wall in the direction the cap is moved along recovery port 2622a. This configuration permits manual or automated control of the bleed valve. Referring again to FIGS. 41, 42, 46 and now also to FIGS. 47, 48, 53 and 54, upper end/upper end cap 2614 has further additional portions that define an axially extending upstream vent channel 2651 that defines a lumen in fluid communication with upstream volume 2634 and with a lumen of an upstream vent port 2624a. An exterior surface of upstream vent port 2624a is formed with a pin 2705 to receive, control and limit the movement range of an adjustable upstream vent cap 2652 as disclosed in more detail below. An internal surface of upstream vent port 2624a is formed with two differently dimensioned channels with a first outer vent channel 2653 having a cross-sectional diameter greater than the cross-sectional diameter of a second inner vent channel 2654. The junction of the two channels may take the form of a defined annular shoulder or an annular sloped surface that joins the two differently dimensioned channels. An upstream vent port valve stem 2655 dimensioned to fit within vent channels 2653 and 2654 is substantially cylindrical in shape and has portions that define a vent port valve stem channel 2656 open at a distal end and closed at a proximal end relative to vent port 2624a. A radially disposed, vent port valve stem bore 2657 is formed toward the proximal end so as to intersect valve stem channel 2656 and provide liquid communication between channel 2656 and a lumen of vent port channel 2651 (shown in FIG. 46). An outer surface of valve stem 2655 is formed with two segments having different diameters, the junction of which forms an annular shoulder or barb-like ring. A vent valve stem proximal segment 2658 that defines at least a part of the proximal end terminus for channel 2656 has a cross-sectional diameter dimensioned to fit within inner vent port channel 2654. A vent valve stem distal segment 2659 has a cross-sectional diameter dimensioned to fit within outer vent port channel 2653. The transition between the two valve stem surfaces may form a defined annular shoulder, or may be an annular sloped surface to from a substantially smooth transition between the two differently sized valve stem surfaces. A distal tip of vent valve stem 2655 may be formed with a barbed feature or other end modification to receive tubes, connectors, quick connects and the like. Vent valve stem proximal segment 2658 has a vent valve stem first annular channel 2660 formed thereon and dimensioned to receive a first vent valve O-ring 2661. Vent valve stem distal segment 2659 has a vent valve stem second annular channel 2662 formed thereon and dimensioned to receive a second vent valve O-ring 2663. An outer surface of first valve O-ring 2661 registers against the inner wall of inner vent port channel 2654 to form a substantially liquid-tight seal. An outer surface of second valve O-Ring 2663 registers against an inner wall of outer vent port channel 2653 to form a substantially liquid-tight seal. It should be understood that the seals formed by these O-rings are meant to be sliding seals in that the valve stem can freely move within vent port 2624a along a longitudinal axis of the vent port. Vent valve stem 2655 motion within the vent port is restricted by adjustable vent port valve cap 2652 disclosed in detail below. In a closed condition as shown in FIG. 47, first valve O-ring 2661 registers against the wall of inner vent port channel 2654 to form a liquid-tight seal and prevent fluid and/or gas from entering or exiting the vent port. In an open condition, first valve O-ring 2661 is away from vent port channel 2654 (in a distal direction) so as to create a fluid path from vent channel 2651 to inner vent port channel 2654 to the larger outer vent port channel 2653 in through radial vent port valve stem bore 2657 then into valve channel 2656 and out (or into) the filter assembly depending upon the direction of flow. It should be noted that radial bore 2657 is positioned between the two O-rings so that in any valve stem position, liquids cannot escape between the interface of vent port 2624a and vent port valve stem 2655. Adjustable upstream vent port valve cap 2652 has an inner wall that defines a valve cap channel 2665. The wall is formed with a helically oriented slot 2704 dimensioned to receive pin 2705 that projects into the slot from the external surface of vent port 2624a. The slot may be formed with an enlarged distal end 2706 to provide a releasable locking edge that pin 2705 registers against when the port is in a closed condition. This helps prevent unwanted opening of the valve without the deliberate use of force to open the valve. The length of axial travel of valve stem 2673 within vent port 2624a is determined by the length of slot 2704 with the ends of the slot functioning as stops that limit the length of axial travel. Opening and closing the valve is performed by rotating cap 2652 about the external surface of vent port 2624a in either a clockwise, or counterclockwise direction. The cross-sectional diameter of channel 2665 is dimensioned to permit cap 2652 to fit on, and rotate freely about, the external surface of vent port 2624a. A distal end defines an annular radially inwardly projecting ridge or lip 2666 with a cross-sectional diameter smaller than the cross-sectional diameter of valve cap channel 2665. An annular cap-receiving channel 2667 is formed on valve stem 2655 to receive ridge 2666. Alternatively, the channel may be formed by two substantially parallel annular vent valve stem rings or walls 2668 formed on the outer surface of the valve stem and spaced to receive ridge 2666. Regardless whether the channel is formed below the outer surface of the valve stem or thereon, the cross-sectional diameter of cap-receiving channel 2667 is smaller than the cross-sectional diameter of ridge 2666 and the cross-sectional diameter of walls 2668 (or the cross-sectional diameter of the valve stem if the channel is formed below the outer surface of the valve stem) are greater than the cross-sectional diameter of ridge 2666. This configuration traps the relative location of ridge 2666 and thus cap 2652 on valve stem 2655 so that rotation in either direction (clockwise, counterclockwise) of cap 2652 and its movement along the external surface of vent port 2624a via the slot and pin configuration causes a corresponding axial movement of the valve stem to retreat from, or advance into, vent port 2624a to open and close the valve, respectively. Ridge 2666 freely rotates about valve stem 2655 and delivers axial force to the valve stem by registering against at least the leading channel wall in the direction the cap is moved along the external surface of vent port 2624a. This configuration permits manual or automated control of the vent port bleed valve. Referring again to FIGS. 41, 42, 46 and now also to FIGS. 55 and 56, lower end/lower end cap 2616 has portions that define a radially extending upstream drain channel 2669 that defines a lumen in fluid communication with upstream volume 2634 and with a lumen or channel 2664 of upstream drain port 2626a. Channel 2664 may have a slight conical shape or tapered shape in cross-section with the larger end of the taper extending toward the distal end of the drain port as shown in FIGS. 55 and 56. This configuration permits increased fluid flow through the port with increased opening of the port. An exterior surface of upstream drain port 2626a is formed with threading 2708 to receive an adjustable upstream drain cap 2671 as disclosed in more detail below. The cross-sectional diameter of the drain port channel 2664 is greater than the cross-sectional diameter of drain channel 2669. An upstream drain port valve stem 2673 dimensioned to fit within drain port channel 2664 is substantially cylindrical in shape and has portions that define a drain port valve stem channel 2693 open at a distal end and closed at a proximal end relative to drain port 2626a. A radially disposed, drain port valve stem bore 2694 is formed toward a proximal end of channel 2693 so as to intersect channel 2693 and provide fluid communication between channel 2693 and drain channel 2669 via drain port channel 2664. An outer surface of valve stem 2673 is formed with two segments having different diameters, the junction of which creates an annular shoulder or barb-like ring. A drain valve stem proximal segment 2695 has a cross-sectional diameter dimensioned to be smaller than the cross-sectional diameter of drain port channel 2664 so as to form an annular gap between the surfaces. A drain valve stem distal segment 2696 that defines at least a part of the proximal end terminus for channel 2693 has a cross-sectional diameter dimensioned to fit more snugly within the drain port channel (at the smallest diameter of the taper), so as to form a smaller annular gap relative to the gap formed by proximal segment 2695 and channel 2664. The transition between the two valve stem surfaces may form a defined annular shoulder, or may be an annular sloped surface to from a substantially smooth transition between the two differently sized valve stem surfaces. A proximal tip 2699 of drain port valve stem 2673 is conical in shape and functions like a needle valve. Movement of valve stem 2673 toward channel 2669 causes an extreme proximal end of conical tip 2699 to enter into channel 2669 until the conical surface registers against the annular leading edge of the channel (that functions as a valve seat) so as to occlude the channel lumen and prevent any egress or ingress of liquids and/or gases out of, or into, the filter assembly. An opposite distal tip of drain port valve stem 2673 may be formed with a barbed feature or other end modification to receive tubes, connectors, quick connects and the like. Drain valve stem distal segment 2696 has a drain valve stem annular channel 2697 formed thereon and dimensioned to receive a drain valve O-ring 2698. An outer surface of drain valve O-ring 2698 registers against the lumen wall of the drain port channel to form a substantially liquid-tight seal. It should be understood that the seal formed by this O-ring is meant to be a sliding seal in that the valve stem can freely move within drain port 2626a along a longitudinal axis of the drain port without compromising the seal function of the O-ring. Drain valve stem 2673 motion within the port is restricted by adjustable drain port valve cap 2671 disclosed in detail below. As stated, in a closed condition as shown in FIG. 56, conical tip 2699 registers against the annular leading edge of drain channel 2669 to form a liquid-tight seal and prevent fluid and/or gas from entering or exiting the drain port. In an open condition as shown in FIG. 55, conical tip 2699 is away from drain channel leading edge (in a distal direction) so as to create a fluid path from drain channel 2669 to drain port channel 2664 through radial drain port valve stem bore 2694 then into drain valve stem channel 2693 and out (or into) the filter assembly depending upon the direction of flow. It should be noted that radial bore 2694 is positioned proximal to the filter assembly relative to O-ring 2698 so that in any position, liquids cannot escape from the filter assembly between the interface of drain port 2624a and drain port valve stem 2673. Adjustable upstream drain port valve cap 2671 has an inner wall that defines a drain valve cap channel 2700. The inner wall is formed with threading 2707 to mate with threading 2708 of drain port 2626a. The cross-sectional diameter of channel 2700 is dimensioned to permit cap 2671 to fit on, and rotate freely about, drain port 2626a. A distal end defines an annular radially inwardly projecting ridge or lip 2701 with a cross-sectional diameter smaller than the cross-sectional diameter of valve cap channel 2700. An annular cap-receiving channel 2702 is formed on valve stem 2673 to receive ridge 2701. Alternatively, the channel may be formed by two substantially parallel annular drain valve stem rings or walls 2703 formed on the outer surface of the valve stem and spaced to receive ridge 2701. Regardless whether the channel is formed below the outer surface of the valve stem or thereon, the cross-sectional diameter of cap-receiving channel 2702 is smaller than the cross-sectional diameter of ridge 2701 and the cross-sectional diameter of walls 2703 (or the cross-sectional diameter of the valve stem if the channel is formed below the outer surface of the valve stem) are greater than the cross-sectional diameter of ridge 2701. This configuration traps the relative location of ridge 2701 and thus cap 2671 on valve stem 2673 so that rotation in either direction (clockwise, counterclockwise) of cap 2671 and its movement along drain port 2626a via the mated threading causes a corresponding movement of the valve stem to retreat from, or advance into, drain port 2626a to open and close the valve, respectively. Ridge 2701 freely rotates about valve stem 2673 and delivers axial force to the valve stem by registering against at least the leading channel wall in the direction the cap is moved along drain port 2626a. This configuration permits manual or automated control of the vent port bleed valve. Alternative constructions to secure the filter element to the filter assembly housing are shown in FIGS. 50-52, 57 and 58. As shown in FIGS. 50 and 57, a liquid recovery filter assembly shown designated generally as 2810 includes features corresponding to most of the features shown and disclosed for the other previously disclosed embodiments. Filter assembly 2810 includes a housing or shell 2811 constructed from a shell wall 2812, upper end/end cap 2814, lower end/end cap 2816, the combination of which define an internal volume designated generally as 2828. The filter assembly has ports corresponding to the ports of the other disclosed filter assembly embodiments: an inlet port 2818, an outlet port 2820, a recovery port 2822, a vent port 2824, an upstream drain port 2826, and encloses a corresponding filter element designated generally as 2830 constructed in this embodiment as a filter cartridge that encloses a plurality of hollow fibers 2830a. An upstream volume 2834 is defined by filter housing 2811 and the collective upstream designated surfaces of hollow fibers 2830a. Hollow fibers 2830a each define a downstream core 2832. Cores 2832 are in fluid communication with a downstream collection space 2832a defined by a filter element lower end cap 2830c and a hollow fiber lower end cap 2837a disclosed in more detail below. Space 2832a is in fluid communication with outlet port 2820. More specifically, filter cartridge 2830 includes a cage wall 2831 with openings 2837b, a cartridge upper end cap designated generally as 2830b and lower end cap 2830c. The end caps may be formed from the same material used for the cage wall (as well as for the filter assembly housing). A hollow fiber upper end cap 2837 and a hollow fiber lower end cap 2837a may be formed as potting layers constructed from a urethane or epoxy adhesive or like material with a series of openings to permit fluid communication with the downstream cores of the individual hollow fibers. Alternatively, a hollow fiber upper end cap 2837 and a hollow fiber lower end cap 2837a may also be formed from thermal plastic materials by thermally melting and potting the materials to the hollow fibers. This method is particularly advantageous for hollow fiber materials that are notably hard to adhere with adhesives, e.g., PTFE, PFA/MFA, PVDF and HDPE as disclosed in more detail herein. Filter cartridge 2831 is secured to housing designated generally as 2811 via features formed on the upper and lower cartridge ends/end caps. An upper cartridge sleeve 2843 extends upwardly from upper cartridge end cap 2830b and is dimensioned to receive a lower post 2878a of a recovery filter assembly 2823 similar to the post/sleeve combination shown in FIG. 49. An annular (or other shape) recovery filter lower post channel 2880a is formed on lower post 2878a. A cartridge upper end O-ring 2882 is positioned between the sleeve and post and is secured in lower post channel 2880a in similar fashion to the sleeve and post configuration disclosed for recovery filter assembly 2623 shown in FIGS. 46 and 49. The upper end of recovery filter assembly 2823 is secured to upper end/end cap 2814 in the same manner and with the same options as disclosed for recovery filter assembly 2623 shown in FIGS. 46 and 49. A lower cartridge post 2833 is dimensioned to fit within outlet port 2820 and defines a lumen in fluid communication with outlet port 2820 and downstream collection space 2832a. An annular O-ring channel 2839 is formed in the outer wall of post 2833 to receive and secure a cartridge lower end O-ring 2841 used to seal the registered surfaces. Alternatively, lower cartridge post 2833 may be secured to outlet port 2820 via thermal or sonic bonding, adhesives, combinations of the bonding methods and the like. These alternative bonding methods eliminate the need for O-ring 2841 and any features specific to any embodiment using an O-ring to create a seal between the lower cartridge post and the outlet port. The components of filter assembly 2810 are constructed from the same materials disclosed for the other disclosed embodiments. Filter assembly 2810 is operated in the same manner as disclosed for filter assembly 210 as well as the other disclosed embodiments. The operation procedures disclosed for filter assembly 210 are incorporated here with respect to filter assembly 2810. By way of illustration, and not by way of limitation, the hollow fiber material may be constructed from materials selected from the group consisting of polyethersulfone (PES), polysulfone (PS), Nylon 6, Nylon 66, regenerated cellulose, mixed esters of cellulose, polycarbonate, polyester, polyacrylonitrile (PAN), polyimide, polyamide, and mixtures thereof. The hollow fiber material may also be constructed from materials selected from the group consisting of virgin or surface modified expanded Polytetrafluoro-ethylene (Teflon® PTFE) with or without lamination, phase inversion formed polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF), perfluoroalkoxy (PFA) and its derivatives, Ethylene-clorotrifluoroethylene copolymer (ECTFE), polypropylene (PP), high density polyethylene (HDPE), ultra high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE or UPE) and mixtures thereof. Inorganic materials that may be used include ceramics including alumina, zirconia and sintered stainless steel. The inner and outer diameters of the hollow fibers can vary widely as is well known and available in the art, depending upon the specific filtration applications, and can range from about 100 microns to millimeters. It should be understood that other filter materials disclosed herein and/or well known in the art may be substituted for the hollow fiber filter material and remain within the scope of the disclosure. Referring now to FIG. 51, in another aspect of the disclosure, another alternative configuration to secure a filter element in the form of a filter cartridge in a filter housing is shown. A liquid recovery filter assembly shown designated generally as 2910 includes features corresponding to most of the features shown and disclosed for the other previously disclosed embodiments. The features of filter assembly 2910 that correspond to the features of the other disclosed embodiments include a housing or shell designated generally as 2911 constructed from a shell wall 2912, an upper end/end cap 2914, a lower end/end cap 2916, the combination of which define an internal volume designated generally as 2928. The filter assembly has ports corresponding to the ports of the other disclosed embodiments: an inlet port 2918, an outlet port 2920, a recovery port 2922, a vent port 2924, an upstream drain port 2926, and encloses a corresponding filter element designated generally as 2930 constructed in this embodiment as a filter cartridge that encloses a plurality of hollow fibers 2930a. An upstream volume 2934 is defined by filter housing 2911 and the collective upstream designated surfaces of hollow fibers 2930a. Hollow fibers 2930a each define a downstream core 2932. Cores 2932 are in fluid communication with a downstream collection space 2932a defined by a filter element lower end cap 2937a and lower end/end cap 2916. Space 2932a is in fluid communication with outlet port 2920. More specifically, filter cartridge 2930 includes a cage wall 2931 with openings 2937b, a cartridge upper end/end cap 2930b and lower end/end cap 2937a. The end caps may be formed from the same material used for the cage wall (as well as for the filter assembly housing). A hollow fiber upper end cap 2937 and lower end cap 2937a may be formed as potting layers constructed from a urethane adhesive or like material with a series of openings to permit fluid communication with the downstream cores of the individual hollow fibers. Filter cartridge 2931 is secured to housing 2911 via features formed on the upper and the lower cartridge ends/end caps. The upper end of filter cartridge 2931 is secured to a recovery filter assembly 2923 with the same construction and in the same manner as disclosed for filter cartridge 2831. The disclosure with respect to the attachment of the upper end of filter cartridge 2831 and any disclosed alternatives is incorporated here with respect to attachment of the upper end of filter cartridge 2931. The components of filter assembly 2910 that correspond to the components of filter assembly 2810 are identified by substituting a “9” for the second digit “8” with respect to the reference characters used to call out the components of filter assembly 2810. The lower end of filter cartridge 2930 is secured to housing 2911 by thermally bonding a lower end/end cap 2937a to shell wall 2912. The end caps may also be bonded to the shell wall via sonic welding, adhesive and the like. The end caps may be formed from the same materials used for the cage wall (as well as for the filter assembly housing). Alternatively, a hollow fiber upper end cap 2937 and lower end cap 2937a may be formed as potting layers constructed from a urethane adhesive or like material with a series of openings to permit fluid communication with the downstream cores of the individual hollow fibers. The components of filter assembly 2910 are constructed from the same materials disclosed for the other disclosed embodiments. Filter assembly 2910 is operated in the same manner as disclosed for filter assembly 210 as well as the other disclosed embodiments. The operation procedures disclosed for filter assembly 210 are incorporated here with respect to filter assembly 2910. Referring now to FIG. 52, in another aspect of the disclosure, a further alternative configuration to secure a filter element in the form of a filter cartridge in a filter housing is shown. A liquid recovery filter assembly shown designated generally as 3010 includes features corresponding to most of the features shown and disclosed for the other previously disclosed embodiments with the noted exception of the absence of a recovery filter. It should be understood a recovery filter will be attached to whichever port is designated as a recovery port so as to perform the intended liquid recovery function of the disclosure. The filter assembly features corresponding to the features of the other disclosed embodiments includes a housing or shell designated generally as 3011 constructed from a shell wall 3012, an upper end/end cap 3014, a lower end/end cap 3016, the combination of which define an internal volume designated generally as 3028. The filter assembly has ports corresponding to the ports of the other disclosed embodiments: an inlet port 3018, an outlet port 3020, a recovery port 3022, a vent port 3024, an upstream drain port 3026, and encloses a corresponding filter element 3030 in the form of a filter cartridge constructed with a plurality of hollow fibers or tubular membranes 3030a. Filter assembly 3010 differs from filter assemblies 2810 and 2910 with respect to the means used to secure the filter element in the housing. Filter cartridge 3030 includes a cage wall 3031 with openings 3037b, a cartridge upper end/end cap 3030b and a cartridge lower end/end cap 3030c. An upstream volume 3034 is defined by filter housing 3011 and the collective upstream designated surfaces of hollow fibers 3030a. Hollow fibers 3030a each define a downstream core 3032. Cores 3032 are in fluid communication with a downstream collection space 3032a defined by filter element lower end cap 3030c and a hollow fiber lower end cap 3037a disclosed in more detail below. Space 3032a is in fluid communication with outlet port 3020. The cage and end caps may be formed from the same materials disclosed for the components of the other disclosed filter assembly embodiments. The hollow fibers (described in detail with respect to filter assembly 2810) may have additional end caps to secure the hollow fibers in cartridge 3030. A hollow fiber upper end cap 3037 and a hollow fiber lower end cap 3037a may be formed as potting layers constructed from a urethane adhesive or like material with a series of openings to permit fluid communication with the downstream cores of the individual hollow fibers. Filter cartridge 3031 is secured to housing 3011 via features formed on the upper and lower cartridge ends/end caps. To secure the upper end of the cartridge, a cartridge upper post 3043a extends upwardly from cartridge upper end cap 3030b and is dimensioned to fit within a housing upper end/end cap sleeve 3015. A cartridge upper end O-ring 3043b positioned therebetween is secured in an annular (or other shape) upper post channel 3043c formed in the outer wall of post 3043a in similar fashion to the sleeve and post configuration disclosed for recovery filter 2623 shown in FIG. 46. Like the embodiment shown in FIG. 46, the post and sleeve configuration can be reversed with the sleeve formed on the cartridge and the post extending downwardly from the housing upper end/end cap. To secure the lower end of the cartridge, a cartridge lower post 3033 extends downwardly from cartridge lower end cap 3030c and is dimensioned to fit within outlet port 3020. Post 3033 defines a lumen in fluid communication with port 3020 and downstream collection space 3032a. An annular (or other shape) O-ring channel 3039 is formed in the outer wall of post 3033 to receive and secure a cartridge lower end O-ring 3041 used to seal the registered surfaces. The components of filter assembly 3010 are constructed from the same materials disclosed for the other disclosed embodiments. Filter assembly 3010 is operated in the same manner as disclosed for filter assembly 210 as well as the other disclosed embodiments. The operation procedures disclosed for filter assembly 210 are incorporated here with respect to filter assembly 3010. Referring now to FIG. 58, another embodiment of filter assembly 2810 is shown. A filter assembly shown designated generally as 3110 has the same features disclosed for filter assembly 2810. The components of filter assembly 3110 that correspond to the components of filter assembly 2810 are identified by substituting a “30” for the first and second digits “28” with respect to the reference characters used to call out the components of filter assembly 2810. Filter assembly 3110 differs from filter assembly 2810 in the distribution and density of hollow fibers secured in the filter cartridges. Filter assembly 3110 has a greater density of hollow fibers than filter assembly 2810. Referring now to FIGS. 43-45, in a further aspect of the disclosure, line clearing filter assemblies are shown designated generally as 2710 and include features to permit the recovery of filtered liquids in lines downstream of a filter assembly as well as liquids in other lines or processing equipment where it is necessary to prevent the contamination of the liquids contained therein. This can be used alone, or in combination with the recovery filter for the filter assembly to which the downstream line(s) is/are attached. A recovery port 2742 is connected to, and extends from, process fluid pathway 2780. Recovery filter 2743 is secured in-line with recovery port 2742 and houses recovery filter material 2725. In the following description of the embodiments shown designated generally as 2710, the term “downstream” is used to refer to locations, components, fluids, etc. located on the same side of recovery filter material 2725 as process fluid pathway 2780 and the term “upstream” is used to refer to locations, components, fluids, etc. located on the opposite side of recovery filter material 2725 and process fluid pathway 2780. Recovery filter 2743 and recovery filter material 2725 are designed and situated such that all fluid passing between the upstream and downstream side must pass through the recovery filter material 2725. Recovery filter material 2725 is chosen to have the appropriate properties as disclosed previously for recovery filter 223. Process line adaptors 2782 allow connection of the line clearing filter 2710 to tubing, processing equipment, filters, filter assemblies, or other assemblies and components commonly used to transfer and perform unit operations on fluids. The embodiments shown in FIGS. 43 through 45 all show barbed adapters 2782 for connecting to tubing; however, other adapter types such as threaded connections, sanitary fittings, quick connects, luer fittings, as well as any other method for attaching filters disclosed herein as well as any other method for attaching filters as is known in the art may be used. The process line adaptors are chosen to allow each end of the line clearing filter to connect to the desired components as disclosed previously, and therefore, each adaptor does not have to be of the same type. Further, embodiments with more than two adapters are possible and are within the consideration and scope of this disclosure. Process fluid pathway 2780 is in liquid communication with process line adaptors 2782 and in fluid communication with recovery port 2742, such that the flow of fluids from one process line adaptor 2782 to a second process line adaptor as well as flow from any process line adaptor to the downstream portion of recovery port 2742 is unobstructed. Further, flow of fluids from process line adaptor 2782 to the upstream portion of recovery port 2742 is only possible for fluids that are capable of passage through recovery filter material 2725. Recovery port adapter 2720 allows for connection to recovery port 2742 in a similar manor to process line adaptor 2782 and may be a barbed fitting, threaded connection, sanitary fitting, quick connect, luer fitting, as well as any other method for attaching filters disclosed herein as well as any other method for attaching filters as is known in the art may be used. Optional upstream valves 2786 as shown in FIGS. 44 and 45 are used to control the flow into or out of the recovery port 2742 and can be of any suitable type (e.g., needle, ball, etc.) disclosed herein or any suitable type known in the art. Optional valve 2788 as shown in FIG. 45 can be used to control the flow into or out of the recovery port 2742 and has the additional capability of protecting recovery filter 2723 from exposure to fluids contained in process fluid pathway 2780 or limiting exposure. When installed onto tubing, processing equipment, filters, filter assemblies, or other assemblies and components, the line clearing filter assembly can be used to clear lines of liquids resident in these components by the application of pressurized gas at the upstream side of recovery port 2742. With optional valves 2786 and 2788 opened, if present, gas travels into the process fluid pathway 2780, and clears liquid in its path. The direction of the gas flow, once within the process fluid pathway 2780, can be controlled by way of valves, or can be allowed to flow freely dependent on the application. When used downstream of a filter assembly, particularly those without the liquid recovery features disclosed herein, the flow will primarily be in the direction away from the filter assembly, clearing lines and components further downstream, as gas cannot flow through the filter's processing membrane. However, when appropriately positioned, the line clearing filter may be used to introduce gas into the outlet or downstream port of the filter assembly, displacing resident liquid therein, thus providing a means of recovering the potentially valuable liquid. The use of optional valve 2788 is particularly beneficial where processing fluid contained within process fluid pathway 2780 can (due to high pressures or due to the surface tension and surface energies of the processing fluid and the recovery filter material respectively) wet-out the recovery filter material 2725. Allowing the recovery filter material 2725 to wet-out can block the flow of gases through the filter material 2725 thus reducing or impeding its ability to clear lines. Accordingly, the various embodiments of the disclosed liquid recovery filter apparatus provide an effective means to recover costly liquids used in filtering operations particularly in the pharmaceutical as well as in other industries. It should be understood that the various axial and radial configurations of the various inlet and outlet passages or ports illustratively depicted in the drawings and disclosed herein are merely exemplary, and that various other arrangements of these ports or passages are within the contemplation and scope of the disclosure that provide a means for the drainage or removal of liquid from the filter housing or shell wall, and particularly for the drainage or removal of filtered liquid from the core of the filter. The present disclosure is not limited to the embodiments disclosed herein, but encompasses any and all embodiments and equivalents thereof within the scope of the following claims. What I claim as new and desire to secure by letters patent is | <SOH> BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE <EOH> | <SOH> SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE <EOH>The liquid recovery filter assembly disclosed herein comprises a number of embodiments, wherein each of the embodiments includes a filter housing or shell containing a filter element secured therein. All of the embodiments have an inlet port that extends into the upstream or inlet side of the housing, and an outlet port extending from the downstream or outlet side of the housing. The terms “inlet side,” “upstream,” “upstream side,” and similar terms all refer to the section or volume of the filter assembly located on the inlet portion of the apparatus, i.e., the portion of the filter assembly that may contain unfiltered liquid during operation. The terms “outlet side,” “downstream,” “downstream side,” and similar terms all refer to the sections or volumes of the filter assembly located within the core of the filter element(s) for filter elements having a core and with an outside-in flow path, sections or volumes of the filter assembly located at a downstream end or on a side of the filter element that contains filtered liquid that has passed through the filter element during operation of the filter assembly, or in components, e.g., tubes and connectors, downstream of the filter core and the filter assembly. For all embodiments, the demarcation or boundary between “upstream,” i.e., “unfiltered” liquid and “downstream,” i.e., “filtered” liquid is the filter element constructed from filtration material and any associated non-porous filter element features including, but not limited to, filter cartridge end caps, end cap adaptors, sealing mechanisms and the like used to define and connect the filter element to the filter assembly housing. More particularly, “upstream” is defined and demarcated by an upstream designated surface of the filtration material and any associated non-porous filter element feature. Likewise, “downstream” is defined and demarcated by a downstream designated surface of the filtration material and any associated non-porous filter element features. Any liquids resident in the filter apparatus upstream of the “upstream” surface of the filtration material shall be considered “unfiltered liquid” for the purposes of this disclosure. Any liquids resident in the filter apparatus downstream of the “downstream” surface of the filtration material shall be considered “filtered liquid” for purposes of this disclosure. Any liquids resident in the filter apparatus contained between the upstream surface and the downstream surface of the filtration material shall be considered “filtration material holdup” for purposes of this disclosure. As used herein, “filter material” and/or “filtration material” shall mean any filter membrane, filter media, or any other material or substance used to filter fluids including liquids and gases. The filter assemblies disclosed herein are constructed so that essentially all liquid introduced into any embodiment of the filter assemblies will pass through the filter element from the designated inlet port to the designated outlet port of the filter assembly. The filter housing or shell may also have upstream or inlet side vents or passages, and/or upstream or inlet side drain ports or passages. These optional upstream ports or passages allow the upstream portion of the filter housing to be drained of unfiltered liquid, i.e., liquid that has not passed through the filter element from the upstream or inlet side to the downstream or outlet side of the filter element during a filtration operation. These ports are also used to remove gas trapped on the upstream side of the filter membrane, to monitor pressure, to perform integrity tests, and for other purposes as are commonly known in the art. Each of the liquid recovery filter embodiments may further include downstream or outlet side ports or passages in addition to the primary outlet port that communicate liquidly with the downstream core, or downstream end/side of the filter element. These downstream or outlet ports are normally closed during filtering operations, but may be opened in some applications to remove air bubbles or when the filtration operation has been completed. The opening of these downstream ports allows air or other gas to flow into the core or downstream end/side of the filter element, thus “breaking the seal” or hydraulic lock commonly formed within the core, or downstream side, of the filter element. In some currently available filter assemblies, this allows the valuable filtered liquid contained within the core or downstream side of the filter element to flow from the filter assembly. Exposure to the environment external to the filter assembly, however, through opened downstream ports commonly present in related art filter assemblies, may bring unwanted contamination that if brought in contact with a batch of filtered product, could compromise the batch. The embodiments disclosed herein provide filter assembly constructions that permit recovery of filtered liquid from the downstream side and prevent the contamination of downstream filtered liquids. Two basic configurations of the liquid recovery filter are disclosed herein (along with several additional embodiments of each), one having a downstream or outlet port disposed at the bottom of the filter assembly, and the other having a downstream or outlet port disposed at or near the top of the assembly. The second of these configurations includes a dip tube (extending internally from the outlet port) to allow liquid to flow from the bottom of the core, or bottom of the downstream side of the filter element and out of the outlet port for recovery. The first basic configuration, i.e., having the primary outlet port or passage disposed below the filter element, includes embodiments that differ due to the different locations or arrangements of the primary inlet and outlet ports or passages. The second basic configuration, i.e., having the primary outlet port or passage extending from the top or upper portion of the filter assembly, includes additional embodiments that also differ due to the different arrangements of the primary inlet and outlet ports or passages. All of the embodiments disclosed herein include means for recovering filtered liquid from the core or downstream side of the filter element aseptically and/or without contamination of the filtered liquid. Also disclosed are port/valve configurations, settings and port assignments that permit liquid to be introduced into the filter assemblies in a reverse direction with the reassignment of inlet, outlet, vent, drain, and recovery ports to remove the resident filtered liquids in a sterile or contamination-free manner from the apparatus after a filtering event. In these configurations, what would be considered downstream elements are reassigned as upstream elements and what would be considered upstream elements are reassigned as downstream elements. It should be understood that a recovery filter should be secured to any port that will function as, and be assigned as, a downstream recovery port. As used herein, “recovery port” is defined as a port that allows sterile or otherwise contaminant-free gas to be introduced into the liquid recovery filter assembly from an external source into the downstream side of the filter assembly. In a further aspect of the disclosure, an aspiration tube is incorporated into the downstream side of the filter assembly and extends out of the housing to form a recovery port. The tube can be formed to extend into a lower end of the assembly or filter element, or may extend through the filter element core to a point proximal to an upper end of the filter element and any length in between these two extremes. For filter assembly embodiments with multiple enclosed filter elements, each element has a dedicated aspiration tube. The tubes may be joined via a manifold to share a single recovery port and inline air filter, or may have dedicated recovery ports and inline air filters among some of the disclosed embodiments. In a still further aspect of the disclosure, single and multi-round filter assemblies include replaceable filter cartridges. The filter assembly housings may include removable sections (such as a lid, end cap, removable bowl, access panel, etc.) to permit entry into the assemblies to remove and replace used filter cartridges. The filter housings include receiving walls or posts to secure the filter cartridges in the housings. These embodiments may also include aspiration tubes to assist the liquid recovery function to force filtered liquids from the filter assemblies. In a yet further aspect of the disclosure, a hydrophobic or combination hydrophilic/hydrophobic filter is secured in an end cap or other location on a filter cartridge to permit aseptic or contamination-free removal of filtered liquids remaining in the filter assembly after a filtration operation with the use of gases introduced under pressure. The combination hydrophilic/hydrophobic filter provides a dual function to filter gases introduced into the filter assemblies and to act as a valve to eliminate the need for a recovery port and a mechanical valve. In some embodiments, however, the hydrophilic/hydrophobic filter could be attached to a recovery port with or without a mechanical valve. These and other features of the present disclosure will become readily apparent upon further review of the following drawings and detailed disclosure. | B01D3516 | 20180108 | 20180510 | 98721.0 | B01D3516 | 0 | GONZALEZ, MADELINE | LIQUID RECOVERY FILTER | UNDISCOUNTED | 1 | CONT-ACCEPTED | B01D | 2,018 |
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15,865,206 | ACCEPTED | EXERCISE SYSTEM AND METHOD | A method for displaying live and archived cycling classes comprising displaying information about cycling classes that can be accessed by a first user using a first stationary bike via a digital communication network on a display screen at a first location, whereby the first user can select either a live cycling class or select among a plurality of archived cycling classes, outputting digital video and audio content comprising the selected cycling class, detecting performance parameters from the first stationary bike at a particular point in the selected class, displaying at least one of the performance parameters on the display screen, and displaying performance parameters from a second stationary bike at a second location on the display screen such that at least one of the performance parameters from the first stationary bike and at least one of the performance parameters from the second stationary bike at the same point in the class are presented for comparison. | 1. A system comprising: a user interface operable to display live and archived cycling class content to a first user at a first location, the user interface comprising a display screen and a user input device operable to receive input from the first user; a plurality of sensors operable to detect activity by the first user and generate first user performance parameters; and a first local processing system communicably coupled to the user interface and the plurality of sensors, the first local processing system operable to perform operations comprising: display, on the display screen, information identifying a plurality of cycling classes comprising available live and archived cycling classes accessible by the first local processing system through a digital communication network; receive, from the user interface, an indication from the first user of a selected cycling class from one of the available live and archived cycling classes; output to the display screen cycling class content associated with the selected cycling class, the cycling class content comprising digital video content and audio content; track the first user performance parameters received from the plurality of sensors at a particular point in the selected cycling class; display on the display screen at least one of the first user performance parameters; and display on the display screen at least one of a plurality of second user performance parameters received via the digital communication network from a second local processing system at a second location, wherein at least one of first user performance parameters at the particular point in the selected cycling class and at least one of the second user performance parameters at the same point in the selected cycling class are presented for comparison on the display screen at the first location. 2. The system of claim 1, further comprising a first stationary cycle operable by the first user at the first location. 3. The system of claim 2, wherein the first stationary cycle comprises: a frame; a flywheel rotatably mounted on the frame; a pair of pedals rotatably mounted on the frame and operably coupled to drive the flywheel during rotation; and a resistance adjustment apparatus operable to selectively increase and selectively decrease the resistance of the flywheel to rotation. 4. The system of claim 2, wherein the display screen is mounted on the first stationary cycle. 5. The system of claim 1, wherein the user interface comprises a mobile device running a mobile application and the display screen comprises a mobile device touchscreen. 6. The system of claim 1, wherein the cycling class content is cast to the display screen. 7. The system of claim 1, wherein the user interface comprises a graphical user interface with user selectable content for display during operation of the first stationary cycle by the first user. 8. The system of claim 7, wherein the first user performance parameters and second user performance parameters are presented in a secondary window. 9. The system of claim 1, wherein the first local processing system comprises at least one hardware processor and a memory storing instructions that are executable using the at least one hardware processor. 10. The system of claim 1, wherein the first local processing system comprises communication components to facilitate access to the digital communication network. 11. The system of claim 1, wherein the digital video content, first user performance parameters and second user performance parameters are output substantially in real-time. 12. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of sensors is operable to measure at least one of pedal cadence, power output or a heartrate of the first user. 13. The system of claim 1, wherein the first local processing system is further operable to perform operations comprising receiving video chat data from the second local processing system through the digital communication network for display to the first user on the display screen at the first location. 14. The system of claim 1, wherein the first local processing system is further operable to perform operations comprising requesting the digital video content, audio content and class participant content associated with the selected cycling class from a server through the digital communications network. 15. The system of claim 14, wherein the first local processing system is further operable to perform operations comprising: generating a leaderboard from the class participant content and the plurality of first user performance parameters, the leaderboard representing performance parameters at the same point in the selected cycling class; and displaying the leaderboard on the display screen at the first location. 16. The system of claim 15, wherein the class participant content comprises live and archived class participant content. 17. The system of claim 15, wherein the class participant content includes live class participant content; and wherein the leaderboard is synchronized to the first user's performance parameters allowing for comparative class participant content to be presented to the first user. 18. The system of claim 17, wherein the cycling class content further comprises a start signal indicating a starting point of the cycling class, and wherein class participant content is synchronized to the start signal for data comparison. 19. The system of claim 1, wherein the first local processing system is further operable to transmit the plurality of first user performance parameters to a server through the digital communication network, wherein class participant content received by the second user includes the first user performance parameters. 20. The system of claim 1, wherein the first local processing system is further operable to receive video chat data from the server for display to the first user on the display screen at the first location. | CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application is a continuation of and claims priority to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/992,032 filed Jan. 11, 2016, which is a continuation of and claims priority to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/930,398 filed on Nov. 2, 2015, and issued as U.S. Pat. No. 9,233,276, which is a continuation of and claims priority to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/956,087 filed on Jul. 31, 2013, and issued as U.S. Pat. No. 9,174,085, which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/677,985 filed on Jul. 31, 2012, and U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/798,342 filed on Mar. 15, 2013, both of which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety as if set forth herein. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention The invention relates generally to the field of exercise equipment and methods. In particular, the invention relates to a system and method for providing streaming and on-demand exercise classes. Description of Related Art Humans are competitive by nature, striving to improve their performance both as compared to their own prior efforts and as compared to others. Humans are also drawn to games and other diversions, such that even tasks that a person may find difficult or annoying can become appealing if different gaming elements are introduced. Existing home and gym-based exercise systems and methods frequently lack key features that allow participants to compete with each other and that gamify exercise activities. While some existing exercise equipment incorporates diversions such as video display screens that present content or performance data to the user while they exercise, these systems lack the ability to truly engage the user in a competitive or gaming scenario that improves both the user's experience and performance. To improve the experience and provide a more engaging environment, gyms offer classes such as cycling classes where the instructor and participants exercise on stationary bikes accompanied by music. The instructor and music combine to motivate participants to work harder and maintain better pedal cadence or tempo. More recently, boutique cycling studios have taken the cycling class concept to dedicated spaces to create even more powerful class experiences. All of these class-based experiences, however, are accessible only at specific times and locations. As a result, they are unavailable to many potential users, generally are very expensive, and often sell-out so that even users in a location convenient to the cycling studio cannot reserve a class. The present invention addresses these problems, providing a stationary bike that incorporates multimedia inputs and outputs for live streaming or archived instructional content, socially networked audio and video chat, networked performance metrics and competition capabilities, along with a range of gamification features. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A method for displaying live and archived cycling classes, in various embodiments comprising displaying information about available live and archived cycling classes that can be accessed by a first user using a first stationary bike via a digital communication network on a display screen at a first location, whereby the first user can select either a live cycling class or select among a plurality of archived cycling classes. Receiving from the first user a selection of one of the available live or archived cycling classes, outputting digital video and audio content comprising the selected cycling class at the first location to the first user, detecting a plurality of performance parameters from the first stationary bike at the first location at a particular point in the selected cycling class, displaying at least one of the plurality of performance parameters detected from the first stationary bike at the first location on the display screen, and displaying at least one of a plurality of performance parameters from a second stationary bike at a second location on the display screen at the first location such that at least one of the performance parameters from the first stationary bike at the particular point in the selected cycling class and at least one of the performance parameters from the second stationary bike at the same point in the selected cycling class are presented for comparison on the display screen at the first location. In various exemplary embodiments, the digital video and audio content are output in substantially in real-time. In various exemplary embodiments, the digital video and audio content are archived content provided from a database. In various exemplary embodiments, further comprising presenting the performance parameters in a secondary window. In various exemplary embodiments, the performance parameters include pedal cadence, power output, or heartrate. In various exemplary embodiments, further comprising receiving video chat data from a server for display to the user on the display screen at the first location. A method for displaying live and archived cycling classes comprising displaying information about available live and archived cycling classes that can be accessed by a first user using a first stationary bike via a digital communication network on a display screen at a first location, whereby the first user can select either a live cycling class or select among a plurality of archived cycling classes, receiving from the first user a selection of one of the available live or archived cycling classes, outputting digital video and audio content comprising the selected cycling class at the first location to the first user, detecting a plurality of performance parameters from the first stationary bike at the first location at a particular point in the selected cycling class, displaying at least one of the plurality of performance parameters detected from the first stationary bike at the first location on the display screen, and displaying at least one of a plurality of performance parameters from each of a plurality of other stationary bikes at a plurality of other locations on the display screen at the first location such that at least one of the performance parameters from the first stationary bike at the particular point in the selected cycling class and at least one of the performance parameters from the plurality of other stationary bikes at the same point in the selected cycling class are presented for comparison on the display screen at the first location. In various exemplary embodiments, the digital video and audio content are output in substantially in real-time. In various exemplary embodiments, the digital video and audio content are archived content provided from a database. In various exemplary embodiments, further comprising presenting the performance parameters in a secondary window. In various exemplary embodiments, the performance parameters include pedal cadence, power output, or heartrate. In various exemplary embodiments, further comprising receiving video chat data from a server for display to the user on the display screen at the first location. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a rear perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of a stationary bike as disclosed herein. FIG. 2 is a rear perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of a stationary bike as disclosed herein with a rider shown. FIG. 3 is a side view of an exemplary embodiment of a stationary bike as disclosed herein. FIG. 4 is a front perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of a stationary bike as disclosed herein with a rider shown. FIG. 5 is an illustration of an exemplary embodiment of a user interface home screen as disclosed herein. FIG. 6 is an illustration of an exemplary embodiment of a user interface screen providing a cycling class schedule as disclosed herein. FIG. 7 is an illustration of an exemplary embodiment of a user interface screen displaying cycling classes available on demand as disclosed herein. FIG. 8 is an illustration of an exemplary embodiment of a user interface screen displaying a live or on-demand cycling class underway. FIG. 9 is an illustration of an exemplary embodiment of a user interface screen displaying a live or on-demand cycling class underway. FIG. 10 is an illustration of an exemplary embodiment of a user interface screen displaying a live or on-demand cycling class underway with a live video chat open in a secondary window and the leaderboard scrolling. FIG. 11 is an illustration of an exemplary embodiment of a user interface screen displaying user performance and other information. FIG. 12 is an illustration of an exemplary embodiment of a user interface screen displaying user performance and other information. FIG. 13 is an illustration of an exemplary embodiment of a web page displaying user information as disclosed herein. FIG. 14 is an illustration of an exemplary embodiment of a web page displaying user information as disclosed herein. FIG. 15 is a schematic showing an exemplary embodiment of the data flow for content creation and distribution. FIG. 16 is an illustration of an exemplary embodiment of a basic network architecture as disclosed herein. FIG. 17 is an chart showing an exemplary embodiment of a method for synchronizing data among different users participating in the same live or on-demand cycling class. DETAILED DESCRIPTION The following description is presented to enable any person skilled in the art to make and use the invention. For purposes of explanation, specific nomenclature is set forth to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention. Descriptions of specific embodiments or applications are provided only as examples. Various modifications to the embodiments will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and general principles defined herein may be applied to other embodiments and applications without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Thus, the present invention is not intended to be limited to the embodiments shown, but is to be accorded the widest possible scope consistent with the principles and features disclosed herein. In various embodiments, the present invention comprises networked exercise systems and methods whereby one or more stationary exercise bicycles, referred to generally herein as stationary bikes, are equipped with an associated local system that allows the user to fully participate in live instructor-led or recorded cycling classes from any location that can access a suitable communications network. The networked exercise systems and methods may include backend systems with equipment including without limitation servers, digital storage systems, and other hardware as well as software to manage all processing, communications, database, and other functions. The networked exercise systems and methods may also include one or more studio or other recording locations with cameras, microphones, and audio and/or visual outputs where an instructor can lead cycling classes and in some embodiments where live cycling classes can be conducted, and where such classes can be distributed via the communications network. In various embodiments there may be a plurality of recording locations that can interact with each other and/or with any number of individual users. In various embodiments, the invention provides for full interactivity in all directions. Whether remote or in the same location, instructors can interact with users, users can interact with instructors, and users can interact with other users. Through the disclosed networked exercise system, instructors can solicit feedback from users, and users can provide feedback to the instructor, vote on different choices or options, and communicate regarding their experience. The present invention allows for interaction through all media, including one or more video channels, audio including voice and/or music, and data including a complete range of performance data, vital statistics, chat, voice, and text-based and other communications. In various embodiments, the invention also allows an unlimited number of remote users to view the same live or recorded content simultaneously, and interact with some or all of the other user viewing same content. Remote users can participate in live cycling classes offered from any recording location, or they can access recorded classes archived in the system database. In various embodiments, a plurality of remote users can simultaneously access the same recorded class and interact with each other in real time, or they can access the same recorded class at different times and share data and communications about their performance or other topics. Thus, it can be seen that the present invention encompasses networked exercise systems and methods that provide for content creation, content management and distribution, and content consumption. Various aspects of the invention and the potential interactions among such different aspects of the invention will now be described in more detail. Stationary Bike Referring generally to FIGS. 1-4, in various exemplary embodiments of the invention, a local system 100 comprises a stationary bike 102 with integrated or connected digital hardware including at least one display screen 104. In various exemplary embodiments, the stationary bike 102 may comprise a frame 106, a handlebar post 108 to support the handlebars 110, a seat post 112 to support the seat 114, a rear support 116 and a front support 118. Pedals 120 are used to drive a flywheel 122 via a belt, chain, or other drive mechanism. The flywheel 122 may be a heavy metal disc or other appropriate mechanism. In various exemplary embodiments, the force on the pedals necessary to spin the flywheel 122 can be adjusted using a resistance adjustment knob 124. The resistance adjustment knob may directly or indirectly control a device that increases or decreases the resistance of the flywheel to rotation. For example, rotating the resistance adjustment knob clockwise may cause a set of magnets 126 to move relative to the flywheel, increasing its resistance to rotation and increasing the force that the user must apply to the pedals to make the flywheel spin. The stationary bike 102 may also include various features that allow for adjustment of the position of the seat 114, handlebars 110, etc. In various exemplary embodiments, a display screen 104 may be mounted in front of the user forward of the handlebars. Such display screen may include a hinge 128 or other mechanism to allow for adjustment of the position or orientation of the display screen relative to the rider. The digital hardware associated with the stationary bike 102 may be connected to or integrated with the stationary bike 102, or it may be located remotely and wirelessly connected to the stationary bike. The display screen 104 may be attached to the stationary bike or it may be mounted separately, but should be positioned to be in the line of sight of a person using the stationary bike. The digital hardware may include digital storage, processing, and communications hardware, software, and/or one or more media input/output devices such as display screens, cameras, microphones, keyboards, touchscreens, headsets, and/or audio speakers. In various exemplary embodiments these components may be integrated with the stationary bike. All communications between and among such components may be multichannel, multi-directional, and wireless or wired, using any appropriate protocol or technology. In various exemplary embodiments, the system may include associated mobile and web-based application programs that provide access to account, performance, and other relevant information to users from local or remote personal computers, laptops, mobile devices, or any other digital device. In various exemplary embodiments, the stationary bike 102 may be equipped with various sensors that can measure a range of performance metrics from both the stationary bike and the rider, instantaneously and/or over time. For example, the stationary bike may include power measurement sensors such as magnetic resistance power measurement sensors or an eddy current power monitoring system that provides continuous power measurement during use. The stationary bike may also include a wide range of other sensors to measure speed, pedal cadence, flywheel rotational speed, etc. The stationary bike may also include sensors to measure rider heart-rate, respiration, hydration, or any other physical characteristic. Such sensors may communicate with storage and processing systems on the bike, nearby, or at a remote location, using wired or wireless connections. Hardware and software within the sensors or in a separate package may be provided to calculate and store a wide range of performance information. Relevant performance metrics that may be measured or calculated include distance, speed, resistance, power, total work, pedal cadence, heart rate, respiration, hydration, calorie burn, and/or any custom performance scores that may be developed. Where appropriate, such performance metrics can be calculated as current/instantaneous values, maximum, minimum, average, or total over time, or using any other statistical analysis. Trends can also be determined, stored, and displayed to the user, the instructor, and/or other users. A user interface may provide for the user to control the language, units, and other characteristics for the various information displayed. Display and User Interface Referring generally to FIGS. 1-12, in various exemplary embodiments the stationary bike 102 may be equipped with one or more large display screens 104, cameras, microphones, and speakers or other audio outputs. The display screen(s) 104 may be mounted directly to the stationary bike 102 or otherwise placed within the viewing area of the user. In various exemplary embodiments, at least one display screen is integrated into or attached to the stationary bike, and is positioned in front of the rider generally centered on the handlebars 110 of the stationary bike as illustrated in the figures. Various mechanisms can be used to allow the user to customize the position of the display screen(s). In an exemplary embodiment, a display screen 104 may be attached to the stationary bike 102 via a curved structure extending up and forward from the front stem of the frame 106. The curved structure may include a slot or aperture through it and extending along a portion of the length of the curved structure. A mounting post or similar structure on the display screen may attach to the curved structure, such as by a pin that passes through the mounting post or structure and the curved structure. In an exemplary embodiment, the pin may have a mechanism such as threads that allow it to be tightened to hold and lock the mounting post or structure at a particular location and position. Display screen 104 may be driven by a user input device such as a touchscreen, mouse, or other device. In various exemplary embodiments a touchscreen display is mounted on the stationary bike generally centered between the handlebars and located just below the handlebars. The display screen may be any size, but optimally is large enough and oriented to allow the display of a range of information including one or more video streams, a range of performance metrics for the user and others, and a range of different controls. In various exemplary embodiments the user can use a touchscreen or other interface to selectively present a range of different information on the screen including live and/or archived video, performance data, and other user and system information. The user interface can provide a wide range of control and informational windows that can be accessed and removed individually and/or as a group by a click, touch, or gesture. In various exemplary embodiments, such windows may provide information about the user's own performance and/or the performance of other participants in the same class both past and present. The user interface can be used to access member information, login and logout of the system, access live content such as live exercise classes and archived content (referred to in the Figures as “Rides on Demand”). User information may be displayed in a variety of formats and may include historical and current performance and account information, social networking links and information, achievements, etc. The user interface can also be used to access the system to update profile or member information, manage account settings such as information sharing, and control device settings. Referring to FIGS. 5-12, a user interface 200 may be presented on the display screen 104 to allow the user to manage their experience, including selecting information to be displayed and arranging how such information is displayed on their system. The user interface may present multiple types of information overlaid such that different types of information can be selected or deselected easily by the user. For example, performance information may be displayed over video content using translucent or partially transparent elements so the video behind the information elements can be seen together with the information itself The user interface 200 may present a variety of screens to the user, which the user can move among quickly using the provided user input device, including by touching if a touchscreen is used. In various exemplary embodiments, the user interface may provide a home screen that provides basic information about the system and available options. Referring to FIG. 5, such a home screen may provide direct links to information such as scheduled classes 202, archived classes 204, a leaderboard 206, instructors 208, and/or profile and account information 210. The screen may also provide direct links to content such as a link to join a particular class 212. The user can navigate among the different screens in the user interface by selecting such links using the applicable input device such as by touching the touchscreen at the indicated location, or by swiping to bring on a new screen. The user interface may also provide other information relevant to the user such as social network information, and navigation buttons that allow the user to move quickly among the different screens in the user interface. In various exemplary embodiments, the user can select among both live and archived content. For example, if the user selects scheduled classes 202, they may be presented with a screen showing the schedule of upcoming classes. FIG. 6 shows an exemplary schedule of upcoming classes presented on the screen through the user interface 200, with classes shown like a traditional calendar. Drop-down or other display features allow users to find classes by ride type 214, instructor 216, or by any other appropriate category. The user interface 200 allows users to select future classes or to start a class that is underway or about to begin. The class schedule may be presented in any suitable format, including calendar, list, or any other appropriate layout. In various exemplary embodiments, if the user selects archived classes 204, they may be presented with a screen showing available archived classes sorted by any appropriate category. FIG. 7 shows an exemplary display of archived classes. Thumbnails or icons 218 representing archived classes may be displayed in any suitable format, and may include information on how many times the user has ridden that class in the past or other performance or class-related information. A class may be accessed by selecting a particular thumbnail or icon. Referring to FIGS. 8-10, when a class is being playing on the display screen 104 through the user interface 200, in various exemplary embodiments the primary video feed may be shown as the background video full-screen or in a sub-window on the screen. Information elements may be provided on different parts of the display screen to indicate any performance metrics, including time ridden, elapsed time, time left, distance, speed, resistance, power, total work, pedal cadence, heart rate, respiration, hydration, calorie burn, and/or any custom performance scores that may be developed. The displayed information may also include the trend or relationship between different performance metrics. For example, the display can indicate a particular metric in a color that indicates current performance compared to average performance for a class or over time, such as red to indicate that current performance is below average or green to indicate above average performance. Trends or relative performance can also be shown using color and graphics, such as a red down arrow to show that current performance is below average. FIGS. 8-10 show a primary window 220 showing the live or archived class that the user selected. In various exemplary embodiments, performance metric windows 222, 224, 226, 228, and 230 may show specific performance metrics for the user's current ride, past rides, or other performance information. Such performance metric windows may be presented anywhere on the display screen, and may be user selectable such that they can be displayed or removed by a screen touch or gesture. As shown in FIG. 8, window 222 displays distance and speed. Window 224 displays current pedal cadence, along with the user's average and maximum cadence and the class average, and an indicator arrow 232 showing whether the user's cadence is increasing or decreasing. Window 226 shows power output in watts, together with average output, maximum output, class average, and total output, along with a similar indicator arrow. Window 228 shows resistance as both a number and graphically, and window 230 shows calories burned and heart rate. The user interface may allow the user to toggle between display of maximum, average, and total results for different performance metrics. The user interface may also allow the user to hide or display information elements, including performance metrics, video streams, user information, etc. all at once or individually. Performance information can also be displayed in various display bars that can be hidden or displayed as a group or individually. The user interface may provide for complete controls for audio volume, inputs, and outputs as well as display output characteristics. A leaderboard 234 may also be displayed to allow the user to see their performance in comparison to others taking the same class. In various exemplary embodiments, a leaderboard may be configured to display the relative performance of all riders, or one or more subgroups of riders. For example, the user may be able to select a leaderboard that shows the performance of riders in a particular age group, male riders, female riders, male riders in a particular age group, riders in a particular geographic area, etc. Users may be provided with the ability to deselect the leaderboard entirely and remove it from the screen. In various exemplary embodiments, the system may incorporate various social networking aspects such as allowing the user to follow other riders, or to create groups or circles of riders. User lists and information may be accessed, sorted, filtered, and used in a wide range of different ways. For example, other users can be sorted, grouped and/or classified based on any characteristic including personal information such as age, gender, weight, or based on performance such as current power output, speed, or a custom score. The leaderboard 234 may be fully interactive, allowing the user to scroll up and down through the rider rankings, and to select a rider to access their detailed performance data, create a connection such as choosing to follow that rider, or establish direct communication such as through an audio and/or video connection. The leaderboard may also display the user's personal best performance in the same or a comparable class, to allow the user to compare their current performance to their previous personal best. The leaderboard may also highlight certain riders, such as those that the user follows, or provide other visual cues to indicate a connection or provide other information about a particular entry on the leaderboard. In various exemplary embodiments, the leaderboard will also allow the user to view their position and performance information at all times while scrolling through the leaderboard. For example, as shown in FIG. 10 if the user scrolls up toward the top of the leaderboard such as by dragging their fingers upward on the touchscreen, when the user's window reaches the bottom of the leaderboard, it will lock in position and the rest of the leaderboard will scroll underneath it. Similarly, if the user scrolls down toward the bottom of the leaderboard, when the user's window reaches the top of the leaderboard, it will lock in position and the rest of the leaderboard will continue to scroll underneath it. In various exemplary embodiments, the system calculates and displays one or more custom scores to describe one or more aspects of the users' performance. One example of such a custom score would be a decimal number calculated for a particular class or user session. Such a score could also be calculated using performance data from some or all classes or sessions over a particular period of time. In an exemplary embodiment, the custom score takes into account the amount of time ridden, total work during that time period, and number of classes in a given time period. In various exemplary embodiments, performance information about other users may be presented on the leaderboard 234 or in any other format, including formats that can be sorted by relevant performance parameters. Users may elect whether or not to make their performance available to all users, select users, and/or instructors, or to maintain it as private so that no one else can view it. In various exemplary embodiments the user interface may also present one or more video streams from a range of different sources. For example, one video stream may be the live or archived class content shown in the primary window, while one or more additional video streams may be displayed in other windows on the screen display 104. The various video streams may include live or recorded streaming instructor video or any other video content, including one or more live video chat streams. The user interface may also provide additional windows that can be used to display a range of content including additional performance data, information about the class, instructor, other riders, etc., or secondary video streams. Such additional windows can allow the user to see a range of information regarding other current or past participants to compare performance, and open or close voice or video chat streams or other communication channels. In various exemplary embodiments the user can simultaneously access other content including movies, television channels, online channels, etc. Referring to FIGS. 8 through 10, secondary window 240, 242, 244 may display a range of information and content. In FIG. 8, secondary window 240 displays the name of the user, the name of the current class and basic class information. In FIG. 9, secondary window 242 displays the name of the user and the amount of time remaining in the current class. In FIG. 10, secondary window 244 displays a video chat session, while the time remaining is displayed in a second secondary window 246. Stationary Bike Local System In various exemplary embodiments, the local system 100 comprises the stationary bike 102 and a range of associated sensing, data storage, processing, and communications components and devices either onboard the stationary bike itself or located near the stationary bike. This local system may communicate with one or more remote servers through wired or wireless connections using any suitable network or protocol. In various exemplary embodiments, the stationary bike 102 may be equipped with various sensors to measure and/or store data relating to user performance metrics such as speed, resistance, power, cadence, heart rate, hydration level, etc. The stationary bike may also be equipped with or connected to various data inputs such as touchscreens, video cameras, and/or microphones. These sensors and other inputs can communicate with local and/or remote processing and storage devices via any suitable communications protocol and network, using any suitable connection including wired or wireless connections. In various exemplary embodiments, local communication may be managed using a variety of techniques. For example, local communication may be managed using wired transport with a serial protocol to communicate between sensors and the console. Local communication may also be managed using a wireless communication protocol such as the ANT or ANT+ protocol. ANT is a 2.4 GHz practical wireless networking protocol and embedded system solution specifically designed for wireless sensor networks (WSN) that require ultra low power. Advantages include extremely compact architecture, network flexibility and scalability, ease of use and low system cost. Various combinations of wired and wireless local communication may also be used. Access to any appropriate communications network such as the interne may be used to provide information to and receive information from other stationary bikes or other resources such as a backend system or platform. In various exemplary embodiments, the local system 100 can access and display information relating to other users either directly through a distributed platform or indirectly through a central platform regardless of their location. Such other users may be present at the same location or a nearby location, or they may be at a remote location. In various exemplary embodiments, the local system 100 may include an integrated onboard computer system comprising a display screen 104, one or more processors, data storage, and communications components. The processing, data storage, and communications components may be located within housing 132 to form a single integrated onboard computer and display screen, or they may be separately housed locally on or near the stationary bike. The local system may include one or more video cameras, microphones, and/or audio outputs such as speakers or audio connectors. In various exemplary embodiments, the local system 100 receives a variety of data inputs from sensors on the stationary bike 102 or the rider, and processes and stores that data. This data can be displayed to the user as discussed above, stored locally, and/or shared via any suitable network with other local systems and/or with a central platform via any appropriate network. Referring to FIGS. 11 and 12, the user interface 200 may be used to access local system 100 data as well as data maintained remotely. In various exemplary embodiments, the user interface may present one or more windows that may display to the user information about their current or past performances 248 using a range of metrics, their achievements, 250, their position on a leaderboard as compared to a peer group 252, their planned activities 254, their social network, etc. The user interface may be implemented through a local or remote system. In various exemplary embodiments, the user interface may be run through a local program or application using the local operating system such as an Android or iOS application, or via a browser based system. Referring to FIGS. 13 and 14, such information may also be accessed remotely via any suitable network such as the internet. In various exemplary embodiments, users may be able to access a website 500 from any digital device that can provide access to a complete range of user information. Users may be able to review historical information, communicate with other riders, schedule classes, access instructor information, etc. through such a website. Content Creation and Distribution Content for delivery to users including live and archived exercise classes may be created and stored in various local or remote locations and shared across the networked exercise system. This overview of such a networked exercise system is exemplary only and it will be readily understood that the present invention can be implemented through a variety of different system architectures using centralized or distributed content creation and distribution techniques. In various exemplary embodiments, the networked exercise system is managed through one or more networked backend servers and includes various databases for storage of user information, system information, performance information, archived content, etc. Users' local systems 100 are in communication with the networked backend servers via any appropriate network, including without limitation the internet. As an example of an alternative distribution approach, in various exemplary embodiments the backend servers could be eliminated and data could be communicated throughout the system in a distributed or peer-to-peer manner rather than via a central server network. In such a system, performance data may be broken up into small packets or “pieces” and distributed among user devices such that complete data sets are quickly distributed to all devices for display as required. Content for distribution through the network can be created in a variety of different ways. Content recording locations may include professional content recording studios or amateur and home-based locations. In various exemplary embodiments, recording studios may include space for live, instructor-led, in-studio cycling classes with live studio participation or may be dedicated studios with no live, in-studio participation. Recording equipment including microphones and one or more cameras can be used to capture the instructor and/or participants during the class. Multiple cameras can provide different views and 3D cameras can be used to create 3D content. In various exemplary embodiments, content may be also be generated locally by users. For example, stationary bikes 102 may be equipped with recording equipment including microphones and cameras. Users may generate live or recorded classes that can be transmitted, stored in the system, and distributed throughout the network. Referring to FIG. 15, class content may be generated using one or more video cameras 500, an instructor microphone 502, and a music player 504 as inputs to an audio mixer 506. The audio mixer outputs content to an analog to digital converter 508, which provides converted data to a production switcher 510. The production switcher sends the production video to a video encoder 512, which stores the encoded video to a local storage device 514, and sends it to a video transcoder 516. The video transcoder outputs the transcoded data to a video packetizer 518, which then sends the packetized data stream out through the content distribution network 520 to remote system users 522. In various exemplary embodiments, instructors and/or users may be provided with access to a content creation platform that they can use to help them create content. Such a platform may provide tools for selecting and editing music, managing volume controls, pushing out chat or other communications to users. As described above, through the user interface on their stationary bike 102, users may access lists, calendars, and schedules of live and recorded cycling classes available for delivery through the display screen 104. In various exemplary embodiments, once the user selects a class, the local system accesses and displays a primary data stream for the class. This primary data stream may include video, music, voice, text, or any other data, and may represent a live or previously recorded cycling class. The local system may be equipped for hardware video accelerated encoding/decoding to manage high definition video quality at up to 1080 pixels based on existing technology. The local system may automatically adjust bitrate/quality of the data stream for the class in order to bring rider the highest quality video according to user's bandwidth/hardware limitations. In various exemplary embodiments, the networked exercise systems and methods may include multi-directional communication and data transfer capabilities that allow video, audio, voice, and data sharing among all users and/or instructors. This allows users to access and display multi-directional video and audio streams from the instructor and/or other users regardless of location, and to establish direct communications with other users to have private or conferenced video and/or audio communications during live or recorded classes. Such data streams can be established through the local system 100 for presentation via the display screen 104 the primary window or in a secondary window such as that shown in FIG. 10 at secondary window 244. In various exemplary embodiments, users can manage multiple data streams to select and control inputs and outputs. The local system may allow the user to control the volume of primary audio stream for the class as well as other audio channels for different users or even unrelated audio streams such as telephone calls or their own music selections. For example, this would allow a user to turn down the instructor volume to facilitate a conversation with other users. For live classes, in various exemplary embodiments the instructor may have the ability to communicate with the entire class simultaneously or to contact individual users, and solicit feedback from all users regardless of location in real-time. For example, instructors could ask users verbally, or text a pop-up message to users, seeking feedback on difficulty level, music choice, terrain, etc. Users could then respond through their onboard system by selecting an appropriate response, or providing verbal feedback. This allows instructors to use crowdsourcing to tailor a class to the needs of the participants, and to improve their classes by soliciting feedback or voting on particular class features or elements. In various exemplary embodiments, instructors may also be able to set performance targets, and the system can measure and display to the user and the instructor their performance relative to the target. For example, the instructor may set target metrics e.g. target power and cadence, then display this next to users' readings with a color coding to indicate whether or not the user is meeting this target. The system may allow the instructor to remotely adjust bike settings for individual users. In various exemplary embodiments, users can control access to their own information, including sensor data, performance metrics, and personal information. Such data can be held at the local system, transmitted for storage and management by a remote system and shared with other users, or stored remotely but not shared with other users. Users may also elect to disclose their presence on the system to other users, or to participate in a class without making their presence known to other users. In various exemplary embodiments, users can access a list of all or selected current and/or past class participants. Such lists may include performance information for such users, such as total power, speed, cadence, resistance, or a custom score that provides information about relative user performance. Such lists may also include controls to allow the user to open up live streams to the user such as live video chat streams. System Features and User Resources In various exemplary embodiments, the networked exercise system and methods may allow users to create accounts and save and manage their performance data. As discussed above, the system may allow users to browse schedules for upcoming live classes, signup for future live streaming classes, and setup reminders. Users may also be able to invite others to participate in a live class, and setup text, email, voice, or other notifications and calendar entries. Users may be able to access system, account, performance, and all other data via web-based or application based interfaces for desktop and/or mobile devices, in addition to the user interface for the local system 100 associated with their stationary bike 102. In various exemplary embodiments, the system can provide for simultaneous participation by multiple users in a recorded class, synchronized by the system and allowing access to all of the same communication and data sharing features that are available for a live class. With such a feature, the riders simultaneously participating in the same archived class can compete against each other, as well as against past performances or “ghost” riders for the same class. Referring to FIGS. 16-17, the system may be configured to feed synchronized live and/or archived video content and live and/or archived sensor data to users over the network. In various exemplary embodiments, the networked exercise system may be configured with a plurality of user bikes 400 in communication with a video chat platform 402, a video content distribution network 404 that receives audio video content from one or more content sources 406. The user bikes 400 may also be in communication with various other networks and servers. For example, the user bikes 400 may exchange sensor and performance data and/or signaling with various databases 408, including historical or “ghost bike” data. A control station may provide signals via the network to control the collection, storage, and management of data across the system. One challenge for the use of comparative data from live and/or historical sources is synchronization, since some users may start riding prior to the start of the actual class, while others may join after the class has started. In order to provide accurate data regarding class performance for the leaderboard, including archived performance data, each class may have a specific “go” or start signal that serves as the starting time point for the data comparison. Archived performance data may be calibrated to the same “go” signal as live participant data, allowing for comparative data to be presented through a leaderboard or other display through the end of the class. A “stop” signal at the end of the class marks the end time point for the performance comparison for both live and archived performance data. If a rider joins the class after the “go” signal, their data can be synched correctly starting at the time they join the ride. FIG. 17 shows various events relative to time, which is increasing from left to right on the scale at the bottom. The timeline for the class itself, whether live or archived, is shown at the top, with timelines for four different riders below it. The video being delivered for a live or archived class may begin before the actual class starts at the video start point 420. The GO signal point 422 indicates the start of the class or the class's comparison period, the STOP signal point 424 indicates the end of the class or the end of the class's comparison period, and the end video point 426 indicates the end of the video stream. For Riders 1, 2, and 4, who all start riding before the GO signal point, the GO signal serves as their starting time point for class performance metrics. For Rider 3, the point in time when they actually start will serve as their starting time point for class performance metrics. For Riders 1, 2, and 3 who continued past the STOP signal point, their end point for class performance metrics will be the STOP signal point, while the end point for Rider 4 will be the time when they actually stopped riding. Using such a system, live and past performance (ghost bike) data for the user or other participants can be provided during a class in a range of numerical and graphical formats for comparison and competition. Live and past performance data or target performance data for the user can also be displayed simultaneously to allow users to compare their performance to a benchmark in real time during or after a class. In various exemplary embodiments, the system may also allow users to establish handicapping systems to equalize the competition among different users or user groups allowing for broad based competitions. In an exemplary embodiment, the system may use information provided by users to target advertising to users both during rides and during any other activities across any platforms. Advertising can be targeted based on personal data, performance characteristics, music choices, or any other data gathered by the system. For example, users that provide positive feedback about a particular music choice may be targeted for future music releases by the same or similar artists. In various exemplary embodiments, the system may include a unique identifier on each bike to allow the system or user to track metrics on bike. This information could be used to user identification, or for maintenance, location, etc. In various exemplary embodiments, the system may also be configured to provide for closed classes. This would allow for a private instructor to work with an individual or small group, or for a group of users to ride together with or without an instructor. In various exemplary embodiments, users can log in and/or access the system and account information via any appropriate communication technology including without limitation NFC, Bluetooth, WAN, etc. Users can also be provided with a cardkey, FOB, or other device or the stationary bike can provided with facial recognition or voice recognition technology that automatically logs the user in and accesses their account information. Users can login from their home stationary bike or from any other bike that can access the system. Thus, while traveling a user can still access their complete account history, all content, and all features from any networked stationary bike such as at a hotel, a gym, or a cycling studio in a different location. In various exemplary embodiments, a mobile application may allow users on non-networked stationary bikes to access the system via a mobile digital device such as a tablet computer or mobile phone and access content, live streams, and other system features. The mobile device could access the system via any appropriate network using a dedicated application or browser. In various exemplary embodiments, one or more secondary display screens may be used by the system to display class content. Using a device such as CHROMECAST or a similar integrated device to enable it to display content provided by the system through the user interface, a secondary display screen may be used to display class content or other content provided by the system. The user interface could automatically detect the availability of such an enabled device and allow the user to select the display screen for particular content. Gamification The interactive features of various aspects of the invention provide for a wide range of different ways to gamify the user experience. Various types of rewards and honors can be created for different achievements to create incentives for improving performance or reaching other goals. In various exemplary embodiments, the instructor or users can create mini-competitions for participation by all users or just a selected subset of users such as a group of friends. Competitions such as sprints, hill climbs, maximum power output, etc. can be preset or created in real-time through the user interface. Winners can be rewarded with prizes such as badges, trophies, or biking specific honors such as a green or yellow jersey. Competitions can be created within a class or session, or across multiple classes or sessions like multi-stage bicycle races. A wide range of direct competitions can be created between and among users, with the different performance characteristics of different bikes calibrated and normalized to account for differences in bikes based on different riders. In various exemplary embodiments, the system provides locations or technologies to validate stationary bikes to assure that the bikes in a particular competition are properly calibrated and normalized to establish a level playing field. Other games can be created to encourage exploration of different types of classes based on user characteristics, such as awarding badges or other honors for completion of a variety of different types of classes or classes led by different instructors. In various exemplary embodiments the instructors, including both professional and amateur instructors, may share in the revenues generated by or attributed to their classes based on number of participants or any other metric. | <SOH> BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION <EOH> | <SOH> SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION <EOH>A method for displaying live and archived cycling classes, in various embodiments comprising displaying information about available live and archived cycling classes that can be accessed by a first user using a first stationary bike via a digital communication network on a display screen at a first location, whereby the first user can select either a live cycling class or select among a plurality of archived cycling classes. Receiving from the first user a selection of one of the available live or archived cycling classes, outputting digital video and audio content comprising the selected cycling class at the first location to the first user, detecting a plurality of performance parameters from the first stationary bike at the first location at a particular point in the selected cycling class, displaying at least one of the plurality of performance parameters detected from the first stationary bike at the first location on the display screen, and displaying at least one of a plurality of performance parameters from a second stationary bike at a second location on the display screen at the first location such that at least one of the performance parameters from the first stationary bike at the particular point in the selected cycling class and at least one of the performance parameters from the second stationary bike at the same point in the selected cycling class are presented for comparison on the display screen at the first location. In various exemplary embodiments, the digital video and audio content are output in substantially in real-time. In various exemplary embodiments, the digital video and audio content are archived content provided from a database. In various exemplary embodiments, further comprising presenting the performance parameters in a secondary window. In various exemplary embodiments, the performance parameters include pedal cadence, power output, or heartrate. In various exemplary embodiments, further comprising receiving video chat data from a server for display to the user on the display screen at the first location. A method for displaying live and archived cycling classes comprising displaying information about available live and archived cycling classes that can be accessed by a first user using a first stationary bike via a digital communication network on a display screen at a first location, whereby the first user can select either a live cycling class or select among a plurality of archived cycling classes, receiving from the first user a selection of one of the available live or archived cycling classes, outputting digital video and audio content comprising the selected cycling class at the first location to the first user, detecting a plurality of performance parameters from the first stationary bike at the first location at a particular point in the selected cycling class, displaying at least one of the plurality of performance parameters detected from the first stationary bike at the first location on the display screen, and displaying at least one of a plurality of performance parameters from each of a plurality of other stationary bikes at a plurality of other locations on the display screen at the first location such that at least one of the performance parameters from the first stationary bike at the particular point in the selected cycling class and at least one of the performance parameters from the plurality of other stationary bikes at the same point in the selected cycling class are presented for comparison on the display screen at the first location. In various exemplary embodiments, the digital video and audio content are output in substantially in real-time. In various exemplary embodiments, the digital video and audio content are archived content provided from a database. In various exemplary embodiments, further comprising presenting the performance parameters in a secondary window. In various exemplary embodiments, the performance parameters include pedal cadence, power output, or heartrate. In various exemplary embodiments, further comprising receiving video chat data from a server for display to the user on the display screen at the first location. | A63B240075 | 20180108 | 20180717 | 20180510 | 77578.0 | A63B2400 | 2 | RICHMAN, GLENN E | EXERCISE SYSTEM AND METHOD | SMALL | 1 | CONT-ACCEPTED | A63B | 2,018 |
15,865,958 | PENDING | SYSTEM FOR DISTRIBUTING METADATA EMBEDDED IN VIDEO | A method, non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, and reception apparatus for extracting metadata, and an information providing apparatus for providing the metadata. The method for extracting metadata includes processing, by circuitry of the reception apparatus, content that includes the metadata embedded therein. The metadata is embedded as a watermark in a first portion of a video frame of the content. The circuitry determines symbol values of the watermark from the video frame based on luminance values in pixels of the first portion of the video frame of the content to extract the metadata. At least one of the luminance values is less than 16. | 1: (canceled) 2: A method of a reception apparatus for extracting metadata, the method comprising: processing, by circuitry of the reception apparatus, content that includes the metadata embedded therein, the metadata being embedded as a watermark in a video frame of the content; and detecting, by the circuitry, symbol values of the watermark embedded in the video frame based on luminance values in pixels of the video frame of the content and based on at least one predetermined luminance value threshold, wherein at least one of the luminance values in the pixels of the video frame corresponding to symbol values of the watermark is less than a value corresponding to black. 3: The method according to claim 2, wherein the same watermark is embedded in a plurality of consecutive video frames of the content. 4: The method according to claim 2, further comprising: detecting a predetermined fixed pattern of symbol values based on luminance values in pixels of the video frame of the content, wherein the step of detecting detects the symbol values when the predetermined fixed pattern is detected to extract the metadata. 5: The method according to claim 2, wherein the step of determining further comprises: averaging, for each subset of the pixels making up one of the symbol values, the luminance values; and detecting the symbol values based on the averaged luminance values. 6: The method according to claim 2, wherein each of the symbol values has one of two possible values and the predetermined luminance value threshold delineates ranges of luminance values detected as each of the two possible values. 7: The method according to claim 2, wherein each of the symbol values has one of four possible values and the at least one predetermined luminance value threshold includes three luminance value thresholds delineating ranges of luminance values detected as each of the four possible values. 8: The method according to claim 2, wherein the same watermark is encoded entirely within luminance values of at least one of line 1 and line 2 of the video frame of the content and the watermark is not encoded in any other lines of the video frame. 9: A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a program, which when executed by a computer causes the computer to perform a method of a reception apparatus for extracting metadata, the method comprising: processing content that includes the metadata embedded therein, the metadata being embedded as a watermark in a video frame of the content; and detecting symbol values of the watermark embedded in the video frame based on luminance values in pixels of the video frame of the content and based on at least one predetermined luminance value threshold, wherein at least one of the luminance values in the pixels of the video frame corresponding to symbol values of the watermark is less than a value corresponding to black. 10: A reception apparatus, comprising: a memory; and a processing unit that, according to instructions loaded from the memory, processes content that includes metadata embedded therein, the metadata being embedded as a watermark in a video frame of the content; and detects symbol values of the watermark embedded in the video frame based on luminance values in pixels of the video frame of the content and based on at least one predetermined luminance value threshold, wherein at least one of the luminance values in the pixels of the video frame corresponding to symbol values of the watermark is less than a value corresponding to black. 11: The reception apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the same watermark is embedded in a plurality of consecutive video frames of the content. 12: The reception apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the processing unit: detects a predetermined fixed pattern of symbol values based on luminance values in pixels of the video frame of the content; and detects the symbol values when the predetermined fixed pattern is detected to extract the metadata. 13: The reception apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the processing unit: averages, for each subset of the pixels making up one of the symbol values, the luminance values; and detects the symbol values based on the averaged luminance values. 14: The reception apparatus according to claim 10, wherein each of the symbol values has one of two possible values and the predetermined luminance value threshold delineates ranges of luminance values detected as each of the two possible values. 15: The reception apparatus according to claim 10, wherein each of the symbol values has one of four possible values and the at least one predetermined luminance value threshold includes three luminance value thresholds delineating ranges of luminance values detected as each of the four possible values. 16: The reception apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the same watermark is entirely encoded within luminance values of at least line 1 and line 2 of the video frame of the content and the watermark is not encoded in any other lines of the video frame. 17: An information providing apparatus, comprising: a memory; and a processing unit that, according to instructions loaded from the memory, receives or retrieves content to be provided to a reception apparatus, embeds metadata in a video frame of the content, the metadata being embedded as a watermark in a video frame of the content, and provides the content to the reception apparatus, wherein the metadata is extracted by the reception apparatus based on luminance values in pixels of the video frame of the content and based on at least one predetermined luminance value threshold, wherein at least one of the luminance values in the pixels of the video frame corresponding to symbol values of the watermark is less than a value corresponding to black. 18: The information providing apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the same watermark is embedded in a plurality of consecutive video frames of the content. 19: The information providing apparatus according to claim 17, wherein each of the symbol values has one of two possible values and the predetermined luminance value threshold delineates ranges of luminance values detected as each of the two possible values. 20: The information providing apparatus according to claim 17, wherein each of the symbol values has one of four possible values and the at least one predetermined luminance value threshold includes three luminance value thresholds delineating ranges of luminance values detected as each of the four possible values. | CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 14/741,168, filed Jun. 16, 2015, which is based upon and claims the benefit of priority from U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/135,246, filed on Mar. 19, 2015; the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention Embodiments described herein relate generally to a method, non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, and reception apparatus for extracting metadata; and a method, non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, and an information providing apparatus for providing the metadata. Background Implementing effective methods for distribution of metadata within digital television systems is a significant consideration for designers and manufacturers of contemporary electronic entertainment systems. However, effectively implementing such systems may create substantial challenges for system designers. For example, enhanced demands for increased system functionality and performance may require more capabilities and require additional hardware and software resources. Impediments to the effective delivery of metadata in advanced systems may result in a corresponding detrimental economic impact due to operational inefficiencies, lost revenue opportunities, and reduced functionality. Furthermore, enhanced system capability to perform various advanced operations can offer additional benefits to the end user, but may also place increased demands on the control and management of various system components. For example, an enhanced electronic system that effectively supports synchronized television widget functionality may benefit from methods providing flexible carriage of the data stream supporting this functionality. Due to growing demands on system resources and substantially increasing data magnitudes, it is apparent that developing new techniques for implementing and utilizing data distribution through digital television systems is a matter of concern for related electronic technologies. Therefore, for all the foregoing reasons, developing effective systems for implementing and utilizing data distribution through digital television systems remains a significant consideration for designers, manufacturers, and users of contemporary electronic entertainment systems. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to embedding metadata in a portion of video data. According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, there is provided a method of a reception apparatus for extracting metadata. The method includes processing, by circuitry of the reception apparatus, content that includes the metadata embedded therein, the metadata being embedded as a watermark in a first portion of a video frame of the content. Symbol values of the watermark embedded in the video frame are determined by the circuitry based on luminance values in pixels of the first portion of the video frame of the content to extract the metadata. Further, at least one of the luminance values is less than 16. Further, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, there is provided a non-transitory computer readable medium storing a program, which when executed by a computer causes the computer to perform a method of a reception apparatus for extracting metadata. The method includes processing content that includes the metadata embedded therein, the metadata being embedded as a watermark in a first portion of a video frame of the content. Symbol values of the watermark embedded in the video frame are determined based on luminance values in pixels of the first portion of the video frame of the content to extract the metadata. Further, at least one of the luminance values is less than 16. Further, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, there is provided a reception apparatus including circuitry configured to process content that includes the metadata embedded therein, the metadata being embedded as a watermark in a first portion of a video frame of the content. The circuitry determines symbol values of the watermark embedded in the video frame based on luminance values in pixels of the first portion of the video frame of the content to extract the metadata. Further, at least one of the luminance values is less than 16. Further, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, there is provided an information providing apparatus including circuitry configured to receive or retrieve content to be provided to a reception apparatus. The circuitry embeds metadata in a video frame of the content, the metadata being embedded as a watermark in a first portion of a video frame of the content. Further, the circuitry provides the content to the reception apparatus. Symbol values of the watermark are represented by luminance values in pixels of the first portion of the video frame of the content. Further, at least one of the luminance values is less than 16. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS A more complete appreciation of the present disclosure and many of the attendant advantages thereof will be readily obtained as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein: FIG. 1A is a block diagram of an electronic system, in accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure; FIG. 1B is a diagram of a display from the television of FIG. 1A, in accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure; FIG. 2 is a block diagram for one embodiment of the content source of FIG. 1A, in accordance with the present disclosure; FIG. 3 is a block diagram for one embodiment of the source memory of FIG. 2, in accordance with the present disclosure; FIG. 4 is a block diagram for one embodiment of the metadata of FIG. 3, in accordance with the present disclosure; FIG. 5 is a block diagram for one embodiment of the television from FIG. 1A, in accordance with the present disclosure; FIG. 6 is a block diagram for one embodiment of the TV memory from FIG. 5, in accordance with the present disclosure: FIGS. 7A and 7B are diagrams of metadata embedded in video data, in accordance with two different embodiments of the present disclosure; and FIGS. 8A-8I are a flowchart of method steps for distributing and/or extracting metadata, in accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 9 illustrates an example of luminance encoding; FIG. 10 illustrates an exemplary information providing apparatus; and FIG. 11 is an exemplary computer. DETAILED DESCRIPTION While the present disclosure is susceptible of embodiment in many different forms, there is shown in the drawings and will herein be described in detail specific embodiments, with the understanding that the present disclosure of such embodiments is to be considered as an example of the principles and not intended to limit the present disclosure to the specific embodiments shown and described. In the description below, like reference numerals are used to describe the same, similar or corresponding parts in the several views of the drawings. The terms “a” or “an”, as used herein, are defined as one or more than one. The term “plurality”, as used herein, is defined as two or more than two. The term “another”, as used herein, is defined as at least a second or more. The terms “including” and/or “having”, as used herein, are defined as comprising (i.e., open language). The term “coupled”, as used herein, is defined as connected, although not necessarily directly, and not necessarily mechanically. The term “program” or “computer program” or similar terms, as used herein, is defined as a sequence of instructions designed for execution on a computer system. A “program”, or “computer program”, may include a subroutine, a program module, a script, a function, a procedure, an object method, an object implementation, in an executable application, an applet, a servlet, a source code, an object code, a shared library/dynamic load library and/or other sequence of instructions designed for execution on a computer system. The term “program”, as used herein, may also be used in a second context (the above definition being for the first context). In the second context, the term is used in the sense of a “television program”. In this context, the term is used to mean any coherent sequence of audio/video content such as those which would be interpreted as and reported in an electronic program guide (EPG) as a single television program, without regard for whether the content is a movie, sporting event, segment of a multi-part series, news broadcast, etc. The term may also be interpreted to encompass commercial spots and other program-like content which may not be reported as a program in an EPG. Reference throughout this document to “one embodiment”, “certain embodiments”, “an embodiment”, “an implementation”, “an example” or similar terms means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the present disclosure. Thus, the appearances of such phrases or in various places throughout this specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment. Furthermore, the particular features, structures, or characteristics may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments without limitation. The term “or” as used herein is to be interpreted as an inclusive or meaning any one or any combination. Therefore, “A, B or C” means “any of the following: A; B; C; A and B; A and C; B and C; A, B and C”. An exception to this definition will occur only when a combination of elements, functions, steps or acts are in some way inherently mutually exclusive. Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to embedding metadata in video data. The metadata is embedded as a watermark in the video data. Although the present disclosure is primarily described using a watermark embedded in line 1 of a video frame, the watermark may be embedded in other lines or other predetermined portions of the frame. The present disclosure is described herein as a system and method for distributing metadata embedded in video data, and includes a content source that embeds the metadata into the video data. The content source then encodes the video data together with the metadata to create a distribution multiplex including compressed video data. A decoder receives and decompresses the distribution multiplex to reproduce the video data with the metadata embedded. A television or other viewing device then detects and extracts the metadata from the video data. The television or other device processes the metadata data to receive information that, for example, allows the viewing device to identify a channel currently being watched and recognize a channel change; to identify the content being viewed, including short content such as interstitials; to discover a location for accessing additional information about the content (e.g., a URL of a remote server); to identify the temporal location within the content being rendered, ideally to a level of per sample or access unit accuracy; and/or to receive a time-sensitive event trigger in real time. Referring now to FIG. 1A, a block diagram of an electronic system 110 is shown, in accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure. In the FIG. 1A embodiment, the electronic system 110 may include, but is not limited to, a content source 114, a set-top box 118, an interface 126, a television 122, an optional network 134, and an optional server 130. In alternate embodiments, the electronic system 110 may be implemented using components and configurations in addition to, or instead of, certain of those components and configurations discussed in conjunction with the FIG. 1A embodiment. For example, any number of televisions 122 may be similarly deployed in the electronic system 110. In addition, the network 134 and the server 130 may not be included in all embodiments of the present disclosure. In the FIG. 1A embodiment, the content source 114 may be implemented as one or more electronic devices or other entities that prepare and distribute content data, including video data and audio data, for reproduction by the television 122. In the FIG. 1A embodiment, the content source 114 may be implemented as any appropriate entity. For example, content source 114 may include a television broadcasting facility, a cable television distribution facility, a satellite television distribution facility, or an Internet server entity. Additional details regarding the implementation and utilization of the content source 114 are further discussed below in conjunction with FIGS. 2-4. In the FIG. 1A embodiment, the content source 114 creates an encoded distribution multiplex containing the content data in a compressed format, and then distributes the distribution multiplex through a distribution network via path 116 (e.g., a terrestrial television broadcast channel, cable TV network, satellite broadcast channel, etc.) to a decoder device. In the FIG. 1A embodiment, the decoder device is implemented in a set-top box 118. However, in other embodiments, the decoder device may be implemented as any appropriate entity, either external to, or integral with, the television 122. In certain embodiments, additional devices or entities may be interposed between the content source 114 and the set-top box 118. Examples of such entities may include, but are not limited to, a broadcast network affiliate and a service provider (such as a satellite or cable head-end). In the FIG. 1A embodiment, the set-top box 118 decodes the encoded distribution multiplex to generate uncompressed A/V data (video data and audio data) that is provided to the television 122 via an appropriate interface 126. In the FIG. 1A embodiment, the interface 126 may be implemented in any effective manner. For example, the interface 126 may be implemented according to a High Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI) standard that provides a high-speed parallel interface to deliver uncompressed video data and audio data, and/or control/timing signals to the television 122. The television 122 may then responsively receive and reproduce the video data and audio data for utilization by a system user. Additional details regarding the implementation and utilization of television 122 are further discussed below in conjunction with FIGS. 5-6. In the FIG. 1A embodiment, the electronic system 110 supports additional services related to the main content data. The additional services include Declarative Objects (DOs), also referred to as applications, for providing the user's interactive experience. DOs and other additional services are described in ATSC Candidate Standard: Interactive Services Standard A/105:2014 (S13-2-389r7, Rev. 7-24 Apr. 2014), which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. DOs may include discrete areas that are displayed on the television 122 to provide any desired type of information. Additional details regarding the DOs are further provided below in conjunction with FIG. 1B. In the FIG. 1A embodiment, the electronic system 110 advantageously supports synchronized DOs that provide information that is related (synchronized) to the main content data that is currently being displayed on television 122. In order to successfully support synchronized DOs (e.g., triggered declarative objects (TDOs)), the electronic system 110 also provides certain types of metadata (e.g., triggers, TDO Parameters Table (TPT), etc.) to the television 122. A TDO is a downloadable software object created by a content provider, content creator, or other service provider types, which includes declarative content (e.g., text, graphics, descriptive markup, scripts, and/or audio) whose function is tied in some way to the content it accompanies. An embodiment of the TDO is described in the ATSC Candidate Standard A/105:2014. However, the TDO is not limited to the structure described in the ATSC Candidate Standard since many attributes defined therein as being a part of a TDO could be situated in a trigger or vice versa or not present at all depending upon the function and triggering of a particular TDO. The TDO is generally considered as “declarative” content to distinguish it from “executable” content such as a Java applet or an application that runs on an operating system platform. Although the TDO is usually considered to be a declarative object, a TDO player (e.g., the DO Engine) supports a scripting language that is an object-oriented programming language (e.g., JavaScript). The TDOs, in examples shown herein, are received from a content or service provider, via for example the server 130, in advance of the time they are executed so that the TDO is available when needed. Moreover, an explicit trigger signal may not be necessary and a TDO may be self-triggering or triggered by some action other than receipt of a trigger signal. Various standards bodies may define associated behaviors, appearances, trigger actions, and transport methods for content and metadata for a TDO. Additionally, requirements regarding timing accuracy of TDO behaviors relative to audio/video may be defined by standards bodies. In one embodiment, the trigger can be considered to include three parts, two being required and the third being optional: <domain name part>/<directory path>[?<parameters>]. The <domain name part> references a registered Internet domain name. The <directory path> is an arbitrary character string identifying a directory path under the control and management of the entity who owns rights to the identified domain name. In the TDO model, the combination of <domain name part> and <directory path> shall uniquely identify a TPT that can be processed by a receiver to add interactivity to the associated content. In the direct execution model, the combination of <domain name part> and <directory path> shall uniquely identify the DO to be launched. The <parameters> portion of the trigger is optional. When present, it can convey one or more parameters associated with the trigger. An exemplary trigger is xbc.tv/e12. The trigger is a data object, which is optionally bound to a particular item or segment of content (e.g., a television program) that references a specific TDO instance, by the use of a file name or identifier for an object that has already been or is to be downloaded. Certain TDOs will only make sense in conjunction with certain content. An example is a TDO that collects viewer response data, such as voting on a game show or contest. The TPT contains metadata about a TDO of a content segment and defines one or more events for the TDO. The events of the TDO may be triggered based on a current timing of the content being reproduced or by a reference to one or more events contained in one or more triggers. For example, one or more parameters associated with a trigger may be provided to the television 122 in the TPT. While a trigger indicates that the time is right for the TDO to perform a certain action, a series of timed actions can be played out without a trigger, for example by using the TPT. The TPT, or a separate Activation Messages Table (AMT), optionally provides timing information for various interactive events relative to “media time.” Each item of interactive content has a timeline for its play out; an instant of time on this timeline is called media time. For example, a 30-minute program may have an interactive event at media time ten minutes, 41 seconds, and 2 frames from the beginning of the program, or media time 10:41+02. The TPT can include an entry indicating the details of the event that is to occur at time 10:41+02. Once the reception apparatus 20 determines the current timing relative to the start of the program, it can use the TPT, and optionally the AMT, to play out all subsequent events. The television 122 may obtain the metadata from any appropriate source including, but not limited to, the content source 114 or the server 130. In the FIG. 1A embodiment, the television 122 may communicate with the server 130 via any effective network 134 including, but not limited to, the Internet. Additional details regarding the creation, distribution, and utilization of metadata are further discussed below in conjunction with FIGS. 4, 7, and 8. The present disclosure generally involves embedding metadata in a video signal so that the metadata may be quickly and easily recovered by receiving devices like the television 122. In certain embodiments, the content source 114 inserts metadata within a distributed video signal so that the metadata travels through the distribution chain, comes into a consumer's home via a compressed interface (from a cable, satellite, or IPTV service provider), is de-compressed in the set-top box 118, and then travels to the television 122 in an uncompressed format, where the television 122 retrieves and utilizes the embedded metadata to support the additional services, such as synchronized DOs. The foregoing techniques can circumvent service providers or other entities from intentionally or unintentionally blocking the consumer's access to the metadata that is required to provide enhanced functionality to television 122. Certain cable, satellite, and IPTV entities typically provide system users with set-top boxes that are interfaced to digital televisions via HDMI uncompressed video interfaces or other appropriate means. If a content owner wishes to include metadata (such as a URL, applet, etc.) with the content data, and if that metadata travels with the content data as a separate digital stream (or as metadata within the compressed bit stream), the metadata will be blocked at the set-top box 118. Typically, the set-top box 114 does not pass ancillary data streams in the distribution multiplex, because the set-top box decodes only audio data and video data, and then passes only the uncompressed video data and audio data across to the television. Ancillary data streams are therefore unavailable to the television. Further, if service providers (those offering the set-top boxes) perceive that providing access to any ancillary data is competitive to their business model, they may not be inclined to help the consumer electronics industry by providing such access. By embedding metadata within the video data, the metadata survives compression/decompression and is able to arrive intact at the television 122. Further, in embodiments of the present disclosure, the metadata is embedded as a watermark in a manner that addresses its visibility. In other words, the present disclosure advantageously embeds metadata within the video signal (encoded within the video image, not as a separate ancillary data stream) in a manner that decreases visibility to a viewer. The present disclosure therefore not only successfully overcomes the architectural roadblock discussed above, but also limits visibility of the embedded watermark to avoid possible distraction to the viewer. The implementation and utilization of the electronic system 110 illustrated in FIG. 1A is further discussed below in conjunction with FIGS. 1B-8. Referring now to FIG. 1B, a diagram of a display 138 from the television 122 of FIG. 1A is shown, in accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure. The FIG. 1B embodiment is presented for purposes of illustration, and in alternate embodiments, the display 138 may be implemented using components and configurations in addition to, or instead of, certain of those components and configurations discussed in conjunction with the FIG. 1B embodiment. In the FIG. 1B embodiment, the display 138 includes a main screen region that typically displays video data provided by the content source 114 (FIG. 1A). In the FIG. 1B embodiment, the display 138 also includes a DO 144 that resides in a discrete area displayed on the display 138 to provide any desired type of additional information. In various different embodiments, the DO 144 may be implemented in any desired shape or size, and may be displayed in any appropriate location. Furthermore, any desired number of different DOs are equally contemplated, including the possibility of multiple DOs on the display at any given time. In the FIG. 1B embodiment, the display 138 supports synchronized DOs that function to provide information that is related (synchronized) to the video data that is currently being displayed on the display 138. For example, the DO 144 may be utilized to display financial information of specific relevance to the viewer (e.g., his/her investment portfolio) during a television program regarding economic news or investment topics. In another example, the DO 144 may be utilized during a televised automobile race to display relevant information or statistics regarding specific race car drivers, race cars, or automobile racing in general. Additional details regarding the implementation and utilization of synchronized DOs 144 is further discussed below in conjunction with FIGS. 2-8. Referring now to FIG. 2, a block diagram for one embodiment of the FIG. 1A content source 114 is shown, in accordance with the present disclosure. In the FIG. 2 embodiment, the content source 114 may include, but is not limited to, a central processing unit (CPU) 212, a source memory 220, and input/output interfaces (I/O interfaces) 224. In alternate embodiments, the content source 114 may be implemented using components and configurations in addition to, or instead of, those components and configurations discussed in conjunction with the FIG. 2 embodiment. In addition, the content source 114 may alternately be implemented as any other desired type of electronic device or entity. In the FIG. 2 embodiment, the CPU 212 may be implemented to include any appropriate and compatible microprocessor device(s) that preferably execute software instructions to thereby control and manage the operation of the content source 114. In the FIG. 2 embodiment, the source memory 220 may be implemented to include any combination of desired storage devices, including, but not limited to, read-only memory (ROM), random-access memory (RAM), and various types of non-volatile memory, such as floppy disks or hard disks. The contents and functionality of the source memory 220 are further discussed below in conjunction with FIGS. 3 and 4. In the FIG. 2 embodiment, the I/O interfaces 224 may include one or more input and/or output interfaces to receive and/or transmit any required types of information for the content source 114. For example, in the FIG. 2 embodiment, the content source 114 may utilize the I/O interfaces 224 to communicate with other entities in the electronic system 110 (FIG. 1A). Furthermore, a system user may utilize the I/O interfaces 224 to communicate with the content source 114 by utilizing any appropriate and effective techniques. Additional details regarding the content source 114 are further discussed below in conjunction with FIGS. 3-4. Referring now to FIG. 3, a block diagram for one embodiment of the FIG. 2 source memory 220 is shown, in accordance with the present disclosure. In the FIG. 3 embodiment, the source memory 220 includes, but is not limited to, one or more source applications 312, video data 316, audio data 318, an encoder 320, metadata 322, a metadata manager 324, and miscellaneous information 328. In alternate embodiments, the source memory 220 may include components in addition to, or instead of, those components discussed in conjunction with the FIG. 3 embodiment. In the FIG. 3 embodiment, the source application(s) 312 may include program instructions that are preferably executed by the CPU 212 (FIG. 2) to perform various functions and operations for the content source 114. The particular nature and functionality of the source application(s) 312 preferably varies depending upon factors such as the specific type and particular functionality of the corresponding content source 114. In the FIG. 3 embodiment, the video data 316 may include any appropriate information or data for display on, or for processing within, the television 122 (FIG. 1A). Similarly, the audio data 318 may include any appropriate information or data for reproduction by television 122 (FIG. 1A). In the FIG. 3 embodiment, the encoder 320 is configured to convert the video data 316 and the audio data 318 into a compressed distribution multiplex for distribution to television 122. In the FIG. 3 embodiment, the metadata manager 324 coordinates and manages various functions for creating the metadata 322, and embedding the metadata 322 as an integral part of the video data 316, in accordance with the present disclosure. The miscellaneous information 328 may include any additional information for utilization by the content source 114. In the FIG. 3 embodiment, the present disclosure is disclosed and discussed as being implemented primarily as software. However, in alternate embodiments, some or all of the functions of the present disclosure may be performed by appropriate electronic hardware circuits that are configured for performing various functions that are equivalent to those functions of the software modules discussed herein. Additional details regarding the functionality of the metadata manager 324 and the metadata 322 are further discussed below in conjunction with FIGS. 4, 7, and 8. Referring now to FIG. 4, a block diagram of the FIG. 3 metadata 322 is shown, in accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure. In the FIG. 4 embodiment, the metadata 322 may include, but is not limited to, trigger data 412, DO content 416, synchronization (sync) data 418, content identification (ID) data 420, pointer data 422, and miscellaneous information 424. In alternate embodiments, the metadata 322 may be implemented using various components and functionalities in addition to, or instead of, those components and functionalities discussed in conjunction with the FIG. 4 embodiment. In the FIG. 4 embodiment, trigger data 412 may include any type of information for controlling processes related to the DO 144 (FIG. 1B). For example, the trigger data 412 may include, but is not limited to, data that defines the DO 144 with respect to visual appearance and behavior, information presented by a DO (such as readout values), DO graphical states (such as colors, levels, or settings), and optimal DO location, shape, size, and display times. In certain embodiments, the trigger data 412 contains one or more triggers that perform various timing-related signaling functions in support of interactive services, as defined in ATSC Candidate Standard A/105:2014, as referenced above. In the FIG. 4 embodiment, the DO content 416 may include any content data for display in the DO 144. In certain embodiments, The DO content 416 may alternately be obtained from sources or entities other than the metadata 322. In the FIG. 4 embodiment, the synchronization (sync) data 418 may include any appropriate means for allowing the television 122 to detect the metadata 322 while it is embedded in video data 316. In certain embodiments, the sync data 418 may include a pre-defined identification pattern that indicates the specific location of the metadata 322 within video data 316. In the FIG. 4 embodiment, metadata 322 may be encoded within video by use of the luminance (brightness) values of the video. For example, on one video line, each set of a predetermined number of pixels (e.g. 8) may be encoded with one “symbol,” wherein the luminance value of each pixel is set to one of four values (e.g., 0-3). In this case, each symbol carries two bits of information. In other embodiments, each set of pixels may be set to one of two levels (e.g., 0 or 1). In that case, each symbol carries one bit of information. In one embodiment, a predetermined number of symbols (e.g., 8 or 16) is used to define a predetermined run-in pattern that is used to indicate whether a video frame is marked. For example, in an embodiment where each pixel is set to one of four values, the first eight symbols may be set to a fixed pattern, [3, 3, 0, 0, 2, 1, 3, 0], to allow a detector to quickly identify whether or not the video includes a watermark. When each symbol corresponds to I-bit, the fixed pattern could be [1, 1, 1, 1, 0, 0, 0, 0, 1, 0, 0, 1, 0, 1, 1, 0] with the number of symbols increased (e.g., to 16). Further, different run-in patterns may be used for different protocol versions such that backwards compatibility may be achieved by assuring that implementations of the 1.0 version discard any data not including the version 1.0 run-in pattern. In the FIG. 4 embodiment, the content ID data 420 may include any appropriate information for identifying the specific content of a given corresponding program. In one embodiment, the content ID data 420 may include an International Standard Audio-Visual Number (ISAN) number as an identifier. In another embodiment, the content ID data 420 may include an Entertainment Industry Data Registry (EIDR) code and/or a media time. For example, the content ID data 420 may include a content ID message that is designed to carry a 12-byte EIDR code and a 2-byte media time. Exemplary bitstream syntax of the Content ID message is as follows: Syntax No. of Bits Format content_id_message( ) { table_id 8 0x01 table_length 8 uimsbf EIDR 96 uimsbf media_time 16 uimsbf CRC_32 32 uimsbf } table_id—Set to value 0x01. Identifies the data to follow as a content_id_message( ). table_length—Indicates the number of bytes to follow to the end of the CRC. In this case the value is 18. EIDR—A 96-bit value intended to carry the value of the Entertainment Industry Data Registry (EIDR) code for this content item. media_time—A 16-bit number representing the media time within the content in seconds, where value zero indicates the first second of the content item. CRC_32—A 32-bit CRC checksum over the full message, up to but not including the CRC_32 field itself. An exemplary generating polynomial is 1 + x + x2 + x4 + x5 + x7 + x8 + x10 + x11 + x12 + x16 + x22 + x23 + x26. In one embodiment, the content II) message may further, or alternatively, include an Ad-ID field for commercial material. The Ad-ID field is a 96-bit field that represents the Ad-ID code associated with the content. In the FIG. 4 embodiment, the pointer data 422 may include any type of required information that television 122 utilizes to locate and obtain additional information (such as DO content or trigger data) for use in producing the synchronized DOs 144. For example, the pointer data 422 may include, but is not limited to, a URL that identifies an Internet location where more information pertaining to the currently-displayed video data 316 may be found. The URL could represent a website on the server 130 (FIG. 1A) or elsewhere providing more information about a product being advertised, a URL of a home page of an episode or series, a website where a viewer could sign up for a service or vote on a program, etc. In the FIG. 4 embodiment, the miscellaneous information 424 may include any additional information for utilization by the television 122. For example, in certain embodiments, the miscellaneous information 424 may include one or more scripts or executable programs. In one embodiment, the miscellaneous information 424 includes a frame count message. The purpose of the frame count message is to provide finer granularity to the timing given in the media_time field of the Content ID message, and to indicate the original frame rate of the content (at the time the watermark was applied). Exemplary bit stream syntax of the frame count message is as follows: Syntax No. of Bits Format frame_count_message( ) { table_id 8 0x02 table_length 8 uimsbf original_frame_rate 8 uimsbf frame 8 uimsbf CRC_32 32 uimsbf } table_id—Set to value 0x02. Identifies the data to follow as a frame_count_message( ). table_length—Indicates the number of bytes to follow. In this case the value was set to 6. original_frame_rate—An 8-bit unsigned integer indicating the frame rate, in frames per second, of the original content at the time the watermark is applied. The value is set to 24 for animated content and 30 for other content types. frame—An 8-bit unsigned integer indicating the frame number within the one-second period identified by media_time. The count is zero-based. CRC_32—A 32-bit CRC checksum over the full message, up to but not including the CRC_32 field itself. An exemplary generating polynomial is 1 + x + x2 + x4 + x5 + x7 + x8 + x10 + x11 + x12 + x16 + x22 + x23 + x26. Additional details regarding the creation, distribution, and utilization of the metadata 322 are further discussed below in conjunction with FIGS. 7 and 8. Referring now to FIG. 5, a block diagram for one embodiment of the FIG. 1A television (TV) 122 is shown, in accordance with the present disclosure. In the FIG. 5 embodiment, the TV 122 may include, but is not limited to, a central processing unit (CPU) 512, a display 138, a TV memory 520, and input/output interfaces (1/O interfaces) 524. In alternate embodiments, the TV 122 may be implemented using components and configurations in addition to, or instead of, those components and configurations discussed in conjunction with the FIG. 5 embodiment. In addition, the TV 122 may alternately be implemented as any other desired type of electronic device or entity. In the FIG. 5 embodiment, the CPU 512 may be implemented to include any appropriate and compatible microprocessor device(s) that preferably execute software instructions to thereby control and manage the operation of the TV 122. The FIG. 5 display 138 may include any effective type of display technology including a liquid-crystal display device with an appropriate screen for displaying various information to a device user. In the FIG. 5 embodiment, the TV memory 520 may be implemented to include any combination of desired storage devices, including, but not limited to, read-only memory (ROM), random-access memory (RAM), and various types of non-volatile memory, such as floppy disks or hard disks. The contents and functionality of TV memory 520 are further discussed below in conjunction with FIG. 6. In the FIG. 5 embodiment, the I/O interfaces 524 may include one or more input and/or output interfaces to receive and/or transmit any required types of information for the TV 122. For example, in the FIG. 5 embodiment, the TV 122 may utilize the I/O interfaces 524 to communicate with other entities in the electronic system 110 (FIG. 1A). Furthermore, a system user may utilize I/O interfaces 524 to communicate with the TV 122 by utilizing any appropriate and effective techniques. Additional details regarding the TV 122 are further discussed below in conjunction with FIGS. 6-8. Referring now to FIG. 6, a block diagram for one embodiment of the FIG. 5 TV memory 520 is shown, in accordance with the present disclosure. In the FIG. 6 embodiment, the TV memory 520 includes, but is not limited to, one or more TV applications 612, video data 316, audio data 318, a detection module 620, and extraction module 622, a metadata module 624, metadata 322, and miscellaneous information 628. In alternate embodiments, the TV memory 520 may include components in addition to, or instead of, those components discussed in conjunction with the FIG. 6 embodiment. In the FIG. 6 embodiment, the TV application(s) 612 may include program instructions that are preferably executed by the CPU 512 (FIG. 5) to perform various functions and operations for the TV 122. The particular nature and functionality of the TV application(s) 612 preferably varies depending upon factors such as the specific type and particular functionality of the corresponding TV 122. In the FIG. 6 embodiment, the video data 316 may include any appropriate information or data for display on the television 122 (FIG. 1A). Similarly, the audio data 318 may include any appropriate information or data for reproduction by the television 122 (FIG. 1A). In the FIG. 6 embodiment, the detection module 620 may be utilized by TV 122 to detect and locate the metadata 322 that has been embedded in the video data 316, as discussed above. In the FIG. 6 embodiment, the extraction module 620 may be utilized by the TV 122 to remove the detected metadata 322 from the video data 316. In the FIG. 6 embodiment, the metadata module 624 coordinates and manages various functions for processing the extracted metadata 322 to effectively support synchronized DOs 144 (FIG. 1B) or other TV applications, in accordance with the present disclosure. The miscellaneous information 628 may include any additional information for utilization by the TV 122. In the FIG. 6 embodiment, the present disclosure is disclosed and discussed as being implemented primarily as software. However, in alternate embodiments, some or all of the functions of the present disclosure may be performed by appropriate electronic hardware circuits that are configured for performing various functions that are equivalent to those functions of the software modules discussed herein. Additional details regarding the functionality of the metadata module 624 and metadata 322 are further discussed below in conjunction with FIGS. 7 and 8. Embodiments of the present disclosure embed the metadata 322 as a watermark using luminance values of a video frame. The luminance values are bound within the range [16, 235]. The luminance value 16 corresponds to black and the luminance value 235 corresponds to white, as defined in ITU-R Recommendation BT.709, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. One watermark data symbol is encoded into M pixels (where M is typically 6, 8, or 16). Each symbol encodes one or more data bits. When one-bit-per-symbol encoding is used, each pixel has one of two possible values, such that symbol values can be either zero or 100% and a threshold value of 50% luminance is used to distinguish ‘1’ bits from ‘0’ bits. When two-bits-per-symbol coding is used, each pixel has one of four possible values, such that symbol values can be zero, 33.33%, 66.67%, or 100% luminance, and threshold values of 16.67%, 50%, and 83.33% may be used. Alternatively, lower values of luminance can be used, to reduce visibility. A tradeoff between robustness against heavy compression or video transcoding versus visibility can be made by selection of luminance ranges and values. An example of two-bits-per-symbol coding is illustrated in FIG. 9. The symbols representing the watermark data use four different equally-spaced luminance values: 16, 89, 162, and 235 (decimal). The threshold values for decoding are shown in FIG. 9. A symbol value 0 is detected if the luminance is less than or equal to 42, value 1 is detected if the luminance is in the range 43 to 127, value 2 is detected if the luminance is in the range 128 to 212, and value 3 is detected if luminance is 213 or above. While in the majority of cases, televisions do not display the top or bottom few lines of video, a problem which arises from using such a luminance encoding scheme is that the embedded watermark may be visible to a viewer if the portion of the video frame occupied by the watermark is displayed on the TV 122. To reduce visibility of the watermark, embodiments of the present disclosure use one or a combination of different methods including (1) decreasing the data capacity of the watermark; (2) using a luminance value below “black”; and (3) decreasing the rate that the watermark changes (e.g., once per a second instead of per a frame). In certain embodiments, metadata is embedded in line 1 of the video data. Video in line 1 consists of N encoded pixels (for HD) or UHD content, usually 1280, 1920, or 3840). As noted above, one watermark data symbol is encoded into M pixels (where M is typically 6, 8, or 16). Further, in one embodiment, the same metadata is also embedded in line 2 for better robustness due to errors that may be introduced in encoding or re-encoding. Due to the nature of video encoding, the integrity of metadata on line 1 has been found to be improved if the same data is repeated on line 2. To reduce visibility of the embedded metadata, in one embodiment, the data capacity of the watermark can be decreased. For example, 60 bytes of data can be encoded per a line, when the number of horizontal pixels per a line is 1920, the number of pixels per a symbol is 8, and the number of bits encoded per symbol is 2. However, in order to encode 2 bits per a symbol, a larger range of luminance values must be used. To decrease the visibility of the watermark, the data capacity of the watermark can be reduced such that the maximum luminance value required to identify a symbol value is decreased, for example from the value 235. For example, luminance values 16 and 89, instead of 16, 89, 162, and 235, could be used to encode the watermark when the number of bits encoded per symbol is reduced to 1, which results in 30 bytes of data being encoded per a line. In one embodiment, using a luminance value below black decreases visibility of the watermark. Video standards specify that luminance values range from 16 (black) to 235 (white) when encoded as 8 bits. A luminance value of 0 (or any other value below 16) can survive transcoding. Using a minimum luminance value of 0 instead of 16 allows for a reduction in the maximum luminance value needed to encode the watermark and improves robustness. For example, for 1-bit per symbol encoding, the range 16 to 89 can be reduced to 0 to 73 with no loss in robustness. In one embodiment, the luminance range is set to 0 to 42 for 1-bit per symbol encoding. The luminance value 42 is a level of dark gray that is nearly imperceptible. However, any luminance value range may be set in which the range starts at a value below 16 in certain embodiments. In certain embodiments, luminance values above 235 may be used to increase the range of luminance values used for encoding or shift the range of luminance values to higher values. In one embodiment, the rate that the watermark changes from frame to frame is decreased to reduce visibility of the watermark embedded in the video data 316. For example, the same watermark may be embedded in a predetermined number of frames, or for a predetermined amount of time (e.g., 1 second) before being changed, instead of being changed once per a frame. Although this reduces the rate at which data is transmitted, decreasing the rate of change reduces possible distraction to a viewer that can result from frequently changing pixel luminance values when the watermark is within a visible area of the display. The number of horizontal pixels representing one symbol varies depending on horizontal resolution. In one embodiment, 16 pixels per symbol for the 3840 horizontal resolution is utilized to allow the video watermark to be preserved during down-resolution from 4K to 2K. Referring now to FIGS. 7A and 7B, diagrams of metadata 322 embedded in video data 316 are shown, in accordance with two different embodiments of the present disclosure. FIGS. 7A and 7B present a frontal view of a display 138 from the TV 122 (FIG. 1A). The embodiments of FIGS. 7A and 7B are presented for purposes of illustration, and in alternate embodiments, the metadata 322 may be embedded using techniques and configurations in addition to, or instead of, certain of those techniques and configurations discussed in conjunction with the embodiments of FIGS. 7A and 7B. For example, metadata 322 may be placed at the bottom of the display in some embodiments. In the FIG. 7A embodiment, the display 138 includes a main screen region that typically displays the video data 316 provided by the content source 114 (FIG. 1A). In the FIG. 7A embodiment, the displayed video data 316 on the display 138 also includes that embedded metadata 322 that is located in an unobtrusive area of display 138. In various different embodiments, the metadata 322 may be implemented in any desired shape or size, and may be displayed in any appropriate location(s) on the display 138. For purposes of illustration, the location of the metadata 322 in FIG. 7A is indicated as a thin cross-hatched line. However, any effective configuration or location is equally contemplated for implementing the metadata 322. In the FIG. 7A embodiment, the metadata 322 may be encoded to represent the required information (see FIG. 4) in any effective manner. For example, in certain embodiments, the metadata 322 may be formatted as one or more horizontal lines of digital video information positioned in or near the region of the video signal's vertical blanking interval (VBI). Because a digital television signal is often encoded with 1280 to 1920 horizontal pixels per scan line, the FIG. 7A VBI configuration for the metadata 322 may provide a substantial amount of digital information to the TV 122. The present disclosure thus supports a method of camouflaging the metadata 322 in the video data 316 so that a portion of active video (potentially visible to the viewer) is used to convey the metadata 322. In addition, the present disclosure includes standardizing an encoding format for the video metadata 322 to survive video compression and decompression. The present disclosure further supports embedding the metadata 322 in the video image so that the metadata 322 can be recovered (detected, extracted, and processed by TV 122) in a standardized way, without excessive CPU overhead. The implementation and utilization of the metadata 322 are further discussed below in conjunction with FIGS. 8A-8C. In the FIG. 7B embodiment, the display 138 includes a main screen region that typically displays the video data 316 provided by the content source 114 (FIG. 1A). In the FIG. 7B embodiment, the displayed video data 316 on display 138 also includes the embedded metadata 322 that is preferably located in an unobtrusive area of display 138. In various, different embodiments, the metadata 322 may be implemented in any desired shape or size, and may be displayed in any appropriate location(s) on display 138. For purposes of illustration, the location of the metadata 322 in FIG. 7B is indicated as a small cross-hatched rectangle. However, any effective configuration or location is equally contemplated for implementing the metadata 322. In the FIG. 7B embodiment, the metadata 322 may be encoded to represent any required information (see FIG. 4) in any effective manner. For example, in certain embodiments, the metadata 322 may be formatted by utilizing conventional or enhanced bar code technologies. In other words, the metadata 322 could be effectively formatted as a video two-dimensional bar code that is embedded in a corner or at the edge of the displayed video data 316. In addition, the bar code or other formatting of the metadata 322 could be displayed as a part of a small graphical logo icon known as a “bug.” Furthermore, in various other embodiments, the metadata 322 may be encoded or displayed by utilizing any other effective techniques. Such an encoding of the metadata 322 could represent a substantial amount of information, and could be quite small and dense, as the metadata 322 would be read by the TV 122 processing video data 316 in video memory. Where printed barcodes are optimized for readout by laser scanners, the type of video barcode used for the metadata 322 is embedded in a digital video signal, which is processed directly by the TV 122 (as pixel luminance or chrominance samples). In certain embodiments, quantization errors in the video compression could possibly obliterate a video barcode (so a bar code occurring within a fast-moving, hard-to-compress video sequence might not survive). However, if the bar code is left on-screen for some amount of time (a few seconds), that concern is mitigated. The resulting barcode image may not need to be shown with high contrast (black lines on white background), since TV 122 will be able to extract the information via a filtering mechanism. The bar code could thus be encoded with various shades of gray (as long as there is enough contrast for reliable extraction). For example, the bar code could be displayed using a luminance value below 16, using 1-bit per a symbol encoding, and/or reduced change rates, as described above. As discussed above, the metadata 322 could be displayed in conjunction with a graphical logo icon (“bug”), as a caption or border, or it could be placed at one more of the extreme edges of the image (because these are usually cropped before display, and are less obtrusive in any case). The bits of the metadata 322 could be spread out spatially over the area of the video frame if the pattern of their location was known to the TV 122 beforehand. Even a small amount of the metadata 322, such as the content ID data 420 or the pointer data 422 of FIG. 4, can be of great help in enhancing the user experience, as this information can be expanded via an interaction with a web server 130 (see FIG. 1A) to obtain additional required information including, but not limited to, the metadata 322 or content data. Referring now to FIGS. 8A-8C, a flowchart of method steps for distributing the metadata 322 embedded in the video data 316 is shown, in accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure. The FIG. 8 example is presented for purposes of illustration, and in alternate embodiments, the present disclosure may utilize steps and sequences other than certain of those steps and sequences discussed in conjunction with the FIG. 8 embodiment. In the FIG. 8A embodiment, in step 812, the content source 114 or other appropriate entity initially produces A/V content data that typically includes the video data 316 and the audio data 318. In step 814, the content source 114 or other appropriate entity then creates the metadata 322 to support various advanced interactive features on the television device 122, such as displaying one or more synchronized DOs 144. In step 816, the content source 114 or other appropriate entity inserts the metadata 322 into the video data 316. An example of the insertion in the content source 114 is illustrated in FIG. 10. FIG. 10 is a basic diagram of an exemplary information providing apparatus, which for example is utilized by the content source 114. Generally speaking, a single content provider may provide multiple programs (e.g. Programs A and B) over one or more transport streams. For example, audio, video, and caption data for Program A are provided to an encoder 1006A while audio, video, and caption data for Program B are provided to an encoder 1006B. A transport stream multiplexer 1008 receives the outputs from the encoders 1006A, 1006B and provides an output that can be distributed via a physical channel medium such as a terrestrial, cable, satellite broadcast. A communication interface 1010 (e.g., a broadcast transmitter) distributes the output from the transport stream multiplexer via the physical channel medium. The information providing apparatus 1000 further includes a metadata generator 1002 and metadata inserter 1004. The metadata generator 1002 generates metadata to be embedded in the video portions of Program A. The metadata inserter 1004 embeds the generated metadata in the video portions of Program A. In certain embodiments, the metadata inserter 1004 encodes the generated metadata within luminance values in one or more lines (e.g., lines 1 and optionally line 2) of active video. The metadata inserter 1002 encodes each of the metadata in a different frame, or each of the one or more lines, of the video. As described above, the metadata may be repeated for a predetermined number of frames. The metadata inserter 1004 optionally repeats the encoding of the generated metadata in line 2 for better robustness due to errors that may be introduced in encoding or re-encoding. Due to the nature of video encoding, the integrity of metadata on line 1 has been found to be improved if the same data is repeated on line 2. In step 818, the content source 114 or other appropriate entity compresses the audio data 318 and the video data 316 (including the embedded metadata 322) to create a compressed distribution multiplex in step 820. The FIG. 8A process then advances to step 822 of FIG. 8B through connecting letter “A.” In step 822 of FIG. 8B, a set-top box 118 or other appropriate entity (e.g., the television) receives and demultiplexes the distribution multiplex distributed by the content source 114 to produce compressed audio data and video data. In step 824, a decoder device of the set-top box 118 or other appropriate entity then uncompresses the compressed audio data and video data to produce uncompressed audio data 318 and uncompressed video data 316 (including the embedded metadata 322). In step 826, the set-top box 118 or other appropriate entity formats the audio data 318 and the video data 316 for delivery to the display 138 of the television 122. The FIG. 8B process then advances to step 828 of FIG. 8C through connecting letter “B.” In step 828 of FIG. 8C, the television 122 or other appropriate entity receives or further processes the uncompressed audio data 318 and uncompressed video data 316 (including the embedded metadata 322). For example, the television 122 determines the luminance values of pixels within a predetermined portion or portions of a video frame (e.g., lines 1 and/or 2). In step 830, the detection module 620 of the television 122 scans the video data 316 to detect the embedded metadata 322 by utilizing any effective techniques (e.g., by detecting the presence of the run-in pattern). In one embodiment, the first sixteen symbols encoded in the predetermined portion of a video frame (e.g., the first 128 pixels of a first line of a video frame, when each symbol is represented by 8 pixels and the run-in pattern is made up of 16 symbols) is analyzed to determine if the metadata 322 is embedded in the video frame. For example, in step 836 of FIG. 8D, the television 122 averages the luminance values of each subset (e.g., subset of 8 pixels) of a first predetermined plurality of pixels (e.g., the first 128 pixels) corresponding to a possible run-in pattern. The symbol values are then determined based on the average luminance values and a predetermined threshold decoding value in step 838. For example, when eight pixels make up a symbol, the television 122 averages the luminance values in the eight pixels making up the symbol and determines whether the symbol is a “1” or “0” based on luminance threshold decoding values. For example, for L-bit per a symbol coding, the television 122 determines that the symbol is “0” when the detected average luminance is less than or equal to a predetermined percentage (e.g., 50%) of an encoding range, and the symbol is “1” when the detected average luminance is greater than the predetermined percentage of the encoding range. In step 840, the television 122 determines whether the metadata 322 is included in the video frame based on whether the derived data values of the symbols matches a predetermined run-in pattern (e.g., [1, 1, 1, 1, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 1, 0, 1, 1, 0]). If a match is detected, the television 122 proceeds to extract the metadata in step 842. If a match is not detected, the television 122 waits for the next video frame. In step 832, the extraction module 622 of the television 122 extracts the located metadata 322 from the video data 316. In one embodiment, the television 122 determines symbol values of the watermark representing the embedded metadata based on the luminance values in pixels of a portion (e.g., first line) of a video frame of the content, as illustrated in FIG. 8E. In step 846, the television 122 averages luminance values of each subset of a second predetermined plurality of pixels of a video frame (e.g., the remaining pixels in line 1 that correspond to the metadata 322 and follow the pixels corresponding to the run-in pattern). In step 848, the television 122 derives data values of the plurality of symbols, which correspond to the metadata 322 encoded in the video frame, based on the averaged luminance values and a predetermined threshold decoding value. For example, as described above, when eight pixels make up a symbol, the television 122 averages the luminance values in the eight pixels making up the symbol and determines whether the symbol is a “1” or “0” based on luminance threshold decoding values. For example, for 1-bit per a symbol coding, the television 122 determines that the symbol is “0” when the detected average luminance is less than or equal to a predetermined percentage (e.g., 50%) of an encoding range, and the symbol is “1” when the detected average luminance is greater than the predetermined percentage of the encoding range. Finally, in step 834, the metadata module 624 processes the extracted metadata 322 to successfully support appropriate advanced features, such as displaying one or more synchronized DOs 144 on the display 138 of the television 122. The FIG. 8C process may then terminate. In one embodiment, the television 122 could recognize a channel change (or change of content) either by detecting that the content is no longer Marked (e.g., watermark no longer detected), or by detecting a frame of Marked Content (e.g., a watermark) in which the EIDR value changed. In one embodiment, the content ID is directly identified by the EIDR value in the Content ID Message. In another embodiment, a URL of a remote server or any other information about the content is provided as metadata embedded as the watermark. In another embodiment, two data elements are included in the embedded metadata to identify the media time, the media time in whole seconds is specified in the content ID message while the media time in frames is specified in the frame count message such that timing accuracy is frame-level. Further, the embedded metadata may be used to provide event triggers, that are time-sensitive, in real time. In certain alternate embodiments, the metadata 322 may similarly be created and inserted into the video data 316 by any other appropriate entity at any point along the distribution path. In certain of these alternate embodiments, the metadata 322 may be inserted without completely decompressing the video data 316. For example, individual macro-blocks of compressed video data 316 (without any metadata 322) could be replaced by corresponding compressed macro-blocks that contain the metadata 322 already embedded. For all of the foregoing reasons, the present disclosure thus provides an improved system and method for distributing metadata embedded in video data. FIG. 11 is a block diagram showing an example of a hardware configuration of a computer 1100 configured to perform one or a combination of the functions described above, such as one or more of the functions of the content source 114, settop box 118, television 122, and/or server 130. As illustrated in FIG. 11, the computer 1100 includes a central processing unit (CPU) 1102, read only memory (ROM) 1104, and a random access memory (RAM) 1106 interconnected to each other via one or more buses 1108. The one or more buses 1108 is further connected with an input-output interface 1110. The input-output interface 1110 is connected with an input portion 1112 formed by a keyboard, a mouse, a microphone, remote controller, etc. The input-output interface 1110 is also connected to a output portion 1114 formed by an audio interface, video interface, display, speaker, etc.; a recording portion 1116 formed by a hard disk, a non-volatile memory, etc.; a communication portion 1118 formed by a network interface, modem, USB interface, FireWire interface, etc.; and a drive 1120 for driving removable media 1122 such as a magnetic disk, an optical disk, a magneto-optical disk, a semiconductor memory, etc. According to one embodiment, the CPU 1102 loads a program stored in the recording portion 1116 into the RAM 1106 via the input-output interface 1110 and the bus 1108, and then executes a program configured to provide the functionality of the one or combination of the content source 114, settop box 118, television 122, and/or server 130. The present disclosure has been explained above with reference to certain embodiments. Other embodiments will be apparent to those skilled in the art in light of this disclosure. For example, the present disclosure may readily be implemented using configurations and techniques other than those described in the embodiments above. Additionally, the present disclosure may effectively be used in conjunction with systems other than those described above. Therefore, these and other variations upon the discussed embodiments are intended to be covered by the present disclosure, which is limited only by the appended claims. The various processes discussed above need not be processed chronologically in the sequence depicted as flowcharts; the steps may also include those processed parallelly or individually (e.g., in paralleled or object-oriented fashion). Also, the programs may be processed by a single computer or by a plurality of computers on a distributed basis. The programs may also be transferred to a remote computer or computers for execution. Furthermore, in this specification, the term “system” means an aggregate of a plurality of component elements (apparatuses, modules (parts), etc.). All component elements may or may not be housed in a single enclosure. Therefore, a plurality of apparatuses each housed in a separate enclosure and connected via a network are considered a network, and a single apparatus formed by a plurality of modules housed in a single enclosure are also regarded as a system. Also, it should be understood that this technology when embodied is not limited to the above-described embodiments and that various modifications, variations and alternatives may be made of this technology so far as they are within the spirit and scope thereof. For example, this technology may be structured for cloud computing whereby a single function is shared and processed in collaboration among a plurality of apparatuses via a network. Also, each of the steps explained in reference to the above-described flowcharts may be executed not only by a single apparatus but also by a plurality of apparatuses in a shared manner. Furthermore, if one step includes a plurality of processes, these processes included in the step may be performed not only by a single apparatus but also by a plurality of apparatuses in a shared manner. Numerous modifications and variations of the embodiments of the present disclosure are possible in light of the above teachings. It is therefore to be understood that within the scope of the appended claims, the embodiments may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described herein. The above disclosure also encompasses the embodiments noted below. (1) A method of a reception apparatus for extracting metadata, the method including: processing, by circuitry of the reception apparatus, content that includes the metadata embedded therein, the metadata being embedded as a watermark in a first portion of a video frame of the content; and determining, by the circuitry, symbol values of the watermark embedded in the video frame based on luminance values in pixels of the first portion of the video frame of the content to extract the metadata, in which at least one of the luminance values is less than 16. (2) The method of feature (1), in which the same watermark is embedded in a plurality of consecutive video frames of the content. (3) The method of feature (1) or (2), further including detecting a predetermined fixed pattern of symbol values based on luminance values in pixels of a second portion of the video frame of the content, wherein the step of determining determines the metadata when the predetermined fixed pattern is detected to extract the metadata. (4) The method according to any one of features (1) to (3), in which the step of determining further includes averaging, for each subset of the pixels making up one of the symbol values, the luminance values; and determining the symbol values based on the averaged luminance values. (5) The method according to any one of features (1) to (4), in which the metadata includes a content identifier associated with the content. (6) The method according to any one of features (1) to (5), in which the metadata includes a trigger that signals the circuitry of the reception apparatus to perform a predetermined process for an application that is executed in synchronization with the content. (7) The method according to any one of features (1) to (6), in which the watermark is encoded within luminance values in at least line 1 of the video frame of the content. (8) The method according to any one of features (1) to (7), in which the same watermark is encoded within luminance values in lines 1 and 2 of the video frame of the content. (9) A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a program, which when executed by a computer causes the computer to perform the method according to any one of features (1) to (8). (10) A reception apparatus, including: circuitry configured to process content that includes metadata embedded therein, the metadata being embedded as a watermark in a first portion of a video frame of the content; and determine symbol values of the watermark embedded in the video frame based on luminance values in pixels of the first portion of the video frame of the content to extract the metadata, in which at least one of the luminance values is less than 16. (11) The reception apparatus according to feature (10), in which the same watermark is embedded in a plurality of consecutive video frames of the content. (12) The reception apparatus according to feature (10) or (11), in which the circuitry is further configured to detect a predetermined fixed pattern of symbol values based on luminance values in pixels of a second portion of the video frame of the content; and determine the symbol values when the predetermined fixed pattern is detected to extract the metadata. (13) The reception apparatus according to any one of features (10) to (12), in which the circuitry is further configured to average, for each subset of the pixels making up one of the symbol values, the luminance values; and determine the symbol values based on the averaged luminance values. (14) The reception apparatus according to any one of features (10) to (13), in which the metadata includes a content identifier associated with the content. (15) The reception apparatus according to any one of features (10) to (14), in which the metadata includes a trigger that signals the circuitry to perform a predetermined process for an application that is executed in synchronization with the content. (16) The reception apparatus according to any one of features (10) to (15), in which the watermark is encoded within luminance values in at least line 1 of the video frame of the content. (17) The reception apparatus according to any one of features (10) to (15), in which the same watermark is encoded within luminance values in lines 1 and 2 of the video frame of the content. (18) An information providing apparatus, including: circuitry configured to receive or retrieve content to be provided to a reception apparatus, embed metadata in a video frame of the content, the metadata being embedded as a watermark in a first portion of a video frame of the content, and provide the content to the reception apparatus, in which symbol values of the watermark are represented by luminance values in pixels of the first portion of the video frame of the content, and at least one of the luminance values is less than 16. (19) The information providing apparatus according to feature (18), in which the same watermark is embedded in a plurality of consecutive video frames of the content. (20) The information providing apparatus according to feature (18) or (19), in which the circuitry is further configured to embed a predetermined fixed pattern of symbol values using luminance values in pixels of a second portion of the video frame of the content, the predetermined fixed pattern being used by the reception apparatus to detect the presence of the watermark in the video frame. (21) The information providing apparatus according to any one of features (18) to (20), in which each of the symbol values is represented by luminance values in a subset of the pixels making up the respective symbol value, and the reception apparatus determines the symbol values based on averages of the luminance values in the subset of the pixels. (22) The information providing apparatus according to any one of features (18) to (21), in which the metadata includes a content identifier associated with the content. (23) The information providing apparatus according to any one of features (18) to (22), in which the metadata includes a trigger that signals the circuitry of the reception apparatus to perform a predetermined process for an application to is executed in synchronization with the content. (24) The information providing apparatus according to any one of features (18) to (23), in which the watermark is encoded within luminance values in at least line 1 of the video frame of the content. (25) The information providing apparatus according to any one of features (18) to (24), in which the same watermark is encoded within luminance values in lines 1 and 2 of the video frame of the content. | <SOH> BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION <EOH> | <SOH> SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION <EOH>Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to embedding metadata in a portion of video data. According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, there is provided a method of a reception apparatus for extracting metadata. The method includes processing, by circuitry of the reception apparatus, content that includes the metadata embedded therein, the metadata being embedded as a watermark in a first portion of a video frame of the content. Symbol values of the watermark embedded in the video frame are determined by the circuitry based on luminance values in pixels of the first portion of the video frame of the content to extract the metadata. Further, at least one of the luminance values is less than 16. Further, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, there is provided a non-transitory computer readable medium storing a program, which when executed by a computer causes the computer to perform a method of a reception apparatus for extracting metadata. The method includes processing content that includes the metadata embedded therein, the metadata being embedded as a watermark in a first portion of a video frame of the content. Symbol values of the watermark embedded in the video frame are determined based on luminance values in pixels of the first portion of the video frame of the content to extract the metadata. Further, at least one of the luminance values is less than 16. Further, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, there is provided a reception apparatus including circuitry configured to process content that includes the metadata embedded therein, the metadata being embedded as a watermark in a first portion of a video frame of the content. The circuitry determines symbol values of the watermark embedded in the video frame based on luminance values in pixels of the first portion of the video frame of the content to extract the metadata. Further, at least one of the luminance values is less than 16. Further, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, there is provided an information providing apparatus including circuitry configured to receive or retrieve content to be provided to a reception apparatus. The circuitry embeds metadata in a video frame of the content, the metadata being embedded as a watermark in a first portion of a video frame of the content. Further, the circuitry provides the content to the reception apparatus. Symbol values of the watermark are represented by luminance values in pixels of the first portion of the video frame of the content. Further, at least one of the luminance values is less than 16. | H04N2144008 | 20180109 | 20180621 | 72075.0 | H04N2144 | 0 | TRAN, HAI V | SYSTEM FOR DISTRIBUTING METADATA EMBEDDED IN VIDEO | UNDISCOUNTED | 1 | CONT-ACCEPTED | H04N | 2,018 |
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15,866,691 | PENDING | SYSTEM FOR DISPENSING MULTIPLE COMPONENT CHEMICAL SPRAYS | A system for dispensing a plurality of chemicals includes a respective storage tank for each chemical. A respective metering, rotary positive displacement pump is in hydraulic communication at an inlet thereof with an outlet of each tank. An outlet of each pump is connected to a respective discharge hose. At least one heater is in thermal contact with each discharge hose. At least one temperature sensor is provided for measuring a temperature of each chemical in each respective discharge hose. A pressure sensor is provided for measuring pressure at an inlet end and at an outlet end of each discharge hose. A processor is in signal communication with each temperature sensor, each pressure sensor, a metering signal output of each pump and in control communication with each heater. The processor is programmed to operate each heater to maintain a temperature of each chemical such that a selected difference between pressure is measured between the inlet end and the discharge end of each discharge hose when each respective chemical is moved therethrough. | 1. An apparatus for simultaneously dispensing at least two liquids at preselected rates comprising: a first container containing a first liquid; a second container containing a second liquid; a first pump having an inlet in fluid communication with the first container, the first pump having an outlet; a second pump having an inlet in fluid communication with the second container, the second pump having an outlet; a first flow rate sensor in fluid communication with the outlet of the first pump; a second flow rate sensor in fluid communication with the outlet of the second pump; a processor connected to the first pump, the second pump, the first flow rate sensor, and the second flow rate sensor and configured to vary the output of the second pump in response to signals from the first flow rate sensor and the second flow rate sensor. 2. The apparatus recited in claim 1 wherein at least one of the first and second flow rate sensors is responsive to volume flow rate. 3. The apparatus recited in claim 1 wherein at least one of the first and second flow rate sensors is responsive to mass flow rate. 4. The apparatus recited in claim 1 wherein the respective preselected flow rates are equal. 5. The apparatus recited in claim 1 wherein at least one of the first and second pumps is a positive displacement pump. 6. The apparatus recited in claim 5 wherein the positive displacement pump is a vane-type pump. 7. The apparatus recited in claim 5 wherein the positive displacement pump is a gear-type pump. 8. The apparatus recited in claim 5 wherein the positive displacement pump is an axial screw-type pump. 9. The apparatus recited in claim 5 wherein the positive displacement pump comprises a sensor configured to generate a signal corresponding to movement of the pump. 10. The apparatus recited in claim 9 wherein the sensor comprises a rotary encoder. 11. The apparatus recited in claim 1 further comprising at least one low-pressure transfer pump having an inlet in fluid communication with at least one of the first container and the second container and an outlet in fluid communication with at least one of the inlet of the first pump and the second pump. 12. The apparatus recited in claim 11 further comprising an accumulator in fluid communication with both the outlet of the at least one low-pressure transfer pump and the inlet of the at least one of the first pump and the second pump. 13. The apparatus recited in claim 1 wherein the processor comprises a microprocessor. 14. The apparatus recited in claim 1 wherein the processor comprises a programmable logic controller. 15. The apparatus recited in claim 1 wherein the processor comprises a floating programmable gate array. 16. The apparatus recited in claim 1 wherein the processor comprises an application-specific integrated circuit. 17. The apparatus recited in claim 1 further comprising: a fluid delivery hose having an inlet at one end in fluid communication with the outlet of at least one of the first pump and an outlet at an opposing end thereof; a first pressure sensor responsive to fluid pressure at the inlet of the fluid delivery hose; and a second pressure sensor responsive to fluid pressure at the outlet of the fluid delivery hose, the first and second pressure sensors in signal communication with the processor. 18. The apparatus recited in claim 17 wherein the fluid delivery hose is heated. 19. The apparatus recited in claim 18 further comprising at least one temperature sensor responsive to a temperature of fluid within the fluid delivery hose and in signal communication with the processor. 20. A method for simultaneously dispensing at least two liquids comprising: operating a first pump having an inlet in fluid communication with a first container having a first liquid therein, the first pump having an outlet; operating a second pump having an inlet in fluid communication with a second container having a second liquid therein, the second pump having an outlet; measuring a flow rate of the first liquid from the first pump; measuring a flow rate of the second liquid from the second pump; and controlling the second pump in response to the measured flow rate of the first liquid from the first pump and the measured flow rate of the second liquid from the second pump. | CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/854,092 filed on Sep. 15, 2015, which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/066,028, filed on Oct. 20, 2014, and U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/165,225, filed on May 22, 2015, the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entireties. FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT Not Applicable BACKGROUND This disclosure is related to the field of systems for spray application of multiple component liquid compounds, wherein the multiple components are mixed at the point of spray application. More specifically, the disclosure relates to systems for such spray application which require very precise control over the volume and/or mass flow rate of each of a plurality of liquid chemicals when applied by a spray gun. Spraying systems known in the art for application of multiple component liquid chemicals known in the art include reciprocating-type pumps having inlets disposed in standard sized containers, e.g., 55 gallon drums. The reciprocating pumps are selectively actuated to move each of a plurality of liquid chemicals through respective hoses to a spray application “gun” or sprayer, wherein the plurality of liquid chemicals is mixed at the point of application of the spray discharged from the sprayer. Discharge from the pumps is conducted to the spray gun through respective hoses. Such systems may or may not include a separate hose for introduction of gas under pressure, such as air, to help atomize the liquid chemicals for spray application. Examples of such multiple component liquid chemicals include thermal insulation which may consist of two liquid components to be mixed at the point of application. The two liquid components react at the point of application to form a foam, which eventually cures into finished insulation. Manufacturers of multiple component liquid chemical compounds specify the volume and/or mass of each component that is required to be dispensed so that the correct chemical reaction or other physical process (e.g., evaporation) takes place at the point of application. Using systems known in the art for spray applying multiple component chemicals may not have sufficient accuracy in determining the volume and/or mass flow rate of each component chemical to dispense the manufacturer-specified amount of each component chemical when the spray is actually applied. Systems known in the art may also allow environmental and personnel hazards resulting from use of chemical withdrawn from open containers, and from the users being required to transfer the pump inlets from empty chemical containers to full ones when containers are emptied. The former limitation of systems known in the art results from the temperature of the sprayed component chemicals being uncontrolled, and from lack of accuracy in measurement of volume and/or mass of each liquid component actually moved by reciprocating-type liquid pumps. A further environmental exposure may result from the need to dispose of empty liquid containers. Some liquid chemicals may be reactive with ambient air, and as a result using containers that are exposed to the air when opened may enable degrading of such reactive chemicals. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING(S) FIG. 1 shows an example embodiment of a system according to the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION FIG. 1 shows an example embodiment of a multiple component spray applicator system according to the present disclosure. The system may include a bulk storage filling unit 10 and a chemical dispensing unit 12. The bulk storage filling unit 10 and the chemical dispensing unit 12 may each be disposed in a respective protective housing 16, 19. The protective housings 16, 19 may each be mounted to a separate road-mobile platform such as a trailer or truck (not shown). The bulk storage filling unit 10 may include an individual chemical storage tank, shown at T3, T4, for each of a plurality of separate chemicals to be dispensed by the chemical dispensing unit 12. In the present example embodiment, there are two chemical storage tanks T3 and T4, however the number of such tanks is not a limitation on the scope of the present disclosure. For chemicals that may be reactive with ambient air, one or more of the chemical storage tanks, T3 in the present example embodiment, may include a non-reactive gas 18 disposed above a first liquid chemical 20 disposed in the chemical storage tank T3. An example gas is nitrogen, although the composition of the non-reactive gas and its pressure are not to be construed as limitations on the scope of the present disclosure. A second liquid chemical 22 may be disposed in the other chemical storage tank T4. The protective housing 16 may include a dry-connect valve 14 for connection of filling hoses 15 to a corresponding dry-connect valve in the housing 18 of the chemical dispensing unit 12. The chemical storage tanks T3 and T4 may be of a type that may be filled by the provider of the liquid chemicals in a manner that substantially eliminates exposure of the liquid chemicals to the atmosphere. The chemical storage tanks T3 and T4 may also be resistant to damage in the event of a vehicle collision. In some embodiments, the chemical storage tanks T3, T4 may be 660 gallon, sealed, certified road hazard resistant tanks The chemical dispensing 12 unit may include a separate supply tank T1, T2 for each of the separate liquid chemicals 20, 22 to be applied by spraying. As explained above, the protective housing 19 of the chemical dispensing unit may include a dry-connect valve 14 for coupling the filling hoses 15 thereto when it is necessary to refill the supply tanks T1, T2. As is the case for the bulk storage filling unit 10, any one or more of the supply tanks T1, T2 in the chemical dispensing unit 12 may include a non-reactive gas 18, e.g., nitrogen, for chemicals that may be reactive with ambient air. The interior of the chemical dispensing unit protective housing 19 may be thermally insulated so that the temperature inside the protective housing 19 is maintained at a selected temperature. By maintaining the interior of the housing at a selected temperature, the chemical dispensing unit 12 may be used at locations where the ambient temperature may otherwise be too low for proper withdrawal of the liquid chemicals 20, 22 from the respective supply tanks T1, T2. An outlet of each supply tank T1, T2 in the chemical dispensing unit 12 may be coupled to an inlet of a respective low pressure transfer pump 21. The low pressure transfer pumps 21 may be coupled at their respective discharges to an inlet of a respective applicator pump P1, P2. The outlet of each low pressure transfer pump 21 may be in pressure communication with an accumulator 23. The low pressure transfer pumps 21 and accumulators 23 maintain a minimum pressure in the inlet to each applicator pump P1, P2 so as to reduce the possibility of cavitation therein. The applicator pumps P1, P2, may be, for example, positive displacement pumps such as vane type pumps, gear type pumps or axial screw type pumps which may include a rotary encoder or similar sensor to generate a signal corresponding to movement of each applicator pump P1, P2 and as a result corresponding to the actual volume of fluid moved by each applicator pump P1, P2. In some embodiments, one or more flow meters, e.g., as shown at 40, may be installed in each chemical delivery hose (described below) to autonomously measure volume flow. The applicator pumps P1, P2 may be rotated by an electric motor M. In one example embodiment one electric motor may rotate both applicator pumps P1, P2, however in the other embodiments there may be one motor for each respective pump. A conduit connecting each transfer pump 21 to a respective applicator pump P1, P2 may be thermally coupled to a respective heat exchanger HE1, HE2. The heat exchangers HE1, HE2 may be liquid-to-liquid heat exchangers and may be heated by liquid coolant from an engine ENG disposed in or on the protective housing 19, or on a separate part of the chemical dispensing unit 12. In such embodiments, waste heat from the engine ENG may be used to preheat the liquid chemicals 20, 22 to reduce the amount of power consumed by the respective applicator pumps P1, P2. The engine ENG may be used to drive a generator GEN or similar source of electric power for use by the chemical dispensing unit 12. Discharge from each of the two applicator pumps P1, P2 may be conducted to another dry connect valve 14, wherein respective chemical delivery hoses 29 may conduct the discharged liquid chemicals 20, 22 to a spray gun 28. In the present example embodiment, the chemical delivery hoses 29 may each include a plurality of heaters H, for example, electrically operated resistance heaters, disposed at spaced apart locations along the length of each chemical delivery hose 29. Each chemical spray hose 29 may have a temperature sensor 30 disposed therein proximate to each heater H. A first pressure sensor 24 may be in pressure communication with the discharge side of each applicator pump P1, P2 to measure pressure of the chemical as it is being discharged into each chemical delivery hose 29. A second pressure sensor 26 may be in pressure communication with an interior of each chemical delivery hose 29 proximate the spray gun 28. A central processor CPU, which may be implemented in any form such as and without limitation a microprocessor, programmable logic controller, floating programmable gate array or an application specific integrated circuit may accept as input signals from the temperature sensors 30 and the first 24 and second 26 pressure sensors. The central processor CPU may also accept as input measurements of volume of liquid pumped from each of the applicator pumps P1, P2. The central processor CPU may operate the motor(s) M and the heating elements H. In the present example embodiment, the heating elements H may be operated by the CPU to maintain a temperature of the liquid chemical 20, 22 in each chemical delivery hose 29 at a temperature such that the respective viscosity of each chemical 20, 22 is at a selected value. By selecting a temperature for each liquid chemical to be maintained at a selected viscosity, a pumping rate of each liquid chemical 20, 22 through each respective chemical delivery hose 29 may be more precisely controllable. A relationship exists between viscosity of each liquid chemical 20, 22 and its temperature. For purposes of more precise control over the volume and/or mass flow rate of each liquid chemical 20, 22 through the respective chemical delivery hose 29, measurement of difference between fluid pressure at the first pressure sensors 24 and the second pressure sensors 26 may be calculated in the central processor CPU. In the present embodiment, pressure differences may be used by the central processor CPU to adjust the temperature measured at each of the temperature sensors 30 by operating respective ones of the heaters H so that a selected pressure difference is maintained during spray application of each of the liquid chemicals 20, 22. By adjusting temperature so that selected pressure differences are maintained, more precise control over respective flow rates of each liquid chemical 20, 22 may be maintained. The central processor CPU may also record with respect to time measurements of fluid mass and/or volume measured by measuring rotation of the applicator pumps P1, P2 as the liquid chemicals 20, 22 are sprayed during application. In some embodiments, each supply tank T1, T2 in the chemical dispensing unit 12 may include a liquid level sensor 32, such an acoustic ranging sensor, capacitance sensor or any other sensor capable of measuring liquid level in the supply tanks T1, T2. Measurements of liquid level in each supply tank T1, T2 may be conducted to the central processor CPU. The central processor CPU may generate a warning indication or may provide a liquid level display to the system user so that when the supply tanks T1, T2 require refilling, the user may be advised of such condition. In some embodiments, changes in liquid level in each supply tank T1, T2 may be used to calibrate the metering output of each applicator pump P1, P2. Because the volume of each supply tank T1, T2 is known, a total liquid volume removed from each supply tank T1, T2 may be calculated, e.g., in the central processor CPU using measurements from the liquid level sensors 32. Such known volume may be compared to the metered volume measured by each applicator pump P1, P2; differences between the pump measured volume and the liquid level-determined volume may be used by the CPU to recalibrate the metering signal from each applicator pump P1, P2. While the example embodiment in FIG. 1 shows one set of chemical delivery hoses 29 and one spray gun 28, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that in other embodiments more than one set of pumps and/or more than one set of chemical delivery hoses and spray guns may be used. While the invention has been described with respect to a limited number of embodiments, those skilled in the art, having benefit of this disclosure, will appreciate that other embodiments can be devised which do not depart from the scope of the invention as disclosed herein. Accordingly, the scope of the invention should be limited only by the attached claims. | <SOH> BACKGROUND <EOH>This disclosure is related to the field of systems for spray application of multiple component liquid compounds, wherein the multiple components are mixed at the point of spray application. More specifically, the disclosure relates to systems for such spray application which require very precise control over the volume and/or mass flow rate of each of a plurality of liquid chemicals when applied by a spray gun. Spraying systems known in the art for application of multiple component liquid chemicals known in the art include reciprocating-type pumps having inlets disposed in standard sized containers, e.g., 55 gallon drums. The reciprocating pumps are selectively actuated to move each of a plurality of liquid chemicals through respective hoses to a spray application “gun” or sprayer, wherein the plurality of liquid chemicals is mixed at the point of application of the spray discharged from the sprayer. Discharge from the pumps is conducted to the spray gun through respective hoses. Such systems may or may not include a separate hose for introduction of gas under pressure, such as air, to help atomize the liquid chemicals for spray application. Examples of such multiple component liquid chemicals include thermal insulation which may consist of two liquid components to be mixed at the point of application. The two liquid components react at the point of application to form a foam, which eventually cures into finished insulation. Manufacturers of multiple component liquid chemical compounds specify the volume and/or mass of each component that is required to be dispensed so that the correct chemical reaction or other physical process (e.g., evaporation) takes place at the point of application. Using systems known in the art for spray applying multiple component chemicals may not have sufficient accuracy in determining the volume and/or mass flow rate of each component chemical to dispense the manufacturer-specified amount of each component chemical when the spray is actually applied. Systems known in the art may also allow environmental and personnel hazards resulting from use of chemical withdrawn from open containers, and from the users being required to transfer the pump inlets from empty chemical containers to full ones when containers are emptied. The former limitation of systems known in the art results from the temperature of the sprayed component chemicals being uncontrolled, and from lack of accuracy in measurement of volume and/or mass of each liquid component actually moved by reciprocating-type liquid pumps. A further environmental exposure may result from the need to dispose of empty liquid containers. Some liquid chemicals may be reactive with ambient air, and as a result using containers that are exposed to the air when opened may enable degrading of such reactive chemicals. | <SOH> BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING(S) <EOH>FIG. 1 shows an example embodiment of a system according to the present disclosure. detailed-description description="Detailed Description" end="lead"? | B05B9002 | 20180110 | 20180510 | 91910.0 | B05B900 | 1 | BARRERA, JUAN C | SYSTEM FOR DISPENSING MULTIPLE COMPONENT CHEMICAL SPRAYS | SMALL | 1 | CONT-ACCEPTED | B05B | 2,018 |
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15,867,095 | ACCEPTED | BONE ANCHOR RECEIVER WITH UPPER TOOL ENGAGING GROOVES AND PLANAR FACES | A spinal implant tool set includes end guide tools having flexible back wall flaps that receive opposite ends of the rod and intermediate guide tools that hold the rod in intermediate locations between the end guide tools. Both the end and intermediate guide tools include an attachment structure for operably connecting the guide tool to a bone screw. A multi-function installation tool and a bone screw driver each mate and cooperate with the guide tools. A method utilizing the tool set allows a surgeon to percutaneously implant the bone screws and the rod in the patient. | 1. A receiver of a bone anchor, the receiver being configured to accept a rod that is locked in the receiver via a closure top, the receiver comprising: a receiver body having a center longitudinal axis, a base, and a pair of upright arms extending upwardly from the base to define an open channel for receiving the rod, the open channel opening through front and back outer faces of the receiver body, the upright arms having opposed interior surfaces mateable with the closure top to securely lock the rod within the open channel, side outer faces opposite the interior surfaces, and top side surfaces defining a top of the receiver body; at least one horizontally-elongated upper tool engaging groove formed into the side outer face of each upright arm, the upper tool engaging grooves being spaced a distance below the top side surface and extending to at least one of the front outer face and the back outer face; a first substantially planar outwardly-facing surface formed on both the front and back outer faces of the receiver body; and a second substantially planar outwardly-facing surface formed into both side outer faces of the upright arms below the upper tool engaging groove, wherein the second substantially planar outwardly-facing surfaces are perpendicular to the first substantially planar outwardly-facing surfaces. 2. The receiver of claim 1, wherein the first substantially planar outwardly-facing surfaces extend below the open channel toward a bottom of the receiver body. 3. The receiver of claim 1, wherein the first substantially planar outwardly-facing surfaces are adjacent the open channel opening through the front and back outer faces of the receiver body. 4. The receiver of claim 1, wherein the first substantially planar outwardly-facing surfaces further comprise front and back tool engaging surfaces. 5. The receiver of claim 1, wherein the first substantially planar outwardly-facing surfaces are parallel with respect to each other and to the center longitudinal axis. 6. The receiver of claim 1, wherein the second substantially planar outwardly-facing surfaces further comprise lateral tool engaging surfaces. 7. The receiver of claim 1, wherein the second substantially planar outwardly-facing surfaces are parallel with respect to each other and to the center longitudinal axis. 8. The receiver of claim 1, wherein the second substantially planar outwardly-facing surfaces extend downwardly below a downwardly-facing top edge surface on each upper tool engaging groove. 9. The receiver of claim 1, wherein the second substantially planar outwardly-facing surfaces are flush, parallel, and non-recessed with respect to each other. 10. The receiver of claim 1, wherein the upper tool engaging grooves extend at least partially around a periphery of the upright arms. 11. The receiver of claim 1, wherein the upper tool engaging grooves intersect the open channel. 12. The receiver of claim 11, wherein the upper tool engaging grooves are radiused. 13. The receiver of claim 1, wherein the upper tool engaging grooves further comprise downwardly-facing top edge surfaces that are located above a top surface of the rod when the rod is locked in the open channel by the closure top. 14. The receiver of claim 13, wherein the downwardly-facing top edge surfaces of the upper tool engaging grooves include an undercut feature. 15. The receiver of claim 1, wherein the top side surfaces and the horizontally-elongated upper tool engaging grooves on the upright arms remain uncovered when the rod is locked in the open channel by the closure top. 16. A bone anchor assembly comprising the receiver of claim 1 and further comprising a bone anchor extending downward from the receiver body or configured to extend downward from the receiver body. 17. The bone anchor assembly of claim 16, wherein the bone anchor is a shank having a shank body with a helically wound bone implantable thread. 18. The bone anchor assembly of claim 16, wherein the receiver body is rotatable relative to the bone anchor. 19. A system comprising the bone anchor assembly of claim 16 and further comprising a holding tool including an attachment structure sized and shaped to be received in the upper tool engaging grooves when the holding tool is coupled with the receiver body of the bone anchor assembly. 20. The system of claim 19, further comprising at least one of the rod or the closure top. 21. The system of claim 20, wherein the closure top threadably engages a threaded advancement structure defined on the opposed interior surfaces of the pair of upright arms. 22. The system of claim 20, wherein the closure top is positioned inwardly in the receiver body with respect to the upper tool engaging grooves to engage the rod. | CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/583,821, filed Aug. 26, 2009, now U.S. patent Ser. No. ______, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/996,349, filed Nov. 23, 2004, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,621,918, which are both incorporated by reference herein. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to apparatuses and methods for use in performing spinal surgery and, in particular, to tools and methods of using such tools, especially for percutaneously implanting spinal screws and for implanting a rod for spinal support and alignment, using minimally invasive techniques. For many years, spinal osteosynthesis apparatuses have been utilized to correct spinal deformities, injuries or disease. In such procedures, elongate rods are surgically attached to vertebrae of the spine to provide support and/or to realign or reposition certain vertebrae. Such rods are secured to vertebrae utilizing bone screws and other spinal implants. In order to reduce the impact of such surgery on the patient, a desirable approach is to insert such implants percutaneously or with surgical techniques that are minimally invasive to the body of the patient. Problems arise when implantation tools designed for traditional surgery that is highly invasive are utilized in percutaneous surgery. The tools may be bulky, oversized or have irregular surfaces or protrusions. A projecting actuator arm or fastening member may be useful with respect to the spinal screw implantation process or the rod reduction process, but there is insufficient clearance to use such structure and/or such structure may produce additional invasive trauma which the percutaneous surgery is attempting to avoid. A percutaneous procedure also presents a problem with implantation of rods that are elongate and have historically required a long incision and open wound in order to provide for the length of the rod and the space required for the surgeon's hands to manipulate the rod. Such problems are then compounded by the implants and insertion tools used with the rod. Consequently, it is desirable to develop apparatuses and techniques that allow for the insertion of bone screws, the insertion and reduction of a rod into the bone screws and the securing of the rod to the bone screws with significantly less invasion into the body of the patient and with minimal surgical incision of the skin over the operational site. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A tool assembly and a set of tools according to the invention is provided for percutaneously implanting bone screws and an associated spinal rod in a patient. The tool assembly includes an elongate guide tool with implant engaging members and a multi-purpose installation tool. The multi-purpose tool is a stabilizer for the guide tool implant engaging members which also functions as a rod stabilizer tang container and deployer and a rod pusher and reducer. The guide tool has a lower end configured with opposed implant engaging members for releaseable attachment to a spinal implant bone screw, hook, etc. The multi-purpose installation tool is elongate, and preferably includes a translation nut and attached sleeve which has a lower end for engaging and containing the rod stabilizer tang prior to rod insertion and later pushing on the rod for reduction. The translation nut is coaxial and freely rotatable with respect to the sleeve. The nut is configured for rotatable attachment to an upper end of the guide tool. The multi-purpose installation tool sleeve is attachable or securable to the guide tool in a first bone screw implantation orientation and in an alternative second rod pushing orientation. In the first, bone screw implantation orientation, the sleeve is disposed in a fixed, stationary position with respect to the guide tool, with the sleeve substantially surrounding the guide tool and retaining a flexible tang. In the second or rod pushing orientation, the sleeve is slidable along an axis of the guide tool and the nut can be rotated, thereby translating the rod pushing end between a first location substantially spaced from the guide tool end and a second location near the guide tool end for rod reduction. The tool assembly may further include a driver having a handle, a guide tool attachment portion and a stem, the stem having an end configured for rotatable engagement with a spinal implant screw. The driver is in coaxial relationship with both the guide tool and the multi-purpose installation tool when the stem is disposed within the guide tool with the guide tool attached to the multi-purpose installation tool. The attachment portion of the driver is configured for rigid attachment to the guide tool, preventing rotation of the driver in relation to the guide tool. A tool set according to the invention includes at least a pair of end guide tools. Each end guide tool includes an elongate body having opposed implant engaging members with lower attachment structure adapted for attachment to a respective bone screw. The body has an inner surface defining an elongate and laterally opening channel. Preferably, the guide tool body further defines an elongate opening communicating with the channel and a back wall with a flexible holding structure, the wall and holding structure disposed opposite the lateral opening. The back wall flexible holding structure includes first and second elongate and parallel slits in the lower back wall portion creating a movable tab or tang disposed between the first and second slits. The flexible flap or tang partially defines the elongate channel. Furthermore, during insertion procedures, the tang may be pushed so as to flex, hinge or spring at an upper end thereof and so that a lower end angulates and translates outwardly or to a location lateral relative to a remainder of the back wall, with the channel adapted to receive a respective rod therein. When an end of the rod is inserted in the lower end channel, the tang may be resiliently flexed further outwardly to accommodate the length of the rod while maintaining, containing and stabilizing the rod in a desired position relative to bone screws. The multi-purpose installation tool is attachable to the end guide tool in a first, bone screw implantation configuration position and in an opposite second, rod pushing configuration or position. In the first position, an elongate slot or opening in the sleeve of the tool support is aligned with and fixed in adjacent relationship to the channel opening of the end guide tool, with the sleeve of the tool being held adjacent to the back wall portion and retaining the spring tang. In the second, rod pushing position, the end guide tool back wall portion and the tool sleeve opening are fixed in adjacent relationship with the back wall tang portion protrudeable into the tool sleeve opening. An intermediate guide tool according to the invention includes an end with opposed first and second implant engaging legs defining a longitudinal pass-through opening, passageway or slot for receiving a rod therethrough. When attached to a multi-purpose installation tool in the first, bone screw implantation orientation, the tool sleeve is disposed in a fixed, stationary position substantially surrounding and supporting both the intermediate guide tool legs. In the second or rod pushing orientation, the sleeve is in sliding relation along an axis of the intermediate guide tool, with the sleeve and associated rod pushing end translatable along the first and second legs between a first location spaced from the intermediate guide tool end and a second location adjacent or near the guide tool end. A vertebral support rod implantation kit according to the invention, adapted for use with a plurality of vertebrae, includes a plurality of polyaxial bone screws, each bone screw being adapted for implantation in one vertebra, each of the bone screws having an attachment structure. The kit also includes an elongate rod having first and second ends, the rod sized and shaped to extend between a pair of end bone screws of the plurality of bone screws. The kit further includes a plurality of closure tops with each closure top being sized and shaped to mate with a respective bone screw and capture or retain the elongate rod within a cavity or channel defined by the respective arms of the bone screw. Additionally, the kit includes a pair of end guide tools, and may include one or more intermediate guide tools, each guide tool being attachable to multi-purpose installation tools, as described herein and bone screw drivers, the drivers being configured to be rigidly attached to a respective end guide tool or intermediate guide tool. In a method according to the invention, a spinal fixation tool assembly is assembled by first attaching a bone screw head of a spinal implant screw to a mating attachment structure disposed at a first end of an elongate guide tool implant engaging member, the guide tool defining a laterally opening channel and having a second attachment structure disposed at a second end thereof. The guide tool and attached spinal implant screw are then inserted into a multi-purpose installation tool, the tool having a translation nut and a sleeve. The nut is rotated in a first direction to mate the tool support with the second attachment structure on the guide tool and translate the sleeve to a location near the guide tool first end. Then, a driver is inserted into the guide tool channel, the driver having a handle and a spinal implant screw engagement end. The driver is attached to the guide tool at the second attachment structure with the driver engagement end engaging the spinal implant screw. A method according to the invention may also include the steps of inserting the attached driver, multi-purpose installation tool, guide tool and spinal implant screw into an incision, especially a minimally invasive incision sized to snugly or closely receive the assembled tools and bone screw, and into contact with a vertebra, followed by turning the driver handle. By turning the handle, the driver, the associated tools and the spinal implant screw are rotated as one assemblage or unit, driving the spinal implant screw into the vertebra. Further method steps according to the invention include detaching the drivers from the attached guide and multi-purpose installation tools and withdrawing the drivers from the incisions, followed by detaching the multi-purpose installation tools from the end guide tools and thereby deploying the end tangs. It may also be desirable to detach the multi-purpose installation tools from the intermediate guide tools, if any. According to the invention, during rod insertion, a respective multi-purpose installation tool may be utilized for rod reduction and accordingly replaced on each end guide tool with the sleeve opening thereof aligned with the end guide tool flexible wall or tang to allow the tang to remain flexed outward. Then a rod first end may be inserted into an incision through which one of the end guide tools has been inserted, and then guided into a channel of an adjacent end or intermediate guide tool. The rod is then guided into and through all remaining channels with first and second ends of the rod each in contact with a flexible wall or deployed tang of a respective end guide tool with the tangs biasing against the rod ends, and with the rod extending through all associated guide tools. The multi-purpose installation tool sleeve is then utilized as a rod pusher by rotating the nut and sliding the closed end of the sleeve toward the lower guide tool end, the sleeve end contacting the rod and pushing the rod toward the bone screw. The attachment structure for joining the guide tool to the bone screw includes radial mating projections and receivers or grooves that allow the guide tool to be twisted on and twisted from the head of the bone screw. For example, an external attachment on the bone screw head can have tapered undercut upper surfaces. It is foreseen that other attachment structure could be used such as clip-on/clip-off, clip-on/twist-off, snap-on/snap-off, snap-on/twist-off, spring-on/spring-off, spring-on/twist-off, set screws, etc. The attachment structure secures the guide tool to the bone screw during insertion of the screw into bone, but allows the tool to release from the bone screw for removal of the tool at the end of the procedure by rotation of the tool about a central axis thereof or by some other mechanism, as described herein. Objects and Advantages of the Invention Therefore, the objects of the present invention are: to provide a compact tool assembly for supporting and installing bone screws and other implants with minimal surgical invasion to the patient; to provide such an assembly wherein a tool providing support and stabilization for implant engaging members of the assembly during bone screw implantation may also be utilized for deployment of rod containment tangs and as a rod reducer; to further provide a set of tools for implanting a spinal rod for support or alignment along a human spine with minimal surgical invasion of the patient; to provide such a set of tools including a pair of end tool guides for slidably guiding opposed ends of the rod toward end bone screws attached to the end guide tools; to provide such a set of tools including intermediate guide tools for each intermediate bone screw that guide the rod in slots therethrough to respective bone screws; to provide such a set of tools including rod and closure top installation tools for assisting in securing the rod in the bone screws; to provide such a set of tools wherein the guide tools are easily attached to and disengaged from the bone screws; to provide such a set of tools wherein the guide tools, guide tool supports or stabilizers, tang containment and deployment tools, rod reduction tools, bone screw installation tools and closure top installation tools are all easily aligned, positioned, and engaged, if necessary, with respect to the bone screw and are disengaged from the bone screw and other tools in the installation assembly by manual manipulation of the surgeon; to provide a method of implanting a rod into bone screws within a patient with minimal surgical invasion of the patient; to provide such a method utilizing the previously described tools for percutaneous implantation of such a rod; and to provide such a set of tools and methods that are easy to use and especially adapted for the intended use thereof and wherein the tools are comparatively inexpensive to produce. Other objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein are set forth, by way of illustration and example, certain embodiments of this invention. The drawings constitute a part of this specification and include exemplary embodiments of the present invention and illustrate various objects and features thereof. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is an exploded front elevational view of a tool assembly according to the present invention showing a driver tool, a multi-purpose installation tool implant engaging member stabilizer sleeve/tang container and deployer/rod pusher and reducer and an end guide tool shown with an attached polyaxial bone screw. FIG. 2 is an enlarged front elevational view of an intermediate guide tool of the invention. FIG. 3 is an enlarged side elevational view of the intermediate guide tool of FIG. 2. FIG. 4 is an enlarged rear elevational view of the intermediate guide tool of FIG. 2. FIG. 5 is an enlarged front elevational view of the end guide tool of FIG. 1. FIG. 6 is an enlarged side elevational view of the end guide tool of FIG. 5. FIG. 7 is an enlarged rear elevational view of the end guide tool of FIG. 5. FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of the end guide tool, taken along the line 8-8 of FIG. 5. FIG. 9 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the intermediate guide tool, taken along the line 9-9 of FIG. 2. FIG. 10 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the intermediate guide tool, taken along the line 10-10 of FIG. 2. FIG. 11 is an enlarged bottom plan view of the intermediate guide tool of FIG. 2. FIG. 12 is an enlarged and fragmentary perspective view of a polyaxial bone screw of the invention. FIG. 13 is an enlarged and fragmentary front elevational view of the polyaxial bone screw of FIG. 12. FIG. 14 is an enlarged and fragmentary side elevational view of the polyaxial bone screw of FIG. 12. FIG. 15 is an enlarged and fragmentary side elevational view of the polyaxial bone screw of FIG. 12 disposed opposite the side shown in FIG. 14. FIG. 16 is an enlarged top plan view of the polyaxial bone screw of FIG. 12. FIG. 17 is an enlarged and fragmentary front elevational view of the polyaxial bone screw of FIG. 12 and the intermediate guide tool of FIG. 2, shown at an early stage of a twist-on installation of the intermediate guide tool to the bone screw head. FIG. 18 is an enlarged and fragmentary cross-sectional view of the intermediate guide tool and polyaxial bone screw installation, taken along the line 18-18 of FIG. 17. FIG. 19 is an enlarged and fragmentary cross-sectional view similar to FIG. 18, showing a later stage of the twist-on installation of the intermediate guide tool to the bone screw head. FIG. 20 is an enlarged and fragmentary cross-sectional view similar to FIGS. 18 and 19, showing the intermediate guide tool installed on the bone screw head. FIG. 21 is an enlarged, fragmentary and cross-sectional view, taken along the line 21-21 of FIG. 20, showing the intermediate guide tool installed on the bone screw head. FIG. 22 is an enlarged front elevational view of the multi-purpose tool shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 23 is a cross-sectional view of the multi-purpose tool taken along the line 23-23 of FIG. 22. FIG. 24 is an enlarged bottom plan view of the multi-purpose tool of FIG. 22. FIG. 25 is an enlarged and fragmentary cross-sectional view of a portion of the multi-purpose tool shown in FIG. 23. FIG. 26 is an enlarged and fragmentary side elevational view of the driver shown in FIG. 1 having a handle, a nut fastener and a stem, with the nut fastener being shown in a first, unengaged position. FIG. 27 is an enlarged and fragmentary front elevational view of the driver tool similar to FIG. 26, showing the nut fastener in a second or intermediate position. FIG. 28 is an enlarged and fragmentary side elevational view similar to FIG. 27 and further showing a cross-sectional view of the nut fastener, taken along the line 28-28 of FIG. 27. FIG. 29 is an enlarged cross-sectional view similar to FIG. 23, showing an early stage of the installation of the multi-purpose tool to the end guide tool (shown in side elevation as in FIG. 6). FIG. 30 is an enlarged cross-sectional view similar to FIG. 29, showing the multi-purpose tool installed to the end guide tool (shown in side elevation). FIG. 31 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the multi-purpose tool, taken along the line 31-31 of FIG. 30, showing the end guide tool in front elevation. FIG. 32 is an enlarged and fragmentary cross-sectional view of the multi-purpose tool similar to FIG. 31, shown attached to the end guide tool and also showing a sliding engagement stage of attachment to the driver (shown in front elevation). FIG. 33 is an enlarged and fragmentary front elevational view similar to FIG. 32, showing the driver nut fastener in the intermediate position shown in FIG. 27. FIG. 34 is an enlarged and fragmentary front elevational view similar to FIG. 33, showing the driver in fixed engagement with the guide tool. FIG. 35 is an enlarged and fragmentary view similar to FIG. 34, showing the driver in fixed engagement with the guide tool and with the driver nut fastener shown in cross-section as in FIG. 28, and the multi-purpose tool shown in cross-section as in FIG. 32. FIG. 36 is a partial and generally schematic cross-sectional view of a patient's spine, showing a thin guide pin installed at a first side thereof and a bone screw tap tool and threaded bore made thereby at a second side thereof. FIG. 37 is a partial and generally schematic view of a patient's spine showing a tool assembly according to the invention with attached bone screw being guided toward the threaded bore in a vertebra in an early stage of a process according to the invention. FIG. 38 is a partial and generally schematic view of a patient's spine, showing an end guide tool and the multi-purpose tool of the present invention being positioned for use in a process according to the invention. FIG. 39 is a partial and generally schematic view of a patient's spine, showing a pair of end tools and a pair of intermediate tools of the present invention being positioned for use in a process according to the invention. FIG. 40 is a partial and generally schematic view of a patient's spine, showing a pair of end tools with the flexible tangs containing a rod which has now been inserted and a pair of intermediate tools of the present invention with one of the intermediate tools shown with an attached multi-purpose tool in a rod reduction application and one of the end guide tools shown partially cut-away, illustrating a closure top installation tool disposed within the end tool and cooperating with a bone screw closure member, the tools being utilized in an early stage of rod implantation to guide the rod toward the bone screws. FIG. 41 is a partial and generally schematic cross-sectional view of the spine, taken along the line 41-41 of FIG. 40, showing an early stage of implanting a rod according to a process of the invention. FIG. 42 is a partial and generally schematic view of a patient's spine similar to FIG. 40, showing cut-away portions of all four tool assemblies, illustrating an intermediate stage of implanting a rod. FIG. 43 is a partial and generally schematic view of a patient's spine similar to FIG. 42, showing cut-away portions of three of the tool assemblies and one assembly without an end tool, illustrating the rod fully installed in all the bone screws. FIG. 44 is an exploded front elevational view of an anti-torque tool assembly according to the present invention showing an antitorque tool and a closure top installation tool cooperating with a break-away bone screw closure member. FIG. 45 is a bottom plan view of the anti-torque tool shown in FIG. 44. FIG. 46 is a fragmentary and front elevational view of a bone screw with attached break-away closure member and installed rod, and further showing the closure top installation tool of FIG. 44 with the anti-torque tool. FIG. 47 is a fragmentary and front elevational view of a bone screw and anti-torque tool with portions broken away to show a torque driver advancing toward the break-away closure member in a process according to the invention. FIG. 48 is a fragmentary and front elevational view of the bone screw and anti-torque tool similar to FIG. 47, with portions broken away to show a fully installed rod and closure member with the break-away head removed from the top by the torque driver. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION As required, detailed embodiments of the present invention are disclosed herein; however, it is to be understood that the disclosed embodiments are merely exemplary of the invention, which may be embodied in various forms. Therefore, specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a basis for the claims and as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to variously employ the present invention in virtually any appropriately detailed structure. With reference to FIG. 1, and for example, also FIGS. 37 and 40, reference numeral 1 generally designates a tool assembly according to the present invention and reference numeral 2 generally designates a tool set according to the invention, made up of a number and variety of tool assemblies 1 for use in installing a set of bone screws 4 into a patient's spine 6, followed by the installation of an orthopedic spinal rod or longitudinal member 8 into the bone screws 4 in a process according to the present invention. The tool assembly 1 includes an end guide tool 9 or an intermediate guide tool 10 mated with a multi-purpose installation tool 12 configured to function as a guide tool stabilizer and supporter, a tang container and deployer and a rod pusher and reducer. The tool assembly 1 may further include a driver 14. A set 2 of the illustrated embodiment includes a pair of end guide tools 9 and a plurality of intermediate guide tools 10, which in the illustrated embodiment includes a pair of intermediate guide tools 10 on each side of a patient's spine 6, but which can include none, one or many intermediate guide tools 10 depending upon the particular application, so that one intermediate guide tool 10 is used for each intermediate bone screw 4 to which the rod 8 is to be attached. The driver 14 is used in conjunction with the guide tool 9 and the guide tool 10 to implant bone screws 4 in the patient's spine 6 and, in particular, in vertebrae 16 along the spine 6 as shown in FIG. 37. Each end guide tool 9 and intermediate guide tool 10 is configured to cooperate with the multi-purpose installation tool 12 to install the rod 8. However, it may be sufficient according to a process of the invention to utilize only one multi-purpose installation tool 12 in a particular tool set 2, as shown in FIG. 40. Rods 8 or other longitudinal members are often installed on both sides of the spine 6 during the same procedure. It is noted that any reference to the words top, bottom, up and down, and the like, in this application refers to the alignment shown in the various drawing figures, as well as the normal connotations applied to such devices, and is not intended to restrict positioning of the assembly 1 or the tool set 2 in actual use. The end guide tool 9 is illustrated in FIG. 1 and FIGS. 5 through 8. In particular, each end guide tool 9 has an elongate body 18 that is sized and shaped to be sufficiently long to extend from implanted bone screws 4 through an exterior of a patient's skin 20 so as to provide an outwardly extending and upper handle portion 22 that allows and provides for gripping by a surgeon during procedures utilizing the tool set 2, with or without an attached multi-purpose installation tool 12 and/or driver 14. Each of the end guide tools 9 further includes an intermediate portion 24 and a lower implant engaging portion 26 which includes opposed implant engaging members for securing one the implants there between. Each end guide tool 9 has a substantially flat back wall 28 joining a pair of substantially cylindrically shaped side walls 32 and 33. The back wall 28 provides a flexible holding structure that includes a pair of parallel slits 34 extending from near the lower handle portion 22 to an end 36 of the tool 9. When pressed upon by a rod 8, a flap or flexible tang 38 disposed between the slits 34 in the back wall portion is configured to flex or spring radially outwardly from the bottom and about the top thereof in a deployed position, as is shown in FIG. 6. The back wall portion flap or tang 38 provides a surgeon with some additional working space and flexibility when working with the rod 8 during surgery, so the rod 8 can extend beyond the bone screws 4 while remaining under resilient tension produced by outward biasing of the flexible back wall portion so that the rod 8 remains in a desired position and under control. Further, the tang or flap 38 also functions to urge the rod 8 toward the other tools in the tool set 2, as shown in FIG. 40 and as will be discussed more fully below. The upper portion 22 of each end guide tool 9 includes a laterally or sideways opening channel 39, forming a U-shaped cross-section, a C-shaped cross-section, a crescent shaped cross-section or the like having a generally elongate and axially extending opening 40 with a side-to-side width 42. Preferably, the channel 39 mates with other channel structure described below so as to extend the entire length of the end guide tool 9. The opening 40 communicates with and forms part of the channel 39 that opens at an upper end 43 of the guide tool 9 and also opens perpendicularly with respect to a central axis of the guide tool 9 or laterally to one side of the end guide tool 9, thus defining the opening 40. The opening 40 narrows near the upper end 43 providing a slot 44 having a side-to-side width 45 that is smaller than the side-to-side width 42. The slot 44 is configured for sliding engagement with a rotational locking pin 46 disposed on the driver 14 and discussed more fully below. Disposed on either side of the slot 44 are co-planar surfaces 47 and 48 that are parallel with the back wall 28. The surfaces 47 and 48, as well as the back wall 28, provide alignment surfaces when the multi-purpose tool 12 is inserted onto the guide tool 9 discussed more fully below. The opening 40 is of substantially constant width through a mid-section 48 of the handle portion 22, sufficiently wide to receive additional tools and/or a closure top for sideways loading into the channel 39, as will be discussed below. The upper portion 22 also includes an outer helically wound discontinuous guide and advancement structure 50 disposed on outer surfaces of both of the substantially cylindrically shaped side walls 32 and 33, which may include conventional helically wound V type threads, buttress threads, helically wound square threads, or other guide and advancement structure to cooperate with equivalent or mateable structure within the multi-purpose installation tool 12 and the driver 14, as described more fully below. The advancement structure 50 extends from near the intermediate portion 24 to the open end 43. The back wall 28 extending between the threaded sides 32 and 33 has an outer substantially planar and smooth surface finish. Extending from the upper portion 22 and into the intermediate portion 24 of each end guide tool 9 is an outward facing channel 51 that has an opening 52 with a side-to-side width 53 that is somewhat smaller than the width 42 of the upper handle portion 22, such that the channel 51 and opening 52 are sized and shaped to receive and allow passage of certain tools and implants, as described below. Furthermore, a remaining portion of the end guide tool intermediate portion 24 and the lower portion 26 includes a groove or channel 55, with an elongate, axially extending and radially outward opening 57, having a side-to-side width 58 that is slightly smaller than the width 42 of the opening 40, but larger than the slot width 45 and the opening width 53. The channel opening 57 is disposed opposite the flexible tang or flap 38. All of the channels 39, 51 and 55 communicate with one another and are aligned with one another so as to provide a continuous elongate interior and sideways open passageway with an open side from near the top end 43 to near the bottom 36 thereof. This passageway provides a continuous open path of non-uniform cross-sectional radius throughout from the top 43 to the bottom 36 thereof that is parallel to an elongate axis A of each end guide tool 9. As will be discussed more fully below, each end guide tool channel opening 57 is sized and shaped to slidingly receive a respective end 59 of the rod 8 therein. It is foreseen that one or all of the channel openings forming the open side that extends from near the top end 43 to near the bottom 36 of the guide tool 9 may be sized and shaped to receive the end 59 of the rod 8. It is also foreseen that the rod 8 may be of uniform or non-uniform diameter, regular or uneven surface construction, or smooth or roughened surface finish, and that the channel openings may in turn be sized and shaped to receive such a rod end that may exhibit a greater or smaller width or diameter than at other locations along the rod. The slits 34 are spaced in order to have a back wall or flap flex region having a size and shape to allow at least partial passage of a respective end 59 of the rod 8 between the side walls 32 and 33. Also located near the end guide bottom 36 is a rod abutment recess 61 that is sized and shaped for the purpose of bridging the rod 8 when the end guide tool 9 is rotated for removal, as described below. However, it is foreseen that other removal means could be used. The end guide tool 9 also receives a closure top 62, as will be described below. Still further, near the bottom 36 of each of the end guides 9 on inner surfaces of the side walls 32 and 33, is a helical wound, discontinuous guide and advancement structure 64 which may include conventional helically wound V-shaped threads, buttress threads, reverse angle threads, helically wound square threads, or other guide and advancement structure to cooperate with equivalent or mateable structure within the bone screw heads 4 and on the closure top 62, as also described below. At the lower portion 26, the substantially cylindrical side walls 32 and 33 include an outer radially extending bevel 66 and substantially cylindrical outer side walls 68 and 69, respectively. The walls 68 and 69 uniformly increase the thickness of the respective side walls 32 and 33, resulting in a substantially cylindrical cross-section of greater diameter than a diameter created by an outer surface of the side walls 32 and 33 at the intermediate portion 24. As will be discussed more fully below, in addition to increasing the diameter, the walls 68 and 69 are configured with co-planar front walls or facets 70 and co-planar back walls or facets 71 with the facets 70 being disposed parallel to the facets 71, providing for alignment and mating with an interior of the multi-purpose installation tool 12 to ensure that the end guide tool 9 is retained in a selected, non-rotatable position with respect to the multi-purpose installation tool 12 when installed therein. Each of the walls 68 and 69 can include an abutment pin 67 located at an outer surface thereof and near the bottom or end 36. The pin 67 may serve as a stop for the multi-purpose installation tool 12 as will be described more fully below; however, such a pin stop is not always needed. Near the end or bottom 36 of each end guide tool 9, disposed on an inner surface of each of the side walls 32 and 33, is a radially inward facing attachment structure, generally 72, that will be described below in conjunction with a similar structure on the intermediate guide tool 10 and the bone screw 4. Each of the intermediate guide tools 10, specifically illustrated in FIGS. 2 to 4, have a somewhat similar overall shape when compared to the end guide tools 9 in that both are preferably of the same axial length and width and also have much structure in common; however with certain differences as noted. Each intermediate guide tool 10 has an overall elongate body 74 with an upper handle portion 76, an intermediate portion 77 and a lower implant engaging portion 78 which includes opposed implant engaging members for securing one of the implants there between. In the upper portion 76, the body 74 is generally C-shaped defining a radially outward opening 79 communicating with an elongate and axially extending channel 80 defined by a rear wall 81 having a lower web edge 96 and side walls 82 and 83. With reference to FIG. 2, the channel 80 front opening 79 extends parallel to an axis B of the body 74 and has a side-to-side width 85 configured to receive tools and elements described below. Similar to the end guide tool 9, the opening 85 narrows near an upper end 87 providing an elongate slot 88 having a side-to-side width 89 that is smaller than the width 85. The slot 88 is configured for sliding engagement with the pin 46 disposed on the driver 14 and discussed more fully below. Disposed on either side of the slot 88 are co-planar surfaces 91 and 92 that are parallel with the rear wall 81. The surfaces 91 and 92, as well as the rear wall 81, provide alignment surfaces when the multi-purpose tool 12 is inserted onto the guide tool 10, discussed more fully below. Below the slot 88, the side-to-side opening width 85 is substantially constant through a mid-section 90 of the handle portion 76, sufficient to receive additional tools and/or a closure top, as will be discussed below. The upper or handle portion 76 also includes an outer helically wound discontinuous guide and advancement structure 93 disposed on outer sides of both of the substantially cylindrically shaped side walls 82 and 83, which may include conventional helically wound V-threads, helically wound square threads, buttress threads or other guide and advancement structure to cooperate with equivalent or mateable structure within the multi-purpose installation tool 12 and the driver 14 as described more fully below. The advancement structure 93 extends from near the intermediate portion 77 to the open end 87. An outer surface of the rear wall 81 extending between the threaded sides 32 and 33 is substantially planar and smooth. The upper or handle portion 76 further includes an outward facing channel 94 communicating with the channel 80. The channel 94 is defined in part by a rear wall or web 95 having a lower end with the web edge 96, the wall 95 being integral with the wall 81. Communicating with the channel 94 is an elongate and axially extending opening 98 having a side-to-side width 99 that is somewhat smaller than the width 85 of the opening 79. The opening 98 is further defined by the walls 82 and 83. The channel 94 and opening 98 are configured to receive, contain and allow translational movement therealong or rotational relative movement of certain tools, as described more fully below. Although not shown in the drawings, it is foreseen that the channel 94, channel opening 98 and rear wall or web 95 may extend into the intermediate portion 77 to provide greater strength and stability to the lower portion 78 of the intermediate tool 10, with the opening 98 also extending into the lower portion 78 providing greater retention of small tools or parts being inserted through the channel 94. The intermediate portion 77 of the intermediate tool 10 includes two spaced side walls or legs 102 and 103, extending from and integral with the side walls 82 and 83, respectively. The legs 102 and 103 have outer surfaces that are partially cylindrical. Similar to the end tool 9, at the juncture of the intermediate portion 77 and the lower portion 78, each of the legs 102 and 103 include an outwardly facing radially extending bevel 106 integral with substantially cylindrical outer side walls 107 and 108, respectively. The outer walls 107 and 108 extend along the length of the lower portion 78 and uniformly increase the thickness of the respective legs 102 and 103, resulting in a substantially cylindrical cross-section of greater outer diameter at the lower portion 78 than an outer diameter created by the outer surfaces of the legs 102 and 103 along the intermediate portion 77. As will be discussed more fully below, in addition to increasing the diameter, the walls 107 and 108 are configured with co-planar front facets or walls with flat surfaces 109 and co-planar rear facets or walls with flat surfaces 110, the facets 109 disposed parallel to the facets 110, providing for alignment with an interior of the multi-purpose installation tool 12 to ensure that the intermediate guide tool 10 is properly mated with and retained in a selected, non-rotatable position with respect to the multi-purpose installation tool 12 when installed therein. Along both the intermediate and lower portions 77 and 78 of the intermediate tool 10, the legs 102 and 103 define an elongate and axially extending passthrough slot 111 sized and shaped to slidingly receive the rod 8. The slot or opening extends from the lower edge of the web end 96 of the rear wall 95 to an open end or bottom 112 of the tool 10 configured to secure an open ended spinal surgery implant there between. Near the bottom 112 of each implant engaging leg member 102 and 103 of the intermediate guide tool 10 is a helically wound but discontinuous square thread 114 and it is foreseen that other type of guide and advancement structure may be utilized such as helically wound flange forms, reverse angle threads, buttress threads, etc. The thread form 114 cooperates with the closure top 62, as described below. The lower end of each leg 102 and 103 of the intermediate guide tool 10 also includes a cutout or rod-abutment recess 116 similar to the recess 61 described with respect to the end tool 9. Each of the walls 107 and 108 can include an abutment pin 118 located at an outer surface thereof and near the bottom or end 112. The pin 118 may serve as a stop for the multi-purpose installation tool 12 as will be described more fully below. Also near the end or bottom 112 of each leg 102 and 103 of the intermediate guide tool 10, disposed on inner substantially cylindrical surfaces 120 and 121, respectively, is a radially inward facing attachment structure, generally 124, substantially similar to the structure 72 disposed on the end guide tool 9. The structure 124 will be described herein in conjunction with the bone screw 4. With reference to FIGS. 9-11, the embodiment shown includes an attachment structure 124 having a first projection, stop or pin 126 in spaced relation with a second smaller projection, stop or pin 127, both pins being disposed on the surface 120. In the embodiment shown, the structure 123 further includes a cooperating third projection, stop or pin 130 in spaced relation with a fourth smaller projection, stop or pin 131, the pins 130 and 131 being disposed on the surface 121. The larger pins 126 and 130 are substantially configured the same, both being substantially rounded, radially inward projecting nodules, each having a ridge or lip 132 and 133, respectively, projecting upwardly toward the guide and advancement structure 114 and that preferably follows the curvature of the respective leg inner surface 120 and 121. The lips 132 and 133 with respective surfaces 120 and 121 define slots 134 and 135, respectively, for receiving the bone screw 4 as will be discussed more fully below. The pin 126 is configured slightly larger than the pin 130, requiring similar modification in the bone screw 4, resulting in a method of operation wherein the bone screw 4 may only be mated with the guide 9 or 10 from a single direction, ensuring appropriate alignment between the bone screw 4 and guide tool advancement structure 114 with respect to the installment of the closure top 62. Each of the larger pins 126 and 130 is also disposed at substantially the same distance from respective bottom surfaces 138 and 139, at the end 112 of the guide tool 10 and adjacent a rod-abutment recess 116. Furthermore, each of the larger pins 126 and 130 is also disposed at substantially the same distance from respective parallel seating surfaces 140 and 141, that form a base of the guide and advancement structure 114. Additionally, in this embodiment the pins 126 and 130 are disposed in diametrically opposed relation when viewed in cross-section as shown in FIG. 10. The smaller pins 127 and 131 are also substantially configured the same, the pin 131 being slightly larger than the pin 127, but otherwise both pins 127 and 131 being substantially rounded, radially inwardly projecting nubs, each disposed at substantially the same distance from the respective bottom surfaces 138 and 139 and the respective seating surfaces 140 and 141. Furthermore, the pins 127 and 131 are disposed in diametrically opposed relation when viewed in cross-section as shown in FIG. 10. Each of the pins 127 and 131 are disposed closer to the respective end surfaces 138 and 139 than are the larger pins 126 and 130. It is noted that other orientations and pin sizes may be utilized according to the invention, with the pin sizes and locations cooperating with respective features on the bone screws 4. Preferably, the pins are of different sizes to provide for mating of the guide tool 9 or 10 with the bone screw 4 from a single direction, resulting in a desired alignment between the bone screw 4 guide and advancement structure 114 and the closure top 62 guide and advancement structure. The pins 126, 127, 130 and 131 cooperate and mate with the bone screw 4, at a receiver portion, generally identified by the reference numeral 145, of a head 146 thereof. With reference to FIGS. 12-15, each of the bone screws 4 further includes a threaded shank 148 attached to the head 146, the shank 148 for screwing into and seating in a vertebra 16 that is part of the human spine 6. The head 146 includes first and second arms 150 and 151 that define a rod receiving channel 153 passing therethrough. Each of the bone screw shanks 148 includes an upper portion 154 that extends into the head 146 and is operationally secured therein, so that the head 146 is rotatable on the shank 148 until locked in position through engagement with the rod 8 under pressure. The receiver portion 145 is disposed on outer surfaces of the arms 150 and 151. The receiver portion 145 of arm 150 includes a slot or groove 158 communicating with a recess 159 defined in part by a flange 160. The groove 158 and recess 159 open at a front surface 162 of the arm 150 and extend across a facet 163 and into a side surface 164 thereof. With reference to FIG. 21, the groove 158 is configured to mate with the large pin 126 with the lip 132 extending into the recess 159 and the flange 160 disposed in the slot 134 when the guide tool 10 is attached to the bone screw head 146. The width of the slot 134 is sized to prevent passage therethrough of the pin 126 except by twisting or rotational relative movement therebetween. The receiver portion 145 of the arm 150 further includes a rounded aperture 165 disposed substantially centrally on a face or facet 167 of the arm 150, the facet 167 disposed adjacent to the side surface 163. The aperture 165 is configured to mate with the small pin 127. Similar to the arm 150, the receiver portion 145 of the arm 151 defines a groove 168 communicating with a recess 169 defined in part by a flange 170. The groove 168 and recess 169 open at a back surface 172 of the arm 151 and extend across a facet 173 into a side surface 174 thereof. Similar to what is shown in FIG. 21 with respect to the arm 150, the groove 168 is configured to mate with the large pin 130 with the lip 133 extending into the recess 169 and the flange 170 disposed in the slot 135 when the guide tool 10 is attached to the bone screw head 146. The receiver portion 145 of the arm 151 further includes a rounded aperture 175 disposed substantially centrally on a face or facet 177 of the arm 151, the facet 177 disposed adjacent to the side surface 173. The aperture 175 is configured to mate with the small pin 131. In the embodiment shown, to attach the bone screw head 146 to the guide tool 10, the guide tool 10 is rotated about its axis B such that the legs 102 and 103 are lowered into place as shown in FIGS. 17 and 18, with the facets 167 and 177 of the head 146 disposed between the guide tool legs 102 and 103, with the facet 167 adjacent the leg 102 and the facet 177 adjacent the leg 103, thereby aligning the groove 158 with the large pin 126 and the groove 168 with the large pin 130. The head 146 may then be twisted into place as shown by the arrow T in FIGS. 18, 19 and 20. The legs 102 and 103 may splay slightly as the head is twisted into place, but come to rest in a generally non-splayed configuration and held in place by the structure of the attachment mechanism to resist splaying. In order to disengage the guide tool 9 or the guide tool 10 from the bone screw 4, the guide tool 9, 10 is rotated counterclockwise from an attaching configuration (opposite to the arrow T), when viewing from the top so as to disengage the lips 132 and 133 from the recesses 159 and 169, respectively. In this manner, end guide tools 9 and intermediate guide tools 10 that have previously twisted on, now twist off of respective bone screws 4. While a preferred embodiment of the invention has the respective pins of the attachment structure on the guide tools and the grooves on the bone screw heads, it is foreseen that these elements could be reversed in total or part in accordance with the invention. Also, other suitable attachment structure could be used, such as sloped or tapered undercut surfaces on the screw heads that overlap, mate and interlock with radially or linearly projecting structure on or near the ends of the guide tools. Such projecting structure can be snapped on or clipped on and translated up to provide for anti-splay overlapping surfaces. In the embodiment shown, the recesses 61 and 116 disposed on the respective guide tools 9 and 10 are sized, shaped and positioned so that when the rod 8 is located in the bone screws 4, the guide tools 9 and 10 can rotate about respective axes A and B, with the recess 61 and 116 allowing the respective guide tool 9 and 10 to straddle over the rod 8, thereby allowing the guide tool 9 and 10 to twist relative to the bone screw 4 and free the attachment structures 72 and 124 from the receiver portion 145 of the bone screw 4 and thereafter be removed after all procedures are complete, as described below. The closure top 62 closes between the spaced bone screw arms 150 and 151 to secure the rod 8 in the channel 153. The closure top 62 can be any of many different plug type closures. With reference to FIGS. 46-48, preferably the closure top 62 has a cylindrical body 180 that has a helically wound mating guide and advancement structure 181. The guide and advancement structure 181 can be of any type, including V-type threads, buttress threads, reverse angle threads, or square threads. Preferably the guide and advancement structure 181 is a helically wound flange form that interlocks with a reciprocal flange form as part of a guide and advancement structure 183 on the interior of the bone screw arms 150 and 151. A suitable locking guide and advancement structure of this type is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,726,689 from Ser. No. 10/236,123 which is incorporated herein by reference. The helically wound guide and advancement structures 64 and 114 in the respective guide tools 9 and 10 are sized and shaped to receive the mating guide and advancement structure 181 of the closure top 62 and align with the guide and advancement structure 183 of the bone screw 4 to form a generally continuous helically wound pathway, but does not require locking between the closure top 62 and the tools 9 and 10, even when an interlocking flange form is utilized on the closure top 62. The guides 64 and 114 allow the closure top 62 to be rotated and the surgeon to develop mechanical advantage to urge or drive the rod 8, while still outside or partially outside the bone screw 4, toward and into the bone screw head 146. This is especially helpful where the rod 8 is bent relative to the location of the vertebra 16 (which is sometimes the case) to which the rod 8 is to attach and is not easily placed in the bone screw head 146 without force and the mechanical advantage provided by the guides 64 and 114. In particular, the guide and advancement structures 64 and 114 on the respective tools 9 and 10 are located and positioned to align with the guide and advancement structure 183 on the insides of the bone screw arms 150 and 151, as shown in FIG. 42 and pass the closure top 62 therebetween while allowing the closure top 62 to continue to rotate and to continuously apply force to the rod 8, so as to aid in seating the rod 8 in the bone screw head 146. Each closure top 62 also preferably includes a break-off head 186 that breaks from the cylindrical body 180 in a break-off region 187 upon the application of a preselected torque, such as 95 to 120 inch-pounds. The break-off head 186 preferably has a hexagonal cross section faceted exterior that is configured to mate with a similarly shaped socket of a final closure driving or torquing tool 190 described below. It is foreseen that different driving heads or other methods of driving the closure top 62 can be utilized with certain embodiments of the invention, such as non-break-off closure top designs. The present invention is not intended to be restricted to a particular type of bone screw or bone screw closure mechanism. In the present embodiment, a polyaxial type bone screw 4 is utilized wherein the shank 148 is locked in position by direct contact with the rod 8. It is foreseen that the tool set 2 of the present invention can be used with virtually any type of bone screw, including fixed monoaxial and polyaxial bone screws of many different types wherein the head is locked relative to the shank by structure other than in the manner described in the illustrated embodiment. With reference to FIGS. 22-25, the multi-purpose installation tool 12 of the tool assembly 1 of the invention includes an upper translation nut 202 rotatably and free wheelingably attached to a lower guide tool stabilizer or support sleeve 204. The sleeve 204 has an inner substantially cylindrical surface 205 defining a substantially hollow passageway 206 sized and shaped to slidingly receive an end tool 9 or an intermediate tool 10 therein. Alternatively, is foreseen that the sleeve could have an inner and outer planar surface. The sleeve 204 is elongate and includes a receiving end 207, a substantially cylindrical outer body 208 and a translation nut attachment end portion 210 disposed opposite the receiving end 207. The receiving end 207 not only functions to receive the guide tool 9 or 10 into the sleeve 204, but also as a pressing block 218 for contacting the flexible flap or spring tang 38 and as a pressing end 207 for contacting the rod 8 and translating the rod 8 toward the bone screw head 146 when the multi-purpose installation tool 12 is installed on the guide tool 9 or 10, as will be discussed more fully below. The cylindrical body 208 further defines a slotted U-shaped or C-shaped channel 212 that opens radially at an opening 213 and also opens at the receiving end 207 and extends substantially along a length of the body 208 to a location 214 spaced from the nut attachment end portion 210. The channel opening has a side-to-side width 216 sized to receive the back wall tang portion or flexible flap 38 of the end guide tool 9 therethrough, when aligned therewith. For example, with reference to FIG. 38, the multi-purpose installation tool 12 is shown partially removed from an end guide tool 9 and deploying the tang 38 after the bone screw has been inserted. Because of the substantial length of the channel 212 as defined by the location 214 and because of the channel width 216, the multi-purpose installation tool 12 can be removed, turned 180° and reattached to the end guide tool 9 thereby providing access through the channel opening 213 for protrusion of the back wall tang portion or flap 38 of the end guide tool 9. The flap 38 is thus not encumbered or restricted by the tool 12 during the rod pushing application and the flap 38 can be flexed outwardly by a rod 8 (not shown) or other forces, when the devices are assembled in this configuration. Disposed flush to the lower sleeve end 207 and rigidly attached to the inner cylindrical surface 205 is the solid guide tool alignment and tang/rod pressing block 218. The block 218 has a substantially smooth, planar and rectangular surface 220 facing inwardly radially from the inner surface 205. The block 218 also follows the curve of the cylindrical surface 220 at a surface 222 thereof. Thus, as shown in FIG. 24, the block 218 has a segment shape when observed from a bottom plan view. The term segment used herein is defined as the part of a circular area bounded by a chord and an arc of a circle cut off by the chord. This segment shape of the block 218 provides a mechanical advantage for compressing the flexible flap 38 flush with the end guide tool 9 and for advancing the rod 8 into the bone screw 4 with the multi-purpose installation tool 12 which will be discussed more fully below. The flat, rectangular surface 220 provides structure for installing the guide tool 9 or 10 in a mating and desired alignment with respect to the multi-purpose installation tool 12. For example, with respect to the guide tool 10, a preferred alignment is that the rear wall 81 of the tool 10 be disposed adjacent to the surface 220 when inserting the tool 10 into the multi-purpose installation tool 12. Then, the tool 10 is slid into the multi-purpose tool sleeve 204, with the block 218 preventing axial rotation of the tool 10 with respect to the sleeve 204, and resulting in the preferred alignment of the opening 79 and the pass-through slot 11 of the tool 10 and the U-shaped channel 212 of the multi-purpose tool in this application. With respect to the end guide tool 9, the block 218 with the planar surface 220 provides for the insertion of the tool 9 in a first, installation tang containing position or a second, rod pushing position. When utilizing the assembly 1 of the invention to install a bone screw 4, it is advantageous for the flexible back wall portion or tang 38 of the tool 9 to be fully restrained by the multi-purpose installation tool 12 and for the walls 68 and 69 to be locked in a non-splayable or anti-splay position. Therefore, in the first, bone screw installation tang containing position, the multi-purpose installation tool 12 is inserted onto the tool 9 with the back wall 28 of the tool 9 disposed adjacent to the sleeve surface 220. Then, the tool 9 and the sleeve 204 are attached with the block 218 preventing axial rotation of the tool 9 with respect to the multi-purpose installation tool 12. This results in the preferred alignment wherein the flexible back wall portion or tang 38 is disposed adjacent to the multi-purpose tool sleeve 204 and contained and disposed opposite the U-shaped channel 212. After the bone screw 4 is installed and it is desired to install the rod 8 in two or more bone screws 4, the multi-purpose installation tool 12 is removed from the end guide tool 9 and replaced thereon with the slot 44 and channel openings 40 and 94 adjacent to and facing the alignment block 218. The translation nut 202 of the multi-purpose installation tool 12 is substantially cylindrical in shape and is shown with outer grooves 223 to aid a surgeon in handling the multi-purpose installation tool 12 and rotating the nut 202. The nut 202 further includes an inner cylindrical surface 224 defining an inner substantially cylindrical passage 226 communicating with the passage 206 of the sleeve 204. The inner surface 224 further includes a helical guide and advancement structure as shown by a V-shaped thread 228 that is configured to mate with the guide and advancement structure 50 of the end guide tool 9 or the guide and advancement structure 93 of the intermediate guide tool 10. With reference to FIG. 25, the inner cylindrical surface 224 extends from an upper open end 230 of the translation nut 202 to an annular seating surface 232 extending radially outwardly and perpendicular to the cylindrical surface 224. As will be discussed more fully below, the surface 224 with associated thread 228 is of a length that provides an equivalent translation distance of the multi-purpose installation tool 12, and in particular the tang/rod pressing block 218, with respect to the guide tool 9 or 10 such that the pressing block 218 can be used to gradually push the rod 8 toward the bone screw 4 for the entire translation distance by rotating the nut 202 which can be continued until the rod is fully seated in the head of the bone screw. Also with reference to FIG. 25, at the annular seating surface 232, the sleeve 204 is in sliding contact with the nut 202. A lower portion 234 of the nut 202 further defines a second inner cylindrical surface 236 of greater diameter than the surface 224. The surface 236 has a diameter slightly greater than a diameter of the sleeve 204 and is configured to slidingly receive the sleeve 204 into the nut 202 along the surface 236. The nut 202 further defines an annular recess or groove 238 configured to receive a pin 240 rigidly fixed to the sleeve 204. The pin 240 may be accessed for attachment and removal from the sleeve 204 through an aperture 242 disposed in the translation nut 202. The pin 240 slidingly mates with the nut 202 within the recess 238, keeping the nut 202 and sleeve 204 in an attached but freely rotatable relation. With reference to FIGS. 26-28, the driver 14 of an assembly 1 according to the invention includes a handle 250, a guide tool fastener or nut 252, and an elongate cylindrical stem or shaft 254 having a lower cylindrical portion 255 integral with a bone screw engager shown as a socket 256. The socket 256 is configured to mate with the upper part of the bone screw shank 154. The shaft 254 with attached socket 256 is receivable in and passes through the interior of the guides 9 and 10, such as the channel 80 of the guide tool 10. The lower portion 255 has a slightly smaller diameter than a diameter of the remainder of the shaft 254, this smaller diameter provides for adequate clearance of the portion 254 from the guide and advancement structures 64 and 114 when the shaft 254 is installed within the interior of the respective guide tools 9 and 10. The stem or shaft 254 is rigidly attached to the handle 250 and coaxial therewith. Both the handle 250 and the guide tool fastener 252 include outer grooves 258 and 259 respectively, about outer cylindrical surfaces thereof to aid in gripping and rotating the respective components. The guide tool fastener 252 is a substantially hollow cylinder disposed in coaxial relationship with the handle 250 and the shaft 254. The fastener has a threaded inner cylindrical surface 262 disposed at a lower portion 263 thereof, the threaded surface 262 configured to mate with the guide and advancement structure 50 of the end guide tool 9 or the guide and advancement structure 93 of the intermediate guide tool 10. The fastener 252 is disposed on the driver 14 between an annular surface 264 of the handle 250 and the pin 46 that is fixed to the shaft 254 and extends laterally therefrom. The driver 12 further includes a lateral pin 266 projecting radially outwardly from a cylindrical surface 268 adjacent the handle 250. In the embodiment shown, the cylindrical surface 268 is integral with the handle 250 and fixedly attached to the shaft 254. The pin 266 is disposed within an annular recess 270 defined by the cylindrical surface 268, and surfaces of the fastener 252, including an upper seating surface 272, a lower seating surface 274 and an inner cylindrical surface 276. The pin 266 disposed in the recess 270 allows for both rotational and axial or vertical translational movements of the fastener 252 with respect to the shaft 254. Thus, as shown in FIG. 26, the fastener 252 is rotatable about an axis C. Furthermore, the fastener is slidable along the axis C between the annular surface 264 and the pin 46, with FIG. 26 showing a first or unattached position with the fastener 252 in contact with the annular surface 264 and FIGS. 27 and 28 showing a second, engagement position, with the fastener 252 partially covering, but not contacting the pin 46, with the pin 266 abutting the upper seating surface 272 prohibiting further downward or vertical (axial) translational movement of the fastener 252 with respect to the shaft 254. As stated previously herein, the pin 46 is configured for sliding engagement with both the slot 44 of the guide tool 9 and the slot 88 of the guide tool 10 when the driver shaft 254 is disposed in an interior of the guide tool 9 or 10. When the pin 46 is received in the slot 44 or the slot 88, any relative rotational movement between the guide tool 9 or 10 and the driver 14 is prevented, but the driver is free to slide axially with respect to the guide tool 9 or 10. When the fastener or nut 252 is slid into the second position shown in FIGS. 27 and 28 and the fastener is mated with the guide and advancement structure 50 of the end guide tool 9 or the guide and advancement structure 93 of the intermediate guide tool 10 by rotating the fastener 252 to a location adjacent to the pin 46, with the pin 266 in contact with the upper seating surface 272, relative axial movement between the driver 14 and the guide tool 9 or 10 is also prevented. With reference to FIGS. 1 and 29-35, a three-component assembly 1 according to the invention including the guide tool 9, the multi-purpose installation tool 12 and the driver 14 may be assembled as follows: The guide tool 9 shown with attached bone screw 4 is inserted into the multi-purpose installation tool 12 with the upper end 43 being inserted into the receiving end 207 of the multi-purpose installation tool 12. With respect to the assembly shown in FIGS. 29-31, illustrated is a particular assembly wherein the multi-purpose installation tool 12 is being utilized as a support or stabilizer for the end guide tool 9 during installation of the bone screw 4 into the vertebra 16, specifically, to contain and compress the tang 38 and to provide extra support to the walls, such as walls 68 and 69 of tool 9. Thus, the guide tool 9 is received into the multi-purpose installation tool 12 with the rear wall 28 facing the alignment block 218 as shown in FIG. 29. As the guide tool 9 is received into the multi-purpose installation tool 12, rotational movement is prevented by the alignment block 218 in sliding contact with the flat surfaces 28 of the guide tool 9. The translation nut 202 is then rotated clock-wise as viewed from the top end 230 and shown by the arrow X, with the thread 50 of the guide tool 9 mating with the thread 228 disposed on the inner surface 224 of the translation nut 202. The translation nut 202 is preferably rotated until the upper end 43 of the guide tool 9 is positioned outside of the body of the nut 202 with a few of the threads 50 exposed as shown in FIGS. 30 and 31. Furthermore, the sleeve 204 cannot be translated beyond the pin 67 that stops the sleeve near the rod abutment recess 61 disposed near the end of the guide tool 9. During rotation of the translation nut 202, the guide tool 9 is held in a preferred bone screw installation position and any rotational movement of the tool 9 is prevented by the alignment block 218 in contact with the co-planar back walls or facets 71 of the guide tool 9 as well as the planar back surface of the tang 38. As illustrated in FIGS. 30 and 31, when the guide tool 9 is fully installed in the multi-purpose installation tool 12 in this first or bone screw installation position, the flexible back wall portion or flap 38 is compressed and retained in place between the side walls 32 and 33 by the alignment block 218. When the multi-purpose installation tool 12 is used as a rod pusher with the guide tool 9 as shown in FIGS. 38 and 41, the multi-purpose installation tool 12 is preferably used first as an end guide tool stabilizer and tang 38 container, as already described herein, and thus must first be removed by rotating the translation nut 202 counter-clockwise until the multi-purpose installation tool 12 is disengaged from the end tool guide 9 thereby deploying the tang 38. Thereafter, the multi-purpose installation tool 12 is removed and replaced on the guide tool 9 with the slot 44 and channel openings 40 and 94 adjacent to and facing the alignment block 218. As the multi-purpose installation tool 12 reinserted onto the guide tool 9, rotational movement is prevented by the alignment block 218 in sliding contact with the flat surfaces 47 and 48 of the guide tool 9. The translation nut 202 is then rotated clock-wise as shown by the arrow X (FIG. 29), with the thread 50 of the guide tool 9 mating with the thread 228 disposed on the inner surface 224 of the translation nut 202. Similar to what is shown in FIGS. 30 and 31, the translation nut 202 is rotated clockwise as shown by the arrow X, until the upper end 43 of the guide tool 9 is positioned outside of the body of the nut 202 with some of the threads 50 exposed. During rotation of the translation nut 202, the guide tool 9 is held in position and any rotational movement of the tool 9 is prevented by the alignment block 218 in contact with the co-planar front walls or facets 70 of the guide tool 9. When the multi-purpose installation tool 12 is used in this second or rod pushing position, the flexible back wall tang portion or flap 38 is not obstructed by the sleeve 204 of the multi-purpose installation tool 12 and may spring out or be further pushed out through the opening 213 of the U-shaped channel 212. An assembly 1 according to the invention may also include the intermediate guide tool 10 in the place of the guide tool 9 as shown in FIGS. 40-42. Because the intermediate guide tool 10 includes a pass-through slot 111 rather than a flexible back wall tang portion 38, the alignment between the multi-purpose installation tool 12 and the guide tool 10 may be the same during bone screw installation as for the pushing of the rod 8. Therefore, the tool guide 10 may be inserted into the multi-purpose installation tool 12 with either the rear wall 81 or the slot 88 adjacent to and facing the alignment block 218. Similar to the discussion herein with respect to the guide tool 9, as the guide tool 10 is inserted into the multi-purpose installation tool 12, rotational movement is prohibited by the alignment block 218 in sliding contact with either the rear wall 81 or the coplanar surfaces 91 and 92 of the guide tool 10. The translation nut 202 is then rotated clock-wise as viewed looking toward the top 87 of the tool 10, with the thread 93 of the guide tool 10 mating with the thread 228 disposed on the inner surface 224 of the translation nut. Similar to what is shown in FIGS. 30 and 31, the translation nut 202 is rotated until the upper end 87 of the guide tool 10 is positioned outside of the body of the nut 202 with some of the threads 93 exposed. During rotation of the translation nut 202, the guide tool 10 is held in position, with rotational movement of the tool 10 being prevented by the alignment block 218 in contact with the co-planar front walls or facets 109 or the co-planar rear walls or facets 110 of the guide tool 10. Further discussion of the assembly 1 in this application will be directed toward the end guide tool 9 shown in the drawings. Unless specifically stated otherwise, the intermediate guide tool 10 can be utilized in similar fashion to what is being described herein with respect to the end guide tool 9. With reference to FIGS. 1 and 32-35, after installation of the multi-purpose installation tool 12 to the guide tool 9, the driver 14 is inserted into the guide tool 9/multi-purpose installation tool 12 combination by inserting the socket end 256 into the end 43 of the guide tool 9 and sliding the shaft 254 into the interior of the guide tool 9 until the socket end 256 contacts and surrounds the upper part of the shank 154 of the bone screw 4 as shown in FIG. 35. As the shaft 254 is being inserted into the guide tool 9, the pin 46 on the shaft 254 of the driver 14 is aligned with and slid into the slot 44 of the guide tool 9. In order to more easily view the pin alignment process, the guide tool fastener 252 is placed in the first or unattached position with the fastener 252 in contact with the annular surface 264 as shown in FIG. 32. Also as shown in FIG. 32, preferably, the pin 46 is slid to a position disposed substantially within the slot 44 when the socket end 256 engages the shank 154 of the bone screw 4. The guide tool fastener or nut 252 is then rotated clockwise as viewed from the handle and illustrated by the arrow Y in FIG. 33, from the first unattached position toward the second engaged position, mating the thread 50 located near the end 43 of the guide tool 9 with the inner threaded surface 262 of the nut 252 of the driver 14. If, after the fastener 252 is rotated to a hand-tightened position, and a gap or space remains between the fastener 252 and the translation nut 202, as shown in FIG. 33, the translation nut 202 may then be rotated counter-clockwise as shown by an arrow Z in FIG. 33, and hand-tightened until the translation nut 202 abuts against the fastener 252, as shown in FIG. 34. The assembly 1 is then fully assembled and may be used to install the bone screw 4 into the vertebra 16 as will be described more fully below. Thereafter, the driver 14 may be removed by rotating the fastener 252 in a counter-clockwise direction (arrow Z) and sliding the shaft 254 out of the multi-purpose installation tool 12 through the open end 230. Another tool used in implanting a spinal rod 8 is an antitorque tool 300 illustrated in FIGS. 44 and 45 and further shown in FIG. 44 with a closure top installation tool 302 engaging the break-away portion 186 of the closure top 62. The closure top installation tool 302 includes an upper handle portion 303 and a lower, closure top engagement portion 304 configured to mate with and rotate the closure top 62. The antitorque tool 300 is also preferably used with a closure top torquing tool 305, shown in FIGS. 47 and 48. The tool 305 is used to torque and set the closure top 62, so it is snug against the rod 8, and thereafter break away the break-off head 186 in the manner shown in FIG. 48. The torquing tool 305 is preferably in the form of a socket as shown in the drawings to allow for adequate tightening of the closure top 62 and also ease in removal of the break-off head 186 as shown in FIG. 48. The antitorque tool 300 includes a tubular hollow shaft 306 that is sized and shaped to be slidably received over the installation tool 302 and also the torquing tool 305. The shaft 306 has a lower end portion 308 that has a pair of diametrically spaced, curved bridges 310. Each of the bridges 310 is sized and shaped to fit over the rod 8, shown in FIGS. 47 and 48. When in place, as illustrated in FIG. 47, the antitorque tool 300 allows a surgeon to counter torque applied by the torquing tool 305, when applying torque to and breaking away the break-off head 186. The antitorque tool 300 also has an upper handle 316 disposed perpendicular to the shaft 306 and having an opening 318 through which the installation tool 302 and the torquing tool 305 passes in the manner suggested by FIGS. 46-48. In use, the previously described tools are utilized to attach one or more rods 8 to the human spinal column 6. The procedure is begun by selection of a bone screw 4 in accordance with the size of the patient's vertebra 16 and the requirements of the spinal support needed. Bone screws 4 having a rotatable or polyaxial head 146 are preferred but not required for the procedure, as such allow relatively easy adjustment of the rod 8 in the tools 9 and 10 during placement and for movement of the tools 9 and 10, as described below. The bone screw 4 is also preferably cannulated so as to be receivable over and guided by a guide pin 355 as discussed more fully below. A relatively small incision, such as an incision 350 in the skin 20 is then made for each bone screw 4 to be used. Preferably, the incisions are sized so as to snugly receive the tools of the invention. The incisions 350 are stretched into a round shape with a circumference equal to or just slightly larger than the multi-purpose installation tool 12. The skin 20 is relatively flexible and allows the surgeon to move the incision 350 around relative to the spine 6 to manipulate the various tools and implants, as required. In some cases, two screws can be inserted through one or the same incision. With reference to FIG. 36, a drill (not shown) is utilized to form a first guide bore 366 in a vertebra 16 under guidance of non invasive imaging techniques, which procedure is well known and established. The thin pin or guide wire 355 is then inserted in the first guide bore 366. This first guide bore 366 and associated thin pin 355 function to minimize stressing the vertebra 16 and provide an eventual guide for the placement and angle of the bone screw shank 148 with respect to the vertebra 16. The guide bore 366 is enlarged utilizing a cannulated drilling tool or tap 360 having an integral or otherwise attached cannulated and threaded bit 362 with an outer surface sized and shaped to correspond to the size and shape of the chosen threaded bone screw 4. The drilling tool 360 cooperates with a cylindrical holder or sleeve 368 having an inner surface in slidable mating arrangement with the tool 360 and being held in a position substantially coaxial therewith. The holder 368 is sized and shaped to fit within the incision 350 and prevents soft tissues from being rolled up in the threaded bit 362 as it is rotated. The tool 360 further includes a handle 370 fixedly attached to the tool 360 located at an end portion 372 thereof and of a size and shape for rotating the bit 362 along the pin 355 and into the first bore 366. With the pin 355 still in place, the enlargement of the guide bore 366 begins by threading the thin pin 355 through the end of the tap and inserting the holder 368 into the incision until the holder comes into contact with the vertebra 16. The drill bit 362 is advanced downward along the pin 355 until the drill bit 362 comes into contact with the vertebra 16. The tool 360 is then rotated within the holder 368 using the handle 370, driving the bit 362 along the pin 355 until a full sized bore 380 is drilled to a depth desired by the surgeon. During drilling, the holder 368 remains stationary, shielding the surrounding tissue from the rotational movement of the bit 362 and tool 360. The tool 360 is then removed by rotating the bit 362 in reverse until the bit 362 is outside the bore 380. The tool 360 is then removed from the holder 368, followed by the removal of the holder 368 through the incision 350. Before placing the bone screw 4 in the vertebra 16, the bone screw 4 is preferably joined to an associated guide tool 9 or 10, an associated multi-purpose installation tool 12, and an associated driver 14. It is possible, but typically not desirable, to join a guide tool 9 or 10 to the bone screw 4 after the installation of the bone screw 4 to the vertebra 16. There also may be instances wherein it is desirable to join the bone screw 4 to an associated guide tool 9 or 10, but not to the multi-purpose installation tool support 12 or the driver 14 until after the bone screw 4 is installed in the vertebra 16, if at all. Furthermore, the driver 14 may be used with a guide tool 9 or 10 without the multi-purpose installation tool 12. However, it is preferable to utilize the multi-purpose installation tool 12 during installation of a bone screw 4 into the vertebra 16 as the tool 12 provides mechanical advantage and aids in preventing inadvertent splaying of side walls 32 and 33 of the end guide tool 9 and legs 102 and 103 of the intermediate guide tool 10. The attachment structure 124 of the intermediate guide tool 10 is joined to a bone screw 4 by first rotating the tool 10 relative to the bone screw 4 so that the legs 102 and 103 are positioned as shown in FIGS. 17 and 18, with the facets 167 and 177 of the head 146 disposed between the guide tool legs 102 and 103, and with the facet 167 adjacent the leg 102 and the facet 177 adjacent the leg 103, thereby aligning the groove 158 with the large pin 126 and the groove 168 with the large pin 130. A slight splaying of the legs 102 and 103 is possible during alignment with the head arms 150 and 151. The head 146 is then twisted into place by rotating the tool 10 axially in a clockwise direction as shown by the arrow T in FIGS. 18 and 19. The twist-on procedure described herein with respect to the attachment structure 124 of the intermediate tool 10 is also followed with respect to the end guide tool 9 attachment structure 72. As previously stated herein, the attachment structure 72 is substantially similar to the attachment structure 124 of the intermediate tool 10, with the only difference being that the end guide tool 9 includes a flexible back wall tang portion 38 rather than the pass-through slot 111 of the intermediate guide tool 10. After the bone screws 4 have been attached to the guide tools 9 and 10, a multi-purpose installation tool 12 is preferably attached to each of the guide tools 9 and 10. With respect to each of the intermediate guide tools 10, the multi-purpose installation tool 12 is preferably installed as follows: The rear wall 81 of the tool 10 is positioned adjacent to the surface 220 and the tool 10 is inserted into the hollow passage 206 and slid into the rod pusher sleeve 204 until the end 87 contacts the translation nut 210, with the block 218 preventing axial rotation of the guide tool 10 with respect to the multi-purpose installation tool 12, and resulting in the preferred alignment of the sleeve slot 11 and the opening 79 of the tool 10 with the U-shaped channel 212 of the multi-purpose installation tool 12. However, because the slot 11 is a pass-through slot, the alignment of the guide tool 10 with respect to the multi-purpose installation tool 12 is not critical to processes according to the invention. Therefore, in most instances the rear wall 81 of the tool 10 may also be positioned opposite the surface 220 upon entry into the multi-purpose installation tool 12. The translation nut 202 is then rotated with the thread 228 of the nut 202 mating with the thread 93 of the tool 10. The nut 202 is rotated in a clockwise direction as illustrated by the arrow X in FIG. 29 until the end 87 is disposed outside of the nut 202 and positioned similar to what is shown with respect to the multi-purpose installation tool 12 and end guide tool 9 assembly shown in FIGS. 30 and 31. The abutment pin 118 prevents further rotation of the nut 202 and advancement of the sleeve 204 beyond the pin 118. As shown in FIGS. 29-31, the end guide tools 9 are similarly equipped with multi-purpose installation tools 12. In order to compress the tang 38 during installation of a bone screw 4 into a vertebra 16, the tool 9 is received into the multi-purpose installation tool 12 with the back wall 28 of the tool 9 disposed adjacent to the surface 220. Then the multi-purpose installation tool 12 is slid onto the tool 9 until the end 43 contacts the translation nut 202, with the block 218 preventing axial rotation of the tool 9 with respect to the multi-purpose installation tool 12, and resulting in the preferred alignment wherein the flexible back wall tang portion or flap 38 is disposed adjacent to the guide tool sleeve 204 disposed opposite the U-shaped channel 212. The translation nut 202 is then rotated with the thread 228 of the nut 202 mating with the thread 50 of the end guide tool 9. The nut 202 is rotated in a clockwise direction as illustrated by the arrow X in FIG. 29 until the end 43 is disposed outside of the nut 202 and positioned as shown in FIGS. 30 and 31, but not beyond the pin 67. The driver 14 is then installed into the guide tool 9 as shown in FIGS. 32-35 and as follows: The driver 14 is first prepared for ease of insertion by placing the guide tool fastener 252 in the first or unattached position with the fastener 252 in contact with the annular surface 264 of the driver 14 as shown in FIG. 32. Then, the driver end 256 is inserted into the guide tool 9 at the end 43 with the stem 254 being slid into the guide tool 9 with the pin 46 aligned with the channel 39 until coming to a stop with the pin 46 disposed in the slot 44 and the bone screw engager 256 in contact with the bone screw upper shank 154. A slight rotation or jiggling of the bone screw shank 148 may be required for the hex socket of the bone screw engager 256 to become positioned in operational engagement with the hex shaped upper shank 154. The guide tool fastener or nut 252 is then moved downward and toward the end 43 and then rotated clockwise as viewed from the handle 250 and illustrated by the arrow Y in FIG. 33, mating the thread 50 disposed near the end 43 of the guide tool 9 with the inner threaded surface 262 of the nut 252 of the driver 14. The nut 252 is rotated in this clock-wise fashion and hand-tightened until further translation of the nut 252 along the guide tool 9 is prevented by the pin 266 abutting the upper seating surface 272. If, after the fastener 252 is rotated to a hand-tightened position, and a gap or space remains between the fastener 252 and the translation nut 202 as shown in FIG. 33, the translation nut 202 is rotated counter-clockwise as shown by the arrow Z in FIG. 33, and hand-tightened until the translation nut 202 abuts against the fastener 252 as shown in FIG. 34. The assembly 1 is now ready for bone screw installation into the vertebra 16. The driver 14 is installed into the intermediate guide tool 10 and multi-purpose installation tool 12 assembly in steps similar to that described above with respect to the end guide tool 9. A series of bone screws 4 are installed in each vertebra 16 to be attached to the rod 8 by inserting each of the assemblies 1 through the skin incision 350 as shown in FIG. 37. The screw 4 is then rotated and driven into the tapped bore 380 with the surgeon holding and rotating the assembly 1 with the driver handle 250, thereby rotating the entire assembly 1 as one unit until the shank 148 is disposed at a desired depth in the tapped bore 380 of the respective vertebra 16. Preferably, the shank 148 is also cannulated to receive the pin 355, providing additional guidance for installation of the bone screw 4 into the vertebra 16. After a specific bone screw 4 is installed, the driver 14 is removed from either the guide tool 9 or 10 by rotating the fastener 252 in a counter-clockwise direction (illustrated by the arrow Z in FIG. 33) and sliding the shaft 254 towards the open end 230 of the multi-purpose installation tool 12 and pulling the driver 14 out of the assembly 1 by the handle 250. With respect to the end guide tools 9, the multi-purpose installation tool 12 is then removed by rotating the translation nut 202 counter-clockwise until the thread 228 disposed on the inner surface 224 of the translation nut 202 is disengaged from the thread 50 of the tool 9. The multi-purpose installation tool 12 is then slid off of the tool 9 deploying the flexible flap 38, as shown in FIG. 38. If desired at this junction of a process according to the invention, the multi-purpose installation tool 12 many then be rotated 180 degrees and replaced on the tool 9 with the slot 44 and the channel openings 40 and 94 aligned adjacent to and facing the alignment block 218 of the multi-purpose installation tool 12 for a rod pushing application. The translation nut 202 is then rotated clockwise as illustrated by the arrow X in FIG. 29. In this rod pushing position, the flexible tang 38 is extendible into the U-shaped channel 212 of the multi-purpose installation tool 12. For each bone screw 4, an associated guide tool 9 or 10 extends through the skin 14, as illustrated in FIG. 39. An end guide tool 9 is located at each end of the series of bone screws 4 and an intermediate guide tool 10 is located on each intermediate bone screw 4. In order to install a rod 8 in two or more bone screws 4, it may not be necessary to equip each guide tool 9 or 10 with a multi-purpose installation tool 12. For example, with reference to FIG. 40, for a particular procedure, it may be desirable to utilize only one multi-purpose installation tool 12 with a tool set 2 according to the invention. In the process illustrated by the FIG. 40, the multi-purpose installation tools 12 have been removed from both of the end guide tools 9 and both of the intermediate guide tools 10 after which a rod 8 has been inserted and a multi-purpose tool 12 reattached to one tool 10. Some pushing of the rod may be accomplished by just extending a rod or tool down the central channel of the guide tools 9 and 10 when mechanical advantage is not required to move the rod 8. As required by the surgeon, one or more multi-purpose installation tools 12 may be added or removed at any time during the course of the rod pushing or reducing procedure. With reference to FIG. 39, prior to installation of the rod 8, the end guide tools 9 are turned or rotated so the channels 55 therein face one another and the intermediate guide tools 10 are aligned so the pass-through slots 111 align with the channels 55. With reference to FIG. 40, the rod 8 has been inserted diagonally through one of the end skin incisions 350 with the adjacent end guide 9 pushed to the side, so that one of the rod ends 59 first passes through the slots 111 in the intermediate guide tools 10 and then into the channel 55 of one of the guide tools 9. Back muscle tissue separates easily here to allow the upper insertion of the rod 8 and can be further separated by finger separation or cutting through one of the incisions 350, if required. After initial insertion, the remaining opposed end 59 of the rod 8 is positioned in the channel 55 of the end guide tool 9 that is located next to the insertion point of the rod 8. Manipulation of the rod 8 in the channels 55 is aided by the back wall tang portions or flexible flaps 38 of the guide tools 9 which may also be moved like a joy-stick toward or away from each other by the surgeon. Furthermore, once the rod 8 is disposed within the channels 111 and 55, the back wall portions or flaps 38 resiliently bias against the rod ends 59, substantially holding and containing the rod 8 in place between the end guide tools 9 of the tool set 2. The reason that the tangs 38 are needed is that the rod 8 extends beyond the end bone screws 4 and the end guide tool 9 are located on the end bone screws 4. Also, the rod may tend to slip out of one end screw head. When the rod is spaced above the bone screws 4, the guide tools 9 can be manipulated to be spaced farther apart to receive the rod 8 therebetween, but as the rod 8 nears the bone screws 4, the guide tools 9 can not be manipulated enough to compensate so the rod 8 must extend beyond the bodies of the guide tool 9. Therefore, the tangs 38 allow the rod 8 to be controlled and positioned outwardly of the end bone screws 8. Moreover, the position of the rod 8 is controlled by equal pressure applied by the tangs 38 so that the rod 8 extends past the bone screws 4 approximately an equal amount on each side. Also with reference to FIGS. 40 and 41, once the rod 8 is positioned in the guide tools 9 and 10, the multi-purpose installation tool 12 may be utilized to push the rod 8 toward the bone screw 4, normally when mechanical advantage is needed to seat the rod 8 in the bone screws 4. This is accomplished by rotating the translation nut 202 in a clockwise direction (as viewed from above the skin 20), thereby translating the sleeve 204 in a downward direction toward the bone screw 4, with the guide tool alignment block 218 abutting and pushing against the rod 8. As shown in FIG. 40, it may also be desirable to simultaneously or thereafter push the rod 8 toward the screw 4 of one or more guide tools 9 and 10 utilizing the closure top installation tool 302 pushing against a closure top 62 that in turn pushes against the rod 8. In particular, a closure top 62 is placed in the elongate top to bottom channel associated with the guide tools 9 and 10, preferably by entry from the side such as into the channel opening 40 of the guide tool 9 or alternatively into the channel 39 through the top end 43 of the guide tool 9. If the guide tool 9 or 10 has the multi-purpose installation tool 12 attached, the closure top 62 can be placed into the guide tool by side insertion into the U-shaped channel 212. The closure top installation tool 302 is then inserted into the top end 43 and through the channels disposed within the guide tool 9, until the engagement portion 304 mates with a cooperating aperture disposed in the break-off head 186. The closure top 62 is then driven or pushed under manual control of the surgeon by use of the installation tool 145 toward the rod 4. With reference to FIG. 42, near the bottom of the guide tools 9 and 10, such as near the end 112 of the intermediate tool 10 and the bottom 36 of the back wall 28 of end guide tool 9, the closure top 62 engages the helically wound guide and advancement structures 64 and 114 of respective guide tools 9 and 10. The tools 302 and mated closure tops 62 are then rotated, mating the closure tops 62 with associated guide tools 9 and 10 so as to drive the closure top 62 downward against the rod 8 and to urge the rod 8 downward into the bone screw channel 153. Preferably, the translation nut 202 of the multi-purpose installation tool 12 is rotated in a clockwise direction, translating the sleeve 204 and block 218 downwardly slightly in advance or substantially concurrent with the advancement of the closure tops 62, providing additional mechanical advantage for the block flat surface 222 against the rod 8. With reference to FIG. 43, at the bottom of the guide tool 9 or 10, the closure top mating structure 181 engages and begins to mate with the guide and advancement structure 183 on the respective bone screw 4 and continued rotation of the tool 302 drives the rod 8 downward and into engagement with the upper part of the bone screw shank 154, so as to snug against and frictionally lock the shank 148 in position relative to the bone screw head 146. Once all of the closure tops 62 are in final seated position in respective bone screws 4 and the surgeon is satisfied with the position of all of the elements, such as is illustrated in FIG. 43, any and all multi-purpose installation tools 12 are removed by rotating the nut 202 counter-clockwise followed by sliding the sleeve 204 off of the guide tool 9 and 10 and out of the incision 350. Thereafter, each of the guide tools 9 and 10 are now removed by rotating each guide tools 9 and 10 ninety degrees so that the recesses 116 straddle the rod 8 to allow the attachment structure 72 or 124 to disengage from the receiver portion 145 on the bone screw 4. The guide tool 9 or 10 is then pulled axially upward away from the bone screw 4, along the tool 302 and then out of the incision 350. The antitorque tool 300 is mounted over each closure top installation tool 302, utilizing the tool 302 as a guide for re-entry through the incision 350. The antitorque tool 300 is slid along the tool 302 until the bridges 310 straddle the rod 8, preventing axial rotation of the tool 300. As shown in FIG. 46, the closure top installation tool 302 is then pulled axially upward away from the bone screw 4 and out of the incision 350. With reference to FIG. 47, the closure top torquing tool 305 is then inserted into the antitorque tool 300 and engaged with the break-off head 186. By cooperative use of the tools 300 and 305 a preselected torque is manually applied to the break-off head 186 which breaks from the closure top 62 as illustrated in FIG. 48 and is thereafter removed, followed by removal of the antitorque tool 300, after which the incision 165 is closed. It is to be understood that while certain forms of the present invention have been illustrated and described herein, it is not to be limited to the specific forms or arrangement of parts described and shown. For example, it is foreseen that more than one tool could be used to provide the described functions for the multi-purpose installation tool 12. | <SOH> BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION <EOH>The present invention relates to apparatuses and methods for use in performing spinal surgery and, in particular, to tools and methods of using such tools, especially for percutaneously implanting spinal screws and for implanting a rod for spinal support and alignment, using minimally invasive techniques. For many years, spinal osteosynthesis apparatuses have been utilized to correct spinal deformities, injuries or disease. In such procedures, elongate rods are surgically attached to vertebrae of the spine to provide support and/or to realign or reposition certain vertebrae. Such rods are secured to vertebrae utilizing bone screws and other spinal implants. In order to reduce the impact of such surgery on the patient, a desirable approach is to insert such implants percutaneously or with surgical techniques that are minimally invasive to the body of the patient. Problems arise when implantation tools designed for traditional surgery that is highly invasive are utilized in percutaneous surgery. The tools may be bulky, oversized or have irregular surfaces or protrusions. A projecting actuator arm or fastening member may be useful with respect to the spinal screw implantation process or the rod reduction process, but there is insufficient clearance to use such structure and/or such structure may produce additional invasive trauma which the percutaneous surgery is attempting to avoid. A percutaneous procedure also presents a problem with implantation of rods that are elongate and have historically required a long incision and open wound in order to provide for the length of the rod and the space required for the surgeon's hands to manipulate the rod. Such problems are then compounded by the implants and insertion tools used with the rod. Consequently, it is desirable to develop apparatuses and techniques that allow for the insertion of bone screws, the insertion and reduction of a rod into the bone screws and the securing of the rod to the bone screws with significantly less invasion into the body of the patient and with minimal surgical incision of the skin over the operational site. | <SOH> SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION <EOH>A tool assembly and a set of tools according to the invention is provided for percutaneously implanting bone screws and an associated spinal rod in a patient. The tool assembly includes an elongate guide tool with implant engaging members and a multi-purpose installation tool. The multi-purpose tool is a stabilizer for the guide tool implant engaging members which also functions as a rod stabilizer tang container and deployer and a rod pusher and reducer. The guide tool has a lower end configured with opposed implant engaging members for releaseable attachment to a spinal implant bone screw, hook, etc. The multi-purpose installation tool is elongate, and preferably includes a translation nut and attached sleeve which has a lower end for engaging and containing the rod stabilizer tang prior to rod insertion and later pushing on the rod for reduction. The translation nut is coaxial and freely rotatable with respect to the sleeve. The nut is configured for rotatable attachment to an upper end of the guide tool. The multi-purpose installation tool sleeve is attachable or securable to the guide tool in a first bone screw implantation orientation and in an alternative second rod pushing orientation. In the first, bone screw implantation orientation, the sleeve is disposed in a fixed, stationary position with respect to the guide tool, with the sleeve substantially surrounding the guide tool and retaining a flexible tang. In the second or rod pushing orientation, the sleeve is slidable along an axis of the guide tool and the nut can be rotated, thereby translating the rod pushing end between a first location substantially spaced from the guide tool end and a second location near the guide tool end for rod reduction. The tool assembly may further include a driver having a handle, a guide tool attachment portion and a stem, the stem having an end configured for rotatable engagement with a spinal implant screw. The driver is in coaxial relationship with both the guide tool and the multi-purpose installation tool when the stem is disposed within the guide tool with the guide tool attached to the multi-purpose installation tool. The attachment portion of the driver is configured for rigid attachment to the guide tool, preventing rotation of the driver in relation to the guide tool. A tool set according to the invention includes at least a pair of end guide tools. Each end guide tool includes an elongate body having opposed implant engaging members with lower attachment structure adapted for attachment to a respective bone screw. The body has an inner surface defining an elongate and laterally opening channel. Preferably, the guide tool body further defines an elongate opening communicating with the channel and a back wall with a flexible holding structure, the wall and holding structure disposed opposite the lateral opening. The back wall flexible holding structure includes first and second elongate and parallel slits in the lower back wall portion creating a movable tab or tang disposed between the first and second slits. The flexible flap or tang partially defines the elongate channel. Furthermore, during insertion procedures, the tang may be pushed so as to flex, hinge or spring at an upper end thereof and so that a lower end angulates and translates outwardly or to a location lateral relative to a remainder of the back wall, with the channel adapted to receive a respective rod therein. When an end of the rod is inserted in the lower end channel, the tang may be resiliently flexed further outwardly to accommodate the length of the rod while maintaining, containing and stabilizing the rod in a desired position relative to bone screws. The multi-purpose installation tool is attachable to the end guide tool in a first, bone screw implantation configuration position and in an opposite second, rod pushing configuration or position. In the first position, an elongate slot or opening in the sleeve of the tool support is aligned with and fixed in adjacent relationship to the channel opening of the end guide tool, with the sleeve of the tool being held adjacent to the back wall portion and retaining the spring tang. In the second, rod pushing position, the end guide tool back wall portion and the tool sleeve opening are fixed in adjacent relationship with the back wall tang portion protrudeable into the tool sleeve opening. An intermediate guide tool according to the invention includes an end with opposed first and second implant engaging legs defining a longitudinal pass-through opening, passageway or slot for receiving a rod therethrough. When attached to a multi-purpose installation tool in the first, bone screw implantation orientation, the tool sleeve is disposed in a fixed, stationary position substantially surrounding and supporting both the intermediate guide tool legs. In the second or rod pushing orientation, the sleeve is in sliding relation along an axis of the intermediate guide tool, with the sleeve and associated rod pushing end translatable along the first and second legs between a first location spaced from the intermediate guide tool end and a second location adjacent or near the guide tool end. A vertebral support rod implantation kit according to the invention, adapted for use with a plurality of vertebrae, includes a plurality of polyaxial bone screws, each bone screw being adapted for implantation in one vertebra, each of the bone screws having an attachment structure. The kit also includes an elongate rod having first and second ends, the rod sized and shaped to extend between a pair of end bone screws of the plurality of bone screws. The kit further includes a plurality of closure tops with each closure top being sized and shaped to mate with a respective bone screw and capture or retain the elongate rod within a cavity or channel defined by the respective arms of the bone screw. Additionally, the kit includes a pair of end guide tools, and may include one or more intermediate guide tools, each guide tool being attachable to multi-purpose installation tools, as described herein and bone screw drivers, the drivers being configured to be rigidly attached to a respective end guide tool or intermediate guide tool. In a method according to the invention, a spinal fixation tool assembly is assembled by first attaching a bone screw head of a spinal implant screw to a mating attachment structure disposed at a first end of an elongate guide tool implant engaging member, the guide tool defining a laterally opening channel and having a second attachment structure disposed at a second end thereof. The guide tool and attached spinal implant screw are then inserted into a multi-purpose installation tool, the tool having a translation nut and a sleeve. The nut is rotated in a first direction to mate the tool support with the second attachment structure on the guide tool and translate the sleeve to a location near the guide tool first end. Then, a driver is inserted into the guide tool channel, the driver having a handle and a spinal implant screw engagement end. The driver is attached to the guide tool at the second attachment structure with the driver engagement end engaging the spinal implant screw. A method according to the invention may also include the steps of inserting the attached driver, multi-purpose installation tool, guide tool and spinal implant screw into an incision, especially a minimally invasive incision sized to snugly or closely receive the assembled tools and bone screw, and into contact with a vertebra, followed by turning the driver handle. By turning the handle, the driver, the associated tools and the spinal implant screw are rotated as one assemblage or unit, driving the spinal implant screw into the vertebra. Further method steps according to the invention include detaching the drivers from the attached guide and multi-purpose installation tools and withdrawing the drivers from the incisions, followed by detaching the multi-purpose installation tools from the end guide tools and thereby deploying the end tangs. It may also be desirable to detach the multi-purpose installation tools from the intermediate guide tools, if any. According to the invention, during rod insertion, a respective multi-purpose installation tool may be utilized for rod reduction and accordingly replaced on each end guide tool with the sleeve opening thereof aligned with the end guide tool flexible wall or tang to allow the tang to remain flexed outward. Then a rod first end may be inserted into an incision through which one of the end guide tools has been inserted, and then guided into a channel of an adjacent end or intermediate guide tool. The rod is then guided into and through all remaining channels with first and second ends of the rod each in contact with a flexible wall or deployed tang of a respective end guide tool with the tangs biasing against the rod ends, and with the rod extending through all associated guide tools. The multi-purpose installation tool sleeve is then utilized as a rod pusher by rotating the nut and sliding the closed end of the sleeve toward the lower guide tool end, the sleeve end contacting the rod and pushing the rod toward the bone screw. The attachment structure for joining the guide tool to the bone screw includes radial mating projections and receivers or grooves that allow the guide tool to be twisted on and twisted from the head of the bone screw. For example, an external attachment on the bone screw head can have tapered undercut upper surfaces. It is foreseen that other attachment structure could be used such as clip-on/clip-off, clip-on/twist-off, snap-on/snap-off, snap-on/twist-off, spring-on/spring-off, spring-on/twist-off, set screws, etc. The attachment structure secures the guide tool to the bone screw during insertion of the screw into bone, but allows the tool to release from the bone screw for removal of the tool at the end of the procedure by rotation of the tool about a central axis thereof or by some other mechanism, as described herein. | A61B177085 | 20180110 | 20180619 | 20180510 | 95896.0 | A61B1770 | 1 | HAMMOND, ELLEN CHRISTINA | BONE ANCHOR RECEIVER WITH UPPER TOOL ENGAGING GROOVES AND PLANAR FACES | UNDISCOUNTED | 1 | CONT-ACCEPTED | A61B | 2,018 |
15,867,102 | PENDING | Contact Lens | A contact lens constructed to limit the water transmissibility of at least one area of the lens while maintaining at least a minimum oxygen transmissibility. The water transmissibility maximum and oxygen permeability minimum are achieved by a predetermined lens thickness of a single lens material or by the use of two or more material layers. | 1. A contact lens comprising an anterior surface facing away from an eye; a posterior surface facing toward the eye; a medium residing between the anterior surface and the posterior surface, where the medium has an oxygen permeability and a water permeability, where the medium comprises a polymer containing cross-linked polydimethylsiloxane; a thickness of the medium providing a water transmissibility below a maximum value while providing an oxygen transmissibility above a minimum value; where the maximum value of water transmissibility is 13887.5 Barrers/cm, and where the minimum value of oxygen transmissibility is 24.1×10−9 (cm×ml O2)/(sec×ml×mmHg). 2. The contact lens of claim 1, wherein the medium has a water permeability of less than 20,000 Barrers. 3. The contact lens of claim 1, wherein the medium has an oxygen permeability of greater than 200 Barrers. 4. The contact lens of claim 1, where an area of the medium measuring greater than fifty square millimeters of the contact lens has a thickness of the medium providing a water transmissibility below the maximum value while providing an oxygen transmissibility above the minimum value. 5. The contact lens of claim 1, wherein the thickness of the medium has an average thickness of at least 0.2 millimeters. 6. The contact lens of claim 1, wherein the thickness of the medium has an average thickness of at least 0.3 millimeters. 7. The contact lens of claim 1, wherein the thickness of the medium has an average thickness of 0.29 millimeters. 8. A contact lens comprising a medium having an oxygen permeability and a water permeability; the medium having a thickness which provides a water transmissibility below 13887.5 Barrers/cm and an oxygen transmissibility above 24.1×10−9 (cm×ml O2)/(sec×ml×mmHg); where the medium has a water permeability of less than 20,000 Barrers, and where the medium has an oxygen permeability of greater than 200 Barrers. 9. The contact lens of claim 8, wherein the medium comprises a polymer containing cross-linked polydimethylsiloxane. 10. The contact lens of claim 8, wherein the medium consists of a polymer containing cross-linked polydimethylsiloxane. 11. The contact lens of claim 8, wherein the medium comprises a first material and a second material, where the first material is cross-linked polydimethylsiloxane. 12. The contact lens of claim 8, wherein the thickness of the medium has an average thickness of at least 0.2 millimeters. 13. The contact lens of claim 8, wherein the thickness of the medium has an average thickness of at least 0.3 millimeters. 14. The contact lens of claim 8, wherein the thickness of the medium has an average thickness of 0.29 millimeters. 15. A contact lens consisting of a medium having an oxygen permeability and a water permeability; the medium having a thickness that provides a water transmissibility below 13887.5 Barrers/cm and an oxygen transmissibility above 24.1×10−9 (cm×ml O2)/(sec×ml×mmHg). 16. The contact lens of claim 15, wherein the medium has a water permeability of less than 20,000 Barrers, and where the medium has an oxygen permeability of greater than 200 Barrers. 17. The contact lens of claim 15, wherein the medium consists of a polymer containing cross-linked polydimethylsiloxane. 18. The contact lens of claim 15, wherein the medium comprises a first material and a second material, where the first material is cross-linked polydimethylsiloxane. 19. The contact lens of claim 15, wherein the thickness of the medium has an average thickness of at least 0.2 millimeters. 20. The contact lens of claim 15, wherein the thickness of the medium has an average thickness of at least 0.3 millimeters. | CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application is a divisional application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/948,683 filed on Nov. 23, 2015, which in turn claims the benefit of U.S. Prov. Pat. App. No. 62/083,198 filed on Nov. 22, 2014, the entireties of which are hereby incorporated by reference. STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT This invention was not federally sponsored. BACKGROUND Field of the invention: This disclosure relates to the general field of optical lenses, and more specifically toward a contact lens constructed to limit the water transmissibility of at least one area of the lens while maintaining at least a minimum oxygen transmissibility. The water transmissibility maximum and oxygen permeability minimum are achieved by a predetermined lens thickness of a single lens material or by the use of two or more material layers. The health of the eyes of consumers wearing contact lenses is greatly dependent on the amount of oxygen transmitted through the lens. Materials from which the lenses are made are generally chosen for their oxygen permeability and numerous studies have been performed to determine the minimum amount of oxygen required to maintain a healthy cornea. Gas permeability or more relevant to this discussion, oxygen permeability is mathematically described using the coefficient Dk, where D being diffusivity (cm2/sec), a measure of how fast the oxygen moves through the material, and k being the solubility (ml O2/ml of material×mm Hg), a measure of how much oxygen is contained in the material. The coefficient of oxygen transmissibility (Dk/t or Dk/L) is derived by dividing the oxygen permeability of a material by the thickness of the material in centimeters. The best permeabilities now offered in commercial lens products for the general public are in the range of Dk=80 to 150×10−11 (cm2/sec) (mL O2)/(mL×mm Hg) (Barrers). The materials of these lenses are generally silicone acrylates or copolymers of silicone acrylates with hydrophilic monomers thereby creating silicone hydrogels. The former are typically rigid lenses while the latter are soft lenses. These lenses must be offered in thin designs to support corneal health, which can lead to problems with durability, handling and, in the case of hydrogels, dehydration. Dehydration, the loss of water from the interior of the lens, leads to changes in the geometry of the lens wherein the lens decreases in diameter, thickness, and radius of curvature, changes in lens optical power and the lens demonstrates poor wetting on the lens surface. Lens shrinkage can lead to tightening of the lens on the eye as indicated by reduced on-eye movement, while poor wetting leads to discomfort when the eyelid passes over the lens on blink. Often dehydration effects are addressed by fitting lenses with longer posterior radius of curvature of the lens than the curvature of the underlying cornea. In these cases, lens shrinkage only serves to bring the lens into a correct relationship to the eye while maintaining lens movement. To prevent discomfort, the lenses are surface treated in an attempt to reduce the wetting angle and in turn maintain a tear film on the front of the lens, or the lens is prefilled with a lubricating substance that may exude onto the surface to maintain comfort during wearing. The description above is generally true for all lenses in commercial use today with one important exception. That exception is the lens made of silicone rubber (cross-linked polydimethylsiloxane, PDMS). PDMS is attractive for contact lens use firstly because of its extremely high permeability to oxygen, being more than twice the permeability of the highest competitive material; secondly, PDMS is soft and similar in mechanical properties to human tissue; thirdly, PDMS has a long history of safe use as a biomaterial in implants and wound dressings; fourthly, PDMS is easily molded with high transfer of design features to the final lens; and lastly, PDMS is not a hydrogel and thus is not subject to bacterial invasion. Unfortunately, PDMS (first appearing in contact lenses nearly 50 years ago) has had no success in the general contact lens market. One reason is generally described as a “sticking” problem, which is also described as “lens adherence.” Non-movement of the lens can often be observed in as little as 15 minutes after application. In fact, early experience included actual adherence of the lens to the cornea leading to loss of small patches of epithelium upon lens removal. Such occurrences, though painful, were not sight threatening since the cornea repairs itself rather rapidly; even so, any break in the corneal surface presents the opportunity for infection. The PDMS lens lost a place in the general contact lens market with the exception of refractive correction of pediatric aphakia. This condition in infants left untreated leads without exception to blindness in the eye lacking the internal crystalline lens. Refractive treatment with the PDMS contact lens for pediatric aphakia is unique due to the need for extreme optical power in the contact lens that requires a thickness profile with a high center thickness. Sticking problems are rarely observed in such applications. Thick lenses are known to promote lens movement due to forceful contact with the lid during blinking. Furthermore, due to the high oxygen permeability, the lenses for pediatric aphakia have regulatory approval for continuous wearing of up to 30 days; hence, there is no need to remove the lenses frequently thereby reducing the likelihood of epithelial detachment. Following the inference of the pediatric success with lenses with a thick center and using approaches to improving lens surface wetting (typically plasma treatment) early efforts were made to address the lens sticking problem. Modified lens geometry designs with looser lens to eye relationships coupled with plasma treated lenses were explored with no success. Since the lens contained little water (typically less than 0.2%), lens dehydration did not appear to be a likely cause of the lens adherence. The PDMS contact lens has a high solubility for oxygen and a large diffusivity (rate of internal flux) for oxygen (deriving from the extreme mobility of the silicon atoms in the polymer) and these properties lead to the very high oxygen permeability (Dk). Permeability is in fact a product of these two properties. Diffusivity of the permeant, as discussed above for oxygen, is one property. The second property is the solubility of the permeant in the material through which it is permeating. Materials having high values for both of the properties for a particular permeant always have high permeabilities for that permeant. Since PDMS has a very low solubility for water it is often assumed that water might transport through the material at a slow rate. Following this assumption one would conclude shrinkage due to dehydration is not possible and water transport by permeation is minimal. Strategies to minimize water transport were not recognized or reported as a likely approach to solving the “sticking” problem. It is the recognition that the assumption by contact lens designers of low water transport by PDMS is erroneous and that water transport itself is the primary cause of lens sticking that is a foundation for this disclosure. Though liquid water is barely detectable inside a PDMS lens, water vapor molecules are able to freely pass through the material. In fact while the permeability for oxygen by this material is impressive the permeability for water vapor is more than 50 times higher. Water permeability of this magnitude is capable of transporting the entire tear volume from beneath a lens in a matter of minutes. Depletion of the post lens tear film and the water associated with the epithelial mucin layer can leave both the lens and the cornea surfaces hydrophobic and thereby increase the attraction of each to the other. Such hydrophobic surface attraction will inevitably lead to adherence and non-movement. These effects would not likely be alleviated by surface treatment or loose fitting lens design strategies. There would be some improvement observed with wearers whose exposure to the lens involves greater than normal durations of closed eye wearing such as infants. At first thought the solution to sticking would be to find another material with very high oxygen transmission but without the rapid water transmission. Of course such a material would be required to have the mechanical properties suitable for a contact lens, be relatively inexpensive and manufacture-able by means of low cost processes such as automatable cast molding, and requiring few stock keeping units (SKU's) to cover the vast majority of patients. A new material would have to be non-toxic and satisfactorily biocompatible while being simple to fit, comfortable to wear and optically transparent. The search for such a material has proceeded for nearly fifty years and a material meeting all of these requirements has yet to be presented. Lenses made of rigid gas permeable materials have come closest but are less comfortable to wear, difficult to fit, expensive to manufacture and require larger stock keeping units. Holden and Mertz generated criteria for minimum oxygen transmissibility for maintenance of normal corneal physiology for wearing contact lenses with an open eye (daily wear) and for wearing lenses with normal overnight periods of sleep (extended wear or continuous wear). Holden and Mertz studied the critical oxygen levels to avoid corneal edema and defined them in terms of oxygen transmissibility and equivalent oxygen percentage. The relationship between corneal edema and hydrogel lens oxygen transmissibility was examined for both daily and extended contact lens wear by measuring the corneal swelling response induced by a variety of contact lenses over a 36 hour wearing period. The relationships derived enabled average edema levels that occur with daily and extended wear in a population of normal young adults to be predicted to within ±1.0%. The critical lens oxygen transmissibility required to avoid edema for daily and extended contact lens wear were obtained from the derived curves. Holden and Mertz found under daily wear conditions that lenses having an oxygen transmissibility (Dk/t) of at least 24.1±2.7×10−9 (cm3 O2)/(cm2·s·mmHg) or Barrers/cm, an Equivalent Oxygen Percentage (EOP) of 9.9%, did not induce corneal edema. SUMMARY The present disclosure addresses the problem through an alternative approach; creating a lens that meets at least the Holden Mertz minimum criteria for oxygen transmissibility while manifesting water transport of no greater than successful commercialized contact lenses. The present invention discloses means for reducing the water transmissibility while maintaining a minimum level of oxygen transmissibility. A first embodiment of the present invention is a lens having a predetermined thickness to reduce the water transmissibility of an ultrahigh permeable lens material to a maximum acceptable level and while maintaining the oxygen transmissibility to a minimum acceptable level. A second embodiment of the present invention is a lens comprising at least two materials where in the coupled materials are configured into a single device to reduce the water transmissibility of the composite lens to a maximum acceptable level while maintaining the oxygen transmissibility to at least a minimum acceptable level. Historically, a seemingly parallel approach has been considered in the lenses referred to as hybrid or composite lenses, however that approach (such as in the Saturn Lens, Softperm Lens, Synergeyes Lens brand lenses) did not attempt to have the comprising materials work together by merging their properties, but rather by using the disparate materials in different locations to perform separate functions (side by side, central eye and peripheral eye). The current disclosure provides for materials in sequence delivering their summed properties to obtain desired performance at the same location on the lens and hence the same location on the eye. The current disclosure configures the disparate materials in a “sandwich” or layered configuration with the materials in parallel and perpendicular to the axis of the lens, rather than concentric to the axis of the lens as in the above-mentioned composite or hybrid type lens. Prior art also discloses a lens having an anterior rigid layer and a posterior soft layer for the purpose of providing lens comfort when in contact with the eye and while delivering rigid lens optics. Such a laminate lens does not address the issues of balancing a maximum acceptable water transmissibility while maintaining at least a minimum oxygen transmissibility. Additional art teaches lenses with air cavities, and cavities filled with fluid and gel materials, which do not address the issues of limiting the lens to a maximum water transmissibility while maintaining a minimum oxygen transmissibility. Prior art also discloses the inclusion of components and elements in lenses which do not address the issues of balancing a maximum acceptable water transmissibility while maintaining at least a minimum oxygen transmissibility. It is an object of the disclosure to provide a contact lens with a minimum oxygen transmissibility for maintenance of normal corneal physiology for wearing contact lenses. It is another object of the disclosure to provide a contact lens with a water transport of no greater than other successful commercialized contact lenses. It is a further object of this disclosure to provide a composite soft or rigid contact lens with water transmissibility of the composite lens below a maximum acceptable level while having an oxygen transmissibility of at least a minimum acceptable level. Terms and phrases used in this document, and variations thereof, unless otherwise expressly stated, should be construed as open ended as opposed to limiting. As examples of the foregoing: the term “including” should be read as meaning “including, without limitation” or the like; the term “example” is used to provide exemplary instances of the item in discussion, not an exhaustive or limiting list thereof; the terms “a” or “an” should be read as meaning “at least one,” “one or more” or the like; and adjectives such as “conventional,” “traditional,” “normal,” “standard,” “known” and terms of similar meaning should not be construed as limiting the item described to a given time period or to an item available as of a given time, but instead should be read to encompass conventional, traditional, normal, or standard technologies that may be available or known now or at any time in the future. Likewise, where this document refers to technologies that would be apparent or known to one of ordinary skill in the art, such technologies encompass those apparent or known to the skilled artisan now or at any time in the future. The presence of broadening words and phrases such as “one or more,” “at least,” “but not limited to” or other like phrases in some instances shall not be read to mean that the narrower case is intended or required in instances where such broadening phrases may be absent. Additionally, the various embodiments set forth herein are described in terms of exemplary block diagrams, flow charts and other illustrations. As will become apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art after reading this document, the illustrated embodiments and their various alternatives can be implemented without confinement to the illustrated examples. For example, block diagrams and their accompanying description should not be construed as mandating a particular architecture or configuration. As used herein, a contact lens is made from one or more films, including a composite film. A composite film is a film made up of multiple films, including multiple layers of films. In some embodiments, though not necessarily all embodiments, the contact lens is made solely from the composite film, in which case the terms could be used interchangeably. There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto. The features listed herein and other features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following description and appended claims. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and form a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the current disclosure and together with the description, serve to explain the principles of this invention. The figures are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed. It should be understood that the invention can be practiced with modification and alteration, and that the invention be limited only by the claims and the equivalents thereof. FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a contact lens with a first thickness and a second greater thickness, in accordance with selected embodiments of the current disclosure. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a contact lens with two layers with varying permeabilities for oxygen and for water vapor in accordance with selected embodiments of the current disclosure. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a contact lens with multiple layers with varying permeabilities for oxygen and for water vapor in accordance with selected embodiments of the current disclosure. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of a contact lens with an outer lens material and an inner material layer in accordance with selected embodiments of the current disclosure. FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of a contact lens with an outer lens material, an inner material layer and an adhesive layer between the layers in accordance with selected embodiments of the current disclosure. FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of a contact lens with an outer lens material and inner material layers displaced in regions of the contact lens in accordance with selected embodiments of the current disclosure. FIG. 7 is a chart of variation of composite permeability to oxygen and water as a fraction of those permeabilities originally expressed by a full thickness of only one of the materials prior to inclusion of a second material layer and the change to those original permeabilities by exchanging partial thicknesses of the original material layer by equivalent partial thickness layers of a second material, that second material having different permeabilities for oxygen and water vapor. FIG. 8 is a chart of a first scenario wherein the oxygen permeability ratios (PO1/PO2) are held constant. FIG. 9 is a chart of a second scenario wherein the oxygen permeability ratios (PO1/PO2) are held constant. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Many aspects of the current disclosure can be better understood with the references made to the drawings below. The components in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale. Instead, emphasis is placed upon clearly illustrating the components of the present disclosure. Moreover, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts through the several views in the drawings. A first embodiment of the present invention comprises a single lens material having an ultrahigh permeability to oxygen and water vapor. A thickness profile for the lens is selected to reduce the water transmissibility to at or below a maximum level while keeping the oxygen transmissibility to at or above a minimum level. Fornasiero and coworkers (2005) measured steady state diffusion of water through commercially successful hydrogel and silicone hydrogel lens materials while Rofojo (1980) measured water transport through silicone rubber lens materials. While the metrics for the two studies were reported to be different, a conversion is possible to put the water permeability into a common metric. In parallel, the lens thickness profiles of two of the commercially successful lenses are known. A resultant water transmissibility is calculated as the water permeability divided by the thickness. It is noteworthy that the water permeability varies with the humidity surrounding the material as it is measured. Further, the permeability may vary as the hydrogel materials dehydrate and become thinner. Even so, a mean value for a range of ambient humidity can be used for the purpose of the present disclosure. Water permeability can be reported as equal to pg/pm cm2 s−1 or equal to cm/pm and can be converted to cm3/pg H2O and mmHG/Atm which in turn can be converted to Barrers. Such a conversion allows the conventional hydrogel and silicone hydrogel measured values for water permeability to be compared to the reported values for water permeability of silicone rubber materials. The following table presents the values reported for comparison: TABLE 1 Water % Permeability Material Flux* Humidity Thickness** Barrers*** Polymacon 4.7 50 145 11110 Balafilcon 8.05 50 144 18964 Elastifilcon NA NA NA 40000 *10{circumflex over ( )}6 · g · cm{circumflex over ( )}2 · s{circumflex over ( )}1 **Steady State ***10−11 [cm3 · cm]/[cm2 · s · mmHg] Historical reports of lens thickness for polymacon include commercialized lenses ranging from center thickness values from 0.04 to 0.18 mm. The majority of lenses have center thickness values between 0.08 and 0.12 mm or an average of 0.10 mm. Lenses made of polymacon have demonstrated sustained use for more than 50 years with no reports of lens adherence. The study of the long term commercial success of polymacon lenses and the absence of reports of lens adherence or “sticking” suggests that the water vapor transmissibility is sufficiently low to prevent depletion of the post lens tear layer. It is noteworthy that polymacon constitutes a small percentage of new fits because it also has a low oxygen permeability and falls below the Holden Mertz criteria for oxygen delivery for open eye wearing. The disclosure herein provides for the use of a pre-determined lens thickness as one embodiment for reducing the water transmissibility to an approximate level demonstrated by polymacon lenses while maintaining an oxygen transmissibility at or above the Holden Mertz criteria for open eye wearing. The Holden Mertz value set as the minimum oxygen transmissibility (Dk/t) for lenses of the present invention is 24.1±2.7×10−9 (cm3 O2)/(cm2·s·mmHg). By example, one variant of polydimethylsiloxane has a reported Dk=340×10−11 (cm2/sec) (mL O2)/(mL×mm Hg). It is possible for other variants of the same material to have higher or lower measured values of Dk. A lens made of a material with a Dk=340×10−11 (cm2/sec) (mL O2)/(mL×mm Hg) could have a center thickness as great as 0.141 cm to maintain a Dk/t=24.1×10−9 (cm×ml O2)/(sec×ml×mmHg). While this is an order of magnitude greater than commercialized lenses, the oxygen transmissibility would be expected to meet the open eye (daily wear) requirement. Such a thickness would also reduce the water transmissibility of the same lens to a level well below the level demonstrated by commercially successful polymacon and silicone hydrogel lenses. Since a lens thickness of 1.41 mm is excessive and unprecedented, the present invention is directed to minimizing the thickness to achieve a water transmissibility substantially equivalent to polymacon. A harmonic thickness value for polymacon lenses of 0.08 mm is selected to create the limiting maximum water transmissibility for the present invention. By way of example, the water transmissibility of polymacon at 50% humidity converted to permeability in Barrers is 11,110. Using the harmonic thickness of the lens as 0.008 cm, the water transmissibility (B/t) of the lens example is found to be 13,887.5. Continuing with the example, the reported permeability value of a variant of polydimethylsiloxane is found to be 40,000 Barrers. To achieve one embodiment of a lens of the present disclosure, the lens thickness (t) to achieve a B/t=13887.5 with a material with a water permeability in Barrers of 40,000 is calculated to be 0.029 cm, a thickness that is more than 3 times the average lens made of hydrogel and silicone hydrogel materials. In a particular embodiment, the contact lens has an average thickness of greater than 0.4 mm. In another embodiment, the contact lens has an average thickness of greater than 0.3 mm. In yet another embodiment, the contact lens has an average thickness of greater than 0.2 mm A particular embodiment of the current disclosure provides for a lens having the predetermined thickness of the lens area over the majority of the corneal surface regardless of the lens power. This differs from the predicate lenses made of polydimethylsiloxane which have only a high thickness at the geometric center of the lens and which rapidly thin due to the convex curvature of the front surfaces being shorter in radius than the concave curvature of the back surfaces of the lenses and for the purpose of producing high plus dioptric powers to correct aphakia. By way of example, a lens of the present invention having no power and with parallel surfaces or with the usual powers for refractive error correction comprises a thickness to produce a water transmissibility that is not greater than, B/t=13887.5 Barrers/cm; while producing an oxygen transmissibility, Dk/t, that is greater than or equal to 24.1±2.7×10−9 (cm×ml O2)/(sec×ml×mmHg). It should be recognized by those skilled in the art of contact lens design and manufacture that the most preferred solution to the dilemma of high water transport accompanying high oxygen permeability would be a material intrinsically possessing the permeabilities for these components such that the oxygen and water transport were both as required physiologically. Of course those skilled in the art should realize such a material would also have to meet all the requirements (biocompatibility, good wetting, appropriate mechanical properties, non-toxicity, durability and cost effectiveness) that are necessary for an acceptable contact lens. Work toward this goal continues to this day, however even after 50 years of searching, no such product has been reported. Given this fact, the embodiment proposed above offers one solution to the dilemma, while an alternative embodiment provides for a different approach: one which employs different materials each meeting some of the requirements for lens acceptability in a composite configuration wherein the individual limitations of the combined materials are mitigated by the extent and or location within the final product that the components are deployed. For instance, mechanical limitations can be mitigated by use of minimal thickness in the lens and biocompatibility or post lens tear film volume might be mitigated by sequestering such components within a “sandwich” of materials performing better in those aspects. More specifically an alternate embodiment of the present invention is a lens comprised of at least two separate layers deployed such that the more biocompatible layers would be the elements in contact with the anterior and posterior tear films. Elements possessing less desirable mechanical properties or oxygen permeabilities would be deployed in thin layers. The relative thickness of the individual layers within the sandwich would be imposed in relation to the oxygen permeability and water permeability of the individual materials. The determining factors for the relative thickness would be their summed permeabilities for oxygen and their summed permeabilities for water vapor, while attempting to keep the maximum oxygen permeability and the minimum water vapor permeability. It is important to note that it is not the arithmetic sum of the permeabilities; rather, their appropriately summed properties with recognition that the summed properties actually represent the resistance to permeation as opposed to the quantity of transmission allowed. The appropriate mathematical expression is: E t P = ∑ i = 1 n E i P i Equation 1 Where P is the permeability to a specified permeant of the composite and Ei the thickness of the ith layer, Pi the permeability of the ith layer to the same permeant and Et the total thickness of the composite in mm. The permeabilities must be expressed in the same units preferably derived by similar methods. Thus a new permeability can be derived for the composite for each of the permeants of interest. Furthermore, it is convenient for each permeant to express its revised permeability as a fraction of its original permeability of the material having the highest permeation for that permeant. This expresses the compromise accepted for that permeant by sandwiching it with the other material layers. In a particular embodiment, it is desirable to maintain constant thicknesses of the sandwiched layers in the lens. In alternate embodiments, the thickness of the layers may be varied within the sandwich. By way of example, a contact lens of the present disclosure may require that oxygen delivery is more important to the cornea while oxygen deprivation might be less problematic beyond the corneal borders where some oxygen is supplied by the underlying vasculature. Conversely water loss from the tear pool beneath the lens is equally negatively impacted by water loss through the periphery of the lens as opposed to the center. The peripheral area for water loss is by nature larger than the central area of the lens. If the peripheral area possessed a thicker sandwiched layer resistant to water transport despite a concomitant loss of oxygen transport, the overall loss of the tear pool could be substantially impacted while the diminishment of oxygen availability would be mitigated by the lesser need for oxygen and availability of alternate sources under the periphery of the lens. It is also possible that fabrication of the sandwich requires adhesion of the individual layers and that adhesive films might be required between the primary layers. The permeabilities of these adhesive films are chosen such that in very thin films required for adhesion, they would have little impact on the overall permeability for the composite. However, if they present greater impact they too should be included in the composite permeability computation. In rare cases to get good adhesion there might be the necessity to insert a thin conforming layer between the primary layers such that the sandwich consists of primary layers and secondary layers with all such layers separated by adhesive films. Again the final composite permeability will be derived by the expression given above. In other cases there might be no need for adhesives, such as when the primary layers are intrinsically adhesive to each other or the internal layer(s), are simply encased within the outermost layers which extend slightly beyond the internal layers and are bonded there by adhesive at the perimeter, or are in fact extensions of a single encapsulating layer of the outermost layer formed during a molding process. The process of selecting the composition and thicknesses for the layers of the sandwich is most conveniently performed using derivatives of the mathematical expression given above. As an example, consider the oxygen and water penetration through a sandwich consisting of two outer layers of one material and one inner layer of another material. Further consider that the two materials had differing ratios of the permeability for oxygen and water such that while in one material the ratio water permeability highly favored the transmission of water over oxygen and in the second material the permeability for water was greatly reduced relative to that of oxygen. The objective is to create a composite sandwich of the two materials wherein the transmission of water is substantially reduced relative to the oxygen permeability and that the overall result is a reduced residual level of oxygen transport that remains within the level acceptable for the intended lens wearing schedule, while the water permeability of the composite is reduced from that of the 1st layer alone. Depending on the original magnitudes of the oxygen permeability, one can select a fraction of the original oxygen permeability as a target and compute the fraction of the water permeability remaining. These computations are exemplified below: 1 ( Tf P O 1 ) + ( T ( 1 - f ) P O 2 ) P O 1 = P OC P O 1 Equation 2 1 ( Tf P W 1 ) + ( T ( 1 - t ) P W 2 ) P W 1 = P WC P W 1 Equation 3 T is the total thickness of the composite; f is the fraction of the composite thickness occupied by the material having the highest oxygen permeability; POC is the oxygen permeability of the composite; PO1 is the oxygen permeability of the first material; PO2 is the oxygen permeability of the second material; Pwc is the water permeability of the composite; PW1 is the water vapor permeability of the first material; and PW2 is the water vapor permeability of the second material. Using literature values of permeabilities to water and oxygen for Polydimethylsiloxane and Amorphous Teflon at a thickness of 1 mm, PO1 is the oxygen permeability of the Polydimethylsiloxane; PO2 is the oxygen permeability of the Amorphous Teflon; PW1 is the water vapor permeability of Polydimethylsiloxane; and PW2 is the water vapor permeability of Amorphous Teflon. Given these values a composite can maintain greater than 80% of the oxygen permeability of pure PDMS while reducing the water permeation rate to little more than 10% of the permeability of pure PDMS. FIG. 7 is a chart of variation of composite permeability to oxygen and water. While the absolute values of the fractions as expressed in the chart at the end points are controlled by the absolute permeability values of the two components, another very important feature of these values is exposed in this chart. This feature is the asymmetry of the two functions. While the oxygen permeability regresses relatively linearly from its high point when none of the second component is present to its low point when only the second component is present, the water permeability function behaves quite differently. The water permeability of the composite compared to the water permeability of the first component drops precipitously at first inclusion of even very thin layers of the second component. Such asymmetry allows for superior enhancement of the water permeability with little impact on the oxygen permeability of the composite compared to the first material. A very thin layer of the second material suffices to vastly diminish the excessive water permeability of the first material leaving intact the first material's superior oxygen permeability. The aspects of the permeabilities employed in this composite that are most responsible for this preferred asymmetry in the result is the disparity in the ratios of the water permeability in the first material relative to that of the second (Pw1/Pw2) compared to the oxygen permeability in the first material relative to that of the second (PO1/PO2) The greater this disparity the greater the asymmetry. In this specific case where preserving oxygen permeability is desired and reducing water permeability is simultaneously preferred, selecting a second material keeping the oxygen permeability ratio (PO1/PO2) small while the water permeability ratio (Pw1/Pw2) is substantially greater leads to the successful relatively large reduction of water permeability with little reduction of the oxygen permeability by inclusion of a very thin layer of the second material within the first. FIG. 8 shows a chart of a first scenario wherein the oxygen permeability ratios (PO1/PO2) are held constant, but the ratio of water permeability ratios (Pw1/Pw2) is larger than that in FIG. 7. FIG. 9 shows a chart of a second scenario wherein the oxygen permeability ratios (PO1/PO2) are held constant, but the ratio of water permeability ratios (Pw1/Pw2) is less than that of FIG. 7. In these two charts, wherein the oxygen permeability ratios (PO1/PO2) are held constant, one sees that in two alternate cases, the water permeability ratios (Pw1/Pw2) differ (one less positive and one more positive). It is observed that the more positive this ratio the greater the preferred asymmetry in the functions. In a particular embodiment, the medium, or second component or material, within the first material, has a water permeability of less than 10,000 Barrers and an oxygen permeability of greater than 200 Barrers. Another embodiment provides for an area of the composite film measuring greater than fifty square millimeters of the contact lens that has a thickness of the medium providing a water transmissibility below a maximum value, such as 13887.5 Barrers/cm, while providing an oxygen transmissibility above a minimum value, such as 24.1×10−9 (cm×ml O2)/(sec×ml×mmHg). As discussed above, a permeant ratio for a particular permeant is calculated by taking the ratio of permeability for a permeant of a first material (e.g. PO1) to the (or over the) permeability for a permeant for a second material (e.g. PO2). In particular embodiments, the contact lens has different ratios of permeability for two permeants. As shown above, the composition of the two different layered materials can be chosen to make a second permeant ratio larger than the first permeant ratio. For example, the contact lens can have a first permeant ratio for the permeant oxygen that is smaller than a second permeant ratio for the permeant water (or water vapor). In a particular embodiment, the compositions of the layered materials are chosen such that first permeant ratio is 5 or smaller and the second permeant ratio is 10 or larger. In another embodiment, the first permeant ratio is 3 or smaller and the second permeant ratio is 20 or larger. In yet another embodiment, the first permeant ratio is 2 or smaller, and the second permeant ratio is 30 or larger. The differences between the permeability of a permeant of the composite contact lens and a layered material relative to that layered material can be expressed as a percent difference. In a particular embodiment, the composition of the medium and layer thicknesses of the medium may be chosen such that the permeability for a first permeant, such as oxygen, of the composite contact lens is no less than twenty percent of the permeability for the first permanent of the primary material, such as cross-linked polydimethylsiloxane. In another embodiment, the permeability for the first permeant of the composite film is no less than fifty percent of the permeability for the first permanent of the primary material. In yet another embodiment the permeability for the first permeant of the composite film is no less than seventy-five percent of the permeability for the first permanent of the primary material. In yet another embodiment the permeability for the first permeant of the composite film is no less than ninety percent of the permeability for the first permanent of the primary material. In yet another embodiment the permeability for the first permeant of the composite film is no less than ninety-five percent of the permeability for the first permanent of the primary material. Another embodiment has a permeability for the second permanent, such as water or water vapor, of the composite film which is no more than ninety-five percent of the permeability for the second permanent of the primary material, such as cross-linked polydimethylsiloxane. In another embodiment, the permeability for the second permeant of the composite film is no more than ninety percent of the permeability for the second permanent of the primary material. In an additional embodiment, the permeability for the second permeant of the composite film is no more than seventy-five percent of the permeability for the second permanent of the primary material. In yet another embodiment, the permeability for the second permeant of the composite film is no more than fifty percent of the permeability for the second permanent of the primary material. In a further embodiment, the permeability for the second permeant of the composite film is no more than twenty-five percent of the permeability for the second permanent of the primary material. In a further embodiment, the permeability for the second permeant of the composite film is no more than ten percent of the permeability for the second permanent of the primary material. Referring now to FIG. 1, it depicts a contact lens 100 in accordance with selected embodiments of the current disclosure. The contact lens 100 has a first thickness 101 approximating a conventional contact lens thickness bounded by a first anterior surface 102, and an additional lens thickness 103 of the same material for the purpose of reducing the water transmissibility of the finished lens to the limitations of the present disclosure. In a particular embodiment, the first lens thickness 101 is a primary material film, and the additional lens thickness 103 is the same primary material film where the primary material film is made at least in part from polymer containing cross-linked polydimethylsiloxane or an alternate material having a Dk equal to or greater than 200 Barrers. As will be understood by those of skill in the art, particular embodiments of the current disclosure may have an additional thickness 103 that is not limited to a location at the anterior surface, to a symmetrical configuration, to a uniform thickness profile, or to a centered position relative to the geometric center of the contact lens 100. For example, the additional thickness may be employed symmetrically or asymmetrically, or a regional placement may be employed. In this manner, the lens can be customized for the inclusion of a number and variety of thickness profiles to provide the desired oxygen and water transmissibilities of the finished contact lens 100. Furthermore, the first thickness 101 and the additional lens thickness 103 can be one contiguous element, or two distinct layers with encapsulated components each with a surface contacting the other. FIG. 2 depicts a contact lens 200 in accordance with selected embodiments of the current disclosure. The contact lens 200 has a first material film 201 bounded by a first material interface 202, and a second material film 203 bounded by an anterior surface 204, for the purpose of reducing the water transmissibility of the finished lens to the limitations of the present disclosure. In a particular embodiment, the first material film 201 is a primary material film, and the additional lens thickness 203 is a layered secondary material film, where at least one of the layered primary material film or layered secondary material film are made at least in part from polymer containing cross-linked polydimethylsiloxane or an alternate material having a Dk equal to or greater than 200 Barrers. As will be understood by those of skill in the art, particular embodiments of the current disclosure may have a secondary material film 203 that is not limited to a location at the anterior surface, to a symmetrical configuration, to a uniform thickness profile, or to a centered position relative to the geometric center of the contact lens 200. For example, the secondary material film may be employed posterior or anterior to the primary material film. The secondary material film may be employed symmetrically or asymmetrically, or a regional placement may be employed. In this manner, the lens can be customized for the inclusion of a number and variety of thickness profiles of the primary and secondary material films to provide the desired oxygen and water transmissibilities of the finished contact lens 200. Furthermore, the first thickness 201 and the additional lens thickness 203 can be one contiguous element, or two distinct layers with encapsulated components each with a surface contacting the other. FIG. 3 depicts a cross section of a segment of contact lens 300 in accordance with selected embodiments of the current disclosure. The multi-layered contact lens 300 has an anterior layer 301, a posterior layer 302, a first internal layer 303, a second internal layer 304 and a third internal layer 305. The contact lens 300 demonstrates relevant water transmissibility in the direction of the arrow 306, which is from the environment posterior to the posterior layer 302 and toward the environment anterior to the anterior layer 301. With continued reference to FIG. 3, the contact lens 300 demonstrates relevant oxygen transmissibility in the direction of the arrow 307, which is from the environment anterior to the anterior layer 301, and toward the environment posterior to the posterior layer 302. As will be understood by those of skill in the art, particular embodiments of the current disclosure may have layers that are not limited in number, to regional locations within or at the apparent relative depths in the lens 300, to a symmetrical configuration, to a uniform thickness profile, or to a centered position relative to the geometric center of the contact lens 300. For example, fewer or additional layers or a deeper or shallower placement of a layer may be employed, or a regional placement may be employed. In this manner, the lens can be customized for the inclusion of a number and variety of layers and the thickness of the layers can be determined to provide desired oxygen and water transmissibilities. FIG. 4 depicts a cross section of a layered contact lens 400 in accordance with selected embodiments of the current disclosure. The layered contact lens 400 has first material 401, and a second material layer 402. The second material layer 402 of the contact lens 400 has a variable thickness profile and is placed in a region of the contact lens 400. In a particular embodiment, the first material 401 is a layered primary material film, and the second material layer 402 is a layered secondary material film. The layered primary material film is made at least in part from polymer containing silicone acrylate. Alternatively, the layered primary material film is made at least in part from polymer containing cross-linked polydimethylsiloxane or an alternate material having a Dk of equal to or greater than 200 Barrers. The layered secondary material film is made from films having water permeability less than 10,000 Barrers, such as amorphous or crystalline fluorocarbon containing films. Alternatively, the layered secondary material film is made from polyurethane containing films having water permeability less than 10,000 Barrers. In yet another alternative embodiment, the layered secondary material film is made at least from silicone containing films having water permeability at least less than 10,000 Barrers. With continued reference to FIG. 4, the second material 402 is thicker at its center and thinner at its peripheral edges. The contact lens 400 includes a posterior layer of the first material 401 which is posterior to the second material layer 402 and which has a uniform thickness. Further, the contact lens 400 includes an anterior layer of the first material 401, which is anterior to the second material 402 and is thinner at its center and is thicker in the mid periphery of the anterior layer. As will be understood by those of skill in the art, particular embodiments of the current disclosure provide that the layers are not limited in number, to their locations at the apparent thicknesses within the contact lens 400, to a symmetrical configuration, to a uniform thickness profile, or to a centered position relative to the geometric center of the contact lens 400. For example, additional layers or a deeper or shallower placement of the layers may be employed, or a regional placement may be employed. In this manner, the lens can be customized for the inclusion of a number and variety of layers and the thickness of the layers can be determined to provide desired oxygen and water transmissibilities. FIG. 5 depicts a cross section of a layered contact lens 500 in accordance with selected embodiments of the current disclosure. The layered contact lens 500 has first material 501, a second material layer 502, and an adhesive layer 503. The second material layer contact lens 502 has a variable thickness profile and is placed in a region of the contact lens 500. With continued reference to FIG. 5, the second material 502 is thicker at its center and thinner at its peripheral edges. The contact lens 500 includes a posterior layer of the first material 501 which is posterior to the second material layer 502 and which has a uniform thickness. Further, the contact lens 500 includes an anterior layer of the first material 501, which is anterior to the second material 502 and is thinner at its center and is thicker in the mid periphery of the anterior layer. The adhesive layer 503 surrounds the second material layer 502. In an alternative embodiment, the adhesive layer 503 may not surround a second layer and may be applied to only one partial surface of region of a layer. As will be understood by those of skill in the art, particular embodiments of the current disclosure provide for one or more adhesives that may be applied having the same or different relative permeabilities and in a stacked manner or regionally. Furthermore, the layers may not limited in number, to their locations at the apparent thicknesses within the contact lens 500, to a symmetrical configuration, to a uniform thickness profile, or to a centered position relative to the geometric center of the contact lens 500. For example, additional layers or a deeper or shallower placement of the layers may be employed, or a regional placement may be employed. In this manner, the lens can be customized for the inclusion of a number and variety of layers and the thickness of the layers can be determined to provide desired oxygen and water transmissibilities. FIG. 6 depicts a cross section of a layered contact lens 600 in accordance with selected embodiments of the current disclosure. The layered contact lens 600 has first material 601, a second material layer 602 and a third material 603 peripheral to the second material 602. The second material 602 has a relatively uniform thickness profile and is placed in the central region of the contact lens 600. Layer 602 may alternatively have the same composition as layer 601. The third material 603 has a variable thickness and is placed in the mid-peripheral region of contact lens 600. With continued reference to FIG. 6, the second material 602 is relatively uniform in its thickness. The third material 603 is thicker at its center and thinner at its peripheral edges. The contact lens 600 includes a posterior layer of the first material 601, which has a relatively uniform thickness and which is posterior to the second material layer 602 and the third material 603. Further, the contact lens 600 includes an anterior layer of the first material 601, which is thinner at its center, thicker in the mid periphery of the anterior layer, and anterior to the second material 602 and the third material 603. As will be understood by those of skill in the art, particular embodiments of the current disclosure provide layers that are not limited in number, to their locations at the apparent thicknesses within the contact lens 600, to a symmetrical configuration, to a uniform thickness profile, or to a centered position relative to the geometric center of the contact lens 600. For example, additional layers or a deeper or shallower placement of the layers may be employed, or a regional placement may be employed. In this manner, the lens can be customized for the inclusion of a number and variety of layers and the thickness of the layers can be determined to provide desired oxygen and water transmissibilities. Various methods of fabrication may be used to create the composite film and contact lens disclosed herein. For example, the contact lens may be fabricated at least in part by molding, including cast molding and compression molding. Melt pressing and solution casting may also be implemented, at least in part, to fabricate the contact lens. Additionally, the contact lens may be fabricated at least in part by lathing. The different materials making up the material films, composite films, and/or contact lens can have different moduli. Modulus, or more specifically an elastic modulus, of a material is a measure of the material's resistance to being deformed elastically. In a particular embodiment, the modulus of the primary material films is greater than the modulus of the secondary material films. In alternative embodiment, the modulus of the primary material films is less than the modulus of the secondary material films. In addition to providing a contact lens with a minimum transmissibility of the permeant oxygen, the contact lens may also have a minimum transmissibility of a permeant such as carbon dioxide. In such a case, the layers of material film and/or thickness of the contact lens are set for a minimum carbon dioxide transmissibility, instead of or in addition to the minimum oxygen transmissibility. The same principals discussed above also provide for the delivery of a therapeutic agent. A therapeutic agent delivery device comprises a composite film, where the composite film comprises one or more layered primary material films and one or more layered secondary material films, where the composite film has a thickness, a permeability for a first permeant, and a permeability for a second permeant; where the primary material films and secondary material film each have a thickness, a permeability for a first permeant, and a permeability for a second permeant; where the thickness of the composite comprises the summed thicknesses of the primary material layers and secondary material layers, where the thickness of the primary films and the thickness of the secondary films are such that the difference between the permeability for the first permeant of the composite film and the permeability for the first permeant of the primary material films is less than the difference between the permeability for the second permeant of the composite film and the permeability of the second permeant the primary material films. In such an embodiment, the second permeant is a therapeutic substance. It should be understood that while various embodiments of the invention are described in some detail herein, the present disclosure is made by way of example only and that variations and changes thereto are possible without departing from the subject matter coming within the scope of the following claims, and a reasonable equivalency thereof, which claims are regarded as the invention. | <SOH> BACKGROUND <EOH>Field of the invention: This disclosure relates to the general field of optical lenses, and more specifically toward a contact lens constructed to limit the water transmissibility of at least one area of the lens while maintaining at least a minimum oxygen transmissibility. The water transmissibility maximum and oxygen permeability minimum are achieved by a predetermined lens thickness of a single lens material or by the use of two or more material layers. The health of the eyes of consumers wearing contact lenses is greatly dependent on the amount of oxygen transmitted through the lens. Materials from which the lenses are made are generally chosen for their oxygen permeability and numerous studies have been performed to determine the minimum amount of oxygen required to maintain a healthy cornea. Gas permeability or more relevant to this discussion, oxygen permeability is mathematically described using the coefficient Dk, where D being diffusivity (cm 2 /sec), a measure of how fast the oxygen moves through the material, and k being the solubility (ml O 2 /ml of material×mm Hg), a measure of how much oxygen is contained in the material. The coefficient of oxygen transmissibility (Dk/t or Dk/L) is derived by dividing the oxygen permeability of a material by the thickness of the material in centimeters. The best permeabilities now offered in commercial lens products for the general public are in the range of Dk=80 to 150×10 −11 (cm 2 /sec) (mL O 2 )/(mL×mm Hg) (Barrers). The materials of these lenses are generally silicone acrylates or copolymers of silicone acrylates with hydrophilic monomers thereby creating silicone hydrogels. The former are typically rigid lenses while the latter are soft lenses. These lenses must be offered in thin designs to support corneal health, which can lead to problems with durability, handling and, in the case of hydrogels, dehydration. Dehydration, the loss of water from the interior of the lens, leads to changes in the geometry of the lens wherein the lens decreases in diameter, thickness, and radius of curvature, changes in lens optical power and the lens demonstrates poor wetting on the lens surface. Lens shrinkage can lead to tightening of the lens on the eye as indicated by reduced on-eye movement, while poor wetting leads to discomfort when the eyelid passes over the lens on blink. Often dehydration effects are addressed by fitting lenses with longer posterior radius of curvature of the lens than the curvature of the underlying cornea. In these cases, lens shrinkage only serves to bring the lens into a correct relationship to the eye while maintaining lens movement. To prevent discomfort, the lenses are surface treated in an attempt to reduce the wetting angle and in turn maintain a tear film on the front of the lens, or the lens is prefilled with a lubricating substance that may exude onto the surface to maintain comfort during wearing. The description above is generally true for all lenses in commercial use today with one important exception. That exception is the lens made of silicone rubber (cross-linked polydimethylsiloxane, PDMS). PDMS is attractive for contact lens use firstly because of its extremely high permeability to oxygen, being more than twice the permeability of the highest competitive material; secondly, PDMS is soft and similar in mechanical properties to human tissue; thirdly, PDMS has a long history of safe use as a biomaterial in implants and wound dressings; fourthly, PDMS is easily molded with high transfer of design features to the final lens; and lastly, PDMS is not a hydrogel and thus is not subject to bacterial invasion. Unfortunately, PDMS (first appearing in contact lenses nearly 50 years ago) has had no success in the general contact lens market. One reason is generally described as a “sticking” problem, which is also described as “lens adherence.” Non-movement of the lens can often be observed in as little as 15 minutes after application. In fact, early experience included actual adherence of the lens to the cornea leading to loss of small patches of epithelium upon lens removal. Such occurrences, though painful, were not sight threatening since the cornea repairs itself rather rapidly; even so, any break in the corneal surface presents the opportunity for infection. The PDMS lens lost a place in the general contact lens market with the exception of refractive correction of pediatric aphakia. This condition in infants left untreated leads without exception to blindness in the eye lacking the internal crystalline lens. Refractive treatment with the PDMS contact lens for pediatric aphakia is unique due to the need for extreme optical power in the contact lens that requires a thickness profile with a high center thickness. Sticking problems are rarely observed in such applications. Thick lenses are known to promote lens movement due to forceful contact with the lid during blinking. Furthermore, due to the high oxygen permeability, the lenses for pediatric aphakia have regulatory approval for continuous wearing of up to 30 days; hence, there is no need to remove the lenses frequently thereby reducing the likelihood of epithelial detachment. Following the inference of the pediatric success with lenses with a thick center and using approaches to improving lens surface wetting (typically plasma treatment) early efforts were made to address the lens sticking problem. Modified lens geometry designs with looser lens to eye relationships coupled with plasma treated lenses were explored with no success. Since the lens contained little water (typically less than 0.2%), lens dehydration did not appear to be a likely cause of the lens adherence. The PDMS contact lens has a high solubility for oxygen and a large diffusivity (rate of internal flux) for oxygen (deriving from the extreme mobility of the silicon atoms in the polymer) and these properties lead to the very high oxygen permeability (Dk). Permeability is in fact a product of these two properties. Diffusivity of the permeant, as discussed above for oxygen, is one property. The second property is the solubility of the permeant in the material through which it is permeating. Materials having high values for both of the properties for a particular permeant always have high permeabilities for that permeant. Since PDMS has a very low solubility for water it is often assumed that water might transport through the material at a slow rate. Following this assumption one would conclude shrinkage due to dehydration is not possible and water transport by permeation is minimal. Strategies to minimize water transport were not recognized or reported as a likely approach to solving the “sticking” problem. It is the recognition that the assumption by contact lens designers of low water transport by PDMS is erroneous and that water transport itself is the primary cause of lens sticking that is a foundation for this disclosure. Though liquid water is barely detectable inside a PDMS lens, water vapor molecules are able to freely pass through the material. In fact while the permeability for oxygen by this material is impressive the permeability for water vapor is more than 50 times higher. Water permeability of this magnitude is capable of transporting the entire tear volume from beneath a lens in a matter of minutes. Depletion of the post lens tear film and the water associated with the epithelial mucin layer can leave both the lens and the cornea surfaces hydrophobic and thereby increase the attraction of each to the other. Such hydrophobic surface attraction will inevitably lead to adherence and non-movement. These effects would not likely be alleviated by surface treatment or loose fitting lens design strategies. There would be some improvement observed with wearers whose exposure to the lens involves greater than normal durations of closed eye wearing such as infants. At first thought the solution to sticking would be to find another material with very high oxygen transmission but without the rapid water transmission. Of course such a material would be required to have the mechanical properties suitable for a contact lens, be relatively inexpensive and manufacture-able by means of low cost processes such as automatable cast molding, and requiring few stock keeping units (SKU's) to cover the vast majority of patients. A new material would have to be non-toxic and satisfactorily biocompatible while being simple to fit, comfortable to wear and optically transparent. The search for such a material has proceeded for nearly fifty years and a material meeting all of these requirements has yet to be presented. Lenses made of rigid gas permeable materials have come closest but are less comfortable to wear, difficult to fit, expensive to manufacture and require larger stock keeping units. Holden and Mertz generated criteria for minimum oxygen transmissibility for maintenance of normal corneal physiology for wearing contact lenses with an open eye (daily wear) and for wearing lenses with normal overnight periods of sleep (extended wear or continuous wear). Holden and Mertz studied the critical oxygen levels to avoid corneal edema and defined them in terms of oxygen transmissibility and equivalent oxygen percentage. The relationship between corneal edema and hydrogel lens oxygen transmissibility was examined for both daily and extended contact lens wear by measuring the corneal swelling response induced by a variety of contact lenses over a 36 hour wearing period. The relationships derived enabled average edema levels that occur with daily and extended wear in a population of normal young adults to be predicted to within ±1.0%. The critical lens oxygen transmissibility required to avoid edema for daily and extended contact lens wear were obtained from the derived curves. Holden and Mertz found under daily wear conditions that lenses having an oxygen transmissibility (Dk/t) of at least 24.1±2.7×10 −9 (cm 3 O 2 )/(cm 2 ·s·mmHg) or Barrers/cm, an Equivalent Oxygen Percentage (EOP) of 9.9%, did not induce corneal edema. | <SOH> SUMMARY <EOH>The present disclosure addresses the problem through an alternative approach; creating a lens that meets at least the Holden Mertz minimum criteria for oxygen transmissibility while manifesting water transport of no greater than successful commercialized contact lenses. The present invention discloses means for reducing the water transmissibility while maintaining a minimum level of oxygen transmissibility. A first embodiment of the present invention is a lens having a predetermined thickness to reduce the water transmissibility of an ultrahigh permeable lens material to a maximum acceptable level and while maintaining the oxygen transmissibility to a minimum acceptable level. A second embodiment of the present invention is a lens comprising at least two materials where in the coupled materials are configured into a single device to reduce the water transmissibility of the composite lens to a maximum acceptable level while maintaining the oxygen transmissibility to at least a minimum acceptable level. Historically, a seemingly parallel approach has been considered in the lenses referred to as hybrid or composite lenses, however that approach (such as in the Saturn Lens, Softperm Lens, Synergeyes Lens brand lenses) did not attempt to have the comprising materials work together by merging their properties, but rather by using the disparate materials in different locations to perform separate functions (side by side, central eye and peripheral eye). The current disclosure provides for materials in sequence delivering their summed properties to obtain desired performance at the same location on the lens and hence the same location on the eye. The current disclosure configures the disparate materials in a “sandwich” or layered configuration with the materials in parallel and perpendicular to the axis of the lens, rather than concentric to the axis of the lens as in the above-mentioned composite or hybrid type lens. Prior art also discloses a lens having an anterior rigid layer and a posterior soft layer for the purpose of providing lens comfort when in contact with the eye and while delivering rigid lens optics. Such a laminate lens does not address the issues of balancing a maximum acceptable water transmissibility while maintaining at least a minimum oxygen transmissibility. Additional art teaches lenses with air cavities, and cavities filled with fluid and gel materials, which do not address the issues of limiting the lens to a maximum water transmissibility while maintaining a minimum oxygen transmissibility. Prior art also discloses the inclusion of components and elements in lenses which do not address the issues of balancing a maximum acceptable water transmissibility while maintaining at least a minimum oxygen transmissibility. It is an object of the disclosure to provide a contact lens with a minimum oxygen transmissibility for maintenance of normal corneal physiology for wearing contact lenses. It is another object of the disclosure to provide a contact lens with a water transport of no greater than other successful commercialized contact lenses. It is a further object of this disclosure to provide a composite soft or rigid contact lens with water transmissibility of the composite lens below a maximum acceptable level while having an oxygen transmissibility of at least a minimum acceptable level. Terms and phrases used in this document, and variations thereof, unless otherwise expressly stated, should be construed as open ended as opposed to limiting. As examples of the foregoing: the term “including” should be read as meaning “including, without limitation” or the like; the term “example” is used to provide exemplary instances of the item in discussion, not an exhaustive or limiting list thereof; the terms “a” or “an” should be read as meaning “at least one,” “one or more” or the like; and adjectives such as “conventional,” “traditional,” “normal,” “standard,” “known” and terms of similar meaning should not be construed as limiting the item described to a given time period or to an item available as of a given time, but instead should be read to encompass conventional, traditional, normal, or standard technologies that may be available or known now or at any time in the future. Likewise, where this document refers to technologies that would be apparent or known to one of ordinary skill in the art, such technologies encompass those apparent or known to the skilled artisan now or at any time in the future. The presence of broadening words and phrases such as “one or more,” “at least,” “but not limited to” or other like phrases in some instances shall not be read to mean that the narrower case is intended or required in instances where such broadening phrases may be absent. Additionally, the various embodiments set forth herein are described in terms of exemplary block diagrams, flow charts and other illustrations. As will become apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art after reading this document, the illustrated embodiments and their various alternatives can be implemented without confinement to the illustrated examples. For example, block diagrams and their accompanying description should not be construed as mandating a particular architecture or configuration. As used herein, a contact lens is made from one or more films, including a composite film. A composite film is a film made up of multiple films, including multiple layers of films. In some embodiments, though not necessarily all embodiments, the contact lens is made solely from the composite film, in which case the terms could be used interchangeably. There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto. The features listed herein and other features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following description and appended claims. | G02C7049 | 20180110 | 20180510 | 99169.0 | G02C704 | 0 | STACHEL, KENNETH J | Contact Lens | SMALL | 1 | CONT-PENDING | G02C | 2,018 |
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15,869,160 | PENDING | DISPLAY PANEL AND MANUFACTURING METHOD THEREOF | A display panel and a manufacturing method are provided. The display panel includes a substrate, multiple active switches disposed on the substrate and a low dielectric constant protective layer. The low dielectric constant protective layer is formed on the numerous active switches. A relative dielectric constant of the low dielectric constant protective layer is smaller than a relative dielectric constant of silicon nitride. | 1. A display panel comprising: a substrate; a plurality of active switches, disposed on the substrate; a low dielectric constant protective layer formed on the plurality of active switches, wherein a relative dielectric constant of the low dielectric constant protective layer is lower than a relative dielectric constant of silicon nitride; wherein the low dielectric constant protective layer comprises a mesoporous silica; the mesoporous silica comprises a plurality of hollow columnar sub-components connected with each other, a cross section of the sub-component is hexagonal, and a middle of the sub-component has a circular through hole; the mesoporous silica comprises a plurality of sub-elements, the sub-element comprises the sub-components arranged in three lines, an intermediate line of the sub-element comprises three sub-components arranged abreast, a first line and a third line of the sub-element each comprise two sub-components arranged abreast, the two sub-components of each of the first line and the third line each are disposed between any two sub-components of the three sub-components in the intermediate line; wherein a plurality of first-layer wires are disposed on the substrate, an insulating dielectric layer is disposed on the first-layer wires, an amorphous silicon layer is disposed on the insulating dielectric layer and corresponding to a gate wire section of the first-layer wires, an ohmic contact layer is disposed on and corresponding to the amorphous silicon layer, a source wire section and a drain wire section are separated from each other and disposed on the ohmic contact layer, a groove is defined between the source wire section and the drain wire section, the groove passes through the ohmic contact layer, a bottom of the groove is the amorphous silicon layer, a width of the source wire section and the drain wire section as a whole is larger than a width of the amorphous silicon layer, the low dielectric constant protective layer is disposed on the source wire section and the drain wire section, a pixel electrode layer is disposed on the low dielectric constant protective layer, the low dielectric constant protective layer is defined with a via hole corresponding to the drain wire section, the pixel electrode layer is connected with the drain wire section by the via hole; a side of a portion of the source wire section beyond the amorphous silicon layer is immediately connected with the insulating dielectric layer, an opposite side of the portion of the source wire section is immediately connected with the low dielectric constant protective layer, and a section of the insulating dielectric layer corresponding to the via hole is connected with the drain wire section. 2. A display panel comprising: a substrate; a plurality of active switches, disposed on the substrate; a low dielectric constant protective layer, formed on the plurality of active switches, wherein a relative dielectric constant of the low dielectric constant protective layer is lower than a relative dielectric constant of silicon nitride. 3. The display panel according to claim 2, wherein the low dielectric constant protective layer comprises a mesoporous silica. 4. The display panel according to claim 3, wherein the mesoporous silica comprises a plurality of hollow columnar sub-components connected with each other, a cross section of the sub-component is hexagonal, and a middle of the sub-component has a circular through hole. 5. The display panel according to claim 4, wherein the mesoporous silica comprises a plurality of sub-elements, the sub-element comprises the sub-components arranged in three lines, an intermediate line of the sub-element comprises three sub-components arranged abreast, a first line and a third line of the sub-element each comprise two sub-components arranged abreast, the two sub-components of each of the first line and the third line each are disposed between any two sub-components of the three sub-components in the intermediate line. 6. The display panel according to claim 2, wherein a plurality of first-layer wires are disposed on the substrate, an insulating dielectric layer is disposed on the first-layer wires, an amorphous silicon layer is disposed on the insulating dielectric layer and corresponding to a gate wire section of the first-layer wires, an ohmic contact layer is disposed on and corresponding to the amorphous silicon layer, a source wire section and a drain wire section are separated from each other and disposed on the ohmic contact layer, a groove is defined between the source wire section and the drain wire section, the groove penetrates through the ohmic contact layer, a bottom of the groove is the amorphous silicon layer, a width of the source wire section and the drain wire section as a whole is larger than a width of the amorphous silicon layer, the low dielectric constant protective layer is disposed on the source wire section and the drain wire section, a pixel electrode layer is disposed on the low dielectric constant protective layer, the low dielectric constant protective layer is defined with a via hole corresponding to the drain wire section, the pixel electrode layer is connected to the drain wire section by the via hole. 7. The display panel according to claim 6, wherein a side of a portion of the source wire section beyond the amorphous silicon layer is immediately connected with the insulating dielectric layer, and an opposite side of the portion of the source wire section is immediately connected with the low dielectric constant protective layer, and a section of the insulating dielectric layer corresponding to the via hole is immediately connected with the drain wire section. 8. The display panel according to claim 2, wherein a plurality of first-layer wires are disposed on the substrate, an insulating dielectric layer is disposed on the first-layer wires, an amorphous silicon layer is disposed on the insulating dielectric layer and corresponding to a gate wire section of the first-layer wires, an ohmic contact layer is disposed on and corresponding to the amorphous silicon layer, a source wire section and a drain wire section are separated from each other and disposed on the ohmic contact layer, the source wire section and the drain wire section are separated, a groove is defined between the source wire section and the drain wire section, the groove penetrates through the ohmic contact layer, a bottom of the groove is the amorphous silicon layer, widths of the source wire section and the drain wire section respectively are equal to widths of portions of the ohmic contact layer contacted therewith, the low dielectric constant protective layer is disposed on the source wire section and the drain wire section, a pixel electrode layer is disposed on the low dielectric constant protective layer, the low dielectric constant protective layer is defined with a via hole corresponding to the drain wire section, the pixel electrode layer is connected with the drain wire section by the via hole. 9. The display panel according to claim 8, wherein the low dielectric constant protective layer located outside the source wire section is immediately connected with the insulating dielectric layer; the amorphous silicon layer, the ohmic contact layer and the drain wire section are disposed on the insulating dielectric layer in sequence and corresponding to the via hole. 10. A manufacturing method of a display panel, comprising steps of: arranging a plurality of active switches on a substrate; forming a low dielectric constant protective layer with a relative dielectric constant lower than a relative dielectric constant of silicon nitride on the plurality of active switches. 11. The manufacturing method of a display panel according to claim 10, wherein forming a low dielectric constant protective layer with a relative dielectric constant lower than a relative dielectric constant of silicon nitride comprises: forming micellar rods from micells; arranging the micellar rods as a hexagon to be a hexagonal micellar rod array; forming a silica-template mesophase from the hexagonal micellar rod array according to an organic molecular template self-assembly mechanism; calcining the silica-template mesophase to remove a template and thereby form a mesoporous silica; forming the low dielectric constant protective layer by the mesoporous silica. 12. The manufacturing method of a display panel according to claim 11, wherein the low dielectric constant protective layer comprises the mesoporous silica. 13. The manufacturing method of a display panel according to claim 12, wherein the mesoporous silica comprises a plurality of hollow columnar sub-components connected with each other, a cross section of the sub-component is hexagonal, and a middle of the sub-component has a circular through hole. 14. The manufacturing method of a display panel according to claim 13, wherein the mesoporous silica comprises a plurality of sub-elements, the sub-element comprises the sub-components arranged in three lines, an intermediate line of the sub-element comprises three sub-components arranged abreast, a first line and a third line of the sub-elements each comprise two sub-components arranged abreast, the two sub-components of each of the first line and the third line each are disposed between any two sub-components of the three sub-components in the intermediate line. 15. The manufacturing method of a display panel according to claim 11, wherein a plurality of first-layer wires are disposed on the substrate, an insulating dielectric layer is disposed on the plurality of first-layer wires, an amorphous silicon layer is disposed on the insulating dielectric layer and corresponding to a gate wire section of the first-layer wires, an ohmic contact layer is disposed on and corresponding to the amorphous silicon layer, a source wire section and a drain wire section are separated from each other and disposed on the ohmic contact layer, a groove is defined between the source wire section and the drain wire section, the groove penetrates through the ohmic contact layer, a bottom of the groove is the amorphous silicon layer, a width of the source wire section and the drain wire section as a whole is larger than a width of the amorphous silicon layer, the low dielectric constant protective layer is disposed on the source wire section and the drain wire section, a pixel electrode layer is disposed on the low dielectric constant protective layer, the low dielectric constant protective layer is defined with a via hole corresponding to the drain wire section, the pixel electrode layer is connected to the drain wire section by the via hole. 16. The manufacturing method of a display panel according to claim 15, wherein a side of a portion of the source wire section beyond the amorphous silicon layer is immediately connected with the insulating dielectric layer, an opposite side of the portion of the source wire section is immediately connected with the low dielectric constant protective layer, and a section of the insulating dielectric layer corresponding to the via hole is connected with the drain wire section. 17. The manufacturing method of a display panel according to claim 11, wherein a plurality of first-layer wires are disposed on the substrate, an insulating dielectric layer is disposed on the plurality of first-layer wires, an amorphous silicon layer is disposed on the insulating dielectric layer and corresponding to a gate wire section of the first-layer wires, an ohmic contact layer is disposed on and corresponding to the amorphous silicon layer, a source wire section and a drain wire section are separated from each other and disposed on the ohmic contact layer, a groove is defined between the source wire section and the drain wire section, the groove penetrates through the ohmic contact layer, a bottom of the groove is the amorphous silicon layer, widths of the source wire section and the drain wire section respectively are equal to widths of portions of the ohmic contact layer contacted therewith, the low dielectric constant protective layer is disposed on the source wire section and the drain wire section, a pixel electrode layer is disposed on the low dielectric constant protective layer, the low dielectric constant protective layer is defined with a via hole corresponding to the drain wire section, the pixel electrode layer is connected to the drain wire section by the via hole. 18. The manufacturing method of a display panel according to claim 17, wherein the low dielectric constant protective layer located outside the source wire section is immediately connected with the insulating dielectric layer; the amorphous silicon layer, the ohmic contact layer and the drain wire section are sequentially disposed above a portion of the insulating dielectric layer corresponding to the via hole. | FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE The disclosure relates to the field of display technology, and more particularly to a display panel and a manufacturing method thereof. BACKGROUND Displays are widely applied due to numerous advantages such as thin bodies, energy saving, radiation-free, etc. Most displays available on the market are backlight-type displays, and such display includes a display panel and a backlight module. The working principle of the display panel is placing liquid crystal molecules between two parallel substrates, and applying a driving voltage on the two substrates to control rotation directions of the liquid crystal molecules, for refracting rays of the backlight module to generate images. A thin film transistor-liquid crystal display (TFT-LCD) gradually occupies the dominant position in the display realm at present because of its properties such as low energy consumption, superior image quality and relatively high production yield, etc. Identically, the TFT-LCD includes a display panel and a backlight module. The liquid crystal panel includes a color filter (CF) substrate and a thin film transistor (TFT) substrate. The opposite internal sides of the substrates have transparent electrodes. A layer of liquid crystal (LC) molecules are interposed between the two substrates. The display panel alters the polarization state of light by control of the electric field on the orientation of liquid crystal molecules, and achieves the objective of display by blocking or unblocking the optical path by a polarizer. The production of TFT devices with high performance is the basis of the quality LCD. The protective layer of the TFT commonly employs silicon nitride. The protective layer has a relatively small relative dielectric constant, but the relative dielectric constant of silicon nitride is relatively high, and the capacitance is large. Signals can be easily disturbed. SUMMARY The disclosure provides a display panel. A relative dielectric constant of a protective layer on active switches is low. Furthermore, the disclosure further provides a manufacturing method adopting the display panel. The objective of the disclosure is achieved by following embodiments. A display panel includes a substrate, multiple active switches disposed on the substrate, and a low dielectric constant protective layer. The low dielectric constant protective layer is formed on the numerous active switches. A relative dielectric constant of the low dielectric constant protective layer is smaller than a relative dielectric constant of silicon nitride. The low dielectric constant protective layer includes the mesoporous silica. The relative dielectric constant of the mesoporous silica is εr=1.4˜2.4. The low dielectric constant protective layer adopts the mesoporous silica instead of the material SiNx for a protective layer in a TFT device with a process of 5-mask and 4-mask. The relative dielectric constant of SiNx is εr=7˜8. εr of the mesoporous silica is lower than εr of silicon oxide. The relative dielectric constant of silicon oxide is εr=3.9˜4.1. The performance of the TFT device can be improved. The problems of signal disturbance and the RC circuit delay can be prevented. The thickness of the low dielectric constant protective layer can be reduced. The low dielectric constant protective layer can employ other materials with a low dielectric constant as well, such as nanoporous silicon and so on. The mesoporous silica includes numerous hollow columnar sub-components connected with each other. A cross section of the sub-component is hexagonal, and a middle of the sub-component has a circular through hole. Sizes of the through holes of the sub-components are the same. The cross section of the sub-component is hexagonal for the convenience of assembling the numerous sub-components. The mesoporous silica includes a number of sub-elements. The sub-elements include the sub-components arranged in three lines. An intermediate line of the sub-elements includes the three sub-components arranged abreast. A first line and a third line of the sub-element each include the two sub-components arranged abreast. The two sub-components of the first line and the two-components of the third line respectively are disposed between any two sub-components of the three sub-components in the intermediate line. The sub-elements have the orderly arranged sub-components with the relatively high specific surface area, thermal stability and hydrothermal stability. A number of first-layer wires are disposed on the substrate. An insulating dielectric layer is disposed on the first-layer wires. An amorphous silicon layer is disposed on the insulating dielectric layer and corresponding to a gate wire section of the first-layer wires. An ohmic contact layer is disposed on and corresponding to the amorphous silicon layer. A source wire section and a drain wire section are separated from each other and disposed on the ohmic contact layer. A groove is defined between the source wire section and the drain wire section. The groove penetrates through the ohmic contact layer. A bottom of the groove is the amorphous silicon layer. A width of the source wire section and the drain wire section as a whole is larger than a width of the amorphous silicon layer. The low dielectric constant protective layer is disposed on the source wire section and the drain wire section. A pixel electrode layer is disposed on the low dielectric constant protective layer. The low dielectric constant protective layer is defined with a via hole corresponding to the drain wire section. The pixel electrode layer and the drain wire section are connected by the via hole. An active switch with the better performance such as a thin film transistor (TFT) can be obtained. A side of a portion of the source wire section beyond the amorphous silicon layer is immediately connected with the insulating dielectric layer and an opposite side of the portion of the source wire section is immediately connected with the low dielectric constant protective layer. A section of the insulating dielectric layer corresponding to the via hole is connected with the drain wire section. 5 mask is utilized to obtain the active switch such as the TFT. A number of first-layer wires are disposed on the substrate. An insulating dielectric layer is disposed on the first-layer wires. An amorphous silicon layer is disposed on the insulating dielectric layer and corresponding to a gate wire section of the first-layer wires. An ohmic contact layer is disposed on and corresponding to the amorphous silicon layer. A source wire section and a drain wire section are separated from each other and disposed on the ohmic contact layer. A groove is defined between the source wire section and the drain wire section. The groove penetrates through the ohmic contact layer. A bottom of the groove is the amorphous silicon layer. Widths of the source wire section and the drain wire section respectively are equal to widths of portions of the ohmic contact layer contacted therewith. The low dielectric constant protective layer is disposed on the source wire section and the drain wire section. A pixel electrode layer is disposed on the low dielectric constant protective layer. The low dielectric constant protective layer is disposed with a pixel electrode layer. The low dielectric constant protective layer is defined with a via hole correspondingly to the drain wire section. The pixel electrode layer and the drain wire section are connected by the via hole. An active switch with the better performance such as a thin film transistor (TFT) can be obtained. The low dielectric constant protective layer located outside the source wire section is immediately connected with the insulating dielectric layer. The amorphous silicon layer, the ohmic contact layer and the drain wire section are disposed on the insulating dielectric layer in sequence correspondingly to the via hole. The active switch such as the TFT can be obtained by 4 mask processes. According to another aspect of the disclosure, the disclosure further discloses a manufacturing method of a display panel, including steps of: arranging a number of active switches on a substrate, and forming a low dielectric constant protective layer with a relative dielectric constant lower than a relative dielectric constant of silicon nitride on the numerous active switches. A protective layer of SiNx with a relative dielectric constant εr=7˜8 on the active switches is replaced by the low dielectric constant protective layer. εr of the low dielectric constant protective layer is lower than εr of silicon oxide. The relative dielectric constant of silicon oxide is εr=3.9˜4.1. The performance of the TFT device can be improved by using the low dielectric constant protective layer as the protective layer on the active switch such as the thin film transistor (TFT). The problems of signal disturbance and the RC circuit delay can be prevented. Forming the low dielectric constant protective layer with a relative dielectric constant lower than a relative dielectric constant of silicon nitride on the numerous active switches includes forming micellar rods from micells; arranging the micellar rods as a hexagon to be a hexagonal micellar rod array; forming a silica-template mesophase from the hexagonal micellar rod array according to an organic molecular template self-assembly mechanism; calcining the silica-template mesophase to remove a template and thereby form the mesoporous silica; and forming the low dielectric constant protective layer by the mesoporous silica. The relative dielectric constant of the mesoporous silica is εr=1.4˜2.4. The low dielectric constant protective layer adopts the mesoporous silica instead of the material SiNx for a protective layer in a TFT device with a process of 5-mask and 4-mask. The relative dielectric constant of SiNx is εr=7˜8. εr of the mesoporous silica is lower than εr of silicon oxide. The relative dielectric constant of silicon oxide is εr=3.9˜4.1. The performance of the TFT device can be improved. The problems of signal disturbance and the RC circuit delay can be prevented. The thickness of the low dielectric constant protective layer can be reduced. The protective layer of SiNx with a relative dielectric constant εr=7˜8 on the active switches is replaced by the low dielectric constant protective layer. The relative dielectric constant of the low dielectric constant protective layer is lower than the relative dielectric constant of silicon oxide. The relative dielectric constant of silicon oxide is εr=3.9˜4.1. The performance of the active switches can be improved by using the low dielectric constant protective layer as the protective layer. The problems of signal disturbance and the RC circuit delay can be prevented. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Accompanying drawings are for providing further understanding of embodiments of the disclosure. The drawings form a part of the disclosure and are for illustrating the principle of the embodiments of the disclosure along with the literal description. Apparently, the drawings in the description below are merely some embodiments of the disclosure, a person skilled in the art can obtain other drawings according to these drawings without creative efforts. In the figures: FIG. 1 is a structural schematic view of a 5 mask inverted staggered TFT device according to an embodiment of the disclosure; FIG. 2 is a structural schematic view of a 4 mask inverted staggered TFT device according to an embodiment of the disclosure; FIG. 3 is another schematic view of a 5 mask inverted staggered TFT device according to an embodiment of the disclosure; FIG. 4 is another schematic view of a 4 mask inverted staggered TFT device according to an embodiment of the disclosure; FIG. 5 is a schematic view of the mesoporous silica according to an embodiment of the disclosure; FIG. 6 is a flowchart of a process of a display panel according to an embodiment of the disclosure; FIG. 7 is another flowchart of a process of a display panel according to an embodiment of the disclosure; FIG. 8 is schematic view of a process of producing mesoporous silica by an organic molecular template self-assembly mechanism according to an embodiment of the disclosure; FIG. 9 is a chart of tested dielectric constants according to an embodiment of the disclosure; FIG. 10 is a schematic view of nanoporous silicon according to an embodiment of the disclosure; FIG. 11 is a schematic view of nanoporous silicon and germanium nanoparticles according to an embodiment of the disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are only representative and are intended for describing exemplary embodiments of the disclosure. However, the disclosure can be embodied in many forms of substitution, and should not be interpreted as merely limited to the embodiments described herein. In the description of the disclosure, terms such as “center”, “transverse”, “above”, “below”, “left”, “right”, “vertical”, “horizontal”, “top”, “bottom”, “inside”, “outside”, etc. for indicating orientations or positional relationships refer to orientations or positional relationships as shown in the drawings; the terms are for the purpose of illustrating the disclosure and simplifying the description rather than indicating or implying the device or element must have a certain orientation and be structured or operated by the certain orientation, and therefore cannot be regarded as limitation with respect to the disclosure. Moreover, terms such as “first” and “second” are merely for the purpose of illustration and cannot be understood as indicating or implying the relative importance or implicitly indicating the number of the technical feature. Therefore, features defined by “first” and “second” can explicitly or implicitly include one or more the features. In the description of the disclosure, unless otherwise indicated, the meaning of “plural” is two or more than two. In addition, the term “comprise” and any variations thereof are meant to cover a non-exclusive inclusion. In the description of the disclosure, it should be noted that, unless otherwise clearly stated and limited, terms “mounted”, “connected with” and “connected to” should be understood broadly, for instance, can be a fixed connection, a detachable connection or an integral connection; can be a mechanical connection, can also be an electrical connection; can be a direct connection, can also be an indirect connection by an intermediary, can be an internal communication of two elements. A person skilled in the art can understand concrete meanings of the terms in the disclosure as per specific circumstances. The terms used herein are only for illustrating concrete embodiments rather than limiting the exemplary embodiments. Unless otherwise indicated in the content, singular forms “a” and “an” also include plural. Moreover, the terms “contain” and/or “include” define the existence of described features, integers, steps, operations, units and/or components, but do not exclude the existence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, units, components and/or combinations thereof. The disclosure will be further described with reference to accompanying drawings and preferred embodiments as follows. A display panel and a manufacturing method of embodiments of the disclosure will be illustrated with reference to FIG. 1 through FIG. 11 as follows. As shown in FIG. 1, the display panel in the embodiment of FIG. 1 includes a substrate 10, numerous active switches disposed on the substrate 10, and a protective layer 30 formed on the numerous active switches. The protective layer 30 adopts silicon nitride. The substrate 10 is disposed with a number of first-layer wires 21. The numerous first-layer wires 21 are disposed with an insulating dielectric layer 22. The insulating dielectric layer 22 is disposed with an amorphous silicon layer 23 corresponding to a gate wire section 211 of the first-layer wires 21. The amorphous silicon layer 23 is disposed with an ohmic contact layer 24 corresponding to the amorphous silicon layer 23. The ohmic contact layer 24 is disposed with a source wire section 25 and a drain wire section 26; the source wire section 25 and the drain wire section 26 are separated. A groove 27 is defined between the source wire section 25 and the drain wire section 26. The groove 27 penetrates through the ohmic contact layer 24. A bottom of the groove 27 is the amorphous silicon layer 23. A width of the source wire section 25 and the drain wire section 26 as a whole is larger than a width of the amorphous silicon layer 23. The source wire section 25 and the drain wire section 26 are disposed with the protective layer 30. The protective layer 30 is disposed with a pixel electrode layer 50. The protective layer 30 is defined with a via hole 28 correspondingly to the drain wire section 26. The pixel electrode layer 50 and the drain wire section 26 are connected by the via hole 28. A side of a portion of the source wire section 25 beyond the amorphous silicon layer 23 is immediately connected with the insulating dielectric layer 22 and an opposite side is immediately connected with the protective layer 30. A section of the insulating dielectric layer 22 corresponding to the via hole 28 is connected with the drain wire section 26. The active switches such as the thin film transistor (TFT) obtained by utilizing 5 mask have the relatively good performance. As shown in FIG. 2, the display panel in the embodiment of FIG. 2 includes the substrate 10, numerous active switches disposed on the substrate 10, and the protective layer 30 formed on the numerous active switches. The protective layer 30 adopts silicon nitride. The substrate 10 is disposed with a number of first-layer wires 21. The first-layer wires 21 are disposed with the insulating dielectric layer 22. The insulating dielectric layer 22 is disposed with the amorphous silicon layer 23 corresponding to the gate wire section 211 of the first-layer wires 21. The amorphous silicon layer 23 is disposed with the ohmic contact layer 24 correspondingly to the amorphous silicon layer 23. The ohmic contact layer 24 is disposed with the source wire section 25 and the drain wire section 26; the source wire section 25 and the drain wire section 26 are separated. The groove 27 is defined between the source wire section 25 and the drain wire section 26. The groove 27 penetrates through the ohmic contact layer 24. The bottom of the groove 27 is the amorphous silicon layer 23. Widths of the source wire section 25 and the drain wire section 26 respectively are equal to the widths of portions of the ohmic contact layer 24 contacted therewith. The source wire section 25 and the drain wire section 26 are disposed with the protective layer 30. The protective layer 30 is disposed with the pixel electrode layer 50. The protective layer 30 is defined with the via hole 28 correspondingly to the drain wire section 26. The pixel electrode layer 50 and the drain wire section 26 are connected by the via hole 28. The protective layer 30 located outside the source wire section 25 is immediately connected with the insulating dielectric layer 22. The amorphous silicon layer 23, the ohmic contact layer 24 and the drain wire section 26 are disposed on the insulating dielectric layer 22 in sequence correspondingly to the via hole 28. The active switches such as TFTs obtained by utilizing 4 mask have the relatively good performance without the mask process. The production of the active switches such as TFTs with high performance is the basis of the quality LCD. Structures of the 5-mask and 4-mask inverted staggered TFT devices are as shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2. A conventional material of the protective layer of the TFT is SiNx with the relative dielectric constant εr=7˜8, identically to a gate dielectric layer. Compared with the relatively small εr of the protective layer required by the gate dielectric layer, εr of SiNx is higher and capacitance is larger. Problems such as signal disturbance and the considerable thickness of films can be the barrier to develop panels. As shown in FIG. 3 and FIG. 5, the display panel in the embodiments of FIG. 3 and FIG. 5 includes the substrate 10, numerous active switches such as thin film transistors disposed on the substrate 10, and a low dielectric constant protective layer 40 formed on the numerous active switches. A relative dielectric constant of the low dielectric constant protective layer 40 is smaller than a relative dielectric constant of silicon nitride. The protective layer 30 made of SiNx with a relative dielectric constant εr=7˜8 of the active switches such as TFTs is replaced by the low dielectric constant protective layer 40. εr of the low dielectric constant protective layer 40 is lower than εr of silicon oxide. The relative dielectric constant of silicon oxide is εr=3.9˜4.1. The performance of the active switches such as TFTs can be improved by using the low dielectric constant protective layer 40 as the protective layer 30. The problems of signal disturbance and the RC circuit delay can be prevented. The low dielectric constant protective layer 40 includes the mesoporous silica. The relative dielectric constant of the mesoporous silica is εr=1.4˜2.4. The low dielectric constant protective layer 40 adopts the mesoporous silica instead of the material SiNx for the protective layer 30 in a TFT device with a process of 5-mask and 4-mask. The relative dielectric constant of SiNx is εr=7˜8. εr of the mesoporous silica is lower than εr of silicon oxide. The relative dielectric constant of silicon oxide is εr=3.9˜4.1. The performance of the TFT device can be improved. The problems of signal disturbance and the RC circuit delay can be prevented. The thickness of the low dielectric constant protective layer 40 can be reduced. The low dielectric constant protective layer 40 can employ other materials with a low dielectric constant as well, such as nanoporous silicon and so on. The mesoporous silica includes numerous hollow columnar sub-components 42 connected with each other. A cross section of the sub-component 42 is hexagonal, and a middle of the sub-component 42 has a circular through hole. Sizes of the through holes of the sub-components 42 are the same. The cross section of the sub-component 42 is hexagonal for the convenience of assembling the numerous sub-components 42. The mesoporous silica includes a number of sub-elements 43. The sub-elements 43 include the sub-components 42 arranged in three lines. An intermediate line of the sub-element 43 includes the three sub-components 42 arranged abreast. A first line and a third line of the sub-element 43 respectively includes the two sub-components 42 arranged abreast. The two sub-components 42 of the first line and the two-components 42 of the third line respectively are disposed between any two sub-components 42 of the three sub-components 42 in the intermediate line. The sub-elements 43 have the orderly arranged sub-components 42 with the relatively high specific surface area, thermal stability and hydrothermal stability. The substrate 10 is disposed with a number of first-layer wires 21. The first-layer wires 21 are disposed with the insulating dielectric layer 22. The insulating dielectric layer 22 is disposed with the amorphous silicon layer 23 corresponding to the gate wire section 211 of the first-layer wires 21. The amorphous silicon layer 23 is disposed with the ohmic contact layer 24 corresponding to the amorphous silicon layer 23. The ohmic contact layer 24 is disposed with the source wire section 25 and the drain wire section 26; the source wire section 25 and the drain wire section 26 are separated. The groove 27 is defined between the source wire section 25 and the drain wire section 26. The groove 27 penetrates through the ohmic contact layer 24. The bottom of the groove 27 is the amorphous silicon layer 23. The width of the source wire section 25 and the drain wire section 26 as a whole is larger than the width of the amorphous silicon layer 23. The source wire section 25 and the drain wire section 26 are disposed with the low dielectric constant protective layer 40. The low dielectric constant protective layer 40 is disposed with the pixel electrode layer 50. The low dielectric constant protective layer 40 is defined with the via hole 28 correspondingly to the drain wire section 26. The pixel electrode layer 50 and the drain wire section 26 are connected by the via hole 28. The side of the portion of the source wire section 25 beyond the amorphous silicon layer 23 is immediately connected with the insulating dielectric layer 22 and an opposite side is immediately connected with the low dielectric constant protective layer 40. The section of the insulating dielectric layer 22 corresponding to the via hole 28 is connected with the drain wire section 26. The active switches such as the thin film transistor (TFT) obtained by utilizing 5 mask can gain the better performance. As shown in FIG. 4 and FIG. 5, the display panel in the embodiments of FIG. 4 and FIG. 5 includes the substrate 10, numerous active switches disposed on the substrate 10, and a low dielectric constant protective layer 40 formed on the numerous active switches. The relative dielectric constant of the low dielectric constant protective layer 40 is smaller than the relative dielectric constant of silicon nitride. The protective layer 30 made of SiNx with a relative dielectric constant εr=7˜8 of the active switches such as TFTs is replaced by the low dielectric constant protective layer 40. εr of the low dielectric constant protective layer 40 is lower than εr of silicon oxide. The relative dielectric constant of silicon oxide is εr=3.9˜4.1. The performance of the active switches such as TFTs can be improved by using the low dielectric constant protective layer 40 as the protective layer 30. The problems of signal disturbance and the RC circuit delay can be prevented. The low dielectric constant protective layer 40 includes the mesoporous silica. The relative dielectric constant of the mesoporous silica is εr=1.4˜2.4. The low dielectric constant protective layer 40 adopts the mesoporous silica instead of the material SiNx for the protective layer 30 in a TFT device with a process of 5-mask and 4-mask. The relative dielectric constant of SiNx is εr=7˜8. εr of the mesoporous silica is lower than εr of silicon oxide. The relative dielectric constant of silicon oxide is εr=3.9˜4.1. The performance of the TFT device can be improved. The problems of signal disturbance and the RC circuit delay can be prevented. The thickness of the low dielectric constant protective layer 40 can be reduced. The low dielectric constant protective layer 40 can employ other materials with a low dielectric constant as well, such as nanoporous silicon and so on. The mesoporous silica includes numerous hollow columnar sub-components 42 connected with each other. A cross section of the sub-component 42 is hexagonal, and a middle of the sub-component 42 has a circular through hole. Sizes of the through holes of the sub-components 42 are the same. The cross section of the sub-component 42 is hexagonal for the convenience of assembling the numerous sub-components 42. The substrate 10 is disposed with a number of first-layer wires 21. The first-layer wires 21 are disposed with the insulating dielectric layer 22. The insulating dielectric layer 22 is disposed with the amorphous silicon layer 23 correspondingly to the gate wire section 211 of the first-layer wires 21. The amorphous silicon layer 23 is disposed with the ohmic contact layer 24 corresponding to the amorphous silicon layer 23. The ohmic contact layer 24 is disposed with the source wire section 25 and the drain wire section 26; the source wire section 25 and the drain wire section 26 are separated. The groove 27 is defined between the source wire section 25 and the drain wire section 26. The groove 27 penetrates through the ohmic contact layer 24. The bottom of the groove 27 is the amorphous silicon layer 23. Widths of the source wire section 25 and the drain wire section 26 respectively are equal to the widths of portions of the ohmic contact layer 24 contacted therewith. The source wire section 25 and the drain wire section 26 are disposed with the low dielectric constant protective layer 40. The low dielectric constant protective layer 40 is disposed with the pixel electrode layer 50. The low dielectric constant protective layer 40 is defined with the via hole 28 correspondingly to the drain wire section 26. The pixel electrode layer 50 and the drain wire section 26 are connected by the via hole 28. The low dielectric constant protective layer 40 located outside the source wire section 25 is immediately connected with the insulating dielectric layer 22. The amorphous silicon layer 23, the ohmic contact layer 24 and the drain wire section 26 are disposed on the insulating dielectric layer 22 in sequence correspondingly to the via hole 28. The obtained active switches such as TFTs can achieve the better performance without the mask process, resulting in reducing time and costs. As shown in FIG. 10 and FIG. 11, the dielectric constant of the insulating dielectric layer 22 is larger than the dielectric constants of the silicon oxide layer and the silicon nitride. The insulating dielectric layer 22 includes a composition. The composition includes a first component and a second component. The dielectric constant of the insulating dielectric layer 22 disposed on the first-layer wires 21 is larger than the dielectric constants of the silicon oxide layer and the silicon nitride layer to increase the ability of storing electric charges of the device. The dielectric constant of the first component is smaller than the dielectric constants of the silicon oxide layer and the silicon nitride layer. The dielectric constant of the second component is larger than the dielectric constants of the silicon oxide layer and the silicon nitride layer. The dielectric constant of the insulating dielectric layer 22 can be adjusted by controlling the ratio of the first component to the second component. Optionally, the first component includes nanoporous silicon. The nanoporous silicon can be processed to be extremely thin. The thickness of the insulating dielectric layer can be reduced to satisfy requirements on smaller sizes of integrated circuits, chips and TFT-LCDs. The nanoporous silicon is inherently hydrophobic. Optionally, the second component includes germanium nanoparticles. The dielectric constant of germanium is 16. The dielectric constant of the insulating dielectric layer 22 is raised by adjusting the ratio of germanium. Other materials and metal with high dielectric constants can be used as well. Optionally, the first component includes nanoporous silicon. The second component includes germanium nanoparticle. The nanoporous silicon can be processed to be extremely thin. The thickness of the insulating dielectric layer can be reduced to satisfy requirements on smaller sizes of integrated circuits, chips and TFT-LCDs. The nanoporous silicon is inherently hydrophobic. The dielectric constant of germanium is 16. The nanoporous silicon inherently has numerous silicon holes for storing the germanium particles therein, and the thickness of the nanoporous silicon will not be increased. The dielectric constant can be controlled by adjusting the loading capacity of the germanium (Ge) particles. The insulating dielectric layer 22 includes nanoporous silicon. The nanoporous silicon includes numerous hollow columnar sub-components 231 connected with each other. A cross section of the sub-component 231 is hexagonal, and a middle of the sub-component 231 has a circular through hole. The circular though hole of the sub-component 231 are defined with several silicon holes. The Ge nanoparticles are disposed in the silicon holes. The hexagonal cross section of the sub-component 231 of the porous silicon is convenient for assembling the multiple sub-components 231. The Ge nanoparticles in the silicon holes will not change the thickness of the porous silicon. According to another aspect of the disclosure, as shown in FIG. 6, the disclosure further discloses a process of a display panel, including steps of: disposing a number of active switches on a substrate, and forming a low dielectric constant protective layer on the numerous active switches. A relative dielectric constant of the low dielectric constant protective layer is lower than a relative dielectric constant of silicon nitride. The protective layer of SiNx with a relative dielectric constant εr=7˜8 on the active switches such as thin film transistors (TFTs) is replaced by the low dielectric constant protective layer. εr of the low dielectric constant protective layer is lower than εr of silicon oxide. The relative dielectric constant of silicon oxide is εr=3.9˜4.1. The performance of the active switches such as TFTs can be improved by using the low dielectric constant protective layer as the protective layer. The problems of signal disturbance and the RC circuit delay can be prevented. As shown in FIG. 7 and FIG. 8, disposing the low dielectric constant protective layer on the active switches such as TFTs includes forming micellar rods by micells; arranging the micellar rods as a hexagon to be a hexagonal micellar rod array; forming a silica-template mesophase from the hexagonal micellar rod array according to an organic molecular template self-assembly mechanism; calcining the silica-template mesophase to remove a template and thereby form the mesoporous silica; and forming the low dielectric constant protective layer by the mesoporous silica. The relative dielectric constant of the mesoporous silica is εr=1.4˜2.4. The low dielectric constant protective layer adopts the mesoporous silica instead of the material SiNx with a process of 5-mask and 4-mask active switches. The relative dielectric constant of SiNx is εr=7˜8. εr of the mesoporous silica is lower than εr of silicon oxide. The relative dielectric constant of silicon oxide is εr=3.9˜4.1. The performance of the TFT device can be improved accordingly. The problems of signal disturbance and the RC circuit delay can be prevented. The thickness of the low dielectric constant protective layer can be reduced. As shown in FIG. 9, in the chart of tested dielectric constants of FIG. 9, the dielectric constant of mesoporous silica is relatively low and stable. The diversification is little while the time passes by. In the embodiments above, the amorphous silicon layer uses a-Si without excluding other semiconductor materials. In the embodiments above, the material of the substrate can be glass, plastic, etc. In the embodiments above, the display panel includes a liquid crystal display, a plasma panel and so on. Taking the liquid crystal panel as an example, the liquid crystal panel includes an array substrate and a color filter (CF) substrate. The array substrate and the color filter substrate are disposed opposite. A photo spacer (PS) is disposed between the array substrate and the color filter substrate. The array substrate is disposed with the thin film transistor (TFT). The color filter substrate is disposed with a color filter film. In the embodiment above, the color filter substrate can include the TFT array. The color film and the TFT array can be formed on the same substrate. The array substrate can include a color filter layer. In the embodiment above, the display panel of the disclosure can be a curved panel. The foregoing contents are detailed description of the disclosure in conjunction with specific preferred embodiments and concrete embodiments of the disclosure are not limited to these description. For the person skilled in the art of the disclosure, without departing from the concept of the disclosure, simple deductions or substitutions can be made and should be included in the protection scope of the application. | <SOH> BACKGROUND <EOH>Displays are widely applied due to numerous advantages such as thin bodies, energy saving, radiation-free, etc. Most displays available on the market are backlight-type displays, and such display includes a display panel and a backlight module. The working principle of the display panel is placing liquid crystal molecules between two parallel substrates, and applying a driving voltage on the two substrates to control rotation directions of the liquid crystal molecules, for refracting rays of the backlight module to generate images. A thin film transistor-liquid crystal display (TFT-LCD) gradually occupies the dominant position in the display realm at present because of its properties such as low energy consumption, superior image quality and relatively high production yield, etc. Identically, the TFT-LCD includes a display panel and a backlight module. The liquid crystal panel includes a color filter (CF) substrate and a thin film transistor (TFT) substrate. The opposite internal sides of the substrates have transparent electrodes. A layer of liquid crystal (LC) molecules are interposed between the two substrates. The display panel alters the polarization state of light by control of the electric field on the orientation of liquid crystal molecules, and achieves the objective of display by blocking or unblocking the optical path by a polarizer. The production of TFT devices with high performance is the basis of the quality LCD. The protective layer of the TFT commonly employs silicon nitride. The protective layer has a relatively small relative dielectric constant, but the relative dielectric constant of silicon nitride is relatively high, and the capacitance is large. Signals can be easily disturbed. | <SOH> SUMMARY <EOH>The disclosure provides a display panel. A relative dielectric constant of a protective layer on active switches is low. Furthermore, the disclosure further provides a manufacturing method adopting the display panel. The objective of the disclosure is achieved by following embodiments. A display panel includes a substrate, multiple active switches disposed on the substrate, and a low dielectric constant protective layer. The low dielectric constant protective layer is formed on the numerous active switches. A relative dielectric constant of the low dielectric constant protective layer is smaller than a relative dielectric constant of silicon nitride. The low dielectric constant protective layer includes the mesoporous silica. The relative dielectric constant of the mesoporous silica is εr=1.4˜2.4. The low dielectric constant protective layer adopts the mesoporous silica instead of the material SiNx for a protective layer in a TFT device with a process of 5-mask and 4-mask. The relative dielectric constant of SiNx is ε r =7˜8. εr of the mesoporous silica is lower than εr of silicon oxide. The relative dielectric constant of silicon oxide is εr=3.9˜4.1. The performance of the TFT device can be improved. The problems of signal disturbance and the RC circuit delay can be prevented. The thickness of the low dielectric constant protective layer can be reduced. The low dielectric constant protective layer can employ other materials with a low dielectric constant as well, such as nanoporous silicon and so on. The mesoporous silica includes numerous hollow columnar sub-components connected with each other. A cross section of the sub-component is hexagonal, and a middle of the sub-component has a circular through hole. Sizes of the through holes of the sub-components are the same. The cross section of the sub-component is hexagonal for the convenience of assembling the numerous sub-components. The mesoporous silica includes a number of sub-elements. The sub-elements include the sub-components arranged in three lines. An intermediate line of the sub-elements includes the three sub-components arranged abreast. A first line and a third line of the sub-element each include the two sub-components arranged abreast. The two sub-components of the first line and the two-components of the third line respectively are disposed between any two sub-components of the three sub-components in the intermediate line. The sub-elements have the orderly arranged sub-components with the relatively high specific surface area, thermal stability and hydrothermal stability. A number of first-layer wires are disposed on the substrate. An insulating dielectric layer is disposed on the first-layer wires. An amorphous silicon layer is disposed on the insulating dielectric layer and corresponding to a gate wire section of the first-layer wires. An ohmic contact layer is disposed on and corresponding to the amorphous silicon layer. A source wire section and a drain wire section are separated from each other and disposed on the ohmic contact layer. A groove is defined between the source wire section and the drain wire section. The groove penetrates through the ohmic contact layer. A bottom of the groove is the amorphous silicon layer. A width of the source wire section and the drain wire section as a whole is larger than a width of the amorphous silicon layer. The low dielectric constant protective layer is disposed on the source wire section and the drain wire section. A pixel electrode layer is disposed on the low dielectric constant protective layer. The low dielectric constant protective layer is defined with a via hole corresponding to the drain wire section. The pixel electrode layer and the drain wire section are connected by the via hole. An active switch with the better performance such as a thin film transistor (TFT) can be obtained. A side of a portion of the source wire section beyond the amorphous silicon layer is immediately connected with the insulating dielectric layer and an opposite side of the portion of the source wire section is immediately connected with the low dielectric constant protective layer. A section of the insulating dielectric layer corresponding to the via hole is connected with the drain wire section. 5 mask is utilized to obtain the active switch such as the TFT. A number of first-layer wires are disposed on the substrate. An insulating dielectric layer is disposed on the first-layer wires. An amorphous silicon layer is disposed on the insulating dielectric layer and corresponding to a gate wire section of the first-layer wires. An ohmic contact layer is disposed on and corresponding to the amorphous silicon layer. A source wire section and a drain wire section are separated from each other and disposed on the ohmic contact layer. A groove is defined between the source wire section and the drain wire section. The groove penetrates through the ohmic contact layer. A bottom of the groove is the amorphous silicon layer. Widths of the source wire section and the drain wire section respectively are equal to widths of portions of the ohmic contact layer contacted therewith. The low dielectric constant protective layer is disposed on the source wire section and the drain wire section. A pixel electrode layer is disposed on the low dielectric constant protective layer. The low dielectric constant protective layer is disposed with a pixel electrode layer. The low dielectric constant protective layer is defined with a via hole correspondingly to the drain wire section. The pixel electrode layer and the drain wire section are connected by the via hole. An active switch with the better performance such as a thin film transistor (TFT) can be obtained. The low dielectric constant protective layer located outside the source wire section is immediately connected with the insulating dielectric layer. The amorphous silicon layer, the ohmic contact layer and the drain wire section are disposed on the insulating dielectric layer in sequence correspondingly to the via hole. The active switch such as the TFT can be obtained by 4 mask processes. According to another aspect of the disclosure, the disclosure further discloses a manufacturing method of a display panel, including steps of: arranging a number of active switches on a substrate, and forming a low dielectric constant protective layer with a relative dielectric constant lower than a relative dielectric constant of silicon nitride on the numerous active switches. A protective layer of SiNx with a relative dielectric constant εr=7˜8 on the active switches is replaced by the low dielectric constant protective layer. εr of the low dielectric constant protective layer is lower than εr of silicon oxide. The relative dielectric constant of silicon oxide is εr=3.9˜4.1. The performance of the TFT device can be improved by using the low dielectric constant protective layer as the protective layer on the active switch such as the thin film transistor (TFT). The problems of signal disturbance and the RC circuit delay can be prevented. Forming the low dielectric constant protective layer with a relative dielectric constant lower than a relative dielectric constant of silicon nitride on the numerous active switches includes forming micellar rods from micells; arranging the micellar rods as a hexagon to be a hexagonal micellar rod array; forming a silica-template mesophase from the hexagonal micellar rod array according to an organic molecular template self-assembly mechanism; calcining the silica-template mesophase to remove a template and thereby form the mesoporous silica; and forming the low dielectric constant protective layer by the mesoporous silica. The relative dielectric constant of the mesoporous silica is εr=1.4˜2.4. The low dielectric constant protective layer adopts the mesoporous silica instead of the material SiNx for a protective layer in a TFT device with a process of 5-mask and 4-mask. The relative dielectric constant of SiNx is ε r =7˜8. εr of the mesoporous silica is lower than εr of silicon oxide. The relative dielectric constant of silicon oxide is εr=3.9˜4.1. The performance of the TFT device can be improved. The problems of signal disturbance and the RC circuit delay can be prevented. The thickness of the low dielectric constant protective layer can be reduced. The protective layer of SiNx with a relative dielectric constant ε r =7˜8 on the active switches is replaced by the low dielectric constant protective layer. The relative dielectric constant of the low dielectric constant protective layer is lower than the relative dielectric constant of silicon oxide. The relative dielectric constant of silicon oxide is εr=3.9˜4.1. The performance of the active switches can be improved by using the low dielectric constant protective layer as the protective layer. The problems of signal disturbance and the RC circuit delay can be prevented. | H01L271248 | 20180112 | 20180705 | 61008.0 | H01L2712 | 0 | YUSHIN, NIKOLAY K | DISPLAY PANEL AND MANUFACTURING METHOD THEREOF | UNDISCOUNTED | 1 | CONT-ACCEPTED | H01L | 2,018 |
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15,870,139 | PENDING | METHOD OF TREATING LOW BLOOD PRESSURE | A method for treating a patient suffering from one of septic shock, acute kidney injury, severe hypotension, cardiac arrest, and refractory hypotension, but not from myocardial infarction, is provided. The method includes administering a therapeutically effective dose of Angiotensin II, or Ang II, to the patient. | 1. A method of treating a human patient suffering from low blood pressure, comprising administering angiotensin II to the patient at an initial rate from about 5 ng/kg/min to about 20 ng/kg/min. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the initial rate is about 5 ng/kg/min. 3. The method of claim 1, wherein the initial rate is about 10 ng/kg/min. 4. The method of claim 1, wherein the initial rate is about 15 ng/kg/min. 5. The method of claim 1, wherein the initial rate is about 20 ng/kg/min. 6. The method of claim 1, wherein the initial rate is from about 10 ng/kg/min to about 20 ng/kg/min. 7. The method of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises titrating the rate up. 8. The method of claim 7, wherein the dose is titrated up to about 30 ng/kg/min. 9. The method of claim 7, wherein the dose is titrated up to about 40 ng/kg/min. 10. The method of claim 1, wherein the angiotensin II is administered to the patient over a period of about .25 hours to about 120 hours. 11. The method of claim 1, wherein the patient has septic shock. 12. The method of claim 1, wherein the patient has acute kidney injury. 13. The method of claim 1, wherein the patient has refractory hypotension. 14. The method of claim 1, wherein the patient has severe hypotension. 15. A method of treating a human patient suffering from low blood pressure, comprising administering angiotensin II to the patient at an initial rate from about 5 ng/kg/min to about 20 ng/kg/min; and wherein the method further comprises titrating the rate up. 16. The method of claim 15, wherein the initial rate is about 5 ng/kg/min. 17. The method of claim 15, wherein the initial rate is about 10 ng/kg/min. 18. The method of claim 15, wherein the initial rate is about 15 ng/kg/min. 19. The method of claim 15, wherein the initial rate is about 20 ng/kg/min. 20. The method of claim 15, wherein the initial rate is from about 10 ng/kg/min to about 20 ng/kg/min. 21. The method of claim 15, wherein the dose is titrated up to about 30 ng/kg/min. 22. The method of claim 15, wherein the dose is titrated up to about 40 ng/kg/min. 23. The method of claim 15, wherein the patient has septic shock 24. The method of claim 15, wherein the patient has acute kidney injury. 25. The method of claim 15, wherein the patient has refractory hypotension. 26. The method of claim 15, wherein the patient has severe hypotension. 27. A method of treating low blood pressure in a patent having septic shock, acute kidney injury, refractory hypotension or severe hypotension, comprising administering angiotensin II to the patient at an initial rate from about 5 ng/kg/min to about 20 ng/kg/min. 28. The method of claim 27, wherein the method further comprises titrating the rate up. 29. The method of claim 28, wherein the dose is titrated up to about 30 ng/kg/min. 30. The method of claim 28, wherein the dose is titrated up to about 40 ng/kg/min. | CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This patent application is a continuation of U.S. Patent Application Ser. No. 15/380,574, filed Dec. 15, 2016 (now U.S. Pat. No. 9,867,863), which is a continuation of U.S. Application Ser. No. 12/639,987, filed on Dec. 16, 2009 (now U.S. Pat. No. 9,572,856), the entire contents all of which are hereby incorporated by reference. The present teachings relate to a therapeutic regimen for patients suffering from at least one of septic shock, acute kidney injury, severe hypotension, cardiac arrest, and refractory hypotension. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Severe sepsis is the leading cause of acute kidney injury (“AKI”) and its incidence is increasing. The two leading clinical conditions associated with AM are sepsis and cardiac surgery. In the largest epidemiologic study to date (>120,000), Bagshaw et al. found that AKI occurred in 36% of intensive care unit patients and that the most common primary diagnosis was sepsis. Similarly, in a large international observational study of AKI requiring renal replacement therapy (RRT), approximately 50% of subjects had sepsis. Direct comparisons of incidence of AKI arising from sepsis vs. cardiac surgery have not been made but two studies in cardiac surgery found incidence rates of 16% and 19% while the incidence in patients with sepsis was twice as great. Furthermore, while the rates of cardiac surgery are steadily declining, sepsis incidence continues to climb. Severe sepsis currently affects more than 750,000 Americans each year and the incidence rises exponentially with age, suggesting that the number of cases will rise in coming years as baby boomers age. Patients with septic shock who require high dose vasopressors have a mortality of over 80%. Currently, no specific type of vasopressor (e.g. norepinephrine, vasopressin, dopamine) has been shown to improve outcome. Importantly, patients on high dose catecholamines (e.g., dopamine, epinephrine, norepinephrine) for septic shock often develop tachyphylaxis, limiting the utility of these agents in the sickest patients. Vasopressin, which has been used as an adjuvant with cathecholamines, has not been shown to improve outcomes in patients with septic shock. In the subset of patients whose mean arterial pressure cannot be maintained with current vasopressors, septic shock is uniformly fatal. Accordingly, there exists a need for the addition of an effective drug for the treatment of hypotension that does not have the deleterious effects of the present range of treatments. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present teachings disclose a method of treating a patient suffering from low blood pressure. According to an embodiment of the present teachings, a method of treating a patient suffering from low blood pressure is provided. The patient can suffer from one of septic shock, acute kidney injury, severe hypotension, and refractory hypotension, but not from myocardial infarction. The method can comprise administering a therapeutically effective dose of Angiotensin II (“Ang II”) to the patient. The dose of Angiotensin II can be administered at a rate of between about 5 ng/kg/min to about 100 ng/kg/min. The dose of Angiotensin II can be administered at a rate of between about 10 ng/kg/min to about 50 ng/kg/min. The dose of Angiotensin II can be administered at a rate of between about 20 ng/kg/min to about 40 ng/kg/min. The dose administration can last from about 0.25 hours to about 120 hours. The dose administration can last from about 1 hour to about 7 hours. The dose administration can last from about 2 hour to about 6 hours. The dose administration can last from about 3 hours to about 5 hours. Additional features and advantages of various embodiments will be set forth, in part, in the description that follows, and, in part, will be apparent from the description, or may be learned by practice of various embodiments. The objectives and other advantages of various embodiments will be realized and attained by means of the elements and combinations particularly pointed out in the description herein. It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only, and are intended to provide an explanation of various embodiments of the present teachings. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Ang II is degraded to angiotensin III in a patient, having a half life of a few minutes. Ang II is a direct vasoconstrictor by activating angiotensin I receptors, enhancing peripheral noradrenergic neurotransmission, increasing sympathetic discharge (CNS), and releasing catecholamines from the adrenal medulla. Administration of Ang II to patients suffering from at least one of septic shock, acute kidney injury, severe hypotension, cardiac arrest, and refractory hypotension can have adverse side effects, including ischemia, such as, for example, mesenteric ischemia, that damage internal organs. The present teachings disclose a therapeutic regimen of Ang II at doses below that where adverse side effects, such as ischemia, are seen. Furthermore, the therapeutic regimen of Ang II disclosed in the present teachings can act as an adjuvant and lower the effective doses of other therapies, including administration of vasopressin and catecholamine. The therapeutic regimen disclosed herein can be started within, for example, 1 hour, 2 hours, 4 hours, 6 hours, or 12 hours after onset of acute symptoms. Example I A dose study was designed to determine the feasibility of Ang II as a treatment for sepsis related hypotension. A 20 patient randomized blinded study in the treatment of sepsis related hypotension was proposed. Patients suffering from septic shock receiving >15 mcg/min of norepineprhine are eligible. Patients are randomized to Ang II or norepinephrine in a blinded fashion. There are 10 patients in each arm. Norepinephrine is used as a control instead of a true placebo, because the blood pressure rising effects of Ang II would defeat the blinding intent. All patients have the treatment of vasopressors titrated to a mean arterial pressure (MAP) of 65 mm of Hg. Patients are then randomized to a control group or arm, or an interventional group or arm treated with Ang II. Patients randomly assigned to the control group are administered with norepinephrine starting at 5 mcg/min, and can be titrated up to 7.5 mcg/mink, and then to 10 mcg/min. Patients in the interventional arm are administered Ang II starting at a dose of about 2Ong/kg/min. Additionally, the dose can then be titrated up to about 30ng/kg/min. Furthermore, the dose can then be titrated up to about 40ng/kg/min. The intervention can last for about 4 hours. Each patient in the interventional group is started with the assigned starting dose. After the first hour, if the patient is still requiring standing norepinephrine, the dose of the control and interventional drugs can be increased 50%. After the second hour, if the patient is still requiring a standing dose of norepinephrine, the control and interventional drugs can be increased again to twice the initial dose. At the end of 4 hours, the study drug will be titrated off over 30 minutes. In the two hours before the initiation of the study drug, all urine is collected. The urine collections are continued for a total duration of nine (9) hours. Blood is drawn at the initiation of the study, four (4) hours thereafter, and then seven (7) hours after. This involves a total of three (3) blood draws of 7 cc of blood per draw for a total of 21 cc of blood. Blood is examined for serum chemistry and serum lactate. In this same time period, demographic and clinical data are collected. Creatinine clearance will be calculated for the pre-study, study, and post-study periods. Blood pressure of each patient is monitored continuously from about two (2) hours before initiation of the control and interventional drugs for about seven (7) hours after initiation of the control and interventional drugs. Results: At the conclusion of the study, 30 day mortality is assessed. According to an embodiment of the present teachings, a method of treating a patient suffering from low blood pressure is provided. The patient can suffer from one of septic shock, acute kidney injury, severe hypotension, and refractory hypotension, but not from myocardial infarction. The method can comprise administering a therapeutically effective dose of Angiotensin II (“Ang II”) to the patient. The dose of Angiotensin II can be administered at a rate of between about 5 ng/kg/min to about 100 ng/kg/min. The dose of Angiotensin II can be administered at a rate of between about 10 ng/kg/min to about 50 ng/kg/min. The dose of Angiotensin II can be administered at a rate of between about 20 ng/kg/min to about 40 ng/kg/min. The dose administration can last from about 0.25 hours to about 120 hours. The dose administration can last from about 1 hour to about 7 hours. The dose administration can last from about 2 hour to about 6 hours. The dose administration can last from about 3 hours to about 5 hours. Those skilled in the art can appreciate from the foregoing description that the present teachings can be implemented in a variety of forms. Therefore, while these teachings have been described in connection with particular embodiments and examples thereof, the true scope of the present teachings should not be so limited. Various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the teachings herein. The following publications are herein incorporated by reference in their entireties: 1. Bagshaw SM, George C, Dinu I, Bellomo R: A Multi-Centre Evaluation of the Rifle Criteria for Early Acute Kidney Injury in Critically Ill Patients. Nephrol Dial Transplant Oct 25 (Epub): 2007 2. Uchino S, Kellum JA, Bellomo R, Doig GS, Morimatsu H, Morgera S, Schetz M, Tan I, Bouman C, Macedo E, Gibney N, Tolwani A, Ronco C: Acute renal failure in critically ill patients: a multinational, multicenter study. JAMA 294:813-818, 2005 3. Heringlake M, Knappe M, Vargas HO, et al: Renal dysfunction according to the ADQI-RIFLE system and clinical practice patterns after cardiac surgery in Germany. Minerva Anestesiol 72:645-654, 2006 4. Kuitunen A, Vento A, Suojaranta-Ylinen R, Pettila V: Acute renal failure after cardiac surgery: evaluation of the RIFLE classification. Ann Thorac Surg 81:542-546, 2006 5. Lopes JA, Jorge S, Resina C, et al: Prognostic utility of RIFLE for acute renal failure in patients with sepsis. Crit Care 11:408, 2007 6. Wilson CT, Fisher ES, Welch HG, Siewers AE, Lucas FL: U.S. trends in CABG hospital volume: the effect of adding cardiac surgery programs. Health Aff 26:162-168, 2007 7. Angus DC, Linde-Zwirble WT, Lidicker J, Clermont G, Carcillo J, Pinsky MR: Epidemiology of severe sepsis in the United States: Analysis of incidence, outcome, and associated costs of care. Crit Care Med 29:1303-1310, 2001 | <SOH> BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION <EOH>Severe sepsis is the leading cause of acute kidney injury (“AKI”) and its incidence is increasing. The two leading clinical conditions associated with AM are sepsis and cardiac surgery. In the largest epidemiologic study to date (>120,000), Bagshaw et al. found that AKI occurred in 36% of intensive care unit patients and that the most common primary diagnosis was sepsis. Similarly, in a large international observational study of AKI requiring renal replacement therapy (RRT), approximately 50% of subjects had sepsis. Direct comparisons of incidence of AKI arising from sepsis vs. cardiac surgery have not been made but two studies in cardiac surgery found incidence rates of 16% and 19% while the incidence in patients with sepsis was twice as great. Furthermore, while the rates of cardiac surgery are steadily declining, sepsis incidence continues to climb. Severe sepsis currently affects more than 750,000 Americans each year and the incidence rises exponentially with age, suggesting that the number of cases will rise in coming years as baby boomers age. Patients with septic shock who require high dose vasopressors have a mortality of over 80%. Currently, no specific type of vasopressor (e.g. norepinephrine, vasopressin, dopamine) has been shown to improve outcome. Importantly, patients on high dose catecholamines (e.g., dopamine, epinephrine, norepinephrine) for septic shock often develop tachyphylaxis, limiting the utility of these agents in the sickest patients. Vasopressin, which has been used as an adjuvant with cathecholamines, has not been shown to improve outcomes in patients with septic shock. In the subset of patients whose mean arterial pressure cannot be maintained with current vasopressors, septic shock is uniformly fatal. Accordingly, there exists a need for the addition of an effective drug for the treatment of hypotension that does not have the deleterious effects of the present range of treatments. | <SOH> SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION <EOH>The present teachings disclose a method of treating a patient suffering from low blood pressure. According to an embodiment of the present teachings, a method of treating a patient suffering from low blood pressure is provided. The patient can suffer from one of septic shock, acute kidney injury, severe hypotension, and refractory hypotension, but not from myocardial infarction. The method can comprise administering a therapeutically effective dose of Angiotensin II (“Ang II”) to the patient. The dose of Angiotensin II can be administered at a rate of between about 5 ng/kg/min to about 100 ng/kg/min. The dose of Angiotensin II can be administered at a rate of between about 10 ng/kg/min to about 50 ng/kg/min. The dose of Angiotensin II can be administered at a rate of between about 20 ng/kg/min to about 40 ng/kg/min. The dose administration can last from about 0.25 hours to about 120 hours. The dose administration can last from about 1 hour to about 7 hours. The dose administration can last from about 2 hour to about 6 hours. The dose administration can last from about 3 hours to about 5 hours. Additional features and advantages of various embodiments will be set forth, in part, in the description that follows, and, in part, will be apparent from the description, or may be learned by practice of various embodiments. The objectives and other advantages of various embodiments will be realized and attained by means of the elements and combinations particularly pointed out in the description herein. It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only, and are intended to provide an explanation of various embodiments of the present teachings. detailed-description description="Detailed Description" end="lead"? | A61K38085 | 20180112 | 20180517 | 94600.0 | A61K3808 | 1 | GUDIBANDE, SATYANARAYAN R | METHOD OF TREATING LOW BLOOD PRESSURE | SMALL | 1 | CONT-ACCEPTED | A61K | 2,018 |
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15,871,553 | PENDING | MOBILE REFUELING VESSEL | A mobile vessel for refueling engines at remote refueling sites. The vessel has a tank with side walls and a rectangular bottom portion. The bottom portion is configured to rest on the ground and it includes an inner wall and a lower plate. The bottom portion further includes spacer elements between the inner wall and lower plate that defines a gap there between for collecting fuel that may leak from the tank. | 1. Apparatus for refueling an engine from a vessel containing fuel comprising: a foldable docking station on the front or rear end of the vessel; the docking station having a generally horizontal deck, a ladder extending from an edge of the deck, and a tiltable platform connected to an opposite edge of the deck. 2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a portion of the ladder folds upwardly towards the deck when the vessel is being transported. 3. The vessel of claim 1, wherein the platform extends from the deck to provide a floor for a worker to stand when refueling an engine of a vehicle and wherein the platform folds back onto the deck when the vessel is being transported. | CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This is a divisional patent application of U.S. application Ser. No. 14/629,889 filed Feb. 24, 2015, which is expressly incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. FIELD The present disclosure relates to fuel tanks and, more particularly, to a transportable fuel tank that may be used to refuel engines at remote locations such as construction sites and the like. BACKGROUND This section provides background information related to the present disclosure which is not necessarily prior art. In some instances, it is impractical for a vehicle to travel to a gas station or the like to be refueled. Construction sites are an example. These sites are often remotely located and employ numerous pieces of construction equipment such as trucks, bulldozers, and other vehicles having engines that need to be refueled periodically. Since it is not practical for these pieces of construction equipment to travel very far, it is preferable to bring a refueling option to the construction site so that the equipment can be refueled without having to travel very far. One example of a typical refueling option is a single-walled spherical tank that contains fuel. Precautions are often mandated for ecological reasons to minimize contamination of the environment in the event of a leak in the tank. Typical of such precautions are berms and/or bladders that surround the tank to contain any fuel that may leak from the tank. Unfortunately, these precautions are expensive, are not easy to maintain, and may not totally be effective. SUMMARY This section provides a general summary of the disclosure, and is not a comprehensive disclosure of its full scope or all of its features. In accordance with the teachings of the present invention, a mobile vessel for refueling engines at remote refueling sites is provided. The vessel has a tank with sidewalls and a rectangular bottom portion. The bottom portion is configured to rest on the ground. The bottom portion includes an inner wall, a lower plate and spacer elements between the inner wall and lower plate that define a gap there between for collecting fuel that may leak from the tank. Further areas of applicability will become apparent from the description provided herein. The description and specific examples in this summary are intended for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure. DRAWINGS The drawings described herein are for illustrative purposes only of selected embodiments and not all possible implementations, and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure. FIG. 1 is a side view of a mobile refueling vessel made in accordance with the teachings of the present invention, while being transported; FIG. 2 is a side view of the vessel after having been lowered onto the ground at the refueling site; FIG. 3 is a top view thereof; FIG. 4 is a rear view thereof showing a foldable docking station in its collapsed position; FIG. 5 is a rear view thereof showing the docking station in its extended position for refueling a vehicle; FIG. 6 a sectional view thereof taken along the lines of 6-6 of FIG. 2; FIG. 7 is a sectional view thereof taken along the lines 7-7 of FIG. 6; FIG. 8 is an enlarged partial cross-sectional view of the area labeled FIG. 8 in FIG. 6; FIG. 9 is a side view of suspension components when the vessel is raised ready for transportation; and FIG. 10 is a view, similar to FIG. 9, in which the suspension components have lowered the vessel onto the ground. Corresponding reference numerals indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views of the drawings. DETAILED DESCRIPTION Example embodiments will now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings. Referring now to FIGS. 1 and 2, a mobile refueling vessel 10 is illustrated. In FIG. 1, the vessel 10 is shown in a transporting configuration, while FIG. 2 shows the vessel 10 lowered onto the ground 12 at a refueling site. The vessel includes a tank 14 with one or more sections that carry fuel. As can be seen perhaps better in FIG. 3, the tank 14 is generally rectangular in shape and has a central tank section 14a, a front gooseneck tank section 14b and a rear gooseneck tank section 14c. Optionally, each of the tanks 14a, 14b and 14c can be filled with different types of fuel. Returning now to FIGS. 1 and 2, the front tank section 14b includes a coupling device 16 which is removably coupled to a mating coupling device 18 on a tractor/truck 20 for towing the vessel 10. In FIG. 1, the vessel 10 is raised so that the tank 14a is off of the ground 12. The raising and lowering mechanism for the vessel 10 is best shown in FIGS. 9 and 10. In this embodiment, the vessel 10 includes two rear axles 22a and 22b carrying tires 24a and 24b, respectively. Suspension components 26a and 26b comprise an L-shape axle mount component 28a, 28b. Each axle mount suspension component has a recess 30a, 30b in a lower portion of a horizontally extending leg 32a, 32b for receiving the axles 22a, 22b. A bracket 34a, 34b is fixed at its upper end to a frame portion 36 of the vessel and extends downwardly. Links 38 have their one ends pivotably connected to the bracket 34. Opposite ends of the links 38 are pivotably connected to a vertically extending leg 40 of the suspension component 26. Airbags 42a, 42b operate on the suspension components 26a, 26b to raise and lower their respective axles 22a, 22b thereby, in turn, raising and lowering the vessel 10. The upper end of the airbags 42a, 42b are fixed to a frame member 36 whereas the lower portion of the airbags are connected to an upper portion of the suspension components 26a, 26b. When the airbags 42a, 42b are inflated (by a manually actuable device on the vessel), the airbags push downwardly on the suspension components 26a, 26b to raise the vessel 10 as shown in FIG. 9. In contrast, when the airbags are deflated, the axles 22a, 22b move upwardly thereby lowering the vessel 10 onto the ground 12 as shown in FIG. 10. Returning now to FIG. 2 where vessel 10 is shown resting on the ground and the truck 20 has been disconnected from the vessel 10. In this position, the vessel 10 is ready to dispense fuel to engines of a variety of different vehicles. With additional reference to FIG. 3, various ports 50 are provided on the top of the vessel 10 to allow the tanks to be filled with fuel. The vessel is provided with one or more side dispenser mechanisms such as the illustrated typical hose and nozzle configuration 52 located on the side of the vessel. In the preferred embodiment, the vessel 10 further includes a boom 54 that can be guided by a user standing on a rear docking station as will be discussed in more detail in connection with FIG. 5. The vessel 10, especially the tank section 14a that rests on the ground, is constructed so that potential leaks from the tank are collected to ensure that the leaking fuel does not drip onto the ground to contaminate the environment. With particular reference to FIGS. 6 and 8, the central tank section 14a of vessel 10 includes a bottom portion generally designated by the numeral 60. A first rectangular plate defines the inner wall 62 of bottom portion 60. Another, similarly sized, rectangular plate 64 is spaced from the inner wall 62. A peripheral frame constructed of square tubing 66 serves as a spacer element between the inner wall 62 and lower plate 64 to define a gap 68 therebetween for collecting fuel that may leak from the tank 14a. This is best shown in FIG. 8 wherein fuel 70 is shown leaking at 72 through a hole or puncture in the inner wall 62. Since the present invention prevents fuel from leaking onto the ground 12, the conventionally used berms or bladders are not necessary to collect any leaking fuel. A lower main frame 74 in the bottom portion 60 may be provided to increase the strength of the vessel 10. The main frame 74 is preferably constructed of larger rectangular tubing. Upper portions of the tubing of frame 74 are connected to peripheral portions of the lower plate 64 whereas the lower portion of frame 74 rests on the ground and raises the lower plate 64 above ground level. The sides of the vessel 10 are also preferably of a double walled construction. As seen best in FIG. 7, the inner walls of the sides are defined by a corrugated metal panel 80. Outer plates 82 are affixed to the inner panel 80 by welds or other suitable technique for securing the two metal members together. In accordance with an aspect of this invention, a foldable docking station 90 is provided at the rear of the vessel 10. Referring to FIGS. 4 and 5, the docking station 90 is used by an operator to help refuel a vehicle 92 whose fuel inlet opening is at the top. FIG. 4 shows the docking station in its collapsed position. A ladder has two sections 92a and 92b pivotally connected together. The docking station 90 further includes a generally horizontal deck 94. A tiltable platform 96 is pivotally connected to deck 94 at pivot point 98. A suitable cable 100 is used to help secure the platform 96 in its extended position. When in use, the ladder section 92a is folded outwardly towards the ground so that a user can climb onto the deck 94 and then onto platform 96 as shown in FIG. 5. Then, the operator can grasp a refueling boom 54 and swing it towards the vehicle fuel inlet opening to dispense fuel from the vessel 10 into the fuel tank of the vehicle 92. When the vessel 10 is transported as shown in FIG. 1, the docking station 90 is folded into its collapsed position as best show in FIG. 4. There, the ladder section 92a is folded upwardly upon ladder section 92b. Similarly, the tiltable platform 96 is pivoted onto deck 94. In such manner, the foldable docking station 90 can be transported along with the rest of the vessel 10 more easily and present less wind resistance. As will be appreciated the docking station 90 can be used separately on a wide variety of different refueling tanks and other vehicles. Example embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough, and will fully convey the scope to those who are skilled in the art. Numerous specific details are set forth such as examples of specific components, devices, and methods, to provide a thorough understanding of embodiments of the present disclosure. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that specific details need not be employed, that example embodiments may be embodied in many different forms and that neither should be construed to limit the scope of the disclosure. In some example embodiments, well-known processes, well-known device structures, and well-known technologies are not described in detail. The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular example embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting. As used herein, the singular forms “a”, “an” and “the” may be intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. The terms “comprises,” “comprising,” “including,” and “having,” are inclusive and therefore specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof. The method steps, processes, and operations described herein are not to be construed as necessarily requiring their performance in the particular order discussed or illustrated, unless specifically identified as an order of performance. It is also to be understood that additional or alternative steps may be employed. When an element or layer is referred to as being “on”, “engaged to”, “connected to” or “coupled to” another element or layer, it may be directly on, engaged, connected or coupled to the other element or layer, or intervening elements or layers may be present. In contrast, when an element is referred to as being “directly on,” “directly engaged to”, “directly connected to” or “directly coupled to” another element or layer, there may be no intervening elements or layers present. Other words used to describe the relationship between elements should be interpreted in a like fashion (e.g., “between” versus “directly between,” “adjacent” versus “directly adjacent,” etc.). As used herein, the term “and/or” includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items. Although the terms first, second, third, etc. may be used herein to describe various elements, components, regions, layers and/or sections, these elements, components, regions, layers and/or sections should not be limited by these terms. These terms may be only used to distinguish one element, component, region, layer or section from another region, layer or section. Terms such as “first,” “second,” and other numerical terms when used herein do not imply a sequence or order unless clearly indicated by the context. Thus, a first element, component, region, layer or section discussed below could be termed a second element, component, region, layer or section without departing from the teachings of the example embodiments. Spatially relative terms, such as “inner,” “outer,” “beneath”, “below”, “lower”, “above”, “upper” and the like, may be used herein for ease of description to describe one element or feature's relationship to another element(s) or feature(s) as illustrated in the figures. Spatially relative terms may be intended to encompass different orientations of the device in use or operation in addition to the orientation depicted in the figures. For example, if the device in the figures is turned over, elements described as “below” or “beneath” other elements or features would then be oriented “above” the other elements or features. Thus, the example term “below” can encompass both an orientation of above and below. The device may be otherwise oriented (rotated 90 degrees or at other orientations) and the spatially relative descriptors used herein interpreted accordingly. The foregoing description of the embodiments has been provided for purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the disclosure. Individual elements or features of a particular embodiment are generally not limited to that particular embodiment, but, where applicable, are interchangeable and can be used in a selected embodiment, even if not specifically shown or described. The same may also be varied in many ways. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the disclosure, and all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of the disclosure. | <SOH> BACKGROUND <EOH>This section provides background information related to the present disclosure which is not necessarily prior art. In some instances, it is impractical for a vehicle to travel to a gas station or the like to be refueled. Construction sites are an example. These sites are often remotely located and employ numerous pieces of construction equipment such as trucks, bulldozers, and other vehicles having engines that need to be refueled periodically. Since it is not practical for these pieces of construction equipment to travel very far, it is preferable to bring a refueling option to the construction site so that the equipment can be refueled without having to travel very far. One example of a typical refueling option is a single-walled spherical tank that contains fuel. Precautions are often mandated for ecological reasons to minimize contamination of the environment in the event of a leak in the tank. Typical of such precautions are berms and/or bladders that surround the tank to contain any fuel that may leak from the tank. Unfortunately, these precautions are expensive, are not easy to maintain, and may not totally be effective. | <SOH> SUMMARY <EOH>This section provides a general summary of the disclosure, and is not a comprehensive disclosure of its full scope or all of its features. In accordance with the teachings of the present invention, a mobile vessel for refueling engines at remote refueling sites is provided. The vessel has a tank with sidewalls and a rectangular bottom portion. The bottom portion is configured to rest on the ground. The bottom portion includes an inner wall, a lower plate and spacer elements between the inner wall and lower plate that define a gap there between for collecting fuel that may leak from the tank. Further areas of applicability will become apparent from the description provided herein. The description and specific examples in this summary are intended for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure. | B60R3007 | 20180115 | 20180517 | 95888.0 | B60R300 | 1 | DUDA, CONAN D | MOBILE REFUELING VESSEL | SMALL | 1 | CONT-ACCEPTED | B60R | 2,018 |
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15,871,834 | ACCEPTED | Pilates Machine Tension Device Support System | A Pilates machine tension device support system for efficiently providing a tension force to a movable platform of an exercise machine. The Pilates machine tension device support system generally includes a frame, a platform movably positioned upon the frame and a tension assembly connected between the frame and the platform to provide selective tension upon the platform in a first direction. The tension assembly is comprised of a plurality of pulleys and a plurality of tension devices positioned upon the pulleys, wherein the tension devices are attached between a frame and the platform. The tension members are selectively engaged to the platform to increase or decrease the tension applied to the platform for varying levels of workouts. | 1. An exercise machine, comprising: a frame having a first end and a second end; a first end platform attached to the frame, wherein the first end platform is near the first end; a carriage movably positioned upon the frame, wherein the carriage is adapted to be movable in a reciprocating manner along at least a portion of an axis extending between the first end and the second end; a selection member attached to the carriage, wherein the selection member includes a first slot and a second slot; a first tension device connected to the frame, wherein the first tension device includes a first member, wherein the first member has a width greater than the first slot, wherein the first member is adapted for selectively connecting to the selection member; and a second tension device connected to the frame, wherein the second tension device includes a second member, wherein the second member has a width greater than the second slot, wherein the second member is adapted for selectively connecting to the selection member; wherein the first slot is adapted to receive the first tension device and wherein the second slot is adapted to receive the second tension device. 2. The exercise machine of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of each tension device is an elongated elastic object. 3. The exercise machine of claim 2, wherein each elongated elastic object is comprised of a tension spring. 4. The exercise machine of claim 3, wherein each tension spring is comprised of a tension coil spring. 5. The exercise machine of claim 2, wherein each tension device includes a non-stretchable elongated member extending between the elongated elastic object and the member. 6. The exercise machine of claim 1, wherein the slots are vertically oriented. 7. The exercise machine of claim 6, wherein the slots are parallel to one another. 8. The exercise machine of claim 6, wherein the slots extend upwardly from a lower edge of the selection member. 9. The exercise machine of claim 6, wherein the selection member includes a third slot. 10. The exercise machine of claim 9, wherein all of the slots are equidistantly spaced apart. 11. The exercise machine of claim 1, wherein the selection member includes an angled portion that extends downwardly with respect to the carriage and away from the tension devices. 12. The exercise machine of claim 1, wherein the selection member includes a vertical portion that extends downwardly from the carriage and an angled portion extending downwardly from the vertical portion, wherein the angled portion extends away from the tension devices. 13. The exercise machine of claim 12, wherein the slots pass through the angled portion and into the vertical portion. 14. The exercise machine of claim 1, including a reserve member connected to the frame, wherein the reserve member includes a first reserve slot and a second reserve slot, wherein the first reserve slot is adapted to receive the first tension device and wherein the second reserve slot is adapted to receive the second tension device. 15. The exercise machine of claim 1, including a second end platform attached to the frame, wherein the second end platform is near the second end of the frame. 16. The exercise machine of claim 1, wherein the first member and the second member are each comprised of a knob. 17. The exercise machine of claim 1, wherein the carriage includes a first edge that faces towards the first end of the frame and a second edge that faces towards the second end of the frame, wherein at least a portion of the first tension device extends outwardly past the first edge of the carriage when the first tension device is received within the first slot. 18. The exercise machine of claim 1, wherein the frame is comprised of a first rail and a second rail, wherein the first rail is parallel with respect to the second rail, and wherein the carriage is movably positioned upon the first rail and second rail. 19. An exercise machine, comprising: a frame having a first end and a second end; a first end platform attached to the frame near the first end; a second end platform attached to the frame near the second end; a carriage movably positioned upon the frame, wherein the carriage is adapted to be movable in a reciprocating manner along at least a portion of an axis extending between the first end and the second end, wherein the carriage includes a first edge and a second edge; a selection member attached to the carriage near the second edge of the carriage, wherein the selection member extends downwardly from the carriage, wherein the selection member includes a first slot and a second slot, and wherein the slots are vertically orientated and parallel to one another; wherein the selection member includes a vertical portion that extends downwardly from the carriage and an angled portion extending from the vertical portion, wherein the angled portion extends away from the tension devices, and wherein the slots extend upwardly from a lower edge of the angled portion and into the vertical portion; a first tension device connected to the frame, wherein the first tension device includes a first member, wherein the first member has a width greater than the first slot, wherein the first member is adapted for selectively connecting to the selection member; a second tension device connected to the frame, wherein the second tension device includes a second member, wherein the second member has a width greater than the second slot, wherein the second member is adapted for selectively connecting to the selection member; wherein the first slot is adapted to receive the first tension device and wherein the second slot is adapted to receive the second tension device; and a reserve member connected to the frame, wherein the reserve member includes a first reserve slot and a second reserve slot, wherein the first reserve slot is adapted to receive the first tension device and wherein the second reserve slot is adapted to receive the second tension device. 20. An exercise machine, comprising: a frame having a first end and a second end; a first end platform attached to the frame near the first end; a second end platform attached to the frame near the second end; a carriage movably positioned upon the frame, wherein the carriage is adapted to be movable in a reciprocating manner along at least a portion of an axis extending between the first end and the second end; a selection member attached to the carriage, wherein the selection member includes a first slot and a second slot; a first tension device connected to the frame, wherein the first tension device includes a first member, wherein the first member has a width greater than the first slot, wherein the first member is adapted for selectively connecting to the selection member; a second tension device connected to the frame, wherein the second tension device includes a second member, wherein the second member has a width greater than the second slot, wherein the second member is adapted for selectively connecting to the selection member; a third tension device connected to the frame, wherein the third tension device includes a third member, wherein the third member has a width greater than the third slot, wherein the third member is adapted for selectively connecting to the selection member; wherein the first slot is adapted to receive the first tension device, wherein the second slot is adapted to receive the second tension device and wherein the third slot is adapted to receive the third tension device; wherein the slots are vertically oriented and wherein the slots extend upwardly from a lower edge of the selection member; and a reserve member connected to the frame, wherein the reserve member includes a first reserve slot, a second reserve slot and a third reserve slot, wherein the first reserve slot is adapted to receive the first tension device, wherein the second reserve slot is adapted to receive the second tension device and wherein the third reserve slot is adapted to receive the third tension device. | CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS The present application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 15/688,417 filed on Aug. 28, 2017 which issues on Jan. 16, 2018 as U.S. Pat. No. 9,868,010 (Docket No. LAGR-133), which is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 15/595,429 filed on May 15, 2017 now issued as U.S. Pat. No. 9,744,395 (Docket No. LAGR-115), which is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 15/419,610 filed on Jan. 30, 2017 now issued as U.S. Pat. No. 9,649,527 (Docket No. LAGR-102), which is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 15/332,674 filed on Oct. 24, 2016 now issued as U.S. Pat. No. 9,555,282 (Docket No. LAGR-084), which is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 15/068,889 filed on Mar. 14, 2016 issued as U.S. Pat. No. 9,474,927 (Docket No. LAGR-066), which is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 14/066,402 filed on Oct. 29, 2013 issued as U.S. Pat. No. 9,283,422 (Docket No. LAGR-012), which claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/719,763 filed Oct. 29, 2012 (Docket No. LAGR-002) and U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/719,757 filed Oct. 29, 2012 (Docket No. LAGR-001). Each of the aforementioned patent applications, and any applications related thereto, is herein incorporated by reference in their entirety. STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT Not applicable to this application. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention The present invention relates generally to a Pilates exercise machine and more specifically it relates to a Pilates machine tension device support system for efficiently providing a tension force to a movable platform of an exercise machine. Description of the Related Art Any discussion of the related art throughout the specification should in no way be considered as an admission that such related art is widely known or forms part of common general knowledge in the field. Exercise machines such as Pilates machines support a platform that is movable along a longitudinal path with tension springs attached between one end of the exercise machine and the platform. U.S. Pat. No. 7,803,095 to Sebastien LaGree discloses an exemplary exercise machine comprised of a Pilates machine that utilizes a platform attached to a plurality of tension springs. FIGS. 1, 2, 3 and 9 of U.S. Pat. No. 7,803,095 illustrate how the tension springs are attached between the movable platform and the end of the frame of the Pilates machine. The main problem with conventional tension spring systems utilized on Pilates machines is that when the user moves the platform away from the end of the machine where the tension springs are connected, the tension springs are fully exposed to the user while they perform their exercise. When the tension springs are exposed during operation, the exercise machine is not as aesthetically pleasing to the user or others. Furthermore, there is a risk that the user may accidentally engage the tension springs resulting in an injury. In addition, the stretching of the tension springs prevents the usage of the area below the platform in the initial position for storage of exercise related devices (e.g. hand weights, cables and the like). Also, when the movable platform is extended away from the end of the exercise machine, the tension springs are exposed and noise from the springs is free to be emitted without obstruction thereby reducing the peacefulness of the exercise. Because of the inherent problems with the related art, there is a need for a new and improved Pilates machine tension device support system for efficiently providing a tension force to a movable platform of an exercise machine. BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The invention generally relates to a Pilates exercise machine which includes a frame, a platform movably positioned upon the frame and a tension assembly connected between the frame and the platform to provide selective tension upon the platform in a first direction. The tension assembly is comprised of a plurality of pulleys and a plurality of tension devices positioned upon the pulleys, wherein the tension devices are attached between a frame and the platform. The tension members are selectively engaged to the platform to increase or decrease the tension applied to the platform for varying levels of workouts. There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, some of the features of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter and that will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto. In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction or to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of the description and should not be regarded as limiting. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Various other objects, features and attendant advantages of the present invention will become fully appreciated as the same becomes better understood when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference characters designate the same or similar parts throughout the several views, and wherein: FIG. 1 is an upper perspective view of the present invention with all tension devices connected to the movable platform and the movable platform at the first position. FIG. 2 is an upper perspective view of the present invention with two of the tension devices not connected to the movable platform. FIG. 3a is an upper perspective view with the movable platform moved into an intermediate position. FIG. 3b is an upper perspective view with the movable platform moved to the second position. FIG. 4 is an upper perspective view of the platform in an exploded state with respect to the exercise machine. FIG. 5 is a magnified upper perspective view of the tension assembly with respect to the intermediate member. FIG. 6 is a front upper perspective view of the tension assembly. FIG. 7 is a front upper perspective view of the tension assembly with a protective cover. FIG. 8 is a rear upper perspective view of the tension assembly. FIG. 9 is a front view of the tension assembly. FIG. 10 is a rear view of the tension assembly. FIG. 11 is a top view of the tension assembly. FIG. 12 is an upper perspective view of a tension device wrapped around a pulley in an initial state. FIG. 13 is a side view of the tension device wrapped around the pulley in the initial state having a length L1 for the first segment. FIG. 14 is a side view of the tension device wrapped around the pulley in the stretched state having a length L2 for the first segment. FIG. 15 is a cross sectional view taken along line 15-15 of FIG. 13. FIG. 16 is a top view of the platform in the first position. FIG. 17 is a top view of the platform in the second position. FIG. 18 is a bottom view of the platform in the first position. FIG. 19 is a bottom view of the platform in the second position. FIG. 20 is a side cutaway view of the tension adjustment assembly. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION A. Overview Turning now descriptively to the drawings, in which similar reference characters denote similar elements throughout the several views, FIGS. 1 through 20 illustrate a frame 12, a platform 32 movably positioned upon the frame 12 and a tension assembly 40 connected between the frame 12 and the platform 32 to provide selective tension upon the platform 32 in a first direction. The tension assembly 40 is comprised of a plurality of pulleys 60 and a plurality of tension devices 70 positioned upon the pulleys 60, wherein the tension devices 70 are attached between a frame 12 and the platform 32. The tension members are selectively engaged to the platform 32 to increase or decrease the tension applied to the platform 32 for varying levels of workouts. The combination of the frame 12 and the platform 32 of the present invention preferably form a Pilates exercise machine. B. Exercise Machine FIGS. 1 through 3b illustrate an exercise machine 10. The exercise machine 10 is preferably comprised of a Pilates machine but may be comprised of various other types of exercise machines. U.S. Pat. No. 7,803,095 to Lagree illustrates an exemplary Pilates exercise machine and is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. The exercise machine 10 is generally comprised of a frame 12 and a carriage assembly 30 movably positioned upon the frame 12. The user of the exercise machine 10 positions their body (e.g. feet, knees, hands) upon the upper surface or sides of the platform 32. The user then pulls upon cables or pulls/pushes upon handles or end platforms 32 of the exercise machine 10 thereby causing movement of the carriage assembly 30. The frame 12 of the exercise machine 10 is preferably comprised of an elongated structure having a first end 14 and a second end 16 as illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 3b of the drawings. The frame 12 has a longitudinal axis extending from the first end 14 to the second end 16. FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate the platform 32 adjacent to the first end 14 of the frame 12. The frame 12 may include a first end 14 member and a second end 16 member attached to the first end 14 and second end 16 respectively for the user to stand or rest their body upon as further shown in FIGS. 1 through 3b of the drawings. The frame 12 may be comprised of various types of material such as but not limited to metal, composite, wood, carbon fiber, plastic and the like. The frame 12 of the exercise machine 10 is preferably comprised of a first member 27 at the first end 14 of the frame 12, a second member 29 at the second end 16 of the frame 12 and an intermediate member 28 between the first member 27 and the second member 29 as illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 3b, 18 and 19 of the drawings. The first member 27, the intermediate member 28 and second member 29 are connected together by a first frame member 24 and a second frame member 26 extending between the members 27, 28 and 29. The members 27, 28 and 29 are preferably each comprised of a unitary structure as illustrated in the drawings but may be comprised of more than one component. The members 27, 28 and 29 each preferably have a pair of distal legs that extend downwardly to engage a ground surface and thereby support the frame 12 of the exercise machine 10. At least one rail 20, 22 is attached to the members 27, 28 and 29 of the frame 12 to movably support the carriage assembly 30. The carriage assembly 30 preferably includes a plurality of wheels extending from the carriage assembly 30 to freely move along the at least one rail 20, 22. The at least one rail 20, 22 is preferably comprised of a first rail 20 and a second rail 22 on opposing sides of the frame 12 of the exercise machine 10. The first rail 20 and the second rail 22 movably support opposing side portions of the carriage assembly 30 along the length of the frame 12. The first rail 20 and the second rail 22 are each preferably parallel with respect to the longitudinal axis of the frame 12. The wheels of the carriage assembly 30 freely ride along the length of the first rail 20 and the second rail 22 thereby allowing the user to perform various types of exercises including Pilates exercises. C. Carriage Assembly FIGS. 1 through 4 illustrate the carriage assembly 30 that moves along the frame 12 of the exercise machine 10. The carriage assembly 30 includes a platform 32 movably positioned upon the frame 12 wherein the platform 32 is adapted to be movable along an axis extending between the first end 14 and the second end 16. The carriage assembly 30 includes a plurality of wheels attached to the lower surface or sides of the platform 32 that freely ride along the length of the rails 20, 22 allowing the user to manually push and pull upon the platform 32 with their body. The platform 32 may be comprised of various structures capable of supporting a human during exercises. The platform 32 is preferably a flat structure having a flat upper surface and also having a length that is greater than the width as illustrated in FIG. 16 of the drawings. The platform 32 may be comprised of various types of materials including a cushioned structure. The platform 32 has a first edge 34 facing the first end 14 of the frame 12 and a second edge 36 facing towards the second end 16 of the frame 12 as illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 3b of the drawings. The first edge 34 is on a side of the platform 32 opposite of the second edge 36 and the edges 34, 36 are preferably transverse with respect to the longitudinal axis of the frame 12. The axis of movement for the platform 32 is preferably the longitudinal axis of the frame 12 of the exercise machine 10 with the platform 32 moving from the first end 14 (initial position as shown in FIGS. 1, 2, 16 and 18), to an intermediate position between the first end 14 and second end 16 (an example of an intermediate position is shown in FIG. 3a) and to the second end 16 (the final position as shown in FIGS. 3b, 17 and 19). D. Tension Assembly 1. Overview of Tension Assembly. As illustrated in FIGS. 6 through 11, a tension assembly 40 is provided that is attached to the frame 12 of the exercise machine 10 to provide a tension force to the platform 32 thereby providing resistance to the user as they move the platform 32 away from the first end 14 of the frame 12. The tension force may be variable or constant. The tension force will typically increase as the platform 32 is moved closer to the second end 16 and moved away from the first end 14 of the frame 12. The tension force pulls upon the carriage assembly 30 thereby drawing the platform 32 towards the first end 14 of the frame 12 and away from the second end 16 of the frame 12. The tension assembly 40 is basically comprised of a plurality of pulleys 60 and a plurality of tension devices 70 wrapped around the plurality of tension devices 70. FIGS. 5 through 8 illustrate the usage of 7 pulleys 60 and 7 corresponding tension devices 70. However, it can be appreciated that the number of pulleys 60 and tension devices 70 may be greater than or less than 7 (e.g. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10, 11 or more). The tension force applied to the platform 32 may be adjusted by selectively engaging one or more of the tension devices 70 within the tension assembly 40. 2. Pulleys. The pulleys 60 are rotatably supported upon the frame 12 to allow for relatively free rotation of the pulleys 60. The pulleys 60 are each circular with an outer rim 62 that rotatably supports the corresponding tension devices 70. The outer rim 62 preferably has two opposing raised edges with the intermediate surface of the outer rim 62 between the outer edges being formed to the shape of the tension device 70 (e.g. for a tension coil spring, the intermediate surface of the rim is preferably curved forming a curved outer channel within the outer rim 62 as illustrated in FIG. 15 of the drawings). The diameter of the pulleys 60 may be comprised of various diameters sufficient to be positioned beneath the carriage assembly 30 and above the floor surface the frame 12 is positioned upon. The pulleys 60 may be comprised of various types of materials and combinations of materials such as but not limited to plastic, metal, composite, wood and the like. It is preferable to utilize a softer material such as plastic to reduce the noise of the tension devices 70 as they stretch upon the pulleys 60. The pulleys 60 are preferably supported upon a common concentric axle 44 as illustrated in FIGS. 7 and 8 of the drawings. The axle 44 is preferably transverse with respect to the axis of movement for the platform 32. As shown in FIGS. 6 through 8, a first arm 41 and a second arm 42 support the axle 44 between the distal ends of the arms 41, 42. The arms 41, 42 may be attached directly to the frame 12 (e.g. to the intermediate member 28) or to a cross member 46 extending between the arms 41, 42 wherein the cross member 46 is attached to the frame 12 of the exercise machine 10. As another alternative, the axle 44 may be directly connected to the frame 12 of the exercise machine 10 thereby eliminating the need for the arms 41, 42. Spacers or other separating devices are preferably positioned between each of the pulleys 60 to prevent the pulleys 60 from directly engaging one another allowing them to rotate freely with respect to one another without frictional engagement. Alternatively, the pulleys 60 may be individually supported by an independent suspension system. The pulleys 60 are preferably parallel to one another and concentrically positioned with respect to one another. The sides of the pulleys 60 are further preferably near one another to create a compact structure for the tension assembly 40. The plurality of pulleys 60 are rotatably supported upon an axle 44 and are preferably independently rotatable with respect to one another. The independent rotation of the pulleys 60 allows for individually selected tension devices 70 to be connected to the platform 32 for stretching with non-selected tension devices 70 remaining in a substantially contracted state. The pulleys 60 are preferably positioned between the first end 14 and the second end 16 of the frame 12 as illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 4 of the drawings. It is further preferable that the pulleys 60 are near or at a central location between the first end 14 and the second end 16 of the frame 12 as illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 3b and 18 of the drawings. The pulleys 60 are preferably positioned beneath the platform 32 when the platform 32 is in the first position (initial position) near the first end 14 of the frame 12 as illustrated in FIG. 16 of the drawings. The pulleys 60 may be exposed partially or in whole when the platform 32 is in the second position (extended position) near the second end 16 of the frame 12 as illustrated in FIG. 17. A cover 80 may be attached to the frame 12 or axle 44 to cover 80 a portion of the pulleys 60 and tension devices 70 that are exposed when the platform 32 is moved to the second position as illustrated in FIG. 7 of the drawings. The cover 80 preferably has a C-shaped cross sectional shape and extends along the width of the tension assembly 40. The cover 80 wraps around the tension assembly 40 providing sufficient space to prevent engagement of the tension devices 70 with the interior surface of the cover 80 as illustrated in FIG. 15. The cover 80 is supported by a plurality of support members 82 that extend upwardly and downwardly from the axle 44 to support the upper portion and lower portion of the cover 80 as further illustrated in FIG. 7 of the drawings. 3. Tension Devices. The plurality of tension devices 70 each having a first connecting end attached to the frame 12 and a second connecting end that is adapted for selectively connecting to the platform 32 to allow for one or more of the tension devices 70 to be selectively connected to the platform 32 thereby allowing for adjustment of the tension force applied to the platform 32 by the tension assembly 40. The second connecting end is opposite of the first connecting end. Each of the tension devices 70 may have various cross sectional shapes (e.g. circular as shown in FIG. 15) and various initial contracted lengths (e.g. 3 feet, 4 feet, etc.). The tension devices 70 are each preferably comprised of an elongated elastic object such as but not limited to springs, tension springs, tension coil springs or elastic bands. The tension devices 70 may each be comprised of the same size, same type, same length and same tension force (e.g. 5 lbs. tension force in the first position and 10 lbs. tension force when stretched to the second position). Each tension device 70 may be comprised of one or more elongated elastic objects such as utilizing two tension coil springs together to form a single tension device 70. Alternatively, different sizes, different types, different lengths and/or different tension forces may be utilized for the tension devices 70. For example, a first tension device may be comprised of a tension coil spring having an initial tension force of 3 lbs. and a second stretched tension force of 5 lbs. with a second tension device comprised of a tension coil spring having an initial tension force of 6 lbs. and a second stretched tension force of 10 lbs. which allows for incremental adjustment of the tension force applied to the platform 32. To further example, the third tension device may have a different tension force compared to the first tension device and the second tension device. The amount of tension force for each of the tension devices 70 may be indicated by color coding the selection knobs 74 or other indicia. The tension devices 70 are attached between the frame 12 and the platform 32, with the first connecting end attached to the frame 12 and the second connecting end attached to the platform 32. The first connecting end of the tension devices 70 may be comprised of an engagement member 76 such as but not limited to a hook that extends through corresponding apertures 21 within the intermediate member 28 of the frame 12. The second connecting end of the tension devices 70 is preferably comprised of a selection knob 74 that has an elongated portion with a handle portion at the distal end thereof as best illustrated in FIGS. 6 and 20 of the drawings. It is preferable to have a plurality of non-stretchable elongated members 72 (e.g. cord, cable) extending between the stretchable elastic portion of the tension devices 70 and the selection knobs 74. The elongated members 72 are preferably narrower than the stretchable elastic portion of the tension devices 70 to allow for insertion and removable within slots within the tension adjustment assembly that allows for the selection of which tension devices 70 that are connected to the platform 32 thereby adjusting the amount of tension force applied to the platform 32. The plurality of tension devices 70 are wrapped around the plurality of pulleys 60 as illustrated in FIGS. 5 through 8 and 12 through 14 of the drawings. When the tension devices 70 are wrapped around the pulleys 60, the tension devices 70 are preferably comprised of a U-shaped configuration as best illustrated in FIGS. 12 through 14 of the drawings. As best illustrated in FIGS. 12 through 14 of the drawings, the tension devices 70 each have a first segment 77 extending from the first connecting end and a second segment 79 extending towards the second connecting end. The first segment 77 of the tension devices 70 is preferably parallel to the second segment 79 as illustrated in FIGS. 13 and 14 of the drawings. In addition, the first segment 77 for each of the tension devices 70 is preferably below the second segment 79. The tension devices 70 each further include an intermediate segment 78 that is adjacent to and in physical contact with the outer rim 62 of a corresponding pulley 60 as illustrated in FIGS. 8, 13, 14 and 15 of the drawings. The intermediate segment 78 is curved having a similar shape as the outer rim 62 of the pulleys 60. The intermediate segment 78 may extend above the outer rim 62 as illustrated in FIG. 14 of the drawings. The first segment 77 for each of the tension devices 70 stretches in a first direction and the second segment 79 stretches in a second direction which then wraps around the pulleys 60 with the intermediate segment 78 towards the first direction. The first direction of stretching for the tension devices 70 is not the same as the second direction and preferably the first direction is opposite of the second direction of stretching for the tension devices 70. The second direction is preferably opposite of a direction for the tension force applied to the platform 32 by the plurality of tension devices 70. 4. Tension Adjustment Assembly. FIGS. 4 through 7 and 20 best illustrate the tension adjustment assembly that allows for a user to adjust which of the tension devices 70 are connected to the platform 32 thereby adjusting the amount of tension force applied to the platform 32 to perform various types and levels of exercises. The tension adjustment assembly is preferably comprised of a reserve member 48 connected to the frame 12 and a selection member 50 attached to the platform 32. The reserve member 48 preferably has a plurality of reserve slots 49 and is attached to the frame 12 (e.g. to the intermediate member 28) or attached to the cross member 46 of the tension assembly 40 as illustrated in FIGS. 5 through 8 of the drawings. The reserve slots 49 within the reserve member 48 receive the selection knobs 74 and the elongated members 72 of the corresponding tension devices 70 that are placed into a reserve position so they are not connected to the platform 32 thereby reducing the amount of tension force applied to the platform 32. The reserve member 48 preferably extends upwardly with the reserve slots 49 extending downwardly into a portion of the reserve member 48 from the upper edge thereof, however various other structures may be utilized for the reserve member 48. The reserve slots 49 are preferably parallel with respect to one another and equidistantly spaced apart. The selection member 50 preferably has a plurality of selection slots 52 and is attached to the platform 32 as illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 20 of the drawings. The selection member 50 preferably has a downwardly extending vertical portion and then a downwardly angled portion that extends towards the second end 16 of the frame 12 as best illustrated in FIG. 20 of the drawings. The downwardly angled portion of the selection member 50 retains the selection knobs 74 in the selection slots 52 as the user moves the platform 32 by preventing the selection knobs 74 from falling downwardly out of the selection slots 52. The selection slots 52 are preferably parallel with respect to one another and equidistantly spaced part similar to and preferably aligned with the reserve slots 49. The selection slots 52 are preferably positioned above the reserve slots 49 as best illustrated in FIG. 20 of the drawings. The selection slots 52 within the selection member 50 receive the selection knobs 74 and the elongated members 72 of the corresponding tension devices 70 that are placed into a selected position so they are connected to the platform 32 thereby increasing the amount of tension force applied to the platform 32. If the selection knob 74 is not engaged with the selection member 50, the corresponding tension device 70 will not be stretched when the platform 32 is moved from the first position to the second position. E. Operation of Preferred Embodiment In use, the user first determines the amount of tension force they would like applied to the platform 32 for a particular exercise to be performed. To adjust the tension force, the user manipulates the selection knobs 74 for each of the corresponding tension devices 70 so that tension devices 70 that are to be connected to the platform 32 have their corresponding selection knobs 74 connected to the selection member 50 and the tension devices 70 that are not to be connected to the platform 32 have their corresponding selection knobs 74 connected to the stationary reserve member 48. Once the user has adjusted the desired level of tension to be applied to the platform 32, the user then positions their body upon the platform 32 to perform the exercise with the platform 32 in the initial position near the first end 14 as illustrated in FIGS. 1, 16 and 18 of the drawings. The user then moves the platform 32 away from the first end 14 of the frame 12 which causes the tension devices 70 connected to the selection member 50 to stretch. As the tension devices 70 stretch, the amount of tension force is increased. Furthermore, as the tension devices 70 stretch, the first segment 77 and the intermediate segment 78 of the tension devices 70 remain the same length whereas the second segment 79 increases in length from length L1 in FIG. 13 to length L2 in FIG. 14. As the tension devices 70 stretch or contract, they cause their respective pulley 60 to rotate in a corresponding direction thereby reducing the amount of noise emitted by the tension devices 70 during operation. For example, when the tension device 70 is stretched in FIG. 14 (when the platform 32 moves towards the second end 16 of the frame 12), the pulley 60 is rotated in a clockwise direction. Also, when the tension device 70 is contracted in FIG. 14 (when the platform 32 moves towards the first end 14), the pulley 60 is rotated in a counterclockwise direction. The free rotation of the pulley 60 guides the tension device 70 throughout the entire stretching and contraction of the tension device 70. It can be appreciated that as the tension members stretch that they will have a portion of their respective length sliding along the surface of the outer rim 62. FIG. 14 illustrates a tension device 70 with the second segment 79 stretched to a length L2 from an original length L1 (see FIG. 13 showing the tension device 70 in the contracted state when the platform 32 is in the initial position near the first end 14). The length L2 varies depending upon the distance the user moves the platform 32 from the first end 14 towards the second end 16 as illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 3b, 17 and 19 of the drawings. As the user moves the platform 32 towards the second end 16, the tension devices 70 connected to the platform 32 stretch and their respective pulleys 60 rotate accordingly (the non-attached tension devices 70 remain in the contracted position and their respective pulleys 60 do not rotate). The tension devices 70 stretch through a recessed portion 25 within an upper portion of the intermediate member 28. As the user moves the platform 32 towards the first end 14, the tension devices 70 connected to the platform 32 contract and their respective pulleys 60 rotate accordingly in a direction opposite of when the tension devices 70 were being stretched (the non-attached tension devices 70 remain in the contracted position and their respective pulleys 60 do not rotate). The platform 32 may be in various intermediate positions between the first end 14 and the second end 16 of the frame 12 as can be appreciated. When the user is finished with the exercise, they return the platform 32 to the first position near the first end 14 and then repeat the above process for the next exercise. Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention belongs. Although methods and materials similar to or equivalent to those described herein can be used in the practice or testing of the present invention, suitable methods and materials are described above. All publications, patent applications, patents, and other references mentioned herein are incorporated by reference in their entirety to the extent allowed by applicable law and regulations. The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential attributes thereof, and it is therefore desired that the present embodiment be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive. Any headings utilized within the description are for convenience only and have no legal or limiting effect. | <SOH> BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION <EOH> | <SOH> BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION <EOH>The invention generally relates to a Pilates exercise machine which includes a frame, a platform movably positioned upon the frame and a tension assembly connected between the frame and the platform to provide selective tension upon the platform in a first direction. The tension assembly is comprised of a plurality of pulleys and a plurality of tension devices positioned upon the pulleys, wherein the tension devices are attached between a frame and the platform. The tension members are selectively engaged to the platform to increase or decrease the tension applied to the platform for varying levels of workouts. There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, some of the features of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter and that will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto. In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction or to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of the description and should not be regarded as limiting. | A63B2100065 | 20180115 | 20180717 | 20180517 | 59974.0 | A63B2100 | 0 | FISCHER, RAE | Pilates Machine Tension Device Support System | SMALL | 1 | CONT-ACCEPTED | A63B | 2,018 |
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